ROSALIE led her back down the hall, to Carlisle's office. She knocked on the door, despite Carlisle already being able to hear them.
"Come in," Carlisle's voice spoke from behind the wooden door.
Rosalie opened the door to reveal yet another room that Elexia was not expecting in the slightest. The ceiling was high and the left wall was all glass. The walls were paneled wood; although they were mostly covered by bookshelves.
Carlisle sat at a wood desk in a black leather chair. He closed the book he had been reading before they walked in.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, with his usual kind tone, standing from his chair.
"I wanted to show Elexia some of our history," Rosalie said. "Well, your history, actually."
"I'm sorry to bother you," Elexia apologized.
"No worries, you aren't." He smiled at her. "Where are you going to start?"
"The Waggoner," Rosalie answered, turning Elexia over to a wall that was covered in photos and pulled her to the left. The painting was of a city. Elexia couldn't figure out which one, let alone what year it was in. It seemed very ancient.
Rosalie seemed to understand what she was thinking. "London in the sixteen-fifties,"
Elexia's lips parted just a little bit, and she realized that she didn't know how old Carlisle actually was.
"The London of my youth," Carlisle spoke from behind them.
"Can you tell her the story?" Rosalie asked. "It's better when you do it."
Carlisle smiled. "I would, but I'm actually running a bit late. The hospital called this morning - Dr. Snow is taking a sick day. Besides, you know the stories as well as I do,"
Carlisle smiled one more time, before exiting the room. Elexia turned her head back around to look at the painting. She wondered what it must've been like, to be alive during that time.
Rosalie began speaking quietly, "Carlisle was the son of an Anglican pastor. His mother died giving birth to him. As the Protestants came into power, he was enthusiastic in his persecution of Roman Catholics and other religions. He also believed very strongly in the reality of evil. He led hunts for witches, werewolves and vampires. They burned a lot of innocent people - of course, the real creatures were not so easy to catch. When the pastor grew old, he placed his obedient son in charge of the raids. At first Carlisle was a disappointment - he was not quick to accuse. But he was more persistent than his father. He did actually discover a coven of real vampires living in the sewers of the city. The people gathered pitchforks and torches and waited where Carlisle had seen the monsters exit. Eventually one came out. He must have been super old, and weak from not eating. Carlisle heard him call out in Latin to the other vampires in the sewer. He was too hungry, so he attacked. Carlisle was the first. He was left bleeding in the street.
"Carlisle knew what his father would do. He would burn the bodies. Carlisle saved his own life, crawling away from the alley. He hid in a cellar and buried himself in rotting potatoes for three days. He realized what he had become. He rebelled against it at first. He tried to destroy himself. He tried to jump from great heights. . . tried to drown himself. He was able to resist feeding, despite being so young. The instinct is usually all you can think about then. He tried starvation next. That can't kill us, so he just became very weak. He stayed far away from humans.
"One night, a herd of deer passed where he was staying. He was so thirsty that he attacked them without thinking. His strength came back, and that's how he learned of the alternative of feeding on animals to survive. He swam to France-"
Elexia interrupted for the first time. "Wait. Swam?"
"People swim in the Channel all the time." Rosalie pointed out bluntly.
"Okay, but the way you said it was funny. He swam to France. Yeah, like people just do that shits and giggles."
"Well, it's easier for us because technically, we don't need to breathe." Rosalie spoke. "Now, let me finish the story."
"Carlisle swam to France and continued through Europe, to different universities. He studied music, science and medicine. He discovered that his passion was saving human lives. It did take Carlisle two centuries to really perfect his self-control. Now, he is basically immune to the scent of human blood."
She pointed to a painting in front of them. It wasn't hard to recognize which one was Carlisle, on that balcony. "He was studying in Italy when he discovered the other vampires there. They were much more civilized than the ones in London."
"Aro, Marcus and Caius." Rosalie pointed to each man as she said their names. Are and Marcus had dark hair, where Caius's was the color as Carlisle's.
"What happened to them?" Elexia asked. Those names were never mentioned to her, so she assumed something must've happened.
"Oh, they're still there." Rosalie nodded. "They've been there for who knows how long. Carlisle was only with them for a short time - only about a few decades. He admired them in many ways, but they fed on humans and tried to convert Carlisle to their diet. At that point, Carlisle decided to move on from them. He wanted to find others like himself. He was very lonely. He didn't find anyone for a long time. He began living in the human world; as a doctor.
"When the Influenza epidemic hit, he was working night shifts in a hospital in Chicago. He decided that since he couldn't find a companion, he would create one. He wasn't sure how to do it though, since he didn't know exactly what happened when he was turned. And he didn't want to kill a human being who was able to survive. That was when he found Edward. He was left in a ward, dying."
Rosalie smiled. "And that's how our family started."
Elexia smiled back at her.
"Come on, let's go to my room." Rosalie grabbed Elexia's hand and walked her out of the office, back down the hall to where her room was.
Her room also had the same all glass wall, except hers was facing south. Her view was partially of the river. She had a small bookshelf of her own, and a large closet. Her bed frame was black and the blanket was a deep, rich blue.
"Why do you have a bed if you can't sleep?" Elexia giggled.
"More comfortable than a couch." Rosalie shrugged.
There was a knock on the door. "Can we come in?" Alice's soft voice asked.
"Yeah," Rosalie called.
Alice opened the door slowly, a small smile on her face with Jasper behind her. She walked right in to the room, while Jasper stayed in the doorway.
"Edward and Bella just got here. He figured he'd bring her today, while Elexia is still here." Alice informed.
Jasper finally walked into the room, his uncomfortableness easing just a bit. "Alice says there's going to be a real storm tonight, and Emmett wants to play ball. Are you game?"
Elexia wondered why they would 'play ball' in a storm.
"Of course you should bring Elexia." Alice smiled.
Rosalie turned to Elexia. "Do you want to go?"
Elexia nodded, a small smile on her face. She still didn't understand the storm part, but she wouldn't mind going to hang out with the family.
"We have to wait for thunder to play ball - you'll see why," Rosalie told her.
"Don't worry, there won't be rain in the clearing we're going to. It's going to hit over the town."
"Let's go see if Carlisle will come." Alice spoke excitedly, rushing to the bedroom door.
"Like you don't already know," Jasper teased, and left the room after his love, closing the door.
"What do you guys play?" Elexia asked.
"You and Bella won't be playing, just watching." Rosalie chuckled. "We'll be playing baseball."
"Wait," Elexia's eyes widened. "Is Emmett here now?"
Rosalie nodded.
Elexia jumped to her feet. "Can we go see him?"
Rosalie chuckled, fond of the friendship that had formed between her two favorite people on the planet. She stood up and grabbed Elexia's hand, opening her door and walking down the hall to Emmett's room.
Elexia knocked softly on the slightly ajar door, to which Emmett's deep voice shouted for them to 'come in'.
As soon as she walked in, she was lifted off her feet into a big bear hug from the oversized vampire. He was careful to turn her slightly on her side so he didn't crush her stomach. She laughed, wrapping her arms tightly around his stone shoulders - despite them barely being able to wrap around them. Rosalie smiled wide at them from the doorway.
"Where the hell were you before?" Elexia asked once Emmett set her back on her feet.
Excitement lit up his features as he rushed to the couch in his room, picking up a box of donuts. "I got you donuts! I know you said you were craving them the other day. It took me so long because I had to sit there and try every single donut in the shop to make sure they were good. And then I had to throw them up because I can't digest human food. . ." He trailed off before smiling widely again. "Anyway! I got you a whole bunch so that you - and Gaia - are satisfied for a while."
Elexia couldn't help the smile that took over on her face, matching his own. He was so considerate and he really was going to be the best uncle, despite not having that many braincells.
"Well, thank you for the donuts, Em." Elexia chuckled. "I'm sure Gaia will appreciate them greatly."
"Oh!" He shouted enthusiastically, like he was unable to stay on one topic for too long. Did you see my bunk bed? I got it for when you and Baby G sleep over. But, I call top bunk!"
"Okay, Emmett. Top bunk is yours."
"Did Alice tell you that we're gonna play baseball today? She told me she'd tell you!"
"She told us," Elexia nodded.
"Dude, I'm so excited!"
"Yup, I'm sure you are."
i kept this chapter mostly the same as regular twilight because there wasn't much to change + it felt relevant to the story
BASEBALL CHAPTER NEXT WOOOOOOO