Chapter 32 - Part 2

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Rachel Explains Further

"I don't understand something," said Carlisle to Rachel, "why did he come back here when Edward found him?"

Rachel closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Because that wasn't the first time that Christopher's been here," she admitted.

"Christopher actually found you many times," Rachel confided, "However, we always got there in time before your family became aware of him."

Rachel looked down at the ground and said, "We had to protect Christopher's mental wall of awareness. We didn't want the Volturi to become aware of us again...and we were too afraid that Christopher would be unable to reconstruct the wall."

"If he didn't usually remember anything, I still don't understand why he kept returning," Carlisle said.

"Because," Rachel continued in a weary voice, "Although he had no clear memories...Christopher was still drawn to you...he somehow knew that you were both a part of each other. Almost every time Christopher phased into a small child, some driving force would propel him back to you again. We always knew where to find Christopher...because he'd always be somewhere near where you would be."

Carlisle looked into the woods where Bynjin was holding tightly onto Christopher.

"Does he know me now?" Carlisle asked.

Rachel nodded her head sadly and said, "Yes, you're the ONLY person Christopher knows any more."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked Rachel in amazement.

"You recall that day when you and Rosalie helped us recapture Christopher?" asked Rachel.

Carlisle shook his head in irritation and said, "Of course I do...that wasn't even a year ago!"

Rachel bowed her head and said, "When we took him back, we tried to heal him again...like we've tried many times in the past. But something went wrong...we've tried again and again to fix it but Christopher's permanently broken now and we can do nothing about it."

Carlisle could feel himself growing angry...he was tired of always being left in the dark about so many things about the Minstrels...about Helena...about his own damn child.

"Tell me what that means!" seethed Carlisle.

"What is means," Rachel began, "is that Christopher is currently approximately twelve-years-old. He can no longer shift through time anymore because the gift has become more flawed."

Tears etched their ways down her cheeks as Rachel said, "Christopher is somehow permanently stuck in a backwards flux. This should be impossible...this should have nothing to do with the time shift gift...but it's broken...and Christopher is aging backwards instead of forwards."

Carlisle's eyes remained on Rachel's green eyes in astonishment and disbelief.

"It's permanent and we can't seem to alter or change it," Rachel stared away and added, "We give Christopher about a decade or so."

"What's going to happen to him?" Carlisle demanded of Rachel.

Now Rachel was sobbing, "He'll slowly forget things...he'll eventually lose his fine motor coordination and speech."

Carlisle looked at Christopher who was smiling at him...although the boy was still held firmly within Bynjin's grasp.

"Why are you giving me this offer?" replied Carlisle skeptically.

Carlisle was afraid this was some type of trick or deception.

"Because," Rachel admitted, "What's the use? The memory barrier wall will mostly likely go down after Christopher's death. Then the will Volturi know about us"

"We've given up the Amish ruse," Rachel said gesturing to her and Bynjin's modern apparel.

"The rest of us are on the run. We can't allow the Volturi to find us. This will be the last time you see any of us again," Rachel confessed.

"We can't keep trying to control Christopher...he doesn't even recognize any of us anymore. We can't keep running here to bring him back. The Volturi will catch on to that sooner or later. All we need to know is if you want Christopher back," Rachel told Carlisle.

Carlisle just answered with pure and simple honestly, "Of course I want him back! How could you even believe that I would ever NOT want Christopher?"

"If we return him...could you make us a solemn promise?" Rachel asked.

"I'll try." Carlisle answered.

"When Christopher's time comes...you must promise that you will burn him," Rachel reluctantly said.

"Why?" Carlisle asked astonished that she'd have the nerve to ask such a thing.

"Because," began Rachel, "We don't deteriorate like other things of this world...because we don't actually belong to it. Microorganisms don't recognize us. And...there can be no evidence of us here on this world. You must make me that promise."

Carlisle looked into Rachel's eyes. He knew he had to be honest because the Minstrel would know if he were lying.

"Then yes...I agree," Carlisle said.

Rachel sadly gazed upon Carlisle and said very softly, "There's an email address in Christopher's shirt pocket. When Christopher goes, please let us know with that email."

Carlisle was paralyzed by that thought... but he managed a small nod.

Then Rachel did something very few Minstrels would be willing to do....shocking Bella, Edward, and even Carlisle himself.

Rachel crossed the short distance separating herself and Carlisle and wrapped her arms around him.

Before Rachel released Carlisle, she whispered into his ear, "I'm so sorry Carlisle, but a sword shall pierce your heart."

Rachel strode to where Bynjin was standing with Christopher. Rachel didn't talk to Bynjin with words....but Carlisle knew she was communicating with him, sending her thoughts into his mind.

Bynjin nodded without saying a word. He knelt down and embraced Christopher, while mournful sobs began to escape from Bynjin's mouth.

Rachel knelt with them and embraced them both, as her tearful sobs joined Bynjin's.

Finally both Rachel and Bynjin stood and took a step away from Christopher. They both smiled to Carlisle, despite the tears in their eyes, and then they held hands and abruptly vanished into thin air.

 They both smiled to Carlisle, despite the tears in their eyes, and then they held hands and abruptly vanished into thin air

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Suddenly Christopher ran as fast as his legs could carry him to Carlisle.

Carlisle felt his son's arms wrap around him as he heard Christopher's words, "Father! Father! I've been searching for you so long that it seemed like forever. I thought I'd never find you again!"

Carlisle looked down into the boy's midnight blue eyes and said, "Come, Christopher...Let's go home."

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