Chapter Eleven
I eventually had to open the window, letting in the breeze before I could fall asleep. Laying in a house full of humans was beginning to get to me and I refused to fall asleep, but opening the window helped.
Heather came in the following morning, finding me on the floor.
"Honey, that's what a bed is for." She seemed really concerned about it as I sat up with a yawn.
"I can sleep anywhere." I informed her, "But a bed bothers me, unless it has mine or my dad's scent on it." She gave a glance around herself, before looking to me again.
"Okay, it's tomorrow." She reminded me, "I can ask now."
I laughed a little, "Our senses are far more developed than a humans is. Sight, hearing, smelling. Things like scent can bother us if it's not how it's supposed to be."
"Oh." She murmured, "Well, that's not so bad of an answer. I could have saved myself a whole lot of wondering." I laughed again and followed her from the room.
Being around the others for breakfast was just as easy as it was the night before, just hanging out in the kitchen. Except this time, Heather was far more busy.
It was only Hunter and Lizzie there now, though. Josh and Zack having gone home. Mike read the newspaper around his plate, and Hunter now and then tossed a piece of scrambled egg at Lizzie, while I watched from across the table. I wasn't entirely sure if food was supposed to be a projectile, but it was interesting, nonetheless.
"Stop that." Heather told him from where she stood at the sink, her back to us at about the third complaining noise from Lizzie. Confused, I looked to Heather.
"How'd you see that?" I wondered.
"Moms know everything." Lizzie informed me, and I had a feeling she'd heard that line a lot. She actually spoke to me, which was what surprised me even more.
"How old are you?" I asked, curious.
"Twelve." She replied, "You?"
"About the same, I guess." I mumbled.
She laughed a little, "Don't you know how old you are?"
"Not really." I admitted, shaking my head, "I'm just assuming."
"Uh.." Heather turned to us again, "Lizzie, why don't you go get dressed? We'll be leaving for the mall soon."
With an excited squeak, she jumped up and immediately ran off before her chair even finished moving. I watched after her for a moment, surprised. I'd never seen a human move with that much enthusiasm before. Unless they were about to be eaten, that is.
Hunter shook his head, and continued on with his breakfast.
"You too, kiddo." Heather told him.
"I can't, remember?" He seemed only too happy to tell her that, "I've got to finish the yard today."
"Right." She sighed, "Well, don't expect not to be going someday soon. You need new clothes too."
"At least it's not today." He grinned, standing up and taking his plate to the sink. She sighed and stood behind Mike.
Watching all this, I couldn't help feeling slightly guilty about what all of this meant.
It was as Hunter was getting himself ready to work on the yard, and Lizzie was still upstairs, that I discovered they had a cat. I looked over the second I heard it move, and it slinked out from behind the table in the hallway.
It spotted me, and froze. Probably unsure. I smirked.
"Oh." Heather noticed I'd noticed, "This is Trace." She stepped over, and picked up the fat furball, bringing it closer. I kept my smirk, and as if the cat read my mind, it started to growl and flick its tail. Heather looked to the fat furball, "Oh, stop it."
"Animals don't really like me." I admitted in explanation.
"Clearly." She laughed, "He's normally nice to everyone he meets." As if emphasizing my point, the cat growled louder, giving a hiss. Under my breath, I growled a hiss right back at him, and he flipped shit.
Clawing for freedom over Heather's shoulder, and jumping to the floor. Knocking a potted plant by the door over on his way to scramble up the stairs. Tail, and entire body, puffed in response to my wordless threat.
Heather looked to me, deeply surprised, and I smiled innocently.
"Who did what to Tracie?" Lizzie asked on her way down the stairs, "He's freaking out. I don't think he's coming out from under my bed until he dies."
"He learned a lesson." I explained simply.
We left the house about half an hour later, and to my horror, I discovered we'd be driving there. I hated car rides with a passion, but I couldn't let myself detest it very obviously, as Lizzie was with us. Knowing now I had to cool it when it came to the weird things, I clung to the seat in silence.
Shopping was an interesting concept. Instead of taking the first things I saw, Heather urged me to take my time. That there were plenty of other stores to choose from, but I didn't know the first thing about what I liked. Clothes were clothes. All they were for was to keep me from running around naked.
"The whole point of shopping is to find things you like to wear." She explained as we headed up the crowded aisle, "Favorite colors, materials, how they fit. Those kinds of things."
"My dad always picked." I shrugged a little, lifting the sleeve of a hanging sweater to look it over.
"Oh, you poor child." She muttered, "I think it's about time you had a female's lesson on clothes. What are you looking for?"
"Anything too big is a good start." I nodded a little, "I grow a whole lot."
"Uh- Lizzie, honey. Can you go check that stuff out over there for me?"
With a nod, Lizzie turned and headed across the store.
"How quick are we talking about?" She asked me quietly.
"I'll be thirteen in two months." I replied, "I don't know the exact times, but sometimes it slows down. Maybe it'll be slower."
She sighed, "The others are going to know something's up."
"I wanted to be honest from the start." I reminded her, "Josh was the one not too happy about telling Zack."
"Well, maybe there's a way to get around that." She murmured, "We wouldn't have to tell him everything, right? Just what involves you."
"And my dad, of course." I shrugged, "That could work. He doesn't have to know anything about Leandra. What about Mike, though? I don't want to give him a heart attack."
She laughed, "I'm sure he's handled weirder things from his sons. You'd be surprised at how calm he can be."
"And Lizzie?" I asked, "She's already skiddish."
"You've noticed that, huh?" She asked, and I nodded, "She'll be okay. It'll just be between us."
"Yeah." I replied incredulously, "Besides. If anyone tries to tell anyone else without proof, they'll just be labeled crazy."
"I know I wouldn't have believed it without that." Heather allowed with a small nod. She pulled a t-shirt from the rack and held it up for me, "We'll see what happens tonight, and go from there."
Lizzie came back over, effectively ending our conversation, but I didn't mind that. I watched her close, carefully observing the way she interacted with Heather. Once again, the concept of a mother-daughter bond was fascinating to me.
The way Heather watched her, without directly watching her when they weren't talking, gave a sense of unending protection. Just like Leandra said, but it was different somehow. More intense. More real.
Together, we wound up picking out a longer sleeveless blue shirt for me. It wasn't at all like the plain cotton t-shirts I was used to wearing, but I liked it. It had an attached, decorative belt, and a flared bottom edge to it. Along with brand new, dark blue jeans, I was starting to like this shopping thing.
I'd always appreciated getting new clothes, but it was different when I got to pick out the things I liked.
I started getting into it about the third store we stopped at, and I even made a few suggestions for Lizzie, which she agreed with. She was really into pink, and I had to see why. It complimented her skin tone perfectly, but I doubted she knew the real reason why she liked the color so much.
I preferred blue myself, but I didn't really mind the color so much as the way it fit and the material. If it wound up hindering me or not, and thankfully, Heather was catching on to that without me having to say a word about it. She suggested a few shirts that I really agreed with.
We got back to their place just after lunch, and Josh showed up for dinner. Apparently, the female with him was Gracie. She had shoulder-length wavy blonde hair, and light green eyes. Pale, clear green that nearly bordered hazel. It was a bit odd of a color.
Somehow, Josh had gotten her to agree to take Hunter and Lizzie out to a movie and for ice cream afterwards, which freed up the entire evening for us. Heather gave Mike the excuse that she wanted to get to know me a little more, while Josh wanted to do some thinking on his own, so Mike would have the house to himself.
I'd just won three hands of poker in a row against Mike, when Heather got the message from Carlisle. I heard her phone vibrate from across the room, glancing up and looking at her sitting behind where Mike sat. She glanced to me as well, but he didn't seem to hear it, so that was a good thing at least.
"You about ready, kiddo?" Heather sighed, standing up.
"Almost." I replied, upping my bet. Mike called my bet, I laid down my winning hand, and stood up. I started to gather the winnings, but he spoke up.
"Whoa, whoa." Mike chuckled, and I paused, looking to him, "Look again, kid." I frowned, looking to his cards as he revealed them.
"How the hell did you get that?" I gasped, stepping around the table to look closer.
"Straight flush beats four of a kind." He reminded me.
"I know that." I muttered, "You've gotta be cheating."
"Me? Cheat?" He scoffed, "I don't need to cheat with all this talent." I laughed a little, unable to help it. He was funny.
I pointed at him, "This ain't over. Rematch when I get back."
"You're on." He pointed right back at me. He laughed as I stepped around him toward Heather, and he stood up, "You girls go have fun. I'll be here holding down the fort." He kissed Heather lightly, and I headed for the door first. I grabbed my new jacket, that I really didn't need, and left the house.
I did my best not to cringe while climbing into the front passenger seat of Heather's car, but she already knew how uncomfortable I was.
"The park Carlisle chose isn't far from here." She assured me as she started the car, "It won't take long to get there."
"Couldn't I have just run on ahead?" I muttered, and she laughed. We left the house behind, and headed for the city.
"Boy, you do hate car rides, don't you?" She was referring to the way I clung to the seat again.
"I've gotten everywhere I needed to go on foot since I could walk." I reminded her, "Besides. I could get out right now, give you a very decent head start and still beat you there."
"Must be nice." She mused, "Not having to worry about traffic- It doesn't get any greener." I laughed a little at her impatience at the driver in front of her. She sighed, smiling a little over at me, "Josh is going to meet us there. I texted the place to him." I nodded a little.
"Honestly, I don't know what their deal is." I admitted, "I mean, it wouldn't have been that big of a deal if they hadn't flipped out and made it a big deal."
It really wasn't that far. A few minutes at most, and she was pulling into a parking space. It was a huge park. I eagerly hopped from the car, hating it with a passion as she climbed out as well with a little laugh.
Josh was already there, so he must have lived closer to it than Heather did.
"Is this some sort of secret worth killing us over?" Josh asked, leaned against the hood of his car.
"I highly doubt it, but I wouldn't rule anything out at this point." I answered simply, heading up the sidewalk. I glanced back at Heather, "Did he say where to meet him?"
"No." She answered, looking over her phone again, "Just at this park."
"I'll find him." I offered, "Follow me." To my surprise, they did.
Entering the park, it was obvious the people who built this park wanted it to look as 'woodsy' as possible. Planting trees galore, but there were plenty of open spaces as well. I caught the scent of someone else long before I found Carlisle's.
"Alice." I muttered, looking her direction. I could just hear her silent sigh as she started forward. We were silent as she made her way closer, first looking to Josh and Heather behind me, then to me.
"This park is bigger than I expected. We're over there." She gestured across the park, and I nodded.
"Alice?" Josh chuckled, "Wow. She wasn't kidding. You really haven't changed." She smiled a little sheepishly at him, nervous given her expression.
"But look at you." She turned the focus onto him, "You've really grown up."
"I guess so." He laughed. He seemed to be doing a lot better with this.
"How mad are they?" I had to ask her, and she looked to me.
"I won't lie." She replied, "They're.. Not happy with you at the moment. Alex, you know the risks."
"You keep saying that, but I keep saying that they're not going to tell anyone." I replied, "I don't see what the big deal is. I think it's just-"
"Any.. Human that knows about us is considered a liability to the Volturi." She explained with a sigh.
"The who?" I frowned, and she stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
"Jack's never told you about them?" Alice asked.
"Obviously not." I muttered.
"Oh, boy." She sighed again, looking to Heather, "Let's just get there, and Carlisle will explain everything to you."
I started forward first, headed off in the direction Alice had pointed out.
Alice took the space to my left when Josh lagged behind.
"Do you know how much trouble you're in?" She asked me.
"But I like them." I reasoned, "I wanna keep them."
"Don't you think we all wanted to, pardon the term, 'keep' them?" She asked, "It killed Leandra to let them go, but she did it. For their own safety, and their own happiness. Doesn't that matter to you?"
"I'm not gonna bite them." I rolled my eyes, "I'm not some newborn, and Heather makes some of the best brownies-"
"Stop it." She sighed, "You know why it's dangerous."
"I can change." I told her, "I can live on human food. I can stop hunting." That seemed to surprise her.
"You're willing to do that for them?"
"Yeah." I replied, "I like it there."
"You've spent thirty minutes there." She countered, surprised.
"I saw enough." I said, "It's nice there. Even though Lizzie doesn't like me, I never felt so calm. On my own, without Jasper, I mean."
"Lizzie is shy, baby." Heather told me, "She's like that around everyone new. Clinging to her daddy's side like glue." I grinned, unable to help feeling proud.
"She called me 'baby'." I reminded Alice, "I like that. Well, I mean, coming from her. She's allowed to call me that. Nobody else is." Alice looked down, and I saw the smile she tried to hide as Heather laughed to the side.
The scents from in front of me told me Carlisle had brought many with him. Majority, if not all of his coven, but there was one that surprised me.
"Don't freak out, okay?" I asked, looking to Heather, "They're not gonna bother you. You know these people."
"Everyone here, they know." Alice confirmed, "We wouldn't bring anyone they didn't know. It eases the tension that way."
"We're fine, squirt." Josh chuckled to me, and I couldn't help believing him. He did seem fine, but after the news I buried him under the night before, I couldn't help feeling a little skeptical. I just didn't want him to pass out or anything.
On this side of the park, there were more trees. More coverage. Alice led us straight to one of the many picnic tables sitting there, and I immediately stepped up onto it. First the bench, then the top. Looking ahead for their arrival.
"Alex, you shouldn't be up there." Heather murmured behind me, "You're going to fall."
"Trust me." Alice spoke up before I could, "She's fine. She's very sturdy." I laughed a little at her choice of words, not minding in the least. That was a compliment, so I let it slide, until she spoke up again, "Very hard-headed."
"Hey." I frowned, looking back at her.
I heard them approaching the second they decided to move, probably steeling their nerves first. Of course, Carlisle was first, followed close by his side by Esme. They hadn't seen each other in ten years. In one night, I'd completely screwed that up.
"Hello, Carlisle." Heather greeted with a smile once she saw it was him, "It's been awhile."
"It has." He agreed, "I apologize for that."
"Now I understand why." She laughed, and I jumped a little as I felt her place a supporting hand on my back, probably making sure I didn't fall. I rolled my eyes a little, but allowed it. Whatever made her feel better. She continued, "I only wish you could have trusted us with this from the start."
"It's a very dangerous thing to know, Heather." He replied, "We were only trying to protect you and your family."
"I understand." She replied, her tone light, "And I appreciate that. More than you know. Alex mentioned something about wanting us to have a normal life?"
"It's a bit more than that, but essentially, yes." He nodded, "After what happened to Leandra, we couldn't risk your safety."
"Is she here?" Josh couldn't help himself, "I won't bother her or anything. I just.. I really want to see her."
"She's here. She's just hiding." I answered him, and Carlisle sighed. Given the sound of it, he wanted that kept a secret. Oops.
"She's hesitant, Josh." Carlisle replied, "She's not sure of your reaction."
"I'll stay right here." Josh offered, "I won't move, but I need to see her." Carlisle seemed to think really hard for a minute before he turned, back toward the thick grouping of trees hiding the rest of them.
"Alright." He called to them, "Come on."
Immediately, I heard them start moving.
"Slowly." Carlisle corrected them, "Not too quickly."
"My sister's tough." I clearly heard my dad's voice, and smiled, "She can handle this." I moved forward, over the top of the picnic table and hopped down on the other side.
"Where's she going?" Josh asked, and I heard the confusion in his tone, because he couldn't hear him yet. My dad sped up, and met me half way. In what had to seem like the blink of an eye to them, he was there. Standing behind Carlisle. I hugged him immediately, so relieved to see him. At all, much less in one piece. He didn't look hurt at all.
"You know you're in big trouble, don't you?" Dad asked me, "It took you a minutes to completely fuck everything up."
"You never told me not to tell them." I countered, "I assumed they knew, considering you wanted me there so damn bad." And the first hint was dropped.
He hesitated, and I looked up at him. He had the slightest of smiles. Probably not noticeable to anyone else, but I could see it in his eyes. He understood me.
"Jack?" Heather seemed like she couldn't believe her eyes. Her tone breathlessly surprised. He looked to her and sighed, "It is you. Goodness, you haven't changed at all."
"Please tell me I've kept my figure." He joked, and I laughed, but she didn't.
"Come here." She told him firmly, and I looked up at him, "I can hardly see you, ass. Get over here." I laughed at her nickname, but his glance to me had me shutting up. I released him, stepping back and allowing him to move forward with a sigh.
I stayed there as everyone else made it to me. Alice was still there with them, and Carlisle moved forward with my dad, so I wasn't too worried about Heather's safety. I yelped as I was suddenly grabbed and yanked back, through the group to stand behind them.
"Why'd you do it?" Leandra whispered at me, "Why couldn't you just leave it?" She was furious. It was almost funny.
"I like them, okay?" I muttered, "I didn't want to have to leave. What? Would you rather me not say a damn thing and have Heather wonder why I'm suddenly thirteen in two weeks? Not to mention how much safer it would be if I told them now, so they know not to be stupid around me." She looked down, "And admit it. This way, you can keep them too. At least for as long as they're alive. You might not be selfish, but you have a family. I didn't. A coven just isn't the same as family."
"Is that why you did this?"
"You tell me." I muttered, "You're the one with the ability."
"It's hard to tell when someone is undecided, Alex." She replied, and for a second, I worried she'd caught on, but she didn't seem suspicious. Only confused.
"You have your family." I crossed my arms, "Why can't I have mine? You were going to take the only person in the world I had to call my own away from me. I had to do something."
She sighed, "Alright. Alright." She hesitated, "How is he? Josh, I mean, after you told him?"
"He seems fine with it." I replied, "He looked a little shocked last night, but I guess he sorted through whatever he needed to sort through, because he's fine now."
Behind us, I could hear Carlisle filling Heather in, but Josh was moving away. A few slow steps our direction.
"You should see him." I urged, "Come on. It'd probably make his whole damn year just to see you."
"It's not that simple." She replied, shaking her head, "Alex, you're not getting it. To him, I've been dead and gone for ten years. That's a really long time."
"I would wait there." Emmett spoke up, and I knew it wasn't to us. Josh had gotten closer, but did as Emmett suggested. Emmett made small talk with him while I continued with Leandra.
"You'll never know until you give it a try." I told her, "Don't be such a baby."
"Why can't you just use your ability?" She frowned.
"All that would do is make them forget me." I replied, "Not what I told them. They'd still know that part, just be confused about how they knew it."
"It's still better than the alternative." She muttered, "At least this way, they'd have a chance in hell of believing it was all some sort of dream."
"No it's not." I insisted, "Leandra, I want a family. I don't care what I have to do to get one, and nothing you say will change my mind."
"Does it have to be this family?" She sighed.
"It'd make it a whole lot easier if you weren't so damn negative about it. See Josh. Let him see you."
"She's got a point, princess." To my surprise, Mikah spoke up beside her, "I mean, the secret's already out. The damage is already done. Might as well." She still hesitated, but she seemed more nervous than against it.
She started to shake her head, but I took her hand with a sigh, and tugged her forward. To my even more intense surprise, she let me lead her forward. Through the group standing there, blocking his view from us. To the front.
Josh's gaze found me first, before it moved to the one behind me. I moved aside for him to get a better look at her.
"No use hiding when he knows you're still alive." I muttered, "And this proves I'm not a liar."
His expression changed several times while we stood there, waiting for him to say something. Disbelief, sadness, nervousness, and confusion. All rolled into one. It was one thing for me to prove the existence of vampires, but to see this solid of proof standing in front of him of her existence was something he obviously never expected.
"You haven't changed." He finally shook his head, "At all. You're just the same as I remember you."
Behind him, the conversation had stopped between Heather and Carlisle, and I saw with one glance that she'd caught sight of her as well.
"I'm sorry." Were Leandra's first words to him, "I never wanted you to find out."
"Why?" He asked, "Don't you think I would have loved to know you survived?"
"But I didn't." She replied, "I didn't survive that fall. This, what you see of me now, is someone completely different than you knew before. It would have been so completely unfair of me to ask you to accept me in the place of who you knew then."
"Did it bother you?" He seemed a little mad now, "To lie to us like that?"
"Of course it did." She instantly answered, "Yeah, I had my time. I had such a hard time letting go of that part of my life, because I wanted to hold onto it so badly, but.. It really was for the best to do so, so I had no choice, Josh."
"Alex said you had trouble controlling yourself?" He was trying so hard to be understanding. Leandra nodded, and I released her hand. Standing back silently.
"I did." She replied, "It took me years to learn how to stay in a human's presence, and by the time I had enough confidence in that control to know I wouldn't hurt you, you'd already moved on. I couldn't do that to you. I couldn't upset you again. I wanted you to be happy, and if letting you keep that closure was the way to achieve that, then I was all for it." She looked to me, "Until someone decided to change that."
"What?" I muttered defensively.
Heather, having moved forward, was the first to approach her. Leandra seemed fine, but watched her close as she neared and hugged her. I waited, smiling a little smugly as Leandra eventually returned it.
Heather obviously noticed the difference in how she felt, but she chose not to comment on it. I looked down with my smug smile. I'd tell her I told her so later.
"I'm sorry." Leandra told her as well.
"I understand, Leandra." She replied, still holding onto her, "Believe me. I never thought I'd be able to do this again." She laughed, and I could just hear the emotion in her voice.
If there was one good thing about all this, it was this. It made me feel less bad about what I knew I'd eventually decide to do.
"Alright, alright." Josh spoke up, "It's my turn now, mom. Quit hogging her."
I laughed a little, and surprisingly, Mikah did as well from beside me. As Heather released her, and Josh took her place, I looked across the group, straight to my dad. His eyes were on me, and deeply unhappy.
He seemed to be the only one still not okay with this. He was still pissed. He was tense, I could tell that from here. What was his problem? I gave him a 'stop it' look, and all that did was move this pissed gaze to Leandra.
Was that an act? Or was he really that pissed? Sometimes it was hard to tell with him.
Eventually, the conversation moved toward my dad.
"Jack, how could you never have told her about the Volturi?" Alice demanded. Onto the subject. Straight on.
"Excuse me for not making some fucking tyrant a priority bedtime story, you little bitch." He was very convincing.
"It's obviously something she needed to know." Alice snapped back over the sounds of protest around me, "Essentially, all of this is your fault. This could have been avoided if-"
"If you haven't noticed, she does what she wants." Dad shot back, "I just didn't realize she needed me to be specific."
"How would she know to keep the secret, if you never told her why?"
"Both of you, cool it." Surprisingly, Heather was the one that spoke up, "Jack, calm down. As I told you before, I'm glad she was honest from the start. It shows she can consider others before herself."
"You do know that if they know you know, they'd slaughter you, right?" Dad snapped her direction.
"I've been told." She countered, unphased, "It's not like I'm going straight to the press. If we're going to keep her, there's a good chance we'd find out anyway."
"Keep her?" Dad asked, "You have no idea what you'd be getting yourself into."
"Hey." That sounded too much like an insult, and I didn't appreciate it.
"I gave her your address, thinking maybe she'd like to visit sometimes. Not stay permanently."
"Then you should have told me that." It was hard not to express my irritation.
"It's not my fault you get attached to people so fucking easily." Dad snapped, "Forgive me for thinking you'd be self-sufficient enough to stay the fuck away from people."
"I think I've had enough of that my entire damn life, thanks." I replied sharply.
"O-kay." Heather huffed loudly, ending our argument for the time being, "My point still stands. There's no reason for these.. Volturi to get involved. I understand the full importance of keeping quiet. I have from the beginning, and that's not going to change just because we know now, Jack."
He growled and turned.
"You're not listening."
"I told her she's welcome to stay, and I meant that." Heather replied, "I'm not going to turn my niece away, purely because you have a problem with it."
"This is my son's life you're risking by taking that little bitch in." Dad finally growled, his tone far from gentle. I glared at him, but didn't comment on that.
"Your son?" She scoffed, still unphased, "I raised him, Jack. You have no rights to him, especially considering how unfairly you treated Gina." I looked to her in shock. I couldn't believe she'd speak to him like that.
"Don't mention that bitch to me." He snapped, "She should be glad Leandra killed her when she did."
"She didn't do anything to you." Heather countered, "Why do you hate her so much? I understand why you hate so much in general, with the way dad raised us, but that's no excuse to take it out on people who don't deserve it."
"Leandra killed her?" Josh frowned, confused. Nobody paid much attention to that, though.
"The point is," Dad growled through clenched teeth, "You don't want her permanently staying with you. Not if you want to keep your family alive."
"What?" I snapped, "Am I guilty by association? I've never done anything like you've done, dad. I don't bother anyone. You always taught me to avoid causing trouble."
"If anything, she'd be better off with Heather." Alice, to my surprise, stuck up for me.
"Nobody fucking asked you." Dad snapped at her, "If I wanted your opinion, I'd beat it out of you."
"I'd love to see you try." Jasper growled from beside her.
"You wouldn't even see me coming, boy." Dad replied, and I shook my head.
"You're lucky to still be alive, so I'd watch it." Emmett added.
"Hello?" Leandra barked, "Humans here."
"No, no." Josh spoke up, "This is actually kind of entertaining." He gestured around the group.
"This is the trouble you're in." Heather seemed to finally understand.
"Yeah, no shit." Dad grumbled.
"I just want to point out that this was not my idea." Leandra muttered.
"How is he even still alive?" I frowned in confusion, "I thought you'd off him for sure."
"We were going to." Emmett replied sourly, "But this little escapade sort of postponed that activity."
"We figured you'd be far more cooperative if he came along." Alice explained, and I had to allow that with a nod. They weren't wrong there.
Dad chuckled, "And they say I'm manipulative?"
"You shut up." Emmett growled his direction.
"Stop." I said firmly, "Can we just cool it? We get it. You hate him, he hates the world. Can we move on, please? I'm not getting any damn younger."
"I agree." Heather sighed, "We're here to talk, not argue."
"I agree." Carlisle repeated, "Arguing is solving nothing."
"Carlisle, I know the risks." Heather spoke to him now, "I'm more than willing to provide her a home."
"If she wasn't, I'd be." Josh added, "She deserves it after spending her whole life with nobody but him." Oh, the heat in that one word.
"It really doesn't take a genius to figure out what a great person she is." Heather continued, "I think it's about time she got to choose where she finished growing up."
"And like I said," I muttered, "I'll stop hunting. I'll live on human food."
"What's wrong with you?" Dad frowned.
"I'm flexible." I snapped at him.
"Since fucking when?" He snorted, "I've only known you to be stubborn. Hard-headed. You get your way."
"Exactly." I replied, "Dad, I want this. If I can't stay with you, why are you so against me staying with them? I never even knew they existed, much less that I had a brother. Cousins. An aunt. I have a family."
"They're just as much my family, and I still say what you did was incredibly fucking selfish." Ha.
"Like father, like daughter." Leandra growled, and surprised, I looked to her. I hadn't heard her say a word to him, or even react outright to a thing he said the entire time he'd been here.
"That's enough out of you." Dad grumbled, glaring at her.
"Don't talk to her like that." Heather and Josh both told him at the same time.
"It's alright, guys." Leandra told them, "I'm pretty used to it by now, and believe me. It could have been a whole lot worse."
We all looked to Heather as her phone vibrated in her pocket, indicating a call. Instantly, all arguing ceased as she reached in and pulled it out.
"Excuse me." She murmured, turning.
"Look.." I muttered when she was far enough away, "You got what you wanted, dad. You got your family. How is this any different? Why is everyone so against this when all I'm doing is trying to get mine? I'm not hurting anyone."
"But it could potentially harm them." Carlisle replied, "That's what we're worried about, and you're not the only one who cares for them." I rolled my eyes a little.
"You can have them every other holiday." I offered, and despite the situation, Emmett chuckled.
Alice narrowed her eyes at him, and he defended himself, "What? It was funny."
But dad spoke up, "It's my family you're fucking around with."
"Dad, I'm your family." I pointed out sharply, "In case you've already forgotten."
"Then leave it." He countered, "You know you're more than capable of-"
"Would you rather Carlisle finishes raising me?"
"Fuck no." He seemed outraged at just the thought.
"Then what the fucking hell is your problem?" I barked, "Why can't I make my own choices with you? This whole time, it's been about my own choices, and this is no different. She's willing to accept the risks, and I'm willing to accept the risks. So I'm keeping them, and there's not a goddamn thing you can say about it, dad."
"Whoa." Emmett chuckled after a moment of silence.
"You obviously don't know the full risk of this, Alex." Leandra tried, "If you care about them, you have to let them go. You staying with them will only cause them problems."
"I'll be good." I reasoned, "I told you that."
"It's not about you being good." She replied, "It's not even about you hunting or not. You there at all will only cause problems, and believe me. You don't want these problems. You're not meant for a human family."
"No, that's not-"
"Think about it." She urged, "Really. How would you feel if one day, they were killed because you couldn't let them go?" I immediately looked down, "That's what we're talking about here."
"No, but-"
"And what happens," She moved forward, "When you accidentally lose your temper? Alex, your teenage years are coming up. That'll no doubt make it ten times harder to control your temper, and you do have one. A short one already. Do you want to risk potentially hurting one of them because you got a little mad?"
She did have a point there.
"B-But I-"
"It's not about choices." She spoke quieter now, easier. As if she was just trying to comfort me, "It's not about your choice in who you stay with. It's not about our choice in who you stay with. It's about their safety. Nothing is more important than that, right?"
"I don't want to be alone." I finally got to say what I wanted to say.
"And you won't be." She replied, "You can still see them if you want to. We're not saying to leave them completely, but staying permanently only places a target on them."
"And in the meantime?" I demanded.
"Alex, life is all about bending. Giving in, sometimes when you don't want to give in." She explained, "It's a hard lesson to learn, especially in this way. It's also about considering the best way to come to a peaceful conclusion. The best way for everyone involved. You get what I mean?"
I glared down at the grass.
"Believe me, I've been where you are." She told me, "I know what you're feeling. Josh and Zack.. They were like family to me. And Hunter? Don't even get me started. That was a part of my life I didn't want to let go of for anything in the world, but there was no way around it. I had to let them go, and now, you do too. Maybe not for exactly the same reasons I did at first, but for their own safety, and their own happiness. That's just how it is."
"But it's just not fair." I muttered.
"I know it's not." She replied, "I really, really fucking hate to say it, but Jack's right. You can't stay for good. You can still keep them. Just.. Put distance between you and them sometimes. Get what I'm saying?"
"What's the difference?"
"Staying permanently is more conspicuous than visiting now and then." She answered, "They know now, and there's no fixing that, but think of this as.. Damage control."
"I don't think it's fair either." Josh added quietly, "But Alex, if they're this against it, maybe we should think about it."
Him saying it really made me start thinking.
"I don't like it."
Leandra smiled sadly, "Neither do I, but-"
"Yeah, yeah." I sighed, looking down, "I know. I fucking get it, okay?"
It was silent now, but my mind was anything but silent. Heather returning kept the silence, and I looked to her.
"That was Zack." She sighed, "Wondering where we were. Apparently, Lizzie's not feeling too well." She gave a look around, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I answered before anyone else could, "You should get back to her. I'll follow later."
"Are you sure?" She asked, and I nodded.
"Just tell Mike I had something to take care of on my own, so take Josh home with you." I suggested, and she nodded this time, "Just remind him that he owes me a rematch." She laughed, giving me a side hug.
She said her goodbyes, making Leandra promise to see her soon. I stayed quiet through it all, watching her hug my dad, and I had to admit. I was amazed to see him return it.
"Be good." She told him firmly, and he smirked, "Right. I know. Fat chance, right?"
"Right." He replied, "You might be older than me now, but I'm still the big brother."
"We have to talk later." She lowered her voice, "Promise?"
"I'll see what I can do." He sighed, "It really all depends."
"Just try, then." She hugged him again, "You're still my brother." He sighed heavily, and surprisingly, he was embarrassed as he stepped back. She picked that up too, "I mean it. I might not like you, and I might hate the things you do with a passion, but you're my brother, and you can't deny that I know better than anyone why you do the things you do."
"Yeah, yeah." He grumbled, "Not here, alright?"
"Then promise." She crossed her arms, "Because I have things I need to say to you."
"I promise to try." He stressed, "But I won't promise I'll find you."
"Guess that's as good as I'm getting, then?" She relented, and he nodded, "Alright. That'll have to do."
Josh stayed back beside me, not even seeming like he wanted to approach him. Despite being twenty-six now, I could see a huge mix of emotions in his eyes. Disappointment, contempt, and accusation. He wasn't happy with my dad, no doubt for many reasons, but my dad didn't push him.
The second Heather and Josh were out of hearing range, I rounded on Leandra. I had some things of my own to say, and they wouldn't wait another moment. Now was the time to move on. They thought they got their way. How wrong they were.
"I just have one question." I grumbled, and she looked to me, "What the fuck do you have against me?"
She sighed, as if she doubted the validity of what I asked, "Alex-"
"What the fuck did I ever do to you?" I snapped now, and my dad chuckled.
"There's that attitude." He muttered. For once, I didn't tell him to shut up. He was right. I wasn't exactly known for just going along easily.
"You haven't done anything." She answered, "All I'm saying-"
"I'm done listening to all you're saying." I growled, turning and moving, "From the moment I met you, it's been one thing after another. Don't think that, don't say this. Don't do this, don't act like that. I understood when you wanted to take my dad from me, because well.. He is an asshole, but now you're telling me I can't even have my family either? You're trying to force my hand, and I don't fucking like it. So.." I found my dad's side, "Enough."
I didn't miss my dad's grin.
"If you want him, you'll have to go through me."
That seemed to surprise them, given the way the majority looked to Carlisle. They couldn't believe I'd just done that. Just turned on them like that. With no forewarning, thanks to the split decision to do so.
I had been undecided before. Until their pressure finally pushed me too far.
"Alex, I'm afraid you're making a big mistake." Carlisle told me.
"The only mistake I made was letting myself get confused about what means more to me." I growled, "Like it or not, he's my coven. I won't settle for less, or someone who wants to control me."
"He controls you." Leandra pointed out.
"I won't tolerate it from anyone else." I reminded her, "He's the only one who can, remember? I understand why you say I can't stay with my family. I get that, but it's either them or my dad. What do you want more? Them safe or him dead? Choose now."
Alice spoke up, "That's not-"
"Yes, it is fair." I cut her off, "You tried to control me, now I'm fighting back. I'm done letting you push me." I looked to my dad, "I'm sorry, dad. For letting you down."
"Don't apologize to him." Leandra grumbled, "He doesn't deserve it."
"Maybe not to you." I countered, "But to me, I should be ashamed of myself. You tried to make me turn my back on him, and it almost worked, but you just shoved me a little too far this time. So choose. Now. Keep in mind, that to get to him, you'll have to get through me first, and I'm not fucking around anymore."
Dad chuckled beside me, "Didn't I tell you? It'd only be a matter of time before she got tired of your shit. I'm just surprised it took so long. You're good, but not good enough."
Obviously, nobody expected this, which was probably what allowed me to get close to him at all. Other than the first I saw him tonight, we'd pretty much been kept separated. Taking two prophets off guard. I had to admit, I was good.
But I also had to admit. This was pretty fucking stupid. I was nervous, waiting on their decision. If they chose to go for him, there was little I could do against so many, but I wasn't backing down either.
"Take a breath." Dad muttered just loud enough for me to hear, "Remember what I taught you. They can see your tension."
I took as deep a breath as I could, closing my eyes briefly. Opening my eyes again as I let out my breath, steeling my nerves against any possible backlash. His hands resting lightly on my shoulders from where he stood behind me helped. It gave me confidence. How could I ever have doubted that? It only made me more determined.
Emmett looked to be the most pissed out of everyone, but was Jasper that made me the most nervous. He was calm, his arms loosely crossed over his chest. I didn't know how the others fought, though. For all I knew, someone else could be far better than him.
Seconds after my last words, apparently Carlisle had the final say.
"Are you completely positive this is your decision?" He asked, and I took another breath.
"Carlisle?" Emmett demanded, obviously knowing where this was going. So did I.
"Yes." I replied, "I won't go to a coven. It's him or them. One or the other." Either way, however, I wasn't going to let them get him again. I wasn't ready to lose him either way, but I knew by the way they chose to live that the safety of humans meant a whole lot to them. Especially these ones.
Maybe this was what I had in mind the entire time. Maybe that was what made me decide to tell them. Maybe that was why Leandra couldn't tell what my intentions were. Maybe I would have done this no matter what they said.
"You're truly willing to give your life for him?" Carlisle asked, his tone quieter.
"If that's what it takes." I replied, "You bet your ass I will." Emmett took a single step forward, and though I wanted to, I fought the instinct to back up. I forced myself to stand still, right where I was.
"No."
Leandra's single word brought everyone's attention straight to her, and she spoke again.
"If that's what she chooses, then she's chosen." She murmured, "It's pointless to force her." I met her gaze, and despite the disappointment I saw there, I also saw understanding. She knew that I was firm. She sighed, "Her mind won't change just because we want it to. If we let her stay with him, then Heather and her family will be safe. That's what we came here to ensure, isn't it?"
"That's not the point." Emmett growled.
"That is the point." Leandra argued, "That's the entire point. Their safety is the point of all this, and if she's willing to stand in front of him like some sort of shield, then fine. She'll find out the consequences of that on her own, but it won't be from us."
"So what?" Emmett snapped, "We just let him go?"
"We just let him go." She confirmed.
"I can't do that." He shook his head.
"You have to." She replied, "Look, I know you're determined to keep that promise you made, but the situation is different now. You made that promise back before there was someone just as determined to keep him as you are to kill him."
"Look, shorty." He grumbled, "You know for a fact he's just going to keep coming back. He's like a rash, or a disease. If we don't take care of the problem now, just think about ten years down the line. What more is he going to come up with?"
"What else is new?" She asked softly in return, "That just means nothing will change. Besides, he's got a daughter to consider now. That has to count for something. We have to let him go. Unless you're willing to go through her, hurting her in the process, there's nothing we can do."
I shifted my weight between my feet, waiting for his decision. Emmett looked to me sharply, and I tensed. No doubt he saw it.
"She'll move." He muttered with certainty.
"Bet me." I muttered in reply. I might have been nervous, but I wasn't a coward.
"Badger, what about everything we talked to you about?" He asked, "Didn't that mean anything?"
"Yeah," I replied, my tone less sharp, "It did at the time, but it's different. I don't want to leave here with you guys hating me, but I have to think about myself."
"It's him or us." He countered, crossing his arms.
I sighed, giving him a look, "Why's it gotta be like that? You're acting just like Darren was." That surprised him, given the way his expression eased, "All I want, is to be happy. Just like you all did. But he was just as determined to make me choose him, trying to turn me against you like you're trying to turn me against my dad. Can't you see the similarities?"
"I do." Carlisle offered, and Leandra looked to Emmett.
"This is different." He stubbornly grumbled.
"No it's not." I replied, "To Darren, he had just as much belief in his hate toward you as you do against my dad. Legit or not, it's how it is. Like I said, I don't want to leave here with you all hating me, but I will if I have to."
"I don't want that either." Leandra murmured, "Alex, I won't try to talk you out of it anymore. You know what you're choosing. You're choosing destruction." I smiled a little.
"That's my dad." I replied simply, my smile staying put, "You might not understand what kind of person he really is, but I do. It doesn't matter if you don't, because I do. It's him and me."
I didn't miss the way he squeezed my shoulders. Lightly, hardly any pressure, but I felt it. I took a breath, glancing up at him as he looked down at me. He smiled, but I was probably the only one to see the pride in that smile.
"Look." I mumbled as I looked to Leandra again, "When I was born, he told me it was just him and me. I plan to hold him to that for as long as I can. I almost lost that. Can't you, just for one second, put yourself in my place? What would you do? Honestly, what would you do?"
She sighed, "I'd do exactly what you're doing."
"We come from different sides, Leandra. We might be different, but our intent is the same. To protect the ones we can't live without."
"Okay." She murmured after a long moment, "You can keep him. Just.." She shook her head, looking down, "Don't get yourself killed, alright? Not for him, and remember. You might think it's just you and him, but that's not true. You're one interesting person, Avery." I glared a little, but laughed, "Take care of yourself."
I smiled a little.
"Same to you." I told her, and I knew she could hear the true gratitude in my tone.
I didn't move from my spot in front of him even as they all turned to leave. I briefly wondered if I'd ever see any of them again, but even if I didn't, I had a pretty good feeling I made an impression or two.
"You did it." I finally spoke once we were alone, turning to look at my dad. Seeing him standing there, even with that infuriating smirk on his face, was more relief than I'd expected it to be.
"God, I can't tell you how proud I am of you." He chuckled, actually hugging me into his side as we turned, heading the opposite direction as Carlisle and his coven had gone. I laughed a little as he continued.
"Try to tell me." I demanded, and grinned.
"You really saved my ass, kid. Just the right amount of giving in, patience, and perfect timing on that whole letting Heather in on it thing. I didn't even know you had it in you. You even had me going there for a minute." He gave a laugh, "The whole not knowing the Volturi thing? Genius. Pure genius."
"They wouldn't have bought it otherwise." I muttered, resting my arm around his waist, "You scared the shit out of me, you know that? What if they'd offed you before I even had a chance to find Heather?"
"They wouldn't do that after your little display on the way out of that basement." He said, "They have a conscience, remember?"
"True." I smirked, "That was pretty good, wasn't it? I knew the second you handed me that paper why you were going along like that. You wanted me to go there and spill everything, didn't you?"
"I knew you'd figure it out." He replied easily, "I was the one that raised you, wasn't I?"
"It was threatening to have them come get my ass that gave it away, you know." I sighed, "Can we go now?"
"I have a promise to keep first." He replied, "Then we can go." Right. His promise to Heather. No doubt I also had a job to do there. A job I might have fibbed about in the past.
"Fine. Then after I make them forget everything, we can go, right?" I allowed, "Remember what you said. Anywhere I want to go."
"I did say that, didn't I?" He reluctantly muttered, "I have three guesses where you want to go."
"Well, I'm sure you only need one." I smiled a little, "I wanna see him. I think he'll be glad to know the biggest threat in the area was taken out thanks to you and your ideas, don't you think?"
"Alright." He rolled his eyes, "We'll go back to Italy. We'll give him his update, but then, I choose where we go."
"Whatever you say, dad." I smiled wider with a small laugh, "Just whatever you do, let me in on the goddamn plan next time, or I'll let them kill your stupid ass."
"No you won't." He chuckled.
Okay, so maybe he was right. I wouldn't tell him that, though.
END
A/N:
OMG right? :D
I know I might have mentioned a chapter twelve, but this is where it ends. Possibly an Epilogue to follow. Probably. It just won't be very long.
I'm SO SO SO sorry about how long this took. Nearly two weeks. It sure feels a lot longer than that.
THANK YOU to those that reviewed my last chapter! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Woo. One more: THANK YOU!
In other news.
I'm nearly finished with Gina's POV, but I'm considering making it a short story rather than its own one-shot, due to the length. If anyone's still interested in reading that.
Of course, it'll be rated 'M'. It involves Jack. Yeah, it'll have an 'M' rating.
Anyhoo, this is pretty long.
Until Epilogue, my friends! :D