Love for Eternity (Seth's Imprint)

Chapter 37

Esme's POV:

We'd been seraching for Dixie for the last few weeks, but it seems that whenever we get an address for one of her places she's already moved on. We tried Texas, but her scent was already fading. Tenessee was a bust as it was practically void of her scent. Georgia I feel we missed her by days only, and her Dodge was there so we know she was there.

We had two different addresses for Missouri and we had already tried the first one, finding her scent briefly but she had already left. Now we finally have the supposed address for her second house in Missiouri and the GPS is telling us that it's a fake destination.

"Are you sure that's the address?" (E)

"Yes I'm sure, look. Jasper sent it over text and I called to double check, it's around here somewhere." (R)

"Well, it looks like we're asking for directions then because the GPS thinks it's a fictional destination." (E)

I see Rose nod a bit before pulling over at a gas station next to a bar named Honkeytonk. I can't help the little smile on my face as I realize that we truly are in the south. Rose and I get out of the car to pump some more gas and ask for directions when we both freeze as we hear the voice coming from inside the bar.

We climb in and gun the car to the parking lot of the bar before rushing out and into to the bar. I feel myself smile in relief as I see her on stage singing 'Wagon Wheel' to the dwindling crowd. Rose gently pulls my arm and we sit in a small back booth and look at her again, it's then that I realize just how bad she looks. Rose and I can both see what the humans can't and what she's trying to hide.

We can see the dark circles under her eyes that looks as if she's tried to cover them up with makeup. We can see how much paler her skin looks compared to what she looked like a few months ago. We can see how her jeans are fitting too loose around her body and how much weight she's lost over the last few months. We can see the pain that she's hiding in the forced smile on her face as she stands on stage.

I feel my concern over her health kick in the longer we watch her. I hear last call at the bar and watch as she pours the last of a bottle into her glass, feeling myself frown as she does. She turns back to the crowd and starts singing the last song of the night, and both Rose and I hear her heartbreak throughout the song. Tears falling from her eyes as she sang the last verse.

"She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger, and finally drank away his memory. Life is short but this time it was bigger, than the stength she had to get up off her knees. They found her with her face down in the pillow, clinging to his picture for dear life. They laid her next to him beneath the willow while the angels sang a whiskey lullaby. La la la la la la la....la la la la la la la..." (D)

"And that's Dixie Cullen ladies and gentlemen! We hope to see everyone back here tomorrow night! Y'all remember to drive home safe!" (Tim)

We watched as he turned off the lights to the stage before pulling Dixie into a hug, wiping away the tears as he did. I stood and motioned for Rose to follow me, where we watched from the car as Dixie came out a few minutes later with another bottle under her arm, before climbing into a black truck. We saw her stare at the wheel for a few moments before wiping the tears that had been falling away from her face.

She reached for something and Rose and I see that it was a flask, which she drank from before she cranked the car. She drove out of the parking lot and Rose and I followed her down the road to a little cabin, where she parked the truck before going inside. We got out a few moments later and I went up and knocked on the door.

"Door's open sugar." (D)

We both walk in and prepare ourselves to chase her down and tackle her if we have too. I watch as she drinks straight from the bottle, before she flinches in on herself as her heart beats. It's then that I realize just how slowly it's beating. I see Rose's face match my own with concern for her before she turns towards us. I see pain flash through her eyes as she looks at us before taking another deep drink from the bottle.

"Should have known it wasn't Tim. He don come inside after making sure I get home." (D)

"Dixie, hun, we've been trying to contact you for a few weeks now." (E)

"I know." (D)

"Why didn't you ever answer any of our texts or calls?" (R)

"I....I just couldn't bring myself to. I'm sorry." (D)

"Dixie.....you're killing yourself this way. We won't make you talk about what happened but please, you have to come home with us." (E)

"I'm fine here. I'm happy. I got a job here, a real one for once." (D)

"I think we all know that you're lying. You're not happy here, we can both see it. Dixie, you're clearly not sleeping, you're pratically skin and bones, and your scent is completely polluted by alcohol." (R)

I watch as she goes to say something else but stops mid-word before smirking, shrugging, and raising the bottle to her lips again. I feel a rush of anger go through me as I vamp-speed towards her and knock the bottle away from her, hearing it crash against the wood floor of the cabin. I see her looked stunned for a moment before she looks back with black eyes and a hiss coming from her mouth.

"Did you forget what I could do to you? I could make you forget you found me, make you think I was dead. I could even make you forget you ever knew me!" (D)

"Like you did with Seth?" (R)

I see pain flash across her face before she lets out another hiss as she looks to Rosalee. She turns away from us for a moment before rushing to the fridge in the room and pulling a small bottle of clear liquor from the freezer and drinking from it. I rush towards her and attempt to take it from her but soon I find her hand around my neck.

"Esme!" (R)

"You two know nothing of constant pain or heartbreak. It has been all I've ever known my entire existence, and if I want to end it this way then I have every right to!" (D)

She pushes me back against the wall but she doesn't tighten her hold on my neck. I see the tears form in her eyes even as they stay black. Her hold on my throat remains as I stare into her eyes but it's not even painful as she holds me there. I see Rose's eyes fill with worry and anger as she crouches down, ready to tackle Dixie off of me in the next second.

"No, Rose stay back. Dixie, Seth wouldn't want you to hurt yourself this way." (E)

I see the pain flash across her face before her eyes become silvery blue again. She looks at her hand around my neck in utter shock, before she rushes away from me towards the door of the cabin. Rose rushes to crouch in front of me should Dixie charge again, but Dixie only stands there with a look of utmost remorse replacing the shock on her face as she stares at her hand. She looks back up at us and I see her eyes fill with tears as she stares at Rose and me, shaking her head and backing away from us as she does.

"Forgive me. I.....forgive me. I trust you can show yourselves out when you're ready to leave. I have no doubt you'll be more than willing to leave me behind after angel's appearance tonight. If you'll excuse me." (D)

I watch as she rushes from the house, leaving the door open as she does. Rose stands and looks to me with concern but I only wave her off. Rose to my surprise starts to clean up the broken bottle and then starts to pack up Dixie's clothes and pictures.

"Rose?" (E)

"She's still my sister, even if she is a bit crazy right now. We'll either wait for her here or you'll go after her now. I don't think she'll hurt you again, not after that." (R)

"What makes you so certain after you wanted to tackle her off of me a moment ago?" (E)

"Look at the photos that she blown up and framed." (R)

I look to see the photos she meant, the two sitting on the coffee table in the middle of the room and I see it's the ones from the mall's photo booth. The one of me and her, both of us smiling into the camera laughing at something Rose said about her shoes getting gum on them, as well as the one of her and Rose. I smile as I nod in agreement with Rose, before rushing out the door and following her scent.