**Secrets Revealed**

I could tell Edward was struggling with the lack of information to clue him in, and I must admit I kind of enjoyed watching him struggle, but I wanted to know more as much they did so I jumped right to it.

"Alright everybody I received a vision just before we left for our hunting trip but I had to wait for this box to arrive to really know what was going to happen and how it will affect all of us. So without further ado I will now reveal its contents."

I skipped into the dining room and placed the box on the table as I waited for my family to take their seats. Once everyone was seated I made quick work on the boxes seal and revealed one of the books, Twilight.

"You're truly this excited over a silly novel? Seriously Alice?"

"Trust me Rosalie you'll be glad you found out about this. All of you will be."

At that everyone looked at me with a look of curiosity as Rosalie scoffed. So I decided not to draw this out too much.

"Let me just read the blurb from the back of this book for you and then tell me what you think," nobody objected so I continued, "About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire." Everyone gasped at this just like I had, and Edward simply appeared confused. "Second, there was a part of him – and I didn't know how dominant the part might be – that thirsted for my blood. And third I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

Edward suddenly stood up with a look of dread across his face "Alice, what is this?"

Please sit Edward. There is more written here and I haven't even seen this part yet. We can discuss it further once I have finished reading the blurb, okay?

With a frustrated sigh, Edward took his seat, "Fine."

"When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen…"

"Ohhh mysterious and alluring Eddie. Ha ha"

"Shut up Emmett and don't call me Eddie!"

"If you don't mind, the rest of us would like to know how this affects our family"

"Thank you Rosalie," I gave a nod and a smile to Rosalie then turned to the boys with a raised brow and they took their seats once again. "…her life takes a thrilling and terrifying new turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible…" Rosalie scoffed, "…and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret."

"I wish she wouldn't," Edward whispered.

"Ahem. 'What Bella doesn't realize is that the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And it might be too late to turn back…' well that's it."

"So Alice are these books all about me and this girl named Bella?"

"It would appear so. I haven't received anymore visions except that these books were arriving. Oh and also a vision of Bella."

At the mention of a vision of Bella, Edward's eyes widened slightly and he leaned toward me. "What was it Alice? Show me," He pleaded.

And so I did. I showed him the image of Edward and me with Bella. He leaned back into his seat as everyone else remained silent, watching us.

"So this will really happen? I am going to meet her, and she will love me? How could she? I'm a soulless vampire. It doesn't make sense Alice."

Finally Carlisle made a move. "We have been over this Edward. No one with as much caring as you share with those around you could be soulless."

"And how could she not love you Edward? I may have not met her yet but I am positive she will be perfect for you and you for her. You deserve love Edward," piped up Esme.

She always could find the best in all of us, our eternal mother. No matter how deluded our own personal image might be, I scowled at Edward.

"Fine. Fine. You are all getting a little loud could you all stop shouting your thoughts at me," he retorted in a huff. "But hold on. Did that description say her name was Isabella Swan? Chief Swan's daughter is named Isabella isn't she?"

At Edward's query it all seemed to come together. If Chief Swan's daughter was to move here she would of course be going to our school and would come across us even if people usually steer clear of us. I would love to know what she looks like, without it seeming like looking through foggy glass.

"Nobody stress out. I'll be back in a jiffy, okay?" Without waiting for a response I ran as fast as vampire speed to take me (which was really fast mind you), all the way to the Swan household and getting out the hidden front door key, I glided through the front door silently. Chief Swan was out at work already, having left early. I made my way into the lounge and noticed the long line of individual portraits of a girl starting from infancy to around sixteen or seventeen years old. I ripped off a piece of paper from the notepad next to the phone on the corner table and grabbed a lead pencil out of the draw; I walked over to the most recent portrait and started copying it down to absolute perfection. Once completed I returned to the front door, locked it and replaced the key and returned back to the now curious vampires sitting around the dining table.

"I thought you all might want to know what she looks like. So here you guys go." I passed the sketch to Edward first who seemed to simply stare, eyes wide. "Well Edward what do you think?"

"She's beautiful," he replied with a now growing smile. I smiled in reply as the image was passed around the table.

"Oh she is beautiful Edward. I can't wait till she arrives," said Esme once it reached her. She certainly seemed as eager as Edward now was, in meeting her.

"Okay. So who's all for us reading these books together? Raise you hand." I requested. Everybody's hands rose, clearly eager to find out what this story holds for all of us.

"Well first things first. I think you should all now there are three more books in the box which I am assuming are sequels to the first. Twilight is its title, then New Moon, Eclipse and last Breaking Dawn. I am not going to read the blurbs for those yet. And I think at each chapter we should change whoever is narrating, with a chance for open discussion in-between. Is this all right with everyone?" I awaited a response and was granted with nods from my family.

"Okay I'll go first. Everybody ready? Preface; I'd never given it much thought to how I would die – though I'd had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something. I knew that if I'd never gone to Forks, I wouldn't be facing death now. But, terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to and end. The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me. So that's the preface. What do you all think so far?"

"A little morbid, don't you think?" Emmett remarked as Edward groaned.

"I bet she is referring to me. Or I brought her to this conclusion," Edward moaned.

"Don't be ridiculous Edward. It couldn't possibly be you!" Esme snapped.

"Thank you for your belief in me mum," Edward smiled, somewhat glumly.

"How about someone continues on to the first chapter and we can find out what happens?" I offered.

"Mind if I start us off Alice?" Carlisle requested.

"Sure," I replied, passing him the novel.

"Chapter 1: First Sight. My Mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. I was wearing my favourite shirt – sleeveless, white eyelet lace; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture."

"That's not a very good choice for Forks. She'll be freezing and wet." Esme was already worrying over her.

"My carry on item was a parka."

"Now, that's a bit more appropriate."

"In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds."

"Perfect place for people like us," Emmett chuckled.

"It rains on this inconsequential town more that any other place in the United States if America. It was from this town and its gloomy, omnipresent shade that my mother escaped with me when I was only a few months old. It was in this town that I'd been compelled to spend a month every summer until I was fourteen. That was the year I finally put my foot down; these past three summers, my dad, Charlie, vacationed with me in California for two weeks instead.

It was to Forks that I now exiled myself – an action that I took with great horror. I detested Forks."

"Why is she bothering coming here then?" Emmett wondered aloud.

"I loved Phoenix. I loved the sun and the blistering heat. I loved the vigorous, sprawling city.

"Bella," my mum said to me – the last of a thousand times – before I got on the plane. "You don't have to do this."

My mum looks like me, except with short hair and laugh lines. I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my loving, erratic, harebrained mother to fend for herself? Of course she had Phil now, so the bills would probably get paid, there would be food in the refrigerator, gas in her car and someone to call when she got lost, but still…"

"She seems to be an old soul just like you dear," Esme mused to Edward, "although I believe it's her mother's job to feel this way not the other way around."

""I want to go," I lied. I'd always been a bad liar, but I'd been saying this lie so frequently lately that it sounded almost convincing now.

"Tell Charlie I said hi."

"I will."

"I'll see you soon," she insisted. "You can come home whenever you want – I'll come right back as soon as you need me."

But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise.

"Don't worry about me," I urged. "It'll be great. I love you, Mum."

She hugged me tightly for a minute, and then I got on the plane, and she was gone.

It's a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, and then an hour drive back down to forks. Flying doesn't bother me; the hour in the car with Charlie though, I was a little worried about."

"I wonder why that would worry her." Edward wondered.

"Charlie had really been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was coming to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence."

"Of course he would be. You're his daughter." Esme admonished.

"He'd already gotten me registered for high school and was going to help me get a car.

But it was sure to be awkward with Charlie. Neither of us was what anyone would call verbose, and I didn't know what there was to say regardless. I knew he was more than a little confused by my decision – like my mother before me; I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks.

When I landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I didn't see it as an omen – just unavoidable. I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun.

Charlie was waiting for me with the cruiser. This I was expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks. My primary motivation behind buying a car, despite the scarcity of my funds, was that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows down traffic like a cop.

Charlie gave me and awkward, one-armed hug when I stumbled my way off the plane.

"It's good to see you, Bells," he said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied me. "You haven't changed much. How's Renée?"

"Mum's fine. It's good to see you too, Dad." I wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face."

"I would think not," Esme rebuked.

"I only had a few bags. Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. My mum and I had pooled our recourses to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser."

I didn't like the sound of that. I new then that I would have to take her shopping or even better, design her a whole new wardrobe. Maybe as a 'Welcome to Forks' gift… I'll have to start as soon as we finish the books if it's to be done by the time she arrives. What colours should I use?

"Blue," was Edward's only remark to my unspoken question. After all blue is his favourite colour. Everyone turned to him curious about his random outburst. Carlisle simply shrugged and continued with the story.

""I found a good car for you, really cheap," he announced when we were strapped in.

"What kind of car?" I was suspicious of the way he said "good car for you" as apposed to just "good car".

"Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy."

"Where did you find it?"

"Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?" La Push is the tiny Indian reservation on the coast.

"No."

"He used to go fishing with us during the summer," Charlie prompted.

That would explain why I didn't remember him. I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory.

"He's in a wheelchair now," Charlie continued when I didn't respond, "So he can't drive anymore, and he offered to sell me his truck cheap."

"What year is it?" I could tell from his change of expression that this was a question he was hoping I wouldn't ask.

"Well Billy's done a lot of work on the engine – it's only a few years old, really."

I hoped he didn't think so little of me as to believe I would give up that easily. "When did he buy it?"

"He bought it in 1984, I think."

"Did he buy it new?"

"Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties – or late fifties at the earliest," he admitted sheepishly."

"WHAT! Argh, I'm so going to help her out with getting a better car. Even if I do think this vampire-human relationship is going to cause problems for all of us, no one should be stuck with such a slow old car," Rosalie ranted.

"Ch- Dad, I don't really know anything about cars. I wouldn't be able to fix it if anything went wrong, and I couldn't afford a mechanic…"

"Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don't build them like that anymore."

The Thing, I thought to myself… it had possibilities – as a nickname at the very least."

"I like it," Emmett snorted.

""How cheap is cheap?" After all, that was the part I couldn't compromise on.

"Well, honey, I kind of already bought it for you. As a homecoming gift." Charlie peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression.

Wow. Free.

"You didn't need to do that, Dad. I was going to buy myself a car."

"I don't mind. I want you to be happy here." He was looking ahead at the road when he said this. Charlie wasn't comfortable with expressing his emotions out loud. I inherited that from him. So I was looking straight ahead when I responded.

"That's really nice, Dad. Thanks. I really appreciate it." No need to add that my being happy in Forks is an impossibility. He didn't need to suffer along with me. And I never looked a free truck in the mouth – or engine."

"Judging by the preface and this statement, she seems to be a bit of a martyr. Don't you think?" Carlisle mused.

"Mhmm," was Edward's only response, as he frowned slightly.

""Well, now, you're welcome," he mumbled, embarrassed by my thanks.

We exchanged a few more comments on the weather, which was wet, and that was pretty, much it for conversation. We stared out the windows in silence.

It was beautiful, of course; I couldn't deny that. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves.

It was too green – an alien planet. She has an odd way of looking at it," stated Carlisle, "but I guess it would be very different to Phoenix.

Eventually we made it to Charlie's. He still lived in the small, two-bedroom house that he'd bought with my mother in the early days if their marriage. Those were the only kind of days their marriage had – the early ones. There, parked on the street in front of the house that never changed, was my new – well, new to me – truck. It was a faded red colour, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. To my intense surprise, I loved it."

"Argh. You have got to kidding me!" Rosalie groaned.

"I didn't know if it would run, but I could see myself in it. Plus, it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged – the kind you see at the scene of an accident, paint unscratched, surrounded by the pieces if the foreign car it had destroyed.

"Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Now my horrific day tomorrow would be just that much less dreadful. I wouldn't be faced with the choice of either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser.

"I'm glad you like it," Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed again.

It took only one trip to get all my stuff upstairs. I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had belonged to me since I was born. The wooden floor, the light blue walls, the peaked ceiling, the yellowed lace curtains around the window – these were all part of my childhood. The only changes Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. The desk now held a second-hand computer, with the phone line for the modem stapled along the floor to the nearest phone jack. This was a stipulation from my mother, so that she could stay in touch easily. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner.

There was only one small bathroom at the top of the stairs, which I would have to share with Charlie. I was trying not to dwell too much on that fact.

One of the best things about Charlie is he doesn't hover. He left me alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for my mother. It was nice to be alone, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape. I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning."

"Oh, sweetheart." Esme was clearly feeling upset for her at the situation she was in, and I had to admit so was I. I already felt –since my vision –that she was a sister to me, and Edward also didn't appear to like the fact she was feeling so down. Even if this hadn't happened yet.

"Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven – now fifty-eight – students; there were more than seven hundred people in my junior class alone back home. All of the kids here had grown up together. I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak."

"I'm betting she'll feel better once she realises we are the ones that seem to hold that title," considered Emmett with a slight chuckle.

"Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage. But physically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I should be tan, sporty, blonde – volleyball player, or a cheerleader, perhaps – all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun.

Instead, I was ivory-skinned, without even the excuse of blue eyes or red hair, despite the constant sunshine. Hmm, that does seem a little strange for a human. I had always been slender, but soft somehow, obviously not an athlete; I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself – and harming both myself and anyone else who stood to close.

When I finished putting my clothes in the old pine dresser, I took my bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean myself up after the day of travel. I looked at my face in the mirror as a brushed through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy. My skin could be pretty – it was very clear, almost translucent-looking – but it all depended on colour. I had no colour here"

"Ha ha ha, she'll look like one of us if she really is as pale as she says," hooted Emmett.

"Facing my pallid reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. It wasn't just physically that I'd never fit in. And if I couldn't find a niche in a school with three thousand people, what were my chances here?

I didn't relate well to people my own age. Maybe the truth was that I didn't relate well to people, period. Even my mother, who I was closer to than anyone else on the planet, was never in harmony with me, never on exactly the same page. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain.

But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow would be just the beginning.

I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying. The constant whooshing of the rain and the wind wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded old quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, when the rain finally settled in to a quieter drizzle.

Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage.

Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him, knowing his hope was wasted. Good luck tended to avoid me."

"You've got that right, if you're going to be meeting me," noted Edward glumly.

"Oh stop being so overly dramatic Edward. If anyone of us should meet her, it's best that it's you first I suppose. Or me." I smiled reassuringly at him, but he simple shook his head.

"Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatched chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark panelled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First, a wedding picture of Charlie and my mum in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by a procession of my school pictures up to last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at – I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here.

Continued in next Chapter…