Sunrise Sunset

~ Last time, Carlisle meets with Charlie, Luna reveals that she is pen pals with Hermione, and they come up with a new angle, and Bella and Hermione get ready for Bella's birthday party at the Cullen's.

Chapter 19

Hermione stood and looked in the mirror, she did not recognize herself, her hair was in a French braid, the tail sitting just above the middle of her back. She was wearing a short black cocktail dress, the skirt was fluffy with several layers of lace, it looked delicate. She was wearing a pair of strappy high heel black shoes; she felt pretty.

"Hermione," Alice called to her. This broke into Hermione's sound bubble, causing her to blush as she turned to look at Alice. "Come, time for makeup."

Hermione smiled, "Practice on Bella," she laughed. The look on Bella's face was a scowl that would give some boy she did not remember a run for his money. She shook her head to chase the thought away before walking over to the chair that Alice had motioned for her to sit in. "Try to keep it natural," she said to the dancing pixy as she dipped her brush into the eye shadow.

"But of course," Alice said giving a small curtsy.

"You are excited aren't you," Hermione asked staying still so Alice did not mess up.

"You know me so well," Alice said giddily, "I don't get to play dress-up very often, in a couple of years after we finish college again, we'll open another fashion store and I can play dressmaker for a couple of decades before we have to start all over again."

"Does it ever get boring?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Not really," Alice said lightly adding some blush to Hermione's cheeks, "well it can be sometimes I guess; but we take life day to day like any normal person," Alice added a few more strokes to Hermione's face before declaring her done. "Bella next," Alice said giddily.

"Nothing too crazy ok?" Bella asked slightly concerned.

"You know what would look nice on her," Hermione said to Alice pulling her over to the corner. She showed Alice a picture of a girl with pale skin, light blush, outlined eyes with a little eyeshadow and red lips.

"Stunning," Alice said happily, once Bella's makeup was done, Alice giddily walked the girl to the mirror so she could see herself.

"Is that me?" Bella asked in surprise, she moved her hands in the mirror, "it doesn't seem to be an illusion," she said pinching herself. Bella was wearing a black sheath dress that came to just below her knees, three quarter length sleeves, and black ballet flats. Her hair was combed straight, her skin had a slight gold sheen to it, bringing out her beautiful brown eyes.

"You look beautiful Bella," Hermione said coming to stand next to her in the mirror, "definitely not an allusion."

"Your beautiful too Hermione," Bella said looking at her cousin, "really pretty."

Hermione sent her a bright smile and they followed Alice down the stairs arm in arm. Making it to the bottom of the steps they were greeted by Edward and the rest of the family. "Girls you look beautiful," Esme said sweetly, pulling out a camera, "I promised Charlie pictures," she said lightly.

"Do your worst," Hermione said blandly before cracking a smile. Esme took about 300 pictures in about 30 different poses, and it only took about 45 minutes. "Now," Esme said with a bright smile, "cake."

Alice brought out a small cake that said "Happy Birthday Bella" on it. Hermione led them in the happy birthday song for her cousin, causing Bella to blush. Bella sent her cousin a look, telling her that she would get her for this. Hermione just sent her a cake-eating grin and shrugged. Bring it on, she said with her eyes. Bella's eyes crinkled determination, I will get you, she returned in response, causing the two of them to start laughing.

"Happy Birthday Bella," Edward said standing next to Bella, "do you want to eat some cake first of open your presents?"

"Cake first I think," Bella said happily, she had not wanted a party, but she found herself changing her mind. She secretly liked dressing up, she just did not want Alice to find out.

"Mmmm," Bella said her face in pure ecstasy, "this is the best cake I have ever had."

"You have to teach me how to bake like this," Hermione said to Esme pleadingly.

"Of course," Esme said with a smile, "we can cook anytime you like."

Hermione squealed in happiness before taking another bite of her cake, she sighed in delight. She was assuming that it was a chocolate truffle cake with fudge and some sort of white chocolate layer. She eyed the layers counting them.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked Hermione with a silly grin on her face, "Are you trying to memorize the cake?"

"Yes," Hermione said glibly taking another small bite, "I want to savor it."

"You're such a foodie," Bella said with a laugh taking the last bite of her cake.

"Present time," Alice sang joyfully. The group stood and went into the living room where there was a large pile of presents on the coffee table. Bella sat on the edge of her seat, when Edward handed her a present, "This is from me."

She smiled at him, the smile held all her love and affection. She opened the present gingerly, it was a music score. "What is this?"

"I wrote it for you," he said walking over to the piano, "it's not quite finished yet." she stood and walked over to the piano as he began to play. She sat down next to him, she closed her eyes, she could feel him in the music.

"It's beautiful," Bella said looking at him with complete devotion. As they slipped into a moment by themselves, the rest of the group moved to the kitchen. When the love birds came too, they joined them in the kitchen. Alice brought her a small gift to open, "this is from me," she said cheerfully.

Time slowed down as Bella took the gift, she slipped her finger under the paper to tear it only to pull her hand back with a hiss. Everyone watched at the tiny papercut opened and a small about of blood bubbled to the surface of the cut. She slipped her finger into her mouth quickly. In this small about of time, starting from when her finger started bleeding to when she put her finger in her mouth to stop the bleeding, jasper had lunged towards her. Bella found herself flying across the room and smack into the center of the glass dining room table. The table shattered the moment her body hit the table.

Hermione was standing next to Bella, she missed getting struck by just a fraction of an inch, when Edward flung Bella out of Jasper's way and flying into the coffee table. Hermione took a step back to just feel the counter and sink behind her. Her hands gripped the sink tightly. To say that Hermione had a concerned look on her face would have been a lie, she went thought a whole range of emotions.

This was the second time in many months that Bella had been hurt because of a vampire. She was worried, concerned, and slightly angry. She was angry because she never seemed to be there at the right time to help her cousin. All Hermione could seem to do was be a bystander to the situations that Bella seemed to be constantly getting herself into.

It took Emmet, Carlisle, and Rosalie to hold jasper back. A frown lined Alice's face, as she looked from Edward to Bella to the door where Jasper was drug away. She smiled in apology, before slipping from the room. Esme used her vampire speed to get the first aid kit, Edward picked Bella up and sat her in a chair, while Hermione went in search of the broom.

After a few moments, Carlisle came back into the kitchen, "Let's get you cleaned up," Carlisle said to Bella, "Come let's go to the bathroom, I will clean your cuts and stitch you up."

Edward tried to follow Carlisle, but he was waved off, "go hunt," Carlisle said when Edward protested. "We will see them home and safe, just go hunt, and we'll let you know when they have gone.

"This is not my fault," Edward growled angrily.

"No one is saying it is," Carlisle said in a firm voice, "now go."

Bella was looking his way with a hopeful glance, he sent her a smile before he nodded to Carlisle and left to go hunting.

"Now, let's get you cleaned up," Carlisle said to Bella in a calm voice.

…

After Carlisle took Bella to clean her up, Hermione had a hard time trying to keep herself together. She moved in mechanical motion, sweep, sweep, scoop, dump and repeat.

"Here let me," Esme said in a quiet voice, Hermione let her pull the broom and the dustpan from her hands. Needing something to do with her hands, she picked the trash bag up and held onto it. the room was filled with absolute silence when Carlisle and Bella returned.

"Will jasper be alright?" Bella asked softly, "I feel so guilty for being so clumsy."

"It's not your fault," Carlisle said firmly, "Alice and the rest of them will keep an eye on Jasper, I have sent them to hunt. It would be best if the two of you went home, Hermione are you ok to drive?"

"Yes, if you think that is best," Hermione replied in a solemn voice to Carlisle. She turned to Bella to insist, and when Bella tried to protest, Hermione insisted, "no Bella, we should be going. They have things they need to discuss as a family, and it would be best if we weren't here."

"But," Bella argued, "Bella sweetie, it was an accident but that doesn't mean that what has happened can be forgotten. Try not to worry Bells, everything will work out how it is meant to. Come on Bella." Before she knew it, Bella found herself being dragged from the house by her cousin.

"Let me help you with the presents," Esme said picking up one of the larger gifts that Bella had not the chance to open yet.

"I'm so sorry," Esme said pulling Hermione into a quick hug and then Bella. Carlisle and Esme watched as Hermione opened the driver's side door, and Bella the passenger side. Hermione sent them a sad sort of smile, her eyes threatening to overflow with tears. Sucking in a breath, she steeled herself, waved, and drove off.

"They have left," Esme thought to Edward, before heading back into the house. Esme was upset that this had to happen, she was saddened that she had to send them away. She was worried about Jasper; he would have a serious case of self-loathing after this. She was also worried about Bella's serious disregard for her own life.

Esme looked at the clock, it was nearly 10-pm in the evening. She was standing at the sink now, watching the forest through the window. Carlisle joined her a few moments later and held her close. Even though she could not cry outwardly, she was crying on the inside. "Everything will be alright," Carlisle said in a confident tone.

A short while later, Rosalie and Edward could be heard yelling from the back porch. Carlisle and Esme looked at each other, both taking a collecting thought before going to the back door to handle the situation.

…

The ride home was taken in silence; Bella was staring out the window of her cousin's car. When they arrived home, they saw that Charlie's car was sitting in front of the house. "I have to cover this," Bella said slightly agitated pointing to her arm.

Hermione sighed and pulled out a still wrapped gift from the back seat, "this is from me, I was going to give it to you before we left for the Cullen's but it slipped my mind," she said to Bella.

Bella gingerly tore into it, there was a beautiful black cardigan, with a little golden silk scarf. Bella looked from the package then back to Hermione. "It's beautiful," Bella said in a small voice, she slipped it on "It's perfect."

"Now put on a happy face," Hermione said with a forced smile, "come on."

When they walked into the house, they were greeted with the sight of Charlie, and Billy sitting on the couch, "Look they're home," Charlie said happily, "we weren't expecting you for a while yet. How was your party, Bella? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"It was very exciting," Bella said brightly, "if you will excuse me, I want to go to bed, I'm very tired."

"There was an emergency," Hermione said with a tight smile filling in what Bella left out. She took a seat in the chair adjacent to her Uncle and Billy, "how are going doing Billy?"

"Doing well, and, how are you?" he asked concerned. She looked upset about something.

"I'm ok Billy," she said, "oh Uncle Charlie, Esme said that the pictures you asked for would be ready in a couple of weeks. She plans to develop them herself, and she took quite a lot of them."

Charlie whooped, "Wonderful," he said turning his head to Billy, "they don't dress up too much and they're both so pretty."

"I agree," Billy said with a grin, "I'm sure that Jacob would like a picture too."

Charlie and Billy shared a laugh, Hermione suppressed a grin, "Ever the plotter," she said too low for them to hear her.

"Well, you two enjoy the rest of your game," Hermione said standing up from the chair, "I'm going to head to bed, I'm very tired." She gave them both a small hug before heading up the stairs. Billy and Charlie heard her sigh before she disappeared.

"Something bad must have happened," Charlie said in a low voice.

"So, it seems," Billy said in a smooth tone, he put this information to the side and got back into the game. He would mention it to Jacob later.

…

~The Cullen's the same evening

Esme and Carlisle went to the back porch, "that is enough," Carlisle all but commanded. "Rosalie stand down, Jasper are you feeling better?"

"Yes," he said slowly, "I'm so sorry."

"That doesn't matter now," Carlisle said calmly, "it's time to come inside now, we need to talk as a family."

They all filed into the house one at a time, Rosalie went first, and Edward came in last. "Now, we will discuss this calmly," Carlisle said.

"I'll leave," Jasper said taking responsibility, "if I wasn't here it wouldn't have been a problem."

"No," Rosalie said angrily, "Edward brought the human, he should be the one to leave."

"That's not fair Rose and you know it," Alice said in a calm voice, "I know you never wanted Bella around but what about Hermione, she's human too."

"Yes, but Hermione hasn't causeed problems with outside vampires, and none of us has tried to eat her because she accidentally cut herself. You know I'm right," Rosalie said angrily.

"Rosie," Emmet said holding her hand, "It's unfair to blame Bella or Jasper for not being able to resist. Her blood is very tempting."

"We should leave," Rosalie said to the group, "we are a danger to them if we stay."

"You mean I'm a danger," Japer said in total self-loathing, he held his head in his hands.

"It'll be okay," Alice said, looking at Jasper.

"What is going to happen?" Edward asked with a pained expression.

"I don't know," Alice said shrugging her shoulders, "I can't see everything."

"Edward, you will go and see Bella tomorrow and tell her you to have to leave. Whatever you must do to say to her to get her to forget you. It would be best for you girls to write a letter to Hermione, I will call her tomorrow and ask her to come to the hospital. I will give her the letter and let her know we are leaving," his tone would brook no argument and all they could do was nod in agreement.

Rosalie stormed upstairs in angry fury, "Edward you ruin everything," she all but screamed at him.

"You would think that she would be angrier at me," Japer said in a hollow tone, "you shouldn't be punished on my account."

"It's for the best," Carlisle said stiffly, and it's no one's fault. We're vampires, something like this was bound to happen. Don't worry Jasper, no one blames you."

"That it is for the best, remains to be seen," Emmet said from his chair. Emmet was usually the one to bring a fun spirit to things when they got too serious, but now it seemed that he was practicing being the voice of reason. "I don't think that this is right, and I feel that nothing good can come from leaving, but I will follow your lead. However, Rosalie is hurt that she only gets to say goodbye in a letter, she and Hermione deserve the chance to say goodbye. they have brought so much life to this family. if Edward gets to say goodbye to Bella, Rosie and Alice should get to say goodbye as well."

"For what it's worth I'm sorry," Edward said trying to provide some comfort.

"Edward, when are you going to learn that just saying sorry doesn't fix it," Emmet said slowly, "I'm going to go and comfort Rosalie, she needs me more than you do."

"It won't be forever, everything will work out," Carlisle said lightly, though only Esme seemed to believe what he was saying to be true.

"It has to be," Esme said to Carlisle.

A/N: That escalated quickly. Please leave a review, tell me how I did. This chapter gave me some trouble, I had to force it in some spots.

in further news, I got my U key fixed, But the Y key is giving me some trouble, two of the metal spokes broke that keep the key in place, so I jimmy-rigged it with nail glue. It is frustrating but at least the tile is staying on!