AN: Another shortie, but it seemed like the natural place to end the chapter. You get to learn a little more about Bea and more of the Cullens show up! YAY!

Disclaimer: Excepting Beatrice and the plot, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Explainations

If ever my cheeks reddened, now would be the time. I nodded.

"Yup."

"And they want you to live here."

I could feel the blood rushing to my chest- the only part of me that did flush.

"Basically."

"Until…" Carlisle trailed off.

"Until."

Carlisle looked at Esme and then back at me. "I have so many questions; I don't even know where to begin."

I felt horrible. These poor people! They didn't know me, and then suddenly out of the blue, here I come, traipsing into their lives expecting them to shelter me, care for me, and accommodate my… unique needs. They didn't even have the option of saying no. I suddenly felt the urge to cry. I clenched my teeth until the feeling passed; time enough for that later.

"I'm so sorry. I know this is sudden, and I know you don't have a choice," I started blathering. "I didn't have one either, actually. There were some pretty weird circumstances surrounding me back in Italy… actually, I'm kind of a weird circumstance myself."

"Yeah, let's talk about that." Carlisle cut in. "You're not a vampire."

"No."

"And you lived with the Volturi."

Not altogether unheard of. "You've got it," I mumbled.

"And am I correct in saying that you are not human either?"

Barely audible, I whispered, "No, I'm not human, either."

"Uh huh. So… what are you?"

There it was. The unavoidable, blunt question I'd been dreading ever since I learned of my stateside exile. I'd been hoping that Aro would include it in the letter, but I think he was trying to punish me further by making me explain it myself. However, I was at a loss for words.

"I'm a… well, I'm… umm, I guess you would say I'm a halfling." I stuttered, resorting to Aro's mildly affectionate nickname for me in a desperate attempt to end the sentence.

"A halfling." Carlisle repeated even-toned.

"Yeah… I'm… um, well, basically I'm what happens when someone gets bit and stops changing halfway through." The words left my mouth in a rush.

"And how does this happen?"

Carlisle didn't sound incredulous or accusing or anything like that. Just like he was trying to understand it all in an entirely nonjudgmental way, but for some reason it was bringing up my urge to cry all over again.

"Um, well, there's this vampire there, and he has this ability… I don't really know how to describe it… I don't know much about it at all… All I know is that he did it." I fished out the manila envelope from my knapsack and handed it over to Carlisle. "I think there may be more information in there. If there isn't, you'll have to contact them yourself, because I really don't know. I don't think I was allowed to."

While I spoke, Carlisle was rifling through the papers. "No, I think I found something here. I'll look at it later."

I'm certain he would have said more, but at that point a back door flew open.

"Carlisle! Esme! We're home! Damn, it's hot out there. Nearly eighty degrees. Jesus, what's going on in here? The feelings of shame radiating off this place are enough to make me wanna- oh!"

I could sense them looking at me as I tried desperately to bore holes in the carpet with my eyes alone. I didn't know how many there were now that more had walked into the room. This whole situation was too ridiculously uncomfortable.

"Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, this is Beatrice. She's our guest and she's going to be staying with us for a while." I heard Esme speak for the first time since Carlisle came in. I heard her move off the arm of the loveseat where she had been perched and come sit by me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I was sure whichever one it was who could feel my shame was just about ready to cut himself from it now.

"Hi." I said in a small voice.

Silence. I waited a moment before looking up in curiosity. There was a tall blonde who met my eyes for less than a second before making a little noise of disinterest and floating up the stairs, pulling the really big one with curly dark hair with her. He shrugged at me before following.

I caught the eye of the little dark one, who had her head cocked and was regarding me intensely. I gave a shy smile, which she returned exuberantly. The last one, a blonde male, was staring at me, eyebrows furrowed. I felt my chest flush again. The little one touched his hand and he looked away, startled, but she was already dancing her way up the stairs. He followed.

Carlisle, too, rose to leave, taking my manila envelope with him. He looked lost in thought as he ran a hand through his thick, golden hair.

Esme turned and smiled at me. "Here, let me show you to your room," she said, reaching for my knapsack.

"Oh, no, I've got it," I replied quickly, standing and snatching up the heavy bag.

"Are you sure? You look tired." Esme smiled kindly, rising.

"It's fine. Really. I've carried it a while. I can carry it a little farther." I smiled and swung the bag onto my shoulders. As the weight settled, so did my nerves, to an extent. It was kind of a security blanket thing, the only tie to my life in Italy that I was forced to leave.