Remedy

The Inquiry

   "You what?" My dad asked in shock.
"I changed my mind about visiting the University of Milan. You were right about keeping my options open. I should at least check it out."
My dad shared a look with Helen obviously as confused about my sudden change of heart as she was.
"Kiddo, you said it yourself. You didn't even apply to this University."
"Yeah... but now that I think about it, it seems foolish not to at least check it out. Who knows? Maybe I might even end up liking it."
Not likely but at this point I just had to say what I needed to say to try and convince him.
"Umm... okay, I'm sure I can get some days off at work and we can fly over there together."
"No!" I yelled. The couple looked up at me in shock. "I mean... The letter doesn't exactly mention sponsoring another person." I quickly covered up.
My dad leaned forward and clasped his hands together the way he always did when he wanted to talk about something serious.
"Sophie, you know I can't let you travel all the way to Italy by yourself. For all we know, this whole thing could be some scam." He spoke.
Ever since the James incident, my father has been way more overprotective. He never lets me go anywhere unless I am with someone he knows.
Getting him to let me go to the mall with Monica was a struggle enough much less getting him to let me go to Italy.
I understood that he was just trying to protect me as my father but I knew for a fact that Alec and Jane weren't negotiating when they said that I had to go with them. And if I failed to persuade my father, they'd do it themselves.
And I would rather die... again than put my loved ones in harms way because of a vampire situation... again.
"Dad, I'm going to college one way or the other. And it's not like you're going to be with me then either. Think of this as a learning experience." I tried to reason.
He didn't look the least bit shaken.
I wouldn't be surprised if he was currently thinking of a way to get transfered to California so that he could keep an eye on my Aunt Judith and I.
My Aunt Judith had gotten caught up in the James mess and that's how she too had learned about vampires and their existence. My father had wanted to keep her here after the incident too but Aunt Judith still wanted to go back and resume her life with her boyfriend, Eugene. I didn't want her away from me either after all that had happened but in all honesty, she was probably safer in the extremely sunny Los Angeles. It was highly unlikely that you'd find a vampire taking a casual stroll in the sun over there.
"I have an idea." Helen spoke up. "Why don't we contact the school to get more details." She spoke up.
I really did love Helen and I knew she had good intentions but that was the worst idea ever.
"That's a great idea." My father spoke as he got up from the couch he was sitting on.
I wanted to say something to stop him but what was I supposed to say that wouldn't raise suspicion.
Helen and I followed him to the kitchen where he was already dialing a number from the letter he had picked out of the trash can.
I bit my lip as I heard the phone start to ring.
Had they just chosen some random number?
It kept ringing and for a minute I didn't think anyone would pick up and then-
"Hello." An woman's voice came from the other end.
Due to an incident that occurred when I was ten, the handset of the telephone had been ripped off from the rest of the phone so now you couldn't speak into it without the loudspeaker.
I didn't recognise the voice but it sounded professional like some kind of secretary.
"Er... Hi. My name is Phillip Lockwood and I am calling to inquire about my daughter, Sophie Lockwoods scholarship. It came in the mail earlier today but she didn't actually apply to your school. So I want to know if there was some kind of mixup or something."
There was silence on the other end.
I feared that the number really was from the University of Milan and that the woman would tell my father how they had no knowledge of my acceptance to their school.
She hesitated for a second before speaking again. "Ah, Ms Lockwood, of course. We are very excited to have her here. She is quite the outstanding candidate."
My father's brows furrowed as he talked. "So it was intentional? But um... I don't get it. She didn't apply to your school."
"Oh yes, we are aware. That was our mistake, I guess we should have included it in the letter. You see, sir, sometimes the University of Milan scouts out impressive students from all over the world to give scholarships to and well your daughter definitely caught our attention."
"But how did you know about Sophie? I mean have you been spying on her. It seems sort of like a stretch for you to pick her out of a million other kids."
I could hear my father's cop side coming out.
"I assure you Mr Lockwood, there is no foul play with our program. Each year, we choose different high schools to cooperate with for our program and this time, it so happened that we chose Sophie's and all her teachers agreed that she was a more than worthy candidate."
There was an eerie vibe to her voice that no one else seemed to catch.
"Oh well... um that's great."
I could sense the disappointment in my father's voice and at that moment I knew he had been hoping that there really had been some kind of mixup.
"So when should we expect Ms Lockwood over for the tour of the school?" The lady asked in that professional tone of hers. I couldn't help but wonder if on the other side of that phone call sat a pale red eyed woman.
"Well, that's kind of the problem, my daughter is barely eighteen and well... she happens to be a walking hazard to herself."
I glared at my father. This was hardly the time to bring up my clumsiness.
"Oh no problem, sir. We actually have an agent in your area right now. I'm sure she'd be glad to accompany Ms Lockwood. I'll give her your phone number and address and I'll have her contact you soon as soon as she can."
"Okay, thank you." My dad spoke.
"No problem, have a good day, sir." With that, my father hang up.
The second the line went dead, reality set in. Little did my father know that he had just confirmed a meeting with the 'royal family' of vampires for me. I had no idea what the Volturi wanted with me but I doubted that it was good.
The Cullen themselves seemed scared of them enough to leave town the moment they were ordered to.
And I knew for a fact that they couldn't be happy with me.
See, they have a rule about humans finding out about vampires. It was either the vampire in the wrong kills the human or turns them into a vampire themselves.
But for me and my Aunt Judith, there was an exception. The Volturi agreed to let the whole thing slide if the Cullens left town and never contacted either of us again.
I still felt guilty for getting them in trouble like that.
What if the Volturi had reconsidered their pardon and decided to kill me anyway?
I actually didn't seem as fazed by the idea as I should have been.
I had come so close to death too many times already. The only thing I was worried about was my Aunt Judith, if they were going back on their deal, it was most likely that they'd have to get rid of her too.
I needed to call her.
I searched my pockets and then remembered that I had left my cell phone up in my room.
I excused myself and left Helen and my father discussing some travel issues.
I rushed up to my room, I opened the door and yelped when I spotted the dark haired vampire from earlier lying on my bed holding up a picture frame.
I quickly shut the door hoping no one would hear me.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered.
Having this murderous creature so close to my father and Helen was to say the least, unsettling.
"Who's the blonde?" He asked, his eyes were still studying the photograph intently.
I knew exactly what photograph that was.
I had stuffed it in my drawer more than a year ago.
"That's Ryan." I spoke in a small voice. Though it happened a long time ago and I had come to grips with it, Ryans death did still sadden me. He was my best friend after all.
"Ah! The human who had to die before the Olympic coven finally realised that the American nomads coven were a threat." There was a tone of disapproval in his voice.
"The American nomads coven?" I asked in confusion.
Alec tossed the picture frame on my bed and sat up with efficient speed and looked up at me.
Those burgundy eyes still startled me.
"You know, James, Victoria and Laurent's coven." He explained.
"Laurent? Wait, there were three of them?" I gulped.
I still lived in fear that Victoria, James mate would come after me now I was learning that there was another murderous vampire who would want to get revenge on me for his friends death.
Alec stood up from my bed, again in an abnormally fast speed.
"Worry not, little human, you are safe. Neither Laurent nor Victoria will come after you." Alec spoke.
Carlisle and Esme had told me something similar but the way Alec said it, it sounded set in stone.
"How do you know all this?" I asked in a shaky voice. I still felt unsettled around him. He was lean and lethal and I'd be a fool to let my guard down around him.
He scoffed. "Oh, little human, we know everything."
Alec walked at a human speed to my dresser, kicking a pile of clothes that were in the way. He studied the things that sat on it with interest.
"Are all humans this messy in this century?" He asked as he turned around to look around the rest of the room.
I suddenly felt embarrassed at not listening to Dylan about tidying up in here.
And then I felt a wave of annoyance. Who did he think he was sneaking into my room and judging my orderliness.
"What are you doing here?" I asked again.
I get that he probably had to make sure that I had successfully talked my dad into letting me go to Italy. But I'm sure he could have done that from another room.
"Honestly, I am so bored!" He wasn't exactly loud but still loud enough for the sound to carry downstairs.
I 'shushed' him. "My dad and his girlfriend are downstairs." I hissed.
He waved me off like I was some child who didn't know anything.
He sped towards my closet and started running his hands through my clothes. Well the ones that were still hang up and not lying on the floor anyway.
"Usually the missions Aro sends me on are more exciting."
"Who's Aro?" I asked curiously.
"Lets just say he's one of the bosses." Alec explained vaguely.
"He's the one who sent you to 'retrieve' me?" I asked using the word Jane had used.
Alec nodded, he had now moved to my drawers.
"Well, one of them anyway. But it was mainly him." He spoke as he pulled on one of my socks.
"What does he want with me?" I asked in concern.
I was looking for any reaction that gave me a hint on what my fate would be but Alecs face remained emotionless as his burgundy eyes bore into my socks as if he was trying to make a hole in them.
"You'll just have to wait and see, little human."
I gulped. That didn't sound reassuring.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Was he not supposed to tell me or did he just not know?
"Wow! You ask a lot of questions, little human."
"Curiosity." I muttered.
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"But satisfaction brought it back." I replied not knowing where the sudden confidence had come from.
"Ah! So she has a mouth on her. And here I was thinking you would be boring." He spoke as he snuck a smile at me before going back to ransacking my drawers. "Ooh, I didn't peg you for a thong girl."
He spoke as he held up one of my bright red thongs by the tip of his middle finger.
I blushed furiously and stormed up to him before grabbing the underwear and shoving it back into the drawer.
"Do you need to be here?" I seethed.
He gave me another smirk. "Is that how you treat all the vampires who visit your room?" He teased.
I froze as I remembered Emmett and the last time he had been in my room.

"Emmett it's not like we're having sex." I blurted out.
He couldn't help but crack a smile, I could tell that he was trying his best not to burst out laughing.
Blood rushed to my face as I blushed in embarrassment not believing what I had just said.
I cleared my throat. "Wh-What I meant-"
He was still smiling like a crazy person. Oh that smile, that dimpled beautiful smile.
I covered my face with my hands.
"Please stop doing that."
I felt his hands peel my fingers off my face and take them in his.
Oh his touch!
He still had a smile on his face, but at that point I was starting to enjoy it.
That was the first time I had really seen him smile and the beauty of it all was overwhelming.

"Little human?" Alec spoke as he brought me out of my thoughts.
I felt a tear threaten to escape my eye.
I quickly turned away from him so that he wouldn't see my face.
"Umm... I'm tired. So if you don't mind." I spoke as I gestured to the window.
His voice came a few seconds later and I was surprised that my request wasn't met with any resistance.
"Of course. I will leave. I can only assume our 'agent' will come by tomorrow to meet your father. See you later little human."
With that there was silence, I turned around and he was gone.
And that only made me more aware to Emmetts absence.
I didn't bother holding back the tears anymore I threw myself on my bed and let the tears escape.