Following Rosalie's early years from transformation to finding the one man who would actually treat her right. Trust me, that journey is longer and more complicated than you think.

I chose the name So Close because of Jon McLaughin's song "So Close." It's a gorgeous song and it kind of describes how I see Rosalie's inner conflict.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, I just let my imagination run away with it and elope.

So Close

Ch1: Induction and Atonement

RPOV

It's so warm in here. I thought to myself. Now that I'm thinking of it, where is "here?" "Please…please sir. Just kill me." I croaked out, begging. The older, caring man simply sat on the chair next to the bed I was lying in and held my hand. The burning was off and on. But when it was on, it was horrific and unbearable. When the other two people, the woman and the younger man, came back into the room, I begged for them to kill me too and the younger man shook his head before I even said anything. The older one continued to hold my hand, promise this would end and apologize. What was he apologizing for? Did he do anything? I doubt it. He seemed like a very caring man. I didn't really listen to all the things he was telling me, because I didn't believe him.

All of a sudden I heard the silent boy speak, "What were you thinking, Carlisle? Rosalie Hale?" Alright, so two new facts: The blonde man's name is Carlisle and he did do something to me.

"I couldn't just let her die," Carlisle said quietly. "It was too much – too horrible, too much to waste."

"I know," The other man said and I thought he sounded dismissive. It angered me.

"It was too much to waste. I couldn't leave her." Carlisle repeated in a whisper.

The woman finally spoke. "Of course you couldn't."

"People die all the time." The younger man reminded Carlisle in a hard voice. "Don't you think she's just a little recognizable, though? The Kings will have to put up a huge search – not that anyone suspects the fiend." He growled. So they know Royce is guilty, good. He deserves it. But, why would it matter if I'm recognizable? More of the pain was beginning to subside. "What are we going to do with her?" The boy still yet to be named said disgustedly – or that's how it sounded to me, at least.

Carlisle sighed. "That's up to her, of course. She may want to go her own way." During the few times that I listened to Carlisle during the more intense burning, I had gathered up enough information to understand that I could never go back to the life I was living. If I went my own way, would this mean being alone?

"Edward, dear" The woman's voice called softly. "Perhaps we should go downstairs. Having so many people in the room when she wakes up may overwhelm her a bit." I heard no response from the newly named younger man, Edward, but I did hear their feet walking away along with the activities of most of the city. The burning had subsided to a dull roar resting in my throat. I opened my eyes with shock. I had suspected Dr. Cullen to be in the room, but I did not expect to see him so clearly, or anything else for that matter. Everything felt new.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that pain, Miss. Hale. But I assure you, you are in a better situation now than you were three days ago." Carlisle tried to comfort me. The sound of his voice was so peculiar. There was a crisp new edge to it. Quite frankly, there was a crisp, new edge to everything at the moment. "To my surprise, you didn't scream very much."

"It didn't seem any use to scream." As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I gasped, leaving my mouth wide open. I soon reminded myself that behavior like that wasn't ladylike and I covered my gaping mouth with my hand. My voice sounded different as well…like wind chimes. Mother likes wind chimes – Oh! – Mother? Where was she? Where was I? For some reason, these questions had not occurred to me before.

"Would you like me to explain some things for you Miss. Hale?" I swear he knew what I was thinking.

"That would be nice, thank you." I presumed his proper use of my surname was for nothing but that, proper behavior. I presumed I could trust this man. It seems as though he has helped me in some way, not hurt me.

~*~*~*~

As Dr. Cullen, or Carlisle as he preferred me to call him, explained everything again, I listened this time and gasped when I saw my newly ruby red eyes in the mirror his wife, the woman, Esme, placed in my hands. I felt like I was the most beautiful thing in the world, apart from my eyes. Good thing I like my new haircut. I thought when I remembered that my gorgeous blonde hair would grow no longer. I continued to admire myself in the mirror and Edward rolled his eyes. "She's so shallow." Probably not intended for my ears, but that's his fault.

"Excuse me?" I've had an aversion to him ever since he spoke. It's like he doesn't even think I'm pretty.

"What? Am I obligated to think as much? Well, I hate to disappoint you, miss," He spat out the word. "but I'm not like your admirers. I would rather an acquaintance of mine have substance."

"Edward!" Esme shrieked. "How rude of you!" Clearly she was taking the mother role seriously. Considering he's 17, I don't blame her. How did he know what I had thought earlier?

"Carlisle, you forgot to mention my, uh, gift." Edward was clearly hinting at something his arms still crossed across his chest.

"Oh, so sorry my dear." Carlisle turned his attention back to me. "I've gotten so used to it I suppose I forgot to tell you. Edward can read minds." He said frankly. Oh my! I turned to Edward and there he stood, arms crossed with some kind of lopsided smirk on his face. Ew, what kind of a facial expression is that? He rolled his eyes. Get used to the internal ego busters, dear brother, because they're going to keep on coming.

"You're staying?" His eyes widened.

"Of, course. Carlisle and Esme seem like such wonderful people and I don't relish the thought of drinking of the blood another person for my own benefit."

"And I don't seem like a wonderful person?" Edward flashed an innocent look at me.

"No, you're a wonderfully rude young man with whom I will have a brilliant time insulting and/or tormenting with my thoughts." I smiled brightly at him and he growled.

"Edward," Esme reprimanded. "Don't growl at her."

His eyes did that widening this again. "You can't be serious, Esme! She calls me rude while telling me of how she's going to ruin my life, I growl at her and you call me out?"

She rushed to Edward's side at this "vampire speed" they spoke of and it startled me, so Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder. Esme spoke to Edward. "Now, dear. There's no reason to raise your voice." She sat the on the bed and directed her attention towards me.

"We'll leave." Carlisle said softly, walking out the door with Edward trailing close behind.

"You said you have brothers, right?" She said "have" like I could go back to them. Like I could go back to my family and live my life. Yeah, right! My life as I knew it was gone. It no longer existed. Her reminding me of that made me sad. Even though my brothers annoyed me, I still loved them and treated them with respect. Oh – I have it now. I would be entering this family as a real family. I would enter as Edward's sister and Carlisle and Esme's daughter. I would have to leave my life behind.

"You want me to treat Edward as my brother and not just call him that, don't you?"

"Can you read minds too?" She inquired.

I laughed. "No. I just figured."

"Alright. So, you've figured out that we work as a family here?" I nodded. "Good then." She patted my leg. "I am truly grateful to have you in our family Rosalie. Now, I have a son and a daughter." She smiled. "Now, I know what you're thinking. Do I really have to call these people mother and father? The answer: not really, not if you don't want to." Her smile still remained on her lips, just slightly smaller. I repositioned myself on the bed to hug her. She was startled for a moment, and then hugged me back with the same amount of fierceness.

"I really do appreciate this." I said as we parted. "Thank you…mom." I smiled.

~*~*~*~

For the remainder of the day, I learned to hunt and learned more of what was to be my new life.

Edward and I had a truce; he doesn't tell Carlisle and Esme and I don't tell about the various other things he said when dear old mom and dad weren't in earshot. (Or rather, vampire earshot.) He was shocked at my sudden wave of respect for him, so I explained it in my head along with apologizing for my behavior and we came to a compromise.

I was already planning in my head. Today was just the induction and atonement, tomorrow would be the closure.

Like it? I hope you do. I hope I don't stray too far from the story that Rosalie tells Bella in Eclipse. There is the story that she tells Bella and there is the stuff in the middle she left out and that's going to be what I'm writing. I only have a few ideas so once I get out of the realm of what we already know, don't expect story updates very quickly.

If you're a fan of MBFBB, (Yes, I'm giving My Best Friend's Boyfriend's Brother an abbreviation now.) chapter 5 is up now! Go and read. I also have chapter 1 of my new story, The Operation up as well.

Review and tell your friends, please!