CHAPTER 11

-:- A Chain is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link -:-

2006 -:- Past Memories

Reeling backward, I was unsure if I was ready for contact, a little befuddled by everything and her mixed up thoughts were not helping my confusion. I tried to pull away, but she held on tightly not wanting to break our connection. Hesitantly placing my arms around her, I rocked her back and forth trying to ease her sorrows, all the while trying to make sense of things. Nothing was concrete in my mind, or solidified. There was only one clear image, Victoria standing across from me in an alley in Phoenix taunting me. I couldn't recollect anything. Everything else was a fleeting memory tangled up in chaos and grief. I was hoping Esme could enlighten me as to what happened, and where I was and how I made it here. But first, I needed her calm enough to talk to me. For the moment, we were both content to hold each other for a little while longer.

I took this time to get a closer look around the room. It was dark, windowless and damp, and the lack of ambient noise led me to believe we were somewhere underground. I hazily remembered Esme's, or what I believed to be Esme's, thoughts mention Chicago. But that couldn't be right. How could I be in Chicago? Chicago to Phoenix was quite a distance, and I was alarmed that I couldn't remember travelling here. If we were in the Windy City, we must be in the underground bunker Carlisle had arranged for us here.

My eyes slowly scrutinized every detail of the room, and I swept left to right and back again, taking it all in. Directly ahead, across the expanse of the cavernous room, was a large metal door, and it gave me the impression that it was entirely sealed and locked from the inside. On either side of the door were shelving units, stacked and fully stocked to the low ceiling with every day general supplies: light bulbs, flashlights, batteries, blankets, pillows, and all kinds of other electronics that I was sure Jasper and Emmett had a hand in acquiring. The one thing that caught my eye was the five hand-held radios that were charged and resting in their cradles, and the three empty cradles beside them. Three. Why only three?

To my left, it looked as though Carlisle had set up a makeshift trauma area, kitted out with every surgical supply he could possibly need including two small hospital beds which were bare of sheets and blankets. I recognized most of the items he had stocked and I found it a little odd that nothing had been touched, as though it all belonged in a museum. Everything was pristine and sealed up, in its place ready to be used. The only thing that seemed out of place and in disarray was a long table off to the side that held a short-wave radio, and a laptop computer. I could hear a quiet hum coming from the radio, probably too quiet for human ears, but I knew it was on, and I was sure Esme knew as well. There were stacks of paper piled off to the side of the computer and on the wall was a large map of North America. It was color-coded and covered with red, yellow, blue and gray circles. I could only assume what the red meant; I would have to find out what the others were for.

To my right, there was a dim light spilling into the room from a small doorway that opened into a long hallway. I wasn't sure what was down there, but from the smell and the muted noises I think I could guess. Carlisle wasn't taking any chances with us trying to find sustenance or possibly having to resort to contaminated animals. This was his guarantee that we would stick to the family ideals despite what we were facing. The idea of livestock, not to mention the smell emanating from that direction, was enough to quell my eager appetite for the moment. It had been decades since any of us had ventured down that path, and I was hoping the others were out hunting as an alternative to what was down the hall.

I looked down at Esme, her soft honey colored hair was pressed up against my chin, her face still buried in my chest. I briefly glanced around us noticing a sitting area of sorts. There were bookshelves filled with books, movies, a television with all of its accessories, and enough seating for the entire family. We were sprawled out on one of the purple suede sofas, and I could feel a soft, furry plush carpet beneath my toes. I smiled a little knowing that Alice had everything to do with this welcoming area. It was adorned with pillows and richly colored fabrics and over-styled just the way I knew she would try to compensate for the concrete walls that surrounded every inch of this place. Alice was better. And I smiled again at the knowledge of that.

I reached my hand up to caress the back of Esme's hair, smoothing out the waves before gently removing her from my chest. I held her chin in my hand and looked pleadingly in her dark-sorrow filled eyes.

"Esme?" I managed to choke out. "Where is everyone?"

She took a deep breath, and mirrored my actions by placing her own hand on my cheek. "They're gone. They've been gone for some time, and I haven't heard from them."

"What do you mean, 'they're gone?' You aren't making any sense. Where are we? How did I get here? What day is it? Where's Carlisle?" I grabbed her by the shoulders, a little too forcefully, while a million questions poured from my mouth demanding answers to her cryptic response.

"They're gone! It's been four weeks!" she yelled, and I could tell she was frightened for everyone. They left me with you…only you weren't you. You were here, but you wouldn't respond or react to anything. It wasn't like it was with Alice, this was different.

Her terror had been growing all this time, sitting in this dark, desolate room, worried for everyone she'd ever cared about. Her worst fears had come true, she was alone again.

"I've been slowly going mad," she said. "I don't know where any of them are, and I couldn't leave you here alone, but I kept waiting everyday thinking you were going to come around. I wanted to leave, but I don't know where to start, and I couldn't leave you." I didn't know what to do. Her tearless sobs started again.

"Shh, Esme." I wrapped my arms around her again, trying to console her as best I could. "You need to start at the beginning. We'll find them, I promise."

She gathered up all of the courage she had left, and looked me straight in the eyes. "Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me."

The desperation in her voice tore at my heart, and to ease her mind, I made a promise I wasn't sure I could keep. I would try my damndest to maintain it, but I needed to find Bella and I was a long way from her. A spark of anger tore at my insides while I tried to think of the reasons why and how I ended up in Chicago, so far from Bella.

"How did I get here? I guess I should start at that, why are we here?"

A brief look of confusion passed over her face and then it became riddled with grief. "You don't remember?"

I shook my head. "The last thing I can recall is the alley where I found Victoria. She killed the lawyer and the realtor."

She let out another sigh. He doesn't know. An image of Rosalie and Emmett carrying a lifeless body inside the large metal door to this bunker popped into her head. I gasped realizing the body was mine.

"Know what? Please, just tell me," I begged of her.

"Edward, you killed Victoria in Phoenix. Emmett and Rosalie found you and brought you back."

I let her words sink in, as she continued to explain what Emmett and Rosalie had relayed to her. I had managed to destroy Victoria in a massive brawl in downtown Phoenix with human witnesses everywhere.

"The Volturi … I remember something about the Volturi and … a movie?"

"You remember? I knew you could hear the television, and I knew you could hear me. Every so often I could sense you were listening, you just weren't ready," she rambled. "Well, the Volturi weren't there in person, only a human representative. Carlisle never heard back from them before…" Her words trailed off.

"It happened, didn't it?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Just as Alice predicted, to the very day, March 16th, the same day Rosalie and Emmett arrived with you. We were all here…" Again her words trailed off, while her thoughts flashed to an image of Bella. "I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Have we any word from Charlie? Is she with him?"

Again, confusion filled her thoughts. "Edward, Bella's … you said so yourself. You told Rose. Emmett found…"

"Found what? No-no-no. I never found her, she's still out there." I started to panic.

"Edward," she said quietly, calmly, and then I saw the images. Emmett must have explained to her what he had found. He had gone back to the house, while Rosalie had tended to me. Behind the house, in the back alley where Phil maintained a garage that I never knew existed, he found Phil's blackened burnt car, and three charred corpses. "You told Rosalie she was dead, you said Victoria killed her."

Everything came back to me in a rush, like a blinding white light piercing through my head, and it felt as though a red-hot poker had seared my insides. I cursed under my breath while clutching my head and squeezing my eyes shut from the pain. I remembered: the fight with Victoria, what she had done to Bella, that she welcomed her death, all because of me. And I remembered ending the she-devil's existence. I pushed Esme away and forcefully stood up, half-expecting stiffness in my joints from sitting so long in a catatonic state. I should have known better. A monster like me didn't share the same qualities as humans did. Blood did not flow in my veins, venom, poisonous death-dealing venom did. I screamed in frustration, swiftly walking to the door, suddenly overcome with claustrophobia.

"You promised me!" Esme said in desperation.

I stopped short of the door, resting my hands against it, and leaned my forehead against the metal. "Esme." I sighed. "Don't ask me to do this."

"You promised me," she said more heatedly.

"I can't. I—"

"You will, because for four weeks I sat here waiting for you, alone, not knowing where any of my family were!" Edward, I don't know where they are. I don't even know where to begin, and I don't know what it's like out there. I'm so terrified of opening that door, and not knowing what waits on the other side. Bella was my daughter! I've been grieving too all this time. But there are five others in this family that we need to find now.

The guilt came flooding back and I was so tired of it, all of it. Guilt was such a powerful emotion, and it had been ruling me for that last seven months, ever since Bella's birthday. But this time the guilt was different. I was shocked to hear that she had not ventured outside even for a second. Not even to glimpse at what was left of the world.

I remembered killing Victoria, but not much after that. Everything beyond that was all a little hazy, foggy almost. I dropped my hands from the door in defeat, and pushed my forehead away while turning to face her.

"You haven't opened this door?" She shook her head vehemently while biting her upper lip. "Since when? When did they leave?"

"Three days after…"

I hesitated and then walked back toward her, reaching for her hands. She was breaking my heart all over again.

"Tell me."

And she did.

The day before the bombs hit, the morning I found Victoria, Alice had come around. Carlisle and I had just spoken while I was still at Bella's house, and I turned my phone off after the call. They had been desperately trying to reach me. Alice's visions just stopped for no apparent reason. She was trying to filter the visions, trying to get as much information as possible, yet still retreating into her mind when she needed a break. Nothing seemed to be making much sense, she could only decipher one vision, and that was of me in Phoenix, downtown in the sunlight. And then the visions came to an abrupt halt. They were gone completely. She woke in a frantic state, yelling at Carlisle to contact me telling him that I needed help. Emmett and Rosalie were the closest, and this explained how Rosalie and Emmett managed to find me.

"The four of us were already in Chicago, and Carlisle insisted we stay here and wait for you. Emmett and Rosalie chartered a plane from Phoenix. We had never seen you in such a state. Jasper was fit to be tied after everything he went through with Alice, and then the news broke and he was climbing up the walls in here." Esme was rambling and speaking so quickly that it was all coming out in one breath and I had to ask her to slow down. She took a deep breath, trying to relax herself before she continued to relay the story.

Alice had come around and Jasper was so relieved, but it was short-lived. My catatonic state of mind was too much to handle, as was everything else that was happening in the world. Once the bombs hit, he had pretty much crippled under the pain. He had adamantly argued that he needed to leave, that he was not helping but hindering me, and he needed to get away from it all. The family wouldn't let him go on his own. Alice wanted to go with him but he wouldn't let her, he didn't want to put her through what he was going through. His emotions were awash with pain, despair and sorrow, like the first time with Alice's visions, but this time it was amplified tenfold. He had no control over it. It was affecting everyone in the room and his guilt was palpable.

On the third day after the bombs hit, he simply left, leaving everyone, including Alice, behind. I couldn't understand how he had managed to go unnoticed, but this was Jasper, he had probably been planning his departure all along while he suffered through his pain.

"How could he leave Alice like that?" I asked completely appalled.

"Edward," she said tenderly, "he thought he was doing what was best for her, for all of us. Surely, you can understand that. It was unbearable watching the two of you go through all that suffering. It was like a never-ending circle for him. We couldn't contain our emotions, and neither could he. We were doing just as much damage to him, as he was to us."

"Rosalie, Emmett and Alice all went after him. That was the last I've seen of them, or heard from them."

"And Carlisle?" I asked the obvious question she had been avoiding.

She placed her head in her hands, and I gently rubbed circles on her back. "I don't know," she said and her voice was muffled through her hands. She took a deep breath, and for a second I saw 'a woman scorned.' Looking me in the eyes, she said resolutely, "He left two days after the bombs hit and hasn't returned. He doesn't know Jasper left, unless the others met up with him. I can only hope he's at one of the hospitals that survived the attack. I try the radio every day. I've spoke with a few hospitals and make-shift clinics that have radios, but none of them have heard of him." He left me. He made me a promise long ago, and he's broken it. He just left.

I slowly stood and started to pace around the room, completely taken by surprise at her words. Carlisle left? This was so uncharacteristic of him. How could he do that? Something had to be wrong. There is no way he would leave Esme or the family. He just wouldn't. The thought that something was keeping him from his family terrified me to no end. I understood the reasoning behind Esme's desperation. She had been here for three weeks, looking after me, slowly going out of her mind. I reached down and pulled her to her feet and embraced her in my arms. She only came to the middle of my chest, and for some strange reason she felt tinier than I was used to. I kissed the top of her head, resting my chin there. It smelled of vanilla and lavender, such a familiar smell in an unfamiliar place.

"We'll find them. I swear I will do everything to bring them back to you." This was a promise I could keep, because I couldn't help but feel responsible. I wouldn't let her go through what I had; none of them should.

2016 -:- Present Day

I STOOD OUTSIDE THE back door to the kitchen, trying to gather the courage to go inside and face the only person that could possibly talk me out of my plans. I could hear Esme rummaging around in the pantry. She had decided to stock it up, both for appearance sake and for hospitality, since humans were going to be frequently visiting. She was humming softly to the music that was playing on the stereo in the other room. Her thoughts were relatively happy, and I didn't want to disturb her with my presence. At this point, facing Carlisle would be more pleasant than facing her. Opening the back door as quietly as possible, I tried to sneak past her.

"Edward!" she called out from inside the pantry, and I knew I was busted just by the tone of her voice. She peered around the door, squinting her eyes and scrutinizing me from head to toe. "Do you have a minute?" I knew this wasn't really a question, she was just asking for formality's sake, so I nodded my head in agreement.

"Good! Then come help me for a second. I need to go to the water reserve tanks and fill up these bottles." She handed me a crate filled with glass bottles with stoppers, while picking up her own crate.

We walked out the back door and out to her greenhouses beyond the backyard of the house. It was a reasonable distance, and I waited for her to start the inevitable conversation.

"I want to get one thing straight. Don't think I'm not aware of what you're planning. You and I have been through too much for me not to suspect." She stopped walking and looked up to the full moon that was rising just above the scraggly tree line. She sighed, and I waited for her to continue even though I knew what she was thinking. "I feel as though I'm a mother to all of you, not just for appearances sake, but in every respect. So despite what everyone thinks around here, 'a mother always knows,'" she said quietly.

"Esme, you're the only mother I've known in this life, but that doesn't mean I'm not my own person, and capable of making my own decisions."

"You made me a promise," she challenged me, baiting me almost.

"That was a long time ago. Things have changed."

"A promise is still a promise." I made a face to disagree and shifted the crate to my left hip, but she continued before I got the chance to interrupt. "I know I'm not being fair. Believe me, I know. If there is anyone who knows about ending their life, it's me," she said with a distant look in her eyes. "But I also know what it's like to survive, to endure, and to have a second chance at life and find happiness and love again." She turned from me and continued walking toward the water tanks. "Love can come in many forms. Just look at this family." She had reached the tanks, set the crate down and began filling the bottles.

I walked toward her in silence, contemplating her words. Neither of us said anything more, only concentrating on the task at hand. I finished the last of my bottles, and put the stopper in place. We walked back to the house still in silence. Setting the crates down on the pantry floor, I made a motion to stand but Esme's hand reached out and grabbed mine.

"I know what she meant to you because I know what she meant to me in the short time I was able to call her 'daughter.' I'm not trying to dishonor her memory or the love you shared, but she wouldn't want you to exist like this. She would want you to try—"

"I don't know if I can." She nodded her head in understanding.

I heard Alice's footsteps behind me while she cautiously stepped into the kitchen, curious about our conversation. "Well, I guess Esme does know. Never underestimate a mother's intuition," Alice said jokingly, trying to ease the tension in the room. She studied the two of us closely and all joking aside said, "There's always hope, Edward. It's all we have right now." Can you at least understand that we aren't ready to lose you?

I stood across from the only mother I remembered, and the woman I considered my baby sister. They were trying to tell me not to leave them, that they loved me and all my flaws.

"Carlisle's waiting for me," I answered cowardly, and walked out of the room, ignoring their protests.

I knocked anxiously on the door to Carlisle's study. To my relief, his thoughts were a mix of planning and lists of supplies he intended to take to the compound the following day.

"Come in," he welcomed me, and I sat across from him in the same chair I sat in while I visited with Charlie less than twenty-four hours ago. "Thank you for joining me. I think we have a few things to discuss."

He could see the anxiety written on my face and he took a deep breath leaning back in his chair. "Edward, I'm not going to force you to talk. You clearly aren't ready to have that discussion with me. I can respect that. Besides, I think Esme and Alice and the rest of the family have given you enough grief."

I knew he had heard every word that had transpired between us in the kitchen, and I was grateful for his understanding.

"When you're ready to talk, I'm here."

I smiled a little and said 'thank you,' relieved I was getting a little reprieve from him.

"I've asked Rosalie and Emmett to make a visit to Tanya's family. I believe they are still in Alaska. I have no idea how they've kept a permanent residence for all these years, but Emmett and Rosalie are going to find out. I imagine they keep to themselves for the most part, but I can see that's going to be much more difficult for us. I also want them to be aware of what we've uncovered in the South, and what we all may be facing. I'm fairly certain they are unaware of what's happening, and we may need their help." This may require them to stay with us for some time.

I grimaced and shook my head while Alice's taunts from earlier played through my head. No possible way! Was about the only reaction I could muster. I groaned out loud, and my expression turned to disgust.

"I know how you feel about Tanya, but we may not have any alternatives."

I had 'my hackles up' while I contemplated the options and what this possible visit would do to Alice and Esme.

I need you to be on board for this. I'll keep Alice and Esme in check for the duration of their visit. Sometimes, it felt as though Carlisle could read my mind as well. Was I that transparent? When it came to Tanya, I suppose I was.

"Just so we're clear. I'll leave if you don't." I tried to laugh, but it was only half-hearted because we both knew I was serious.

"Fair enough." I know this will be difficult, I know Tanya can be difficult, but we need them.

We sat in silence for awhile longer and I sat with him while he mentally went through the lists for the day after tomorrow.

I'd like it if you came with me.

"I can do that. Are Esme and Alice going?"

No, Esme says they have 'plans,' which I'm not sure what that means. He waved a hand and rolled his eyes a little. "I have a feeling that Alice is plotting something for the four of us. But I'll play along if it keeps her busy and her worries at bay." This will be hard for her, he may be gone a while.

I confirmed his thoughts with a nod of my head. "Did Charlie mention how many people are living in the compound?"

"He didn't, but from the sounds of it there are quite a few of them. I'm sure many of them will have questions, especially some of your old classmates if they are there. Perhaps we can have Alice work her magic and make us look at little older." We laughed, imagining Alice having her way with both of us. She would undoubtedly go overboard.

"Do you have any speculations about the wolves? Do you think they're here? It's been over eighty years since Ephraim Black, the transmutation died out with him, right?" I asked curiously.

"As far as I know. It doesn't mean the Quileutes aren't still holding to their ideals, and the treaty. We've coexisted for all these years, and hopefully we still be able to."

We spent the remainder of the night and day discussing strategies with Jasper and Emmett, who tried to argue that he should be here when we went to speak with the Quileutes, which was why Carlisle asked him to go to Alaska. He was hoping with Emmett and Jasper gone, essentially our two best fighters, we would come across as less of a threat.

The sun started to set in the west, and the family gathered to say their good-byes. Jasper headed south, while Rosalie and Emmett headed north. I put my arm around Alice giving her a reassuring, comforting squeeze. Ever the eternal optimist she clapped her hands and did a little shriek.

"Alright! Let's see about making you two look old and haggard."

I was taken aback by her little outburst, but then I caught her thoughts and quickly realized her actions conflicted with her thoughts. She was terrified for Jasper, and this was how she was dealing with it. So how could I protest?

"You weren't kidding about the slumber parties and girl talk, were you?" I chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Nope! See? I really do know things!" She tapped the side of her head and curtly smiled at me. This is just the beginning! Her thoughts sang to me while she spun on her heel back to the house.

.

CARLISLE STEADILY DROVE THE jeep through the large corrugated metal gate that blocked the way to the compound. Two men, neither of us recognized, were stationed on either side of the road holding each of the gates open. They said they had been expecting us and welcomed us with giant and enthusiastic smiles, and even referred to Carlisle as "Doc." The news of us had spread, that much was apparent.

We had packed Emmett's jeep full of more supplies to deliver, hoping the jeep would be less intimidating than one of the Humvees. We left a few hours after dawn, with Alice and Esme waving us off, both with devilish gleams in their eyes. Their thoughts were masked to me, each of them reciting gibberish to hide their sinister plans. Carlisle had given them both a stern eye, but they just waved him off and told him to mind his own business.

Carlisle knew the way, and I insisted he drive. He was the one who had made the arrangements for the people of Forks. I knew we were heading toward an old abandoned airfield that was used back in the 1950's between Forks and Port Angeles. At the time of construction, the eccentric, over-the-top Nationalist who was building it had been a little paranoid and demanded an underground bunker be built into the side of the nearby, low-lying mountain. A hangar was supposedly built to cover its entrance. Carlisle had paid a heavy price for this piece of land, but at the time, money was not something any of us had been concerned about.

As we drove up the remaining stretch of road to the airfield, we were both silent in anticipation. I could see small columns of smoke swirling together up over the horizon ahead of us, possibly made from numerous fires.

"That's a lot of fires," I stated the obvious.

"It seems Charlie might have been a bit modest in his estimations. That looks like enough smoke for more than just a small village." Just as he finished speaking, we turned a bend and we were astounded at the scene that lay before us.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said flabbergasted and unable to form anything else coherently.

We could see the main hangar off in the distance, which must have been the center of the "town," for that's exactly what it was.

Carlisle's thoughts immediately went to his earlier days, before I even existed, Old New York and when he had first arrived. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…'

From the main point of the hangar, the old airfield was littered with small structures, almost like shacks from a shanty town. But these shacks were not run-down in the slightest. They were well maintained and what looked to be well-insulated from the bitter cold temperatures. Each one colorfully decorated with its own unique style.

This was definitely not something we had expected. We had visited countless Districts throughout our travels and all of them were founded on existing cities or towns. But here, everything was founded on new ground, built from the ground up with only the odd structure larger than the others. Each one was symmetrical in size and shape, but each one decorated differently, I could only assume to the owner's taste. It was a colorful array of wonder and absolutely breathtaking. We had become so used to a colorless world, filled with dull grays and blacks, but this site was so welcoming and lively, almost as if we had entered some kind of munchkin land, without the munchkins.

We both sat up straight in our seats in silent awe, neither one of us had ever witnessed anything close to this. The jeep idled noisily, blocking out the sounds outside while people bustled around us carrying on business as usual. And from what we could tell for the most part, with smiles on their faces, very unlike the Districts where every day was a struggle to survive.

What Charlie had managed to do here, was nothing short of miraculous.

We were snapped out of our daze by a sharp knock to Carlisle's window. A young man in his early twenties was leaning against the side mirror of the jeep and grinning like a fool. Carlisle hit the window button, cautiously smiling in return.

"You must be the 'Doc,'" he said cheerfully, and Carlisle could only nod in response.

"Chief said to tell you to head on up to the clinic if I saw you." He pointed up to the large building off in the distance, confirming what we initially thought to be the hangar.

"Should we leave the jeep here?"

"Oh no, there's a road around the other side of Mrs. Preston's garden, right there." He pointed to a pink building, with a little vegetable garden beside it. "It will lead you straight to it."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." He smiled. His thoughts shifted to apple juice. He was a friend of Seth's and he'd heard all about their visit.

"Hold up a second, Carlisle." I stopped his hand that had moved to the gear shift and reached behind me in one swift movement. Grabbing a can of the foul golden liquid that Alice had packed, I passed it to Carlisle.

"Hey, kid!" I yelled out the window and he stopped, turning back toward us. Carlisle tossed him the can and we could both hear the blood pumping through his body in excitement as he realized what it was. But Carlisle had started to drive before he even gave the kid a chance to thank us.

We pulled up outside of the hangar, its enormous door was open and inside it was teeming with people. Charlie was out in front ready to greet us with a radio in one hand, while the other was trying to calm a gaggle of young children jumping up and down excitedly around him. Their screams and shouts were all for us, even though in their heads they were conflicted and desperately trying to behave after the scolding Charlie had given them moments before our arrival. Their thoughts were focused on the colorful pieces of "chocolate" Seth had shared with them yesterday. Charlie hushed them with a stern look and I heard whispers of "Candy-man" floating around in their minds. Despite their best efforts, they were still vibrating in anticipation. Carlisle and I couldn't help but laugh.

Rosalie would love this, Carlisle thought. I wish she was here to see this.

He turned off the jeep and gave me one last look. "Alice did a thorough job. You've aged," he joked, clearly in high spirits.

I took a brief look in the visor mirror and I had to agree with him. She added a few years, not enough to look unnatural, but enough to satisfy suspicions. With the ball cap I was wearing, it was enough to hide my unruly hair, and enough to keep me from standing out. Alice had done the same for Carlisle, but his age was a little more pronounced. "I can say the same to you, old man," I mused in return.

Are you ready for this? Carlisle looked at me, eyebrows raised in question.

I took a deep breath, smiling genuinely for the first time in a long time. "Not really, but it's too late to turn back now."