The next few days flew by quickly. Things in the Addams family home were back to normal with the return of Morticia and Gomez, but school was another thing. 

It became increasingly obvious to Penelope that the Cullens might move after only being in Forks for a few weeks. Their thoughts had been full of security concerns, leading to Edward's obsessive tracking of everything she did throughout the school day and even what she did at home.

Logically, it was probably a good idea considering that the two Cullens who could get an idea of her next move could not actually do that. If they also threw in the fact that her family has usually been associated with the occult (*cough* Great Aunt Calpurnia *cough*), it only made them that much riskier.

All this combined with her inability to return to her old life was weighing on her too much, especially when it dawned on her that she would have to go through two more years of high school just to return to college. 

When the weekend finally came, she decided to stroll through the forest early in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but her boots still crunched over the fallen leaves and twigs, her breath coming out in white puffs. She hadn't even left a note, but she wasn't planning on going too far or staying out too long.

Penelope only went as far as the river separating her family's property from the Cullens'. Her mind reading was still off, leaving her with the sounds of the flowing water to focus on. It gave her some of the peace she had been looking for these past few weeks. 

But the situation was only getting scarier the more comfortable she felt in this world. It's not that she was forgetting her old life/her real life, but that she was struggling to let go of this place.

She still had a loving family, though with more money and privileges than she could have ever dreamed of in her real life. She had no friends, but that wasn't particularly her fault. And Forks wasn't the end all be all for friend-making. But of course, her fascination with the Cullens was the most important factor in keeping her interest. Who in the world would willingly go through high school all over again without some mysterious vampires to keep them entertained?

If the Cullens left, Penelope would be left with nothing interesting until college.

・・・

Edward watched Penelope from his bedroom window. It was almost as if she was teasing him on purpose by coming so close to his home with her unreadable mind. Worst of all, he had no idea if she was doing that on purpose or not.

The other Cullens paid little attention to her presence nearby, though Jasper did tense a bit from the proximity of human blood which Alice was quick to remedy.

Esme approached his statue-like form by the window, her eyes easily finding the girl sitting on a rock by the river. "Anything yet?"

Edward remained quiet for a few moments, clearly focused on trying to break down the barrier keeping him from her mind. "Nothing."

"Do you still think she's a threat?" she asked.

He pressed his lips in a firm line and furrowed his brow, "She might not be, but I could never know that for sure. I just know that I can't let my guard down."

Esme remained quietly by his side for a few minutes before a small smile graced her lips. "I suppose she is quite lovely to look at as well."

Edward groaned, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "That is not what I'm doing."

"Say what you want, but when I see my son watching over a beautiful girl day and night, a mother has her thoughts," she replied playfully before leaving him to his self-assigned guard watch.

He watched as Penelope left after another ten minutes of contemplation. He could hear her singing to herself just as the sun began to rise. Despite her modern existence, her voice carried that style of singers from fifty years ago. And though Edward wasn't watching her for her beauty, he had to admit that her voice was quite enchanting. For a human.

・・・

Instead of going back inside, Penelope walked around the family cemetery for a while before stopping in front of her future burial plot.

The idea of living the rest of her life here to the end was slowly becoming something she wouldn't mind. Her home life here was quite enjoyable. Fencing with Gomez, playing chess with Thing (who had been on vacation when she first got here), gardening with her mother, and just enjoying her time alone whenever she got it. 

At school, the only big thing to report was that the girl's choice dance was only three weeks away. Though her parents are fine whether she goes or not, they are a bit worried that her only social interactions are with the family. Of course, she'd always come back at them with the fact that no one in this town wanted to interact with her on a more personal basis. 

Two weeks ago, she had decided to take a chance and talk to a group of girls, but they acted all cagey and nervous around her. Then she heard them laughing when she walked away.

Of course, none of this would last forever. She was growing up (again) and would go off to college (again). But why not enjoy it while it's still around?

She stood abruptly, her face set with renewed determination. I'm going to befriend the Cullens one way or another. It would be a waste not to, she thought. Nowadays, she wouldn't say her thoughts aloud like she normally would have. Not when the Cullens/Edward were listening in.

・・・

Before her last class on Monday, Penelope took out her iPod and earphones to listen to Edward's favorite song, Claire de Lune by Debussy. When she sat down, she took to her normal contemplative gazing out the window.

Sure enough, Edward walked in and his attention was caught by her choice of music. A lover of the classics...

He didn't say anything to her, but she knew he was listening to the song. When it was done, she put her iPod away and let out a soft sigh. There was only a minute left before class started and she'd use it productively. "How was your weekend?"

Her question caught him by surprise, but he quickly masked it with his expression of disinterest. "It was fine."

Great, now I have to do something else. For a while now, she's considered letting her abnormality slip out a bit just to get him curious (as if Thing and Lurch weren't enough).

"Have you seen the new Pride and Prejudice movie? It's so amazing. I highly recommend it."

She could hear him rack his mind for a Pride and Prejudice movie, but all he could come up with was a vague vision Alice had about it. Is she thinking about the 90s TV show? There's no movie... yet.

"Um... no I didn't know they were making it into a movie. When did it come out?"

Penelope furrowed her brow to continue playing innocent, "I think in November, but I could be wrong. It stars Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen."

The vision was becoming clearer in his head, thanks to Alice. There would be a movie based on Pride and Prejudice starring Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. But it wouldn't come out until November of this year. They were currently at the end of February.

He simply shrugged and turned to give his attention to the teacher who was starting class, "Haven't heard of it."

"Oh," she said.

・・・

Edward wasn't sure what to think. How could this girl know about a movie that hasn't even been released? There's not even a trailer out yet.

Alice was just as confused. She had overheard everything but the only conclusions she could come to was that Penelope could see into the future, or she had some connection to the makers of the movie.

First, her mind couldn't be read, then her future couldn't be read either, and now apparently she has insight into the future. Who and what is this girl?

Penelope almost smiled at their panic and confusion. The questions of her mind-reading ability and mental shield had plagued her as well, but her only answer was simple: she's an Addams.

Her family is known for producing the oddballs of humanity. The people of Forks understood that to some extent which is why the Addamses were barely tolerated in town. They would have treated them worse, but something about being the first non-Quileute family to live in what is now called Forks outweighed their weirdness ever so slightly. 

And, of course, Penelope's aunt, Anastasia, has a lot to do with it. Her friendly disposition and normality made her patients feel at ease despite the family's reputation. 

・・・

When the bell finally rang, everyone rushed out of the class in excited chatter. It had begun to snow in the middle of class and they were looking forward to playing in it.

Penelope took this opportunity to talk to Edward for a bit before he had to go, knowing that his siblings were waiting for him.

She caught up to him in the hallway and easily fell into his step, "Do you have any plans to play in the snow?"

His face snapped to Penelope who suddenly appeared at his side. He quickly recovered from his surprise and shook his head, "Not really." 

Though his thoughts betrayed him. Penelope could see the image in his mind. He planned to just lie in the snow once it was tall enough and stare up at the sky.

"Hm. The snow isn't everyone's cup of tea, I guess," she said with a soft smile. "I plan to take a walk in the forest."

He only nodded, but he was now planning to follow her around in the forest- secretly, of course.

"You should join me. We're neighbors after all," she offered as they reached the parking lot. It would be better to have him next to her with her permission than to be stalked by him, not that he hasn't been doing that in some ways these past few weeks.

She could see the hesitation in his mind as he ran through the risks and rewards of taking her up on the offer. I could hurt her... or I can learn more about her...

I guess a little charm is needed here, she thought begrudgingly.

Penelope gently nudged her shoulder against his, a pleasing smile already on her lips. "Come on. I don't bite."

A sardonic grin appeared on his face and though he didn't know it, they were both thinking the same thing. It wasn't her they needed to worry about biting. Despite his family's protests swarming both of their minds, he conceded. "I'll join you then."

"Perfect. Meet me by the river that separates our two properties in half an hour."

With that, she waved goodbye and walked away quickly before he could change his mind.

・・・

The snowfall hadn't changed much by their arranged meeting time, but at least the ground had a more substantial dusting of snow.

Edward stood on the bridge that connected the two properties together as she approached. His mind was occupied by Rosalie's incessant complaints about how he was risking their secret, but Edward's curiosity about cracking the mystery that was Penelope Addams won out.

She knew he was using this meeting to get a better sense of what kind of person she was after the whole Pride and Prejudice movie debacle earlier and she planned to feed him more information. After all, if she was going to get entertainment out of this situation, she had to give a little.

"Shall we?" she asked, gesturing to the forest behind her.

They began their walk in silence for the first few minutes. Edward's steps were silent, but his mind was not. Not when Rosalie was still hurling insults at him from their house.

Penelope almost felt bad for him if she didn't agree that this was risky, but she was willing to take that risk if only to make her situation more bearable.

"What does your mother think about Forks now after getting to live here for about a month? Still charmed?" she asked with a grin.

"I'd say she is. My dad is just happy that she's happy," he said quietly.

"Hm," she nodded. "Your dad works at the hospital, right? My aunt works there too. Anastasia Addams."

"Yes, I've seen her there on my visits. She's a very sweet woman."

To Penelope's surprise, Edward was being genuine. He saw how far her aunt would go for her patients and that she would never give up until she could figure out what was ailing them.

"I agree," she smiled warmly. "You know, she went to med school at Yale. She had offers from many prestigious hospitals when she was done with her schooling and residency, but she chose to come back here."

"How selfless," he said, his eyes focused on the falling snow. So far, he'd only learned a bit more about her aunt, but not much more about Penelope. Though her admiration for her aunt was apparent. "Tell me, would you ever come back to Forks when you finish all your schooling?"

Penelope was quiet for a minute. It was something she struggled to answer for certain even in her old life when she had a year and a half left of college. "I'll say yes for now, but I'm not entirely sure."

He looked at her with curiosity, "Why the uncertainty?"

A soft sigh left her as she tried to compile Penelope Addams' reasons for hesitation. "I could follow in my father's footsteps or my mother's footsteps. Either one would allow me to live here for sure." She paused for a moment. "But... if I want to do something else, well, that might take me elsewhere."

He nodded, his eyes brightening a bit as if he had just made a good guess. "And... you're really considering this other thing, aren't you?"

"I am," she admitted, a dollop of snow landing on her nose which made them laugh for a moment. After brushing it off, she continued. "I guess I'll find out in college."

"What about you? Would you come back here after college?" Though she already knew the answer, it would be rude to not ask at all.

"Maybe... maybe not," he answered. 

Of course, she knew he'd come back to Forks at some point. It would just take about another 70 years.

They continued their walk for a while, asking each other questions, shielding their faces from the falling snow, and even laughing quite a bit. That was when they found out they were both huge music lovers.

"Are you one that can't choose a genre as your favorite, or do you have your preferences?" she asked curiously, though the answer forming in his head was one she knew would upset her.

"My favorites are classical and rock. I also like fifties music. Much better than the sixties, or the seventies, ugh! I'd never warmed up to disco," he scrunched up his nose, as if the mere mention of it disgusted him. "The eighties were bearable."

Her jaw dropped as she listened to his tirade against her favorite years for music in the past century. Penelope was truly at an utter loss for words while Edward wondered what was wrong.

After a minute, she found her voice again. "I'm sorry, what?! You don't like 60s or 70s?!"

He simply shook his head. He had the audacity to shake his head! "Not one bit."

Penelope's hand went to her heart as if she were truly heartbroken to hear this. "I cannot believe someone said such a thing in my presence.

"I know there were great singers at the time and I would agree, but-"

"No buts!" she interjected. "The 60s and 70s were great, period."

He rolled his eyes, which she was quick to respond to. "Don't you roll your eyes at me! Come on!"

She took hold of his jacket sleeve and, surprisingly, he let her tug him along. Despite her annoyance and the yelling, he was pretty amused. "And where are we going?"

"I'm taking you back to my house to listen to 60s and 70s music. No friend of mine is going to hate some of my favorite music years," she huffed, the imposing Addams family manor straight ahead.

His thoughts were filled with surprise, "We're friends?"

"Please bore somebody else with your questions," was all she replied with, though the twinkle in her eyes was all he needed for confirmation.

I have a friend, they thought simultaneously. Though Edward was more scared while Penelope was overjoyed. The perfect combination for a friendship.

・・・