Chapter Text

Welcome to the first chapter of Evening Falls, my second Twilight fanfic. This story is a sequel to Extraordinary, and while it's not completely necessary to read that one first, I'd strongly recommend it. It's not too long (13 chapters) and it will help you to understand who Elisa is, and why she's part of Bella and Edward's story. This story takes place post Eclipse. I started it before Breaking Dawn came out, so you'll get to experience my take on Bella and Edward's wedding, their wedding night, and her (potential) transformation because let's face it, something is ALWAYS trying to kill that girl, and how our delightful disaster Elisa manages to make all of this so much more complicated. And with luck, more fun.  

Elisa:

“And without thinking, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her…”

“It’s about time, Harry,” I muttered, turning the page as I shifted to a more comfortable position in the dining room chair. “She’s only been waiting on you to get a clue for five years…”

Somewhere in the distance, there was a click and then a low buzzing noise filled the kitchen, but I was miles away, picturing Harry and Ginny strolling the green grounds of Hogwarts hand in hand.

Brrrriiiing! I jumped a mile as the round timer on the table next to me began to peal. Jumping up, I immediately registered the rich smells filling the kitchen and the sound of the oven timer going off behind me. Dinner was done — no more time for daydreaming. Quickly I tossed my copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on the kitchen counter and turned off my own timer with a grateful click. Buying a back-up timer was probably the smartest five bucks I’d ever spent... without it I would have probably burnt the house down by now, lost as I could get in my own head.

By the time I heard the front door open I’d put Mom’s potato and fettucine casserole on the stove to cool, gotten the bowl of salad out of the fridge and onto the table, and was setting bowls at everyone’s place.

“Take a shower, Colby!” I heard my father yell after my little brother as Colby went tearing up the stairs with barely a hi to me. He must have been dying to check the latest football scores on my computer.

“Hey, Elisa.” My father’s voice was cautious as he made his way from the front room into the dining room. I saw him relax as he saw the nearly set table. “Looks good… do you need any help?”

“Hmmm…” I looked around. “It’s about done, but if you can get me a stack of plates…”

Agreeably, my father went over to the cupboard and got the plates for everyone as I quickly got the bottles of salad dressing from the fridge. He put the stack on the table and then went back to get the casserole for me, probably so I wouldn’t drop it all over the kitchen floor and spoil what was looking more and more like a completely accident-free night.

I was just about to sit down, my father and brother already at the table, when Dad reached behind him, picked up my Harry Potter book off the counter, and handed it to me.

“Harry Potter again?” he asked with a smile, his blue eyes crinkled at the corner. “Haven’t you memorized that series by now?”

I smiled sheepishly as I put the book near my glass of Sprite. “Pretty much,” I admitted.

“Hmm.” Dad looked at me with that perplexed expression he so often got these days, the look that said he was trying his hardest to think of something to say to keep the conversation going. I suppressed a smile. Really, it was nice to see him make the effort. A few months ago, he wouldn’t have bothered — back then he had apparently accepted that we did not, nor would we ever have anything in common. But that was before… I shook my head. So much had happened these last few months… more than I had energy to remember at the moment.

“Whatever happened to those Moonlight books you used to like so much?” Dad’s voice brought me out of my own thoughts again.

“Twilight, Dad.” I corrected automatically, then swallowed. What happened to Twilight indeed… he had no idea what he was asking. The books that I had once loved so much, that had been my escape from everything, were still locked in a trunk upstairs in my closet, where they had been for months.

There had been many, many times that I had been tempted to just forget everything that had happened and get them out once more. I missed them like I missed a vital body part… like I had lost something that had been such a big part of me that I would never be quite the same without it. But I couldn’t go back there. Twilight was more than a book series to me. Far, far more. Getting lost in those books again could mean losing myself for real, and I couldn’t take that chance.

“Elisa?” Dad was still looking at me. “Everything ok?” His eyes were a little worried now.

“Oh yeah.” I forced a smile and picked up my fork. “Um, I guess I just…” I couldn’t bring myself to say that I got tired of the Twilight series. It was such an enormous lie I just couldn’t force the words past my lips.

Dad shrugged, assuming what I was going to say. “Outgrew them, did you? You know, Elisa, if you’re running out of things to read you should go to the bookstore this weekend, use that credit card Mom and I got you and stock up.”

Colby scowled and slumped in his seat, folding his arms across his unimpressive twelve-year-old chest. “So unfair that Elisa gets a credit card and I don’t.” He grumbled loudly for about the millionth time.

I rolled my eyes. “Hello, Colby, how many times do we have to remind you that the only reason I have enough money in my account to pay for a credit card is because of the accident settlement? Believe me, if some Valium-popping idiot runs over you someday and breaks half the bones in your body, you’ll definitely deserve the comfort only Visa can bring you. Until then, remember that I’ll be using that card to do your Christmas shopping and be grateful.”

Colby brightened. “Elisa, have I told you lately that you’re the best sister ever?” He grinned sweetly at me.

I sighed. I was so going to get snowed into buying him an Xbox, I just knew it.

“Speaking of the idiot…” My dad’s voice was a growl now. He hated talking about the guy who had hit me the previous March. It still galled him beyond belief that he’d never been able to get the man alone and deal his own justice, the legal kind being far too lenient for his taste. “I got the monthly report from his probation officer, saying he’s doing well, still drug free, all that crap. Bastard almost killed my little girl and that’s supposed to make me feel better. Should be in jail the rest of his useless, stinking life.”

I nodded in agreement. As far as my whole family was concerned, the only redeeming quality that the driver of the car that had hit me possessed was the fact that he’d had really good insurance. Most of the money from the fairly large settlement he’d been forced to pay my family went into my college fund and to pay off the medical bills that our health insurance didn’t cover, but there had still been enough for my parents to set up my own bank account and get me a credit card. I guess they felt I’d deserved something for all the pain I went through and I had to agree.

It had been weeks of suffering and agony as I tried to recover from my numerous injuries. I’d broken both my right arm and my right leg in the accident, plus several ribs. I’d also ruptured my spleen, which had to be removed. Scariest of all for my parents were the head injuries that had left me unresponsive for over eleven hours while the doctors told them that I might never wake up. To this day, I didn’t remember most of what had happened the day of my accident. At least nothing that had happened here, anyway. What had been going on in my head while I lay between life and death was a whole different story…

I shook my head, determined to get off that dangerous road before my memories became too vivid. Luckily, my mother chose that moment to make her entrance.

“Hello, everyone!” she sang out as she came through the front door, shrugging out of her light overcoat. “Elisa, everything looks wonderful!” She came into the dining room, eyeing the table and then patting my hair fondly. “You’re such a help to me… what would I do without you?”

“Hi sweetheart!” Dad jumped up to kiss my mother lightly. “Sorry, Anne, I thought you’d be later or we would have waited.”

Mom shook her head, still smiling as she sat down next to me. “I managed to duck out a bit early and I also wrangled a long weekend off.” She beamed at us. “I think we should all go somewhere together, before the weather turns too dismal.”

“Sounds good. We’ll talk about it tonight.” Dad turned back to his plate.

I stood up to take my own empty plate to the sink and Mom looked up. “Are you finished already, Elisa?”

I nodded. “I think I’m going to go upstairs and get ready for bed.”

Mom’s face immediately turned concerned. “This early? Are you feeling alright? Is your arm bothering you, or your head? We can take you to the doctor’s—”

“Relax, Mom.” I laughed, and then swung my arm in a circle so she could see how easily it moved. “I’m all healed, remember? I’m just a little tired, plus I have a lot of homework.” I groaned softly as I realized the truth of that statement.

“Well, OK, then if you’re sure…” Mom still looked doubtful, so I flashed her my best all is well grin as I left the kitchen and then hurried up the stairs to my room.

It was a relief to be alone once again. It seemed like I didn’t get much time anymore to sit down with my own thoughts. My life was so crammed… it was September and I was starting my sophomore year still a bit behind after all I’d missed last school year thanks to my weeks in the hospital and at home on bed rest. Plus a million new activities were popping up…

I’d had to give up my spot on the cheerleading squad since my doctors didn’t want me doing stunts, but I’d been taking dance classes since summer and we had recital auditions soon. I’d also joined the drama club at school and was trying to talk myself out of taking a creative writing elective next semester. On top of all that, my friend Vanessa was trying to get me to run for Student Council, which had to be her craziest idea ever, considering my utter lack of any type of organizational or leadership skills. Plus I had to schedule in two study sessions a week with my math tutor on top of everything else, and I just didn’t know where I was going to find the time for everything.

I had to admit though, that I did have an ulterior motive to keeping so crazy-busy, and it wasn’t just because I was trying to catch up on everything I’d missed during my convalescence. It was because when I was quiet, relaxed and alone, like now, the memories came back.

Memories… or were they fantasies? All those crazy dreams I’d had, before my accident, dreams where I went into another world, a world where my favorite story characters from Twilight actually lived, and I was part of their lives. I changed their lives… with some totally disastrous consequences.

Still, for that short time that I’d had them, I lived for those dreams. I loved being part of another world, even as frightening and dangerous as it had been for me. It was the world I’d always wanted to be a part of. It was so much more than I could ever imagine, and I missed it. I missed them.

But I couldn’t let myself think like that, like it had all been real. It couldn’t have been. No one else remembered the way things had changed because of my actions. Of course I’d changed it back, so they wouldn’t remember but… no. It was crazy. OK, crazy wasn’t the right word.

I hadn’t even realized, until I was able to look back on it later, how depressed I had been then. My friend Nancy had suggested that maybe I’d made it all up in my head to escape my life and I’d accepted she was right. I’d moved on. I hardly ever even thought about it anymore.

OK, that was such a lie. It was true that for a long time, I had been able to keep myself occupied enough not to linger on it, but lately, the forbidden thoughts had been creeping in on me more and more, filling me with a longing for something I knew I could never have again.

I couldn’t deny it — I wanted to go back, at least one more time, see them again: Bella, Edward, Carlisle… everyone. I couldn’t. It was completely selfish and irrational of me to want to get lost in fantasyland again. I had a really good life now. Everything had been going so well, and I couldn’t risk it for a bunch of daydreams.

My mind firmly made up once more, I hurried through my homework, setting the hated math aside for my tutor to go over the next day, showered, and got ready for bed. Once I was in my pajama bottoms and tank top, I carefully cleared off my night table except for the well-used oil burner that was always there.

Then I poured a small amount of lavender oil into the burner and lit the candle at the bottom, frowning as I realized how low my oil supply was getting. Not that oil was essential for meditation, but I liked it. I’d have to stop at Nancy’s shop soon and pick up some more.

Then I turned my CD player on low, hopped onto my bed, crossed my legs and closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as the melodious voice sounded from the speakers. It was my nightly ritual before bed: meditation. I’d started way back when I was still in the hospital, after Nancy had sent me a gift basket replacing all of my supplies that had been destroyed in the accident.

I’d come to rely on it, although my parents had been convinced for weeks that it was just some New Age phase that I was going through. They had no idea how badly I needed the relaxation and control it helped me achieve. I couldn’t be 100% sure that it was responsible for the fact that my Twilight dreams had never returned. Maybe they just hadn’t come back because I had finally convinced myself that I didn’t need them anymore. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Once my CD had ended I blew out the candle, clicked off the light, and settled back against my pillows, looking out the window at the moon in the dark sky as my eyelids got heavier and heavier, finally sending me off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

“Bella! You’re not paying attention!” Alice’s voice drilled into my ears and I sighed, tearing my eyes away from the window and focusing back on her.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Um…” I tried to concentrate and remember what she had been going on about, but my mind was blank. “Um… what were we talking about again?”

“The invitations, Bella.” Alice nearly growled, exasperated. She tapped her brilliantly red nails next to several squares of paper on the dining room table in front of me. “Pick one. Please.”

I sighed and forced myself to look at the sample invitations that had been done up for us. “Alice, they all look the same!”

“They are not the same!” Alice snapped. “Bella, come on. The first one is cream colored, with the Sutton script. The second is icebone, with the Vivaldi font. The third is beige, and the font is Scriptina. I narrowed it down for you… now please just pick one!”

“Alice, you do know that cream, beige, and icebone are all just fancy, over-priced ways of saying white, don’t you?” I raised my eyebrows at her.

Alice exhaled loudly. “Bella…”

“OK, fine, fine, I’m picking!” I threw my hands up in surrender and looked at the invitations again. They remained stubbornly similar, just small squares of white paper in slightly different hues, and the only differences in the fancy script that I could really see were that some letters slanted in different angles. I screwed my eyes shut for a moment in concentration and then opened them again.

“OK, I got it.” I looked at the invitations and began to point at each in turn. “Eeny, meeny, miney, mo…”

“Bella!” Alice slapped her hands over her eyes. “You can’t eeny meeny miney mo a decision like this!”

I ignored her as I continued. “…my mom told me to pick the very best and you… are… not… IT!” I pointed at the first one, the one she’d described as cream colored. “That one.” I sat back, satisfied. Now maybe she’d get off my back for a while.

“Bella, you are completely hopeless.” Alice groaned as she resignedly put the rejected invitations away. “How can you be so cavalier about this? It’s your wedding day!”

“Which I thought you were going to take care of.” I gave her a pointed look. “And yet I have been over here just about every single day since graduation, looking at sample books and hors d’oeuvres menus for hours. Alice, I don’t care about this stuff! I told you, I just wanted a simple, quick ceremony, preferably in a Las Vegas drive-thru. You’re the one who wanted a big production.”

Alice was pouting now, slumped back in her chair. She still looked like a pixie princess come to life, even with her lower lip nearly hitting the floor. “I guess I just thought you’d get more excited as time went on. It’s just not natural, not caring about your own wedding. C’mon, Bella, aren’t you excited at all? Don’t you want to marry my brother?”

I groaned. “That’s a trick question and you know it.”

“Well?” Alice persisted, leaning towards me now, her dark eyes wide. “Don’t you?”

I sighed. “If you’re asking whether I want to spend the rest of eternity committed to Edward, yes. A thousand times yes. Whether I think it’s necessary to have an over-the-top ceremony and a wedding certificate in order to do that… no. I think it’s silly and pretentious and… human.”

Alice opened her mouth to object and I silenced her with a look. “I’m still going through with it. I know what it means to Edward. And I’m fully committed to having the very best wedding ceremony too. Isn’t that enough? Do I really have to sit here day after day and be tortured with inconsequentials?”

Alice frowned. “I suppose you’ve been a good sport about everything,” she admitted after a moment of thought. “Alright, let’s compromise. You have to be part of the big decisions and you have to take them seriously. I know it’s not your thing, but I don’t want you to look back on this day years from now and regret that it wasn’t really yours. But all the little stuff… napkin colors, place settings, menu options, etc… I’ll take care of those decisions and I promise not to make you crazy over every little thing. Deal?”

I thought about it for a minute, then smiled, reaching out to take her small hand. “Deal.” We shook firmly.

Alice’s smile faded almost instantly as I climbed to my feet. “Where do you think you’re going?” she demanded.

“I thought we were done for today!” I wailed as I took in her stern expression. “Didn’t we just come to an agreement?”

“Yes, we did.” Alice gave me a sit back down or be eaten look and I reluctantly complied. “We do still have some major decisions to make, Bella, and we have less than two months to do it. For instance, we have five bridesmaids’ dresses that still need to be made, and we haven’t even picked the colors yet. We definitely need to get moving on that as soon as possible.”

I shot her a puzzled look. “Five bridesmaid dresses?” I counted silently in my head. “There are only four bridesmaids, Alice. You, Rosalie, Angela, and Jessica.”

Alice looked confused for a minute and then her face cleared. “That’s right. I keep forgetting that the fifth bridesmaid was a longshot.” She shook her head and then frowned again. “I still can’t believe you asked Jessica. This is too special of a day to have it shared with people you barely even like.”

I shrugged. “She was my first friend in Forks. Maybe it was not the most lasting, deepest friendship I’ve ever had, but I guess I was feeling nostalgic. Anyway, she’s thrilled about it… you know, I’ll bet she’d love to spend hours poring over all the minute details with you if you need company.”

Alice’s curled lip told me exactly what she thought of that suggestion, and I hurried to change the subject before she started complaining again. “Wait a second… who did you think was going to be the fifth bridesmaid? There isn’t anyone else I would have seriously considered, except Esme, and she’s taking care of all the mother-of-the-bride duties since Renee…” I broke off with a pang as I thought of my mother. “That’s it, isn’t it? You thought maybe Renee would participate? Can mothers of the bride even be bridesmaids?” I sighed and shook my head. “Not that it would ever happen now anyway.”

“Oh, Bella.” Alice’s face was soft and sympathetic now. “She’s still not taking your calls?”

I shook my head dully, my face grim as I recalled the showdown with my parents over my marriage plans. Charlie had pretty much taken the news the way I’d expected—with a lot of red-faced shouting, name-calling, and a few thinly veiled threats aimed in Edward’s direction. Still, the whole ordeal hadn’t been nearly as bad as I’d expected. Beneath all the screaming, there had been a definite note of resignation in Charlie’s voice, almost like he’d expected it all along. Maybe he had—he’d surprised me with his intuition on more than one occasion. Anyway, he wasn’t happy about the fact that Edward and I were getting married, something he made clear on a near-hourly basis, but he was going along with it, however reluctantly.

Renee was a whole other story. After telling my father, breaking the news to her had almost seemed easy. Sure, she had never been big on the idea of me marrying young after what she’d been through with my father, but she knew I wasn’t her, that I was more mature and level-headed. Plus she’d seen me and Edward together—she knew we had more than the typical high school romance. I had been certain that even if she was upset, she’d swallow her disappointment and accept our plans with good grace.

Boy, had I ever been wrong. Renee had become absolutely furious with me when I told her I was engaged. No amount of explaining, crying, and pleading could get through to her. She told me over and over that I was making a mistake, that I was too young, that I needed to wait. When that didn’t work, she flat-out asked me why we couldn’t wait a few years, at least until I was finished with college. There was no explanation that I could give her. I couldn’t tell her the truth, of course, and anything else sounded shallow and lame, even to me.

That was enough to convince her that I was being unforgivably stupid and stubborn. When she told me that she couldn’t condone my decision and she wouldn’t be a part of it, it was a crushing blow. I never thought that my own mother wouldn’t be there on one of the most important days of my life. Renee had no idea how much more I was choosing by marrying Edward. Another world, another life… one that she couldn’t be a part of. I thought at least I’d get the chance to say goodbye…

A hopeful thought struck me and I looked up at Alice, brightening slightly. “Alice, have you seen something? Is Renee going to change her mind? Will she be there after all?”

Alice raised her eyebrow and her lips curved into a playful smile. “Bella, are you asking me to tell you the future? Because that would be cheating.” She crossed her arms across her chest and grinned smugly.

“You cheat all the time!” I burst out. “Come on, Alice, give me a hint. It would make me feel so much better if I knew what to do to make things right with her. Please? Pretty please?”

Alice hopped off the chair and to her feet, still smiling. “Nope, sorry, Bella. This is one situation you really need to figure out yourself. I’m going to go upstairs and get the fabric samples for you to look over. Be right back!” Giggling fiendishly, she streaked out of the room, leaving me fuming.

Vampires… they could be so freaking annoying.

Alice was back before I’d had time to work up to a full-fledged temper tantrum. “Here you go!” she sang, tossing a small board with dozens of swatches of fabric towards me. “Why don’t you start by eliminating the ones that you absolutely can’t stand? That should be easy enough. While you do that, I’m going to narrow down the guest list. I need you to approve it when I’m done, but I am going to leave some open space for unexpected guests. You just never know who might drop by out of the blue.”

“Actually, you do.” I pointed out, my eyes narrowing. “And I expect advance warning of any surprises.”

Alice’s face was unexpectedly serious. “I’ll do my best, Bella, but I don’t see everything. For instance, our trans-dimensional hitchhiker definitely caught me off guard. I keep waiting for her to show up again, maybe just fall through the ceiling and land at our feet when we least expect it.”

“Elisa.” I smiled at the memory. “She was definitely… interesting. I really don’t think she’s coming back though. She seemed pretty determined when she said she wasn’t.”

Alice sighed. “I know. It’s just that… Elisa was so excited about your wedding.” She started to laugh. “And I thought I was happy about it… you should have seen your face when she looked at your ring and started screaming. I just can’t believe she’s not the least bit tempted to come back for it.”

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind if she did, but I think Elisa’s more than aware of the risks of coming back again. Last time she almost got stuck here forever. I wouldn’t get your hopes up if I were you.”

Alice exhaled again. “You’re right. It’s too bad though. Most of the things that surprise me are sinister and disturbing. At least she was fun.”

I nodded. “True.” My voice trailed off as my gaze wandered outside once again.

“Bella…” Alice poked my chair with her foot. “You’re a million miles away again. What’s going on?”

I frowned. “I’m just thinking about not-so-fun things. Like what Edward’s going through right now.” I sighed heavily. “Alice, are you sure we can’t cut this short? I really don’t think I should leave him on his own in this.”

Alice folded her slender hands together primly. “There are some things you have to let Edward face by himself, Bella, no matter how difficult. This is something he has to do alone.”

I groaned. “Alice, do you have any idea what he’s probably suffering right now? For me?” I shook my head, then stood up. “I can’t stand this anymore. I have to go see if he’s alright!”

Alice was quicker, as always. She was in front of me in a flash, grabbing my hands. “Bella, please. We cannot interfere.” She exhaled a deep, shaky breath, and I was alarmed by the trembling of her lips. “It’s fate… meant to be. You have to be strong now. Edward will survive this latest horrible ordeal… well, probably.” She sighed again, looking out the window now, her face haunted and foreboding.

I dropped her hands, glaring at her. “Alice, that is not funny! Will you stop freaking me out like that?”

Alice’s lips were trembling harder now as she fought to suppress her giggles. Giving up, her bell-like laughter sounded loudly and I glared furiously at her.

“I couldn’t help it, Bella. You and Edward just overreact to everything concerning each other… it’s so tempting to mess with you two.”

“Ooooooh!” I was boiling now, although a part of me had to admit her dramatic show had been just the teensiest bit funny. “Alice, I think it’s time for us to find out just how well your immortality holds up because I am going to kill you!”

“Gotta catch me first!” Alice laughed merrily and with that she was gone in a blur of motion, with me in hot pursuit.

Chapter Text

Lisa Hoover, proprieter of After Hours Formal Wear in Port Angeles, took what she thought was a discreet peek at the clock on the wall, then looked back at me and sighed.

“Mr. Cullen, are you sure your party is coming?” She smiled thinly, revealing a pink lipstick stain on her large white teeth. “It has been nearly forty-five minutes past your appointment time and he hasn’t called…”

I braced myself to do what I needed to do and leaned forward, capturing her watery blue eyes with my own. “I’m positive he will be here, Ms. Hoover, but if it is inconvenient in any way for you to wait, we can, of course, reschedule.”

I widened my eyes deliberately as I held her gaze and her face flushed, her eyes going unfocused.

“Oh n-no, Mr. Cullen. Of course that won’t be necessary… we’ll take all the time you need.” She stood up from the small table where we were sitting in the back of the shop, bumping it as she tried to steady herself. “Would you like more coffee?” She looked at my untouched cup questioningly.

“No thank you, Ms. Hoover.” I smiled blandly and she drew in her breath.

I know I could use something stronger than caffeine myself, I heard her thinking as she stumbled towards the coffee maker in the corner. I just can’t believe that beautiful boy is tying himself down already. He must have gotten some lucky girl in trouble. I wonder how he’d react if I offered to take him home for a test drive, let him sow his wild oats a bit before he shackles himself for life…

As her planned advances became more and more detailed, I stopped myself from shuddering… barely. Lisa Hoover’s thoughts had been similarly licentious since I’d set foot in her shop nearly an hour earlier. She gave new meaning to the term cougar.

My attention was caught by a faraway sound… the familiar rev of the engine I’d been waiting for. Quickly I stood up and made my way through the crammed clothing racks to the front of the store, looking out the window. As I knew it would, Charlie’s cruiser pulled around the corner and into view a moment later.

I opened the front door and hurried down the steps to greet my future father-in-law, my welcoming smile perfectly in place although I knew it was a pointless gesture. I could already see—and hear—that he was in a foul mood.

“I know I’m late.” Charlie snapped as he got out of the police cruiser, ignoring my outstretched hand. “Got hung up on police business. Sorry.” He added reluctantly, making a small stab at politeness.

“It’s not a problem, Charlie,” I said, gracefully withdrawing my rejected palm. “We’re ready to begin any time you are.”

“Fine. Let’s get this over with then.” Charlie stomped up the steps of the formalwear shop, his face set in a deep scowl.

I held back a sigh as I followed him inside, wincing slightly as the glass door banged shut behind us. Perhaps I should have accepted Carlisle’s suggestion of taking Charlie for his tuxedo fitting instead, but there were so few chances left to smooth things over with Bella’s father. He’d accepted our plans to marry only because he feared losing his daughter for good if he withheld his acceptance.

I knew it would make her so much happier if he could truly come to accept me as his daughter’s husband, especially with Renee being so stubborn. Bella had wanted to end her mortal life on the best note possible and I would do anything in my power to make that happen for her. It was quickly becoming clear that my attempts to win over Charlie were completely useless, but I would try anyway. It was the least I could do before I took Bella away from everything in her human life forever.

Within a few minutes, the overeager Ms. Hoover—despite being put off by Charlie’s chilly attitude—had gotten her measuring tape out and was busily making notes on a pad as she took Charlie’s measurements. His scowl was even more deeply set as he stared at me over her bushy, dyed-blond head.

“This isn’t necessary, you know. I have a perfectly good suit at home. Of course it’s not new or anything… guess I can’t embarrass the Cullens by showing up in shoddy duds,” he grumbled as Ms. Hoover coaxed him to take off his bulky police coat so she could try a suit jacket on him.

“It’s not like that at all, Charlie. It’s just that Alice really had her heart set on seeing you dressed in something top of the line.” I hoped that bringing up the one Cullen that Charlie was genuinely fond of might soften him a bit.

It worked. Charlie’s face brightened minutely. “Ah, that Alice. What is she up to lately? I never see her anymore… or my daughter either, for that matter.” He shot me a black look.

I shrugged. He knew perfectly well that Alice and Bella were busy planning the wedding—there was no reason to point out the obvious. I changed the subject. “So what was the police business that kept you? I hope everything is alright.”

Charlie grimaced and I hid a smile as I listened to the direction his thoughts were turning in. I’d just asked him out of politeness, but it looked like he might actually have a rather amusing tale to tell.

“I was trying to get Mrs. Haversham’s damn cat out of her tree.” Charlie grumbled, impatiently holding out his arm as Ms. Hoover made adjustments and notes.

“Really?” I was unable to suppress my amusement now. “I had no idea that police officers still did such things. Chivalry apparently is not dead after all.”

Charlie rolled his eyes impatiently—it was amazing how much he suddenly resembled his daughter. “It’s not the fact that the stupid cat ran up the tree that brought me out there. It’s what he did before he ran up the tree, which was eat one of the next door neighbor’s prizewinning parakeets. Who the hell actually goes to bird shows and gives those things awards anyway? Damn waste of time if you ask me.

“Anyway, the Marshes, who owned the parakeet, were screaming bloody murder over it, and Mrs. Haversham was in hysterics, saying they were trying to kill her cat in retaliation. I spent the morning trying to keep George Marsh from shooting the stupid cat out of the tree and the two missuses from scratching each other’s eyes out. The whole street turned out to see the show, and there was a big screamfest over who was in the right. Seems the Marshes’ birds are always kicking up a racket… half of the neighborhood was all in favor of throwing the cat a parade. It was a mess.”

My lips quirked. “So did you rescue the cat and smooth everything over?”

Charlie frowned even more deeply. “That bird-eating beast wouldn’t budge with all the racket going on below, not that I blame him. He was still up there when I left to come here. Deputy Greene took over for me. Guess I’ll find out how it all went down when I get back.”

A sudden jangling ended any further conversation. Charlie yanked his arm away from the aggrieved tailor, and dug into his pants pocket, pulling out his cell phone.

“Greene? What’s going on? You got that cat down yet?”

With my heightened senses, I could plainly hear Deputy Greene’s side of the conversation.

“Yeah, Chief, we got Mr. Giggles down all right but things are still pretty bad here. The Marshes are saying the cat’s a menace to all the local pets and the Havershams are pitching a bigger fit than ever about keeping him. We called Animal Control but they won’t touch him. They said the shelter is full up and they aren’t going to get involved. We gotta do something before—”

He was cut off as I heard voices yelling faintly in the background.

“I’m telling you, Haversham, I see that cat around here and I’m shootin’ to kill! He ain’t getting any more of our birds, I can guarandamntee you that!”

“Aw, put a sock in it!” Deputy Greene yelled back and then began speaking to Charlie once more. “They’ll be fighting all night about this unless we do something with the cat, get him out of here until things calm down and they can come to some sort of agreement.”

Charlie groaned. “Fantastic. I guess none of the neighbors can take him… Marsh can walk half a block to shoot him just as easily as aim over the fence. Hey, why don’t you take the cat for a couple of days?”

“Hell no!” Deputy Greene’s voice was emphatic. “I told you I’m allergic to cats… I’ve already got hives where the sun don’t shine because of him.”

“Great.” Charlie closed his eyes. “Well, I’m not taking him. I hate cats. Who the hell am I going to find to take this mess off our hands?”

Suddenly his eyes popped open again and he looked directly at me. Ever so slowly, a grin—a wide, insidious grin, the kind he only got when he was fantasizing about something truly evil to do to me—spread over his face. Oh no. He wasn’t really going to ask…

His thoughts confirmed that he was even before the words were out of his mouth. “Hey Edward… wanna do your pop-to-be a big favor?”

Just over an hour later, I was pulling up the drive of my home, angling the Volvo as close to the porch as possible so I wouldn’t have far to carry the hissing, yowling feline in the carrier next to me.

Resignedly, I got out of my seat and reached for it. As soon as I lifted it off the seat, the cat went crazy, crying so loudly its vocals sounded more like a child’s scream as it thrashed and bounced off the sides and roof of the carrier, frantically seeking an escape.

My mood lightened a bit as I saw Bella’s truck parked nearby. Not that I thought she would have gone home without seeing me, but still — knowing I was just minutes away from being next to her was a relief after this interminably long day without her.

As soon as I opened the front door, I was greeted by the sound of Bella’s laughter from the living room, and my own smile echoed in response.

“No fair getting Jasper and Emmett on your side, Bella,” I heard Alice grumble. I entered the room to see her holding her side and grimacing.

Bella just grinned. “Turnabout’s fair play, Alice. I still can’t believe a vampire can be ticklish… how is that possible, anyway?”

Alice turned and shot Jasper a black look. “I can’t believe you betrayed me like that. You promised me you’d never tell!”

Jasper just grinned. “I’ll make it up to you… later.”

Before Alice could respond, the cat let out another earsplitting screech and the four of them turned to me in surprise.

“Edward!” Bella’s face lit up and she rushed towards me, then stopped abruptly, staring at the carrier dangling from my fingers. “What is that?”

“A favor I’m doing for Charlie,” I said dourly as the carrier swayed back and forth, the cat once more making a futile bid for freedom. “He needed someone to hold onto it for a few days… I’ll fill you in once I get cleaned up.”

Bella wrinkled her nose as she bent down to look cautiously through the wire mesh at Mr. Giggles. “What’s wrong with it?” she demanded as he shrieked loudly enough to make her wince. “Is it sick or something?”

“No.” Emmett answered for me as he came closer to take a look. “It knows what we are. Cats, just like any other animal — domestic or otherwise — hate vampires. They sense that we’re predators, a threat to them. It’s why we’ve never attempted to keep any type of animals, although at least dogs can be won over with a lot of time and patience. Our friends in Denali have several.”

“Well, this is going to be a fun couple of days.” Alice grimaced and put her delicate hands over her ears as the cat continued to shriek. “And what is that smell?”

I sighed. “Mr. Giggles is unfortunately male, and like any other male cat, he sprays when he feels threatened.” I looked down at the dark wet spot on my shirt and groaned silently. “At least I can shower, but I don’t think the Volvo is ever going to be the same.”

“Oh, Edward.” Bella put her hand over her mouth, looking torn between sympathy and amusement. “I am so sorry my father conned you into this. I should have never left you alone with him… I knew he was going to pull something.”

“It’s alright.” I grinned at her, my black mood completely gone, and reached out an arm to pull her closer. “If it helps Charlie to look on me the least bit more favorably, it’s well worth it.”

Bella smiled at me but ducked my arm, stepping back out of reach. I looked at her quizzically, a little hurt, and she began to grin, amusement clearly beating out sympathy.

“I’m sorry, Edward, but you really, really stink.” She clasped her hand over her nose and began to laugh at the consternation on my face.

I sighed, beaten. “I’m showering.” I shoved the carrier towards Alice, who took it reluctantly. “Do something with him, will you?”

Alice raised her eyebrows haughtily. You owe me, she sent the thought at me. And believe me, I’m going to expect payment in full.

With that, her mind went deliberately blank, leaving me to ponder what she could possibly want from me as I headed up the stairs towards my room…

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Elisa

Water splashed around my feet as they sank into each puddle on the nearly flooded sidewalk. My green shirt was drenched, sticking to my skin like a second layer, and the rain had soaked through the denim of my jeans, turning them far darker than they actually were. My teeth had been chattering for the longest time, but as the cold penetrated further and further into my bones, my jaw became too numb to cooperate anymore and the rattling noise mercifully stopped. The shivering didn’t, though. I was shaking so hard it was almost impossible to keep upright and moving. Still, I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other. It couldn’t be far now. I’d been walking for so long…

My progress would have been quicker if I hadn’t been tripping over my own feet or unexpected obstacles on the sidewalk every few minutes. My vision was obscured both by the rivulets of water pouring down my head and also because I refused to raise my head more than a fraction of an inch as I walked. The only exception I made was when I saw the curb nearing my feet at each corner; at that point I’d lift my eyes and allow myself the fastest of glimpses at the names on the street sign, waiting to find the right one. When I was inevitably disappointed, my eyes turned back to the ground, stubbornly glued to the concrete so that I didn’t have to think about my surroundings, wouldn’t have to register the fact that it had never rained this hard or been this cold in San Diego during the whole fifteen years I’d lived there.

If I didn’t look, I wouldn’t have to realize that there were no familiar palm trees lining the sidewalk, or rows and rows of boringly perfect stucco homes in desert colors on each street that I turned down, that there was no sign of anything resembling home as far as my eyes could see.

As I turned another corner, there was a sudden blare of noise as a horn began honking. It reminded me of my dad and how he’d come to pick me up at school earlier, and for a moment I forgot the rules, my head snapping up and my hopeful eyes looking for his familiar vehicle. I was doomed to crushing disappointment again. The car that had pulled up to the curb next to me was a maroon Camry, with a woman I’d never seen before at the wheel. She was saying something as she reached over the man seated next to her to roll down the passenger window, her face anxious. I could not summon the energy to try and comprehend her words. Lowering my head once more, I began to walk again.

The next sound I heard was that of the Camry’s door slamming. Someone — must have been the man in the car — was yelling something. I took in his words grudgingly.

“Monica, get back in this car and mind your own damn business for once!”

“Hush up, Herb, I’m not leaving this child out here to freeze to death!” a woman’s voice snapped back.

They meant nothing to me, her words. I just had to keep moving.

“Girl, are you deaf or just stubborn?” The female’s voice was in my ear now and her heavyset figure was suddenly in my path, blocking my progress. “Look at you! Out here in this miserable weather, wet to the bone, no jacket… I know it’s June but this is the Olympic Peninsula, honey. You don’t ever leave home without a few extra layers. Now where are you going?”

I looked up into her face. The woman before me was big, tall, and probably a bit past middle age, but her warm brown skin was so smooth and unlined it was nearly impossible to tell for sure. She looked perplexed, but there was concern in her eyes. I swallowed, my mouth dry despite everything, and tried to speak. My voice came out in halting stammers.

“I’m going h-home.”

“Well…” The woman named Monica hesitated only for a moment. “Hop in the car, honey… no point in drowning before you get there. Where do you live?”

“I… uh… at 1517 Seagull Circle,” I told her as I stumbled after her towards the car.

Monica whirled around, looking at me in confusion. “Seagull Circle? Child, don’t play with me. There’s no Seagull Circle here. I ought to know — I was born and raised in this town, and that represents more years than I’m willing to admit to. I know every single corner and hidey-hole around.”

I took a deep shuddering breath. “Well, that’s where I live, and I have to get home. I promised my dad I wouldn’t be late.” I turned on my heel and started walking down the sidewalk once more.

“Wait!” Monica hurried to block me once again. Leaning down, she peered into my drenched face. “Honey, something’s wrong with you. You don’t look well at all. Are you lost, baby? Don’t you know where you are?”

My chin began to tremble. Why couldn’t she just leave me alone?

“Do you live in Forks, honey?” Monica’s voice pressed.

I squeezed my eyes closed. “We’re. Not. In. Forks,” I hissed between my gritted teeth.

I heard Monica draw in a deep breath, and then I felt her moving close to me. Her fingers, shockingly warm against my icy skin, were suddenly firmly under my chin, forcing me to lift my face. “Open your eyes, girl. Look around and tell me what you see.”

I tried to shake my head but her fingers tightened firmly.

“Come on, open your eyes.”

Despite myself, my eyes opened at her authoritarian tone. I stared at her blankly until she tilted my chin slightly to the side and gestured at the crossed green street signs that I hadn’t reached yet.

“The street sign facing us, what does it say?” Her voice was kind, but firm.

“Forks Avenue,” I whispered.

“Good.” She encouraged me with a nod. She then took my shoulders and turned me to face across the street. “That laundromat over there, what’s it called?” She pointed at the faded sign hanging loosely from the awning.

I looked at the rows of washers and dryers that I could see through the large, rain-dotted window, then up at the sign. “F-Forks Wash and D-dry.” My voice caught.

“Now do you know where you are?” Monica put her hands on her hips and surveyed me.

My face crumpled. “No… no… it can’t be. It just…” I couldn’t stop looking around now, my eyes forced to take in every unfamiliar landmark until my throat burned with the truth that I didn’t want to face. “Why is this happening to me? Why now? I tried so hard…”

As my breath came in sobbing gasps, the worry on Monica’s face turned to outright alarm.

“Monica!” The man named Herb had gotten out of the car and was lumbering towards us, his voice impatient. “Are we going to stand around all day? If you want to give the girl a ride, get her in the car and let’s go already!”

Monica whipped around to face him, her voice nervous for the first time. “Herb, something terrible has happened to this girl. I think we need to get her some help.” Her voice was a loud whisper not meant for my ears, but I didn’t care anyway. Nothing made sense anymore… it was like the ground had fallen from under my feet and I was sinking into never-ending night.

The urgency in Monica’s voice chased the anger out of her companion in an instant. “Alright, calm down, woman. Lemme think a minute… well, didn’t we just pass Chief Swan a ways back? Why don’t we take her—”

His voice was cut off by the sudden sound of squealing tires. We looked up automatically to see that a shiny black car that had just passed us had slid to an abrupt stop at the intersection. Then in an instant, it rushed forward and around, peeling into an abrupt U-turn and careening back towards us.

“What in the world—” Monica burst out indignantly, but then the driver stepped out of the car and her rant died mid-word. “Dr. Cullen! Oh thank the Good Lord, you’re just who we needed!”

There was no answering response. I knew without looking that those near-silent footsteps had made their way over to me, that someone was staring at me so hard it seemed like their gaze should burn through my skull and penetrate my brain. I didn’t dare meet the eyes I knew were fixed on me. There was still time for the universe to take back this cosmically cruel joke that had been played on me. If I just didn’t believe, maybe it wouldn’t have happened after all…

“My God.” The voice was low and thick with shock. “Elisa?”

I heard Monica gasp loudly. “Dr. Cullen, do you know this girl?”

There was a moment’s pause, and I knew even through my reluctance to take in anything that was happening around me that he had realized what a grave error he had just made.

“Yes, Mrs. Haversham, I do know her.” His voice was smooth now, unruffled. “Elisa is my niece.” The words were said so naturally that even I didn’t feel startled by them… at first. “I didn’t expect to see her here, however… she lives quite a distance away.”

“I should think so. She didn’t seem to know her way around.” Monica’s voice was relieved now, and her words were spilling out a mile a minute. “Your niece gave me quite a scare, Dr. Cullen. I saw her out here, walking by herself, getting soaked to the skin, and I had to stop and try and help her. I… I’m not trying to put my nose where it doesn’t belong, but she doesn’t seem…” Her voice trailed off as she searched for the right word. “…alright. Is there anything I can do?”

There was another tiny pause, and then the velvet voice sounded again. “Thank you very much for your concern, Mrs. Haversham, but I’m aware of the situation. There have been some… family problems lately. I suppose that’s why she’s here, but I need to get her home now and find out the whole story. I appreciate all the help you’ve given us.”

“Of course, Dr.” Monica’s voice was hearty and cheerful now. “We’ll just let you go then… oh!” She hesitated again for just a fraction of a second and then plunged ahead. “I know this is a bad time to ask, but I’ve been so anxious… how is Mr. Giggles?”

“He’s just fine.” The voice was soothing now. “Making himself right at home, although I’m sure he misses you.”

“I miss him too.” There was a sudden teary sound to her voice. “I do appreciate your son taking him in and keeping him safe. Those crazy Marshes… anyway, I hope he won’t have to stay with you much longer. I’m going to get rid of those bird-loving, cat-killing freaks if it’s the last thing—”

“Monica, let the man and his niece be on their way!” Herb’s voice was impatient again.

“Sorry, Dr. Cullen. I’ll be in touch soon… hope everything works out. And please don’t forget, Mr. Giggles only eats organic cat food and uses all natural cat litter!” Monica’s voice was fading now… I could see out of the corner of my eye that Herb had taken her by the arm and was dragging her towards the car as she talked over her shoulder. There was the sound of doors slamming, then the car engine revved and they pulled away, leaving me alone with the man whose presence I still stubbornly refused to acknowledge.

“Elisa!” His voice was urgent now. “What has happened? Why are you here again?”

I wanted to put my hands over my ears to block out the unwanted sound of his questions, but he was in front of me now, leaning down to look in my face. “Speak to me, Elisa. Are you hurt?”

I couldn’t speak. My chest felt so tight it might explode if I tried, and the moisture pouring down my face wasn’t just rainwater now. The only sound I could make were the gasping breaths squeaking out of my throat, and I was shaking harder than ever.

“Come on, Elisa. Get in the car.” A cool hand encircled my upper arm, gently pulling me towards the black Mercedes. “We’ll talk once you’re warm and dry.”

I tried to protest, but the words wouldn’t come and struggling was completely useless. He didn’t even seem to notice that I was digging my boots into the sidewalk as hard as I could as he propelled me along. Seconds later, I was in the passenger seat. Seeming to realize that I wouldn’t do it myself, Carlisle leaned over me and fastened the seatbelt across me, then was in his own seat, the door slamming shut before I had time to blink.

And then we were moving, and all I could do was stare out the window at the darkening sky as we drove further and further away from everything I had ever known.

Chapter Text

Bella

The wind whipped up slightly, swirling a few tiny branches that had been blown off the trees past my feet and across the covered patio. Stray raindrops, forced inside our cover by the breeze, dotted my hair. I shivered slightly, and instinctively leaned closer to Edward's side. His arm tightened around me.

"Let's go inside, Bella. Alice can keep an eye on Mr. Giggles for a while."

"Excuse me?" Alice's voice was indignant as her dark head whipped up. "No, Alice won't sit out here by herself and babysit your stupid cat, Edward. Have you ever heard of asking?" Her voice was genuinely irritated, which was rare for her, and I looked at her in concern.

I was sitting on the Cullens' heavy glass-topped outdoor table, and Edward was leaning on it next to me as Alice perched on the railing across from us. We'd been outside for the past ten minutes, thanks to Mr. Giggles, who despite having the Cullens' huge mansion to explore had expressed an urgent and very vocal need to be outdoors, rain be damned. He was cautiously picking his way across the patio now, sniffing everything in his path, his tail twitching occasionally as he shot Alice and Edward baleful stares every couple of seconds.

Edward was looking at Alice hard now, and I wondered what she was thinking to make him frown like that. I didn't have long to guess… in a moment Alice burst into agitated speech.

"I'm getting a little bit tired of the way you presume I'm just going to take care of everything for you, Edward. 'Watch Bella. Keep an eye out for the Volturi. Plan my wedding but don't step on anyone's toes. Take care of my rabid feline. Help me clean the cat pee out of my car.'" She mimicked his voice perfectly. "You don't ask anymore, you just give orders, and a little thank you every now and then wouldn't hurt either." She folded her arms across her chest and turned away from him.

Before Edward could respond, Mr. Giggles suddenly bolted, making yet another one of his frequent bids for freedom. He made it several feet into the yard before Alice resignedly zipped to him, picking him up and zooming just as quickly back to the porch where she dumped him on the concrete impatiently.

"Stop that, you ungrateful beast," she snapped.

Mr. Giggles glared and cringed backwards, but he seemed to understand the warning for he didn't try to run again.

"Alice…" Edward's voice was coaxing as he tried to get her to look at him. "Come on now, Alice. You can't stay mad at me forever."

"Watch me!" she growled, her back turned so that we couldn't see her face.

I gave Edward a “make this right now” look and he nodded, stroking my face for a brief moment before he got up and approached his sister, walking around to face her.

"Perhaps I have been taking advantage of you a little," he told her as she turned back to face me so that she wouldn't have to look at him.

She hissed slightly and he smiled as he came to stand behind her. "Alright, a lot. I didn't mean to make you feel unappreciated, Alice. I am sorry I have been so preoccupied that it's caused me to forget my manners. I genuinely do appreciate everything you've done for us. I don't know what Bella and I would do without you."

Alice seemed to be trying hard to keep up a good show of anger, but after a moment a twinkle crept into her eyes and her lips curved into an unwilling smile. "Alright, I accept your apology… as long as you stop doing it, and you don't forget just exactly how much you owe me." Her grin was full and wicked now as she looked at her brother.

Edward raised a perfect eyebrow. "Why do you keep saying that lately? What exactly is it that you want from me, Alice?"

"I haven't decided yet. Rest assured though, it's going to be big." She laughed at the expression on his face, and relieved that the small crisis was over, I began to chuckle too.

Almost as soon as she'd started to laugh though, Alice stopped abruptly. Her face went blank and smooth, and Edward shot me a slightly alarmed look. Automatically, I jumped off the table and he was at my side, putting an arm around me as he turned back to her.

"Alice, what is it?" I burst out, my heart pounding. There were so many things that could go wrong in these last weeks that I would be the Cullens' weak spot, possibilities like the Volturi returning prematurely or the werewolves declaring war over my impending human demise… what bomb was the universe dropping on us now?

"Carlisle," Alice said abruptly, cutting off my chain of thought. "He's almost here, and he's not alone. We need to go inside." She snatched up Mr. Giggles and was gone.

Edward and I hurried after her at my much slower human pace. By the time we reached the massive living room, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper were all standing at attention, staring at the front door.

"Bella, Edward, we need towels, lots of them! Esme!" I heard Alice call from somewhere upstairs. A second later she reappeared, holding a stack of clothes in her hand. Esme was right behind her and the two of them zipped down the stairs.

Although I didn't understand at all what was happening, I followed Edward as he rushed into the downstairs bathroom and began filling my outstretched arms with enormous, fluffy white bath towels.

"Edward, what is it? What's happening?"

Edward turned to look at me and his mouth lifted into a slight smile, reassuring me and temporarily stopping my heart before he answered, saying what I least expected to hear. "Elisa's back."

Edward

The dismal creature Carlisle half-dragged, half-carried into the living room bore almost no resemblance to the lively girl my brothers and I had encountered back in the forest just days ago. True, she had been in a similarly bedraggled state then, but her green eyes had been full of humor and high spirits, her face vivid and eager to take in everything around her despite the seriousness of the situation she'd been in. Now her face was pallid and hopeless, eyes dull, lips blue with cold as she shook violently and tears streaked down her face.

Her scent had slammed into all of us, with the exception of my Bella, as soon as Carlisle had opened the door, and I saw Jasper twitch slightly out of the corner of my eye as he was overwhelmed with a new and intriguing temptation. Elisa's blood scent was so different from Bella's, which he had gradually grown accustomed to.

"Jasper—" I began, intending to suggest that he make himself scarce for a while, but he gave me a determined look.

I can handle it, Edward. If it gets to be too much, I'll leave, he thought, and I nodded. Jasper had made amazing strides since he'd accepted Bella into our lives, and I wasn't going to insult him by doubting his hard-won self control now. Besides, we were going to need him.

There was no protective shield blocking Elisa's thoughts from me now. The images rushing through her head would have been perfectly clear to me if I'd been able to make sense of them—all I could glean for certain was that she was frantically trying to deny to herself where she was… the desperation and panic I was getting from her was making me feel slightly sick. I could tell by the gray cast to Jasper's complexion that he was being similarly assaulted by her chaotic emotions. His eyes closed as he struggled to regain control over the situation, and the calming vibes washed over all of us.

Esme had already thrown a towel over Elisa's drenched hair and was wrapping another one around her shoulders. Elisa's trembling had slowed as she warmed, and her tears had stopped as Jasper's influence had worked its will on her, but her face was still lifeless.

I turned to Carlisle. "What happened? Why is she here?"

Carlisle shook his head. "I don't know. She's in shock… she wasn't able to speak to me."

Esme stared at Carlisle's over Elisa's shoulder. "She… she's different. I can smell her so clearly… not like before. She smells just like—" Her voice broke off.

"Like any other human. Like she belongs here." Emmett's voice was quiet.

Rosalie was standing beside him, her face impassive as she stared at Elisa. Emmett's face, on the other hand, was clearly worried, despite the cheerful grin he tried to plaster on as Elisa's eyes slowly turned towards him. "Hey ya, kid. Welcome back."

She didn't answer. Her eyes dropped back to the carpet and she continued to stare blankly at the floor. Esme put her arm around her and gently guided Elisa to an overstuffed chair in the corner that was already covered in towels to protect it from her dripping clothes.

"Sit down, sweetheart, and tell us what happened."

Elisa sat, but no words were forthcoming. Both Esme and Carlisle knelt next to her, murmuring reassuringly, but there was no response. Carlisle looked up at me, his eyes frustrated. "Edward, Jasper, a bit of help if you don't mind."

Bella made to step back as I moved, but I tightened my arm around her and brought her forward with me as Jasper and I approached. More waves of relaxation washed over us and Elisa sagged slightly in the chair.

"Elisa, I want you to clear your mind," Carlisle was telling her quietly. "If it's too hard to tell us, just remember. Let Edward speak for you."

Elisa's eyes were mutinous for a moment, but she was unable to resist the lull of Carlisle's voice, or Jasper's effect on her. Her eyes slowly closed.

Immediately, I saw a restaurant—no, an ice cream shop—appear behind her closed eyelids. A man across the table from her, laughing. The resemblance between them was minor, but it was there… it must be her father. Then the picture changed to reflect her own thoughts at the time, merry, joyful thoughts… there was a baby coming. Her father loved her. She was happy, safe, secure.

The scene changed again and we were in another shop. Her father was gone. An older woman was telling her stories in a crowded stockroom, making her laugh. Abruptly, the laughter was gone. Elisa was crouched against the wall, cell phone clutched in her hand, tears falling as she listened to the violence in the other room. I could plainly feel her terror, not for herself, but for her friend. Another shift, and she was running now, into the main room of the shop, ready to battle for the older woman's life. The gun was raised… there was an explosion—

"No!" The word burst from my lips before I could stop it, and I shook my head in disgust, both at myself for losing control like that and for what I had just witnessed through her eyes. Sometimes I felt like I could truly grow to despise the human race. We, as vampires, killed to survive, or at least that was the theory—I had known many of us, like James, who tortured and killed for sport. But at least we had somewhat of an excuse. The agonies that human beings inflicted on each other, so many in the name of love when it was really no more than the most selfish of greed, the need to control and possess… it was sickening.

"Edward!" Bella's voice was alarmed as she stared up at me and the darkness in my eyes. "What is it?"

I could see Carlisle and Esme waiting for me to speak as well. I braced myself for the impact of the news I had no choice but to tell.

"I saw what happened to Elisa. She was in some kind of New Age store with an older woman. The woman's son-in-law showed up looking for his ex-wife. Things got violent. Elisa tried to intervene." I closed my eyes. "He shot her."

Gasps rang out through the room. Both Esme and Bella were covering their mouths in an attempt to hide their horrified expressions, but the tears swimming in Bella's eyes gave her away. She swayed into my arms.

"Does that mean… she's dead?" The minute the words were out of her mouth she bit her lip and shot Elisa an anxious look.

Bella's self-directed anger at her slip was pointless. Despite Elisa's shock and denial, the girl knew—had known from the minute she found herself on the downtown Forks street corner in the pouring rain—what had happened. There had been no comforting amnesia this time to soften the blow.

Esme was huddled next to Elisa on the chair now, wrapping her arms around her shoulder. "Carlisle, is it like before? She's hurt, but not… she can't be gone, can she?"

Carlisle's eyes met hers, and they were bleak. "Esme, I don't want it to be true but I just don't know why else she would be here."

Next to me, Jasper's hands were balled into fists as he struggled to control both his and our emotions. In less than a second, Alice was there, gently worming a small palm into one of his clenched hands. He relaxed and entwined his fingers with hers.

I looked across the room. Emmett looked sick, but not surprised, and I realized that he had known there was no hope from the moment Carlisle brought Elisa home. Next to him, Rosalie's face was emotionless, but her eyes and her thoughts burned.

Esme's lips were trembling, but she struggled to maintain her composure as she stood. "Sweetheart, we have some dry clothes for you. Let me help you change."

For a minute Elisa stayed in her statue-like position, then her head slowly lifted. Her eyes fastened onto Carlisle's, ignoring Esme's outstretched hand. "Send me back." Her voice was flat, but ragged.

"Elisa—" Carlisle began. Her eyes blazed as they looked into his and he stopped speaking.

"Like you did before. Help me go home. Please." The desperation was starting to break through the eerie calm on her face.

"Maybe you should try, Carlisle." Esme clearly couldn't stand what was happening. Like all of us, she was clinging to the tiniest bit of hope that there was some way to help Elisa escape this nightmare.

Carlisle broke at the combined pressure from the two of them. I could tell by his face that he knew it was useless, but he nodded at me and Jasper, and we gathered close to the chair as Carlisle resumed his kneeling position in front of Elisa, whispering the words to make her lean back, eyes closed, as she attempted to claw her way out of our world and back to her own.

It was as disappointing—more so—than we'd feared. I stayed in Elisa's mind as she attempted to go under, and there was nothing… no long fall into blackness like there had been before, no voices calling her home, just dim awareness of Carlisle's voice, and then, as she resurfaced and realized she was still here, the rawest pain. The link to her world had been severed—there was no longer any doubt.

"No!" Her voice was shrill and hysterical now, and Jasper re-doubled his efforts to calm her. "No, I can't be stuck here! They're waiting for me, my mom and Dad… Colby…" Her voice was slowing now. "My mom's having a baby… everything's perfect. I can't be late… I have to go… please, let me go…"

Her words were slurred now, her head falling back as forced relaxation and exhaustion overtook her. Her eyes were nearly shut when suddenly they sprang open again. She was fighting now, struggling against us and our efforts to calm her.

"No! NO! I won't sleep… I'm not dead! I beat this before… I can't be dead! It will hurt my family so much… please don't make me do this to them! I want to go home! And Nancy—I have to help Nancy!" Her screams were truly agonizing to hear.

She was on her feet now, pushing desperately at Esme, who was holding her in a gentle but steel-like grip. "It's OK, Elisa! Please, sweetheart, I promise you that everything will be OK."

"Stop it!" All of us turned to stare as Rosalie suddenly pushed her way forward, speaking for the first time since Carlisle and Elisa had arrived. "Stop coddling her, Esme. Don't lie to her. She knows the truth—you're just making it worse!"

Elisa turned away from Esme's motherly hands and looked at Rosalie, her face wet with tears.

Rosalie stared back, unblinking, into Elisa's green eyes. "You're dead to them, Elisa. You can't ever go back." She ignored Elisa's renewed sobs. "You may think I'm cruel for saying this, but one thing I will never do is lie to you. What's happened is not fair. Death never is. It doesn't care if you're young, if you've cheated it before, if you don't deserve it, if it will destroy those you love. It just comes, and it takes you and there is no amount of tears or pity that can change that. You have to face it, and accept it. I am not saying that you don't deserve our compassion, but what's happened to you has happened to almost every single one of us. We've lost everything and everyone we ever loved in our old lives, and yet somehow, we go on. You will too. At least you still have your humanity. That may not seem like much of a gift to you now, but believe me, it is. Appreciate it."

Elisa was still sobbing, but more quietly now. I saw Carlisle nod to Jasper, and an instant later Elisa had collapsed into Esme's arms, her lips moving in a near silent protest before sleep finally claimed her. Esme lifted her effortlessly.

"Alice, may I put her in your room?"

Alice nodded instantly. "Of course. I'll go with you; help you dress her in something dry so she won't wake up completely miserable." She sighed as her words came back to haunt her. "That was a stupid thing to say."

She shook her head and then she and Esme were gone, taking Elisa with them.

I turned my concern to Bella, who was trembling at my side. The instant I caught her warm brown eyes with my own the tears overflowed, and she leaned forward, sobbing against my chest as I stroked her hair gently, feeling helpless to comfort her, knowing there was nothing I could say to make the brutal reality of what happened to Elisa any kinder.

"Are you crying, Bella?"

My head snapped up and I glared at Rosalie. I hadn't heard her speak in that icy, glacial tone to Bella in months, and she knew this wasn't the time. Her eyes stared back into mine, refusing to back down, and then she returned her attention to Bella, speaking once more.

"Do you think it's sad that poor Elisa will never see her mother and father or little brother again? That she'll never hold the baby her mother is carrying in her arms? That everything she's ever known and loved has been ripped away from her? I know how that feels. So does Edward, and Jasper, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle… even Alice, to a degree. You know our stories and you know our pain and yet here you stand, thinking that what was torn from us you can give away so easily, just dance along into immortality with no regrets. You arrogant, selfish brat… you have no idea what you're doing."

Bella gasped, pulling back and pressing into me at Rosalie's words. Her frame was shaking harder than ever.

"I don't think it will be easy—" she started to protest, her voice torn between tears and defensiveness.

I snarled at Rosalie, warning her to back off as she opened her mouth to interrupt once more.

"I don't want to hear your pretty excuses, Bella. I'm going outside—I need some air." She turned on her heel and she was gone, leaving me glowering after her.

Damn Rosalie and her viper's tongue… no one could pour salt into a wound like she could, and I was furious that she'd chosen to strike out at Bella when she was most vulnerable.

Emmett tossed me an apologetic look and then he was gone too, running after Rosalie. I turned back to Bella, taking her face gently in my hands so I could stare into her eyes, wincing internally as I registered the pain on her face.

"Don't listen to her, Bella. She doesn't understand you the way she thinks she does."

"Doesn't she, Edward?" Bella pulled away, and as much as it hurt to let her go, I allowed it as she continued to speak. "I am selfish, I know that. I'll do anything to stay with you forever, no matter what the cost, no matter who it hurts. What kind of person does that make me?"

"No—" I began to object but Bella put a finger over my lips, silencing me.

"Edward, I need to…" She looked towards the staircase and then back. "I need to be alone for a little while. I have to think."

As the anxiety that I was unable to disguise flared in my eyes, she saw it and her own face softened in concern. "Please don't look like that. It doesn't mean anything more than the fact that I need a little time to process everything. Come to me later… I'll leave the window open."

With a half-hearted smile, she backed away, then turned towards the door. I watched her go with frustration building in my chest. Everything had been going so well lately—we'd made our decisions and our plans, put the doubts behind us, and Rosalie had to go and stir the pot once more. Whether Emmett objected or not, I was definitely going to have a talk with my meddlesome, bitter sister about sticking her nose into what didn't concern her, and exactly what I planned to do next time she tried it.

Bella turned back when she was almost at the door. "If Elisa wakes up earlier than expected, call me. I'll come back." She looked at me, her eyes filled with a million emotions that it was beyond frustrating to not be able to understand. "I love you."

"I love you, Bella. Always." My voice was hoarse, and Bella closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and smiled at me.

With one quiet click of the front door opening, she was gone.

Chapter Text

Elisa

Any concept of time I'd ever possessed had abandoned me as I lay there, in a strange bed, drifting, dreaming, drowning in peaceful oblivion. My deep, seemingly endless stupor was not without interruptions… somewhere beyond the darkness I was dimly aware that I was never alone. Hands—usually cool, but there was an occasional warm pair that could only belong to Bella—stroked my face, held my hands when I screamed, held cool cloths to my burning skin and wiped away the seemingly endless tears. Occasionally those hands were firmer, forcing me to sit up, drink cool water that still burned as it slid down my throat, or warm soup that I could only accept a few bites of. When I was most aware, I was led to the bathroom, or helped to change my sweat-drenched clothes, but then painful realizations would stab me, and the screaming would begin again, until waves of calm forced me under once more.

My sense of self-awareness came back slowly, unwillingly, to me now. I didn't want it… I wanted to disappear again into the black waves where pain and loss didn't exist, but there was a sound, an insistent, familiar sound that wouldn't allow me to float away. Bit by bit, I was forced to accept that I was awake. I opened my eyes, and the sight of the strange bedroom stung my eyes. I would have shut them immediately, but the sound came again.

Miaaaaow… miaaaow?

The cry was desperate, almost pleading, and despite myself, I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. "Snickers?" I said stupidly and then was instantly furious with myself. Of course it wasn't Snickers. What a stupid little girl I was, still hoping for a miracle when I was trapped in a universe that had proven to me what an idiotic concept miracles really were.

Miaow?

The cry was hopeful now, rising in volume now that it had been meant with a response. I looked for the source and saw it after a moment of searching. A large, brown and gray stripped tabby with long, fluffy fur, was standing in the open door of the bedroom, staring at me with bright, glinting eyes. As I looked at it, it opened its mouth and yowled. I knew that cry. It was hungry.

I stood up, testing my legs to make sure they would hold me, then stumbled to the doorway. The cat backed up slightly, and I stilled. Hesitantly, it sniffed the air, then came nearer, finally bumping against my leg, then nuzzling it hopefully. I knelt down, running my fingers through its soft fur, feeling the purr that came in response.

"Elisa?"

My head jerked up at the sound of my name, and the cat froze, then hissed, cringing away from the interloper. I looked up into Esme's concerned face and she smiled at me. "It's so good to see you awake! I'm sorry I left you alone… I meant to only be gone a few minutes."

"It's OK." I whispered, my voice sounding strange, like I hadn't used it in a long time. "H-how long has it been?"

Esme hesitated before answering. "Two days."

I closed my eyes for a moment, digesting that, and then opened them again. "Do you have any cat food?"

Esme looked surprised for a minute, then she looked at the cat. It hissed at her again. "I see you've met our other houseguest, Mr. Giggles. Would you like to feed him?"

I nodded and she smiled more widely. "Follow me. It's best if you take him, if you don't mind. He doesn't like me."

"Why?" I asked, as I cautiously gathered Mr. Giggles into my arms. He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed against my chest as I rubbed his head, and I decided it was safe to move without being shredded. Esme led the way and I followed her down the gigantic staircase, through the empty main room, and into the kitchen.

Esme answered my question as she opened a cupboard, pulling out a large bag of cat food and then a porcelain bowl. She pushed them across the counter to me, and I set Mr. Giggles down. He was crying loudly now that he sensed food was imminent, winding around my ankles as I opened the bag and poured the food into a bowl. "It's instinctive on his part. Animals are aware that we're not human—they react to it."

"I see." I nodded as I set the bowl down. Mr. Giggles rushed to it as if he hadn't seen food in years and began to eat noisily, scattering pellets across the spotless floor. Next to me, Esme handed me a fresh bowl of water and I set it down next to the food bowl, and then looked up to see her surveying me carefully.

"How are you feeling, Elisa?" Her voice was careful.

I didn't want to answer that. I stared out the kitchen window for a moment. The rain had apparently cleared… the sky was overcast, but here and there rays broke through the clouds, illuminating the brilliant green of the majestic lawn outside. After a moment of silence, I turned back to Esme.

"What's going to happen to me?" My voice had been reduced to a jagged whisper once more.

"You'll stay here, with us." Her response was immediate. "We'll take care of you." Despite the certainty in her voice, I wondered if the rest of the family was in agreement. I remembered when I had nearly been stuck here before, the reluctance I'd seen on their faces when it became clear that I might be staying. My heart clenched, and my stomach rolled. I had never felt so alone in my life. I was nothing more than an unwanted intruder in their world.

Esme watched the play of emotions across my face and her own became concerned. I could see the effort to keep her voice normal, matter of fact, as she began to speak once more. "Bella has been cooking for you. I have a freezer full of pastas and casseroles, and the refrigerator is stocked as well. Let me get you something to eat. What would you like?"

My voice was flat as I turned away. "I'm not hungry."

Esme's voice was clearly worried now. "Elisa, you've had hardly anything for two days. You need to eat something."

I ignored her, staring blankly out the window once more. She needed to leave me alone. What did I or anyone care if I starved to death? I was dead anyway. My being here was just some colossal mistake on the part of the universe, and the sooner it was corrected, the better. I wasn't supposed to be walking, talking, breathing… I should be in the ground where I belonged.

Esme was trying to speak to me again but suddenly there was movement and we were no longer alone. Edward stood there next to her, looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Esme, I'm sorry to interrupt but may I have a moment with Elisa?" His voice was gentle.

Esme paused for a moment, then nodded. "I'll be in the next room." She gave me a small smile, and then left the room.

I didn't want to look at Edward, but he moved so that he was looking directly in my face, capturing my eyes with his own and refusing to release them. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Elisa."

"That's not funny." I hissed, glaring at him.

"It wasn't meant to be." He said, his calm infuriating. He was quiet for a moment, then spoke again. "Elisa, I can't tell you how sorry I am that this happened to you."

"Spare me." I snapped. My voice was bitter.

"No." Edward's voice was firmer now. "I won't spare you, and I won't hold your hand while you try to drown in your own self-pity. What happened to you was horrendous, and you have every right to be angry and to hurt as much as you do. I understand that better than you know. What I won't accept is the way you're just giving up. You have been given an incredible opportunity—a second chance at life. I know it's not the way you wanted it, but it's yours. Take it, run with it, and live."

"Why me?" I whispered. Tears began to well in my eyes once more. "Why should I have this chance? What did I ever do to deserve it? I'm not special. I'm not good. Other people, much, much better people, they die every day and they don't come back. Why am I still here?"

Edward shook his head. "Why are any of us? Did you think I was a candidate for sainthood in my mortal life? Hardly. All of us were just ordinary people. Why fate chose us to continue on, I'll never know, but it did. There were times I railed against it as violently as you are now, but I see so much more now… not the end, not the ultimate truth, but slowly, when I've least expected it, I've been given more pieces of the puzzle. I realize, more and more each day, that there is a method to the madness. Most of all, I know that there are reasons to fight, to go on, to hope, to love. It won't be easy but you'll find your way, Elisa. I promise you that."

The tears—did they never dry?—were trickling down my face now, and suddenly Esme was back, at my side with her hand on my shoulder. She gave Edward a stern look. "Please don't upset her any more, Edward. How much can one person take?"

"No, it's OK." I forced myself to smile weakly as I brushed the tears away. "I…" I looked down at the rumpled sweats I was wearing and suddenly felt self-conscious. I had to be a mess, and after two days I probably didn't smell that good either. "Is it alright if I go back upstairs and clean up?"

Esme nodded, her face clearing. "Of course, Elisa. Alice brought you a few outfits. They're hanging in her bathroom closet. It's not much. She wanted to wait until you're feeling better to take you on a proper shopping trip. And while you shower, I can heat you up something to eat. How does that sound?"

My stomach jumped uncomfortably again at the idea of food, but I made myself nod. "That sounds good. I'll be right back." I left the room without saying anything to Edward, but I knew I didn't need to. He understood what I couldn't put into words, probably better than I did myself.

After I had showered, dressed, and brushed my tangled hair into submission, I went back downstairs again. I could hear distant voices and knew the rest of the family was around, but the main room was empty once more as I made my way through it, following the food smells back to the kitchen. Esme was waiting for me.

"I hope you like lasagna." Her voice was hopeful, and I smiled at her. She had a plate waiting for me at the kitchen counter, and I made my way over to the tall stool in front of it and climbed on it.

"I do." I assured her.

Despite my best intentions, eating was not easy, and I could only make it through half the plate before my stomach refused to accept any more. I felt guilty as Esme clucked over the large amount that I had left, but then Carlisle was there, appearing, as they all did, seemingly out of thin air.

"This is fine, Esme." He reassured her, smiling over her head at me. "Just offer her smaller meals throughout the day and have her eat what she can. Her appetite will return eventually. Please try to finish your milk though, Elisa. I think you're a bit dehydrated."

Obediently, I drank the half full glass and then reached for my plate to put it in the sink. It was already gone though when I looked for it. I blinked, and Esme smiled at me. "Don't worry about anything, Elisa. Just try to relax." With a tilt of her head, she indicated the main room. "Why don't you go find something to do? We have television, books, games… if you're bored, I'm sure Emmett would be happy to help entertain you. The rest of them are around here somewhere… I think Bella and Edward are in the library if you want to go find them."

I nodded slowly, intending to go to the living room and turn on the television, lose myself in some mindless tv drama instead of intruding any more, but as I walked into the cavernous room, my attention was caught by the sound of soft voices coming from a narrow hallway. Bella and Edward… I knew I shouldn't bother them, but somehow my feet were already taking me in their direction.

I walked into the dim hallway, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the lack of lighting here, then moved forward until I saw them through the open doorway. They sat, pressed together on a narrow loveseat in a room crowded from floor to ceiling with books. Their hands were clasped around each other's, the fingers entwined, and their heads were angled toward each other as they leaned so close that they might have been one person.

I was about to turn back, not wanting to interrupt, when the words Bella spoke caught my attention.

"How is she, Edward?" Her voice was a low whisper.

He sighed. "Not well. But where there's life, there's hope… it's going to be a difficult time, but I think she's made of strong material. We'll just have to try and be there for her, as much as we can be, while she gets her bearings."

Bella sighed. "I can't imagine…" she paused for a moment, and then her voice suddenly became hard, surprising me. "But I guess I'll have to soon, won't I? Because it won't be long until it's my turn, except that I'll be losing my family out of my own free will."

Edward closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again, his face stark. "It doesn't have to be that way, Bella. If you've changed your mind…"

"No!" Her voice was frustrated. "I haven't changed my mind, Edward. You know why I've chosen what I have. I just have to accept the truth about myself, what it truly says about the type of person I am."

Edward's voice was anguished now. "Bella, you can't possibly believe that—"

Bella held up a hand to stop him. "Please don't, Edward." Both of them fell silent, the quiet miserable.

Finally, Bella spoke again. "About Elisa…" Her voice was hesitant, then she turned in the seat slightly so she could look directly into his eyes. "You're right. She's going to need all of us while she tries to accept everything that's happened to her." Her voice dropped to a whisper once more. "Edward, we have to postpone the wedding."

The pain on Edward's face tore at my heart now as he registered her words. I could see how much it hurt her as well. I thought he would object, but he nodded, slowly and resignedly. "I know."

Bella leaned into him. "Please don't think I'm making excuses, or that I'm relieved, Edward. This pushes everything back for us, but it's the right thing to do."

Edward opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly he went rigid, his head snapping around. His eyes met mine, cornering me where I stood, and Bella followed his gaze, gasping softly as she saw me there.

"Elisa!"

"No!" My voice was louder than hers, and she instantly quieted. "You can't do this! You can't postpone the wedding!" In a moment they were at my side, speaking reassurances that I didn't want. I pushed Bella's comforting hands away, my voice growing louder despite my efforts to stay calm. "Please, listen to me! I don't want you to do this! You have to get married! I've gotten in your way enough already… I won't stop your wedding too! Please!"

"Elisa, calm down. Bella and I are still getting married. A few months won't make a difference." Edward's voice was quiet and calm.

I could not be soothed. My voice was louder than ever as my thin layer of self-control began to snap, and suddenly more figures were filling the hallway, Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Alice Emmett, and Rosalie, summoned by my ever more hysterical words.

I turned to the person I thought could help the most. "Alice, tell them! Tell them they can't throw away all of your hard work, that they have to get married just like you planned! Please tell them!"

Alice shook her head, her face sad, but resigned. "I understand their reasoning, Elisa. Everything will be fine. It's just a few more months, like Edward said."

"No, it's not!" My voice was raising to a scream. "It's not fine, it's not alright! Everything is just misery, and confusion, and pain, and death and this is the only thing in this world that makes sense to me!" I turned to Edward and Bella. "I already pulled you apart once. Don't let me do it again!"

Esme pushed her way past everyone in the hallway and put her motherly arms around my shoulder. "Elisa, you're overwrought. Let's get you upstairs so that you can rest."

"Not until they tell me that they're still getting married just like they're supposed to!" I dug my feet into the ground determinedly, and then turned back to Alice. "I can help you, Alice. I'll do anything you want… address invitations, arrange flowers, make the food, I don't care. Just give me a job and I'll do it. It's better than just sitting around here like a useless waste of space. Please!"

Alice's face was doubtful now. Behind her, Carlisle looked thoughtful as he gazed at Edward and Bella.

"Elisa may just have a point, you two. Maybe going ahead with the wedding is just what all of us need. Life goes on, and Elisa is a part of ours now. If we stop everything on her behalf, she'll never adjust. Helping Alice with the wedding could be the best thing for her right now."

Bella looked at me. "Elisa, are you sure?"

I nodded, wiping away the stray tears that had leaked from my eyes. "Absolutely."

Bella looked at Edward now and smiled tremulously, tears shining in her own eyes. "I guess we're getting married."

Edward's answering smile was like a beam of light in the dark hallway, and then his eyes reached my face. "Thank you, Elisa."

I shook my head. "No… thank you." I turned to Alice. "What do you want me to start with?"

Alice laughed now, the tension broken. "And I thought I was eager… thank you, Elisa, but what I want you to do right now is rest. You're shaking. Tomorrow will be soon enough. Don't worry… I have tons for you to do."

Defeated, I let Esme lead me back upstairs to Alice's room, realizing as I went that I really was exhausted, so much so that I felt dizzy. Jasper had dosed me with uber relaxation vibes downstairs, and I felt them working as we walked, causing me to stumble as I reached the room. Esme helped me into the striped pink pajamas Alice had bought for me, then tucked me into the comfortable, king-sized bed. She sat with me for several minutes as I allowed my eyes to close and my breathing slow.

I kept my eyes peacefully closed as I heard her quietly creep out of the room. I didn't open them until I was sure she wasn't coming right back. Then I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, and walked to the large window.

It was amazing, the difference in the sky here. It was dark now, but the clouds had scattered, and the stars were brilliantly scattered diamonds gleaming in the black sky, so much brighter and distinct than I'd ever seen them in San Diego. The moon hung low tonight, full, round, and brilliant… more incandescent than ever, yet the same as the moon I'd been fascinated by every night since I'd been a child.

Standing here, surrounded by the universe's greatest majesty, I could not recall my bitterness, although the pain was still crushing. The moon that looked over me was the same moon that my family saw when they looked into the sky. I had to believe that. We'd been separated by destiny, but the bonds between us, the love, that would always hold us together. I wished I could tell them that, that I could reach out and touch them and let them know that I was going to be alright, that it hadn't hurt, that I had no regrets about how things had been between us. Most of all, I wished I could tell my father what was keeping my heart beating, what would make me continue to fight.

That no matter how it had ended, it had still been the best day ever.

Chapter Text

Elisa

Absently, I stirred the contents of the bowl Esme had set before me, occasionally fishing a piece of fruit out of the yogurt and forcing myself to swallow it, despite the fact that my stomach was as unwilling to accept food as it had been the day before. Every few minutes, I surreptitiously raised my eyes to look over my shoulder at Carlisle, who I could clearly see through the open doorway to the dining room. Each time I looked at him, he was still seated at the dining room table, seemingly absorbed in his paper, but I was positive that whenever I looked away, he was watching me. Probably waiting for the signs of my inevitable, irreversible mental breakdown. I couldn't really blame him for being concerned.

I was trying as hard as I could to hold myself together, but I'd woken up screaming twice the night before. It was almost too strange to realize that I'd once loved to sleep, and to dream. I thought of the nights I'd rushed to my room to lose myself in a book before drifting off, and all those weekend and summer mornings where I did nothing more than snuggle inside my warm sheets, perfectly content to stay in my nocturnal world for as long as possible. It seemed like a lifetime ago, which of course, it really was.

Esme walked past me with a fresh bowl of water for Mr. Giggles. He was right behind her as she set it down. She reached a tentative hand towards him, testing the waters, but her attempts at peacemaking were useless. Mr. Giggles hissed, then sprang, obviously having no problem whatsoever with biting the hand that fed him. Esme grimaced slightly, unhurt but offended, as she stood up and reached for his cat food.

"I'll do that, Esme." I chirped, sliding off the kitchen stool and coming over to take the bag from her hand.

Esme was not fooled by my light tone. Her eyebrows raised. "Is that your way of saying that you're done eating?" she asked, looking at my still half-full bowl on the counter.

I smiled apologetically and she smiled back. "It's alright. We'll just keep trying." For a moment she was quiet as she watched me fill Mr. Giggles' bowl, then kneel down to stroke his fur as he ate hungrily. When she spoke again, her voice was hesitant.

"Mrs. Haversham called this morning. She thinks she'll be able to pick up Mr. Giggles in a day or two. She and her husband are negotiating to buy the Marshes' property. The Marshes are moving to Florida—their birds will do better in the climate."

For a moment I was still, thinking about how soon I'd lose my feline companion. A small lump formed in my throat, but I swallowed it away impatiently. It was better for Mr. Giggles—despite being completely spoiled by his reluctant caretakers, he hated it here. I was the only person in the house he could tolerate. He didn't even like Bella, but that was probably because she didn't seem too fond of him, either. Scratching him under the chin, I looked up at Esme.

"That's good. He'll be happier at home. It's for the best."

Esme looked sad for me, but she nodded. "Mrs. Haversham also asked about you. She's been very worried."

"She's not the only one." I jumped as Carlisle's voice sounded next to me. I hadn't even heard him come into the kitchen. "Mrs. Haversham was not discreet about her encounter with you the other day. The whole town knows you're here. I had to come up with a convincing cover story."

He looked at me carefully. "Everyone believes that your family was killed in a car accident a little over a month ago. I told them that you'd been sent to live with some of your mother's relatives, but you were unhappy and ran away, and now I'm taking over your guardianship. I think all of Forks is heartbroken on your behalf. You should see what people have sent over to the hospital for me to take home to you… you have a very large collection of stuffed animals, not to mention the flowers and candy. I'll have to try to get it all in the car tonight."

I tried to push away the pain that ripped through me at the mention of my family, forcing myself to concentrate only on the rest of his sentence. "That's um… really nice of them," I mumbled.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, then Esme broke it. "Elisa, please sit back down and at least finish your juice." She urged me, her eyes anxious. Obediently I went back to the counter and forced myself to sip at the tall glass of orange juice she offered me. As I drank, Esme and Carlisle disappeared back into the next room, probably to talk about me where I couldn't overhear. I sighed.

My feet kicked the stool lightly as I swung them back and forth, anxious for another distraction. Alice and Bella were upstairs, going over last minute details for the bridesmaids' gowns, but Alice had promised she'd bring down the invitations for me to begin addressing soon. It was the perfect job for me, mindless, repetitive, and not too demanding… it should be easy to lose myself in the work and daydreams of Edward and Bella's wedding day. I hoped there was a lot of them for me to do.

My attention was suddenly caught by a strange sound… the noise of a low growl just outside the kitchen doorway. I jumped, looking for the source, but the sound was too playful for me to be very frightened. "Emmett?" I looked around, but the doorway was empty.

The growl sounded again and then suddenly a giant, brown stuffed bear filled the doorway, Emmett holding it so that the top half obscured his face and chest. "Remember me, Elisa?" he spoke in a laughing snarl. "I've come to finish what I started back in the forest!"

Unable to help myself, I began to giggle. The sound felt strange, almost blasphemous, but I laughed anyway as Emmett lowered the bear to reveal his large grin.

"So do you like it?" he asked as he entered the room and offered the bear to me.

"I love it!" I announced, hugging the bear to my chest.

To my surprise, Rosalie was right behind Emmett, following him into the room. He turned to her, still smiling. "See, angel? I told you she wouldn't be scared. This kid is tougher than she looks."

Hesitantly I looked at Rosalie, and the look on her face surprised me. I thought I'd see her usually chilly expression, perhaps even anger or hostility, but instead she was looking at me apprehensively, almost nervously, as if she expected me to lash out at her in some way. Bewildered, I gave her a small smile, and for a moment she looked stunned before her face went impassive once more.

"Good morning, Elisa." Her voice was careful.

"Good morning, Rosalie." My response was just as cautious.

The awkward silence didn't last for long. Several sets of footprints sounded, and Bella and Edward came into the kitchen, followed closely by Alice and Jasper.

"Here you go!" Alice announced as I looked at her hopefully. She handed me a small box filled to the brim with invitations, a roll of stamps, and a computer printout. "The invitations and the name and address list. Feel free to make yourself useful."

I beamed at her as I carried my bounty from the kitchen counter to the dining room table, where I could spread out a bit. "Thanks, Alice! Do you have a—" My words were cut off as Edward handed me a shiny, ballpoint pen. Mind readers… could they never let a person finish a sentence?

"Thank you," I said and he smiled at me.

"Are you sure you want to get into the middle of this, Elisa? Alice wasn't kidding when she said there was a lot to do… she'll run you ragged if you let her."

That was exactly what I wanted. Anything to keep my mind busy enough to not go over and over all the agonizing memories that pierced my soul. I knew thinking this was enough of an answer for him, and I didn't reply. He nodded his head just a tiny bit, to let me know he understood.

Everyone had followed the three of us into the dining room, and they gathered around as I opened the box of invitations, then carefully spread out the address sheet, prepared to get right to work. I looked up at Bella and smiled at her as I uncapped the pen.

"I'm sorry about my temper tantrum last night," I told her as she watched me begin to write. "I didn't mean to get so upset, but I am really glad you and Edward didn't have to postpone the wedding again. You've waited so long already."

Bella's answering smile faded into a look of confusion. "Again? What do you mean?"

I shrugged as I double checked the spelling of the name on the first invitation. "You know… I thought you would have been married and off in Alaska or wherever by now. What happened to put it off for so long, anyway?" I remembered something that Mrs. Haversham had said on the day that I'd… I cut myself off before I could think the word. The day that I had come back to Forks, I amended to myself, and then looked up at Bella and Edward with wide eyes. "It's June again? You had to wait a whole year? Why?"

Everyone was staring at me with familiar, bewildered expressions on their face, and I started to tense. What had I said now?

"Elisa…" Edward stared at me. "What in the world makes you think a year has passed since you've seen us?"

He could hear the answer in my thoughts before I spoke, and his eyes widened. "I don't believe it." He stared at me, his eyes taking every inch of me in like he'd never seen me before, and they got even wider. "I truly don't believe it."

"What?" several voices demanded at once.

Edward turned to face the rest of the group. "Look at her," he demanded. "Really look. I should have noticed before, but with everything else…" He gazed at me again and then turned back. "She's older. The change in height is small, but it's there. Her hair is longer… her body is different. Time has passed for her… far more time than has passed for us."

I dropped my pen as I stared back at him. "What are you talking about? Time has passed… it's been months!" I looked at their stunned expressions and gasped. "It hasn't? How long has it been for you since I was here?" I demanded.

Bella shook her head. "Elisa, it hasn't been months. You were here… what, a week ago?" She looked at Edward for confirmation.

"Eleven days today," he corrected. Behind him, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice all nodded, still staring at me.

I stared back as the pen fell from my lifeless fingers and rolled on the table. What was going on? Just when I was starting to feel the slightest bit at ease, everything got weird again. Why did this keep happening?

"How long has it been for you, Elisa?" Carlisle asked, and I jumped a mile again at his presence. I hadn't noticed that he and Esme were there.

I moistened my lips before I answered. "About six months." My voice was suddenly hoarse. "Everything's different than it was last time I was here. It's September back home. I recovered from my car accident, I'm a sophomore now, Colby turned twelve… My dad and I worked things out, I have new friends, I…" I couldn't continue. I stared back down at the tabletop.

"I'd wondered about your accident." Carlisle mused. "I had assumed you weren't hurt as badly as we feared… that you'd just suffered a period of unconsciousness. I take it that wasn't the case."

I shook my head, and then detailed my multiple injuries, and the months that it took to recover from them. "It was horrible," I finished. "But better than being dead." My voice was bitter now and I felt ashamed of it. "Sorry," I mumbled sheepishly.

Carlisle shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Elisa."

Esme was staring at him, along with everyone else. "Carlisle, what does this all mean?"

Carlisle shook his head, looking perturbed. "Again, I don't know. Why Elisa's here, why there is so much difference in the passage of time, all of it is a mystery to me." He sighed. "I can theorize all day… perhaps time simply moves differently in her reality. Perhaps she's here at this point because this is the time she wanted to come back to. I just don't know… I don't think we'll ever have the answers."

I wasn't paying attention any longer. I didn't want to think about it any more. Carlisle was right… we'd never know for sure. I was already close enough to crazy without letting all the unanswered questions swirl around in my head unchecked. I pulled the box of invitations back towards me, deliberately shutting out anything else as I began to write once more. I could feel several pairs of eyes watching me, gauging my reactions, but I ignored them.

Seeming to accept my clear dismissal, the room began to clear as one by one or two by two, they left. Emmett and Esme both patted my head before they walked out. I appreciated the kind gesture, but I was beginning to feel like someone's pet dog. The weight of their pity pressed in on me, and I hated it. Plus it made me feel guilty… none of this was their problem, and now they were stuck with me and all my weirdness.

I tried to force it all out of my mind, but unbidden, it crept back to the conversation I'd just had, and then before that, to my last trip to Forks and my accident. Would it have hurt less if I'd simply never woken up? If I'd never answered my parents' pleas, if I hadn't gone home? If I had known then what I knew now, that I only had months left to live regardless, would I have chosen differently when Esme asked me to stay?

The answer was immediate, springing to mind before I'd even finished forming the question. I would have gone back. There was no doubt… I would not trade the last six months I'd had with my family for any treasure in the universe. The thought that I could have missed a moment of it, that I would never have had that final perfect day with my father, made me dizzy. I couldn't have left things the way they were. It would have made everything so much worse; there would have been so many regrets, so much left unsaid.

Still, it was horrible enough as it was. I tried not to think about it, but the images would not stop coming. How had they felt, my parents, when I didn't come home on time? Had they been worried or had they chalked it up to a return of my typical irresponsibility? And when the knock at the door came, when they saw the police there, how had they taken the news? I closed my eyes, seeing my mother fall to the floor, hearing her screams, the high-pitched sobs of my brother and the hoarser ones of my father. What had I done to them? We were supposed to be on vacation right now, celebrating the new life in our family, and instead, they must be planning my funeral.

And Nancy… had Nancy lived, or had Scott turned the gun on her next? If she survived, did she blame herself? I wanted so badly to tell her it wasn't her fault. She hadn't done anything wrong… all she'd wanted was to protect her daughter. She had tried to protect me as well. If I had just stayed hidden, I would still be alive.

And my friends, how had they taken the news? Were Michelle and Rae sorry that things had been so tense between us? I didn't want their regret either. Ever since my accident, we'd drifted apart, but we'd been friends since the sixth grade. I wanted them to remember the good times… there had been so many of them, all night gossip sessions, whispering about boys, shopping together, movies, dances… that's what I would hold on to, not the silly jealousy and pettiness that came later.

And what of everyone else? There were so many people my death would affect… I could see some of them so clearly, Mark and Vanessa, arms entwined around each other's black-clad waists, tears mingling together as they watched my coffin being lowered into the ground. I'd probably be Vanessa's new cause now… I could see her making posters and t-shirts emblazoned with my face, so she could show people what a person who got caught in the crossfire looked like. She would not allow me to be forgotten. The thought was strangely comforting. Vanessa would make sure I hadn't died in vain… through her, maybe my death would save someone else.

Still, it wasn't enough… it would never be enough. The bitterness was back, the sheer unfairness of it all filling my chest and throat, suffocating me. I could feel the dampness on my face now as the tears slid out from under my closed eyelids, and I hurriedly pushed the invitations away before I could splot and ruin them. Impatiently, I wiped my eyes, forcing myself to take deep breaths, until I was positive I had myself under control. Then I pulled the invitations back towards me.

I would think of nothing but each letter that I was writing, making sure each i was dotted, each e neatly written, every stroke perfection. As long as I had this, as long as there was one perfect, magical day in the future to look forward to, one day where goodness and love would win out over evil and justice, then there was hope. I would be able to believe in miracles once more… I would survive.

And with that thought fixed in my mind, I lowered my head and began to write once more.

Chapter Text

Bella

Edward had been very quiet since he'd escorted me out of the kitchen and outside, back to the covered patio where we'd been the day that Elisa had returned to us so unexpectedly.

It was still unseasonably cold, but for once the sun was shining here and there, lighting up the ground in patches and providing a tiny bit of warmth where it landed. I inhaled, enjoying the fresh smells of the grass and trees. For the moment I was content to just lean against him, enjoying the quiet — no interruptions, no decisions to make, just the two of us, together. The way I wanted it to be, always.

Edward sighed, his hands tangling themselves in my hair, and I wondered suddenly if he was still upset about the other night. He'd tried to hide it, but when I'd asked him to give me some time to myself after the argument with Rosalie, it had hurt him. Our time together later on had been full of awkward silences and unasked questions.

I knew he thought I was having doubts about our future, about my decision, about whether turning me immortal was the right thing to do. He was both right and wrong.

The wedding… well, that was always going to be a difficult one for me. I couldn't quite explain why myself. I knew my prejudice was silly, that it was such a little thing in comparison to everything else, but still, the concept was unnerving.

But what was coming after — the end of my mortal life, and the beginning of my immortal one — about that, I had no doubts. Edward would not believe that. He had doubts enough himself about what he thought he was doing to me. He would not be able to understand the certainty of my choice, that I really had considered all the options, all the consequences, and that I understood what I was giving up.

What he didn't understand most of all was what I was getting in return. Him… forever. Did he not realize what that meant to me, how much he fulfilled me?

What was bothering me though, more than the wedding, more than Edward's doubts, more than the fear of what my decision would cost the people I loved and had to leave behind, was what all that said about me.

Rosalie's words to me the other night had only brought out the fears I had quashed deep down. From the minute I'd set eyes on Edward, I'd never wanted anything else, to the exclusion of my friends, my family, my hopes, and dreams. He trumped it all — he was the stars, and moon in my world, and I would give up anything, walk over anyone, make any decision, in order to keep it that way.

Jacob was proof of that. Even Edward was being hurt by my decisions. I was forcing him to do something that he believed so strongly was wrong. What kind of person was I, really?

Next to me, Edward winced slightly, and I turned to him, alarmed. For the teensiest fraction of a second I worried that he had guessed my thoughts as I saw the pain on his face, and guilt seized my heart.

"Edward, what is it?"

Edward shook his head slightly, then smiled down at me, the pain easing.

"It's alright, Bella. It's just…" he sighed. "…Elisa."

"Oh." I realized that he had been listening to her thoughts. Whatever she was thinking, it had to have been pretty awful for him to look like that.

"I feel so badly for her… maybe you should send Jasper to her."

Edward shook his head. "No. There's no way around the pain… she can't skip this part. She has to go through it. I'm monitoring her — if it gets too bad, I'll know."

He exhaled again, and I watched the shadows under his eyes darken. It made me realize, more than ever, what a burden his 'gift' was. Elisa would suffer the loss of her family and her life, and Edward, because he couldn't close his mind, and Jasper, who couldn't close his heart, would suffer right along with her.

It was too much. I didn't know how they could handle it. I wondered if I could ever be that strong, and then hoped, selfishly, that I would never have to find out. My own pain was enough to shoulder — how could I ever deal with someone else's?

"There you are."

We both turned as the glass door slid open behind, then Emmett and Rosalie were there. For a minute, there was silence as the four of us surveyed each other. Rosalie and I hadn't spoken since the confrontation — was she here now to hurl a few more painful truths my way?

"Go on, Rosalie." Emmett urged her after a moment. I wondered if he was forcing her to speak to us.

Rosalie sighed and then lifted her head to look at me. "I wanted to say something about the other night, Bella." She was quiet as I froze, then continued. "I won't apologize for what I said, or take it back. I meant it — every word. What I will apologize for is how I said it. I should not have unloaded on you like that… I could have found a better way and time."

"It's alright, Rosalie, really. You don't have to apologize for anything." I told her, glad my voice didn't shake as I spoke.

Next to me, Edward's fingers curled, then tightened, around mine.

Rosalie shrugged, her expression cooling. "However you feel about me, Bella, I hope you think about everything I've told you. Once the deed is done, it's done. Don't come crying to me afterwards once you've realized I was right all along."

Edward growled, low in his throat, and I looked at him in alarm. "Edward, don't."

He ignored me, stepping forward to glower at his sister. "Some apology. You and me are long overdue for a serious conversation."

Rosalie glared right back at him fiercely, and then she was bumped out of the way as Emmett stepped between them. His face was smooth, but his voice was tense, warning, as he spoke.

"Back up off my girl, Edward."

"I will… once she learns to keep her mouth shut about matters that are none of her concern." Edward snarled back.

Emmett's eyes flared and he grabbed Edward, pulling him forward as the angry noises from both of them intensified.

"Stop!" I cried, trying to step in between them, but suddenly Alice and Jasper were there.

I felt the soothing vibes wash over all of us, but it wasn't fast enough for Alice. Her arms were a blur as they shot out, and suddenly Edward and Emmett were thrown apart, both of them bouncing back several feet.

"We don't have time for this!" Her voice was furious. "Emmett, Rosalie is more than capable of taking care of herself. Edward, you can't protect Bella from everything. If you two are so anxious for a good fight, step right up. I'll kick the urge out of both of you!"

For a moment, Edward and Emmett glared at each other, and Alice, from across the patio. Then Emmett relaxed first, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Simmer down, Alice. I've had my ass beat by women enough since I've joined this family. My male pride can't take much more." He looked at Edward and his lips quirked. "I suppose we should let the ladies work this one out for themselves, right, brother?"

I could tell by the tense set of Edward's jaw as he looked at Rosalie that he had no intention of staying out of this one, but he nodded anyway. "Whatever you say, Emmett." He held out his hand. "Sorry I lost it for a moment there."

Emmett slapped his palm jovially, never one to hold a grudge. "Makes life fun, a little tension now and then." He looked at Jasper and Alice. "What's up with you two?"

Jasper looked back and forth between all of us, as if making sure he had our full attention. "We need to talk about Elisa. About what we're going to do with her."

I frowned, confused. "Esme said she was staying."

Jasper sighed. "We all know that's what Esme wants. But is it really what's best?"

I shook my head. "I don't understand."

Edward's cool fingers touched my face and I looked at him. His eyes were wary as he looked back at me. "Bella, Elisa would be better off with a human family, people that can give her a normal life. As long as she's with us, she's in danger. Accidents happen — no one should know that better than you."

My eyes began to fill with angry tears. "That was then. All of you were able to become accustomed to being around me… there hasn't been a slip like that in a long, long time. You can do the same for Elisa."

Jasper looked almost angry now. "One mistake is one too many, Bella. You're different. Elisa is too much of a risk for us to take."

"How can you say that?" Emmett's voice was back to angry now. "Where exactly do you expect her to go? She doesn't have anyone else!"

Jasper looked at him coldly. "There are organizations set up to take care of this kind of situation. Social Services, foster homes…"

"They'll ask too many questions." Rosalie spoke now. "How would we ever explain where she came from?"

Jasper shrugged, his eyes still cold. "We don't. We won't be here to ask." He looked back at me and Edward. "We're leaving anyway… we all know our time in Forks is up. It will just be a little sooner. I know this will mess things up for you two, but you can get married anywhere. The sooner we deal with this problem, the better."

"You make me sick." Emmett spat in disgust. "After all she's been through, you want to dump her on strangers and run. Can you imagine what that would do to her, being forced on people she doesn't know and passed from home to home?"

"Do you think I like this?" Jasper's voice was rising now, the sound of it hurting my ears. "I'm not as indifferent as you believe, Emmett! I feel everything that girl is feeling, and it is pure misery. I know how much it will hurt her, but at least she'll be alive and safe. She'll have a chance at a future."

"Her future is with us!" Emmett barked back.

"Alice…" I turned to her. "You're not going to go along with this, are you? Emmett's right… Elisa's been through too much already. This would kill her!"

Alice looked miserably sad at my words, but she didn't reply. She just shook her head, her eyes downcast.

I looked at Edward now, my eyes pleading. "Edward, we owe her. Please."

Edward looked like he was hurting all over again. "You're right, Bella. We do owe her. We owe her better than this. If it was just us that was the obstacle, that would be something we could overcome. But it's not. There's the Volturi to consider. They made a big exception in your situation. They will not do so again. If they discover her with us, that she knows our secrets, they'll kill her without a moment's hesitation. And then there's…"

He broke off suddenly, his eyes haunted.

"What?" I demanded. "What were you going to say?"

Edward closed his eyes for a moment, then forced the words past his lips. "There's you, Bella."

"Me?" My voice was sharp. "What about me?"

Edward looked like he couldn't believe I was forcing him to say it out loud. The worry was in his eyes, fear of the impact his words would have on me.

"In less than two months, Bella, you will be a ravenous, insatiable newborn. Elisa can't be anywhere near you. If she stays…" He let the words trail off but I understood now what he meant.

If Elisa stayed, we couldn't. There would be no greater danger to her fragile life than me.

"Well, that does make a difference, doesn't it?" The disgust was in my voice now, the anger at myself rising and boiling over. "Beautiful… just beautiful. Because of me, Elisa will have to lose another family. I can't believe you ever feared that you would make me into a monster, Edward. I already am one."

I looked away to hide my burning eyes.

Edward flinched, his arms going around me. "Don't you ever say that, Bella."

"Don't placate me, Edward!" I shook off his arm angrily and he looked at me with wounded eyes. "Stop pretending I'm so much better than I am! You can't keep me up on a pedestal the way you want to. If you keep trying, I have to wonder if you really know the person you're so eager to shackle yourself to for all of eternity!"

The anguish streaked across Edward's face at my words, and immediately, I felt sick, wishing I could take them back.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I went to him, putting my arms around his waist and my head against his stony chest. "I just… I can't believe Elisa can't stay because of me. It's so wrong."

"There has to be another way." Emmett spoke up again, a muscle twitching near his jaw. "We've got to figure something out. We can't abandon her like this."

My head jerked up and I looked at him. "What if—"

I stopped immediately. I could not say the words that had sprang, unbidden, to my lips. But everyone was looking at me curiously now, waiting for me to continue. I warned myself to stay silent regardless, but my heedless mouth was already open, speaking against my will.

"What if she wants to be a vampire too?"

Edward froze immediately. "No." His voice was flat, absolute. "It will never happen."

"She's too young." Alice agreed.

Jasper nodded his head. "It's impossible," he said quietly.

Across the patio, Rosalie was glaring at me furiously now, looking angrier with me than I'd ever seen her look before, and automatically I took a step back, not wanting to look into her ferocious eyes any longer.

"You're right," I whispered. "She is too young."

I pictured Elisa in my mind. Fifteen was young enough, but between her small stature and delicate features, she didn't even look that old. If she were changed now, she'd be almost as cursed as Alec and Jane, forced to wander around in a near child's form forever.

Oh, she'd be exquisite, I had no doubt about that, with her sweet face and flowing blonde hair, like a tiny fairy princess come to life. But she'd never be able to pass for more than sixteen at the most, and that would be with a big stretch of the imagination. Unless we pretended she was a child prodigy, she wouldn't even be able to go to college. The Cullens would have to move far more often, to keep anyone from growing suspicious. What kind of life would that be for her?

And yet, the stubborn idea would not leave my mind. "What if that's what she'd prefer?" The traitorous words kept coming. "Instead of being cast off on strangers, alone and friendless in a whole new world, what if she were willing to pay that price in order to stay? Shouldn't she have the choice?"

"No!" Rosalie's cry trumped everyone else. She staggered towards me, her beautiful face livid. Emmett restrained her before she reached me, but her angry words poured out regardless.

"What is wrong with you that you would even think such a thing? It's bad enough that you want to throw your own life away, now you want to encourage Elisa to die again to make it more convenient for you to have everything you ever wanted? It is out of the question!"

I could tell by the dark disapproval in Edward's face as he looked at me that he agreed with Rosalie for once, but nevertheless, he turned to her, his own eyes sparking.

"As I recall, Rosalie, the last time Elisa was here you weren't so concerned with her mortality. In fact, you were ready to snap her neck and dump her body in the woods because it was more convenient for us." His voice was harsh as he threw her own words back at her. "At least Bella wants her to have some kind of a life."

His voice quieted and he turned to me. "Bella, you know we can't do that to Elisa. I don't have to explain to you why. Even if she wanted it, even if she begged, she is far too young to make that kind of decision. You may understand the consequences, but your maturity level and hers are light years apart. Don't put that idea into her head… you'll be starting something you can't ever take back."

Defeated, I nodded. "You're right. I know you are. I'm so sorry I even said it. It's just that she's lost so much…" I couldn't finish my sentence as the guilt rose up to choke me. "It's going to be so hard to let her go."

"I can't listen to this any more." Emmett straightened up, scowling. Like Rosalie, he looked angrier than I'd ever seen him before, but for far different reasons, I was sure.

"I'm not afraid of the Volturi! If they want a fight we could give them one. And we can make arrangements for Bella to be far away for a few years. The fact that none of you want to consider the options, that you all just want to take the easy way out… I won't be a part of this. I've never been so disappointed in any of you. Ever."

With that, he turned, and was gone, just a streak of motion headed towards the forest. Rosalie gave me a final scathing look and then she was gone too, dashing after him.

"Well." Edward broke the tense silence after a moment. "I'd never thought I'd see the day that Emmett would be at a human's mercy, but I have to say, Elisa's got him firmly wrapped around her small, mortal finger. He's very attached to her."

My arms tightened around my chest. "You're not making this any easier," I grumbled, turning away. "Now I have to feel guilty about hurting Emmett too?"

"Bella, none of this is your fault." Edward's voice was low, but fierce. "Don't do this to yourself, I'm begging you."

I opened my mouth to respond but suddenly Alice gasped, the sound alarming on the now quiet patio. Instantly, Jasper was at her side, and Edward was staring at her anxiously.

"Oh, perfect!" Alice's face was wrinkled in disgust now. "Just what we needed…"

She turned her head and inhaled, and her perfect features grew even more irritated. At the same time, Edward and Jasper's heads turned in the same direction, and they also breathed in, their faces mirroring the disgust on hers.

"What is it?" I asked. I was getting so tired of being the last one to know anything. "What's going on — what did she see?"

Edward looked down at me, and his expression was suddenly inscrutable.

"She didn't see anything. She's gone blind."

"Why?" I demanded, my heart both sinking and rising, already knowing the reason.

"Because, Bella…" Edward looked again at the forest and sighed. "The wolves are here."

Chapter Text

Edward:

As the four of us made our way purposefully through the house towards the main room, there was a rush of motion and suddenly Rosalie and Emmett were on either side of us.

"We saw them too, in the forest," Emmett told me gruffly, his face even more tense than before. "The whole pack is out in force. They came right up behind us on their way to border the house. This is way over the line. It violates the treaty. What the hell do they think they're doing, declaring war?" He cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"No." I inclined my head toward the front door, listening to the thoughts I could hear just outside it. "They think we're the ones breaking the treaty. They're here to put a stop to it."

"What are you talking about?" Bella's eyes were wide, and I knew what she was thinking.

Carlisle and Esme were joining us now. Carlisle's eyes met mine, then turned to Bella. He didn't need to be able to read my mind to know what I was referring to.

"They haven't come because of you, Bella," he told her quietly. "It's Elisa. We knew this was a possibility when word got out that she was here."

Understanding dawned on Bella's face. "They think she's in danger… from all of you."

Carlisle nodded. "We just have to stay calm, and talk this out with them. As long as no one loses their head, there is no reason this should go any further." He shot a warning look at Rosalie and Emmett, then turned back to me. "Is Sam going to speak for them?"

"Yes." I nodded. "He's coming now. The other wolves will stay back, in the forest. They're waiting for the signal to fight or disperse. And—" My eyes widened. This was unexpected. "He's not coming in alone."

"Who—" Bella didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as the doorbell rang. Esme turned and moved like lightning towards the back of the house. I knew she was heading to the dining room, to find Elisa and tell her of our guests, and to protect her if necessary.

As Carlisle moved towards the front door, Bella stared at me with wide eyes. I knew what she was thinking without having to ask—that Jacob would be the one to come through the door with Sam. If I were to tell her she was wrong, would she be relieved… or disappointed?

"Welcome, Sam." Carlisle's voice was calm, as always, as he opened the door. "And Emily… I must say this is a surprise, but a pleasure. Please, come in." His manners were as polite as if this were a completely ordinary social call.

Sam and Emily exchanged wary looks, then they followed Carlisle down the hallway, reluctance and apprehension in every step. As Sam kept a protective arm around his fiancée, I noted the rigid tension in his frame. The tremors were there… barely visible, as Sam was a master of keeping himself under control, but it was a thin line between man and wolf as he found himself in the lion's den, every instinct screaming at him to fight, to protect the woman he loved from his enemy… us.

"You know why we're here." Sam's voice was blunt, not bothering with the niceties. "The news is all over town. You have another mortal here." His face was cold with anger. "We both know she's not your niece, so let's not play games. What have you done with her?"

"Hello, Sam, Emily." I stepped forward to emulate Carlisle's polite greeting, ignoring Sam's hostile opening. "I must admit we expected to be hearing from you soon, Sam, but Emily… I never thought you'd bring her here."

Emily gave me a dark look, but her voice was careful as she spoke. "I made him bring me. We heard that the poor girl lost her family. I thought… well, some things need to be handled with a little bit more… sensitivity." She gave Sam a small, apologetic smile, but her ravaged face was determined. Sam was definitely unhappy to have her in what he considered was such a vulnerable position, but he'd been helpless to do anything but concede to her demands. I couldn't help but smile inside… in some ways we were very much alike. We both had superior strength and power beyond measure, but one well-chosen word from the supposedly weak human women we loved could bring us to our knees, every single time.

"Of course, the story about her family could be a complete lie," Sam said now. "Just a way to cover up your real intentions for her. I'm going to ask you again—what have you done with her?"

"Elisa has not been harmed in any way." Carlisle held up his hand at the angry hisses from Emmett and Rosalie, warning them to stay calm and quiet. "And although you are quite correct about her not being my niece, as you well know, the story about her family is true. They're gone. Elisa has no one else. That is why we've taken her in."

Sam scoffed loudly. "Generous of you. The Vampire Home For Wayward Children, is it? Exactly how stupid do you think we are, Cullen? We have been more than patient with you. We have fought at your side, we have trusted you in ways unfathomable to our ancestors. We have even chosen to look the other way regarding your plans for Bella Swan, on behalf of Jacob and Charlie. We will not allow you to have another human. You have tested the limits of our tolerance for the last time!" He glared at Carlisle, and I stepped forward now to stand next to my father.

"There are extenuating circumstances of which you are not aware, Sam. I know you are not interested in the details. The important thing, for both of us, should be Elisa's well-being, and I will repeat that she has not been harmed in any way, nor will she be." Carlisle's voice was still unruffled, but the wariness was there now as he waited for Sam's response.

"We'd like to see that for ourselves, if you don't mind." Sam's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Where is she?"

The tension in the room was thick. Alice and Jasper stood back, keeping Bella between them, with Rosalie and Emmett nearby. At Sam's question, Emmett growled angrily, low in his chest, and I shot him a warning glance. If he lost it now, the fragile peace would be irreparably broken. As it was, we were walking the tightrope already.

Carlisle paused for just a moment, then turned towards the back of the house. "Esme, bring Elisa, if you would."

A few seconds later, quiet footsteps sounded, and Esme appeared, her face reluctant. By her side, Elisa watched our visitors as she came forward, her face both cautious and curious. I immediately ascertained from her thoughts that she knew exactly who—and what—Sam was, and who Emily was as well, and it wasn't because of what Esme had told her. It was just another example of her shocking, deeply disconcerting well of knowledge about us.

Carlisle went to escort Elisa the rest of the way into the room, and brought her to stand before Sam and Emily. "Sam, Emily, this is Elisa. Elisa, Sam and Emily have come to check on you." His voice encouraged her, and she moved forward, extending her hand politely. Sam pressed it quickly, then dropped it, his eyes touring over her carefully. Emily was more forward. She clutched Elisa's hand in both of her own. "I'm so glad to meet you, sweetheart." Her twisted mouth formed a smile. "We've heard about your loss… I am so sorry."

Elisa flinched slightly, but she forced herself to smile back at Emily. "Thank you." Her voice was quiet.

Carlisle turned back towards Sam and Emily. "As you can see, she's in perfect health… and completely human. She will remain that way. I hope this addresses your concerns." His manner was still flawless, but his voice hinted at a dismissal, and I tensed, knowing that this was the defining moment, the time when Sam would decide whether this battle was worth fighting.

"Not so fast." Sam's words were a near growl. "Just because she's fine now doesn't mean she won't turn up dead later… or worse. What guarantee do we have that you will not harm her? She can't be your next meal, nor will we allow you to turn her head with dreams of being young and strong forever. We can't accept this… the girl cannot stay here."

"Excuse me!" Elisa's indignant voice spoke up before anyone else could, and I braced myself for what she might say. "'The girl' is standing right here, and as much as I enjoy being talked about like I'm not in the room, I'd like to have a say in this. First of all, the Cullens would never, ever hurt me. I've been here for days. They could have killed me a million times over by now and headed to Siberia without you ever knowing what happened if that's what they wanted. As for turning my head, not only have they not offered to bite me, but I don't even want to be a vampire!"

Startled, my head whipped towards her voluntarily, and it was not the only one. Nearly everyone in the room was staring in surprise. Rosalie and Bella's faces were the most shocked, Rosalie staring at Elisa so hard that her eyes seemed to burn right through her, and Bella first looking at the two of them, and then me, gauging my face warily.

Seeing our reactions, Elisa flushed, looking over at us. "Um… it's not like I think being a vampire is a bad thing." Her voice was pacifying. "It's just that… well…" She didn't finish, blushing more fiercely now.

"It is a bad thing," Sam spat, glaring at her as if she was being purposefully obtuse.

Emily shot him a warning look, then stepped forward. "Elisa, we're very relieved to know that you are alright and that you don't have intentions of…" she hesitated. "…changing that. But you don't really understand what you're doing. The Cullens may not want to hurt you, but it's their nature. You are in danger here, and we can't leave you in this situation. Staying is not an option for you."

Elisa stared at Emily with wide eyes for a moment. "But…" Her voice was hollow now. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

Emily and Sam were quiet for a moment, exchanging a long look as I listened to the nearly identical internal debate each of them was having, then Emily turned back. "If that's the case, then come home with us, Elisa."

"You can't be serious." It was Esme that spoke now, stepping forward. Her face showed rare signs of anger. "Elisa is perfectly safe here, despite what you may want to believe. She's not going anywhere."

Sam looked back at her coldly. "We want to speak to Elisa alone." It wasn't a request, it was a demand, and behind me, Emmett and Rosalie hissed again, angered at his tone.

Carlisle looked at them, his unbreakable patience showing signs of wear for once. They quieted immediately at his warning glance, and he turned back to Emily and Sam. For a moment he was quiet, considering, then he nodded. "I don't have a problem with that." He looked at Elisa. "We will be in the kitchen if you need us." His voice was reassuring.

Elisa clearly did not want to be left alone with the stiff, unapproachable Sam, even if Emily's presence did lighten the mood a bit, but she nodded anyway, watching us file, one by one, down the hallway.

As soon as we entered the dining room, Esme whirled on Carlisle. "Why did you leave her alone with them? Why didn't you just tell them no and send them on their way? You can't possibly be considering letting them take her!"

It was hard to hear the emotion underneath the anger in her tone. Elisa had brought all of Esme's strong maternal instincts to a raging boil. The young girl represented, far more than we, her invincible, immortal children ever could, something that Esme would never have the chance to experience again—motherhood. The chance to raise a human child, to watch her grow, and change. Esme would never have another opportunity like this, and she knew it. I hated the inevitability of her pain.

Carlisle paused before he spoke. "Let's all sit down and discuss this." He indicated the table before us. With a final flare of her eyes, Esme went to her seat, as we all did, Bella sitting down at my side as I reached for her hand.

As soon as everyone was seated, Jasper took advantage of the opportunity. "Esme, I know you don't want Elisa to go, but the werewolves have given us a perfect solution. They are not strangers to Elisa… she knows of them, at the very least. She'll be safe with them. It's better for her… it's better for everyone."

Esme and Emmett both began to object strenuously, but Carlisle held up his hand. "Esme, we know how you feel." His voice was gentle, and he reached for her hand, taking it in his, the long fingers stroking her skin gently. "Emmett, you will all have a chance to speak. Let's keep this as civilized as possible." He turned to Alice, who was seated on his other side. "Alice, what is your opinion?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered finally. "It makes sense. It would be easier if she left. But…" she didn't finish her sentence.

"It should be Elisa's choice!" Bella burst out. "What if she doesn't want to go to La Push? When she was the most vulnerable, she came here. How can we turn her away now?" Her eyes met mine. "I'm sorry, Edward, I know how you feel, but I don't agree. There has to be a way to work this out."

"We've been over this!" Jasper burst out, staring at her hard. "We have to keep our secrets, Bella. Can Elisa do that? What if she let something slip? That's just one of the problems. There's the fact that she smells entirely too much like dinnertime. The inevitable return of the Volturi to deal with. We don't need their wrath coming down on our heads. And then there's you, and what you will be soon. You want to become one of us—well, there are certain things that you will have to sacrifice in order to do that. Fostering vulnerable humans is one of them."

Bella winced, but held her ground. "If I am the biggest obstacle, then that can be remedied." She looked back at me. "We'll leave, Edward. When it's time for me to be changed, we'll go far, far away from Elisa and we won't come back until we can be certain that I can control myself around her. I don't care how long it takes. I just can't do this to her… I can't take another family away from her. Please, please understand."

I turned for a moment, staring out the window towards the forest. Distantly, invisible to human eyes, I could see the dark shapes moving restlessly, waiting for a sign to tell them what to do next. Jacob was there, thinking of Bella though he struggled not to, and my own thoughts weren't about Elisa now—they were with Bella too, and the memories, all too recent and painful, of how I'd nearly lost her to the werewolves. To him. And Bella thought she was selfish… if I had the strength, I'd give her up, I'd tell her to go to him, let him love her, protect her, give her children, give her life instead of the death that I represented. And yet, I never would make that sacrifice again. Not if she didn't want me to, maybe not even if she did. Knowing that, knowing that I was keeping her with me despite all the odds, all the danger and loss it represented, and yet I was ready to tell Elisa to go, tell her that she wasn't allowed anything resembling a choice, made me feel every bit of my hypocrisy. I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"I suppose that…" I paused, looking at Bella again, and it gave strength and conviction to my words. "…if Elisa wants to stay, even given the other options, perhaps we should give her the choice. It will be difficult—there will be some hard decisions ahead, but I can't seem to turn her away either. Not after everything else—not after she was sent back to us. Who's to say it wasn't for a reason, that there isn't some grander scheme behind it all?"

Bella glowed as she registered my words, and that was reward enough for me to bury my doubts once and for all.

"There is something else to consider." Carlisle's voice broke into the low rumble that had begun in response to my words. "We must consider the fact that perhaps the werewolves are not equipped to handle her." He looked around the room at the surprised expressions on almost every face, then continued. "There is so much we don't know about Elisa, how and why she got here, how she was able to manifest herself here so many times before… I don't pretend to know the answers. It could have been some higher power, an accident, fate… who knows? But what if it isn't? What if it's her? And if she has that kind of ability, she doesn't know it, and she certainly can't control it. We are in the best position to help her, to keep her from being a danger to herself and others. We must consider that."

There was silence as we absorbed his words, then Emmett spoke. "Well, you all know she had me at hello." Emmett grinned as he repeated the popular movie line. "I don't care where she came from, or how she got here. I certainly don't give a damn how the Volturi or the werewolves feel about it, I don't care if she's human, or one of us, or Supergirl in disguise. I think she should stay. At the very least, she should have the choice."

Beside him, Rosalie sighed, then turned to Carlisle. "So how do we decide? What do we do now?"

Carlisle exhaled, looking around the table. "It's simple. We vote."

Jasper made an angry noise, ready to object, but Alice put a soothing hand on his arm. "We make these decisions together, Jasper," her voice was gentle. "As a family. Majority rules."

Jasper shook his head, frustrated, then looked up at Carlisle, defeated. "Fine. Let's vote."

"Carlisle"—he turned to his wife—"Esme?"

"She stays." Esme's voice was immediate, and Carlisle nodded. "Alice?"

Alice hesitated for a long moment as she struggled with herself. I could hear the arguments running through her head, see the fragments of visions as they flickered in and out, showing her first one possibility, then another. Finally, with an apologetic look at Jasper, she straightened up. "We should give her the choice."

"We know your vote, Emmett." Carlisle turned in his chair. "Bella?"

Bella looked at me, then smiled. "Give her the choice."

"Edward?"

I looked at my Bella for a long moment, then returned her smile. "I agree. Let her decide." Bella beamed at me, and despite my misgivings, my dead heart leapt at her expression.

"Rosalie?"

The table suddenly went tense, as I realized that Rosalie had been surprisingly quiet during our meeting. I turned to stare at her now, surprised at the direction her thoughts were going, as she gazed at Carlisle.

"I say she stays." Rosalie's words were slow and deliberate. Beside me, Bella gasped. She was not the only one who looked shocked. Jasper, Alice, and Esme were all staring at Rosalie as if she'd suddenly grown a second head.

"What?" Rosalie snapped. "Why are you all so surprised? Did you think I was so eager to turn her over to the werewolves?" She shot an angry glance towards the main room. "They are presumptuous! How dare they hold themselves so high above us, pretend as though they are so much better, like accidents don't happen on the other side of the line when that ruined girl in there is proof positive that they do? How can we be sure Elisa would be any safer with them? We've all seen her in action… she speaks first, and thinks later, no matter who she is talking to. I give her three days, tops, before she causes one of them to implode. At least we can control ourselves." She sat back. "Ask her. If Elisa wants to stay, I think she should."

"That's my girl." Emmett was beaming at Rosalie now, his hand going forward to caress her cheek, and she smiled back at him.

Carlisle nodded now. "I also feel she should be given the choice. That just leaves one more vote to be cast. Jasper?" He turned to him.

Jasper stared around the table for a moment, then his eyes went to rest on Alice. "I… what the hell." He sighed. "I suppose I've acquired a taste for troublesome humans. Let her stay. We'll just have to come up with a strategy to avoid her crossing paths with the Volturi." His voice revealed grave doubt about how well we would be able to do that, but his mind was made up.

"Thank you, Jasper!" Alice hurled herself across the table and into his arms. "You won't regret this!" She laughed as he looked at her. "Well, not all of the time, any way. I have a feeling that life is about to get a lot more interesting around here."

"Great." Jasper shot a pointed look at Bella, then put his head in his hands. "I am not exactly sure how many more 'interesting' events I can take." His voice was muffled, but there was a tone of laughter in it.

"It's not decided yet," Carlisle cautioned. He looked towards the main room. "Elisa must have the choice. She's already said she doesn't want to be a vampire. Living in a house full of them may not be what she wants either."

And with that, we stood up, ready to go back to the main room, knowing that what happened in the next few minutes would change the face of our family, and our future… possibly forever.

Chapter Text

Elisa

Nervously, I shifted from foot to foot as Sam and Emily's dark eyes surveyed me. For a moment, there was silence, then Sam lifted his head, staring down the hall as if to make sure no one was still lurking in the shadows. Then he looked at me.

"We are alone now. I don't want you to be afraid to speak freely. Have they harmed you or threatened you, Elisa? There is no need to be frightened of them. We are equipped to deal with them, I promise you that." His voice held the tone of menace and I shivered before I looked back up at him.

"You have it all wrong! They haven't hurt me at all. Carlisle was telling you the truth. They saved me. I don't know where I would be without them." I stared at him, hoping he would see the sincerity in my face and let it go. The last thing I needed was to bring the werewolves down on the Cullens. So much was going wrong because of me… I stared at Sam and I couldn't help but remember what happened the last time I was allowed to interfere. He'd died. Along with Edward… Seth… Guilt surged through me. Little did he know that I had been far more dangerous to him than a whole pack of vampires ever could be.

Sam's face hardened at my words. "You say you know what they are, but do you truly, Elisa? Do you have any idea what they are capable of?"

I thought back, to the threat I'd felt from Edward in the forest, and again from Rosalie the first time I'd come to this house, and the shivering returned, but just for a moment. I'd made the choice to trust them, just like they had for me. Defiantly, I lifted my head to stare Sam right in the eyes. "Yes," I said firmly. "I know. I know more than you think, and I still want to be here. I don't believe they would ever hurt me, but if something were to happen, it would be because I knew the risks and I took the chance anyway. It's not an excuse for you to start a fight!"

Sam's eyes darkened, and he glared at me for a moment before he spoke again. "How do you know, Elisa? Vampires don't reveal their secrets to just anyone, not without a very good reason. How is it that you know what they are and you have been allowed to live?"

Oh no. He wanted answers… There was no way I was going through the whole alternate universe explanation again. Not that it would do any good anyway… a few minutes of that and Sam would be convinced that the Cullens had either brain-washed me or they were putting crazy-making pills in my breakfast food.

I took a deep breath, thinking as fast as I could. Luckily, making up stories on the spot was something that came naturally to me, not only from all the years of day-dreaming, but because of all the times I'd had to avoid my father's wrath for something I'd done, or something he'd thought I'd done. I considered myself somewhat of an expert now on getting out of trouble with a convincing tale, but the stakes were far higher now then they'd ever been.

Edward, I hope you're listening… It was the first time I'd sent a thought directly at him, but I needed him to know and repeat my tale to the others, so they could back me up. Taking a deep breath, I plunged in. "No one told me anything. I found out by accident. I was on vacation with my family in Italy this spring. I wandered off by myself, and I came across… something." I looked at Sam, wondering how much he knew from Jacob's thoughts. "Do you know what the Volturi are?" I swallowed hard, praying I wasn't revealing any more of the Cullens' secrets.

"Vaguely," Sam answered. "Continue."

"OK then. I saw some of them, with Bella, and Edward. I overheard too much. If Edward hadn't intervened, they would have killed me. He saved my life. When my family died…" I took a deep breath, mustering enough courage to get through the next sentence. "…I thought of him and his family. I was desperate… I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I ran away. They took me in."

"I see." Sam's face was expressionless for a moment, then it suddenly flared to life again. "And us, Elisa? Do you know what we are?"

I looked at him. "You're a werewolf, you and your pack. You're enemies of the vampires." I gave myself a moment for inspiration to strike and then spoke again. "The Cullens had to tell me about you, to warn me to stay on this side of the line. They were afraid I might smell too much like them, that there might be a… mistake." I was pleased to see the agitation on his face at those words. It was about time he remembered that the werewolves were just as fallible as the vampires, maybe even more so because they didn't have all those decades of forced self-control to rely on.

Sam's voice was strained when he spoke again. "Well, now that we all know about each other, there is no need for caution anymore." He looked at Emily, reaching for her hand, and then returned his gaze to my face. "We will take you home with us, Elisa. We may not have the resources that the Cullens do"—he looked around for a moment at the beautiful room and the grand furnishings as if they somehow offended him—"but we can take care of you. You'll be better off."

Highly offended that he thought the Cullens' big screen TV and expensive amenities were what was keeping me there, I gave him a furious look. Before I could say anything though, a velvet, but authoritative voice spoke up.

"That is for Elisa to decide." Carlisle was coming back into the room, closely followed by the rest of his family. "We've talked over your offer, Sam, and we thank you for your generosity. However, Elisa will not have to leave here unless she chooses to do so."

For a moment Sam looked outraged, his whole frame trembling, but Emily squeezed his hand, whispering in his ear, and slowly, he relaxed. He turned back to me. "Very well. What is your decision, Elisa?"

For a moment, I couldn't speak. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in my chest as I turned to look at the faces surrounding me. Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice… how could I leave them? They were all I had now. Why did I have to make this choice? I felt like a trophy—no, not even a trophy, because at least that would give me some status, some prestige. No, I was a bone, a dirty, chewed to death, worthless bone that the dog didn't even want—he just instinctively needed to bury it in his yard so no other beast could have it. I would be a burden on Sam and Emily and the limited resources of the reservation, but what about the burden I represented to the Cullens?

I looked at Carlisle, knowing my eyes were swimming with tears that I could not allow to fall. "It would be easier for you, wouldn't it, if I left? You wouldn't have to worry about me, you wouldn't have to worry about the Volturi, or anything. I could cause you so many problems…"

No one spoke. I thought I saw Emmett open his mouth, but Carlisle shot him a stern look, and he closed it again immediately. His golden eyes remained fixed on my face.

I turned away. It hurt too much to look at them anymore, knowing what I had to do.

"OK," I whispered, looking at Sam. "I'll go with you." I almost said I'd get my stuff, but then I remembered that I had nothing. The few things the Cullens had bought for me, I would leave behind. I had taken enough from them—I would not take a single thing more.

"No!" Esme cried, stepping forward, and my heart felt like it was tearing in two. I forced myself not to look at her, knowing if I did, I'd break down.

"We told her it would be her choice," I heard Carlisle say, although his own voice sounded strained. "Elisa, are you sure this is what you want?" He turned to me.

I could only give him the briefest of glances before I had to stare down at the floor once more. "Yes," I said, trying to make my voice as hard as I could. "I'm sure."

I made the mistake of looking up, and Edward was there, his own eyes boring into mine. For a moment, I could not look away, but he broke the spell first, turning back to Carlisle. "She doesn't want to go."

My thin layer of self-control snapped at his words and I spun around to confront him. "Shut up, Edward!" My voice was a scream, and I saw the shocked expressions turned my way but I could not restrain myself. "Get out of my head! Why would you tell them that? You know this is for the best! If I stay, I'll just cause trouble. The werewolves will fight you, the Volturi could come after you… I won't do that to any of you! Just let me go!"

Edward's face was taut as he looked at me, then Sam and Emily, and finally back at his family. Emmett nodded at him and he turned back towards me. "No."

"Are you crazy?" I was shaking so hard I felt like I might explode into some strange creature myself. "Why are you doing this? Is it out of pity? I'm not stupid, you know. I know you don't really want me here, and you're not the only one." I looked at Rosalie and Jasper. "I'm going."

"Actually, Elisa, we have already voted on whether we want you to stay." Edward's words shocked me into stillness. "And we think you should." He smiled crookedly. "It was unanimous."

"What?" My jaw dropped so far it was amazing I could form words. "Unanimous? You mean all of you…" I stared at them, watching the smiles appear on their faces. "Why?" My voice was a croaky whisper.

Emmett stepped forward, grinning at me. "Because, kid, you're one of us."

Esme stepped forward as well, then angled herself between me and the front door before she spoke. "That's right. And I'm sure this will sound like a bit of a misnomer, but over my dead body will you walk out that door."

Emmett moved to stand next to her. "Mine too, kid, and believe me, I'm not easy to kill."

Alice chuckled, then was next to them in one fluid movement. "Add me to the 'dead body' club. You're not going anywhere."

Bella smiled at me. "Are you really going to make us all say it, Elisa?"

Rosalie sighed. "I hope not. I hate scenes." She studied her red nails for a moment, then looked at me. "It's already settled, Elisa, so stop being so overdramatic and deal with it already."

"Well, Elisa?" Carlisle's voice stopped anyone else from adding their two cents. "What do you say now?"

"I…" My breath caught and I knew I was about to cry, but I couldn't help it as the tears welled and spilled over onto my cheeks. "I guess I'm hanging with the vampires." My voice was a shaky whisper. "Thank you."

Emmett beamed at me. "Right on!"

Across the room, Sam suddenly growled, and I jumped, my heart skipping wildly. For a moment, I'd forgotten he and Emily were there. The Cullens immediately assumed defensive positions, moving to encircle me, Bella, and Carlisle as well as Sam turned in his direction. Outside, there was a sudden howl, then another, and fear ripped through me.

"This is unacceptable!" Sam roared, his dark eyes snapping. "She can't stay here! She's leaving… now!"

"It would have to be by force." Carlisle stepped forward to engage him. "You know what that would mean, Sam. We've kept our side of the pact and we will continue to. Are you really willing to risk the treaty by forcing Elisa to your will when she's clearly made up her mind? When there is no evidence that she's in any danger whatsoever? Are you so desperate for a war that you would risk your people like that? You can't honestly think you would win so easily, that none of your pack would be lost to this senseless upheaval. It's time to make your stand. Either begin the battle or take your Emily and go home. Be safe. Protect your people. Keep the peace, and we will as well."

For a moment they were at a standstill, golden eyes clashing against black ones, and then Emily moved to Sam's side, putting a restraining hand on his arm.

"Sam…" her whispering was pleading. "I don't like it either, but we have no choice. Let's go."

Sam maintained his near attacking stance. "I can't just leave her to their mercies, Emily. I'm a protector. It goes against everything I stand for."

"If you are that concerned, you are welcome to come back and check on her anytime. You as well, Emily." Carlisle's voice was less intense now, and that gave me hope. Maybe he sensed Sam was close to backing down.

Emily whispered to Sam again, her words unintelligible to me this time. Slowly, so slowly I wanted to scream with tension and fear, his large frame straightened, and then… he stepped back. He looked at me and shook his head. "You're making a mistake, but I suppose it is your choice." Then his head turned and now he was looking at Bella. I saw Edward tense, and his eyes blaze.

"Speaking of choices…" Sam gave her a long look, then turned back to Carlisle. "You will leave before another one is made. There will be no peace any longer if you do not. Is that clear?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course. It is already decided. We're leaving immediately after the wedding." His eyes turned to me. "All of us."

"Don't come back." Sam gave Carlisle a final, hard look.

"We won't." It was Edward who spoke now. "Ever." Next to him, Bella was suddenly pale.

"Then that's all there's left to say." Sam turned now towards the door, taking Emily with him. "I will, however, be back to check on Elisa before you go."

"Fine." Carlisle's voice was smooth as he politely escorted them to the door. Just as he opened it for them, there was another short howl from the forest, then a series of quick, yipping barks. It was completely different from the ominous howls of earlier… it almost sounded playful.

Sam rolled his eyes, his face suddenly tight with annoyance. He turned to look at Edward. "Seth says hi," he grumbled unwillingly.

Edward smiled widely. "Tell him I said hello as well, if you don't mind."

Sam's flared nostrils said clearly that he did mind, but without another word, he and Emily strode out the door, and then they were gone.

And with their exit, the tension swirled out of the room, and in its place was something I didn't recognize at first, a strange sensation that filled me with warmth and security, making my skin tingle as it surrounded me. I considered for a moment, before I realized what it was. It was the sense of belonging. For the first time since my return, I felt hope, even anticipation, for the future. One of my lives had ended, but the other was just beginning, and for once, I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

To Be Continued…

Chapter Text

Elisa:
I'd already double-checked the list six times, but just in case, and to kill time as I waited for Alice, I ran my fingers down the computer print-out a final time, checking each name against each addressed invitation, making sure there was one for each name on the list. Finally satisfied, I sat back in my chair in the dining room, carefully placing the addressed, stamped invitations in the box. Next to the box, there was a much smaller pile of left-over, blank invitations that Alice had asked me to save just in case last-minute guest possibilities came up. I wondered if she might let me have one to keep as a souvenir. I was positive this was one day I'd want to remember forever.

"Hello, Elisa."

Edward's voice sounded from out of nowhere and I jumped in my seat as I realized he was standing right in front of me.

"Edward!" I put my hand over my pounding heart. "Can't you make a little noise or something before you come in?"

He shrugged, eyes sparkling in a way that made me suddenly feel flushed and a little too warm. "Sorry." His lopsided smile said he was anything but. "I just came to see how everything was going with the invitations."

"They're all done." I smiled at him. "Alice is going to take them to the post office in a few minutes. I'm just guarding them until then."

"Good, good." Edward's voice sounded a bit distant, as if he were thinking of something else. I watched him for a moment as he leaned against the table. His eyes were far away, as if he were considering something, then he looked back at me and smiled. "How are you doing, Elisa?"

"Um…" I looked at him. Something was up, and I had the oddest feeling I should know what it was. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Just checking." His voice was vague and far away again. "I just wanted to know that everything was alright with you."

"Hmm." My voice was suspicious now as his eyes roamed the room, seeming to want to look anywhere but right at me. "You could always read my mind if you really wanted to know."

"Yes, but you don't like that." He pointed out.

Now I was really suspicious. "That never stopped you before." I frowned at him. "What do you want, Edward? I mean, really?"

At his expression my heart stopped for a moment, then resumed, beating a little faster than normal. No one could look innocent like Edward Cullen could. He was smiling at me again, his golden eyes looking into mine, and for a moment I was dizzy until I realized what he was doing. He was charming me, that conniving vampire, so I wouldn't ask any more questions. And I was totally falling for it! It took an immense effort but I tore my eyes away from him before I could start drooling, and forced my mind to work, trying to remember what it was that seemed so familiar to me about this whole scenario.

It took a few moments, but then my eyes fell back onto the pile of blank invitations on the table, and suddenly it clicked.

"Oh no." I groaned as I looked up at Edward. "You're actually going to do it!"

"What?" His face was as innocent and charming as ever, but I wasn't falling for it a second time. Annoyed, I picked up a blank invitation and held it out to him. "I can't believe you're going through with this. You are such a glutton for punishment."

"I don't know what you mean." He was lying through his perfect, white teeth, looking at the invitation like he had no idea why I was trying to give it to him.

I scowled at him. "Inviting Jacob Black to your wedding is what, Edward. Why would you do that?" I shook my head in aggravation. "But if you insist on shooting yourself in the foot, go ahead and take the stupid invitation. And if you already snitched one, put it back. I have to account for all of these, you know."

Edward's face lost any pretense and he stared at me for a moment, looking wary. "Elisa, sometimes you absolutely terrify me. The things you know…"

I shrugged as I handed the invitation to him. "Well, you don't need to worry about that any more. This is it; pretty much the last bit of my advance knowledge. After this, I'm just as blind as the rest of you… well, excepting Alice, of course."

Edward studied me carefully for a moment. "I see." He paused for a moment. "So you don't know if Bella…" he hesitated again. "..if she…"

Realizing what he was trying to say, I shook my head. "If she goes through with it? If she becomes a vampire? No, I don't know." I looked up at him. "Even if I did, things change. Anything can change, no matter how hard you fight to keep it the way you want it." My own eyes were far away for a moment, remembering.

Edward started to say something else, but he stopped as Bella's voice sounded from the kitchen. "Elisa! Dinner's ready!"

With one final, narrow-eyed look at Edward, I jumped out of my seat, careful to take the remaining invitations with me, and started towards the kitchen.

"Elisa." Edward's voice stopped me in my tracks, and I turned to look at him. His expression was slightly anxious now, and my annoyance with him eased a bit despite myself.

"Don't worry, Edward." I sighed. "I'm not telling Bella."

He smiled at me now with more sincerity than he had during the whole conversation. "Thank you."

Before I could give in to my desire to tell him what an idiot he was being once more — I mean, really, who invites their bride's ex to their wedding? — Alice appeared in the doorway between the dining room and the kitchen, blocking my path. "I'll take those." She smiled at me as she took the invitations. "Thank you, Elisa. We'll get these out as soon as possible." She gestured for me to go back into the dining room. "Bella's bringing the food in here, so we can all sit down with you."

"You can all sit with me?" I frowned. "Why?" My eyes widened as Rosalie and Emmett, along with Jasper, entered the room. What was going on?

Esme came up behind me, startling me once more. If they kept doing that, I was going to die — again — from total heart failure. "So we can have dinner as a family, Elisa. Isn't that what your family did?"

I looked at Rosalie, whose expression said she thought this was as bizarre as I did. "But you don't eat." I pointed out, looking back at Esme.

Esme smiled. "I know that, sweetheart. But we want to give you as normal of a life as possible. We can't replace your family and I would never try, but we can adopt a few human rituals here and there."

"Oh." I took my seat at the table, thinking about that, not able to object any more as I saw the anxious expression on her face. It was really sweet of Esme to force the whole family to sit down together every evening just to make me feel more at home, but it was also kind of embarrassing… and really, really weird. Still, I wouldn't hurt Esme's feelings for the world, so I forced a smile on my face. I saw Edward's lips quirk as he too took a seat and knew he was not unaware of what I was thinking.

I turned to Bella, who was entering the room now with a spaghetti-filled plate, which she set in front of me. "Bella, you're eating too, right?" I was unable to disguise the pleading tone in my voice. I needed company. If I had to sit at the table by myself with seven vampires listening to me chew, I'd be totally humiliated.

I could tell by the sympathetic way Bella looked at me that she knew exactly how I felt. "Alright." She sighed, turning back to the kitchen. "Just let me go get my plate."

"Done." Edward had sped from the dining room to the kitchen and back without either one of us even noticing, and he now handed her a full plate. She gave him a long look, which he returned with an amused grin, then shook her head and went to sit on the other side of me.

It was as awkward as I feared for the first few moments. Esme and Carlisle made casual conversation, mostly about the wedding, and Emmett cracked a few jokes, but most of us seemed to not really know what to say. Bella and I were trying to eat as quickly, and as quietly, as possible, and both of us barely spoke. This was definitely one human ritual I could do without… it wasn't quite the same without actual humans to do it with.

The conversation had dwindled, and then died into a stilted silence when I saw Rosalie suddenly straighten up in her seat, her eyes fastened on me. "Elisa?"

I tried not to choke on the mushroom in my mouth as she addressed me. Chewing and swallowing as fast as I could, I cleared my throat. "Yes?"

Rosalie looked at me for a moment before she spoke again, as if wondering about what she was going to say. "Why don't you want to be a vampire?"

I nearly choked again, despite the fact that there was nothing to gag on now. Boy, she just never beat around the bush, did she? To avoid answering for a moment, I took a long drink of milk, noticing as I did so that everyone was staring at me now, waiting for me to speak. My face flushed.

They were still waiting expectantly, and I couldn't put it off any longer. I looked at Carlisle. "I'll tell you, but before I do, can I ask you something? And do you promise to give me an honest answer, and not worry about scaring me or hurting my feelings or anything?"

Carlisle looked mystified, but he nodded. "Of course, Elisa."

"OK then." I kept my eyes on his face. "About me becoming a vampire…" I paused. "Is it the only way I can stay? If I don't, are you all eventually going to have to send me away, or leave me somewhere? I know you would do it to protect me, but I —" I swallowed hard. "I couldn't stand it. So if it's the only way I can be with you, I'll do it." I tried not to let my voice shake.

Several of the faces around me looked aghast at my words. Even Carlisle looked shocked for a moment before his face smoothed out again. "Of course you don't have to become a vampire to stay, Elisa. In fact, even if you wanted to, I would say no. You are far too young at this point, and since you're in perfect health, there is just no way I could justify it to myself. No, Elisa, you never have to be worried about being forced or coerced into immortality, I can promise you that."

Relaxing a bit, I smiled slightly. "Thank you." Then I blushed all over again. "I really don't think being a vampire is such an awful thing, if that's what you're thinking." Rosalie's eyes blazed as I spoke, and I flinched slightly, but forced myself to continue anyway. "But it's just that… well, I like to eat. A lot. I'd miss chocolate. And I used to like to dream… well, I guess I wouldn't miss that part so much anymore. Plus I really don't want to be this short forever — I'm kind of hoping I still have a growth spurt ahead of me. And…"

I knew I was patronizing them, giving them the most shallow of reasons, and that they could see right through me. I sighed. "OK, look. I don't deal well with pain. At all. Especially after my accident. And living forever — well, that's a tough deal. I think I would get…" I blushed more. "… lonely. I mean even if I had you guys, it wouldn't be the same as having… well…" I looked at Edward, knowing my face was scarlet. "I mean, I used to have this whole life plan. And even though my life is totally not where I thought it would be, that doesn't mean I have to completely give up on my future, right?"

Carlisle smiled at me, his face warm. "Of course not, Elisa. You have your entire life ahead of you. You can do whatever you want with it."

I smiled back. "Well, that's it. Now you know." I returned to my plate, feeling glad that the conversation was over, but my relief was short-lived as Emmett spoke.

"Hold up, kid." He grinned at me. "Now you've got me curious. What's this grand life plan of yours?"

Oh great. I'd been hoping no one would ask. My face bloomed all over again as I groaned. "Don't ask me that, Emmett! It's so… embarrassing!"

Across the table Alice laughed. "You shouldn't have said that, Elisa. Now you have to tell us. Come on, don't leave us in suspense."

"You're going to laugh." I grumbled as I stared at my plate. No one denied it… they just waited for me to speak. I gritted my teeth.

"OK, well, I want to finish school, of course, and go to college. I don't really know what I want to be yet. I want to do something I love for a career but I haven't figured out what that is yet. And I plan on finding the love of my life someday, I'll get married, and I'm going to have kids. I think I'd like a lot… like maybe four or five. It was just me and my brother growing up, and I love him, but we never had much in common, plus he and my dad were totally bonded. I used to feel like I didn't belong. It was hard sometimes, never really fitting in. I always thought if I had more brothers and sisters there would be someone that could be more than a sibling… that could be my friend, and that's what I want for my children."

"So anyway, I'll raise my kids, and have a career, and shop a lot, and be kind of vain all through my thirties and forties. You know what I mean… I'll color my hair, do a little Botox, and lie about my age. Then, somewhere about fifty or sixty, I'm just going to let it all slide, go gray, gain about forty pounds, because I think it's important to be huggable when you're a grandma, and bake cookies all day. And I'll retire, and spoil my grandkids until my children get mad at me and travel the world with my husband until I die peacefully in my sleep. So that's it… that's the big plan. Go ahead and laugh." I folded my arms defiantly.

Emmett did chuckle a bit, but it was Esme who leaned forward to speak. "Actually, I think that's a wonderful plan, Elisa." She smiled at me. "And I promise you, sweetheart, that we will do everything in our power to make sure that you have the kind of life that you should have had in the first place."

"Thank you." I was touched by her words, but still embarrassed, and extremely ready to move on to another topic. As I tried to think of one, I saw Edward staring at me out of the corner of my eye. Unable to help myself, I looked him full in the face, my embarrassment changing to indignation when he didn't stop looking at me.

"What?" I snapped, fully prepared for his sure-to-be mocking words.

"I'm just thinking…" He didn't look away. "I think I owe you an apology, Elisa. You are far more mature than I gave you credit for."

"Oh." I said, non-plussed. "Well… thanks, I guess. It's kinda ironic how dying young makes you grow up fast, don't you think?"

For a moment there was a shocked silence. I looked at Carlisle and Esme and saw they were both looking back at me with something near worry on their faces. I gave them a small smile. "That was a joke. I've been known to make them from time to time."

"Of course." Carlisle recovered first, his expression smoothing into a calm, unruffled one. "We were just a little surprised. Elisa, we know what a hard time you're having. You don't need to put on a front with us."

I looked down for a minute and then back up into his concerned eyes. "I know I don't, and I'm not. I'm never going to be OK with what happened to me. I'm never going to get over it what it must have done to my family. But Rosalie was right about what she said to me the night I came back. I can't pretend it didn't happen, that there's going to be some kind of miracle that changes it, and neither can any of you. I have to make my peace with it somehow." I sighed, hoping we wouldn't have to get any deeper into this topic either. I'd almost rather go back to talking about my personal hopes and dreams; see how red my face could get before it actually melted off.

Across the table, Emmett grinned at me. "That's our girl...she takes a licking and just keeps on ticking!"

"Emmett!" Esme looked horrified. "That is so insensitive!"

I bit my lip, trying to keep myself under control, but then I saw Rosalie's lips quirk and that was enough to set me off. I burst into unwitting giggles, and when I caught Emmett's eye, his face somewhere still between amusement and worry that he'd gone too far, he stared at me for a moment and then began to laugh as well. Rosalie turned away from us but I could have sworn she was fighting hard to keep her own face straight. Everyone else stared, and Carlisle and Esme looked worried all over again, which was understandable considering the note of hysteria in my laughter, but I'd always had a somewhat grim sense of humor. Besides, it was my own untimely demise — I'd laugh about it if I wanted to.

When I thought that, I saw Edward's lips twitch too and then he determinedly looked away from us as well, keeping his eyes on Bella. I sobered as I realized how serious her face was… like she wasn't paying attention to the current conversation at all, but was a million miles away. I wondered if I had said something to upset her.

I looked up to see Emmett watching me, his topaz eyes a little concerned now that I wasn't laughing any longer, and I gave him a small smile.

"Hey, can you all do me a favor?" I looked around the table, not wanting the mood to turn dark and serious again. I didn't know how much more darkness I could take.

"What's that, Elisa?" Esme looked at me.

I grinned. "If sometime in the next ten years or so, I get hit by a train or piss off something else that's really big and deadly and I'm mortally injured, forget everything I said tonight and bite me anyway. I'm so over this whole dying before my time thing."

This time the laughter at the table was more whole-hearted, and nearly everybody joined in.

"Sure, Elisa." Alice said, rolling her eyes and smiling. "I guess we could think it over, anyway."

I smiled and took the last bite of my spaghetti. "That's all I ask."

And with that, my first dinner with the Cullens came to a close.

Edward:

Chapter Text

Elisa:
As I put the book away on the bedside table in my borrowed bedroom, I thought over the conversation I'd just had with Edward, and I couldn't help the smug smile that curved my lips. I supposed I really should have felt guilty for setting Emmett on his brother like that, but Edward had so had it coming. Trying to use me like that, accusing me of lying, pulling that I'm all powerful and you're helpless before me bit… he was just so irritating sometimes! He thought he knew everything, that he was always right and the rest of us, especially Bella, were just pieces to be moved on the chessboard at his discretion. I should totally tell her. She'd let him have it, I was positive of that. It would be a long, long time before he tried a stunt like that again when she was through with him.

But I wouldn't tell her, as tempting as the desire was at the moment. A much stronger need—the need to see them together, see them happy and invincible for all of eternity—trumped that. It was stupid, I knew… Edward and Bella didn't need some overly dramatic fangirl trying to protect their relationship, but I couldn't help it. After all I'd already done, I wasn't about to cause them any more strife.

"Elisa!" I jumped as someone knocked on the door frame, looking up to see Alice standing there. "Esme says dinner is ready."

"Thanks." I turned to follow her downstairs. Alice watched me as we walked down the massive staircase, her face casual.

"Jasper and I are going hunting in a few minutes. Do you need anything before we go?"

I shook my head, relieved that Esme had given up on the idea of family dinners, content now just to let me eat at the kitchen counter by myself again. "I'm good."

"Yes, you are." I looked at her, surprised by the amusement in her tone. "You're very good, Elisa. I think even Edward was impressed." She was grinning now.

"Oh." I scratched my nose, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "You overheard that, did you? I guess there's no such thing as secrets in a houseful of vampires."

"Not really, no." Alice laughed lightly as we entered the kitchen. "It's nice to know you can hold your own. Edward can be… a bit overwhelming at times. Anyway, I'll see you in the morning, Elisa. We need to take your measurements as soon as possible."

"My measurements for what?" I asked, surprised, but she was already gone. I shrugged, sitting down at the counter in front of the plate of food that Esme had already placed there. "Thank you," I told her, and she smiled at me, then left the room.

As I took the first few bites, Emmett walked into the room, followed closely by Rosalie, and walked over to the counter immediately. I looked at him—and what he was holding—in surprise.

"Check it out, Elisa! Rosalie and I went shopping." He indicated the stack of brightly printed, cardboard boxes in his arms. "We got every game known to man. OK, maybe just every game in the store, but you know what I mean. Scrabble, Uno, Monopoly, Life, Battleship, Parcheesi… pick one, and we'll play as soon as you're done eating."

"Um…" We'd play? As in the three of us? I tried to picture Rosalie putting tiny blue and pink pegs in a plastic car and failed miserably. But Emmett was still looking at me expectantly, his face hopeful, and I couldn't stand to let him down, especially after what he'd done for me earlier. I eyed the games speculatively, then pointed at the one in the middle. "Monopoly."

"Excellent." Emmett put the stack on the counter, then hopped onto the stool next to me. Rosalie stood across from us, leaning against the sink, and watched us silently, her beautiful face impassive.

"Mrs. Haversham called again today," Esme announced, coming back into the room. "She was very excited to be the first person—outside of Charlie and the wedding party, of course—to get an invitation. She talked my ear off about it. She also says Mr. Giggles is doing very well and thrilled to be back home."

"That's good." I drained my glass of lemonade, then spoke again. "I miss him, but I'm glad he's happy again."

Rosalie made a face. "I don't miss that insidious little beast. He was horrible; noisy, vicious, and he peed on my favorite shoes. To think I used to love cats when I was human, too. I had the most beautiful Turkish Angora." She sighed.

I jumped off the stool to get more lemonade, going to the refrigerator and taking out the glass pitcher. "Mr. Giggles wasn't so bad." I smiled. "If you think he was awful, you should have seen my cat back home. He had serious behavioral issues for a long time… I thought Dad was going to purposefully run him over with the car someday and pretend it was an accident. One time—" I froze mid-sentence, my fingers closing convulsively hard on the pitcher. For a moment I was stiff, wide-eyed, and then I tried again. "One time—" I couldn't do it. The words wouldn't come. Why? What was happening now?

"Elisa?" Esme's voice was alarmed as she stared at my surely gray face. "What is it? What's wrong?" Rosalie and Emmett were staring at me too.

I couldn't speak for a moment. The pitcher slipped from my fingers and crashed, shattering all over the floor at my feet. My throat felt like it was closing up, my breath coming in gasps as I struggled for air. Dimly, I was aware of a flutter of motion—and that Carlisle had come from nowhere to stand beside me—but it didn't matter. "I can't remember his name," I whispered. "I can't remember my cat's name!"

"Elisa, your cat's name was Snickers. You told us that when you were here before. Don't you remember?" Esme's voice was worried.

"Snickers," I whispered. "Yes, I remember now." But… I closed my eyes, reaching for the memories, picturing him in my mind, then my family, recalling their faces one by one. I was terrified to realize how distant the visions felt, how hazy, like it had been months and months since I'd seen them all instead of weeks. I struggled, reaching out for them, for everyone I had left behind, but they were so far away…

"I'm forgetting!" I choked out, my eyes flying open. "I'm forgetting it all—my cat, my friends, my family, my whole life! It seems like it was so long ago… everything is fuzzy, like I dreamed it or it happened ages and ages ago. Why? Why is this happening to me?" I stared at Carlisle with pleading eyes, hoping that he would have some answer for me that would make it all stop.

I saw everyone exchange alarmed looks as I got more and more upset, and then Carlisle put cool, restraining fingers on my arm, stilling me. "Elisa… you're no longer part of that world. It would make sense that you're losing all your ties to it. I'm so sorry."

I turned away from his calming voice, stumbling towards the doorway, my face hot with the tears that were streaking down it. Esme came towards me, her arms outstretched, but I flinched away, hanging on to the door sill to stay upright, my breath more ragged than ever.

"Elisa, I know how hard this is, but you must calm down." Carlisle's voice was insistent as he came close to me once more. "Jasper isn't here to help you—I'll have to get you a sedative if you can't relax. Do you think you need one?"

Numbly, I shook my head, my fingers digging hard into the doorframe as I struggled to control my breath and slow the stream of tears down my face. "I'll be—" My voice was nothing more than the thinnest whisper. "I'll be fine. I promise. I just need to be alone right now. I'm sorry." And with that, I stumbled out of the kitchen and ran up the steps to Alice's room, throwing her door open and closed again behind me. I threw myself on the bed, burying my face in the pillow to muffle my sobs and praying that for once they would heed me and not follow…

Awareness came slowly back, creeping around me in the dark and nudging me awake. I opened my eyes reluctantly. I never thought I'd be able to sleep, but the stiffness of my limbs told me that I had, and apparently for hours. I was still in my clothes, but someone had thrown a light blanket over me and removed my shoes—probably Esme. I lay there in silence for a moment, wondering how late it was and then realizing I didn't care in the least. I stared upwards, at the ceiling I could barely see, realizing now that I had dreamt. Dreams of my family—my mother, father, and Colby—their faces floating in and out of my head, me running after their far-away, distant figures, begging them not to leave me behind, over and over and over again.

There was a barely perceptible shift next to me, a luminous figure detaching from the shadows as they moved in the rocking chair next to the bed, and I gasped, sitting up.

"Esme?" I put a hand over my pounding heart.

"No." The low voice came out of the darkness, and I instantly realized my mistake, for I could see her now: Rosalie, her hair and translucent skin lit up by the moonlight streaming in through the windows. She went to stand as I stared at her. "I'll get her."

"No! It's OK. It's just that I thought… well, she sits in here with me a lot when she thinks I don't know." I managed a slight smile, forced as it felt.

"I know." Rosalie looked at me. "Carlisle had to talk her out of it tonight. I would have left you alone as well, but you were so restless. I thought you must be having nightmares." Her voice was tentative.

"I was," I whispered. "Thank you."

Rosalie shrugged. I continued to watch her in the gloom, as she set the book she'd apparently been reading back down on the bedside table. I recognized it instantly as the book I'd found in the library earlier and had been reading all night.

"A Little Princess." I whispered as she followed my gaze. "I used to love that book so much when I was little."

Rosalie smiled slightly. "I did as well," she admitted.

"Oh. Is this yours?" I blushed a little. "Sorry, I guess I should have asked."

Rosalie smiled a little bit more now. "It doesn't matter. I know it by heart… there's really no need to read it now. It's just… sentimental, I suppose."

I nodded, knowing she could see me far more clearly than I could see her, and then I scooted back so that I was still sitting up, but leaning against the headboard. We were both quiet for a moment, but it was a comfortable quiet, not one of the tense silences that usually lingered between us.

After a long moment, she spoke again. "Are you alright, Elisa?"

"No." My response was immediate, uncensored. Somehow, I just could not bring myself to lie to her.

"I didn't think so." Her voice maintained that same careful tone. She paused for another lingering moment before speaking once more. "I'm sorry for what is happening to you."

"It's not fair," I whispered, struggling not to break down once more. "The universe already took my family and my life. Now it wants my memories too? What's going to be left to take when it's done with me?"

Rosalie turned her head to look at me more fully. "It will be easier for you, Elisa—forgetting. Kind oblivion swooping in to take all the pain away. Wouldn't you prefer that?"

"No!" My voice was a hiss now. "I won't let myself forget! I don't care how hard it is to hold on or how much it hurts. It will hurt my family forever to think of me. How can I do anything less for them?"

Rosalie stood up then, and I thought she was leaving. Surprise shot through me as she came closer to the bed, then sat down on it, next to me. "Forcing yourself not to let go, when everything in this world seems to be conspiring against you—to take it all away whether you're willing or not—is a very hard road to choose, Elisa. The pain, the memories of everything you've lost—that is a burden only the strongest can bear."

I turned to look at her lovely profile. "Like you," I whispered.

Her answering smile was deeper than any she'd ever given me before. "Yes. And you."

I pondered that as the minutes ticked by. Rosalie seemed perfectly content to sit quietly beside me, nearly motionless except for her almost imperceptible breathing, as I let my mind wander over everything that had happened that evening.

Finally, I gathered my courage and spoke again. "Rosalie?" I stopped, unsure of my words, then forced myself to begin again when she looked at me, eyebrows slightly raised. "I'm really sorry about what happened to you too. At least for me it was quick."

Rosalie was frozen, silent for a moment, and I regretted my careless words. But when she spoke, her voice wasn't any cooler… it was the same, unruffled tone it had been before. "I should have known that you would know my story." She looked at me. "It's alright. I won't say I'm over it—you would know better than anyone what a lie that is. But I've learned to accept, if not forgive. You will as well."

I did understand that all too well. I thought of Scott now, seeing his face as he raised his weapon, gun aimed at my heart. I remembered his mocking words, his threats, what he had said that had brought me out of my safe haven and into his line of fire, and I realized, somewhere deep in the screaming darkness and nightmares of the past weeks, that I had learned to hate. No, I would never forgive, even if it gave me peace, even if it made me a better person. Hating him was my right, and I wouldn't deny myself.

These thoughts led to more questions for the only person in the world that I realized could really understand. "Rosalie?" I didn't let myself pause this time—if she got angry, I'd understand, but I had to ask anyway. "When you killed those men that hurt you, did it make it better?"

Rosalie exhaled deeply, but she didn't seem surprised, nor upset, at my question. "I suppose the simplest answer to that, Elisa, is that it filled one hole and created another. Still, if I had to do it over again, I'd do the same thing and accept my small penance as the punishment I deserve. I'd hurt them… I'd rejoice in their screams just like I did before, slaughter each and every single one of them, then dance on their graves. It was the only path I could take, the only way I could move on, the only justice I would ever get."

"I understand." My voice was a low murmur, but she heard it anyway.

"You know what, Elisa? I believe you actually do." Rosalie was staring ahead now, into the darkness. Many more minutes passed before she looked at me once more. "It's late. You really do need to rest. Alice has a lot of plans for you tomorrow." She moved off the bed and I sat up in alarm, not wanting to be left alone.

Despite my sudden fear, I wasn't going to ask her to stay, but Rosalie seemed to read my expression clearly. She hesitated, then turned away from the doorway and picked up A Little Princess and took it back to the rocking chair, sitting down. "My mother used to read this to me when I was a child, every single night. Sometimes she begged me to pick something different, anything else… she was so tired of it, but I never let her. Would you like me to read to you, Elisa?"

"Yes." I whispered gratefully, sliding back down on the pillows slightly and pulling the blanket back over me.

Rosalie smiled at me once more then opened the book, not needing any other light but the moon that illuminated her perfection so well. Her golden voice was captivating, sweeping me away instantly into another world once more as she began to read.

"Once, on a dark winter's day, when the yellow fog hung so thick and heavy in the streets of London that the lamps were lighted and the shop windows blazed with gas as they do at night, an odd-looking little girl sat in a cab with her father…"

I let myself get lost in the story once more, falling into it as I would fall into the deepest, dreamless slumber, but before I was completely under its spell, one small, rather unwelcome thought reared its head, forcing me to acknowledge it.

Edward had been right. I hadn't been honest with him earlier when I told him, without reservations, that I wanted Bella to become a vampire. He wasn't exactly right about the doubts he thought I was having though, but there was something that I could not get past, and now, with everything that had happened this evening giving me new knowledge, I realized what it was.

And whether I wanted to or not, I was going to have to talk to her after all.

Bella:

Edward opened the front door before I even knocked, smiling at me with that crooked grin that never failed to take my breath away. For a minute, I forgot what I was doing and I just stood there, staring dumbly at him, until he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to stand here all day or are you coming in?" He reached out to touch my face, then down for my hand, tugging me over the doorway and into the foyer. "Alice is waiting upstairs for you. She wanted you to be the one to break the big news to Elisa."

I smiled reluctantly as I walked with him. "Always one for the dramatics, that Alice." My fingers tightened around his. "I'm sorry I had to make you leave so soon this morning. I didn't expect Charlie to want to have a heart to heart so early."

Edward smiled more brightly now. "How did that go, anyway?"

I rolled my eyes. "Awkwardly. The gist of it was, he wanted me to know, again, that if I thought I was making a mistake and wanted to call off the wedding, it was alright with him." I sighed, then smiled. "But then he said that if I really had my heart set on going through with it, he was happy for me. And I think he actually might have meant it. A little. That's something, isn't it?"

Edward reached down to frame my face with his large hands, his eyes tender. "That's definitely something. From Charlie, that's rather earth-shattering, actually."

"I know." We were stopped now, at the foot of the grand staircase, face to face. I put my hand over his cool one, still resting on my cheek. "Maybe with a little more luck like that, Renee just might come around after all."

"Perhaps." Edward agreed, but his eyes were cautious now. I understood — he didn't want me to get my hopes up. I didn't really either, when it came to that.

As I watched him, Edward suddenly lifted his head as if someone had called his name. Then he gazed back down at me, his smile back. "Go on upstairs and see Alice. I'll be right there… Carlisle wants to talk to me about some of our plans for after the wedding."

I wanted to ask him what plans, specifically, but he was looking away from me now, in the direction of the dining room where Carlisle must have been waiting for him. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away. "Alright, but hurry. Once Alice gets her claws into me, she's liable to drag me into some matrimonial duty, like cake tasting, and I won't get to see you for the rest of the day."

"Horrors." He looked as aghast as I was sure I did for a moment, then his lips twitched. "I promise, I'll be right there."

I walked up the staircase alone, realizing as I reached the second floor that I wasn't exactly positive where Alice was. I didn't have to wonder long though… as I looked up and down the hallway I saw her, standing framed in the doorway of her bedroom with her back turned to me, seeming intent on something that was going on inside. Curious now, I came up behind her.

"Alice, what—" I stopped as I looked over her shoulder, no longer needing to ask what it was that she was staring at. Elisa and Rosalie were perched on the edge of the neatly made bed, bent over something that was lacy and covered with tiny pearls, something that I recognized immediately as my wedding dress. The bodice was in Elisa's lap and she was bent over it in intense concentration, a threaded needle pinched in her fingers. Rosalie was instructing her carefully on exactly what to do with it, directing its every movement in a voice that was gentler than I'd ever heard from her before.

Alice was looking at me now, and when I caught her eye, she shrugged. "I know." She whispered. "I can barely believe it myself but I think they've… bonded." She stared at them again.

"What are they doing with my dress?" I whispered back, stupidly, because I knew full well Rosalie could hear my every word even if Elisa couldn't.

Alice sighed now, and her voice returned to its normal volume. "Some of the bodice stitching was a little bit looser than I'd like. I asked Rosalie to re-do it. She's an excellent seamstress; better than me, actually."

Rosalie looked up now, and her responding smile was just a bit smug. "We can't all have the glamorous jobs like you, Alice. Somebody has to do the grunt work."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, it's not that I don't appreciate it, or that I don't think it's lovely you decided to teach Elisa how to sew too, but did you really think the best piece for her trial run is Bella's wedding dress?" Her voice was strained.

Rosalie's smile tightened slightly. "I'm watching her, Alice. She's doing fine so far, and I won't let her make any mistakes that I can't fix."

"It's fine, Alice." I said hastily, not wanting another argument with Rosalie. "I'm sure Elisa will do a wonderful job."

At the sound of her name, Elisa finally lifted her head to look at me and I was surprised by her face. It looked… different somehow. She was pale, and there were dark shadows under her eyes, almost as if she were a true Cullen, but that wasn't what pulled me up short. Her expression was… older, as if she'd aged a year or two overnight, and suddenly I could see, underneath the delicate cuteness that had almost everyone she met doting over her, the potential for beauty that I'd always suspected was there. The child within her was dying much more rapidly than I would have thought even a day or two ago. Absently, I wondered if something had happened while I was gone, but then she was speaking, and I lost my train of thought.

"Your dress is beautiful, Bella." Her voice was the same as ever… maybe I was imagining things.

"It's all because of Alice, but thank you." I smiled back, realizing now was as good of a time as any for my announcement. "Yours is going to be too."

"Mine?" Elisa looked bewildered. "What do you mean?"

My smile widened. "Your bridesmaid dress, of course. Isn't Alice taking your measurements today?"

Elisa's eyes widened. "What?" She looked back and forth from me to Alice, who was smiling at her too. "You want me to be one of your bridesmaids? Are you serious?" Her eyes narrowed for a moment. "Is this a pity thing? Wait, don't answer that. I don't care." She beamed at me. "I can't believe I'm going to be a part of your wedding!"

"Believe it." I grinned back at her. "I'm glad you're happy and that you accept. And it's not out of pity that I'm asking, by the way. We're family now, and I want to share this day with you."

Elisa's eyes suddenly looked damp, and abruptly, Rosalie plucked the needle out of her hand. "I think that's enough for now, Elisa. We'll finish this tonight. It's breakfast time for you anyway, and don't even try to tell me you're not hungry… you need to eat." Carefully, she picked up my wedding dress and laid it flat on Alice's bed, and then stood up, gesturing for Elisa to do the same.

Elisa was smiling resignedly as she obediently followed Rosalie out the door, but I noticed that her face was absent of any kind of intimidation or fear. Yesterday, if Rosalie had spoken to her that sternly, she would have been nearly shaking in her shoes, just like I still had a tendency to when Rosalie turned her blazing eyes my way, but now… well, it looked like Alice was right. They really had bonded. I felt a tiny stab of jealousy but shrugged it off immediately, feeling petty. Rosalie no doubt considered Elisa far more sensible than she did me. And Elisa, after all she'd been through, needed as many people on her side as she could get.

As the two of them disappeared out of the room, Edward was suddenly there by my side. He looked after Elisa and Rosalie for a moment as they made their way downstairs, his eyes speculative. "Well, that's… new."

He turned back to me and smiled. "I had an idea. If you don't have any plans today, I think we should strike while the iron is hot and go see Charlie. We can go down to the station and offer to take him out for lunch. If we ask in front of his co-workers, he's far less likely to refuse." His eyes danced as they looked into mine. "What do you think?"

I laughed. "Sneaky." I mused for a moment. "You know, despite whatever he said to me this morning, he's going to be a horrible grouch to you anyway."

Edward shrugged. "I know. But we don't have many of these opportunities left. We might as well make the most of them while we can."

I ignored the now familiar clenching of my heart at those words. "You're right." I agreed, looking into his golden eyes until the pain eased, then evaporated. "Let's go."

We walked down the staircase hand in hand, talking idly about Charlie and where we could take him. We were almost at the door when Edward suddenly stopped. Abruptly, he turned around, and then looked towards the kitchen.

"What is it?" I asked him, knowing by his expression that he'd just been summoned. "Does Carlisle need to talk to you again?"

"No." Edward took my shoulder and gently turned me around, so I could see Elisa, who was walking into the main room now with her eyes fixed on me, her face unsmiling. "It's Elisa, and she wants to talk to you." For a quick moment, his eyes looked pained, but the look was gone so quick that I wondered if I'd just imagined that too. He touched my face lightly. "I'll be in Carlisle's study." Before I could object, he was gone.

"Bella." Elisa looked nervous now, shuffling from foot to foot. "I guess you know I want to talk to you. Can we sit down?"

Mystified, but with a growing suspicion about what was going on—and my sneaky fiancé's hand in it—I followed her to the sofa and sat down next to her, waiting for her to begin.

Elisa shuffled a bit until she was angled slightly to face me, then took a deep breath before she spoke. "OK, this is totally none of my business and I don't blame you if you get mad, but I wanted to ask you—" she cut herself off for a moment, as if seeking courage, then continued. "About your um… future plans. You know, where you, uh…"

I clenched my teeth. I was getting mad, but not at her. I knew now what this was about. "Where I become a vampire." I looked at her. "Edward put you up to this, didn't he? I shouldn't even be surprised. I knew this was coming, ever since the night Rosalie asked you why you didn't want to be a vampire. It was just too much of an opportunity for him to pass up." I almost stood up to go raging after him immediately, but Elisa reached out a hand to stop me.

"Bella, it's not like that." I stared her down for a moment and she flushed. "OK, it's a little like that. Edward did ask me to talk to you, but I told him no. It's just that… I thought about it, and there is something I need to say. It's not exactly what he wanted me to say though." Her lips quirked. "He actually might even be a bit mad at me, when I'm done, but this isn't about him. It's about you."

"Alright." I said slowly. "You've got my attention, Elisa. Go ahead."

Elisa twined her fingers together, moving them restlessly. "I was just wondering about… well, about your parents. What you're going to do about them after you change."

I frowned slightly. "Elisa, you know how dangerous newborn vampires are, right? I won't be able to be around them at all for a long time. I won't be able to be around anyone."

Elisa sighed, and I saw she'd gone slightly teary-eyed again. "I know. Carlisle already told me that you and Edward are going to have to leave because of me. I'm sorry."

I started to object to her apology but she raised a hand to stop me, shaking her head. "We can have that conversation later, Bella. I do understand about the newborn phase. But after that… then what? Will you stay in touch with them?"

I sighed now, looking down at the floor. "For a while. I'll send them emails and letters… maybe after a few years I might even visit once or twice. But eventually…" I bit my lip. "It's too dangerous for them, Elisa, to be so close to a secret that they could be killed for figuring out. The best thing for them is for me to fade out of their lives."

Elisa exhaled, and the tears in her eyes became more evident. As she looked at me, I was startled to see a bit of anger creeping into her expression.

"You're going to give them up, just like that." Her voice was flat. "Do you really think it will be that easy?"

"No!" The words exploded out of me as I remembered how Rosalie had hissed nearly that same phrase at me a few weeks ago. "I don't think it will be easy, Elisa, but it's the only way!"

"No, it's not!" Elisa's voice was rising in volume now. "Why can't you try, Bella? Whatever you have to do to keep your family in your life, even if it's only for monthly telephone calls and a once a year visit, do it. It's the new millennia… things aren't the same as they are when Edward became a vampire. You can do things to fake being human. Get a wig, or extensions, add some fake gray later on. Wear some makeup, powder down your skin, hire a freaking make up artist to give you wrinkles for a day if you have to. Do anything but give up! You don't know what you're going to lose, Bella. You don't know how much it will hurt, but you will, I promise you that, and if you haven't done everything in your power to hold on to them, you'll never forgive yourself." Her eyes were blazing now as she glared at me, and for a brief moment, I wondered if Rosalie had been giving her glowering lessons. The resemblance between the two of them at the moment was shocking.

"Elisa, it's just not that simple." I couldn't bring myself to be angry at her, despite the fact that she was clearly upset with me. Of course Elisa would over-identify with the loss of my family, of course she would be upset that I could turn my back on what she'd lost so painfully. But there was so much she didn't understand…

That notion was set on its head a moment later when Elisa spoke once more, her voice quieter now, her face less tense. "I really do understand why you've chosen this path, Bella. And if I were you, I think I would do the same. I just think that you aren't seeing all the possibilities. And if you really honestly believe that it's not possible to keep your family in your life, then give Edward what he wanted. Give him more time. Give yourself more time. What's five years in the face of eternity? Five more years for the people you love… is it really so much to ask?"

"Elisa, I…" My voice trailed off. I could not find the right words to say. Instead, I just looked at her, her face worried now, afraid that she'd pushed me too far. "Thank you. I know that you mean well, and I promise you, I will think over what you said."

"That's all I ask." She smiled weakly at me, and we both stood up. "I'm sorry I upset you."

"It's OK." Impulsively, I leaned over and hugged her small frame. "I know it must have been hard for you to say all that to me."

Elisa shrugged. "A little." She shuffled her feet once again. "At least it's over with and I don't have to worry about it anymore." She smiled at me. "I won't bring it up again, I promise. Whatever you decide, I'll support you. Just keep your promise… think about it." And with that, she turned, walking back towards the kitchen.

"Edward." I said flatly, my arms crossed over my chest as I stood there. "I know you're listening. Get down here."

Before I had time to blink, he was in front of me, his eyes gazing anxiously into mine. He tried to smile, but it twitched and fell flat when he met my eyes. "Are you very, very angry with me, Bella?"

I bit my lip. "No." I said softly, and was gratified to see the surprise on his face.

"No?" He echoed in disbelief. "Is this a trick?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not a trick. I was mad at you, but I'm not now."

"Oh." I could see the indecision in his eyes, as he wondered if he should press the issue or take his seemingly dumb luck and run with it. Apparently the second option won out, because the next question he asked me was "Should we go then?"

"No." I looked him full in the face, wanting him to see the seriousness of my expression. "I'm not ready to go anywhere with you, Edward, not out to lunch with my father, not back upstairs to make more wedding plans, not down the aisle, and certainly not back down the road to La Push and Jacob Black, or any of the other paths that you want to lead me down because you think you're doing it for my own good. We're not going anywhere until we work this out, once and for all."

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Edward:

It is a never ending surprise to me, despite my excessive number of years, how quickly life can change. One second you know who you are, where you're going, who you'll be with on the way, and then fate steps in, everything you know collapses, and your world has to be rebuilt from the ground up.

It had happened to me before, more than once. The first time was when my parents died, and I became a vampire. The second time was when I met Bella, as much as I'd tried to deny what an eternity altering effect she was going to have on my entire existence. When I did finally come to terms with it, I also realized that rebuilding wasn't always such a bad thing. Sometimes it was actually a wholly undeserved gift.

And now I was feeling it all over again now, as I sat with Bella wrapped in my arms, in our meadow. The future stretched endlessly before us, and finally, it didn't seem a never ending black chasm that I would simply have to endure. It was full of promise and endless possibilities. How odd that an hour earlier I would have said this wasn't what I wanted.

When had I perfected the art of lying to myself so completely? How had I managed to fool myself into thinking I could ever let Bella go again, whether it was to Jacob Black or even to natural death in sixty or seventy years? Thank heaven God seemed to smile on fools. Maybe I had been forgiven after all.

"I never thought this was how this conversation was going to turn out." Bella murmured as she rested her head against my shoulder, echoing my thoughts. "Of course, I hadn't really planned on offering to give up immortality either, but once I did… I was so sure you'd take me up on it."

"Believe me, I'm staggered myself." I smiled ruefully as I stared up at the sky. At Bella's look of alarm I tightened my arms around her. "But not sorry… not in the least."

"Good." Bella relaxed against me once more.

"I'm sorry I went behind your back." I said into her hair as I pressed my face against her. "I shouldn't have done that, and I shouldn't have involved Elisa. Not that she was too willing to cooperate with me, regardless."

Bella chuckled. "See, not all of us humans are complete pushovers, ready to fall at your feet at a single glance."

Suddenly, she hesitated, looking at me as if considering something, then spoke again. "Speaking of Elisa…"

I raised my eyebrows. "What about her?"

Bella was smiling now, but her expression was half-amused, half embarrassed. "Edward, have you ever noticed—well, how she looks at you sometimes? I think she's got… well, a bit of a crush on you."

"Oh, that." I rolled my eyes, wondering why she was so nervous over such a trivial thing. "Please don't mention it to her. She'd be utterly humiliated."

Bella gasped lightly. "You knew?" Then she laughed. "Of course you did. Poor Elisa… must be awful to have those feelings and not even be able to hide them."

Her face turned serious again, and for a moment I watched her in confusion, wondering why she was looking at me like that, until it clicked.

I groaned. "Bella, you can't honestly be jealous of Elisa, can you?"

The blush bloomed immediately on her face. "Well, I… why not?" She crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "What's wrong with Elisa, anyway?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "I'll never understand you, Bella. First, you worry that I might return her childish and very temporary infatuation, the next you act offended when I make it clear that I don't. There's nothing wrong with Elisa. She's sweet, funny, and immensely good hearted. She's also fifteen… a very young fifteen, and on occasion one of the most annoying creatures I've ever come across. Most of all, she's not you. I assure you, any feelings I will ever have for her are entirely fraternal."

After a moment of searching my face, Bella chuckled reluctantly. "I knew that, really. It's just… jealousy is not always rational."

I smiled as she snuggled once again into my arms. How well I had learned that lesson myself.

"Speaking of Elisa again…" Bella was talking once more. "You did eavesdrop on that conversation we had back at the house, didn't you?"

"Yes." I admitted.

"And you heard what she said, about not letting go of my parents?"

Bella's fingers idly traced the faint lines of my palm, sending a small shiver up my spine.

"Yes." I said again, my voice more cautious now. "And I understand where she's coming from, Bella. It's a lovely concept, but just as you said to her, it's not that easy."

"No, it wouldn't be easy." Bella's voice was far away now as her thoughts drifted. "Nothing worth having ever is. I learned that the day I met you."

"Bella…" My voice was warning now.

Bella smiled sweetly back at me, and the words I had been about to say died in my throat. "All I'm asking is that you let me honor my promise to her. I want to think about it."

I sighed, defeated by a single look. "Alright."

We were both quiet for a few moments, content just to sit there, our fingers entwined, lost in our own thoughts.

"What about the other things Elisa said?" I asked suddenly, and Bella looked up at me. I could see by her reluctant expression that she knew exactly what I was talking.

"You mean about taking more time." Her voice was wary now. "About waiting… about staying human longer."

"It makes sense." I squeezed her hand lightly. "This isn't a trick, Bella. I'm not changing my mind, and I'm not having any doubts, but she's right. What's five years in the face of forever?"

Gently, I smoothed back a loose dark curl from her forehead. "Waiting until you're twenty-three or so won't make much of a difference. I doubt you'd even look it."

I could feel the tension in Bella's frame, but her voice was carefully calm as she replied. "Probably not."

I raised my eyebrows at her easy agreement. "So you're considering it?"

Bella sighed. She was turned away from me now, the way she always did when she didn't want me to see her expression. "No."

I sighed as well. "How about three years then? Or two, even. I'll take two, happily. Bella, please, just consider it. Just a few more years of your human existence under your belt. How horrible is that, really?"

"It's not horrible. Not at all." Bella was still turned away from me. "But I can't, Edward. I just can't wait that long."

The sudden bleak tone in her voice startled me. I reached for her, gently trying to turn her to face me, but she resisted, and I didn't force her. "I don't understand. Why not?"

"Don't ask me that." Her voice was a stark whisper now. "Just… just accept that it's part of my impatient personality and let's leave it at that. Please?"

"You're scaring me." I was unable to disguise the worry in my tone. "Bella, tell me why."

Bella exhaled deeply. The seconds turned into minutes as I waited for her response. When it came, it was little more than a whisper.

"Because it's coming back for me, Edward."

"What?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I'd intended. "What's coming back for you?"

Bella hunched over now, her arms hugging her knees to her chest, her back still turned towards me. "Death."

The venom in my veins turned to ice as I registered her words. Urgently, I grasped her shoulders, ignoring her resistance this time as I turned her to face me.

"Bella, what are you talking about? What's going on?" My anxious hands caressed her face, her hair, her arms, looking for any signs of vulnerability or hurt that I'd missed. "Are you alright? Has something happened that I don't know about? Are you sick? Are—"

Bella was smiling now, just a slight lift of her lips, but the sight of it warmed me, helped me to relax.

"It's nothing like that, Edward. It's just that… ever since that day with Tyler's van, the day that you saved me, it's been one thing after another. Port Angeles, James, Laurent, Victoria, the newborns… it keeps coming back, over and over again. Maybe there's a reason why I'm such a danger magnet, have you considered that? That maybe it's fated? Just as you were meant to live, perhaps I was meant to die."

"NO!" Without intending to, the word came out as a shout, and Bella flinched back. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, then smiled at her, my hands rubbing up and down against her arms.

"Bella, after everything you've been through, it's natural that you would be wary, even frightened, of what could be next. But there's nothing out there now, nothing that wants to harm you. Even if there was, do you really think I'd let anything happen to you?"

Bella smiled again, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "There's the Volturi." She pointed out. "They wouldn't be too happy about a five year plan now, would they?"

I grimaced. "I doubt they will return anytime soon. Even if they did, I can deal with them."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't even start that again."

"Is that it?" I felt the relief course through me as I touched her porcelain skin. "The Volturi is what's got you worried?"

Bella shrugged now. "Not specifically. If it wasn't them, it would be something else."

"Bella, you can't honestly believe that, that just because you cheated death a few times it will keep coming back until it's gotten you." I hoped my voice didn't relay the fears that were quickly returning at the sight of her stark expression.

"Really?" There was a slight tone of bitterness to her voice now. "Try telling that to Elisa."

"I see now." I smiled at her more whole-heartedly this time. "Add what happened to Elisa on top of all that's happened to you, and you have a complete recipe for paranoia." I hugged her to my chest lightly. "I understand, Bella, how you feel, why you're afraid. But you have to believe me… you weren't fated to die. I won't ever let that happen.

One thing I have to ask though… if you really believe this, why did you tell me you would give up immortality? Why would you do that if you sincerely thought it would lead to your death?"

Bella looked at me steadily for a moment. "Because your soul is worth everything to me. You'd do it for me, too. I know you would."

"Oh, Bella." I held her more tightly. "You love me too much. You give me too much. I don't deserve you."

Bella scoffed loudly. "Now who's being ridiculous?"

I grinned. "You." I touched her nose lightly, and she tried to glare at me, but failed miserably as her lips curved into a much more heartfelt smile.

I hesitated for a long moment, then let my voice turn serious. "But if you really feel that way, I'm not going to let you live in fear. We'll return to the original plan. If you are sure you're ready, then after the wedding, you'll be changed."

Bella snuggled closer. "It's a deal." She sounded relieved.

Suddenly she turned in my arms, moving so that her lips nearly touched my ear. "Well, perhaps not right after…" Her voice was low now, seductive, and I felt the ice in my veins flare into fire.

Unable to help myself, I lowered my head, my lips burning a trail across her neck and then upwards, across her cheekbone and finally claiming her mouth. I heard her intake of breath, and then she was kissing me back fiercely. I could feel her heart pounding against her chest and I exulted in the sound.

My lips were once again trailing the curve of her collarbone when her tentative whisper reached my ears. "Um… Edward?"

Startled, I realized we were lying in the grass. One of my hands was tangled in her hair. The other had slid inside the loose collar of the white blouse she was wearing, and was curled around her soft, bare shoulder. We were pressed together so tightly that a piece of paper would not have been able to slide between us.

Quickly I sat up, stunned by how much control I'd lost in the past few minutes. What kind of spell had she cast on me?

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I wasn't thinking."

Bella laughed. "I'm not sorry. I like it when you don't think." Her voice was light, teasing. "But if we stay here much longer, certain carefully laid plans of ours are going to go up in smoke. Not that I'd mind so much…" Her voice trailed off.

I wouldn't mind either… not in the least. I struggled with myself for a moment, resisting the urge to fling myself at her, promises and plans be damned.

"I suppose we should go." I looked up at the sky, gauging how much time had passed. "Though it's a little late to take Charlie out to lunch now, it looks like."

"True." Bella agreed, then she smiled at me again. "It is too late for lunch. But for dinner, we'd be positively early."

I grinned back at her as I got to my feet, then pulled her up as well.

"To the police station, then?"

"To the police station." She agreed.

And with that we were off, together, as we were always meant to be.

Chapter Text

Elisa:

St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. I pondered my future hometown as I sat at the kitchen counter, trying to force myself to finish the oatmeal that Esme had set before me. Out of all the places that we could have moved to, Canada was not one I had ever considered. I had to admit to myself that I had never even heard of St. John's before, which was rather sad considering that it was the capital of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, another fact that I only knew because Carlisle had told me.

I was torn between excitement and nervousness at the thought that we'd be there in just a few weeks. I didn't really know anything at all about Canada either, except that Degrassi was filmed there, it was cold, and apparently people said 'eh' a lot. Still, it was a whole other country, a new adventure, and it sounded way better than Michigan, which had apparently been Carlisle and Esme's second choice.

"Hello, Elisa."

"Aaaaagh!" I shrieked in surprise at the sound of Edward's voice, and my spoon, still covered with oatmeal, went flying out of my hand and across the kitchen, landing in a sticky pile in the corner.

"Graceful." Edward chuckled. He was perched on the stool next to me as if he'd been there all the while, looking innocently at me.

"You did that on purpose!" I accused as I climbed off my stool and retrieved the spoon, taking it to the sink.

"Would I do that?' Edward chuckled as he watched me wash the spoon off.

"Yes!" I turned to give him another dirty look, but as I looked at his cheerful, amused face, my irritation began to disappate and relief took its place. I hadn't seen him at all since he and Bella had left the day before, and I'd spent a restless night wondering if everything was OK with them. But now, looking at him, it seemed like my worry had been completely unnecessary. In fact, I couldn't remember ever seeing him this happy before.

"Why, thank you for your concern, Elisa." Edward's smile widened. "However, I am in an absolutely splendid mood, now that you mention it."

My eyes narrowed. "I didn't mention it." I pointed out. I was never going to get used to him fishing around in my mind… it was beyond intrusive.

Edward ignored that little tidbit. I tensed slightly, feeling self conscious, as I noticed how closely he was looking at me.

"You look awful." he murmured absently.

"What? Thanks!" I sputtered indignantly, my face reddening.

He laughed quietly. "I didn't mean it that way. You don't look bad… you just look far too pale, almost like one of us. You've been in this house too long." he paused for a moment. "I have to run into town and pick up something. Would you like to come with me?"

"Really?" I brightened instantly. For just a second, my mind raced through an internal debate - if I went with him, we'd be trapped in a car together and there would be no escape from all the embarrassing personal thoughts I was bound to have. On the other hand, sweet freedom beckoned… I had been stuck in the house for weeks, and this would probably be my last chance to see more of Forks before we left. Besides, there were far worse things then being stuck alone in a car with Edward Cullen… My mind made up, I jumped off the stool and went to the sink to scrape the oatmeal down the garbage disposal.

Finished, I turned to him. "Let's go! I have to be back by one o'clock though. Angela and Jessica are coming over for the final bridesmaid gown fitting, and Alice will kill me if I miss it."

"Probably." Edward agreed, his voice droll.

As i went to get the jacket Alice had bought for me a few weeks back, he went upstairs to tell Esme where we were going, and then zoomed back down to hold the front door open for me. I followed him outside and to the garage, getting into the passenger side of the Volvo.

Before I even had a chance to buckle my seatbelt, we were out of the long drive and rushing down the street. I finally managed to click my seatbelt in and exhaled happily. It really was nice to finally get out… I hadn't realized how confined I had felt lately.

"Life will get a lot more normal for you soon." Once again Edward was responding to my thoughts instead of my words. "Canada is truly beautiful, and St. John's has some great schools. You'll like it there, and you won't be stuck inside anymore. Carlisle just thinks it's better to keep you out of the public eye for the moment. We don't need to give the werewolves any more ideas about the suitability of our home, plus the story about your family… well, if anyone here gets suspicious, it's not going to take much investigation for that to fall apart. The sooner we get you out of Forks, the better."

I nodded, then wrinkled my nose, distracted. "Edward, did you know that your car smells like cat pee?"

Edward groaned. "I think it's definitely time to trade the Volvo in." he muttered, more to himself than me.

"So where are we going, anyway?" I asked curiously as he accelerated and the scenery rushed by even faster.

"The jewelry store." Edward replied. "I'm picking up Bella's 'something old'." he smiled. "It's another piece that belonged to my mother, but it needed some small repairs before I give it to her."

"Oh." I waited a moment before speaking again. "So, um… I mean, I know it's none of my business, but… everything's OK between you two, right?"

Edward turned and flashed a heart-stopping grin at me. "Better than OK."

"Good." I sighed with relief as I leaned back against the seat.

"Elisa…" Edward's voice was more serious now, and I looked over at him once more. "I owe you an apology. I should not have put you in the middle of this. It was unfair to you, and to Bella as well. I promise not to make that mistake again."

I shrugged. "It's alright. I'm over it. Bella wasn't mad though, was she?"

Edward grinned again. "Bella was… irked a bit, I suppose, but everything worked out. It worked out immensely better than I would have imagined, actually."

"Hmmm." I wondered what he meant by that.

"What that means is, everything's on the table now. No more secret doubts, no more subterfuge. I came clean and we made our decisions together, the way we should have in the first place." Edward explained.

"That's good. So she forgave you for inviting Jacob to the wedding, too?" I looked at him expectantly.

The smile instantly slid off of Edward's face. "Uh oh."

"You didn't tell her?" My voice rose several octaves. "Edward, she's going to kill you!"

Edward grimaced. "Maybe he won't show up." he said hopefully.

I sighed. "I knew it was a mistake." I looked at his now worried expression and my heart clenched. "Edward, look, if he shows up, just tell her I invited him. I was in charge of the invitations, after all. Hopefully, he'll be enough of a gentleman to keep his mouth shut about who it really was."

Edward frowned at me now. "Absolutely not. Didn't I just finish telling you I wouldn't put you in the middle anymore? Besides, starting off our married life with a lie seems like a bad omen. I'll just have to grovel… again."

I had a sudden, very vivid mental picture of Edward groveling, and my internal temperature shot up several degrees. Then, to my intense mortification, I realized that he was deliberately not looking at me anymore. Instead, his eyes were fastened on the road in front of him, the very picture of a conscientious driver. It wasn't fooling me for a second. Obviously, he knew what I was thinking. Ugh, why had I thought that I could be this close to him and not think these things?

It had been easier not to when I first came back… between the trauma of all that had happened, the feelings that I had for him had been the furthest thing from my mind. But now that I was more myself, it was all coming back, every single fantasy about him that I'd ever had, and they were playing now on the big screen of my mind in full, humiliating 3D. I wanted to die… again.

After an excruciatingly long pause in which my traitorous mind refused to shut off the ever more embarrassing images and my face burned so brightly it seemed like it should heat up all of Forks, Edward cleared his throat.

"Elisa, you know, you're a great girl. And some day, when you're older, you'll find the right - "

"Oh no." I groaned loudly, cutting him off as I put my face in my hands. "Edward, you're not really going to give me the speech, are you?"

"The speech?"

"Yes, the speech." I grumbled into my hands, knowing he could hear me perfectly well anyway. "You know, where you try to let me down easy, tell me how one day I'll make some lucky guy really happy and all that."

With an immense effort, I picked my head up to look at him, knowing my face was still scarlet but figuring I couldn't possibly be any more embarrassed then I already was. "I mean, you can read me well enough to know that I don't have any… I don't know, designs on you, or whatever, right? I'm not, like, dying of unrequited love or anything. I can't help it… before I ever knew you were real, I had a crush on you. It just doesn't go away that easily, even if you are far more irritating then I ever thought you'd be."

Edward grinned once more at that, and I instantly felt better. "I do know that, Elisa. It's an infatuation for you, nothing more, and you'll be over it soon enough. I am flattered, you know, but what I appreciate even more is despite it all, you've gone out of your way to fight for Bella and me, to keep us together. It's nice to know we have such a stalwart champion in our corner."

I smiled. "Thanks. I just figure, there's no fighting fate, right?"

"I think I'm learning that myself." Edward smiled again at me, and I was relieved to feel the last of the tension disappearing. "You know, about the speech…" he paused for a moment. "It may sound cliche but it's true. Someday, when you're ready, you're going to find someone who appreciates you and loves you for you. Of course - ' he gave me a playful, yet stern look now - ' I'll have to meet him first, make sure he's good enough for you."

I grimaced at that, suddenly having a vision, one that involved me dragging some poor, terrified boy across the threshhold where my new vampire family stood waiting to interrogate him. "Oh, great." I moaned. "Between Alice's visions of the future, your mind reading, and Jasper picking up on every feeling any of my dates have, nobody's ever going to be good enough, are they? I might as well join a convent!"

Edward laughed. "I don't think we'll be quite that extreme. But…" he gave me another mock stern look. "Let's just set some ground rules anyway. First, you're too young right now to be seriously looking. Second, no werewolves, ok?"

I laughed too. "No werewolves. Check."

He considered me for a moment before speaking again. "Now that I think about it, no vampires either."

"What? You mean I'm stuck with an ordinary human?" I wailed dramatically, then caught his eye and burst into giggles. "OK, I guess I can live with that."

"That's the point." Edward chuckled dryly as the car began to slow. "You know, Elisa, you're a lot of fun. I'm sorry about what happened to you, but I'm glad you're here."

My smile disappeared. "You don't have to say that, Edward."

Edward frowned at me as we pulled up in front of a small shop with a sign that read 'Sal's Jewelry: Buy, Sell, Repair'. "Why? I mean it."

I gave him a dark look. "No, you don't. It's nice that you feel sorry for me and all, but I know having me around has caused you all more problems then I'm worth."

Edward exhaled impatiently. "Elisa…" he began, then he seemed to remember something and stopped. "Never mind. We'll finish this discussion later. Come on, let's go inside."

Quiet now, I followed him inside the small jewelry shop. We were the only ones in there, and the swarthy man at the counter snapped to attention at our entrance.

"Mr. Cullen!" He looked delighted. "I'm glad you were able to make it in today. The piece that you asked me to repair is all ready for you."

"Good - thank you, Sal." Edward's voice was smooth. "And the order that I placed a few days ago, is that ready as well?"

"Absolutely." The man beamed at him. Whatever Edward had asked him to do, it had apparently been costly for the man to look that happy. "They're both in the back… I'll get them right now."

While we waited, I wandered around, looking idly in a few cases at the glittering rings, necklaces, and bracelets. A few moments later, Sal came bustling back out of the back room, holding two black velvet jewelry cases, one much larger than the other. He placed them on the counter as Edward settled the bill, then personally walked us out the door, gushing the whole time and promising to give Edward his 'special customer' discount if he should need anything else. We finally extricated ourselves from him, and climbed into the car.

To my surprise, Edward didn't start the car right away. "Would you like to see what I had repaired for Bella?" he asked me, smiling as he held out the largest box.

I'd been dying of curiousity, something he was clearly aware of, and eagerly, I opened the box, gasping at the sight that met my eyes.

Nestled against the black velvet was a stunning piece of vintage jewelry; a multi-strand, pearl choker, offset by a perfectly carved ivory cameo in the center. "Edward, that is gorgeous! And it's going to match perfectly with her wedding dress too! Has she seen it yet?"

Edward shook his head. "No. It's a surprise, so don't tell her. Alice will give it to her on our wedding day."

"She's going to love it." I assured him. "Even if she grumbles." We both chuckled, and then I looked at the smaller box. "Did it come with matching earrings or something?"

Edward's smile widened as he handed it to me, taking the larger case back at the same time "No. This one is actually for you."

I stared at him in surprise. "Me?"

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the dashboard. "Don't just sit there. Open it and see for yourself."

With trembling fingers, I opened the case, and stared in wonder at the delicate golden bracelet inside. "Edward, it's so pretty!"

"Take it out." he urged.

I lifted it out carefully, not wanting to damage the fragile gold, and held it in my palm, tracing the delicate links. It looked almost like a charm bracelet, except that in the middle was a flat, thick gold plate. Belatedly, I realized what it was. "This is an ID bracelet, isn't it?"

Edward nodded. "Turn it over and read it."

I flipped it over gently, and then gasped. There was a name carved in swirling script on the back of the plate… Elisa Cullen.

"Welcome to the family, Elisa." Edward smiled down at me.

I couldn't speak for a moment as my eyes welled with tears. Seeming to understand, Edward plucked the bracelet from my fingers and a second later it was on my wrist. "Thank you." I whispered, wiping away the stray tears that had leaked from my eyes, then gave him a tremulous smile.

"You're welcome." Edward was putting the box with Bella's choker away, then turning the key in the ignition. "That's not the only thing I have for you, you know. I do believe we had a conversation about a car, didn't we?"

I smiled more widely as I put on my seatbelt. "It was a bribe and I turned it down, remember?"

Edward shrugged. "Yes, but I'd like to get you one anyway."

For a minute, I was seriously tempted. I was only human after all. But after a moment I shook my head. "Thanks, Edward, but no thanks. Not now, anyway. If a new car shows up for me tomorrow, I'm still going to feel like I was paid off, and more than that, Bella's going to think so too."

"That's true." Edward agreed. "I didn't really think of that." He smiled at me as we began to accelerate once more. "How about a compromise then? We'll hold off on the new car for now, but just to make sure you're ready when the time comes, how about some driving lessons?"

"From you? Really?" I pondered that amazing possibility, then my face fell as I remembered. "But you're not going to be here. You and Bella are going to Alaska. It could be a really long time before I see you again. I kinda hope I don't have to wait that long."

"We still have a few weeks until then." Edward reminded me. "I'm sure we can squeeze in some lessons before then. I suspect you'll be a fast learner."

"OK, then. It's a deal." I beamed at him.

"Good. Now are you ready to go home?"

Home… I thought about that for a moment, feeling the now familiar mix of pain, guilt, and excitement. It hurt, as it always would, to realize that my old home and family was lost to me forever, and the guilt went hand in hand with that. How could I ever be happy again? Was it even right? I knew that was the wrong way to think of it; there was no doubt in my mind that if my parents knew that I still existed, even if it couldn't be with them, that they would want me to be happy.

Still, it felt somewhat wrong and disrespectful to be looking forward to a future that they could never be a part of. Yet, it was undeniable that I did. I would always carry their loss with me, but life went on, as inexplicable as that may seem to me sometimes, and I could not wallow forever in my misery. Elisa Jensen was gone, but Elisa Cullen would live on.

"Yes." I said determinedly. "I am definitely ready to go home."

And I was ready… to be part of my new family, and for whatever else the future might hold. 

Chapter Text

Elisa: 

"Go over it again, Elisa, one last time. I just want to double check everything." Sitting next to me on the couch, Alice straightened up and took a deep breath, her eyes sharpening as she prepared to concentrate.

We were sitting on the large sofa in the living room, where we'd been for the last several minutes, consolidating our individual to do lists into one final check sheet with all the precision of a high stakes military operation. Across the room, Rosalie sat on her favorite perch, the window seat, occasionally watching us, other times just staring out the glass, her face unreadable. In the corner, Emmett and Jasper had been playing a noisy game of chess, but it seemed to be winding down.

Even as I thought this, Jasper abruptly stood up, saying something to Emmett that I couldn't hear, and then left the room without a backward glance. Alice watched him go, her face somber for a moment, before she turned back to me.

"OK, ready?" I picked up the final checklist and read the first item. "Bridesmaids' dresses."

"Don't need to check those - the final fitting went fine, and all of them are hanging in my closet. Next?"

"Caterer?"

Alice's face went blank and smooth for a moment, then she smiled. "The food will be here right on time, and just as we ordered. Go on."

"DJ? Live band? Flower girl? Rings? Ring bearer? Table settings? Limousine?"

After each one, I paused to give Alice time to look forward and check, and her response was positive and the same for each item until we got to the last.

"Flowers?"

Alice considered for a minute, then scowled. "I should have checked sooner. The shipment's been delayed - the florist waited too long to order the right flowers. They'll still get here, but late. Since we'll have to wait on Bella's bouquet, the ceremony's going to start off - " she thought again for a moment - "fourteen and a half minutes behind schedule. Stupid florist, and I won't even be able to demand a refund since I can't tell them where to send it to."

I nodded sympathetically. By now, all of Forks knew that the Cullens were leaving right after the ceremony, and I think if the entire town hadn't been so keyed up about the wedding itself they all would have gone into deepest mourning. I couldn't really blame them -small town life was certain to go right back to dead boring without the family of beautiful vampires and Bella Swan to give them something to gossip about. If I hadn't been leaving with them I might have been feeling the urge to wear mandatory black myself.

Of course we couldn't tell anyone where we were really going, hence Alice's frustration with the florist situation. Carlisle had told everyone that he had gotten an extremely prestigious job offer in New York, when the truth was we were moving to Canada. The less anyone knew about that, the better - especially the werewolves. Sam Uley had said they were turning a blind eye to the fact that Edward and Carlisle were planning on changing Bella after the wedding, but who knew if the fragile peace would really hold? It was a chance no one wanted to take.

And that was just one of the problems - the other was me.

Supposedly, I was Carlisle's niece, the one he'd taken in after his estranged brother and wife had died in a car accident near Seattle. Luckily, Carlisle's reputation was spotless in Forks and he was so revered that this explanation seemed to have been accepted without question, but it would take only one skeptic, wondering how many orphaned nieces and nephews Carlisle and Esme could possibly have, and just a little digging for that all to fall apart. Not to mention that the werewolves also had issues with me being with the Cullens as well… It was best for everyone all around for us to leave as soon as possible.

Still, it was an odd feeling to know that in two days, I'd be saying goodbye to this small town forever, a town I'd barely seen for myself but still felt like I knew so well. I knew I wasn't the only one who would be sentimental about it. The Cullens may have just seen this little place as a means to an end when they moved here, but it was where Edward had found Bella, his soulmate, and I knew the memories meant a lot to all of them. And of course, it wouldn't be easy for Bella to leave either. She had to leave behind her friends, her father - and Jacob Black. Whether she would ever see any of them again… well, at this point, it was highly unlikely.

Unbeknownst to the townsfolk however, Bella and Edward wouldn't be leaving right away. In a twist on an old tradition, we were the ones who would be driving off after the reception. The newlyweds would stay behind, spend their first few days of married life alone here in this house, before heading to Canada to meet up with us. The stay alone here and the scenic drive would be their honeymoon. I felt a little sorry for them regarding that - honeymoons were meant to be spent in exotic faraway locations, but neither one of them seemed to mind. I guess when you have all of eternity to go wherever you want, things like that seem pretty inconsequential.

"Elisa," Alice's voice broke into my thoughts. She was looking towards the front door. "Edward and Bella are almost here."

I tensed immediately, and she gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't get nervous. Just remember what we talked about. Clear your mind, then concentrate, and don't expect this to work completely the first time out. It's going to take practice."

I nodded, but despite her words, I was nervous anyway. We had a surprise planned for the newlyweds, and in the interest of keeping it… well, surprising, I was going to try, for the first time, to block Edward from reading my mind. Not that I had a prayer of truly being successful, but with any luck I'd at least keep my mind busy enough to avoid spilling everything. Alice and Rosalie had assured me repeatedly that if I slipped it didn't really matter, because Edward would surely keep the secret from Bella, but it still irked me, the fact that my mind was such an open book to him. I had to find a way to maintain at least a little privacy or I was going to go insane.

We heard the front door open and Alice patted my head reassuringly. "Just relax, Elisa."

I meant to, I really did, but I was well aware that Edward would know immediately what I was trying to do and it was just making me more nervous. Plus, just being around him, although it was becoming easier all the time, was still incredibly distracting… no one should be allowed to look that good.

At this thought, I blushed, but I refused to allow myself to dwell on my embarrassment. Edward had already heard my most private and humiliating fantasies about him, and he'd taken them all in stride, to my eternal gratitude. I guess my thoughts were probably fairly tame compared to what he'd heard over the past nine decades or so. Plus, it was easy enough to figure out that the more I tried not think something, the more I would, so generally I just let any potentially embarrassing thoughts come and go as they may without making a big deal over them.

Now, though, I needed to concentrate. I'd spent hours yesterday in the library, trying to find just the right piece of writing to memorize, something could both hold my interest but complicated enough that I'd really have to think to remember it all. I worked hard now to clear my mind and then began to recite the carefully memorized lines in my head.

You and me--we know that land
And often have been there
In the long old days, old nursery days,
A dark child and a fair…

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward look up from where he and Bella had been talking to Emmett. His eyes slid over to me. I tried to ignore him and keep concentrating.

Was it down the path of - of

His lips were quirking now, and I was rapidly losing my train of thought. What came next? I desperately tried to remember the next line, but when I heard him snicker, my rising irritation swept the rest of the poem away and I turned to glare at him. It was easy for him to laugh… thanks to their vampirically enhanced memorization skills, Alice and the others knew endless amounts of obscure literature and could recite them in about twenty different languages if they wanted him to stay out of their thoughts, but I was human and I didn't have all their advantages. It was totally unfair for him to mock me.

I chewed my lip for a moment as I thought it over, and then grinned. Why had I been making this so difficult on myself? Screw poetry why hadn't I realized that I had a nearly never-ending supply of meaningless pop culture with which to torment him? I knew exactly what to think to block him out - and hopefully annoy the hell out of him at the same time. Hello to small, petty vengeance… oh yes, you shall be mine.

I saw Edward raise an eyebrow at me, but before he could dig further I began to think as loudly as I could. He really should have known better than to tease someone who knew every word of 'Baby Got Back'.

I LIKE BIG BUTTS AND I CANNOT LIE! 

I grinned as I saw Edward flinch slightly, then reach up to rub his forehead, sending a hard stare my way. Bella gave him a confused look, then followed his gaze to me, and realization dawned on her face.

"Elisa, what are you doing to Edward?" Bella folded her arms and stared at me, looking torn between amusement and concern.

"Nothing…" I said innocently. ".. that he doesn't totally deserve." I added under my breath with another grin.

Edward gave me another dirty look, then suddenly his face smoothed out and a mischievous light shown in his eyes. Uh oh.

He turned away from me as if he'd forgotten my presence and spoke to the room in general. "Good news, everyone! Did I tell you all that I got a call from the auto bodyshop in Port Angeles? The Volvo is back in one piece. Bella and I are going to head over there now and pick it up."

I groaned silently as all eyes suddenly turned to me, amusement dawning on their faces. Dammit. I should have known he'd fight back.

"The Volvo?" Emmett said brightly. "Let's see if I remember this correctly… oh yes, isn't that the very same car that you had to take in for repairs after a certain somebody hit the gas instead of the brake and backed it into a tree? Twice?"

"Ha ha, Emmett." I said sourly. Like I hadn't already heard that one about eight hundred times. "Are you guys ever going to let me forget about that?"

Alice chuckled "Probably not. You have to admit that your driving lessons were chockful of occasions to laugh and point. In all my years, I don't think I've ever seen a less coordinated driver." She laughed. "Behind the wheel, you make Bella look like the epitome of grace and lightning reflexes."

"Hey!" Bella's voice was indignant..

"Oh, don't feel bad, Elisa. There's nothing with being a loyal rider of mass transit. In fact, it's positively considerate of you, especially when you think that not only will you be helping to maintain a less polluted world, but you'll be sparing the lives of possibly hundreds of innocent pedestrians and fellow drivers by staying off of the streets." Edward was smirking now.

"Edward!" I snapped. "Come on, I'm only fifteen! I have time to get better!"

Edward shrugged. "I suppose you could improve…" he mused. "But I think I'll still get you a lifetime bus pass for your sixteenth birthday, just in case."

I folded my arms and scowled at him which just made everyone laugh harder. I gritted my teeth in frustration, but witty comebacks were not forthcoming, especially since deep down I had to admit he was probably right. Our driving lessons had been a complete and utter disaster. I don't know what happened to me every time I got behind the wheel, but it seemed like my fingers turned to jelly and I gained a complete inability to remember left from right or which pedal was the gas and which was the brake. Throw in my tendency to panic whenever we got to a light, or I had to turn, or even when other cars passed me and we pretty much had a recipe for massive amounts of roadkill on our hands.

Yep, he'd successfully managed to turn the tables on me. It looked like this time around, small, petty vengeance was his. Unless… I thought about it and an evil smile lit my face. I had discovered in recent weeks that there was one tiny little topic of conversation that completely unnerved the normally unflappable Edward Cullen, one that was so obviously uncomfortable for him that it was surprisingly easy to imagine him as the blushing schoolboy he pretended to be. Before, I had never been low enough to use this knowledge against him, but desperate times called for desperate measures…

Edward had stiffened again and he looked at me now. 'You wouldn't.' he mouthed the words to me.

'I so totally would!' I thought back, still smiling in his direction.

"Bella, let's go." he said hastily, taking her arm and moving towards the door.

I allowed the sound of 80's synthesizers fill my mind as the song I'd picked just for him began to play in my head.

I made it through the wilderness… somehow I made it through…

He redoubled his efforts to get out the door but Bella pulled away from him.

"Wait, Edward! I have to ask Elisa something!" Edward groaned softly as Bella turned back towards me.

"Yes, Bella?" I asked sweetly, still keeping the thoughts flowing behind my words.

Didn't know how lost I was until I found you… I was beat, incomplete, I'd been had, I was sad and blue…

"I was wondering if you'd do me a favor." Bella was speaking directly to me now, and I was surprised enough to let my mental warfare drop… for now. She'd never asked me for a favor before.

"Sure. What is it?"

Bella smiled more widely. "Well, it seems I might need some company tomorrow night, since a certain somebody - " she shot a dark look at Alice " - says it's bad luck for Edward to stay with me before the wedding. So would you like to spend the night at my house, keep me from biting my fingernails off and pulling my hair out like I would if I'm left alone?"

"Really?" I was beyond pleased. I'd never seen Bella's house although I had met her father a few times when he'd come by the house for the extra tuxedo fittings that Alice had insisted on, or just to drop Bella off. In fact I had gotten to spend much time with Bella at all, and this would probably be just about my last chance to hang out with her for a long, long time. "I'd love to spend the night at your house! But are you sure you wouldn't rather have Alice there?" I chewed my lip doubtfully as I thought about it.

"I'll be busy making sure nothing goes wrong at the last minute." Alice grinned at us. "You must admit, Bella, there's a lot of benefits to having a wedding planner that doesn't need to sleep."

"Wonderful. That's settled then." Edward's voice was hurried. "We'll work out the details later. Bella, let's go before the shop closes."

Bella looked a little startled at his impatience but she allowed him to drag her hurriedly towards the door.

"Drive carefully, you two!" I called after them cheerfully. Inside my head, the synthesizers started again.

But you made me feel… yeah, you made me feel… shiny and new…

"Thanks!" Bella called back.

"Oh, and Edward…" I smiled sweetly as my voice trailed off.

He would have ignored me, but Bella tugged at his sleeve. "Edward, Elisa's trying to tell you something."

Edward turned back to me, his expression resigned, and I turned up the volume on my inner voice as loud as it would go.

… like a VIRGIN… touched for the very first time… like a vi-ur-ur-ur gin…

With a short growl, Edward grabbed Bella, ignoring her startled exclamation as he nearly ran with her towards the door and half a second later they were gone, leaving me giggling in their wake.

"What was that all about?" Rosalie asked as she rose gracefully from her seat to walk over to my side.

"Nothing… much." I was still giggling. "It's just fun to be able to make Edward nervous for once instead of the other way around." Then I looked at Alice. "Are they really gone?" I demanded.

Alice nodded, standing.

"OK then, come on you two, let's get to work! We have so much to do before tomorrow!" I was practically hopping up and down with impatience. Turning, I grabbed Rosalie's hand, ignoring her startled expression. "You're still going to help, right?"

"Yes, Impatient One, let's go upstairs and finish our project." Alice rolled her eyes at Rosalie and they both chuckled softly.

"Just one moment, Elisa." Suddenly Carlisle was there before us. "Before you do that, there's something I else I need you to do." he smiled down at me. "In the interest of forging accurate transcripts for your new school, I need you to take some academic placement tests so we can make sure you end up in the right classes."

"What?" I groaned. "Tests? Why? I can totally tell you where I am. Advanced English, Remedial Math. It's the story of my life."

Carlisle chuckled. "This shouldn't take you long. The tests are on my desk in the study… if you take them in there you won't be disturbed."

"Fine." I sighed heavily and looked at Alice and Rosalie. "Don't do everything without me, OK?"

"We promise we'll save you plenty of work." Alice soothed me, though her eyes were twinkling at my downcast expression.

Reluctantly, I shuffled up the stairs, knowing I should move faster and get it over with but I just couldn't make myself. Homework during vacation time… it was just too cruel. Not that it was anything new to me though… last school year I'd failed math rather spectacularly and spent the summer taking make up classes. I sighed at the memory. I was so going to be the stupid Cullen - I just knew it.

I reached the second floor landing and headed into Carlisle's study. Just inside the doorway, I froze.

Jasper was standing before me, apparently having just risen from the lounge behind him, a thick book in his hand. I saw my surprise reflected in his golden eyes, and I tensed. I still wasn't fully comfortable being around him yet. Scratch that - to be honest, despite his relaxing abilities, I wasn't comfortable being around Jasper at all. During the nearly two months I'd been living there, he was most definitely the family member I'd spent the least amount of time with, and I was more than aware that it was deliberate on his part. Even a total moron would not have been able to mistake the tension that radiated off of him whenever I was near, or miss the fact that he made excuses to leave the room whenever I entered.

He didn't want me there. This was a realization I knew wasn't stemming from my insecurities… it was absolutely true. Why he had voted for me to stay when he had a choice I did not know, but it was clear to me that he regretted it. I sighed, thinking about it. I missed the quiet humor he'd shown that day in the forest when I'd first met him, the easy camaraderie he'd had with his brothers. It seemed like that Jasper had been swallowed whole by this dark, moody creature who never spoke, just sat in corners and stared at me like I was some unwelcome alien that had fallen from their spaceship and landed on his doorstep.

After a moment of awkward silence I looked away from him and towards Carlisle's desk, where I could see a few blue booklets lying on its glossy surface.

"Sorry to bug you." I mumbled as I edged past him. "I just came to get my placement tests." I would take them downstairs and do them in the kitchen. Anything to get away from him as fast as possible.

I had picked up the booklets and was on my way back to the door when his voice broke the quiet.

"I make you nervous." It wasn't a question.

I turned back to him slowly and nodded. "Yes." There was no point in lying.

He watched me for several more endless seconds, and then, to my surprise, he smiled. "You make me nervous too." he admitted.

"Me? Why?" Startled, my voice rose a bit.

He looked at me steadily. "I think that would be fairly obvious, Elisa. I don't understand you."

"What's to understand?" I asked, my voice sharper now.

"Well, there's your choices, first of all." Jasper continued to pierce me with his fixed stare. "Do you truly understand what you're doing, Elisa? What you are risking by being here?"

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look him in the face. "I think I made that clear before, Jasper. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I'm not a total idiot either. I know exactly what I'm risking."

"You still have other options, Elisa. Why do you stay?" Jasper looked at me even harder now.

I couldn't speak for a moment as my throat tightened convulsively. At his words, the pain that was always under the surface boiled over. The thought of losing another family - of being cast off - it was my worst fear, the one I didn't dare to take out and examine too often because I knew I couldn't bear it. It was the one thing that would collapse me when nothing else had.

I was trying to find words - far less personal ones - to explain to him when he spoke again.

"I see." His face was gentler now, but despite that I felt a surge of resentment. Between Edward reading my mind, and him reading my emotions, would I ever have any privacy again?

"You're angry at me now." Once again it wasn't a question.

I sighed heavily, ignoring his last statement. "You said that was one of the things that made you nervous. What else?"

Jasper frowned. "There's the fact that we still don't know why you're here. The others have apparently accepted that it is a mystery we'll never understand, but it's harder for me. I suppose that's because of my background… I was trained not to blindly accept situations, but to understand and control them. This is completely out of my hands. It bothers me, and the fact that it doesn't seem to bother anyone else… I just don't like it."

I nodded slowly, thinking about what he had just said, reading between the lines. "It's more than that. Even if I was just some normal girl off the street, you wouldn't like that your family took me in so willingly. Bella, you tried to accept. You loved her for Edward's sake before you loved her for her. Me… I'm not that vital to anyone you care about. You don't understand why they would take so many risks for me." I shrugged. "I suppose that's fair." I had to admit to myself that I didn't always understand it either.

"Perceptive." Jasper was giving me another strange look.

I snorted. "Not really… I'm just not an idiot, like I said."

"Hmmm. Well, I must admit I'm surprised at your reaction. I thought you'd be a bit more upset with me, not so - mature about it, I suppose."

"I'm surprised by your surprise." I was starting to get a bit angry now at his condescending tone. "I guess I don't understand why you'd assume how I'd react to anything, considering the fact that you know jack about me." I started towards the doorway once more, then looked back. He was still giving me that perplexed look, and it was really getting on my nerves. He was making me feel like a total freak. "You know what the best thing is about human teenagers, Jasper?" I crossed my arms.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What's that?"

"We grow up. We leave home. And generally, at some point, we die. So don't worry - I won't be around to bother you forever." Turning, I stomped towards the door. "I hope that makes you feel better." With that, I flounced out the doorway, banging the door shut behind me a bit harder than necessary.

I regretted my overly dramatic exit almost instantly as I headed down the stairs and towards the kitchen. So much for maturity. He had every right to feel that way about me but I couldn't help the fact that it had seriously hurt my feelings. For a moment, I let the tears well in my eyes, but then, angrily, I shook them off. I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself - there was far too much to do.

I was almost finished with the final test booklet when Carlisle appeared beside me. I was finally getting used to their abrupt appearances, and his sudden presence barely even rattled me.

He was silent, picking up the first booklet and scanning my answers. As soon as I finished the final questions for the one I was working on, he held out his hand for that too. I gave it to him and watched in silence for a few minutes as he looked it over.

"So how did I do?" I asked when he set them down.

Carlisle smiled. "Advanced English, Remedial Math."

I grinned. "Told you."

He chuckled again. "We'll just see what we can do about the remedial part. I plan to oversee your education very carefully. If I have anything to say about it, you'll be well caught up before the end of the next school year.."

I snorted. "Many have tried, none have succeeded. Do you know how many math teachers and tutors I've driven to the point of breaking down? My eighth grade math teacher said I was 'utterly unteachable'. That's just mean! It's not my fault math had to get all complicated. I was doing just fine until the seventh grade, and then all the sudden they want us to figure out these problems that have letters instead of numbers and it all went to hell. Oh and last year, my teacher, Mr. -"

I stopped, mid-babble. There it was again, the emptiness where my memories should be, the blackness that was waiting to take it all away from me. I clenched my fists convulsively for a moment, then forced myself to relax, painting on a weak smile. "Um, sorry… I talk too much. Never mind.".

Carlisle wasn't fooled. "You can't remember his name, can you? Your math teacher?"

I stared at the floor for a moment before I could trust my voice to remain steady. "No."

"You can't hold onto everything, Elisa." His voice was gentle now, sad for me.

"I know I can't. I'm holding on to what's important - that's all that matters now." For a vivid moment, I let my family's faces flash before my eyes, then I jumped off the stool. "So are we done with the school stuff?"

"Elisa - " Carlisle started again, his voice serious.

I knew he was just trying to help, but I couldn't stand to hear it one more time, how sorry he was, how I needed to let go, how my life was here now. As much as most of them may not realize it, I was making my peace with that. Choosing not to let go of my family didn't mean that I wasn't going to live every minute of my new life. It had been given to me for reasons I would never understand, but that didn't mean I was going to let it go to waste.

I cut Carlisle off as if I hadn't heard him, knowing he wouldn't be deceived but hoping he would play along anyway. "Hey, do you want to come upstairs with me, see what we're planning for Bella and Edward?" I waited expectantly.

Carlisle surveyed me carefully for another long second, then nodded. "Sure. I'd love to see what you all are up to."

"It's going to be great." I told him as he followed me out of the kitchen. "Not just this, but the whole day. Every single little bit of it will be absolutely perfect, just like Bella and Edward deserve. Nothing is going to mess it up." My voice was determined.

Carlisle gave me a sideways look, and for some reason he looked mildly worried again. "Nothing is ever perfect, Elisa."

"This will be." I gritted my teeth. Why did everyone insist on raining on my parade or acting like I was taking this too seriously? I sighed as my thoughts grew more resentful. Maybe I really was expecting too much. It wasn't even my wedding and I was obsessing over it like the most psychotic of Bridezillas. But didn't anyone else realize how important it was that this one glorious day went off without a hitch? Couldn't there just be one occasion that didn't get wrecked in some small way, one perfect, unblemished dream that could actually come true?

Was that really too much to ask for?

Chapter Text

Bella:

“Was it really that terrible?”

Edward's voice was so soft, so intense, so utterly and completely melting, that even if I'd just finished crushing my own fingers with a hammer my response still would have been the same.

“No. It wasn't terrible at all.” I leaned closer to him, getting lost in his eyes, not thinking at all now about the wedding rehearsal I'd just stumbled through—literally. I had tripped a grand total of three times going down the “aisle,” the third time so violently that I'd almost taken Charlie down with me. I winced at the memory and prayed silently that the same concept that applied to Broadway shows would also apply to our wedding: bad rehearsal equals great show.

“I personally didn't think it was so bad either. Although I truly hope that tomorrow you make the effort to look at me instead of at your feet as you're coming towards me.” Edward chuckled softly, and I blushed. He was right—I had barely glanced at him all through the short rehearsal. I'd been so busy concentrating on not doing anything to embarrass myself; not that it had helped.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “Tomorrow I won't look anywhere but at you, even if it means that I fall twice as often. I promise.”

Edward's eyes smoldered into mine now, and I couldn't help but smile. He'd been nearly incandescent with happiness all night, and I felt low and mean-spirited now. How could I be so miserable when he'd waited so very long for this day? I should have felt relieved to have such a major hurdle behind me, but as I thought about what I'd just endured, I tensed all over again. The whole ordeal had been even worse than I'd anticipated and tomorrow, it was going to be worse—so much worse. How could I stand it?

Unconsciously, I leaned towards him, remembering my main source of comfort, that all this was so we could be together forever. The barrier between us brought me back to reality, making me scowl as it impeded my progress towards him.

“Careful, love. I don't need you falling out of the window and breaking something—again.” Edward reached out a hand to steady me and, reluctantly, I pulled back a bit, settling myself safely back behind the sill.

We were in my bedroom—well, I should say that technically, I was in my bedroom. Edward was in the tree outside, weighing down an outstretched branch with his lithe figure so that it extended to just inches from the sill. As Romeo-and-Juliet as this little scene seemed, I would have much rather him been in my room with me but it was the night before our wedding and apparently “bad luck” for the groom to spend it with his bride. Stupid human superstitions, I grumbled to myself. It was just my luck that Alice took them so seriously.

I had hoped that Elisa, being the hopeless romantic that she was, might be a little more flexible and perhaps cover for us if we decided to break the rules, but even she had turned out to be an utter disappointment in that department. She had been sympathetic, but completely firm in her refusal when I'd begged her earlier tonight at the wedding rehearsal. “You two have had enough bad luck for twenty lifetimes, Bella.” Elisa had snorted, unmoved by my attempt to blink tears into my eyes. “Don't you think it's best not to take any more chances?”

I had to admit, that one was hard to argue with. So I was resigned to saying goodnight to Edward in a few minutes, knowing it was silly to be so frustrated by it when after tomorrow, there would be no reason for us to ever be apart again. At least I wouldn't be home alone with just Charlie for company, endlessly replaying everything that could possibly go wrong on the big-screen of my mind over and over.

“What are you thinking about?” Edward leaned forward, using his elbows to prop himself up on the windowsill as he gazed at me. “You look a little perturbed.”

I opened my mouth to tell him everything was fine, but before I could, his eyes clouded. “It's your mother, isn't it? You're upset that she didn't change her mind.” He sighed now. “I must admit, I really did expect her to come around. I'm so sorry that she won't be here tomorrow.”

I hadn't been thinking about Renee, but now that he mentioned her, my stomach plummeted. Edward wasn't the only one who'd expected Renee to come around. I thought back to our most recent day in the meadow, just over three weeks ago, the day that Edward had finally asked me, whole-heartedly, to become immortal, to spend eternity with him. It had been a monumental turnaround for him, and such a relief to me, that it had made me feel like nothing was impossible, no barrier too high to climb over, nothing I couldn't do.

With that attitude, I had gone home that night determined to get through to my mother, no matter what it took. The minute I'd walked in the front door I'd nearly run upstairs to my room, and went straight to the phone beside my bed. I dialed Mom's number over and over, getting nothing but her falsely cheerful, machine-amplified voice, informing me that no one was home and I should leave a message. I knew she was screening her calls, but at some point I was sure she'd break down and answer, if only to keep Phil from complaining about the constantly ringing phone.

An hour later, I was beginning to think that I had seriously underestimated her. Being away from her for so long had softened her stubbornness in my memory, fooling me into thinking that perhaps her views on young marriage had softened. Clearly, I'd been living in a fool's paradise. Still, I had to keep trying.

I dialed her number again, ignoring the fact that my index finger was beginning to throb, and mouthed along to the familiar greeting when it clicked on. This time, I didn't hang up right away. The beep sounded in my ear and I took a deep breath, then spoke.

“Mom?” I crossed my fingers that she still had our answering machine and hadn't switched to voicemail. If she could just hear my voice, maybe it would spark something in her. “Mom, I know you're there. Please pick up.”

I waited for a moment. No response.

“Fine, Mom, be that way. I'm stubborn too, you know. I can keep this up all night. In fact, I can keep this up for days.”

I was just about to hang up and redial when there was a sudden click and then her voice sounded in my ear. I was so relieved that the tight, angry tone in it barely registered.

“Bella?”

“Mom!” My eyes welled with happy tears. “I am so happy that—”

“Are you still getting married in three weeks, Bella?” Her voice was cool as she cut me off. “Or have you finally come to your senses?”

“Mom!” My eyes began to fill with tears for a different reason now. “Yes, I am still getting married, but I wanted to—”

“Then we have nothing to say to each other.” I could tell she was getting ready to hang up.

“Wait!” My voice was panicky. “Mom, please, can we just—”

“No.” Her voice was cold, flat. “Bella, I don't know how I can say this more clearly. You are making an enormous mistake marrying Edward this young. Get engaged if you want to, but at least finish college before you walk down the aisle. That would be the right thing to do, the smart thing, and I'm sure you know this! Why won't you listen to me?”

I started to protest, but she cut me off once more.

“Are you pregnant, Bella? Is that what this is about?”

“Mom!” I was fuming now. She'd already asked me this at least six times. “You know I'm not!”

“Then tell me why, Bella. Just give me one good reason.”

Um… because I want to be a vampire before I look old enough to be Edward's mother? Because he's a hundred and eight and tired of waiting? Because he's too moral to let me take advantage of him before I put a ring on his finger?

I imagined her reaction if I said any of these things to her and had to press my lips together to keep in the hysterical bit of laughter that threatened to explode from my lips.

“Because… we love each other, Mom. Because we want to.” Lame, lame, lame. I knew how weak that sounded even before her heavy sigh came down the receiver.

“And you don't think you'll love each other four years from now?” Renee's voice was exasperated. “If you aren't committed to each other enough to even make it through a long engagement, how do you think you're going to do at marriage? Bella, this isn't like you! Please, just listen to what I am saying. I know that I haven't always set the best example for you, but this is one situation where I know what I'm talking about. You may have the best intentions, plans to go to school and have your future the same as you ever did, but if you marry now you're going to be pregnant within the year, and everything you've worked so hard for will go out the window. You'll be stuck at home watching life pass you by, and when the fairytale fades and real life sets in, you'll regret it. You have so much potential, Bella. I want more than that for you.”

“Mom, everything I want, everything that I need… he's it. He is my future. I don't want anything else.” My voice was shaky now.

“Oh, that makes a lot of sense!” Renee's voice was angry now. “And what happens if it doesn't work out, Bella? If he wakes up one day and realizes that he's lost his chance to be young and free? If he leaves again? Are you going to fall apart? Will you just lie down and die, because you've built your life around him and he left you with nothing? Is this how your story will end?”

Her words pierced my heart, causing me more hurt than she could have imagined. I couldn't speak now, but my low sobs must have registered through the phone, because her voice softened.

“I don't want to hurt you, Bella. And it's not as if I don't like Edward. Did he tell you that he's been calling me too?”

“What?” I choked out, although I really shouldn't have been surprised. For a moment, I felt a pinprick of irritation that he'd tried to intervene, but it was quickly washed away by gratitude. He knew what having Renee's support would mean to me.

“Yes, and I told him the same thing I'm telling you. I am not against you two getting married. All I'm saying is not now. Just wait a few years. It's not so much to ask. Please, Bella!”

“Mom, I understand what you're saying, I really do, but we are getting married now. Everything is set, and there is nothing that you, or anyone, can say to change my mind. Please be there. Even if you're not happy about it. For me, Mom.”

There was a long silence, and when she finally spoke again, I heard the tears behind her voice. “I'm sorry, Bella, but I can't. I won't stand by and watch you wreck the future that we both worked so hard to make sure you'll have. If you come to your senses, call me. Until then—don't bother.”

There was a click, and then a dial tone.

For the next couple of minutes, I had just sat there, holding the phone in my hands, listening to the dial tone as the tears trickled down my face. Then I took a deep breath, hung it up, and got to my feet. I couldn't give up. Not yet. The exhilaration of the last few hours with Edward, the decisions we had made together, was still fresh in my mind, giving me strength. Hurriedly, I went downstairs, getting an old, barely used spiral-bound notebook out of a kitchen drawer and a pen as well. Then I went to the dining room table and sat down.

It took me several minutes to figure out what to write, but when I got started it seemed like I couldn't stop. I couldn't tell her the truth behind my decision—not the whole truth anyway—but there was still so much that I hadn't been able to put into words before. So many more reasons behind my decision than I'd ever been able to express, and I poured it all down on paper now. How I felt about Edward, how it had been between us from the moment I'd first laid eyes on him, how I knew he felt about me in return. All the reasons—and there were so many—why we were different, why I knew, beyond all rationale, that it would be forever, why it had to be.

Once I was done, I put it in an envelope, stamped and addressed it, and before I could lose my courage, I drove it to the post office to put it in the after-hours mail slot. I knew if I took the time to think about it, I'd realize how incredibly vulnerable I'd just made myself, and I would tear it up before it ever got to her. I'd never worn my heart on my sleeve so blatantly before. It just had to make a difference.

I sighed now as I returned to the present day, looking up to see Edward's concerned face still peering down at me. I had never told him about the letter, but I had been so sure that it would get through to her. Every time the phone rang over the past few weeks I'd run to it, expecting to hear her voice. I'd been doomed to near constant disappointment. Finally, I had to resign myself. She wasn't going to come around. Renee would never support my marriage to Edward. It hurt so much to know that she would rather cut herself out of my life than accept my decision, but I had to make my peace with it now. At least I had the comfort of knowing I'd tried everything I could.

“It's alright, Edward,” I whispered now. “I'm not going to pretend that I'm not sad about Renee, but there's nothing else either one of us can do. I tried, and I know you did too. Thank you.” I looked at him, smiling now at the surprise in his eyes. I leaned forward to brush my lips against his, but pulled back as a light thud registered in my ears.

I looked over my shoulder at Elisa. She was kneeling on the floor on the other side of the room, her back deliberately to us, as she dug through the box of my carefully packed book collection. She'd been at it for the past twenty minutes, and I was beginning to seriously doubt she found my Jane Austen novels that riveting.

“I shouldn't forget that I have a guest,” I whispered to Edward. “I suppose I should say goodnight.” The reluctance in my tone was blatant.

“But not goodbye,” Edward murmured back. “Not ever again.”

“Never.” I agreed as our faces neared, and then our lips touched. I couldn't resist pulling him closer, regardless of his precarious position, and for a moment I was completely lost in the feel of his mouth on mine, until I realized that the sound of my books being shuffled had become much louder and more deliberate. Edward and I chuckled at the same time, parting slowly.

“Goodnight then,” I whispered.

“Until tomorrow.” Edward stroked my face with his cool hand and I shivered, not from the chill, but from the electricity that raced down my spine at his touch. “You know where I'll be waiting for you at.” His whisper was just for me now, his lips nearly touching my ear, and I almost lost it right there, wanting so much to give in to the desire to yank him through the window and make him stay. I took a deep breath and forced my raging hormones to settle down. Only one more night to endure, and then he could have me the way he wanted me, as his wife, and I could have him the way I wanted him, as my everything.

“Good night, Elisa. Take care of my Bella, will you?” Edward called out in a normal tone now, and Elisa turned to face us, her face deeply amused.

“Oh Edward…” she gasped dramatically. “Parting is such sweet sorrow!” Apparently the Romeo-and-Juliet ambience had not been lost on her either.

“Brat.” Edward rolled his eyes, but his voice was humorous. With one final, intense smile at me, he pulled back and was gone. For a moment I remained at the window, feeling suddenly hollow, and then, with an enormous effort, I turned back to Elisa.

“Did you find anything you liked in there?” I asked, gesturing towards the box of books.

Elisa rolled her eyes. “Not even. I like to read, but your book collection is so not my style.” She made loud snoring noises. “It's like an ode to English Lit's required reading list. You don't even have any Harry Potter!” Elisa walked around my bed to look out the window at the darkening sky, and then turned back to face me. “You remind me of another friend I used to have. Neither one of you ever seem to have a shallow moment.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “Oh, please. I can be entirely shallow.”

“Oh yeah?” Elisa raised her eyebrows. “Prove it.”

“How?” I played along.

“Well…” Elisa thought for a moment, then looked towards my already packed suitcase and snickered. “I've seen your wardrobe so we can skip the fashion test. You'd have failed miserably anyway. OK, here we go. Name one character from Gossip Girl.”

“Who's Gossip Girl?” I asked, puzzled.

Elisa snorted. “Never mind. OK, how about Degrassi: The Next Generation? No? The O.C.? Laguna Beach? Beverly Hills, 90210? Bella, do you even know how to turn on a television?” Her voice was exasperated. “OK, if you just know who Perez Hilton is, I'll give you a pass on all that. In fact, if you know who Paris Hilton is, I'll give you a pass on everything!”

She waited for a moment, and then giggled as I stared at her blankly. “See, what did I tell you? You're completely abnormal. I'll bet you've never even had a celebrity crush.”

“I have too!” I protested.

Elisa put her hands on her hips. “Really? Who?” she challenged.

“Romeo.” I said immediately, still lost in my Shakespearean flashbacks. “Does that count?”

“Unless you want to add ‘as played by Leonardo DiCaprio,’ then I'm going to have to say no. Anyone else?”

“Brad Pitt!” I blurted out, saying the first name that popped into my mind, knowing that it was pointless. She was right—I wasn't normal. I mean, at some point I must have daydreamed over movie stars or rock singers, but my life before Edward seemed so far away, so utterly without meaning, that I couldn't remember. And besides, who needed fantasies when I had him, my wildest dream come true, at my side every day for the rest of eternity?

Elisa looked like she doubted the sincerity of my Brad Pitt crush as well, but she considered for a moment and then finally nodded. “OK, I'll accept that. You are now .001 percent shallow. Satisfied?”

“Ecstatic,” I said dryly.

Elisa laughed again and I couldn't help but smile along with her. I knew it was a good idea to invite her to spend the last night of my single life with me. She was just as distracting—more so—than I'd hoped. It was nice to see her smiling and laughing again. Still, teasing like this called for some kind of retaliation, and I found it in the form of the pillow that I sneakily—or so I thought—lobbed at her head.

Of course Elisa managed to duck at precisely the right moment, and we both watched as my pillow went sailing out my open window and disappeared.

“Oops!” Giggling, we both ran to the window and looked down to see it lying on the grass below. I sighed. “I'd better go get it before it gets damp. I don't want to be smelling like mildew when I wake up tomorrow.”

“I'll come with you,” Elisa said immediately, following me to the door.

“You don't need to, Elisa. I'll be right back. Why don't you change into your pajamas?”

Elisa snorted loudly and continued walking with me. “Oh, right! Don't you ever watch movies either, Bella? Let me set the scene for you. The lovely, disaster-prone bride is home the night before her wedding. A seemingly harmless coincidence prompts her to go outside, in the dark by herself and next thing you know… oh, come on, you have to see that this just has ‘tragic scenario’ written all over it. If I let you go alone, who knows what could happen to you? And how would I explain it to Edward?”

I shook my head at her as I pushed open the back door and we walked onto the gloomy lawn. “Is that so? And what would you do if you were right? Let's say there's a pack of escaped murderers hanging out in those trees over there, or a whole horde of vengeful vampires that I've managed to anger in ways I can't even imagine, all just waiting for me to wander past in the dark… what are you going to do about it?”

Elisa frowned, caught short. “Well…” she thought for a moment. “I have been told that my screams are impressively loud…”

I rolled my eyes as I leaned down to pick up my pillow. “Fantastic. I feel completely safe now.”

As I straightened up, however, a sudden movement in the dark expanse of trees caught my eye and made me gasp. Immediately, Elisa's “tragic scenario” theory took on a frightening reality. Something was there, something big, something… I stopped for a moment, my eyes narrowed in concentration. Something familiar.

Still, I might have been able to dismiss it as my imagination if the movement hadn't been followed immediately by a quiet snap, like the sound of a foot—or a paw—coming down on a fallen tree branch. No—it couldn't be! But who else—

“What is it?” Elisa hadn't missed my reaction and her head turned to follow my gaze into the trees. “Is there something in there, really?”

“No,” I said quickly—too quickly. “Just my overactive imagination at work, which is entirely your fault, by the way.” I forced a less-than-sincere smile on my face.

Elisa didn't look convinced in the least. “Hey!” she suddenly called out in the direction of the forest. “If something's in there, you'd better get lost before—”

“Before what?” I grabbed her arm and hustled her towards the back door. “You scream impressively loudly and terrify the neighbors? There's nothing there. Let's go inside.”

As I pushed her in front of me, I turned to look back one more time, not sure what I expected to see, but there was nothing now, no movement, no noise… nothing to tell me that I had been right. And yet, I had a very strong suspicion that someone had been there and that I knew exactly who that person was.

Had Jacob really been there, watching us? And if so, why? Had he wanted to speak to me? What was left to say? For a moment I cursed myself for not insisting that Elisa stay inside, but then I mentally shook my head at myself. There was absolutely no point in going down this path again. There was nothing I could say to Jacob that could make this better for him—both of us would just be ripping old wounds open once more. It wouldn't help him heal or move on, and selfishly, I knew I couldn't face the pain again myself. I would not spend the night before my wedding crying for Jacob. It wasn't fair to any of us.

I was quiet now as we re-entered my bedroom, a certain bittersweet melancholy settling over me as I walked to the window and looked out once more across the empty lawn. Absently, my fingers went to my wrist, touching the silver charm bracelet that still hung there, the wolf, and the heart. Then I unclasped it and slowly turned to walk across the room to my dresser. I opened the jewelry box on top and placed it gently inside, closing the lid once more. That bracelet was something I would always treasure, but I would not wear it any longer. It represented a time when I was torn, the two pieces of my heart that had now healed into something whole, if forever scarred, forever changed.

I turned to see Elisa watching me, then she looked towards the window, and I knew instantly that I hadn't fooled her at all.

“Was it him?” she asked quietly. “Jacob?”

I opened my mouth to deny it, then sighed, my shoulders slumping. “I don't know. Maybe.”

Elisa continued to look out the window for a long moment. “If it was, I think he's gone now.” She turned back to me, and I was relieved that her face didn't hold the condemnation that I thought it might. Instead, her eyes were frankly sympathetic. She gave me a faint smile, but didn't speak, and for that I was grateful. Clearly, she knew much more about me and Jacob than I could have ever imagined, but even so, that was one conversation I really didn't want to have with her—or with anyone. Not again.

We were both quiet for several minutes before Elisa broke the silence. “I guess we really should try to get some sleep.” She walked towards the rolled up sleeping bag on the corner and began untying the strings that held it together.

“Elisa, why don't you take the bed?” I offered. “You are my guest, after all.”

Elisa looked up at me, her face aghast. “Are you kidding me? You think I'm going to let you sleep on the floor on the night before your wedding? What kind of bridesmaid do you think I am?”

Her voice was so clearly offended that I didn't press the issue. For the next couple of minutes I helped her untie the tangled cord, then we unrolled the sleeping bag on the small area of floor between the wall and my bed. That done, I tossed her the pillow she'd brought with her and a couple of extra blankets I'd gotten out of the linen closet as well.

I watched Elisa yawn widely as she pulled out a pair of pink pajamas from her overnight bag. “Tired, are you?”

Elisa chuckled a little sheepishly. “Sorry. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep at all, but I stayed up all night last night with Alice and Rosalie. I'm totally beat, and I don't want to be a red-eyed, bleary mess standing next to you tomorrow. Speaking of which, I'm not the only human girl who needs her rest.” She looked at my bed significantly.

“You're right,” I agreed, although the tension racing through me now—not only at what just happened but over what I was going to endure the next day. How I was ever going to relax enough to sleep I didn't know.

I went back to my dresser and got my pajamas out. “I'll be right back,” I told her, and headed down the hallway to the bathroom.

Inside, I took my time changing into my pajamas, brushing my teeth, and then washing my face. As I scrubbed my skin, I stared at myself in the mirror, seeing the stranger in my own eyes. I still looked like the same ordinary Bella, and yet I wasn't. I was irrevocably and forever changed—not even close to the same girl who had come to Forks so reluctantly nearly two years ago.

And after tomorrow, I would never be Bella Swan again. I would be Mrs. Edward Cullen. At the thought, I got so dizzy that it was necessary to flip the toilet lid down so I could sit on top of it and gasp for air. It was really happening. Really and truly… I wasn't even nineteen and I was going to walk down the aisle tomorrow, in front of the whole town, and become Edward's wife. I struggled for a moment to get a hold on the tidal wave of emotions rushing through me. I could grasp a few of them immediately. There was fear, panic, wariness, sorrow for two of the most important people in my life—Jacob and Renee—who would not be there…

And yet there was more, so much more, deep under the surface, the feelings that were so personal and made me feel so vulnerable that I didn't like to examine them too closely. There was… Excitement. Anticipation. Joy.

Yes, joy. Because somewhere, underneath all my doubts and prejudices, there was nothing more that I wanted than to be Edward's wife. It was the ultimate culmination of everything I'd ever wanted when I first looked at his angel's face, back when I never, ever could have imagined that his beautiful eyes would ever gaze at me with anything but the briefest acknowledgement. Sometimes I even woke up in the middle of the night convinced it had all been a stunningly vivid dream, for how could this be anything else but a fairytale?

Edward could have anyone he wanted and yet he was bound to me just as permanently as I was to him. He was ready to stand up and let everyone know it. As scared as I still was to put myself out there the way I was going to have to tomorrow, how could I do any less for him? How could I have let my fears and insecurities keep me from letting him know that I was just as proud, just as thrilled, at the thought of being next to him at the altar and pledging my eternal love for him in front of the world? Did he think I was unhappy, or worse, ashamed, to be marrying him?

Tears came to my eyes at the thought, but I smiled to myself as I blinked them away. Surely, Edward knew me better than that. And if he wasn't sure, if his own insecurities were keeping that knowledge from him, then it was up to me to open his eyes. And I would. We had the rest of forever to spend together and I would make sure that he knew that every second that I spent with him was because I wanted it with everything in me. Starting tomorrow, I wouldn't hold anything back—I wanted to make him every bit as happy as he made me, as impossible as that feat seemed.

With that awe-inspiring notion in mind, I decided I'd done enough introspective thinking for one night and left the bathroom. On my way back towards my bedroom, I paused, looking down the staircase towards the main floor, feeling a rush of guilt as I recalled how quiet Charlie had been all night. Had the wedding rehearsal upset him that much? At the very least, it must have really brought home the fact that this was real, that tomorrow he would walk his daughter down the aisle and hand her off to someone else. I should talk to him, no matter how uncomfortable it made either one of us. It was the least I could do for him. After tomorrow, who knew when I'd see him again?

Halfway down the stairs, I realized a conversation with Charlie was not going to happen, at least not tonight. I could hear his snores long before I reached the living room to see him slumped back in his easy chair, oblivious to the world.

“Dad.” My voice was low but insistent as I shook him awake. “Come on. Time to get into bed now. We've got a big day tomorrow.”

“Bella…” he mumbled as I pulled him to his feet. “...my little girl…”

His voice, even thick with sleep, sounded tearful. It was enough to make all my good intentions about a heart to heart fly right out of my head. Alarmed, I pulled harder on his brawny arm. The last thing I needed was for a half-asleep Charlie to fall apart on me. It would be enough to set me off for hours and tomorrow I'd be walking down the aisle with puffy, blood-shot eyes that no amount of make-up would be able to obscure. Like I needed anything else to make the day more humiliating.

Luckily, exhaustion stopped Charlie from saying more, and he collapsed on his bed with a grateful sigh. I tiptoed out his bedroom door and nearly ran down the hallway before he could wake up enough to call me back.

Elisa was still awake and waiting for me when I got back to the room. She'd changed into her own pajamas while I was gone, and was lounging on her sleeping bag with an open paperback in her hand. The cover had a shirtless man with enormous muscles and long blond hair who was passionately embracing a buxom redhead in a much-too-small dress. Clearly it was not a book she'd found anywhere in my room. With a small pang, I noticed that she'd repacked my own books in the cardboard box, even taking the time to find some tape and seal the lid. It was certainly a thoughtful gesture but I'd been hoping to occupy my too active mind with some Jane Austen. Now I would have nothing to do but stare at the ceiling and—well—panic.

“Are you alright, Bella?” Elisa peered up at me as I crawled into bed, trying my best to keep from shaking.

“Fine,” I lied as I pulled the covers over my quivering frame. “Just tired, I guess.”

Elisa chuckled and then suddenly she sat up, getting to her knees and leaning her chin on the side of the bed so she could see me clearly. “What's it like, Bella, knowing you're going to marry the love of your life in less than twenty-four hours? Everything is going to change for you. You must be so excited!”

At her words, butterflies began to flap angrily in my stomach and for a moment, it felt like the room was spinning. My earlier excitement was being drowned in a sea of terror. It wasn't so much the part about becoming Edward's wife that I minded anymore. It was the fact that everyone was going to watch me walk—well, more like stumble—towards him, listen to my quavering voice recite our vows, stare and whisper as he leaned forward to kiss his bride… It would be like standing in a giant spotlight, with so many people watching what should be an intimate moment. Why had I ever agreed to this?

“Bella?” Elisa's voice was worried now.

I took a deep, shaky breath. “Elisa, can we talk about something else?” I nearly whimpered. “Please? I'm just… I'm totally freaking out.” I knew she'd believe that immediately—my voice had a clear note of terror in it.

Elisa watched me anxiously for a moment, then ducked out of sight for a couple of seconds. I jumped as her pillow came flying up from the floor to land at my side on the bed. “Move over, Bella.”

I scooted over and Elisa appeared once more, climbing onto the other side of the bed. She adjusted her pillow behind her, then leaned back, smiling reassuringly at me. “Just breathe, Bella. Don't be scared. Everything is going to be OK, I swear. It will all be over before you know it and you two will have nothing but happiness and the best future ever to look forward to. Just think about that.”

Obediently, I took deep breaths as her gentle voice continued to soothe me. After a few minutes, the panic receded a bit, and I was able to lay back myself. “Thank you. You are an extremely helpful bridesmaid.”

Elisa beamed at me. “You're welcome, Bella.” She watched me for a few minutes, my sweaty, pale complexion apparently convincing her that the crisis was not over yet. “You know, at home when I can't sleep, which is pretty much every night lately, Rosalie reads to me.”

“Rosalie?” I was startled out of my panic attack for a moment. “Rosalie reads to you?”

“Yep.” Elisa smiled once more. “We're almost finished with A Little Princess. I think I'm going to see if I can get her to read The Secret Garden next.”

“Huh.” I tried to picture this cozy little scenario and failed utterly. Rosalie, reading to Elisa… apparently I'd been so wrapped up in Edward and the wedding that I had missed a lot. Like an entire personality transplant happening right before my eyes. “A Little Princess, huh? I think my mom bought me that book when I was little, but it wasn't one of my favorites. I was never really into princesses.”

“What a surprise.” Elisa giggled. “Totally abnormal, like I said. Anyway, I thought maybe I could do something similar for you. I uh… I memorized this poem the other day, for reasons we won't get into, and it's really kind of pretty. It's a story more than a poem—do you want to hear it?”

“Sure.” I was positive that poetry was not going to calm my raging nerves, but I appreciated her attempt at distraction anyway.

“OK then.” Elisa leaned over to snap off the bedside lamp, then adjusted her pillow so she was sitting up a bit more, folded her hands across her waist and began to recite.

You and me—we know that land
And often have been there
In the long old days, old nursery days,
A dark child and a fair.

Was it down the paths of firelight dreams
In winter cold and white,
Or in the blue-spun twilit hours
Of little early tucked-up beds
In drowsy summer night,

That You and I got lost in Sleep
And met each other there—
Your dark hair on your white nightgown,
And mine was tangled fair…

Although I forced myself to focus on the musical rise and fall of her voice, I never really expected it to work. Yet, as my mind began to put images with her words, my eyes began to close. I watched the tale unfold on the back of my eyelids as I lay there, mentally following the path the story led me down. And as I let my anxiety and worries fade, so did my consciousness, and finally, I slept.

Eventually, the dream began.

The misty green light that filtered through the thick foliage surrounding me was nothing if not familiar. I looked up for a moment at the bit of sky that peeked through the trees, seeing the fast-moving clouds that would soon blot out the sun. Although the atmosphere was calm, the wind was beginning to rise a bit, swirling leaves around my ankles, flicking at the hem of the nightgown that was more pristine and white than anything I'd ever worn in real life, and blowing my hair away from my face.

I knew this place where I stood. Distantly, I could hear the rush of the ocean, calling me to its safe, sandy beach, to sanctuary. In the other direction the deepest part of the forest loomed, black and beckoning. Once again, I was caught in the middle.

I waited now, impatient, almost bored, for the dream to play out like it had before. For Jacob to come and try to pull me to safety, for Edward to appear and lure me away with the smile of a stranger. I didn't understand why I had to experience this again. Before, this vision had always had a purpose. First, it was to confirm what deep down, I'd known all along about Edward, and then, to reveal the secret that Jacob himself could not voice. It had been more than that too, although I hadn't realized it at the time. This dream had represented the two worlds I had to choose between, but now I had made my choice. What more was there to learn?

I'd been waiting for several heartbeats when I realized that this time, the pattern was not the same. There was nothing coming, no voices calling my name, no glowing figure emerging from the dark, no wolf at my feet. I was completely alone.

Confused, I turned in a slow circle, feeling twigs and other forest debris crunch under my bare feet. What was I waiting for?

The screams, when they shattered the quiet, jarred me to the soul. For a moment I was so stunned, so frightened, that I couldn't comprehend the sound, but then I realized a high-pitched, terrified voice was screaming Edward's name over and over again. I froze in place, listening, then as I recognized the voice, adrenaline burst into my veins and before I could think it through, I began to run—directly into the heart of the forest.

“Elisa!” My own voice was a scream now. “I'm coming! Where are you?”

Tree branches appeared from seemingly nowhere as I ran, snapping back to strike me in the face after I'd pushed them aside. Treacherous roots caught at my ankles, trying to pull me down, and I stumbled over rocks and fallen trunks as I raced through the shadowy woods. It seemed like the whole forest was conspiring against me, trying to slow my pace, but finally I burst into a small clearing, and then skidded to a sudden stop.

Elisa was several feet away, her back to me, one hand resting lightly on the trunk of the tree next to her as she peered into the dark. I wasn't surprised to see that she was clad in a nightgown identical to mine, or that her hair was pulled back and tied lightly with an old-fashioned velvet ribbon, but I was bemused by her silence, her calm demeanor.

“Elisa?” My voice was a near whisper now, and she turned her head to look at me over her shoulder.

For a moment she was silent, surveying me, then her eyebrows raised slightly and she smiled. “I'd almost forgotten that I'm not the only one who dreams.”

I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. “What's happening? I heard you screaming…” My stomach twisted as I spoke.

“Was I?” Her voice was distant as she turned to look through the trees once more. “I don't remember. Then again, memory isn't really my strength these days, is it?”

“Right.” I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to rub the chill out of my skin. Somehow, the calm of her voice was almost more frightening than the screaming. “Edward told me about that. I'm sorry.”

She shrugged. “Don't be. It's for the best.”

“Why?” It was almost like the words coming out of my mouth were planned, like I was reciting from a script I hadn't even been aware that I'd memorized. “Because the memories are too painful?”

“No.” Elisa was still looking away from me. “I can handle the pain. But it's safer this way, if I forget, better for all of us. Some things are just too dangerous to remember.”

“I don't understand,” I whispered.

“Me neither, not really,” she admitted. Her body remained angled away from me, towards something I could not—did not want—to see.

“You were calling for Edward,” I recalled suddenly. “Where is he?”

Elisa sighed now. “Running backwards. They're coming first. He'll never get here in time.” She lifted her head and stared upwards at the still-moving clouds in the sky.

My heart, which had almost returned to its normal pace, sped up again at her words, hammering so hard that I was sure it would beat its way out of my chest. “In time for what?”

She didn't answer. I didn't have the energy to press her further. I was beginning to feel sick now, like the air I was breathing was too heavy. My head was spinning dizzily and I wanted nothing more than to just wake up and leave all this confusion behind me. I tried to breathe deeply, hoping the fresh air would clear out whatever it was that was building in my chest, stifling me.

“Bella…” Elisa's voice was a whisper now, and for the first time since I'd found her here, I heard fear in it. Startled, I looked at her, and then followed her gaze towards the sky. Even as I watched, the clouds slowed their pace, and then stuttered to a complete stop. I watched in wonder as they remained completely still for a few seconds, then abruptly changed direction, moving back along the path that they had already taken. At the same time the wind switched direction as well, blowing my hair all around my face now, obscuring my vision.

“What's happening to me, Bella?” Her voice was younger now, more vulnerable, more of the Elisa that I knew.

“I don't know,” I whispered back. “You've never told me your secrets.”

My stomach rolled abruptly, and I stopped trying to make sense of my own words, or of anything else, as a sickening realization hit me. I knew now why I felt so nauseated. The scent was clogging up my nostrils, drowning out the more benign smells of the forest, growing stronger, overwhelming me… Why hadn't I seen it sooner? Why hadn't I realized that there was a reason Elisa wouldn't face me? I stared at her hand, the one that still rested on the tree trunk, finally registering the dark substance that coated it.

“Elisa…” My voice was ragged now, terrified, but still, I had to see… “Elisa, turn around.”

Slowly, she did, and as she faced me my stomach convulsed more violently than ever. Blood was spilled over her front, still wet, sticky, soaking through her white nightgown in angry splotches. The worst of it, though, was on her hands, coating her pale flesh as if she'd deliberately plunged her hands into a bucket of gore. My head spun more than ever at the sight.

I lurched away, feeling ashamed as I did so, knowing I should go to her, try to help, but the sight repelled me. “What happened to you?” The words burst forth from my lips.

“Oh, this?” Elisa looked down at the crimson coating her body as if it were nothing more than a bothersome grass stain. “Only what is inevitable. It's coming back, full circle. I learned my lesson well, but you knew this long before I ever did.” Her eyes were sorrowful now. “I'm so sorry, Bella.”

“Why are you apologizing to me?” I stared at her, trying to comprehend her words. “You're the one who's hurt! Tell me what I can do, Elisa, please! Tell me how to help you!”

“You don't understand,” Elisa whispered.

“Don't understand what?” My voice was desperate now.

Elisa stepped forward, and reached out to touch my face gently. I didn't want her hands on me, not with all that blood clinging to them, but I couldn't seem to move away. I let her fingers gently trail my cheek. As I watched, tears began to spill down her face. I struggled to comprehend what she was trying to tell me, why her face was so full of sadness and then suddenly, it clicked, and fear pressed in on me, chilling me from the inside out until I was shaking.

I understood now what she did not want to say, why her eyes were so full of regret. It wasn't her blood that covered her and made her look like an extra in a horror film.

It was mine.

Abruptly, the forest was gone, the dream ripped away, and I was sitting up in my bed, gasping, sucking in the air that was rapidly washing the scent of blood out of my nostrils. Wildly, I looked around, trying to get my bearings. Belatedly, I realized that Elisa had sat up in the bed as well, her own breathing rapid. We stared at each other with wide eyes and for a moment, there was no other sound beside that of our combined hyperventilating.

Elisa was the first to calm down. She surveyed me with her green eyes, suddenly looking sympathetic. “You had a nightmare.”

“Didn't you?” I blurted out, still barely awake.

For a moment there was a flicker of something—recognition?—in her eyes, but then it was gone and her face was only puzzled. “I don't think so. I don't remember if I was dreaming at all.” She yawned lightly, then gave me another concerned look. “You look completely green. I guess the poetry was a bust. I'm going to get you a glass of water.”

She started to crawl off the bed, but I reached out and grabbed her arm. “No… stay.” My voice shook slightly, embarrassing me, but I knew I couldn't stand to be alone at the moment. The memory of the nightmare, the scent of my own blood, was still vivid in my mind, making my chest tighten all over again. Strange how just a little while ago my worst fear had been the wedding ceremony tomorrow, and now it seemed so petty, so far away, dwarfed by the terror my nocturnal wanderings had brought me.

Elisa hesitated for a moment, then nodded, sliding back onto the bed and leaning against her pillow. She patted my pillow, indicating I should do the same, and waited until I obeyed. She hesitated for a moment, then took my cold hand in her warm one, squeezing it lightly.

“It was just a bad dream, Bella, that's all. The nerves are getting to you. Everything is going to be alright, I promise. Breathe deeply, and try to relax. Think about something peaceful, something that makes you feel safe.” Her own eyes looked heavy as she spoke—clearly, she was exhausted.

For a moment trying to calm down seemed like a completely futile gesture, but then Edward's face came into my head with barely any effort at all, filling my mind with nothing but the perfection of his features. His eyes were soft, golden, and warm, looking back at me, and warmth spread through my body, easing me. I knew what he'd say if he were here. I could hear the words again in my head, what he'd said to me the last time we were in the meadow…

“Bella, after everything you've been through, it's natural that you would be wary, even frightened, of what could be next. Add what happened to Elisa on top of all that, and you have a complete recipe for paranoia. But there's nothing out there now, nothing that wants to harm you. Even if there was, do you really think I'd let anything happen to you?”

“No,” I told fantasy Edward in my head. “I know you wouldn't. You're right—I'm being paranoid.”

I felt relief war with leftover fear as I forced myself to think logically. After everything that had happened to me, of course I was still afraid. I probably had post-traumatic stress disorder or whatever it was called. But there was no reason for me to be scared now, not of anything beyond tomorrow and the ordeal it held. I would be safe with Edward, and soon, I'd be strong, invincible—then I'd be a force to be reckoned with myself. Not vulnerable or weak—not a liability.

Now I could feel the tiredness that I'd been too keyed up to notice before, seeping into my bones, and I allowed my eyes to close once again, pretending Edward's arms were around me, forcing myself to ignore the last bits of fear as I finally began to drift off once more.

Chapter Text

Edward:

Chapter Text

It had me.

I struggled and thrashed against the restraining grip, fighting to free myself before I suffocated inside its sinister grasp but I couldn't get free, couldn't get the air I desperately needed. Gasping for breath, I summoned my waning strength and tried again, throwing myself back and forth and then, suddenly, I was loose, on the cold floor, eyes flying open, drawing the cool, much needed air into my lungs.

I sat up, completely disoriented for a moment, but then, as the weak sunlight washed over me, waking me, I realized where I was. I was in Bella's room. It was morning and I was safe. The 'sinister presence' that had been suffocating me was nothing more then a combination of the sleeping bag I'd zipped over my head and a rapidly fading dream.

Dream… I jumped up suddenly as I remembered. Edward had been here last night - or was that just a dream too? I stared at Bella's bed. She still slept, curled up on her side. The side I'd turned over to him was empty. There wasn't even an impression of his head on my pillow. Maybe I'd just imagined it. I pondered that possibility for a few minutes and then snickered to myself. I definitely didn't imagine it. The only thing that really should have surprised me is that he'd left her alone at all. I swear if he could have surgically attached himself to her side, he would have.

Bella stirred restlessly in her sleep and I pondered waking her up, but remembering how restless she'd been last night I figured she deserved her last few minutes of oblivion. While I waited to wake her, I occupied myself by folding my blankets and rolling my sleeping bag up. That done, I then crept around her bed to retrieve my pillow. I was about to toss it onto my tied sleeping bag when the scent hit me. I leaned closer, inhaling. My pillow smelled good. Unable to resist, I held it to my face again. Really good. Intoxicating even…

"Elisa, are you alright?"

The sound of Bella's sleepy mumble had me jerking my face away. My face turned purple as I realized I was practically making out with my pillow. How embarrassing for her to catch me. Quickly, I tossed the pillow away and then walked over to the still open window, I stuck my head out, enjoying the cool morning breeze coupled with the feel of rare Washington sunshine on my skin, soothing my blush away.

Then a sudden realization slammed into me and I yanked my head back inside so fast that I ended up banging it on the window frame. Ignoring the pain, I hurried over to Bella's bed and threw myself on it, bouncing up and down on my knees excitedly. "Bella!" My voice was exuberant. "It's your wedding day !"

Bella had lain back down, her arm thrown casually over her face, but at my words she sat up abruptly, eyes widening with unmistakable terror. "Oh no !" she moaned. "It IS!"

I bit my lip. Perhaps I should have eased her into that a little bit more. "Bella, everything is going to be - "

"I can't do this!" She gasped, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, looking like she was going to bolt any minute. "I absolutely can't- " Her frantic eyes were touring the room as she spoke and suddenly she stopped speaking, her gaze locked on the window. For a few seconds she was silent, staring, and then she spoke again, her voice an amazed whisper now. "Is that - sunshine ?"

"Um… yeah." I was surprised not only by her sudden change of topic, but at the pure happiness creeping into her expression. "I know it's kind of rare here but I'm sure you remember the phenomenon."

"YES!" Bella's exhilarated shout made me jump and nearly fall off the bed. She leapt up with a joyous expression and ran to the window. "Saved by sweet, glorious sunlight - someone up there loves me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" With that, she rushed over to her packed suitcase, unzipped it, and began digging frantically through the contents.

I watched her with rising concern. This was bad. This was really bad. Clearly, the stress of her upcoming nuptials had finally caused her to snap. "Um, Bella… what are you talking about?" My voice was wary.

"Don't you get it, Elisa?" Bella's voice was positively gleeful. "We were supposed to have an outdoor ceremony! We're going to have to cancel!" Her face still alight, she pulled a pair of jeans and a T shirt from the suitcase and then zipped it close. Her glow dimmed slightly then as she seemed to consider something. "Of course Alice will be disappointed - I mean, what is she going to tell all the guests? Ceremony called on account of sparkling?" She chuckled softly, then sighed again. "And I should call Edward too - I'm sure he's upset."

" Bella ." My need to tell her that she was being completely delusional was offset by my rising irritation over how happy she was to believe that months of careful planning had just gone down the toilet. "Are you really that relieved to not be getting married?" I couldn't hide the indignant tone in my voice.

"Oh, I'm still getting married." Bella's voice was determined as she looked around the room, probably for her cell phone. "I'll just have Edward take me to Vegas like we should have in the first place. With the way he drives, I'll be Mrs. Cullen before the sun sets." She grinned. "Really, things couldn't have worked out any better. Hey, do you want to come with us?"

"Sure -wait, no! I mean, yes, I would come if the ceremony was really off but - "

She wasn't listening. "Maybe if we let Alice drive us in her Porsche she won't be too disappointed. We can make a real trip of it, bring the rest of the family, Charlie… heck, I'll even bring the dress!"

"Bella?" I tried again but she kept going.

"Rosalie would go, don't you think? I mean she'll probably think it's tacky but of course I really want all of you there. This is just going to be so much better without the whole town - "

"Bella!"

"What?" She finally broke off, much to my relief.

I inhaled deeply. There was no way to break this to her gently. "Time to come out of Fantasy Land and return to the real world, Bella. The ceremony is not cancelled! Did you really think Alice would get this so wrong? The sunshine will be gone by late morning and the ceremony doesn't begin until afternoon. Even if it was going to be sunny all day we'd just move everything inside the house. You're not getting out of this so easily and deep down, you knew that all along."

The euphoria. along with all the color, began to drain out of Bella's expression. "It's… still happening?" She nearly whimpered.

" Yes!" I took several deep breaths before I could force myself to plaster on my best sympathetic expression. It was difficult to maintain - Bella had thrown herself back onto her bed and I was pretty sure she was trying to suffocate herself with her own pillow. Mentally, I ran down my list of acceptable bridesmaid's etiquette, wondering if there was any kind of loophole that allowed me to smack the bride if she really needed it.

"Just calm down, OK? It's all going to be - " I sighed, not finishing. How many times could I say it would be alright? Besides, it's not like she was listening anyway.

My thoughts drifted away from her and towards the rest of the day. I still couldn"t believe it was here… the day that we'd all been dreaming of and looking forward to for so long. Everything was in place… the wedding ceremony and reception would be held on the Cullens' massive lawn. I smiled to myself, remembering the transformation the house had undergone in the last few days… the pavilion and raised platform that had been erected for the band and DJ to perform in, with a large enough space for dancing. The tables had been set up under a massive tent in case of rain… of course, Alice knew that there wouldn't be any but this was the Olympic Peninsula and we had to look like we had prepared for every eventuality.

My attention was diverted by a distant knock at the front door. "They're here!" I burst out, relieved. The plan was for the bridal party to get ready here, and head over to the house shortly before the ceremony, so it had to be Alice and Rosalie at the door. Jessica and Angela weren't due for another hour. Esme had originally planned to come as well, but at the last minute she and Alice had decided that Esme would be the one to stay behind and oversee all the last minute arrangements, knowing that Bella would need her maid of honor in these last few nervewracking hours.

At my words, Bella just groaned louder and put her pillow over her head. Rolling my eyes, I hurried out of her room and down the hallway, meaning to rush downstairs and open the door before the knocking woke Chief Swan, but as I got to the top of the stairs I heard his voice greeting the new arrivals. Apparently he was an early riser - impressive, considering the amount he'd had to drink the night before.

"Alice, it's great to see you!" Chief Swan bent down to give Alice a small hug as she came inside, flanked by Rosalie. Both of them were wearing wide-brimmed hats, long gloves, and each was closing a small, gaily decorated parasol as they moved into the dimly lit hallway. Chief Swan chuckled as he looked at them. "You ladies sure are careful about your complexions."

"Harmful UV rays are nothing to be taken lightly." Alice said in a mock serious voice, smiling. Then she looked up at the staircase and her eyes met mine as I stood there. "Hello, Elisa! How's our bride this morning?"

I sighed. "Sinking like the Titanic. I think she needs you."

Alice frowned and hurried to join me as another knock sounded at the door.

"That will be the driver with the garment bags." Rosalie said after us as we left them downstairs. "We'll be right up!"

I led Alice back to the bedroom, where Bella was still trying to bury herself under the comforter. "Oh, honestly, Bella, this is ridiculous!" Alice snapped as she pulled it off of her and with one quick motion dragged her to her feet. "Pull yourself together! We have barely five hours left to get all of us ready and nobody has time for this!"

"Alice…" Bella stared at her with panicked eyes. "I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't. I really can't. Please let Edward take me to Las Vegas instead, I'm begging you! I'll do anything… I'll be your slave for eternity!"

Alice rolled her eyes as she stowed her parasol in the corner and then took off her hat and peeled off her gloves, tossing both onto Bella's bed. "Don't even try it."

Bella stared up at her, brown eyes wide with desperation, and Alice sighed. Her expression softening, she sat down next to her on the bed and began to speak to her quietly. Whatever she was saying didn't seem to be doing any good though - Bella sat back on the corner of the bed, shoulders slumped, and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't speak, but her brown eyes were resentful as she stared at Alice. I watched her in amazement. Was she pouting? How sad that I suddenly felt like a true model of dignity and maturity next to her.

"She is such a petulant child sometimes." Rosalie's low, irritated voice sounded in my ear, echoing my thoughts.

"Good morning, Rosalie." I turned to greet her, smiling widely.

"Good morning, Elisa." Rosalie took her eyes off of Bella and gazed at me. "How are you?"

"Fine. You?"

Rosalie lifted her shoulders elegantly. "You look tired." She looked at my face closely. "Didn't you sleep well?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ask your brother. He has serious issues, by the way."

Rosalie laughed. "Tell me about it." She turned then, and I saw Alice shepherding Bella out of the room. Rosalie inclined her head, indicating that I should follow. "Go eat. I'm going to dress and when you get back, it's your turn. I'll help you with your hair and makeup. Hurry up - we don't have long before Jessica and Angela are supposed to be here."

After a quick breakfast, which Bella insisted on cooking despite my protests, we were back upstairs. Alice whisked Bella off to the bathroom, loading her down with expensive shampoos, conditioners, and other various hair products before she went. I was pretty sure Bella hadn't listened to one word of the detailed instructions on what she was supposed to do with each bottle so it would be interesting to see how that turned out.

Rosalie was already in her bridesmaid's gown, awaiting me, and as soon I re-entered the room she helped zip me into the beautiful pink bridesmaid gown that matched hers. Then she sat me down to brush out my hair and then fasten a bit of it back with a silver hair clip. After that, she carefully applied just a slight amount of makeup to my face. I had to admit that I was touched by her attention. I didn't quite understand why she was so tolerant of me. At home, I couldn't seem to keep myself from following her around like a pet dog, constantly waiting for the moment that she'd turn on me and tell me to stop bothering her, but so far, it hadn't come. It was funny how that had worked out. Before I had ever come here, when the Cullens were nothing more but a story to me, I had always thought Alice would be the one I'd relate to the most, the one I'd want to hang out with. Not that I didn't adore Alice - it would have been impossible not to - but with Rosalie, I felt like I could be myself in a way that I couldn't be with anyone else. Odd that I could feel that way about someone who had once wanted to kill me.

Rosalie didn't worry over me like Esme, or tiptoe around my feelings the way Alice and Bella sometimes did. She just seemed to naturally believe that I could handle whatever she or the rest of the world threw at me, and I had to admit, that was reassuring. If someone like her, who had been around for so long and been through much, much worse than I had, could believe that I was strong enough to make it through the darkest places, then it seemed idiotic, almost disrespectful, to not believe in myself.

"We should re-do your nails." Rosalie said suddenly, looking at my hands with a frown. "You've been picking at the polish."

I smiled guiltily. "Sorry." I said, and then looked at the bottles of nail polish on the dresser. "How about the red?"

"That's too dark for you." Rosalie objected. "Why don't we do another coat of the pink instead?"

"But I like the red." I protested as I reached for it. At the same time, Rosalie reached out for the pearly pink polish next to it and our hands collided. Her fingers bumped into the red bottle and it tipped over, spilling a flood of crimson first onto my palm and then onto the dresser.

"Now look what you've done." Rosalie's voice sounded above me but I was staring at my stained hand. "I'm going to get some paper towels."

I'd barely noticed that she left. My eyes were stuck to the splash of scarlet on my skin. It was too familiar, that splotch of red. It reminded me too much of - I closed my eyes as the images came back in horribly vivid detail…

"Elisa? Are you alright?" My eyes flew open as Bella's voice floated toward me from the other side of the room. She'd come in from the shower without me noticing, and stood there now in her robe as Alice combed some clear gel through her wet hair. Instantly, my fingers closed around my palm, hiding the stain from her. Bella had enough on her mind right now and the last thing she needed was me dumping my mental defects on her. So I forced a false note of cheer into my voice and did exactly what I had done the night before when she'd asked me if I'd had a bad dream.

I lied.

"I'm fine." I forced a weak smile but I could feel that my expression was far shakier than I would like. "Just a little accident. I need to wash my hands." With that, I rushed past her and out of the room, nearly bumping into Rosalie who was on her way back inside with a roll of paper towels. With barely an apology, I ran down the hallway to the bathroom.

Closing my hand over the wet nail polish had been a bad idea. My fingers were nearly glued to my palm and I had to force my hand to re-open. It took me several minutes of scrubbing to remove all traces of the nail polish from my skin but even then I kept washing my hands over and over until the skin was red and raw looking. It wasn't enough. I could still feel it, the coats of sticky, warm blood that had covered my flesh in my dreams last night… why wouldn't it go away?

I couldn't fight the fear anymore. For a second I just stood that, letting it wash over me, clinging to the sink for support. I knew my breath was coming in gasps but I couldn't help it. All I could see before me was the guilty girl covered in Bella's blood.

It was going to be all my fault… I didn't know where the words came from, or why they stayed in my mind like a tape looping the same phrase over and over, but it wouldn't leave my head.

"Knock it off, Elisa." I grumbled softly to myself. "This is hardly the day or time for your psycho meltdown. It was a stupid nightmare and that's it. Get over it already."

"Elisa!" Rosalie's voice sounded outside the door. "Hurry up in there!"

"I'll be right out!" I called back, hoping my voice sounded normal. Apparently it did not, because there was a pause, and then Rosalie spoke again, her voice more subdued now. "Is everything OK?"

"It's - " my voice was coming out choked and I quietly cleared my throat, trying again. "It's fine; I was just worried that I had gotten nail polish on my dress." As I spoke, I stared at myself in the mirror, forcing the anxious expression to leave my eyes. I practiced a few quick smiles until they weren't entirely fake looking anymore, then plastered one on and opened the door.

"All done!" I told Rosalie brightly. "Sorry about that - I'm a klutz."

Rosalie smiled back, looking relieved. "We'll do the red nail polish if you really want it."

I shuddered. "No - I changed my mind. The pink goes better with everything." Plus I never wanted that shade of red near my hands again. I shivered slightly as I thought that, and Rosalie noticed. Her eyes darkened as she took in my expression. "Elisa, what's going on?"

I paused, then looked at her with a deliberate frown. Her eyebrow arched and I let myself pout slightly. "It's just that…" I sighed heavily. "Here I was, thinking I actually looked decent for once, but compared to you I feel like a broken piece of glass on display next to a diamond." As I looked at her, I realized how true that was. We were dressed identically, but in comparison to her stunning beauty, I felt like the plainest of Janes.

"Elisa!" Rosalie looked torn between flattery and exasperation. She shook her head, smiling. "Thank you, but you look absolutely adorable."

"Oh great." I rolled my eyes. "What am I, five?"

Rosalie laughed now. "Is there another adjective you'd prefer?"

"Alluring… sexy… unforgettable… anything but adorable ! I am so tired of being cute. It's just another way of saying I'm short and I look too young." My pout was real now.

"You have plenty of time for alluring and sexy, Elisa." Rosalie's voice took on a mildly chastising tone now. "Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. The time goes so much faster than you realize… be innocent while you can." Suddenly, her eyes were stark.

At that precise moment there was a knock at the door. "Angela and Jessica!" I burst out, relieved at the distraction. With an apologetic look at Rosalie, I rushed past her and down the stairs, beating Chief Swan to the front door. He looked relieved to be able to return to the television in the living room without having to deal with more overly emotional females.

"Hey, you guys!" I opened the door to see Jessica and Angela standing there, a bit odd looking in full makeup and elaborately coiffed hairstyles coupled with the casual sweats both were wearing. After Alice had had a vision of Jessica showing up in a stained and wrinkled bridesmaid gown, she'd insisted on keeping all the dresses with her until the day of the ceremony. They were upstairs now, ready to wear.

I ushered them into the hallway and then we exchanged quick hugs. I had been surprised at how well I'd been able to get along with Bella's friends in the short time that I had known them, especially Jessica. I found her far more tolerable then I'd expected to - maybe it was because she reminded me a bit of Rae.

"How is Bella?" Angela asked as we parted.

"Uh…" I winced. "Maybe you both should come see for yourself."

I led the two of them upstairs and into Bella's bedroom. She didn't even seem to notice their arrival. Her eyes were closed as Alice carefully dusted eyeshadow across her lids but her mouth was in constant motion.

"Alice, is there any particular reason why there is a limousine parked in front of my house?" Her voice was deceivingly calm but there was a tone of strain in it that hinted at an explosion. I had a feeling that was just the latest in a long line of complaints that Alice had been forced to endure in the last few minutes.

"Would you have preferred a pumpkin coach?" Alice said innocently as she put down the eyeshadow palette and reached for an eyeliner pencil. She sighed as Bella's glower refused to soften. "We have to get to the house somehow. It's not a big deal - don't get dramatic on me again."

Bella grumbled something undoubtedly unpleasant under her breath and Jessica made a face. "Isn't this supposed to be the happiest day of her life? Because she seems awfully… cranky." She stage whispered to us - loudly enough for the whole room to hear her.

I had to agree with that, but my natural instinct to defend Bella jumped to the forefront as usual. "She's just nervous - she'll be fine."

Alice turned Bella towards us. "Aren't you going to say hi to Angela and Jessica?"

"Oh, you're both here!" Bella blushed lightly. "I'm sorry, you guys - I'm just… stressed." She smiled weakly and allowed both of them to hug her.

Alice gave an anxious look at her watch and then gestured at Angela and Jessica hurriedly. "Your dresses are hanging over there. Hurry up and get dressed - it's later than I thought and Bella's only half ready." Her voice held all the world weariness of an overworked general trying to summon a reluctant troop to battle.

Soon, Angela and Jessica were ready. Once they were done, all of us had nothing to do but focus on Bella's preparations. Bella sat rigidly on a chair in nothing but her slip, eyes squeezed tightly shut as we gathered around. Alice combed through her thick dark hair, blow drying it lightly. Whatever she had made Bella put in it worked nothing short of a miracle. Of course, Bella had always had pretty hair but now it shone as gloriously as any shampoo model's, and hung perfectly straight, every curl combed out, gleaming around her shoulders as Alice brushed it out one more time. We watched in awe as Alice's skilled hands worked, and the room was nearly silent except for an occasional request for a curling iron or hairspray. It was almost like watching a world renowned surgeon perform the most delicate of operations.

Nearly an hour of combing, gelling, twisting, and clipping later, Alice turned Bella to face us. "Don't look yet!" She insisted as Bella turned toward the mirror. "First, the p ièce de résistance … " With that, she reached for the garment bag next to her and unzipped it, pulling out Bella's wedding gown. Bella closed her eyes once again as Alice helped her into it, then gently turned her back towards the mirror.

"Alright, Bella… open your eyes!"

Gasps of admiration filled the room as we took in the elegant twist of her hair, her perfectly applied makeup, the perfect porcelain of her skin. At this moment, I could not imagine anyone more beautiful on this planet then Bella Swan. Next to me, Jessica was nearly turning green with jealousy. Even Rosalie's face held a hint of envy. I know mine did as well, but at the same time my heart was filled with happiness at the sight of her. She looked exactly like a bride should look on her wedding day.

Bella herself was staring at her own reflection in the mirror as if she didn't recognize the face staring back. "I don't believe it." She finally whispered. "Alice, you are a miracle worker!"

Alice made a dismissive gesture. "Nonsense, Bella… I just had good material to work with." They beamed at each other for a moment then Alice looked at her watch once more and dismay filled her face. "Shoot! Let's get this show on the road, you guys… we have a wedding to get to!"

"OK, Charlie, are you ready?" Alice uncovered his eyes as Bella struck a self-conscious pose at the top of the staircase. Alice had dragged a tuxedo clad Charlie to the bottom of the stairs for the first glimpse of his daughter in her wedding dress. For a moment Chief Swan just stared as Bella carefully made her way down the stairs, carefully holding the skirt of her dress up so it wouldn't drag across the ground. As he watched her descend, his eyes widened and then filled with emotion.

"Bells, you look… you're all grown up. You look just like your mother." His voice was hoarse.

"Thanks, Dad." Bella had reached the bottom of the staircase now, and she smiled at her father, lightly touching his lapel. "You look very debonair yourself." She blinked rapidly, then turned towards the rest of us, giving us a nervous look. "Do you guys mind giving us a minute?"

"Oh uh - " Chief Swan's face suddenly mirrored the panicked expression Bella had been wearing for most of the morning. "Actually, I uh - well, I think I left the back door unlocked. Let me go check it and then we'll head on out." With that, he hurried out of the room.

Bella looked indignant at his rapid exit. "Did you see that? He's completely avoiding me! How unfair is that? I'm the one who's supposed to be ducking the emotional father/daughter wedding day talk, not him!"

Alice chuckled, and then sighed. "It's understandable, though." She murmured quietly. "He's putting it off because he knows at some point he's going to have to say goodbye."

"Yes." Angela said suddenly, and I was surprised by the way her eyes slid to Bella. "Goodbye is truly such a difficult thing to say. Especially when -" She stopped speaking. "Well, you all know what I mean." She finished weakly, but I had the strangest feeling that's not what she had meant to say.

For a moment there was silence between the five of us as we waited in the hallway for Chief Swan to return. Then there was a quiet intake of breath. "Somebody's here." Alice said abruptly. Jessica and Angela both looked surprised by her sudden pronouncement and I noticed the perturbed expression on Alice's face as she realized how much she'd let her guard down. "I heard a car pull up." she explained smoothly, her voice so matter of fact that her words were accepted by them without any further question, but I saw Angela's eyes flick to Alice this time with that same inscrutable expression on her face that she'd had moments ago when she looked at Bella.

At that moment we all heard a door slam and the sound of a vehicle speeding off abruptly. Bella hurried past us to the front door and pulled it open. Just over the threshhold, she stopped abruptly.

Slightly alarmed now, I hurried past her, dimly aware that the others were following me, anxious to see what had stopped her short like that.

Just past the porch, on the walk, was a man with long, gray streaked black hair pulled back into a pony tail. The stranger had weatherbeaten brown skin, and sharp black eyes that were fixed on Bella with a resigned expression as he looked over her wedding finery. He wore a neat, if somewhat old fashioned brown suit - and sat in a wheelchair. With a sudden gasp that I swallowed back I realized who he was - Billy Black. Jacob Black's father.

For a moment, awkward silence reigned as he and Bella surveyed each other. Then he cleared his throat. "Well, look at you, little Isabella."

"Billy." Bella finally managed to speak, but her voice sounded croaky. "This is a surprise."

"Shouldn't be that much of one." Billy crossed his arms, looking mildly insulted. "Did you really think I'd let my best friend's little girl get married without me?"

Bella's eyes were looking alarmingly damp. "And… Jacob?" She whispered after a moment as the rest of us stood there listening. I saw Jessica's eyes widen at that, as she finally realized who our surprise visitor was, and I groaned silently. At least Bella wouldn't be around to hear the gossip that Jessica was sure to spread about this little incident.

Billy cleared his throat again, looking even more uncomfortable now. "He's gone, Bella."

"Gone?" Bella choked out, turning so white that I hurried to her side, worried she was going to pass out on us.

"Been gone for a while. He took off right after he got your wedding invitation."

Oh, crap! Crap, crap, crap… why did he have to go and say that?! I stared with a sinking heart as Bella's face turned from white to purple in a heartbeat. "I didn't send him a wedding invitation!" She gasped out. I closed my eyes at her words, praying that Mr. Black would realize the damage he'd just done and not say anything else. There was still a chance I could take the blame for this one and Edward would never have to be brought into it at all.

My hopes were dashed when Billy spoke again. "Your fiance did. Along with a letter." His voice was flat, but I detected a hint of censure behind the words and it was enough to make me grit my teeth as I silently cursed him. I desperately wanted to push him into traffic at that moment, wheelchair and all.

"Letter?!" I didn't think Bella could turn any more colors, but I was wrong. "What did it say?"

Billy shrugged. "I dunno. Never got the chance to ask him. Like I said, he left. Hasn't been back since. He's OK, from what I'm told, but…" He let his voice trail off.

Bella's mouth opened and closed but no words came out. She looked completely thunderstruck. I exchanged alarmed looks with Angela. Jessica was just staring, open-mouthed, no doubt putting all the pieces of what she considered a very scandalous puzzle together. Alice and Rosalie, meantime, was glaring at Billy Black over my shoulder, probably having thoughts much like mine of what they'd like to do to him at the moment. It would have been nice if he'd looked the least bit shamefaced, but as he took in Bella's expression, a smirk curved his lips. "Aw, you didn't know? Sheesh, that's too bad. Hope I haven't caused any problems between you and your - uh… husband to be." He looked positively delighted at the idea.

"Your concern is touching." Alice hissed and I threw her a warning look. It would be completely bad form if the wedding planner ate one of the guests before the ceremony, even if he totally deserved it.

For someone who knew exactly what Alice and Rosalie were and what they were capable of, Billy Black seemed remarkably unconcerned as he sat there in his wheelchair, ignoring their glares. His smile was positively gleeful now and I hated him at that moment with a white hot fury. Whether he was angry on behalf of his son or not, he was an incredibly insensitive jerk. How could he dump this on Bella on her wedding day??

My infuriated thoughts were interrupted as Charlie came out on the porch and let out a surprised cry as he saw his friend. "I'll be goshdarned… Billy! I didn't think you'd come!" He hurried down the steps and over to his friend, slapping him on the back.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world." Billy was still grinning and I wanted to kick him so badly that my foot tingled inside my shoe.

"How did you get here?" Charlie looked around as if expecting to see someone with Billy - probably Jacob, I realized, and my heart ached for Bella, despite my earlier annoyance with her.

"Seth Clearwater dropped me off." Billy explained.

"Why didn't he stay?" Charlie looked confused. "He was invited to the wedding too, you know."

Billy looked uncomfortable now. "Yeah, and he wanted to go too, but uh… some people had other ideas." He gave Bella another look that made it clear she should know what he meant by that. I understood instantly too - Sam Uley had forbidden Seth to attend. I was so glad once again that I hadn't gone to La Push when he and Emily asked me - I could only imagine the monster tantrum I'd have thrown if they'd tried to forbid me from attending Bella and Edward's wedding.

"Would have been nice if he'd said hi anyway, at least." Charlie muttered, still looking bewildered.

Billy shrugged. "Seth, uh - knew you had company." His eyes traveled to Alice, and Rosalie now. "Didn't want to interrupt, I guess."

He gave Bella another look and his voice was reluctant now as he continued. "He did ask me to tell you and Edward congratulations though." That was nice. At least one of them was capable of remembering their manners, I thought to myself bitterly.

"We really should go." Alice was speaking with a clenched jaw as she put a protective arm around Bella's shoulder. "Come on, Bella, get in the limo." I saw with a sinking heart that Bella didn't look like she was about to cry anymore - she looked absolutely furious. Oh no… Edward was in for it now. Why did this have to happen today of all days?

Angela looked hesitantly over at Billy. "Would you like to ride in the limousine with us, Mr. Black?" Her voice was polite, but Rosalie threw her a reproving look over her shoulder. Billy Black looked like he'd rather swallow acid then ride in such close proximity to a bunch of vampires, which was just fine with me. I didn't see any other options for getting him to the wedding though, and apparently by the look on his face, neither did he until Charlie spoke up.

"Actually, ladies…" He looked at his watch. "It's a little early yet… I really don't want to be getting underfoot while you're finishing getting ready." He scratched his head. "Why don't you all go on ahead? Billy and I will catch up here and then I'll take him over in my car."

"Works for me!" Alice said brightly. "Come on, let's go, you guys."

As Charlie moved behind Billy to help him maneuver his chair up the slight step to the porch, Alice practically dragged Bella to the car. The limousine driver opened the door, expressionless, and Alice nearly shoved Bella inside and then climbed in after her. The rest of us did the same.

As the door slammed shut, I forced myself to look at Bella's face, waiting for the explosion. We didn't have to wait long. "How dare he! How could Edward do this?!" She burst out as the limo began moving. Jessica and Angela looked shocked. Clearly, they'd never seen her temper so blatantly on display before.

"Bella - " Alice and I began to speak at the same time, but she wasn't listening.

"He promised me! It was all I asked of him, and he promised! Now look what I've done to Jacob - again !" She stared at us, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Did you hear Billy? Jacob's been gone for weeks, out who knows where by himself! Because of me !" She took a deep breath, seeming unable to go on for a moment.

"Bella, please don't be angry with Edward." I blurted out. "I know it was a stupid thing to do, but he didn't mean for it to turn out like this. He just - " I stopped speaking, instantly realizing my mistake as Bella shot me a burning look.

"You knew about this, Elisa?" Her voice was dangerous and I shrank back into my seat.

"Um… yes?" I cringed slightly. "I'm sorry. I guess I should have said something but Edward - " Shut up, Elisa! I snapped at myself angrily, but it was too late.

"Edward told you not to tell me." Bella finished. "That's just wonderful. Who else knew about this?" She sent a glare around the limousine and then her eyes zoomed in on Alice. "Unbelievable. Thanks so much, both of you."

Alice exchanged a guilty look with me and then turned back to Bella, her face apologetic. "Listen, Bella, we are so - "

"No, it's alright." The words were benign but Bella bit them off as if they tasted bad in her mouth. "I'm not mad. I can't be mad. It's my wedding day. Everything is just fine." She forced the fakest looking smile I'd ever seen on to her face. "This was just a little lapse in judgement is all, a minor bump in the road. I'm over it. Totally over it."

I think if her fingernails had been digging any harder into her palms she would have been bleeding.

Alice tried again but the look on Bella's face stopped her short. "I said I'm fine! Now can we drop it and just be… happy?" She glared at us all ferociously.

"Well, with a little ray of sunshine like you to guide us, how can our hearts not be filled with joy?" Rosalie said sweetly, looking at Bella's stormy expression. Beside me, Jessica giggled and I had to stare down at my shoes to keep my own face straight, even as bad as I felt for both Bella and Edward.

The next several minutes of the limo ride was silent and tense. Bella stared stonily out the window, her profile cold. Occasionally she muttered under her breath, and the few phrases I caught were not reassuring. "Can't believe he'd pull something like this… completely surrounded by Judas's… can't trust anyone…" Every time I shot her an alarmed look though, she'd plaster on that terrifying grin again and mumble about how great everything was.

"I think she's losing it." Jessica whispered loudly to us after about the fifth or sixth time that happened. "She's so going to have a screaming meltdown and leave Edward at the altar." Her eyes sparkled at the thought of being witness to such high drama.

"Jessica, please don't make me push you out of a moving vehicle." I hissed back through clenched teeth. My heart sank further though as I contemplated her words. This was not how this day was supposed to go. It was supposed to be magical - perfect, and now the bride had gone from being an irritable, nervous wreck to a potentially homicidal nervous wreck in a matter of minutes. It was a good thing vampires weren't really stakeable, because if there were Edward would be at serious risk of ending up as a big pile of dust.

Frankly, I was a bit bewildered by the strength of Bella's reaction. I had known all along that she would be upset if she'd found out what Edward had done, but I had never imagined the revelation would be this catastrophic. I snuck another worried peek at her profile and then another emotion surged in me, as hard as I tried to suppress it. Resentment. Really, what was her problem? Didn't she know that she had everything? A fiance who loved her more than life itself, family, friends, a father to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day…

Jealous tears pressed against my eyelids as I thought about it, and I realized belatedly that I was no longer thinking about her anymore. I was thinking about me, and everything this day kept reminding me that I'd lost. Even if I ever found someone who loved me a tenth as much as Edward loved Bella, I'd never have what she had. My father would never get to tear up at the sight of me in my wedding dress or walk me down the aisle, and I was so envious of her at that moment that I wanted to rip her hair out every single time she scowled.

Stupid, spoiled Bella… she had no idea just how much she had, how much I would have loved to have been in her shoes right now.

Shame immediately followed my petty thoughts and my anger turned inward. How could I have thought such mean things about Bella, even for a second? Had she ever been anything but kind and welcoming to me? Well, except for maybe today, but exceptions had to be made for life altering events and the stress they caused. No, I was the heinous troll in this scenario. I deserved to choke on my own petty bitterness - some friend I was. Some bridesmaid I was, for that matter - catty, unsupportive, bitter, spiteful… I was even worse than Billy Busybody Black, the bomb dropper, because I was supposed to be on her side.

Unconsciously, I sighed, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie turn to look at me. Just as quickly, she turned to Bella and spoke, her voice accusing. "Now look at what you have accomplished with all your ridiculous sulking. You made Elisa cry!"

"What?" I gasped as everyone turned to look at me. "No, she - " As I spoke, I touched my face. It was damp. Darn it… I was crying. How totally humiliating. "It's not her fault!" I choked as I met Bella's horrified gaze. "It's just that I - I mean… well, I wanted so badly for everything to be perfect and now it's just a mess." I sniffled loudly, embarrassing myself further.

"Elisa, nothing is a mess." Bella's voice was calmer now and everyone turned back to her. "I'm so sorry that I overreacted and upset you. Listen, I owe all of you an apology." She took a deep breath. "I know I've been a brat all morning. I really didn't mean to take my anxiety out on any of you. Especially you, Alice." She turned to Alice and smiled. "You all have done so much for me and I am more grateful than I've let any of you know. I should have said it much sooner than this, and I'm so sorry for that."

There was an immediate chorus of voices as everyone except Rosalie chimed in to assure Bella that none of us had held a grudge at all. She was smiling at us much more whole-heartedly now, but it didn't quite touch her eyes and I had to wonder how upset she really still was. Mentally crossing my fingers, I hoped that it was something that would pass quickly.

As we quieted down again, and the limo turned onto the long drive through the forest that would take us to the house, Rosalie suddenly sat forward. "Bella?" Her voice was oddly hesitant and I saw the surprise in Bella's face as she turned to her. Rosalie hesitated for a fraction of a second and then plunged ahead. "I realize this may not be the best time, but I don't know how many more opportunities you and I will have to speak so I wanted to say something. I wanted to… apologize. Not for what I said a few minutes ago but for these past few months. I made a promise to you that I would not be so horrible to you anymore and I haven't kept it. I know I haven't been very supportive of…" Her eyes traveled warily to Jessica and Angela and she seemed to choose her words very carefully. "… of certain choices that you're making and I can't take back how I feel about them, but if you are truly set on your path then…" She sighed heavily, then shrugged. "Well, I did my best, and I'll just have to make my peace with that. I hope in the future we'll have a chance to really get to know each other, if I haven't put you off of that idea too much. I know I may not be the easier of sisters to have, but I think you'll find eventually that I do have my good points." She smiled now, a girlish, mischievous smile and then extended a flawless white hand. "Truce?"

Bella looked absolutely astounded for a moment, and then the smile she gave Rosalie transformed her face as she extended her own hand and their fingers met. "Truce. Thank you. And I really do look forward to getting to know you too, Rosalie." They looked at each other for a long moment, and then the limousine come to a stop.

A few minutes later, we were safely upstairs in Alice's bedroom. Esme had been waiting for us, but we hadn't seen anyone else at all, except for the caterers that were setting up. I knew Alice had threatened Edward with painful dismemberment if he did not stay out of his bride's way until the ceremony, so I assumed he'd found his own safe haven somewhere around the house, and his brothers and Carlisle were most likely keeping him company. I couldn't wait to see how very overjoyed and excited he must be right now, but as a member of the bridal party it seemed rather treasonous to sneak over to their Boys' Town and try to say hi. I'd just have to be patient.

Esme was gushing over Bella now, her face deeply emotional as she surveyed her daughter to be. Alice, in the meantime, was on the phone with the DJ, who'd apparently gotten lost and had somehow ended up on the other side of town. She rolled her eyes as she patiently directed him. Rosalie was leaning against the wall, her face distracted as Jessica dragged Angela to the window to point out arriving guests. For the moment, I just stood there, feeling slightly out of place. This hurry up and wait feeling was unnerving… I just wished it was time for the ceremony to start already.

Alice's face suddenly went blank and she stopped speaking. I saw Bella and the others shoot her a puzzled glance. Then her eyes returned to life again and immediately sought me out. "Elisa, I need you to do something for me. A - " her eyes shifted to Bella and then back again " - package has arrived and it's vital that you don't let it leave. It's in the driveway now - hurry!" The urgency in her voice didn't allow me to question her further, as confused as I was by her instructions. Must be some kind of surprise for the bride, I thought to myself as I rushed out of the room, down the staircase, and into the now waning light. Running now, I dashed down the porch steps and across the brilliant green grass, ignoring the startled expressions of a few of the caterers and early arriving guests.

Once at the paved drive, I paused to catch my breath as I looked around, expecting to see a delivery van or someting similiar about to pull away. There wasn't one though - the only vehicles there were the catering truck that had been there since we'd arrived and a crowd of parked cars - it must not have been early as I thought because the guests were arriving in spades. I wondered if I'd missed this mystery arrival already or if I was supposed to wait. Would have been nice if Alice could have given me a few more clues.

As I stood there, wondering what to do now, a couple walked past me, talking in low, stressed tones. I paid little attention to them at first until I realized they were walking away from the house, apparently back to their car. I half-turned towards them, wondering if they'd been misdirected or perhaps one of them had been taken ill, when their voices caught my ear.

"I think you're going to regret this. Baby, we've come all this way. Do you really want to leave?" The man, a blandly handsome specimen that barely looked thirty, was asking the woman as they walked.

"Yes - no - I don't know, Phil! I told her over and over that I didn't approve and I wasn't coming! Bella's probably furious with me by now. I can't just crash her wedding after all those weeks of silent treatment - what could I possibly say to her? Plus I'm not really dressed… no, we don't belong here. Let's just go." As she spoke, she smoothed a self conscious hand over her mildly wrinkled cream colored pantsuit. Clearly, they'd been on the road for a while.

A low gasp parted my lips as I stared at the speaker. She was an attractive brunette with shoulder length hair, probably in her mid to late thirties, with a strikingly familiar face. It had to be Renee! Bella's mother - the one who'd sworn up and down that wild horses (or apparently, angry vampires) wouldn't drag her to Bella's wedding in a million years. Clearly, something had changed. Excitement coursed through me and I hurried forward to block their path.

"Oh my gosh! You must be Mrs. - " I suddenly realized I didn't know Phil's last name and I was pretty sure he wouldn't take kindly to me calling her Mrs. Swan. " - Renee! And Phil!" I finished, a trifle lamely. "We didn't think you were coming! This is so great - Bella's going to be totally thrilled to see you!" As I spoke, I deliberately eased myself between them and then, taking an arm from each of them, linked the three of us together. "Let me take you to her."

Renee looked stunned and a little perturbed as I turned them around and began to march them towards the house. On the other side of me, Phil just seemed very amused. I saw him shoot her a 'looks like we're stuck now' look over my head and I suppressed my smile. How very right he was. I knew I was being embarrassingly forward but I understood clearly now what Alice had meant, and I would do anything to prevent them leaving, including throwing myself in front of their car if they tried to drive off.

"Well, um, we weren't exactly sure that we - " Renee cut herself off as we walked, seeming to realize that she wasn't getting out of this now. Instead she shot me another confused look. "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't introduce myself." I blushed lightly. "I'm Elisa J - Cullen." It was the first time I'd used my new name and the realization brought a small lump to my throat. I looked at the golden bracelet that was always on my wrist now for a few seconds before I continued. "I'm Dr. Cullen's niece." I added, because she was still looking at me oddly.

"Really? Another one?" Renee raised her eyebrows.

I giggled lamely. "Well, we Cullens breed like… I don't know, some kind of animal that spawns a lot." Suddenly, it was hard for me to concentrate on what I was saying. We'd just passed a distant strand of trees at the very edge of the forest and there was something… I twisted my head to look back as a strong feeling of being watched coursed through me.

"Renee! Phil!" I was distracted from my brief lapse into paranoia by Esme's voice. She was coming down the porch towards us now, arms outstretched and a bright welcoming smile on her lovely face. She reached us and I gratefully let go of my captive guests. "I know we've never met, but you met my husband back in Phoenix last year. I'm Esme Cullen." Understanding lit Renee's face and she gracefully accepted Esme's hug.

"I'm so sorry to just show up without RSVP'ing and I know I'm a mess but - " Renee's nervous titter died away as Esme waved a dismissive hand.

"You're here, and that's all that matters. We are absolutely delighted to have you, believe me. Now, I'm sure that you want to see Bella right away, but my daughter Alice has insisted that I bring you to her first. May I?"

"Of course." Renee and Phil looked a bit confounded, but they acquiesced gracefully and began to follow Esme into the house.

"Elisa?" Esme turned back to me. "Aren't you coming?"

I looked away from the trees and forced a calm expression on my face. "I'll be right there. There's um… something I have to do."

Distracted by her new guests, Esme didn't seem to notice the note of apprehension in my voice, and the three of them disappeared into the house. I stayed where I was for a moment, wondering if I'd really just seen what I thought. Something massive had moved in those trees, something that I couldn't quite make out, but after last night, I had more than just suspicions of what - no, who - it was. Jacob Black may have gone off to lick his wounds, and I did mean that literally, but he was back now - with a vengeance.

Annoyance coursed through me. If he wanted to come to Bella's wedding, why couldn't he just walk in openly like every other guest? Why was he being all stealthy, lurking in the woods, first at Bella's house and now here? Was he planning something?

I clenched my jaw angrily. The wedding ceremony was starting in less than an hour now, and if anyone thought they were going to do one more thing to mess it up, well - they were going to have to go through me first. I'd had just about enough of Black family interference, and it looked like it was up to me to prevent any more of it.

I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath, wondering if I was really about to do this. Then I thought of Edward and Bella and my resolve firmed. I owed them, especially Bella. Turning, I stalked towards the woods.

Chapter Text

Bella:

"What's taking them so long?" I wondered as I paced back and forth across the floor. Elisa had been gone for more than twenty minutes now, and Esme, then Alice, had abruptly departed the room a few minutes after she had. Despite my pointed questioning, Alice had refused to tell me what was in this mystery package she'd sent Elisa after, which only made me more nervous… something it was becoming harder and harder to believe was possible. Looking up, I stared at the clock on Alice's wall. Forty-five minutes to go. Resisting the urge to bite my nails, I resumed pacing.

"Bella, you're driving me crazy!" Jessica watched me as I walked. "Why don't you sit down for a minute?"

"I can't." I confessed, my feet retracing my well-trodden path. If I sat down and thought of anything but putting one foot in front of the other, I'd fall apart. Just the thought of walking out there, facing all those people - I was trying to stop being such a brat about it all and keep up a brave front but every tick of the clock was like the tick of a time bomb, counting down to my doom. I was going to fall on my face. No, I was going to throw up in front of everyone, and then fall on my face. And quite possibly follow that with crying and fainting, just to give it that special sense of ultra-humiliation.

"Bella, do you want me to get you anything?" Rosalie had been staring out the window, probably at the arriving guests, but now she turned to me. "A drink or something to snack on while you wait?"

My stomach quivered at the thought and I shook my head violently. It would be much better to have an empty stomach for the inevitable public dry-heaving.

Rosalie moved next to me and patted my shoulder, slightly awkwardly. "Just relax, Bella. It's going to be over before you know it." She looked at the door and then back at me. "Esme and Alice should be back any minute. I'm going to greet a few of our guests and make sure that everything is going according to plan. I won't be long. Will you be alright?"

"Sure, Rosalie." I said, but as I spoke Jessica let out a shriek, making us all jump.

She had taken Rosalie's place at the window and now she pointed out of it, smiling hugely. "Mike's here!" Hurriedly, she pushed the window open and stuck her head out of it. "Mike! It's Jessica!" Her voice was loud enough that they probably heard her in Port Angeles. Pulling herself back inside, she looked at me. "I'm going to run down and say hi to him real quick - I'll be right back, I promise!" Without waiting for a response, she dashed past us and out the door. Rosalie shook her head and then followed.

"I think Jessica's still feeling very nostalgic these days. She's all about reliving old times." Angela chuckled quietly and then looked my way. "Well, it looks like it's just you and me." Angela looked at me. "How are you doing, Bella? I mean, really?"

"I - " I stopped pacing. "I don't know. I'm just… I'm such a mess." I sighed. "I'm excited, but I'm terrified and I'm worried that I'm going to screw it all up and - "

"And you're upset about Jacob still." Angela finished my sentence.

I sighed. "I know I shouldn't be but you're right… I am." I stared blindly for a moment. All I could see in front of me was the look on Jacob's face the last time I saw him, the day I'd said goodbye. I thought that was the worst that I could ever do to him but to know that he'd had to hold my wedding invitation, read my name linked with Edward's, mocking him, like salt rubbed into a mortal wound. And Edward had done that…

Anger surged in me once more and for a moment I tensed as it washed over me, then I made a concentrated effort to fight it back. "I can't… I can't talk about this anymore." I rubbed my lace-covered arms lightly. "Let's change the subject, please."

Angela nodded slowly. For several long moments we stood in silence, then to my surprise she turned and began to pace the floor exactly as I had minutes before. I watched her in confusion.

"Everything alright, Angela?"

"Of course." She turned back to me with a smile. "It's just that… well, I was trying to put this off, I suppose, but this is as good of a time as any to say it. I'm going to miss you so much, Bella."

"Oh." I was surprised by the sudden seriousness of her tone. There was something in her face that made a tingle run up my spine, but I ignored the abrupt wariness that was trying to surge within me and searched for a casual tone.

"You're coming back to Forks on school breaks though, right? And I'm sure I'll visit, Angela. New Hampshire isn't exactly on the other side of the world." I hoped she didn't hear the nervousness in my laughter.

"No, it's not." Angela agreed quietly, still staring out the window. "But you're going so much further, aren't you?" She turned now and looked at me for a long moment as I stared at her in confusion, then began pacing again. Her next words were hesitant, careful, as if she was saying something she knew she shouldn't be. "Bella, if I ask you something, will you give me an honest answer?"

I frowned in confusion. "Of course."

"OK then." Angela's eyes were still fixed on mine. "Am I ever going to see you again, Bella? Really?"

Despite the warnings being shrieked in my head, I couldn't keep up the pretense, not while her far too insightful eyes were studying me so closely. Angela deserved better than that. She deserved an honest answer, after sticking with me through everything. "No." I whispered.

Angela nodded, seeming unsurprised, but I saw the sudden sheen in her eyes as she spoke again. "I knew that. I've known it for a long time." She sent me a shaky smile. "I won't pretend that I understand what it means. I won't even pretend that I want to know, because I don't. I just wanted you to realize that you didn't have to be afraid to tell me goodbye. Whatever is going on, it doesn't change anything for me. I've always been your friend, Bella, from the moment I met you. I was your friend even when you didn't realize it, when Edward was the only person you could see, and then when he was gone and you just looked right through me every day like I didn't exist. I never stopped caring about you, not once. And I will never forget you, no matter what. I just wish we'd had more time."

"Me too." My voice was still hushed. "I'm sorry I wasted so much of it."

Angela shook her head, then crossed the room to me then and put her hands on my shoulders. "Are you happy, Bella? Truly? Do you know in your heart that you've made the right choice, whatever that may be?"

I nodded, blinking away more unexpected tears. I couldn't trust my voice to speak at the moment, but I knew she could read the sincerity in my smile.

"Good. Then no 'I'm sorry's.' No regrets. Just be happy, Bella. It's what you deserve." Angela's eyes were brimming with tears, but her smile was bright.

"I am really going to miss you too, Angela. I'm sorry I wasn't as good of a friend to you as you were to me."

The tears spilled over now, and Angela threw her arms around me. Both of us were sniffling loudly as Alice suddenly breezed back into the room, and then paused as she saw our expressions. "I'm sorry to interrupt…" she said, looking at us with mild concern. "What did I miss?"

"Angela and I were just… getting a bit sentimental I suppose."

Angela and I exchanged a final look and for a moment, my heart throbbed painfully. I had underestimated her so much, and I had lost so much time. There was no going back now, and she was right - I couldn't live in regrets. Still, it was a lesson learned - never again would I take for granted the people I cared about. Nor would I fall into the dangerous trap of assuming that everyone around us was so oblivious to the secrets we kept… For Angela was close… far closer than any of us had realized, to figuring it out. It was good that we were leaving now, better for her, for all of us.

I wiped my eyes one last time, thankful for waterproof mascara, and decided this was something I would have to ponder later. Adopting a purposefully bland smile, I looked back at Alice. "Are you going to tell me about this mystery package yet?"

Alice grinned. "Patience, Bella, is a virtue. One that you clearly don't possess." Before I could pelt her with more questions she gazed around the room. "We seem to be missing three of our five bridesmaids still. Where did everyone go?"

I shrugged. "Rosalie needed to step out for a few minutes, Elisa never came back, and Jessica went to say hi to Mike Newton."

Alice rolled her eyes at that. Angela turned towards the door. "I'll go bring Jessica back here and see if I can find Elisa while I'm at it. Be right back!" She hurried from the room.

Alice started to say something else but stopped at the look on my face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was just wondering…" I shook my head as I thought it over. "When you said five bridesmaids, it reminded me of something. Did you always know that Elisa was coming back?"

Alice thought for a minute. "No, I really didn't. I told you - when she wasn't here, I was completely blind to her. I still don't see her as well as I do the rest of the family, kind of like it was with you in the beginning. But do you remember when she was first here, and Carlisle asked me to try and see how we could get her home? Well, when I looked what I saw was… well, today. Your wedding day. And I saw her here - in a bridesmaid dress. Of course, then she left, and I thought it was just the path she didn't take. I didn't realize it would actually happen."

"Hmm." I thought about that for a moment, and then my face darkened. I turned to Alice, my face accusing. "You. Are. Evil."

"What?" Alice stared at me in confusion.

"You knew all along what color the bridesmaids' dresses were going to be, just what they would look like, and you put me through all that torture trying to pick them! I spent days sorting through fabric samples and enduring the strapless versus straps debate and you knew all along exactly what I was going to end up picking! Is it really that hard to say 'go for the dark pink, Bella?' "

"Dusky rose!" Alice corrected indignantly. "And besides, you could have changed your mind. I just thought you should have the choice, that's all." She grinned mischievously.

"You are SO dead!" Before I could reach for the nearest projectile, Alice was across the room.

"One word, Bella: foresight." Alice snickered at my outraged expression.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You know another word I like a lot, Alice? Revenge. As in, I have eternity to get it."

Alice laughed, but as she took in my expression there was just a faint hint of worry in it. I grinned. "Yes, Alice… be afraid. Be very afraid."

She laughed more whole-heartedly now, but then as she sobered she gave me another intense look. Whatever she saw in my eyes didn't please her. Her expression became serious and thoughtful and she studied me for a long moment as I became more and more self-conscious. "What? Do I have something in my teeth? Do I look terrible in white? Is my hair falling apart? Is - "

Alice raised an eyebrow until I stopped trying to divert her with my rambling and fell silent. "You're still upset." She frowned deeply. "You need to talk to Edward."

My face fell immediately but I tried to pull it back into complacent lines. "I can't." My voice was flat. "You're the one who went on and on about bad luck. I think we've probably tempted fate enough already - imagine the disasters that could occur if you allow the groom to see his bride before the wedding." I gave a mock shudder, hoping she would let it drop.

Alice let out a deliberately exasperated sigh and then waved something silver in front of my face. "Welcome to the 21st century, Bella. Thanks to modern technology, you and Edward can have a nice heart to heart without breaking a single tradition in the process."

Automatically I reached for the cell phone she was offering me then pulled back without touching it. "This isn't necessary. I'm fine. Everything is fine. I'm completely over it." Guilt reached up to grasp me as I lied… badly. I knew I shouldn't be angry with Edward, especially not now, not when we were about to pledge ourselves to each other for eternity. Not when I knew he probably had some undoubtedly noble, unselfish reason for doing what he did…

At that thought, my fists clenched so tightly that my carefully painted fingernails dug into my palms, and I realized finally what really had me so upset, the fear that I knew exactly what his reasons were… and what a betrayal it was if I was right. As Alice read the now clearly unhidden emotions on my face, her own became more concerned.

"That's it - you two are talking this out, right now. You can't get married feeling the way you do." She flipped open the phone.

"I'm not - " I turned away from her. "Alice, just give me some time to calm down. I promise, I'll be fine. I just need a little while to think this through on my own."

"Bella, you don't have a lot of time. The ceremony - " Alice gestured helplessly at the clock.

"The wedding will go on as scheduled." I assured her. "I promise."

Alice started to protest again but suddenly her attention was caught by something and she turned to look at the door, her face suddenly torn between irritation and amusement. "Perfect timing." She murmured, more to herself than me, then looked up and smiled. "Your 'package' is here."

I started to ask what that meant but I could hear Esme's voice clearly now. "You look absolutely wonderful!" She was telling someone. The door opened part way and I could see Esme, her back to me as she spoke to someone in the hallway.

"It fits like a dream too - your daughter is a miracle worker! How could she have known my size or even that I was coming?" The voice of the person I still couldn't see sounded, and I froze in place. It couldn't be

The door opened the rest of the way and Esme came in, beaming. "Bella, someone is here to see you."

"I - " I couldn't do anything but stammer as I saw who was behind her. "Mom?!"

"Bella!" Renee took a step towards me, then stopped, staring at me. Her eyes took in my hair, my makeup, and traveled downwards to observe every detail of my wedding dress. Automatically, I tensed, waiting for an explosion. Instead, her hands slowly went to cover her mouth, but they didn't hide her eyes, which widened and then brimmed over with tears. "Oh, Bella… you look…" she sniffled loudly. "… you look so beautiful! I can't believe I almost missed this!" Then she whirled in a circle, showing me every bit of the lovely sea-green dress she wore. "Maybe it's not too much of a surprise for you though - clearly, your sister-in-law thought I was coming. Look at what she had for me!"

"Mom, I can't believe you're here!" Relief finally allowed me to unfreeze and I moved towards her hesitantly. "I thought you - I mean, you said that - "

Renee nodded slowly. "I know what I said, Bella." She took a deep breath and wiped her wet cheeks. For a moment, we just stood and looked at each other. I noticed Esme take Alice's hand and then the two of them quickly departed the room, clearly wanting to give us some privacy.

I didn't know what to say as we waited, each for the other one to speak. I was so happy to see her and at the same time I was afraid one word from my mouth would shatter this perfect illusion and it would be back to disappointment and angry ultimatums once more.

Mom finally spoke. "Bella, you know that I didn't approve."

I nodded hesitantly after it was clear she was waiting for a response from me.

"And I still think - well, you know what? It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't, because this is what you want, and I never should have assumed that I knew what was best for you when your whole life you were the one who was setting me the example. I should have respected your choice, even if I didn't understand it. I am so sorry I hurt you." She smiled through her tears. "Deep down, I knew this even before I got your letter, but - " she sighed " - you know me. I'm stubborn. After I read what you wrote though… It was such a beautiful letter, Bella. I never would have imagined my reserved, practical daughter could write like that. I never understood just how deep your feelings ran, but I should have, after what I saw between you both when you came to visit. I'm happy for you both, Bella, truly, I am. I am so glad that you have each other."

The tears that welled in my eyes now were far from unhappy ones as she hugged me tightly. "I really didn't think - I was so sure you wouldn't change your mind." As she released me I looked at her. "It means so much that you came. It wouldn't have been the same without you here."

Mom put her hands on my face and just looked at me for a long moment before she spoke again. "Not even one well-deserved word of reproach. You are always so forgiving. I hope Edward knows just how lucky he is to have you." At her words, guilt once again poked at me. If she only knew the tumult going on inside me now…

Renee was speaking again now and I was relieved to let the unwanted thoughts drop as I returned my attention to her. "About your letter, Bella… Have you ever told Edward all of that?"

"Oh." I was annoyed to find myself blushing, knowing that it gave me away even before I spoke. "Maybe not in so many words, but he knows how I feel, of course. Why else would I be dressed like this?" I grinned at her.

"You should tell him, Bella." Renee was not about to be diverted. "They were such beautiful words. I think he deserves to hear them from you."

I blushed more. "He will. You know, later. We have plenty of time for that."

Renee raised an eyebrow at me, but before she could speak the door opened quietly and Alice and Esme, followed by Rosalie, Angela, and Jessica, filed back into the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's getting close now." Esme told us as they came in. "There are a few last minute things to take care of."

Alice walked to my side, and I saw with a frisson of dread that the silver cell phone was clamped to her ear. My suspicions were confirmed as she took my arm firmly in her grasp. "Bella, may I have a word?" Without waiting for a response, she half-dragged me to her oversized bathroom and pulled me inside, closing the door behind us. "Edward wants to talk to you." She handed me the cell phone. I gritted my teeth as I held it in my hand for a moment, then I snapped it closed. She groaned. "Bella, please!"

"I can't believe you told him! Didn't I ask you to leave it alone? Didn't I say I just needed a little time?" I put my hands on my hips as I stared her down. Why was she trying to force this on me? I had the right to be angry, and I knew that the minute I heard his golden voice I'd fold like a house of cards, and all my righteous anger would be gone in a snap, only to be replaced with all the other turbulent emotions I knew I couldn't deal with right now.

"We don't have any more time! This is it - this is the day that decides your whole future!" Alice's voice was low-pitched, but intense. "Bella, what is this about, really? Are you honestly that angry with Edward for inviting Jacob to your wedding, or is something else going on?"

I turned away from her so she wouldn't see the glint of tears in my eyes, but of course, Alice wasn't fooled. She moved to my side and took my arm again, forcing me to look at her. "Speak, Bella."

"It's just that… it's easier to be mad, Alice. If I'm not angry, then - " I turned away and began to walk the length of the immense bathroom. "Then I have to remember that I'm terrified and I have to feel… Alice, I just feel so guilty!"

"Guilty?" Alice stared at me. "Why?"

"I just feel so… torn! I'm sad about Jacob, and I feel like I owe him that much, at least, but I shouldn't be thinking about someone else, not on my wedding day! It's not fair to Edward… it's not fair to me either." I could feel the tears coming again and that was enough to make the irritation in me flare up again. "It's not just that, either. I thought that Edward wanted me to be with him forever, and then he does this! What does it mean? Is he still trying to decide what's best for me, behind my back? And am I going to have to be worrying about that while I stand next to him at the altar?" The tears spilled over now.

"Oh, Bella." Alice's voice was pained as she whipped a handkerchief out of nowhere and began to wipe my eyes before the tears could wreck my makeup. "I'm so sorry. But don't you see? This is exactly why you have to talk to Edward. You won't know what his motives were until you hear it from him. And as for Jacob…"

Before she could finish, there was a gentle tap on the door and Esme's voice sounded beyond it. "Girls, I'm sorry to interrupt again, but no one can seem to find Elisa. Do either one of you know where she went?"

Alice sighed. "We will finish this conversation." She warned me, then turned towards the door, calling through it as she did so. "Esme, I'm sure Elisa's just out chatting up the guests."

I was already opening the door at this point. Alice grimaced at me but I ignored her as I rejoined the waiting group. With a heavy sigh at my stubbornness, she came with me. Esme was looking a little nervous now. "It's getting late and we still have a few things to do." She gave Alice a meaningful look. "Things that I know Elisa wouldn't want to miss, but if she doesn't hurry up…"

"I hope everything's OK." Renee looked back and forth between the rest of us.

Esme's smile was perfect, but the tiny wrinkle of her forehead gave her away as she spoke. "Oh, it's fine. Elisa has just gone off to parts unknown and we're a little pressed for time." She turned to me. "How are you feeling, Bella?"

"I'm better. Much better." I smiled at her, and I was relieved to find that my words were true. I didn't know if it was the fact that my mother had come, despite everything, or the fact that my little rant to Alice had allowed to unleash some of the tension I'd bottled up, but I did feel more relaxed. I was still going to have to work this out with Edward at some point, but at least at the moment I felt like I could walk down the aisle without bursting into tears or throwing my bouquet at him, and that was a definite improvement.

"Good." Esme took my hands in her cold ones. "We didn't have a chance to talk earlier but I just wanted to tell you just how glad I am that this day is finally here. You've been my daughter for a long time but now it's going to be official and I couldn't be happier. I don't think you'll ever know what you've done for us, and for Edward. You've made him whole."

I swallowed hard. "Thank you, Esme." I whispered.

Esme turned to my mother now. "And thank you, Renee, for sharing your daughter. I feel very privileged to have her joining our family."

"Thank you for taking care of her for so long. It's hard to be a mother so far away." Renee's eyes looked misty again. "I feel so much better knowing that not only is she gaining a husband, but she's gaining a wonderful family."

Esme and Renee beamed at each other, but my attention was suddenly caught by Alice's expression. For just a second her face had been blank - I'd apparently caught the tail end of some vision she was having - and when it sprang back to life it immediately transformed into lines of melancholy. Her eyes were far away, contemplative, with just a hint of sadness. Even as I stared, she sighed, and then nodded to herself, as if she'd made some painful decision.

"Alice?"

She turned to me and her eyes swept over me for a moment and then she moved to my side, her face suddenly unreadable.

"What is it?" I demanded in a low whisper. "What did you see?"

Alice smiled at me, and it was warm now, the sadness gone. "I see us giving you a few minutes alone, Bella." Her voice was carefully pitched so that we wouldn't be overheard. "You need some time to think everything through."

"What?" I stared at her.

Her expression was suddenly serious. "Bella, today is your day. It should be on your terms, and no one else's. Maybe I forgot that for a little while, maybe I pushed all this on you too hard, but I want you to know that nothing means more to me than your happiness. So whatever you decide, decide it for you, not for me, not for Edward, or for anyone else. Promise me that."

"What are you talking about?"

Ignoring my question, Alice began to speak loudly. "Of course you need a few minutes to catch your breath, Bella," she said, as if in response to some comment I had made. "Right, ladies? Come on, let's go downstairs and make sure everything is going well - give our bride some space. Bella, we will be right back."

The others looked a little confused, but following Alice's lead, they began to file out of the room. Alice held back for just a moment. "Bella, if you're not here when we get back, I understand and I'll take care of everything. Don't worry, alright?" She gave my hand a final squeeze and was gone, leaving me staring after her in bewilderment.

What was Alice talking about? Why would I not be there when they returned? Shaking my head, I walked across the room, dress rustling busily the whole way, and sat down carefully in front of Alice's dressing table.

It was nice to be alone though, I had to admit. Maybe she was right about me thinking things through. I finally gave me a chance to take a breath and try and put my turbulent emotions in order. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my mind go blissfully blank. For a few moments I just enjoyed the peace of thinking absolutely nothing, no questions, no expectations… no guilt.

Then, purposefully, I called forward what was arguably causing me the least amount of strife, to start with. Renee and Charlie. I smiled to myself, finally able to fully feel the relief and happiness I'd experienced when I saw her standing there. She had set aside so much of herself to come be with me today and it meant everything. If I hadn't had this chance with her, to leave things on a good note, I knew it would have haunted me.

Charlie, on the other hand, was more difficult to think about. He had been there for me, in more ways than I thought I might ever realize. He may have been reluctant about my plans, but he had never wavered from my side. And he did this because - no, in spite of - the fact that I was his entire life. Despite knowing that his support meant it was just that much easier for me to leave him behind. What would happen to him after I was gone? Who would take care of him, cook his meals, wash his clothes with that sweet-smelling fabric softener that he'd never admit he liked, worry about him when he was late and forgot to call… Tears welled in my eyes. At least Renee had Phil but Charlie - who did he have? I knew he'd survived just fine for seventeen years without me but it was so different now. Before, we'd been more like politely distant relatives, just enjoying our nice, predictable yearly visits. We'd come so far in the past two years - we'd come to rely on each other. I was going to miss him so much more than I had realized and I knew he felt the same. There was still so much left unsaid… I looked at the clock. No time to say it now, either, but I'd find a way to trap him later. We still had the reception, after all.

That decided, I let it go and moved on to the next tough subject I needed to think through. Jacob. As his face filled my head, pain rippled down through me. My immediate instinct was to duck away from the tide of emotion, close down this line of thinking immediately, but I had been doing that for far too long. I wondered if that was why I'd imagined that he was near my house last night, watching me, when clearly he was nowhere in the vicinity. It was because I wanted to see him, wanted to fix this, and it was never going to happen. I couldn't resolve this with him, but I needed to try and reconcile it in my own heart, the fact that he was hurting again because of me, that he was clearly not moving on, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I had thought I was angry with Edward for causing Jacob more anguish but now that I was forcing myself to think this through, I could see what a smokescreen that was. The person that I blamed was myself… and sadly, I had to admit I blamed Jacob too, as unfair as that was. Why did he have to hold on so hard? What did he think it would accomplish? Why did I have to feel so bad over him on this of all days? This was my day… I didn't want it tainted with grief and guilt over another man. Yet I would just have to accept that burden as the penance that I needed to pay for causing this whole mess in the first place.

It would be so much cleaner, so much easier, if Jacob's magical soul mate, his destined imprint, could just appear out of the blue, banish me to the furthest reaches of his memory and heal his heart in one fell swoop. I'd take the pain that would cause me and embrace it happily, knowing it would be such a tiny price to pay to see him shining like the sun once more. It was so unfair that I got to have my happy ending when there was none in sight for him, when he was left with the burden that I could no longer help him carry. How could I leave him behind, knowing that? And yet - how could I not? Within a matter of weeks, I'd be the embodiment of everything he despised. Our time was over, and there would be no neat ending to tidy everything up and make it alright for both of us. I just had to hope that wherever he was now he knew I'd always carry a piece of him with me.

And that was the best I could do, accept that there was no resolution to be had and put the pain that knowing that caused me in its place, to be carried and dealt with later but not today. I was reclaiming this day for myself and Edward. And now that I had decided that, it led me straight to the last issue I needed to sort through before I walked down the aisle.

As I thought Edward's name, a wave of warmth swept through me and it felt so much better, cleaner, than the hiss of irritation that had clung to my thoughts of him all morning. I felt sorry now that I had ever let first my own anxiety, and then my guilt over Jacob cloud my thoughts. Now that I was putting it behind me, all the other emotions that I'd been suppressing came rushing back. I welcomed them all, the love, the joy, the excitement, even the sudden panic that was spiraling within me and making me dizzy. This is how I was supposed to feel. I was getting married. To Edward. Nothing else mattered.

A light tap on the door broke into my reverie and I looked up, expecting to see Alice and the others filing back in. Instead, the tap sounded again, and I got up, crossing the room. "Come in!" I called, even as I reached for the door handle.

No sooner had I opened the door the tiniest fraction than whoever was on the other side grabbed it and pulled it shut again. Surprised, I tried to tug it back open but someone was holding it fast. For just the smallest second I felt a hint of fear at the odd behavior, but then the voice sounded and I completely forgot everything else.

"Bella, it's me."

"Edward! What in the world are you doing up here? You're not supposed to see me before - Oh." So that's why he was holding the door closed.

"I wanted to talk to you." His voice held a mixture of amusement and something else - worry? "And you know what they say - if Mohammed won't come to the mountain, then - "

" - the mountain will come to Mohammed." I finished, leaning my head against the cool wood of the door with a soft chuckle. "Edward, listen, I shouldn't…"

"No, please, Bella, let me." His voice was still quiet, but there was a tone of urgency in it that silenced me instantly. "Alice told me about what happened this morning with Billy Black. What he told you about Jacob, and how upset you've been ever since. I am so sorry that I acted behind your back. I should have been honest with you from the start. Please believe I never meant to deceive you and I certainly didn't want you to find out like this."

"Edward." I began but he was speaking again, his words tumbling over themselves, and I had to press my ear hard against the door he was still holding closed to be sure I caught them all.

"I didn't want to hurt him either Bella, and I am sorry for that but if I tell you that I regret inviting him I would be lying to you, and I won't do that. I thought that he deserved the choice. It's what I would have wanted if I'd been in his shoes. My mistake was in agreeing with you that we wouldn't invite him at all. I should have told you how I felt, and I've known that for weeks. I suppose I was just afraid everything was going so well between us and I didn't want to bring a single note of disharmony into these last few weeks. I truly am sorry, Bella, and I wanted you to know that before you walk down the aisle. Do you think you can forgive me?"

I smiled to myself as I stood there. Could I forgive him? I already had, from the second he'd begun speaking. Long before that, if I was being completely honest with myself. But then another thought occurred to me, and my voice was more hesitant than I wanted it to be when I replied. "Of course I forgive you, Edward, but…" I stopped myself just in time. "I will see you downstairs in a few minutes, alright?"

"Wait." His voice was worried again. "What were you going to say, Bella? I'm not moving from this spot until you tell me."

I bit my lip. He was always so damn observant. "It's just that… are you sure that's the only reason you invited him? Honestly?"

His voice was bewildered. "What do you mean?"

I blinked back the unwelcome tears that suddenly pooled in my eyes, glad he couldn't see my expression. "Are you sure that you weren't… I mean that it wasn't…" I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence at first, but knowing he'd stay there for days if he had to, waiting on my reply, I forced the words out. "Were you giving me one last choice, Edward? Was this your way of giving Jacob an opportunity to make his final stand?"

There was an intake of breath, then utter silence. As the seconds ticked by, the regret I felt for being so blunt flared into panic. What had I done now? "Edward?" My voice shook.

"Bella." His voice was not stark or angry like I feared… it held a sudden fierce determination. "We're leaving."

"What?" I wished I had X-ray vision so I could stare through the wood grain and see his expression. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying let's go. Right now. I want to look in your eyes when I tell you how wrong you are, and I want you to believe me. Let's get out of here, go someplace where we can be completely alone, and talk this out." His voice was still intense.

"Edward, we can't! We don't have time! The ceremony is starting in just - "

"Forget the wedding! Bella, you never wanted this. I know you said you did, and I love you for it but I know you're doing this for me, and Alice, your parents, the rest of our family… Forget about all that. The last thing I want is to drag you down the aisle knowing that you are still having doubts about my motives. Let's just go and start our lives together without this silly ceremony hanging over our heads. We'll drive, we'll talk, and then, if you'll still have me, we can go to Vegas or Reno and make it official, just the two of us. I don't care where we go, Bella, as long as I'm with you and as long as we've started our life together with no more hidden insecurities or questions. Please."

"Edward." I whispered again. My voice was weak with shock. I didn't need to ask him if he was serious - it was clear by the tone of his voice that he was. And I had to admit to myself that I loved the idea. I could see the two of us, climbing down the trellis to the ground… well, OK, so he'd be climbing down it - I'd be falling after him. But he'd be there to catch me and then we'd sneak past our unsuspecting guests, run to his car, and be off like two overgrown runaways on the biggest adventure of our lives. We could finally be free from all the prying eyes and ears, all the pressure… it would be just the two of us the way I'd longed for. There were so many places I wanted to go with him, so much I wanted to do and say, and I could have that, right now, and all I had to do was say the word…

Still, that nagging sense of responsibility had me speaking the words that would surely bring him back to his senses. "You know we can't just leave, Edward. Everyone is here! We'd be letting so many people down… my mother came, did you know that? She actually came! For me! And Charlie's going to walk me down the aisle… Alice and Elisa worked so hard and wanted this so much… Esme is so happy… how can we do this to them?"

"Everyone who really matters to us will understand, Bella." His voice was more velvety and convincing than ever and my knees went weak as I listened to it. "Alice, Esme, Elisa, your parents… all they really want is for you to be happy. Think about yourself first, just this once, please. This is a day you're going to remember forever, Bella, and I want you to think about how you're going to remember it. Picture yourself walking out into the yard, towards the altar, with everyone turning to look at you, and tell yourself honestly how it makes you feel. When we get married, I want it to be the best memory possible for both of us, and if it's not, if imagining that moment fills you with the least bit of dread, then open this door and take my hand."

Just take his hand… I wanted to, so badly that my fingers twitched in anticipation. And Alice had already given me her permission, hadn't she? That was what she'd been talking about before she left - it was why she'd left, so I could make this decision on my own, for me. Without considering anyone else's desires or wishes and I wanted that, as selfish as I knew it was. Edward was right - this was not a day I should ever remember with any sense of embarrassment or regret. This was not a day I should live for anyone else.

So I did what he asked. I closed my eyes and I pictured myself downstairs, the way I would be in a few minutes if we stayed, taking Charlie's arm, holding my bouquet, listening to the strains of 'Here Comes the Bride'." In my mind, we stepped out of the gloom on to the carpeted aisle between the seats, and every head whipped around to stare in my direction, pinning me in a hundred tiny spotlights. And I looked into those faces… every single one of them, from the ones I barely knew to the ones that I loved so dearly that I'd give my life for them. And then I looked into the face that mattered the most…

My eyes flew open and I looked down at my hand that was now resting on the doorknob. It was slack now under my fingers - Edward had released his grip on the other side and he was waiting for my next move. It was all up to me now.

It was time to reclaim my day.

Chapter Text

Elisa: