Disclaimer: Characters contained within do not belong to me.

Author's Notes: If you read/reviewed the first chapter of this story, and you came back for more, I appreciate it so much. I hope you keep enjoying yourself. If you're here for the first time, welcome and thank you!

What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?

by Kristen Elizabeth

By morning, the storm had passed on, leaving the woods around the Cullen house draped in a white blanket of new snow. Jasper couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. The roads were clear and although the sky was still overcast, school had not been cancelled.

Alice, however, was thrilled about showing off her new wardrobe. She chose the grey Balenciaga, a bit dressy for classes, but since the Cullens were already the talk of town for their gorgeous faces, expensive cars and secluded mansion, she figured there was no point in holding back.

Jasper came up behind her as she dabbed on lipstick and slipped his arms around her tiny waist. "What if it starts to snow again and they try to keep you in town until it passes?"

"It's not going to snow," she said confidently. She quickly searched the future. "Not until...tomorrow. Evening." Turning around in the circle of his arms, Alice studied his face. "Do you want me to stay home today?"

As much as he wanted to say yes, Jasper couldn't bear to be responsible for erasing her smile. "No, go to school. Show off your Bagleycena."

"Balenciaga." She gave him a quick kiss that left a fine sheen of gloss on his cheek. "Someday, Jazz, you'll come with us. I promise."

Because she needed to believe it, he nodded. "Someday."

Edward called up from the bottom of the stairs just then, interrupting their kiss. "I'm leaving in one minute, Alice, whether you're in the car or not!"

"The kid's getting on my nerves," Jasper muttered.

Laughing, Alice shook her head. "Now aren't you glad you're staying home and he's going to be out of the house for a few hours?" He lifted his shoulders nonchalantly. "I know it hasn't been easy for you here." She worked her lower lip between her teeth. "But this is the best place for us. And you will feel at home..."

"I know." Jasper tried to smile, but it came out weak. "Someday."

Their lips had just met again when... "Alice!" Edward yelled.

With a reluctant sigh, she stepped back from her lover; her hand remained entwined with his until they were too far apart to keep contact. At the door, she blew him a goodbye kiss.

They took Edward's Jaguar Mark V to school, racing down the mountain to the town below without a thought to the slick, icy roads. With Emmett and Rosalie still off on their spur-of-the-moment vacation, Alice found herself alone with her new brother.

Edward? She called to him through her thoughts.

He didn't take his eyes off the road. "Yes, you can copy my math homework. It's in my bag."

That wasn't my question. Some mind reader you are. Alice giggled, but then stopped when she realized she never had finished the algebra assignment and would, in fact, need to borrow his. Oh, I see what Jasper means now, she scowled.

Edward finally glanced over at her with an amused smirk. "What was your original question?"

She sighed. Should I be worried about him? He seems so...overwhelmed lately.

It took her brother a moment to reply, as if he was deciding how much of Jasper's inner thoughts he felt comfortable repeating. "He's struggling, but he wants this, Alice. Maybe he only wants it because of you, but at least he's got motivation to succeed."

Alice looked down at her gloved hands. I forced this life on him.

"No, you didn't," Edward scoffed. "Even though it is next to impossible to say no to you, and I should know, considering I no longer have the best view in the house, I bet he'd manage to do it if he really couldn't stand our lifestyle." Placated by this, Alice turned her head to stare out the window at the trees zipping by. "By the way." She glanced back at her brother who offered her a smile. "Congratulations on your engagement."

Instead of returning the smile, Alice's eyes glassed over as a vision seized her. "Edward, watch out!" she screamed.

Having seen the image in her mind, a dark shape that darted out of the woods and ran directly in front of their car, Edward was able to slam on the breaks a few seconds before the vision became reality. He twisted the wheel at the last moment, sending the Jaguar careening into a snow bank on the side of the road. By that time, the cause of the crash was long gone, having disappeared into the forest as quickly as it had appeared.

"What the hell was that?" Edward demanded, swearing for the first time ever in front of a woman. "Sorry," he immediately apologized.

Alice shook her head. "I don't know. I couldn't see it clearly...just that it was coming. A deer, maybe?"

"Let's find out." As his side of the car was completely buried in snow, Edward urged Alice to exit on her side and crawled out behind her. The road was deserted and the night's snowfall had been plowed away to allow access from the town to the logging camps on the mountain. But the white banks on either side of the road, like the one his Jaguar now occupied, were still pure, and it was there that he found a set of human footprints leading into the woods.

"Not a deer," Edward announced. "Probably just a local still drunk from last night, stumbling around like an idiot."

Alice frowned. "Whoever it was, they weren't stumbling, Edward. They were fast. As fast as..." She didn't need to finish the thought. He was already thinking it.

Taking a slow look around at the silent winter forest, Edward put a protective hand on his sister's back. "Get back in the car."

Once she was inside, Edward grabbed the Jaguar's chrome bumper and gave it an effortless yank, dragging it out of the snow bank with no more force than he used to pull open the door to his locker at school. Without even taking the time to examine his beloved car for any damage, he slid behind the wheel and took off down the road.

Alice snuck a glance at him a few minutes later. A deep frown marred his otherwise perfect face. If it is another...you know...should we go back and tell Carlisle?

"There's really nothing he could do," Edward replied, his voice as dark as his expression. "When we come across one, it's better to just leave them alone, rather than risk starting some kind of territory battle." He looked at her. "I'm sure you've heard all about those."

"Yes." She inclined her chin. "I've been made aware of them."

"And the last thing we want is to do anything that might provoke the Volturi," he said, almost to himself.

"The Volturi?" Alice repeated.

Edward turned the car into the parking lot of the high school. "Conversation for another day." He pulled into an open space and turned off the engine. "Just...be aware. Not all of our kind are to be trusted."

Alice sat in the car until he came around and opened the passenger door for her. For the first time since she'd woken into her new life, she felt horribly cold.

The main hallway of Bethel Hills High School was packed with what seemed like the entire student body, each one of them making the most of the final few minutes before the first bell rang. The sounds of wet shoes squeaking on polished hard wood, lockers endlessly opening and shutting, high-pitched female laughter and deeper male guffaws bounced off the walls.

But everything slowed when Edward and Alice arrived.

They were still the talk of the school, something that amused Edward and pleased Alice. As they sailed down the hall, aided greatly by the fact that anyone who happened to be in their way quickly moved, she couldn't help but listen to the whispers all around them.

"What is she wearing?" a girl from her Home-Ec class whispered to her friends. "She looks like she belongs in a catalog!"

"Dig it," a football player elbowed his buddy in the chest. "I hear she goes all the way. Her sister, too. It's make-out city up at that house of theirs."

"Oh my gosh!" one cheerleader groaned. "Edward Cullen is the living end!"

"Total dreamboat," another cheerleader agreed with her. "Do you think he'll ask anyone to the Winter Formal?"

Alice shot her brother a mischievous look. Are you going to ask anyone to the Winter Formal?

Edward snorted. "You slay me, Alice."

They parted ways at their lockers, heading for their separate homerooms. Alice took her seat just as the first bell rang, ignoring the fact that the girl who was seated to the right of her desk not-so-discreetly scooted her chair as far away as she could. It was probably for the best, she told herself. With the heaters on full blast, blowing hot air all around the classroom, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a safe distance from the humans, especially since she hadn't hunted in almost a week.

"Excuse me?" It took Alice a few seconds to realize that the question was directed towards her. "Is this one taken?"

The girl asking about the empty desk to Alice's left was no beauty queen. Her hair was lackluster brown, pulled back from a slightly pudgy, pimple-dotted face. She wore a simple skirt and sweater set which did nothing to hide her ample figure. In fact, her one redeeming feature seemed to be her eyes. They were clear blue, framed by dark lashes.

But she was talking to Alice. Voluntarily. And she didn't look frightened, only painfully shy. Alice couldn't help but feel for her; she still clearly remembered her own first day at Bethel Hills and how, despite the warnings from her brothers and sister, she had been crushed when not a single one of her new classmates even bothered to speak to her.

"No, please." Alice indicated for her to sit down.

"Thank you so much," the girl said with a relieved sigh. It took a second for her to fit her body into the desk, but when she was finally seated, she held out her hand. "I'm Marjorie."

Experience had taught Alice that it was best not to shake hands. Even with winter as an excuse, her skin was just too strangely cold to the humans. "Alice," she introduced herself.

If she was hurt that Alice didn't take her hand, Marjorie didn't show it. "It's my first day here," she explained. "I don't know anyone at all. Except you now. I mean, not that knowing your name makes us best friends." She chewed on her lower lip. "Sorry. I talk a lot when I'm nervous."

There was something endearing about the girl's awkwardness. Alice smiled. "It's all right."

"I love your outfit!" Marjorie gushed, eyeing the grey wool skirt with longing. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, just..." Alice hesitated. Showing off suddenly lost its appeal. "Nowhere special."

The second bell rang, ending their conversation. After dutifully reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the teacher began calling roll. Alice glanced over at the new girl. She'd pulled a book from her bag and had her nose buried in it. When Alice caught a glimpse of the title, she nearly laughed out loud. Dracula.

It was a good thing she hadn't shaken Marjorie's hand.

The only class she and Edward shared was fifth period History. He was already seated in their usual corner when Alice entered the room. She was heading straight towards him when she heard her name called out over the din of the other students.

"Alice!" She didn't have to look to know who it was. So far, she had four classes with Marjorie. "I saved you a seat!"

Alice glanced at Edward. She's new. She doesn't know anyone else.

Edward raised his eyebrows.

Don't be like that.Alice frowned. I feel bad for her.

Her brother shrugged his shoulders.

Just because you don't like any of them doesn't mean I can't make a friend or two. Turning her nose up at him, Alice slid into the seat next to Marjorie. "Thanks," she said to the girl.

"Who is that?" Marjorie asked, looking at the back corner of the room. "Your boyfriend?"

"My brother," Alice corrected her. "Just ignore him." She shot Edward a glare over her shoulder. "He likes it that way."

But Marjorie was only human and completely vulnerable to Edward's face. "Your parents must be movie stars or something."

"Or something," Alice agreed.

In the back of the room, Edward coughed loud enough to make several girls giggle.

The teacher had barely begun the lesson on the American Revolution when a vision struck Alice.

It was like nothing she'd ever experienced. There was no clear image, just random shapes and colors all blurred together. And there was pain...mind-numbing, skull-splitting pain.

Edward bolted to his feet when Alice screamed out loud. Although he slowed his movements just enough as not to give himself away, he was at her side in the blink of an eye. By that time, the vision and the pain had overwhelmed her; her body jerked frantically as if she was having a seizure.

"Someone get the nurse!" the teacher yelled. But the room had descended into chaos, desks literally up-ended as everyone sought a better view of the unfolding scene.

"Alice! Alice...look at me," Edward ordered, fighting back panic. Her eyes were open, but she saw nothing. She didn't even seem to be aware of his presence. "Alice!"

Suddenly, her eyes closed and she went limp. He caught her as she fell out of her desk.

"Get the nurse!" the teacher tried again. Edward gathered Alice up in his arms and started for the door. "Where are you taking her, Mr. Cullen?" the teacher demanded.

"To our father," Edward replied, fixing a cold look onto the woman that made her shrink back ever so slightly. "Can I go now?"

He didn't wait for her permission. Seconds later, still cradling his sister's unconscious body, Edward was out the door, heading for the parking lot.

Back in the classroom, the girl who'd had a front row seat for the entire dramatic event smiled faintly.

Jasper took a deep breath. Through the scent of pine and smoke from a nearby cabin's fireplace, he caught a whiff of what he'd gone into the woods to search for. Blood.

"I smell it, too," Carlisle said, coming up behind him. "Elk, most likely." He indicated the direction in which the smell originated. "Shall we?"

Although he was thirsty, Jasper didn't move. "You didn't have to come," he told the older man. "You hunted just the other day."

"I thought you could use the company."

"You think I need supervision."

Carlisle sighed. "Jasper, I have no doubt that you would do everything in your power to stop yourself if a human happened to cross our path right now. But..."

"Why risk it?" Jasper finished, folding his arms. "Right?"

A moment passed. "You have to trust that everything I'm doing is to protect not only the humans, but our family itself."

"Our family?" Jasper repeated.

"Yes," Carlisle said firmly. "Our family. Of which you are now a part." A shadow crossed his face. "Whether you feel that or not."

"Carlisle!"

Esme's voice reached them before she did. She appeared in the clearing a second later, not a hair out of place although she'd apparently run all the way from the house, not having even taken the time to put on a coat for appearance's sake. Her face spoke a thousand words before she said anything. Something was seriously wrong.

"It's Alice," was all she said. "Come quick."

Jasper was already running.

To Be Continued

A/N: If you'd like to see Edward's Jaguar, go to http : / img . photobucket . com / albums / v510 / belismakr / jaguar . jpg