The first day at Forks High turned out to be quite eventful for Alex. He realized why the Cullen family had been looking at him as if they already knew him. But the question remained: what exactly had Alice seen? She couldn't possibly have glimpsed his past or future—those simply didn't exist for him.

Alex had two theories. The first—she had only seen his arrival in Forks. The second—far more absurd—Alice might have witnessed all of his adventures across different worlds. But considering Alex's personality, that didn't sound so far-fetched. His life was nothing but one big absurdity anyway.

Leaving school, he automatically reached for a cigarette but quickly stopped himself—smoking on school grounds was clearly not a good idea. Stretching, he headed toward the parking lot, where Lucina and Bella were supposed to be waiting. He wanted to hear how biology had gone, since missing Bella's first meeting with Edward had been a real disappointment for him.

From afar, Alex already spotted Lucina struggling to suppress a grin, and Bella, who was sniffing the sleeve of her jacket with a worried expression. Her face showed the panic of a typical teenager.

"Yo! What happened? Bella, did someone already mess with you? Just say the word—I've got a metal rod in the car," Alex teased as he came closer.

"Do I smell bad?" Bella blurted out, shoving a piece of her jacket toward him.

Alex froze, staring at her with a blank look. Lucina turned away, barely holding back laughter. Bella, meanwhile, stood there with her arm outstretched, completely serious.

With a tired sigh, Alex rubbed his forehead, then silently pointed first at Lucina, then at himself. Bella blinked, not understanding at first, and then realization dawned. Blushing furiously, she yanked her hand back. Lowering her head, she bit her lip in embarrassment—forgetting completely that Alex was standing right next to his girlfriend, Lucina.

"No, you don't smell bad," Alex finally said, rolling his eyes. "If you did, I'd have noticed in the car. So explain—what's with the question?"

"Nothing… I just asked. Forget it!" Bella muttered, shaking her head quickly. But the relief in her eyes was obvious.

Alex glanced at Lucina. She was already on the verge of bursting out laughing. Catching his gaze, she took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Bella, however, looked at her pleadingly—as if begging her not to spill anything. But how could Lucina miss such an opportunity?

"The thing is, Edward stared at Bella the entire lesson," she began, already choking with laughter. "And then he bolted from class the second the bell rang."

"Creepy," Alex immediately added. "So not only does he stare, he also sniffs girls? Bella, you better be careful. Ask Charlie for some pepper spray—it might come in handy if this guy keeps pulling his creepy tricks."

"Well… he seems kind of normal, if you ignore all that," Bella said hesitantly.

"You're hopeless, Bella," Alex snorted. "Anyway, if he keeps acting like a stalker, just spray him in the face. Let him know messing with you is dangerous."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Bella asked, tilting her head.

"That'll be Creepy Edward's problem," Alex shrugged.

At that exact moment, a burst of laughter erupted behind him. He didn't even need to turn around—there was no mistaking that booming laugh. Only Emmett could laugh that loudly.

Bella, spotting Edward among the Cullens, turned pale and hurried off to her truck. Alex, on the other hand, deliberately met Edward's glare—the vampire looked like he was about to hurl a lightning bolt at him, while Emmett beside him was practically doubled over, unable to stop laughing.

Lucina noticed Alice Cullen waving at Alex. He waved back, which only fueled Lucina's curiosity further. With another quick wave at Alice, Alex climbed into the car, honked briefly in farewell to Bella, and drove off the lot.

Alice kept watching his car drive away, looking every bit like a dreamy teenager, until Rosalie tugged her toward their own vehicle.

Meanwhile, behind the wheel, Alex was thinking about stopping by the local supermarket to pick up some groceries for dinner. Lucina supported the idea.

"So, are you going to tell me why that vampire girl keeps looking at you like that?" Lucina asked, turning to him.

"In short…" Alex smirked. "The Goddess of Fate decided my life in this world was too boring and thought it needed some spice."

"And if not in short?" Lucina teased, lightly smacking his shoulder. "I already know Lady Luck keeps barging into our lives. But why did another one suddenly decide to butt in?"

"Who knows. But to be more specific—Alice and I are connected by the red thread of fate. If between you and me it appeared after our love bloomed… the same as with the other girls in our family… then here it's different. But what really interests me is something else." Alex tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Hm… I'll accept your answer about the thread. But what exactly caught your attention about this Alice?" Lucina asked, nodding.

"Her gift. She sees the future. But you know my little peculiarity," Alex said, glancing toward her.

"That you don't exist in the past or the future… You only exist here and now. And since her ability relies on the future, she can't see what you don't have. Am I right?" Lucina asked, thoughtfully tapping her chin.

"Exactly. But I see two possibilities," Alex said, leaning on the wheel while the light was red.

"Enlighten me, my brilliant husband," Lucina said theatrically, waving her hand.

"With your permission, my beautiful wife," Alex bowed with mock formality. "First possibility: she only saw our arrival in Forks. Second—far crazier: Alice saw my entire life, starting back in Orario. And given our mess, that actually sounds the most likely."

Lucina nodded. She also understood their life was anything but normal. And if the red thread of fate had indeed tied Alex to Alice, then the vampire's gift could very well have revealed everything that had happened to him.

The light turned green. Lucina gently tapped Alex's hand to remind him to drive. He hit the gas, and the car smoothly rolled forward toward the supermarket.

Either way, answers would come. He just needed a little patience, Alex thought. And if not, he planned to simply ask Alice directly.

Parking across from the store, he took Lucina's hand, and together they went inside.

"What do you want for dinner?" Alex asked, pushing the cart and scanning the shelves.

"Hm… not sure. A salad with meat sounds nice. And maybe some fried fish," Lucina replied, eyeing the displays thoughtfully but still not letting go of his hand.

"Then I suggest chicken Caesar and fish tempura. Does that suit you, my lady?" Alex smiled.

"More than enough, my knight," Lucina answered, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Alex smiled and guided her along the aisles, picking out ingredients for dinner. They managed to find almost everything, and whatever was missing he could easily pull from his inventory—that was never a problem for him. The cart filled quickly, and soon they were standing in line at the register, chatting about their first day of school.

The conversation, however, soon shifted to something more serious—how they couldn't put off gathering information about this world. Even though this was only their second day here, delaying "recon" would be foolish. Alex nodded and made a mental note to assign the task at home to GIR, MIMI, and Stitch—the trio who spent all their time lounging around playing games anyway.

Suddenly, a commotion near the register caught their attention. Up ahead, some drunk man was shouting at the cashier. Alex and Lucina exchanged glances and at first decided just to watch. But when the man grabbed the cashier by the collar and started pulling him over the counter, Lucina lightly tapped Alex's hand, pointing forward.

"Got it," Alex sighed. "Why does this kind of thing always happen to me? I just wanted to buy groceries…"

He stepped out of line and calmly approached the troublemaker.

"Hey, buddy. Knock it off. You're not the only one here. Let the guy go and head home before you get slapped with fifteen days for drunk and disorderly," he said, giving the man a light pat on the shoulder.

"Buzz off, kid," the drunk waved him off. "You're too young to tell me what to do."

"I insist," Alex replied, pressing a little harder on his shoulder.

"I said mind your own business!" the drunk barked, finally letting go of the cashier's collar.

"Good. Now march home," Alex pointed toward the exit.

"Playing the hero, huh? I'll show you a hero!" the man roared, swinging his fist.

Alex simply stepped back — the punch missed. The drunk lost his balance and crashed into a greeting card stand, toppling it over with himself. The store filled with muffled laughter.

Alex only shook his head and checked on the cashier. The man nodded, rubbing his neck where a red mark remained. But then the drunk got up again, grabbed the fallen stand, and raised it threateningly.

"That's enough," Alex exhaled.

He caught the stand with one hand and with the other delivered a sharp strike to the man's chin. A dull thud, and the drunk dropped to his knees, head hanging as blood streamed from his nose.

Applause erupted in the store. Alex just smirked. Nothing new. Back in Orario — and even more in Night City — he'd seen plenty of this. Best way to quiet a drunk was to knock him out.

"I think we should call the police. I'm definitely not paying for that broken stand," he told the cashier.

"Right! One moment…" the cashier stammered, grabbing the phone.

A few minutes later, a patrol car pulled up outside. Out stepped Charlie Swan, moving quickly. As soon as he entered, he spotted the familiar drunk sprawled on the floor — and Alex nearby.

"Alex? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.

"Lucina and I were just shopping. This guy attacked the cashier. I tried to calm him down, but then he came at me. I had to put him down," Alex explained calmly.

"That's exactly what happened!" the cashier chimed in, showing his reddened neck. "If not for him, I'd have been dragged over the counter!"

Charlie sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.

"Him again… That guy's nothing but trouble."

"A regular customer?" Alex raised a brow.

"Something like that," Charlie smirked crookedly. "Jeff spends more time in the station than at home. But good work, Alex. Nicely handled." Charlie clapped him on the shoulder.

Alex smiled and nodded. Charlie snapped the handcuffs onto Jeff's wrists, roused him, and hauled the drunk off toward the patrol car. Alex just shrugged: the show was over for today.

Returning to Lucina, he gave her a thumbs-up. She smiled back and kissed his cheek. With the disruptive customer gone, the line moved quickly, and soon it was their turn. Grateful for the help, the cashier even gave them a discount. Alex didn't refuse — only a fool would turn down thanks like that.

The groceries were packed neatly, and before long they were driving home. At their house, Alex pulled the bags from the trunk and noticed Bella peeking out from a window. He waved at her, and she returned the gesture. Once inside, Lucina went to change clothes while Alex put the food into the fridge.

He glanced at GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, who were glued to the couch, furiously mashing controllers in a video game. Judging by the pile of trash and wrappers around them, they hadn't moved all day. Alex sighed. He'd need to come up with something to keep them busy, or they'd rust away completely.

Snapping his fingers, he changed into his casual clothes. Meanwhile, Lucina had already come downstairs — wearing a tank top and sweatpants, a beer bottle in hand. She didn't even glance at the chaos in the living room caused by the "trio." Sitting down at the kitchen table, she let out a heavy sigh, opened the bottle, and took a sip.

Barely holding back laughter, Alex grabbed his phone, took a photo, and sent it to the family chat with the caption: "Typical schoolgirl." Lucina's phone immediately vibrated. Seeing the flood of messages, she shot Alex a furious glare. He pretended to be innocent. Not finding anything to throw at him, Lucina just lunged at him. Alex laughed, dodged, and raced through the house while Lucina chased after him.

As evening fell over the city, Alex started preparing dinner, while Lucina settled at the laptop, hacking into police archives in search of strange cases. As he chopped vegetables, he occasionally peeked over her shoulder, pointing out suspicious files. Some of the cases were so bizarre that Alex began to suspect the crossing of timelines.

"Look," Lucina said, turning the screen toward him. "There are too many disappearances in these 'cursed' houses. Maybe there really are ghosts in this world."

"Possibly," Alex nodded. "Like Miu said: the timelines of horror movies can intersect in this universe. But there's little evidence so far. Although I'm ninety percent sure — different universes really are mixed here."

"So we might run into your favorite clown maniacs?" Lucina squinted teasingly.

Alex grinned widely.

"Maybe. Although all this filth could end up as Zhang Ya's pets in her Red City. And about the clowns… Hehehe. That's going to be a hell of a lot of fun. I've never beaten up clown monsters before."

Lucina just smiled and shook her head, especially glancing at GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, who, with their mouths full, raised their paws together and shouted in unison that "clowns must be beaten." Despite the chaos at the table, she was genuinely curious to learn more about this world. After all, if the theory was correct and this world combined timelines from multiple horror movies, many more discoveries awaited them.

When dinner was over, Alex and Lucina stayed at the kitchen table, scrolling through the unsolved case archives. Meanwhile, the trio — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — returned to their video games, instantly creating another noisy concert.

After a short break, Alex and Lucina went out to the backyard. They settled on the porch, lit up, giving their brains a rest from endless reports. Alex looked over the yard and suddenly noticed something was missing.

"Honey, what do you think — should we build a gazebo and get a grill?" he asked, pointing toward the backyard.

"Depends on what you want it for," Lucina replied, resting her cheek on her hand.

"Well, it's January now, but spring will come anyway. It'd be great — gazebo, barbecue. Chances are we'll have to 'befriend' the Cullens. Why not invite them over later?" Alex shrugged.

"Do as you see fit. I don't mind any of your ideas," Lucina said, gently leaning against his shoulder.

"Then it's settled. This weekend we'll head to Port Angeles for building materials, so we don't draw too much attention," Alex said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

They sat for a little while longer, enjoying the quiet and each other's company, before returning inside and diving back into the police archives. As Alex flipped through the pages, he tried to remember when the trio of vampires would arrive in Forks, leaving a trail of bodies behind and running into the Cullen family. But his memory failed him — the plot of Twilight was far too hazy in his mind.

Meanwhile, in the Cullen house, the entire family had gathered around the large dining table. Even though they didn't eat human food, the tradition of gathering at the table remained important to them. Carlisle and Esme quickly noticed Alice's excitement: she was practically glowing and couldn't sit still. They didn't need to guess — she had finally met Alex. Their gaze shifted to Edward, who sat gloomier than a thundercloud.

"Well," Carlisle said with a gentle smile, "I can see by your faces that today has been an interesting one."

"He was amazing!" Alice blurted out, bouncing in her seat. "I met him. He's exactly like in my visions. Kind, sociable… and very handsome."

"And what do you think about Alice's partner?" Esme asked with a warm, maternal smile.

"I had a P.E. class with him," Emmett replied. "Nice guy. And honestly… I'm starting to believe that Alice's visions were true."

"Of course they were true! I told you!" Alice pouted.

"Whether it's true or not," Carlisle noted, "he'll tell us himself in time. Trust is a two-way street. You didn't reveal who you were right away either."

"I think he already knows who we are," Jane said calmly.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Really? What makes you say that?"

This sparked a chorus of laughter around the table — all except Edward, whose face grew even gloomier. The others had already figured it out: Alex deliberately made his jabs, knowing Edward could hear everything. Emmett, barely holding back laughter, began recounting the school episode that had left Edward looking so glum. Hearing all the details, Carlisle and Esme could barely suppress their own laughter, but they comforted Edward, reminding him that Alex was probably just joking.

"If he already knows something about us, it's better to speak with him directly," Carlisle suggested, smiling at his children.

"I agree," Emmett nodded. "I was even thinking of inviting Alex and Lucina over. But there's something strange."

"What is it?" Esme asked.

"We can't hear their heartbeats," Rosalie said first. "If you don't look directly at them, it feels like they aren't even there."

"I noticed the same thing in P.E.," Emmett added.

"Enough guessing," Jane said quietly. "It's better to ask the one who knows for sure." She pointed to Alice.

All eyes in the Cullen family turned to Alice. But she sat there with a dreamy expression, giggling softly to herself and clearly lost in her own thoughts, completely oblivious to the fact that everyone's attention was on her.

Rosalie cleared her throat lightly, trying to bring her back to reality, but Alice didn't react. With a sigh, Rosalie firmly shook her by the shoulder.

"Um?.. What? Why are you all staring at me like that?" Alice asked, bewildered, glancing at her family.

"Stop acting like a lovesick schoolgirl," Rosalie said with an exasperated sigh. "You'll see your Alex tomorrow anyway."

"But I want to see him now!" Alice blurted out and, unable to hold back, added, "I wish I could see him all the time, twenty-four hours a day. Even when he's asleep…"

"She's beyond saving," Jasper muttered, shaking his head.

"Alright, you romantic vampire," Rosalie said sarcastically. "Better explain this weirdness with Alex and Lucina. Why can't we hear their heartbeats or sense their presence?"

"Oh, that," Alice smiled and nodded. "It's simple. Lucina is protected by a ring that Alex made. It hides her from all dangers. And Alex himself uses magic — the kind that keeps anyone from knowing who he really is."

"Magic, huh…" Emmett drawled with a smirk. "I wonder what else it can do. Clearly, it's not just for pulling pigeons out of a hat like a street magician."

Alice rolled her eyes, barely restraining herself from hitting her brother. But Carlisle stepped in just in time to defuse the brewing argument.

Meanwhile, in Alex and Lucina's house, the couple had moved to their bedroom. They were still going through the police archives, deciding it was decent "bedtime reading." When the clock passed midnight, they finally put the laptop aside and went to sleep.

The night passed quietly. Even GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were unusually calm, as if understanding that their owners needed rest.

The next morning, Alex woke up to someone persistently nudging him in the side. He opened his eyes slightly and saw blonde hair and violet eyes.

"Erina?.. What's wrong?" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"I came to wake you for school and make breakfast," she replied, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"What time is it?" Alex asked, feeling for his phone.

"It's already seven in the morning. Get up, it's time," Erina said, trying to pull him off the couch.

She was following the advice of the other girls, who had warned her in advance that Alex hated getting up. In the end, though with difficulty, Erina managed to pull him to the floor. Alex just sighed wearily, realizing the other girls had conspired to make her do it.

After freshening up in the bathroom, he went downstairs and was surprised to see GIR, MIMI, and Stitch sitting peacefully at the dining table. Alex just shook his head — the power of food really does work wonders.

Kissing Lucina on the cheek, he sat down at the table and began his breakfast. Meanwhile, Erina, having finished cooking, busied herself with packing bento boxes for him and Lucina to take to school. After finishing breakfast, Lucina went upstairs to change, while Alex stayed behind to finish his coffee.

"Thanks, Erina," Alex said with a smile, watching her neatly arrange the food in the boxes.

"It's nothing," she replied, turning her head toward him. "But if you really want to thank me, then share the ingredients you brought from Valhalla."

Alex nodded and laid the ingredients out on the table. Erina immediately lit up with joy and, without realizing what she was doing, hugged him tightly. It took her a few seconds to register what she had done. Embarrassed, she quickly let go of Alex and, avoiding his gaze, nervously looked away.

At that moment, Lucina came down the stairs — already changed and ready to go. Alex glanced at his casual clothes, snapped his fingers, and they instantly changed into something more suitable. Now he was wearing a familiar yellow jacket — or rather, a replica of Gloria's jacket.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to wear that to school?" Lucina remarked, squinting at his new outfit.

"Don't worry," Alex smirked, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I like this jacket."

Lucina shrugged, not insisting. Deep down, she even liked how the jacket looked on Alex.

After packing the school bento, Alex and Lucina said goodbye to Erina. She beamed with excitement, clutching the new ingredients, and immediately jumped through a portal — eager to return to Orario to try out her new recipes. Alex noticed a bright red apple among the ingredients. He remembered that he had a whole bunch of such fruits in his inventory and decided not to reveal their origin to anyone for now.

Taking Lucina by the hand, he stepped out of the house. The first thing they heard outside was Bella struggling to start her old pickup. The engine stubbornly remained silent.

Alex raised an eyebrow and headed toward her while Lucina was already getting into the Impala. Reaching the window, he tapped lightly.

"Ah! You scared me!" Bella jumped.

"Sorry," Alex smirked. "Won't start?"

"Looks like it… Yesterday it was fine, but today — nothing," Bella admitted, embarrassed.

"I see…" he murmured. "Grab your bag and let's go. I'll drive you to school, and tonight I'll see what can be done. Otherwise, you'll be stuck here all night with that 'coffin on wheels.'"

"Uh… thanks, but you don't have to bother with my car," she replied awkwardly, grabbing her backpack.

Alex just waved and returned to the Impala.

Once Bella settled into the back seat, she greeted Lucina. Alex started the engine, and the car rolled smoothly forward.

"Hopefully today won't be too boring," he muttered as he drove out of the driveway.

"By the way," Bella began, "Dad said you handled that drunk guy in the store yesterday."

"Well, 'handled' might be overstating it," Alex shrugged. "One hit, and he was out cold. These types make more noise than trouble."

Bella frowned slightly. She knew the man had a diagnosed concussion… but stayed silent. After all, Charlie assured her that Alex's actions were pure self-defense.

The drive to school didn't take long. Soon the Impala was pulling into the parking lot, and a new day was beginning.

To be continued…

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