A/N: I know, I know. This took me a lot longer to update then the other chapters, but I had to update my other three stories before this one. Sorry. Don't worry because the chapter after this one will be up ASAP. I promise. Also, I call Charlotte, Charlie for short sometimes. Just to let you know.
I don't own Twilight.
"Nathan, Bella! Come on! We are going to be late for school!" Charlotte yelled from the open door.
Nathan and I came running down the stairs at vampire speed. "Sorry, I was just trying to talk to Nathan about tonight. He still won't come," I hissed. He refused to be around them more than he had to.
"Nathan you are coming. Ed of discussion," Charlotte said pointing her finger at him. "Now let's go! I don't want to be late!"
Friday was a pretty uneventful day. Mostly Jasper, Alice or Emmett would either stop me or talk to me in class about tonight. They were all excited apparently. I was a little surprised that Rosalie and Edward were excited. Though Alice told me that they all were excited. Nothing really happened up until lunch. After, however, is another story.
"Bella, wait!" a musical voice called behind me.
I knew the scent right away, so I just kept walking to Biology. I really was not in the mood to talk to him. I mean I already had to see him tonight. Why more?
"Bella," he said grabbing my arm and spinning me around, "it's blood testing day. We should really skip."
As soon as I heard that, I would have skipped with anyone. I couldn't even stand blood as a human, as a vampire… whoa. "Yes, we probably should. Excuse me," I said turning to the opposite direction.
"Whoa, where do you think you are going?" Edward asked holding onto my arm.
"Where does it look like I'm going?" I hissed. "I'm going to my car to listen to a new CD I got. Why do you ask?"
Edward still wouldn't let go of my arm. I didn't complain. "Bella, I thought maybe we could talk now. I mean you aren't really doing anything that you couldn't do later. So will you come with me so we can talk?"
Austin, I could really use you right now, I thought, or anyone for that matter. Just then Austin appeared at my side. "Blood testing today," he said like he was there the whole time.
Edward stood there in shock. "Bella, you should skip. Come on, I'll skip with you. I need to talk to you about later."
I looked over to Edward, whose eyes where wide open. "Sure, sure," I said not looking away from Edward, "let's head to the car."
"Thank you," I whispered to Austin as we walked away. "There was no way I was going to get out of that one. I mean he practically cornered me."
Austin sighed, I could tell he wasn't happy with me. "I know, but I wish you would have tried. I mean I really didn't want to show him my gift."
"He was going to find out later tonight, anyways. Besides maybe he won't put two and two together. He was in complete shock."
"Bella, he knows that my class is on the other side of the campus. He knows that the Trig room is nowhere near the Biology room. He'll figure out my gift, or get close to it anyways," he said opening up the passenger door for me.
I got in and waited for him to join me. "Then why did you come? You should have just ignored my voice."
"No, Bella, I couldn't. I understand how much it hurts you being around him. I may not be able to read your emotions, or mind on command, but I can see how much pain you are in by just looking into your eyes. Your voice was practically screaming in my head. I can't just ignore that."
"Austin, maybe Edward will just think you have the same gift as him. Like maybe he won't know that you can only-"
"-only hear your voices when you call on me in your thoughts," he finished for me. "Probably, but my gift is very close to his."
"I know," I said looking out the window. "I know."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"I'll drive," I said as we all came out of the house. They all groaned behind me. "What?"
"No offense Bells, but-"Charlotte started.
"You suck at driving," Nathan finished.
"I do not. I'm a better driver than all of you guys. I mean I'm the only one who hasn't crash a car," I said insulted.
"We know that, Bella. But you drive so slow! I mean you only drive 80 mph compared to my 110 mph," Nathan said.
"Ugh. Well I don't care. I'm the only one who knows where they live so I'm driving," I said climbing into my mustang.
They all sighed knowing that they wouldn't win and piled into the car with me. Nathan got beside me with a groan and put down the roof.
We got there pretty fast considering we didn't live by anyone. I was the last one out of the car. I looked at the huge house in front of me. I was suddenly nervous and scared, more than the first time I think. Charlotte came up to me and put her arm around my shoulder. Then we walked up to the door. When we got there I took a deep breath and knocked knowing they were already at the door.
I put on a smile as Esme opened the door. When she saw me her arms went around me. She pulled me into a huge hug and it seemed like she didn't want to let go. She did though, and stepped back so my family and I could come in and face the Cullens.
Alice was at my side instantly pulling me into a hug. "I'm so glad you and your family came. I've missed you so much."
"You see me every day at school," I said shrugging out of her hug.
"It's not the same," she said smiling.
I looked over to everyone else. "Oh I'm sorry. This is my family Nathan, Charlotte and Austin," I said pointing to each of them. "Guys this is Alice, Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward," I said doing the same.
"Sup," Nathan said nodding his head towards them. I laughed under my breath at him while Charlotte glared at him. I saw Edward smile at me when I did that.
Carlisle nodded looking a little confused. "Anyways, I hope you don't mind me being forward, but if you care to fallow us to the living room, we would love to hear your family's story, Bella. Along with yours."
I nodded and then turned to my family. They all seemed calm, but who knew with Jasper in the room. "You guys ready?" I asked walking over to them.
"No," Nathan and Austin said. "But we can't really run without you or one of them catching us. So let's go," Austin said nodding in their direction.
Charlotte glared at him as we walked to their living room. "Be nice," she whispered to both Nathan and Austin.
They set up an extra couch for us. I recognized it as soon as I saw it. It was Edward's leather couch. We had to sit in it because the other ones were already taken. They would be, I thought sitting next to Nathan and Charlotte. "Okay so what do you want to know about us?" I asked once everyone was settled. I could feel Edward staring at me.
"Guys do you all have to think about ten different things at once? My head is hurting!" Edward said rubbing his temple.
"Sorry Edward. Bella, why don't you just start at the beginning," Jasper said.
I sighed. My family looked over at me. Charlotte with apologetic eyes and Austin and Nathan with 'I told you we shouldn't have come' eyes. I rolled my eyes at them before I started, "Back to the beginning."
"Well okay then. It was a Thursday when I went up to the meadow," I said shooting a look at Edward. His fists clenched. He knew what I meant. "I was laying in the grass when suddenly I heard a twig snap. I shot up and turned around to see Laurent come through the trees. Now, Emmett, you may understand why I ran from you," I said looking at him. He nodded.
"He taunted me for a bit then lunged at me. I got my arm up and he bit it, but before he could finish me off werewolves came," I said. The Cullens gasped. My family snickered. "Jacob and his pack brothers killed him. Jacob stayed with me through the pain and-"
"A werewolf stayed with you?" Edward asked repulsed. I looked at his family. They all looked like it was disgusting to spend time with one.
"Yes, he was actually a good distraction. He tried to explain to me what he was during the three days," I said matter-of-factly. "Anyways after I changed Jacob left. He said he would tell Charlie I was mulled by a grizzly bear or something." Emmett grinned. I caught Edward sighing and rolling his eyes.
"For a year I was alone. I traveled the world in that time. Went to Europe for awhile then came back to the U.S., South Carolina to be exact." My family smiled. "That's where I found Charlotte, Austin and Nathan."
"Bella, weren't you a little young still to change them without losing control? I mean you were only a year old," Carlisle said.
"Oh I guess I should have mentioned that earlier. I can't stand human blood. I can't stand the smell of it. It's just disgusting to me." They all nodded. I saw Edward smile out of the corner of my eye.
"Anyways, they were in a car crash in the woods when I changed them." I turned to my family, who were staring at me knowing what I was going to asked next. "Would you guys like to explain?"
The Cullens looked at each other confused. "I think that will be for the best. We'll probably explain it better," Austin teased coming to my side. "Then it's your turn," he said with a taunting smile.
I made a face while I joined my family. "Okay, I'll explain my 'gift' as you call it." He looked over to us, we smiled. "Okay, well my 'gift' is similar to Edward's. Not exactly though. I can be anywhere in the world if someone calls, well thinks, my name I'll hear them. Edward, that's how I was able to some to Bella at school. She thought my name and asked to come to her. Also the difference between you and me," he said gesturing between them, "is I can hear Bella."
They nodded. Edward seemed less confused. Then he suddenly did. "Wait can I not hear you thoughts then? Or your families? Because I can't right now."
"Yeah and I can't feel their emotions either," Jasper said.
"I couldn't see you guys coming either," Alice joined in.
"That would be me," I said sheepishly raising my hand. Nathan glared at me, but I just rolled my eyes. The Cullens all stared at me. "I was going to bring this up later, but whatever. Emmett, not only do I have a force field thing, but I can also block your gifts. If I want to. Like now I'm able to block my family from your gifts, along with myself, because I'm attuned to them." I closed my eyes for a second before looking to Jasper and Edward. "Can you sense their emotions and hear their thoughts now?"
"Yes," they both said.
I closed my eyes again. When I looked up they were both frowning. "Sorry, I like to protect them. Jasper, however, you can use you power on us. We'll feel it. Anyways who's next?" I asked trying to get the attention away from me.
"I'll go," Nathan said standing up and taking Austin's spot. "Um, okay, well my 'gift' is mainly my strength. And, well, my good looks," he said with a smirk. "I'm apparently able to dazzle, well that's what Bella calls it, people easily." I felt a wave of calmness go threw me. Jasper did that for Edward no doubt. "The only person I can't really dazzle," Nathan said laughing, "is Bella. She's was a lot harder than Charlotte." Edward leaned back into the couch with a smirk. "That's probably why me and Austin don't get along all the time."
Charlotte stood up blushing and walked over to Nathan. "My turn," she said. Nathan nodded and went to sit by me. "My 'gift' is quite different. Mostly my compassion and motherly instinct from being a nurse, but also I can translate and learn any language once I hear it."
Jasper sat up straighter looking intrigued. "You're kidding? That must be very helpful."
Charlotte shrugged. "I wouldn't know. We didn't really talk to many foreigners in our travels."
"But you did run into another coven in your travels?" Alice asked us. She shot a look at Edward. They locked eyes and then he nodded. How I hated their silent conversations. I always felt lost.
"Well yes," Charlotte said. "Mainly one made up of three vampires." We all winced at the memory of them. The Cullens didn't understand, clearly. "Maybe we should just say after them we stayed clear of Covens. That's why we were timid on coming here."
"Could you explain better?" Rosalie asked. That surprised me. "What did they do?"
Charlotte looked back to me then Austin. "She doesn't want to tell. Neither does Nathan nor I," he said out loud. The Cullens, mainly Edward, looked frustrated by their silent conversation.
I stood up. "I guess I'm doing it then."
"Bella, you don't have to tell us, you know? It seems like they caused you a lot of pain," Esme said.
"No, it's okay. It may explain Austin and Nathan's behavior," I said flashing a smile at them. "Well we went to South America about three years after I changed them. We were at the tip of Chile when we ran into a Spanish coven. Charlotte, thankfully, could translate for us and talk to them.
"They seemed nice at first. They didn't know any of our gifts. Not even Charlotte's because she gave herself a heavy Spanish accent when talking to us in English. No one wanted to tell them our gifts.
"They invited us to stay with them before we headed north again. Austin accepted after he knew what we thought. We became very close to them. However, we didn't want to invite them into our coven because it would be too much.
"One night, the night before we were going to leave, we were talking about our gifts because we figured them all out only a weed before we met them. We didn't know the youngest, Maria, was listening in.
"They ambushed us that night, trapping us in the hut they made for us because of my powers really. They were going to burn it, but we were able to get out before they set fire to it. They thought no vampire should be able to block others of their gifts. Thankfully we were able to take them out. Since then we haven't talked to coven. Only solo travelers."
The Cullens sat there in silence for awhile. I noticed Edward squinting and rubbing his temple again. No doubt this was too much for him and his family to handle. Right then I
wanted to run over to him and tell him everything is alright. That we are finally here, together. I wanted to comfort him. I quickly tried to block that thought knowing he didn't feel the same way anymore.
"That's mainly our story. I mean we traveled more staying away from covens and then came here after I heard of Charlie's death," I said. The Cullens looked down. Jasper sent a calming wave over us all and I smiled at him.
"We do have some funny stories of clumsy Bella, however," Nathan said nudging me. He was trying to lighten the mood. "Do you want to hear some?" I groaned.
"Yes! I've missed our clumsy Bella! Please tell us," Emmett said flashing Edward a smile when he said our.
"Well we were in Italy," Austin started, "and we were rock climbing. We were almost to the top before Bella missed the step we created, and slipped. She went tumbling to the bottom. All we saw was a big splash because she landed in the sea!"
They all burst out laughing. "Bella vampires are supposed to be graceful," Emmett howled. I just groaned hitting my hand to my forehead. Of course I would do that.
"Well since it is only 11:30, you guys are welcomed to stay later," Carlisle said. "I, however, have to head to the hospital for my midnight shift."
"Oh Bella, please stay! I would love to show you our house again! We did a little remodeling," Alice said running to my side.
The downstairs looked the same to me, but who knew with them. "I would love too," I said, and then I turned to my family. "You guys can go. I'll run home. I could go for a good run."
"No sense, one of us will drive you home," Edward said still sitting on the couch.
Nathan glared at him. "No we'll stay. It's fine. You have fun with your friends." Clearly he didn't trust them yet.
"Yea and I'm sure Emmett here would love to hear some of Nathan and I's stories," Austin said chuckling.
Before Emmett could answer Alice grabbed mine and Charlotte's arm, taking her by surprise, and rushed upstairs taking up with her.
The first room was hers. Well really Jasper's and hers, but the room screamed Alice. There was a ton of pink in the room. A little purple, but mostly pink. The closet was half the size of my room and mine was the biggest in our house. The bathroom was really fancy. Mainly different shades of gold, very pretty.
"Wow, Alice, this is amazing. Although I don't know how you could have more clothes," I said as a roar of laughter came from downstairs. I tried to ignore it, "or shoes, but it seems like you do."
Alice giggled. "Of course I do! Things go out of fashion so easily these days. Though," she said walking into the closet, "I have beautiful dress that would look gorgeous on you."
She came out with a dark blue staples dress. At the top it had little silver beads and it flowed out a little at the bottom. She was right, it was absolutely beautiful.
"Here," she said pushing it towards me. "I want you to have it. Think of it like a homecoming present."
"Oh Alice, thank you, but I couldn't take this. It's too much," I said hoping Charlotte would help me out, but she was memorized by it.
"Yes you can, Bella. I insist. Beside I know Edward will love it. It does look lovely on your skin," she said holding it up to me.
"Then it hit me, I really couldn't wear this dress. Edward loved dark blue on me. He said so on our first semi-date. "Oh I really can't," I protested, but Alice, fed up, stripped off my clothes and put the dress on me.
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked as she laced up the back.
"Well I have to see what it looks like on you, and if it fits. And it does, just let me tighten it,
she said.
"You should show Nathan and Austin. They will love you in that. I mean you do look gorgeous," Charlotte said as she and Alice pushed me towards the door.
"Oh no, no, no I can't show them downstairs." Edward will be there, I thought. "Just call Austin and they can come up here."
"No I'm sure my family will love to see you in my present," Alice said as we reached the top of the stairs. "Besides its part of Edward's gift."
"What?!" I nearly screamed. The living room went silent.
"Okay, I bought it just two days ago for you as a present. I asked Edward to help me pick it out because I thought it would be nice for him to do something for you, but I found out he go you another gift later."
"Okay now I really can't take this dress. You can wear it Alice. I'm sure it looks great on you."
"Probably, but not as good as it looks on you. Now I'll get the families," she said running downstairs.
"Quick switch places with me," I whispered to Charlotte.
"Too, late," she whispered back pointing downstairs. Both families where downstairs staring at me. My eyes seemed to find Edward's instantly. They were melting into me.
I suddenly found myself walking down the stairs, at human pace. I reached the bottom step the same time Edward met the foot of the stairs. And there we stood looking into each other's eyes.
A/N: I'm typing the next chapter right now, but it won't be posted till tomorrow most likely. Sorry, but I hope this chapter makes up for the delay. Reviews please!