Chapter 16
Falling into Place
We ran to the forest through the trees, over lakes, careful not to make noise. It was as if we were racing somewhere. We stopped at the Canada border where I saw a beautiful waterfall. Water was flowing over the grey rocks and pebbles covered the entire shoreline. The water made its dripping sound and I stared at it.
"It's beautiful" I said.
"Yeah I guess it is" Jason said.
"Why did we come here?" I asked.
"This is the only place I feel…at home…where I can be me…I can be Jason Weismann here whether vampire or not. I don't have to hide" Jason said.
I sighed and admired the water as it flowed perfectly over the rocks.
"I've been questioning my existence from the time Kyle changed me. If it wasn't for him I'd be long dead by now. I would have starved to death." Jason said.
"It must've been so hard for you…how did you survive on your own" I said.
"I had the image in my head…of a girl…a beautiful girl with medium brown hair, golden eyes, and a smile that would light up the room. I was hoping one day I would find her…I knew she was out there somewhere and if I didn't survive I would know I had hurt her" Jason said.
I stared at him for a long time not being able to speak, trying to find the right words.
"We should be getting back" Jason said finally.
I swallowed, "Yeah I guess."
"Come on" Jason started running and we ran back to the school grounds in time for dismissal. "See ya Hazel" Jason said.
"Bye…Jason" I said as I saw him slip away through the trees back to his house.
This was all starting to maybe make a little bit more sense. Why Jason was the way he was. I wondered when Alice's vision would come true. It was just like the way Bella and Edward met. Things would have to let themselves fall into place…I would have to learn to be patient but I was just happy to have found him.
I found Edward waiting for me in his Volvo, sitting tapping the steering wheel with his sunglasses on. I rolled my eyes and hopped into the car.
"I think we can call off the whole Emmett slave thing" I said.
"Nice to see you too" Edward laughed.
"How was your day" I asked him.
"Good, hung out with Bella, went to California for a little while and now Bella's with Angela and Alice at the mall."
"Um, why is Rosalie at Mike Newton's house" I asked Edward tracking Rosalie for some reason.
"He was having a car problem and called Bella for a good mechanic she was going to say Jacob but Emmett suggested that we send Rosalie over as a joke" Edward explained.
"Well at least she knows something about cars" I agreed.
Edward laughed, "How's Jason" he teased.
"Oh… good" I said sighing.
"You cut class" Edward said reading my mind and pushed some of my hair out of my eyes. "So do you want to go to Seattle or something?" he asked I nodded and looked at him suspiciously
"Why?" I asked.
"Just to do something" Edward said but I felt a slight vibration it wasn't exactly a lie but it was.
"There's more…something else you aren't telling me."
"I want to get you out of town" he admitted knowing he couldn't hide the truth from me any sooner.
I tracked the house and saw why "Oh my gosh…oh my gosh" I said shocked at what I had seen. A newborn vampire had passed through Forks…leaving its mess behind. We had to clean up and Edward didn't want me exposed to it.
"I would've been fine" I said.
"Yeah based on your reaction sure" Edward said almost in an angry voice.
"Someone's in a bad mood" I muttered to myself.
"I'm sorry" Edward said.
"This is about Jason isn't it?"
"Yes, I just…don't want to see you get hurt."
I paused for a second trying to think of the right words to say, "Jason isn't going to hurt me…at least physically and I'm almost positive he won't break my heart" I assured Edward.
"I know I guess…I guess I just have to get used to the fact that you're growing up…you're not my little sister anymore. I guess I know how you felt about Bella." Edward said.
I put my hand on his shoulder and he took me in his arms.
"Seattle?" he asked.
"Seattle" I said and he hit the pedal and sped off.
We reached Seattle in about an hour since Edward took his "shortcut" route which was a paved road that he and my brothers had built through the forest people didn't use it since they couldn't find it and it was too dull for their eyes to see since we had paved the road green and made it look like regular woods. Even though the ride was generally three hours Edward still had to go a bit slower when we were on the normal roads.
When we reached Seattle we drove through the city and I saw the Space Needle Tower. People were standing on the observation deck
"You want to go?" Edward asked reading my thoughts.
"Later when it's less crowded" I said Edward parked his car in a parking garage and paid for four hour parking.
"What do you want to do?" he asked me.
"Beach?" I asked.
Edward smirked, "It's the middle of January."
"So?"
"Do you have a change of clothes?" he asked.
"Better…I brought my rash guard and swim shorts." I said.
Edward shrugged, "I have my swim shorts" he said and we both smirked.
When we got to the beach we changed our clothes in the bathrooms and got a few looks from people who were sitting on the beach viewing the mountains.
Even though my body temperature didn't go up or down it still registered the warmth of the sand on my feet. I didn't really think it could be that warm in January. Edward put his arm around me and swung me onto his back
"HEY!" I yelled but he was already laughing. We reached the shore of the water.
"You're first" Edward said throwing me into the water that would've been icy cold to humans the temperature didn't register to me since it probably was the same temperature as my body. Edward jumped in after me.
"You're crazy!"
I tackled him and threw him under the water…holding him down (not like it mattered anyway since he didn't need to breathe). We swam a little further out and I saw a cruise ship leaving the port. Edward pushed his hands in my direction and next thing I knew I was drenched with water that ran through my now wet hair and onto my face which bore an angry expression.
"You are so going to regret that" I said.
Edward laughed, "I'm so scared."
"Dare me to jump off the rocks?" I asked.
"Ok I dare you to jump off the rocks" Edward said and I ran to the rocks jumping off and hitting my head but I laughed like crazy.
"Are you OK?" Edward asked.
"I don't know" I said laughing again.
"Calm down bitch" Edward said picking me up and taking me out of the water.
"HEY! You Two! Pale Skins! Pranksters! What are you doing?" a security guard asked and Edward growled when he said pale skins and pranksters.
"We're from the union" Edward said.
"The what?" the security guard asked.
"We're from Transylvania…my little sister over here was just practicing her swimming" Edward said.
"It's the middle of January" the guard said.
Edward did his intimidating stare…as if dare to ask anything more and the guard got the message and walked away. Edward and I looked at each other and went to the bathrooms to change again.
I almost wanted to sleep for some reason…not like sleepy tired but just tired in general (which was common in vampires). Night had fallen and Edward scooped me up in his arms carrying me on the boardwalk (again more looks from people). We walked past several men wearing black beanies and black vests. They were drinking and shouting things at each other (mostly shit). Edward growled when he heard their thoughts (which weren't hard to get).
"Space Needle tower?" Edward asked me.
"OK" I said and we turned the corner that lead to the following street.
The Seattle skyline was breathtaking at the top of the Space Needle tower I could see the whole city, hear everything anyone was saying, smell the smoke coming from cars, see the rush of everything and how much dust was actually in the streets (A LOT) Edward seemed to be enjoying the view too.
"You know if we get caught we're dead" I said.
"Come on seriously?" Edward asked.
"What? We're not really supposed to be here after visitation hours" I said.
"Number one we'll be able to hear someone if they're coming and be quick enough to react. "
"True dat" I shrugged.
"What's up Haze?"
"You know what's up" I said playfully slugging him and he took me in his arms.
"OK I get it…but can we not have this talk tonight I'd rather wait until Emmett can give it to you" Edward smirked.
I smacked him, "You're unbelievable!"
"Sorry" Edward said laughing.
"It's fine" I said.
"You're acting different" Edward said.
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.
"No" he said ruffling my hair and kissing it.
I sighed, "Now you know how I felt about you and Bella."
"Yeah but it's different… I'm your older brother" Edward said.
"And your point is?"
"You were jealous of the attention I was giving Bella" Edward said.
"No, you just completely deserted me but now you don't it was only after you first met her but since the last few months or so you've been better" I said.
"Well then" Edward said smirking.
"You know" I said finally after a long pause of silence.
"Yeah we should" Edward said reading my thoughts and I smiled.
"Oh fuck" Edward swallowed.
"What?" I asked.
"The time" he said and he wasn't lying it was really late…later then the time we should be out…past the four hour thing in the parking garage.
"Come on" I said and already got up as Edward followed me.
We walked to the car…even though no one was out and we probably could've run with our vampiric speed we didn't. I knew there was something different between Edward and I…like something wasn't the same. It was like he was jealous of Jason in a way (probably the same way I was with Bella…how he just ditched me for her but it eventually stopped). This was just the beginning and I didn't want it to come down to a whole thing. Edward heard my thoughts and took me in his lap.
"Hazel…Hazel…Hazel" he crooned.
"What" I said sarcastically.
"Why are you always not thinking about yourself…you're finally happy for once and you're sitting and worrying about me and how I feel about everything" he said joking on the for once part.
"Sorry" I said.
"Why do you keep apologizing" Edward asked.
"I don't know" I said and Edward laughed as we got into the car.
"Bella is up waiting for her so I advise you hurry up" I said tracking her.
"Text her on my phone saying on the way" Edward said "OK" I said.
On the way Bella – Edward I typed into the phone.
"You're welcome" I said.
"Thank you" Edward said driving like a maniac looking straight ahead and getting his planning guilt look on his face. "Are you ready?" Edward asked.
"Hell yeah" I said and he went full speed…going over one hundred and eighty miles. Edward was laughing and cheering as if he were drunk.
"Um are you high? Because I'm pretty sure we didn't go to a bar or drug dealer" I said.
Edward smirked, "Sorry I guess I got carried away for a second."
"No keep going" I said and started cheering like he was and he slugged me (not hard). "Can I ask you something?" I asked.
"What Haze?" he asked nervously.
"Well, do you think that somewhere…someplace mama, papa, Marilynn, William, everyone from our past do you think…they're somewhere looking down on us?" I asked.
Edward got a serious look on his face and slowed the car down we both sat there…somber and silence until Edward spoke.
"I'm pretty sure they are. Mama's probably telling you to change your clothes into more 'ladylike' material, Papa's probably looking down on us…doing something…watching us as we…fight, as for Marilynn I'm pretty sure she's got enough to talk about up there, enough dolls to keep her company, she's probably jealous of you, William is probably chatting away with the ladies like he was in his living years he's probably enjoying himself. But honestly I don't know…and have never been asked that question" Edward said and I sighed, thinking for a few minutes.
"You know, I guess it's good we were changed into vampires together…that way we still have each other to talk about human memories and stuff" I said.
Edward laughed "I guess you're right" and I looked him in the eyes and he smiled his "Edward to Hazel" smile at me and I smiled my smile to him. I suddenly realized we were at the house.
"Alright I'll be seeing you in the morning" Edward said and I saluted him as he laughed.
"Try to stay out of my head" I muttered.
Edward chuckled, "Sure"
I walked into the house and saw Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett glued to the television screen. Alice and Rosalie had stopped painting their fingernails (don't ask me) and Esme was not reading.
"New developments in the Kirstin Bailey case the young body of a twenty nine year old woman was found in a nearby pit along with twenty two other burned bodies. The coroner ruled that all the bodies had been there for about a week and had been killed within the week presumably by the same person. As for the residents of Detroit we are all keeping on our toes…fearing we are going to be next. Other than Kristin Bailey the twenty two other victims are the names as follows; Devlin Adams, Jenny Grant, Adam Murphy, Catherin Macabre, Ian Gasman, Bertie Abaci, Sergio Howe, Phoebe Ahlstrom, Wade Manzullo, Terrance Schweitzer, Salvador Wallington, Eduardo Story, Wilma Whished, Kent Bracero, Millicent Ashland, Arturo Sanden, Anastasia Macon, Terrence Fassbinder, Noelle Vann Cater, Angelique Reuben, Trisha Fest, Tracy Stocky, and Leanne Mesmer. Funerals will be held in the following week. I'm Donald Wayman Fox 5 News" the reporter on screen said.
"Oh shit" Emmett and Jasper said at the same time.
"Newborns" I mumbled.
"This isn't an army" Rosalie said trying to reassure us.
"Even if it was they wouldn't be attacking us…there are several clans in the Detroit area" Alice said.
"Maybe it's not an army maybe it's just…newborns or just one or two…not necessarily a dozen" I said.
"You know she has a point it's not like the army in Seattle where hundreds of people were going missing in a week. But this is twenty three lives and who knows how many others this or these newborns if we're even sure what they are. How many other lives could they have cost" Jasper said and we all sighed.
"The Volturi are going to get involved because it's gone on to far" Carlisle said.
"Are we fighting them?" Emmett asked suddenly intrigued.
"No" I said and Jasper gave me a warning look as if to say "Don't disappoint him."
"COME ON!" he yelled.
"Emmett, no fights" Carlisle said.
"Why can't we kick someone's ass for once?!" Emmett said.
"We did…the Seattle Newborn Army remember?" I said.
"We did…you didn't" Emmett said.
"Oh I'm sorry I could've let Riley rip Edward's head off and kill Bella" I said sarcastically.
"Children, let's be kind to each other" Esme said.
"Kind is a word that dwarf over here doesn't comprehend" Emmett said.
I raised my fists, "Don't start with me."
Emmett made a face, "Yeah I'm not going to mess with you" he laughed.
"THAT'S IT!" I shouted as I tackled him to the floor. Jasper and Carlisle broke us up and Emmett was laughing.
"He needs to learn to control his problems or he can go to counseling" I said.
"You're the one with the problems" Emmett said and I shook my head in a frustrated way.
I went up to my room angrily and closed the door…surprisingly controlling my anger (I would get back at Jazz later). I sat on my bed counting the seconds and trees as time went by…getting more bored as the hours passed. At around 5am I went back downstairs but before I could even make it to the steps Emmett tackled me and I growled at him.
"Sup homie" he said.
"At least you're not calling me dwarf" I said slugging him and he laughed.
"Emmett stop fooling around when you know we have serious stuff to do" Jasper said and Emmett smirked.
"Don't even say it" I said.
"Hazel, can you track the killer of Kirstin Bailey for us?" Jasper asked.
"Sure" I said and focused on the vision of her being killed and found the one who did it then tracked them.
"Oh my gosh…Oh my gosh" I said when I came to realize who it was and I saw my brothers look at me.
"Hazel?" they both said and I held up my hand.
An escapee of the Seattle Newborn army had joined up with several other vampires who held grudges against the Olympic and Invisible Covens. They were coming…planning to destroy us somehow not physically but emotionally in some sort of reason.
. . .
"It just doesn't make sense" Emmett said after we had been debating about 30 times what was going on.
"All I have is one thing to say" Alice said.
"What?" we looked at her.
"Hazel has to get ready for school" and she pointed to the clock.
I groaned "Alice!"
"What I'm just stating the obvious"
I shot her a look as if to say "What the hell are you talking about."
I sprinted to get ready and since Edward wasn't there to pick me up I ran to school…TGIF…and I meant it I needed a break from my second week of school. Although there was only one bad thing about the weekend and that was that there would be no Jason. But before I left I remembered something…my Friday plan with the girls but I guess I would go home before I went.
I got to school as I sprinted and slowed as I neared where people were. I tracked Edward and saw that he was with Bella who was contently sleeping in his arms. Jason was waiting for me in front of the building when I walked towards the school yard and he watched me with his golden eyes and motioned with his index finger for me to come over. I slowly walked over to him despite the fact I wanted to sprint and run to him. But I calmly sat beside him.
"Yes" I said.
"How was Seattle?" he asked.
"You didn't stalk me did you?" I asked.
"Maybe" Jason said.
"Let's start this conversation over again."
"Hi."
"Hi" I said and started laughing as he stared at me.
Three popular girls walked over to us…all three had major crushes on Jason their names were Jayme, Cami, and Dixie.
"Hey Jason" Cami said.
"Hello" Jason said politely.
"So what are you doing tonight?" Jayme asked.
"Nothing…just hanging out with a friend of mine" Jason nudged me with his elbow and that was when I prayed Edward wasn't reading my thoughts right now.
"Oh. Well why don't you hang out with us…who is your friend" Dixie asked.
"Um…Hazel" Jason said.
Cami wrinkled her nose and said in a stuck up voice "who's Hazel…an imaginary tree" and she laughed along with the girls.
"No" Jason said and he had more to say but the bell rang. "So what do you say…tonight we go to my place the woods maybe" Jason asked and he really meant it…I could see the purity and innocence in his eyes it wasn't fair why did he have to be so good looking?
. . .
"Hazel, I can't hang out today…we were planning to go but Keri's sick and we don't want to go without her because it wouldn't be fair you know" Harley said to me at our lockers later that morning.
I shrugged, "It's OK" I said but my eyes were focused on Jason who was coincidently standing with one eye peeking out from his open locker as if to be spying on me. I rolled my eyes when I saw him.
"Jason Weismann is staring at you…OH MY GOSH he's coming over" Harley squealed and Jason and I locked eyes for a split second before he blinked which was unnecessary for vampires.
"Hello…ladies" he said politely and I almost laughed.
"Hello Jason" I said formally and he smirked for a second.
"H – H – hi Jason" Harley blushed.
"Um I was wondering if I could borrow Hazel for just a moment" he turned to Harley who nodded.
"Yeah sure um I was just thinking that" and she sighed dreamily it was obvious she liked him and he walked away with me.
"So what's up?" I asked.
"You know what's up" he whispered in a voice too low for humans to hear.
"Detroit?" I asked and he nodded. "Yeah I know they're advancing towards Forks…it seems as if they are after us" I said.
"They are coming to terrorize the school" Jason said biting his lip.
"Alice didn't see it" I muttered.
"I know that's the point they're tampering with that" Jason said.
"I'll track them" I said as I closed my eyes and saw that they were planning. "You're right if we can-" but I was cut off.
"Um excuse me shouldn't you two be in class" a security monitor asked and Jason did his dazzling look.
"You know you really shouldn't do that" I muttered again and he shushed me.
"Um ma'am I was just showing Hazel around…it's her second week here and she asked me where a classroom was" Jason said.
"Aren't you two brother and sister" the monitor asked.
"No" we both replied at the same time.
"You look awfully familiar did you go to Forks High School a few semesters ago" she said.
"Um…no" I lied casually and I could tell she believed me.
"Well get to class the bell is about to ring" and Jason and I glanced at each other before smirking at the "fast" joke.
The rest of the day swept by and before I knew it I was out of the door of the school building and saw Edward's car waiting for me. I was walking out of the building with Harley, Brea, Gabi, and Ian who were talking about some TV show that they watched called SING! Or something like that. Jason had gone home already like he normally did.
"Hazel, I still can't get over the fact that you and your brother both have perfect skin" Ian said. "What products do you use?"
"Um…Sephora" I said somehow immediately remembering the skin products Alice used on Bella. Edward was singing in his car and apparently pretending to play the drums and I gave him my "What the hell are you doing" look and he laughed and motioned for me to come to the car.
"FINE" I said after having a silent conversation with Edward and my friends looked at me as if I were crazy
"Sorry…I gotta go" I said aware of my improper English and then they saw Edward and knew why.
"What was with the singing?" I asked as soon as I walked into the car.
"Nice to see you too" he smirked and I couldn't help but smirking too.
"I figured we could hang out if that was OK with you" Edward said.
"Yes it's OK with me" I said.
"Cool Emmett, Jasper, and I were going to the mountains to hunt" he said.
I shrugged, "Sounds good…I'm thirsty anyway" Edward laughed and ruffled my hair as he looked straight at the car in front of him. A couple of girls were in their car with other girls and were holding up traffic.
"People can be so…annoying sometimes don't you agree" Edward said.
"Um that might be a possibility" I said not being able to keep the smirk off my face. Suddenly something hit me I found it funny but I wasn't sure if Edward would. "Remember that time…" but he had read my mind.
"Come on Haze I had to give Crowley his chance…you should've heard his thoughts."
"Still it was rude I mean you just like stopped there and Bella was pretty mad at you" I said Edward slugged me and I made a face as the car moved and he went back to his typical "Edward driving."
Emmett and Jasper were waiting when we pulled into the driveway.
"Are Alice and Rose sure they don't want to come" Edward asked them although he was perfectly capable of knowing the answer.
"Yes they don't want to mess up their clothes and they went earlier today" Emmett said and eyed me, "please tell me dwarf is not coming."
I slugged him while Jasper and Edward laughed.
"I'm thirsty I don't know about you" Jasper said.
"Yeah let's stop wasting time Emmett" I said emphasizing his name he rolled his eyes.
"Fine" and he mumbled dwarf under his breath but I pretended I didn't hear it.
Since the forest was right next door to our house it didn't take long to go to the mountains where the animals were. Emmett liked to hunt in the mountains because that was where grizzly bears were. Not that I minded because my favorite (mountain lion) was also in the mountains. Sometimes I felt bad about having to drink animals because it was still a life but it was better than killing humans at least. The hardest part definitely is thirst because it literally pierces your throat when you haven't fed in a while.
I leaped over the fallen tree and sprinted after the cougar (not that it was any match for me) it clawed my face as I tackled it and bit my eyes trying to claw them out but it obviously didn't do anything I bit into its neck and it screeched in pain I sucked its blood as it continued to fight but I felt it go limp in my hands. I brushed my knees off and stood up to see what my brothers were up too. Emmett was having fun wrestling with a grizzly bear that was trying to attack him (like he was when he was still human). Edward and Jasper were hunting a little further up than Emmett and I.
Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned around not preparing for what I saw. I saw his newly fed golden eyes. Something told me that he had come to see me…knew I was here.
"Jason" I said recovering from my shock.
"What's up" he said casually.
"Um nothing" I said trying to be casual too.
"Cool, Kyle and I were just hunting and I saw Jasper and Edward I figured you were here too and then I caught your scent" Jason said.
"Oh" I said again still recovering from my shock.
"Is that your kill?" Jason asked eyeing the dead cougar behind me.
"Yes" I said.
"Do you want to walk or run or whatever" Jason asked.
"Sure Edward will know where I am anyway."
"Did you ever cheat…with human blood" Jason asked me out of nowhere.
"No Carlisle and I have the same record. Rosalie is second since she killed but not for blood. Did you?" I asked and he slowly nodded. "When" I asked.
"As a newborn" Jason said.
"That's understandable" I muttered.
"I was ashamed" Jason said.
"Don't be ashamed" I said.
"Edward was" Jason said.
"I see you read that part of my history" I said and Jason nodded again. "Is anyone in your family still alive" I asked hoping to change the subject.
"Yes…my three older sisters but my younger brother was killed in the Vietnam War."
"How old are your sisters?" I asked him.
"Virginia is eighty; she had two children a boy and a girl who have grandchildren. She wasn't very nice to me as a child I remember but then again mother brainwashed all of them except for Jack who I was closest too. Mary is seventy seven we were closer as younger kids but when mother started to abuse me and later Jack too we grew apart. She didn't have any children since she couldn't have them and she did marry when she was eighteen. Dolores is seventy two she was the closest in age to me and we were pretty close but mother forbid my sisters to talk to me during my abuse period she had four children and now has thirteen grandchildren. Jack never married he was always a solo man and wanted to fight for his country and use it as an escape from mother. He was twenty two. How about you? Is anyone in your family still alive?" Jason said.
"Wow that's really sad I'm sorry for your loss. You know the answer" I said.
"I want to hear it from you" Jason said and I took a deep breath.
"Not besides Edward. Papa died in the first wave of the Spanish Influenza Outbreak and Mama, Edward, and I managed to stay alive. Edward carried me to the hospital on that night we both fell ill. Mama died within minutes of Edward and I being bitten by Carlisle" I said.
"Wow" Jason said.
"Yeah" I said.
The sky was dark. "Do you want to go back to the waterfall…we could learn about our pasts? Even though I already know yours" Jason said holding his hand out.
"I'd love to" I said taking it.
Review Maybe?