Chapter 16: a new life

Dad and I were still talking. We put down the pros and cons of the decision to go to Mystic Falls for good.

On the plus side there were people that opened up to both of us and as far as we know there were no lies. Mystic Falls is bigger than Forks so it'd be like a promotion to dad, if Sheriff Forbes was right and there was a job opening. Mom lives nearby only 9 hours away, not near enough for all of us to get sick of each other but near enough to visit and be there for each other if something happened.

'Not to mention that the vampires there are actually killable, if I can't get away from them I might as well be able to protect myself' I thought dryly

On the downside I'd have to change school and I and dad would get a fresh start. But isn't that what we needed with the Cullens, Billy and the wolves 'huh that sounds like a bad band name'.

Dad took the car to go and talk with his substitute at the police station about prolonging his leave and renaming it to resignation form. After that he'd stop by the school to handle the paperwork about me continuing in Mystic Falls, Virginia. I stayed at home to start packing and talk to the airlines about changing and using the plane tickets I had. When dad returned we called Liz and said we'd be there by the end of the week and she should find us a house. She sounded happy and relieved and had no news to share. Caroline was still at the hospital and she was trying to evade the local newspaper and TV station as she had no idea what to tell them about the death of the Mayor. It was Wednesday and we scheduled our tickets for Friday night. According to Liz it was enough time for her to find us a house and according to Elena enough time for Stefan to compel the owner to 'sell' it to dad. Wow, can you say fraud?' I chuckled at that and went back to packing. We decided we'd keep the house, just in case and only move personal items. Liz said she'd look for a furnished house.

I took a big cardboard box and placed in photos, mementos, the scrapbook I started at the beginning of the year, some things that dad had gotten from his parents and my schoolbooks. On a whim I added the 'Cullen box' as I named the box of stuff Edward hid under my bedroom floor. The rest of our clothes and we were set. All we had to do now was to enjoy our last day in Forks. I did it by having my friends over and planning a cookout for all of us for the next day.

I was right; a goodbye party held by the Newtons was our goodbye gift by the citizens of Forks. It was a blast and I admit I got drank with my friends. I have no idea how I got in my bed but I do know I got a hangover from hell the next day. Thankfully our flight was at night so both me and dad had enough time to somber up. We had loaded our stuff in the Impala and got a moving company to send it in Richmond, the closest big city near Mystic Falls. In the end we went to finish up packing our bags and after a shower and a quick dinner at the lodge we were ready to leave for the airport in Port Angeles.

As we were in the cub heading to the airport I was looking out of the window at the green forest and got lost in thoughts. This time I wasn't just walking away from my fears but walking towards something else: my life as Bella Marie Swan, human. I thought about everything Edward told me in the woods 4 months ago and about the great effort he, Mike, Angela and Ben went through to help me cope with everything life threw at me in these last months. I realized that, for their sake and mine, somehow I had to make this sacrifice worth something. I needed to let my friends remind me what it was like to live contentedly in the world. I might never again be as happy as I had been with Edward, but I would force myself to do what whatever was necessary to be happier than I was right now. I had my friends here in Forks to help me with it and my new friends in Mystic Falls.

After an extra long flight of 7 hours total we landed in Richmond Virginia. I took my car from the airports parking lot and dad got his that had been shipped overnight and we drove to Mystic Falls where we met Liz Forbes by the Falls in the center plaza and followed her to a house in the 'uptown' as she called it. It was near her house.

We pulled in front of a big Victorian house. It had dark pink/reddish paneling with white detailing. It was a beautiful 2 story house with an attic and a basement. On the ground floor there was a large kitchen, the elongated dining room, the big family room that also had a beautiful big fireplace, the conservatory or the sunroom, the living room, the foyer, and outside a rear flower garden. The first floor had the bedrooms. 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. At least no strange surprised in the morning with dad in the bathroom. The largest bedroom was painted a soft pink with silver lines along the walls near the ceiling & it had an adjoining bathroom. The other bedroom was painted in a midnight blue and the third room was smaller than the others and painted in a mint green shade. The second bathroom was located between those. Right across the corridor from the pink room.

The very spacious attic housed many items of old furniture and even older books. The basement was mostly empty except hosting the plumbing facilities and some gym equipment. The basement as big as the house and the attic a bit smaller, like a large room. A long driveway with a garage large enough for 3 cars in a row and room for 2 more in the open completed the house.

"It's beautiful"

"It's huge!"

"Do you like it?"

I could only nod in awe as dad copied me and asked about the cost of the manor. Liz simply shrugged and said it had been taken by the bank and the cost was minimal and I shot a dirty look at an all innocent looking Elena that had come to say hi.

Dad left with Liz to check the station and sign me in the school to be ready after spring break and we'd unpack later. That left me alone with Elena. I moved to the kitchen to see that the fridge was completely empty besides some water bottles. I got us one and glasses from the cabinet and went back out. We sat on the sofas both looking at the floor thinking of what to say.

"Thank you, for the house"

"Actually I should thank you, for talking to Jeremy about the suicide."

"What suicide? He didn't tell me about a suicide, just changing."

"I found him the other night when I came home with a bottle full of sleeping pills and Anna's blood. He had taken the blood but not the pills."

"He simply told me that Anna was dead and that she had given him her blood and coerced him to change because 'life is easier when you can shut your emotions and 'simply exist' as she told him. He figured that Anna was dead and thought of changing 'as to not feel as empty as he did'.

"I still want to thank you, with everything that happened I can't lose him too"

"You're welcome. Do you think we can go and see Caroline? I'm worried"

"Of course we can, I have my car outside unless you want to drive."

"be my guest"

We got in her car and she drove us in MF General. Caroline was still in a coma. Suddenly I had a thought and turned to Elena to see her reading a text message.

"um, Elena?"

"Yep?"

"I have a question, well an idea actually."

"Shoot"

"Damon told me that a vampire's blood has healing qualities for a human, unless of course you die while you have it in your system, right?"

"As far as I know, yeah. Why?"

"As long as she is stable why doesn't he feed her? If she gets better... Sheriff would be glad she is ok again."

Elena just stared at me.

"Ok, this could work. But what are we going to tell her? That we have two resident vampires and they can save your daughter? And if she dies and gets turned?"

"you're right. It needs more thought. So what's new with you?"

"The usual. Lie to my aunt on a daily basis, having one friend in critical condition and one being cold again with me. Or actually me being cold towards her because she didn't deactivate the device."

"Did she give a reason for that?

"The same as before. Her grams is dead because of Stefan and Damon and she couldn't destroy something that'd protect the town against vampires. "

"bullshit"

"yep"

"Do you know what's up with Damon? I tried calling him but I couldn't reach him"

"I have no idea, he's been holed up and avoiding everyone since the founder's day parade. Maybe getting almost killed made him want to stay alone. Thankfully the car accident brought Matt and Tyler back to friend zone. They're still a bit cold but at least the acknowledge each other."

"That's good."

"gimme 15 minutes to take a quick shower and we can leave"

We smiled at each other and I run up to my room and to the shower. After that I put on a pair of distressed blue jeans, a purple off-the-shoulders top, a denim jacket to hold, purse and shoes. I fetched Elena and we left. After a long visit we went our separate ways. I wanted to walk for a while and I found myself at a beach.

I sat there and looked out the water for some time. It felt strange to know that I had just broken the last thing that had been left by my past with Edward. It was now final. My scar gave a burn and I smiled. A couple minutes later I felt someone sitting next to me on the sand and I turned to look at Damon.

"Hello stranger"

"Hello newcomer"

I chucked and went back to water gazing.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing"

"I burned the last thing that was left of my boyfriend; I left Forks and came to a place that has no memories of him"

"I kissed by brother's girlfriend who is a carbon copy of my old girlfriend who is the reason I'm a vampire and who obviously doesn't give a damn to where I am and to top it all I'm not sure at all that it was the carbon copy and not the original that I kissed."

I turned to look at him with my mouth hanging open

"You're in worse shit than me. Do you want to explain?"

He remained silent. Gone was the carefree sob I had grown to know and his place was a confused and sad man.

"You kissed Elena? When?"

"After Stefan got me out of the burning house, I went to talk to Jeremy and as I was on my way out Elena was coming in and we talked for a few minutes. In the end I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She looked at me and kissed me. I'm not sure who initiated the kiss. As we kissed the door opened and Jenna ordered her to go in and I left."

"Why aren't you sure it was Elena then?"

"The kiss, it was the same as Katherine's and I can't exactly go up to Stefan and ask him if the two kiss the same"

"That's true. Are you sure it was like Katherine's? Maybe you want it to be because it's as close you've come to kiss Katherine in the last 150 years?"

"Trust me I know the difference. Would you confuse your ex's kiss with another's?"

"Touché. Actually I haven't kissed anyone else but I get the point"

Damon was looking at me

"What?"

"You only kissed your ex? How old are you again?"

"Yes. I'm sorry if I don't go around kissing people. I'm 18 and how old are you? 190?"

"165."

"tomahto - tomato"

Next thing I know I was pulled on the sand and someone was on top of me kissing me.

Damon was kissing me. I was just laying there, wide eyed, lips not moving, until he realized it and pulled back.

"What are you doing?"

"Kissing you"

"I got that part, why?"

"You haven't kissed anyone else, you need to move on"

I felt anger rising in me. Edward left me 6 months ago and Damon had been left by Katherine 150 years go and he told me to move on?

"Katherine left you 150 years ago and you're telling me to move on? Isn't the pot calling the kettle black?"

I made a move to get up but Damon took my hand and stopped me. I raised an eyebrow still fuming.

"Fine, I'm sorry Miss Swan. I was out of line" he said in a mocking tone

"You were. Seriously though you need to move on, this is not healthy."

"The funny thing is I told Stefan on the parade that I was over Katherine"

"That's not funny, that's ironic"

I gave him a half smile and he responded with one.

"How was your life before Katherine?"

"Simple, good. I pretty much followed my father's orders. I don't think he ever took the time to get to know me. He wanted me to follow his plans and be the perfect firstborn. Stefan was idea for the job. We fought when I dropped out of the confederate army in early 1864. I came home saying I was on leave and Katherine was here. Frankly she was the only person that accepted me wholly, she and Stefan. She was supposed to only turn me and we'd be together afterwards. And you? How was your life before mr. Sparkly Vamp?"

"I told you. Clean cut and simple. Then I met him and he did not approve of anything I did. He did not like my truck, made fun of the books I loved, did not like my personal style and had his sister to pick my clothes, buy me new ones. I thought we'd be together forever. I was sure that sometime I'd persuade him to change me to a vampire. It was the only way we could be together. He was adamant that I should stay human. I still don't know why that was. So he'd continue to resist my blood or because it gave him reason to keep his distance."

"They fucked us up real good"

"Yep"

We remained like that for a while. Just watching the water sitting together hand in hand.

"Damon?"

"hmmm"

"Now that's it's all over with the tomb vamps what's gonna happen?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you going to go back to your old diet? I think the sheriff has been feeding everyone with vervain"

"I dunno. I haven't had a human in too long and I actually miss it. Why? Are you offering?"

I ignored him

"I was thinking that it'd be strange if when the vampires are gone the animal attacks don't stop"

"Don't remind me"

We stayed there all afternoon barely talking, each lost in their own thoughts. We both jumped up as my cell rang. Dad said he was near the Grill and would meet me there for dinner. I sent an apologetic glance at Damon and stood up to leave. On a whim I scooted back down and gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered a thank you for compelling the owner to get us the house in his ear and left quickly. The grill was almost full as it was Friday night and school was officially out for spring. We headed to the restaurant part of it and had dinner. We kept the conversation light mainly on the house. We walked to our new house and slept peacefully.