I don't own it, I just play with it. Thanks Steph…

Morning crept into my window to find me well rested and content. I moved about my morning busily, straightening up after Charlie's homecoming and pouring myself a bowl of cereal. My life seemed to be falling into place. It wasn't the way I'd pictured it, but I wouldn't have changed it, either.

I was joining the only family I wanted and the thought of forever with my beloved Cullens had me humming to myself as I crawled into my truck and headed for school. I supposed I didn't have to go to school at all. In fact, I could probably just go to the Cullen's house now and start living forever, but I thought it better for Charlie if things didn't happen just now, and knowing forever was coming meant I could wait a little while longer.

School was a blur; an endless parade of daydreams. I couldn't say what happened there, but the day went by quickly and easily enough and my distraction seemed to have gone unnoticed in the midst of excitement which follows everyone in the last couple of weeks of school.

I was glad Jasper had talked to me. I'd been heartbroken at the thought of him not wanting me around and had truly been confused as to where to go with that. Now that I knew he wanted me in his family, things were the way they were supposed to be. I needn't have worried; I should have known him better than that.

As hard as I tried not to think of the implications of my dream, I couldn't escape it. 'It doesn't mean anything.' I'd tell myself again and again, but I couldn't shake it. I wasn't in love with Jasper. Honestly, I wasn't. I loved him deeply; we had become very close, but I wasn't in love with him.

More disturbing than the dream, though, had been my reaction to him after it. Jasper was gorgeous, of course, as they all were, but I'd never lusted after him, had never had any true sexual attraction to him. But last night when I'd touched him something had happened. A thrill went through me that was more than friendly.

I had to put all thoughts of Jasper out of my head; I had to banish him from my mind. He was my friend – nothing more. And he was married to Alice, who was my best friend, and soon – my sister. I knew I couldn't control what I dreamed about. And I refused to feel guilty about something I couldn't control. People dream all kinds of strange things.

Climbing into my truck, I waited for a space in the traffic. Seeing one clear, I began backing slowly into the line, but Tyler Crowley pulled out quickly from the space behind mine, filling the gap and causing me to have to hit the brakes hard to avoid a collision. That kid was going to kill me with his driving one of these days.

With a huff of exasperation, I closed my eyes as I threw my head back against the headrest. My neck exposed to the air streaming from the vent, a tingle went through me. Jasper's soft lips were there on my neck. His sexy tongue darted out to touch my skin…

Shaking away all thoughts of Jasper, I checked again and found that the space had cleared. I pulled into the line, making my way out onto the main road. I needed to stop this – this… whatever it was – and I needed to stop it now. I was not going to lose two good friends and the only family I have ever really known just so I can lust after someone who is taken and who would never –never – want me, regardless.

Caught up in my errant thoughts, I didn't notice until I was pulling into the winding drive that led to the Cullen mansion that I wasn't heading home. So much for good intentions. Here now, there was nothing I could do. They'd have heard me coming, and I'd look a bit strange to turn around and head to Charlie's.

As I pulled up in front of the house, Alice waited for me on the front porch; of course she would know I was coming. As I approached her, her face glowed with a gleeful, knowing smile. She looked as if she were in on the greatest secret in the world.

"What has you all excited?" I asked her.

"Oh, nothing." She lied, smugly.

"Bull, nothing. You should see your face."

"I know, but I can't tell you! Believe me, it's driving me crazy…" she moaned. "It's going to be so great, Bella… you'll see. And it's starting already… but it's not time yet."

Yanking my hand, she pulled me into the house, starting toward the stairs. "You'll have to wait and see…" I swung my head around as I struggled to keep up and she noticed.

"He's not back yet." She commented as she dragged me up the stairs.

"Who?" I asked. And there were two I'd been looking for particularly: I was hoping to see Jasper and I was hoping to avoid Edward.

"Neither of them." She replied.

When I saw her intended destination, I really regretted coming. I wanted to run screaming, but she was a vampire. She could catch me.

"Alice…" I grumbled "I really don't feel like playing Bella Barbie today. Besides, I should go home and study for finals."

"Oh, come on…" she replied, pulling me into the chair. "You'll like it this time."

I rolled my eyes at her. Sure I would like it.

"Close your eyes and relax and I'll sing." She told me. She knew I had a soft spot for her melodic voice. It wasn't really fair of her to always use it to her advantage, but it worked. Again.

Closing my eyes and leaning back, I settled in for my usual hours long torture session, but I knew right away something was different. She skipped some of the regular steps and was applying makeup almost immediately. A brush here, a dab there, a smooth cool finger in a couple of spots and she was brushing my hair.

"Alice?" I asked. "Everything okay with you?"

"Sure, Bella." She chirped as she finished my hair. The whole thing start to finish had only taken a couple of minutes.

"This was a lot different than it usually is." I told her, questioning her with my gaze. Well, some things hadn't changed. She didn't let me see yet. I studied her exquisite face as she towed me toward the dreaded closet. She was happy – really happy; probably the most I'd ever seen her. And she was excited. She looked like a kid on Christmas; like I'd given her the best present of her life.

"It's all you need." She shrugged, smiling.

"Since when?" I asked her, hoping to glean some insight into the drastic change.

"Since now." She said, thrusting an outfit into my hands. Looking down, I was shocked. I saw no silk, no satin or lace, no designer gowns or insane lingerie. I was holding a nice, but simple matching bra and panty set in purple, a rock n' roll t-shirt, and a pair of jeans.

"Alice?" I asked, mouth gaping and eyes wide "Do you have a fever?" I reached for her head "I mean… I know vampires don't get fevers, but…"

"You're so silly, Bella." She said. I didn't miss the irony as she handed me a pair of running shoes. Surely they were picked for their cute, but simple style, but I hoped she didn't expect me to use them for running.

"Rose!" she called out, not loudly, but with the same tone and urgency as a yell. "She's done." I had just pulled my shirt over my head to change and was instantly mortified by two things: one, if Rose was involved, this couldn't be good, and two, I really didn't want to change in front of the most beautiful woman on the planet, especially since she hated me.

"Have fun today!" Alice told me with a smirk, skipping quickly from the closet and the room before I could argue.

"Bella?" Rose asked, placing a light knock on the door.

"Yeah." I said, struggling to hurry with my clothes, to no avail. Rosalie strode in looking as gorgeous as ever. She always looked like she belonged on a runway.

"I know you have to run, but would you mind if I talked to you?"

"I don't know what my plans are." I told her honestly. "Alice won't tell me what's going on. But if she called you up here I must have time." Pulling my t-shirt over my head, I focused on anything but her as I continued dressing.

"I just wanted to apologize." She told me. Shocked, I got distracted from my task as I looked up toward her face. My eyes never made it that far as my leg caught in my pants, tumbling me rapidly toward the floor. I braced for the impact that never came.

"E-excuse me?" I asked in disbelief as Rose attempted to steady me, my leg still caught up in the jeans. Surprising me again, she reached down, disentangling me from my snare before releasing me.

"Bella, I haven't always given you a chance." She said apologetically. Peeking up at her, I was surprised to see her looking sheepish and sincere. Quite unable to speak, I just looked down again. "You're a part of this family, Bella. And as much as I didn't want to admit it…"

As she hesitated, I looked up at her again and saw a Rosalie I'd never seen before. Her glowing face was kind and sweet, fiercely protective and loyal… so many of the things I knew about her even though she didn't let me see them. "this family's good for you."

"Where did all this come from?" I asked her. "I thought you hated me."

"I've been kind of a bitch." She admitted, looking sorry and maybe a little proud of herself at the same time. It was an interesting expression. "I do like you. I think of you as a sister already. I just didn't want them to take your life away. And I was mad at them for considering it and mad at you for wanting it."

I had always hoped to be close to Rose, but never truly believed it could happen. Was it possible that she really already thought of me as a sister? "I've always appreciated what you've done for this family. They're so much happier. So full of life. We didn't used to be like this. You've given us your humanity. The thing is… I didn't think we should be taking it.

"When you said you intended to join the family… I hated them for what they'd taken from you. I ran for miles. I was fuming. It all seemed so unfair that you would all be willing to throw away what I've always wanted… what I'd give up eternity for.

"But then I realized that just because it's what I want, that doesn't mean it's what you want. And I want you to be happy." I struggled through my tears to see her perfect face. Her small smile was laced with her own pain, but her words had been sincere. "Considering it objectively, rather than through the lens of my own life, I saw that this is what will make you happy."

"Thank you, Rose." I managed, sniffling. "I really appreciate you telling me all this."

"Come on," she said, dragging me to the Kleenex box on the vanity "Alice will kill me if I ruin her work." She looked me over once as I blew my nose and wiped my eyes – waterproof makeup rocks.

"You look really good, Bella…" she said appreciatively, gesturing toward the full effect. "What's with Alice, anyway?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." I said.

"Well, whatever it is, it sure looks good on you."

Well, are we liking Rose? Hating her? And what's with Alice? Where are all these sexy feelings for Jasper coming from? And where is she going now?