Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with it, I merely play in the sandbox. I do lay claim to any original characters mention and the inclusion of the Fey world.

AN: This is definitely a filler chapter - sorry! It was originally intended to read as something completely different but as my story have morphed and changed, the original plot points for this chapter no longer worked ~Hannah

Chapter Fifty-Eight – It's Oh So Light

Feeling relaxed and carefree was something I hadn't even considered a possibility when being confronted with Renee. A thousand times I had gone through scenarios of what would happen when next I met her but none had come close to the reality. The thought of Renee had become but a distant memory in the back of my mind since I had moved to Forks. I'd been focusing on the good in my life and treating the past as just that, the past.

Perhaps that showed that I'd grown as a person. Before, the mere sight of Renee would have sent me into a panic. The shrill sound of her voice, the anger behind her eyes and the venom that flew from her mouth had been the main monster that scared me for most of my childhood. Did I feel an odd sense of justice at letting everything go? I think so. Mostly I just felt relief that I wouldn't have to see her again.

It had never crossed my mind that Dad would fight for custody, I just assumed that Renee would leave us alone till we were eighteen. I was touched that Dad wanted us as much as we wanted him. The fight he had within him was still there, it was nice to know one parent cared for us.

Light, that's what I felt. It was calming really, to feel so cloud like after so much doom and gloom. Feeling different was normal for me, feeling like a different person was unusual but not unwelcome. I'd have been a fool not to take notice of the changes to my life and change with them. I was more thoughtful, more emotional and more at peace with myself.

It might seem insignificant but it was a welcomed change. It warmed my soul, lightened my spirit and made my heart pump with excitement. I could get out of my bed today and proudly call myself Ella and not worry about what others thought about it.

"How do you keep going Ella?"

Bella had arrived in the kitchen, I'd made pancakes to cheer us up but they weren't very good, Bella would always be the cook in the family.

"Why would I stop?"

"You know what I mean. With everything that's happened this past year, how do you convince yourself to keep going? No one would blame you for falling apart."

"That's the reason I keep going Bella. It's not because I fear falling apart but because I have fallen apart. I'm not picking up the pieces and getting better. If I stop, all I succeed in doing is putting my recovery on hold and burying the unpleasant feelings. I can't stop to do that so I keep going. It gets easier every day, and I'm not just saying that. Every day I feel better and I step further into the light."

"You sound like one of those '12 steps to a better life' motivational speakers but I do understand. I just worry for you Ella, you're my other half and I don't ever want to lose you. I feel guilty I suppose."

"What do you have to feel guilty for?"

"Mum."

"That wasn't your fault."

"But I knew how she treated you. I tried to protect you but the truth is I could have done more. I could have called Dad, I could have called the authorities and I could have stood up to Mum. Yet I did none of those things, I let you suffer at her hands when I should have saved you."

Wiping a tear from my sister's eye, I saw how deeply cut she was from Renee's behaviour. I had never stopped to think how Bella must be feeling because from my point of view, she had a great relationship with Renee. I should have known that seeing Renee treat me the way she did would have a negative reaction on Bella. I had just assumed she was immune to it.

"Nothing that Renee did was your fault Bella. You were the same age as me, a child and we were both robbed of a childhood."

"But Mum never—"

"Hurt you, I know but she wasn't a good Mother, was she? You practically raised both me and Renee. You should have been free to live your own life without parenting an adult. So, even though Renee was good to you, she was also bad to you, just as she was to me. It doesn't matter anymore, even though it hurts to think about it because we are both in better places and we have both come so far. Can we not put the past behind us and move on with our lives? Renee no longer has a deciding factor in our lives, if you wish to open the channel later in life, you can but I for one am glad I don't have to see her again."

"I envy how you can always find a silver lining on a bad day."

"It's a gift I didn't know I needed."

"Smart arse. By the way, what have you made?"

"Pancakes."

"No, move over. If you're making pancakes, we'll make them properly. This looks like scum."

"They aren't that bad."

"Mine are better and you know it."

"Show off."

"Jealousy is ugly."

"So's your face!"

[x]

"Bella told me what happened, with your Mum…explains your attitude in life."

"How so?"

I was sitting with Lauren in the Cullen's home. Alec was lounging on the floor with his head resting on Lauren's knees. Lauren had got her chance to shout at me and now we were calmly exchanging stories of what had recently happened.

"Your drive, your determination in life, I always wondered where it came from. You have always been so determined to get what you strive for and you've never been afraid to stand up to the bullies of the world. I had always wondered why you were that way."

"And now you know."

"You know there are a lot of rules in the Vampires world, I'm surprised they haven't written them down anywhere," said Lauren as she began running her hands through Alec's hair.

"Can you imagine a Vampire running around with a list in his hand? Comical or what? Ha, an organised Vampire."

"Vampire with OCD."

"Vampire with paranoia."

"A Vampire who's a hypochondriac."

"A Vampire whose afraid of the dark."

"A Vampire who has an aversion to blood."

"Alright, alright, we get it. Stop besmirching the name of Vampires," said Alec grumpily.

All it took was one look at Lauren for me to burst out laughing. Vampires are absolute perfection, I sometimes forgot that the biggest problems or assets they had during their human lives, transferred over to their immortal ones.

"Sorry Alec but we were just having some fun. You have to admit that a Vampire with problems is funny."

He grumbled something that sounded like an insult to humans but I simply ignored him.

"Are they teasing you again Alec?" asked Jane as she sauntered into the room.

"Have you come to save me?"

"Nope."

"Then no, they haven't been teasing me."

"Don't lie Alec, it's unbecoming of you."

I giggled but tried to hide it behind my hand when Alec gave me the stink eye.

"Have you two discussed the future at all?" asked Jane.

"Hmm. Yes, because it had to be done. I suppose you and I are similar in our desires and our families Ella. I want to study fashion and I can do that in Italy. That way, I'm far away from the clutches of my parents and close enough that I can still see Alec."

"So, you won't give up your humanity straight away?"

"No and thankfully Alec understands that, much like Edward understands you. I wish to live a little before I become immortal. Both Alec and I know it will happen eventually, so he is happy to grant whatever I desire at present."

"As much as I want Lauren to become immortal, I'd be a pretty stupid mate to demand it from her. Like she said, it is inevitable that she become an immortal one day, so I am happy to let her pursue what she will in the human world till then."

"You know, for a kid, that was a pretty wise decision."

"I'll have you know I'm far older than you."

"Yeah but you still have the face of a twelve-year-old."

"Don't tease my brother, he doesn't take it very well."

"Nah, it's alright, I gave her permission to tease him," said Lauren.

"I don't think it's wise."

"Don't worry Jane, Alec has been warned what will happen if he uses his power on either of us. I've assured him it won't be pleasant."

"Normally, I'd make some joke about how you're human and no match for our Vampire powers but that glint in your eye is warning me against it," said Jane.

"Don't worry, we'd never hurt you."

"Unless you deserved it…" added Lauren.

Bursting out in giggles again, I remembered what fun it was to just let go and have fun. There was too much seriousness in the world and I didn't want to get caught up in it for two long.

"You know what we should do?"

"What?" I asked Lauren.

"Have a dance battle."

"Lauren, have you ever seen a Vampire dance?"

"Nope."

"I dare say we dance better than you," said Jane.

"I never commented on how you danced."

"You implied it Ella."

I smirked.

"I just meant that you're prone to fluidity and gracefulness. The dance battle Lauren is alluding to definitely doesn't have those qualities."

"Yeah, it's all about letting loose and making a complete fool of yourself."

"I don't understand," said Jane.

"Life doesn't always have to be straight-laced and serious. There are times of fun and recklessness. This is just that, a bit of fun."

"Exactly, we've been far too serious recently. Let's have a bit of fun."

I could tell that Jane and Alec were still unsure about what we were suggesting. Even when the song I picked started to play, they stood rooted to the spot while Lauren looked like an orangutan having a fit. There was something so uplifting about the song 'Mr. Blue Sky' by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), that just made you want to get up on your feet and start jamming. It was a contagiously happy song that just needed to be danced to.

Lauren took one of my arms and started spinning me around and vice versus while the twins continued to stare at us in shock. I wondered where the other inhabitants of the house currently were and when they were likely to appear. Probably, while Lauren and I were in the most stupid dance move.

We pranced and shimmied across the room, laughing at each other's antics. Jane and Alec had finally started to move but it seemed they were engaged in a complicated Waltz. It made me laugh, knowing that they had proved my point of Vampire dancing to be correct. Lauren was currently twirling like a failed ballerina while I was doing my best impression of an air guitar when I realised we had company.

All thoughts of this being a dance battle had gone out the window once we realised how unprepared Jane and Alec were. Now we were just having fun. It wasn't hard to miss the blur that was Alice appear within the group as she started dancing to her own beat. I saw Emmett and Rose out my peripheral vision smiling at the scene we were making.

"I leave you alone for one minute and you start causing chaos."

"Not chaos Edward, dancing."

"This is dancing?"

"Of course. Lighten up Edward dear and come join us."

"You look like you're about to poke someone's eye out."

"Well, that's not exactly going to hurt you is it."

"I suppose I should join in just to save yourself from future hurt."

"That's the spirit."

"You're crazy."

"Crazy amazing."

"And all mine."

Update: Have now planned the rest of the story.

Here's the rundown.

Book 3 has two more chapters - 59 & 60

Book 4 has 23 chapters - 61-84

Book 5 has 15 chapters - 85-100