Wow, over 770 hits. That is the most hits ever for one of my stories! I am truely blown away and humbled by that. I had thought due to the lack of reviews that people had gone off the story, the last two chapters were the hardest to write. Anyhoo, enjoy my mpst favourite chapter of all.

Chapter 6: Family Reunions

Alice danced into the room, her tinkling laughter filling the room. "You should have seen Edward and Jasper wrestling. I swear, I didn't think they would ever stop rolling down that hill. Oh! We have guests."

Alice stopped as she took in the brown haired woman with her back to them. She also noticed a small pair of legs that were wound around the womans waist. The whole family watched as the woman spun on her heel and turned to face them, a child buried in her neck.

"Hello Alice." Bella held in an unneeded breath.

She watched Alice in amusement. It was the first time that she had ever seen surprise on her face. The look, however, was quickly replaced with one of absolute joy.

"Oh Bella, Bella, Bella."

Alice ran forward as Sophia's arms tightened around her neck. Bella took a step back. This had to be unsettling for Sophia. Bella had hardly associated with other vampires, none outside of the Volturi, and she had always tried to keep Sophia away from large groups of people outside of her school.

Alice seemed to register that Bella wasn't alone. "Is that an...Immortal Child?"

Bella felt Sophia snort against her neck. "Yes, she is. Alice, this is my daughter Sophia. Sophia, sweetie, this is Alice. We used to be friends a long time ago."

The three newcomers all gasped as Sophia turned her head to them and gave them a dazzling smile.

"She's so young!" Jasper exclaimed.

"No. I'm. Not. I am 106 years old. Mum says that's old, even for a vampire." She turned back to Bella. "Mummy, when you say a long time ago, how long we talking?"

She smiled at her time-obsessed daughter. "Oh, way before I found you."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Mummy we both know you didn't have a life before me." Rosalie stifled a laugh behind her. "Hello Alice." She disentangled herself from around Bella, deeming the situation now safe.

"Come on Sophia, lets go play." Esme held out her hand and Sophia took it, Carlisle holding the other as they headed out the back door.

"Be careful. She will have you tearing around the forest for hours looking for her if you play hide and seek." They subtly left the 6 adults alone, silence strained.

"Hello Bella." Jasper spoke, making no move to come any nearer

"It's OK Jasper. What happened was understandable and you're completely forgiven." She offered him a hand which he shook before pulling her into a short hug. "It's been a while."

Bella turned and looked at the one person she had been avoiding for 150 years. "Edward." She managed a quick nod to him before turning back to Alice. "I suppose you're all wondering about Sophia and about how the hell I am still here after you all thought I had died."

Alice had taken a seat beside her on the sofa, Jasper perched himself on the arm of the chair. Edward hung back, leaning against the living room door frame.

"Why didn't I see Sophia, or you for that matter?"

"You did see me. I was the vampire you saw in the children's ward of the hospital. I changed a lot when I was turned, unless you heard my voice you wouldn't have known it was me. As for Sophia, you can't see her because I won't let you or any vampire see her. I have a gift that means I can shield myself, people and vampires from other vampires mental gifts. Sophia has one of these around her permanently. Too many vampires have tried to harm her over the years and Jane of the Volturi has taken a dislike to her. She now falls under the Volturi's protection, much to Demetri's and Jane's disgust, after I cut a deal with them."

"Nobody cuts a deal with the Volturi. What was the deal?"

"The terms of the deal are of no concern Jasper, I will deal with the consequences when they arise. Sophia is safe and that is all that matters to me."

"What happened to you?" Alice asked, laying her tiny hand over Bellas'.

They sat for hours as Bella told the story of Victoria turning her, leaving out the minor detail of her going looking to be changed. Some members of the Cullen family already suffered enough guilt from their sudden departure from her life. She told them of her adventures overseas and her studies. Of her gifts and time spent under Aro and the Volturi. Sophias' story had provided some amusement to the group, mostly over her immature antics and how she learned her self control. Growls from Edward and Emmett had peppered the story and she had paused to allow Carlisle and Esma to join in the conversation and Sophia to curl up in her lap.

"So you see, I'm not the Isabella Swan you remember. In fact I haven't been Isabella Swan in 150 years. My name is Annabella Lee."

"Why did you change your name?" Rosalie asked.

"When Isabella, when I was changed, she wrote me a letter. Part of it was list of instructions about what she wanted me to do with my new life and what she wanted me to remember. The first instruction was to change my name. She didn't want me to remember what pain she, I, was in before she was turned."

"Pain I caused when I left." Edward spoke for the first time, still leaning against the door frame.

Bella whipped around to him. "Yes the pain you caused her. Do you really think that she, that I, would really just move on as if I had never met you. You walked into my life and showed me a love I had never experienced before, convinced me you loved me too, and then walked away as if I meant nothing. Esme said you did it to protect me. Some protection job Edward. I still got most of what I wanted and you got what you wanted and you took the cowards way out to get it. If you are looking for absolution Edward, you are looking for it from the wrong person." Edward looked away in shame. "Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Alice, it has been so good to see you all again. Please feel free to drop by anytime. Sophie and I have to go, my next shift at the hospital starts soon."

She pulled Sophia into her arms and grabbed her car keys from the sideboard. Carlisle had left her car parked outside the garage. Bella placed Sophia in the passenger seat and drove off.

"Well that went well." Esme commented as she watched the headlights disappear down the drive. "Don't worry Edward. It has been a shock to her, finding us here. She will calm down and come around. She will forgive you. Right now let's be glad she is back in our lives."

'Without Forgiveness, There Is No Future" - Desmond Tutu

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