Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

"Shit."

My foot splashed down into a deep puddle, soaking the bottom of my jeans. Alice paid no attention, continuing to lead me back and forth as we waltzed across the dewy grass. Her gentle humming of the Blue Danube rang out mellifluously in the still morning air. Her body as graceful as any dancer's, while I stumbled along, looking down at my feet trying not to land in another puddle.

"Is this really necessary? At what point in my life will I need to know the waltz? I could be learning something useful right now like hunting tips from Jasper."

Once again, Alice ignored me. She grasped tighter on my hand, pulling me along with surprising strength. She always astounded me with her abilities. Her tiny form was very misleading.

"Alice!" I tried once again, hoping this time she'd respond.

"By this time Lily, you should know not to question my motives. You will need to learn to waltz. Trust me."

I sighed loudly, tripping lightly as I was momentarily distracted from watching my fumbling footwork.

Alice giggled in that way she knew always annoyed me. It was mocking. I glared at her and she gave me a sideways smile.

"You remind me so much of your mother sometimes. She couldn't dance to save her life either."

Regardless of the fact that she'd just blatantly offended me, I smiled despite myself. I imagined my mother dancing at my age, before she was turned. I'd heard the stories many times from my father, whom made endless fun of her for it.

I was suddenly snapped from my reverie when a voice interrupted my thoughts.

Lily. Come to me.

I sighed loudly, this time with relief.

"Father calls," I stated, abruptly stopping in my tracks.

Alice nodded immediately whilst still humming and waltzing on her own. She seemed to hear the news before I did. I remembered then that she probably did.

My father and I had our own special bond. We could communicate to each other through our thoughts. It was something only him and I shared. While he could hear everyone else's thoughts as well, the one exception being my mother, I could only hear his. I'd deeply hated this fact for most of my life, annoyed that he could always know my secrets and see through what I didn't necessarily want him to. While it still annoyed me now from time to time, I had a deeper appreciation for it in the past few years. It bonded us. Besides, he wasn't nearly as nosy as he used to be. Sometimes it served me well too, as it meant he couldn't keep much from me either.

I didn't answer directly back to him, but he knew that I'd heard him. I stole one last glace at Alice, off in her own little world, before I ran up towards the house.

I barreled in through the side door and bumped into what felt like a concrete wall. I reeled backwards to look up into the face of Carlisle.

"Hey sweetheart!" he said jubilantly, leaning down to kiss the top of my head before ruffling my hair and walking past me into the kitchen.

"Hi Carlisle. Where's my father?"

He raised an eyebrow as he looked back at me over his shoulder.

"I suppose you would know better than I would."

I rolled my eyes and called out in my head.

Where are you?

I waited a second before his soft voice filled my head again.

Study.

Short and simple. That was my father. I quickly ran up the stairs and headed for the study, peeking my head in to see him reading something. I felt a jolt of fear run up my spine when I caught sight of the letterhead at the top of the page. It was a letter from my school.

My father looked up with a deep frown on his face. I tried to meet his gaze strongly but I knew my fear and shame was showing. I didn't wait for him to speak because I knew exactly what the letter was regarding.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. I have eternity to graduate right?"

I could have simply focused my thoughts to speak to him, but somehow my speaking out loud seemed to give my words more strength.

He sighed loudly and shook his head lightly.

"That's not the point Lily. You're wasting your time. Do you really want to repeat high school for the rest of eternity?"

I knew he had a point, a good point. He always did.

I shrugged my shoulders, looking down at the floor, leaning against the doorway idly. I suddenly felt like a small child and not a seventeen-year-old senior. Only my father could do that to me.

"I'm disappointed in you Lily."

Though his words were spoken barely louder than a whisper, they stung me as if he'd screamed them in my face. I felt a pain welling up in my throat as tears threatened to release themselves. Though I'd only done it to myself, skipping out of classes and not paying attention, I still had never intended it to get this far. I knew the letter had alerted him to the fact that I was failing and I may not graduate.

I found the strength to look into my father's eyes. I wanted to speak out loud, but I feared the tears would speak for me instead, so I let my thoughts take over the rest of the discussion.

I'm sorry.

I knew my father knew me well enough to know why I had chosen not to speak. He gave me a sympathetic look and stood up to walk over slowly. He put a hand under my chin and tilted my face up to look at his. His eyes were enough to cut me deeper. They were filled with a deep sadness.

"I don't want you to make any rash assumptions. We still have a lot to decide Lily."

I knew exactly what he was referring to and for a moment my shame and guilt flashed into anger.

"I've made my choice. It's my choice and mine alone."

I expected him to reprimand me again, tell me I was being careless and impulsive. Instead he grinned at me.

I looked at him in confusion, trying to listen to his thoughts. He spoke, voicing them himself.

"You're just as stubborn as your mother. She refused to even consider staying human either."

His comment alerted me to the fact that my mother wasn't home yet, she was still out with Esme trying to reach Tanya and the others for some reason or other. My father read my thoughts of course and gave in to the switch in conversation.

"I can sense her near. She's almost home."

I smiled brightly. I always missed her so much when we were apart. She understood me perhaps even better than my father, despite our unique connection. He could read my thoughts, but only my mother could truly understand them.

I turned from my father gaze and headed back for the stairs, a bounce in my step as I thought about being in my mother's embrace once again. She'd been gone weeks now.

"This discussion isn't over young lady!" my father called to me.

I ran out of earshot and his voice popped up in my head again.

You will find a way to graduate this year.

I ignored him as I stepped off the last stair and headed towards the back to the kitchen, a smile playing on my lips.

"Hello beautiful!" Emmett greeted me as I walked in. He was leaning against the counter across from Carlisle, obviously previously in a discussion.

I rolled my eyes at the familiar greeting, disagreeing with it immensely. With my blotched pale skin, thin dull hair, and plain brown eyes, there was no way I could be deemed beautiful, especially against the flawless perfection of the rest of my entire family. They all seemed to hold me in such high regard, though I was really nothing special, especially looks wise. I was the epitome of average. I longed for the day when I could be as beautiful as they all were. To say that I felt like the odd one out was a vast understatement. Being human in a family of vampires had many drawbacks.

The fact that I had my ability to converse with my father telepathically, though I was only human still, mystified everyone. They no longer questioned it though, but simply accepted it.

"Pfft. Beautiful. Nice joke," I replied bitterly.

"You are beautiful my love!" cried Emmett dramatically. He bent his face to mine and spoke in a mock romantic tone, obviously trying to get under my skin. "Why else would thou be named after such a gloriously magnificent flower?"

I stared back at him with a look of contempt.

"Probably because my parents weren't original enough to come up with a real name?"

Carlisle laughed across the kitchen, while Emmett feigned shock at my utterance.

"You are a feisty one," he said while grabbing at my sides to tickle me.

I screamed in surprise and laughed while trying to escape his grip. The sound of a door closing immediately took our attention away. All three of us looked up to the sound instinctively.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, yanking out of Emmett's grasp and running full speed for the front door.

I turned the corner sharply and came barreling into her, whick actually hurt a little. She made a gasping sound before I felt her wrap her arms around me tightly and sigh.

"I missed you darling."

I breathed in her scent and smiled against her neck. We were almost the same height now, as she was physically only a few years older than I was.

"I take it you missed me too?" she said, laughing as she spoke.

I nodded my head furiously as I sensed everyone's presence suddenly behind me.

"Mmmm," she rocked me back and forth for a few seconds before pulling me away gently to look at my face.

"You look so much older."

I laughed lightly.

"You only think that because no one else around here ages at all."

She smiled and hugged me once more before I heard my father's voice behind me.

"Alright, your turn is up!"

I reluctantly pulled away from my mother as my father took my place, kissing her deeply and enveloping her in a long hug. Carlisle was already doing the same with Esme across the room.

"Esme!" I cried, remembering I'd been parted from her for just as long.

She locked eyes with me and opened her arms for a hug. I was glad they were both home again. Though it'd been a long time since there was much danger in the outside world, it was still a relief to know they were all close. That's when I remembered Alice.

"Oh," I exclaimed, pulling away from Esme. "I left Alice in the field!"

"She's alright," said my father from behind me, still hugging my mother. "She said to let you know she's gone to shop for the welcome home party tonight that you're apparently helping her set up for when she gets home."

I laughed out loud at her enthusiasm for parties.

"...And she'll finish teaching you to waltz tonight during the party," finished my father.

I groaned in irritation and stomped up the stairs.

So that was just an introduction really. I hope you liked it. If you have any suggestions or opinions I would love to hear from you!