Happy Holidays to all! May whichever Spirit you believe in bless you and your loved ones. In addition, a big delighted thank you to those who have sent such lovely reviews, I get a big old goofy grin on my face that my loved ones question my sanity, oh no wait they've been questioning that for years. Now for the mundane part…
Disclaimer: All Twilight characters belong to Stephanie Meyers, while I'm just teasing and bending them for a bit. No profit is being collected from the fiction contained within.
The storyline and non-Twilight characters are my creative fault and mine alone.
The storyline has women loving women, oh my, "Danger! Will Robinson Danger!" If this kind of love scares you, well darling turn around and go back the other way.
All language boo boos, whether it is in grammar or spelling or other miscues they lie at my feet, oh I could blame MS Word but heck fire that would be just silly.
Traversing through the canopy of the woodlands Bella allowed the calming scents of cedar, pine and dampened earth to weave inside of her. She had thought of driving out to the Cullen's place but decided that if she wanted a fast get away then her feet would be far better then her old truck. As fond as she was for the old thing, it moved at the speed of a tortoise especially now that she was a vampire. It had taken her a full day after her decision to act on visiting the Cullens.
'It had been pretty much a waste of a day,' she snorted quietly to herself as she shot through the trees.
Bella had gone through all kinds of speeches she had wanted to say to the family that had left her but in the end she decided it wouldn't matter. No matter how long she would have practiced her temper would no doubt get the better of her, especially if Edward was there because just the thought of him fueled her anger.
Quickly she reached the edge of the forest that bordered the Cullen's property, she halted in her movements as she took in the home she had known so well. It was the first time she had ventured this close to the mansion since her return to Forks. Memories of her time inside the house flooded her, playing video games with Emmett, listening to Edward play the piano and allowing Alice to give her a makeover as they talked about anything and everything.
Sighing, 'God how I miss the chiming laughter of my little pixie,' pausing in thought she smiled at the possessive nature of her feelings towards Alice. 'Yes she's my little pixie, my Alice, my best friend.'
Knowing she would be detected soon enough, Bella took her time going to the house allowing the time to settle her nerves.
As she approached the front of the house, five vampires appeared, Rosalie and Emmett came from the garage, while Esme, Carlisle, and Jasper came from inside the house. Stopping in her tracks, Bella's eyes flitted between all the faces before her and her emotions ran the gamut. She was furious at seeing them and she was disappointed at not seeing little Alice.
There was no need for her to be an empath or a mind reader to see what was going on through their minds either. It was written all over their faces, from animosity to confusion to curiosity. They hadn't recognized her yet. Bella knew her looks had changed slightly from her transformation, but they also probably weren't expecting to see her as a vampire either.
The first one to step forward was of course, Carlisle being the father figure of the coven. He smiled slightly removing the confusion from his face.
"Pardon our rudeness we were expecting someone else, I'm Carlisle Cullen and this is my family," he began motioning his hands towards the others.
Cutting him off, "I know who you are."
It was Esme who moved first, 'it's different, but I recognize that voice, I know I do.' She blurred off the porch and stood right in front of Bella, her eyes widened slightly as she gazed at her.
"Oh God, Bella it, it is you," without another word she went to wrap Bella in to a hug.
At hearing the young woman's name the rest moved quickly to join Esme but came to a halt when Bella stopped the other woman from continuing her action.
"No!" Holding her arm out in front of Esme. "You've no right to hug me. To act like nothing has happened." She flicked her hand at the group, "You all left me after claiming to be my family. What was it a joke? A sick vampire joke to play on the mere human, suck me into believing you cared about me and toss me aside like a piece of garbage when you were done."
"Bella, please no," Esme began her voice cracking with misery. 'How badly did we hurt her?'
While both Rosalie and Emmett vehemently shook their heads in denial at her accusation, Jasper just stood there not making eye contact with Bella. His eyes were scanning the surrounding area; finally he stopped and looked at the younger woman with a frown creasing his lips.
Carlisle placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder, "Bella, we all cared for you and still do. You were never just a mere human to us." Sighing softly, "we left because Edward thought it would be best for you. To keep you safe."
The laughter that emerged from her throat was so laced in bitter acid that every one of them flinched, "and where is dear Edward?" She asked snarling out his name. "Precious shit that he is."
Emmett was the first to recovered and guffawed, "he had a hissy fit when he found out that me, Rosalie and Esme were returning to Forks. Jasper and Carlisle tagged along to get away from the douche bag."
"Emmett," Carlisle snapped.
The giant just shrugged his shoulders, "it's the truth dude."
"Why did you come back?" Bella asked keeping her focus on Emmett next to Alice, dismissing Edward completely, she felt the closest to him in the family.
"Why to find you and Alice of course," giving her a huge grin. "Where is she hiding anyways, I can't detect her scent at all."
Jasper his shoulders slumped as if defeat murmured softly to the group. "Edward's not going to be pleased to learn Alice changed her."
"Well the sop can go screw himself," Emmett replied casting an eye over at his lanky brother before going turning back to Bella. "Is Ali cat still angry with us too? Is that why's she staying away?"
"You've every right to be pissed at us Bella and I know saying we're sorry isn't going to cover the pain we put you through." Rosalie took a step towards the smaller woman who seemed to be more confused then angry at the moment. "We've missed you, yes even I have missed you. We miss Alice. All we want is to make amends with the both of you."
Stepping back from the group Bella tried to process what they were saying but her mind was swirling with bewilderment. She felt like her mind was trapped on a tilt-a-whirl spinning out of control.
'They're not making any sense. Is this another one of their fucking mind games?' As she studied them she could only detect sincerity from Emmett but she wasn't sure about Rosalie. The blond bombshell had always treated her with disdain and hostility but now she seemed, 'vulnerable,' was the word that popped into Bella's mind as she gazed at the woman. 'They're not going to suck me in again, goddamn it.' Rebelling against the thought of feeling concern towards them.
Stiffing her shoulders Bella glared at them, "I don't know what you're playing at but Alice didn't change me, it was Victoria. She attacked me a two weeks after you," waving her hand at them. "Left for my own protection." Smirking as they cringed at her revelation, "if it hadn't of been for my friend Jake, I wouldn't be here, now."
"But, but…what about Alice? She would've protected you with her life," Emmett sputtered out.
"What the hell are you talking about," she shouted at the giant vampire. "Alice was the first to leave! She abandoned me before Edward."
"Bella, she left us to be with you," Carlisle answered with a frown. "She didn't agree with Edward's decision."
"Yeah man, after ripping all of us a new one, especially Jasper, she took off to be with you," Emmett added.
The tall lanky man frowned, 'this makes no sense I can't read her emotions anymore. Perhaps they are testing us or rather me.' Running his fingers through his blond locks, "I, we had an argument and she left after the others arrived telling us of Edwards decision."
Esme her voice cracking with emotion, "Alice should have reached you no later then a day after Edward left you."
If her heart was still beating Bella was sure it would have been practically thumping out of her chest. 'No, this is all wrong.' Yet, the concern and confusion on each of their faces told her they were telling the truth.
"Carlisle what if Alice encountered Victoria before she came after Bella?" Esme sank to the ground as she spoke her head in her hands. "Oh god, she could be dead."
Carlisle rushed to her and wrapped his arms around her, "shhh, my love we don't that happened."
Her stomach churned and Bella felt an all too human urge to spew her guts. 'Alice, my Alice gone? Dead? No, that can't be right. No, no, no my pixie can't be dead.'
Bella felt the anger of her beast begin to rise up inside of her, pushing away the shock, the urge to lash out not only verbally but physically as well was almost overwhelming. Curling her fingers into fists, she could feel her fingernails piercing the palms of her hands.
"Alice is missing and you did nothing? What kind of family are you?" Her eyes darted around glaring at each of one but finally settling on Jasper, "how could you do that? How could you not try and find her?"
"We did try honestly. Esme, Rose and I came back to Forks a couple of different times looking for both of you. We couldn't find either of you or your scent." Emmett answered softly his eyes moving between Bella and his mother who was still sobbing in Carlisle's arms. "We thought you two might have run off to avoid Edward or," glancing at Jasper, " were still mad at us."
"That's why we returned hoping you both would come home," Rosalie added running her fingers through her blond locks.
If Bella had heard the two she gave no indication as her concentration was fully on Jasper who was wincing from the onslaught of emotions humming off the girl. As far as she was concerned, in regards to Alice, he had the most to explain. Yet, before she could confront him the sound of car tires crunching on the gravel drive made her stop and turn her attention towards the noise.
"It must be Gabriella Goodwin," Carlisle stated as he slowly stood up from his position of comforting Esme. "Aro told me she would be coming to discuss some issues about a rise in newborns."
"That's all we need one of Aro's lackeys." Rosalie huffed. "Why didn't he just tell you what he wanted instead of sending her to intrude on us?"
Rubbing his forehead, "he was very cryptic and would only he say the woman needed an extra pair of eyes for the task he had for her."
Esme with Carlisle's assistance stood up as a canary yellow Porsche pulled up towards the unwelcoming group. Rosalie turned her back not wanting to meet the interloper. Emmett wrapped his arms around his wife to stop her from leaving.
Even with the tinted windows, Bella could see there were two people in the car as it pulled to a stop nearly twenty feet away from them. The first thing Bella noticed about Gabriella was she was probably as tall as Rosalie. Oddly enough the second thing she noticed was how the woman seemed to be a combination of Neo and Trinity from 'The Matrix' rolled into one.
Maybe it was the dark sunglasses or the black duster so reminiscent of the movie, but mostly Bella thought it was the Gabriella's bearing. 'She projects strength and,' Bella paused trying to find the right description, 'determination, much like the two when the entered the building to free Morpheus. Wouldn't be surprised if she had a gun tucked under that coat ready to take out those who got in her way.'
Gabriella tilted her head towards the group and she frowned for a moment but shrugged her shoulders before offering up a bright smile.
"I'm Gabriella Goodwin and I do hope we're not intruding, Aro assured me he would give you all a heads up of my coming here." She began in her richly textured voice, "if this is a bad time Lina and I can come back another time."
As Gabriella was speaking Lina had scooted over to the passenger side of the car, she felt the need to stay close to the tall woman's side. The moment she stepped out of the car there was a collective gasp from the group in front of her. Lina was unable to stop her own surprised exclamation when she saw Bella. This was and wasn't the woman of her drawings, she could see the subtle changes in the face, the hair and the eyes but there was no mistaking this was the one who haunted her mind.
Seeing the dark haired pixie Bella whispered, "Alice."
Hearing the name the others snapped out of their stillness and began surging towards the two women, causing Alice/Lina to whimper in fear, which made Gabriella growl at the oncoming group.
"Stop!" Gabriella hissed at them. She hadn't missed the whispered name and silently she hoped it was true because it meant her petite vampire could start finding the truth of who she was.
"Who the hell are you?" Rosalie growled back her eyes darkening towards the woman who was a little taller then her.
Seeing the threat towards Gabi, Alice/Lina over came some of her own fear and hissed and the beautiful blond vampire. Her reaction caused all the Cullens to flinch and stare at her with shock.
"I thought we established that, I'm as I think I heard you say Aro's lackey," Gabriella said with more calm then she felt.
"Whoa dude you've got some super vampire ears," Emmett remarked unable to keep the awe out of his voice, which earned him a smack to head from his wife.
Jasper wanted to move, grab Alice into his arms and crush her to his chest, "Alice, we're your family." He said in his gentle southern drawl.
"I don't know you," she spat out glaring at him. A feeling of deep loathing towards the tall man sparked through her. Golden eyes swirled towards jet black, "and I," pointing her finger directly at him, "want nothing to do with you."
Stumbling back like his body had been slammed, Jasper couldn't believe what he was hearing. He hadn't expected her to still be so angry at him. The beast in his sprung up when he saw Gabriella tenderly touching his Alice's cheek. His eyes blackened and he growled a warning towards her.
Hearing the growl directed towards her Gabriella swung her head towards the offender and frowned deeply. Her olfactory senses were being bombarded with the smells of emotions from the vampires standing in front of her. It was that ability that made her a great tracker and why she wasn't concerned about her temporary blindness. Yet, Gabriella still hated at not being able to see the faces that went with the smells.
"Don't test me boy!" She snapped at Jasper, "Lina or Alice as you call her, doesn't know you folk anymore. I may not be able to see but trust me even like this, you don't want to challenge me, son."
Suddenly Gabriella not only smelled a wave of almost overwhelming calm whip around her, she felt like a bunch of tiny pins were poking at her brain.
"All right, who every is trying to manipulate my feelings better goddamn well stop! You're making my fucking brain itch. If you don't I'll pop us out of here."
"No," Bella and Esme whispered together the dread of losing Alice again rang in their voices. "Please don't."
"Jasper lay off." Rosalie commanded not wanting to lose Alice either.
"I," Jasper was shocked and dismayed his ability had been detected by the woman as well as having no effect on her except to piss her off. "Of course."
"Thank you," closing her eyes she forced herself to relax before continuing. "Now if Lina or Alice as you call her, is willing, we'll stay but it's her decision, her choice."
Gazing at Alice, Bella could tell her little pixie was feeling overwhelmed by everyone, from the look in her still black eyes and the way she clung to Gabriella. Bella knew she had to do something; she couldn't lose Alice, again. Timidly she made her way to the two women, her eyes darting back and forth between them. She saw Gabriella tilt her head but the older woman made no actions to stop her, while Alice just watched her move closer. Reaching out slowly, Bella lightly touched Alice's arm that was wrapped around Gabriella's waist.
"Please Alice stay."
Not caring that the words come out in a whimpering plea or how the others might react, all Bella cared about was Alice and getting her to stay. Biting her lower lip she waited for Alice's response never taking her eyes off the woman who had been her best friend.
The fingers touching Alice's arm burned through her body sending pleasant heat waves everywhere. There was no denying she was drawn to this woman and though she was unsure of the others she did want to know who the goddess before her was and how they knew each other.
"Okay," she murmured and then her amber eyes locked on her goddess and softly said in a voice that was only audible enough for Bella and Gabriella to hear. "For you."