Ash Over Seas

“You're late, Mr. Black,” Giovanangelli scowled as my seatmate dodged into the room hurriedly.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he said as he quickly made his way to the back, his books piled in his arms and his bag hanging limp from his shoulder. “I was held up in the library.”

“Oh?” the squat man inquired darkly, his beady eyes fixed on Jacob.

“Yes, sir. English project.”

Gio eyed him intensely for a moment before nodding curtly. “Don’t let it happen again or I’ll have you in detention.”

“Yes, sir,” the boy breathed as he plopped into his seat. Gio returned to the board as if nothing had happened, rattling on in his hard tone about Mesopotamia.

“God, that girl will be the death of me,” Jake muttered as he shoved his extra books into his bag and situated himself.

“Mmm,” I said vaguely as I scrawled my notes across the page.

“I just wish she would stop being so… forward about it. I just wish she would understand,” he continued, exasperatedly, his mind still obviously whirling from his rush to get here.

“I know the feeling.”

He was silent for a moment and I soon began to feel uncomfortable. I looked up to see him watching me with a contemplative expression; like he was trying to read my thoughts.

He seemed to brush it off after a moment and I was thankful he hadn’t asked.

“So,” he whispered lowly, so that Giovanangelli wouldn’t hear. “Want to start the project after school today? We can chill at the library or something.”

His face was warm and friendly; excited; and my stomach dropped.

“You don’t like to pay attention in class much, do you? It’s a wonder you pass,” I muttered.

Jake grinned and shrugged. “You're more interesting than history. Or Gio. So what d’you say?”

“I, uh, can’t actually. I have previous… engagements,” I replied, casting my eyes downward at my paper and fidgeting with my ballpoint.

He let out a small chuckle. “What kind of engagements,” he mocked.

Um, lets see, an appointment with a vampire Ph.D. who’s trying to confirm that I’m on my way to an early death?

“Just stuff.”

“What kinda stuff,” he persisted, his voice childish and teasing. I couldn’t help but smile at it, no matter how bitter my thoughts were.

“Just stuff, Jacob. Pay attention,” I chuckled, waving my hand vaguely at the board.

“Do you not want to tell me or something?” he asked, raising a brow at me.

I shrugged and turned back to my notes just as his finger dug itself into my ribs.

“Cut that out!” I hissed, trying to fight back a smile. He did it again and I attempted to swat his arm away.

“What stuff?” he grinned, his hand darting out once more. “Are you going on a date?”

“No!” I laughed, my body arching sideways in defense.

Gio turned for a moment, glaring suspiciously through his monologue and I sat perfectly still, trying not to hint away that anything was going on other than studious note taking.

“Tell me. I can keep doing this all day,” he threatened amusedly once the man had returned to the lecture once more.

“What are you? Three?”

“Irrelevant. Tell me.”

“Why do you care so much?” I chuckled.

He paused for a minute and I was able to catch my breath and rub my aching ribs. His brow creased and he seemed to be pondering.

“I really don’t know…” he said thoughtfully, but then his smirk was back. “But I do.”

He reached his hand out on the table in front of me, slowly tapping his fingers in a threatening manner. I was determined not to budge.

The poke war continued discreetly for the rest of the block until Giovanangelli nearly caught us and I decided to give in rather than risk detention.

“Fine!” I whispered as my hand latched around his wrist and pinned it firmly to the table. I couldn’t fight the smile breaking through at his antics. No matter how immature they were, he managed to make me smile and I was grateful for it. He waited patiently, a triumphant smirk stretched over his face.

“I have an appointment, okay? Just a little check up thing, no big deal,” I said casually.

“Appointment?”

“Humans get them all the time, Jake, or has it been so long for you?” I teased, my fingers still latched around his thick wrist. “I’m half human so it’s only right that I have regular appointments as well,” I lied easily, making sure to keep quiet enough that my peers didn’t overhear anything.

“But you can’t go to a hospital.”

I rolled my eyes. “Clearly. I’m going to see Carlisle.”

His arm immediately tensed under my grasp and I retracted my hand in surprise. His once joyful features had somehow hardened and I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching. I waited a moment for him to speak but his lips never parted.

“Jake?” I asked hesitantly.

“I don’t want you going there.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“Because,” he bit harshly.

I opened my mouth to speak as the bell rang in the distance and Jake began to shove his books roughly into his bag. I didn’t take my eyes from him as I followed suit, trailing after him as he strode out of the room.

“Jake, what’s going on with you?” I asked in shock as we sped along the hallway. I had never expected him to react this irrationally over a doctor’s appointment.

“I don’t want you going over there,” he said darkly. “I don’t trust them.”

The dim light filtered through the trees into the parking lot, illuminating his russet skin as I tried to keep up with his long legs. He veered right, heading toward my car as if intent on coming with me.

“Jake, what are you talking about? They're fine, my father is a vampire!” I protested.

He snorted. “Yeah, and I have a hard enough time making my peace with that. Now you're shipping yourself off to a house full of them.”

I came to an abrupt stop, glaring as indignation boiled in my veins. “I am one of them.”

His steps faltered as he realized I wasn’t next to him anymore and he turned toward me. His face softened slightly as he caught onto my offense.

“You're only half,” he said quietly, coming to rest about a foot from me. I had to crane my neck slightly to see his face. He seemed to debate whether or not to embrace me, and decided against it as he let out a sigh and raked his hand through his hair.

I could see Atticus waiting impatiently at the car. His tall, pale frame was folded gracefully against the driver side door as he watched us with cold eyes.

“Part of you is human and I just… they could still lose control,” Jake continued softly.

My heart panged.

“Jake, I’m going to be fine,” I assured him, only partly lying as I placed my hand on his sweltering arm. I admired the contrast of his dark skin against mine, which had paled even more over the past months. “Because I’m part vampire I’m not as tempting to them. Even Jasper doesn’t seem to have a problem around me.”

He bit his lip, chewing it for a moment in thought before he reached out and pulled me to his chest in a tight embrace.

“Okay,” he sighed submissively. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise,” I whispered, throwing him a soft smile and brushing my hand along his arm before leaving to join my brother at the car.

“He seems to like you quite a lot,” the brooding boy commented as we pulled from the parking lot.

I sighed softly, casting my eyes out the window as we sped toward Forks.

“I know.”

“You like him as well,” he said frankly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Yes.” My voice was barely above a whisper.

“Why don’t you date him, then?”

“It’s complicated.”

The boy sneered slightly as he gazed out the windshield. “If I liked someone that much, I wouldn’t deny them. And he’s certainly not the one denying you.”

I grimaced and folded my hands together, toying with a ring on my thumb. “You're not me, Attie.”

A thick silence ensued and I held my breath.

“There’s more to this, isn’t there?” he stated callously and when I didn’t answer him I could see his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

“I don’t know what you're going on about,” I dodged quietly, casting my eyes away again.

“Do you think I’m daft?” he growled, the tension rolling off him like an approaching storm. “I’ve known you my whole life, Colby. I can tell when you're hiding things.”

“Take this turn here,” I muttered softly as we approached the Cullens’ hidden driveway. Atticus took the turn much sharper than usual and I grappled for the handle to prevent myself from falling into his lap. He braked the car to an abrupt halt and followed hot on my heels as we stormed the entrance.

“Colby, it’s… nice to see you again. Though I admit I wish the circumstances could be less severe,” Carlisle said with a polite smile as we entered.

My father had arrived already and was placed on the large couch in the living room, chatting vaguely with Alice, whose cheer didn’t seem to brighten his mood any. His golden eyes looked up as I approached and I gave him a reassuring smile before I followed Carlisle up the stairs and to his home office. I could feel the slight calming effects of Jasper fading away as we ventured further into the house.

“So, Colby, how have you been feeling?” the pretty doctor asked as I settled my shaking frame into the plushy leather chair, clothed in the typical hospital gown.

I bit my lip, clasping my trembling hands together in my lap as he fiddled with the machines around me. I was always nervous when I came here, wondering if each day would be the day.

“I… it hasn’t been good, Carlisle,” I admitted sullenly. “It’s been getting worse.”

“Does your family know?” he asked calmly.

I chewed my lip still, shaking my head in shame and I heard him sigh heavily.

“What are your symptoms lately?”

“I… I’ve been tired a lot; sometimes I can’t even play in gym. I’ve been having dizzy spells and I get out of breath like a full human would. My skin has paled and grown colder to the touch. I… I don’t know what it is,” I whispered, fear flickering through my navy-colored eyes.

Carlisle nodded, always one to keep a strong composure.

“Okay. I’m just going to run some routine tests and the go from there,” he said and I pulled my dark hair into a loose knot as he took his stethoscope and began checking my breathing all around.

I winced as his hands pressed over my abdomen, and several parts of my arms. His features had frozen into a calm mask and my breathing hitched slightly.

He continued to test my reflexes and perform all the normal checkup tasks without a word before helping me to stand up.

“I think… I’d like to take some scans,” he said calmly, leading me into an adjoining room. My brows raised as I stared, impressed, at the large machine in front of me.

“You have one of these in your home?”

Carlisle smiled softly and nodded. “Henry is a great friend of mine. I wish to provide his daughter with the best care possible,” he assured me as he helped me to lie on the hard plastic slab.

“Thank you,” I whispered as he strapped me in.

He nodded in acknowledgement. “I’m just going to take a quick CT and we’ll see if there’s anything going on in there,” he said as he pressed a button and I was slowly pulled under the machine.

“I’m going to ask you to hold your breath and try not to move,” he said calmly and I nodded as he flipped a switch and retreated to the other side of the room where a monitor was positioned on a large desk.

I kept my eyes locked shut as the plastic and metal buzzed around me, reading my body like a book. It felt like hours before the sound slowly faded and I felt myself returning to the dimly lit room. I opened my eyes slowly and glanced around as if anything might have changed.

Carlisle was quiet as he helped unstrap me and I immediately took it as a bad sign.

“Carlisle,” I whispered firmly, meeting his gaze as I willed him to confirm it for me. I had to hear it from his lips to truly believe it.

The doctor sighed deeply, rubbing his hand over his eyes. “There are… there is inflammation,” he said slowly and a lump began to form in my throat. This wasn’t good; not at all.

“Granulomas have spread throughout your tissues… there are many. They have surely been forming for a while. I am so sorry I did not think to do this sooner.”

I shook my head, placing my hand over his comfortingly. The temperature difference was hardly noticeable now. “Don’t be, Carlisle, please. I am so thankful that you’ve been here at all. Do you… know what it is? Is there any chance?”

I steered clear of the word hope. I wasn’t ready for my dreams of a normal life to be completely crushed just yet.

“It is still unlike any human disease I’ve seen. But that is sensible. Still, I will prescribe you something that I hope will help,” he said softly, taking my hand to help me from the table. “Come now, Henry is surely worried for you.”

I grimaced. “Not as much as he will be once he finds out,” I whispered.

The entire living room tensed up when our slow and haunting steps approached. My father stood from his seat on the couch and I glanced fleetingly at Atticus, who was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans as his raven hair fell into his eyes, which were burning holes in me.

Edward was the first to notice, and softly took his wife’s hand as his eyes softened in sympathy.

“Henry,” Carlisle said softly and my father’s hard eyes swiveled to him. “I am sorry.”

“What is it, Carlisle,” he asked stiffly, his voice quiet and restrained.

“There is inflammation in the tissues that has spread widely,” Carlisle replied. “It has become severe and I fear it will only escalate from here. Henry, I am sorry, but I don’t know how long she has.”

Several things happened at once.

I startled as I heard my brother swear loudly, shoving himself from the doorway as he stormed from the room without a glance back. My father’s hand flew to his gut as he stood, still as a statue and eyes locked on his friend. And a flood of calm seemed to flow from Jasper, whose arm was being clutched desperately by his mate.

“Daddy,” I whispered and his honey eyes locked to mine, his pain piercing through me like an arrow. I took several timid steps forward and wrapped my thin arms around his waist.

His cold frame hunched over mine as he crushed me to his body, resting his chin on top of my head. I had a feeling that if he could cry, he would have.

“It’s going to be okay, Daddy,” I whispered. “I promise.”

“Do you know what it is, Carlisle?” asked Alice.

“I… some of the symptoms seem to match up with several human diseases. I am going to prescribe some routine corticosteroids given to Sarcoidosis patients. But other than that… there is not much I can do for now.”

“Is there nothing else?” my father asked wearily as he released me from his arms.

“If you will allow me, I will begin running more in depth tests. I will spend every spare moment in the lab to see if I can make any progress… any treatment… but I cannot guarantee anything. As I said, these are uncharted waters.”

My father nodded and took a calming breath.

“In the meantime,” Carlisle added softly. “I would suggest you rest as much as possible and avoid any causes of stress, for that can easily spike your symptoms.”

“Thank you, Carlisle,” my father whispered, reaching to shake his friend’s hand.

The vampire nodded, following us to the door and bidding us a sympathetic goodbye. I sighed heavily as I climbed into my father’s Aston Martin, knowing that Atticus would return home when he was ready.

I thought to how we would break the news to Ari and Pan as my stomach lurched unpleasantly.

And so it began.