Title: Intrinsic Fascination
Author: pantheradraconis
Rating: M
Pairing: Bella/Rosalie
Summary: The world is filled with billions of people; a new breath is taken every second. A last breath is taken as well. But the cycle continues, on and on; who would bother noticing when someone doesn't quite fit into this cycle…
"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?"- J. B. Priestley"I love you, and I will come back to you." Rosalie said. She looked Bella in the eye with such intensity Bella almost felt compelled to look away. "I need you to trust me and believe me. Do you believe me?"
Bella wanted to ask so many questions, to say so many things but instead she nodded and replied. "I love you too."
And then Rosalie vanished
From: UNAUTHORIZED
To: BellaBear1987
CC: lilpsychicpixie
Subject: Z==`mnj=qBG$FB
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Bella frowned as she stared at the encrypted email. It was the second one she'd received since Rosalie vanished a week ago. When the first one came in she jumped for joy and asked Alice to decrypt the message but she couldn't. It made Bella's heart plummet but Alice tried to reassure her.
"As long as you're receiving messages that means Rosalie is still fighting."
"I want to fight with her."
"You will, one day, but for now she needs to finish what was started."
The conversation didn't go any farther from there. Every time Bella tried to question someone on what happened at the battle, no one would give her a clear answer. It seemed like everything was going fine until it wasn't. The newborns were an easy battle, too easy. Everything was going too smoothly.
It was obviously a distraction, obviously a ploy. It was obvious James was playing dangerously with a weapon he didn't understand. The only thing everyone made clear was that James was destroyed in the fight but no one would explain how or why. A part of Bella wondered if anyone even really knew. It was almost as if he might have been sabotaged.
Rosalie was on the run, fighting for her life to avoid a vengeful redheaded woman who was in James' clan. The third member had disappeared halfway through the battle and even Jasper wasn't able to track him. What had appeared to be a win, quickly dissolved into a mess of questions, concerns, and a complete lack of logical explanations.
Next thing she knew, it was Christmas Eve. Bella sat in her room staring at her old computer, staring at the jumbled message. A part of her wondered if she stared at it long enough maybe something comprehensive would jump out at her.
She felt a woosh come from her window and she turned around to find Edward sitting on the edge of her bed. She hadn't invited him in but didn't have the energy to force him out.
"I tried to get your attention for a while," Edward commented, shifting slightly uncomfortably.
Bella waved a hand at her screen. "I got another message from her."
Edward shifted closer to look at the screen. He nodded but didn't say anything. He couldn't read the message.
"Why did she copy Alice onto the message?"
"Besides Emmett, Alice is the closest to her."
"But she can't use the computer, right?"
"Yeah, computers give Alice serious migraines. It's most likely because of the multitudes of possibilities. It overwhelms her gift."
Bella nodded and stared down at her hands. The feeling of complete uselessness was overwhelming her.
"Are you coming to the party?" Edward asked.
"I don't feel much like partying."
Edward ran a hand through his hair. "I know what you mean. Whenever one of us is gone during a holiday it feels incomplete."
Bella looked up at Edward. Sometimes, when the heat of battle and crises overwhelms everything, Bella forgets the Cullens are a family. Sometimes, when they're all sitting around and laughing, she forgets they're a clan of vampires.
"You can go on without me."
"Is it alright if I stay here instead?"
Bella shrugged not sure how to react. In the last week, she and Edward had barely spoken. It almost felt like her friendship with him was nothing but awkward flirting. When he felt he couldn't do that anymore, due to Rosalie not being around, he held himself back. Bella had missed his calming aura and joking attitude. She truly enjoyed his company despite not being able to return his feelings.
Edward leaned back against the wall, pushing himself further onto the bed. He reached next to him and grabbed a small box from the windowsill. He stared at it for a short moment before handing it over to Bella.
"What's this?"
Moving to sit next to Edward on the bed, Bella tugged at the small bow around the box.
"It's your Christmas present."
"Who from?" Bella asked, removing the bow and looking for a tag.
"The family."
Bella opened the box to find a small metal bracelet. It was a simple chain and had four small charms hanging off of it. She pulled it closer to look at the charms. One was a tiny wolf howling at the moon, the second was a small ring with the Cullen crest. Bella's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at the last two charms. There was a small blue crest decorated with feathers.
"What's this one?"
Edward leaned over and touched the charm. "The Swan family crest."
Bella nodded slowly only barely holding back the tears now. The last charm was a rose.
"I miss her," She said softly as the tears fell down her cheek. Edward reached around and held Bella close to him. Bella leaned her head against Edward's shoulder and cried.
Edward held her until her body, exhausted, finally fell asleep. He sat, unmoving, hoping to not disturb Bella. He looked around the room and took in all the small changes. He had been there once or twice, just visiting and talking. In the last month, Bella had added a picture of Rosalie on her bed stand, a rose on her desk, a book of old poems by e.e. cummings on her bookshelf.
He leaned over and smelled Bella's hair. It had been over a week and yet the smell of Rosalie seemed to come from this small human. It broke Edward's heart to know Bella could never love him the way she did his sister but it also filled him with a new kind of love. The love of a sister. To know their shared love was so strong Bella's body seemed to take on characteristics of Rosalie's must mean something.
Edward leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. As he rested, he thought of pictures of people who had been together for so long they looked like blood-relation. He laughed at the compilation of photos that filled his head. After some time, they switched from married couples to people and their dogs. He held back the image of Rosalie looking like a blonde Afghan hound and Bella looking like a little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
"Bella, it's time to get up," Charlie said as he swung open the door. "Oh come on!" He yelled as he took in Edward with Bella lying in his arms.
Edward's eyes grew wide and he stuttered out a fast response, "No, no, it's not what you think. No wait, I'm sorry. Wait, what are you thinking?"
Charlie started laughing. "Relax kid," Charlie held his stomach as he continued to laugh. "You don't stand a chance with Bella."
Edward smiled. If Charlie had said that only just last night, he would have taken it as an insult.
"I'm not particularly interested in Bella like that," He responded, "Not anymore."
Charlie stood up and gave Edward a one-over. "Wake her up and get downstairs for breakfast and stockings." He turned to leave but made sure to keep the door wide open.
Edward laughed and turned to look at Bella. She was still dead asleep.
"Come on, little spaniel." He called in a hushed voice. After a few moments, he gave up the gentle approach and shook the girl awake.
"I am not a puppy!" Bella yelled out, tossing her arms widely.
"Not sure where that came from," Edward laughed. "But you totally are. I was just thinking about how you're a…"
But Bella cut him off asking, "What are you doing here?"
"I, uh, well, you fell asleep on me."
"Oh my god, Dad is going to kill me!"
"Actually, no," Edward continued to explain. "I figured he would kill me but instead he laughed at the idea of me even having a chance with you so actually…"
Bella cut him off again. "Dad walked in on us in bed together?!"
"It's not like I was doing anything inappropriate!" Edward started to argue back.
Bella rubbed her eyes and look at the clock. "Is that really the time? I have to get dressed." She started to rummage around her closet looking for clothes before turning back to Edward. "What are you doing?"
"I'm, wait, what?"
"Get out of here, go downstairs."
"But wait, I."
Bella pushed Edward out of the room and closed the door.
Edward pivoted on the step not sure what to do or where to go. He pushed his hand through his hair before moving toward the bathroom, figuring he'd brush some toothpaste on his teeth and use some mouthwash. Instead, Bella came rushing out of her room and flew past him into the bathroom. In less than a minute, the shower was on.
He pivoted once again and made his way down the stairs. Before he made it to the front door, Charlie handed him a mug of coffee and asked him to set the table for breakfast.
"Oh, I really don't want to intrude."
"Relax kid, it's Christmas. Sit down and enjoy some food." Charlie moved back to the kitchen, pointing at a pile of plates and silverware. "We've got five of us this morning."
Edward shrugged and moved the plates to the table. Once he had it all set up, he walked back into the kitchen and drank his coffee. He debated trying to leave again but felt it would be a useless venture. Besides, breakfast sounded nice.
He looked over at the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room. There was a small pile of gifts under the tree, none of them very well wrapped. He moved over to the tree and examined the labels. Most were gifts addressed to Bella, a few addressed to Charlie but there were also presents for each of the Cullens. Edward squatted down and picked up a present with his name on it.
"Tsk, tsk," A deep voice said walking up behind him, "We don't open presents until after breakfast." Edward stood up and twisted around, present still in his hands, as he looked at Jake.
"Where did you come from?" He asked, startled.
"The front door," Jake pointed over his left shoulder and laughed. "Now put the present down and walk away from the tree."
Edward gave him a weird look but followed directions. After stepping back into the kitchen area, Edward watched Jake drop a small pile of presents unceremoniously under the tree. He turned back and smiled.
"Merry Christmas, leech!" He said cheerily before walking past Edward and grabbing a mug for coffee.
"Uh, yeah?" Edward stuttered, "Merry Christmas, I guess."
Billy rolled his eyes as he wheeled past Edward.
Bella came tripping down the stairs, barely keeping her feet beneath her as she reached the bottom floor. "Merry Christmas, Jake!" She yelled out before flying through the kitchen and grabbing Jake into a fierce hug. She turned to Charlie and did the same in a more reserved manner before running past Edward and giving Billy a hug.
"Is this normal?" Edward asked as Bella moved over to his side.
"I've learned to accept a broad definition of normal," Bella replied before wrapping his arms around Edward's waist. "Merry Christmas, Edward. Thanks again for last night."
"Oh, of course." Edward leaned into the hug. "Can I grab you a coffee?"
"I'll get it!" Jake called from the kitchen. Edward looked up just in time to see him being smacked by a flipper.
"Get out of here you crazy mutt." Charlie laughed. "You have to leave some food for the rest of us!"
Edward smiled at the interaction. In a few moments, everyone converged at the table and began eating the feast of scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, and pancakes.
"Do you always have this much food?" Edward smiled at his thick slice of ham.
"Not quite," Billy replied leaning back with a hand over his full stomach. "Jake's appetite definitely affects the amount of food we keep around."
"You don't still have the wolf's appetite?" Bella asked Billy.
"Not since I stopped shifting," Billy replied while shrugging. "I'm guessing the increase in appetite is directly associated with the energy it takes to shift."
"That was Carlise's hypothesis as well." Edward agreed before shoving the ham into his mouth.
Bella laughed and jumped out of her chair. "Hurry up you two! I want to open presents!"
Edward smiled, finishing his mouthful. "You seem a bit more cheery."
"I've got a good feeling about today." Bella smiled at him before cleaning away her plate. Jake followed suit and the two rushed over to the tree. Edward shrugged and followed suit.
Before the two adults could even make it over to the tree, Jake and Bella were camouflaged in wrapping paper.
Jake reached over to Edward and handed him a small wrapped box. It wasn't the same one he had been looking at before but it had Edward's name scrawled on the paper.
"Who is this from?" He asked, holding the box like a delicate gem.
"Look, don't overthink it or anything but the pack was pretty impressed by your clan. You guys are obviously on the good team, whether Harry and Sam really understand that yet. So, as a thank you, Merry Christmas and all that jazz."
Edward was taken aback by the generosity. "I, uh,"
"I said, don't overthink it." Jake laughed.
Bella unwrapped a present of Christmas socks while joking, "You have no idea who you're talking to."
Edward opened the present slowly, taking out a small wooden carved wolf. He moved it around in his hand looking at every little detail.
"Did you make this?"
"Yeah."
"Why a wolf?"
"You fight like a wolf."
"That's quite the compliment."
"I know."
Jake and Edward shared a smile before going back to the presents. Edward opened his other gift which was a nice set of wireless earbuds.
"To help fill the white noise," Bella said, explaining.
"I don't know what to say." Edward was a bit overwhelmed by the presents. They were beyond thoughtful and very unexpected.
"Can you bring this pile home to your family?" Charlie asks as he filled a small shopping bag with presents. "There should be two in there for everyone."
"Thank you."
"We may not have always seen eye to eye," Billy commented, wearing a new necklace with a large bear carving in a framed piece of wood. "But we fight for the same things and that makes us packmates."
Edward held back tears as he nodded and walked out the front door. Before he was able to run back home, he heard someone follow him out.
"Edward?" Bella asked, stepping up next to him.
He nodded and waited.
"Thank you for being here," Bella said softly, holding onto Edward's hand. "It makes me believe that she'll come home soon. Is that foolish of me?"
Edward shook his head, "Of course not. She will be home, don't you worry."
Bella smiled and squeezed his hand before going back inside. Edward closed his eyes and smelled the fresh snow that had fallen all around him the night before. The truth was he was terrified for Rosalie. The world they lived in was filled with nightmares and demons.
He opened his eyes and looked at the white snow. It was as if he had walked into a completely different world. One that was untouched, unmoved, frozen in time. And for a brief moment he believed his family would be okay. That Rosalie and Emmett would return home safe and everything would be as it should, even if it was a little different. The world moved in ways he could never understand but it wasn't his place to understand them, only to accept them or defy them. With his family, he could. And it would be okay.
"Merry Christmas, Emmett. Merry Christmas, Rosalie," Edward whispered into the snow, hoping it would carry the words to find their ears.
A/N: Merry Christmas everyone. I hope your holidays are filled with a lot more joy than our dear Bella and Rosalie.
For those more tech-savvy (and not willing to wait for the New Years' update), the email is encrypted using Randomization and the password is 'messup'. The Subject line reads "Merry Christmas". Good luck! ::wink::