A/N: Hello and sorry for taking so long to update. Life happens sometimes. I'll try to update more frequently for a while. I've already started the next chapter, so hopefully I'll be able to upload it within the next day or two. Thanks for everyone that returned to read this story. I love you all for your support and understanding.

Bella's Point of View

The kitchen was just as spectacular as the rest of the mansion was. High ceilings, marble countertops and flooring, expensive appliances. It was surprising Esme would have such a lavish kitchen, when reapers couldn't really partake in the consumption of food. Perhaps this was for Emmett's sake?

There was a large range of food, set up in a buffet-style. Exotic meats, cheese, fruits, anything that you could imagine. I didn't hesitate to pile a plate full of a little bit of everything. I don't know where my sudden appetite came from, but I was relieved for the brief moment of privacy from the rest of the guests. I usually wouldn't be self-conscious of eating in front of others, but it was different in the presence of reapers. They didn't eat. It just made me feel… different.

Edward remained at my side, yet his attention appears to be elsewhere. His eyes wandered from his phone, to my face a few times. A troubled look on his handsome face. The tension pulling at his features sent alarm bells off in my head. I could feel his emotions simmering, anxiety, annoyance, frustration.

I paused, chewing slowly at a single piece of chicken as I reached out to place my hand on his. This instantly got his attention. His eyes met mine briefly, before looking away.

"Is it good? The food, I mean." He asked casually.

"It's delicious, I wish you could taste it."

His nose wrinkled a little. "It honestly doesn't appear appetizing. But I'll take your word for it." He offered the faintest smile. "I'll stick with the soul stones." With that, I watched as he began to consume a few that he had plucked from the dining hall.

We ate in silence for a while, but Edward's increasing frustration couldn't be ignored.

"Is something bothering you?" I asked finally.

He sighed dejectedly. "I'd really rather not give any details," His eyes lingered on me. "It will only upset you."

"Well now I have to know." I insisted.

"Do you remember… the elderly man you had befriended from your old apartment, Pete?"

"Don't tell me something happened to him." I instantly felt panic strike me. It's been a long time since I've heard from him. He was frail, I realized that and pretty old. But he was a dear friend. I'd hate to hear he was sick or worse.

"Unfortunately, he isn't doing well. I didn't get all the information, but Emmett is with him at the moment."

"Huh, why is Emmett with him? I thought he was on that mission?"

"I guess, Pete was in the area and in critical condition. His assignment changed. He was ordered to help Pete to the hospital. While the rest of the group took care of the rouges."

Why would Pete be in that area? He usually never left the apartment. Only to shop for groceries. It sounds like a lot of things have changed since I've left.

"Is Pete going to be alright?"

Edward paused, now looking away from me. "His name has appeared on the reaping list, I'm sorry Bella." His voice went quieter.

I felt my eyes begin to water as realization washed over me. Sadness and guilt dominated my emotions. I wiped my eyes. "How long does he have?"

"Seventy hours," Edward said moving closer to me to wrap me into his arms. "Katlyn was assigned to reap him." His lips touched the top of my head.

I curled into him completely, hiding my face in his chest. "Nothing against Katlyn, but is there any way… that you could be the one… to reap him? I'd like to see him, before he passes." It was the very least I could do. It felt like this might not have happened if I had stayed at the apartment. Maybe I could have helped him sooner, he didn't have anyone else. When I first moved to Boswell, we became friends fast. He never mentioned his family, I've never seen anyone come to visit him. And the same could be said for me. I didn't have any family here either. So, we depended on each other often. I really let him down. I owed this to Pete.

"If that's what you wish." Edward said, again kissing my head. "I'll let Katlyn know right away. Would you like to visit him after the party? I'm not sure how long he can remain awake and alert enough to talk with him."

"Yes please, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." He replied with another breathy sigh. "Once Emmett gets here, I imagine his presence will create enough of a distraction for us to leave without any issue."

"Emmett is coming here?"

"Yeah, he is bringing a guest, someone to meet Esme." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, he met someone new? Let me guess, his newest fling?"

"Not this time. It turns out, one of the rogues was a friend of Pete, she came to the hospital to see him… and she placed the eternal mark on Emmett. He placed one on her as well."

That took me by surprise, but the imminent death of a close friend, didn't permit me to feel any positive reactions to this. "Good for him… I guess…"

"It is what he wanted. I just can't imagine this woman will be readily accepted into the family. Especially since she was labeled a rogue. Esme might not even allow her past the front door. I'm afraid this will result in another rift. I'm dreading the drama." Edward muttered with a frown.

He was right. Esme was very selective about who had the privilege of being in her son's lives. I'm certain this girl would have quite an uphill battle ahead of her. That means, Emmett and Esme might start fighting again. Would this set him off? Would he detach himself from the family again and go off on his own? I knew if that happened, it would upset Edward greatly.

"Maybe we should prepare her for this? Let her know what happened. So, she has time to organize her thoughts." I asked quietly.

"That might be for the best. She tends to overreact when something unexpected happens." Edward nodded in agreement.

We finished eating, and quietly integrated back into the rest of the guests. No one seemed to notice us. Everyone was chatting amongst themselves. I spotted Esme, her arms linked with her sister, Laurel. I recognized her from my last doctor's appointment. She had been the one to do my ultrasound. It was strange seeing her without scrubs and a lab coat. Now that I looked at them side-by-side, I could see that they did resemble each other.

They appeared to have reconciled, judging by the content grins on their faces. Esme was quick to take notice and flagged us over to them. Edward placed his hand in mine as he led us to her. I sucked in a tight breath, mentally preparing myself for her reaction.

"Hello darlings, I hope you are enjoying yourselves. Was the food adequate?" Esme asked, eyeing the both of us.

"It was delicious," I said with a polite smile. "I really appreciate it."

Laurel detached herself from Esme to take a few steps forward, a cautious hand coming out towards my stomach. "May I?" Her eyes flickered to me.

I hesitated only for a moment, before nodding to her in approval.

Edward watched between us with a content look. "Aunt Laurel's abilities allow her to get a detailed report of the health of anyone she comes into contact with."

Softly, she placed her hand on my stomach, a concentrated look on her face. "Twins, hmm, I can't believe I didn't notice on your first ultrasound." She chewed at her lip. "Their movements are strong. It won't be long before you will start to feel them bouncing around and kicking."

I couldn't hold back my smile. "Really, that's amazing. I can't even imagine how that must feel."

"Your next appointment with me is coming up soon, keep up the good work Bella, the babies are healthy. Don't forget to take care of yourself as well. I recommend drinking more water, but other than that, you are on the right track as well."

"Okay, I can do that." I nodded, watching as Laurel dropped her hand from my stomach.

Laurel's eyes wandered over to where Victoria and Ana stood, appearing to be in quiet discussion. It didn't look like heated, or unpleasant. I was relieved but wondered where Embry and Jacob were.

"That girl of mine, she can be quite a handful, I'm sorry if she gave you or your little sister a hard time. She does mean well. Honestly, she acts more like Esme than me. Makes me wonder if she was switched at birth."

Esme smirked, folding her arms across her chest. "I think it's due to Alice's influence. They spent a lot of time together growing up."

"She's lovely, she and Embry really suit each other." I said with a small smile.

"I couldn't agree more, we have been very fortunate, our children have found impressive life partners." Esme nodded with pride coming to her expression.

"Speaking of life partners," Edward interjected with a frown on his face. "There is something you should be aware of."

Esme and Laurel turned their sights fully on Edward, an arrangement of curiosity reflected on their faces. It was truly striking how similar they were. Yet, so different in appearance. I wondered for a moment if that's how others saw Ana and myself.

"What is it dear?" Esme said, placing her hands on her hips now. I could see tension beginning within her tightened shoulders. She was bracing herself.

"Emmett will be arriving soon. He has found his life partner. He wants to introduce her to you." He answered carefully.

Esme froze, unblinking for a moment as she absorbed what she had just heard. Her expression soured into a deep scowl. She still didn't comment.

Laurel placed her hand on Esme's shoulder. "We knew this would happen eventually. We should be happy about this sister. Don't lose your temper. This is a good thing."

"Who could possibly be good enough for my son? Who does this… girl… think she is? Intruding on my family. I won't accept this." Esme snapped; her eyes shifted into a deep black.

"It doesn't matter who she is, she is attached to Emmett now. There is no getting around it. If you don't accept her… you know Emmett will leave us again." Edward said as his frown deepened.

"Edward's right. We don't even know the girl yet. I'm sure she is wonderful." Laurel said with an impatient click of her tongue. "Times have changed; we don't have to be so selective with who our children decide to be with." Laurel said.

"Maybe you don't think it's important to preserve our lineage, but I think of it differently. If we want to regain some of our prestige, we can't just allow anyone to join our family." Esme argued bitterly. "What would mother think of this?"

"Mother isn't around anymore. Get your head out of the past. It's time to let our kids take the lead on these matters. We have no right to meddle in their love lives." Laurel said now glaring openly at Esme.

I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but it appeared to be a source of discontent among these two. I could see the resentment and annoyance bouncing between them as they bickered. I wondered if these opposing views are what caused them to be on bad terms to begin with. There was a history here, that I was completely unaware of. It wasn't my business, I didn't want to ask.

"Aunt Laurel is right; it doesn't matter who Emmett is fated to be with. He is happy now, that should be enough. This is something he has wanted for a long time. Shouldn't we just be happy for him?" Edward said shaking his head in disapproval.

"I'm certain, the girl will be trash. It's no coincidence that he found someone during his mission to take down the rogues. She is a criminal. No doubt a member of those hooligans. And you want me to welcome her into the family with open arms? I don't think so."

"You don't have to like her. Just don't push Emmett away. He is finally coming back around." Edward relented.

Victoria and Ana wandered over to us now, apparently aware of our conversation. Ana moved to my side, a dejected look on her face. While Victoria lingered near Laurel with a pleased smirk.

"You've already snagged a blue blood for our family. You can't possibly get anyone better to increase our prestige. It really doesn't matter who else gets added to the family at this point." Victoria shrugged her shoulders, glancing at me.

Laurel gave her daughter an annoyed look. "Don't encourage her." She muttered to her.

Esme's eyes softened as she looked over at me as well. "You do have a point. Isabella and Edward will no doubt continue adding more strong, gifted children. An entire family of royalty. I don't have to worry too much of our future." She nodded.

I looked at Edward, feeling my cheeks warm a little. I hadn't thought of continuing to have more children. Especially since we will be starting out with twins. How many kids would I be willing to have? Or was this it? Did Edward want more kids? These are things that I haven't given a lot of thought to. There was still a lot I needed to discuss with Edward.

"Why does it matter? I mean, this family is crazy strong already." Ana asked after a short pause in conversation.

"It doesn't so much anymore. Back in our youth, things were different. Families had arranged contracts. To breed and create strong family units. The stronger the family, the more power the grim would bestow on them. It was the key to the survival of our kind. Thus, arranged marriages and special reaper children." Laural explained.

"It may be considered old fashion, but it's how my mother raised me to think. Nothing is more important than keeping my family within the upper ranks of society. If we lose power, we lose everything. A comfortable life, safety, social standing. We would become nothing but mindless outcasts, forced to toil our days away reaping souls for eternity." Esme sighed heavily. "That's no life."

"Dear sister, I know how much you care about keeping our family happy and safe, but you can't expect your children to follow these old customs. It doesn't matter anymore how strong you are. The grim has a new standard." Laurel said, finally back to her soft smile. She moved to wrap an arm around Esme's shoulders. "Time to look ahead to the future."

"Maybe so," Esme muttered reluctantly. "But still, I refuse to show her any affection. She will have to prove herself before she has my blessing. At the very least, I won't chase her away."

I guess that's the best we could ask for.

This seemed to appease everyone else. Although, I still had a lot of questions. I was curious of how life was for reapers a long time ago. Edward has never mentioned his grandmother. I wondered what kind of person she was. And where was she now? Had she decided to pass on, or did she go through the process of rebirth?

Thankfully, Ana was just as curious. "So, where is your mother? Reapers don't actually die right?" She wasn't quite as tactful as I would have been, if I had asked. But it didn't appear to upset anyone.

"When it was her time to retire, the grim offered her a place in his council. She said her goodbyes and took her new position. Haven't heard or seen from her since. That was probably seventy years ago." Laural said with a sad smile.

"What was she like?" Ana continued with an interested look.

"Lucielle, one of the strongest women I've ever known. She was spirited. Vibrant. And a completely career-focused person. She wasn't overly loving, but she showed that she cared when it mattered most." Esme said with a nod.

Laurel snorted. "She was a complete narcissist, but we loved her anyway."

"She is the one that arranged your marriage with Aro, isn't that right?" Edward said with a less than impressed expression.

Esme nodded, her face souring again. "Yes, it was a contracted marriage, for mutual benefit. It was really no surprise that it didn't work out. But it was necessary. I was able to have Alice and take over the Boswell agency."

"At what cost," Laurel said shaking her head. "Now you are in this mess. That asshole will stop at nothing to ruin your life."

Esme clicked her tongue, clearly irritated. "It's nothing we will have to concern our selves with for much longer. The grim will handle Aro. We just have to be patient."

Suddenly our conversation came to an abrupt end as a butler approached the group of us. He wore a pristine suit, and neatly groomed beard. His eyes were very dark, a pair of glasses sat perched at the very edge of his nose. He leaned over to whisper in Esme's ear.

I strained to listen but couldn't hear anything. Edward turned to plant a tender kiss on me check, lingering to whisper in my ear. "Emmett and his guest have just arrived. They are on their way inside now."

For some reason, this made me a little nervous. I bobbed my head in understanding. Esme appeared tense as well. She took a collective breath and squared her shoulders. A fake smile came to her face, which looked very forced. I hoped that Emmett wouldn't notice.

I moved more into Edward's side, needing his calming touch. My anxiety was starting to get under my skin. I was worried, the last thing I wanted to deal with was more drama. I knew if things didn't go well, it would upset Edward.

Slowly, Emmett emerged through the dining hall, a pretty girl at his side. I focused my eyes on her. She wore a plain black dress, in knee-length. Her hair was a soft blonde, extremely long, ending at her backside. She had sharp features, with wide doe eyes. Her eyes were strange as well. They shimmered in the light, black and beautiful.

"Hey guys," Emmett noticed us right away, waving eagerly. He led the way, holding onto the girl's hand. She didn't appear worried, or self-conscious. She carried herself with confidence. I'm sure Esme would take notice of that.

I turned to peek over to Esme. It was unsurprising to see that her eyes only remained on Emmett. She ignored the girl's presence completely, even as they now stood face to face. Emmett cleared his throat, a hint of nervousness in his expression now.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Rebecca. My life partner." Emmett introduced her, mostly looking to Edward and Esme. Searching, clearly for any sign of approval.

Edward offered a crooked smile as he held his hand out to her. "I'm his brother, Edward, nice to meet you."

The girl raised a brow, glancing between Edward and Emmett, before reaching out and taking his hand to shake it. "Wow, you two don't look alike at all. I never would have guessed. Nice to meet you."

I've always thought the same, Edward truly looked more like Esme. While I had to assume, Emmett must look more like Carlisle. I never had the chance to see a photo of Carlisle to compare them.

Now she looked at me, taking notice of my stomach. Her eyes widened. "This must be your wife. It's nice to meet you as well. I see, you're very pregnant." She offered me a warm smile.

I shyly reached out and shook her hand. "Well, we will be married soon. Yes. I'm Bella."

Emmett turned his attention to Esme now, chewing his lip. "And this is my mother, Esme."

Rebecca looked at Esme, raising a brow. "I've heard a lot about you. I hope you can help me navigate this new life. I don't have any memories of my past. I don't know how I died. Or when. I know nothing of how to be a proper reaper. I was hoping you could help guide me."

Esme clicked her tongue in response, still not meeting her gaze. "I'm sure the academy will suit your needs just fine." She answered her, before turning completely away. "Emmett dear, there is plenty of food in the kitchen, please help yourself." With that, she walked away from the group.

Laurel offered a sympathetic smile to Rebecca. "Welcome to the family," she said, before following after Esme.

Victoria went with them, not appearing interested in the slightest to hang around and chat.

"I get the vibe that she doesn't like me. But we saw that coming already, didn't we?" Rebecca snorted with an amused smile. She didn't appear bothered whatsoever.

"Give her some time. She will warm up to you." Emmett said with a heavy sigh. "I actually thought she would have reacted much worse."

"It doesn't bother me." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "As long as you like me, nothing else really matters."

That was a good way to think I suppose. Although, it would be easier if Esme liked her as well. It wasn't necessary. Rebecca seemed like a down to earth person. I'm certain I could get along with her. But there was just something so… familiar about her. I couldn't put my finger on it.

"So, you're pretty new to this reaper life huh? It's the same for me." Ana said bouncing forward to shake hands with Rebecca.

"Yeah, I guess I'll be heading to the academy with you when it starts. Emmett mentioned we would most likely be roommates at the dorm." Rebecca replied with a grin as she shook hands with Ana.

Well, that was encouraging. At least I would know who Ana would be living with. It still made me feel a little nervous letting her go alone. I wish that I could go with her as well. Not that I wanted the schooling, I just wanted to keep an eye on her. Ana could be reckless at times.

"Hey, there you guys are." Jacob finally reappeared, calling out to us as he made his way over. He slung his arm around Ana's shoulders and jumped nonchalantly into the conversation. "I'm back, sorry for being gone for so long."

I wasn't sure where he had been, but he seemed to be in a decent mood. Apparently, his chat with his brother wasn't too bad. Although he seemed a bit off.

"Embry give you a hard time?" Edward asked, raising a brow.

"Of course, that's all he is good for." Jacob grumbled, his expression suggested annoyance, but the emotion didn't reach his eyes. Instead, he kept glancing over at Rebecca. I could tell he was extremely curious of her. His eyes flickered to Rebecca and Emmett's intertwined hands. "This your new flame Em?"

Emmett narrowed his eyes at him. "We marked each other. This is my soulmate." He corrected him. "Rebecca, this is Jacob. A childhood friend."

She nodded her head to him with a smile. "It's a pleasure."

Jacob blinked a few times before snickering. "Oh, so you finally found her huh? I thought you were doomed to sleep with random chicks for the rest of your life."

"Shut up Jake," Emmett growled at him, glaring at him for a moment. "You've slept with plenty of women, probably more than me."

Rebecca made a face, but didn't comment. It was obvious she wasn't a big fan of hearing of Emmett's sexual history. I could relate. I wouldn't want to hear about Edward's past intimate relationships either.

Jacob glared back at him, before nervously glancing at Ana.

Ana shrugged her shoulders. "The past is the past. I don't care. You're mine now. So, I have no reason to be bothered." She truly held no emotion on her face. So, I wasn't sure if she was completely honest. Knowing Ana, she probably didn't care in the slightest.

"Maybe we should change the subject." Edward suggested clearing his throat. "How about we go somewhere a little more private to get to know each other a little."

That sounded wonderful to me. There was so much chattering and noise in this room, it was almost hard to think. I wanted to get to know the newest member of our little family. I'm sure she had questions for us as well.

"Yeah, too many people here." Emmett nodded in agreement.

Edward led us towards the back of the house, to an enormous wooden porch. There was a hot tub, a swimming pool and plenty of plant life. Flowers were blooming in pots and a garden stretching out as far. The ocean was in full view, the waves crashing in the distance. There was a strong smell of saltwater. And a soft windchime could be heard fluttering in the cool breeze. The sun was just starting to set in the sky, creating a peaceful warm glow over the ocean. A small fire was lit in a stone firepit, chairs surrounded it. We all sat around the fire.

Edward placed me comfortably in his lap, his arms went around me, resting on my stomach. His fingertips gently swept over the material there. He seemed content. The smile on his face melted me.

Emmett took a spot directly across from us, Rebecca remained close to his side. She looked around the area, dazzled by the beauty around us. Her black eyes shimmered in a new light as she peered out towards the ocean.

Jacob and Ana sat to our right, sharing a sweet moment that I averted my eyes to. They were wrapped up together in a tender embrace, not so much entranced by the atmosphere, but more so, each other.

No one spoke for a while; we just enjoyed our own bliss with our partners. I hadn't expected this. I thought this party would be uncomfortable and probably full of family drama that I didn't want involved in. But this was nice.

Thanks for reading! Leave a review with your thoughts if you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for such a long wait.