I was planning to wait until the weekend to post this, but I'm feeling generous today! So here's a quick update as a thank you to all of you readers for being so awesome! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Twilight franchise, only the OC's.

Chapter Two

Mirrors. There were mirrors all around her.

Danielle whipped back and forth, her reflection turning every which direction as she searched for a way out of the maze of reflective glass. She finally saw an opening and moved that way, hurrying through a dark space between two mirrors, hoping it would take her out of this confusing place. She stopped short, however, when she realized she had not found the exit. Instead, she was surrounded by even more mirrors, each a different shape and size, each one making her reflection look distorted and strange.

Panic began to settle in. It was an endless, confusing labyrinth, one she was beginning to think she would never find her way out of.

A flash of color in her peripheral vision had her head whipping toward the left. She could have sworn something had just been there, but all she could see now was her own reflection, her eyes narrowed with uncertainty as she stared at herself in confusion. Another flash, this time to the right, had her whipping around again. But, again, there was nothing to see but her own, familiar face staring back at her in the mirror. She could not shake the feeling that she wasn't alone, though. Someone else was nearby. Someone was lurking just past the reaches of her vision.

There was a whistle of wind behind her, and then something bumped her from behind. Danielle stumbled forward, then turned around quickly, looking for the source of whatever had just hit her, but nothing was there. And then…that was when she heard it.

Cold, dark laughter, echoing all through the air around her.

"Silly human," a voice hissed, a hint of amusement still clinging to its tone.

Danielle stiffened, her entire body feeling as though it had been doused in ice-cold water. She knew that voice, and she knew immediately who was with her in this room. Knew who was toying with her.

"Go away!" she shouted into the room, her hands clenched into fists. "You're dead! Jasper and Edward killed you!"

"Am I really though?" James countered, his voice still eerie and disembodied. "I once read somewhere that one is not truly dead until all of those who knew his name have forgotten him," he said, and she could practically hear the smirk that was undoubtedly on his face. "And I can assure you, Danielle, that there is one person in particular who has not forgotten me."

Everything went very quiet. Danielle stood there in the midst of all the mirrors, her heart pounding against her ribs as she waited for something to happen, her eyes darting all around as she tried to catch a glimpse of James and figure out where he was.

A snarl ripped through the air on her right, making Danielle shout with fright and jump away. She flattened herself to a mirror, her eyes wide as a blur of color rushed at her. The next thing she knew, a vampire was inches from her face. It wasn't James. This vampire was female, with a feral look to her and shockingly orange-red hair. Burgundy eyes narrowed into slits as she stared back at Danielle, her lips pulling into a smile that revealed razor sharp teeth.

"Remember me?" Victoria asked.

Before she could say or do anything, Victoria grabbed her, wrapping a hand around her throat and lifting her clear off the ground. Danielle's hands scrambled to loosen Victoria's grip, her eyes wide as her air supply was cut off. Victoria seemed content to watch her struggle for a second or two before she cocked her head to the side, as if she had just thought of something. Without warning, Victoria turned and threw her, cackling evilly as Danielle crashed into the mirror and then tumbled to the floor. Danielle cried out as pain seared through her body, unable to duck out of the way as glass rained down onto her, cutting into her skin. She lay there whimpering until she heard the sound of glass crunching underneath boots, then she looked up to see Victoria sauntering over.

"Silly little human," she said in an almost sing-song voice. "So fragile. So breakable."

Danielle glanced down at the glass shards around her, then picked up the biggest one she could find to hold it in front of her defensively. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

Victoria threw her head back with laughter. She was not the only one laughing, though. James was back, his reflection appearing in every single mirror around them, his laughter magnified and echoing all around as he cackled along with his mate. Danielle trembled as he peered down at her from every direction, the gleam in his eyes just as cruel and just as ruthless as she remembered.

"You'd never be able to defeat us. You're too weak," James taunted. "And it looks like you don't have your precious Jasper around to save you either, do you?"

Danielle glanced around, as if she hoped Jasper would appear out of thin air. "Jasper! Jasper! Help!" she cried out, knowing he would come for her if he could hear that she was in trouble. "Help!"

James and Victoria just kept laughing. "He isn't here," James said with a shake of his head. "He can't help you now. You're ours."

Victoria suddenly dropped into a crouch, snarling viciously as she locked her gaze on Danielle. In a last ditch effort to try to prevent what was surely about to happen, Danielle lurched up to her feet and took off, finding a gap between two mirrors to dart through.

The maze of mirrors continued as Danielle ran for her life, and though they made her feel dizzy and disoriented, she forced herself to keep going. An ear-splitting crash made her glance back to see that Victoria had just busted her way straight through one of the mirrors, sending glass shooting every which direction. The vampire let loose a predatory hiss before running after Danielle. Cursing, Danielle pushed her legs harder, forced herself to run faster.

She was hit hard in the back. Danielle went sailing through the air, only to hit another mirror and fall to the ground. Before she could even register the new pains springing up in her body, Victoria forced her around so that she was lying on her back. Danielle tried to get up, but Victoria planted a foot on her ribs so that she couldn't go anywhere.

"Stupid human," she hissed, shaking her head. "I'm very much going to enjoy this."

"Go to hell!" Danielle growled back, pushing at Victoria's booted foot to no avail.

James appeared in the mirrors around them again, only this time there was no humor on his face. His eyes were black, and his expression was severe. "Drain her, my love," he hissed to Victoria.

Victoria looked at James and nodded, before setting her sights on Danielle. With a loud hiss that made all of the hair on Danielle's neck stand up, she crouched over her, digging a rough hand into Danielle's hair. Danielle cried out as Victoria yanked her head back, exposing her throat. Then, as she lay there helpless and heaving, Victoria bared her teeth and sank them into Danielle's neck, making her scream with pain.

"Dani! Dani, wake up!"

Danielle jerked awake. For a few disoriented seconds she lay there heaving for air and covered in sweat, her eyes wide as she continued to see Victoria and the mirror labyrinth before her, despite not being in the dream world anymore. When she blinked and her surroundings finally began to register, she realized there actually was a vampire leaning over her. Thinking it as Victoria, Danielle let out a shriek and began to fight against the strong hands holding her arms. The grip tightened, stilling her movements.

"Dani, it's me! It's Alice!" a familiar voice said with urgency.

Danielle blinked again, and Alice came into sharp focus. The vampire looked frightened and concerned as she peered down at her. "Alice?" she asked in confusion, almost afraid that her mind was playing some sort of trick on her.

Alice smiled gently and nodded. "Yes, Dani," she confirmed. "You're okay," she said soothingly. "You're safe."

Danielle pulled her gaze from Alice's to glance around. The mirror labyrinth was gone. She was no longer in that confusing, disorienting place where James and Victoria were free to do whatever they wanted with her. It was still dark outside, but even in the dim lighting, she could clearly see that she was in Jasper's room. As she took in the familiar surroundings and breathed in the scent of pine that always clung to Jasper, she felt the tension begin to leave her body.

Danielle closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. Having nightmares about James and Victoria was nothing new – she had had several dreams about the two terrifying vampires over the course of the past few months. They had come more frequently in the beginning, when everything that had happened in Phoenix was still very fresh in her mind. But after a while, the dreams had eased up to where she wasn't having them so frequently, which had been a massive relief. Up until tonight, it had been nearly a month since she had had any nightmares. And though it hadn't been that long, she had forgotten how intense they could be. How terrifying they could be.

Danielle finally sat up under Alice's watchful gaze. Her heart was still pounding and her ankle, for reasons unbeknownst to her, was throbbing with pain. It was around that time that Danielle realized she and Alice were not alone. Carlisle and Esme were in the room too, standing just at the foot of the bed and looking highly concerned. Even Rosalie was there, lingering in the doorway and looking unsure whether or not she should come any closer.

Embarrassment rushed through Danielle. To her knowledge, the Cullen's were unaware that she was having nightmares about the nomads…or, at least, they had been unaware up until now. If she had drawn the attention of everyone in the house, then she must have been having a very bad – and very loud – reaction to her dream. To think that her future in-laws had seen her fighting off ghosts and screaming at no one was downright mortifying.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaking as she raked a hand through her hair. "I…I didn't mean to disturb anyone."

Esme came to stand beside Danielle, leaning over to grab Danielle's hand and give it an encouraging pat once she was close enough to do so. "You have nothing to be sorry for," she said sympathetically. She shared a worried look with Alice, before turning a questioning frown on Danielle. "Are you…alright?" she asked carefully.

"I'm fine. Though my ankle does hurt a little," she admitted.

"You kicked Alice while she was trying to wake you up," Carlisle said, which made Danielle feel a whole new round of mortification. "I should probably take a look at it, make sure you did not aggravate anything," he said, looking down at her ankle with mild concern.

Danielle shook her head and waved him off. It was the middle of the night, she was still out of sorts from the nightmare, and all she wanted to do was curl up and try to put the faces of James and Victoria out of her mind. She wasn't really feeling up for poked and prodded by Carlisle, despite his good intentions.

"I'm okay, Carlisle," she reassured.

Carlisle frowned. "Are you certain?" he asked, looking unconvinced. After Danielle nodded her head, he finally let loose a long sigh. "Alright," he conceded, though he still looked concerned.

Esme squeezed her hand, drawing Danielle's attention back to her. "Do you need anything?" Esme asked. "Is there anything we can do?"

Danielle shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just…need a moment to collect myself."

"Okay," Esme said understandingly.

There was a beat of silence, where the Cullen's didn't seem to know what to do or say and where Danielle couldn't find it in herself to meet anyone's eyes. Finally, Carlisle spoke.

"Perhaps we should give Dani some privacy?" he suggested gently.

Esme looked as though she really didn't want to leave, but she soon nodded and released Danielle's hand. She offered one last comforting smile before rejoining Carlisle, who inclined his head to Danielle and then turned to leave with his wife. Rosalie lingered in the doorway after Carlisle and Esme left, her expression difficult to read, but eventually she, too, disappeared. When Alice slowly got up to follow her family, however, Danielle quickly reached out to grab her wrist, which made her stop.

"Stay with me?" Danielle asked quietly. She found that she didn't want to be alone just yet.

Alice smiled and nodded, before climbing back into bed with Danielle. When Alice sat with her back against the headboard, Danielle followed her suit, sitting the same way. With a sigh, she leaned her head against Alice's shoulder, breathing in the scent of jasmine that she always associated with the beautiful vampire. Alice let Danielle lean against her, hesitating only a fraction before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her into a comforting hug.

They sat that way in silence for a few minutes, before Danielle finally cleared her throat and lifted her head to look at Alice with apology. "I'm sorry for kicking you," she apologized.

Alice smiled gently and shook her head. "It's fine. You didn't hurt me," she said.

Danielle returned the smile half-heartedly, before raising her brows at Alice. "How bad was it?" she asked.

Alice frowned. "We could hear you mumbling to yourself in your sleep. But then you started crying out for Jasper and yelling for help, and we…got concerned," she explained. "By the time we came to see what was going on, you looked like you were wrestling with a ghost or something. I thought you were going to throw yourself clear off the bed," she said, her frown deepening. "We were worried you'd really hurt yourself, so I woke you up."

Danielle just nodded slowly in response. It sounded similar to the way Jasper had said she had reacted to her nightmares in the past. Alice looked down at her, her expression still one of concern, and tilted her head curiously.

"This wasn't the first dream like this that you've had, is it?" Alice asked.

Danielle looked at her, then shook her head. "No," she admitted honestly. "But I don't have them as much anymore. This is the first one I've had in a while."

Alice seemed bothered to learn that these dreams had been a regular occurrence. "What do you think triggered it?" she asked curiously.

Danielle shrugged. "I dunno. Sometimes they just happen. If I had to guess, though, I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that Jasper isn't here," she said. "I rarely have nightmares when he's around. He keeps me sane, you know?" she explained with a small smile. It wasn't long before that smile fell though, leaving Danielle to frown and sigh tiredly as she rubbed her eyes. "God. How pathetic am I? Not even one full day apart and I'm already turning into a mess without him."

"You're not pathetic," Alice said with a shake of her head. She squeezed Danielle's shoulders and raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to call Jasper?" she asked. "Would that make you feel better?"

Danielle immediately shook her head. "No. If I call him he'll just get worried and probably end up coming back early. He needs to hunt. I'm not gonna bother him with something like this." Danielle closed her eyes for a moment, then exhaled slowly. "I just need to…clear my head. And then try to get back to sleep," she said with a nod of finality.

Alice hesitated, but then finally nodded her head. "Okay," she said. "Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?"

Danielle gave her a hopeful look. "You wouldn't mind?" she asked.

Alice smiled. "Of course not," she said.

Danielle smiled, then rested her head back on Alice's shoulder. Alice was no Jasper, but it still felt comforting to be able to – literally – lean on someone she was close with for support. They sat in comfortable silence for a long while, Danielle resting against Alice while Alice kept a comforting arm around her shoulders. It took a lot of effort to push away the lingering images of James and Victoria their maze of horror, but when she finally did, it wasn't long at all before sleep claimed her once more.

It was a bit of an awkward morning in the Cullen house.

Though she had hoped they would not still be thinking about her nightmare, it became pretty clear to her the moment she went downstairs that the Cullen's were definitely still thinking about it. Esme, who was cooking her breakfast yet again, was even more gentle and motherly than usual, hugging Danielle tightly when she came into the kitchen and treating her as if she was a helpless little kitten that needed to be protected. Alice wasn't so obvious about her worry for Danielle, but Danielle did catch her watching her a with a certain look of sympathy when their paths crossed. Rosalie was, as usual, a bit difficult to read, but she too kept shooting looks in Danielle's direction, as if the vampire thought she was a ticking time bomb or something.

The only one who acted normally around her was Carlisle. He wasn't due to go to the hospital for work, so he sat with her at the dining table while she ate breakfast, reading the morning paper and making idle conversation with her. He never once asked her about her nightmare, nor about James or Victoria, which she was immensely grateful for. She didn't feel up for talking about it and wanted nothing more than to just put it out of her mind, so she was glad he made no attempts to pry.

Danielle happily chatted away with Carlisle, grateful for the distraction their conversation provided. When she finished her plate and stood to take it back to the kitchen, however, she couldn't contain the wince that crossed her face when she put pressure on her bad ankle. Kicking Alice in her sleep the night before had definitely left her recovering ankle feeling more sore than usual. She cringed with pain and hesitated by the table, bracing a hand on the shiny surface for support as she lifted her foot from the ground again so as not to put anymore weight on it. Unfortunately, none of this went unnoticed by Carlisle, who immediately put his newspaper down to look at her with worry.

"Your ankle?" he asked.

Danielle nodded. "It's a little tender this morning," she confessed.

Carlisle blinked up at her, then sighed and stood from his chair.

"Dani, I really must insist that you allow me to look at your ankle," he said, this time using a tone that said he would not take no for an answer. "It is likely that nothing too serious has happened, but it would be good for me to examine it, just to make sure." He stepped closer and offer her his arm. "Please. Come with me," Carlisle said imploringly. "It will give me peace of mind to know that you are alright."

Danielle looked at him, then, after finally deciding that there was no use being stubborn about it, she nodded in agreement. She linked her arm with his, using him for support as he led her out of the dining room and toward his office. Alice, who was in the living room, noticed their movement and sat up a little straighter on the couch, her eyebrows knitting together with concern.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Just doing a quick assessment of her ankle," Carlisle said with a reassuring nod.

Alice nodded, then settled back on the couch. Danielle and Carlisle continued into his office, where he led her to sit in one of the chairs sitting next to his desk. He left her to close the door, ensuring them privacy, then came back to rejoin her. He kneeled down on the floor in front of her, gently taking hold of her walking boot as he looked up at her.

"May I?" he asked.

Danielle nodded in permission. Carlisle gently took off her walking boot and set it off to the side, before raising her ankle a little higher to inspect the it was studious eyes. Danielle watched as he gently poked and prodded at her ankle, her own eyes drawn to the scar that had been leftover from her surgery. Carlisle carefully moved her foot around, testing the flexibility of the ankle and watching her for her reaction. She winced once or twice, but was otherwise able to handle the movements well enough.

"It's a little swollen. Not surprising, given the fact that kicking Alice is more or less the equivalent of kicking a boulder," he said with a small smile. "What is your pain level?" Carlisle asked next.

"Not too bad. Maybe a four?" she said.

Carlisle nodded. "I do not think we have anything to be too worried about," he said with a nod. "A little ice and a little rest should take care of it."

Danielle nodded, then gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for checking it out," she said.

"You are welcome," Carlisle said as he stood to his full height. "I feel better knowing nothing is seriously wrong. Besides, if something had happened to your ankle and I didn't look you over, I'm sure Jasper would have been quite furious with me," he added with a lighthearted chuckle.

Danielle sighed and shook her head, though she couldn't help smiling to herself. "I'd say you're wrong, but I think it would be a lie. Jasper's been a little overprotective since the whole James thing," she said with a shrug.

"Understandable, of course," Carlisle said. "It was a traumatic experience for everyone involved. It was bound to have some lasting effects."

Danielle had to lift a brow at Carlisle's choice of words. "Are we talking about Jasper still, or about my little episode last night?" she asked bluntly, unsure if there was a double meaning behind his statement or not.

Carlisle leaned against his desk, his arms crossing over his chest. "If you wish to talk about it, I am happy to listen," he offered.

It wasn't really an answer to her question, but she didn't see the point in calling him out on it. "There isn't much to say," she said with a sigh. "Sometimes I have bad dreams, sometimes I don't. I was kind of hoping you guys wouldn't find out about it, though."

"Why?" Carlisle asked curiously.

Danielle shrugged and tried hard not to blush. "I dunno. I guess it's just…embarrassing."

"Dani, you went through something horrific. You could have been killed," he reminded her. "You do not need to be embarrassed that you have been having nightmares. We would never cast judgement on you for something like that."

Danielle instantly felt silly for ever thinking otherwise. "I know. And I'm sorry for doubting y'all. I guess it's just a sensitive subject, you know?"

Carlisle nodded. "I understand," he said. "I am certain they are not easy to deal with, and I am sorry they have returned."

Danielle started to thank him for his comforting words, but then blinked with surprise when she realized what he had actually said – if he knew they had returned, then he had known she had been having them previously. But how?

"Jasper told me of your nightmares several weeks ago," Carlisle admitted, as if he could read her mind. "He often comes to me when he finds himself in need of advice. He has confided in me about quite a few things, actually," he explained.

She couldn't say she was surprised to hear it. She knew exactly how much Jasper respected and looked up to Carlisle. Why wouldn't he turn to the person who was his father figure whenever he needed help figuring something out?

"The nightmares worry him, then?" Danielle asked.

Carlisle nodded. "He does not like the thought of James continuing to torture you from beyond the grave," he said. "But as I told Jasper, you went through a very stressful experience. I would be more surprised if you were not having episodes like this."

"They'll go away eventually, though, right?" Danielle asked hopefully.

"I suspect they will," Carlisle said with a nod. "It may take more time than you are happy with, but hopefully someday you will be able to put James out of your mind for good."

Danielle nodded slowly, then pursed her lips as Victoria's face flashed through her mind. "To be honest, it's not just James that I dream about," she confessed. "In fact, a lot of the time it isn't even him attacking me. Usually it's…Victoria," she said. "I think about her from time to time, wonder where she is and what she's doing." Danielle shook her head. "I guess I just keep waiting for her to show up again. It's like there's something in my gut that keeps saying we haven't seen the last of her."

It was a feeling she had had for a while now, but this was the first time she had voiced it aloud. She watched as Carlisle considered what she had said, humming thoughtfully to himself. "I would be lying if I said I did not think of Victoria from time to time myself," he told her. "But there has been no sign of her being anywhere near Forks since the incident in March, and Alice has not seen her attempting to make contact with you or Bella. I do not believe she is a threat."

Danielle really wanted to believe him. She would love to think that Victoria would take what had happened to James as a warning to keep her distance and that she would be too afraid to try anything. But deep down, she couldn't help thinking that Victoria would want revenge for James's death. And just because Alice hadn't seen her coming, that didn't mean Victoria wasn't coming anyway. The nomad knew how Alice's visions worked, which meant she could use that knowledge to her advantage and keep Alice from learning her true plans, just as James had done in Phoenix when he had kidnapped her. Victoria could be planning to come after her and Bella, or any one of the Cullen's, and they wouldn't know it until it was too late.

Danielle shook her head at those thoughts. She told herself not to get carried away, that she was just being extra paranoid today because of the dream she had had last night. Victoria was gone, Carlisle had said it himself, and things had been very quiet around Forks for the past few months. Maybe, if they were lucky, they had seen the last of Victoria.

"I hope you're right," she finally said to Carlisle. "I don't wanna think what might happen if you were wrong."

"Nor do I," Carlisle agreed with a small frown. "Just out of curiosity, have you expressed these fears about Victoria to Jasper?"

Danielle shook his head. "Between my nightmares about the nomads, the wedding, my issues with my mom, and the people in town just generally being a bunch of a-holes, I figured he had enough to worry about without me adding Victoria into the mix."

Carlisle nodded slowly, his eyes quickly flashing with sympathy. "Yes, I would say you both have quite a bit on your plates at the moment," he agreed. "I couldn't help overhearing something you and Jasper were talking about last night. Something about some kids in town giving you trouble yesterday?"

Danielle nodded. "There was a group of highschoolers talking bad about us in the grocery store. I don't know what they said, but it was enough to really piss Jasper off," she revealed. "That's why he was so upset last night."

"I cannot say I blame him," Carlisle said. "I myself have heard a few things around the hospital that made it difficult for me to hold my tongue," he admitted with a frown.

Danielle just shrugged helplessly. "That's just how this town is, unfortunately. Gossip is everyone's favorite hobby."

"Yes, that does appear to be the case," Carlisle said with a sigh. "If you have not discovered this already, you will soon find that our family attracts gossip like moths to a flame. We have endured decades of listening to people come up with all sorts of outlandish rumors about us." Carlisle shook his head, then gave her a small shrug. "My best advise to you is to just ignore it," he said. "The more you feed into, the worse it gets."

"I do ignore it, for the most part," Danielle said. "It's Jasper who's having a hard time letting things slide off his shoulders."

"Yes, well…he's usually a fairly level-headed vampire, but he does not take kindly to people wronging our family," Carlisle said, shaking his head. "And he especially does not take kindly to people wronging you."

"Yeah. I've noticed," Danielle responded with a quirk of her brow.

She rubbed her face for a second, then sighed heavily. "I'll just be glad when all of the hooplah surrounding the wedding is over with," Danielle told him. "Once the wedding is over and people realize we aren't trying to cover up an accidental pregnancy, Forks will forget about us and maybe we'll be able to just have some peace and quiet for a change," she said with a weary sigh.

Carlisle smiled and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "I know it has been a stressful time, Dani, but whatever you do, do not let the gossip and the rumors ruin the wedding," he said with a firm nod. "It's going to be a wonderful occasion, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are beyond excited to have you as permanent member of our family."

Danielle smiled, feeling touched and encouraged by his words. "Thank you, Carlisle. It means a lot to hear you say that."

"It's the truth," he insisted with a nod and a smile.

He released her shoulder and crossed his arms again, his expression going a bit more serious after a second or two Carlisle seemed to be contemplating asking her something, only he seemed hesitant to actually do so.

"Something else on your mind, Carlisle?" Danielle prompted.

Carlisle nodded slowly. "Yes, actually," he admitted. "There is something I have been meaning to ask you about, only I did not want to overstep any boundaries," he said. "Jasper confided in me about something else a while back. He mentioned the two of you have been discussing the possibility of you becoming one of us."

Danielle sat a little straighter in her chair at the change in conversation. Her possibly becoming a vampire was not a subject she had discussed with any of the Cullen's yet.

"Yes," she said, nodding her head and wringing her hands together nervously. "We've talked about it."

Carlisle gave her a curious look. "Have you come to a decision yet?"

The truth was the even now, nearly four months after Jasper had first proposed the idea to her, she still had not given an official answer. They had talked about it at great length and weighed the pros and cons several times, but even after all of that, it was hard to make a choice. Admittedly, between graduation and their fast-approaching wedding, the subject of her becoming a vampire had gotten shoved to the back burner. Thankfully for her, though, Jasper was patient and understanding, and he seemed to be in no rush for her decide what she wanted to do, which helped take a lot of the pressure off.

"I haven't," she confessed to Carlisle. "Every time I think I know what I want to do, I find myself backtracking and rethinking everything. It's…been a really tough decision to make."

"Yes, I would imagine so," Carlisle agreed. "The rest of us…we did not have much say in the matter when it came to our own transitions into vampires," he told her with a small shake of his head. "To willingly choose this life, to know exactly what you would be forfeiting...that is certainly difficult to digest."

Danielle nodded quickly. She then released a sigh and ran a hand through her curls. "There's a big part of me that wants to say yes," she admitted. "I love Jasper. I want to be with him forever. We have a wonderful relationship now, but I know that, logically speaking, everything about us would be much easier if I was a vampire, too. If we were…equals, so to speak," she said. "I also know that Alice has seen me as a vampire already, so there's that to consider, too."

"But?" Carlisle prompted, knowing there was more.

"But," Danielle continued, "if I turn, I'll be saying goodbye to…a lot. My friends. My way of life. My…mother," she said, a deep frown pulling at her lips as Lynne's face flashed through her mind. She shook her head, then looked back to Carlisle. "According to Jasper, I'd be saying goodbye to myself for a while, too. I'm just…not sure I'm ready to give all of that up yet."

Carlisle nodded as he considered what she had said. "You know, if you do decide to turn, you would not have to do so straight away," he pointed out. "In fact, I would highly suggest waiting and taking the time to enjoy your time with Jasper while you are still…you."

Danielle made a thoughtful noise as she realized he made a good point. Every time she considered turning, she always thought of it in terms of becoming a vampire right after they married. But they didn't have to do that. She could wait a year, maybe two – hell, maybe even three. They could take all the time they wanted to enjoy just being married and being together before taking the plunge into vampirism.

"I actually never thought of it like that," she admitted sheepishly. "There's no need to rush it, right? We can wait and just enjoy being married."

Carlisle smiled. "Exactly," he agreed. "As for the subject of what you would be saying goodbye to – or rather who you would be saying goodbye to – well... that does present some problems," he continued. "As a newborn, you will not be yourself for some time. You will be ruled by instinct, blood thirsty and, quite frankly, too dangerous to be anywhere near a human for a very long time," he said. "We would help you through the transition, of course, teach you how to control your hunger. In time, you will begin to find yourself again. But even once you do, your mother and your friends knowing the truth of our world is very risky. Not just for us, but for them as well."

"How do you mean?" Danielle asked unsurely.

Carlisle frowned and shook his head. "It is a complicated tale, one that I do not feel comfortable telling you without Jasper present. I think it best to save that conversation for another day," he explained with a firm nod.

Danielle was even more curious to know what he was talking about, but since it was obvious he wasn't going to go into detail, she decided not to push the issue. "Alright, then…"

Carlisle smiled a bit, then resumed speaking. "Anyway, as I said, your mother knowing the truth about us is far too dangerous. If you were to become a vampire, you would never be able to outright tell her what you are. However, your mother is not an ignorant woman," he said with a tilt of his head.

"She would definitely know something was different about me," Danielle interjected with a nod. "I'd never be able to hide it from her."

"No, you would not," Carlisle agreed. "But something tells me you would not be very partial to her believing you are dead, either, especially after what took place in Phoenix." When Danielle vehemently shook her head, Carlisle nodded to himself and sighed quietly. "It seems we have ourselves quite the predicament here, don't we?"

Danielle nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'd say so."

Carlisle took a moment to think about it, then shrugged. "I have given this a lot of thought already, but I will admit that I still do not know what the answer is, Dani. But know that if you choose this life, if there is a way for you to be a vampire and still have your mother in your life, I will find it." he promised with a firm nod. "In the meantime, I suggest not worrying about it too much, not until you know exactly what it is that you want to do," he advised. "Keep thinking things over. Take your time to really consider what it is you want. When the time is right, you'll know what to do."

Danielle smiled gratefully, feeling inexplicably comforted by Carlisle's advise. "Thanks for talking with me about this, Carlisle. You've opened my eyes up to some things I hadn't thought about before. You've been a huge help."

"I'm happy to be of service," he said, inclining his head. "Anytime you or Jasper ever want to talk with me about this, know that I am happy to listen and more than willing to give my advice." Carlisle paused, then smiled. "I just have one more thing to say on the matter, and then I will stop picking your brain for today," he said.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"I just want to say that whatever you decide to do, Esme and I will support your decision," he told her seriously. "We are thrilled to have you in our family, Dani. Whether you stay a human or become a vampire, we will be equally as proud to call you our daughter."

Danielle smiled widely, feeling relieved to know that she had the support of Carlisle and Esme. "Thank you, Carlisle," she said.

"You're welcome," he said, inclining his head.

A brief silence passed between them, and as a thought came to Danielle's mind, she suddenly felt a swell of nervousness. There was something she had been wanting to talk to Carlisle about, though it was something she hadn't quite been sure how to approach. Now, sitting alone with Carlisle in his office and having all of these deep conversations, well…she couldn't think of a better time to bring it up. But she was a little worried – what if he said no? Or, worse, what if he thought she was stupid for even suggesting such an idea in the first place?

Danielle cleared her throat, then gave Carlisle a hesitant look. "Carlisle?" she asked quietly.

"Yes?"

Danielle fiddled with the hem of her shirt, her cheeks flushing a bit. "I, uh…I've been wanting to ask you something, too, only I wasn't sure how to do it."

Carlisle seemed a bit confused by her sudden shyness. "And what is that?" he prompted.

Danielle looked up at him. "It's no secret that things have been really crappy between me and my mom," she stated. Carlisle nodded. "Well, Alice keeps saying she's coming to the wedding, but I'm not so sure she really is. I'm kind of afraid to get my hopes about it," she confessed. Danielle cleared her throat again. "Anyway," she continued, "if my mom doesn't come, I won't have anyone to walk me down the aisle. So I was thinking…maybe you would do it?" she asked.

Carlisle looked surprised, but pleasantly so. "You are asking me to give you away at the wedding?"

Danielle nodded. "You're basically the closest thing to a father figure I've ever had, and you're so important to Jasper. Actually, not just to Jasper," she corrected herself. "You're important to me, too. You've been so good to me, not just since Phoenix, but ever since I first met you." Danielle stopped to take a breath when she realized she was beginning to ramble. "Don't feel obligated to say yes. If it's too weird or if you're not up for it, I totally get it. But I just…thought it wouldn't hurt to ask, you know?"

Carlisle smiled widely. "Dani, I would be absolutely honored to walk you down the aisle when you marry my son," he said, which made her brighten instantly. "Of course, I do hope your mother comes to the wedding, and I do hope she is the one to give you away, simply because I know how important she is to you. But on the chance that Lynne does not come, I will happily give you away at the wedding."

"Really?" Danielle asked with a grin.

Carlisle nodded. "Really."

Danielle couldn't stop herself from getting out of the chair and throwing her arms around Carlisle to hug him. He chuckled at her enthusiasm, but returned the hug nonetheless, patting her back in a fatherly manner. "Thank you, Carlisle," she said, pulling back to beam at him. "Really. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Dani," he said with a nod. "And thank you for considering me for such an important role."

They stood there smiling at each other for a moment, before Carlisle pushed off from the desk he had been leaning against.

"Now," he said to break the silence, his eyes turning pointedly down to her ankle. "I think we should get some ice on that ankle. How about we practice for the wedding and you allow me to escort you into the living room?" he said with a grin, offering her his arm again.

Danielle laughed and nodded, then linked her arm with his again and let him lead her out of his office.

Per Carlisle's orders, Danielle spent most of the morning resting on the couch with her ankle propped up, icing it every so often to keep the swelling to a minimum. Alice took advantage of the fact that she was confined to the sofa to grab her laptop and start scrolling through pictures of both bridesmaid's and wedding dresses with her. When Danielle voiced soms concerns about whether or not she would be able to find a dress so late in the game, Alice merely told her not worry and assured her that she would find the perfect dress. Because Alice seemed so confident that they would find it, Danielle couldn't help but feel encouraged.

Around noon, she received a text from Bella asking if she wanted to hang out one-on-one. Danielle didn't have to think twice about it before eagerly replying that, yes, she would love to hang out. As much as she adored the Cullen's, after spending nearly every waking moment with them for two weeks straight, the thought of getting out of the house and getting some one on one time with Bella sounded too good to pass up. Upon telling the Cullen's she was going out for a bit, however, Carlisle frowned and expressed some concerns about her still needing to rest her foot. Danielle insisted she would be fine and that her ankle was feeling better, but Carlisle didn't want to take any chances. In the end, they reached a compromise – Danielle would take crutches with her so that she wouldn't overwork her ankle, and she promised him that she would take it easy at Bella's house.

Finally, with Carlisle's blessing, a promise to Esme that she would be back in time for dinner, and a new handy, dandy pair or crutches to walk on, she was soon in Jasper's car and heading toward Bella's house.

Since Charlie was at work, she decided to park in the driveway. When she climbed out of Jasper's car, her eyes immediately turned to her mother's house across the street, a heavy feeling entering at her stomach as she stared at the quiet house.

Her mother wasn't home, but Danielle hadn't expected she would be. It was the first time she had been anywhere near her home since she had left with Jasper two weeks previous, and as she remembered what had happened the last time she had been there, her heart twisted painfully. She hated how horribly that day had gone, and she hated how horrible everything had been between her and her mother since. They had never fought so badly before, not even when she had just up and disappeared to Phoenix, and the memory of it made her feel sad and guilty all at the same time. They had both been so angry that day, had done and said things that they probably shouldn't have, and now the result of it was that they were practically living as if they were strangers to one another. It was plain awful. It wasn't what Danielle wanted. She wanted her mother back, she wanted that friendship back.

The sound of a door opening made Danielle glance toward Bella's front door. Bella must have heard her pulling into the driveway and had come outside to greet her. Danielle tried to push away the emotions that had just consumed her and plastered on a smile as she turned to face her friend.

"Does Jasper know you're taking his car for joyrides?" she asked with a small, joking smirk.

Danielle laughed as she began to make her way up to Bella's front door, the crutches clip-clop-clip'ing against the pavement the whole way. "We're practically married at this point anyway, so what's his is mine, right?" she asked. "As long as I don't wreck it, we're fine."

Bella frowned with concern as Danielle carefully hobbled up the porch steps to the front door. "What's up with the crutches?" she asked, moving forward to place a steadying hand on Danielle's shoulder.

Danielle sighed. "Carlisle's orders," she said. "I may or may not have kicked Alice in my sleep last night."

Bella lifted a brow at that. "Well, that sounds like a story I need to hear," she said, before pushing the door open for her. "Come on in. I've got snacks and everything."

Danielle nodded and moved to follow Bella inside, but not without shooting one last look at her house first.

Once they were inside, Danielle took a seat on the couch and, just as she had promised Carlisle she would do, she propped her foot up on some pillows to keep it elevated. Bella rummaged around in the kitchen for a few minutes, then returned with a bag of chips, a couple of sodas, and a big bowl of popcorn. She set it all on the table in front of the couch, then plopped down next to Danielle and gave her an expectant look.

"Alright, spill," she prompted, eager to hear what had happened.

Danielle launched into the details of what had happened the night before, from her nightmare about James and Victoria, to her apparent attack on Alice when she had attempted to wake her up, to her effectively freaking the hell out of the Cullen's with her nightmare. She concluded the tale by telling Bella how Alice stayed with her to comfort her until she had finally fallen asleep, and how Carlisle had insisted on checking her ankle once she had woken up.

"It's nothing major," she said, eyeing her walking boot with a sigh. "It's just a little swollen. Carlisle thinks it's better to be safe than sorry, though."

"Probably for the best. You do have an aisle to walk down next month," Bella agreed. She frowned then, looking concerned. "I thought you said you weren't having nightmares anymore?"

Danielle shrugged. "I said it had been a while, not that they had stopped completely," she corrected. "I think it's just because Jasper wasn't with me. He calms me down whenever I start to have nightmares, which makes them go away pretty quick. He wasn't there last night, though, so…" She trailed off and shrugged again.

Bella sighed and gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry it happened again," she said. "I know how much the nightmares suck."

Bella did know how much they sucked, because she had suffered some nightmares of her own in the months since Phoenix. "Have you had any recently?" Danielle asked curiously.

Bella shook her head. "No, thank goodness."

"That's good," Danielle said with an encouraging nod. "Hopefully it'll stay that way."

"Hopefully," Bella agreed. "I hope you don't have them anymore, either," she added. "If you do, though, you know you can always call me. If there's anyone who understands what you're going through, it's me. I'm happy to listen."

Danielle smiled and reached over to squeeze Bella's hand. They had been close since they had met, but their friendship had changed after their shared experience with James. She felt closer to Bella than ever, and for as much as Jasper helped to keep her sane, Bella helped her just as much. It was an enormous relief to know she had someone so close to her who understood exactly what she was going through, and she knew she could always talk to Bella about absolutely anything.

"Thanks, Bells," she said, referring to her friend by her least favorite nickname, which was due mostly to the fact that she was constantly called that by Mike Newton, her long time admirer.

Bella scoffed at the name and rolled her eyes a bit. "Gross. You know I hate that nickname."

"I think it's cute," Danielle said with a smirk.

"I think it's stupid," Bella countered.

"Only because Mike says it all the time. If it was Edward who gave you the nickname, you'd probably feel a lot different about it," Danielle pointed out.

Bella thought about it for a second, then shook her head. "Nope, I'd still hate it."

They both laughed at that, grinning at each other in amusement. When they sobered up, Danielle squeezed her hand again. "But seriously though," she said, getting back to the original conversation. "Thank you for being there for me. You've been a great friend."

Bella smiled and squeezed her hand in return. "Right back at you, Dani," she said with a nod.

They allowed themselves one more sappy moment of smiling at each other, before they released their hands and started reaching for the snacks. While Bella popped open a soda and dug into the popcorn, Danielle reached for the chips and started happily chowing down.

"So," Bella said to change the subject, "how's life at the Cullen's?"

Danielle nodded. "Pretty good," she said. "I love getting to be with Jasper so much, and the rest of the family has been really accepting of me. They've really made me feel like I'm part of the family."

"Even Rosalie?" Bella asked with a quirked brow.

Danielle pulled a face and shrugged a shoulder. "She's been…alright. There haven't been any slumber parties or girl's nights or anything, but she hasn't been outright awful to me, either. She just kinda…keeps her distance."

"Guess it could be worse then, huh?" Bella asked with a mouth full of popcorn.

Danielle nodded. "Definitely could be worse. But hey, I figure that as long as she isn't giving me death glares or trying to like, booby-trap mine and Jasper's room or anything, then it's all good."

Bella smiled and took a sip of her soda. "What about Alice?" she asked next. "Has she been yapping your ear off about the wedding nonstop?"

Danielle laughed and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Dude, you have no idea," she said, which made Bella laugh. "I'm not gonna complain too much because she's basically done all the work and she's made everything come together really fast. But good lord. That vampire is intense when it comes to planning a big event."

"You're surprised?" Bella asked with a snort. "Did you not see how manic she got when she was planning the graduation party?"

Danielle had seen how manic Alice had gotten, but even that wasn't anywhere close to the way Alice was with the wedding. "She's even worse when it comes to wedding planning," Danielle said. "Which while we're on the topic of the wedding, I hope you don't have anything planned for Wednesday," she added. "Alice wants to take us to Port Angeles to go dress shopping."

Bella immediately pulled a face and groaned. "I'm not gonna have to try on eighty five dresses, am I?" she asked, sounding like she was dreading the trip already.

Danielle shook her head. "Nah. I'll make sure Alice keeps it to a respectable thirty," she said, winking jokingly.

"Funny," Bella retorted deadpanned.

Danielle laughed, then reached for her own soda to pop it open. "Cheer up, buttercup. It won't be that bad," she said with a nod. "It'll be good practice for when you and Ed decide to get hitched. Because trustme, when that time comes, Alice will have a freaking field day picking out a wedding dress for you."

Bella went wide eyed at those words. "Who said anything about me and Edward getting married?" she asked, her voice suddenly full of nervousness.

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Come on, Bella. Who do you think you're talking to here?" she asked with a knowing look.

Bella flushed and turned her eyes downward, suddenly very interested in a wayward string hanging from the blanket they were sitting on. "We're not talking about anything like that," she said. "I mean, we know we want to be together. But we haven't talked marriage," she added with a shrug.

"You've never talked about it?" Danielle asked with surprise. Bella shook her head. "Not even once?" she asked, this time with incredulity. Again, Bella shook her head. "Huh," Danielle grunted out thoughtfully.

"Why is that so surprising?" Bella asked. "We haven't been together that long, and I've still got a year of high school. Technically Edward does, too," she added.

"I dunno. I guess I figured since you guys have been talking about him turning you that you would've started talking marriage, too," Danielle said with a shrug.

Bella pulled a face. "I wouldn't say we're really talking about me turning, either," she said with a distinctly sour note.

Danielle lifted her brows. "Edward still isn't convinced you turning is a good idea?" she asked knowingly.

Bella shook her head. "He's being really stubborn about it. Anytime I bring it up, he just reminds me how difficult that life can be and insists I'd be missing out on way too much." Bella sighed heavily. "It's starting to get a little annoying, to be honest. I mean, it's my decision, right? Why can't he just accept that's what I want?"

"I think he has good intentions...though maybe he's not necessarily going about it the best way," she added quickly when she saw the look Bella shot at her.

Bella sighed. "I guess," she agreed half-heartedly. "It just frustrating, you know? It's so different with you and Jasper. He's actually open to the idea and talks it out with you," she said, sounding a little envious. "I just wish Edward was like that."

"As open to the idea as Jasper is, he still has a few reservations of his own," Danielle pointed out in the hope that it would make Bella feel better. "Besides, just because Edward isn't open to the idea now, that doesn't mean he won't be later. Give him some time. Maybe he just needs to warm up to the idea."

"Maybe," Bella agreed. She seemed deep in thought for a moment, before she turned a curious look on Danielle. "While we're on the topic…have you decided if you want to turn or not?"

Danielle immediately thought back to her conversation with Carlisle, and how much more she had to think about now after everything he had told her. Before that conversation, she had still very much been on the fence. Now, however, she was seeing things a little differently, and she was feeling, for the first time, like she might be getting close to a definite answer. She wasn't ready to tell Bella which answer she was leaning toward, though – Jasper deserved to hear it before anyone else.

"Not yet…but I think I'm getting close," she answered with a nod.

Bella nodded slowly. She seemed like she wanted to press for more information, but she also seemed to sense that Danielle didn't want to go into detail. In the end, Bella just let the subject drop.

"How's Charlie?" Danielle asked to change the subject after a momentary lull in conversation.

"He's fine," Bella said with a nod. "Busy at the station, as usual, but he's good."

Danielle nodded. "Does he still hate Edward?"

Bella huffed. "Does a bear crap in the woods?" she countered sarcastically, which translated to a firm and resounding yes.

Danielle smirked in amusement. Charlie had been holding a serious grudge against Edward ever since Phoenix. He had decided to put all the blame Edward for what had happened to Bella and Danielle and seemed to have made it his mission to make sure Edward knew exactly how much he disliked and distrusted him. It didn't appear that was going to change anytime soon, either.

"Well, let's hope he gets over it at some point. Something tells me Edward is going to be around for a while, and if Charlie keeps on hating him, that will make for some very awkward family holidays."

"I wouldn't bank on Charlie getting over anything anytime soon," Bella said with a sigh. "Edward hasn't told me what he's heard in my dad's mind, but I know it's nothing good. Judging by the way Charlie glares at him every time they're around each other, though, I'm pretty sure he's trying to figure out how to murder him and get away with it."

Danielle snorted into her soda. "You really think so?"

Bella glanced pointedly at the kitchen. "You didn't notice the shotgun?" she asked dryly.

Danielle glanced toward the kitchen, where she did indeed see a shotgun sitting propped perhaps a bit too casually against the wall. She smothered her laughter with a hand over her mouth, her eyes turning back to Bella. Her friend looked anything but amused.

"Well, I guess it's good to know Charlie is willing to kill for you?" Danielle asked with a shrug, trying to find the silver lining in his behavior.

Bella rolled her eyes. "More like it's a good thing Edward isn't human," she corrected.

Danielle nodded in agreement. "Very true."

She reached over to snag some popcorn from Bella, who held out the bowl to her. After shoveling some popcorn into her mouth and washing it down with soda, she found herself looking quickly to the front window when she thought she heard a car outside, thinking for one split second that it might be her mother returning home. It was way too early in the day for Lynne to be coming home from work, though – she usually didn't leave work until six-thirty or seven.

Danielle looked back to Bella, who was watching her with a knowing look. Since it was obvious that Bella knew she was thinking about her mother, she decided she might as well ask about Lynne.

"Have you…seen my mom?" Danielle asked cautiously.

Bella nodded. "A bunch of times," she confirmed. "We have dinner with her a lot."

Danielle nodded. "How is she?"

Bella seemed to take a moment to consider how best to answer. "The truth? She's…not great," Bella said with a cringe. "She just seems really sad. And really lonely." Danielle nodded slowly, unable to say anything in response as a lump suddenly formed in her throat. "She asks me about you all the time. She asks how you are and how things are going with the wedding planning," Bella continued in a gentle tone. "I can tell she really misses you."

Danielle couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. "Really?"

Bella nodded. "Really."

She supposed it was a good thing that Lynne was asking about her, and that she was asking about the wedding. It meant that her mother still cared, and it meant that at least, on some level, she was interested in her and Jasper's wedding. But there was a part of Danielle that couldn't help feeling a little hurt over the fact that Lynne had been asking Bella for updates on her life rather than just squashing down her pride and coming straight to Danielle. Then again, could she really be angry at her for that? It wasn't as though she had been trying to make contact with Lynne, and she certainly hadn't done anything to make Lynne feel like she could reach out. It didn't really matter which way she looked at it from this point – they were both letting their stubbornness get the better of them, and if one of them didn't cave soon, she was worried it might cause irreparable damage.

And then, just like that, something in her shifted. Danielle was just over it. Why had they let things get to this point? Why, when they were both obviously miserable, were they not taking the steps to make things better? This drama between her and her mother had gone on for long enough. She wanted her mother back in her life, and since it was clear that Lynne wasn't going to give in, then it was time for Danielle to step up and take charge. She had promised Jasper she would reach out to her mother soon, and it was time to see that promise through. She couldn't continue to wallow in guilt and depression. It was time to make things right. She at least had to try.

"Dani?" Bella asked to catch her attention. "What're you thinking?"

Danielle looked over at Bella, let loose a long sigh, then nodded resolutely. "I'm thinking it's time to talk to my mother."

Hope you enjoyed it!