The Whispering Woods
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Edward beat Bella to ask the question on their minds. "How? She can predict things, and I can see memories or thoughts."
Carlisle looked at his son and smiled. "You also can heal. Or should, more like it."
"Like my mother." Edward didn't know what to do with that kind of information. Not once had the ability to heal come to him in the past. Or had it?
Bella watched the enchanting swirls of blue and green around Carlisle, sometimes converging to create brilliant shades of teal. "You two could save them."
Carlisle carefully took Bella's hand in his own. "We'll need your help, too. Your mother had a similar glow as yours, and not only did she know what was about to happen, she amplified our gifts. We saved your life once, thanks to her, Elizabeth, and me."
"Her life?" Edward wanted to know more, or everything. Despite knowing more seemed to trigger his flight response. Scary ass woods and powers were meant to be found in books, comics, and movies, not real life. "The story will have to wait. How do we do this?"
Bella pulled away from Carlisle suddenly, running toward the window, her brow furrowed in concentration. "We have to hurry because Mike is on the way here." After a moment, she rubbed her temples. "Or not?"
She seemed unsure, but her gaze narrowed as they watched William Cope, Bella's old neighbor with the wispy white hair, climb into her car, as his wife Shelley jumped into Edward's Challenger.
"What in the hell are they doing?" Too stunned to move, Bella could only stare.
"They're acolytes," Carlisle murmured. "They somehow know we need time and to remain undisturbed."
"With our cars gone, Mike will likely just drive by." Edward shook his head. "He'll see yours, though."
Edward and Bella looked through the window but found no other car.
Carlisle smirked knowingly. "You two were quite distracted. I managed to get them in the house and park my car down the road."
Edward tugged his hair with both hands, rubbing his face, too. "All right, as much I'd like to know what the hell Mike wanted, we have other priorities."
Bella helped her Dad to the large couch, where the others sat. "Have you ever done anything like this since leaving Forks?"
Carlisle didn't want to open another discussion they'd have to shelve to handle the current situation. It couldn't be ignored, though, not with Edward looking at him with concentration. Carlisle cleared his throat, forcing down the lump in it. "Yes, once, on a night that claimed two of my best friends."
Edward gaped, nearly tumbling back and forcing himself to stop trying to read his father's mind. "What are you talking about?"
"Renee and Charlie called late one night. Bella had a nightmare."
She gasped, then her eyes started to fill with tears. "He would've died if you hadn't…" Unable to finish, she covered her face and sobbed.
"Bella came out of the nightmare, screaming for your parents, immediately explaining to them what I had to do to save you, Edward."
"It was already too late to save your parents." Bella looked so lost, her eyes misty and glazed over. As if she currently lived in her nightmare. "I dreamed that outcome too late. The road the accident happened on, not a lot of traffic passes through there at night. Someone would've discovered you too late the following morning. Your parents died on impact, but I could hear you calling out for help."
Edward's eyes stung. "What did my father hit, Bella?" On the police report, it stated a drunk driver had likely run the stop sign and crashed into them, then fled the scene. There hadn't been enough evidence to give them the color, make, or model of the vehicle it had been.
"Nothing. There was nothing there, but it was like they hit an invisible brick wall."
"I want to see it." Edward wouldn't beg, but he needed to remember. That night had been nothing but bits and pieces for years. "We shared something earlier—we do it again."
Bella looked to Carlisle for guidance, but Edward wasn't having it. He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "I have a right to know, Bella. Don't take that away from me, please, and for what? To protect me? This magic shit served its purpose that night, but leaving me blind to it is fucking wrong. After we help them and we have a chance to recover, you're going to show me the night I should've died."
AN: Thanks to MC for her help with the chapter. Wonder if anyone picked up that Edward has already used his power to heal...
Still in AZ, enjoying my time with my best friend. We saw Trevor Noah last night, never laughed so hard in my life. It was a blast. Trying to get some writing done, its been going well so hopefully more updates on other fics soon, too.