A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list.

Chapter 11-

"Oh, Bella," Stop fawning all over me, Esme. I am not five! "Can I make you some more pumpkin pie? Or maybe some chocolate chip cookies?"

"Bella, we need to go shopping today! I see you loving the overcoats we find!"

"Love…I mean…Bella…can I play the piano for you? Will you sit by my side?"

"Do you wish to see my study, Bella? I believe it would be of interest to you."

"No. No. No. And no." I forced a smile onto my face, refusing to entertain any of their requests as I sat reading a book on one of the white couches in the living room.

I was still here. Unfortunately.

Okay, it had only been a day since we arrived…but truly…these people were insufferable. Esme kept behaving as if I was five…or needed the mothering. For God's sake, I was a mother to three! Alice kept pestering me to play dress-up with her, which was fucking annoying, and I was extremely close to telling this to her on the face! Edward was…not as annoying…but he wanted to make me listen to him playing the piano at every minute of every hour…which was bound to drive me insane.

Where was his mate, again?

Carlisle was…by far the most decent of the four…but the thing was…he, and all of them, were trying to pick up from where they had dropped.

And it did not work that way.

They couldn't really pretend as if everything had gone back to how it had once been, believing that Edward and I were still a couple. Or that Alice was still my best friend.

Huh.

Edward had been wrong all those years ago. There was no distraction for a vampire. They lived in the past. Forever. They never really moved on, or adapted to the changing times. Change for them was not an easy concept.

But I was a human. And I had moved on. For me, this family consisted of a bunch of strangers. I did not know them any well. I could not trust them any more than I did a stranger. It would take time for me to get comfortable in their presence. If I did get comfortable, that is.

I couldn't really get up and get moving. It did not work that way.

"Bella, you want to get out of here? We can go for a drive?"

"Oh Jesus, yes!"

I grabbed the opportunity presented, rushing out of the room and house, Rosalie managing to keep up with my pace.

"So, what's the problem?" she turned my way a few minutes into the drive. "And don't try to bullshit me; everyone can see how uncomfortable you get when the sparkling four initiate a conversation with you. People call me an ice- queen; believe me, this is colder!"

I let out a sigh, wincing. "Is it that obvious?"

"Uh-huh."

"The thing is…" I suddenly felt myself go blank, staring outside the window for a long while. "They…you…are no longer my family. I have a new family and…"

"You have moved on, but they haven't."

"Exactly." I shrugged. "I don't want to break their hearts but…there is no nice way of saying this."

"Just be honest, then." She advised. "Your father is getting married to Kate. I don't agree with their marriage, obviously! But I have been suggested to keep my butt out of it. Anyhow, you will not be able to avoid the four for the rest of your life. Better to be upfront before it becomes a thorn on your side."

I nodded my head at that. "They won't like it."

"Their problem; they will deal with it."

I smiled, shaking my head briefly. "I have to thank Emmett, though. My kids are having a great time with him. They have almost forgotten why we came here in the first place."

They had almost forgotten the pain Jake had given them. He hadn't even called once.

"Emmett loves kids. I just wish I could give him one." Rosalie's voice held a tinge of unbearable sadness. "My life feels so incomplete without that beautiful part in it."

"I am sorry."

I had not even wanted to be a mother and here I was with three. Life was truly unfair.

"I hate being a vampire." she continued. "I wish Carlisle had let me die. I would have been happier."

"You don't mean that." I protested. "Rosalie, you have so much to live for. A beautiful family…Emmett…"

"Oh please." She cut me off, the speed of the car increasing as she continued to drive, the expression on her face feral. "You don't understand. No one ever does. I don't care about the money. Sure, I like pretty things, but I have been rich my entire life. There is nothing I now crave for. Emmett is amazing, I know,"

"Rosalie, please calm down. We are going too fast."

It was scaring me. I couldn't dare to look outside the window.

"But that look in his eyes when he talks about his past, about his younger brothers and sisters…it devastates me. I can't give him that. I can't give him our family. I want to give him a family! I want to make him a father. But I can't. I just can't!"

"Rosalie, please slow down. I feel ill."

"You don't know what pain is, Bella. You have your three little adorable children; you are their mother. You can love them. You can caress them. You can see them grow up. I want that. I so want that, too."

"Rosalie, we can calmly talk about this at home. Please."

I had never seen Rosalie like this. It was freaking me out!

"I am sorry, Bella." Wait. What? "If you die today, there is a possibility that I will benefit from it. Your husband isn't coming back for your kids. I can't let this opportunity go in vain."

"What do you mean?" I shuddered in fear.

No. She wasn't the enemy. She was a friend. Or was she?

I never received a verbal answer, the smirk on her face, and a dangerous cliff leading our way being all that I needed to know.

"Don't do this." I begged. "You will never succeed. Charlie will get custody of the kids."

"Please." She rolled her eyes in amusement. "He is going to soon be a newborn vampire. Guess who he is going to trust in that difficult phase."

"My kids will never accept you as their mother." I warned. "You will regret this."

"They have already forgotten their father, and it has been a day. I will give you a week at most."

"Alice will see this. Edward will know the truth."

"I can deal with them. You don't worry. You enjoy your afterlife." She smirked. "Great meeting you, Bella Swan. I will forever remember your sacrifice."

I shut my eyes tight, tears leaking out of the corners. Why had I trusted her? Nobody could trust Rosalie. She only thought of herself. I had been a fool to believe otherwise.

I could feel the car leaving the safety of the land…a prayer leaving my lips…as it all came to an end.