20 Listening

It took a while to explain what exactly was happening, and why he felt it was a good idea to allow Leah into the house, especially after the wolves decided to get gangsta on the Cullens and run up in their spot, but finally, he was able to settle the matter.

He explained about imprinting, and how Leah had imprinted on him, which essentially meant that Leah, for all intents and purposes, would be walking by his side for a very long time.

It also helped once he explained that it was her imprinting that resulted in the wolves falling back and deciding to call off their hunt, which went a very long way in easing the nerves of the peace-loving Carlisle.

Though, as they all sat in the living room and Rose held him on her lap tightly, he knew he would have to make some adjustments to his current relationship dynamics, seeing as how he had a source for some incredibly high quality blood just out of reach of his fingertips and he was truly looking forward to what he could do with it, should the wolf girl be amenable.

Which is why, he decided to speed up the process of them getting to know each other, and just cut to the meat of the matter, because the sooner he settled the hostilities on his side and brought Leah into the fold, the sooner he could sink his fangs into her incredibly beautiful neck.

"You left your pack, Leah?" He voiced out as soon as they all sat down, eliciting questioning looks from the vampires around him and a surprised and confused look from Leah. "I have the ability to hear the thoughts of people, however before you ask; yes, it is controllable and no I haven't used it on you. It's simply that, when you first appeared through the trees, the look in your eyes before you saw me was one of sadness and longing. Thus, I assumed that meant that you were no longer a part of the place you called home." He told her, his voice childish, yet somehow still able to provide the necessary levels of sentiment, empathy, and acceptance. A truly difficult feat to accomplish, and if he was being honest, absolute bullshit. He read her mind as soon as she popped up in front of him!

Now, while he didn't like lying to the girl who he knew was looking to him for a place to belong, he knew he had very little choice, because if he didn't continue to act like he had everything under control and completely within his grasp, all it would take was one slip up for his entire house of cards to come tumbling down and the people around him to start looking at him like he was just a really smart child and treating him as such, instead of a person who had lived and experienced all they had, mentally.

"I..." Leah began, though stopped when she scanned the faces of those around Carlee....

'I might have to change that name. It was supposed to be a combination of Karlisle and Charlie, which is pretty much what Bella was leaning towards, but...it kind of sucks. That girl needs to hurry and wake her ass up before I say fuck it and name myself something awesome, like Vlad... wherever that name came from. Though... I feel like taking that right away from her, seeing as how she's already missed out on the whole babying me thing, would just be a bit too... cruel?' He thought before focusing his divided mind back on Leah.

She looked at the ones around him, seemingly uncomfortable with divulging any information... or more than likely uncomfortable with appearing vulnerable in front of the bloodsuckers, since only he knew just how vulnerable she truly was and had been for.. a very long time. 'A heart truly is such a fragile organ and hers was booted straight into outer space by a real piss-ant.'

'*Sigh* Dealing with ex's is always a bitch, but to not be able to walk away and have that same ex swimming around in your mind. Listening to your thoughts. Criticizing your inability to "get over it", and not really having anybody to stand on your side, that... just sounds like hell.'

"There's no need to continue," he told her when he saw on her face that she was close to something like resignation, and was seemingly about to just get it over with and force herself to spill her guts.

"I can see that you are not comfortable talking about it in front of my family. I understand. If you want, we can speak through our minds. That way it can stay just between you and I." He offered her with a reassuring smile that looked incredibly cute on his face...just like every single other expression that he did.

However, not everyone was happy about his decision.

"What! We need to be able to hear what she's saying! She just appeared on our doorstep right after her pack of mutts tried to attack us in our home, and now you want us to just welcome her!" Naturally, Rosalie was not having it.

Carlee just turned his head and looked back at her like he was trying to figure something out.

"Why are you yelling. I am sitting on your lap." He questioned/stated with a face so deadpanned that even his youthful cuteness could not hide the clear mockery even if he tried.

Rose's cheeks took on a well earned shade of pinkish grey that likely resulted from the venom (A/N: Let's just pretend for the sake of the fiction that vampires blush) as a look of embarrassment crossed her features. However, she was habitually stubborn and not one to be easily distracted nor deterred.

She cleared her throat, more than likely to offset her embarrassment, before beginning to speak again, though this time, in a much more composed and controlled manner. "Right, well, the point still stands. There's too much we don't know about her and those dogs. For all we know they could be on their way here now to finish what they started and just decided not to tell her about it. We should..."

"Rosalie," Carlee cut her off. A hint of deliberate exasperation leaking into his tone. "That sounds complicated and convoluted as far as plans of attack go and I doubt they would risk having to fight one of their own, since the imprint bond would basically make her throw her life down long before they could take mine." He looked around at the vampires who each held varying degrees of doubtfulness about the situation. "You all forget, they are a family, just like this one. They would not attack their own. At least, not if there were even the smallest, most minute, possibility for another outcome. Also, in their minds and hearts, imprinting is a sacred matter for the Quillute. Do not belittle it."

With those words that he hardly believed himself, but relayed them with the utmost confidence, he turned back to the beautiful she-wolf and gave her a warm smile and a classic nod that went high first and then came back down like he was a bro on the basketball court, as he connected their minds to one another while he spoke.

[Tell me your story, Leah.]

[Whoa, that's...I've never done this outside of my wolf and with the others.] She said through their mental communication, before a slightly sad smile formed on her face, though that was quickly followed by a frown and a shake of her head. Like she was forcing the memories away and back to the little box where they belonged.

[I guess you really are my new pack, huh.] She stated once she was done seemingly compartmentalizing, though the sadness in her eyes never once dissipated. The bonds between pack mates must be strong... or it's the possibility of her having to leave behind the only family she's ever known. The little brother who spent most of her time bothering her, but also would not hesitate to run with her... okay, he would hesitate a little, but in the end, he would come. Carlee knew, no matter how much time passed or what an imprint designated, she would still miss that. After all....

He could feel the myriad of emotions flowing through her, ranging from sadness, to anger, to relief at being on her own, to hope for a better outcome, to fear...of rejection.

'Damn, getting cheated on and then dumped for one's cousin must really mess up a person's self-esteem if this girl is seriously afraid of being rejected by a fucking kid...though, it probably has more to do with the vampires surrounding me than anything else. She's probably doubting she can pull off the same thing Jacob did, seeing as how technically our two groups are basically in war time.'

[There's no need to be nervous or afraid. I can feel your emotions Leah, and just know, no matter how I look on the outside, I have seen far more than most would believe. Time moves differently in my mind. I have seen the lives of all those around me. I saw the thoughts of the wolves when they wanted to kill me. And I can see the hope you hold inside of you that you might find not only a way to leave and escape the suffocation of that is your pack, but also a place you can call yours. Now, while I could tell you what you want to hear, and say everything's going to be alright and I'm here for you. Instead, I would rather just show you.]

So, he did, exactly as he said... in a sense. He conveyed to her her own feelings back to her, showing that he felt and acknowledged every single one and then conveyed his own feelings of acceptance and happiness at simply the very prospect of having her beautiful self near him. And while doing that and glimpsing her attempts at stopping her tears from falling, since he knew she had no interest in crying in front of vampires, he once more asked her to get the fuck on with it already.

[Leah, tell me your story.]