TODAY IS BREAKING DAWN DAY!!

Jonathan decides to join the family, but he has a condition or two.

This is the end of Part 1.

The Cullen Family (+1) Chronicles

Chapter 9

"Jonathan!" I called down the stairs.

"Yes?" his naturally mischievous voice asked as he instantly appeared at my side. I was enjoying his eagerness to please me. After two days of staying with us he had come to grow rather fond of myself, and of course Rosalie.

"Come sit with me, I would like to talk with you for a little while," I asked as I closed my study doors behind us. I could hear the rest of the family already standing on the other side of the doors, listening intently. Jonathan luckily hadn't.

"Have you been enjoying your stay with us?" I asked casually, trying not to make too much eye contact. After two days of observation Edward was almost certain that was how he was using his special skill. When he first told me about it I didn't believe him – although I should have considering Edward could read minds – but as I watched this little boy interact with Esme and Rosalie it became clear that he was getting whatever he wanted.

"Yes Carlisle, I have. Your family is very nice," he added without hesitation.

"Good, I'm pleased. Now I was wondering…" I trailed off, wondering why he suddenly snapped his head forward to stare at me.

"I need to wait for her Carlisle. I need to wait for her. She promised to come back," there was no secret magic in his ruby eyes this time, only pleading. We had made much progress, and they were already a dull red, losing some of their original luster already. This boy could do wonders for our family. He could be the missing link for Rose, and maybe eventually he could look up to Edward, be the brother he never had.

"Jonathan, staying with us would only be temporary. It wouldn't be forever, simply until your mother comes back. We could leave notes for her, telling her exactly where we went." I hope he can't also read minds. "And you are still so young – too young – to be left on your own. We would like to take care of you Jonathan. All of us."

He looked doubtful at my words. "Not everyone."

"What do you mean 'not everyone?'"

He looked sheepishly at me. "Can you keep a secret?" Son, if only you understood what I meant by mind reading.

Could I keep a secret? "Yes." Could I keep everyone else from hearing it in the next thirty seconds? No.

"I don't think Edward wants me to stay."

(((ROSALIE)))

It wasn't until our hands collided that I realized I wasn't the only one smacking the back of Edward's head. Granted, mine was much harder, and I didn't lovingly stroke his hair afterwards, but I think we were both trying to stop the snort that he had let out.

'What? Am I that obvious?' he mouthed.

I wanted to scream at how completely oblivious he was, at how this was a small child that was not on the same intellectual level as us, how he shouldn't be treating such a young boy who was frightened enough so rudely and meanly, and lastly how he should know all of this because he could hear thoughts; but I couldn't, because Carlisle told us to be silent as the grave - one of our favorite expressions - before he closed the doors, and considering the shaky ground I was already on I didn't plan on being the one who broke the rules first.

Esme gave him a reproachful look, clearly disappointed with his attitude, and by the way Edward was twitching I assumed she was giving him more than just a talking to in her head.

I smiled to myself, but I got rid of it the second Esme glared at me, and I was thankful at that moment that I couldn't read her mind.

I heard Carlisle's voice continue through the thick oak door and all of us resumed listening.

"And why do you think this?" he asked nonchalantly enough, but we all knew how curious he was.

"I can tell when I look at him. He doesn't think the way regular people do. He's…different."

Edward froze, boring his eyes into the thick door, and he looked so focused that I thought he might've actually been able to see straight through it. We hadn't mentioned anything about Edward's special ability yet, so it came as a surprise to all of us that Jonathan could tell something was off about him besides the snotty, pompous, all-knowing jerk that he always was –

"Edward isn't used to having other people in the house besides the three of us. But he has told me that he's always wanted a younger brother. If only for a little while," he hastily added. Edward's look turned murderous.

"Really?" came the small and unsure voice.

"Of course – we'd all love to have you with us. Especially Rose…" he added, and I knew that was for my benefit more than Jonathan's. I bet he was smiling right now. He was a cute boy, and I could tell he was infatuated by me, which was naturally to be expected.

Edward turned and gave me an odd look, but I ignored him as usual. What a selfish boy he is not wanting to allow another vampire into our family. He knows how badly Esme wants children, and this one actually is a child.

(((ESME)))

My heart went out to that little boy. He must be so scared, so frightened by all that has happened to him in the past week. Carlisle knew how badly I had always wanted a large family, and whether or not his mother ever came back I would take excellent care of him regardless. What a poor excuse for a mother she must be, abandoning her child after he turns into a vampire! How reckless. What this boy needed was a family, and I would do everything I could to give that to him.

"So is it settled then? Will you come with us? It would mean the world to us if you did. Especially to Esme." There was no doubt in my mind that Carlisle was the most wonderful husband a woman could ever be blessed to have. He always knew the right words to say and the right time to use them. And now he was finally forgiven for destroying my house.

(((JONATHAN)))

It was very nice of Carlisle to want me to stay with him and his family. But I didn't want him to think it would be forever, because it wouldn't be. And I still didn't think that Edward wanted a younger brother. He was always staring and looking at me funny, and he didn't talk a lot, even with the others.

"Yes, I think I would like to go with you." I thought I heard a noise from behind the door but it stopped.

"Excellent Jonathan, let's call the others –"

"Wait." I needed to ask one more question. Carlisle looked confused at me, and I think sad too, but not much. "Can you make sure only my mother can find me?"

"Why do you say that?" he asked me, and he sat back down and stared at me. I wished he wouldn't stare at me so much, and he looked away. "Is there someone else who might be looking for you?"

Carlisle was a very smart man. He didn't sound like most adults when they guessed the right answer; usually they made you feel stupid because they acted smarter than you, but he didn't. He made me feel like I could tell him my secrets and he would understand - not get angry - and I liked that.

"Yes; there was a vampire man with my mother. He made her get sick, and then she turned into a vampire." The words felt good to say, because they didn't feel so deep inside of me anymore, and it made my stomach feel better.

"What happened after that?" he asked me, but he made it sound like I didn't have to answer if I didn't want to, even though I did, and he knew that.

"She stayed in her room for three days, and when she came out, she looked different, and then I tried to get away, but he threw me into the wall, and then Mommy picked me up and bit my neck, and it hurt so bad, and I wanted her to stop the pain that made all of my skin burn so badly, but she just sat and looked at me. Then he came back and put Mrs. Winston on the floor, and then he took Mommy away. Cedric said she didn't need me because he was all she needed, and then they left, but she came back and told me to wait for her."

"We will protect you, Jonathan, don't worry about that part. Do you know how old I am?" he asked me, and I shook my head because I didn't. He waited and I think he wanted me to guess, so I said twenty.

He chuckled and said something about how many times he's heard that before. I was sure this time I heard a noise behind the door. "I am almost three hundred years old Jonathan," and he laughed even louder when I dropped my mouth open. "There's not much I haven't dealt with before, and there is certainly not much that can scare me." When he said that I didn't doubt him.

"Now Jonathan, would you mind waiting outside for a few moments please? I need to talk with the rest of our family."

He said the "rest of our family". I left the ancient model-looking-vampire-man with a big white grin sitting on the couch beside me, but before I could even put my hand on the doorknob there were two tall bodies scooping me up for a hug that I think might've killed a regular human. Either that or their long and beautiful hair might've made a human choke to death from no air because it smelled so delicious. I didn't even push Esme away, because Carlisle had told me how excited she was, and if it had been my Mother I wouldn't want someone else to treat her like that. But she still looked too much like her –

And then I felt a pat on the back, but it wasn't from Carlisle; it was from the other boy who had been ignoring me ever since I tried to make him hurt himself. He never looked at me either, which made me feel even weirder. But this time Edward gave me a funny-looking smile that was crooked on his face, and then he looked away and went to sit next to Carlisle.

So PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK about the first part in the Cullen Chronicles...AKA REVIEW pour moi mes amis! Now the Cullens get to have their southern experience, and meet Emmett! HOORAY :D