A/N:

I ended up posting the unedited draft of the first chapter instead of the final copy. Instead of reposting it I'll just post the chapter in full. Thank you to the single reviewer who answered my query about what kind of updates they want.

I finished my ChemPhys exam yesterday, however I don't think my schedule will loosen anytime soon, that's why this chapter is so short.

Chapter 1:

77 years later.

Jericho slammed the tip of his shovel into the wet ground and turned to face me. It had rained recently, and it made the task of burying the body easy. I watched as he wiped his hands on his knees and heaved a deep sigh, an expression of underlying pain painted his features. His mouth worked for a moment, and he shook his head.

"It's not in my nature to do this, Alice." He said, and I knew what he meant. Jericho was old, ancient even, though through time he had never changed. Wide, innocent eyes and thin frame made it easy to believe he was a gentle soul, and the sentiment rang true.

Before all this, I can still remember him spending his time in the gardens at Rochester, eyes gleaming as his hands dipped into soil, and his signature grin lighting his face when he smelled the scent of wisteria. I felt terrible knowing that he did this for me, Bella, and Rosalie, even if she did not know it.

He looked at me with glistening eyes as he kneeled and stroked the soil where he had buried the beast's body. It had tried to kill all three of them, and it would've if not for Jericho's abilities. More and more often Jericho had been forced to stay on the outskirts of town because of the sudden influx of them recently. He had tried his best to keep this one away and managed to kill it on the edge of our usual hunting ground, though he did not boast about his victory, each death weighed heavily on him and I could see that he did his best to hide the fact that it bothered him.

"She will be here soon, I can feel it. The A'ekven have been coming more frequently, too. That means she is closer, right?" I said, trying to inject some optimism into the heavy atmosphere. Jericho stood once more, nodding slightly.

"I know. But I cannot sustain this amount of death for much longer. These beasts did not deserve their fate, they are mindless creatures that are easy to control, and I find it sad that he has sent them so easily so they are slaughtered like cattle." He said, and even though I did not agree with the "did not deserve their fate" part of his statement, I could understand. Jericho saw the best in everything, despite everything. He seemed to notice the expression on my face though, and he decided to change the subject.

"Mother and Father have assured me she is close, though distance and time works differently to us, and at times it is difficult to distinguish the two." He said as he trudged towards me.

"I can feel how close she is."

"I know, I have no doubt of that. Out of curiosity, when she does find us, what do you plan to do about the fact that Rosalie has absolutely no recollection of us and is currently mated." He said with distaste and a hint of agitation. My stomach twisted violently and my heart ached as he mentioned her name, and I could feel his hand on my shoulder.

"He is not her mate." I said, surprised at the strength in my voice, because I certainly wasn't feeling it.

I knew that night that we left Rosalie was going to lose her memory. Somewhere inside of me I thought that maybe I, on my own, could bring her memories back. It was a foolish idea, and even though when I met her I could feel the intense attraction that she had towards me, what happened that night over seventy years ago had locked that part of her away, and she never acted upon that impulse.

Instead, in the late hour as I sat huddled in my bed I could hear the soft pants and moans of pleasure that I and Bella were supposed to illicit. My heart would twist this way and that as I forced myself into the torment, before it became too much and my insides would clench, and my mind would scream no, no, no, and I would run, faster every time out of earshot and into the forest.

My eyes prickled in that annoying way they always did when I felt the urge to cry, but no tears fell.

"I'm sorry… I did not intend to cause any pain. But this problem… has gone on too long. I worry what my sister's reaction will be when she realizes one of her mates has been with another. Her bloodline, even if I have some of it, is much thicker than mine." He continued gently. I drew a halting breath inwards and nodded, raising my chin. Jericho rarely mentioned Bella's parents, which meant that Bella would be furious, livid even.

"I don't know…maybe I should tell her, everything." I said grimly, I could feel his eyes on me and I looked up to find them filled with sympathy. I managed a half-hearted smile. "Could you do it for me?" a warm chuckle escaped his mouth as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Naww, don't be such a sad little panda. If there's one thing my sister wouldn't want, is for you to be unhappy. What I can do is finally accompany you at meet my sister again." He replied, a calming chuckle rumbling from his chest. I lay my head on his shoulder and breathed in, his scent was so close to Bella's but still it missed that unique twist that she carried. I breathed it in once more before I sighed deeply.

"I guess that's a no then." I said glumly.

He only laughed louder.

xXx

The house was unusually quiet when I walked in. Carlisle was still at work and Esme must've gone out because I could not hear her soft humming in the kitchen, the clattering of pans or the food network. The sound of the piano was absent, and I remembered Edward had decided to take a weekend hunting trip and would not be back til Monday. I could, however, hear the rapid clicking of Emmet playing his computer games in the living room and the sound of metal hitting metal in the garage and faint music; a sure sign that Rosalie was tinkering with the cars.

Jericho was behind me, and when I turned to face him his eyes sparkled when he recognized the sound of Rosalie in the garage. She fixes cars? He mouthed, a smile quirking at his lips, and I nodded. His smile grew, and I knew why.

Rosalie and Bella had bonded most over motors. I could still vividly remember watching Bella bent over a Bentley car, elbows covered in grease as she explained and demonstrated the inner workings of the machine. Rosalie would stand right next to her, eyes fixated on the motor, though as the day wore by her eyes would stray towards Bella's back or focus on me and her lips would curl up in a coy grin. Bella would notice, ofcourse, but she seemed to like to wait until they were both covered with grease and dirt before picking us both up with dirty arms and peppering kisses with soft lips over our faces. We'd trade kisses between us until Jericho would grumble upstairs about being inappropriate, and Bella would chuckle warmly and bury her face into my hair.

"Hey Alice! Oh, who are you?" Emmet said as he turned around the corner into the hallway, and he jerked me out of my reverie. Jericho stepped forward; he must've noticed I was collecting myself. He smiled as he stuck his hand out.

"Hello, you must be Emmet. My name is Jericho, I am a close friend of Alice's." Emmet took his hand and shook it.

"Whoa, for shizz? Jericho like the missiles from Iron Man?" he asked eagerly. I internally face palmed as Jericho smiled awkwardly. He hadn't seen a film in years, how could he know who Iron Man was?

"Err, I suppose so, yes." He replied, his eyes flicking to me for a moment. Confusion marred his face for a moment before I gave the tiniest nod I could muster, and he seemed to relax.

"Cool." Emmet said, dimples showing when he flashed a grin before he turned to me. I caught Emmet's attention as he was about to turn and get back to whatever he was playing.

"How long ago did Esme leave, Emmet?" I asked, and he looked at me queerly.

"Like five minutes ago. She went to get some timber from the hardware store and said she might be awhile. Did you need her?" he asked, and I shook my head. He shrugged and sat back down on the couch as I led Jericho into through a side door.

Rosalie's lean legs poked out from underneath her red convertible. The faint sound of piano and Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit emanated from the speakers in the room, much to Jericho's amusement. The music suddenly stopped when Rosalie realized someone else was in the room. As she was sliding out from underneath the car Rosalie hissed,

"What did I tell you guys about coming in here when the music is on?" she finished speaking just as her head popped out from underneath the car, her face smudged with grease and her shirt dirty. It may have turned me on a bit more than I'm willing to admit because fuck, she just looked so good all roughed up. Her face turned from anger to surprise when she realized someone else was in the room.

Jericho stepped forward slightly, eyes alight and excited at the sight of her. He stopped short though when he realized he could not touch her, and the smile faded from his eyes.

"Who's this?" Rosalie asked, her face turning to the hard look she put on with every one she did not know. Jericho smiled widely, taking a full step forward. Rosalie stood, finding him very close, and took a cautionary step back. Jericho's face fell but he answered for me.

"I'm Jericho, a friend of Alice's." he said. Rosalie nodded, wiping her hands on an already dirty rag.

"I see." She said shortly, and turned back to her work bench. I coughed slightly as I cast Jericho a short look, nervousness bubbling in me. Rosalie looked at me weirdly, an eyebrow quirked slightly.

"Actually, Rosalie, I need to talk to you and so does Jericho… maybe up in my room." I said, and her eyes narrowed.

"What for?" she asked, hands on her hips, and my hands squeezed together nervously. Jericho cut in smoothly for me,

"Perhaps it is best if some people hear what we need to tell you, it is quite private.' He said pleasantly, his eyes flicking towards the door where Emmet was playing video games. Rosalie's face turned curious.

"Hmm, sure, is it ok if I clean myself up?" she said, waving her grease covered hand for emphasis. I nodded, maybe a bit too fast and enthusiastically, because she cast me another weird look before disappearing out the door. A few moments later I could hear the shower turn on. Jericho turned to peer down at me,

"Would you calm down? It's starting to make me nervous." He said in an annoyed tone. I gave him a withering glare and huffed.

My room was large and loft like. Opposite the door was a black painted wall where I did my art, and pictures hung haphazardly one over the other so only parts of the black wall were seen. An easel rested near a drawing desk where Jericho was sitting, and on the desk was an assortment of brushes and pencils that I commonly used. To the left of the room was large glass wall, where you could see the forest and on some days the sunset. On the right was a bookcase that stretched from the black wall to my walk in closet door, filled with books and CDs. In the corner there was a small staircase that led to the attic which had been converted to fit a bed and bathroom.

Rosalie opened the door, gliding in with her usual grace. I swallowed hard. Could you be more obvious, Alice? I mentally slapped myself. Rosalie looked at me expectantly, and I didn't know how to start. Jericho stayed silent in the corner.

"Now, could you help me understand why I'm up here and you need to tell me something that is so important that my own mate can't even know?" she said, and her voice dripped with condescension, and her eyes idly danced from Jericho to me, her eyes drilling into mine.

My instincts flared and I bared my teeth. Anger and territorialism climbed up my chest.

"He is not your mate!" I hissed. Jericho's eyebrows shot up his face in surprise and Rosalie's eyes turned into slits.

"Excuse me?"

Fuck.