Closing Dusk ¤ Leah Clearwater | ✔

26. Prisms

Disclaimer I own no characters belonging to twilight, they are owned by Stephanie Meyer and are borrowed by me. I only own the unfamiliar characters.

Leah

It was nightfall when we arrived at Sea-Tac airport, neither Nikolai nor Asia was surprised by the reception that waited for us in the carpark, but it caught me off guard. Rosalie was the first one I saw— she didn't seem to see me at all. Her eyes were only for her godchildren. She went quickly to their side; she gushed over them, searching for bruises before locking them in an embrace like a lioness and her cubs. Somehow, the moment was so private that I still felt the need to look away.

Carlisle and Esme waited in a quiet corner far from the line for the metal detectors, in the shadow of a wide pillar. Esme reached for me, hugging me fiercely, yet awkwardly, because Edward kept his arms around me, too.

"Don’t you dare try that again," she scolds me in my ear.

“I won’t.” I convinced her. I meant it.

"I trust your plan worked, Nikolai," Carlisle said.

Nikolai nods once.

"Let's get home, then." Esme says.

“The kids can drive with us. Asia, with Alice and Jasper and Leah and Nikolai with Rose and Emmett.”

Rose hissed from where she stood. Saying she was pissed would be an understatement.

Nikolai growls lowly in Rose’s direction.

“Behave.” Esme says sternly. “And the two of you will be civil. Leah, talk to Rose, she’s…”

“I know.” I murmured.

We climbed in the back seat of the black sedan behind Emmett and Rosalie under the dim lights of the parking garage. The soft purr of the engine was the only sound.

"Rose," I began.

Rose hissed.

"Don't," Nikolai growled. "She feels awful about lying to leave."

"She should," Rose said.

“None of this is her fault, Rosalie.” Nikolai hissed.

Rose spun in her seat. “Your right! If she never met you, she wouldn’t have been caught in your stupid Anancy web. You think the Volturi would care if she had kids or is she was dating a frog. No, but because of your jealous ex, you had to expose her and my godchildren to those evil fiends! Suppose they killed her, huh? What would you tell, Sue? Seth? You know what Nikolai, you’re a snake! Yes, you’re one of those two face pretenders who-“

I had enough. “Stop!” I shout. “Enough! Rose you’re my best friend and I love you. But you have to understand that just like you I can protect myself. And you of all persons should know that I wouldn’t wilfully expose my kids to danger. Now, I’ve had a tiresome day, could you just be civil; for old times’ sake.”

The two remained silent, not answering.

“I’ll give you the kids to babysit for tomorrow.” I throw in.

“Tomorrow and Thursday,” Rose bargained.

“Deal.”

“Okay.” She says stiffly. “I’m sorry, for what I said Nikolai. I’ll try to be more civil towards you in the future.”

I drown in sleep once again, feeling more drained than tired.

Next morning, I woke up late. Twenty-one minutes to nine, to be exact. The kids were at the Cullen’s, and Asia and Nikolai were nowhere to be seen. On the fridge door was a note.