Truth be told, it was difficult to let her enter the house alone at first, but now, Jasper felt the emotions radiate from the house like a positively charged magnet, even from the car. He knew that Alenia thought he suspected Scott would be less than cooperative at first, and she would be right, damn her insight. But each time he scorned himself for thinking so poorly of his future brother in law, the man to whom he bared a slight resemblance drifted back into his memory. While he never knew Riley, he'd been talked about by his family and on the news as a good person. He also knew from personal experience how much the venom could change such a good person.

His phone buzzed beneath his hand in his jacket pocket, and he opened the text. Bella.

Scott has questions. Take Alenia, I'll take him and Carla in my car.

He nodded internally, and relocked his phone. He pushed himself with his foot from leaning on the car and approached the house.

Alenia opened the door, and her walk had a certain skip. She was beaming when she hugged him.

"Thank you," she breathed in Jasper's ear, and he smiled in wonderment. "What for?"

She pulled away. "Preparing us."

He pecked her forehead, and both entered the car. Jasper drove as the others filed from the house. They drove in silence until the mansion, but Jasper loved those moments. When they could just feel and relish each other's happiness and relief. Their gifts, and her insight, granted them that much.

…

Carlisle strolled from the mansion graciously, a welcoming smile on his features.

"Alenia, Jasper," he greeted, and caught sight of the oncoming vehicle through the trees. "It would seem we have a lot to cover this evening. Please, come on in."

The house seemed unusually quiet, until a loud roar radiated from upstairs, followed by a crash, laughter and a string of profanities. Jasper cursed under his breath, and Alenia chuckled. She guessed what had happened before Carlisle explained from behind.

"Emmett's new game isn't as favourable to him after all. It would seem Edward's winning." He couldn't hide the amusement that seeped into his concern that Emmett had broken something valuable.

"We'll go into the lounge through there," he motioned ahead, "it'll be quieter."

We each turned to the sound of Bella opening the door for Carla, and a slightly weary looking Scott. In the clear light of the Cullen house, the change in Scott's appearance suddenly became more pronounced. As Jasper had observed in the field, you could barely tell the difference between him and the others. But the differences must only be able to be observed with vampire eyes, because she couldn't miss the light flush still in his cheeks, just as much as the eyes froze her. In the light, the red flecks were all the more visible. Her mind flew back to Rowan, for the first time in weeks.

"Scott, Carla, please, we were just about to go through. Make yourselves at home. Bella? I believe Edward needs tearing away from the game."

She frowned, and then smiled in the knowledge of his competitive streak. "I'll deal with him."

Wordlessly they all found a seat in the lounge. Scott sat next to Carla on one, a slight gap between them. On the other half of the corner sofa Jasper and Alenia sat, automatically closing the gap and their hands a nest in his lap. Carlisle took the arm chair, and Bella and Edward stood next to the grand piano by the window.

Silence fell again, someone waiting for someone to start. It wasn't awkward, however, but too many unanswered questions and queries floated in the air to settle on the first one.

Carlisle stood, drawing attention to himself, and every eye turned to him as though he were a teacher.

"Well, Scott, I believe you have many questions, as do we, I trust."

Eyes then turned to Scott, who nodded, staring at the man as though he were captioning the obvious. "Y-yes."

"Okay then, well, take your time."

…

He shuffled uncomfortably at the attention, and met each and every eye save for the man at the front. Once he questioned why all these people had to be here as this happened, he found an answer. One was the youngest, so she knew. His mother was the human witness he'd not attacked, his sister was in the same boat. Edward and Jasper had gifts that may help pool more ideas other's were not sure of, and Carlisle had all the answers. It was impossible how wise and ancient he looked, since he was and looked only in his early 20's. How much he looked like a knowing old father despite the perfectly youthful appearance. It frightened him, how much his comprehension of the world, and the people in it, had to change.

"I guess, right now, I just want to know why I don't feel…hungry. Your kind of hungry."

Carlisle nodded. "I suppose this stage is different for everybody. Of course, we only have Renesme as our example of a half-born vampire, and her hunger lasted a few weeks. Thankfully, however, she is just fine."

"Bella didn't feel as hungry as the rest of us when she awoke, and that was due to exposure to us, we believe. Could that be a possible reason?" Edward chimed in.

Carlisle thought for only a short moment, but even Scott found the kink in the theory. He answered before Carlisle. "Wouldn't that stand true for her then? She's been with you all of her life, and she still struggled."

His sister sat up straighter, a sign that she was about to speak. Edward, in the other side of his peripheral vision, nodded. "That's a good point."

"What is?"

"Maybe its because he's been raised as a human. Maybe the lack of exposure to vampires, not knowing for so long, has meant that even while he's had the venom within him, and while he's now changed, he still is essentially human. It's been a gradual change."

Ever the smart one, she could be right. But Scott, as begrudgingly trapped in his mind as he was, wasn't satisfied. He didn't like 'mind over matter'. He liked a physical reason, like his blood and the venom had fused to make an antidote. Like his brand of vampire didn't go after blood. Maybe he just loved fried chicken and carbohydrates too much to be able to sacrifice them.

But it didn't stand with him that his mind had so much power over his biological urges. He needed something better than that.

"Scott, the fact that you didn't attempt to kill your mother is a good enough reason to trust mind over matter," Edward suggested. Bella agreed. "When I was changed," she began, "I couldn't trust myself around Charlie for weeks, and these even kept my half vampire child away from me, in case I was attracted to the human blood in her. You sensed Carla, but you didn't even flinch."

He spoke without thinking then, needing more than stories from others. He had to clarify for himself. "Still, I'd just like some time where im kept from the…humans. Just in case. If you only have Renesme as an example, then there's no telling what will happen with me."

Everyone fell quiet, but the room buzzed with everyone's considerations. For the first time since having first spoken, Scott glanced square into Carla's eyes, which were looking upon him with pride, relief, and only a hint of fear. He then found the gap between them on the sofa represented by a patch of off white leather, and his own, internal doubts explained that. He may lose control at any second.

"That sounds logical, just to be safe."

All eyes turned to Jasper, who was the only one who'd not spoken a word until now. Of everyone, until that point, Scott hadn't been able to find a reason for him to be there, in that meeting, until then. Until then, Scott had been reluctant to accept him. He knew why now, and it answered why he was there, too. His father was right. He trusted him.

Like him, he just wanted Alenia safe.

"Hmm, I think it is," Carlisle mused, folding his arms over his broad chest. "But, his own house isn't the best place to keep someone safe."

He sat down, but Scott had a feeling that such an intelligent man had already found the alternative staring right between the eyes.

"Carla, would you mind if your son stayed here for a small while? He makes a very valid point; with so few examples to judge by, he is potentially very unpredictable. Scott, what do you think?"

He simply nodded, not knowing how to feel. He knew it was right, but he felt like a rabid Alsatian.

"Good, and, don't for a second consider yourself inprisoned."

That was when Esme chimed in from her spot in the doorframe, unnoticed by Scott. "Of course dear, you are our guest."

…

Alenia stayed with Scott and Jasper for a few hours as Scott settled into his room, a large, sparse room, and, like all the bedrooms of the Cullen house, had a large window, this one at the far end. All it contained was a bed and a TV. Carla had rushed out of the house, mumbling that she was going to grab a few things to make it more homely. Esme, of course, went to help her.

"Scott," she began, "are you sure about this?"

He stopped admiring the huge flat screen and turned to her as she stood close to the door. Jasper had retreated so they could talk.

"We have a too human mom in our house, what am I to do?"

"But, smart ass, you didn't hurt her or anything. Can't you just accept that and build up the confidence?"

He smiled awkwardly down at his bare feet. Why hadn't he put on shoes when he'd left the house?

"Probably all the excitement," she answered, as though reading his thoughts.

"Look, I can't just change and then stroll out into the outside world like this. My eyes are freaky as hell, too," he scorned, pointing and lowing the rim for emphasis. "I'm not leaving this room until I can go out there and go on a date without the fear of looking into her eyes and her running screaming. I think I'll learn stuff as well, they seem to like their books."

No doubt about that, she noted. He would be a book worm if he stayed much longer than a month. But, despite how he looked, he didn't seem to fit in as one of them. Yes, he was, she had to admit, alarming in how handsome vampirism had made him, and his eyes were startling. He was almost as pale, and his movements were probably faster but controlled. But he was her brother, and it was…strange. He was going to end up knowing more about them than she was.

She exhaled in defeat. "Fine. But, whatever you do, make sure to phone, or text, whenever. I'll be over every day anyway, and make sure Emmett and Edward don't get you making any bets we can't afford, and-"

"Hey hey hey, slow down there," Scott laughed kindly, taking her shoulders into his hands and shaking her. It was suprising how short she was, considering they were related. "I'm going to be just fine, so are you, and so is everyone. I might only be here for a few days, just to, as you say, build up the confidence. So don't worry."

She nodded, and looked like she was going to get emotional. She stood for a few moments, pulling a couple of odd faces, and then gave up.

"What?"

She shrugged. "I felt like I should cry, but I can't."

"Man. Im not used to you expressing emotion. It's terrifying," he joked, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Shut your ugly face," she mumbled into his arm.

…

The rest of the evening was a matter of transferring Scott's belongings. Carla had over indulged a bit and brought most of the whole contents of Scott's room, and Alenia helped furnish only some of it. The more intricate parts, she would leave him for the time he would be sleeping. When time wound to about 9 30, she decided it was time to go. Jasper drove her home, and Michael picked Carla up in their car. The quiet journey left Alenia thinking. She decided she didn't want to be alone, but she didn't know how to approach the subject without blushing.

Instead, she squeezed Jasper's hand, and caught his attention. "What be your thoughts, Darlin?"

"I was just wondering, do you have to hunt tonight?"

He frowned, and then found her meaning, smiling with the hint. "Nope. Why do you ask?" He teased huskily. Her breathing, surplus as it was now, picked up out of habit. "You know why."

He shook his head eagerly. "I most assuredly do not, ma'am. Please, explain your meaning to this simple fellow."

She was getting irritating, but giggled anyway. "Well, simple man, I request your company."

"I'm sorry? This simple man is somewhat hard of hearing."

Alenia exhaled in irritation and, blushing furiously, leaned over to his ear. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered, and the slight tickle on his neck distracted him enough to swerve slightly on the road. Giggling again, she felt victorious.

"Try that on me later when I'm not driving. I beg you."

She settled into a smile, and rested back into the passenger seat. "Take that as a yes then."