Quinn O'Connell was the pretty girl in pink, the homecoming queen and all-around straight-A student. Most people saw her as uptight, narcissistic but most importantly... They saw her as a control freak with her perfect blonde hair and patronising sm...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The Gardens of Luxembourg were gorgeous that time of year, covered in a dusting of snow and Quinn O'Connell was having the best few months of her life as she sat beside Carlisle on a bench, his arm around her shoulder as they waited. Carlisle and Quinn had spent Christmas together in a hired French Chateau, and despite it being only them, it was perfect. And now they were waiting for their family.
"Carlisle! Quinn!" it was an undeniable squeal that they knew so well, Alice was brilliant at making words sound high pitched and they'd have flinched at the octave if they weren't so used to it. For the past month, they had been in Paris and so had Alice and Jasper though this was the first they had seen of one another.
The short vampire came barrelling through the snow, doing her best to slow her speed due to the humans that looked on in distaste, disgruntled at having their peace disturbed. Alice reached Carlisle first as he stood, catching her before she went flying straight over the back of the bench into the fountain and Quinn giggled as she stood, hugging Jasper much more calmly. He looked happy, hair in untamed curls, speckled with snow as he smiled at her, though his eyes were caught on her hand, a grin stretching easily on his lips.
"Quinn" Alice bounced, hugging the girl and practically throwing her into the air in her excitement. "We missed you both! Where have you been? How have you been?"
"Let them breathe, Darlin'" Jasper chuckled, clapping Carlisle on the back as he hugged him. "Seems you've been busy, Carlisle" he smirked and the doctor frowned for a moment before his eyes widened in realisation.
"That was not actually my doing, Jasper."
"What?" Alice demanded, stamping her foot into the snow with a frown on her forehead. "What are you talking about?" she pouted when Carlisle and Quinn exchanged a glance, the doctor pulling his soulmate against his side as she rose her hand into the air. The squeal that escaped the short vampire's lips this time, truly had them cringing as she grabbed Quinn's hand with enough force to pull her whole arm off if she was human.
"Oh my Gosh! Tell me everything! How did this happen? When did this happen?... Can I plan your wedding? Please, please" she begged and they exchanged a glance, amused.
"Slow down Alice" Quinn laughed. "We haven't got that far yet. I actually asked Carlisle, in Denali. But Carlisle is a traditional man."
"Rightly so, you deserve a ring" Alice nodded excitably, still holding her hand. "And a beautiful ring at that, I approve Carlisle!"
"Thank you, Alice" he chuckled.
"Ooooh, I am thinking of a summer wedding, yes yes. It will have to be traditional of course, Carlisle is a traditional man" Alice babbled on and Quinn sighed, moving closer to Carlisle once more, her hand free and the doctor chuckled, kissing her hair. This was the reason it had been a secret for so long. "You are going to be the most beautiful bride, Quinn."
"Okay Alice, that is all great but remember... We have eternity."
"Well, yes, obviously. But you'll have more than one wedding of course. Rose and Emmett re-do theres every ten or so years."
"Alice would redo ours every year if she could" Jasper hummed and Quinn laughed at him as they all began to slowly walk through the gardens together. "Have you spoken to the others recently?"
"At Christmas" Carlisle shrugged.
"Then you know that Jack is the newest Cullen." Jasper chuckled. "No doubt, he will be coming to live with us when we get that new house sorted. Looks like you might have another wedding to plan, Darlin'"
"Yes!" Alice grinned, hugging Jasper from the side as they walked.
"Have you spoken to Edward?" the conversation reached its inevitable solemn discussion, the others hadn't spoken to Edward because Quinn was the only one he would speak to. When Jasper and Alice shook their hands sadly, she decided to explain. "He isn't doing so good, he left Denali about a month ago, they haven't spoken to him since. He's in some abandoned house somewhere, just barely living. He doesn't always answer when I phone him but he sounds so... Miserable, I've never heard someone sound so miserable. He asked me, before we left if I could make him forget about Bella..."
"You did the right thing, Quinn" Jasper assured. "You can't make him forget, it won't do him any good."
"We all have things we want to forget but take it from someone who can't remember... It's not for the best. I know that whatever happened to me to turn me couldn't have been good, but I want to know, I wish I could remember. It's just a part of who I am. Memories help us retain our humanity" Alice huffed and it was the saddest Quinn had ever seen her.
"I know Edward and if you made him forget, he would spend the rest of his life trying to remember, he won't be able to handle a missing year. Besides, how would you explain where you came from? There are too many complications" the major continued, rubbing his wife's arm comfortingly.
"I know, but what if he does something stupid?"
"There is nothing we can do, Q, he is grown up enough to make his own decisions. You aren't to blame for any of this, okay? Edward chose to leave Bella" Alice responded.
"Do you ever wonder about her?" Carlisle questioned, kicking the snow softly. "Look at what this has done to Edward... How do you think she is coping?"
"I think she must be a mess, Bella is sensitive" Quinn sighed sadly, accepting the comforting side-hug Carlisle provided.
