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The air was cold, her body was numb as the young girl tried to move with no success; she turned her head to the left and gasped at horrifying sight before her. She tried to speak but not a sound was heard as she blinked her eyes, she looked down to see that she was trapped between the car seat and the dash in an awkward angle; her right arm trapped somewhere she couldn't see. "Ellory..." The woman in the driver's seat stuttered softly, her voice was shaky from pain but she knew she needed to keep her daughter calm.

"I know... it's scary... but you... need to stay calm," She spoke softly, her eyes focused despite the blood dripping from the gash on her forehead into her eye. Ellory kept her eyes on her mother as people surrounded the vehicle that was trapped between a building and another car that had hit them. She tried her hardest to keep her eyes open but slowly she began to give in to the exhaustion, she just wanted to pretend that she was back at the beach with her mother laughing as they admired the setting sun; And she succumbed to the abyss.

"Please... anyone..." Elizabeth Munson pleaded from her bed in the hospital, tears falling down her face as no one paid her any mind until a man stopped by her door. "Are you okay, ma'am?" The man asked, Elizabeth looked up at the pale man with golden ocher eyes. "Save her... my daughter... she deserves to see the world," Elizabeth begged the man. "We will do everything we can for your daughter," The man promised, placing his hand on her arm to comfort her. When he meant to pull away she grabbed his hand, "Cold One, save my daughter." The man looked at the woman in surprise, he had no idea she knew.

"You understand what you are asking of me?" The man told her with a frown but the blonde woman did not back down. "My Ellory Hope was made for something more in this world. Ellory... please, I give my consent... save her," Elizabeth let her last breath leave her, her hand dropped from the man as other doctors were called in. After an attempt to save her, they had called her death and covered her with a blanket leaving the man standing outside the room debating what to do next. "Nurse Duncan," He spoke to a woman, she turned to him with a smile.

"May I help you, Dr Cullen?" Nurse Duncan offered. "I'm looking for a patient, Ellory Hope Munson," Dr Cullen asked the nurse who nodded before leading him to the young girls room, his dead heart clenched at the sight of her damaged body. "The poor girl had been trapped between the seat and the dash, her ribs have mostly cracked with a few broken. She has spinal cord damage and that's only what we've found so far. Dr Peterson doesn't have faith she'll make it through the night," Nurse Duncan expressed with a frown, seeing a girl so young in such a state wasn't something she would ever be used too.

Dr Cullen had to make a choice that day, he had waited for the night shift to begin and took charge of Ellory's case. When no one was present, he prepared to remove the casts and stints before he brushed her hair to the side; he leaned down and bit into the place between her neck and shoulder to ensure the venom would go for her heart instantly. He frowned when he pulled back from her, she winced in her unconscious state before her body began writhing from the burning pain of the venom coursing through her bloodstream.

Dr Cullen stepped back from the bed, his pained expression was a sign that this wasn't something he enjoyed witnessing and it wasn't long till the young girl's heart came to a painful stop. Her body was still for quite some time but at seven o'clock the next night, Ellory woke from her sleep and sat up in a rushed panic to see three people in the room with her. "You're okay," The woman assured with a soft smile, she cautiously walked toward Ellory who was hesitant and confused. Her body felt different, it felt lighter and less alive; she couldn't feel cold nor warmth.

"I'm Esme Cullen. And we're gonna help you, Ellory. It'll take time," Esme's voice was soft and cautious as she spoke before placing her hand on Ellory's. "Wha─What's happening?" Ellory asked only for her throat to feel like sandpaper, the brunette stood from where he was sitting and made his way over with a grin. "I'm Edward Cullen. I'm gonna be here whenever you need," Edward assured her as he held out a cup to her, she went to peek inside but he stopped her, "Just drink. Don't worry." Ellory was hesitant but Esme encouraged her, she took the cup and drank it feeling immediately rejuvenated.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen, your doctor," Carlisle greeted as he stepped forward, he shared a glance with Esme before sighing. "Ellory, I need to inform you that your mother did not survive the accident," Carlisle told Ellory who immediately turned to him, she began hyperventilating but there was something off about it; she didn't feel the need to breathe and that only made her panic further. Ellory pushed out of the bed and with impossible speed, rushed for the door only for Edward to stop her and hold her back. "I need to see her!" Ellory pleaded trying to fight her way out of Edward's embrace, tears welling in her eyes but not falling.

"You can't... I'm sorry, Ellory," Edward whispered to her but she continued to fight against his stronger hold until she made eye contact with herself in the mirror. She stopped fighting, going limp in Edward's hold as she stared at herself with a stunned expression. "What..." Ellory muttered as Edward let go of her, she moved towards the mirror and stared into her eyes; no longer were they a beautiful blue that outshone the sky on a summers day. No. Now they were a red that reflected blood, something she would forever crave for eternity without even knowing at the time. "What am I?" Ellory asked as she turned to the three in the room.

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Ellory stood under the bright sun on the edge of a cliff with her eyes closed as she thought back to the night that changed everything. She focused her hearing cautiously on her surroundings, the light steps of different wildlife padding around the trees; but she was looking for a specific animal. Her blank expression shifted at the sound of a low growl, she lowered to a crouch before slowly opening her eyes and zoning in on the target she had been waiting for. Standing behind a boulder was a mountain lion ready to pounce at the deer calmly eating some leaves off of the ground.

Ellory smirked to herself as she pushed off of the ground at the same time as the big cat, colliding with the beast before the two landed on the forest floor; the action had caused the doe to flee. The mountain lion snarled at Ellory who growled back before rushing the large cat, using her strength to slam its body into the ground before going for the kill. Ellory sunk her teeth into the neck of the mountain lion while holding it down, she practically moaned at the taste of sweet predatory blood flowing down her throat and easing her cravings.

Once she was satisfied, she pulled away from the big cat and kicked its body aside leaving it for whatever predator came for a meal. She licked off the remaining blood from her lips before she slowly began making her way through the forest until she reached a familiar trail, she pushed off of the ground into a tree and collected her backpack before dropping to the ground gracefully. Tossing her bag strap over her shoulder, she made her way towards the large clearing where her family home was standing; the beautiful design with many windows was something that Ellory adored due to the usual weather of her town, Forks.

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Back in 1965, Ellory Hope Munson was turned into a vampire by Carlisle Cullen upon the request of her birth mother, Elizabeth Tauriel Munson before she had died from her wounds. Ellory was just eighteen-years-old when she technically died, a physical appearance that stuck even forty years later. She had been adopted by Carlisle and Esme Cullen a few days after she had been cleared as a "miracle" blessed by God. It took Ellory some time to adapt to her new life, she became a quiet girl who mostly kept to herself. And over time, she adjusted to the life of a vegetarian Vampire.

Ellory Hope Cullen loved living through the years, she enjoyed seeing how times changed along with the fashion, the education, and most of all, the rights of the people. She had many different experiences through the years and despite always looking younger than she was, her family never failed to treat her like an adult rather than a child. Ellory found herself becoming close with her older brother, Emmett Cullen who had been found by Rosalie after he had been mauled by a bear; the two were revealed to be mates upon Carlisle turning him.

And Emmett became very protective of Ellory after they got to know each other and depending on the stories they used in the new towns and cities they moved too, Ellory was sometimes labelled as Rosalie and Emmett's kid rather than Carlisle and Esme; typically this was when the Emmett got to make up a story. Ellory's quiet personality was the polar opposite of Emmett's outgoing personality, he always managed to make her laugh or smile. He understood her better than anyone else did in the family and he often supported her dreams in a more louder tone; such as cheering the loudest whenever she received an award or diploma.

It was clear to anyone that Ellory Cullen was the favourite within the family for both being the youngest but the most compassionate. She always made time for her adoptive siblings and parents, spending time with each of them doing the things they enjoy. She was the one who Jasper would go to when he felt himself slipping and needed someone to encourage him rather than judge him because she understood his pain. She was the one who Edward would spend time with when the thoughts around him became too much, she knew how to clear her mind giving him pure peace and quiet to read or play piano.

Ellory was the one that Rosalie could go to when she was feeling down and needed a shopping buddy or her own barbie doll to dress up and give makeovers too. She was the one who Alice could talk fashion with and get all excited about their favourite shows, no expectations of what the future may hold in Alice's visions. Ellory was the one who Carlisle would teach medicine too, the young girl never having the real opportunity to be a doctor due to never aging but Carlisle always encouraged her to learn in case it was needed one day. And Ellory was the one who called Esme mom and accepted her as her mother.

The Cullens were a gift to Ellory who almost died and no matter how much she missed her birth mother and father, Ellory knew that this second chance at life was a blessing. Carlisle and Esme were her second chance parents and she would never take it for granted. Her life was eternal but it was peaceful, and though she had days where she wished she was older opening more opportunities in her life, she reminded herself of how blessed she was. But there was one thing that Ellory Hope Cullen didn't have that the others ─ minus Edward ─ had and that was love. Ellory wanted a love that would consume her, a little bit of danger and pure peace; but she didn't see that happening.

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Rosemary Speaks

And so Ellory Hope Cullen's story has begun.
Honestly, writing the beginning of this chapter with "The Night We Met" followed by "In The Stars" and then "Head Above Water" made me so teary eyed.

This was more so an informative chapter about Ellory and some insight into her life.

I would love to know your initial thoughts on Ellory Hope Cullen.

Thoughts on what her gift might be?

Thoughts on her bond with Emmett?

Thoughts on her bonds with the others?

Thoughts on this whole chapter?

See you in the next chapter!

Edit Dec '24; Ellory has been aged up to eighteen now... if it says sixteen, correct me please. The same goes for the Volturi Twins, they've been aged up to nineteen!!