A/N: So… my excuse for this chapter taking so long is that I had a work-related injury and couldn't use the first three fingers on my dominant hand….that's all I got. But I hope this makes up for it! Enjoy!
Chapter 14: Return
Dawn had risen quicker than Carine expected. The hours had melded together, passing effortlessly without her ever realizing. Charlie had awoken a few hours before, getting ready and departing for the station without bothering the two teenagers sleeping in the room across the hall. Carine was grateful for that, partially so she didn't have to let go of Edythe, but also so the two humans could get some much deserved sleep.
Edythe had not woken since she had dozed off; though she had jerked a little about an hour after falling asleep, she took a deep breath and then seemed to relax; she hadn't stirred since. Carine realized that Edythe had probably inhaled her scent, her own subconscious reminding her of Carine, just outside her dreamland, just simply there. It made Carine's heat swell to know her presence had helped Edythe, rather than hurt her, as it had when she had first awoken to her human life.
She was perfectly content to have Edythe lean against her shoulder and sleep; it calmed the woman to be able to hear and feel Edythe's presence after being away from her for so long. Except for the few years of Edythe's vigilante phase, they had never been apart like this before.
Carine made a face as she remembered that day decades ago, both when Edythe had left and returned; the first was filled with grief, the second joy. That is how she had felt when Edythe had gone with Beau, and she had felt in the moment that she was sending her daughter away. But it was the best decision she could think of at the time, and she liked to believe it had helped, had allowed Edythe enough space to get her bearings. And she had, but the stressful events had triggered these nightmares, and they couldn't be simply erased after one or two nights. It was too much of a mental causation, and too much trauma finally catching up. She was unsurprised that the nightmares hadn't disappeared after Edythe had left the house, but she was now slightly comforted that Edythe had seemed to make a breakthrough, both in regard to her nightmares and her fears.
Edythe sighed again peacefully, her fingers twitching around where she held onto Carine's shirt, even in sleep. A soft smile came to Carine's lips, pressing them gently to Edythe's temple. Yes, she definitely had made progress.
Carine glanced down at the bandages on Edythe's fingers; she cocked her head slightly as she wondered again how Edythe could have injured herself. The cuts were superficial, barely more than a paper cut, and already almost healed, but they bothered Carine. She took a moment and reminded herself that Edythe would get hurt; it was inevitable, and these were nothing serious. But it still unsettled her, her mind traveling down avenues that implied more potential serious injury, though she knew she could hardly control or predict such notions.
The sound of quickly approaching feet came to Carine's ears; she stiffened for a moment before recognizing the gait. She waited patiently for him to join her. The window swung open silently seven seconds later, and Archie stepped deftly into the room. He took in Carine sitting on the floor besides the rocking chair and he smiled, moving to join her. He sat a couple feet away in front of her, folding his legs underneath himself.
"It was a good idea to warn me," Carine said. Archie shrugged.
"I only knew she would cry out for you. I didn't know this"—he indicated Edythe's form in Carine's arms—"would happen. But I'm happy it did."
"I am, too," Carine agreed, pulling Edythe a little closer. But she looked up at Archie.
"What's wrong?" she asked; she had seen the hesitance in his greeting, an uncommon notion for her newest son.
"A fresh trail, coming from here," Archie informed her. Carine worked to not stiffen, aware of the human girl asleep in her lap. But her honey eyes were focused, intense.
"The same person?" Archie nodded.
"But it's at the other side of the property. We wouldn't have caught it but I decided to circle the perimeter. I already called Jess and El. They're coming here then following it." Carine nodded, slightly unnerved at the mysterious vampire that had clearly been watching Edythe and Beau's movements, yet they had been unable to find him or her.
A few minutes past before Eleanor and Jessamine stepped to the edge of the property; they spoke at normal volume, knowing Carine and Archie could hear them.
"It's only a few hours old," Jessamine confirmed, "It's definitely the same person. They probably retreated just as they heard Carine coming. We tracked it west, but they went into the water again. We did find a trail on the other side, but it's washed out and ended at the end of dirt road."
"Had a car waiting, the bastard," Eleanor commented; Carine could hear the aggravation in her voice. Eleanor didn't like being thwarted, nor did she like anyone in her family in danger, particularly Edythe. This person had done everything to annoy Eleanor immensely.
"We'll keep looking; there may be more trails in town in addition to this. They're not a ghost, they can't hide forever. I just don't know why they came back here, to watch Edythe? Why?" Carine shook her head, frustrated as well; she looked over at Archie who shrugged.
"I've tried looking, but I never see much, just trees and more trees, never a face or figure," he said. "But I don't think they came back to look out for Edythe; I don't think they meant for her change to turn out this way. They may have come back…"
"To finish the job," Jessamine finished grimly. Eleanor growled under her breath.
"We'll kill them first," she promised confidently.
"If we could only find them," Jessamine reminded her. Eleanor huffed.
"Head home," Carine told them. "Update the others. It may be time for exhaustive measures. They want something with Edythe; they'll have to get through us first." Eleanor and Jessmaine grinned at each other at her words, knowing Carine would not be playing passive in this fight. They turned on their heels and started the short run home. Archie was watching Carine's face, watching her arms tighten slightly.
"You were here. She's safe. They both are." He reminded her.
"They could have just as easily not been safe," Carine said quietly. She turned her head to Archie but saw his eyes were glassy, unfocused. She waited patiently for the moment it took him to recover from the vision. His teeth gleamed as he smiled at what he'd seen.
"She'll be home after dinner," he told her. Carine's eyebrows raised in surprise, but she felt her own lips turn up to match his.
"Really? Will she be okay? So soon?" she asked after a small hesitation. Though Edythe had done well with her, she knew it didn't guarantee that the tables had turned and Edythe would be unfazed by returning to the house.
"She will be okay," Archie promised her confidently. "We just have to let her go at her own pace. It's just in time too; her room is done." Carine laughed slightly, shaking her head indulgently. She knew Archie had taken advantage of Edythe's absence to play up her room, using the "humanization" to another level. Besides that, they had stocked the kitchen and pantries with all the essentials. Their house looked less like a model showroom and more lived in; it was a change none of them had expected but they didn't mind. All of them were eager to have Edythe home, and from her and Beau's conversations, Edythe felt the same.
"Ah, there," Archie murmured; Carine looked over at him, but his eyes were casted down. A half second later, Edythe's heartbeat began to increase. Carine loosened her hold slightly as Edythe awoke. The human girl stretched slightly, a small humming sound issuing between her lips. She snuggled closer into Carine's shoulder and the vampire couldn't help a small laugh. Edythe's eyelids fluttered open, the bleary green eyes taking a moment to focus on her surroundings. She was confused at first, wondering how she had ended up on the floor, but, as her mind pulled itself out of her sleepy state, she remembered last night. The nightmare, waking up, the panic, but also the calm afterwards…
Edythe looked up, meeting Carine's gaze; her mother smiled back at her tenderly.
"Carine?" she asked, unsure. The vampire's smile grew wider.
"Good morning, Edythe," she greeted her; Edythe looked down, her mind slow as she gathered her thoughts, realizing where she was. Part of Carine's body locked, prepared for Edythe to jump away from her, now that she wasn't delirious with fear or sleep. But Edythe smiled slightly to herself, realizing how close she was to Carine and yet not feeling an iota of unease. She felt calm, safe, content.
Carine's stone-cold body felt different now, but still familiar. And her scent now covered the blanket Edythe was wrapped in, as well as her pajamas. And the familiarity brought another wave of comfort, and her muscles relaxed, unwinding from the fear response she had expected, just as Carine had. When it didn't come—and still didn't come—Edythe smiled wider. She looked up at Carine and lurched upright, her arms wrapping around Carine's neck in a hug. Carine, easily able to react to the quick human movement, immediately encircled Edythe in her arms and pulled her close, laughing.
"Hello, sweetheart," she said again, teasing this time. Edythe pulled back, looking around the room as she heard Archie's laugh joining Carine's. There was a beat of silence as she waited for a response, her expression unsure. But nothing happened, and the smile returned. Archie predicted her movement before she had moved a millimeter. He scooted forward and pulled her into his own hug, lifting her out of Carine's lap as he did so. She kneeled between them, her face and smile buried in Archie's collarbone. Despite her joy, she could feel tears prick at her eyes and she pulled back slightly to wipe them away. Archie let her, holding her hands as she lifted to wipe her face with her forearm.
"Happy tears?" he checked. Edythe nodded, hiccuping a little, hugging her brother once more. He reciprocated the gesture before she sat on the ground between them. Carine reached forward and brushed the hair that had gotten loose from the bun and brushed it back behind Edythe's ear. Edythe smiled, leaning into her touch, her heart exploding as she realized that she could, in fact, do that without fear of her body taking control. There was no primal warning in her head, no tremors, no distrust.
They weren't vampires; they were her family.
The fact, simple and innate, resounded in her mind, as clear and concrete as her eyes being green and the sun being yellow. Edythe's smiled got bigger.
"I want to come home," she told Carine. The matriarch smiled in response, taking in Edythes' shining eyes and face. Last night had been horrific to say the least, but it had been an obstacle, a milestone to a better place.
"Tonight, after dinner," she assured her. "The house is ready; I'll stay until Charlie comes, explain everything." Edythe nodded, remembering that she had been here because of the 'custody battle' that Carine and Earnest had been fighting with an imagined long-lost relative.
"We won't subject you to El's attempt at cooking until tomorrow," Archie teased. Edythe made a face of mixed incredulity and disgust. Though the idea of being the food guinea pig did not enthuse her, she was touched that her siblings had taken on the idea of her eating human food relatively easy.
"You have Pepto-Bismol at home for when I get food poisoning, right?" she asked Carine, who laughed good-naturedly.
"You won't get food poisoning," she assured her, but Edythe made a small noise, displaying her disbelief. The mischievous grin on Archie's face did not ease her suspicions.
"I didn't know my bedroom was now a vampire hangout spot," a groggy voice said from across the room. They looked over to see Beau sitting up in bed, rubbing his face as if to remove the fatigue from his features. The three of them hadn't notice him waking up, too engrossed in the mini-reunion. But now Edythe giggled, still sitting cross-legged between Archie and Carine, completely unperturbed by interrupting Beaus' sleep. By the clock, it was already after noon, the most amount of sleep either of them had had since she had turned human. She felt energized, awake, happy.
Despite the oddity of her circumstances, of her mother and brother sneaking into her boyfriend's bedroom window in the dead of night, she felt happy, content.
Her new life had begun, and she knew this was her new normal, and she loved it.
Charlie arrived home early with pizza; he was pleasantly surprised to find Carine in his living room, lounging with Beau and Edythe as they looked through plans for the house the Cullens has purchased in Ithaca.
"Dr. Cullen," he said gruffly, his eyes slightly wide at seeing her in his house, "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm sorry, Chief Swan, but this couldn't wait," she said, "And please, Carine."
"Charlie," he returned with a nod. "What's all this about?" Edythe looked toward her as Carine replied, a smile on her face as she squeezed Edythe's hand in both of hers.
"The court battle has ended," Carine informed Charlie, "It's over, and there will be no more disputes." In response, Edythe leaned her head against Carine's shoulder and Beau reached over to hug Edythe around, kissing her chastely on her temple.
Charlie took in their expressions and grinned himself, seeing the outcome had been positive. He could see himself that Edythe looked more relaxed than before, more like herself. Though, he couldn't help but notice the stark difference between her and Carine now. All his memories triggered him to believe she and Carine, though not related by blood, had looked very similar. Now, though they still held similar expressions and mannerisms, physically there was much more of a contrast. He considered his talk with Beau a few nights ago, and let it go. He would never understand women and their decisions, least of all about make-up and how they look. He was just pleased that Edythe looked happy, which made Beau happy.
"Well, this calls for a celebration," Charlie boasted, lifting the pizza box in salute and dropping it on the coffee table. Beau and Edythe laughed as they opened the box.
"Won't you stay, Carine?" Charlie asked.
"Of course," Carine responded, settling back against the couch as Edythe and Beau dug into the pizza; they are both starving after their extended naps.
"Easy, you two," Charlie chided, "Use plates, like normal people." Beau stood to go and get the plates, but Charlie waved him down.
"I got it; I wanted to grab a beer anyway," he said as he turned toward the kitchen. He didn't hear Carine stand to follow, and only realized her presence once he turned from the fridge. He jumped, not expecting her and she apologized.
"Don't worry about it," he said, "Did you need something, Carine?"
"No, no," she replied, "I just want to speak to you for a moment." Charlie's eyebrows knitted together, wondering what on Earth she wanted to say to him away from the teenagers' ears.
"Earnest and I just wanted to thank you, for taking Edythe in on such short notice," she said sincerely, "It hasn't been an easy situation and I am glad for the support and protection she has gotten from being here while we sorted everything out. She'll be coming home tonight, after dinner." The words were genuine, but the underlying meanings were twisted; she didn't want to outright lie to Charlie if she could help it. Charlie's expression relaxed into an amenable expression.
"Of course, she was no trouble at all," he said, but Carine raised her own eyebrows.
"I know that's not entirely true; I know about the nightmares, Charlie," she said; Charlie was not surprised, but he just shrugged.
"The poor kid has got enough on her plate; she could only take so much. She got better as the days went on," Charlie explained. Carine smiled weakly, nodding.
"I know. I'm working with her now to help," she said.
"Well then, she'll be right as rain soon enough," Charlie said with a grin. Carine smiled wider in gratitude before following him back out to the kitchen.
The three humans ate dinner while watching the game and Beau watched with amazed amusement as the pizza slice on Carine's plate got smaller and smaller, though he knew she probably had never taken a bite. Edythe didn't even skip a beat; she was used to have to methodically hide the food when the charade was necessary; it had been far better than actually having to eat the human food.
Once the baseball game was over, Beau and Charlie moved to pack Edythe's bags into the car; it had only taken one trip. As Charlie moved to bid Edythe goodbye, Beau found himself encased in Carine's strong arm, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, Beau," she said intensely. "You have no idea how much it means to me, to us." Beau hugged her back, thinking he probably did know, though not from the same perspective.
"Always," he promised. She smiled, her hand pulling him once more for a hug before stepping back. Charlie was hugging Edythe tightly, assuring her she was always welcome. She nodded and thanked him profusely for his hospitality; Charlie flushed slightly at the compliment and stepped back, retreating into the living room for Beau to say goodbye. He took Edythe's hands in both of his and she stood on her toes to kiss him. He returned the gesture, aware of Carine's presence, though her eyes had strayed away to give them some semblance of privacy.
When Edythe broke the kiss, she sighed quietly, stepping into his arms and leaning her head against his chest. He held her close for a long moment, whispering into her hair.
"You'll be alright," he promised her. "If you need me, just call." Edythe nodded against his chest, her nerves not completely soothed. She was slightly nervous about sleeping alone tonight; none of them knew how it would go, but she just hoped she would be okay. She had to learn to sleep without him by her side. With that thought, she stepped away, kissing him once more.
"Come by tomorrow?" she asked. Beau grinned and nodded.
"Just text me as soon as you wake up," he promised. She smiled slightly. It took a lot to let his hand go, but she did, stepping back toward Carine.
"Ready?" Carine asked, her keys in her hand. Edythe nodded, before following her out on the porch, down the steps and to the Volvo. Edythe settled into the passenger seat, her eyes on Beau's as he stood in the doorway. He waved at her, an encouraging smile on his lips. She returned it, though not as confidently as she would have liked. Carine started the engine and pulled away from the curb, and soon the little white house was out of sight.
Edythe watched outside the window as Carine drove them home. Though she was going far past the legal limit, unlike Beau, Edythe didn't feel any danger; she knew Carine's reflexes were far superior and above a menial accident. She watched the trees, still surprised that her eyesight was so inferior now. Before she could have made out every single leaf and stem of each branch; now it just looked like a green and gray blur. It was making her head dizzy and she turned away, towards Carine. Her mother was watching her, and she smiled when she saw Edythe looking.
"They're so excited to have you home," Carine assured her. "They've missed you."
"Even Royal?" Edythe asked skeptically, one eyebrow raised. Carine hesitated, which was all the answer Edythe needed. Even though she may not have the same fear response as she had the first time she had seen her eldest brother, she wouldn't put it past Royal to make her uncomfortable, knowing she now had what he'd always wanted. She felt guilt, of course, for her entire family, but especially Royal, who wanted nothing more than to be human again.
But, now that she was human, what did that mean for their relationship, not that they'd had much of one to begin with? They had always been at each other's throats, which was fine, when both of them were the same species. But she couldn't see that playing out the same now, with both her lack of physical strength and her vampirism. She did not think he would intentionally put her in harm's way; he had never wished her dead or anything similar before, at least not while she was within hearing distance. So she had no idea what kind of reception she would walking into with him.
"You know Royal," Carine said slowly, "He will come around, eventually. It may just take him a while." Edythe nodded minutely; she hoped, though she knew cynically, that it would be a relatively painless transition.
The beams of light coming across the lawn of the white house distracted Edythe. She looked over the familiar house, happy to have returned but also on edge about the response from her family. Carine pulled in front rather than to the garage, and Edythe hesitantly stepped out, the door clicking shut behind her.
Archie was sitting casually on the railing of the porch, his lazy grin wide as one leg was balanced precariously on the railing. She smiled back slightly at him, still nervous. He moved, sitting up right and leaning over the railings as the front door opened. Earnest, Eleanor, and Jessamine stepped onto the porch, looking over her; like her, they had also had reservation on what to expect from her return.
But their presence did not trigger any panic or terror; no tremors riffled through her body, and the only uneasiness that she felt was from her uneasiness at the possibility of her uncontrollable panic. When she realized it wasn't coming, that she was still in control, she smiled at them tentatively. Earnest was the first to return it and he stepped forward, moving at human speed to descend the steps and stand two feet in front of her. Edythe frowned slightly; this is exactly what she didn't want, her family feeling obligated to change their movement to benefit her.
"Earnest, you don't have to do that," she protested weakly, indicating the exaggerated slowness. But he just smiled; sensing her lack of panic, he stepped another half-step closer, his hand lifting carefully, as if to touch her face. Edythe nodded in approval and he reached out to cup her cheek gently in his. He was careful, more careful than was necessary, aware of how different she felt now, soft and fragile and human.
Edythe met him the rest of the way; instead of him pressing his palm against her face, she leaned into his hand. She remembered all too well the fear she had felt when trying to touch Beau for the first few weeks, and she reminisced with her family but was comforted that this, at least, she could help them with. Earnest's smile grew bigger as she leaned in his touch.
"Welcome home, Edythe," he said gently. Edythe reached out for him and he complied, pulling her into his arms gingerly. She hugged him back with as much strength as she had and his arms twitched tighter, returning the gesture. There was a beat of silence before her emotions ran over; all the feelings of guilt, of gratitude, of welcome, of love welled up inside her and her body couldn't take it anymore. Edythe's eyes pricked and she had to fight back an exasperated sigh as tears worked to fall once more. Instead, she buried her face in Earnest's shoulder.
"Oh, Edythe," Earnest murmured, his face pressed into her auburn hair. His unbeating heart had ached for days, hurt by the distrust and fear Edythe had displayed in the beginning, but even more so in her absence altogether; then to see her completely fall apart in his arms, his paternal instinct felt peace in taking his human daughter to comfort her at last. Eleanor stepped forward then, taking Edythe's hand delicately from where she had wrapped it around Earnest. Edythe hitched a breath as Eleanor stood besides Earnest, her smile not joking or teasing, but just soft, uncharacteristic for her boisterous sister. Edythe squeezed Eleanor's fingers; though it hurt her and it was hardly strong enough, the message was clear.
Edythe held onto her father and sister, using as much strength as she had, even though she knew that they could pull away at any moment if they chose. But they didn't; Earnest hugged her tighter and Eleanor lightly squeezed her fingers, their cold granite embraces making her feel safe, just as Carine had. She could feel her mother step up behind her, her hands on her shoulders, rubbing her back soothingly.
Edythe tried to apologize, to explain, her whispered words trying to find some semblance of logic, but her unbridled emotions hardly let her get a word out. Carine hushed her, promising her she need not apologize, that there was nothing to be sorry for. Edythe stopped trying to talk, instead just relishing in the feeling of her father's arms around her, of being reunited with her family.
Jessamine could feel Edythe's turmoil, her love for her family that caused the joyful aspect of the reunion, and the guilt that funneled from the last interaction she had had with them. She stepped forward, minding her thirst—though she found Edythe's scent no more appetizing than Beau's—and tried to soothe Edythe with her gift. Gently, she wrapped a thin layer of love and comfort around her, a second blanket on top of the first. Each family member's elation of having Edythe back was intertwined, like threads in the blanket, and they wrapped around Edythe, her tangled emotions straightening themselves and the negative ones dissipating.
Edythe calmed under Jessamine's influence and the Cullens stood there for a moment, just enjoying the sensation, the ripple effect from Jessamine's gift. The familial bond burned through each of them, as strong as ever, and the respective fondness each shared for another was appreciated and reciprocated. Edythe smiled, the last of her nerves evaporating as she was overwhelmed with positive emotion, both organic and conjured from Jessamine. Studiously ignoring Royal's absence—she could only deal with so much at one time now—she took a step back; Carine stepped with her and Earnest relaxed his hold on her. Edythe looked down, playing with Eleanor's fingers idly.
"I missed you," she admitted.
"We missed you too, sweetheart," Earnest told her, brushing a lock of Edythe's hair back behind her ear. "We are happy to have you home."
"I'm happy to be home," she agreed.
A/N: Quite a sappy, gutsy fluffy chapter (the last one was too), but I think they needed an official-unofficial "welcome back" chapter before we can go on to the next part of the story.
Thank you for the messages about Human Again; besides wanting people to just leave it be, I was not the biggest fan of that story and the way I wrote it (hence part of the reason I started Mortality). There was a lot of flaws in HA, I know that, (there's a lot of flaws in this one too), and I guess I wanted a chance at a do-over.
Anyway, please let me know what you guys think, if you want!