CHAPTER 36: UNEXPECTED

It had been almost a month now since Rosalie and Emmett had left. We had tried to return to normal, we'd even gone back to school. But at home things were still tense, Carlisle had thrown himself into working longer hours, and was barely seen at home. Esme had busied herself by buying a greenhouse and was now attempting to grow all kinds of fruit and vegetables. Alice had taken to shopping more, only alone. I suspected she was spending most of the time trying to look for Rose and Emmett's future, as she didn't come home with as much as she normally would. Jasper had taken to reading more and Nessie was now talking to Edward again, but she wasn't being polite about it. Jacob had surprised me the most though, he had become increasingly withdrawn over the past few weeks, when I'd asked him about he told me that he felt as if he was loosing his family all over again. Me and Edward had reached a healthy understanding, he knew he was wrong, but stuck by his reasons. I was really missing having my brother and sister around and spent most of my time wondering if they were missing us as well. We still hadn't heard anything from either of them, and both cell phones now went straight to voice mail whenever we rang. It didn't stop me trying though, every morning and every evening.

It was time now to wake my daughter up for school, I headed up the stairs towards her bedroom. I took a deep breathe before entering her room, I hated waking her up. But as I breathed in I a familiar feeling returned to my throat. I could smell blood.

"Nessie?" I panicked, flinging the door open and running into her room "Are you OK?" She was sat up in bed, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. She looked at me and began to sob harder before pulling her legs up and clutching them closer to her chest. "What's wrong?" I asked, fear showing in my voice. She pulled back the covers on her bed and I could clearly see blood on the sheets.

"EDWARD!" I yelled at the top of my voice

"No Mom!" Nessie begged, her tears increasing.

"It's OK" I soothed sitting down next to her, as Edward ran into the room.

"What's-" he stuttered, suddenly smelling the blood. "Ness are you hurt?" he asked, looking between her and the blood stained sheets. She didn't answer him and instead looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Ring Carlisle" I told him "and get Alice" Edward nodded and quickly left the room.

"Mom, is this...?" Nessie asked, the poor girl was so confused.

"I'm not sure sweetheart" I told her. A moment later Alice came in the room, followed swiftly by Esme. They took one look at the situation before them and Alice started jumping up and down like a kid in a sweet shop.

"Alice!" I hissed

"Sorry Ness" she smiled, calming down a little "but don't you understand what this means?"

"What?" my daughter asked, becoming more confused by the second

"It means you're all grown up!" Alice chimed

"But I didn't think that I could..." she admitted, her head dropping slightly onto her knees.

Carlisle got home about 20 minutes later and quickly ran upstairs to check Nessie over. Jacob was panicking, nobody had told him what was happening and when he'd tried to come in the bedroom Ness had screamed at him to get out.

"She's definitely menstruating" Carlisle sighed, walking down the stairs to greet the rest of us.

"But she's half immortal!" I exclaimed

"She's also half human Bella" he laughed slightly

"So are you telling me that my little girl is going to live for all eternity having periods?"

"I don't know" Carlisle shrugged "I hadn't expected this"

"Wait. Nessie's having periods?" Jacob exclaimed "So does this mean?"

"Don't even think about it dog!" Edward snarled

"I wasn't!" he defended "I just always assumed..."

"This is so exciting!" Alice chimed, changing the subject completely,

"How is it exciting Alice? I still remember how awkward and horrible it was to have periods, my poor baby" I sighed. I had always thought she'd be saved from going through this experience.

"Yes" Esme agreed "I still remember my first one. Of all the human memories I have, that is one I wish I didn't have to remember"

"Well she's not going to school today!" I said, "I'll stay home and look after her"

"Don't you think that's a bit extreme Bella?" Edward said beside me

"Actually Edward, No I don't!" I spat, turning on my heels and making my way back upstairs.

I heard Alice saying something about running to the store to buy sanitary napkins.

Ness was still huddled up in bed when I got to her room,

"I'm sorry Mom" she sighed,

"Sorry?" I asked "What are you sorry for?"

"For making everyone uncomfortable" she admitted

"Ness, you have nothing to be sorry for sweetheart" I told her reassuringly "unfortunately this is one of those things humans have to go through" I sighed

"my tummy hurts" she told me, running her hand against her stomach.

"it will do darling" I soothed, "lets get you changed and get these covers in the wash. Then we can go and curl up on the sofa and watch a film together OK?"

"What about school?" she asked confused,

"We'll give school a miss today" I smiled warmly.

After we'd got all the bed linen in the wash, we waved the rest of the family off to school. Jacob and Edward were both reluctant to go, but Renesmee had told them they didn't have a choice. Carlisle had gone back to work, and Esme had decided to go and do some grocery shopping so she could make Ness something special for lunch.

"So" I smiled, sinking down into the couch "Which film do you want to watch first?"

"Mamma mia" she grinned. Nessie had become obsessed with it ever since Alice had shown her the film a couple of years ago. They would spend hours singing and dancing along to it, and whenever Ness was feeling down she would always play it. I smiled widely at her and got up from my seat to search for the DVD amongst our huge collection.

We'd been watching for almost an hour when my cell started ringing from the kitchen work top where I'd left it this morning. I walked from the living room, smiling to myself at my daughter who was sat upright singing "Does your Momma know?" loudly to herself. I didn't recognise the number on the cell display,

"Hello?" I asked, wary

"Bella?" came an all too familiar voice

"Rose?" I screamed into the phone, before beginning my stream of unanswered questions "Where are you? Are you OK? I miss you? Are you coming home?"

"Bella, calm down" she laughed slightly "We're all OK. But I need your help"

"Anything" I said without hesitation

"We need the Jeep, and a few clothes" she told me, I could hear Emmett shouting in the background about bringing his prank book and his baseball, "and..." she paused "OK, I know its a lot to ask, but I was wondering if we could borrow some money?"

"Sure. Not a problem" I agreed instantly "how much do you need?"

"Bella, before I tell you, I need you to promise not to tell the others where we are"

"But they miss you Rose. They miss all of you"

"We miss you all too" she sighed after a moment or two "but this is how it has to be"

"OK" I agreed unwillingly "Where do I meet you?"

Rose gave me the details of a restaurant to meet her at, I said I'd be there around 9pm tonight. I couldn't leave Ness and it would take me a while to get there.

"Thank-you Bella" she breathed before hanging up the phone.

I left my cell on the kitchen work top and made my way back into the living room where Ness was still singing along happily, completely oblivious to the conversation I'd just been having.

"OK sweetheart?" I asked

"I'm feeling better now Mom" she smiled

"I'm pleased" I smiled, pulling her in close to me as she continued singing along to the movie.

"Mom?" Nessie asked as I took the DVD out of the player

"Yes sweetheart?"

"If I have periods, does that mean I can have children?" I turned and stared at her, she must have seen the shock in my eyes because she quickly added "I'm not saying now. I was just wondering"

"I don't know" I admitted after taking a moment to collect my thoughts. Could she? Was this what Jacob and Edward were referring to earlier? "Carlisle would be the better one to talk to about that" I told her with a sigh. I hated that I couldn't answer her.

"Would you ask him? It's a bit embarrassing" she blushed

"Sure" I smiled as convincingly as possible "But it wont be tonight, I need to go out later"

"Where are you going?" she asked puzzled

"That was Sue on the phone" I lied "She's in town for a couple of days and wants to meet for a chat"

"Can I come?" she asked, getting excited

"No baby, not this time" I sighed "Sorry"

Now all I had to do was convince everyone else that I was only going to meet Sue, and explain why I needed to take Emmett's Jeep. Great.