Author's Note: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 14

The year was 2003. I had decided to move to Forks, Washington, a small town in the state of Washington. It hardly got any sunshine, and it was cloudy most of the time. Perfect.

I was 91 years old. 91 years since the Titanic sank. And I still did not forget about my human life. I'd hold on to them so long…it was as clear as a day after a rain.

I was planning on attending Forks High School. I had already gotten several degrees in American and World History, not to mention a bachelor in music, and two medical degrees. I decided to start young this time so that I could stay longer in this town. After all, these towns were hard to come by.

I decided to find a place to live after I'd hunted. Forks was a great place. It was cloudy and even drizzling slightly, leaving me with no worries about attracting sparkles on my hard, marble skin.

It was winter once more. I knew the grizzlies would be in hibernation, but it was still early. Perhaps a few would be around.

Sure enough, I smelled big male one about a mile away. My head snapped up, and I ran at full speed. I had no intention of stopping. A quick lunge and bite would have finished my hunt for today. But for the second time, as I leapt for the bear, I bumped into something solid. The echoing sound was loud as thunder. Alas, the timing was right. As the thundering sound echoed, lightning flashed, and another real thunder followed. Interesting.

Like before, I twisted in midair and landed neatly on my feet, growling at the other vampire. He looked familiar. A huge body, strong, and curly hair… He was growling too when he noticed who I was.

We both stared at each other in silence, shocked. Then, I heard the footsteps again. It was déjà vu. Nevertheless, I growled when three vampires burst into the clearing. The curly vampire straightened when his siblings entered.

The bronze-haired one I definitely recognized. His eyes widened too as he recognized me. The other two were unfamiliar. One male, one female. The male was blonde, tall, and muscular like the others. He stood in front of the female protectively. The female was small and petite with spiky black hair and looked like a pixie.

The blonde one growled and got ready to launch. I readied myself also. I knew a fighter when I saw one. Sure enough, he hissed and lunged towards me. I dodged and didn't bother to attack. I merely defended. If he was with the others, I knew that he could be trusted.

"Wait, Jazz!" Emmett Cullen called. "Stop!"

"Jasper!" Edward Cullen shouted. "No! Wait!"

The blonde male, Jasper, did not listen, but merely attacked again and again, surprised that I was still alive. I recognized his strategy. And judging by his numerous scars on his forearms, he had been a fighter during the newborn war in Texas. Luckily, I knew how to avoid his strategy.

I sidestepped easily, throwing my physical shield around him to read his intentions. I was still protected after all. Even with his brothers calling at him to stop, he didn't, and I decided that I was going to make a mistake soon, just defending. I had to play offense now.

His tactics were really quite simple and easy to avoid. I responded more quickly to his attacks now, slowly turning defense to offense. He seemed surprised as he retreated slightly, now playing defense. He growled as I jumped at him. He dodged and I flipped myself in midair, landing a few feet from him.

He launched himself forward again. I played defense again, then changed the mode to offense. I changed the strategy. I was going to beat him at his own game. He was skilled for sure. He had been a soldier even before the newborn battles. He fought well, but he was no match for me.

Hurling myself at him, I hissed and knocked his arm out of the way as he made to grab and crush me. He yelped as I pinned his arm to his sides. But he wasn't a stranger to this trick and he maneuvered out of the way, knocking me out. My shield protected me and he ricocheted backward, while I landed on my feet neatly. He growled in frustration and confusion.

He made to lunge again when Edward and Emmett interfered. Seeing the opportunity, Emmett threw himself at Jasper, knocking him toward the ground. But Emmett couldn't grab Jasper quickly enough to stop him. Jasper dashed toward me and he jumped at me. But Edward was faster.

Reading his intentions a split second beforehand, he positioned himself in front of me and pushed Jasper away. Edward succeeded in holding down his brother until Emmett came over to help. The female dashed over and kneeled by her mate.

"Jazz!" the female said in her high musical voice. "Calm down! It's okay, shh! Stop!"

"Listen, Jasper!" Emmett grunted as he wrestled him. "We know her!"

Jasper stopped struggling. He looked confused now. I straightened.

"Well, what a surprise," I drawled, walking forward and heaving myself up a tree. I nestled comfortably on a thick tree branch, cocking my head at the view.

Edward got up and looked up at me, his face apologetic. "I'm sorry, Bella."

I smirked. "Quite alright. Looks like the soldier there was no match for me though. Let me guess. Civil War? Texas Major? The youngest, I think."

Jasper gaped at me. "How…"

"Oh, I have several degrees in American History," I said casually, jumping down gracefully. "I think there was something about the youngest major in the history of the Confederate Army…"

Jasper got up slowly, brushing his clothes. He and the female looked totally confused while Emmett and Edward smirked.

"You have…golden eyes," the female said in shock. "Edward…what is this? I can't read her future."

"I can't read her mind either, Alice," Edward answered, grinning at me. "She is one of a kind. She has three gifts. Physical and mental shields with a few side effects, and a gift of appearance."

I tilted my head, fascinated by the crescent-shaped scars on Jasper's forearm. "Fascinating. Of course, the newborn battles were before my birth even…but I'd always been fascinated. Tell me, how did you survive the newborns?"

"What?" Jasper breathed. "I don't get it. Edward?"

Emmett laughed his booming laugh. "Wow. I can't believe we meet again, Bella. You look beautiful as always. Where have you been?"

"Oh, here and there," I said airily. "How are you, Emmett? Edward?" I inclined my head towards them. It was a slightly old-fashioned gesture. Old habits died hard.

Edward, the gentleman he was at his time, seemed to have stuck with him. He inclined his head towards me as well, smiling his crooked smile.

"Very well, my lady," he said. "It's nice to see you again, Miss Swan."

I raised my chin, then sighed. "I suppose the world has gotten too modern for old-fashioned gestures, Edward."

He chuckled. "I suppose."

"Huh?" Alice looked mystified. "Would somebody mind explaining?"

"Perhaps I should introduce myself," I said, smiling apologetically. "I am Isabella Swan, preferably Bella. I've met the Cullen family back in…'44, I believe. But it seemed as though two new members have joined since then."

"Yeah," Emmett said. "This is Jasper Whitlock and Alice Cullen. They're mates."

"Thank you, I can see that," I said coolly. "Nice to meet you, Jasper, Alice."

"OH!" Alice said, suddenly jumping and looking excited. "So she's Bella! You told us about her numerous times!"

I blinked, then raised my eyebrows. "What?"

"Yes, this is her," Edward said, rolling her eyes and looking away. "The one Rosalie was always jealous of, the one Emmett was always admiring of, the one Carlisle and Esme was always disappointed of because she didn't stay."

"And the one you were always thinking of?" Jasper added swiftly.

Edward threw him a sharp look. "I was not." I could've swore he would've been blushing, were he still human. He certainly looked embarrassed.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Bullshit, Edward. Don't you dare go against an empath. I know what you felt every time you thought of her."

Emmett and Alice started laughing when Edward scowled. I smiled gently.

"Well, I have no idea what you're all talking about," I said. "But I'm very curious about the Cullens. After all, it's been a few decades."

"Bella!" Alice skipped lightly over to myself. "I can tell we're going to be great friends!"

"How would you know that?" Emmett snorted. "You can't see around her."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I just know it. I can feel it."

I raised my eyebrows, then narrowed my eyes. I stretched my mental shield around her and immediately got a peek at her thoughts and personalities. I smiled slightly.

"Amusing. Were you always this cheerful?" I wondered. "And a psychic, too! Fascinating. Limited, though. The future always changes."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry for bumping into you again, Emmett," I said, ignoring her. "Déjà vu, certainly."

He laughed good-naturedly. "It's fine. Wait till Rosie hears that it happened again!"

"Why don't you come to our home with us, Bella?" Edward suggested. "It seems we have a lot of catching up to do."

I hesitated, then nodded slowly. "All right. Where is it?"

Alice looked surprised. "Why?"

"I need to hunt, after all. And you seem done."

"Oh," Emmett said, realizing that my eyes were totally black now. "We live a little south from here. About five minutes down, then you'll be able to follow our scent in."

I nodded, turning. "See you later then." I dashed off quickly, leaving them slightly bewildered in the forest area.