Author's note: Exciting news! The banner for my story is finished and I love it! It was done by Kupat on Deviantart and the link is on my profile. I highly recommend checking out her other work, especially if you're a Jasper/Bella shipper.
The video is still being made, but I'll let you all know as soon as it's finished :)
Chapter twenty eight
Consciousness waded through the murk of deep slumber, the pitch black gradually lightening to a slate grey, before rays of dull, whitish light filtered through the thin spaces between my fluttering lashes. Whilst my eyes considered opening, my mind decided it wasn't quite ready to relinquish its hold on sleep, so I settled for readjusting my body in its comfortable surroundings, a twinge of pain shooting through me the moment I did so. Bizarrely, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant feeling and a murmur brushed past my lips. Just as the sound greeted the air, something soft and cool began to run slowly up and down my back, leaving a delightful trail of goose bumps in its wake. A small smile spread across my face and my spine instinctively arched in response to the sensation.
When something strong and firm wrapped around my stomach, before pulling my back flush against a solid form, my body decided it wanted to roll over and face whatever was embracing me. Unfortunately, my muscles seemed incapable of functioning properly, so all I managed was a pathetic rocking motion. Thankfully, whatever was wrapped around me chose to offer assistance and I was turned easily, every inch of my body flaring with protesting aches and pains from the movement. They were worth it, though, as, snuggling into another embrace, my hands connected with a familiar surface. Although warmer than usual, it was still a little below the typical level of human body temperature and nothing could match its silken texture, as my palms began to explore.
Finally, my eyes won the battle against my mind, as they flickered open to confirm the suspicions aroused by my touch. The first thing to greet my vision was a pair of eyes the same shade as a setting sun on a hot summer evening. Before now, I'd never had a favourite colour, but, in that moment, I decided it was gold. Not just any old gold, but, one that was warm, liquidy and utterly inimitable. The skin surrounding those eyes crinkled in a smile, before a cool, gentle kiss was placed reverentially upon my brow. My eyes closed again and I inhaled deeply, finding bliss within the wonderful scent.
"Good afternoon," Carlisle said, in a low whisper.
I couldn't quite find my voice, so settled for replying with a wide smile of my own, before nuzzling the crook of his neck. We stayed that way for a while and I suspected he was giving me time to properly wake up. Eventually, my eyes were able to stay open for longer than a nanosecond and I moved my head, allowing me to get the day's first proper glimpse of his face. I made a quick resolution to ensure a day never passed where his gorgeous face wasn't the first thing to grace my vision. A few strands of hair were brushed behind my ear, before his thumb traced the line of my cheekbone.
Carlisle didn't say anything at first, but, his eyes encompassed my entire face. His expression was nothing less than absolutely content, betraying no signs of concern about the danger lurking in the back of our minds and my right hand reached up to mirror his earlier action, by sweeping the blonde locks off his forehead.
"How are you feeling?" he eventually asked and that was when a trace of worry was finally revealed.
My answer was immediate. Well, it attempted to be, but, my first endeavour offered only a hoarse squeak. After clearing my throat and licking my lips, I tried again. "Happy," I replied.
He chuckled and pressed his lips to mine, before resting our foreheads together, whilst still stroking my cheek. His other arm was wrapped around my waist, ending with a hand resting against my hip and I enjoyed the patterns his tepid fingertips made on my skin.
"Although," I croaked. "I feel like a ninety year old woman riddled with arthritis." I shifted position slightly and, as if in demonstration, my joints started popping.
Carlisle's chest rumbled with soft laughter; it was a beautiful sound. "If it makes you feel any better," he said. "You certainly don't look like one."
He placed another quick kiss on my lips, before his hand left my cheek and began running up and down the length of my arm. Although I wasn't complaining, it took a while to become accustomed to his uncharacteristically lukewarm body temperature, as I was so used to the iciness of his skin.
"What are you thinking?" Carlisle asked, able to read me far too well.
My hand clasped his and I laced our fingers together. "You're warm," I murmured, rubbing my thumb against his, as I held our linked hands aloft to gaze at them.
"You grew rather hot in the night," he said. "And lying beside you for almost seven hours allowed me to absorb quite a bit of body heat." A kiss was placed upon my knuckles.
"Like your own personal hot water bottle?"
"Exactly," he smiled and I accepted the latest kiss eagerly.
It began with chaste pecks on the lips, before our fingers parted and Carlisle used his hand to angle my face upwards, allowing him to capture my lips fully. He caressed my jaw for a moment, before trailing down the line of my neck and brushing past my collarbone. When his hand rested against my shoulder, my palms snaked up his well defined torso, to wind around his neck and bury themselves in the tendrils of soft hair at the back of his head. Our kiss became deeper and his tongue greeted mine, as his talented fingers continued their downward journey, travelling along the contours of my body.
Despite the soreness, my body began to get a thrill at the idea of what might come next. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to repeat the previous night's antics, but, I was damn well ready to try. Unfortunately, it was clear Carlisle had other plans, as his hand refused to go any lower than the small of my back. In the end, despite my mind's lustful protests, it turned out to be a good thing. I probably could have ignored the aches, but, ignoring the fatigue was something else. Instead, I was more than happy to settle for enjoying the taste of his lips and tongue against mine. Being so intimate with him was a pleasure beyond description. It was remarkable how someone with the ability to demolish a house could possess such grace and tenderness.
When we finally came up for air, I gazed into his eyes and my face split into the widest grin known to man. It brought on a mild fit of giggles and I buried my face in the pillow beneath my head. It was bizarre behaviour, I knew, but there was only one thing I could pinpoint as the trigger: happiness. Pure, unadulterated happiness.
Although my sight was hindered, I could hear the perplexed chuckles coming from Carlisle, and he smoothed the hair away from my face, gently coaxing me to look at him again.
"I sincerely hope you are not laughing at my kissing."
I bit my lip, trying to restrain the goofy grin. I wanted to explain just how good he made me feel, how important his place was in my life, maybe even describe a little of what Alice had said about her connection to Jasper, but, words felt inefficient. Perhaps it was a little of my father's influence, but, I just didn't know how to tell him. Saying "I love you" was all very well and good, but, it left so much unsaid and, in my mind, what I felt for Carlisle was more than simply love. It ran deeper than any emotion and, despite the old saying about actions speaking louder than words, I wasn't entirely sure even the intense lovemaking of the night before was an adequate display of my affection. It was enough to make me dedicate the rest of my life to finding a way of proving my devotion.
Again, the thought that had first appeared in Carlisle's study, when we'd finally admitted how we felt about one another, crept into and lingered in the back of my mind. Once more, I quickly shut it out. It was still far too incomprehensible a topic to even begin trying to grasp at that moment and I sought for a way to distract myself. Staring into Carlisle's eyes, I released my lower lip and planted my mouth against his briefly.
"I'm just...happy," I explained. Then I smiled again, deciding to bring a little mischief into the conversation. "Although, a little kissing practise on your part wouldn't go amiss."
"Then, perhaps I should book in some lessons," he suggested, a playful smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.
"Well, it just so happens that I know the perfect teacher."
"Does she come highly recommended?" he queried, his smirk widening.
"I like to think so," I replied, waggling an eyebrow.
"Hmm," he said, thoughtfully. "I will have to check my diary, see if I can pencil her in."
"Pencil her in?" I parroted, with mock outrage. "I'll have you know her services are very difficult to secure."
"Of that I have no doubt," he agreed, moving his face closer. "But, recent events mean my free time is going to become rather limited from now on."
"Really? And why might that be?"
"Well," he began. "It would appear that I have met someone."
"You have?" My eyes narrowed, in pretend scrutiny. "Male or female?"
"Permit me a moment," he said, before lifting the covers and giving my body a quick appraisal, before his eyes returned to mine. "Definitely female," he clarified, with a cheeky wink.
I giggled, before continuing. "And does this female have a name?"
"She does," he answered and I didn't miss the affection glinting in his eyes. "It's a name that fits her perfectly."
"I see," I remarked, noting that only an inch of space remained between our faces. It was hard not to attack his lips with my own. "Well, don't hold out on me Doctor Cullen. Just what is the name of this someone who will be taking up so much of your free time?"
"Her name is Isabella," he informed me, our noses now lightly touching. "Or Bella, as she prefers to be called." His loving gaze bore into mine and it was enough to take my breath away. "A fitting sobriquet," he continued. "As she happens to be the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes upon."
Those words, coupled with the expression on his face and feel of his bare skin against mine had my insides squirming delightfully. I was biting my lip again, trying to contain the excitement once again starting to build up inside.
"She sounds like quite a catch," I remarked. "How ever did you manage to bag such a beauty?"
Carlisle's countenance eradicated the distance between us by applying featherweight pressure against my lips, before his mouth travelled along the curve of my jaw, to rest at the pulse point just below my earlobe. Despite their softness, his kisses held tremendous power and, when his tongue flicked out to caress my skin, my breath hitched. It carved a path up, until his lips hovered over the entrance of my eardrum and his voice caused every hair on my body to stand on end.
"I could tell you," he whispered and I let out a sigh of appreciation, as his dulcet tones enveloped me. He pulled back, so that our eyes connected once more. "Or, I can show you."
I didn't need to respond, my racing heartbeat said it all and his arms wrapped around me, as, yet again, the world lost us to one another.
000
The air popped with the sounds of my body languidly stretching, an action I found to be very cathartic. The throbbing between my legs peaked with each movement and the view I had of Carlisle's perfect, naked physique did nothing to clear the cloud of desire fogging my brain, as he walked over to a small pile of clothing in the middle of the floor. He bent down and retrieved something that may have resembled a pair of trousers once upon a time, but, was now a tangled mess of torn fabric and loose stitching. He held the object up, before a sheepish smile crossed his features and he looked over at me.
"We may have a slight problem," he declared.
I was still lying on the bed, the covers tangled around my waist and legs, as I raised my eyebrows, asking for clarification.
"Well," he said, as a sexy smile spread across his lips. "It is not so much a problem for me, as I have no objections to watching you walk around naked all day. Unfortunately, the law has a different opinion on the matter."
A frown creased my forehead, as I wasn't entirely sure what he meant, until I sat up-an unusually difficult feat-and realised that the garment he held used to be a pair of my jeans. I let out a laugh of amazement.
"You do know that, unlike Alice, not everyone has a walk-in wardrobe?" I teased, although the idea of having more clothing ripped off me in the future held limitless appeal. "But, I guess it'll give her the perfect excuse to take me shopping."
"I'm sorry, Bella," he said, although I couldn't say I detected a huge amount of remorse in his tone. Had any been there, it would probably be due the fact he'd been responsible for subjecting me to one of Alice's shopping trips, rather than the destruction of the garments. "But, if that is the worst casualty of last night, I have to say I am immensely relieved."
"I said I trusted you," I reminded him, giving my body a quick once over. No signs of damage, as far as I could see. "And, it seems that trust was well placed." I frowned at the pile of clothing again. "Except for when it comes to undressing."
Carlisle chuckled and the relief he'd mentioned radiated from every pore. He really had been so worried about hurting me and I was glad to have helped ensure he didn't. It hadn't so much been for myself, as I wasn't opposed to a little roughhousing in the bedroom, but, to guarantee he wouldn't feel awful afterwards. Walking over to his wardrobe, one of the doors opened to reveal a rail of shirts hanging over a small chest of drawers. He searched the contents of the top drawer and pulled out a pair of sweat pants, before sadly using them to cover his lower half. My lamentations increased when a t-shirt concealed his torso, too.
"I am sure Esme or Alice will be able to lend you something to wear," he reassured, as he reached for one of the shirts. "But, for now, I am afraid you will have to make do with this."
Holding a white shirt in one hand, he strolled back over to me and dropped the garment into my lap. The bed dipped on my right, as he sat down and a hand cupped my chin. Leaning forward, he kissed me deeply, before pulling away and letting his thumb brush back and forth over my lower cheek.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
It wasn't until the mention of food that it suddenly dawned on me how ravenous I was. My stomach growled in reply and I was shocked to realise how long it had been since I last ate. He smiled, placing a last quick kiss on my forehead, before standing.
"Give me a moment," he said, before heading for the bedroom door. "And I'll see what we have."
The door clicked shut and I was finally alone. The room was almost silent, the only faint sounds to be heard coming from the birds flying around outside. The sky was surprisingly bright and clear, perhaps a reflection of my current mood and it was bizarre to think of how much this day contrasted with the one before. Yesterday had been filled with terror, uncertainty and despair, whereas this one had begun marvellously. I knew the danger was still very much present, yet, it paled in comparison to the joy residing within my heart and the altercation with Edward felt as though it had happened weeks-rather than hours-ago.
I clutched the soft linen shirt and removed the bed covers, before swinging my legs over the side of the bed. Standing up, a jolt of pain attacked my right hip and I winced, letting out a quiet hiss, before looking down and seeing the large bruise decorating the skin. I'd forgotten all about the injury, but refused to pay too much attention to it and hoped Carlisle wouldn't notice. He might think it was either his doing, or the events of last night had made it even worse. Slipping the shirt over my head, its hem fell down to mid thigh and I started fastening the buttons, before attempting to recreate the perfection that had been Carlisle's bed the day before.
Grabbing the bed linens, I discovered that the sheets and covers had been ravaged worse than the clothes and it made me wonder how the bed frame had managed to survive. Was it wrong to get turned on by that? Well, if it was, there was nothing I could do about it and, despite the damage, I still did my best to arrange the sheets into some semblance of tidiness.
Carlisle returned a few minutes later, carrying a tray that he placed on the end of the bed and I watched his face as he took in the destruction. The expression was subtle, but endearing nonetheless and I couldn't help laughing.
"For our next date, I think an overnight stay at a hotel might be out of the question," he quipped.
"Probably best," I agreed, lying on my side, my foot absently tapping the headboard, as he came to sit beside me. "And I didn't realise last night was a date."
"To be honest, I am not sure what last night was," he said, leaning over to tuck my hair behind my ear. "Besides being the best night of my life, so far, of course."
Since waking, he hadn't gone more than a few seconds without touching or kissing some part of me and I wasn't looking forward to the time when we had to part ways, even if it was temporarily. In response to his touch and comment, I reached for the collar of his t-shirt and pulled him towards me for a kiss. I would have taken it further, but, my stomach refused to be neglected any longer and Carlisle's soft chuckle mingled with the ravenous growls.
"It is not the most lavish of breakfasts," he said, pulling the tray a little nearer. "But, it should keep you going for now."
I wasn't complaining. Bagels, filled with soft cheese and ham and coupled with a glass of orange juice may have been considered a little plain for some, but, I happily wolfed it down.
"You said 'so far'" I began, after swallowing a mouthful of ham. "So, I assume that means you're planning more nights like that?"
"Last night wasn't exactly planned," he replied, leaning against the headboard, as a soft grin made his beautiful countenance all the more pleasing to my eyes. "But, I am not opposed to doing it again. I should probably add extra bedding and clothes into those plans, though."
I nodded, but talk of plans brought some of the previous day's less pleasing memories to mind and each one encouraged a flutter of apprehension to erupt in my stomach. Luckily, I'd eaten most of my food, so the sudden loss of appetite wouldn't be detrimental. I wasn't delusional, knowing the subject of the Volturi would have to be broached at some point, but, I didn't think anyone would blame me for wishing to delay it as long as possible. I just wanted to lie there, next to Carlisle and continue chatting, like any normal couple on a normal day, but we weren't a normal couple and this most definitely wasn't a normal day. He was a vampire, I was human and we had broken the fundamental laws of his kind. Now, there was a merciless enforcer of those laws making his way back to his masters, to inform them of our wrongdoing. I remembered Carlisle mentioning the Quileute tribe and that did little to ease my worries. It wasn't hard to imagine a fight breaking out easily and, although Carlisle hoped my family's connection to the Blacks might be an advantage, it could also be a huge disadvantage. They might decide the Cullens had put my life in danger and use it as an excuse to disregard their treaty. That sent the panic flaring and I knew my face was projecting those fears, because Carlisle held his arm out and motioned for me to move closer. I did so and was enveloped in his embrace, as I clung to my love-literally-for dear life.
"I know you are scared," he murmured, peppering the top of my head with kisses. "I am too. But, I swore to find a solution and I will do everything in my power to ensure I do not break that promise." Fingertips connected with the underside of my chin and my head was tilted upwards, allowing our eyes to lock. The determination emanating from his topaz orbs was intense. "Now that I have found you, I am not letting you go."
I felt moisture gather in the corners of my eyes and I was overwhelmed by his love, as well as the fear of losing it. I silently repeated his oath, swearing to match his efforts of keeping us together. Whatever it took, I vowed to do it and it was then that I began to finally offer an audience to an idea I had, so far, kicked out of my brain each time it appeared. I wasn't yet in a position to fully acknowledge it, however, as the man in whose arms I was currently laid held far too much sway over my thoughts and desires. I needed to be alone, free from all distraction and wasn't sure what our plans were for that day, but, I knew that, at some point, I would have to return home. When I did, I would finally have the solitude needed to begin assessing the situation. It would be a long, arduous task, as it would require me to consider so many variables, as well as the wishes of others, but, it had to be done. We had to consider all options, however dangerous or scary they may be; the predicament we faced was too dire for us not to.
000
"So, how do vampires gain these 'special talents'?"
Alice and I were speeding along the roads of Forks and conversation had reached the topic of Edward's mind reading abilities. Yes, even though that particular vampire scared the living crap out of me, it still wasn't enough to defeat my inquisitiveness.
"There's a theory," Alice began. "But, it's by no means proven, so I wouldn't suggest taking my word as gospel."
It was almost eight pm and I had spent the entire day at the Cullen house. When Carlisle and I finally emerged from the bedroom, I'd given my dad a call, realising that, whilst he could probably make a good guess about where I was, it was still bad of me not to contact him at all since yesterday. He wasn't angry, but, he did ask if and when I was likely to return home. Carlisle and Jasper left the mansion an hour before I did, hoping to make first contact with the tribe and I won't deny that I was counting down the seconds until he called to tell me how it went. The worry partly fuelled my questions, as I wanted something to distract me and make the time pass quicker.
"Really, the theory is Carlisle's," she continued. "As most usually are." She threw a small smile my way. "His inquisitiveness almost matches yours, sometimes. Obviously, he didn't know any of the coven members during their human lives-apart from Edward, if somewhat briefly-but, from what we've learnt of each other, we came to the conclusion that certain people possessing strong characteristics would carry them into their immortal existence. For Edward, as a human, he was an extremely good judge of character, even at his young age. It's possible that this was heightened and translated into the mind reading he is capable of now."
"Hmm." I took it all in and I could see how that might make sense. "Is it a common occurrence?"
"Not especially," she said. "Although there are a number of vampires I know who have them."
As she spoke, I picked up a note of hesitation in her tone and wondered why this particular line of questioning might make her feel uncomfortable. Was it because of Edward? But, then why was she able to answer the first question so easily? I really had to rein in the curiosity this time, as I desperately wanted to know more, but, didn't want to upset her, especially given the stress she was now under. After all, it wasn't just me and Carlisle in danger from the Volturi.
"If you don't wanna talk about it..." I offered.
Alice stared out the windshield for a minute or two, before taking a deep breath and giving her head a quick shake. "You know what? I do want to talk about it."
The resolve in her voice surprised me and there was clearly more going on with this conversation than I realised. Her hands adjusted their grip on the steering wheel, before she spoke again.
"Three of this coven's members have a 'special talent', as you call it. Obviously, you already know about Edward, but Jasper has one too."
"He does?" Yep, curiosity was most definitely piqued. I wondered what it might be, following the theory of how they attained their abilities. Was his a fighting technique, or something less obvious?
"He is able to sense and, to some extent, control people's emotions."
I hadn't expected that, although, to be honest, I wasn't sure what the Hell I did expect. Upon hearing it, though, it kind of fit him, when you considered his charismatic and charming nature. "How does that work, then?"
"If someone enters a room, he'd be able to sense if they were happy or sad. He would also be able to manipulate those emotions into something else. For instance, remember that night in the bar, where those two guys had a fight?"
I remembered it very well, especially given the events that had closely followed.
"Well, had Jasper been there, he would have been able to diffuse the situation by calming them both down, turning their aggression into a much more relaxed emotion. It was another reason Maria had ensured he stay by her side during the wars; it proved to be an extremely helpful ability for dealing with newborns."
It was pretty amazing to think that, besides being the incredible supernatural creatures they were, some vampires also possessed extra powers to make them even more extraordinary. Against my plain humanity, it didn't really seem fair.
"He very rarely uses the manipulative side of his power, though. After everything Maria put him through, you can understand his reluctance."
I did, definitely. I tried to imagine feeling the moods of everyone around you. It was one of those gifts that could also be a curse, especially if you were around a particularly hostile or depressed individual. Was there a way of shutting it off or did he have to simply abide every single feeling a person projected? If he did, I couldn't blame his disinclination for socialising.
"Does his gift play any part in his unwillingness to feed off humans," I asked. "Or do other animals emote just as strongly?"
Alice's eyes left the road, to give me a look that said she was surprised, yet impressed by my moment of insight. "It is, actually and no, other animals don't emote anywhere near as much as humans." Her gaze faced forwards once again. "There's something else interesting you might like to know."
Well, that was like dangling a jar of sweets in front of a child! I leaned forward, eager to learn.
Alice smiled, sensing my anticipation. "He says your emotions are very hard to read."
That was the second time I'd been told that, although it was thoughts the last vampire had been unable to decipher.
"And, for once, it means we are probably even more curious about you than you are about us."
"What does he mean?" I asked, finding it weird that there should suddenly be something intriguing about me. I'd never envisioned that happening, even if I lived to be a hundred.
"It's like a radio signal," she explained. "Everyone varies, but, for him, most people are beautifully clear. You, however, are nothing but static. He can catch a hint from time to time, but, nothing really substantial."
"Edward said the same thing," I murmured. "He couldn't read me, either."
Alice's brow creased in deep thought and I let the following minutes pass in silence. Her face would scrunch up occasionally, as she was clearly trying to figure something out and it was quite adorable to watch, really. I didn't even bother trying to make sense of anything, myself, as I was still new to this world and nowhere near close to even beginning to understand its place in reality.
"Hmm," Alice eventually sighed. "I wonder if it's a mental thing," she remarked, thinking aloud, I guessed, rather than actually speaking to me. "It must be, otherwise mine wouldn't work, either."
"What's your talent?" I queried and it took a while for her to answer. I wondered if she'd even heard me, but, just as I reached out to touch her arm, she glanced in my direction quickly, before looking back at the road. Her palms shifted again on the steering wheel and some of that discomfort returned. Was hers really that bad? Maybe she was worried I'd get angry at her for keeping it secret. I wasn't, because I knew that everyone had their own little secrets, but her hesitation was starting to worry me.
"Premonitions," she finally replied. "I see the future."
My jaw dropped open. Reading minds and feelings were one thing, but seeing the future? That was something else! For someone as nosy as me, it would be the ultimate ability. To combat her apparent fear, Alice injected a little humour into the conversation.
"Before you ask," she warned, holding a hand up. "I cannot tell you what the lottery numbers are, or who the next president is going to be. It may be cliché, but it just doesn't work like that. What I get is a subjective glimpse of a future event."
"Alice, that's incredible!" I gasped, utterly in awe.
"Sometimes," she said. "But, not always. It hasn't proven all that helpful recently."
I saw the frustration on her face and thought back to her comments when Edward arrived at the Cullen house the day before. She'd been muttering about wishing she'd seen it sooner and I was beginning to finally understand.
"So, how does your talent work?"
Alice took a deep, bracing breath. "To start off with, my visions are linked to my own experiences. It means I have to have had some form of contact with whoever I am seeing. I can see visions of humans, because I used to be one and vampires, because I am one. I can also control them to a certain extent...the visions, I mean. I can focus my attention on a specific person, or group and will receive regular updates on significant things they are doing or events that may take place."
"So, you're like a fortune teller, in a way?" I simplified. "Just, without the bullshit."
She laughed and I was glad to see some of the apprehension leave her exquisite features.
"Yes," she agreed. "I suppose I could be, although I'd rather not comment on the legitimacy of their gifts."
"Well, I guess I'm going to have to ask." My words immediately had Alice's grip tensing once again. "Have you had any of me?"
She nodded. Reluctantly, I noticed. "Yes," she confirmed. "I have."
That was when a major quandary came into play. Did I want to know anything about my future? Well, d'uh, of course I did! This was me we were talking about, after all. But, the problem was, what if it was bad? I had the possibility of discovering what my fate with Carlisle was going to be, but, was I ready to find out? What if it all ended in death and despair, could I really handle knowing that? I think Alice sensed the direction my thoughts were taking me, but, she didn't interrupt or intervene. She just waited patiently, as I tried to decide whether or not to ask.
"When you say subjective, what exactly do you mean?" I eventually asked.
Alice's gaze distanced from the present for a moment, as she searched for the best way to answer my question. "Well," she said. "The premonitions I get are very much correct at the time, but, a snap decision can instantly render them false. Let's say that right now I get a vision of you greeting your father after arriving home. At the moment, that vision is correct. However, in five minutes' time, you could suddenly decide you want to come back to mine. Then, a new vision would come of you returning with me, rendering that first vision false."
I sat in contemplative silence and her answer meant I wasn't so sure asking about my future was such a good idea. Even if my predicted future was the one I hoped, I would end up overanalysing every little detail, terrified the slightest decision could change my destiny. I'd be too busy obsessing over my future to actually enjoy it.
"Why have you had trouble with them recently?" I asked.
"For some reason, I'm not seeing certain people as clearly as I should be," she replied, her lips twisting with displeasure. "I know it might seem like spying, but, I assure you it's not. I just like to watch out for those I care about...or fear."
I knew the identity of, at least, one person she feared, as it was an apprehension I also shared.
"And the visions are far too sporadic to be used as an effective spying tool." She pierced me, then, with a look of such intense sincerity, that I felt myself backing away slightly. "I would also like to clarify that I very, very rarely use them to meddle in the affairs of others, regardless of what I see."
And that statement answered the question of her reluctance. She was worried about how I might react to her knowing certain aspects of my future. To be honest, it hadn't yet crossed my mind, but, now that it had, I found that it really didn't bother me. It wasn't like she chose to have them any more than she chose to become a vampire and I believed her assurances of non-meddling, so that was enough for me.
Her gaze left mine and voice lowered an octave, as the hesitation-or, perhaps it was sheepishness, now-returned. "Unless, of course, it's something really bad."
I wondered where she was heading with that last statement, as several emotions, many connected to nervousness, flitted across her face.
"I have a confession to make," she announced. "There was one instance in which a vision involving you did result in meddling."
My eyes widened and, before I could even attempt guessing which instance it could've been, she was rambling her explanation at a speed my ears found difficult to follow.
"It was of the night that guy attacked you," she said. "And I wish I had seen it so much sooner; I would've done all I could to stop you ending up in that situation. Sadly, I only saw it less than ten minutes beforehand. The moment it hit, I was rushing to the door, but, Carlisle heard me explaining to Jasper what I'd seen and there was no stopping him. Even for a vampire, he moved at a tremendous speed and, praise the Lord, managed to reach you in time."
I was dumbfounded. So much for Carlisle's nightly walks, huh? I wasn't sure exactly how to feel about her revelation, so settled for lunging forward and wrapping my arms tightly around her neck. She clearly wasn't expecting that reaction, as I felt the car swerve a little, before she quickly regained control and reciprocated the gesture with a good-humoured reprimand about road safety. Yet again, the big, bad vampires had managed to disprove their unsavoury reputation. With the amount of time separating me from that night, I was able to revisit the scene in my mind without too much difficulty and remembered the ferocity the leader of the Cullen coven had displayed in my defence. It had been terrifying and he had seemed monstrous, but, added to what Alice had just told me, I began wondering again what exactly had fuelled such a strong reaction. He had already given me an explanation, but, even back then, had there been more between us than we'd realised? It didn't matter a great deal, as I knew exactly what we were now, but, the interest was still there. I made a mental note to ask him about it later.
Eventually relinquishing my hold on Alice, I actually placed a kiss on her cheek, unable to think of any other way to thank her. Her eyes widened in total astonishment, before her hand went up to where my lips had just been and a smile slowly spread across her face.
"I-I'm sorry, Alice, I just...God, I can't thank any of you enough. If it hadn't been for you-"
"Hush," she interrupted, holding a hand over my mouth. "Let's not even go there," she suggested and I was happy to comply. "I'm just glad it was averted, but, I promise I've never busy bodied with anything since."
"Believe me, after that, you're allowed to meddle all you want!"
We both laughed and a quick look out the window told me we were almost at my home. Before leaving the car, I gave Alice the tightest hug I possibly could, hoping she understood how much she truly meant to me, how much they all meant to me. The farewell smile I received in return made me think she probably did. I watched her yellow vehicle zoom down the street, before turning to head for the front porch, knowing she would return sans car in a matter of minutes. The coven had decided it best to ensure I was watched by, at least, one of their members at all times.
Charlie was in his usual spot, watching the usual programmes on TV and called out to me after hearing the front door close. He didn't have a lot to say, besides asking how my night had been and giving me with a knowing smirk. Upon hearing his teasing remark about hoping Carlisle and I had been 'safe', my face coloured the same shade as Red Riding Hood's famous cloak and I made my way upstairs, to the seclusion of my bedroom. If only he knew that Carlisle's nature rendered condoms unnecessary. I almost suffered a minor panic attack during a brief window of clarity earlier, when I realised we'd had unprotected sex, but he assured me it wasn't possible for a vampire to impregnate a human. I should have already known that, given what he'd said before about us never being able to have kids.
I sat myself down on the bed and kicked the shoes off my feet, before shimmying up to rest my back against the headboard. Before letting everything I had planned to contemplate override my brain completely, I quickly checked my phone to see if Carlisle had tried to contact me, but the screen revealed no missed calls or incoming text messages and I desperately hoped everything was alright.
That was when I allowed the reason I sought solitude to finally take precedence. I'd expected it to be a difficult task and wasn't disappointed. Firstly, working out where to start felt insurmountable all by itself and I was ready to give up before I'd even begun. No expectation had been placed upon myself to have everything evaluated in one night, but, the more I contemplated, the more terrifying and confusing the whole situation became. The solution to one issue only served to bring another obstacle to my attention and it wasn't long before I realised that this was something I couldn't figure out alone. I needed help. A lot of help. I could already predict Carlisle's reluctance, but, hoped that knowing I was only considering it as a last resort would avert im dissmissing the idea entirely.
Lying down on the bed, I rolled onto my side and placed my cell phone beside my pillow, watching the screen and waiting for Carlisle to call. As time passed, I could feel fatigue begin to make its presence known and, with everything that had happened in the past forty eight hours, it was no wonder I was so tired. The real marvel was that so much had managed to fit in such a short space of time. As my eyes began to droop, I stole a final glance at my phone to discover it was almost ten o' clock. Three hours had passed, without any contact and the fact that I was still able to doze off, despite the worries, proved how great my levels of exhaustion really were.
However, the exhaustion wasn't enough to keep those worries from invading my dreams.
A/N: Yeah, this chapter took forever to get through, too :/
I want to point out something quickly to avoid any possible confusion. I know that it's possible for male vampires to impregnate female humans, however, in Twilight, Carlisle doesn't fully realise it is until Edward gets Bella pregnant. As none of that has happened in this story, I'm going with the assumption that Carlisle would still be pretty ignorant about it, therefore, not bother with contraception during sex.
Again, this took longer to post than usual, but work has been a bit crazy recently, so I apologise yet again for another long wait. I'll try to be quicker with the next update, but, who knows if it'll end up being another pain in the arse chapter to write. I really, really, really, really hope not!
I hope you enjoyed reading and I'll see you all soon :)