Cora shuffled out of the room and down the stairs into the den where she was greeted by a soothing voice

"How'd it go?"

"As if you don't already know," Cora smirked, settling down on the couch and under Jasper's arm.

"I only heard what you wanted me to hear." He said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Cora sighed deeply and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I wanted to hear all of it but I've never known how to bring it up...my living life was a tragedy to say the least but who's isn't?" She said with an eye roll. She had been alive long enough, she had put all of that behind her.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm grateful Daniel found you. I don't know what I'd be without you." Cora smiled and snuggled deeper into his arm.

"Have you talked with the pack?" He nodded and rested his other arm around the back of the couch.

"Sam and I are scheduling a time after graduation."

"Shit!" Cora shouted, clasping her hand to her mouth and peering up at Jasper.

"I completely forgot about that. Oh, God." She groaned, knowing she would have to help Alice set up everything for the festivities after the fact. Jasper chuckled into her hair and pressed a kiss to her head.

"It'll be fun." Jasper muttered

"Oh yes, another graduation from another high school, a joy." Will butted in as he plopped down on the other side of the couch with Alice in tow. It was odd...all of them together. It was only months prior that they were fighting and testing the waters of what these confusing feelings were that they had towards one another. Alice sighed and lightly smacked Will's upper arm before snuggling underneath it.

"It will be fun! Despite the invitees, I didn't approve." She said with a frown towards Cora who shifted uncomfortably.

"You didn't." Will said pointedly and Cora avoided eye contact with her sibling as well as Alice and Jasper.

"She did." Alice said, crossing her arms. She felt Jasper tense up next to her and she groaned.

"You can't expect me to just not invite him. That's asinine!" She exclaimed and Jasper shook his head with a frown.

"I'm not worried about that dog. Invite who you want." He said, avoiding her eyes. She hated this macho facade. It made her uneasy.

"You all look so adorable! Goodness, where's the camera."

"You have to be shitting me ma." Sebastian groaned as Kiera adjusted his tassel.

"Isn't it a little redundant to take pictures of our...what? How many high school graduations does this make?" Will asked as he threw an arm around Cora to pull her in for a picture.

"If I knew, I'd tell you. I've lost count." She grumbled as Carina returned with Esme to the Cullen foyer.

"Well this time is extra special and you two of all people should know why. Brats." Carina muttered as she continued in her mom mode to get as many pictures as possible.

"Come on kitten, smile. You love graduation!" Daniel said, crossing his arms as he and Carlisle entered the room. He was right, his oldest did enjoy graduation but she was so anxious for tonight that she wasn't feeling very cheery.

"Next time, I'm going to be valedictorian. I'm not kidding." She said and Daniel held his hands up in defense.

"It's been long enough since the last one, I think that'd be just fine in a few years." He winked and Cora settled next to her siblings as Carina clicked away.

"Alright now Alice get next to Will, I want to get a few pictures on the steps." Cora let out a deep sigh of relief but unfortunately, her mother caught it.

"Ah! Don't you even think of going anywhere, missy. I want you and Jasper on the balcony in the kitchen next!"

"Yes ma'am." came her Texan and Cora turned to face him, a frown on her face.

"Don't encourage her." She smirked, taking that hand he had out for her and allowing him to pull her into his chest.

"Oh come on, it's fun. You look so cute." He said capturing her chin with his thumb and forefinger and bringing her lips to his.

"Come on love birds! You're next!" Carina called just as his lips ghosted hers, making Cora groan.

"Mood killer." She huffed, clicking her way towards the kitchen and to the open balcony. Jasper wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her close to his side and she placed a hand on his chest as they smiled and Carina clicked away. She got a lot of joy out of the motherly things that normal people did.

"Now how about-" Carina was cut short as the smell of wet dog approached the house and she smiled at her daughter.

"Perfect! Paul must be here. That boy is so punctual." She said and rushed out of the room to get the wolf, no doubt.

"I had absolutely nothing to do with this-" Cora began to protest but Jasper shrugged with a chuckle, bringing her closer.

"I know. It's because I invited him." Cora's jaw dropped and she pushed back a bit on Jasper's chest.

"You did not!"

"Yes, I did. I know how him being around makes you feel. What kind of mate would I be if you spent your graduation day without him?" He was ever so chivalrous.

"You just want to get laid later." Cora smirked, pecking his lips. Jasper turned bashful at her words as she squeezed his hands before heading for the door where she heard her mother's voice chatting away with Paul. Every time she saw him, Cora had to admit, he took her breath away. Seeing him smile through the intense smell of vampire as he spoke with Carina made her heart swell and seeing him in jeans and a button-down. His face lit up at the sight of the small vampire who immediately jumped into his arms, eliciting a groan from Sebastian in disgust who was silenced by Kiera.

"Hey angel, long time, no see." He muttered into her hair as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Alright you two can catch up later tonight, get together, come on." Carina barked, motioning with her hand for Cora to get closer. She could almost feel Jasper's eyes stare a hole into her as Paul's hand held her loosely above her ass, threatening to slip at any moment.

"Show me the love." Carina said as she looked into the camera and clicked away just as Cora looked up at Paul who was smiling down at her.

"You look great."

"I'm in a horrid shade of yellow. Stop lying to make me feel better." She chuckled, bumping her hip into his.

"Right. It has nothing to do with.." He trailed off as Jasper approached, keys in hand.

"It's getting a bit late, we should all probably head out." He said with a nod in Paul's direction. Paul frowned for a moment then went back to beaming down at his imprint.

"He's right. I'll see you later tonight." He said, kissing her forehead before heading off out the front. He was gone as quick as he came and it almost hurt Cora's heart.

"You ready, darlin?" He asked, pulling her to him. Cora smiled and pecked his lips before snagging the keys to Emmett's jeep.

"Absolutely."

Cora's eyes wandered around the house. It had taken hours, even with vampire speed, to decorate the entire house for the senior class of Forks High. It was immaculate, like everything Alice did was and it looked beautiful. She glanced about at all the humans in the house, keeping a close eye on Jasper who was content with the conversation he was having with Will in the hall, away from all the commotion.

"Did you even hear a word I said?" Kiera asked with a groan. Cora snapped back to her reality and shook her head sheepishly at her sister.

"I was just saying that Jessi- Oh Hey!" Kiera greeted as Jessica came over to speak to the women.

"Hey!" She greeted the two vampires with a hug.

"Hey, uh, great speech." Cora stammered as wet dog smell engulfed the home.

"You think so? Ohmygosh, thank God because I..." Jessica trailed off as her eyes glanced over Cora's shoulder causing the vampire to turn and see Paul.

"Wow...La Push boys are a different breed am I right?" Jessica chuckled and Kiera indulged her with a laugh.

"You have no idea." Cora grinned with a knowing look to her sister who chuckled.

"Oh, there's Will! I'll see you guys around." Jessica said before scampering off. Cora crossed her arms, as did her sister as they gazed on at the small human that came between their brother and Cora's mate.

"I'm gonna tell her." Kiera said with a smirk and Cora laughed as Alice appeared out of nowhere, sneaking her arm over and around Jasper's shoulders and snaking her way onto Will'd lap.

"I don't think that'll be necessary." Cora chuckled as she caught eyes with the uncomfortable shifter. She reached out and took his hand, dragging him up the steps to the second floor balcony that overlooked the forest.

"Thanks...I'm kind of out of my element here." He chuckled, leaning back on the rail.

"You? Come on. Forks girls were practically drooling the moment you walked in." She teased, leaning against the rail next to him.

"Yeah well there's only one girl whose attention I want. " He said with his signature smirk.

"Well you have it." She said with a laugh. She liked testing the waters around him but it was starting to feel more and more wrong since she had promised herself to Jasper as a mate.

"Which reminds me..." He trailed off, digging into his pocket to fish out something.

"Close your eyes, I didn't have a chance to wrap it." He commanded and Cora put her hands over her eyes, chuckling as Paul turned her around and swept some of her hair from her neck, allowing something hot to settle on her clavicle.

"Okay, look." She grasped the metal that was in his pocket that was now around her neck and looked down.

"It's just like your tattoo." She smiled and he nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I wasn't sure on what route to go and I figured this way...this way you have a piece of me everywhere you go." Cora smiled and wrapped her hands around his neck, holding him close and soaking in his warmth.

"I love it. It's perfect." She smiled, pecking his cheek.

"I hate to interrupt..." Cora turned to the glass door to see Jasper in his purple dress shirt which had a few buttons undone from the night.

"Of course you do..." Paul muttered under his breath. Cora felt the air around her get hotter and she reached out to squeeze Paul's arm.

"But I'd love to steal you for a dance." Cora raised her eyebrows.

"A dance? My goodness." She laughed, taking Jasper's arm and entering the house that blared some slow romantic song.

"You could be a bit nicer to him." Cora mentioned.

"I am nice to him." Jasper mumbled with a smirk which quickly disappeared as he saw Alice and Will lost in their own world. Cora did her best to walk over to them as quickly as humanly possible to wrap her arm around Will's wrist to get his attention.

"What is it?" Jasper asked, looking between the two as they held hands.

"We aren't going to Seattle..." Alice said, snapping out of it and looking to Will.

"They're coming here." He finished sullenly. Cora took a deep breath and processed the information before looking to Jasper.

"I'll get the pack, you-"

"Get Bella and the others." He confirmed, going straight into military mode as he quickly kissed her forehead as they rounded up their troops.