I burst into my room feeling like I was going to hyperventilate; Charlie and Chaplin looked up when I slammed my door open. Curiosity was the emotion I felt from both my rats, curiosity, beginning to merge with concern.

"Hey guys," I said softly "it's ok," carefully I focused my emotions so the guys wouldn't feed off my emotions and pushed calmness back on them. Luckily both guys are completely used to this happening to them.

Charlie and Chaplin gave me a quick squeak and went back to what they had been doing prior to my disturbing them. Charlie to the food dish, Chap to his tunnel…how he fits in that bloody thing I will never understand.

I looked around my room quickly, I needed to calm myself down, sort my feelings out and to do that…I needed something else to focus on. My eyes fell on my DVD stand and the first movie my eyes found was Van Helsing, good, I needed something along that line.

Made to be a horror flick, it really just brings all the old movies from the 30s and throws them together in a well crafted, if slightly cheesy monster movie, not a bit horrific in any sense, but still kind of cool.

Hugh Jackman's a decent actor and this movie is no exception to his acting ability, the end is just a little well….stupid, I mean it was neat that they factored in the original ending of Frankenstein with the monster on the raft, but the part where Van Helsing beats Dracula then "accidentally" kills the woman he was supposed to be protecting, yeah it was dumb and the whole howling in agony at the end was over dramatic.

But it's safer to watch then Dracula, Lost Boys or something to that nature, with Rosalie on the warpath and bent on venting there was always the chance that she might invade my room to vent, if she comes in with something like Dracula on the screen I might never hear the end of it, at least with Van Helsing I can find ways around it, 'cause Dracula's not on the screen enough until the end. Plus if I put it on my computer instead of my TV, I can just close the lid of my laptop if I hear Rose coming.

But I've got the feeling that Rose is hiding in the garage and wont be coming into the house anytime soon, figures they let her go there, why couldn't I?

I took a deep calming breath and put my movie into the drive of my laptop. The computer gave a whiring noise as the disc loaded. Fast as my laptop and my desktop are, the DVD player in my laptop takes a while to load. So while I waited, I leaned back in my chair and sorted out the profile I had completed of Bella Swan.

I had been completely right in my original profile about her being quiet and wanting to go with the flow. She really hates being the center of attention and I could see how shy and self conscious she had been about wanting to make a good first impression with my family. She was very afraid about offending any of us whether it be by saying the wrong thing or reacting wrong.

Her biggest concern, was not that she was in a house full of vampires, but that those vampires wouldn't accept her.

I rolled my eyes, but at the same time, respected her for that. She's brave, very brave. But I don't think she thought of herself as being brave, especially now given who, strike that… what, she was surrounded by, she didn't see that as bravery, it was like she had pushed what we are far from her mind and was just focusing on the idea that we are just as human as she is.

Why?

I'm not entirely sure.

Maybe she's trying to subconsciously convince herself that we are not dangerous and that she isn't risking her life by being in our house and around us.

I put my hands behind my head and thought things over. Bella loves my brother, its real love, at least what I know of as real love and I now understood the love Alice had for her, love of a best friend, love of a sister even.

Was that what I was feeling now? Was that why I had been so nervous about meeting her, was I afraid that I would come to care about her as my brother and sister did, love her as my sister even before she was a part of the family aside from a new friend?

It's always been tough for me to establish real closeness with anyone. I had managed to shut my sense of empathy down during the war and even after I became a vampire I continued to keep it closed off. It was just easier to not care then to face the pain that comes with caring and losing someone.

It took a lot of pushing on Esme and Carlisle's part to get me to feel for another being again, sure I cared for my real family and for my adopted family, but I made sure I kept most of myself closed off, it was just safer that way, I could display empathy and caring and act on it if I wanted to, but I made sure I couldn't feel it.

Had it not been for Esme being so persistent, I don't think I would have ever gotten my empathy back, at least to the extent I have now.

But that had changed a long time ago…but even now I'm still cautious about getting close to people, especially humans, Marie's been the first exception to that in a long, long time, at least until Bella.

Did I care about her in the same sense I cared for Marie? Was she someone I felt drawn to their caring and martyr like vibe and felt it was my duty to protect them when they would not do the same for themselves?

I know what I feel for Marie isn't love, at least not true love; you know, couples: husband to wife, boyfriend to girlfriend; what I feel for Bella it's not the kind of love that Marie has for me and what she hopes I will someday have for her, no it's not that kind of love, it's a different kind of love.

It's like the love you have for a best friend, a love for a sibling, or even a love for someone you admire for their strengths. So did I love Bella Swan in the same manner I have come to love Marie?

I did…I realized I cared about her and cared what happens to her, I knew if it came to it I would protect her, this wasn't the same kind of caring and love that Edward has for her, nor is it the same Alice has for her, my feelings are that of a younger brother, protective of his older sister.

I shook my head, I was getting ahead of myself, my ability was running away with itself and I had to rein it in 'fore it really got out of hand. Luckily my movie was finally starting, I sighed and settled down, ready to lose myself in the film. A creaking noise in the hall caught my attention, followed by an all too familiar scent… Bella.

Edward must have been giving her a tour of the house, my room was on the way to his. I wondered for a moment if my brother would skip my room. The creaking stopped outside my door and I could hear Edward:

"Chris's room, the one place in the house you might find typical monster movie stuff, cobwebs, dust, coffins, rats... Curious?" I rolled my eyes, my room is not that bad and I'm not that obsessed with monster movies, honestly my family blows my interest in that genre waaaaaay out of proportion. "And I am not kidding about the rats,"

He knocked on my door gently, I let a few seconds pass, before deciding to answer him, might as well get this over with.

"Yeah, 'sup Edward?"

"I'm giving Bella a tour of the house, are you up for it? Or is your room safe for that matter?"

I jumped out of my computer chair to open my door, I peeked around the frame and looked up at my brother and Bella who looked nervous, but it wasn't fear for herself, it was fear of spooking me, she really thought I was terrified of her.

"Sure," I said, ushering them inside, very glad that I had cleaned the rats cage that morning. I watched as Bella took in my room, she wasn't being nosy, just interested. I followed her eyes as they lingered on my window longer than anywhere else. She looked over at me when she felt my gaze and I offered a shy grin "this was originally one big room," I explained "we spilt it into two rooms by building that wall so Edward and I could have the same view. It made more sense than sharing. With our different taste in music we'd never survive as roomies."

Edward rolled his eyes at me and pushed my shoulders gently.

"Your seventies and heavy metal junk is enough to drive a person insane, and I can only take so much swing." He replied

"Hey," I spoke up to defend myself "'least my country obsession only lasted a week." My brother sighed with relief on that one, but didn't reply.

I glanced back at Bella who giggled at the both of us, but retuned her gaze out my window, but she seemed hesitant to move from my brother's side.

Determined to prove to her I wasn't terrified of her and that I had accepted her I slowly came up behind her,

"Beautiful isn't it?" I said softly, so not to frighten her. "I was born in Scotland," I explained "the view of the highlands is pretty close to this, reminds me of the highland mountains" I paused, unsure why I had exposed that much of my past to her so quickly. Hoping to regain some ground I finished up with "Feel free to explore."

I turned back to my desk where the movie was finally starting, in black and white recreating one of the most famous scenes in Universal Studios history, getting ready for one of the most famous lines of the studios history in cinema history for that matter.

The villagers were mobbing their way towards Dr. Frankenstein's castle, pitchforks, shotguns, and other assorted farm weaponry.

I really wondered if peasants actually did that, I mean its portrayed in movies so much, it can't all be fictitious, but did peasants really storm castles with pitchforks?

I could still feel her staring at me, she knew I had said more than I wanted to, but for some reason or another, she wasn't going to say anything 'bout it.

I felt Edward lean over my shoulders as he figured out the movie. He shook his head not disapprovingly, but with a look of pity.

"Chris, didn't Carlisle ground you from these?" he asked, his voice trying to be serious, but I could hear his amusement.

I tried to look as innocent as possible, but it just wasn't happening, for one thing he could read my mind that I wasn't innocent.

"No," I started, choosing each word carefully, "he said I was grounded from late night monster movie feasts on TV." I emphasized the word TV "this I own and therefore it isn't included in the grounded. Two it's daytime Edward," I said gesturing to the window behind me, "so therefore for it's not a late night movie. And finally I'm watching it on a computer and not the television, so there."

I so wanted to stick my tongue out at him and be immature like that, but still wanting to make a good impression with Bella I didn't, instead I just looked at my brother daring him to come up with a retort.

"It's alive, its alive!" Dr. Frankenstein declared on the movie as the creature on the table groaned.

Edward rolled his eyes, reaching over to the desk and picked up the empty DVD case, confirming what I was watching.

"Want to bet on that one?" he said with a grin "I think this was included in ALL monster movies." He finished whapping me on the top of my head with the case, so hard I was afraid he was going to break my case.

"Oh come on Ed! It's a classic…I mean the premise of it is, do you realize it ties in most of the original Universal Studio monsters from the 30s? Classic monsters, most who were played by three of the greatest actors Hollywood or the world for that matter has ever seen, Bela Lugosi, Lon Cheney, and Boris Karloff. Artists… geniuses! Those old monster movies set the stage for all future horror movies, they set the bar high and movies of today have yet to reach that bar. I mean…the only one that's missing from the group is Im-ho-tep from the Mummy, but even that's not bad considering all this takes place in the area of Transylvania so it wouldn't make sense for the Mummy anyways. Though I personally think it would have been a funny scene to have the Mummy storming the gates of the Vatican."

I crossed my arms across my chest in defiance as Edward rolled his eyes again, partly at me and partly as Dracula made his appearance on the screen by spooking Dr. Frankenstein.

"This would be my meaning of finding things you'd expect in a vampire's room." Edward said to Bella "minus the coffin," Coffin? Oh sure Edward, scare her some more why don't you! I thought and Edward shrugged innocently "but then again I haven't seen the inside of his closet in months, he's so obsessed I wouldn't put having a coffin in his closet past him."

"Hey, 'cuse me for liking old movies. Movies I grew up with." I shot back, my grin getting wider "and to quote Carlisle, it's an addiction, not an obsession." I paused, thinking the whole conversation over… "and what the heck would I do with a coffin anyways? Sheesh." I paused again "for one thing…" and I couldn't believe I was contemplating this "where would I even get a cof-" yeah that's enough of that "no, no, no, not going there…Conversation terminated." I glanced at Bella for a second, realizing something that Edward had only mentioned in a brush off joking sort of way and a good way to change the subject "hey, did you tell her about the guys?"

"No," that figured "not in detail, I did hint a warning, but nothing substantial, I assumed this instance it would be better to show rather than explain."

I sighed, that really figured. I've gotten used to how people react to rats, especially girls, Alice being an exception to that.

Though Bella didn't strike me as being someone scared of rodents, it's better to be safe than sorry, the last thing I wanted to do was scare Bella away because of Charlie and Chap after everything else that she had already proven she wasn't scared of (being in a house full of vampires, having one of those vampires who first wanted to kill her then wanted nothing to do with her, and now suddenly wants to be around her every waking and un-waking minute of her life).

I shook my head, clearing those thoughts away, that's it…I need a vacation…maybe I would take the Denali girls up on their offer and spend some time up in Alaska.

"Gee Edward; think that might've been something to tell her 'bout 'fore bringing her in here." I said softly. I looked over at Bella cautiously "you're not afraid of critters are you Bella," she seemed surprised by my question,

"Critters?" she repeated, confused.

"Rats?" I specified. I darted around my brother and Bella over to Chap and Char's cage. I opened the latch and let the two guys climb up my arm to my shoulder. When I looked over at Bella to assess her reaction, I had to do a double take.

To my own surprise she smiled at the guys, she thought they were cute and was amazed and even curious as to how close they stuck to me.

Both rats stood on either one of my shoulders, but began sniffing the air, trying to get a better scent of who else was in the room.

Edward they were used to, but suddenly there was a new scent in the room, something familiar to them, but never experienced in their own home before.

"You're the first human that isn't a vet they have come in contact with in a while. The last non-vet human was the owner of the pet store Chris and Carlisle picked them up at."

I felt both rats cower into my neck when Edward spoke. As uncomfortable as my skin is to them, they fear Edward more.

"Uh," Bella looked confused, so I figured I better explain,

"they don't like Edward, actually they don't like Emmett either, Jasper they just can't figure out why he smells like Alice, but it's their instinct to be afraid of him."

"But they like Esme and Carlisle," Edward spoke up "actually trust is a better phrase," he finished with grin.

"Well, that's partly 'cause Esme and Carlisle were with me when I bought them, and Carlisle made sure both rats were comfortable with being held by them, it was one of the biggest deciding factors." I paused and exchanged a grin with Edward "but their real love is Alice though,"

"And Rosalie" Edward added,

"And Rosalie" I repeated, laughing, "Though the feeling is NOT mutual. She calls them Bubonic and Plague. But they really love her." I flinched a little as Bella slowly came closer to me, I wasn't expecting this. She put her hand out to Charlie, who stood on my left shoulder, he leaned forward, curious. He sniffed her hand and gave it a quick friendly lick.

"Do they have names?" she asked and I felt my grin sweep across my face again.

"'Course they do, and it's not Bubonic and Plague." I nodded to my left "the big guy there is Charlie, and that's Chap, short for Chaplin." I finished nodding to my right.

She seemed surprised for a moment, which quickly gave way to curiosity. I glanced over at Edward, forgetting momentarily that he couldn't read Bella's mind, so I tried to read her face. But I couldn't for the life of me figure out why she had reacted so strangely to the rat's names.

"You named one of your rats Charlie?" she asked and I nodded slowly, some things about her were tough to read, but it was getting easier the more time I spent with her. It suddenly clicked why she would question Charlie's name.

"Er. I didn't name him after your father though, no offense to Chief Swan intended, but Charlie isn't named for your dad." I paused and grinned, "Actually their both are named for Charlie Chaplin, silent film star, early twenties? He was my favorite actor when I was a kid, he was hilarious beat the Stooges cold, though they were great too." I leaned to the left so Charlie could climb down off my shoulder and back onto his cage; he stood on the top of the cage and watched us intently, mainly keeping his eyes on Edward for any sign of movement. I reached over and lifted Chaplin up, holding him closer to Bella. "Take a look at the black under his nose, do you see it?"

She nodded,

"Yes."

"That would be why he's named Chaplin, 'cause it looks like the moustache, which is what Charlie Chaplin was famous for having." I felt and heard Chaplin's heart pick up speed a bit. He could probably smell Edward all over Bella, and like Jasper having Alice's scent all over him, Chap didn't know whether to be afraid of curious. Luckily, curiosity is one of Chap's hamartia, his fatal flaw if you will. It always gets the better of him so I wasn't surprised in the least as he slowly made his way off my arm and onto Bella's, "If I had three of them though they would've been named for the three stooges easily."

"Chris," Edward finally spoke up, spooking Chap a bit, but Bella gently ran her hand down his back and he instantly calmed down. "If you had three of them, Rosalie never would have spoken to you again, until they moved out. Actually, you're lucky she's still on speaking terms with you with just two of them. Especially since when they do get loose they end up in her bookcase."

I rolled my eyes at that and leaned again the wall near Charlie. He happily ran across the cage and climbed back on my shoulder.

"Not my fault they're infatuated with her." I replied shrugging, "and actually Emmett finds it hilarious."

At that Edward decided to end the conversation, because he knows it's true. He turned to Bella and gestured for her to follow him.

She gently lifted Chap off of her arm and handed him cautiously to me, I set him down on the cage and Charlie followed, climbing back into the cage making a beeline for his food dish.

"We'll finish the tour," Edward said "and I won't tell Carlisle about the movie, but I do think that it counts and two months may become more than that when he finds out." I rolled my eyes again "and I would keep a listen for Rosalie…you know her feelings on your taste in movies and she is ready to kill at the moment."

Rosalie was my main concern, Carlisle can never come close to how frightening Rosalie can get. He'll just remind me to keep Rosalie's feelings in mind and use my judgment, guilt is my father's best weapon, my sister on the other hand she may get violent.

I jokingly growled at my brother, keeping it that way so Bella wouldn't be spooked, though I was starting to learn, it takes a lot to really spook her, I was right 'bout her being brave and a part of my mind really wanted to know what her fear threshold was.

"Argh stay outta my head!" I growled at my brother, before grinning wide as a thought came to mind. "You know… imagine how the storyline would've played out had Dracula and his brides had our abilities; ya'know you, Alice, Jasper, and I? Van Helsing wouldn't have a chance. I mean Drac had that whole hypnotizing thing going on, but that's cheating I think." I looked over at Bella quickly, the conversation with Alice flashing though my head. I quickly shook the thought from my mind, I had felt bad about bringing that up around Alice…Edward was the last person I wanted to actually hear that thought. "Though if you REALLY think about it…naw…" I paused and tapped my finger to my chin thinking "could be an interesting concept, someone should write to universal and suggest it. Also tell 'em that their writers and Bram Stroker completely got it wrong about us."

Edward rolled his eyes, though I could see it, despite the thought he had seen about 'fondness for his meal' he found the rest of the conversation amusing and was trying not to laugh. Bella on the other hand was failing as she giggled the whole way out of my room.

I followed the couple to the door and as they headed to the hallway I leaned against my doorframe. I had the image of Edward trying to read the Frankenstein monster's mind and having all the different people that made up the monster all talking at once.

Edward saw what I had and crossed his arms across his chest, looking at me expectantly.

"What Christian."

"I was just thinking." I answered honestly.

"Yes, and that would be what worries me." Edward replied "and no Chris…I don't think it would be possible to read Frankenstein's mind."

"You mean Frankenstein's monster…the monster is never named, it's always referred to as Frankenstein's monster." I corrected, getting technical. "And yeah…good point. Talk about multiple personality disorder… he's like four different guys all rolled into one…a shrink or a mind readers worst nightmare come true! And you gotta wonder…" I added thoughtfully "did Dr. Frankenstein use one brain or different sections of different brains, then the monster would really have a complex." I finished laughing evilly as I ducked back into my room to finish the movie in question.