{Chapter}
~Liberty's Point of View~
I walked through the bookstore occasionally picking up to see if it were something that could assist me. I had recalled the occult store in the books and an easy search led me to the Thunderbird and Whale Bookstore. I already found a book titled 'The Great Beyond' by Paul Halpern that would give me some insights into Einstein's research and theories on the existence of other realms among other views of the possibility. I knew it was possible since I was in one. Now, I had to see if it was possible to get back.
"Is there anything I can assist you with?" A woman questioned coming up to me glancing at the book "Ah, I see. Exploring the universes. Solely non-fiction or are you willing to read some fiction?"
"Non-fiction for now, maybe two or three more books" I said in relief as she smiled brightly motioning to follow her.
"These are where you should start" She said pulling three more books off the shelf.
"Thanks, I really appreciate your help." I said glancing at the titles in relief.
I didn't know any of them, hadn't ever felt the need to have an interest in this topic before this happened to me. The first was Parallel worlds by Michio Kaku. Then there was Cosmic Queries by Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefoil. Lastly, there was Beyond Biocentrism by Robert Lanza. I hoped that one of these four books would help me understand it more. I gave her a grateful smile handing her my card to paid before walking out of the store. I couldn't wait to go home and dive into it.
~Time Lapse
I pushed my feet forward hearing the familiar comfort of my heart beating loudly in my ears. I needed that ease that I felt when running at the moment. The world fading away along with the worries and concerns that were ever present in my life now. But in this moment, it was simply preforming the routine that I developed when I enlisted all those years ago. My teenage body strained to keep up with the task that my mind had long ago grown used to.
The books had done nothing to reveal about the how to get home from this place. If anything, it made it seem impossible, made me realize that it was highly likely I was technically dead in my world. Through the studies and the thoughts of renowned scientists, it makes me realize what was the most probable cause for this. The moment of the explosion, something activated to pull my cousins into this world. I had replaced Liberty due to her being dead in the moment. It was a collision of forces that wouldn't be understood for an exceptionally long time. It was unsettling to think of it, even harder to accept it.
With that acceptance, came an even bigger problem that I had to deal with. I had knowledge of a story from my world that could happen here. I didn't know it was from here though, those books that I bought to learn about my situation made me think harder about them. It hadn't truly set in before that this isn't the only universe parallel to my own. That while I knew the story, I knew nothing about the Cullens outside the basics. I didn't even know if a Bella existed here. All I really knew was I was not mentioned in that story. If I was the singer in the story, the author did a poor job relating her to who I am.
The difference between who these vampires were in this realm was pretty noticeable to someone trained to see the slight changes. I was a soldier, spent a lifetime observing others with my own life in danger. In the few weeks since starting school, I was all too aware of how much at least two of the Cullens interacted with me. Alice was always there, popping up out of nowhere, ready to talk with me. It was strange how them being vampires made me more comfortable with her than most of the students in that school.
Edward was different from the books as well, sure he was moody as hell, but it was like he didn't know how to interact with me. He didn't seem to know how to actually have a conversation without the assistance of reading someone's mind. He was extremely socially awkward and despite my attempts to make him relax, it didn't seem to be helping. There were still plenty of those moments he would just stare at me with remorse and slight anger. All of which was something I complete understood, I had turned his world upside down.
Jasper was wary to come anywhere near me. He didn't pay me any attention at all most the time, content to remain at a safe distance. Emmett was the one of smirks, at least ten diverse types. Whatever he was thinking was most like dirty or bad, so I didn't really want to know either way. Rosalie was the one that showed her hatred at the gate, made it known that she blamed me for what was happening to Edward. They were no longer story book characters; they were becoming real and tangible in my mind as individuals.
I stopped stumbling slightly out of my thoughts as the smell of fire reached me. I took a deep breath as the smell of smoke filled my nose and I looked up the road to see smoke coming from a house confirming my fears. Before I could stop myself, instinct took over causing me to move. There was already a crowd gathering, but I quickly took notice that no one actually moved to help. Even from I distance, I could hear they cries they had been ignoring in their shock.
"Call for help" I said shoving one of woman out of her shock as she gapped at me "Call emergency services and tell them that there are people trapped in a burning building."
I turned away quickly praying that she would listen. I looked around for a moment not seeing any real ventilation to the home. I cursed lightly taking off my jacket wrapping it around my hand knocking out a window looking at one of the males who was staring in fear.
"Use this and break the other window, I am heading in the back" I said as he nodded clearly summoning his strength to come closure.
I had to trust he would vent that window because I knew enough to know that I didn't want a back draft occurring. I ran as quick as I could locating the back door hearing the shouts from inside. I reared back kicking the door with practiced ease. I pulled commanded the stupid people just watching before running to the house. I entered as smoked filled my vision as I pulled up my tank top as best I could to protect my lungs.
"Please help" A voice shouted in the distance as I struggle against the thick smoke that had filled the house.
Something happened then, as the flame of the fire surged in front of me. I felt something strange surrounding me. I knew this feeling from the rare occasions in the past. It was like it was a protective force, but there was something different this time. I shook my head pushing the confusion away, that was a problem to solve later. Right now, there was someone in this house that needed to be saved. I flinched hearing a child crying among the person shouting in freight.
"Where are you?" I shouted not hearing an answer.
I pushed past the panic that threatened to consume me not hearing anything anymore. I moved forward seeing the flames already quickly consuming the staircase. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew what I was doing was stupid, but I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I was not going to leave them to die. My legs move forward, could feel the heat. I couldn't feel the burning from the flame. The only thing that I needed to focus on, was getting to the people trapped upstairs somewhere.
"Where are you?" I shouted in the smoky air trying to locate them.
"Help" A voice sounded before sharp coughing could be heard.
Fully knowing the dangers of them consuming smoke in their lungs, I worried that I wasn't going to make it. I moved forward feeling the floor beginning to waver under the destructive power of fire. I moved to the door to the room closet to the front of the house. I knocked loudly pounding quickly.
"You need to let me in" I said a loud but firm voice knowing they were in there.
"Please help" A woman said crying as she opened the door.
"I will get you out of here" I promised shutting the door quickly taking notice of a girl that was about five crying the room "Both of you"
My heart clenched at the little girl crying in the arms of a woman. I quickly assessed the situation the best I could. There was no going back through the house with the flames that had no doubt blocked the path that I took to the room. I glanced at the window in the room, it was clearly the only option out at this point. I moved past the others to break out the window, it took a moment for me to breath a sigh of relief at one worry down.
Knowing that I no longer needed to worry about the threat of a back lash from the fire, I moved onto planning a way out the window. I glanced down gaging the distance to the ground knowing that we couldn't just jump. It was too far up and while I could survive it, I doubt the other two would survive the impact. I ignored the stunned look on the woman's face when I grabbed the blankets from the bed tying them to ensure they were secure along with anything that I could to make it long enough to reach the ground. Once I was satisfied, I tossed it out the window nodding when it reached the ground.
"I am not going to sugar coat this" I said gently to the terrified woman "I am not sure how well those will hold up, but I need you to climb out that window. You need to hold on as tight as you can until you reach the ground"
"I can't leave her" The mother shouted at me in panic, and I knew that she was not aware of how high she was talking.
"You need to, I promise that I will take her down" I explained as the woman clung to her child "I am not leaving this room until you are safely on the ground, and I can guarantee you that you cannot carry her down safely. I need you to trust me, I will get her out of her safely or I will not be making it out as well"
"Okay, I can do this" The woman said kissing her little girl's forehead before handing her to me "Take care of her. She means the world to me."
"I will take care of her. Just go down easy but as quick as you can" I said seriously holding the little girl tightly pulling the bottom of her shirt around her mouth.
The woman hesitated before proceeded to take the rope out the window. It was agonizing slow waiting for her to get to the ground knowing it could take all of our weight. My eyes were focused on the door, where the flame was beginning to eat away at it. I kneeled before the crying girl as her mother was getting closer to the ground.
"Can you be brave for me?" I whispered softly as the girl nodded giving me a scared look "All you need to do is hold on, do not let go. I will do the rest"
The little girl nodded as I swung her around to my back feeling her hold on my neck and waist tighten slightly. I took a breath to prepare myself to grab the sheets to climb. I prayed that instinct would be enough to get down here with her safely.
"Do not let go and keep your eyes closed" I directed her feeling the girl's head hide into my neck.
I prayed she would listen as I climbed onto the window seal grabbing the sheets. I could hear the little girl whimper as she tightened her hold and I through myself out the window. I held on for dear life as the weight of the little girl shifted painfully to my neck. I pushed aside the pain bracing myself on the side of the house loosening my hold to slide down. It felt like an eternity before my feet touched the ground and I was aware of the sirens coming closer.
The moment I was at the ground the little girl was lifted off me. She struggled at first before allowing me the ability to breath again. I moved away gasping for breath as I stared at the house. I turned as the mother reached her daughter hugging her to her tightly looking up at me with nothing but joy and relief. I heard the sharp cracking glancing as the house caved in from the damage it had sustained so far.
"Thank you so much" She said with tears forming in her eyes, from being overwhelmed or the smoke. I wasn't sure which one.
"It was the right to do" I said repeating the same sentence that I had many times before, nothing felt as fulfilling as saving someone's life.
"I don't know what we would have done without you" She said coughing harsher as I moved to pull her further from the house as the firetruck and ambulance arrives with a police car.
"Hey, don't talk. You inhaled a lot of smoke" I said moving them to the ambulance as a Paramedic stepped out "She and the little one was in the fire; they inhaled a lot of smoke"
"We will take care of them" He said seriously picking up the little girl that was just staring at me with awe.
I turned away taking a few deep breaths to clear my lungs. I didn't feel injured at all from the fire. I expected at least some injuries, which would heal quickly. I wasn't expecting not to have anything. I wondered what I felt in that place, what had changed within me since arriving her?
"Miss" A deep voice said, and I turned to see an officer looking at me with pride "I hear that you are the one to thank for getting them out, what you did what very brave. Stupid but brave"
"It was what anyone would have done" I said softly as he continued to stare at me deep in thought.
"Maybe" He mumbled before shaking his head "But they wouldn't have survived if not for you"
"Is this her, Chief Swan?" A paramedic question running up with a bag as my world spun looking at the male, this was Bella's father then? Or just the same name?
"Yeah" He said nodding as I tensed as he turned to me again smiling.
"How are they?" I questioned who no doubt was getting ready to do a standard assessment on me.
"They are stable, after I do a quick exam on you. We will get them to the hospital for them to get checked out there" He said seriously as he moved to listen to my lungs "We will have to come back for you"
"I will take her" Charlie said softly, and I flinched at the thought of another hospital stay.
"I feel fine, anyway I could just avoid that?" I questioned seriously as he shook his head "Okay, I will go with you. I don't really need an ambulance ride."
"You seem good so far, the doctors will check the burns to ensure they are cleaned properly" He directed quickly taking off to his rig as I turned to Chief Swan.
"Ready?" He questioned as I nodded in agreement.
"Let's get this over with, I really want a shower" I said causing him to laugh lightly.
"I didn't think I would be meeting Forks' newest citizen under such circumstances, but it is nice to meet you, Liberty" He said in amusement as I get in his car "I am Charlie"
"Nice to meet you Charlie" I said honestly.
~Time Lapse
The moment I walked into the hospital, there was a flurry of activity. Virginia was there in a second wondering what was going on. I hated the look on her face when she was told what I did. I would never look at her and truly see my grandmother, but she was someone I was growing to really care about. It was impossible not to.
The other nurses quickly forced me into an exam room. One was nice enough to provide me with a gown to get out of the clothes that were beginning to make my head hurt from the smell of smoke. I assured myself quickly checking my own body that there were no burns. How that was possible? I had no idea.
"I hear that a hero is here" Doctor Cullen said coming into the room smiling at me.
"It's nice to see you again, Doctor Cullen" I said with a small smile.
"Even under these circumstances?" He joked causing me to chuckle.
"I feel fine, they forced me here" I said motioning with my hands to Charlie at the nurse's station.
"I am going to have to do an exam and run some tests" He said looking at me.
"Let's get this over with" I said seriously causing him to shake his head in amusement.
"How have you been Liberty?" Carlisle questioned as he listened to my lungs.
"As good as I can be" I said honestly taking a deep breath for him "You know that I go to school with your kids"
"I know" He said with a smile taking out my blood pressure "You are fine"
"You know despite all the time I seem to spend here. I am not actually a fan of hospitals" I said seriously causing him to look amused.
"You run into a burning building but don't like hospitals" He said with a chuckle as I shrugged.
"I have my reasons" I explained before breathing deeply for him "Besides, it's not like I could stand by and do nothing when they needed help. I don't really think about it. It is just something that has always been natural to me"
"You make it a habit of running into burning buildings?" He questioned softly causing me to laugh.
"In a way" I whispered knowing he could hear clearly but he hides it well.
"How is she, Doctor Cullen?" Virginia questioned coming into the room, looking aged over this experience.
"She has been cleared, no injuries. I will return shortly" Carlisle explained leaving the room closing the curtain.
"I nearly had a heart attack when they told me" Virginia said causing me to flinch knowing that was the way my grandmother had died in my world.
"I have been through worse" I whispered softly staring at the woman thinking of the stress I was putting on her, what it could do to her. "I don't want to cause you stress"
"Oh Liberty, you know that I always worry about you" She said sitting next to me hugging me tightly, for once I allowed it knowing that was what she needed in this moment.
"Think you could use your pull to get me out of here? I really don't want to be here" I whispered causing her to laugh.
"I will see what I can do, put on the oxygen mask" She said before leaving to see if she could get me discharged.
~Edward Point of View~
I sat at the piano as my fingers moved across the keys thinking of the woman with sapphire eyes. No matter how hard I tried the woman was on my mind, my thoughts consumed with the woman I couldn't hear. Everything about her was unpredictable and unique. The more I tried to stay away from her the harder it was.
I spent most nights watching her sleep claiming that I needed to get use to her scent. Slowly the now familiar burn of thirst faded away and a desire I had never felt before took its place, a desire for her. I wanted to be near her and get to know everything about her, but I couldn't. She would see me for what I was, I was a monster that wanted to kill her. I knew that I didn't know what I felt towards the woman, there were too many emotions.
"No" Alice screamed out breaking me from my thoughts as I rushed to her side wondering what was going on with her.
I couldn't describe the feeling I felt seeing her vision. My Liberty running in a burning building. I could see her surrounded in smoke going upstairs and a cold fear spread through my dead body. I couldn't lose her not after just finding her.
I was distantly aware of Emmett grabbing my arm as my knees hit the ground as panic set in seeing her surround by flames. I swear my heart would have stopped beating if it could when I saw her climbing out a window. She could die at any moment and that thought tore me to shreds inside. I didn't know it was possible to be this scared.
"Oh god, what was she thinking?" Alice screeched in worried and panic seeing her decision to go to the hospital
"Come on" I choked out overwhelmed by relief that she was all right, but I needed to see her.
I didn't give them a chance to figure out was going on as I raced to the Volvo. I pulled out the second Alice entered the car speeding off the hospital.
"Carlisle, Liberty is on the way there" Alice said through the phone explaining her vision
I pulled the car into the hospital parking garage and rushed into the emergency room not waiting for Alice or knowing if she even followed. I stopped hearing my father's voice as he exited the room leaving her with another older woman. I took the image of her sitting there covered in ash and still the most beautiful sight I had ever seen, how had I ever thought her to be ordinary.
'Interesting, I wonder what else she had done like this. She seems selfless from the whispered statement. Amusing, she fears hospitals but runs into the building on fire that sent her here. There is something about her. Is it because she is a singer?' My father thought before looking at us taking notice of our worried looks
"She will be completely all right, not even burning from her going through the building" Carlisle explained calmly to me 'which is a little strange from the reports I heard'
I took noticed that Alice was next to me and nodded in understanding. I relaxed slightly at my father's words, this was the most frightening experience of my life both dead and not. There are so many things I was feeling that I didn't even know how to name the emotions. I suddenly felt exhausted.
"Why did she do it?" Alice questioned Carlisle looking like she would cry if she could and my father gently hugged Alice in comfort.
"From what I have gathered about her, it is simply her character to do so" Carlisle whispered placing a hand on Alice's shoulder 'She is truly a remarkable girl'
I was just as awed at her selfless ability to put her life on the line, as stupid as it was. She meant more than anything in this world to me, I didn't know why but I knew without a doubt that I couldn't live in a world that she didn't exist. The more time I spent near her the more questions I had. She meant more than anything in this world to me, I didn't know why but I knew without a doubt that I couldn't live in a world that she didn't exist.
Carlisle put a hand on my shoulder forcing me to move from view just as her Grandmother exited the room to get her discharged from the hospital. All I wanted to do was go to her and touch her to make sure she was there and was okay. I couldn't help the worry that coursed through me remembering what she had done. Did she truly place herself in danger carelessly? I couldn't let her do that anymore, she couldn't die. Not after I have just found her, not the one person that had somehow made herself the center of my thoughts.
"I can't lose her" I whispered brokenly looking at Carlisle "I don't understand Carlisle, what am I feeling? Why would I care if she died? I had never been more panicked or scared in my entire life knowing she went into a burning building"
"You are falling in love her" Alice said with a bright smile and I looked at her in disbelief "You will learn what that means in time. You haven't been able to stay away from her. She changed you"
"Edward" Carlisle said softly looking at my panicked look "If she means so much to you, will you try?"
"No, this is more of a reason for me to stay away. I can't put her in harm's way" I growled out hating myself for feeling for a human "It would never work; she deserves better than a soulless monster"
"I think she already knows what we are and doesn't care" Alice said smugly causing me to growl at Alice in anger, which was not possible.
"Alice, why do you think that?" Carlisle questioned putting a hand on my shoulder and I realized that I was shaking from so many emotions.
"There is just this look in her eyes, that she seems all too aware of what to avoid near us. I haven't seen anything, just noticed it from watching her" Alice explained to us smiling brightly
"Impossible" I growled out thinking how dangerous it would be, there was no way she knew and still managed to be nice to my family. We were monsters and she would fear us if she knew.
"Alice seems to have a point" Carlisle stated calmly after a moment looking thoughtful as his mind piece together everything he had been told about the woman "There is something different about her, Liberty seems incredibly wise almost too wise. It is possible that she knows"
"How could she know?" I questioned in confusion before panic hit me "If she knew why I reacted the way I did to her then there is no way she would talk to me. She will know that I wanted to kill her and hate me"
"So, you do want her to care?" Alice questioned with a knowing look, and I growled at her in anger
"This is not a game Alice" I said seriously knowing that she was up to something and that was never a good thing for me.
"Alice leave Edward alone" Carlisle said seriously thinking about the argument that was about to happen in public
"She is my best friend" Alice said crossing her arms "I saw it; I care about her too"
"Question her if you must Alice but do not tell her anything" Carlisle said seriously "If she does then we will need to find out how"
"Okay" Alice said happily already thinking of things to do with Liberty and I growled in frustration "Quiet Edward, you will understand soon"
"I have to go release her" Carlisle said softly walking away with one last thought 'Good luck son'
I growled in frustration as I walked out of the hospital with a giddy Alice. I didn't want Liberty to be in danger, to allow her to be surrounded by darkness that I lived in. I didn't have the strength to stay away from her. My family was in chaos at the information that my Liberty knew the truth. I had jumped into defense; I wouldn't allow harm to come to her from my family. I would kill to protect my angel from any harm, they knew it.
I left the house when Alice notified me that my Angel had gone to bed and climbed into her room. I took in her scent and just as Carlisle explained, she was the perfect singer. Her scent was pleasant and burning at the same time, two contradictory reactions that matched the girl that possessed the scent to begin with. There would never be another singer to affect me so completely.
I sighed in relief as I looked her over finding her free of injury. She was safe, I was content knowing that she was here. I stood there watching with fascination as she breath and every move she made. Every little moment and every shift held my attention like nothing I had ever known to in the past.
Realization hit me just as hard as the first time I smelled her blood, she was my world. She had somehow become my entire purpose, everything about her became my everything. I was nothing without her, she was the one that stood as the center of my universe.
This little, tiny breakable human had become the most important thing in my world without ever glancing my way. Every reaction was unpredictable, and every moment was like a song to who I was, I was helpless to fight the pull to her. I couldn't understand how this was possible or how I could allow it to get this far.
I knew that I couldn't stay away from her, she was too much of a fascination to me. What could I do? I was nothing more than a monster that would destroy her if she got to close to me. I was the most dangerous thing in the world to her, she was my singer, and I was a monster that wanted her blood from the moment we met.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I realized that the thirst was not as strong, and the burn was fading.