After a few moments, realization hit Carlisle like a ton of bricks. He quickly stood up and looked at himself in a full-length mirror. His hands rose slowly to his face, exploring. His heart was beating – it was beating! – in a wild rhythm, his body showing signs of the shock he was going through.
"I am..human?!", he quietly asked. His voice sounded different. It was Carlisle's voice, but somehow off. A human voice.
Jasper was attacked by emotions coming from all sides. Just in the next room, pure agony and fear coming from Stefano, who was in the beginning stages of his transformation. Joy and confusion from Emmet, hope from Rose, extasy and tremendous relief from Edward, happiness mixed with a hint of distrust from Bella, absolute shock from Gottfried, a healthy amount of surprise from Marcus (who was, apart from his mate, his favourite person to have around: very neutral feelings, deep and calm waters, that was Marcus). He felt acceptance oozing from Thalia – as if what was happening somehow made sense to her. But the strongest feeling was emanating from Esme. Esme was horrified.
"I am human.", Carlisle repeated, and turned to face his family. He looked at them, slowly shifting from one to another, and then said, "You look somehow..hazy. Everything is..blurry. And so quiet. Very quiet. I can't hear the cars on the interstate.."
"You're human, that's how it's supposed to be. Your senses are not as strong as a vampire's", Edward approached Carlisle, already accepting this new turn of events.
"But how is this possible?", Carlisle asked, "And what does it mean? For you guys? Does is it mean..? That you too..?"
"..could turn back to being human.", Edward said with a heartbreakingly beautiful smile, "Oh, I do hope so. I so wish to follow your steps."
Thalia noticed Bella's lips twitching the smallest amount, and not necessarily in a happy manner. Thalia herself took Jasper's hand and looked up at him. He returned her look and an unspoken promise was exchanged right then and there.
Never, in a million years, do we go back. Eternity is not enough for us. Never will any of us wilfully shorten this gift that we have both received and are blessed to share forever.
They both then looked at Marcus. He was smiling lightly at them and then slowly closed and opened his eyes, silently agreeing with them. This life – this amount of time they were gifted with – was the most luxurious currency anyone could have asked for.
"Well…you must be hungry! You haven't eaten in centuries!", Emmett cheerily interjected, feeling the awkward atmosphere.
"Hah, I indeed do feel..hungry. But that can wait. Esme..", Carlisle smiled and took a step towards his wife.
Esme, however, took a few steps back.
"Esme?", Carlisle asked with concern.
"I just…maybe as a precaution..just give me some time to adjust..to your new scent – I, I, I don't know if – what if I slip?", Esme stammered and somehow her family turned towards her, showing understanding. However, Jasper felt that Esme was lying. She had no problem with self-control. What she felt was fear, mixed with hints of repulsion. Jasper's eyes met Edward's, and they both knew something else is going on, but decided to leave it be at the moment.
"That is – fine, it's fine, Esme. It's an unusual situation and let's just..see how it goes", Carlisle nodded, trying to be understanding. But Jasper felt the heaviness in Carlisle's heart and the concern laced with anger at Esme coming from Edward.
…
The rest of the day was spent in frantic movement. Cooking for Carlisle, exchanging theories, fixing the house. Looking for Alice and Marek was one task no one even mention -a newly mated couple is to be left alone. They probably were in a secluded area, taking down forests in their passion.
Thalia looked at Jasper. In times of crisis – and to us Volturi it was very clear this was a crisis and we would not be leaving before it was resolved – his military training took over. No sign of weakness, standing tall and straight, he gave orders that no one dared to question. Even Thalia took no liberties, and took her place near him, but spoke only if necessary. Also, she took effort to calm down any feelings she might have. She didn't want to burden him with that load, too. She wanted to be his safe haven.
Jasper knew what had to be done. Stefano was turning, and that was not a good place with two humans under the same roof. So, Emmet and Felix were given the task of transporting Stefano into a secluded mountain cabin, and waiting there with Stefano for the change to be over. After that, Jasper has already ordered a team of people who were to take Stefano back to Italy. We had place there where newborns could spend their first year safe and undetected.
Gottfried was ordered back to Volterra, too. His task was to report to the other two kings. Marcus and Jasper had a brief talk and have decided that this situation is important enough that a presence of one king is needed at all times. While Jasper would feel more at ease if he knew that his father-in-law is safe in Italy, Marcus was needed. He was kind, after all, with thousand of years of wisdom under his belt. Gottfried, on the other hand, was appalled by Carlisle's transformation, and took little to no effort to show it. "Unnatural", "backwards", "disfigured" and similar terms spoken towards Carlisle were not helping at all, and therefore Gottfried had to go.
Verena stayed for "sipping" purposes, but Jasper ordered half a dozen of criminals for Marcus, Thalia, himself and Felix. If the Volturi were staying for a while, they needed their strength. The Cullens were not happy about this development, but kept shtum as Marcus indicated that such an extraordinary event actually calls for Aros' visit. That would mean the entire guard coming over and that would furthermore mean a lot more dead bodies.
Jasper, together with Edward, also quickly developed a plan of keeping track of Carlisle's vitals, just to make sure if aging is coming on at a usual human pace. Carlisle took slight offence at that, namely being simply informed about that plan and not included into its making.
"While it is a good idea, and I do agree for my vitals being taken regularly, I would like to remind you boys that I am the one who actually is an active medical practitioner. You really should have come to me from the start, right?", he scolded. Both dutifully nodded, but Carlisle was no fool. The two vampires, no matter how loyal and good, naturally thought themselves better than a human. Why consult a human when your vampire mind is superb in every aspect?
"It's not like that, Carlisle", Edward said, reading his mind.
"Oh, but it is. And I am in a very unique position to say so.", Carlisle clipped, offended.
"What is up with Esme?", Rosalie asked the next day as soon Esme went hunting. Carlisle was upstairs, and his human ears could not pick up the conversation.
"It's nothing", Edward quickly dismissed.
"It's something", Rose raised a brow. "Her husband turns human, and she avoids him like the plague?"
"Give her time. She's just afraid she'll break him if she touches him", Edward lied.
"She hugged me all the time when I was human.", Bella observed.
"That's right!", Rose said, "So what's going on?"
Marcus was never much of a talker, but he despised heavy silences when the truth is looking straight into your face.
"She is not comfortable with her mate being human, and very rightly so.", he said in his wonderful, calm voice.
"Excuse me-what?", Rosalie asked angrily.
"That is not what it is…", Edward tried again, much to Jasper's fury.
"Your king is right, and you would do well not to doubt him again.", Jasper said in a deep, furious voice.
Edward was taken aback, but offered his apology to Marcus. One did not have to be an empath to know the apology was not sincere. Marcus smiled one of his all-knowing smiles and then turned to Rose.
"Rosalie. I mean no offence to either Esme or Carlisle.", Marcus nodded lightly, and Rosalie nodded too, accepting his words, "What Esme faces now is that her mate is of another species. That is quite a huge gap to surpass, but not impossible, as Bella and Edward here have proven."
He took a second to continue, making sure he has the attention of everybody in the room.
"What is more difficult, is to understand how this has happened. Was it because of your diet? Does that mean that a vampire must not taste human blood for a certain period of time in order to be turned back? How long is that period, and is it the same for every vampire? What if it takes another sixty years for Esme to turn back?"
Rose and Bella both gasped.
"He would maybe already be dead before she turns!", Bella said in horror, "And Edward, what does that mean for us? You haven't had human blood for a century, and I never – so what if you turn in ten years, and then what? I – I watch you die?"
"That is what is supposed to happen, Bella", he said, smiling sadly.
"No- no! I did not go through all of this just to lose you again!", Bella shouted.
"We can talk about everything that is going on, but decisions are to be made in private", Thalia reminded, her worried glance turning to Jasper. She didn't want him even more irritated by fights that were actually not his concern.
"If I turn back…", Rosalie said, her face suddenly contorted in agony, "..maybe I could have…a baby?"
"You could!", Edward insisted, "This all could be corrected. You could have a healthy, normal baby."
At this, Bella flipped the table over.
"Go FUCK yourself, Edward!", she raged.
"I just meant…it would be more natural..", Edward stammered, "Oh come on, you can't say the circumstances of your pregnancy were either normal or natural!"
"You don't deserve me, nor Reneesme", she hissed and then left through the window.
"You are such a jerk", Rosalie yelled and threw a heavy vase at Edward.
"What is going on?", Carlisle shouted from the top of the stairs.
"Nothing", Edward yelled back.
"Lying comes so easy to you, doesn't it?", Rose hissed at Edward, "Oh, and while you're feeding me hope, could you make up a lie about how I'm gonna make sure that Emmett and I turn at the same time so we have our baby? Will you repeat that lie while we all wait together, watching Carlisle grow old, while Esme remains vampire, with a broken heart?!"
…
Somewhere at this point, Jasper took my hand and pulled me out of the room. With unnatural speed, he dragged me through the woods, and would not stop until we were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded just by the deep woods.
I knew what was going on, and avoided burdening him with any unnecessary words. This was my mate, and I knew how he felt, and I knew what he needed was silence from both the inside and outside.
He stood there, leaned on a huge tree, with closed eyes. I stood next to him, free of any expectations and demands, here to help him in any way I can.
But as always when I am around him, I sooner or later start to look at him. My eyes linger on his beautiful face. This chiselled jaw, combined with those beautiful, kissable lips. His golden locks, and then his beautiful body. His long, strong limbs and the towering height…so strong, so fulfilling…
"You're doing it again", he smiled lightly, his eyes closed.
"Oh, sorry", I groaned, not believing that again I blew it. My mate needs calm, and I throw lust at him?!
"Am I that good-looking?", his eyes open and he looks at me, amused.
"You have no idea. I really tried this time..", I shrugged with my shoulders.
"I know, and you did almost too well. You were so neutral that I was almost losing you on my radar. And I don't like that, either", he put one hand around my waist, pulling my closer, "Don't do that again – not that much. I really do appreciate your help, but you are my mate – your feelings, I want to know. Always."
"I wanted to spare you the burden of my feelings. I can't imagine how hard this was for you in there", I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"It was hard enough that I had to leave. I need a rest..and now I need to reconnect, with you", he smiled lightly, nudging my head to face him.
"I am here", I simply said.
"Don't vanish from me like that again", he ordered, and I felt his possessiveness, "I had more than enough of catching you. You're mine now."
"I am", I confirmed.
"Down, naked", he simply said and I knew I better obey.
Reconnect we did, in the most glorious way. While he wasn't rough with me, he was demanding and watched me closely while claiming me. I surrendered completely, not hiding anything, and letting him feel all my love and devotion that I had for him. He marked me on that occasion, a big, juicy and very visible bite on my neck. He didn't expect me to return the bite, but I felt his pride and happiness as I too left a clear sign to everybody that this man is taken.