Chapter 1: Time for Change

EmPOV

It was a typical rainy day in the town of Forks Washington, but as with most things, this didn't bring me down. In fact, I am usually the one trying to liven things up around here. You would think that living for eternity with a house full of vampires, werewolves (uh shape shifters…whatever!) and one rapidly growing hybrid that people would eventually develop a sense of humor, but sadly it's still up to me to bring the fun.

In case you were wondering which category I fall in, I'm a vamp of course! Name's Cullen, Emmett Cullen, and I'm the single vamp out, not that I'm complaining! I have lived the last 10 years with my family Carlisle and Esme (the 'rental units), my brothers Jasper and Edward and their wives Alice and Bella, respectively, in rainy Forks, but this year we are finally moving on to a new place.

Things were woefully dull before my favorite sister Bella joined our family about 12 years ago.

See, my brother Edward, who we all considered the most practical, rational, and if you ask me boring of us all actually fell in love with Isabella while she was still human!

Yeah I know right!

Needless to say angst and drama ensued, but love won out in the end and they got married 10 years ago. And if having a human sister wasn't enough, he went and knocked her up on their honeymoon, hence my reference to hybrids, or as she prefers to be known, Renesmee (Nessie for short).

Where do the werewolves (shape shifters…sorry) fit in, you ask? Well Bella's best friend and Nessie's husband Jacob, is a shape shifter from the Quileute reservation nearby. Bella, Edward and Jacob have some history, but they resolved all their issues years ago and Nessie and Jake have been happily married for a little over a year now. And before you go jumping to crazy conclusions, Nessie's hybrid nature had her mature to full grown at age 7, though she only looks 20 years old, tops. Lucky for them Jake doesn't have to age beyond age 25.

So now that you have all of our jumbled family history, let's get back to me. As the largest, strongest, and awesomest (yeah I said it) of our family, people tend to think of me as a big dumb ox, but what they don't know is that while I think my life is pretty freaking great as it is, it does get pretty lonely sometimes in a house full of happily married couples.

In a small town like Forks, the dating pool is limited, especially when you scare off most of the human population. We should be moving on soon, as people are going to notice we aren't aging, so maybe the next place will have more options. I am going to push for at least a larger town, if I can't find a date I at least want somewhere where I can find some amusement outside of our home! Though, Bella being the least coordinated vampire ever still provides for plenty of laughs in my book.

"Hey Em, Carlisle is going to call us all together for a family meeting to decide the next move, and just so you know, I'm with you on a larger town. The severe lack of shopping I have been subjected to over these past ten years is enough to last me at least a century." Alice called to me from her room.

"Ah, Alice I knew I could at least count on you to be with me on this."

Having a psychic pixie of a sister has been one of the highlights of this life for me, just don't tell her I said so, she'll never let me forget it.

"Yeah, even I agree that it would be nice for us to get out more, maybe we can try and get more involved socially in the next school" chimed in Jasper.

Thankfully, Bella's amazing control as a newborn inspired Jasper to strive to enhance his control and he is almost as comfortable around humans as Edward and Carlisle now. This should make the next move easier on all of us.

"Sweet, let's head down and make our case for at least a place with the possibility of fun," I exclaimed. Having the psychic and the empath on my side in a family pow-wow was a first but I am not looking a gift-horse in the mouth.

I bounded down the stairs with Jasper and Alice following to find Edward, Bella, Nessie, Jake, Esme, and Carlisle already seated around the dining room table.

"So, where to now?" I asked. I have become accustomed to moving around every so often, but this would be the first move for Jake, Nessie, and Bella.

Carlisle, thankfully, decided to start the discussion. "I think that as this is the first move for a few members of our family that we should put the top three choices to a vote…"

As Carlisle began to name our options I noticed Alice take on a far away expression. The same she always gets when she is having a vision. "New Hampshire!" she exclaimed loudly.

"Um, Alice I haven't given our options yet. Why New Hampshire, what did you see?" Carlisle asked.

While most of my family believes I am the least perceptive of our motley crew, they would be surprised how much I actually do pick up on. For instance, I know that right now Edward is reading Alice's vision and seems both amused and perplexed (yes I have a rather extensive vocabulary as well, though I choose not to always use it) by what he sees. I still hate these little inside moments those two share, but I've gotten used to them over the years.

"I think we should listen to Alice on this one. I'm not against a larger city to start in and I could definitely use a break from the monotony of high school. Why not give Dartmouth College a try?" Edward offered.

"Besides, Bella hated high school and this is a chance for her, Nessie and Jake to actually have the college experience for the first time," he added with a small nod toward Alice who beamed back at this was getting weird. I know those two know something they aren't sharing, but since they seem happy about it I'm guessing it isn't life or death.

"You guys obviously know I'm down for college again. Frat parties and co-eds are definitely my scene, even if I can't get drunk," I added. Having Edward back the idea of Dartmouth was a definite surprise, but I'll take what I can get.

"Well…Bella, Nessie, Jake, do you guys have any problem with starting out in college? Nessie I know you haven't experienced human school yet and this is a higher level both educationally and emotionally. And what do you think Esme?" Carlisle asked.

He had decided to let Alice's explanation of her vision go for now, and he wanted the newbies to our life to have a say in what happened. I can only hope they decide to go for the freedom that college brings. Besides, this is the only way I'll have a chance in hell of getting laid in the next decade.

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say anything but high school will be fine. As long as we're all together it won't matter where we go," Bella finally chimed in looking lovingly at Edward. Those two still act like a couple of love struck teenagers, which I guess technically they are, but still.

"Way to make this feel even more '7th Heaven' than it already did Bella," I couldn't help but tease her.

"Ok, ok," Esme interrupted, "I think it's safe to say that we all agree on New Hampshire. Jasper, you haven't said anything on this matter yet. What do you think sweetheart?"

"Wait, if you chime in with a cheesy 'I'll go anywhere Alice goes' one more time so help me…" I threw in before he could answer. He just looked at me sheepishly and mumbled "I'm in" under his breath. I knew he would go all mushy and I had about enough for one day thank you very much.

Carlisle rose from his seat at the head of the table concluding today's pow-wow. "It's settled. Everyone begin packing, and I'll make the arrangements for enrolling you all as freshmen at Dartmouth. To make it easier for you to pass as students I suggest you live in the dorms for at least this first year, however I will make arrangements for the girls to be in one dorm room and same goes for you boys. I hear the suites are rather spacious and allow for you each to have your own room so you will have some privacy and this will keep a human roommate from becoming suspicious."

The room was practically buzzing with excitement. Everyone really was on board with this idea, and we decided to head off to Hanover the following week to give Carlisle enough time to make the arrangements, and allow us the time to pack our belongings and order whatever "dorm" supplies we may need.

As happy as I am to move on I know I will miss this place. Forks gave us Bella, Jake and Nessie. I know I'm not the biggest sap of the bunch, but it will always feel like home here for me, but I have a strange feeling that something bigger and better is waiting for me in New Hampshire. Maybe its just little Emmett getting excited about the prospect of hooking up on a regular basis….maybe. Something told me that this move would be different than the others, and I know that had nothing to do with random hookups.