Rosalie POV
I knew something was going on as soon as I got closer to the house. I could practically smell the tension. Alice and Emmett had Bella in Port Angeles. That left Jasper, Carlisle and Esme home. Something big had to be going on for it to be so tense at home. I could only think of one thing that would cause that kind of tension.
Edward.
I sniffed the air as I approached the house. Edward wasn't here. I could still smell him but it was weeks old. The voices stopped when I got to the door.
"Don't stop on my account," I said walking into my home.
Jasper appeared first. "Rose," he greeted.
My eyes narrowed. He was far too tense for my liking. "What's going on?" I demanded.
"Edward will be here in five minutes," Jasper answered right away. "Bella will be here in ten."
I closed my eyes. I knew Edward was coming today but I didn't expect so soon. I expected to be able to talk to Edward, to make sure it was safe for Bella to be here. I wouldn't even be able to talk to Bella beforehand and make sure she was okay.
"Does Bella know?" I asked. That was my only priority.
"Alice told her as soon as she found out," Jasper confirmed. "Alice says she will be scared although she will try to hide it. Edward isn't a danger to her," he added before I could ask. "Alice hasn't seen anything happening to Bella. Even if he did lose control Emmett and I will be there."
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. "I don't like this. I was hoping to at least talk to Bella before he showed up."
Sounds of tires on gravel caught my attention. I cocked my head to the side. Edward had arrived. I was at the door before anyone could react. I pulled the door open before Edward could do anything.
"Rosalie," he greeted cautiously. His eyes were back to gold. There was no trace of the red associated with human blood.
"Edward," I said crossing my arms over my chest.
Jasper put a hand on my shoulder. "He's fine. I feel nothing but remorse and fear from him."
"Rosalie, I cannot begin to express how sorry I am," Edward began. "Not only for attacking Bella but for trying to pursue her."
"You didn't know Edward. I've never been angry at you for being interested in Bella," I said honestly. That hadn't even crossed my mind. I couldn't be angry with him. I didn't even know she was my mate at the time.
Edward nodded. "I know. I felt I should still apologize." He looked around the room. "Bella's not here."
"She will be here in a few minutes. She's with Alice and Emmett," I informed him. Not that I owed him an explanation.
"Does she know I'm here?" he asked, ignoring my mental comment.
"She does," I confirmed. "Alice told her."
A car pulled into the driveway. I could hear Bella's heartbeat and had no doubt Edward could as well. I looked for some sign of discomfort on his face. I saw nothing. He was the same Edward that was intrigued by the human whose mind he couldn't read.
I left the house to meet Bella. I wasn't concerned about Edward, at least not right now. I was at the passenger side door just as Bella started to open the door. She turned and jumped at the sight of me.
"Rosalie," she exclaimed. I listened to her heartbeat slowly return to normal. She got out of the car and threw her arms around my neck.
"Hello love," I greeted breathing in her scent.
Bella pulled away. "Is he here?" she whispered.
"He's inside," I said. I won't lie to her. Even in an attempt to protect her.
"How is he?" Bella questioned.
"He's Edward. He seems to be back to normal. He wants to talk to you," I added. She stiffened in my arms. "He's not a danger to you."
"Okay," she decided.
I held her hand as I led her inside the house. Emmett and Alice were right behind us, both carrying the bags from their shopping trip. "Bella got some clothes," Alice told me. "She even let me pay."
I was surprised to hear she accepted our money. Alice was a little too good at persuading people. She must have learned it from Jasper.
The atmosphere immediately changed. Bella was tense again. I gently rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb.
Edward stayed out of sight at first. I wasn't sure what he was waiting for. It better not be him trying to make some dramatic, grand entrance. Edward chuckled. "I'm not being dramatic," he promised. "I'm waiting for her to be more comfortable."
"That might not happen," I warned. "It may be best to get it over with."
Edward stepped around the corner. Bella tightened her grip on my hand. I was worried she was going to break her hand in the process. "Hello Bella," he said softly.
"Edward," she choked out.
Jasper approached us. He walked over to Bella and put his hand on her shoulder. I could feel her starting to relax. "Thanks Jasper," I told him.
"Bella," Edward said once she started calming down. "Perhaps we should sit."
I led Bella over to the couch. We waited while Jasper worked his magic. "I'm okay," Bella said. I knew she was lying. She was trying too hard to be okay but she couldn't hide it from me.
"Bella, I just wanted to say how sorry I am for everything I've done to you," Edward said. "I never meant to put you in harm's way. That night in Port Angeles, I followed you to make sure you were safe. I attacked those men," his lip curled in disgust, "I didn't think. I'm sorry."
Bella nodded. "I'm not mad at you Edward," Bella said finally. "You're a vampire. You did what vampires do. But—"
"You're afraid of me," Edward finished.
"I thought you can't read my mind," Bella said nervously.
Edward laughed. I could see why Bella thought he was reading her mind. She was rather predictable at least to me. "We knew you would be scared of him," I said gently. "We didn't need Jasper's gift for that."
"It's okay to be scared," Jasper added. "That's what makes you human."
"Bella," Edward said. "I don't expect you to forgive me or even feel comfortable around me. But I hope in time we can be friends."
This was one of those times where I wished I had Jasper's gift. It was so hard not knowing what she was feeling in this moment. I wasn't sure if Bella was okay, or if I should end this and take her home.
"She's fine," Jasper told me. "Now that I stabilized her emotions, they are holding steady. As long as you stay close to her she will be fine."
"I'm not going anywhere," I said tightening my grip on Bella.
Edward nodded. He understood he wasn't to be around Bella unless I was there. Although I would be fine if it were Jasper, Emmett or Alice in my place.
"What's going on?" Bella asked looking back and forth between the three of us.
I had forgotten how perceptive she was. She always knew we were talking, even if she couldn't hear us. "Jasper was saying your emotions are more stable now. That you're getting more comfortable around Edward, but I need to stay close to you."
Edward raised an eyebrow at me. "You told her?" He seemed surprised.
"I don't keep secrets from her Edward," I told him. "She knows everything."
"Even the mating bond?" he wanted to know.
I nodded. "Even the mating bond," I confirmed. "If you ever want to be with someone Edward, human or vampire, you can't lie to protect them. In the end it just hurts them."
Edward looked thoughtful. He wasn't going to change overnight. We both knew that. But maybe someday he would realize what I said was true. He stared at me, listening to my thoughts. "Sorry," he said. "I'm trying not to listen as much."
"Jazz," Alice said getting Jasper's attention. "Bella has a project on the Civil War. She could use your help with it."
I wasn't sure what Alice was trying to accomplish. Now really wasn't the time for homework. But I could feel Bella relax in my arms. It was something normal for her to focus on.
"Civil War," Jasper repeated. He smiled. "I can do that."
Jasper ran off to his room and returned with a dozen books in his hand. Bella stared at the mountain of books. It was hard to tell if she was surprised by the number of books he was holding, or how fast he had gotten them.
Bella pulled herself away from me to go sit at the table with Jasper. "What is your assignment on?"
"We have to write letters to soldiers, as if we lived in that time," Bella answered. "We can be a family member, friend or spouse."
"Give me a second," Jasper said before disappearing upstairs again. A second later he reappeared with letters in his hand. "Read these. It may help you come up with some ideas."
"What are these?" Bella asked.
"Letters from my family when I was in the Civil War," Jasper replied.
"She looks happy," Edward noted. "That's good. She seems close to Jasper."
"Jasper's a good support for her," I told him. "All it took was trusting him." I stared at him, wondering if he understood what I was telling him.
"I get it," he said. "I shouldn't have pushed him away. I pushed all of you away."
"Just because you can read minds doesn't mean you know everything," I told him.
He watched Bella and Jasper work on an outline for the letters Bella would be writing. "Do you plan on turning her?"
I raised an eyebrow at Edward. "Does it matter?" I countered.
"It doesn't," he said. "I was merely curious. When I thought there was a chance of the two of us being together, the thought of changing her was utterly horrifying."
"I don't want her to turn," I admitted. Jasper looked up but didn't comment. "I don't want to take away her chance to have a family. But the thought of not being with her forever… I don't know which is worse."
"I get it," Edward said.
I watched Jasper and Bella work together on Bella's homework. "She's good for him," Alice told me. "The more time they spend together… the more human he feels. He forgets about his fear of hurting her."
I was content to watch them work. Bella's face lit up every time Jasper gave her a compliment on her work. Normally, I would be jealous that Jasper was making her smile. But Bella was happy and that was really all I cared about.
Esme came out with a tray of snacks. She sat it at the table by Bella. "Thanks Esme," she said with a smile.
I had no idea what Esme brought Bella but it smelled revolting. A small part of my mind was concerned Esme had poisoned her unintentionally. But Bella happily munched whatever it was, with no sign of distress.
I glanced at Edward. He was shaking his head and laughing. No doubt hearing my thoughts of Esme poisoning Bella. "I wasn't serious," I told him.
Edward laughed. "I know. It was still amusing."
"She'll be okay with you," I told him when it got quiet. "She's scared now but she's still getting used to vampires. Once she gets settled, she'll be more comfortable around you."
"You're okay with that? With us being friends?" Edward questioned.
"I'm not her mother. I'm not even her girlfriend. I can't stop her from being your friend," I said. I leaned back in my seat. "As long as you're not trying to steal my mate, there's no reason you two can't be friends."
"I won't he promised." He stood. "I'm going to go hunt. Thank you Rose. I appreciate you giving me another chance." I didn't say anything as he walked out of the room.