LEILA POV

I was so comfortable. I didn't remember my bed ever being so comfortable. It felt like I was sleeping on a puffy cloud which happened to smell so good. I was warm and happy and felt like I wanted to stay here forever. Why had I woken up? I wanted to keep sleeping, staying in this happy place.

'I want to remember my mother.' I didn't recognize the voice that suddenly whispered in my mind, but it was so sad it made me want to cry. The aching loss in that one unspoken wish made me want to comfort the person to whom the voice belonged. Recognition tugged at my mind, but I was still too relaxed and semi-conscious to the world for it to compute. Wanting to prolong my pleasurable slumber as long as possible, I sent good thoughts in their direction, hoping the sadness would lift.

'Remember your mother, every good and happy thing. And keep the memories you see to comfort you.'

I snuggled tighter into my pillows slightly bemused at their hardness, but loving their intoxicating perfume. After a few moments the sadness disappeared and I suddenly felt great peace. I sighed in contentment as I drifted back to sleep.

ESME POV

I was working on my flower beds and saw Jasper sit on the porch to read. Alice was 'picking up a few things' for Leila and as always, it left him at a loose end. As I pruned my roses, I saw his brow knit and realized he was in pain. What was the matter? My motherly instincts were instantly aroused and I needed to know what was wrong. Was it merely a need to hunt or was it emotional? Before I could contemplate it more I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness.

I couldn't help myself and removed my gardening gloves as I stood. I looked at him silently for a moment and then moved forward slowly. Three steps towards him and I stopped suddenly. His eyes had widened in shock and he was gasping. It was almost a strangled sound, and I realized it was supposed to be happy. Though Jasper was looking in my direction, I knew he wasn't seeing me. His eyes were focused on something only he could see in his own mind.

Not wanting to interrupt whatever he was experiencing for fear it would be ruined, I stood anxiously, literally wringing my gardening gloves which shredded in my hands. I counted off the torturous seconds waiting for him to refocus and acknowledge me standing a dozen yards from him. Suddenly a huge, brilliant smile spread across his face, a smile so happy I was shocked to see it on Jasper. I had honestly never seen such a look on him before.

His eyes focused on me and he began to laugh joyously. I was so astounded, I was unable to do anything but gape. As I stood dumbfounded, a little black figure streaked past me to Jasper.

"Jasper, honey, what happened?" Alice's voice was high, as she held his face in her hands, searching it anxiously as if she thought he had finally cracked. He looked at her with wonder in his eyes and picked her up, squeezing her so tightly I was concerned.

"I saw her face! I remembered my mother!" Jasper told her with glee. He laughed again, his face almost glowing in his happiness. It was the first time in all of the years that I had known him that I had seen him this free and happy. There was not a trace of the tension and pain he usually carried.

I involuntarily stepped forward at his utterance, wanting more than anything to celebrate this with him, yet knowing I needed to give him and Alice their space and privacy. I couldn't just walk away though. I had to know what it was of his memory that had made him so happy.

"You remembered your mother?" Alice stated slowly as if she was unsure as to why he would react this way. Jasper smiled full force into her face.

"Yes, I remembered her. Not just a blurry vague image but full memories, with color and sound and light and happiness." He laughed in exultation, hugging Alice again. "I could almost feel her and smell her! It was so clear!" Alice looked at me from the corner of her eye with a bewildered look. It communicated her loss of comprehension at this strangely acting Jasper. She awkwardly patted his back.

"That's awesome." Her voice lacked her usual enthusiasm and he pulled back, aware of her hesitant reaction. His face went through an almost comical range of emotions as he looked first at Alice and then at me. I saw the moment he realized just how out of character his behavior was. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and his hands moved automatically from around Alice to their customary stance behind his back.

"My apologies," he said stiffly. "I didn't mean to surprise you." He nodded respectfully at me before spinning on his heel and heading swiftly into the house. Alice looked at me in distress before following after him.

"Jasper wait!" She called desperately. He didn't slow or stop and the last thing I saw before they rounded the bend to the stairs was her lithe form leaping onto his back.

I was worried that his feelings had been hurt, but I had enough confidence in his and Alice's relationship, that I knew they would not let such a thing divide them. I looked up to Leila's window wondering if she was somehow responsible for his memories. There was so much to that girl and I wanted to know it all. What was she really? She wasn't just a vampire. She was made of greatness, something more awesome than just human or vampire.

I decided to just lay down on the grass where I stood, abandoning any tasks and give myself time to just think. About my family and all the things I loved about them. About the future and possibilities. And most importantly of all, I thought about how much, in spite of my love for all my children, I wanted to be alone with my husband.

Leila POV

I felt discord and sorrow interrupt the moment I awoke. I kept my eyes closed, great irritation and frustration my overwhelming feelings as I became aware. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed as my dad says.

I knew immediately that I wouldn't be able to go to sleep again, so I turned over onto my stomach before sitting up and putting my feet to the floor. I opened my eyes, felt a split second of shock and found myself across the strange room I was in, crouched in the most bizarre stance. Was I actually growling? I wondered in surprise as I saw absolute shock in the eyes of the most beautiful woman I had ever set eyes on.

I looked at her quizzically, positive that I knew her yet unable to remember just who she was. I bit my lip uncertainly. I didn't think she would hurt me, but who was she? I thought rapidly, the speed of my thoughts almost hurting my head. I was confused as to why I could think so many things so fast.

Rosalie. The name popped out of nowhere, I suddenly remembered everything. The room was no longer strange now that I was not expecting my old bedroom. I stood up and gave Rosalie a chagrined smile.

"Sorry, I couldn't figure out for a second where I was." Her answering smile was understanding and I felt relieved that she was not offended at my reaction. I went and sat on the edge of the bed, my bad feelings leaving me with a sour disposition.

Rosalie sat next to me and hesitantly reached out a hand before pulling back. "Sorry, I didn't think you wouldn't remember where you were. But then again, I don't think I really thought about how you would feel waking up. I've never seen a vampire sleep." Her last sentence held a kind of awe.

I nodded noncommittally. I didn't want to hurt Rosalie's feelings but I just felt so grouchy. Abruptly I stood up and was out of the room and down the stairs in a fraction of a second. Emmett looked up from the football game he was watching and smiled mischievously.

"How's it hangin' Sleeping Beauty?" I growled, narrowing my eyes at him. It wiped the smirk right off his face. Apparently he was remembering the last time he had messed with me. "Never mind. I can see you are not in the mood."

"Not in the mood for what?" A deceptively sweet voice asked from the stairs. Emmett looked up at the suddenly appeared Rosalie with a guilty expression. "Uh, I just said I could see Leila was not in the mood for joking." His response was like a quickly back-peddling boy.

Rosalie appraised him with a cool smile. "Good. It's time you learn when your foolery is not appreciated."

Emmett narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying I'm a fool?" She gasped dramatically with wide eyes, as if she were shocked that he would ever say such a thing.

"I would never say you are a fool." A sly look crept into her expression. "However if you're calling yourself that..." she left the sentence hanging.

I could tell from the vibes in the room that they actually enjoyed this kind of interaction. I rolled my eyes, not from amusement but with a WTF attitude. I didn't know why I was so grouchy, I just was. I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I was starving.

I looked in at the offerings. There wasn't anything. I didn't know why I was surprised that there wasn't any food. This was a houseful of vampires. I guess I just thought that being rich and all, they'd have an abundance of everything. I slammed the door shut.

Faster than if I had been shot from a high powered rifle, I was out the door, across the lawn and deep into the woods before anyone had a chance to react. I didn't care if they were worried or mad. I was mad. I was mad that I felt so crappy, I was mad at the fucker that had made me into this, and most of all I was just really pissed off that there was no food when I was hungry.

In the midst of my boiling anger, I smelled a beast ahead and above me. Without any hesitation or real thought, I surged into the air, taking down the bobcat as I let gravity take me down. He was half drained by the time we hit the ground. This did not however, lessen my anger. I finished him too soon and hurled him away from me.

I stood snarling and realize with a new surge of irritation that I would have to bury the body myself. Ughh. I was probably getting spoiled as Jasper always took care of my trail of bodies.

I decided against digging a hole and just heaved a massive boulder and pushed the little wildcat under it. It made a gross squishy sound when I dropped the rock back down. Eww.

The mundane chore of dealing with my leftovers had weirdly dissipated my anger, though I was still ravenous. Not thirsty hunger, but actual food hunger. Huh. Why would I want human food again after I ate a human? It was weird. Though I was no longer raging in an aggravated mood, I was still out of sorts.

I walked back towards the house, moving at a leisurely human pace thinking of what would be most delicious to eat. I figured I was about three miles from home when I smelled a deer. I really did not enjoy them when I was thirsty but a good idea came to me when I saw them.

I smiled slyly as I raced and pounced on the back of a young buck. "Sorry buddy, you're just dinner."

Esme POV

I felt a gust of wind whip past me and knew instinctively that it was one of my children, as I had not smelled any new scents as I lay in the sunshine with my eyes closed. It's nice when everyone is getting along and there is no drama, I thought as I basked in the late morning sun. The sun was almost directly above me and I thought idly of going to Idaho to visit Carlisle. I could meet him at our house there for a little alone time.

As I contemplated the time it would take me to travel from here to there, I smelled the most atrocious smell, and a moment later a flurry of voices coming from my kitchen of all places. I cautiously sat up and looked around. Was that a deer carcass on the right side of the house? And why on earth was a portion of it flayed open?

I approached the house with a hint of trepidation. What on earth was I going to find inside? The gagging smell assaulted me as I opened the door. It was a mixture of burning flesh and boiling blood. I cut off my breathing and crossed to the kitchen.

"What on earth?" My exclamation was almost involuntary and I stared wide eyed in shock, my expression mirrored on the faces of all my children, save one.

Leila.

Leila who was sitting on a bar stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen. And the most appalling thing was the barely seared, bloody steak she was poised to attack with a knife and fork.

I felt rather than saw all of us lean forward collectively as she sawed into the meat. When she raised it her lips I gasped. She wasn't really going to do it was she?

She did. Not only did she eat it, her eyes closed and she moaned as if it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.

"Ah man, that is disgusting. It's like Hannibal Lector." Her lovely eyes opened to look up at Emmett who just could not hold back his comment.

With a beatific smile she lifted a fork of meat to him. "It's actually very tender and yummy." He shuddered. She just smiled at him and shoved the forkful indelicately into her mouth.