Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

A quick message from the author

So far, despite many important differences, my little story has remained fairly close to the plot of Twilight.

However, Brandon and Lynn deserve a chance to follow their own path, and make their own destiny. They will visit the Cullens' home and there will be a baseball game…. But beyond that, anything is now possible (within the limits of a Twilight Saga inspired story, of course).

I hope you will stick around to see what our shy human boy and the vampire girl of his dreams make of their newfound freedom, and how they deal with their share of hardship, but one word of warning…. You better buckle up your seatbelts; it will be quite a ride.

Chapter 19 – A Brand New Day

I wake up slowly, groggily. I vaguely remember having one of my best dreams ever; Lynn and I were here, together, and we declared our love for each other. I roll over and squeeze my eyes shut; reality can only be a huge letdown compared to that and I can tell I'm alone in bed, as usual. I sigh.

But really, how could any of my recent memories be possible? The way I remember it, I'm only alive because a vampire saved my life. That same vampire is now my girlfriend and she's the smartest, most beautiful girl I've ever met. That last part alone makes no sense. That she's my girlfriend, I mean. My only strength is my stubbornness but I'm not even sure it's a good thing…. If I were to tell anybody what I think happened I'd just end up in a padded room locked from the outside.

And yet, as I think about it, and as improbable as it may seem, it all felt so real. We met in Port Angeles, and after that we were spending time together in school. She picked me up every morning and she seemed to need my company as much as I need hers. And then we had a first date that was full of revelations, maybe even shared miracles. That seems like an awfully long dream.

The voices that usually inhabit the stream of consciousness in my head decide to have a little meeting, not only to determine whether all that really happened but also to discuss whether I would be worthy of the love of such a perfect, although often lonely, creature.

Loser-Brandon insists it was all a sick fantasy and that someone like Lynn would never look at me twice. Responsible-Brandon is the usual stick-in-the-mud and he patiently explains that werewolves and vampires belong in fairy-tales so I should worry about my studies instead. Bookworm-Brandon thinks a good novel, preferably not about vampires, will help me forget all this madness, and good-son-Brandon adds that even if all that stuff actually happened my parents wouldn't be too thrilled to learn that I'm dating a member of a different species, especially one that happens to feed on blood. Musician-Brandon and soccer-player-Brandon are moping around and mumbling curses I won't repeat; they have been feeling neglected lately. Hiker Brandon can't wait to go on a new adventure, next to Lynn if possible, so I know where he stands. Hot-tempered Brandon is currently on vacation, inert, waiting for a trigger to set him off. Gloomy-Brandon doesn't believe in romance and recommends, instead, a good spell of brooding and gazing at mist-shrouded moors since happiness is just an ephemeral illusion anyways.

But I also hear another voice, one that has only started expressing its opinions in the last few days. I don't have a name for it yet, but it's growing louder and it has something to say to me now.

Brandon, he intones, you've been marooned in this escapist, self-deprecating rut long enough. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life hiding in your bed, or in your dreadful routines, like a sniveling coward? This is a brand new day buddy; get up and face all it has to offer like a man.

I think he has a point.

I open my eyes, sit up and look around. The bed is as devoid of females of any race, as I expected, but Lynn is sitting in my chair, watching me. When she sees me open my eyes she gifts me a dazzling 'good morning' smile. I jump out of the covers while she stands up and comes to me. We meet in the center of the room and I'm hugging her before I realize it might not be a good idea. Memories of how I surprised her in the meadow make me hesitate in mid-hug and I wonder whether I'm being careless.

"Oopsie." I mutter, my voice still thick with sleep.

She looks up at me, laughs a little and then rests her head against my chest, relaxed and content. My worries were unfounded but….

"Lynn, a minute ago I was thinking I wish I could be sure…." I say carefully, trying to clear my voice and my head.

"Sure of what?" she asks, concerned.

"That this is really not a dream."

She barks a short, hard laugh.

"You're impossible, you know that? How many times do you have to ask me that? What can't you believe about all this?" She looks exasperated, but also entertained by my antics.

I look at the beautiful woman in my arms, feel her body press against mine, and inhale her heady scent. Yup, as real as real can be.

This is also a brand new life, says the new voice in my head, so what are you going to do with it?

"No, it's okay Lynn. I know, now, that you're really here. But there is something else I needed to tell you…"

She looks at me, still a little bemused but now also curious.

I run my hand through the bronze waves of her hair and gaze into the bottomless depths of her eyes.

"I love you." I whisper.

"I love you too." She replies.

We kiss and the world vanishes for a brief spell.

"But Brandon," she asks, grinning from ear to ear. "Are you happy to see me or is that a wooden stake in your pocket?"

My cheeks turn magenta when I recognize the meaning of her riff on an old-style joke.

"Actually, neither." I stutter. "It's just a natural early morning occurrence for males. I'll need a few human minutes again."

She laughs and tells me to go right ahead.

I need to go to the washroom, but I should also pick some clothes. Today I'll be visiting my girlfriend's vampire family… What are you supposed to wear for that? I don't have a clue, so I just grab a pair of dark blue chinos and a long sleeved top. I'll add a shirt later. After taking care of some morning business, including a shave and getting changed, I return to the bedroom combing my hair with my hand.

I notice her clothes are different from yesterday. Now she's wearing navy blue slacks and a dark top. A burgundy leather jacket is draped over the chair.

"You went home." I say in an accusing tone accompanied by a chilly glare.

"Just for a short time. I was here most of the night. I thought I might meet your father again and it would look strange if I were still wearing the same clothes. I'm not human but I know how to pretend to be. Not that I really care about my looks that much. In my family, only Alice is really into fashion. She designs all our outfits actually. We tell her our tastes and she makes sure we dress in an understated but still elegant manner. We are like her dolls… It makes her happy."

"My father…. is he in?"

"No, he woke up early. He was in his uniform so I guess he went to work. He left you a message, something about making sure you're back in time to make dinner. After he took off I moved my car next to your curb." She chuckles, probably imagining me slaving away in the kitchen, chained to the stove.

"Speaking of human stuff," I tell her after a brief but still breathtaking kiss, "I'm hungry. Let's go downstairs."

"Okay." She grins and immediately loads me onto her shoulder in fireman carry, bringing me to the dining table so quickly I can barely gasp. She sets me down on a chair, laughing at my befuddled expression.

I grimace and go for a chiding tone of voice.

"You know, Lynn, dating a vampire is emasculating enough. Let's try to keep the 'carrying' stuff to a minimum, shall we?" She laughs some more.

I get up and forage for my own food, as I usually do. More toast and cereal from the cupboards and milk from the fridge.

"I'm sorry but I'm temporarily out of mountain lions and bears, Lynn. I'll make sure to add some to our shopping list before your next visit." I tell her while attempting my own version of an impish smile. "I'd offer you some of my blood to tide you over, but if I understood what you told me correctly then I'd turn into a vampire, right?"

Her mood darkens.

"Yes. Please, let's not talk about this now…."

"I was just kidding." I look at her. I think she knows something she doesn't want to tell me. Alice can see the future…..

"It wasn't funny…"

"It was and you know it. When are we going to your place?"

"I told my family we'll be there in the afternoon. Your dad will be back at one. It's in his note. Maybe we should wait for him and show him we are conscientiously doing our homework before we head out."

"Hmmm, well, not exactly what I had in mind for this morning, but I'm a little behind with school work; the last couple of days have been pretty hectic." I wink at her and we share another chuckle. "Sure, as long as we are together it's fine. I bet you studied this stuff many times."

She blinks and smiles wryly.

"You can't imagine. We are all sick of high school, but the younger we pretend to be when we go to a new place, the longer we can stay. Among other things, I have two doctorates in medicine and I can speak seven languages. Our classes are so boring for me… No… to be precise they used to be really boring. Since you came to Forks my entire world has turned to chaos and mayhem…. After weeks full of agonizing doubts and uncertainties it will be fun to just help you study."

"Let's do it."

I read a few chapters of the French book at first, with Lynn coming to my rescue when I bump into words I'm not familiar with, and then I revise an almost complete report on Steinbeck for my English class. After that I work on some trig problems while Lynn scours my bookcase for the novels I told her about. One bothers me, but she explains a couple of concepts, better than our teacher would, and then it's smooth sailing. I do get sidetracked a few times, but it's okay. We sit close to each other all the time now, to make sure our bodies are always in contact even if we can't hold hands.

When I'm done, I ask her for stories from her long life, especially about concerts she went to, but she explains that they often avoided big cities and large events. She tells me about her favorite performance of Clair de Lune; it was at a theater in Vienna during one of their trips to Europe. Later that week they also heard it performed on the street. It was another beautiful rendition, and a wonderful memory, but she adds, her voice chagrined, that classically trained musicians were finding less work opportunities, due to changes taking place in their society, and had to resort to busking to survive.

For lunch, I make a huge pot of stew. Lynn helps me peel the potatoes and chop up the vegetables, and then she helps me kill some time while we wait for the food to cook. Eventually, I ladle out a generous portion for myself. The rest, warmed up, will be dinner for dad and me. She seems happy enough to watch me eat. It came out okay, but I'm barely registering the taste anyways. Lynn is sitting in my kitchen, on an old, rickety chair, surrounded by the walls my mom painted yellow in a vain effort to bring some sunshine to Forks. It's all so surreal.

Maybe recognizing my abstract mood, she puts one arm around my shoulders. Her hair slides along my neck while her breath tickles my ear.

"You know how I feel. Believe it." Her tongue dabs at my earlobe and finds its way inside the auditory canal. I turn around and find her lips with mines. The temperature rises too quickly for me and we detach.

When I've had enough food I bring the dishes to the sink, where she washes them while I store the pot of stew in the fridge and give the table a wipe. No matter what we do, we seem to naturally revolve close to and around each other, in harmony. She's easier to be with than most members of my own species. Maybe it's because she just wants to be here. Anything else is not important.

"Lynn. Don't you find everything seems simple and easy, and fun, when we are together?" My cheeks sear up right on cue.

She puts my dish and cutlery in the plastic tray where they will slowly dry, and gently winds her arms around my waist, from behind me, her body molding to mine. I feel her nose prod the space between my shoulder blades.

"You're right, it is uncanny." She finally exhales. "That, and how quickly all my priorities have changed. Thanks to Alice's visions my family is never short of money. We often collect antiques, and Rosalie and I love fast, flashy cars…. I used to think hoarding those material things could make me happy….. I was so stupid."

I gently maneuver to have her in front of me and wrap my arms around her slim, petite body. I still marvel at how frail she looks, and how strong she really is. We just cling to each other until she tells me my dad is here. Within minutes, the front door squeaks open and his voice booms across the hall.

"Brandon?"

No, dad, it's Jack the Ripper.

"In the kitchen, dad. Lynn is here too."

He walks in unbuckling his belt. The holster and other vague shapes, encased in black leather, dangle from it.

"Brandon. Lynn. I hope I didn't interrupt…"

"Not at all, Charlie. I'm happy to see you again." Her contagious smile spreads to my father. She can be irresistible; I should know.

"Dad, we just had lunch. Do you want me to warm you up some food?"

"No, I ate at the diner. Did you finish your homework? You have school tomorrow."

"Dad, honestly last night I couldn't concentrate…" I cast a glance in Lynn's direction; she grins back at me. "But this morning she helped me out with trig so I'm all caught up."

He rubs his stubbly chin and scrutinizes both of us.

"It's true, Charlie." Lynn confirms cheerfully. "Your son is very smart. You should be proud.

"I am, I am…" he says, still rubbing.

"He can get in some very good colleges." She politely insists, the wattage of her smile increasing, but he seems distracted.

I wonder whether they remember I'm in the room with them. My cheeks sure do. My dad looks a little grimmer than usual now, but he forces another smile before speaking again.

"Actually, I'm glad you haven't left yet." He says, almost sounding relieved. "I'd like to talk to both of you for a few minutes before you head out. And Brandon…. I tried to call you on your phone but it was disconnected… Care to explain that, young man?" Hmmm, the 'young man' part is meant to tell me he's not pleased and that I'm in trouble. I facepalm.

"I'm sorry dad. I must have forgotten to recharge it. My bad."

Lynn politely pretends not to be in the room.

"Okay," dad mumbles, "that's alright. At least you're both still here. Let's talk in the living room."

We agree and follow him there. He sinks in his armchair and we sit on the sofa.

"What's up dad? Something wrong?" I maintain a cool demeanor but can't help wondering whether he might have heard some disturbing rumors about the Cullens. Lynn, her smile still firmly in dazzle mode, might have the same fear; she gently squeezes my hand.

"I have some bad news I need to share with you guys." Dad intones dourly. "The two hikers were found; sadly, both of them are dead."

Lynn and I both gasp and exchange a quick glance that I vaguely translate as:

"Did you see this coming?"

"Nope. You?"

"Not really."

Translation completed, I return to paying attention to my dad.

"The hikers disappeared much closer to Mount Olympus, but I was asked to organize a search near Forks, just in case they'd made it farther than expected. This morning I got a phone call telling me that it wouldn't be necessary. They were spotted from a helicopter, not far from the location of their last sighting."

"So what happened to them?"

"I didn't see the bodies, but the ranger I talked to said it looks like some kind of animal attack. There were several bite marks, apparently."

"What kind of animal?" Lynn inquires with genuine curiosity.

"They're not sure. Maybe a mountain lion or a crazed cougar." He shrugs. "They'll figure it out. Anyways, what are your plans for today?"

"We are just going to my place, to meet my parents. We'll drive. We'll spend the day there so they can get to know him." Lynn explains promptly.

"Okay, you should be safe then. That's fine." My dad grumbles. "But I know you both like hiking. I think you two should wait until they find this threat and neutralize it before planning any more excursions. It would make me feel more at ease. I will have a few men in town on the lookout but we can't patrol the woods as well…"

"Sure, dad. We'll make sure we stay out of trouble."

"It's good advice, Charlie. Thank you for warning us." Lynn adds, but we both know we don't believe in the crazed cougar theory. And if there are vampires in the area dad and his men won't be much help.

He peers at both of us, trying to assess how seriously we are taking his warning. Eventually he smiles and seem to relax.

I suddenly have a mild panic attack, thinking he might want to bring fresh horror into my life by narrating more humiliating stories from my childhood. I have to do something about it.

"Shouldn't we get going, Lynn? We'll make your parents wait if we don't leave soon…."

Fears of embarrassment aside, I'm also eager to officially meet her relatives. I like Alice, who's always in a good mood, and I want to get to know the others. They are a big part of Lynn's life and I hope they'll like me. Their disapproval would make everything much harder. I bet they all think I'm crazy though. They might not be too far from the truth.

"You guys have fun." Dad rumbles.

"What will you do, dad?"

"Gotta make a few more calls, but later I'll watch the evening game. Billy and Jacob are coming over."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

We have to go back to my room, where I put on my nicest shirt, a dark blue one I bought in Phoenix. It's pretty plain, but I think it suits me. Now that I'm getting stronger, filling it more, it looks even better. Lynn stares at me funny for a moment.

"You don't like it?"

"Just the opposite." She says quickly. It almost looks like I dazzled her… Me? Dazzle her? I beam. "It looks really good on you. It makes your green eyes sultrier." She adds batting her eyelashes.

"Flatterer," I reply as we head downstairs again, where I grab my parka on the way out.

As we walk toward her car, I have an idea.

"Lynn, I'd like to try driving your car. Can I? I'll be careful I promise. I mean, I'd give you a ride in my truck but I'd like to get to your place and back within today."

She laughs and throws the keys at me. I fumble them, almost drop them twice, and eventually tame them and hold on to them. She rolls her eyes and makes jokes about her insurance coverage, but still compliantly rides shotgun. I make sure it's an automatic; I have never driven a manual. The car handles great and my driving is fine. Lynn only complains we are going a little slow for her tastes but I remind her that I don't have her reflexes and experience. I should just let her drive; when she's at the wheel I can still hold her hand and look at her. Since I don't have vampire senses I really need to keep my eyes on the tarmac in front of me.

We get out of town, but she tells me ahead of time about the turnoff to their property. It's almost hidden around a tight bend and a row of tall hedges, just an unpaved road apparently abandoned and dotted with ferns for the first couple of yards. It gets smoother later on as it snakes through the massive trees of the forest. If Lynn hadn't been with me I would have never found it. While we follow it, she has something to tell me.

"You know I can read minds and Alice can see the future. I forgot to tell you that Jasper also has a unique talent. He can sense the mood of people around him and at times even influence it, depending on the situation. It's very unusual. He was also very charismatic as a human. I understand he was a ranking officer in the army at a young age."

"So how come you can do all those things? All vampires have special talents?"

"No, only some of us. Regarding the reason, well, we don't really know. Carlisle has a theory. He thinks the venom enhances abilities or tendencies we had as humans. If he's right, becoming vampires made those special skills stronger, and you know the results."

She seems a little antsy.

"What it is it, Lynn?"

"Nothing…" She mutters. I don't buy it.

"Come on, don't make me beg for it. You know you can't say no to me when I do that…."

She laughs.

"No, it's really not a big deal. It's just that I never imagined I'd be sitting in my car with a human at the wheel. This is truly a new life for both of us, isn't it?"

"Yes, Lynn," I say, smiling. "It certainly is."