When the school day ended, I walked outside to find my truck sitting in the same place as his Volvo had been.

Angela walked with me anxiously to my truck.

"Angela," I said, trying to hide my exasperation. "If Rosalie was going to confront me, it would not be here. I'm fine. Go home, watch TV, have fun with your brothers, drink some milk, do something! Just calm down. Relax. I'll be fine."

She nodded slowly before she walked over to her own car and got in.

I hopped into my truck and turned on the truck. There was a piece of paper on my seat.

Be Safe

I smiled before placing it back on the chair.

I looked up to see if anyone was behind me so I could back up and nearly screamed when I saw Rosalie in the barley-there back seat of the truck.

"Good god, Rosalie." I said, placing my hand over my heart. She just sat there, meeting my gaze in the mirror.

After a few moments of silence I spoke. "Can you duck down? It's rather hard to back up with your head in the way."

She did-narrowing her eyes- and stayed like that until we got to my house. Unfortunately, my dad was home.

"I'll be in your room," she told me before disappearing into my room.

I blinked as if in shock before shaking my head and going in.

I stayed down for a little bit, making small talk with my dad and telling him I had cancelled my trip to Seattle before heading up to meet Rosalie.

Who, turns out, was rummaging through my stuff.

I shut the door and folded my arms over my chest. "Anything in particular you're looking for?"

I thanked the highest heaven that she couldn't see my hidden compartment just by looking under my bed.

"Birth certificates, birth information, stuff like that." She said, not pausing in what she was doing.

I rolled my eyes and sat on my bed. "They are actually with my mom who is…well, I'm actually not sure where she is at the moment. My dad might have a copy but I don't know where he keeps them. But, I am indeed human. Though why you're looking for birth certificates is beyond me. You and your family, of all people, should know how easy it is to fake a birth certificate."

She stopped looking and came to sit down beside me.

"How did you do it?"

"Did you not hear my explanation to your brother? I won't be walked over Rosalie. I don't care who-or what-you are."

She laughed softly. "I've never had anyone stand up to me like that before. Especially not a human."

She looked up at me, as if contemplating something.

"Killing me won't do anything but put suspicion on your family. Especially after today."

She sighed and leaned back against the wall. "I know. I'm just not used to being rejected."

I laughed. "Rejected? Are you insane? Just because I don't bow down at your feet doesn't mean I don't think you're the most stunning creature to ever walk the planet."

She smiled at me. A real smile. "Thanks Bella."

There was a beat of silence while she stared at me intently. I, once again, met her gaze straight on. "what now?"

She smirked at me. "I'm trying to decide if I like you now or hate you more."

I snorted. "Does it matter?"

"Not really. I still don't like you with my brother."

"And I don't like you walking around like you own the world."

"I'm not gonna change."

"Neither am I."

"I guess we have an understanding then."

"Indeed, we do."

She stood. "I gotta get going before the rest of the family freaks that I'm off killing you or something."

I smiled. "Wouldn't want that." I joked.

She caught on. "Certainly not."

I laughed. "Bye Rosalie."

"Bye Bella."

She then slipped out my window. At least she didn't hate me-as much-now.

I called Jessica and told her about the 'cancellations' of my date with Edward before going to bed.

I was relieved when it was late enough to be acceptable for bedtime. I knew I was far too stressed to sleep, so I did something I'd never done before. I deliberately took unnecessary cold medicine — the kind that knocked me out for a good eight hours. I normally wouldn't condone that type of behavior in myself, but tomorrow would be complicated enough without me being loopy from sleep deprivation on top of everything else. I got up and rifled through my shoebox of CDs until I found a collection of Chopin's nocturnes.

I put that on very quietly and then lay down again, concentrating on relaxing individual parts of my body. Somewhere in the middle of that exercise, the cold pills took effect, and I gladly sank into unconsciousness.

I woke early, having slept soundly and dreamlessly thanks to my gratuitous drug use. Though I was well rested, I slipped right back into the same hectic frenzy from the night before. I dressed in a rush, smoothing my collar against my neck, fidgeting with the tan sweater till it hung right over my jeans. I sneaked a swift look out the window to see that Charlie was already gone. A thin, cottony layer of clouds veiled the sky. They didn't look very lasting.

I ate breakfast without tasting the food, hurrying to clean up when I was done. I peeked out the window again, but nothing had changed. I had just finished brushing my teeth and was heading back downstairs when a quiet knock sent my heart thudding against my rib cage.

He wasn't smiling at first — his face was somber. But then his expression lightened as he looked me over, and he laughed.

"Good morning," he chuckled.

"What's wrong?" I glanced down to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything important, like shoes, or pants.

"We match." He laughed again. I realized he had a long, light tan sweater on, with a white collar showing underneath, and blue jeans. I laughed with him, hiding a secret twinge of regret — why did he have to look like a runway model when I couldn't?

I locked the door behind me while he walked to the truck. He waited by the passenger door with a martyred expression that was easy to understand.

"We made a deal," I reminded him smugly, climbing into the driver's seat, and reaching over to unlock his door.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Put your seat belt on — I'm nervous already."

I gave him a dirty look as I complied.

"Where to?" I repeated with a sigh.

"Take the one-oh-one north," he ordered.

It was surprisingly difficult to concentrate on the road while feeling his gaze on my face. I compensated by driving more carefully than usual-something I knew would drive him crazy- through the still-sleeping town.

"Were you planning to make it out of Forks before nightfall?"

"This truck is old enough to be your car's grandfather — have some respect," I retorted, smiling to myself at the well hidden annoyance in his voice.

We were soon out of the town limits, despite his negativity. Thick underbrush and green-swathed trunks replaced the lawns and houses.

"Turn right on the one-ten," he instructed just as I was about to ask. I obeyed silently.

"Now we drive until the pavement ends."

I could hear a smile in his voice, but I was too afraid of driving off the road and proving him right to look over and be sure.

"And what's there, at the pavement's end?" I wondered.

"A trail."

"We're hiking?" Thank goodness I'd worn tennis shoes.

"Is that a problem?" He sounded as if he'd expected as much.

"No." I tried to make the lie sound confident. But if he thought my truck was slow…

If only I didn't have to pretend to be clumsy.

"Don't worry, it's only five miles or so, and we're in no hurry."

We drove in silence for a while as I contemplated the coming horror.

"What are you thinking?" he asked impatiently after a few moments.

I lied again.

"Just wondering where we're going."

"It's a place I like to go when the weather is nice." We both glanced out the windows at the thinning clouds after he spoke.

"Charlie said it would be warm today."

"And did you tell Charlie what you were up to?" he asked.

"Nope."

"But Jessica thinks we're going to Seattle together?" He seemed cheered by the idea.

"No, I told her you canceled on me — which is true."

"No one knows you're with me?" Angrily, now.

"That depends… I assume you told Alice?"

"That's very helpful, Bella," he snapped.

I pretended I didn't hear that.

"Are you so depressed by Forks that it's made you suicidal?" he demanded when I ignored him.

"You said it might cause trouble for you… us being together publicly," I reminded him. Besides, it's not like he would actually get close enough-or be able to move fast enough if he did get close-to be able to kill me.

"So you're worried about the trouble it might cause me— if you don't come home?" His voice was still angry, and bitingly sarcastic.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the road.

Of course, he really didn't have anything to worry about. Not that he knew that. But I wouldn't allow him to kill me. My blood would burn him first.

He muttered something under his breath, speaking so quickly that I couldn't understand.

We were silent for the rest of the drive. I could feel the waves of infuriated disapproval rolling off of him, and I could think of nothing to say.

And then the road ended, constricting to a thin foot trail with a small wooden marker. I parked on the narrow shoulder and stepped out, afraid because he was angry with me and I didn't have driving as an excuse not to look at him. It was warm now, warmer than it had been in Forks since the day I'd arrived, almost muggy under the clouds. I pulled off my sweater and knotted it around my waist, glad that I'd worn the light, sleeveless shirt — especially if I had five miles of hiking ahead of me.

I heard his door slam, and looked over to see that he'd removed his sweater, too.

He was facing away from me, into the unbroken forest beside my truck.

"This way," he said, glancing over his shoulder at me, eyes still annoyed. He started into the dark forest.

"The trail?" I made the panic clear in my voice as I hurried around the truck to catch up to him.

"I said there was a trail at the end of the road, not that we were taking it."

"No trail?" I asked desperately. I didn't want to pretend to trip every five seconds with a trail much less without one.

"I won't let you get lost." He turned then, with a mocking smile, and I stifled a gasp. His white shirt was sleeveless, and he wore it unbuttoned, so that the smooth white skin of his throat flowed uninterrupted over the marble contours of his chest, his perfect musculature no longer merely hinted at behind concealing clothes. He was too perfect, I realized with a piercing stab of despair.

He stared at me, bewildered by my tortured expression.

"Do you want to go home?" he said quietly, a different pain than mine saturating his voice.

"No." I walked forward till I was close beside him; anxious not to waste one second of whatever time I might have with him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"I'm not a good hiker," I answered dully. "You'll have to be very patient."

"I can be patient — if I make a great effort." He smiled, holding my glance, trying to lift me out of my sudden, unexplained dejection.

I tried to smile back, but the smile was unconvincing. He scrutinized my face.

"I'll take you home," he promised. I couldn't tell if the promise was unconditional, or restricted to an immediate departure. I knew he thought it was fear that upset me, and I was grateful again that I was the one person whose mind he couldn't hear.

"If you want me to hack five miles through the jungle before sundown, you'd better start leading the way," I said acidly. He frowned at me, struggling to understand my tone and expression.

He gave up after a moment and led the way into the forest.

It took forever, but after several hours, the light that filtered through the canopy transformed, the murky olive tone shifting to a brighter jade. The day had turned sunny, just as he'd foretold. For the first time since we'd entered the woods, I felt a thrill of excitement — which quickly turned to impatience.

"Are we there yet?" I teased, pretending to scowl.

"Nearly." He smiled at the change in my mood. "Do you see the brightness ahead?"

I peered into the thick forest. "Um, should I?"

He smirked. "Maybe it's a bit soon for your eyes."

"Time to visit the optometrist," I muttered. His smirk grew more pronounced.

But then, after another hundred yards, I could definitely see a lightening in the trees ahead, a glow that was yellow instead of green. I picked up the pace, my eagerness growing with every step. He let me lead now, following noiselessly.

I reached the edge of the pool of light and stepped through the last fringe of ferns into the loveliest place I had ever seen.

The meadow was small, perfectly round, and filled with wildflowers — violet, yellow, and soft white. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the bubbling music of a stream. The sun was directly overhead, filling the circle with a haze of buttery sunshine. I walked slowly, awestruck, through the soft grass, swaying flowers, and warm, gilded air. I halfway turned, wanting to share this with him, but he wasn't behind me where I thought he'd be. I spun around, searching for him with sudden alarm. Finally I spotted him, still under the dense shade of the canopy at the edge of the hollow, watching me with cautious eyes. Only then did I remember what the beauty of the meadow had driven from my mind — the enigma of Edward and the sun, which he'd promised to illustrate for me today.

I took a step back toward him; my eyes alight with real curiosity. I'd seen Aaron before, but from what I had seen, every vampire looked slightly different in the sun. His eyes were wary, reluctant. I smiled encouragingly and beckoned to him with my hand, taking another step back to him. He held up a hand in warning, and I hesitated, rocking back onto my heels.

Edward seemed to take a deep breath, and then he stepped out into the bright glow of the midday sun.

I know the Rosalie-Bella was more than a bit more climatic than the actual confrontation. Sorry bout that. But if you didn't get it, what's going on is that Rosalie has a new respect for Bella but still doesn't like that she's in the family.

The next one will speed things up, promise!

RomFicGurl: Yes, I liked writing that bit too

TwiGurl1863: Don't worry this was just a preview. There will be more Bella/Rosalie fights in the future.

Vampiregirl 31: I'm glad it helped make your day!

Reina13: Thanks!

GreenEyedAngel: Yes, it makes sense. And Thank you!

Canis Lupus Lover: Thanks! I liked the Rose-Bella stare down too! (and I wrote it! Lol). Angela doesn't know about the twins, just that Bella is protecting someone by pretending to be mostly normal.

Cerriddwen: Her thoughts? Um, mainly 'is she serious? No freaking way' that kinda stuff. Lol. Are you in college now? Yes, I have a hard time after summer time going back to school much less two years. Penni…um, Penni is a basic ingredient in the 'big drugs' but it can be made by itself. What it does is make her loose control of her powers because it messes with her system. She's basically 'allergic' to it. Except, she could kill everyone around her if given too much cause she could cause a fire explosion if she looses control. Make sense?

Dazzleme787: Oh, Rose and Bella aren't done yet! They're both gearing up for round two! Lol.

Claire Thomas: Welcome to my constant reviewers! Glad to have you. Lol. For the pregnancy thing, yes that is what new moon is for-kind of. You'll see. And yes, Bella is simply trying to hide her kick-butt spark but it is very much though. Thanks for reading and reviewing!