Chapter One: Marie's Arrival
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight Saga; I'm just screwing with the characters. Have fun with whatever happens and characters I make up.
AN: I've decided to edit the story and see where it goes again. I'm at a standstill with my book at the moment, so I thought some creative fan-fiction writing might alleviate my writer's block. So, here's the new and improved 1st chapter to Bella's Cousin.
Bella's POV
I couldn't sit still in Edward's Volvo's as Alice drove us to the Cullen's house. The large smile I held across my face was hard to get rid of since this morning, and it had nothing to do with the Cullen's. Earlier this morning, I received a call from my cousin, Marie, telling me she's moving here with her father. Her father had just moved here and settled in a few weeks ago. Like Carlisle, he's also a doctor, so they'll be working together, though he isn't supposed to start until tomorrow. He arrived a month earlier from Texas since his home had sold pretty quickly and his transfer went smoothly. I guess the hospital here was just overjoyed when another doctor equal to Carlisle's caliber of skills was willing to move such a dreary and dismal town. My uncle though has always been the one to go where he sees his skills most needed. He's always had such a large heart and loved helping those in need, which I guess is why he makes such an excellent doctor. He was never one to look at the size of a paycheck even if he could make more elsewhere, just the size of a need.
I'm planning to stay with Alice this weekend since the guys will be going on a hunting trip that will last the entire weekend, hence why Alice is driving Edward's Volvo. She probably believes I'm excited about this weekend, but it is really my cousin. Maybe I'll see if Alice would like to visit my cousin and we could help her unpack and settle in this weekend. Maybe make it more than just the Cullen ladies. As we pulled into the garage, I saw her eyes get this glassy look in them before a huge grin spread across her face. Apparently, she saw my change in plans and like them. Alice flew inside and into Jasper's arms as Edward opened the passenger door for me. I smiled at him as he pulled me into his arms and chastely kissed me. This will be our one chance to see each other before his brothers dragged him away to hunt. We gathered in the living room, while Emmett played Call of Duty, seeing that him and Rosalie said their farewells in their own way.
Jasper gave me a suspicious once over before asking, "What's up with you, Bella?"
I gave him a bewildered look as to why he'd be asking me that while Edward eyed him a bit sternly.
"Bella seems almost as giddy as Alice when she goes shopping. I suppose I've never experienced her this excited about something before. She's not usually this happy about anything when she knows she has to spend the entire weekend without Edward…" Jasper glanced at me perplexed again. "Yet she's on the verge of making me want to leap for joy with Alice's happiness mixed in," Jasper explained, raising his eyebrow at me.
Alice's face dropped when she heard this, and Jasper began to rub her arm apologetically. I unwrapped from Edward's embrace and went to pull Alice into a hug. I didn't mean to upset Alice, though I do enjoy spending time with Alice, but I just haven't seen my cousin in quite some time, I forgot to even mention her to the Cullens. I released Alice and raised my hands in surrender as I prepared to give my explanation.
"Okay...okay...well, my cousin, Marie, is moving here tomorrow to live with her father," I explained to them.
"I didn't know you had a cousin," Esme said with a gentle smile.
"Yes, she's my best friend, almost like my sister; it's just been a while since I've seen her and moving from Arizona didn't help the fact," I tell them smiling fondly as memories flashed before my eyes.
Alice's face dropped even more when I said that. She believed she was my only best friend, but Marie and I were so close that we were practically inseparable growing up. I didn't mean to hurt Alice's feelings, though I would love for her and Alice to get to know each. Alice may even love her; they are so much alike. Alice's eyes glazed over, and she became excited.
"We have to meet her when she gets here," Alice said excitedly, bouncing in place.
I laughed to myself, remembering how much Marie acted like Alice...the graceful walk, the love for fashion, their peppy personality. I smiled and looked at Alice. Marie and Alice could be twins if they were born during the same time period, though Marie does love some of the fashions from the early 1900s.
"What's so funny, love?" Edward asked, smiling down at me as he pulled me back into his arms.
I pulled in a deep breath of his scent, just enjoying the moment while it lasted, before I continued on.
"Alice and Marie would get along perfectly," I tell him as everyone looks at me confused. "Let's just say having Marie here will be like having two of Alice. She'll make a good shopping partner for you, Alice," I explain to them snickering at everyone's expressions.
"I know," she tells me excitedly bouncing.
Edward looked fearful and so did Emmett. I wanted to laugh at their faces, but after experiencing her shopping marathons, I knew how they felt. Jasper just smiled at Alice as she jumped up and down even more. She appeared to be as ecstatic as me now about my cousin's arrival. Rosalie smiled probably thinking of all the shopping they could do before going back to her car magazine. Carlisle and Esme just shook their heads, smiling at their children.
"How much time did you spend with her?" Esme asked.
"When I wasn't with Charlie during my vacation time, I was with her," I told them remembering my last Fourth of July with her a few years ago. The food my uncle made from the grill to the smoker. My aunt even came, even though they're divorced, with some great pies and Marie made so many side dishes, some friends asked if she was feeding an army. The best part was after dark when they set off all the fireworks and sparklers. Two of her brothers started chasing each other around with roman candles in hopes of getting a shot in. "Man, Texans can really throw a Fourth of July party," I thought out loud. I laughed to myself as the images ran through my mind. My mouth watered at the thought of the barbecue we ate from baby back ribs, chicken wings, and briskets.
"Did you say Texan? She's from Texas?" Jasper asked surprised.
"Yes, San Antonio to be exact. It's really hot around there mostly due to the humidity," I said.
I saw Edward look at Jasper and nod. I could tell Jasper was conversing with him telepathically.
"It's good she's moving here then. That way you're not in any danger," Edward said as he pulled me closer. "What were you laughing about a moment ago, love?"
"I was thinking about the Fourth of July I spent with Marie and her family," I told him and continued when I saw his confused expression. "We were shooting all kinds of fireworks off on their property. They own like fifty acres of land. Marie's brothers had bought a large variety of fireworks from Roman candles to fire fountains. Two of Marie's brothers thought it'd be funny to shoot each other with the Roman candles, so Marie and I sat back and laughed at them. We threw occasional firecrackers at them as they ran around. She landed one in Darien's pants and it was funny watching him jump around trying to get it out of his pants before it detonated," I laughed hysterically.
Everyone laughed with me as they tried to imagine this as well.
"I can't wait to meet your cousin, Bella," Alice said excitedly, as she calmed down.
"She'll be here tomorrow afternoon," I told her smiling.
"Excellent, we can go get her then," Alice yelled excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Bella, can I give you a mani-pedi?" she asked out of the blue.
Since I was in such a good mood, I allowed her to do it, to everyone's surprise. Alice told them not to ruin her fun and dragged me upstairs with her after we said our farewells to our men. I chose the colors of dark blue and a scarlet red and Alice did the rest. I listened to her as she planned a shopping trip for her, my cousin, and me. She was just as excited as I was that my cousin was coming here.
That night, I went to sleep in Edward's room alone. I dreamt of the many celebrations Marie and I had when I would stay; from New Year's Eve to Fourth of July; the many fireworks, music, and everything. I dreamed of the pranks we pulled on each other and on the family; oh, the trouble we got into afterwards. A lot has changed since I've moved to Forks, but I really haven't changed.
I woke up at twelve in the afternoon, which is not as odd as it seems since Alice forgot I needed to sleep, giving me an hour and a half to get ready. I walked downstairs into the kitchen where Esme had brunch cooked for me and after I finished, Alice dragged me away to get ready. I took a quick shower, scrubbing my favorite strawberry shampoo into my hair. Alice curled my hair into ringlets and put light make-up on me. She dressed me in a dress with some French designer's name on it and a pair of flats after I argued with her about for ten minutes because she originally had planned a pair of heels.
"It's time to go, Bella. I'm going with you and your uncle to get Marie, if that's alright with you," Alice told me, grinning largely.
"It's no problem, Alice. Marie would love to meet you. I told her all about you and she wanted to meet you," I said as we walked out to her Porsche.
We drove to Charlie's house where Uncle Carson and Charlie were on the porch with a mug of coffee in their hands talking. I saw his black Jeep Wrangler in the driveway next to my truck and Charlie's cruiser. Alice and I got out of her Porsche and walked up to the porch. Charlie smiled at Alice and gave us a hug each. I turned to Uncle Carson and hugged him also.
"You don't mind if my friend, Alice, tags along to get Marie, do you, Uncle Carson?" I asked him politely.
"No, as long as I can drive her awesome car," Uncle Carson replied jokingly.
"It's alright, Mr. Swan, but I don't think it'd fit everyone in it," Alice smiled amiably.
"Just call me Carson, dear," my uncle told her with a handshake.
I saw my uncle was dressed nicely in dress slacks and a shirt and it donned on me.
"You start work today don't you, Uncle Carson?" I asked him.
He smiled and showed me his ID card with his photo and the hospitals name on it. "Actually, I started this morning. I'm just here visiting your dad on my lunch break. That's why y'all are supposed to be getting Marie from the airport soon," he responded with a smirk.
I face palmed as I remembered the conversation with Charlie from the other day. Alice examined my uncle badge as I glanced at Charlie with an awkward smile.
"My dad is a doctor at the local hospital as well. He takes care of Bella a lot when she falls," Alice commented smirking at me.
I blushed at her comment and started walking to the car. I could hear Uncle Carson chuckling behind me and talking to Alice.
"It's nice to know that someone took up that job," Uncle Carson chortled.
"Seriously, Uncle Carson?" I asked embarrassed.
Alice tossed Uncle Carson the keys while we got into Charlie's cruiser. Uncle Carson looked at Alice surprised about her taking his joke seriously. I smirked and told him to give us a call as Charlie started the cruiser so that he could talk with us until his lunch break was over. On the way to the airport, Uncle Carson told us about the past Fourth of July celebration that I missed out on because of what happened in Arizona. We laughed when he told us how Marie shot a bottle rocket at her brother's butt, and how he got her back by setting some of her hair on fire with a sparkler. Too soon, he had to return to work, and we sat in a comfortable silence to the airport.
Charlie pulled into the airport's parking lot, and we walked inside to find Marie at a Starbucks coffee shop. She was drinking a caramel Frappuccino and eating a blueberry cream cheese muffin.
"Hey, Marie, how are you?" I asked her as she turned around on the bar stool.
I wasn't prepared for what I saw, and I guess Alice wasn't either. Running across Marie's beautiful face was three scars, almost similar to Emily's only they went across her face from right to left. They started at her right temple, crossed over her eye and nose, and ended on her left shoulder. Alice and I gasped at the sight of her scars. She smiled timidly at me with chocolate on her lips from a chocolate chip brownie she also held. She looked at my outfit up and down and smiled really big before swallowing the bite.
"Vous regardez fabuleux dans Louis Vuitton," she said admirable.
So that's what I'm wearing. I smiled at her trying to look like I understood her.
"You didn't understand what I just said, did ya?" Marie asked me, her Southern Belle accent coming out.
"No, what did you say?" I asked confused now.
"She said, 'you look fabulous in Louis Vuitton," Alice told me.
She turned toward Alice and when she saw her, an expression of familiarity and sadness flashed across face, before quickly disappearing. I didn't know what to think...I was just confused by it.
"Très bonne. Parlez-vous français?" Marie said smiling happily. "Je m'appelle Marie. Et vous été?"
"Oui, je m'appelle Alice. Je suis une ami de Bella," Alice replied back.
"Enchanté, I needed a friend to practice my French with. Merci, Alice," Marie said shaking her hand.
"You're welcome, Marie. Do you know any other language?" Alice asked her.
"A little Spanish and Portuguese," Marie said ticking it off on her fingers.
"My brother can help you with Spanish and Portuguese," Alice told her as Marie got her bags.
Marie still had the look like she was thinking. I didn't know she knew so many languages.
"Oh yeah, I know Latin and Italian. Maybe I can practice with my Italian this summer!" Marie exclaimed, smiling.
"Why this summer?" I asked her anxiously as we loaded her stuff into the trunk of the police cruiser.
"Hey Uncle Charlie!" Marie exclaimed as she threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. He looked awkward as he patted her back. I laughed at his uncomfortable expression as he remembered how touchy Marie could be.
She pulled her arms away from my dad as she eyed the cruiser with disdain, forgetting my question. Marie sometimes does have a short attention span. Once everyone was buckled in, my dad started the car. Marie's look of disappointment could be felt from the back seat as she sat next to Alice and looked at us through the cage.
"So, what did you mean you said you might get to practice your Italian this summer?" I asked her, curiously.
"My school has this trip to Italy every year and I'm goin' whether I'm there or not," Marie responded, excitedly looking at me through the bars.
"Where exactly are you going?" I asked worried.
"Rome, Italy; maybe even Florence, that's where my favorite artists and inventor started out," Marie said smiling big.
"Who are they?" I asked to distract myself.
"Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. My favorite painting is The Starry Night by van Gogh," Marie said.
"I'm glad I remembered that because I have a surprise for you at home," I heard Uncle Carson through the phone speaker.
I looked over surprised that my dad had his phone out and sitting on the cup holder with my uncle on speaker. How did I not notice that he had called him before we left the airport?
"Daddy, you didn't have too. You're still tryin' to get settled," Marie whined as she glanced at the phone.
Marie tolerated presents and surprises a little better than me. If it wasn't her birthday or Christmas, she'll whine about it until she can earn it off or pay it off. Alice gave me a look like she knew Marie's little peeve and Marie reminded her of me. I gave a little laugh and looked at Marie's reflection in the rearview mirror. The scars made me frown and wonder how she could have received those.
Marie stared perplexed at Uncle Carson's Jeep sitting in the driveway as Charlie pulled up to the house. Alice let out a tinkling giggle as we got out of the cruiser.
"Your dad drove my Porsche back to the hospital," Alice told her as she began helping us move Marie's bags from the cruiser to the Jeep.
Marie's mouth dropped, "You have a Porsche?!"
"Yeah, it's a beauty to drive," Alice told her with a lovesick look.
"Keep that up and Jasper may think you love your car more than him," I teased.
Charlie shook his head and laughed at Marie's pouty face as she wished she could've ridden in the Porsche. Marie hugged me before hopping in her dad's Jeep. She refused any help from us about settling in and told us that she'd prefer to do it herself at her own pace right now, which I completely understood. She wished everyone a goodnight and left, leaving Alice and I with Charlie as we waited for Rosalie to pick us up. The ride to the house was quiet as Alice seemed deep in thought. Emmett, Edward, and Jasper were waiting for us as we pulled up the driveway and opened our doors, almost pulling us out of the car. Edward kissed me then looked to Alice. They were back earlier than I expected them to be.
"Do you not agree, Edward? It had to be a vampire," Alice said out loud so Jasper and I could here.
"What are you talking about, Alice?" Jasper asked, holding Alice closer and protective.
"When we saw Marie at the airport, she was sitting on a barstool at a Starbucks coffee shop. She turned around and looked at us. Across her face was three long scratch marks. They were too neat to be animal claws, unlike Emily's scars," I told Jasper using my hand to show him where the scars were.
"No," Jasper whispered with a fearful and worried look on his face.
"What is it?" Alice asked, looking up at her husband anxiously.
Jasper took in a steady breath, pulling Alice closer to him, before replying.
"Let's go back in the house before I explain everything," Jasper said with a worried tone.
Edward picked me up and ran us into the living room, while Alice called a family meeting. Everyone gathered in the living room, looking at Alice intensely.
"What's wrong, Alice?" Carlisle asked as everyone got seated.
Alice explained everything from when we arrived at the airport until we got home. Everyone looked concerned for my cousin. Jasper gazed at everyone after Alice finished.
"The three claw marks on Marie's face are the marks Maria leaves on people she plans to turn when she needs more newborns. But she only leaves it on experienced fighters or leaders. She does this when she has time to build up more soldiers," Jasper said then looked at me. "Is Marie experienced in any fighting techniques?"
I thought about that a second then remembered the many times I had watched her at her martial art classes. She even took dance and was the lead in the recitals. Marie once told me that combining all three together could be proven lethal on an opponent.
"Yes, she is experienced in self-defense styles and even a graceful dancer especially with ballet," I said before Emmett cut me off.
"What does ballet have anything to do with it?" Emmett asked confused.
"I've seen her fight with the addition of her skills from dance and she has won all her contests. She has left many of them in the hospital and never lost a fight," I told them and looked at the ground lost in thought.
"We'll have to keep an eye on her and make sure Maria doesn't get near her," Jasper told everyone seriously.
"Why? I doubt that woman would even come up here," Emmett said disbelieving.
"She can and she will if need be, Emmett. You must never underestimate her. Maria could make her do what I did. By what Bella has just told us, Marie is a lot stronger and more experienced than I was. If Maria gets her hands on Bella's cousin, she can do a lot more damage in the South than her and I ever did," Jasper explained to Emmett who was stunned.
"That'd be horrible," Emmett said appalled.
"That's an understatement, Emmett," Jasper said gravely.
"Well, it won't happen, we'll protect her along with you, Bella," Edward declared.
"Let's keep her in the dark though," I said sadly.
I hated to do that, but I didn't want to bring Marie into this world. She doesn't need to be involved in something like this. Edward held me close while everyone looked at each other.
"Does Marie like video games? Maybe we can have a few rounds on the PS4," Emmett said, always the one to lighten the atmosphere.
"Not really, Emmett, games bore her after a while. She said they don't hold her attention for long and don't have enough mental stimulation." Emmett looked away disappointed at that but perked up.
"From the way you say she fights, I wish I could see her in action," he said pensively.
"If she could wrestle with you, she would," I told him knowing what he was thinking without having to be a mind reader. "She's not afraid to get down and dirty either; she had actually wrestled her oldest brother in the mud," I told him remembering that 4th of July.
Emmett thought about that for a moment then smiled. Everyone laughed at his expression.
"Well, we know she'll get along great with Alice and Emmett," Edward commented, calming down from his laughter.
"She could get along with all of you," I told them and then thought about how much Edward and Marie would get along. "She loves classical things such as music and books like Edward and I do. She loves science and is always excited about learning the newest thing in science. She would have what she says a 'hay-day' with the many books Carlisle has in his office."
"What do you mean by 'hay-day', Bella?" Carlisle asked confused.
"It's a term that southerners use for fun," Jasper explained. "I'm surprised they still use it today."
"Apparently they do. She loves art, also, any form of it is fun for her. She decorated her house in San Antonio and designed the garden that she keeps up with. Her house is decorated with artwork she did from painting to color pencil," I told them, and they were all surprised. "She's not real experienced in her car knowledge, but I bet if Rosalie gave her a chance, they'd find something they have in common," I said with a smile to Rosalie.
"I guess you're right. She would get along with all of us," Carlisle said with a smile.
Rosalie flipped her hair with a small huff as she turned back to her magazine. I just shook my head and smiled at Edward. That reminded me of something Marie said in the car.
"Edward, Marie would like you to help her practice her Portuguese," I told him.
"Yeah, and maybe her Italian," Alice added drily, crossing her arms.
"How many languages does this girl know?" Emmett asked, surprised.
"So far, Spanish, which helps where she lives, Portuguese, French, German, and Italian. She's planning on going to Italy this summer," Alice told everyone. "She's going to Rome, so don't freak out," she added before anyone could ask questions.
"So now we have to watch Marie and protect Bella? Don't we already have enough on our hands from Victoria to this rampaging newborn in Seattle?" Rosalie questioned with a sneer.
"Well, look at it this way, Rosalie, we're protecting our family completely," Edward snarled at her.
She looked at him confused as I did. Edward looked at me then to Rosalie.
"We've just had more added to our list because of Maria attacking your cousin," Edward told me, but Rosalie still looked confused. "We keep Marie here, Maria won't come here, and we don't have to worry about Alice or Jasper getting hurt in some way; though I do agree with that, Alice," Edward finished.
Everyone looked between Edward and Alice curiously. Just like everyone hates their silent conversations, so do I. I gazed at Edward bemused.
"It's nothing you need to worry about, Bella; Alice will tell Jasper later," he whispered low enough that no one else could here.
The rest of the night, I told the family about the trouble Marie and I got into because of our pranks and tricks. She was mostly the leader in the prank attacks, but she was always trying to do something to get me "out of my shell" as she put it. I also told them more about Marie from her interests to her aspirations. They cracked up when I told them about Marie's strange fascination with vampires which warded off a bunch of potential boyfriends for her and gained her the strangest of friends in school. She didn't care that her friends were strange or crazy because to her, she's the same. She didn't care that she didn't have a boyfriend; from her past record, she had the worst luck when it came to them.
I enjoyed the dinner Esme made me and got ready for bed. Edward took me to bed when it was getting late. I went to sleep peacefully thinking of the plans we have for tomorrow. Edward and I are going to get Marie after she's settled in and bring her to meet the family. I believe she'll get along just fine with the family.
AN: I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. The first time I wrote this and posted it, I was called a Mary Sue writer for making a character similar to me. Marie's character carry's my name and does many things that I have done in my life and has similar aspirations to me. No, I'm not fluent in the languages mentioned, but I am able to understand a few and would love to learn more. I do favor French though as you'll see in the story. In a way, by reading this story, you may get a better look into who I am. Maybe the changes I made helped. Let me know what y'all think!
Translations: Vous regardez fabuleux dans: you look fabulous in...Très bonne. Parlez-vous français: Very good. You speak French?...Je m'appelle Marie. Et vous été: My name is Marie. And you are?... Oui, je m'appelle Alice. Je suis une ami de Bella: Yes, my name is Alice. I am a friend of Bella...Enchante: delighted