I stare into the bluest eyes

Time stands still in your smile

You weren't there and now you're here

I dreamed of you but I never knew...

-My Sweet, My Lovely ~ Plumb

Chapter 11: The Witch

Isabella

The day had turned to night.

I prepared dinner in a mechanical fashion, my eyes trained on the backdoor of the kitchen. I hoped against hope that Carlisle would come home this evening... I couldn't bear the thought of waiting for him, wondering and worrying. He needed to be home where he was safe against the supernatural.

I paused in the middle of slicing bread, my heart slamming against my breast at the thought. I was home. Here in London with Carlisle, I was truly home. Carlisle was home to me. I didn't want to lose that.

I shook myself out the familiar depression that often began with these train of thoughts. I couldn't wonder "what if." Worrying had gotten me no where at this point in life. It was a waste of my time and energy and did nothing to resolve problems. I had to have a plan, something to save Carlisle from the path he was treading. I had to do something.

I decided to wait until after the dinner rush to venture out on my own. It wasn't until Lucy had gone upstairs to do her nightly rounds of checking the bedrooms and ,making sure that the her girls were safe and sound, that I made my move. Grabbing my cloak, I wrapped it around myself and threw the hood over, pulling it down low over my face. I tied the cords securely around my neck as my made my way out of my bedroom and rushed toward the kitchen. It was empty as I had hoped it would be, not many of the girls ever came into the kitchen since I had claimed it as my own. Even Lucy was a rare sight unless she needed a particular thing to be cooked.

Moving quickly and quietly, I moved toward the kitchen door and quietly removed the latch. I opened the door a crack, aiming to slip through when a voice startled me from my intense concentration.

"Belle, where are you going?"

I tried not to let the disappointment show as turned away from the door to look at Lucy. "I-I... I just needed to take a step outside. A bit a fresh air... I haven't been outside all day."

The look on Lucy's face was knowing as she folded her arms beneath her breasts. "Fresh air, is that all?"

I quickly gave a nod, hoping that my surrogate older sister/mother would quickly buy the excuse and leave me be. I had to get to Carlisle's home. From what I had heard from Lucy and the girls, Carlisle lived right beside his father's Angelican church in an upper class neighborhood quite a ways away from the banks of the Thames. I had a general idea of where it was located but getting lost was quite a possibility. I hoped that the fates that had brought me here in the first place would continue to smile on me and help me find my golden haired doctor.

"Belle, I know you well enough now," said Lucy, the frown on her face deepening. "I know you're worried about Carlisle but going out on your own to find him would be a death wish."

"The people know me here," I said, though a part of me agreed with Lucy. It would have been reckless of me to go out in search of him on my own. I internally cursed that part of myself, the one that still lingered from those dark months before the jump from the cliff. I didn't want to be that person anymore. I couldn't be that person anymore. I had been given a second chance and this was how I would pay back whatever powers had sought fit to bring me to here? Lucy was right. I could not go out on my own in this time and place. After two months of living here, I still thought in the ways of a modern girl.

"I'm sorry Lucy, I wasn't thinking." I closed the door and pulled back the hood of my cloak. "I'm just so worried about Carlisle." I could feel the tears welling in my eyes at the thought of anything happening to him. I had made the choice to be with him, most likely ruining any chance of the future I had known to take place. Ruining any chances of the Cullen family being together... Was I doing the right thing?

The doubts that I had been feeling since Carlisle had left began anew, despite the love I felt for him. Was it my place to keep him from his family? I had asked him to give me time to tell him the truth. Did I have time? I now realized that I was working against the clock. One day very soon, he was going to be bitten and changed... What was I to do then? I was no match against a vampire let alone a coven of them, which I'm sure there was one, maybe even two, in such a large city as this.

I felt a hand tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear and I looked up to find Lucy standing in front of me with an understanding smile. "In the morning, we will pay a visit to Carlisle's home. I am sure he is fine. Do not worry Isabella..."

I managed a small smile in gratitude but could not keep the worry at bay. I would never stop worrying until I saw that Carlisle was safe with my own eyes.

.oOo.

I had never hoped for morning to come any sooner than I had at that point.

When Lucy had come to my room, dressed in upper class finery I had never seen her wear before, I couldn't believe that this was the same woman who but yesterday looked, quite frankly, like many of the girls who marketed their services here. Her gown was that of a powder blue that bore lace all along the shoulder and neckline of the gown, which barely concealed her rise of her breasts. The sleeves fell in an elegant manner about her forearms, the power blue parting and giving way to a separate part of the sleeve that matched with the white of the lace. The gown gathered at her natural waist line before falling away to the ruffles and layers of the style that was current with the times. A simple power blue veil covered her red hair, which remained pinned back and away from her face in a modest fashion.

"We'll need to disguise ourselves Belle. We wouldn't go anywhere dressed as we normally do. I have a dress that will work to pass you off as a handmaiden of mine. We'll be able to visit the church this way with little suspicion."

I didn't question Lucy, she would be able to pass off the role of an upper class lady much better than I ever could. My role would be simple enough: attend to my lady while she wished to address the Pastor in confession.

Little did I know that Lucy did carry a bearing with her.

After I was dressed in a proper and common manner befitting a handmaiden of a common lady, we had left the pub with one of the men Lucy kept hired as a bouncer, so to speak, for protection. Two women walking about the city of London would be an easy target, even in broad daylight. He had hailed a horse drawn cab for us once we reached one of the main streets that led out of the slums. Once safely inside the small cab that smelled terribly of urine, we were off toward the upper class neighborhood that held the residence of my golden haired doctor.

.oOo.

The church was a small building that blended in with the rest of the neighborhood. One would not have thought it was a church if not for the wooden cross that rested upon its door. In fact, it was eerily familiar but I did not have a second longer to look because Lucy had walked off to the building beside it.

I quickly followed after her while our guard remained behind on the street, looking as intimidating as any bouncer you would find in a modern day club. I remained silent as Lucy rapped upon the door of the home beside the church. The look upon her face was hard to determine, she had tucked her hands within her cloak, trying to protect them against the growing chill of fall.

A moment passed before the door had opened and a manservant appeared, a middle aged gentleman who took one look at Lucy and a knowing glint appeared. "My Lady Penington, what a surprise." He held the door open wider, his gaze passing to me before he bowed and moved aside. "Had I known you would be here today I would have alerted the master."

"Thank you John," said Lucy, moving with a grace that came to those who had been born into such household. I didn't allow my suspicion to shine through as I followed after her, trying my best to remain as quiet as possible. I stayed close to my "lady" and kept my eyes cast down upon the ground as she had warned me to do. The less to draw attention and I did not want to draw attention to myself. I only wished to see if my Carlisle was safe...

"My lady, if you wish, I can escort you to the sitting room while I fetch Master Cullen." John cast his eyes my way, that knowing look every present. "Perhaps, your maid would feel more comfortable in the kitchen?"

I could feel the blush rise into my cheeks as my anger rose. Did all lower class women immediately be placed within the kitchen, the laundry room, or bare on their backs bearing children? It seemed to be the case. It was my modern upbringing that made me feel this righteous anger but I was quite keen at keeping it in check. I shouldn't feel as such after working away for two months in the kitchen of a pub but still...

I had no problem as long as the choice was given. When that choice was taken away... Oh, I had quite a bit to say about it. Lucy had heard my opinions often enough when I had no one else to vent to. She took it in stride and, surprisingly, agreed with me on many points. However, she was quite right that the world we lived in would not agree.

I often wondered if Lucy had been born to the wrong time. She would have done wonderfully in the 21st century. She would have put some women to shame with how hard she worked and how motivated she was with the girls. Her pub was one of the few places that women had some degree of equality. They had the choice of what they wished to do, despite their limited choices, and were well protected against people who wished to take advantage of them...

"That would be ideal, thank you John," said Lucy as she glanced at me and gave a pointed look, saying with no words to move along to the kitchen and not say a word.

I bobbed a very ungraceful curtsey and made my way in the direction the manservant pointed. I could hear the footsteps of Lucy and the servant walking away in the opposite direction and hoped that my sister/mother/best friend would be all right. She seemed to be familiar with the manservant named John. Had she been here before?

I had found myself in the kitchen and found a couple of maids already hard at work for the coming lunch to be served. Not wishing to be in their way, I made my way around the kitchen and out the backdoor. I found myself in a tiny courtyard with a little garden that was bearing some fall herbs and flowers. There was no one else about and the silence was quite a step above the din I was normally used to within Lucy's pub at this time of day.

I noticed that the courtyard was shared with that of the church beside it. A little footpath wound its way around the small plot of land and toward the backdoor of the church. I strolled quietly along the footpath, allowing the silence to surround me and bring a much needed calm. The little walk was ideal but a part of me was still worried for Carlisle...

Was he inside the house? Was he sleeping? Awake? Or was he not home at all?

I paused beside the door of the church, a sudden ache building within my heart. The hole had been so prominent there but it was no longer. Carlisle had healed that part of me and that part was aching with need. There was a strong link between the two of us, one that had formed with surprising ease, and I felt his absence strongly now... Why was that?

He is here sweet one. He is safe... for now.

I gasped as the voice spoke behind me and I whirled around in a vain attempt to catch who it was that had spoken. I caught the glimpse of golden waves on the edge of my vision before it had moved away, a familiar brush of cold fingers on the back of my neck.

I stiffened, knowing that kind of touch and my fear rising up in my throat. How? How could one have found me here? Was I simply destined to always be dancing upon the edge of their world? Was I always meant to be hunted?

Do not fear my sweet. I will not harm you. My son loves you dearly and hurting you would hurt my reason for existing...

I felt the cold fingers brushing back the hair behind my ear and lingering upon my neck before resting upon my shoulder. I swallowed back the fear and tried to calm my racing heart.

"Do you know me?" I asked. It was a stupid question but one I had to ask. These were vampires I was dealing with. If one could read minds, one could see the future and another could control your very emotions, what else could they be capable of?

I could sense the presence behind me draw a little closer and a pale arm wrapped around my shoulders, drawing me close against a cold breast. It was a familiar feel of hard, cold flesh and it brought back memories that were best forgotten. I ignored the pain that lingered very faintly along the edges of the healed portion of my heart and waited.

The vampire's grip upon me tightened every so softly in a gesture that resembled an embrace. The voice that spoke was as beautiful and melodic as any of their kind sounded. "I know all about you Isabella and I know why you are here. I only wonder what will come of it? You will find your happiness. My son loves you dearly but I cannot tell what path he will take at this point."

"Your son?" I had heard that phrase the first time but thought nothing of it. The second time was hard to ignore. "Carlisle is your son?"

A gentle hum in response was all I received and the embrace grew a little more tighter. "My son... I remember my son. That soft golden hair, those cherubic cheeks... I remember him within my last moments of humanity." The embrace loosened slightly. "I cannot remember his father... I knew he had loved me dearly but it means nothing to me now..."

"Who are you?" I asked, feeling some connection growing between me and this strange vampire who had not taken my life. It was a rare event outside of the Cullen family. All of the vampires I had come across outside of that coven had all wanted to take a bite out of me. One had almost succeeded...

"They call me the Witch down by the Thames," said the vampire, the tone in her melodic voice taking on amusement. "It's hard to ignore the call of human blood... I take only from those who are sick or bear ill intent." Her embrace tightened once again but I was not frightened by her. She would have harmed me by now if she meant me ill will. "My sisters call me by my given name of Katherine. I hope you will feel comfortable enough with me to call me by name when the time comes." I felt the press of lips upon the back of my head. "My sweet one... You were meant for my son. If he had only waited longer for you... I couldn't bear the sadness that you carried within you. The ache within his own soul had been felt but he didn't recognize you. Why did he not recognize you?" She pulled away at that moment, her hand lingering upon my shoulder. "I knew I had to pull you back where he would see you. You are meant for him Isabella as he his meant for you. I just do not know how it will come to be. I hope I had not made a mistake..."

I could not follow what she was saying but a part of me knew that the reason I was now here was because of the vampire behind me. Carlisle and I were meant for one another... That was not hard to see based on the strong link that I felt whenever we were near each other. Yet, what did it mean to this vampire? What she truly the mother of Carlisle?

I opened my mouth to ask these questions but the hand upon my shoulder stilled. I still had not seen her face and she remained out of sight as she suddenly disappeared, the rush of wind the only given sign of her abrupt departure. I whirled around, looking about the courtyard in a vain attempt in catching sight of the Witch, as she had called herself. Of course, there was no sign...

"Isabella?"

The deep voice that now called my attention quickly cast aside any other thoughts of finding that strange vampire. The link, that mysterious chain that bound me to the one I loved, seemed to pull and tighten in an incessant need to get close. I followed the pull and caught sight of the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld.

Carlisle stood there at the backdoor of the church, dressed in his normal day to day attire. His golden hair fell about his cheeks, which were flushed with the flow of blood, and his eyes were still that beautiful cornflower blue that I adored. He was staring at me as if he had never seen me before but it didn't deter the tug that began, a pulsing bond that ached to be brought together. I couldn't help the small cry of relief that escaped my lips as I ran up the small path and threw myself into his arms...