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

What in the higgledy-piggledy was Bella talking about?! Let's find out...


What Have We Done?

Chapter 52

Had Bella Swan just sprouted wings and flapped around the room, I could not be more surprised than I currently am. My brain cramps in confusion as I stare at her, my full concentration required to utter two words:

"You what?"

She doesn't blink. "I think it's time for you to go, Rosalie."

"Go? Go where?"

"Back to Ithaca, back to Emmett, back to your life."

"I don't understand."

"It's simple: You put your life on hold to help me get mine together. And... and I think you've done enough."

"Oh." Prickling discomfort tiptoes up my spine, and I fold my arms across my chest. "Is this because I didn't tell Edward to come back?"

"What?"

"When I was on the phone with Edward earlier, he asked me what he should do, and I didn't tell him to come back to you." I take a step toward her. "Is this your way of punishing me for that?"

Bella closes her eyes on a shaky sigh, and I immediately realize my mistake. I shut my own eyes, awash in guilt and a host of other unpleasantness

Maybe it is time for me to go.

"I didn't... I didn't know about that," she says slowly. "But I mean, it's not like I'm surprised."

"Right." I snort bitterly. "Because when has Rosalie ever done anything that wasn't at least a little selfish?"

"That's not what I..."

"And that's why you want me to leave—you're punishing me because I couldn't make Edward come home."

"Rosalie..."

"I cannot believe this!" I storm away, bracing my hands on the edge of her desk. "After everything that's happened in the past two days, I cannot believe you would just..."

"Rose." I feel her hand come to rest on my shoulder blade. "Stop."

I clamp my lips shut, shaking my head. I have never felt this angry and scared and uncomfortable in all my life. Two weeks ago, I didn't give three hard shits about Bella Swan, and now the thought of leaving her, especially with so many things unresolved, makes me want to tear at my skin in a blind rage.

I rub my temples, feeling as if I'm getting a headache.

"I'm not surprised by what you told Edward," she says slowly. "Because he needs to decide what to do on his own without being told."

"That's... that's why I didn't say anything."

"I know." I can hear her smile. "I know you were just looking out for me."

I turn to face her, my heart in my throat. "Then why are you sending me away?"

"Because you looked out for me."

"That doesn't make any sense! Bella, after that useless call to Edward, I was pretty much resolved to move into the garage at least until New Year's. And now that you've found all this stuff in your house..."

"Now that I've found all this stuff, I know it's okay for you to leave." She walks toward the window, gazing out into the night. "Edward said that after he left, it would be as if he never existed. And I believed that's what he wanted—to disappear from my life and erase me from his without a trace.

"But these..." She indicates the photos on the floor. "These prove we really happened and cannot be erased. And knowing that, I know I'll be all right on my own." She snorts to herself. "They also prove that he's a manipulative crapweasel whose ass I'd love to kick from here to Alaska. But he's my crapweasel to deal with, and if he ever finds the balls to show his face again, I know I'll be ready to do that too."

Yep. Definitely a headache.

"I fell apart when all of you left," she continues through my silence. "Because I wondered if my life with Edward had ever mattered to anyone but me. But you showing up and helping me find these things, I don't wonder about that anymore." She faces me with a bittersweet yet bright smile. "You changed everything for me, Rose."

I turn away. "You're giving me too much credit."

"Maybe, but it's my credit to give."

I relax my stance... but barely. "So you want me to just go back to Ithaca and my life with Emmett and the rest of my family, and what? Never speak to you again?"

Her face pales. "Is that what you'd want?"

"No!" I startle us both with my volume. "But how... how are we supposed to remain friends if we never see each other?"

"We became friends after I thought you were a hallucination. I'm pretty sure we can figure out the rest."

I clamp my lips shut to keep the news about my family's return from slipping out. I've already spoken out of turn—and out of pain—once in this conversation.

I'm not about to do it again.

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" I ask instead.

"I'm sure. In fact..." She raises her arm and removes Emmett's bracelet. "I think I already am."

I fasten the clasp around my wrist, enjoying the familiar weight against my skin, and raise it to my nose. "Ugh, it smells like you."

"Good. Then maybe you won't miss me so bad."

I stare at her. "As if."

We descend the stairs at a human pace, neither seeming to know what to say. When we reach the living room, I grab Bella's phone from the chair where she dropped it and program my number into it. Bella takes back her phone and calls me, and I raise an eyebrow in her direction.

"Just making sure you didn't give me a fake number," she says.

Her ability to joke at a time like this makes me equally proud and uncomfortable, and I scan the room for a distraction. "We never plugged in the tree."

"You want to do the honors?"

"Why not?" I bend down to finagle the cord around the tree stand. "It's not like you have the coordination to do this without knocking down the whole thing."

"Don't make me set you on fire."

I stick the plug in the socket, and the room is instantly bathed in soft white light. With the furniture polished and the blanket of heaviness gone from the room, the effect is warm and breathtaking.

"Wow." Bella sighs as I come to my feet. "We did a really good job."

"I guess we work well together."

She looks at me. "Hopefully not for the last time."

I hold her gaze. "Definitely not."

The urge to hug her is strong enough to make me step back, folding my hands in front of me. Bella notices the movement and hugs herself instead.

"Will you tell them where you were?" she asks.

"They already know. Is that okay?"

"Sure." But I notice she hugs herself tighter. "As long as none of them shows up unannounced in my room in the middle of the night. That's our thing."

Her smile makes me smile. "I'll make sure to tell them that."

With nothing really left to say, we stand there in awkward silence. I cannot bring myself to actually say "goodbye," so I nod at her once more and turn away, muttering "Merry Christmas, Bella" as I close the door behind me. I don't know if she hears me or not, but she whispers a sincere "Thanks for everything, Rose" from behind the door, and I know she knows I heard that.

I blur down her front steps and across the street, finding myself back in my original position in my original tree within seconds. I am all for Girl Power and this hefty dose of self-confidence Bella Swan has recently acquired. Really, I am.

But if that stupid human thinks I'd actually leave her, she'd better think again!


Kinda sleepy and shaggy today, so please pardon any excessive mistakes.

Thanks for reading—see you soon! XOXO