Chapter Text
Bella padded softly down the stairs, the early morning light filtering in through the windows. She expected silence—or maybe her dad nursing a coffee on the couch—but paused when she saw Zoe instead.
Her cousin sat at the kitchen table, barefoot, her damp hair braided loosely down her back. Jenna was cradled in one arm, a bottle in her mouth, her small fingers curling around Zoe’s shirt. There were no faint bruises or scabs on Zoe’s skin—no evidence that she’d been hurt— and her expression was calm, focused entirely on the baby.
Charlie stood by the counter, coffee in hand, watching the two of them with quiet reverence.
“She’s been down here all morning,” he muttered, barely loud enough for Bella to hear.
Bella stepped further into the room, hesitant. “Edward just called,” she said gently. “He and Rosalie are on their way over.”
Zoe didn’t look up. “Okay.”
Bella hesitated. “Where’s Damon?”
Zoe’s voice was flat. “Gone.”
The word hung in the air, final and heavy. Bella glanced at Charlie, who shifted awkwardly.
“Sue called,” he said after a pause. “Wanted to check in, maybe bring food, but I told her to give it a few hours. Figured you could use some time before dealing with anyone else.”
Bella winced at Charlie’s words but Zoe just nodded faintly, adjusting Jenna against her shoulder as she switched her to the other arm.
“I’m fine,” she said quietly. But the words lacked any real weight.
Bella didn’t challenge her. She just crossed the kitchen and sat down across from her cousin, folding her hands in her lap.
“Let me know if you need anything,” she said gently.
Zoe nodded again, eyes fixed on Jenna, as if grounding herself in the simple rhythm of caring for her child. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, not really. It just was—filled with all the things they weren’t saying yet.
Sam stood with his arms crossed, jaw tight as he stared down Leah and Seth. The morning mist hadn’t burned off yet, and the forest clearing felt colder than it should’ve.
Paul, Embry, and Quil stood a few paces behind him, silent but watchful. The tension was thick—pack tension. The kind that never quite disappeared when authority and instincts collided.
“You went with the Cullens,” Sam said, his voice low but clipped. “Without telling me.”
Seth shuffled nervously, his hands shoved in his hoodie pocket. “We didn’t mean— I mean, it wasn’t—” He swallowed. “I’m sorry, Sam. We just... We had to.”
“I asked him to,” Leah cut in sharply, stepping slightly in front of her brother. “Mom told us to help. She's an Elder, remember? Or do you only care about rank when it benefits you?”
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not how this works, Leah.”
“No,” she shot back, arms folding. “But maybe if you'd seen what we saw, you’d understand.”
Seth raised his hands slightly, trying to cool the fire building between them. “Look, Zoe needed help. And Jenna’s just a baby,” he added softly. “She didn’t ask to be part of any of this.”
That hit harder than anyone expected.
Even Sam didn’t respond right away.
It was Paul who finally broke the silence. “How bad was it?”
Leah looked at him, surprised. For a moment, her voice faltered. Then she cleared her throat. “We found Zoe wandering near the warehouse district. She was barefoot, covered in blood, holding the baby like it was the only thing keeping her standing.” Her jaw clenched. “She didn’t even know where she was. Jenna was okay, but Zoe...” She trailed off. “It was bad, Paul. Really bad.”
Paul’s face tightened, but he nodded once, eyes dropping to the dirt.
Sam exhaled through his nose. His posture remained rigid, but something behind his gaze shifted—reluctant understanding, maybe.
“You should’ve come to me first,” he said, quieter now. “Next time, you do. We don’t keep secrets from the pack. Not like this.”
Leah held his gaze, but said nothing.
“Seth?”
“Yeah,” Seth mumbled. “We get it.”
Sam gave one final nod, more to himself than to them. “Don’t step out of line again.”
With that, he turned and walked off into the trees. The others followed, quiet shadows in his wake.
Leah exhaled harshly once they were alone.
“You okay?” Seth asked.
Leah shrugged. “We did the right thing.” She glanced sideways at him. “You did good, kid. Dad would be proud.”
Seth gave his sister a small smile.
The knock at the front door was soft but urgent. Bella opened it before Charlie could, revealing Rosalie and Edward on the porch. Rosalie’s eyes immediately swept the room, searching for one face.
Zoe sat curled up in the armchair by the fireplace, barefoot, hair still damp, wrapped in one of Charlie’s oversized flannels. Jenna dozed in her arms, tucked against her chest. The baby’s tiny hand clutched a fistful of Zoe’s shirt.
Rosalie visibly relaxed just a little at the sight, but her worry didn’t fade.
“Hey,” Bella greeted, stepping aside to let them in.
Charlie nodded to the newcomers, offering a gruff, “Coffee’s still hot,” before slipping into the kitchen, leaving them alone in the living room.
Rosalie crossed the room quietly and eased down onto the couch beside Zoe. Her movements were slow, careful. When her hand brushed against Zoe’s arm in passing, Zoe flinched.
Rosalie stilled, her lips tightening. “Sorry,” she said gently, but Zoe only shook her head, eyes averted.
Edward remained standing, hands in his pockets. His gaze moved from Zoe to Jenna, then to the floor. “Where’s Damon?” he asked, the name hitting the air like a curse.
Zoe didn’t look up. “He left. Last night.”
Edward and Rosalie exchanged a glance—brief, pointed—but neither commented.
Rosalie’s voice softened. “How’s Jenna?”
Zoe didn’t respond. Her fingers gently traced the curve of Jenna’s back, but she said nothing.
“She’s fine,” Bella answered from where she stood near the door. “Clingy. Shaken. But she’s fine. She won’t let Zoe or Charlie out of her sight.”
Edward nodded slowly, but the weight of everything unsaid still hung in the room.
Rosalie watched Zoe closely, concern etched into every line of her face. But she didn’t press—not yet.
Instead, she shifted just slightly closer, her voice low. “You don’t have to talk about it. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Zoe’s eyes flicked to her, quick and wary. But after a moment, she nodded once, just barely.
That was enough. For now.
Zoe sat cross-legged on the living room floor, one arm looped around Jenna, who nestled in her lap, gnawing absently on a plastic teething ring. The baby’s soft, rhythmic babbling filled the quiet room—a small, fragile island of normalcy after the storm.
Bella lingered in the doorway, watching them. Zoe smiled faintly at Jenna, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Not really. She looked thinner in the morning light, shadows carved beneath her cheekbones, her expression far away. Guarded.
“Zoe?” Bella said gently, stepping forward.
Zoe didn’t look up.
“I know you’re tired, and this might not be the best time, but... there’s something you need to know.”
That got her attention. The teething ring slipped from Jenna’s grasp, thudding softly against the floor as Zoe’s head snapped up. Her eyes locked on Bella, sharp and too alert. “What kind of something?”
Bella swallowed. “The Cullens… they’ve met someone like you before.”
Zoe tensed. “What do you mean?”
Bella crouched to sit near her cousin, lowering her voice. “A doppelganger. The same face. The same... everything.”
Zoe’s breath hitched. Her gaze flickered with something—confusion, fear, and then that darker thing again. A memory. A dream. “Who?”
“She was Carlisle’s mate,” Bella said, carefully. “His wife. He changed her.”
Zoe blinked. Her face hardened. “When?”
“I don’t know exactly. She died in the 1930s or 40s, I think.”
Zoe turned away, brushing Jenna’s curls. Her jaw was tight. Locked.
“I didn’t want to tell you,” Bella continued, voice softer. “Not now, after everything. But the Cullens... they’re starting to ask questions. About why you look like Katherine. Why you look like her.”
Zoe hunched forward, curling protectively around Jenna. “I’ll figure something out,” she murmured. Her voice was flat. Distant.
“You don’t have to do it alone,” Bella said.
“I always do,” Zoe whispered.
“We can trust the Cullens. They wouldn’t—”
“Hurt me?” Zoe scoffed. “I’m in this mess because of them. Because of Carlisle. I died because he couldn't pick up the phone, Bella!”
“That’s not fair, Zo. He didn’t know. We could tell them—”
“About me? About Jenna?” Zoe snapped. Jenna flinched, eyes wide, and Zoe instantly softened, brushing her tiny cheek. “It’s not safe, Bells. You know that now more than ever. Jenna and I need to stay hidden. And that family… they attract too much attention.”
Bella hesitates a moment before her words come tumbling out of her mouth, “I’m marrying Edward.”
Zoe’s head snapped toward her. “What?”
“I haven’t told Charlie yet. But before Edward changes me… we’re going to get married. So I’ll be part of that family, Zo.”
Zoe didn’t argue. Didn’t try to talk her out of it. She just asked, softly, “Will that make you happy?”
Bella hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. I think it will.” She gave a nervous half-smile. “But only if you’re my maid of honor.”
Zoe blinked. “You want me as your maid of honor?”
“And Jenna as the flower girl.”
“You’re insane.”
“Probably.” Bella shrugged. “But I want you there with me. You don’t have to do anything. Alice can plan the whole thing. I just... want you standing next to me.”
“You just want a fully undead bridal party.”
Bella snorted. “It’ll piss off Jessica.”
Zoe sighed. “Well. I do love pissing off Jessica Stanley.”
Bella smiled, settling beside her, close but not reaching. Not yet. She didn’t need to. Not when she was already right there.
There was a knock at the door—gentle, unhurried, but firm. Charlie moved to answer it, and Zoe shifted slightly where she sat cross-legged on the floor, Jenna nestled in her lap, still gnawing contentedly on her teething ring.
“Sue,” Charlie greeted, stepping aside.
Sue Clearwater stood in the doorway with a small cloth bag in hand and an uncertain smile on her face. Her eyes flicked to Zoe and the baby instantly, scanning them without judgment—just quiet worry.
“I brought muffins,” she said softly. “Thought you might all be a little tired of hospital leftovers and freezer meals.”
Zoe offered a faint smile. “We skipped the hospital this time.”
Sue stepped in, letting the door shut quietly behind her. Her gaze landed on Jenna. “She looks…” she started, then trailed off, emotion rising in her voice. “She looks good.”
“She’s okay,” Zoe said gently. “Hungry, clingy… but okay.”
Sue took a slow step forward and then, almost instinctively, reached toward Jenna—only to freeze halfway through the motion, her hand hovering awkwardly in the air.
Zoe noticed. “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “You can hold her.”
Sue blinked, startled. “Are you sure?”
Zoe nodded. “She knows you.”
That was all the encouragement Sue needed. With careful, reverent movements, she reached down and took Jenna into her arms. The baby went easily, eyes curious but calm as Sue held her close.
Sue let out a shaky breath, the kind you release after holding something in too long. She rocked Jenna gently, eyes glistening. “I was scared,” she admitted. “When I heard what happened—I thought...” Her voice caught. “I thought we might’ve lost you both.”
Zoe looked down, hands folded tightly in her lap. “So did I,” she said, barely above a whisper.
The room was quiet for a moment—just the soft cooing of Jenna and the tick of the old clock in the kitchen.
“She’s tougher than she looks,” Sue said, her voice steadier now as she looked down at the baby. “Must get that from her cousin.”
Zoe gave a small, tired smile. “She gets it from all the women who keep showing up for her.”
Sue crouched beside them and offered Jenna a new toy from her bag. Jenna reached for it instantly, giggling.
Zoe looked up. “Thank you,” she said, voice soft but clear. “For sending Leah and Seth. Leah was really good with her.” Her arms tightened gently around her daughter. “She didn’t have to be. But she was.”
Sue nodded, still crouched at Jenna’s level. “Leah might be prickly,” she said, tone wry, “but she knows what matters. And that baby matters.”
Zoe smiled, the expression tired but grateful.
Sue stood, patted Charlie’s arm, and passed him the bag. “You need to eat. Both of you.” She looked at Zoe again. “Take it easy, alright?”
Zoe nodded. “We’re trying.”
Sue offered one last smile, then turned and let herself out with a quiet, “See you soon.”
The door clicked shut behind her.
Zoe waited a beat, then glanced sideways at her uncle, eyebrows raised. “You gonna wipe the drool off your face, or should I hand you a bib?”
Charlie blinked, startled, then scowled. “She brought muffins.”
“Uh huh.” Zoe leaned back against the wall, a faint smirk curling at the edge of her mouth. “Sure that’s what you were focused on.”
Charlie muttered something under his breath and stalked toward the kitchen. Jenna giggled again, as if she understood the joke.