I know I said that I was going to catch Atra Luna up to this story before I wrote more. Well, I lied. I've gone completely brain dead on Atra Luna at the moment and got a brain fart for this one. Lol, crazy coincidence huh?

Well, I'm back to writing and I hope you enjoy it. On with the story!

Previously: As we walked in a human pace back to the house, the unnamed girl lying asleep in my arms, I voiced the question that I knew everyone was wondering, but no one wanted to voice it aloud. "So, what's going to happen to her now?"

Chapter 7

Jasper sighed as Alice, of course, was the first to answer enthusiastically, "Let's keep her!!!" Carlisle shook his head sadly.

"We can't keep her, Alice. You should know that. Bella doesn't seem to be bothered now but she was just changed. Who knows what could happen. And besides, she probably has a home somewhere. We should notify the police to a found person. I'm sure someone's looking for her."

Rosalie snorted, "I'm sure that would go over well. Let's just tell the cops that the new vamps in town found a little girl in the middle of the woods while we were hunting bears, which just happens to be illegal." Emmett seemed amused by this. Esme, mentally inattentive to this conversation, was beaming down joyfully at the tiny being in my arms.

"It doesn't bother me," I put in quietly, somewhat hoping that nobody heard me. Of course, they did. Edward looked at me, astonished, along with Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme. Surprisingly, Rosalie had a faint smile adorning her face and she quickly looked to the side to hide it.

"Well, whatever we do, let's do it fast. I smell hikers," she grumbled and we picked up pace. The house isn't far from here. I'm sure she won't wake up if we take a quick jog, " she smirked and we broke into a run.

As the bushes parted into the vast lawn that now belonged to us there was an audible sigh from behind me. "This has been a very long day for all of us. I can only imagine what this girl's gone through. If she doesn't have frostbite by now, she will if we don't get her inside soon. She can have the guest bedroom," Carlisle said as we began to walk forward, "until we find her home, at least," he added sternly.

"I don't mind. She can share my room if you want," Rosalie put in. This day was just getting more and more surprising. Everyone looked horror struck at Rosalie's sudden fondness for a human being. Esme had now turned her attention away from the girl and was now ecstatically looking at Rosalie.

Edward scoffed, "She can't stay in your room Rose. We'd like to keep her from being corrupted." I snorted at this and Emmett erupted in booming laughter. Rose, however, was glaring furiously. To a normal person, they might have wet themselves and run away, it was almost scary to me also, but Edward was not deterred.

Edward growled deep in his throat, probably responding to one of Rosalie's thoughts and grimaced. "I know Rose," he sighed, "but that's not going to happen. She's going back to her family as soon as we find them. Until then, she'll stay in the guest bedroom."

A now resigned, yet fuming Rosalie grumbled something incoherent and trudged into the house, flicking her hair behind her as she went. Emmett soon followed and eventually, Edward and I were the only ones left standing in the snow. "We should get her into a bath. I'm sure she's freezing out here." Edward stated and began to make his way into the house. I simply nodded my head and followed behind him. I couldn't get Rosalie's reaction out of my mind. What was she thinking that made Edward like that? Did she want the child to stay? These questions swirled like a vortex in my mind as we reached the bathroom on the second floor.

Upon stripping the girl of her garments, we found that the soles of her feet were almost bruise color. "She's got frostbite, but it's not too bad. We're lucky we found her when we did or she might have ended up crippled." I shuddered at the thought and began filling the tub with warm water, the steam fogging up the mirror. I gently shook her shoulder until she was at least conscious enough to hold herself up in the tub and began rinsing her down while Edward waited outside the door, ever the modest gentleman.

When I reached her feet to scrub them, I gasped. "What is it?" Edward was immediately at my side, staring at me in concern. I held up her foot enough so that he could see and he also seemed surprised. "Carlisle," he called quietly, "I think you better come look at this."

Carlisle and Esme were soon both standing by the door frame. Carlisle strode over to the large tub while Esme hung back, a terrified expression contorting her face. As Edward quietly explained the situation, Esme's face changed from scared to anxious to concerned and finally rested at surprised and curious. "So she's a human with a healing ability?" Carlisle questioned himself.

"Well, it explains why her frost bite wasn't that bad," Edward replied.

Carlisle simply muttered, "I'd like to find out more about this girl."

Alice, right on cue, popped up behind him, "Does that mean she's staying?" she asked enthusiastically, practically bouncing on her toes. She looked as if she had already known the answer and, knowing her, she probably did. Rosalie could be seen with her head peeking about an inch outside of her door. Emmett, shirtless, was beside her. One of them must've been extremely curious to stop in the middle of that and a nagging thought in my mind pointed to Rosalie.

"She is not staying permanently," Carlisle said sternly, frowning at Alice, "I just meant that for the duration of her visit, I'd like to learn more abou-"

Rosalie cut him off mid-sentence, fury written plainly on her face, "So, you're saying that she can only stay while it benefits you?" she hissed. Emmett was suddenly behind her attempting to pull her out of Carlisle's face. Jasper had a look of shock on his face and Edward was shaking his head regrettably.

Meanwhile, I rubbed soothing circles with the soapy washcloth on the girl's back while listening intently to the argument going on behind me. I could feel Jasper's calming waves washing over me soothingly.

They seemed to have no effect, however, on Rosalie. On her toes, her challenging gaze was level with Carlisle's. He looked nonplussed. "I'm not saying that Rose," he said calmly, never flinching for an instant, "You know she can't stay here forever, she probably has a family that's looking for her right now."

"And what if she doesn't? We can't just dump her to authorities," she said weakly. It was hard to imagine Rosalie losing a fight, but now it was happening before my eyes and she seemed....sad. Beneath the look of defeat there was an unmistakable look of sorrow. Why would she be sad that the "Human girl" couldn't stay? Coming from Rosalie, it just didn't make sense.

Carlisle seemed to notice. "We'll have to see," Rosalie's face brightened instantly, "I said, we'll see. But Rosalie, think about it. A human girl living her life with vampires?" Back to depressed. "How would we explain not eating, or disappearing randomly once she's older?"

Rosalie's gaze hardened into a look of sheer stubborness. "We'll tell her," she said simply. With an astonished look from everyone in the room, she continued, "Bella knew for nearly a year. She did just fine." Everyone seemed even more shocked by this statement. Rosalie had despised me since before she had even met me, and now she was just welcoming this girl with open arms? I felt a wave of jealousy sweep through me.

Carlisle simply sighed and repeated, "We'll see, Rosalie." He then turned to me, "Bella, if you don't mind, I'd like her to be watched closely while she stays here. Would you mind if she stays in your bedroom, at least for the night?" This elicited a fierce glare from Rosalie, making me turn back and focus on scrubbing the girl's hair.

"Well, I don't mind. I guess it's up to everyone else and Edward," I said quietly. I could tell Rosalie was glaring at the back of my head, the hairs on the nape of my neck stood up briskly.

Alice piped up next, "I'm fine with it, I'm sure the girl would like that. Plus, she'll get used to her faster. Although, I'm sure the eyes don't help in that matter, no offense Bella."

Jasper's quiet voice followed, always agreeing with Alice's every idea, practically worshiping at her feet. "I'm alright with it." Carlisle and Esme nodded their heads in agreement.

"As long as you're not uncomfortable, Bella." Edward. I sighed, always worrying about my safety.

Emmett seemed hesitant to answer, probably squirming under Rosalie's narrowed gaze. I heard him whisper to Rosalie-quickly and almost inaudibly- "It's probably better that she be in Bella's room. I'm sure we'll be a little...busy." He winked at her and her stare became softer. He always did bring out the best in her. Then he continued, "Fine by us."

A few minutes later, Esme politely herded everyone out of the cramped bathroom, allowing the girl some privacy as I gently wrapped her in a towel and carried her to the room Edward and I shared.

The room was large, even for a vacation home. There was a large window that took up almost a full wall and a king sized bed in front of it, the sunset streaming down onto it. There were two small night stands on either side of the bed with identical oriental lamps atop each. A walk in-more like live in- closet was open on the other side of the room, with my clothes already hanging neatly to one side and Edward's on the other. A wooden rocking chair sat in one corner and a leather love seat in the other. It was the perfect wedding room and my heart gave a sudden lurch at the sight of it.

I rearranged the pillows and laid the girl in the middle of the bed-it wasn't like it was going to be used tonight, now that neither of us slept- and sat beside her. She was fast asleep already, not even waking when I carried her down the hall or put her down. She looked peaceful.

"I'll have to think of something to call you while you're here. I'm sure you don't like being called 'The girl' all the time," I said softly to myself, not that she would wake up if I even yelled in her ear.

"She must've had a hard time out in those woods." I spun around quickly to see Edward standing right behind me. Of course he could sneak up on me still, that had never changed. Although, I was sure that if I had actually paid attention, I might have heard him there.

I saw this as a chance and asked, "What was Rosalie thinking about earlier? Outside of the house, I mean." I figured he'd understand what I meant.

Instead, he seemed to feign ignorance, "What do you mean?"

I wasn't going to fall for it. "Out in the courtyard, Rosalie thought something that made you...upset?" I guessed. He had looked upset, but it looked closer to sad.

He frowned and said softly, "It was part of Rosalie's past, when she was a human." He didn't seem to want to explain more, but I waited patiently, brushing a strand of damp hair out of the girl's face. "She had...wanted a child. She tried for years, unsuccessfully, and she was changed before she ever had the chance. I won't explain more than that, if you want to hear more, you'll have to have Rosalie tell it, it's not in my place to tell about other's private lives," he finished.

This new revelation shocked me. I had never imagined Rosalie of all people to have wanted to try motherhood. Then again, I had never imagined falling in love with a vampire and becoming one myself. The world was full of surprises it seemed.

He put his hand lightly on my shoulder, still standing as if undecided on what to do next. I patted the bed beside me and he sat down, putting his arm around my waist. After a few moments he said softly, "Bella, are you sure this is what you want?" It was as if he could read my mind.

I sighed, "Of course I do, Edward. It's not like she could stay in Rosalie's room." I knew that wasn't what he meant, but for some reason, I didn't feel comfortable answering. I'd hardly had time to think about that since I was changed.

"Bella, you know that's not what I-" I interrupted him, kissing him softly and resting my head on his chest.

"I know. It's not like we can change it now," he frowned but I continued, "and honestly, I'm fine with it." And I realized that I was, as long as he was with me, I was fine with anything.