So I decided to post this chap early. I couldn't wait.
Edward finally comes into the picture! Let's see what happens. Meet you at the bottom.
It was about twenty minutes before sixth period was supposed to start, and I was no closer to a solution then I was when school started. I had been keeping tabs on the Cullen's all day. They still don't know that I am here, but I'm still surprised that they would not know yet. Edward was the oldest of the group now, besides Carlisle, so you'd think that he, if not the others, would sense another vampire in the vicinity. Although, I rarely left my classroom during the day so my scent is not the easiest thing to pick up until you're right outside of the room.
I had time before class was to start, so I decided to head on over to the bathroom down the hallway to clean myself up, and look presentable. I opened the door to the girl's bathroom, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
I smelled the sweet smell of another vampire.
Ignoring my idea to wait until they spotted me in the classroom, I continued walking around the corner knowing who it might be. As I rounded the final corner, I came face to face with none other than Alice.
Alice heard me coming when I opened the bathroom door, but she probably smelled me then as well. She stared at me with shock the most featured on her face. Others were confusion, pain, understanding, and happiness. We continued to stare at each other for about three seconds when Alice let out a high pitched squeal and ran to me, and embraced me hard enough that it would break my back had I still been human.
"OH MY GOD BELLA, IS IT REALLY YOU?" Alice screamed loud enough for the whole school to hear, probably broke my ear drums as well.
"Hi Alice! Long time no see." I said with almost as much enthusiasm as she used, hugging her back. Alice looked the same as she always did. Maybe a little smaller, but that might be because I was left to grow a little before I was changed. We stood there for a minute more, and then released each other.
"Bella, how are you here? How did I not see this happen?" Alice looked really confused at this point. "I mean, you told us not to look for you but just because I was not looking, does not mean I can't see".
Just hearing Alice talk felt like we were never apart. I could hear her talk forever, and now I had that opportunity, but I had a few questions for her involving a certain vampire I hoped still loved me, and would not be mad at me fork keeping him in the dark for now. But Alice beat me to the punch.
"How did you change? What have you been doing for 70 years? Why haven't you tried to find us? We could have helped you in your newborn year. How can-"
Her mouth was going a mile a minute, so I had to stop her there.
"Alice everything is fine I'll explain everything later but right now, I think it's time for class".
Realization hit her features just then.
"You're our teacher. Boy, Edward was mad as a grizzly all day because we had a teacher with your last name. He was mad that it reminded him of you. It was almost unbearable to be around him. Man, is he gonna be happy to see you again after all this time".
Hearing Alice say Edwards name was like opening my eyes for the first time in my new life. Sure I said his name on occasion when the boys would ask a question, but it was nothing compared to someone else saying it. Then I realized that she can't tell him. Not while we were in school anyway.
"Alice, you can't tell Edward, let him see me in class and I'll explain everything at the end of the day".
Her eyes got that glazed over look she always got when she was having a vision. "Oh, that's a good idea." She said, clapping her hands together. "You'll have to come over our house tonight. Esme will be ecstatic to see you again".
"Sure, Alice, that would be great, but would you mind if I brought a few people with me?"
It was the confused face again. "Bella, do you have a coven? Oh no, do you have a mate? You do, don't you. Oh Bella, you know how much that's gonna kill Edward. I mean he just got you back, and now he's lost you again, and he hasn't even seen you yet. How many-"
I had to cut her off again. So that meant that Edward did not find someone else. Thank God. We were really cutting class time close though. "Alice, you need to calm down. I don't want you alerting Jasper, or Edward. I suppose that, yes I have a coven but, no, I do not have a mate. These people are my friends, and I think Edward really needs to meet them".
"Okay, I won't say anymore. I'm already in danger of Edward hearing me anyway. He's still in the cafeteria, so he won't see you until you are in the classroom. We will talk after school is over, alright?"
"Yes Alice, that will be fine, see you then".
With that, Alice hugged me one more time and danced off without another word. It seems strange, but I'm actually exited for this meeting to finally come. I was very surprised that she did not bring up the twins though. You would think that being a psychic, and all, she would have known that she was an aunt by now.
I was finally back in my classroom mentally getting ready. Alice had gone off to stall Edward, so I could be here first. I giggled to myself. Alice was probably translating the National Anthem into German at this point, so I decided to help her out. I focused really hard and found Alice's presence inside of the cafeteria. I started stretching my shield around inside of my head and brought it around Alice's body, effectively, stopping all thought from getting to Edward. Only then did I hear the conversation start up.
"Alice! What just happened? I can't hear your thoughts anymore!"
"Huh? You can't?" I heard Alice ask, truly confused.
"No! You were translating the Constitution into French, and then, suddenly your thoughts disappear like they were never there. What happened?"
"Oh, that must be it, OK I get it. Sorry Edward, but you will have to wait for class to start, before you can hear my thoughts again. There is someone you really need to meet".
I heard Edward growl in confusion and anger, but then retreat to silence. Phew. I continued to keep my shield around Alice until they were just outside of my classroom.
"Now Edward, you have to promise me you will not freak out but you really need to see for yourself".
I took that as my cue and released Alice from my shield, and freeing her thoughts again. It only took about three-fifth of a second and then Edward came into my view from the hallway.
"Alice, what are you talking abo-" He stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he spotted me.
It was like seeing the sun for the first time. I was still enthralled by his beauty, At this point I thought he was going to pass out. The looked like he was about to have a panic attack. He looked at me almost like that first day we met, only without the need to kill me. But I remembered why I was here, and then I went to work. I lifted my shield from my mind, and then thought with as much love and assurance as I could.
Hello Edward
At my words, he flinched. I guess he did not expect that to happen. He looked at me then, with sad and longing eyes. So I decided that it was time to stop this conversation for another time and start class.
Calm down, Edward, everything will be okay. I will explain everything when school's over, okay?
He blinked, coming back to Earth; he then nodded very slowly and went to an empty seat in the middle of the classroom. Alice was right behind him, taking her seat to the far left of the room, farthest from the door, but not without stopping to wink at me.
By now the class was full, and I went to work, starting out by handing Edward and Alice their school books, and introducing them to the class. I then handed out homework from the night before, and then proceeded to tell the students to start reading from the chapter we left off on Friday in their textbooks, and then complete the questions at the end on a piece of paper. I then went to sit at my desk prepared to watch the class work, but I caught a pair of golden eyes staring at me.
I'm pretty sure I know what he was thinking at the time, but I decided to play the silent game and stare right back. Whenever a student looked up towards me or Edward, we quickly looked down to our separate papers, until they looked away, and then we resumed our staring contest. Edwards hand did not stop the entire time, he was writing the answers to the questions in the book. Probably getting them out of the other students, and maybe Alice's heads. It was a long hour, but in the end Edward did not stay after class like I thought he would. The second the bell rang, Edward was out of his seat, and I had my questions in my hand, and he dashed out of the door before any of the others kids, even Alice, were out of their seat.
Alice then dashed up to me, and whispered low enough so the kids would not hear. "Don't worry, he'll be back at the house later, he just needs some time to think, and get his head on straight. And thank you for the help in the lunchroom; you'll have to explain to me what you did back there".
Thanking Alice, and promising to explain things later, she then hugged me again and dashed off to her last class of the day, and left me with my thoughts.
I had a free period at the end of the day so I decided to call my sons to make sure they were still far away from the school. They were somewhere in the Olympic National Forest and were going to head home soon. I told them that they should head on over to the house, get changed, and then wait for me to call them to give them directions to the Cullen's house. Gabe questioned me profusely, but I calmed him down saying that everything will be explained tonight. We said our goodbyes and then hung up.
At the end of the day, I met Alice at the front door to the school and we walked to her car. The Volvo was gone so that must mean he left right after class.
"Yes, Edward left after your class, and he took the others with him, but he did not tell them yet. I stayed behind to get you to come to our house. Where's your car, you need to see everybody".
"Uh, sorry Alice, but my friends took my car today, and dropped me off here. Do you mind if I ride with you?"
"No, of course not, get in." Alice and I piled into her yellow Porsche, and drove off towards the house I once called my home.
~o~O~o~
As Alice drove, always to fast, through the sleepy town, we talked about what we have been doing for the past 70 years and other stuff. I was still very surprised that she still did not bring up the twins, and I was about to ask her myself until she interrupted me.
"So Bella, do you have any powers"?
"Yes, I can create a mental shield around others and myself. It turns out that was always the reason Edward could not hear my thoughts".
"And what about what happened in the cafeteria? I knew that was you, somehow".
"Oh, that was nothing, I just blocked out your mind from Edward, and he couldn't hear you until you were just outside my door".
"So, you can stop other vampires from getting hit by our abilities?"
"No, I can put a shield up around someone, and they are basically wiped off the Earth to someone like Edward. It would have no effect on someone like you or Jasper."
It was mildly surprising at how easy or often I was saying Edwards name. It was like we were never apart.
"Do you do that a lot in your coven?"
"Yes, when they like to start fights with each other, I use my powers to give them an even fight. You would not believe how much Gabe and Mace remind me of Edward".
"Hm…Wait…what? What do you mean by that? Why would someone Edward has never met, remind you of him?" Oops slip up. Well might as well get this over with now.
"Um…well, you see. Gabe and Mace are my sons. I gave birth to them before I was turned".
"Wow. Okay, but why would two old people remind you of my brother?" Ugh This is getting difficult to explain, so I might as well come out and say it.
"Well you see, Gabriel, and Mason, are Edward's sons, and, no, they are not old people. I was pregnant with them, that's why I left so long ago, and I thought that they would remain human all their lives but they got it from Edward, and they kind of grew into their powers. I guess I was just afraid that Edward would not be ready for children, and so I left".
Boy it felt good to finally get that off of my chest. I've kept it in so long that the words came out in a rush, but I knew that Alice heard every word. She was silent for a few seconds, trying to take it all in, when finally she let out the unneeded breath she was holding, and said. "Wow. I'm an aunt." I then sighed in relief. Well, at least Alice was happy about this situation.
"But how is that possible, and I'm not talking about you guys doing the nasty, Emmett will rag on you enough for the whole family, he still thinks poor Edward is a virgin. But, I'm talking about, how can vampires have children?"
I sighed again, and then explained my theories about vampires fathering kids. We chatted about the twins the whole way to the Cullen's house.
"Hey, when can we meet them, I can't wait to see my nephews." she had a faraway look into her eyes, and I realized she was having a vision. "Oh, okay, they will be there later, I can't wait, and I bet Esme will be exited".
We finally got into the garage of the Cullen's big three story mansion. Once again, it was like I never left. The house was still white, with three of the four sides covered in nothing but glass. We got out of her car, and then Alice proceeded to lead me into the house. When we got in I could not help but gasp at the beauty of the inside of the house, again it was like I never left, it was still the exact same as if I never left.
"Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Rose, Emmett!" Alice shouted out so loud that I know they would hear if they were even a mile down the road.
A flurry of activity happened then. The whole family, minus the one person I wanted to see the most, came down the stairs to see what was happening. They all stopped at the foot of the stairs, took in my form for about three seconds, and then converged on me, hugging.
"Oh my goodness, Bella, we all missed you so much!" Esme's voice rang out first.
"Bella, how is this possible? You should be six feet under by now." Emmett's voice came to me then. Leave it to him to liven up the situation.
"Bella, you're alive, we're so glad to see you". I could hear Carlisle's voice at my right side then. I hugged each one of them, and said. "Thank you. It's so great to be back here after all this time". I noticed that Jasper stayed about three feet away from the melee that was my welcoming. Hm…I guess old habits die hard. I could see confusion on his face along with curiosity, but he was probably getting bombarded by so many emotions in the room.
That was when they started bombarding me with questions, but I told them, "I'm sorry for this everyone, but I think you really need to wait until we are all together to hear this. So we need to wait for Edward and my family to arrive."
They looked at me in confusion at this point, so Alice, bless her heart, intervened, by saying, "Everyone, this is a really confusing subject so we have to wait for Edward, and her friends to come, okay?" Even though she simply repeated my sentence, the others seemed to listen to her.
The whole family was still very confused, so I excused myself to call my 'coven' to give them directions to the house. I could hear everyone arguing inside, they wanted to talk to me some more, and Alice would not let them until Edward, and my 'friends' arrived.
"Mom, where are you, well come pick you up" Gabe's voice rang out over the phone.
"No, Gabe, you need to get Mason, and come to this address.' I gave Gabe the address over the phone so he could put it into his GPS in his H2.
"But mom, why are we going to meet these vampires? I thought you wanted to stay away from any others of our kind". I could hear buttons being pressed on the other line, must be Gabe's GPS.
It was true. I did avoid other vampires throughout the years, even when other covens came through an area we were in, we left immediately. It might have something to do with how I was changed; I mean that vampire is still out there somewhere, right? So it would be considered normal for me to be suspicious of others of our kind.
There were two or three times when a vampire would follow us, and antagonize us. Every situation ended in a fight. I guess I don't need to say that we won. Gabe, Mace and I together make the best tag team I know.
"Look, this is different, just come as fast as you can, everything will be explained when you get here."
There was a long pause on the other end,"…It's them isn't it?"
I chuckled. Leave it to Gabe to figure things out. "Yes it is. Get over here quickly will you?" I said impatiently.
"We'll be there in ten minutes, don't worry." and with that, he hung up.
It was strange, but Gabriel sounded almost exited to come here. I hope that was the case, because we were going to be here for a while.
As soon as I hung up the phone, I was aware of someone behind me. I whirled around to be confronted with a pair of golden eyes. Edward was standing about two feet from me, staring at me like he just saw me climbing out of my grave. Well, he was almost right. He has been going around thinking that I was dead for the past 70 years, so the look he was giving me was well deserved.
The silence between us was getting a little unsettling; I could still hear everyone in the house arguing, so they did not know Edward was here with me. I did not mind in the slightest, but it was going to look weird when the twins show up, and we were still in the same place. So I made the first move, by saying, "Hello, again, Edward, it's really nice to see you again".
He waited for about five seconds then said, "Hello Bella, I would say it's nice to see you to, but I'm very confused at the moment, could you explain why you're here like this, please?"
My God, it was so nice to finally hear his voice. It was like I never heard him speak to me. All the other times I heard him speak were in my human ears, and when I heard him in the lunchroom at school, but that was from far away, so that had nothing on the fact that he was right here in front of me.
"Um… it's very hard to explain, but when I left you back then, I was not sure if you wanted something that happened back then."
"And, that was…?" he asked, still very much confused.
At that moment, Alice and the others came out, because they heard us, and wanted to see what was going on. Alice danced to my side, and said to Edward, "Edward isn't this wonderful? Bella is back with us again, and she has a wonderful surprise for you. They will be here in about five minutes." Leave it to Alice to save the day.
Edward wheeled on her then, "I don't care about a surprise, right now. I just want to know why Bella left and why she's here right now". Edward did not sound mad, but still very confused about all of this, so I interjected.
"Edward, I left because something happened, but now everything is fine and you will see the 'surprise' Alice was talking about". He turned his bright golden eyes on me, silently begging me to explain.
Alice then took that as her que to say, "Alright, everyone, back inside the house, we need to give them a minute to catch up before they get here". She then started shooing the rest of the family back into the house, leaving me and Edward alone in the driveway.
"You don't know how much I missed you Bella. Why did you leave?" he sounded so sincere, and so sad. It hurt to look into his eyes. I know he was sad because I left so long ago, but I was not sure he wanted the twins. It was so hard to not run into his arms, and cry nonexistent tears all over his shirt. But I had to be strong until the twins got here.
And speak of the devil there they were.
Well, about a quarter mile from the house. Edward heard them as well. He turned his head quizzically in the direction of the engine and we both listened as the car they were driving took a sharp right onto the Cullen's driveway, and rode that at one hundred miles an hour. Just then Gabriel's H2 Hummer came into view, going over a small dune just past the trees. At the speed they were going that small dune might as well have been a ramp, because they went sailing into the air about ten feet, then landed safely on the ground, five feet from Edward, and I.
Gabe turned off the Hummer, and then both boys got out of their side of the car. Mason's side was facing away from us so as soon as he got out of the car; he jumped on top of the roof only to jump down to our side. Mace's weight brought the vehicle down about two inches, and I could hear the shocks protesting to the added weight. This earned an irritated glare from Gabe but he said nothing as he stood there. I didn't need to lift my shield to know that he was saying some not-so-friendly words to his little brother. Mace just smiled at him.
Edward said nothing as he watched this silent exchange between them, till he turned to me.
"Bella, is this your coven?" he asked in a hushed tone. I knew that he would know they were vampires as soon as mace jumped six feet into the air. Nothing gets past him. I smiled.
I motioned for them to come over here, and when they did, they both hugged me and then flanked me, Gabe on my right, Mace on my left. I was pretty sure that Gabe filled Mace in on the way here so I started introductions without thinking what I was doing.
"Edward, I would like you to meet Gabriel McCarty Swan, and Mason Anthony Swan. …Edward, meet your sons.
TA-DA! How do you think he'll react?
Leave me some love!