Fork in the Road
The clouds that I had left years ago, where the same as I'd left them. Above us were dark threatening clouds, that blocked the sun from display the small amount of sun that was hidden behind it. White rain drops glittered off the windshield of my Vehicle that smoothly drove me through the wet streets a few minutes just near Forks Washington. It took me 10 hours to drive to Forks. Nahuel had opted for an airplane ticket, but I insisted we drove. I needed the 10 hours to dwell and dread my trip. If I was being honest with myself, I was dreading that sign ever since I'd started. It wasn't that I didn't want to see Charlie, but because I didn't want to put up with my family. There were going to be ways I could avoid them, but it was unavoidable to at least run into any of them. Despite how much I despised my family, we both had one thing in common. Charlie, My Grandfather. He was the only thing besides Nahuel that was worth anything.
But that also meant, that I wouldn't be the only one that wanted to see him. Especially my Mother. Who I was wanting to avoid the most. Edward and the rest I wasn't worried about at all. Edward knew I would either come or not, either way he would make sure he and I wouldn't meet eye to eye. Which I hoped Bella followed. I didn't see any of them, Including Bella, as my Family. I rolled my eyes absentmindedly. I really wasn't looking forward to putting up with. "Come home" "Things will be different" and "we all love you" speeches. I really was dreading the irritating and unavoidable encounters. That didn't mean I wouldn't try to avoid them. I would try my best to make sure I wouldn't even be seen if possible. I looked beside me in the passenger seat and smiled slightly then turned my attention back to the wet road ahead of me.
I was angry about before, but honestly I was thankful Nahuel had tagged along. I wasn't dreading this alone. Nahuel hated long trips. We rarely even took them to repay a visit to his sister Jennifer. He could sense me though. I decided to be the first to speak.
"Thanks... for um. Looking out for me. I know thats why you came." I stated.
"Thats what I'm here for. Personal Body." Nahuel said, calmly. Almost amused. Though, I could feel a question burning at the tip of his tongue.
"What is it?" I pressed.
"You never fully explained to me, why it was you left this place" Nahuel asked, motioning towards the non-welcoming sign of Forks Washington that passed by the window.
"My family. They hated me. My mother was human when she was pregnant with me. She practically died while pregnant, and did die when she gave birth to me. She became a vampire, yes, but... That wasn't something my father wanted." I explained. I looked down at my knees as we pulled to a stop at a stop light in the middle of Forks.
"Short story, they hate me for torturing my mother when she was pregnant and killing her. And they see me as the monster that they were forced to say they were all related to. Except my aunt Rose. She's the hole reason I was born in the first place. If not for her, I'd been aborted by force. But..." I stopped for a good few minutes while the light turned green and my foot released the brake petal. . I tried to find the right words.
"None of them are my Family. I heard my Dad say once, the last time he was truly happy, was before I was born. So, I burnt everything I owned, everything that proved I existed, and left. Whoever held on, is in for a lot of disappointment. What I did, will be the last thing I ever do for anyone." That ended my explanation. For once I was anxious for Nahuel's response.
"Similar to my story. Another time." he said sharply. He was almost angry. But It left me angry.
"Hey! No fair at all. You get my story out of me, then sit on yours? You better tell me. How do I know I can trust you." I demanded viciously.
"Another time. We're getting close to your grandfathers aren't we?" Nahuel replied. It was mostly a statement.
"Yes. Probably another 3 blocks after the next right. Why?" I demanded. My anger still alive.
"Your father was a mind reader, correct?" Nahuel asked. "He's close."
I stomped on the gas petal, the sudden stop pressing me against the steering wheel for a moment before I plopped back down when I was back in motion. I was going to throw the car in reverse and go home, but a hand shot out and blocked me. I tried to move it, but Nahuel was stronger. I hissed at him.
"Don't ruin this for yourself. You owe nothing to any of these people but Charlie. HE wanted to see you. Grant him this one wish. Don't do this for them. Take your own word for it. If you turn around and leave, you're doing them a favor. SO don't." Nahuel advised, then after a few seconds, removed his hand.
I contemplated for a minute. Even though my hand had the power to defying him in grabbing the handle and throwing it in reverse, my hand wouldn't raise. Finally my foot spoke for me and pushed down on the gas petal, allowing the car to drive forward towards Charlie's house.
I watched the black road in front of me drag me closer and closer. The more I stared the more angrier I got with myself, but suddenly the anger disappeared. Why was I so afraid these people would see me? It was as I said, I didn't see any of them as family. So what reason did I have to be so afraid I would blow my possibly dying grandfather off? I lifted my head up with pride. As I did I noticed my present to my grandfather I had left him on one of my last visits sitting in his former-police-cruisers normal parking spot.
The bumble-bee yellow Camaro I had purchased for him many years ago, on one of my last visits to see Charlie. The car had been well taken care of, or he had never drove it period. Because the paint gleamed as the same day I had bought it. It wouldn't surprised me if he hadn't drove it. I thought he was going to turn the shot gun on me when I'd came back with it that day, after a car show in Portland Oregon, I had taken him to.
I sat in the car for what seemed like 20 minutes staring nervously. I knew Charlie would press me for details about my past. Was lying to my Grandfather considered a slap to the face, or a middle finger? Finally, Nahuel's voice broke my thoughts.
"I hate to sound like I'm telling you to go away but... Your father is trying to read my mind, and its getting frustrating to him, so he keeps pressing harder...It's giving me a headache" Nahuel said. He smiled weakly through his painful headache at me. "Enjoy your visit with Charlie. I will message you with the details to our borders when I find somewhere." He said.
I had wanted Nahuel to meet Charlie, but part of me, and the same part of Nahuel just wanted it to be just me and Charlie for a little while. I nodded to Nahuel.
"Okay. I'll be at Mill Creek if you would like to meet up." I informed before exiting the car. The blast of maybe 3 different vampire scents punched me straight in the face. It had been so long since I had seen any of them, I forgot what they smelt like. But I could at least number them.
My spike heel boots clicked against the concrete pavement of Charlie's drive way and made my way up the stairs. Things changed. The more steps I took, the more excited I became to see Charlie. Memories of when I was little, and younger gave me the fuel. I flitted up the stairs impatiently and excitedly. Once I reached the door, I didn't bother knocking. This was the only place I could call home. I could smell the Cullen's more strongly now though. I feared my Mother was one of them, but I blocked out the fear with excitement.
My eyes examined Charlie's entrance and followed sound of people speaking. I slowly made my way in front of the entrance of the living room and stood there a few seconds. I cast my eyes around the three vampires I saw. They looked at me as they were looking at a ghost. Carlisle, Edward, and Alice. They stood frozen as they looked at me. As they stood in front of the couch where my Grandfather set. He noticed their sudden change and followed where there eyes were trained. A smile lit his face up.
This certainly was worth the trip, just to see Charlie smile like that. I ignored the rest of them, with surprising ease. Charlie had me shocked. I stared at him. He was very thin. His hair was a Charlie's voice broke the silence.
"Renesmee." He was excited. He attempted to get up, but his arms wobbled under his small amount of weight and he wobbled.
"Charlie" I chimed, I flitted to his side and got down on my knees to his height and wrapped my arms around him. I was careful to keep my memories away from him, but I enjoy his strong embrace in response to mine.
"You're warm. DO you want a full-time job of being my personal fire-place?" He teased and squeezed me. "Ten years." he declared. He didn't look like he cared at all that much. He looks relieved and just happy for a moment to be honest, and so was I.
"I'm sorry." I simply stated. But it was sincere. I sat beside him. I noticed that one vampire's scent had disappeared. They had apparently left. I looked around under my lashes and noticed it was Alice who had departed.
Me and Charlie sat and spoke for what seemed like hours. My eyes flitted to the clock on his coffee-table several times. 7:30am came and went, and then soon, it was 9:00am. After 12, I could tell Charlie was having trouble staying awake. I had let him lay down on his couch and I'd taken the chair in front of him after a while. As he laid his head on the pillow under his head, I saw his eyes sometimes droop shut, and sometimes he would answer with something that hadn't pertained to our topic and I gathered he may have lost track of our conversation from exhaustion.
Finally, he stopped speaking all together and I could hear his heart slow, and his breathing begin to drop. I sat there quietly and awkwardly with Carlisle and Edward. Although, I wouldn't speak to them. I looked around at some of the clutter that had built up around Charlie and lifted myself from the chair and picked a couple of things off the coffee-table and walked into the kitchen, while avoiding eye-contact with the Cullen's.
I took the dishes to the sink and sat them and turned the water on and filled the sink up. I turned to the kitchen table to clean when at the kitchen entrance was Carlisle standing. I stared for a second and then continued to clean the kitchen table off. I could tell he was fishing for the correct words to use. Instead of cutting him off, I gave him the frustration of sitting there, fishing.
After few minutes, he decided to speak.
"Renesmee," Carlisle started. "I know you don't stand on good ground with us. But I would like you to know, you're family, and if you need anywhere to stay, that-" I stopped him.
"That's funny. I wasn't family 30 years ago, Carlisle, Now I'm family, what changed?" I said chuckling. "Lets make this fast. I am not your family, and you sure aren't mine. None of you are. And that includes, Bella. Who, I would prefer didn't know I was here." I said. My voice was smooth but meaningful. "Why pretend I'm family now? Things have been good so far." I concluded before I stormed past him and then made my way to the house entrance, where I paused for a minute to look at Charlie.
I would see him tomorrow. I shook my head and flitted out of the door. I made it a couple miles until I stopped a few miles away from the main-street of Forks. Very few cars busied the streets. Under the thick clouds, I didn't glow so they didn't slow on my account. There was no stop lights so I only had to wait for a clear path. Once the street was cleared, I made my way across the street to the small red building across the street and opened the door to the bar. I took in the smell of alcohol and food mixed together. The place was pretty barren. There was a couple of day drunks at the bar but they had no meaning. The fact they were at the bar, made it obvious they had no prior, or previous engagments. They would probably be my next meal.
I chose a small booth to disappear into at the back of the grill and slithered into it. I stayed there a few minutes before I could smell another vampire. I lifted my head towards the entrance and sighed heavily. At the same time though, I was surprised. Edward. He disappeared from the door and was sat in front of me. I stared at him with my head tilted, my eyes cut into him.
"What?" I demanded before I squinted my eyes. "Let's make it quick, what do you want?"
"I want you to go see Bella. I know you and I are not fond of each other, but we both do care about-" Edward's statement was cut short with my finger being held up.
"Fortunately, we don't. You care about Bella. I care for none of you. As I told Carlisle. But if you need a play-by-play, You, nor Bella, nor anyone, from your family will ever be my family. What is it with all of you? I wasn't family to you 30 years go, why now?" I demanded venomously.
"I did what I did for you. I'm not doing anything else, as a favor to you." I spat out.
"Me?" Edward asked. "You put my wife threw 32 years of misery!" He hissed back at me. "First I had to watch you tear her apart, from the inside out, then after you left, 30 years of dry sobbing each day you've been gone! What have you done for me?"
I squinted my eyes and held back. "I was only trying to give you back what you wanted. Remember? The last time you were happy, was before I was born. How Bella took it, wasn't my fault." I said calmly.
This shocked him. I couldn't read the emotion on his face, but it took away the seething hating stare that I received placed with a blank, somewhat shocked expression. But it cleared up.
"You need to see Bella." Edward said again. His voice cool. But he calmed. "I know I said that, Renesmee but... I'm still your father-"
"I will not." I stated. "Lets get one thing straight." I said, standing up. "You may be my father but I'm never going to be your daughter. Get that? Or do I need to make a strong enough message?" I aggressively said. I looked around the nearly empty restaurant for my message.
"Bella wants to see you!" He hissed. "And you're going to see her weather you want to or not. If you don't go to her, I'll force you to. I'm much stronger then you are." he warned. He looked at me. Then a question rose in his eyes.
"What happened to the girl Bella raised? You were a monster when you were younger. That hasn't changed but you seem... different now." He said. His eyes examining me.
"Oh, that sweet innocent girl with a pony-tail braid, and turtle neck sweaters?" I asked with an innocent voice. Then my voice became darker. "She died. She was killed a long time ago. You should've been there. You would have loved it, Edward." I said, challenging.
My eyes tightened at him. "You won't threaten me. If you so much as breathe a word to Bella that I'm here, I will rip my way through this town, until the streets are lined with nothing but bodies of your little human associates. Then Bella will have a good reason to cry." My voice was dripping with venom. Edward challenged me.
"You won't do it. Whatever you've done in the past, I'm sure you don't want Charlie to find out. I don't believe he'd think highly of you if you tore his hometown to shreds"
Before I could respond, I saw my message come forward with 2 menu's and a couple of silver-ware wraps.
"What may I get for you two, today?" She asked, her voice sweet.
I looked at Edward with a sneering smile. I let my shield down for a split second. I didn't care what thoughts he'd read. I spoke to him.
Don't think I'll kill? Maybe this will be a big enough warning for you.
I flitted behind the small blond waitress, quickly wrapped my hands around her neck and jolted my neck forward and dug my teeth into the skin on her neck, stabbing through her jugular. Her blood spilled down my throat like warm butter with a sweet taste, like it had been sweetened with powdered sugar. My hands squeezed again and snapped her neck to one side. Killing her instantly. I let her go and watched her fall forward.
Edward's face was a mixture of shock, and disgust.
"Maybe that is a big enough sticky-note for you. If you bring Bella to me, you better be prepared for what will happen afterwards. That's one." I warned as I walked past him. My eyes a warning. I was being serious. I wanted nothing to do with them. Any of them. Defying my wishes was going to mean a blood bath until they got the message. When they stay away, the less bodies they're going to find in their little town.
I made my way out of the door of the bar and walked down the street. I had made my exit on time. Nahuel's ring-tone on my phone chimed to life. I pressed the text message alert on my phone. My eyes sprawled across the text. While I was reading, I heard Edward behind me.
"Where are the pictures at least? All of them. I know you would be too selfish not to burn them. You'd keep them just for yourself. If you don't see your mother as family, I demand them back. That no longer makes them your property." He demanded. I looked behind me and smiled deviously.
"Point well made. Follow me." I replied. He may have been a pain in the ass, but he was no moron.
I flitted into the forest, knowing he'd tale me. We flitted for nearly an hour until I finally stopped. I never knew where this had been. It was thickly covered with snow from the high elevation. And viewed an entire forest of nothing ahead of us. The cold bit at my spine but I ignored it. I was good at this stuff. I lead him into a cave that had remained hidden successfully. I pointed to a hole in the stone wall and smiled. "There" I said.
"How do I know you're not just playing a joke on me?" Edward asked.
"Because I don't care about you," I explained.
I reached into the whole and pulled out a small leather wrap that had protected the pictures from weather for years. I wiped dust off of the leather and extended it to Edward. I was about to duck out of the cave when Edward said something.
"You weren't as big a monster when you were little, then you are now... At least I could've lived with you. Now, I never could. My chances of ever caring for you in a fatherly manner has vanished. " Edward said. It was almost to himself.
"Thats the beauty of being hated. I don't have to worry about that anymore." I said, as I slowly turned. I stopped for a minute. All of my emotions fading away. I could feel his eyes burning on me. I looked out of the corner of my eye to see him looking through the pictures.
"There was a time I wished I could've just... ripped you out of Bella's stomach before you could've been born. Where, I wished you hadn't been born. But now..." He said, pausing as he examined a pictures. "I wished I could go back to where you were little."
"Why didn't you?" I asked, my anger growing. "You were stronger then Bella at the moment." I pointed out. "It wasn't my fault, you were too weak to do it. But hey. I got back, what I did to Bella. Times ten. That should make you a bit more chipper, Edward." I said.
"When does Bella usually visit Charlie? So I know when you stay away." I asked. Edward was quiet or a moment. I turned to him, he was staring at me.
"What do you mean by, you got back what you did to Bella?" he asked. His curiosity was surprising me.
I chuckled. "Lets not do this. We can skip the whole father-daughter bonding. We're a few years too late for that." I said.
"But I want to know. I'd like to know something paid you back for Bella, if not me." He said. I smiled and laughed.
"Lets put it this way, I was put through 10 years of torture for Bella. Experimented on. So, I got mine. Plus more, don't worry. I didn't see the light of day for a long time." I said and started to exit the cave.
He sighed. "Bella usually visits at nights. During the day she hunts." Perfect. That time point, I could avoid. I looked back at hime. More questions burned. I could tell. I didn't let it stop me from leaving though.
"Burn them. Hang them. I don't care." I said referring to the pictures and then ran from the cave opening.
I slowed my run down to a brisk walk once I reached the Forest of Forks Washington. I stopped at the bank of a live river. I watched the water rush over the rocks and spill over the mountain into a high pressured shower.
I flung myself over the bank and landed on my feet gracefully on the other side. The only thing I wasn't happy about was that my seven hundred dollar boots were caked with mud at the bottom. I shrugged it off though. I continued through the forest as I watched the afternoon sun set in. I watched the dim green forest dim and begin to darken.
I continued through the forest until I'd gotten to the familiar clearing. I stepped through the trees into the meadow I remembered seeing in my mothers memories while she was pregnant with me. I ran my fingers across the tops of the purple wild flowers. The tops of the flowers were smooth like velvet. I looked around the clearing and let my eyes stop at the tree I was in search for.
I walked over to and felt around its bark for a distinct hole I had made years ago. It only took me a second to find it, I slipped my finger int a small hole I had made and pulled open a square hole in the tree. I reached my hand in to find a zip-lock baggy of pictures. I pulled them out and shook some residue off the packaging. This was usually my routine when I visited Forks. Even though I didn't want my mother to see me, didn't mean I couldn't see my mother.
I sat down against the tree, ignoring the mud, and opened up my bag of pictures and shook them into my hands to view them. The pictures I'd given Edward were only ones that would satisfy him. The ones with me and my mother, despite what he thought, were mine. I didn't see Bella as my family. I never would. Only because I didn't see the point in even trying. My past had the chance to catch up to me. I could run as much as I could, but the world was too small, and life was too long. I had a feeling that one day soon, I would be dead, and that would kill the person in the pictures, who I did see as my family. Part of me too, held something against Bella, too. She should've left the Cullen's if they could accept me. But she instead encouraged me to take more rejection from them, just because she didn't want to leave Edward. She chose them over me, the way I'd seen it. If she had found me, she'd only made me live with them again.
I shook my head and blocked out the thoughts and stood up and put the pictures back where I'd put them. The pictures gave me what I wanted. Zero to no emotions towards Bella. No nostalgia, nothing. I smiled, at the success. I made my way towards the end of the meadow when a force I couldn't see, punched my chest, sending me flying against a tree. I thought it was Nahuel testing me, but when my senses came back to me and I saw the offender, I wished it had been Nahuel.