Chapter 9:

A few days later Edward, Alice and Carlisle returned. I was reading a book when I heard Carlisle's car approach. I instantly hopped out of my seat and ran to the door to greet Edward. It was sunny out and they were dressed head to foot in clothing so they wouldn't sparkle in the sun, but we had privacy in our little house so it didn't matter that I was dressed in a t-shirt and that my arms were glistening when I ran up and hugged Edward.

"I missed you," I whispered in his ear. He held me closer to him and then kissed by forehead.

"I missed you as well Bella," he said quietly. Jasper had also walked out of the house to greet Alice and they spent a few moments looking into each other's eyes. Esme and Carlisle also hugged. I turned back to Edward.

"How did Charlie take the news?"

"He was a little shaken up; a lot of yelling was involved. You don't even want to know the things that were going through his head,"

I groaned, "Great, well how about Renee?"

"A lot of crying on her part. You were her only child,"

I felt as if I wanted to cry, even though I knew I couldn't. Edward must have known what I was thinking, even if he couldn't read my mind, because he wrapped his arms around me.

"Bella," he whispered, "It's alright. They don't blame me… actually, Charlie surprisingly didn't even think of blaming it all on me. He instantly called up the police department and started the hunt for the driver."

"But… there is none," I said.

"I know," Edward sighed, "But if it makes him feel better, who am I to stop him,"

"Thank you," I said and then looked at Carlisle, "And thank you Carlisle and Alice," I added looking at the short, black haired girl. She smiled at me and glided over to hug me.

"Did you tell him you were leaving?" I asked after we broke apart.

"Yes, and he was sad to hear it. I think he looked towards Alice as a sort of… second daughter," Carlisle said.

"He did," Edward said, "He felt a connection with Alice, almost like a father/daughter bond,"

Alice smiled sadly and I brought her into another hug. Afterwards we all went back inside and I sat back on the couch.

"Will it only get easier from here?" I asked.

"It all depends on how you make yourself behave," Carlisle said.

"Esme took me out the day we got here and I had animal blood," I paused, not sure whether to admit that it wasn't as good as human but I need not have to.

"Animal blood is as fulfilling as human, I know," Carlisle said, "And we'd respect you if you wanted human… but we'd like for you to try with animal,"

"I don't want human blood," I said, "I'm not going to lie it is better then animal but I don't want to be a monster," I looked over at Edward, "I want to be the good guy,"

"You will always be good," Edward said. Just then Rosalie and Emmett walked into the room and she glared at me. I couldn't understand why she kept giving me those looks. Every time she laid eyes on me, all her eyes showed was hatred. I was tired of it. I was about to say something when Edward's head snapped in her direction.

"Rose," he said.

"What?" she hissed.

"This isn't her fault,"

"Yea, I'm sure."

"She doesn't want this," he said.

"Oh yea, she doesn't want to be beautiful? Please, who wouldn't want to look as beautiful as her? It sickens me," she snapped. I finally caught on to what she was saying. She thought I was more beautiful then she was.

"Rosalie," I said and she turned those cold eyes on me. "There's no need to feel threatened by me. You are still way more beautiful then I am… by far."

"Bella," Edward said but then he paused and looked back at Rose. "What was that?" he asked her.

Rosalie sighed, "I said that's not true but if you want to believe it then whatever,"

"You really think I'm more beautiful then you?" I asked.

"Bella, have you actually looked in a mirror?" She asked sharply. Well I had but I had refused to actually look at myself. I didn't want to see a familiar stranger looking at me.

"Well, sort of,"

"Take a nice long hard look," She walked over and grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the mirror that hung over the kitchen sink and I looked in it, actually looked at myself… and saw what she meant.

I was beautiful. My hair was no longer was a dull brown color but seemed to shine to perfection. My facial features were perfect and the only thing that scared me… were my eyes. They were on a border line of the bright crimson red of a human blood sucking vampire and the golden brown of the vegetarian vampire. They were scary.

"Well?" Rosalie snapped.

"You're still more beautiful," I whispered.

"Not true," she snapped, angrily but with a hint of a whine in it.

"Yes, it is." I said turning to her, "You have the perfect eyes… they are the right golden brown color," I turned back to my reflection, "Mine are a scary color… and I don't know what to do about it,"

It seemed to finally click in her brain what I was saying and she laughed. She actually laughed. "But eye color will change Bella," she said, "They won't be that color forever."

"No," I said, "But I'll still remember that they once were, that I was once a monster."

I seemed to have hit a nerve because she turned to me and said very sharply, "You are not a monster. What happened to you with James was not your fault,"

I didn't understand what she was saying. Just earlier, moments ago in fact, she wouldn't believe Edward but now she's saying none of it was my fault? This girl had problems.

"Rosalie," I said, "What do you mean?"

She stared at me, "You attacked those humans because you didn't have the right people by your side," I looked around the room, "It wasn't your fault. You don't have to be like that… you're with those who can help you know,"

"You'll be willing to help me?" I asked her.

"Maybe," she said, "It'll just take some time to get used to the fact that you are one of us," And then, without warning, she hugged me. After the slightest hesitation, due to shock, I hugged her back. "I guess what I'm saying is you are family now, and we look after our family."

I smiled and turned back to the other, taking them all in. Emmett had always been cool to me, I could easily consider him my brother. Jasper had once been distant to me, afraid to hurt me when I was human, but now he seemed more comfortable around me… I could also see him as my brother. Alice, I could see her as a sister easily. Rosalie, now that we are getting along, I could see her as an older sister, someone to go to for advice. Esme and Carlisle were not hard to see as parent figures. Finally Edward, my Edward, not my brother, but my man. He was mine, my mate. This was defiantly my family.

A/N: To be honest I'm not exactly sure of this chapter but I do sort of like it. I hope you liked it as well. Everything seems all good but there's more danger coming. I still want to fit Steve back into the story and Laurent. Anyways please leave me a review and if you have any idea's I can use, don't hesitate to request.

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