Nine
Weddings
But Ours...
Twenty: A Modern
Spanish Inquisition, Blood Tests,
And A Talk With The Evil Witch Twin Herself
"What Got into you?" Esme shrieked as we came in the door. Jake sighed, as if to say Here we go.
"Sorry Esme." I said. I was really sorry.
"Sorry? Sorry!" We were in the living room now, and Esme rushed at me. She was caught between slapping me, and hugging me. She hugged me. "That doesn't mean much!"
"It's all we have." Jake said, as she turned to him to hug him too. Clearly, Esme wasn't going to kill me. Ground us, yes, but kill us, no.
"We didn't know were you were," Carlisle said, obviously relieved. "I thought, maybe you need space. Ani and I tried to keep everyone back-"
"Don't worry, Grandpa," I said, coming over to him in his armchair and kissed his cheek. "We had our reasons."
"I'm sure you did, dear." I felt something prick the inside of my elbow, and looked down. "Just like I have a reason for blood tests."
"Carlisle-" I started, watching as my mutant blood poured into the little tube.
"Don't fret," he said, taking the vial and tucking it in his shirt pocket. "Your father asked for it."
"Damn straight I did." Daddy boomed from upstairs. In a instant we was in in front of me, and I cowered back. He looked like a storm cloud. "What possessed you to do it?"
"Well-"
"And YOU!" Daddy came roaring towards Jake, enough that Jake fell onto the couch behind him. His seat was between Jasper and Emmett, and if he hoped they'd protect him, they were wrong.
"I want a word." Daddy was scary calm. "Now."
"We do too." Jasper intoned. I wasn't sure who scared Jake more, Emmett, Jasper or Daddy.
"Not to mention what I'm going to do with you!" Alice cried out, with Rose standing behind her to add the threat. It was obvious they talked to me.
"Carlisle," Daddy said. "Would you run the bloodwork for me?"
"Of course."
"Really Edward, is this all needed?" Mum asked, giving me and Jake a helpful, sympathetic and understanding glance.
"Bella, love, I hate to tell you, but-"
"It is." Jasper finished, and strong armed Jake with Emmettt out of the room. Daddy followed.
"I'm best to tag along, just so they don't kill my only son." Billy said, and wheeled himself after them followed by Jane.
"Where are you going?" I asked, worried even more. Jane was closer to normal, sure, but she was still a phycopath.
"What, you expect me to miss this?" Jane asked, laughing as she looked towards us. When Jane had joined Jake's death party and the door to Carlisle's library was closed, I stood up to go too.
"And where do you think you're going?" Rose screamed.
"Yeah! This dress took ages!" Alice moaned, her head raised to the heavens. "And now it's pointless, cause we're not going to have much of a groom left after-"
"Look-" I started, but Embry silenced me. He had an icepak in his head, ad looked positively sick.
"just hear them out, they've been complaining so much I've got a mean headache."
"Well, I'd like to, Embry," I said, standing up. "But my fiance and your alpha is about to be butchered my my father and three other vampires!" Seth burst out laughing, and Leah slapped him.
"Sorry," he said. "But I still can't believe he had the nerve to elope with you. I mean, come on, how stupid can you get?" I huffed, and shoved through Alice and Rose. Mum and Bella looked as if they were still getting over the fact that I was alive and well, so they were going to be no help in keeping Jake alive and breathing. I stomped down the hall.
"And where do you think you're going?" Alice asked, a step behind me.
"You are not getting out of this easy, miss Cullen." Rose stated, calling me by what she always did when I was bad as a child- which, incidentally was about six years ago.
"No way! We stitched like crazed seamstresses!"
"We would have stained your dress red with the amount of blood that would have come out of the needle wounds- that is could be bleed."
"Ani could bleed! We had to take off an entire collar of lace once, because of it!"
"Regardless of if you get married, or if your groom is alive to get married, you ARE WEARING THAT DRESS when you walk down the isle."
"Fine!" I turned and said back to them. "How bout I try to save Jake so there is someone to wear the dress for?" they thought for a moment.
"That is only logical," Rose said, as Alice considered.
"Fine. Save your groom. But you cannot make any changes on the dress from now on!"
"Or on the honeymoon! That thing is pricy!"
"Alright." I said, now at the door to the library. "It's a deal." Alice and Rose walked off happy, and guessing at why Ani was growing queen Anne's lace.
Luckily, Daddy and the troop of pain had left the door slightly ajar, and I was able to see through. Jake was sitting in a chair, his hands bound to the arm rests as Emmett, Jasper and Daddy circled him slowly. Jane, delighted, sat on the couch, one step away from clapping in glee.
"I'm only going to ask this once, Jake." Daddy said. "And then, I will demand." He stopped circling, and Emmett and Jasper stood on either side of Jake. Daddy was dead serious, Jasper seemed to only be there to tell if Jake was lying, and Emmett I suppose was there to be the muscle and was a second away from bursting into laughter. "Jake, why did you and Nessie leave?" Daddy obviously had never thought we'd gone away to get married, so he thought the worst, complete with cheap motel rooms to be rented out by the hour. When Jake didn't answer imediately, Daddy nodded, and Emmett's fist pounded down on Jake's flat hand. It wasn't enough to break anything, but it would give him a bruise. Jane yet out a small cry of 'yay!' and sat up straighter.
"You see," Said Daddy, "We no you'll heal. We understand that we can carve you like a pumpkin, and then some, and you'll still live. This makes this entire process more painful for you, and much longer for us. So, just tell me wh-"
"You know," Jake said, leaning forward towards Daddy, "If you had've just asked, I would have told you. But no, now I think I'll make you wait. Imagine the worst Eddie- I won't say what happened and what didn't until I want to."
"So it's a power struggle?" Daddy pulled up a chair. "How deja vu. Last time, if you remember, I won." He was reffering to his and Jake's rivalry for Mum.
"That benifited us both, clearly, in the fact that I went off with your daughter without you knowing or receiving your blessing." Jake countered. Touche, I thought. Daddy ground his teeth.
"I could just pluck the information from your mind."
"Not if I don't think about it. And besides, thanks to miss pain and master numbskull, your dear Bella's shield protects me." Daddy nodded at Emmett and again the fist came down on the hand.
"He does not fear you, Edward." Jasper said, knowingly. "He is completely set on making us all wait. How unbecoming." It went on like this, Jasper dropping comments of similar nature, Emmett inflicting the pain, Daddy questioning and Jane clapping in glee. Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned, ready to pounce.
"Sorry for scaring you," Ani whispered, and Alec waved from behind her. "But we've come to help."
"Even him?" I pointed to Alec.
"Good work means good karma means more power." Alec explained.
"Now, see?" Ani said, turning to face her friend. "Thinking like that will get you no where. All negative and power hungry. The Goddess doesn't bless you for that."
"I know," Alec said, looking ashamed. "But I've been programed for three centuries to think that way. She'll cut me a break."
"She already has, you were allowed to come here, and find me!"
"Yes. I was." For a split second, there was a glimmer of something more then friendship in both their eyes. "And we never did get a chance to complete that promise..."
"Okay, back to reality!" I said. Gosh, these magical beings get off track. "Helping me and Jake?"
"On it. I'll deflect you mother's shield, and Alec will numb Jake out. Then, you swoop in and tell your father everything he needs to know."
"Great."
"Alright. Ready, Alec?" Alec nodded.
"I'm always ready."
"Fabulous." a green light glowed around Ani, and she said something in an odd language. Then, Alec also put out a shimmering fog of silverish color.
"Oh!" I said, seeing it drift pass me. "It's so pretty and silver!"
"You can tell it's silver?" Alec said, in wonder. "Only I can see that."
"Well, that's wrong." I stated, as the fog seeped through the crack in the door. "Can everyone else see it?"
"Sometimes. This time I've disguised it."
"I'll ask one more time," Daddy's voice boomed. "Why did you run off?"
"Well, Eddie, I managed to kn-" Jake's words choked, and he was silent.
"What happened?" Daddy asked, looking at Jake.
"I have no idea," Jasper said, peeling back one of Jake's eyelids. The eye showed the whites. "He's numb. I can't feel anything from him.
"His battery must've run out." Emmett said, joking. No one laughed. Jane looked very disapointed that the pain wasn't continuing.
"Ah well," Daddy said. "We can see if pain revives him."
"No way are you doing anything more to him!" I said, bursting through the door. "You've bruised his hands enough!"
"Nessie," Daddy seemed angry. "I'm still very annoye-"
"That your one and only daughter might not be virtuous any more? Because let me tell you, you're right."
Jasper gasped, Daddy looked furious, and Emmett made a noise that said 'oh, you are so screwed' in any language.
"Nessie Cullen, I would have thought you'd know better." Daddy said, attempting to be calm. Ah, the legendary Angry/Calm emotion. Only illicted from my father when he is well and truly pissed. Very scary... Until you realize he's not going to hurt his only child. I'm his little girl, now and always (for real).
"Well, Daddy, I do. We ended up getting married in Niagra. Drive thru chapel, if your wondering. The wedding cake was two vanilla dips." Jasper gasped.
"I'm astounded you taste is so bad," Jasper said, like a hostess who's best potroast was just called disgusting. "After all the chocolate fondant I made for you cupcakes and wedding cake!"
"I don't think that Jake would just drive off with you and marry you, Nessie. There must've been another reason."
"Maybe there is."
"Oh? Enlighten me."
"What if I don't want to?"
"You have no choice, I'll know it someday." Ah, the mind reading threat. First used when I was suspected to eating my birthday cake a day early at the physical age of eight. Coincedentally, Jake had eaten it.
"Maybe. But you won't know it till I think of it. And I'm very good at not thinking."
"Obviously."
"Thanks, dad. I get my brains from somewhere."
"Oh, so now it's down to intelligence, is it? I have a century on you, Miss Cullen."
"So what? I know more about Jake then you do."
"Really? Your seven years hold more knowledge then my thirteen?"
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but yes."
"I must say, I never did think him capable of this. I trusted him."
"Well, he did you right. I'm a married woman."
"Not with my blessing."
"Well, it was an improptu decision."
"Spawned from what exactly?" I crossed my arms and looked away, childish as always.
"I'm not telling."
"Edward!" Carlisle's voice rang out from the hall, rather panicked. "I don't think stress is good idea for Nessie right now."
"Her under stress?" Edward said. "Her? I've spent week wondering what degraded state my only living child is in! Stress not good for her? Wait till she has her own children, then she'll see!"
"That wish may come sooner then you'd like," Carlisle rushed through the door way, flailing a piece of paper around in his hand.
"What does that mean?" Edward said, hoping against hope.
"Well, I hate to tell you this, and I don't know how to say it, but," Carlisle swallowed nerviously. "But, well, Nessie and Jake... I should say that. Maybe they should tell you. After all, it is their- um..."
"Oh for god's sake!" I cried out. "I'm pregnant, Dad! That's why we got married, because we knew you'd flip. We did you a service, for god's sake."
"There was a very awkward silence. Daddy was helped to find a seat, and then Carlisle wisely disapeared. Jasper was trying to calm Daddy down, and Emmett was laughing hysterically. Alec and Ani woke Jake up then, and on seeing me he called out.
"Nessie!"
"Yeah, dear."
"I didn't tell him anything."
"Sadly, darling, I did." I moved towards him, then thought again. "You need help to get out of those?" I asked, not wanting to untie him if he could himself. Jake just pulled up and the fabric ripped.
"So what now?" Jake said, as we walked out. He had his arm around my waist, and my arm was draped around his shoulders.
"We pray that Daddy stays quite and hope the reactions from everyone else are just as quiet."
"That really is all we can hope for."
"Remind me again how you talked me into this?" I begged Ani, as we sat across from each other on her four poster bed. The bed, like everything else Ani had brought along had been imagined up by Anilise hersself witchy woman extrodinare.
But it was her witch accomplice we were talking about.
"Please?" Ani begged back. She knew my comment meant 'is there any possible way I can get out o this' in Nessie talk. "She's so unlike herself. She wears that terrible black all the time, refuses to let her hair down- literally, and won't set a foot outdoors aside from hunting. I mean, come on! We're witches, at least go outside to see the full moon!"
"I never have been clear on the whole broom thing." I said, starting a new topic. Ani was easily distracted.
"We don't ride them, but we do clean." Ani stated bleakly. She knew what I was up to- curse the empath/psychic/mindreader traits! "anyways, she might appear to hate the world, but really, she used to be a sweet girl."
"And she's spent an eternity being evil!" I stated. Ani shook her head, pitying my lack of expirience.
"you have no comprehension of eternity, dear."
"And you do?"
"I know more then I let on." Her eyes flashed with this weird powery thing, and you could feel the electricity cracking in the air around her. Sure, she may look young, but Ani seen centuries pass.
"That's quite right," she said, answering my thoughts. "And there have been thousands with your personality, millions with your traits and appearance, and even more that are like those you admire and spend your time with. Fashion, age, time, social things, mind sets, religion, it only can change so much without straying to chaos. I have seen empires fall, and have had those who have seen past empires tell me the tales of their demise. What makes you think that the Volturi are any different?" This old chessnut. It had been debated over and over between us all since Jane and Alec came for their happy reunion.
"they have lived longer then you have." I pointed out.
"Mayhaps, but they can never change. I can. I can change everything- just like Jane and Alec used to. Which brings us full circle." Ani smiled, and I sighed. She'd tricked me into talking about Jane again. "Will you or will you not take her out hunting?"
"Do I have a choice, oh great and powerful witchy woman?"
"If I let you have one."
So here I was, sitting on a tree branch with Jane, waiting for some wild beastie to cross the ground beneath us.
"I know you don't want to be here." Jane said, apathetic. It was her go to emotion, I guess.
"What makes you say that?" I asked, trying to be happy. Impossible, but I could try. Jane lifted her hand, and I saw a slight red glow around it.
"My abilities are shifting back to what they used to be." Jane lowered her hand. "I guess spending time with Ani, going through training again, has given back my gifts." Jane smiled like a little child. "My master will be very pleased."
"Yeah, what is it with you and 'master'?" I asked, truly confused.
"My master, or Aro, as you would know him, saved me and my brother from the fires. That leaves me in his debt. But, I would serve him regardless, he is good."
"He tried to kill me as a baby."
"That was not his choice. You might've been a menace."
"Am I?" Jane had no reply. A silence passed, and I spoke again.
"So, if you have all these powers, why did they go away?"
"Ani has a therory. She thinks that Alec is stuck numbing people out because he was trying to do that to us as we roasted. She thinks that I'm stuck, well, hurting people is because that's what I was so keen on doing as they lit the fires. To have the world burn with me."
"So when you got changed, you were stuck with what your last power was?" Jane shrugged.
"How am I to tell?" She looked down. "I have not the sight anymore."
"Ani says that your master keeps you too close. You never let your hair down." Jane looked at me quizically, and reached up to her hair. Quickly she took out the ancient combs and her golden locks tumbled down.
"There."
"No," I said, nearly laughing. "I meant, relax, you know?"
"How can one relax when your master's safety is on your hands?"
"Easily. There's thirty other people there to save him, and I bet he can pack a punch too, after so many years." Jane looked as if she didn't understand the last bit, but still replied.
"None are as powerful as me or Alec- aside, from perhaps the lady."
"The lady?" This was one weird world, the one Jane lived in.
"Picia, the masters wife. She mimics anyone's powers, and can duplicate them any time she chooses." Jane looked small, for once not as sure of herself. "She is my only threat."
"So you impress master more? Isn't that a bit controlling of him?"
"I suppose. Master is controlling. He sent his own sister to her death." She shook herself. "But I shouldn't talk about the master that way"
"what about the other two? Are they as bad?"
"Caius and Marcus?" Jane looked up at me, still a little childish, but older then I'd ever be. "Caius is- mean. Cold and cruel. He only shows any affection towards his Athenodora, and that's only in brief glimpses. Marcus, he's basically dead. But at least he's kinder."
"kinder?" How could any of the Volturi be kind?
"Yes. He was the one to vote your life, you know. And the life of your parents and aunt."
"I guess." I shifted uneasily. Jane was too, too open right now. It was as if some magic bond had been lifted, and she was breathing again. Thinking of what I knew of Chelsea's powers, I suppose the was true.
"What's it like?" Jane asked, after a moment.
"What's what like?"
"Aging?" She was like a little girl at christmas, eager to get a peek at a toy that wasn't hers to have. "Is it fun, to grow? I've quite forgotten."
"It's, interesting. And being pregnant is kind of neat too." I said, on the verge of smiling. All powerful Jane didn't know everything about everything.
"I wish I had of bred." Jane sighed. "It was duty, but a blessing. Babes used to be so much fun. Now they're just tasty."
"You eat babies?" I was horrified. I knew she was bad, but that's really, really bad.
"Everyone does. A tourist is a tourist." Jane shrugged. So, okay, not totally normal yet. "But I still think they're kind of cute, even without a neck."
"I suppose it must be hard for you," I said, trying to wrap my head around her twisted physe. Jane was a tough cookie, baked sweet, but too hard to bite into all at once. Milk was needed to soften her up. "Living as you were Are."
"I live without time. I truly forgot about fashion, about how eras passed. I was still in 1647, up till about a month ago. Even when I ventured outside, it was not in the path of planes or cars or anything. Barely boats, even." I considered this. It was amazing to think that Aro, artistic pursuer of the millenia, didn't have a TV. I mean, come on!
"Don't think me good, though, Renesemee." Jane intoned, half ashamed. "I'm evil. I choose darkness all the time. I used to be good. I used to like buttercups and dollies and weaving. I used to dream of babies and husbands and growing old and passing on. I used to be alive. And now, I'm trapped."
"At least Ani and Alec are trapped with you." I gave her something. Her eyes lit up a bit.
"Did you know that Ani and Alec are ingaged?"
"What?"
"It's an old arrangement, to be sure. But a true one. They were to marry when sixteen. Have babies, be happy. I was promised too. He was- I forget what he was like. I know his name was Adam, though. I remember that. And he was dark- part roma, if I remember right. We were all to have beautiful babes. Alec is still good." Jane offered, looking at me as if to defend her way of life. "He numbs out all our food, and also most of us when we have to fight. He still tries, at least. I like the pain too much."
"Why?"
"I think it's because I hate the world. I was robbed of so much, yet in truth lost so little. Maybe it's because I get power. I get recognized and cherished like I used to. I'm an oddity, but who isn't?" I took this all in. Wow- that was the only word to use. Wow. Jane, evil Jane, had feelings. Or at least, remembered what they were like.
"You really don't like living forever, do you? You like power, you like pain. You like nearly everything but living."
"It's only fair. I think that if I turn good, someone might kill me." she looke happy, as if she would hug the grim reaper and offer him tea should he visit. Then her hyper sensitive eyes picked up on movement, like mine. "But for now, we must survive as we can. You can have first bite!" Jane jumped down, leaving a part of her soul and taking a sliver of my heart.
She didn't take enough for me to actually think she wasn't evil, but at least I understood the madness better.