Disclaimer: I dont own anything but the plot
Chapter 11 Treaty and travel
Bella POV
While I tugged Luke Into bed, Rosalie started work on the truck, with help from Emmett. She soon concluded that it would take some spare parts and a few more days. I was worried about what the cost would be, but they all just dismissed my worries and said not to think about it. Edward promised to drive Luke and I to and from school every day, so I didn't have to run. They were all so very sweet and helpful. Over the next week we had visitors every night. Alice and Jasper came on Friday, and just like with the others, Luke liked them right away. I could see that Jasper was nervous about getting too close, but he did great. Saturday afternoon, we went to their house for the first time, to meet Carlisle and Esme.
They were both extremely kind and welcoming. I could tell Esme would have cried if she could, when Luke gave her a hug. I wondered silently if she had ever held a child since her transformation. We were sitting in their extravagant kitchen while Luke ate some snacks Esme prepared for him. Fruit slices and crackers. I noticed how Edward and Carlisle would sometimes look at each other with intense expressions and then Edward would either nod or shake his head infinitesimally. I guessed they were having a quiet conversation. That's when a topic came up that I hadn't expected.
"So Bella." Carlisle began. "I don't want to alarm you, but there is something I need to discuss with you. Do you mind accompanying Edward and I to my office?"
"No, of course not." I stood and followed them up a beautiful staircase. "Is it something serious?"
"No. It's just a few formalities that we need to inform you about."
They let me into an office with bookshelves lining two of the walls, one wall filled with beautiful, very old looking paintings, and a heavy mahogany desk by the last wall which was one huge window. Carlisle sat in the chair behind the desk, Edward took one in front of it and I sat beside him in the last chair.
"First I need to know if you're aware that werewolves exist in this world."
My mouth dropped open. "Werewolves? As in shape shifting werewolves?" They both nodded. "Wow. You know, I really shouldn't be surprised given what we are. But no, I wasn't aware of that. Are there any here? Are they dangerous?"
"There is a pack near here, but they don't pose any threat to us as long as we leave them alone. And they would never harm a human, so Luke is in no danger at all."
"Oh. That's good to know. Where do they live?" A bell started ringing in my head, but I couldn't see what it reminded me of.
Edward answered. "They live in La Push. Down near first beach. Do you know where that is?"
The bell rang louder. "Yes. I've been there a couple of times, Before I was turned, that is."
"The reason why we're telling you this is because you need to know not to go near that place. We have a treaty with the Queleute tribe. We don't go near their home and they don't come near ours. The town is neutral territory."
"Am I allowed to live there then? Does it go against the treaty?"
"I've recently spoken to the head of their council. His name is Billy Black. He has discussed it with the other council members and they have allowed you to stay there. At least for now. He expressed an interest in talking to you though. Over the phone. And If you wouldn't mind, it would be best to get out of the way immediately."
I finally located that damn bell. Billy Black. Charlie's best friend. All the summers I spent going down to La Push for fishing trips. Playing with Billy's daughters Rachel and Rebecca, and his son Jacob.
"Bella?" Edward looked concerned. No doubt my face reflected my distress. "If you'd rather not do it now, we can wait a bit until you're more comfortable with the idea."
I thought for a moment before answering. "No. I'd like to speak to him. Should we call now?"
"Yes, I think that would be best." Carlisle lifted the earpiece to the landline on his desk, dialed a number and then placed the earpiece down again. The dial tone filled the silent room. Then a groff voice I hadn't heard in many years sounded through the speakers. "Hello? This is Billy."
"Hello mister Black. This is Carlisle Cullen. I hope we're not disturbing you at an inconvenient time. I have ms. Swan with me on loudspeaker like you requested."
"Oh. Yes, Hello. No, the time is fine."
"Hello Billy." I said. "It's been a long time. I hope you're doing well." My voice wasn't completely steady.
I felt the shock go through the other two in the room.
"Isabella? Is it really you?"
"Yes, it is."
I heard a sad sigh on the phone. "I prayed to the heavens it wasn't true. Bella, I am so sorry for what has happened to you."
"Thank you."
"I'm guessing this happened at the time of your mother and stepfather's murder. Your father said your body was never recovered."
"That's right. I hope you don't think badly of me. Because of what I am, I mean."
Another sigh. "Out of respect for my best friend and the fact that I saw you grow up to be a good and respectful girl, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I assume you're living in Charlie's house?"
"Yes. And please don't worry. The people of Forks, and the people of the tribe, have nothing to worry about from me. I've never fed on a human, and I have no intentions of ever doing so."
"Good. Listen, if you see any of our warriors in town don't approach them. Jake will probably be with them, and he has promised that if it was really you he would make sure they don't do anything, but they might still be a bit unpleasant. If you see them in wolf form out in the forests, Jake will be the big brown one with a creamy belly. He won't get close, but he'll at least be civil. The black one will be Sam. The alpha."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"I wish I could say it was good to hear from you Bella. But I don't want to lie."
"I understand. Please give my thanks to the council for allowing me to stay."
"I will… Goodbye Isabella."
"Goodbye Billy."
He hung up the phone and my shoulders drooped a bit.
I looked up to see a stunned Carlisle. To my left was an equally stunned Edward, but he was smiling just a bit more than his father.
"You are acquainted with the Blacks?" Carlisle asked, bemused.
"Yeah." I said sheepishly. "Billy and my father were best friends. I would spend one month with my father here in Forks every summer until I was fourteen. At least one week of that month was spent down in La Push with the Blacks. I was good friends with his son Jacob and his two daughters Rachel and Rebecca."
A low chuckle came from beside me. I looked over to see Edward shaking his head slightly.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"
"What can I say? Apparently I have good connections."
Monday rolled around and Luke ran down the stairs. Bells it's snowing! I laughed.
"I know. Make sure to go out and make a snowman for me later okay?"
Okay. He grabbed his thick boots and coat so we could get going. When we got outside, I saw to my astonishment that Edward was leaning against his volvo. Luke ran over to him as soon as he saw him.
"Goodmorning to you too Luke. I know, it's great right?" Edward answered Luke's silent comment. I locked the door to the house and walked over.
"Good morning Edward. I wasn't expecting you today. Rosalie finished the car Saturday, so I thought we'd drive ourselves."
"Good morning Bella." When he said my name, it almost sounded like he was savoring it. "No way. I must be imagining things."
"I know, but Rose likes all the attention her M3 is getting at school. Plus this way I escaped the ambush."
"Ambush?"
He laughed a little. "Emmett was planning to start a snowball fight with Jasper, and Alice predicted they were going to try to ambush me."
"Oh I see." Why did it make me feel a little disappointed that that was the reason?
"Besides, I like being your chauffeur. You guys are a lot more entertaining than my siblings."
He looked at Luke then and chuckled at something he told him. "You're right, Luke. Emmett is funny. But when you've lived with him for as long as I have, you get tired of the same jokes."
He looked back up to meet my eyes. "So, what do you say? Will you ride with me?"
Luke turned to face me and pleaded with puppy dog eyes. Please, please, please can we? My eyes met Edward again and I smiled. Which seemed to please him more than I would have thought.
"As long as it's not a problem for you, I certainly don't mind being driven around." I felt a pang in my chest at the sight of his toothy grin. He looked as if I had just handed him the world on a plate.
"Great." He opened the door to the backseat and gestured to Luke. "Hope in." Luke did, with a massive grin of his own I might add. Then Edward opened the passenger side door and held it for me. "My lady." "Why do my cheeks feel so warm all of a sudden? There is no way I can be plushing.
"Thank you." I said as I got in.
He and Luke decided in the car that Edward would officially become our driver to and from school.
During the previous week, Edward had spent every biology class, every lunch and every moment he could outside of school asking me about myself and sometimes Luke. He really did want to know everything about me it seemed. Even things I was sure he couldn't find interesting, but he assured me on several occasions, when I pointed it out, that he was not bored at all.
I was equally as curious of course, and asked him almost as many questions. Today was no exception.
"What places have you traveled to?" He asked in biology. We had already finished our assignment, we had to seperate the slides of onion root tip cells. They were out of order, and we had to label each one with the correct name for the phases of mitosis they presented. I had done this lab before with white fish blastula, and Edward had done it before too, so it was easy and we were done quickly.
"You mean besides here and Phoenix? Hmm, let's see. We've been over pretty much half the country by now, but stayed in some places much longer than others. We went to North Dakota first, then Idaho, Minnesota, took a long trip up to Maine, and let me tell you it was long. Then we went to Mississippi. I didn't think the guy would count on us going somewhere so hot and sunny, but while we were there I heard reports about people turning up dead looking like they'd been attacked by an animal. We fled as soon as we got the chance. Then we went back north to Montana, spent some time in Canada, then Oregon and now here. Of course we've stayed in a lot more places than just one per state, but I can't remember them all."
I finished with a shrug of my shoulders. He looked very displeased about something.
"What?"
He didn't answer. Just looked at me with his brows knitted together.
"What did I say?"
"What about… Pre Luke? Where did you travel to then?"
"Uuhmm.. Here. And a few weekend trips with my mom to California. Why?"
"The places you went with Luke. Did you actually see any of these places?"
"Well I had my eyes open, but I didn't go sightseeing if that's what you mean. Edward, why are you being so serious about this?"
"How long did you stay in these places?"
"Edward?!"
"Please just answer Bella."
"Why? You're being weird."
"Just this last one. Please."
I sighed. "We never stayed in the same place twice and never for more than a month. Now explain the third degree interrogation please."
He looked down at our worksheet. I didn't think he was going to reply, but before I could insist on an answer he spoke.
"It pains me that this was your life. That you had to run and hide like that."
His voice was solemn. He sounded so sad it made my chest ache. I reached out and took his hand that was laying on the table.
"But it's better now. You and your family are giving us the chance at a better life. I even have the feeling that Alice would never let me go anywhere, and Rosalie and Esme would probably Lock Luke in your house if I wanted to try and leave the state out of worry the guy would find us."
He led out a single non humorous laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right."
"Edward?" He didn't answer. "Look at me." He turned his head slowly and looked into my eyes. I thought I saw guilt on his face, but that couldn't be true. What did he have to be guilty about? "This is the first time in eight years I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder in fear. I actually feel safe here. I feel like Luke can be safe. And that is all because of you guys. Especially you Edward." His face opened up a bit and some of the guilt I saw faded.
"You've been guarding us. Haven't you?"
His eyebrows rose to the top of his forehead. "You knew?"
I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Of course I knew. It wasn't that difficult to figure out. You're always there at the house at least a couple of hours every night. And I've caught your scent multiple times in the forest in many different places."
"And oh does he smell good. Like sunshine and honey. Floral too. I still can't believe I actually let out a moan of appreciation the first time I caught his scent on the trunk of a fallen tree, where he must have sat down. I had smelled him before, so why did it hit me so differently just because I was alone?"
"You've been circling the house. Were you doing perimeter checks?"
He looked like a child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Yes." A beat of silence. "Are you angry?"
My giggle took him by surprise. "Why would I be angry that you're trying to keep us safe? I mean I assume that's what you're doing. If you're just being creepy and stalking me, that's a different story. But since you can't hear my thoughts to spy on, Luke is always asleep at night, and since you've never come all that close to the house, I doubt that's it. I would have noticed you if you had gotten close enough to actually see through the windows. Even with enhanced sight. So no. I'm not angry, Edward. Im grateful."
"Thank you."
I shook my head. "No Edward. Thank you."
Please R&R, Thank you
