Guidance

When we got home that evening, Bella made up the excuse she still had homework to do to escape upstairs to her room. As soon as we walked through the door, she kicked off her shoes and practically ran past the living room without sparing any of our family a backward glance, anxious to be alone. The only one who seemed to notice was mama, who came out into the front hall to greet us and peered after my stepsister with a quirked brow before turning to me with a frown. 

"Is Bella all right?" She asked and I nodded, smiling reassuringly, though it only made her eyebrows furrow, "Did something happen at First Beach?" 

"We're all fine, mama, Bella was just talking to Jacob." I exchanged my shoes for a pair of house slippers, "He told her about the old Quileute legends. I think Bella's close to figuring things out." 

Mama's eyebrows rose, smoothing out the wrinkles in her forehead, "Really? You think she's that close already?" I smile and nod. 

"Oh definitely. If this combined with the supernatural book doesn't get through that thick skull of hers', I don't know what will." Mama exhaled, relieved, "That's wonderful to hear...hopefully it won't be long before we're able to just be ourselves in our own home again." 

"God, I hope so...I'd love to be able to turn my charm off around here again..." I sighed, running my claws through my hair to push the bangs out of my face. Mama smiled reassuringly and rubbed my back, "Just be patient a little longer, sweetheart." I smiled quietly in agreement and nodded, which made mama purr as she kissed my forehead, "Good girl. Now, are you up to helping me with dinner?" 

My stomach rumbled at the thought of food as I followed mama into the kitchen, "What're we having?" 

Mama purred as she nodded to the sink, where a pound of pork was defrosting, "Tacos!" 

"Ooooh ~" I purred, "We haven't had that in a while." 

Mama giggled, "I figured a nice simple meal would be perfect for tonight, especially since the boys are preoccupied." She indicated back toward the living room as she wandered toward the pantry; behind us, I could hear a commentator's voice speaking from the TV, accompanied by the familiar squeak of multiple sneakers against a polished wood floor and the dribble of a basketball. Ah, the game, of course. 

"Tacos sound amazing." I smile and grab what we needed from the pots and pans rack, "I'm sure dad and Hen will appreciate it. Do you want me to bring a plate up to Geoffrey?" 

Mama shook her head, "Geoffrey's sleeping over a friend's house tonight, said they had some things to go over for the student council, so he's covered." I nodded, glad my little brother was out spending time with other kids his age. Geoffrey was a smart kid, but I worried sometimes when he spent too much time cooped up in his room. He was still young, so he should be getting out and having some fun instead of burying his nose in a book. I wasn't one to talk, though, considering my social life was dead at the moment but that was irrelevant. It was my job to look out for my siblings, especially as the eldest...though I wished things could be that simple when it came to my stepsister. "But, since tacos are so easy, you and Bella will be able to eat upstairs in your room if you're both tired. Just be sure to wash your dishes and bring them back down later, all right?" 

"I will, mama." I promised with a smile, handing her the skillet; she hummed her appreciation and turned on the stove to cook the pork while I sliced up the lettuce, tomato, and some peppers. We chatted as we worked, mostly about our days; today was another quiet day for mama away from the hospital, so she'd spent some time with Charlie, did some cleaning, and worked on a couple of personal projects in their room. With such active kids, there was always an article of clothing to patch or sometimes even a blanket to stitch up, which kept her busy when she had nothing else to do. Mama didn't mind it much, since she'd always enjoyed sewing and knitting, and it saved us a bit of money since we didn't have to run to the store every time we messed up our clothes. 

When the food was ready, I made up tacos for both Bella and myself, helped mama bring everything out to the living room, snagged a couple of drinks from the fridge, and headed upstairs. Bella's curtains were drawn by the time I walked into the attic, and I set our meals on the coffee table on my way to her tower, climbing the spiral staircase to the trapdoor, which, I was more than a little surprised to find, had been left open. 

"Bella?" I called softly, climbing a couple of steps higher to peer over the lip of the door; a faint, muffled screeching drew my attention to Bella's bedside table, where a silver portable CD player sat, a long black cord leading from the audio jack to underneath the pillow that hid half Bella's face. I frowned as I climbed the last couple of stairs into her room, taking in my stepsister's appearance; she was still fully dressed, minus her shoes, of course, and had one hand pressing the pillow to her face, as though in an attempt to block out the sunlight streaming in through the curtains, while the other rested on her stomach. Her chest rose and fell in a slow, steady pattern, lips parted as her breath escaped her in long sighs. She was asleep. 

Smiling quietly to myself, I took a throw blanket from the closet and covered Bella with it, being mindful not to disturb her as I did so, turned off the light on my way out and closed the trapdoor quietly behind me. Back downstairs, I wrapped her food and stored it in the fridge with her drink for later so she could have it when she woke up, although I got the distinct feeling Bella was out for the rest of the night. I spent most of that evening relaxing myself and watching TV; no one came up to disturb us much, although mama did poke her head in to say goodnight and remind me not to stay up too late since I had work in the morning. After promising I'd get to sleep at a decent hour, I bit her goodnight and returned to what I'd been watching until about 11, at which point I went to take a shower and then retired to bed about midnight. 

I was up for eight o'clock the following morning so I could have breakfast downstairs with my family, including Bella, before I had to be in for my 9 AM shift. Seeing as how I usually worked the entire day, I had my own key to open the shelter on the weekends; the dogs in the kennel were all awake by the time I walked through the front door, their familiar barks and yips pulling a smile onto my lips as I switched on the lights. 

"All right, guys, I'mma comin'." I called, dropping my messenger bag on one of the breakroom chairs and storing my lunch in the fridge before I headed for the door leading back into the kennels. The shelter was a decent size, about fourteen hundred square feet with half the building taken up by the kennels and a supply closet while the other half was split between the office, a break room, and a utility closet, where we kept the cleaning supplies. Out back was a fenced in yard where the dogs spent their days burning off the energy they accumulated while in their cages. 

The dogs' barking ceased almost as soon as I walked through the kennel door and I watched as each dog sat back on their hunches, peering up at me through the chain link, waiting my order. My co-workers often asked how I was able to get the dogs to quiet down and wait to be told what to do like that and I usually replied that I just had a way with animals, which was not necessarily a lie. Dogs were very much like wolves; they were pack animals, meaning they formed very strong bonds with their family and often looked to their owners, or even the strongest of the pack, as their leader. Demons had a strong presence which allowed them to command attention in the natural world, especially among those of a similar animal species; being a wolf demon, I had a way with regular wolves or other canines, including dogs. 

"You guys stay." I told the dog firmly, casting a critical eye over each cage I passed as I pulled the ring of keys from the hook on the wall; ears perked at the familiar jingle of metal, but the dogs didn't budge from their spots, following me just with their eyes as I unlocked and opened the cages, moving down the line until I reached the back wall, and pushed open the door that let out into the yard. Locking the metal arm into place, I stepped aside, letting my gaze wander up the aisle for a long moment as the dogs waited for my command. A few shifted their weight anxiously from one paw to the next, their tails thumping against the floor, although none of them made a move to leave their cage until they were given the go ahead. I smiled to myself, glad they were still obedient enough to follow orders. 

"Come." 

Dozens of claws clicking against the cement floor filled the room as the dogs made a mad dash for the open door and I watched the crowd of fur disappear into the overcast day with an amused shake of my head, "Goofballs." I hum, chuckling under my breath while I wander back up the aisle to hang the keys once more, giving each cage another glance on my way past; one good thing about letting the dogs out into the backyard during the day was we were able to get into their cages to clean and replace their food and water without interference. Not that I ever really had a problem with that to begin with, but still... 

Once the keys were returned to their usual spot, I set about my usual chores; gathering what I needed from the utility closet, I set about clearing out the used newspapers and pee pads and moped the floor. Most of the dogs we had here were older, closer to seniors than puppies, so we had more than a few who couldn't make it through the night without needing the bathroom, so we had to be sure we cleaned out these papers and gave them fresh ones every day, so the dogs didn't get sick. It was better to be sanitary, not just for the dogs but for any potential adopters who came looking to add a new addition to their family. It was hard enough trying to find our seniors a forever home without them being sick or weak on top of that. 

When I was finished with the cages, I returned the mop and bucket to the closet and grabbed the trash bags I'd filled to take out the side entrance to the dumpster, which sat by the edge of the parking lot. A light drizzle had started by now, fat drops of water gathering on the underside of the gutters dripping periodically onto the hood of the dumpster as I pushed it open and tossed the bags inside. My nose wrinkled reflexively at the whiff of spoiled meat and waste that drifted up from the darkened confines and I waved a hand to dispel that smell as I let the hood drop back into place. Ugh, as much as I loved my job, it certainly had its downsides, especially with my heightened senses. It was the supernatural curse, I suppose...but I wouldn't trade it for anything, no matter how bad it got. 

Dusting off my hands, I returned inside to wash my hands before replenishing the dogs' food and water; I could hear them as they barked and yipped outside and distinctly, I heard a faint growling, muffled as though against the material of a toy. Sounded like a tug-of-war game; I would have to see if they wouldn't let me join once I was finished cleaning in here. 

The familiar roar of an engine out front caught my attention as I replaced the last dish and my ears perked as the dogs ceased their playing at the sound. A chorus of howls filled the air, accompanied by a cacophony of barks, trying to catch the attention of potential adopters. Sadly, they were going to be disappointed. 

"Hey Bells." I greeted as I met her at the entrance; Bella nodded, letting the front door swing shut behind her as she shoved her hands in the pockets of her raincoat; she didn't seem too out of place, wearing her usual t-shirt and jeans, although I knew she didn't come here just to see me. It was the look in her eyes as they darted around the room, avoiding mine as though she'd done something wrong or was embarrassed, that gave it away. Quirking a brow, I gestured for her to follow as I headed into the breakroom so I could wash my hands again, "What brings you 'round these parts? Didn't take you for someone who visits the shelter." 

"Well, I...I wanted to talk to you..." She murmured, glancing away as I looked over again, "What about?" 

Her lips pursed and she finally met my gaze, frowning, "I read that book you lent me and did some research on the stories Jacob told me yesterday...I know you know about them, too." 

I hummed and turned off the faucet, drying my hands, "Find anything interesting?" 

"Yeah, I did...your book talked about the creatures in those stories, too...demons and werewolves...vampires." I turned back to Bella as she spoke, watching her eyes cloud in thought, still processing everything. Hanging the hand towel on the edge of the sink, I crossed my arms and leaned back into the counter, "It described the creatures in the legend to a T...men shapeshifting into wolves to fight their enemy...the cold ones, vampires. It matches everything I've noticed about Edward..." 

"Such as?" I asked, motioning for Bella to take a seat at a small square table against the wall while I grabbed us something to drink from the fridge and sat down across from her. She exhaled slowly, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face as she gathered her thoughts, eyes watching her fingers as she squeezed the soda can in her hands. 

"The speed and strength he used the day of the accident...what you both did..." she peered up at me from under her eyelashes, eyeing me critically, "The way his eyes change color, darkening from gold to black, that inhuman beauty of his...cold skin. Not to mention the fact that he and his family never eat and that natural grace they seem to have, the way he talks, it's so out of place. He talks more like a man at the turn-of-the-century than a modern-day teenager..." she frowned, dropping her gaze back to her hands, "The way he skipped that blood typing lab and avoided the beach trip yesterday...and how he always seems to know what someone else is thinking..." 

"Soooo, what? You think you have an answer to your questions now?" I sipped my soda and leaned back in my chair, waiting for her answer. She sighed, nodding slowly, "I-I think so...I think I understand what the Cullens are now. Vampires..." Her voice lowered to a near whisper, as though this was a cherished secret no one else was allowed to hear. Her eyes lifted back to mine, as though searching for a confirmation of her theory; I could only offer a smile in return, inclining my head in a slight nod that made her eyes widen. 

"There's a whole other world out there you have yet to discover, Bella." I told her in a soft voice, letting her know it was going to be okay while I watched her eyes for the fear that most normal humans would be showing. It wasn't there, of course...it never was. I'd talked extensively about the supernatural with her as kids and there was never a trace of fear in my stepsister's eyes, not even when I'd posed the 'hypothetical' question of how life would be if the supernatural existed. Other kids would shy away from the question or laugh it off and say it was impossible before changing the subject. Bella had always been different, though...she'd always just shrug and say how interesting it would be if supernaturals were around. I'd come close to telling her the truth so many times whenever she'd say that...but I hadn't thought it of any real importance to let her in on it until now. 

"Another world, huh?" Bella took a slow sip of soda, watching me, "It's your world, too, isn't it?" I smiled, bemused by her observation, "Mine, mama, Geo, and Henry's." I hummed, "Any ideas on what you think we are yet, Bells?" 

Bella flushed pink and pursed her lips, dropping her gaze; I shake my head and chuckled, knowing figuring out what Edward is took precedent over everything else at the moment, "Don't worry about it, Bella, it's not important right now -" 

"No, no it is important, you guys are my family." She rebuffed, shaking her head, "I'll figure it out...I know you're something I already read about..." She narrowed her eyes as she lifted her head again, looking me up and down carefully, as though searching for any signs she could connect to what she'd read. I chuckled to myself again, impressed by her determination. 

"Well, maybe I could help this process along. Just...don't freak out, okay?" I set my soda aside to pull my necklace out from under my shirt. She frowned at the charm, confused, before looking up at my face, searching for answers. I smiled, reassuring, and held the charm tight in my fingers as I whispered the deactivation phrase; the magic receded, following the curve of my spine as I sat up straighter, watching Bella's expression. Her eyes widened at the inhuman appendages that seemed to spring out of thin air, her mouth falling open as she stared at the thick, black/brown tail curled around my waist before she peered up at the triangle shaped ears inclining toward her from the crown of my head. 

"T-those are..." She trailed off, pointing wordlessly at my ears, then my tail, "A-and that's a-a -" 

I couldn't help but chuckle, the tip of my tail flicking, "Yeah, it's a tail, Bells, most animals have 'em." 

"I-I..." She struggled to find the words, still trying to absorb all this as she stared between my face, ears, and tail, "C-can I, I-I mean...um..." 

"Touch them?" I finished for her, scooting my chair closer to her, "Sure, go ahead. Just don't tug on 'em, huh?" I uncurled my tail and held it in one hand to allow her to run a cautious hand over the thick, smooth fur. She exhaled, slowly, as though she'd been holding her breath, expression morphing into one of fascination, "Wow, it's so...soft." 

"Yeah, well, even if no one can see it, I like to keep my tail brushed, it just looks better. Trust me, you don't want to see this thing messy." I said jokingly; Bella's lips quirked a little in amusement before she glanced up at my ears again, unsure. They twitched toward every noise, listening to the dogs still barking outside and the persistent buss of the lights overhead; the boiler in the next room rattled and whistled, while the heater was just wheezing to life again; the wind from outside was playing with the cage doors, the chain link squeaking and rattling as they swung back and forth lazily; water gathered at the end of the faucet, dripping loudly onto the metal of the sink. The legs of Bella's chair scraped against the old tile floor and my ears turned toward her while I smiled encouragingly, "Go on, Bells, I don't bite. Not unless you piss me off." 

Smiling weakly, Bella took a deep breath and sat forward, carefully taking my ears between her thumbs and forefingers. She squeezed them carefully, pressing her thumbs into the inside of each and rubbing slowly, like she was messaging them. 

"Wow, they are real..." She breathed in disbelief, slowly releasing my ears to sit back, "There was something about this...you're a-a demon, aren't you? One of those creatures from Japanese folklore that looks like a human but has animalistic characteristics?" 

"Well, you're half right." I sat back to take a sip of soda while Bella furrowed her eyebrows, "I am a demon, Bells, just not...a full one. I'm a half demon vampire; half demon, half vampire." 

Her eyebrows rose, "So that's why you don't look like that illustration in your book...full demons don't have -?" 

"Ears like these? No, they don't. Their ears are on the sides of their heads, like humans. If you've ever wondered why my mom's ears look kinda pointy, that's why." 

"Elizabeth is a full demon...and that would make Geoffrey and Henry half demons, wouldn't it? Half demon, half human?" I nodded, "But...wait, that would mean your birth father -" 

"Was a vampire, yeah." 

Bella's furrow deepened, "Dawn...what happened to your father?" 

I paused at the question, having not been expecting it as I peered at Bella thoughtfully; out of anything she could have asked, this was not one I'd been prepared for. I smiled faintly, shaking my head. 

"Honestly, I don't really know..." I sighed, running my claws through my hair, "Mama likely does, but, well, she's never liked to talk about it..." I finished my soda and got up, tossing the empty can in the recycle bin while Bella's expression tightened, eyes stormy, "She never told you what happened to your father? But you deserve to know...I mean, he's your dad..." 

"If something happened to the man you loved and you had a kid, would you really want to scar them?" 

Bella's expression softened a little in understanding, though her eyes were still stormy, "But you're not a child anymore, Dawn, you're an adult, and you should know the truth...don't you want to know where he is, what happened to him so many years ago?" 

"More than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life..." I whispered, my voice wavering as I turned away, taking a moment to gather myself; I'd never tried to dwell on what had happened in the past or the what-ifs when it came to my birth father, but...even if I didn't remember him, there was still a part of me that wanted to know what truly happened to him, wanted to know why he wasn't a part of my life now. Don't get me wrong, I loved Charlie, he was a great father to my siblings and I, not to mention a wonderful husband to my mother, but...I still had questions. I wanted to know who my birth father was and the fate he could have suffered. Who or what could have torn him away from my mother and I? Didn't he want to be a part of our lives? A part of my life? 

I took a deep breath, composing myself, "But, the only one who knows what happened is mama and I really don't want to put her through the pain of having to relive something like that...it's hard for anyone to lose the one they love, but to lose a soul mate? For a demon, it's like losing a part of ourselves. We can't fall in love as easily after that, not like humans. It'd take a truly extraordinary person for us to give love another chance. Like Charlie." I gave Bella a weak smile, "And those are the lucky ones...the luckiest are the ones who find their soul mates and can live out the rest of their lives with them." 

Bella frowned, "Love means a lot to demons, huh?" 

"You have no idea." I shake my head, "It has a lasting effect and leaves scars that can still be felt years later...it's one reason why I never pushed mama to tell me anything about my father...he was her soul mate and he was ripped away from her...something like that doesn't go away easily...it can be healed with the right help but it never completely fades." 

Silence filled the room as Bella contemplated this while I listened to the dog barking outside, flicking an ear silently. After a couple of minutes, she turned back to me with her head cocked. 

"Your book talked about there being different kinds of demons...like different species of animals." I hummed in agreement, "Yeah, you'd be surprised at just how many different demons there are out there, especially since we know how to hide in plain sight." Bella nodded, "Hm, it's tough pinning down what exactly you, Elizabeth, and the twins are, though..." 

I couldn't help but laugh softly, feeling some of the tension dissipate as I shake my head, "Ah, that'll come to you with time, Bells, you just gotta pay attention to the clues. We have some characteristics similar to the animal we're named after." She blinked, pulling another chuckle from my throat, "I think it'd probably be best if I show you rather than try to explain. I gotta go check on the dogs, anyway, and make sure they're staying out of trouble. C'mon." I indicated for Bella to follow and headed out of the break room; she scrambled to catch up as I walked through the kennel and stepped out into the backyard. 

At our entrance, several dogs laying near the door got up and moved out of the way, giving us room; the rest of the dogs had turned, their ears perked with interest, those laying down shifting to their feet and scooting closer for a better look. Noses and ears twitched, curious about Bella's scent as they tried to determine if she was friendly or not. One or two were brave enough to come right up to her, their tails moving carefully side to side in a slow wag, although I was sure to stand close to my stepsister, letting them know she wasn't to be messed with; conscious of the warning, the dogs shuffled closer, still alert, but with no sigh of aggression as they sniffed Bella, who smiled quietly, bemused, and offered her hand. The dogs began to relax once they were convinced she wasn't a threat and most dispersed to return to what they'd been doing. One of them, an energetic, happy golden retriever named Lucky, one of my favorite among the bunch, drops into a playful stance, his front forearms bent so his upper half was close to the ground while his rump was in the air, his tail making wide, looping wags while his tongue lulled happily out of the side of his mouth. I chuckled. 

"Hey buddy, what're you doing?" I growled playfully, bending my knees to mimic his stance; Lucky wiggles excitedly and barks, "Oh, you wanna play, huh? Well then, I'm gonna get you!" I fake lunged toward him and he bolts away in a random direction, which makes me laugh uproariously as he streaked across the yard, "C'mon, Bells, I'll show you were we can sit and finish our talk while I watch these guys." 

Bella nods and follows me to a sheltered corner of the yard, where a picnic table had been set up for the employees to sit while they watched the dogs. I shooed a couple off the benches and table so we could sit down, chuckling as Lucky up to us again, bending down again while Bella took a seat. 

"Back for more, huh?" I smirked, shifting into another playful stance as Lucky's tail spun, like the blades of a helicopter. I wagged my tail in return, mimicking his excitement and chased him a few feet before retreating so he had to come running back. I chased him away a few more times before getting down on my hands and knees to tussle with him in the dirt; a few dogs ventured over to sniff Bella curiously while others had come to join in the play. I laughed as they took turns racing up to lick my face, sitting back as another reared up to put their front paws on my shoulders from behind; one dog came up with a dirty rope toy in her mouth, and bent down on her front legs, growling playfully. I grinned, shifting toward them as they danced on their toes. 

"OH, you wanna play with the rope now?" I chuckled, growling playfully back, "Gimme that!" I lunged forward again, grabbing one end of the toy; the dog, a female Dalmation named Patches, braced her legs, growling, and shook her head vigorously back and forth, trying to loosen my grip. I tightened my fingers and pulled back with another low, playful growl. 

The rest of the dogs gathered to watch the game as Patches and I play fought over the rope, their voices rising as they cheered us on; at one point, I decided to get a better grip and put the other end of the rope in my mouth, getting down on all fours. The other dogs' cheers rose up around us, their barks intermixing like a crowd in a stadium. 

"Ready to give up, Patch?" I growled around the rope, sensing she was starting to get tired; her grip was getting weaker, slowly but surely, and she was starting to stumble every time she tried to gain any kind of ground while I stood steady and fast. She growled from somewhere low in her belly, tugging hard on the rope without gaining an inch. 

"I don't give up that easily." Her voice was muffled against the toy, but was still clear enough for me to hear; another advantage of being a demon was the ability to understand and communicate with animals, especially dogs and wolves. I smirked. 

"Stubborn ol' girl." Patches huffed, shaking her head side to side, "Don't you go easy on me just because I'm old, pup." 

"Wouldn't dream of it." I snickered, tugging on the rope; Patches braced her front paws again, jerking back, hard. I immediately released my end of the toy, watching in amusement as she fell back on her rump with it hanging out of her mouth, blinking as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. I laughed as the dogs barked, climbing to my feet and wiping the drool from the corners of my mouth with the back of my hand, "But next time, don't underestimate me just because I'm young, all right?" 

"Looks like you had fun." Bella commented as I plopped down on the bench across from her, "You're like a big dog, you know that? Just a bit on the wilder side." 

I smirked at my stepsister over my shoulder, "Just what I am, Bells. You'll have to get used to it." 

"Yeah...I'm basically living with a pack of wolves now, so I guess I'll have to." Bella said offhandedly, heaving a sigh as I chuckled to myself, (Five...four...three...two...) I counted in my head, watching her eyes widen in realization as she turned back to me, "Wolves...?" 

"Ding ding ding." I laughed and nodded, "Yeah, we're wolves, just...not like werewolves or shapeshifters, though. We aren't entirely influenced by the phases of the moon, although we do have another form we can change into, we just usually don't go into our animal forms unless we really need to." I scratch one of my ears, "Though I've heard some don't even use them for combat and instead prefer their supernatural abilities." 

"Abilities?" Bella blinked. Smiling gently, I explained to her how demons were often born with an extra bit of power, "Take mine for example: I have control over water and, depending on what I need it for, I can use it as a weapon or to heal. Not to mention I can talk to animals." 

"Water abilities, huh?" Bella hummed, intrigued, "Wait a minute, that means...the morning of the accident -?!" I smiled sheepishly as her eyes stretched wider, "It was you! I knew rock salt couldn't have cleared that ice away so neatly!" I chuckle and nod, "Sorry for lying, Bells, but I couldn't exactly blurt out that I'd magically made the ice go away. Without context, you'd have thought I'd lost my mind." 

Bella hummed quietly in agreement, eyebrows knitting, "Wait, so you can heal people?" I nod, "Did you ever...use it on me?" I chuckle and nod again, "You never wondered why you had fewer hospital visits here than when you lived with your mom? If it was something minor and I could get away with it, I healed whatever cut or scrape you had, just as I did for Henry and Geoffrey. It came in handy." 

Nodding in understanding, Bella lapsed into a brief silence to absorb all this, her gaze fixed on a point out past the fence while I looked out over the yard, watching the dogs play; a few chased one another for fun or stole one of the few toys they had while others sought shelter under the overhang to escape the drizzle, either snoozing or watching the younger, more energetic dogs have fun. Leaning back, I spread my arms out along the length of the table, humming to myself before glancing over my shoulder, suddenly remembering the original topic. 

"Back to what we were talking about earlier." I crossed my legs, getting comfortable, "You know the Cullens are vampires now, so what's your next move? You still want to try to be with Edward?" 

Peering at her out of the corner of my eye, I watched Bella's face scrunch in concentration, a crease forming over the bridge of her nose where her eyebrows came together, which cast a shadow over her eyes, "Yeah, honestly, I do, I want to try things with him. I-I mean, I know I should be afraid...I shouldn't want to be with a-a vampire...but I do. I'm not scared of Edward or what he is, what his family is. In fact, I'm more scared of not being with him." She laughed, incredulous, "No, that's not it, it's more like...the thought of not being with him hurts more than the thought of what he could do to me..." She sighed, as though unsure if what she was saying was making much sense, "I mean, he can't be that bad if he risked his and the rest of his family's secret to protect me, right? In fact, I wouldn't be here right now if it hadn't been for him, or you, for that matter." She turned to me for confirmation, and I smiled in agreement and nodded, glad when this seemed to soothe some of the worry from her face, though she heaved another sigh. I shifted round to face her, reaching out to put a hand over hers. 

"Bella, I know this is all a lot to take in...finding out there's a whole other world out there you didn't know existed...finding out the tales you thought were myths are real...and I want you to know there is a real danger that comes with being with Edward. Blood's a main part of his diet and he's cuckoo crazy for yours', believe me." I shook my head when she gave me another wide-eyed look, "Don't ask...what I'm trying to say is, it's your choice whether you want to embrace the supernatural world, to be with him. Just follow your heart, okay? Let it be your guide." I took her hand and pressed it to her heart, "It'll never steer you wrong." 

Bella nodded slowly, searching my face while her fingers pressed into her chest, even as I pulled my hand away, her gaze thoughtful. I smiled, cocking my head, "So, what's your heart telling you, Bells?" 

Bella stared at me a moment longer before a smile tugged up the corners of her lips, her expression set. 

"I want to be with Edward."