Without A Hook (Rosalie Hale)

III

Calvin slowly settled into life with the Cullen's. They showed him a new way of living that he hadn't expected before. Alice doted on him for some reason, Jasper enjoyed his company, Edward was still distant but was happy that Renesme was now calling him uncle. Rosalie kept her distance most of the time, but for reasons she hadn't expected.
"I'm taking you shopping, you can stop borrowing clothes." Alice smiled widely.
"Can I come?" Rosalie smiled slowly.
"Yes! Bella, coming shopping?"
"Even as an immortal, I still hate shopping." She gave a small laugh.
"Why are you taking me then?" Calvin frowned.
"It's for you."
"I'm happy wearing whatever." He shrugged a shoulder.
Alice rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand.
"I promise I won't make it difficult if you just come along."
"I feel like I'm being lead to my doom." He groaned.
"Why are men such babies?" Alice scoffed, dragging the vampire to the car.

Rosalie hated to admit it, but Calvin was sweet. He let the girls take the front seats, didn't complain when they laughed in the car with each other.
"This is your first time out of the forest." Alice looked in the mirror. "How is it?"
Calvin gulped, clenching his fists tightly.
"Difficult." He gasped.
"You okay?"
He shook his head, looking at his fists.
"When did you last feed?" Rosalie frowned.
"Last night."
"Is it the blood that bothers you?" Alice sighed.
He shook his head again, he didn't know what bothered him, maybe it was the fact he wasn't used to animal blood, maybe it was the fear of being discovered that the Volturi put into him.
"Can you do this?" Alice looked at him.
"No."
"What if I...I don't know, hold your hand and if it gets too much you give me a squeeze and we leave right away?" Rosalie looked behind her.
Calvin sat silently, trying to think of something to say.
"I'll be right there." Rosalie whispered.
He finally forced himself to nod his head. He could try it.

Rosalie made sure to hold on tight to Calvin, he seemed to loosen up a little. The fear of being caught out by someone had slowly disappeared, but the sound of blood rushing through people was overwhelming his ears. He had to get used to it if he wanted to learn to live with humans.
"Ever have one of these?" Alice held up a leather jacket.
Calvin smiled, a bright smile that Rosalie thought made him look younger again, she liked that smile on him. He reached out a free hand to touch it, as if he was greeting an old friend.
"I haven't had one since..."
"It's okay." Rosalie whispered to him. "It's going to be hard."
He gulped and nodded slowly.
"Would you like it?" Alice grinned.
He nodded again, his eyes never leaving the jacket.

"You did good." Rosalie smiled at him.
"Thank you for helping me."
"I can tell you're trying to be a better person." She looked at the ground.
Calvin smiled, looking at the home. He was happy to be there, it felt comforting compared to the Volturi castle. Even though it was going to take time for him to grow out of his old ways, he was still happy to be there and trying to better himself.
"Would you like to do something?" Rosalie looked up at him.
"Me?" He looked around.
"Yes, you."
"Sure."
Rosalie grinned, patting his shoulder softly like she used to do with Emmett.

"Are you going to decorate this place?" Rosalie looked around the basement where Calvin decided to stay.
"I don't want to do anything without permission." He shrugged.
"Carslile and Esme won't mind."
"Won't mind what?" Carslile grinned.
"If Calvin decorates."
"This is your home now, if this is where you want your bedroom, you can make it your own." Esme sighed happily.
"I'd like to." Calvin smiled.
The couple nodded, letting him know if he needed anything they would be there to lend a hand.
"Don't tell Alice, she'll take over." Rosalie smirked.
"I just want something simple." He mumbled, flicking through a book.
"Typical." She laughed. "We can start tomorrow."
"We?" He closed the book over.
"Yes, we." She sat beside him on the ground.
"You hate me, why are you being nice to me?"
"I told you, I'm willing to give you a chance." She shrugged. "I like spending time with you."
"Really?"
"You're different." She looked at him. "Not as evil as I thought you were."
"Thanks." He sighed.

Just as Rosalie promised, they started decorating the basement together. Calvin enjoyed the company, Rosalie just enjoyed being close to him which she didn't expect. She knew it would be hard to see through what he was, but every day she spent time with him she could see that he wasn't truly evil, he had been programmed to think the way the Volturi did. He hadn't been shown any other way of living.
"You need a bed."
"We don't sleep."
"Well...you might meet someone." Rosalie tried not to think about that part.
"Like Edward did?"
She nodded slowly, Calvin could feel the smile on his face which made Rose sigh.
"You don't want a repeat?" He chuckled.
"Not exactly, anyway...you need a bed." She changed the subject quickly.
"Fine, I'll get a bed."
"Are you going to go to school?"
"School?" He scoffed.
Rosalie chuckled under her breath, she forgot for a moment that this was a boy raised by the Volturi, he hadn't experienced the things she had.
"We always go, gives us something to do...creates the image that we are a semi normal family."
"I'm guessing you won't be joining me if I do."
"Not this time, it would look suspicious."
"You think?"
"Same teachers, unless we decide to move again."
"Do you move often?"
"Just to avoid any suspicion."
He nodded, thinking over it carefully. Maybe trying to fit in with the family more wouldn't hurt so much.
"Then I'll wait till we decide to move, I need some time to adjust to being around humans."
"I understand, baby steps." Her smile radiated her face.
Calvin couldn't help but smile back, something about her made him feel at ease.

Despite the fact he didn't want to go to school right away, Calvin still allowed time for education so he wouldn't go in completely blind. Times had changed since he was in school so he had to learn somethings.
"What is that?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes playfully, handing him the book.
"Romeo and Juliet."
"This is ancient."
"Look, you have to learn it at some point."
"Do I though?" He smirked.
"I'm going to teach you." She took a seat next to him. "It's not that bad."
"It's awful." Jasper noted as he leaned over the sofa. "Forbidden love, kids kill themselves."
"It is pretty boring." Bella smiled. "Why don't you give him something he'll like?"
"Streetcar named desire." Alice chimed in.
"Fine, I didn't realize this was going to be a group thing." Rosalie huffed.
"It makes things easier on you, don't have to spend your time around me." Calvin shrugged.
Rosalie looked at him from the corner of her eyes, she didn't want to comment or tell him that she did actually want to spend time around him. She wasn't ready to forgive him, but the time she spent with him helped her heal.
"We all know history." Jasper smiled. "Different generations."
"Don't overload him." Alice giggled. "He looks like his head is going to explode."
"It feels like it's going to explode." Calvin muttered.

Learning wasn't as fun as Calvin expected it to be, but he didn't really know what to expect. At least he could take breaks when he needed them, time to think. He had decided he liked nighttime, sitting on a tree branch and enjoying the stars that fell on the town. He felt at ease, comforted by the peacefulness of Forks out in the woods. He rested his back on the thick trunk, watching the stars as they glistened in the night. A small sigh left his lips in content. Here, with the Cullen's, he didn't have to worry about making decisions, agreeing with people, he didn't have to act stoic or tough and he liked that. Years of tension and anger seemed to just leave while he was with the family, he still didn't feel like he belonged there, but maybe with time he would.
"Thought I'd find you here."
Calvin drew his gaze from the sky to the girl who joined him.
"It's peaceful." He whispered.
"I know." She sighed.
"Why did you save me, Alice?"
She stopped, looking at the ground underneath them.
"I saw what the future held if we let you in."
"Will you tell me?"
She shook her head with a smile.
"If I tell you, it might not happen."
"What makes you think that?" He rested his head on his raised knees.
"You won't believe me."
"I trust you."
Alice shook her head again before meeting his eyes.
"Well, I saw you obviously...happy."
"That's it?" He chuckled. "I believe you."
"That's it." She lied.
"I'm glad you helped me."
They both smiled at each other, sitting in the quiet of the night, nothing but crickets creating noise.
"We were going to have a game night if you want to join us?"
"Maybe in a little while?" He smiled. "I just want to sit here for a little longer."
"I'll tell them to wait for you." She nodded, hopping down to the ground and disappearing back into the house.
This was what he'd been missing, a family. Somewhere he could truly call home.