I hesitated by the coat rack. Alice was telling Esme and Rosalie how she managed to afford all these gifts: gambling winnings. It made me realize how poorly I knew our visitors, and here I was leaving my wife and Rosalie alone with them. I wouldn't have agreed to cover Dr. Harrison's shift if Alice hadn't suggested I would, which made me doubt them all the more. They timed their arrival perfectly to catch our family divided and scattered. Of course, if Alice and Jasper had waited another half hour to come, Esme and Rosalie would have been completely alone and even more off-guard and defenseless. I wasn't a suspicious person by nature, but this was my wife and daughter I was placing in potential jeopardy, and I admit I was unsettled by Alice's abilities. Prejudiced.

Jasper glanced over his shoulder, catching my gaze, and smiled slightly. Then he walked over to me. "Can I have a word with you before you leave?"

Jasper must be almost as perceptive as Edward, and no doubt he was sensing my worry. "Certainly." The women's conversation died as their attention turned to Jasper and me.

"You're concerned for the others' safety," Jasper stated.

There was no point in pretending otherwise. "Yes."

"Alice tells me your family has no secrets."

Again, it was a statement. Your family didn't escape my notice, either. Every other vampire we'd ever met called us a coven. "That's true."

Jasper slowly began rolling up his jacket sleeve. "I'll keep no secrets from you either, Carlisle."

The skin of his forearm was broken and marred by countless scars. Battle scars. "You're from the South," I whispered.

Rosalie hissed in horror.

"Yes," he answered softly. "I left, stole away. I grew sick of the killing. So many..." He paused. "I came north with some friends. But even here, I had to kill to survive." His amber eyes warmed. "Alice showed me another way to hunt. It's a life she learned from observing you."

Unseen eyes had watched us, scrutinized us for decades, and what they learned had won over the both of them. Again, I was speechless.

"I'll save my full story for when Edward and Emmett are here. It's not a tale I'm fond of telling. I'm not as... strong as Alice when it comes to... my diet, but I'm willing to make the effort." He smiled at the turmoil I felt — bewilderment, fading alarm, growing respect.

"You've been the head of our coven from its beginning," Jasper continued, "even though you were unaware of it. You have nothing to fear from us."

"Why have you come?" I guessed the answer before I even asked the question, but I needed to hear it, needed to know, before I left Esme behind with this quiet, scarred warrior and his mind-boggling mate.

"May I show you?" Jasper extended his hand.

Hesitantly, I reached out and clasped it. Joy. Hope. Acceptance. A sense of belonging that reached to the bedrock of my being. The lift of shared burdens and purpose.

"Alice's feelings," Jasper explained. "She felt this way after every vision of you. If you were in our place, wouldn't you wish to spend forever in such a state?" He lowered his voice. "Wouldn't you make any sacrifice to let your mate feel that way?"

"Of course." I nodded, my hand falling to my side. "Of course. You're both welcome to stay."

Alice squealed and threw her arms around Esme again. This time, Esme held her tightly in return.

Leaning away, Alice looked from me to Esme. "Which room can I have?"

I called Esme from work during a quiet moment to see how they were faring. Esme laughed at me for being so concerned. "Alice is a delight, and Jasper is so unassuming. You're gallant to fret, but it's really quite unnecessary."

From the sound of things, Esme was pleased to no end. And why wouldn't she be? She'd just adopted two more children, without the troublesome newborn stage to bother with. "Well I'm glad to hear you're enjoying yourself, all the same."

There was laughter in the background — Alice and Rosalie — and I could hear the smile in Esme's voice. "Will you be coming home soon?"

Her smile was infectious, even over the phone. "Yes. Dr. Blevins will be here in a little less than an hour to take the rest of the shift."

"Good. Oh! The delivery truck is here, I'd better go."

"Delivery truck?"

"I'll explain later. Hurry home."

"I'll be there soon," I promised, uncertain whether I was more amused or amazed. Whatever was happening, I was sure it was Alice's doing.

The house was obviously recuperating from chaos when I arrived home. An empty furniture delivery truck sat forlornly in the middle of the driveway. The drive was wide enough for two cars to pass, but with the truck in the middle, I couldn't drive around it without ruining the lawn, so I just parked the car and walked up to the house through the misting rain. Esme was directing traffic as humans hauled the last couple of boxes up the stairs. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and Esme chuckled.

"Just there, in the corner." Alice's voice carried from one of the bedrooms.

"Edward's room?" I asked.

Alice came skipping down the stairs at a human pace, followed by the four-man moving crew. "It has the best view." Then to the humans, "Thank you, boys."

The one with "Mark" on his name-tag bobbed his head to Alice. "Our pleasure, miss." Then they shuffled out, with a glance or two over their shoulders. I shut the door behind them.

Esme sighed in relief. All that lifting and hauling got those humans' hearts pumping, and the house was full of their rich scent. She crossed to a window and threw it open.

"Where are Jasper and Rosalie?" I wondered, hanging up my hat and jacket.

"In the garage, just to be safe," Alice answered. "Besides, Rosalie couldn't wait to get her hands on our car."

Jasper came in then, his eyes bright when they rested on his mate. "So, what now?"

"Now comes the hard part," Alice sighed. "I want my presents to be a surprise, even for Edward. They'll be within his hearing-range in just a few minutes. I'll start unpacking — before Edward has a chance to complain — and you can all keep him occupied with thoughts about us." She winked at me, then dashed up the stairs with Jasper.

"Do you think she'll actually surprise him?" I asked Esme, taking her hand and pulling her onto the couch beside me.

She shook her head in doubt, but added, "If anyone can, it will be her. She's almost a force of nature."

I laughed and drew Esme closer. In a low voice, I said, "You seem fond of them."

"I am."

"I'm sorry I didn't consult you about my decision to let them stay."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "Rosalie and I both felt what Jasper showed you, and my answer would have been yours. 'Of course.'"

"Thank you. You're very forgiving." I kissed her brow, and she sighed contentedly.

After a moment, she said, "I'm afraid I'll need to hunt after the dust has settled."

"I'll come with you."

Her eyes sparkled. "I'd enjoy that."

The back door slammed open, and Edward strode into the room, his face livid. "Why are the contents of my bedroom in the garage?"

"Because we don't have a spare room," Esme said evenly. "We have some visitors --"

"Alice and Jasper," he cut her off sharply. "Yes, I know. But why my room?"

Rosalie and Emmett followed him in, Rosalie wiping her delicate hands with a shop rag. "Because I wasn't giving up ours. Yours is the only room that doesn't already have double-occupancy."

Edward grimaced but seemed to be calming down. Of course, Alice and Jasper coming down the stairs might have had something to do with that. Alice skipped over to him, a present in hand. "Hi Edward! This is for you."

He accepted the gift, his expression puzzled. "Thanks."

Alice laughed with pleasure. "Go on, open it."

He tore open the paper, and her words spilled out on a rush. "I had to think long and hard about what to get you, because you and I, well I'm sure you can understand why having a talented brother would make for a unique relationship, and I wanted to start off on the right foot."

Edward's present was a View-Master. Esme and I exchanged a bewildered glance, but Edward was obviously not surprised.

"It's a three-dimensional viewer," Alice babbled on. "Have you ever used one? They're quite amazing, giving you another whole dimension to enjoy."

Edward cocked his head, as though listening to something in the distance, and Alice's monologue took on a more determined tone. "I found it when we were out shopping one day — took one look and thought, there's the present for Edward. The reel is of the Grand Canyon. You haven't ever been there, have you? It's a awe-inspiring place. You put the viewer up to your eyes, like a pair of binoculars." Her eyes were tight with desperation now. "Go on, try it!"

Edward scrutinized her pleading expression for a moment, then looked through the viewer. Alice's face went still like when she had tried to "see" Margaret earlier. His eyebrows lifted in shock and his jaw dropped. "WHOA!" He jerked the View-Master away.

Alice broke out in pealing giggles and clapped her hands in delight.

"What was that?" Edward gasped, staring at her.

Emmett snatched the viewer from Edward. "Did she give you a girly reel?" He glanced through it, and Rosalie punched his arm with a thunderous crack. Emmett shrugged and handed it to her. "Nope, just the Grand Canyon."

Alice fought for composure. "That, my dear brother, is what you and Emmett will be doing this evening."

"I gathered that," Edward answered, still staggered. "I just... didn't expect to see it."

Alice's laughter bubbled up again, and I finally understood. "Edward can see your visions."

Esme put her arm around her newest daughter, chuckling. "And you managed to surprise him with it? I'm impressed, dear."

Alice nodded. "I had to have a decoy, something else to focus on."

"So will I buy it?" Edward wondered.

"Buy what?" I cut in.

"That coupe Edward's been eying," Emmett answered. "While we were out hunting, I talked him in to going for a test-drive tonight."

Alice shook her head. "I'll be the one buying, if you decide you want it. I can't see that, though, until you make the decision. The future isn't like the past. It changes when people change their minds. Which brings me to your present, Emmett."

Jasper handed it to her, and she all but danced over to Emmett, looking ridiculously small beside him. A small envelope was taped to it, the only package that had one. He smiled in genuine pleasure when he accepted the gift. "Thanks, Alice!"

"Open the card first," Esme prompted.

Chagrined, Emmett opened the envelope and pulled out a baseball card. "Dick William's rookie card? A Dodger? What kind of seer are you?"

Alice's smile was sly. "You'll find out in a few years. Now open the box."

Emmett enthusiastically ripped off the paper, and pulled the top off the box to reveal a baseball bat with the Boston Red Sox logo on it. "Now that's more like it," he muttered. He hefted it, grinning, and eyed Alice. "Is this a challenge?"

"An invitation," she corrected. "I can see the weather with much greater accuracy than people; there aren't any decisions involved. So I can tell when conditions are right for a game."

At the word "game," Emmett's eyes lit up. "Well when can we play, then?" He sized up Jasper briefly.

She hesitated, and Edward gawked at her again. "Thursday evening," she declared.

"But your ability to see weather changes is useful for far more than games," I speculated aloud. Three hundred years of dodging sunbeams — her gift would have made my life so much easier.

She bobbed her head, and I shook mine in amazement. Edward? I've already invited them to stay, but that was without you here to evaluate them. What do you think?

"I'm not staying in the garage." He playfully narrowed his eyes at Alice, then shrugged. "But we can build an addition."