AN: I know, I know, I have like three stories that aren't done yet that I should be finsihing. But this idea just sort of hit me. So I figured, what the hey, and wrote it. Tell me what you think.
"You promised, Edward," Alice warned. She was right, I had promised. But now I knew that I was going to have to break that promise. I was supposed to be the best man at her and Jasper's wedding tonight. It was going to be out in the courtyard of the estate we were staying in for the time being. Carlisle was going to give Alice away; Rosalie was going to be the maid of honor. Jasper had asked me to be the best man and of course I accepted. He and Alice were as much a part of our family as anyone else was.
"I know I did, Alice, and I am sorry. I don't want to ruin your wedding. But―"
She held up her hand. She knew. She had seen the vision, felt the same horror at watching me murder a young girl who had done nothing more than be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't clear what she doing in the middle of the night, running through private property, but that didn't matter. She would be here, and when she was, if I remained nearby, she would not survive.
"I don't understand why it happened. It's been decades since I have killed a human. None of them have broken my restraint in all that time. What is it about her?" I asked, pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to figure out why in God's name I would be thrown into this now of all times. This girl didn't deserve to die by my hand, but I didn't want to ruin one of Alice's happiest moments.
"I don't know. I only know what I saw, and you were privy to that as well. If I see anything else, I will show you. But please, Edward, for me, stay. You know what I see isn't written in stone."
She was begging. I could see by the look in her eyes she was desperate for me to stay. She wanted me to be a part of this.
"You're my bother, Edward. You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important to me."
She looked so innocent and young then, wistful. Suddenly a vision of herself in her wedding dress, grinning at me as she walked toward the altar where Jasper and I were already standing filled her mind. She knew how to use my own gift against me. I sighed.
"If she gets close, warn me. I will have to leave if she gets too near us. I wont take any risks with her life or the safety of our family, do you understand?" I asked. She nodded.
"Of course, Edward. I understand. Thank you for staying. It means a lot to me," she said in return. I nodded. I knew it did. That was the only reason I agreed to stay even though I knew it was possible I would make a mistake tonight that would end a girl's life. That and the fact that I knew my family would do whatever they could to keep me from harming her.
After a moment Alice left me alone in my room again, like I had been before she came to share the vision with me. I had been sitting and thinking, mostly about the composition I was working on for my piano. At first when she told me what she had seen I did not believe her. But then she had shown me, told me to focus on her thoughts as she remembered the vision she had received. I couldn't understand what I was seeing at first. It seemed out of focus, blurry, moving too fast. But then I understood. A girl, pretty, young, and running through our gardens. I saw myself there with that girl. It made me sick to watch as she died cradled against my chest, her eyes clenched shut against the pain and fear. Tears leaked down her pale cheeks in rivulets, dropping on me as I killed her.
I had control over my impulses. I knew the thirst that raged inside of me, the part of me I detested, the monster. But I could keep it at bay. I could force those urges down, restrain the thirst for the life's blood of the people who walked around me. What made her different, what was it that shattered my restraint?
I didn't care what it was the made her special, I wouldn't let her destroy the life we had built here. I would not add her to the list of people I had killed. I would not destroy her. The image of her dying in my arms was enough to make he shiver, to actually perform such a gruesome act would make me ill, even though I knew that vampires couldn't get sick.
Not too long after Alice left I went down to the main level of the house to find Carlisle. He had taken time off of work for the wedding. He and Esme were sitting in the kitchen, one of the most useless parts of our house. I took a deep, unnecessary breath. I needed to tell Carlisle about this possibility that Alice had seen. He needed to know that it could happen and what to do with me if that eventuality came into being.
"Carlisle," I said quietly. I felt ashamed already. I hadn't even done anything wrong yet and already I was guilt ridden. Even just the possibility that I could hurt some innocent girl made me feel the worst hate for what I was that I had felt in years.
Both he and Esme turned to me and looked expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I took another deep breath and rounded the island they were both sitting at.
"Alice had a vision of her wedding and some…unfortunate things occurring that you need to be aware of," I said slowly.
"Unfortunate things?" Esme inquired.
"There was a human girl. I…killed her. I don't know why or what she was even doing here in the middle of the night but…its what Alice saw. I told her I should go and avoid this altogether but she begged me to stay. So I will, only because it's her wedding. But if she does come here and gets too close, just as a precautionary measure will you please get her out? I am sure Emmett and Jasper can restrain me if it comes to that. But you are the one who can deal with a human most easily."
I didn't realize how fast I was talking until I had finally stopped. Both of my parents looked concerned. Carlisle's brow was furrowed in concentration.
"Edward, if that should come to pass I will do as you ask. But I hardly think that some girl simply running by us would tempt you so much as to kill her. Are you sure Alice saw her here tonight, simply passing through?"
I nodded. That much had been clear. I had been in my tuxedo, the only one I had that I only wore on occasions such as these. Her blood had stained the white shirt I wore under the jacket. Her pale skin had contrasted with the black suit so vividly in the moonlight. The more I thought about that vision, the more real it seemed. It could have been a memory instead of something that could happen.
"Don't worry, Edward. I wont let you kill her," Carlisle assured me. I nodded, but still felt no better about it. He smiled and nodded at me, asserting the confidence he had in my self-control. I had once held the same confidence in myself. I was sure I would never kill another human again. Since the years I had rebelled against Carlisle's way of life I had vowed never to touch human blood again. I had succeeded in this goal since I had made the promise to myself.
I had watched too many people die at my hands already. The others I could at least attempt to justify using their crimes and prior horrible deeds. But this girl was innocent. She had done nothing. And even if she had it was neither my responsibility nor my place to judge her and exact vengeance for her misdeeds.
I stayed down with Esme and Carlisle talking for a while. We were joined by Jasper not too long after that. His thoughts were calm and collected. I thought for sure he would be nervous about the wedding that was taking place in three hours—midnight to be exact—but he seemed at ease. Emmett had been crawling out of his skin for almost a full week before his first wedding to Rosalie. The day they actually got married I refused to be in the house with him until the ceremony because his maddened, nervous thoughts were driving me crazy.
Alice was exactly as calm, but that was understandable. She already knew how everything was going to turn out. She didn't have to worry how her dress was going to look or if Jasper was going to run off on her at the altar. She would know about it long before anyone else did. Not that Jasper would ever leave her—he couldn't. Even without being able to hear the thoughts that ran through both of their minds I knew they were tied to each other in every way possible. Even though I met them both at the same time I felt more of a connection to Alice than Jasper. They were immediately welcomed into our family and settled into the roles of my other siblings without question. Because of the instant bond I felt with Alice I was glad she had found someone—however unorthodox their relationship might have began—who could love her as she deserved.
It was an hour before the ceremony was beginning when Alice screamed down to the rest of us.
"If you all are not dressed in the next ten minutes for my wedding you will be sorry!" she shouted. She was very serious. Jasper and I exchanged looks and then all four of us left the main floor to ascend to our bedrooms and change into our formal wear.
An hour later I was standing out at the altar with Jasper and Emmett on one side of me and Rose and Esme on the other. We were only waiting for Alice and Carlisle now. The Justice of the Peace was standing there as well, waiting to perform the ceremony. I could tell by his expression and his thoughts that he was absolutely stunned by the appearance of my family, especially Rosalie.
We turned at the sound of the approaching footfalls. Carlisle was escorting Alice, who seemed to float in her wedding dress. Her grace seemed amplified by her elation as she glided toward us, her eyes only on Jasper. He smiled at her, his face breaking out into the grin without thinking.
The wedding started as most weddings do. The vows were said, questions of objections raised. When no one spoke up Alice and Jasper were pronounced husband and wife, and a kiss between groom and bride was shared. We clapped for them and their newfound happiness in matrimony. The Justice of the Peace left us behind to celebrate without him.
And then Alice's eyes became far away. She was having a vision. She mouthed my name and the vision was suddenly in my mind again. The girl, running, near us, so close I was sure I would hear her any second. And then as if summoned I heard approaching footfalls. Heavy steps of this running girl approached us. I turned in the opposite direction to get away as fast as I could.
"It is too late," Alice whispered.
Then the wind blew, sending the scent of this innocent girl my way.
All my control, restraint, years of practice didn't mean a thing. The smell of her was ungodly, unworldly. There was nothing on the face of the planet that was more tempting than this girl. I hadn't even seen her yet. It didn't matter. I growled. I felt my body shift to turn toward hers, to take her down when she came into the courtyard from the masses of greenery that surrounded it. It wouldn't be long now.
"Edward, no!" Alice called. But her voice was far away and sounded muffled. Nothing mattered but this girl and her blood that I would taste soon enough. Now I could hear her heartbeat along with the steps she took as she ran. Everyone had stilled. In less than a second, everything changed.
The girl stumbled into the courtyard. I took less than an instant to assess her—dark wavy hair, shocked chocolate eyes, skin that looked as soft and sweet as it was pale and shining in the moonlight. I lunged at her, snapping and growling. Carlisle went after her as well, trying to keep me from getting to her. Emmett grabbed me from behind as I almost collided with her and Carlisle. The blatant fear on her face should have been enough to keep me from continuing to try and kill her.
It wasn't.
The fear only seemed to concentrate her scent. It made it stronger. It made me want her blood more than I already did. But Carlisle already had her in his arms and was taking her away. Emmett managed to hold me back even though I was yelling for him to let me go, struggling with all the strength I had in me.
As soon as she was gone her scent faded from the air. I stopped struggling. After a moment Emmett let me go. I brushed myself off and looked around to the rest of my family who remained behind.
I sank to my knees and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to control the shame and anger at myself that was building into a tidal wave inside my head. I looked up to Alice and Jasper.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, mortified that I had ruined their wedding, as I had feared I would. But Alice's eyes had gone far away again. When they refocused she smiled at me.
"Don't worry about a thing, Edward. Things will be just fine."