In the shadows (Caius Volturi)

Meeting the Cullens

Nobody's position

As Shado walled down the stairs she heard people laughing and talking. For a moment she just stood there and listened. Her past had taken a toll on her and listening to a happy family made her happy and sad.

Happy, because they gave off a positive vibe and sad because she was painfully reminded that this wasn't her life. That at the end of the day, they would have each other and she would be alone again. They would sit together in the evening telling stories while she sat outside in the cold, running from something worse than death.

She knew no child should grow up the way she did, and she also knew nobody deserved that. Shado had seen the dark side of the world, she didn't think she would forget it soon.

Not when she saw it every time she closed her eyes. She still felt the blood running down her body, her blood. She felt the hard metal floor and the scars on her wrists were a constant reminder of the chains that once had been there. And she could remember the feeling of the wooden bow in her hand, the feeling of the arrow when she let it fly, taking down whoever it was aimed at.

She remembered the look of the arrow deep in his eye. When he lay there he almost looked innocent. He was, he was only a victim, a victim to them. They had done it all. They had made her shoot him, the only person who had ever cared for her. they were supposed to be dead, not him. He deserved the best life there was. he was right 'living is not for the week'.

Shado was snapped out of her thoughts by Esme's voice

"Shado, are you okay up there?" She wanted to answer, say no, she wasn't fine. But she stayed silent not seen or heard she'd never forget those words.

Once he told them her eyes will never forget he was right. She would never forget. Shado knew she wasn't like the others. They couldn't do what she could do. They didn't have a story written on their bodies. He said it showed she was a fighter. It showed she wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Are you okay" Rosalie, who was now standing in front of Shado. She nodded and followed Rose to the living-room.

Alice and Jasper were curled up on a loveseat, Edward was sitting on the piano chair while talking to Carlisle who was seated on the couch while Emmett was folding a piece of paper.  Just then Esme came in with a cup of tea in her hand.

"I love your new hairstyle. You look amazing" Alice gushed. Esme gave Shado the cup while Rosalie gently pushed her down on the couch.

She gave them both a thanking nood, taking a small sip. Her eyes fell on Emmett who cheered when he finished folding a little paper plane.

"Look Rosie, I said I could do it" his loud voice boomed through the room, almost making Shado drop her drink in shock.

Edward groaned at his brother. Emmett ignored him and let the plane fly. It landed beside Shadow who gently picked it up and stared at it.

"Have you never seen a paper plane before" Jasper suddenly asked, when he saw her face filled with wonder.

Shado only shook her head, holding it back to Emmett.

"You can keep it squirt. I can make more and then we can have plane races"

The corner of her mouth quirked up. It was barely noticeable, but definitely there. The way she held the plane you would think it was a great treasure.

"Alice and the boys made some pasta for you. I hope you eat meat?" Esme's smooth voice broke the silence.

Shado nodded a little, being handed a plate by Jasper only seconds later. She carefully put the plane down on the table in front of her before taking a bite of the food. It had been a long time since she last had a nicely cooked meal that was even meant for her. Last time he had made it. Well, he killed a wild boar and called it dinner.

Shado almost smiled at the memory. That was the day he fell walked against a tree after looking for the arrow he had tried to shoot against a tree. It had taken them almost two hours to find it again and he never ever tried shooting with her bow again. He said he was fine that I was the robin hood there. They really didn't need another one. 

After a few minutes, Shado put the plate down. She had eaten about a quarter of the food which was not much at all. But what caught the coven's attention, even more, was the fact that her hoddie slipped up, leaving her scarred wrists in the open.

Carlisle had seen scares like that before when he worked with people who had been taken prisoner and had there hands tied together very tight for a long time.

Nothing you would usually find on a young child's wrists.

"Shado...do you have a family you could go to?" Esme asked, still wondering what the poor child was doing out in the cold.

She shook her head at the question. He was her only family and the only one she would ever need, but he was dead. At least she assumed he was. In her heart, she hoped he had survived and was now back to his normal self, but she knew things would never go back to the way they were.  Isn't it funny we sometimes wish to go back to the place we couldn't wait to leave he had once said? He was right. She wanted to leave then but now she wanted to go back, that horrible place had become her home and she missed it dearly.

"Are your parents dead?" Rose questioned, looking a bit worried. The girl seemed to be in deep thoughts all the time.

Shado shrugged. She didn't know what had become of them, and honestly, she didn't really care.  Everyone survives for themselves

"Why don't we show you the room you can stay in tonight and tomorrow we can think about what will happen next?" Jasper said, holding his hand out to the girl. She nodded. Out of all of them, she liked him the most. Maybe because Jasper reminded her of him.

Alice and Jasper led her to a room at the end of the hall. It was nice and secluded which Shado liked a lot. The room was quite dark, with a huge bed in the centre. One wall was glass and you could see the trees and snow.

"The bathroom is through that door and if you need anything our room is next to yours. Just knock and well help you. Sleep well Shado" Alice said with a smile, leaving the teen behind.

Shado put the plane down beside her bed before sitting on it. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept on something so soft. The last few years she was lucky if there were moos to soften the forest ground.

After taking off her shoes, she curled up on the bed, wrapping the blanket around herself. Shado closed her eyes letting, quickly falling asleep due to the lack of sleep she had had for the last few years.

The house was quiet while Shado slept. It had been four hours since she fell asleep. The Cullens were all in the living room when there was a thump from upstairs.

Jasper immediately jumped up and raced to the room Shado was staying in. When he entered he saw her thrashing around in her bed. Jasper tried to gently wake her but the next second he was pinned down by the neck. Not that it really held him down but he hadn't expected a little girl to attack him while she was sleeping.

Shado finally woke up and let Jasper go curling up at the far end of the bed.

"Hey, are you okay? You didn't hurt me don't worry ". In the meantime, the others had arrived. Carlisle took a step towards her but this just seemed to scare her more. Shado's heart was working overtime and she was ghostly pale.

There was a flash of metal and the Cullens saw she was holding a knife in one of her hands. It was flat against her wrist but with one flick she would be able to hurt someone seriously if they weren't vampires.

"Calm down little one. Nobody is going to hurt you" Jasper said holding his hands up in surrender, showing he didn't hold any weapons. Not that a vampire needed any, but she didn't know they weren't human.

Shado was shaking like a leaf. Her eyes darted between the coven and she seemed to be seconds away from a full-blown panic attack.

Without really thinking about it Jasper wrapped his arms around her frail body. Rocking it back and forth, holding her close to him. Shadow tried to get out at first but gradually relaxed, falling against his chest.

Jasper picked her up so she was on his lap, rubbing her back with one hand while holding her head with the other.