REVISED 6/3/13

And the ITALICIZED words in the chapter are Alice's flashback from her POV.

PREVIOUSLY...

"Well you all know why we are here." Carlisle started, and seven topaz-colored eyes turned to look at me. "And I know we are all going through a rough patch right now, some more than others, but we still are a family and need to act accordingly." He eyed Edward and Jasper each for a second before he continued.

"We all know of Alice and Edward's...infidelity, and I'm going to give them time to speak and explain themselves before we move onto other matters." Carlisle said sternly ignoring Emmett's snarls and Rosalie's hiss.

"Thank you Carlisle." Edward murmured and Carlisle nodded tightly.

Oh. It looks like Carlisle isn't as unaffected by Edward and Alice's actions as I originally thought.

Edward nodded to Alice and she started her tale of what happened between my former best friend and soon to be ex-husband.

"Okay. On September 17th, four days after we left Forks on Bella's birthday, I saw something." Alice started, her eyes staring blankly ahead, lost in the memory of what happened.

The family had left the day of my birthday? Edward had left three days after my birthday. He must have graced me with three more days in his presence before abandoning me in a forest as if I meant nothing to him.

"We all witnessed how devastated Edward was when he decided that the best thing for Bella was to move. After he ended things with her he returned to the empty house and reached his breaking point. I had a vision of Edward planning to go to the Volturi." Alice continued, her voice sounding detached.

"Edward." Esme gasped, horrified. Later I would realize that she was the only one who reacted so strongly.

"Sorry Esme." Edward said, his eyes full of unrestrained pain.

She nodded, still looking shaken as Carlisle wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and let Alice continue.

"Immediately, I returned to Forks, hoping that I got to him in time. It took me nearly six hours of constant running to get back in time. When I got here the whole house was trashed: the TV, the door, the stairs, even the piano." Alice said making my eyes flicker over to the empty space by the back door.

Huh. How had I not noticed that before?

I turned my eyes back to Alice as she delved into what exactly happened that night...

*Alice pov flashback*

"Dammit. Come on Edward, don't do this." I growled running past the dilapidated 'Welcome to Forks' sign.

I stopped as a sudden hoard of visions came to me. Edward running. Edward on a plane. Edward in Italy. Edward before the Volturi. Edward...Edward...Edward...

Once the vision was over, I returned to the present, increasing my pace. I imagine that to the humans I would be nothing but a flickering blur of color. Only one more mile, thank god Forks is such a small town. But I swear If Edward ever tries something like this again...The threat fell flat as I burst through the door and darted up the stairs.

"Edward what are you doing?" I hissed, making him jump and turn his pitch black eyes to me.

"I'm sure you know just as well as I do Alice." He replied wryly, standing up and easily towering over me- and I was wearing four inch heels too!

"Edward you can't do this. Think of what it will do to everyone. How could you be so selfish?" I snapped, pushing past him and entering the room.

"Oh I'm being selfish? I'm only doing what's best for Bella! And that is living a normal life without any interference from us!" He replied back, just as quickly.

"Even if that means she marries a human?" I questioned cruelly, and watched as he flinched and his fists tightened.

"If that's what she wants." He intoned, gritting his teeth audibly.

"And you're saying that you'll stay away from her? And you will have to exist with the fact that some other man is living the life you desire. Is accepting smiles from YOUR love. Exchanging laughs with her. Making love to someone you will always feel belongs to you. Can you live knowing that?"

Then, before I could react, I was crashing into the wall of Edward's room. Dust flew up around me and I was overcome with the smell of paint and plaster.

What the heck?!...Okay I kind of deserved it after what I said, but it's the truth. And he didn't have to throw me through a wall!

"Oh. I'm sorry Alice! I just- I can't handle this! Not knowing what she's doing! Not knowing if she's safe or who she's with!" He growled, sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands.

I pulled myself up out of the rubble and, dusting myself off, I went to sit by Edward.

Couldn't he see how this was going to affect Bella? How it would impact the whole family? And it was obvious that he wasn't taking this decision lightly. God, Edward how could you be so clueless and utterly stupid?

"I can hear you." Edward said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Good." I snapped, getting annoyed with him.

"Look Alice, I'm sorry that leaving Bella is causing you to suffer too. But you just don't understand the situation I'm in. You couldn't possibly relate to what I'm going through."

"Maybe I can better than you think." I said quietly.

Truth be told, I had been struggling with something. And it was eating me alive: not saying anything to anyone and keeping it to myself all these years...And I couldn't do it anymore. I wouldn't do it anymore.

Edward raised an eyebrow, probably hearing my thoughts.

So I came clean. About everything. About how much Jasper had been struggling. About how it was putting a strain on our relationship. About how sometimes since I had to constantly watch him...I felt more like his guardian than his lover. About how hard it was to love someone who was constantly thinking about killing others.

Edward was silent through my confession, for which I was grateful. After my confession, I felt utterly free. Liberated. Like I had finally gotten something that was weighing me down off my chest.

I laughed suddenly, earning a weird look from the vampire next to me. But, it was like I couldn't stop. I was so full of uninhibited relief and joy. And it felt good to feel that way for the first time in four days. Since Bella's birthday when Jasper nearly took her life...That thought sobered me up pretty quickly.

"Edward we will get through this. I know it will be hard for all of us, you especially, but we'll all be there for each other. We have to stick together and move on." I said, grabbing Edward's pale hand in my small, equally pale one's.

"Okay." Edward said after a few minutes passed. "But promise me one thing."

"Of course." I agreed instantly, happy to see Edward coming out of the dark hole he was drowning in earlier.

"Don't go looking for Bella's future. If I'm going to get through this I don't want to know who is replacing me." He said with pain and self-loathing clear in his voice and eyes.

"Edward, don't ever think that!" I said sternly, cupping his face in my hands, forcing him to look me in the eye. "You are perfect the way you are and no one can replace you!"

And then we were kissing. I'm not sure who initiated what, but I was kissing Edward...and I didn't want to stop. It felt good to feel loved, and comforted, with out having to worry about anything else.

"I'm sorry!" Edward said, breathing heavily as he pulled away suddenly. "I know you don't want this and I'll take full blame when everyone finds out."

"Who said I didn't want this?" I asked cheekily, grinning at his shocked expression.

"Are you positive?"

What did I have to lose? Jasper and I's relationship was falling apart; he was being distant ever since he almost attacked Bella. Besides, no one would ever have to find out. I was the one who could see the future and Edward was the one who could read minds, so we had nothing to fear. No one would ever have to know of this indiscretion. We would all move on as if nothing had happened.

So I threw caution to the wind and Edward and I became closer than ever before.

*end flashback*

"I'm pretty sure we could guess what happened next." I interrupted coldly, my steely glare fixed on the two offenders.

God, this is what happens when you grow to love the family of your ex. You're trapped in the same room as him, forced to hear the details of how he fucking broke my heart. This was all kinds of messed up. What the hell was I doing here? If I didn't love the Cullen's so much I would be back at Charlie's house, trying to forget this ever happened.

"What, do you mean the first time I slept with your ex? Or the second time?" Alice asked faux-innocently, making my mouth drop open.

A loud smack resounded through the room. My eyes were glued to the two furious vampires across from me. Rose had just slapped Alice.

"Rosalie! Alice! That is enough." Carlisle said sternly.

"No, you heard what she said Carlisle! That little bitch deserves so much worse for what she's done to his family!" Rose said venomously, before Emmett pulled her back into his lap.

"It's okay Rosie I think you got her. Let's just think before we mindlessly attack our family members." Emmett cooed in her ear, even though a small, proud grin was adorning his face.

Rose calmed and silence filled the room for a moment.

"Alice, I am appalled by your behavior. This is not how I run things in my house. Now either apologize to Bella, or I think you should leave." Esme said from where she was sitting next to me. "That statement was very uncalled for."

"Sorry if I hurt your feelings Bella." Alice said, not sounding sincere at all.

Why was she acting like this? Before she actually seemed sorry for what she did, but ever since we started this meeting she has been acting like a spoiled brat. Leave it to Alice to cause all these problems and then play the victim.

I nodded to my former best friend and Carlisle spoke again.

"Now I think it's best we go onto to other matters for the time being. We can continue that conversation when everyone is better controlled and calm." He said shooting looks at Alice and Rose. "Now there is the topic of Bella's future to be discussed."

Edward growled.

"We could take a vote to decide?" Alice offered shrugging.

"Yeah because that worked out so well the last time." Rose said scoffing and shooting Edward a smirk.

"I wasn't in control of my emotions when I broke the TV, now's not the time to be judgmental Rose." Edward snapped, glaring at the offending blonde.

"Dude you didn't break it. You obliterated it!" Emmett crowed, his booming laughter filling the room.

"Shut up Emmett."

"Not in control of your emotions again?" Rosalie said, patronizingly. "That seems to be happening quite often lately."

"It's not the only thing he's not in control of..." Emmett interrupted shooting a glance at Alice and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively towards his brother.

"Emmett! For the love of god would you shut the fu-"

"Edward! Language!"

"Sorry." Edward said sheepishly, before glaring at Emmett and Rosalie.

"I don't know about you guys, but I find it ironic that no one has stopped to hear what Bella has to say on the matter." Jasper inserted, sending waves of calmness through the room.

I blinked, surprised. Oh, I hadn't even realized that I hadn't voiced my opinion yet. I was too caught up in what the others were saying. It took all of my attention to keep up with them since they spoke so quickly.

"My apologies Bella." Carlisle said. "Do you still want to become one of us? I know you might not still hold the desire to be changed after all that has happened. But you will always be a part of this family- no matter what you choose."

I paused, finding the right words. "Two years ago, when I first met all of you my reasoning behind wanting to be changed was to be with Edward and save both of us the pain of me ageing and eventually dying a human death." I started, forcing my eyes not to look at him. "But now I've grown close to all of you. And I feel like you all are more my family than anyone else. So I would like to go through with the change as planned. But, I wanted to hear everyone's opinion before it's decided. I don't want to force myself on you guys if I'm unwanted here." I finished, looking at each family member in turn- except two.

And what I said was the complete and utter truth. That day when we were at the baseball field and the family was playing I saw a totally different side of them. At school they had this 'untouchable' feel. They didn't fit in there with all the humans, and had to hide their true nature. But when I witnessed them running, laughing, and being themselves, I realized that I did want to get to know Edward's family. And now that I knew them, I didn't want to let them go.

"Okay well we're back to my initial suggestion then." Alice said smugly. "To vote."

"My answer is the same as before." Edward stated, his eyes trying to meet mine...unsuccessfully. "I think Bella should remain human and live her normal human life like she is supposed to."

I rolled my eyes. His answer was obvious and I hadn't expected anything different from him. Not that his opinion mattered to me anymore.

"I wouldn't mind Bellarina becoming a vampire. One more person to wrestle with." Emmett said grinning at me.

I couldn't help but smile back at him. He would have made a good big brother. "You're on." I shot back, making his grin widen.

"You know that I would love to have another daughter. Especially one as sweet, caring, and beautiful as you, Bella dear." Esme said, hugging me.

I was overcome with longing to see my own mother. But then I realized that in my mother's absence, Esme had taken on the motherly role in my life at Forks. I smiled my thanks to Esme and turned to look at Jasper as he spoke.

"Isabella. Is this what you want?" Jasper asked, as serious and unreadable as ever.

"Without a doubt, Jasper." I responded back just as serious. Trying to convey that I was completely, absolutely, positively sure of what I wanted.

"Well then I say yes. If Bella wants this life who are we to say no?" Jasper said, grinning slightly at me.

I mouthed my thanks even though his answer was the same from last time. But the last time he voted for me to be changed it was for his family and Alice's safety. As long as I remained human I was a liability, and a dangerous one at that. But this time he really wanted me to officially join the family. And I was glad.

"I vote no."

I froze as If I had been electrocuted. What? I turned to face the speaker and was greeted with a perfectly malevolent smile. I think everyone else was just as mystified, because they looked just as surprised and befuddled as me. Alice didn't want me to become a vampire? And despite everything that she had done, everything that she had put me through...this hurt the worst. Sleeping with Edward was a horrible betrayal. But not wanting me to be apart of the family? That was malicious.

Rose interrupted my thoughts with her vote, and I was glad for the change of speaker...until I remembered that she also voted 'no' last time.

"Bella, you should know that I already think of you as a sister. And you all know how I feel about humanity and how irreplaceable it is. But I'm starting to think Bella was destined to become one of us, with all the near-death experiences she's had. Well, either that or she's extremely unlucky." Rose said, shrugging her small shoulders. "So I guess since Bella is choosing this life and it's not being given to her against her will...that she should be changed."

Her response left me pleasantly surprised. Last time we voted Rose said she wanted me to remain human and living. But now she wanted the opposite? What brought on that change? I'll have to ask her later- and thank her. Though I'm sure the gratitude was clear on my face...

"Well then I guess I'll be the first so say-" Carlisle started smiling warmly at me. "Welcome to the family Bella."

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews this story has received! And I'm trying to decide on a nickname for Jasper to call Bella. Like how Edward called her love, but I need something different and something Jasper-y. If you guys could tell me which one of the following you wanted or tell me your own ideas that would help out a lot! And more than one is fine too. (I'm leaning towards Darlin' and Angel...)

1. Baby

2. Darlin'

3. Sweetheart

4. Babe

5. Angel