A/N: Hello again! It hasn't been that long since the last update (I know, I'm shocked too) and I'm glad to get this one out to you. It is definitely a longer chapter, hopefully to make up for some of the shorter ones I've posted, so I hope you enjoy!

Just note that I had take some liberty with the canon on this chapter, in terms of that I didn't automatically assume everything from New Moon transferred to the L&D story. I work to keep the story canon as much as possible, and the only liberties I take are intended for the betterment of the story! Please let me know what you think!

Chapter 18: Normalcy

"Carine said you need to get up now if you don't want cold breakfast," Jessamine said, peeking in from the hallway. Edythe was still in her pajamas, wrapped comfortably in her blankets. She was unwilling to leave the warm confines of her bed, especially since it was considerably earlier than she had woken up in the past couple of months.

It was the first day of Edythe's final senior year; she didn't know how she felt about it. She had gone through high school thirteen times over the past century, and a part of her was happy to be done with it for good. But it only reminded her of dissimilarity of who she was then versus now. Though her siblings said she was lucky she never had to go through it again, she took extra pause; it was a more obvious indication that life, her life, was moving forward, and she could never go back now. Though she was happy and excited for the future ahead of her, part of her wished for it to stay the same.

Now, she made a face at her sister before reluctantly dragging the blankets back from her body and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed her soft navy blue robe and slung it around her body as she moved toward the door, following Jessamine downstairs to the kitchen; the vampire moved at barely human speed to ensure she was actually coming.

When Edythe arrived in the kitchen, there was already a plate made up for her, filled with sausage and eggs. Earnest was at the porcelain farmhouse sink, scrubbing out the grease from the pan; she came over and reached up to peck him on the cheek in thanks before moving to her seat at the breakfast bar across from him. She dug in immediately, her stomach egging her on with its complaints. As she ate, Earnest and she chatted absently; it was how she spent most of her mornings, though usually a couple of hours later in the day.

Jessamine and Archie had left on a day hunt just as she had come downstairs, and Royal and Eleanor were vacationing in Africa. Edythe knew she was part of the reason her siblings had chosen to leave for two weeks, and she felt equal amounts regret and annoyance. In the six weeks since returning home, she had seen Royal only twice, once at the game a couple weeks before, and once as he and El had made to depart. She understood his reluctance to address her change, and had worked to be accommodating, but the old annoyance at her brother was starting to boil to the surface.

So his absence did not bother her as much as El's did. She missed her big sister; she had never taken life too seriously, and even though it had been weeks, the family was still on edge about the warning Edric had left them with. She knew they still watched her when they thought she wasn't looking, but the gazes were less intense and less frequent. But they never stopped; she wondered how long it would take for them to give up, to accept Edric's words as false and embellished. Eleanor had been the least concerned, trusting Edythe when she said she was fine. And so her presence was comforting, and normal. She and Royal would be returning Friday, so there was only three days to go.

Carine entered the kitchen just as Edythe was scraping up the last of the eggs. She touched the side of Edythe's face lightly, her face content to see Edythe eating so veraciously. Carine was still concerned about Edythe's weight; though she had been far from frugal with her eating, and with all the extra fatty foods that Earnest and her children had been feeding the human, she had barely gained five pounds. Carine hoped to have at least another five on her before school started, but she tried to make peace with the fact that this was the only health issue she had noticed, and Edythe ate more than enough to assuage her mother's fears.

"Have a good first day," Carine said; Edythe smiled and nodded, though slightly uneasy. They all were braced for the questions, the concerns from the student populace to explain Edythe's completely different demeanor and look. They had fabricated all different reasons and had decided on the least obtrusive; regardless, the scrutiny would not last forever and there was only a couple more months until the move was finalized, assuming the early decision applications went in Edythe and Beau's favor.

Carine kissed Edythe's temple lightly in encouragement before stepping away for her to go and get dressed, kissing Earnest in goodbye before she left for her shift at the hospital. Edythe moved through her daily routine automatically, finding solace in the simple daily tasks of washing her face and brushing her teeth. She chose the default deep blue jeans paired with a cream long-sleeve cardigan; slinging her bag over her shoulder, she descended the stairs, pausing to say goodbye to Earnest before moving to the garage to grab her car.

The drive to Beau's was familiar and she felt an odd sense of deja vu as she pulled into Charlie's spot in the small driveway. Beau immediately came out of the house, dropping into the passenger seat easily and leaning over to kiss her. She returned the gesture in kind, unable to keep her lips from turning up in a smile as they always did when she was around him.

"Good morning," he said as he pulled away and she started up the car.

"Early morning," she responded with a tiny bit of resentment. He laughed lightly; he always found her lack of enthusiasm about mornings amusing. They didn't speak during the short drive; they were with each other so much there was no need to catch up on the mere hours in-between. And the silence was comfortable, at least until Edythe had pulled into the familiar school parking lot. As she turned the engine off, her eyes shifted out the windshield, the uneasiness coming to the surface again.

This day had been one they had been planning for and anticipating, and she had felt ready to join the human school populace, but she suddenly felt the urge to drive home, to come up with some excuse. She was not only scared for the strange looks she would undoubtedly get—a fact she never cared about before—but she feared her ability to blend in. She had never had to interact with many humans before since becoming one; only Beau and Charlie had really seen her since her transformation. She didn't know if she could do this effectively; she recalled this exact feeling she felt in the first days of her newly mortal life, how every step she felt she would screw something up. She hated that feeling then, and she hated it now.

Edythe hadn't realized Beau was out of the car until her door opened; she jumped and looked at the hand he offered her. She looked up to meet his gaze, encouraging as always. She took his hand hesitantly and exited the car, staying close beside him as they walked onto campus.

She was the only Cullen to return to school this year; all her other siblings had graduated the previous June and, as such, she would be alone. The Cullens determined this was actually beneficial for them, as it was more difficult for people to spot the differences between her and her siblings if they didn't have them side by side to reference. And Edythe had agreed in the moment, but she still felt unsure; she wished fleetingly for one of her brothers or sisters to be here with her and Beau, at least for this first day.

A familiar buzzing in her back pocket allowed her to glance at her phone.

You'll be fine, Edy. Go kill it; not literally though.

Edythe smiled halfheartedly at Archie's text, replacing her phone as Beau lead them to their first class. Archie had been nice enough to put in some extra work so that she and Beau ended up having all but one class together, Gym, something Beau was thankful for. Edythe thought it silly, but had acquiesced, content to have every other class with Beau besides her. They entered the Physics classroom with the rest of the crowd, avoiding anyone's eyes as they made their way to their seats. The first bell hadn't rung, so they were one of the first people to enter. They took a pair of seats at a lab table closer to the back of the class and settled down. Beau turned in his seat to look at her, still holding her hand.

"It's going to be alright," he promised. She smiled, touched by the gesture though they both knew he couldn't guarantee that. As she nodded, she turned as she heard more students enter. Becca Cheney and Allen Weber came in hand-in-hand and, noticing her and Beau, immediately came to sit by them. As each of them took in Edythe, there was only a slight pause in their step, and Edythe felt a wave of frustration that she couldn't read the meanings behind that misstep, to know exactly what they had noticed. She worked to keep the tension out of her expression as the couple took the lab table in front of them.

"Hey Beau; hey Edythe," Becca greeted them. "How was your guys' summer?"

"Boring, relaxing," Beau responded. "How about yours?" That gave Allen the leeway to talk about all the conventions Becca and he had gone to together; Beau asked for details, which they were only too happy to provide. Edythe could see what he was doing and she eventually fell into step, striking up and maintaining the conversation up until the late bell had rung and the class was full.

As class begun and the room filled, she was able to see if there were any curious eyes; and there were, but they were fleeting and couldn't be maintained with her position at the back of the classroom. Any new curiosity would be directed impacted by Edythe's change, as her and Beau's relationship had long since been old news. She was relieved to see few interrupted sideways glances and found herself relaxing slightly. Of course, Allen and Becca were too polite that, even if they had noticed the difference, they wouldn't have brought it up. But Beau's other friends—namely Jeremy and McKayla—would probably not be so diplomatic.

Edythe was relieved that she and Beau did not share classes with either party the entire morning, a surprising feat considering the small size of the school. While they past through Physics, Calculus, Gym, and Spanish, Edythe focused on the classes more than she had since arriving; she found, to her delight, there was little difference in her comprehensive skills, considering all the material was something she had learned many times. She knew the homework and tests would take her longer now, given her lack of supernatural reading and writing, but she felt content in her ability to understand and recall material learned in her vampiric life.

As they met after Gym, moving toward the cafeteria, Edythe felt on edge once more; Beau's thumb ghosted over the back of her hand as they entered; other than that, he seemed oblivious to the tension she was exhibiting, moving to grab food for both of them and turning toward the tables. Becca and Allen waved them both over to their old table and Beau moved toward them, Edythe following almost reluctantly behind. As she approached, Edythe sat besides Beau across from Allen and Becca, further away from the rest of the group. The students glanced up at their arrival and did a double take when they noticed Edythe. She had never sat with them before, Beau always choosing to sit with the Cullens during their previous school year. But, as she felt the curious, surprised eyes on her, she felt exposed, scrutinized, and refused to meet their gazes. A few minutes of talk commenced before it was brought up, of course by Jeremy.

"Edythe, you look different," he stated simply, bluntly; she met his gaze, forcing her face into a mask of impartial calm. Unlike when they had interacted in Port Angeles, the innate fear and awed response Jeremy had when speaking to her was gone, at least the fear part. Edythe decided to play along as if she were her old self, a vampire, confident in her abilities and in the humans' lack of awareness.

"Meaning what?" she responded, one eyebrow raised. Jeremy seemed to fumble, his eyes casting down for a moment. Beau was giving him a guarded, warning look that he ignored.

"You…changed," Jeremy tried to elaborate. Edythe's eyebrows rose higher.

"Changed?" she prompted. Archie had said this was the best way to get the suspicions under control; make them try to point out the differences. They could hardly say out loud that she had looked scary, or pale, and none of them had ever noticed her eyes color change on a regular basis. So the exact change was not quantifiable in their eyes, and they would let it drop.

"Don't get me wrong; you still look…but different," he said, a little stammered and unsure. Edythe grinned a little.

"I'll take that as a compliment then, Jeremy," she conceded, laughing it off lightly. The other students, who had been listening to the conversation, meaning to be unobtrusive, seemed to relax, and laugh along. The small tension in the air brought on by the unspoken questions evaporated and the talk for the rest of lunch was laid back, casual. Edythe engaged in the conversation as best she could, playing the part now that the worst of the questions seemed to be over. Beau and she walked with Jeremy and Allen to their sixth period Politics class, and there were a few more inquires into their summer stories, but nothing that wasn't difficult to answer. They were both relieved though when they had their final class, English, to themselves.

"That wasn't so bad," Edythe admitted as they made their way to the parking lot after the final bell. Beau grinned, reaching out to wrap his arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side.

"I told you it would be fine," he murmured, kissing her cheek; she giggled, pulling away teasingly.

"You didn't know that for sure," she commented. Beau shrugged, but didn't argue it. Edythe exhaled heavily, feeling lighter than she had in days. The first day was guaranteed to be the hardest, but it had been manageable, partially in due to the fact that humans were easily gullible and couldn't see or quantify what was right in front of them. Whatever the mental block was that plagued them, she was grateful for it.

If every day at school would be like this, she would gladly take it.

"How was it?" Edythe looked up from where she sat on her bed, her fingers pausing on her laptop keys as Carine entered. She sat up straighter and pushed the computer off her lap as the vampire came to sit besides her. Edythe smiled easily.

"Not bad. Many humans still can't see or accept even the biggest changes right in front of them," she said. "There were looks and a few off-questions, but they seemed easily appeased."

"Good," Carine said, nodding. "Sometimes that oblivion is helpful. It helps us a great amount, even before this." Edythe grinned; but her face scrunched up as Carine's expression turned from appeased to careful as she appraised her. Edythe let out a small, aggravated sigh as Carine reached out to ghost across Edythe's face.

"How are you feeling?" Carine's question was not unexpected, and Edythe worked to keep the annoyance out of her expression.

"I'm fine, just like the last dozen times you asked me," she assured her, unable to keep her tone uncolored. Carine ignored it, her mind still caught up in her thoughts.

"That doesn't mean it won't change," she told Edythe, "let me know if you ever feel unwell."

"You know I will, Mom," Edythe told her, her smile breaking through the annoyance as she saw Carine's eyes brighten. She had been more inclined to call Carine and Earnest by their parental titles since her change, not that either of them minded. Though, of course, they were just as much her parents before, it felt natural for the terms to come from her mouth now that they were really assuming the parts entirely.

Carine glanced down at the books strewn across the comforter.

"How are you doing with school work?" she asked; she and Edythe had discussed the possible issues regarding retention now that Edythe no longer had perfect recall and exhaustive mental space. Of course, they all had offered to tutor her and help her if she needed it, but Edythe was ever grateful it wouldn't be necessary. Edythe shook her head, reaching her arms up to stretch.

"Boring," she responded, "The fourteenth time reviewing Physics doesn't make it any less enthusing." Carine smiled at the joke, but was glad to hear Edythe wasn't struggling.

"You'll find yourself less bored once you start delving into the veterinary classes," she reminded her.

"Or just very confused," Edythe countered, shaking her head. Amanda Thompson and she had had a video call a few weeks before, merely as an introduction and to get some basic questions answer. Edythe already felt friendly with her, as Amanda was a very bubbly and optimistic person to be around. She had already promised to have openings available for her and Beau when they arrive in Ithaca, something Edythe was touched by. She had yet to actually step into a veterinary hospital but was excited at the prospect. Despite Beau's relative pessimism, Amanda loved her job and her field, though she did admit it wasn't right for everyone, and Edythe would find out from bring there whether it was right for her.

"Do you know apparently it's normal to have four heart sounds in a horse, but not in a dog?" Edythe inquired. "Or the fact that some human pharmaceuticals do completely different things in animals than in people? And the different vital ranges…" she touched her hand to her temple as she called the headache she had experienced when she decided to search the normal ranges for animals. The range was huge and very dependent on species and their temperament.

"Interesting," Carine mused, "Well, it should make life exciting for you." Edythe laughed as Carine chuckled.

"But you're not having issues remembering the material?" Carine checked. Edythe shook her head.

"No, though I guess the stuff I don't use will eventually be forgotten," she said, with a slight frown. Not she particularly care about being knowledgeable on so many subjects, it was disconcerting to know that the stuff she used to be able to recall perfectly would eventually be forgotten; she wasn't sure she wanted to forget it.

"Nolite ergo solliciti esse; potest usu latine quisquam vos volo," Carine said quickly and laughed. Edythe joined in.

"Quia latina est certus quod ego opus esse fluens in," she responded flippantly. Carine stood then, moving toward the door.

"Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. I'm making amaretto chicken," she said as she glanced back at Edythe before disappearing. Edythe smiled to herself and wondered idly how on Earth she could have gotten so lucky with her parents.

The first week of school was uneventful after that first day; the stares dissipated by the end of the week and Beau and Edythe easily fell in step with their normal routine. Half the time, they spent the afternoons together, studying and finishing homework either at Beau's or the Cullen's house, while the evenings were spent with their families, or vice versa. It was a balance they worked hard to keep between their relationship and their family; though they missed each other in these absences, they were reminded that once they moved, they would be able to spend that much more time together and Beau wanted this time to give his free time to Charlie while he could.

Royal and Eleanor arrived home after school on Friday and Edythe was happy to see them. Eleanor regaled her with talk of the game they had found, but Royal immediately sequestered himself upstairs; Edythe tried to beat down the equal parts anger and rejection as her eyes followed him but she felt the swell of soothing vibes Jessamine sent her way, so she guessed it wasn't that successful.

Beau's birthday was that Sunday, and the Cullens each had tried to convince him to let them celebrate it with him; knowing what their probable definition of 'celebrate' was, Beau declined over and over, assuring them they only needed to be there and it would be more than enough for him. His vehemence, especially against Archie and Edythe, had prompted Carine and Earnest to step in, making sure his wishes were being followed. As a compromise that suited everyone—except maybe Archie—they planned to have a get-together Sunday morning, so Beau could celebrate with Charlie that evening before school.

Allen and Becca had insisted on a group outing as well, both as a tribute to Beau's eighteenth birthday, but also to commemorate surviving the first week of their senior year. Beau had agreed, more for the opportunity to provide more exposure for Edythe than for himself. Jeremy, McKayla, and a few others joined in and they met at the local bowling alley that was situated just north out of Forks' town limits.

The building that housed Bowler Lanes had not been renovated since it had been built and Edythe admitted she felt she was stepping back in time as they got their lanes and shoes. She told Beau she had never been a fan of bowling as a whole, even when it had gained popularity in the fifties, though Archie had forced the entire family out for one evening, 'just to have the experience', as he put it.

"The music was better than the game," Edythe laughed as they finished switching their shoes and selecting balls. They made their way to the two lanes their group occupied, pulled in by the competitive nature of their classmates. Edythe worked diligently to adjust to the act of playing bowling as a human, feeling the initial swell of unease until she was able to settle into the role, physically and emotionally.

The night was fun, the teenagers enjoying their first round of freedom since school had started, ignoring the piles of assignments waiting for them at home, to just enjoy the weekend for the moment. Edythe found herself being able to more easily interact with her peers without needing to think about it, finding that acting human was becoming more natural. They finished their night after three full games, of which she found herself surprised that she was second to Becca in the final round. She and Becca chatted animatedly about some of the more interesting plays, laughing about the lack of physics the balls seemed to have relative to their intents when tossing them, and made their way slowly out of the alley as the workers dully moved about their nightly routine to finish up closing, the clocking baring the late hour.

Becca surprised Edythe once more as they said their goodbyes, Becca wrapping her arm around her for a moment in a farewell hug before she followed Allen to his car. Edythe was smiling as she took Beau's hand, remembering her not-so-innocent and probably very nosy intervention that she had enacted with Eleanor last spring to catalyze Becca and Allen's relationship.

Though Edythe's acting had been intended to be nasty, equivalent of the stuck up, egotistical girl McKayla thought her to be, Becca seemed to realize that the first conversation she'd had with Edythe was only show, as a push in the right direction that had resulted in Allen's affection; she couldn't blame Edythe, and even probably thanked her for the suggestive prod. Edythe was happy the two of them, such uncharacteristically kind and selfless people, could get their happiness, just as she could.

The smile didn't move from Edythe's face as Beau escorted her to his Chevy truck, the first time approaching the vehicle without complaint. Though she hardly drove as extremely as she did before her change, the truck was still far too slow and decrepit for her liking. She had tried to persuade Beau to let her get him a replacement for his birthday, but he shot her down immediately. She was frustrated with the amount of affection he had for the old thing, but didn't push it; she knew better than to take jabs at the truck more than she dared.

She hopped into the passenger seat as Beau moved around the hood and took his place behind the wheel. Before turning on the engine, he leaned over to kiss her, murmuring that he was proud of her for doing this tonight, despite her fear. She responded back enthusiastically and briefly debated on taking a little extra time to get home tonight; they had been unable to relish in each other's bodies as much as they would have liked, too embarassed, rightfully so, to try in a house of vampires with supersonic hearing. The idea crossed Beau's mind as well, but knew the front seat of the cab was hardly the best space; they would need to attempt an excursion in the small interim at Charlie's house between school ending and the Chief of Police returning home.

Beau pulled away and grinned at her disappointed scowl, but she allowed him to turn the engine over and pull out of the now deserted parking lot. He turned left onto the highway that would bring him to the Cullens' house to drop Edythe off, one hand straying from the wheel to hold hers.

"You did amazing tonight," he commented, eyes staying on the road though he could hear the grin in her voice as she responded.

"It felt better, much more so than anything at school so far," she admitted. "I just hope it will become effortless eventually." Beau squeezed her hand.

"It will," he promised her; his eyes glanced over to her side of the cab as he added, "you would never think—"

His words were cut off as there was a loud, unexpected screech and bang of metal, then complete blackness.