Disclaimer: Once again Stephenie Meyer owns the characters. I only have the idea.

Author's Note: Please let me know how I am doing on this story. I haven't gotten any reviews in a long time. I need to know that you still like what I am doing.

Chapter 14

For once, I did not dream. Well, I don't remember dreaming. That, for me, is a good thing. I woke up and heard the little TV in the corner of my room still on, Alice noticed that I had woken up so she got up and said that she would let me get up and get dressed and whatever else I had to do. So I got up, grabbed some fresh clothes and went to take a shower. When I got done I went and found Alice. She must have sometime in the night got some food since there was breakfast on the table for me when I got downstairs.

"How did you…? Never mind," I said.

"Best to just eat. Holly is getting here earlier than I thought. She will be here in about 2 hours. If you didn't wake up soon, I was going to get you up."

"Oh, sorry." I looked back down to my food.

"It's okay, Bella. I just want to be on guard just in case anything happens. I am not going to let anything happen to you. Edward would kill me if I did," she said. "He is quite taken with you, you know? But I always knew he would be. If he wouldn't have been so stubborn he would have realized that I was right a long time ago."

"What? You knew that Edward and I would end up together before? And you never told me? Alice!" I yelled at her. I wasn't really mad, just shocked that she knew and kept this big secret from me. Well, that one and the fact that she is a vampire. What else? I almost laughed at myself.

"I did know, but I don't usually go around telling people that I can see the future. Edward doesn't go around telling people he can read their thoughts, just like Jasper doesn't let on that he can persuade feelings of others."

"Jasper can do what? Are you kidding? He can control others feelings?" Man, what can this family not do? I really didn't fit in with them at all. Plain, klutzy Bella did not fit with graceful, powerful vampires.

"Oh no, I did it again. Bella, I know you won't tell anyone but please don't let on that you know," she pleaded.

I laughed at her. "Sure I will just forget that you told me all of this. Not a problem," I took a drink of my apple juice, which is my favorite. "What are we doing now that Holly is getting her earlier than you thought?"

"Well, I will be needing to see what is going on at home and then I thought we could sit and talk. Let me give Edward a quick call and check in over there." She opened her phone and had Edward on the line before I knew what happened. I let them talk a little without really listening to what they were saying. When Alice hung up her phone I looked up at her.

"Okay, everyone is ready to meet up with Holly. Are you done with your breakfast?"

"Yeah, I am." I just finished the last drink of my apple juice, which completely revived me. "Alice, yesterday Rosalie told about the night that she was changed. Umm…"

"You want to know about mine, right?" Alice stated.

"Yes, hers was so awful. I think I cried through most of it. How awful."

"Yes, I felt sorry for Rosalie when I found out what happened to her too. Mine wasn't as bad as hers though. Bad, but not that bad. When I was younger, a child really, I say visions. My parents thought that there was something wrong with me. They brought me to so many doctors to figure out what was wrong, what kind of disease I had. You know what I look like when I am having a vision, so they thought I was having some kind of fit. After all of the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, my parents couldn't handle it anymore and put me into an insane asylum. They thought I was crazy or possessed. But as you and I know, that wasn't the case."

"I don't know how long I was in there, we didn't have windows to look out of so we never knew when it was day or night. All we had were meals that were brought in to us. And there were fifteen to twenty girls to a room; they had us packed in there. So we really only knew when it was morning or night by the food they brought in for us. If I had to guess I would say that I was in there maybe two months. One night, and I can only assume it was night, a guard came to my room and said that I needed to clean up after another patient who had gotten sick. I went into the girls' room and indeed she had gotten sick and I started to clean it up when the guard attacked me from behind. I felt the sharp bite and then my body burned beyond anything I thought possible. I'm sure Rosalie told you that she felt the same thing."

I only nodded. Alice continued with her story.

"When I woke up a couple of days later, I was no longer in the asylum. I didn't know where I was but I knew that I was alone. I woke with a burning in my throat and didn't know why. I had no clue what I had become. I wandered around for a bit trying to piece things together when I stumbled onto a poor, innocent human. He didn't have a chance against me. A newborn vampire is very strong and very fast; unskilled in a fight though. I had him completely drained of blood before I knew what I had done. I had killed an innocent human and I was disgusted with myself. As I watched him fall, I ran. And I didn't stop running. I ran clear across four states before I came to a wooded area where I stayed. I didn't want to chance running into a human. But by then I knew what I was, what I had become. I was a vampire and that is what that guard was, he changed me."

"What happened next, Alice?" I asked in tears. She wiped them away.

"I did what I thought best. I hunted animals and stayed away from everyone that was a possible meal for me. But I had a vision that would change all of that. I saw Jasper and I knew that I had to leave where I had found solitude and risk leaving everything I had found to keep me from becoming a monster. I left to find my future. Jasper would be finding me in a diner in Philadelphia, so that is where I headed. I cleaned myself up as much as I could and took what I had to, to make myself look presentable to those around me so they wouldn't get suspicious of me."

"The day he found me it was raining out. He came into the diner, where I knew he would be. I stood up, walked over to him, smiled and said, 'It took you long enough.' He shook the rain out of his hair a little, looked at me rather puzzled, and asked me if I knew him. I smiled back at him and said, 'Yes, Jasper, I've waited for you to show up. We are going west and find a family just like us.' It shocked him that I knew his name and that I had a plan for the two of us and he didn't even know my name. After a little bit, we started out on our journey and came here to Forks and to the Cullen's. When we showed up there was Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie. The rest is history as the saying goes."

"Oh Alice that is so sad, just as sad as Rosalie's. How could your parents do that to you?" I wiped some tears off my cheeks.

Alice smiled, "I don't know what they had to go through, but I do know that I don't think bad of them. I don't regret having been changed. I love my life here and I love Jasper with all of my being. Granted it would have been nice to have met on different terms but I will take it."

"Are all of the stories of how your family got changed this sad?"

"Well, yes, I guess you could say that, but we were all saved by our father, Carlisle. That is why we consider him our father, because he is in one way and he will never leave us and he will do what it takes to keep us safe."

"Wow. I never knew Alice. But I do have a question and I hope you don't mind me asking this but… do you have to be almost dying to be turned?"

"No, from what I've heard that is just the way Carlisle was with everyone. He wouldn't take a life unless it was going to pass on it's own," she said sadly. That meant that all of Esme, Edward and Emmett were all close to death when Carlisle saved them by turning them into vampires.

"From what I have heard of the stories, they are all tragic. Esme told me about her child she lost, then Rosalie, now yours. How does that not let it drag you all down?" I asked astonished.

"Family. We all became a family and we can always count on each other to help us out with whatever comes up. And for me, I have Jasper. He is everything that I have ever wanted in life. And I am going to be lucky enough to be able to spend eternity with him," she said beaming.

I could understand that. I had that once. I had a family that I could count on to take care of everything for me.

"Bella, we are your family now, you know that right?" Alice said interrupting my thoughts.

"I do but I can't help but think that I am more of a burden than anything. How can I not be making everyone's life miserable by being there?" I suddenly felt very sorry for myself. They all had a perfect storybook ending and here I sat in my parents' house and I would never see them again.

"You are not a burden Bella. You will learn in time that you are not a burden. We all love you and already know that you are part of this family." She looked around at the room around us. "There are a lot of memories here. No matter what, don't forget them. It all may go hazy in the future but remember your memories, cherish them and cherish your parents. That is the best advice I can give you."

I stared at her as silent tears ran down my cheeks. Little, quirky Alice had this soft, sentimental side that I knew nothing about. I couldn't say anything to her but grabbed her into a fierce hug. She wrapped her arms around me as well and we sat there like that and didn't say anything for a long while. It felt good to be held like this, comforting. Like something a big sister would do after you got your heart broken.

"I love you Alice. You know that? You are the best friend a girl could ask for," I said in between bouts of sobs. But the mood was interrupted with the ringing of a phone. Not expecting the phone to ring, I jumped. I went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Bella. It's Jake. What is going on up there?"

"Jake? What do you mean?"

"Well, I figured that Sam changing just meant that I needed more help since you were now living with the vamps, but now I have Quil and Embry too."

"What do you mean? They are wolves too now?" At this Alice shot her glance to me and was now interested in what I was saying.

"Yeah, so what is going on up there?"

"Umm… there is going to be another vampire coming who is not happy that I am with Edward, but the Cullen's are going to sort it out."

Oh sure. They are going to sort it out, huh? Damn it Bella! This is what I was talking about. You are not safe with them."

"Jake, I am completely safe. Alice is here and watching over me and the guys are going to talk to Holly."

"Oh its name is Holly?" I could hear the distaste in his voice.

"Yes, but what are you going to do?"

"We are going to get the pack together and make a bigger patrol now that we have more members. We are going to come into Forks to make sure that all stays safe."

"You're coming to Forks?! Why are you doing that? You should stay away and stay safe."

"Bella, no vampire is going to hurt us. We are made to defend our homes from them. We are coming. I am sorry if that is going to worry you but at lease we know what we have to look forward to. And that it is only one. Thank you. Give my regards to your vamps."

With that he hung up. I held onto the phone for a minute before hanging it up. Then I turned to face Alice. Her eyes looked worried but she sounded calm when she asked me, "The wolves are coming to play too?"

"Yeah, I guess the pack grew from one wolf to four. So now there is Jake, Sam, Quil, and Embry. And they are coming here to Forks to wait for Holly too."

"I don't know what they are going to do with her. I think the guys will have it covered."

"I really hope so. I don't want anyone to get hurt." I hated to think that anyone would be getting hurt because of me. This was all getting way too out of hand.

"She's here." Alice said. Those two little words made my heart thud solidly in my chest. Now I started to worry and I felt my heartbeat pick up a notch. I started to picture all of these horrible bloody scenes because I didn't know what to expect. What was Holly going to do to everyone? Was she going to start a fight and get someone hurt or would she listen to Edward and tell her that he didn't love her?

"Oh my god, they are going to come here," Alice said as she was looking into space. "They are going to be bringing Holly her to see you. But I don't know why they are doing that. What are they thinking?"

Once again, with Alice worried that made me worried. My heart sped up even more and I was finding it hard to breath. I realized that I was still standing by the phone while Alice was sitting by the kitchen table. I walked to the open chair and sat down. I needed to try and calm myself before I passed out. Plus, I didn't think the fierce beating of a human heart was good for a vampire that already didn't like me.

Alice noticed me trying to calm down, so she said, "Not to worry you Bella, but they will be here in five minutes. Edward is planning on standing in front of you to help protect you. Emmett will be beside him and Jasper and I will be by Holly. You will be safe. But try and stay calm okay?"

"Uh huh," was all I could manage to get out. I was shaking. Alice noticed that too and came over to me and wrapped my hands in her hands. She gave them a reassuring squeeze. I stood up with her and walked into the living room. And there I stopped; I couldn't take another step closer to the door. Alice dropped my hand and went to the door. A few seconds later she opened it up and Edward, Emmett, and Jasper walked in followed by a tall redhead, who had to be Holly. Alice closed the door behind her.

Edward and Emmett came up to me and stood right by me halfway hiding me from her. Jasper and Alice are close to Holly ready to be on her if she moves wrong. Looking at Holly though I could see that her hair was bright red just like her eyes. Her eyes scared me the most. She was taller than Alice and I; maybe about 5 foot 7 inches tall and thin. Her hair was halfway down her back but pulled into a braid. She was looking me up and down too just as I was her. I wonder what she thought of a weak, scared human like me. And then she spoke.

"So, you are Bella. You are the one that is in love with Edward. And he thinks he is in love with you, is that right?" She looked between Edward and I.

"Yes," Edward and I said at the same time. I glanced quickly at Edward when he said that. Holly didn't miss that.

"Oh, he hasn't said that he loves you, has he? Shame on you Edward. You shouldn't play with a girl's heart like that. You can see what it does to that girl," she said indicating herself.

"I never gave you the impression that I loved you Holly. That was all you and you know it," Edward said pulling his lips back into a snarl.

"Oh yes, it is my fault. The kisses you gave me didn't mean anything to you?" She said. She was trying to get Edward angry and I didn't know if it was working or not. I didn't dare look away from her.

"A kiss on the cheek hardly implies love, affection maybe, but not love," Edward started. "Holly I am sorry if you got the wrong impression from me, but I did tell you that I was not interested in you that way. I cared for you, but I did not love you."

At this I dared to take a glance at him, but he did not take his gaze off of her. When I looked back to her, she was staring at me with her bright red eyes. That glare I was looking into sent shivers of fear down my back.

"Stop that Holly! She didn't do anything to you," Edward screamed at her. I jumped and looked at him. He looked at me and then saw that I was standing there perfectly okay. His face registered shock.

"What is wrong Edward?" I asked. He looked truly puzzled and I didn't know what had upset him so much.

"Bella, you didn't feel that?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't feel anything."

He looked over to Holly just like the rest of us. She didn't even notice them looking at her, he only focus was me. And she seemed to be concentrating very hard. Finally she shook herself and said, "I don't understand. Why did you not feel that?"

"You must be talking about the pain thing, right? I have no idea. Edward can't read my mind either," I said.

"She is a pretty talented human isn't she, Holly?" Alice said, jabbing her with her words.

"She is… talented? What talent does this pitiful creature have?" Holly said sneering at me. I felt Edward and Emmett pull a little closer to me at this.

"Careful Holly, you are a guest in Bella's home right now. Do not do anything that you will regret later," Jasper said from Holly's right.

She was staring at me fuming and it looked like she was getting madder and madder by the minute. Then she surprised me by taking a step back. Edward also took a step, but towards Holly. She backed out of my house and ran into the night. Edward came back to me.

"She is going to burn off her anger but she will be back," Edward said. "Are you okay Bella?"

"Yeah I am fine. What happened? I get that she was trying to hurt me but I don't know why she took off like that." I looked around at the others in the room for some answers. It looked like no one wanted to give me the answer though. Emmett was the one to answer me.

"She left because as you know, she can't use her powers against you. And she has not come across anyone that could resist her like that. She needed to leave before she hurt you, which would not work too well considering all of us here. She would not have won, she will try and come back when you are the most vulnerable, so it looks like you are going to be having a guard wherever you go." He said with a grin.

Great. Just what I needed, an escort to watch me make a fool of myself. What a perfect afternoon, a vampire who wanted to come back and kill me when I was alone. I was never going to be safe.