Chapter 34

Overdramatic Man-Child

'I take it,' Willow growled as Jasper put her down in the living room, eyes on Edward, 'that when a vampire says that someone is their singer, you don't mean her vocal range?'

'No,' Carlisle denied, 'La tua cantante, the Volturi came up with the term. Means that her blood sings to him.'

She was having a nice bath, for the first time in six weeks, with a bath bomb and bubbles and Willow couldn't even bask in the afterglow of the relaxation. 'And what? That means that Anakin Skywalker over there,' Willow gestured with her cane, 'goes Sith?'

Carlisle didn't seem to get what she meant but Jasper did. 'No, it means that his control was strained.'

'Edward,' Willow could already feel that god-forsaken migraine happening behind her eyes. 'I was gone for one class. One. How did it manage to go downhill so fast?'

'In his defence,' Emmett piped up as Willow sank down on the floor in front of Esme when the matriarch came in with a hairbrush and bobbles, 'I've been confronted by two singers before. It's like if you were…'

Jasper looked down at her, 'Like when you get into your bed here, after spending the fortnight in New Hampshire. But crank it up by about four hundred per cent. The restraint you feel to not want to just curl up in your bed but actually unpack?'

'And where are you going?' Willow asked, noticing the duffel bag by the door.

Edward stood against the door, arms crossed, still dressed in the chinos and pullover he was in that day, 'Denali. Just until I work something out.'

'And what's that gonna solve?' she glared, 'You're going to go up to Denali and what? Angst? Listen, you overdramatic man-child,' he snarled at her with bare teeth but Jasper's was scarier. 'Exposure therapy? Yeah, it works.'

'And how do you suppose I go about doing that?'

'I don't fucking know,' Willow threw her hands up, tired, considering it was well into the wee hours of the morning by the time she had gotten Jasper to come to pick her up. 'I'm not the vampire. Nor am I the telepath.'

'I can't hear her.'

The room went silent, Esme's hands were frozen mid-way through a braid. Carlisle cleared his throat in a distinctively human gesture. 'What do you mean?'

'All I get is static.' Edward ran a hand through his hair, 'And now that I think about it, I've never really gotten anything from Chief Swan either. A spattering of words, like if the radio had bad signal.'

'What?' Willow yawned, 'Like she's an Occlumens?'

'Must you make everything a reference?'

'Human here.' She gritted out. 'So sorry about trying to make things easier for myself to understand.'

'Alright.' Esme put her hands on Willow's shoulders before helping her up, Jasper coaxed her into his lap, settling her as she leant into the calmness he projected. All she had wanted was a nice bath, maybe read a book or watch a movie and go to bed early. Now, here she was, sitting in the Cullen household at nearly midnight on a school night because the new girl had barely been here a day and she was already causing problems. 'Are you sure going to Denali is the best right now?'

Edward nodded. 'I need to get a hold of myself.'

Feel sorry for himself, more like.

'Shut up, Willow.'

'Don't want to hear it,' she snarked, 'don't be fucking nosy.'

'I'll notify Tanya, let her know you're on your way.' Carlisle nodded as Willow nestled deeper into Jasper's embrace, tucking her nose into his clavicle as his hand smoothed along the fleece bottoms she wore – sloths on a lilac backdrop with clouds. Vaguely she felt him kiss her forehead as she fell asleep but she was more than content to stay where she was.

When she woke the next morning, Willow was in her bed at home and Jasper was working on…something important. 'S'time?'

'Alarm's about to go.' He smiled, reaching over her to turn it off and put the laptop down. 'Alice thinks he'll be back within the week.'

Willow groaned, hands going to her face. 'I stand by what I said. He's an overdramatic man-child.'

'It's what happens when you're frozen at seventeen.' Jasper murmured, sliding down the bed and putting an arm over her waist, fingers playing with the skin where her pyjamas trousers had ridden down during the night and her top up. 'And according to Carlisle, Edward was well off as a human too. Parents were part of the richer side of Chicago.'

'Figures.' Willow yawned. 'My hair still wet?'

Jasper lifted the hand on her waist to smooth down the flyaways of the twin French braids that Esme had done the night before. 'Little damp but the running got most of it.'

'Oh good.' She hummed, pulling herself up, making for her water bottle and painkillers. The brace would not go on until after she'd gotten dressed. 'My own personal hair dryer then.'

'How's the leg?'

'Still feels freaky.' Willow muttered, mouth full of pills before she chased it down with the juice, 'Keep waiting for it to be heavier than it should be but it's not.'

Jasper got up, pulling on his boots and jacket and tipped her chin up for a morning kiss. 'We'll be here by 7.15.'

It was 6.45 then.

'Okay.' Willow scrubbed an eye, his shape vaguely fuzzy from where he stood, 'I love you.'

'Love you too, doll.'

Then he was gone.

Willow released a breath and smacked her lips together. Now, what was she going to wear?

She knew that the leg brace was supposed to go under her clothes, Willow acknowledged as she navigated the stairs in a pair of leggings, a sweater, and her school stuff, but it had been so long since she could dress cute. Or at least cuter.

Richard went to open his mouth to complain when she held up a hand. 'Please. I have been wearing bulky ass clothes for the past six weeks, I just want to wear these, just for today and when I get home today, I'll immediately make it right. Please?'

He gave her a long look, as she leant against the wall. 'Just for today.'

'Thank you.' Willow smiled widely, clicking into the kitchen to grab a banana to take her last tablet. She was eating the rest of it when the Jeep pulled into the driveway. Richard cocked his head.

'No Edward?'

She shook her head, putting the peel in the compost bin. 'He was needed up in Denali. Family stuff. Should be back soon though.'

That was the thing about lying, Willow mused, as Richard took it as the truth. All she ever did was incorporate a little bit of the truth into her words, so she technically wasn't lying. Edward was, in fact, up in Denali for an indeterminate amount of time. Was he staying with family? Yes, he was. Were they blood (venom) related? Willow had no idea, just that the Cullens and the Denali coven shared a diet.

'So, he's leaving you to fend for yourself in Bio then?' Richard teased her, over the rim of his coffee mug before there was a knock on the door. 'It's open!'

'Oh, anything in the post?' She asked as the Cullens fell in.

He shook his head as she pottered about making herself a carry cup of hot chocolate. Jasper took over when she went to try and lift the kettle with one hand. It was more difficult than she thought. Okay? 'Nah, apparently though, Derek Shephard's going to be in Seattle Grace.'

'As in, Uncle Derek?'

'You know Derek Shephard?' Rosalie asked as she leant against the island.

Richard hummed. 'He, Mark Sloan and I all went to med school together. They stayed in New York for residency, and I got Seattle.'

'Yeah, but SGH?'

He shrugged, rinsing his cup as Jasper put the lid on her carry cup. 'Last time I heard from him, he and Addison were having problems. And, daughter of mine, SGH is one of the best teaching hospitals on the west coast.'

'Also, in one of the rainiest states.' She volleyed back before checking the time on Jasper's watch, making a face. 'Try not to kill people.'

'I'll try not to,' he grinned, kissing her forehead. 'Try not to get into more fights with logger trucks.'

'Not with their driving.' Willow gestured to the Cullens over her shoulder as she handed Alice her hot chocolate and turned to find Jasper with her coat in hand. 'See you later, Dad. Love you!'

'Love you too, kiddo.'

The door closed with a click behind them, and Rosalie turned lazily on the pathway. 'So, the top neuro and plastic-slash-ENT surgeons are friends with your dad.'

'Yup. Uncle Derek is my godfather, truth be told. They usually send birthday and Christmas stuff but with Uncle Derek going through shit, must have forgotten.' Willow shrugged, swinging into the back seat. 'Dad may have him up for like a barbeque or something. He's an avid fisher,' she squinted, 'I think. Why?'

Emmett glanced back. 'Carlisle's been reading his stuff.'

'And they're alright to look at.'

Rosalie's comment caused Willow's nose to scrunch up and Alice to giggle. 'That's like Alice finding Scott attractive and Georgie commenting on my brother.'

'Now you know how I feel.'

'Bitch.' Willow muttered into her hot chocolate. 'When did Edward leave?'

'Around an hour after you fell asleep.'

'So, you all have privacy for the first time in like, a century, wow, what's that like?'

Her words, dry as they were, caused the vampires in the car to snort. She wasn't wrong, however. For as long as the four had been with Carlisle, and subsequently, Edward and Esme, their thoughts weren't really their own. Emmett turned in the seat as Rosalie pulled the car into the school, 'We're betting on whether or not he kills her.'

'I mean…' Willow blinked, picking a bit of banana out of her back molars, 'it's not really manifesting success and I, personally, want you all in Forks for as long as possible.'

He sneered. 'Yeah, you're probably right. But what's your bet?'

'I'm not betting.'

'Rude.'

'Oh yeah, completely.' Willow drawled, clambering out of the car.

'The cast is off!' Georgie crowed from the Micra, tackling her in a hug. The only reason they didn't end up on the tarmac was that Alice was right behind them and managed to keep the two of them upright. 'Oh fuck.'

'I don't need it rebroken, ta.' Willow grunted as they righted themselves, shifting her grip on the crutches. 'But yeah, we are one step closer to being healed.'

'No thanks to Gi.' Scott laughed as Alice danced over to him, slipping under his arm.

Lucy looked around. 'Where's Edward?'

'Needed up in Denali.' Emmett gave, with an apologetic smile. 'Family stuff.'

'Oh, boo, the whore.' Georgie called, sliding up onto the Micra's hood, as they waited for the bell to ring.

Bella Swan's truck screamed out in pain as it pulled into the car park. It sounded like it was two seconds away from death's door. 'I'm not the only one that wants to put it out of its misery, right?' Willow drawled, using Jasper's chest as a leaning post as she sipped her hot chocolate.

Rosalie shook her head. 'Honestly, a little TLC and it would be as good as new.'

'Maybe she likes the sound?'

'Can it go faster than turtle speed, you reckon?' Emmett grinned and Willow looked over at him.

'Anything below eighty is 'turtle speed' to you four, Toretto.'

Rosalie took Emmett by the hand and dragged him towards the school, tossing over her shoulder. 'Not our fault you drive like a snail.'

'Excuse you,' Willow spluttered, clicking after her, sticking her cup in her big pocket. 'I drive the speed limit.'

'But you sit like two inches from the wheel.' Scott grinned and she whacked him with her crutch. 'Ah, fuck, you bitch.'

'Who's the elderly now?'

'I will drop your bag.'

'I'll go for your crown jewels.'

They were at a stalemate. 'Alright, you two.' Jasper drawled, accent maybe thickening a little, 'before you whip out your pistols, you got homeroom in five minutes.'

'Oh fuck.' they swore. Willow tipped her head up for a kiss and they made their way to their History room. 'Morning sir.'

'I must say, Crawford,' Mr Marcus said lightly, as he spotted the brace. 'I must prefer this accessory to the other one.'

'Me too, sir.' She grinned, Scott tucking her crutches against the wall.

Maybe the rest of the day would go well.

She was wrong.

'Why is it that I can feel Bella watching me?' Willow asked as she snagged the bag of cookies from Emmett, freshly baked by Esme.

Rosalie snorted, delicately. 'Because she's looking for Edward.'

'Or' Lucy pointed with an apple slice and peanut butter, 'she really likes the jumper you're wearing.'

'She's not wrong,' Georgie nodded, 'it's a nice colour.'

'Thanks.' Willow smiled, looking down at the mustard wool, smoothing a hand down it. 'I got it in New Hampshire when Brad and I were shopping for wedding decorations. I nabbed it, and a fuzzy elephant for Finn.'

'Was it a Jellycat one?'

'Yes.'

'Jellycat?' Jasper asked as Lucy and Georgie cooed over it.

Willow played with his fingers on her knee. 'They make kids' toys, ridiculously soft. Dragon is one. I've had him for years.'

'Oh, okay then.'

Sometimes she forgot how old the Cullens, Jasper really, were.

Cradle robber.

As per her routine, Willow made her way to Biology five minutes before the bell rang and Mr Banner made eye contact with her as she moved in. 'Edward's been pulled out for the week on family stuff, but I can make sure he gets everything.'

He nodded. 'Alright, you can have his seat then. We have group work again this week.'

Hiding a grimace behind a tight smile, Willow made her way over to her original desk, the barn owl still fucking so damn creepy and had her stuff out by the time Bella Swan came in. Her eyes, like what had happened at lunch, locked onto the table and she seemed to wilt like a dying flower at the sight of Willow instead of Edward.

She didn't know if she should take it personally or not.

Probably shouldn't.

After hanging up the canvas coat she was wearing, Bella made her way over to the desk. After nudging her glasses up, Willow gave her a smile and held out her hand. Her Mother did raise her to have some sort of social decorum after all.

'Hi Bella, I'm Willow. We should have met yesterday except I had an appointment. Edward isn't going to be here for a few days but does send his apologies for his behaviour yesterday, he got a message about some extended family issues and it all just, unfortunately, fell to you.'

'Hi.' Bella smiled blandly, deep brown eye scanning her features, not really focusing on any point of them, in particular. 'Yeah, em, Jessica and Angela mentioned you. Said your dad works at the hospital?'

'Dr Crawford, yeah.' Willow nodded. 'Have you done our Bio curriculum before?'

Her pale hand, moonstone ring on, tucked a few bits of mahogany and chocolate waves behind a pierced ear. 'Uh, a little, in Phoenix?'

'Phoenix, woah,' Willow chuffed. 'Definitely a change in temp then? I don't do too well with heat myself if I'm honest. You must miss it though.'

Bella nodded as the class filled. 'A little but it means that my mum can spend time with her new husband, travel with him, instead of being stuck with me in Phoenix.'

Willow got the feeling that there was maybe a bit of martyrdom there within the girl, what with her moving to Forks to enable her mother to have time with her husband but she didn't want to presume. 'Well,' she gave the girl a smile. 'I hope Forks grows on you. And don't worry, the gossip will fade after a while. We're just not used to getting new people in.'

'Jess,' Bella brought up, 'she said that the Cullens and Hales were the newest.'

Willow pushed her glasses up again as she wrote down the title of the week's topic in her book and highlighted it. Some things only really stuck in her head if she made it bright and colourful. 'About two years ago now. Nearly anyway. Dad enjoys having someone else to bounce ideas off and help manage the department.'

'They're not actually related, though, right?'

Willow laughed as Mr Banner handed out the worksheets, 'Just Rosalie and Jasper, they're twins. Esme's niece and nephew. Edward is their adopted son and Alice and Emmett are friends of the family who are being fostered. So, no, they aren't.'

And here she was thinking that telling that to Mrs Newton would help settle those rumours.

Honestly, sometimes all she needed was for the Forks' Rumour Mill to work in her favour.

Just once.

Bella's cheeks flushed a ruddy pink. 'Should we get started?'

Right, they were in class, 'Oh yeah.'

Bella Swan, Willow thought as she clicked her way towards the car park, was potentially a girl who seemed to take the world, or just herself, that little bit too serious. Willow did not know what her mother was like, but the fact that over the forty-three-minute period she had struggled to call Chief Swan Dad said a lot about her relationship with her father. Potentially that there was not really one there, to begin with. Or that they were both unsure how to start the rebuilding process.

Willow had just gotten to the point of the relationship with Mother that she was exhausted. And it just chipped, chipped, chipped away at her on the inside.

She had a feeling that the end of her rope was coming to an end.

It just had to decide whether it was going to come sooner or later.

Flipping the twins and waving Lucy off, she slid into the car and settled into her seat. 'She's just got a bone to pick with Edward, that's all. I said that the news he'd gotten meant that he was taking it badly. Hopefully, it tides her over till he gets back, and he can deal with it. Also, why the fuck was your cover story that you are all related to each other? That is not legal.'

'It's worked before.' Alice smiled.

Willow blinked at her, 'This is the 21st century. Get with the times, you centenarians.'

Emmett was the one that spoke up as the silence settled. 'I'm only fifty-something, thank you.'

'And yet you fought a bear.'

'That's never going away, is it?'

'Nope.'

And thus begins Bella's portion of Underneath the Willow Tree!

It might not seem like much interaction, but Bella doesn't actually spend that much time with the rest of the Cullens in the books until Eclipse, what with Edward going on his Angst Fest in New Moon and everything, so Willow's own interactions with her will be different to a majority of the fanfics out there with an OC. Or at least I'm trying to make it different.

I think we all know that our girl here is going to end up as a vampire, so why don't you send me some things you might like her to be like as a newborn and we'll see how close you can get?

Enjoy,

K x