A/N: Hi guys. I've been very busy lately, and I'm so glad I was finally able to finish this chapter. I hope you'll like it.

BTW, I really do need a beta-reader. Yesterday I read the previous chapters again and was shocked at how many typing errors I discovered. Maybe one of you could help me out? Just send me a message if you're interested.

Thanks!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of The Twilight Saga; they're property of Stephenie Meyer!

SURPRISES

EDWARD

"We may have a problem," I said as Carlisle appeared on the stairs, worried; he was late for work, and Carlisle firmly believed in the importance of first impressions. He needn't have bothered, of course. His credentials spoke for themselves, and the Dean of the Alaska Regional Hospital should consider himself lucky to have him.

As I handed him the newspaper, however, his concern quickly transformed into alarm. He read the article I'd already read twice, and his eyes narrowed as he realized why I'd wanted him to see it. He checked the date on the newspaper, the first thing I'd done when I'd discovered it. "This is today's newspaper," he said. "This may have been going on for some time."

"I know," I agreed. "The article only mentions two victims, but there might be more. We need to do something."

Carlisle nodded, unhappy. "Have you talked to Jasper?"

"Not yet." I grimaced. Jasper wasn't in a very good mood right now; he never was when he and Alice were apart, and Alice had left a couple of days ago. She hadn't told anyone where she was going, not even Jasper, which didn't exactly help. He trusted her, but he didn't like feeling left out. And he knew exactly why she hadn't told him. Because of me. She didn't want me to know what she was up to, and while Alice was very adept at keeping me out of her head she knew that Jasper wasn't because he rarely tried, or wanted, to. Jasper was angry with himself and angry with me, and it didn't help one bit that Carlisle had - very tactfully - suggested that Jasper stay at home until Alice returned. Right now Jasper was hunting, hoping he'd feel better when he'd soothed his burning throat.

He might welcome a distraction.

"I'll tell him when he gets back," I said, and Carlisle nodded again. I have to go now, he thought, already half-way to the door. The two of you should take a look around the city. Try to find out where he's been and where he's now. And call Tanya. This affects her family, too. Then he was gone, and the fracture of a second later I heard the Mercedes speed down the driveway.

I sighed. I hadn't spoken to Tanya for three days, and I didn't want to now. She hadn't mentioned anything to Carlisle, and neither had her family, but I knew they'd bring it up eventually. I shouldn't have told her. I didn't want my family to know. Not yet. They were happy. Happier than they'd been in years because I was finally better. I knew I was better. Talking to Alice, talking to her about Bella had somehow brought me back to life. At least a little bit.

I didn't want to disappoint my family again.

I'd ask Esme to call her. Tanya wouldn't tell her; she loved her just as much as we did and wouldn't do anything to hurt her.

I opened the newspaper again and found the article immediately. Is a serial killer haunting Anchorage? Four days seventeen-year-old Camille Reed disappeared out of her bedroom on the sixtieth floor of the apartment building where she lived with her parents. Soon after the body of a young woman was discovered in a dumpster near the Alaska Regional Hospital, which was identified as that of Camille Reed. Two days ago twenty-four-year-old Hannah Osprey disappeared out of her apartment without anyone noticing. Soon after, her body was found in the very same dumpster Camille Reed's had been dumped in. The resemblance of the two victims is striking. Both have pale skin, brown eyes and long brown hair. The police is at a loss. No evidence whatsoever has been found at the scene or the victims' homes. So far the police has no idea whether the perpetrator is male or female.

I tossed the newspaper on the coffee table and strode to the window. The disappearances. The lack of evidence at the scene. This was a vampire's doing. A newborn's who had absolutely no idea what he was doing. And who'd never been told of the Volturi.

Jasper returned half an hour later. He didn't look at me when he strode inside and up the stairs, and I knew at once - even without the ability to sense other people's emotions - that his mood hadn't improved at all.

"Here," I said and flung the newspaper at him, which he neatly caught. "Carlisle wants us to investigate."

His eyes narrowed as he read, a thousand thoughts buzzing in his mind simultaneously. He was analysing every word, every hint. It didn't take him more than half a second to reach the same conclusion I had.

"A newborn is doing this," he said, frowning. "But…" He looked at me, head tilted sideways. "I'm almost positive it's a newborn. An older vampire would never do that unless he's got a death wish. Maybe that's what this is." He mulled it over for a minute, then discarded the thought. There were quicker ways to die. I would know. I'd contemplated them myself. "No, I don't think so," he continued. "But why? It's almost as if he wants to draw attention to himself. There are better ways to make sure a body is never found…" He trailed off, slowly shaking his head. Sloppy, he thought.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Does it matter why he's doing it?"

"No," Jasper admitted, "I guess not. It might help to know, though. Well," he shook his head and leapt back down the stairs, "it doesn't matter. We can't change it, anyway. What does Carlisle want us to do?" I briefly explained, and the frown reappeared. "He's serious, isn't he?" he asked, and I nodded though I understood the difficulty of the situation as well. Anchorage was a large city. There was little chance of finding the vampire's trail, and searching every street in hopes of coming across his scent by accident wasn't exactly the most efficient thing to do.

Jasper dashed upstairs and returned with a map of the city and put it on the coffee table. He'd divide the city into different zones, which we'd search strategically. I smiled as I walked up the stairs to talk to Esme. Jasper's military background was proving helpful once again.

Esme was sitting at the desk in Carlisle's study. She glanced up as I entered, pencil poised above the blueprint she'd been working on.

"Am I disturbing you?" I asked.

She smiled affectionately. „No, of course not. I was finished anyway." She rolled up the blueprint and put it back in its case. "Ask your question."

For a brief moment I stared at her, stunned. Then a smile spread across my face, and I went to hug her. Esme laughed quietly in my shoulder. She knew us so well.

And of course she'd heard the beginning of our conversation and knew what was going on. At least some of it.

As before I briefly explained the situation, and she had her cell phone out of her pocket and was dialling Tanya's number before I was finished.

"Thank you," I mouthed when I heard Tanya pick up the phone. I returned downstairs to find Jasper still pondering the map. He'd already divided the city into sections; we'd start in the centre and work our way to the suburbs. He was thinking about calling Alice - she might give us a clue where to start; it would save time - and just when he'd made up his mind and was reaching into his pocket, the phone rang. I smiled and went to take a closer look at the map while he spoke to Alice. When he hung up he'd visibly brightened up.

"She's coming home tomorrow," he said though I'd heard as much. She hadn't told him what she'd found, though, and I wasn't able to quench the sudden feeling of uneasiness. I was fairly certain that I wouldn't like the reason she'd been gone when she finally got around telling me. Jasper shot me a puzzled look, but I shook my head. I'd have to tell him what I'd inadvertently told Tanya. I was grateful that Alice hadn't told him what she'd seen me decide. He didn't need to know.

We split up. I dropped Jasper off two blocks from the Alaska Regional, then drove downtown to start my own search. I'd agreed to let Jasper check out the crime scene and the victims' homes. He was better at tracking than any of us, even though I doubted he'd get lucky. Even as I pulled into the parking lot, the misty drizzle turned into rain, drumming like thunder on the roof of the car and, unfortunately, washing away the vampire's scent. The prospect of spending the day sniffing around like a dog and trying to find a trail the rain hadn't touched wasn't what anyone would call pleasant. It's a distraction, I reminded myself and killed the engine. And let's face it. You could use a distraction just as much as Jasper.

Distraction. The word woke memories I thought I'd buried, memories I didn't dredge up very often these days, but they were there. There were memories in here, too, and I sighed quietly as I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying—as I often did—to tune out the voices in my head. I hadn't used the Volvo for quite some time now. Frankly, I hadn't used it ever since I left Forks, and if Carlisle had asked a week ago if I wanted to sell it, I'd have said yes. But now… Things were different now. Better. I was better. But the darkness was still there. Waiting.

I inhaled. The rich scent of the leather, the artificial scent of plastic, the stinging scent of motor oil. And her scent, still there even after all this time. I wasn't sure why my family had decided to keep it. I hadn't asked them to. Maybe they'd hoped I'd eventually get better and come home again. Maybe they'd known I would. I'd always suspected that Carlisle and Esme knew me better than I knew myself. They were my parents after all.

My cell phone started ringing. Jasper.

"Have you found anything?" I asked, staring outside. Hopefully, the rain would turn into snow soon. It would make tracking down the vampire much easier.

"Not at the crime scene. I did, however, find the trail again in the park behind the hospital." I could almost see him grin. "I'm following it now. It's faint and I keep losing it, but maybe we'll get lucky. I'll call you again when I know where I'm going." He hung up, and I tossed the cell on the passenger seat, then started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, glad I didn't have to go out there and start sniffing around downtown. Besides, the chances of actually finding something considering how heavily it was raining were slim at best, anyway.

The traffic lights turned red, and I stomped on the brakes. I didn't know the park behind the hospital very well, but if I recalled correctly it was overgrown, and the trees must have protected the vampire's trail from the rain, at least partially. Waiting for the lights to turn green again, I wondered what we'd find at the end of the trail—if we found anything at all, that was.

Tanya and her family hadn't seen the article yet. They'd been shocked when Esme told her what was going on and offered to help us but Esme had declined; we'd take care of the situation ourselves and keep them posted. There were seven of us, and only five of them, and while a single newborn wouldn't present much of a problem for so many of us, there was no need to be reckless.

Jasper called again an hour later. It was almost noon, and I'd driven back to the hospital to tell Carlisle what Jasper had found. Maybe he could even join us. Jasper gave me an address, barely able to hide the excitement in his voice, and I left the car, which I'd parked next to Carlisle's, and went inside, using an old map as makeshift umbrella. I didn't mind the rain—I couldn't catch a cold after all—but humans tended to find people who didn't seem to care whether or not they got soaking wet weird. Inside I shook out the map and tucked it into the pocket of my jacket, then went to the reception. The receptionist glanced up, a pleasant if fake smile plastered across her face. Seeing me, her eyes widened, a reaction I was used to by now. I managed not to roll my eyes.

"I'm Edward Cullen," I said, forcing my lips into fake smile of my own. "I'm looking for my father. Dr Carlisle Cullen?"

„Yes, of course," she breathed, eyes still wide as saucers, her mind busy. He's so handsome. I wonder… Does he have a girlfriend? Should I give him my number. No, someone like him definitely has a girlfriend. Besides, he's at least ten years younger than you are. "Just a minute." While she was trying to locate Carlisle, I looked around. The entrance hall was bright and friendly. A glass wall to my right separated it from the cafeteria. I watched the handful of people who'd lined up to buy lunch. An obese man in a doctor's coat buying French fries; and elderly nurse pointing at a piece of chocolate cake; a young doctor, long mahogany hair pulled up into a high ponytail, at the salad bar. I snorted. At least someone was paying attention to what she ate.

She turned, back to me, to exist the cafeteria on the other side, and my body went rigid. I never saw her face, but the graceful way she moved, almost as if she was dancing, was only too familiar. Vampire? No, that's impossible.

Was it? I forced myself to look away. Yes, it was. You're seeing things, I told myself. What are the odds of two vampires working here?

And still… I briefly considered going into the cafeteria to confirm my suspicions—the vampire's scent would linger—but the receptionist's mental, "Found him!" made me turn around. "He should be in his office," she told me. "Third floor, east wing, second door on the right."

"Thank you." I flashed a polite smile, and quickly stepped into the elevator. Finding Carlisle's office wasn't difficult; his familiar scent was easy to follow. I located the door and raised my hand to knock, then the sound of a beating heart registered and someone said, "…Monday night."

"We'd be delighted to come," Carlisle said kindly.

"Thank you very much."

The door opened, revealing a big and somewhat heavy man in his mid-fifties. I recognised him almost immediately; he was the hospital's Dean of Medicine. When he saw me he froze, and his eyes narrowed. "Can I help you?" His voice was polite, but his thoughts were hostile. I gathered he didn't think much of teenagers.

"I'm here to see my father," I replied just as politely.

"Edward," Carlisle said, feigning surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The Dean's head snapped around, and I hid a smile. "He's your boy?" he asked, and actually managed to make his voice sound pleasantly surprised.

"Yes, he is. Edward, meet Henry Lambert, the Dean of Medicine."

I smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," I said, offering my hand. He took it, and flinched at my ice-cold skin. Shit, his hand's cold. But he sure is handsome. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Huh, maybe I could set him up with my daughter…

My smile faded. "I need to talk to you," I said, dropping my hand.

"Certainly. I'll see you later, Henry," Carlisle said, then waved me into his office, closing the door behind us. I glanced around. Aside from a single photograph—one of Esme, I was sure—and his diploma his office held no personal effects, but then he'd only been here for a couple of hours. "There's a fundraising event on Monday Lambert wants me to attend," he said. "Why don't you join us?" When I didn't answer, he asked, "Have you found anything?"

At least Carlisle knew when I preferred he drop it. "Jasper found the vampire's trail in the park behind the hospital." Carlisle's eyes widened, and I continued, "He followed it and gave me an address. Do you want to join me?"

"Yes, of course," he replied quickly, then glanced at his watch. "I have to be back by two, though, so let's hurry."

We reached the abandoned supermarket where Jasper had told me to park in less than twenty minutes. I parked the car, then we strode into the forest the supermarket's parking lot was neatly tucked into. Jasper's trail, fresh and protected from he rain, was easy to follow. Darting through the forest, we didn't speak, but Carlisle was quietly contemplating what to do once we reached our destination and maybe even found the vampire.

A house suddenly appeared in front of us, and we stopped as Jasper leapt out of a tree. "That's where he lives?" Carlisle asked, frowning.

"I think so. I haven't gone inside yet. I wanted to wait for you."

We stepped out of the trees to take a closer look. The house was small, but it good repair, which couldn't be said for any of the other buildings we'd passed on the drive here.

"Most of the houses are empty," Jasper said as we went around the house. "There's an old woman who lives in the cottage across the street, but that's about it."

"She's still alive?" Carlisle asked, surprised. No vampire would leave an old woman who probably wouldn't even be missed alive.

Jasper shrugged. He was sure the vampire was crazy, anyway. "The bathroom window's open," he said, pointing at the second window above the door. The woman he'd mentioned was fast asleep, and we quickly leapt inside. The bathroom was small. There was a hamper in the corner beside the shower, and a shelf with a few toiletries. A white blouse lay crumpled on the floor, and I picked it up. A female then.

"Jasper and I will be downstairs," Carlisle said quietly, and I watched them dart down the stairs without a sound. I opened the first of three doors. A study. The desk was empty, but the floor was covered by hundreds of medical books and journals. The second door opened into a spare bedroom. Aside from two boxes, each covered with a thick layer of dust, the room was empty; apparently it wasn't used very often. I opened the last door. Another bedroom. A blue quilt covered the bed. A blue box stood on a dresser underneath the window, a collection of carved wolves beside it. My nostrils flared, and I stepped closer. I recognised the stench at once. Werewolf. I stared at the wooden figurines on the dresser, and couldn't think of a single reason why a vampire would have—and keep—them.

I pulled the lid off the box and tossed it on the bed. Inside it were letters, and a stack of photographs. I carefully pulled it out of the box, then removed the rubber band holding them together to flip through them. Young men and women, all of them Native Americans. A few of them seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen them before until I recognised the landscape in the background.

Dread washed through me. Be wrong, be wrong, be wrong. I reached for the very first letter and unfolded it, fingers trembling. My body went numb as I read the words, and the darkness I'd fought so hard to go away was suddenly back, threatening to consume me.

Bella, Sam says it has to stop. I'm so sorry. Don't call me again. I miss you. Jake.