A/N: How excited I was to start this chapter; I had my ending in mind and just needed the fill in the gaps. Luckily the chapter developed in the way I wanted, and I got my ending. Thanks to everyone once again for reviewing, alerting or favouring the story. Your reviews are always so welcome, and I absolutely love reading them. A quick note I will make to address everyone's query over Bella's past, she will definitely find out eventually. I have finally written down a plan that integrates itself within the plot (a plan which I am rather evilly going to keep a secret.) But rest assure it is going to happen.

shigui: Thanks for the review, and I have no desire to stop writing and shall continue until this story is complete.

Bookwormac: Indeed I can finally say he is coming, officially within the chapter. With the subtle collections of newspapers and books, they are unknowingly accumulating a lot of information regarding the Titanic. It's all so close, she just doesn't know it. Thanks for the review.

Sheeijan: I think we can call it dramatic irony, although the characters of the story do not see the irony, the audience does. And when Bella's finds out about her past, the details of what happened to her mother will be revealed. Thanks for the review.

celebritystar: Definitely, it is far too interesting and tragic to leave forgotten. Thank you for reviewing.

BadassEri90: Finally we have reached the beginnings of Emmett's story. And sounds like you're getting on with technology as well as I do, sometimes more of a hassle than anything. With my plan for Bella's past now written down into the plot, I promise the patience will pay off. Thanks for the long review, love reading them.

Len Stormcrow: I felt we were missing on a little Esme, Bella interaction. It's nice to write about two females who have such a nice relationship. Although saying that, Rosalie and Bella are on much better terms, I feel Rose has found an ally, and do I dare say a friend? Thank you for your review.

Viola1701e: Before you wonder how my random fireplace story came about, a very similar experience happened when we renovated my house. We took down the stud wall and found an old hearth; although nothing as beautiful as the one in the story. Boarding up is a cheaper alternative to restoring an old fireplace. We found so much brick debris within the cavity, and even newspapers; although nothing terribly exciting, just classified ads. So glad you liked the more agreeable Rosalie, she seems to be a very sharp minded character, and has the tongue to match. Thanks for reviewing once again.

MissMartha: They are my favourite couple to write, a bit of banter to lighten up any situation. Thank you for reviewing.

Areej.A.A: Not quite yet on the memory front, but I will try super hard to shorten Emmett's change. It definitely won't be as long as Rosalie's, but there will be some things I need to include. So maybe half a chapter. Thanks for the review.

Sarah.A.A: I have finally decided upon a plan of action regarding Bella's past, so that has just begun in its execution. Indeed Rosalie is much more agreeable, she has finally integrated herself within the family and built relationships with everyone. Of course things are about to change, and finally Emmett is about to join the family. Thanks for another review.

CullenBoy123: I'm a sucker for my history, could not resist just adding that link between the chapters. And I am happy to report; Emmett will definitely feature within this very chapter. Thank you for your review.

Disaclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Twilight Saga.


Chapter Fifty Two: Ursus Impetum

March 14th 1935

Through a disgustingly dingy little window; where one pane had been replaced by cardboard and masking tape, I watched three members of my family traipse off towards the mountains of car parts. Moving past the great stacks of broken washers and dryers, not sparing a glance towards metal piping or cables. I applauded their apparent ignorance to the air, everything smelt of dirt, oil and gasoline. Even the two men behind the broken counter, seem to be infused with filth.

Esme and I had volunteered to stay within the shamble of a shack, keeping the two owners from venturing out and providing overly helpful assistance. It really was in their best interest to stay inside, away from the newly emancipated vampire.

I'd give credit where it was due; the two ageing owners of this particular establishment were well educated in their manners. Seats and hot drinks had been offered, there had been no uncomfortable leering and small talk was minimal but interesting.

While Esme sat glossing through an auction catalogue, I tried my hand at self-entertainment. Ambling around the little building looking at the mirage of framed photographs and newspaper clippings. Through the usual history that companies liked to advertise; articles from the first opening, archaic sales and famous customers, there were more interesting things displayed on the wall. Documented in yellowing photographs were several record big game hunts, men standing astride monstrous black bear corpses. Guns slung on their shoulder and looking proudly over their trophy.

"Four hundred and thirty two pounds." Sated one of the gentlemen behind the counter. "Biggest catch ever recorded this far south of the Smokies."

"That is one big animal." I nodded appreciatively.

"Took five members of my family to take him down, and he put up one hell of a fight. Tore right through my uncle's arm." He gestured claws across his forearm. "Lucky to survive."

"That is incredible." I replied. "Ever come close to one that size?"

He chuckled with a nod, beckoning me forward to the desk. I came over with my curiosity, watching as he returned from the back with a large leather bound book in hand. "This, my dear, is our hunting records." He flicked through the pages, intent on showing me something he regarded as important. The elegant scripted handwriting on the pages further went on to show these men were far from their measly work dwellings. "Since I took up the sport myself, I've come relatively close. A three fifty, even a four hundred once."

"It was three ninety at best." Piped up the second man.

"Pish, he's just jealous. Ain't had nothing bigger than a three forty." Retorted the man with the book. "But three years in a row, we've come close to a big'un. I recon he's a four fifty, a monster of a boar. Clever one, though, managed to give us the slip several times now. But just you wait Miss, come back in a couple weeks and just you see. We'll get him this time."

"Seasons begun?" I asked ignorantly.

"Indeed, officially began yesterday. And by tomorrow we'll be up in the national parks, starting ourselves." He rubbed his calloused hands together in glee. "Your family much for hunting?"

"Oh we like to dabble." I replied innocently, biting the inside of my cheek to stop the smile. "Nothing big. Mainly deer. But perhaps next year we could look into taking down something larger, I've always liked a challenge."

"Then I shall impart some family wisdom upon you." He looked around conspicuously, narrowing his eyes as if there were a sleuth in the room. "Put your bait out near a beaver den, black bears love beaver."

"Interesting." I acknowledged. "I would never have thought of such a thing."

"That's the knowledge of five generations worth of hunters. That many people can't be wrong."

The hand crank telephone suddenly came to life in a course of brazen rings, when the other gentleman made no motion to answer it, bear man excused himself. With the ledger open on the desk; and hoping he would not mind if I took a look, I began scanning the scripted pages. Reading the notes of a proficient human tracker and hunter, they noted everything from different types of bait, ideal weeks to venture into the wilderness, and lucky for me they also detailed the locations of successful hunts. Places we could actively avoid in the upcoming months.

On his way back from taking a call from the local municipal impound lot; regarding the crushing of several unclaimed cars, I forgo my reading and pretended to simply look at the photographs. It was not long after we were joined by Carlisle, having found the items they were looking for, it simply came down to agreeing a price and the delivery date.

"Good luck on your hunt." I told the man, shaking his hand through the leather of my gloves.

"Indeed I will." He affirmed. "You be sure to stop by and see it, I plan to have it stuffed and placed in the corner."

"I'll be sure to do that." I smiled. "Perhaps I shall be seeing your photograph in the paper."

"I best make sure to look presentable then." Chuckled his reply.

After polite goodbyes, the five of us crammed back into the Cadillac. With the Packard still out of commission, we had been forced to resort to just the one motorcar. I sat rather awkwardly between Esme and Rosalie on the back bench, trying to remain in my seat as we drove along bends in the road.

"It seems you have found a firm friend in that gentleman." Carlisle said, catching my eye in the rear view mirror.

"It's not often I find a human I can tolerate, but he was humble in manners and a good conversationist. Not to mention insightful with bear hunting tips, I feel I shall be lucky this season. Could catch myself a four hundred pound boar."

"You find the most bazar things to talk about." Rosalie announced, giving me a strange look.

"Do I dare ask you to divulge this tip with us?" Carlisle asked with a half smile.

"Now that's asking." I smirked. "It wasn't something he even wanted Esme to hear. But seeing as she does, and now so does Edward." He shrugged his shoulders in response. "I guess it will be alright to tell. Apparently if I wish to catch myself a record breaking black bear, I must set up my bait near a beaver den."

"Interesting." Carlisle mused aloud.

"Is that what you were reading about in the ledger?" Esme questioned, folding her gloves into her coat pocket.

"Yes, it was full of old hunting records. Photographs, paper clippings, and such. "

"Anything of valuable interest?"

"Indeed, there were quite a few notes on popular hunting destinations. Sevier and the south of Cocke seem to be the most popular regions. The ledger also said the area around Clingman's Dome is too impassable to venture, there was a landslip and the tracks were buried under the earth." I addressed all.

"So an ideal place for us to venture." Carlisle summed.

"Seems to be that way." I nodded. "Avoid going north, the area from Waynesville all the way up to Newport seems to be popular with hunters."

"It's not like we don't have anywhere else to hunt." Rosalie interjected. "Isn't the whole area primarily national parks?"

"Yes." I acknowledged. "But there are quite a few hunting towns if you head south west, you'd have to take care."

"West it is then." She declared.


"You're meant to be helping."

"I'm supervising." I declared. Watching him paint the duck egg blue onto the walls, as I sat curled up on the covered chaise long. "Plus you're doing a great job, keep up the good work." I pretended to flick through the Vogue magazine in my lap, but the view I had of him working away was far too engrossing. We had offered to paint the room while Esme and Rosalie went to hunt, but seeing how my nails were freshly painted pink , scuffing them would be an unneeded annoyance.

"I feel like I should be charging for your entertainment." He said, clearly sensing my gaze.

My peep show related resort became repressed as I sensed Carlisle's footsteps approaching from down the hall, lingering along as he shuffled papers in his hands.

"Do you both have a moment?" He questioned, not looking up from his sorting.

I ignored Edward's scoff. "Of course, what do you need?"

"Just your signatures on these bank letters." He replied, passing over the offending items and a pen.

"Is this the last of the money?" I pestered, decorating the designated line with my elaborate mark.

"Yes, everything had been transferred to the bank in Asheville. Then the seventy five percent you wanted will be put into the offshore accounts. It may be worth going ahead and splitting the money into several accounts, maybe even taking up safety deposit boxes."

"Seems like a good idea." Edward interjected, putting down his paintbrush to sign the document I was currently brandishing at him.

"I was also thinking of placing some money in a separate account for Rosalie." He declared, vying for our reply. "

"What do you need? A new birth certificate, passport?" I inquired, toying with the ends of my hair.

"I think her current birth certificate should be fine, but a passport is a definite." Came his reply, collecting together the signed and completed papers.

"I'll pen a note to Jenks then." I affirmed. "Is there anything else we need? I know Eleazar was keen to invest in birth certificates."

"Several blank issues in the attic." Edward declared to Carlisle's unvoiced question.

"Then I think we will be fine for the time being, our personal documents are still within believable standing. And we have the blanks, just in case." Said Carlisle.

I nodded in agreement, mentally picturing the combination safe full of illegally purveyed papers. "After this next batch of documents I request from Jenks, I think pulling back from his services are a must. We should put some distance between the transactions, just as a safety precaution. I can't be as threatening from twenty five hundred miles away."

"Indeed a very sensible idea, it should allow us time to delete our paper trail. I was also musing over the idea of selling the house in Rochester; of course I'll request everyone's views-" he did not need to speak Rosalie's name for me to gather it was her reply that matter most. "But what are your thoughts?"

"It makes no difference to me." Came Edward's diplomatic response.

"I'm fine with that." I tagged on.

"Excellent, if all is well we can get a relatively fast turnaround on the market." He said with an affirmed nod.

"Hoping to take advantage of the economy spike." Edward concluded, returning to his painting duty before Esme returned.

"Indeed, although if it's anything like the last, not likely to stick around."

As much as I loved debating the rise and fall of the economy, I was assured that within that moment my senses were betraying me. Perhaps, I mused, it was the smell of the solvent in the paint obscuring my nose. But faintly, oh so faint, I could smell something pleasant.

"I think I can smell human blood." I interjected airily into the conversation, my processing skills finally making a successful link. I could hear the accompanying palpation of a heartbeat, growing ever louder as it swiftly approached. Everything within the room became deathly quiet; I could only close my eyes in wonder at this strange unfolding situation. But even with my honed senses, the smell of blood came ever stronger, sending shivers of fire burning down my throat. I fought the tensing muscles, stopping all lung functions, and swallowed the accumulating venom.

My simple sentence at first was unresponsive by my two companions in the room; they took a breath over the paint fumes and shared a look of alarm. It was only when the distant running of footfalls and the sound of a sluggish human heart beat became louder that the room exploded into action.

"Stay here." Carlisle ordered, slamming the door behind him in an attempt to put a physical barrier between us and the human. Edward was instantaneously at my side, clasping my hand tightly.

"What's going on?" I pressed shakily, straining to hear through the commotion downstairs. Through the noise I could just make out Rosalie's voice over the sound of pumping blood, scuffing footsteps on the checked floor, and Carlisle' murmurs. "Has she slipped again?"

"No...I don't think so." He replied. Brows furrowed, as he attempted to unravel the situation down stairs through the thoughts of its occupants. "I think… I think he was mauled by a bear."

"A bear?" I repeated slowly.


A/N: I'm so excited to get this chapter out, and along with it the introduction of a new character into the family. Thanks for reading.