Rosalie Hale
[Author's Note: Surprise! Edward and Alice are together. And before you lose it just reeeead. They are super cute! I promise! Other changes to the Cullen household are: there are only Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Rose. And everyone is at least 18. Rosalie is actually 20. Okay! Read and review! Thanks!]
Rosalie and Edward met Alice in the forest behind the main Cullen house. The small, pixie-like vampire threw her arms around Edward, kissing his cheeks with affection, and then turned urgently to her sister.
"You're fine," she gushed in relief, "I saw violence-" her voice trailed off as Edward's mind interpreted her inner monologue.
"Rosalie came across a human in the park that smelled particularly good to her. But she didn't hurt her." He took Alice's hand and twined his fingers through hers. "She easily could have but she didn't."
"Oh Rosalie," Alice responded, her lyrical tone tinged with exasperation. "How could you even consider it?"
"You weren't there Alice," the blonde gave in response, her tone aggravated, her body rigged with offense. "The way she smelled.."
The smaller female vampire looked suddenly interested. "Smelled?" she quipped, "did her blood sing for you?"
Edward nodded. "Yes. I believe this was her Cantante," he stated, using the term the Volturi used for a human that appealed to a vampire beyond reason.
Alice exchanged a look with her mate and then returned her gaze to her elder sister. "I'm proud of you Rose. You were very strong today."
The blonde growled unhappily and then turned and picked up a rather large stick, snapping it easily in her perfectly manicured right hand, reducing the section of the log clutched in her fingers immediately into sawdust. "Can you two please explain to me why there were no warnings? If you saw me killing a human, Alice, why didn't you come sooner? And," she turned to her brother, "Why didn't you hear her thoughts miles away?"
"I honestly don't know," Edward said, his tone as perplexed as his expression. "Even right next to her, her mind was absolutely completely blank."
"And I didn't see you killing her," Alice explained, just as confused, "I saw you and Edward fighting, him asking you how you could be so reckless, how you could kill-" She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm so glad you're both okay. That you're not fighting."
"It doesn't make any sense," Rosalie stated, putting her hands to her hair and letting her fingers comb through her perfect flaxen locks. Edward could read minds, Alice could see the future and she could charm others with just a look. That was two out of three gifts that just happened to fail around the human in the park..
They discussed possibilities as they strolled slowly back to the Cullen family home. Alice and Edward's private cabin was a few hundred yards behind it, but that evening they joined Rosalie and their parents, Carlisle and Esme in the house. No closer to understanding what had gone on than they had been in the forest, the three did not bring up the situation to the elder vampires. The family had only recently relocated to Forks in the last year and Carlisle seemed to be really enjoying his time in Washington. The younger vampires did not want to worry him or his wife, who had joined quite a few city commission boards in order to beautify the city. Carlisle himself had made friends with everyone he'd come in contact with- he was a very friendly, very likable guy. His new best friend was actually, none other than the Chief of Police. He and Esme were actually attending a small dinner party at the Chief's house a week from Sunday. Of course there would be no dinner for them..
Edward and Rosalie and Alice sat around practicing their given talents. Alice had a high powered, high tech, laptop opened on her tiny lap and was encrypting data and moving funds around in huge intercontinental accounts just for fun. Edward was leisuring playing classical pieces on a large concert piano. Rosalie was distractedly reading a book. She sat it down more than once, her mind continually returning to that afternoon. She had to go back, she had to understand what it was about her.
Edward's eyes found hers across the room, and though the notes of the song flowing from the strings of the instrument never even faltered, his eyebrows pulled together and he mouthed, silently, "You can't."
I have to, Rosalie returned telepathically, I have to know who she is. I have to go back. I'm sorry.
The song trailed off and Edward rose. Their beautiful mother Esme, looked up from her architectural digest magazine.
"Oh Edward Darling, why did you stop playing?"
"It's a beautiful night," he said evenly. "I think I'll have a walk."
His father, Carlisle ]had been perusing Gray's Anatomy and humming softly to himself. But at his son's words he glanced up and said, "Good idea. Have a nice time."
Edward nodded in thanks, and then glided over to his mate and bent, pressing a soft kiss to Alice's cheek. "I'll return in a bit, my love, is that alright?"
She sighed happily at his touch and then replied, cheerfully, "Of course My Love, have a wonderful time." She then laughed to herself. "I've almost completely transferred the contents of this foreign military account into a charity donation for trans rights here in America."
Edward smiled proudly. "That's my girl." He turned then to his sister, who was eyeing him curiously. "Care to join me Rose? I'd love the company."
The blonde wondered loudly what he was up to. When they got into the forest behind the house she looked at him pointedly and begged him for an explanation.
"Isn't it obvious?" He replied, coolly, "if you are going back, so am I."
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