Fic: A Place Under Heaven Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Epidemic
The solitude that Tara felt in her separation from Jacob was excruciating emptiness. She pressed both of her fists tightly to the hollow pit of her chest, thrusting once as if she was trying to resuscitate her heart.
She felt colorless. In contrast, the landscape in front of the Cullen home was layered with greens in saturated abundance, sparkling wetly in the morning sun. She willed Jacob to appear out of the forest so that she could hold him and comfort his fears. It was the only thing that would fill the void inside of her.
Bella watched her closely. Her perceptive eyes were gentle.
“I’m worried about Jacob,” Tara confessed. “The last look he gave us was so …. hard. I know that look, it’s the one I used to protect myself before you changed me.”
“You care a lot about him.” It was a statement of fact. “Jacob will trust us. He knows Nessie will forgive him,” Bella said reassuringly.
“But what about me? He doubted me.”
As she said the words, Tara realized how hurt she felt that Jacob had withdrawn. How could he not know that I will always love him? she thought.
“Jake has been hurt before,” Bella said softly, her voice slightly choked. Her eyes were earnest. “Tara, don’t give me credit for changing you. Vampire venom changes the body but venom didn’t make you who you are. What I love is you. I love your clean, pure heart and your healing spirit. Believe me … Jacob trusts you. We all do. We would put our lives in your hands.” She continued in a low voice, “We will put our lives in your hands.”
Tara was touched by Bella’s words. They leaned against each other supportively, shoulder to shoulder, each lost in their own thoughts. Bella seemed to be gathering her courage to say something and Tara waited patiently.
Jane joined them on the porch, interrupting the moment.
Bella turned and placed a hand on Tara’s arm. “Now is not the time,” she said softly.
The communication between them was always so natural and comfortable that Tara knew that her sister would tell her what she needed to know in due time.
“How do you keep a sister in suspense?” Tara asked, smiling wickedly.
“How?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Tara’s laugh rippled out at her own joke and she was rewarded with Bella’s beautiful smile.
“I get it,” Bella said. “Am I going to have to hear that joke for the rest of our long lives?”
“Probably. It works on so many levels. I have a whole lot more. Lucky you.”
Bella rolled her eyes in mock torment.
Jane looked somewhat bemused. “May I speak with you Tara?” she asked.
Bella nodded encouragement and swiftly moved to give them privacy.
Jane stood rigid, her cloak billowing slightly in the breeze. She waited to speak until she was sure they were alone.
“I… I wanted to thank you for saving me,” Jane said softly. Her voice was stilted as if unaccustomed to gratitude. She could barely meet Tara’s eyes.
“Oh, those wolves aren’t so tough. Some of them are actually nice,” Tara replied, hoping to put Jane at ease.
The red eyes looked back at her.
“You misunderstand. You did something to me. You have a power that I have never felt.” Jane’s voice was almost accusing.
“I don’t fully understand it myself, but I’m starting to realize that we are all part of something, and we can all be part of each other,” Tara replied gently.
Jane waved her hand. “I have no idea what you are talking about, but I do know that I can project pain on others and that pain comes from inside me. Since you touched me…it’s not gone, but it is less. Aro, our leader, has taught me to call it my gift.” Her expression was bitter. “My gift is his weapon.”
“Aro can read minds. He’s been in my head hundreds of times-but you look inside me once and you…” her voice broke and she trailed off, overcome with emotion and searching for the words, “… you heal me.”
Tara’s heart went out to the girl. The enormous power Jane wielded only pushed everyone away and she had been forced to use it at someone else’s command. The power that the venom gave me was to love and heal and connect, Tara thought, but Jane had been given pain.
Jane saw Tara’s compassionate look and her shoulders grew rigid. “Don’t look at me like I am some pitiful foundling. I bring terror and pain,” she said, eyes flashing.
For a moment Tara remembered the awful torment that Jane had inflicted on Jacob, but she not back down. She held onto the compassion within her for this lost soul.
“Am I a killer? Who am I now? I don’t even know if I have a power anymore. Everything I have ever been taught just doesn’t seem right!” Jane said fiercely.
As quickly as it had come, Jane’s anger faded. She bowed her head. “I thank you for what you have done, but there is no magic touch that can fix me. It is not as simple as that.”
Tara gently placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. She knew that Jane’s words were true. The deep wounds of life were not healed in an instant and all she could offer was hope and a second chance.
“I’m here for you. You will find your way,” she reassured.
“I may never be able to return to my home.”
“I am sure that Carlisle will find a solution. He is committed to helping everyone in need. He’ll find out what is happening to Aro.”
A sinister echo of the fury Tara had first seen smoldered in Jane’s eyes.
“Do you think I care if he helps Aro?” she spat. “Now that I understand how Aro has used me all these years I want him dead. I hate him!”
Tara was stunned at the depth of Jane’s loathing but she could not blame the girl. To be manipulated for your power was a terrible thing.
“Try it Carlisle’s way,” Tara urged. “There is another kind of life. This family has taken me in and they will have room for you too. Let me talk to Carlisle.”
Jane’s red eyes were wide and the curve of her throat looked vulnerable as she swallowed and nodded her assent. Her life has been altered like mine, Tara thought. We will both find our way.
--
Tara gently tapped on the door to Carlisle’s office. When she entered the room, Carlisle and Esme were deep in conversation. She hesitated, intending to withdraw.
“Please join us,” Esme welcomed her.
Carlisle’s office was beautifully decorated with many little touches that Tara recognized as Esme’s handiwork.
“Are you coming to ask about Jane?” Esme asked. Her heart shaped face was drawn in concern.
“Yes, I am. I thought Edward was the mind reader,” Tara joked. “Jane is going through some changes. Are you still planning to go to Volterra? It is possible that she may want to stay here.”
“Of course she is welcome to stay. It is not clear how Aro will react to what he may see as her betrayal,” Carlisle said. He took Esme’s hand as he continued, “We’ve discussed it and Esme and I will be going to Italy. I’m hopeful that we can assist in some way. Esme is a brilliant clinician.”
At Tara’s inquiring look, Esme clarified. “Ph.D Biochemistry.”
Tara looked slightly shocked and then chastised herself for judging Esme on her appearances.
Esme wrinkled her nose adorably. “I’ve been with Carlisle since 1920 - you don’t think I’ve spent all my time shopping and decorating the house, do you?” she asked without a trace of rancor. She didn’t wait for an answer before continuing. “We’ve decided to go to Volterra but I hate to leave now. I was hoping for a chance to work on your case.”
“My case? I’m not sick…. am I?” Tara asked, feeling a spasm of fear shoot through her. I thought that was all over.
Carlisle gave her a soothing smile and Tara wondered what he knew about her.
“No, we don’t believe you are sick, just unique. We had been talking about the question of why you don’t need to drink blood. Esme is favoring a more physiological answer than my spiritual one.”
“He’s basically a theologian first, doctor second,” Esme offered, sharing a smile with her husband The love between them was so evident that it made Tara’s heart ache. That’s the real kind of love, she thought, the kind that lasts for hundreds of years.
Esme gently explained what she meant by a physiological answer. “Carlisle told you how the venom has changed us. We don’t age, we don’t react to germs, we don’t have normal cycles and we don’t have blood. You seem different.”
Carlisle put it bluntly, “Esme is wondering what is running through your veins.”
With complete trust, Tara offered her wrist.
“Why don’t you check it out? I give blood all the time, I mean I used to. My best vein is right here.”
She looked down at her wrist and realized she didn’t see any evidence of veins, just her smooth golden skin. Carlisle and Esme stared at her with shocked expressions.
Esme chuckled. “Putting aside the incredibly surreal fact that you just offered us your vein, there is no such thing as a simple venipuncture for vampires. I’m not sure we have anything that could penetrate your skin.”
They tried a syringe but it broke against the supple steel of her wrist.
“Is it time to move to kitchen implements?” Tara asked bravely. “I guess I’m tougher than I thought.”
“No dear, I don’t think we need to hack at you with the butcher knife,” Esme said.
Suddenly Tara remembered something she had wanted to tell Carlisle. “While we are on the topic of my fluids, I found out my venom definitely is different.”
Both Carlisle and Esme looked at her like a butterfly on a pin.
“How did you determine this?” Carlisle asked, ever the scientist.
“Um… I tried it out on Jacob and he was fine,” she said awkwardly, seriously hoping they would not pursue this line of questioning.
Of course they did.
“You bit Jacob!” Esme exclaimed in shock.
“That was rather risky,” Carlisle reproved.
“Well, we … ah, I think you could say… we exchanged saliva.” I feel like an idiot, Tara thought, I must not be able to perspire, or I would be doing it right now. Am I fourteen years old?
“What I mean to say is…we kissed,” she finally blurted out.
Carlisle looked intrigued at the verification of his theory, but Esme was beaming.
“Oh, how wonderful!” she exclaimed with an enthusiasm that went well beyond scientific discovery. She gazed at Tara with rampant approval, like she had just brought home a good grade on a test.
Tara basked in the warm glow of Esme’s blessing. Wow, what would it be like to grow up with a mom like that? she thought. I might have been able to piece together some sort of positive self-image.
“Well, that is interesting,” said Carlisle. “A blood sample would be very helpful. There are only a few things I know that can penetrate vampire skin. I wouldn’t want to expose you to more of our venom; it hurts even us if it gets directly into our system. But if you aren’t dangerous to Jacob …” He trailed off, reaching for his phone.
After a few quick calls Carlisle announced, “According to Quil, Jacob is already on his way here.”
Tara went out to the front door to look for Jacob. After a few minutes, he emerged from the woods, wearing only his standard all-weather uniform--a pair of shorts. He didn’t appear surprised to find Tara waiting for him. His brown eyes were looking at her with such intensity that she resorted to her deflective humor.
“My compliments to your stylist, Jake, six-pack abs go with anything.”
He didn’t want to be distracted.
“We need to talk,” he said, taking her hand.
Tara felt his warmth and once again she instinctively knew where his pain was. She reached out to place a hand gently on his cheek.
“Jacob, I understand about Demetri. You were doing what you had to do. I know you would never intentionally hurt anyone good.”
At her words he relaxed and momentarily closed his eyes. When he opened them, the look he gave her flooded her mouth with sweetness.
“I knew you would understand. Well, I doubted you for a minute, but then I knew it would be alright,” Jacob said honestly. “I mean we need to talk about the future.”
Tara could hear that Jacob was trying to talk to her about something important, but she was horribly distracted by his scent. “Jacob, I have a very strong desire to bite you right now,” she said in a husky voice.
Jacob threw his head back to expose his neck.
“Have at it,” he dared.
Tara collected herself, remembering that Carlisle and Esme were waiting inside.
“Later. Carlisle and Esme want to talk to us. Come with me,” she said coaxingly.
“What, is he your dad now too? Does he want to ask me my intentions?” Jacob teased.
“What are your intentions?”
Jacob gave her a wicked look.
“Wait, never mind. Don’t answer that.”
--
Jacob let Tara lead him into Carlisle’s office where the doctors Cullen awaited. Esme was normally so sweet and welcoming, but this time her face positively lit up at the sight of him.
What did I do to deserve that? Jacob thought. She is looking at me like I got her cat out of a tree.
Jacob listened to Carlisle’s explanation with increasing irritation, until finally he burst out, “So let me get this straight… you want me to phase and use my claws to gash Tara’s wrist open so you can perform a science experiment? No deal. Not going to happen, end of story.”
Hundreds of years of indestructibility have messed with their heads, Jacob thought. It was clear that they had no idea what they were doing and were flailing around at random for some information. I’m not about to let Tara become their guinea pig.
Tara placed a soothing hand on his arm. “Jacob, it’s all right. I think it would be good to know. I’m actually really curious to see what they can discover.” She lowered her voice. “Jake, it was my blood that nearly killed me before. I have to know.”
Jacob’s mind flashed back to the word he had seen on her laboratory report … leukemia. Tara had been dying of leukemia before Bella changed her. Fear tightened his stomach. Earlier today he had been wondering how to handle Tara’s immortality, and now he was terrified of losing her. There was nothing she could say that could have been more persuasive.
“What if I hurt you?” Jacob whispered. “If you do have blood you could bleed out. How do we know you will heal?”
“I trust you,” Tara said simply. “I healed after Bella bit me.”
The sample was collected under unusual laboratory conditions … in the garden at the side of the Cullen house. Tara had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as Jacob held up his massive paw and Carlisle studiously swabbed it with alcohol.
“Jacob, you might not want to look,” Carlisle warned and Jacob closed his eyes, turning his head away as Carlisle used both hands to grip the paw, claw extended.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be saying that to me?” Tara joked.
Esme hovered with vials at the ready.
As Carlisle pressed the claw to her skin, Tara decided closing her eyes would be a good thing.
“All done,” Esme said after a few quick seconds.
Tara opened her eyes as Esme was sealing up the last of several vials. The fluid inside was red. Tara looked down at her arm. A faint silvery line was visible, but nothing more.
She held her arm up for Jacob to see.
“All good.”
His hairy face looked as relieved as it was possible for a wolf’s face to look.
“Interesting… interesting,” Carlisle muttered.
Esme’s face was alight as she looked at the vials.
“Oh, I cannot wait to get to the lab,” she purred. “Carlisle, please don’t book a flight until tomorrow. I need a few hours with these samples.”
“Far be it from me to stand in the way of scientific discovery,” Carlisle said with a look of pride on his face.
“Tara, just a few quick questions about your medical history,” Esme began.
Tara interrupted her. “Cancer,” she said flatly. At Esme’s startled look she elaborated. “Leukemia.”
Esme was all business. “Any idea of your white blood cell count at the time you were bitten?”
“Off the charts.”
Esme and Carlisle exchanged significant looks.
“I’d like to talk this over with Edward,” Esme said.
“They are back now,” Carlisle noted, his keen nose having told him they were near.
Edward, Bella and Jane joined them. Bella’s eyes were wide, she looked shell-shocked.
“We encountered three vampires in the woods while we were hunting,” Edward said. “They fled, but I read their thoughts. Jane and I have come to a disturbing conclusion.”
“They know of another old vampire. I believe he was the one Jacob saw Demetri following,” Jane said. She paused and frowned in concentration. “Demetri must have been tracking the older vampire.” The tone of her voice was sure.
“If he had made this known to us, we could have avoided that tragedy,” Carlisle mused.
“That is not all Father,” Edward interrupted gently, his eyes going to Esme’s face. Bella wavered as if she was going to fall and Edward slipped his hand into hers.
Tara felt the flare of fear in the room.
“The old one has the fever,” Jane said in her monotone voice.
Carlisle narrowed his eyes.
“So it is among us,” he said with finality.
The room was silent.