A/N I know that this is a short chapter, but it has a Rosalie/Bella moment that I'm very excited about. There are too few of those in the books. I actually tend to be a Rosalie fan myself... I think that she's a very poorly understood character in the books, and I'm very disappointed in the fact that after SM develops her (sort of...) in Eclipse, that she turns her into the same shallow stereotype in BD.

So. Here's my version of Rosalie. :o)

Speaking of which, if anyone wants to read the best Rosalie fic out there, check out Angeliss's "Desperate," the story of Rosalie in the first two books of BD. It's one of the best fics I've ever read. JennaLynne also has some wonderful one shots of Rosalie on her home page. If you'd like to read some of those, just look at my favorite stories page, and you should see them.

This chapter also concludes with a wonderful bit of fluff that delighted me to write.

Stayed tuned for the next chapter... Esme tells her story....

I want to sincerely thank everyone who has reviewed. Really, I wish so much that I could respond personally to everyone -- but I'm a junior double major in college -- which, translated, means that I have no life. Just know that I love each of you for your encouragement. :o) Please review, and maybe I can persuade Edward to visit you for Thanksgiving. :o)

PS. About the previous chapter... I modeled the "question game" on what Edward does in Twilight when he asks Bella anything and everything... And "You Are My Sunshine" is supposed to be this fic's version of Edward's lullaby. :o) I hope that helps everything make more sense!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Seven: Scars

Alice was running around the house dancing in circles, Jake barking madly around her feet. She woke everyone up at the crack of dawn with her excitement even though they could have slept in for once. It was Thanksgiving and Alice loved the holidays more than anything else.

No one really minded, however. Her excitement was contagious.

They were all crowded in the kitchen, getting in each other's way while Esme showed everyone how to make the different dishes she and Carlisle always had for Thanksgiving. Edward was elbow deep mashing the potatoes when he felt everything go quiet in a kitchen that just a few minutes before had been loudly chaotic.

He turned around and saw Bella tentatively tracing one finger down the pink scars that showed beneath Rosalie's rolled-up sleeves.

He went perfectly still.

Rosalie was just starring at Bella. Bella had soft tears snaking gently down her face.

She looked at Rosalie, her forehead wrinkled, but Rosalie shrugged and held her hands out, her eyes rimmed in puzzlement.

Frustrated, Bella ran to the kitchen table where her tablet and pen were sitting. Slowly, in her distinctively messy handwriting, she wrote, "Who did this to you?"

Rosalie jutted her chin out and responded, "I did ... And don't you dare feel sorry for me."

Bella looked stunned for a moment and then she did something Edward would have never expected – even though he was getting used to the fact that Bella usually did the unexpected.

She grinned.

He peeked over her shoulder as she quickly wrote on her tablet, "I never felt sorry for you. You're too strong for anyone to feel sorry for you."

It was the best thing she could have said, and better yet, Rosalie knew she meant it.

Before Rosalie could respond, Bella turned back and wrote on her tablet, "I wish I could be as strong as you."

"Why?" asked Rosalie, standing so straight. "Do you have scars like mine?"

Esme gasped softly. It was the first time anyone had ever asked Bella anything about her former life.

Bella just shook her head gently and then rubbed her hand over her heart. Her intent could not have been clearer.

Her scars were all on the inside.

Suddenly -- before anyone could say or do anything about Bella's revelation -- the vegetables that had been boiling on the stove began overflowing, and the kitchen was thrown into warm confusion once again.

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Most anorexics are young women. Feeling that a male-dominated world has given them no models for what full womanhood means, do they believe that the golden key to that Wonderland garden is to make themselves as little as Alice had to in order to pass through the tiny curtained door?

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It was only when they were about to eat that Edward realized that Bella had successfully made Rosalie say more in the last few minutes than she had said in her entire time at Carlisle and Esme's.

Bella had addressed the issue of her scars head-on, causing Rose to admit, "I need to feel strong."

And Bella did it for no other reason than because she cared.

A little while later they were all sitting ("Finally!" grumbled Emmett) around the table, surrounded by food.

Carlisle stopped everyone before they could begin.

"I'd like for all of us to go around the table and say what we're thankful for before we begin this wonderful dinner," he said.

"Yeah, and be creative," said Alice.

"I'll start," said Emmett enthusiastically. "I'm thankful for the postal service."

He laughed at everyone's stunned faces, and then pulled a crumpled letter out of his pocket. It was from his youngest brother.

"Without it, I wouldn't be able to keep up with Squirt," he finished grandly. "You're next, Rose!"

Rosalie pondered for a moment and then said, "I'm thankful we have old cars that need fixing all the time."

Carlisle groaned as everyone laughed. He was always complaining that one of their two clunkers would always break down when he needed to get to the hospital for an emergency.

Rosalie turned to Jasper, "Your turn."

"I'm thankful for small graces," he said in his soft, deep voice, looking at Alice.

She blushed slightly and replied, "I'm thankful for time – past, present and future," looking at Jasper as she said future.

"I'm thankful for the chance I've had to help people," said Carlisle, smiling. He squeezed Esme's hand.

"I'm thankful for Forks," said Esme.

When everyone grumbled, she laughed and said, "I was in the right place at the right time. How else could I have met six such wonderful kids?"

Esme turned to Edward.

"I'm thankful for sunshine," he said softly, smiling at Bella.

It was Bella's turn now. He wondered exactly how she would communicate what she was thankful for to all of them.

He was surprised when she disappeared under the table. Everyone leaned down to look, and saw that she was petting Jake's head, who had taken refuge under the table in the hopes of stealing Thanksgiving scraps.

They all laughed. Of course – Bella loved Jake.

Then she got up and started walking around the table tapping each one of them on the head – Edward, Esme, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett....

She finished and took her seat again, flushing slightly.

"We're thankful for you too, Bella," said Carlisle.

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Who can say for sure?

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