Sunset Chapter 15: Confront the Truth (The Cullens)

The week passed pretty slowly after that, school being boring and my own nerves making it worse. Thankfully, Friday's dinner plans went off without a hitch. Bella had gone out for the evening, something about Jessica wanting to study. I think she just didn't want to pretend to like me in front of Dad. Neither of us had apologized and I had no plan to anytime soon.

Dad had fallen in love with Alice, as I had expected he would. Jasper wasn't far behind her, his southern gentleman's manners coming out in full force. I suspected he was playing it up a little but when I tried to ask him, he gave me a wink and a shrug. They did a great job at pretending to eat, though I don't know where they hid the food. In the end there was nothing to worry about for Friday. Now it was all down to Sunday.

/…/

I woke up Sunday morning to the sound of my alarm, angrily smacking my hand on it until I hit the snooze button. This would make it so much easier if I was a morning person. Sitting up, I brush my hair out of my face, only to bite down in a scream. I don't fully succeed, so it's more of a high pitch huff of air.

"Edward! You scared the shit out of me."

"Language," he mutters, eyes fixed on me as he sits in my desk chair. One hand was gently caressing the wood of the desk. The other was gripping onto the arm of the chair.

"If you didn't want to hear my cursing, you should have picked the right sister's room," I complained, scolding him. I hadn't seen Edward for a while now except for when we were at school but that wasn't even enough for a hello. Normally he would at least try to make some small talk in the mornings before we got into our separate vehicles, but he had been giving me the cold shoulder all week.

"I believe I am exactly in the right room, Emmaline."

The causal use of my full first name and his lowered voice sent a shiver through me. In the back of my mind, I realized that his eyes were almost black territory, and I was only in my pajamas with nothing to defend myself.

"I wanted to talk to you," He continued, "about your fight earlier this week with Bella…"

"What about it?" I asked wearily.

"I think you should apologize to her…"

"I should apologize? I didn't do anything wrong, I just told her like it was! In fact, I should be asking for an apology." I said, anger taking over self-preservation. God, one day I was going to get myself killed. Hopefully not today. Edward's phone buzzed from the desk. He ignored it.

"From you and Bella," I started, getting heated up. "Firstly, you snuck into my room just to frighten me into being complacent. Also, I could have been naked! I'm not your girlfriend who expects you to come in whenever." If he was human, I'm sure Edward probably would have gone red the minute I mentioned my state of undress. I thought about when Bella had done the same thing, bargaining in and taking my covers off. A match made in heaven folks. One of these days I was going to be naked for real. See how they like that.

"Secondly, you don't have any business butting into this. This is a sister fight, you have Rosalie and Alice as sisters, you should know better. Third, you -,"

"Be silent," Edward growled. An honest growl, one that I could only describe as a lion's growl. I shrank into my bed, back flushed against the headboard. Edward, with careful but sure motions, stood up and walked over to my bed. His phone rang again but I didn't dare take my eyes off of the predator in the room. He towered over me, his scowl showing off his very white, very sharp teeth.

"I don't want to make this harder on Bella than it already is, Swan, but I will if I must. She is mine and she is upset which means that I am upset. And since you are the one making her upset, then I am the one to fix it. Do you understand?" His voice was gravely and his tone both angry and monotone at the same time. I was fighting the urge to cry as I tried to make myself as small as possible.

"I'm upset too." I thought but didn't say aloud. I had been trying all week not to think about the specifics of our fight, trying to let the words she threw roll off like water on a turtle shell.

But I wasn't a sea turtle and in the face of a lion, I was a baby bird trying to not get eaten. My conversation with Bella came to the front of my mind as I tried to keep from sobbing, already losing the battle with my tears. I hardly noticed the many notifications on Edwards' phone appear at once or the sudden way Edward drew back from me.

"God, Esme is going to kill me… if Jasper and Alice don't get to me first." I look up, Edward now leaning against the far wall, near the door. He was the furthest from me that he could have possibly been without leaving the room. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, seeming regretful.

"I am sorry, Emma. I thought - I was under the wrong impression." Edward said as I tried to dry my eyes.

"Wh-what? But I thought - Why are you apologizing?" I was so confused. Edward looked at me, guilt all over his face.

"I'm not going to attack you. It is… complicated in a way. I will try to explain," Edward started. He explained that since he couldn't read Bella's mind and since I was actively avoiding thinking about the fight, all he had to go on was Bella's word. And since she hadn't explained anything well, he was under the impression that I upset Bella because I didn't like them being mates. And because they were mates, Edward's vampire side had wanted her to be happy, no matter what it took. So as a consequence, since he was opposed to outright killing me, he was just going to scare an apology out of me.

"But in fact, Bella, as much as I love her and want to see her be right, is very much in the wrong here since she trashed your relationship like she did. Mating bonds are cherished by most vampires and even though she might not know about them, it was still wrong of her to talk about your relationship that way…" Edward trailed off, but I was stuck on his transition from Vampire Mates to my relationship. Could he be saying that - no. I couldn't do that to myself.

"I guess I understand, I hated what just happened, but it seems like it was made out of a miscommunication." I struggled to find the words. "I'd rather you just stay out of it from here on out, please. Maybe educate her about mates and all that but don't make her apologize to me. It's not worth anything if it's not an honest one."

Edward looked hesitant but agreed to my terms. "I still have to make amends to you." He pressed.

"Okay," I nodded hesitantly, still a little shaken. "I accept your apology, but I can't forgive you quite yet."

"Please leave me alone." I thought, unable to get out the words.

"That is fine, I completely understand. I'll make it up to you some way. I will see you downstairs then." Right, we were taking one car. Well, it was going to be a shitty ride.

I stood up in the now empty room and took a deep breath. Not the time to break down. Got to meet the parents first. I checked my phone, seeing it had lit up earlier. A missed call from Alice. She must have seen what happened.

I'm fine. See u later 2day.

I texted her with shaking finders, then set my phone down, hoping neither one of my partners would suddenly show up. I didn't know if I could handle it right now.

/…/

It was a long drive to the Cullen's house, in relative silence. Honestly, the drive wasn't that long but I hardly said a word, Bella and I both ignoring each other and Edward, thankfully, respecting my choice to stay silent. They were both in their navy blue and Khaki, a matching set.

I had decided to dress up a little myself since I thought it only appropriate. A button up baby-pink shirt with rolled up sleeves, a black knee-length skirt, and black boots. My hair was in a half up, half down style and I had some black knee leggings with skeleton legs on them. I thought they looked good but Bella's look of uncertainty and offense when she saw them was even better.

They were vampires not Jack Skellington, I'm sure they wouldn't get offended. And right now, anything that got under Bella's skin was a win.

After a few miles of driving through a wooded area, there was some thinning of trees, and we were suddenly at the Cullen's house. And "house" was an understatement, that thing was a small mansion.

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. I could see the river close by, mostly hidden in the forest.

"Wow." Bella and I said at the same time, both ignoring the other.

"You like it?" Edward smiled.

"It... has a certain charm." Bella awkwardly complimented.

"It's amazing! Esme did an amazing job designing it!" I said as I jumped down from the car.

I barely caught the end of a look from Edward that I couldn't make out before the door closed behind me.

We walked up to the front door, and I let the couple go in front of me, trying to hide myself a little more. This would be the beginning of everything that really mattered, wouldn't it? I told myself not to get involved but here I was, about to walk into the jaws of the beasts (not that they were beasts, just non-humans). But did it really matter anymore? I was too far in to leave now, both in knowledge and in heart.

I took a deep breath as I walked over the doorway, but then let it out in amazement. Esme, why are your designing skills so good? It was bright and open with a lot of windows; several walls had been taken down to make the room much bigger than it had been originally. A massive curving staircase dominated the west side of the living room, which was mostly containing white.

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. They were both dressed casually, in light colors that matched the inside of the house. They smiled in welcome but made no move to approach us.

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

"You're very welcome, the both of you." Carlisle's step was measured, careful as he approached Bella. He raised his hand tentatively, and she stepped forward to shake hands with him. I nodded at them both but stayed back.

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

"Please, call me Carlisle."

"Carlisle." She grinned at him.

Esme smiled and stepped forward as well, reaching for Bella's hand.

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

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

"Emma, how are you," Carlisle asked, shaking my hand.

"I'm great, all healed now," I joked.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Esme said as shook my hand. "Thank you for the compliments."

Right, she could hear me outside, I thought as I started to blush.

"You're welcome, you deserve the praise. It's an amazing place." I complemented.

"Where are Alice and Jasper?" Edward cut in, but no one answered, as they had just appeared at the top of the wide staircase. I forced myself not to run up and hug them both.

"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 Bella. Carlisle and Esme shot warning glances at her, but I don't think Bella or I minded.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice said, and she bounced forward to kiss her cheek. If Carlisle and Esme had looked cautious before, they now looked staggered. There was shock in Bella's eyes, too.

"You do smell nice, I never noticed before," she commented, and I forced my laugh into a cough. Edward did not seem pleased. Alice, surprising me, glared back at him. Before moving to give me a hug.

"Hi, Alice." I muttered to her before she moved away again.

"Hey, Sweetheart. Looking good." She added a wink at the end. She was no longer hugging me but did have her hand on one of my elbows, as though to guide me around.

No one else seemed to know quite what to say, and then Jasper was there, my tall and handsome cowboy. A feeling of ease spread through me, and I was suddenly more comfortable. Edward stared at Jasper, raising one eyebrow, but Jasper turned his eyes on me slightly. I shook my head and, thankfully, he seemed to understand as the previous feeling of ease left me. I was nervous again, but I was happy he would allow me to have my own emotions if I asked.

"Hello, Bella, Emma," Jasper said. He kept his distance, not offering to shake Bella's hand or hug me. It was probably for the best, since Bella was still here.

"Hello, Jasper." She smiled at him shyly, and then at the others. "It's nice to meet you all."

"Thank you," Esme said. "We're so glad that you came."

"Come on! We made lunch for you both." Alice lightly pulls me towards what I assume is the kitchen, where I can hear movement now that I am paying attention.

"Really? That's so nice of you all." I was surprised, not remembering them trying to make anything in the books. No, but it was a scene in the movie, right?

Edward sighed behind us, where the rest of the family and Bella followed, and mumbled about how he had argued against this. Like we should have been upset about food.

Around the corner, Rosalie and Emmett were in the kitchen, laying out food. There was a good amount of Italian pasta and some garlic bread, though I was thankful it wasn't too much food. Like, four pizzas each or something crazy.

Emmett was near the sink, washing some dishes and putting them away, such a good boy for his mother. Rosalie was tossing a salad, folding the ranch into the leaves. They were completely opposite in emotions, Emmett's grin and Rosalie's scowl mirroring each other.

Esme smoothly moves past me further into the room and gracefully smiles at us.

"We made Italiano for you both. I hope you enjoy." She spoke with a slight hesitation, eyes running over the food again, as though to check it was still okay.

"Bella already ate." Edward mindlessly says, his mother's grin falling somewhat. I would have disagreed and let Esme know I would gladly eat the food, but I was too busy watching Rosalie.

The minute I heard Edward say Bella's name, I moved myself out of Alice's grip so that my hands were underneath the bowl Rosalie was holding. I managed to grab it right as it left her hands and, thankfully, before it could shatter across the floor. Everyone seemed to turn to me in surprise as I forced a grin on my face, pulling the bowl to my chest and moving a step back from the blonde. Rosalie's face had gone from anger to surprise in half a second.

Okay, damage control time.

"Well, I, for one, am starving, and greatly thank you all for helping to make this meal!" I made my voice the brightest, most chipper it could go, trying to talk over the awkwardness and whatever other odd feeling I couldn't name that had descended upon the room.

"This salad looks great Rosalie; did you make it? I can't wait to taste, thank you for that. Esme, everything looks wonderful, I can't believe you did so much, I love it!" I continued to babble complements mindlessly for a few minutes, into the salad bowl until I couldn't think of anything more to say. Everyone just continued to stare. Silence had descended, though I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to think of something else. My smile felt like paper.

"God, can't I do anything right?"

I looked up to Rosalie watching me for a few seconds, not saying anything, before leaving the room. Emmett followed after her.

"I'm going to show Bella the house." Edward said before dragging Bella out of the room.

Jasper walked over to me and finally gave me a hug, a good bit of anxiety lifting.\

"Well, that could have gone worse. Right?" I laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so." He chuckled, exchanging a look with Alice above my head.

Carlisle and Esme seemed to unfreeze now, both moving to take seats at the table.

"Go ahead and get some food," Alice suggested. "We have some things to tell you."

"While I eat or after?" I asked, taking a plate. I looked over the options before deciding to take a little of everything.

Jasper and Alice spoke at the same time with different answers. They must have been whispering since their lips were moving and I didn't hear anything. Carlisle seemed to straighten up after a moment and Esme tensed but they didn't seem to join in.

After a moment, Alice repeated her answer of after lunch but said that we should talk in the kitchen rather than their room... I nodded and took my food to the table.

"Esme and Carlisle are going to be here for this, okay?" Alice added. "Just in case."

I raised my eyebrow but before I could ask why they were needed, I took a bite of Esme's pasta and had to stop myself from moaning.

"Esme, this is delicious. I have to have the recipe. And the leftovers" I added. "And for you to cook again. I mean, you don't have to, but I would enjoy it very much but feel free to say no at any time for any reason." I assured her.

Esme looked a little flustered but happy. "Oh, thank you dear. I enjoy cooking but I usually give whatever I make to food shelters. It's nice to see someone enjoying my food."

After a bit, I had finished everything on my plate. Despite my protests, Esme took my plate to wash it for me.

"Now, darling," Jasper started, taking my hand. He was on my left, with Carlisle across from him. "Alice and I have something we need to tell you and you might not believe it at first but it is true."

"We promise," Alice said from my right, "that what we say is true. We aren't mistaken either. We know it might take some time for you to feel it, if you can as a human, but you need to know."

Jasper assured me it wasn't a bad thing, Alice nodding to agree. Even so, my emotions were still all over the place. Fear, worry, a bit of excitement, and something that might even be love was there. If they said it was the truth, I would believe it or at least try to.

"You know how Bella is Edward's mate, right?" Alice said. I nodded.

Jasper's mouth made the words but even as he said it, it was like I couldn't hear him. Because as much as they both assured me it wasn't a lie, I couldn't accept the words as true.

"Alice and I are soulmates. And you're our soulmate too, Daring."

/…/

I placed my forehead against the cool glass of the car and, once again, thanked everything that Alice had future vision. Bella and I were on our way home and, though the Cullen's were unsure about it, coming to their baseball game later tonight. The baseball game, the one that ends in near death, that baseball game.

Of course, they were worried mostly for me. Once Jasper and Alice – My Mates, I could hardly still believe it, I don't know if I can believe it – had told me the news, things got weird in my brain and memory.

The reason they wanted Carlisle was pretty obvious once I started feeling more like myself. It seemed as though Alice saw me go into an emotional shock of sorts and not being able to process what they were telling me. I couldn't remember much about what happened directly afterwards, everything was a blur until I "woke up" on the couch cuddling with a big blanket, some lifetime show or movie or whatever.

It wasn't that I wasn't happy to know I had soulmates, but someone meant for me? That the universe thought I was important enough to get not just one but two? Beautiful, smart, powerful vampires to boot? It was unthinkable. I wasn't even meant to exist in this world and now I was tied to the lives of two of the main players. It just didn't make sense but whatever did these days.

"Baseball." I thought. "Just worry about tonight and baseball. And the vampires that will want to kill you and your sister for the next few years. What even is my life?"


I didn't remember if the Baseball game took place on Sunday or Saturday, but I think that the Meadow scene was originally the day before on a Saturday? I made it a week in between instead of the day after because I feel like it was really rushed otherwise. I already put Sunday in the last chapter, and I don't want to have to change it so it's Sunday now.

Also, sorry if you wanted to see the fallout of that revelation at the end but I didn't want to write it. I imagine that Emma would be like "okay then" all cool-like and then try to yeet herself out the window. Idk what I'm doing to this poor girl lol. That part didn't make the end cut because I couldn't find a way to make it work.