08
New Moon
A b a n d o n m e n t
SOME PEOPLE ARE born with tragedy in their blood and Adele Cullen had a strange inkling that her entire biological family had shared such tainted blood. In the muggy Texas air, she knelt before three eroding headstones and placed bouquets of flowers in front of each.
ROSALINE CULLEN
(nee Caverly) 1634 - 1663
MADELINE CULLEN
1648 - 1662
JACE ROSEWOOD
1717 - 1737
Although there were no remains to fill the marked graves beside Jace's, it calmed Adele to know that they were here. After fleeing Volterra on the morning following Jace's murder, Carlisle tried to help her cope by holding ceremonies for her loved ones in Texas, the first place they could really call home. They had many homes across the country – in Forks, in Michigan, in Texas and even Buffalo, New York. This was where they first found Alice and Jasper.
She sat down on the grass and didn't know whether to smile or frown as she stared at the names. "You've all really gone on and fucked up my life by dying, you know." she chuckled at the thought of her mother breathing her for such language. "I've made a life for myself. I have Dad and Esme, who the sweetest person in the world – you'd like her mum." she smiled softly, "And there's Emmett and Jasper, the lovable idiots, and Alice. Edward's pretty damn annoying with his human drama, but he's tolerable sometimes."
The early morning sun's heat licked her icy skin and a soft breeze blew her long hair back. An elderly man visited his wife's grave a few rows away but besides him, the cemetery was empty.
"Then there's Rosalie. I think you'd like her, Maddy." Adele looked to her sister's headstone. She liked to believe they were looking down on her during some afterlife. "She's a pain in my ass sometimes but she has a golden heart when she opens up to people." Birds were chirping in the trees bordering the cemetery and her gaze fell upon a particularly large oak to the far side of the cemetery. She felt as though she was being watched, so she decided to stop her visit short. "I'll be back tomorrow to wallow in some more self-pity." She wanted to say I love you, but her pessimistic conscience told her that it wouldn't mean anything to say it to some carved rock.
She walked out of the cemetery and made it to her car, pausing for a moment as she skimmed the area for anything unusual. When she found nothing, she climbed into her car and drove off towards the beach house she rented a few miles from there. It was isolated, maybe a ten minute drive from town, and that was just how she liked it. She parked her car a few yards away from the house and grabbed only one suitcase to take to the house. It wasn't a massive house like the Cullen abode in Forks, but it was still considerably large and lavish. It was a modern two-story home with one-way glass walls and a open wooden deck with a table set and tanning chairs. The second floor had an open deck with a swing and more chairs. It was perfect for her – peace and quiet. As she walked inside and tossed her suitcase effortlessly across the room, she walked around the house as she texted her father to let him know she reached her destination. Before she could get a chance to admire the view from the second floor, the doorbell rang out through the house and she paused. This place was isolated for a reason. Who could be at the door? She sped downstairs and walked to the front door but when she looked, there was no one there. However, a folded note was slipped beneath the door and she picked it up to read it.
Was this a prank, or was this real? She read the note over again. It was so vague and yet it had the gears in her mind whirring madly. Maybe this was just the kind of distraction she needed to get over everything. Maybe.
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Bella hadn't seen Edward for days. She guessed he was still upset about the party and their conversation in the car afterwards. She'd tried to convince him to change her into a vampire so there wouldn't be another incident like that, but he refused to. She knew he thought he would be damning her soul, but she didn't care.
As she pulled into the driveway of her house after coming home from school, she saw her immortal boyfriend standing idly next to the house, waiting for her. He wore a stony expression that she knew meant nothing good. She slammed the car door shut and smiled at him, "Edward. You're here." She hurried over but slowed her pace when she saw his firm and unreadable expression.
"Walk with me?" He gently took her hand into his own and led her into the woods. Dread was building up inside of Bella – why does he need to talk to me in the woods? She was too trusting to think the worst. They walked in silence for a few moments until they stopped in front of a particularly large fallen tree. When he broke the silence, he spoke vaguely, "We need to leave Forks."
"What? Why?"
"It's time." He pressed his lips into a thin line, "Carlisle's supposed to be ten years older than he looks; people are starting to notice."
Adele left a week again. Did she know about this? She never mentioned anything – why wouldn't she tell me? "But...when?"
"Now."
There was a pregnant pause as she digested the devastating information. If Edward's going, then so will I. I'm eighteen now, a legal adult. I can go with them. She spoke with a newfound , "I'll have to think of something to tell Charlie, but I can be ready–"
"–Not you." He cleared up harshly. His voice was cold, his expression unwavering. "Us."
She spluttered as she realized what he was doing. He was going to leave her behind for what he'd think is for her own good. "What – no – Edward, what happened with Jasper a few days ago t-that was nothing."
"Nothing compared to what could've happened." he sighed and shook his head, staring at the ground, "You don't belong in my world, Bella. He was defying everything Adele advised him to do. He couldn't let Bella get hurt by him or any other vampire.
"I belong with you–" she began desperately. How could he do this to her?
"–You don't." He cut her off.
"I'm coming! I–"
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME!"
That was a slap in the face. How could he say that to her? What happened to all of their intimate moments, the times that he saved her, the time that his family fought to protect her. What was really going on? When he said he didn't want her to come...did that mean... "You don't...want me?"
It took every fiber of his being to keep his face blank of emotion while he said the very word that made his bones ache and his heart clench, "No." She was rigid with disbelief and her head pounded as she comprehended his harsh words. Why are you doing this? "I'd like to ask one favor though." his tone was softer.
She perked up hopefully, "Anything."
"Don't do anything stupid or reckless, do you understand?" Maybe he does care like I know he does, and he's just putting up an act – but even though he couldn't read her mind, he knew she was thinking along those lines and added hastily, "...for Charlie's sake. Just... take care of yourself."
She was stunned. "I– yes...I will...."
He looked apologetically at her, "Don't worry. You're human. Time heals all wounds for your kind. Particularly if you're not reminded."
But Edward, don't you see that I'm lost without you? "No, this is – don't do this!" she pleaded desperately, "Please!"
Seeing that she wasn't giving up easily, his tone became harsh again, "Try to understand. Every second with you is about restraint. You're too fragile. I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not, reining myself in so I can be with a human!" He wracked his brains for words good enough to hurt her and make her let go.
"Then take my soul! I don't care!" she exclaimed almost furiously. After everything they have been through, how could he just walk away? "I don't want it without you–"
"–YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, BELLA." He did it. He found the words to break her heart. She expected to see a hint of remorse or flash of uncertainty in his eyes, but his didn't waver in the slightest. He sighed as tears streamed down her pale cheeks, "I've let it go on too long. I'm sorry." He took a step forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes to relish it – was this the last time he'd ever touch her? "I promise, it will be like I never existed." he turned away from her, "Goodbye, Bella."
She tried to call out to him, to stop him, but her voice came out hoarse. With his back to her, the emotional agony showed on his porcelain face and the anguish in his eyes would've been unbearable to witness. He should've listened to Adele, but now the deed was done and he knew he shouldn't turn back. And just like that, Edward Cullen was gone, leaving her standing alone in the woods.
"Wait!" she spun around to find him, but the only other sound was from a leaf fluttering into the dirt when he grazed a tree during his speedy exit. It was the only hint of the direction he sped off in and she hurried in that direction, running and shouting his name as she went. "Edward?!" But he was truly gone and she was running deeper into the woods. She ran for what must've been hours because day turned to night and in the darkest part of the woods, it was pitch black. Her breathes were shallow and she was dizzy from all of the running, fatigue soon crept up on her. Bella tripped over a tree door and fell to the ground, but made no effort to get back up as the world around her spun wildly. If Edward wasn't coming to her aid now, then he was truly gone. That realization struck her hard and she curled up into a ball, her devastation paralyzing her.
So there she lay in the middle of the woods. Rain started to pour down on her, begging for her to get up, but she didn't register it. She didn't even register the voices in the far distance calling her name a few hours later. Adele was right when she told Edward what would happen – she wished she wasn't. Bella Swan would recede into a deep dark hole for months and no one would be there to help her out of it.
O C T O B E R
N O V E M B E R
D E C E M B E R
J A N U A R Y
Adele caught word of Bella's situation just yesterday when Alice solemnly texted her about their sudden move only a week after she left. Now four months later, she was livid that she was only hearing of this now. When Alice begged her to get in touch with Edward (he was hiding out somewhere in the mountains many states away) Adele promptly refused. She lost all respect for her adoptive brother. Instead, she planned to drive all the way back to Forks to check in on the girl.
As she hopped into her car which was fully packed with all of her belongings, she noticed another folded note on the dashboard. She unfolded it and read it, recognizing the same handwriting as before.
Her curiosity was at its peak but her concern for Isabella overshadowed it. She hastily shoved it into her bag next to the other one. "Forks, Washington, here I come."
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It took an entire day without rest for Adele to finally cross the town border into Forks. She wondered what state Bella was in. It'd been months since Edward left her – had de already grin to heal? As she passed through the busiest part of town, she recognized Sheriff Swan in the Diner parking lot as he emerged from his police cruiser. She pulled in behind him and parked faster than he could blink, much to his surprise, and ran with human speed around his car to reach him.
"Sheriff Swan!" she called out as he slammed his car door shut and turned around.
"Adele? Adele Cullen?" he was clearly taken aback and his eyes held a bit of hostility in them. Did he blame the rest of the Cullen's for Edward's actions? "I thought you and your family moved?"
"They did – I didn't. I've been away and my sister called me yesterday and told me about what Edward did," she pretended to be out of breath, "Truly, I didn't know or I would've been here. I rushed back when I heard – took me an entire day."
"They left without you?" he raised an eyebrow as the hostility in his eyes faded away.
"Well, I am legally an adult." She shrugged and frowned gravely, "How is she?"
His expression turned solemn as well, "Not good. Your family left months ago. I assume Edward broke it to her during a walk in the woods and she just....broke down."
She had a nervous breakdown? "Fuck," she muttered.
"Yeah. We organized a search party and everything. One of the Rez guys, Sam Uley, found her in the middle of the woods in the rain. She hasn't spoken much since. It's like she's catatonic."
"I was heading to your house now," she replied, "I think I can help her."
His eyes flashed hopefully and all of his intentions to head into the diner disappeared. "Do you really think so?" she nodded, "Then, by all means!" he exclaimed and suddenly he warmed up to her, "I was just heading in to get some food, if you want to join me?"
"Oh, no, thank you. I know Bella usually cooks, but I can cook for you both tonight – if you like Italiano." Because that's the only freaking thing I know how to cook.
"I love Italiano." he said, "Are you sure?"
"Of course, I'll meet you there." She walked across the lot and hopped back into her car. She followed him out of the lot and they drove all the way to his house. When they arrived. they both climbed out of their cars.
"Are you sure you can get her out of her shell?" he asked as walked onto the porch and he unlocked the door. They entered the house.
"I'm going to try." I will drag her out by her hair if I must.
"Well, you go on ahead." She nodded and ascended the stairs with Charlie watching hopefully after her. When she reached Bella's door, she knocked quietly but there was no response. Charlie went half-way up the stairs to see if Adele was succeeding and she knocked again, but Bella didn't respond. She started making her way back down the stairs.
"Where are you going?" he questioned.
"I'm going to climb up to her window." she grinned. He raised an eyebrow but shrugged and gestured for her to carry on – he didn't care what she had to do. He went into the living room to watch a re-run of last night football game as Adele exited the house and swung up the large oak tree within a seconds.
From the other side of the window, she saw Bella sitting on her bed, staring blankly at her wall. Adele lightly rapped her knuckles on the window and Bella's head snapped towards in her direction – her face lit up. It was probably one of the first emotions she had shown in months. She jumped off of her bed, raced to the window, and fumbled to open it. Adele swung inside and immediately engulfed Bella in a hug that she definitely needed.
"I am so sorry. My brother's a shmuck. I did not know they left until Alice texted me yesterday. I rushed straight here."
Bella sat down solemnly on her bed and Adele sat across from her. "Have you heard from him?"
"No, and I don't want to. He shouldn't have done this to you." she frowned. Bella's hair was matted and greasy from going days without a proper washing and she had dark circles beneath her broken eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella. I don't know what's going through his head right now." Bella was quiet. "But hey, you have me for now." Bella managed a weak smile. She was trying to come up with something to cheer her up or distract her for a while. And then she thought of it. "Can I show you something?"
When Bella heard the excitement in her voice, she shrugged and nodded, "Yeah." Adele reached into her bag and pulled out the two notes. She handed the first to Bella. "Since I arrived at the house I was staying at, I have gotten two notes from someone. I don't know who they're from." Adele explained as Bella read the first note, "The first one was left on my front door and the I found the second yesterday, in my car.
"These are pretty...creepy." she managed a chuckle.
"Actually, they're the complete opposite for me. I have a ton of theories on who could've written them. And if they are written by the person I think they were written by, then..." she smiled slightly, "I wouldn't be able to describe how happy I would be."
"Who do you think wrote them?"
"I'll let you know when I have some more evidence. I don't want to get my hopes up." Bella nodded in comprehension. Adele placed her hand on her knee, "Now, you need to take a hot shower and clean yourself up. I'll be waiting right here when you're done."
With a heavy sigh, Bella nodded and found a newfound motivation to start her life up again. She walked into her connected bathroom and shut the door. When Adele heard the water run, she examined Bella's room closely. The bed was unmade and wrinkled, showing that's it been like that for days. Her laptop was collecting dust atop her desk as well as her nightstands. Clothes littered the floor. It took her exactly ten minutes with her speed to tidy up Bella's room: she threw the dirty clothes into the laundry basket in the corner, she dusted the room, she made Bella's bed and finally, she threw back all of the curtains and opened the windows to let fresh air into the musty room.
Bella emerged a few minutes later wrapped in a towel. She smelled of lavender, her hair was washed and she was freshly shaved. As soon as she changed into clean clothes, she noticed the difference in her room and thanked Adele. Then, there was a knocking on her bedroom door and Charlie called out hopelessly to her in the other side. Bella tensed up.
"One moment!" Adele called out and turned to Bella, whispering, "He is worried about you, Bella. He cares about you and loves you so much, and you've been worrying him. He looks like a wreck."
"What, did you read his mind or something?"
"I don't need to." This seemed to convince Bella because she quietly opened the door to reveal Charlie standing surprisedly in the hallway. He seemed relieved at the sight of Bella, all freshened up and a little more lively.
"Hey, Bells." He greeted awkwardly.
"Hey, Dad." Bella replied, just as awkwardly.
"Wow, the awkwardness is in your genes." Adele remarked with a chuckled. She grabbed her bag, "I forgot – I'm making dinner." Bella turned towards her and raised an eyebrow at her – Charlie was too busy examining her clean room with bewilderment to notice. "Oh, don't worry, Bella." she smiled, "I'm making Italiano."
Bella nodded, "I'll get the food out." and she walked downstairs, leaving Charlie and Adele standing in her bedroom.
Charlie's smiled thankfully at the beautiful blonde. Doctor Cullen's daughter is just as selfless as he is, he thought. "You work miracles, Adele Cullen."
"Oh, please, Sheriff Swan, you're making me blush." The irony was hilarious.
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Adele stayed with Bella for almost two weeks until she finally accepted that she had to return to the beach house to pursue the mystery of the notes. She told Bella this and the girl, who had improved immediately over the time, understood completely. However, Adele didn't tell Bella that before she returned to the beach house, she planned to go to see her family.
On that Sunday morning, she bid the Swans farewell and drove off in her car. She planned to make a quick stop, however, so she drove a few blocks until her and her car were isolated from the busy parts of town. She ventured into the woods and ran to the treaty line at full speed. The treaty line was a boundary set due to a compromise between the Quileute Tribe and her family. Since shape-shifters usually despise each other, they didn't want her family hunting on their lands or crossing it the border. And so the boundary was set by a river that ran all through the woods. She stopped at the edge of it and waited, knowing that the shape-shifters would sense her presence regardless of her being on her side of the line. And surely enough, two wolves – a russet wolf and a much large black wolf – appeared five minutes later.
"Hello." Adele greeted politely. The Quileutes knew she was the most respected of all the vampires, so they didn't snarl at her. "We can communicate in one of two ways. I can read your minds and we can speak like this, or you can phase into your humans forms."
The black one, the Alpha, was the first to go behind as and phase. The other wolf followed suit and both emerged from the shadows as bare chested, buff men. They both wore shorts, though a small part in the back of Adele's mind wished they weren't.
"You're a Cullen." scowled the Alpha.
"Yes, my name is Adele Cullen. And you are...?"
"Sam Uley, the Alpha of the Quileute pack." Adele could've sworn it was the Black family lineage that held the Alpha position, "And this is Jared Cameron."
"Sam Uley...you must know of the Sheriff's daughter. He told me you were the one who found her in the woods a few months back, right?"
"Yes."
"What is your business here?" Jared spat.
"Jared, cool it." Sam chided him under his breath, "She's the good one."
Adele chose to ignore them. "I know you have been keeping your eyes on young Jacob Black, yes? He is the descendent of the original Alpha, I recall."
"Yes." said Sam with a bit too much hostility. Clearly he liked to see himself as the one true Alpha. "What do you know of that?"
"Has he phased?"
"Not yet." Jared replied, "He will within the next few weeks, no doubt."
"I need to speak with him." Adele said, "I've met him before and I know he is friends with Bella Swan. It's it regards to her. Do you know where I can find him?"
Sam smirked. The woman was smart. Of course he had eyes on all of the new shape-shifters. "He and his father went out a few hours ago. Fishing or something, maybe."
"Thank you for your help. I won't forget it." Adele nodded. Sam nodded once in response as if there were a mutual understanding between the two. With that, Adele was off again.
It took her a while to find him. She passed by the fishing equipment store and she didn't find him, but a block down, she found him at the local mechanic. She spotted the Quileute boy immediately, there was no missing him: he was tall with tan skin, long hair and he was more muscular than the last time she saw him. She exited her car and called out to him, "Hey, it's Jacob Black, right?"
Jacob turned around and when he spotted her, he furrowed his eyebrows with bewilderment. They met up halfway and Adele was thankful his father was nowhere near them – he despised her kind. "Oh hey, Adele, right? You're one of the Cullens. We've met before. I liked you better than your brother."
"Everyone does." She chuckled and he joined in. There was a pregnant pause, "I know this may sound strange, but can we speak for a moment?"
"Umm...yeah, sure." He set a wrench down on the hood of a nearby car. They walked to her car and stopped when they were far from anyone else's hearing range.
"Would you say you are close with Bella?"
At the mention of Bella, his face lit up but he tried to hide his enthusiasm, "Yeah, I guess."
"Then you know about everything that took place with my brother and her?"
"Yeah."
She crossed her arms and casually leaned against her car, "Well, I've gotten her to come out of her room and interact with the world again, but I'm leaving again today and I won't be back for a while, so I need you to help her. Distract her somehow. Hang out or find a hobby." she continued, "She needs you, she needs her best friend. Someone who doesn't remind her of Edward."
He nodded and crossed his arms importantly, "I can do that."
"You have to promise me. Promise me you will be there for her." Because I have my own journey to embark on now.
"I promise." he bowed.
"Also, you're going to find out about a lot of things very soon." She tried to dance around the supernatural truth, "You cannot let that prevent you from being there for her, Jacob Black."
He frowned, "Is she that bad?"
As a group of young teenagers passed by, they stood in silence until the kids were far enough away. Adele nodded, "Yes. I would not put suicide past her."
At this, he paled. Adele decided that if Edward really didn't plan to return, Jacob and Bella could start something. He clearly felt for her in that way. "I'll be there. I'll get her out."
"Thank you." she was already walking around her car.
Just as she was about to hop in, Jacob spoke up, "You're not like the others, are you?" he asked, "The rest of your family, I mean."
"Never was." and with that, she flashed him a grin, climbed into her car, and drove off. Now, she was going to see her family and it wouldn't be an enjoyable visit.