AN: SM owns all. I own my shame. Not fair.

Chapter 3

Bella's POV

Edward's eyes are dark with a passionate fury as he awaits an answer. I don't make a move toward him or offer a reasonable explanation. Instead I pick up my bike and start to walk it home. I hear Edward exhale and follow behind me.

We don't talk all the way home.

I place my bike in the garage and go inside the house. I hear Nessie talking to Jacob in the other room. I do not go to them. Instead, I begin to cook dinner.

The human food smells so much worse than usual. I try to ignore the smell and Edward as I move through the kitchen. It is all nauseating.

"We have to talk, Bella," Edward finally says when I put the lasagna on the table. I look up at him. He looks tired….and older…

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you, I was going to, I promise," I tell him reassuringly. He smile slightly and takes my wedding hand in his. "I just missed him. I see your family all the time and it is just a reminder that I did have my own family. With Jacob back in our lives it just seems like…" I stumble at a loss for the right words.

"Magic," Edward finish for me and smiles. "Love, I know this is hard. It will get easier. I promise. It is just too dangerous for you to be around him. You must understand this, don't you?"

I hang my head in shame. I do know that this is dangerous. I didn't only endanger Charlie and me. I endangered everyone. "I do. I'm sorry. I just don't think I can stay so close to him and not ever see him."

"Then do it."

I snap my head up in confusion. "Do it?" I ask. Edward nods and twirls the ring on my finger several times.

"Why not? As long as you don't tell him our secret it isn't breaking any rules. Besides…" Edward smiles guiltily and shrugs.

"What did you do, Edward?" I scorn my husband. He smiles again and drops my hand gently.

"We may…well we are…going to have a house guest. She is someone Carlisle met around the same time he met me."

"She?"

"Yes, Bella, she. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"Nope," I grin cheekily and place my hand on his cheek. "I know you're mine and I am yours. No other vampire can come between that. Why is she coming though?"

"Oh, yes. Well, she has recently lost her coven. In other words they died. She is alone now. The people she has been with for a century are gone, Bella, and she doesn't have any others to be with. Now that we have a home of our own I thought it would be nice to have someone stay here. Make her feel more comfortable."

"That's it?" incredulously I ask.

Confusion washes over Edward. "Did you expect me to have another motive?"

"You always have another motive! What is it this time?" I laugh and go pull the salad out of the refrigerator.

"You need more friends that just my family. She can be a good friend for you. I've met her before, she is really nice. You also have something in common."

"What is it?"

"She's a shield. She can block people out of her mind, amongst other things. Carlisle was telling me the other day how she has turned her powers to new heights."

"Okay…when is she coming?"

Edward looks at the clock on the wall and smiles. "An hour." Great…

Before I can pounce on Edward about his rudeness, Renesmee and Jacob walk in the kitchen hand in hand smiling. Edward glares at Jacob and Jacob shrugs. Renesmee looks at me and glares. "Dinner's ready," I tell them.

Renesmee daintily takes salad and pours her 'special' salad dressing on it. Jacob groans and pretends to gag. Renesmee ignores him and takes a big bite, smiling while she chews.

"Renesmee, we will be having company for the next few weeks. I would appreciate it if you…did those things… anywhere but here…" Edward says awkwardly. I look at Renesmee's guilty expression. And her mangled hair and her wrinkled clothes.

"Where else do you suppose we go, Edward? I don't have a house and Gwen will know that I'm not a human if I go to her house. Besides that would be totally awkward! Maybe we'll go ask Billy if we can borrow La Push for awhile!" Renesmee barks every time she opens her mouth to shovel food in.

"I'm not saying I don't want you too…wait! Yes, I am! Renesmee you aren't married yet! What about your virtue?" Edward pleas with his daughter.

"Dad you know Jacob and I will never be apart. We are practically married already!"

"Practically married isn't married, Renesmee!"

"But if we don't try! I'll never have a chance to have children! I won't be like, Bella! I'll be like Aunt Rose! Sad that I could never have the normal human life! Is that what you want?"

Renesmee is out of breath when she finishes her monologue. She places her fork on the table and stands. She walks over to me and kisses me gently on the cheek. "Bye, Bella, thank you for dinner. I think I'm going to La Push for awhile. Sorry if our screaming ruined your evening. Coming Jacob?"

Jacob stands and smiles at me. Not a happy smile. Just appreciative.

I watch as Renesmee packs a suitcase and leaves the house with Jacob in tow. Edward doesn't move from his spot in the kitchen. I don't tempt him. I throw out the wasted food again and sigh. Living forever may be harder than it seems. "Edward? It's almost been an hour. Should we set up the guest room for your visitor?"

"Am I being too hard, Bella?"

"What?"

"Am I being too hard on them? Renesmee and Jacob. I know they will always be together. I know a wedding band doesn't mean much to them. Not like it meant for us. But…"

"Edward, she's your daughter. That won't change. I know you're angry about what they were doing. But be happy for them. If this works out…Renesmee will have a completely whole life. Nothing will be missing."

"I guess you're right. I'll go set up the room. You just clean up the kitchen."

Edward departs to the bedrooms leaving me alone with the useless human food.

As I finish cleaning the kitchen the doorbell rings. Such a frivolous thing now but, it scares people when you answer the door before they knock. I walk at a human pace and open the door to be face to face with Edward's visitor.

As always she is beautiful; the hauntingly beautiful face of an immortal vampire. The first thing I look for is the liquid topaz eyes, she has them. Her eyes are a deeper gold, though, than I have ever seen before; they fill the beautiful almond shape of her eyes completely. Her complexion isn't like the Cullen's. Before she turned she must have been a rich coffee color. Now it is muted, only slightly, with the vampiric shade.

"Hello? Are you Mrs. Cullen?" The girl asks me in a musical voice. She steps further into the light coming from my home. The rays cause her light brown hair to reflect a soft gold, like highlights, but richer.

"Yes, are you looking for Edward?" I wish I knew her name.

"My name is Rebecca; you can call me Becca though." Did she just read my mind? "Sorry, I didn't mean to read your mind. You dropped your shield slightly and I automatically invaded. Sorry," Becca responds with a small laugh. "Bad habit."

"Yeah, kind of," I laugh with her and invite her inside. I watch as she makes her way to the living room. I follow directly behind her. "How old are you?" I ask curiously.

"Twenty-one," Becca answers reflexively. I raise my eyebrows. She laughs again, "One hundred and twenty one. Sorry, again."

"These habits die hard, don't they?" I laugh and sit on the loveseat. Becca follows and sits on the recliner.

"Yes, they do. Imagine what you will be like at my age…" Becca pretends to shudder and smiles.

"I hope I'm like you. You haven't aged a bit!"

"Well, look at you! A mother and no sign of it! Look at me!" Becca waves her hand over her body. Her curvy body is elegant and youthful. She must have been a beautiful human.

"How about we agree never to age and drink blood for the rest of our lives?" I suggest.

"Okay!" Becca and I break down into uncontrollable giggles.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Edward says when he enters the living room. Becca stands up and runs to hug him. I tense up.

"Thank you so much for inviting me to stay! France was so boring alone!" Becca says when she releases Edward.

"What happened anyway? Carlisle never told me how your friends died. Was it another coven?" Edward asks curiously.

Becca's happy face turns grave and morose. She shakes her head slowly. "No, it was the Volturi."

Author's Note-Thanks for reading. Please review if you feel inclined to flame me for this piece of crap.