Esme Cullen
Dazzled
Vegetarian Vampire
The Mother
Posts: 164
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Post by Esme Cullen on Nov 22, 2008 15:21:52 GMT -5
((OOC: Uhm. Let's say...just before "the visitor" goes and steals Bella's clothes. So just before they figure out about the newborn army.))
Esme ran back to the house and through the front door. She could hear the conversation Edward and Carlisle were having. She was always felt relief when members of her family returned home; when they were gone she felt some stress. "Hello, Edward," she whispered to herself, knowing Edward would hear.
She switched from her quick vampire pace to her human pace upon entering the house. She kept the slow pace through the house and into the large, open kitchen. Esme passed Edward, looking up into his face and smiled, showing her teeth. She unthinkingly went and stood next to Carlisle, it was something that came naturally to her.
"Yes, where is Bella today?" Esme asked after her husband, turning towards Edward.
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Post by Edward Cullen on Nov 23, 2008 0:31:56 GMT -5
Edward could see that Carlisle was disappointed at having been unable to go into work, but at least he knew it couldnt be helped. "Think of it as a well deserved day off" He told him. Afterall, it wasnt as if Carlisle needed to be working at all. They had plenty of money, so that wasnt a factor. And if he wanted the job to keep up appearances, he surely didnt need to put in as many hours as he did. But his compassion kept him at the hospital.
Edward was about to respond to his father's question about Bella when Esme entered the room. He smiled back at her. "Hello Mom" He said warmly. He watched her move next to Carlisle, the two of them so natural together.
"Charlie was still home when I left this morning" Edward told them. He knew Bella's father was still keeping a close eye on her, even after lifting her restrictions. Attempting to drive Bella over would mean risking Charlie seeing him in too much sunlight. "I told her to enjoy the sun, but she may be over later" He told them, knowing Bella didn't often listen when he told her to do something. The one thing he hoped for was that she wouldn't be going down to La Push today. It was times like this that he wished he could read her mind, to know when when she was going to do something risky.
((didnt know if you wanted to bring Bella into this at all, so tried to leave it open/general for her - if you want any details about where Edward thinks she is changed, let me know I'll edit this!))
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Post by Carlisle Cullen on Nov 23, 2008 19:47:58 GMT -5
Carlisle automatically shifted to accommodate Esme as she crossed the room to join him. It wasn’t much of a move, just a slight alteration so that their enjoining shoulders were angled towards each other. He kept his eyes trained on Edward, however, just flicking the amber orbs over to Esme as she entered the room. He nodded a little to Edward’s explanation of Bella’s whereabouts,
I hope she stays safe, Carlisle thought reflectively, knowing all too well the girl's propensity for getting to all manner of scrapes. I'm sure she will be.
This thought he directed towards Edward, knowing that his son didn't need any more anxiety to be added to this already tense situation of Bella's perpetual fragility. He half smiled, suddenly, his thoughts going off on a tangent, though he was already speaking them as they came to his head.
"No break through on the horizon with Charlie, then?" It was unfortunate to be on bad terms with the potential father-in-law, he considered, and it didn't help that he was also the chief of police! He shook his head a little. That is something I don't envy you, Edward - wooing the father."
As creatures, vampires were very charismatic and could render most humans to putty in their hands, especially a vampire with the manners and charm of his son, but Charlie was Bella's father - he wasn't surprised that he wanted to protect her from any of life's little nasties. Or big nasties, as the case may be. Carlisle's eyes swept around to Esme, gazing at her for a moment or two - would her parents have accepted him if circumstances were different?
((Will bring Bella in later, if that's alright with everyone?))
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Post by Edward Cullen on Nov 23, 2008 23:48:30 GMT -5
(fine by me! )
Edward gave the slightest of nods when Carlisle expressed his hope that she'd be safe, even trying to reassure him that she would be. The look in Edward's eyes expressed the gratitude for the sentiment, though he couldnt stop worrying about her.
Edward gave a small smile as Carlisle spoke of not envying Edward trying to woo the father. Usually humans were so easy. Edward had a feeling he'd be able to get her mother's approval easier, human females seemed especially drawn to him. Charlie on the other hand was just being protective of Bella. Edward couldnt fault him for that, but respected him for it instead. "He's letting me see her and not yelling at me, which I think for him is probably a big step" He commented. "But after last year I know he'd be happier if Bella found someone else"
Edward didnt want to go back to thinking about that year, it was so painful and filled with guilt, so he quickly smiled adding "Bella was lucky to get both of your acceptance so quickly. That meant a lot to me too" He told both of his parents, wondering if he had ever thanked them before for being so loving towards her from the start.
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Esme Cullen
Dazzled
Vegetarian Vampire
The Mother
Posts: 164
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Post by Esme Cullen on Nov 24, 2008 1:21:51 GMT -5
((All good with me. )) Esme watched the silenct exchange between Edward and Carlisle. She was so used to them now that she didn't think twice about them.
"Charlie will come around with time I'm sure," Esme tried to reassure her son, "And Bella will be fine, she's a smart girl." Esme's gold eyes were warm and sincere as she looked into Edward's.
Esme was generally a nice and caring individual, but she couldn't help but be a tiny bit frustrated with Charlie for his dislike of her son. Couldn't Charlie see that the two of them were inseperable the same way she did? Bella was the best thing that happened to Edward.
Esme took a small intake of breath as Edward made a comment about last year. It was a hard time for everyone, especially Edward. Esme had her own pain at the thoughts of the previous year. She could never imagine losing Edward, or any of her family for that matter. And she had made Edward promise that he would never do anything like that to her again.
Esme was glad to change her thoughts as Edward commented on her and Carlisle's acceptance of Bella. "Edward, it really was nothing. Bella is such a lovely girl, and she makes you happy, that's all that matters. It really wasn't difficult to love and take her in as one of the family." Esme smiled at her son.
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Post by Carlisle Cullen on Nov 24, 2008 18:06:03 GMT -5
Carlisle nodded to Esme's assessment, sooner or later Charlie would see Edward for the gentleman he was. Hopefully it would be sooner than Bella's tranformation, which had become all but an inevitability in Carlisle's eyes after he had experienced her stubbornness first hand.
"You did what you thought was best, son," he added, his voice low and comforting. He cast a sidelong glance at Esme, wondering if he could have brought himself to make the same difficult decision. He hoped he would have been strong enough, but, happily, it was one he would never have to make. He thought about voicing the thoughts, but then registered that Edward would have already heard them and could sense from the swift tangent in his conversation that he didn't want to dwell in that dark place.
He smiled in Esme's direction as he caught up with the conversation and then turned it towards his son, his face open and genuine. He gave a small nod, "I agree - It has been a little unusual for us to have a human so close to our family, but I can only say that I am delighted in your decision to stay with her. She's made such a difference to you and to Alice, especially."
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Post by Edward Cullen on Nov 25, 2008 1:07:14 GMT -5
Edward nodded as both of his parents tried to reassure him that eventually Charlie would come around and ease up on him. "I hope that if he sees that I can make her happy, then he'll look past my flaws and any past bad behavior. He's a good man, he wants what's best for her" Edward knew Charlie's thoughts better than his daughters.
Edward could see on their faces that his decision last year had affected them both as well. They both supported him, but he knew it had been hard on them, especially when he made his unfortunate trip to the Volturi. He could hear Carlisle start to wonder if he would have been able to make the same choice. He was sure he would have, or if not the one Edward did, then a better one. Carlisle was always so strong and had more self control than Edward could ever hope of.
"It was something" He smiled at Esme as she tried to downplay it. "You two were wonderful. You could have easily all taken Rosalie's opinion on the matter." Edward couldnt help but smile as his father mentioned the change in him since Bella. "Its a difference I never want to go away"
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Esme Cullen
Dazzled
Vegetarian Vampire
The Mother
Posts: 164
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Post by Esme Cullen on Nov 25, 2008 4:45:35 GMT -5
Differences. Esme flashed through all the things that had changed since Edward had met Bella. From simply playing his piano to his pleasant outlook on things, all were huge changes that no one noticed more than the Cullens. His entire being had changed since meeting Bella, in a positive way. And Esme couldn't be more ecstatic. She had always feared that Carlisle had changed Edward too early, and that Edward was missing something that prevented him from finding love.
She was beyond happy that the fear now seemed irrational. She smiled at her son as she turned her attention to their conversation.
"I truthfully don't think I could have taken Rosalie's opinion, Edward," Esme replied calmly to her son, "You're happiness, is all that's ever mattered to me. I always knew that things would, and will, work out. It's just the way love works." Esme turned her gaze to her husband, her eyes full of admiration. She was glad Edward had someone to love, to be what Carlisle was to her. Her face lit up with a slight smile.
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Post by Carlisle Cullen on Nov 25, 2008 14:18:15 GMT -5
Carlisle smiled down at his wife, gripping her hand for a moment of tenderness. He had truly struck lucky with his family, even when tensions ran high between them, if Rosalie was being particularly unhappy with Bella’s presence, or if Jasper was having a particularly difficult day in keeping to their vegetarian diet; even then they were the most loving family he knew. At the hospital he had seen time and time again the products of unloving families: the children that had ‘fallen down the stairs’, the wife who had ‘walked into a door’ - it saddened him to see these humans subjecting themselves to that non-love. To be in love was to protect the object of that love through thick and thin, that’s what it was to be family - not the charade that many human families played. He squeezed Esme’s hand a little and inhaled in order to speak.
Before he the words emerged, however, he was interrupted by a very low, unobtrusive trill the pocket of his trousers. He frowned, drawing his blond eyebrows together and withdrew the little silver mobile phone from his pocket, quickly taking in the caller id. He glanced up, apologetically, at his family.
“Hospital,” he explained briefly, waiting a couple of rings before answering. He wandered away from the other two and tried his best to put on a slightly fragile voice.
“Hello?” his eyes creased a little in discomfort at the poor quality of the telephone at the other end of the line - he could hear every single crackle of static. He shifted his fingers over the volume controls and nodded to the coo of enquiry over his health as he found that acting human made him sound more like it as well.
“Don’t you worry about me, Barbara,” he said smoothly, with just a little weakness to imply vulnerability. “I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow with all of today’s rest.”
His frown deepened as it became clear that the call from work was not merely a social check-up. He listened to the receptionist’s relayed message about all the extra beds they had been required too pull out from storage for the victims of the Seattle murders. Images flashed before his eyes of an enraged newborn vampire, crimson eyed and raging with thirst. He watched the vampire in his mind rip through the young and old of Seattle without thought of what it was doing or the consequences of its actions.
“I’ll be there,” he assured them again and hung up, placing the silver phone back into his pocket, a deep brooding look, which didn’t suit his usually calm and neutral face. He turned back to his family, but didn’t say anything else whilst he mulled over the possibilities.
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Post by Edward Cullen on Nov 26, 2008 1:11:07 GMT -5
Edward smiled as he could see in Esme's mind the way that she had seen Edward change. What made him the most happy was how happy she had been by it. She was genuinely so glad to see him happy and in love. He had been in a much different place before Bella, just floating through their version of life.
All of their thoughts were disrupted as Carlisle's phone rang. Edward remained quiet as his father moved aside to take the call. The hospital was too far away for Edward to hear the voice or thoughts of the person on the other end, but when his father was done, he knew he'd share anything that Edward might miss from this end of the conversation. Their family was very open about everything.
Edward froze as he saw the images Carlisle was thinking of to explain the murders that had been happening in Seattle. Edward had seen the newspaper article in the paper about them when he was visiting Bella. He stood still, waiting a moment after Carlisle had hung up the phone before speaking. "Its getting worse isn't it?" He said wondering if this was something they would need to go take care of. Edward started to worry about the Volturi, the Cullens couldnt risk them coming so close.
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Esme Cullen
Dazzled
Vegetarian Vampire
The Mother
Posts: 164
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Post by Esme Cullen on Nov 26, 2008 1:48:04 GMT -5
Esme didn't think anything of the call from the hospital. She just figured it was one of the ladies that worked with Carlisle, making sure he was feeling alright. She was used to the way human women reacted to Carlisle's; similar to the way human men sometimes reacted to her.
So it was a surprise to see Carlisle return, his face vacant of his usual calm. Her forhead creased in concern, wondering why his expression had changed. But confusion was instantly replaced with recognition when Edward questioned if things were getting worse. The killings in Seattle, which they knew was being caused by a newborn, was what he was referring to.
Esme turned to Carlisle, her face full of worry. If this continued it was inevitable that the Volturi would come to take care of the newborn, the Cullen's couldn't let that happen. The Volturi would certaintly make a visit to see them, to make sure Bella was changed. The only other option would be for her family to intervene. With both options their family was at risk. The thought of her that risk made Esme sick to her stomach.
"It has to stop soon, won't it Carlisle?" she questioned. "The newborn will eventually stop, with out any necessary intervention." Esme tried to believe her last statement, though she doubted that would be the case; she still had hope.
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Post by Jayden Murphy on Nov 26, 2008 13:15:31 GMT -5
Jayden stood at the edge of the long, tree lined drive. Ahead she knew there would be a house and in the house, she hoped, would be the man she was looking for. What she would say to him was another matter. Her father had told her that even among their kind she was a myth. An impossible creation, yet her she stood. For a moment she considered turning around and running, but she was out of places to run. Instead she took a deep breath and ran, with vampire speed, to the end of the drive. The House was amazing. The sunlight bounced off the uncountable windows and made the house almost shine. Inside she could almost hear the muffle of voices. He wasn't alone. 'That made things harder' she thought to herself. She took another breath and walked up the steps to the main door, with her nails she tapped on the door then rocked back on her heels and waited.
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Post by Edward Cullen on Nov 26, 2008 13:32:16 GMT -5
Edward had been so distracted with the phone call and images going through his father's mind that he hadn't noticed the approach of the female outside until she was only a few steps from the door. He could hear that she had already determined that there were more than one of them inside.
"Someone's here" Edward said with alarm, a mere seconds before they heard the knocking at the door. Edward searched through the girl's mind for any signs of what she was doing there, then he found the name she was searching for. Carlisle. She was here to see him. Why she was here, Edward couldnt determine yet. "She didnt think Esme and I would be here" He informed his parents, knowing that at least if it was going to be a fight, they'd have the numbers.
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Esme Cullen
Dazzled
Vegetarian Vampire
The Mother
Posts: 164
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Post by Esme Cullen on Nov 26, 2008 14:54:39 GMT -5
Esme froze and turned towards Edward. She heard the knock on the door shortly after Edward explained that someone was here. They didn't intend on having any visitors. Who could it be?
"What does she want?" Esme questioned in a whisper, noting that Edward had used the female term for their unexpected visitor. Esme listened to the visitor on the other side of the door; she had a heartbeat. But a different heart beat, a quicker paced one. Esme took a quick breath through her mouth, seeing if she could recognize her scent. It was different, not completely human. Esme's brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion and alarm.
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Post by Carlisle Cullen on Nov 26, 2008 14:56:36 GMT -5
Carlisle still didn't speak for a moment. He liked to be absolutely sure of himself before he committed himself to anything, that was the secret of his apparent confidence - that and his decisions were often pre-made by the conviction of his compassion. The vision in his head became confused, skipping over huge sections of the city to make another kill - huge sections with many easy-to-access victims. It didn't make sense. His eyes flicked up to meet Edward's as he spoke and his expression smoothed out to the usual neutrality, just a slight kink to a blond eyebrow suggesting that he was perplexed by something. He nodded a little.
"Another influx of new casualities," he shared, the kink becoming more pronounced as he did so. "City wide and getting up to the same volume that we were experiencing a few weeks ago."
His eyes flicked from Edward to Esme, his eyes softening on his wife as he knew she worried for their security in this place. A newborn rampaging around a built up area would soon present itself to the Volturi's attention and they really couldn't afford that. They would have to move and take Bella with them to avoid the old coven's visit, or turn Bella sooner, an option that he knew Edward was eager to avoid.
"I had thought that the newborn had moved further out of the city," he confided, eyes only for Esme now, hating to destroy the hope that she had. "The pattern doesn't fit somehow..."
They should be gaining control, being taught the rules...
His thoughts were interrupted suddenly, however, by Edward's exclamation and his gaze hardened, shifting over to the general direction of the porch. He nodded firmly, once, and addressed the other two.
"Alright, if there's nothing to suggest attack, we'll give her the benefit of the doubt," his expression smoothed out completely to the reliable doctor they all knew. "It could be entirely innocent."
He began to walk at human pace towards the porch, turning just as he exited the kitchen. "I don't need to tell you to keep an ear out?"
He flashed them a small, confident smile, banishing the lingering image of the perculiar newborn from his mind and walked out to the front door. He opened the large door with a flick of the wrist, pulling it smoothly open, but not letting it bang against the adjoining wall. He tilted his head, taking in every inch of the girl that stood before him in the hope that Edward would be siphoning the information from him. The scent was confusing, though he didn't allow this to cloud his flawless expression.
"Hello," he said, keeping his voice low and calm. "How may I help you?"
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