Disclaimer: The Twilight series is exclusive property of Stephenie Meyer. Any reference to Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, the unpublished document of Midnight Sun or the mythology therein is her creative property. No plagiarism intended. This is a fan-created story.

Chapter Two:

The First Day

"I think you outdid yourself, Esme."

Edward was touring the finished effort of their new home in Forks. It was surprisingly pleasant, he found himself drawn to the large windows, the river outback and the white walls and floors. It wasn't anything like a normal human house, no beds, the kitchen there only for decorative purposes, and the bathrooms only for…well, enjoyment. Technically they had no need to shower or bathe, but if they wanted to, it would be quite the experience, with the master bath having a Jacuzzi and a sauna.

In fact, it looked a little too pleasant. He imagined loud days and nights from Emmett and Rosalie.

"Well, I want this to feel like home. Hopefully we'll be here for a while. You and Alice being freshman, gives us a good four years, at least. And while we're here, we might as well be comfortable."

Esme was practically bubbling with satisfaction and happiness. Edward tried to let himself be influenced by her emotions but instead just felt numb. Actually, he pondered as Esme lead his up the stairs to show him his room, he had been feeling that way for a while.

If he was being honest with himself, he had been finding the chaste "vegetarian" lifestyle of the Carlisle and the rest of the "Cullen Clan" a bit…numbing. It wasn't that he hungered for the taste of human blood so much as he remembered his rebel years, the time where he had left Carlisle and Esme, living on his own, a creature of the night. He had justified his actions by using his ability to find only those who would hurt others. He could stop these people, murderers, scam artists, gangs, evil men that deserved no second chances. He did stop those people, for a little while anyway.

He remembered the adrenaline rush when he would swoop in and save a young girl from harm. Afterwards, when he was fully satiated he would follow the victim for a few days, monitoring their thoughts. He wondered now if it was caution or vanity that made him follow. Was he really checking to make sure that they would tell no one, or was he just desperate to hear that he was a savior…?

But if he went back to that, that kind of life, he knew that eventually he would come crawling home again. And resisting would be near impossible again. It would take years for him to get back the progress of decades of abstaining, it would be long before he felt as he did now. Practically benign to the smell of humans, but if he were to cheat, to start all over again... Edward imagined it was an urge akin to the experiences he had read about of people coming off addictive substances. Even when the substance was out of one's body, there was the still the insatiable craving of the mind.

"-would you like to?"

He realized with a jolt that Esme was asking him a question. Quickly he pulled the thought out of her mind and responded with a swiftly, hoping she would not notice his hesitation.

"My room, of course I'd like to see it."

Esme smiled happily and lead him down the hall, past what he presumed were his siblings rooms.

"I took the liberty of doing some decorating, but I know that you like to do things like arrange your music and book collection yourself. And, of course, if you don't like anything you can change it without hurting my feelings." She smiled, and then added quickly, "And no peeking!"

Edward couldn't help but laugh at the reference towards his mind-reading abilities.

"I already promised not to. Please show me, you're getting almost as bad as Alice."

Esme grinned and pranced through a doorway into his room.

To Edward's great surprise he found himself liking this room much more than he had anticipated. The whole back wall was window, but did open, and there were some beautiful old pines right within an easy jumping distance. The walls were the same white, but the floors were made of textured white granite tiles. A black couch was against one wall, a fold-out. He could smell the silk bamboo blend of the cover. The adjacent wall was all bookshelf. He was already imagining his library there. It had been a while since he had changed his filing, maybe he would change the arrangement, possibly going by preference within year….

"Esme, it is perfect. Thank you for doing this."

"I want you to be happy here, Edward." Esme was looking up at him with such yearning in her eyes. She reached up and embraced him. Edward broke his personal rule and opened himself to her thoughts,

Please let him stay. I can't stand to lose him now. He wants to leave, that's obvious, I wonder if Carlisle has noticed. Perhaps if we invited the Denali's to visit, as a housewarming…

Edward pulled his mind away from hers, letting the sounds of the freeway in the distance, and the life around him fill his ears instead. Esme broke their embrace, and her face had the strained look that she got when she was pulling back emotion. Edward knew with a disturbing urgency that he would either have to come clean to his parents now and leave, or stay here and practice harder at seeming content. He could manage content, he decided. Not happiness, but at least complacency. For Carlisle, for Esme.

***

"I know you're all very used to this by now, but I want to make sure you all have back-up stories for any complicated situations."

Carlisle was smiling at his family, who circled him, leaning and fidgeting and other such things, practicing looking 'human'.

"I still don't understand why we can't dress more…L.A. chic."

Emmett and Edward laughed aloud, Jasper rolled his eyes and kissed Alice on the nose, Rosalie nodded in agreement with her sister. Carlisle chuckled,

"I understand Alice, but you may have noticed there's not even a department store here. We will be standing out enough already. Edward and Esme have made a few appearances at the hospital, and there's a family photo, so that helps with people at the hospital. But you will all need to put in the work at school."

"Besides," Emmett said, with a grin on his light-hearted face, "Edward has to put up with the thoughts of all the boys contemplating Rose naked, even dressed in a rain coat, imagine what a mini-shirt would do to these poor boys and our dear brother's head. Sorry Rose, baby."

Rosalie shot a smoldering look at Emmett and said, "Oh, I think dear Edward could get over it."

"I may not be paternal in one sense of the word, but I think I've still heard enough of this conversation." Carlisle said quickly.

They all laughed a little at that.

"So. We moved down here from Alaska, that way if Tanya and the others ever come to visit we'll claim them as cousins. Alice and Edward, you both seem to appear a little less…intimidating than the rest, plus you're the younger of the Cullen's. You'll do a lot of talking this week. But Jasper, you'll have to stick somewhat close to keep everyone at ease."

"Carlisle…"

Alice trailed off, her eyes flickering to her mate, Jasper.

"Alice, I will be fine. I'm not thirsty and we've been preparing for this for a while."

"I know. I'm sorry, Jasper. Plus so far, I see nothing unexpected happening. Although I see your…expression, Jazz, as being a little strained through the eyes of a human."

"Migraines." Carlisle said quickly. "That'll pass. Now, I don't want Esme's name smeared," he continued in a quiet voice, "but if it gets too bad, it might be necessary to say that she's unable to bear children." Edward noticed the sad look that crossed his father's face. He shot a look towards Jasper, unable to see his father in such pain.

The room seemed to relax, all the tension in everyone disappearing. They all smiled lightly.

"I'm quite all right Jasper, but thank you." Carlisle said, his emotions as steady as the rest of them.

"Well, I needed it. It seems like not very many of the people in this room trust me. Need I remind you all that I quit cold-turkey the second Alice came into my life?"

"We know, and I apologize, but I suppose you could say I have…first day of school jitters. I may have seen Edward be a freshman many times, but I can't completely suppress that paternal feeling of pride. Let's just say I'm having a human moment."

At this statement they all laughed. And one by one they filed into the new black Volvo, Edward at the helm.

***

New schools always bring about all sorts of new Hell, Edward reminded himself. But he couldn't help but wonder in dread if it would always be this bad in Forks High School. He was almost wishing he had taken Alice's side in the argument between Forks, Washington and New York City. In a big city filled with unusual beautiful people, like New York, they would still stand out, but not this bad.

The seven-hundred range of student body was an all new kind of difficult. Edward had thought it would be easier. Fewer thoughts to ignore had been his theory. But instead it seemed like the minds of these seven hundred-odd people were amplified. It didn't help that every single one of them were focused on him and his family.

Wow. They don't make girls like them in Forks...

If he talked to me I would just die…

Maybe he'll go to the Spring dance with me….I bet no one else has asked him yet…

Oh. My. God. He is soooo hot! Weird name, Edward. But I could get over that…

To Edward's dismay he had been seeing a lot of not just Rosalie being pictured in compromising positions, but himself and his brother's as well. This was not something Edward wanted. If he had to guess, he imagined the students of Forks probably thought Edward looked like he was in more pain than Jasper.

It was distracting, but he had to keep to the plan. He was certainly thankful that he had been unable to blush for seven decades. The day started…fast. There was no easing quietly into their spots and worrying about it later. No, there was far too much curiosity, and not just from the students, but from the teachers.

Edward had to stand up and introduce himself and his family quite a few times that day. Thankfully they all had homeroom together, so Jasper made the air feeling accepting and safe. Maybe a little too accepting, he thought with a wince as another stray thought of Emmet, of all people, drifted towards him. Edward grit his teeth, it was a necessary evil. But…it really sucked.

At lunch hour they all reconvened, finding a table for themselves. They went through the motions of filling their trays with food, and then dutifully picking at it occasionally. There had never really been a great idea of how to overcome the meal-time weirdness. They could make themselves eat the food if they had to, but then they would have to find somewhere to regurgitate it. Rumors of the new kids all being bulimics was not ideal.

"So." Alice said quietly, breaking the awkward silence of their table. She kept her voice low enough that prying ears wouldn't overhear. "How's everybody's day going?"

Edward chuckled at this, struck by how…normal they seemed. Catching on they all followed suit, except for Jasper, he was watching a girl to his left drinking a can of soda.

Edward kicked his brother swiftly, but lightly, in the shin. Jasper's eyes snapped back to the table in front of him.

Sorry, I-I wouldn't-wasn't going to…

Edward felt guilty, hating to make his brother feel bad.

The others had caught on, although Edward had tried to be discreet. They were all looking at him kindly, but Edward knew how much Jasper hated pity.

"You wouldn't have, Jasper." Alice said, her voice steady. Even so a vision flashed through her mind of Jasper lunging for the girl, grabbing her throat, and Edward and Emmett jumping him. After that it got fuzzy. He would have.

"Well, Emmett was right. But while I was rather expecting to see Rosalie pictured on many different arms, I didn't know dear Emmett would be such a hot commodity." Edward said, his tone joking, trying to distract them all away from Jasper. "I had no idea that your leg could go so high…"

"Aw, shut up, Ed!" Emmett said with a groan, "You and I both know that Rosalie and YOU are going for a tie for the most sought after. Who could resist you, you are, after all, almost as pretty as my dear sister." At this he leered at Rosalie who smiled slowly and raised an eyebrow.

"How much trouble do you think we'd get in for having sex in the locker room?"

"Considering that you're siblings I'm guessing we'd have to make a quick move, and claim that they have very good mental health facilities in Antarctica."

Alice chimed, rolling her eyes.

"Is incest considered a mental health issue these days?" Emmett asked, an angelic expression on his face. "You know how fascinated our dear brother Edward is in psychology."

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Anyway. I've introduced us in every class, we came from Alaska, we have family there, Esme and Carlisle adopted us. Alice is my sister and Emmet my brother. And Rosalie and Jasper are my adopted siblings. But even still, keep the romancing to a minimum, please. For mind's sake."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Emmet said, his eyes still on Rosalie.

"Rosalie has been doing the introductions for us." Jasper said in his quiet way, "I've been keeping the atmosphere calm. But I can relate with Edward…these kids are…enamored with us already."

Emmett snorted at his brother's careful phrasing.

"I want to make a friend." Alice announced. The silence after was long.

"A…friend? With one of these…humans?"

Jasper asked slowly, looking bewildered.

"Well, I'd been thinking about it back in Appalachia, but there wasn't anybody interesting there. But I'm hoping that maybe I'll find a person here. What?" she demanded, looking around at the faces of her family. "I've never had a friend. I don't even remember having one in my human life. I think its time."

"Er…maybe for now we should just lay low. After a few months here maybe then you could…find your friend." Edward suggested.

"Oh, Alice. I'll play slumber party with you if you want. Don't bring a human into this. Besides, what human would be stupid enough to ignore their instincts towards us. Besides, they'd probably just end up dead."

"Rose!"

"What? I wasn't saying it would be Jasper, necessarily, but a human hanging around a bunch of vampires hungry for its blood? We'd just end up having to move even faster than last time."

"Well, I still think it's a good idea." Alice said stubbornly.

"Have you…Seen a friend coming?" Edward asked, curious but also a little horrified. He couldn't imagine any way that a human could live in the same world as them.

"No," Alice admitted, "but that doesn't mean anything. I don't see everything. Besides, I didn't even know I wanted a friend until today. So there's plenty of time."

At that moment the bell rang. Announcing that lunch was over and to get to class. They all stood, dumped their trays and left.

Alice's words reverberated in Edwards mind. A human friend. This was one of the rare times where he agreed with Rosalie, where would Alice ever find a human stupid enough to hang around a coven of vampires?

He shook his head, as if he could just shake the thought away. It was time for class, and he had more thoughts to sort through and ignore and, of course, pretending that he didn't know the answers better than even the teachers. Being alone had given him an advantage of a lot of time spent reading, plus he had attended college twice already. If he had done all that, how hard could a quiet existence in Forks Washington be?

***

Author's Note: Thanks for hanging in there, my two faithful reviewers. My internet went on the fritz. Two hours on the phone with tech support was NOT fun.

So I was thinking a visit to Mr. J Jenks would be in order. Would you be interested in reading about that? I thought it might spot-light Jasper a little more, and show why, in Breaking Dawn, Jenks is so terrified of Jasper.