A/N: Hey guys! Don't be mad at me! It has been a crazy summer and it's only halfway through! I've been working mostly, 6 days a week, 8 hours a day. I haven't really been able to update lately, but here it is! i tried to include Bella a lot more I hope you all like it! Read and review!

BTW i don't own the song in the middle!

During the night, while the humans were sleeping, the vampires went about doing their own seperate things. Jasper and Emmett were playing a video game. Rose and Alice were surfing the internet. Carlisle was catching up on some hospital work, and Esme was thinking of more ways to make their guests comfortable.

Edward was upstairs, watching Bella sleep. He heard a ruckus from Alice's bedroom. He quietly got up and went to investigate. Standing in the doorway of Alice's room, he saw Maria sleeping. He saw that she was having a bad dream; she was moving in her sleep. Maria was also tangled up in her blankets and sheets. She wrestled with them, murmuring fearful things. Suddenly she sat upright, gasping for breath. She hid her face in her hands.

"Not again." She whispered quietly. She was still breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked her gently. She looked up quickly, startled. She relaxed slightly at the sight of him.

"Edward. How long have you been there?" She asked him, brushing her damp hair away from her face. Instead of answering her, he entered the dark room. He went over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Long enough to know that you were having a bad dream. Have you had these before?" Edward asked her gently.

"Look, I get that your trying to be nice and everything, and I appreciate everything your family has done for us. But it really is none of your business what I dream about. So if you could please leave, I want to go back to bed. Good night." Maria said politely. Edward stared at her for a few minutes before standing up. When he reached the door he turned back around.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm a great listener." She thought it over for a second before nodding and laying back down. She turned over on her side and closed her eyes. Edward nodded and went back to his room.

The rest of the night passed without much activity. In the morning, Megan, Wyatt, Chris and Bella all woke up around the same time. They sleepily walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Esme was standing at the stove making them breakfast. She turned when she smelled them come into the kitchen. "Good morning. How'd you all sleep? Here, eat. Where's Maria?" She handed them each a plate with food on it.

"Probably still sleeping. She's not a morning person." Megan replied, spooning food into her mouth. Edward looked at her curiously.

"Does Maria usually have nightmares?" He asked her. She looked at him curiously before answering.

"Not really why? Did she have one last night?"

"I heard her moving around in her sleep last night. So I went to see if she's alright. When I got there, it looked like she was having a really bad nightmare. She was moving around a lot and talking quietly. All of a sudden she sat upright and gasped. She whispered, 'not again'." Edward recounted what he witnessed last night.

Megan glanced at Maria's brothers. They both looked worried. She looked back at Edward. "Did you say anything to her?"

"Yes, I asked her if she was alright."

"Did she get defensive?"

"Yes."

Megan sighed and put down her fork. "I'm sorry about that. Don't judge her on that. She doesn't like to share her dreams really with anyone. Sometimes she just puts her walls up, and locks herself in. She didn't mean it, it just the way she acts."

"She hasn't had a nightmare since......" Chris tried to remember the last time this happened. He suddenly looked worried, Megan and Wyatt realizing what he meant.

"Oh no." Megan ran upstairs, Wyatt and Chris right on her heels. She barged into Alice's room. In her bed was Maria, sleeping soundly. Megan walked around to the side of the bed and gently shook her awake. "Maria? Maria. Wake up. I need to talk to you." Maria moaned and rolled over. Megan hid a smile and tried again. "Maria, it's important. Come one, Maria." This time Maria groaned and opened one eye.

"What? What could you possibly need right this second and can't wait unitil I'm awake?" She asked grumpily.

"Did you have a nightmare last night?" Chris asked, sitting at the end of the bed. Maria groaned and sat up and opened both eyes. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the room. Edward and Bella were standing at the doorway, Megan, Chris and Wyatt standing around her bed.

"Is that what this is about? It's nothing don't worry about it. Now can I go back to sleep?" Maria asked. She looked sleepily at Megan.

"It's not nothing. Edward said you had a nightmare. What was it about?" Wyatt persisted. Maria glared at Edward, and turned to look at her brother.

"Yes, it is. It's nothing, really. Is that pancakes I smell? I am suddenly not tired anymore." Maria quickly changed the subject. She got out of bed and tried to get to the door, but her path was blocked by Wyatt.

"Maria, you haven't had a nightmare since Andrew....." Megan trailed off. Maria looked down and sighed. She turned back to her cousin.

"I know, but it had nothing to do with him. Now, can I please get something to eat? If I can't go back to bed, I should at least be able to eat breakfast." Maria smiled at her cousin and brothers convincingly. Megan sighed and gave in for now. She nodded and motioned for Wyatt to get out of her way. "Thank you."

Once downstairs, Maria enjoyed her breakfast of homemade pancakes. When she was finishing her last bite, Carlisle came in and greeted everyone. "Maria, once your done there, I want to have a look at those bandages. Make sure you didn't disturb anything in your sleep. Okay?" Maria nodded and ate her last bite and put it in the sink. She followed the doctor into his study and he shut the door.

While he was inspecting her wounds, Carlisle asked if she had slept alright. Maria, torn between lying to Carlisle and telling the truth, hesitated. Carlisle noticed and looked up at her. "Is everything alright?"

Maria sighed and gave up. She could never lie to Carlisle. "No. Last night I had a dream. The same dream I used to have before, the one with Andrew. I was so sure that it was real, it was like I could feel the death around me. Then when he came for me, that's when I woke up. Edward saw me last night. I think I barked at him. I didn't mean to, he just startled me. I'm going to apologize to him. But he told Meg and my brothers, and their worried about me. They know about the dreams I had before, and they know that I had the same one last night. I just don't want to talk about it. That part of my life is over. I've moved on."

"Do you think it had anything to with seeing him yesterday? That seeing him brought back all those memories, and bad feelings?" Carlisle asked, finishing up looking her over. He got up and walked around to his chair.

"Probably. I just don't want it to be like last time. Those dreams took over my days and nights. It was like I couldn't escape from them." She sighed and put her head in her hands. Carlisle reached over and rubbed her back, comforting her.

"Don't let them. If you do, they'll just overpower you. You should talk to your brothers and cousin. They're just worried about you."

Maria sat up and looked at him. She smiled and stood up. "Thanks. I'll think about it. Right now I just want to shower and change." She left the study and went in search of Alice. She found her in the living room, reading. She looked up as Maria entered.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I'm in need of a shower but I don't know where the bathroom is." Maria said. Alice jumped up and crossed the room.

"There's one in the bedroom. It's the door on the other side of your bed. Here I'll show you." Alice said, smiling.

"Oh, I didn't know where that went. Thanks." Maria followed Alice up to her bedroom. Alice showed Maria the bathroom and the shampoos and stuff.

"There you go. That's everything. I'll see you downstairs." Alice left her to shower and change.

Maria, freshly showered and changed, brushed her hair as she walked down the stairs to the living room. She pulled her damp hair back into a bun and looked around. Emmett and Jasper were in front of the TV, Edward and Bella were over by the piano, and Rose, Alice and Meg were sitting on the couch planning a trip to the mall. Maria walked over to couch and sat down on the arm next to Rose. "What's up guys? Where's Esme and Carlisle?"

"Carlisle is at the hospital and Esme is looking into getting us registered at the high school. We're talking about making a trip to the mall later, want to join us?" Meg asked.

"Yeah, later though. What are those two doing?" Maria nodded towards Bella and Edward. Edward was playing a light tune on the piano, Bella listening and watching him.

"I don't know. Go find out." Alice said. Maria stood up and slowly made her way over to the couple. Edward was finishing his song, and looked up at her as she came to a stop next to the piano.

"Hello Maria."

"You play the piano? Your not bad." Maria smirked at him playfully. Bella smiled up at her. "May I?" She gestured to the keys.

"Be my guest." Edward stood up from the bench and moved out of the way. Bella remained seated as her cousin sat down next to her. Maria took a deep breath before playing.

Vanessa Carlton's "White Houses"

By the end of her song, Alice, Meg and Rose had gathered around the piano. At some point in the song Megan had joined in singing. Maria smiled at her and continued to sing. At the end, everyone clapped. Maria smiled and thanked them.

"I forgot how good you were." Bella said.

"I'd say you even rival Edward, and he's the best pianist I've ever heard. Where'd you learn to play?" Alice asked.

"I taught myself to play actually. I play the guitar too." Maria said.

"I have to say, Maria, that was very good." Edward said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks. Now, didn't you vsay something about a shopping trip?" Maria asked Alice. Alice's face lit up with excitement. She nodded happily.

"Yes! Let's go. Bella, you want to come with?" Alice asked her best friend.

"No, not really. You guys just go, I'll stay here." Bella shook her head. Alice shrugged her shoulders and led the other three out to Rose's car.

A couple of hours later, the four girls came back, arms loaded down with bags. Emmett and Jasper rushed over to help them, especially the witches. "Just put them on my bed, everythings mixed together. We'll sort it out later." Alice commanded the guys. The two vanished with the bags.

Maria looked around at Bella and Edward, who were sitting on the couch talking quietly. "Hey guys. Wheres everyone? Wyatt? Chris?"

"Esme is in the kitchen making dinner, Carlisle is at the hospital but he should be back soon, Wyatt and Chris said that they needed to take care of something with th Elders. How was the mall?" Bella answered, looking up at them. They heard Edward sigh and look away from them. Maria raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing.

"Great! We found some amazing things. We'll show them to you later." Alice said excitedly. She left the room and went to the kitchen, Rose following her. Edward got up and went quietly upstairs. Maria and Megan took a seat on either side of Bella.

"What's up is butt?" Maria asked bluntly. Bella sighed and rolled her eyes.

"It's nothing. He just wants things his way. It's a long story." Bella glanced one last time at the stairs and focused on her cousins. "So, Maria. You know we have to talk about that dream you had, right?"

"Who says?" Maria asked, smiling. "Seriously guys it was nothing."

Megan and Bella shared a look, before turning back to her. "Really? It had nothing to do with Andrew? You know he's not gone right? He's not going away that easily." Megan leaned forward and took Maria's hand in hers. "If it has anything to do with what we are dealing with, you need to tell us."

Maria took a deep breath and looked at them. She seemed to make a descision. "Okay. I'll tell you. The dream I had last night was just like the ones I used to have. Back when Andrew and Zankou were first defeated. Except last night's seemed so real. He had just killed everyone, and he was coming for me. He threw a fireball at me. As the fire hit my skin, that's when I woke up. Guys, I could feel the heat and the burn of the fire on my skin. It felt so real." Maria stood up and faced the the wall, away from the other two. She missed the worried looks the girls shared.

"Maria, why didn't you tell us?" Bella asked quietly.

"Because I hate feeling vulnerable! That's how I feel everytime I have these dreams. And telling you guys, it was like admitting to a weakness. He does this to me everytime I'm around him. I hate feeling like this!" Maria screamed in frustration.

"Like what?" Megan asked gently.

"Like I'm weak and useless." Maria said softly.

"Maria, you know you can tell us anything. We're your family, and we love you. Nothing's going to change that. You have to tell us when these things happen, okay?" Megan stood up and went over to her and embraced her in a big hug.

"The three of us need to stick together. We're stronger together. That means we have no secrets from each other, okay? As long as we stay together, we're strong. We're strong by ourselves, but together we're unstoppable." Bella stood up and the three cousins hugged tightly.

"Thanks you guys. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys before. So, who wants to tell Chris and Wyatt for me?" Maria asked, smiling when the other two gave her a look. "Come on you guys! Telling them will be a nightmare! Please?"

Megan rolled her eyes, but gave in. "Fine, I'll tell them, but you do it next time." Megan said before hearting out to find the guys.

Bella and Maria looked at each other, before Esme coming in to tell them that dinner was ready. Arm in arm they walked off to the kitchen.