"...I face the dawn with sleepless eyes..."

Chapter 12

As Edward drive me to his house I looked out the window and watched as we passed over the bridge at the Calawah River, the road winding northward, the houses flashing past us growing farther apart, getting bigger. And then we were past the other houses altogether, driving through misty forest. I was trying to decide whether to ask or be patient, when he turned abruptly onto an unpaved road. It was unmarked, barely visible among the ferns. The forest encroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead only discernible for a few meters as it twisted, serpent like, around the ancient trees.

It wasn't like I hadn't seen this route before but being here, in reality, made the journey strange in some way. It feels like I had missed so many details but at the moment I couldn't see them.

As Edward abruptly stopped the car out side of the Cullen house, I couldn't help saying, "Wow". The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. My truck was the only car in sight. I could hear the river close by, hidden in the obscurity of the forest. It was one of Esme's best work but I still missed the smile house that me, Edward and Renesme shared.

"You like it?" He smiled.

"I love all of Esme's designs. She truely has a talent for it." I responded in awe.

He pulled the end of my ponytail and chuckled.

"Ready?" he asked, opening my door.

"Of course, would I lie?"

He shook his head and chuckled, not really giving me answer, but I could tell he trusted me completely. Edward stood by the door, waiting for me to mentally prepare myself, and then opened it. Waiting to greet us, standing just to the left of the door, on a raised portion of the floor by a spectacular grand piano, were Edward's parents.

"Carlisle, Esme," Edward's voice broke the short silence, "this is Bella."

"You're very welcome, Bella." Carlisle's step was measured, careful as he approached me. He raised his hand tentatively, and I stepped forward to shake hands with him.

"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen."

"Please, call me Carlisle."

"Good because I was scared I would slip up."

"Slip up?" He asked and I flushed in embarrassment. Great, I really can't keep secrets or tell lies or anything. I am a useless human.

"Um, yeah. In my head I usually call you Carlisle. It is a habit I picked up from the dream world." I smiled and then as an after thought I added, "Sorry."

"No, Bella" Carlisle shook his head, "That is perfectly fine."

Esme smiled and stepped forward as well, reaching for my hand. Her cold, stone grasp was just as I expected.

"It's very nice to know you," she said sincerely.

"Thank you. I'm glad to meet you, too."

"Where are Alice and Jasper?" Edward asked, but no one answered, as they had just appeared at the top of the wide staircase.

"Hey, Edward!" Alice called enthusiastically. She ran down the stairs, a streak of black hair and white skin, coming to a sudden and graceful stop in front of me. Carlisle and Esme shot warning glances at her, but I liked it. It was natural - for her, anyway.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice said, and she bounced forward to kiss my cheek.

"This is what I meant." I hissed in Edward's ear. "She is probably already planning a shopping trip." All of the Cullen's laughed and I realized that iI had completely forgotten that they had super hearing. I turned to Alice expecting to see her will her hands on her hip and her an expression which was too serious for an argument about shopping. However what I saw was much worse. She was smiling. No, she was grinning evilly and it was a grin I had seen many times before. It was the grin that she wore when she kidnapped me because Edward had paid her off with a car.

"No, no, no!" I shook me head from right to left with every syllable. "I am not going shopping with you. You can't make me." I wailed childishly while hiding behind Edward's back.

Alice huffed and said, "Fine." But I knew she hadn't given up yet.

"Hello, Bella," Jasper said and to my surprise he walked over to shake my hand. I thought that my sent would be to strong for him and that he would keep his distance, but I shook it off though.

"Jasper." I greeted and then said, "In case I forget in the future. I would like to thank you for teaching me how to fight, it really came in handy."

For a moment he was stunned but then he made a gesture, as if he was bowing an invisible hat and said, "Your very welcome, ma'am."

Rosalie and Emmett were nowhere in sight. It made me a little sad that not all of my family was here to greet me but then I can't expect them all to like me off the bat.

"So, Bella" Esme stared, "Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"

I shrugged, "There's not much to tell. When I was fourteen I mysteriously ended up in a coma and I woke up about a month and a half ago. My mum remarried and went somewhere- no one can find her or her new husband- so I was sent to Charlie." I finished.

"Oh, i'm sorry dear."

"It's okay."

There was a long stretch of silence before i finally ask them, "Doesn't my scent bother you? I mean none of you seem to be having as hard a time with my scent as in my..." I trailed off not knowing if they all knew about me dream of not.

The Cullen's didn't show any indication that my hesitation mystified them. Jasper was the first to speak, "You don't smell very appetizing to be honest. You smell nice but not in a way that would..."

"Make you want to eat me." He nodded, along with the other Cullen's. "Not even you?" I questioned, looking up into Edwards eyes. He shook his head 'no'. I didn't understand. Was this something else that had changed? Had fate finally dealt me a fall house of cards? No that couldn't be it, my scent was definitely appealing to Edward when we first met. Then maybe it was me? Had my shield evolved in some way? I had no idea and all I could do was speculate.

"So what else have you seen in your dream?" Carlisle asked.

"I know about you and your pasts. The Denali coven. The Volturi. Newborn vampires. The immortal children. The events of the next 3 years." I tick each piece of knowledge of with my fingers.

"What future events?" Alice questioned.

"I don't know if I can tell you that..."

"Then what can you tell me?"

"I can't tell you about the life you can't remember."