A/N: Another one!
Chapter 12
Weeks turn into Months…
Annalise's POV
Everything was finally falling into place. With my family along with wolves loosening up on the leash, no pun intended, things were becoming normal again. The holidays came and left but memories were made. I was a vampire for Halloween; it was an inside joke. We had a kick with that. Embry went as a zombie, Momma and I helped with the makeup; he looked scary. Nessie went as a Skelton with a white wig; I have never seen her so pale. Jacob went all out; he went as the pumpkin king, it was funny but cool at the same time. Grandpa forced us to take pictures and we were off to trick or treat. I gave all my candy to Embry who was more than happy to accept.
Thanksgiving was held in the main house and Grandma along with me and Nessie were cooking for the wolves, Jake's dad Billy and Nessie's Grandpa Charlie. He was a nice man. Embry was congratulating me for the pumpkin pie I made; of course I also made apple pie. He also introduced me to Amy, his mom. She is such a sweetheart and made me promise I'd go by her house soon. Everybody around the table laughing and sharing stories. It made me feel blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people like them; I was thankful for my family.
Christmas was memorable. Between Momma, Daddy, Embry, Nessie, Jake, Uncle Edward, Aunt Bella, and myself we made snowman that was eight feet tall. We took pictures then through ourselves on it and had a snowball fight. Later that day we went sledding but only Nessie, Jake, Embry and I. I crashed into a tree making Daddy worry but I was laughing during the whole thing. Embry got scowled at but I was not even scratched. On Christmas morning we all exchanged gifts. I made Momma a bracelet, I gave Daddy a metal bat with his named engraved on it and promised a baseball game soon. They hugged me, almost broke my bones. For Embry Aunt Alice came with me to pick it out. It was his very own Harley motorcycle with the colors of his fur; gray with a hint of black. His name engraved on it. The look on his face told me it was worth waiting four weeks for it. He kept repeating that I shouldn't have gotten it but I had none of it. Knowing he couldn't win me he finally accepted it. He gave me a collage filled with pictures we took when we do something fun, I loved it. He said it wasn't something expensive like what I got him but to me that was priceless. I made his mom Amy a homemade quilt with the help of Grandma. She cried and hugged me. I gave Nessie her gift at the same time she gave me mines. We laugh when we saw what we got each other. I got a diary like Stephan has on the show with an ink pen and I got her, her very own daylight ring. "You can walk in the sun now" I say and we both laughed everybody else rolled their eyes laughing.
New Years was incredible. We went sky diving as the clock hit twelve; the whole family. Fireworks were above us. Every couple kissed but I just hold my best friends hand, Embry. It was such a rush. Embry held both my hands and we went in circles. With the wind I carried us off longer when the parachutes were up, not like we need them.
Valentines came rolling in and my parents were gone for the whole weekend; them and everybody else. I stayed in the main house watching action films with Embry. My favorite was the X-Men. My eyes almost popped out my sockets of excitement when I saw Storm. Embry smiled while eating popcorn. I even went for Grandpa and Grandma, who stayed with me and Nessie, to show them the part in the movie where she makes an electric storm. I decide at that moment I was going to be Storm for the next Halloween, with white hair and everything.
As the climate got warmer Embry would invite me to bonfires. I was unsure for one when the elders would sit in a circle to tell the legends. How was a half-vampire, their mortal enemy, sit around and learn their secrets? He assured me that all the imprints will attend and I was his family either way. I smiled at that thought. Embry was my best-est friend, same as Nessie, and like a big brother I never had. I still didn't know what imprinted meant but I was still glad for it. At the end I was happy I went, I stayed quiet and opened eyed through the entire stories. They would say the stories so incredible you would picture everything.
I couldn't be happier with my life. Momma doesn't fight that much with Embry. Daddy is more playful, or back to normal as Nessie says, cracking jokes all the time. Most of the time I don't get them but I laugh because I don't like feeling excluded. If you ask me everything was perfect…. until I fall sleep…
I'm sitting bellow a giant tree, next to my Momma's head stone. The scenery around me peaceful. Sun shining, wind softly blowing. I close my eyes and inhale contently. But I'm startled, "My experiment has become quite a beauty," A dangerously seductive voice whispers, syncing with the ambient noise.
My eyes fly open. I stand slowly looking around; desperately trying to look where the voice came from. The same voice that has hunted me. The leaves suddenly falling, turning colors. The wind becoming cool, clinging to the winters chill. The chirping of the birds come to a complete silence. "I knew I had chosen the human well." He chuckles sending chills down to my very core. "Oh, no. I wouldn't dare hurt my experiment," Those words struck me hard. Fear runs threw me like a freight train. He laughs as I clutch to the tree trunk.
"Richard!" I gasp.
I jolt from my sleep. My hands frantically moving aimlessly, trying to desperately grasp reality. My breathing hollow. "Anna, Annie," I hear Embry's voice at the distance, as if he was being muffled. "Annie? Are you ok?" he shakes me softly.
I finally look at him. His hair tasseled, his eyes tired, t-shirt scrunched up at the front. "I-I'm alright," I lie; again. I've been having these dreams for some time. I don't know what they mean. I deny I'm even having them, I don't want anybody to worry for something that is in my head. I need to fix it alone. Nessie will freak out more than last time and will tell someone. They've done so much for me already I couldn't possibly trouble them with this.
He frowns, his beautiful eyes becoming serious. "Don't lie to me,"
"I-I-" I don't finish because I hear someone approaching the cottage. I look at him apologetically. His frown stays on as I smell Aunt Alice running towards my room.
"Rise and shine! It's party time!"
I muster a fake smile while flinging my covers off. I leap out of my mattress and hug her. "But first I must shower," I declare.
"Of course, run along. And you, off you go." She points to the door while looking at Embry.
I linger by my bathroom door looking at his frustrated expression. "Go, go, go," Alice gently pushes him to the door.
His melted chocolate eyes are pleading me to say something allowing him to stay but I need time to think things through. I still don't know what's going on, it's already hard enough hiding all of this from Uncle Edward. He huffs in frustration and walks out.
I quickly shower and dress more than ready to start working on something to keep my mind occupied from remembering those dreams I've been having. What is happening? During the day I don't see or hear nothing but in my nights it's like he is calling.
I put some skinny dark jeans and a nice lose gray sweater with black converse. Aunt Alice is waiting for me downstairs. She begins giving instructions. "Alright, you will be somewhere else while-"
I crease my eyebrows. "-Why am I going to the main house then?"
She chuckles. "You're not going to the main house you're going with Nessie and Jasper to the store. You can do and get whatever you want except cut your hair. That is out of the question,"
"Uncle Jasper?" I didn't think he left anywhere without Alice. They seemed attached at the hip.
"Yes, he'd distract me if he would stay and I need to focus."
I nod, "Right and we wouldn't want that"
"Not, you wouldn't," She smiles and we run towards the main house but stop in front of it. "This is where I leave you. Jasper will come out with the car in a little," she skips up the stairs.
I stuff my hands into my pockets and look at the ground. With my shoes I kick aimlessly deep in thought. I squeal in delight when Uncle Jasper surprised me by wrapping his cold arms around me and twirling me. "Happy Birthday!"
I giggle. Nessie comes down the stairs. "Wait what day is it today?"
"September 25th nothing important," I shrug trying to keep my face serious.
She laughs and runs towards me flinging her body on top of me. "Happy Birthday Baby Annie!"
We went to the stores, I had to cover the sun with the clouds so Uncle Jasper can come out of the car. Besides that we were putting some huge hats and sunglasses and posing as Uncle Jasper took all those pictures laughing. He bought me an expensive necklace that I could've lived without but he insisted. A necklace with my birth stone, the sapphire. I hugged him and went back to admire it.
He drove me to Momma's cottage. She was waiting outside with a huge grin in her face. I couldn't believe my eyes when I went inside my room. A beautiful dress laid effortlessly on my bed. "Do you like it?"
"Yes," I breathe as I touch the elegant material. My fingers admiring every piece of it. It's beige with lace at the bottom. Nice and simple; I love it!
"It is a Victorian styled dressed made by me," I look at her, eyes wide.
"You made it?" I squeak. I take the dress and run towards my Momma who is nodding the answer of my question. She laughs and holds me close.
When I was ready in my beautiful dress Momma got ready and looked even more beautiful than me even though she denies it. The dress clashes beautifully with my necklace. As we walk out of the cottage hand in hand I giggle when I see the two most important guys in my life. Daddy and Embry both dressed in a tux standing elegantly with a flower in their hand.
Embry hands me my favorite pink tulip. As he does he kisses my cheek making me blush. Daddy does the same. Momma hooks her arm with Daddy with a smile and they run along.
"So how does it feel to be a year old?"
"Like I need to grow faster." He laughs.
"Happy Birthday Annie," he wraps and arm over my shoulder's almost squatting because he is too tall for me.
I gasp when I see glowing lights in the distance. As we approach it I squeal happily. Everybody formal and standing with their fantastic posture. It looks like they're a panting. All of the women are wearing a Victorian style dresses while the men wear a tux like Daddy and Embry.
"Happy Birthday!" They cheered.
"Like Katerina Petrova's time!" I yell in excitement. They laugh. She is a vampire in The Vampire Diaries show and I always wanted to see what it would be like to live in her time and wear what she wore. Seeing all of this is like I'm traveling back in time. Grandma, Aunt Bella, Aunt Alice, Momma have a Victorian style umbrella behind them smiling. I begin crying.
Momma runs towards me. "You don't like it baby?"
I laugh tears still streaming down. "Like it? I love it!" I run in circles. "Yay! Yay! Yay!" It was dream come true!
After a fill with emotions afternoon I begin rubbing my eyes. "Someone's tired," Embry smiles.
"Yeah, I don't like being part human," I say while yawning. He chuckles.
"Before you leave… here," He quickly says. I look down at his hands to find a round thing. Not sure what it is. "It's called a dream catcher,"
"Jake gave me one too," Nessie skips her way to us. I take a hold of it. The brown feathers soft. "It's to catch bad dreams," She says touching it.
I look at her surprised and back at him. He looks worried but manages to smile. "Thank you," I smile back. It's actually what I needed.
I say my goodnights and Momma carried me back to the cottage with Daddy behind us carrying all the presents. Still my dream catcher in my hands. Momma sets me down in my room and kisses my forehead. Daddy places all my gifts in my closet and also kisses me in the forehead whispering goodnight. They both exit my room. I make it quick and place the dream catcher on the frame of my bed. I trace my fingers over the feather before turning and walking towards the bathroom.
I take a fast shower and wear a soft Pajamas Amy, Embry's mom, got me for Christmas. My wet hair loose at the back as I climb into my bed. I place my purple covers over me and reach for my big stuffed wolf that Embry bought me. I wanted it because it reminded of him. He said it would protect me when he wasn't around. I made whole into it but made it look professional for a hiding spot for my dairy. I hold my brown leather diary and open it to today's page. In my not so elegant writing I begin:
September 25th
Dear Diary,
Today may very be my favorite day ever. It is my birthday! All my dreams came true. Momma made me a really pretty dress. Daddy put on some really old music and thought me how to dance it. Everybody put on their part to make this day special. It felt like I really went back in time. What would made the picture perfect was if Mary was a part of it but know that think it she is always with me, in my heart.
I just wished the day would also have a perfect ending. My eyes feel heavy and water but I'm scared. I know that when I close my eyes I'll dream again. I'll dream about him… when will it stop?