I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING TWILIGHT RELATED.
HEY PEOPLE!!! Okay people. So we are on chapter five and this is the big family meeting. Now I know so of you want to see Emmett and Edward fight or a Rosalie/Bella throw down but it's not going to be like that. I want you to see a broken Emmett and the selfless Bella. I know you also want to know what Alice did. I did tell you in this chapter but for the actually events I am planning to write a little short story on that by itself. If I had included it in this book it would have spoilt the mood.
In addition people, I am also now writing a Carlisle/Bella love story called SAVING ME. Please give it a try.
Lastly I want to THANK YOU for your reviews and I would like to get a lot more. So once again THANK YOU. ENJOY and LOVE YOU.
FAMILY MEETING.
Chapter Five.
Carlisle's POV.
Time passed slowly since I called Edward to tell him that their presence was requested at today's family meeting. I knew this was necessary but who I am greatly conflicted with this situation. There were two sides of me presently that were locked in battle: Edward's creator and Bella's father and I did not know which side would win.
A third party observer would say that truly there was no contest and that my paternal side should win but truth be told, we as vampires, have more depth than an ordinary human being. So here I am, cowardly hiding in my office, ashamed of what has happened, detesting myself for having not prevent this, but more so yearning so dearly to forgive Edward and Rosalie even though I knew I could not. DAMN YOU CARLISLE FOR BEING SO COMPASSIONATE.
I was pulled out of my thinking when I heard a car driving down the gravel road. Sighing heavily I made my way down to the living room. The sight before me stunned me. Bella was cradled in Jasper's arms, her head buried in the crock of his neck and was seated on his lap on the couch and Alice had Emmett's head cradled to her chest sitting next to them. Never in all the time that Jasper spent with the family had I seen him this comfortable with a human but he was apparently very true to the words he said during Charlie's visit; Bella was his sister and he was going to protect her. I swelled with pride at the sight. Jasper, having felt my emotions, looked in my direction and nodded appreciatively. Alice, who also noticed the exchange, smiled a tentative smile but her attention shifted back to Emmett when he whimpered slightly. Esme sat by herself on the love seat watching all four of our children, her eyes pooling with the tears she could never cry. Looking at her, I offered her a small smile hoping it would offer her some comfort. The silence of the moment was shattered by a gentle knock on the door. Knowing the door was unlocked I proceeded to take my seat next to Esme. Once I was certain that my family was well enough for the situation I invited Rosalie and Edward to enter.
Slowly I looked on as the door opened to reveal Edward and Rosalie. Instantly Bella tightened her grip on Jasper and Emmett whimpered silently in Alice's arms. Rosalie and Edward entered, both with small smiles on their faces.
"Carlisle, Esme," Edward said nodding in our direction, "Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Bella." He said turning to my other children.
Alice was the first to recover and her eyes instantly darken with her rage.
"DON'T YOU DEAR SPEAK TO ME! DON'T YOU EVEN THINK OF ADDRESSING ME, EDWARD! YOU ARE DEAD TO ME," she spat with so much venom that both Edward and Rosalie took an involuntary step back and it certainly did not go unnoticed that Jasper did nothing to calm the situation leaving me to step in.
"Alice, please control yourself. Rosalie, Edward would you please have a seat?" Grasping each others hands tightly, they both nodded and took two seats opposite us.
To say the atmosphere was not laced with tension would be a blatant lie. Esme refused to look at Rosalie and Edward and had buried her head into my chest, every now and again shaking with sobs. Emmett and Bella sat silent, still taking comfort from their siblings. Alice just looked at Rosalie and Edward in disgust and Jasper chose not to look at them at all, having focused his attention solely on Bella.
After several minutes, Rosalie spoke.
"So what are we doing here? Is there anything we could help you with? When can we move back in?"
"After this meeting, Rosalie Lillian Hale, you are no longer welcomed into this home. I will be damned one thousand times over, if you, a person who is so vengeful and callous, is allowed to live within one thousand miles of me." We were all stunned. Esme was never one for emotional outburst, but when she does the look on her alone is absolutely lethal.
"Esme please let us explain." Rosalie begged. Edward pulled her closer to his side allowing her to cling to his chest as she cried.
"There, there. We are sorry for making the little princess cry after all she only was with MY SON for FIVE DECADES for us only to find out that IT WAS ALL A LIE SO THAT SHE AND HER MATE, EDWARD, CAN PLAN TO HAVE A HUMAN CARRY A CHILD FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!!!"
Rosalie's cries ended immediately as both of them turned their stunned faces on Bella. Before anyone could do or say anything, Alice, sped past us and had Rosalie pinned to the ground.
"Rosalie Hale. If you ever again entertain the thought of hurting Isabella Marie Swan again, I can guarantee that you WILL BE KILLED. DO. I. MAKE. MYSELF. CLEAR?" Rosalie nodded weakly, fear evident in her eyes.
"Alice, why did……………" She cut me off.
"Rosalie, here was going to attack Bella because she told us the truth. Apparently they were planning to feed us a bullshit story about how they fell in love. They actually were banking on Bella being afraid of them after Rosalie hit her so that they were under the impression that she would not have told us the true story."
"Okay then, well let us make some things very clear: 1) Rosalie, Bella is a part of this family. I kindly ask that you refrain from causing her more harm than you have already. If you fail to do so; you will be dealt with, like how I deal with anyone who has attempted to hurt a member of my family." No one could doubt the coldness in my voice nor could they doubt the menacing tone behind it.
"2) Edward, from you, I would like my questions answered."
"I shall answer your questions but for now I ask for Alice to release my mate," Edward answered nodding in the direction where Alice still had Rosalie pinned down.
"Agreeable. Alice?" With that Alice got up growling slightly and resumed her position next to Emmett.
"So what do you want to know first, Carlisle?" I became acutely aware that no one else seemed to care what was being said. To my family, the lines had already been drawn and no matter what Edward had to say there was nothing that was going to change the way they felt.
"Firstly and probably the most obvious of questions is how long have you and Rosalie been together."
With a look of sheer adoration, he gazed into Rosalie's eyes. No one could doubt the depth of love that passed between them in those few seconds but all it served to do was to cut an even deeper wound.
Turning to face me, he answered, "It was fourteen months after you changed her."
"So you have both been together for the better part of eighty plus years. Forging and breaking relationships along the way. Alright, next questions: Why did you not tell us about your relationship? Why hide it?"
"It was ten months into our relationship when Rosalie expressed her desire to have a child she could raise. A child of her own. I agreed that she may have one. The obvious route was for us to adopt but then she came across a Ticuna legend that said that male vampires could father children when they mated with a human woman. After several months of debating and planning, we both decided to keep our relationship secret. For our plan to work, the plan to have a half vampire child, I would have been required to find a human; a human willing to bear me a child even if unknowingly. When Rosalie found Emmett, we thought it was a God send. Rosalie decided to pretend that Emmett was her mate and that would give her a cover story so that just left me to find a human. That's when I found Bella, more that seventy years later."
"This disgusts me Edward, truly. Did you even know if she could have survived?" Even though it pained me to ask, I had to know.
"Wouldn't have really mattered. I didn't give a damn about the bitch, just the child," Rosalie sneered in Bella's direction.
Instantly, my vision became red. I was livid to say the least. They truly had no compassion. I felt a wave of calm hit me for which I was thankful since I still needed answers.
"Rosalie for the sake of your worthless existence, I suggest you stay silent," I cautioned before I turned my attention back to Edward.
"Edward, why choose Bella?"
"It was simple actually and there were two contributing factors. One being, that she showed no aversion to us and secondly I could not read her mind so there was nothing that I would have felt guilty for had she not survived." That was the response that sent me over the edge and I knew for a fact that had Jasper not been present both Rosalie and Edward would be dead.
"Alright Edward, I have heard all I needed to hear. Now I have to give you something." With that I quickly went to my office were the documents I sought after were located. On returning in the living room, I noticed that Alice was not there and I briefly wondered where she went to.
"Alright, Edward this is for you. I am truly disgusted with your actions and this is where we part. I thought when I changed you that I granted immortality to someone who was worth it but I was wrong. This applies to the both of you. You truly sicken me. How could you? Where you so desperate for a child that you were willing to sacrifice the life of another? You both are callous and evil not to mention heartless, cold and sadistic."
Edward's eyes widened when he realized where this conversation was going to go.
"Carlisle please." He begged
"Why are you begging? There is NOTHING YOU CAN SAY TO ME THAT WILL CHANGE MY MIND. The day you chose to lay another person's life on the line for your own benefit, you became dead to me."
"Carlisle is right. You both are no longer a member of this family. You are not worthy enough to be a Cullen. I am sorry Edward, truly I am but I will never allow anyone to hurt my children and right now you are the biggest threat." Esme's words stunned both Rosalie and Edward and as much as it pained us to say these words, we knew we had to. We were after all protecting our children.
Sighing heavily, I handed Edward the folder in my hand.
"These are all the documents that you will need. I have already transferred all the properties, bank accounts and so forth from my name to yours, the ones you are entitled to at least. Your name has also been changed. You are now Edward Anthony Masen and you are to remain Rosalie Lillian Hale. Jasper chose to change his name back to Whitlock. If there is nothing else then we say goodbye."
"There is something else." Alice's high soprano voice could be heard about a half a mile from the house. On entering the house she handed Emmett an envelope and a pen. Sighing he opened it and signed several places then asked both Esme and Bella to sign which they both did without question. He then rose to his feet and came to a stop in front to Rosalie and then proceeded to hand her the documents.
"You can not be serious," she gasped, "You want a divorce."
"Yes," came his reply. We all cringed, Rosalie and Edward included, at the lack of emotion in his voice. He sounded dead and hallow, empty and lifeless. With her eyes still locked on Emmett's face, she signed the papers without further question. After collecting them Emmett dismissed himself and went up to his room with Esme following close after.
"Dad." I automatically turned to face my angel of a daughter as her timid voice reached me. It was the first time she had spoken since Edward and Rosalie's arrival and I was curious as to what she had to say.
"Yes my angel," I asked, encouraging her to speak.
"Smiling slightly she spoke.
"Please don't tear our family apart because of this. I am not worth it. Edward was you companion for so long and Rosalie was a daughter for a long space of time. Please don't do this. Don't kick them out. Please. We will work through this as a family. Think of Esme. Please I know we are all a little angry right now but once we cool down, I'm sure we could work it out."
I shook my head in disbelief. Jasper's mouth hung up and Alice looked as if she was readying herself to beat some sense into Bella.
"Bella, love, firstly, you are worth it. Secondly, while it is true that Edward was my companion and then became my son and Rosalie became my daughter, I cannot and will not condone what they have done. Do you understand that that little plan of theirs could have killed you?" I waited until she nodded before I continued, "And thirdly, I have thought of Esme. This is what she wants done. You are a daughter to as both and a sister to Alice, Jasper and Emmett; do you honestly believe that it would be alright after what they did? Do you honestly think we could have a relationship with these individuals after they lied to us for more than eighty years?"
"I guess not," she answered weakly.
"Certainly not, my selfless angel. We could not. You are one of us now and remember what I told you we protect our own."
Nodding slightly, she turned her attention to Edward.
"Edward," she said in a timid voice, "I think Rosalie has more claim to this than me." And with that she handed him back his mother's ring.
"Thank you, Bella. I truly am sorry for this. Please forgive me." Before Bella had a moment to respond to Edward, Esme flew down the stairs and was toe to toe with him.
"Forgive you? Forgive you? You are not worth it Edward. You and that devil you call a mate do not deserve forgiveness from anyone in this family. When you made us leave Bella the first time you destroyed her and now, two weeks before her wedding she finds out that she meant nothing to you. So why the hell should she forgive you since it appears your only purpose is to destroy Bella." With that she tore the Cullen crest band from Edward's arm and the necklace from Rosalie's neck. No one had ever seen Esme loss control like this and it stunned as all. I noticed as Jasper took a cautious step to shield Bella.
"I think you should both leave now. If not things will not end well." It was the first time Alice spoke since returning with Emmett's divorce papers. We all turned to see her holding an urn.
"But before you go," she continued, "this is for you," she said as she passed Edward the urn.
"What is it?" He asked cautiously
"Well I was helping you pack so that right there is you piano."
"You burnt my piano?" Edward choked out. Inwardly I was quite proud.
"Yup!!!!!!!!!! Jasper and I were feeling cold last night and we needed firewood so we used you piano. Oh and Rosalie we kinda had an accident with your BMW and it flew of a cliff so did your Vanquish Edward. I am so sorry. Oh and before you even think of attacking us I should let you know that on my way back from getting Emmett's divorce papers, I ran into the wolves and told them what you two had done. You see the wolves love Bella just as much as we do and they are pissed of at you. So before I have to call them to destroy you, I suggest you leave."
"Fine we will leave but I still hope that one day we could be friends, if not a family, again."
"Sadly to say that will never happen. Goodbye Edward, Rosalie. I hope you find happiness but that is all I could give." And with that they both turned and left the house.
I waited until I heard their car hit the highway until I turned my attention to my family. Esme was presently in the kitchen with Emmett most likely preparing lunch for Bella. Bella was still on Jasper's lap lightly tracing the crescent shaped scars from his newborn years while Alice idly twisted Bella's hair.
I was so absored in looking at my children that I truly forgot the time until Esme called to me.
"Carlisle dear, Are you not going to work?" She questioned
"No. I'm not. I have very important business to attend to."
"Such as?"
"Firstly giving Bella this." And with that I withdrew the locket I had placed in my pocket during the night.
"Bella my dear, this was my mother's locket. On the front I had the Cullen Crest engraved on it just for you. I was planning to give it to you on your wedding day but due to recent events that will not be possible so I am giving it to you now. You are officially a Cullen sweetheart."
With that Bella lunged into my arms and began to cry. I allowed it never once quieting her. All of the family was present for this moment, the moment when she became a Cullen. Even Emmett had a small smile on his face.
After about twenty minutes, Alice broke the silence.
"So what do we do now?"
"We heal sweetie. We heal."
