SM owns Twilight, I'm just here to play with her friends.
Waking in Edward's arms calmed my anxiety faster than my father was ever able to. I'm sure had he not been there, the screaming would have started. I awoke in a room in front of an unlit fireplace with deep blue carpet and a cushy sofa made of grey suede. He pointed me to a bathroom covered in light grey marble, on one side was a 3 piece bath, and on the other was an alcove with a huge tub and a loveseat. Where are we? After washing my hands I walked out to find Edward leaning against the back of the couch, looking more handsome than anyone had any right to look. He smiled his crooked smile and took my hand. "Did you say we were home before I woke up?"
He chuckled, "Yes, may I assume by your tone of voice you're referencing this grandiose suite of rooms?" He raised his eyebrows in question.
"You would be correct," I snarked in response, and he smiled wider.
"This place is larger than our last. It used to be a ski resort 50 years ago. The room we're in is actually smaller than the others'. Esme fitted them to each of us, but the last time I was assigned to a room in this place was more than 20 years ago, before we met." he mused. "My room, our room, is on the left of the stairs as you go up. There is another smaller suite across the hall, and the entrance preceding our door was a small room, turned walk-in closet. You can also access our room from that door. At the bottom of these stairs as you can see is the foyer, to our right is the much used dining hall, to the left is the great room. Beyond the dining hall is the kitchen." he pointed 2 fingers past the dining hall, like a tour guide. It was reminiscent of the tour he gave me of the Cullen house in Forks. We began walking toward the dining hall but stopped before passing the stairs. "This alcove leads to Carlisle's study and the library. The library connects to the great room as well. Off the kitchen is the laundry, and a mudroom on the other end. The back of the house is lined in porches and patios. As I recall, there are some stunning views to be had." He took my hand and led me to a professional looking kitchen, where Esme was plating something delicious looking.
"I hope you don't mind an oven-ready casserole, dear." Esme said while she wiped the edge of a shallow bowl of rice and chicken.
"No way do I mind, I think it smells great."
"That makes one of us!" yelled Emmet from somewhere in the house, I think I heard some muffled laughter from somewhere else.
It felt good to laugh, to have this back again. I was in the middle of it all hitting me, before I registered that I was crying. Esme held my hand, and Edward dried my face with a napkin. I sat on a stool, taking the napkin from him and wiping my eyes while they waited. "I'm ok. I just missed you all. This is me appreciating having you all with me. Of being here, with people I feel are family. With you is the only time I've felt like that." I sniffed and took a breath. "I'm ok. It's just… this is what I wished for." I suppose there was nothing to say, because they looked at each other and smiled, then dropped it, thankfully. Esme passed me my bowl and kissed my head before leaving the kitchen to the two of us.
Edward smiled to himself and told me to "Eat love," while playing with a lock of my hair. A bottle of lemonade appeared in front of me and when I was done he asked if i was up to talking with the family for a while. "Do you need more sleep? We can spend time with them tomorrow if you'd like to retire."
"No, I'm awake now. I slept the whole way here, and I haven't seen you all in months, I want to see them too."
He smiled and whispered, "They like hearing that," snaking his arms around my waist and kissing my lips, "as do I."
I was led to the Great room where the family was sitting together quietly in the sofa group by the fireplace. We sat next to Esme and Carlisle, who patted my knee. Across from us Alice smiled wide. "Well isn't this nice! Everyone together!"
"Alice," Edward began, squinting his eyes, "what are you up to?"
"Edward, stop, she's as happy as the rest of us."
"Mom, she's reciting times tables in greek."
Emmet laughed and Rosalie snickered. I looked at Carlisle who sat back grinning, seeming to enjoy his family.
"All in due time, dear brother. I think Carlisle would like to speak first. His statements will prelude my own anyhow." Alice spoke smugly. He made a face at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well," he chuckled, "I first want to say that it's nice to have us all together. It wasn't complete without the two of you." He said to us seriously, "we were all disheartened by your separation. You both alluded to some symptoms you experienced while you were apart. I'm not asking you to rehash those feelings, but I think it's important to address that your separation caused you both to behave dangerously. Edward by risking yourself far away from home, and Bella risking your mortality. As I've discussed with Edward, this behavior is typical of the separation of mates for long periods of time. There's evidence that it causes the type of desperation that induces out of character behavior, such as you've both experienced. May I assume that those symptoms have alleviated since you've reunited?" At our confirmation he continued, "Then I believe we should go over the events that brought us all back together. I'm sure Bella has questions, and there are some details she can share with us that may clarify some things. Alice informed us that you had taken a step off the cliff near Forks, and afterward Victoria had found your scent and deduced that you were experiencing depression strong enough to end your life, whether consciously or not. She assumed she'd be able to use that information to aid you in that endeavour, and in turn use that to cause Edward misery. Knowing that he would defend you, she would use his rage to end her own life."
"Oh, wow," I breathed, it was shocking, but I could understand why she would go to those lengths. "The revenge was her means to an end. I get why she would go that far to kill me."
"Bella, that's kind of a twisted thing to say, kid." Emmet told me.
"She meant that she understood how Victoria's despondent feelings could cause her to become desperate." Jasper clarified, and I nodded.
"Well I don't think anyone likes thinking about the feelings behind someone trying to kill you, just saying. So let's skip the part where we sympathize with Victoria."
"Agreed." Edward squeezing my hand.
"When Victoria had made her decision, and put her plan in place, the events of the last few days snowballed." Alice continued where Carlisle left off, "the asteroid was already on a set path for the planet with very little chance for destruction, based on the strategy compiled by NASA and the International Space Station. Bella would have been fine, if not for her jump. However," Alice looked pointedly at Edward, who looked stunned. "you didn't think it would have stopped at the Carolinas, did you?" She had a sly look on her face, she was about to drop something on us.
Lighting fast, Edward turned to me and looked reverent, "You saved my life." Everyone sat waiting for an explanation, but I stared at Edward confused as to why he would say that.
"I had a very small window to convince Edward to call your house, and continue calling to the point of making the Forks Chief of Police really ticked off. Enough to trace the calls."
"It was you that called my house?" I demanded of Edward.
"It was Bella. He was not to speak to you under my instruction. Your actions on the cliff and the subsequent decision made by Victoria were all wrapped up together. Had Edward spoken to you, you'd have stayed, or taken a flight out of Seattle to meet him where his flight connected in Texas. She would have found you first, and we were too far away to help you in time. The only way was to get you out at the perfect time, and that was after word of the asteroid hit the news stations of the world, then you wouldn't want to fly. You'd be in danger from the meteorites, but injuries are better than death, so travel by truck you must. The shower of meteorites began when you were nearly to the South Dakota border. Hitting the ground starting in the Northwest Territories, through America, reaching as far East as the Carolinas, but also through the Gulf of Mexico, eastern Columbia, Venezuela; one of the last places in the debris track was Rio. Edward's hiding spot no longer exists. In its place is a crater. If Bella hadn't jumped, Edward would be gone."
I was in a room of statues as they took in what Alice was saying, but when she concluded there was an influx of explanation; a few hissed, Esme gasped, I heard Carlisle mutter the word 'son' in disbelief.
"Am I correct in understanding that you believe Bella's clairsentient ability saved her mate's life?" Asked Carlisle.
"I believe this confirms it, assuming Bella's feelings for Edward are what precipitated her jump."
"Bella," Jasper called my attention, "what were your last thoughts before you walked to the cliff and stepped out?"
"I was imagining Edward sitting with me on the cliff. I did some things that would cause me to become afraid, give me an adrenaline rush, and when I did, I heard his voice, as if he was standing next to me. Warning me to stop, trying to keep me safe. I'd seen people jump from the spot before, but I wasn't sure I could. So I sat there, just to be alone. I got up and walked to the edge to look out and I heard him, warning me to be careful. I remember thinking, maybe I can follow that voice, maybe I could bring it back to me. It sounds ridiculous now. I didn't even think, I just walked off the edge."
"Ta da!" Alice sang, flinging her arms in the air.
"Not ridiculous," Edward took my face in his hands, "your clairsentience saved my life."
"My what?"
"Clairsentience or 'clear feeling' is using your feelings as a psychic ability. I've never known anyone with this ability." Carlisle rubbed his chin, looking fascinated, but I was still confused. The family began to list examples of how I've used this ability in the past without knowing. My reaction to Edward, my near-death experiences, the way I've puzzled out what they were, and so many other times I've followed my gut to safety or answers.
I realized they were right. "It felt like walking off the cliff would be ok. Like I was going to Edward. I thought I was acting insane. I remember thinking, after climbing out of the water and lying on the beach, that my life was what it was, and I couldn't change it. I even failed at ending it so I might as well live my life as it came to me, and try to survive as best I could. I was going to give up on everything that meant anything, and just endure."
"So in other words, you were going to give up on trying to live your life the way you wished, and just follow your gut?" Rosalie asked me.
"Yeah, basically."
"There you have it." Rosalie gestured to me, looking at Carlisle. Then crossed her arms and looked away. Emmet sat next to her and casually put his arm around her while he smiled hugely at Edward. Edward's eyebrows were practically in his hairline, but didn't comment as to what Emmet was communicating to him. Jasper was trying not to laugh.
Esme broke the momentary silence, "Not only did Bella save Edward's life, she orchestrated our reunion by communicating with Alice when she had made her decision to travel to us." She leaned over Carlisle to address me directly. "As soon as you allowed your ability to perform you saved our family from tragedy."
"We are the 'Psychic friends network,' Bella." Alice gestured to both of us.
"Ha, I forgot about that! That seems like so long ago now. Hey wait, weren't we going to discuss what we're going to do about my truck when we got here?"
"That brings us to our next order of business." Carlisle seemed hesitant to continue, he looked to Edward, who nodded in agreement to whatever thought Carlisle communicated to him. "Bella, your truck was destroyed. After Edward caught you and ran, the truck flipped when the meteorite hit it, and because it was still running, it burned. There isn't much left of it. The Washingtom plates will be decipherable, but the truck is unsalvageable. I'm very sorry."
"I knew it was smashed, but I didn't realize it flipped."
"It would have flipped onto you if I hadn't ran you from it when I did. It was a very close thing."
"Bella, we have an opportunity to do something that normally I wouldn't consider. However, considering the events of the last few days, and the negative effects of your separation from Edward, for everyone involved, I believe it appropriate to offer you a position as a part of our family."
It took me a moment to realize what he was saying, because after the last few hours, and all that they had said to me about considering us 'all together again,' I had assumed they already meant I was family. Then it struck me that he was offering me immortality. "Oh, oh."
"I'm sorry love, but we'll need an answer quickly. They'll begin to investigate your truck tomorrow afternoon. If you'd like to use this opportunity to cut off your human contacts, we cannot allow them to know that we've met up again. We can simply say that you never arrived. You don't have to change immediately, but ending your human relationships might be easier without a drawn-out goodbye. Should you decide to become immortal, that is."
"You want me to be with you? As a vampire?" I asked Edward, disbelieving.
"There's nothing I want more. For me, for my own selfish reasons, yes." he took a breath before continuing, "I allowed my fears ofyour possible regret to cloud my judgement before I left you. Once I understood what it had done to my family, and afterward what it was doing to both of us, being separated from you was no longer a viable option. You've changed all of us since you've joined us."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and I needed a moment to process it before answering. Instead I asked the family, "What about the rest of you, what are your thoughts?"
"You already know mine!" Emmet boomed, grinning, "you were my sister from go!"
"Carlisle and I would love for you to join us." Esme started.
"We already consider you our daughter." Carlisle concluded, squeezing my upper arm.
"Nearly killing my sister was a traumatic experience for me. I'd like to avoid that in the future." Jasper said, looking me in the eyes, but sending me a feeling of inclusiveness, belonging. I smiled back at him.
"Other than Edward, I think I've had the most trouble accepting you as an immortal. It was nothing against you personally, but nevertheless I used you as an outlet for my own frustrations. I apologize for that. Be assured, I won't judge you for your choices. Above all, I do believe you belong in this family." Rosalie stated coolly. It was the most she'd ever said to me, it wasn't hostile in the least.
"Thank you," I said quickly, not wanting her to continue just in case. The only one who hadn't given her opinion was Alice, and I turned to see her looking at me seriously.
"It's your decision, Psychic Friend."
I love it when a plan comes together, and all the pieces fit! There was so much information and back story that the chapter had to be extra long. I'm not sure if the next chapter will wrap it up, or if there will be another. We'll see how it pans out. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me. Especially traceybuie.
Music for the chapter is Saved My Life, Sia, because this time it was Bella who did the saving.