The Peace Keeper

I gazed over at the couple, standing (almost posed) at the base of the grand staircase. The girl was breathtaking-- to say the least-- even for a vampire. She wore a pair of low-rise faded jeans, a white beater, and a cream cardigan sweater over it. Her ash-blond tresses fell like a waterfall down her back.

The boy was more of a bear, reminding me greatly of Jacob, but so different, at the same time. This one had a neat crop of dark curls atop his head, and was pointing a large, sparkling grin at me.

Still in a slight shock at the two, I meekly raised my hand in greeting.

In a flash, Alice wheeled me over to the two, parking me directly in front of them.

"Emma!" She sang, "This is my brother Emmett--" Alice pointed to the bear, "And my sister, Rosalie."

The bear-boy, Emmett, widened his already large grin. "We've heard a lot about you, Emma. I see you're quite the fighter, just as they said." He held out a monstrous hand to shake.

I reached my own hand up to meet his, noticing how tiny and frail it looked wrapped up in his.

"I've heard a lot about you too...?" Really, I hadn't. I was just given their names.

Rosalie had a much different expression on her face. Her perfect features were fairly blank with hidden thought. She opened her mouth to speak, but Edward cut her off, "Rose!" He chastised. "Now is not the time!"

I tossed him a questioning look, but didn't regard it any farther. Rosalie shut her mouth shut and pressed her lips into a tight line before mumbling, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine," I returned quietly.

"Now then!" The pixie-girl announced. "That's done, we can return to what we were doing."

Once again, in a flash, Alice had moved me back to my original spot, and plopped the file of the house I had picked out, onto my lap.

I blinked to regain my barrings. "Jeeze, you guys really don't hold back around me, do you?"

Alice shrugged, gracefully sitting herself down on the couch to my right. "It's fun," She answered, "We finally have an outsider who we don't have to hide from."

I cocked my head a bit, "What about Bella?" I questioned. It was at this time I noticed Edward and Bella had left the room, going who knows where.

Alice answered again, "Bella's totally human, and not quite used to our world, despite the amount of time she's already spent in it..." My vampire friend paused, looking off prudently. "She's frail. You're used to our ways. My family and I are comfortable being ourselves around you."

I paused with bewilderment. "I'm not... frail?" Another pause, "But... I'm in a wheelchair."

Alice pursed her lips incredulously. "Let's get back to the real estate, shall we?"

~~~

By dinner time, Esme, Alice and I had finished most of the paperwork. They promised to make this as easy as possible for me, which I was incredibly grateful for. The Cullens also offered me dinner, but (remembering my previous experience) I politely declined.

Alice drove me home in her kick ass Proche which I begged her to let me drive once my foot was healed.

With a quick, "No way in hell." She helped me out of the car, and pushed me into the apartment elevator, knowing I could get back from there just fine.

I sighed with exhaustion when I finally reached the apartment door. "Hey, Vic," I called inside once opening said door, "Could you make me some--"

I cut myself off when I noticed my dear twin brother was not present. Instead, I found a little brown haired twelve year old at my kitchen table.

"Hello, Benjamin," I accosted, a tad miffed.

"Good evening, Emma," He smirked back haughtily.

I wheeled myself all the way into the kitchen, "So what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Oh, same old, same old," He wafted his hands around the room in a nonchalant fashion.

"Awe," I cooed sympathetically, "Did you get lonely?"

His yellow eyes gave me a "oh-shut-up" look.

I grinned, and shrugged his look off. "So where did my brother dearest head off to?" I began to wheel around the kitchen, looking for something of the edible substance variety.

"He didn't say," Benjamin called from behind me. "Although, Victor did leave a note on the fridge."

"Really?"

Maneuvering over to the appliance, I realized Benjamin was telling the truth. Victor had left a note.

Only it was on the higher part of the refrigerator.

Just out of my reach, as fate would have it.

Afflicted, I attempted to stretch my arms, but only managed to scrape the bottom edge of the note (which was held firmly in place by a magnet of some sort). Letting out a pitiful, distressed, whimper, "Benny!" I called, dragging out his name. "Will you come get it down for me?"

"No."

"But, Benny!" I was whining now. "I'm crippled! You have to do what I say!"

"No I don't."

I huffed, crossing my arms, and held a pout on my lips. Still, Benjamin ignored me, finding the crossword in the paper much more interesting and worthwhile.

Just when I was about to give up, an idea crossed my mind.

Carefully, I placed my good foot on the ground, and hoisted myself into a standing position using the counter for balance.

The note was now eye level, so I snatched it, and lowered myself back down.

With a delighted expression, I joined my fire demon friend at the table, "It's OK, I got it!"

He rolled his eyes.