A/N: I LIVE! Haha. =)) I'm really sorry for the long wait, everyone. The reason I've been MIA all this time is because of our project in English. Our group performed RENT for our project and I couldn't be more thrilled when they approved of the play because I've been dying to do it ever since I watched it (Watch it. IT'S FREAKIN' AWESOME. :D). And now, even though we're finished, I still sing the songs in the most inopportune of times. XD

Well, we did okay, I guess. People said we did a great job, but I still think that it was kind of a mess. I mean, the guy playing Roger kept on forgetting his lines and some of our groupmates didn't know what to do in their scenes. Though I was kind of disappointed on how it all turned out, it worked out right in the end.

Anyway, voila! To make it up to you guys, I made a longer chapter than usual. Here's a chapter with a bit of back story on it. Enjoy~ :)

Note: This story is still unbeta'd.

PS: As you can see, I changed most of the chapter titles. I don't know why, but the "The's" were bothering me. :3

Chapter Seven: Worth It

The little girl in a blue dress stared at the amusement park with such awe; so much that her mother had to bite her lip to keep from chuckling.

After a few moments, the girl turned to her mother with twinkling brown eyes. "This place is awesome, Mom! How come we've never been here before? You know how much I love amusement parks," she gushed.

Renee did not answer her five year old's question. Instead, she just took Bella by the hand and took her inside the park, sliding a purple-and-white-colored card on of the 'Special Guests' card machine slots.

By the time they got in, Bella had already forgotten her question. She was usually more perceptive than this—her advanced mind was more like that of a middle-aged lawyer's than that of her supposed five year old mind. But, at the end of the day, she was still a child faced with the prospect of thrilling rides and delicious junk food her mother wouldn't allow her to eat otherwise. Her eyes sparkled as they travelled from ride to ride; from the grandeur of the Ferris' Wheel to the dangerous-looking roller coaster. She was just pondering which one to ride first when her mother spoke.

"Welcome to Mepphyland, sweetheart," her mother said, smiling at the outright glee on her daughter's face.

If her mom's voice didn't bring her out of her reverie, what she said did.

"'Mepphyland'?" Her eyes turned to her mother's baby blues. "As in Uncle Mephisto? Does he own this place?" she asked, her wide-eyed stare causing her mom to let out a few chuckles.

"Yes, hun. And he wants you to have fun," she said while waving the card she used earlier to enter. "This card will operate any and all rides and machines—even the food stands."

Bella took a moment to look around her one more time with new eyes to prove what her mother's words implied. Sure enough, they were the only people in the park. "How come we're the only people here, Mom?" She asked. "Where are the others?"

Renee hesitated before answering, not wanting to hurt her daughter's feelings accidentally. "Sweetheart, what happens when you get excited?"

Bella thought for a moment and finally understood what her mother was telling her. "I might hurt those around me and expose us if I lose control," she said sadly. Though she knew her words for a fact, it still didn't change anything—it still stung.

Further proof that I'm a liability to this family, the little girl thought darkly to herself.

Renee took one look on her daughter's face and immediately knew what she was thinking. "No, sweetheart—stop," she said, kneeling in front of Bella. She took hold of her tiny shoulders.

"Isabella Marie, you are not a burden. This," she gestured to the place, "is just for your safety. We just don't want you to get hurt, hun."

The girl sighed; that she knew, too. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Mom…?" She looked at her mom, then at the park, and back. She narrowed her eyes at her mother's stiff shoulders. "What aren't you telling me?"

Renee averted her eyes from Bella's knowing ones, knowing that she was an open book when it comes to her daughter.

A few moments later, she sighed in defeat. Releasing her hold on Bella's shoulders, she spoke. "Well, your uncle and I have been meaning to tell you something..."

The girl let out a frustrated sigh. "Which is…?"

"Okay, okay! Calm your horses," Renee said in defense, raising her arms. She let out a deep breath before she looked at her daughter straight in the eye. "Your uncle and I want you to go to cram school."

Bella blinked. Does she mean... "You mean you want me to..."

Her mom nodded. "Yes, Bella; we want you to become an exorcist."

The girl was at a loss for words. Is she serious? "Mom, in case you've forgotten, I'm half-demon! There's no way the Grigori will allow me to be an exorcist—let alone be a student of the cram school."

At this, Renee gave her a small smile. "Well, you know how there's been a new Paladin?"

"Yeah, Shiro... something, right?" The girl asked, remembering seeing the odd man with two small crosses hanging from each side of his glasses on TV the other day.

"Yeah, well, he's been talking to the Grigori about teaching halves on exorcism. They're still leery about the idea, but they agreed, nonetheless. He convinced them by saying that, this way, they could monitor halves and create allies from Gehenna—like your uncle," she explained. She tilted her head to the side. "Well, that and the fact that studying at the cram school will only be by invitation."

"'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer', huh? Good thinking," she mumbled to herself.

Renee bit her lip. "Yeah… something like that." She shook her head. "Look, hun, that's not the point. Cram school will strengthen you and improve your talents. It will increase your knowledge in combat and control." She looked at her daughter intently. "It will teach you how to protect yourself."

The girl sighed again. "But what if I'm not good at it? What if I suck?"

Her mother let out a weak chuckle. "Hun, you do not suck."

"You don't know that," she muttered, looking at her red sneakers.

"Hey, hey; look at me." She waited until she turned to look at her. "How will you know if you don't try? You can't just sit there and think of the possibilities. If there's one thing I've learned, you have to shake off the fear of the future if you want to keep living today.

"You can't let the fear consume you. If you think that it's worth it, you've got to give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say that you tried—otherwise, you'll be living your life in regret."

Her pained eyes burned to her daughter's. "Don't make the same mistakes I did."

{[(=^_^=)]}

Bella was jolted back to the present when she heard some quiet movements from the vampires in front of her. Contrary to popular belief, she actually has superior hearing—almost like that of a vampire's.

They are worth it, she said to herself. They are worth everything.

While Bella was preparing herself for the possible inquisition, the other people in the room were growing restless. When they got back inside their home, the tense atmosphere did not abate; if anything, it amplified. They all took a seat around the dining table as Bella sat on the left head of the table opposite to Carlisle, her mutters so soft that they couldn't really hear them.

Rosalie was fuming. In her eyes, the human had betrayed their secret. She was so furious that, by all means, steam was coming out of her ears. Emmett could only hold her, in fear that his mate might kill his favorite human in her rampage. He was also curious about the peculiar man in "clown pants" and his connection to Bella.

Alice was sitting on Jasper's lap, slightly vibrating in her worry. Already, she was checking the future—all to no avail. Ever since the encounter with the man with the pink umbrella (she still shudders at the thought of the man's outfit), all of her visions had become so blurry—Bella's, especially. Like Emmett, Jasper could only hold his wife, but in comfort. Alice was worried, which also made him worry; not because he was empathic, but because she was his mate. As for all of the emotions in the room… well, let's just say that he was working very hard on just focusing on Alice.

Edward, on the other hand, was at the edge of his seat, following his mate's movements with his eyes. He was so confused at her behavior and the encounter earlier. He was also scared of what it meant; not for him or for his family but for her—always for her.

Carlisle and Esme held hands as they watched their daughter wear a hole on their dining table with her tapping fingertips. Finally, when the air became too much for her to handle, Esme spoke. "Bella, dear," she said warily as Bella froze at the sound of her voice. "Will you tell us what's going on?"

"Yes, dear Bella," Rosalie sneered. "Will you?"

Esme looked at her daughter sharply. "Rosalie!"

"What?" Rosalie asked her adoptive mother, her innocent voice belying the anger clearly shown on her face. "Is it wrong for me to ask Bella what's going on?" she said, snarling the girl's preferred nickname.

Before Esme could chastise her again, the gorgeous blonde continued. "She endangered us all by telling that guy—heck, probably not just that nut-job—our secret! She blabbed our secret to people who were clearly not our kind!" She then turned to glare at Bella. "Or is that something you enjoy, huh? Is that where you get your kicks, human? Revealing the secrets of others? Betraying your family? I knew from the start that you would only cause trouble for this family. We should have stayed away when we had the chance, you home-wrecking—"

At that, everyone reacted.

"Rosalie!"

"Rosie, please…"

"Why? You know where I stand in all of this."

"You're being unreasonable—"

"You're being selfish!"

"So? Aren't you?"

"Children, please—"

"By bringing this human, you've put our lives at risk!"

"Please! As if that's the real reason you—"

"Guys, calm down…"

"Calm down? I won't calm down until—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, WILL YOU?!"

The vampires all stared at her in shock. No expected to see their klutzy, easily-embarrassed, timid Bella standing up with her hands clenched, her chair lying haphazardly on the floor. Her face was red as her chest heaved in… anger? Even Rosalie was surprised.

Bella spoke darkly. "You don't know what's going on, so I suggest you keep your trap shut before you regret it."

Her voice made her want to shiver but, instead, Rosalie shook off the ridiculous notion of fear (Me? Afraid of a human? Please.) and narrowed her eyes at the human. Before she could say anything, there was a voice from the doorway.

"I suggest you listen to her, blondie," the figure said as she leaned on the frame of the door with her arms crossed. Her stance may look casual, but her aura promises bloodshed. She smirked. "Unless, of course, you want to lose a limb."

Bella turned as the voice registered her senses, her eyes widening in shock. "Shura?"

She only smiled at her partner in crime. "Hey, Iz. Miss me?"

End of Chapter Seven.

End Note: Tell me what you guys think. Also, I appreciate some suggestions. :D