It's Rosalie, arms crossed, leaning against a tree.
"Are you done?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
He tries to read her thoughts to determine her purpose in being here, but she's blocking him by reciting Emmett's new favorite rap lyrics. He makes a face at the crudeness of the words.
"What do you want, Rosalie? Are you going to give me another lecture on why Bella shouldn't have been turned? I think I'm learning the hard way that you may well have been correct!" His voice gets louder as he continues. "I also think I'm allowed to release some of this overwhelming pain at the realization that my mate may be lost to me FOREVER!" He ends in a full-out shout.
Rosalie sighs and pushes off the tree, making her way to him at a leisurely pace. When she reaches him, she sinks gracefully to the ground to sit next to him.
"Edward, it's no secret that I wasn't in favor of Bella being changed. But that's because I thought her humanity – anyone's humanity – is too precious to give up willingly. Especially, to become what we are. It's not that I didn't want you to be happy or to enjoy the full depth of the mate bond."
He shifts to sit cross-legged next to her. "I know that, Rosalie. I just don't know what to do with this –" his hand hovers over his heart. "It hurts so much. I don't know where to put it all."
"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?"
"What do you mean? I know you heard her, Rose. She doesn't even remember me!"
"Bella is always complicating things for us."
"Rose –" Edward says, warning her with his tone.
"No, you misunderstand," Rose insists. "Things have been a lot more exciting with her around. You have to admit that's true." She grins at him. After a moment he smiles back.
"That is certainly true," he says.
"I've appreciated that," she says matter-of-factly. "We're so often bored, but never with Bella around!" She takes a breath, diving into the reason why she tracked Edward here.
"The thing is, I'm not mad about her being turned."
"You're not?" he asks, surprised.
"Why should I be? I said my peace before. It was clear where I stood on the matter and she made her choice. It's over and done with now. What am I supposed to do, be pissed off at everyone for the next century or so for supporting her decision?"
"I admit, I believed that was a likely outcome," he says.
She smiles at him, then continues. "Edward, I'm not going to tell you anything you don't know. I am going to remind you of a few important things you're overlooking at the moment.
"When we change, though memories may fade, we still remain the people we were as humans. Our character is set, and you know any special talents come from enhancing gifts we had as humans."
"Rosalie, I really don't need a primer on vampire transformation right now."
"Apparently you do, Edward. Because what was the most dominant part of Bella's character when she was changed?"
He turns his gaze to the horizon as he considers the question. "I'm not sure I can pick one thing. She's brave. Stubborn. Sensitive. Forgiving –"
"Yes, yes, all of those things," Rosalie interrupts impatiently. "But you're missing the most important one. Her love. For you!"
Rosalie stands, hands on hips, and looks down at Edward. "She chose you, Edward! She listened to me. I believe she considered my point of view, and she still chose to become one of us. Because she loves you. Because she wants to spend forever with you. She chose to give up her family, her friends, everything, for you! No matter what else may or may not carry over from her human life, that's who Bella is. Edward, the mating bond is the most prevalent part of each of us. Rip that away, and we become shadows of ourselves. She is your mate. She experienced that bond – as much as a human can – before she was changed. It will be stronger now."
"I don't know, Rosalie. What if she never remembers?"
"I swear to God, I want to smack you so hard right now!"
"What? Why?"
"Get your head out of your ass, Edward! She LOVES you. If she's forgotten; if the transformation scrambled her head in a way we haven't seen before; if wizards from the 6th dimension have cast a spell on her . . . SHE STILL LOVES YOU! Because that's who she is."
He stands, nodding now as he considers her words.
"You just need to help her remember. Hell, maybe you'll actually need to work for it this time. Instead of her simply falling at your feet." She narrows her eyes at him. "Do you have any idea how to woo a woman, Edward?"
He looks at her blankly.
"Be her friend first. Let her get to know you. Not the emo, depressing guy you were before Bella. But the smart, funny, talented, considerate man you are now. The man you were always meant to be."
"You really think that of me," he smiles at her.
"Stop. You know I love you."
"I love you, too, Rosalie."
"Thank you. And Bella loves you. You just have to remind her of that. Of who she is."
"You think it'll be that easy?" he asks, hopeful.
"I never said it would be easy, but I do think it is that simple."
For the first time since he watched Bella jump out the window with Jasper, he feels a spark of hope. He can do this. He can let her get to know him again. Help her remember.
"One other thing," Rosalie says. "You need to work on the stalker, controlling thing though. Just because you can read minds, doesn't give you permission to be overbearing."
"Don't stalk, control, or be overbearing. Got it. Easy."
"Right. Sure, it is," she says doubtfully. "Come on, let's get back to the house so you can clean up before Bella returns."
He nods and they turn, running towards home.
I'm off to work for a few hours, so the next update won't be up until later. What do you think so far?
Twilight belongs to S. Meyer. No infringement intended.