I must warn all readers that this story contains explicit language. Please do not read if this makes you uncomfortable.

Congratulations also to Astra Delicnant for being the first person to correctly guessing the reason as to why Rosalie left. Congrats also to KounetsuDeb for getting it right too. Honorable mentions go to: Swallows a lot, Haunt of twilight, BabyIn-A-Corner and TaintedBlackRose1124.


Backtracking

--

It was a typical day in Forks when Rosalie packed a single bag and left the Cullen household, intending never to come back. The past two days had been the worst she could ever remember experiencing and that included the day her husband and his group of drunk friends had gang-raped her and left her to die. She had died in the end, but death for her was entirely different to what she had thought it would be whilst she was human. She hadn't initially thought of leaving. She'd thought that maybe all she needed to do was weather the storm with the man that she'd thought was the love of her life. But when she'd been alone in the house that day, all the memories had come crashing through her mind and it had almost torn her apart. The minute she was alone, the first thing she'd done was douse the bed in kerosene and light it up. She'd chucked in the clothes of that whore while she had been at it. But it still didn't erase the pain. Or the smell of sex that still lingered in the house and made her sick every single time she took a breath. So she'd decided that if anything, what she needed the most was an escape from the memories. So she'd packed a single bag with things that were entirely hers and had nothing to do with the Cullen family. She'd hefted the bag over her shoulder and walked out of the door. She didn't take any money with her, nothing that would, in her opinion, make her indebted to the family. She took herself and her things and that was that.

--

Trisha Martel had turned 18 just two days before she died. Student President, Head Cheerleader, slightly above average intellectually. The eldest of 5 children, she'd applied to Harvard to follow in the footsteps of her father. She wasn't the most perfect person in the world. She wasn't a virgin, she used to smoke and even up until the day she died she got smashed every weekend and usually woke up in the bed of a boy that she'd met the night before. She cussed like a sailor (though never in front of her parents) and dressed like it was the hottest day of the year every day. She'd hurt many people in her life, most of them girls whose boyfriends she'd slept with just for the fun of it, and she'd never regretted any of it. But she hadn't died for any of these reasons. She'd died for the same reason that many people in the world died. Trisha Martel died because she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She'd been driving home after a late Student Council meeting at school when her car had stalled and the engine started steaming. The Martel family house was on an out of the way road, 20 minutes out of the nearest town. It was a choice that her parents had made to try and bring their children up in a place big enough for family parties and away from the corruption that a large city could sometimes provide.

Her mobile phone was dead and she'd forgotten to throw in her car charger that morning. Her beeper was likewise dead, so Trisha had figured that the only way she was getting home was if she was walking. She made the mistake however when she paused at the sound of a car engine approaching behind her.

Figuring that maybe she wouldn't have to walk home after all, Trisha started waving her hands trying to flag down the car. It was silver and she vaguely thought it might be similar to the Aston Martin that her father owned. When the window rolled down and she caught sight of the driver however, she couldn't believe her luck. A ride home with a guy that hot? It might just be her lucky day. She completely disregarded the wedding band on the driver's hand.

"Hi, my name's Edward Cullen. Are you in some kind of trouble?"

In the passenger seat beside Edward, Jasper Whitlock winced and clenched his hands into fists as he tried desperately to reign in his self control. Lady Fate however had other plans as a strong gust of wind brushed past Trisha and saturated the car with her scent.

She never made it home that day. It was just her bad luck that her car had broken down in the middle of a road that Edward Cullen and Jasper Whitlock had been driving by. It was just her bad luck that she'd been born Jasper's singer.

--

When the cars arrived Hadrian had been impressed with both his car and his mother's. He'd had no need for a car back home, so this was technically his first ever 'ride'. He'd never even driven before, but he'd managed to score a drivers license from Kingsley before they'd left. He didn't know cars very well but he knew two things when he first saw his.

One: It must have cost more than most people's lives were worth, and Two: He'd just fallen in love at first.

The car was beautiful. Sleek, black and knowing his mother, Hadrian knew that it was probably one of the fastest, if not the fastest, car in the world.

"I-I don't know what to say."

Behind his back, Rosalie smirked knowingly. Her son may not know cars as well as she did, but he knew how to appreciate beauty when he saw it.

"A thank-you would probably be the best place to start."

"Thank-you. Thank-you!"

There was a blur as Hadrian launched himself into the arms of his mother. They shared a hug that they both savored before parting.

"So when do I get to test drive her?"

A shrug from his parental guidance.

"It's not like we're doing anything. Let's go now."

They started off slow as Hadrian pulled out of the garage and Rosalie talked him through reversing. He was as natural as he was on a broomstick. As he exited the driveway on to the lonely road that would take them back through the town of Forks, Hadrian grinned at the ease he felt at handling a car for the first time. It was just something else that he could say that he'd inherited from his mother.

He shifted from first gear to second to third as he became accustomed to the sound of his new car. 20 minutes later and he was speeding across the tarmac like a pro. Beside him Rosalie had the window down, one elbow resting on the door, blonde hair spiraling behind her like a curtain of gold. Hadrian reached over and placed a hand over Rosalie's arm. She turned to him in question,

"Thank-you."

She smiled and nodded, turning back away. Her son was happy. Nothing could be better.

When a police cruiser started following behind with its siren blaring, Hadrian almost braked reflexively. He caught himself though, as he slowed to a stop and pulled up to the shoulder of the road. In the distance, Rosalie could make out the outline of the shops at the edge of the Forks main town.

Fingers tapped listlessly against the steering wheel as Hadrian watched a figure climb out of the police car and walk towards them.

The officer was at least 40, maybe even older. His face was weathered, hands calloused, with a handle-bar mustache that hid the upper part of his mouth. He had an easy, open face though, so Hadrian plastered on a smile when the officer leant down to look in through the driver's window.

"License and registration, please."

Rosalie rifled through the glove box and handed over a laminated card and a pink slip over to Hadrian who passed it on to the officer.

"Is there a problem, officer?"

"Are you aware that you were traveling almost three times faster than the speed limit?"

Hadrian faked a shocked face as he exclaimed, "Oh wow, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that at all. My Mom just bought me the car actually and I was just so excited about getting to test drive her that I just must not have been concentrating on how fast I was going."

"That's okay, Mr. Hale-"

"Hadrian, please."

"Oh, well, in that case, you can call me Charlie. Charlie Swann, Chief of Police for Forks. You folks just passing through?"

Hadrian shook his head.

"We moved here just a few days ago. We bought the old Carter Estate."

Charlie nodded, "Oh so that's what Susan was talking about."

"Susan?"

"She's the local real estate agent. She mentioned that someone had bought the land there. Your father probably talked to her when he bought the place."

Hadrian arched an eyebrow in an exact imitation of his mother, "My father's dead. But I do believe Susan talked to my mother when she bought the land."

Charlie blanched at the words.

"Oh, sorry about that-"

"Its fine, you didn't know."

Charlie nodded uncertainly and looked past Hadrian to notice the stunning woman that sat at his side. She couldn't be described as beautiful because that would have been like calling Aphrodite 'pretty'. She was just… Phenomenally good looking. Her body belonged on camera at model photo shoots and her face looked like it was made for large billboards around the world. Together, they were a striking couple. But even Charlie could see that Hadrian was the woman's son. Though Hadrian had most likely inherited his fathers colouring, everything else was clearly his mothers.

'Charlie, this is my mother, Rosalie Hale."

Rosalie nodded coolly at Charlie and offered a small smile. Charlie returned the nod and turned back to Hadrian.

"I'll let you off with a warning this time, but next time I might not be so lenient."

Hadrian laughed as Charlie winked at him and walked back to his cruiser.

"Congratulations Hadrian, you've broken even Black's record. You've only been legally driving for half an hour and already you've been pulled over."

--

In a house far away from any kind of civilization, two figures stand at the living room windows locked in an embrace.

"I'm sorry, Alice."

The woman, Alice, smiles up at the man and hugs him closer.

"Jasper, its fine! Yes, you killed her, but you didn't drink her blood. You resisted even when you were soaked in it. That is an amazing achievement, Jazz."

He shakes his head though, leans down to bury his face in the crook of Alice's neck. She holds him closer, and lets his emotions wash over her. The majority that she can feel is guilt. Guilt at killing an innocent girl who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Guilt at forcing his family to move, despite the fact that they'd only even been in Alaska for the past two months.

She stills in his arms moments later. Jasper's head whips up at the change in her stance and watches in concern at the glazed look that Alice is wearing.

"Alice? What do you see?"

There is a whoosh of wind and in the blink of an eye two more figures have entered the empty living room.

Jasper looks up barely and notices that there are only two figures.

"Where's everyone else?"

It is the lean blonde man that speaks,

"They went with Tanya to say goodbye."

'Is she coming with us?"

"You know she is, Jasper."

He nods and turns back to the disassociated Alice.

"Oh my god…"

It is whispered and Jasper flinches at the awe in Alice's voice.

"Alice?" The voice is as smooth silk and emanates from the mouth of the caramel haired beauty on the arm of the blonde man.

Dark hair goes flying as Alice shakes her head to clear her mind,

"I… Esme…"

"What did you see, Alice?"

When she looks up her eyes show clearly her fear and trepidation.

"I saw Rosalie."

--

When Alice enters the vision, she initially cannot see much. The first thing that comes to her attention though, is the sound. There is no talking, no voices. Just the sounds of the wind whistling by at high speeds and a gear stick being shifted continuously. When her sight is restored to her, Alice can barely contain her shock.

A mass of gold streams through the air and Alice's breath catches in her throat because she has only ever met one person who has that exact hair colour.

The woman is looking out the window, her hair flying behind her like a golden banner. She sits in the passenger seat of a car, one elbow leaning on the door, staring out of the window, her face impassionate.

Alice tries to see who is driving, but the only thing that meets her is a hazy picture, as if she is looking through distorted glass. She cannot make out much, but she can see dark hair and brilliant green where she can make out the distorted outline of the man's eyes. Confusion etches through Alice's face as it dawns on her that Rosalie, her sweet darling missing sister Rosalie, is in a car with a human.

There seems to be a pause before a hand stretches over from the driver's seat and the man rests it on the crook of Rosalie's elbow.

Alice watches as Rosalie turns to the man and raises an eyebrow in question. The sound of his voice crashes through Alice's head and she hears the soft, melodic voice say with such heart-felt joy,

"Thank-you."

For a single word, there are so many emotions behind it that Alice almost cringes at the intensity of it. She continues watching though.

Rosalie turns to the murky figure of the man and smiles back and it is this smile that has Alice whispering to herself,

"Oh my god..."

The smile is beatific. An expression that Alice had never seen on Rosalie's face, even when she was at her happiest with Emmett.

When she turns away to stare back out the window, Alice can see that Rosalie has never been happier.

How is she meant to explain this to Emmett?

--

Hadrian is flipping idly through his file when Rosalie finds him stretched across the living room couch. Before him the plasma screen is tuned in to some inane cartoon show. The sound is muted and Rosalie sneers at the idiotic show as she brushes her nail file over her nails. She pauses in her task briefly though as she makes to reach for the remote but Hadrian beats her to it and shoves it beneath his body.

"I'm watching."

He doesn't look up from where he is studying his picture carefully and Rosalie sighs in exasperation.

"You're not watching. You're reading your file, which by the way is meant to private. It's your school records."

"Yeah, I know. Where'd they get this photo anyway? I don't remember ever taking school photo's at Hogwarts. And why are there so many pages?"

Rosalie shrugs and makes to grab the remote again, but Hadrian pushes it further beneath his body, out of her reach.

"They don't. I think Dumbledore took the photo somehow though. Magic probably. Apparently he used to keep a file like that on all the students. I'm not sure though if yours is just extra long because of who you are, or if all the files are this in depth."

"Really? Hmm."

"Yes, I was surprised too. Minerva says it's a Hogwarts teachers' secret."

Hadrian hums as he rifles through more papers. Rosalie, giving up on her failed task, collapses (albeit, gracefully) on top of Hadrian's feet. He manages to save his feet at the last minute and instead settles for draping them unceremoniously over Rosalie's lap.

"There's teachers reports and everything. Even all of my past years school records. Oh wow! It's even got a list of all the times I got detention, and all the points I've won and lost. Damn this file is extensive. I'm not sure whether or not I have the right to feel violated."

Rosalie rolls her eyes as she returns back to filing her nails. Turning paper pages is the only sound that permeates the room before Hadrian freezes.

"What the hell?! Why is there a list of my friends…? And there's even a list of my acquaintances?"

Papers flip faster as Hadrian rapidly searches through the texts on the pages.

"Why the hell is there a list of my relationships? I take it back; this is a major violation of my privacy! I'm pretty sure that this goes against my human rights. Sweet Merlin are those photo's of me and-?!!"

Sniggering meets his ears as Hadrian glares at his mother figure at the foot of the couch. She waves a hand imperiously and waves off his worries.

"Don't worry about that. Those last few pages were added by Black and Lupin. If you're going to enroll at that High School then I promise to remove those pages."

"Remove the pages?! I'm going to burn them!! This is a complete invasion of privacy! When I see Sirius and Remus again I'm going to-"

"Oh don't worry sweetie, I have more copies in our safety vault in that Swiss Bank Account we opened up last year."

A brief silence before,

"Mother?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I do hate you sometimes."

She pats his feet condescendingly,

"Of course sweetheart."

Hadrian slumps back in his seat and buries his face in his arms. He tries to ignore the soothing noises that his mother is making as she strokes his feet with her elbow, filing her nails all the while.

"So have you decided yet?"

Hadrian groans at the question.

"Decided what? Where I'm going to hide Black and Lupin's bodies after I kill them?"

"Ha ha, funny. I meant, have you decided on whether or not you're going to enroll at Forks High School?"

He shakes his head and clucks his tongue.

"Nah. Figure I'll stop by the Police Station later in the week with my High School Diploma and tell Charlie that I've already graduated. You know, so that no-one tries to cause trouble by reporting us to the Education Board or wherever."

"I thought you were considering going? You said that it might even be a nice experience or something."

"Screw the experience; I just don't want to deal with homework again."

"Good enough."

--

There were many things that Hadrian had done through the years that he wasn't proud of. He'd killed mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters. He'd gotten his friends almost killed more times than he could count, and he'd gotten good friends killed when they'd chosen to fight by his side. But Hadrian had also done many things that he would do all over again if it ever came to it. He'd killed Peter Pettigrew after 3 days of hearing him beg for the release of death. The ministry called it a vile act of vengeance and covered it up by informing the public Pettigrew had died in battle (it wouldn't do after all for the symbol of the Light to be seen as a vendetta driven monster). Hadrian called it payback for the severing charm that had been thrown at Rosalie's turned back as she ripped Fenrir Greyback to shreds. He'd disappeared for the 3 days that Rosalie had been in the Hospital Wing after being hit by an Incendio Solarum from the wand of Dolores Umbridge during a fight that had broken out in the ruins of what used to be the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. No-one had mentioned his disappearance when he turned up just in time to be at Rosalie's side when she'd woken up. And still no-one had spoken when, the next week, Umbridge's body had turned up mutilated beyond recognition, drained of all her blood. There were many more acts that were just as cruel that he'd committed, but he'd made sure that during all those times, his mother knew nothing. Hadrian liked to think of it as repayment for everything his mother had sacrificed for him. He made sure that anyone that hurt, or who even considered hurting his mother, ended up dying in horrific ways. Hadrian had thought that he'd put those thoughts behind him though. The people who mattered knew that touching Rosalie was tantamount to signing a death wish and those that didn't matter knew through Urban Myth that anyone who touched Lady Hale died gruesomely. So it was with surprise that Hadrian picked up the ringing phone a week after their arrival in Forks and realized through the conversation that there were a few more people to add to his 'Must Die Soon' list.

"Hale residence, Hadrian speaking, how my I help you?"

Rosalie had decided to relieve temporary boredom by shopping for new shoes. Hadrian had decided to forgo the shopping spree in favour of exploring more of the surrounding forest.

"Hadrian, good, I'm glad I caught you. Is your mother home?"

"No, she's out shopping. Would you like to leave a message, Kingsley?"

On the phone, Hadrian could hear the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt tighten with worry.

"Is something wrong, Kingsley?"

"No, well, not yet anyway. I just called to warn you. According to my men the Cullen's made an abrupt leave of Alaska yesterday. It took a while to find out why, but we have reason to believe that the empath ran into a singer and couldn't control himself. Auror Danes is adamant that his eyes are still amber, so we can only assume that he killed her but didn't drink her blood."

Hadrian's eyes darkened to an impossible black. He ran a hand through his hair before twirling a lock around a finger and pulling it harshly.

"Do you know where they will be moving?"

"That's the first problem. The youngest is married to a Bella Swann. Her father is the Chief of Police of Forks. I've read through the reports and she seems sentimental about her father. We managed to obtain their phone records and it looks like she calls him every night."

"Let me guess. They're moving back to Forks."

The silence was enough to prove him right. Hadrian sighed into the receiver,

"I guess that means mother and I will be moving to Alaska in the next few days."

The hesitant pause that Kingsley gave before answering was enough for Hadrian to prepare for the worst.

"And that brings us to our second problem."

Hadrian couldn't help himself, he groaned in exasperation.

"The Alaskan State Authorities aren't exactly happy about another singer death. Apparently they've had a spate of them in the past 5 months, so the Magical State Law Enforcement are cracking down on vampires. It would be best if you stayed away from there for a while."

"Let me get this straight. The Cullen's are moving back to Forks and my mother and I are stuck here because it's pretty much the only safe place that is sufficiently overcast in the entire of the United States of bleeding America."

"Yeah… That's pretty much it."

It was another few minutes before Hadrian could find his voice again. He decided to employ a tactic that had never failed him in the past. He decided to ignore it, for the time being at least.

"How's Teddy?"

"Good, good. He's started talking a bit more now."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Goes around calling Andy 'Ga-Ma'."

"And what's he been calling you?" Hadrian asked.

"Ga-Pa. Andy wants Teddy to have a grandfather figure. She intends to tell him everything when he's old enough to understand everything. I… I'll admit I was a bit nervous about who I was going to be for Teddy, but I guess it's all worked out."

"Then I'm glad for you, Kingsley."

"Yeah, you know Teddy's been asking about you."

"Really?"

"Well, sort of. It's mainly just 'Ha-dy'."

Hadrian laughed in to the phone.

"Bring him over sometime. You know Mom and I don't mind babysitting so you and Andy can get some time together."

It was Kingsley that laughed this time,

"I think I'll take you up on that offer soon actually."

"Sure, just call us before you drop him off."

"Okay then, well I have to run. Harry, do me a favour?'

"Depends."

"At the very least, get rid of the bodies. Covering up murders is one thing, but making a dead body disappear is a lot harder than you think."

Hadrian laughed loudly as Kingsley said his goodbyes.

"Remember to tell your Mom I said Hi."

An hour later, finds Hadrian sitting at the dining room table, tapping elegant fingers against the polished wood. He tries thinking of other places that he and Rosalie could perhaps move to, but he knows that it is a foolish hope. Forks was, after all, the only option they'd had. He considers making the Cullen's move somewhere else, but disregards it. His foremost thought however, is what will happen when the Cullen's arrive. He knows they will want to re-establish ties with Rosalie, but should he let them? As a good son he should probably let them bury the hatchet and reconcile their feelings. Hadrian pauses in his thoughts, and quickly discards the idea faster than Crabbe and Goyle polishing off a chocolate cake. Screw what a good son would do, he intends to bring the Cullen family to its knees. By the end of it, Emmett Cullen will be wishing he was six feet under.

--

"We can't tell them. You know how Bella can get. She'll start insisting that we find Rosalie just to make Emmett happier. Not to mention what Emmett would say, and Edward would be adamant about it as well!"

"What else are we meant to do, Alice? Just pretend that you didn't have a vision about Rosalie? The first vision ever since she abandoned us?"

Alice rounds on Jasper as she wrenches her arm from his grip. Behind them, Esme and Carlisle watch cautiously.

"Abandoned us? She walks in on the love of her life with some other girl fucking like rabbits and you're holding a grudge because she abandoned us?!"

"She left! It doesn't matter-"

"IT DAMN WELL DOES MATTER!"

Alice whirls around, eyes blazing as she stares Jasper down, despite her diminutive height.

"What Emmett did was unforgivable and Rosalie was right in walking out. You want to know why I really don't want to tell Emmett about my vision?! It's because he doesn't deserve to know where she is. He doesn't fucking deserve anything to do with her. After what he put her through he's already given up any and all claims to anything related to Rosalie!!"

There is silence as the words sink in. After Emmett, Alice had taken it the hardest after Rosalie had left. There was never any note. Just a few of her odds and ends missing. The family had known that Alice had been mad at Emmett for what he'd done, but they'd never considered that she'd still managed to nurse the resentment against him.

"Alice," Jasper pleads desperately, "This isn't just about Emmett, Alice. I want to know where my sister is, and I know for a fact that you do too. Don't you think that Esme and Carlisle would like to know how Rosalie is? What she's been doing since she left?"

There is stillness before Alice shakes her head furiously.

"Emmett doesn't deserve to know anything about Rosalie after what he did… And neither do we."

--

When Rosalie met a witch for the first time, she'd been so surprised that her usual scathing comments had died in her throat. She'd ran as far as she could as fast as she could. Emmett had been suffocating her with his usual overbearing concern and the fact that Tanya had come to stay with them for some time was still a sore spot in her opinion. It was disgusting the way the cow threw herself at Edwards like she was some loose whore. She raced through the country side, trees flying past her. It was as she was passing an isolated clearing that she stopped and had to backtrack to make sure that she'd seen exactly what she'd thought she'd seen. She crept to the edge of the clearing and watched with bated breath.

There were 5 of them. An adult woman supervising 4 young children as they… Flew around her on… Brooms?

They were dressed normally enough, and they smelled entirely human. Except for a sharp tang in the air around them that smelled like, what Rosalie would come to know as, high voltage electricity. She'd only been standing there for a few minutes before the woman seemed to stiffen sharply.

She tossed auburn hair over her shoulders and threw a winning smile at the children as they laughingly chased each other just a few feet above the ground.

"Children! Children!"

The children stopped and hovered in mid air as they all turned to her.

"Stay here, don't move. I'll be setting up a barrier. I just need to check something."

The children seemed to freeze at the words and simultaneously, they grabbed identical necklaces around their necks. They were simple enough. A small gold coin on a plain gold chain. They all landed, clumsily, and as one, they all sat down on the floor of the clearing, their brooms clutched tightly in shaking hands. They were quiet the entire way through.

The woman pulled a stick from the voluminous pockets of her dress and waved it briefly around the children. There was a shimmer of light as a sort of domed wall seemed to envelope the children, before the light faded and left only the white faced kids.

She turned away then, walked decisively towards where Rosalie was standing, and the entire time she clutched at the stick like it was her last lifeline. This was more than enough for Rosalie to feel confused about.

By nature vampires had a scent that naturally repelled other living creatures. Some animals could actually smell it. Others, like humans felt it like it was a suffocating sheet of fear that permeated the air around them. It was beyond odd that this woman seemed to be walking towards danger as opposed to away from it. Why was she coming closer when she should in fact be running with the children? What was she?

The young woman stopped just a few feet before the edge clearing. Rosalie didn't try hiding; she stepped out from the cover of the trees and stood in clear view in the light shadows of the forest canopy. The woman became increasingly agitated at the sight of Rosalie. Her heart beat sped up by astronomical amounts and Rosalie could make out small beads of sweat that broke out over her forehead.

"I-I" She stuttered.

Rosalie couldn't tell you why she did what she did. Looking back, she can't even begin to explain why she'd even considered placating the human. It may have had something to do with the cowering children that she could see over the auburn haired woman's shoulder, it may have not. Regardless, for some reason, Rosalie offered the stuttering woman a small encouraging smile.

It seemed to calm her down, because she smiled back. A small nervous grin that made her appear even younger then she already looked.

"Yo-Your eyes. They're gold."

This seemed to encourage the young lady even further. She moved closer, until she was just out of arms reach from the vampire. She pocketed the stick and offered a shaking hand.

"My name is Caroline."

Her accent was soft, cultured. Her hands, Rosalie noticed, were smooth and unmarred. It was obvious that she'd never worked a day in her life. But what was a woman like this doing in the middle of nowhere?

Rosalie took the hand and despite the flinch that Caroline gave at the freezing skin contact, the human still refrained from pulling her hand away, and for that Rosalie had to respect her.

"My name's Rosalie."

As they separated, Caroline stepped back into the light of the clearing and turned to the children. She gave a cheery grin and waved vigorously. Rosalie could see as the tension visibly faded from view and the children began talking amongst themselves with small smiles plastered on their faces.

"You don't drink human blood, do you?" Caroline asked as she turned back.

Rosalie, caught off guard, shook her head slightly and Caroline sighed in relief.

"That's good to know. How old are you?"

She blinked at the inane question and found herself blurting out the first answer that came to her mind.

"18."

"And how long have you been 18?"

The question was delivered with such seriousness that Rosalie couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

It felt good to laugh at something so inconsequential. She hadn't laughed in such a long time. Her relationship with Emmett had turned to nothing but shouting matches and cold silences. Her relationship with the rest of her family was just as strained. It had become so bad lately that she'd been seeking refuge in the silent forests of Washington State. And through it all, she'd just been so angry lately. So ruthlessly mad that she didn't even know why anymore.

"A few hundred years."

Caroline laughed at the answer and half turned back to the children that were playing happily. She turned her head back to Rosalie who watched the small humans with such a longing that Caroline couldn't help but think that in the shadowed light of the forest canopy, Rosalie looked incredibly lonely.

"How long have you been drinking animal blood?"

"Ever since I was turned."

The shock on Caroline's face was evident.

"How do you know so much about me, about vampires?"

"I'm a witch."

This time it was Rosalie's shock that was written clear over her face.

"Witches aren't real."

"This coming from the walking corpse?"

The line was delivered so sarcastically that Rosalie was inclined to believe her just for the way she could catch Rosalie off guard. But what she said also made a weird sort of sense. The brooms that the children had been flying. The stick, wand, that Rosalie knew was nestled in the pockets of Caroline's dress. All the signs were there, the question was if Rosalie wanted to read them.

--

When Rosalie walks in through the front door, her arms are laden with so many bags that if she had been human, Hadrian would have wondered how exactly how she had managed to walk so much as two steps. She walks through the front door wearing a shit-eating grin that envelops half her face. Hadrian knows that something happened while she was shopping. When he makes his query though, it is sarcastic and biting.

"Shopping was that good, huh?"

Rosalie laughs as she makes her way to the living room. She dumps her bags in an enormous pile on the couch opposite the television and reclines gracefully in another leather armchair.

"Yes. Shopping was just… Amazing."

Her grin turns just this side of sadistic and Hadrian has an inkling about what may have occurred. It happens, after all, every time Rosalie goes anywhere where there are a large collection of men.

"You screwed up another marriage, didn't you?"

When the grin gets even brighter, Hadrian knows he's spot on.

"Okay, what happened?"

"Well, I was in this quaint little shoe store trying on the latest Gucci pumps, red because it complements my skin tone the best-"

"Mother…" Hadrian sighs in frustration.

"Okay, okay! To cut a long story short, your mother is apparently so good looking that even straight married women want her." She taps a finger against her chin thoughtfully as she loses herself trying to recall the moment, "I don't think her husband appreciated it that much, though." She snorts at the idea and breaks into laughter.

There is an exasperated outtake of air as the words sink through Hadrian's mind.

"You're stuck on an ego trip, aren't you?"

The sheepish grin his mother rewards him with is enough of an answer.

"It's an ego boost! How many mothers with a 17 year old son look as good as I do, and are still capable of making straight married women want to sleep with her?"

It is disbelief that is written all over Hadrian's face, but Rosalie knows her son well enough to know that he too is amused by it.

"Was she hot?"

She throws a nearby cushion at Hadrian's face. It does little damage as Hadrian lets the cushion bounce off as if it had hit a brick wall. She does however, manage to grace her son with a nod.

"I'd be interested if she weren't human."

Hadrian breaks out into peals of laughter as he throws himself on the couch laden with the bags from Rosalie's shopping spree.

"Wow, Mom!" It is apparent that if Hadrian was human he would be having trouble breathing, "Didn't know you batted for both teams."

Rosalie raises an eyebrow imperiously.

"I'm one hundred per cent straight, mon cherie, I just happen to have an appreciation for beauty and experimentation too."

She says it matter-of-factly, but there is a cheekiness there that Hadrian hasn't seen since before his time at Hogwarts. It is in this moment that Hadrian thinks that moving to Forks may have been the best decision they have ever made.

--

Caroline throws a smile over her shoulder to Rosalie, but despite this, Rosalie still isn't sure.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Oh sweetheart, don't worry."

Rosalie knows that this is the most weakness she has ever shown in front of a person that has not been part of her family, but she can't help but not care for the moment.

The younger human woman takes her wand from her pocket and flicks it efficiently at where the children are seated together on the ground. There is the smallest flicker before it disappears and Rosalie thinks that the barrier that Caroline had set up has been removed.

"Children!" Caroline calls loudly, "Come here! I want you all to meet someone!"

They come rushing over, like flies to honey, clothes flying as they try to beat one another to where Caroline stands just feet away from the edge of the forest.

When they arrive they are grinning from ear to ear. They each grab hold of some piece of Caroline's long skirts and all stare intensely up at her face.

She kneels down and forces them away from her. They line up looking curious. There is no hint of fear in their eyes, no hint of wariness. It amazes Rosalie, and makes her just a little in awe of these small fearless creatures that she has never had the privilege of knowing.

In the past, Esme and Carlisle had been adamant about staying away from human children. Rosalie had asked, pleaded even, on more than one occasion for the chance to bring up a child as if they were her own, but she'd been denied each time. There was too much danger in housing a human child with them at all times. So Rosalie had just made sure to stay away from children. It hurt less when she didn't have to see a reminder of what she couldn't have.

'Now children. I want you to meet a friend of mine. She's not like us, so please play nice."

"Is she a muggle, Miss Davidson?" One girl asked in wonder.

The other children gasped as one, as if the thought of them meeting a muggle was tantamount to proving a myth true.

Caroline laughs at the question, but declines from answering. Instead she straightens and uses one hand to beckon Rosalie closer.

Rosalie obliges her and steps closer, but stops herself from actually entering the clearing. Instead she stands in the shade, just a scant few inches away from the sunlight.

"Ooooohhh…" They all squeal as one. It is the girl that spoke before that speaks again.

"She's so pretty!!"

"Now children, introduce yourself before you start throwing around compliments." Caroline laughs.

The girl from before steps forward first. Offers a short curtsey before her introduction comes tumbling from her mouth faster than a human is usually capable of,

"My name's Scarlett, I'm 7. What's your name? You're so pretty! Are you entirely human? It's just that my uncle's wife, Helene is half-siren and she's really, really, really pretty too. Are you half-siren? That would be so cool! Do you think if I were half-siren I'd be as pretty as you and Aunt Helene? Do you-"

"Scarlett, that's enough."

Red tints Scarlett's cheeks as she blushes prettily,

"Sorry Miss Davidson." She mumbles before stepping back.

The next introductions are faster, and less informative. Corrine is the next girl and the last two boys are twin brothers, Chadwick and Christopher.

"Now children, can any of you guess what Rosalie is?"

Rosalie isn't sure whether she should feel like a freak show or not, but the children seem eager in trying to sort out what exactly she is and their excitement is contagious.

"Siren!" Scarlett, of course.

"No way! Her eyes are amber! She's a werewolf!" Corrine.

"Werewolves aren't the only ones with amber eyes, I say she's human but the eyes are a side-effect of an animagus form."

Christopher's guess is met with disbelief and loud snorts of laughter, but it is Chadwick's guess that has them falling into contemplative silence.

"Vampire."

The children still for a moment before they look up into Rosalie's face with great scrutiny.

It is Scarlett that begins the turn of the conversation all over again.

"Amber eyes would mean that she's been drinking animal blood."

Corrine nods thoughtfully, "She's also been standing in the shade since she got here. Most likely because of her skin condition."

It is Caroline who breaks Rosalie out of her dazed stupor with her exuberant exclamation,

"Congratulations, children! That's exactly right. Now, why don't you stop dissecting Miss Rosalie like a science experiment and start talking to her like a real person."

The children blush in embarrassment but still, they shuffle forward nervously. Rosalie isn't quite sure how to react. This is an experience that has never happened to her before.

--

They arrive back in Forks during the night, two weeks after leaving Alaska. They have taken their time in getting back, spending as much time as they could, taking in the sights on the way down.

Buying back their old house is easy enough and hiring moving trucks is just as simple. Carlisle and Esme have agreed to go on ahead of the rest of the family. Carlisle believes that it would be better to integrate themselves slowly back into the community. They had, after all, left abruptly months before when they'd moved to Alaska.

By the next day, the residents of Forks are already aware that the Cullen family are back in town. When Carlisle returns to the hospital to take back his old job, there are questions and Carlisle finds it simple enough to lie about why they are back. They have already devised a way to deal with the question. It is unproblematic to use the large spate of murders in the south of Alaska to their advantage and claim that fear had driven them out of the lone state. The doctors and nurses are sympathetic with their words, but still rumours spread about other wild accusations of why they are really back. There are inquiries about the rest of the family, about whether or not they will all be returning. The lies fall easily from Carlisle's lips, but within them there are still some nuggets of truth.

Alice and Jasper will arrive the next day, followed by Emmet and Tanya, and finally Edward, Bella and Renesmee. It has already been decided however, that for the sake of safety, the family would stick to the story that Edward and Bella would be remaining in Alaska with the young child that they had adopted. Charlie and the wolves at La Push would be the only ones out of the family that would know the truth. Or, in Charlie's case, as close to truth as you could get without actually spelling everything out.

--

Hadrian had procrastinated about going to see Charlie down at the police station. He didn't have any excuse just that he hadn't felt like going. But after two weeks, Hadrian figured he had procrastinated long enough. Better to nip any trouble in the bud before Social Services and teachers were knocking at the door and scrutinizing his life. He'd asked his mother if she wanted to come but she'd declined citing illness. It was an ongoing joke that had cultivated from a one liner from Hadrian when he had first been trying to get used to the novelty of being a vampire. It was as Hadrian had just grabbed his car keys from the key rack that the voice of his mother echoed from the room next door. She must have been screaming rather loudly if Hadrian could hear her so clearly.

Hadrian pokes his head through the door.

"Make sure to take your school records with you when you go, baby."

"Why would I want to do that? All I have to do is show him my Diploma."

Rosalie's voice is derisive when she answers,

"Do you know how easy it is to fake a High School Diploma? Take your file. It'll add credit to your story."

"How the hell am I meant to take my file? If you haven't noticed, Police Chief Swann is a muggle, and despite his dim-witted looks, I do believe he'd notice the word 'magic' that crops up, oh I don't know, every 3 sentences!"

"Take the muggle-friendly version then."

"Muggle-friendly version?"

It is said slowly as though Hadrian is trying the words on for size.

"Sweetheart, you'll never find the right partner for you if you're always this slow."

"Mother!" There is a scandalized tone, but Rosalie plows on, thinking nothing of it.

"In my study, in the top draw, there's a file there with your name on it in red ink. That's the muggle-friendly version of your actual school file."

Hadrian takes a few moments to stand in the doorway in shock. Despite her nonchalant attitude his mother really was good at thinking everything through.

It took him just a few moments to race to the third floor and grab his file from his mothers study. Flipping through it is an effortless task. Without the pages violating his most intimate secrets, the file is actually quite short.

Within minutes, he is out the door, car racing through the deserted road that will lead him back to civilization.

The drive is faster than it should have been, but soon enough Hadrian can see the outline of the Forks main town in the horizon. He slows considerably. No point in making a bad impression on the man he's about to see. Entering town is a bit odd for Hadrian. He's never been to a small town like this before. Even Hogsmeade had about twice Forks' population, and that was on a bad day. He's spent his life growing up in high profile cities and over-populated suburbs, so the fact that a town can be so small and still manage to survive is quite a revelation for the youngest Hale. He spends a few minutes cruising through town trying to find the local Police Station, but for some reason, even with his enhanced eyesight he still can't manage to find even a hint of a sign anywhere. He ignores the stares he gets for his car. It is most likely that the cost of his car could (and probably would) be enough for the townsfolk to survive off of for the next ten years… maybe even twenty.

Five minutes later and impatience sets in. He is sick of all the awed looks he can see every time he drives down a road and all he wants is to find the damned Police Station so that he can go home and do something more productive then driving around a small town looking like a creepy rich rapist, looking around for his next target. He gets fed up and settles for pulling up in front of the diner that his mother had pointed out when they'd driven through the first day they'd arrived here. He takes a few moments to calm himself down and fix on a smile. He uses the rearview mirror to check his eyes and smiles when emerald orbs stare back from the reflective surface. As he slides out of the driver's seat he notices that the diner is oddly full, but then remembers that today is a Saturday. The diner must be a regular congregation point for the local school children, because there are a large number of teens inside. Hadrian however sneers at the thought. He has to thank Merlin that he never has to deal with teenage assholes going through puberty ever again. It was bad enough going through it once with his friends, he was indefinitely glad he'd decided to forgo the choice of attending High School in Forks.

As he walks into the diner the noise level drops so quickly that Hadrian is slightly surprised that he hasn't suffered whiplash. The smell of lust rises to drastic new heights and even though he pretends not to notice, Hadrian has to hold back an inner sneer at the sheer brazenness of all the stares. He settles though, for waiting patiently in line at the counter. There are 3 people in front of him. It shouldn't take long.

He should've known that he'd spoken too soon.

The woman first in line orders Spaghetti Bolognese and Hadrian lets his eyes drift over the interior of the diner. It seems to be cozy enough. There were large windows looking out on to what Hadrian supposes could be called the town square… If you used the term loosely. It is as his eyes are roving over a small bookshop across the road that he hears the sound of a pair of feet stutter in their walk and before he knows it, there is a warm, breathing body latching itself against his side. He grimaces at the use of the tactic and inwardly curses his mother for not accompanying him here. At least when Rosalie was around, other women were too intimidated by her sheer beauty that they tended to leave Hadrian alone. He glances down at the body wrapped around his waist and coolly removes the offending limbs that are invading his personal space. His face is blank as he looks in to the vapid face of the delinquent. She's pretty, in a human way. But Hadrian spends the majority of his time being surrounded by a woman that is so unnaturally beautiful that nothing he has ever seen has ever compared. It is because of this that Hadrian has never fallen for a 'pretty face'.

"Wow, thanks for saving me like that."

Hadrian raises an eyebrow at the blatant flirting. Her eyes are fluttering so much he's positive that halfway around the world, a country has lost half its population to a cyclone. The top two of her shirt buttons are undone so that Hadrian has a clear view of her lace bra. It's sickening how the girls in America seem to be exact carbon copies of the girls that he's spent the past few years running away from back home.

"Actually you saved yourself."

He releases her quickly and turns back to the front counter, pretending that he can't see her disappointed face or the way she shuffles closer, despite the space he has created between them.

"My name's Jessica."

Hadrian turns to her briefly and thanks Merlin that the person in front of him is finally finishing up his order,

"That's nice.'

The woman behind the counter calls out, "Next." and Hadrian walks as quickly as possible to the counter.

She isn't wearing a name tag but by the way the others had treated her and the way she seemed to know everyone that had ordered before, Hadrian assumes that she owns the quaint diner that he finds himself in.

He ignores the putrid smell of greasy food as he offers a winning smile.

"What can I get you, sweetheart?"

Hadrian bites back the urge to tell her that he is most definitely not her sweetheart. He has only ever been comfortable with his own mother using endearments towards him.

"Sorry, I'm not actually here for food. I was wondering if you could give me some directions?"

She smiles back warmly and Hadrian thanks Godric's grave that he cannot smell any lust emanating from her.

"Sure, darling. You look new enough anyway. You just passing through? I've never seen you around here before."

Hadrian can practically feel the hyenas as they turn their heads towards their newest prey. Most likely this conversation will be relayed to the entirety of the population of Forks by tonight.

"Uh-well, sort of."

He plasters on a sheepish grin as fake as the woman's highlights.

"My Mom bought a house about an hour's drive out of here."

"Oh, your family moved here?"

"No, just my Mom, but I'll be in and out a lot so I guess you can count me in as well."

"Just the two of you then?'

"Yep. Just the two of us."

Hadrian knows that everyone in the diner is listening in to the conversation, so he tries to keep his answers as short as possible.

"So where'd you like directions to, hun?"

"Um, actually I was wondering if you could point me to the Police Station?"

The woman behind the counter looks confused at the strange request.

"You in some kind of trouble, darlin'?"

He easily laughs it off, and plays his charm card twice.

"No, I'm trying to find Charlie."

"Oh, you're friends with Charlie?"

"Of a sort."

When the woman realizes that an elaboration of the answer will not be forthcoming, she moves on.

"Well it's actually just up the road."

"Really? I've been up and down this road a few times already and didn't see a sign."

She laughs as though he's just told her a joke.

"Oh no, there isn't a sign. Tradition, you see. About 50 years ago there was a fire and only two buildings were left standing. The larger one was chosen as the Town Hall and the smaller one was turned into the Police Station. We've kept it that way ever since. The interior has changed a bit, but the exterior hasn't changed ever since, including the fact that the building in question never actually had a sign."

Hadrian nods thoughtfully as if he finds this extremely interesting, but he wishes in his mind that she'd shut up already.

"The Police Station is 4 shops up that way, on the opposite side of the street. It's the building with the red roof and black door."

He is genuinely glad when he tosses the woman a quick good-bye and another charismatic smile.

He walks out of the diner and before he has even closed the door, conversation within the diner picks up,

"Did you see that-"

"- family must be well off-"

"-at that car! That must've cost a fortune!"

"- probably old money, you know-"

"-so cute! He doesn't look that much older-"

"-has a girlfriend? I didn't see a ring or-"

Hadrian is rolling his eyes as he climbs into his car. Reversing is smooth and controlled, he doesn't even need to look into the rearview mirror. He drives down the road again and as he does he finally spots the building that he knows now is the Police Station. There is only a single police cruiser parked outside.

Charlie is the only person there when Hadrian arrives. There are three other distinct scents that Hadrian can smell, he thinks that perhaps these are the three other people that work in the Police Station as well. But there is also another scent that permeates the air. All over Charlie, as if hanging over him like a dark cloud, is the unique scent of wet dog. Charlie must spend a lot of time around the shifters if he smells this bad, Hadrian finds it easy to ignore the smell though. He did spend a year getting used to the idea of having a werewolf teacher, not to mention the fact that he spent copious amounts of time with Sirius and according to Rosalie, Black smelled ten times worse than even the werewolves.

Charlie is tapping away at his computer, but his head turns up quickly when he hears the door open,

"Hadrian Hale, what bring you here?"

He seems to be unusually happy, which makes Hadrian think vaguely of Cheering Charms. He thinks also that maybe the Police Chief has learned that his daughter will be returning.

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh really? Take a seat then."

He sits as directed.

"I just wanted to explain something to you because Mom doesn't want Social Workers knocking on the door with police officers outside."

Charlie looks at him quizzically despite the fact that Hadrian is laughing.

"Anyway, I'm 17 and I just want you to know that I've already graduated from Secondary School."

"Why are you telling me?"

"I figured if someone had a complaint they'd come to you, and you could, you know, stop the trouble before it actually breaks out. My Mom likes her privacy, you see, and she wouldn't appreciate people barging into our lives for the sake of my education."

Charlie nods in understanding.

"You got the documents to prove your graduation?"

Hadrian pulls his Diploma out easily enough and also hands over his file.

Charlie flips through it and nods every now again.

"Looks like you used to be a bit of a trouble maker. Got a pretty fine number of detentions under your belt there."

Hadrian laughs easily at the veiled question and is forthcoming with his answers,

"Yeah, most of it was petty stuff. You know, pranking rival houses and all that."

Charlie laughs too at this and it is enough for them to start speaking amicably to one another like long time friends.

It is another 10 minutes before Hadrian leaves. They have spent the time dissecting Hadrian's file and laughing at the troubles that he has suffered through in school. It is easy enough for Hadrian to change his stories slightly to reflect a muggle school. He is not worried about Charlie checking into his background at the school. Both Kingsley and his mother have made sure to create a paper trail so long that it would seem as if Hadrian Hale had been around in the muggle world ever since his 'birth'.

--

"You took your time."

Hadrian hasn't even been home a few seconds before his mother starts talking.

"Hmm… It took me a while to find the Police Station."

"What did Charlie say?"

"He said it was smart of me to see him. Says he'll let it slip to the people who matter that I've already graduated from Secondary already. You know, teachers, the principal of Forks High."

"That's nice of him."

"Yes, it was. Also, I needed to get directions to the Police Station, so I stopped by the diner. I told the lady there that I'll be in and out of Forks but that you moved here permanently."

"Why's that?"

"I don't want to get harassed by single mothers and single daughters. It'll be easier if I just avoid going to town and they can think that I'm away for the time being."

Rosalie couldn't care less about the lies that Hadrian seems to be throwing around like water, but she knows she is only being informed so that if someone were to question her, she will know what to say.

She's reading a magazine, idly flipping the pages as her eyes skim through the articles.

"I'm bored. Want to go hunting?"

Hadrian pauses and considers the request.

"Sure."

--

There is an underlying tension in the house when the Cullen's have all arrived, once again back where it all started. Not all of the occupants of the house, however, are aware of it. Alice has been adamant about not informing the rest of the family. Though Esme and Carlisle had objected at first, they know that the choice is Alice's and they will respect that. The visions, after all, are hers to share or not. It is Jasper that has been the most vocal at telling the rest of his siblings. It is Jasper that wants to track down Rosalie now that they know that somewhere, she is safe and she is happy. But he loves Alice more then he loves his sister, and definitely more then he loves Emmett. He will oblige by her choice even if he himself does not agree with it.

It is two days after they have all finally arrived, that Tanya offers to take Renesmee for the day so that Bella and Edward can enjoy some time for themselves. They are grateful for the reprieve, because though they love their daughter more than the world, it has been a long time since they have had time to enjoy one another's company with just the two of them.

Emmett has once again disappeared into the forest that surrounds Forks. Forks has always given him bittersweet memories. Though he has had many joyous times here, this is also the place where he made the worst mistake of his life as well. It is hard for him to see Edward and Bella together, so happy. Harder still is seeing Alice and Jasper. Emmett knows that Rosalie meant the world to Alice and Jasper. Rosalie was Jaspers sister after all, and though Bella has somewhat filled the void, Emmett knows that Alice and Jasper still harbor hard feelings for what he did to force Rosalie to leave. There was no good-bye, no note. One day she was there and the next she wasn't and there isn't a day that goes by that Emmett doesn't regret what he did. It is as he is passing the eastern boundary that Emmett freezes. There is the faintest scent in the air that makes him pause. A scent that sends him crashing back through the past. Back to golden hair and a bell-like laugh. He follows the scent, like a fish being reeled in. He finds himself in a clearing. There is nothing distinguishing about it. It is just one of the many clearings that pop up every now and again within the Forks forest, but there is something here in this clearing that the others lack. It is dull, most likely because of the rain and time, but Emmett thinks it may also be because he believes that he is imagining everything. He has never had much of an imagination, but he would not put it past his own mind to recreate this scent just to prolong his torment, just to make him even more desperate for repentance. The smell of the La Push wolves is the most dominate, but underneath there are two scents that Emmett can smell. It is the fainter smell that his concentration is focused on. There is nothing unnatural about it, but the smell is so distinctly Rosalie that it hurts. Mainly it is the smell of lavender, with a brush of vanilla and just the faintest hint of roses. The scent sends his mind reeling and it is in this clearing, surrounded by a scent that reminds him so strongly of Rosalie that Emmett falls to his knees and heaves dry sobs.

--

The silver Volvo pulls up in front of Charlie Swann's household easily enough. It is night, the only time that it is safe to visit Charlie at the moment. Too many people know what Bella looked like as a human and it would bring up too many questions if anyone were to see the drastic changes that have undergone her.

Charlie is at the door the moment he hears the car pull up. He hasn't asked why it is important that no-one knows that Bella has returned, he is just happy that he can see his daughter more then he has in the past two months since she left.

Conversation is simple. What have they been up to since they left, how college up in Alaska had been for the brief time that they were there, how Renesmee is, the usual questions for a returning child.

It is as they sink into simple pleasantries that Edward feels himself figuratively run head on into a brick wall.

"You know, it's funny that you guys are moving back right now. A new family moved in about two weeks back as well."

Edward isn't concentrating too much to the conversation, but he instantly zones right back in when he gets a glimpse of a golden beauty in the mindscape of Charlie.

He delves in to Charlie's mind carefully and watches with unease as the images come through. There is a young man in the driver's seat of a sleek, black car. Black hair, green eyes. Edward disregards this person completely; he couldn't care less about the driver. It is the passenger that he has sole eyes for.

There are distinct similarities since she left, but there are also differences that make her look so different that Edward scarce can believe his eyes. Her hair is the same shade, gold, shiny, and still as long and luscious as ever. Her eyes are still the same shade of impossible gold and her figure is just as awe-inspiring as ever. But the differences blow Edwards mind so much that he cannot even believe them. She seems older, more mature, but there are other things that are even more apparent. There is looseness in her shoulders that makes her look more relaxed then Edward has ever seen her. Her guarded mask that she always seemed to wear is gone; instead her entire body language is open, almost friendly even. But it is her eyes that take Edwards breath away. There is a brightness there that speaks more than words ever could. They are happy and glad and grateful and so many more joyous emotions that Edward finds it hard to reconcile this purely content woman with the guarded sister that left so long ago.

"Edward?"

He turns to Bella and gives her a reassuring smile. Her brow creases in worry though. She knows him better than anyone else. She can see that there is something wrong and that it is troubling. Edward pats her hand reassuringly and turns back to Charlie with a charming smile.

"Oh really? Anybody interesting?"

Charlie smiles and nods at the question.

"Hadrian is incredibly polite. Smart too, already graduated from high school."

"Hadrian?" Edwards asks.

"Yes, the two that moved in to the old Carson Estate. Hadrian and Rosalie Hale."

It is enough to stop all of Edward's though processes. So much so, that even his mind reading abilities are temporarily put on hold too.

Before he knows it, they have said their farewells and are in the car and driving back home at break neck speed. He drives faster than ever and this scares Bella just a little.

"Edward?" She asks in worry, "What's wrong?"

He shakes his head.

"Later."

Edward doesn't know what to think. They had searched for her before, gone to every country they could think of, paid investigators enormous amounts for any lead whatsoever, but when she'd left she'd literally disappeared off the face of the Earth. But here she was. A hundred years, back where it all started and still Edward doesn't know what to think.

Soon enough they pull up before the Cullen household and Edward is out of the car in a flash. Bella is just a few moments behind him. When he reaches the living room, the entire family is assembled. Renesmee cradled in Tanya's arms. Jasper and Alice embracing next to the windows. Carlisle sitting in an armchair with Esme perched on the arm. Emmett is sitting on the floor in front of the couch. His back leaning against the piece of furniture, his head lolling backwards. His eyes are closed and to Edward it is as if he is drowning in memories of the past.

Edward doesn't know who to turn to, so he addresses the family as a whole when he finally speaks.

"Rosalie."

Heads snap to him in unison. Bella and Renesmee have only heard of Rosalie in passing, but they too are interested. It is Emmett's reaction that is the worst. There is the sound of splintering wood and his fist has gone through the hard wood floor as easy as if it were butter. In the background Tanya keeps her silence.

"What?" Emmett's whisper is softer then his voice has ever been, and it is Jasper who knows exactly what he is feeling. Clutching Alice closer, he radiates as much happiness as he can, but still it seems as if nothing can change Emmett's rapidly deteriorating mood.

The words are out faster than Edward can think them.

"Rosalie is in Forks."

Images assail Edward's mind, but there is one that is distinct, because it is almost an exact replica of what he saw through Charlie's mind.

He throws a heated glare at Alice and watches as her stance becomes defiant and the thoughts in her mind become clouded by the French national anthem.

"You knew." He hisses out. Eyes trail from Jasper to Esme to Carlisle before finally resting back on Alice.

"You all knew!"

Bella moves to the background with Tanya, taking her daughter back into her arms. This is a Cullen family matter, and though she is technically one as well, this is an issue that was present before she had even known the family.

"You knew?!" Emmett, of course. He looks at Jasper's guilty face, at Esme and Carlisle too, before turning to Alice.

"You all KNEW?!"

Jasper says nothing and neither do Esme and Carlisle. He may not have the mind reading abilities of his brother, but it is still obvious to Emmett that it is Alice that has chosen to withhold such information.

Alice's face is hard, and Emmett knows this is the reason she has been so distant lately. Why she has sought peace away from the family these past few weeks.

She shakes her tightly, "I didn't know where she was."

Emmett turns to Edward for help. He doesn't know what Edward knows.

"You had a vision of her though."

Alice glares at Edward, "Yes, I had a vision of her."

"And you didn't tell me?!" It is the angriest that they have ever seen amiable, joking Emmett.

"Why would I tell you?" Alice says it as if it is a non issue and this fuels Emmett's rage.

"Didn't you think that I deserved to know?! That I HAD THE RIGHT TO-"

"WHAT RIGHT?! DON'T YOU FUCKING TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT RIGHTS YOU HAVE!!"

Alice's voice is laced with so much bitterness and anger that it is enough to make Emmett pause momentarily.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I SAW, SO MUCH?? WELL I SAW ROSALIE HAPPY!! HAPPIER THEN SHE HAS EVER BEEN WITH YOU, YOU GODDAMNED MORONIC-"

Before she can speak any further, Jasper has one arm wrapped securely around Alice's waist and his other hand clamped firmly over her mouth. She struggles against him for a time, fighting tooth and nail to get free. For a hundred years she has been considerate of her family, keeping her feelings locked away, even from Jasper, but finally she can let her emotions out and even though in the back of her mind she knows that she is probably hurting Jasper with her emotions more than Emmett, she doesn't care. Emmett deserves this. This and so much more.

Emmett is quiet as he takes it in. This is a new side of Alice that the family has never encountered before. This is the Alice that has been hiding behind her happy demeanor for the past hundred years. And Emmett knows that this is the Alice that was Rosalie's sister.

It is when Alice elbows Jasper in the stomach that she manages to free herself. He wheezes quietly behind her, but she stands herself up at her full height and stares down Emmett with eyes so dark it seems as if they disappear into black. Emmett wonders if it is her hunger that is fueling her anger, or if her anger has brought out her thirst. When she speaks her voice is filled with deadly intent,

"I may not have known where she was, but even if I had I still wouldn't have told you. You say you deserve to know where Rosalie is, but you don't. You don't deserve to know anything about what Rosie's life is like. You gave up the right to that a hundred years ago, Emmett. So don't you fucking talk to me about what your rights are because you don't fucking have any."

--

Next Chapter: Confronting - The Hale family encounter uninvited guests that don't seem inclined to leave them alone.


I can't believe this chapter ended up so long. I seriously thought it would be shorter than this, but I guess I was wrong. And boy was this a pain to proof-read =( Still, I'm just not quite sure I did this chapter justice.

Some of you may have noticed, some of you may have not. But yes, Alice's visions when concerning Rosalie are indeed delayed. Anyone care to guess why? And brownie points go to anyone who can figure out why Alice can't see Hadrian clearly in her visions ;) I know that scenes in this chapter jump from different people to different times as well. Tell me if any of you are having trouble with this.

Some of you may have also noticed that I have major trouble staying in one tense. I jump sometimes from past to present tense. Let me know how all of you feel about that.

According to one reviewer Renesmee should be about 6 years old. I actually desperately need her age because the next chapter will NOT be updated until I have it. Remember that this is two months after the end of Breaking Dawn.

I am unsure as well if Washington has laws that say that children have to be in school at certain ages. I know for a fact that parents in New Zealand can get fined if their children aren't in school. Can I get some feedback from any readers actually reading from the States? Please include what state you live in =)

About Hadrian going to Charlie to inform him that he's already graduated. I actually used to live in a really small town and I've seen this done before. It's to make sure that should Social Services come calling about children going to school, the police can deal with it by just telling them they've already graduated. I'm not sure if this would be plausible in the USA though. I figured Hadrian and Rosalie would want to get that out of the way without having to deal with idiotic humans showing up and demanding that Hadrian go to school because of his age.

And before I leave please note that I'll be gone from the 18th to the 27th. I'll still be writing, but I won't be able to upload during that time. Chapter 3 will be uploaded on the 29th of January.

Hit that Review button before you leave and if you can, please answer my questions. Oh and please tell me if any parts of this story are implausible. Thanks heaps!

- Des.