Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything but my plot! :)

A/N: First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope your celebrations were awesome and I hope that this year is wonderful for every single one of you! I got champagne dumped over my head, which I wasn't happy about AT ALL but oh well, it was in Columbus at OSU, I can't complain!

Secondly, I'm SOOO sorry it took me so long to update. I had a lot of parties to attend since apparently this time of the year in both 1987 and 1988 was a popular time to have a child since most of my friends had a birthday in the past few days... and a few of them turned 21 so I had to go! :) haha

Anyway, I noticed that I didn't get as many reviews for the last chapter as I did for the one before that... I'm sad. I also have noticed that there are a total of 154 Favs and 233 people have this story on their Alerts list... I'd really appreciate feedback from more of you. I mean, I didn't get half of the reviews for last chapter as I do the favs for the entire story! I'm not mad or anything, I just don't get it.

Oh well, beggars can't be choosers can they? A HUGE shout out to "truelover", "Music 1s my s0ul", "Missy Skywalker", and "Edward's a sexy beast" for the wonderful reviews!

Oh, yeah, GO UC BEARCATS!! :-D


Bella's POV

2006. Forks, WA.

I moved in with the Cullen's over the course of two days, as I really didn't have much of a choice. Alice and Esme had tracked down my home and boxed up all of my belongings with care and transported them to what is now my room in the Victorian style mansion. I had been slightly angry in the beginning that they had taken such liberties but once I realized that nothing was damaged, including my cars and my precious "J" blanket, I was fine.

I sat up, as I was laying down on the white leather chaise lounge that Esme had placed in my room, and scanned my room for the blanket, deciding that I should return it to my brother. I smiled as I found it draped across the bench that sat by the window.

My room was quite modern, for which I was glad, with an entire wall of built in bookcases (now full with my books) and an attached bathroom and wonderfully large walk in closet. I never was one for fashion, but I knew that I had to keep up with the trends and I've caught on that Alice is exceptionally happy that I simply allow her to dress me daily. My smile grew larger as my eyes travelled over my belongings, I had only been living here for three weeks and I had already acquired an entire new wardrobe along with a family.

I stood, picked up the now ancient but still just as velvety soft blanket and went off in search of my brother.

I found him downstairs playing a video game with Emmett. I laughed as Emmett yelled out in anger that my brother was beating him, at least, I guessed Jasper was beating Emmett. I had no idea what game it was or what the score was; all I knew was it involved lots of shooting and racing cars.

"Jazz?" I caught his attention.

"Yes?" He looked up at me questioningly, "What is it?" He eyed the blanket in my arms and his eyes widened, "Is that--? You still have it?"

He stood and walked over to me, I nodded.

"I can't believe you still have it." Jasper whispered as he reached out a hand to touch it.

"I kept it all of these years. I couldn't let it go, especially once I thought I'd never see you again." I handed it to him, "It's time I return it, as per our deal."

He smiled, "I remember that deal, Bells. I have my half of it still."

"You do? You still have my ribbon?" A wave of disbelief and happiness hit me.

I noticed that Emmett had left the room, but Alice had suddenly appeared holding my blue ribbon that I had given Jasper back in 1861, "I had always wondered why Jasper had a ribbon he carried around and treated like it was gold!" She smiled and handed it to Jasper, who was closest, before turning around and heading back up the stairs.

He wordlessly handed me my long ribbon and I couldn't help it, as I clutched it to my chest, to let out a small, dry, sob.

My brother pulled me into his arms and we sat on a couch as I clutched at him, shaking with sobs, "Shh Bella," he told me, "It's okay. Why are you crying? You aren't sad."

I said nothing as I buried my face in his shirt, so unbelievably happy that I had my brother back and he remembered our deal after so many decades. "I'm happy," was all I said.

I felt him nod, "I'm happy too."


About a week after my crying incident with my brother, I again found myself laying on my white leather chaise lounge in my room with a book. It was a Friday and we had already arrived home from our day at school where I was still the center of attention. I was bored out of my mind.

I put my book, Sense and Sensibility, down and stood, making my way out of my room, wondering what I could do to occupy myself. I walked down the stairs when it hit me that Edward had a piano down here and I knew how to play. I smiled as I set my eyes on the beautiful grand piano that sit before me. I vaguely heard Alice squeal and rolled my eyes.

I pulled the bench back and sat, bringing my hands up to rest upon the ivory keys while I thought of what to play. I set my thumb on middle C and pressed down lightly as I thought.

Suddenly I started to play Robert Schumann's Traumerei (Reverie), a slow, beautiful composition before slipping into Shumann's Abegg Vairations Op. 1. My eyes were closed as I allowed myself to slip into the wonderful sounds of Debussy's Arabesque no. 1.

I opened my eyes to see Edward staring at me, his jaw slack as I continued to play. I stared into his eyes as I finished and smiled. "Hello, Edward. I hope you don't mind me playing your piano."

I took my hands from the keys as he walked over to me, his crooked smile forming on his face, "I had no idea you played," he said honestly, "I don't mind at all."

He sat down on the bench with me, I moved over a bit to allow him room, and leaned forward. "As I said, I had no idea you played."

I looked down, "I learned a very long time ago and kept up with it through the years." I looked back up at him and smiled again, I could get lost in his eyes.

I shook my head quickly, I was out of my mind. I could have laughed at myself and probably would have if Edward didn't raise his hands to the ivory keys as he began to play what I quickly recognized as Isle of Joy by Debussy. I voiced that I recognized the piece.

"I see you're a Debussy fan," he remarked.

I nodded, "Claire de Lune is my favorite he wrote."

He looked at me, "Mine too. Do you write music?" He finished playing, but kept his hands on the keys.

I shook my head, "No, I don't have the patience. I will, from time to time play something where I make it up as I go but I never have actually written anything. Do you?"

He nodded, "Yes I do. Would you like to hear one?"

"I'd love to!" I smiled eagerly.

He began playing, "This," he said quietly, "is Esme's Favorite."

I listened, silent, as he played, it sounded beautiful. When I finished, I told him I thought so and he gave me a broad smile.

"Tell me Bella," he said as he took his hands away from the keys and turned to face me, "Do you listen to anything other than the classical genre?"

I nodded as I too turned to face him, eager to keep talking to this amazingly beautiful creature before me, "I listen to just about anything, however I am completely against bluegrass country."

He frowned, "I cannot stand to listen to that. I detest it. What are some of your favorite bands and singers?"

I smiled.


We talked the afternoon away, not noticing the passage of time nor did we take notice of anyone who slipped in and out of the room. Edward and I were immersed in our conversation; we spoke of our favorite bands, musical eras, books, books, and books, among many other things.

I looked toward the clock, wondering the time, and was amazed that neither of us noticed that we had been speaking for hours and it was getting dark outside. "Oh!" I said in surprise, "We've been talking this long and I didn't even notice?"

He smiled, "I was enjoying our conversation."

"Me too!" I returned his smile. An idea struck me, "Do you want to go hunting with me?"

I didn't think his smile could've gotten any wider, "I would love to, let's go!"

We stood in unison and made our way through the back yard and into the woods behind out home, leaping over the river that separated our yard from the woods.

We ran, dodging trees and rocks, laughing in glee. We were in our element. I laughed loudly and chanced a glance at the sheer beauty that was Edward and I was shocked that he was doing the same to me. I winked at him before sniffing the air around me for the scent of animals. Finding one that smelled delicious, I turned and ran in that direction, noting that it was a herd and Edward was following me having caught the scent too. I smiled at him, "We're going to have to share." I winked again and focused on hunting.

After taking down four deer I stood, licking my lips to get all of the blood, and looked at Edward, who was finishing with his fifth.

I knew my eyes had glazed over as I stared at him; the way he closed his eyes as he drank the blood, clutching at his prey. His muscles tight and firm under his blue button-down shirt as he crouched over the deer, his bronze hair in disarray as it fluttered in the breeze.

Breathtaking.

I shook my head, amazed at myself. I was actually attracted to someone. After so many years of turning down advances from other vampires and human men alike, I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with me, but here I was marveling at the creation that was Edward. I shook myself out of it, I had only known him for a month now and I was already doing this? I was disgusted at myself, who was I to think that way about someone who had, along with the rest of his family, taken me in and allowed me to become family too (even though I was actually a biological sister to one of them already).

I noted distantly that Edward had finished and was walking towards me and I wondered if he had been watching me as I had him.


Edward's POV

As Bella and I ran towards the herd I thought back to our conversation. I too had no sense of the passing of time for the first time since 1918. I was enthralled with her. I couldn't hear her thoughts and that intrigued me and frustrated me to no end. Jasper and Emmet thought it was hysterical that she had to allow me into her thoughts and had yet to do so. I shook my head as I dodged trees, watching her lithe form run. She was, just like the rest of the vampire race, incredibly graceful and beautiful.

Jasper is going to kill me.

I knew she was watching me as we hunted, and I too was watching her. She was vicious and it was actually arousing to watch her leap and take down the bucks that were much larger than her five foot four inch frame. I shook that thought away. What was I thinking? She's Jasper's little sister and here I was thinking such vile thoughts about her. If she knew what I was thinking she would be disgusted with me, I was disgusted with myself.

But I couldn't deny that I was attracted to her. I almost laughed, after turning down countless advances from countless other women, I was attracted to someone and it had little do to with her looks. Her personality was golden, she was smart, and she played music. Teenagers today are lucky if they can pull off one of those characteristics, let alone all of them.

I stood as I finished my fifth deer, using my thumb to wipe away any remaining blood before I licked it off, and walked towards the brunette beauty that stood starting at me. I noted that her eyes were glazed over as she watched me walk towards her and nearly laughed at her slack jaw and slightly open mouth. I suddenly felt an urge to run my fingers through her hair but I quickly forced it away, where were these thoughts and urges coming from?

Jasper is going to kill me.

"Bella? Are you okay?" I was slightly worried about the look on her face and wondered what she was thinking about, and I felt the frustration set back in at my inability to hear her thoughts.

She shook her head and looked ashamed, "Yes, sorry, I was just thinking." She gave a laugh that sounded like bells.

"What were you thinking?" I asked as we began to dispose of the bodies of our meal.

She shook her head, "You don't want to know."

I did want to know, but I didn't push it.

I held out my hand to her, "I want to show you something." I said suddenly.

She looked at me and I realized that this was a very, very good idea on my part as she smiled and took my hand murmuring, "Alright."

When she took my hand an electric shock went through me and I wondered if she felt it too.

I was glad Jasper wasn't out with us because I know that if he was he would've felt the wave of emotions that rushed over me as she touched my hand. He would've felt my attraction to his younger sister and I'm sure that he would've felt my immense confusion too.

I was confused as to why I was beginning to like her more than as a friend and it certainly wasn't brotherly, when I was never attracted to another female that way in my life. I acknowledged that the others were usually quite beautiful, such as in Tanya's case, but I was never interested. Why was I now?

I was going to show her the meadow and as I looked in her eyes when we set off, I knew...

Jasper is going to kill me.


Bella's POV

I took Edward's outstretched hand in confusion. I wasn't too confused with him taking me somewhere to show me something, but I was confused wondering why he was showing me. Why would I be special? I shrugged it off as we began to run west.

I noticed when I took Edward's hand that an electric shock had run through my body. Did he feel that too? I was afraid to ask him just in case he would think I was weird.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

He smiled crookedly at me, "You'll see. It's a surprise. I've never taken anyone here to see it, it's always been my place to sit and think. I want to show it to you."

I was flattered. I giggled as a wave of happiness rushed over me, even through the confusion.

I was quiet until Edward slowed to a walk right in the center of a clearing. I looked around and took in the flowers that surrounded us. It was completely normal for a meadow, but at the same time breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn't quite explain it or put my finger on it, but something about it was wonderful.

I looked at Edward who was looking at me expectantly, "This meadow is beautiful, Edward." I walked away from him and sat down on the grass. "It's wonderfully peaceful."

He nodded and sat next to me, "I come here to think and be away from the thoughts that constantly run through my head that belong to others. Here, it's silent and I can pretend I'm normal for a little while."

I nodded in understanding, "It must be terrible to have the thoughts of other people running through your head twenty four hours a day."

He shook his head, "It's not terrible, it was at first, but now I think I'd be lost without them. I'm so used to hearing them now."

"I feel insignificant next to you and Alice," I admitted suddenly. Where had that come from?

He appeared to be thinking along the same lines as me when he replied, "Why would you feel insignificant?"

I sighed and lay back on the grass, staring at the sky, "I can only block mental things and shield others from the same things, but you can hear thoughts and Alice can see the outcomes of decisions. I have nothing on you two." I deliberately kept my eyes on the clouded sky.

Edward was silent for a moment, "You don't see yourself very clearly, do you?"

"I see myself perfectly clearly, thank you."

I saw him shake his head in my peripheral, "No, I don't think you do. You are very talented, your gift is very important and helpful, Rosalie is jealous of you too. Not by much, as she's as vain as they come, but she's jealous you have a gift and she doesn't."

"She's very beautiful." I tried.

"Yes, she is," Edward agreed and I was surprised at how that seemed to sting me, "and she knows it, but she doesn't have much more than that."

I was silent as he then lay down next to me in the grass. As we lay there, I thought about what he said and I also tried to sort out my thoughts as to why in the world I could possibly be feeling any bit of attraction towards someone since I never had before. I knew I had to brush off these feelings as I was sure they were only coming up because I had been alone for so long and I suddenly found myself surrounded by love and a family.

I suddenly couldn't help it as I suddenly blurted to Edward, "Are you attracted to Rosalie?"

I immediately wanted to take it back and was incredibly glad that I couldn't blush anymore. I was mortified that I asked such a personal question and tried to rectify it, "I shouldn't have asked you that! Oh, Edward, I'm sorry--"

He laughed suddenly, "No, it's fine. Honestly. But no, I am not attracted to Rosalie. Carlisle changed her in the beginning in hopes that she could be a match for me, but we would never have worked and I never even tried, not once."

I wondered briefly why he sounded like he was trying to convince me of something but shrugged it off and said, "Oh. I didn't know that. She has Emmett though now, right?"

He nodded, "Yes, and they are very happy with one another."

We were silent for the next few hours as we stared at the sky. It was dark by now, but our eyesight could still see perfectly.

"I suppose we should get back," Edward said suddenly.

I agreed, "Yes, I suppose we should. The others might worry that you kidnapped me and took me off somewhere to have your way with me." I laughed but was struck with the thought that I might not mind that behavior coming from Edward. I groaned internally, where do those thoughts keep coming from?!

He looked struck for a moment before he too began laughing with me. He stood quickly and held out his hand to me, "Ready, Bella?"

I took his hand, nodding, not trusting myself to speak after that thought.

I vaguely heard him mutter something about someone killing him as we ran off through the forest. Our fingers were still entwined when we could see the house through the trees. I let go of his hand.

I was going to have to be careful when I was around Jasper. This could be disastrous. I tried imagining talking to my brother about another man and my attraction to said other man and shuddered.

I fleetingly wondered what Edward thought of me.

Oh, what is my problem?!

We walked inside and after I gave him a small, shy smile, I walked up the stairs and into my room. When I closed the door, I put my back to it and slid down to the floor. I truly had a wonderful day! I felt a large smile pull it's way onto my face and a little bubble of happiness tickled my stomach.

Yes, I thought, I'm definitely going to have to hide this from Jasper. He'll be suspicious I'm so happy and giddy after spending the day with only Edward.

I decided to take a shower after spending so many hours outside hunting and laying in the grass of the meadow with Edward. I sighed as I thought of the meadow, it was so pretty and peaceful.

I grabbed a towel and turned on the water as I my thoughts drifted from the events of today to Edward, then random mundane things about Alice and her plans for the weekend, hoping that I wouldn't have to go shopping with her and Rosalie since those two could go for days, to Edward, my shower, what I would wear after my shower, and then Edward again.

Wow, I had it bad.

I am going to have to hide this from Jasper. And Edward. I rinsed the strawberry-scented shampoo from my hair as I thought about this. Edward wouldn't be attracted to me in return, I knew this. He turned down Rosalie for goodness sakes! Why would he decide to like me more than as a sister when he wanted nothing to do with even courting Rosalie years ago when she was turned. I shuddered as I ran a strawberry-scented conditioner through my hair and then rinsed it out.

I decided that I wanted to go for a drive. A very fast drive. I wonder if Edward would like to go with me.

I'm terrible.

I finished my shower and dried my hair quickly. Pulling my hair into a ponytail and lightly dusting a blush over my cheeks in an attempt to at least look alive despite my pale skin, I went to get dressed. I chose something simple: a dark-washed pair of jeans and a light grey sweater that was a V-neck with short sleeves over a plain white tank so I didn't reveal too much if anyone were to see me. I grabbed my keys to my silver BMW M6 and walked out of my room to go downstairs.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw Alice jumping on the balls of her feet with a large grin on her face.

"Hello Alice!" I was becoming incredibly fond of this pixie-like girl. I recall her telling me a few weeks ago that we were going to be "great friends" as she put it.

"I want to go with you!" she squealed.

I shrugged, I had no problem with this and her grin grew larger when she saw my choice. She grabbed my hand and together we walked to the garage, started my car, and sped away from the house.

Alice kept her hold on my hand, "Can we go shopping Bella? Please?! I just want to check out what's at the mall!"

I looked at her, "Which mall, Alice?"

She gave me her puppy-dog-eyes and said, "We can go to Seattle!"

I laughed suddenly at her antics, "I don't suppose that's a bad idea. But the malls won't open for a few hours, so we'll have to drive around for awhile and talk."

"Okay!" Alice was quick to agree, and that's just what we did; we talked as I drove around. She asked me all sorts of questions such as my favorite designers, did I prefer light blue or dark blue, et cetera.

As it neared time for a mall in Seattle to open, Alice squealed, "I'm excited that it's just us girls doing this today! I promise I'll go easy on you!"

I laughed, Alice's version of going easy on me during shopping was not dragging me into every store, and allowing me to have a choice in what handbag she forced upon me.

I parked my car in a highly shaded portion of the parking garage and the two of us avoided walking into any direct sunlight as we entered the mall. And Alice was off.

I groaned but followed her along through the hours of going into the stores she saw something in as she picked out various clothes, shoes, handbags and random pieces of jewelry for our entire family. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw her little body holding so many shopping bags but my laugh was cut short when I felt my cell phone vibrating in my pocket.

I grabbed it out in confusion (who in the world would be calling me right now?) and looked at the caller I.D. and felt a small flood of emotion come over me.

I smiled and flipped open my phone, "Hello Edward!"


A/N: Alright! There you have it! 4,451 words! What did you think? As I said before not many people reviewed compared to other chapters and I'm sort of worried. Please review! I love the feedback and believe me, it really helps me on when it comes to writing the story!

So, let me know what you think!! I really really appreciate it!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!