New Story: Chapter 2 Beyond the Broken Scars
Odd things are happening on FF.net so I'm going to continue posting the story here just incase.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Reunion
I spent half of Saturday in my dormitory occupying myself with assignments. Charlotte was working weekends at a local bookstore and had taken off early, and a part of me was glad for it; even though she had become one of my closest friends I wasn't keen on her meeting the Cullens just yet. I had done my best to avoid rising any suspicion about myself and Carlisle during the previous evening when Charlotte had interrogated me about what had happened.
"You know him don't you?"
"Well yes," I said cautiously. "Back when I was living in Forks. He was my doctor."
"He's a medical doctor as well?" Charlotte let out a sigh and gazed misty eyed at the window. "But he looks like he's about twenty."
I said nothing and busied myself by changing into my pajamas.
"Is he married?"
"Charlotte how is that important?" I asked, throwing my clothes aside into the closet before walking over to the dresser to brush my hair.
"I'm just curious that's all," she replied with a small smile on her lips. "So what did he want to talk to you about?"
I paused for a moment thinking of what to say next. It was difficult because I wasn't any good at lying . "He just wanted to catch up, nothing very interesting Charlotte so just drop it, please."
But Charlotte had continued questioning me well into the night. It was only when I pretended to drift off did she finally stop.
My concentration levels were excessively low today, although it might be because in a few hours time I would be meeting Alice. Out of most of the vampires I had met, Alice was the most talented, her ability to foresee decisions and outcomes of other people, particularly those she was close to. It had come in handy all those years ago when James was tracking me. I shuddered slightly at the memory.
Around the campus, a lingering feeling of unease students went out in groups and hardly any were seen after dark. Only last night a third student had gone missing and the police were running checks on anyone going in and out of the grounds.
I headed down to a French café during lunch, at this point even studying could not take my mind of the Cullens. The sky was covered in graying clouds and a wintry wind half blew the door of the café off as I entered and looking around I noticed a familiar figure standing in the far corner leaning against the back of a chair. Her petite figure concealed in purple and black top with dark jeans and a matching waist length jacket. Even when she dressed casual, Alice Cullen still looked like she had come off the runway at Vogue.
I took a breath and walked over watching her rose lips curve into a satisfied smile.
"You're just in time," she said in her bell chime voice before wrapping her arms around me in a hug.
"Nice to see you too Alice," I said breaking into a grin. Alice was here, hugging me again. This was surreal.
We sat cross from the table just as a waiter came and placed two foaming lattes on the table.
Typical, always a step ahead of me, even if she hasn't seen me in years.
"You drink coffee now?"
"It helps to blend in," Alice said winking. "I got you a decaf seeing as you drink way too much of the regular stuff."
"Being a student is stressful sometimes."
"Have you considered trying green tea?"
Oh great. Now I am getting health tips from a dead person.
"Are we seriously having this discussion Alice?"
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. So tell me, how's university life treating you?"
"Okay so far..."
"...until Carlisle turned up and freaked you out," Alice said, finishing my sentence.
"Well it isn't everyday you see a vampire teaching psychology," I said, smiling and taking a long sip.
A distractingly beautiful one at that.
"...or practicing medicine for that matter," Alice muttered running a hand through her hair.
I nodded glancing around at the crowds filling up the café; nobody seemed to notice the company I was keeping.
"Why are you here?" I asked slowly staring her face.
Alice looked sheepish and bit her lip remaining silent, her golden eyes darkened slightly.
"Your family hasn't contacted me in almost three years, and all of a sudden you appear without any explanation. Don't I have a right to know?"
"It's complicated," Alice said finally. "Many things have changed and it is going to take a while to explain it all."
"Judging by my life so far I think I've had my fair share of complications."
"Alright, basically I've been seeing some things, not concrete or anything, but it seems that our kind are having more of an influence than we should..."
"Like the disappearances around campus and other areas?"
"Maybe. Whoever is doing this is not your regular out of control vampire, definitely has something else in mind, but I just cant see it."
"Can't the Volturi be informed or something?" Edward had once told me of the Volturi being the "Royalty of the vampire race monitoring the secrecy between the human and vampire world."
Alice tensed suddenly and glared down at the table clenching her teeth as though she was restraining herself and the chair was shaking beneath her.
"Something wrong?"
"The Volturi cannot be involved in this one,if they know what's good for them," She added stirring her Latte absentmindedly.
"Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me?" I asked watching her closely.
"Carlisle didn't tell you about Esme did he?"
"Well he said she was in an accident..." I began.
"She was, well sort of. Basically she broke the golden rule within our realm."
I leaned in closer making sure we were out of earshot; I had a brief recollection of Esme, quiet and steady. She had never been the type to rebel.
"What happened?"
"While we were in Switzerland hunting around the mountains we came across another vampire, one whose existence is like a total damnation to the Volturi."
I wracked my brains but came up with nothing. "What was it?"
"An immortal child, roughly eight or ten years old I think. Immortal children are uncontrollable and the biggest threat to the secrecy of our species, the thing had been abandoned no doubt, but you know Esme's weakness."
I nodded guessing what must have happened.
"So what? You adopted it?"
"Esme wouldn't let him go and none of us wanted to, you know, destroy him. It was a dead end as far as morality goes."
"Couldn't you try and tame the child? I mean, you guys all managed to keep up the diet."
"Esme tried, she spent so much time with the little thing training him, and after some months progress was being achieved, but while we were traveling to Austria with Edward." She gave me an apologetic look at the mention of the name.
"It's fine, please go on."
"Demetri and a few others spotted us, and the child. There was confrontation as you can imagine and despite Carlisle's best efforts the Volturi don't negotiate under such circumstance."
"So they were going to execute all of you?"
"They wanted to but since we didn't create the thing - our association didn't provide enough weight to it. Anyway during the cross fire Esme was destroyed while protecting the child." Alice looked down at the floor and if she could have, tears would have been pouring out of her eyes.
Shock lingered around us as we sat in silence, the memory of Carlisle's broken expression fresh in my mind. I placed my hand in Alice's stone cold palm and squeezed it gently. To the Cullens Esme was more than a wife or a mother, she was a source of serenity and stability, Carlisle's second self and a guide for Alice and Rosalie.
"I'm so sorry Alice," I said in a low whisper; the background noise seemed to grow louder and somewhat irritating.
"Edward didn't take it so well, particularly with his ability to read thoughts. Apparently Demetri was dying to finish us all off, well except me." Alice smirked in disgust, her brown curls swaying across her face.
I felt a sudden shiver spread down my spine at the thought of a red eyed vampire harming Alice. "He didn't though." I was half afraid to ask why the temptation had been resisted.
"No, Aro would hate to see Carlisle destroyed even if it meant sacrificing the rest of us. And If you're wondering why Edward is not here with us," Alice said in a low voice getting up slowly with a pointed expression on her face. "I suggest you let me tell you outside."
"Why?" I asked
"There is a risk that we could be overheard." And she took my hand and led me out.
I followed her footsteps ignoring the prominent stares around the café and exited into the gentle drizzle that welcomed us in the outside world. The cold air seemed to awaken me from a trance; Alice tugged out a large umbrella and held it over the both of us as we walked down the street.
"So where is Edward?"
"He went with the Volturi after Esme's death to have a word with Aro. We told him it was pointless but you know how stubborn he is."
I nodded, a sigh escaping my lips in distaste.
"What was he trying to achieve exactly?"
"From what I gather there was more to the Volturi turning up then meets the eye, I mean perhaps they didn't just visit us because of the immortal child. Maybe it was because of something else. I've been watching Aro and his clan for a while now, something is up, and I think Edward knows. It is the only theory we have for him not returning to us after he left Italy."
"He didn't come back?"
"No, not for year now. Although he does keep in contact with us regularly via phone calls and emails, but otherwise..." We had reached the outside entrance to the university, the lights of several police cars reflected off the windows. Alice sighed as though she had seen this coming. This made me glance at her expectantly.
"It was wrong for us to abandon you Bella; I have never forgiven Edward for what he did to you. We all behaved the foolishly, once a human a part of this world you can't just walk away from it." Alice said moving her hand through her curls.
"You did what you thought was best."
"No we didn't, Edward did. And it was the most stupidest thing he has ever done and now we're in this mess."
I stared once more at the police lights; groups of students were wondering around talking in loud whispers and frantically using their cell phones. Something was up, and I was willing to bet my entire life savings that the source was anything but human.
"Do you know what's going on here?" I asked as she brought her gaze to meet mine.
"I have a suspicion, although I'm not sure. But Bella, promise me that you'll be careful. Carlisle and the others are working on it but if worse comes to worse we all might have to sacrifice something."
I frowned, worry lines lining my forehead, a thousand questions spinning around my head. I opened my mouth to say something, but the shrill cry of Charlotte from the distance alerted me suddenly.
"Go and see your friend" Alice said touching my arm, "We can talk about this later."
I nodded in spite of myself and leaned over giving Alice another hug, she patted my back slowly before bidding me goodbye and making future plans for another meeting.
"We'll be keeping an eye on you, so don't dwell on it to much. Jasper and Emmett are all over this." Alice winked, before turning and walking away. I watched her until she quickened her pace and vanished out of sight.
I bowed my head attempting to organize my thoughts, for whatever reason the Cullens were here and I knew that I would once again be in the center of it all. A part of me hated Edward for putting me in this position yet again, but even if I hadn't met the Cullens, would my situation here have been any different?
"Bella! Guys she's here!" Charlotte came running down across the lawn toward me, for a distance she looked like she had been dragged through a hedge backwards, her clothes were blackened and torn and there were crimson stains on her arms.
Pushing past the gates, I entered the grounds and walked up to the scene of chaos that awaited me.
~To Be Continued