A/N: This chapter is also very transitional, establishing where (location-wise) everyone is going in their lives before too much action comes on. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/alerted me.
"Well, Jacob should be back soon with Ness and then I asked Bella and Edward to come over later. I have some things to talk to them about," Esme said.
Alice got up from her place at the table and went to Esme's side, grabbing some vegetables to chop. Leah tried to follow, but Esme insisted that guests were guests. "About Ness?" Alice asked.
"No, about Dartmouth," Esme said.
"I have a feeling they won't be going for a while. Since Bella's been a vampire, my visions have been kind of confused about their college plans," Alice said.
"That's because it turns out Dartmouth doesn't have night courses."
In the background, Alice heard Leah suppress a laugh. "Oh snap," Alice said, "well there's always their safety school right?"
"I love your brother dearly, but sometimes I think his head's been on a little crooked," Esme shook her head, "I shouldn't say that. They'll make it work, they always do."
"Well, he's in love," Leah was surprised to find herself defending Edward, "I can't really judge someone for being an id…, I mean making bad decisions when they're in love. My first love made a pretty big ditz out of me."
"I can't believe I overlooked that too. When Bella was human, I kind of figured Edward was just going to pretend to go, but now that they're both vampires they're going to have to look into night classes or not go at all," Alice mused, "I guess we'll have to break this news to them when they get back."
"Maybe you can all find a good vampire and werewolf friendly school, so I'll know my children are together even if they're not with me," Esme said, "I know every parent refuses to let their kids grow up, but it's harder when your kids stay teenagers forever."
"I could use another degree," Alice said jovially, "what do you think, Leah? Should I do fashion design this time?"
Leah smiled, shrugging a bit, "you would love it."
"I already did theater and dance," Alice said, "and I want to do something new. Or maybe I'll study psychology. I could be good at that."
"I suggested that to Edward," Esme said, "I think all of you could use a break from high school."
"Could we," Alice agreed, "plus once Ness turns seven she'll look about ready herself. Bella probably doesn't want her own daughter as her high school lab partner."
"A valid point," Esme agreed. The doorbell rang and Rosalie yelled that she had it. Moments later, Jacob came bounding into the kitchen with an energetic Renesmee and a slightly dejected Rosalie.
"Hey Rose," Alice said, recalling the way the last conversation ended, "we should talk later, okay?"
Rosalie nodded. "I'm going to find Emmett."
She was gone before anyone could argue. Leah went to Alice's side and whispered as softly as she could, "is she okay?"
"We can talk later," Alice said, feeling especially irked at how difficult it was to find privacy in a house of vampires.
Esme had turned the chicken idea into a soup with assorted vegetables and wide egg noodles. Alice watched her lover eat wistfully, wondering what it tasted like. The closest thing she could imagine was the blood of a fowl, but she rarely had occasion to taste that and it wasn't as good as the eaters seemed to find the soup.
"This is delicious, Mrs. Cullen," Leah said.
"Leah, you're family now. You can call me Esme."
Alice was starting to feel lightheaded with both Jacob and Ness in the room. Though she had gotten used to Leah's presence, three people she couldn't read was getting to be a bit much. "I really think I should check on Rose," Alice said, fingers pressed to her throbbing temple.
"Should I come with?" Leah asked.
"I'll be back," Alice responded.
She felt a bit bad leaving her girlfriend, but figured Leah grew up with Jacob and probably had no reason to dislike Esme or Ness. Once she was out of their range, she saw Rosalie huddled in a clearing of the forest where they hunted all the time. Alice remembered the place as Bella and Edward's romantic spot, and wondered how Edward and Rosalie had never crossed paths when they retreated there for their separate reasons.
Knowing it was faster to run than to fly, Alice took off through the trees to find her sister. Even after a century of it, vampire speed was still exhilarating for the vampire with no memory of life being any other way. She ended the run gracefully and came to a full stop in front of a stone-still Rosalie.
"Rose," Alice breathed.
"You should go," Rosalie said, "you left your girlfriend alone."
"My girlfriend isn't reliving rape trauma," Alice said, "she can wait."
When PTSD got the best of her, Rosalie was completely unlike her superficial and beautiful daily-mask. Somehow, Alice only felt real kinship with Rosalie when she was in an incredible amount of pain, and always felt a bit guilty for it.
"I can't believe I blurted out what happened to her," Rosalie said, "she probably thinks I led him on. I've never been anything but a vain bitch around her."
"Leah would never think that," Alice dropped to the ground beside her sister, "no reasonable person would."
"I know, I know," Rosalie sighed, wrapping a fist around her blonde locks.
"It won't grow back," Alice warned her.
"I don't care right now," Rosalie answered.
"I know," Alice pried her sister's hand free, "but you will." When Rosalie started to calm down, Alice asked, "what happened to finding Emmett?"
"I don't know," Rosalie said, "I just started running and this is where I ended up. I tend to forget my sister's a GPS."
"What did pretty hair ever get me?" Rosalie asked. "Why do I even care? I spend so much time in front of a mirror, I'm probably the most beautiful girl in town except for you and Bella but I still have to bring shame to Aphrodite to feel like I'm anything but trash."
"I doubt now's the time for a hug," Alice looked at the ground helplessly.
Rosalie shook her head. "That's the problem with surviving rape. It doesn't matter how bad you need comfort. You can never take it when you need it. You just feel hollow and dirty all the time. God…Alice how pathetic is this? It happened decades ago. He's been dead longer than most people live. I could crush a hundred men like him blindfolded and I still feel like some weak little bitch when I think about him."
"We should find Emmett," Alice suggested, "he's a dumb oaf sometimes, but you know he'd do anything for you."
"I know," Rosalie said, "what does it say about me if I can't even be around my own husband right now?"
"It says you went through something horrible," Alice said.
"Don't you ever wonder what love really is without sex?" Rosalie asked. "I mean, I was raped but I 'got over it' and Emmett and I broke a forest's worth of furniture. But sometimes I forget I'm safe, that things are different now, and Emmett might as well be the same bastard who did this to me. And then I have to ask him to stop and I feel like such a bitch."
"He doesn't blame you," Alice insisted.
"He says he doesn't, but what if he does?" Rosalie asked. "I mean…come on. Everyone wants to think it's about love, but everyone needs sex."
"Not true," Alice said.
"So you're honestly trying to tell me that you and Leah stayed up cuddling all night," Rosalie said sarcastically. Her expression softened when Alice didn't respond.
"Actually, yes," Alice told her, "she told me she wasn't ready and I was fine with that. And so is Emmett. Trust me. That guy loves you, trust me."
"I know," Rosalie said, "I know and it's horrible that I'd even say what I just did."
"No," Alice said, "it's not. He understands and so do I."
"And I'm sorry I assumed stuff about you and Leah. It's not right of me."
A long time ago, Alice might have taken offense, but she had known her sister too long to hold her trauma reactions against her. "I know you didn't mean anything by it," Alice hugged her knees to her chest to compensate for the hug she couldn't give her sister right now.
"I don't know what's come over me," Rosalie said, "I know Jake seems like a good guy but Ness is so little and, well, I don't know if I like him being alone with her. It's stupid and it makes me sound like a possessive bitch but…I mean I heard about how Bella had to try to punch him off her once. He tried to kiss her when she continually told her he wasn't interested, and now he's alone all the time with Ness. I'm not saying he's going to hurt her but if he did what the hell would I be able to do about it? And Bella sure isn't going to notice if something is up."
"So your protectiveness of Ness, it's not just a maternal instinct?" Alice asked.
"You heard what Sam did to Emily," Rosalie said, "and Sam imprinted on Emily, he loved her, but he still clawed half her face off. If he hadn't imprinted, that would have been Leah."
A brief flash of rage overcame Alice. "But it wasn't," she breathed.
"How do you think Leah feels about that?" Rosalie asked. "Sure, Ness is made of stronger stuff but she's a baby! I'm sorry…I'm just scared and I don't know what I'm scared of. Bella's been up against a lot, but she's still just so innocent and so clueless."
Alice shrugged. "That's part of why I want us all to go to college. I know Bella isn't always comfortable just having stuff handed to her, and she's too smart not to go to college. She might learn a bit about the world that way."
"If Jake hurts Ness, I'll destroy him," Rosalie's eyes darkened with the threat, "same goes for Leah, but I worry less about her because you're not a freaking baby. I guess," she sighed, "I want Ness to have a choice. Right now, she's already wearing a promise ring and she's a baby. I don't want her groomed into some sick arrangement like I was."
"But she loves Jacob," I said, "they're soul mates."
"And so were you and Jasper supposedly, but things changed," Rosalie said.
As relieved as she was not to see him heartbroken every day, Jasper's name still stung. "She does need a life outside the family," Alice agreed. "After we drop the bomb that Dartmouth apparently doesn't offer night classes, we can run that one by Edward and Bella. Oh, and answer your phone."
"It isn't," Rosalie said, cut off by the sound of her ringtone. "Hello. Hi Emmett. Yes I'm fine. Had some flashbacks, Alice is with me. I know. Yeah. No I'm better. I'll be back soon and we can talk. Love you too. Bye."
"Bella and Edward will be there in about ten minutes," Alice said, "Bella was going to wear a plain white t-shirt but she put it away and picked out," Alice winced, "what is wrong with…never mind that's better."
"You and fashion," Rosalie wrapped her arms around Alice finally, and they shared their first hug in years. "Speaking of fashion," Rosalie glanced distastefully at her grass-stained pants.
When they returned to the house, Emmett greeted Rosalie at the door. "We're going for a walk," Emmett announced.
"In these pants?" Rosalie looked disgusted. "Let me change first."
"C'mon Rose," Emmett said, "it's just us and I don't care what your pants look like."
Sighing, Rosalie followed him outside.
"She okay?" Leah asked.
Alice nodded and Esme looked particularly relieved. It was then that Bella and Edward entered an awkwardly silent room.
"We miss something?" Edward asked.
"Hey, you're talking to me!" Alice half-sang.
Alice sighed at Edward's obvious lack of amusement. "Edward knock it off," Bella said, "you can't stay mad at Alice."
"I talked to your husband earlier," Edward said sharply, "he sounded alright if you care."
"I saw," Alice said bitterly.
"Edward, please," Esme said, "we have company."
"I see," he said, glancing uncomfortably in Leah's direction.
"Daddy stop being mean to Auntie Leah," Renesmee said.
Before Edward could speak, Bella joined her daughter and future in-laws at the table. "I'm glad my daughter can be mature about this," Bella said. "Did you already forget what we talked about?" she asked him through narrowed eyes.
With two werewolves in the room, Alice hadn't the slightest image of what it had been. "If you wish," Edward grumbled.
"Why don't you sit down too, Edward?" Esme asked. "We need to talk about your futures."
Edward laughed. "What like I'm seventeen?"
"I recognize that you're an adult, Edward, but I did a little research last night and found that you made a bit of a mistake," Esme said, keeping her tone as gentle as possible.
"What kind of mistake?" Edward asked.
"Well, it's about Dartmouth," Esme said, "Dartmouth…well…"
"It doesn't have night classes," Alice finished.
Bella was the first to react. "What?"
Edward's face fell. "I could have sworn. Are you sure?"
Fishing her iPhone out of her pocket, Alice loaded Safari and scrolled through her favorites for the class schedules she had meant to show to Edward.
"Well we never did officially register I guess," Edward said dully. "Oh Bella, I'm so sorry."
"Did you research it, or did you just frantically fill out every application you could fit my name on?" Bella asked, not sure if she should be furious or almost amused.
"When I was first thinking about it, I wasn't expecting to turn you into a vampire," he explained.
"So you were just going to make my lunch and send me off to school?" Bella asked.
"It's not a problem," Esme insisted, "I'm sure there are plenty of schools that would be happy to have you."
"Carlisle's not going to be happy about buying us a house up there already," Edward said.
"That was just in case," Esme said, "but yes, I'd be a bit more careful with the research next time."
Leah couldn't help but smile at Edward's failed logic.
"So, Alaska then?" Bella asked. "Charlie will be disappointed."
Edward frowned. "Bella, I wanted you to go to an Ivy. I wanted you to have the college experience."
"I told you, I don't care about it being an Ivy," Bella said, "I just want us to be together wherever we end up."
"Not to interrupt, but are any of us really going to have the 'college experience'? It's not like most of you can sign up for extracurriculars unless it's really rainy outside or they're really late at night, and any friends you make are going to wonder why you don't age," Leah interjected, "why none of us have facebook accounts, and why we don't attend reunions."
Edward scowled, crossing his arms at his chest. Now, not only was Leah breaking up his family, she was mocking him too. "Bella and I are going to college. You can do what you please."
"Well as soon as I'm convinced that my mom and brother are stable without the dad I accidentally killed I'll be right on some future planning," Leah hissed.
"Guys," Alice and Bella said in unison.
"There's nothing to fight about," Esme said, "there are plenty of other colleges to look at, and whatever you choose it's hardly your last chance."
Bella looked displeased. "I think once will be enough for me."
"Gonna pretend you're homeschooled for the next few millennia?" Leah asked.
"It's not a bad idea," Bella said, "I don't think I can sit through another graduation."
"You're a vampire. You can sit through anything," Alice reminded her.
The rest of the evening was occupied with internet searches, printouts, and college-related talks. "I'm not going to get the college experience from an Eskimo school with three hundred students!" Bella said, staring at the living room computer screen.
Edward hit the back button and entered a new search. "Unless you want to learn a new language spoken on one island on the planet you won't have much luck above the North Pole."
After a good deal of time finding very little, everyone started to get frustrated. Edward, because he had made a careless mistake that was likely disappointing Bella, Bella because she had thought the entire college matter was settled, and Leah for reasons Alice couldn't quite decipher. When Alice picked up on this, she pulled Leah aside and asked, "do you want to go someplace and talk?"
Alice agreed, and they took a slow stroll back toward La Push, talking as they walked.
"I want to get out of Forks, not take it with me," Leah said, "except for you. Why do we have to go to school with everyone from here? Why can't we have our own adventure?"
The idea of leaving Bella and Edward to their own devices made Alice a bit nervous. As much as she hated to admit it, she was fiercely protective of her family. "You know…" Alice smiled, "it might be time for that sort of change. When do you want to leave?"
"Leave?" Leah asked. "For where?"
"Who cares?" Alice asked. "We have all the time and money in the world. Why not go anywhere? We deserve a little fun, don't we?"
"Count me in," Leah said. "When can we leave?"
"As soon as we've informed the parents," Alice said.