Bella stared out the window of her classroom, watching rivulets of rain running down the glass reminding her of a rushing stream in a forest. Trees swayed violently as wind and lightning disturbed the gloomy morning that seemed to hold Forks captive ever since the Cullens moved here a month ago.

A quick tap on her shoulder made her flinch, turning to look at her classmate who was motioning toward the teacher as she looked at her with a deep frown at the front of the class.

She blinked, realizing she'd been calling on her.

"I'm sorry...what?"

Soft laughter filled the classroom, only to grow silent when Mrs. Goff shot them all a pointed look. She looked at Bella one more time before asking Mike Newton to answer the question instead. Not that Bella cared all that much.

She didn't want to be here anyway.

There wasn't much she wanted lately.

Her head felt heavy with exhaustion. Last night had been hard—full of nightmares that chased her out of sleep. Eventually she gave up and grabbed her pillow and blanket to bring them down to the living room where she found Carlisle sitting on the couch. As if he knew she'd come downstairs, he smiled at her with a tender expression as he moved to make room for her.

He hadn't asked her what her dreams had been about, nor did he ask if she needed anything. Probably because he knew better than she did.

She needed to feel safe.

She curled up next to him and finally fell asleep, relieved that having her father nearby can chase the nightmares away. At least, that's what she'd told herself.

Still, she was tired. Very tired.

Resting her head atop her arms, she closed her eyes and waited to hear the bell ring. Willing time to move faster. The desperation made a few tears silently roll down her cheeks.

I just want it to stop, someone make it stop.

By the time school let out, Bella felt like a zombie. Half aware of her surroundings and half one step away from falling asleep while walking.

She held onto the back of Edward's backpack as he walked to the parking lot, relying on him to lead the way. If he minded, he didn't show it.

When the last bell rang dismissing everyone for the day, Edward had found a frustrated Bella sorting through her locker, looking for a textbook she needed to finish her homework tonight. Until he peered into her half-zipped backpack and found it buried between her notebooks. He'd sighed with an affectionate grin and gently ushered her toward the exit.

When her foot slipped on the rain slicked steps, Edward caught her and moved her hand to hold his instead.

"We'll be home soon, okay?" He murmured when he led her to the Volvo. She peered up at him, noticing the furrow between his brows as he opened the car door for her, concern clearly written on his face.

Bella forced a smile, "I can't wait to pass out as soon as we get home."

Her lighthearted words made him return a crooked smile of his own, "I'll make sure Emmett doesn't try to wake you up when he gets bored."

"Have I told you you're my favorite?" She joked.

"I could stand to hear it more often." He said as he ruffled her hair.

She got into the Volvo just as Alice and Jasper climbed in. Alice slid into the back with Bella, immediately wrapping her arm around her little sister's shoulders and gently easing her head against her shoulder. Bella didn't say a word as she silently listened to her sister, not surprised Alice knew what she was about to do. When she closed her eyes and dozed off, Edward was barely easing out of the parking lot.

Bella didn't so much as stir when Edward gently eased her out of the Volvo and carried her into the house. Her exhaustion was palpable and they all knew this would happen sooner or later. Between the nightmares and the seizures, Bella had been pushed to her limits. Carlisle and Esme already agreed to call the school and let them know tomorrow that she wasn't feeling well enough to go to class. They'd already been worried when Bella insisted on going to school today but agreed when she tried her best to convince them she was alright.

Not a mistake they would make again once they got a look at her.

Edward could hear Jasper and Esme talking from the kitchen as he settled Bella in her bed. Barely waking up long enough to take her jacket off before he carefully slid her converse off and covered her up with the blankets so that she could curl up onto her side and sleep the rest of the day away.

"We'll be downstairs if you need anything," he murmured even while knowing that she was fast asleep.

Before he left her room, he turned the lamp on her nightstand on and left the door slightly ajar just in case.

As soon as he entered the living room, he could see Esme sitting at the dining table while running a hand over her face. She was as beautiful as the day he met her all those years ago when he'd been a newborn, and yet, she looked exhausted. Stressed.

Jasper was sitting next to her, one hand on her shoulder, providing a silent comfort to their mother.

"Hopefully she'll sleep through the night." Edward said.

Esme released a sigh full of a mother's concern, "She's lost weight since we've moved here. Her seizures are keeping her up more than the nightmares do. I don't know how much more of this she can take."

Edward wasn't sure how much more of this any of them could take, but especially their parents.

Carlisle has been consulting with every vampire they trust regarding Bella's condition without revealing what's truly been going on. Every second he isn't working at the hospital, he's locked away in his office doing extensive research to find ways to help the precious human none of them can live without.

"Any news from Peter?" Esme asked Jasper, her thoughts hoping for some good news.

Jasper clenched his jaw, his frustration evident as he said, "They've been waiting all this time. Peter said he knows James is bound to show up at the house, but they keep making...detours."

Detours.

Edward couldn't suppress the swirling hatred and revulsion he felt towards the nomad that preyed on women. Women that looked like Bella...

"It should be any day now." Alice said as she wandered in to join them. "It's like Peter said, it keeps changing but ultimately every road they take leads them straight to the house."

Esme shook her head, "I hope they get him. I hope they end him before Bella has another seizure."

"We should have stayed behind to deal with him ourselves." Edward murmured.

"No." Esme cuts off that train of thought. "After what almost happened to Jasper and how they killed Carter...no, none of you are risking yourselves again."

They all fell silent after that. Edward knew the reason Carlisle and Esme insisted they all relocate to Forks was for this exact reason. To protect not only Bella, but all of them from meeting an untimely end. Nearly losing Jasper sparked that fear in their parents, and it didn't seem it would change any time soon. As much as they all hated it, they had to wait for Peter and the others to deal with James.

Alice's gaze met his across the table.

And if they didn't...they'd see what the future held in store for them then.

Carlisle gently pushed Bella's bedroom door open.

He walked into the room, taking in her bookshelves and desk painted in a soft hue of golden light from her lamp. Everything that made her happy was in this room, from her books to the stuffed animals Emmett slowly gifted her over the years. Even the framed photographs they'd taken as a family. He smiled at the one of him and Esme with Bella sitting between them on their front porch in Alaska, propped up on her nightstand.

When he saw his daughter sleeping soundly beneath the covers, his smile slowly dropped. She'd been asleep since he arrived late last night. This was the first time in a long time that she managed to sleep through the night, and for that he was grateful.

Carlisle sat on the edge of the bed, brushing back a strand of her hair and tucking it behind her ear.

Bella slowly stirred, leaning into his touch until her eyes fluttered open. When she saw him, she smiled, "Dad."

His children would never know what being referred to as "dad" meant to him.

"Hi, love. Are you feeling alright?"

Bella nodded, "I'm still tired."

"I didn't want to wake you but you have to take your medication. Is that okay?" When she nodded, he helped her sit up so that she could take the medication that would help with her seizures. Carlisle wished she didn't have to take anything at all, but given the circumstances and the lack of knowledge he had regarding what triggered them thanks to her gift, he would do whatever he could to try to combat them.

After Bella downed the medication with water, she laid back down.

"Can I go back to sleep now? Just a little longer?" She murmured as she closed her eyes.

"Of course. If you need anything just call for me."

Before he could stand, her hand reached for his. Carlisle paused, looking down at her, "What is it?"

"Just...love you is all."

It never occurred to Carlisle until this moment just how fragile his youngest daughter was. He always knew of course, but hearing her say those words to him while laying in bed because she wasn't feeling well...

It frightened Carlisle. Just how fleeting this girl's life was—would be—if she never changed. If she chose to remain a human until the end of her days. The house, despite being full of a family that loved each other unconditionally, had been quiet all day. Waiting for her to wake up and greet them. The house had been as still as it used to be before Bella came into their lives. Carlisle never allowed himself to think about the future when it came to Bella, not in the way he was now. And for exactly this reason. Because the truth of her mortality was terrifying to him.

Bella was already asleep when he said, his voice wavering slightly, "I love you too, Bella."

By the time Bella woke up, it was four in the afternoon.

She practically stumbled out of her bedroom with her eyes half-opened as she walked down the steps. As if she knew exactly where he'd be, she wandered into the living room where she found Jasper sitting on the couch watching his brother's play video games. He looked up when she walked towards the couch, rubbing her eyes to shake the exhaustion away.

"Hi there, sleepy head. Sleep well?"

Bella grumbled an answer that made him smile as she sank into the couch and rested her head against his shoulder, "Why didn't you wake me up for school?"

Jasper wrapped an arm around her, "Because we didn't want a repeat of yesterday. Besides, I don't think you wanted to fall asleep in class again."

"That happened one time." Bella muttered.

"We'll help you catch up on your homework, don't worry."

An hour later, Alice walked into the living room with a frown on her face. Jasper and Bella were the first to notice before Edward looked up with a confused look on his face. The two shared a look before he asked, "Why are the Denali's coming here?"

Everyone was suddenly in the room, Esme walking in last from the kitchen with an apron wrapped around her waist. Clearly she'd been cooking dinner for Bella. Carlisle placed a hand over her shoulder, sharing a look that they often exchanged to wordlessly communicate. Bella took in everyone's tight expressions and noticed when Jasper's arm pulled her a little closer to his side.

"I don't know, but they'll be here soon." Alice said, slowly pacing along the carpet, "It must have been a last minute decision. I didn't see it until now."

Bella asked, "The Denali's are coming? How long are they staying?"

Jasper murmured to her, "Just Kate and her sisters."

"You didn't get to meet one of them before. But I guess you will now." Alice said, and Bella frowned when she saw the worried look on her face. "Her name is Irina."

"What should we do?" Rosalie asked. The severity in which they all spoke about their old friends made something dark and inky sink in Bella's stomach, anxiety starting to bubble up. Jasper rubbed his hand up and down on her arm to soothe her before his gift encouraged her to feel reassured. Still, it did little to ease her worries when seeing how everyone was reacting to the news of the Denali's coming to visit. It was...weird.

Carlisle said, "We'll welcome them as we always have. Edward and Alice will keep an eye on everyone until they're gone. There's no reason to worry unless we're given a reason to be."

"We'll just treat it like a quick impromptu family reunion." Esme said, her eyes shifting to Bella.

Alice smiled after a few minutes although it was forced, "You're right."

"What's going on?" Bella asked, bringing everyone's attention to her. "Why are you so worried?"

Before anyone could say anything, the sound of the doorbell cut through the tense silence in the room. The Denali's were here.