Chapter 8 - Home
We walked in silence (outwardly, at any rate) from the car to the dining room in less than one second. Esme was already there waiting for us, holding an antique vase that she had obviously been polishing when she heard the sounds of the Mercedes approaching.
"Carlise? Edward, Bella, Alice, Jasper? What are you all doing home so early? Did something go wrong?" Oh I hope no one slipped up. Bella would feel just horrible, and Jasper's been doing so well since Bella's newborn stage. Rosalie is especially happy to be here. She says she feels "almost normal" again.
"Not that," said Edward, I cocked my head to the side, looking at him.
"How did you know?" I asked him. Without his "extra hearing" as he called it, he obviously didn't hear Esme's thought just now.
"I've heard their minds for so long…" was all he answered. He looked confused more than anything else. And of course, overprotective and worried as usual.
"You might want to set that vase down on the table first," suggested Jasper, seeing Esme drop the vase when we told her. She'd probably be upset if another one of her priceless vases bit the dust.
I inwardly winced, remembering another occasion upon which one of Esme's vases had been dropped. Esme darted to the table, placed the vase on it, and darted back.
"Well?"
"They seem to have switched gifts…talents," Carlisle explained, flitting to Esme's side. Edward mimicked Carlisle's comforting gestures unthinkingly. At least I supposed he wasn't thinking about it as it felt automatic, but I obviously couldn't tell.
"Switched gifts? But how?"
"You think it has something to do with our hunting trip, don't you?" I asked Edward.
"I thought you couldn't hear him, Bella" said Jasper, his forehead wrinkled, making the scars stand out.
"I can't, it was something he said on the phone to Carlisle," I responded, turning my gaze back to Edward.
"Oh, that bit about the leftovers?" asked Alice. Jasper was having a particularly long vision involving us in the clearing we had all separated, and later met in on our hunting trips. It seemed he was following each of our progress as we tried to track the scents we had followed last night, but to no success.
"Yes, that was—Jasper what do you see?" Edward broke off. By the twitch of his eyebrows, I knew it bothered him not just to be able to see what Jasper was seeing.
"Jazz, what is it?" Alice questioned, touching his shoulder. Jasper, still locked into the vision didn't answer. He was a bit too focused, I supposed.
"Apparently searching the places we hunted last night will not get us any results," I supplied for my curious family. "Even if we split up" I added as Jasper's vision continued.
Carlise promptly promised to look up some books on local lore to see if anything might pertain to vampiric supernatural talents. In the meantime, we agreed that we should learn to use our mis-matched gifts.
"it's the only step we can take at the moment. You four can't go on like this, paralyzed by having the wrong gifts. I can't think what's done it, but until we find out, you four have got to learn to use what you've got. If we stand a chance of figuring this out, it will be because we used all our assets, no matter where they might be placed," Carlisle advised. Besides, none of you will be very much help to anyone until you can control the gifts you have now. He added mentally. I winced, knowing it was true.
"I suggest you all go out on the lawn and try to work your powers out. Help each other learn," Carlisle continued, "if you need anything at all, I shall be in my study" His perfectly angelic face was lined with concern. Esme's was a concentrated echo of that concern.