Hello!! So we're up with Chapter Eight, which is the longest yet. There so much in here, it's like a landmine. Anyway, thanks go out to Scampifish, sleepthroughthestatic, and monkey-luver14 for their awesome reviews!! And Ireally do hate the fact that these vampires glitter. Just saying, there ain't nothing dangerous about sparkles.
Also, on the news front, I have a poll in my profile. Because, you know, there MIGHT be a sequel to this story and that MIGHT mean some romance for Adele. You know...of the romantic variety. So let me know what you think!! I like that. And you can also let me know what you think by sending me a review!!!!
Chapter Eight: Family
My head was spinning for the rest of the week. I knew all their stories now, and the Cullens had adopted me as much as they could. Emmett called me their new pet, but I could hear him laughing underneath the gruff words. I saw every one of them in a different light once I saw their stories.
Rosalie was the biggest shock. She seemed so invincible in her new life, I couldn't imagine her vulnerable. Suddenly I understood her air of pretension. She was keeping herself from being hurt again. She was also slightly jealous of me, with my human life laid out before me while she could only watch. Despite her cruel exterior, I knew she would have made a wonderful mother.
I understood Esme's need to protect me. She saw so much of herself in my bruised, cut up face. Her maternal instinct combined with her pain in an overwhelming sense of protection. Anywhere with her was a safe place, one where it did no good to try and hide anything. She always knew, and always understood. She was the only one who didn't stay on my case about leaving. She saw that I had few options, and none that I was willing to take. She even told the others to back off a few times.
Alice was fascinated. She had no human memories of her own, and didn't know her past at all. I told her the stories my mother had told me, about the sun god Inti, his wife Mama Quilla, and their children, my mother's people. She never grew bored with the stories, even when I couldn't remember then correctly. Her eyes only grew wider as the stories grew more dramatic. When I explained how I still prayed to them, like my mother and her family always had, she didn't laugh as I had expected, but smiled, and said that it made more sense that way.
Jasper listened to my stories as well. I had though it was just because Alice did, but she explained to me that he liked them as well. I reminded him of his sister who used to make up her own stories. She also explained that he was drawn to my emotions.
"You're so happy." She shrugged. "He feels that, and it's refreshing to him. You're as close to the sun as he can get now." It seemed he was always present, though he rarely said anything. Every time I looked at him, though, he smiled.
Emmett took the big brother role pretty seriously as well. Unfortunately, that translated into a lot of teasing. He would comment on anything and everything, from my stumbling to the way I got cranky when I was hungry. Even at school, where the Cullens kept their distance, he would never be afraid to laugh if I tripped.
The biggest change, though, came with Carlisle. As I listened to his story, I was amazed. I had never meet a person so set on doing the right thing, whatever that may be. He was undeniably good, better than any human I had met. He was also the best father I had ever seen. Thought these were not his biological children, I could see how he had adopted each and every one of them to form a true, if unconventional, family. He was everything I didn't have in a father, his family the exact opposite of mine. A part of me yearned to join that family, to fully experience the love that seemed to fill the old Victorian house. I knew though, through the vague terms each of the Cullens (except Alice) used to describe their own transformations, that it would be impossible. Carlisle had made it clear he was not willing to change me in my current state, and I was still quite attached to my humanity. As much as grew to love the Cullen family, I tried my best not to think of their eating habits.
My memories of the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving weekend and my final Nutcracker performances are forever mingled with my first memories of the Cullens. While the nervous energy of rehearsal faded over time, it was replaced with a quiet confidence that infested every member of the company. Though Carlisle insisted on checking my ankle every few days, it healed perfectly, and stayed healed. I reached the last day of rehearsals without another injury.
We were given Wednesday and Thursday off, with out first performance Friday night at seven. The last day of school was Tuesday, and most of our teachers were kind and didn't give us homework for the long weekend.
Last period seemed to drag. Edward and I 'talked' through the whole thing, but I was still ticking down the seconds until final bell.
Thinking about it only makes it seem longer. He warned me. I ignored him.
I want to go home! I still have two pies to bake before we leave for my grandmother's! I'm so bored, and my legs are cramping up from not moving. I need to STRETCH!!!
Relax. I saw him smiled out of the corner of my eyes. You'll be out soon enough. Speaking of which, when are you arriving home after this long-awaited trip to your grandmother's?
He was making fun of me. He knew I didn't want to go. Nana Foster wasn't even my real grandmother; she was my dad's crazy third cousin or something ridiculous like that. We had agreed when I was four that we did not like each other after she had tried to teach me how to play blind man's bluff and I threw up on her priceless carpet. Even now, she stared at me like I would do it again, though my sense of balance had greatly improved since then.
We'll be there until she gets mad and kicks out, telling us not to bother coming back until next year. That usually happens at about three in the afternoon, so I should be back by four.
Good. Carlisle wanted me to invite you over for our own Thanksgiving celebration. He waited for a reply, and I noticed the worried tone in his voice when he continued. Adele? Are you okay? You're mind is blank.
Yeah, fine. Umm, Edward? How exactly do vampires celebrate Thanksgiving?
He laughed out loud then. Every face turned to ours in that moment. I ducked my head down, my dark hair falling into my face so no one could see me blush. Edward tried to look apologetic, but he just seemed amused.
Don't worry. You are not the meal. It is supposed to be a surprise.
No offense, but surprises from vampires sounds really dangerous. And like a cheap romance novel.
I watched as he tried to stop his shoulders from shaking as he laughed. Don't worry. You are not in any sort of danger. That includes dime store novels as well.
Thanks. I hear those books are vicious.
We tried to keep straight faces for the rest of class, to no avail. As the bell rang his cold fingers brushed against the back of my hand, and I returned the gift, still fighting laughter.
"You are going to get me into so much trouble." I muttered, knowing he would be able to hear me.
"It's not my fault you can't control yourself." He chuckled, and I heard him fill in his family, though the words were just a low hum to me.
"I'm sorry I don't have a few decades of experience." I grumbled, putting my books back into my locker. Emmett laughed at my pain, as usual.
"I'm so glad your coming!" Alice squealed, hugging me. As usual, I was handled with a delicate touch, as though I were spun glass.
"We'll try to keep her in check." Rosalie murmured to me. "I wouldn't count on it, though."
My worry about a Cullen Thanksgiving increased.
--- --- ---
Grandma Foster's was its usual disaster. She was appalled by the brightness of my violet dress, and nearly died when I sat down and she saw my knees. She ignored me when she wasn't telling me off, and tried to shame my mother for allowing me to leave the house the way I was dressed. By the time we left, my mother was promising to make me wear a habit.
When I arrived home, I realized Edward hadn't given me any details about this extra Thanksgiving I was to attend.
"When are you leaving, mija?" She asked, putting away the leftovers.
"I…don't know." I shook my head, confused.
"Maybe you should call them." My mother's accent always grew stronger after she tried to hide it, like she had been for Grandma Foster.
"Yeah, maybe." I shrugged, also realizing I didn't know the Cullen's phone number. It wasn't quite how they operated, clearly. "I should go change." I decided, looking down at the pretty swing skirt of my new favorite dress. "I should save this for next year."
My mother's laughter followed me to the stairs. I raced up, into my room, humming to myself as I did. I set my purse and gloves down at the foot of my bed, still humming. As I reached the closet door, though, I heard a tapping noise. It took another moment for me to realize that the tapping happened to be the beat of the song. I now connected "Stand By Me" with only one other person.
"Edward?" I only whispered his name, and yet I heard him chuckle. I flew to my window, parting the curtain and scowling as I saw him perched on the garage roof like he owned it. "What are you doing?" I hissed, opening the window. "What are my neighbors going to think?"
"You're neighbors are not home." He said, sliding in as easily as though it were a double door. "I'm not entirely careless, Adele." He seemed amused, and I just glared at him.
"Don't be too loud." I hissed. "My dad will at least try to hurt you if he finds you here."
"He won't find me." He was far too confident for my taste. "Anyway, I just came to warn you. Carlisle and Esme are coming to pick you up in about ten minutes. They want to meet your parents, but realize this is a sensitive subject." His gaze lingered on a half healed cut on my bare hand, then returned to mine. "In any case, you should be ready by then." He gave me a crooked smile. "And that is certainly not proper attire."
"Well, I'm going to need some help in that area." I snapped gently, though I couldn't help but feel lucky that Carlisle and Esme were looking out for me.
"You are overdressed at the moment." He said lightly. "Though that shade of purple is wonderful on you."
"Thank you." I beamed, turning back to my closet. Edward followed, shaking his head occasionally. He eventually grew tired of the game, and picked something out himself.
"Here." He handed me a bundle of clothes, rolling his eyes gently. "Get dressed. We'll be here soon." He slipped out my window again before I had a chance to say anything. Pouting slightly, I changed my clothes. I raised an eyebrow at the depressingly casual outfit Edward had picked out, even if it did seem to match the tone of his own clothing.
"Mama." I ran down the stairs, finding her in the living room. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are picking me up at four thirty. I forgot, Edward did tell me."
"Mija, that's in five minutes!" She exclaimed.
"But I'm ready." I frowned slightly.
"But I'm not!" She began checking her reflection in the mirror over the mantle. I laughed at her, in a teasing way. She stuck her tongue out at me, also laughing. "Do something with your hair, Adelita. Try to look like a lady."
"Si, Mama." I rolled my eyes, running back upstairs. I noticed my open door, and frowned slightly.
"You should be alarmed, if anything isn't how you left." Edward warned from behind the door. I rolled my eyes, pushing into the room. He was sitting on my bed, flipping through a Sears catalog. "You've got about ten more minutes. Rosalie can't decide what to wear." He rolled his eyes, smiling slightly.
"I should call the police on you." I said, hitting him with the gloves I had left on my dresser. He just smiled, not even looking at me. I went to the mirror and brushed my hair quickly, pulling the top part up and securing it with a ribbon. "Does this look okay?" I asked, turning back to him.
He looked up, and nodded. "I never noticed how your hair has some red in it." He tilted his head, looking at it intently. Then he stood, walking over and standing next to me in the mirror.
"Are you just trying to prove that you have a reflection?" I teased.
He scowled, and shook his head. "No. It's just similar." He shook his own hair out, and I noticed that our hair was a similar color. His looked bronze, though the red was noticeable.
"You're still a brunette." I said. "As am I." He just rolled his eyes at me.
A sudden crash caught our attention. Edward's eyes narrowed as he looked down at my floor. I froze, knowing exactly what it was. My blood ran cold, and Edward suddenly let out a snarl.
"Get out." I said stiffly. His eyes, hard and filled with fury, darted to mine. "Now. Leave."
"I can't let you put yourself in danger." He said, sounding pretty dangerous himself.
"It will only be worse if he thinks we'll put up a fight." It was the truth, though it sounded completely alien in my dead voice. "Just go."
"Adele, wait." He caught my arm as I headed towards the door.
"Don't put your family in danger." I hissed. His expression changed briefly, I knew he understood my double meaning. "Leave."
"I'll be outside." He said, slipping through the window. I squared my shoulders and headed downstairs.
"Mama?" I called, figuring I should get it all over with at once. "Que paso?"
"Girl!" He rarely used my name when he was like this. "What was that?"
"Nothing." I looked down, feeling my strength crumble. As I glanced around the living room, I found my mother, lying on the ground. I gasped, noticing a pool of blood. "What did you do?" I screamed, running forward. He caught my arm, swinging me around. I hit the ground when he let go, across the room from my mother. "What did you do to her?" I yelled, pushing myself to my knees.
"She deserved it!" He yelled, grabbing a fistful of my hair. "You'll get the same if you don't shut up!"
"You killed her!" I struggled, trying to free myself. I felt some of the hair leave my scalp as I finally managed to work my way free. I was by her side in an instant, flipping her face-up.
Her right arm was twisted at a weird angle, and a large gash ran from her jawbone to her hairline. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was steady, if shallow.
Edward. I thought frantically. Get Carlisle.
I didn't hear a response, though I didn't expect one. My father was next to me suddenly, and something cold and sharp was at my ribcage.
"I won't even think twice, you brat." His voice was a low growl, and I heard the gently tear of fabric. The skin underneath stung, though I ignored it, my thoughts with Edward, rushing him. "I don't need you for anything. I could cut you now, and have one less trouble in the world."
"Do it." I wasn't sure when I had started crying, but the tears ran thick now. "Please, just do it now."
He was silent. He didn't know what to say. I was supposed to me begging for my life, not for death.
"You can't." I said. The blade bit deeper, but I didn't flinch, didn't cry out. "You're too chicken. Too chicken to off a little girl."
"I can't." He was coming full circle now. The rage was subsiding, instead being replaced with the depression that followed. "I can't do it. She was so little, once. My little girl." He was talking about me. He sometimes forgot who his victims were. "I'm so bad." He said. I was silent, waiting for his next move. He dropped the knife, lumbering to his feet. "I'm a bad man." He moaned, heading towards the back door. I stayed frozen, waiting until the door closed and his car was pulling away. I was arranging myself, building the perfect, steel inner core that was my primary defense mechanism.
My street was silent for a few minutes, tops. I barely had time to bleach the knife before I heard the door open.
"Adele." Edward's voice was strained, and suddenly he was in the room with me. "What are you doing?"
"Getting rid of the evidence." I said calmly. I was still bleeding, the bright new dress ruined now. "You're quite fast."
"You're insane." He murmured, pulling the blade from my hands. He set it in the kitchen sink, his eyes running over me, checking for injuries. He was so much taller than me, he had to kneel to see the cut just below my ribcage. "That's going to need stitches." He muttered, keeping his gaze on the cut itself rather than the deep red stain.
"Not that I would prefer this, but how are you not killing me?" I asked. He sighed, pressing a white gauze pad to my skin.
"You're blood is weird." He shrugged. "It's not appetizing. That's why I'm here. Carlisle is with your mother."
"Good." I sighed. "She's pretty bad."
"Why do keep doing this, Adele." His voice was pleading, his eyes still on the white square. "It won't end well."
"What has Alice seen?" His tone of voice had been too confident.
"You'll both be dead within the year." His voice was soft, filled with a shared pain. My breathing became labored. "There's only one way to change it. Please, Adele."
"No." My voice was cold, detached. I took a step back, breaking the contact between us. I squared my shoulders and walked into the living room.
Carlisle was leaning over her, his hands moving in a blur. As I entered, he stood, his bright eyes filled with concern.
"She needs to go to the hospital." He said.
"She'll be fine, right?" I asked. My steel core was wavering.
He heard the note of panic in my voice, his face falling. "Maybe." He said.
"No." My pitch rose, and I started shaking. "She has to be okay. She has to."
In the next instant, my face was buried in his chest, my tears warm on my cheeks. "It will be fine." His voice was a low murmur, and I could feel the vibration through his chest. "Calm down, Adele. It will all be fine."
I heard sirens, and vaguely wondered who had called the ambulance. I couldn't stop the flow of tears or words, and couldn't make sense of them either. "She can't die, she can't. It's not supposed to go like this. No se supone para ser como esto. Mama, no muere. Te necesito. No muera. I won't let him hurt you again. No lo dejaré lastimarle. Mama, please wake up. ¡Despierte!"
"Adele, come with me." Carlisle voice was soft, his strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me towards the door. I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. He steered me right into the cab of the ambulance. He set me down on the seat, his eyes inspecting the cut that I had forgotten about. He bit his bottom lip, his fingers brushing lightly against the skin. "Stay here." He felt me stiffen at the thought of being alone. "I will be right back." His hand squeezed mine gently, then he was gone.
It was dark now. It couldn't be five o'clock yet. It looked so much darker from inside the ambulance. Maybe I just thought it was darker. It didn't try to think too much. Instead, my mind wandered to the Cullen's Thanksgiving, and how that was ruined. I sighed, thinking that I was quite good at ruining things. Hopefully tomorrow's performance was still safe, and this stupid cut wouldn't affect my dancing.
Carlisle was suddenly next to me again, Edward a half step behind him. "We're going to the hospital now." He said. "Edward will be with you the whole time." I tried to smile, but settled on a nod. Edward climbed in next to me, and though I couldn't tell there was a driver on the other side, we pulled away from the curb as soon as the door was closed.
--- --- ---
I don't remember fainting, but it sounds like something I would do. When I came to, I was in a clean white hospital room, a curtain creating a completely empty space, occupied by me and a bed and a few machines. None of the machines were on or attached to me in any way. I considered it a good sign. I tried to sit up, but my head spun. I set myself back down, staring at the ceiling, my hands resting on my stomach, playing with my charm bracelet.
"I didn't hear you wake up." Rosalie's voice startled me. I hadn't seen her, and the slight flutter from the curtain told me she had been behind it.
"I just did." My voice was hoarse, but working. She sat down next to me, her blond hair spilling over her shoulder. Her gaze was intense, trying to get me to explain myself. I shrugged, and continued playing with my bracelet. It was silent, until I asked her something that had been bothering me for a while.
"Was it worth it?" She looked at me curiously. "Killing him. All of them. Was it worth it?" I had heard her story, in all the gory details. She had wanted to tell me, and I had wanted to hear. Though after, I thought she regretted it. I knew she did right then.
"Not really." She shrugged, though there was nothing casual in the gesture. "It felt good at the time. I could say I was protecting other women from going through what I did. But really, I guess it wasn't. Even if revenge is sweet, it fades fast. And it doesn't erase what he did." She had found my train of thought, and was suddenly stern. "He's too strong for you, Adele. If you want revenge, you should work through the system. He could easily get convicted and sent to prison. You shouldn't take this into your own hands."
"I know." I sounded weak next to her. "I don't intend to. I was just wondering if it would be worth it." I twirled my bracelet. "It's not. Even if I could. He's too strong."
"Talk about something else." She said, touching the silver gently. "I hadn't realized you had a charm bracelet."
"Mama doesn't like me wearing it to school." I explained. "She says it's too delicate. Kind of like me."
She ignored the last comment, lifting up one of the charms. "A toy soldier?" She asked, inspecting.
"Yes." I nodded. "My first Nutcracker performance. I was the best toy soldier there was."
She smiled gently, moving on. "And the scissors?"
"I wanted to be hairdresser when I was younger." I shrugged. "I should take it off now. That's not what I want to do now."
Her head whipped up before I had caught the sound of footsteps. I followed her gaze, Carlisle coming through the white curtains not a moment after.
"Ah, you're awake." He seemed genuinely pleased, his eyes suddenly brighter than they had been. "How is she, Rose?"
"Sane." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "She was a little dizzy the first time she tried to sit up. No permanent damage. It looks like just the cut."
"Good." He helped me sit up, and I kept my head this time. His cold fingers ran through my hair, gently probing my scalp. He checked my vitals, and when I proved myself healthy, he smiled. "Perfect. You will be fine by tomorrow morning, Adele."
I brightened up instantly. "So I'm good for performances?"
"Just don't stretch too high." He warned. "Those stitches need to hold up."
I felt along my torso, and the ridge of neat sutures stuck out like barbed wire. I scowled. "It's going to show through the dewdrop costume."
"You'll be fine." Rosalie rolled her eyes, though there was a ghost of a smile on her lips.
"I think you should keep this with you." Carlisle dropped something cool and hard into my hands. I opened my fist, revealing my mother's charm bracelet. I felt the color leave my face instantly.
"What happened?" I asked breathlessly.
"She's fine." Carlisle answered quickly. "It's just not advisable that she keep that on. Her arm was broken in three places, and she suffered a concussion. I want to keep her overnight, at least. She's lucky to still be alive. She could have lost too much blood from that cut."
I processed the information, turning her bracelet over in my hands. I looked up suddenly, my eyes filled with tears. "Thank you."
He blinked once, then his hand were cupping my face. He pressed his lips gently against my forehead for a brief moment, then pulled away. "You are more than welcome." He hesitated for a second, then asked. "Who is Mija?"
"I am." The answer was instantaneous. He raised an eyebrow. "It's Spanish for 'my daughter'. It's a term of endearment. That's what Mama calls me."
"She's been asking for you in her sleep." He said, more to himself than me or Rosalie. His attention was back on me in an instant "You are free to leave, Adele. I would prefer that you did not return to your home." I nodded, not sure I could have faced my own home. "Rosalie will bring you to our home."
"Thank you." I said again. He smiled, and disappeared behind the curtain.
"He loves you already." Rosalie's voice was quiet, her eyes on the spot where Carlisle had been. "It seems so natural, though. Like you truly were his daughter." She shook her head against a stray thought, smiling at me. "Alice brought you over a change of clothes. Not yours, but that's Alice for you." She motioned to the chair on the other side of my bed. "I'll be just outside the curtain."
"Thanks, Rose." She was gone in an instant, though the click of her heels as she paced continued. I changed quickly into the casual blue seersucker dress, pulling the wool coat on as well. Rosalie smiled when I came out, and walked me to through the quiet hospital. When we reached the cold nighttime air, a car pulled forward instantly. I slid into the back, Alice already waiting for me. Rosalie got in the front, next to Jasper, who was driving. They talked in fast, hushed tones as I started to drift off. Alice saw me yawn, and sighed.
"She'll need to sleep, won't she?" She sounded slightly disappointed. "I forget the human things sometimes."
"Good thing Esme likes to keep up appearances." Jasper said, looking at me in the rear view mirror. "She can stay in our room."
"Will you be able to handle that?" Alice asked quietly.
"Yes." He nodded, perfectly confident. "Her smell doesn't bother me at all. She doesn't smell edible in the slightest."
"That's good." I murmured. "I don't like causing too much trouble."
"Yes, she much prefers small bouts of trouble." Rose said, the sarcasm drowned with her playfulness. The four of us laughed, and I soon found myself blissfully asleep.