Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie!

AN: Um…yeah. Sorry for the terribly long update. Forgive me?


"Why Rosalie…what a lovely surprise!" I stared blankly at Esme, trying to discern how she could convey such a jovial tone. The stress from the recent conversation had left me completely unable to sympathize with any emotions that varied from mine own. Plus, she had just left a few hours ago – why were they acting like they hadn't seen her in a week? Annoyance permeated every cell in my body, causing me to involuntarily clench my fists at my sides. If I were still human, my palms would be bleeding from the pressure of my nails piercing the tender flesh.

Slowly, I pivoted to my left while still seated in the chair, reluctantly taking in the sight of my nemesis entering the house from behind me. Once again, I was astonished to find myself actually startled by her flawless exterior – perfectly styled hair, crisp skirt and blouse, graceful posture that boasted of her femininity and refinement. Well bred, I thought contemptibly. But in her eyes I saw the fire and brimstone of Hades flicker vibrantly when she cast her gaze down upon me. She may fool the rest of our family with her wiles and charms, but I saw right through the act. As if to solidify my observation, she fired a scathing thought directly at me.

Glad I caught you before you really stuck your foot in your mouth.

I answered her with a silent, withering stare, but she refused to back down.

You will not disgrace me, Edward Cullen.

"Esme, Carlisle." Rosalie tipped her head in courteous acknowledgement to each of them, a deceivingly warm smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Carlisle clasped his hands together somewhat awkwardly before speaking. "Well, we are, of course, always happy to have you join us. Though honestly, we were right in the middle of a rather…candid conversation."

I flinched at his choice of words. He was going to put her on the spot as well? For a split second, my earlier resolve swayed like the shallow-rooted cottonwood trees that dotted the landscape. What if I threw the reins in her hands; let her speak for both of us and choose, at will, what to divulge, and what to keep secret? Would that really be such a terrible thing?

I'll take care of this.

As if reading my very thoughts, Rosalie's perfect lashes flitted around her scarlet eyes, taunting me further.

Suddenly, I felt my back go rigid as my pride roared to life. Echoes of belligerent testosterone that once ruled my body burst forward and immediately squelched any thoughts of submission. Why did I continually allow her to walk all over me? I was through letting Rosalie's pertinacious manner get the best of me – she would not commandeer this conversation, if Carlisle remained hell-bent on having it.

"Yes, we were having an interesting conversation. One I would imagine you'd like to be part of, Rosalie." My voice dripped with acid as I facetiously motioned to a plush chair on my right. "Care to have a seat?"

A nearly inaudible hiss seeped from her slightly parted lips. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Esme's jaw drop at Rosalie's reaction and gelid response. "No, I'll stand. Thank you."

Don't you dare…

Carlisle rapidly glanced back and forth between the two of us, his eyes unsure of whom to settle on.

I settled my gaze upon Esme, silently begging her to ask me the question again. I got the sense that there was something else between the two of you the last time we were all together…

But she was too stunned by our behavior to speak. Her mind had gone completely blank with shock as she mimicked Carlisle's inability to choose which of us to focus on.

I'd have to reinitiate the conversation myself, I decided quickly. Rosalie's appearance, followed by her attempt to mentally gag me had left me in a mood I seldom experienced since my newborn years. I was teetering on the edge, barely able to control my anger as I let the words slip rancorously from my lips.

"To answer your earlier question, Esme, yes, there is something else between us."

Bastard!

Her anger resonated within my head like a ricocheting bullet discharged into an empty barrel; yet oddly, it also resembled stony nails screeching across a chalkboard, or at least, reminded me of such. The force of her thought made me grit my teeth in aggravation, and had the opposite effect she was hoping for - I will not back down.

Esme blinked once upon hearing my words, the spell of Rosalie's wrath finally broken. "Please…speak freely, Edward." Despite the tension in the air, curiosity had gotten the best of Esme, and I could minutely detect Carlisle leaning forward ever so slightly in his seat, anticipating my next words almost as eagerly as Esme. Once again, their thoughts ran in tandem, though this time the mystery behind their synchronicity was more than obvious. They had been gunning for Rosalie and myself to become more than…siblings…since day one. I had heard first-hand their individual disappointment over the course of the past few months each time they witnessed us at odds with one another. Now, at long last, their hopes and dreams seemed to gel before their eyes, or so they thought. Let them finally see the truth of us.

"We have been –"my voice faltered amidst my perceived bravado. Yet I forged ahead, determined to get the unbearable weight of our secret off my chest once and for all.

Carlisle, sensing my hesitation, spoke up. "Is it safe to presume the two of you have been…socializing…outside of our household?

Socializing. Great choice of words.

I nodded in agreement, not trusting myself to speak. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie simultaneously shake her head.

"Rosalie, you disagree?"

She sniffed once. "Yes, I do. I would not categorize our time spent together as 'socializing'. Not in the sense that you mean, at least."

My jaw twitched involuntarily at her brazen lie. How could she? I could barely control the hostility in my voice.

"Then what do you call all of those times we spent together upon our rock?"

The room became eerily still. The proverbial 'you could hear a pin drop' had nothing on this situation - I swore I could hear the atoms that made up every substance in the universe humming throughout the room. For several seconds, not one of us moved a muscle.

Rosalie's chin rose in defiance as the lie spilled from her lips. "I don't know what you're referring to, Edward."

"Let me refresh your memory, Rose. I'm referring to that large, igneous outcropping left after the last ice age that conveniently sits atop a nearby ridge."

"Of course, Edward. I know what a rock is."

I rolled my eyes despite myself. "Then let me clarify what took place on said rock."

I wouldn't if I were you!

"Please, there's no need to raise your voice, Edward." Esme gave me a stern look. But it wasn't me…it was her! Much slower than I'd ever admit to, I remembered they were impervious to Rosalie's mental assault. My head still rang with her last outburst as she quietly voiced her next thought.

"Carlisle, Esme; I appreciate your curiosity and completely understand your concern. However, let me assure you that Edward and I are nothing more than…"

Fury erupted out of me before I could rein it in. "Quit lying, Rose!"

She whipped around to face me. "Lying? You're accusing me of lying? You have no concept of the term! You can hear each of our thoughts as if they were your own, yet you never fully disclose yours to the rest of us! How can I possibly lie with you in the room? Why would I even try to?"

"Because you don't want anyone knowing what's been going on!"

Snarls tainted both of our expressions as we faced off, ready to tear at one another's throat if another word was uttered. Carlisle benevolently jumped between us, a hand upon each of our chests. "Stop this at once." He did not raise his voice; he didn't need to. The look in his eye sent the message loud and clear; if we did not squelch our anger at once, he'd take physical measures to stop us.

I hate you.

A dry chuckle escaped my lips as Rosalie hammered me with the same thought over and over again. "Same here."

I bet you're terrified to interact with strangers, vampire or human, without Mommy or Daddy there to hold your pathetic hand and guide the conversation…

She took a step backwards, out of Carlisle's reach, but continued to stare me down, silently firing one insult after another into my head.

Social outcast…you'd never last in today's world if you were still human…

How does it feel to be so emotionally stunted…a perpetual child? Despite your egotistical nature, that's all you are and ever will be…

Unconsciously, I rolled my eyes in disgust.

No wonder you've never been with a woman – who could stand such a hideous, know-it-all creature such as yourself?

"Why don't you speak those out loud…let Carlisle and Esme enjoy your colorful tongue?" I taunted.

Rosalie huffed once, the fire still clearly visible in her eyes. "I'd rather hear your retorts, dear brother."

"I'm sure they'd pale in comparison to yours, sister. Please, enlighten our parental figures to the diatribe you continually assault me with at your leisure." On some level deep within my conscious, I was fully aware of our immature behavior growing exponentially, but I no longer cared about any consequence cast down by Carlisle or Esme. Rosalie had pushed me over the edge and I refused to back down.

"Arrogant bastard," she growled.

"Touché, you superficial, vain, facade of a woman."

"Enough!" Esme roared from across the room. I froze in place, my jaw still open from the remaining insults I hadn't been quick enough to spew forth. For a split second, I considered letting them out, but Esme sensed my plan and stopped me dead in my tracks.

Don't you dare speak another word, Edward.

I had never seen Esme so angry before – and I instantly thought twice about testing her limits.

"If you two insist on acting like children, then you will be treated as such," she said in a more quiet tone, but with just as much force and superiority. "You will only speak when I address you with a question. I want no further discussion, commentary, or insults from either one of you. Do you understand?"

Neither Rosalie nor I moved a muscle. Our prideful silence was answer enough.

Esme cleared her throat as she might once have done as a mortal, clearly establishing her dominance. "Rosalie, you deny any relationship other than a strictly platonic one with Edward?"

"Yes."

My mouth opened on its own, ready to argue, but I was silenced immediately.

"Edward, you are not to speak until spoken to!"

I pursed my lips together, fighting with all of my strength to hold the anger inside, but my self control fissured when I saw Rosalie smirking from the corner of my eye. All prior thoughts of behaving dissipated faster than the morning fog in the valleys below us on a scorching summer day. In a split second I was flying across the space between us, my hands moving to shackle her wrists to her side, my face nearly touching hers.

The words tumbled out of me in a charged hiss. "You vile prevaricator…you think you can fool them? Think their sympathy for your pitiful human death will make them choose you over me? Take sides?"

Her newborn muscles tensed, and I knew it was a matter of seconds before she retaliated and flung me across the room, but I didn't care anymore – let Esme and Carlisle see the true Rosalie, once and for all.

"Tell me, Edward – how does it feel to be a piteous child, trapped within a man's body?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same question, since you have much more recollection of your human frailties than I."

I knew even before I finished the statement that I had hit a nerve deep within Rosalie. The repeated mockery of the death of her humanity in this new life was her Achilles heel. With a resounding scream of fury, she rushed forward, slamming into me with her unstoppable momentum and driving us both across the room and into Carlisle's bookshelf. Medical texts, intermixed with fragile copies of centuries-old works, took flight upon impact and scattered across the floor in an array of destruction as shards of wood bounced off the beadboard that lined the walls.

"You don't know me, no matter how many times you listen into my thoughts!" she screamed, raising her right hand to slap me, but I was too fast. I ducked as her palm swung around, and pivoted on my heel as the momentum of her punch pulled her forward in a wide arc, causing her outstretched hand to instead smack a delicate light fixture. The bulb shattered into a thousand pieces, and through the eerie, musical symphonic noise of the glass raining down on the floor, I detected Esme's nearly inaudible gasp of shock. Her response set up some primordial response in me that overtook every last sense of self-control I still had – the scene morphed into a very simplistic state, and before I could stop myself, I spat out a retort.

"You do NOT know my family!"

My vampiric instincts easily overrode the deeply ingrained, gentlemanly rules of society cast upon me in another life. Carlisle and Esme were my kin. My coven. I would do anything to protect them – especially Esme, my gentle-natured mother. And at that moment, Rosalie was the enemy. A very powerful, newborn enemy.

I snarled and bared my teeth as I lunged at her neck, fully prepared to tear her throat open. It no longer mattered why she was made – I couldn't stand her, and her insolence threatened our way of life as well as my personal sanity. The vile creature needed to be destroyed.

Rosalie shrieked as I attacked, surprised by my change of motive as I moved in for the kill. However, her reflexes still served her well. She twisted beneath my iron grasp and lithely slid from beneath me, racing across the room and taking refuge behind my beloved piano. Wickedly smart little vixen, I thought irately. I was reminded repeatedly that Rosalie was significantly smarter than she led us all to believe. Her academic intellect was impressive, but her ability to think on her feet was extraordinary. Who could have guessed that such a magnificent body held a mind equally as remarkable?

For a split-second I considered my Steinway – my precious baby. But my vengeance won out. The piano could be repaired; replaced if necessary. Without hesitation, I raced across the room toward Rosalie; fully bent on destroying her once and for all, and no one would stop me from putting an end to my arch-nemesis of late. I reached my arms upward and Rosalie reacted accordingly, crouching downward in anticipation of my leap over the piano. I could see her instinctual reactions playing out a nanosecond before she moved within her mind, but even without my ability to see into her thoughts, I had the upper hand. She may be technically stronger, but I was faster.

As she braced for my impact from above, I quickly lowered my arms and ducked my head, sliding under the piano and smashing into her legs. Rosalie attempted to dig her fingertips into the instrument above us, but it was too late. The momentum of my weight was too much for her to counteract, even with her vise-like grip. I heard the wooden side of the piano give way as I slammed her into the far wall, shaking the entire house.

Momentarily pinning her, I acted on my element of surprise and sprung to my feet in a crouch, teeth bared. I considered disemboweling her, but the idea seemed too barbaric. No, I thought to myself, better to just behead her as quickly as possible and be done with the miserable wench.

As I lunged upward towards her neck, I felt venom flood my mouth. Even if Rosalie was a despicable vampire, the instinctual anticipation of sinking my teeth into her supple skin made me quiver in anticipation. It felt so wrong…yet so right, all at once. But I didn't stop to rationalize my conflicting emotions regarding what I was about to do. Don't think – kill her now.

Just as my mouth grazed the delicate arch of her tense neck, I suddenly found myself flying through the air. Landing with a ear-splitting crash across the room and atop one of Esme's prized, antique chaises, I blinked out of habit, desperately attempting to get my bearings and process what had just happened. Had Rosalie, with her newborn strength, been successful in deflecting my attack? Although possible, it was highly unlikely with the speed in which I had moved. I should have, at the very least, succeeded in wounding her in some way. But when my eyes fell upon her disheveled form behind the Steinway, I noted immediately that she remained frozen in the same, defensive position as when I had slammed her into the wall. There was no way she could have thrown me so effortlessly from such a position.

Before I could lift a finger, a resounding threat boomed in my head.

Don't you dare move.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle snarling at me, his expression that of a cold-blooded killer, barely held in check by Esme.


Story isn't done yet, folks...

And although the purpose of writing this is, and was, to amuse myself and my twisted mind, reviews/comments/questions are always appreciated and answered! What can I say, I like attention.. :)