Rochester 1958

Alice hummed with excitement as she came out of another vision. Another pleasing vision about her favorite brother and newest sister. They had been coming more frequently now, each situation slightly different than the last. Now at least they were solidifying. And Alice was delighted with the results. She practically skipped down the hall to Melanie's room and, without so much as a slight knock, pushed the door open to reveal the slender blonde skillfully braiding her long blonde hair.

"Hello, Alice.", Melanie mumbled, two bobby pins stuck neatly between her teeth. Alice closed the door firmly behind her and shuffled over to her sister.

"So…. I've seen that you have made a decision", Alice said taking a pin from Melanie's mouth and pushing a tendril of hair back and pinning it behind her ear in one swift movement. Melanie turned her head and sighed a small sign.

" I can't seem to keep anything from you now can I?"

Alice shook her head up and down, a sly smile spreading across her face. Melanie put down her brush and pulled Alice over to her small bed, forcing them both down next to each other. Melanie fiddled with the quilt on the bed. Alice continued to stare at her, and Melanie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, yes alright! I've decided to have a conversation with Edward."

"Aboutttt?" Alice said, drawing out the word and leaning in towards Melanie. Melanie flipped her hands up in frustration.

"A conversation about my feelings for him!" , she exclaimed, immediately hoping no one else in the house had heard. Alice let out a small shriek of joy and grabbed her sister's hands.

"Oh I just knew it all along! I knew this would happen. You two are perfect", Alice squealed with excitement.

" We don't know if he feels the same way", Melanie pointed out, " and honestly I am not sure how I feel about it either."

Alice didn't say anything, but titled her head to one side, blinking her bright topaz eyes at Melanie's. She shrugged.

"I think you know exactly how you feel. You just are afraid to admit it."

She had her there on that one, Melanie could admit to herself. Her attraction to Edward had been growing since the day she had met him. It did not help in the slightest that the entire family, even if it was on some unconscious level, wanted the two of them to be together. Esme and Carlisle had seen Edward be the odd one out for so long, having him happily settled with someone, especially someone they loved already. He was her closest friend and confidante, and on some level she knew she loved him. Or would grow to love him if he would allow her to. Alice snaked her arm around the younger blonde.

"You just need to tell him how you feel. Because that is the only way everything will be alright."

Jasper heard the exchange between his wife and sister from his place downstairs in the den. He had seen it coming for a while, but hearing his sister admit it, when she tried so hard to hide her true feelings, was a slightly unsettling for him. She was still a baby in his mind, never mind the fact that she was over one hundred years old. He was her brother, and it was his job to look out for her. And honestly, he was not completely sure if Edward reciprocated her feelings.

Jasper had felt the occasional surge of desire from Edward, but he had always controlled it, forcing it away before Jasper could really get a full read on it. He could not be sure, but he could have sworn that when reading Edward's emotions while he was around Melanie, he sensed love and devotion emanating from the younger boy. But again, he could not be sure.

He glanced up as he heard Edward and Emmett come back in from hunting. He suddenly wished he had not chosen to finish his book, and had gone with them instead. He heard Edward heading down to his room in the basement, and decided he should go have a talk with the boy.

Melanie beat him to it though; she was asking to speak with Edward as Jasper reached the entranceway to the kitchen. Edward agreed and sent Jasper a puzzled look as he received the thought directed at him by the taller blonde.

If you hurt her even in the slightest I will ensure you will experience exactly what you know I am capable of.

Confused , and not willing to search further into Jasper's thoughts, Edward followed Melanie into his room.

"Lanie, what is going on? Everyone is acting so strangely." Edward said running a hand through his hair as Melanie sat down on his sofa. She took a deep breath.

"Edward I am going to ask you to try not to read my thoughts." She wanted to make sure everything she had to say came out right.

"You know I can't just turn it off," Edward said, his tone teasing. Melanie didn't smile. His face became somber, and he could not help but feel his concern level rise.

Melanie continued to fiddle with her hands.

"Edward, for awhile now…I've been developing a slight….attraction to you."

Edward stared at her, his mouth hanging slightly open.

" I mean I am not really sure what these feelings are. But…I know that I have them towards you. And I know that…..I…"

I want to be with you. She finished in her head. He continued to stare at her, taking in the way she was looking at him. Looking at him, as if she loved him. If his heart was still beating it would be frantic at this moment. This is everything he wanted, everything he could ever want. Sweet, darling Melanie wanted to be with him. She may even love him.

And then it hit him. This was Melanie. Sweet, innocent Melanie, who had one of the purest heart and mind he had ever heard.

He could never deserve her.

He jumped off the couch in a second. Melanie stared at him in horror.

" I'm sorry. I….I'm really sorry. I just…I can't. I ….I need to go", Edward stammered, making a run for the stairs. Melanie did not follow him. She continued to perch on Edward's sofa, staring after him in disbelief. Humiliation washed over her, along with an even more painful feeling. Heartbreak. She folded herself onto the sofa and began to choke out dry sobs, becoming even more upset when she inhaled Edward's unique scent.

And that is how Jasper found her.

Edward had been gone for over two weeks. Melanie had only allowed herself to cry, or as much as a vampire could cry, over it for only a day. But she wondered how much of her decision that really was, with Jasper always hovering around her constantly, as if she would mentally breakdown at any moment. In all honesty, she had been trying to avoid him at all costs. Though the rest of the family would send her pitying looks the ones that came from her brother were even worse, for he knew exactly how she was feeling. She actually preferred to be around Esme, who was always so comforting, and managed to keep conversations going about something far more pleasant than her first son. Even with Rosalie she managed to find some solace, Rosalie's snide remarks about Edward were for once appreciated.

Alice felt immensely guilty. She hadn't seen Edward's decision until it had been too late. She kept checking up on his future, but he kept changing his mind. She knew he was somewhere further North, and that he was really beating himself up about what had happened. Every time she looked at him, he had looked miserable, his eyes burning with anguish. She had never seen him look like that, and welcomed the visions where he came home and made amends with her sister.

She closed her eyes as a vision overtook her. She saw Edward, his hair sticking up at odd angles and his clothes, the beautiful clothes she had picked out herself, covered with two weeks' worth of dirt. Emmett lunged for him, and Edward's head snapped back against the ground, making a deep imprint in the dirt.

She came out of the vision as she heard Esme's voice from downstairs.

"Edward!"

Alice zipped down the stairs in an instant, and throwing open the front door she saw her vision play out. Edward was standing in front of the house, looking just as dirty as she knew he would be. Esme was standing on the porch in shock, and Rosalie came up behind Alice, who remained frozen in the doorway.

"Just what does he think he is going to do?", Rose said, her voice laced with rage.

"Son…", Carlisle began, getting up from the wicker love seat. He did not get a chance to finish, as just as in Alice's vision, Emmett, with a guttural sound, lunged for Edward. It was worse in person. Edward's body slammed into the ground as Emmett rammed into him. Edward did not attempt to fight back as Emmett's fists began crashing into his face.

"Do. You. Know. What. You. Did. To. HER?" , Emmett snarled, enunciating each word with a knuckle to Edward's face. He must have been showing Edward how upset Melanie had been, for Edward closed his eyes and let out an agonized moan.

"Someone stop this!" Esme shrieked, looking from her husband to Jasper, who had come up behind Alice, resting one arm against the doorframe and the other around his wife's tiny waist.

"He wants this.", Jasper said softly. But he pushed the screen door open and joined Carlisle and Esme on the porch. Calm radiated out from him, and Emmett looked up from where he was sitting on Edward.

"Jazz cut it out!", Emmett whined. Edward used the distraction to roll Emmett off of him and stand up.

"I need to see Melanie" he said, his eyes wild.

His request was met by silence.

"I don't know if that is the best idea, Eddie." Emmett snapped, folding his arms and suddenly looking very intimidating. Edward turned to plead with Carlisle, but stopped as he saw Melanie standing on the porch stairs.

"Welcome home, Edward", she said quietly. A strangled noise escaped from Edward's throat, and before anyone could stop him, he strode over to the young girl. Her eyes went wide as he reached out and cupped her face with his hands and covered her mouth with his. Shocked into stillness, she stood there as he kissed her. And then all at once, she flung her arms around the boy and began to kiss him back with ferocity.

And the rest of the family watched. Emmett shrugged and looped his way over to the porch, grinning as he passed the two. Jasper was flinching, apparently it was very odd for him to think of his sister experiencing whatever emotions she currently was. Esme was giddy as she grabbed Carlisle's hand and began ushering the rest back inside the house.

Melanie let out a little laugh as Edward moved to kiss her cheek, leaving soft quick kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. He sank to his knees in front of her, looking up at her.

"Lanie I…" He began, but she shushed him.

"Just listen to me", she said quietly, leaning down and pressing her forehead against his. Edward let out a small gasp as every thought about him that she had tried to keep hidden for so long was unleashed. He saw the quick glances at him that he never noticed, the daydreams she would have when he was not around, countless times where she wanted him to simply kiss her, to hold her, to stay with her.

"I will", he whispered against her. He opened his eyes and met hers.

Love me, was her only request. Edward smiled, and reached up pushing a long, golden lock behind her ear.

"I already do."