3

Carlisle didn't get home until almost ten. Looking ragged and rundown, he slumped down in his chair and looked at the plate of food that Edward had just set in front of him.

"Thanks," he muttered, picking up his fork and pushing the cold mac and cheese, fish sticks, and green beans around. "Where's Pix?"

"Her room," Edward replied, dumping the left over mac and cheese in a bowl before dipping the saucepan into the sink full of water. "How'd it go?"

Carlisle sighed. "I don't know. Good I guess."

"Do you think you're gonna like it?" Edward asked.

"I have to, right? We have shit to pay and . . . I'll make it work," Carlisle said.

"Car," Edward mumbled.

"It's okay, Edward. Everything will be okay."

Edward didn't believe the lies pouring out of his brother's mouth, but opted not to push the issue. Popping a lid onto the bowl of mac and cheese first, he put it in the fridge and moved over to the table, sliding into the chair he'd been sitting in when Carlisle came stomping inside. He picked up his pencil and returned his attention to his homework.

"How'd it go at school?" Carlisle asked.

Edward snorted. "How do you think it went? It was the same old bullshit, just different people."

"And, um, Pix is okay?" Carlisle pressed.

Edward closed his eyes and released a deep breath. "I don't know. She's been locked in her room since we got home. I didn't want to bother her." He looked up at Carlisle, noticing the he hadn't taken a bite. "Eat, Car."

"I will," he lied.

There really wasn't any reason for him to try to lie. Edward could read him better than anyone, something that had always annoyed Carlisle. Edward worried about his older brother. Instead of twenty-six, he looked thirty. He'd lost weight. Fuck, they'd all lost weight, but whatever. Carlisle didn't sleep, he didn't eat, and he certainly didn't talk to anyone — not really anyway. A few words here and there, but he'd been on the edge for too long. Edward understood. He'd been on that edge along with him. So had Alice.

Edward turned his attention back to his homework, while Carlisle pretended to eat. After a few minutes, Carlisle picked up his plate and dumped the food into the garbage before putting his plate in the sink. Without a word to Edward, Carlisle walked out of the kitchen. A moment later, he heard music coming from Carlisle's bedroom.

"Guess I'm washing the dishes," Edward muttered to himself.

A few hours later, he'd finished his homework and the dishes. Making his way upstairs, he stopped outside of Carlisle's room first, knowing that all he was going to hear was Carlisle's stereo belting out every sad and depressing song on the man's playlist. Next, Edward moved over to Alice's door. He considered knocking, but knew better than to bother his sister when she was like this. Sighing, he turned and walked into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and stripping off his shirt, just leaving him in his faded jeans. Crawling across his bed, Edward grabbed his pillow, and buried his face in the softness. Now that he was alone, he didn't have to be strong for everyone else and could let his own tears fall without care.

—SW—

The week crept by at a slow and painful pace. Every day was the same. Alice would scream and yell at Edward to get up, Carlisle would attempt to make them breakfast, and Edward and Alice would go to school while Carlisle went to work. Then, at night Alice would lock herself up in her room, Carlisle would nibble on whatever dinner Edward scrounged up before retreating to his bedroom, and Edward was left to clean everything up. He didn't really mind. It was better than doing nothing.

On Friday morning, Edward pulled his car up into the parking space next to Emmett Swan's jeep. On Tuesday, Edward had put it together that Emmett and Bella were siblings. Alice had also deduces that Esme Swan was also their sibling, unless Esme and Emmett were married, but the fact that Emmett wore a wedding band, and Esme didn't led Edward to assume that Alice's prediction was correct.

"He's doing it again," Alice whispered and Edward looked over at him. "He tried to hide it, but I saw the mark this morning."

Edward nodded, having assumed the same when Carlisle was the last one down to breakfast. "I'll talk to him."

"He'll just deny it," Alice murmured. "Like always."

"Yeah, but I'll still talk to him," Edward replied.

Alice nodded and let the subject drop. They both knew it would be pointless. This was what happened with Carlisle. They'd been there, done that, and had to move because of it. This wouldn't be any different, that much Edward was sure of.

"Come on, Pix. We're gonna be late."

Alice muttered something under her breath, but Edward couldn't make out what it was. He let it go and followed her into the building. Just like they had done every day since they arrived in Forks, everyone stared at them. Edward rolled his eyes and made his way down to his locker, wishing that just for once they'd stop. It's like they were raised without manners.

Shoving his unneeded books into his locker, Edward slammed it shut, and glared at everyone before he turned and walked to his English class. Emmett was sitting at his desk, while Bella was at hers. She was leaning down with her arms folded in front of her. Her chin was propped up on one of her arms and she had a book in the other one. Her eyes flittered to him when he walked in, and she smiled. Though, he had been there for several days and they had every class together, Bella Swan still hadn't said a word to him. Edward was starting to wonder if she ever spoke to anyone because from what he could tell, she hadn't spoken to a single person.

"Hey, Edward," Emmett said, smiling at him. "Big plans for the weekend?"

"Nope. Same old stuff, different day," Edward groused, walking across the room and sliding into his desk. Bella looked over her shoulder at him, tilting her head toward Emmett, and rolling her eyes. Edward bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing.

As the rest of their class trickled through the door, Bella put her book up and turned her attention to Emmett. It was funny how much they looked alike, while still being completely different. They both had the same color hair and Edward figured that if Bella's wasn't so long that it would be just as curly as Emmett's. Indented into their left cheeks were dimples. The only real differences came in their sizes and eye color.

While Emmett droned on and on about one of Shakespeare's plays, Edward once again turned his attention to the window. Like it had almost every day, it was raining. How they hadn't flooded and floated away was beyond him. That much rain couldn't be normal, could it? Apparently it was, though, because they'd had plenty of rain and there they still were.

The sound of the bell ringing startled him, but he hid his flinch, or at least he hoped he had. The last thing he needed would be for people to stare at him for being a freak. Oh, wait, they already were. Sighing, he grabbed his bag off the floor and headed toward the door. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Bella standing next to Emmett. He said something to her, and she brought her hands up, using sign language to answer. Shifting her eyes up, she caught Edward staring and promptly dropped her hands. With a shake of her head, she answered Emmett, picked up her bag, and brushed her way past him.

"Better get to class, Edward," Emmett said, giving him a look. "Don't want to be late."

"Yeah, okay," Edward muttered and headed toward his history class.

He found Bella's eyes on him the moment he walked through the door. In fact, she didn't look away from him as he walked around to their side of their room and slid into the seat next to her. Placing his hands on the desk in front of him, he leaned toward her.

"I take it you don't like people to watch you sign?" he whispered.

Bella shook her head.

"I'm sorry, then. I didn't mean to intrude."

She shrugged her shoulders, but still she didn't look away.

Edward sighed. "You're not deaf, right? I mean, it seems like you're able to hear."

Bella sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Discretely, she placed a finger on her left ear and nodded, and then moved it to her right ear, nodding again. Then, she brought her hand to her throat, and shook her head.

"You can hear, but you can't speak."

Bella nodded, shrugging her shoulders once again.

"Is it a secret?"

She shook her head, and tilted her head toward the rest of their class, and somehow Edward understood. They knew, which explained why they stared at her, gawking at her all the time.

Edward nodded. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

Bella lifted an eyebrow in question.

"To be the center of unwanted attention," he explained, shifting his eyes away from her. "Sucks."

Bella surprised him by reaching over and grabbing his chin and shifting his face back toward her. Nodding, she agreed with him.

"Don't worry. I won't stare at you," Edward murmured.

She frowned, which was a reaction that he didn't quite understand. Class started, so Bella turned her attention back to the front.

The rest of the morning flew by and before Edward knew it they were on their way to the library. Esme looked over at them when they walked in and waved, but left them to do their work. While Bella checked the books that had been put in the return box, Edward grabbed the book cart and rolled it into the heart of the library and started shelving the books that had already been checked back into the library. It was tedious work, but made the hour pass quicker, and for that alone, Edward was more than happy to do the labor. Besides, it was better than taking gym. Just the thought of having to take his shirt off, of everyone seeing . . . Edward was glad he didn't have to worry about that nightmare ever again.

Edward had just put the last book on the shelf, when he heard the door to the library get thrown open and Esme call out, "Hey, don't slam my door."

"Edward!" Alice called.

Closing his eyes for just a moment, he left the cart and ran around the stacks, finding Alice standing in the doorway of the library with her arms wrapped around her and her hands clenched into fists.

"Pix, what's wrong?" Edward asked, rushing over to her and drawing her into his arms, placing one hand on the back of her neck and the other in the middle of her back. Alice was trembling. "Pix!"

"I — I fell asleep," she whispered.

Edward's shoulder sank and he shot Esme and Bella a look before dragging Alice further into the library and away from their prying eyes. He knew she hadn't been sleeping. The dark circles were evidence of that much, but he'd hoped that her breakdown would wait until the weekend, where nobody would see her. Going to the farthest corner they could, Edward slid to the floor and pulled Alice onto his lap, holding her tight and trying to keep her from completely losing it.

"Which class?" he asked.

"English," Alice replied, and somehow Edward felt relieved that it happened with Emmett, and not Dr. Banner or Mr. Varner.

"Tell me," Edward murmured.

Alice turned her face into his chest. "The car, the ice — everything."

"But you know we're not there anymore, right?"

"Yeah," Alice whispered.

The sound of someone knocking on a hard surface pulled Edward's attention over to where Bella was standing. She had a box of tissues in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. Bella gestured to Alice before walking over to them and placing them on the floor next to Edward. Frowning, Bella turned and walked away.

"Here," Edward said, picking up the coffee cup of water. "Drink."

Alice took it from his hand and took a sip. "I could hear them screaming again. Like they were right next to me."

"But they aren't. Not anymore."

"I know," Alice groused, sliding off Edward's lap and pulling her knees to her chest. She laid her head on her knees. "But I want them to be."

Edward sighed, and placed his hand on the back of her neck again. "Me too, Pix."

They stayed in the back corner of the library until the bell rang for lunch. Though reluctant, Edward and Alice stood up and shuffled to the front, where Esme and Bella were standing. Esme had said something to Bella, and she'd brought her hands up in front of her to reply, but knowing how sensitive she was about people watching her, Edward cleared his throat, causing them both to look over at them. Bella promptly dropped her hands to her side.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Esme asked, stepping toward Alice. However, she stopped when Alice moved away from her.

"I'm fine," Alice replied. "Sorry about the door."

Esme shrugged. "Eh, don't worry about it. You're not the first student to slam it, and you certainly won't be the last."

"Oh."

Edward placed his hand on the nape of Alice's neck once again and led her out of the library, but not before looking back at Bella, who had a frown on her face. Edward couldn't understand her reaction. Why did his sister's freak out cause Bella to be sad? They didn't need her pity, any more than she wanted people to stare at her while she used sign language.

Shaking his head, Edward let the door close behind him and led Alice down the hallway to the cafeteria. Of course, when they walked in, everyone stopped and stared at them, evidence that word of his sister's breakdown had already reached the masses. Alice was still trembling, and as much as Edward wanted to turn and take her away from it all, he couldn't. They'd learned the hard way that hiding never solved anything.

"Come on, let's get something to eat," Edward whispered just loud enough for Alice to hear.

"Okay," she mumbled.

Though it was hard to get his feet to move, Edward dragged Alice to the food line, where the people in front of them turned and stared at them. Edward glared at them until they had the decency to turn away. Have some class about the gawking at least.

Once they had their food, opting to go with a slice of pizza and two cokes, they headed back to their usual table. They'd just sat down when the door to the cafeteria opened once again, pulling everyone's attention from Edward and Alice and over to Bella and Jasper. Automatically, Bella looked over at him and Alice, but she turned away quickly.

"He heard me," Alice whispered and Edward looked over at her, noticing the way she was watching Jasper. "He sits a couple rows away from me, but when . . . well, let's just say, he heard me."

"Did he say anything?" Edward asked.

Alice shook her head and looked over at him. "I didn't really give anyone a chance to say anything. Just pulled my ass up off the floor and took off running. Like a coward."

"You're not a coward, Pix," he disagreed, nudging her tray toward her. "Eat. It's worse when you don't eat."

Alice looked over at Jasper once more before she picked up her pizza and took a small bite. Releasing a breath, Edward started eating, too. He knew that once she took her first bite that as long as he ate, too, then she would keep going. Sure enough, by the time he finished his pizza, she finished hers.

When the bell rang, everyone started filing out of the cafeteria — everyone but Edward, Alice, Bella, and Jasper.

Edward leaned toward Alice. "Are you okay?"

"I guess," she mumbled.

"Damn it, Bella!" Jasper yelled, standing up so fast that his chair flew back against the floor. "I said no, so drop it already."

Turning away from Bella, Jasper looked over at Edward and Alice, and the expression on his face wasn't hard to read: pure disgust. Shaking his head, he walked out of the cafeteria. Edward shifted his eyes down to Alice, who had tears pooling in her eyes. Placing his hand on the back of her neck, he drew her into his arms and held her while Bella gathered her stuff and walked over to the door. She paused long enough to look over at Edward and Alice before she left.

"I want to go home," Alice whimpered.

"Okay, Pix," Edward murmured, standing up with her against him. "Let's go."

Edward led Alice out to his car and made sure she was in before shutting the door behind her and running around to the passenger seat. Once they were at home, Alice bolted into the house and Edward knew that she was going to lock herself up in her bedroom. Sitting on the bottom of the stairs, he pulled his cell phone out and pulled up his contacts. He only had a few: Carlisle, Alice, and his parents, not that he needed their numbers anymore. He just couldn't get himself to delete them. Bringing up Carlisle's number, he selected a text message and punched out his message:

Pix had a hard day. Needs you.