HISTORY
Alex can't take her life in Waverly Place anymore. One day when she is looking into her family history she finds a shocking surprise that she thinks will get her away from the life she loathes. Will Alex finally find where she truly belongs?
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer and Disney Channel own the right to all these character. I am only borrowing them.
Alex POV
It's 8:12 pm and the rest of the Cullens have yet to make an appearance. Bella began worrying over an hour ago, which doesn't bother me since Emmett and Alice said that worrying is something she's picked up from Edward. It's only now that I'm concerned, now that I can see that Alice and Emmett have begun to worry as well. I want to distract them, but I don't want them to think that I don't care for the rest of their family. To keep themselves busy Alice and Emmett continued to converse with me and at some point brought out some old family albums with pictures of their family and friends. Only a few moments ago did we split up, Alice and Bella went to the kitchen to make dinner while Emmett and I stayed in the living room to play a racing game.
It's the wonderful smell coming from the kitchen snaps me out of my thought. Food. That smells so good. And I know it's healthy, Alice told me it would be something healthy. How is it that something that smells so good is actually healthy?
"Yes!" I turn towards Emmett with a frown, the realization of my loss finally hitting me. Damn, I totally forgot about the game. I'm usually good at this game.
"That was too easy; you weren't even paying attention were you?" Emmett raises an eyebrow at me, a smirk playing at his lips.
"Sorry Em, guilty as charged. I was just thinking about your family, when will they be here?"
"First of all, don't call me 'Em'! And second, I don't know. They shouldn't be gone so late, I know Edward and he wouldn't miss an afternoon with Bella for hunting." Emmett's smirk is replaced with a frown as his eyes travel to the back windows.
"Don't they have a phone or something?"
"Yeah, I should call them... wait, never mind." Emmett's face lights up, his eyes not leaving the windows. I look back between the windows and him in confusion. Did I miss something?
"They're here!"
They're here? I look at Emmett's excitement, worry filling me as I see his joy. His family is here. I don't think I'm ready to meet them. All this time I thought I was anxious for them to come, but really I was anxious because they were coming. What if they don't like me? What if they decide that I can't stay? Emmett and Alice are only two of the Cullen's, majority vote would win. I mean, what was I thinking? Yeah Alice is family, but I'm a complete stranger! Why would they let a complete stranger live with them?
I feel the tears that threaten to come but I hold them back, not wanting Emmett to see them. It doesn't matter now, I'll have to be ready for whatever is to come. This is the only place I can go, if I can't stay here I'll have to return to Waverly Place, and that is not an option for me.
I look up, the sound of feet on wood approaching. Alice dances in with her hands clasped together in excitement, Bella follows her with an expression of both joy and relief. As Alice and Bella stop to stand beside the sofa I'm seated on, Emmett stands up and heads towards the glass doors. His hands touch the door knob and he swiftly slides the door open as he whispers a greeting under his breath, too low for me to hear.
A chuckle escapes Emmett's lips at the sight of a slender blonde women in a dark green dress Her golden eyes flash towards me briefly before they turn back to Emmett in confusion. The intensity in her eyes dry up my throat. They are protective but curious. She hurries into the house, her eyes flashing between Emmett and I numerous times before she stops beside him and her eyes stop on him. I look past her in fear, not wanting to be caught looking at her.
As I look past her, another blonde figure emerges from behind her. This one is a man in black jeans and a gray button-up. He doesn't stop by the door as the first one does, instead he moves swiftly to the other side of the room. It's then that I realize Alice no longer behind me. He stops beside Alice, keeping his eyes on her and her alone. His long blonde hair covers most of his eyes, but just barely I can see their red color looking at Alice in curiosity. Alice answers him with a smile, taking his hand in hers as she looks back towards the glass doors in patience.
I look back towards Emmett to find him holding the blonde close, his lips moving quickly at her ear so that only she can understand his words. A smirk plays at his lips, a loving one. That can only mean that this blonde is Rosalie. So the boy must be Jasper.
My eyes wander back to the glass doors as the last three Cullens enter the room, a young couple in matching black slacks and white button-ups followed by a younger brunette boy wearing jeans and a green v-neck. The boy, who I assume to be Edward, walks towards Bella and pulls her into his arms, planting a light kiss to her forehead. The man and woman, who I've concluded must me Carlisle and Esme, slide the glass door closed before looking between Emmett, Alice, and me in confusion. I look between the vampires, noticing the multiple pairs of golden eyes focused on me.
"Why don't we all sit." Alice interrupts the moment of silenced reunions by ushering everyone towards the sofas.
One by one they each take a seat. I focus my eyes on the floor, deciding to let all those eyes stare at me without the satisfaction of my fearful eyes looking back at them. It's not until I feel Alice's cold hand take mine that I look up. She gives me an encouraging smile as she wraps her free arm around my shoulders. I muster up a smile before looking on the other side of me to find another encouraging smile coming from Emmett.
Alice starts, her voice confident. "So you must all be wondering who this is. Well, this is Alex. She is my great, great-"
"There are a lot of greats in that, so just stop." Alice shoots Emmett a look of irritation which he shrugs off as he looks at Carlisle and Esme. "This is Alice's niece, let's just go with that."
"I was gonna get to that!" Alice rolls her eyes, ready to open her mouth yet again but Emmett beats her to it.
"Alice and I have decided to take her in so she is staying here from now on." A smirk forms on Emmett's face as he finishes. I glue my eyes to Emmett's, not wanting to see the reaction of the others. He has to be nuts. Does he really expect his family to just go with what he says?
"I could of handled that better!" I look at a pouting Alice beside me. She sends Emmett a death glare before turning back to her family. I take in a breath, finally letting my eyes move to Carlisle and Esme. They are silently looking between each other, as if communicating with their eyes.
"Emmett, you can't just keep this girl as if she's a pet. She's a girl with a family and a home!" Edward almost yells this, his hand pointing at me as I were a problem they had brought onto their life. So far, this isn't going well.
"I told you, Alex is Alice's niece. She is her family. And by affiliation that makes me her family, us her family really." I can hear the anger in Emmett's tone as our previous conversation comes back to mind. Emmett responded in the same tone when I told him about my family.
My eyes don't leave Edward's but I can see the surprise and sadness in his eyes due to Emmett's outburst. He's not used to this type of anger, not from Emmett at least. But I don't understand the sadness. I look around the room, seeing similar looks of surprise coming from the other. None of them are used to his outbursts. Emmett must not be an angry person.
"Alex, I'm sorry." It's all Edward says to me, his sad eyes not leaving mine. His expression slowly morphs to one of confusion.
"Alex, I should tell you that Edward has special powers just as Alice does. He is telepathic. I'm assuming he's talking about everything you told us earlier, that's what he would be sorry for. Right Edward?" I nod in response to Bella, my eyes still not leaving Edward's. Telepathic? Meaning he can read my mind? I didn't sign up for this.
"No. How is this possible?" Edward stands up, his confusion growing to frustration. I'm not used to this. I mean, first Bella, now her?"
What is he talking about?
"I can't read your mind." And that's bad?
"I'm impressed Alex, you've only been her for a few hours and you're already a challenge for Edward." I smile at Emmett, the amusement already returning to his tone. As my eyes return to Edward's, they're no longer looking at me, instead they are focused on Carlisle and Esme.
I gulp as I look at them, their focus no longer on each other but now on me. They're not an intimidating duo, they look nice actually. Esme looks at me with a welcoming smile, one that you'd see on those moms in the corny TV commercials. It wasn't bad, just nothing I'd seen in person. Carlisle has a serene expression, one you'd expect to see on a doctor, which is not surprising being that he is a doctor himself. He's handsome, no wrinkles, bags, or blemishes on his face. He's probably the most handsome man I'd seen in my life.
"Alex?" I snap out of my trance and look beside me to an amused Emmett. "We all know Carlisle is quite handsome but let's keep focused. Look, Alex has no where else to go. She wants this and we think living here is best for her. It's safer than anywhere else."
"I can't agree with that exactly." Edward starts with a frown and looks at Carlisle and Esme. "This is Carlisle's roof, it's up to him entirely."
"Why don't you keep your mouth shut long enough for Carlisle and Esme to voice their opinion. You-"
"For someone who wants to take responsibility for a sixteen year old girl, you aren't exactly arguing your case well with that profanity." Edward smirks at Emmett.
"Can someone please tell me what's going on?!"
"Sorry Rosalie, of course." Alice nods but a frown forms on her lips. "On second thought, why don't Emmett and I tell you guys later. I don't think Alex needs to go over this again, she's gone over it twice already."
"I don't mind." All eyes return to mine as I realize it's the first time I've spoken since they've come.
"You sure Alex?" Emmett looks at me in sympathy and I nod.
"Yeah. I mean... it's best if you all hear it from me." I sigh, looking at everyone's curious expressions. Carlisle and Esme still don't say anything. They're patient, I'll give them that. I'd probably be pulling my hair out at this point if I were them.
Here it goes.
~Some Time Later~
By the end my eyes had traveled down to my shoes. I didn't stop speaking, nor did I let my voice falter from emotion. It hurt less this time to say it. I guess that's why people talk to shrinks, saying it out loud really does slowly relieve the pain. My voice did slightly crack when I told them about the other night, but I didn't let it show that it bothered me other than that. I kept my story toneless.
I let my eyes wander away from my shoes, slowly mustering up the courage to look at something else. The fist pair of eyes I catch are Esme's, looking at me with sadness. As if she wanted to cry for me, but she couldn't. My heart wanted to break seeing her expression. Seeing her sad eyes on mine made the emotion I held back want to break free. I felt and arm wrap around me only a moment later, so I held back the tears and moved my eyes away from Esme's.
Carlisle clearing his throat snaps me completely out of my emotional struggle. It all comes down to his decision. As Edward said, this is his roof. "I am very sad to hear of all this Alex, but how can you be sure this isn't all a misunderstanding? Surely Alex, you can't believe your family doesn't love you."
"You can't really think she should go back!" Emmett stands up from beside me in anger, I look at Alice in panic as she releases me.
"She seems to have been betrayed by the ones she loves. I can relate, it hurts, the only reason one should go back is for revenge!"
"No!" Alice frowns at Rosalie, her eyes looking a bit irritated at the suggestion. Rosalie rolls her eyes but mumbles a 'fine' under her breath nonetheless. Alice nods before looking to Carlisle.
"Carlisle, I… I'm her aunt, so I am her family. I would never let anything happen to her under my care. Right now Alex doesn't want to be around her family. Forcing her to go to them will not help her in any way."
"We promised her we wouldn't tell her parents where she is, we can't just break that promise. Maybe in a few years, if Alex wants, we can tell her family where she is, but for now we can't..." I frown at the desperation in Emmett's tone. The pleading on my behalf. I feel bad.
"Emmett, we can't." Carlisle looks torn as he starts. He opens his mouth to continue, but Esme takes his hand as if to interrupt him.
"The poor girl is in pain, don't you see Carlisle? Maybe she will do better here with us. And I will care for her too. Whether her parents know or not, doesn't what matters in the end is that she is safe?"
"You know better than anyone the pain of being separated from your child." Carlisle gives Esme a knowing look, she nods back with sadness.
"Can't we at least put into account the fact that I am her aunt and that as long as someone in her family knows she is safe, that is all that matters?" Alice argues before looking at Emmett for support.
"That's right! Carlisle look, I know you are thinking about what's right for everyone, but right now we need to think about what's right for Alex. She came so far. She wouldn't take the risk and come here only to be sent back." Emmett says, then turns towards Rosalie and Edward.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Emmett is right. Though I am sympathetic to her family's pain, we should think of Alex first."
"See, it's a shocker…even Edward agrees!" Rosalie says, a smile playing at her lips as she looks at me.
I'd never felt so on the spot before. Here I am, the topic of discussion. I'm happy to see that they are sympathetic of my situation, but sympathy doesn't mean I can stay. It also doesn't mean I'm safe from returning to Waverly Place. All I need is Carlisle's approval and all my worries could go away. But he's rational, and no rational person would let me stay. Now that I think of it, I wouldn't let me stay. It's not the right thing to do. And on top of that, I'm not their problem to deal with.
"Fine." I freeze as the word leaves Carlisle's lips. Did that really just happen? Did he really just say what I think he said? "Alex can stay and we won't tell her family, yet. But there are a lot of rules we need to set here. Alex isn't like the rest of you and she's a wizard, there will need to be actions taken to care for her."
"I thought she wasn't a pet." I frown as a smirk forms on Emmett's lips.
"There isn't anything extra, she's like any other human, except she has powers." Alice smiles at me and I nod in approval.
"Awesome, so we enroll her at Forks High School with Alice, Edward, and Bella as our cousin and start her off there." Emmett looks around and everyone nods in agreement.
"I have to go to school?"
"If we have to go, so do you." Edward looks at me with a sad smile.
Emmett nudges me in the shoulder and I look at him with a raised eyebrow. He smiles wide as he looks at me. "Don't worry, we'll have time to get into trouble when you come home."
"No, you can't do that, you have to be a good influence for her Emmett!" Carlisle looks at him in disapproval.
"I think she would have more fun shopping with us. You seem like the fashion-loving type Alex." Rosalie suggests.
"I am right here! Carlisle, thank you for letting me stay. I'll try not to be too much of a problem."
"Alex, you won't be a problem. I enjoy the company of all my children and I am sure that I will enjoy having you here just as much. But Emmett is right; we will need to enroll you at Fork High School. Is it okay if we register you as Alex Cullen?"
I can't help the smile as I look at Carlisle. "That would be great!"
"Then it's settled! Alex is now part of our family and she will join Forks High School with the rest of you." Carlisle smiles, I look happily at the others, to see similar smiles on everyone else.
"Edward, come with me, you and I will go get her room set up." Esme stands up and extends her hand towards Edward. Edward nods and follows her out of the room.
"I will go call the school and tell them that my niece will be starting on Monday." Carlisle stands up as he pulls his phone from his pocket and follows Edward and Esme out of the room as well.
"Well, I think our new guest will need acceptable clothes if she is going to be a Cullen." Rosalie stands up and looks at me with a small smile. "I have a few things in mind that I can order online tonight. We'll get more tomorrow in Port Angeles so you'll have something to wear in time for school. Emmett?" Rosalie extends her hand towards Emmett who takes it reluctantly. They both exit the room moments later.
"And I guess we should go check on dinner, I almost forgot about the roast in the oven with all the excitement. Bella and I will be back in a few." Alice stands up and swiftly rushes out of the room, Bella following after her.
I sigh thinking I'm finally alone. My eyes travel the room until they fall on the blonde sitting on the sofa farthest from me. Jasper. I'd forgotten about him this whole time. He hasn't said one word since I'd come here. His eyes look at me as if to analyze me. I want to frown as the look almost irritates me. How would you feel if someone was staring at you like that?
I look back at him with the same expression. He looks back at me in surprise before a smile forms on his lips. I can't help but smile back, relief filling me as the realization hits me. The Cullens accepted me. They actually accepted me.
Here's the next chapter. Have some more chapters ready, but again REVIEW PLEASE! :)
-ShabyShabs
*This is the update, August 12th 2014. I can honestly say I made A LOT of changes to this chapter and made it longer*
