Bella kind of wished she didn't have vampiric hearing at this point in her life. She could hear the vehicle grinding on the sand. She could guess from the weighty sound that they had come in Emmett's Jeep.
The bang of the car doors, somehow perfectly in time, felt like it was sealing her fate. She was thankful for Jasper there by her side, his hand in hers a physical anchor to the here and now. Even if this all went to shit, she'd still have Charlotte and Peter to count on. Time she set her resolve.
Emmett had to admit that Texas was beautiful, all sprawling, sandy landscapes that seemed to go on forever, and then the Whitlock ranch was even more beautiful. They lived in so much modern splendour, passed so much of it on the way and yet the Whitlock ranch was like being transported back into the late 1800's. Being vampires in the middle of nowhere they had no need to improve everything to live in the modern world. Smoke rose from the top of the building from what Emmett could only assume was a fire.
But Emmett could not truly appreciate his surroundings at this point. His mind was elsewhere, his mind was inside the building not in the building's decoration. It was with his little sister who he thought he'd never see again, who he thought didn't want to see him again up until the last few weeks. Usually he was the comic relief in his family the one who could lighten a situation even when things were relatively dire. But not this time, there was light in everything apart from losing family. He only hoped that she was willing to see them now she was changed and that this meeting wasn't as awkward as he feared it would be.
Peter and Charlotte standing impassively at the door, like dark wardens of the household, certainly did not aid his nerves. Without the comforting touch of his mate he was sure he would have resorted to human habits, the way he used to bite his fingernails in a way to focus on anything but what was causing the nerves within him.
They were out of the car both much sooner and much later than he would have liked. He had no idea how this was going to go. He hated what Alice and Edward had done to his family but in situations like this he couldn't deny they had their benefits.
Despite their intimidating look as they approached, Charlotte met them with a warm smile, shaking all their hands before leading them into the house. It was a shame the same couldn't be said for Peter. He was as standoffish as he had initially appeared. He merely grunted at them as greeting and threw his wife a dirty look at her courtesy. Emmett couldn't tell if this was manufactured roles or just how they had personally reacted to their presence.
It was a weird sight, to see Jasper and Bella together. Not just together, but alone together. Emmett could only remember one time during Bella's time with them where they had been alone together, and that had been when they were hiding from James. And yet, while it was weird it looked natural. As if they had always been this close. By the looks of it, Bella was only keeping her composure purely because of Jasper's presence beside her.
Bella didn't know how to feel. She both felt like she was coming home and that this situation couldn't be any stranger. She didn't know what to say, couldn't even formulate the words in her head let alone on her tongue. Peter and Charlotte had sat down, though she could tell in their subtle tensions that they were ready for anything. The Cullen's put up no such pretence of relaxation, they stood solid as statues by the door. A range of emotions on each and between their faces. Like Bella they seemed unsure quite where to start with this introduction. Or reintroduction so it were.
In the end it was Rosalie who broke the silence.
"I suppose I should start with an apology. I was unfair to take my dislike of Edward out on you. Or less my dislike of Edward but my disagreement with his life choices. I felt it was wrong to introduce a human to the family, when the fallout could affect us all. As such I never took the time to get to know you. I also didn't really like the way you were so willing to give up your humanity for Edward." Bella was kind of glad that it was Rosalie that had started. She had the least conflicted emotions around her.
"I didn't want to change for Edward. I wanted to change to be with the family. But I can understand why you wouldn't want me around at first. I brought more danger to your family. But maybe now that risk is gone, we could get to know each other better." She had always wondered what Rosalie's problem had been with her. She was even sure it went slightly deeper, but it was definitely a start.
Rosalie gave her a smile. Small, unsure, but it was a step in the right direction. One battle down, but she wasn't sure yet how the others would go. But by the looks of it, Rosalie's bravery had opened the rest of the family up to make their peace. They came to sit on the furniture spotted around the living room. Relaxing just slightly.
Esme took the seat directly next to Bella. Reaching out to take her hand.
"I am terribly sorry for leaving. I can't think how terribly you must think of us, we called you family. And then left without saying goodbye. Even though Edward had told us you didn't want to see us we should have followed up, checked on you." Bella could see the tears forming in Esme's eyes. Pools of venom that would gather but never get released. And Bella could tell they weren't just crocodile, she could see the genuine regret, remorse swimming behind them. She wasn't surprised, the idea that Esme would just leave her had rocked her beliefs, and now seeing that she regretted put Bella's world back to rights.
She embraced the woman into her arms, feeling like she was home once more. "It's okay Esme, you never told the lie, nor did you have the power in the coven to go against it. I'm just glad that you're back." But while she made her peace with Esme, she realised that the one person she had true animosity towards regarding the situation. And after her moment with Esme he was next to speak up.
"Yes Bella, we are truly sorry with how this all came about and we hope with time you will come to accept and trust us once again." And while he sounded oh so sincere Bella refused to let him off as easily as she had Esme or even Rose.
"Who is the coven leader in your family" She didn't mean for the word family to come out quite so bitterly, because she knew how much it all meant to them. But she was angry. And a newborn. It was likely to be a toxic mix even with her being as controlled as she was.
In his defence Carlisle looked taken aback by the question. It was no surprise though, he had just watched Bella easily accept both Rosalie and Esme's apologies with open arms, mixed with the fact Bella had always been generally mild mannered. Yes sir, no sir. She had been a doormat while she was with Edward and it was a side of her personality that Carlisle was more accustomed, but it certainly wasn't her whole personality.
"Bella you know I'm the coven leader?" It came out as a question, his confusion lacing both his face and his words.
"Then this isn't Edward and Alice's fault it's yours. They are coven members; they can contribute but they don't make decisions. You, as you just admitted, are coven leader. It is you who has the final say, who can override people's suggestions." She was talking rapidly, her agitation and hurt, clearly showing. "But it was always Edward and Alice who got their way. Because of their gifts. Because if Alice could see it then surely it must be true, despite her visions being based on decisions, and Edward must be hearing certain thoughts perfectly. He would never be overwhelmed by multiple minds around him. It's not fair Carlisle, how you've let them run your coven. It's not fair on me, it's not fair on Rose and Emmett or Jasper and it's especially not fair on Esme. She's your mate, her opinion is meant to come before all else. God, even common sense should have come before Alice and Edward! How was you expecting leaving a human with vampire knowledge to end? You told me about the Volturi, you must be fools if you didn't think they knew, especially with both Victoria and Laurent still free and about!" There were very few times she had been this angry in her life, but like always, when it occurred it boiled out of her like a kettle that had been filled just a little too high.
Carlisle had never considered the blame could be partially to blame. He had always considered his coven a family, a democracy so to speak. While he was the seen leader, he rarely dictated to them. And yet as she was saying it, she could see where Bella was right. Places where he had followed Alice and Edward over logic, and over the majority. Jasper had suggested they needed to find Victoria after killing James, and while nothing bad had happened yet he could see how that was the logical course of action. He had trusted Alice's claims that it would be fine because he wanted to. He didn't want to kill and so he ignored what was best for his family. And then with the Bella situation he had taken Edward and Alice's wishes over his family's wishes, the majority, over his own wishes. But most importantly he could see where he had taken Alice or Edward's side over his own mate's side.
And while before he had seen the disappointment in her eyes she had bounced back and made the best of an unwanted situation, this had to be the final time. Because she would not have just bounced back from leaving Bella, it was more than jut disappointment, it was pain and heartbreak. Maybe not as keenly, but one she had already felt before.
He hated that it was this that had made him see but he knew from then on in that something had to change.
"You're right. I have no way to excuse my behaviour. I owe not only you but my whole family an apology. We had become stagnant in our ways and the conclusion could have been infinitely worse. I believe from here on out that change needs to occur within my coven." He was surprised when Bella smiled at him in return. He was sure after his frosty reception that it would continue. And yet perhaps he may be wrong.
"They were good manipulators. As long as we learn from this situation," Then for the first time during the whole ordeal she stood up to where Carlisle had been hovering over his wife's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him, showing him her forgiveness where words would fail, "I missed you too old man."
Though there was an insult there was warmth in them and so Carlisle took them for what they were, wrapping his arms around Bella just a little tighter, something he could do now with little worry. She wasn't breakable, in fact he was sure she was stronger than all of them.
Emmett was tired of waiting. He had been so nervous at the start, afraid of how Bella might react to them all leaving, knowing that the story Edward had told them was not the full truth. And yet she had gone to accept Rosalie with open arms. He adored his wife but even he could admit she had been less than kind to Bella. And then she had accepted Esme with open arms. Warm and caring and the sister he remembered.
He had been more than surprised by her reaction to Carlisle, but there was nothing said there that he and Rosalie had not discussed between them in private moments, out of earshot. They had just been so afraid of upsetting the balance that they had not dared spoken them. This situation was terrible, but as a catalyst for change maybe something good could come from it. But she had accepted Carlisle just as easily as Esme and Rosalie when he had conceded his weakness. But he had yet to be properly acknowledged, except for an awkward half hopeful, half terrified look as they had entered.
But he was tired of waiting, he had missed his sister for too long. As soon as her and Carlisle had had their moment. he was ready. He would have gone sooner, but Rosalie's hand on his arm and a stern look had kept him in place. Temporarily.
"Bella Bear!" He was up, ready to meet her halfway, "I missed you little sister. I promise you we'll never leave you again."
It was a promise he fully intended to keep. She truly was his little sister in his heart, he had never been that close to Alice, she had always judged him, in equal parts for the stuff he liked and for the fact she didn't like the stuff she did. Bella had accepted him from the get-go, sharing in things they both liked and accepting the things they disagreed on as differences in opinion. He had been a fool to listen to Carlisle, maybe more of a fool to not bring up his concerns before now, but he could learn from his mistakes.
"I missed you too brother bear." She wasn't as warm in his arms, but that wasn't surprising, but it felt like home again as he embraced her tighter than he had been able to when she was human.
Maybe things were not perfect, but they were as right as they could be right now.
Oh look I'm alive. The long awaited (sorry) reunion. Though I am a feeble fool I'd really appreciate a review x