20th May 2048
Later that night, when the house around me grew quiet, and each of my friends fell deeper into their reverie, I slid from the chaise longue by the window and padded across the wooden floor to my set of drawers. I slid my photo album free, tracing the simple leather cover. I had to know who had betrayed me.
I flicked through the pages, a smile playing on my lips when I relived the memories. This album was happier than my human one had ever been. Not that the times in there hadn't been happy but the yearning for those times gone by had brought me nothing but sorrow. This album was nothing like that. There was no longing, no regret.
I stared down at the photo that had been my undoing. Whoever it was had placed it back in the album perfectly. No ruffled corners. No creases. It was as if it had never been moved. It probably hadn't. A smartphone would have been the perfect way to send the image without ever needing to remove it.
I inhaled deeply as I bent to sniff the pages. Scents of my family drifted from the pages. That was to be expected. The Denalis and the Cullens had all glanced through this now and then. But there was a scent more powerful that the others. Fresher. I sighed as I recognised the floral notes of freesias.
I should have known.
"Sarelle?"
I closed the album slowly as I turned to face her. Freesias drifted on the air as she stood in my doorway. I should have been angry, but it wouldn't do any good now. It was probably how we had got to this place and it wouldn't fix anything now.
"What do you want?" I asked as I walked slowly to the chaise longue. If I was going to have to endure this conversation I wanted to put as much distant between us as I could.
She toyed with the door frame, seemingly unsure as to whether to enter the room or not. Like a deer edging into a clearing, all too aware it was leaving the safety of its hiding place.
With one decisive movement she stepped into the room, standing defiantly with her arms crossed as she mustered the courage to look me in the eye. "I wanted to thank you."
I balked as she stared at me with stubborn eyes. I wondered if Edward knew she was here.
"For what?" I asked as I watched her intently. From the way she tensed her jaw I knew this conversation was harder for her than she would let on.
"I know you've been practising with Kate, and I know it isn't easy." She played with her fingers, twisting the wedding band that lay there.
"It isn't but you persevere through the hard parts when it's your family at risk," I replied as I watched her. "But I don't have to tell you that, do I?"
Her eyes caught mine and the semblance of a smile flickered on her face.
"Anyway, I know things have changed now, and I just wanted to let you know that I'll do what I can to help."
"I appreciate that," As I stared at her, I knew I should leave it there. I should say goodnight and let her walk away feeling like this conversation had been a success. But as she flicked her hair over her shoulder, and that smell of freesias wafted once again, I felt that feeling crumble.
I ran my hands through my hair feeling the electricity crackle. "Except, you've probably done enough already."
"Excuse me?" She chewed her lower lip. She looked so innocent but that was how she had gotten away with this for so long. No one would ever have suspected someone so sweet could do something so deceitful, so vile.
I walked slowly towards her. Her breath caught as I leaned across her, pushing the door closed softly. This was not a conversation I wanted the rest of the house to be privy to.
"Stay," I whispered as I briefly left her side to turn on the shower. The running water would be just enough to mask whispered words, especially if the others weren't thinking to listen.
Calmly I pointed her to the bed, the photo album sitting directly in front of us. She didn't even glance in its direction. She was so well rehearsed she didn't even flinch when I sat beside her.
"I know what you did," I whispered in her ear, her hair tickling my cheek. "and I know what's coming."
Her eyes widened as I continued. "But let me tell you this. Whatever happens to me will never be worse than what is going to happen to you."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice shook but part of me knew it wasn't real. She was still just pretending, clinging to her naivety.
"You smell like your mother, but what a shame you didn't inherit her moral compass." Acid laced my words and I could feel my eyes start to darken as I thought about what she'd cost me.
In that second her mask slipped and chocolate eyes once soft and sweet turned to the colour of black coffee. Bitter and harsh.
"I warned you. I protect my family. I wasn't going to stand by while you and my father ruined everything. Perhaps if you'd listened when I warned you last time you wouldn't be in this situation."
"You think it's just me they'll come for? You think Aro will stop at taking just me?"
"We have a deal. He promised not to harm the others."
"You child!" I hissed quietly, struggling to keep my temper under control. "You'll be the end of them. This precious family you've tried so hard to protect will end up in ruins and you'll have no one to blame except yourself."
"That's not true." Her mask faltered.
"Isn't it?"
"They'll forget you. They did it before. They can do it again."
"Keep telling yourself that, Renesmee. But who do you think is telling the truth. A time traveller or your own guilty conscience?"
She moved from the bed to the door at a speed unbecoming of her human appearance. She seemed to pause when her hand clasped the doorknob but whatever thought caused her to waver was brushed off with a flick of copper hair. Then she was gone, and I wondered what story she would tell the Cullens. Whatever it would be, I knew it wouldn't be the truth. But I also knew they probably wouldn't find that out until it was too late.
1st June 2048
I ran my finger along the stem of the fork. The polished silver felt entirely different to how it had ever felt when I was human. It was no longer cold against my skin. It no longer felt firm and unyielding. But it didn't make it any less uncomfortable to hold. I hadn't had a need for cutlery in over a century, so as I stared down at the gleaming sets placed before me, I felt my nerves twitch. Would I have to pretend? Or would he allow me the courtesy of ignoring human convention?
I crossed my legs, shifting in the velvet seat. I had been sitting still for too long. I had to remember to act human, even though the thought of wasting time blinking and moving at an obligatory human pace was testing my patience. Time had already passed too quickly in the last two weeks. I didn't want to waste any more, but this was something I needed to do. At least it felt like the right thing to do, until I knew what lay ahead.
Since my conversation with Renesmee, I had come to terms with the fact that the jumps I'd had relating to Renesmee and the Cullens had been snapshots of the future. But it wasn't a fact I had shared with any of the others. The Denalis knew of course about the argument I had witnessed between Renesemee and the Cullens, but I had allowed them to continue to believe it was from their past altercation over Dylan. I had persuaded Carlisle that the best place for Denalis was away from Volterra. In a place I could jump to and fetch them if a fight broke out. Carlisle had since convinced Tanya it would give us the upper hand and she had relinquished, if not somewhat reluctantly. Aslo had promised to go with her. If for no other reason than to make sure she kept her promise to Carlisle. He knew as well as me her judgement was impaired around the Volturi. Especially when a sister was involved.
My jumps had given me the piece of mind that the Cullens were all safe, and now that I knew the Denalis would be away from the action, it left one last avenue to attend to. It probably should have been the most concerning, but I found myself calm.
I doubted anyone else had noticed my absences. I had been careful to keep them to myself. I didn't want to lie to them, but they couldn't know about these meetings. It would give too much away, and I was counting on them believing that I thought we could win this. That we could all walk away and live happily ever after. But the truth had become increasingly clear.
The door to the restaurant opened, bringing with it a gust of men's cologne and something hot and spicy. I knew the scent of blood well enough not to react, but I could feel the thirst claw at my throat. I chastised myself for coming here before hunting. It was an unnecessary test of my self control, but I told myself it was unavoidable. I'd been telling myself that a lot recently. Especially since realising the tingle was stronger when I was hungry.
I focussed on the man walking towards me. I forced myself to look at the pet hair on his suit. He owned a cat. It had short black hair, and he clearly thought his black suit hid the evidence of his morning cuddle. Next was the slight tension in his expensive leather belt. His usually lithe body had started to fatten around the middle since our meetings had started. He was stress eating. Finally, I looked at his face, skipping over the pulse vibrating in his neck. He looked tired. Grey circles drooped from his hazel eyes. The wrinkles there gave away his age but the freshly dyed har showed he wasn't quite willing to accept his mortality.
I shifted again in my seat, pretending to look at the wine list rather than the man approaching the table. Humans didn't like it when you stared.
"Good afternoon, Miss St Clair, allow me to apologise for being late. My flight from New York was delayed," he said smoothly, although I heard the gulp that caused his voice to hitch when he said my name. I knew he was attracted to me, but I knew there was fear there as well and it was that which had kept his otherwise unprofessional urges under control.
"Good afternoon, Mr Sloane, no apologies necessary, I appreciate you coming here to meet me," I replied as I carefully placed the menu back on the table. "Do you have the paperwork ready?"
It was rude to push but I didn't want to sit in this restaurant any longer than I needed to.
"I do, yes. Sorry." He always apologised. Regardless of what he had done. I imagined he was married to a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and, more than likely, wasn't shy about saying when she didn't get it.
He pushed the contracts across the table with careful movements, like a child feeding a treat to a dog it didn't know. I smirked as I thought how right he was to be so cautious. I knew my eyes would be darker than usual, but what had once been a curse of the tingle had proven a blessing. Now my eyes were more hazel than gold so the thirst rarely showed.
I scanned over the documents, checking dates and details. "What date do you need the money in your account?" I asked. I glanced up when I was met by silence, hiding a smile when Mr Sloane sat like a rabbit in the headlights.
"The 30th June, Maam."
"Do I look like a Maam, Mr Sloane." I chuckled as I signed on the dotted line.
"Well, no, but I… sorry."
"Your firm will handle the whole transfer of the assets, yes?"
"Of course. Mr Dyer will be in full receipt of your estate as of midnight on the 7th July."
"And you'll ensure his father Phil is moved to Summerhill estate with full expenses paid for the foreseeable future."
"Yes, Miss St Clair."
"Good," I handed the papers back to him and as I did, I felt a weight lift.
Dylan was my last tie to this world. Our last meeting had given us the closure we needed, but I couldn't go on to my future without knowing I had given him the best chance possible to be happy. I hadn't amassed a large fortune, it was never smart to do so as a vampire, but I had enough that Dylan and his family wouldn't need to wish for anything. Phil could live out his days in the best place the States had to offer, and Dylan could rest knowing his children's children would never have to worry. It was one final thank you for waiting for me. For having the patience and the belief that we would find each other eventually.
"Why the 7th July, Miss St Clair? If you don't mind me asking."
His question caught me off guard. I didn't really know why the 7th had stuck in my mind. But there was something about the timeline on Dylan's wall, and the wall street crash he had investigated on the 8th July. Cinetica had been one of the companies instigated in the crash and I knew, in some way, it was involved in what was coming.
"It seemed just as good a date as any." I stood to leave, smoothing my grey dress as Mr Sloane folded the contract away into his leather briefcase.
"It's been a pleasure doing business with you," I said as I slipped on my coat. I couldn't feel the cold but there was enough of a breeze in the air that it would look odd walking around in a short-sleeved dress.
"And you, Miss St Clair. Give our regards to Mr Finn."
"Of course."
Mr Sloane sat perfectly still in the dining chair as he watched me tie the belt on my coat and pull my hair from under the collar. He was one of the younger partners at the firm and his naivety was given away by his nerves. I was sure the other partners, Coates and Sharp, would soon educate him on what to expect in future. Clients such as Aslo and I were an important asset to keep hold of.
We had always used Sloane, Coates and Sharp when shifting our assets. We didn't do it often, but stagnant money attracts unwanted attention, so we had been forced to move it around throughout the years. Slone, Coates and Sharp fit our needs perfectly. Their expertise were faultless but that was to be expected of one of the top legal firms in the world. What separated them from the rest was their discretion. They rarely asked questions beyond the legal work for which we hired them, and they had enough sense not to prolong our meetings beyond that which was necessary.
I gave a brief wave to the dazed lawyer as I exited the restaurant. In less than a month the one tangible trace that I had ever existed, my money, would be sitting in Dylan Dyer's bank account. It had seen me through all my human jumps. It had followed me around the world and through time, adapting to the currencies I'd encountered. It had jingled in my purse, a shimmering combination of silver, bronze, and gold. And it was rustled in my pocket, notes of paper worn and smoothed by history's hands. It had been spent on the things of the utmost importance and frittered on those I couldn't even recall. It had paid for my shelter in my time of need and built me a home when a place to rest wasn't enough. And now it would do all those things for Dylan. It could pay for his daughters' education. Provide security and care for his dad. Maybe even give him and Hallie another chance to be together, in time.
In less than a month everything would change but, for better or worse, I at least knew I was giving the people I loved the best chance at a life beyond 7th July. Whatever that day would bring.
I smiled as I turned the corner and thought of home. One blessing of being a time traveller was the redundancy of commuting. Although I loved to drive, time like these, when time was precious, made me grateful I could cut out the five-hour journey home.
The air ripple around me as I walked, the tingle reaching for me through time. The more I had practiced, the less violent the jumps had become. I had learnt my need for control had just been fighting against my gift all this time. In fact, all I had been doing was fighting against myself. Now it was easy, no cracks in my eyes, no pain, just melting through time. Just a feather floating down a stream. Twisting and turning with the current, but never falling under. With a step I sighed and slid from this time to the next. The tingle welcoming me like an old friend.
A wry smile played on my lips when I didn't end up where I had expected. It had happened often enough now to just expect the unexpected.
I recognised the room instantly. Not because I had been there before, but because of the objects in it. A towering bookcase stood filled with titles I could recite off by heart. An eclectic mix of fact and fiction. I had seen them so many times over the years, whether it was during my human years in Belmore, or the recent months I'd spent discussing my gift with Carlisle.
From the bookcase my eyes fell upon the sheen of polished cherry wood. To many it was just a desk, pitted in places from its years of use, but to me it was the piece of furniture I remembered most from my time in Carlisle's office. When I was human in Belmore, my ECG test results had been placed carefully on top when he told me what happened when my human-self jumped. The amber sunlight had bounced off it's surface when he told me I couldn't be changed. I could remember what it had felt like when I had thumped my weak human fists against it when I demanded answers. Answers I knew he had but didn't know he couldn't give. I imagined the days he'd spent sitting with a pen in hand as he recorded the memories he had of our time together, completing my recorded history in a hope of finding some reason for it all. And now, since we had met again all these years later, we had fallen back into those habits of sitting at this desk. Pouring over the memories of our past, pulling reason from our present, trying to predict our future. Just as I could name every title in that bookcase, I could feel every dip and groove of the desk before me. It was how I knew this place was his office. It might not have been one I had ever been to before, but I didn't need a memory to know this place.
As voice came closer, I tucked myself into the shadow behind the door. I knew they wouldn't see me, they couldn't. I was just a ghost here, but I hid all the same.
"Have you seen them? Heard from them?" Renesmee asked quietly, as she played with her Cullen necklace. Her eyes implored Carlisle, but his response was short and sharp.
"No, Renesmee. I haven't."
She deflated before him and I saw how he struggled. The compassion he had always portrayed so effortlessly now seemed to battle with something else. After a second his face softened, and I saw a glimpse of the man I knew. The father figure I had loved. "Bella will find Edward. They just need time."
"I'm so sor.." She started but he stopped her abruptly.
"You've apologised, more than necessary," he said as he shuffled papers on his desk, keeping his hands busy as he put the expanse of wood between him and Renesmee. I wondered if it was for his benefit or hers "Now you need to learn that forgiveness cannot be granted as easily as pleads for forgiveness can be uttered," he finished, eventually bringing himself to look at the girl before him.
"I just wanted to do what was right. What was best for our family."
"Did you ever think that it wasn't just your family? That others shared it too?"
"I know that now. I understand. And I know what I did was wrong, but I want things back to how they were before." Her hands splayed against the desk as she leant against the wood. "I want us to all be together again." Desperation choked her words as fingertips pushed into the wooden desk like it was made of no more than butter.
"I haven't spoken to Rose and Em in years, just an odd letter, and Alice and Jasper only ever come to see if Mom or Dad have come back." Tears started to fall. Dragged down her face by the weight of past decisions. "I don't want to spend my forever without my family."
For a moment I felt my heart clench. I had known the kind of pain that was etched on her face. More times than I thought I could stand. But my sympathy didn't last long. The past couple of weeks had shown I had put my trust in the wrong person. I had allowed my instincts to be overridden, and when the truth was staring me in the face, I had given into hopeful optimism instead. When Ren had said the Volturi were coming for her I had put aside the evidence that suggested otherwise. I fell victim to those big chocolate brown eyes, believing a child loved that much could never be capable of such spite. And on my last jump, when I saw the Cullen family start to break under her misjudgement, I let Tanya convince me it was a misunderstanding. I was under no such illusion now. My meeting with Heidi and discussion with Ren had seen to that.
Carlisle stepped from behind the desk, a symbolic wall falling between them, crumbling as his arms wrapped around the girl before him.
"These are the consequences we have to face. This is the path fate has written and we have to weather it, my child."
A/N: Thanks for reading!