Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update (again) it's been a busy few weeks with finals and all!

I recently got a few comments asking why Eve's scent was in Bella's room: that's because the blouse she lent to Bella was in the room!

And the second most asked question was why Alice is the way that she is in this fic: it will all make sense in upcoming chapters, so please be patient with me until I can upload them!

I can't believe The Eyes That See reached 700+ follows and 69,000 hits! That's crazy, but thank you all for the support and following Eve along in her journey x

Chapter 29

Eve stared out into the night by the window, arms wrapped around her waist as she waited anxiously for Jasper's return. The news of a nomadic vampire making an appearance in Bella's home left her feeling unsettled.

With a stark realization, Eve never thought to think about how easy it was for a vampire to wander into someone's home, to follow humans undetected like carnivores hunting their prey—waiting for the right moment before attacking.

She hadn't seen any of the Cullens fights before until Alice protected her from Victoria. There was the time when she'd seen Jasper and Edward at their most violent back in the barn...when they'd saved her from Robert and those men from torturing her in more ways than one. But she didn't want to be reminded of that night anymore.

Gripping her forearm self-consciously, she was glad for the long-sleeved shirt she changed into.

A hand gently landed on her shoulder, and she turned to meet Edward's golden eyes, conveying with honest reassurance that she would never go through such a thing again since he'd heard her thoughts and delved into the painful memories that still scarred her deep inside.

She granted him a small smile in response, "If Jasper and Emmett find whoever was in Bella's house..."

"They'll be alright, Eve," Edward comforted her, "Jasper is more than capable of defending himself."

Eve sighed and gave him a shrug.

I know that...it just makes me nervous.

"Hey," Edward slowly pulled her towards him into a hug which she didn't fight, wanting any reassurance that could tell her Jasper wasn't in any danger right now while she was home, under the protection of their family. Eve blinked suddenly at the last thought that had been unexpected. Their family. Not Jasper's family or the Cullens—their family.

She wondered when she'd started including herself in this strange, loving people that so graciously protected and took her into their home, accepted her into their world.

They loved her; Eve knew that wholeheartedly after Carlisle and Esme constantly told her as much. When Emmett teased her or Edward included her whenever he'd play the piano in his music room. Rosalie listened to her without passing judgment and comforted her even when the girl wasn't sure she needed it. Bella was kind, encouraging, and always including her as a true friend should.

The only person she wasn't too sure about was Alice, but if she'd truly hated her...then why would she have saved Eve from Victoria? The sad truth was that Eve wanted to talk to Alice too...

Glancing over her shoulder, Eve's hazel eyes found Alice, who sat beside Bella on the long couch, lost in her visions as she appeared to search for something in Bella's future.

It would be nice if she could be considered a part of this family too...

Edward ran his hand up and down her back as she closed her eyes, knowing that he'd heard her thoughts loud and clear in their insecure spiral.

"You are," he whispered in her ear.

Eve nodded as she hugged him a little tighter, "Thanks, Edward."

When the sound of a door opening and closing downstairs was heard, Eve stiffened at the same time Edward did before he slowly led her back to sit beside Rosalie on the other loveseat.

Carlisle and the others had remained in the living room in silence, as still as statues, but now that they heard Jasper and Emmett return, it appeared as if they were reanimated when Carlisle took a deep breath before speaking, "Who is it? Someone we know?"

Edward was silent for a moment, most likely searching his bothers' thoughts before shaking his head, "This stranger, I didn't recognize his scent. It's new. Not one we've encountered before."

"A nomad passing through?" Esme questioned, glancing at Eve with her dark brown eyes that almost appeared to be the color black. Eve followed along with the conversation between the three until Rosalie placed her hand over hers comfortingly.

"A passerby wouldn't have left Bella's father alive...nomads wouldn't let the chance of fresh blood slip out of their grasp."

The moment Jasper entered the room, Eve finally let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding in. Seeing him standing in the room in one piece calmed her down exponentially without the need for his gift to do so. Jasper looked to Eve and granted her a small smile, communicating that he understood and cherished the emotions that she sent his way by sending her a dose of affection in return.

"The scent disappeared about five miles south of Bella's house," Jasper finally says as Emmett walked over to Rosalie and Eve to hold his wife's hand and to ruffle Eve's hair once more with a wink. Eve, for once, didn't mind the annoying way he showed his affection towards his little sister.

After the debate of who could be behind this strange orchestra of vampires and nomads, Bella hesitantly mentioned she had more than one ally to protect her, only to be shut down by Edward quickly with a frown. But of course, after some persuasion from Carlisle and Rosalie - the mind reader begrudgingly caved into Bella's suggestion.

Jacob Black was Bella's best friend and another teenager with paranormal abilities from what Eve could gather, and apparently, the only one who didn't like the boy seemed to be Edward. Another story Eve didn't feel she wanted to know about at the moment when Bella's life was on the line and that the Cullens were growing increasingly anxious for an unavoidable confrontation, it seemed.

That knowledge did little to settle Eve's own worries, but before she could continue spiraling into a fit of worries for her new family, Jasper looked to Alice and asked, "The Volturi?"

Alice shook her head, "I don't think it's the Volturi. I've been watching Aro's decisions closely, and as far as I can tell, he hasn't made a move for any of us."

"The...Volturi? Who are they?" Eve asked cautiously as she gauged Carlisle's reaction.

Esme placed her hand over Eve's shoulder and motioned for the door with a kind smile, "Come with me? I'll explain everything. Now that you're a part of this family, you must know our laws as well."

Laws...

"Vampires have laws?" Eve inquired as she stood and followed Esme, ignoring Emmett's soft chuckle as he asked Bella if that question sounded familiar to her, only to be hushed by someone in the room.

Carlisle and the others began to discuss their next move as Eve and Esme walked towards the kitchen.

In her growing curiosity to know more about the world the Cullens were a part of, Eve failed to notice the worried look Jasper gave her as he followed her movements with his onyx eyes, studying his mate closely with one question filling his thoughts. Of course, the only one to notice was Edward, who stared at his brother with confusion.

Let's talk later; Jasper shared his thoughts, to which Edward nodded with a grave expression on his face, doing little to calm the empath from his concerns.

Walking through Esme's garden at sunset was peaceful in a lonely sort of way. The flowers that bloomed were illuminated by the warm glow of the fading sun. Normally it's something she'd be completely lost admiring but not now. Not as she listened to Esme intently as the woman described the coven that was both fascinating yet terrifying all at once.

"So that's why Bella needs to be changed? Because they found out about her..."

Esme nodded with a sad expression on her face as they walked further into the garden behind the house, "In part, yes, that is one of the reasons why it must be done. However, she also wants to be a part of this family in the future, and the only way she can be with Edward forever is if she's changed into one of us."

Eve nodded, understanding, even if it all seems really complicated.

"If they find out...about me? Will I have to be...?"

Esme stopped walking before turning to face the girl who watched her with wary hazel eyes. She reached out and held Eve's hands in hers.

"If you don't want to be changed, then we'll find a way to keep you away from them for as long as possible. Carlisle and I have discussed possibly relocating to another one of our homes once Bella is changed. She'll need to be away from humans for a long while before she can go back into the real world."

Eve frowned, "So I'll...stay in Forks?"

Worry began to stir in her stomach as she tried to imagine herself living all alone in her old house. A cold, dreaded place filled with horrific memories. It made her want to beg Carlisle to take her with them. To ask Jasper to stay with her since imagining a world without him was just as bad.

Jasper.

If he leaves with the Cullens too-

"Eve," she startled when Esme cupped her cheek and gently urged her to look at her again. Esme's expression turned to one of resolve as she spoke, "you are a part of this family now. You won't stay in Forks without at least a few of us here to keep you company. No, my darling, I meant that when the time comes for Bella and Edward to join us after her change, Carlisle and I want to have you stay with us in a home away from Bella until she can control her bloodthirst. It would devastate us if anything happened to you."

"Oh..."

They want her with them...

Her cheeks warmed, and Esme smiled, "You know, since you said you felt ready to go back to school again, maybe it would be best if we started going around town running errands together. You could accompany me to the grocery store if you would like. It wouldn't be too bad if some people saw you with us before you return to school. It would be easier to transition that way."

That made her heart skitter in her chest.

Eve bit her lip as she contemplated her next words, but before she could say anything, Esme spoke, "It's all up to you, Eve. You get to decide."

There it was again.

You decide.

It's your choice.

No matter how much time has passed by since Hendricks—it'll never cease to surprise Eve to hear one of the Cullen's reminders that she had a say in her own life now. She can decide if she wants to take a walk with Jasper on the shore of the lake, she can help Rosalie in the garage and learn how to fix up cars. Or talk to Bella in the living room in peace whenever she wants.

She can love someone without being fearful of being hurt by them. It's harder to wrap her head around that one, but Eve is trying, and that had to count as something. So she held Esme's hand tight before hugging her, closing her eyes when the woman's hugged her back lovingly.

"I would...like that, Esme."

Esme smiled as she kept her arm wrapped around Eve's shoulders and led her back towards the house, "Wonderful, then we'll go into town tomorrow."

As they walked into the house from the back entrance, Eve stopped short when she noticed Alice sitting on the loveseat on her own, staring out the window absentmindedly. Looking up at Esme hesitantly, she felt relieved to see her smile and nod encouragingly, "I'll be close by if you need me."

As Esme made her way through the room to find Carlisle, she couldn't help but place her hand over Alice's shoulder affectionately. Eve couldn't help but notice how Alice stiffened at her mother's touch and only looked at Esme after she walked out of the room. The longing and sadness in her dark eyes were unmistakable.

Taking a deep breath, Eve clutched her hands as she took slow steps towards Alice, who was now looking at her own hands on her lap.

"Hi, Alice."

"Eve." She replied in a pleasant tone, but her expression completely contradicted her tone.

"Can...I sit?" Eve motioned for the chair on the opposite side of the little nook in the room that allowed them to stare out through the large window. Alice motioned for her to take a seat but didn't look too thrilled about having a companion now. Eve and Alice sat in silence for a long moment before the girl couldn't take it anymore and decided to bite the bullet and say what she needed to say, "I never got to say thank you for saving me from Victoria."

Alice shrugged, "It wouldn't have been good if she killed you. I was doing us all a favor."

"Right...the blood..."

Alice finally focused her gaze on Eve, "No, not just because of the blood. This family loves you. Jasper cares for you. It would have been cruel to let her kill you and leave it at that. Only a true monster would be capable of doing such a thing, and luckily, I'm not that far gone."

Right...

"Well, regardless of why you did it...I still wanted to say thank you," Eve hesitated for a second as she watched Alice shift in her seat slightly, her thin legs crossing as her hands cupped her knee in a quaint, feminine sort of way. The light blue blouse she wore brought out the dark colors of her short hair and pretty eyes. The slight makeup she used, probably put on for show to appear like a typical teenage girl, made Alice seem younger, yet it didn't quite mask the stoic look on her face now, "I won't forget what you did for me. You're a good person, Alice."

A low chuckle made her heart beat a little faster. As Alice stood up from her seat swiftly, Eve tensed as she tilted her head up to watch Alice looking down on her, "I think you and I both know that's a lie, Evelyn. But thank you for saying that."

"It's not a lie," she pressed and focused on the pixie's hand, wanting to reach out and hold her hand to show Alice somehow that she wasn't afraid of her. Instead, she stood and made sure to face her without breaking away from Alice's serious gaze, "I really do believe that. I may have said things that I regret now about how we should stay away from one another, but no matter what happened in the past...it's over. There's nothing we can do to change it, but we have now. We can try to be...friendly to one another. Is that not something you'd like?"

Light in Alice's eyes seemed to fill her amber eyes as her lips parted, the words on the tip of her tongue that Eve hoped she would hear, but it was all quickly extinguished when the sound of Emmett calling Alice's name from downstairs made her move again.

"I have to go. We're guarding Charlie's house tonight."

"Alice."

Looking over her shoulder before she could walk into the hall, Alice saw genuine concern in Eve's eyes as she clutched her forearm with her hand nervously, "Be careful..."

With a hesitant nod, she murmured, "Thank you...Eve."

As soon as Alice was gone, Eve sunk back into the loveseat and released yet another sigh as her hands trembled. The fear that was normally there whenever she saw Alice hadn't been as prominent this time, and there were no emotions on the pixie's face there to tell her that Alice truly hated the girl. For a moment, they were just two young women scarred by their own demons working to heal themselves. No matter what Alice's scars were to make her appear so hollow and angry with the world - Eve didn't see any of it directed towards her.

That's something...right?

Eve really hoped it did because if she couldn't repair the nearly non-existent relationship with Alice, how can she ever expect to become a part of this family?

Thanks for reading x

What did you think about Alice and Eve's short exchange?

Next update: 04/25 or 05/02 (if I get too swamped with work and other projects)