Riley was saddened about the break-up. It hadn't been easy to end a three year relationship and he did genuinely love Vicki. As midterms came closer, Riley distracted himself by studying more. He and Jessica would leave the library just before dinner and they would make their way back to FloMo.

They would have dinner at the Dining Hall with Bonnie and Edward. At least twice a week, Stiles, Kira, and Scott would join them. Stiles kept the conversation going as they ate, helping distract them from the rising stress of upcoming exams. Dinner would pass by with a debate ranging from pop culture to which of the professors could be a demon that escaped a hell dimension.

Riley and Scott's birthdays were only two days apart and they decided to have a joint celebration over the weekend. Edward offered his apartment as a venue and even agreed to supply beer for the party. The girls went to his place earlier to help him set up. Kira had worked on a big banner birthday banner and Bonnie brought a collection of board games for them to play.

Jessica and Edward were on food and drinks duty. Bonnie and Kira had picked out the cake from a bakery off-campus. Jessica Skyped with Angela for a pasta recipe and Riley agreed to make the three-cheese nachos she loved. Edward pulled out a six pack of beer from the fridge and placed it on the kitchen table.

"Do you have a fake ID?" Jessica asked. "I don't think your documents from forty years ago can be used anymore."

Edward pulled out his wallet and handed her a very convincing driver's license. It stated he was twenty-one years old. "Jasper has a guy for these things. We've been employing him for over twenty years."

"And this guy hasn't noticed none of you age?"

"We pay him well enough not to ask questions."

She handed him back his ID. "Maybe he can hook me up with my own."

"Maybe," Which sounded a lot like 'not happening'. "Or you can wait to turn twenty-one like everybody else."

"But…" She pouted. "That's three years away."

"Time goes by faster than you think," he told her. "Trust me. I'm a hundred and six."

The boys arrived and they played a heated game of Pictionary with girls versus boys. Edward was banned from using his telepathy which frustrated him but he was very good at drawing. As a joke, they made all the topics titles of supernatural horror movies and TV shows. Edward was currently drawing what looked like a wolf wearing a top hat.

Stiles exclaimed, "Dances with Wolves!"

Jessica countered, "That's not a werewolf film!"

Edward shook his head and drew a monocle on the wolf.

Scott cut in, "The Wolfman!"

"No!"

Kira who was the timer, pointed out, "Thirty seconds!"

Riley offered, "Brotherhood of the Wolf?"

"No!"

Kira called out, "Twenty five seconds!"

Edward drew a teacup beside the wolf.

Stiles jumped up from the coach, giving the winning answer, "An American Werewolf in London!"

"Yes!"

Forgetting any animosity between them and Stiles pulled Edward into a manly hug and patted his back enthusiastically. "Great drawing, Eddie!"

Bonnie stood up and went to the drawing board and pulling up a fresh page. Kira restarted the timer and gave her the "Go!" signal. Bonnie started drawing a bat. It had to be a vampire film.

Jessica offered, "Dracula!"

"No!"

"The Lost Boys?"

"No!"

Bonnie drew two people kissing.

"Oh! I know this!" Jessica tried to remember that Nicholas Cage film where he shouts about the alphabet. "Um, it's, um…"

Kira said, "Twenty seconds!"

"Vampire something…." Jessica wanted to scream. It was on the tip of her tongue. Bonnie drew arrows around the two people and their lips. "Vampire's Kiss!"

"Yes!"

Bonnie high-fived Jessica. Stiles took the marker from Bonnie and Kira handed him the topic. He pointed to his cheek and Kira rolled her eyes and gave him a kiss for good luck. He went to the drawing board.

Stiles pointed two fingers at his eyes then pointed at Scott. They both nodded at each other enthusiastically. He pulled out a fresh page on the board and uncapped the marker as Kira restarted the timer. He declared, "Bring it on."

Edward got them more beer at some point and an expensive bottle of tequila as a present for Riley and Scott and they got drunk at the end of the night. Edward had made himself the designated driver even if he was already home and drove everyone back to their dorms. Jessica was passed out on the couch after the drunken game of Monopoly where everyone swore at each other and made death threats so he carried her to the guest room to sleep. She woke up the next morning with a hangover and stumbled into the kitchen where Edward was cooking.

"Good morning," he greeted her brightly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm dying."

She had an intense craving for bacon. She took a seat at the kitchen table as Edward opened the fridge and reached for the bacon. What did she do to deserve him? Why did he even have food in his apartment?

Could you he add more cheese to that omelet? He added more cheese and she could've kissed him. When he was done, he placed a plate of food in front of her and she dug in. He even had freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Edward," she said. "Do you have a fridge full of food just in case I stay over?"

He ran his fingers through his auburn hair. "Maybe."

She smiled. "I love you."

He returned her smile. "I love you too."


Jessica was drained after her last midterm exams and felt even more exhausted as she remembered she still had finals to worry about. She and Riley were discussing the questions in the exam when they were stopped by campus police. They wanted to ask him a few questions. Riley suggested she went ahead to The Treehouse where they were all meeting up with everyone and he would catch up with them later.

Bonnie had spoken to the campus police earlier as a student was missing. It was Jesse, the upperclassman she was seen talking to a few times. He'd gone missing over the week and his friends were concerned. Riley arrived at The Treehouse and verified that they did question him of the last time he'd seen Jesse which was last Friday. Jesse was the teaching assistant to microbiology professor, Dr. Wesfield, and had reported he hadn't seen him since last Friday after classes ended.

"Maybe he went home for the weekend," Stiles offered. "And he forgot to tell anyone. It could've been a family emergency."

"Jesse's from Florida. And they already called his parents and they said he wasn't there," Riley sighed deeply. "I really hope he's okay."

"Let's just hope they find him soon and that he's fine," Kira said. "Maybe it's all just a misunderstanding."

"I hope so."

Riley had to leave to go talk to a few people in FloMo if they heard anything about Jesse. Once he was gone, Bonnie muttered something under her breath and a cooling sensation wrapped around them like an invisible blanket. This was Bonnie's magic. Jessica had never seen her use magic before.

Bonnie was looking at Edward suspiciously. "What were you doing over the weekend?"

"I was in my apartment," Edward replied defensively. "Jessica spent the weekend with me. She can confirm it."

Jessica nodded. "I was there. And you don't think he's a suspect do you, Bon?"

"I don't know," Bonnie said flippantly. "I just know there's a missing guy and there's a vampire who's killed people before on campus."

"Bonnie!" Jessica stared at her in horror. "Edward has never killed anyone."

"Is that what he told you?" The witch narrowed her eyes at Edward. "What about Charles Evenson?"

The wooden table creaked under Edward's grip about to break into pieces. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"You don't know the full story."

"Then tell us then," Bonnie insisted. "If you want us to trust you and be our friend then you have to be honest."

Edward looked around the many people around them warily. "You put up a silencing spell?"

"Just at the table," Bonnie nodded. "Now talk."

Jessica didn't know what to do. Edward hadn't denied anything. His expression was closed-off, making his features harsher. He didn't look at her as he began speaking.

"It was a few years after I was turned. My father had turned a new vampire named Esme…"

It wasn't a pleasant story. Jessica hadn't known the story of how Esme was turned and the truth was heartbreaking. Surviving an abusive marriage and losing her baby before trying to take her own life, Esme's human life had been cruel. She knew how much Edward adored his adoptive mother so learning that he killed her husband didn't shock her as much as it should. But a part of her was horrified. Taking another human life was not a small thing.

"I don't regret it. He deserved what I did to him. He was a monster and if taking his life made me a monster too then so be it," Edward declared. "None of you get to judge me for what I did."

"Hey, man, no judgment here," Stiles told him. "You did it for your mom. We can understand that."

"Yeah," Scott smiled at him sadly and patted him on the shoulder. "I would kill for my mom too."

Kira let out an awkward shrug. "My mom's a nine hundred-year-old zenko. She's killed a few people."

Bonnie let out a deep sigh, partially mollified. "Let's say this one was justified. What about the others?"

"Criminals, murderers, and rapists. I used my power to look for the worst and hunted them down," Edward explained. "But I never have and never will take an innocent life. I did not kill Jesse Sampson."

They all quietly absorbed that information before Scott said, "I believe him."

"I do too," Stiles agreed. "You were like a real life Punisher except you used your fangs instead of guns."

"I'm not a superhero," He finally looked at Jessica, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"

"It's just a lot to take in," He reached for her hand and she accepted it, his cold touch like a shock of ice water. "I think I need some air."

They left the group and made their way outside. It was already dark and Edward led them away from The Treehouse and the noise inside. It wasn't as cold there in Palo Alto as it was in Forks even in the middle of autumn. She hid her hands in the pockets of her jacket and stared at the leaves of the oak trees, the leaves were the same color as Edward's hair.

"Why did you stop?" she asked. "Killing bad people? You could've just continued."

"Because I realized that even if they may have deserved it, my soul couldn't handle it," he answered. "Or whatever semblance of a soul I have left. And I wanted to come home. I missed Carlisle, as much as my father can drive me insane, he's what I had. And Esme…she loved me the moment she met me. She said I was the son she'd always wanted."

"You stopped because you wanted to be loved again," she remarked. "You wanted to be better than those you were hunting."

"I don't think I'm better," he admitted, swallowing. "But I didn't want to be worse."

"You're not and you can't be," She moved closer and raised herself up on her tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth. "I have seen your soul and it can never be dark."

"Just moody and anti-social," he joked drily making her laugh. "Carlisle says vampires have no soul."

"He could be wrong," Jessica stared into his golden eyes, her boy of autumn. "He has to be wrong."


Missing posters for Jesse Sampson were posted all over campus. It put a cloud of worry and sadness over the student population. Jesse was well-liked among his fellow students and by his professors. He was active in student council and different clubs and was regarded as a bright student brimming with potential.

There were not many leads pertaining to his disappearance. It was like he was there on Friday and suddenly he was gone. There were no signs of a struggle but all of his stuff was still in his dorms. His car was still parked on campus.

Students had been leaving flowers on his car. Jessica found Riley standing in front of Jesse's car after class, staring at the dying flowers on the windshield.

"Hey," she greeted him softly. "Are you okay?"

"They're acting like he's already dead," Riley replied. "It's been almost a month and everyone thinks he's dead."

"They haven't found a body," she opposed. "He's still out there somewhere. You can't give up hope."

"The more I hope the more it just feels futile," Riley sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not the best company at the moment. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

He walked away and she watched his retreating back. Riley was usually so cheerful it was painful to see him so down. She couldn't blame him as he had lost a friend and felt powerless to help. She couldn't imagine how she would've felt if she lost Angela or Lauren or even any of her new friends in college. Just the thought brought terror through her heart.

She would've gone after Riley and tried to cheer him up but it was a full moon that night and Scott needed them. Edward was coming with them this time and they were more prepared than last time. They were taking Winnie instead of his car as her truck was better for the woods and they were meeting everyone at the root cellar. Edward had never seen a werewolf transformation apart from what he'd seen in their memories and was intrigued if not a little apprehensive.

Everyone was already there when they arrived. Scott was looking a little grey as he went down to the root cellar. Bonnie spelled the cellar door closed and Jessica helped Kira and Stiles with the bonfire. There was a small tin on the ground by the cellar door and Edward picked it up and opened it. He brought it up to his nose and sniffed it.

"I wouldn't inhale that," Bonnie told him. "It's mountain ash."

"Rowan trees?"

She nodded. "The ashes of rowan trees can be used for magic. We can trap magical creatures with it."

"Back in high school, Scott and I got into a fight and Bonnie trapped us in a room with that stuff till we made up," Stiles said, shaking his head. "And we couldn't break the enchantment no matter what we did."

"A circle of mountain ash can only be broken by a human or a witch," Bonnie continued explaining, taking the tin from him. "Ingestion is also not advised."

"What happens if you do?" Jessica asked. "Do you die?"

"No one has ingested enough for that but it causes nausea and vomiting."

They all sat in front of the bonfire as Scott's transformation started. Edward looked concerned the entire time as he was able to hear Scott's screams the loudest.

"Is there no spell or potion to help him?" he asked. "He sounds like he's suffering."

"Unfortunately, no," Bonnie kept her eyes on the cellar door. "I've looked for anything but nothing helps. I can help heal him after but not before or during."

"They call it a curse for a reason," Stiles said, wearily. "Scott's strong. He can survive it."

Jessica was sharing a blanket with Edward even if he didn't need it. She leaned into him and tried to reassure him. "He's going to be okay. He's done this before."

"He shouldn't have to," Edward insisted. "The Quileutes don't suffer through this so why should Scott have to?"

Jessica almost said that Lauren suffered through this every month too. That somewhere in Seattle, Lauren was screaming herself hoarse as her bones broke and remade themselves. That even if Jessica flew to Seattle there was nothing she could do for her friend but worry and hope she made it through the night. But Edward had never really cared for Lauren so he hadn't cared about her being in pain.

"I didn't know it was this bad for her," Edward admitted. "I just thought…I didn't know what I thought."

That was the closest to an apology she would ever get from Edward so she just held his hand through the night. Stiles distracted them by telling them more stories about New Orleans. It was like a bottomless pit. A particularly riveting story involved an abandoned church in Mexico as they fought their way through a group of berserkers for an artifact the witches were looking for.

"All hope is lost, the berserkers are about to kill us, and then here comes Derek Hale and he just kills them with his bare hands!" Stiles said. "Who does he think he is? And he came with Parrish who, get this, is a freaking hellhound!"

Jessica echoed, "Hellhound?"

"Hellhound! They're like the distant cousin of werewolves, harbinger of death and all that."

Kira pointed, "And Deputy Parrish is very dreamy."

"And he's very-" Stiles paused and stared at his girlfriend in disbelief. "He's like twenty-seven, Kira."

"He's twenty-four," Kira countered. "And very dreamy."

Bonnie grinned. "With those green eyes."

Stiles grimaced. "Right, so Parrish with his dreamy green eyes sets the Berserkers on fire, giving Scott time to recover from his wounds. The Berserkers were under the command of this dark witch Papa Tunde and Scott runs up to him and punches him in the face! Like pow! He goes down and the day is saved!"

They clapped as the story ends, Stiles getting to his feet to bow. "Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here next month."

Jessica asked, "What happened to Papa Tunde after that?"

"Parrish arrests him and the witches' council had him imprisoned," Bonnie explained. "Somewhere he can't escape."

"And where would that be?" Edward questioned. "Couldn't he use magic to get out?"

"Magical pocket universe. Incredibly hard to access and escape," the witch answered, frowning. "It's that…or execution but that rarely happens."

"Executions more of the vampires' thing," Stiles remarked. "The Strix are very strict about rule breaking. They don't want any cause to have the Vampire Mafia come over."

Edward looked thoughtful as he replied, "I can understand that."

When morning finally came, they opened the root cellar and Edward helped Scott to Bonnie's Prius. Scott looked exhausted and had a few bruises and scratches that would heal later. Jessica helped Kira and Stiles clean up. They still had class later and would have to go on no sleep.

"If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call me," Edward told Scott. "I'm serious."

"Thanks, Ed," Scott smiled. "Would a bottle of that fancy tequila count?"

Edward's mouth quirked in a smile. "I'll think about it."

Bonnie chided them gently as she started her car, "No alcohol post-full moon."

Scott shook his head. "Don't listen to her."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and told them goodbye as she pulled out her car and drove away. Jessica and Edward left next with Stiles yawning as he hugged them farewell. Kira waved as they drove away. Edward drove as Jessica watched the view from the window, the scenery blurring in her drowsy state.


Behold, my plot. We covered a lot in this chapter.

1. Canonically, Esme was turned into a vampire in 1921, three years after Edward. He left Carlisle and Esme and began feeding on criminals in 1927, Charles Evenson was his first victim. He stopped and went back to his family in 1931, two years before Rosalie was turned. Thanks, Twilight wiki.

2. Riley's birthday in the books is October 8th and Scott's birthday is October 6th. And when I learned that I was like, "joint birthday party".

3. Zenko is a celestial kitsune which is what Noshiko Yukimura is. She really is 900 years old.

4. Jordan Parrish and the Berserkers are from Teen Wolf. I took some liberty with the Berserker story line from the show. The Argent family doesn't exist in this universe (sorry Allison fans). Papa Tunde is a character from The Originals.

5. The idea of magical pocket universes as prisons is from TVD. Mountain ash is used heavily in Teen Wolf. I researched and found that rowan trees are called 'mountain ash' so I went with that explanation.

6. Chapter title is from the Daft Punk song.