Esme offered me the driver's seat straight away. I sighed as I shook my head, and rerouted to the passenger side. The arm that wasn't held up in a cast was still quite sore and tired. I watched Esme enter the cab, and place my bag in the small space behind the seat. I slowly climbed into the cab, breathing a little harshly as I rested on the awful seats. I'd never found it uncomfortable before, but my ribs were protesting now. I gently buckled my seatbelt, and began studying the driver as Esme pulled out of the driveway. She drove very much like I did, while not looking as though she was hampered by the slow speed.

"Do you usually drive this slowly?" I asked. She laughed.

"A little faster, but I'm not like my children when it comes to speed. A maximum of twenty over the speed limit at any given time I'd say." She was talking very loudly. I caught every word. It didn't seem to inconvenience her either. "Please don't worry about me. I'd walk home with you if it would make you more comfortable."

"It's a little far, even for me." I winced as I remembered the pain in my legs from running all that way.

"Are you in much pain?" Esme asked loudly, her face scrunched with concern. It was a heartbreaking expression.

"No, no. Nothing unmanageable. I swear."

We sat in silence as she maneuvered my truck out of town. The rain was pounding hard against the asphalt outside, and the streetlights were fizzling on. It was going to be a while before the sun set, and yet the darkness of the clouds was dimming the ambient light to the point where it looked almost like night.

"Why did you come to kidnap me?" I asked.

"I explained that at your house."

"No I mean, why did you come to do it?" I clarified, watching her lips as best I could in the fading light.

"Alice predicted that only I'd be able to get both you and Charlie to comply."

I squinted grumpily out of the window again. I wasn't sure I enjoyed being played.

"So is everyone actually out hunting?" I asked.

"The boys are. Us girls will have the house to ourselves until Carlisle returns."

I nodded my head, and looked back towards the oncoming road. I closed my eyes as my stomach began to roll. I was fine. I was safe. It wasn't long before I felt the truck turn sharply and slowly onto a road that I opened my eyes again. We were on the long winding driveway of the Cullen mansion. As we approached the house I could see the glittering of the lights through the trees. We pulled up and the front door opened. A beam of white spilled out across the steps, illuminating a path to where Esme had pulled the truck to a stop. I maneuvered myself out of the cab of the truck, and headed slowly inside, Esme keeping pace with me. Alice was waiting for us. She was clad in comfy looking pyjamas, which was comical as she didn't sleep, and her hair was pushed back with a headband.

Good evening Bella. Alice signed, vibrating with enthusiasm. "Rosalie and I set up a bath for you."

I blinked with surprise. Alice I expected, she had always been inexplicably excited about the prospect of a new sister, but Rosalie?

She's coming around to you. I think it helps that she saw how devoted Edward was to you. Don't forget, she's known him the longest of all of us. They've got a complicated but remarkably loving relationship.

"Uh… thank you." I said simply. "I didn't mean to impose."

"Of course you didn't." Esme said. She slipped off her jacket and helped me with my own. After shedding my boots too, they gently eased me inside. Alice began to bring me upstairs as Esme disappeared in the general kitchen direction. I watched her go, and slightly tripped on a step. Alice braced me almost as instantly as I slipped.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" Alice asked. "Esme is putting on the kettle, as they say, but we aren't sure what you'd prefer."

"Okay seriously, you guys aren't a hotel. Stop catering. I feel bad enough that I'm using your bath."

"You have no choice. We want to spoil you. You've been through a lot, and we want to make your recovery as easy as possible." Alice said, happily. I detected a hint of smugness in her voice. She suddenly looked behind her, and I followed her gaze. Rosalie was there. She too was in comfy looking sleepwear, although she looked more like a model than she had any right to. She looked exactly like she'd been plucked from a Victoria's Secret photoshoot.

"Plus Edward would brood if we did any less." She said, quietly, but I caught it. I smiled shyly at her. It was the first time she'd ever really spoken to me.

"I appreciate it. I'm not sure I deserve it, but I am flattered by it." I blushed. Rosalie disappeared into a room I hadn't been in before. Alice guided me in too. The room was whiter than a freshly laid field of snow. It was lit with dozens of candles, and off to the side was a magnificently deep and round tub. It was almost a pool. There was a massive mirror too – now four models stood in the room, and two bruised and battered hospital gals looking confused.

Rosalie handed me a white robe. I grabbed it with my free hand, looping it gently over my cast so I'd have my free hand again.

"You can use anything in here." She said, waving her hand around. "And take your time. Don't drown or anything stupid."

She shrugged and excused herself, head held high as if she had done a great deed. I guess it was a start. Alice hugged me gently from behind. I turned to her.

Progress. She signed enthusiastically. Trust me that's as good as she'll get for a long while.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to help you wrap up your cast." She said aloud, and she too slipped out of the room. I took a deep breath and looked around. The bathroom looked like something out of a movie, rather than like it belonged in a home. The one wall was a large slightly frosted window, and the others were all white tile. I was definitely out of my league here. The bath however was already waiting, so I got to work taking off my clothes. They didn't feel right just slumped on the floor so I folded them and placed them neatly on the counter slipping into the robe. The door opened suddenly in my peripheral vision - making me jump.

"Sorry." Alice said. She was holding a roll of plastic wrap and a ziplock bag.

"I'm getting used to it." I said. I already was relatively used to being startled unexpectedly by things I hadn't heard. We rolled up my robe sleeve and she helped me to water-proof my cast. When we were done she grabbed a handful of brand new looking disposable razors, some eyebrow tweezers, and a nail file. I hadn't realized I was going to be doing a full body cleanse. I definitely needed it, but wasn't expecting it.

"Take all the time you need. We're watching a movie downstairs. Esme is also bringing your hot chocolate up."

The kindness was starting to become overwhelming. I bit my lip and stayed silent. Alice smiled knowingly and backed out, holding the door open for Esme. She flitted in quickly, resting the mug on the expansive side of the bath, and then also excused herself with a smile. I dropped the robe, wincing at my battered and bruised body in the mirror. I carefully stepped into the bath and sank down. It felt so good. Tears started to run down my face of their own accord. I definitely didn't deserve this and I would be killing Edward. I dunked my head under to wash away the betrayal of my eyes. My heart was so filled with emotion that I was glad Jasper wasn't here to relay it to Edward. Nobody but me could figure out what it was I was trying to feel.

After a few minutes of just relaxing I began to get to work. I was slow - as I was one handed and rather clumsy - as I shaved, plucked, washed and neatened my entire body. It was like washing off a coat of grime that felt weeks old. I felt properly Bella again. The hot chocolate was also a creamy soul soothing beverage, and by the time I was done I felt more relaxed.

After my skin had begun pruning I began to let the bath drain and turned on the shower, I used the moveable head to rinse down as much of the grime, bubbles, and dirty water that I could see, and then for safe measure did it again, also rinsing myself a third time. If I could avoid it - I would rather they didn't come back to a dirty bathroom.

I began searching for my clothes and discovered that they had been spirited away by one of the Cullen women. I also had not noticed that my toiletries bag had made it in here with me. I brushed my teeth and my hair, and donned the robe again, unwinding my cast wrapping.

The door to my side cracked open again. It stayed there.

"You can come in." I said, realizing the intent.

Alice appeared, she had my pyjamas from my bag.

"Sorry. I forgot to bring these in with your toiletries when I brought the plastic wrap." She explained. So not even Alice was flawless? It was nice to know that I wasn't the only one in this house that could feel vulnerable.

"It's alright. Thank you. For everything. I feel better." I smiled. She grabbed my free hand, still balancing my pyjamas in her other hand and guided me to Edward's room.

"Good. That was the point!" She pulled me down towards Edward's room, reversing, so that I could still see her face. "We had a spare bed in the storage space, so we've put it up again in Edward's room for you, until he goes and selects one that he thinks matches his decor."

"That's ridiculous. He doesn't sleep."

"But you do. So if you ever want to stay over we'll be prepared. And besides." She looked at me with a devilish grin. "There are other things you can do with beds."

I blushed furiously as we entered the room. Their version of a spare bed was a queen sized rosewood four poster. I shook my head. Our version of a spare bed was a couch. This was also unnecessary. I would definitely be sleeping on his usual leather couch. Alice paused, and then grimaced, looking back at me.

"Oh fine, be that way." She grabbed a pillow and the top blanket and threw them to the couch. I smiled at her. Maybe the psychic aspect could also be funny.

"Get dressed and then feel free to join us downstairs if you'd like. We're watching random movies, and having some girl chat. You can also stay up here. Whatever you'd like. It's your home too now." And she disappeared again into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

It's my home now too.

And as undeserving as I thought I was… I did begin to feel that.