I do not own Twilight.

I have added a chapter between this and the previous as I got the chapters mixed up in my plans. Apologies for any confusions. (New chapter is the previous chapter, chapter 13)

Rosalie

Why humans felt the need to fidget so much I didn't know, but it was getting incredibly annoying. I'd spent the last week desperately trying to keep my word to Carlisle, but when I had asked Bella to meet me, I hadn't expected it to be this difficult. I knew after this last awkward week that I needed to do something, but really, how hard could it be to talk to a human. I needed to pull myself together soon, the long silence was incredibly awkward, and I didn't want to keep her out in the cold.

I had prepared a speech before coming here. It was essentially a list of reasons as to why I aced the way I did in Forks. I had excused all of my own behavior by justifying it in some way. I'd convinced myself that it was all true.

Now that I am here, however, I'm not sure. Could I really place the blame on this broken girl?

"I'm sorry," I say awkwardly.

Bella heard me and snapped her head around to stare at me open mouthed. "What on Earth do you have to be sorry for?"

Really, could she not simply accept my apology and move on? Is she dragging this out purposefully to embarrass me?

Reluctantly, I continue, "We left you Bella, it wrecked your life. You should be holding us responsible for our actions, not treating us like, well like this. How you are even speaking to us I don't know. You should hate us." Yes, hate all of us, not just me, we all did things wrong. I wouldn't apologize for their actions though, they could do that for themselves.

Bella didn't say anything. Was she waiting for me to continue? Did she want me to apologize further?

I was becoming frustrated with her lack of response. Just as I opened my mouth to continue, she cut me off.

"There's nothing to apologize for Rosalie."

Is she being serious? She is really just going to bush off something so difficult, how selfish. Would I have to literally beg her forgiveness?

"I treated you terribly while we were in Forks and you didn't deserve it. I feel wretched about how my actions may have influenced Edward's decisions." Her fidgeting stopped abruptly at his name, thank goodness. "It wasn't until we left that I realized how much life you had brought to my family and in return we did this." I gestured at her.

"I actually wanted to thank you," Bella said confusing me. Why would she want to thank me? "You never once lied to me, you never lulled me into a false sense of security, you were clear about the danger and tried to push me away to keep me and your family safe."

Is she utterly crazy! My mother would have scorned my attitude and behavior towards her. How dare she see me as a better person than I am.

"I'll accept your apology, but I don't know if I am ready for forgiveness yet, please just put it behind us."

What did that mean? Did she want to go back to being like we were in Forks? I hoped not, I don't think Emmett would tolerate my contempt towards her now.

"I would like the opportunity to start again if you are agreeable."

"Sure."

We lapsed into another silence, thankfully this time it was much less awkward. I didn't know what to do, I'd had enough of being around this girl now, she really is incredibly boring, but I had promised to make an effort.

It was several long minutes before Bella finally spoke, "Why did you help me?"

Well that was unexpected. Again, could she not just thank me and move on? Did she really need an explanation? I certainly wouldn't be giving her the real reasons, but how far did I want to go with the lies. I could easily brush it off completely and say I did it only for Emmett. It wouldn't be far from the truth, but it didn't feel right. I was trying to make amends with the girl.

"Emmett nearly exposed us, last thing we needed was to have everyone crawling around us. Besides, I could help so I did. Should I have not?" Yes, that worked. It showed enough indifference that she wouldn't think I did it out of fear.

"No, I didn't mean that. I-I meant to thank you for your help. I just, I don't know what to do." Her voice was off, it sounded almost lost. Was she expecting me to be a councilor? I didn't even know what she was rambling on about. Still, for Emmett.

"You don't need to know. Let life happen, maybe it will steer you in the way you expected, maybe it won't. Just don't try to force yourself down a specific path because you think it's what is right." They were words I had read somewhere, maybe they would help. I still don't agree with her being a part of our life, but I would tolerate it to save my family.

She nodded slightly, what she got from that I don't know, but at least I helped a bit.

"May I ask how you are doing?" I asked hesitantly. I knew this can be a touchy subject for her and I didn't want her to shut down.

Bella smiled tightly, "You can ask…" She trails off, not offering anymore. Why did she have to be so difficult? Could she not see the effort everyone was putting in trying to help her?

However, her lack of response told me everything I needed to know. No matter how strong an external mask she was keeping, underneath she was struggling to cope. I knew that she wouldn't accept help, and I wouldn't be offering it if I didn't have to.

I purposefully changed the subject, "Esme has invited you over. She misses you." Bella pondered this for a while, had I upset her? Humans could be so sensitive. "Please do not feel you need to visit; I am simply extending the invitation on her request."

"No, I do want to go, I'm just… I don't know, scared I guess."

Now what?! I didn't know the best way to approach this, decide for her or leave her to think about it? Thankfully I didn't need to do anything as Bella stood up and nodded to me.

"Let's go."

The journey to our place was incredibly quiet. Neither of us spoke and it was becoming increasingly awkward. Finally, we reached the garage and I pulled in amidst the other cars.

Emmett, hopeful that Bella would visit, had spent hours clearing a path from the small garage up to the house. I'd told him not to bother, he could just run with her, but now I was the one accompanying her I was incredibly grateful. I didn't want to be any closer to her than I had to. Part of me knew I was fooling myself.

I got out of the car and snatched the Jeep keys from behind a coded wall safe. "It's off road," I answered Bella's questioning face. "We need to take the Jeep."

She didn't question it further, but I could still see her confusion as she climbed inside. I didn't offer her any further explanation; Emmett could share that story I justified. Her hands were clumsy as she tried to make sense of the buckles and straps. Internally I battled myself. I didn't want to help her, to become more involved with this human, but I also didn't like seeing her struggle. I didn't have to intervene as she finally managed to clip them all in place.

The ride wasn't smooth, though I hadn't made much effort to ease the bumps in the road. As we drove, I noticed her anxiety rising. Her fingers had gone into her mouth and she was chewing on her nails. I forced myself not to show my displeasure at the disgusting human habit.

"It's just a house," I said hoping that the reassurance would stop her behavior.

"How far off are we?"

Remembering that she wouldn't be able to see the house clearly, I replied "Not far, a few minutes."

Everyone would have known Bella was with me, they'd have been able to sense her, but thankfully they didn't come rushing out.

I parked up the car and asked, "Ready?"

Bella looked up at me, terror on her face. Jokingly, I said, "They won't eat you." I heard a booming Emmett laugh from inside and Bella smiled.

With a nod, she unclipped the many buckles and opened the door.

It took us a long time to make it into the house, not because she was slow, she had needed time to prepare herself.

Just inside the door, Esme was waiting for us.

Bella's face lightened as Esme wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you for coming," she said.

I doubted Bella was able to reply even if she wanted to. "I'll be going, see you around," I said walking away to give her some space.

"Rosalie," I stopped and turned back to her, "thank you."

I nodded to her. "You're welcome."

Over the next hour, I listened to Bella move around the house and interact with the family. Her responses still felt forced and I had hoped that she would become more relaxed with time, for the families sake.

The stiffest conversation had been with Alice. Bella had gone out of her way to try and talk to her and Alice had acted like a deer in the headlights. She barely spoke to her and rushed out of the room as soon as possible.

When Bella was safely in the kitchen with Carlisle and Esme, I approached her.

"What gives?" Alice just stared at me blankly. "Were you lying about wanting her back this past year or now that she is back have you changed your mind?" My tone is harsher than it needs to be, but I make no effort to soften it.

"I-I don't know what you mean," Alice stuttered.

"You know full well what I mean. Why are you acting so strange?"

Alice doesn't reply, she stares at me with a blank expression.

"Either tell me or get your head out of your ass and get on with it." If I could apologize to the human, Alice could at least be normal, or as normal as Alice ever gets.

"She's so different." It was barely a whisper.

"Yes, and we did this to her. Whether you like it or not Alice, we are responsible for this, you can't just dump her because you don't like the outcome. Either get used to it or keep out of the way."

I walk off leaving her stunned.

Reaching the front room, I saw Bella standing alone. Her hand was resting gently on one of the windows. I moved closer, trying to work out what she was doing. Why would one look out of a window when there is nothing to see? Standing next to her, I had a clear view of her face, I couldn't place her expression.

"Bella?" She hadn't been paying attention so jumped clean off the floor at my sudden appearance. It wasn't my fault, really, she needed to be more alert. "What are you looking at?"

She blinked and a tear I hadn't noticed started to slide down her cheek. She hastily scrubbed it away. "Nothing, it doesn't matter."

Esme walked in at that moment carrying a bowl of what I thought was soup, whatever it was, it smelt disgusting. "What's the matter dear?" She asks kindly.

Bella flashed me a begging look. What was she expecting me to do? It had only been a few hours, had I really convinced her of my sincerity already? Esme placed the bowl down and moved towards us, placing a hand on the girls' shoulder. I saw the way she bit on her lip in agitation and threw up my mental barriers immediately. I would not allow her to get under my skin.

I stared back at her impatiently and gestured with my eyebrows for her to answer the question.

Her face resigned and looked to the floor. "I was just wondering when you'd last heard from E-Edward." She spoke with an incredibly timid voice which shook on the last words.

The entire house froze.

As Esme and I were staring at each other trying to work out what to say, Carlisle appeared.

"We haven't," he said grimly.

I thought back to the conversation not long ago where we had discussed what to do about his absence. Carlisle and Esme were understandably worried about him, but the rest of us couldn't extend him the same courtesy. We had made it very clear that if we never saw him again it would be too soon.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked confused.

The rest of the family had started to trickle in. I moved over to Emmett, glad for the excuse to distance myself from the girl. Alice, Jasper and Emmett had murderous looks on their face. Esme just looked upset.

"We haven't heard from him since we met back with you," Carlisle explained softly.

Bella looked horrified. Really, why did Bella care? After everything that idiot had done, why would she give a damn about his location, unless she is trying to avoid him? I couldn't help thinking that I'd had a lucky break when he showed no interest in me. I'd have probably killed the boy by now.

"Have you, you know, tried to contact him?" She said nervously, only now realizing the audience.

"Don't worry about that dear," Esme tried to sooth. I agreed with her, Bella shouldn't worry about him.

"Ye, he won't be coming anywhere near here," Emmet piped up. I slapped him around the back of the head and Carlisle sent him a disapproving glare. "What?"

We ignored him.

"He is a part of your family, you shouldn't lose him because of me. I can leave, it's not a problem. I'll work something out." Bella rambled.

"You can't leave!" Alice exclaimed surprising us all. Bella stared at the direction of her voice.

"She's right," Jasper spoke this time, "you have more right to be here than him. Family doesn't lie to family."

Carlisle and Esme were starting to look uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking. "We have attempted to contact him," Carlisle explained, "but have not received any response. I'm sorry we have no more to be able to tell you, but it is not an exchange game. You are both equally as important to this family."

I didn't know how I felt about that comment, I still didn't fully see Bella as a member of out family and I doubted I ever would, but Edward definitely isn't part of it anymore.

"Do you think he is alright? I mean surely he wouldn't have gone this long with nothing unless something was wrong." I didn't know if she knew about his rebellious years, as he liked to call them, but something in her tone made me wonder. I'd had enough of this conversation now, what did she care?

Unfortunately, Carlisle seemed to be contemplating her words.

I looked around at my siblings who all shared my opinion, it didn't mater if he was alright so long as he was a long way away from us.

"I don't know," Carlisle's voice was broken. His missing son must have been bothering more than any of us had realized. From Esme's face, she felt the same.

Bella hadn't missed the tone, "What are the options?" She asks resolutely. "Surely you are going to do something to find him?"

"No, he's better off where he is after everything he has done," I say sharply. "Leave him in his hole."

Carlisle ignored me, "I don't it would be safe for him here right now."

Bella turned away from Esme and towards us. "I won't justify his actions, no one can do that but him, and I sure as hell don't want to see him again, but he shouldn't be off killing humans just to abolish his guilt. I thought you cared about humanity."

She was right, and I knew the others saw it too. I hated it, but I couldn't ignore the fact that the chances of him being off killing was highly likely.

"We've tried to contact him," Esme said, I assume trying to ease her own guilt. "Carlisle can't leave the hospital yet, and well I'm sure you understand that mates cannot be alone." Her excuses were feeble, and I could see Bella felt the same.

I thought through the options. It wasn't realistic for Carlisle or Esme to leave right now, not so soon after work. Jasper wouldn't go anywhere without Alice, and I knew that Alice needed the chance to put things right with Bella. That only left…

"We'll go."

"We will?" Emmett gapped at me.

"Yes, we will. She's right, we need to make sure his sorry ass isn't risking our coven."

He nodded his agreement but didn't look pleased. I don't know who in the family looked most shocked by my decision.

Everything seems to pass in a blur after that. Esme had taken Bella home fairly soon, clearly trying to keep her clear of the events as much as she could. Carlisle had prepared a series of maps which highlighted places the family had property or where Edward was likely to have visited. Jasper had pulled up Edward's phone tracking and marked it on, though this was many months old so we didn't think it would be useful. Alice helped too, though her sparse visions were even less useful than the phone tracking.

Emmett and I had packed a few essential items into backpacks. When he had tried to question me, I'd simply shaken my head and told him later. If Bella was able to put aside everything and do what was right, I could be honest with him. I couldn't pretend to despise her anymore. I still didn't see her as a sister, yet, but I'd be honest, with him at least.

Finally, we were leaving on what I hoped would be a short errand.

Please review :) (Before everyone asks. No, Edward will not be appearing for a while yet. No, he won't be let off the hook easily. Yes, something exciting is coming.)