I just realized that I didn't put a disclaimer on the first two chapters. However, I trust you all to realize that since my name is not Stephanie Meyer, I do not own these characters.

It would be wonderful if you could take a second to review the story. Nothing gives me more motivation to write than knowing that people are A) reading it and B) what they think. I've got a beta, he shows me tough love, I can handle praise and criticism. Lay it on me!

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Rosalie slides out from underneath Carlisle's Mercedes as she hears me approach.

"Bella's still here then?" she asks arching an eyebrow at me. "She must be if you're down here with me."

It's an odd sort of ritual she and I have. Rosalie escapes here to the garage when Bella's around to keep the peace, and I come down here as part of my giving Bella a wide berth.

"It's not like I don't want to be around her," I reply. "I like Bella very much."

"It's ridiculous," she scoffs standing up and moving to her tool bench. "Even Peter and Charlotte are falling all over her."

"You know, you might like her if you'd bother to get to know her."

"Doubtful." She grabs what she needs, heads back to the car and leans over the engine. "I can't see the appeal."

I cock my head to the side and look at her curiously. "I would think that you, of all people, would see it instantly. I would think it would be obvious to you."

She straightens up and looks at me expectantly. I look at her back. "Are you going to clue me in?" she demands.

"Why don't you tell me first what it is that you don't like, Rosalie?"

"I don't need a therapist."

"I'm just curious." I lean up against Emmett's Jeep and cross my arms while I watch her tinker with the car.

"It's just…everyone's making idiots of themselves. Edward aside, Alice is always wanting to dress her up like some kind of doll, Emmett makes it his mission in life to see how many times he can make her blush in one conversation, Carlisle and Esme treat her like royalty, cooking for her, making sure the heat is on when it's cold, even you're around her as much as you can possibly be."

"Rosalie!" I laugh indulgently. "It's right there in your answer. Has it occurred to you that the reason why everyone likes to be around her is it gives them some semblance of humanity? She's funny, she's smart, she's caring, she's kind, and she's human. She needs to eat, she needs to sleep, she gets hurt. She needs to be taken care of. Edward can't sleep, yet he goes through that routine with her nearly every night. Esme cooks for her even though she doesn't eat. All these human routines that we've long since forgotten about have come back to us, with her."

I can see that I've given her something to think about that she hadn't considered. She looks reluctant even though it's clearly piqued her interest. Just as she's turning back to the car, a wolf howls in the distance and she straightens up immediately.

"What is it?" I ask, instantly on alert.

"Did you hear that?" she whispers harshly.

"What?" There's another howl and her eyes widen. "The wolf's howl?"

"No, it's not…it's impossible, it can't be…but it sounds just like it."

"It sounds like a wolf," I say.

"No, not just a wolf." She looks alarmed as she goes tearing towards the house calling Carlisle's name.

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"Ow."

"Honestly Bella, stop being such a baby," Alice says as I appear in her bathroom doorway and stifle a chuckle at the picture before me. Alice has Bella's hair in curlers, cotton between her painted toes and her chin in her hand as she tries to apply something or other to Bella's already perfect face.

"Help!" Bella squeaks when she sees me.

"Alice, what on Earth are you doing to her?" I cross my arms and lean up against the doorway. Bella looks annoyed that I haven't pulled Alice off of her yet.

"Rosalie, Esme and I…well, our skin doesn't change. Bella's does all sorts of stuff. It's fun to see how it looks with different colors and styles."

"But have you considered whether or not it's fun for her?"

Alice rounds on me with a glare. "We're. Bonding. Edward," she says evenly. "For crying out loud, it's not like Rosalie is the picture of a warm girlfriend and Esme means well, but…"

I nod in understanding and motion her away from poor Bella all the same. "I need to talk to Bella and Carlisle needs to talk to you." "What's going on?" I won't answer her in front of Bella though. Eventually, Bella will probably pull it out of someone, but I plan on drawing that out as long as possible.

Alice turns to Bella and points a stern finger at her. "Don't undo anything while I'm gone."

She prances out of her enormous bathroom and I smile down at Bella who looks up at me pleadingly. "Please help me get this crap out of my hair."

"I heard that!" Alice shouts from downstairs and Bella sighs. I brush her hand away and I have the rollers out for her in seconds. It leaves long, loose curls down her back and I can't help running my fingers through them. She closes her eyes and sighs.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" she finally asks.

I chicken out.

"I was just trying to save you." I shrug.

She looks at me long and hard. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Is it Peter and Charlotte?"

"No. Although, it looks like they'll be staying a little bit longer than planned."

"Oh. Why?"

I shrug again. "It's not like they have anywhere to be. They're nomads."

"And so now you're worried about me."

"Bella, I'm always worried about you." I laugh and run my finger down her cheek.

"You'll tell me sooner or later," she shrugs with a yawn and I frown.

"You're tired? Do you want to lie down?"

"No. I'm going to have to get home soon." She says, pulling the cotton out from between her toes and wiggling them a bit. "Charlie's got some kind of convention in Las Vegas. He's going to be gone a few days, so I wanted to see him before he goes."

"He's leaving?" I'm instantly on alert. One of the things I always take comfort in is the presence of Charlie and his firearms in the house.

"Tomorrow morning," she nods. "I didn't tell you this?" That you were going to be in your house alone and unprotected for days with two non-vegetarian vampires and a werewolf afoot? No, my love, I think I would have remembered that.

"No."

"Oh, well, yeah. He'll be back on Friday."

"And he's definitely leaving in the morning?"

"Yes," she says. "It sounds like you're not staying tonight."

"I can't," I murmur. "But I'll see you in the morning." I was torn. I needed to run the treaty line with the others to investigate Rosalie's discovery, but I don't like the thought of leaving Bella alone. I could probably send Esme to keep watch. If the wolves were back, I needed to know right away. Bella's family was friendly with the Blacks. Ephraim Black is Jacob's grandfather and Bella and her father frequently visited with Billy, Jacob's father, and Jacob. Jacob turning into a werewolf would be problematic for everyone.

She nodded and of course tried not to show her disappointment, but wasn't very successful. She understands that I can't spend every night with her as I'd want, but when I need to hunt, I prefer to do it when she's sleeping so I can be with her when she's awake. There are so many things I had to get used to with her, human things.

Tears, for instance. Alice, Esme and Rosalie, when they get upset, they don't cry. They can't cry. If Bella is upset enough, she will cry and that instills a gut-wrenching feeling in me. Even if she's just crying over a movie or book, I feel the same way.

She's certainly not upset enough to cry now, thank God, but she is disappointed. I would leave it to the others if she asked me to stay with her. She has yet to fully understand the power her 'please' has over me. I would do anything for her at anytime, she has only to ask.