I stare at Jane and Lily as they sit talking on the couch, Jane sat rigid and straight as Lily lays half curled up, no energy to sit straight. I grip the kitchen counter behind me as Parker and I stare at them, both still in shock from my revelation.
"Do they know?" He whispers.
"Jane does." I say stiffly as she glances over at me, hearing her name.
"What do we do... Do we call Alice?" He asks, his eyes not moving from them.
I rub my face and pull my hair. "God no. Something else I'll have done wrong." I mutter.
"She can't blame you for this." Parker scowls.
"Ah... I deserve it. I blamed them all, especially Alice, for Lily being in the state she is. I told Alice that she was the reason Jane got to Lily." I sigh. I fucked up there, real bad.
"Oh girl you fucked up." He sniggers. I knee him gently but he still cusses and rubs his thigh. "Bitch."
"Oopsie." I wink and then look back into the livingroom. "She is going to be so terrified." I whisper.
"Why..? Were you, when you found out who Alice was?" His eyes stare at my face.
"Sorta. It was horrible. Suddenly I had this connection with Alice after only knowing her for a short time; I didn't know I could be gay, I didn't know why I felt so strongly for someone I barely knew and I didn't know why she made me feel scared for my life but also made me feel like I was on top of the world." I sigh. "There was so much pressure being the human, it made us argue all the time, and I don't want her to go through any of that... Especially with who Jane's coven is."
"The Volturi..?" He says slowly, trying to remember the name. I nod. "Surely they wouldn't touch Jane if Lily is her mate."
"They'll be pretty pissed my mate is human, more specifically a Cullen." Jane interjects. "And how do you know about this stuff?" She crosses her arms.
I laugh. "Oh Jane, you won't snitch. So don't try and act like the authority here - that's me in this situation. Sit your ass down." I smile sweetly.
"I could still break you in two." She narrows her eyes.
"But you won't. Because that would hurt Lily. Just like it would hurt Lily if you snitch about Parker. I hold the cards here, Jane. Remember that."
She sighs, grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and walks off, going back to Lil. I smirk and look at Parker. "I need to call Alice. I'll be two minutes."
"It's fine, she won't do anything." He says as he watches them.
I laugh small and head outside, pulling my phone out. I take a deep breath and dial Alice's number, walking slowly from one side of the small yard to the other. She answers after several rings. "Hey... I was gonna call but I didn't know when or if you'd be ready to talk."
I sigh. "Alice... You need to know something. But you cannot blame me. I apologise for how I acted earlier, somethings are uncontrollable. This is one of those things."
"Baile, you're scaring me." She says slowly. "I'm coming to-"
"Jane is Lily's mate."
-
I smile as I watch Lenzy giggle as Parker spins around the room, singing every Elphaba note to the Wicked song 'The Wizard and I'. I smile and watch Jane for a moment as she watches Lily sleep, her head in her lap. Her eyes meet mine. "I'm not going to let anything happen to her or you." She says in a voice only I can hear.
"Good. Because there's nothing that will stop my family and I from fighting for our lives. We broke no laws, but Aro wishes to punish us? I do not care for the gifts he has, he will never have mine nor Bella's, nor will he have my child. If you wish to be with Lily then I will not stand in the way - unless you try to take her away. She belongs here." I say, not taking my eyes off the dancing duo, Lenzy trying to belt out the lyrics to Defying Gravity.
"I do not wish for Lily to be mixed up in that life. I wish to get to know her, have a... Normal relationship with her. The thought of Aro, Alec or Caius tainting her... It makes me mad." She says.
"Glad we're on the same page. Now to get my wife on that page." I mutter as I get up to open the door just as Alice skids to a stop outside. I cross my arms. "Did you hunt?" She nods. "Are you calm?" She huffs, her jaw clenching as she gives a small nod. "Good. This is going to be confusing for Lily, I want us to both be there for her through this. How did... How did everyone else deal?"
"Esme wanted to cry." Alice says simply. "Jasper wants to break her neck, Emmett too. Rosalie is pretty close to doing exactly that coz of course she has no self control; she said this wouldn't have happened if Lily was home." She says the last part quieter.
I narrow my eyes. "What happened to no blame-"
"I know I don't blame you, neither does she its just shock. We know we can't control who our mates are, if we could then none of us would be where we are now." She smiles small. "I really do want us to be a family Baile... Even if it means we let Jane in on that."
I smile gently and kiss her gently, taking her by surprise. She smiles and cups my cheek, quickly responding just how I intended. Of course we fight but it always ends with this. She rests her forehead on mine after a moment. "Is that... Is Parker teaching our son to be Elphaba?"
I giggle and nod as she comes inside, following the sound of the singing. She watches from the door as the keep singing loudly. "Parker you have my son for less than 3 days and he's already a mini you?"
Parker stops dancing, breathless. "Duh. You always knew it would happen eventually." He winks.
Lenzy instantly reaches for Alice, his cheeks rosy and his face bright. "Mamaaaaa!"
Alice smiles and takes him, holding him close. "Hi monkey." She closes her eyes as she squeezes him. For the moment she ignores Jane, until she hands Lenzo back and her honey eyes meet Jane's red ones. They silently stare off for a moment. "You're on a tight leash, bitch."
"Figures. Don't worry.. This might surprise you, Cullen, but I won't step out of line. I know you hold the cards here." Jane says in a monotone before she goes back to watching Lily.
Alice rolls her eyes but I take her hand to distract her, going to the stairs where we sit on the bottom step. I lean my head on her shoulder and play with her rings as she rests her head on mine. It's silent for a moment. "What... What was it like when you met me? I mean, what were you feeling, what is Lily feeling right now?"
I think for a moment on how to word it. "It's hard to explain; like I said to P, it was like I was on top of the world but I didn't know you at all. You made me feel so safe and warm but I was terrified - what did I feel that way after knowing you just a week? It was confusing, disorientating, but that all went away when I was beside you because I felt safe and happy. I felt like I belonged, like nothing would ever go wrong again. That's why it was so hard when you left. I was like a drug addict, I needed your company. You made me feel like me. And think it was always so hard for my mom to deal with because it was so fast. For me it wasn't a bad thing, I enjoyed the feeling and once I knew what you were it made sense, but at first it's a little hard to understand. That's probably what she's going through right now."
"How do we help her?" I can hear the frown in her voice.
I look up and kiss her gently. "We don't - she's got this. She'll understand, I promise, it's something only she can deal with. Jane is here and that'll help. I always dealt with it all better when you were beside me." I smile and rest my head on hers.
She smiles a little. "How have we become the cliche couple? That was always Bella and Edward." She teases lightly.
I laugh small and shake my head. "I think all vampire relationships are cliche my love. That's the magic of it - everything works out eventually."
-
A little later, after dinner, I dry the dishes as Alice and Lily get Lorenzo ready for bed. Parker helps me, both of us talking about his cooking skills - or lack there of. Jane comes into the kitchen slowly, her hands fiddling with each other and a calm look on her face. She glances at Parker who sets his hand towel down and excuses himself, leaving the two of us staring at each other.
She silently picks up the towel and begins to dry one of the pots. "I heard you and Alice earlier."
"So?"
"I never understood what the fuss was. I always wondered why someone powerful like Edward or Alice would fall for a human... Why would they risk their life, give up everything, for food?" She says slowly as she watches the snow fall out of the window.
I suck my teeth. "Are you calling my daughter food?"
"No." She rolls her eyes glancing at me. "I mean humans in general - Lily is not food. But what I'm saying is I understand now. I understand the feeling of my heart in my throat, my stomach tied in knots. I never had that as a human and I always found it utterly ridiculous that vampires could feel such a thing. Aro, Caius, Marcus, they've all lost the sense of what a mate is because they're too afraid to lose theirs but I'm not afraid. I'd do anything for her."
I smile a little. "This is what being a good person is Jane. Putting others before yourself. I must admit, I'm still doubtful about you and your intentions but I'm pleased you can now see what normal feelings are. It isn't about weakness or humanity, it's about decency and control. You werent taught that."
"Will...will you teach me it?" She looks me in the eyes.
I hesitate. "I don't know Jane... This is all a little strange. You do understand that some sacrifices will have to be made here? That you can't live the life you once did?"
She nods slowly. "I understand. Like I said, I'd do anything for Lily."
"Would you give up your family? Your brother? Could you face your family, fight them, if it came down to them or her? Would you give up your diet if she asked you to? Would you let her stay human if that's what she wants? Would you let her have children? Would you want a home with her, a proper life? It's a lot more to consider than just 'I'll be there', Jane. You have to commit to this or leave. Before you tear her heart to shreds."