Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

Chapter 25 - Valerian

The following week mostly plays out like the previous one.

Lynn and I still have to attend different classes, but the rest of the time we are, as usual, literally inseparable. I suspect the whole school considers us the most nauseating lovebirds ever and Lynn's gift confirms it. Sometimes Jasper and Alice join us for lunch, or we occasionally have dinner with my father, but the rest of the time it's just the two of us and it suits us just fine.

Lynn's long life means she has a lot more knowledge and I can quiz her about many topics, but emotionally she's still a teenager, only now in love for the first time, so there are many things we are still figuring out together. She asks me more questions about my family and of course we talk books and movies. Those seem less and less important just now, but they are still fun interests we can pursue together. More importantly, we often play music. She's learning guitar quickly and will soon surpass me, but she's also helping me improve on the piano and at times we practice playing pieces together. We even started working on a four-hand version of Clair de Lune on the grand piano in her home. It's a lot of fun and with her help I'm sharpening my technique and my compositional skills.

When we make out we still have to be careful, but fortunately we have been able to make some progress. In baseball terms, I'll say we made it to third base but the fabled home run remains elusive. As our familiarity grows and Lynn becomes more comfortable she can stay in control, we hope we will soon be able to make it a reality, maybe as soon as this coming weekend. Under different circumstances the long wait would be frustrating, but we know it's a sort of miracle that we are together at all; we don't want to ruin what we have by taking unnecessary risks.

I'm still not cleared to resume training with the soccer team so after school Lynn and I often go to our meadow. One day it's too sunny for sparkly vampires and I ditch my classes to go hiking with her. I'm sure the whole school knows we are together, but since we both have top grades in all our subjects the teachers are not too bothered. Some of them have taken to blatantly ignoring us during class to concentrate on the other students. With Lynn as my private tutor I don't really need them anyways. More people are saying I've become one of the Cullens since I started dating Lynn; I take it as compliment.

One evening we go to the reservation, with Carlisle, to see Jacob. Billy and Rebecca welcome us warmly and thank us again for our help. They love Carlisle and Lynn now, which is only natural; his willingness to help really impressed them and she was one of Jacob's saviors. I'm not even sure Rebecca could have pulled him out of the water by herself, and that means Jacob and I have something in common: we both owe our life to Lynn.

Surprisingly, though, Billy also approaches me.

"Brandon…. I've already apologized for my earlier distrust of the Cullens. But there is something else I need to tell you…" He pauses for a few seconds, collecting his thoughts. Lynn and I just look at him quizzically.

"Your father and I have been friends for most of our life. I won't bore you with stories about his doomed relationship and the trauma he went through, you probably heard enough of those already, but I will remind you that I have known you since you were a toddler. Your dad, as you know, is not very good at expressing his feelings, but trust me when I say that you've always been one of the few sources of happiness in his life. He probably won't say it to you in so many words, you know how he is, but your solid character, your academic achievements and your soccer playing have always pleased him immensely."

He takes a sip of water and his expression turns amused.

"Having said all that, we always worried a little about your shyness and, at times, your indecisiveness. You can be stubborn, but a certain lack of confidence in social situations was always evident. So you can imagine my surprise when, the other day, you came up to me and demanded, rather forcefully, that I trust your girlfriend and I allow her to enter the rez. You sounded different…. And I realized you're not just a child anymore; you are turning into a man now and the way you asserted yourself, and the strength of your convictions, really impresseed me. Forgive this old fool for such a long-winded speech, but I'm trying to say that I can see you are really growing up, Brandon, and that your dad should be really proud of you. As you know I can't share many details of what recently happened with him, but if the topic of your maturity ever comes up that is what I will tell him. One more time, thank you Brandon: if you hadn't been there with Lynn, and if you hadn't been so sure of yourself, and of her character, maybe Jacob wouldn't be with us now."

I mumble some polite replies and try to insist I really didn't do much at all but I'm too stunned to express myself clearly. I hadn't really seen any of it coming. I think it kinda makes sense, but it's all stuff I'll have to ponder later on.

We visit Jacob next. My injured friend is still pretty banged up and spaced out on morphine, sweating and groaning even in his sleep…. But his condition is rapidly improving. He'll be back on his feet in a week, and it will only take him a little longer to recover completely. I'm happy to say that when we leave the rez we all feel a little better about ourselves and the much improved rapport between the Cullens and the Quileutes.

On Thursday, Alice and Jasper join us for lunch. Lynn directs a pointed stare at her sister.

"Alice…. You have some news for us….." For a moment I worry about the drifters but Lynn's happy smile tells me she's referring to something entirely different.

"Brandon and Jasper can't read my mind, sister. Let me announce it for everybody." Her eyes are playful; she's obviously having fun. Now I'm curious.

"First of all…." She briefly hesitates to heighten the suspense, like a born showman. "Our brother Valerian is about to visit. He might be here as early as tonight, with his woman."

"How long has it been since his last visit?" Jasper asks, thoughtful.

"About a year." Lynn shakes her head, a bitter smile on her lips. "They're real drifters. But rest assured that they won't harm you. They're the only vampires I know whose self-control rivals Carlisle's."

"Valerian will be shocked to hear you even exist, Brandon." Alice sings with a wink in my direction. "He thought Lynn would never get a boyfriend."

"Maybe we all did." Jasper piles on. Lynn growls softly, facetiously. Her hand lightly squeezes mine.

"Wait," Alice's eyes glaze over for a second, but then her smile brightens, "I'm pretty sure he will come back tonight. Please let me introduce Brandon to him, Lynn, pretty please?" She makes a sad kitten face that makes me laugh until my belly aches.

Lynn hangs her head, resigned.

"Alright, whatever. No fancy costumes or excessive theatrics though…."

"Yay." Alice stands up and improvises a couple of dance steps before sitting down again.

"Don't you have more news for us?" Lynn smirks at her and then wiggles her eyebrows. More hilarity ensues.

"Thank you for not stealing my thunder sister, pun intended. A thunderstorm is coming this Saturday, late afternoon."

Jasper's eyes light up.

"It's time for a baseball game." He looks happy. "Lynn, are you in?"

She suddenly seems torn, enthusiastic at first but soon looking at me askance with concern.

"You can bring Brandon. He can referee or just watch. Valerian and his girl will also play. It should be a lot of fun." Alice cajoles Lynn, who turns to me.

"Brandon, would you like to see us play?"

"Normally I don't care for baseball," I laugh, "but this I wouldn't miss for all the money in the world."

That's not entirely true, actually, but I know she's really eager to play and I want to make her happy. She would never leave me alone with other vampires in the area, so if I choose not to go she would have to miss it.

Alice dances a little more, excited about the future. Lynn sends a dazzling smile my way. My reward takes my breath away.

"Lynn, you said Carlisle was hoping Valerian would become your partner, right? You never told me much about him." She detects a sour note in my voice and squeezes my hand again. Her eyes soften.

"So what's he like, Alice?"

"He's gorgeous." Her eyes are full of dreams. "Tall, long hair, a body to die for; the venom makes us all attractive of course. He likes to be on the move but visits us, wherever we are, once or twice a year. Unlike you guys he has a sense of fashion, at least for family events. He was a talented artist, and still is."

I peer at Lynn, a suspicious detective ready to grill a suspect.

"He sounds pretty cool. Why didn't you like him?" I remember he was Carlisle's failed attempt at matchmaking.

"I'm not really sure," she tries to look innocent. "Maybe at first I resented his presence. I had lived with Esme and Carlisle for years and I didn't see how this stranger would fit in. I could read his mind and he only looked at me as a sister; it was natural for me to think of him as a brother. At that time I still believed romance and even sex would never hold any interest for me…." She frowns in concentration.

"There is something you're not telling me, Lynn…" I try my version of an impish smile. She looks down for a second, embarrassed.

"Please…" I switch to sad puppy eyes. She chuckles and finds herself replying.

"Valerian was a promising artist when we met him in New York, a long time ago, at an exhibition. We were always scouring galleries for new paintings to add to our collection. A few nights later, he was walking home late at night when he was mugged, stabbed, and left dying in the gutters, where Carlisle found him. We knew he didn't have any family and so my father decided to turn him. We all love him very much now, as a brother, but from the very beginning of his new life, as soon as he was over the initial period of adjustment, he struck us as very confident and independent. As a human he'd had a hard life, but despite the odds stacked against him he had succeeded…." Lynn falters momentarily, peering into my eyes for a few seconds. I encourage her to continue, smiling softly.

"He didn't seem to need love or care for it. He knew that he wanted a life of drifting, alone or with somebody who shared his wanderlust. He loved all of us, in his own way, but he made it clear that he wasn't interested in the stable lives we prefer. He was never attractive to me as a partner."

I laugh.

"But I do need you, right? You like that…" I smile. "And you're not wrong."

She smiles back and we lean forward until our foreheads touch. The cafeteria is not really suitable for the kiss we would prefer but this is nice too. Jasper is obviously enjoying our moods again. Rosalie, one table over, makes loud retching sounds. We all ignore her. Even Emmet seems to be getting tired of her foul mood.

"So," I eventually ask them, "does he have any gifts?"

The vampires at my table look at each other, some unspoken communication going on. It's Alice who replies.

"He had one gift when he turned, maybe an unpredictable evolution of his artistic talent: he can put images in people's minds. A sort of one-way telepathy. He can only use it for communication, though, never as a weapon…. It's not the kind of kind of power you see in movies and comic books."

"Hmmm, you emphasized he 'had one gift'…. Does that mean he has developed others now?" I rub my chin with one hand. Lynn smiles ruefully.

"We found out he can also sense other people's special skills and learn to use them himself. Don't ask me how… I could never figure it out. When he lived with Lynn he acquired her mind-reading. Years later, when Jasper and I joined the family, he also mimicked our gifts. He's really the most powerful of us all." Alice looks a little puzzled herself now, still wondering about him.

"Yes, we are lucky he's a good man. He only tasted human blood once, to turn his girlfriend. I can only imagine how hard that would be. After he left our family for the first time, he spent many years roaming Asia, where he met a Japanese girl, Ayami. They fell in love right away and they've been together ever since." Lynn looks awed.

"So, wait… You're saying that he can read minds, see the future and sense moods? And on top of that he can send telepathic messages?"

"Yes," Alice laughs. "But not all at the same time. They all require focus and effort. He can't use more than one or two at a time, and even that is not easy, so he has to pick and choose, depending on circumstances. Also, if we ever have guests, like other vegetarian vampires, please don't bring this up. He doesn't want people to know the extent of his abilities unless they're family."

"But if he can see the future wouldn't he already know about Lynn and me?"

"He can tap those abilities, but they don't come naturally to him. In reality he rarely uses them. He prefers to rely on other skills, a lifestyle choice." She suddenly frowns and looks coy.

"Has Lynn ever told you why we need to keep a low profile?"

"I thought you just wanted to make sure humans didn't hunt you down…"

Lynn bits her lip. Alice wrinkles her nose.

"Brandon, humans are unlikely to be a problem. Most would never believe we exist, and even if they did they would be no match for us. Of course our anonymity is essential if we want to pretend to be normal, if we want to be part of a human society, but there are worse dangers." Lynn's voice is rough. I think I detect a note of real fear. Since I met her, it's the first time she admits, or implies, there is something she's scared of.

"There is a coven of vampires, ancient ones who have been alive for centuries, in Rome. They are called the Volturi. They have assembled a coalition of very powerful, gifted subordinates, and established rules that apply to members of our species all over the world. The most important rule is that our existence must remain a secret. Vampires who do anything that might reveal our presence, or our powers, will incur in their wrath." Alice shivers when her tale ends.

"I see. Another reason why Lynn didn't want anybody to know exactly how she had saved me, right?"

"Yes," Lynn suddenly looks up, "but if you have more questions save them for later. It's time to go to class." She winks and we stand up. Sometimes it's hard to remember we are still in high school.

Later, Lynn and I give Jasper and Alice a ride back home. Rosalie and Emmet drive their flashy red convertible instead. Carlisle is at the hospital but Esme is home, anxiously waiting for this Valerian character to show up. I convince Lynn to play something on the piano for me. Now they keep some food in the fridge for when I visit, so I have a sandwich while I listen to her music. For a few minutes, I float in a dreamworld made of the notes surging from the instrument. A soft, gray twilight drapes itself across the scenery.

I come back to Earth and look around me. Emmet and Rosalie are outside, in the garage, working on another car of theirs. I can't keep track of them all and I don't recognize any of the models. Jasper and Alice are on the sofa, his head resting on her lap while she toys with his hair. Esme sketches on a large notepad, maybe some future house of theirs. I've become accustomed to their rhythms and everything feels natural to me now. Humans would be preparing for dinner, ordering food, or getting ready to go out. The Cullens have no need to do any of those things.

Their heads turn; they must have heard something still too distant for my muggle's ears. A minute or so goes by and a car drives across the muddy driveway and stops just outside the front door. Alice dances her way to the door, Jasper always by her side like a shadow.

"It's my turn to do the introductions, everybody remember that." She yells happily. Esme follows her but nods to indicate she won't spoil her moment.

And so the famous Valerian steps inside, a tiny Japanese girl by his side. Alice wasn't exaggerating his beauty; his chiseled features would make all the girls at school swoon and I'm fairly confident his girlfriend would walk to class over a carpet of broken hearts. He's not as tall or as big as Emmet, but not far from it. His long, dark, wavy hair flows down his shoulders and back, even longer than Lynn's. His trousers, shirt and duster are all black, with abstract patterns embroidered in red along his sleeves. His woman is more casual; denims, sturdy boots and a dark green long-sleeved top. Her tiny nose, full lips and liquid, slanted eyes are enchanting, as are her jet-black bangs. Their clothes are rumpled; they were probably driving for hours, yet they still like movie stars.

"Valerian, it's so good to see you." Alice chirps and jumps into his arms for a bone-crunching hug. Jasper shakes his hand while Alice drapes herself over Ayami and Esme embraces her son tenderly. He's twice as tall as she is and her face rests below his sternum.

"Brother." Alice says, her voice still rising in pitch. "We have a guest tonight. If you haven't used your future sight lately, you will never guess who that might be. Never. Not in a million years. Not in a hundred million years…." She's so excited she's jumping up and down, eliciting scattered chuckles from the rest of the family.

"I'm in the dark, sweetie, but I'll admit that now I'm intrigued. Who's this mystery guest of yours then?" He asks, briefly scanning the room. His girlfriend looks at Alice with a bemused expression. I notice Rosalie and Emmet have walked back inside and they're waiting for their turn to greet our visitors.

"Lynn finally got a boyfriend!" Alice shouts, a huge grin splitting her face. I smile at my girl and she dazzles me back.

"No way…. Sis…. You're kidding, right? Don't make me read your mind. You know I don't like to use my gifts unless I really have to." His face is a theater mask representing profound befuddlement.

She wriggles a pinky at him.

"I swear. She finally fell for a man." A few dance steps follow.

"A real one? We are not talking about an imaginary guy right?" He shakes his head, incredulous. "So it only took her like, what, 90 years or so? I know she was always the patient one but this is pushing it."

We all have a hearty laugh, well, except for Lynn, who just barks a loud: "hey!"

Valerian's intense gaze sweeps the room until his eyes find her and of course he sees me right away, as usual as close to her as possible.

He starts walking toward me, his arm extended to shake my hand, but then he takes a sniff at the air and stops in mid-stride, his mouth unhinged and gaping… His girlfriend follows suit, her jaw slack and her eyes wide open. Great, I think, more vampire statues. More laughter erupts all around us; Emmet is practically rolling on the floor and his loud guffaws are hard to ignore.

"Hi, I'm Brandon. Judging by your face, I'm pretty sure you just realized I'm still a human. What can I say…. Nobody's perfect." I try a half-grin between cheekiness and embarrassment. Emmet's hilarity turns into a deafening rumble.

Valerian smiles tentatively and takes the last few steps separating us. Naturally, his handshake is now very, very careful. He moves like a man handling delicate china. Still, all his movements exude innate grace. I can believe he's an artist; even by vampire standards he's outstanding.

"It's nice to meet you Brandon." He looks at the two of us, and at my other hand still clasped in Lynn's, and smiles broadly. He opens his arms, and I briefly marvel at the length of his wingspan.

"Lynn, little sister, you look so happy. I'd never seen you like this…. You're literally glowing. Give your brother a hug."

She does, but soon returns to my side. Valerian then introduces Ayami to me. Her English is clear but accented. Lynn tells me that they often speak Japanese to each other, unless they are with English speakers.

I ask him about his art, prompting Lynn to add that I'm a musician like she is. He's glad we have that in common and he tells me about his paintings. Among other things, he says an artist is not an agent but a medium. In producing art, he claims, we perceive and reinterpret a reality refracted by the prism of our own nature. He also adds that Ayami is an accomplished ink-brush painter herself and she gives me an impromptu lecture on the importance of simplicity and beauty, and then launches into an ode to art that aims to communicate emotions rather than impress by means of sterile technical perfection.

They also greet the rest of the family, hugging everybody, and they're soon inundated by questions about their life since their last visit. Some of the replies get lost in the din but I understand that they climbed the Everest this year, wearing nothing but shorts and t-shirts, and ran a foot race against two vampires they met in Europe…. A race around the world, and on foot. What a life those two must live.

I haven't known them long, but I find I already like them. I sense none of Lynn's darkness in their tales. They're completely happy with who they are and won't make excuses for it. Their love of art and nature seems just as genuine. I wish I could ask them a billion questions about their travel and adventures too but I know the rest of the family wants to spend time with them and I should probably head home. It's getting late.

Lynn drives me back but doesn't have dinner with me. I fix steaks and potatoes for dad and me and she meets me in my room as soon as I'm done. After she forces me to admit that I'm a little jealous of Valerian now, after seeing how great he is in person, she reassures me that I'm the only man she could ever love and she is, once again, very convincing.