A/N: Hey guys! I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow (October 4th) and I won't be back until the 10th so I felt I needed to give y'all an update before I mysteriously disappear, haha. I'll promise to get my next chapter into my beta ASAP. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and my beta, lipstickletter. You rock! Okay, read on.

Disclaimer: I am really getting tired of saying this. Can't you people just realize I am not Stephenie Meyer and I own nothing in here? :P

Chapter 4: Piano Playing

I moved my Bishop over, keeping my face stoic as Emmett's brow furrowed in frustration. We were playing our own version of chess, which consisted of eight boards and a very complicated set of rules. Regular chess was just too easy for our minds, hence the boards and the rules. Alice danced to her computer in the other room and I heard her monitors sing to life. She was working on a project for a new wardrobe for Rosalie, but Rosalie wasn't helping her today. She sat on the couch lethargically flipping through twenty channels a second.

Alice's head popped around the wall and she mouthed Emmett's next moves to me. I kept my poker face on as I cut off Emmett's favorite knight, trying not to spread my smugness to Emmett or he'd realize I was cheating. At least I'd win our bet and get two hundred dollars. Emmett and I always gambled before we competed in anything, just to make the competition even more exciting.

Suddenly, I heard the familiar notes of the piano that had not been played for at least three decades, give or take another decade. My eyes barely glanced at Edward as Esme ran down the stairs and sat at the bottom step, leaning her head on the banister and listening to Edward's music. Alice mouthed another move and I cut off another one of Emmett's pieces. His frustration and determination were hilarious as he tried very hard to seem unfazed by the act. Abruptly, the music stopped and Edward's bout of laughter echoed around the room.

"Don't stop, Edward," Esme pleaded.

Embarrassment and fury raged from Rosalie as Emmett and I stared at Edward, who was trying very hard not to smile. Rosalie stormed out of the room as Edward tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Emmett called out as Rosalie went into the garage, hiding underneath her car. Emmett looked expectantly at Edward. "What was that about?"

"I don't have the faintest idea," Edward murmured, lying. Judging by both Rosalie and Edward's emotions, Edward had heard something embarrassing in Rosalie's thoughts. What the thoughts were, I had no idea.

"Keep playing," Esme urged and he continued playing. "It's charming. Does it have a name?"

"Not yet," Edward answered, testing his melody.

"Is there a story to it?"

"It's…a lullaby, I suppose," Edward admitted. I raised an eyebrow. Why would a vampire need a lullaby? I looked toward my wife and she mouthed Emmett's next move to me.

"A lullaby," Esme murmured affectionately. Alice entered the room, leaving me with my own devices. At least I had a trick up my sleeve. I tasted the emotions around Emmett as I eyed different pieces, acting undecided and moving a certain piece when he showed regret and tension. Everybody tended to forget about my power, and I occasionally used that to my advantage.

Alice sat next to Edward and started singing a wordless melody two octaves above his tune.

"I like it," Edward murmured. "But how about this?" Edward added Alice's melody to the tune and I found myself relishing in my wife's wonderful voice. Emmett slipped passed me, causing one of my knight's to be blocked, but I didn't really care.

Edward modified the tune a bit, and Alice caught along. "Yes. Perfect." Alice was starting to take off on the melody as Edward slowly went lower. Alice caught on and lowered her voice, too. Soon, Edward played the last note and bowed his head over the keys.

"Thanks," Edward whispered to Esme's thoughts. "Stop it, Mom, you're making me blush."

Alice giggled and started "Heart and Soul". Edward smiled and joined her, completing the melody on his piano before pleasing her with a round of "Chopsticks". Alice giggled again after they were done. I quickly blocked Emmett's bishop, winning the game.

"So I wish you'd tell me what you were laughing at Rose about," Alice sighed. "But I can see that you won't."

"Nope," Edward said and Alice flicked his ear.

"Be nice, Alice," Esme said. "Edward is being a gentleman."

"But I want to know," Alice whined and I chuckled a little under my breath.

"Here Esme," Edward chuckled and started playing the melody he had written for Carlisle and Esme's relationship. I sighed, remembering the one he had written for Alice and me. It was combined of two very different melodies, both complete opposites. The higher one was fast and never-ending or repeating (clearly Alice's) and the lower one was slower, but followed the other's melody slightly, just slower with a different beat to it (clearly mine). They danced around each other, occasionally joining together for a split second, but moving off one another yet again. It ended with a beautiful chord. I had it put in my memory for I had heard it at least a thousand times (Alice had made Edward play it at least ten times a day when he had first composed it).

"Thank you, dear," she whispered. The melody continued in silence. It was slow, and yet fast paced. I swayed a little to the music, causing Emmett's amusement level to rise.

"Oh!" Alice suddenly gasped and I instantly forgot everything but her safety. "Jasper, guess what?" Edward had abruptly stopped playing, his tension building at increasing rates.

"What, Alice?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm, but some worry broke through.

"Peter and Charlotte are coming to visit next week!" Alice exclaimed, smiling. I smiled, too, remembering my friends. "They're going to be in the neighborhood, isn't that nice?"

Tension exploded from Edward and I was worried that he was going to hurt Alice for a second. Esme spoke my words of worry.

"What's wrong, Edward?" she asked, sensing his distress.

"Peter and Charlotte are coming to Forks?" Edward hissed and Alice rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, Edward. It's not their first visit." Alice huffed; giving Edward a dirty look he couldn't see when he looked even more agitated. "They never hunt here. You know that."

"When?" Edward demanded. Alice pursed her lips. "No. You ready, Emmett?" Apparently, she had answered in her mind. I'd have to ask her what day they were coming. Esme would want to fix up the house before they came and Alice would want to get me some sort of new outfit to "impress" them with though they only wore dirtied pants and holey button-up shirts. That's what nomads were like.

Edward wasn't happy whatsoever with the idea of my friends coming, but he had resigned. They would come, but he'd protect Bella. I guess that was reasonable for him.

"I thought we were leaving in the morning?" Emmett asked as he counted out the money he owed me.

"We're coming back Sunday by midnight," Edward explained smoothly. Of course I wouldn't be included in this hunt. Edward and Emmett were much closer to each other than they were to me and tended to leave me out of things. I didn't mind, though—Alice would probably take me hunting tonight anyway.

"Okay, fine. Let me say goodbye to Rose first."

"Sure." Edward said as Emmett left the room. "I suppose I have."

"Play the new song for me," Esme urged, "one more time."

"If you'd like that," Edward agreed, though I felt his reluctance. He pulled a lemonade cap out of his pocket and set it on the piano before playing. I raised my eyebrows and Alice and Esme exchanged a look. No one asked what it meant, though.

Peter and Charlotte arrived on a sunny morning and were staying until Tuesday night, another sunny day, so we could spend two days with them, not even having to go to school. It was great to see them, I admit, but Edward was sort of making them edgy. When they had first arrived, Edward wasn't home—probably busy watching Bella sleep—which left us in an awkward position. We had to explain to my friends that our brother was fascinated with a human.

"Jasper!" Charlotte cried out as she saw me smiling at her. She pulled me into a hug before Alice attacked her with an over-ecstatic welcoming. Peter and I shook hands, smiling wide. Their eyes were bright red, showing they had just hunted before coming into this city, which made me grateful. There had been one time when they were visiting that Peter had lost control and attacked an innocent human, causing us to move. He was so guilty, and we tried not to bring the memory up whenever he was around.

"How are you, man?" Peter asked.

"Good," I said. "How about you?"

"Fine myself," Peter beamed as Emmett barreled down the staircase and engulfed both of our guests in one hug.

"Emmett, don't kill them, please," I warned as Charlotte's eyes bulged out by how hard Emmett was squeezing them. He let go instantly, smiling sheepishly. Rosalie walked down next and welcomed them as she usually did, just a simple "Hey." Esme hugged both of our guests and Carlisle did the same.

"Where's Edward?" Charlotte asked and Rosalie snorted, strutting out of the room. She was still very angry with Edward. Emmett followed her, trying to soothe her. Carlisle and Esme had already gone off and Alice smiled.

"Watching Bella," she said simply and their confusion filled the room.

"Bella is a human," I explained. "Edward has a…fascination with her. She smells much more appetizing to him than any other human."

"He's in love with her," Alice said and I shot her a warning look. We didn't want to scare our guests too much.

"What?" they gasped.

"He's been having a tough time lately," I said. "You'll have to excuse him-he's very confused about everything."

Edward exited the house without anything but a silent nod to Peter and Charlotte.

"I can see what you meant about him having some difficulties," Charlotte laughed awkwardly before we continued chatting away. My friends' stay was too short, and I soon found myself saying goodbye to them. Edward was in the house, but he refused to say a word to them as he played the piano with impatience.

"If you see Maria again," I said warily, "tell her I wish her well." Alice clenched my hand, and I repressed a shudder, remembering the time Maria had looked up my family and met us in Calgary. It had been quite an eventful visit, and ended with us having to move. I tried to politely ask her to keep her distance in the future, for the truce we had had apparently meant that she could come and nearly blow our cover.

"I don't imagine that will happen soon," Peter laughed, being the only one that could take remembering the past lightly. He hated Maria, but she hadn't affected him too much. "But, should it happen, I certainly will."

I shook hands with both of them and Edward's song faded away. He got up hastily and nodded to my friends.

"Charlotte, Peter," he said, speaking the first two words he had since they had arrived on Monday.

"It was nice to see you again, Edward," Charlotte said, sounding doubtful. Peter just nodded.

Edward left just when they did, his tires screeching off into the distance.

"Where's he going off to?" I questioned as Alice and I went upstairs to our bedroom. She shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"I have absolutely no clue," she said, her eyes wide with a false concerned look plastered on her face.

"Absolutely was a nice touch, but it wasn't completely necessary," I chided and Alice rolled her eyes.

"I think I have an idea," Alice sighed. "But he keeps changing his mind on where he's going to hunt."

"Oh," I said before Alice danced out of the room. I opened a book and started reading, long enough to try to convince Alice that I was going to do nothing else. About three chapters in, I tried to think of what I was going to get Alice. Our fifty-fifth anniversary was coming up and I had to not make a decision on exactly what I wanted, just get it narrowed down to three things, because Alice was watching. Oh, she was always watching, and for fifty-four times, she had already known what I had gotten her before I gave it to her. It frustrated me so, but I knew that that's what made me love Alice. I drummed my fingers on my chin, deep in decision.

"No!" Alice gasped and I flew down the stairs to where she was sitting on the couch.

"What is it, Alice?" I demanded, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a shake to take her away from the future. Carlisle was by my side in an instant. "There . . . are . . . Bella . . . rapists . . . Edward . . . kill."

"Please explain, Alice," Carlisle said, sitting on the other side of the couch and touching her back. I forced a wave of calm on her, but it didn't have as strong enough effect because I was far too panicked about what was going on.

"Bella is in Port Angeles and Edward is following her," Alice said quickly. "She got cornered by some serial rapists and Edward is going to kill them in front of Bella. He might not even restrain himself enough to not kill her as well. I have to call him."

Her fingers flew to her phone, and I heard it ringing as she brought it up to her ear. I tried to process what she had said. So Edward hadn't gone hunting…he was just following Bell—Isabella—around Port Angeles. Apparently, she was a danger magnet like he had expressed to me at one point. Alice sighed and hung up; relief washing over her.

"He didn't kill them," she leaned back into the couch, smiling. Carlisle looked relieved.

"Why did you lie to me?" I asked. Alice perked her head up.

"I was afraid you wouldn't approve," she explained.

"What Edward does in his life has nothing to do with me," I sighed. "He has a right to do what he wants."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. It's okay." I smiled at her, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Carlisle smiled at us.

"So, all is safe in Port Angeles?" he questioned and Alice nodded, her eyes faraway. She didn't hide her hesitancy from me, and I decided to not press what was wrong so I turned the TV on. Alice danced off to the porch and Carlisle left to go to his study.

I heard Edward pulled up into our garage before long and heard him having a one-sided conversation on the porch with Alice. He was agitated again and Carlisle met up with him so Carlisle could go and kill the person who had apparently bothered Isabella. I decided to join Alice on the porch and sat right next to her, staring at the cloudy night sky, breathing in the human-free air. That's why I liked living farther away from the rest of the town-I was able to breathe freely without having to feel my thirst. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, just enjoying the silence.

"So…are you going to get that ring anytime soon?" Alice giggled and my eyelids flipped open. She knew. Darn it! She figured out what I was going to get her.

"Fifty-five years in a row," I sighed, smacking my hand on my forehead. Alice just laughed and laughed.

A/N: Speaking of anniversaries, my grandparents had one a while ago and I forgot to mention them. They've been married for 53 years now (woot woot!) and they are truly the real life Alice and Jasper. My grandpa is always reserved and rarely talks while my grandma is bouncing around the house and talking nonstop. I love you guys! This story is dedicated to you, because you've helped me achieve so much in my life!

Hit or miss? Please review!

~Eclipse-Vamp :)