Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Listen. There are a lot of things I want to own. But I don't own them. So stop rubbing it in.

Isabella's POV

"Aw, well, cowboy. Seems I won't be hearing any more of your sexy accent." Then, to spare myself the strange emotional backlash that I knew was coming, I slid out of the car, and out of Jasper's comfy lap. Fortunately, luck seemed to be on my side today, because even though the Jeep seemed to be ten feet off the ground I managed to keep my five foot one form upright. My dramatic exit was hindered, though, because I had to stop and stare at the beautiful, glass and pale wood mansion that stood in front of me. Why do the Cullen's seem to have this imperative need to have the biggest of everything? Cars, houses, people... honestly. Looking around, I surveyed very tall, meticulously kept shrubs. Was shrubbery really so important? They look like someone went through them with nail clippers to get them just perfect. I shook my head and continued walking up to the house. I was at least 10 feet away from the car when I heard the first door open and close. It couldn't have been two seconds before I felt the presence beside me. Cautiously, I looked to the side, only to jump in fright when I met eyes with Mr. I-Am-The-King-Of-Creepy.

"Jesus, you dumbfuck. How did you get here so fast? You know what, never mind." I shook my head, again, apparently that is the only response I have to deal with the Cullen's strangeness and went along my merry way, Alice having joined us eventually. As the porch came into better view (could Emmett have parked any farther?) I could see two forms, both rather tall, with their arms slung around each other. I eventually got to the steps and gave a little wave.

"Hiya. I'm guessing you're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen?" I observed the young couple with no little amount of confusion. You'd have to really be a good person to take in a bunch of foster kids at age what? 27? No, they must have been younger than that. 24, 25?

"Yes, that would be us. It's nice to meet you miss…?" Dr. Cullen said holding out his hand.

"Ah, doc, I would love to shake your hand, but I have a bit of a problem." I said, holding up my throbbing right hand balanced by my left one. "I'm Isabella Swan; you can call me Bella though." Doc smiled warmly at me.

"Alright, Miss Swan, let's get this looked at." I smiled back at him, instantly liking the good doctor and the cadence of his voice. He grabbed my wrist once we had made our way inside and I winced.

"Be careful with my mate Carlisle." I scowled, but tried to keep my temper to a manageable level.

"What?" Doc asked seeming surprised and somewhat disturbed by what Edward had just said. So Mike's theory was wrong. Edward was fucked up all on his own.

"I said, be careful with my Bella." He said. Apparently, I still had some steam left in me left over from my hour-long stew earlier, because I exploded.

"Oh, fuck you!" I shouted launching my tiny self off the chair I had sat down in. Later I would have a good laugh at the memory of the shocked looks on the Doc's and Mrs. Doc's faces, but at the moment I was too angry. "You, Edward Cullen, just met me a couple of hours ago! You have no claim on me!"

"You're my mate Bella! We were born to be together! I love you!" This boy just can't take a hint! I watched as he came towards me, backing up, until he came to a sudden halt, waving his arms around like a mime in an invisible box. "I should have known! You're a shield!" What? I stared at him for a moment as he continued to act like a mime. How in the hell was I attracted to him two hours ago? My crazy-detector must be off.

"Have you ever considered giving him a psych eval? 'Cause I think you should." I stated, glancing at the Doc, registering the three almost identical snorts that came from behind me.

"Did ya give Carlisle a chance to look at that wrist of yours, darlin?" The voice was close to me, and I had to resist the urge to shudder. Wow. That voice… Even in my haze, I couldn't help but do a little happy dance, hearing the very obvious southern twang in his voice. Take that, you pixie bitch.

"No, Dickward over there decided to call me 'his Bella, his mate' again. I lost my head a little bit." I said sheepishly. Normally, I wouldn't have any qualms with telling off Prissy-Face but a little bit of flirting goes a long way. My goodness, Swan. He's MARRIED.

"Oh, forget him Belly Bear. Mr. Entitled can't take no for an answer." Emmett spoke up from his place beside Rosalie. Awe, he's threatening his bitchface brother for me!

"Thanks Emmy Bear!" I ran towards him with my arms spread wide and giggled as he caught me in his ginormous arms and spun me around like a rag doll. When he put me down I stumbled a bit, but gravity really liked my today, and I didn't fall over. You know, maybe I'm getting a hang of this staying-upright thing.

"Anytime Bella-rina." He winked at me and I giggled. Again. I wandered back to Doc and Mr. Sex-on-Legs, observing both their thoughtful expressions.

"What'd'ya think, Doc?" I asked, watching as they were both instantly alert, making me stifle more girly giggles. What is with this giggly-bubbly shit? Hmm… It's more fun than brooding all the time, that's for sure.

"You've defiantly broke it. Let me go get the stuff for a wrap." Doc said, heading up the narrow staircase I hadn't noticed before.

"You just have that stuff lying around? Oh, wait, never mind. Someone must have submitted to the urge to snap Edward's puny arms many a time." I smirked as I noticed the Doc shoulders shaking, struggling to keep his amusement hidden from his other children, though Emmett seemed to have no qualms with showing his amusement, meaning that he was probably the one who always broke the jackasses arms. I knew I liked him for some reason.

"What is today, Hate on Alice and Edward day?" There goes the little annoying fly again, making everything about her. I have this weird feeling that's a trend with her.

"It should be an international holiday." I internally cheered at that perfectly executed comeback. Then I noticed something that really pissed me off. I turned around to face Jasper, who had silently observed this whole debacle. Shoving my previously-perfect French manicure in his face I pouted. "My perfect manicure is ruined because of Mr. I-am-so-perfect's face."

"Awe, poor baby." Oh. My. Goodness gracianious. That bastard! He totally knows what he doing to me! All sense of composure vanished as he just barely brushed my fingertips with his lips. Surely, I was now a puddle at this sexy, sexy man's feet. Surely. My dirty mind then decided to take off without me, imagining those glorious lips in other places…

"Jazzy, I'm your wife! You should not be kissing other people!" fucking, fuck, fucker… I'll kill her. Apparently my mind has broken. I could see the little workers inside hanging up signs that said Closed for Maintenance. Can you honestly blame them? I felt Jasper's hand tense and watched as Rosalie made her way over the Alice with a very official looking envelope clutched in her perfectly manicured hands. Dammit.

"What-"

"Just open it." Rosalie's bitchy tone was the first warning that something very exciting was going to happen. I so need to lend out a hand of friendship.

"What? You filed for DIVORCE?" Alice scream was the second. Oh, fuck! Shit just got real. Those little workers tore down their signs, and all shoved up against the little windows of their shop to watch.

… Shut up. My entertainment has to come from somewhere.

"Oh, shit. Rose, get me some popcorn." I exclaimed, this was some reality T.V. show shit right here, but then I caught a whiff of buttery goodness as she hovered it under my nose. "You just had that ready did you?" I laughed, not really complaining and stuffing my face with my available hand. I don't quite remember when the good doctor had made his way back here, but there he was, fitting my broken appendage with a temporary bulky cast. He seemed focused, but I had no doubt he had heard everything that had just transpired and was paying close attention to all that was being said.

"Remember when we said Peter and Char called? Want to guess the subject?" Right about now was when things started to go awry. Emmett's sentence was the last one for the next ten or so minutes that made any sense whatsoever. Here's about what I got from this conversation: Hero worship? Honestly? Who would ever worship tiny annoying pixie? Come on, Jasper, my sexy cowboy must be better than that. Wait a second. Empath? I think I read an erotica about those once too… don't judge me! Obviously they're coming in handy now, huh? Weren't the Civil war and the Southern war the same thing? Oh, fuck you; English was my best subject, not history. Wait, if he was a Civil war veteran, shouldn't he be, like, 1000 years old? and dead? Shut up, math was also not my best subject. You might not blame her for it, but you basically just said she used you for sex. For decades… What?

In conclusion, I pretty much learned that I need to read more eroticas, that I need to study more, and that Jasper ages really well. Two of the three things I already knew. The silence went on for a while, and I decided it was time to break it. I was getting bored.

"So… anyone want to explain what just happened?" I grinned as horror filled all their faces, seeming to have forgotten I was there, all except Carlisle, who smiled at me. Interesting.

"Jasper and Alice just got divorced?" Emmett said, the lit at the end making it sound more like a question then an answer.

"No shit really?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm talking about the 'I'm an Empath. I'm a Civil war veteran. More shit about mates just to confuse poor little Bella'. Ya know?" I saw Jasper sigh more then heard him, his chest deflating.

"Bella, will you give my family and I a minute to convene?" Carlisle smiled at me again, and I smiled back.

"Sure thing Doc. Can someone direct me to your kitchen? A glass of water sounds amazing."

"Of course, dear, I'll go with you." Mrs. Cullen offered.

"But you'll miss the conversation…" I said.

"Oh, it's alright. These aren't really matters that concern me." Alright, then. She led me to the kitchen, giving me an expensive looking glass full of water.

"I'm really sorry about this, Bella." Mrs. Cullen suddenly said.

"About what?" I asked.

"About my son. About you having to witness the most drama that's ever happened in our family. About this being the worst first impression ever." I giggled, only then remembering how young Mrs. Cullen must be.

"It's no worry Mrs. Cullen, really. A lot of this is my fault anyways."

"Oh, please, call me Esme. And, no it is not. Most of this is Alice's fault." Well that's interesting. "Carlisle's calling us back." I didn't hear anything. Just another question to add to the growing list.

"That was the quickest really important talk ever." I muttered, but Esme must have heard me, because she laughed and lead me back to the front room.

"What's the verdict Doc?" I asked, grabbing my popcorn and water and sitting next to Jasper on one of the three pristine white couches, slinging my legs over his lap. He raised his eyebrow at me.

"I have a feeling this is going to be interesting news, and I want to be comfortable while I receive it. So deal or move." I said, raising my eyebrow back.

"At least take off your shoes. Don't want to get dirt on Esme's couch." He said, unzipping and pulling off my boots. I shrugged. Cool with me. But then, the Satan that Jasper apparently is, he started rubbing my feet. This was also cool with me, but on a totally different level. Looking back at Carlisle, I saw him smiling again.

"You do that a lot don't cha, Doc?" I said, trying to distract myself as Jasper's ministrations continued.

"Do what?" He asked, still beaming like the sun.

"Smile." I said, fighting an already lost battle to close my eyes as Jasper found a particularly sore spot on the bridge of my foot.

"I suppose so, Miss Swan." Doc answered me, and I had a feeling he was still smiling.

"We should probably tell her before she falls asleep." Jasper said, amusement in his tone.

"Fuck you, it's your fault anyways." I said, almost whining when he stopped his magic on my feet. I opened my eyes and sighed. "Fine, what's so important that my feet have to suffer for it?" I asked the room.

"Well," Jasper scratched the back of his neck in that really hot way guys do when they're nervous… Jesus, calm down girl. He just got out of an apparently decades long relationship. Like five minutes ago. You can wait.

"We're vampires." All heads turned to look at the person who had said this. Three guesses who.

"Way to be eloquent about it, Edward." Rosalie's bitch face and eye roll came out at full force. I put a finger to my chin and scrunched up my eyebrows.

"Vampire's you say?" I said, looking at Doc.

"Yes Bella." He answered. He wasn't smiling now. Jasper started rubbing my feet again, but it seemed to be more from him then me. He looked restless.

"Alright." I shrugged, snuggling into the couch and closing my eyes again as Jasper's hands continued.

"Alright? That's it?" Rosalie asked.

"Yup." I popped my lips.

"No questions? No running and hiding? No laughing?" She said again in apparent disbelief.

"Dr. Cullen, do you sleep?" I asked.

"No." he responded automatically.

"Meaning no coffins. Do you drink people's blood?"

"No, but we do drink animal blood."

"Meaning no danger. Do you age?" Jasper was still going to the knots in my feet, and I surely wasn't going to stop him.

"No."

"Great. All questions answered. Wait one more. Do you guys actually have soulmates?"

"Yes." Dr. Cullen seemed to answer this one more cautiously.

"Explain please?" I really wanted to know if I was going to stuck with Edward for the rest of my life. Please don't let it be true…

"A vampire has one soul mate all their life. The two of them balance and build each other in every aspect. Personality, skills, even heights and looks. They are perfect for each other in every aspect." Carlisle said, looking at Esme and smiling the brightest smile yet.

"So you and Esme are soulmates. What about Em and Rose?"

"Yes, Bella Bug, we are." Emmett said; his arm over Rose's shoulders.

"Awe! That is so cute!" I cleared my throat, my brief girly moment surprising me. "How do you know you found your mate?"

"You only know for sure after they are changed." Jasper spoke, looking up from my feet. "But if your mate is in danger, or you're close to them for a while then you have a pretty good idea." Jasper sounded distant, like he was stuck in his head.

"So Edward's not my mate then?" I asked my excitement clear to everyone.

"No." Carlisle said sternly but his voice was overlapped by the two most annoying people in the world.

"Yes you are! I saw it!"

"You are my mate! We are perfect for each other!"

"Alice! Edward!" Carlisle snapped.

"Go Doc." I said, watching Jasper's hands as they moved up to my ankles and calves. That must be another thing that came with becoming a vampire: the ability to give the best massages ever.

"Alice, look back in your visions." Carlisle said. Alice looked confused (Same here, Alice. Trust me.), but apparently complied because she suddenly got glassy-eyed.

"What the hell?" I said.

"Some vampires get special power during the change." Esme was the one who answered me this time while Alice was off in Lalaland. "All vampires have enhanced vision, hearing, strength and even beauty, but like I said some people get extra. Alice, for instance, can see the future, Edward can read minds, and Jasper's an Empath." Oh. Oh no.

"Edward can read minds?" I said in disbelief.

"Everyone's but yours. And that's why we're meant to be together!" Edward exclaimed then suddenly seemed to get very angry. The hell? "No! That can't be right! She can't be with him!" Edward suddenly stood, apparently enraged and Jasper tensed at my feet. "I'll show you! When she wakes up, you'll see!" Edward's snarling face was the last thing I saw before the pain engulfed me.

Thank y'all for the support!xx

Bailey Lynn