Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. I'm just playing around in New Moon with Rosalie.

There is soooo much concern that Edward will not be able to fix this... and with good reason. I mean, look at the mess he's made!

But let me confirm again that Edward WILL fix this, and he and Bella WILL get their HEA.

Just... trust me :)

In the meantime, let's join Rose's conversation with Bella, already in progress...

What Have We Done?

Chapter 36

"Things got better when I found Emmett." I smile, relieved to reach this part of my story. "His love and patience stitched my heart back together and encouraged me to let Esme in. Once I was able to tell her my story, she helped me heal as only a mother could, never judging, never rushing me."

Bella nods, watching the yuletide tree hunters pass in front of her truck. We are sitting in the parking lot while I finish my tale. Her face is damp from the silent tears she shed, but I say nothing of them.

By this point in our relationship, tears are a second language.

"And Carlisle?" Bella asks after a moment.

"I know he meant well, and most of the time, I can regard him without anger." Especially after seeing you with Charlie. "But other times…"

"Part of you wishes you had died on that street."

"Not because I didn't want to live without Royce." She must understand this. "But because I couldn't bear the thought of never becoming a mother, of never growing old gracefully. Humans strive for ageless beauty, and sometimes I would kill for a wrinkle or gray hair."

"So is that... I mean, is that why you dislike me so much? Because you think I'm wasting my chance to be human?"

"Disliked," I clarify. "And yes."

"Wow." She wipes her damp cheeks. "I had no idea."

"How could you?" I smooth back my hair. "It's not the kind of thing that comes up during pillow talk."

"Right." Bella looks down, nibbling her bottom lip. "Could I... could I ask you something then?"

"Sure."

She doesn't speak right away, and after what I've just told her, my mind cramps in anticipation of what she could possibly want to know that would warrant such hesitation.

"Bella?"

"What about Edward?"

"What?" I ask too loudly, causing her to jump.

"Never mind," she mumbles. "Forget it."

"No, I'm... I'm sorry." How easily this girl makes me forget myself! "It's just... that was about the last question I expected you to ask. And I don't actually know what you mean by it."

"Forget it," she says again. "It doesn't matter now anyway, and not just because you're with Emmett."

"It does matter if you want to know." My gentle tone causes her to glance at me. "So please don't let my earlier surprise deter you. If there's something you want to know about me, Bella, ask. And I will answer truthfully."

Again she is silent, but something tells me she's just gathering courage. So I look out the passenger side window, waiting her out.

"Edward..." She clears her throat, as if saying his name twice in one minute has proven too painful. "He told me that Carlisle had intended you two to be... like him and Esme."

"Yes," I say without inflection. "That is true."

"He also said you were never more than a sister."

"Also true."

"Then why did you seem to hate him so much? Before now, I mean?"

The bottom falls out of my stomach. "What?"

"Like I said, it doesn't really matter now, but I just... well, even in your story, you don't mention Edward at all, not even in the years before you met Emmett. You both say you were never more than siblings, yet it was obvious that you couldn't stand Edward... and not just because he pretended to love a clumsy human who could ruin your life." She is winded now and takes a steadying breath. "So I was just... wondering why."

I blink slowly in the wake of her words, completely stuck on stupid.

There is no way I could possibly express how I feel right now.

And even if I could, I am too stunned to do so.

But the longer I remain silent, the faster her heart beats.

So I shake off my nerves and start talking.

"You're not the first person to ask me this, you know." I figure it's as good a place to start as any. "But you are the first outside of Emmett to receive an answer. So that's something you have in common."

I sound like I'm stalling, so I close my eyes and press on.

"Okay. I hated Edward because... because he didn't want me."

She seems to deflate. "Oh."

"But not the way you think."

"No?"

"See... before formally introducing us, Carlisle took his time pointing out every single thing Edward and I had in common—a love of music and an interest in automobiles. We each valued our privacy, preferred reading to conversation, and despite the fact that we attracted attention wherever we went, neither of us particularly enjoyed the spotlight. In short, Edward Masen, as he was then known, was my mirror image in male form. And as I prepared to meet him for the first time as an immortal, I began to believe I might actually find love in this wretched life I hadn't asked for.

"But Edward didn't want me. Not romantically or in any other respect. He felt I was too public a figure in Rochester for Carlisle to have taken the risk of changing me and wanted me gone from the house and away from his family before I brought ruin to them all." I snort. "Sound familiar?"

Bella chuckles dryly. "A little."

"After being raped by my fiancé and losing the chance to become a mother, now I was doomed to spend an earthly eternity in a family where the one person who should have been perfect for me didn't want me around, let alone as his beloved? It was a rejection I had no room to understand or accept."

I feel my eyes darken, and I summon an image of Emmett to calm down. "Even before I found Emmett, though, Edward's attitude had mellowed. Once Carlisle told him how I died, Edward accepted me into the family and even did his part to make me comfortable there. Some part of me knew I should have just let him off the hook back then but... let's just say forgiveness was never my strong suit, even as a human. I guess that's why I still have trouble with Carlisle sometimes."

"Because he's the one who got your hopes up in the first place."

"Exactly." I glance her way. "Anyway, does... does that answer your question?"

"Yes." She offers a half-smile. "Thanks."

A contemplative silence fills the cabin, and neither of us speaks for a full minute. I wonder if there's anything more I need to clarify, anything else I can share from that time in my life that might...

My train of thought is suddenly derailed by the feel of Bella's gloved hand resting atop mine. I cannot bring myself to look at her, but she saves me the trouble by speaking.

"I am so sorry for what happened to you, Rose. No one... no one should ever have to endure something so horrible, let alone have to carry the memory for all eternity. But..."

In the ensuing silence, I look over at her. "But what?"

"I'm really glad Carlisle saved you."

Her sincerity makes my golden eyes sting, and I squeeze her hand gently. "Me too."

Thanks for reading—see you Friday! XO