It started off as a bright day, which in itself was unusual. But the strangest thing of all was the pervading feeling of calm in all the Cullens, a natural calm, brought about without Jasper's interference. On this particular day, November the second, there was a chill in the air that reminded the residents of Forks that winter was fast approaching, and a harsh winter at that. But just outside of Forks at a house where the residents did not feel the cold, the adults of the house puttered around absentmindedly while the youngest inhabitant, Renesmée, was off at school, eagerly awaiting the weekend with her classmates, completely unaware of what was about to happen back at her house.

Alice was busy decorating the house for the most recent coming holiday in the most beautiful, classy way possible, Edward and Bella were snuggled up on the couch, simply basking in each other's presence like they so often did, Rosalie was off restoring a car, Esmé was organizing a charity event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which she and Carlisle would be attending, Carlisle himself was at work, and Jasper and Emmett were out hunting. All was well. Until a scream shattered the silence surrounding the Cullen house. The four vampires jumped to their feet and looked around suspiciously.

"It sounded like it came from the woods." Edward said to his family.

"It sounded like a young girl." Esmé's statuesque features were distorted with worry. Wordlessly, all of the Cullens ran from the house and towards to source of the sound, which they found, crumpled and disheveled lying on a bed of moss and dead pine needles. Her eyes were closed.

"Who do you think she is?"

"She looks so young…"

"Is she dangerous?" At the sound of their voices her eyes shot open and she back away nervously. Her irises were pitch black.

"Who are you?" She demanded, her voice firm.

"Relax," Edward said in a soothing voice as he slowly approached her like she was a wild animal. "We're not going to hurt you." She meant no harm, Edward knew that, but he still had to be wary. She was frightened, after all. As he walked toward her, evaluating her mental condition, Alice, Bella (directly behind Edward of course. Too nervous to be far away from him, but not allowed be him to be beside him) and Esmé examined her physical state.

She was very short in stature, although taller than Alice, and very slight, with wide eyes and dark haired that appeared it had once been in a bun. She wore what appeared to be the underclothes from some sort of old-fashioned gown, held a fan in her left hand and a gold pocket watch in her right. Her entire body had smears of dirt on it and there were leaves stuck in her hair. She looked terrified.

"W-who are you?" She repeated, inching away from Edward. If only Jasper had been there; he would have been able to calm her down.

"I'm Edward," he said in a pacifying voice. "This is my wife Bella, my sister Alice, and my mother Esmé. What's your name?" She glanced quickly at the open pocket watch in her right hand.

"I… I think it's Minnie." Her angelic features were distorted with confusion. The Cullens exchanged glances like "She thinks…?"

"What are you doing around here, Minnie?" She studied the ground at her feet, then looked up at Edward with a rather pained expression.

"Where are we exactly?"

ΨΨΨ

Edward hesitated.

"Can I speak to my family for a moment?" She nodded and studied her pocket watch intently.

"Do you think we should take her home? She's confused and I don't think she's dangerous." Esmé said. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at the girl with pity. Bella and Edward seemed less sure.

"I don't know if we should. She's a stranger and we don't want to risk endangering Renesmée." Bella nodded, agreeing with her husband. Esmé turned to Alice, hoping someone would agree with her.

"Alice?" She hesitated.

"I agree that she's not dangerous, and I'm definitely not proposing that we bring her home for good, but maybe just for a bit until she's more oriented." Edward nodded.

"We'll bring back and maybe have Carlisle look at her."

"I think that's a great idea. Minnie?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to come to our house for a little bit? Maybe get some clothes?" Esme asked her in a maternal voice.

"Yes, thank you." She said in a small voice. "I just have one question." She said as they began their journey back to the Cullen's home. "Why are you all wearing trousers?"

ΨΨΨ

"Oh wow." She gasped as she walked in the door. "Excuse me for saying this, but you must be extremely wealthy." She blushed after saying it and apologized profusely for being rude.

"No, it's fine." Bella said, laughing slightly and understanding what it was like to make a faux pas. "But what makes you think that?" She herself had already known the Cullens were wealthy and wondered what in the front hall had tipped the girl off.

"You have electric lights." She said in an awed voice. "The only other place I've seen them is in the House of Morgan." Bella looked confused.

"The House of Morgan? What are you—" But Edward interrupted her.

"Minnie," He said with urgency as he rushed to her side. "What year is it?" She looked at him like he was being incredibly silly and laughed.

"Why, it's 1892 of course."

ΨΨΨ

Minnie sat on the couch, the Cullens all around her.

"I… I'm starting to remember more. I was born in 1875 in New York to a relatively wealthy family. My father, he worked for Junius Morgan. I had a twin brother named Tommy and he absolutely doted on me. He was my best friend. One night in 1890 when I was fifteen, I remember because it was right before Christmas and the snow was falling in thick flakes on the city. We were walking down the street and laughing. It was getting dark, but we didn't care. We were looking for the perfect gift for our mother. This strange man came up to us and told us that he had always wanted children but couldn't have them. We expressed our sorrow, but did our best to move away because he made us nervous. He called us back and said that we made a beautiful matched set. He tried to grab me, but Tommy intervened. I don't remember exactly what happened, but I remember waking up in a fabulous house after what seemed like eons of pain. Tommy was with me, he had woken up earlier. And he and a new man, Mr. Brady, what had happened, and what I had become. He had found us both on the street, writhing in pain after what that man did, and took us back to his house. I wanted to go back to our parents, but in my heart, I knew we never could. I soon adjusted to my new life and became Minerva Brady, daughter of Nicholas Brady, close associate of John D. Rockefeller. I wasn't unhappy. Like I said before, we were invited to Mr. Morgan's (John Pierpont, not the one my father had worked for) electrical light viewing party. He knew of Nicholas' friendship with Mr. Rockefeller and did it to spite him. That night, I wore my favorite dress; it was black and magenta and had buttons going all the way up my torso." Minnie smiled, as if remembering the joy it brought her. "On the way home from the party, a group of men surrounded us. I recognized one of them; it was the man who had changed us. He was angry with Nicholas for taking away his folly. He was building his family, picking who he thought was the best of the best and changing them to join his family. They attacked us. We tried to fight." She shuddered at the memory. "I still remember the sound of all those buttons hitting the pavement. They might have killed Nicholas, I don't know. But they took Tommy and I. I never saw him again." She shuddered again, this time more violently. "I-I still don't remember what happened while I was with them, but I escaped about a week ago, I think, still not remembering anything. I think I was trying to repress it." She looked away from the Cullens as if embarrassed to be showing so much emotion in from of people she barely knew.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Esmé looked like she was about to cry and embraced the girl.

"Why did he want you and your brother so bad?" Edward asked, already knowing the answer. Minnie hesitated.

"Tommy and I are… special." She said, looking at them nervously. "Tommy, he's able, or at least was able, to change his appearance at will. He could make himself look like me if he wanted to, which he often did to confuse me. You might not believe me, but…"

"No, don't worry, we know." Bella said, feeling completely and utterly sorry for Minnie. "Alice can see the future, Edward can read people's minds, and Alice's husband, Jasper, can affect people's moods." She reassured the girl.

"Don't forget about yourself, love." Edward said, pecking her cheek. "Bella is the most amazing of us all. She can shield herself and those around her from any sort of mental assault. I can't even read her mind unless she lets me."

"Can you really read my thoughts?" Edward nodded. "Forgive me, I don't want to offend you, but could you tell me what I am thinking of now?" Edward smiled wryly. He was used to this sort of thing.

"You're thinking about your particular ability, and if you were to ask me, I would tell you it is every bit as impressive as your brother's." She looked rather flattered and hid her face behind her fan, muttering thank you.

"Well don't hide it from us, Edward." Alice chided

"Would you mind if I told them Minnie?" She shook her head but continued to look miserable.

"Minnie has the ability, what is called, 'transmute' the objects around her." He saw Bella's blank look and explained. "She manipulates the matter around her and can transform it to whatever she wants by, much like her brother."

"Wait." Bella said, looking puzzled. "I thought you said he could change his appearance."

"He can," she said from behind her fan. "I remember now. They said it was 'genetics manipulation' I think. He can change people's DNA."

"That's… wow. That's amazing."

"I know. They think he's so powerful because we're twins." She peaked out from behind her fan and when no one seemed to be judging her, snapped it closed.

"Yes." Alice nodded. "We met a pair of twins once. Jane and her brother, Alec. Jane could make people feel pain and Alec could make people feel nothing at all." Minnie looked horrified.

"Tommy and I never used our abilities to harm others. Once, Tommy and I met this woman, she was incredibly kind, but had a mild birth defect that scarred her horribly. She was in love with her childhood best friend, who loved her in turn, but his parents wouldn't let them marry. So Alec snuck in to her house one night and fixed her DNA. Her looks matched her personality for the first time. They married and she was oh so happy. I was at her wedding." She smiled fondly.

"Minnie," Esmé said gently. "Would you mind showing us your ability?"

"O-oh." She stuttered. "Okay. What would you like me to do?" She seemed nervous. "I can sense the composition, so just hand me what you want."

Alice sprinted outside and brought her a rock the size of an apple. She tossed it back and forth in her hands then looked questioningly at Alice.

"Did you want me to change its chemical composition, or its appearance? I can do either."

"Hmmm… What do you mean?"

"Well I could make this rock shaped like a rose, or I could change the elements making it up in to different ones, although, that's a bit harder and I can't always do it well."

"Hmm… You should change the way it looks. Make something pretty for my dresser." She smiled encouragingly and Minnie nodded and took a deep breath. She put both her hands on the rock and closed her eyes. There was a small light growing in her hands, growing, until the rock was completely obscured. When it faded there was a perfectly smooth stone dove lying peacefully in her hands. They all gasped.

"Oh my…" Esmé put her hand over her heart.

"It's beautiful…" Alice gently took the sculpture from Minnie's hands and examined it. "It's perfect in every way." Bella gaped.

"Very impressive, Minnie." Edward praised. At that moment they all perked up. "Emmett and Jasper are coming."

"Yeah. And so is Renesmée. She's almost home." Alice added.

"W-what?" Minnie looked confused, worried, and ready to bolt.

"Remember Jasper?" Esmé said kindly. "He's Alice's husband. Emmett is Edward's brother, and Renesmée id Edward and Bella's daughter. Don't worry, they're all very kind." She reassured her.

"And," Bella added. "They're here."

Okay, thanks for reading! I would really appreciate it if you told me how you thought I did and what I could do to make it better! See you next time!

Andi

P.S. This is what Minnie was wearing when they found her/the night of the party: aurore/set?id=62522186