That day at school, everyone was either talking about how hot Veronica's older brothers were or why the Cullen family decided to ditch class all of the sudden. Many people had seen them in the parking lot that morning, but they were gone before Veronica had even made it to first-period gym, now dressed in a nice cardigan and yellow skirt that had been in the back of her trunk.

That came as a relief seeing as she wasn't ready for a sudden confrontation from the Cullens. Dean had pretty much ruined any chance of her status as a hunter remaining a secret. And based on how he said she could kill them in seconds, they could probably guess that she wasn't a normal human.

But she didn't have to wait long for the confrontation. After cheering at the winning soccer game, Veronica made her way home. She was a third of a way through a large pizza that she fully intended to finish when there was a knock on her door. Taking the box with her, she swung the door open to see two people she had never met before.

The male was stunningly attractive — he was a vampire after all — and dressed in a blue sweater and slacks. His blonde hair was neatly combed in a way that framed his pale face well. He stood tall with the stance of a leader, but his expression was still kind as he offered Veronica a polite smile, which eased some of her nerves.

The woman was shorter, with a sweetheart-shaped face and wonderfully styled brown hair that made her look like a movie star. Veronica immediately felt warmth from her — metaphorical, not physical. In her hands, she had a covered pie dish that instantly brought a smile to Veronica's face.

"You must be Dr. and Mrs. Cullen," Veronica greeted while opening the door wider. She had been expecting the others to be the ones to confront her, seeing as they knew her, and that made her nervous. It was comforting to instead meet the leader of the coven and his wife instead. She had heard many good things about the doctor. "It's nice to meet you. Please, come in."

"Thank you," Carlisle said, stepping into the small house. "I'm Carlisle, and this is my wife, Esme."

He stuck out a hand to shake, so Veronica quickly sat her pizza box the table she kept by the door for keys and things before shaking his cold hand.

"Veronica Winchester."

"Emmett mentioned you like pie. I hope you like apple," Esme said, offering her the dish.

"That's so sweet of you," she said, taking it. A little small talk would break the ice. "And apple's my absolute favorite. My brother and I always have a slice at every diner we stop at. Let me just put this in the kitchen. Sorry, the house is a little messy. I was gone all weekend, so I didn't have time to clean."

"You have a lovely home."

Veronica quietly laughed and looked around the house. It was small, with only one bedroom and she ate all her meals on her couch because there was no dining room. There were almost no pictures or decorations. It was clearly a temporary home, just a little less temporary than a motel. Esme saying that it was lovely was a stretch.

"It's not hard to guess why you two are here," Veronica said, leaning against the counter. "I'm guessing the others came back from school and told you what happened."

"Yes, they did," Carlisle said, putting an arm around Esme in a loving manner. Or maybe protective? "They told me about how you valiantly defended them against your brother, and I thank you for that."

Veronica studied his face, knowing that wasn't the only reason he was there. "But?"

Carlisle needlessly released a breath. "But there is the conversation about what's to be done from here on out. The others are worried."

"They can be here for this conversation if they'd like," she told them, rubbing her arm. "I'm sure they'll have questions."

"They wanted to come, Emmett especially," Carlisle admitted, smiling gently. He nodded to Esme, who pulled out her phone and started to text someone. "I thought it'd be best for us to meet you on our own first. Just to make sure there was no ill intent."

"Not as long as none of them give me a reason to," she said, sliding up on the counter. "I don't really know any of them very well, but I don't think they will."

After a few seconds, there was another knock at her door. Veronica slid off the counter and went to answer. "That was quick," she said, pulling the door open to reveal six familiar faces.

"We were waiting in the tree line," Alice said brightly. Then she stepped forward and hugged Veronica, catching her off guard. She awkwardly wrapped her arms around Alice. "It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"Come in. I'm sure you guys have questions."

"Lots." It was the first time Rosalie had spoken to Veronica, and her tone was as harsh as the glare that she shot her as she walked by.

Veronica bit her lip and held the door open as they all filed in. Emmett was the last to enter and he smiled at her, which comforted her some. Veronica grabbed her pizza box and moved to sit on her couch in the living room as the coven of vampires circled around her. "Ask away."

"How long have you known we were vampires?" Nicholas asked, being the first to speak up as she ate a slice of pepperoni.

"Right after Jessica pointed you all out," Veronica admitted, shrugging. "I was already suspicious because I could feel Edward digging around in my mind. Then, after I looked at you all, I recognized your eyes. There's another like you, Stefan, in Virginia that we worked a case with a few years ago. I knew you weren't like normal Cold Ones."

Carlisle nodded, recognizing the name. "He's a friend of ours."

"I know," Veronica said, smiling. "I called him when I got back from school to ask about you. He told me that both your family and one up in Alaska checked out and that I didn't need to worry about you."

"Why can't I read your mind?" Edward asked next, frowning deeply. "You said you felt me in your head. Alice can't see your future either."

"You can see the future?" Veronica asked the smaller girl in surprise. She hadn't known their other abilities. "That's so cool. But um, I have the ability to put up a mental block to keep other beings from reading my thoughts. As for Alice, I suppose she can't see the future of anyone like me."

"Like you?" Rose repeated, clenching her jaw. "Your brother said that you could kill us, so clearly you aren't a normal human."

"The Winchester brothers are something of celebrities amongst the supernatural community," Carlisle stated. He looked to Veronica, whose mouth was full of pepperoni pizza. She shot him an amused smirk. "They're the most feared hunters. And if Emmett had mentioned your last name when talking about you the last few weeks, I might've picked up on it. But even then, I've never heard of a younger sister, so I called Stefan. The only answer he gave me was a bible verse."

"Hmm, I'll have to call him and tell him that snitches get stitches," Veronica hummed, finishing off the pizza. "Let me guess. It was the one about the sons of God laying with the daughters of men, right?"

"I don't get it?" Nicholas asked. "I mean, I also haven't read the bible, but still."

"You're a Nephilim," Edward said, seeing the answer in Carlisle's mind. "The child of an angel and human. Angels are real?"

"Yes," Veronica said, taking in the stunned look on most everyone's faces. "Human father and Angel mother in a human vessel. One wham bam thank you ma'am, and I was born. Though my mother was killed right after because it is illegal for Nephilim to exist. Chuck lets me live because he has a soft spot for the Winchester family.

"Who's Chuck?" Alice asked.

"God," she replied in a probably too casual tone.

"I beg your pardon?" Jasper asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's a really long story," Veronica admitted. "Like, way long. By the way, Jasper, did you finish the PowerPoint for our presentation tomorrow?

He only nodded slowly as she grabbed her pizza box and took it to the trashcan. "Look, I know that this is a lot for all of you to process. And there's a lot that I'm sure you want to know. But it would take days to explain some of the things you want to know. So, if I answer with "It's a long story" then I really do mean it's a long story and unlike you, I have to take time out of the day to sleep."

"So, you really can kill us?" Rosalie asked, still glaring. "What's stopping you?"

"I can. I'm stronger, faster, and more powerful than all of you. I have the ability to smite any supernatural creature. I have killed your kind before," she admitted, sighing. "But they had red eyes. I am choosing to trust that you will stick to your animal diet. I won't be telling anyone about what you are. I just want to have a semblance of a normal like just like all of you if you hadn't picked up on that from my brother's temper tantrum in the parking lot."

Rosalie stared her down for a moment before nodding her head, accepting the answer for the time being.

"And I understand if you all want nothing to do with me after knowing this. You won't have to worry about me talking to you are school or anything," Veronica said, chewing on her lip. She glanced at Emmett as she spoke. He met her gaze and gave her a comforting smile, though he was still thinking over the new information.

"Are you kidding?" Nicholas asked, chuckling. "You got the whole school thinking that Emmett can't read. I've wanted to be friends with you since you called that Lauren girl a Cabbage Patch Doll."

"Emmett can't what?" Carlisle asked, frowning at his son, who was grinning. Then he glanced at Veronica, who had her mouth covered and was trying to hide the fact that she was laughing.

"In my defense, I did not know that Tyler would tell other people that I said that," she said, giggling. "I'm so sorry, Emmett."

"It was pretty funny when the freshman came up to me in the hall and held up a copy of "The Lion King" and asked me if I knew the words," Emmett said, making the rest of the vampires that went to school laugh. Carlisle and Esme didn't quite understand the joke, but they were glad that their children were getting along with Veronica. "Besides, I tend to think about what you said before the whole "he doesn't look like he can read" thing."

"Chill out, Big Guy," Veronica said, rolling her eyes as he smirked. She picked up a few more empty takeout containers that were sitting on the coffee table and threw those away. "You're Cold Ones. All of you are hot."

"Though," Edward spoke up, a playful smile now on his face which contrasted greatly to his frustrated look from earlier. "I do recall you thinking about how he was the handsomest man you've ever seen before pushing me out of your mind."

Emmett's smirk grew and he crossed his arms cockily. "Handsomest man you've ever seen?"

"Edward, don't embarrass Veronica," Carlisle chided, though he too was smiling. Veronica, despite a little bit of embarrassment, was glad that things had turned more playful than threatening.

"Do you do that a lot?" Veronica asked, narrowing her eyes at the telepath.

"Yes." Rosalie, Nicholas, and Jasper had all responded while looking at a very smug Edward.

Veronica chuckled, knowing she too would be annoyed if Sam or Dean possessed the ability to read her mind. "So, Alice sees the future. How does that work? I've met Prophets who see the future, but only select parts of it. And any other amazing powers in the family?"

"Jasper can feel and manipulate other's emotions," Alice explained, leaning into Jasper's chest, who had wrapped an arm around her. "And what I see is based on decisions being made, so I don't see the end result until someone makes a definite decision."

"That's very interesting," Veronica mumbled. "Is that limited to just humans and Cold Ones? Or can you see the future of every creature except for Angels?"

"What other creatures are their other than Vampires and Werewolves?" Rosalie asked, frowning. "We've never come across anything else."

"Oh boy. Um, long story," Veronica mumbled. She smiled sheepishly and walked over to her small bookshelf where she kept her journal, which had been copied from the original one by her father and added on to as they continued to hunt. Veronica wasn't as attached to it as her brothers, so she had no problem handing it over to the curious group of vampires. "Here's everything we've come across, but there could be more. The more you know. Just return it when you're done."

"Thank you," Rosalie muttered while flipping through the journal to see how much information it contained. Nicholas and Emmett leaned over her shoulder to look.

"That's a lot of pages," Nicholas muttered, whistling lowly. "Looks like we'll all be doing some reading tonight. Oh, almost forgot. I can control technology."

To prove his point, he looked at Veronica's tv on the wall and it suddenly turned on. The channel's flipped until it landed on an episode of the Property Brothers.

"So, you're a remote controller?" she said, laughing at her own joke.

"Got anything connected to electricity you aren't attached to?"

"I mean, I don't think I've ever used an oven in my life."

"Do not blow up her oven, Nicholas," Esme said firmly while shaking her head.

Veronica looked back at her functioning oven and then to Nicholas, who was grinning. "You can blow stuff up? That's so freaking cool. I wish I could blow stuff up."

"Well, if you can't blow stuff up, what can you do?" Emmett asked her.

Veronica smiled to herself. "Why don't I let you prove that you know how to read and leave it up to the journal to tell you."

"I know how to read," Emmett mumbled, pouting, though Veronica could clearly see a smile.

"So, you got any powers, Big Guy?" she asked, smirking at him.

"Oh yeah. Two of them."

Veronica noticed the confused looks on his family member's faces — except Edward who was chuckling to himself. "Two? I didn't know Cold Ones could have more than one power? What are they?"

Edward was already groaning before the words left Emmett's mouth. "These guns," he said while flexing his muscles.

Despite the fact that she was impressed as his tight sleeves stretched against his biceps, Veronica kept it to herself. Instead, she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Emmett, you're embarrassing us in front of the Angel," Nicholas muttered, shaking his head.

"He's been doing that since day one," Veronica said, chuckling. "I think I'm immune to his stupid by now." Veronica then glanced at the clock on the microwave and saw that it was rather late, and she still had homework to finish before she could go to bed. It seemed Carlisle also noted the time.

"I think we should all head back to the house," he said, placing a hand on Esme's back. "It's late and Veronica needs sleep before getting up for school."

Alice bounded over to Veronica and hugged her once again while grinning. "It was so great talking with you. Would you like to eat lunch with us tomorrow?"

"Oh," Veronica mumbled, not expecting the invitation after unloading so much information on them. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"It would be nice to get to know you a little better." Surprisingly, it had been Rosalie that had spoken up. Veronica, and all of them really, had expected Rosalie to be a bit hesitant to get to know her.

"Well, I suppose my friends could live without me once more."

"Can't wait!" Alice said, happily. She and Jasper, after saying goodbye, both left. Rosalie and Nicholas soon followed.

"Thank you for answering any questions that they had," Carlisle said, smiling kindly at Veronica.

"I didn't mind," Veronica replied. "I really do think you're all amazing for choosing to live like you do. There's no reason for there to be any tension or bad blood between us just because of what we are."

Carlisle nodded, appreciating the answer. Veronica then turned to his wife, who was smiling fondly at her.

"I really do appreciate you making the pie, Mrs. Cullen," she said, grinning. "I'm gonna have to hold myself back from eating all of it tonight. I'm not used to good homecooked food."

"It was no trouble, and I hope you enjoy it. It was so wonderful to finally meet the girl Emmett's been talking about."

"Esme," Emmett muttered from across the room.

Esme chuckled at his embarrassment before saying goodbye and leaving with Carlisle. Edward left with them, shooting a smirk at Emmett, who was conveniently the last to leave. Veronica had moved to her small kitchen and he had followed, watching her uncover the pie dish and begin to slice it.

Emmett watched her carefully as she did so. She looked relaxed in a pair of sweatpants and a little blue tank top that brought out the little blue flecks in her eyes. He had to make himself focus on her eyes to keep them from wandering other places like her exposed midriff or what might have been the top of a tattoo poking out of her tank top.

"May I help you, Emmett?" she asked, a teasing note in her voice. "Or are you here for the pie?"

"Oh, definitely here for the pie," he said, leaning against the counter and smiling. He was always smiling, and Veronica decided that she liked his smile quite a lot. His face looked best with his dimples on full display.

"Ya know, I don't think you'd quite like the taste," she joked. After plating her slice and putting it in the microwave to heat up, she turned to Emmett and copied him, leaning against the counter.

"I don't get it," he stated, still smiling.

"Get what?"

"You asked me about the breakfast my mom cooked at lunch last week, but you already knew what we are. Why didn't you say anything?"

Veronica shrugged and took the pie out of the microwave. The forks were in a drawer by Emmett, so she leaned against the counter next to him after grabbing one. "I didn't think it'd make much of a difference. I would've told you all eventually, but I'm still sort of settling in. Besides, I don't like to be confrontational unless I have to like—"

"Like when you called Lauren a—"

"Why is your family so obsessed with the Cabbage Patch Doll comment?" she asked, throwing her head back and laughing.

"Actually, I was gonna use the helicopter pads as shoulders comment this time." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground. "I'm actually kind of glad that all this is out in the open."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And," he hesitated for a moment, and if he could've, he might've even been blushing. "And, I'm kind of glad that you aren't just human."

"Oh really?" Emmett playfully rolled his eyes when he saw the mischievous grin on her face. "And why's that?"

"I don't exactly stare at any other girls in school or ask them to eat lunch with me," he said, leaning closer to her. "I like you, Veronica."

"And what about it?"