In the year 2020, Vampires took control of society and ordered all humans placed in vampire custody. The people who were not captured formed a Resistance movement, headed by the Human Council, who began to plan the Insurgence.
I am, of course, indebted to Stephenie Meyer for this world we all play in, and these characters we all adore. Additionally, I am indebted to hitntr01, who has graciously allowed me to use certain concepts from her wonderful story "In Need of Rescue", which constitute much of the background of my own story. These include: the language Vampiri, the Rules, the machines used to draw blood from humans, Manners Training, and the plot theme of Edward working as a guard at a facility holding humans. Thank you, hitntr01.
Chapter 17 - Charlotte and Peter
Day 7002 (September 1, 2039)
(Bella's POV)
Carlisle was starting to keep "doctor's hours" again. He was generally at work more than he was home. Often times the only time I saw him was when he came in at night while I was sleeping. I always woke up when he entered my room, no matter how late it was, or how quiet he was. He would usually be sitting in his chair by the time I as fully awake, but I could tell he had been lying next to me on the bed at some point in the night.
As a result, I was spending most of my time with Jasper. This was not something I would ever have anticipated, as he was in the top ten enemies of the Human Council, for his part in the Gathering.
Jasper was always at my side when Carlisle was away. He had grown less distant, but was hardly playful the way Emmett was. I was not anxious to warm up to him, knowing that he would stand trial after the Insurgence for his part in the Gathering of humans after the Event.
While he didn't sit with his arm around me, the way Carlisle did, Jasper always did sit next to me. We gradually fell into a kind of dance – if I wanted to get up from the sofa or fireplace, I caught his eye. He always rose first and gave me a hand to stand up. If I was asleep, he was now the one who was there when I woke up. He bathed me in the morning, not letting me handle the washcloth or towel, and put the clothes on the Carlisle always set out for me.
He sat at the table across from me when I ate. Good thing I don't get nervous about someone watching me eat, because I don't think I have ever eaten unobserved in this house. He seemed to like fixing pancakes for breakfast for me; he got a small smile doing that. Searching through his human experiences, I found he had occasionally made pancakes for his younger sister, Melissa, when he was human.
I eventually got him to start reading to me from the history books he liked to read. I tried not to ask too many questions, but eventually we did start talking about his books.
One day I asked "did you ever see General Grant when you were fighting in the War of Northern Aggression?" I knew this was how he referred to the American Civil War.
"No, but I saw General Robert E. Lee," Jasper answered.
"I heard that Lincoln said he had to keep Grant because he was the only one who would fight. I believe he was supposed he was quoted as saying: 'I can't spare this man, he fights.' Do you think that's true?" I asked.
"I've heard that too," Jasper acknowledged. "I don't know if it's true. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. You know, sometimes I think I had the same relation with my C.O.," I said, waiting for a reaction. I had not discussed my own military experience with Jasper. After all, what could a girl who was 14-15 years old know about such things?
Jasper paused, and Emmett jumped in first.
"You had a C.O., a Commanding Officer?" Emmett asked.
"Yes, we had an uneasy relationship. When we first met, I told him I didn't need a C.O., but eventually he was very helpful to me. I think mostly I sent him reaching for his bottle of Pepto Bismol, as he was supposed to stay off the booze," I replied. "But he did say I was capable of making decisions in combat situations, in situations where others couldn't or would only react. He may not have agreed with all of my decisions, but he always trusted that I would make them."
I paused for a moment then asked, "Didn't Carlisle tell you I was in the Resistance?"
"Well, yes, but I kind of thought…well, you know..I wasn't sure what you would have been doing there," Emmett answered.
"Is that because you think the Resistance is a joke, because girls can't fight, or because I was too young?" I countered.
"Umm…" Emmett considered.
Finally Jasper came in. "He didn't tell us anything, darlin'. He never really went into…the details of how he found you. He just said he found you in Chicago."
I decided I had talked enough for that day. Jasper and Emmett waited to see if I would say anything else, but eventually went back to what they were doing, Jasper with a thoughtful expression on his face.
On Day 7002, or September 1, 2039 in the common calendar, Jasper had visitors. He and Carlisle had been discussing these visitors quietly for a few days, and Carlisle didn't seem entirely happy about the prospect of these two friends of Jasper's being around me. Carlisle arranged to be at home when they arrived.
Jasper came in from the garage with the two new vampires, whom he introduced as Charlotte and Peter. Both were clearly from Texas. Peter was tall and lean, with dirty blonde hair, just like Jasper. Charlotte was a small woman, about five feet tall, with short blonde hair.
I held out my hand slightly when introduced to Peter, and he took it, leaning over it to kiss the back of my hand. I had started putting my hand forward when meeting gentlemen from Texas after my trip to Isaiah's ranch in Texas. Mrs. Jones, the cook on Isaiah's ranch, had explained to me that in the old days, before the Event, most southern gentlemen would bow over a lady's hand. After July of 2020, most of them had stopped bowing over a human's hand. However, Texas boys did not give up the manners their mothers had taught them just because some foreigners from Italy said the world had changed. They kept their manners, and Mrs. Jones said that meant a lady should offer her hand, so the gentleman didn't have to reach for it.
She had been right. Every Texan I had ever met had bowed over my hand and given it a kiss in greeting. Everyone but Jasper.
I took an immediate liking to Charlotte. She reminded me a lot of Crazy, being petit, although while Crazy had a trim figure, Charlotte was all curves. She smelled like sunshine and the hot wind that blew along the Rio Grande, with undercurrents of the wildflowers that bloomed at the edges of the fields.
I knew I had to be careful, as I couldn't just assume she would reciprocate my affections, but I couldn't help wanting to sit next to her. So after the introductions were made, and she took a seat, I went over and stood next to her, waiting for an invitation to sit down. I never just sat without an invitation from a vampire.
Charlotte looked at me then looked at Jasper. "Well, sugar, aren't you the cutest thing," she drawled, patting the seat next to her on the sofa. I sat down and turned so I was facing her. "So you're the reason Jasper hasn't been back to Texas lately, and why we had to come up here to this rainy place?"
I leaned back on the sofa, smiling. I decided to tell a little story. After all, that had broken the ice with Emmett.
"Yes," I launched into my story, "Carlisle finally got tired of the phone calls, so Jasper became my babysitter."
Charlotte looked surprised, and Jasper lifted an eyebrow. "What was that?" asked Charlotte.
"Well, Carlisle got tired of the phone calls from his neighbors. I would just get so tired of being cooped up, with the rain and all, that I suppose on sunny days maybe I got a little too rambunctious when I went outside.
There Carlisle would be, in the middle of removing an appendix or something, and the cell phone would ring. He would have to answer with one hand, you know, holding the sutures with his teeth. Not easy, with sharp teeth. And it would be another call complaining about me.
Most likely, he knew it would be Mr. McGregor again. 'Cullen, I know you delivered my human family's children and treated us for every sniffle and broken bone during the 40 years I was alive, and we've been friends for 200 years of my immortal life, but that's going to all end over if you can't control that wild child you've got, I swear it.' And of course, with his vampire hearing, Carlisle can hear me yelling in the background, something about Manners Training and wanting a bushbaby."
Charlotte smiles, realizing this was a joke, and leaned in a little closer. "So, what does Carlisle do?"
"Well", I continued, "he replies to Mr. McGregor, 'I'm kind of tied up with a patient now, but I'll send my son over to pick her up and take her home.' Then he speed dials Jasper.
'Whitlock', is Jaspers standard one-word greeting." I paused in my story to glance at Charlotte.
Charlotte giggled then caught herself. That is exactly how Jasper answers his phone. I wasn't looking in Jasper's direction, but I could feel him leaning over me from behind the sofa. I carry on anyway.
"'Ah, Jasper,' purrs Carlisle" as I continue my little tale. 'I was wondering if I could trouble you to take your tranquiller gun over to Mr. McGregor's house…'
'Again?' queries Jasper.
'Yes. It appears Sweetheart has had a bit too much caffeine today. I think you'll need the tranquilizer dose standardly use on rhinos this time', says Carlisle, still working on his patient's abdomen.
'That does sound a bit strong. Are you sure of the strength?' drawls Jasper.
'Well, most rhinos haven't been guzzling Caf-Pow from the soda machine at Mrs. Minivers. She sounds like she has ingested quite a lot of sugar and caffeine today', purrs Carlisle, pulling something or another out of his patient's abdomen.
'OK, but I'm going to take some epinephrine** along, just in case,' counters Jasper as he hangs up.
Jasper makes his way to the McGregor's house and takes careful aim at me, as I zigzag back and forth across the lawn yelling, I-don't-want-to-go-home-and-you-can't-make-me.
Jasper pulls the trigger, swoosh the dart flies out of the gun, and makes its target. Over I go onto the lawn.
Jasper runs over to check on me. I look up dazed.
'I wuv you', I say to Jasper.
'New cologne, sport?' asks Carlisle, still on the cell phone.
I turn my head, spotting the McKenzie's ornamental stone lion. 'I wuv, wuv, wuv you!' I tell the stone lion, and start trying to crawl towards it."
'Wow, you're making quite the impact', remarks Carlisle admiringly.
'Actually', Jasper drawls, 'she's looking at the McKenzie's stone lion.'
'Interesting,' says Carlisle. 'well, don't let it get to you stud, it's just the drug. She'll get over the lion when the drug wears off…'
Charlotte and Peter are now starting to crack up. I could see Carlisle leaning against the staircase bannister out of the corner of my eye, and he was hiding a smile behind one hand. I really didn't want to look at Jasper. He was leaning very close from behind me, almost touching my ear with his nose. I didn't budge, even when his cool breath began to glide over my neck.
Charlotte pulled me close. "You are too cute, no wonder Jasper hasn't been home in a while".
Charlotte's smell reminded me so much of Isaiah's ranch. That was one of the places I had been considering going when I was in Chicago, before I met Carlisle.
Isaiah had a ranch off of the Rio Grande in western Texas. I had met him on a train. Or rather, I had met one of his cows. It had been cold outside, I had hopped the train trying to avoid a couple of vampires. I thought that since I was at the end of the train I would be downwind, so no vampires who might also be riding the train would pick up my scent. I could smell something coming from inside that last car. I managed to get the door open, and inside were…cows. Lots of cows, and the warmth rolling off of them felt like heaven.
I went in, rolled the door back and snuggled up against one. She started to move, then appeared to decide it was too much trouble and just went back to chewing her cud. I said, "Excuse me, ma'am," and curled myself into her side, snuggling against one of her forelegs.
I knew those cows weren't traveling unescorted, but I thought I could grab a little warmth, and a little sleep, before jumping back off of the train.
So of course I completely crashed and woke up hours later. It was now completely dark in the car, someone had shut the windows. And I was way too warm. I felt around, there was some type of a scratchy blanket covering me, and a water bottle rolled off my lap when I moved. I was sure this water bottle and blanket were going to cost me plenty, so I drank the water.
"There's another bottle, if you're still thirsty", drawled the silky voice of a vampire from the darkness at the other end of the railroad car.
"Thank you, I will drink it," I answered, quickly shoving back the thought that maybe he just wanted me hydrated so there would be more blood.
After a long silence, the voice continued. "Where are you going, if I may ask?"
Well, buddy, you just asked, I thought. "Headed towards Cincinnati, I'm in the Resistance, and I plan to hook up with a colony out there." I decided I might as well speak as if I meant it; maybe I could convince myself anyway. I had never seen a colony, and had yet to meet a member of the Resistance. But then again, every human is in the Resistance after a fashion, as we all hate what's going on in the world.
I heard a low chuckle from the darkness. "You won't be getting there this way, little lady."
I decided to bluff and stand my ground. "Why not," I demanded.
"Because this train is heading south, towards Texas. You'll have to change trains," he answered.
"Oh," is all I could reply. Might as well push my luck, I thought, what have I got to lose. "And what train would I need to catch to get there?" I queried.
"Tell you what, I've got to take these cows home. They won't take kindly to changing trains, they miss their pastures. You come with me, and I give you my word, I'll get you to that colony outside Cincinnati, if it's still there," he proposed.
"You give me your word? Why would I believe you?" I answered, almost immediately wanted to take back the remark. He might sound ok, but why should I trust a vampire? They've all got their tricks; he's probably just playing with me. Toying with his food.
"Because, little one, when it comes down to it, a word is all a man has. If his word is no good, he ain't worth nothing…" drawled the vampire.
So I made this "side trip" to Texas. And I was right about his tricks– he did have a reason for taking me there. Any ranch with cows had…horses! There were horses! I was in heaven, because though I had heard about horses all my life, I had only seen pictures of them. So when he showed them to me in the barn, I was stunned by their beauty.
I shyly walked over to one of the stalls, then glanced at Isaiah, who was keeping his distance. He nodded, and I started walking down the row of stalls, stroking the foreheads of any horses looking out at me. "This one is red, this one is brown, this one likes me, this one…" and then glanced back at Isaiah. He was still keeping his distance, so as not to spook them. Horses, like all animals, were terrified of vampires.
"You can only look at them from a distance", I commented. "You can't get close anymore?"
"Not since I was changed," he replied.
"But you still love them," I said softly.
"Yes, I can see them better now. I can see the beauty of their movement when they run, I can catch the motions on their faces when they toss their heads, all the little details I missed with my human eyes. But I can't touch them. You are very observant, little darlin'," he said, shaking his head.
It was silent for a while between us, as I continued to walk down the barn, looking at each horse in their stall.
"You want to ride one, little one?" he asked.
"Oh, could I?" Then it hit me. "This doesn't mean I don't want to go to the colony…
"I know," he said, shaking his head. "But you don't have to go today."
Finally, after a few days, I declared I did have to go today. As in today, today. I'd been there for a week, and I had been in heaven riding "my" pony, as I came to refer the stubborn black and white appaloosa. He didn't really go anywhere when I was in the saddle. If I shook the reins or squeezed my knees against his sides, he looked back at me with a glare before returning to his grazing.
"Use the reins, honey" would come Mrs. Jones' voice from the kitchen. "He needs to know who's boss."
"Oh he looks happy eating, and I know I like to eat, so why would I want to interrupt him?" I would call back.
Mrs. Jones would laugh, shake her head, and tell me what she had just taken out of the oven. But they couldn't get me off that horse's back until close to dark.
However, I kept insisting it was time for me to leave, holding Isaiah to the promise he made to me on the train. Isaiah replied he was looking into the colonies, to see which one was safe. He told me that before I left, he wanted to teach my some wilderness survival skills. He wasn't about to send someone who smelled as good as I did to vampires out into the wilderness unprepared for the next vampire who came along to snap up.
I counted the time I spent with Isaiah among my happiest periods of my freedom. Everyone spoke human languages around me, whether it was English, Spanish, or Portuguese, they all spoke human. Even the cops. A cop might glance at my neck, noticing that I wasn't wearing a collar, but they never said anything to Isaiah about it. At least not in front of me. And Isaiah took me into the stores with him when we went into town, without getting complaints from the store owners, who all offered me stick candy or some other small treat.
Crazy had warned me about the cops and the Rules. She told me that humans were supposed to be on leashes in public and weren't allowed in stores in the cities. It drove her crazy, and she loved taking me into stores, just holding my hand. Store owners were always calling the cops on her when we showed up, but she only did this in places where one of her boyfriends was likely to be the cop on duty. He would arrive to answer the complaint, roll his eyes, and say to Crazy, "Consider yourself fined."
The day I left the ranch to go north to find the colony, I bawled like a baby. Leaving was what I had wanted to do, but when it came time, I found my emotions very mixed.
I was sniffling and saying, "…and when this is over, and the humans are freed, I can come back here, and live with you all, right?" between my sobs.
The other vampires from the ranch were all hissing things at Isaiah in English, Spanish and Portuguese, saying words I'd never heard before, among the words I did understand, like "idiot".
"She's too young, even Jasper Whitlock was sixteen when he ran off to join his war," I made out from Mrs. Jones.
Isaiah just shook his head, and said, "I gave her my word", picking me up, and running at vampire speed to his truck. He drove me north, instead of taking the train. After a long drive, he stopped at a dry stream bed and gave me the backpack we had filled together back on his ranch.
"You walk down this streambed," he told me. "They'll find you all right, if you keep walking. If you go past them, I'll be waiting for you on the other side, and we'll try getting you in another way."
I nodded my head, and said, "Thank you for everything," and started walking. After I had walked for about two hours, a man came down from out of the hills and took me up to the colony. And so began my long search for a home among free humans.
Isaiah had laid his gentle trap for me well. He knew that after experiencing the freedom of living on his ranch and visiting the nearby towns, the rest of the vampire rule world would look restrictive, and I would want to return to him. He was right. There wasn't a day that passed during the time I spent in the colonies and in the resistance that I didn't think longingly of Texas.
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***epenipherin is a stimulant that can be used to restart the human heart. It is sometimes administered in a needle format called an eppie pen, in cases of respiratory failure, but can also be injected directly into the heart if needed.