Chapter 10: Time out and more lessons

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Edward asked me.

He actually spoke out loud to me. I think he likes the privacy of speaking in each others mind. I guess the only reason he spoke is to ensure everyone else heard we were going out.

"That would be nice," I smiled at him in thanks for the escape suggestion.

As we went through the door he called out, "I have my phone for emergencies, otherwise don't expect us until morning."

I threw my shield over him; he was pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. I didn't open my mind reading to find the cause of his discomfort. He threw me a look of gratitude.

The sound of Alice screaming "But..." rang clearly from an upstairs room.

Esme cut her off, "Alice, no! Bella has had another long day, she needs time to deal with it all."

"Shall we run for a bit?" I asked Edward glancing towards the carrying sounds of conversation.

I saw a nod as he set off. We ran hand in hand until, even to vampire ears, their voices didn't reach us.

We had been walking for a while. Our arms entwined around the others waist.

Edward's voice cut through the soft natural sounds of nature, "I can't tell you how nice it was when you shielded me at the house. I've lived with the constant buzz of voices unless I'm totally alone out in the wilderness it is all I have known since I woke as a vampire. I've tried to drown the voices out but nothing works. My only options were silence and solitude or to have company with the constant voices, then I met you. And now, now," his voice hitched.

"I can try to maintain a shield over you all the time, if you ever want the shield up or down all you need to do is ask. You know how to get my attention and ask me without anyone else being aware," I hadn't realised how much his gift consumed him.

Had you asked me last week I would have thought mind reading was a great power to have, a shield as a power just sounds a bit flat and boring. What a difference a week makes. Edward more than anyone has helped me realise a shield is more powerful, more important to me than any other power.

"Dare I ask what was upsetting you so much as we were leaving the house?" I asked tentatively.

"Tanya," he spat, "Her jealous thoughts at us spending time together. Alice wanted to dress you up to go out tonight, how could she forget you are a newborn."

He ran his hand through his hair, the frustration returning.

I changed the subject, "Do you want to go and watch a DVD?"

"I don't think we will get much peace back at the house," he sighed

"No, but we will at my house...!" I suggested.

"What about the risk of human scents?" he asked.

I checked the future and saw no problems, I quickly updated him.

He grinned, "Come on then!"

We ran to my house. I never appreciated it's isolation as much as I did today. We had to cross a road, the scents of humans were strong but they don't call to me.

We used one of the concealed entrances. My strategies to avoid the media as a human made my current need for subterfuge much easier!

When we got into my apartment at the top of the house I rang Sam. The residents of La Push have, at long last, started making use of the leisure facilities here, so the wolves include it in their patrol. I didn't want to cause panic when they come across vampire scents. I suggested to Sam he ensure wolf accompaniment for people when using the facilities, as guests would be staying at the house. I asked if he could come to the house sometime tomorrow so I could keep them up-to-date with the guests and me.

Edward gave me a confused looked when I mentioned the guests. I raised a finger to ask him to wait until I finished the phone call.

I explained to him my idea as soon as I hung up, "I thought we could offer the Denali's this house to stay in while they are visiting. It will give everyone the option of a bit more privacy if they want it."

Edward's growing grin as I spoke gave me his answer before his words, "I think that is a wonderful idea! What about Peter and Charlotte?"

"I don't know about the rest of the family but they feel to fit better. They don't feel like guests," I couldn't explain properly. I found Peter and Charlotte presence comfortable but the Denali sisters make me feel judged and scrutinised constantly.

"So you aren't in a rush to get your room back?" he asked hopefully.

I just gave him an embarrassed grin as I shook my head. I loved the idea of sharing a room with him. He didn't dwell on it any more than the happy grin that graced his face in response.

He cocked his head and nodded almost imperceptibly, "Peter and Charlotte only visit about once a decade, and then only for a few days. Did you know they use Jasper's human surname as neither of them remember their own, Jasper is always more at ease with his extended family around. They are much more comfortable visiting this time than they ever have before. I think you make them feel more welcome and that has helped them fit in better with everyone. The sister's on the other hand, make life uncomfortable for all the males in the family with their flirty ways, I think they see you as a threat and my interest in you exacerbates the problem."

"A threat?" I worriedly asked him.

"Yes, they aren't the centre of attention. Everyone loves you, you are extremely beautiful and even without your powers you hold your own with benevolence. You hold our respect," he cupped my face with his hand looking deep into my eyes.

The sincerity of his words shining in his eyes he continued, "You hold more than just my respect, you hold my heart. I love you beyond words."

I leaned forward and kissed him, soft and gentle with all my love, then pulled him in for a hug as I rested my head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "and I love you. You are my other half, I'm incomplete without you."

We never did get to watch a film. We sat in each others arms sharing gentle kisses and whispering sweet nothings until dawn broke.

"I would love to stay like this but if we don't head back we will have a pixie annoying us on the phone," Edward sounded as disappointed at the thought of moving, as I feel.

I opened a connection between Edward and I then quickly checked in a vision to find Alice was already pacing muttering, 'I can't see either of them' and we had less than half an hour before she called.

Edward looked at me in awe, "You chose the vision and I saw all of it. Amazing!"

All too soon we were out of the house and running.

To talk while running is much easier as a mental conversation, so I held the connection between us.

As we neared the house is asked, "Do you want me to keep the shield up?"

He replied sheepishly, "Can you let it down for now?"

I sent a wave of questioning.

He caught on, "I'm too nosey for my own good, if it gets too much I'll ask for the shield back."

I laughed and I felt his embarrassment.

That is how we were caught by Emmett, "So what have you two been up to? Looks like Eddie is up to no good!" His eyebrows were waggling in amusement.

Rose slapped him up the back of his head, "Leave them alone!"

Emmett pouted, "What did I do wrong this time?"

Rose's tinkling laugh rang out at him and she shook her head.

She turned to us with sympathy, "They're waiting,"

She lead us to the dining room. Eleazar and Carlisle were that engrossed in the sheaf's of paper, old manuscripts and books that littered the table and the floor we had all filed into the room without them even looking up. Edward cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Ahh, you're back," Eleazar exclaimed, "Carlisle and I have been busy. We pulled together everything we could about sires but we hit dead ends very quickly. So we started compiling a list of known powers. We got the others recall if any of the vampires that bit them had any powers. Jasper has had most difficulty due to the sheer number of bites added to the fact some vampires don't even recognise they have a power until they are out of their newborn period even then it can take years to grow and develop; so that's not going very well either."

Carlisle filled us in, "I am Edward's sire as you know. I was bitten by an ancient starved vampire who was subsequently killed by a mob, I believe. I know nothing about him, nor did the Volturi when I met them. Maria, Jasper's sire, claimed to have no memory of her sire. Her and her sister's remember only being in a cramped dark space and awaking in the burning pain of change. Thanks to James we know Alice's sire was an ancient vampire working in a sanatorium. James killed him in retribution for preventing him drinking from Alice. We know nothing of James and Victoria's sires."

"How do you know the vampires that bit you and Alice were ancient?" I asked curiously.

"As you know we don't age as vampires, we remain looking youthful. Only the extremely ancient vampires appear differently, skin can go either as papery or stone like, eyes can appear filmed. Even then, only those that lived very sedentary lifestyles take on that ancient appearance," Carlisle responded knowledgeably.

"So, two ancient vampires that met their demise soon after and three unknowns. I can see your point about dead ends! That doesn't leave many paths of enquiry for finding out if they had powers," I could see why they started that that line of research even if it didn't lead very far.

"We were also trying to find out if the different sires could have had different venom lines which combined had the effect on your powers. We need to learn more about venom in general. I taken a venom sample from each of us and would like a sample from both you and Edward," Carlisle informed us.

Edward and I both nodded our assent.

Eleazar dived into his area of expertise, "As I explained yesterday powers are like snowflakes, each slightly different. The powers can be categorised into:-

the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known senses, Clairvoyance, under it's widest sense

and

the ability to control or influence matter, time, space, or energy, Psychokinesis.

The majority of powers cover just a tiny portion of the subsections of each of these groups. Jasper's power is extremely rare and powerful in that it is from both of these groups and covers all emotions not just one.

Clairvoyance covers Alice's visions, Edward's mind reading, Jasper's ability to sense emotions, James's tracking and Victoria's risk assessment map. It also covers my aura based ability to see powers and abilities to see bonds or lies.

Psychokinesis covers the powers most sought after by the Volturi; Jasper's ability to manipulate emotions, Kate's electrical effect, Jane's ability to transmit pain and Alec's ability to block your senses, your shield and sending thoughts, the ability to move or manipulate matter. The psychological powers are most common, the physical variety are extremely rare. You having a shield both psychological and physical is unheard of. Jasper's power worked on you while human?"

"Yes," I quickly confirmed.

"It sounds like your shield as a human was psychological, Jasper's emotional control must have a physical component. Your change to a vampire made your shield more powerful gaining the physical aspect," he mused.

Carlisle looked at Eleazar, "How do you see powers? Bella described the tracking and risk assessment as very visual."

Eleazar looked thoughtful, "I never really thought about it, I just recognised the power as I see them. Aura is the best description. I suppose it's like describing colours to someone that has been blind from birth. We have no common point of reference to start from."

"I understand Eleazar's point, both the tracking and the risks are far more than I can explain by a visual description, the recognition and depth of information is far more detailed and more instinctive than I think I convey.

I have always tried to understand things visually. For example, when I first read a computer specification, it sounded like gobbledegook. I visualise the inside of a computer as a little office; the memory is the desk or work space you have for working on files, the filing cabinets are the hard drive, the processor I imagine as the number of workers and how fast they work," I ducked my head in embarrassment, "I think my visualisation of the powers was just my way to deal with them initially and understand the onslaught of information I was hit with when I woke. I had come across the mind reading and empathy so I could deal with them as they were, the tracking and risks were new."

Carlisle nodded, "That makes sense. Waking up as a vampire is a lot to take in but having all those powers kicking in at the same time, I can't imagine. Edward found it very hard to cope when he woke and realised he could hear my thoughts. Dealing with all of us in the room, thoughts and emotions along with the others things, to think you were able to activate your shield under that pressure, you handled it all so calmly..." he trailed off.

Eleazar asked, "So, as with Kate's power, each has activated then you had to consciously switch it off?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"You woke to all that and stayed calm," he asked, amazed.

"I have never seen a newborn wake more calmly or control their impulses at all, never mind as quickly as Bella did. Vampires decades old have more problems controlling their impulses than Bella does," Jasper explained to him with pride.

In the lull I sent Esme a message, "Edward and I went to my house last night, it's not being used. Do you think the Denali's like to use it to stay in it while they are here to give us all a bit more space and privacy if we need it?"

"Excellent idea, why don't you ask them." she thought straight back.

I spoke out loud, "I have a house not far from here. It has leisure facilities by the house which are used occasionally by some of the Quileute people but they stay away from the house. The house has some hidden entrances for inconspicuous daytime entry. I can't be seen to use the house since my cover story is I am still travelling. Plus as a newborn I don't want to risk running across any people. I wondered," I made eye contact with each of the Denali's as I spoke, I directed the rest of the words at Carmen, "would you like to use the house for as long as you are in the area?"

Carmen looked pleased, "I don't think we will be able to drag Eleazar away from here for a while, we would love to take up your offer."

"I would take you and give you the tour but I think my presence will be wanted here for a while," I looked up at Carlisle and Eleazar, they both nodded hopefully, "I'm sure Esme will be happy to take you to the house and get you settled in, when you are ready."

Esme was nodding happily.

Carmen looked at the two men, "I don't suppose you two will be done for a while."

They both lowered their heads with brief shakes.

She laughed at them, "It's nice to see you both so involved and enthusiastic about something, I just feel sorry it has to be you Bella!"

I rolled my eyes, " I appreciate their help," then I whispered under my breath, "Most of the time."

Laughter rolled around the room, fortunately my words were taken in humour.

I telepathically sent a message to Charlotte and Peter, "I hope you don't mind me offering the house to them, you feel like family to me already, I don't want you two to go, I enjoy having you here too much!"

They had both been sat quietly almost separately during the discussions, they both grinned as they heard me.

Carmen and Esme bustled out of the room, Irina close at their heels. I didn't need to lower my shield to guess at Tanya's internal debate, go to the house or stay to keep her eye on Edward. The house won but only after she failed to get Edward to even look at her. I think she was throwing some pretty inventive thoughts from the look of disgust on Edward's face.

Kate spoke up, "I'd like to stay here and join in the practice sessions, if no-one minds?"

"It's up to you," Carmen told her as Eleazar nodded in agreement.