Once the garage door was close, I opened the bag to reveal the dress and when I saw it I became a statue while staring at the name-brand on the dress. It was a French name, a name that I couldn't begin to pronounce, and in spite my lack of ability to pronounce it, I was familiar with it. This dress was worth about a thousand dollars. Was Alice insane? Why would she give me a dress that cost this much?

I was scared to move. I was scared that any sudden movement would rip it or put an uncleanable spot on it.

After Alice decided that I wasn't going to move, she stepped in front of me while lugging the mirror as though it was one-fourth its size. She hesitated for only a moment before asking, "What's wrong, Honey?" You don't like the dress?

Edward must be just outside the door. I could still here Alice's thoughts.

"Wait, Alice," Bella uttered. "That's how you sometimes get when you're having a vision."

The random scenes didn't really start crossing my thoughts until Jacob had left the garage, and they were mainly mundane scenes of my relatives, friends and the people I've seen on campus. So mundane in fact, that I didn't have any problems with ignoring them; the same with the random voices that would ring inside my head. I'm the youngest out of five siblings, one sister and three brothers; my sister being the second oldest, and my twin brothers tied for the third oldest. So I'm used to filtering out random noises and scenes that didn't interest me. So a vision like what Alice would get isn't what got me frozen in place; however, the vision of me ruining an expensive dress was.

Rosalie and Bella had moved in front of me and stood next to Alice before Alice asked, "Honey, are you having a vision?"

Since I couldn't pronounce the name-brand of the dress, I spelled it out. My mouth was the only think that moved.

Alice figured out quickly as to what I was spelling, and asked before I was done, "What about it?"

"It's a thousand dollars," I exclaimed.

In a causal tone as if it was no big deal, Alice answered, "Oh, not this one. This one was only eight hundred, but Esme got it with a discount. She only paid slightly more than six hundred for it."

I continued to stand there as a statue while scared to budge a fraction of an inch. I knew my voice was going to be sarcastic, so I try to dull it up some as I said the words, "Oh, only slightly more than six hundred. My prom dress was less than two hundred."

"Well, we can't do anything about the past," Alice said again casually.

"You misunderstood me, Alice," I quickly said. "Can you remove this more-expense-than-I-can-afford dress from my hands before I do something to ruin it and replace with something that I can afford?"

Edward and Emmett were apparently listening to our conversation because all four of us heard them snickering near the door.

Alice frowned before telling me, "The dress in your hand is the cheapest in the house that will fit you."

"It probably the cheapest even among the dresses that don't fit you," Bella added. When Alice shot her an annoyed look, Bella just smirked at her.

"Well, if I put this dress on, I can't guarantee its safety," I warned.

"Don't worry about that," Alice assured me.

"Okay," I told Alice before I broke my statue pose.

I now see what Edward was talking about… about being in one position too long. I easily could've remained like that for a length of time that would've gotten people wondering if I was a statue.

I took the full-length aqua/purple dress from its bag and held it up, and it was beautiful. It was the kind of dress that would have me admiring and longing for, but couldn't afford. And this family that cares more about luxury than practical items was giving it to me for a day to wear. I could see the Cullen cars in my peripheral vision and so it was obviously that the Cullens could afford luxury items such as this dress and those sports cars that were next to my ten-year-old heap.

Apparently I stood like a statue too long again while admiring the dress because the next thing I knew, Alice was asking, "You don't like the dress?"

I swung around without realizing how fast I had moved, and as I held it to my chest I insisted, "I do. It's beautiful. I'm just not used to exquisite things like this."

"Okay, well, take off what you have on and put the dress on," Alice urged.

I nodded and then slightly hesitated. I need to put the dress down so I could get undress, but I didn't want the dress to leave my hands.

"Now what's wrong?" Rosalie asked while viewing my hesitation.

Instead of answering that question, I asked, "Can one of you hold the dress so I can get undress?"

"Of course," Alice said with a slight grin before retaking the dress.

I undressed at fast as I could without ripping the clothes off myself. My eyes stayed focused on the dress that entire time as if by me staring at it was the only thing that was keeping it from vanishing into thin air.

Once I was down to my bra and panties, I retook the dress and slipped it on. I barely had the dress on when Alice asked me, "What's your natural eye color."

My eyes would darken and lighten with my mood or how tired I was, but they always remained a shade of brown, so why was she asking me that? I gave Alice a curious look and as I gestured towards my eyes, I said, "They're brown."

"I thought as much," Alice said. "Rose, would you mind getting them." She then gestured. "They're over there."

"Get what?"

"Brown-colored-contact lenses," Alice told me in a tone as if I should've known.

"Like both my parents, I have twenty-twenty vision."

Alice snickered before telling me, "It's not for your eye-sight silly, and your eyes are better than twenty-twenty now anyway."

"Then what are they for?"

"She never seen her eyes and I never thought to tell her," Edward said from outside the door.

"My eyes?!" I could feel myself panicking and my primal mind rearing its head. My lips displayed my teeth slightly and I growled out, "What's wrong with my eyes?!"

"They're different that's all," Alice answered nonchalantly. I moved towards the mirror for the first time since I saw it in Alice's hands. "All newborn eyes are like this, so there's nothing to be alarmed over."

Alice moved the mirror so I could see myself, and I stopped in my tracks while gazing at my reflection. I became a statue again while admiring how lovely I looked, and not just in that dress. The only body part I moved was my red eyes, which the new color to my eyes should've bothered me, but it didn't. My skin tone was lighter than before Fabian had attacked me in the woods, but it was still considerably darker than my mom's darkest tan.

I knew since the age of twelve—mainly because the older boys would flock around me—that I had an appealing enough face that would hold any boy's attention. But now, my full lips were even fuller, and I couldn't find any flaw in my now goddess-like features. And the beautiful dress that I was now wearing had only accented those features to be even more stunning. Wow! Boy, was I glad that Bella was next to me. If she wasn't, Edward would now think that I was conceited and possibly shallow after listening to my thoughts. Wow!

Apparently I remained too long as a statue again, because Alice interrupted my thoughts with, "How bad do you hate it?"

"Wh… hate it?" I snapped out of my trance. "I have never been so beautiful in my life." I hope that didn't sound too conceited.

"I felt the same way when I saw myself for the first time after the change," Bella told me.

"Yeah-yeah-yeah, we're all goddess looking," Alice said in a tone to move things along.

Edward and Emmett chuckled outside the door.

Oh hush, Alice's voice rang in my head. That voice was meant for Edward and I know he had heard it the same as I did.

Apparently vampire women being compared to goddesses weren't anything new. Features on vampire men were god-like too, so I wonder if the vampires' god-like features were camouflage to draw the prey in closer; although the Cullens didn't need those features; not in a predator-luring-the-prey-in sort of way… nor did I. The Cullens hunt elk and the occasional mountain lion and I'm determined to fall in line with the Cullens' way of life. I just hope that I'm strong enough to resist the enticing smell of humans and not give in to my primal urge to drink.

As the chuckling quieted down outside, I glanced towards the door and told Edward and Emmett, "I'm decent if you would like to come back in." I then turned back towards the mirror. Saying that I was decent was actually an understatement.

Edward and Emmett stepped in and I turned to face them. Edward just nodded in an approving manner with no attraction for me whatsoever in eyes, and then he took his place at Bella's side.

"You look lovely," was only Emmett's response as he took his place at Rosalie's side.

Rosalie had the box of contact lenses by this time and she stepped up to me while saying, "You need to put these color lenses in. Most likely it won't match your human eye color, but it will hide the redness of your eyes."

As I took the box from Rosalie I asked, "So I'll have to put these in every time I'm around people now?"

"Oh, no," Alice said. "For the first three months, your eyes are full of venom… in fact, speaking of that, the venom will dissolve the lenses, and so you will need to change them every three hours. Anyway, even though your eyes won't go back to its natural color you will be able to go without the need of color lenses after three months. In fact, Bella's amber eye color is about what you can expect." I looked into Bella's eyes to see the color. "Of course her eye color will grow darker when she's thirsty."

"The color as they are now is pretty."

I totally agree, Edward's voice rang in my head. I glanced at him, and his face was somewhat smug. Although I liked her human brown eyes better.

"Thank you," Bella had said to me when I glanced at Edward.

"Okay, well, put the lenses in, so you can go see Charlie," Alice strongly urged again.

I nodded and then complied. After I had them in place I looked around. The room looked a little smoky and I could even see the detail flaws within the lenses itself. It was a little irritating.

"The lenses make my vision hazy, and I can see lines."

"The downside of wearing them," Bella told me.

"But you'll get used to them," Alice added.

"I'll take your word for that."

"Anyway, after you put these on, we'll be good to go for you to see Bella's dad," Rosalie told me while being somewhat behind me and out of my view.

I turned to see what she was talking about. As I thought earlier Alice had a pair of shoes for me to try on. They were aqua colored high-heeled shoes and the color blended in well with the dress.

"You and Esme are nearly the same height so hopefully these will fit," Rosalie continued to say as she stepped closer and held out the shoes.

"I'm sure they will," I said while accepting the shoes from her. I slid them on one at a time onto my feet, and once both feet where down and my weight was on them equally, I continued to say, "They fit me comfortably."

"Great then we're all set," Alice said.

With Edward and Bella leading the way, we left the garage and headed for the house. Alice was after Edward and Bella and I was after Alice. Rosalie and Emmett followed behind me. I took at breath and held it just before we reached the front door.

Edward opened the door, but then gestured for everyone to enter as he held the door open like a gentleman. Bella went through the door first and then Alice. I followed Alice in and Rosalie followed me in. Once Emmett stepped through the door behind Rosalie, Edward entered behind him and shutting the door.

I followed Bella and Alice into the living room and the others followed me.

Charlie—at least I'm assuming that he was Charlie. He was the only one there who was wearing a uniform, a badge and a gun—stood up from a chair as we entered.

Carlisle, Esme and Jasper were sitting on the long couch, and they too stood when Charlie did.

Nessie was kneeling beside a coffee table while drawing on a piece of paper that laid on the coffee table. She glanced at our arrival, but for the most part ignored it while as if this was an everyday occurrence.

Jacob was sitting on the floor next to Nessie. He glanced up at us, but for the most part, his attention was split between us and watching Nessie as she drew.

Don't fight back, Honey, Jasper's voice rang in my head. I'll be focusing on keeping you calm. Scratch your arm to acknowledge me.

I scratched my arm, and then I noticed that Charlie was giving me an awe look. He then jerked his head down and took a long look at the computer printed picture that he had of me.

What the hell. First Bella and now Honey Grey, Charlie's voice rang in my head. He then glanced at Carlisle, Esme and then back at me. I'm sure that this is also one of those 'need-to-know' situations that I don't want to ever find out about.

Obviously I no longer look like I did in the picture that he held. Best-case scenario I only resembled the picture, and once he got over that fact, he stepped towards me. My primal mind took hold and I shifted my weight in order to back away from him.

I don't believe that Charlie had seen me shifting my weight or if he did he didn't act like he did.

Edward did though or he had read something in my face, because before I was able to take a step back, Edward's voice rang in my head, Easy, Honey. He most likely just wants to introduce himself to you with a handshake.

I focused on stopping myself from backing up, while assuring myself that he's not here to harm me. He reached out his right hand to shake hands, and compared to Nessie earlier, Charlie was moving at a pace much slower than she did. I guess she also has to be careful about not moving too quickly in front of humans.

I extended my right hand towards him while trying to match his speed as best as I could. As our hands grasped each others, his voice rang in my head, Hard cold hands like the Cullens. Hard cold hands? My hands felt fine to me.

"I'm Chef Swan, Ms. Grey," he said as he dropped his hand.

I nodded and then hesitated slightly before I said barely above a whisper, "Chef Swan."

"Ms. Grey, I understand from Carlisle that your car broke down," Charlie told me.

"Yes," I quickly agreed. "The main belt broke."

"When you didn't show up at your college, your parents had put out a missing person report on you," Charlie began. "Why didn't you tell anyone that you were here and safe?"

I took a breath to answer and when I did, Charlie's scent burned my throat and the taste from the scent alone was mouth watering. However, my logical mind was still in control—most likely because of the combined conditions of Bella's ability keeping my logical mind in the forefront, Jasper's ability keeping me tranquil, my desire not to feed on humans and my desire not to have Bella ripping me apart for my failure—and so I took a step back and I covered my nosed as if I had smelled something deeply offensive.

Bella was immediately at Charlie's side, and the others, except for Nessie, had also stepped forward. Jacob was now on his feet and was standing behind Bella.

Almost immediately following my action, Charlie's voice rang in my head, I showered today and I'm wearing Old Spice cologne. So what's the prob…

"I'm sorry, but I suddenly got a whiff of that Old Spice that you're wearing," I quickly rattled off for an excuse for my actions while my hand was still covering my nose. Charlie gave me a curious stare and I thought it was over the first half of my excuse.

Slow your speech, Edward's and Alice's voices rang in my head.

You're speaking slightly too fast for a human, Alice's voice continued without Edward's. Edward could hear Alice's voice too, and most likely Edward felt that both of them didn't need to tell me.

I concentrated to slow my speech to normal as I continued to say, "I'm allergic to Old Spice cologne, Chief Swan, and… and the aroma of it is enough to trigger it."

"Oh," Charlie verbally answered. So that's all that was about. He seemed to have bought my excuse."So I don't aggravate your allergy, I'll keep my distance." I nodded in agreement.

Nice excuse for your sudden action, Edward complimented.

If I wasn't mimicking Bella's shield I would tell Edward 'thanks', but since I was mimicking Bella's shield, I scratched my arm as I did with Jasper. Hopefully he would get the message.

"Anyway, Ms. Grey," Charlie began again. "You have state troopers searching for you. So why didn't you tell anyone where you were?"

I knew what to expect now when it came to smelling humans so I was able to control myself better when I drew in a breath to answer. Unfortunately I had no excuse for his question.

When it was apparent that I didn't have an excuse, Rosalie's voice rang in my head, Repeat after me. I had bad news to tell my parents…

"I had bad news to tell my parents, and I didn't know how to begin to tell them, and so I was scare to call them… even to tell them that I was safe and with friends," I repeated what Rosalie had told me. "I'm sorry for the commotion that I had caused, but as you can see, I'm alright."

"Since there is an APB out on you, Ms. Grey, I think I have the right to ask this," Charlie began. "What is the bad news?"

Before Rosalie or someone else had time to give me an excuse I answered, "I've decided to drop my college courses."

"That's the news that was so terrible that you feared telling your parents?" Charlie suspiciously asked.

"If you know my dad you wouldn't ask that question," I answered truthfully. "He's the one who insisted that I take courses that will prepare me for the wonderful world of architecture. He's the architect not me. I don't want to start a 'Grey and Grey Architecture Incorporated' as he envisions for us. I'm a good painter damn it and my talent shouldn't be wasted on drawing lines and circles and rectangles…"

At some point my excuse had turned into a rant. The Cullen family looked at me with bewilderment and slight amusement for the human direction that I took. Charlie didn't allow my rant to go on too long before he quickly interrupted with, "Okay-okay, Ms. Grey. I'm beginning to understand."

"Sorry. And I'm sorry for not telling my parents that I was safe."

Charlie nodded before saying, "Well, your parents was informed a little while ago of your whereabouts and they are traveling up. When they get here I suggest for you to tell them of your desires not to pursue a career as an architect, and no doubt from your earlier… 'rant', telling your parents isn't going to be an easy task." Perceptive chief of police… when he wants to be. "In any case, the APB was cancelled a short time ago, so there won't be any more officers or state troopers searching the area for you."

"Thank you."

Charlie nodded before saying, "Well, I had better get back to the station. Good day, Ms. Grey."

"Good day," I echoed.

Charlie turned towards the Cullens while saying with a slight nod, "Good day."

"Be safe," Carlisle told him.

The others just responded with, "Good day, Charlie."

He nodded and then looked at Bella, "Can you walk me out, Bells."

Crap! I'm certain that my logical mind will walk out the door along with Bella. Bella was concerned of that too and glanced at me apologetically before she answered, "Sure, Dad."

You can do this without me, Honey, Bella's encouraging voice rang in my head.

You can, Edward's agreeing voice rang in my head a split second later.

"Chef Swan," I called before he had a chance to step away. When Bella glanced at me I gave her a grin. "Again I'm really sorry for putting the state on alert."

"I'm just glad that this missing person's case has a happy ending," Charlie said.

"I think it will," I told.

Charlie looked stumped by my 'hint that this case wasn't quite over yet' statement. Within a short time, he shook off his confusion and repeated, "Good day."

He didn't wait for the chorus of goodbyes that came at him before he turned and walked towards the door. Bella was at his side as she walked him out.

Bella was outside before she was out of my range for me to mimic her ability; however, my mind didn't shift towards my primal mind as much as I thought.

"So you paint?" Esme asked me.

I looked at Esme, and at first her simple questioned irritated me, but since I had braced myself for my primal mind to return, I was able to keep my logical mind as being the dominant mind. The Cullens knew that my hesitation to answer was me struggling to keep my primal mind subdued, but to anyone else I might have appeared as though I was carefully considering my answer before I spoke.

I heard a few sighs of relief when I finally said casually, "Yes, sceneries and portraits mainly."

"I would love to see some of your work," Esme responded as if I had never hesitated.

"They're at my parents' house… most of them are anyway. A couple of them are decorating my dad's reception area. I doubt that I can get them to show you."

"We don't have a family painting with Bella and Nessie in it," Carlisle began. "Honey, can I talk you into painting our family portrait?"

"Wouldn't you want to see my work before you offer me that honor," I quickly asked. Exercising my logical mind without Bella spotting me was helping. My primal mind was now only something more than a whisper and was falling more silent as I force myself to stay focus. Painting has always been therapeutic for me too, so I'm thinking—well, more like hoping actually—that painting their family portrait… or anything else for as that matters, would help my primal mind to be quiet even more.

Carlisle drew me out of my thoughts as he answered, "Your earlier conviction of your talents has me willing to go with you without seeing any of your previous work."

"Don't you mean my earlier rant?" I embarrassingly admitted.

"Yes," Carlisle agreed with amused laugh. "But even in your rant you had showed strong convictions of your talents and therefore I would love for you to do our family portrait."

A grin came across my face before I answered, "I accept. I will need supplies though."

"That's no biggie," Alice chimed in with a pleasant grin across her face. "We never need an excuse to go shopping, but it always helps."

I smiled before saying, "I love shopping myself."

Alice's grin turned into a frown before saying, "You can't come with us, Honey; not until…"

"I can go without killing anyone," I again supplied.

"I was going to say when your logical mind, as you put it, rules completely without your primal mind erratically surfacing," Alice explained. "As for any vampire not wanting to kill or drink human blood… well that's a matter of a moral choice that we Cullens have chosen for ourselves and it does take strong self-discipline to maintain that choice even for us."

"Killing is wrong though," Jacob added strongly. It was almost a hiss. "Vampires or not it's wrong."

"We agree with you, Jacob," Edward said. "But there are many vampires who don't."

"I agree with you too, Jacob," I added. "If vampires can live just as well on animal blood, and not kill humans than it's wrong to kill." After all, thou shall not kill.

"It pleases me that you think that," Carlisle told me.

I gasped. Did he read my mind? Edward chuckled and I turned quickly and glowered at him.

Before a growl could escape my lips towards Edward, Edward put up his hands in a surrendering fashion while telling me, "Easy, Honey."

"What happened?" Carlisle quickly asked over the quick-change of atmosphere.

I didn't mean anything by my laughed, Honey, and I'm sorry for laughing. That was inconsiderate of me, Edward's voice rang in my head.

My logical mind was still in control… barely, and I closed my eyes and I concentrated on counting to myself. One. Two. Three. Of course Edward could hear me counting. I was no longer sure about anyone else.

"Edward, what's happening?" Esme asked.

"I overreacted… again," I supplied without opening my eyes before Edward could explain.

"Carlisle, you choice of words took Honey by surprise and her response was amusing to me, although I shouldn't have laughed," Edward told the group, except for the last part, which was directed more at me. "Honey, again I'm sorry that I did."

I nodded and then opened my eyes. "It's fine. I overreacted."

"I don't understand," Carlisle said. "What did I say that sparked this?"

"What would you think if I, as a mind-reader, tell you that I like the way you think?" Edward asked Carlisle.

I would think…Carlisle's voice rang in my head before he uttered, "Oh! I'm no mind-reader though."

"I sometimes jump to the wrong conclusions," I told him. "Not good to do though… especially when my logical mind is doing a high-wire act with no net."

Carlisle grinned before he said, "Anyway. Honey, I'm glad that you… 'feel'"—I couldn't help but to grinned at his thoughtful choice of words. Of course I wouldn't react wrongly like I had done earlier if he would've chosen the other word—"the same way as we do."

I nodded before saying, "I do."

Jacob sat back down next to Nessie and his movement of doing so had caught my attention. When my attention moved onto Nessie as she drew her picture, a memory of Bella's words had flashed through my head. 'I became pregnant and gave birth to Renesmee before becoming a vampire, just before in fact.' And then Carlisle's words soon followed. 'As a vampire, Bella is only four months old.' Wait, then that would make Nessie…

"Nessie is four months old," Edward answered my unspoken thoughts. "She was born September 10."

"Wow; she looks two years old," I quickly told him, and to how smart she was, I was actually guessing even older.

Edward grinned before saying, "After birth Nessie grew from a newborn baby to her present size within four months. However, her growth rate is slowing over time. We discovered that she would be a seventeen-year-old woman in seven years of her birth and once she reaches that age in seven years, she'll stop aging completely."

How would he know that, unless… "There are more human-vampire hybrids out there, aren't there?"

"We met one other recently and heard about two more," Edward answered.

Suddenly I caught a vivid memory flash from Jacob of the Cullens standing among a large group of vampires who I haven't met and they were standing against a larger group of vampires who I haven't met either. Nessie was in his memory so it wasn't all that long ago.

Edward saw the memory flash too and he quickly ordered, "Jacob, please control your thoughts a little better."

"What?" Jacob and a few others uttered.

"Honey is mimicking my mind-reading ability, Jacob, and you had just showed her a glimpse of our conflict with the Volturis," Edward answered.

"You battled the vampires who take the vampire law seriously?" I quickly asked.

"It was a misunderstanding that got straightened out before it escalated into a full-blown battle," Carlisle answered.

"What was the misunderstanding over?"

Carlisle gestured towards an empty chair while saying, "I know you don't need to, but sit." I nodded before sitting.

TBC

A/N there will be spoilers next chapter.