Chapter 51
The Cullen coven didn't move around much between the mid 1980's and the mid 1990's. They had stuck around to finish high school again in 1987 before each going on to local universities to achieve another college degree. Jasper dabbled in the arts, Emmett explored the option of becoming physical education, Alice found a passion in design while both Edward and Rosalie extended their medical knowledge.
More fads came and went, and the clothing changed just slightly with every half-a-decade. Emmett had his fun when the Terminator movies were big, and had begged Rosalie and Esme to let him take a bullet and walk at a pace faster than humanly possibly. While everyone, Carlisle included, got a kick out of the thought, everyone felt it was best if he kept the image to a Halloween costume at best.
When all was said and done, it was May of 1995 before their family relocated to a small town in Alaska, and then again in 2003 when Forks, Washington became their next permanent residence.
Carlisle had done his research, due to the rapidly growing internet sensation that he was beginning to both fear and fall in love with. Not that their family hadn't resided in the area before, but he acknowledged how much had changed in the last eighty-or-so years. The Quileute Reservation wasn't far, and the treaty, though decades and decades before, still clung vividly to his thoughts as if it had just occurred.
He was sure Ephraim Black had come and gone, though was certain their family members knew of the legends. Moving back to Washington was something their family would have to take in stride. Carlisle knew they would have to proceed with caution, and even explain the dynamic of the treaty to Alice and Jasper, though he was certain they could live side by side in harmony if both parties played by the rules.
Forks, he decided, was the perfect place for their family to start over. The weather fit their lifestyle, as statistics he found on the internet proved the area to be the rainiest of anywhere in the country. Overcast days came in bulk, so Edward and the rest of them could get away with moving about town discreetly and even attend the local high school. Meanwhile, Carlisle had already accepted a job at the small, local hospital. Given his extensive resume and superb recommendations, the people of Fork Hospital welcomed him with open arms. It appeared to be the perfect spot.
"Last year there were 287 overcast days," Alice said, tracing her finger along the line of a chart from some webpage she stared at. "Perfect." She grinned and looked at Jasper, "As long as you don't eat anyone here, we should be fine."
The two of them sat closely together in Carlisle's office reading off of a laptop. He glanced at Alice from the corner of the room where he sat reading, and she smiled.
"I'm just kidding," Alice assured him, drawing a smirk from the head of their family.
Jasper took a deep breath, "I thought it was a valid... joke."
"If you don't feel comfortable, Jasper-" Carlisle began, but Alice interrupted him.
"Jasper is going to have a great first day of school," she assured him, "Right Jas?"
He sat stiffly and answered the same way. "Yes."
"I've seen it," Alice went on, "It's a little awkward, but we'll be just fine."
Carlisle grinned to himself again, thankful for Alice's gift. He knew she would never lie about her visions of the future, and it was a useful tool in determining when they should relocate, and even when to change their minds about a decision that seemed like the right.
"We're lucky to have you, Alice," Carlisle told her.
Jasper nodded and winked at her and the two of them shared a quick kiss.
"Come on," she said, hopping up and taking both of his hands, "Let's go pick out our clothes for school tomorrow. It's going to snow a little in the afternoon, so I might suggest wearing boots."
The New Year had come and gone, and 2003 was upon them. Alice, Jasper and Edward were beginning the year as freshman while Rosalie and Emmett posed as sophomores. Every time they started again, the coaches for the sports teams rushed to Emmett's side to recruit him for his sheer size alone. While, again, he jokingly begged for a chance to be a part of the teams, the answer was always the same.
"You'll get too competitive and kill someone," Rosalie always told him with a laugh.
He'd playfully argue, but knew his fate and politely declined the offers each time.
Alice walked by Rosalie and Emmett's room, seeing the two of them doing exactly what she was about to with Jasper.
"Rosalie!" she called in, marching through the open door, "You're supposed to be a sophomore. You look like... the senior prom queen."
"So?" she smirked and checked herself out in the mirror sporting a dashing new outfit.
"So... you're already stunning enough. We have to blend in. Save it for 2005."
"You picked this out for me," Rosalie reminded her sister, "Remember?"
"She does look hot," Emmett said, cheesing as he did so.
"That's for out of school," Alice said, shaking her head with a grin, "Besides, Em, do you really want all those sleezy human teenage boys drooling over her?"
He scooped Rosalie off the ground, making her laugh out loud. "Rosie's only got eyes for me." He spun her around, making her giggle some more before placing her back down on her feet.
"That's right." Rosalie draped an arm around his neck and gave him a long kiss. She then looked at Alice. "I'll drab it down a bit."
"Thank you." Alice smiled, "I like it here already, and I want to stay. I have a good feeling." She towed Jasper by the hand out of their room again, now passing by Edward's.
He stood by the collection of windows staring out at the beautiful landscape that surrounded the oversized home. Trees decorated the immediate area outside the window and they stretched high above to the heavens.
A knock on the doorframe caught his attention and Edward spun around. "Hey." He said, glancing back outside.
"You ready for our first day of school in a few hours?" Alice asked.
Edward checked his watch. "It's only three in the morning."
"School starts at 7:05." She smiled.
"We have Geometry class together," Jasper said dryly with a half-smile.
"Great," Edward said, huffing just afterwards, "Geometry... again. Such a challenging course. I don't know what I'll do with myself."
Alice giggled and whisked up to him, throwing her arm around his shoulders, "Cheer up. We're starting fresh. New school, new adventures."
"Sounds like the same old boring routine to me."
"Oh, suck it up." She nudged him playfully and couldn't keep a smile from her face. "It's only boring if you make it that way."
Edward forced a smile and shrugged to please her, "I guess you're right."
Alice glanced down at the clothes he was wearing.
"I know," he said, now giving off some light laughter, "I'll change into the new ones Esme got me for Christmas, okay?"
She nudged him again, "Wear whatever's comfortable, Edward. You're looking pretty freshman right now, and that's good."
Edward chuckled again.
"I'm styling your hair at six o'clock," Alice went on, "So be ready."
"Wouldn't miss it." He gave her a smile and the two of them disappeared down the hall.
Edward slowly paced the room toward the corner where his piano sat. He looked out the window again at the dusting of snow the decorated the ground and the trees that surrounded them and began to play.
There was something about the music that drowned out his lonely world. All around him his family was carrying on in pairs. Alice and Jasper were making their rounds from room to room, Rosalie and Emmett were flirtatiously changing in and out of a hundred different outfits. Esme he could hear now talking excitedly with Carlisle about his upcoming first day of work that would occur just a few short days after they all began school.
He sighed and continued playing, trying to find the same type of comfort from the piano keys, though he acknowledged that it wasn't he same. When he stopped playing, the piano stopped to. It wouldn't talk back, or ask him about his day, or wish him good luck, or any of the simple things that went along with being a part of a couple.
Edward didn't particularly mind his role in the family dynamic, and often thought of his lack of mating as freedom. The men were always checking in with their female counterparts before doing just about anything, and that was one upside, he thought, to not having a partner in life. He came and went as he pleased without much of a question from anyone.
Great, he thought, half-heartedly sarcastic in his mind.
Esme was the next to knock quietly on the door frame in the same way Alice had.
Edward stopped what he was doing and gave her a warm smile. "Hi, Esme."
"Hello, Edward." She crossed the room with a closed-mouth smile and gave him a quick hug. "I know this probably seems like nothing to you by now, but I wanted to wish you a good first day at Forks High School."
He looked at his mother-figure and saw her genuine interest in him and his well-being. The truth was, it didn't feel like nothing. He appreciated her keeping up with him, and the way he felt, perhaps more than anyone else.
"It does mean a lot to me," Edward assured her, "Thank you."
"I know it must get repetitive," she went on, "The classes... all of it."
"It's fine. I mean, I guess there are always new things to learn and new people to meet." Edward purposely kept his tone different in the way he spoke to Esme.
"Let me know how the first day goes, and the first week." Esme smiled, "Or if you ever need help with your homework."
Edward laughed and looked down before returning his eyes to meet hers. "Thank you."
Esme hugged him again. "I'll leave you to your playing."
He nodded and Esme walked back out of his room and back up to Carlisle's office.
"Is he okay?" Carlisle asked, noting she had gone down to speak with Edward.
Esme nodded, "I like to make sure from time to time."
He nodded back and motioned for her to close the door.
Esme did as he asked and crossed the room before the two of them shared a long hug and a series of short kisses. She brushed his hair back and looked him in the eye. "Do you think the treaty will be a problem?"
"No." Carlisle shook his head, "We don't have any reason to go into their territory. I explained the boundaries to Alice and Jasper, and I showed them exactly where our lines ended and theirs began."
Esme sighed.
"Is everything okay?"
She nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear, "Yes. Actually... I think this is going to be a great, new start."
Carlisle smiled, seeing she was being truthful. "Me, too."
"And Jasper..." Esme didn't finish her thought.
"Alice hasn't seen any problems arising," he assured her.
"Good." Relief passed though her expression, as she always counted on Alice's visions.
Carlisle kissed her once more. "Thank you for being on board with me for all of this," he said, "Moving around all the time, mostly for me so I can continue to work as a doctor."
"You save lives," Esme reminded him with a smile. She touched the side of his face gently and kissed him on the cheek. "And you're..." she looked around for a second before saying the next part of the sentence quietly, "...damn good at it."
Carlisle chuckled, as Esme only very rarely used even the most innocent of curse words. "Well, thank you for allowing me to continue to live this lifestyle. If it's ever a problem-"
Esme silenced him, placing a finger over his lips. "I'll go with you anywhere, Carlisle." And then added, "Happily."
He smiled shyly and the two of them shared a longer kiss before Esme pulled away and grabbed him by the hand. "Now, come help me make the kids' lunches... even if they'll just be pretending to eat them anyway."
Carlisle chuckled lightly and followed his wife down toward the kitchen. While it had become common practice, he was always a little anxious about their new beginnings.
Would anyone see through them? Would one of the children slip up? Would people not believe their cover story?
All of those were constant questions in his mind, though he knew they had gotten along for so long virtually unnoticed. He asked himself the question: Why should this be any different?
