Chapter 16 – A Walk Through The Woods

Previously:

And then I realized – this meant that I had to explain to Edward… everything. My mind reeled with the thought. Could I handle this? I took a deep breath to steady myself. Mmmmm… not a good idea. Edward's scent seared my throat like a branding iron. Instead of shaking my resolve, though, it strengthened me. If I was able to be in the same car as Edward, who tested my strength every second I was with him, I should certainly be able to tell him my story.

And now it looked as if I would have to.

Bella's POV

Edward was silent as I drove. I didn't really no where I was going, so it didn't bother me much. I needed to find someplace quiet and secluded… somewhere that Edward would feel safe. For some reason he seemed oddly comfortable around me, but I knew that would change very drastically very quickly. If he adhered to the normal patterns of human behaviour, that is. Which was always a gamble with him.

Back to the task at hand. Where was I going? The woods? Hmm… maybe that meadow. Except that it was raining. Not very hard, though, more of a mist. Somewhere in the trees then. Quiet… secluded… calm. There was a river about a quarter mile from our house. I could park on the road and hike to the river. If something were to happen – say, Edward freaking out – it would be easy to hide. I adjusted my course accordingly.

I parked on the side of the road by the driveway going to my family's house, just far enough away that Edward couldn't see the driveway. It was odd, but I wasn't quite ready to have Edward know where I lived yet. Perhaps later, when I could get Alice's opinion on the matter… and make sure that Emmett wouldn't embarrass me.

I sat in the car for a few moments, not talking, trying to figure out what to say. I settled on simple.

"Would you like to take a hike with me, Edward?"

He looked at me, and then at the woods out the window. "No trail?"

"No trail," I confirmed. He grinned, slightly dazzling me.

"That sounds fun," he said.

We walked through the woods for twenty minutes – much longer than needed for where we were going, but I wanted to make sure he was thoroughly lost, enough so that he wouldn't be able to find his way back on his own. Just in case it was all too much for him and he lost it. It wouldn't help me any if he ran away and hurt himself in the woods. If he didn't think he could get back, he might be more reluctant to run.

As we walked, we talked more; about him, about me, about our families and our pasts. He already knew about my family, but only the basics. I didn't tell him the public story about how Carlisle and Esme had adopted us, but only the barest outline: the order in which we had been "adopted". I public story went something like this…

Rosalie and Jasper were the first two to be adopted. Their parents had been friends of Carlisle and Esme, and when they were killed while on a missionary trip Carlisle and Esme had offered to adopt them, as they didn't have any children of their own.

I was the third to be adopted. When I was fifteen, both my parents had died in a plane crash. I had been in a car accident shortly afterwards and ended up in the hospital where Carlisle was working. Esme had convinced Carlisle that they should adopt me, and shortly afterwards I was a part of the Cullen family.

After I had been adopted, it was discovered that I had a half brother and sister – children from my father's previous marriage. Right before our father had died, their mother, who had never remarried, had been diagnosed with cancer. The chemotherapy was unsuccessful, and she died just months after her diagnosis. The courts were able to track down me and found that my legal guardian was Carlisle. Carlisle, being Carlisle, had offered to take care of the two children; Alice and Emmett.

The actual story, of course, is very different from this. I began my story by telling Edward the more accurate version of this.

"Carlisle… well, for lack of a better word, adopted us," I told him, ignoring his curious look. He would understand soon enough. "Rosalie was first, and then Emmett. I was third, and Alice and Jasper came together."

Edward looked confused. "But, I thought that Rosalie and Jasper were siblings. Were they adopted at different times?"

I shook my head. "Rosalie and Jasper aren't related. They look enough alike that it passes, but nothing could be farther from the truth."

"Your family… they're all like you, aren't they?" His voice was strong and even. I was surprised by how easily he handled weirdness. Soon enough I'd see to what extent, though.

"Yes," I confirmed. "And you know that Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett are… together, yes?" Edward nodded yes as I held a branch aside for him. We were almost to the river.

I laughed. There was something in his face, as if he were afraid of trespassing on something socially unacceptable.

"It's not as terribly incestuous as it sounds," I reassured him. He laughed nervously. "None of us are even related. I swear."

"So… how did you all end up living together, then?" Edward asked. I was at a loss of how to answer that without telling him everything. Perhaps I could put off answering him for a few more minutes, until we reached the creek. The running water soothed me, it would help me to tell him my story calmly.

He took my silence as a push to start guessing. "Is it because you're all alike?"

"Yes," I confirmed, nodding.

"Are there others like you?" He asked. He sounded more curious than anything else, as if he had just discovered a fascinating new science.

"Yes. Many others," I said. I could hear the water running – we were almost there. "Does that surprise you?"

"A bit," Edward admitted. "I can't imagine anyone else like you."

I smiled as I pulled back one last branch, exposing the creek. It bubbled downhill, winding it's way through rocks and past a large oak tree. I went to sit on a large, flat rock beneath the oak and Edward sat on a neighbouring rock. When we were settled, I spoke again.

"How old do you think I am?"

Edward looked surprised at the question. "Seventeen," he answered quickly. I cocked my head slightly and remained silent. His eyebrows slowly knit together as he realized that he was wrong. "You're… you're not seventeen, are you?"

"Physically, yes. But… well, I've been seventeen for quite a while now."

The fifties… I saw him mouth the words. "Bella… how old are you?"

Not now. Wait… just, wait a moment, Bella. First things first.

"Edward," I started, "You are the first human that I have ever told my story to. Do you… do you know what I am?" I looked up at him, expecting confusion or disgust… anything but what was there. He was looking at me with understanding and compassion, even a bit of anticipation.

"I think I know," he said. His voice was quiet, a bit husky. "It's a ridiculous idea. Almost insulting."

I laughed quietly. "If it's ridiculous and insulting, than it's probably true."

Edward wasn't laughing. He looked down at the creek. After a moment's hesitation, he whispered, "Vampire."

My dead heart skipped a beat. Quickly, Edward looked up to meet my gaze. There was a question written across his face; could he possibly be correct?

I nodded slowly. "Are you afraid of me?"

Edward paused, and then shook his head. Shit. It would have been so much easier if he had been terrified, if he had run screaming. I wouldn't have to be around him anymore, we could move away, I would stop putting him in danger every second.

But… at the same time, something inside me leaped. Something that I hadn't felt since… at least since I was human. It was warm and fuzzy and made me want to sing… It reminded me of fireworks, and a turquoise Ford pickup, and a blue dress.

With that thought lingering in my head, I began to tell Edward Mason my story.