I had to get out there; it was too...

'Bella.' Gran said as I rushed inside, 'What-' I locked the door. 'What's going on?'

'I-'

'You forgot the food.'

'Oh, i-'

A knock on the door made me jump. 'Bella, it's Elena and Stefan. We have your food.'

I gasped as Gran went to the door. 'Don't let them in.' I whispered.

'Bella's not feeling well.' Gran called, looking at me. ' Go upstairs.' she whispered.

I rushed to my room; I heard Stefan and Elena's pleas as I hid just out of sight.

Elena probably couldn't see me, but I'm sure Stefan could smell or hear my heart pounding.

'It's essential that Bella contact us immediately.'

'Is something the matter?' Gran asked.

'I have to ask her something.' Elena insisted.

'Ask her what?'

'We're just worried.' Stefan answered.

'What about?'

'Herself.' Stefan answered. 'With all the craziness that's happening with Jeremy, it's easy to forget Bella is hurting too. Just tell her we're here if she wants to talk.'

'I'll be sure to relay the message.' I heard the door open. 'Thanks for stopping by.'

She all but shut the door in our faces; I veered around to Stefan.

'Stefan-'

'Bella got nervous when you mentioned Isobel being your mother.'

'Yeah, because she's working with her.'

'But wouldn't Isobel have told her that?'

'Compulsion-'

'A vampire a few years old can compel her, but a vampire nearly 200 couldn't?'

'What are you thinking?'

'Maybe she is more connected to Isobel than we know.'

'Is Elena Gilbert my sister?' I whispered as soon as I saw Stefan walk inside the Gilbert house.

'What?!'

'Is that girl my sister?'

'Bella.' she exasperated.

'Gran.'

'Yes,' she said stiffly, 'that woman gave birth to her as well.'

I numbed myself to the news and pressed on. 'John Gilbert told me that Isobel was with them both around the time she got pregnant with me, could Beau be her father?'

'Absolutely not!'

'How can you be sure?' Gran paused, then looked out the window towards the Gilberts. 'Jeremy and I were talking about the possibility of my parents being in those photos; I bet he and I could get a DNA test.'

'Did that Gilbert girl say this to you?'

'No, airhead Elena is either still in the dark or repudiation.' I shook her head. 'I'm not sure if I want to tell her.

'If Beau is her father, you can't keep this from her.' Gran conveyed. 'She will need to know.'

I nodded and looked at the Gilbert house.

We were sitting in my living room, trying to brainstorm what Bella could be up to.

It had been an hour since he and I left her house.

Stefan's words echoed in my head since we left Bella's house.

How could Bella be connected to Isobel?

When did they meet?

Did they meet before I met them?

How deep does their connection go?

I couldn't concentrate on anything except Isobel and Bella until my cell ringing snapped me back to reality.

'Hello.'

'Hello, Elena.'

'Bella?' Stefan and the others turned their attention to me.

'Yeah, it's me. Thanks for bringing my food.'

'You're welcome.'

'Are you- is Jeremy there?'

'Yes.'

'What about Caroline?'

'I'm here.' Caroline grabbed the phone. 'Bella, what's going on? I'm worried about you! I had an awful dream about you.'

There was a pause, and then Bella uttered, 'We were at the park, the three of us and Jeremy.'

Caroline and Jeremy exchanged looks, then looked at me. 'And Bonnie didn't come because her grandmother was sick.'

'What?' I gasped.

'You ran away from us, why?'

'Because that woman was a stranger!' Caroline insisted. 'I went to get Jenna, but she was talking to Logan Fell. She could have been a kidnapper!'

'Caroline, what woman?'

'Isobel.' Jeremy answered. 'The woman was Isobel.'

There was a long silence before Caroline muttered, 'I told ya so.'

'The three of you had the same dream. That can't be a coincidence.' Alaric pointed out.

'Maybe it's a memory.' Jeremy suggested.

'Then why don't I remember?' I challenged.

A part of me could almost feel Bella thinking not everything is about you, Elena.

'Isobel seemed more curious about me; she liked my name.' Bella said finally. 'Why not ask your aunt Jenna?'