Chapter VII

"Alice?"

"Yes, Edward."

"Nessie seems to think that two people don't have to love each other to have child to together." Edward said. "Was that your doing?"

Alice nodded and Edward just stared at her for a moment.

"I figured. You're a very suggestive person."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry. I know very well what you meant."

"She asked me how babies were made. What was I supposed to do give her the talk?"

"Better you than Emmett."

Alice smiled briefly at this. "No, I believe that, that is the parents' job."

"Try telling that to Bella." Edward informed. "She'll probably say that it is the aunt's job, and I don't mean Rosalie."

The smile faded. "I don't think that I could tell her. Sometimes a lie is better than a worse truth." Alice said wistfully. "If I could still believe that the stork brought babies…I would."

Edward just stared at her unsure of what to say in response. "So later is better than sooner."

"But too late is a thing. You don't want her to be too ignorant." Alice replied before adding in her thoughts. "Like I was."

Edward put a hand on his sister's arm, but said nothing…sometimes it was better not to.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

"Carlisle, why are men such monsters?" Edward questioned.

"Are all men monsters, my son?" Carlisle responded with questions. "And there not women who are monsters as well?"

"No and Yes." Edward admitted. "Why are some men such monsters?"

"Maybe it's something they are born with, or maybe it's something they develop over time." Carlisle answered. "Either way, people have wondered about that since the dawn of time…and to no avail."

"We may never know."

"As long as man walks the earth… there will never be an answer."

"So, we will never know."

Carlisle nodded somberly.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

"Am I anything like him?"

"Of course not." Alice responded. "Jasper, the only thing that you have in common is hair color."

"The same stupid blonde hair." Jasper said.

"It's not stupid." Alice replied honestly. "Blonde is a perfectly fine hair color."

"Is it really?"

She responded. "Of course."

Jasper gave no response.

"Jasper, what's wrong?" Alice asked.

"Everything that he did to you." Jasper answered he was concerned.

She was silent for a moment.

"I've always been terrified of hurting you."

"You don't have to be." Alice told. "I'm not that breakable."

"You know what I mean."

"You know what I mean too."

"I do. Alice, you're the strongest I've ever met and the bravest one too." Jasper stated.

"You're all those things to me." Alice reacted. "And more."

"I love you, Alice."

"I love you, Jasper."

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

"Why do such sweet, caring, people end up with such cruel sadists?" Emmett queried.

"Are we cruel sadists, brother?" Edward asked him.

"You know who I'm referring to." Emmett reacted. "Royce-."

"Charles." Carlisle suggested.

"Karters." Jasper added.

"James." Was Edward's.

Jasper then added. "Double."

"Mon Sterling." Brann said.

"The point is," Emmett stated. "Why? What drives people to do that?"

"Some people are born that way." Brann responded. "Others develop those tendencies over time."

"Maybe there's something inside of almost everyone that makes us do those things." Jasper suggested.

"They do say that monsters live inside of us." Carlisle admitted.

"I agree." Edward said.

"Maybe," Emmett started soberly. "Instead of asking who the monsters are, we should ask who's not."