Lila grimaced as she ended the call.
"He isn't exactly happy," She told me.
"I know, I heard everything," I replied, "Sorry you had to do that."
Lila was clearly distraught at having enraged Edward the way she did.
"Don't worry about it, Lila. Edward will be fine in a few days," I said trying to ease her discomfort, "Besides, we have bigger things to worry about."
"Really? Like what?" She questioned, doubting anything could be worse than angering Edward.
"Like, what are we going to feed a pack of ravenous wolves when they descend upon us?" I pointed out, "I vote not us."
Lila laughed, "Well then, we best hasten to the kitchen and cook up a storm."
"Sounds like a splendid plan," I answered, then offered her my arm, "Shall we?"
She looped her arm around mine and we skipped back to the house.
No sooner had we crossed the threshold, my phone started ringing. I was going to let it go to message bank; I was enjoying my time with Lila. It was Jasper though and I felt that I couldn't ignore him now that he remembered everything.
"See what you can find in the pantry, I'll be in shortly," I told Lila, before walking back outside to answer the call, "Hey Jasper."
"Darlin', what did you tell Lila? Edward is going mental!" Jasper whispered quickly over the phone.
"Ugh, he seriously needs to get a grip. Lila broke up with him to be with her soul mate, and because I told her my story," I said irritated, and then it dawned on me, "Oh, shit, he thinks I told her his story after I promised I wouldn't."
Jasper let go of a few expletives, then Alice's voice came through the line, "You have to come over here and talk to him, you are the only one who will be able to calm him down."
"Alice, I can't, I said I would spend the day with Lila, Seth and the rest of the pack," I apologised.
"Please, Marie, I've seen it," She pleaded, "I don't know what gets said but you guys talk and he calms down."
I could just imagine what I said to Edward and was about to say no when Jasper spoke.
"Darlin', I think it's time," He said softly.
"I'm not ready Jasper," I whispered.
"Life rarely waits for you to be ready," Jasper replied.
I inhaled deeply and blew it out forcefully, "Fine, I'll be over there as soon as I can."
Both Alice and Jasper sounded relieved. I just felt guilty, I wasn't even sure I could help.
We said our goodbyes and I promised I would come as soon as possible then I went inside to help Lila.
"Who was that?" She asked as I entered the kitchen.
"Jasper," I answered as I started helping with her preparations, "Apparently Edward is freaking out a bit and they need my help."
She stopped slicing the meat and turned towards me. "Then why aren't you leaving?" She queried, waving the knife around.
"Because I said I would spend the day here and I told them I would get there when I could?" I half asked half told her.
"Nonsense," Lila replied instantly, "I will be fine, and Seth and the pack will get back any minute. Go!"
I looked at her, weighing up my decision.
"Ugh, fine!" I said, rolling my eyes, "I'm going!"
"Ok, bye," She smiled, "Have fun!"
I chuckled as I exited the house again. Lila would have no problem settling in with the pack.
With the back door closed securely behind me, I took off towards the Cullen house.
I could hear everyone shouting from miles away. By the time I got to the house, I wanted to block my ears.
I let myself into the house, I doubted anyone would hear me knock anyway, and followed the noise.
I stepped into the lounge room and Jasper noticed me first. I could tell he was having trouble with all the negative emotions by the look of pure relief that crossed his features when he saw me.
Alice, who was next to Jasper, noticed me next and alerted everyone to my presence by running over to me squealing.
"Thank god you're here!" She said and she gave me a big hug.
Suddenly there was silence. You could have heard a pin drop.
"YOU!" Edward roared, shattering the silence, "You lied to me! You told Lila about me and Bella. You said you wouldn't tell my story."
I was shocked. I had never seen anyone this angry before. I gave Alice and Jasper an apologetic look. I didn't see how I could calm someone down who was this enraged.
I sighed, figuring that at least I couldn't make it any worse.
"There are two people in that story Edward, I hardly think you can claim it as yours alone," I told him calmly.
"Bella is dead," He replied stonily, glaring right at me.
I met his gaze without wavering and saw him looking at me but not really seeing me. That was when I lost it. All the anger, disappointment, fear, sadness and loss that I had felt every time he looked at me finally bubbled over and for once I didn't fight it.
"Oh, for crying out loud Edward," I said, voice thick with emotion, as I pulled my twin braids out, "I don't look that different!"
He stared at me for another moment, "You share a resemblance, but that doesn't mean you are her!"
I was beyond fury, "A resemblance!" I started but was cut off by Jasper who was now standing right next to me.
"She is telling the truth Edward," He declared, "This is Bella."
Edward turned his attention to Jasper, while everyone else's attention was on me. They were all looking at me with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
"No she isn't," Edward implored, "What lies did she tell you to convince you so?"
"She didn't have to convince me," Jasper stated, "I am her sire."
At once, everyone's gaze snapped to Jasper except for mine.
Carlisle recovered first, "What do you mean Jasper?"
"He means I lied about my maker," I answered for Jasper showing them my palm, "I slipped and fell, slicing my hand open on a rock in the meadow, Jasper was there and he changed me."
"You're not telling it right Bella," Jasper complained, "I almost drained you, if it weren't for the fact you felt gratitude, which as a rule is not what people feel when they are about to die, I probably would have."
"We've had this argument before Jasper, how it happened doesn't matter. You changed me, end of story!" I said, exasperated.
Emmett's booming laughter cut through our disagreement, "That's Bella alright!"
"Welcome home Bella," Esme chimed happily as Carlisle nodded his agreement.
I started to relax, they weren't rejecting me. Even Rosalie was smiling.
"NO!" Edward yelled, "It can't be her, Alice saw her die!"
I guess this was never going to be easy. There was only one way to prove to Edward that Bella and I were one and the same. I had to show him my memories.
I started expanding my shield to the rest of the family, excluding Edward.
"Why are you doing this again?" He asked angrily.
"Because I want to say something and I don't want you to have any distractions," I replied calmly as I finished shielding everyone's minds, "Now, listen carefully."
I closed my eyes and thought back to when I was human. Then I pushed my shield away from my mind and relived all those memories.
I relived all the happiness and love I felt being with him as well as all the pain of losing him. I remembered searching for the meadow and Jasper changing me. I showed him the time I spent with Jasper and my daring plan to allow Jasper to leave. Finally I revealed my memories of this year in Forks, seeing him at high school again and watching him flirt with Lila.
When I had no more memories left, I carefully repositioned my shield over my mind again and withdrew it from the Cullen's.
I opened my eyes and found Edward on the floor, writhing in pain. I followed everyone's gaze to Jasper, who looked murderous, and realised what was happening.
"Jasper Whitlock!" I scolded.
His head snapped towards me as my words broke his concentration. Edward immediately relaxed.
"What?" he exclaimed, "You wouldn't let me fight him, so I figured he could feel some of the pain you felt reliving all those memories."
I gave him a look. Edward didn't look like he had only felt some of my pain.
"Ok, fine, so I may have amplified your emotions a bit," He admitted.
"You never forgave him, did you?" I questioned. Jasper shook his head.
"Of course!" Alice shouted, looking like she had just come out of a vision "It all makes sense now. You're the eighth person!"