Down on the second floor I followed Jasper to the room he and Alice share, well share is an opportune word…the room is all Alice, it's got her personality stamped all over it.
Jasper gave me a gentle shove, as he continued down stairs; I could hear the TV echoing from downstairs and knew that's where Jasper was headed.
I knocked on Alice's door gently.
"Come on in Christian," her gleeful voice sang from the room, I couldn't help the grin slide across my face, like I said, her and Esme are the only two that call me Christian on a regular basis.
Alice loves my name, especially my full name Christian Aiden Callaghan; she likes how it sounds, especially when she first heard me say it, though I've lost a lot of my accent living here in the States, at the time Alice and Jasper joined our family in 1950, it was still going strong and Alice was positively giddy about every word that came out of my mouth, especially my name. She'd hover around me for days just to hear me speak; she thought my accent was adorable.
She spent weeks trying to learn what each part of my name meant, it was like a game for her and I just sat back and let her go to town nodding every time she got a fact right and grinning the entire time; when she discovered the internet? It was all over; well I learned stuff about my name and my family that I had never known as well, including the fact that my father was awarded Victoria Cross posthumously for his sacrifice during the war, the highest honor a citizen or even a soldier of the crown could receive; he had been killed doctoring wounded soldiers.
This information made me sad for his death and my mother's now double loss and proud of him at the same time, I already knew he had died shortly after the blitz began, on December 29th, dubbed by Brits as 'the Longest Night'. But learning about the honor that he had bestowed on his name back in 1940; took nearly thirty years and was only accomplished because of Alice's curiosity.
I also learned that my second youngest cousin, who was only a toddler when I last saw her, did go onto University only the second in our small family at the time to do so (my father being the first) and the first woman in our family, and had become one of the top doctors in the United Kingdom and helped my aunt and uncle and my other cousins continue to farm the land that our family had been taking care of for centuries.
Both feats that may not have been accomplished had it not been for Carlisle's help; Carlisle made sure that my wishes about my inheritance were upheld. Meaning, all the money went to my aunt and uncle in Scotland.
My death had never been proven because there was no body and my mother, the only one with the knowledge had taken it to her grave, not long after my father's death.
When she died, that was when I learned I had an inheritance, it was Carlisle who first learned that my mother had died and that I was to inherit everything, I'm not sure where he got the information, I never asked him and don't plan on ever asking.
The problem was, I could not collect the money until I was eighteen to sign it in person and since I was still listed as Missing in reports, I was still seen as sole beneficiary. And until my eighteenth birthday came, the money would remain in limbo at the bank, when and only when my birthday hit, could anyone collect, if I was not there to collect it on my eighteenth birthday it automatically went to next of kin, aka my aunt and uncle.
I knew that my family could not wait for an event that would never come at least technically, in reality they would only have to wait four years, but even that was much to long, my aunt and uncle were in danger of losing the farm that my uncle and father had grown up on and the rest of the family still farmed, a farm and land that the Callaghan family has been taking cultivating and caring for going on four hundred years.
The war was taking its toll on the farm with food demands so high and limited expenses to keep the farm functioning, especially when it came time to purchase needed equipment and supplies, like seeds and feed for the few surviving animals.
That farm was their sole source of income and life, and there was no way I could allow them to lose it, if I had the ability to prevent it.
So Carlisle and I, through a series of telegrams communicated with the bank in London who held not only the monetary inheritance, but my father's drafted will, the deed to our house, things of that nature.
My parents were by no means rich…but my father WAS a doctor, with his own private practice and a practice at the local hospital.
To this day I am not sure how Carlisle was able to get my inheritance to my relatives, at least in the legal sense. He and Edward did it and I never asked, as long as the money went to my relatives to save the farm and put my cousins through school that was all that mattered to me.
What I do know is this: about a year after Carlisle changed me and I found out about my father's death, and my mother's shortly afterwards, I learned of my inheritance, I knew I had to act…I had no desire to accept the money and I had no need of it, (though I did ask Carlisle and Esme first, making sure that they were ok with having me continue to live with them rent free, both laughed at that thought and promised me that money was the last thing on their minds and my staying with them and being happy were first). That was all I needed to hear and then asked if the money could go to my relatives.
Carlisle acted as my guardian, claiming that he had treated me after the Blitz attack in November and that my injuries had left me with complete amnesia, he also claimed that to continue to care for me he had brought me home to the United States where his wife quickly fell in love with me and insisted that they adopt me.
Now, you're probably thinking this is kind of farfetched. How could something like that go down and no one question it, no one for one thing question the disappearance of a 13 year old kid.
To you this all sounds pretty improbable, but you need to remember this was 1940, during a war a war that nearly every country on the planet was involved in to some extent, a lot of people were lost, both in the physical sense and in the paperwork sense.
It was a regular thing for kids my age and especially younger to be shipped to designated safe zones during the war. At first it was just sending London kids into the country, get us out of the city and away from the danger, but then it became clear the country itself was in danger and it wasn't just the country life that would protect us.
British colonies such as the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, populated parts of Canada, and even Australia and the United States had hundreds of British kids enter their borders to escape the war.
President Roosevelt may have had his hands tied when it came to aiding the British Isle, but American citizens welcomed hundreds of British and Scottish kids to stay.
Normally these kids were shipped out with documentation, but the government was in such a hurry to get us kids out of the danger areas that many kids left the country without documentation of where they were going or who would be collecting them, especially as the bombing grew more intense and more frequent, with the death tally rising.
So an American doctor fostering a British kid during the war wouldn't be that unusual and well, after the war, some of the kids unfortunately never returned to the UK.
Usually because they had lost their entire family during the Blitz and their foster families were all they had, or they were like Carlisle was claiming was my case, the foster family couldn't stand the thought of sending the child back, especially at finding out both parents were dead or MIA.
Britain lost a lot of my generation during the years 1940 and 1945, between the Blitz killing us off, us lying about our ages to join the service and getting killed in combat…and us relocating and never returning…
Carlisle also claimed that it was only recently that I had begun to remember the events in London and had just learned about my parent's untimely demise.
Part of this was true at least the 'learning that both my parents were dead' part and the lawyer in charge of my father's will did not argue with Carlisle, who informed the lawyer that I had no desire to accept the inheritance given the fact I had been adopted by the doctor who had treated me and Carlisle (being that doctor) had accepted all responsibility for my wellbeing, finically included and that I wanted the money to go to those who needed it more; meaning my aunt and uncle.
The only insistence that the lawyer had was that someone needed to come to London to sign the drafted documents in person.
Since the war was in full swing and since I was still technically a newborn vampire, Carlisle didn't think my going was the best idea, in fact to put it bluntly, he put his foot down and made me promise I would not follow him this time, Edward and Emmett made sure of this, though I swore I wouldn't.
London held nothing for me now, with my parents now gone, it wasn't even home, it was just a place I had once lived and nearly died.
So he traveled to London for the paperwork, bringing with him forged documents to provide proof of my adoption and continued medical care.
Since the money wasn't going to Carlisle, but was going to legitimate Callaghan relatives; the lawyer saw no problem with the transaction. He did inquire however to my lack of presence and Carlisle explained that returning to London so soon after the break of amnesia would not have been beneficial to my recovery and would have been more devastating to my currently delicate mind.
I laughed at the words when Carlisle returned home and explained in detail the events from the lawyer.
To prove my contentment and happiness in my new found life, Carlisle produced a photo he had taken before he left, a photograph of Esme, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie and I standing in front of our house. With that proof, the lawyer placed his signature beside Carlisle's and it was done.
I just wish I could have seen my uncle and aunt when the lawyer hand delivered the will to them.
They were proud people and never accepted handouts, but this wasn't a handout and I knew they would have no choice but to accept it, after all…it rightfully belonged to them anyways.
Carlisle also retrieved a few items from my house, photos of my mother and father and my grandfather's pocket watch. Things I had not asked him to collect, but he felt I should have.
About eight years later, Carlisle and I returned to the UK and from a distance I was able to see the good my money had done.
The farm was beautiful and spread for miles, the equipment my uncle had long desired to purchase was in full use and the whole family looked so happy, and I knew I had made the right decision.
Locals couldn't help but brag to anyone who would listen about the prosperity of Callaghan Farm, and the value it had brought to our small village and how the survival of the farm allowed for the survival of the village.
I had been sad to leave the village I had played in and loved as a small child, but knowing how much good my family was doing filled the empty space I felt and really allowed me to leave my human life as Christian Callaghan behind and turn to my vampire life I had as Christian Cullen.
Quickly I shook my head, clearing the memories away, I really do have a short attention span, and I really am distracted by anything. Only problem is, my distraction leads to memories of my past.
Rolling my eyes at myself, I gently pushed the door open and slipped inside, Alice bounded over to me and hugged me tight; now she's two maybe three inches shorter than me, but when she gets going there's no stopping her, her hug nearly lifted me off the floor, I've called her the Energizer Hug Bunny on more than one occasion and she loves it.
"Jasper said you wanted to see me?" I managed to gasp out between laughs,
"Emmett got you ok?" I nodded as she let me go and I slid to the floor, where she joined me. "How did things go with the football?" she asked me casually.
I rolled my eyes again, of course Alice would have seen the whole thing long 'fore I did, but she also would have had no idea if I would stop the ball once I saw it coming in my own mind, at least without knowing me well enough.
"Caught it," I replied "Her Majesty Janet Davis goes without a concussion for another day." I grinned "and the people rejoiced, for her subjects go another day with their eardrums intact" I finished imitating Monty Python. I paused and changed my dopey grin for a more serious stare "Alice, what happened with Edward, is he ok? Emmett said I should ask you."
She nodded and smiled at me gently, before explaining as much as she knew about what had occurred over at the high school.
When she finished I could only stare in disbelief, aside from Carlisle, Edward is one of more resilient members of our family when it comes to giving in to our strong desire for human blood. To have this much of an impact on Edward, it says a lot about Chief Swan's daughter.
I've met Chief Swan personally a few times, after all in a town as small as Forks, it's nearly impossible to go into town and NOT run into someone you know.
The one time I met him outside of town was his catching me without a helmet on my old ATV, I wasn't even going that fast. Granted I was on the main road, but I was heading towards the woods, anyways to make a long story short he gave me a long lecture about the dangers of ATVs and even more so, not wearing a helmet while riding one.
He was nice about the whole thing and pretty reasonable, but he did promise me that if he caught me without a helmet again, he'd not only lock up my ATV indefinitely, but talk to my father as well about locking up my other toys until I was a little older.
Just him taking my ATV was enough incentive to wear the stupid helmet; but we Cullen kids have a reputation for being well behaved mature teenagers who keep to themselves, and the last thing I needed to do was cause trouble and be pegged as the Cullen bad boy by the Forks police department, that and I'm really not sure how Carlisle would've reacted to not only bailing my ATV out, but getting a phone call from Chief Swan about the whole thing.
But for Chief Swan's daughter impacting Edward so severely that he nearly went on a killing rampage just to get to her made me curious about her and…even…a little frightened.
Not that I'd ever tell anyone that, I'd never hear the end of it, I'd just have to figure out how to block it from my mind so Edward didn't read it when he came home.
"Christian?" Alice said softly, putting a hand on my arm
"Sorry, I was thinking…" I paused "Alice, can you see…I mean do you know when he's coming back can you see that?"
She smiled and played with my hair a bit, spiking it up before pushing it back down flat, tucking strands of my bangs behind my ears.
"A couple of days maybe a week, no more than that," I nodded "he'll be ok Chris, don't worry so much."
I was wearing my emotions and I knew it, it's not something I like and try to avoid at all costs, but I worry 'bout all my family and am close to all of them.
The fact that none of us are related hasn't meant anything to me since being adopted into the family; Edward, Emmett, and Jasper are my brothers and Rosalie and Alice are my sisters and having even one of them missing from the picture even if I know where they are always makes me nervous.
Alice knows this better than anyone in fact aside from Edward, Esme, and Carlisle she's the only one who knows just how panicky and nervous I get when it concerns the family. Jasper senses my emotions, but he doesn't know the reason behind the emotions. Though I'm sure he can guess.
"I know, but it's tough to ignore the worrying, it's like one of the rats when they're throwing a tantrum. Ignoring is nearly impossible"
Alice grinned, she loves the guys and they her, she looked over my shoulders where they are usually double perched one on each shoulder.
"Speaking of where are my boys? I was hoping you'd bring them for a visit."
"In my room, they're on Rosalie's hit list apparently; Jasper didn't think it was such a good idea to bring them out."
Alice nodded
"They were making quite a racket when we got home… we could hear them the minute we walked in the door"
"The tension…they sensed it," I explained, it was the only explanation I could come up with for their behavior, they must have been really having a fit if even Alice who loves them was commenting on the noise. "I'll go grab them."
Quickly, I jumped up and bolted to my room, returning moments later with Chaplin in my arms.
Charlie was to busy with food to be concerned with a chance to see Alice, food is always top priority with Charlie it takes precedence over everything, not to mention Chaplin loves Alice.
Just as I entered the room with him safely tucked in my arms, he started sniffing the air and immediately caught Alice's scent. He wiggled out of my arm and went kamikaze rat on me. He jumped out of my arms and into hers, which luckily she expected, catching him before he would have hit the floor.
"Chappy!" she said happily, he sniffed her arm as he ran up it to her shoulder, where (a sure sign that he was happy and content) he curled up and went to sleep.
I rolled my eyes; my rats never cease to amaze me. Alice played with Chaplin's tail a bit before looking up at me; I retook my seat on the floor sitting Indian style and looked back at her,
"What?" I asked grinning
"Do you have time for a quick game of chess before you go hunting?"
I raised my eyebrow Jasper had said I would have time to work on the ATV 'fore we went hunting. Then I remembered, when he told me this…he hadn't asked Emmett to go.
"Hunting's coming 'fore ATV isn't it?"
She nodded
"Emmett will want to go sooner than later," I pushed my bangs back and nodded, I could work on the ATV later, it wasn't a priority. I grinned, kind of like homework. When you don't sleep, you have a lot of time on your hands to do stuff humans never can find time to do. "And he will be all for your bet."
My grin grew larger
"Do I win said bet?" I asked hopeful.
I was more curious than anything, I don't like using Alice as a fortune teller, but she didn't seem to mind, she leaned forward and tapped my nose
"Not telling," she replied even though I could see it on her face, she knew the outcome, but she wasn't going to give me anymore than that. She reached behind her and pulled out a chess set and I couldn't help but roll my eyes, it's nearly impossible to play against her, her and Edward and win. He knows what move your gonna make the minute you do and she can see what move you'll make five moves ahead. I think I've beaten Edward once though I think he let me win and I have yet to beat Alice. I looked at the set warily and she gave me a sad look, begging me to play. "Please Christian… please? You and Edward are the only ones who will play against me on a regular basis, please?"
"One game" I replied, inching closer to the board, hoping at least once to beat her, or at least last more than eight moves, which is my current record.
Two minutes later, I was in check, her rook had an eye on my king; carefully my knight swooped in and took the rook out, but her queen replaced it taking out my only remaining knight my biggest threat on the board, leaving me with two pawns (both of which had no chance of making it to the other side of the board) one Bishop (the only remnants of my decrepit army), and my king.
I scanned the board carefully trying desperately to visualize each move and the counter that would follow.
I've always been good at seeing moves on a chess board, especially a few moves in advance, in my mind I can see my piece move then my opponents move, then my own and then theirs again, this is partially how my ability works even outside the chess board, with real people and real situations.
But playing against Alice and using that ability doesn't really work so I tried to focus on the move at hand.
I had two moves available; I could move my king out of harm's way, and just wait for the queen to slide down the board and corner me or I could sacrifice my bishop and continue to delay the indelible but at least give my pawn the chance to make it to the other side.
I sighed…I had already beaten my record, as much as I hate admitting defeat. I could see this game going nowhere except to my own demise.
Slowly I looked over the board once more than looked up at Alice's expectant face, before tapping my king to its side, accepting defeat.
"You did much better this time Chris." Alice noted patting my shoulder, she never gloats about her victories even though each one was well deserved. I had gotten my butt whipped fair and square.
Maybe later I'd play against Jasper, he loves chess and does play a strong game, it's just easier to win against him than it is Alice, but since Jasper has military background, he puts up a strong offence, he's tough to beat, but unlike Alice and Edward, he's NOT impossible.
"Thanks," I replied
"You better head downstairs, Jasper is ready to go," I looked over at her shoulder where Chaplin was still sleeping, "I'll put him back in his cage for you."
I nodded and stood up
"Thanks Alice." I grinned and reached down "good game sis," I said.
Gracefully Alice stood up taking my hand to pull herself up, and kissing my cheek and hugging me.
"Excellent try little bro," she replied, she gave a half grin "but, you better go no-"
"Dr. Doolittle, hurry it up, will ya? While we're still young," Emmett's voice called from the living room telling me exactly what Alice had been about to tell me, I growled a little.
"Remember Chris, you haven't won that bet yet,"
"Don't remind me." I replied, softening my expression "wait, does that mean I do win it?" Alice blinked at me innocently, refusing to answer. "Fine," I said smiling at her "be that way."
She stuck her tongue out at me, and I did it back, before we both chuckled at the other's immaturity.
"Chris, hurry up! We're leaving without you!" Emmett repeated.
I rolled my eyes and headed out of Alice's room
"All right, All right, I'm bloody coming already!" I yelled back, heading to the living room.
"Christian. LANGUAGE!" Esme called from somewhere in the house.
Thank so so much for the reviews I have received, it really makes me feel better about how this fic is going. I hope you all enjoyed chapter 4, chapter 5 will be up tomorrow!