Chapter 23: Settling In

(Three years later ~ 9 years old)

"I'll see you tomorrow Ellie!" Daisy called as her best friend rode away on her bike. I watched from the window until she was out of sight and Daisy came back inside. She smiled broadly at me, "Mama, you don't mind if I sleep round Ellie's tomorrow do you?"

"Actually, baby, I'm not sure." I said, "Me and your dad need to talk to you."

"But Mama we've already made plans, and Ellie's asked her Mom and-" Daisy protested

"Daisy this is important." Jasper said from across the room.

"Please try to be grown up about it." I said, "Come sit down in the living room."

The three of us sat down on the couch, Daisy in between Jasper and I, "What is it, Mama?"

"Well, Daisy, you know how we don't age like humans do." I began. She nodded, "And people might find it strange that your parents stay looking the same age for nine years."

"So?" Daisy asked, "What does this have to do with me and Ellie?"

"I know it's not fair to ask you to leave all your friends, sweetheart, but we're going to have to move." I said. Daisy stared at me. "We can't risk staying here and raising suspicion. If we move somewhere new, no one will know us or suspect anything."

"I don't want to move." Daisy said, "I like it here."

"We know you do, princess." Jasper said, "We wouldn't ask you to move if we didn't have to. We want you to be happy."

"No you don't" Daisy said, "If you wanted me to be happy you'd let me stay here, where I am happy! You'd let me keep my friends!"

"You can still call Ellie or video chat." I offered, "I know it's not the same, but we have to make the best of a bad situation."

"I don't want to make the best of a bad situation! I want to stay here!" Daisy said with a pout, letting a few tears slip down her cheeks.

"Daisy you're a big girl now, we expect you to act like a grown up about this." Jasper said, "I know you'll miss your friends but you'll make new ones."

"You don't get it!" Daisy yelled, standing up, "I don't want new ones. I've got friends. I've got a life here! What will I have if we move?"

"You'll have us." I said, slightly upset that she didn't see that herself.

"I hate you!" Daisy screamed, running from the room.

I gasped and felt waterless tears springing to my eyes. Jasper wrapped his arms around me, "She doesn't mean that. She's upset."

"I feel awful." I said.

"She's just a kid." Jasper pointed out, "She'll get over it, and she'll understand one day."

"Is there any way we can stay?" I asked.

"You know we can't, Darlin'. It's too big a risk - for us and for Daisy." Jasper said. I nodded; by moving we were protecting Daisy. She didn't see that now, but when she was older she'd understand. She was still young; she could still make new friends and settle into our new life wherever we moved to. She'd get over it. Soon, I hoped...

~o.O.o~

It had been two weeks since we'd told Daisy, and today was moving day. The quick move had seemed to make the situation worse, as Daisy said she didn't have enough time to say goodbye. She'd hardly spoken to us the past few weeks, spending most of her time round Ellie's or in her castle in the garden with Renesmee or Emmett.

Renesmee had gotten used to moving around by now, and she kept trying to convince Daisy that it wouldn't be that bad, but it seemed that whenever she brought it up she got kicked out of the playhouse. Emmett was almost as upset about the move as Daisy was. He was thinking about Rosalie again, reluctant to leave behind the last place he'd seen her. He also said that Rosalie wouldn't know where they were if she came looking for them. Daisy kept showing him memories of Rosalie, which made him happy but sad at the same time.

The rest of us had spent the last few weeks packing everything up, making arrangements for Carlisle's work and school for the rest of us. We were going to Wyoming to live in a small town called Vermouth by the Rocky Mountains - a place that would provide the cold and cloudy climate perfect for vampires. We'd decided that Jasper and I looked far too young to have adopted a nine year old and so Daisy would be posing as my birth sister, and Esme and Carlisle would pretend to be her adopted parents. The rest of us 'kids' were being sent back to school. Jasper, Emmett, Bella, Edward, and I would be attending Vermouth High School along with Nessie, who was now sixteen. Daisy would be going to Vermouth Elementary School, which was only a few minutes walk from the high school.

Ellie had come over to say goodbye to Daisy. She was a sweet girl and I too was sad to know that I'd never see her again. The two girls hugged, both crying, and said their goodbyes. Ellie gave Daisy a bracelet as a going away present - a gold band with red spirals and swirls engraved in it. Daisy put it on her wrist along side her Cullen Crest and the pink beaded friendship bracelet Renesmee had given her for her first birthday. She never took either bracelet off.

Megan, Ellie's mother, also came to say goodbye. She'd become a sort of friend to me over the last few years, what with our daughters spending so much time together. I'd never let us get too close, though, because humans hanging around vampires never ended well. I sometimes wondered what it would be like if I were human; sitting with Megan drinking a glass of wine whilst we watched Ellie and Daisy grow up together. It wasn't to be, but that was okay. I wouldn't trade the life I had for anything.

"I'll call you every single day." Daisy promised Ellie as they hugged for the millionth time, "I promise."

Daisy's promise was sincere, but a quick search into the future told me that every day would turn to once a week, and once a week would turn to once a month, until eventually they would only text each other for brief conversations a few times a year. Still, Daisy would never forget her first friend; her best friend. That gold bracelet would become as permanent as the other two bracelets she wore.

Then, all goodbyes had been said and the last of our belongings were packed, so we got into the Porsche and began driving away from the house for the last time.

"Wait!" Daisy cried from the backseat, "I have to go back - I forgot something!"

I stopped the car and waited as she ran back into the house. She returned a few minutes later and slid back into the car. "Ready?"

She nodded and we left the house behind. She didn't speak to us for the whole journey, sleeping for part of it and spending the rest staring out of her window.

When we arrived at the new house I jumped out of the car, racing in to see what our rooms would look like. Esme had, of course, done an amazing job in decorating. Like in the previous house, Jasper, Daisy and I had our own mini apartment within the house. Daisy's room had it's own bathroom and walk in closet, as well as a huge double bed. I knew she'd love it, but when I came back outside to find her, she hadn't even left the car yet. Jasper was leaning against the side of the Porsche, "She doesn't want to move in."

I frown, frankly growing a little tired of her childishness. Yes, she was nine, but she had the mental age of a teenager and should be able to deal with moving house. "Well, she can sleep in the car then, but I'll be damned if I'm bringing her meals out here for her."

With that I turned and stalked away from the car, Jasper following with a shrug. When a few hours had passed and Nessie was eating dinner, Esme started fussing, "Why don't I just bring her some pizza?"

"If she wants dinner she can come inside." I said.

"Don't you think you're being a little harsh, Alice?" Esme asked.

"I didn't raise her to be a brat, Esme, and I won't indulge in her tantrums." I said, "She'll come inside when she realises that."

Daisy stayed in the car for another hour before skulking into the house when she became too hungry to resist the smell of peperoni.

~o.O.o~

"I don't want to go to school." Daisy protested a few days later.

"What are you talking about? You love school!" I argued.

"I loved my old school." Daisy said.

"You'll love this one too." I told her.

"I won't." Daisy said stubbornly.

I crossed my arms, "Well you're going either way."

"You never used to be this mean." Daisy said with a pout, "And I won't go. You can't make me."

At this point, Emmett slung her over his shoulder and carried her out to his Jeep. She screamed and kicked him but it had no effect. Jasper, Emmett, Daisy, and I would be going to school in the Jeep, whilst Bella, Edward, and Renesmee went in Edward's Mercedes. These cars were a little less conspicuous than my Porsche.

We dropped Daisy off first. Her new teacher was called Mr Tamworth, a middle aged man with a kind smile. He asked a girl named Caitlyn to show Daisy around for the first few days. Whilst Caitlyn was showing Daisy where everything was, I pulled Mr Tamworth aside.

"Daisy's still a little upset about the move, so she might act out a little bit. She's usually such a sweet girl, and she loves school, but she's been throwing a few tantrums since we moved." Daisy's advanced hearing picked up on my words and she glared at me from across the room, "I'm sure she'll settle in soon and be no trouble."

I flashed Mr Tamworth a smile and he smiled back, "Moving schools can be hard for children, but as you say she'll soon settle in. I'm sure she'll love it here at Vermouth Elementary."

Caitlyn had brought Daisy back over to us, and I crouched to give Daisy a hug. She let me, but she didn't return the hug. "Be good Daisy, we'll come and pick you up at the end of the day."

I kissed her forehead then went back to the car where Emmett and Jasper were waiting.

Vermouth High School didn't look like anything special from the outside. It was red brick, made of three blocks that were connected by a courtyard full of benches and trees, with a huge sign out front reading; Vermouth High School, where kids come to blossom. I rolled my eyes at the patronizing sign and was surprised none of the students had graffitied it yet.

I had a lot of my classes with Jasper this year, as we were both posing as 17 year old Juniors. Our first class together was Chemistry, which I usually loved but today I was too distracted thinking about Daisy.

"How do you think she's doing at school?" I asked, "Do you think she'll settle in soon?"

"You need to stop worrying about her Darlin'. She's nine years old, she can deal with this." Jasper told me.

"Do you think I've been too harsh on her since we moved?" I asked.

"No," Jasper said, "She's just testing us and seeing how far she can push. We need to show her that we won't put up with tantrums."

"You're right." I agreed, "She'll get over it."

At the end of the school day Jasper and I went to pick up Daisy. She was smiling, which was a good sign, "Good day at school, sweetie?"

She forced the smile into a frown, "No. I hate it here."

I always could tell when she was lying. I turned back to face the front of the car with a smirk, "Make any friends?"

"No." Daisy said.

"What about that Caitlyn girl? She seemed nice." I offered.

"She prefers Bratz to Barbies." Daisy said pointedly.

"That's no reason to not be friends with someone, Daisy." I told her.

"Is too." She said, turning to face out the window.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Well I'm sure there are lots of other nice girls in your class."

Daisy hesitated, debating whether or not to continue. I could tell she was still trying to act like she was upset about the move, but at the same time she wanted to tell me all about her new school, "Well there were these nice girls who let me sit with them at lunch..."

"What are their names?" I asked.

"Well there's Freya who's really really pretty and her Dad is a police man like Uncle Charlie," Daisy said, "And Poppy who's got her own pair of heels - can I have some heels?"

I look at Jazz and he shakes his head, "We'll talk about it sweetie."

Daisy carried on unfazed, "She says we can be best friends because we both have flower names. And the last one is Sarah. She's super smart and she says she knows all her times tables up to twenty!"

"You know all your times tables up to twenty." I pointed out.

"Yeah but she's human, so it's more impressive." Daisy said.

"Well they all sound nice." I said, "Maybe you can invite them round to dinner some time."

"Maybe..." Daisy said and she went quiet again. We pulled up to the house and she jumped out, "I'm gunna call Ellie."

Daisy took her cell phone down to her castle, which we had of course brought with us during the move, and called Ellie from there.

"Give her a few weeks to settle in." Jasper said, putting an arm around my shoulder, "She'll be okay."

"Yeah, I know." I said with a sigh.

"How was your first day?" Esme asked as we walked into the kitchen.

I gave her a smile, "It was good. I think we're going to be happy here."

Esme returned my smile, "I think so too."

A/N: Hello again :) This was a fairly quick update...I wanted to wait a little longer to give me time to write future chapters too, but I couldn't wait any more, so here it is! :)

So the next chapter is going to be in Jasper POV...thoughts? It will be another chapter at nine years old :) If there's anything you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters just let me know! :)

So I know Daisy's being a bit of a brat in this chapter...she has reasons though, as you will find out soon enough.

Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter, keep them coming ;) Anyone who reviews gets a sneak peak of the next chapter :)