A/N:
Yep! Keeping my promises this time! As I said, DAILY chapters until the 10th!
Title: Origins: Living in my Future
Author: MarieCarro
Beta: Alice's White Rabbit
Pre-reader: BitterHarpyand brierlynn03
Genre: Supernatural/Mystery
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Mary Alice Brandon had always been different. She seemed to know things that had yet to happen, and the people in town avoided her at all costs. But the cries of "Witch" or whispers of "Changeling" wasn't her biggest concern. Someone much closer to her than the townsfolk couldn't accept her differences, and it put her in life-threatening danger.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER 14
THURSDAY, APRIL 27th 1933 – FRIDAY, JANUARY 8th 1937
I would never deny I was a person who enjoyed being right, but there were instances when I hated the strong intuition my visions gave me, and as Rosalie's screams rang in my head, I'd never wanted to be wrong more.
Royce was indeed a monster, but even I couldn't have anticipated he'd do what he did to his young, naïve bride-to-be. How a man could offer his intended to his friends, encourage them to hurt her, force himself on her, and then stand by and watch as they did the same was beyond my comprehension.
My perception of time through my visions wasn't always accurate unless I could see a calendar or diary or clock in them, but I believe Carlisle had bitten her a day or so ago, and she was well into the transformation by now.
Edward was displeased by the development, and Esme was saddened by the circumstances that placed Rosalie in their path. He believed she'd been better off dead, and a part of me couldn't argue with him because I could already see hints of her life with them.
She wouldn't be happy. She would blame them. She would hate what she was, and she would be unable to escape her darkest thoughts.
There were flashes of red eyes, growls of hunger, a body denied of the blood it wanted, and white hands brutally maiming the men who ended her life.
Edward would sympathize with her, but the two of them wouldn't have the best relationship. A taste of resentment would always hang above them like an ominous cloud.
I wanted to be there and offer some consolation. I'd had visions of Rosalie for long enough to know what she would want and need to hear, but Jasper was always my priority, and as tired as I was of watching from afar, it would all be worth it in the end. That's what I kept telling myself over and over.
It was the only thing still keeping me motivated even as it became more difficult to convince myself that this was an instance when I wanted to be right.
I had to be right.
{=LMF=}
There hadn't been a single vision warning me of the events that transpired before my eyes. Rosalie had only asked to be allowed to hunt on her own so she could breathe upon their return to Blackwater Falls after their short move to and from Knoxville. I'd seen nothing that indicated that the hunt would end like it did.
The large man smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners in an expression of genuine joy. It looked almost odd with his ruby eyes, but he somehow managed to appear sweet and intimidating at the same time.
"It's a real pleasure meetin' you, Miss Rosalie," he said, his Tennessee accent thick. "My name's Emmett McCarty."
I think that was the first time since Rosalie's change I saw a real smile that wasn't vindictive or sinister.
Everything I thought I'd known about Rosalie's life with our family changed in that second. She hadn't known if she would stay or eventually leave herself, so her future had constantly changed depending on her mood. But as Emmett looked at her, really looked at her, her future solidified, and I knew I hadn't just gained another brother but an actual sister as well.
My own smile at that thought couldn't be contained.
{=LMF=}
Emmett made such a huge impact on everyone, and he didn't even know it. He filled a hole in the family no one had known was even there, but it became such a delight to observe their lives with him in it, weeks sometimes went by as I allowed myself to search deeper and deeper into my visions.
I'd never gone that deep before, but I enjoyed Emmett's lighthearted approach to life as a new vampire too much to truly consider the repercussions of living in the future more than the present.
It wasn't until I temporarily lost track of Jasper that I realized I had to be careful. If I missed my window of opportunity to find him because I was too deep in other visions to notice, I would never forgive myself.
Still, even as I continued to live in the present, always keeping an eye on my loved ones, time passed faster and more pleasantly thanks to Emmett's presence. He made everyone laugh more, he emitted a homey feeling that only Esme surpassed, and when he proposed to Rosalie, I was convinced he was the only one with even the tiniest grain of chance who could make her feel better about her existence.
In a way, I did see myself and Jasper as a parallel to them. I knew he would struggle with many demons even as we settled into a more peaceful life with our family, and I saw it as my mission to help him heal as much as he would be able to heal after decades upon decades filled with distrust and constantly being on edge or suspicious of your surroundings. It wouldn't be easy, but the most valuable thing I could give him would be time and knowing I would always be there for him, no matter what.
Constant wasn't a particularly strong word in his vocabulary, but I would change that. I would be his forever, and our love, once it had bloomed, would be constant. I would make sure of that.
In the summer of 1936, I saw the first positive change in Jasper's life, and I was overjoyed at seeing him connect with another vampire who wasn't Maria.
Peter was only one in the latest batch of newborns Maria had created. Jasper had been tasked, as usual, to train them and teach them the discipline they'd need to continue expanding their territory. The difference between Peter and the numerous newborns Jasper had seen created and destroyed was how civilized he was. Even in his first couple of weeks, he kept a clear head and gladly conversed with Jasper about matters that didn't involve fighting for territory or a blood quota.
He was also very forthcoming with his emotions. There was never a need for Jasper to interfere with what Peter was feeling. He never even had to use his ability to read him because it was all there for everyone to see. It helped Jasper relax, and it was nice to see him create a meaningful friendship akin to the same brotherhood between Edward and Emmett.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
Jasper smirked at him. "Let's say I'll keep an open mind, but I won't promise you an answer."
"Always so calculated," Peter said and chuckled. He wasn't even six months into his new existence, but he behaved much more like Jasper and Maria than the other newborns in his group. In Maria's eyes, he was already on his way to expiring. She never allowed her creations to live longer than a year, but the bonds he was creating with Jasper gave me hope he wouldn't be forced to destroy his friend. "You're an expert on emotions. Do you think vampires can fall in love?"
Jasper's expression turned serious, and I could see he hesitated to answer honestly, but then closed his eyes and braced himself. "I wish I could say we definitely can, but I'm not too sure. There was a time I believed I was in love with Maria and that she loved me, but if what we have now is love, I'd rather do without it."
I hugged my knees to my chest and supported my chin on them as I conjured up the image of Jasper's resigned face, his eyes brimming with despondence. "Don't give up yet, Jasper," I whispered out into the empty room. "I will wait for you for as long as it takes."
{=LMF=}
"The Lord bless you and keep you in eternal life. Amen. You may now kiss the bride."
Emmett's eyes glimmered with a mixture of joy and mischief, and had Rosalie not given him a stern look of warning, the wedding ceremony would have ended on a more shocking note than it did. After all, he'd been encouraged to put on a show for the humans, and he was more than willing to deliver a show they wouldn't soon forget.
I had a feeling Rosalie only stopped him because of the risk of exposure and not because he'd ruin the wedding since she couldn't care less about the first ceremony. It definitely was an elaborate event, pulling out all the stops expected from a rich family, but it wasn't the wedding Rosalie wanted to have even if people assumed her shallow nature meant she valued material stuff above everything else.
Her emotions ran deeper than even Edward could understand, but that could also be because he never made a real effort in getting to know her beneath her prickly surface. But then again, it was also quite extravagant to have two weddings on the same day, no matter how low-key the second one would be.
I was just happy I was allowed to witness both of them, so I continued to feel like I was already a part of the family. When I met them, I would tell them everything about what I'd been doing over the years so they would know me as well as I knew them.
Slowly, I continued perusing the dresses in the boutique as the wedding vision floated away from me. I wasn't too fond of the large, lace-trimmed collars and lapels or the large variety of checkered prints. Something about the cut made me look very childlike if I wore it, so I steered away from it.
During trends I didn't enjoy, I'd made it a habit of just observing what was fashionable whenever I ventured into department stores, but instead of buying anything ready-made, I'd purchase fabric I liked and sew my own dresses. More than once, brave souls had complimented my designs and asked where I'd bought it.
"Can I help you with anything, miss?" a helpful clerk asked with an exaggerated smile.
I smiled back. "Yes, I would love to hear your opinion on what hats would work with this print," I said and held out one of the less busy checkered dresses. I liked the color and general feel of the design, but something was missing. The prints made it exceptionally hard to accessorize, but hats were the most reliable way of making anything look more fashionable, or so I'd noticed.
"Oh, I'd definitely go for one with a larger brim and pick up the lightest color in the print for a more youthful feel or a more structured piece in a darker shade if you want to be taken seriously." She winked and giggled at the end as if it was a preposterous notion for a woman to want to be taken seriously. "I'm not really recommending the last one though. Men aren't too fond of that look on women. They prefer our softer features after all."
I hated how the changes society had suffered because of the recession had pulled the women's rights movement back and that everything had returned to women's only concern being to bag a good husband. Since I had no memories of the world before 1920, I couldn't say I knew what it was like being a woman before the suffragette marches, but that didn't mean I had any interest in experiencing it for myself in modern times or encouraging those who wanted those times back.
Naturally, the clerk couldn't possibly know that my future husband was stuck in Mexico and that appealing to men was the last thing I wanted to achieve with my clothes, but I still didn't feel like purchasing so much as a button from her after the tasteless comment she gave me.
"Good to know," I said and hung the dress back. "Unfortunately, there's nothing here of interest for me, so I'll take my business elsewhere. Have a lovely day."
The clerk looked stunned as I passed her on my way out of the boutique. She couldn't understand what she'd said that appeared to have offended me, but then I heard her scoff and mumble, "Bitch," under her breath, so she clearly had an idea of why I left.
A sudden idea struck me and sparked a wave of excitement, and I allowed my feet to carry me past every store holding women's clothes until I reached my new destination.
I'd only dabbled in it for my own needs, but I hadn't considered actually doing it for real, but as I stashed the pads and pens in my bag, I knew I was onto something and that I'd, just maybe, stumbled upon my passion by pure accident.
Hauling easels and canvases and paints with me as I constantly moved around wasn't practical, and repeatedly buying new equipment felt like such a waste. A simple pad of paper and a handful of pens, on the other hand, was a different story, and clothing design was such a new and evolving industry, the chance I'd run out of material and ideas was slim to none.
Invigorated by the thought that I'd found something I could occupy myself with for eternity, in theory, gave a bounce to my step, which made it difficult for me to pretend I was anything but ecstatic.
A/N:
We're moving through the 30s! Rosalie was changed, and so was Emmett. Peter came into Jasper's life and gave him some reprieve and Alice is dipping her toes into designing clothes and finding that joy within her interests!
Now that it's written, let me know what you look forward to reading about the most :D
Until tomorrow,
Stay Awesome!
