Well this is the last chapter of Hope, the next story should be up soon...gotta love breaks from school. :D
Me and you, living under a paper moon
'Cause real life just isn't right
Let's fabricate
Me and you, living under a paper moon
This real life just isn't right
Let's get away
Let's fabricate
Under A Paper Moon- All Time Low
"Piper," a voice I would know anywhere whispered, "Babe, wake up."
"Why?" I muttered my voice scratchy.
"Well you can go back to sleep after but I need to go back to the house and get some clothes. Alice said you'll be fine," I felt his lip press against my forehead. "I'll be back soon."
"Alright," I whispered and settled back into the pillow.
I don't know if it was five minutes or a couple hours later but I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to clean the house since it was getting a little dirty from mom not being gone.
Slipping into some rolled up sweats, socks of course, and a tank top I turned up the music and started sweeping.
Somewhere in between the kitchen and living room I'd abandoned the broom and picked up my Ray-Bans feeling like a Risky Business moment. Flipping my iPod to 'Dog Days Are Over' I slid down the hallway hair brush in hand, then down the banister hopping off at the end.
Running into the living room I jumped on the coffee table doing my best air guitar, before taking out my hair and whipping it around as the chorus came on and jumped onto the couch and off running into the kitchen and sliding again. Belting out the notes I ran and jumped up on the coffee table, pretending the area around was the audience and spun around hopping up and down.
Quickly I was up in the air and I let out a little yelp but smiled as I recognized the laugh.
"You are so weird Pip," He smiled and leaned down kissing my lips softly.
"Eh, you wouldn't love me if I wasn't so weird."
"Very true," He smirked setting me down on the table putting me almost at eye level with him. "One sec," he smiled and then blurred up stairs, I heard the music turn down so I could barely hear it down here and then he was back. "You're waking up the neighbors."
"Oops," I shrugged wrapping my arms around his neck. "So what's on the agenda today?"
"I don't know," He pondered.
"I have a question," I bit my lip. I'd been wondering how to ask this since he'd gotten back.
"Shoot," He smiled scooping me up and sitting down so I was in his lap.
"Does Alice see how I'm going to be changed?"
"Not that I know of," He answered, "she's just seen you changed."
"Have you thought about it?"
"Yes," He nodded, "and again I don't think I'll have enough strength to do it. Carlisle would probably have to, Alice probably could, or Edward but he wouldn't."
"I've read the stories, but what will I be like after?"
"You'll be thirsty, really thirsty. You won't be able to be around humans for a long time, at least a year."
"One year," I cringed and he nodded.
"Piper, I don't want you to do it if you're not absolutely sure," He frowned and it looked so unnatural on his face.
"If I didn't, how long would you stay with me?"
"Forever," He sounded certain but I just shook my head.
"No you wouldn't…I wouldn't… I couldn't stand walking around beside you with people thinking I'm your grandma. It would be ridiculous; if I want to be with you I need to become what you are."
"I don't want you to resent me after 30 or so years when everyone you used to know, your family, that cousin that you went to visit, when they all are dying or have children and grand-children."
Biting my lip, I leaned my head against his shoulder and thought about. It played like a movie in my head. Me, looking just like I am now but I had pale flawless skin with golden eyes. My parents were old and wrinkled. My cousins were grown and had little clones of them from when they were younger. It was like a family portrait and slowly they all aged my parents disappeared as the children grew and I just stayed the same, but as they disappeared the Cullen's took their place and Emmett appeared beside me.
He must have taken my silence as something bad because when I finally looked back up his features were pained. "Emmett, I might be losing a family but I'm gaining one too with something better."
"What's that?" he got a tiny smile.
"You of course," I giggled and leaned in kissing his hard lips, "and you know what?"
"What?" He chuckled.
"I'm going to kick your butt at wrestling with my newborn strength."
"Oh really?" he full out laughed.
"I'm positive," I smirked and he quickly shifted us around so we were lying down on the couch and he was hovering over top of me. I let out my best imitation of a growl and snapped my teeth at him.
"You have no idea how sexy that is to me," he smirked and I raised my eyebrows.
"Good to know," I smirked and wrapped my arms around his neck curling my fingers up into his hair.
oOo
Lying back against his chest I heard a slight ring and he shift pulling out a silver phone.
"Yes Alice?" I looked up to see him smirking but it quickly changed.
"What do you mean his going to kill himself?" After that I wasn't able to catch anything he was speaking so low and fast. Suddenly he was up and pacing still holding the phone to his ear. A bit scared I sat up dropping the blanket from my shoulders.
When he finally did hang up he was still pacing, "Emmett what's wrong?" I asked softly.
"That idiot."
"Emmett?" I frowned he let out a low growl and I jumped back surprised. "Emmett Cullen what is going on," I demanded finally getting his attention.
"Edward is going to try and kill himself. Alice saw it"
"Can you do that? How do you do that?"
"You go to the Volturi. He's going to ask them to kill him basically."
"Well this isn't just going happen, it evidentially hasn't happened yet," I panicked slightly.
"She and Bella are going to try and stop him, they're leaving right now."
"Why would he do this!"
"He thinks Bella's dead, Rose told him and that that dog said Charlie was at a funeral."
Sitting back I frowned, 'he can't die. It's not right, this isn't the ending.'
oOo
Emmett was antsy for lack of a better word, he wouldn't sit still it was like he wanted to do something to help but he knew he couldn't, so he moved. He moved all around the house silently, the only time he would sit down was when I told him to because he kept popping up and scaring me. But even then it was only for a few minutes.
"I swear Emmett McCarty Cullen if you don't sit down for an hour straight I'm going to hurt you somehow!" I shouted from the couch were I was watching the TV in hopes of distraction.
"I haven't…" He suddenly popped into the room behind me making me yelp slightly. Used to it he continued, "heard anything since Jasper called saying they were on the plane."
"Well neither have I but you are driving me nuts," I glared.
"Well excuse me for worrying about my family," He growled.
"Do not growl at me," I turned pointing a finger, "Do you think I'm not worried about them too?"
"You don't seem too worried," He huffed.
Letting out a frustrated shout I got up and stomped up the stairs, "Fine then run around down there and I'll stay up here!"
"Hey, hey, hey," He called and I felt hands grab my hips.
"No, you don't get to touch me," I pushed at his hands.
"To bad," He said and I whipped around to see him smiling.
"No, you growled at me. You don't get to."
"And you scolded me. I think we're even." He pulled, making me take a few steps down. "I doubt a human has ever scolded a vampire."
"I'm still mad at you." I turned my head away stubbornly.
"No you're not, I can see it in your eyes." He took my chin pulling my face towards him and I closed my eyes. "Alright," He chuckled, "I'm sorry for growling at you, and I'm truly sorry for accusing you of not worrying about Edward, Alice, and Bella."
"Thank you," I spoke in a short, clipped tone.
"Piperrrr," He tsked softly and I felt him lean forward tasting his sweet breath. One of his hands ran up to my hair, not once leaving contact with my skin, and pulled my head forward. Letting out a contented sigh I put my hands against his chest and leaned forward meeting his lips.
"Thank you," I breathed out once we pulled apart.
"You are very welcome," he smiled and gripped my hand pulling me towards the couch.
oOo
It took three days for them to get back, three whole days of worrying and pure torture but finally we got a call from Alice that they were coming home. I practically skipped out to the car to go to the airport.
"Piper," Emmett laughed shaking his head as I skipped around him in the parking garage waiting for the other Cullen's to get there.
"Yuuuus?" I smiled jumping up and tugging on the strings of his hoodie which he had up along with a ball cap to keep out of the sun. "You could take that off here theres no sun."
Rolling his eyes he pulled the hood off and leaned down pecking my lips. Smiling I kissed him back and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"That is one thing I didn't miss seeing," I heard Devan yell and I pulled back to see two more cars had occupied spaces beside ours.
"You're all here!" I shouted and pulled away instantly going over to a guilty Rose and hugging her.
"Hi Piper," she gave a small smile and then moved onto Esme who gave a tight hug in return.
"Oh it's so good to see you again."
"I think the only reason you're with me is for my family," Emmett chuckled as we pulled away and he quickly reclaimed me into his arms.
"Hummmm, you might be right," I smirked and heard soft laughs over to the side.
"I liked your present the best," I smiled catching Jaspers eye. "Thank you."
"You are very welcome Piper," He said with his slight southern accent.
"Alright so Jasper, Esme and I are going to get them in the airport you four stay out here," Carlisle instructed and we all agreed.
Settling back against the car I noticed the guilt come back on Rose's face and reached out taking her hand. A couple minutes later the group returned with and overjoyed Alice, a stiff Edward and Bella who looked like she was asleep, but somehow she was still walking.
Just seeing that they were alright was enough and as Edward and Bella got into the car with Rosalie and Devan, I was surprised when Alice flew into the back of my Jeep behind me with Jasper getting in behind Emmett who started up the engine.
"So how was Italy?" I asked biting my lip.
"I'll tell everyone when we get home." I felt her hand on my shoulder giving a small squeeze and I knew it wasn't going to be good.
oOo
"They know about her!" Emmett snarled and I flinched back into the couch where I had been sitting beside him and Rose as Alice told the story.
"Emmett," Carlisle cautioned in a low even tone.
"It couldn't be helped, he could see every one of Edward's and I's memories." Alice sighed.
"Emmett its ok, I'll just have to be changed earlier," I tried.
"Bella and Edward are here," Jasper remarked in the silence from the far edge and they all quickly filed out of the room. For what was going to be a fun filled evening, note the sarcasm.
"Please calm down," I whispered standing a couple feet away from him. "Emmett everything will be fine, we'll talk it out tonight ok. Just please…" This was truly one of the only times I was scared of him and he seemed to noticed that.
"I'm sorry," He closed his eyes and I watched his fists unclench. "I didn't mean to scare you, it's just I want you to have the full life you wanted so you won't regret it."
"It's alright," I got a small smile answering both of his statements, "we don't need any more angry vampire's at this meeting. I have a feeling Edward's going to mad enough, or that's what Alice said to me at least."
"Ok," he nodded confused about the Alice thing and walked over linking his fingers with mine and led me to the dining room where we filed in behind everyone. Smiling across the table at Bella I sat down on Emmett's lap and his arms wrapped around me as Rose sat on the left side and Esme on the right.
"The floor is yours," Carlisle nodded.
"Well…I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?" Bella spoke and Emmett made a small growl that she probably didn't even hear.
"Everything," Alice assured.
"And on the way?"
"That, too."
"Good," Bella sighed. "Then we're all on the same page. So, I have a problem, well actually I guess Piper and I do. Alice promised the Volturi that we would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bad thing, something to avoid. Though, it has already been decided that Piper will be changed so it's mostly me." She glanced over at me for confirmation and I nodded.
"And so, now, this involves you all. I'm sorry about that." She spoke about her changing. "But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not." Esme opened her mouth but she held up one finger stopped her.
"Please, let me finish. You all know what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks, too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then…I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here." There was a slight growl from Edward.
"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire."
"Just a minute," Edward butted in earning a glare from Bella. "I have something to add before we vote."
"About the danger Bella's referring to. I don't think we need to be overly anxious." He became kind of excited leaning forward. "You see, there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand there at the end. There's something they didn't think of, and I didn't want to clue them in." He grinned.
"Which was?" Alice spoke.
"The Volturi are overconfident, and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?" He looked down at Bella and she nodded. I remembered hearing about him being one of the guards.
"He finds people, that's his talent, why they keep him. Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works. He's a tracker, a tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was."
'Oh fantastic,' I muttered in my brain and he casted me a look. 'Sorry'
"His ability is loosely related to what I do, or what Aro does. He catches the…flavor? I don't know how to describe it…the tenor…of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances. But after Aro's little experiments, well…" He shrugged
"You think he won't be able to find me," Bella said flatly.
"Or even Piper since I can't read her mind unless it's directed," He gave a smug smile, "He totally relies on that other sense. When it doesn't work, they'll be blind."
"And how does that solve anything?"
"Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll hide you. They'll be helpless," He said extremely excited. "It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!"
I watched him and Emmett exchange a smirk and I rolled my eyes.
"But they can find you," Bella reminded him.
"And I can take care of myself."
Emmett laughed and reached over the table extending a fist, "Excellent plan, my brother," Edward fist bumped him.
"No," I stated simply.
"Absolutely not," Bella agreed.
"Nice," Jasper approved along with Devan.
"Idiots," Alice muttered while Rose shook her head no and Esme glared at Edward.
"All right, then. Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider," Bella stated, calm. "Let's vote."
She looked toward Edward first, "Do you want me to join your family?"
"Not that way. You're staying human." She nodded and continued on.
"Alice?"
"Yes."
"Jasper?"
"Yes."
"Devan?"
"Yes."
"Rosalie?"
Biting my lip I already knew her answer, "No." Bella was about to move on but Rose stopped her, "Let me explain," she pleaded. "I don't mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. Its just that…and I told this to Piper too…this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me."
She nodded slowly and met my eyes.
"Piper?"
"But I'm not part…"
"You're going to be, so?"
"Well of course, yes!" I smiled.
Her eyes turned to Emmett.
"Hell, yes!" He grinned and I just rolled my eyes. "We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri." Casting a glare at him he just wrapped his arms around my waist tighter.
"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as part of my family," Esme smiled.
"Thank you, Esme," she murmured and turned to Carlisle along with the rest of us. But he wasn't looking at Bells his eyes were focused on Edward.
"Edward," He spoke.
"No," Edward growled and his lips curled back.
"It's the only way that makes sense," Carlisle insisted. "You've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave me a choice."
Suddenly he shoved away from the table stalking out of the room.
"I guess you know my vote," Carlisle sighed and Bella mumbled a 'thanks.'
A large crash echoed from the other room and I jumped slightly causing Emmett's arms to hold me closer.
"That's all I needed. Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly that same way about all of you, too." Bella stated and Esme blurred around to her giving a comforting hug.
"Well, Alice," Bella said when she was released. "Where do you want to do this?" I eyes widened surprised and I glanced over at Alice to see the same expression but ten times worse.
"No! No! NO!" Edwards roared and I pushed back against Emmett as he charged back into the room. "Are you insane? Have you utterly lost your mind?"
"Um, Bella," Alice interrupted. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…"
"You promised," Bella glared.
"I know, but…Seriously, Bell! I don't have any idea how not to kill you."
"You can do it, I trust you" she encouraged causing a furious snarl from Edward.
Alice shook her head quickly.
"Carlisle?" She turned to him and Edward grabbed her face, gently but forcing her to look at him.
"I'm able to do it," Carlisle answered. "You would be in no danger of me losing control."
Something like 'sounds good' came out of her mouth.
"Hold on," Edward hissed between clenched teeth. "It doesn't have to be now."
"There's no reason for it not to be now," she said and I wasn't about to butt in to this conversation to correct her letting Edward handle it.
"I can think of a few."
"Of course you can," she said sourly. "Now let go of me."
"In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police."
"All three of them?" She quipped but frowned.
"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous, I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house."
"That's a reasonable request, Bella," Carlisle pointed out.
"I'll consider it." She said and I repressed the groan. I love this girl but sometimes she frustrates the living crap out of me.
"I should probably take you home," Edward relaxed. "Just in case Charlie wakes up early."
She looked at Carlisle, "After graduation?"
"You have my word." He responded.
"Okay, you can take me home."
oOo
"I'm glad everything is back to as normal as can be," I said from the couch in Emmett's room where we were sitting facing each other.
"What does that mean?" He laughed.
"My life, I've accepted that it's weird." I smirked. "A psycho red head trying to kill me is normal for me now, and let's not mention the Volturi and what they probably want to do." He let out a low growl.
"I'm not going to let anything get you," He frowned.
"I know you won't," I leaned forward getting on my hands and kissing his lips. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and flip me onto his lap.
"So can I have my shirt back now, or are you still going to wear it at night."
"I'll think about that," I smiled and he leaned down again kissing the corner of my mouth. "Umm there's just one thing that everyone forgot about tonight I think…"
"What's that?"
"The treaty…how are you going to turn us?" I saw realization flick into his eyes.