Hello again and Happy Friday from here in Oz. I'd like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate it (even if I'm a little late, sorry,) and wish those doing the whole Black Friday Shopping thing, a safe one. I've see videos and some people are just dangerous.

For everyone else, Happy Thursday or Friday depending on where you are.

Thanks go to Pien for being my friend, pre-reader, and cheerleader. I'd also like to thank Chandra for her skills as well. This chapter is unbeta'd but only because Chandra is still catching up from having no power last week.

SM owns all, we just love to play with them.

Chapter 13 – For Communication Sake

Oh the silence was deafening. Then it exploded.

Voices yelling over one another, thoughts getting louder and louder and not all of them nice. Although they weren't vicious either; just jealous and mad. There was also excitement, Alice's being the most because she thought she had her in with Bella. Esme, Emmett and Jasper were excited too, but more subdued. I was glad to see that I had another ally in the family. Carlisle was concerned though, because there was even less he knew about Bella now, especially because Bella had a family he knew nothing about.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god a WEDDING!" Alice squealed. "You have to let me plan it and design your dress and be the maid of honor!"

"No Alice." I firmly told her. "Bella's family will be helping her organize the wedding."

'Or at least Granma and the ladies at Volterra along with Momma and the others. They'd have to know about Granma being an angel right?' Bella asked with sudden insecurity.

I nodded. They would have to know, it's been way too long for them not to know.

"But, but, but… that's not fair!" Alice whined. "First she's not letting me shop for her, then I can't shop anymore for you and now I can't organize your wedding! It's my JOB!" She shouted at the end.

"And was it fair for you to automatically assume that Bella wanted you to do these things?" Esme suddenly asked.

'It's interesting that she can see the faults in others but not in herself.' Bella noted.

"I know." I whispered. "But Esme has a point. Alice, did you ask or did you just assume that Bella wanted you to do that because we all gave in to you? When did you become the self-entitled brat that you have become?"

Bella sighed. 'So much for civil.'

Alice looked taken back at my words, but sat down none the less, thinking over all her interactions as of late. Good maybe she would be able to change, it's hard but it can be done.

Rose and Carlisle were also taken aback at my stance and what I was saying, I hadn't realized but I'd stood and placed Bella behind me.

Suddenly there was a loud piercing whistle. Everyone looked around to see where it had come from. I wasn't surprised when it was Emmett. I watched as he walked up to Bella and me, grabbing me in a bear hug - which was considerable for his size – and whispered in my ear. "Congrats big bro, I am so damn happy for you. You've got yourself a hell of a girl and I'm glad that you finally have what the rest of us have." He then moved onto giving Bella one, "thank you, Bella, for bringing my big brother to life. You tell us what you want us to know, when you want us to know it. As far as I'm concerned you are a member of this family even if," he pointed over his shoulder to the others with this thumb, "the rest of them don't show it. I have a new little sis and I'm glad for that."

Bella got a little emotional, but had to hold back her tears. "Thank you, Emmett. That means the world to me."

I think Emmett just earned the first communication device and possibly the truth about Bella.

"Yes thank you, Emmett." I agreed shaking his hand.

Esme was next, clinging to me she exclaimed, "This is wonderful news! Now you have to stay so that I can help Bella and her parents with the details."

"Esme," I sighed. "Bella and her family can do this themselves but…" I looked to Bella, who seeming to read my mind nodded. "Maybe we can stay one more day and invite them here to meet everyone."

"That would be wonderful, we have so much to plan." Then she was off, hugging Bella in passing, while thinking of all her plans. She still didn't seem to get that we weren't staying.

'I think when I write Momma later, I'll ask her, Gamma and Mimi to have a talk with her. She needs someone to set her straight and to give her some perspective.' Bella suggested.

"I think so too, love." I whispered again.

Jasper was the last to approach individually. "Edward, I would like to apologize for my behavior, we were in the wrong even if some of us are unwilling to admit that. I know you've heard my thoughts on Bella in the past but I have come to realize that instead of her telling us straight away we should have earned her trust so she would have been able to tell us in her own way." He moved over to Bella, taking her left hand and making a southern bow. "To you, Bella, I apologize profusely. I didn't act in the manner of my southern upbringing and instead acted like a brute. Welcome to the family sister, thank you for making my brother so happy."

Once again I shook his hand. "Thank you, Jasper, I'm glad some of you have seen the error of your ways." Shooting a pointed look at Carlisle, because he was still thinking he was right, as was Rosalie.

"Thank you, Jasper. I will take you at your word and hope your actions don't prove otherwise." Bella wisely told him and he accepted that with a nod.

We looked to the other three left in the room. Alice was still analyzing herself, though she had accepted Bella from the start, it was her attitude that left little to the imagination. She seemed to focus on us for a second however, "Welcome, Bella. I'm happy for you and Edward, but please excuse me I have a lot to think about." With that she got up giving Carlisle and Rose a wide birth and left the room.

Emmett and Jasper were still here in the room but had taken back seat positions wanting to know what was going to happen. Emmett had already made up his mind that if Rose was nasty in any way that he was spending the night hunting, alone. Jasper however wanted to talk to them, hoping that Esme and Alice could hear them where they were.

Rose didn't really have much to say. She was still going over her thought from earlier, about us going home. She did look up though. "Congratulations."

Carlisle however was another story. He went straight into an interrogation. "You said you have a family, Bella? Are they like you? A danger to us?"

"You will meet them tomorrow, Carlisle." She murmured disappointed, then she looked at me. "Edward, I'm going to wait outside. I'll book a hotel while you talk to them if you lend me your phone, I cannot stay here with this… animosity." She pointed to Rose and Carlisle.

Handing over my phone I told her, "Whatever you think is best, sweetheart." I also knew that she was going to call Merril to send a message. Watching her walk out the door, I heard her sharp whistle. Though as I looked around I could see that nobody else knew what it was.

I sighed, starting to pace. "Carlisle, I don't know what to say. You always taught me not to judge others by what we think and sometimes feel, that just because they are different that doesn't mean they are bad. Unfortunately you don't follow what you preach as is evident here." I snorted. "Like most preachers actually, far too few of them follow what they preach.

"I am most disappointed in you. For being such an educated man you are being far too ignorant in this case. Bullheaded might be another way of describing you."

Carlisle stood then, furious at my descriptions of him and all but shouted at me. "She is dangerous Edward, to all of us!"

"Yes." I agreed. "She is dangerous, far more than any of us. She could kill all of us without us even registering it. However has she ever made a move to hurt any of us in the time that you've known her? Even when she was being attacked?"

I saw the shame come over Jasper's and Rosalie's faces, but not Carlisle's.

"I heard your thoughts about that day. Did you know that even then Jasper was disagreeing with you?" Carlisle looked to Jasper who nodded.

"For now know this – Jasper can confirm it after we leave – We won't be coming back to live with you, ever. And even though others have changed their minds, if you continue with this type of behavior we will never come back, only meeting with those that accept us away from the home and away from you."

With that I nodded to Emmett and Jasper and walked out the door.

Cloaking myself, I waited, then jumped to the roof like Bella and I had agreed. There she sat, upset once again because of my family. Sitting and pulling her into my lap I comforted her as best I could. I knew she needed a cry but she wouldn't until we were safely gone because her cloaking would falter with her emotions.

Closing my eyes, I watched through Jasper's eyes when Carlisle and Rose turned to him and Emmett. I also noticed that a very quiet, very upset Esme came back into the room. Checking on Alice I could tell she was listening but still assessing herself.

"Is what he says true?" Esme whispered. "They won't be living with us at all? What about anywhere near us?"

Jasper closed his eyes and nodded his head, not wanting to hurt Esme but knowing he had to. "Yes, Esme, I'm sorry. Edward won't be staying with us anymore. I'm not an empath but I believe that what I feel is that he and Bella have a bigger destiny than what we do."

"Is this because of us?" Surprisingly this came from Rose.

Jasper now shook his head. "No, Rose. This was what I felt before all this happened. Edward always gave off a vibe that he was waiting for something or someone. That whatever it was, was going to be big and life-changing and monumental. It was going to change him and the way he was with us. I didn't know it would be this much."

Carlisle choked out the next question. "Did he mean what he said, about never seeing us again if we don't accept him and Bella without explanation? That he would never see me again, if I don't stop this, this… bigotry against her?"

Finally. I sighed.

"Yes." Jasper noted, angrily I might add. "And to be honest, had you done this with Alice and I. I would have taken her and never come back, to hell with what her visions had said. You have betrayed him the worst, Carlisle, I hope that you can come back from that."

With that Esme broke into dry sobs. Crying out in her thoughts about her baby boy and not being able to let me go before running out of the room.

Carlisle was frozen where he stood and Rosalie where she sat, re-evaluating herself. There may be hope for her too. Emmett turned on the television while Jasper went to Alice.

'Edward.' Bella whispered in her mind. 'I got us a room at The Cliff House. I knew you'd want something nice.' She smirked. 'I also sent a message to momma. They are all going to be here tomorrow, in disguise, but Momma promised that the three of them would talk to Esme at some point. But they want to observe her first.'

"Okay, love. Let's get to the hotel." I picked her up bridal style and ran to the hotel.

When we arrived in our room, Bella broke down. I know she needed this but I hated to see her cry. Eventually she fell asleep, letting me join her in her slumber.

~*~HS~*~

The next morning Bella and I got up, showered and sat down for breakfast. She was still a little subdued but that was to be expected. I ordered enough for everyone because I knew they'd all be here wanting to know what had happened. It wasn't long after I sat that there was a knock on the door. Opening it I found everyone there.

Renee took one look at Bella and rushed straight to her. Wrapping her up in her arms and comforting her. After I said hello to them, Mikail and Alison went over too.

Seth watched as the women fawned over an obviously upset Bella. "What happened, Edward? Why is Bella so down?"

I invited all the men to the living room. "Come in, sit down and I'll tell you what went down yesterday."

After spending a couple of hours telling all that happened, it certainly didn't endear the Cullens to them any more and as much as I loved them, I was dropping that part of my name. Yes, it was a little bit of revenge, but I couldn't abide by what they had done.

"Edward." Alison called stepping into the room. "I plan to have words with Rosalie while we are there. Mikail and Renee will talk to Esme, but we intend to observe them first. Before we go however I want to go out for lunch, taste some earth food, and cheer up my granddaughter."

I nodded deciding to take them to one of my favorite ones here. The Marigold Bakery and Café covered everything. Calling I made sure they had a table big enough to cater for the nine of us. After guaranteeing that they had one they could use, I ushered them out and down to the taxis.

Bella was much happier after lunch. Before heading off to the Cullen house, I went and dropped in at the local electronics store to pick up the phones. We got a bigger discount by picking up twenty of them so that's what I did. Once I had them and all the things I needed we headed over to introduce everyone.

~*~HS~*~

Once the introductions were made, Esme took us out the back into her garden.

The Cullens were all shocked as we revealed the relationships their guests had to Bella, especially when Seth was introduced for who he was. That sent Rosalie into a tailspin, realizing that whatever Bella was, her kind were able to have children. Though she assumed that because she had a vampire as a mate that it was highly unlikely to happen. I decided I'd keep that tidbit of information to myself for the moment.

I wondered at first why they didn't recognize Charlie, then I realized that he must have disguised himself as well as Seth.

I sat back watching the Cullens interacting with the Swans. I could see that Carlisle was nervous, because one of the first things that Charlie had said after being introduced to him was 'So you're the one upsetting my daughter? Should I upset one of yours in retaliation or just teach you what it is we can do?' He knew that he could be killed with the snap of his fingers, that Charlie wouldn't hesitate to put him in his place if he said something today.

However as they sat around joking with each other Carlisle was comfortable enough to put his foot in his mouth. "Charlie, I understand you are upset that I upset your daughter, but wouldn't you do the same thing in my position? Wouldn't you want to know what, say, Edward was, to be able to protect her and your family better?"

'Oh dear gods.' Bella moaned in her head.

Charlie sat stoically, staring Carlisle down. "No." He replied sternly. "Because I would trust that my daughter would know what she was getting us in to. That she would know that he would never hurt my family because of the love she has for him and vice versa. It is none of your business what she or we are and while you have this 'holier than thou' attitude, you'll never know."

With that Charlie got up to go sit with Emmett, Jasper, Amos and Seth. Samail was watching over us all from the head of the table with Mikail where they should be.

"But she's taking him away from me." Esme cried, trying to defend her mate and herself at the same time.

She'd been super clingy since I'd walked through the door, insisting that she sit with me, almost pushing Bella out of the way to do so. Hanging onto my arm, all while trying to engage the ladies in wedding talk that they were avoiding skillfully.

"Actually, Esme," Renee started. "It could be argued that it is your Edward that is taking my Bella away from her home. Especially if you want to keep Edward living at your home. Is that fair to us?" Shutting Esme up spectacularly. She hadn't thought about that, only having me where she could keep an eye on me.

"In fact, Esme, Renee and I would like to have a word with you inside. This is something that only a mother can explain to another mother." With that Mikail rose knowing that Renee would follow her.

Esme looked around to see if anyone would suggest anything different but realized that she didn't have much of a choice. Letting go of my arm, Esme followed Renee and Mikail into the house. I decided that I didn't want to be privy to that conversation so I blocked them out.

Alice was actually having a civil conversation with Bella, getting to know her and all her likes and dislikes. With Bella getting to know her. She was enjoying it and from what I could hear from Bella so was she. Looking into Alice's mind, I read that she had gone back through all her interactions with the family since she'd joined us. She had seen herself slowly changing into the self-entitled brat that I had pointed out to her yesterday and she didn't like it. She was making a concerted effort to change.

Rosalie was quiet, she wasn't sure what to make of everything and everyone around her. There were things bothering her, one was the fact that I had pointed out she was like her father. She'd never thought she'd be like him and she still wasn't sure that she was but she was evaluating herself all the same.

Alison had been scrutinizing Rosalie from a distance. One of the things that Guardian Angles were great at was counseling. They needed to be able to read a situation, assess it and use their skills to help talk to their charges. Rosalie was sitting off to the side so she moved over to sit next to her. I could see Rosalie stiffen up, her hackles rising.

"Rosalie, I can tell that something is bothering you. Would you like to talk about it?" Alison asked.

"Uh…" Rosalie stammered, her eyes everywhere but on the woman next to her. "No, not really."

Alison nodded like she expected that. "Okay, do you mind if I sit here then?"

Rosalie shook her head, relaxing when she realized that Alison wasn't going to make her talk. After a while Rosalie realized that to talk about her conflicting feelings would be a good thing.

"Alison?" Rosalie asked shyly. "Would you like to take a walk around the yard with me?"

"Of course Rosalie. I'd love to."

Once again I tuned them out. I noticed that Samail had engaged Jasper in conversation now, talking battle strategies. I snickered to myself, he'd certainly been around long enough to converse about them.

Alice broke into my observations. "Edward, Bella, I too want to apologize to you both for my behavior. What I have done the few times I've been around you was reprehensible. I'm sorry I ever forced my ideals on you, Edward, and that I tried to do the same thing to you, Bella. I'm also sorry that I behaved like a spoiled brat when you told me no." She sighed. "It is your right to choose what you want to wear and it's also your right to have your family's help in planning your wedding. I do hope though that you know you can come to me if you need some outside help."

Bella leaned in and hugged Alice. "Thank you and your apology is accepted. You have shown today that you are capable of change Alice. That you are capable of growing up, you do not need to be stuck in that teenage mentality just because you have to portray a teenager wherever you go. I will be glad to call you my sister.

"Maybe, after you know everything about me and my family, we can help you work on getting a better control of your foresight to make it more manageable and more reliable. As long as you don't use it to force your ideals and visions onto the person they affect. All living things must have free will."

Alice nodded, liking that idea a lot. She then looked at me, knowing that she had betrayed me too.

"I agree, Alice. Thank you for your apology and it is accepted. I'm glad to see the little sister I knew many years ago coming back." I leaned in hugging her too.

Having been able to apologize Alice felt so much better. Bella and Alice then delved into a deep philosophical discussion about all things fashion. While Bella wasn't really interested she wanted to understand Alice's obsession with it. Alice could see that Bella was humoring her but she was glad to be able to share it with someone.

"Alice have you ever thought about having your own clothing line?" Bella asked sometime later. Alice had been showing Bella her drawings.

"I can't." Alice sighed looking toward Carlisle. "We can't become famous, because that brings attention to us. That also means that I can't be out in the open for fashion week and things like that."

"So, have it online." Bella suggested. "If people start looking into you, be a recluse, someone that won't come out into the limelight. If you become big enough, hire people to be you. There are always ways around the secrets of our world. You just need to be able to look outside the box that it can force you in to."

Bella had picked up the subtle hint that Alice had been suggesting when looking at Carlisle. He'd held them back, lived a long life doing what he had wanted to do while forcing them to play the part of his family. Something that I hadn't really conformed to because I was older and wanted to live my own life, waiting for my destiny.

"Oh." Alice gasped. "I never thought about it like that. I never thought I could have that or be what I wanted. Do you really think it's possible?"

Bella nodded, then they were off and running. Talking all things online. While Bella was not from earth she had a marvelous grasp of all things human.

"So, Carlisle," Samail stated, making Carlisle jump because he feared him the most. He could tell he was the oldest by far. "How does it make you feel that you have held those you call family back? You've lived your dream over and over during your many, long years, did you ever think to help them reach theirs or just forced them to play the parts you wanted?"

"I…I…" Carlisle sighed looking at me, when all conversations came to a stop. I realized that this was something that Emmett and Jasper wanted to know too because they had things they wanted to do as well. "No. I didn't. I didn't think it was possible because of how young they look."

"Oh, because the fashion guru over there couldn't be trusted to dress us all older. Making that change from younger to older would have meant we could have stayed longer in one place. Even the right placed makeup would have helped." I suggested. "Did you ever think further than yourself, Carlisle?"

He didn't like being put on the spot like that. Because he really thought that there were no ways around the shackles that he placed on himself. The rules that he followed were put forth by the Volturi, he didn't know that they had lucrative careers. They knew that there was a life outside of being a vampire, it's how they managed.

"Hmm that is what I thought." Samail commented. "It's no wonder you are a bitter old man, who questions everything new that comes at you. I don't think your family members are the only ones that need to look at themselves. You do too."

Everyone went back to their conversations after that, leaving him to his thoughts.

The next thing I knew I heard Esme come flying out the door, crashing into me and giving me the mother of all bear hugs.

"I'm sorry, Edward. So, so sorry. I didn't know I was doing it. I just wanted to keep you all close to me, not smother you all." She sobbed. "I forgot that in growing up, children do need to leave home and spread their wings. I'm glad that you have Bella and that in leaving home you will have someone to share that with.

"Please say that you forgive me, please?"

I was hugging her back, looking over her head to Renee and Mikail, giving them a nod of thanks. "I do forgive you, Esme. I'm glad that you know now. I will make you a promise in return. I'll contact you often and warn you when I'm going to be out of contact. You do know that when we leave here we will be going back to Bella's family home and I'll be out of contact again?"

She nodded although she answered verbally too. "Yes, Edward I know that. I promise to also keep working on what you've started here with everyone too."

"Thank you, that will be wonderful."

"On that note," Amos began. "We really do need to get going. Thank you for your hospitality Cullens."

After handshakes, hugs and kisses we left out the front door. Walking until we were out of sight. Cloaking ourselves we left to go home.

I hoped I could send Emmett, at least, one of my communication devices when I had them worked out. At that moment he was the only one I trusted with it.

It really was amazing what a little bit of communication could do.

I'm going to post recommendations for two of the very first fics I ever read on fanfiction, the first being - The Screamers by Kiya Raven. FFN ID: 5081258. Street kid. Rockstar. Worlds apart and yet so similar. Sometimes fate throws people together for a reason, and sometimes two people that rub each other the wrong way make the best sparks. All Human **WARNING: MOSTLY HUMOR BUT ALSO CONTAINS ANGST & DARK THEMES**

And - Tides of Fate by Sparkling Twilight. FFN ID: 5031275. After four years in a bad relationship, and two years of depressed seclusion, Alice and Rosalie drag best friend Bella on a tropical vacation designed by fate. AH OOC. B/E, R/Em, A/J. Rated M for future lemony goodness and occasional strong lang.

Thank you for reading, and I want to wish everyone a great week. See you next Friday!