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CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Eleanora Hadley sat in the living room of the Cullen household, being caught up on everything she had missed over the last week and a half while she had been in Seattle. It had taken the family a good few days to adjust to the fact that Ellie was officially one of them now and no longer the rather vulnerable human girl they all adored who always needed to sleep.
They had all elected with Ellie steadily agreeing that she was to stay within the confines of the home apart from the occasional venture out to hunt in the woods, to prevent any accidents with Ellie's bloodlust. Despite Ellie's best efforts from the second she was turned, she didn't need anything to truly test herself with, the upcoming wedding of Edward and Bella that Alice had already started furiously planning since the two announced their engagement would be a test enough. But with her eyes slowly tinting away from their crimson red colour to a more orangey shade, Ellie was slowly starting to get more of a hold on it.
After sheepishly admitting that she had accidentally destroyed her phone soon after turning and sending her final message, Esme quickly organised a new phone for her to Ellie's gratitude. She was then able to call her Mum, Elijah and Sydney to assure them that she was completely fine, just decided to go road tripping by herself. Bella had also managed to 'break' into her house to collect some items and clothes that Ellie needed with all her belongings she had taken with her either destroyed or left in Seattle. But with every problem or missing explanation taken care of, Ellie soon settled into her new life having been officially reunited with her second family.
"Ugh, please don't remind me that I missed my own graduation," Ellie complained playfully with her head in her hands.
"I wouldn't stress," Jasper replied from beside her with a smile. "You've got plenty more to look forward to."
"Yeah but no other graduation will ever live up to the only one I was supposed to attend." Ellie joked.
"What about you, Ellie?" Alice piped up from the corner of the room. "What happened on your end?"
"Not a whole lot you don't already know." Ellie shrugged. "Was with Elijah for most of the time at the hospital with the two college visits I managed before I walked home late from the hospital back to my hotel, caught unaware and that's when it happened." Ellie recounted.
"What about on the mountain with Edward and Victoria?" Rosalie asked curiously. "Edward briefly mentioned that you forced Victoria to stop moving so he could finish her."
A wide grin crossed Ellie's face at Rosalie's words. With all of the calamity following Ellie's sudden appearance again, she hadn't had any time to inform anyone of her sudden gift, Bella and Edward the only ones who had had the chance to see it in action.
"Ah yes, my new favourite party trick." Ellie grinned.
"You have a gift?" Jasper asked, his eyes meeting Ellie's.
"I'm pretty sure." Ellie returned. "If I promise it doesn't hurt, does anyone want to volunteer?" Ellie questioned. "Although I've only done it twice so no promises."
"Why the heck not," Emmett exclaimed standing up and moving in front of Ellie.
"You sure?" Ellie questioned with a playful expression.
"Why wouldn't I b-" Emmett started soon interrupted, by his body falling to the ground with a loud thud that Ellie winced at, he desperately tried to move any of his muscles but was unable to due to Ellie's hold on him, that she soon let him free off. "Holy shit, El. You're so frickin cool."
Ellie shrugged slightly as the rest of the Cullen family watched her in shock. Carlisle eventually speaking up, having picked up on the similarity between Ellie's gift and the things she had experienced with her narcolepsy in her human life.
"That's similar to your cataplexy attacks." He commented, his extensive knowledge of Ellie's condition over the years proving useful.
"Yeah, I had a similar thought as well. Too similar to it to just be a coincidence. I did make a newborn shut his eyes in Seattle when he tried to attack me but vampires obviously don't sleep so I don't know if sleeping is another side-effect." Ellie replied with a small smile and a shrug.
Ellie had eventually slipped out of the house, her self-imposed entrapment to the Cullen home had quickly driven her up the walls, needing her to escape into the extensive forest that surrounded them. Jasper had soon joined her as well, the unspoken elephant in the room still existing between the couple, since Ellie's return from Seattle. The rest of the family giving the couple their space.
"Should I be expecting a lecture or a kiss?" Ellie questioned, sensing that her boyfriend had followed her out of the house.
"Well, that depends on what you would prefer," Jasper remarked.
"You already know that answer." Ellie joked with a grin. "But I probably do deserve a lecture. Although I'm pretty sure my Mum alongside Sydney are already lining up to give me one whenever I end up seeing them next, so you better get in quick."
"Yeah, Sydney was pretty lost without you. Asking Bella every day if she had heard anything from you apart from that one cryptic message." Jasper started.
"Yeah, it wasn't the best explanation but hey I had to think on my feet!" Ellie defended.
"She even voluntarily came to talk to me which we both know wouldn't happen unless she was extremely distraught and concerned over you." Jasper continued.
"Well, what were you doing while I was playing the covert role of newborn vampire undercover?"
"Desperate to search for you the second I had the chance although I didn't quite get it. Endlessly thinking up the worst outcomes, terrified that you were lying dead somewhere and I couldn't do anything about it. I can't. . . can't lose you and I was convinced that I had." Jasper replied grimly.
"I'm really sorry I put you through that." Ellie apologised sincerely not quite meeting her boyfriend's eyes in her guilt.
"You have nothing to apologise for." Jasper reassured, noticing that Ellie still wouldn't look at him, her gaze looking towards the ground guiltily. "Darling, look at me. It's okay. You're here, you're safe and happy."
"Guess I now have forever to make it up to you, huh?" Ellie asked with a slight suggestive grin, meeting Jasper's eyes once more.
"We'll see." Jasper returned with a matching grin. "As glad as I am that you came home safe to me, I should've expected it. Sure, you are reckless, fearless, stubborn and so incredibly selfless but they are just a few things that I love about you."
Ellie paused, a small smile forcing its way onto her face against her control, convinced that if she was still human her cheeks would be flaming red.
"What did you say?" Ellie asked with mock confusion.
"You heard me." Jasper returned. "Last time I checked the change is supposed to enhance your hearing not diminish it. But, I'll repeat it just for you. I love you, Ellie Hadley!"
"Well, it's a good thing that I love you too or this would be a tad awkward." Ellie joked, Jasper's grin widening at her declaration.
The two of them immediately met together, their lips smashing together with passion. They fit together easily like puzzle pieces, like they were made to stay together. How much they had missed the other but also how much they loved each other present in every single embrace.
Ellie eventually broke from the kiss, resting her forehead against Jasper's own. "I love you, Jasper Hale."
