Chapter 1
I can't get this story out of my head and it's distracting me from things! So here's what's keeping me up at night. I don't own the characters I just obsess about them.
Alice looked stunning and carefree as she layed out in the sun in the middle of the cullen's secluded Norfolk estate, allowing her diamond skin to sparkle gloriously. Looks can be deceiving though. Alice was anything but carefree. The world has gone mad. Humans were suffering more than usual due to the effects of a global pandemic. America was near civil war again and Alice didn't even want to think about what China and Russia seemed to be up to. Hell, even the blaring sun felt ominous. Bright sun and heat nearly every day this summer in England. What was the devil playing at?
The truth was though that Alice and all the Cullens had been simply existing in a pit of despair for nearly a decade now. Their misery came way before the misery humans were experiencing from this centuries mini-Armageddon. Their misery stemmed from one tiny human soul, Bella Swan.
No, that isn't entirely true, actually. The Cullen's pain may of been because of Bella's existence, but she wasn't at fault. Bella wasn't the root of the problem. Bella had not been the one to rip the Cullens apart, that was a self inflicted wound by Edward Cullen himself.
"Alice, is he ok? Have you seen anything?" Esme asked, leaning down to take the headphones out of Alice's ears, an unnecessary movement of course.
"Edward I assume is still sat on ass in some cave in Nepal, Esme. He hasn't made a decision other than to wallow since the last time he decided to hunt two months ago when he realised he would not be able to resist any human mountain climbers if he didn't hunt."
"Always the hero," Rosalie muttered from inside the house, causing Alice to snort in approval.
Esme sighed before sitting down on the edge of Alice's lawn chair. Apart from Jasper, who not only had his own grief to to cope with but often everyone else's too, It was hard to definitively say which Cullen was suffering the most. Esme was definitely on the list though. Not only did she have a constant ache for the lost son and the daughter that never was, but ever since the start of the pandemic she longed for her husband too.
Carlisle was currently working at two different hospitals in two different countries under two different Aliases. Compelled by both the need to help as many people as possible and the need to keep busy. As short as 8 years is to a vampire these last 8 have felt like 80.
Alice took Esme's hand in her own, clasping it gently, "At least the boys will be back shortly. Emmett has decided that British wildlife is vile."
And just like magic, Emmett and Jasper ran out of the tree line. "No more foxes I just can't do it anymore," Emmett grumbled.
"Trust me he really can't," Jasper added, "There is so much hangry coming coming off if him I still feel hungry after 7 foxes."
"Come on boys, it's the end of the world we all have to make sacrifices," Alice halfhearidly giggled. "And I don't think we will be leaving England anytime so-,"
Alice's words cut off abruptly as a vision came in
"Edward has finally found out about the pandemic. He's heard it in the mind of a hiker. He will be here in 5 days," Alice muttered.
"Well, well, well, the prodigal son returns," Rose snickered walking out to the yard, "and we all know what's bringing him back."
"Bella," the four said together in unison.