~ Carlisle Cullen ~
------------- Chapter 12 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Edward's POV)
It's been a week! Nessie and Jake are a complete mess. They haven't been able to compose themselves enough to even go to school. Carlisle told the school that the both of them are down with measles.
"Edward, he still isn't back," Bella murmurs, her exquisite face downcast. I take her in my arms and she curls up on my lap, her head resting on my chest. "Edward, we have to do something! You've seen what losing Henry has done to our family," she continues, and I nod sombrely. She's right. Everyone's been down and grouchy ever since Henry left.
Nessie and Jake are basically catatonic. They are comforting each other though, so thank the maker for that!
"Do you think he'll come back?" Bella asks, her beautiful voice, agonised.
"I don't know, Bella. Henry...is as stubborn as the both of us combined. Once he's made up his mind, it takes a lot for him to change it." I murmur, trying to comfort her, but not able to tell her a lie.
The chase was the worst part! Knowing that we would be too late, knowing that he's fast enough to outrun us, and smart enough to lose us. And when we got to the shore, his scent disappearing...it was torturous! Nessie jumped into the water, determined to swim after him. It took both Bella and Rose to hold her down. Jake and I dived in, but we couldn't pick up the scent. He was gone. That's it.
We weren't fast enough.
I was not fast enough!
All of a sudden, Carlisle bursts into the living room, a huge grin on his face. "Edward, you will never guess what I just found out!"
"What?! Have you found Henry?" my mind races ahead, trying to figure out where Henry would run to.
The moment everyone hears the name Henry, they immediately rush into the room, and Carlisle's smile just gets bigger, looking at all of our eager faces.
"I haven't just found, Henry, he actually called the house."
"He did?! And he didn't talk to me?!" Nessie cries, clearly distraught. Jake, Bella and I quickly proceed to comfort her, while she begins sobbing.
"It's alright, Nessie. He's still on the line. He wants to talk to you," Carlisle continues, obviously a little upset that Nessie is sobbing, he's very fond of her.
"Where is he calling from?" Alice demands, she's missed her life-size Ken doll, as much as the rest of us.
"This is the part that is the most shocking; Henry is calling from Alaska. He's with the Denali clan. He remembered us talking about them, and decided to go meet them and introduce himself."
We stare open mouthed for a few long moments, trying to absorb this. Henry is in Denali?! And he's only calling now?!
I dash into Carlisle's office, grab his hands-free phone and bring it to the living room, and push the loudspeaker button.
"Henry?"
"Edward?" his crackly voice greets, putting a smile on my face.
"Yes, it's me. The rest of the family is here too. You are on loud-speaker, Hen," I clear up, wanting him to know.
"Mum? Dad? Everyone...I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have run off like that. Tanya made me see that. I'm so sorry! Could you ever forgive me?"
"Of course, Hen! Just come home!" Rose calls, her voice strained. As much as she loved Nessie, she loves Henry even more!
"I'm...not coming home. I'm going to Italy. I'm going to meet with the Volturi."
"NO!" All of us chorus, my non-existent blood turns cold at the mere thought of Henry facing the Volturi alone.
"No, listen to me, unless I'm seriously wrong, the Volturi are after me. They probably want to question me. I don't want any of you to get hurt. Let me just go and explain everything. I'll be back soon," Henry mumbles.
"Henry, you have to come back! We are a family! We face everything, together!" Nessie screams, causing Bella to almost jump in shock.
"Mum?! Don't cry, mum! I'm fine! I'm grown up...I can take care of myself, and my family!"
"Henry, your mother is right. We are a family. Anything that threatens you, threatens all of us! You have to come home," Esme murmurs, her melodic voice cracking, and her body heaving from the tearless sobs.
"No, you guys have to listen to me, I need to do this!"
"You are going to go up against the Volturi all alone? When you couldn't even take a single wolf on? Henry, don't be absurd! Come home! We'll teach you how to fight, how to protect yourself and your family," Jazz murmurs in a persuasive tone.
The other line goes quiet for a few minutes. I can imagine Henry running his fingers through his hair, his tell-tale stress sign. "I've learnt a lot here! The Volturi won't be able to hurt me! I've discovered a new talent, guys! Now I know why the Volturi want me! Think about it! Someone who can move things with his mind? What's the big deal?! But I have a power, they will keep me alive, I promise!"
All of us go silent. What new talent could he mean? What talent could make him so confident?!
"Please Henry?" Nessie tries pleading again, her voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper.
"Mum, please try and understand! I miss all of you so much! I'm not staying away to torture you! I'm staying away to protect you!" Henry's voice takes on a bitter quality at his last few words, no doubt remembering how we said the same thing to him.
"Henry, come home. We need you here," Carlisle says simply. Henry goes quiet again. Carlisle is our only chance. If he won't listen to Carlisle, there's no point in any of us trying to talk him out of it.
"Okay," a quiet whisper. Rose closes her eyes, a huge smile on her face, her little Henry will be back!
I hear a small scuffle going on the other line, a few indignant 'heys' from Henry.
"Cullen's'! We're coming too! If there is even a remote chance the Volturi are going to make an appearance, you know you have us!" Tanya's perky voice comes on the line.
"Tanya?" I exclaim in surprise. I would expect Eleazar to have been the one to convince Henry to go on a solo mission.
"Edward! You have no idea how charming your grandson is! And handsome!" she thrills, causing all of us to laugh, except Nessie and Jake who suddenly become protective.
"Tanya, we'll talk when you get here! Can you put Eleazar on the line?" I ask quickly, before Nessie or Jake say anything.
"Edward?" Eleazar's rich voice greets me.
"Eleazar, how are you?"
"I am fine, Edward. How are you?"
"Good, really good, especially now that I know where Henry is. But I need to know something. This talent Henry is talking about, is it as useful to the Volturi as he seems to think?"
"More," he says simply.
"Are you sure?"
"Edward, do not insult me! Of course I am sure! You think I would fill the child's mind without a good reason?"
"No, of course not. My apologies, Eleazar. I hope to see you soon."
"As do I. Pass along my greetings and well-wishes to the rest of your family, Edward," Eleazar murmurs and the line goes dead.
We just stare at each other for a while, all of us unbelievably happy. The gloomy atmosphere that came about the night Henry ran away immediately disappears.
***
(Henry's POV)
It's slightly past noon. We've been driving for ages, which by the way, doesn't make sense to me! We're a group of vampires! Why in the world would we drive when running is so much faster?! But either way, I was outvoted, and here we are, in a beat up Mitsubishi, much like the one dad built for himself.
The moment the tires hit the little dirt-road leading to the house, a huge smile lights up my face. What can I say? I'm home! It's only been a week since I've been away, but still! I hear the front door click open, and I know my family is already waiting.
Tanya takes my hand and brings it up to her lips, her eyes raking over me. I vaguely remember someone telling me about Tanya's crush on Edward. But she did bow out gracefully when Bella entered the picture. I love Tanya, but it might be more of a family love. And what of Castella?
"Whatever is the matter, Henry?" Tanya murmurs, looking deeply into my plain brown eyes.
"Tanya, there's someone else..." I mumble, not exactly sure how to proceed. To my intense relief she just giggles a little.
"It seems like I can't catch a break with anything related to Edward Cullen, huh? Either way, I'm helping you because you are family, Henry. Not for any other reason, though I'm sure your charms and looks would win you a few hearts," as she says that, I feel the heat in my cheeks, and it only serves to make her smile even more, "and that blush, is adorable!" She mock punches me in the arm, and gives me a pat on the shoulder.
We climb out of the car, and mum runs to me, enfolding me in a huge hug, then dad joins in, crushing me. "Hey, guys! I've missed you too! And I'm so sorry!"
"Don't you ever leave like that again Henry Charlie Cullen! Do you hear me?!" mum shrieks, looking half mad. I just nod and bury my face in her hair.
It only takes a few seconds before the rest of my family are gathered around me, all giving me hugs. Looks like they really did miss me!
Once all the greetings are done, the whole group of us adjourn to the living room, to catch up, and no doubt interrogate me.
"So?! You leave, then call us after a week?! Do you know how worried your father and I were, not to mention the rest of the family?" mum mutters through clenched teeth.
"Mum, I'm sorry. But I only went to Alaska the day before yesterday, that's why I only just called," I mumble, feeling slightly guilty for worrying everyone. I wonder if this is how they felt when Alice and Jazz left, before the Volturi came.
"Wait! If you only got to Alaska the day before yesterday, where were you before that?" Carlisle asks, curiosity the predominant feature on his face.
I shrug, "I swam to the UK. I found a few nomads. I learnt some stuff from them. Then I withdrew money from my account, and left for Italy-"
"You went to the Volturi?!" Bella shrieks, fear in her voice.
"I had planned to. But I met one of the guards, Jane, I think? She introduced me to more pain than I have ever encountered in my life. I was afraid...so I ran." I mumble, not meeting anyone's eyes. I wish I wasn't so cowardly! "I ran...and then I realised I had nowhere to go...until I remembered some stories about Denali. So, I figured that was my best bet."
"In the middle of the night, there's a knock on our door. I was curious, we never get visitors, and the scent! I have never encountered such a wonderful scent in my life! So, I got the door, only to find dear little Henry at the door. Of course, I didn't know he was part of your family, Carlisle, which I might mention is extraordinarily painful! Anyway, I invited him in, such a timid little boy! Eleazar took one look at him, and actually gasped in shock! I got him talking, and soon I found out exactly who he was!" Tanya continues, the picture of ease, her feet tucked neatly under her on the couch.
"Wait! You've made us guess long enough! Eleazar, tell me what Henry's power is!" Emmett mumbles, clearly not happy being left out of the loop.
Eleazar stands up and smiles affectionately down at me. "I was shocked...because I felt him trying to identify my ability!"
It was actually comedic the way everyone's face fell! They were so disappointed in my power! It took all my self control to not laugh out loud!
"Eleazar...man, really?! Not to be rude, Hen, but that's not exactly a one-of-a-kind power, is it?" Emmett groans into his hands, clearly irritated.
Suddenly Edward's head whips up. He stares in disbelief at me, then back at Eleazar. By this time, the rest of the family is watching him, trying to figure it out.
'No way! Eleazar is playing with me...it is unheard of!' I hear Edward's thoughts clearly in my head.
"Actually, Edward, Eleazar isn't playing with you. I just heard what you were thinking," I murmur, watching his reaction.
'No way!' He thinks, mentally shaking his head.
'I'm telling you the truth!' I project in my mind. Edward's eyes grow wide and solemn.
"What's going on?!" Emmett pouts.
"He just read my mind," Edward whispers.
"No way!" Alice squeals, jumping to her feet, turning towards Carlisle. Carlisle merely shrugs his shoulders. "What does that mean? He can move things with his mind, he can hear thoughts AND he can identify people's powers?! No wonder the Volturi want him! With him, they don't even need Edward!" she continues, she talks so fast in her excitement, I cock my head in confusion.
"No, Alice. They would still need Edward. I was distracted by Henry trying to read my ability, that I missed it too! Think! There's a reason the Volturi want this boy! He's a one man army!" Eleazar murmurs, his gaze still locked on me.
The rest of my family furrow their brows in concentration. They keep guessing, much to the amusement of the Denali family.
While they are distracted, I call out a quick goodbye and dash off into the woods.
I'm famished! It's time for a hunt!