29. Bold and Beautiful

BPOV

"Okay, we need to be proactive here to accomplish our goal of peace and unity. We need to make friends with Jared, Kim, Leah, and Seth. We need to get them on our side before it's too late. If we wait, they will be brainwashed by the whole enemy propaganda, and it will be that much harder for them to form an unbiased opinion on the matter. Once we have them on our side, Jacob's sister can manage Paul, and that just leaves Sam. I was thinking about how we might reach him, to show him how the Cullens are different from the monsters in the legends, how they are people who care about others. I know the way to Sam's heart is through Emily, because she is his imprint, and he would do anything for her."

"Wait a minute," Jacob interrupted. "Emily is Sam's imprint? I thought you said imprinting was a good thing. Look at all the pain it has caused to Leah, Sam, and Emily. How can you say it's good?"

"It is good in that you find your true soul mate. Leah and Sam loved one another, but they didn't belong together. Their relationship would have eventually failed for one reason or another. At least they found out before they got married. However, ideally, you wouldn't get involved in a serious relationship, knowing you will one day imprint. You would know you would one day leave whoever you were with to be with the one you love, so you wouldn't put yourself into a position to cause the kind of heartbreak Leah has had to suffer. Sam unfortunately made commitments to Leah before he became a werewolf. This is the warning to the rest of you. Date if you want, but don't make any promises to any girl, because your heart is not your own to give. It already belongs to somebody you simply haven't found yet."

"Well, that kind of sucks, don't you think? That we have no say so in whom we love?" Jacob griped.

"Honestly, Jake, it's that way for everyone. They just don't realize it. Regular humans can't command their hearts to love or not to love any more than you can. Unfortunately, because they don't have something as obvious as an imprint to guide them, so many of them make foolish mistakes in relationships and end up divorced. They lose their happy ever after because they don't recognize when they've found it and when they haven't."

Everyone nodded, murmuring quietly in agreement with my sentiments. Several of the people around the table were looking at me with new found respect. Sheesh. I may not be a vampire, but I am pretty smart for a human, if I do say so myself. Not that I'd admit that out loud, because I wouldn't want to boast, but my IQ was definitely up at the high end of the range.

"Back to Sam and Emily," I reminded everyone. They looked at me expectantly. "Because Emily is Sam's imprint, he would move heaven and earth for her. His whole universe revolves around her. So the easiest way to win him is to win her. Besides, I wanted to do something nice for her. She didn't choose this life, but she is trying to make the best of it. I know she is self-conscious about her scars, and they are a constant reminder to Sam of how he hurt her."

"Sam did that to her?" Quil burst out in outrage. "How dare he, the bastard?"

"It was an accident," Edward soothed. "He never meant to hurt her. He got angry, lost control, and phased into his wolf form while he was standing too close to her. He accidentally gashed her with his claws during the process of changing."

"That's terrible!" Jacob gasped. The three of them appeared lost in thought, disturbed looks on their faces, as they finally began to comprehend the fate in store for them, and the dangers their friends and families would face if they didn't learn how to control themselves properly.

"Carlisle, couldn't you do plastic surgery on Emily and make those scars all but invisible? I feel certain you could do whatever reconstructive surgery might be necessary to restore her looks to her as much as possible. If anyone can, you can," I suggested. I had complete faith in Carlisle. He appeared touched by my belief in him and his abilities. Everyone at the table stared at me in approval and amazement for my ingenious plan. I didn't know why nobody else had thought of it.

"Yes, of course," Carlisle replied thoughtfully. "I'd have to take a look at the actual injury before I could say for sure what needed to be done, but a good picture should be enough for an initial evaluation."

Jake, Quil, and Embry looked excitedly at him, with their eyes full of hope. Knowing now that it wasn't her fault in any way that Sam broke things off with Leah, they wanted to do something nice and helpful for the sweet, pretty young girl. They wanted to make amends for the way the tribe had been treating her as well.

"I'll take a picture and bring it to you as soon as possible," Jacob volunteered.

"Any other ideas, Bella?" Carlisle asked me respectfully. It thrilled me to hear him use that tone with me. It was nice to be appreciated.

"Not right now, no," I confessed, wishing I had a few more tricks up my sleeve.

"You know, Bella," Jasper mused thoughtfully. "You're one smart cookie. The Confederacy could have used someone with your strategizing abilities on our side. It might have turned the tide of the war in our favor." He paused, stroking his chin with a frown. "Though that might not have been a good thing. Perhaps I'll write a series of alternate history novels portraying the likely outcomes of civilization if the South had won the war. Hmmm."

I realized he was lost in thought, making mental outlines for his new pet project, so I tuned him out and focused back on the rest of the family.

"Great! Now that we're all family, let's go get my car, so Rosalie and I can get started working on it," Jacob recommended enthusiastically.

Rose's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Sounds good to me," she agreed, looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding the car essentially from scratch. "I'll go get everything set up and ready in the garage."

Jacob and I headed back to La Push in the SUV, while Quil and Embry stayed to play video games with Emmett and Jasper. Carlisle and Esme cleaned up the dining room, putting away all the excess food. The boys assured Esme they would be glad to polish off the leftovers in a couple of hours. Edward and Alice went outside so Alice could try to search the future beyond the wolves' sphere of influence.

On the way to Jacob's house, another idea struck me.

"Hey, Jacob, how about you introduce me to Seth and Leah, and Kim today. While we're at it, maybe you could track down Jared and we could take him and Seth back to the house to hang with all of you guys. I'm supposed to meet Angela this afternoon, to spend some time getting to know her. Kim and Leah can come with me and we can make it a girls' day out. What do you think?"

"Sure, sure, Bells," Jacob muttered absentmindedly. He used my cell phone to call and invite the four of them to join us. To my surprise, Leah and Seth showed up a few minutes later, while Jacob was busy attaching his car to the tow bar of the SUV. Jacob quickly made introductions before focusing all his attention back on his task. Seth meandered over to help, leaving me alone with Leah. I was nervous about how to approach her. I decided to just bite the bullet.

"Hey, Leah. I just arrived in town a week ago and wanted to make some new friends. What do you think about going on a little Girl's Day Out trip with me and a couple of other girls? At least it would be a good excuse to get off the rez for a few hours," I offered hopefully. She looked deep into my eyes judging the sincerity of my offer. Reading my genuine desire to be friends, she accepted with a shy smile. I could see the pain she was trying to hide, having lost her best friend, her intended husband, her beloved cousin, and her dreams for the future all at the same time.

Kim showed up shortly thereafter, and also accepted my offer with shy gratitude. Jared met Jacob at the garage. Jacob asked them if they wanted to hang with him, Quil and Embry at the Cullens' house. After the initial shock wore off, they hastily agreed. The girls were surprised at our initial destination, and Leah was concerned for Seth at first, but after receiving reassurance from Jacob, she let it go.

"If anything bad happens to him there, I'll have your head on a platter, Jacob Black," She threatened. Jacob scoffed, unintimidated.

We all piled back into the SUV and made the journey to the Cullens' house in relative silence.

Once we arrived, after all the introductions, I pulled Rosalie aside and explained Leah's situation to her. I asked her to share her own story with Leah, of being betrayed by the man she expected to marry only a week before the wedding. Leah hadn't been raped by her ex-fiancé, but the feelings of hurt and betrayal of losing one's hopes and dreams for the future in the face of utter rejection by the one you had chosen to spend the rest of your life with, were similar. I felt like the two of them could relate to one another, and pain shared results in a slight easing of the burden we all carry around with us. I thought maybe they could help each other come to terms with the feelings of loss, betrayal, hate, anger, distrust, guilt, shame and self-loathing that were a natural result of this type of hurt by someone they trusted. Maybe they could even become friends.

Rosalie agreed and pulled Leah aside, taking her for a walk down by the river. Seth gravitated to Edward and engaged him in conversation. Jacob and Jared took the car over to the garage and got it situated so it would be ready for a major overhaul. Alice made off with Kim, excited to have a new Barbie available for a makeover. She spouted fashion and makeup tips the whole way to the stairs, dragging a bewildered Kim behind her.

I took a deep breath and used the opportunity to call Angela to make sure she was okay with two girls from La Push joining us for the afternoon. She was totally fine with the idea. In fact, she was excited by the opportunity to make some new friends.

I had a sudden premonition, or perhaps intuition would be more accurate, and realized there was a good chance Alice would desire to come also. So I quietly asked Angela if she would be comfortable with Alice joining us. She quickly agreed. She admitted Alice seemed really nice and in a group setting away from school, she didn't expect to be intimidated at all. I confessed that Alice could be a bit intimidating and occasionally overwhelming, particularly when shopping was involved, but Angela was determined. She then confessed that Rosalie and Emmett were the ones she found most intimidating, which was why she didn't want to sit at the Cullen table during lunch. I laughed and agreed that they could be rather intimidating, but admitted both were real softies on the inside, calling Emmett a big teddy bear. She giggled at the idea.

I hung up and went back inside, followed by Leah and Rosalie. Rose called Emmett over, and he came right away. He gave her a scorching kiss and a grin before going back to the guys and the games. Rose whispered something to Leah and gave her a gentle hug of encouragement. Jacob and Jared came in, looking for Rose, eager to get started on the project.

Alice and Kim chose that moment to make their entrance.

"Wow, Kim, you look gorgeous," I pointed out, helping draw the attention of the room to her. All the Quileute boys' jaws dropped as they stared at the vision of Kim, especially Jared's.

"Kim?" Jared asked in surprised disbelief, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. Quil let out a wolf whistle and Embry punched his arm, reminding him to mind his manners.

"Looking good, Kim," Jacob complimented her. Alice danced over to Leah and smiled winningly.

"Your turn!" Alice sang, holding out her hand. Leah looked over at Kim, then back to Alice. She took a deep breath, snuck one more quick glance at Kim, nodded nervously, and took Alice's hand. Alice quickly dragged her upstairs before she could regain her sanity and change her mind.

"Thanks, Rose," I murmured under my breath, knowing she would hear me. "I think you've really helped her." She smiled at me with genuine pleasure, which warmed my heart.

"C'mon, guys," Rose commanded Jacob and Jared. "Time to get to work. Enough lazing around. If you want Esme to keep feeding you like she has been, then you need to earn your keep."

"Feeding?" Jared asked, looking at Jacob. Jacob grabbed his belly and dramatically moaned in pleasure. He licked his chops and grinned.

"It's pure heaven! That woman is a sheer genius in the kitchen. Best food I've ever tasted," he

professed.

"Really?" Jared asked skeptically, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Heck, yeah!" Embry shouted form his position of the couch. "I begged for her to run away with me, but the poor woman is completely devoted to Carlisle, so she had to turn down my offer." Everybody started laughing.

"Do I hear my name being used in vain?" Carlisle inquired mischievously, escorting Esme into the room.

"Oh, look, honey!" Esme enthused. "We have new guests! Somebody please introduce us."

I took it upon myself to introduce Seth, Kim, and Jared, letting them know Leah was upstairs with

Alice. Carlisle and Esme cheerfully welcomed them, encouraging them to make themselves at home. Esme offered them food, but they preferred to wait a bit.

"These are the scary Cullens our parents have threatened us with when we refuse to obey? These are the emotionless, soulless, bloodthirsty monsters who will eat us alive if we look at them funny? These are the evil masterminds bent on the senseless destruction of the tribe and all life as we know it?" Jared whispered to Jacob, not realizing all the vampires could hear him, even Alice upstairs.

"Yep!" Jacob replied with a laugh.

"I think the elders must have been smoking something when they came up with that nonsense. I'm about as afraid of Esme as I am my own grandma, and the way Carlisle acts, it feels like he ought to be nominated for sainthood or something," Jared mumbled.

"I know," Jacob chuckled. "There are evil vampires like the ones in the legends, but the Cullens are on the same side we are. They help protect humans from the murdering kind, just like we do. There's no reason we can't be friends with them, or even one big happy family."

"Cool!" Jared agreed. They followed Rosalie out to the garage, missing Leah's grand entrance. Carlisle and Esme went back up to his study.

Leah walked gracefully down the stairs, brimming with confidence. She was beautiful, and she knew it. Alice followed along behind her.

"Absolutely gorgeous, Leah," I commented. "All the guys in Port Angeles are going to be drooling when they see the five of us strolling along."

Alice grasped her hands together, shrieking with excitement. "Oh thank you, Bella! Just give me a few seconds, and I'll be ready to go."

"Hey, Alice!" I called up the stairs after her, not bothering to raise my voice.

"Great idea, Bella. I'll take care of it," came the reply, floating down to me. I smiled. We were going to have so much fun.

Quil, Embry and Seth had gathered around Leah and were behaving foolishly to get her attention. I put my arm around Kim, seeing she felt a little left out.

"So, Kim, it seemed Jared was rather impressed with your new look," I smirked. She lit up like a light bulb and nodded shyly. "Don't worry, you'll get your share of attention at the mall, but it was pretty obvious to everyone that there was a special chemistry between you and Jared, and none of them want to intrude on it."

"Really? Are you sure?" she gasped in surprise. I nodded and grinned. She relaxed, filled with joy. Alice came racing back down the stairs, a small duffel bag on her arm.

"I'm ready!" She sang. I laughed, loving her exuberance.

"So, shall we go show all the guys in Port Angeles how hot the girls in Forks really are?" I asked the girls.

"Absolutely!" they agreed, congregating around me.

"We need to pick up Angela, and then we'll be ready to knock their socks off and give them something to dream about when they're all alone at night," I giggled.

"Heck, yeah!" Leah exclaimed happily. "Let's knock them dead."

"I don't think I like this plan, Bella," Edward grumbled. "They'd better keep their socks and everything else on their bodies where it belongs." We all started laughing.

"It's just a saying, Edward," I laughed. "Boy are you behind the times." He growled and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Yeah, now that's mature," Emmett teased. "Nice comeback, Bells."

Jasper came over and hugged Alice to him. "Maybe I should follow you guys and make sure the menfolk keep their paws to themselves, darlin'."

"Well, I for one, don't think they should go out at all, at least not without us to escort them safely,"

Edward protested.

"Some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world. I want to be the one to walk in the sun, oh, girls just want to have fun," I sang softly, smirking at Edward. The other girls joined me in the chorus, belting it out with their hands on their hips and grins on their faces.

"That's all they really want, is some fun. When the working day is done, oh, girls, girls just want to have fun. They just wanna, they just wanna. Girls, girls just wanna have fun."

The guys all watched us in amusement, shaking their heads at our antics. Carlisle and Esme came back down the stairs to say goodbye.

"Aren't I supposed to ask when you're going to live your life right?" Esme asked with amusement, giving us each a hug.

"I suppose I should be inquiring what you are going to do with your life?" Carlisle added, playing along. I laughed.

"That's right! Nice to know you have good taste in music!" I teased, giving Carlisle a warm hug. He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, that is one of the songs Alice tortured us with a few years ago," he murmured, winking at me.

"Hey! It's got a great beat for dancing!" Alice defended.

"Sure thing," Emmett shouted over the volume of the video game. "It made it onto Dance Dance

Revolution."

"Yeah, that's Emmett's criteria for good music," Jasper quipped. "It has to have been chosen for use in a video game."

"Darn tootin'" Emmett laughed. "Works for me."

Edward stood off to the side looking very cross with everyone and everything. I moved over to him, giving him another kiss.

"Don't worry, dear, you know you're still number one, but girls, they wanna have fun," I whispered against his lips. He chuckled.

"Just don't forget whose arms you're coming home to, my dear," he reminded me, giving me one last hug. I winked at him and headed for the front door.

"Let's get this show on the road, people," I shouted cheerfully. "Time's a wastin'."

We drove over to Angela's house and rang her doorbell. She opened the door happily, but then seemed overwhelmed to see us all crowded onto her front porch. I saw her take in everyone's looks and outfits and then look down at herself self-consciously.

"Can we come in for a few minutes, Angela?" I inquired eagerly. She nodded shyly, stepping back so we could pass by into her living room. I made the introductions, saving Alice for last. Angela looked at the duffel in Alice's hand in confusion.

"This little pixie is Alice. She's an unstoppable force of nature. She has given us all makeovers this morning, and is insisting on giving you one too before we head out. I would try to stop her, but I have learned over the past week that Alice always gets her way, so it's just easier to flow with the current rather than fight against it. We'll just make ourselves at home here in your living room until she's finished with you."

Angela looked at me in confused surprise. "Makeover?"

Alice grabbed her hand and dragged her down the hallway to her bedroom. "Why, yes! Don't mind if I do," Alice agreed as if Angela had been offering.

Ten minutes later, I heard Angela muttering 'wow' over and over again. I figured she was getting her first glimpse of herself in the mirror. After a minute or two, she walked back into the living room with a new level of confidence. She grinned cheekily at me.

"So what are we waiting for, girls?" she demanded eagerly. "Let's go turn some heads."

"Even more beautiful than usual, Angela," I complimented her.

"You look fabulous. We all do," Kim mentioned happily.

"Let's go have some fun," Leah giggled. "The boys in Port Angeles won't know what hit them."

Alice came out with the duffel repacked, a big grin on her face. "I can't wait to see their jaws drop when they see us coming!"

"Thanks, Alice," we all told her, happy to be looking and feeling bold and beautiful. We all piled in the SUV and took off down the highway, singing, laughing, and having a grand old time.

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