A Beautiful Mess
Chapter Three
Subtitled: Your Mind Is Rather Reckless
Quotation: "The main problem with teenagers is that they're just like their parents were at their age" - anonymous
Nessie tapped her pencil, staring out the window, careful to feel as bored as possible, not that was difficult since she'd been holed up at her relatives for three days. She tapped a little more urgently, sighed loudly and then it happened.
"What's the matter, Nessie?" her Aunt Alice asked, swooping in from nowhere.
"I'm bored." She sighed, gesturely dramatically at the homework she had long since finished. She may only have been six, but she mastered Tennyson before her first birthday. She saw Alice glance discreetly at Jasper who nodded slightly. Perfect Nessie thought.
"Well, do you want to go hunting?" Alice asked.
Nessie crinkled her nose and shook her head. She may have prefered blood over human food as child but as soon as she had figured out that Carlisle wasn't going to provide her with donated human blood for the rest of her life, she had warmed up quite quickly to pot roast. These days the meat of an animal was quite preferable to its circulatory system. Besides, none of her friends drank blood.
"Want to play some video games with me, kiddo?" Emmett called from across the room as he soundly thrashed Rosalie in Call of Duty.
"Nah, you cheat!" Nessie whined. "You know all the codes!"
"Well how about some chess?" Jasper offered, putting down the book he'd been reading.
Nessie rolled her eyes. "You're so good, you may as well be cheating. It's not like I need another reason to feel ordinary." She muttered to herself, knowing full well they could hear her. It was a low blow and she knew it, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She looked down at her hands but discreetly watched Alice pleading non-verbally with Rosalie, and then the moment Nessie had been waiting for – Alice looked triumphant.
"I know!" Alice cried, "Let's go shopping!"
Nessie's head shot up, her eyes lighting with excitement. "Can we?" she cried.
"Go upstairs and get your coat." Her aunt smiled. Gotcha! Nessie thought and pratically skipped into Jasper's study where she had left it that afternoon after school She left the door open, though and listened intently to her family down the hall. She stalled, taking her sweet time getting a coat that was right before her eyes. While she killed time she opened both the windows. It would save her time later.
"I still don't know…" she heard her Aunt Rosalie sigh. "She's not supposed to go shopping – or play video games." She added elbowing her husband in the ribs.
"Ow!" he cried, pausing the game to rub his side.
"Oh come on, Rose!" Alice pleaded. "The kid is miserable…" She looked to Jasper for help.
"It's true," he said simply. "And she did feel much happier when Alice suggested shopping, almost – elated."
"Of course she did, because she has far more sense then her mother!" Alice said smugly, not at all suspicious that someone could find the idea of shopping elating. "Come on Rose, Edward and Bella will never know. Plus if we can get her to feel happy about something like shopping then maybe she'll stop doing other things to have fun!"
Rose paused, but the logic was compelling. In the end, she loved Nessie has her own had fought for her as hard as Bella had, and she really did just want what was best for her. "Oh alright…" she conceded. "But have her back before Carlisle and Esme get back."
"Not a problem!" Alice said and in the office Nessie grinned, grabbing her coat and running back down the hall. Her timing impeccable, or so it seemed. "Ready, Nessie?"
Nessie nodded. "Can I drive?" she asked hopefully.
"No!" Three angry voices responded.
Nessie shurgged coyly. "Can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" she asked.
Alice rolled her eyes. "Come on, don't push your luck. Let's get out of here before cooler heads prevail and they change their minds."
Nessie had gone on countless shopping trips with her aunt and so she had a fairly good idea of how best to play the situation. And the truth was, as plans went this one wasn't even unpleasant. She actually quite liked shopping and shopping with Alice was always fun because she wasn't afraid of spoiling her the way her parents, grandparents and Rosalie were. She allowed her Aunt to steer her through three department stores and then, to soften Alice up, Nessie suggested Alice's favorite shoe store which just happened to be right next to their destination, though not that Alice knew that.
As they left the shoe store, their arms seriously burdened with bags, Nessie looked at the display of the store next door and cried out in delight. Alice followed her gaze – it was a lingerie store.
"Oh, Aunt Alice how stunning is that?" Nessie cried, rushing forward and pointing at an intricately lacy black bra.
Alice raised her eyebrows, hoping desperately that this was not leading where she thought it was. "It's very pretty, Nessie." She said choosing her words carefully. "But don't you think you're a little young?" she asked.
Nessie's laughed and thought of the most embarrassing thing she could – catching her parents having sex – and blushed. "Eww Aunt Alice! Not for me! For you!"
Alice had never been so relieved her life.
"It would be so pretty on you! You have to get it!" She turned away from the window, her eyes shining with unselfish excitement.
Alice hesitated for a moment, beginning to feel a little uneasy about her niece her encouraging her to buy lingerie, but Nessie had anticipated that.
"I don't know…" Alice said, marveling to herself that the day at finally come where she needed to be convinced to buy something.
Nessie shrugged her shoulders casually. "Well I just figured it would be a nice gesture." Nessie said innocently.
Alice's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you because I don't even know if I'm supposed to know this…" Nessie stalled, chewing her lip and looking quite unsure.
"I promise. I won't tell!" Alice said sincerely.
Nessie couldn't believe how easy this was and pushed ahead confidently.
"Well, Uncle Jasper doesn't want you to know this because he doesn't want you to feel bad because he knows it's not your fault, but I heard him tell Uncle Emmett that misses you because you're at school all day with us and he's always in Anchorage in class. He's used to spending all day with you so I guess he feels a little…" she paused as though searching for the right word.
"Neglected?" Alice asked, beginning to feel incredibly guilty. She shook her head thinking of her stupid soldier always dealing with other people's feelings and never thinking of himself, mostly because he had some crazy idea about not being worth it.
Nessie nodded grimly, and before her chin even reach her chest, Alice was in the store and grabbing the bra. She watched her aunt pay and had to admit to herself, she did feel a little guilty. She loved her family and it was incredibly mean to play them like this but she was sick and tired to being controled. And they just didn't understand. They couldn't understand. She finally had real friends. She finally felt normal and she wasn't about to give that up just because her family had all chosen this weird unlife – and inflicted it on her. Her mother had told her many times how much she had wanted to be a vampire and while Nessie thought it was fine and dandy for her mother, she didn't much like being condemned to some weird purgatory of an existence where she was not a human and not a vampire. So, though she knew it was awful to manipulate the family she loved, she also knew that they had each other and she didn't belong anywhere – not really but that was all going to change if she had anything to do about it.
Her aunt returned in short order and glaced at her watch. "Alright! Time to hit the road!" Alice said.
"You're going to eat dinner with me tonight, right?" Nessie asked as they walked to the car and put the packages in the backseat.
"Sure, if you like." Alice said.
Nessie smiled. "Good." She said, and she meant it. It wouldn't do to have her Uncle Jasper disappear too soon. In this scenerio, timing was everything.
Nessie played fifteen games of chess with Jasper after dinner, her eye occasionally shifting discreetly to the clock on the mantle. At nine forty –five she pushed over her own king and sighed. "Alright! You win!"
"Are you sure?" Jasper asked, there were still many pieces on the board. "You were doing so well!"
"Yeah, I'm sure." Nessie said. "I'm sick of chess. " she smiled ruefully at her uncle. "No offense."
"None taken." He said, laughing softly. They packed up the game and Nessie turned around to find Alice passionately kissing Jasper and whispering something in his hear.
Nessie didn't have to try to feel disgusted. She turned to Rosalie who flipping through a car manual on the floor. "I think I'm going to read in Jasper's study if that's okay." She said as Jasper carried Alice up the stairs. "
Rosalie smiled sympathetically. "That's fine." She said as a great thump and a huge giggle were heard upstairs. "I'll come in to check on you in a little bit."
"Maybe we should think about sound proofing all the rooms!" Nessie said, eyeing the ceiling warily.
"Don't think I haven't considered it." Carlisle said dryly from hes desk across the room. He shared a pained look with Esme who was standing in the kitchen reaching for a CD she kept on hand just for such occasions.
Nessie walked into the office and shut the door. She checked to make sure the bag she had put in there earlier was still in the closet. She turned off all the lights but the desk lamp near the couch and grabbed a copy of Great Expections from the book shelf lining the western wall of the office. Sprawling out on one of the huge leather couches, she read a few pages and checked the clock. It was ten after ten. Any minute now.
She placed the book open and face down on her stomach and shut her eyes. It wasn't hard to relax as the breeze came through the window and the light was soft and warm. Without any effort at all her heart beat evened out and her breathing slowed. She was careful to stay awake but as relaxed as possible, as if meditating. Moments later there was a soft knock at the door. Nessie didn't stir but heard voices.
"No wonder she's asleep." She heard her Uncle Emmett say as softly as he could with so loud a voice. "She's reading Dickens."
She couldn't see it but she was sure whomever he was with was rolling his or her eyes.
"Should we move her?" Esme murmered.
"What and subject her to the racket upstairs? Not only will she never get back to sleep but, she'll be therapy for the rest of her life. It's quiet in here." Rosalie muttered darkly.
Nessie felt the weight of the book being lifted off her chest and a soft blanket being lowered. Cold, soft hands smoothed her hair. Nessie made a concerted effort not to transmit anything. But the cold, soft hands felt so good and loving, her stomach twisted painfully. She want to sit up and tell the owner of the cold, soft hands (whether it was Rosalie, Emmett or Esme she didn't much care) that it wasn't Jasper and Alice's fault. That she had manipulated Alice into seducing Jasper so he'd be too occupied to notice her feelings. That she knew she was a horrible, rotten, no good person but that she had a very good reason. But, before any confessions could be made through what she was sure would be some very dramatic sobs, the hands were gone and the lamp switched off. A moment later she was very much alone.
She lay in the dark for one, very lonely minute before her courage flooded back. She sat up and walked to the closet sweeping the bag off the floor. She took a deep breath and hopped soundlessly out the window and into the forest below. She hitched her bag and ran to the main road. She was going to have to change in the car.
Jacob grinned as he flew down the road, glad to be in the final stretch. It had taken him a little longer then expected, but after finishing the run from Forks to Alaska, he'd stopped at his own pathetic excuse for a house only long enough to shower and grab some real clothes before climbing into his old sedan, a purchase made after the move to Alaska, even though he prefered running, only because he looked odd walking around barefoot and shirtless that far North.
It was eleven at night, and though he knew Nessie was probably asleep, he figured that Edward and Bella were better then no company at all. For a moment his heart twinged and he thought of home – well his home before Nessie. His heart was always in two places, even if his soul was always with her. It had been so hard to leave his father, his pack, his sister, even his obnoxious brother-in-law but it was so much easier then being away from Nessie. At least he didn't walk around Alaska feeling like he'd left a most of himself in another state.
He turned the corner and his heart quickened as he saw the red mailbox. He was so close to home! He turned onto the drive and arrived moments later in front of Bella and Edward's house. He frowned. All the lights were off and worse still, he couldn't smell a single vampire. His already racing heart started pumping so fast he thought it would burst. But before he allowed himself to completely panic, he put the care back in gear and drove back up the driveway. He convinced himself that everyone must be up at the main house.
The Cullens would never leave without telling him, he knew that. Even Rosalie was civil to him after all these years. And he was sure that if something had happened someone would have called. He breathed deeply, urging the car towards the main house. He turned down the drive and he nearly cried with relief as he saw the lights flickering far ahead through the trees and he smelled that familiar smell that may have disgusted him but also delighted him – he was home.
He rapped sharply on the door and wasn't the least bit surprised when it opened before he could raise his hand for a second knock.
"Jacob!" Esme cried and drew him into a tight hug. "What a fabulous surprise. We've missed you!" Her voice was warm and sincere, but Jacob caught the look she shot to her husband, who stood behind her.
"It is wonderful to see you." Carlisle agreed and hugged Jacob too, clapping him gently on the back. "It's been too long. Everything good with the pack?"
Jacob nodded, surprised once again at how comfortable he was among his inborn enemies. Spending time with the Cullens made him that that maybe Romeo and Juliet gave up a little too quickly on the one big happy family thing. He could hear some opera singer over the sound system in the next room. He shook his head. Even for Vampires, the Cullens were one weird family.
"I thought I smelled something foul." A cool voice drawled from down the hall, but there was a small smile playing on Rosalie's lips.
"What'd I tell you about washing your upper lip, Blondie?" Jacob countered, but there was no denying the warmth in his voice. He waved to Emmett as he followed Rosalie into the living room, Esme and Carlisle on his heels. Jacob hated to be impatient but he run quite a long way. "So I went by Bella's and no one was there. What gives?" he asked, still worried but feeling much better after seeing their calm faces. Not a snarl in sight – an excellent sign considering this family's tendency to over react.
"Bella and Edward went on a little vacation." Esme said, handing him an unasked for tea, which he happily accepted.
Jacob felt the cold rush of disappointment. Seeing his face, Carlisle smiled kindly.
"But Nessie's been staying with us," he added. "She's sleeping down the hall in Jasper's study."
Jacob's heart immediately reinflated and he was beginning to feel very happy, which made him think. "Where's Jasper and Alice?" he asked, noticing their absense for the first time.
"What d'you think the music is for?" Emmett quipped and Jacob grimaced with realization.
"I'm sure they'll be down in a minute. Your smell would ruin any moment." Rosalie said coldly, though she was secretly glad for his presence. Even with the music she could hear far more then she wanted to. Apparently shopping wasn't the only thing Alice squealed over.
Sure enough, not a minute later, Alice and Jasper strode into the living room and greeted Jacob warmly. Jacob hugged them back gingerly, well aware of where they had been.
"Hey, would you guys mind terribly if I peaked in on her?" Jacob said after a few minutes of pleasantries.
"Go ahead." Rosalie said. "She was out when I checked on her about an hour ago, beyond all reason of course," she added shooting Alice and Jasper a dirty look. When it came to Nessie, Rosalie always managed to conveniently forget her own indiscretions.
Jacob stood and walked to the study. He knew she was sleeping so he didn't knocked but instead cracked the door slowly, eager to see her again. The door was not open three inches when he knew something was wrong. Where a beating heart should have been, only complete silence remained. He burst open the door completely and found a completely empty dark room. "Cullens!" he screamed, horrified.
They were at his side in an instant ready to pounce but they all relaxed, all of them that is, except Jacob. Alice shook her head in absolute shock. Rosalie looked enraged. And Esme and Carlisle shared an awkward look.
"She is good," Emmett chuckled, shaking his head in amazement.
Jacob whirled around panicking. "What do you mean?" he cried. "Is she hiding?" He'd never known Nessie to be all that much into hide-and-go-seek but then he had been gone a while.
"Not exactly," Jasper said quietly, drawing Jacob back into the living room but not even Jasper could appease him.
"Well where is she?" he roared. "Did some other coven kidnap her?"
"Jacob," Carlisle said calmly. "You have to calm down. We don't know where she is but we can promise you this has nothing to do with the supernatural."
Jacob stared at him blankly for a moment. That was a first. Before he could say anything else, though, Rosalie had turned on Jasper. "How could you let this happen?" she cried. "Why didn't you feel her leave."
"I wasn't exactly concentrating on it Rose." Jasper said stiffly, guilt pouring over him hot and thick.
Rose opened her mouth to scream again but Carlisle put a hand up and silenced her.
"I'm sorry," Jacob said dully. "I'm still really confused. What the hell is going on?"
"Nessie snuck out." Alice muttered, without looking at him. She was still replaying the day's events, trying to decided if what she thought happened had actually happened. Surely her Nessie wasn't that coniving.
"Let's just say she takes after Bella when it comes to getting what she wants." Emmett said, looking more amused then anything else. "And yes, Esme, I'm already on my way to the station." He said, anwering his mother's unanswered question. "It's my night off, but I guess the little woman and I could use a little overtime. God know's we're broke," his eyes twinkled as he sauntered cheerfully to the door, not even the slightest bit perturbed as the vase Rosalie threw at him made contact with the back of his head and shattered spectacularly. Carlisle and Jasper had to suppress a smile.
Jacob had dealt with a lot of situations but Nessie sneaking out was shaking him more then many of the others. This was all just way to weird. He wasn't even sure his mind was working even more. She was just a child. Where was she sneaking off to, the park?
"So what do we do?" Jacob asked finally.
"Well," Carlisle said thoughtfully, "Hopefully she went to a party that will get busted and Emmett will pick her up. If not, we wait. She'll come home eventually."
And Jacob had a few words for her when she did.
A/N – Well that was a nice long chapter. I hope you don't find Nessie too unlikable and now that we have Jacob (yay!) I think she'll be a little more humanized. I have to say though, Nessie is even more conniving then I thought she would be when I sat down to write this. I hope no one found this chapter too boring, I just wanted Jacob to be really shocked when he got back. Anyway thanks for reading and please review!!
Thanks to XXXtwilightfan93XXX, infinite freedom, katchelle 87, jj1507, and proud2beatwerd for reviewing! You guys are the best!