Chapter 5 – Closer

Caius and I walked to the main chamber, where my parents, Carlisle, and Esme were waiting for us. Esme smiled at me, while my mother held out her hand for me to join them. I exhaled deeply; what were they going to say? I took my mother's hand, while my father and Carlisle spoke. "I am very happy to see you, Carlisle. And I am overjoyed, truly, to see you have found others to join with you and your vision." Carlisle smiled, "I am too." He took Esme's hand and she smiled up at him, "But I am happy to see you found your family too," he looked to my mother and me. "Yes, I love my family very much," he took my other hand. Marcus and Edward came into the chamber. Our eyes meet instantly as he walked in. I noticed Marcus looking from the both of us, then to my father. "Marcus, Edward, thank you for joining us." Edward looked to my father, "Thank you, Aro." Marcus came over to my father and gave him his hand. I closed my eyes; my father will see Edward and me alone together. My father laughed, "Interesting. Thank you, Marcus." I exhaled and looked up to face him, but my father just smiled at me. Maybe he will reprimand me later.

I wanted to please my father, so that he would not be so put out with me, "Father, we have discovered something very interesting." He smiled back at me, "What is it, dear?" I smiled, "Edward told me that when Felix was under my shield, he could not hear any of Felix's thoughts. We tried again just now, when I put Jasper under my shield and Edward could not hear his mind." My father gasped, "That is wonderful. Your shield must be more powerful than we thought. I would like to try. Esme, would you mind?" he held his hand out to her. She smiled and took it. My father gasped with the flood of new information. I pushed my shield to cover her immediately. He laughed loudly, "It just stopped. I cannot see anything." Carlisle looked to me, "Have you tried using your shield in other ways?" I nodded my head, "I only use it to protect myself and others. However, there is something I have tried, but I truly need to concentrate on it. Will you help me?" I smiled to Carlisle. He stepped forward and I stepped away from my mother. I placed both of my hands on either side of his head and closed my eyes. I focused and pushed my shield away from myself entirely. My shield fought to keep itself around me, but I pushed it onto Carlisle and I showed him my memories. He gasped, so it was working. I showed Carlisle my hazy human memory of when I was brought to this chamber. I showed him how Jane was not able to affect me and my father's offer to change. I showed him how my father came to claim me as his daughter.

My shield recoiled, almost knocking me down. Caius was behind me, holding me up, "Are you alright?" I nodded and took several deep breaths, not that I needed them. Carlisle's arms were up towards me and so were Edward's. the both of them had bewildered looks on their faces, but calmed when they saw I was alright. I smiled weakly, "I'm fine. I just never pushed my shield away from myself like that. When I recoiled, it was a forceful push." I took my father's hand, as he walked me to his throne and had me sit. While I sat, my father stood by me holding my hand. I saw that Edward was watching me. "Do not worry, Edward. She will be fine." My father must have seen the concern on Edward's face. This surprised me; my father usually did not allow this kind of interaction. My father had kept me away from interactions with males, especially those with wondering eyes. But Edward did not seem like that type. Maybe that is why my father trusts him. Marcus sat in his throne by my other side, looking from my father, to me to Edward. I saw Edward straighten; what was hearing in Marcus' mind? Was Marcus sensing something between me and Edward? I felt a bond with Edward, so Marcus would be able to feel it as well. Maybe I am being presumptuous; maybe Edward didn't feel any bond towards me.
I looked to the floor; I was allowing myself to hope. I couldn't hope; I had to suppress it. Why did I allow myself to think that this beautiful man would have any interest in me? I allowed it when he held me in his arms, keeping me out of harm's way when Jasper was coming towards me. It wouldn't have hurt, but still, I was in Edward's arms. That sparked my growing hope. I have to put it away and not allow it to grow. Things will be easier once he left. I grimaced internally; why did the thought of him leaving hurt me? I was hoping again; I had to stop. I swore to myself I wouldn't hope, but that was my hope of leaving. This was a new hope. I wanted Edward to stay, or at least, I wanted to stay with him. Where were these feelings coming from? I've never felt them before.

I sat at my window; I wanted to be alone. I was drawing again, but there was something else. I was humming to myself. I felt so light and happy; what was this? I thought back from when these feelings began to emerge. One minute, I was trying to be content with the life I had and then I meet Edward and I felt different. I slammed my art book to the floor; I am being presumptuous. Edward is being nice to me because of who my father is, that's it. I began to beat that idea into my head. I had to believe that. They will leave, I grimaced, and things will go back to the way they were. My eyes tickled. I bit my lip, I wanted to cry. Knock, knock. I composed myself and answered my door. "Yes, Rosalie." Rosalie was smiling, "Umm, this is embarrassing, but Alice was telling me about your closet. She said I had to see it; that I would fall in love." I smiled, "Of course, come in." I showed Rosalie to my closet and like Alice, she gasped. "Select anything you like. I have too much." She stepped into the closet and looked to me, "You can never have too much." Rosalie and I spent hours in the closet. She selected even more clothes than Alice did. Her eyes fell on my favorite gown; the one I never wore yet. "Oh my God. This is beautiful." "Yes, it's my favorite." She looked back at me, "I understand." We folded her new clothes and she told me about her and Emmett. She saved him from being killed by a bear and she begged Carlisle to change him for her.

She didn't want to lose him. She explained how they have been inseparable and she described their wedding. I helped Rosalie take her clothes to her room. I heard a clanging sound coming from her window. Her window over looked the roof courtyard, where the wrestling match took place. I looked out and saw Jasper was fencing with Carlisle. Edward, Alice and Esme were watching. Rosalie looked out with me, "Do you want to go join them?" I nodded. I was doing it again; hoping. Rosalie and I went to the courtyard. Esme and Alice smiled at us. Edward looked back and smiled to me. I saw he had a sword in his hand. "Perfect timing, I wanted to fence Jasper." I smiled and walked to his side, "Let me fence him. I haven't done it in a while." Jasper and Carlisle stopped and looked to me. "You fence?" Jasper asked questioningly. I smiled, "A little." Alice giggled and I looked to her. She winked at me. Edward laughed, "Emmett, I think Bella will be Jasper." Emmett walked into the courtyard. He looked from Alice to Edward and then to me, "Really? I say she doesn't. Jasper is very good." Edward looked at me and placed his hand on my shoulder, "No, I will bet on the lady. A new car?" I smiled when he referred to me as a lady. Emmett chuckled, "Done." Edward gave me his fencing gloves, which warm and handed me his sword. I felt Alice tying my hair into a ponytail and pushed me to walk towards Jasper.

He smiled and touched his sword to mine. I smiled and he lunged first, which I dodged easily. I raised my sword to my face and smiled; I knew how to taunt my opponents. Jasper lunged again and I swiped my sword, cutting his shirtsleeve. "Not bad," he smiled. I lunged until our swords were crossed between our bodies, "you too." And I pushed him back. We fenced, swishing our swords back and forth. I twirled and felt my pant leg ripped. I didn't take my eyes from his. I exhaled, "Fine. No more holding back." He looked at me suspiciously and I lunged at him. He was almost overwhelmed by my abilities with the sword. He surprised me and knocked my sword out of my hand into the air. It was falling behind me. I jumped into a back flip and caught the sword in my hand. I heard Esme gasp. There was another gasp, my mother. When did she get here? Jasper lunged again and I fell into a full-split and fought him back. I pushed him away and jumped to my feet. I ran towards him and fought him again. I finally knocked the sword out of his hand and I put the tip of mine to his throat. "Yield?" I asked through my teeth. His palms were up towards me and he was breathing hard, "Yield." I smiled and stepped back. I offered him my hand to help him to his feet.

The family broke out into an applause and Alice danced over to us, "that was amazing. No one has ever beaten Jasper." I heard a scoff. "You don't count. You hear his strategies." She was talking to Edward. I smiled and looked up to him. He winked at me. I looked to Emmett he was applauding but he was angry. "Is something wrong, Emmett?" He shook his head, "No, I just owe Edward a car now." I giggled, "Sorry." Rosalie and Emmett let together. "That was wonderful, darling." My mother came towards me with her arms open. I hugged her, "Thank you, Mother." We heard more applause from the opposite side of the courtyard. "Very well done, dear." It was my father, Marcus and Caius. He kissed my forehead, "I am sorry, Jasper. That was one of the first things she learned in this life." Jasper smiled and hugged Alice's waist. My eyes fell on that gesture. I saw myself standing with Edward, with his arm around me. I wanted to smack myself, to knock the image out of my head. "That was wonderful, Isabella," Marcus complemented me. I smiled at him. Caius was with my aunt, who came to hug me, "That is my girl." While we hugged, I took in the whole courtyard. Carlisle's family and mine. But I wanted to stand with his. No, I wanted to stand with Edward.

I gave Edward back his gloves and sword, "Thank you. I wanted a new car and you provided a free way of me getting one." I laughed, "Which one will you get?" I deliberated, putting away the sword, "I haven't decided yet." When he took the sword from me, his skin caressed mine. It felt like my skin was on fire. "But, when I get it, I will take you for a drive." I smiled at that thought. Edward and I speeding along the Italy countryside. Normally, I shied away from the ideas of my leaving the tower and I know I shouldn't have this fantasy, but I couldn't fight it. Even with my father here, he didn't interject on Edward's idea. This was truly shocking. I didn't dare to look at my father. I pushed my luck, "I would love that. But, I am still waiting for my other lessons." Edward smiled at me and flashed a glance at my father. I looked back, he was speaking with Jasper. Maybe he was distracted, but that was hardly likely. He leaned closer to me and whispered, "We could start whenever you'd like." I couldn't stop smiling. Even with him so close, I could feel my father's eyes on me, but I didn't care. "In an hour?" I asked, breathing in his scent. He smelled like sunlight and vanilla. It was addictive. Now I wanted to rush our lesson.