I gave Bella as much time as I could, on pins and needles all night long, before I finally could stand it no longer and ran down to my car. I was cautious as I approached her street, but the police car was gone. I parked and headed up to the front door.

Bella answered the door within a minute, smiling at me when she saw me. "You waited so much longer today!" she said, teasing clear in her voice.

"You're up, that's all that matters, right?" I asked, smiling back. "Are you ready?"

She laughed. Probably at the clear eagerness in my voice. "Almost. Come in."

I followed her in, then realized she can't have been awake long; she was wearing what was obviously pajamas (though at least they covered her this time!) and her hair was still unbrushed and a little wild.

I followed her into the kitchen. She sat at a half-finished plate and resumed her breakfast - an egg today, I noted. The smell in the kitchen was stronger than I would have liked. I wrinkled my nose.

"What?" Bella asked after swallowing a bite.

"Don't be offended," I said, "but your food smells terrible."

"Let's not trust your nose," she said mildly. "After all, you think I smell like food."

"Point taken."

Bella ate, and cleaned her dishes, and finally headed upstairs to change for our visit. I was nearly bursting with impatience, but I tried to keep my posture relaxed while she was in the room, and refrained from pacing. I was sure she was nervous about today, and me being restless would likely only add to her anxiety.

After what seemed ages I heard her coming back down the stairs. As she came into view, it was clear she'd tried to dress nicely - instead of her usual jeans and t-shirt or oversized sweater, she was wearing some nice pants with a long-sleeved blouse in a blue that complimented her skin perfectly. Her hair had been carefully braided and hung over her shoulder.

She nervously sought my eyes as she descended the last couple of steps. "Do I look okay?" she asked.

"You always look okay." I crossed the kitchen in a few easy strides and pulled her into my arms.

"I don't believe you," Bella muttered into my chest, where she'd buried her face as if to hide. But she also hugged me back, her arms wrapping tightly around me. I wondered for a moment if my hugs had yet supplanted Jacob's, if she was now coming to me for comfort instead of wanting him.

I eventually relaxed my arms, pulling a little away from her so I could look at her face. She looked up at me, her cheeks faintly pink, and I smiled, bringing my head down to rest my forehead against hers. "May I?" I asked.

She smiled. "Yeah."

For the third time in two days, I brought my lips to hers. I'd meant it to be sweet, but then Bella hummed a little in her throat, pulling me closer, one hand traveling up my body to tangle in my hair. I couldn't help responding with more emotion, and our kisses soon had an edge to them. Bella took a step forward, pushing my body back against the wall, pinning me between her and it. She broke from my lips and dove to my neck, placing hot kisses along my throat.

"Bella," I whispered. It was all I could say.

Bella kissed my collarbone, then pulled back, resting her forehead on my shoulder. "We have to go see your family, huh?"

"I mean, if there's something else you'd like to do..." I trailed off, stroking her back.

"Don't tempt me." Bella stepped away from me, smiling ruefully.

I ran my fingers through my hair to try to tame it a little - it was always a little messy, but Bella had really gone to town on it. "Where is this coming from, if you don't mind my asking? What happened to the Bella who couldn't look me in the eye?"

Bella shrugged, looking a little abashed. "I feel comfortable with you, really comfortable, and I just... I wanted to. So I did." Her gaze dropped. "Does it bother you?"

"No!" I said quickly. "No, I just - you surprised me, I suppose. But that certainly doesn't mean I didn't like it."

"Okay." Bella blew out a breath, looking back up at me. "This is still so weird to me. All these feelings." She wrapped her arms around herself, but she didn't look as small and nervous as she usually did when she wrapped herself up. "I've never felt like this before. Have you?"

I shook my head. "Never."

"Oh." She smiled a little, and her hands slid to a more relaxed position on her arms. "At least we're figuring it out together."

We left soon after, and her nervousness returned as I drove. I took her hand, preventing her from pulling at her collar. She flashed me a tremulous smile. "Are you sure it's going to be all right?" she asked quietly.

I nodded. "My family is excited to meet you." And with any luck, Jasper would keep his distance and Rosalie might not even show up.

Bella and I exited the car, but as I came around to meet her I saw she hadn't moved, just like yesterday. But today she wasn't shaking in fear; she was staring at our house in wonder.

I leaned against the car next to her. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"Wait until you see the inside." I took her hand and began walking up to the front door.

Of course they were all waiting for us inside. Jasper was sitting in the chair with Alice perched in his lap, Emmett and Rosalie were on one of the couches, and Carlisle and Esme had come forward to meet us right inside the doorway of the front room.

I met Rosalie's eyes for a brief moment, over Carlisle's shoulder. She looked angry as usual, and my own eyes narrowed. She glared back at me. I'll be civil, she thought sarcastically.

Bella was clinging to my hand, half hiding behind me as she stared into the room. I pulled on her hand a little, getting her to step forward until she was even with me in the doorway. She gulped, but then spoke. "Hello."

That one word, and already I was so proud of her. She'd faced a whole family of vampires and been the first one to speak.

Esme broke into a huge smile when Bella spoke. She came forward, offering to hug Bella. "I'm Esme. I'm so glad to meet you, my dear."

Bella released my hand, took a deep breath, and stepped into Esme's hug. As they stepped back from each other, Bella surprised me by looking into Esme's eyes. "Edward tells me you work with your hands," she said, her voice trembling faintly. "Including doing all the technical drawings. I draw, but only portraits and flowers and things like that. Do you think you could teach me about technical drawing sometime?"

Esme was clearly surprised, in her face and mind, but her smile widened. "Of course," she said. "Any time you're free."

She finally stepped back, and Carlisle was there, holding out his hand. Bella shook it. "I'm Carlisle. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you," Bella said. Her voice seemed to be getting stronger. "Edward told me you work at the hospital. I've been so afraid of getting hurt here, since going to a hospital would probably reveal that I'm not human. I hope, if I ever need help, you'd be willing to see me?"

Carlisle was also surprised, but he hid it better. He only smiled. "Please, do come see me if you're ever hurt."

"Thank you," Bella said again.

Carlisle and Esme headed toward one of the couches now, leaving us open to the rest of the room. Alice, perched in Jasper's lap in the one chair, was nearly bouncing out of her seat. Bella smiled when she saw her, and, to my astonishment, opened her arms. "I bet you want a hug, Alice," she said.

Yes! Alice squealed a little in joy and immediately vacated Jasper's lap, bounding over and nearly attacking Bella with an enthusiastic hug. I was a little worried, but Bella easily caught her and stayed on her feet - apparently, Bella was stronger than she looked. I should have known. "I'm glad to meet you too," Bella said, obviously understanding what Alice was saying with her hug rather than words.

Alice stepped back, grinning up at Bella. "Jasper's also happy to meet you, but he's staying away to be safe."

Bella looked to Jasper, giving him a wave. "Sorry I'm so young," she said, with quiet sincerity. "I would smell different if I were older."

Jasper blinked, then smiled. The tension in the room immediately lessened. "It's not your fault at all," he said. "Hopefully I'll just get used to you, as Edward has."

As Jasper finished speaking, Emmett rose from the couch, leaving Rosalie alone. She acted as if she hadn't noticed.

Emmett approached Bella with a serious expression, with only a side glance at me and a warning. You stay out of this. He wanted to tease her. I shot him a look, but stayed back.

Emmett solemnly offered Bella his hand. "Hi. I'm Emmett."

Bella took his hand. The muscles in his arm tensed - he was planning to pull Bella off her feet and into his arms for a hug. But Bella smiled innocently and pulled her hand away just before he put his plan into action. "Nice to meet you," she said.

Emmett raised his eyebrows, staring at her, then burst into laughter. "I should have known Edward would like someone sneaky."

Bella kept up the innocent smile, putting her hands behind her back - it completed her innocent look, and kept her hands away from Emmett. He pulled her into a hug anyway, and she giggled and hugged him back.

"Okay," Emmett said, letting Bella go, "but I have one question that I've been dying to ask."

"What?" Bella asked.

"Edward told us you're a shapeshifter. What can you shapeshift into?"

Bella blushed. Jasper looked away, but no one else seemed to be affected; they were all watching her curiously. "Well..." I was ready to jump in for her, if needed, but she took another breath and answered. "I'm a wolf."

"What, like some kind of skinny little spindly wolf?" Emmett asked, looking surprised.

"No, a normal wolf," Bella said.

Emmett looked at me, and I nodded. "Can confirm."

"Huh." Still looking like he was puzzling over it, Emmett moved away again, back to the couch.

That left Rosalie as the only person Bella hadn't addressed, and who hadn't addressed her. She was still sitting on the couch acting as if none of us were here, inspecting her nails with a detached air, though I knew she was listening keenly to everything that was going on.

"Rosalie."

Rosalie jumped a little as Bella spoke her name. She kept her eyes on her nails. "Hello, Bella."

"Do you have any questions you'd like to ask me?"

A million questions swirled up in Rosalie's mind. It turned out she was nearly as curious about Bella as I was. But all she said was "What do you mean?"

Bella's smile, to my practiced eye, was starting to look a little strained. Everyone in the room was staring at her, all of them a little concerned. I stepped forward and slipped an arm around her waist, but didn't interfere. "I was just wondering if there's anything you'd like to ask me," Bella said. "I promise I'll answer."

"Fine, I'll ask you something," Rosalie said, her voice bitter. "Why is everything you do and say a lie?"

"Rose." Emmett put a hand on her arm.

She ignored him. "Got an answer for that, girl?"

Bella had tensed a little at the question, but so far, she was still standing firm. "Well... I bet if I had your power, and didn't know who you were, you'd look like a walking lie too, wouldn't you?" Bella said. I bit back a chuckle. Bella, my precious scared Bella, was trying to fight fire with fire. God, I loved this girl.

Rosalie stiffened at Bella's terminology, recognizing it. "Oh, so Edward's been not only reading my thoughts, but also relaying them all to you, his little... his little plaything," she said. "How noble of him."

But Bella looked confused. "No, he never said that. That's what you called me last week when you glared at me in the hallway."

Rosalie stiffened, her eyes narrowing. No. No. NO. Edward, how DARE you. "Do you mean," she said, with venom-laced calm, "that you can read minds too?"

Bella froze, and blushed, and my stomach dropped. "I - I thought - I assumed that he'd -"

You BASTARD. Rosalie stood in a rush. "Great," she said aloud. "Perfect. You two are quite the pair." She left the room at a near-run, her mind a tumble - but I caught a hint of an emotion I hadn't expected. Embarrassment.

She was embarrassed that Bella had heard all the terrible things Rosalie had been thinking about her. Perhaps there was hope for Rosalie after all?

"Well then." Bella's voice was shaking again, and her eyes were focused on the floor, but she kept speaking. "Yes, I can read minds. All shifters can. But we can turn ours off and on. I'm not reading anyone's mind right now, and I haven't been. My mind is usually closed around Edward."

Carlisle nodded gravely. "Edward did mention once that he couldn't always read your mind." I am curious, Edward, but she looks like she could use a break. We have time.

I let out a breath and snuggled Bella a little closer. "We're heading up to my room," I said. I turned us both and led Bella away.