Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Differences Between Us Make Us Special

By Midnight Dreamer

Chapter 26: Where is Isabella?

The day of Edward’s Party had arrived. He hadn’t seen Isabella at his graduation ceremony, so he figured she must have been setting up for his birthday. When he got home to the orphanage the place was silent. He expected it to be. Most would be gathered in the dining hall waiting to yell surprise. Vicky’s graduation had been the day before so she would have been here to help set up.

When Edward entered the dining hall he was surprised that no one was in there. He went to search out Vicky. Finding her in their office, he was shocked to see that she was doing work. They always celebrated everyone’s birthday, and Isabella had been working awfully hard on this one being it was Edward’s 18^th. Stepping into the room he decided to ask Vicky what was going on.

“Vicky where is everyone?”

“They’re around here somewhere. What’s wrong Edward?”

“Well we both just graduated and today’s my birthday, I figured that Isabella had everything planned out already and then you would help her set things up.”

“Edward when was the last time you talked to Isabella?”

“A couple weeks ago; when we fought. Why?”

“Have you even seen her lately?”

“No. I figured between school and her planning she didn’t wanna be bothered.”

“Edward can you hear your sister?”

Edward thought about what Vicky was saying. She must have noticed something was wrong between them. They are usually together all the time.

“No. I haven’t been able to for a while now.”

“And why is that?”

“I have been keeping my thoughts from her. I didn’t want her to know that I was leaving tomorrow. I knew she would be angry with me. Then when we got into that argument she went completely blank to me.”

“Have you ever thought to check and see why she went blank to you?”

“What are you saying Vicky?”

“You haven’t even noticed your sister’s absence in almost two weeks. Did you even know that she hasn’t left her room in those two weeks, or eating or hell I don’t know if she has even slept? She hasn’t been answering her mail, it just piles up at the end of her bed!”

“I didn’t know. Have you tried talking to her?”

“Yes! Edward I have, but all she does is stare blankly at me. Have you not noticed that the sun has yet to shine in days? A constant cloud covers the city. It rains more than not. This is not normal weather for Chicago. It’s called the Windy City, not the Gloomy City! Edward you need to fix this. If you don’t I’m afraid we’re gonna lose her.” Vicky broke down crying.

“Have you had the doctor in?” Edward asked in a whisper.

“Yes…he…said…nothing…is physically….wrong…with …her…” Vicky sobbed.

“So this is my fault. I did this to her.”

“I don’t know Edward. Maybe, possibly? Just fix it.”

“I’ll do what I can, but my flight for Washington leaves at 5 am.”

“You’re still going?”

“I can’t not go. I have a placed saved for me.”

“Oh Edward.” Vicky sobbed again. “At least tell your grandparents that Isabella will not be coming this summer. She is in no condition to travel.”

“I will Vicky, but I hope if I talk to her I can snap her out of this.”

“Good luck.”

Edward left the office and went to his and Isabella’s room. When he entered Isabella’s bedroom he was shocked at what he saw. There on Isabella’s bed was not the smart, vibrant, beautiful girl he knew his sister to be. Instead there was a small, vacant girl with no life in her eyes. Her skin was pale and chalky, her hair was dried and looked like straw. What had he done?

Edward tried to maneuver his way through the stacks of untouched mail. He noticed a small tray with untouched soup on the bookcase across from her bed. Sitting next to her on the bed he placed his hand on her arm. She whimpered slightly and curled further in on herself while sliding back further up against the wall. Edward didn’t know what to do. It was as if she was afraid of his touch. How could he help her if she wouldn’t allow him to? Then he tried talking to her.

“Isabella. Bella, sweetie, it’s me Eddie.”

Isabella lifted her head slightly. Edward met her eyes and for a moment shied away. There was nothing there. Just cloudy blankness. He turned back to her and tried again.

“Bella please say something. I’m sorry I was keeping things from you. I just didn’t want to hurt you. But it seems as if I managed to hurt you anyway. Look what I have done to you.”

Edward started to cry. The tears streaking down his cheeks were matched by the light rain hitting off the window.

“I’m sorry Bella. I should have told you. I should have known you would be able to deal with anything. You were always the strong one. Now look what I have done you. How can I ever forgive myself for what I have done? I don’t have much time Bella. But I need you to know that I still love you. You’re still my sister. I’m leaving in the morning for La Push. I received an internship with the police there. That’s what I was hiding from you. I was afraid you would be angry with me for leaving you so early, but now I have to leave without you all together. I don’t know how I will handle being that far away from you. We have never been that far apart before. I will always be there for you Bella never forget that.”

Edward leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lightly brushing his fingers across the pendent her got her for her birthday all those years ago. He left her room and went to his to finish packing. Through the wall he could hear her sobbing. How had he not even noticed that his sister had never left her room, or came down to eat when they always ate together? He was a terrible brother, or at least he thought that. Once he finished packing he crawled into bed with a heavy heart and thoughts of his sister.

(E&B)

Forks was the same as always, except at the Cullen home. They were busy preparing for the arrival of Edward and Isabella. The only one who did not seem overly excited was Jasper. For some reason he just knew that something was wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was but he knew. Perhaps it was that Isabella stopped returning his letters, or the strange sadness that latched onto his heart about two weeks back that wouldn’t go away no matter what he tried.

Carlisle had already told them that Edward would be arriving before Isabella. He told them about Edwards’s internship in La Push. At first the others were worried but Carlisle said there was nothing to worry about. The Quileute’s knew nothing of Isabella and Edward, just that they seemed strange and vampire like.

Carlisle was another one to act as if something was off. Jasper had been watching Carlisle since Edward had called that night a few weeks back. He had heard about the fight that Edward had with Isabella, and how Isabella had gone off on Edward. He wondered if that is what was causing his sadness. He didn’t like to fight with his siblings, perhaps it was a sympathy thing. Jasper decided enough was enough and was gonna confront Carlisle about his strange feelings.

“Carlisle can I speak to privately please?”

“Sure Jasper, my office or yours?”

“Mine Please, they won’t be able to hear us that way.”

“Sounds serious.”

“I’m not sure yet. That is what I want to discuss with you.”

“Okay.”

The two men were in Jasper’s office before anyone could blink.

“So what has you so worried Jasper? It’s not like you to be so…Emo?”

“I know, and I am worried. Something seems wrong. I have felt this unrelenting depression for almost two weeks now. I don’t understand it. None of you are feeling this particular emotion, I have no idea where it is coming from?”

“Two weeks you say?”

“Roughly.”

“Around the same time I got the call from Edward, correct?”

“There abouts.”

“hhhuuummm. I wonder if…”

“What Carlisle?”

“You and Isabella have been getting close through your correspondence yes?”

“Yeah, but she hasn’t returned any of the letter’s I have sent in the last three weeks.”

“Well she could be busy?”

“No Carlisle she always finds time to write to me and all her other pen pals. She wouldn’t just stop writing. Something is wrong.” Jasper got up from his chair and began pacing.

“Well maybe you can ask Edward when he gets here tomorrow.”

“Do you think that’s safe? I know I have great control and all but he is something new, different. Perhaps his blood won’t smell the same as other humans. I don’t want to hurt him because of a stupid miscalculation on our part.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine Jasper. Now what else is there?”

“I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Try your best.”

“It’s like this nagging ache in my chest. It has gotten worse. I don’t remember having it before. It seems over the last year it as only become more of a pain.”

“Like a tugging feeling?”

“Perhaps.”

“Does it feel like you are meant to be somewhere but you don’t know where?”

“Sometimes. Other times it’s just this throbbing pain.”

“And it goes along with this depression you keep feeling?”

“Yes but the depression part has only been there for the last couple of weeks…it wasn’t always just the depression though either. There was anger, and excitement at times too.”

“I have a theory on this.”

“Please Carlisle anything to help make this go away.”

“It won’t ever go away Jasper.”

“What? Why?”

“I believe it’s the Mating Pull. You’re feeling your mate.”

“Wait but how? Who? Huh?” Jasper was flabbergasted. Never once did he think that that is what this was.

“I don’t know Son. But whoever it is must be hurting something awful if it is affecting you this badly.”

“Who could it be?”

“I’m not sure. Did you come across anyone while you were traveling and didn’t realize it cause you were too caught up in protecting Alice?”

“No most of the time we ran into male vampires. We only met one female and she was already mated.”

“Well this is gonna be interesting isn’t.”

“What do you mean interesting?”

“Well it seems your emotions are tied to your mate, whoever she may be. And you will continue to feel whatever she is feeling. So this might get interesting depending on your mate.”

“Well…all I have been feeling is this terrible depression, almost like she lost the will to live.”

“Let’s pray that isn’t so.”

“Yes Let’s.”

“Yes cause if that is so and she dies, I don’t wanna be anywhere within the same Continent as you.”

“Will I really be that bad?”

“I’m sure you will create hell on earth my boy.”

With that said Carlisle stood and left Jasper to his thoughts. Jasper continued pacing his office thinking over everything Carlisle and he just spoke about. He had somehow come across his mate. They were connected with each other’s feelings or at least he was to hers. Something was causing her great sadness and a reason to lose the will to live. All these thoughts whirled around Jasper’s head. The new knowledge of his mate, and the loss of contact with Isabella.

Striding over to his desk he took out her last letter and read it again while inhaling her beautiful floral scent. Just as he was about to return the letter to its proper place something struck him like a slap in the face. Isabella. He had not met her but has been inhaling her scent for over a year. Maybe it is she that is his mate? Is that even possible to recognized and connect with your mate through scent alone.

“Carlisle?” Jasper yelled out the open door to his office.

It took only a few seconds before Carlisle was once again standing inside his office.

“Yes Jasper.”

“I think I know who my mate is, but I can’t be certain until you answer a question for me.”

“Go on?”

“Is it possible to recognize and connect with your mate through their scent alone?”

“I would believe so, seeing as that is how we find our mates in the first place. Why?”

“Like I said I think I know who my mate is.”

“Who Jasper?”

“Isabella.”

“Okay now I’m stumped.” Carlisle said.

“I know I have never met her but I have smelled her. Her fragrance is all over these letters.” Jasper said pulling a stack of letters out of his desk drawer.

“Are these all from Isabella?”

“Yes. Now tell me what you smell and then I’ll tell you what I smell.”

Carlisle inhaled deeply as Jasper waved the papers under his nose.

“I smell chamomile, and jasmine with a hint of honey.”

“What does that mean to you?”

“She has always been a relaxing presence to me. She has a natural way of calming people.”

“Okay now what I smell. I smell home, Lilacs, Magnolia’s, and honeysuckle…all the things we used to find growing up around my home in Texas.”

“Well I’ll be. Jasper I think your right. Isabella may just be your mate. Oh boy!”

“What is it Carlisle?”

“I have to make a phone call quickly. We will discuss this more later.” Carlisle said rushing out of Jasper’s office.

Now Jasper was the one who was confused. If everything he was feeling was right, and Isabella was his mate, something was seriously wrong with her! Now he couldn’t wait for Edward to get here so he could ask about Isabella.