14. Give and Take
The next week seemed to drag by as the Thanksgiving break ended and I had to go back to school. To make matters worse, it was finals week for the community college and so I had to prepare for finals for my first ever college courses while stressing over the impending arrival of Eleazar.
Just after I finished my last final in my psychology class, I was called to the office and notified that my parents had called to request that I be sent home early and that I should collect my homework for Friday from my teachers before leaving because I would be missing school tomorrow as well.
I made my way to my high school level classrooms to get my assignments from my teachers and slowly made my way out to my car. I was relieved to see that Seth was leaning against my rear fender waiting for me. He stood up when I exited the building and met me halfway between the door and the car taking my backpack from my shoulder and wrapping his other arm around my shoulders as he hugged me into his side and kissed my head.
"So I take it this means that Eleazar has arrived."
"Yep," he answered popping his 'p'.
I gulped as he opened the door tossing my backpack into the back seat. He turned to me and pulled me into a hug resting his cheek on the top of my head as I laid my cheek on his chest. We just stood there together as I drew strength from his embrace, each second somehow feeling stronger and braver. I didn't know what it was about Seth's embrace, but it always fortified me for whatever was to come.
After a few minutes I felt brave enough to face whatever it was I was about to learn and I shifted my head so that I was looking straight up at Seth with my chin resting on his chest. He looked right back down at me with those warm brown eyes and smiled a reassuring smile before I tipped up on my toes to brush my lips against his. We shared a relatively short kiss before I finally let go and slid into my seat allowing Seth to close the door behind me before crossing back over to the driver's side and sliding behind the wheel.
My beautiful classic car rumbled to life as Seth turned the key and shifted through the gears to escort me back home. My heart was beating faster and harder the closer we got to the house and I assumed that Seth must have heard it even over the rumble of the engine because he looked at me suddenly with a concerned expression on his face before reaching over and taking my hand bringing it to his mouth for a gentle kiss before letting it rest in his lap while he rubbed small soothing circled on the back of it with his thumb.
"It's going to be okay Angel. It's all going to be okay."
"I hope so Seth, I really hope so," was all I could say as I looked out the window at the green trees that stretched along the side of the road melting into a blur as we passed.
My neck and shoulders ached with tension as we pulled to park in front of the main house. In typical Seth fashion, he instinctually reached over and rubbed my shoulders with a firm hand helping alleviate some of the pain as I rolled my neck in appreciation.
"Thanks, I needed that," I smiled at him.
"I know," he smiled back before getting out and walking around to open the door for me and helping me out. He continued to massage my shoulders as we slowly made our way up the front steps to stand in front of the front door. My heart was pounding in my chest and it felt like I was having to really struggle to breathe. Seth just stood there with me waiting for me to gather my resolve and open the door. Finally with a shaky hand I reached out and turned the knob opening the door and stepping through into the living room.
I took a few more tentative steps into the room as I observed that the entire family had gathered including Jake and Nessie. A beautiful golden eyed lady with long raven hair stood behind Nessie and gently ran her fingers through Nessie's bronze curls as Nessie leaned her head back appearing to be so relaxed that she was nearly asleep.
Next to the beautiful lady stood an equally stunning man who appeared to be approximately the same height as Jake with dark hair and a chalky olive complexion with a somewhat startled expression on his face as my father began introductions with Carmen who crossed the room and greeted me with a warm kindness and a sweet smile. We spoke briefly before she returned to Nessie's side and resumed gently caressing her curls. After my exchange with Carmen was completed my father began introducing me to Eleazar as his startled expression disappeared in a flash and was replaced with a resigned civility. He crossed the room slowly and extended his hand to me.
"It is nice to meet you Angelina." His voice deep, smooth and inviting.
I took his hand and did my best to meet his shake with a solid grip and smile. "Please call me Lina."
He returned my smile with a slight nod, "Lina."
He stood there for some time still holding my hand and looking at my face. He looked confused as his gaze tightened on my eyes, almost as though he were looking deep into my soul through the window of my eyes. After a long moment he let go of my hand and took a step back but continued to hold my gaze.
"Just as intriguing as her sister," he whispered in a voice that was barely discernable to my less acute ears.
I heard Edward's voice from the far side of the room, "Well that explains a few things."
"How is that so Edward?" Eleazar asked while still maintaining eye contact with me. A part of me wanted to look away, but yet I could not. I suddenly needed all of the answers that this man could provide and I wasn't walking away until I had them.
"I always thought that perhaps it was simply an effect of her living with us, her biology was being challenged and her body was compensating, but maybe that's the reason instead. Lina has slightly more attuned reflexes and hearing than most humans and is capable of deciphering our speech even when we speak at our fastest tempo, which even the wolves with their superior hearing cannot do."
I noticed in my peripheral vision that the rest of my family members were reacting to this new information about my abilities. Edward, Seth, Leah, and I were the only ones aware of this particular ability of mine, and none of us had shared about my better than average hearing with any of the rest of the family.
"Really?" He replied with raised eyebrows directing the question at me.
"Yes," was all my voice could manage. I was starting to feel a bit frustrated not knowing what Edward and Eleazar knew and had yet to share with the rest of us.
"Perhaps the two of you could include the rest of us in the theory?" My father spoke up from somewhere in the room.
Eleazar finally removed his gaze from my eyes and turned to face my father as Seth took my hand and led me to the chair that had been left open for us to sit in near the door. He sat down and pulled me across his lap where he continued to rub my back in small circles doing his best to soothe me.
"I've never actually encountered anything like it really. The best way I could explain it is that she's a bit like a sponge. Even in her human form she's somehow adapting parts of the abilities attached to the life force of those that she's closest to and incorporating them into herself. I'm assuming this has been a slow process over many years, but in effect she's managed to melt your abilities into one of her own. She's taken Alice's precognition and tempered it in some way with Jasper's ability so that she's getting glimpses of the far future that are not tempered as much by current choices, but more by the overall feelings of others toward your family. She's ascertained the Volturi's aggression toward you and the shape shifters and has managed to funnel that into her dreams. The dreams are most definitely more than mere subconscious chatter."
I let out an involuntary gasp at the confirmation that my dreams were more than simply dreams and that my family really is in danger. Tears began to pool in my eyes and the trembling resumed in my body. Seth pulled me against his chest and stroked my hair as I buried my face in his neck and took a deep breath, attempting to collect myself again and instantly feeling calmer.
"Not only that, her ability to absorb is not limited to just the vampire family members either, she draws much strength and bravery from her mate." My face shot back up at that and I looked at Eleazar in surprise and then back to Seth who met my gaze with a smile as if he already knew. I looked at him with confusion for a moment before a thought crossed my mind that scared me. I snapped my head back around to meet Eleazar's gaze once more.
"Do I hurt them when I do this? I mean, is it bad for them or take anything away from them?"
He smiled at me gently, "No child, you do not harm or steal from them, it's more like you copy them. In fact I also get the feeling that you give as much as you take projecting a bit of yourself in the exchange."
I relaxed a bit at that and turned to look back at Seth and he continued to smile at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "You knew somehow didn't you?" I finally whispered, no longer able to wait to voice my suspicions.
He smiled, "In a weird way, yes, I think I did, or at least it didn't surprise me. It does explain a lot about you and how I seem to be able to calm you down sometimes when nobody else can because during those times I concentrate on how much I love you, so you're taking in my love and that makes you relax. It makes perfect sense. There are also times when I feel like I can actually feel your love for me coming off of your body, like in a physical way…so that would really explain it."
I didn't care that my family and two perfect strangers were sitting there, I reached up and placed my hands on Seth's cheeks and leaned forward and placed a long and love filled kiss on his lips. He sat there for a few moments apparently feeling awkward about our audience, but he quickly loosened up and reached up to wrap one hand in my hair pulling me closer and the other around my back to rub up and down my back as he deepened the kiss. We stayed that way until finally my father cleared his throat and I reluctantly pulled away.
Seth looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "Yep, definitely felt that!"
I laughed and hugged him close again burying my nose in his neck taking a couple of deep breaths before turning to face my family again. I looked around the room to see a variety of expressions that ranged from worry to understanding and Bella almost looked proud.
"It will be interesting to see with what she's able to do now, what she will accomplish once she's been transformed." He said with an expectant smile in my direction.
I looked Eleazar square in the eyes. "I don't believe that I ever will choose to be transformed unless there is no other recourse. I want a life with Seth. I want to have a family with Seth. So unless something forces my hand, I'm afraid that we will never get to see that."
He looked back at me with a frown for a short while before he answered, "I fear that might be a mistake. You're giving the Volturi more fuel for their fire with that choice."
"My father told me once that if the Volturi want to come after us, they will eventually do so regardless of my mortality, so I'm not going to throw away the happiness this life has given me for something that will eventually happen anyway." We continued to hold one another's gaze for a long time before Edward finally interrupted.
"Eleazar, we have always encouraged Lina to make her own decisions regarding her mortality and have actually encouraged her to remain human her entire life. This is her decision and we will honor her wishes and encourage her decision wholeheartedly."
With Edward's declaration, Eleazar finally relented and retreated across the room to stand once more by Carmen. There was a long awkward silence before finally Emmett broke the tension with a chuckle as he started in.
"OOOOHHHHH Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeLina Squarepants!" He was bent over in laughter as he managed to choke out, "Now at least we know why she was so in love with that stupid Spongebob show when she was little!" There was silence for one brief second before my entire family broke out into uproarious laughter as poor Carmen and Eleazar looked on in confusion. Seth and I both had tears running down our faces as we laughed harder than we had in months.
Finally when we managed to calm ourselves back down, my father attempted to explain to the two who were not in on the joke about my love for the cartoon about a silly little sponge that lived in the sea and how sick they all got of that ridiculous theme song. They gave us all weak grins and slight nods before excusing themselves to go make a phone call home to Denali to check in.
The family sat around and talked a little while, our moods lighter after Emmett's little song. The conversation drifted to Nessie and the baby and other various things coming up in the next month as we all attempted to avoid the pink elephant in the room. Eventually Carmen and Eleazar returned to the room and I got the opportunity to speak more with Carmen. Bella was right, she was a wonderful lady and we got along very well. I could tell she had a very kind and loving heart and reminded me of my mother in some ways. Eleazar kept his distance for the remainder of the evening but occasionally I would catch him looking at me with a furrowed brow from across the room. When we would happen to catch each other's gazes he would nod in polite acknowledgement and I would match his gesture with a polite nod of my own. By the end of my conversation with Carmen we had made plans to spend some time together at Nessie's house the next day in order to get to know one another better.
Finally before we left to go back to our house, my parents remembered my finals this week. They looked so proud when I told them that I thought I did really well and had really enjoyed the classes this semester. Before we made our way out the back door my family all took turns hugging me and telling me how proud they were for my decision and that they always knew I was special.
As we left the house that evening, I felt both lighter and heavier at the same time if that were actually possible. I was scared for the future that included the Volturi guard coming for my loved ones, but happy to know the reasons behind my slightly enhanced physical abilities and the reason why I was having the dreams.
Seth was more than anxious to get us back home as he encouraged me to walk faster along the path. As soon as we were inside the front door he turned and his lips crashed into mine as a wave of love and lust washed over my body. After a few minutes of feverish kissing we were both still standing in the living room panting slightly from the exertion.
"You know…it's really amazing…we've lasted this long considering…" Seth managed to get out between breaths. We were both suddenly painfully aware that not only did we have the usual attractions of the hormones raging within our own bodies, but all of this time it was intensified by me somehow amplifying the whole thing by sensing his feelings for me and willing him to experience my feelings for him.
"You must…be a saint…to have held out all of this time." I managed to stammer out myself between ragged breaths. He laughed at my observation before taking my hand and leading me back upstairs. It was still a bit early for bed, but then again I was already pretty sure we weren't going to sleep immediately.
I hesitated at the top of the staircase and Seth stopped and turned to face me, "But what about Edward?"
He smiled, "I warned him about three seconds after that kiss earlier tonight. He's fully aware that he either needs to find a way to block us out or find a nice place to hang out for the evening. He seemed okay with it…at least he nodded in acknowledgement and didn't look too angry."
I smiled as I pulled him down to meet my lips as his hands roamed my back and then dipped down below my butt to lift me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist while he carried me down the hallway and to our bed. Without the urgency and need driving us we took our time as we explored each other in the quiet darkness of our bedroom before once again falling asleep with my body snuggled close to Seth's letting his warm penetrating heat surround me and his calming scent comfort me.
Author's Note: Okay, so my Beta, Mel, is from Australia and had never heard of Spongebob Squarepants, which is a cartoon for kids we have here in the States. So for those of you deprived of the insanity that is Spongebob, I will be placing a link to the theme song and an episode of the show on my profile so you can at least have some clue what I'm talking about. Also she was unfamiliar with the term "pink elephant in the room" which is basically a way of saying that there's something big that in reality you are totally incapable of ignoring and yet you are doing your best to anyway.
Okay, so that's it. Let me know what you think. Please leave me reviews…I Love reviews and I do my best to respond to any that I get. Thanks for reading guys and keep your eyes peeled for a companion to this chapter in my extras story. I haven't had a chance to write it yet, but the last two chapters are just begging for a Seth POV!! If you haven't added it to your alert, you might want to since I won't have any way of letting you guys know when it's posted otherwise without posting a fakeout chapter which I really don't want to do to you guys. Thanks again!
Featured Author: SilverAngel 1234 has been following these stories pretty much since the beginning as well. She doesn't have any Twilight fic, but she does have a story called Luna for Maximum Ride. I still haven't read Maximum Ride, but my Mom did and said it was really good, so if you've ever read it and are interested then why don't you check out her profile and see her story. As usual, you can find her in my favorite author tab of my profile!