Chapter 11

In an effort to move forward I asked if Carlisle wanted to know anything about my research, he dived in with questions.

The first few questions were of interest to all but he kept going until even the most hardy listener without medical knowledge was getting bored. Emmett found the games systems ages ago.

I asked Jasper to get my laptop out of my truck. Rose perked up when she found out it was mine, asking all the specs. and if she could have a drive. Fortunately Jasper saved me with a rapid return with the laptop. Five minutes spent getting past my security systems and I left Dr Cullen, mmm, is it a requirement for vampires to have duel personalities... back to the point... I left Dr Cullen with all my research and findings on vampire scent and venom. Even at vampire speed he will be reading for most of a day!

Peter took his chance, "Emmett, I bet you can't beat Bella in a wrestling match."

And so the stage was set for the freaky knowledge of what was to come.

Emmett can't seem to turn down a bet if his life depends on it. Add his 'awesome strength' as a feature in his favour and you have guaranteed his participation.

We went out the back in an effort to keep the house and the cars out of the fray.

Emmett's fighting style is completely different to Peter's. Peter is sneaky and tries to catch you off guard, he doesn't use the obvious attack. Emmett is best described as a bull in a china shop, he just puts his head down and charges. It was almost too easy, but I dare not upset Emmett any further by telling him that.

Emmett was now sulking after I pinned him eight times in a row and he never got close.

Peter threw in his line as expected, "The only reason she can beat Emmett is I trained her to fight!"

Charlotte and Jasper ended up in another giggle attack remebering the outcome of the fight between Peter and I. It took a while for Emmett to calm them enough to find out the reason for the giggles. Getting a relaxed empath out of the giggles when there is someone else there to feed them more emotion is a nightmare. You get one of them to stop, one starts snickering again and they both break down yet again.

Emmett stood cursing at Charlotte trying to find out what was so funny. She managed to explain some before Peter felt sorry for her and grudgingly filled Emmett in on the rest of the story. Emmett's bad mood evaporated immediately. Peter stormed off as Emmett started with the giggles and I gave the three of them up as a lost cause.

I spent a few hours catching up with Esme, it was so nice having someone to talk to where I don't have to withhold. I see her far less as a mother figure more of a friend, I suppose I've caught up in years so it's more understandable. After the debate earlier with Carlisle he feels more like a work colleague or in this case a student – ouch!

Emmett likes to claim big brother status but I was older when I finally turned so I'll have to give him some stick as a kid brother instead! Apart from our wrestling match I haven't spent much time with him yet. I hope I can reaffirm our bond.

Rose hated me, or at least my choices, before. I still saw her as family; the aloof big sister that pretends you didn't exist. She can only go up in my opinion from there.

Peter and Charlotte feel like family already but even closer than I ever was with any of the Cullen's. I feel comfortable with them, even more at ease than I ever did with the Cullen's. I'm not sure if it has more to do with my feelings of inadequacy before, lingering feelings due to my history with the Cullen's or Peter and Charlotte just they get who I am now. I think the Cullen's still expect me to be the insecure teenager I used to be, vampires may not change often but humans can and do, I went through more than most, it leaves a mark.

Now Jasper, I never really knew him before so I don't lump him in with the Cullen's. 'They' always kept us apart as he was too dangerous. Phoenix was the only place we spent any time in close proximity. I saw him more of a mysterious protector rather than family. During the day that he has been back in my life I feel relaxed and comfortable with him and we can talk so definitely a friend but brother doesn't fit the bill, I'll have to see.

Night was falling again and this time there are three couples in the house. As they started turning in Jasper gave me a look of horror, "Can we get out of here, quickly, PLEASE!"

I needed no more asking. This time I ran with him, curbing my speed to run together.

We got back to my place.

I checked and Charlie had replied. He had a list of worries and concerns. His worst fear had come to pass but I seem to be dealing with it better than anyone could have dreamt. The Cullen's coming back in my life had thrown him but I sent him reassurance the trouble makers weren't here and the rest had been lied too, much as I had been. Sam wanted regular updates but overall he was relieved. I wasn't alone and had support of yellow eyes, so I would get my diet right. I had been worried about the treaty with Jasper biting me but Sam assured me, that in these circumstances, they would get a free pass. I think they all felt absolved of responsibility for me since I was with 'my kind' now, ones they grudgingly respected.

Jasper and I spent the night discussing books. I got a chess board out and we played while we talked. Since I had read his entire library in Forks we had plenty of common ground! I apologised for intruding in his space but he told me I was welcome any time.

The morning sun alerted us to the fact we had talked the entire night away without even realising. I felt a pang of disappointment that our time was up.

My throat felt like I was starting with a cold, you know that itch that isn't really irritating yet but the fact you can't scratch it makes it play more on your mind. I decided I needed to hunt.

A very formal Jasper requested to accompany me. Trying very hard not to laugh I did my best southern belle impersonation to accept!

I targeted Bambi this time, the smallest male in the herd. I felt pleasantly full this time. Much better.

Jasper took two down, how he can stomach that much blood in one sitting, eww, it turns my stomach.

The conversation on the way back was shock about the quantity of blood consumed by the other. We were still on the same subject as we entered the house to a full audience. We each tried to debate our side but they were all too busy laughing at the polite manner in which we argued!

Jasper got drawn into a discussion with Carlisle about when he and Alice disagreed. If he didn't cave under with the 'but I have seen...' excuse she flew into a ball of rage, fireworks ensued until Jasper relented and allowed her to have her way. Jasper used the giggle attack the previous day as the reason he hated emotions getting too strong, he had two choices shut down as far as he could from any feelings or deal with the deluge from others and have all rational reason disappear as the emotions just feed. In a volatile emotional climate Jasper finds it far harder to hold his ground and not get sucked into the vortex.

After all those years with Maria living with rage, anger, fear, hate and all the dark, soul draining emotions, all sucking him under he found Alice's hyper enthusiasm and energy a ladder of positive emotion to climb out of the mire he lived for so long. As the years went by the extremes of emotion made him feel like a yo-yo bouncing up and down but rarely finding the balance he craved. He found himself doing anything to climb out onto steady ground just to find peace. He either went with the flow or had to shut down any emotion. As I learnt from my zombie phase that isn't a good option either.

I was drawn into discussion with Esme who pointed out I never argued with Edward and as I told her it was pointless arguing with him, he just ignored my opinion and did his own way. My biggest gripe was he didn't tell me what was going off most of the time just expected me to do as he decided. Even when I did get the chance to make my opinion known he would make me feel inferior. I enjoyed having someone to talk to that actually listened and respected my point of view even if it differed from theirs, you can still agree to disagree.

We both maintained we weren't arguing we were both just surprised at the differences and we were discussing them.

Emmett had to throw in his two-penn'orth in (blame Carlisle for that old saying he still comes out with that instead of cents and it stuck with all the family, must be his age!), that half the fun of an argument was the make up sex afterwards.

Well, that killed that discussion! Rose made sure of that by arguing with Emmett over it, well Emmett's point was proved in their case, quite quickly!

A/N

Just a few little tweaks to this chapter and chapter 9 for Bell 1. I hope it reads better now!

:)-J