Ellie was nervous as she got ready for school that morning. She was forever a freshman at fifteen, it was a new school, it was the middle of the year, and it was not the best circumstances. The last time she was at school, she let her anger get the best of her and had caused a scene that threatened their kind. They had to move immediately. It was a mess, one she was sure her family never forgave her for, even if they said they did.

It was her first day back after a long break from public life. She had spent time with friends, away from her family, partly out of guilt, but they visited often. She learned control again and then returned home, not completely on her own. Carlisle had brought her back during his last visit as he thought it was time she stopped hiding from them. She reluctantly agreed, mostly because she missed them.

She was so young when she was turned that Carlisle and Esme really did become parents to her. She was close with them all because she never had a real family. She was given up for adoption at birth, in and out of orphanages and foster homes until a fatal accident brought her to Carlisle and he saved her by turning her. It had taken her awhile to adjust to their family because she was abused as a human, but she opened up to them, which made the incident that much harder for her to deal with.

She had a special connection with Carlisle right away, and then with Esme almost immediately after meeting her. But her past made it difficult for her trust people, even if she wanted to, and it was hard for her to be surrounded by so many people. Edward's ability made bonding with him easy, he could hear her thoughts, understand her fears and navigate around them. Emmett's constant protectiveness towards her made trusting him easier for her, and Jasper's ability to ease her emotions allowed her to feel comfortable around him.

As much as she always wanted sisters, those bonds didn't come easy. Alice came on very strong, she knew Ellie would warm up to the family and eventually be one of them, but it still took a while for her to warm up to Alice, not that Alice minded. Rosalie was by far the hardest, and they still have their moments. Rosalie was the main reason she left after the incident, and the one that she was sure did not forgive her. Being around her was always hard, now more than ever.

"Elle, we're going to be late for school," Emmett called from the bottom of the stairs. "Let's go."

"Leave her," Rosalie mumbled. "Eleanor can run." She knew Ellie could hear her, and she used her full name to catch her attention and get under her skin.

"You and Alice can go ahead in your car," Edward suggested. He was always quick to interrupt Rosalie's snarky comments, especially when directed at Ellie because he knew how much they hurt her. "Len, come on."

She appeared at the top of the stairs but froze when she saw them all standing there. She frowned slightly, the anxiety flooding from her and hitting Jasper.

Edward, I can't do it. Please, just go without me.

Edward frowned at her thoughts before nodding at Jasper. "You'll be fine," Jasper said as she felt a calming wave hit her. She appreciated it and headed down the stairs.

"Are we done with the theatrics?" Rosalie asked, causing Ellie to freeze halfway down the stairs.

She hates me. Everyone hates me. I ruined everything. I'll ruin everything again.

"Rosalie leave," Edward said forcibly as Ellie's thoughts ran wild. "You're not helping."

"Oh come on," she said. "You all play into her little game for attention."

Ellie disappeared from the stairs immediately, her door slamming loudly moments later. The guys sighed and turned to glare at Rosalie, except Emmett didn't quite glare at his wife for fear of upsetting her. Alice focused on the future for a moment and showed Edward that he needed to talk to her, only he could get her to go to school.

"See," Rosalie said. "She's throwing a fit and wants all attention to be on her."

"If anyone is looking for attention, it's you." Edward said to Rosalie.

"Oh please, you all baby her," she said. "That's why she's like that."

"No, she's like that because you're always mean to her." Edward said. "I heard her."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "It's a game."

"No," Jasper shook his head. "I felt her pain, you hurt her feelings."

Rosalie shrugged, she really didn't care much about anything or anyone except herself. Edward shook his head as he headed up the stairs. "We will meet you there."

Edward knocked lightly before he entered her room. She was sitting crossed legged in the chair by her window with a blanket in her lap. She was trying to block him from her mind, but she wasn't very successful. He sat on the ottoman in front of her and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"You can't hide in this house forever," he said.

"Sure I can," she mumbled.

"You'll like it here," he said. "It's hardly ever sunny. We can almost be normal teenagers with normal lives."

That's why I don't want to go. I don't want to ruin how good it is here for everyone.

Edward sighed. "You slipped up once, Len," he said. "Carlisle fixed it and we left and everything turned out fine."

I almost killed someone, Edward.

"But you didn't," he reminded. "Alice saw it, and we got to you before you went too far. It's been two years, Len."

Well, I have all of eternity to go to school. Why can't I just wait until the next time we move?

"Carlisle won't be happy if you don't at least try," he said.

Carlisle appeared in the doorway. "I won't be happy about what?" He asked. "Are you not going to school?"

He looks disappointed. I'm always disappointing him. I'm such a disappointment to this family.

"No you aren't," Edward said. "Stop it, Eleanor."

Edward rarely used her full name, none of them did too often because they knew she didn't like it. Most of them called her Elle, or Ellie, and only Edward called her Len. Carlisle frowned as he entered the room and leaned down beside the chair she was sitting in before looking to Edward for an update.

"She's afraid of losing control at school again and disappointing us," he said simply. "And, Rose upset her again."

"I'll talk to Rosalie," he said as he put his hand over Ellie's hands to comfort her. "It's time to try again."

"Dad, I can't," she said. "What if I lose control again? I'll ruin everything you built here."

"Your brothers and sisters won't be far if you need them, but I believe you are ready. We all make mistakes, Ellie, but we're still family."

She nodded. "Okay, Dad."

Carlisle kissed her head as he rose from his kneeling position. "I'll see you when I get home from work and you can tell me all about your first day." He smiled at her, cupping her chin briefly before turning to leave the room.

Edward, watch her closely today. She needs all of you.

Edward nodded at Carlisle, careful to disguise it as a nod to Ellie. "Alright, let's go."

The drive was quiet and Edward tried to stay out of her head. She was staring out the window, listening to the music and kept her mind calm. He was proud of her for trying so hard when he knew how hard it was for her. He walked her to and from all her classes that day, making sure to leave his early to meet her. She was okay in the morning, but now it was lunch and he worried about her social life.

They headed for the cafeteria to meet up with the others. The second he walked into the room he heard his name and as he glanced back at Ellie who was a step behind him, and he knew she had heard it too.

"Who's that?" The new girl, Bella Swan, asked.

"That's Edward Cullen," Jessica said.

"And, is he with the one behind him?" She asked. Jessica had told her all about their weird family and how some of them were together as couples.

"No, that's his sister, Ellie." She said. "Apparently she's a dance prodigy and spent the last two years with her Aunt in Paris. No one knows much about her, including why she came home. If I was in Paris, I'd never come home, but today is her first day too. She's a freshman, probably the most beautiful freshman alive. I didn't look like that at fifteen, but the whole family is unnaturally beautiful."

Edward smirked and turned his head slightly to look at Ellie. It was a gesture he didn't have to do, he could read her thoughts and she had as good of hearing as him. She heard the compliment and she was smiling slightly, a smile that widened when they made eye contact.

"Elle," Emmett gestured for her to sit beside him and he slung his arm around her when she did. "Rose wants to tell you something."

Rosalie glared slightly at him before she looked at Ellie. "You made a mistake, but I forgive you." She said. "I shouldn't have made things more difficult for you this morning."

Ellie nodded. "Thanks," she said. She wasn't sure she really believed her, she was pretty sure Carlisle told her to say that and Emmett all but made her do it, but it was the best she was going to get from Rosalie.

"How was your morning?" Jasper asked.

Ellie shrugged. "It was okay."

Edward was glancing around the room, listening to the chatter and the thoughts. "No one is suspicious of you," he confirmed. "They believe the Paris story." He frowned slightly. "Hmm."

"What?" Ellie asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing for you," he mumbled as he glanced at Jasper and Emmett. "Just a problem for us, because you seem to have caught the eye of many of the male students."

"No way," Emmett said. "You are not dating any of them."

"Isn't dating what normal fifteen year olds do?" She said with a grin.

"Not all of them," Jasper said. "It's quite normal to wait until junior or senior year to start dating."

"Or, I could just date a senior?" Ellie suggested, much to the dismay of her brothers. "That's pretty normal too."

With her current thought process Alice saw a possible future for Ellie's dating life, which Edward saw right away. "Protective brothers scaring their sister's boyfriend is also normal." He mumbled. "Keep that in mind if you want to start dating."

"You shouldn't date humans," Rosalie said. "That's what got you into the mess the last time."

"Rose," Emmett said as the others glared at her. Ellie looked down at the table momentarily before getting up and leaving the room. She tried to block Edward from her thoughts but he knew she was headed for the parking lot when Alice and Jasper quickly followed her out.

"What?" She said. "It's the truth, she needs to be careful."

"She needs for you to be supportive and not bring it up every chance you get." Edward said as he followed Alice and Jasper out of the cafeteria. They were talking to her by the car and she was begging someone to take her home, or she was going to run home.

"Don't let her get to you," Alice said as Jasper tried to control her mood. "She doesn't mean it."

"She does mean it," Ellie stressed. That's why it hurts so much.

"Ignore her," Edward said. "It doesn't matter what she says."

"I can't ignore her, she never stops. Please, someone take me home, or I'm going to run there." She was upset and had a lot of anxiety until she felt Jasper hit her with a calming wave. She glared at him. "That's not fair. I should be allowed to have feelings."

"You are," he said. "I'm simply helping you keep those feelings in check."

"Oh, right, so I don't ruin everything again." She nodded. "I'm going home."

She stepped quickly into the forest line of trees before using her vampire speed to not alert the humans. She didn't get very far before Edward ran by her, cutting her off as he stopped in front of her because he was faster than them all. He caught her as she was about to crash into him and he held her closely for a moment.

"You can walk back nicely with me, or I can drag you back there, your choice." He said as he turned her around and began to walk back toward the school. "But, you are not giving up like this over something Rosalie said. She isn't worth your happiness. You are fitting in, better than any of us have. And, you have people that want to be your friend already. I heard them and I heard you, you had a good morning."

"I'm not ready, Edward." She said with pleading eyes. "I tried and it's too hard. I can't do it."

"You don't know that," he said. "But, you are in control and you know it, and the only way to find out if you are ready is to keep trying."

"I see nothing bad happening," Alice confirmed once they reached the parking lot again. "You are in control, Elle."

Ellie frowned as she looked to Jasper. "Okay, fine," she mumbled. "Wake me to class?"

Jasper smirked and slung his around her shoulders, pulling her close for a moment to kiss her head. "Come on, little one, you got this."

He knew she wanted him to walk her so that he could calm her on the way, which he did. She was more nervous about slipping up that worried that she actually would. Edward knew this, she was overthinking everything, but when she wouldn't listen to him, Jasper's gift came in handy to make her feel at ease.

Ellie got through the rest of the day, but when Edward didn't show up to meet her at her last class her nerves returned as she the halls filled with students. She reluctantly followed the crowd, hoping to find the parking lot quickly. When she spotted Edward in the office, she headed to meet him, walking in behind the new girl, Bella Swan.

She had barely made it through the door when Edward turned around, mumbling about enduring it as he angrily walked past Bella. He was surprised to see Ellie, but it didn't slow him down, he simply grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the office.

"Sorry for not meeting you," he mumbled. "Let's go."

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Nothing." He said shortly, but she knew something was wrong, and when they reached the cars, she wasn't the only sibling that had noticed his changed behaviour.