The Gift of Misfortune - Re-Vamped

by KNeu21

(RV1)*Also a direct off-shoot of my 'RV' series! I HIGHLY SUGGEST READING THAT FIRST!* Re-Vamped version! After waking up as a nine-year-old again to find the entire rest of her life had been a dream, Leandra struggles to find answers where there aren't any. None that make sense, anyway. She learns to trust all over again, and learns that the future can change. RATED M! COMPLETE!

13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

So there I sat, curled into a ball on the couch. I was getting more and more irritated with each passing second. More irritated, more confused. Alice had never kept something from me before. Now suddenly she and Jasper take me here, wherever we were, for no reason? No, I corrected myself. They had a reason. They just wouldn't tell me what that reason was.

This couldn't just be some demonstration about how frustrating it was to not be told anything. That had crossed my mind multiple times.

Another thought that crossed my mind a lot, of course, was comparing the scenario with Jack to this one here. Being packed quickly into the backseat of something, only to go on a long trip, and land confused somewhere with no answers to go on.

"What did I do?" I finally demanded, "Is it because I didn't take a bath? Because I was going to, but I-"

"It's nothing you did." Alice assured me for the thousandth time, "If you would just-"

"Where are we?" I couldn't change the tone of worry in my voice. I didn't like the sunlight outside, even closed off behind the curtains. It made me uneasy. I hadn't yet been brave enough to get up and go look out.

"We're in Arizona." She finally answered me. She was probably hoping that would solve some of my curiosity. That actually did the opposite. I wasn't stupid. I knew right where Arizona was.

"What?" I muttered, "Arizona? Why?"

She sighed, "I can't tell you that."

"You drag me back into this shitty part of the country, won't tell me why, and then want me to calm down?" I grumbled, glaring a small pout at her. She could easily see, I was sure, how I was feeling.

"I've told you all I can tell you." She reasoned gently, "It'll be okay. I promise-"

"Shove it." I snapped. That didn't ease me anymore.

She sighed again, coming back over and sitting next to me. She tried to pat my hands, but I jerked them away, hiding them. We might have been in Arizona, but it was still far too close to California for my comfort.

"Leandra," Jasper tried, "I know how-"

"You shove it too." I snapped at him, but quickly hid.

"Leandra." Alice tried again.

"Why did you bring me here?" My tone had quieted quite a bit as my anger faded slowly into fear, "I don't want to be here." There was only one explanation in my mind as to why they refused to tell me anything. One reason in the world.

"Is that what's bothering you?" She asked, "Where we are?"

Her soft tone only made me want to cry. It didn't ease me.

"We're nowhere near California." She tried.

"Closer than back home." I sniffed, "Too close."

"I know." She replied, "I understand. Look.." She sighed, and paused. Probably looking to Jasper, before she spoke again, "We're only here for a little while. We'll be going back as soon as we can, okay?" Slowly, I looked back up. I didn't say anything, so she tried again, "Okay?"

"You're going to give me away, too." I muttered, and that had obviously not crossed her mind before, given her surprise.

"Of course not." She replied, her tone sharply surprised, "No." I didn't believe her. I'd never had reason to really doubt her before. Not like this, but here I was. Doubting every word she told me.

Bella chose that moment to wander out of the bedroom part of the room, and instantly, their attention was taken by that.

I continued to sit there, trying to recover from the pain I still felt. Mostly physical. I knew it'd be weeks, if not longer, before that would go away. I still had at least a few weeks of pain to look forward to. Maybe that was why I was still so guarded?

I decided at that point that I'd keep to myself. I'd wait, and I'd see where this was going. Definitely stuck in this way of thinking had me seeing them differently. I wasn't sure what Bella had to do with all of this, but I didn't bother to ask, either.

Time passed, and I was eventually able to stand up. I had to wander around the room. I needed to get some of this nervous energy out somehow, and wandering was the only way. Since I wasn't allowed to leave it.

I knew by the way both Alice and Jasper glanced to me that they knew all about the fact that I didn't trust them near as much anymore, but the longer they went refusing to give me an answer I could use, the less I trusted them. I knew they knew by the way I glanced to them that it wouldn't take long now.

My arms crossed insecurely over my stomach, I stared out the window. From what I could see through the small gap in the curtain, anyway. I wasn't allowed to pull it back.

My thoughts rolled, tumbled through my head. Trying to focus on anything but what I'd convinced myself to be true. We were only waiting for whoever they were giving me to to get here.

To say I wasn't surprised that they finally took me seriously would be a lie. They finally listened. They didn't want the trouble I brought, and though I couldn't blame them one bit, it did bother me.

I could have been a wall ornament, a picture frame hanging there for all the times I moved. I stayed there through the day, watching as the daylight faded and replaced itself with evening. I'd eventually gotten tired of standing, though, and tugged a heavy chair across the room to sit in. Just to watch out of the tiny gap in the heavy curtain.

"Leandra." I ignored Jasper's voice beside me. He'd been standing there for awhile. He sighed, "Leandra, please. I know what you're thinking, but you couldn't be more wrong." I wasn't going to fall for it.

"You're lying." I mumbled, "Don't even bother."

"I'm not lying to you." He replied, "There are just some things-"

"I get it, okay?" I growled, "I get it. I knew it was stupid. I knew I was only screwing myself over when it came to trusting anyone but myself, but I did it anyway. I don't blame you. I can't, but just leave me alone."

Giving a glance around, refusing to meet his eyes, I found no sign of Alice. She must have been in the bedroom keeping Bella company. That was probably why Jasper was bothering to talk to me at all. Even if it was just to lie to me.

"You'll see." He assured me calmly, "You'll see for yourself."

I couldn't be mad at him. I understood completely, but the only thing I asked was that they didn't try to lie to me.

He took the hint, thankfully, and let me be.

I'd fallen asleep in the chair sometime late that night, and deeply regretted that decision when I woke up the following morning. It was still early, too early to be awake. The chair was even more uncomfortable than the couch, and hurt twice as bad.

"Dammit." I muttered, sitting forward. Instead of just the bruises screaming at me in pain, it was my entire body. The sore, stiff feeling in my back only added to the pain of my bruises, and that made it nearly intolerable.

I cried this time. It was all I could do to keep breathing through this pain. It hadn't been this bad yet, but I expected this day to come since I first got this set of bruises. I expected it. I normally had one or two days like this about this point in the healing phase. I had no idea what caused them to hurt even more for just a short while, but I wasn't exactly asking, either. Sleeping in the chair also didn't help things any, I was sure.

"Leandra?" I opened my eyes, looking to Alice suddenly there, "What is it?"

"It hurts." I couldn't refuse to answer her this time. I might not have liked her very much at that moment, but I needed comfort. From anyone willing to give it.

She looked down in thought for a moment before she looked up, "Jazz, would you mind wetting a few hand towels? Make them cold, please."

"Not at all." Jasper replied, but I didn't look back.

"Come on." Alice sighed, taking both my hands and helping me stand up. I just went along with it. I had zero resistance in me. As much as I wanted to, resisting only would have hurt more. She led me to the couch, and gently reached out. Lifting my shirt over my back, over my head, but allowing me to keep it half on.

"Lay down." She instructed lightly, gesturing to the couch. I did so. Carefully situating myself, laying on my stomach, and she nodded as Jasper returned with the towels.

"This might hurt a little more at first," She told me, "But it'll feel better in a minute."

"Wow." Bella had entered the room, "What in the world happened to her?" I was surprised that she saw it, but two out of the three other people in the room had seen it, so it wasn't too horrible.

Jasper stepped back as Alice kneeled beside the couch. Unfolding one of the three towels Jasper had given her. I was starting to understand. I knew what she was doing, and at that point, I was willing to try anything.

"Ready?" She asked, and I took a deep breath, holding it with a nod. I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my lip the second the towel landed lightly on the center of my back. It was long enough to cover my back from between my shoulder blades, to just above the waistband of my jeans. I flinched, arching forward in a slight attempt to get away from it and whimpering quietly. It did hurt, but she wasn't wrong. The pain did start to fade only seconds later. Like the cold was numbing it.

Until it did fade, I cried a little, of course. I did my best to hide it, but I couldn't. The pain under the skin, under the bruises burned and ached so badly, and at first, it was almost impossible to control my cries. I chose to bite onto my bunched shirt beneath me instead, but that muffled them enough. Soon, though, the pain started to fade to a more tolerable level.

I felt a slight weight on my back, over the towel, but I didn't mind it. I gasped, trying to slow my breathing again and blinking left over tears from my eyes. Whimpering when ached again briefly. Coughing through a few breaths. It really hurt, so I had no idea how I was supposed to live through the other towels.

"I wish we had some ice." Alice sighed, "I didn't think about bringing anything for the pain."

"This side next." I requested quietly, gesturing carefully to my left.

"I'm not sure how effective this will be," Bella murmured, "But I have some Aspirin-"

"Please." Alice spoke up calmly, "Go get it." With a nod, Bella turned.

I held my breath again as Alice prepared another towel. Raising my left arm a little more so she could position it right. She'd just placed it when Bella returned with a small white bottle and kneeled beside Alice, so I couldn't thank her myself. If I would have tried to speak, I'd probably start crying again.

"It's worse up close." Bella muttered sadly, handing two pills to Alice.

"Just one pill." Alice corrected, "She's too young for two." Bella held onto one, giving Alice the second.

"This seems like a two pill kind of job." Bella pointed out.

"I know," Alice sighed, "But we really could do without causing more problems while trying to fix this one." I took the pill Alice offered, sipping through the straw in the glass of water Jasper brought over. Why were they bothering to help me so much?

By the time the third towel had been placed over my right side, I was sure I was going to throw up, but as that pain faded too, that worry eased. I just laid there, my eyes closed as I focused on breathing deeply.

"What happened to her?" Bella finally asked again in the silence. I opened my eyes, looking to Alice. Bella would probably find out sooner or later, so might as well fill her in. I nodded a little, giving my consent.

"Jazz?" Alice requested, and he sighed. Bella stood up, and I assumed he was taking her to the side to explain, as Alice never moved. I never even realized her hand smoothed gently over the towels, until I'd looked over at her. Sure enough, Jasper's quiet voice could be heard from the other side of the room. I just couldn't hear any specific words.

"I'm sorry." Alice finally sighed, distracting me from trying to hear Jasper, "I wish we could tell you everything, but there's just so much in the way of that."

"Yeah." I mumbled, bitterness coloring the tone.

"Leandra, we're not giving you away." She assured me, and I looked up at her, "I swear to you. I think I can imagine how overactive your mind has been and I can easily see how you'd compare this trip with previous ones, but I promise. You're not going anywhere we're not going. You're not going anywhere without me, remember?"

I didn't bother to reply to that. Letting my eyes close, I laid still. I did remember, despite how I didn't want to at that point.

I couldn't deny, though, that this felt good. The intense ache fading completely for the first time in a long time. I thought again about what that hotel clerk had told me upon seeing the bruise on my face, and it made a whole lot of sense. Ice, or cold, would help a lot.

"I promise." She repeated, but wasn't demanding a reply. I wanted to stay mad at her, but I really couldn't after she'd eased my pain for me. I was still skeptical of the not giving me away part, but I wasn't mad anymore. That had eased along with the pain.

"Sorry." I mumbled, looking up at where Jasper stood watching from across the room. Bella stood beside him, watching me as well. I decided to explain, "For snapping at you."

"It's completely understandable, Leandra." He replied, and I actually felt better. Was that how it was supposed to work? Was apologizing really meant to make me feel better? I was no stranger to admitting I was wrong, as I did it all the time with Jack, but all that ever did was make it harder on me.

The rest of the day passed slowly. It took a lot to make me move again after the towels were removed, but once I did, I found I could move easier than I could before. However, as I was able to get up, my suspicions returned. I didn't want to believe her. I didn't want to fool myself into thinking they were telling the truth.

I knew that if I expected the worst, anything positive was very welcoming. So I remained hesitant. I stole back all my trust, hiding it away until I would know for sure if I could place it back in them. I didn't exactly like how easy it was to do that, but I couldn't afford not to.

By the morning of the next day, that hadn't changed. I didn't ask anymore. I just did as I was told. I hardly ate much, choosing to live on what I'd eaten the first day there for now. After five days, two days was nothing. At least that's what I told myself.

I never should have accepted anything they had to offer. I never should have let myself get into this position. I knew I'd be kicking myself eventually, but I never expected it to be this soon.

However, I watched them closely, and I couldn't help growing increasingly curious. It'd been days, and I never saw them eat. I never saw them sleep. I never saw them do anything, but sit there. They never got bored, despite the way I did. Never restless or edgy. Just sitting there like they were waiting for something.

I napped. I had to take a snooze here or there, but they never did. Both always awake, either sitting silently together, or talking quietly. Almost inaudible to me. I watched them more than I even wanted to, but I couldn't help it.

I didn't ask about that, either. Just watching. Wondering when the time would come when I'd get my answers. They had to be tired. They had to be hungry.

I was edgy now. On top of being bored, there was much more to it. Nervous, anticipating something. I didn't like it.

I spent that night back on the couch. I'd learned my lesson about the chair. My nervousness had only grown the following morning, taking me off guard. I found it was harder now to just sit still.

"Leandra." Alice finally called my attention, and I turned. Just now noticing both she and Jasper were watching me pace a little, "Come sit with me for a moment." I was losing my mind, and I didn't even know why.

I shook my head. Turning back around, my eyes found the view out the window again, something that had taken my attention often the last two days. The late afternoon sunlight touched the city, and a lot of the buildings in it, but not the room we were in. I didn't like the sunlight anymore. Not a bit after California.

Who would be coming to pick me up? Someone they'd found to take in someone like me? Someone with a target on their back like me. Maybe they brought me here so Ken could pick me up without being noticed. I shuddered, whimpering at the thought.

I jumped a little as Alice was suddenly beside me. I hadn't heard her get up.

"What's wrong?" She asked me quietly, and I knew by the way she looked at me that she was aware of how I felt.

"You know what's wrong." I sighed, looking back out the window. I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't describe it any more than I already had. She didn't ask me to, to my relief.

She just stood there with me, watching the traffic below for a few minutes before she sighed. Hugging me briefly into her side, despite how I tensed in response to it, and she left me alone.

I stayed where I was, not bothering to turn around as Bella came back out.

Bella had been here and there, edgy like I was, but for more reasons. I managed to gather that much. She was the lucky one, however, getting the bed. I didn't mind it so much, though. Sure, the couch hurt my bruises, but at least I didn't have to sleep on the floor.

I always found that when things changed, they changed quickly. Like before, back at the house. It was calm one minute, then the next, everything got moving again. Like sitting in a boat, going down a river. The water would be calm and slow one second, the next, you'd have to hang on, or get thrown out.

That was all I could do now, as the three of them talked quickly and quietly. About things I didn't understand.

I just watched out the window again, letting them sort it out.

"Leandra." Alice called my attention after a few minutes, "Come on. Put your shoes on." Oh, they were leaving.

"No." I muttered, and she sighed, "I'm waiting here."

"For what?" She asked, "Let's talk on the way."

"For whoever is taking me." I replied.

"Are you still on that?" She asked, "Please. Put your shoes on."

I didn't bother to reply, and I didn't bother to move. Keeping my arms crossed, my gaze out the window. Bella stepped into the living room with her bag on her shoulder, and with me distracted by that, I yelped loudly at being picked up. Lifted off my feet, I kicked a little in surprise.

I didn't have much chance to protest before Jasper settled me in his arm easily, lifting my shoes with another quick movement.

"That was kind of rude, you know." I muttered, "How would you like it if I just picked you up out of nowhere?" He smirked a little. Rounding to close the door once he'd followed Alice out into the hallway, carrying me along with him.

As much as I hated being carried, I'd deal with it. I doubted I could keep up with their pace anyway, as even Bella was having trouble keeping up.

I felt a little worn down from the last two days, and from not having a change of clothes. Nobody had brought any with them, and no one wanted to leave the room long enough to get me some, but then again, I never brought it up. I was fine.

Everything seemed to speed up from there. Rushing to check out, I saw the outside of the room for what felt like thirty short seconds before we were back in the car, and headed for, as Bella directed, the airport. Did that mean we were going back? I began to hesitantly hope again.

At the airport, it was almost difficult to keep up.

I had to practically run until Jasper, probably tired of having to keep an eye on me several steps behind, picked me up again and carried me along. I bit my lip, not wanting to complain.

I also didn't want to bring up one other tiny issue I had while everyone else seemed to be in such a rush with getting a ticket and getting to the right side of the airport in what also felt like thirty seconds. To my surprise, though, they'd only gotten one ticket. Weren't all four of us going back? Or was it more complicated than that?

I didn't ask about it, not even letting on that I'd noticed.

Until Bella eventually did, to my relief. She mentioned going to the bathroom, and I immediately agreed. Alice allowed it, thankfully, and Jasper was the one to escort us. At Bella's request, as she mentioned she was feeling nervous. I found that odd, but again, didn't say anything. I was just grateful we had time to go.

I followed her quickly, diving into the bathroom ahead of her. Nearly shoving her out of my way, and finding the closest stall while Jasper waited outside. I wasn't paying attention to Bella anymore, preoccupied with one thing at a time.

I washed my hands once I was done, curiously looking around. Bella wasn't out here anymore, so I assumed she was still busy, and stepped back out the way I came in. Sighing, I took the open spot beside Jasper. Waiting with him.

"Do you still doubt our sincerity?" Jasper asked after a minute of silence.

"Yes." I admitted, "But whatever happens, happens. I don't blame you. Not for finally listening to me."

He sighed, "You are quite stubborn."

"I know I am." I replied, "It's just how I am."

"I'm curious." He admitted, "What are your theories?"

"What do you mean?" I frowned a little.

"What do you think we're doing here?"

"I don't know." I shrugged a little, "It's just too much the same. The night Jack took me to California, he was in a rush. He was in a big hurry, just like you were. He just took longer getting there than you took getting here, because we had to stop." He stayed quiet, probably listening.

I continued, "But he was just taking me there to leave me there. I don't know who you're leaving me with, but it's okay."

"Leandra, the only one giving you away is you." He finally told me, "It's going to take a lot more than a warning like that to change our minds about you."

I glanced up at him, suddenly unsure again. I found myself doubting my own doubt this time, instead of doubting my own trust.

It was so hard not to believe him. Maybe because I could tell that it didn't bother him if I believed him or not. He believed his own truth, and I could hear that in every word he said. His confidence again gave me confidence.

Oddly enough, I wanted to cry. Choosing to look away again, I didn't want him to see my emotion. It felt, to me, like my own doubt was hurting me. Like I wanted so badly to believe him, it caused me pain.

"The world's let you down, Leandra." He murmured, "There's no doubt about that, but soon enough, you'll see that none of us are like them."

"Yeah, well.." I whimpered stubbornly. I hated how small my voice had gotten.

"I know." He sighed.

He knew. He did know. Somehow I believed that much, but it was hard enough without knowing that.

"You're far too young." He continued, "Far too young to hold this amount of fear and this amount of uncertainty. It isn't fair what life has given you, Leandra, now why on Earth would anyone ever want to add to that?"

"For fun." I answered bitterly.

"Definitely not." He replied, "I know the kinds of people you're used to, but that's not me. Or my family. We're not the type to torture things purely for the fun of it."

"I want to believe you." I admitted quietly, shaking my head, "It's too much the same. I don't know why we're here, or where we're going, but I don't like it."

"I know you're uneasy." He allowed, "And with.. All the reason in the world, but you'll see. In time, you'll see."

I don't know how long we stood there in silence, but eventually, Jasper seemed to be getting impatient.

"Please go back in there, and have her hurry up." He requested, and I nodded. Immediately doing as he asked. I didn't mind. It gave me something to do besides cry or panic.

I rounded, and pushed open the door again. I couldn't blame him for getting impatient. I was too. Didn't she know we were apparently in a hurry?

"Bella?" I called ahead of myself. Letting the door close behind me.

To my further confusion, however, every stall was empty. All the doors open, none in use, but I was the only one in here. Further investigation found another exit door.

I came back out, pursing my lips a little.

"Um.." I wondered how mad he'd be, "She's not in there." I reported, and he frowned.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Positive." I said, "Maybe she got lost. There's another way out in there." He sighed heavily, and lifted me again. I stopped reasoning then, knowing it was about time to go. Alice was on her feet, waiting for us when we got back.

"What took so long?" She demanded, "And where's Bella?"

"She's gone." Jasper answered her, "You go look for her, and I'll get her settled." I didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but Alice gave a firm nod, lifting Bella's bag and heading off in the direction we'd just gone.

Jasper set me down, and handed me the ticket. Looking to me firmly as he also slid a couple of twenty dollar bills into my other hand. My hand closed around them instinctively, before I'd even noticed what else it was he was handing me, so I couldn't refuse it.

The pace had just picked up, and my I tensed. Clearing my mind, and paying closer attention to him than I was sure I wanted to at that point. I sensed the urgency, and I reacted.

"I need to know you can follow directions." He told me, and I nodded quickly, "Okay, take this, and hand it to her." He gestured to the lady at the desk up ahead, "She'll give it back to you." I nodded again, and he continued, "Go through that door, and down the hallway until you get to the plane."

The ticket was for me? They were sending me somewhere alone? I'd never been on a plane before. I hadn't the slightest clue what to expect.

"The first few rows of seats are where you want to sit. The third row of seats on your left is yours. If you still get confused, just ask one of the attendants, and they'll help you find it. Sit down, and wait. Don't move from that seat unless you really have to, okay?" I gave him a worried look, and he continued, "Once you get there, Esme will be waiting to pick you up."

I was so confused. Okay, so he was sending me somewhere, obviously back to Washington, given the location on the piece of paper I glanced at. Esme would be there? I had so many questions, but he wasn't giving me a chance to ask them.

"B-But, I-"

"Just go." He urged, and I took a breath, "You'll be fine."

"W-What about-"

"Leandra-"

"Alice promised me!" I was so suddenly upset. He gave a quick glance around, "She promised she would be there!"

"I know." He replied quietly, "We have one more thing to take care of here, and-"

"Save it." I grumbled, "I'll go." He sighed, but I continued, "And I don't need your damn money." I shoved it back at him. He looked like he was about to say something, but I turned before he could. Taking a deep breath, holding back my tears the best I could.

I held that breath, continuing on.

Slowly, I walked away. Looking back, he was already striding off in the opposite direction. I swallowed nervously, doing as he said. Handing the lady my ticket, she marked it, and handed it back to me. I assumed this was the right way, as she didn't try to stop me.

I followed his directions exactly, and found the seats he was talking about on my own. The ones up front. I sat down quickly, adjusted how I sat, and trained my eyes out the window. I was so nervous, watching the people outside.

On top of the nervousness of sitting there alone, never having been anywhere near a plane before, I was confused. Deeply lost, and hating the fact that Alice had gone back on what she told me.

Jasper had said that Esme would be there, but could I bother to believe him? I wanted to, but these thoughts blended easily with the thoughts that had crawled through my head the last two days or so. The doubt, the confusion.

I knew I'd barely gotten on in time, but it was still a surprise when I watched as they started closing the door so soon after I sat down. This was it. No way off of this thing. Instead of focusing on what the attendants were telling us, my mind was busy rolling through the possible reasons for all of this.

Was I that much trouble that I couldn't stay with them anymore? Was that what all this was about? Was I in the way, because I'd figured it out? Jasper said Esme would be there, but that could easily have been a lie. I was going back to Washington, but that could have been to anyone. It was odd that nobody went back with me, just to make sure I got to the right person, though.

I ignored the ones talking, lost in my thoughts.

Maybe their own guilt wouldn't let them come back with me. Maybe they couldn't bear to see, to watch someone else take me. That had to be it.

What bothered me the most, what really got to me, was that everyone had been in on this. Nobody had told me a thing, and both Esme and Carlisle had helped get me into the car. Maybe my wanting to be alone bothered them more than they let on. Maybe by wanting to be alone, they thought that I didn't want to be there anymore.

I thought again, despite how I didn't want to, about what I wanted most, and for just a second, I thought I might have found it here. I let myself start to think, during my day of thought in my room, that maybe these people could be different. All I wanted was to be wanted, but no.

Well, if that was the last of them I'd see, I wasn't sticking around for anyone to pick me up. I wasn't being given away again. I clenched my teeth, biting back my tears.

I looked around, jerked from my thoughts as the plane started moving.

After the nerve-wrattling part of taking off was done, it wasn't so bad.

Other kids in the seats further behind me were still crying half an hour later, as it was probably their first flight too, but I sat dry-eyed. Sure, I understood where it was easy to be scared, so I didn't think any less of those kids, but I wanted to tell them to just suck it up.

Now all I had to do was figure out how to pull this off, and learn how to stop feeling.

I sat there still trying to figure this out, nervously biting my lip as my eyes stayed out the window. Watching as the clouds below us became more frequent, and soon, there was no way to see the cities below through the clouds.

During a very brief moment of immaturity, I wished I could touch one of those clouds. Just to see what it felt like. Until I shook my head, and questioned my sanity. I did, however, thank my lucky stars that I wasn't afraid of heights, because I doubted I could ever get any higher up than I was right then.

I was asked once by an attendant where my guardian was. I gathered that I really wasn't supposed to be here on my own, so I only took a second to answer, "In the bathroom."

She never asked twice, though I was sure she noticed that no guardian ever showed up. Maybe because I was quiet, keeping to myself, she didn't care and let it slide. I was quieter than the brats with a guardian.

By the time we finally landed, I wasn't any closer to an answer, but my nervousness had tripled. I'd had just over three hours to convince myself further that they were only sending me to whoever they were giving me to. I wouldn't wait like a sitting duck just to find out who that was. That'd be stupid.

I hatched a plan, and I'd go through with it, because it was for the best.

If they wanted me gone that bad, I'd get so far out of the way, they wouldn't have to worry one bit, but there was one place I had to go first. It was just the first stop. One place I had to go, and one thing I needed to do first.

Every time I tried talking myself out of it, I always got back to deciding to go there.

I followed everyone else off the plane, right behind a rather large group. Just so I'd be a little hidden. I honestly had no idea if Esme was waiting or not, but I wasn't about to look around. I followed the largest moving group I could find away from where we'd gotten out.

After a few steps, however, I looked back. I could almost feel it, and it was almost enough to make me turn around and go back the other way. I knew that this, right there, was going to be a big decision.

This time, I told myself as I looked briefly for Esme. This time, my bad feelings will be wrong. I could do this. I could survive on my own. I sighed. I didn't see Esme anyway.

I stopped. I didn't know why I stopped, as I knew I needed to keep going, but the small spark of hope wouldn't let me keep going. I had to look again. I needed so badly to know if Jasper was telling me the truth. I needed so badly to know if Esme would come for me like he said.

I turned back around, searching the seats outside the door where I'd come out. I searched, and from where I stood, I couldn't see them all. I took one step, before the large group standing there sort of dissipated, and I found her.

Esme stood there, seeming very confused, and that was the second I knew I wasn't going anywhere. As much as I intended to go off, to go out on my own, that was instantly gone the second I saw her standing there. All the doubt, confusion and how upset I'd been instantly changed. Turning to relief, easing me.

The relief made me move. It made me start back the way I came, shifting everything but the relief to the back of my mind. My previous way of thinking only proved that just by seeing her, Jasper and Alice hadn't been lying to me. I finally saw for myself that I was okay. I was cared about. At least enough not to give me away, and that was enough.

I was running by the time she turned and saw me coming. Straight at her, I ran. I couldn't help it. I also couldn't help the tears that streamed down my cheeks, and the second I made it to her, I hugged her as tight as I could. The action probably would have knocked anyone off their feet, even with as light as I was, but she stayed steady. Returning the embrace without a second of hesitation.

I sobbed, cried into her side. I couldn't speak yet, otherwise, I'd have apologized. For everything. Crying on her, and doubting her. For doubting anyone, but she seemed to understand anyway.

"I heard." She told me, "Honey, you're not going anywhere." I knew that now. She kneeled down, making it much easier to hug her tighter.

That was it for the conversation for right then. She just picked me up, carrying me along with her.

"They weren't lying." I sobbed when I could, "They weren't."

"No," She replied, "They weren't lying, honey. I can see where you got that impression. Anyone can, but I promise. You're here to stay as long as possible, okay?"

I gasped through sobs, nodding a little.

"Are you hungry?" She asked me, and I had to think about it.

"Not really." I mumbled, still pretty emotional. I really didn't think I could handle eating anything after the last few days. Much less the plane ride, and how hard it was to calm down.

"We have to get back." She told me, "Rosalie is waiting." I nodded again, more than willing to get out of here. Once more grateful for being carried. Maybe it wasn't so bad. Just in times like now when I knew for a fact I couldn't keep up.

I did have to wonder, though. She carried me just as easily as Jasper had. I had to at least be a little heavy for her to hold. Then again, I wasn't used to being carried. Not at all, but it didn't seem like such a bad thing anymore.

Outside, oddly enough, I caught sight of one of the cars I recognized from their garage. Of course, they'd had to drive here.

"We're keeping her with us." Esme told Rosalie as I was let to my feet. At her urging, I climbed into the backseat, passed the passenger seat flipped forward.

"We're keeping her with us?" Rosalie seemed surprised.

"I can't very well leave her alone at home." Esme replied, climbing into the passenger seat once I was settled, "Besides. This is safest." The second Esme was seated and the door was shut, Rose started off. Rather quickly, which wanted to scare me.

"How is this safe?" Rosalie demanded in reply. She was obviously against it.

"This way, we know where she's at." Esme reasoned, "And I know that she's safe."

"But she's stinking up my car." She argued, her tone sounding like an odd mix of a whine and grumble, "I'm supposed to sit for how long with it?"

"I didn't have any clothes." I defended myself, "I couldn't take a bath." She sighed, looking back at me.

"That's not what I meant." She told me, "You're fine in that aspect." Then how did she mean?

"She can't help it, Rose." Esme defended me next, "You know that. We shouldn't be there very long, anyway. Just until the others get back."

Rosalie didn't argue again, choosing to shake her head and look forward instead. I followed her example, and looked out my window. Subtly, sniffing my shirt at the shoulder. It didn't smell all that bad to me. At least not bad enough to tell me I stunk.

She navigated the large city with ease, and as much as I wanted to figure all this out, my thoughts moved through my head as fast as the scenery did outside my window.

I kept quiet, not wanting to disrupt the silence.

Now that it was apparent I wasn't being given away, I could finally start to unwind. Even if it was around Rosalie who didn't seem to like me much. No, I corrected myself. I'd seen what it was like to not be liked. She didn't seem that way.

That was probably why I didn't take her attitude to heart. I just knew to stay out of her way, as much as I could anyway, and that was fine with me.

Apparently, we were going back to Forks, which surprised me for some reason. Rosalie made it seem like we'd be in the car forever, but I figured it out soon enough. We might have been back in Forks, but we weren't going back to the house.

"I hate how long that took." Rosalie grumbled, parking on the side of a street I didn't recognize. She shut off the car, which confused me for a moment. I bit my lip instead, choosing not to comment on what she said. I felt bad that I somehow kept pissing her off. Without even really trying.

"He's fine." Esme assured her, "I know you take your tasks seriously, Rose, but please try not to take it out on Leandra." Despite my confusion, I couldn't make myself ask any questions about what we were doing here.

Thankfully, I got instructions. Esme turned slightly in her seat and looked at me.

"Just sit tight." She told me, "Okay?" I nodded. I could agree with that. If I wasn't being given away, I could sit tight all day. Well, bruises permitting.

From there, the silence dragged on, and in the settled moment, I knew I'd be okay. There was bound to be unsettling moments and issues later on, but I felt confident again. I felt confident that the ground had stopped moving for the time being, and I could stand again.

I'd had yet to feel that way, always struggling to get used to where I was and who I was with. Now that I gained just a bit of my confidence back, however small of an amount I'd had before, I could finally take a deep breath and just know.

Maybe I didn't have to be so afraid.

From my seat in the back, I looked to Esme. Just that movement, though, seemed to make me dizzy. Just slightly, just enough to notice as my thoughts started to run again. Twice as fast as before, moving through my head before I really had much of a chance to notice them or look at them too long, which started a dull ache in my mind I wasn't used to feeling. An ache in a part of my head that I hadn't felt since the morning I woke up.

I took a quick, surprised breath. Pressing my palm to my forehead, which Esme seemed to notice.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her gaze moving to mine.

I sat forward, my thoughts continued. Dizzily, running around, never stopping. Restless, despite how physically, I sat so still. Running me around in circles again, like mice trapped inside a shoe box. Like someone was shaking the box, keeping them running around in panic. The pain in my head increased double the longer I kept my eyes open. I tried to focus on one thing, one thought at a time, but I couldn't.

It felt so much like my mind was trying to work overtime. I had no control over it, no way to stop it, so I knew it was pointless to try to focus. I just let go. Taking a breath, I let my thoughts go where they wanted to go. I let them go, no longer attempting to stop them or control their direction.

"Leandra?" Esme murmured.

Suddenly, just like that, I could remember. I saw, I remembered.

Back in the beginning. I remembered just how different this was than last time, and I remembered just about everything from the start. It was overwhelming at first, but that quickly sorted itself. I remembered.

I remembered now, how it had happened before.

"Out." I whimpered, "I need out."

"Is she going to throw up?" Rosalie seemed alarmed, but I wasn't paying much attention to that. Esme climbed out quickly, and I scrambled out behind her. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to throw up or not, but I knew I couldn't breathe. I needed air.

I moved forward two steps passed Esme before my knees hit the grass. My tears started with one quick, breathless sob.

I remembered how it was supposed to be. That day, the day of the field trip, I was supposed to hit Rachel. That's how it was supposed to go, but I didn't. Choosing not to hit her changed absolutely everything. Taking me down a completely separate path I could never turn around on. Despite the way that I could clearly see just how the other path looked now. At least, from where I was on my path, anyway.

I remembered all the things that happened. I remembered Carlisle, and I remembered just how much he meant to me. I remembered relying completely on him, more than I had now. I remembered the family, much different then than it was now. Then, I had a lot more time to trust them. I remembered them, and I remembered the support. I remembered everything about them, and how it happened before.

"Leandra?" Esme was there beside me, and I turned my crying eyes to hers, "What's wrong? What is it, sweetie?" I knew I was probably scaring her, but I couldn't speak. Rosalie stood behind her, but she looked around us. For what, I didn't know, but she was keeping watch.

Esme gently smoothed the tears from my cheeks, but they just replaced themselves half a second later. I looked away, turned away from her hand, but it wasn't in a way that at all signified I didn't appreciate it. I just needed to look around. Somewhere besides at her. I lowered my head instead, squeezing my eyes shut.

I remembered something else.

Slowly lifting my head, this sudden remembered memory answered so many of the questions. The ones I knew I had, and the ones I didn't know I had. It solved the confusion, and it sent ice through my veins at the same time. I knew not to be scared, but remembering this, it made me see so much more.

They were vampires.

That was the thing, the one thing that made them so different. Because they were different. That made all the questions I had suddenly make sense, and I took a breath. How cold they were, why they never ate. Never slept. How quiet, reserved they were.

All the little hints, all the things I said that they found funny. That was myself, trying to tell me. Trying to make me remember.

Jasper, the one not nearly as used to humans as the others were. That's why my staying there would have bothered him. Emmett, the bear. His preference in animals to hunt. He'd never hurt me. Alice, Esme, Rose. All of them. They were all vampires, but they weren't like the rest of their kind. They were different, and they were mine.

How much they'd meant to me, even from the beginning, was why I felt such a sense of loss when I'd woken up. Just remembering it had me suddenly melt into a sob, gasping quietly toward the ground.

I pushed further, and could only see such a short distance more before I was suddenly blocked. There was more. I knew there was more, but I couldn't see it yet. My mind already overwhelmed by remembering everything I had already remembered so far.

I knew why we were here. Why Alice and Jasper had whisked Bella and I off to Arizona. I couldn't remember before, because it was different this time, but the reason was the same. I remembered the red-eyed man I saw before I had to leave with them. What was his name? I had to search a little harder for that, but I found it. Laurent.

Alice and Jasper were trying to get Bella and Edward back together at the airport, but sent me back at the same time to keep me safer. With Bella missing, neither one had time to explain. They couldn't anyway.

Esme had just enough time to swing by the airport to retrieve me before both she and Rose had to come back here to Forks to watch over Bella's dad. That's the part I wasn't included in before. It was only explained to me afterwards, which was how I knew about vampires at all.

I hoped I wasn't losing it. Was it possible to be driven insane at only nine years old? As if insanity had an age limit. An age restriction that somehow overlooked those too young to know any better.

Those memories of the dream I had that night seemed so incredibly impossible, they couldn't be real, but I knew. They were real. I was so sure that it was true. It was true, and I firmly believed it.

I sobbed quietly again, looking back to Esme. I knew she had to see what it was in my expression. I couldn't hide it, or change it. Her expression only grew more concerned, until I reached over and hugged her.

It was amazing and terrifying at the same time to hug her now, remembering all I remembered of the dream, and remembering all I remembered of this time now. It seemed to make her twice as important to me. She was the same person.

"What is going on?" Rosalie asked this time, obviously impatient. I couldn't blame her. I just wanted to hold onto Esme for as long as I could now. Having lost her for the amount of time I had, I wanted to make up for it.

She'd been there. I finally remembered her. That was a huge thing for me.

"Leandra?" Esme asked again.

"I remember." I sobbed into her shoulder, and that was obviously all I had to say. I felt her tense at first, and I felt her look up at Rosalie beside us.

"What do you remember?" Rosalie asked.

"Everything." I whimpered, struggling to stop my tears, "A-Alice.. She and Jasper weren't trying to give me away. I remember.. I know why we're here." I hesitated. Knowing that I couldn't go into more detail than that where anyone could possibly overhear, even with as isolated as we were.

When she realized I wasn't running from her, Esme returned the hug again. Holding me tighter, which I appreciated, and hugged her tighter in response.

It took me quite awhile to allow myself to let her go, but when I looked at her this time, I saw her differently. It was almost enough to make me cry again, but I managed to hold it back.

"This is so weird." I whimpered through left-over sobs, shaking my head.

"Come on, honey." Esme helped me up, and I knew she had questions. I crawled back into the backseat willingly, and soon enough, the two front seats were occupied again. The second both doors were closed, they both looked to me again.

I looked right back to them.

"What do you remember?" Rosalie was the one to demand, but Esme gave her a look. Probably at the tone she used.

"Everything." I answered anyway, my voice still trembling in emotion, "This happened before."

"What happened?" She frowned. She was both confused and frustrated, which was a bad thing for Rose to be.

"J-Just.. Hang on." I whined, "I just doubled my memories in a second. J-Just.. Let me think." I held my breath, holding my head in my hands. The ache in my head was almost dull enough to ignore, but not quite. I could still feel it. It wasn't unbearable, I'd actually felt worse, but it still got my full attention.

"Think we should call Alice?" Rose was the one to ask that, surprisingly, but her eyes were on Esme, directing that question to her.

"No." I answered instead, "She's probably busy. I-I just.." I trailed off, unfortunately for more tears. The mixture of emotions between last time, and this time were overwhelming me. Knowing what little I knew now of last time, in the dream, the changes that had taken place, took me off guard.

I didn't need to be afraid of them, and I wasn't. I wasn't afraid of them, but I was afraid. What would me finally remembering change?

I didn't doubt anymore. I no longer doubted my ability, because I was pretty sure I wasn't insane, but that wouldn't be confirmed until I knew whether or not they were what I remembered them to be.

They still needed an answer, though. I knew that much, but I wasn't sure how to go about telling them when I could barely breathe.

"Don't rush yourself, sweetie." Esme saw me struggling, and that helped a lot. She would wait.

"Carlisle." I eventually murmured, "I need to talk to him first, before I say anything."

"Honey, he's-"

"Busy in Arizona, I know." I muttered, "I mean after. When they get back. I have to talk to him first."

As it turned out, I really didn't have to wait long at all. Edward would be staying behind until Bella was okay enough to bring back, but everyone else would be coming back the following morning. With a very brief conversation with Alice, they were given the go-ahead to take me home.

To think I'd see them the next day made me nervous. I had no idea why, but I did know that I'd see them differently. Like I used to see them, and not as the ones I met now. There was a huge difference in them now. I knew what they were.

The moment we got home, nobody had to tell me again. Before even wanting to eat anything, I headed for the bathroom for a bath. I had to admit, though, that I did feel better once I was clean and in clean clothes again. Spending three days in my clothes really started to bug me after awhile.

Once I was clean and fed, I really did feel better. Neither Rose or Esme pressed me for any answers. Rose disappeared pretty much the second we got back, so that could have been why, but Esme never really brought it up, aside from offering support and giving me something for the persistent headache I had.

I found I slept better than I had in days. Since I'd been here, oddly enough. As if before, my mind had been too busy to let me rest, but now that I had recalled a bit of what I needed to recall, I could rest for a little while.

Alice and Jasper were the first to return, not long after I woke up early the following morning. As I predicted, it was so hard to figure out how to act. No longer just a feeling, but now I knew I did know them.

Aside from a glance here or there, I couldn't look at Jasper. Shame at my behavior keeping my gaze on my hands in my lap. Alice sat beside me, no doubt curious, but I wouldn't give her any more of an answer than I'd given Esme.

"Just a hint?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

She sighed, "We've got to stop keeping secrets. Especially when I can help you."

"I know you can." I shrugged a little, "But I want to talk to him first."

I didn't have to wait long for him and Emmett either. Both had obviously been filled in, because Emmett grinned first thing when he spotted me, but Carlisle seemed hesitant.

"I hear you're running them around in circles again, shorty." Emmett muttered, sitting beside me. He took my attention for a moment, and I couldn't help smiling a little.

Noticing, he laughed, "What?"

"Nothing." I mumbled, shaking my head. I looked to Carlisle again. He seemed to understand, nodding to me, so I stood up. I slowly crossed the room to his side, standing there for a moment before emotion suddenly caught up to me.

"Can I do one thing first?" I asked quietly, "Please?"

"Of course," He replied, confused, "But what?" I wasted no time. I hugged onto his side as tightly as I could.

In the dream, or vision, he'd been the one I trusted most. More than Esme, more than anyone. He'd been the one I'd built the attachment to, and oddly enough, I found that I missed that now. I missed how much I trusted him, and I wanted to get that back before I took one more step with anyone else, so he was the only one I was willing to talk to first. More than Esme, more than Alice. Of course, the attachments I'd built to them would last, but I wanted this one back, too.

Surprised, he returned the embrace. I was sure he understood to a point, but there was no way he'd ever fully understand what he meant to me right from the beginning. I blinked only slow tears from my eyes, taking a deep breath and stepping back.

I led the way up the stairs after a few more silent moments, and I knew he followed me. I found his office easily, which had to tell him something. Especially when I had never been upstairs here yet. This went beyond just feeling familiar now. This was knowing, actually knowing where everything was. I now knew this house as well as I did when I learned it the first time.

I stood in the center of the room for a moment as he quietly closed the door behind him. Probably waiting.

I could tell he was curious, but cautious. The only time I'd been alone with him was the second hotel we stayed at on the way back here, but that hadn't been my choice. This was my choice, my request. There was just something about knowing he'd never, ever hurt me that changed me and how I looked at him. How I saw him, and as weird as I thought it was, I didn't question it.

"You helped me." I started quietly, and he waited, "Last time." That seemed to make him understand as he looked down, "You were the first one there."

"You're remembering?" He asked, probably to confirm.

"I remember everything that happened.." I trailed off for a second, "Up until a few weeks from now. I remember the different things, and the things that stayed the same. I know how crazy that sounds-"

"Not at all." He replied immediately, and I smiled a little. Nodding, and looking down. Trying to gather my thoughts again.

"Some things stayed the same." I continued, "But most of it is different. Before, I never had to go to California. You had taken me in before I had to. Jack was caught before. You took me in the same day of the field trip where I saw Alice. You had to come to the school to look at me, because I kicked Rachel's ass, and you noticed too many things to let go."

I hesitated, watching for his reaction as he watched for mine.

"You got me to admit it to you." I added quietly, "You did. I don't know exactly how you did it, but you did. They were going to send me to a group home until a foster family could be found for me. You volunteered to take me in, because I trusted you so much.

"That's when it all really started. Everything changed when I never hit Rachel that day." I turned to pace a little, "I walked away instead, and you never had to be called. I had to go home. I knew when I walked away that I was changing something, but it was just a feeling then. I've had a few feelings like that since then, but I never really knew what it meant."

"What happened?" He asked, and I knew what he meant. What happened before? That was a loaded question. What was the shortened version?

"Last time, I'd had a lot more time to get used to this place." I continued, "More than I did this time. I trusted everyone so much this time, because last time, I got to trust them right away, but.." I paused for a breath, "The same thing happened then. With James. It changed a little bit when Alice took me with them this time, instead of you dropping me off somewhere."

He stayed quiet. To him, this was the most I'd ever talked to him, but to me, this was nothing. I still had a lot more. I just didn't know how to get onto that subject, but thankfully, I was given a way.

"Jasper," I muttered after a minute, "Stop it. That's not fair." I knew he had heard me. I still had yet to confirm it, but Carlisle's reaction seemed to confirm it for me.

He didn't say anything at first, hardly moving. Sudden stillness. A typical surprised reaction of his. I finally looked up, watching him again as he watched me. Studying him for any signs that I was wrong. I sure didn't find any.

"You remember?" He finally asked, and slowly, I nodded again, "Can you tell me what all you remember?" I knew what he wanted to know. Relief that it seemed that I was right made it almost easy to talk to him. I smiled a little, unable to keep it back.

I shouldn't be smiling, which was how I knew Jasper kept it up.

"Before," I mumbled, "Everything was different. It didn't happen this way."

I sniffled, looking down briefly. Sorting through the confusing memories.

"I spent the week here," I continued, "Nothing else that happened now happened then, except James. That happened just like it did before, except then, you explained. You told me." That seemed to make him nervous, so I quickly continued.

"You were honest with me then, because while you tried to hide me at someone's house, I figured it out." I murmured, "I figured it out on my own, but you helped. From what you told me before we left, I figured out what you couldn't tell me, so I demanded that you explain. So.." I hesitated, "I found out. All about.. V-Vampires, and why you're so different."

I stumbled on the word, half worried he'd think I was insane. Now was when I'd figure out if it was true or not. I looked up at him hesitantly. He didn't seem amused. He seemed nervous.

He didn't speak now, probably gauging my reaction.

"I'm not scared of you." I finally told him, "I'm not. I still trust all of you just like I always have, except now, I know why. I remember how much you meant to me, to trust you enough to tell you outright like that, but that isn't the same as it is now." I sighed, "That's why when I woke up, I felt so sad, because I lost that. I didn't have the trust anymore, and I didn't have you anymore. I didn't have you, I had nobody. Until I found Alice at the school that day. I didn't remember any of this up until I sat there with Rose and Esme."

Silence.

"There's more." I mumbled, looking down, "So much more happens, but I can't remember it yet. I do remember, though, where I was before I woke up." I offered that, hoping he'd continue to listen. He gave me a nod, letting me know to continue.

"It's weird, because I remember the beginning, before, and I remember the last thing I saw." I paused for a breath, "That's why I was so surprised when I woke up, because I was here. The last thing I saw before I woke up, I was sitting out there. Out front. On the steps. I wasn't by myself. Everyone was with me." I frowned a little, trying to describe it, "I remember.. Being confused when I started to feel pain again, and I remember.. Wondering if something had happened, but it was only me waking up." He was quiet, so I continued.

"I was seventeen." I admitted hesitantly, "I was seventeen before I woke up back on my bedroom floor."

"That must have been so disorienting." He finally spoke, and I nodded.

"Nothing in the world like it." I replied, "I can't remember what we were all doing outside, or who everyone else was, but I remember. I was here. I was out there. I was here, and I remember everything I need to know now, so you don't have to worry about telling me, and getting into.. Trouble.." I trailed off. Slowly frowning, as I thought. My gaze on the rug now.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing my change, and I glanced to him.

"There's one more thing." I mumbled, my frown still in place. What was the name? The name of the reason I said that? I knew his name now. I saw his face, and I knew his name. I knew him before I remembered anything else.

"Aro." I muttered, looking up. Just remembering his name, the thought of the person behind the name made me shudder. I wanted to say more, but I couldn't. I couldn't remember where I remembered his name from, or why, but he was obviously a real person, given Carlisle's surprise.

"Who?" He asked, and I bit my lip for a moment.

"Aro." I repeated, "I don't like him. He's the one I remember that I don't like."

He turned suddenly, crossing the room. I watched after him, watching as he turned to face me. Gesturing to a single painting on the wall.

"Is this him?" He asked firmly, giving me a single nod, and despite how nervous I was, I couldn't clearly see from where I was, so I started over. I shakily crossed the room after him. Stepping carefully, nervously, until I reached his side.

I took another look, and despite how I'd never seen the men in the painting before, I knew immediately who Aro was.

"Him." I said immediately, taking half a step back. Hesitantly, I pointed to the one in front of the others, "That's Aro." My heart pounded uncomfortably as I continued looking. An involuntary shiver rolled down my back, and I crossed my arms over my stomach insecurely. Something like a very mild form of panic settled into my stomach, and I bit my lip, "That's him."

He watched me closely, probably for what he knew I would say next. I pointed to the other two in the painting now, individually.

"Caius." I said, "And Marcus." I stepped closer, looking harder for a moment, before shaking my head and looking back up at Carlisle.

"You remember them?" I nodded at his question. There was no doubt about it, but it was hard to figure out if I knew them from the beginning of my time with them last time, or the end, before I woke up. They had no place right then. Just me remembering the fear they gave me, their names, and what they looked like.

"Just them." I murmured, "I don't remember why I know them, though. Not yet. It wasn't Laurent that I remembered. It was Aro."

I took a breath, looking down again. I needed to get back onto the subject, and say what I needed to say.

"I waited." I mumbled, "I wanted to talk to you first. Before anyone else, because.. Well.." I hesitated, "Well, you were the one I stayed away from most. I don't want that anymore." I paused, shamefully keeping my eyes down, "I think I stayed away from you most, because I missed you. I was afraid.. To lose you again."

This had to be the weirdest thing for him, even with knowing Alice. It was weird for me, too. This confession was the weirdest thing I'd ever confessed, and it was hard on me, because I was scared. I didn't know how he'd react, to be honest. I waited for him to turn, and walk away, but he just stood there for a second.

"I was afraid, because nothing was the same anymore." I added quietly, shaking my head at the carpet, "Everything was different, but I didn't know why."

I was surprised, to say the least, when he finally hugged me. Instead of being bothered by it, though, I returned it. I felt like I'd fixed a few things by explaining all of this to him, which eased me a great deal. It finally felt like I was on the right track.

"I'm not afraid of you." I had to make sure he understood how much that meant to me to say. It wasn't just trying to ease him. It was a surprised statement. Like I almost couldn't believe it myself.

"It's okay." He offered, which was probably the only thing he could have said at that point.

"You don't have to hide anymore." I mumbled, stepping back to look up at him, "You don't have to hide, or worry. I remember now. It can work. It worked before."

"I'm glad." He smiled a little, "You seem confident." I was sure glad that he seemed eased. That I could help him in some way.

"I am." I nodded a little, "I don't mean to make anyone hurt, but I can try my best to help." His expression softened with his next smile, and he sighed. I took a breath, "I.. Kinda wanted to ask you a favor, too." I mumbled, and he met my eyes. Apparently, I just couldn't stop bugging him.

"Anything." He replied quietly.

"Well, it's more like two favors." I admitted, remembering. I waited, and when he didn't protest, I continued, "One, don't tell my dad I'm here. It would be a whole lot easier for him if he didn't know." He frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to go with him." I replied, "And from what I remember, it.. Really doesn't work out."

"It didn't work out then." He reasoned and I looked up.

"It still won't." I said. "A week ago, I could still let you all go. Now that I remember, it's impossible." He smiled a little, nodding as he looked down, "The other thing.. Um.." I studied my hands in my lap, "If Jack ever does get caught, don't make me go to a trial." He frowned again.

"They shouldn't make you go at all."

"Last time, they did." I mumbled, "He probably made sure of that somehow, but it doesn't go so good, and I don't want that to happen again." He nodded again, believing me, "It's just.. I.. Remember now why I don't trust them to keep me safe. That's the reason." My voice quieted, "But it's different this time. I wish I knew how to explain it right."

I shook my head, forcing myself to think straight again.

"This must be so weird for you." I looked up at him.

"I've encountered far stranger things, Leandra." He assured me, and I believed him, smiling a little, "I'm actually quite amazed. I'd heard of abilities like yours developing while one is still human, but never heard of it in one as young as you are."

"I think it's been there my whole life." I admitted, "Just small things, really. Nothing like this before."

"I'd like you to know that you can talk to us." He told me, "At any time. Nobody here will judge you."

"Thanks." I nodded a little, "I know Alice can't wait."

"It's hard to find anyone with that specific gift, Leandra." He chuckled a little, "She's pretty excited, I have to admit. She's waited for a confirmation since she met you, but she will wait until you're ready to discuss it before questioning too thoroughly." I laughed a little.

"I bet that wasn't her idea, huh?"

"Esme helped." He allowed.

With one last glance to the painting on the wall, I tried to suppress the nervousness it caused, and walked with Carlisle from the room.

We found the living room just as Carlisle's phone rang. He quietly excused himself, and I nodded a little. Despite the room having more than him in it, Emmett's smirk was the first thing I saw, and embarrassed, I looked down.

"So the cat's out of the bag." He spoke up, and I shrugged.

"I guess so." I muttered in reply.

"See?" He asked, and I looked up. His eyes were on Jasper and Alice, "I told you shorty would be fine with it." I couldn't help smiling at that.

"You always used to call me that." I finally told him, "At least one thing is the same."

"I'm happy to help." He chuckled, and I smiled a little more.

"I am glad you finally remember." Jasper offered, and I looked to him, "I thought it would create more problems than solve them, but what you said made me see differently."

"With me in on it, I can help." I reasoned, "I get why you couldn't tell me, but a hint would have been nice."

"Leandra?" I looked over as Carlisle returned, Esme in tow. His expression was nervous again, "That was Charlie."

"And?" I murmured, nervous as well. What would Charlie want? "Aw, dammit." I suddenly remembered, "I don't want to go with him."

"Who?" Emmett had obviously not been focusing on the call in the kitchen.

"I won't go with him." I shook my head, "I don't even know him."

"I'm sure he just wants to fix that." Esme tried, but it didn't work. I shook my head.

"He and Charlie are on their way over." Carlisle told me, and I whined.

Uh-uh. That wouldn't fly. I wouldn't stand for it, and I needed them to understand why. My dad was someone who I didn't have a single, solid memory of, him having left me when I was little. They knew that part, but I wasn't willing to leave where I was now, just to risk attempting anything with him. He wasn't worth it to me.

"I'll just run away." I warned, "I won't stay with him."

"Who is it?" Alice seemed just as confused.

"My dad." I finally answered, glancing to her across the room and crossing my arms.

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long. Holy crap. Lots going on around here, and still recovering, so I haven't been entirely lazy.
I'm sorry if this seems rushed in places. It was a challenge.
THANK YOU to my AMAZINGLY patient reviewers! I hope this didn't take too long lol
Chapter fourteen is in the works, but might take a little time. Considering this chapter was so new, and changed everything quite a bit. I ask for continued patience. :)
Until Fourteen, my friends! :D