Chapter Six
La Belle et la Bête
Marlowe Castille
August 21, 1950
Chicago, Illinois, USA

~

"Not marble nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme,
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn
And broils roots out the work of masonry,
Nor mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
'Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till judgement that yourself arise,
You in this, and dwell in lovers eyes.

-William Shakespeare

~

"Marlowe! Edward!" Rosalie's voice dragged me out of my bliss and Edward growled as his lips left mine.

"Doesn't she know we're busy." He muttered, flipping me onto my back, pinning me beneath him, and moving his lips to my neck and chest.

"She sounded like she needed us. Maybe we should-" I was cut off, silenced immediately by Edwards newest unspeakable task.

"I know you two can hear me!" She shrieked impatiently, and it was my turn to growl when Edward untangled himself from me.

"Alright! We're coming!" He yelled at her through the forest, standing and straightening out his clothes.

"Five more minuets." I panted. "S'il vous plait."

"Sorry, love." He sighed, helping me on to my feet and straightening out my clothes. "We have visitors at the house and Esme sent Rosalie after us."

"Better Rose then to have mère catch us in the act again." I snickered as I took his hand in mine and pulled him in the direction of the house.

"True, poor Esme." He grimaced, just to make me laugh. "Your American accent is getting much better, Marlowe." He noted.

"Really? You think so?!" I asked excitedly. "I've been working on it so hard."

"It's getting really good, although I much prefer your French." He smiled lovingly at me.

"Me too, but Carlisle is right about how it's necessary to blend in." I nodded. "At least for awhile until tension dies down."

"People have no issue with France. It's the Axis powers they don't trust." Edward reminded me.

"I know, but the French people went through so much. I would hate for someone to overhear my French or my accent and ask me about it." I sighed. "I know it's been five years and the American people have much more to worry about, but I can't help but be cautious. I'm a Jewish immigrant from France, decades ago of course, but it won't seem that way to outsiders. I have to be careful for the sake of the family. For awhile anyway." I smiled sadly up at him.

"I love you, I'll always support whatever you decide to do." Edward promised me as we climbed the back porch, stopping me before I opened the door to kiss me deeply. "Even if that means supporting you not speaking your beautiful French." He teased.

"I know it's tragic, but I love you too." I giggled as I opened the door and entered the kitchen.

"Carlisle?! Esme?!" Edward immediately went on the defense at the scent of two foreign vampires, they must be foreign to him too then. "Is everything all right?" He asked as he pushed me behind him protectively.

"Fine! We're all in the living room!" Esme laughed and Edward slacked, taking my hand in his as we entered the living room.

My eyes immediately zeroed in on the odd couple.

The girl was small in the extreme and strikingly beautiful. Her size, grace, and looks would make any ballerina weep instantly in jealousy. Her hair was short and dark and smoothed down into small victory waves. Her porcelain skin contrasted against her wide golden eyes prettily. She was the picture of innocence to me.

The man however was the exact opposite to me. He was much taller than the girl, I guessed he was just slightly taller than Edward and I. His honey blond hair fell in slight waves to his collar and his reddish-yellow eyes told me he was still quite new to the diet, that or he was struggling. That wasn't what I found troubling however. He was blanketed in scars from previous fights with vampires. I couldn't help but look away as soon as I looked at him, and I felt ashamed immediately at my intolerance.

I shook off my uneasiness and stepped in front of Edward to offer my hand.

"Bonjour, I'm Marlowe." I smiled, shaking the girls hand before offering it to Jasper.

He looked shocked as he stared between my hand and my face briefly. He took my hand and shook it once as he gave me a polite nod.

"Jasper Whitlock, ma'am." He introduced himself, his voice soft but his tone firm. "And this is Alice." He introduced the girl lovingly, who looked like she was so excited she was about to come out of her skin.

"It's so exciting to finally meet you!" Alice cheered, wrapping me in a tight hug. "Sorry." She apologized, more so to Edward who stepped forward to defend me rather than to me. "I get a little carried away sometimes. I didn't mean to set you off, Edward."

"How did you know my name?" He questioned her, sensing the surprise on our other family members faces.

"Alice is quite intuitive. She knows all of us." Carlisle disclosed. "We were waiting on you two to arrive so we could all get to know each other."

"So, 'ow do you know our names?" I asked, my curiosity roaring as I pulled Edward to sit down beside me.

"I see the future." She stated simply, and several of the others snickered.

"Really? 'Ow?" I asked her, excited at the thought of having someone more like me as a friend.

"She doesn't really see the future, Frenchie." Emmett teased me. "She's just joking with us."

"No, she's not." Edward shook his head, causing the room to quiet immediately. "She's being truthful, she really does see the future. In the same way Marlowe sees the past for the most part." He marveled, smiling down at me.

"You see the past?!" Alice's enthusiasm on par with mine. "That's amazing!"

"E think E would much prefer to see ze future." I giggled. "Zat sounds much more 'elpful."

"So then you are French, aren't you?" She suddenly questioned me, hearing the full force of my accent, still bubbling with excitement. "Because I saw you meeting Edward and the Cullens, but I couldn't tell if you were just in France or if you were actually French."

"Alice's favorite place in the world is Paris." Jasper shot me a grin.

"Oui, je suis française." I nodded at her.

"Très magnifique!" She squealed. "Tu devras m'apprendre plus le français!"

"I don't think you need lessons at all!" I laughed in surprise. "Your French sounds quite good, Alice."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I spent some time there during the war with a friend of mine." She explained and my entire body tensed.

"Mére!" I cried out as the German soldier struck her across her face, splitting her lip. "Arrête!" I begged them.

A shot rang out and the soldier constricting my arms dropped to the floor unconscious.

"Marlowe, cours et cache toi!" My father yelled at me, aiming for the soldier in front of my mother.

I didn't hesitate, I ran out of the room and through the mansion to the back door. I rushed down the steps and bolted towards the gardens gate, knowing I could get lost in the high shrubbery and secret enclaves of the garden.

"Arrête!" I recognized my father's voice yelling out amongst the Germans. "Marlowe!"

I stumbled down another pathway and ran right into two German soldiers. One seized me painfully by my arms, his overwhelming strength threatened to break my fragile bones. The other smiled devilishly at me, his sinister red eyes drank my fear in gleefully.

"Démon!" I spit at him, knowing those unnatural red eyes must be of the devil. "Père, les maudire!" I cried out.

"God can't help you now." He laughed at me, grabbing at my dress and easily tearing it away.

"Arrête!" I cried out, struggling to get away from the soldiers hold.

"Arrête!" I screamed, thrashing to get out of the soldiers tight hold. "S'il vous plaît!" I begged. "Démon!" I yelled.

"Marlowe! Arrête!" Edward shook me, forcing me to look him in the eyes and calm down.

I instantly broke down, sobbing into his collar as he held me tightly to him.

"You're safe." He promised me. "You're here with me, the war is over, you're safe." He swore, taking my face into his hands and looking deeply into my eyes.

"I'm so sorry." Alice apologized. "I didn't mean to trigger anything." She shook her head. "I didn't know-"

"Alice, it's alright." I nodded, looking to Edward for reassurance. "It's hard to tell where memories come from sometimes." I sighed, not being able to forget those ice cold hands ravaging my body.

"Still, I feel so awful." Alice pouted.

"I'm fine, really." I offered a weak smile. "I think I should go lie down for awhile." I told the room, squeezing Edwards hands so that he would let me go before I climbed the stairs to my room.

I opened the door and immediately sighed in relief. Edward and I's room is one of my favorite places on earth. It's warm and relaxing and full of pieces of our relationship. Pictures, postcards, trinkets, candles, and odd furnishings from our travels. Blankets from Egypt, Jewish prayer items from Jerusalem, and various other collections.

After shutting the door, I went to the desk and pulled out my journal that I use to record my memories in and quickly wrote my vision of the soldiers down. Not forgetting any detail, for fear I'd forget later I suppose, before shutting and tucking the book away again.

I changed into pyjamas before crawling under the  blankets and falling into a trance.

Perfect lips stained with lipstick and blood.

Tight constricting arms pulling my own.

A loud shot and my panicked father's cry.

Looming shrubbery and a surprise attack.

Demonic red eyes and ice cold hands.

Arrête!

"Marlowe?" Edward spoke my name softly, smiling down at me as I came to my senses. "I can't help but worry you've died when you fall asleep like that." He kissed my temple, settling into bed beside me as I noticed it had become dark outside.

"It's not really sleeping, you know." I giggled feeling dazed, the vampire equivalent of sleepiness I suppose. "It's more of compartmentalizing the visions of the day, according to Carlisle's studies. A way to put it away and not let it overwhelm me."

"Alice kept apologizing this evening." He frowned. "I kept trying to calm her down and reassure her you were going to be okay, but I think she understands how traumatic visions can be."

"Really?" I asked hopefully. "Just when I feel like I'm under control, something new comes up and sends me spiraling."

"She told us all about how it took her years when she first awoke to even figure out what year she was in." He confessed.

"Poor girl." I sighed, remembering my first years of confused ramblings to Aro late at night after long days of non-stop visions.

"I'm excited for us to get to spend more time with her. We have a lot of similarities in our gifts." He explained, running his hand up and down my arm.

"Oh, are she and Jasper staying for awhile?" I asked him.

"I forgot to tell you." He chuckled. "They asked to join the coven. Alice has been seeing us in visions ever since she awoke and was waiting until she found Jasper to come find us. I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and voted yes for the both of us. I know your nature enough to know you wouldn't turn them away."

"Wow." I marveled. "Two new siblings just like that." I giggled.

"That's going a little fast." He sighed. "Jasper is a little worrying to me. All of those scars means he's dangerous, Marlowe."

"I knew you were going to say that." I grumbled. "I hate to admit it, but his scars scared me at first glance. I immediately judged him, and that was so wrong of me to-"

"It's our instinct." He tried to defend our actions.

"Was it the Nazi's instincts to judge the Jewish people for crimes they didn't commit?" I snapped at him. "No, fear and judgment of someone different than us is not instinct it is cowardice." I huffed as I climbed out of bed and threw on a robe.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked me, concerned.

"I'm going downstairs to apologize to Jasper and Alice. I think you should stay here and think about what I said." I grumbled before opening our bedroom door and shutting it quietly behind me.

I crept downstairs carefully, knowing Alice and Jasper most likely moved into the unoccupied guest room across from the library, and gathered my black silk robe tighter around me before knocking quietly on the door.

"Oh! Marlowe, hello." Alice smiled up at me. "What a surprise." She giggled.

"Why do I 'ave a strange feeling et's not a surprise at all." I smirked, a trait of Edwards I had picked up.

"Because it's not, of course." She laughed. "I don't get too many surprises anymore."

"I would image so." I nodded.

"So, while I saw you decide to come apologize to us, I have no idea what you think you're apologizing for." Alice stated, suddenly very firm as she dragged me into the room and to a chair in the corner.

She sat on the edge of the bed across from me. Jasper was sitting upright under the covers with his back against the headboard, a civil war book in his hands.

"If anyone should apologize, it should be me." Alice continued on. "I had no idea you were involved in World War One. They didn't tell us much, just that your parents were spies and you got put in the middle of things. Also, that you're Jewish and have been shaken up after World War Two."

"I'll tell you more about it later, but no Alice my vision was one that needed to be remembered. It was of German soldiers attacking me in my family's garden after my father made me run from the house." I explained.

"I'm so sorry! I-"

"Alice, stop." I sighed. "It's fine, it was decades ago now and that memory is now safely compartmentalized. Visions come when they come, you should know that." I offered her a friendly smile. "I came to apologize to you, both of you."

"But why? You didn't do anything wrong!" Alice cried.

"Yes, I did." I nodded, taking a deep breath to steel my nerves.

"It's alright, Marlowe. You don't have to be nervous." Jasper reassured me.

"How could you tell?" I asked him, wide eyed. I'm usually so good about concealing my feelings.

"Empath." He smiled at me. "I'm able to sense and control others emotions. Can calm a crowd of angry soldiers in a fraction of a second."

"Amazing." I smiled back at him, his quiet reserved demeanor making much more sense now. He was watching all of our emotions earlier. "Anyway, my apology." I reminded them. "I'm sorry for judging you earlier, Jasper."

Alice and Jasper both sat frozen, wide eyes looking both shocked and confused.

"How did you judge me?" Jasper finally broke the silence.

"Your scars." I confessed. "I was...frightened, at first."

"Marlowe, that's normal, lots of vampires-"

"No." I shook my head. "I refuse to believe zat et es instinct to see someone scarred and zink zey're dangerous. Everyone deserves a chance and I feel nauseous zat I of all people didn't give you one. I understand fear and monstrous human beings. I 'ave seen ze evil en men at et's darkest hours. To judge you as such does not make me instinctual et makes me a coward just like ze Nazis!" I cried out.

"Marlowe, calm down." Jasper told me, and I immediately felt what seemed like a cool rush of air deep in my bones. My frustration and sadness was gone immediately. "I'm more than used to it after so many years." He assured me.

"Even I was a little afraid of his scars when I first saw him." Alice confessed. "I didn't even know what they meant, just that he was different than I was, and that surprised me. Don't feel like you did anything wrong."

"And don't you ever compare yourself to Nazi's again." Jasper demanded firmly. "Those monsters traumatized your country and your people for years, eradicated entire populations of innocent people, and from what I've observed you are far far from their monstrosities." He offered me a small smile. "I'm constantly observing peoples emotions and the minute you entered the room earlier, everyone immediately felt endearment and happiness. You're the oldest girl, right?" He asked me.

"Well, vampire wise, yes." I nodded.

"You being the oldest carries a large amount of endearment. You're the big sister around here. Carlisle and Esme felt nothing but parental pride and love for you, and when you had your vision they became quite worried for you. They both wanted to go upstairs and check on you, but Edward told everyone to let you rest. Rosalie and Emmett both felt very concerned for you and were sad that you had been affected so deeply by your vision. They really look up to you and Edward. Honestly, I was very surprised. Alice told me that you all were just like a real family, but I had my doubts, but of course she was right."

"Always am." Alice teased him. "So, long story summed up, you are loved Marlowe and you are nothing short of a miracle. It takes a remarkable person to apologize like you have, however it's entirely unnecessary. Jasper and I can't wait to have you as a sister and we're so excited to be here." She promised me, hugging me sweetly as she led me to the door. "Now you should go back upstairs to Edward. He's beating himself up pretty harshly about what he said." She smirked at me.

"Zank you both." I smiled back her before climbing the stairs to apologize to my mate.

"Edward? Mon amour? Can I come in?" I asked quietly through the door and was greeted by Edward throwing open the door and pulling me into his arms tightly, locking his lips onto mine.

He pushed me up against the wall across from our door, devouring my mouth like he hadn't seen me in years.

"I'm sorry" he apologized as he kissed his way down my neck. "You're right, I'm sorry." He continued, this time trailing his way back to my lips.

"I know." I nodded, breaking contact for only a moment before kissing him back with the same vigor.

"Hey!" Emmett suddenly yelled out, but Edward didn't let go of me. "Your room is literally right there!"

"Leave them alone." Rosalie giggled, pulling him off down the other end of the hall to their room.

Edward took us back across the hall, through our door, and dropped me into bed before turning back to shut and lock the door.

"Je suis désolé, mon amour." He apologized in perfect French. "Laisse-moi te faire plaisir?" He smirked devilishly.

"Mon amour!" I gasped. "You've been working on your French!" I smiled up at him as I let him undress me.

"Oui, c'est un langage d'amour et je t'adore au-delà des mots." He smiled sexily as he climbed on top of me. "Alors laissez-moi vous montrer en action?"