ten
april
April, April
Laugh thy girlish laughter
Then the moment after,
Weep thy girlish tears.
- - - Sir William Watson
o.o.o
Mele has arrived.
The words echo through her mind in instant replay - and it takes a few precious seconds for her to understand why that information should matter at all when Edward's blood and venom are still mingling thickly on her tongue or why she should care about anything but the firm line of her mate's body against her own.
Mele who? Why has she come? She should go - leave Bella and Edward in peace while they acquaint themselves with each other's bodies -
And then her synapses realign, her ability to reason returns, and she inhales sharply, rocking back down onto the flat of her feet. Her head is spinning from Edward's scent, still heady and blood-swathed and completely distracting. She's glad when Edward clears his throat and takes a small step backward, extracting his hand from the drywall behind her. He wipes the dust off on the seat of his jeans, glancing at her beneath his lashes with a sheepish smile as blood rushes into her cheeks.
Oh, but they had gotten so out of control just now, hadn't they? Instincts that overwhelmed everything, that were so visceral and absolute that it was beyond thought to even attempt to resist them. She'd never experienced anything like it, not even remotely. Intense didn't even begin to cover it.
Bella brings her fingers up to her mouth, brushing over swollen flesh with averted eyes. "Sorry," she mumbles, shaking her head. "I don't know what came over me."
Edward rubs the back of his neck, his eyes still heavy. "I wasn't exactly complaining, love."
"But I…" she drops her voice, ducking her head. "I bit you."
He grins boyishly. "Yes, you did."
She doesn't know why she expected him to be up-in-arms about the entire ordeal when it was so clear in the moment that Edward had very much enjoyed the feel of her mouth working against his throat, the cut of her teeth into his skin, the firm pull of her every sip. He'd cradled her head against him. He'd invited it. And now, he was bashful, radiating a sense of excitement that she can barely wrap her mind around.
Bella wants to reach forward, tangle their fingers together, and suss out why he's so agreeable to such a foreign event - surely an act that didn't happen between vampires very often, if at all, right? - but she can't. Mele has arrived, either by Alice's estimation or because she is within Edward's telepathic range.
She and Edward will have to shelve this conversation for a while longer. They must prioritize. She licks her lips, chasing his lingering taste. "You should shower," she says slowly, gesturing vaguely to the dirt and dried blood still crusting his clothes.
Edward tracks her movements as she edges toward her bedroom door, his eyes still onyx-dark even though he'd just hunted his favorite meal. Dark eyes because of her and what they'd just done. How thrilling -
No, she tells herself firmly. Focus.
Thankfully - but not coincidentally - Alice appears at the top of the stairs in the next moment, smiling brightly. "Oh, good! I'm so glad you've decided to - Edward!" Alice snaps her fingers in front of his face, causing him to blink as he jerks away, his dark eyes losing their utter focus on tracking Bella's slow retreat.
"Alice," he sighs.
"Now is not that time," she tells him, shoving him in the direction of his room. "Go, go. Shoo! Mele is two minutes away and it's really better for you if Bella's scent isn't so thick-"
"Oh, my God," Bella mutters in embarrassment, covering her eyes with her hands. It had completely escaped her notice that she was in the hallway, still in her pajamas, and involving herself in activities that are definitely better relegated to the bedroom. Never mind that a house full of vampires completely eliminated any possibility of privacy - Emmett was never going to let them hear the end of it, she just knows it.
"And you!" Alice exclaims after ushering Edward into the bathroom across the hall, conceivably so he can speed through the shower. "Go get some clothes and come back here so I can twist your hair up so you can also wash that scent off. Really, you're so lucky that I had a vision to give us ample warning."
"Thanks, Alice," she responds with a blush, marching off to do as Alice orders with an extreme lack of protest. Alice has a point; Bella can't imagine what Aro might do if word reached him that Edward and Bella had been less than chaste, especially considering his reaction to Edward's brief presence in her bedroom in January.
By the time she returns to the hallway, Edward's bedroom door is already closed and the bathroom is free. Alice uses vampire-speed to pile Bella's long hair on top of her head, then jets off after advising Bella to go as fast as possible. Bella does as she is bid, not even bothering to adjust the scalding water temperature as she spreads pomegranate-almond scented suds over her body, scrubbing at her face furiously as she tries her best to banish her mortification - and calm the molten heat still shifting behind her navel. A part of her mind just can't get over the way her body sang beneath Edward's hands, even though his touch hadn't strayed to any place that was not decidedly neutral.
Had she once called their kisses incendiary? She didn't fully understand the word, apparently, because their chemistry was just so - profound.
Focus, she reminds herself, quickly drying water from her body and slipping into a marigold shift dress with a hem that brushes against her knees and an ivory-wheat marled cardigan of Edward's that is long enough to nearly meet the hem of her dress and provide welcome protection to her hands with overlong sleeves. She opens the bathroom door to an impatient Alice, who thrusts the golden-diamond Volturi pendant - with a newly-repaired chain - over Bella's head.
"You need shoes," Alice tells her. "Mele is waiting outside."
Bella goes back to her room, retrieving long ivory socks and her brown hiking boots, walking and trying to cover her feet at the same time. Her hurried actions result in a hop-skip motion across her bedroom floor and her shoulder leaning against the doorjamb as she fixes her laces, vividly aware of two sets of vampire eyes watching her every uncharacteristically clumsy moment. For his part, Edward is unbelievably smug about her frazzled state, holding his head high to show off the two puncture scars sitting just to the side of his Adam's apple. She huffs at him. He hadn't even tried to hide them with a turtleneck, or something - he's wearing a V-neck sweater, for goodness sake.
Boys.
Bella ignores him resolutely as she lopes down the stairs after Alice - and she definitely does her best to tune out Emmett's gleeful teasing, which involves a lot of over-loud congratulations for Edward and overtly dramatic winks in her direction. Thank God for Rosalie and Jasper, who roll their eyes, and for Esme, who tucks Bella beneath her arm as Carlisle leads them all out the backdoor.
Mele is indeed waiting outside, once again barefoot, her bearing stoic with astounding persimmon eyes - the shade an indication that her diet consisted of traditional and vegetarian fare. Upon sighting Bella, she tilts her head and examines Bella with critical efficiency. Her eyes narrow infinitesimally and something in the set of her mouth expresses displeasure.
Bella isn't sure what she expects Mele to say, but it certainly isn't, "The time for indulgence is over. Your training shall begin immediately."
Stepping out from beneath Esme's arm, Bella asks, "What training?"
Mele remains placid, unmoored by the obvious confusion radiating from Bella and the rest of the Cullen coven. She shifts onto the balls of her feet, toes digging into moist dirt and undergrowth. "Training for your survival, mtoto. You will come with me, now. Alone," Mele adds pointedly. "By the order of Master Aro of the Volturi, you shall be trained to ensure your continued survival."
Bella frowns. "He didn't say anything when we last spoke."
Behind her, Edward makes a low sound of comprehension, the exhales heavily through his nose. "What Mele does not say is that Aro wants to be sure that your association with our family does not jeopardize your health," he explains.
"Again," Mele corrects him coolly. "You have already jeopardized her health once before and that will not stand. And for you, mind-reader, it is Master Aro."
Edward's teeth click together as Carlisle glides forward, holding out a beseeching, calming hand. "If it is as Master Aro wishes," he acquiesces.
Mele dips her head in a single nod of acknowledgement, and then her gaze shifts back to Bella. Unblinking, she orders, "Come now, mtoto."
Seeing no way out of this training - but certainly gathering some opinion on its sudden ordinance - Bella nods and steps away from the Cullens, making a move to cross the river that divides the backyard of the Cullen home from the rest of the forest. But as she places her onto one of the protruding rocks jutting out of the river, intent on picking her way over the water, Mele whistles sharply and she pauses, looking up expectantly.
"You will jump or you will swim," she says mildly.
Bella's shoulders rise in incredulity. She can't possibly jump over the river as it is much too wide and she doesn't relish the idea of wading hip-deep into the rushing water. She looks over her shoulder, catching Edward's gaze. His arms are crossed over his chest as he watches the scene with thinly-veiled irritation, but he nods at her, as if in encouragement. Bella sighs, setting her jaw, preparing to wade into the river.
But Carlisle's voice stops her. "Bella, wait," he calls. "Try jumping."
His scientific tone, something with which she was now familiar, catches her by surprise. "What?"
Carlisle smiles faintly. "I have another theory."
"You know," she tells them all with a note of ire. "I haven't agreed to this at all. I should call Grandfather right now and demand to know why he would possibly think any of this nonsense is a good idea! I thought he was updated on all of the traits I display?"
"Just try, Bella," he encourages, not phased in the slightest by her tone, similarly to Mele. It must be a trait that comes with being an older vampire, this ability to not let anything bother them.
She's not proud of it, but she huffs and stomps backward a few paces - and then actually takes Emmett's advice that she try for a running start - before she trots forward and uses her leg muscles to push her off the ground. Predictably, she sloshes water over herself as she lands in the river -
But not so predictably? She only misses the other side of the river by a clear six inches.
Bella turns swiftly, eyeing how much of the river she'd jumped over with wide eyes, her mouth dropped open in slight astonishment. She looks to Carlisle, who is visibly excited by this new development - because that display of physical prowess certainly was new - or was it, considering that she'd manhandled Edward into a wall not fifteen minutes earlier?
"You have been coddled, mtoto, and that stops right now," declares Mele, drawing Bella's attention away from the Cullens. Mele holds out her hand. "We have much work to do. Show me your memories."
At that is how April begins for Bella - with a slew of new discoveries about the new capabilities that will define the rest of her life.
o.o.o
o.o.o
Dear Grandfather Aro,
I am sure you will be pleased to note that Mele has arrived to Washington safely - and I am sure you will be thrilled to know that she has not delayed in beginning my training - rather, my acclimatization - to this life in the slightest. And while I appreciate your desire to ensure that I am not beholden to any one to ensure my continued safety, I'm sure you will understand that I am a bit irked by the suddenness of this development.
Grandfather, honestly. Could you not have told me beforehand what you had planned? Or was it a calculated risk on your part? I need not remind you that I am not a pawn in your games - Grandmother, I am certain, will do that at my behest, should I enlighten her to your heavy-handedness.
That said, I am - surprisingly - enjoying this training and the trainer you have enlisted for me. It is a welcome distraction to the new hours in my day that are left free. While it is difficult to estimate my progress based solely on Mele's apparent approval, I am confident enough to state that as a new race of vampire, I and all other hybrids are more than adequate in keeping with the prowess of full-vampires. We have an advantage that I believe Uncle Caius will appreciate; my ability to pass as fully-human will no doubt excite the possibility of blending the human and vampire societies seamlessly, as you have no doubt planned.
Pertaining to my schooling, I have successfully learned Italian - my new interest lies in learning Modern Greek, and from there, Ancient Greek. I hope to be proficient enough in the modern form to converse with you over the summer. Perhaps you can instruct me in the nuance of the older form?
All my love,
Your Granddaughter Isabella
o.o.o
o.o.o
If Bella had thought that acclimating to her newly enhanced senses was difficult, then she had seriously misunderstood the meaning of the word - because with Mele comes the unerring sensation of jumping straight from the frying pan and into the fire.
Mele does not cut her any slack. There is no sympathy in the way that Mele pushes Bella, merciless and unmoved by Bella's hesitation as each new task is placed before her. Mele is pitiless, always demanding more and better and faster and so rarely offering an encouraging word. If Bella does well once, then she is expected to repeat those results until every time she performs an action is perfect.
It's very different from the gentle way that Edward had soothed her through the adjustment the month before, or the empathy Carlisle extended as he examined her after Mele's training has left Bella slicked in sweat and covered in mud-splatters.
Mele had been right. The Cullens did coddle her.
That drove Bella more than anything else - she now had a burning desire to not only perform well, but to prove Mele wrong. Bella was not mollycoddled. She wasn't.
Learning the limitations of her new body - which was the prime directive of Mele's training - was a study in Bella's own tenacity. Before the bite, she hadn't been clumsy, but she also hadn't been inclined toward physical activity. She was a bookworm and happiest when she was far, far away from anything resembling kinetic movement. The most Bella had ever done was walk, and even then, her walks were more similar to meandering in the right direction with her nose buried in a book. It becomes immediately clear that Bella's propensity for that had died along with the bite. Mele made no bones about the fact that Bella would be as strong and as fast as the average vampire.
Bella was doubtful - her only instance of anything remotely like vampire speed or strength happened on the third floor - but her doubts are quieted by the way she leaped across the river, an action she was expected to perform again and again and again until she no longer splashed, until she no longer needed a running start.
As it turns out, hybrids did not obviously display vampiric strength or speed. However, that didn't mean that hybrids were lacking in those areas; rather, as per Carlisle's new theory, the secondary pituitary resting at the base of her hypothalamus interacted directly with her sympathetic nervous system in igniting immediate disbursement of adrenaline that could be used, at will, to accommodate situations that called for physical vampiric abilities. Or more simply: for full vampires, physical attributes were involuntary and for hybrids, physical attributes were voluntary. It was the difference between blinking and winking and decidedly contrary to Bella's natural inclination toward physical activity.
And - of course - Mele couldn't care less about the scientific theory that Bella and Carlisle traded. All Mele cared about was that Bella learned full command over her body as quick as possible.
For that to be possible, Bella's days for the first two weeks in April are largely spent in the forest as she re-learns how to run and jump; as she holds her breath in the river until her lungs feel like they burst; as she holds statue-still for hours and hours with her feet falling asleep beneath her; as she puts her senses to work and learns how to hunt, to track, to kill; as she lifts weights that defy human capabilities; as she learns to understand her new body.
And then, once Mele is satisfied that Bella can keep up with vampire acrobatics, Bella stays in her trial by fire and learns the very basics of self-defense - all at vampire levels, all done by experience rather than instruction, and all designed, she's almost sure, to push her to the absolute brink.
"Again," Mele commands, implacable as she returns to the stance that had knocked Bella flat on her back.
Knowing that she is expected to be as fast as possible, her heart thudding hotly in her chest with a singular pulse, Bella blurs back into position, sliding her bare feet against the forest floor, her arms brought up with her palms open, ready to try - yet again - to block Mele's attack.
Mele's foot flashes forward. Bella successfully blocks, but fails to see the edge of Mele's elbow as the first attack slips seamlessly into the second.
Bella groans as her shoulders skid against the damp grass, the top of her head butting against the foot of a tree that she had been able to climb to the top of the day before. Bella leans up on her elbows, panting in exhaustion. "Let me guess," she mutters, rolling back onto her feet. "Again?"
Mele nods sharply.
And so it goes.
On and on - constant defeats, repeated set-backs, impossible-to-reach goals. Mele's standards - which, honestly, are also Aro's standards - are on a platform so high that Bella can't even see an end in sight. It feels hopeless. She could never measure up to a full-vampire. She's at a disadvantage.
Until, one day, she isn't. Suddenly, it all clicks - the way her entire body moves is muscle memory, bereft of balking, absent of miniscule hesitation as she waits for adrenaline to course through her bloodstream. One day toward the middle of April, Bella moves before she thinks and her body responds without her prompting. She simply does.
"Very good," Mele praises coolly on the day that she is finally outmaneuvered.
"I'll do it again," Bella responds, already moving with that unbelievable vampiric grace.
"Yes, I believe you will," Mele agrees.
And Bella does. Again and again and again. As good as a vampire - maybe even better.
o.o.o
o.o.o
Being in such close contact with someone for so many endless hours where skin-contact is utterly unavoidable ultimately means that Bella learns a lot about Mele.
She learns that Mele was turned by a British vampire that had been passing through her village, a sallow-faced man who'd been looking for a new play thing, a red-eyed monster who'd been interested by the slave trade that had been all the rage. He'd done such unspeakable things to Mele, ripping her away from her family as surely as he ripped her mind from her body and her will from her soul - as surely as he'd ripped his teeth into her neck and made her a vampire with the intent of having a slave at his bidding for the rest of his eternal life.
Mele had killed him the moment she woke from the three days of burning and she had not looked back sense.
Her involvement with the Volturi was at her terms - she'd always been very clear that she worked with Sulpicia, not with Aro, and that her watchful eye over the hybrids of Aro's line came with the implication that Mele would be free to take any actions she felt necessary to guard the secrets of the vampire world.
Mele was cold-hearted, yes, but her cool calculation was seasoned with a world-weariness, with scars that had never healed from the vampire who had tortured her for years - from the time she was a mere girl to the time where her body finally bloomed into womanhood. Her life had been dark; her eternal night even darker.
But she felt affection for the hybrids, and specifically for Bella - as fierce as it was remote.
And because of that, Bella does not hesitate whenever Mele demands her memories, whenever Mele continues to push Bella to the brink. Because Mele is really doing Bella a favor. Because Mele has detected something in Bella that needs more attention.
Because now it is Mele and Bella and Edward who know that Bella had done something to James on that night - and because Mele would be the one to figure it out first.
o.o.o
o.o.o
"Hey, Dad," Bella says, wincing internally at the awkward tone in her delivery.
"Bella! You're calling earlier than normal," Charlie notes on the other end of the line.
Bella frowns, blinking in confusion. "I am?" She looks at the analogue clock hanging on the wall with confusion, then belated realization once the time becomes apparent. "Oh. Oh, Dad, I'm sorry. My schedule is all flipped around - Mele is unrelenting in exacting my limitations. I can call back later."
"No, this is fine, kid," Charlie says. He sounds wide awake for how late it is - probably working the night shift, then. "I'm guessing you called for a reason, though?"
"Yes. I - well, we - were wondering if you could come out to the Cullen house this weekend?"
"Don't see why not. I'll call Billy and tell him-"
"Actually, Dad," she interrupts, sighing loudly. "Could you bring Billy, too?"
Charlie hesitates, a silence followed by the sound of his hand rubbing over the whiskers on his cheeks. "You know how he feels about the Cullens, kid. What's this all about?"
"Mele and Carlisle agree that it's time to test my reaction to humans," she explains, tugging on her hair to vent her anxiety and glad that the Cullens are at least pretending to not listen to this conversation. "And it will be great to see you, Dad, but the thing is-"
"I'm not exactly human enough to be your guinea pig, huh?"
Her lips twitch at the sardonic tint to his tone. "Afraid not."
Charlie sighs. "I'll talk to Billy, but I can't make any promises."
"Thanks, Dad. Just - be sure to tell him that he's completely safe from everyone here, including me even if my reaction isn't, you know, optimal," she says cautiously.
"I'll do that, Bells," Charlie replies, but he sounds confident - in her.
The nerves twisting around her stomach ease at her father's faith in her ability to be around a full-blooded human and she hangs up the phone with a genuine smile on her face.
o.o.o
o.o.o
"You don't have to pretend you're not exhausted, love," Edward says several minutes after she has lingered in the doorway of his bedroom, leaning heavily against the doorjamb with heavy eyes and, she's sure, a pallid complexion. She's been watching him write in a leather-bound music journal, content by the relaxed slope of his shoulders and the occasional twitch of his lips, as if he is listening to thoughts that are supremely entertaining. At the moment, Edward sits up on his black leather couch, pushing his journal away and holding his arms out in silent invitation.
"Actually, I do," Bella answers as she pushes away from the door and shuffles toward the couch, settling herself gratefully onto her mate's lap with her head cushioned on the rolling joint of his shoulder. His scent is soothing and right in front of her nose, comforting enough that she is tempted to close her eyes. Resolutely, she keeps her eyes open. "It's part of Mele's training."
"Her goal is to make you collapse from fatigue?" Edward questions.
"Her goal is to determine how long I can stay awake sustained on only blood," she corrects. "And then her goal will be to determine how long I can stay awake sustained on only food."
"She's experimenting on you," he accuses with a frown, stroking the dip of her waist with tender concern.
"Yes, she is," Bella agrees, covering her mouth as her jaw cracks in a long, drawn-out yawn. "But it makes sense - I have to understand my limitations."
"I've heard that phrase too often over these last two weeks," he grumbles.
"You're so protective," she teases, kissing the hinge of his jaw.
Edward smiles down at her, topaz eyes smoldering. "Only natural, love, to desire to protect my heart."
She tangles her fingers in his hair in response, guiding their mouths together with a shiver down her spine. She is much more awake now under the attentions of her mate, his kisses as renewing as a breath of fresh air. Bella loses herself in the sensation of his lips against hers, shifting on his lap to straddle his hips just to be that much closer to him. Edward encourages the motion, firmly cupping her hips as the breath in her lungs quickens.
"I have something to tell you," she murmurs between kisses.
Edward hums in acknowledgement, making to trail his lips down her neck, cool breath tickling her skin. With a great amount of effort, Bella makes space between their bodies, scooting backward on his lap a minuscule amount, face flushing as she encounters the unmistakable swell of his arousal trapped within his jeans. His eyes a dark as he tracks her movements, chest rising and falling beneath her hands as she skirts her open palms up the soft fabric of his shirt, then up the side of his neck to frame the sharp angle of his jaw between her fingers. The tips of her middle and index fingers brush against his temples, a place of particular sensitivity that she has discovered - there are certain zones on the body that open to psionic connection like Bella's much easier. The palm is one such place; the vulnerable nape of the neck is another; and the temples are the third. Her heart thuds as she applies more pressure against his temples, fascinated by the way his pupils expand at the increased connection between their minds.
She has been sending thoughts and memories for months, but what she is about to attempt is new, something that she had been thinking about idly during Mele's training sessions. Bella takes a deep breath and then pushes all of her chest-bursting love directly into Edward's psyche. He inhales sharply, the chaotic clusters of his mind alight with the induction of her emotions.
"You are my life now," she declares solemnly.
It is more rare now when movement catches her off-guard, but Edward's sudden surge that twists their positions until she lays beneath the firm weight of his body is a complete surprise. Her hands have shifted to the back of his neck, holding on instinctively for the next bout of his vampire-speed, but it never comes. Instead, his lips crash against her own, the connection of their minds singing with a mutual love that is staggering.
If their love were a physical thing, it would crush gravity - it is that astounding.
Despite the coolness of Edward's body against the venom-fueled heat of her own, his kiss is searing and hot, setting her nerves on fire as her body pulses in a frightening ache so sweet between her thighs that it is nearly painful. Bella's breasts throb as her back arches, her body trying to remain in as much contact with her mate's as possible; she uses her arms to crush their chests together, her legs falling open wide enough that Edward is able to fit his hips snugly in the newly-created space. They both gasp at that first contact, shocked exhalations into open mouths, lips brushing together as they breathlessly try to understand - to chase - this new sensation.
One of her hands is still pressed to the nape of his neck - and through that connection, she can both feel how much he wants to move against her and how much he wants to respect her virtue. But perhaps more importantly, she can feel how both of those desires pale in comparison to his desire to declare them permanently before moving any further, and how frustrated he is with himself for not being able to move past his upbringing to give her this, to give her himself.
Agapi mou, I'm not going to ask you for something that you cannot give, she informs him serenely, shifting beneath his body to put at least some distance between them, hoping to cool the coals of their passion. In her movements, she ends up loosing the connection between their minds, her palm sliding against his clothed shoulder instead as she does her best to ignore the molten heat below her navel.
"Bella," he murmurs, sliding his lips over her cheekbone. Edward drops onto the couch beside her, heavy brows drawn over his eyes as he begins what will no doubt be quite the session of brooding.
She waits until she has her body under control before reaching for his hand, so much more broad and long-fingered than her own, as she sits up, tugging on his arm. None of that self-incrimination, she chastises pointedly. "I still have to stay awake and, you know, I did come in here for a reason before you distracted me."
His expression shifts from moody to curious, the tenor of his mind reflecting the change in his mercurial bearing. "And what might that reason be, love?"
Her still-swollen lips spread into a wide smile as she drops his hand, prancing on light feet over to the shelf where he keeps his wide collection of vinyl records, cassette tapes, and CD's. "I'm here to steal your music," she tells him blithely. And then, upon a better look at his collection, she frowns. "Although, maybe I should start by organizing this…"
"You wouldn't dare," he says from right behind her, reaching over her shoulders to cage her against the shelf with his arms bracketing her on either side. His tone is playful, but shaded with the intensity of the minutes beforehand.
"And why not?" she challenges, leaning lightly against his chest. "I don't know how you could find anything in this mess. What have you organized it by? Year and then favorites within the year? No, no. Edward. This looks like…did you organize by record label?"
"That's a bit hypocritical, considering the way you organize your books," he points out. "Maybe I should go implement the Dewy Decimal system-"
She spins around, grinning up at him with bright eyes. "Message received! You have your chaos, and I have mine. Agreed?"
"Agreed," he smirks, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "What were you looking for?"
"I have a song stuck in my head. I must have heard it on the radio," she says, brushing her fingers over his wrist to deliver the strumming guitar that had been swimming through her mind all day, a song that had sprung up completely out of the blue.
His eyes alight with recognition. "I have that album," he promises, pulling away and scoping out his shelves. "Silversun Pickups…Where did it go?"
She stifles a laugh. "At least I can find the books I'm looking for."
He shoots her a warning glare, the corners of his mouth turned up in amusement. "Don't mock."
"How can I not? You have perfect recall but you can't remember where to find one CD-"
Edward lunges forward, his fingers curling mercilessly over her ribs. "You shouldn't have said that!"
Bella's shrieks of laughter fill the house.
o.o.o
o.o.o
Try as she might, Bella cannot help but think that the day Billy Black comes to the Cullen household is an auspicious one - it is sunny, the clean scent of rain still chasing the breeze, and she feels good. It helps that Alice is dancing around with a bright smile, bolstering Bella's assuredness that she would have control around her mostly-human father and his totally-human best friend. She's really hoping that she succeeds in this more easily than she found success in Mele's training - that her bloodlust would be negligible, unlike a newborn vampire's.
Hope, hope, hope.
You'll be fine, love, Edward directs toward her as he holds her hand. They are waiting on the front porch of the Cullen home for Charlie's cruiser to finish crawling the long, winding driveway. The sun shimmers off half of Edward's face, the rest of him hidden in shadow; Bella's skin glows pale and milk-bright in the sun, much more covert than the full-vampires around her.
Edward's reassurance is somewhat dampened by her knowledge that both Jasper and Emmett are waiting to react to her bloodlust in a split second - and by the knowledge that he is not only holding her hand to offer her comfort. Edward is their first warning system that all is not right in her reaction.
From the forest where she remains shrouded in the shade of a tall evergreen tree, Mele says baldly, "Prove that you are stronger than a newly reborn, mtoto."
Prove it. Right.
Bella exhales heavily when Charlie's cruiser pulls alongside the house, idling for a second while he seems to gauge the formation around her. Her lungs still as he opens the door and steps out of the car - waiting for Bella to move or for an explicit invitation, she isn't sure. She does know that they talked about the logistics before Billy felt comfortable coming this far into enemy territory.
Charlie is the first test. If Bella does well with her father, then Billy will get out of the cruiser. And if she does well with Billy, then she'll be allowed back at Forks High to finish out her school year and graduate and then go to college and - well, live her life. And it all hinges on these pivotal moments, so - no pressure, or anything.
Breathe, Edward prompts.
Bella inhales, cringing as Charlie's scent filters through her senses - like cloves and pine soap and a sweet note that she knows represents his vampire heritage lurking somewhere in his body. She inhales again, waiting for her throat to burn or her teeth to ache, but nothing happens.
She laughs in relief. "Dad!" she calls, detangling from Edward and racing across the front yard, falling into her father's human-warm embrace in unrestrained glee. "It's so good to see you!"
Charlie kisses the top of her head. His voice is thick when he says, "Kid, you have no idea."
Bella lingers in her father's arms, soaking up the paternal affection that radiates from him like a flower soaks up the sun. She marvels at the absence of fire in her throat, at the way this is so easy. But she's still wary when Charlie pulls away and pops open the trunk for Billy's wheelchair, her fingers tangling together as Billy is transferred from the car and into the open air.
Edward blurs to her side, hands curled over her shoulders, ready to restrain at a moment's notice.
Billy's scent is less sweet - more savory, more…like dinner, if Bella is being completely honest. She processes his scent with the cruiser between them, his dark, deep-set eyes watching for any sign that a vampire will attack him. Bella's throat is dry - she's thirsty - but it's not anything that she can't manage.
Bella's eyes water - venom and salty tears - as the relief hits her. Her smile is shaky as she offers a wave, the rest of the Cullen coven relaxing in the evidence of her lack of reaction to the potent stimuli of human blood. "Hi, Billy. Long time no see, right?"
This is a success - no doubt about it. She's in complete control.
Finally.
o.o.o
o.o.o
Dearest Isabella,
My, how you chide me! Precious, I must confess that very few individuals exist in this world who would dare to reproach any of my decisions - but you truly are my blood, darling Granddaughter, as you possess the fire and perhaps even the ruthlessness by which I am characterized. I extend my deepest apologies, however, if my "heavy-handedness" in any way offended your sensibilities. My thoughts were only in deference to your safety.
To your difficulty in assessing your progress based on Mele's reactions, I will assure you that by her daily briefings in your progress that you have indeed impressed her. Might you wonder how very difficult it is to impress that vampire? Even I am frequently found wanting in her estimation.
Thank you, precious, for boldly extending your comprehension of the tentative plans that have formed in my mind - I had not thought you picked up on those thoughts, but I suppose I must learn to not underestimate you. Caius and Marcus will indeed be pleased by your notations when I see fit to pass them along.
Finally, darling, I will be more than happy to teach you're the language I spoke in my youth. Nothing would be more pleasing.
My eternal heart,
Aro
o.o.o
o.o.o
Bella's return to school in the last week of April is done with as little fanfare as possible - after a weekend of moderately-messy hunting and a night of sleep on Sunday at the Swan household, she breezes into the administration office to reinstate her attendance with Mrs. Cope, slips seamlessly back into class discussions, and dutifully ignores the mild burn in her throat any time one of her human classmates comes a bit too close. It helps that she has at least one Cullen-Hale in each of her classes, with independent Greek Study and English notwithstanding. She trusts in the knowledge that they are each other's support systems every day and that it is not a burden to become her support system, too.
She has missed going to class almost as much as she has missed her room under Charlie's roof - there is, however, the notable exception that Charlie does not accost her for details about her prolonged absence the way that Jessica Stanley does at the first opportunity.
Bella really should have expected it in retrospect.
"Bella! Bella! Oh, my God! You're back!" Jessica cries from down the hall, rushing forward with her curls bouncing, the strong scent of bubble-gum perfume clogging Bella's nose immediately.
She tries not to wrinkle her nose, fighting a strong urge to sneeze. "Jessica," she manages as a greeting.
Jessica's blue eyes widen as she takes in the subtle changes Bella has undergone in her absence from school. "Gosh," she breathes as the freshmen group notice Jessica's diversion from normal routine and begin to cluster around her, all of them peering at Bella like she is the most fascinating thing in the world. "I should get pneumonia. Bella, you look amazing!"
"Maybe she's allergic to her medication, like in The House Bunny," Lauren says meanly, rolling her eyes at Tyler's admonishing look.
Bella arches her brow - unimpressed by Lauren's attitude - and then turns back to Jessica with a sanguine smile. "It's good to be back," she says.
Jessica giggles. "You're the only girl I know who would actually miss school!"
"What can I say?" Bella murmurs. "I'm unique."
If only they knew, she thinks as Jessica launches into her familiar, excited chatter.
o.o.o
o.o.o
That is April
A/N: So many things! Have I been slow-burning you guys? Oops. (#sorrynotsorry) Just trying to observe canon a little bit!
Re: The Fang Issue - So, everyone not named Isabella Swan are the traditional super Twivamps as we know and love/loathe them with all the SM bells and whistles that catapulted the series into fame (because let's be real, her nuance on these vampires is what kept people coming for the books that were oh-so-refreshing from the rest of the vampire mythology cluttering up Vampires A-Z). Bella, on the other hand, is hybrid and I'm so running wild with the freedom that allows me. How best to equate her? Well, if you're well-read, then you might cite Anne Rice, Stephen King, a little book called The Silver Kiss, and L.J. Smith's Night World series as a pretty good start, as all of these vampires are similarly difficult to kill and have fangs. If you're at all into anime, you might recognize some aspects of Saya from Blood+ (and even if you're not into anime, that series was a-maz-ing and you should watch it) and Vampire Knight - but most importantly, the cult-pop mangas of Chibi Vampire (or Karin, the anime-dub) and Crescent Moon (also read those if you can find them anywhere, because they're just straight-up awesome). For pop-culture, you might notice that I've borrowed some things from The Vampire Diaries, the entire Underworld series, and from Buffy - just, you know, Bella doesn't have a "game-face" a la the Buffy'verse. Or does she? Also, if you read my fic 'Blood', I'm definitely revisiting my favorite aspects of that series in terms of vampirism. The basic run down? Half Twivamp, half every other vamp in the world. Hybrid vampires are a new race; the idea is that it should be easier for them to mingle with the humans, which is why Bella can still eat and drink and blush and why she's warm, etc. Whatever. Does it really matter? The important part of this A/N is me telling you about all those amazing things in the world that involve vampirism. You should totally delve.
Mtoto means "child" in Swahili, if you were wondering. Agapi mou, is modern Greek for "my love", which makes sense because Bella is done with Italian and embracing her Greek roots - now that she knows Aro is Greek, of course. No guarantees that I'm using either right, but I did my best to research them and my only secondary languages are vague German insults and the ability to bitch about smelly cats in French. So.
As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.
~cupcakeriot