It was another brilliant day and that meant another boring day for Bella Cullen and her little family.

"Come on," Nessie was pleading. "Just one little run? No one will notice me, I promise!"

"No, dear," Edward replied smoothly. His voice made Bella's heart melt again, like every time before.

"Listen to your father, Ness," Bella said softly. She peered out the window down the long cobblestone street.

"You know, this never would have happened in Forks," Nessie complained, folding her arms and sitting angrily on the foot of her parent's bed.

"You know we can't go back to Forks yet," Bella said sternly. She wanted to every bit as much as her daughter wanted to, but it was too soon.

"We've only been gone for fifty years. Too many people will recognize us now," Edward repeated. They'd instructed their daughter on this very rule a hundred times before.

"You don't know that," Ness said under her breath. "Maybe they're all dead by now. You never know."

Bella raised her eyebrow at Nessie.

"It's raining in Chorleywood," Edward said quietly. He was listening to the television Emmett was watching on the main floor of their condo in London.

"Then it will more than likely rain here soon," Bella said, satisfied. She hoped Nessie would be satisfied by this as well.

"Why can't we just go there then? It rains so often there, we should just move there," Nessie snorted.

Edward chuckled, his mouth turned up in Bella's favorite half-smile. Her heart skipped a beat. Even together for over fifty years, Bella never got tired of Edward's statuesque beauty. The fire and passion in their love never faded for a moment. Every day was like the first that she was a vampire. He made her heart flutter like a lovesick child.

"Okay," Edward agreed after a moment of smiling at his beautiful daughter and lovely wife. "Alright, we'll go to Chorleywood. But we're not moving there. We'll just stay a few days, until the rain returns to London. I'm sure there are plenty of things to do in Chorleywood. We'll find something to amuse ourselves with."

"I'm coming too!" Alice said. It was loud enough from her room across the hall so that they could all hear her.

"Anybody else in for a trip to Chorleywood?" Edward asked. He didn't raise his voice much, but the entire household could hear him.

"I will go," chimed in Rosalie's voice from downstairs.

"I'm staying," Jasper replied. His voice was low, dark, almost depressed.

"I'll stay too," Emmett answered.

"You kids go on ahead, I'll keep things neat here," Esme said.

"I will stay as well. I have a lot of work to do," Came Carlisle from his office on the top floor.

Nessie squealed with happiness and skipped gracefully down the stairs with Alice following after her. Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's waist and they floated down together. They chose the silver Volvo, Bella's favorite car, and the five of them piled in and headed North to Chorleywood.

"Still having problems with Jasper, Alice?" Rosalie asked. She combed her fingers through Nessie's hair, admiring the perfect curls and bronze shine.

Alice sighed. I don't want to talk about it, she thought. Of course, only Edward could hear her.

"Can we behave ourselves, ladies?" Edward asked.

"What?" Rosalie responded with a hint of mischief in her innocent act. "I was only asking because I care, Edward. You of all people should know that."

"Alice doesn't want to talk about it, Rose. Still. That hasn't changed for the last week. You, of all people, should know that." Edward retorted.

"So you can," Rosalie said quickly. When Rose was determined for information, she got it somehow. "You know what they're thinking, after all."

"I try to respect privacy, Rose. They asked me to tune them out, and I have done so to the best of my ability."

"Aw come on, Edward! I just want to know if everything is okay. Are we going to have to start looking for a new mate for Alice?"

"What makes you think Jasper would be the one to leave?" Alice asked, outraged.

"Honestly, Alice, haven't you been paying attention?" Rose stuck her nose in the air. "He doesn't fit in with us. He never has. He still has trouble controlling himself in school, I can see it in his eyes."

"He's getting better."

"Ladies," Edward added a fatherly stern tone to his voice. One he'd picked up recently and still wasn't accustomed to using.

"Fine, Edward. I'll behave myself." Rose focused on Nessie's hair.

You don't need to worry about me, Edward. But you know she's going to do it again. As soon as you're not in earshot. She won't leave me alone until he's gone. Alice thought.

"Don't worry about that," Edward replied quietly. The rest of the ride was silent.

They parked their car in the little lot in front of a quaint white and brown pub that overlooked the common. The rain seemed to be taking a break. It was sprinkling lightly, and the sky was still very overcast.

Edward got out of the car first and Bella waited for him to open the door for her. She was getting used to this courtesy. No sooner had Bella put her foot on the ground than she smelled something very familiar and yet very foreign.

She looked up at Edward, who was looking into the distance in the direction of the scent. It was the perfume of another vampire.

"Hold on," he said quietly, looking in all directions cautiously. "We may be intruding on someone else's territory."

Alice was at Bella's shoulder in the blink of an eye. Rosalie kept Nessie in the car. They were watching Edward through the back windshield.

Edward was silent for a long time. Alice's head jerked up, her gaze going past Edward. He looked back, watching her. Bella watched too. Now all eyes were on Alice.

"It's okay, just see it. I'll explain it," Edward said quietly.

Alice nodded. Bella knew what this meant. She was having a particular vision. This was important.

"We're in a house. There's a girl there. She's the vampire. She's… coming with us. Alice, where is she?" Edward seemed thoroughly confused by what he'd seen.

"I'm not a bloody GPS, Edward!" Alice fired. "But now that you know what her voice sounds like, maybe you can pinpoint her voice."

Edward turned again to face the direction the scent was coming from. "Someone is crying for help," He said after a long pause.

"Let's go!" Nessie shouted.

Bella, Alice, and Edward all got back into the car. Nobody said a word as Edward followed the voice in his head. "She's… telling me where to go…?" It was more of a question than a statement. Anything that made Edward uncertain was sure to unhinge Bella. Her nervous grip on the seat nearly tore into the fragile fabric.

The trip wasn't long, but should have been much longer. Edward pulled into a long, winding gravel driveway that was surrounded by tall trees.

"Dad?" came Nessie's voice, suddenly very small, as if she was a child again. "Who is that?"

"I hear her too," said Alice.

Rosalie gulped. The expression on her face was easy to read. The only person that couldn't hear the same voice Edward was hearing, was Bella.

The five got out of the car at the bottom of a small flight of steps leading up to a massive castle-like mansion.

"Why can't we have moved into a place like this?" Rosalie asked in awe. She hated the stuffy condominium they had. Edward stood like stone on the last step. "Well, should we knock? I mean, she was crying out to us for help… Surely you wouldn't keep her waiting."

"Hold on, Rose. If it's possible, I'm… having a conversation with her." Edward said. He tilted his head.

"What's she saying?" Nessie asked.

"Her name is Ada. She's afraid of us." Edward said quietly.

"We won't hurt her," Nessie said simply. "Especially if she's coming with us."

A loud crash like broken glass came from inside the house. Edward, followed closely by Alice, Bella, Nessie, and Rose, darted into the house. He practically flew up the stairs and into the only bedroom that was lit. On the floor, kneeling by the ruins of a tall glass vase, was the most peculiar girl Bella had ever seen.

She looked just like every other vampire in that she had the pale skin, the undeniable beauty, and the slender, perfect form. She had long, straight, blood red colored hair. It was her eyes that confused them.

Bella had seen the eyes of those "normal" vampires. They were burgundy, like fine wine. The eyes of her family were gold when they were fed and black when they thirsted. But Ada's eyes were blue – bright, sky blue with black around the outer edge. She had the eyes of a wolf.

"What's wrong with her?" Nessie asked. Though she was an adult now, she still acted very much like a child at times.

Edward said nothing. Rosalie was speechless. Alice was distracted by everything that was surrounding them.

"Ada," Edward said quietly. The girl looked up at him. Her blue eyes, though brilliant, were full of deep sadness. Bella's heart felt weighted just looking at her. "I'm Edward," He extended his hand courteously.

She was hesitant, glancing quickly at Bella, Nessie, Alice, and Rosalie in turn.

"This is Renesme. We call her Nessie," Edward said, introducing his daughter. "Alice, Rosalie, and Bella, my wife."

Bella absorbed the way he introduced her as his wife. Fifty years and she still wasn't used to that either. Ada spent a particularly long minute looking at Bella. The two stared at each other as if they were each thoroughly confused with each other. That wasn't too far of a stretch. Bella was thoroughly confused.

Ada glanced up at Edward and then rested her eyes once more on Bella.

"Don't worry, it's not just you. Her mind cannot be touched. She has something of a barrier there," Edward said.

Bella looked up at Edward. He must be reading her mind, she thought, but something about the way he said "It's not just you" confused her.

"Ada," Edward began. "Anything you say to me, you can say to them, too."

"I hear her," said Nessie.

Bella and Edward looked up at their daughter at the same time.

"Me too," Alice chirped.

"I think Bella's the only one that can't," said Rosalie.

Bella pushed her mental barrier away from herself.

"She can hear you now," Edward said, looking cautiously over at Bella.

I know. Said the softest, quietest voice Bella had ever heard. Hello, Bella.

"Hi," Bella said carefully.

"Ada," Edward began. "What happened to you?"

I'm a… well, I think… I… I don't know anymore… I was kind of hoping you could tell me… Since you have powers too… What's wrong with me? She looked up at each Cullen in turn, pleading sadness in her stunning eyes.

"How long have you been here?" Nessie asked, looking around at the room. Bella followed her gaze.

Everything in the room was covered in a thick layer of dust. Even the windows looked like they hadn't been looked through in years.

I'm not sure. All of my days and my nights seem to run together now… I can't sleep anymore. No matter how hard I try. I've lain in my bed for a really long time… I… I think I might have spent days there…

"Have you eaten anything?" Rosalie asked.

Ada shook her head. Nothing. Not since… She buried her face in her hands. Bella was sure that if she could cry, she would be. What do you mean; If I could? She looked up at Bella, that heavy sadness seemed even heavier. I can't cry? Like, at all? Why not?

The soft voice became a little panicked, and Ada's expression matched. She looked at each Cullen for answers. Edward extended his hand.

"Come with us," he said. "It would seem there is a lot you need to learn."

And some we need to learn from you. Said Edward's voice in Bella's mind.

Rosalie took a step back, shocked. What the hell was that? She thought.

I don't know, but I can hear it too. Alice's voice rang out.

The Cullens all exchanged glances and the same questions ran through their minds. They could all hear each other.

I'm putting my barrier back up, Thought Bella. As soon as it was back in place, the voices of her sisters, daughter, and husband were gone.

Edward helped Ada to her feet. Alice took her hand and led her through the house, down the stairs and to the front door. The rest of the family followed, but were stopped just before the entrance to the massive house.

"We will bring you back if you wish," Edward said, answering some question in Ada's mind. "We're not going to hurt you."

Ada looked at Alice, watching her for a moment.

"She's playing back her vision," Edward explained quietly.

"I know," Said Rosalie. "I can see it too."

Bella pushed her barrier from her mind again in time to see Jasper's grinning face in her head. He was wrapping his arms around Ada as if… Alice took in a sharp gasp.

Who is that? Ada asked.

Jasper. Answered Rosalie. Alice's husband.

Then why is he… I don't even know him! Ada protested.

Alice was frozen in place. The image set in her mind, and thus the minds of everyone around her.

I will stay. I cannot meet him if that will be the consequence. I will not intrude. You have a good… I mean, it's a nice… You all seem to… Ada couldn't seem to finish her sentances anymore. Bella then saw a picture in her mind.

There was a man that looked a lot like Charlie, but he was taller and had more gray hair. Next to him was a much younger man, a younger version of the older one, probably his son. A girl was standing next to the younger man with an uncanny resemblance to Ada. This was a picture of her family. Ada was amongst them, standing beside her father, his arm around her shoulders.

Ada looked much happier in this image. Sadness did not weigh down her eyes. Her face was full of color, vibrant and beautiful.

Where are they now? Nessie thought.

Bella's mind went blank. She checked and made sure that her barrier was still away from her. Ada simply stopped thinking anything. Bella couldn't even hear the voices of the Cullens. From the looks on their faces, they were all experiencing the same thing. Even Edward looked confused.

I will not destroy yours. Ada thought. She turned and disappeared back up the stairs.