A New Start (Twilight based saga... ask to join, pls)

[psygrimlock]

High school.... she never thought she'd be here again.
Shannon and her 'family' moved to Forks, WA in the last week of summer break here.
Officially, her father was an exec somewhere and was never home. The truth was there were no parents. Not really. Shannon was the natural daughter and Sarah and Andrew were adopted. There was an older brother, too, but was out of the house.
Actually, she was the 'leader' if that term was appropriate. She and the others have been through hell and back... but no one here knew that. Since she was really 35 years old due to an odd effect. Almost a curse. Sarah and her brother looked to her after their mother disappeared. It was a burden Shannon carried quietly.... suffer in silence. Sarah also had the 'curse' but was newer to it and actually was the age she is.
They didn't live in the town limits. Shannon had wanted an out of the way place that also had room for three horses. They were supposed to be 'hiding' here. Start a new life. She didn't really want attention.
They had a modest split level ranch house west of town between Forks and La Push. The property backed onto one of the rivers that merged downstream into the Quileute River. (I looked at maps but don't remember the 2 rivers.) Surrounded by woods and the river, you couldn't even see the main road through thick jungle of temperate rainforest that surrounded them. A small barn and 2 acre pasture accomodated the horses. Kiba, her wolf, seemed to love it here, though. This was his kind of place. Back in Virginia, she passed him off as a really large husky. He was 180 lbs and a great mentor for Roxie, Sarah's 80 lb rottweiler. They also had two Bombay cats, Lincoln and Penny.... so named because the breed is renown for their copper eyes. Top it off with Rocket, the Egyptian Mau which loved to hunt in the barn.


Today was the first day of school... and her first day at a new school. She adopted this role to blend in. Student... hell, she hasn't been in high school for almost 20 years. She and her siblings registered. In truth, Sarah and Andrew were real high school students. This part wasn't on they were pretending. It wasn't a charade for them. Shannon and Sarah had Spanish and Gym together... everything else was scattered around Spanish, English, Biology, Trigonometry, Civics and some music appreciation class. Andrew's was a sophomore and his classes were at that level. Algebra, American history, English, Chemistry, French, Art and Gym. Shannon was mildly surprised that this little school even taught about the arts, although she felt she could either sleep through or teach Music appreciation.

So... Shannon went through day 1 in a melancholy mood. The teachers handed out their course curriculums so the material was largely familiar. The only thing new to her was the Trigonometry but her algebra skills were pretty decent. She actually had a couple of college degrees, one in business administration and the other in biology... although her dreams of ever becoming a veterinarian were halted when she became enchanted.

At lunch, she sat next to Sarah. Andrew had been invited to sit with some of the guys. Shannon supposed the students were friendly enough. They welcomed them... trying to help them find their way around the school. Although, Shannon was really good at reading maps and it wasn't like this school was that hard to figure your way around. Both Shannon and Sarah were quiet at lunch... unless someone asked them a question about where they had been. Some questions were hard to answer. All three of them had agreed that there'd be no mention of Sarah's father's crimes against them... really attacks.
Sarah's father, by the way, was under federal endictment for a slew of charges relating to organized crimes and ties to the Yakuza and even ties to terrorism. The government had seized his known assets and were frozen. All thanks to some documentation anonymously provided to the FBI and Homeland Security. It was under all that smokescreen that Shannon had convinced Sarah that they needed to move... it had been the perfect time to disappear. The federal prosecutors couldn't protect them... nor were they needed as witnesses.
Yeah... their lives in the last year or so had been damn near Hell.
Shannon and Sarah had actually met about 3 years ago on a community soccer field. Shannon loved soccer, actually, and assumed a younger role to play on the same team with Sarah. They had soon become fast friends. Shannon had been a winger and Sarah was center. They played again this past spring and had a great record. They'd have won the league championship but then Shannon got hurt. A girl on the other team in the final game threw a block for the ball... Shannon couldn't avoid in time and sustained a knee injury in the collision.
Under the left pant leg of her black Levis, Shannon still wore a knee brace although she told no one here. Inactivity bored her. Her doctors had warned her about extended horseback rides. She ignored it for the most part. Yeah, she was as stubborn as an ox sometimes. Besides, an injury was no excuse to put your life on hold. Horses still needed to be fed and other things needed to be done.
So now.... at lunch, she idly looked around the cafeteria while some girl at their table held the conversation. Almost everyone in here looked at them at one point or another... new people. She wanted to tell everyone "nothing to see here... move along." Of course, she wasn't going to be rude. She just didn't want all the attention. Her first trip through high school hadn't been so great. Hell, she'd never even been asked to prom or any of the dances. She'd never been popular. But here, it seemed all the students were waiting in line for a chance to talk to them. She wanted to shake her head and sigh. She'd had to stop the school newspaper staff to not take pictures. She shuddered to think what would happen if pictures of them wound up on the internet. Out there for their enemies to find.
Maybe she was paranoid. Sarah's father would be tied up for years with the Feds. Their would be assassin was actually in prison. Still.....
She decided to study her schedule again. Biology was after lunch... yay.

[Xuxa_Rene]

((Hope its good sorry it took so long))

It was morning. The sun slowly rose Patrick was sitting on his balcony, he had spent the night hunting on Vancouver Island Canada, they were having a deer problem, too many around causing accidents so him and his family went up there. It wasn’t as filling as a bear, but they were getting ready to mate and hibernate so none of them wanted to harm the delicate balance in nature. Now that the sun was coming up he knew that he would have to face school. He had been through it too many times to count, but since they have moved to this town two years ago he was back in the school.
He went back into his room and smiled as his sister, as she called her, was standing there holding clothes. “Good morning Kim” Kim grinned him. “Morning Patrick, here are your clothes for the day, don’t forget do something with your hair, never mind I will do it.” She dragged him over to the chair plunked him down in it and fiddled with his hair. Patrick knew better than to complain but to tease her thought about messing it up. Kim gasped “Don’t you dare”
Patrick smiled “Alright good enough” Kim shook her head “No its prefect now hurry up” She winked “Don’t want to be late for your 1st day of school” Patrick rolled his eyes. Dressing in the jeans and light coloured shirt, to offset how pale he looked, he sighed then went down stairs.
His sisters and brothers were waiting for him. He took his Porsche Carrera GT and the other four took their own, two to one. Patrick didn’t mind being alone he had been for over 100 years and just like the others he knew that eventually he would find the woman for him.
Getting to school Patrick threw it into park. Smiled a cocky smile at all the gawks of his new car their story was that they were adopted but that their adoptive parents were lucky and had made good stock market choices, truth is they knew when to pull out, but it was Patrick that had made the choices. So they were well off, but they made a lot of donations, so people seemed fine with them but left them alone.
Once inside the school Patrick immediately noticed the new ones. He watched them, they were not what they seemed, his eyes fell on them and he couldn’t keep his eyes off of him but he had to get away from her and all of them.
He made it through his classes then when lunch came he sat with his family. They all had food, to keep up with the façade that was their life but he didn’t eat. All of his family watched him knowing he was wrestling with the new comers. “Easy Patrick” Kim said softly. He looked up at them “They are not…” He trailed off and his family nodded. “We know, but let’s just keep our distance until we figure it out”
Before he could answer the bell rang and he stormed off to his next class biology. He took a seat down, the seat next to him was the only seat that wasn’t taken. He looked up at the teacher and the clock. Two more minutes and then the seat next to him would remain empty.

[psygrimlock]

(Only Shannon is really very different.)

Today on her first day of school, Shannon wore a pair of Levis jeans with a brown leather belt, along with a dark green polo shirt. Her shoes were black Sketchers shape up sneakers. Her brown hair was naturally curly... although the curls were not tight. No special hairstyle. She was a low maintenance wash and go kind of person. The length of her hair came to about her shoulder blades.
Sarah, who said beside her, had on brick red jeans, a lacey pale yellow top with a teal windbreaker-like jacket. Her style of dress was a bit more contemporary than that of her friend's. Some dark brown boat shoes completed her chosen ensemble.
At another table, Andrew's attire was much simpler. Faded blue jeans, pale blue checkered button down shirt and a gray zipper hoody.

While some of the girls across from her table talked about something their lame homeroom teacher did, Shannon quietly ate her lunch while no one was bombarding her with questions. This was another difference. She preferred to bring her lunch from home rather than buy what she called the "mystery food" the cafeteria offered and was happy to offer Sarah some of whatever she'd made for lunch the night before. Today it was chicken ceasar salad, garlic & herb Sun Chips, a banana and a bottle of sweet tea. Her lunch bag had a compartment for a tupperware like container which contained the romaine lettuce. Ziplocs for the sliced chicken, cheese and croutons. Toss in a reusable ramaken of dressing. Okay so her lunch had some assembly required but it takes less time than standing in the lunch line. At least the cafeteria had a couple of microwaves that the students could use which opened the door for more lunch ideas.
Shannon was munching on a sun chip when she idly looked around the cafeteria out of boredom. That's when she saw them at a table on the far side of the cafeteria. Not only that, the tables surround theirs were unoccupied like the other students were avoiding them like the plague. In a way she felt envy for them... and sympathy that the others seemed to shun them. It also felt odd, too, that they didn't feel to her like the other students did. It was... different. And their physical appearances. Human... but their complexions were very pale. She looked away before one of them saw her staring.
"Sarah, look at the five kids over there," she said... nudging her friend.
Sarah looked up from her lunch and over to where Shannon indicated. When she saw them, her eyes went wide, noting their seeming isolation. "Odd... though I've seen a couple of them in the halls between classes."
Valerie Green, noticed the two new girls looking over at 'them'. "They moved here like... last year. They're all foster kids/adoptions of a fancy doctor in town. They keep to themselves," Valerie said. Shannon heard the girl think 'don't waste your time' while she was focused on her. She missed Valerie mention any names.
Sarah says, "That one girl is in my Spanish class," indicating Kim. No one sat at the desk next to hers so Sarah had. Shannon nodded slightly to indicate to Sarah that she'd heard the thought and memory. Sarah was one of the very few people that Shannon could 'hear' very readily. Others she had to kind of focus on to hear. Though, she tried not to pry. The five in the corner were more like... bright blips on her radar. Not like the human students.
Shannon looked again at the one Valerie had called Patrick. He was... like a work of art. His skin seemed unnaturally flawless. No blemishes... not even a mole or a freckle. His 'aura', for a lack of a better word, was brighter than the other four. That puzzled her but she resisted the urge to focus.
Her concentration was broken when the school bell rang to signal that lunch was over. She looked over at Sarah and smiled while she packed up her lunch bag...

Seven minutes later, after a trip to her locker, Shannon and Sarah arrived at their biology class with three minutes to spare. Most of the other students were already there and seated. Since it was the first day of school, the teacher Mr. Tanner, was going the classroom placing textbooks on the worktables. Shannon noticed Patrick sitting alone almost at the same time she felt his 'aura'. She casually looked around but it was a typical biology room. A poster of an amoeba was on the far wall. The class had three rows of five tables that sat 2 students each. In the window sills were models of skeletons of animals, a cat, a bird of some sort and a turtle. Along the wall opposite the windows, were a couple of computers as well as a large terrarium that was presently home to a ball python. Sarah wasn't overly fond of snakes but they didn't bother Shannon much.
Close to Shannon, a stuffed armadillo sat on a shelf. She looked up at it. "He's a long way from home," she said to Sarah. Sarah chuckled a little before the girls continued in to find their seats.
The girls unwittingly walked under a blowing vent as Sarah sat beside Brent Davis at the table behind Patrick. Shannon took the last seat open... next to Patrick.

[Xuxa_Rene]

Sitting at his desk Patrick knew even before they entered that the empty part of his table wouldn’t remain empty long. He could hear the thoughts in the room but over 200 years of training taught him how to tune out most of it. He really did not like being back in school, he had lost count how many times he had been through it, but it was a joke in his house.
His father was a well-respected Doctor did many things without requesting payment or even accepting it. He had his own practice. Patrick sighed again and looked around, wishing not for the first time that he could have the same concerns as these students, where to go to college where to get that job anything that would make him normal. He knew though that if his father had not found him he would have died but when he was feeling low like this he got a little depressed.
When the group he saw earlier entered. He looked up and watched them, smirking at their comments. The room was a little out there but then so was the science teacher. He was ready to welcome the new ones, but she had to walk under the vent. The scent filled Patrick’s nostrils and caused his entire body to tense. He was grateful that he had fed the night before so it wasn’t as bad as it could be. His eyes still changed in shape and colour.
When Shannon sat down he couldn’t look at her. He did manage to mutter a “Hello” it was said in an eerily calm voice. He went to work sitting as far as he could away and as soon as the bell rang he raced out of class. Into his car and made it home.
His brothers and sisters were there and with out even talking helped him calm down. Patrick didn’t know why she had affected him so much he thought back. Had she said anything after he had said hello? He couldn’t even remember. He thought back trying to though.

[psygrimlock]

Shannon suddenly felt a kind of tension. Something around her felt like danger... but it was a classroom. She looked over at Patrick casually as she sat down. "Hello," she answered but she didn't say anthing more. She tried to focus on whatever vibes she was getting whatever he was, he was much harder to read than a human. Throughout the class, she felt a little nervous and was puzzled as Patrick put most of the length of the table between them. It wasn't like she'd stabbed him with a fork or something. Luckily, the class was a non event since the teacher simply discussed what they'd be studying throughout the school year.
When the bell rang, she saw him bolt faster than she'd thought humanly possible.
She stayed silent about what she'd felt for the rest of the school day. She and Sarah had gym next and that was a non event as well. Some brief going over the schedule followed by a game of kickball. Really? she thought. Kickball was for little kids! She winced, though, when she'd kicked the ball hard enough to hit the scoreboard on the opposite wall of the gymnasium. She was, after all, a skilled soccer player. She'd have to be more careful about holding herself in check.
After that was her Civics class, which was also a non event.
After school, she waited for Sarah and Andrew in the parking lot by her 2002 Ford Escape with a fluer de lis decal on the back windshield. She also had a small psyduck and some mardi gras beads hanging from her rear view mirror. The three students carpooled. Only 2 of them had their licenses. They drove to the elementary school down the street to wait for Emily, Shannon's younger 'sister'. That was its own story. After they 9 year old joined them in the car, Shannon pulled out to head home.
Shannon had chosen the property carefully. She wanted some isolation for a slew of reasons. She drove west out of town. She'd bought about 20 acres that backed onto one of the rivers that met further down and became the Quileutte River. Although, the property was still closer to Forks than it was to LaPush. The driveway was little more than a dirt path, which suited her fine. Her Escape was AWD. The thick forest opened up before they reached the house. A split level house, 4bed, 2.5 baths, attic space and a basement. The property also had a small barn for their 3 horses with a loft to store hay and feed. There was a half acre pasture on the left of the driveway before the house... and a 3 acre pasture on the far side of the barn closer to the river. So it was easy to rotate the pasture. The barn itself was about a football field's distance from the house. Beside the barn were a pair of horse trailers, one a bumper pull and the other one was a newer looking gooseneck trailer. There was also a dark blue F-350 which was what would pull said trailers, as well as haul the hay and feed.
Shannon had a sense of humor, too. On the front corners of the truck cab, she, with her brother's help, installed some airhorns as well as decorative fake bull horns (bull the animal, not the kind you speak through). The truck also sported a chrome grill guard. On both front doors of the truck, the words 'The Ox' duly christened the vehicle. Although, Shannon has noted that few people who see the truck really get the whole joke. Not only had she called the truck 'the Ox' because it did a lot of heavy work, but it was also blue... like another famous Ox from American folklore.
As they drove up to the house in the Escape, a rottweiler and a wolf came off the covered porch to meet them. The wolf, Yukon, was Shannon's although most of the time she could pass it off as a large malamute. Roxie, the rottweiler was Sarah's.
There were no 'parents'. And the public story was that the 'parents' were always out of the country or something. The truth is... there are no parents since Sarah's and Andrew's mother disappeared earlier that year.
The small group enter the house with the rottweiler while the wolf stays outside. After Emma goes upstairs to watch cartoons in her room, the older kids compare notes of the day. Of course, Andrew didn't notice anything.

[Xuxa_Rene]

Once Patrick was calm he was in a self-hatred mode mixed with a little selfdoubting, “Why does her scent tempt me so?” His brother as he called him frowned. “They are not like us” Patrick sighed and through his head back. “I realize that but what if she is the one?” He shook his head. “I need out of here” His family all frowned and tried to talk him out of it. But Patrick promised to be back he just needed some time.
Although they were all upset they understood. Patrick went to his room, looked out his panoramic window. Looked around too all his collections, books, nearly every book every printed. He had snow globes, odd for a vampire but he was fascinated by them. He also had a music collection and dragons he loved dragons as well. Many were priceless ornaments. In his room he also had a loft, no bed since never needed sleep but just areas where he could be alone. He soon realized that locking himself in his loft for weeks wasn’t going to do it. He spoke to his family through his mind and took off to the north.
It was dark by this time, not that anyone would be able to see him anyways. He stopped by the Georgia Straight and paused trying to think the best way to get across. He had paused too long and someone came up to him. “Sir if you are looking for the ferry its over that way” Patrick looked, well he supposed going on the Ferry would be the best way now.
He paid for a walk on then went to the top deck, called the sundeck but since it was night he was alone, except for a few smokers who eventually went in too. So he was alone. Thinking back on the new comers, something was up he just couldn’t place it. He didn’t like how he reacted to the girl that sat with him either. He looked up at the sky and wondered if Shannon was looking up at the same sky. Suddenly he shook his head “Why are you thinking like that” He muttered to himself, he was over 400 years old, he was no love sick teenager, even if that is how he looked.
Finally the boat docked. He walked off and got a taxi, not wanting to raise suspicion. “5040 river bottom road please” He told the taxi driver, it was a long taxi ride but the taxi driver seemed willing to take him, he of course had helped him get to that conclusion.
When they arrived there he paid him them gave him a huge tip then once he was sure he was alone he ran across the bridge to the other side of the river, deep into the woods to their cabin and got in and sat down, not that he needed it but he just needed to be still.
He stayed on the Island for 2 weeks, taking care of a cougar problem; too many were around killing famers’ cattle.
Meanwhile his family continued going to school. Telling people Patrick was sick with strept throat. They “talked” each night. And when Patrick felt full enough he came home. It had been 3 weeks when he finally pulled into the parking lot in his car. He had completed all the homework assignments. He walked into biology and sat down in his seat seeing if Shannon would be back.

[psygrimlock]

Back in Forks, life went on pretty much as it always does. Of course, Shannon noticed Patrick's absence. The 'official' story was that he had strep throat. But she knew better. For one thing, strep lasted about 3 to 4 days... a week at the most. She'd had a hard time not thinking about him when she was idle. Although, Patrick isn't her only concern. Another in her family has been absent for longer. Demidra, her partner... for a lack of a better term. If it hadn't been for the little dragon... she doubts any of them would be alive today. About a month ago, shortly before the move to Forks, Demidra had told Shannon she had some 'business to take care of back home'. Shannon didn't ask and of course wouldn't stand in her friend's way. Trusting her friend and partner... not know when she might return. But never doubting that the dragon would find them again.
But she had a responsibility to her family, as well. With no real parents around, the others looked to her for leadership. But she welcomed the degree of normalcy. They took turns with certain chores. Cooking, cleaning, feeding the horses, etc. Although, Shannon didn't allow 9 year old Emily to go into the barn by herself.
Afternoons after school were always devoted to homework. Homework and chores before TV, riding or other recreational pursuits.
So, the day to day routines kept Shannon somewhat occupied. But in idle moments, she wondered about Patrick. She still saw his family at lunch at their table.
During those weeks of his absence, though, Sarah has volunteered to partner with Kim in their shared Spanish class in conversational exercises, since none of the other kids seem to want much to do with Kim.
Today now, three weeks after Patrick's disappearance. Shannon, Sarah and Drew are in school as usual. The girls sit with their usual cluster of students. Drew is at the same table but talking among the guys. Shannon can't help but be amused at the sophomore's zeal at hanging with upperclassmen.
Drew is a very active young man. Into sports and such, so he talks with some of the guys about what kinds of sports team a high school in the middle of a soggy rainland might have. Shannon listens idly... watching the boys and noticing that Drew omits mentioning his favorite sport.
Sarah seems apprehensive and nudges Shannon with an elbow gently to get her focus. Shannon turns her head slightly.
Shannon, should we even let Drew play sports? I thought we wanted to keep a low profile, asks Sarah.
Shannon sent a mental shrug. You can't keep Drew cooped up. This town is so small anyway. We'll talk about it more when we get home but I see no harm in letting Drew play. It will keep him occupied. He needs the structure.
I supposed you're right. What about us? asks Sarah.
I'm not sure if I can find the time. But I won't stop you if you want to get involved in school activities. I would suggest trying to keep our pictures out of school newspapers... next thing you know the picture is plastered on Facebook. Shannon answer.
Sarah had to stifle a laugh.
(Before I continue onto Biology class... would the girls have noticed Patrick at lunch since lunch is before Bio?)

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