After Dawn Broke

Chapter Four: Family

Hiding. I was hiding. Hiding until something caught me.

"Let go of me!" I screamed as loud as I could in hopes of someone hearing.

"Taylor!" a familiar voice called out in agony.

"Dad!? Grandpa!?"

No answer.

"Be quiet young lady," someone commanded as they clasped a cold hand over my mouth.

I tried to squirm my way out of their arms, but they just held on tighter. All the sudden I started to feel something building up inside of me. A shot of pure adrenaline. I regained control of my right arm and elbowed the unknown person as hard as I could directly in their hard stomach. It caught them off guard, so I ran. I ran as fast as I could, which is pretty fast because of the vampire inside me.

As soon as I realized that no one was pursuing me, I risked a glance behind me. There was a woman in a long black robe staring at me from a distance.

"Just like your father..." the woman said. Then she turned and walked away.

My heart started beating faster, which I am not sure is even possible because it was already about to explode. My father? What did Dad have to do with this? Then I heard something coming out from the opening in the woods beside me. I turned and almost screamed, but then I recognized the person. Grandpa.

"Taylor, open your eyes, sweetie. Everything is going to be alright," he said in a worried voice.

That's when I woke up.

I started to blink my eyes. Sweat was dripping down the sides of my face.

"Are you okay? I was so worried.. you were screaming..." Grandpa looked like he was in pain.

I looked at him through my tear-filled eyes, and thought, (I'm fine).

My whole family was circled around me, except for my mom and dad. I have no idea where they were. I was laying on the sofa in the Cullen house.

Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper were sitting on the arm rest next to where my feet were propped up. As soon as I looked into Uncle Jasper's golden eyes, I was filled with comfort.

(Thanks) I thought to him.

He smiled and slightly nodded towards me. Aunt Alice patted my foot consolingly, and Aunt Rosalie was running her fingers through my hair. Next to her I saw Uncle Emmett with a somewhat serious look on his face. It's the most serious I have ever seen him look. Lizzy was sitting up on his shoulders. She looked at me worriedly.

Standing next to them were Esme and Carlisle. Great Grandma Esme, who I call Meme {pronounced May-May}, was holding hands with Great Grandpa Carlisle, who I call Li {pronounced Lye}.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grandma Bella walk up behind Grandpa Edward where he was kneeling beside me. She looked at me with a tiny smile and handed me a bowl of cookies and creme ice cream. I sensed her shield expanding around me to allow me to send her a message, so I sent her one.

(Thanks. It's my favorite!)

She always knows how to cheer me up. I let my own shield go too, so she thought back, (You're welcome. Anything to cheer you up.) Then she bent down and kissed my forehead.

All the sudden we heard a boom of thunder, and my sister screamed. After he calmed Lizzy down, Uncle Emmett cleared his throat in the sudden silence to get everyone's attention. "Come on! You know what kind of weather this is?"

"Scary weather?" my sister replied in a tiny voice.

"No, silly! It's baseball weather!" he replied as he lightly poked Lizzy in her stomach. She started to laugh like a crazy person.

"America's favorite past time!" Grandma and Grandpa said in unison while smiling at each other. I guessed it was an inside joke between the two them. Grandpa glanced at me and winked, confirming my thoughts.

Everyone decided to play baseball to get their minds off of things, but I just couldn't stop worrying about my parents. When we got to the end of the path to the field, I decided to send a message.

(Dad?) No answer.

(Mom?) No answer.

I started to feel nauseated because I usually get immediate answers. Suddenly, Grandpa Edward appeared at my side.

"Let's go for a walk, Taylor. I cannot bare to see you like this."

(Okay) I thought, because I felt too sick to speak.

"Would you like to walk to our destination, or would you like me to run you there?" he asked politely. I wish more guys my age were gentlemen like my grandpa. The ones I see at school are the exact opposite.

(Please run me there, I love to take rides!) I hopped onto his back, and we were off. The uneasy feeling in my stomach went away for a while, and was replaced with exhilaration. I had no idea where we were going, but we were there in what felt like a few minutes. It's quite hard to keep track of time when you are moving at such a speed.

Our destination was an extraordinary place. A perfectly rounded meadow. It was small, and filled with wildflowers: violet ones, yellow ones, and white ones. I felt well enough to speak now, so I said to Grandpa, "This is the loveliest place I have ever seen!"

He smiled a smile that could break a million hearts. "It's a special place. Your grandmother and I have come here since we first met."

A love story. My life is surrounded by a love story. The kind I read about in books. But what about me? Do I have a happy ending?

Grandpa placed his hand on my shoulder. "Sure you do. Any boy would be lucky to have you," he reassured me.

For a moment I had forgotten he could listen to everything I was thinking. I was flattered to hear that though, and I started to blush.

"You remind me of Bella when you blush," Grandpa said with a longing in his voice.

I started to wonder what Grandma used to be like. Clumsy? Blushing? It was hard for me to imagine.

"Take down your shield, and I will show you."

I wasn't really sure what he meant by that, but I let my shield expand anyway.

"Close your eyes, Taylor." Grandpa said cheerfully. His were already shut.

Then I saw it just as my eyes closed. A fragile human. But not just any human, it was my eighteen-year-old grandmother. He showed me her clumsiness and her blushing.

I started to giggle because it reminded me so much of myself. Could people who seem so different really be so alike?