Disclaimer: I am still not Stephenie Meyer, which means I still do not own anything that is recognizable from the Twilight Saga.


Chapter Four

I spent most of the day wandering around the forest, rubbing absent-mindedly at my wrist. Eventually the burn of my venom settled down, and I was left with a new scar on my wrist. Great. Now every time I look at my wrist for the rest of eternity, I'll be reminded of Bella Swan, even centuries after she dies.

I found a spot near the edge of our territory to sit and watch nature around me. After about an hour, I got up with a sigh, because I realized I wasn't watching nature. I was waiting for Edward.

Whenever I fought with anyone, if I stormed off, it never took long for Edward to come and find me. He'd sit and talk to, or sometimes hum a melody if he was working on a new piece of music. He wouldn't make me go back home, and when we talked, he didn't make me talk about whatever fight I had just had. He just let me blow off steam, and then took me back home when I was good and ready.

But Edward wasn't coming. Of course he wasn't coming. He had Bella Swan now.

I looked up and saw a large wolf watching me from across the river that divided our territory from the Quileute territory.

For a second, I considered voiding the treaty and crossing over to their land. Everyone was so concerned with Bella, would anyone even notice I was gone? Has anyone noticed I am gone now?

I shook my head to get rid of that idea. My family loved me. I was just being petty and selfish and...and jealous. Damn it, I hate it when Carlisle is right.

The thing that made my realization worse was that I wasn't jealous because I wanted Edward for myself. He was my brother, and that was all I saw him as. I was jealous because I didn't want to be the only Cullen without a mate. That wasn't fair to Edward.

I sneered at the wolf, who was starting to growl at me "Go about your business. I'm on my side, you're on yours."

The wolf growled one last time, but took off a second later.

Once the wolf was gone, I turned and ran home. So what if Edward wasn't able to spend every moment with me anymore? Didn't I complain that he never stopped brooding? Didn't I complain that I wanted him out of my head? If he and Bella could be together and happy, for however long that lasted, what kind of sister would I be to interfere in that? And if he was spending all his time with Bella, he wouldn't be around to invade my thoughts. Clearly I had allowed my jealousy to cloud my better judgement. Bella was a blessing. Let Edward obsess over her for a while, and get him out of my hair.

When I got back to the house, everyone except Edward was home. He was, like every other night, off watching Bella sleep...because that wasn't creepy or stalker-ish at all...I smiled. I could use that train of thought to annoy Edward when he was home, and unlike my thoughts about how short-term everything with Bella had to be, unless he was willing to change her, these kind of thoughts would be typical sibling squabbles annoying, not threatening-the-life-of-his-mate annoying. More fun for me, and less dangerous. Win-win

"Martha!" Carlisle said, relief etched in his voice as he saw me. He rushed over to me, and cupped my face in his hands, "Are you alright? Your mother said you hadn't been home since I left for the hospital this morning. We were all getting worried. I was about to send out a search party for you."

"I'm fine, Carlisle. I'm sorry for worrying everyone...and I'm sorry for how I behaved this morning when Bella was here. You were right. I was jealous of Edward's attention on Bella."

Carlisle hugged me, "I'm glad you've finally come to see that for yourself. Does this mean you are going to come to terms with your jealousy and stop lashing out at Edward and Bella?"

I nodded, "I already have come to terms with it, or at least, I am coming to terms with it. I've even realized that Edward obsessing over Bella benefits me."

Carlisle raised his eyebrow, "Oh?"

I gave a mischievous grin, "If Edward is never around, he can't tell you when I am up to something troublesome. I might actually get away with something once in a while."

Carlisle chuckled, and wagged his finger in my face in mock anger, "If I catch you causing trouble, young lady, you'll be sorry."

I kissed Carlisle on the cheek, "That's the key word, father dearest...you'll have to catch me...and you won't have Edward to rat me out."

Carlisle laughed, and gave me another hug. Once we pulled away, he brushed a stray hair out of my face, "I hope you realize you still have to apologize to Edward and Bella for today."

"I know, and I will." I said.


I apologized to Edward the following morning, when he came home to change his clothes before returning to Bella's house. He forgave me, and our relationship was back to normal.

Bella's apology waited until Monday morning, when I went to school. I saw her with Edward, and made my way over.

"Hi, Bella" I said, "We didn't really get to know each other that well this weekend when you came over...I'm Martha"

"Hi," Bella said, looking at Edward, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I wanted to apologize to you. I was very rude this weekend, some of it you heard, some of it was said where you couldn't hear it. I'm sorry. You are important to my brother, and you made him happy...and I'm very glad that he has found someone who makes him happy."

"Oh, well...thanks" Bella said, "And I forgive you."

"I promise to be nicer to you from now on. I can't promise we'll ever be best friends - I think Alice has already claimed that title." I smiled, and Bella gave me a small smile back, "But maybe we can be friends. I think I would like that."

"Yeah, me too," Bella said.

I smiled at Bella, nodded at Edward, and made my way off down the hall, wondering just what it would be like to have Bella in all of our lives, even if it was just until we graduated and moved on to a new location.

The End