Here's a long chapter to make up for the absence!

Carlisle pulled the Mercedes into the garage just as the sun settled behind the mountains, painting the sky in gold and onyx.

Taking in the silence in the backseat, he glanced at the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of the sleeping girl. She sat in the middle, buckled in and breathing deeply. Bella had fallen asleep the moment they settled her in the car and started their drive home. As if she knew she was safe being in Carlisle's car surrounded by her family, and could finally rest.

Her hand held Edward's to her right while her head rested against Emmett's shoulder on her left. Both of the boys conversing in hushed tones, low enough so as not to disturb the child while enjoying having their little sister back with them and not in that hospital bed. Never had Carlisle despised a hospital room as much as he did when Bella was in it, sick or injured the way she had been years ago.

With a sigh, Carlisle shut off the ignition before exiting the Mercedes.

Emmett looked up at his father as he opened the door, "You okay, Carlisle?"

His amber eyes looked at Bella, "We'll need to be careful, keep an eye on how she's feeling throughout the days. When I'm not home, I ask that you all try to help Esme. If she were to have another seizure..." Carlisle couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. What the implications of that possibility could mean for Bella.

There were no records of a previous seizure prior to taking her in, other than the medication her parents had requested for hyperactivity—an excuse to sedate their own child more like it. Edward glanced up at Carlisle with distaste on his face, having heard his thoughts.

If this was in fact Bella's first seizure, then the risk of diagnosis was still low. For all he knows, this could have been a one time thing caused by the fever.

If she were to experience another one...

"We'll keep an eye on her, dad," Edward said while he unbuckled Bella's seatbelt. Carlisle reached his arms out to take her, nodding gratefully at his sons for being the kind, selfless young men he sincerely cherished with all his heart.

Bella mumbled in her sleep as he and the rest of the family parked their cars and went inside. Her hand closed around Carlisle's collar as she stirred.

"Shh, you're okay sweetheart." He said to soothe her.

It hit him them as he made his way through the house...how much Bella has grown.

Ten—she was ten years old this year. Her body was changing, just like any other kid. She was getting taller he noted, her legs dangling as he carried her. Her chestnut brown hair was nearly to her waist and her eyes though they were still as vivid and curious as ever, held a growing maturity to them. Wisdom far beyond her years. And still she weighed no more than she had when they'd first picked her up from the hospital all those years ago. It had more to do with his supernatural strength, he was sure of it. But still...

"Dad..." Bella said in her sleep.

Collectively, Carlisle could hear everyone grow silent. Paying more attention than usual to the little girl, as if all alert and wary that at any moment she'll have another seizure.

He cradled her closer to his chest, an ounce of resignation and lament coursing through him. Of course she'd remember her parents again, especially in her dreams. Being in the hospital must have also reminded her of that tragic day.

"Emmett...he's cheating again." She mumbled again. This made Emmett laugh out loud in the living room. "Tell him to stop..."

Understanding dawned on him.

Dad.

Not Carlisle...

Dad.

Carlisle held Bella closer, smiling softly into her shoulder as her arms wrapped around his shoulders a little tighter.

"I will, sweetheart," he said softly as he tucked her into bed. Letting her sleep and dream the night away with her family protecting her.

Bella had been very distant all week.

She'd been very quiet—more than usual—and keeping to herself, which was cause for concern. Everyone noticed of course. That she rarely went outside to play tag or hide and seek with her brothers or got frustrated with Alice's constant pestering to play dress up but refrained from saying so. As if she were being extra careful, more than she already has been since she was five years old.

As if her seizure had changed the very thing that made Bella...well Bella.

After another visit to have thorough tests done, per Carlisle's insistence, Bella seemed to become highly aware of what having frequent seizures could do to a person. How it can affect their every day life. And it scared her, more than she would ever admit. What was worse in her mind was that she would be dragging all the Cullens to the hospital. Jasper was constantly hovering, always checking on her. When he wasn't, it seemed as though every one of her siblings adopted the new routine of doing the same.

She'd asked Carlisle constant questions at the hospital about every test and symptom to look out for. Which surprised the hell out of him and every doctor that heard the little girl ask such mature questions and listened intently.

"Dr. Cullen, you sure that kid of yours doesn't want to follow in dad's footsteps? She'd make a heck of a doctor!" One of the doctors joked when Bella asked how many seizures one could have before being diagnosed with epilepsy. That made her blush and glance up warily at her adoptive father, scared to see his expression when he would ultimately correct his colleague and tell him she wasn't his kid.

He did no such thing. Merely smiled politely as his hand closed around her's, reassuring her that everything was alright. That she was his daughter.

It almost made her cry as she hurried along beside him. Love blooming in her heart.

A week later and Bella was still overly cautious about everything. And one Cullen in particular thought it was about damn time she snap out of it.

Bella was halfway through her homework when she heard it – the loud boom of music echoing through a speaker. It grew louder and closer down the hall on the other side of her door, making Bella feel like a fish being approached by a shark. The Jaws theme song suddenly playing in her head. She inwardly sighed, knowing watching that movie had been a bad idea. She blamed her brothers for convincing her to watch it in the first place.

Bella cringed as she straightened, sitting up on her bed as a shadow crossed beneath her door. The music was obnoxiously loud and she knew exactly who was about to burst into her room and disturb the peace she'd managed to keep.

Before she could hop off the bed and lock her door, Emmett gave a dramatic push of the door and swung it wide open, standing there with a smirk on his lips and a speaker hoisted atop his shoulders.

He immediately started singing along to The Proclaimers's I'm Gonna be 500 Miles. As the song started and the bridge began, he marched in and tossed the speaker on the bed, jostling Bella as she tried to scoot away. She stared up at Emmett as if he'd gone and grown two heads, she forced herself to be louder than the blaring music by yelling, "What are you doing?"

Emmett didn't respond, merely climbed onto her bed and towered over her as he kept singing. It was funny, seeing such a huge man prance around. But currently, Bella wasn't laughing. She thought he was having a mental breakdown.

"Come on, kid! Dance with your favorite brother!" Emmett hollered as he reached down and pulled Bella up. A mere two steps of his made her jump on the bed awkwardly if only to remain upright. Bella groaned, as if she were the older sibling being annoyed by her younger brother. It was a sight to behold, but eventually Bella gave into his insistence as ABBA began playing next and the tune was so catchy she couldn't stop herself from dancing along.

When they finally stopped dancing and Emmett mercifully lowered the volume per Esme's request, the two ended up laying on the floor when Bella's legs gave out and she struggled to breathe in between laughing at Emmett's silly faces and terrible singing.

He sat beside her for a long moment, looking down at his little sister with an affection that made her sober up. She blinked as he ruffled her hair and said, "It's okay you know. You can live your life without fear, Bella. Otherwise, it's not really living if you can't do the simple things that make you happy."

Bella sat up next, her small figure and his burly one looking silly in the long mirror in her room. Out of all her siblings, everyone thought Bella and Emmett were without a doubt related. There were so many of her facial expressions that resembled Emmett's, especially when she smiled brightly which as of lately had been rare.

Leaning against his shoulder, Bella fidgeted with her hands, "What if I get sick again or hurt, fall and hit my head? What if I have another one and then..." she faltered.

Emmett listened to her closely, knowing this was exactly what she'd been keeping from everyone for a whole week. No matter who asked, Bella never wanted to say what she truly felt. This was usually Jasper's department, but Emmett never once shied away from being there for the youngest member of their family. He was always kind and listened, truly listened when Bella spoke to him about school or a book she loved reading. As if there was nothing else he'd rather be doing in the whole wide world.

He wrapped an arm around her as she whispered, "I'm scared, Emmett. I don't want to feel how I did ever again. I feel like I'm going to disappear, like my body is being dragged into this dark place I can't get out of. It's...scary."

A grim smile crept across his lips as he pressed them to the top of her head just as the tears began rolling down her cheeks. Emmett was there to catch every one of them as he hugged her close and said, "Did you know I get scared sometimes?"

"You do?"

"I know it's shocking to hear, me of all people scared?" he chuckled with the shake of his head which made her roll her eyes, "But yeah I get scared too."

"But you're so...strong. Why would you be scared?" She asked as she looked up at him.

Emmett said, "I'm scared when I see someone I care about unhappy. I got scared when you were in the hospital. But you know what helps?"

"What?" She asked, genuinely interested.

"Talking about those fears. Telling Rosalie or Edward how I feel when things get hard. It helps a lot knowing you're not alone so whenever you're scared, you tell us. Tell me. Because you're sure as hell not going to disappear, not if I have any say in it. You can do that too, you know? Even if it's just one of us, you can always tell us how you feel Bells. That's what family's for."

Bella took in his words, holding them close to her heart as she nodded and smiled, "Thanks Em."

"Anytime, little sis."

One year later...

Heart pounding, breaths shallow, and feet stomping across the slick ground of the forest, Bella ran as fast as she could.

Looking over her shoulder with a petrified look on her face, she grew increasingly terrified of the man chasing her down.

She needed to get away.

Needed to do this, there was no other way around it.

Jumping over a fallen tree without falling flat on her face, Bella stumbled out onto the gravel road in time to see the Cullen house down the hill.

Almost there, just a little farther—

Arms wrapped around her torso, hauling her feet off the ground. Bella let out a scream that echoed across the quiet forest, disturbing the birds who'd taken perch on the trees as they took flight.

"No fair!" Bella groaned as Emmett laughed behind her, placing her back down so she could whirl around and glare. "Ugh, I was so close."

"You keep telling yourself that," he said with a grin, ruffling her hair as he walked past. Bella pursed her lips as she followed behind him.

"I don't get how you can move so fast," she murmured though she knew what she was doing as she cast a sideways glance at her brother. "You've always been able to do that?"

Emmett slowed in his footsteps before continuing his trek back down to the house, "Ever since I could remember."

He didn't fool her.

She knew ever since the first time Emmett had rushed her to the house going faster than any ordinary person ever could, that he was different. That they all were. Last year she'd had the courage to ask and paid close attention to the way Carlisle stiffened when she blurted out her question, "How come you're all so different?"

In hindsight it sounded more impolite than she'd wanted it to come out. When Carlisle slowly turned to look at her with a questioning expression in his eyes, she'd found the courage to ask all the things that had been on her mind. All the little notes she'd made over time about her family.

They were all always cold to the touch, and while Bella never once minded, she did realize that none of her teachers or classmates were that cold when they'd accidentally touch her hand in passing or patted her on the shoulder.

Flynn's eyes didn't change color either when they hung out and he wasn't nearly as pale as Alice or Rosalie.

Bella didn't care that they were different. She only cared that they kept something from her, and as she turned eleven this year, things became more and more noticeable. The secret glances, the whispers she could never quite hear but they did, how she sometimes felt calmer than usual or how they all knew where she was in the house at all times, especially Alice.

In all honesty, what she feared the most was feeling left out by her own family.

As if they didn't trust her.

"When will you tell me the truth? About what makes you special?" Bella asked, sincerity shining through her words as she and Emmett made it to the house.

Emmett turned and grinned, "Can't just accept I'm god's given gift to the world?"

"Emmett," Bella said tersely, glaring up at the behemoth.

This made his smile fall and cross his arms, his jovial attitude changing into something else, something she wasn't used to seeing on him. Guilt? Resignation? With a nod to the house he said, "Carlisle's inside. Why don't we all sit down and have a talk? Everyone's in the living room."

She frowned as he walked up the steps of the front porch, "How did you know..." she sighed before following after him, "I guess I'll find out."

Everyone was quiet for a long moment after Carlisle and Esme finished telling Bella...well pretty much everything.

The secret was finally out.

Bella, who'd been sitting on the couch across from everyone else stared blankly at the coffee table before looking up at Carlisle. Her brown eyes held such sadness in them but they didn't reflect her words as she asked, "So you're vampires?"

Carlisle held Esme's hand tightly as he nodded. Esme could only grant her a small smile. Bella looked around the room, surveying everyone else's stoic, albeit guilty expressions. All except for Jasper and Rosalie's that is—the two hadn't looked at her at all, as if they were scared to see whatever expression she would regard them with.

"We wanted to tell you when you finally asked. When you started noticing that we weren't like the rest," Esme supplied. "When you were ready."

"I told them it was better to let you come to terms with it," Alice said as she remained sitting on the loveseat while Jasper stood behind her, one hand on her shoulder. "It was only meant to protect you."

"Protect me..." Bella asked more than stated, furrowing her brows. "From what?"

When they were all silent again, Bella felt her shoulders fall. Looking down to her hands, she couldn't hide the insecurity in her voice, "You don't trust me? Because I'm not...special like you? Because I'm not one of you?"

In an instant and without her wanting to, the familiar taunting voice that followed her in her dreams echoed in her mind.

What a nuisance you must have been to her...

Nuisance...Bella had been seen as a nuisance in that man's eyes, voicing how her mother had truly felt about her. That's what he'd meant when he said her. He'd meant Renee. The older she got, the more she seemed to forget about that day. Except for in her dreams, nightmares that made her scream until she woke up or her family would. But those words would always remain. Nuisance.

The older Bella gets, the more she's come to find out about herself, about her new family she just now realized she knew nothing about.

Because why would anyone trust a nuisance?

A hand took hold of hers, drawing her away from the dark thoughts spiraling in her mind. Bella flicked her attention to Edward's golden eyes, the color which had seemed so beautiful and something she'd grown used to seeing, now seemed entirely other—not human.

"You have always been one of us," Edward said, mirroring everyone else's sentiments. "The only difference is that you're human and the world we live in is so much more dangerous than yours, in part."

"There will come a day when you're older and capable of understanding the bigger picture of what Edward means when we'll tell you. For now, is it too much to ask that you accept what we think you can handle?" Carlisle asked, sincerity dripping in his voice.

Bella was silent for a long moment, long enough that Jasper finally asked, looking at her with sincerity in his eyes and something akin to relief, as if he were wanting to have this conversation all this time, "Do you have any more questions for us, darlin'?"

"Now that the truth is out, don't hold back! Lay it on us," Emmett encouraged as he nudged Rosalie's shoulder slightly, earning a pointed glare from her. Not that Emmett paid much mind to his wife's temper when he was too busy focusing on Bella at the moment.

There was no denying this was a huge step for all of them, including Bella. "Well...I guess I'm just confused," Bella murmured, brows furrowing as she tried to find the words, "Why me?"

"What do you mean, love?" Esme asked, her hand holding Carlisle's in a firm grip.

Bella averted her eyes, "Why take me in if I'm human? What did you get out of it?"

Jasper's frown deepened and Alice blinked as if she—evidently —had a premonition. So that's how she knows what I want to do before I do it, Bella thought to herself. Sneaky pixie.

Alice shook her head, "Why do you think we would expect anything from you, Bella?"

Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she nearly whispered the words as her cheeks flamed, "You have everything you want or need right here. Wasn't I...a burden from the day you met me? I can't do or give you anything so I don't understand."

"You give us enough by simply being a part of this family, Isabella," Carlisle said as he knelt in front of her and cupped her face in his hands. His gaze softened as he caught a glimpse of the same little girl he'd met in the grocery store all those years ago. The hollow, scared look in her eyes that he'd had the misfortune of witnessing that day in the hospital. "We love you, sweetheart. Please believe me when I say that. Bringing you into this family was never a burden. You are not a burden nor will you ever be, human or not."

"You'll always be our Bella," Esme said with a watery smiled.

Bella swallowed down the tears in her throat, nodding, "I love you guys too, vampires or not." This made everyone smile, even Rosalie who seemed to be taking all of this harder than Bella.

Jasper shared his love for his little sister, making her look up and find his amber eyes. Another extraordinary discovery she made today and found that she didn't mind at all. It was actually pretty amazing having siblings who could read minds, see the future and control emotions. Even being incredibly fast and strong was an incredible gift, one they all possessed.

"So...is that it?" Bella asked innocently making everyone blink. Her big doe eyes stared at all of them, shrugging as she asked, "That's the big secret? I thought you guys were at least aliens or something. But vampires are pretty cool too I guess."

Jasper gaped at Bella as Emmett released a boisterous laugh that rocked the room from its tense air. Alice giggled, seeming unsurprised by her little sister's reaction after going into so much detail regarding their world and subject of immortality.

It was so like Bella to be unaffected by their true nature while still worrying about her own role in the family. Alice smiled as Emmett stood and offered to show Bella how fast he could truly run with her, only to be shut down immediately by Edward, Jasper, and Esme.

While the three got into a heated debate as to why they shouldn't exploit Bella to everything in one day, Bella stood and silently made her way towards Rosalie. The girl stared at the beautiful blonde for a long time, the latter doing the same with distant saddened eyes.

A silent communication passing between the two until Bella sat next to Rosalie and let her sister wrap her up in her arms. The two holding each other close until Alice joined them.

That was the day everything changed for Bella and for all of the Cullens. The truth finally casting a blanket of relief over them all, granting the family the peace they so desperately needed.

For now.