An older brother is a friend and defender, and older sister is a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights and sorrows too.
As soon as Isabella began to wonder again where her … adopted-siblings were, they returned with their eyes bright golden from hunting. The juniors and the bear-like male entered the room calmly while the two blonds entered with tense shoulders.
'What is she doing here?' the female blonde asked and Isabella flinched back slightly.
'Rose,' Isabella recognised the dangerous warning tone in her father's voice and she glanced warily up at him before glancing at "Rose" who seemed unapologetic before she could say anything else though the pixie spoke up.
'I thought you would like to us all yourself, Carlisle,' she said smiling at him and Isabella turned to see her father smile at his small daughter.
'Tell us what?' the bear asked and Isabella felt herself get annoyed.
'Papa,' she interrupted before he could explain and she heard gasps echo from the bear, model and pained one, 'who's who? It's really irritating me.'
Her father chuckled slightly and mused her hair and, though when she was younger she would have pulled away, she let him mess her hair up, 'Sorry, Isa.
'Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, I assume you all now can guess who this is,' he gestured to her and Isabella realised she would have to wait to find out who was who though she knew her father wouldn't make her wait long. 'Isa is my biological daughter, as Alice and Edward already know, Isabella Marissa. Isa, honey, this is Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward.'
Isabella frowned at him for not actually pointing out who was who but, by process of elimination, she figured out that: the small, dark spiky haired pixie was Alice, the one who could see the future; the other Junior who had walked in calmly, with untidy bronze hair and was thin and lanky then had to be Edward since the other calm one didn't know what was going on before he was told; the female blonde then had to be Rosalie; something told her that the honey blond vampire with hundreds of scars littering his skin that always seemed to be in pain at school was Jasper while Emmett was the bear-like one who had curly hair, though she wasn't hundred percent sure.
Alice bounced over happily and pulled Isabella to her feet, hugging her tightly.
'I'm Alice,' she grinned brightly and Isabella found herself smiling back, 'I'm so glad you're finally here, I've known you were coming for months. We're going great friends.'
'Alice,' Isabella heard her step-mother laugh, 'let her breath, dear.'
'Sorry,' her father said as Alice let go and she was able to sit back down next to her father. 'It's hard to rein Alice in.'
Isabella laughed sounding carefree even to herself, 'it's okay, and it's nice to meet you, Alice. I'm just going your judgement on that.'
It was a while since Isabella felt so at home somewhere and glancing around she noticed that, now Rosalie knew who she was, she had stopped glaring and actually had a soft smile on her face.
'Sorry for glaring,' Rosalie spoke and Isabella smiled at her widely, glad she was being accepted by everyone. 'I just don't trust people easily.'
'Don't worry,' Isabella replied to her and Rosalie's smile widened. 'I'm not much better unless I know there's a solid reason to trust someone.'
Rosalie smiled at her younger sister, for she knew that Isabella would be staying before anyone asked, and was surprised that they had something in common, though she still wasn't a hundred percent fond on the girl since she was so damn beautiful. Rosalie had taken one look at her and knew she was now second best, she wasn't the most beautiful vampire now but this beauty was her adoptive father's daughter: she couldn't dwell on it. Besides Isabella didn't seem to be very aware of her unholy beauty and her down to earth attitude actually drew Rosalie in. She liked that they could pass as related with the blonde hair and golden eyes. Though Isabella's hair was a soft pale blonde, the same colour of Carlisle's, that was so pale it was practically white with a sandy blonde hint and it feel in soft waves while Rosalie's was a golden blonde but hers was also wavy. Rosalie realised they really could pass as siblings and wondered why that was why Carlisle hadn't been able to let her die. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward grimace and guessed that she correct, somehow she didn't feel hut by that but flattered. She snapped back to the conversation as she heard her husband speak.
'So, I guess you're going to be hanging around them,' he joked and she rolled her eyes.
Though Rosalie was amused by what the bear had said, Isabella turned to look at her father unsure. Did he really want her to stay? He seemed to know what she was thinking as he often did and wrapped an arm round her, pressing a kiss to her head.
'You better be,' he muttered so quiet Isabella was sure she was the only one who could hear even though everyone in the room had vampire hearing.
'We'd love to have you, dear,' her step-mother's rose came from behind her and Isabella turned to see that Esme was perching on the sofa by her head.
Isabella looked between the two parents she now had, because she knew Esme would not being able to help but mother her because she was just that type of woman, and thought it through. She had left Logan and Andie because she couldn't stand to watch love but this family was made up practically of couples, the only unattached one being Edward, so could she really survive her? But, on the other hand, her father was here, the man she had craved for when she wanted comfort was in the room and she could stay with him: it all depended on how strong she was.
'Do you have a gift?' the one who she had guessed as Edward asked before she could decide whether to stay or go.
'I don't know,' Isabella replied startled, she had met a few vampires who had gifts but she was pretty sure she didn't have one or, if she did, she had never discovered it.
'Where are the Denali's?' her father asked with a frown.
'They're still huntin',' the one she assumed to be Jasper answered him. 'You want me to holler for Eleazar?'
Isabella frowned wondering who the Denali's were and why her father would want Eleazar so suddenly.
'I don't but I think it might satisfy Edward,' her father chuckled in reply.
'They'll be back in 5 minutes,' Alice's high, clear soprano replied this time Isabella got her confirmation that Alice was psychic.
'Right,' her father nodded and Edward seemed satisfied but then her father turned to her and she became wary. 'Are you staying?'
Isabella's eyes flickered around the room: to Esme with her motherly appearance and her acceptance of her step-daughter without a moment's thought; to Alice who seemed to have taken to her right away; to Jasper who seemed wary but kind and willing to get to know her; to Rosalie who now seemed quite keen for Isabella to join the family: to Edward who felt comfortable enough to ask her questions and who was smiling at her since he walked in, accepting her as quickly as Esme and Alice; to Emmett who's playful nature said how happy he was and how at ease he was with her around; and finally back to her father, whose face was a mask of hope, fear and desperation though she could see his love for her shinning in his eyes, his concern. Looking at all of them, she felt herself smiling. With a family like this she was sure she could keep her demons back.
'Alright,' she said and everyone smiled. 'I'll stay.'
With that confirmation, Esme's arms wrapped around her from her place perched on the couch behind Isabella and she learned back. She was really grateful that her stepmother had made her come and talk to her father.
The man in question let forward and pressed another kiss to her hair and she thought maybe she was being a tiny bit harsh on him. She had never gone back to check of Theresa and Callen because of the pain, he didn't make the choice to leave her, he didn't know she was a vampire so he couldn't help that he didn't find her. Nothing was his fault, he was exactly the same as her and, yet, for some reason she couldn't find it in her to trust him as completely as she did when she younger. Besides it was very clear that he did still love her dearly.
Her older siblings, for they were all older than her she was sure, all came forward and both Isabella's parents let go of her and she stood up. Emmett swung her around in a circle and she was passed around each of her new siblings being hugged and kissed. It was nice feeling, being loved; it had been a long time since Isabella had felt it.