EDWARD

I don't know what to do. She's looking at me like she is waiting for something. She loves me, but she doesn't know if we should be together. I should say something to keep her. I can't survive without her. She can't function with my constant interference in her affairs. A relationship can only work if the two involved are equals. Strike that. A relationship can only work if the two know and act like they are equals. I love her. I should be able to do this. It's hard, of course, but I should be able to do this. Why can't I accept her new abilities?

"Please, Bella. I know things are rough between us. I should not have lied. I should have talked with you about our relationship back in Forks. There is so much that I should have done, but didn't. I understand that you have come into your own. I'm just having issues changing my own behavior. I am trying. Please, just give me time. Work with me. I can change. I love you and I don't want to lose you again," I plead with her. She looks skeptical.

"Edward, a relationship is not feasible while we are in this place," Bella tells me.

"Just give us time," I beg. I'm not proud. I will do whatever it takes to get her to be open to the possibility of us again.

"It goes against my better judgment, but I guess one more chance won't kill me," she caves.

"That is all I am asking for. I will make this time different, I promise," I assure her.

"Be careful with that phrase, you have used it before," she warns me.

"Believe me, this is going to be different," I respond.

"We shall see," she says as she fades away in blue dust.

BELLA

I can't believe that I caved so easily. It should have taken much more than that. Love makes you do things you wouldn't normally though. I know it will be hard, a real uphill battle, but I know that if he is willing to really and truly try this time I will help him on the way. I am an idiot. Love has made me an idiot. I know that Edward and I will hit the same wall again and yet I still caved. I know this is going to be painful and yet I'm doing it anyway.

I phase to Jen's room. Eliot, Carlisle, Dakota, and Nathaniel all give me curious looks. I can't hold back a sneer. It's not their fault that I am spineless when it comes to Edward. They go about their business. Jen looks the same. Her monitors tell me that she is still the same. I sigh rather loudly.

"These things take time," Nathaniel tries to reassure me.

"I take it you had a talk with Edward," Carlisle comments.

"Yeah, I totally caved," I answer.

"Are you still angry with him?" Dakota asks.

"No, I'm just frustrated with myself," I tell her.

"Love makes fools of us all," Eliot smiles at me.

"Have you been breaking out the fortune cookies again?" I tease him.

"There's the Bella we all harass on a regular basis," Dakota giggles.

Jen starts to stir a bit. Eliot is holding her hand and softly talking to her. Her eyes flutter open and look right into his. Because I and such a girl at times like this, I start to tear up a bit. Dakota is right there with me. The scene is just so heart wrenching. All the drama I just went through was totally worth it if Edward and I reach that point too. Eliot leans in and kisses his wife. She just looks so happy right now. Then, Jen looks towards Dakota and I.

"Hey guys," she says, exercising her vocal muscles.

"Hey Jen," we say together.

"Did I miss anything earth shattering?" she asks.

"I talked with Edward," I tell her.

"I met Nathaniel," Dakota says as she winks at the Healer.

"Everything is working out then," Jen replies as she sits up with Eliot's help.

"Now, now. You have to take it easy. I'm Nathaniel, a Healer. You can't just jump back into the saddle. That curse really threw you for a loop," Nathaniel tells her.

"I'm really sorry about that, by the way," I add.

"Don't worry about it darlin'. I knew it was coming and the important thing is that you are working on things with Edward. Trust me when I tell you that nothing compares to a functional, loving relationship," Jen dismisses my apology while smiling up at her own love.

I know that she is completely right. It gives me hope. I can't even make myself annoyed about my apparent inability to just let Edward go. Not very much could bring this group down for too long.

"I don't know if this is the best time, but I had a vision and we are going to get two visitors in the next couple of days," our Seer informs us.

"I take it by the way you say that, that you don't see who they both are," Jen comments.

"Well, one is a banshee, but I can't see the other. There's a whole in the vision, so it might be a vampire or a nymph or another member of Jake's tribe…" she trials off.

"A banshee? We don't know any banshees particularly well," I reply.

"I do. It might be Jamie. We've been friends since before I presented," Nathaniel explains.

"It is a guy banshee," Dakota affirms.

"Banshee is not a gender specific word in reality," I tell Carlisle, who looks like he is out at sea.

"I see," he takes it all in stride.

"It could be Jamie, but we should all be on our guard anyway. I think we might be in for quite the surprise with the other guest," Jen thinks out loud.

Everyone seems antsy this morning. The knock finally comes at the front door. Dakota pops up to go and get it. Emmett and Jasper follow after me as I go to the front door too. On the other side is a banshee. He is tall and lanky with pale green streaks in his blonde hair. A smile tentatively spreads on his gorgeous face.

"Hi, I'm Jamie," he tells us quietly.

"Nathaniel is downstairs checking on a friend of ours. Please, come in," Dakota gently says. Jamie throws off the rabbit vibe in the sense that he might bolt at any sudden movement or loud noise.

"You are kinda quiet for a banshee," Emmett comments.

"That's a misdemeanor. Banshees can be of a quiet nature, just like a vampire can be of a boisterous nature," Jamie almost whispers he is so quiet. We all chuckle at his statement. Boisterous is putting Emmett lightly.

Dakota and I lead Jamie downstairs to his friend. We hear laughter before we even get to the bottom of the stairs. The reason for the laughter is apparent when we get in the room. Eliot has purple dust all over him and is trying to give Jen a stern look. Jen looks angelic in response. Nathaniel and Carlisle are supporting themselves so they don't fall on the floor. It's like when you catch toddlers in some impossible situation that is really messy, you have to decide whether or not you really want to know what lead up to it. I'm not sure that I want to know.

"Hey Jamie! I'm glad it was you in the vision," Nathaniel greets his friend through his laughter.

"Since when do you get the Sight? You can barely function with normal sight," Jamie teases. Who knew the boy had it in him? Maybe he has to be comfortable around you in order for him to let go.

"I didn't have the vision, genius. Dakota did," Nathaniel rolls his eyes. They still grin at each other, so I know this is just their thing. Is this what Jen, Dakota and I look like to others?