Iris

Iris sat patiently next to her older sister on the plane ride to Forks. Bella fidgeted, her leg bouncing anxiously while she intermittently bit her nails or chewed on her lips. She didn't want to go to Forks, despite what she had told Renee. Iris knew that Bella thought she was doing what was best for Renee by going, this way Renee got to travel with her new husband Phil and she didn't have to stay home with Bella and Iris… not that she did that much to begin with. Both Bella and Iris were mature for their ages and could take care of themselves; even though Iris was only four.

Iris liked to think that while she was young; she was mentally smarter than most adults twice her age. In comparison, most people had an average IQ of 85 to 115. Albert Einstein had an IQ of 210. Iris has had an IQ of 145 since she was 2; and that was after she tried to... not fail but lessen her own score, purposefully. It didn't work and she was given 'Genius level' intelligence. She tested out of K through 10; but Renee refused to let her go further. She wanted Iris to have Bella for "emotional support" because most kids didn't like being upscaled by a child and was sure that despite her 'adorable stature' that Iris would be subjected to bullying.

But, Iris never seemed to have that problem and if she did, she wasn't sure what her quiet and socially awkward sister would be able to do about it. Luckily though, People always seemed happy to be around her; and even more so, they tried to ensure that she was happy herself. Her accomplishments were celebrated. People were awed. It wasn't anything new; but Iris had learned to not appreciate the fan fare when Bella was around.

One thing Iris knew about Bella that most did not, she liked being the center of attention and since Iris was born… she wasn't. Bella didn't make it obvious, of course. If you weren't paying extra close attention – and didn't have the eyesight and sense of smell that Iris had – then you would never see (or smell) the signs of envy, irritation, resentment, and self-loathing. Bella liked to "suffer in silence", as she called it but Iris wasn't sure she knew just how loud her "silence" typically was. People assumed she was shy and a loner and that was why she usually didn't show to celebrate Iris's achievements... and while that may be true, Iris could always, always scent the true reason.

Don't get her wrong, Bella wasn't unpleasant or rude outwardly. She was just comfortable stewing in her hidden feelings while putting on a fake smile. It caused a strain in their relationship that Bella blamed on Iris; but Iris didn't enjoy putting up a pretense. It was rare that someone didn't like her – and when they did, she wasn't going to force herself on them. Not even if that person was supposed to be her "family."

But that worked just fine for Iris. She had her own things going on; her own goals, aspirations, and life. And her own plans when she got to Forks. Iris tapped her fingers against her thighs, eyes stuck on the terrain just out the plane window; she was conflicted to say the least. She knew things, things she definitely shouldn't know. Future type things… Things about the supernatural that surrounded Forks nearly as bad as the damn hellmouth itself.

She just hadn't quite figured out what she was going to do about it.

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Iris's eyes flicked back and forth between her father and sister. The car ride was filled with that silence Bella seems to love so much; the one that was louder than if they had been screaming at each other. They had the same personality, the same looks… and both were awkward as all hell.

Iris could hardly believe she was related to them, more often than not. Not that she didn't love her father and … she held a certain level of care for her sister; but they were so different than she was. They were both pale while Iris had a gentle tan. Iris had light caramel brown hair while both her father and Bella had dark brown curls. They had brown eyes; while Iris had sapphire blue. They had thin lips while she had full. And though it could be explained away by her age, she had a button nose and dimples not possessed by either of her parents.

Where they were introverted; Iris was extroverted.

Where they were awkward; Iris was charismatic.

Where they were human; Iris was something more.

"Your hairs' longer." Her father's voice cut through her inner monologue. Things between them weren't as horrifically awkward as they were between him and Bella, so she didn't begrudge him the time to try to connect.

"I cut it since the last time I saw you…." Bella trailed off, playing with the ends of her hair.

"I – uh "Charlie grunts. "I guess it grew out again."

Bella gives a half-nod in acknowledgement but says nothing else and the silence resumes.

Iris stands by her statement that she didn't begrudge Charlie the opportunity to connect with Bella. Though like anything else, connection took two and would never work when only one person was putting in any effort.

"Did my stuff arrive, Daddy?" He visibly perks up, brown eyes dancing as he glances at her in the rearview mirror. She was a daddy's girl and Charlie loved that she "needed" him. She didn't… not really, but it made him so happy, who was she to stand in the way of that?

"'Course it did. Got it all ready for you in the garage. I already had Jacob take a look at it and your registration arrived today, too." His eyes were now filled with undying affection as she beamed at him, practically vibrating in excitement.

"And I can use it? Tomorrow, I mean?" She kept her lip jutted out and widened her already big blue eyes. She felt a little bad when his face visibly slackened for a moment; eyes glazing over in a way she knew meant that he was transfixed by her 'cuteness'; an ability she utilized every chance she got.

"I'm the sheriff, so I say you can. Besides, you did everything you were required to do, princess." He blinked rapidly, cleared his throat, and looked away for a few seconds to regain control over himself.

"What are you talking about?" And there it was. It was subtle; not nearly as potent as it could be, but the vexatious hint of jealousy pheromones started to permeate the air. Iris resisted the urge to roll her eyes, it was hardly her fault that Bella refused to put in any effort with Charlie. He was so easy to please and so eager to prove he was a good father.

"I got my own car." Iris tried not to sound boastful or proud, knowing it wasn't the same as an actual car and that Bella would inevitably over-react anyway. It was the best thing she could get at only four, though. A working and rechargeable electric car that cost more than her mothers' mortgage… but Renee didn't need to know that. She never questioned when Iris said she got it for a steal … and she did! It was considered a steal if she created the monetary value, she used to pay for it… right?

"You what?!" Bella turned around so fast in the car seat that Iris was surprised she didn't give herself whip-lash. "You're four years old, Iris!" and then she turned toward Charlie just as fast. "How could you and mom sign off on that?!"

"Don't jump to conclusions, Isabella." Iris managed not to snap but her tone was sharp. It caused Bella to flinch and deflate but Iris could smell the familiar sent of resentment. Iris only used Bella's full name when Bella was acting in a way that Iris found unsavory…. also known as when she thought Bella was being childish. Iris had originally thought Bella would come to appreciate her efforts. After all, she was saving Bella from the embarrassment she would suffer if Iris were not here to correct her. But Bella hardly ever smelt appreciative.

Was it because there was no reward? Did Iris need to invest in chocolates and offer Bella one every time she approved of her behavior? "It is a car specifically created for those under eighteen who can't legally drive. It's smaller than an actual vehicle about 4 feet in height and usually limits the speedometer in a way that ensures it stays safe and child friendly. Before being allowed to actually use the car; it is required by law and by contract that the child in question takes a driving safety course, registers the vehicle, and acquires a 'junior driver's license'."

Iris chose not to mention they had so much more than just cars; she also chose not to mention that she had paid extra to ensure that the speedometer works the way it should instead of being restricted to "Child friendly" limitations. She also couldn't mention that she had no need to recharge the battery after she intwined it with her 'Technomage' ability.

"Your sister already passed, and I got it registered in Forks when it arrived." Charlie added, his voice hesitant as he glanced at a sulking Bella.

No one said anything for the rest of the drive.

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Iris would not have complained had she been forced to share a room with Bella, but she was glad that Charlie had cleaned out the attic for her. She got to start from scratch, plan out what she wanted to do. She had not been here since she was two; and Renee had taken everything of Iris's to Arizona.

The smell of salty tears permeated her senses… she didn't usually tend to shield her sense of smell, even when she shielded her hearing; it helped her know how people were feeling, their intentions, and of course she was constantly tuned into her older sisters' angsty emotions.

For a few precious seconds she hesitantly let her shield drop from around her and as she suspected; she could hear the muffled sniffles and small sob. They had been here only a few hours and Bella was already crying. Iris hardly expected anything else.

Iris had diagnosed her sister when she had gotten her plethora of visions on how the next seven years would go because of the vampire and the shifter Bella would eventually become obsessed with, and vice versa. She had a classic martyr complex with a victim mentality and an overdose of hero syndrome. She had all of the signs.

She minimizes her own accomplishments, lacks self-care, actively seeks out chances to sacrifice herself for others' by willingly stepping into harm's way and finally, she holds an unrealistic and unhealthy view of life and death by assuming the two must be intertwined in order for an all-encompassing love.

Bella didn't need an epic love story… she needed therapy and most likely a lot of it.

Edward had two medical degrees and Carlisle was a doctor who had studied medicine for nearly all of his 365 years… how did they miss that?

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Honking pulled Iris out of her notebook and she ran to the window to see a faded red truck; the truck that Charlie had bought Bella as a welcome home gift to try to soothe her ego about the fact that Iris had a car and she didn't. He didn't want her to have to ride to school with Iris, though Iris would argue that her car while small was much better than that truck.

She raced down the stairs, reminding herself to run as a human child would and not a superhuman one. "Uncle Billy!" She screeched as soon as the front door was open and impatiently waited until he was in his wheelchair to climb into his lap and give him a hug.

Billy laughed a full belly laugh, wrapping her tight and giving her a kiss on the temple. "Iris, look at you. We've missed you around here, kiddo."

Out of her peripheral she could see Jake lingering. (Though she could smell his nervous pheromones from a mile away) He leaned around to fully see her and bopped her gently on the nose, The same thing he used to do when she was a baby. "Good to see you, squirt."

"Hi, Jake." Iris smiled and remained as polite as she could with her nose scrunched up. Knowing what would happen, partly because of him; how many lives would be lost… she finds it hard to pretend she isn't disappointed or disgusted by his actions. Iris didn't use her ability to see into the future often, for this reason exactly. It was hard to live in the present when you had already lived the future.

The sound of the front door opening caused everyone to turn and watch Bella as she slowly made her way down the stairs. Her shirt was clutched in her hand so tight Iris was half convinced it would rip; until she remembered how feeble human strength could be.

"Bella, you remember Billy Black, right?" Charlie asked as she came to a stop beside him.

She nodded with a cringeworthy smile that gave away her lie, but Iris isn't sure if anyone else noticed.

"Glad you're finally here, you two. Charlie hasn't shut up about it since you told him you were coming." Billy chuckles.

"Keep exaggerating, I'll wheel you down the hill." Charlie playfully threatens, a small hint of pink on his cheeks. Iris doesn't think Billy was exaggerating at all, and it makes her grin.

Billy snorts, "Ha!." He huffs, setting Iris back on her feet. "Right after I ram you in the ankles." Iris watches her Uncle Billy in his wheelchair as he "chases" her father around and though she's made no decisions about the rest of the information she has; she knows she is going to heal him. He wasn't her biological Uncle but that didn't matter to her, family was a lot more than blood.

"I'm Jacob." Iris turns in time to see Jacob shyly slinking toward Bella. "We uh, made mud pies together when we were little kids."

"Right." Bella nodded, rubbing at her arm with a smile that was faker than plastic; but Jacob seemed enamored by it. "I think I remember."

"No, you don't." Iris sing-songed, smiling innocently with a slight shrug when Bella turned to glare at her. Jacob was looking at Iris with a look that clearly said she was interrupting. Sapphire blue eyes rolled but she returned her attention back toward the 'Dads'.

"Are they always like this?" Bella motioned to them.

"It's uh, getting worse with old age." He quipped while Charlie and Billy made their way back toward them, laughing and pushing each other playfully.

Charlie patted the hood of the truck, looking at Bella even as he pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and subtly hands them to Iris. "So, what do you think of your homecoming gift?"

Bella's eyes lit up, but Iris wasn't concerned about their conversation. She ran toward the open garage door, Billy hot on her heels. He whistled low in his throat, "You sure you got that for 'a steal'?"

Iris risked a glance toward Charlie, nearly sighing in relief when she realized he is still preoccupied and wouldn't overhear their conversation. She tilted her head and aimed a wide smile full of perfectly white and square teeth at her uncle; widening her eyes in that show of innocence that, as predicted, caused his face to slacken and his eyes to momentarily glaze over. "Of course, I did Uncle Billy. What do you take me for?"

"I – uh…" He huffed, blinking his eyes rapidly and shaking the effects away. "I don't believe you, but I'll keep that to myself." He winked at her.

Iris beamed more naturally now, chucking lowly to herself. It was enough; all she asked, really. What Charlie and Renee didn't know, wouldn't hurt them - Iris knew. After all, she had a plethora of secrets, already.

Her attention was stolen by a small amount of sun peeking through the otherwise cloudy sky and reflecting off the hood of her brand-new car, nearly causing her to drool.

It was a white and gold model Lamborghini Gallardo. It had a V-Engine, a 12.5 compression rate, 6 speed transition, and the ability to go from 0 to 100 in 3.4 seconds. It was an exact copy of the original; she had paid enough for it to be sure of that. And it had the added bonus of scissor doors; she preferred to call them butterfly doors.

"It's perfection…" She whispered in reverence, running her hands along the smooth finish. Billy went over to Jacob when he saw Bella "accidentally" hit him with the truck door, but Charlie made his way over in his stead.

Charlie sighed from behind her, but she could hear the smile in his voice. "You sure know how to pick 'em, kid." It was the silence that changed it. She didn't need to turn to know his smile dropped; she could smell the concern. "Are you sure about this though, Iris? You'll already stand out being as young as you are – "

"– exactly." She interrupted him. She didn't usually make a habit of it, but just like Renee he was worried about bullying. "I'll already stand out, daddy. I'm different, I'm unique, I'm smart and I'm much younger than they are. Why would I want to blend in when I was born to stand out? Besides my dad's the sheriff, let 'em try something."

She had successfully placated him. The concern melted into paternal pride, easily joining the protective pheromones he secreted like a waterfall. Iris nearly had to take a step back but managed to bare it. "Damn straight, kid." He smiled, lifting her in his arms and giving her a strong-armed hug. "Damn straight."