Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I had participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and I generally take December 1st and 2nd off from writing as a break.

We had been running for hours. For the first hour, I fought nauseousness with the constant high motion while being carried in Jasper's arms. Finally, I was able to doze off, knowing I was safe in the arms of the vampires I was with.

"Isabella, darlin'. We are here." Jasper's drawl whispered into my ear.

Opening my eyes, I squinted as the sun was starting to rise. It was warm and my chest hurt from the heat. Jasper set me on my feet, and I looked around. We were on a small family farm with a barn about 100 metres from the house with several other smaller wooden sheds and one stone shed could be seen to the side. The house was a wood slat home with a front porch extending the full width. The home had been extended with a second-floor addition on one section over the years, but it was obvious that this home was quite old.

"Wow, this place is beautiful. It must be over a hundred years old." I said as I walked towards the porch.

The door opened and out walked a short blonde female with bright red eyes. "Why yes, this place far exceeds 100 years. It is the historic Whitlock Ranch after all. Welcome, you must be the reason my mate decided to take off and leave me a note to prepare for guests. My name is Charlotte, but you can call me Char."

I smiled as I walked towards her, stretching out my hand for her to shake. "I'm Bella. And first, I want to thank you." I wrapped my arms around her, not even thinking about her being a vampire.

Jasper growled low and spoke, "Char, keep that thirst in check."

Charlotte swallowed audibly and then stepped back. "Sorry. You do smell quite amazing."

"Appetizingly so, if you ask me," Peter chimed in.

"Captain!" Roared Jasper.

Peter simply ignored him and walked over to Charlotte, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on the top of her head. She smiled and reflexively leaned back into him, placing her hands on his.

"Not that I don't mind being thanked. But I must ask Bella. This is the first time we met. What is the gratitude for?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Jasper, standing next to Emmett and Rose. "Well, for helping convince Jasper to leave the Mexican Bitch. He deserved better. I am glad that you were able to help rescue him."

"My, my. She is a unique one, isn't she. Welcome anyways. Come inside. I have prepared three rooms. Jasper, your usual of course. Now the other two, how would you like to split them." She eyed between me, Rose, and Emmett.

Emmett waggled his eyebrows and drew his Rose in tight to his body. "Well, well, we get to try out a new space."

Rose slapped his chest playfully. "Sorry. Boys. Well, this here is my mate and husband, Emmett and I am Rose. We are very grateful for you to have prepared us a room. We are now homeless, I guess. We left the Cullens, and I bet that they have already cut off access to our bank accounts."

Peter scoffed. "It's just a bank account. What do you need money for out here anyways. We have everything we need, and more that we don't. This is still a working homestead. Livestock all serve their purpose. Just don't kill our animals. Otherwise, help yourself to what you need. We can make wool and our own clothes here. Plus, we sell milk, eggs, vegetables, fruits, crops, and meat at a local farmer's market so any money we bring in can be shared. It is all Jasper's anyways." He smirked and Charlotte shook her head. Jasper smiled and nodded at Rose and Emmett.

"Wow, it is still a working homestead?" I echoed, taking everything in again with new eyes. "I would love a tour. Though, perhaps not at this second. I need a few human moments and I am hungry."

Charlotte nodded and came forward, waving me after her as she went back inside to show me my room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. After cleaning up I went back to the kitchen and looked around for something to eat. I found some carrots and apples, so I sliced up both and brought the cutting board outside to the back porch with my food on top. There was a two-seater rocker set up to the one side, so I took a seat.

As I ate, I tried to imagine what it was like living here in the 1800's. No electricity. No modern conveniences and relying solely on this homestead to keep you alive. I could even see a covered stone oven just a few feet from the back door.

"That's the outdoor kitchen." I jumped at Jasper's statement, not knowing anyone had followed me or joined me out here.

"Pardon?"

He waved toward the stone oven I had been watching. "That was the outdoor kitchen. Most places here in Texas had them because the heat of summer could be a bit much to still cook everything inside."

My eyes widened like a kid at Christmas. "Wow, two kitchens." I bit my lip, imagining the cooking I could have done in a place like this.

Jasper sat next to me and then pointed to each building as he spoke. "Next is the smoke house, then the drying house, the barn and finally, near the trees is the maple syrup shed. When I acquired the property shortly after escaping Maria, I began working on fixing it up. It has been my property for many years, and I had always kept it private from the rest of the Cullens. I don't even think that Edward heard it in my thoughts nor Alice see it in my future because I never decided to ever come see it. I only ever decided to see Peter and Char. She likely saw the place but assumed it was there's."

I nodded, understanding. "That must be nice to own something from your human time that was obviously a big part of your life. To have the family farm. You have done well at fixing it up. It is like walking into a clean and new version of a pioneer museum."

"Well, Peter and Char help take care of it. It gives them somewhere permanent to hole up without feeling tied specifically to it. We have employees that work the farm for us when we need so they can still travel as well. To them, I am Jasper Whitlock, the fourth."

Eating another slice of apple. "Well, hopefully you don't mind me eating some of your produce. But until I am turned, I will need to eat something."

Jasper's body tensed. "You still want to become a vampire?" He asked, carefully monitoring his tone and inflection.

"It isn't like I really have a choice."

"Do you not?"

I laughed. "Jasper, for being a vampire, I sometimes wonder about your memory. The Volturi are expecting me to prove that I am a vampire or that I am dead. I don't think they really care which way, but they will not rest for long knowing I know the secret if I am not a vampire as well. And personally, I don't want to be dead."

His shoulders relaxed before asking his next question. "And are you okay with that choice? Becoming a vampire?"

Shrugging I laughed. "Truthfully, I haven't really thought about it as a choice. I know I have to become one. Sure, months ago I would have done anything to become one immediately to stay with Edward for eternity. Now . . . I don't have someone that I specifically feel wants me around permanently. But I also have come to view all of you as close friends and family. I lost my dad to a crazy vampire. I just, . . . it is hard to explain. I feel that if I just give up and let the Volturi kill me, then my dad lost his life in vain, you know? But if I become a vampire, I could exist for a long time, trying to make his soul proud of me. Eventually."

He placed his hand on my knee. "Isabella, he was already proud of you. I could feel it." He tapped his head on the temple. I smiled and a tear ran down my cheek as I stared out across the property. "We want you around, if you want to be." He squeezed my leg gently.

Peter's voice yelled out from the barn. "Major, need your help with some chores. Get your ass out here."

I chuckled. "Well, boss. It is your farm. You probably should go help with chores."

He got up and took off towards the barn at vampire speed and I was left thinking about our conversation. It was nice to know that they enjoyed me around as well, but I worried about when they would tire of me.

Emmett went flying out the door at that moment and rushed across the yard to the barn. "I want to be a farmer, too! Please let me!"

Rose sat next to me. "Well, I give it five minutes before Peter is trying to kick us out of the place. Emmett can be quite the handful. And it is something new. So of course, he must try it."

"Yeah. He is a bit of child sometimes. Did you drop him on his head when he was changing or something?" I smiled to show my playfulness, hoping I didn't cross a line.

Rose simply laughed at me. "Well, I wish we had that excuse for him. No, unfortunately he is really that much of a child. But he is my big oaf." I laughed along with her and then sat in silence for a bit. Eventually she spoke again. "Bella, why do you really want to be a vampire still? Don't you know what you are giving up?"

"I am sure you already heard me answering Jasper. I want to do something with my life. I want to help people and make my dad proud. I don't see that I am really giving up much. I am gaining far more to become a vampire."

She shook her head. "You can never be a parent. Ever. You will watch everything you once knew as new become old and ancient. Eventually everyone you once knew, will be dead."

I sat silently for a moment. The thought had crossed my mind immediately of, well, I don't want kids anyways and watching history being made is intriguing and I already lost everyone I cared for. But I paused because I realized what Rose was doing. Sure, at this moment in my life, barely out of high school, I don't want children. Most people don't want them this early now a days. But would I never want children? Forever is a long time and it is hard to truly know if I would regret that.

But I spent my childhood taking care of Renee. I even spent time taking care of my dad and cooking and cleaning the place for the short time I had lived there. I felt like I had been a parent, to my own mom. No, at this point, I can honestly say I didn't want to have children.

And history. Sure, at this point, the concept is really neat to see something that is fairly new, like cell phones, become ancient technology. But will that ever bother me?

And whom else could I lose? I immediately think that I have already lost all with friends and my dad. But what about literally everyone I knew. Every person from school, the res, Forks – everyone I have ever met in my entire life.

"Well, at this point in my life, I can't imagine being a mother. Not one who attracts danger, like an otherworldly magnet. I never really thought about having children. I know that is what you regret and miss. But for me, I know that is something I am giving up, but it doesn't bother me. You are right, though. I don't really know how I will handle watching time fly and learning that no-one from my human time still exists. But . . . I would still have you, and Emmett, and Jasper and Peter and Charlotte."

She sighed. "Thank you for thinking about it. Not just placating me when speaking. But really thinking about that. You may be wrong and in forty years wish you could have taken it all back, to have children who would be about to have their own, or just simply die at an old age. I pray you don't feel that way. Just, make sure you understand all that you are giving up first before you choose, okay Isabella?"

I nodded.

At that time, Charlotte came to join us. "I have a question for you. I know you may forget that we can hear really well, so we all have heard your responses. But there one thing that is confusing me."

I cocked my head as I turned to her, "And what is that?"

"Why do you introduce yourself as Bella, when everyone is most definitely calling you Isabella?"