Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!

True to his word, Jasper took Leah to his favorite diner across town, and as she swallowed bite after monstrous bite of food, she had to admit that they made was spectacular. The bacon-cheese burger she was currently stuffing in her mouth tasted like heaven – or maybe she was just so hungry she thought it tasted like heaven. For a street kid who could never count on eating the next day, just about anything would take like the best food she'd ever had. Still, Leah was thinking of bribing the honey-blond male into bringing her here every single day, though she wasn't sure what she would bribe him with. Maybe she would even get fat. Most girls wouldn't want to be even slightly chubby, but in Leah's mind, it sure beat starving.

"So, what's your story?" she mumbled around a mouthful of food. Having a good meal worked wonders on her mood, and she was feeling happier than usual, in spite of the fact that she still had no idea where her brother was.

Jasper took a sip of his soda before answering her question with a question. "What makes you think I have a story to tell?"

Leah smirked as she finished her burger and moved on to her fries. In her humble opinion, the fries officially beat the burger in the 'Best Thing She'd Ever Put in Her Mouth' category. "Guys like you always have some sort of sob story. I mean, it's not like you woke up one day and decided that you wanted to work with kids who'd probably treat you like shit on a daily basis and would show no appreciation for what you do to try and help them. Theremust be a reason why you do what you do, and I want to know what it is."

"So you're saying that I need to have an ulterior motive because I want to help people?" he asked with a small smile. This girl sure was an odd one, but the odd ones were always the most interesting.

"Bingo," she replied. "If I've learned anything living on the streets, it that people are selfish. Nobody does anything these days without getting anything back in return, so I wanna know what you get out of the whole deal. What, do you get the girls you save to fuck you? Are you secretly running a drug ring and use the kids you take in as your pawns? Oh, do you write this off on your taxes or something? Or do you just have an extreme superhero complex?"

The Southern male wanted to laugh, but he managed to hold it back and remain somewhat serious. "None of the above. Can I point out that you have a very dark view of the world? I remember when I was where you are. I hated the world because I felt like everyone in it was out to screw me over. I, like you, believed that nobody did anything if they wouldn't get something in return. And then I met Peter and Charlotte when Rosalie and I were placed in their care. No matter how much I acted out or what I said to them, they never gave up on me. They're the reason I want to help others; I want to give them the hope and guidance Peter and Charlotte gave me. Without them, I'm not sure where I would've ended up – probably lying dead in a ditch somewhere – and God knows what would've happened to Rosalie. Is that enough of an answer for you, darlin', or am I still too good to be true?"

The Native American teen shrugged as she finished the last of her Pepsi. "I guess that answers works for now, but I'm gonna wanna know more at some point. But, considering we just met, I can't very well expect you to open up to me right away and there is no wayI'm going to open up to you either."

Jasper set the money down to pay for the meal as well as a nice tip and stood up, helping her with the jacket Jane had given her. "Is there anything I could do to gain your trust? I'm here to help you, Leah, and whether you want to see it or not, I really do want what's best for you. I've been where you are and I know what it's like to feel alone and have the responsibility of raising a younger sibling on your shoulders. It's not easy; eventually, the weight's gonna crush you if you don't let someone help you carry the burden. I want to help you carry that burden, if you will let me, so tell me what I can do to help you, Leah; if it's within my power, I'll do it."

Leah bit her bottom lip. She really wanted to trust him, but her past told her it would be a stupid thing to do. Yet a part of her was so tired of handling everything on her own. She was a teen girl who felt as if she were eighty years old. It might actually be a nice change of pace to let someone in; even if she kept her guard partly up, something was better than nothing at all.

"If you really want to earn my trust then you need to find out where my brother is and if he is alright." It was the only thing she cared about right now and if anyone would be able to get information on Seth it would be Jasper. "If you can do that then you will have earned my respect and once you have my respect it is one step closer to earning my trust."

Rosalie Hale was not a happy camper when her brother finally got back with her new roommate. She'd had to watch over some of the younger kids, and they loved to cause trouble when Jasper wasn't around. None of them really listened to her, and that drove the blond female insane, which is probably why they ignored her in the first place. Everyone loved Jasper because he was so charming and calm and easygoing, but Rosalie wasn't any of those things and she often wondered if God had forgotten to add a pinch of compassion while creating her soul.

"Finally!" she snapped, hands on her hips, as she sent a glare in her brother's direction. "Do you have any idea of the crap I had to deal with while you were gone? I caught Emmett smoking again, and it's kind of weird trying to give him a lecture because he's my boyfriend! Oh, and Bella was caught with another boy in her room, and the upstairs toilet in the boy's dorm is all stuffed up and there's no way I was going to try and unclog it."

Jasper sighed before he kissed his sisters cheek and ruffled her hair in a way she hated. "I'll take care of it, Rosie. Why don't you show Leah around and introduce her to a few people? Oh, and Rose, try to be nice."

"I promise nothing!" she called to his retreating figure before turning to give Leah a once-over. "Okay, now that my brother's out of the way, I want to make a few things clear. We may have to share a room, but it's my room, and you're just a loiterer for now. You're not to touch any of my things without my permission, and I'll show you the same kindness. You're not allowed to put up posters or anything decorative without my say-so, and if you feel the need to bring a boy to our room, don't. If you want to fuck, then find a closet or something to do it in like everyone else. Yes, I have a boyfriend and he spends time in my room, but we'll always be clothed since I'd rather you didn't see either of us naked. I always get up early, but I stay up late. I'm not sure what your sleeping habits are, but as long as they don't screw around with mine, I don't see us as having a problem. Do you have any questions, or was I not clear enough for you?"

Leah smirked as she eyed her new roommate. "Crystal clear, roomie. I have no desire to touch your shit and I don't plan on fucking anyone while I'm here. All I want to do is lay low until I can find out if my little brother is alright. I don't want to be here any more than you want me here. I don't to play the game of who's the bigger bitch; I concede, so you can keep your crown."

Rosalie smiled – a real, genuine smile – when she heard Leah's reply, and her guard immediately fell. "Okay, we're cool. Just so you know, I'm sorry I had to act that way, but there are some bitches in this place who like to think they're hot shit, and I have to knock them down a peg or two. Plus, most of them want to bang my brother, so I do what needs to be done to keep them in line. Hey, would you like to meet a few friends of mine? They're pretty cool and not fake, like most of the kids here. Plus, as long as you stick with us, the other kids won't give you a hard time."

"I have nothing else on my plate, so sure," Leah said, following the blond down a long hallway. "Is your brother for real with all his 'want to do good' crap?"

Rosalie laughed, nearly choking on the air. "Yeah, he's for real. He genuinely wants to help people. He can be a pain in the ass, but he means well. My brother knows what it's like for people like us on the streets. We had to live that way for a long time, and for a while, Jasper was cold, almost inhuman, but then Peter and Charlotte took us in, and he began to thaw out. You really should let him help you before it's too late. You might think that you can handle this alone, but the truth is that we all need help, even if we don't wanna admit it."

"I'll think about it," Leah told her curtly, effectively ending the conversation. "So, are we gonna meet your friends, or what?"

"They're not just my friends," Rosalie corrected as they finally reached a room at the end of the seemingly interminable hallway. "You're about to meet the coolest people on the planet, who are also the only friends you'll ever need. Since you're pretty cool in your own right, it'll only add to our awesome factor, but remember, most of us are a bit crazy. Then again, crazy is the new normal in this day and age. I think that you're gonna fit in just fine."

The mocha-skinned female grimaced. "I'm not sure if that's supposed to make me feel better, but I'll take it as a compliment. I've always thought normality was overrated, anyway; so bring on the insanity!"

TBC…