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Bella made her way down to the kitchen and noticed it was still dark outside. The rain was coming down in sheets and she checked the clock on the ancient, white microwave to confirm the time. She yawned as she noticed it read just how early it was and she knew more sleep was needed. Bella was curious what had woken her so suddenly as she trudged back up the stairs that lead to her room.

Her eyes darted to the bed right beside the door and to her sister's outline beneath the covers as she walked back in. The worry that had apparently woken her was present now in the pit of her stomach. Her sweet, innocent, and until last night, naive sister had her world turned upside down in the matter of a couple of minutes. Bella desperately wanted to shake her awake and make sure she was okay, but she knew she needed sleep too.. maybe even a little bit more.

Bella had already come to terms with all that Lily had learned last night really existed in the world around her. She wondered if Lily would handle it as serenely, or as Edward had put it psychotically, as she had. Lily had certainly been surprising Bella, and everyone else, since she'd arrived and she was sure this wouldn't be different. The pale purple, gossamer curtains rippled slightly and Bella turned her head in their direction knowing just who she would find.

Edward stood by her bed in all his magnificence, but was blocked by the many bags he was carrying. He started to put them down next to the divided closet and Bella scanned over everything before questioning him with her eyes. Edward's only reply was to look pointedly at Lily's sleeping form and realization hit her that this must be all they had purchased on their trip. Bella was a little surprised Alice hadn't used it as an excuse to check up on things by dropping everything off herself later. She walked over to her bed and sat on the edge, her body not ready to relax just yet. Edward moved next to her and began to extract the sheets and comforter.

Bella shook her head before saying in hushed tones, "How's everyone?"

"You mean how's Alice?" Edward corrected, "and she's upset, but she thinks Lily needs space."

Bella nodded and turned to lay down, "How's Lily?"

"I told Lily last night that I wouldn't invade her privacy anymore, Bella."

She was a little taken aback by his bold attitude with her, but she understood nonetheless. He was respecting what little privacy he could give her sister and she did appreciate it. It was all too much though and it was eating at Bella. Despite his inability Edward seemed to be reading her thoughts.

"I will let you know if there is a need," Edward spoke softly.

Bella nodded again and yawned wide once more causing Edward to chuckle and wrap the blankets snugly around them both. She wanted to continue their conversation, but her eyes wouldn't cooperate and she allowed them to shut and pull her back under.

"Bella," a voice was saying somewhere far away, "Bella."

She realized that it was Charlie and he was attempting to wake her up without waking up Lily; saying her name in quiet, but hurried tones. Bella sat upright and rubbed her eyes noticing the sun had finally risen and had beaten away the clouds from earlier.

"Yeah?"

"Jacob's on the phone," Charlie said, motioning for her to follow him out of the room.

They walked down together and Charlie seemed to be in a hurry as he took the steps two at a time. He was already dressed for the day and she instantly felt silly still in her pajamas. Bella took note of the sun's position finally and it registered how much later she had slept than was normal for her. Charlie almost bounded back into the other room and to the television, continuing his normal 'Sunday Afternoon' routine.

"Hello," Bella said, her voice still groggy. She coughed once to try and clear the sleep from it.

"Bella?" Jacob questioned, slight panic in his voice, "everything okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry Jake. We both slept in," she added the next bit quieter, "She's still asleep."

"Oh," Jake said, his voice sounded instantly deflated, "Sorry. Her phone was just going straight to voicemail. I just…"

He didn't really need to finish the thought or even explain to Bella why he'd called. It was plainly obvious to Bella last night just how much Jacob cared for Lily. Everything had been written on his face clear as day; he loved her. She wasn't sure whether it was the imprint situation or real, but it was there.

"Jake. It's fine. I'll let her know you called as soon as she wakes up. Promise."

"Okay. Thanks Bells."

Silence rang on the other end before Jacob finally hung up and Bella repeated his movements, replacing the phone on the hook. She looked over and noticed that Charlie hadn't moved an inch since he'd returned to his seat. Without another word she went back to her room and opened the door as quietly as possible, cursing the old hinges as they protested the movement loudly. Bella's eyebrows creased as she looked down and noticed that Lily wasn't under her blankets like she had been when Bella had left. Her heart skipped a couple of beats as she noticed that Lily was staring right back at her on the edge of the bed, feet folded underneath her. She seemed to be clutching the pillow to her chest and her eyes shot downward.

"Didn't mean to scare you," Lily said, voice barely above a whisper.

Bella swallowed to wash down the lump that had formed in her throat and shut the door behind her. She smiled gingerly at Lily even though she wasn't looking and went to sit on her own bed. Lily made no signs that she had any intention of carrying on a conversation, but Bella knew it was probably necessary. She didn't want to do this anymore than Lily seemed to want to. Bella was never to the one to initiate any conversation, much less a difficult one like this was sure to be.

She cleared her throat again, "Lily, umm, I think we should talk, or, umm, did you have any questions?" Bella asked, awkwardly.

Lily took a deep breath before looking up, "Oh, you know, just about a million," and she laughed uneasily.

That moment seemed to diffuse a little bit of a tension that was swimming in the room, threatening to swallow them whole. Bella was smiling despite the seriousness of the situation and was happy that Lily seemed to be handling this fairly well; her sarcasm fully intact.

"So," Lily continued, "your boyfriend's a vampire, huh?"

Both girls burst into hysterics at the honest, but absurd observation by Lily. Bella couldn't seem to catch her breath as tears starting to spring into her eyes from all the laughter. It died out slowly for both of them before they ended, smiling at one another.

"Yeah," Bella conceded, the last laughs escaping her lips "he is."

"How long have you known?"

"For a while," Bella confessed, not entirely sure what was okay to admit.

"And there are good and bad vampires?"

"Yes. Edward and his family are good."

"The eyes?"

"The eyes change color based on what type of blood."

"So, Edward doesn't kill people then?"

"No."

Lily seemed to be contemplating something as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously and it made Bella grin internally. Reneé did the exact same thing when she was too nervous to say or ask something. Bella had the urge to tell her to 'spit it out' like she did their mother on occasion.

"You can ask me whatever," Bella offered, when Lily didn't say anything more.

"What does it mean?"

Bella was a little confused by her question and her head tilted to the side slightly, "What does what mean?"

"What does it mean that I'm a slayer?"

"Oh," Bella said. She had been ready for just about every question, but she didn't really know how to answer that. "I don't think it means anything really."

"I won't kill anyone else?"

Her voice was instantly thick and Bella realized at once what Lily had really been asking initially. She was afraid she was going to go on a killing spree that no one would be able to stop. Before Bella could halt the movement she was sitting on Lily's bed and rubbing her knee, attempting to soothe her sister.

"No," Bella said, firmly, "First of all, there aren't a ton of vampires hanging around. The closest anyone else usually is to us is Alaska."

A single tear slid down Lily's cheek and she quickly wiped it away, but she couldn't seem to stop her trembling chin.

"Second, that was an accident. You didn't know any more than we did what you were. There isn't usually a newborn outbreak this close to home?"

Now it was Lily's turn to look confused, "Excuse me? Newborn?"

Bella realized at once there was so much that hadn't been covered last night and she wasn't really sure what all Edward had filled her in on. She was now determined to give Lily as much information as she could; she was in this too whether Bella wanted her to be or not.

"So, I'll tell you what I know, but I don't know everything."

Lily just shook her head and pulled the pillow in her lap a little closer.

"When someone transforms into a vampire they're called a newborn. For a little while they're just bloodthirsty and uncontrollable. Their eyes are red because their own human blood is still in their system. It seems like there's a little outbreak, of sorts, in Seattle and we don't really know what's going on."

She took a breath she didn't know she was waiting for and noticed Lily looked ready to talk again. Bella motioned that it was okay to interrupt.

"Is someone making them? Or do you, kind of, create vampires by accident?"

"Jasper seems to be convinced someone is making them, but I didn't get a lot of out of him so I don't know why they would be… or who might be doing it."

"And you don't create a vampire by accident," Bella added.

"Why doesn't anyone stop them?"

"Well," Bella started, now a little apprehensive, "there's not a lot of people that could stop them. I mean, they're really strong when they're newborn."

"So the police couldn't just go in and stop the murders," Lily stated.

"No," Bella agreed.

"Have you ever heard of a slayer before?"

"No, but Edward and Carlisle seemed to have. We can ask them more when you're ready if you want."

"Who could stop them?"

Lily seemed to ask the one question Bella didn't want to answer. She had already been given a lot of information that would be terrifying. Bella just knew the Volturi and their purpose would be the tipping point that would send Lily screaming out of the house.

"Well, umm, the Volturi."

Lily's eyebrows hiked up high at the mention of their name and Bella instantly regretted being honest.

"They're like a vampire royal family, I guess. They enforce laws and whatever."

Lily's eyes narrowed to almost slits as she seemed to be determining the validity of the statement, "And?"

"And last year I met them. They're super old and super scary and I was terrified and surprised I lived," Bella blurted out, a little surprised at the disclosure. She had never really talked about this with anyone except Edward. It was strange to hear her own deep-seeded feelings coming to the surface so easily.

Now Lily's eyes were as round as saucers as she took in just what Bella had just let slip. It must all seem so bizarre to someone who hadn't instantly accepted everything like she had.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you met them?"

"Umm, hmm. Well it's a really long story."

"I have all day," Lily said, now stretching out her legs and leaning against the wall behind her, attempting to get more comfortable.

Bella smirked at her, "Maybe in a little bit. I'm kinda hungry."

As if on cue Lily's stomach rumbled its irritation and they laughed again, but this time not nearly as much as before. Bella pushed off the bed and headed for the door.

"I have more questions," Lily said.

"I know."

The day had continued like it had begun: the girls deep in conversation. They had covered a lot of topics as the afternoon wore on. She was astounded at how much information she really knew about vampires and all they involved. Lily was as frustrated as Bella at the lack of real information on the internet regarding slayers though. Most of what they had found as they poured over a dozen different websites was the one slayer Lily had referenced last night: Buffy. There was no Giles lurking around the corner to give them any insight to their new dilemma so they agreed to ask Carlisle soon.

Bella was more than surprised that Jacob hadn't come barging in the door when Lily hadn't returned his phone call. She just wasn't ready to give Lily over to anyone else right now when they had revealed so much to each other. She was more than relieved when Lily had shrugged off Jacob's phone call and request to call back in lieu of talking to Bella more. She knew it was selfish, but in this instance she didn't care. They were also getting along better than anyone hoped, especially Bella. She just knew the minute Lily had discovered all Bella was hiding she would hate her for it. As per Lily's usual she soaked up all Bella could give her regarding not only vampires, but their mother and father. They had to find Charlie suitable subjects in the off chance he was ever listening when they were downstairs. He didn't seem keen on bothering them so they seemed safe as long as they didn't mention the supernatural.

Bella had also learned a little more of Lily's life and her would-be parents. It was a scandalous, to say the least, and it was hard to hear at times. Apparently, the woman who had abducted Lily from the hospital had told people she had adopted Lily legally. The man she married had no idea, or so he said so far, that the story wasn't the truth. She had been pushed into pageants and still wasn't quite sure the real reason. Lily's "mother" had become increasingly delusional and aggressive as Lily got older and began to question things. Even now, with the threat of a criminal trial looming, she was still trying to contact her to say everything was Lily's fault somehow. Bella couldn't stop the maternal feelings she had toward Lily, as she also bizarrely had for their real mother, and the anger at this person she didn't know.

Bella had tried to curb the blind hatred forming by bringing up Reneé and how similar Lily was to her. Now that Lily's true hair color had emerged she realized just how much like their mother Lily actually looked. The freckles covering her face instead of makeup was a little jarring initially, but certainly more naturally beautiful. The conversation flowed seamlessly from one thing to the next and they agreed on the Jacksonville trip before they acknowledged dinner was probably a necessity. Lily sat on the counter as they rehashed their plans to Charlie and Bella reheated dinner.

"That's great," Charlie said, clearly excited, "I know your Mom would love that."

"I'll call her tomorrow and let her know," Bella stated, smiling.

Charlie nodded and headed back to his normal spot and the girls returned to their conversation.

"So, how long have you and Edward been together?"

Bella blushed, "Since right after I got here."

She wasn't ready to talk about last year and their lapse in relationship just yet with Lily. She couldn't stop the shudder that rippled quietly through her body at the thought either.

"Are you guys going to the same college?" Lily asked.

Lily waited for Bella's answer as she smiled, "Yeah. I mean," she lowered her voice considerably, "it's kind of a difficult situation next year."

Lily looked appropriately puzzled and Bella continued, "I might be starting a new life next year."

Realization dawned on Lily's face at once and Bella wished they had started this topic upstairs. Her face dropped and she got off the counter, shoulders now slumped as she walked over to the tiny, kitchen table.

Bella followed concerned,"What's wrong?"

"You'd leave me that quick?"

That particular question knocked the wind out of Bella and she staggered slightly on the spot. She had thought of waiting to spend more time with Lily recently anyway, but the way she had phrased it made her see everything differently. She had a whole lifetime of memories with Charlie and Reneé, but with Lily, her sister, she didn't and now she was considering whether she'd be ready to give that up at all.

"I was thinking of waiting," Bella admitted quickly.

"Oh."

The microwave dinged and Bella didn't move as she continued to stare at Lily's face. Every feature seemed to scream at Bella to be memorized as the severity of the situation seemed to hit her completely. She finally turned to retrieve their dinner and dulled out the portions before bringing Lily her plate.

They ate in silence and Bella kept returning to Lily's face when she wasn't watching her. When they finished Bella wondered if Lily was abandoning their conversation completely as she went into the living room with Charlie.

"I think I'm going to go upstairs and do some homework before bed," Lily said to Charlie.

"Okay. Do you think you'll be okay for school tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I feel better."

She turned and went straight for the stairs as Bella herself walked into the living room with Charlie and sat down. She needed a couple of minutes before she confessed the deepest details of her transition with Lily. Charlie never looked her way just once as she sat on the couch before finally getting up.

"I'm going to see if she needs help," Bella said finally.

"Okay, Bells. Night."

She started to go over the plan in her head as she walked upstairs. Now that she was going to have to confess it to someone other than Edward she noticed it seemed a bit thoughtless. Bella needed to seriously consider the ramifications of this action now that Lily was in her life. Everything had changed and that certainly wasn't a bad thing, but it required a new look.

When she opened the door Lily was riffling through the untouched bags on the floor near the closet. She was pulling everything out and laying it on her bed as Bella walked in.

"Wow," Bella commented, "You got a lot?"

"Yeah. Thank God too, I was about to freeze to death."

Lily showed Bella everything, piece by piece, before hanging it up or putting it away in drawers. They continued to talk, but not about the issue that had clearly struck a nerve with them both.

"Edward proposed," Bella finally blurted out.

Lily turned slowly and gawked at her before coming over to give her a hug, "Bella that's great!"

Her cheeks were burning as Lily released her and looked up at her.

"I made a lot of plans before I knew you."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm just scared. I can't imagine not being able to see you.. even for a little bit."

"I really was, I mean am," she corrected quickly, "thinking of postponing."

"Bella," Lily said, taking her hands, "just make the right decisions for you. I will be fine."

"The right decisions have changed though."

Lily grinned wide at the comment before walking back over to the last bit of clothes. She finally gathered her new, plaid pajamas and headed into the bathroom, leaving Bella to her many thoughts. Her head was spinning and she was unable to get a grip on any one single thought buzzing through her mind. She needed to let Edward know sooner, rather than later, that she had the intention of waiting. This would require more logistics regarding her safety and that of her family for much longer than was discussed, but she knew Edward would be ecstatic regardless. She wondered if he would relax his other terms regarding their engagement and ultimate marriage. Bella had an errant thought run through her mind's eye before she could stop it and she resolved to deal with that the next time she saw Edward. She had her own terms now that she would be waiting, but she hoped any of what she was wondering about was negotiable. Lily was entering their room in the next second and Bella smiled over at her as she began to get her own pajamas together.

"So," she said, facing away from Lily, "have you talked to Jake?"

"No. Phone's been off," Lily said, wringing out her hair with the towel and shrugging.

"Well," Bella started, "at least I'm not alone anymore with a supernatural boyfriend I can never really talk about."

"Yep. Now that I know you can dish to me like normal."

"Yeah. And so can you."

"About?"

"Jake. His wolf thing."

Lily stopped moving and simply stared back at Bella, "Excuse me?"

Bella's heart was now pounding in her chest and she was powerless to stop it. It had never occurred to her that Edward hadn't told her last night all about Jacob. She turned slowly on the spot to take in Lily's reaction. Bella cringed away from the anger spewing from Lily's eyes and she looked down at her bare feet on the wooden floor.

"What wolf thing?" she asked, speaking through her teeth.

Bella sighed and swallowed hard before answering, "He.. umm… turns into a wolf."

Lily laughed humorlessly at the new announcement and rubbed her hands over her face. She sighed a couple of times and finally sat on her bed, still holding the towel in her hands. Bella finally ventured a look at her face again and was shocked to see tears slipping down her cheeks.

"He lied."

"I don't think he meant to lie. He's not really supposed to say anything."

"Well neither is Edward and he told you."

"No, I mean, he physically can't tell. It's complicated and you really, really need to talk to him. This is his thing."

"Does anyone else have a thing they need to tell me?"

"No," Bella spat back, not meaning to.

Lily walked out of the room without another word and Bella made no motion to stop her. She obviously needed a moment to collect her thoughts, but Bella prayed she wasn't reaching her breaking point. She cursed herself for not having asked Edward more about what was said before she put her foot in her mouth. Lily needed to talk to Jacob as soon as possible, but she seemed to be operating under the same train of thought Bella always had: a half-truth or omission of the truth is still a lie. As far as Lily seemed to be concerned Jacob had lied to her and she was downright livid. Bella, in no way, blamed her, but if she thought this was bad Lily would come unglued when Jacob revealed how much he'd withheld from her willingly.

Bella would just have to be there for Lily whenever she was ready and however she needed her. Lily had dealt with so much already in her life and the last 24 hours was no exception. Poor Lily, Bella thought, how is anyone supposed to manage all of this? Maybe this trip to see their mother was just what Lily needed. If Bella was being truthful she needed one too. Being around Edward and his family constantly was definitely heady and she would, one day, be them. She needed to see her mother and Phil and get away from the supernatural haven that was Forks, Washington.

Hopefully, Lily was still willing to go. Bella would just have to explain it the way she had just realized: they needed a break from all this. It was going to be okay. For once, Bella actually believed that. Yeah, sure, there was a newborn army in Seattle and the Volturi could come at any moment and kill her for not being a vampire already. Oh, and she couldn't forget Victoria who was hellbent on finding her and killing her too. She shook her head to get the thoughts of all those who desired her demise and resolved that it would be okay because she would make it. She had her sister now and they both needed this to be okay. Lily needed, more than anything, to see that those around her had the best intentions at heart. Bella could give her that and she would; she would make Lily see it.

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