Being the new people in town was never easy, especially in a small town like Forks, a fact that Eleanor Beckett was well aware of. So when her son came home from school one day boasting about making friends with one of the new kids, Eleanor did her...
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Callahan stood in the doorway as he watched his mother hunched over the computer, knowing exactly what it meant. Something had happened and now they were going to move again. He guessed that also explained why she told him he was staying home from school that day. The boy couldn't help but feel sad, a pit forming in his stomach as he thought about packing up and leaving yet another town.
He'd just made new friends, friends he actually liked...
"Cal?" Eleanor's voice echoed through the room, finally turning toward him when she realized he was upset. "What's wrong?"
"What happened this time? Why are you looking for new places?" Cal questioned, his arms crossing over his chest in a vain attempt to look tough while he was fighting back tears. "Do we really have to leave?"
"Honey..." the older woman trailed off, standing up from her desk and walking toward him. "It's... complicated. I know you hate moving and I am so sorry, but we might not be safe here anymore-"
"Might? You're gonna make us leave for a 'might'? Mom, I finally made some friends, good friends. I don't want to leave... Can we please not leave?" the boy pleaded, his throat tightening as he spoke.
"I-"
"Please, Mom. I know we can't live here forever but I really like this place, most of the people are pretty nice," Cal started rambling, refusing to meet his mother's eyes. "I like hanging out with you when you have a late shift at the diner, I like when Charlie lets me ride around with him in his cop car, and I like this house. I like my room, and I actually really like the rain, and I like when we go on hikes-"
"I know, honey. I know," Eleanor wrapped her arms around her son, her heart aching as she felt his tears drip onto her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, I just got worried."
"About what?" he mumbled in response, still not moving from his place huddled in his mother's arms.
There was a moment of silence as Eleanor thought about how to answer that, her body tensing as she deliberated. She didn't want to scare Cal, but she also didn't want him wandering around blind to the danger around him.
"Cal," she finally spoke up, pulling away from the hug slightly so she could look him in the eye. "There's something you need to know about your new friends..."
:::
"We need to do something!" Alice exclaimed, pacing back and forth through the living room as she ranted about her latest vision. "They can't just leave, she can't leave yet! She hasn't even met Carlisle yet!"
Jasper nodded along from where he stood, leaning against the way while trying his best to calm his mate's flurry of emotions.
"I still can't believe Carlisle's mate is here," Esme stated, an excited smile on her face. "But you're right, we can't let her and her son leave. We need to learn why Eleanor wanted to move."
"She said she was worried about something?" Edward recited from his place sitting next to Esme. "Do you think something happened? I didn't hear any thoughts like that when we were in the car with her."
"Yes, she wasn't upset about anything," the empath confirmed, thinking back to the car ride. "Except for that one moment when you and Alice were fighting."
"She was thinking about her brother, how we reminded her of how they'd used to be," Edward recounted, sad that he'd made her relive those memories.
"Do you think that's what it is? Maybe her brother is in town or something?" Emmett suggested, also worried about the fact that Callahan and Eleanor might be leaving.
"Maybe," Rosalie agreed, her arms crossed as she leaned against the arm of Emmett's chair. "We only have limited information though. What we picked up with our abilities and then just plain body language. She was relaxed, her heartbeat was steady. There is no reason why she'd be so dead set on leaving now."
"So how can we stop her?" Emmett sighed, his fingers lacing with Rosalie's as he felt himself get stressed out. "Is there really anything we can do?"
The room fell silent in thought, so silent that they all heard the exact moment Carlisle's car pulled into the driveway. Suddenly Alice's face lit up, her eyes widening as an idea formed in her mind. Edward just sighed as he heard exactly what his sister was planning, wincing slightly at the complete lack of subtlety.
:::
"Why exactly did you want to go out for dinner again, Alice?" Carlisle questioned as they all piled out of the car and walked into the quaint diner across from his work. "We don't eat."
"To get to know people! We just spent years being recluses in Alaska, we need to socialize," she explained, a pep in her step as she slid into one of the booths.
Carlisle just shook his head, pulling over a chair from a nearby empty table and sitting at the end of the table as his family filled the booths. Yes, he thought the outing was odd but he had to admit that it was a relief to at least pretend to have a normal life.
"Eleanor! Hi!" Alice leaned forward in her seat, waving to someone behind Carlisle. "It's nice to see you! We're having family dinner!"
He heard soft footsteps approach, bringing with them the most heavenly smell the man had ever experienced. His body felt both tense and somehow relaxed at the same time as whoever Alice was talking to stopped slightly behind him.
"That's nice," her voice sent a shiver down the eldest vampire's spine. "What can I get for you-"
Carlisle finally turned to look at the woman, his eyes widening as they landed on her face. Everything about her seemed perfect to him, from the soft curl of her hair to her round hazel eyes. Just looking at her made the man feel as though his heart could beat again, knowing that the only person it would be beating for was her.
Eleanor.
The name lodged itself in his brain like a missing piece finally returning home. But that's exactly what she was, a missing piece. His missing piece, the last vestige of his long gone soul.
