Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse.

AN: Yeah, like I said, I've been busy & words cannot describe how sorry I am. & I feel like fainting right now as I'm typing this because I have a chest cold & can barely breathe, but I wanted to get this out as soon as I could because I love you all! & I feel so guilty for making you wait so long.

Chapter Seven – Exceptions

We were all seated in the living room. Excluding Carlisle, who'd gone to search his library for any information on what I could possibly be. It was uncomfortable at first and highly awkward. But soon a wave of calm and confidence swept through me. Suspicious.

"So…" I began, much bolder than before, thanks to my sudden dose of self-assurance and composure. "I know Edward's telepathic, but what are the rest of you're powers? Just so I don't think I'm losing my mind when things start floating…or people get sudden feelings of reassurance that shouldn't be there. Although I may have actually been insane for a while now." I mused the last part, half serious and half jokingly.

Jasper chuckled, his black eyes gleaming with mirth, and raised his hand. "Guilty," he proclaimed. The rest of them laughed quietly at the prospect of me catching him and without even knowing his power.

"So, you're a…" I searched for the right description of his ability but wasn't quick enough.

"Empath," he finished for me. I suppose he's had to answer that with every new person he meets and already has a word ready.

"Right." I nodded, soaking in the knowledge. "And the rest of you?" I hedged. I was more curious than courtesy called for, but I couldn't help it. It's not every day you meet a family full of vampires living in your town with the power to read minds and tamper with your emotions. And also, Jasper seemed to have given up on tweaking my emotions because he knew I would call him on it. So I stayed curious. And if I'm curious, I expect to find my answers.

"Well, besides Edward and Jasper, I'm the only one with another 'power', but the others all have their own enhanced qualities instead." The short pixie told me, a huge smile gracing her pale lips. Was she always this happy and energetic? Normally I get annoyed with people so jubilant because it's quite obvious they are faking it, but I honestly think that this is her. And it's refreshing to see someone so lively be genuine with it.

I nodded, telling her to continue. Her smile grew. "I can predict the future; accept it's no fake card reading trick that you think. It's all me." She spoke proudly, as thought telling her mom about an A+ project.

That was pretty darn impressive; far beyond my abilities which dimmed in her light. "Wow," I voiced my amazement.

"Yeah, but it's not always certain," she said cryptically, glancing at Edward, who glared back at her.

It was quiet for a moment as I was absorbing this information. And was Edward actually listening to every single thought in my head if he didn't have any control over it? Embarrassing! I needed to know he really was. If I wasn't sure soon, I'd explode.

"So, uh…you read minds," I said lamely. I smacked myself mentally, and then smacked myself again for smacking myself because he could hear me doing it! Shit.

"Most," came his cool reply. I envied his ability to be so cool and calm, without Jasper's ability, in this. I mentally smacked myself again for that thought. And again. Damn! Is this how people get brain tumors?

Then I caught up to the actual words. "Most?" I realized his family was staring at him in the same confusion as I.

"Yes, there's one exception."

"Oh…which is?" It didn't seem as though he wanted to elaborate, but alas, he did at my request.

"You." His eyes because intense again. And this time I was too shocked to look away.

Alice was the only one in the room who didn't looks as shocked as I did, besides Edward, of course. She spoke then, cutting the tension. "I think it has to do with what you are, or maybe because you are also a mind reader, you can choose who gets into yours."

I didn't turn away from Edward's gaze as she spoke. Neither of us did. She decided to be more specific with her indication because we obviously were too lost to look in between her words. "You should see if you can read Edward's mind."

Slowly, and almost painfully I turned away from Edward and nodded at Alice. Then I went back to Edward's golden eyes eagerly, hoping not to look as desperate as I was. I was happy hat I could silently coon over him all I wanted and he wouldn't hear my idiotic banter.

I opened up the line to his mind and found what I was looking for. It was like an operator for a phone line. I could just choose the line and connect. Simple as that. Accept the voices didn't speak into my ear; they went straight into my head.

I'm glad she can control it. A beautiful creature like her shouldn't have to deal with all the crude minds out there. She better not be able to hear me or that...

Those were the loudest thoughts in his voice, but there were six other quieter and different voices. All of them twisting together into one big mush, but easy to differentiate if singled out. It was odd to have so many different thoughts, and I thought that if I had to live with that, especially at school, I would have gone mad.

I stopped listening there; if I went on any longer, I'd surely turn bright red. My cheeks were already faulty flushed at his comment about how beautiful I was and I didn't need to see the scene or I'd surely use up all the ammo in my cheeks for more blushes. I didn't know why such a god like him would even acknowledge my existence.

Everyone was waiting for my answer. I smiled sheepishly, secretly glad that he was not my exception. Relief coursed through me, going along with the previous relief of being his exception. "I can hear you." I tried to mask the absolute glee in my voice.

His eyes widened slightly and he seemed too miffed to say anything, his arms crossing over his chest defiantly. I couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. A chain reaction seemed to happen and the whole family was in near hysterics. I was a little confused as to why it was that funny, but their laughter seemed to be contagious.

Edward stood there with his arms crossed with an impatient scowl tugging at his perfect eyebrows and lips. I pictured him tapping his foot in annoyance like they do in those old cartoons and had to cover my mouth to stop myself from bursting out after everyone had slowly quieted down.

"Are you finished?" He asked in an agitated tone, which matching perfectly with his grimace, though I could tell that it wasn't directed at me.

"Well, I'm just glad that you get to see how it feels to be exploited of your every thought." Jasper snickered.

"It's not like I choose to!" He whispered menacingly.

Jasper just rolled his eyes. Rosalie joined him.

"I would never do that," I said quietly. Edward looked at me skeptically, but trying to believe it. Alice looked from him to me with an almost knowing look which scared me. Maybe she saw something.

"I, uh, should probably be going now; Charlie's going to be wondering why I wasn't in Bio or Phys Ed," I said, trying to forget about Alice's odd look, rather than contradict myself and invade her mind to see what she saw.

"Can't you just do that swipe out thing?" Emmett intelligently inquired.

"I only use that in emergencies. It's unethical toying with people's minds. And dangerous. If I accidentally took out something important, their lives could be ruined." I gave the same reason I'd been using for myself since I discovered this power.

He raised one eyebrow. "Okay, mother Theresa," he mocked.

I rolled my eyes, but a smile fought its way, lifting up my cheeks in triumph. The whole family was smiling along with me, but one smile seemed to outshine them all.

Although he was resisting it more, Edward's smile was the most beautiful of them all; however restricted he was making it. I felt myself caught up in what I'd been trying to ignore previously. Up until now I'd been doing pretty well in acting indifferent towards him, trying not to show my extra affection for him, for fear he'd think me shallow. But that damned smile got me.

I was right back on the track of how godly his features were, when I noticed them staring straight back at me; those topaz orbs that were dipped in liquid gold, catching me in the act of ogling. I quickly turned away, looking towards Alice for an escape from the curious, tender eyes of the most beautiful person I'd ever seen.

"Why don't I show you the rest of the house; I suspect you'll be over here often." She looked at Edward again, as though passing a message on with her eyes. I wish she'd stop doing that because it's very tempting top just delve in and see what she's telling him for myself. Before I could convince myself to do so though, she had grabbed my wrist and was pulling me up the stairs. I gave one last smile and wave to the six before disappearing around the corner atop the stairs.

"Alice, I really should get home to Charlie." I said as we made our way down the hall.

"No, no. He'll be fine if you just tell him you met a friend and were at their house. As for today, just say that you felt sick and weren't sure where to go. He's going easy on you since it's your first day, but don't let it happen again." It felt as though she were speaking Charlie's exact words. Her voice had gone lower as she said this, but when she continued, it returned to its normal high chimed pitch. "Now, downstairs there's just the living room, which you've seen, and the kitchen, which won't be much use to you, or anyone in this house for that matter." She laughed at her little joke, and I smiled a bit. Though I felt uneasy, knowing that soon, if I truly was going in the direction of something like a vampire, I wouldn't be able to eat human food anymore. And that I would soon, like on the plane coming up here, be attracted to and thrive on blood.

My mind was thinking about how I was going to get that blood when Alice brought me back a cheerier topic; "On this floor is mine and Jasper's room and Rosalie's and Emmett's. Plus Jasper's office and a bathroom, which is again useless to any of us. But its for appearances. Though I doubt anyone would stop here to ask to use the bathroom." This time I did laugh because the thought of anyone having the guts to drive down the long laneway and approach the ghostly mansion deep in the woods is hilarious.

She showed me the rooms and we had made out way to the second floor. Alice was a good person to talk to. I wasn't use to so much conversation but I found that it was strangely easy to keep it up with her and still feel comfortable. Not only had I found somewhere I belong, but also friends in here. Atleast, I think we were friends. But I wasn't that comfortable enough to ask.

The third floor, according to Alice had Esme and Carlisle's room, Carlisle's study and Edward's room. She stopped at the second last door down, which was Carlisle's study. I could hear him tinkering around in there with his books, the pages flipping so fast it was as if he was flipping one of those moving drawing books. Alice didn't deem it necessary to continue because I knew where his room was, but out of all the rooms I'd seen already, it was the one I most wanted to see. We didn't disturb Carlisle and so turned around, regretfully on my part.

What did a Greek god's room look like? I bet it was golden and white, just like his eyes. What kinds of treasures were stowed away in there? Were there any secrets held in there for his eyes only? I cursed the door that blocked my eyes from the contents. My imagination was getting away with me and I'd only just composed myself by the time I hit the first step on the last set of stairs.

"I should really be going now or Charlie may not be so forgiving." I said apologetically. I really was sorry to be leaving; I'd just met the best thing in my whole existence; a whole family just like me. Well, kind of like me.

"Sure, Bella. We understand. You need a ride?" Alice asked.

I only looked at her, the answer clear in my eyes.

"Ha-ha, right. Well, run safe!" She laughed.

I laughed lightly, waving to everyone and saying my farewells as the door was opened and I paused in its door way. With one last lingering gaze to the bronze-haired boy, whose own eyes were fixed on me as well, I took off as fast as I could.

If I was being truthful to myself, I'd have to admit that I was showing off…just a little.

AN: Okay, I didn't put much detail into the rooms because it's in Twilight. I don't know if they're on the same floor I said though, but that's okay. Deal with it. & this is not beta'd because its been way too long since I updated so I'm doing it now & putting the beta'd version up when I get it back later. & I'm one who tends to put words that are off by a letter or two that makes a different word so it confuses people, so just try to improvise with it!