Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I also don't own anything to do with 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' books, or movies, but I do own the cd from the musical and the 1982 movie version of the book. It's my favorite version!
I recently fell in love with the song Johnna sings. I think it suits Johnna.
Thanks again to my big sis, Caitlin, orGotta Dance 88for being my beta. Huge thanks to thatguyyousaw for the PM you sent. Thank you! It really made my day and made me more excited about writing this story!
I have a link to my polyvore account for the outfits on my profile. My sis says that I have good tastes. I will also put up a link to the song, for those who don't know it.
Also for those who don't know, Jean is pronounced 'John' in French.
"Proud of You" is the property of Fiona Fung
Chapter 12 – Protecting Bella Swan
After the discussion, Carlisle and Esme headed out to hunt and everyone but Edward went to their respective bedrooms. Johnna soon joined Edward in the kitchen after changing. She was now wore a gold metallic Italian leather jacket over top of a magenta silk tank top, a cotton voile skirt and Vie Couture high heeled shoes. She had a pearl bracelet and earrings, and a silver 'Star Drop' necklace. Her long hair was hanging freely about her body, held back with a magenta headband with its long extensions lying on her shoulder.
"Rosalie and Jasper are ignoring you. Rosalie es pissed at me for pointing out zat Emmett was 'uman when she fell en love with 'eem." She said matter-of-factly as she jumped on to a counter and sat on it, her legs hanging down. Edward walked over and leaned against the neighboring counter. "Thank you for doing that though. Showing Jasper your scars helped him realize that someone else in this house really does understand part of what he's been through."
Johnna smiled softly. "Eet's not somezeeng I'm proud of. I was just so glad to find someone 'o understood what eet was like to 'ave lost a mate, not mention WWII was going on. I was ze Volturi's favorite form of execution, 'aving never seen a fairy fight before, much less one that is also half vampire." Johnna covered her face with her hands. "I can't believe I just told you and everyone en zese 'ouse zat."
Edward didn't know how to comfort Johnna, normally Carlisle did it. He decided to get Johnna to think of something else. "Johnna"
She looked at him, her eyes full of curiosity and yet a bit fearful.
"How did you know that showing Jasper your scars was going to help?"
"Fairy intuition. I just know zeengs. Zeengs zat are important for right now and zeengs zat won't 'appen for a while." She laughed a little, and her eyes were once again alight with amusement. "I'm just like Peter Whitlock."
"Who?"
"Peter Whitlock es a vampire zat Jasper sired during ze Newborn Wars and took Jasper's last name. 'E and 'es mate, Charlotte, were ze ones 'o rescued Jasper from zat lifestyle, but I'm sure you know zat. 'E's like me and just knows zeengs. 'E's also a cocky braggart, and always 'as an annoyingly cocky or smug grin on 'es face. 'E and Charlotte are a lot like Emmett and Rosalie."
"You mean they...like sex?" Edward asked hesitantly. Johnna laughed and almost fell off the countertop. "Oui, zey do, but eets ze understatement of ze century. Zey love sex. Zey are very open about zeir love life and make comments on ozer's people's."
"And you're friends with them why, ma petit chérie?" Carlisle asked as he and Esme entered the kitchen.
"Charlotte Whitlock es a very good friend of mine, zank you very much. Zough I could 'ardly care less about Peter." Johnna said in a very haughty voice.
Carlisle merely cocked an eyebrow, making Johnna roll her eyes and smirk. "Beaux-vous l'homme curieux ancienne. I am fond of Peter as well. When 'e's not being an annoying cocky braggart, 'es a lot of fun to be around. Very mischievous and all zat."
Carlisle and Esme left and Johnna and Edward entered a comfortable silence.
"Oh, I've been meaning to do zat. What time es et? Plenty of time." Johnna muttered awhile later, as she hopped down and headed for the door. She spun around. "I'm just going to be dancing in my room, but you are more zan welcome to join me."
Edward followed her to her room and sat next to her on her bed. She turned to him. "Zere's somezeeng about you, because I 'aven't told anyone, not even Carlisle, what I just told you about living with ze Volturi."
"Perhaps it's because you're both old souls." Carlisle said a floor below them. Johnna nodded. "Better to have loved and lost, then not loved at all."
Edward looked curiously at Johnna. "How did you meet Jacque?"
The familiar faraway look entered Johnna's eyes and a huge smile lit up her face. She leaned back against the pillows on her daybed. "I was en M'sieur Beaufort's store, looking for ribbons. M'sieur Beaufort was friends with my père and always sold 'es furniture en 'es store. I 'eard …..Well, why don't I show my memory?" Johnna said. Edward was shocked that Johnna was actually going to let him into her mind, but he nodded.
Johnna's memory
Johnna stood near a table full of ribbons. A 14-year-old boy with warm gray eyes and short, curly, dirty, blond hair, walked up behind her. "Je suggère les rubans bleu claires. Elles complètent vos yeux."
Johnna turned around and smiled at him. "Merci Monsieur. Vous devez être Jacque Beaufort."
He did a little bow. "Je suis. Puis-je vous demander votre nom?"
Johnna smiled and replied with a curtsy. "Je suis Johnna Pierre."
"Fille de Monsieur Jean Pierre."
"Oui."
Jacque soon left to help another customer. Johnna smiled as she picked up a pair of light blue ribbons and headed for the counter where Monsieur André Beaufort stood.Monsieur Beaufort smiled brightly as Johnna reached him.
"Bonjour Mademoiselle Johnna. Il est bon de vous voir à nouveau. J'espère que Jacque était capable de vous aider à trouver ce que vous avez besoin?"
Johnna smiled back at him and handed him the money for the ribbons. "Il n'a, Monsieur."
""Donnez votre père mes meilleures salutations et lui dire que j'ai beaucoup aimé son dernier morceau." Monsieur Beaufort called out as she opened the door. She waved and said
"Je vais Monsieur. Au revoir."
End of memory
Johnna closed her mind and walked over to her window, staring out into the front yard. Edward knew she was back in her hometown talking to Jacque. "We started to see more of each ozer and not just en ze store. 'E was so sweet and gentlemanly, like Carlisle. 'E was one of zree men, en zat town, 'o actually asked for my opinion on several zeengs. Ze ozer two were my brozer, and Carlisle. "
Edward walked over and gave her an awkward hug. He still didn't know how to act around her and on top of that was his interest in Bella Swan. She gave him a soft understanding smile. "Merci. Ze song I was going to be choreographing, before reminds me of him. Would you like to 'ear eet?"
Edward nodded and sat back down on her bed as Johnna turned on her iPod. The music started and she began to dance and sing along.
"Love in your eyes
Sitting silent by my side
Going on Holding hand
Walking through the nights
Hold me up Hold me tight
Lift me up to touch the sky
Teaching me to love with heart
Helping me open my mind
I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
Till the end of the time
Believe me I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
The heaven in the sky"
Edward had seen Johnna dancing in Alice's mind, but it was nothing like sitting right in front of her, while she was doing it. It was mesmerizing, watching Johnna's lithe little body moving elegantly and gracefully across the floor.
"Can't you believe that you light up my way
No matter how that ease my path
I'll never lose my faith
See me fly
I'm proud to fly up high
Show you the best of mine
Till the end of the time
Believe me I can fly
I'm singing in the sky
Show you the best of mine
The heaven in the sky
Nothing can stop me
Spread my wings
so wide"
"Wow, that's a lovely song Johnna."
He was sure that if Johnna could blush, she would be.
"You really are a prima ballerina. I thought ballerinas always wore some sort of ballet shoes, but you were dancing in high heels."
Johnna laughed slightly. "Non, not everyone 'o dances es a ballerina. I quite often will dance in whatever I'm wearing, even ef I'm barefooted."
Alice came in then, wearing a sleeveless cream blouse with a black long sleeved shirt underneath, a black swirl embroidered wrap skirt and black high heeled patent-leather pumps. "Em wants to leave, guys."
Edward handed Johnna her tote and the three of them left for Emmett's truck.
All the school wanted to know what happen yesterday and was crowding around Bella when they arrived. All Bella would said was that Edward had been standing near her and pulled her away from her truck. Bella was the only one to see Johnna slip her arm around Edward's as they walked in.
"I really don't care what she zeenks, Edward. She's being rude and selfish, not to mention 'orribly callous."
'That sounds like Johnna, but wouldn't she be in the classroom already.' Bella peeked around the corner and saw Johnna and Edward leaning against the wall near the door to Mr. Berty's English class.
"She hates change of any sort, and yet she liked it when you came to live with us." Edward said as Johnna rolled her eyes. "She liked eet, because Emmett likes me."
People were giving them looks, but they didn't seem to mind. "Eets not like she done anyzeeng. Oh, 'ello, Bella." Johnna called as she saw Bella walking around the corner. She turned to Edward. "I'll talk to you later."
He nodded and left. Bella and Johnna didn't get to talk much in class as they were reading out loud from the book they were reading.
"You are alright zough, no? I know you're probably sick of people asking you zat, but I almost 'ad an 'eart attack yesterday." Johnna said as she and Bella walked into the cafeteria, their arms interlocked.
"Yes I'm perfectly fine." Bella looked at her as she got her tray of food. Bella then did a double take "Wait, you almost had a heart attack yesterday? Are you okay? Why did you almost have a heart attack"
Johnna nodded somberly and they sat down at their usual table. Bella watched as Johnna's eyes became sad and then mad. "I've gotten really close to you and as you know I'm an orphan."
"How did that happen? I mean how you lose you your parents?" Bella asked as they sat down.
"I was 'ome during a school break and my parents 'ad gone out for ze night, leaving my brozer to look out for me. We got a call zat zey 'ad died en a car crash with some Americans driving on ze wrong side of ze road. So eet was just my brozer Mathieu and I. Zen a month later, Mathieu was coming to see me at ze French boarding school I went to. 'E got en an accident with some ozer Americans. Ze Americans weren't 'urt badly, but my brozer lived en an 'ospital room for two weeks before 'e died."
"Oh, I'm really sorry, I..." Bella started to say but Johnna cut her off rather brusquely. "Tout va bien. It's alright. You didn't know."
"You were going to tell me about your favorite book, yesterday." Bella said softly, switching topics. Johnna smiled enthusiastically and began to tell Bella all about The Scarlet Pimpernel. Bella could tell that Johnna was as passionate about the book as she was about Pride and Prejudice.
"You ready to go, Johnna?" Alice asked as she sat down next to Johnna. Bella blinked a couple of times. She hadn't noticed Alice sitting down or even coming over to their table.
Johnna got a mischievous look in her eye. "Oui. Bella, as I'm sure you already know, zees es Alice Cullen, one of my favorite cousins. Alice, Bella Swan. Now you've officially met."
"It's nice to officially meet you Bella. You can come with us if you like; after all, Mr. Banner's biology class is on the way to our history class." Alice said.
"Sure, I'd like that." Bella said.
"I mean you're actually wearing a skirt. You look very nice in skirts, by the way." Alice told Johnna as they neared Mr. Banner's classroom.
"Before I forget, are you going to the Spring Dance, Bella?" Alice asked. Bella shook her head. "I can't dance, not to mention that I'm a huge klutz. I'll see you later, Johnna. Oh and by the way, I think you should keep your hair down more often. It looks pretty when it's down." Bella said as she entered the classroom.
"I really like her, Johnna. She's really sweet and she's right about your hair. It is very pretty when it's down."
"Ets also very long. Someone could trip on it." Johnna laughed.
Alice and Johnna talked about Bella the whole way to History class.
The rest of the week was very much the same. Johnna would meet Bella at her truck and they would talk until they got to Bella's locker. They walked into the cafeteria together, sat and talked about a lot of different things. Alice would sometimes join them and then leave with them. Nothing out of the ordinary happened until Wednesday of the following week.
Jasper and Johnna were still ignoring each other during their library time. He still wasn't sure that letting Bella live was a good idea, but he knew that crossing his wife wasn't a good idea.
Beep. Johnna's purple Blackberry went off. She turned to look at it.
Fairy –
Rosalie keeps changing her mind; I think she's going to try to hurt Bella.
Do you have a plan?
* Pixie
Johnna thought for a while. She had had an inkling of this outcome on the day of the car crash.
Pixie –
I knew this was going to happen and yes I have a brilliant plan.
I'm going to need Jasper.
~ Fairy
"Come on, Jasper." Johnna said pulling a reluctant Jasper over to Bella's truck after school.
"Johnna, I don't think this a good idea." Jasper said nervously.
"Zeenk of eet as an exercise en self-control. A way to boost your confidence en controlling your bloodlust." Johnna replied softly. "Ze minute you feel uncomfortable, you can leave."
Jasper nodded. Johnna squeezed his hand reassuringly. She then caught Bella's attention.
"'Ello, Bella. I was wondering ef you could 'elp me with my trig 'omework? I would ask my family, but zeir all busy tonight." She glared at Jasper, who shrugged, indifferent to Johnna's plight.
"I sure that would be fine. Could you check with your uncle just to make that it's okay?" Bella asked uncertainly. Johnna smiled reassuringly and pulled out her phone.
Carlisle picked up quite quickly. "Hello, Dr. Cullen's office. What did you do now Johnna?"
Jasper chuckled at Carlisle's assumption. Johnna innocently asked. "What makes you zeenk I did anyzeeng?"
"I know you."
"Nozeeng 'appened. Es eet alright ef I go over to Bella's tonight?"
"Certainly, I'll see you on the morrow." He said and hung up. Johnna smiled brightly and turned to Bella. " 'E said yes. I'll go 'ome and pack. Will you drive me back over, Jasper?"
Jasper nodded. They walked back over to Emmett's truck.
"How did you actually become immune to human blood, Johnna?" Jasper asked as they entered the house. Johnna stopped just inside the door and leaned against the wall, her eyes held the now familiar far-away look. "As you know, I started my ballet training by doing Ballet d'action, which envolves expression of character and emotion zrough dancers' bodies and faces, razer zan zrough elaborate costumes and props. Being en a room with stagnate air, and lots of sweating 'umans, es not a picnic, but zen neizer es traveling around your native land and seeing 'ow war-ravaged eet es. I sang enfront of thousands of soldiers. Zen I went to Volterra." Johnna stopped abruptly and took a huge unneeded breath.
"You don't need to tell the rest." Jasper said softly. Johnna shook her head. "You won't 'ave to ze zeengs as I did, but it may 'elp you." She got off the wall and headed down to the basement where the Cullens stored all the hiking equipment they bought at Newton's Outfitters. "I stayed en ze room as ze Volturi fed and didn't 'old my breath. I stayed as long as I could control myself, but as soon as I couldn't, I disappeared and flew out to 'unt. Each time I stayed longer and longer. Aro was always 'oping zat I would crack and drink ze 'umans, but I never did."
She walked back up and put the things in Emmett's jeep. Alice handed her a small suitcase. "Zank you Alice." She said as she and Jasper walked to Emmett's Jeep. "Zen as you know, I co-founded Extraordinary Steeds, which is a ranch-like establishment. We give horseback riding lessons. It also is on the water."
Knock, knock, knock.
Charlie opened the door to see a tiny girl about fourteen in front of him. She had a long blonde braid and vivid blue eyes. He looked behind her to see Jasper Hale.
"Ah, hello Jasper. What can I do for you and ….?"
Jasper nodded. "This is my cousin, Johnna Pierre, sir." Charlie nodded at Johnna, who merely smiled back.
"Johnna."
Charlie turned around to see Bella coming down the stairs to the door. "Hi, Jasper." She said shyly. She then turned to Charlie. "Johnna's spending the night. Remember I told you that my new friend was a French girl and had recently moved in with her uncle, Dr. Cullen."
Charlie looked back at Johnna. "So, you're the niece, I've been hearing about. I'm glad to see that you've already made some friends." Charlie smiled and walked back to the game on TV.
"Did you bring it?" Bella asked. Johnna smiled. "Yep, I did. Zank you Jasper." She said as Jasper set down her sleeping bag in the house.
"Do you need me to get you in the morning?" He asked. Johnna shook her head. "Nope, I'll drive to school with Bella."
Jasper nodded in agreement and then left.
"We'll have to wait awhile to watch your movie." Bella said as they brought Johnna's things to her room. "No, we won't. I brought my own portable DVD player."
So Johnna set up the DVD player and movie while Bella got some snacks. They finally got settled as the opening title of the 1982 version of The Scarlet Pimpernel began to play.
Translations:
"Beaux-vous l'homme curieux ancienne." = "Fine, you nosy old man."
"Je suggère les rubans bleu claires. Elles complètent vos yeux." = "I suggest the clear blue ribbons. They complement your eyes."
"Merci Monsieur. Vous devez être Jacque Beaufort." = "Thank you Sir. You must be Jacque Beaufort."
"Je suis. Puis-je vous demander votre nom?" = "I am. Can I ask for your name?
"Je suis Johnna Pierre." = "I am Johnna Pierre."
"Fille de Monsieur Jean Pierre." = "Daughter of Jean Pierre."
"Bonjour Mademoiselle Johnna. Il est bon de vous voir à nouveau. J'espère que Jacque était capable de vous aider à trouver ce que vous avez besoin?" = "Hello Miss Johnna. It is good to see you again. I hope that Jacque was able to help you find what you need?"
"Il n'a, Monsieur." = "He did, Sir."
"Donnez votre père mes meilleures salutations et lui dire que j'ai beaucoup aimé son dernier morceau." = "Give your father my best regards and tell him that I thoroughly enjoyed his latest piece."
"Je vais Monsieur. Au revoir." = "I will Sir. Goodbye."