As we ran, I started considering all the things that I—and even Edyth—had been ignoring. The deeper implications of my transformation. The differences.

"Why aren't you more worried about what I am?" I insisted as she took my hand. Being linked barely slowed us.

"Because you're still here with me, Bella" she said solemnly, "I would accept any change you underwent so long as you were still with me."

"But we don't know what I am," I continued. "We don't know if I'll age, we don't know how this will affect things." I was voicing my own fears now.

"Alice can see you again. She sees you staying exactly as you are. Forever." She breathed the last word, adoration and relief heavy in her voice.

If Alice had seen it, then that was the path I was on. It was some relief. It still didn't answer the question of what I was. It didn't explain what had happened.

"I suppose it's not the worst thing in the world," I mused.

"You're my Bella, through and through although you have the same strength as all of us now but different in other ways." She grinned, "Everything about you is exactly perfect. You still have those beautiful eyes, and you still smell like you always did."

I turned my head, raising my eyebrows at her. She laughed, "Well, almost. You don't smell like the most tantalizing temptation anymore." She raised my hand to her face, gently running her nose along my wrist. "Now I can appreciate how delicious your scent is… in other ways."

I felt that desperate urge once again. The need to be near Edyth. It was all I could to keep myself from tackling her. I had to distract myself to stay focused.

"And Julie? Why is Julie still here?" I asked. "How can she stand it? Why should she?" My ringing voice trembled a little. "Why should she have to suffer more?"

"Julie isn't suffering," she said in a strange tone. "Though she could certainly improve her situation if she wasn't such an idiot," Edyth added, rolling her eyes.

"Edyth!" I scolded, yanking her to a stop and feeling a thrill of smugness that I was able to do it. "Don't call Julie an idiot. She has given up everything to protect us! What I've put her through—" I cringed at the dim memory of shame and guilt.

"I believe you'll begin to understand fairly quickly," Edyth muttered. "You've always been surprisingly perceptive. Perhaps you could impart some of your skills to Julie. Goodness knows, she could use them." She watched my face from the corner of her eyes.

"Apparently, I'm not that perceptive," I grumbled in frustration, "because I have no idea what you're talking about."

She stroked my cheek and then smiled gently, "You hide your frustration too well, now. I don't think I'll have any hope of ever figuring out what's going through your beautiful head."

"I don't particularly like feeling confused."

"I know. And so let's get you home, so that you can figure it out for yourself." Her eyes ran over the remains of my shirt as she spoke of going home, and she frowned. "Hmm." After half a second of thought, she unbuttoned her white shirt and held it out for me to put my arms through.

"You can be shirtless and in nothing but a bra but I can't?" I raised an eyebrow.

She grinned. "Truthfully?" She took a deep breath. "It's more for my sake. I'm having a desperately hard time focusing with you looking so… tempting." She growled the last word and I felt a wave of electric desire surge through my body as I shrugged off the scraps of my tattered blue shirt.

"You're having a hard time focusing," I muttered as I slipped my arms into her sleeves and then buttoned it swiftly. Of course, now that she was without a shirt,I was the one having a hard time staying focused. "Shouldn't we be doing everything to help me?"

"Well," She sighed. "It wasn't just your shirt that suffered some damage." As she spoke she tugged the tail of the shirt down over the back of my pants.

I twisted slightly and realized my pants weren't covering much either. "Oh."

She laughed and kissed my cheek.

"Okay, okay," I breathed, "if we don't start heading back now we're never going to make it." I smirked up at her. "I'll race you."

She grinned. "On your mark…"

Finding my way to my new home was simpler than walking down Charlie's street to my old one. Our scent left a clear and easy trail to follow, even running as fast as I could.

Edyth had me beat till we hit the river. I took a chance and made my leap early, trying to use my extra strength to win.

"Ha!" I exulted when I heard my feet touch the grass first.

Listening for her landing, I heard something I did not expect. Something loud and very close. A thudding heart.

Edyth was beside me in the same seconds, her hands clamped down hard on the tops of my arms.

"Don't breathe," she cautioned me urgently.

I expected to feel panic, but instead I felt a surge of happiness in the pit of my stomach. I stayed frozen, though, just in case. My eyes were the only things that moved, wheeling instinctively to find the source of the sound.

Julie stood at the line where the forest touched the Cullens' lawn, her arms folded across her body, her jaw clenched tight. Invisible in the woods behind her, I heard now two larger hearts, and the faint crush of bracken under huge, pacing paws.

"Carefully, Julie," Edyth said. A whine from the forest echoed the concern in her voice. "Maybe this isn't the best way—"

"Come on, sparkles," Julie scoffed, "I think I know my best friend well enough at this point to know it'll be okay." She grinned at me. "Besides, I heal fast."

Was this another test? To see how I reacted to Julie? To see if I could not kill her? I felt sick in the strangest way—it had nothing to do with my stomach, only my mind. Was this Edyth's idea?

I glanced at her face anxiously; Edyth seemed to deliberate for a moment, and then her expression moved from concern to amusement. She shrugged, and there was a passive tone in her voice when she said, "It's your neck, I suppose."

A furious growl echoed from the forest; Liam, I had no doubt.

I wondered if this surprising recklessness was what Edyth meant by Julie being an idiot. My confusion over Edyth's words and actions warred with the urgent sense of relief I wanted to embrace at Julie's words;I think I know my best friend well enough at this point… Was it that simple? Was Julie still my best friend? Had our friendship survived?

And as my eyes met Julie's now, I knew that it had. She still looked like my best friend. But, then again, she wasn't the one who had changed. What did I looked like to her?

Then she smiled her familiar smile, the smile of a kindred spirit, and I was sure our friendship was intact. It was just like before, when we were hanging out in her homemade garage, just two friends killing time. Easy and normal. But it was different this time in one significant way. This time we were just two friends looking at each other. There was no longing, no unspoken desires. Just friends, the way it was supposed to be.

"Julie…" I said tentatively.

Her grin widened. "I gotta say, babe. You're a freak show."

I grinned back, falling into easily into the old pattern. This was a side of her I understood.

Edyth growled. "Watch yourself, mongrel."

I tried to be gentle as I elbowed Edyth in the ribs. "Hey, none of that." I smiled at Julie. "You're right. I'm a walking mystery, aren't I?"

"For sure. But it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be."

"Gee—thanks for the amazing complement!"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. You still look like you. I mean, there's some changes but… You're still Bella. I didn't think it would feel like you were still here." She smiled at me again without a trace of bitterness or resentment anywhere in her face. Then she chuckled and said, "Anyway, it's a relief. And I guess I'll get used to the changes soon enough."

"You will?" I asked, confused. It was wonderful that we were still friends, but I hadn't thought we'd still be spending much time together.

"We're best friends, Bella." She smiled, "I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to."

"Yes, you've made that clear." Edyth said, a hint of annoyance in her amused tone.

"Don't tell me you two are fighting again." I sighed.

"Not quite," Julie smirked. "Okay, ready to take the next step?" Her grin was a challenge now as she started slowly forward.

There was a whine of protest behind her, and then Liam's gray body slid out of the trees behind her. The shorter, sandy-colored Seth was right behind Liam.

"Cool it, guys," Julie said. "It's fine."

I was glad they didn't listen to her but only followed after her a little more slowly.

The wind was still now; it wouldn't blow her scent away from me.

She got close enough that I could feel the heat of her body in the air between us. I braced myself in response.

"C'mon, babe. Do your worst."

Liam growled.

I didn't want to breathe too deeply. It didn't feel right taking such a risk with Julie. Not now when we had just established that we were still friends, not when we still had a conversation to have.

"I'm getting older here, Bella," Julie teased. "Okay, not technically, but you get the idea. Go on, take a whiff."

"Hold on to me," I said to Edyth, leaning back into her chest. "Just in case."

Her hands tightened on my arms.

I locked my muscles in place, hoping I could keep them frozen. I resolved that I would do at least as well as I had on the hunt. Worst-case scenario, I would stop breathing and run for it. Nervously, I leaned my head forward and took a breath through my nose, braced for anything.

It wasn't what I had expected. I could smell the blood in Julie's veins. It held the vaguest temptation to me, but I wasn't thirsty now. More than anything, I could smell the familiar woodsy, masculine scent that I easily recognized as Julie's. There was something else I could detect in her scent now, though. I had almost expected to smell what the others had long complained about—but I didn't smell anything offensive in Julie's scent. There was something I couldn't quite place, however. It was warm, earth-like. It was the same scent I could detect from the two wolves behind her. Some part of my mind warned me against that new scent, like it was dangerous. But largely, it was just Julie.

I took a deep breath and relaxed. "Huh. I don't see what everyone's been going on about. You smell just fine, Julie. Maybe vampire sense of smell isn't as good as it's cracked up to be."

Edyth let out a breath of relief; her hands slipped from my shoulders to wrap around my waist and she laughed. Seth barked a low chortle with Edyth; he came a little closer while Liam retreated several paces. And then I was aware of another audience when I heard Emmett's low, distinct guffaw, muffled a little by the glass wall between us.

"I gotta say, Bella," Julie laughed, "You smell much better than I was prepared for." Her face didn't pucker at all while Edyth embraced me, not even when Edyth leaned in and whispered "I love you" in my ear. Julie just kept grinning. This made me feel hopeful that things were going to be right between us, the way they hadn't been for so long now. Maybe now we could truly be just friends.

"Okay, so I'd say I'm doing pretty good here." I said. "But do we have any ideas what I am?"

"You're Bella." Julie said simply. Then she smirked, and her eyes were playfully teasing. "You've always been the odd woman out. 'Cept now, you might actually be able to keep up with the rest of us."

"Keep up? I'm planning on outrunning all of you." I rolled my eyes dismissively.

Julie and Edyth both laughed, I couldn't suppress my grin. We headed back toward the house and our family.

"So who's idea was it to use Julie as a human sacrifice?" I asked as we reached the front door.

"That was all me." Julie said, sounding proud. "I figured if I'm sticking around, I should make myself useful."

"You? Useful? That would be a nice change." I teased and Julie rolled her eyes.

"Har, har," She huffed. "Alright, you guys can let everyone fawn over Bella now. I'm gonna head to the kitchen and find something to eat."

"I can cook you something!" I offered, smiling. I hadn't had the chance to cook in ages. "If there's anything in the kitchen that is."

"I stocked up for the wolves." Alice appeared in the doorway, "I just got back from the store." She turned to Julie, "I got a little bit of everything."

"How do burgers sound?" I offered, grinning at Julie. She grinned back as we headed toward the kitchen. The others met us just before I made it to the fridge.

"Already business as usual, Bella?" Emmett smirked.

"How did it go?" Carlisle asked, his eyes intent.

"Excellently." Edyth answered smoothly.

"Did she hunt her fill?" Jasper asked, warily.

"She…" I rolled my eyes. "Is standing right here."

"You don't need to be so nervous, Jasper," Edyth waved a hand. "Listen—on the hunt she caught the scent of some hikers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time…"

I heard Carlisle suck in a shocked breath. Esme's face was suddenly full of concern mingled with compassion. Jasper's eyes widened, but he nodded just a tiny bit, as if Edyth's words answered some question in his head. Julie's mouth screwed up into a disgusted grimace. Emmett shrugged. Royal sighed quietly.

Alice's expression told me that she was not fooled. Her narrowed eyes, focused with burning intensity on my borrowed shirt, seemed more worried about what I'd done to my outfit than anything else.

"Edyth!" Carlisle chastened. "How could you be so irresponsible?"

"I know, Carlisle, I know. I was just plain stupid. I should have taken the time to make sure we were in a safe zone before I set her loose."

"Edyth" I mumbled, embarrassed by the way they stared at me. It was like they were trying to see the red that should have been in my eyes.

"He's absolutely right to rebuke me, Bella," Edyth said with a grin. "I made a huge mistake. The fact that you are stronger than anyone I've ever known doesn't change that."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Tasteful joke, Edyth."

"I wasn't making a joke. I was explaining to Jasper how he doesn't need to be so concerned. It's not my fault everyone jumped to conclusions."

"Wait," Jasper gasped. "She didn't hunt the humans?"

"She started to," Edyth said, clearly enjoying herself. My teeth ground together. "She was entirely focused on the hunt."

"What happened?" Carlisle interjected. His eyes were suddenly bright, an amazed smile beginning to form on his face. It reminded me of before, when he'd wanted the details on my transformation experience. The thrill of new information.

Edyth leaned toward him, animated. "Bella heard me behind her and reacted defensively. As soon as my pursuit broke into her concentration she snapped right out of it. I've never seen anything equal to her. She realized at once what was happening, and then…She held her breath and ran away."

"Whoa," Emmett murmured. "Seriously?"

"She's not telling it right," I muttered, more embarrassed than before. "She left out the part where I growled at her."

"Did ya get in a couple of good swipes?" Emmett asked eagerly.

"No! Of course not."

"No, not really? You really didn't attack her?"

"Emmett!" I protested.

"Aw, what a waste," Emmett groaned. "And here you're probably the one person who could take her—since she can't get in your head to cheat—and you had a perfect excuse, too." He sighed. "I've been dying to see how she'd do without that advantage."

I glared at him. "I would never."

Jasper's frown caught my attention; he seemed even more disturbed than before.

Edyth touched her fist lightly to Jasper's shoulder in a mock punch. "You see what I mean?"

"It's not natural," Jasper muttered.

"She could have turned on you—she's only hours old!" Esme scolded, putting her hand on against her heart. "Oh, we should have gone with you."

I wasn't paying so much attention, now that Edyth was past the punch line of her joke. I maneuvered my way to the fridge and opened it, searching for ingredients. I was only vaguely aware of the conversations behind me. The topics were all the same; what was I?

I tried to rest in the knowledge that Alice hadn't seen anything bad in my future. I was here, I was alive. And all things considered, I had appeared to get a pretty good deal out of everything. Maybe we'd figure it all out sooner or later. Maybe we wouldn't. The unknown didn't feel as scary now. I felt like I could handle anything.

"They're all going crazy," Julie muttered to me a little later on, trying not to sound amused. "I gotta admit, it's fun seeing them so panicked."

"I don't think they're panicked," I said as I flipped one of the burger patties. "I think they're just wary. It's something they don't understand. It doesn't happen a lot."

"Those smell great." Julie said, licking her lips. "You're really a good cook."

"Thanks, Julie." I laughed, "I missed cooking. I wonder if I'll get to a point where I could go to cooking school after all."

"What does it smell like to you?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "I've always wondered, you know?"

I took a quick sniff. I could smell the ground beef, the sizzling juices, and every unique spice I had used. It smelled much the same as a cooking burger had smelled before, except now I had a greater and more defined capacity for understanding the subtleties in the different scents.

"Smells like food," I shrugged. "But you're right—" I grinned, "It does smell good."

She laughed. "Hey, can you get me some water?"

"Sure, sure." I absently reached into a nearby cabinet and grabbed two glasses of water, quickly filling them up in the sink. I handed Julie one of the glasses and set the other down on the counter, within the same second I had grabbed a plate with a bun and flipped the burger onto it, handing that to her before she had even had time to bring the glass to her lips.

"Uh, thanks."

"You're welcome." I laughed, "Make sure you take those other two burgers out to Seth and Liam." I leaned against the counter and absently watched my family as they muttered in low, quick voices. Discussing and debating in endless circles over what I was and what they could do to better understand.

Suddenly, all the conversation stopped. Everyone was staring at me open-mouthed. Even Julie was frozen mid-bite. I blinked a few times, not understanding what I had done this time to upset them. I was just standing here.

"What's wrong?" I asked, perplexed.

"Bella…" Edyth was staring at me wide-eyed. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing?" My eyebrows furrowed. "Just listening to you all, I guess?"

Edyth went to say something, then her mouth closed. She looked over at the others, uncertainty in her expression.

"Thirsty, Bella?" Emmett finally asked tentatively.

My brows furrowed further. Thirsty? No I… Then I looked down in my hand at the second glass of water I had poured. The glass of water I had been absently sipping from while I leaned against the counter.

My eyes shot from the glass back to the others. "Drinking water… isn't a vampire thing is it?"

Seven pale faces stared at me. Royal eventually shook his head slowly, his eyes still wide.

I looked back down at the glass of water, then over to Julie still frozen. She blinked a few times before slowly holding the burger out to me.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Well," She swallowed, "I mean if you're thirsty, babe…"

I stared at the burger. "Um… I mean, It did smell good…"

"Does it?" Carlisle took a step forward, that frenetic sparkle of excitement back in his eyes. "It actually smells palatable to you, Bella?"

I nodded slowly, taking the burger from Julie and holding it just under my nose.

"If she actually takes a bite—" Emmett began before Royal elbowed him hard in the ribs. "—Hey! I'm just saying, that's gross."

Royal rolled his eyes and turned to me. "Go on, Bella."

Feeling incredibly self-conscious with eight pairs of eyes glued to my face, I sighed and then took a small bite.

The taste was indescribable.

Indescribable because I hadn't experienced it before now—not like this. The subtleties and depths of flavors, the nuances, the balances. I tried to remind myself that this had more to do with my newly heightened perceptions and senses than it had to do with my skills as a cook, but it was hard not to think I was a master chef in that moment. I took another bite, fascinated by the new experience eating was.

"I can't believe it," Emmett was laughing. "She actually likes it."

"Bella," Edyth took a step forward, "Does it really taste… good?" the way she said the last word openly conveyed that she couldn't possibly imagine the food tasting like anything better than dirt.

"Not to sing my own praises," I swallowed, "but it's great!" I considered for a moment, "Maybe if the meat was a little more on the rare side…"

Now Emmett was crowing with laughter. It quickly spread to everyone else, even me. I caught a glimpse of Seth's sandy face through the kitchen window, a series of breathy wolf-laughs coming from his muzzle