Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Author's Note: Just a new idea I was thinking about.
Summary: Edward never returned. Attempting to fill the void that Bella left, Carlisle and Esme begin to foster children. Rosalie is their new foster child. She distances herself from the start, sharing her secrets with no one. Edward cannot read her mind and something draws him to her. When Rosalie stumbles across Bella's photo, and not one of the Cullens will share her identity, Rose takes a journey to find the girl that tore the family apart. And what she finds shatters them all…forever. Not an Edward/Rosalie fanfiction.
I have a secret.
One that makes me more powerful than you can imagine.
And in the end, I hope that you won't turn against me for telling you the truth.
The reason I keep it hidden is because I'm not normal.
And sometimes I wonder if my mother knew.
Maybe it was the reason she didn't want me.
I tell myself that she was as unaware as you are.
I don't want it to be my fault.
Chapter 1: Whisper
"I hate to break it to you, Ashley, but I'm really not that excited." I smirked at my friend as I swirled my finger in the glass of orange juice in front of me.
"But, Ro-se!"
Rolling my eyes, I abandoned the juice and threw an arm around her. "Meeting families is your thing, Ash. You charm them and they fall under your spell. They adopt you and take you home and you forget all about me, your boring best friend." I shrugged. "That's how it works, my friend."
Ashley crossed her arms. "You know you're wrong. Besides….I heard that a big family is coming in today. Apparently-" she raised an eye brow and leaned in close-"they have, like, five foster kids already."
I laughed. "Go get 'em. Meanwhile, I'm going to go read my book."
"At least let me get your hair ready! Pretty please." Ashley pouted and her eyes grew large.
Sighing, I wandered over to my dresser and collapsed onto my bed. "Fine. But I have rules!" I added hastily, as she squealed.
"Whatever."
"Rule 1: No ribbons!" I giggled as she looked defeated. "Rule 2: No dye." At that, she gasped.
"Why would I dye your hair? It's beautiful the way it is. I wish I had your hair….." she trailed off, getting off track.
"Rule 3: Don't go craz-" I was cut off when she started mumbling to herself about hair clips.
_
"All right, kids. Everyone, please make your way to the Rec. Room for Family Visiting Day!" The overly cheery voice of Ms. Martha sounded throughout all of the rooms in the building.
Ashley stepped back, looking quite satisfied with her work. My hair was straight now, a difference from its usual waves, and clipped back from my face.
"Thanks, Ashley. Now, are you going to go meet this family?"
She twirled her white-blonde hair. "Come with me, Rosalie. Maybe they want two kids! We could be sisters for real!"
"You're enthusiasm is catching," I said sarcastically. "But," I amended as she widened her aqua eyes, "I will be a good friend and go with you."
"Thank you!" Ashley chirped. "Lead the way!"
As expected, the room was full of families. Some couples were older, leaning towards their fifties, while others were young, starting a family for the first time.
One group stood out. There were six of them, not five, and they all were striking. The two "parents"- for they looked ridiculously young to be parents- seemed to be talking to their other foster kids. There were two girls and three boys, and all of them were beautiful. One of the boys looked angry, but the rest of them looked excited.
"Is that the family you were talking about?" I whispered to Ashley. She didn't need to answer- they most definitely were.
_
I stood with my family in the building. Alice was practically buzzing with excitement, gripping Jasper's arm in an unbreakable grasp.
Carlisle turned to face us. "Okay. So everyone can walk around and talk to the kids here. Remember to be nice." He glanced at me a moment longer than necessary.
Rosalie grinned at Emmett and they walked off to talk to a small girl with pigtails.
Alice skipped off and dragged Jasper with her.
Edward? I looked to Esme automatically at the sound of my name. Just try, okay? For me.
A girl stared at me from across the room, her friend- or sister- clutching onto her shoulder. Her hair was an interesting shade of gold and her dark green eyes were wide. I frowned in her direction, but remembering Esme's plea, walked towards the pair.
"Hello," I said softly. "I'm Edward Cullen; I'm here with my parents, Carlisle and Esme."
The girl's friend's thoughts were average. She gushed in her mind over my appearance and hoped that she would be chosen for my family.
When I narrowed in on the girl's thoughts, I got nothing. Panicking for a moment, I focused harder. Not even a whisper.
"Rosalie," the girl said coldly. "This is my friend, Ashley."
I wanted to gasp, but I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating. "Nice to meet you," I said in response, and then I walked away.
Bella. She was thirty-two now. She must have had a family. I swallowed hard. A husband.
And her thoughts, too, were closed off to me.
Alice was staring in my direction. Edward, who was that girl you were talking to?
I headed in her direction. "Her name is Rosalie," I said quietly.
She quirked an eyebrow, "Did you like her?" Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry….
"Alice. What are you hiding?" Jasper looked our way, his attention gained.
"Nothing," she sang, before running off to talk to Carlisle.
Jasper smiled slightly, following Alice.
What did I just get myself into?
_
Jazz walked close behind me as I stepped forward to greet the girl Edward was talking to.
I could definitely appreciate her fashion sense, though I could tell it was all handmade. Her hair reminded me slightly of the other Rosalie's, but her eyes were an intense green. "Hey!" I squealed, as she turned around to face me. "I'm Alice, and this is my brother, Jazz."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Rosalie, but you can call me Rose."
"I have a sister called Rosalie," I said excitedly, "and now I guess I have two!"
"What do you mean?" her tone seemed angry almost.
"I just spoke to Carlisle- that's my dad in every sense of the word- and if all the filing goes through, he and Esme will be your foster parents in just a week or two!" I couldn't help but to squeal a little.
Rose's eyes wandered over to a girl with light blonde hair. "Wow," she murmured. "Well. It was nice meeting you…Alice. And you, Jasper."
Jazz nudged me. "Her feelings were out of control, Alice."
"A new sister, Jasper!" I chirped.
"Just….be careful with her, Al. She's different from other girls here. Don't overwhelm her with shopping trips or anything."
"I just want another sister, Jazz."
Jasper sighed and wrapped his arms around me as I breathed in thescent of his hair. Because he missed Bella, too.
-
Two Weeks Later
"Rose, I'm going to miss you so much!" Ashley was practically in tears, even though she was going with a different family.
I hugged her hard, tears glittering in my own eyes. "Write to me," I ordered, zippering my last bag.
"I will. I just can't believe you're being adopted by the Cullens!" She was still obsessing over Edward Cullen, and his apparent "gorgeousness."
Rolling my eyes, I slung the bag over my shoulder. "Fostered by the Cullens," I corrected.
"Rosalie!" Ms. Martha called. "Dr. Cullen and his wife are here!"
I groaned before hugging Ashley one more time. "Bye, Ash."
"Bye, Rose," she whispered.
I ran over to where Dr. Cullen stood, talking rapidly with his wife. He smiled when he saw me. "Hello, Rosalie, I'm Carlisle Cullen, and you can call me Carlisle. This is my wife, Esme."
A young woman with caramel hair held out her hand. I took it, quickly realizing the coldness of her skin.
"Well," Carlisle began, "let's go home."
Esme put an arm around my shoulders as we walked to the Mercedes. Esme sat in the back with me, telling me avidly about all of the children that lived in her house.
"I heard that you already met Alice," she said in a motherly tone. "Alice is….Alice. She knows things that no one else knows, and you can never keep a secret from her. Jasper is quiet, but he's quite sensitive and really a good brother."
I stared out the window as she went on to describe Emmett. "Emmett is loud, and he may seem intimidating at first, but he's actually really kind-natured. And then there's Rosalie."
"What?" I glanced at her, curious.
"Yes," Esme laughed quietly, "she shares your name. Rosalie is quite stubborn, but once you get to know her you gain her full loyalty."
That left only…. "What about Edward?"
She stiffened. "Edward went through a hard time a few years ago." Noting my interest, she awkwardly continued, "He and his girlfriend….well, he hasn't quite been the same. Don't worry about him. He is a really good person; he's just having a rough time."
I nodded, but I burned with the desire to learn more. More about the mysterious girl that broke this family.
_
Preview From Next Chapter
"Edward, you can't keep doing this." The anger in her soprano voice was evident, even in her calm tone.
"Alice, you don't under-"
"Edward Anthony, I do understand. But you can't ignore Rose. She's part of the family now."
I sighed, running my fingers through my unruly hair.
"Promise me you'll try," my favorite sister begged, her amber eyes large. Promise me.
"I promise," I whispered, before walking into my bedroom and slamming the door behind me with inhuman force.
And read and review! Tell me if I should continue.
Oh, and ask questions if you have them, I'd be more than happy to write a response.
Rose
