Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, I just like to hang out in her world.
One moment, I had a clear view of the family who was present and accounted for. Esme's lovely design update to our home outside of Cornwall proper, a lovely ski resort turned estate. Carlisle planned to take a position starting in October. Our phone numbers had been updated with numbers local to that area since leaving Forks. Jasper had recently decided to major in Art history when we moved there next, Emmet was on the fence between electrical engineering and anthropology. Rosalie would study genetics. I heard a finger slide across a page in the direction of the library, Carlisle secretly doing research on the effects of the separation of mates. His eldest son's behavior was worrisome to our patriarch. Ithaca was almost a purgatory with part of our family missing. A break; a stepping stone to getting back to life as we'd lived it before we met with disaster. Though none of us spoke of those events anymore. Esme hummed a soft tune to herself, barely audible to my sensitive ears and only slightly morose as she sketched away. She'd ask my opinion on swatches and fabrics, and I'd help create cushions and draperies. Those were times I most felt that I was a daughter. I sat next to Jasper ordering fabric on my laptop while he and Emmet played ESO. Spring and summer wardrobes had already been put together with the exception of a few minor pieces, which would be obtained the hard way. Starting on my personal fall wardrobe would keep me busy only until mid June. I was faster than any sewing machine after all, so I took my time with fabric. A dark teal and a smattering of eggplant would look well against the fall leaves. Bella's Mahogany hair would have contrasted the teal perfectly. I looked up from my screen, wondering what she was doing. I was tempted to look into her next five minutes or so, but I wouldn't be able to stop. After Edward left us a few months ago I checked just to spite the ass for leaving. I'd only planned to peek, it had been so long since I'd seen her.
It was nearly 3 in the morning in Forks, a safe time to look. I stole into my room after putting my finger to my lips at Jasper's curious look, and sat on my bed. I saw her gripping the sheet in one hand, and her hand in front of her, almost trying to grab onto something. It took me a moment to realize that her lazy movements were done in sleep. She thrashed to the side and said something inaudible, it sounded like pleading. Soon her pleading became louder, her thrashing more urgent, until I could see the panicked yells of terror-fueled nightmares. I knew I should have backed out but my best friend was screaming "Please!" from thousands of miles away! I could only sit and watch as Charlie ran in and shook her and smoothed her hair until she awoke with a jerk. She assured him she was fine after a few minutes, and he went back to his bed. His lack of concern told me that this event was not unusual.
Bella stayed awake. She looked emaciated. Her hair looked dry, those ratty sweats she loved to wear to bed hung on her frame as she walked to the rocking chair and sat with her knees pulled so tight against her chest it looked like she was using them to hold her ribs in place. She sat there for 3 hours. Eventually during that time she relaxed slightly and looked out the window, but it seemed as if she was far away from that room, that rocking chair. She didn't seem to be taking in the scene outside her window at all. She looked extinguished, the life inside her burned out. When Jasper found me hours later I was in a similar position, mirroring my friend in her pain; leaning on the headboard, knees up to my chest. Waiting. He held me as I suffered with her, enveloping me in swirls of love so thick it might have made it all the way to her. He knew I'd looked. I knew he felt the devastation of Bella's quiet waking dream as she sat by the window. Still he pressed his comfort tight around me, in a way only he could. All the while crooning "Come back Alice, it's OK darlin', it's alright," pressing kisses to my temple, and tracing his fingers up and down my arm. His gentle drawl, coaxing me back to him.
One moment there was a hollow peace to our present, the next moment, everything was indistinct, shifting, and background to what had been set in motion. A million little details spanning, stretching, and blurring across the line from point A to point B. Like little rubber bands stretched tight and moving across, on top, fighting each other, causing the future to look like a shark at the bottom of the ocean. Indecipherable in detail, but an obvious danger. The moment Bella looked over the cliff, and took a step, I gasped, and the room turned to me. I sometimes wonder if I hadn't made such noise, things might be different. Maybe if I hadn't been thinking of her I wouldn't have seen. However the past is not my forte, and what's done is done.
I turned to Esme, the only mother I've known, and told her what I saw. "She jumped. Bella jumped." I looked to her hoping for a comfort that wouldn't come, because despite seeing her crawl out of the water, something in Bella's mind must have shifted with that split second decision to walk off the edge. Something changed that tied her life to ours, and if i didn't manage to get Edward informed immediately, she may not survive.
"No," Esme looked stricken, hands covering her mouth, fear written on her face. Emmet stood up, shocked. Carlisle appeared on the doorway connecting to his study, hanging on to the frame as if he needed the support, Jasper held my hand, even Rosalie sat up straight. A room of statues. Everything was changed.
"She's alive, but is in very real danger. If we don't do something she'll die." I started to explain.
"Humans die Alice," stated Rosalie, as she turned her attention away and thumbed through an issue of Popular Mechanics. "Whether old age, an accident, or a disease, it's going to happen." She flipped a page, unconcerned. She didn't see Emmet look to her with sadness in his eyes.
Carlisle ignored the jab and asked, "What needs to be done to prevent this? Is there a chance we can intervene quietly, unbeknownst to Edward?"
"No," I said, "if we try, we fail. We need his mind reading." I looked ahead again, and saw now that it was put in motion, and the dominos would never stop. One thing leads to another, and another. There was no turning back.
"I need to text Edward in exactly 47 seconds. By the time it pings him, Charlie will be home. If the timing is off Edward won't answer, Charlie wont help." I scanned the future quickly, and found the phrase I would send to Brazil. Our best chance.
"Eight seconds," Jasper said before he ran upstairs and back. One second later he passed my phone to me. I opened the text messenger app, and typed in the bait in less than three. On Jaspers cue, I hit send. Then we waited. There was no breath to be heard.
"What did you say, dear?" Asked Esme, placing a hand on my shoulder. The answer to that was interrupted by the vibrating phone in my hand. I slid the green receiver on the screen and held it to my ear. There was no need for a greeting.
"Is this a joke to you?" He roared.
"Not in the least, brother. If you don't, her demise is imminent. You are not to say a word. Keep calling until you hear her voice, hang up, hunt, and go to the airport. There will be a ticket there for you. She will die if you deviate."
There was a sharp intake of breath through his nose, a crunch, and the click of his phone hanging up.
"He'll come." I stated, as Emmet began pulling up airlines, and I spouted off flight numbers.
Carlisle walked to the center of the room, taking Esme's hand as she flitted to his side. "Should we all plan to return to Forks then?" he asked, concern tempering his voice.
"What the hell are you talking about!? 'Return to Forks?'" Rosalie's voice was indignant as she slapped her magazine down and stood. "This is lunacy! Why on earth should we uproot our lives again? How does this benefit the family!?"
"She is family-" Carlisle started calmly.
"Bullshit!"
"ROSE!" barked Emmet, walking close, one finger pointed to her heart, "Don't you see that your behavior is hurting your family? Hurting me?"
"Emmet this has nothing to do with y-"
"IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME!" he was nose to nose with his wife, "I considered her a sister the moment I learned she was Edward's mate! She made my brother happy! She made members of your family happy! How can you say that when it bothers everyone?"
"She'll throw her life away," she screeched, "she's wasting her chance!"
"I don't want to hear it anymore! It's not your decision, it's theirs. It's their life! Your life is with me!" He took a breath and quietly asked, "Otherwise what did you save me for? She was a Cullen the moment he realized he'd found her, and Cullens care for each other, Rosalie, that's all there is to it." he said, as his hand sliced the air. Truth be told, we'd all heard bits and pieces of this discussion over the last several months, since Bella joined us. However we'd never seen our gentle giant be so forceful with his wife. They stared at each other for a moment, until Rosalie noticed the way he put his hand on his heart.
"It's killing me to be in the middle on this, Rosie." Champion of us all indeed, but Emmet might be more borhered than he let on. She placed her hand on his, and ducked her head in defeat and remorse. Hurting her Emmet would ignite a slow process of change for Rosalie. A rare gift to one with an unchangeable nature.
"Alice, what was it that got Edward's attention?" asked Esme, pulling me from the moment.
"I told him he had to call her house, to make sure she survived. Truth be told, he was close to coming back. He's been wavering in the decision, and he's been lingering everytime he looks north, like he knows that's where he belongs. But her decision to jump sparked something. Something inside of her woke up." Emmet walked back to the computer as everyone listened to my explanation. "The danger comes from two sides, one is Victoria." All eyes turned black as I spoke her name. No one thought kindly of the girl whose mate wreaked havoc on our family last year. "She finds Bella's scent on the beach in 8 hours, and realizes that it didn't come from the road. She finds it on the cliffs still lingering, and realizes that Bella has a death wish. She knows we're gone and have left her behind. She knows that Edward cares for Bella, because he was hunting Victoria. I think she led him astray on purpose."
"Why haven't you seen her until now?" Asked Rosalie, in a slightly hostile tone. Obviously still not over her setdown and not making eye contact.
"I'm not sure. It's like she never made a decision, before now, to try to converge in our paths. Bella included."
Rose nodded, looking contemplatively at the carpet.
"Ali, these flight numbers take Edward to Washington, but the last one leads to New York again. Are we not staying in Forks?"
"Oh we'll stay, barring a natural disaster."
Phase two was the complicated part.
Alice's POV was important to add since she orchestrated Bella's rescue with her love and longing for her friend. I didn't think the depth of Alice's feelings for Bella was properly addressed in the books. She calls Bella her best friend, but we don't see her caring for her the way a friend would beyond the superficial. Additionally, it always ticked me off the way Emmet was totally disregarded as a person with opinions when his so called 'perfect match' hated someone that everyone else considered family. He calls Bella his sister, but he allows himself to be put in the middle of his entire family and his wife as she openly hates her. He has feelings too! Why can't he tell Rosalie to shut up and quit being so damn prickly?
Future Days, Pearl Jam