"But what gift could she possibly have for that to be true?" Carlisle asked at a loss and Edward didn't have an answer to give him. He just hoped that the letter in his hand might help give him a clue.

Edward's POV

Edward found the sanctuary of his room when it became clear that Carlisle wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but think he was being too hard on himself. Due to the amount of time, and events, that had to have taken place between them, Edward couldn't imagine that first meeting going well. Heck, the only reason his reuniting with Bella went smooth was because she was trying to stop him from killing himself. 'If you want to call the smooth,' Edward thought as he sat at his desk and gently opened the weathered envelope. He admired the look of his sister's handwriting for a moment wondering if it was always so fluid and wavy.

The words were clearly meant to comfort, and Edward could not help but wonder how things would have changed if he had received it before going on his quest to hunt Victoria.

Dearest Brother,

I am not certain you want to hear from me, but I felt compelled to write after what I heard about the human girl- Bella I believe her name is. I know it difficult to see the ones you love in pain and that it is easy to assume the blame for all their hurts. It is a part of life for challenges to arise and it is a part of life to overcome those challenges should they be in the way of what you truly desire.

It was not your fault, or anyone's, for what happened at the girl's party. If you love this girl- and based on Rosie's letters it sounds like you do- then you need to find a way within yourself to release burden of blame I know you have adopted. Loving anyone is not easy, and challenges and turbulations happen, but it is worth fighting for. Though the war will not be easy -if I can barrow from my own experience.

I imagine that you have a lot of questions. I know I have many for you. I also know you may have not wanted to hear from to me at all. I know that my absence has possibly forfeited my chance at that. However, if you ever need to find me, I can be found at the following address. Rose can help you along the way if you need help. I am never that far away.

Your loving sister,

Eliza Annette Masen

1111 Royal St # B, New Orleans, LA 70116

Edward could not help but think it so strange how Eliza could think for one second that he wouldn't want to find her or hear from her. Even if she didn't travel here and didn't include a way of finding her, he would have treasured this letter. To know that his sister loved him and sought to comfort him. Though he was disheartened that the letter did not hold the clue that he hoped for. He thought he could try Rosalie again, it seemed she and Eliza were still close, but he thought better of it. Rosalie knows how to keep secrets and she would rather die then give them away without cause. Besides, her memory began to fade when Eliza told her the story… In fact, Edward could almost swear it seemed purposeful like someone adding static to a radio message. However, before he could dwell further, he was alerted to a text message notification. He didn't have to guess who it was from.

Bella: Why is Charlie hounding me about your sister? Apparently, we are all going out on Friday? What the fuck?

Edward couldn't help but groan. He and Bella haven't really spoken since he dropped her off. She tried to in the car, but Edward chose to ignore her. He knew that she didn't understand what was happening, but it was too much to explain right now.

Edward: It is hard to explain over text. Eliza is trying to do us a favor.

Bella: What kind of favor? We don't even know her. She just showed up. What if she is working for Victoria and this is all an elaborate trap. I don't trust her.

Edward: You don't know her Bella, but I DO. She's my sister, and she didn't even know about Victoria until I told her about it.

Bella: You TOLD HER. What about the wolves? It isn't just your family who is being affected. What if she tell others about them?

Edward: Bella, she is still part of vampire community. It is still one of the laws to keep thing secret. I doubt she would tell anyone about the wolves.

Bella: I still don't trust her. I want to go back to the house. I need to hold an emergency family meeting.

Edward: Bella, no one is home but me and Carlisle. The others are out hunting. Maybe tomorrow.

Bella: Tomorrow morning. Charlie will be away, and I can sneak out.

Edward: Bella…

Bella: PROMISE?!

Edward: I promise.

Bella: Good. I am going to bed. Wake me up when you get here later.

Edward couldn't help the frown that formed on his face. He didn't like the way she was speaking to him, but he had to imagine that after everything a little neediness was warranted. He just wished he didn't have so much to deal with.

"That's not a happy face?" The sound of Eliza's voice startled him, and he whipped around to see her sitting on the tree-branch next to his window. He knew that Carlisle was in his office and that the house was designed with soundproof walls, but after the turn of events that happened downstairs, he was surprised she was still here.

"Za, what are you doing here?" Edward said sprinting to the open window. The breeze from his speed and the breeze causing Eliza's curls to whip around her face some as it was barley being held in its bun.

"I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye this time. Why the glum face?" Eliza said softly as she reached over and stroked his face. It was a gesture that reminded Edward of their mother. Such a forgotten memory.

"You don't have to leave you know. You are welcome here."

"I meant what I said to Carlisle. I am trying to keep my disruption to a minimum. Besides, I don't think Esme would appreciate it if I lingered."

"Eliza, Carlisle and Esme aren't together in that way anymore. They decided to end things right before this whole thing," Edward stressed, and he could see a queer sort of emotion play on his sister's face. He still could not make out her thoughts and he was not as good at identifying emotions as Jasper, but he thought it was a play of surprise, sadness, and hurt.

"That horrible. From what Rose wrote she made him very happy- all of you happy."

"She did but- but not in the way I know you made him happy."

"That is a horrible thing to say Edward," Eliza scolded angerly.

"Why? Why is it horrible to say that Carlisle holds a special candle for you? I know you once felt the same. He was all you could ever talk about once we met him when we were human, and I saw and heard your thoughts after we became vampires."

"Eddie, stop it."

"No, what changed? Are you with someone else now? Is that it?" Edward asked, no longer being able to hold in his frustrations. Not with the mystery that was his sister, with Bella, with Carlisle. It was all coming out now. 'If she is with someone else that would explain some things.'

"No there isn't anyone," Eliza answered seeming to be flustered. Edward could make out the briefest fragment of thought about how that would be impossible, but he also thought he could have imagined that.

"Was there someone else? Before. Is that way you left?"

"No, and I can't believe you would think such of me."

"Then why?"

"Because it is not real! It can't be real and the things that happened after I left proved it," Eliza said exasperated and Edward thought that if vampires could cry, she would be in tears. It made him feel ashamed, in a way, that he made his sister cry. But there was another part that told him this conversation was one they needed to have. One Eliza needed to have.

"How?" Edward asked moving to sit one the window frame and putting his hands on top of his sister's. "Za please. Let me in a little. We used to be so close. We used to tell each other everything. Why does it have to be different now?"

"Eddie… if-if I told you. I don't think you would feel the same way. You-You would hate me."

"I could never hate you Za. Not even if you told me, you were the devil himself. Never."

"You-you really believe that. Don't you?" Eliza asked cautiously but also hopefully. Edward tightened his grip on his sister's hands almost to further compel her to believe in him.

"Of course. Always Za."

"I believe you Eddie," Eliza said squeezing his hands in return but there was something about how she said it, the cool tone she used, it made Edward doubt the honest in them. "Would you like to know why I left? What I discovered I could do."

"Yes," Edward said hesitantly. There was something about how she was speaking that put him on edge, the cold resolution of it. Like she already knew what she was about to do was going to end badly but that she had to do it anyway.

He watched as Eliza took as small glance around before she noticed a small bird's nest in a nearby tree. While most animals steered clear from the area, the small creatures, seemed to know they were too small of pray to be in any danger. The family a Robins were no different.

"Do you see that Robin's nest there?" Eliza asked and Edward nodded in response. "Have you seen them before?"

"Yes, they have come there every year since we've been here. They know its safe for them."

"Would you call them brave creatures. Would they willingly come up to you? Touch you? Expose vulnerability to you?" Eliza asked and Edward shook his head.

"Of course not. They know we wouldn't hunt them, but they wouldn't come close."

"Are you sure about that?" Eliza asked. However, before Edward could answer he hear her whistle what he imagined as a mimicry of a Robin's call. Suddenly, he watched the adult birds go from not paying them any mind to turning their full body attention to them. They stared at them with a strange stillness until they suddenly launched themselves into the air and into his and Eliza's still joint hands. The tweeted a few times at them and pecked at their fingers before flying behind him and into his room. They seemed to purposely make stops at his piano, daybed, desk, anywhere where his smell would have been strongest and where any natural instincts, they had would have told them to stay away from. After their escapades inside one of them flew back off to their nest, seemingly out of the spell and fussed over the chicks that were there. However, it was what the other did that gave Edward pause. It landed on his shoulder as close to his face as it could and almost leaned its body into him. Almost daring him to kill it. "How about now?"

Edward whipped his face to look from the bird back to Eliza, who met him with an assessing stare. Edward was in too much of shock to school his face. 'Did you do this?' he wondered hesitantly but thought he possible could have said it out-loud as he watched Eliza recoil as if he slapped her. Almost starling, the other bird flew off him and joined their partner in the nest.

"Yes. I found I can make many unnatural things happen," Eliza said almost sadly. Edward didn't need to be a mind reader or empath to guess that she took his reaction as a rejection. However, before Edward could day anything Eliza put a hand on his cheek. "Shhhh… Don't worry little brother. It will soon fade away and you will not even remember I was here again. It was just a dream."

Edward snapped out of his trance and nearly dropped his letter on the ground. He didn't remember the last time he became so lost in thought before. He could hear Carlisle as he began to get ready for his next shift at work, still mulling over the encounter with Eliza, and the other's making their way over the ridge to the west of the property. Their thoughts jumbling thoughts alone were enough to give Edward a headache. That and the birds outside were seemingly having a fit about something.