Chapter 7: Nuisances and Practice
Forks WA
[Charlie's POV]
Alice is still in Forks. I'm not sure what she is looking for, Bella is out of state. The Quileute's have upped their patrols.
My phone chirps. "Billy, what can I do for you?"
"Alice Cullen has been seen close to our borders. Do you know why she is in town? Are the other Cullens joining her?"
"Billy, you guess is as good as mine. I think she may be hanging around town looking for leads on Bella's whereabouts. I'm not giving her any information. I don't like the way they treated my daughter. Bella is out of town and I want to keep it that way."
"We will keep a lookout and watch Alice when she is close to our borders. I'll let you know if anything develops."
"Thanks Billy, I'll let you know when I have more information about Alice or the Cullens."
Alice is a pest.
Dallas TX
[Charlotte's POV]
Jasper and I walk into the Public Library to the archives section. We were looking for local and state legends about Ley lines and paranormal activity. Most of it will be heresy. I find an old journal talking about astral projection dated in the 1940's, Mary the author had some suggestions on how to experiment to see if you can astral project. I copied a few of her notes. I would like to experiment and see if I can project an astral form from one location to another location. I want to see if I can eavesdrop on other conversations. That would be useful.
Jasper is interested in combining physic and physical abilities, basically finding out individual strengths and then combining our abilities to create more useful results. He will always be a strategist.
Damon and Bella have settled down some. Whatever they did while we were gone they kept the house clean and nothing broken. I even looked for replacements. I really like having them as guests. If only I could train Pete that well.
[Peter's POV]
Charlotte has been happy these last couple of weeks. I didn't realize how lonely it was for her here at the ranch. Bella has made a difference. She smiles more often. When we got home from our trip to Dallas-Ft. Worth, she was amazed at how clean the house was. I need to take Charlotte out more often, she needs female friends to talk with and do things together. She is happy researching topics with Jasper as they looked though old family archives, searching for any clues on how Elemental and/or Leyline energy works. She was excited to find an old journal that mentioned Astral projection. I know it sounds so New Age, but Charlotte has a knack for it.
I am searching corporate archives for unexplained electrical phenomena. I found a couple of references, but nothing like what I can do from our experiments.
Whitlock Ranch TX
[Jasper's POV]
Damon told me something I want to try. He said that he knows a witch that can set water on fire. I want to see if he and I can replicate that effect. Charlotte wants to work with Astral projection. Bella is going to try exploration, looking for fault lines, sink holes, hidden caves. She wants to work with Damon to see if she make a rock monster like the one in Galaxy Quest or in the Dungeons and Dragons book. I blinked at that one.
Charlotte told me she had a hunch that we would need every advantage we can get. I think Pete wants to see what electrical conduits he can play with. He is getting better with ball lightning. I saw him practicing the other day. It's time for Elemental training part two. We are headed back to the caverns for more training
Caverns near the Ranch TX
[Bella's POV]
Down in another chamber of the caves: we are exploring and experimenting with our powers. "Damon quit. I don't want to walk back to the house all wet. Yes that is an impressive water spout." He throws a lascivious grin at me. "I'm not talking that kind of wet. Just wait until we get to the bedroom for that." He lunges at me, I fall backward; instead of hitting the rock wall of the cave I go through it. Not the shatter kind but a merge through to the other side of the wall. I hear him shout for me, "Bella, where are you?"
I did it once let's see if I can do this consciously. I concentrate on what it felt like going through the wall. I walk to the surface on this side and see myself on the side with Damon. I step forward and I see him frantically looking around for me. "I'm right here." He grabs me like he never wants to let me go.
"What just happened you were here and then you weren't?"
"I literally fell through the wall. Good thing it was a thin one or I would have panicked."
"Let's see if I can take someone through with me. I look to see if he wants to. He nods at me to proceed. He closes his eyes." I wrap my arm around his waist and I visualize both of us on the other side of the wall. We step forward and we are in the other cavern.
"You just did that?"
I nod, "we just did that."
[Jasper's POV]
I hear Bella and Damon in one of the other caverns. I call out to them. "Damon, I would like to work on the fire on water that you said your witch friend can do."
Damon and Bella round the corner into the cavern I'm in, "I'm willing to try," he responds.
Bella goes over to a corner of the cavern looking at a quartz vein running through one of the strata. "Hey I can make us some truth stones out of these. She has six quartz pieces. I can smooth these out so they are round. Charlotte told me you have a rock grinder in one of your sheds." I nod at her. "Those would come in handy. I'll help you with it as soon as we are finished here." She grins. "I really want to give one to Charlotte."
I see out of the corner of my eye, "Charlotte standing in front of Bella, I would love to have one." How did she get here? She said she had a errand to run in town. She left the caverns an hour ago. I look back at Bella and Charlotte is gone.
"Bella laughs at me. Charlotte just astral projected."
I guess these exercises are paying off. I just hope Damon doesn't learn how to astral project or worse yet Peter.
Whitlock Ranch TX
[Bella's POV]
I finished making the truth stones. Helen, Charlie's mom taught me how to make them when I was a little girl. I wish I had some of them with me when I met the Cullens. I walk in the house to find Damon on the phone.
"Stefan, I told you that I'm visiting friends in Texas. What is so important that I am needed in Mystic Falls?"
"You should be able to handle it. I don't care what Elena thinks. Fine, I will be there in three days. No, I can't make it any sooner. See you then." He hangs up.
He looks over at me. "Bella, I once joked that you would have to propose. Will you marry me?"
I have the truth stones, so I know he is serious. Something must have happened concerning his brother. "If that is what you truly want: then yes I'll marry you."
He hugs me tightly to his chest. "Thank you. I love you. I just wish I could have done a romantic dinner or something special. I have been thinking about it. I have to go back to Mystic Falls and deal with family issues. I want you to come back with me as my wife."
"So when do we leave for Mystic Falls?"
"Pete, are you still an ordained minister?"
Charlotte laughs and says "He is. We got the paperwork ready for your signature, and he can marry you two tomorrow. We just have to drop the paperwork by the courthouse tomorrow and pay some fees. The judge there is a great-great-great granddaughter of mine. She thinks I'm a distant cousin."
"I'm glad you can see the future. Bella I am going to call my lawyer and get him to overnight some legal papers for us to sign tomorrow." Damon runs his hand through his hair.
I grab his other hand. "What's got you so worked up?"
"I am making contingency plans. I want you to have access to my assets if something should happen to me."
"Damon you are scaring me."
"I don't plan on anything happening. I just want to have all my bases covered before we leave for Mystic Falls. That place seems to always have some kind of supernatural drama going on."
I hug him. "We will deal with it. I love you."
He looks deeply into my eyes. "I love you."
Pete enters the room. "Now that you have the sappy stuff out of the way, here are some forms for you both to sign."