Chapter 7:

Explanations

When Bella woke up the next morning she really didn't feel a whole lot better than she had the previous evening. Her eyes felt stiff and sore and she knew they were probably red from crying herself to sleep. She faintly realized that she had slept in her clothes from the day before. Sitting up slowly, she ran a hand through her hair. Suddenly realizing how messy it was, she reached out pull her alarm clock closer in order to check the time.

Seeing that it was past ten o'clock she was glad that it was the weekend and that she had nothing better to do than laze around the house. She really needed to relax a bit. What happened last night really wasn't helping her stress levels any either.

She remembered what had set her off then and scowled. This time she wasn't depressed and sad. This time she was angry. 'What right does that idiot have to steal my precious things? No matter what he might want me to do they belong to me and he has no right to take them away!'

Growling under her breath about stupid vampires, and sulking about having her personal space invaded such a way,* she stalked to the bathroom. She really needed a shower.

.-.

The doorbell rang just as Bella was finishing her breakfast. Getting up, she made her way to the front door. Still tired and in a rather bad mood she opened the door with a slight frown. When she saw who was on the other side she blinked in surprise.

Carlisle blinked back at her and coughed lightly. She suddenly noticed that she had been staring at him for a few rather uncomfortable moments. She reacted immediately and invited him in.

"Sorry," She apologized, "I wasn't expecting to see you." 'Especially after…what happened last night,' her thoughts continued.

"It's quite all right. I'd like to speak with you about a few things though." He paused a bit, "Is that alright?"

For him to come to her house like this she knew it must be important. Probably related to…what happened last night. She sighed slightly.

"Yeah," she gave him what felt like a weak attempt at a smile, "it's fine."

"Good." He looked slightly apprehensive** and she suddenly had a sinking feeling about what he wanted to talk about.

'Well, we might as well get this over with. I have a feeling I'll want to be sitting down for this.'

"We can go sit in the kitchen if you like?"

He simply nodded and relaxed a bit as she lead him to where she had just finished eating.

.-.

"So, let me get this straight," Bella stared in shock and confusion at the vampire sitting across from her, "After what happened at my birthday party Edward somehow came to the conclusion that it was far too dangerous for me to keep hanging around you guys, even after what happened in Phoenix?"

He nodded.

"So he decided to break up with me and somehow convinced most of the family that it would be a good idea to leave me here alone?"

He nodded.

"But Jasper was worried about how I would react since he knew how much I love him? So Alice attempted to have a vision, which was somehow interrupted, in order to reassure him? And he and Emmett ended up watching my entire breakup?"

He once again nodded wordlessly, and Bella began to get a bit angry. She didn't mind that her 'brothers' were concerned about her, but that wasn't something she would have wanted other people to witness if she'd had a choice.

"And when they went to tell you everything that had happened you still decided to leave? Why?"

He sighed, but nodded again and began to give all of the reasons that they were leaving.

"Despite, maybe even because of, everything that has happened between you and Edward we know that you are strong enough to get through this; even if we aren't there." He looked a bit sad as he said that last part.

"We love you." He said seriously, looking her straight in the eye. "We all do in our own way; but there are other reasons for us to leave as well."

"What do you mean?"

"When we first found this place, over a hundred years ago now, we made a treaty with the local tribe. The Quiliettes."

"I remember something about this," she interjected. "When I was trying to figure out what you all were I managed to get Jake," She noticed he looked a bit puzzled at the name, "Jacob Black, he's Billy Black's son. I played with him a lot when I was little and came up here to visit my father."

"Well," she continued, "I managed to get him to tell me why you guys weren't allowed on the reservation. It was a legend about what they called the Cold Ones," She nodded at him, "and…werewolves, I think." Her eyes suddenly widened. "You can't mean that -"

"Yes; that part of the tale is true too. The Quiliette people have a dormant gene that allows them to shift into wolves at will; unlike the werewolves of Europe."

"You mean there are real werewolves?"

"Yes, they are called 'The Children of the Moon' for obvious reasons. The wolves here are entirely different creatures. For one they are able to change at will; instead of being forced into it by the moon. They also, unlike the weres of Europe, have a very pack oriented culture. It's also genetic instead of being passed on like a virus."

"What I didn't realize," he continued, realizing he had gotten a bit off track, "is that apparently just fairly close proximity to vampires, even ones like us, is enough to activate the gene. It's very likely that most, if not all, of the teenagers descended from the original pack members are, or soon will be, able to shift. Because of the size of our family if we stay any longer even the children will begin to shift."

"This is the first time we've really spent an extended period of time here. We honestly had no idea something like this would happen. However; to get children involved in this simply because we don't want to move away from you? We can't do that. The others will be coming by at some point today as well to say goodbye, and give you back your things. I honestly have no idea what that boy was thinking when he took them from you." He muttered the last part under his breath, and then continued.

"The other reason I already mentioned; you remember what I said about Alice's vision being interrupted?" She nodded in confirmation, "Well I believe it had to do with the person who found you. From Jasper and Emmett's description I think it's safe to assume that that Uely boy is a shifter. If they are able to avoid, and even black out Alice's visions it would be safer to move away."

She nodded in understanding. She knew that Alice's visions were a part of her and to have them interfered with in such a way would unnerve both her and, on a smaller scale, the rest of the Cullens.

"We will leave you a way to contact us of course. Email addresses, phone numbers. You have to understand that this was a very hard decision for us to make. If you are ever in trouble though, contact us immediately." She opened her mouth to protest, but quieted when held up his hand to silence her. "Even if you don't end up with Edward after all, you have become a part of our family. You will never be a burden and we will always love you." He gave her one of those brilliant and gentle smiles of his and pushed a list of contact information towards her across the table.

At this last her eyes began to water and she wiped away some tears. Ever since she realized how far Edward would go to make her forget about him, this is what she was the most worried about. That the first real family that she'd ever really had would abandon her; like he did. As much as she loved Charlie and Renee she had never been able to truly think of them as parents; people that would take care of her, that would comfort her, that always knew just the right thing to say to cheer her up. She had found that in Carlisle and Esme and the rest.

That Edward would try to take that away from her hurt her more than she would ever admit. A part of her would never forgive him for it. In that moment she knew that things would never be the same between her and Edward. For him to betray her and her trust so thoroughly, even if he was trying in his own messed up way to protect her, was unforgivable.

But her family, and now she truly felt like they were her family, wouldn't abandon her. They would help her through this as much as they were able; he had even implied that they would leave everything they were doing at the drop of a hat to come to her aid if she needed them. That was something she had never had before, and she was immeasurably grateful for it.

"Thank you."

.-.

Carlisle left soon after that. He knew that she probably still had some unresolved issues from everything that had happened in the last few days, but he knew that she would get through it. Hopefully the rest of his children would be able to help her with them.

What he hadn't told her, or any of the rest of his family for that matter – though he knew Esme could tell something was wrong, was his biggest reason for leaving Forks. The Volturi. He knew what would happen if Aro or Caius ever learned of her existence.

The tribe was one thing; after all they weren't exactly human themselves, but Bella was another. Despite her strange mind shield Bella was all too human and he, more than anyone, knew the consequences for breaking the laws. In fact, said shield would probably make them all the more determined to turn her.

The thought of what might happen to Bella if she was turned and kept by the Volturi made him frown in apprehension. He knew the horror stories sometimes told about what happened in their ranks. He also knew that some of them were quite true. He would do all he could to prevent that from happening.

Even if, eventually, he had to turn her himself.

* - You can be sure that she would never term it sulking though. Brooding, maybe, but never sulking.

** - After a year of hanging around vampires almost constantly she had grown quite adept at reading into what they were feeling; she was no Jasper though.

~ Author's Note ~

Done! Here's that chapter I promised you all. I hope you enjoyed it. I should be able to post another one relatively soon. (If I'm not belted over the head with a writer's block,) It should be out by the weekend, (I hope).

Well then, you should know the drill by now; review, review, and review some more, people!

- Aljan Moonfire -