『 chapter xxxvii: THE SWAN HOUSEHOLD. 』
THE TWO STORY CASTLE WAS AS NORMAL AS IT usually was on the outside, no matter how unusual its inhabitants were the complete opposite of normalcy. In the weeks that followed the eldest daughter's crusade to save her undead boyfriend from other undead dictators, the middle child, the flower girl named June, noticed how different the household was. It was the start of some lame joke, the universe had thrown its fair share at her — in this said castle, lived the girl who wants to live forever, the mother of two who'd be a mother of just one very soon, the law abiding father who loved his family, the bonny baby boy who's birth was a blessing ( the alliteration was outstanding ) and lastly, the middle child who wants to maybe die if it meant all the others in the home lived.
June knew there was a still a very large and very real threat out there — it was the epitome of evil, with red hair like the flames of hell from which the threat thrives. Victoria had yet to be caught by the Cullen's and June's wolves had less luck than them. The Swan household however, did the thing it did best: act normal. June knew her poor dad was probably the only sane one, besides baby Willie, in the home. Her mother was living vicariously for June by planning Daphne's upcoming wedding. Flowers and decor and cakes and songs and dresses and suits were to be purchased and secured. Daphne cooks over a stove and stirs some sauce in a bowl, soft music coming from the radio near her. There's even a wobbling toddler trying his best to walk around, just shy of turning a year old. Her sister, albeit eighteen, was still grounded for her impromptu vacation to the place where pasta reigns, comes through the door after meeting with her slimy boyfriend. Even June herself, with headphones in her ear and a opened textbook in her lap is the picture of normalcy.
Totally fucking normal, they could be a movie.
"Four o'clock on the dot," Charlie says to Bella as she walks in, sipping a beer as he sits on his recliner and reads the paper. "Kid trying to brown nose me or something?"
"Charlie," Daphne's voice comes through the room, a warning tone that says, cool it.
Bella sighs as she walks in further, setting down her backpack and slumping on the couch as Willie coos loudly, crawling over to her. "He has a name," She retorts as she scoops their little brother in her arms, kissing his cheek. She looks to their dad, "What? Now he's too punctual for you?"
Charlie and June share a look. June stifles a laugh. "God blesses me giving me a son ..." Charlie groaned as he sat up and leaned forward. "You know why you're grounded, Bella, don't you?"
Bella nods, ashamed. "I put you through hell."
"You did," Charlie agrees. "And Daphne, and June and even your little brother ... drooler might be barely walking but he missed you just as much." June sees how Bella smiles softly as Willie absentmindedly plays with her keys that hand around her neck. "I know you've had your separation from him for a few weeks now but to see you going back so soon ... I don't know, Bella, are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"No," Bella admits to everyone's surprise. "That's why I'm seeing him again, to make sure I know."
"And?" June says before she can stop herself.
Bella meets her sisters eyes. There's that sadness and hint of betrayal and bitterness that June's been seeing for the past few weeks since Edward dropped the truth bomb on Bella about him kissing June. No matter how much Bella says she's fine and okay and over it, June knows she isn't, which is fine, she just wishes Bella would tell her.
"And nothing's changed," Bella says then looks to their dad again with a shrug. "I'm not gonna stop loving him. He's in my life, you gotta accept that."
"Yeah, I'm gathering that," Charlie sighs heavily. He looks over to June. "How's your boy? Still keeping him and his friends in check?"
"Always, Chief," June winks proudly.
"I've talked to the people around the Rez, they say Sam's little posse is a real help nowadays. The elders were too old to be dealing with crap some bored teens pull," Charlie says with a tone of agreement.
June momentarily pauses to think. She'd like to think that. But all that was happening was more wolves changing. First Leah and Seth, and now Quil Ateara, Jacob's best friend — the deep bruises on her back from using her magic to help him adjust phasing was the clear as day indication of his transformation. Quil took it surprisingly well, too well for June's liking, he actually wouldn't shut up about how exciting and awesome it was, June had to use her magic to make him fall asleep sometimes. She didn't need his gloating to be in front of Leah, who had still taken her transformation the hardest. Her friend was a recluse now, ever leaving her house even when the pack called her for duty; June used her authority to convince Sam to leave her out of pack agendas. He begrudgingly agreed. It unnerved her why there was so many wolves now. Nobody knew why, the only vampires around were the Cullen's and Victoria, but Billy Black and Old Quil were sure it was because the spirits wanted the tribe to be as thoroughly protected as possible. Even if it meant changing the lives of people with no regard of the consequences.
"Yeah, no, you can say that Sammy's not on my list anymore, I guess." June chuckles a little. "The guys are really ... cool. Loud, too."
"They seem like brothers, all of them. Like some pack." Charlie muses.
Oh, you have no idea, daddy-o. "Yeah, they're all close."
"I think that's an understatement," Bella chimes.
June gives her a flat look. "Okay old lady, your graduation is in two weeks, what's the plan stan?"
"Nothing," Bella grounded out. "I'm just ready for this to be over with. I hate celebrating things, June, you know this."
"I don't want this negativity at the wedding, missy," June pointed a finger at her. "Nothing but happy vibes and smiles and dancing, you hear me?"
"BOO HEAR BEE!!" Willie repeats loudly, clapping his hands together in a baby babble.
"Cutie," June chimes.
"Dinners ready!" Daphne calls out. Everyone stands, Bella going to sit Willie on his little prison from which she starts fussing over until Charlie hands him his cup filled with apple juice.
The normalcy is clear again, as they start eating and talk about the same old things. The weather and the upcoming eclipse in a month or two, the way the rising attack's in Seattle are causing people from Forks to go uneasy, to Riley Biers still missing and Charlie struggling to keep his parents content with the little information they have of his last whereabouts. It goes from here to there, Daphne laughing as Willie somehow gets mashed potatoes in his curly mop of brown hair, Charlie getting starry eyes as he looks at his wife to be and children, to Bella smiling genuinely, and June staring at all of them, taking in every moment, not wanting to miss a thing. June feels her nose water. She excuses herself to the bathroom. She presses her finger on her nostril, pulling back to see it's not water at all. Drops splash on the pristine white sink.
It's blood.
•—•—•—•
ITS ANOTHER DAY AS JUNE MAKES HER WAY TO the Quileute Reservation, her second home. She greeted by the people as she drives in, its her moms car, it's recognized here by now, but the tanned blonde girl driving it is the most memorable thing about it. June decides to visit her grandmother, Iris has been unusually quiet these past few weeks and it's an unfamiliar thing for June to go through. Her grandmothers home brings her heart equal sadness and content — in these walls was where she was given the truth of her untimely fate, in these walls was where Daphne went through hell to give birth to her, in these walls was tradition and blood and tears and sadness and joy all wrapped up and made into a homely wooden home.
June's wearing blue jeans, and a cardigan over a black tank top; it's one of those unusual warm days on the Rez, in the state to be exact, but her bruises are far too noticeable now to be wearing her usual bright sundresses and low rise Converse.
"Nona?" June calls out as she walks into the home.
There's tea brewing, so she knows there's someone home. Iris comes out of one of the rooms, her silvery hair pulled a bun at the nape of her neck. "Juniper." She looks at her throughly. "Oh what a surprise ... your friend just came by an hour ago, the pretty one, the troublemaker."
"Star?" June says curiously, setting her bag down.
"Yes, that one." Iris smiles. "Came for her first checkup, but you knew that of course."
"Checkup?" June snorts, shaking her head as she grabs one of the biscuits that are on the table. "What for? Is she sick?"
Iris laughs. "I guess you could say that."
"Aw, really?" June pouts.
"Yes, her morning sickness is terrible, that baby won't give it's mother a break. Of course it's the shape shifter magic swirling in the child—"
June chokes on the biscuit, "BABY!?"
Her grandmothers eyes widened. "I thought you knew?" She says with a shake of her head. "Star Levinson's pregnant, about eight weeks now, yes, she came to get some things for nausea."
June can't think clearly, "Hold the hell on," She says to herself, her mind racing. "Star — my best friend — the Star, is pregnant? Who's the dad?"
"Yes, she is. And who else?" Iris chuckles. "Jared Cameron is yet to know, she informed me that I keep it a secret, but I'm certain she won't say a word until she's giving birth; she's a stubborn one."
June has a hard time struggling to breathe. Not for the fact that Star's pregnant but the fact that her best friend is pregnant and that's something that June will not experience, ever, ever, ever. Of course June is still sixteen. She doesn't plan on it. No. Not when she has an expiration date on her life that's nearing its end. But Star's eighteen, Bella's age, Jared's a year older, a fucking idiot sometimes but he's a good guy and he loves Star more than anything ... June shudders to think that through their constant fights, Star wounded up rumbling in the sheets with Jared.
"Anyway," Iris carries on like nothing, "How are you, my flower?"
June smiles faintly, reeling from the shock, hugging her grandmother. "Good."
Iris hugs her tightly and it takes everything in her not to wince out in pain. But Iris is nothing if not perceptive and she notices, "Oh, let me look at you," Iris says in a fuss. "I should've known you're in pain, look at those crescent moons under your pretty eyes ... have you been sleeping well?"
The truth was, those horrible nightmares plagued her more and more, June had half a mind of sleeping outside. She didn't sleep at Jacob's the other night because he didn't have night duty and she knew she'd scare the living hell out of him if she thrashed in his bed with him in it, so she gathered some pillows and blankets and slept in the shack that Jacob had renovated for her all those months ago.
"No, not really ..." June admits.
Iris looks surprised by truth, but she says nothing on it, just gets that concerned expression. "Sit down, yes? I'll see what I can make for the pain." Iris gently leads Juniper to the kitchen and pulls out the chair, gesturing for her to sit.
"It is gonna hurt forever, grandma?" June can't help but ask as she sits down, looking at the table.
Iris is shuffling through a cabinet as she hears June's question, pausing momentarily, she can't bear to look at her granddaughter in the moment. "No, my sweet flower," Iris tells her. "Take your sweater off, I need to see the bruising ... alright?"
June heavily sighs, nodding, slowly peeling her cardigan off. That's when Iris turns around and sees just how extreme a toll the magic that June contains has taken. Bruises in all variations of color, purple and brown and yellow, litter her arms and chest, and June's lovely olive skin is dulled just a few shades. Iris wonders how she's kept it a secret, but if she knows anything about her granddaughter, she knows how well June is at putting on a brave face. Iris goes forward and looks closer at the bruises, the ones that look newer.
"Quil Ateara just phased, as you know," June informs, reading her expression. "He was easier than Leah, not as easy as Seth but ... it takes it toll sooner or later, I know my duty."
"Juniper," Iris gasps with a shaky voice. There are tears welling in her aged blue eyes. "This is too much ... you'll never ... you have to tell to Sam, your imprint too, they have to know the toll this is taking on you—"
"No," June only blinks. She takes a shaky breath. "Jacob's under a lot of stress right now, they're looking for the cold one and Sam's more on edge than ever ..." She trails off. She looks to her grandma. "They can't know."
"Juniper," Iris repeats, helpless. "I don't know what to do—"
"You knew this was coming, grandma," June shakes her head, frowning. "You told me to accept it."
"I told you to accept it, and live more." Iris corrected vehemently. "I knew you'd die ... but I hoped, sincerely, I've prayed and prayed and then some, that you'd fight this. There isn't anything I haven't seen you overcome. I prayed you'd overcome death, too, you've done it once ... I want to see you grow more, Juniper, to see you marry Billy's boy, to give him some grandkids and me some great-grandchildren. I want to see your mother free of pain ..."
"You don't think I want that?" June shakes her head, her voice flooded with passion. "You don't think I wanna live? I wanted to die grandma, before all this, before mom came back and before Willie was born .... Before I had I sister and Jacob ... Jacob. Before I had someone who was willing to die if I do." June cries a bit, wiping her cheeks. She steadies her breathing. "I want a lot of things. But I can feel myself ... going. Everyday. Which means I need to make sure that the people I love are gonna okay when I go. No more death after me."
There's a realization in Iris's eyes, "Juniper, you don't mean, you can't mean—"
"He's still mine for now," June smiles to herself. She looks out the window and sees the sun shining through. "But I'm not gonna be selfish and have him be mine forever ... not when I don't have a forever."
Iris looks grave, handing her the tea and some herbs that are meant to dilute the pain. "Tell me what you're doing, Juniper, please."
"Nothing. Not now at least ... but I have to be ready." June sighs, drinking her tea and downing the herbs. There's a bitter taste to them and after, she feels her body feel lighter, and the bruises on her arms are almost gone. Like magic. She drinks more of the tea, setting it down, standing.
"But I'm living, Grandma." Juniper stated, grabbing the picture of her long passed grandfather that sits on the counter. "You remember what grandpa always used to say after he got sick? When people asked him if he was scared to die?"
Iris shuts her eyes softly, "Do not be afraid to live, and you won't be afraid to die."
"Exactly." Juniper nods, a faint smile growing on her lips. The color returns in her skin again, just barely, just enough. "I don't know how long I have ... it could be tomorrow, it be a thousand days, maybe never ... it doesn't matter though. I'm not afraid to live."
Her grandmother swallows her tears and rushes over to envelope June in a big hug. June hugs her back. She doesn't know how long they stay like that. But June doesn't mind; in the future, she'll cherish that moment.
a/n: *it's none of my business x3* soft hours have commenced