Hello everyone! Thank you for all the reviews! I had a few questions about what I have planned for the Wolves, Jake, Rosalie and Edward and I promise that no one has left the story yet! All in due time! :) Enjoy!
We're too far out we're in too deep,
And we've got miles to go before we can sleep.
I said, we've been walking a thin line.
You've got one hand on the devil baby and one hand in mine,
But don't let go no it's not too late you know.
Hold on we're gonna make it if it takes all night,
Hearts racing like a rocket at the speed of light.
Don't fight it we've been running for far too long,
We're going back where we belong.
Chapter Twenty-Two: A Family, A Home
Bella POV
I was waiting at the Cullen's house with Esme, Alice, Jasper and Emmett. Carlisle and my dad had gone to pick up my mom and Phil, with my dad driving of course to keep it human speed. It's Sunday and their flight will be coming in around 11:45am. It's about 11:30am now and I should be seeing them by three. I looked around the living room thoughtfully…what would they think when they came here? I giggled a bit at my first thought ever stepping foot in this house. Everyone looked to me and I smiled warmly.
"I was just thinking about what my mom will think of the house and remembered my first thought when I came here a while back." Emmett nudged me to continue and I laughed again.
"I thought that it's so clean and because my mom is a total germophobe that she would fall in love with just how spotless this place is." Everyone laughed and Esme smiled to me.
"Well dear, I suppose that's easy to do when we really could just…stay in one place all day and not mind." Alice giggled as well.
"Yea with us there is no in between. It's either spotless, or a total wrecking yard. It's never just 'lived in'." Emmett chuckled beside me.
"Yea remember the mess Rosalie left in my room? Total destruction." I grimaced at the thought and slid a little further into his side. We were sitting on the love seat with his arm casually around me, talking with the others, not really paying attention to the House Hunters International on the TV. Alice was laughing again.
"Oh God she did quite a number on that room. Good riddance to her being gone though…such a downer." I chanced a glance to Emmett who seemed to be nodding in sincerity. I chose not to speak. A look from Jasper told me that he knew I was worried…what if Rosalie came back and apologized to Emmett? What if she wised up and realized what she had done…and wanted to be the woman he deserved? He loved her passionately once…he could again. I knew I was feeling despair but I didn't bother to look to Jasper and see his concerned eyes. I just wanted to ignore those feelings and pretend everything was normal. There was no kiss…no feelings…no fear. I sighed and got up and went to the kitchen for a snack, grabbing a packet of blood and heated it half assed on the stove in a pot. It was so gross to think about but…really it's like soup or warmed milk to us…it's food. I poured it into my sealed cup with a straw and went into the living room again, plopping beside Emmett, though not into his side where I was.
"I have no idea how in the hell you do that Bella." Emmett said from beside me. I looked to him as I swallowed my sip and put my cup down.
"What do you mean?" I looked to the others as well. Esme looked amused and was smiling her warm smile, Jasper was just as confused as Emmett…but Alice looked odd. I turned back to Emmett.
"I mean that you drink the blood like its nothing more than munching on an apple." I laughed as I took another drink.
"I don't know…I get a craving for a snack sometimes. I don't go out and take down four or five deer like you guys do…I have a packet or two at a time." Emmett shook his head and chuckled.
"Weirdo." I smiled and looked back to Alice. She was looking at my cup.
"Alice? Are you alright?" Everyone turned to her and she looked up to meet my gaze.
"I…I just… I've never felt like this before." I gave her a questioning glance and she just looked closed off. 'I wish I could read Alice's mind.' I thought and waited.
"Oh Bella…I wish you would just read my mind… I don't want to say!" I smiled and winked at her and she lit up, knowing I was in her head.
"Bella I feel like…I want a snack too. I just want a little something…not a full hunt. Why is that? I've never experienced this before…" I thought for a moment and nodded. I stood up.
"Just a minute guys." I went to the kitchen and heated a packet of blood for Alice, putting it in another sealed glass with a straw. I came back and handed it to her. Everyone watched us unsure as Alice hesitantly took the glass. I sat back on the loveseat and watched as Alice took a small sip. I could hear her internally hoping it didn't send her into a hunt craze but I just had a feeling it wouldn't. She looked up to me smiling as she swallowed.
"Bella this is so weird!" I wished I could no longer read Alice's mind and smiled to her.
"But it's convenient!" She laughed and took another sip.
"Alright what's going on. Alice how are you doing that?" Emmett asked and she shrugged.
"I don't know…I just felt like…" She stopped talking and started picking at her glass. That's when it hit me.
"Oh my God Alice! It's the humanistic trait!" She looked to me curiously and Jasper looked like he hit his ah-ha moment as well.
"You and I are both humanistic because of my gift…which means we act more human than other vampires. We stutter, fidget, cry…and crave snacks! That's why we can fight down the hunting craze that overwhelms the others…we don't need to hunt when we are feeling a bit hungry…we just need a little something to sustain us." She nodded in understanding as she took another drink.
"This is actually really nice…I feel like we are chatting over drinks or something Bella!" I laughed and Emmett shook his head smiling.
"You two are weird." Alice stuck her reddened tongue out at him and I laughed as she closed her eyes and took a bit swig.
"It's been so long since I've…savoured a meal like this. Usually when the hunt takes over we just down anything we can but this…feels so right." I smiled and looked to Jasper as he beamed at my aunt, no doubt thrilled that she is so happy. I'm happy for her too. Then a thought hit me.
"Why don't you guys go hunt before my mom and Phil get here and leave us girls to our caesars." Jasper roared in laughter, understanding the joke but Emmett just watched me curiously. Alice beamed at me and Jasper shook his head.
"Come on Em, I'll explain." They then left the house while Jasper explained that a caesar is a blood red alcoholic beverage that people would drink on an outing over good gossip and catching up. I could hear Emmett's booming laugh from just into the forest once he understood. I smiled to Alice, who sat down beside me.
"So Bella, tell me about my sister." I smiled and nodded, taking another sip.
"Well, she is 40 years old… she will be 41 in September. She is a bit taller than I am…blue eyes. Dark blonde hair. She's very lively…very scatter brained." I said laughing.
"She loses anything and everything…I took care of her a lot I guess you could say. I don't know. I loved feeling needed but at the same time I wanted a mom, you know? One to look after me for a change." Alice nodded and held my hand.
"But I guess I have that in my aunt." She beamed at me and I smiled.
"Even after everything she put my dad and I through…I still love her to pieces. She's my mom…growing up she was my best friend. I know she always did what she thought was best for me even if she was wrong sometimes. I suppose she thought growing up in a home built on true love was better than growing up in two parts of the country but she just didn't think it all through." Alice nodded and I sighed.
"She is a worrier though. She is probably flipping out in my dad's car right now asking a million questions. That's why I was glad my dad went with Carlisle. My dad is good at reining her in a bit. She's a lot of fun though and once this is all out in the open I'm sure it will be a lovely visit." Alice smiled.
"How are you feeling?" I looked to my glass and took another drink.
"I'm not sure to be honest. I'm terrified…I mean…I'm exposing my mom to vampires. I have to break the news to my own mom that I died…and she will want to know how…I just never thought I'd be the one delivering my own death notice to my mom. Especially not after what she went through last Christmas." Alice nodded. I turned to her.
"She is going to be so happy to see you though once the shock wears off. She missed you so much…we would have discussions about what we speculated you would be like… and what you would look like. How you would fit into our family…how our lives would be. I know that isn't quite normal but she never let go of the thought that you were still out there somewhere. She's a very hopeful woman." Alice shed a few tears and smiled.
"Bella I'm so excited. I mean…a few months ago I had no sense of who I used to be…where I came from. And now I have a whole family…a biological family. I have a niece and a sister…a brother-in-law! And I can have kids…Bella this is all thanks to you." I wiped a tear from my cheek as she continued.
"I always felt this weird connection to you. I would tell the others that you just felt like family…like home. And I could never explain it. I knew it sounded crazy and for a while I thought I was genuinely losing my mind but looking at our lives now…I am so thankful for everything. Is that selfish of me?" I shook my head no.
"Not at all Alice…I know what you mean. It's sad for me…but I can relate. I feel like…this is how it was all meant to be…in a way. And I owe you an apology. I know you saw me turning into a vampire for a while and that you didn't know everything…but I also know now that it wasn't your fault…and I really need to thank you for everything you've given me and my dad. We both really appreciate it and I'm sure my mom will too once she comes around." Alice hugged me through her tears and I reciprocated. We sat like that for a few moments until we sobered a bit and turned back to our snack and the TV.
"Hmm…a house in Hawaii. Wouldn't that be nice?" I laughed at her.
"You missing the heat Miss. Jacksonville?" Alice laughed and smiled.
"Must be…I have this odd urge to soak in some sun." I smiled.
"We will have to go to Jacksonville some day to see where you grew up." She squealed as only Alice can do and I laughed as she began planning the trip already.
I was standing in front of the window watching my mom and Phil get out of my dad's police car. My mom looked awestruck at the gorgeous home and I knew that's what I must have looked like the first time I came here too. I stood alone, having asked the others to give me some time with my mom before I introduced them and they understood.
"Carlisle your home is beautiful!" I heard my mom say and smiled. I missed her a lot. Carlisle thanked her and told them both where they could find me. He knew I wanted time with them as well. My dad came into the house with them and my dad led them to the living room. When they entered, my back was to them and I was trying to calm myself. 'Oranges…mango…and fresh cut grass.'
"Bella! Baby I missed you!" I heard my mom squeal and I couldn't help but smile. Her and Alice are more alike than I thought they were. I took a very necessary deep breath and turned around as my mom enveloped me in a hug. I held my breath just in case and hugged her back, but I felt her freeze. I looked to my dad and sighed. 'I wish my eyes were brown.' As my mom pulled back to look at me I could tell she was the one that smelled of orange and mango as she rubbed her hands over my rock hard, cold arms. I was wearing a gunmetal grey long sleeve shirt with a modest v-neck and a pair of jeans. Just simple, but I wanted to keep my exposed skin to a minimum due to my scars. She looked at my arms confused. She could feel how strange I was… she looked up to my eyes and face. She touched the scar on the side of my face and I saw tears coming to her eyes and rolling down her cheek.
"Bella what happened to you." She whispered and I averted my eyes to my hands fidgeting. I glanced to my dad who looked sad, but encouraging and Phil, who looked stunned.
"Come sit down over here mom and we will talk." I said and she seemed to be stunned by my voice. I grabbed her hand with my cold one and gently pulled her to the couch, trying hard to be careful. I really needed to keep myself under control here.
"Bella…did you get plastic surgery?! Isabella Marie Swan!" I held up my hands and asked her to sit back down on the couch she had just jumped off of and shook my head with a genuine smile. I giggled.
"No mom… I promise. Just please…I want to talk to you." She nodded looking afraid as she slowly sat back down. I took a deep breath and looked her dead in the eye.
Renee Clarke-Swan
Enchanter, Child-barer
This human is quite creative and would have the ability to make others see any scenario in their mind as she would see it and alter their surroundings completely. Because this human also has biological vampire family, she would be a child-barer.
I was pulled out of my scanner and smiled, 'Oh mom…always the creative one.' I smiled half-heartedly and took another deep breath. My mom was sitting there waiting for me to come out of my odd trance
"Bella I want to know what's going on." I nodded.
"I know mom…and you deserve to know I just need you to promise me one thing." She looked skeptical, but nodded slowly.
"I need you to promise that you will let me get through my story without interrupting me or freaking out…and I need you to be as open minded as you can possibly be. Can you do that for me?" Phil took her hand as he sat beside her on the couch. My mom looked to my dad with a questioning look but he just nodded assuredly and smiled. She looked back to me and swallowed with a nod.
"Well…you know that when I came here I met the Cullen's, and dad was attacked by a large animal. Another girl I went to school with was attacked as well and she died. And they figured it was the same animal that attacked dad and I that night we ended up in the hospital." My mom nodded. I took another breath.
"Well…the thing is that what attacked dad, Jessica and I wasn't a large animal really…it was a really large wolf. You know the legends of the Quileute tribes?" My mom and Phil nodded. I figured they would because they had both spent a fair amount of time living here and socializing down at the Res.
"Well the legends are true. They were werewolves. And it was a new werewolf that attacked dad by mistake, and that attacked Jessica." I stopped for a moment to let it all sink in. My mom looked ready to bust out of her skin so I continued.
"Well there is another thing about Forks that you should know and that is that…there are more supernatural beings living here and passing through. The night dad and I were rushed to the hospital was because I had been attacked…by three vampires. And dad tried to save me and got caught up in the mess." I saw a light come on in my mom's eyes.
"Just like Alicia would talk about…" She whispered. I wiped a tear from my eye and nodded.
"Well…about two weeks ago…I was attacked by a wolf." My mother's eyes went wide and Phil started to sputter.
"But…how are you…what?" I held up my hand for him to let me finish.
"Mom…dad and the Cullen's got to me as fast as they could but…there just wasn't anything modern medicine could have done to save me." I could feel her grip my hand tighter as tears welled up in here eyes. Her face was blank.
"The Cullen's…they aren't like other people. They are special…they were able to save me."
"Bella what are you." My mom whispered, so low I'm sure I wouldn't have heard it without my vampire hearing.
"Mom, the Cullen's saved my life…by turning me into a vampire." I waited…and waited…but no sound or movement followed my confession. Both Phil and my mom sat there very still… only I could hear their shallow breathing and heartbeats. I looked to my dad who looked worried. I nodded to him, assuring him they were alright and looked back to my mom. I placed my other hand on hers.
"Mom I know this is a lot to take in and that it's hard to believe. I know how difficult this must be for you and I'm sorry…I just need for you to believe-"
"I believe you." She told me quietly. I looked to her concerned. She still wasn't really responding. I just waited for her to come to.
"When I was little…a man would come to my window, just like Alicia. That's why I was put up for adoption. He was…p-pale white…ice cold. Eyes the most blood red colour… he w-was…" She looked to me for confirmation and I nodded sadly.
"He was a vampire mom. I met him…actually…he was the one that led the attack on me in the woods. His name was James. He is dead now. The Cullen's killed him." She looked shocked but nodded. We sat for another ten minutes or so in silence until Phil spoke.
"This isn't real…" but my mom turned to him, moving her body for the first time in twenty minutes.
"Yes it is Phil and we just have to accept it." She looked to my dad, who smiled and nodded.
"You knew?" He nodded again.
"I found her after the attack Renee and I just…I couldn't let our girl go. I asked the Cullen's to change her. She stood in front of him in silence for a few moments until she suddenly threw her arms around him and sobbed.
"Thank you…Charlie. Thank you s-so much…" They shared a moment or normalcy, it seemed. They both shed tears of sadness, their child was dead. Phil continued to look at me in awe. I knew he only half believed it, which was normal. His mind would want to protect him from the unknown…from the fear of evil and danger. I wanted them all to go through this process, so I gave them this time. I thought about what the others were doing upstairs and when I tuned into them I could hear a quiet conversation about how bad they felt for me. I knew they didn't need to feel bad though… this was going so much better than I thought. My mom believed me. All of a sudden I was pulled from my thoughts by my mom.
"Bella… stand up." I hadn't noticed she was standing in front of me. I stood and waited for her to take me in. She roamed her hands over my shoulders, up and down my arms. She looked closely at my hands and face.
"You're… like stone." I nodded slowly.
"The venom gives us a smooth, marble like exterior." She nodded, looking into my lying brown eyes.
"And inside?" She asked. I put her hand on my heart and smiled.
"Inside I'm still…frozen really. But I am still Bella." She nodded and shed a few more tears.
"What else should I know?" I sighed and closed my eyes. 'I wish my eyes would go back to their natural colour.' I opened my eyes and could see on her face that my eyes were now a reddish, amber colour.
"My eyes are going to be gold…not red. They just haven't changed completely yet. The colour depends on diet. Gold for animal blood and-"
"-Red for human blood." She finished quietly and I nodded.
"How did you change your eyes Bella?" I smiled.
"Well, some vampires have gifts. I have a few…I am a gift giver…which means I can grant any vampire I choose three wishes for a gift and I can grant myself wishes as well. I can wish for my eyes to change colour because I have a humanistic gift as well…which enables me to cry…stutter…snack…and blend in with humans." She nodded in awe.
"What else?" I grinned and shook my head.
"You sound excited!" She laughed a little, wiping away another tear. I smiled and continued.
"I have a mental shield that I can use to protect myself from mental gifts, I have epilepsy, so I can immobilize other vampires like I would when I had an episode, I am a lie detector, which helps me to tell when someone is lying to me and I can force the truth from them, I have a gift analysis scanner in my mind that tells me what gifts a vampire has, or a human would have and allows me to see the aura of those with gifts." I said touching her grey aura and watched it shimmer.
"I have an aura?!" She asked in shock and I nodded.
"You'd be a cool vampire mom! You would have the ability to make people see anything you wanted them too…completely change their surroundings in their mind. It's called an Enchanter." She grinned, as I knew she would. She loves this paranormal stuff.
"I should have known how accepting you'd be." She smiled and cupped my face.
"Bella…you're my baby. You will always be my baby." I nodded and gave her a soft hug. We sat down and she cleared her throat.
"So…the Cullen's are…" I nodded.
"Yupp. Vampires." She nodded.
"Are they all here?" I nodded again.
"Yea, is that ok? I mean…are you guys comfortable staying here?" She looked at me unsure.
"Are they all…like you?" I laughed and smiled.
"If you mean 'do they all boycott human blood' the answer is yes. They all have golden eyes." She nodded with a smile.
"Like Carlisle?"
"Yea, Carlisle is like the family patriarch. He's great isn't he?" She nodded and smiled.
"Mom…there is one other thing you need to know before you meet everyone." I heard everything upstairs go silent and my mom looked to me curiously.
"What is it baby?" I took a deep breath and looked to her.
"Well…remember Aunt Alicia?" She nodded sadly.
"It really was a vampire that terrorized her, wasn't it?" I nodded as she wiped a tear from her face.
"Not a day goes by that I don't miss your aunt." I smiled sadly.
"The vampire that would visit her…that was James too mom." She nodded thoughtfully.
"I'm not surprised." I sighed.
"And…I have another gift that I didn't share with you." She gave me her attention and waited.
"I am a child-barer." Even my dad looked at me curiously…I hadn't shared this with him yet.
"I have the ability to have children with my true mate…because I have a biological vampire relative." My dad looked shocked but my mom's eyes turned dead. I knew this was going to be an overload but she needed to know before she saw Alice.
"What are you saying Bella." She said in a low voice.
"Mom… I found her. She goes by Alice now…but she is here. Aunt Alice is a vampire…and she really misses you." My mom sat there frozen for about ten minutes before she hung her head and quietly whispered to me.
"Bella, I want to see my sister." I nodded and got up, going upstairs. I went into Alice and Jasper's room and saw Alice standing there crying, with the others looking nervous.
"It's ok Alice, come on." I held my hand out to her and she took it like a child might. She looked so fragile and afraid but I tried to sooth her enough to give her some confidence.
"She wants to see you Alice." She nodded and I took her from the room and led her downstairs. We entered the living room to see my mom looking at the doorway with tears streaming down her face. As soon as she saw Alice she rushed to her and wrapped her in a huge hug. Both women sobbed and fell to the floor holding each other. I went and stood by my dad and Phil, my dad's arm around me. I reached for Phil's hand and he gave me a drained smile and took my offered hand. We watched the two women sit in a heap on the floor and cry for all their lost years. I felt so bad for them…but at the same time it was this life that brought them back together. I cried happy and sad tears for them both and we allowed them this time to reconnect and grieve over the absence of each other throughout their existences.
Emmett POV
We all sat in the living room with Bella and her parents, chatting and going over introductions. Like Charlie was, Renee and Phil were shocked to find out our real ages and our abilities. Phil seemed a little more reserved than Renee did, which was understandable. Renee seemed to jump in headfirst. It was a slow process getting to the truth for Bella. We were all upstairs listening to her talk to her mom and Phil but she got there.
"Alicia…you look exactly as I remember you… but with shorter hair." Alice nodded and smiled.
"Yea…frozen at 17 forever." Renee gave a snorting noise. I recognized the sound from when Bella was human.
"What I wouldn't give!" We all laughed at the response.
"So mom…are you really ok with this?" Bella asked. She sat beside her mom on the big couch and Renee looked at her an smiled.
"Of course I am Bella. I get to keep my daughter…I have my sister back…it's all totally crazy and terrifying but yes. I am ok." She smiled and Bella laughed a bit and gave her a hug.
"I really have to thank you all…you kept my baby alive when no one else could have…on more than one occasion I understand." She said with a look to Bella who rolled her eyes with humour. Such a mother-daughter moment.
"Thank you. From the bottom of my heart…thank you." She told us and we could feel her sincerity. Soon we fell into easy conversation, allowing Renee and Alice to catch up and get to know everyone a bit better. Bella was tucked where she belongs, into my side, with her dad and I on either side of her on the couch, Phil on Charlie's other side. Alice and Renee were on the love seat, Carlisle was in the chair, with Esme elegantly perched on the arm rest. Jasper was on the floor close to Alice. I looked around for a moment and couldn't help but smile. This house has never felt so…warm. I could see vampires and humans mingling together as a cohesive family and I knew this is where I belonged. This is something I've always wanted…a family. A home.
The Cullen's have always given me a family but even everyone else seemed more…at ease. This is an incredible thing and I can't help but be thankful for all that I have. I looked down to see Bella smiling at me and I nudged her nose with my own on instinct. I almost regretted it… until I saw her smile up at me and saw the happiness in her eyes. She placed her head on my side and relaxed into me like she had found where she belonged too. I know it's been a rough few weeks and that things had fallen off the track a bit… but somehow I just knew that this wasn't over. There truly is something between Bella and I, and I can't give up yet. I kissed her hair and felt her melt into me more…and I knew she felt it too. We still have a ways to go…and this won't happen over night…but Bella belongs with me. And I belong with her.
I feel like our funk over the last few weeks is slowly melting away and we can be free to be ourselves again…spending every waking hour together…which is constant anymore. Just loving the company and the feelings it brings. I'm in love with Isabella Swan…and I won't be complete until I can truly call her mine.
Hope you guys enjoyed that Chapter! Coming up next…maybe the wolves? Stay tuned to find out!
Song: Where We Belong – Thriving Ivory