It's been over a week and Novalee's eyes are not red anymore. They're golden, brightly golden. She's ready to attempt school, Jasper keeps telling her she isn't ready for that many humans at once, saying it'll overwhelm her.

But Carlisle is on team Novalee, he thinks she should give it a shot and if it does overwhelm her, she's to call him or Esme. One of the two, which ever one is called, will get Novalee excused from school.

Novalee leaves the house with the others, thanking the high heavens that the skies are grey and cloudy. The roads are slick from the wet roads mixed with the cold temperatures, which adds up to a bad combination.

"You're riding with me," Jasper muses as Alice gets into Rosalie's beautiful car. "This will be a marvelous day."

Novalee smirks as she gets into Jasper's car, and he drives to the high school. When Novalee gets out of the car, the scent of every human there hits her. The newborn closes her eyes, but Jasper feels calm. He doesn't feel blood lust from her or temptation. Only calm.

"See?" Novalee coos as she opens her golden eyes. "I'm fine, Jasper. Now, I need to pick up my schedule. If you'll excuse me..." she smiles at jasper before she walks to the school while Edward studies Bella.

"Novalee will be my death," jasper grumbles when the girl is inside the school.

Alice grins. "You love her, though. You know you two are best friends, you know that you both being an empath makes you closer."

Jasper grumbles beneath his breath as he walks inside, knowing Alice is right. He truly does adore Novalee, even though she is an empath and annoys him. But the way she annoys him, it's like a sister bugging a brother. Novalee is one of Jasper's best friends, Alice was right abou that.

~~~

Novalee is sitting on the hood of Emmett's Jeep while she watches Bella Swan fiddle around in her backpack, facing away from the coven of vampires. She hears some tires squealing on the slick blacktop. Novalee's eyes snap in that direction and spots a black van swerving around a curb and goes toward Bella. Edward vamp speeds over and he stops the van. All of the pumping blood turns Novalee's eyes dark.

"Jasper..." she whimpers.

Jasper snaps his eyes toward her and he feels her lust, feelings her struggle. "Emmett, get her home, now."

Emmett gets Novalee into his Jeep, Rosalie's meeting Edward at the hospital to have a discussion with Carlisle. Emmett and Jasper share a look before Emmett speeds off the lot with Novalee, jasper sends a wave of calm across the crowd of students and he follows after Emmett.

~~~

Novalee sits on her favorite rock near the treaty line after she crashed upon some male bears. She closes her eyes, and controls her breathing when Jared trots up. He's on patrol and he smelled a vampire, then got curious. When he finds the vampire, he huffs. Novalee opens her eyes and smiles.

"Jared Cameron," Novalee grins. "Sam's next in command." She sighs. "I did good at school today... But there was an accident. The heart rate picked up, made the blood pump faster... Emmett had to get me out of there pretty quick." She pauses. "Why am I spilling my guts to you?" She looks at the wolf. "Eh, you won't tell. For some reason, I trust you amd the pack. So, I guess that's it. I guess that's why I'm openly talking to a wolf... You see that, Jared? I didn't say mutt like my coven."

Jared smiles mentally, the pack sees as they all phase (Sam and Paul). Novalee smiles back as Sam's wolf comes up. She sighs and apologies before flashing off. Jared actually frowns before he finishes patrol. Sam watches, feeling kind of bad now because his pack is getting along with Novalee. He hasn't spoken to her since she signed the treaty and learned about the rules from Harry Clearwater.

Novalee goes back home, she finds Emmett outside acting like an idiot - goofing around crazily, in other words. The vampire sighs before going inside. Edward is sitting on the couch near the door while Alice is reading a magazine. Novalee just quietly goes upstairs, Esme is watching cooking videos in the kitchen.

Novalee finds jasper in his bedroom, which is connected to hers.

"Hey, Jas," Novalee says. "You were right... I wasn't ready."

"You did great, Nova," Jasper says as he puts his older novel down. "It was the fast paced heart rate that sped up the blood pumping. You did great, better than I had thought. You were right, you were ready for school."

Novalee sits on Jasper's cot, and sighs. "I don't know..."

"You are ready for the world, Novalee Cullen," Jasper says. "And I'll be there every step of the way to help you. Okay?"

Novalee smiles and she lays back. "Okay."

Jasper watches as she just closes her eyes, knowing she won't be sleeping. Vampires don't sleep. He picks up his novel again and carries on with his reading.