Title: Vocalise

Author: pantheradraconis

Rating: T for now

Pairing: Bella/Rosalie

Summary: "From calm and serene to I want to rip you to shreds. Sometimes getting to the part where you can say I love you and never question it is a pain in the arse." - Review from ChesireMonkey. Alice saw a vision involving Rosalie and Bella. What did she see? And how will it affect everyone around them?

Vocalise

By pantheradraconis

Chapter 25: Edward

"I don't quite comprehend how it all works."

"Well, what do you mean, exactly?"

Edward rolled his left thumb over his fingertips thinking over his words. The three brothers were seated in the family's living room; an impromptu meeting Edward had requested. He had been waiting for the opportunity to speak his thoughts, but feared his sister's reactions; he was quite unsure how to broach such a delicate issue. Days moved on to weeks, and still the contemplative brother felt at a loss of how to describe his musings without offending anyone. Time was never something they had to worry over, so his brothers waited calmly as the silence dragged on. Jasper relaxed his body slightly as he comprehended the feelings rushing from Edward's body. Emmett drummed lightly on his pants much like a bored child. In response to Jasper's glance, Emmett merely shrugged and said he was practicing humanisms.

Pushing his question forward once again, Jasper asked, "What is on your mind right now?"

"Bella." Edward answered plainly.

Emmett raised his eyebrow in query and smirked slightly. "Really now? Edward, I had no idea…"

Edward cut his brother off, "Bella and Rosalie, more specifically."

"What about them? Do you have an issue with the two?" Jasper attempted to keep Emmett from twisting the conversation.

"Well, not an issue, no, more an inquiry. I, actually no, that is not quite what I want to say." Edward stumbled around his words for a moment before reverting back into his head.

"No, they haven't done it yet." Emmett quipped with a slight pout.

Edward and Jasper couldn't help but smile lightly at the burly vampire's comment.

"Actually that does have to do with my question." Edward flashed his crooked smile, feeling at home with his brothers.

Jasper felt the wave of calm and responded in the same jest, "Unless it is angry copulation, I am betting Bella will stay, ahem, pure for a very long time."

"Exactly." Edward responded in turn.

"I thought I was the only one listening out for them!" Emmett admitted quickly.

"No, not that Emmett." Edward picked on his brother. "You are very much alone on that front."

Seeing his brother's pout, Jasper added, "Maybe not entirely alone. Although it is most certainly not in the same manner, I have been quite curious about the two girls and how they are getting along."

"They are not and that is the issue I wanted to talk to you about." Edward, finding his starting ground, continued on. "They do not get along. Even now, what has it been, a month? A month after James was destroyed and Bella was almost turned." All three brothers shivered slightly, but for three very different reasons. Jasper held a mild amount of malcontent to the situation, a large part of him wished Bella to have been changed, but he knew Rosalie felt quite differently about that idea and so Jasper held his thoughts as much to himself as he could. Emmett wished for Rosalie to be happy above all else, but with a pure honesty only he could uphold, Emmett fully believed Bella had to be changed in order for the fairytale happy ending to occur. Edward, despite knowing his brother's wishes, felt they were all dammed and therefore would never wish to turn a human.

With each new year passing by, all three brothers knew their beliefs and their ideals would change. Time moved forward, memories faded, and the new becomes the old. Everything, in the end, changes. But the present was what they were in and therefore their views on the issue contradicted one another.

Clearing his throat, Emmett added, "That's just Rosalie's way. She's always been a fighter, always felt like she needed to be heard and understood."

"That may be true, but Bella is not."

Edward combed his hand through his hair. "That may very well be Rosalie's way, but would she not change for her mate?"

Jasper turned to look over his brother wondering if his question was real or if he was playing with his words. "What do you mean Edward?"

"Well, like you and Alice, and Carlisle and Esme. You have all always seemed perfect for one another, respectively. You never fight, never push away from one another. It certainly could not have always been that way."

"Didn't you know Carlisle before he met Esme?" Emmett asked with obvious confusion.

"Yes, of course, but…"

"Did he change?" His burly brother continued.

"No, that is not what I mean."

"It's what you said."

"But…"

"Quit it Emmett." Jasper tried to stop the discussion before Edward reverted into himself once again. The red-headed vampire did not do well with confrontation.

"You should be careful to think before you speak, Edward. People don't change for one another, or at least they shouldn't. Earth and water don't change to be compatible, instead they create mud."

"That may be true, Emmett, but what of water and oil? What of the fish and the bird?"

"Okay, let's talk about metaphors then. What about the Little Mermaid?"

"The Little Mermaid? What are you three going on about?" Carlisle made his entrance into the living room. He took a seat next to Edward who answered his question.

"We are discussing whether or not a person could, or more so should, change themselves in order to be with another."

"In the story of the Little Mermaid, the mermaid fell in love with a prince whom she saved from the sea. She then gave up her whole life for a shortened version of her prior life, with an add-on of excruciating pain, just to be with the prince." Emmett explained the story in basic detail. "The prince falls in love with a princess, whom he believes to be the one that saved him, and marries her. The mermaid is given a choice, whether to kill the prince and be allowed to return to her life as a mermaid, or let him live his life happily with his love and for the mermaid to simply dissolve."

"This is a horrible analogy for what we are discussing," Jasper said quietly.

Carlisle nodded his head in agreement and wondered aloud, "What is the point the two of you are trying to make?"

"Easy." Edward responded. "This story shows no matter how much a person tries, if they were not meant to be with another, fate will find a way to make it impossible. They can give up everything, their family, their years, their voice, and their comfort and still, the two will never be." Turning to his brother, Edward asked, "Are you saying that the relationship should simply not happen at all?" He creased his eyebrows in confusion.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all!" Emmett became aggravated with everyone ganging up on him. "This story is about choices. If the mermaid had stayed who she was, she could have spoken to the prince, who, by the way, loved to sail, and moreover, loved the sea. She could have just talked to him when she was a mermaid and things would have worked out." He stared defiantly at the others trying to prove his point.

"On the contrary, then they would be stuck with the whole fish and bird analogy." Edward answered confused. "That would not change the real issue at hand."

"Ah yes, a bird and a fish may fall in love, but the two cannot build a house together." Carlisle nodded assertion.

All four vampires stared at their own hands thinking the situation over. Edward was very disappointed in the turn of events. Were they saying that Rosalie and Bella were not meant to be together? If that is the case, then why are they all encouraging the situation? Is a mate only a mate if they are compatible? If they are not compatible, what were they all along?

"No, this certainly does not make sense." Edward broke the silence. "If what you are saying is true, then how can two incompatible people become mates?"

"Who is incompatible?" Carlisle inquired.

"Rosalie and Bella." The teen vampire answered meekly.

"What makes you believe the two are incompatible?"

All three teenagers looked at Carlisle in disbelief. Jasper's faced displayed a certain amount of concern while Edward and Emmett merely looked baffled. How could anyone believe the two girls were anything but incompatible?

"They argue constantly."

"Rosalie is always running off into the woods or the garage."

"There seems to be a ten foot pole between the two."

"Half the time Alice is stuck in between them just to keep a conversation civil."

"Bella has threatened at least three times that she would rather spend her time with Jacob and the rest of the wolves."

"Bella is human and Rosalie is a vampire." The three boys spat out one argument after another. Edward finally rested on the most basic issue, and although they were all true, the last one seemed to sit heavily in the air.

Carlisle listened to each sentence carefully and openly before turning to Jasper. "Tell me, when you first met Alice did you know she was your mate?"

Jasper was taken aback by how forward Carlisle was being. The blonde had never felt the need to discuss his relations with anyone but Alice, and moreover, felt quite uncomfortable with being put on the spot. The teen vampire adjusted his sitting position and pulled his right foot to sit crossed on his left knee. Feeling the curiosity floating in the air, Jasper regained his composure and tried to respond lightly. "Yes." He had meant to say more, but that was the only word that came out.

"I felt the same when I met Esme," Carlisle stated in turn.

The blonde smiled, but then a question came to mind. "Carlisle?" The vampire nodded. "How did that knowledge make you feel?"

Carlisle's smile reached his eyes and Edward realized the older vampire had expected the question. "Curious at first; You see, I met Esme when she was still quite young and I knew very little about soul mates. I still felt as though my life was a mere shell of what it had once been and that I was dammed in this life as well as the next." Edward nodded his understanding, but was surprised with what Carlisle had to say next. "The feeling never left me. Something about her stayed with me for ten years. Then I saw her again. In all of her suffering and against her known wishes, I turned her. You see, when Esme and I first met, ten years before either of us really knew one another, we were not, as you might say, compatible, but with time, and without either of us giving up who we were, we found each other once again."

Emmett smiled and added, "That's what I've been trying to say this whole time."

"You believe Rosalie and Bella need to wait ten years?" Jasper asked with a slight amount of sarcasm.

"Well, in ten years Bella will certainly change a lot. I do not hold the same regards for Rosalie, however." Edward added with slight amusement, slight concern.

Smiling, Carlisle inquired, "What about the loyalty between the two girls?" When he received no response, Carlisle explained. "Take for example, when Bella introduced Rosalie as her girlfriend to her father, Sheriff Swan."

Edward began laughing as he remembered what happened, but Emmett interrupted his moment, "Wait, what did I miss? When did that happened?" He began rocking slightly with excitement.

"What has gotten you guys all riled up?" Alice's voice floated into the room much like a bird's morning song. She drifted into the room and landed softly in Jasper's lap. Rosalie followed her sister's footsteps into the room, but stood behind the couch where Emmett and Jasper, along with Alice, sat. She looked across the room at Carlisle and Edward, confused at the facial expressions each possessed.

"Perfect timing sis!" Emmett called out a bit too joyfully for Rosalie; it caused the tall blonde to take a small step back in apprehension. She raised her right eyebrow in wonder. "Edward was going to tell us the story of Bella introducing you to Charlie!"

Death glare in place, Rosalie turned to Edward, crossed her arms and leaned slightly back. "Well then, Edward, my dear brother, what do you have to say?"

Knowing his sister very well, Edward started laughing again before finally beginning the story. "So we are all about to leave the hospital, right? You have Charlie and Carlisle leading the way out, Renee and Phil just behind them, and then Rosalie and Bella, with me just a step at the back. Rosalie and Bella are talking over what Bella had said to her mother. You see, Renee had already guessed the two were courting."

"How old-fashioned of you, Edward." Alice lightly jested with her brother.

"Yes, well, it sounds better than 'going-out' especially when the two have never gone anywhere together, unless you count school." Rosalie rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

Edward shrugged before continuing with his story. "At any rate, Rosalie inquires about Charlie and whether or not he knows. So Bella, being the wordsmith she is, calls up to Charlie with the direct question."

"You're kidding." Emmett asked in disbelief. He looked up at his sister who nodded her head slowly and sadly. It seemed even though she was present, she still had trouble believing it actually happened the way Edward was explaining.

"She quite literally said, 'Hey Charlie! Did mom tell you that Rosalie and I are going out?'" The group was stuck between laughter and skepticism so Edward continued, trying to control himself. "Easily enough to belief, our walking train comes to a standstill. Carlisle tried not to look at anyone, but I am certain he glanced over to see Charlie's reaction. Renee and Phil turn wide-eyed to Bella; Renee obviously trying to hold in a bout of laughter. Rosalie was holding quite the smirk on her face and Bella, poor Bella."

"What happened? What?" Jasper asked confusing even himself at his growing interest in the story.

"Bella looks around at everyone with a look of unabashed innocence, so Rosalie slips her hand into Bella's in a comforting manner. Bella turns to Rosalie, and with complete honesty asks, 'Did I say something wrong?'" Edward burst out laughing and was quickly joined by Jasper and Emmett, whose laughter echoed throughout the house. Carlisle and Alice both let out small chuckles and Rosalie, who was still unsure if being put on display was making her upset or not, decided to continue the story.

"The group Edward described before had the same reaction. Bella simply had no idea she might have said something wrong. Luckily her mother swooped in and answered for Sheriff Swan. She explained that she had not said anything, but was allowing her daughter to do so. Bella's eyes grew quite large at that statement and she just looked so cute." Carlisle smiled knowingly as Alice looked over her shoulder and giggled towards her sister. "What? Well, it is true. She did." Rosalie said with as much dignity she could muster up after admitting a personal feeling to her laughing family.

Edward controlled his laughter long enough to say, "However, the issue did not end there. Charlie could hardly hold himself together and Renee thought it was because he disapproved of the two girls being together. Renee got very defensive and started explaining how she had already talked about the age difference and any other issues and that Charlie had no right to be against the relationship. As long as the two cared about one another it did not matter." Rosalie smiled to herself as she recalled how much she liked Bella's mother. Edward continued without noticing. "Charlie finally cuts into Renee's rant and says, 'It's not that, that's not the issue Renee. It's just…' and he starts stuttering before Renee demands he defend his stance. Finally the sheriff gets out, 'I let Bella stay over, and I never would have allowed that if I had known.'"

As Edward lost himself in laughter one last time, Carlisle concluded, "I did explain to Sheriff Swan that the two were in separate bedrooms and under surveillance for the entirety of Bella's stay. However, I do not believe he will be letting Bella stay here again for quite some time." Allowing the laughter to die down, Carlisle smiled at his beloved first daughter. She studied his face in turn, but smiled honestly in response. As the room settled, Carlisle spoke once again. "The loyalty that existed was that Rosalie never doubted Bella during that conversation. In all of her actions, she stood by her mate and allowed the scene to play out the way it needed to. Loyalty shows itself in many different ways. Sometimes all you need is a hand on your shoulder, other times it is necessary for you to go through the very fires of hell, hand clasped in hand."

A/N: Conversation galore! So I know you guys have been asking for more BellaxRosalie action and because of that I'll be jumping back into the girls' heads for the next chapters. However, I wanted to answer a very important question with this last chapter; a question that was brought up by someone that, and I quote, "dontwannalogin". He/she reviewed:

I'm not an Edward/Bella shipper by any means, but it seems they're better suited for each other in this story – if only because Rosalie is bordering on unlikeable. Her brief moments of kindness are overshadowed by her bitchy demeanor here. I get that Rosalie is a grouch, but jeez…

My response to that is: I agree! But don't get mad just yet! I don't think Rosalie and Bella are apparently compatible and I most certainly believe that Rosalie needs a wake-up call before she can fully admit her feelings to herself, and rightfully, to Bella. That also means that there's a reason Rosalie is holding back. The next two chapters are going to attack that reasoning and bring it out to the light of day. And Bella is about to get a lot more aggressive with what she wants, especially as she realizes just how much the taste of venom has changed her.

What do you guys think about the fish and the bird? Do you think Rosalie and Bella will be able to work it out? Or are they really never meant to be together?