Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters in Twilight, or anything related to the books and/or movies. If I did, I would be way too busy- doing dirty things with the Cullen boys- to sit down at my laptop and write this story. The scenes that I did borrow from Stephenie Meyer have been revamped to fit my story.

A/N: Back to Bella's POV.

A/N 2: I'm telling Rosalie's story during this chapter, but I'm not going to go as in depth as I did for Jasper's story. I'm just doing some summarizing and paraphrasing from Eclipse.

Learning to Live Again

Chapter Thirty-One: Sisterly Bonding

I was sitting on the large sofa with my legs curled underneath me. I was staring at the television, but I had no clue what was on. I was just trying to concentrate on the fact that Jasper would be walking through the front door soon. I was relying on him too much, but I couldn't stop myself. In less than a week, I would be a vampire and fighting against another vampire who wanted to torture and kill me. I needed Jasper near me, calming me with his presence and his gift. It was the only thing that would stop me from bursting at the seams.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice I was being approached by both sides. I should have sensed the danger, but before I knew it Rosalie and Alice had me surrounded for the second time this week. I hoped that I would get better senses when I turned into a vampire.

"What?" My voice was full of dread and I slumped back into the sofa cushions.

"Would you please chill with the attitude, missy?" Alice teased as she curled up next to me and rested her head on my shoulder. "We just wanted to keep you company until Jasper returns from hunting with Emmett and Edward."

"You never just want to keep me company, Alice. You either want to have an exhausting conversation or a completely unnecessary makeover," I explained.

"It's the first one," Rosalie warned me, curling up on my left side in the same position as Alice was on my right.

"I really don't want to have another discussion about my humanity, if you don't mind. I think Edward and I have talked that out enough throughout the last year," I explained my position. I know that they had all experienced more than me, but I had made my decision and I was tired of defending it.

"Bella, it's not what you think," Alice defended. "We're not going to try to dissuade you from becoming a vampire; I've known from the beginning that you would become part of our family and I'm thrilled."

"We're both thrilled to have you as a sister, Bella," Rosalie interjected. "But I think that it's important you know everyone's history before you become one of us. I know that we've never been close, and I'm to blame for that. I was uncomfortable with another girl joining our family and thought you would take my place. It was silly to think that, but you know better than anyone that a person can't control their feelings."

I cringed, thinking of all that had transpired these last two weeks. I basically stole my best friend's boyfriend who happened to be my ex-boyfriend's surrogate brother. I really was an awful person. I was probably already going to hell, so it didn't really matter if I became a vampire.

Alice and Rosalie each took one of my hands and clutched them in their own. They couldn't read my mind or sense what I was feeling, but they knew me well enough to see my self-loathing.

"No more of those thoughts, little sister," Alice whispered.

"Now some parts of my story are pretty graphic and scary, Bella. I know that Edward told you that what happened to me was similar to what almost happened to you in Port Angeles; however, he left out a lot. I was eighteen years old in the year nineteen thirty-three. I truly had the world on a string; I was young, beautiful, rich and completely ecstatic to be me."

I almost chuckled at the brief description of herself that Rosalie had explained, but I held it in. I knew that it was inappropriate, though. Rosalie was opening up to me, and I had wanted this for the past year.

"I had a best friend named Vera," Rosalie continued, "who was happily married with a beautiful baby boy. I realized that I wanted the same thing. I was thrilled when Royce King- the son of the royal family in Rochester- began wooing me. It wasn't long before we were engaged, and I thought that all my dreams were coming true and that I would have the perfect life."

She stopped for a moment, remembering her past life. I could tell that the story was about to get grim and squeezed Rosalie's hand back in response. She moved her gaze to mine and smiled slightly.

"I was walking home from visiting with Vera and her darling little Henry with those adorable dimples of his. It was late and cold and I came upon Royce and a group of his friends. They were drunk, and it was too late before I realized their intentions toward me. The cruel bastards enjoyed my pain and left me for dead in the middle of the road when Carlisle found me. He tried to save me, but I was too far gone. He turned me instead. When I woke, I found myself even more beautiful that I had been as a human and it pissed me off."

Rosalie's voice had turned distant and lower. She was gritting her teeth as she spoke the last sentence, obviously resentful. "I've never tasted human blood, but I did murder seven- Royce and his four friends who hurt me plus two armed guards who were trying to stop me from my fun. I was dramatic about, dressing in a wedding dress to scare him, listening to him scream. He deserved it."

There was a moment of silence while the three of us reflected on the story just told. I would have to thank Edward again for saving me in Port Angeles. I was lucky to have been dealt such an easy life up to this point.

"Rosalie, it's horrible what happened to you, but I don't see how that explains you not liking me and keeping yourself distant from me," I said, looking at her with questioning eyes.

"At first, I was jealous because Edward wanted you instead of me. Don't get me wrong; I love Emmett more than anything in the world. He is truly the perfect person for me. And I've only ever thought of Edward as a brother and friend, but I'm used to having everyone want me or want to be me. Then you came along, and that shattered. I love that you're not like everyone else, Bella. I admire it really, but I'm not one for change. And I'm certainly not one to willingly give up the spotlight."

We all chuckled at that, grateful that Rosalie was easing up the tension in the room. I was glad that she could still laugh and smile, even after everything that she had been put through.

"It's not just jealousy, though, dear," she continued again. "You are so lucky, Bella. You have everything. You have love and your life ahead of you. It's everything that I have ever wanted, and you're going to throw it away. I would give anything to be able to have a normal existence again, to be able to having a bouncy baby with dimples to die for. You have that opportunity, and you're wasting it. I know that it's your decision, and I respect that. I just don't want you to make the wrong one."

I knew that it was my turn to speak, but I was still reeling from her story and her honesty with me. I had a truly amazing family who only wanted the best for me, even when they couldn't agree with what I was doing.

"I'm glad you told me this, Rosalie. I understand better now. But I need you to understand it from my perspective as well," I explained. Alice squeezed my hand again to encourage me. "I have had a great life, and I know that. My parents are these amazing people who love me and only want what is best for me. When I came to Forks, I didn't really expect much to come of it. I figured I would stay for a few months so that my mom's life could be a little easier."

"When I met Edward, everything changed. I belonged somewhere, with someone. He was my first love, and it was even better because he had this amazing family that I fell in love with too. Being tracked by James last year opened my eyes to the truth. I don't belong in your family, because I can't hold my own. When you guys left, I thought it was because you had realized that as well. I thought that you didn't want me to belong because I was less than you."

I could see both girls stiffen out of the corner of my eyes. They were each about to voice their disagreement with my statement, so I quickly continued, wanting to get the rest of my explanation out before the arguments came. "Jasper helped me see that it wasn't the truth. He helped me through the pain, and I will be forever grateful to him for that. I don't know what I would be like now if he hadn't stayed with me. I love him more than I thought possible, and I want to be with him."

"I don't want to age and grow old if he can't. I don't want to hold him to an old woman that he will have to watch die. It's not fair. But I also don't want to continue putting you in danger, either. If I were a vampire last year, James would never have wanted to attack me. We wouldn't have had to run and hunt him. No one will get hurt this way, because there won't be any reason."

I paused, thinking about Jasper fighting Laurent in the woods earlier this week. I was thankful that Emmett and Rosalie had showed up, knowing that Jasper could have lost the battle without help. I would not have survived losing two loves in one week.

"I don't want to be the weak link. I want to be strong like the rest of you, able to protect myself. I want to live happily ever after with Jasper. You're right, Rosalie. It is my decision, and I don't know if I'm making the right or wrong one. No one can ever know that, but I do know that I am following my heart. That's all anyone should ever do."

We didn't exchange anymore words. It wasn't important. We just sat on the sofa, waiting expectantly for the rest of our family to come home. I was relieved when I heard the front door open a moment later, but my feelings changed when I saw Jasper and Emmett carrying Edward through the front door.