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Chapter Twenty-four

Reacquainted

EPOV

I heard Rosalie's thoughts as she walked over to immortal. I hadn't been paying much attention to Rosalie as I was focusing on reading the thoughts of this immortal that my brothers were holding, the immortal that had tried to attack Bella. I had been thoroughly impressed with the way my wife had handled this imbecile, but she hadn't noticed when I came running toward her, I was going to kill the imbecile before anyone could stop me. Luckily for the immortal, my brothers had gotten there before I had. If they hadn't been as close as they were to Bella, I would have beaten them. I would have ended the immortal without thinking twice for trying to attack my reason for existing.

I listened to the thoughts of the immortal as my family screamed to her the orders to answer our questions. I had asked mine as well, knowing that we were going to have to force her to speak. She wouldn't even look at us. She kept her head bent, her hair flowing all around so that we couldn't see her. I listened to her thoughts as my father had spoke. That cannot be the Dr. Cullen I know. It has to be relatives, descendants. Oh, but, they were always different. Maybe, just maybe, they became what I am too…. I had realized that this immortal knew our names, was familiar with our family. When Rosalie jerked the head of the immortal up, pulling her hair back as she did, she exposed her to us. There in front of us stood Jessica Stanley. She obviously hadn't been changed as long as Bella, maybe four, five, even six years after. But it was her. The arch enemy of my love. I watched as the scene unfolded. My wife was trying her hardest not to let her feelings show. The next thing I knew, Bella did it. She punched Jessica Stanley with all of her force and screamed at her. I looked to the rest of my family and nobody moved. I listed to their thoughts and it was obvious, this would have to be my move. Could I stop my wife? I heard the clanging on the ground and saw that Bella had knocked Jessica's nose off of her face. Jessica still wasn't speaking.

I moved toward Bella's side. I took her arm and murmured to her that we needed answers, that she could choose to finish with Jessica however she saw fit. The others, my family, Bella herself, had no clue the thoughts that Jessica had had about myself and about my love. Bella had knew that Jessica wasn't the friend she portrayed but she could no where near guess how terrible she truly was. I couldn't wait any longer, so I stepped closer to Jessica. "Jessica, I think you need to start talking before I release Bella," I warned. "I'm trying to be nice here. Don't make it any harder for me."

Jessica's head looked back and forth to Emmett and Jasper. "How about I talk if these mongrels release me?" she asked. Her gaze set on Bella. "And look what you did to me! To my beautiful face. Bella Swan, I would have never thought you would do something like this to me."

I looked to Carlisle. I couldn't decide how to proceed. I didn't think it was smart to let Jessica go. Nobody knew her mind the way I did. If they released her, I was sure she would try to go at Bella again. Carlisle saw the pleading in my eyes. "My sons will release you," he assured her, "but you must answer our questions first."

Jessica shifted and tried to break free, but realizing she couldn't, she reluctantly agreed. "Okay, so ask." I should have known the Cullens would be different. They were always freaks. They were never normal. But I will tell them what they want to hear. I'm strong and I wont regret taking Bella Swan out. Oops, I mean, Bella Cullen. She always got everything she wanted. She got Edward when he could have had me. My grudge for her moving here is enough for me to kill her. She stole my friends, the guys.

I saw Rosalie coming forward toward Jessica, I could hear her thoughts. She was going to rip her head off. She wouldn't think twice of it. Esme caught her arm, saying nothing, gave Rosalie a look that told her to back off, or perhaps, at least wait. Rosalie had more anger for this girl than any of the rest of us. She had despised Jessica Stanley the human. Jessica the immortal had tried to attack Rose and that fueled the hatred even more. Before Rose could think again of attempting to twist the head off of this woman, our father stepped closer. "Who created you? How long have you been an immortal?" Carlisle started.

Jessica seemed confused. "An immortal? What does that mean? I thought I was just a vampire." Of course I am an immortal. I have looked the same for over six decades.

Carlisle grinned slightly. He was trying his very best to make her comfortable. "You are a vampire dear, but we prefer the term immortal."

Jessica looked to me. "Did you do this to Bella?" I bet they were always this. That's why the didn't come to school during the sunny weather. It all makes sense now.

Bella stepped forward toward Jessica. "You don't get to ask us any questions unless we say so. Answer what Carlisle asks and if you play nice, you might just get answer from us."

I looked to my wife. She was always full of surprises. Carlisle turned toward Jasper and nodded and continued his questions. "Have you always stayed here in the forest? Your eyes are red. I know you have hunted the humans. Please, dear, we will help you if you would like, but you must help us understand what has happened to you. Nobody will hurt you. There are alternative lifestyles so that you can live more closely with the humans. You can live a normal life."

It was always like my father to try his very best to talk others of our kind into giving our lifestyle a try. Our lifestyle went against our instincts. Jessica would not want to be a part of anything that was not the "in" thing to do. Our way of life would be much to big of a burden for her weak mind to comprehend. She had been content living the way she was.

Jessica grimaced and bared her teeth at Bella. "Okay already. It was about five or six years after you all left this area. Every one had been talking in town how your family had moved away. That Edward and Bella had gotten some secretive jobs and you had to leave Forks. I came here one day, looking for you. Nobody was here. So, I looked out into the trees and thought I saw something. I started wondering around. I got down by the river and I saw some deer. That must have been what was moving along the trees. Then there he was. There was a man there. I asked if he knew where the Cullens where but he, he didn't seem to understand. Then, he came over to me. Really fast. He said something about being hungry and bit me. He heard some movements and looked away, there was a wolf or something and he ran away. I hid because I was afraid of the wolf. The pain became great but I suffered. Anyway, I woke up a few days later and was going home. But when I went into the sunlight, my skin did something weird and I was afraid." She broke off for a moment. Then started again. "I was thirsty. I couldn't drink any water. It was weird. But I smelled something that made me more thirsty. I killed a man who was hunting in the woods. I drank his blood and I felt better. So I learned that would be my new diet. Late one night, I snuck home and did some research on the internet. I looked in the mirror and saw that I looked like the Cullens did. I was scared. I wrote my parents a note and left. I never returned home. I have lived in the forest since. I rarely venture out. I stay so deep within, that's when I saw Bella and Jasper. But I didn't know it was them. I was trying to defend my home." Jessica's mind wandered elsewhere for a moment, thoughts that didn't make enough sense for me to make them out. "So, you lived here in Forks the whole time as vampires and nobody knew? How did you manage to kill the humans without questions being raised? That has been the hardest part for me, my eating habits."

All of us took in her words. I listened to her thoughts. Ah, I hope they buy the pity party I'm looking for. When they release me, I will kill Bella and Rosalie. Yea, so I have lived here all this time, but its their kind that did this to me. I looked to Carlisle and tried to warn him of the dangerous thoughts I was hearing, but he wasn't looking at me. I put myself in between Jessica and my wife and sister. I would not allow either of them to be hurt by her. And Edward still is as gorgeous as ever. I have been lonely…

Carlisle frowned at Jessica's admitting to killing innocent humans. This was the one thing that had made him hate who he had become after his change. He had vowed to never feed on one human and he had never done so. "As I said, there are different lifestyles for our kind. You don't have to be a monster." Carlisle looked to Jasper and Emmett, nodding his head as to tell them to release her. "Perhaps you would care to come back to our home and we can discuss what the future would bring for you? I have lived this way for many decades and I would like to teach you how you can still be a good person. Live a normal as possible life, like the way my family does. There are alternatives to killing humans."

Jessica looked slightly nervous at the prospect. "Sure, uh, I'm interested." Not really, but if it makes you leave me alone, lets me out of these mongrels clutches. I'll tell you anything you want to hear good doctor. Hmmm, he's quite attractive still. Not aging sure is a benefit of drinking blood. Perhaps I should have changed Lauren…instead of….We could have made a great team.

I needed to use the information from her thoughts to let Carlisle know what was going to happen if Jasper and Emmett released their grip. "Jessica," I spoke. "Whatever happened to your friend, Lauren? We heard she has been missing for years when we were in town. Saw an aged photograph of her, of what she would look like now. I guess her family still has hopes of finding her. Well, what little of her family is still alive."

Wouldn't you like to know the truth… "Well, Edward," she answered. "I'm not real sure. She disappeared not long after this happened to me. Disappeared because of me.

I decided I would play her underhanded game. "Ah, so, Jessica, what gift do you possess now that you are immortal?"

Jessica shifted. Gifts? We have gifts. She had no clue what I was speaking of. She looked to Carlisle. "Please, doctor, I cant stand this, being held any longer. And I would really like to pick my nose from the ground." With her last sentence, her glare at Bella became frightening. "Maybe you can teach me more. I have had to figure all of the things I do know out by myself."

Carlisle nodded to Jasper and Emmett. As they began to release her I screamed out and lunged forward. "NO! She's lying!". Jessica jumped over my head and landed in front of Bella in a crouch. I could hear the pleas of Esme and Carlisle, trying to peacefully talk her into stopping. Bella was snarling, her teeth bared. I saw Emmett and Jasper closing in on her flanks. Jessica took another step forward and Bella was attacking her. They were rolling on the ground. The fierce snarls that were coming from my wife was like nothing I had ever heard before. Pride in knowing she was holding her own and fear of her being injured collided in my body. I couldn't hold back any longer, though I knew Bella would be upset if I didn't allow her to fight. I went to make my lunge, but Rosalie beat me to it. She threw Jessica off of Bella and into a tree, causing the tree to collapse to the ground. Jessica reacted and was running after Rosalie who successfully thwarted her move against her. Rosalie swung her legs under Jessica's sending her face into the ground. Bella grabbed Jessica and once again they were fighting. They were going at lightening speed. I could hear the shredding of the metal skin. I watched as Bella took spat a chunk of Jessica's throat. Bella was ripping Jessica apart. Her hand went flying by Esme. I heard my mother's gasp as she witnessed Bella's fighting tactics. My Bella was a brutal fighter. She was holding nothing back. Jessica's shrieks was piercing the morning sky. Jessica was defending herself as best she could, but she was no match for my Bella. I couldn't bare it another half second. I jumped onto Jessica, pulling her way. Jasper grabbed a hold of one arm as I held to the other. Rosalie climbed upon her shoulders and twisted her head off. As her body slumped onto the ground, Rosalie, Bella, and I all turned to look at Carlisle. The looks of victory had to be apparent on our faces yet looks of shame as well as none of us wanted to let our gentle father down. I could hear his thoughts. Carlisle was distraught at what had occurred. Being the kind person he was, he had wanted to avoid this type of confrontation. Carlisle was stammering, "I'm so sorry. I really thought she wouldn't behave like that."

I dropped by head. "I heard her thoughts. I couldn't warn you without warning her. She was going to make a dive for Bella and Rose as soon as she was free. There was nothing we could say to her. We bring all of our characteristics magnified into this life. She brought all of hers. There was never any good in Jessica Stanley." I felt my wife put her arms around my waist. "She killed Lauren. That was why I questioned her. Carlisle, don't feel bad that we destroyed this creature. She was not interested in any way of life other than she knew. When she realized who we were, her hatred for Bella took over. She hated Bella when Bella was a human and while she was a human. With her immortal feelings, it magnified to a degree we wouldn't understand. Couldn't understand. Jessica Stanley was a horrible human and even worse immortal."

Bella was being very quiet. If she could have, I believe she would have been in shock. She watched intently as Jasper and Emmett started the fire on the pieces of Jessica's body. I looked at my wife and she was sulking a bit. "Love?" I put my arms around her. "It's done. It is finished. No nuisances when we hunt anymore."

Bella opened her eyes and looked at me. Her mouth turned into a slight smile. "I guess I didn't get a single-handed victory for my first fight, but it was a victory. We won."

I pulled her close to me and kissed her forehead. "Bella, ah, sometimes its best if we all get involved. Less chance of anyone getting hurt and makes the whole scene end much sooner. You did very well. Surprised me at how far you have come."

Jasper turned to us and smiled proudly. "My practice of training has not left me," he boasted. "I must say, you were quite the pupil, Bella. You listened and you learned. Very impressive."

Carlisle and Esme hugged Bella and assured her that although we had to end the life of such a creature, they were not disappointed be proud of her for protecting herself and her family. Those words I could tell meant more to my wife than our parents would know.

I kept my arms around my wife, kissing her forehead. "We have finished with her. Its now time for us to move past this. We have school in a couple of hours," I laughed. And then softly I whispered to her, "Tonight, lets discuss our plans for our future." I winked at her. Bella and I knew how we wanted to proceed in our months that followed.

We all waited until there was nothing but ash remaining on the ground. Of all the people, we had to fight an immortal Jessica Stanley. Just like she had been when she was human and Bella was, Jessica Stanley was predictable, evil, and hated my Bella. But now, we knew, there would be no Jessica Stanley around to instigate anything with my Bella or any of the others. We were back in our home of Forks, our safe haven. We could once again live as we had before, happily.