I'm so sorry about the delay. There's been a lot going on. :/

Big thanks to Fran, Mr G and Me, and Monica03 for their help ... and to everyone who continues to read, review, and favorite this story. It means so much to me. Thank you.

Any mistakes you see are my own.

SM owns everything Twilight. Me? I currently own anxiety ... or does it own me? LOL

Nothing is said for the first minute.

Dad's heavy, choked breathing followed by his eyes rapidly darting from side to side are the only clues that the connection isn't lost.

I remain silent, letting him have this moment and feeling extremely self-conscious, especially when I can see my bright red eyes, paler than ever complexion, and my dark brown hair, undyed hair.

Ugh.

Unable to take the silence, I do what I do best.

"Pictures last longer. Then again," I muse with a purse of my lips as I lift my right arm, lightly pinching the skin of my bicep. It gives, but just barely. "Apparently, I do now, too. So, that's a relief for some and a nightmare for others."

Dad chokes out a laugh, his chin dropping to his chest as his shoulders shake. In the background, I can hear the relieved laughs and cries from my cousins.

"Bella," Dad croaks visible tear tracks on his cheeks.

The sight of him crying makes me uncomfortable and reminds me of when Mom was hurt.

It's so weird to see him crying, and I don't like it.

It's not an image I associate with my dad, and it makes me feel responsible, regardless of how ridiculous that feeling is.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"Honey, no," he immediately says, swiping a hand over his face. "No. Don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry about, okay? I'm just … relieved you're all right."

Waving a dismissive hand, I roll my eyes. "Please. Like there'd be any other option."

He huffs a laugh. His words, however, are full of sorrow. "I should have known better. You're tough; it was just … so long. When your mother was bitten … she wasn't out for that long."

"How long is it supposed to be?"

My eyes meet my mom's over the top of the cell phone. "Three days."

I swallow past the thickness in my throat, still feeling bad for the worry I caused. "Well, I guess we're just a family of freaks then, huh?"

"Almost. We're a good portion, though," Dad says with a chuckle. "How are you, honey?"

If I were to be honest, I'd tell him without hesitation that I'm fucking terrified. The way I had acted out hunting today is at the forefront of my mind, along with the weird 'gift' I seem to possess.

It's a lot of unknowns and scary situations that seem so uncontrollable now.

Deep down, however, I know that won't be the case.

I don't know whether it's the calmness everyone has over my gift or the fact that I believe Edward when he says he'll help me, but I believe him.

And I believe in everyone else, too.

After all, most of the people under this roof have obviously been around for a long time, and if they're not worried, then why should I be?

There's still a little bit of nagging doubt there. This is extremely new territory for me; there's nothing to look up in a book or on the Internet to learn on my own. I have to rely on other people to help me understand this, something I haven't done in quite a while.

I'm used to figuring out my issues on my own, with a little advice from Rose, Jasper, and the parental units every now and then.

Now, there's nothing I can do except lean on other people, and I'm not sure I can do that patiently.

I'll have to learn, though.

I don't want a repeat of earlier happening ever again.

Mom clears her throat delicately, and my attention snaps to her. When she nods down at the phone in my hand, I look, seeing my father's worried face on the screen.

I must have zoned out.

Another thing I'll have to learn to control.

"Sorry. I'm fine. There's a lot … my senses are really good. Like supreme stereo and the highest ultra HD good. It's a little distracting."

"Your Mom complained about that too. You'll find that balance again, Bella. It'll take time, but be patient," he tells me with a pointed look. "And listen to the others. They'll help you and guide you along."

"I'll try," I grumble, my thumbnail scratching at the cuticle of my middle finger.

"Try your absolute best, kid. I know how you are."

"Yeah, yeah. I will. So, how are you?"

He blows out a breath, his cheeks hollowing as he does so. "Better now. I was a nervous wreck for a bit, there."

"Aw, you do care about me."

"Yeah, well, my manufacturer messed up somewhere."

Loudly, I cackle, because I had made that joke so many times before.

I guess I had to get it from someone.

Dad smiles at my laugh, the corners of his mustache climbing high on his cheeks. "I know I'm a broken record with this, Bells, but I'm glad you're okay. You're all driving me into an early grave, you know?"

In the background, I hear Rose and Jasper hissing at each other, fighting over who will be talking to me first. Rose is absolutely sure it will be her, and I have to bite my lip at her reasoning.

"I'm older than you."

"By five minutes and forty-three seconds!" Jasper argues, astonished and full of disbelief. "That doesn't mean shit! I wanna talk to her first! We both love horror movies."

Rose scoffs. "And I'm a girl, just like she is. And I like art, just like she does. Let's not get into interests here, Jasper. I'm going first, and that's all there is to it."

"Bitch," I hear Jasper mumble.

It must be too low for Rose to hear because I don't hear any insults exchanged or the sound of flesh striking flesh.

Good.

It'll be blackmail material.

"Bella?" Dad calls, bringing my attention back to him.

"Sorry."

He nods in understanding. "You hear your cousins? Are they fighting?"

I hum my response, doing a combination of a shrug and a nod because I'm not going to give up what they're fighting about.

Dad laughs, shaking his head. "Some things will never change, I see."

In the background, their bickering resumes, and Dad rolls his eyes before turning toward them. "Will you two knock it off? I'm talking to her first. I'm her favorite."

He sends me a wink, and I snort. "Favorite to torment. You know, I can't sleep now. I'll have to find something to do to fill the long days and nights."

Dad groans, scrubbing a hand over his face. "Bella, why don't you love me anymore? Why would you say that to me?"

"I was talking about thinking of ways to torture you. Get your mind out of the gutter."

He sputters, and I can't help but cackle at his reaction.

Rose and Jasper join in, too, their laughter loud through the tiny speaker. It makes my chest hurt, and my eyes burn and blur, and reflexively, I wipe at my cheeks but find nothing there.

"I miss you guys," I mumble, scratching at my cuticles again.

There's nothing said in response, and I figure it must have been too low for human ears to pick up, but Mom hears it just fine. She walks over, pressing a tender kiss to my head, and squeezes my shoulders once.

"You'll see them again soon," she whispers.

I scoff at this, knowing it won't be as soon as I like.

"What's wrong?" Dad asks.

"What is it?"

"What's going on? Let us see!"

Rose and Jasper speak over one another, their hands pressing down on Dad's shoulders as they place their heads by his, trying to see the screen for themselves.

I laugh at this image because with their heads pressed together, they look like a demented science experiment gone wrong.

"You guys look worse than a B-horror movie prop reject."

Rose and Jasper gasp, their eyes wide and their mouths hanging open in shock as they stare at me with astonishment. Dad merely sits back, watching them with amusement and wistfulness that's hard to miss.

"What?" I snap, feeling more self-conscious the longer the silence continues.

"Bella," Rose breathes, a shaking hand coming up to cover her trembling lips. "You … you're okay."

"That's up for debate," I mutter, ignoring my mother, clearing her throat in obvious disapproval.

"Bella," Jasper says, the one word filled with relief. "Hi."

I snort a laugh, unnecessarily scratching at my temple at the simple word he had chosen, but I understand. I know what he's feeling; I felt the same way about Mom when she returned after Laurent bit her. It's a mixture of relief and disbelief, coupled with amazement that something supernatural actually exists and helps bring the people you love back to you.

It's an overwhelming feeling, and I'm not sure how Jasper is handling it with Rose and Dad so close to him, but I imagine he's become a little bit of a pro handling things like that.

Still, I can't help but tease him just a little.

"That's all you have to say? 'Hi'? I almost died and became a vampire, dude. I expected a grand speech, some crying, and a mental breakdown or some shit. All I get is 'hi'? That sucks," I tease.

It takes Jasper a moment of staring wide-eyed and somewhat star-struck at the camera before his normal attitude returns.

"Well, you're not that special. And your hair is normal again. Ha! Sucks for you."

My eyes flit down to the small square showing myself, and I feel a bubble of anger pop at what I see.

"You're an asshole," I hiss, the sound coming out angrier than intended.

Jasper rears back if I slapped him, his eyes wide. Rose's eyebrows raise high on her forehead; her lips parted in shock. Dad merely stares, his lips pursed in concern.

"Sorry, jerk-face. I didn't mean to use that tone," I tell him, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Mom groans, her head falling back as she throws her hands up in the air. "Bella Marie, apologize without the language."

"Sorry," I mutter, reprimanded.

A second later, booming laughter can be heard from downstairs, mainly coming from Emmett.

I huff, turning in my seat. "Piss off, you guys!"

"Bella," Mom warns again, shooting me a pointed look. She plucks the phone from my grip as it starts to crack, holding it in front of me.

"Jasper started it!"

"And I'm ending it. Calm down."

Behind me, I hear a rush of footsteps coming into the room, followed by Edward's familiar scent. I breathe deeply and watch wordlessly as he nods at my mother and gives a small, crooked smile.

"Such a temper," he teases. "I like it."

"Pervert," I mumble, watching as he folds himself down on the floor near my feet, resting the side of his head near my knee. "Why are you here? Are you here to help me? Or just annoy me?"

He hums in response, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out.

Remembering my mother's advice, I copy him, matching my breaths to his and focusing on our combined rhythm, as well as the weight of Edward's head next to my leg.

The frustration I had felt eases away slowly, leaving me feeling slightly foolish and dramatic.

My attention reverts to the phone Mom is still holding. I mouth an apology, but she waves it off, handing the device back to me and returning to her seat, where she and Edward start to converse quietly.

During my little tantrum, I realize Dad must have muted their side of the conversation because I can see them talking, but I hear no sound.

Rose and Jasper are gesturing wildly at the phone, their faces pale, except for a spot of color high on their cheeks. Dad sits by, shaking his head every so often and waving a hand, clearly not intimidated by their mutual anger.

I try to make out what they're saying, but thanks to their movements, it blurs their lips, making it almost impossible to understand what they're saying.

One thing I catch Dad saying is my name, but everything else is lost.

Tired of the mime show, I decide to interrupt.

"Hello?"

Simultaneously, they freeze and reach for the phone, the screen a blur of fingers ad random shots of the ceiling.

"It's my phone, damn it!" I hear Dad call out moments later. When the camera is upright, Dad huffs, giving a playful scowl to my cousins. "You're brats, the both of you."

Rose rolls her eyes while she tries to hide her grin, but Jasper is ignoring him. His expression is serious and aimed at me.

"Are you okay? What was that?"

"Sorry. My hair is a soft spot for me … and my temper is wicked now."

"Well," Jasper starts, his lips quirking in a grin. "That hasn't changed, at least. The only thing different now is that you can kill me with your pinky."

"Jasper!" Rose cries, outraged.

Dad flicks his ear, shooting him a stern look as he recoils and spins around, his face set in a grimace.

He looks as if he's going to apologize, but I shake my head once. He's not wrong about that statement, and there's no reason to sugarcoat it.

I'm a deadly creature now.

And I intend to hold that over his head for as long as I can.

"You're right; I am pretty badass," I joke. "And I have a long memory of all the shit you did to me, Jasper. My time for revenge is now."

He pales, his throat bobbing up and down comically as he stares to shake his head and laugh nervously, pulling the collar of his shirt away from his throat.

From the floor, I feel Edward shift and feel the familiar tingle of someone watching me. My eyes quickly drift to him, seeing his raised eyebrow and pursed lips as he stares pensively.

I shoot him a look that clearly asks what he's thinking, but attention is brought back to the cell phone in my hand.

"Be-Bella, that's not necessary," Jasper stammers, beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead.

Snickering, I tap my pursed lips, my eyes drifting up to the ceiling, where I surprisingly see tiny particles of dust drifting through the air, sparkling in the artificial and natural light of the room.

I watch them, fascinated as they dance above me, moving every which way, almost as if they were falling from a cloud, like the snow outside.

Astonishingly, there's not a lot of dust in this room—or in areas of the house I've seen, to be honest.

I shouldn't be surprised, though.

I'm sure you can get a lot of cleaning done with not sleeping and fast speed.

"Bella? You okay?"

"What?" I ask, snapping my attention back to the cell phone.

When I realize I had once again got lost in thought—from something as trivial as dust, no less—I release a growl of frustration, gritting my teeth together.

Edward slides a hand up my calf, squeezing the back of my knee once, and the action calms me somewhat.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking of which deed I want to punish you for first … and how."

Clearly, my acting skills need to be strengthened because it's obvious he doesn't believe me.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," I reply immediately, my tone slightly sharp. Edward squeezes my knee again, and I release a breath, willing myself to calm. "How are you guys? Doing okay?"

Rose raises an eyebrow at my question, her features hardening. "Do you think we're doing okay? You were severely injured, in a coma, and turned into a vampire!"

By the end of her speech, her voice is high and almost screeching, slightly hysterical; only dogs can hear it pitch.

I don't give her shit over it, though, because her eyes become glassy with tears, and seconds later, fat drops of moisture cascade down her cheeks as her chin trembles.

Jasper immediately pulls her into a tight hug, whispering reassurances in her ear, and she cries. Dad hovers in the background, rubbing a hand over her back and murmuring his own words of comfort.

I'm not sure if she hears them or notices the breaks in their own voices, but I do.

I see tears slip down Jasper's cheeks as he tries to be strong for his twin, pushing past his own quivering chin.

Dad's the same way, sniffling here and there while scrubbing his free hand over his face in an attempt to erase the evidence of his own tears.

In my periphery, I see Mom frown and look away, rubbing her forehead. When Rose's sobs increase, she jumps up from her seat and dashes from the room.

"Mom," I whisper, intending to rise, but Edward squeezes my knee, sending me a small smile.

I want to shake him off and snap at Rose, telling her how she's hurting Mom, but Edward's next murmur of words stops me.

"Esme's going after her. She'll be okay. Talk to your family."

Carefully, I listen, hearing Esme's kind voice call after my mother, her tone low and comforting as she attempts to ease my mother's distress.

"I took away my baby's life," Mom cries, her voice breaking in multiple places. "I broke up our family and hurt them."

"You did no such thing, Renee," Esme firmly tells her, leaving no room for discussion. "You saved your daughter. You gave her a chance to live. She's here, now, because of you."

"No. I almost killed her. I almost drained her blood and finished the job that bastard Royce had started."

"No," Esme repeats. "She was going to die, Renee. Carlisle didn't think she was going to get better. You heard how weak her heart was, how it stopped during surgery, and the surgeon's difficulty getting her back. You saved her."

"Edward turned her."

"He helped. Renee, don't do this. Don't beat yourself up. Bella is alive. She's here with you now."

"Did you hear how upset my kids were? My husband? I made him cry. Again. After I swore to myself I'd never hurt him again. That I'd never hurt them again … and I did."

There's rustling of fabric and the slight squeak of wood grating against wood. "They're upset, yes. It was a traumatic event your family went through. Plus, with Bella's delayed awakening, everything has been upsetting because we don't know what to expect. But everything will be okay, Renee. I promise."

"We're not okay," Rose continues, oblivious to what just happened. Strangely enough, Rose's words match the conversation Mom is having with Esme perfectly.

Weird.

I wish I were there in person, so I grab her shoulders and meet her stare, letting her see the seriousness of my words, but for now, this is all I have.

Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders and look at her unblinkingly, hoping the internet connection is good so she'll see everything I'm hoping to convey.

"Thanks for the recap. I'm glad I didn't miss anything."

"Bella, you—"

"You're okay, Rose," I interrupt. "You know how I know that? Because you're strong. You're so strong. You help take care of us, and you love us. You've survived all that shit with Royce and the bullshit drama of high school. You're strong."

"But," she starts, her voice cracking. "You're not here."

"But I'm alive. I'm still here. I'm just … on vacation from you lunatics."

It's not much, but I see a hint of a smile. When Jasper and Dad laugh, it grows a little bigger before dimming.

"I miss you, Bella. Saying … saying goodbye to you was hard. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do." She pauses, her eyes cast down. "I don't … I want you back here. I need you."

I plaster on a smile, feeling a sliver of panic start to worm its way down the crown of my head. That already familiar tingling starts to ripple down my body, extending slightly as if it's an appendage stretching out.

Edward looks up at me, his eyes sharp, no doubt feeling the tension that has ensnared me. He shifts, one hand gripping my ankle tightly while the other moves freely, his fingers lightly massaging my calf.

I focus on the feeling of him, reminding myself that my family is hundreds of miles away; I'm no threat to them here.

However, I could still imagine what a disastrous reunion it would be.

Me, snarling and growling, while they remain frozen and petrified, helplessly waiting for me to pounce and drain them of life. They'd scream, for sure, wanting help from my mother and the Cullen's, but they wouldn't be of any help. Whatever gift would keep them at bay; I know it would.

I had seen it do that very thing when I went hunting. The Cullen's would all be horrified and scared, doing their best to talk me down from the bloodlust I had fallen into … and then I'd probably hurt them too.

A part of me vehemently denies this would ever happen.

They're my family.

I'd do anything for them because I love them.

Then, the other side of me hisses that I had almost killed half of this house earlier today, and they don't even smell appealing.

Geez, if that's the case, what would I do if I smelled a human?

I push away the thought, not wanting to consider the possibility.

No, until I know for sure I won't go psycho like that again, they have to stay far away from me.

"Well, now you can breathe a little easier, okay?" I tell her, ignoring her words. "You're encroaching on Edward's emo territory, and I'm not sure he'd like it. Jasper either, for that matter. He can be moody too."

Edward scoffs, his fingers tickling the bottom of my foot, and I laugh, kicking him away and wincing when he flies across the room. Luckily, he catches himself before he can hit the wall, shooting me a look of exasperation.

"Sorry."

He rolls his eyes and takes his previous spot near my legs, staring off at some point in the room.

"What happened?" Rose asks, leaning closer toward the phone as if it'll make it possible for her to see what's going on.

"Nothing. Edward tickled me, and I accidentally kicked him too hard."

Rose smirks, laughing lightly. Dad lets his laugh go, the sound loud and clearly joyful.

Jasper is the only one who doesn't appear to find the situation amusing and continues to watch me, his stare penetrating and calculating.

Pointedly, I ignore him and continue my conversation with Rose and Dad. I'm not sure what he thinks he knows, but he's wrong.

"So, what's new? Besides me being all-around awesome now."

Rose rolls her eyes, and even though she's trying to be annoyed, I can see the love she has for me there.

"We haven't really gone out of the house. We haven't felt like it."

My eyebrows come together in confusion. "But what about school?"

"Be-Bella," she sputters, disbelief coloring her words. "You were run over and put in the hospital by an escaped fuckwad who's hopefully burning in hell for all eternity."

"Rosalie," Dad scolds, but there's no force behind it. His smile is proud and bright.

"Okay. Thanks for the recap. Again. What's the cover-up? Did you kill me off?"

Rose sputters, eyes wide and mouth agape. "What? You … you're morbid!"

"Well, there has to be something said about my sudden disappearance from the hospital. It'll look too weird." I pause, thinking back to when I had been bitten. All I can remember is a scorching fire from the inside out, flooding my body with pain.

I push past the unsettling memory and fear, recalling hearing them saying I had died during another surgery.

"Is that what you did? I think I remember someone saying about another surgery?"

Dad nods. "Yeah, that was the original plan, but—" he stops, swallowing loudly and looking away for a moment before returning his focus to the phone. "But I couldn't. I couldn't say you died. Call me superstitious or whatever, but I couldn't. So, we told everyone you were moved to a private hospital in Seattle."

Rose and Jasper nod, the latter still staring at me like I'm some puzzle he has to figure out. The urge to ask him why he's staring is getting to be too much, but I refrain.

I have a feeling I wouldn't like his answer anyway.

"We didn't want that out in the universe," Rose continues. "It felt like if we said it, then it would come true or something. We weren't sure you'd actually survive the … transformation. Carlisle said—" she stops to wipe at the moisture on her cheeks. "Carlisle said you lost a lot of blood. And you were so out of it, Bella. You were mumbling and screaming, and you were so pale. It was scary. When you didn't wake up when you supposed to … well, we thought the worst."

"You worry too much. I'm fine. And kind of disappointed. Not gonna lie."

"Why?"

"Because! How many chances does a person get to go to their own funeral?"

Rose grimaces, looking disgusted. "You're warped. I told you those horror movies would impact you!"

I roll my eyes. "Please. I've always been weird."

Dad nods. "True. You used to talk to the wall."

I wave a hand. "See. And I wasn't talking to the wall; I was probably talking to a ghost."

"You should have hospitalized her, Uncle Charlie," Jasper says.

I ignore him and continue. "So, that's the story? I'm in a special hospital?"

"Yes," Dad replies. "For now, that's how it'll be … and it's the easiest explanation as to why your mother and Carlisle are gone since he was your doctor at the hospital here."

Murmuring an agreement, I nod. "Okay. Sounds good to me. I just wish it was a little more … scandalized."

Dad rolls his eyes and shakes his head in exasperation, probably already knowing where this is going.

Rose looks leery and confused, no doubt knowing that nothing good is coming from my words and her subsequent question.

"How can it be more scandalized? You were almost murdered by Royce. I think that tops it. It's all anyone can talk about, really."

"Ignore the attempted murder thing," I say, waving a hand.

Dad huffs, his face hardening. "The only reason it's being ignored is because it's been taken care of. Otherwise, I'd hunt him down myself."

Rose spins around, her hair slapping Jasper in the face. I point and snicker, hoping it'll warrant a reaction out of him, but it doesn't.

The weirdo.

"What? What happened? When? How? What?"

"Edward killed him," I answer simply, wanting to get back on track.

Rose sits up straighter, her mouth dropping open with a gasped exclamation. "Edward? Really?"

"Emmett helped," Edward murmured.

"Really?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He nods. "He just didn't take his blood. He broke a few bones and dislocated a few things before I finished him off. Renee supervised."

"It was a group effort then," I drawl.

"What was a group effort?" Rose asks, her voice high.

"Apparently, Emmett and Mom helped."

Rose reaches a hand out, blindly grasping for someone or something to hold on to, while the other hand covers her mouth, her head shaking back and forth as her eyes shine with tears. Even though Jasper is still busy staring at me, he's in tune with his twin's need for support and pulls her into a one-armed hug while Dad sits in the background, patting her shoulder.

"Really? He's gone?" Her voice is no louder than a broken whisper, but I hear her clearly.

"Yeah. He's gone, Rose. You don't have to worry about him anymore."

A burst of laughter leaves her, and she slaps a hand over her mouth seconds later. "I shouldn't laugh at the dead."

"You shouldn't be ashamed of being relieved he's gone," Dad tells her. "I don't agree with laughing at the dead either, but he wasn't a nice person, Rosalie."

She nods in agreement, swallowing thickly. "Yeah … and Em-Emmett helped?"

I shrug a shoulder, wondering why she stuttered over his name. "Apparently. I'm just relaying what I was told. The rest you'd have to get from him."

Rose averts her eyes and smoothes her hair hanging over her shoulder while she shifts in her chair, clearing her throat. "Back on the subject; what could be more scandalized than nearly getting murdered?"

Cocking my head to the side, I watch her closely, noting how she's looking at the phone, but she's not looking at me. If I weren't wondering why she's being so evasive, I'd make a remark about her being her vain as hell, but I'll save it for later.

"What's up with you?"

"What do you mean?" She questions, false confusion dripping from her words.

Not even Jasper or my Dad look convinced. They stare at her along with me, waiting for her explanation.

"Stop staring at me!" She snaps, continuing to smooth down her hair. "I'm tired … and stressed and anxious. I've been worried about you, Bella. I've been wondering if you were going to be okay, so forgive me for acting weird when one of my family members was in a state of limbo!"

Unluckily for her, none of us are convinced.

Edward doesn't know her that well, and even he looks at the phone with disbelief.

"Rose cut the crap. What's going on? And don't subject change!"

Pressing her lips together, she shakes her head once and turns away, crossing her arms over her chest. Jasper rolls his eyes, calling her names under his breath.

Footsteps approach, and I see Emmett come slowly in, his eyes focusing on the phone in my hand. Alice follows behind him, tugging on his sleeve as she tries to get him to leave, but he refuses. He sits in the chair my mother occupied a little bit ago, staring at the device in my hand worriedly.

Alice huffs, flicking his ear, smirking when he jerks away with a glare. He starts to speak, but Alice throws a finger against her lips, pointing to me.

Scolded, he gives me an apologetic look, going back to staring pathetically.

I look from Rose's face to Emmett's, wondering if they had some sort of fight … but over what?

The only thing I can think of is the accident.

Does Rose blame Emmett for not saving me?

It sounds plausible because Rose is fiercely protective of her family and would want someone else to be saved before her.

Vaguely, I recall her telling Emmett something along those lines— that he could have saved me too, but that's not his fault; he couldn't have done anything to save me if even Edward couldn't help.

"Why are you mad at Emmett?"

Rose's head jerks toward me so quickly, I'm afraid she'll snap her neck. Dad sputters as her hair hits him, shooting her a disgruntled look, though she ignores him.

Her eyes narrow, and her nostrils flare, her hands fisting the sleeves of her shirt.

"What do you mean? Everything is fine."

"Everything is fine, huh?"

Keeping my eyes on her, I stare unblinkingly, tapping my fingers against the arm of the chair. It would be more dramatic if she were here and able to hear me, but I'll take what I can get.

"Yes."

"Interesting," I murmur, nodding slowly.

In the background, Dad grins, clearly approving my unblinking stare and calm demeanor … asper merely impressed while trying not to laugh outright at the circus happening right now.

"Because I'm staring at Emmett, and he looks anything but fine," I tell her, flipping the phone so she can see just how despondent her boyfriend is.

He tries to hide it, but he's not fast enough; Rose's gasp of his name is enough to tell me she's seen him and knows what he's going through right now.

Returning the camera to me, I wave a hand. "Explain. Wait, wait; let me guess, you're mad because he didn't help me too?"

Her jaw flexes as she grinds her teeth, her eyes flashing in anger.

"Rose, Emmett couldn't have done anything. He was trying to get you out of the way, which is what he should have done. Alice was busy watching over Jasper, and Edward couldn't get me out of the way without hurting me more. I was just … shit out of luck at the moment. The wrong place. The only person who's at fault here is Royce. Not Emmett or Edward or Alice."

Her glare remains for a solid thirty seconds before it fades, crumbling into sadness. She cries, covering her face and sobs into her hands.

"I-I-it was my fault! If I had listened to you and Jasper and told Uncle Charlie what he was like—"

"You wouldn't have listened," I interrupt. "I recall telling you he was a major asshole, and you deserved better multiple times … and I also recall you telling me to mind my own business with that bitchy, defiant tone you use so much."

Her cheeks flood with color. "Yeah, but—"

"Cut it out; you're not responsible for other people's actions."

I give her a hard stare, and she finally relents with a huff and a curt nod. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."

"I won't accept it until you talk to Emmett. He looks miserable, and it's not a good look for him." I look at him, throwing a hand up in mock disgust. "Have some dignity, man!"

This gets both of them to crack a smile.

"I'll talk to him later," Rose promises. "First, I want to have more time with you."

"Fine. Then you'll make up and spread my scandalized departure from Forks."

Rose tilts her head to the side, an eyebrow raised. "And what might that be?"

"Running off in the middle of the night with your boyfriend to live in sin, of course. From there, the rumors will run rampant with juicy ideas and theories. Jasper, keep an ear out for me, will you?"

Both he and Dad groan, scrubbing their faces with disgust clear on their features.

Edward merely looks intrigued and curious, his face holding expectation and want. I shrug a shoulder in response, not giving him an answer either way.

I'm not going to plan when we have sex; I won't be one of those people who wants it to be perfect and go off beautifully.

From the many—and unwanted—talks with my mother, not to mention hearing stories around school, I know it won't be perfect or sweet or magical.

No amount of planning will make it that way, and I find the idea of planning something like that ridiculous.

My plan is not to have a plan … and let it happen naturally.

And not be around family members because that'll be awkward.

Edward gives me a crooked grin, his fingers gently sweeping against the skin of my ankle. I shiver lightly, not even knowing that was a particularly sensitive area.

Seeing my reaction, Edward's grin broadens, and he does it again, but this time I keep my expression neutral, hoping it comes across as bored.

I'm blaming that shiver on my body's new advancements; with my eyesight, hearing, and movement all better than ever, I'm sure my skin is more sensitive now, too.

Edward chuckles, doing it again while pressing a kiss to the outside of my knee.

"Dude, stop," Emmett reprimands halfheartedly. "What is it with you doing stuff like that with an audience?"

Causally, Edward flips him off, keeping his focus on me, his fingers wandering higher up my legs with slow, sweeping motions.

"Only you would want something like that," Rose says, bringing my attention back to her.

I really hate how easily distracted I get.

I don't know how everyone is able to stay on topic and focus with every little thing posing as a distraction.

"That was plan B. You know, before I had a constant shadow," I tell her, pointing the camera down toward Edward. "Plan A is quite different."

Her eyebrows raise high on her forehead, her mouth dropping open as Dad and Jasper studiously look away with uneasy expressions, though Dad looks to be getting redder in the face.

"Mmhmm. And what plan is that?" Rose questions, recovering.

"Pretending to be dead and haunting the town, of course."

Immediately, she frowns. "Of course."

"Come on! You have to help me out."

"I won't! We're not telling people you died! That's morbid and so wrong."

Clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth, I shake my head. "Okay, fine. Don't tell people I died. People in comas have out-of-body experiences too. Just do me this one favor. That's all I ask! Imagine how much fun it'll be!"

"No. And how would we even accomplish it?"

Once more, I shake my head, only making a huge show of it and making sure I sound extremely disappointed.

"No imagination. Jasper's in charge."

He stifles a laugh as Rose simultaneously punches his shoulder and points a finger at me. "No, he's not. We're not telling people you're haunting the town! Absolutely not!"

"I volunteer to help!" Emmett cries out, throwing his hand up in the air as if we're in school. "I got you, Bella. We'll be your ghosts."

Cackling, I rub my hands together as an old-movie villain would. "Awesome."

Rose groans in frustration, rubbing her forehead roughly. "No. No one is doing anything of the sort. Emmett, we're talking about this later!" she calls out, making the man in question light up like he's been told he's won the lottery.

I shoot him a look of mock disgust. "Pathetic," I mouth to him.

He ignores me, coming to stand next to me so he can see Rose. "What time?"

Her features soften, and she looks timid and shy, something I'm not used to seeing on her. "I don't know. Later tonight, after I eat dinner and talk to Bella some more."

"Okay, no problem. I'll have my phone with me."

"Of course you will," I tease, pushing him away. "Go away; you're a disappointment to me."

"Aw, don't worry. Like I said, I got you."

I raise a questioning eyebrow because I highly doubt he'll stick to any promise he's made me if Rose tells him otherwise. He's too love-struck and easily swayed when it comes to her.

"No he won't. Stop trying to get people to do weird shit for you, Bella. It's not going to happen."

Huffing, I flip her off, wincing when I hear my Dad guffaw.

I had forgotten he was there.

"Sorry, Dad."

"I didn't see anything … or hear anything for that matter," he says with a wink.

Cracking a smile, I follow Alice as she wanders over to my side, smiling kindly at the screen. "I told you she would be okay," she tells them, her tone gloating. "You'll learn to never bet against me."

Rose purses her lips. "You couldn't see anything about her future."

Alice's face falls, but it brightens with Rose's next words.

"But I appreciated your positivity."

"Of course! And don't worry; I'll help with Emmett."

Feeling betrayed, I turn to her, ready to ask her why she won't indulge me in this little plan, but I stop when she winks, planting a finger against her lips.

I smile back, hoping it's as wicked as what I want it to be.

It must have the desired effect because her grin is just as evil-looking as mine.

It also serves as a reminder not to piss her off.

"Come on, Em. Let's leave Bella to the rest of her conversation."

Expecting him to argue, I prepare to tell him off, but he nods in agreement, leaving with a parting wave and a last, longing look toward my phone.

Edward shrugs when I nudge him, shaking his head before resting his head back on the cushion near my knee.

"What's next?" Jasper inquires, looking from me to Dad and back again. He looks determined and driven; something that's never a good thing for me. He keeps his eyes on me, never blinking and saying everything slow and precise, almost as if he's daring me to do something. "Obviously, Bella is okay now. She and Aunt Renee and the rest of the Cullens can come back in a few weeks and—"

Panic starts to swell within me, drowning out the rest of Jasper's words. My mind once more pictures my family's deaths while the Cullens try to stop me from a distance.

I can't be around them, not now.

Not anytime soon.

If I was that insane around animals, how would I be around humans?

According to Edward, human blood is like the juiciest, most tender steak you'll have in your lifetime, found only in the most elite and fanciest restaurants. Animals are the grocery store steaks in the discount bin.

I wouldn't purposefully hurt anyone, but now that I'm a vampire, I can't really keep that promise.

"It couldn't be too soon," Rose joins in. "Everyone knows she was really banged up. But she could hang around the house or at the—"

"No," I interrupt, my tone sharp and final.

"I'm not coming back."

So ... that should go over well, huh?

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you next time and stay safe, friends!