Chapter Text
21 Years Later
Summary: The Cullens visit the Denalis after 21 years to be met with the most unlikely of surprises.
Bella/Tanya
"YES!" Eleazar chuckled at Tanya's exclamation. She couldn't be blamed as she had spent the better part of two hours on the phone trying to get through to the right person. "The things we'd do for our mates." He mumbled as the surveillance system alerted him to someone driving up to the house. The system monitored anyone coming up to the house from half a mile away. The Denali coven wasn't like the Cullens in socializing with humans. They kept to themselves, and that enabled them to live there for centuries without drawing attention to themselves. Of course, they often traveled, sometimes they were gone for decades at a time, but Denali was home.
"Oh, this is not good." He exclaimed when he realized who their guests were. They hadn't seen or spoken to the Cullens in 21 years, and in truth, they liked it that way. This was bound to happen eventually, and they all knew it, but they really hadn't prepared for it. Tanya was still on the phone, so Eleazar had to deal with this. He stood on the large porch and waited for their cousins. He doubted they'd still be calling themselves that in a few days.
"Is it me or does he not look happy to see us." Alice chirped happily, contradicting the negative statement.
"Don't know. I can't hear him," Edward whispered, his eyes boring into the Denali coven member.
"Can't feel a thing from him either," Jasper added.
"We will talk about it later," Carlisle whispered, as they were now too close to really talk about it.
Alice was the first out of the SUV, and practically skipped towards the large house. "Hello, Eleazar." She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "This is new." She said of the porch.
"Yes, I suppose it will be to you since it wasn't here the last time you were." Alice grimaced at the thought of their last visit. That was the last time the family had been whole again, Esme, Rose, and Emmett had left them that day. They had also caused significant damage to the Denali's house in the process.
Eleazar turned his attention to the rest. "Carlisle, Jasper, Edward... I... come in." It was apparent he had decided against whatever he was about to say. "Tanya is on the phone, she should be done soon." She was the coven leader, this was her decision to make on whether the Cullens stayed or not.
"We had no desire to impose on you as we have, but our house in the Yukon Territory suffered extensive structural damage in our absence. The renovation will take a few weeks, and we hoped we could stay here while that was taking place."
"That is unfortunate," Eleazar replied, although he made no mention as to whether they could stay or not.
"What is this?" Alice's focus had been pulled to a large canvas on the wall. "I can tell it's you, Carmen, and the sisters, but who are the others?" Eleazar bristled at the tone.
"Those are members of our coven." And the reason they couldn't stay.
"You've doubled," Carlisle said in wonder.
"Yes, first Tanya found her mate. She came with her family, and there you have it." Alice continued to stare at the painting; the familiarity of the other five bothered her. Two men stood together, something about the big guy reminded her of Emmett. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had regarding the painting. Then the news about Tanya hit her at the same time it seemed to hit Edward.
"Tanya is mated?" Edward's hurt tone was not missed by any. The boy had tried for decades to earn Tanya's affection, but she had never remotely seen him as a romantic partner. Tanya willingly waited for her mate instead of settling, something she was adamant about. Everyone knew Edward found his existence without a mate somewhat crippling, but Tanya had no sympathy for him in that regard. She had spent over a thousand years without a mate until she found hers. He could wait for his as far as she was concerned.
"She is, has been for 16 years." Eleazar truly smiled for the first time.
"I didn't see any of this," Alice murmured.
"No, you wouldn't have," Eleazar answered just as the surveillance alerted them to another car coming up to the house. Recognizing the vehicle, Eleazar switched the system off.
"I can't hear you or Tanya either," Edward added.
"Should you even be listening?" Tanya asked as she descended the stairs. Edward stared at the blonde beauty as she walked towards them. To him, she was almost gliding, instead of walking. Everything about Tanya made him weak at the knees, except she barely saw him as nothing more than a boy stuck in the year he was created.
"Cullens... it has been a while. If you wish to stay, you cannot stay in the main house. We have guest quarters; you are welcome to stay there. As of next week, we have invited guests coming for a visit. You will share it with them."
"That is fine, thank you, Tanya. Congratulations on finding your mate." Carlisle said though he at that moment felt the loss of his mate more keenly than ever. The physical pain he had felt when Esme first left disappeared 15 years ago. They were sure she had somehow managed to get the bond broken, but his call to Aro assured him the Volturi were not responsible if indeed it was what she had done.
"Thank you, Carlisle, she has given us all a new lease of life."
"And you doubled your coven," Jasper added.
"The Volturi..."
"The Volturi are well aware of our numbers and have no issue with it," Tanya answered, cutting Alice off as laughter could be heard from outside. One was so obviously Kate, but the Cullens could not identify the other voice.
"There goes the peace and quiet," Tanya whispered with a radiant smile.
"Indeed." Eleazar concurred with a smile of his own.
The door crashed open and in walked Kate and... "Bella?" Alice blurted out in shock.