After ordering dessert, I find myself stiff from sitting during the meal, and want very much to get up and run from the table. Although I am overwhelmed by the kindness of Bella and Edward, I still don't like or appreciate the way that they're staring at me. Edward is looking at me like I'm his next meal or something, while Bella looks at me in confusion when she thinks I'm not making eye contact with her. After dessert comes and I've eaten it, I fail to beat Edward to the check, and he goes to the front counter to pay the bill, while I'm left alone with Bella.

"How's your dad doing?" she asks me casually.

I shrug. "He works a lot..."

She smiles. "Yeah, I remember that. Charlie and I would only really have time to have dinner—he'd go fishing on the weekends..."

"I think my dad likes fishing," I remark quietly.

"He does," Bella assures me. "He and my dad have become closer since Harry Clearwater's death a few years back."

"Heart attack?" I ask, attempting to remember correctly.

Bella nods. "Yeah. Charlie married Sue a few years later—Leah and Seth, as you may have guessed, are Harry's kids."

I'm not stupid, I think to myself. "Yeah, I figured that out." I gently move my spoon around the chocolate sauce left on my dessert plate. "How's work at the hospital?"

"Carlisle has too many patients and so little time, it seems," Bella replies. "But that's what happens when you're the head doctor of a small town."

I feel my toes curling in my sneakers as Edward approaches, immense relief flooding through me when he says that we all should be heading back. I practically run for the door and find it shocking that they can keep up with me, but remind myself that, due to their behavior in the meadow, I shouldn't be surprised. They walk me to my car, and I feel relief that my purchases are still in the back seat.

"Clothes?" Edward guesses, nodding to the bags.

I shake my head. "No. Just some books and..." I find my cheeks heat at my embarrassment of my collection. "A Russian nesting doll."

"Those antiques where they get smaller and smaller?" Bella asks.

I nod. "Yeah. I've been collecting them since I was a little girl. One of the only good things about my childhood, so it would seem," I say softly, immediately cursing myself for almost giving away my darkest secret.

"What was so bad about your childhood?" Edward asks.

Immediately, I turn his way and smile at him. "Nothing I couldn't handle," I reply, looking down at my watch. "Damn. I'll be late if I don't leave now..."

Bella nods immediately, like she understands. "Go on. It's cool."

I smile at them. "Thanks," I reply. "And thanks for dinner—that was really generous of you guys. I mean, you didn't have to do that..."

Edward smiles. "It's all right. We wanted to."

"And I really appreciate it," I reply, putting up my hand and waving to them as I get into my father's car and head back onto the highway. Once I get out of town, I allow myself to breathe again; once I get out of the city limits, however, is when the questions immediately dart through my mind.

They seemed so protective of me... Why? I was merely a blip on the screen when it came to the whole world's population. What could I matter? Edward and Bella Cullen were beyond extraordinary, while I, of course, was merely ordinary...

. . .

Richard and I went out for a hunt that evening, taking down a herd of deer and, upon our return, found Rosalie and Emmett putting the twins to bed. After Rosalie kissed the pair of them goodnight, she squeezed my hand as they trooped out together, giving the two of us the opportunity to gaze upon my brothers. They seemed calm, and I knew that fact was none other than Jasper's handiwork, which I was not against. I leaned down and kissed them both myself, and both infants gripped tightly to Richard's fingers and I wondered, in that moment, how good of a father he'd prove to be.

We left the twins alone, turning off one of the lights so as they were in the semi-darkness, taking one of the baby monitors with us, while Rosalie and Emmett had the other one in their bedroom. I went into Sarah's bedroom, Richard behind me, and we read her a few stories before putting her to bed, knowing that her homework for the summer program she was involved in having been done on the car ride home. We two kiss her goodnight and leave the room then, knowing that Rosalie had already come in there herself. I knew how fond Rosalie was of young children, and it had significantly warmed her to me since bringing Sarah and the twins into the house; however, I knew that she still preferred our new member Katherine's company.

Richard and I head into our bedroom then, keeping the light on and lying back in my large bed—he hardly ever went into his bedroom anymore. Although he and I hadn't done anything at all, he still enjoyed the closeness that one could feel by merely lying together in my bed. As we lay there, he proceeded to play with my hair, and I found that I enjoyed it very much, due to the simplicity of it. I enjoyed physical contact, for the most part, and had allowed myself to melt down the walls formed by Andy, doing what he had done to me, all those times over the years.

"What do you think of Aspen?" Richard asked me quietly.

I shrug. "Lots of snow and big houses," I reply.

He chuckles. "I inherited a house there..."

I raise an eyebrow. "Inherited?"

"Okay, bought," he says, leaning over and kissing my forehead.

I am shocked. "How could you afford it?"

"Family fortune," he replies easily. "Katherine and I returned to the house of our families once word got out that they died. Since neither of their wills had been updated, we simply took what was ours."

I shrug. "I know some women would be mad at what you did, but I'm not. There are some things in my father's house that I want..."

"Just your father's?"

I nod. "Yes. I took everything I wanted from my mother's house when I left."

"What's there that you want?"

"Books, mostly," I confess. "And a collection I kept."

"You collected?"

"One thing," I reply, "although I did have many rocks in my bedroom..."

"What did you collect?"

"Russian nesting dolls," I reply, still a little embarrassed.

Richard smiles. "Well, there is nothing ordinary about you, Beth," he says. "Anyhow, I was wondering if you wanted to take a trip with me."

"To Aspen?"

"Yes," he replies. "We could invite Alex and Katherine, if you like, or Edward and Bella, or Emmett and Rosalie..."

"Or all of them," I say. "And Alice and Jasper and Carlisle and Esme..."

"Of course, there is the obstacle of the children," Richard says.

I purse my lips. "Maybe Rosalie and Emmett could..."

There is a sound in the hallway of steps as nimble as a dancer as my bedroom door opens and Rosalie stands there. "Emmett and I would love to watch the children while you go away for a few days," she says before leaving us alone.

I feel my phone buzz then, and Alice and Jasper agree to stay behind to hang out with the kids as well. Tapping my finger to the side of my phone, Carlisle writes to tell me that Esme has an appointment in Port Townsend to discuss the architecture of a Victorian house, and he's booked solid at the hospital, so they wouldn't be able to come either. Then, a text from Bella comes, telling me that Jacob and Renesmee are going out of town for their first-ever anniversary, so they'd love to come.

"The house is designed in wings," Richard tells me. "Bella and Edward could have the luxurious guest wing on the other side of the house."

"How big we talking?" I ask, rolling over so as I am lying on top of him. "You know as well as I do that vampires have excellent hearing."

Richard chuckles. "Three acres, give or take," he replies. "It also has an outdoor pool, an indoor sauna and hot tub, a library, a study, a formal dining room... Anything you could imagine, it has."

"A home theater?" I ask, knowing I could be grasping at straws.

"I installed one about fifteen years ago," Richard replies. "Katherine and I use it as another house every generation or so. If we alter our appearance enough, we can pass for relatives of the original owner."

"Meaning you?" I ask him.

"Meaning me."

"And, tell me, what kind of hunting grounds are we talking about?"

"The mountains nearby offer bighorn sheep, and the Aspen Forest offers bobcat, lynx, mountain lion, black bear, and sometimes you can find wild bison..."

"Bison?" I whisper, remembering the abnormally large, furry animal that had haunted more than one nightmare I'd had as a child. "And they're...?"

"Sweet," Richard replies. "Like candy."

My phone buzzes again and, upon looking at it, I see it is a text from Edward. I find myself chuckling when the words, 'We're in' light up my screen.

. . .

Richard's inherited house in Aspen was something straight out of one of those Hallmark Channel original Christmas movies where a small-town girl gets the opportunity of a lifetime to meet and fall in love with a rich guy. Totally drool worthy Richard was, yet I found myself merely widening my eyes in shock—vampires, except for Emmett, weren't really ones for theatrics. At that thought, I see Edward laugh at me, and I know that I should work on building up my shield again. Shooting him a look, he quickly wipes the smile from his face and turns to see something that Bella is indicating.

Richard showed Edward and Bella their guest suite on the other side of the house, and I smiled at Bella's knowing look as Edward asked a question about the architecture. Bella pulled me into the hallway, and called out to Richard that we were checking out the library, which was a perfectly conceivable explanation. She pulled the doors shut as we went into the attic library; if we barely spoke above a whisper, I knew full well that—due to the thick walls—Richard and Edward wouldn't be able to hear us. She fixed me with a look, my vampire sister, and took my hands in hers.

"Do you and Richard intend to...?"

"Nothing's been said," I reply. "I know that Edward wouldn't with you until you two were married, but..."

Bella waves that away. "It was more than that—I wanted to make love while I was still human, but he refused, and that's how marriage got put onto the table. That, and I wanted to be immortal like him. I had a choice, and Rosalie..."

"Thought you were choosing wrong?" I guessed.

She nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. But when she heard about the baby—we weren't able to know the gender—she promised to protect me and did, with Emmett and Esme's support on the situation. Emmett agreed because he won't go against Rosalie; Esme agreed because she killed herself after she lost her son."

"That is unfortunate," I say softly.

"Regardless, I want you to be careful. Hey, no need for birth control, right?" she asks, and we find ourselves laughing, knowing that is something Emmett would ask.

I shrug. "Seems like a moot point if you ask me..."

"Regardless, I know what it's like to lose someone," she replies. "You heard that, on my last birthday as a human, that Jasper tried to kill me?"

I nod. "Yes, Alice mentioned it during my training with Jasper. I think she was making sure that I wouldn't go near humans as potential boyfriend material..."

Bella laughs softly. "Well, Edward left soon afterwards—I spent several months just barely surviving, not even living properly. He said he did it to protect me, and I respect that, but I would give anything to obliterate those memories entirely."

"Carlisle once said that human memories have the potential to fade," I say, not knowing if I should believe my creator or not.

Bella shrugs. "Time is a funny thing—never-ending for us now, due to our immortality. All I know is that I still remember my human life, because it was not so long ago. Perhaps the Volturi don't remember theirs, but they've been around far longer."

"Edward says that Aro likes to collect vampires," I say.

Bella nods. "Yes—he's wanted Edward and Alice for quite a long time, and has referred to me as 'a prize' on more than one occasion..."

"He's got those twins—Jane and Alec—who can inflict pain and blind you?"

"Yes."

I sigh. "He's seen Alice's thoughts?"

"Yes, but not recently, unless he's managed to get a vampire who can chart Alice's own abilities from across the globe..." She shakes her head. "What are you thinking?"

"That maybe Aro didn't intend to kill me..."

"Beth..."

"No, I'm serious. Sure, he did a number on me, but he didn't do it too terribly far from where our coven is. Perhaps he saw Alice's thoughts and believed that she would alert Carlisle about my apparent demise..."

"Thus, Alice alerting Carlisle to save your life..."

"...and to turn me into one of you," I finish. "There's no way to know, of course, unless we were to go to Italy..."

There is a crash and bang from below as Richard and Edward burst through the door to the library, Richard to my side and Edward to Bella's in not even a second. Their eyes are blazing—not with anger, but with fear and concern. Both of their arms come around us then, and Edward ushers Bella from the room, but not before whispering, "Neither of you are going anywhere near Italy."

"Richard, you can't continue to be so overprotective of me," I tell him quietly, as I hear both Bella and Edward heading into their bedroom at the opposite end of the house. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"You will not be going anywhere near Italy, Beth. That's final."

I cannot stand his grip upon me, and suddenly I want to run. I manage to break away from him and open the attic window, whereupon I land flawlessly some fifteen feet below. I take off for the woods, not wanting to be controlled by anyone, and keep running, farther and deeper into the surrounding trees. I cannot believe Richard—he had no right to control me, for we'd not established being mates yet! And, even if we were, I reasoned, he had no right to forbid me from wanting to know more about my transformation. That's all it was, right? I had no intention of joining the Volturi...

But the thoughts of Richard attempting to hijack my life returned, and I let out a scream; I went towards a tree trunk, intending to electrocute it, but something incredible happened instead. Instead of lightening, flames shot forth from my fingertips and burned it to a crisp. I must confess I became quite frightened when it spread to a wildfire, and I made my way through the flames and up a cliff, desperate to see the damage I'd caused. Thinking quickly, I produced a mighty rain shower which killed the flames entirely, and I noticed that, due to my quick actions, I'd only destroyed a dozen trees or so.

Shaking in the rain, I made no effort to put it out as I ran back to the house, my thoughts turning black. Thunder crackled in the distance as I opened the front door, dripping into the ancient foyer as I made my way down the corridor. As I raised my eyes, I spotted Bella and Edward standing there, their eyes wide with questions. I bit my lip, cursing myself for the momentary pain it brought me, and leaned against the elaborate cherry wood banister of the grand staircase.

"Yes," I said softly. "That was me."

Edward ran a hand through his hair. "You'd better call Carlisle."

I sighed, knowing he was right, and breezed down the various hallways, making my way to the living room where I'd put my laptop on a coffee table. Since I'd breezed so quickly, I was no longer dripping, so I felt comfortable sitting on the expensive couch as I opened my laptop and logged in. I selected the Skype icon and pressed the green telephone sign and waited for Carlisle to answer the call. When he did, his amber eyes showed concern, and I immediately straightened on the couch.

"There was an...incident," I say quietly.

He nods. "I figured as much when Alice saw you running from Richard after an argument between the two of you," he replies, no animosity in his tone. "I'm pleased that you feel comfortable enough to tell me about it."

"Well, you're the ultimate authority when it comes to our vampirism," I say, letting out a light chuckle; I adored Carlisle—he was my father now—but, by the same token, I didn't want him to think I was some overdramatic teenager with boy drama. "I was speaking to Bella earlier and had an epiphany, before Richard and Edward interrupted us with their, erm, concern..."

"What sort of epiphany?" Carlisle asks, leaning forward.

I sigh. "Aro knows exactly where you live, right?" I ask him. "I mean... He came with the Volturi and the Guard when they assumed Renesmee was an immortal child..."

He nods. "Yes. Aro and the rest of them don't get out much—they've never been to the house or anything like that—but they know the specifics of where we live. They also know what kind of lifestyle we wish to live—while I lived with them, I remained a strict vegetarian, much to their chagrin, but they couldn't sway me..."

"I remember," I assure him softly.

"But, why do you ask?" he wants to know. "Did Alice tell you that she saw something? Or did Edward read someone's mind?"

I shake my head. "No, nothing like that—I came up with this theory on my own. I was just thinking..."

"Thinking about what?"

"I was thinking that if Aro knows where you live, then maybe he had someone watching us in case one of us got out of line again. After I saw Bella and Edward in the meadow, it was only natural for us to assume that Aro wished my elimination. But even Bella told me that Aro likes collecting powerful vampires... What if he managed to find a vampire that would somehow predict that I could do...so much...?"

"So much?" Carlisle asks. "Your basic skills are wonderful, while your self-control is off the charts... Your ability to control the weather is extraordinary, while your psychokinesis is some of the best I've seen... And even Eleazar was impressed by your shield..." He quickly leans forward. "Has there been a new development?"

I nod. "Yes. After my disagreement with Richard about going to the Volturi..."

"We'll get back to that in a moment," Carlisle says, his voice like a stern father. "But what happened?"

I sigh. "I ran out the window—we were in the library of the attic—and I ran into the woods to think. I thought initially to hunt, but first, I had to put some distance between us. I ran and ran and came to a tree—I thought I'd pull it out of the ground, but..."

"But?"

"I set fire to it," I reply. "I couldn't explain it. The fire spread, so I climbed onto a cliff and made it rain to take the fire out. It worked..." I pull my knees upwards to my stomach. "I mean, could I manipulate the elements like Benjamin, or...?"

Carlisle shakes his head. "No, I think you possess a different gift altogether..."

"What gift?" I whisper.

My adoptive father's expression resembles a combination of shock and awe. "I think you can control natural disasters," he replies.

. . .

At Carlisle's suggestion, I bought a ticket to Denali for the very purpose of speaking to Eleazar about my newfound gift. The closest flight I'd been able to book wasn't for another two days, forcing me to confront Richard at least once. Edward had spoken to Richard about going easy on me, and I'd spent some quality time with Bella in preparation for my meeting with the Denali Coven. Bella helped me in getting my shield completely down, so as Eleazar would be able to read me more clearly.

Finally, Bella and I went out for a hunt, easily tracking down a herd of bison in preparation for my less-than-two-hour flight to Denali from Aspen. I easily took down two males, and found that their blood was just as sweet as Richard had promised. At Bella's suggestion, she and I headed into town to explore a bit—Bella wanted to check out a bookstore—and, as we walked down the sidewalk, I spotted a luxurious-looking department store that was called Burberry. Never one for clothes—much to Alice's disappointment and Bella's delight—I found myself drawn to a particular dress in the impeccable window display. It was an above-the-knee length red dress with a barely-there scoop neck; it had short sleeves, barely to the elbow, and was made from lace.

Bella smiled, pleased that I'd found something I'd liked, and was willing to go into the store with me, after seeing a sweater on a mannequin close to the back that she insisted upon trying on. I asked for the dress in my size, a four, and was pleased when the woman—who seemed to judge on appearances only and could tell that both Bella and I were dressed in designer clothing, courtesy of Alice—and seemed more than willing to help us. She told me her name was Chelsea, and her co-worker, Pippa, would be assisting Bella while she herself went back to bring out my size.

I went back to the dressing room, per Chelsea's instructions, and was assigned a number by a third employee, Nathalia. Chelsea returned, dress in tow, and unlocked the dressing room door for me and I headed inside, putting the dress up upon the provided hook. I unzipped my knee-length boots and my jeans, followed by my faux fur and wool winter coat, and my white ruffled blouse. I manage to get the dress on over my head without difficulty, and feel very silly as I preen before the mirror, and one of the sporadic fond memories of my childhood overtakes me—playing dress-up solo. Despite the nearly sixteen-hundred-dollar price tag, it is merely a dip in the massive bucket of water that I'm permitted to, so I decide to buy the dress.

I hand over the dress to Chelsea after I've finished dressing, and she takes it up front for me, where Bella is standing, in the process of buying the sweater. Both articles of clothing are wrapped in quick succession in tissue paper, whereupon they're put into the customary department store box. Bella and I hand over our credit cards to Pippa and Chelsea respectively, and they're run through the system and immediately approved. The two employees hand us each our bags, containing the box of clothes we've purchased, and smile at the pair of us.

"Sister?" Chelsea asks.

"Sisters-in-law," Bella replies politely.

"Oh?" Pippa inquires.

"I'm the younger sister of her husband," I say patiently.

"Ah," Chelsea says, and we two nod to the women before slipping out of the store.

We continue along the sidewalk, stopping briefly in the bookstore, where Bella buys a book about Germany, where Edward had promised to take her later that year. We then head back to the center of town, hailing a Lincoln Town Car to return us back to the house belonging to Richard. We pay the generous man, and slip from the house, and I notice that he looks disappointed at Bella's wedding ring, which she never took off—not even to hunt, she was so careful. We slip into the foyer of the estate, watching clandestinely from the window as the man drives away from there and down the icy road, while Bella heads upstairs, keeping her promise to get Edward out of the house for the evening so I have the proper amount of privacy to speak to Richard.

Once Edward and Bella have left, I count down the minutes, when, suddenly, it has happened at long last. The minutes roll-over to midnight, and I am technically eighteen years old. Heading upstairs, I take a long bath in the massive tub before blow drying my hair and putting on the barest hint of makeup. I paint my fingernails and toenails red and slip on my new dress as soon as they've dried, and slip into the bedroom where I know that Richard is.

"Richard."

He turns around then, raising his eyebrows in a vampire's version of shock. "Hello, Beth," he says softly. "Happy birthday."

I smile. "Thank you."

A small smile invades the corner of his mouth. "Natural disaster creator, huh?"

I lean up against the wall, lowering my eyes. "Yeah, apparently so..." Then, I raise my eyes to his, and hesitate. "Richard..."

"Yes?"

I sigh. "I don't understand this... Are we mates? I don't know what's to be said at this point... I mean, I'm not in high school anymore, and I'm eighteen. If you want me, you need to want all of me..."

"Is that what you think?" he asks. "That I don't want you?"

I shrug. "I don't know what you want. That's why I'm asking."

Richard approaches me then, locking his arms around my waist in quick succession. "Beth, I want you to understand something—I will never not want you. Ever. I really want you to understand that... Beth, look at me. Please."

I raise my eyes to his. "What?"

"I may be a vampire, but I was a man first. Had I seen you in the hospital when I was dying, I would have fought for my right to live as a human."

"I'm not a human, Richard, I'm a vampire..."

"I know that. All I'm saying is that, I'd love you either way."

I feel myself gasp. "Love?"

He smiles. "Yes, of course, Beth. I'd love you if we were humans, or if only one of us was a vampire. If you were a mermaid and I was a prince, I'd love you. If you were a princess and I was a werewolf, I'd love you. I'd love you no matter what you were, and I hope the same applies to me..."

"You love me?" I whisper.

Richard nods. "I love you."

"I love you, Richard," I whisper, standing on my toes to kiss him. I press my forehead against his. "If you were a wizard and I was a unicorn, I would love you."

"But then I could cast a spell and turn you into a human girl," he jokes.

I return his laugh. "Well, I suppose it would all depend upon your powers, and whether or not a witch had cast a spell on me."

He looks around me then, and then turns to peer out the window. "Tell me... Are we alone here, Beth?" he asks.

I nod. "Yes. Edward and Bella went off for a midnight hunt or something."

He nods, lowering his eyes to take in my new dress fully for the first time. "I like this. Did you buy it in town?"

"Yes. At this place called Burberry."

"They've got those shops all over—even in Europe or the Middle East."

I raise my eyebrows. "Don't you like it?"

He grins. "Of course—it goes wonderfully with your skin."

"Shall I keep wearing it?" I ask him.

His eyebrows knit together. "What?"

I grin up at him, enjoying myself. "Well, perhaps if I were to take it off..."

"Beth, I don't think..."

"Then don't think," I reply, standing on my toes again. I lean into him, covering his mouth with mine, a sound of delight escaping my throat as he pulls me into the center of the massive bed and turns off the light.

. . .

Richard was surprised with the second ticket to Denali from Aspen, but seemed excited at the prospect of our first solo plane trip together. Bella and Edward would remain in Aspen for the remainder of the week and fly back to SeaTac before driving up to Forks themselves while Richard and I got to the bottom of things. We touched down in Denali, while Richard flashed his over-twenty-five I.D., thus enabling us to rent a car. I showed off my twenty-one-and-older I.D., just for safety, as we got into our borrowed SUV. We drove from the airport the five minutes from the home of the Denali Coven, and parked the car among the ever-present snow drifts close to the entryway.

Wrapped in our expensive winter coats, Richard and I got out of the car, immediately seeming to gravitate towards one another, locking hands. We watched as Tanya, Kate and Garrett, and Eleazar and Carmen trooped out of the house. They all looked perplexed at Richard's appearance, and, after I introduced them, Tanya stepped forward, her strawberry blonde curls dancing in the slight breeze which picked up.

"Beth, is everything all right?" she asks. "Carlisle didn't call..."

"Actually, Tanya, he called me," Eleazar says softly, not wanting to go against his coven leader. "Carlisle was wondering about Beth's potential new gift."

"New gift?" Kate asks, snapping to attention. "What new gift?"

I swallow slightly, cursing myself at the mundane, human-like tendency. "I'm going to put my shield down so you can shock me," I tell her.

"No!" Richard cries, moving, positioning himself in front of me.

"Richard, it's fine," I say, putting a hand upon his shoulder. "Remember, it only seemed to manifest when I was very angry at you. I think, perhaps, if Kate were to shock me..."

"You'd set off to a boiling point, thus allowing your ability to manifest," Kate nods. "I like it, although I'm kind of nervous that you'll go off on me..."

I put up my hand. "I swear, I won't. Shield coming down now," I say, letting out a sigh as I feel it falling away from me. I suddenly feel lighter, almost as if I'd been involved in an intense workout, or if I'd been carrying heavy luggage for a long period. "You can shock me at any time, Kate. I'm ready."

Kate sighs, stepping forward and extending her index finger towards the center of my palm, the electricity bubbling just beneath the surface. She then closes the distance between us entirely, pressing the print of her finger, making direct contact onto my skin. I watch as she concentrates, and I realize then that it is barely affecting me.

"Harder," I whisper.

Nodding, she turns it on full blast. I feel my body seizing up then, but force myself not to fall to my knees like some weakling. I find I am shaking all over and, finally, after about a full minute, Kate releases me from her electricity. I then take the opportunity to fall to my knees, my hands—firm fists—plummeting to the ground with great force. The moment they meet the ground, a great shaking overtakes the surrounding area, and I raised my eyes to Eleazar, whose eyebrows shot upwards.

"Can you make it stop?" he asks.

Not knowing what to do, I flatten my hands then, gripping the shaking earth, willing it to stop. After what seems like an eternity, after a sheer force of will, it does, and I find that there is no damage to the surrounding area, thankfully. Getting to my feet, I brush off the snow still attached to me, while Richard pulls my hand forward, examining it for any form of foul play.

"I'm fine," I assure him.

"More than fine, I should think," Garrett puts in.

"Extraordinary," Carmen breathes.

"Never seen anything like it," Tanya says softly.

"Amazing," Kate allows.

"Carlisle's assessment was indeed correct," Eleazar says, looking me over. "You started a wildfire back in Colorado, you said?"

I nod. "Yes. An accidental one, but yes."

"I don't think you're simply limited to earthquakes and wildfires, however," Eleazar goes on expertly. "I think you'd also be able to cause an avalanche or landslide, as well as a blizzard, or a volcanic eruption, sinkhole, floods, tsunami, or a limnic eruption..."

My eyebrows knit together. "A what?" I ask.

"A lake overturn," Eleazar replies. "Quite rare—I've never seen one, however, it could be very beneficial in battle, if a body of water was close by. Carbon dioxide comes out of the waters of the lake which can kill humans, wildlife, and livestock, due to the formation of a cloud of gas."

"So, is it stemmed from my ability to control the weather, or...?"

"No," Eleazar says. "I think this is just a larger part of it—the two are related, but I feel that you may want to practice it a bit more. You may want to be able to pull it off in a more efficient manner."

"You mean, me not necessarily being angry to pull it off?"

"Exactly," Eleazar replies.

Although the Denali's asked us to stay, Richard and I declined, instead returning the rental car and managing to book a connecting flight back to SeaTac Airport. Upon arrival, we took the car left for us in the parking lot—my car—and journeyed back up Northwest. I felt content then, in Richard's company, and found I was looking forward to getting back to Sarah and the twins.

The normal three-and-a-half-hour drive took us just under an hour, and I wasn't shocked at all to see no lights on in the Cullen house as we drove up onto the property. I took my customary parking spot a few yards from the front door, while Richard and I took our luggage out of the trunk and made our way towards the door. Fishing out my key, I unlocked it and, upon stepping over the threshold, the lights suddenly came on and the Cullen's, the Denali's, and the Black and Uley Packs were standing there, clapping and cheering at our arrival.

A massive banner decorated the doorway leading into the living room, the words "HAPPY EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY, BETH!" in curled, pink letters. Peering through the crowd, I also spotted Theo and Chadwick on each other's arms, who waved at me. Minnie was also there with her latest boyfriend Tom, and I beamed with pride as Sarah bounded up to me and held out her arms to be picked up. I lean down and pick up Sarah, and proceed to greet everyone, with Richard's arm around my shoulders, and find that I am growing accustomed to our little family, and wonder if, one day, Richard will ask me to marry him.

Rosalie emerges from the crowd about half an hour later and takes Sarah upstairs to bed, and we two share a smile. After Alice announces that it is time for gifts to be exchanged, I sit down on the couch between Bella and Richard, with Edward, Theo, and Chadwick standing behind me, with Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie looking on. I take each and every card and gift to heart, but the most special are those from the Cullen family—my family.

Edward and Bella had gotten me half a dozen antique Russian nesting dolls, directly from Russia itself; Rosalie had gotten me a collection of first-edition Jane Austen letters and novels; Emmett had gotten me the not-so-subtle gift of official soundproofing foam for my bedroom; Jasper had gotten me the latest laptop, along with a flash drive which had all my important work from my former computer downloaded onto it; and I was quite shocked when Alice handed me a key.

"What's this?" I ask her.

"For a new car," she replies. "You'll need something to drive while you're over at Oxford next fall."

I smile. "Thank you, Alice. You're too kind."

"I picked it out," Jasper puts in, chuckling slightly.

"I just wanted to be the one to hand over the key," Alice says, kissing Jasper on the cheek before giving me a binder. "This is actually from me."

"A list of do's and don'ts in fashion?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "That list is for another time."

I shrug and begin to open the book before Alice stops me. "What's wrong?" I ask her, and find I am confused.

"Carlisle and Esme should go first," she says, stepping back.

I set the book aside and get to my feet, and go into Carlisle and Esme's welcoming arms. "I think I should be afraid..."

Esme laughs. "Not a chance."

Carlisle reaches into his pocket and produces a key himself. "This was in my family when I was a small boy. I inherited it after mountains of unnecessary paperwork and Esme very painstakingly restored it."

"It?" I ask, practically shaking.

"A house," Esme replies, touching my cheek. "A house that Carlisle and I want you and Richard, Sarah, and the twins to have while the two of you are studying at Oxford University this fall."

"Now you can see my present," Alice says, picking up the book and handing it back to me, as graceful as a ballerina.

I take the book from her, and discover that it is full of resumes. "What's all this?" I ask her, looking at some of the pictures. "Who are these people?"

"Nannies," Alice explains, "for Sarah and the boys."

I smile at her. "Very thoughtful, Alice." I sigh then, remembering those few precious times I'd spent birthdays with my father, and knew that, now it was time. I found I needed a few moments alone, so I conveyed as much to Richard and walked out the back door, almost unnoticed, as the pounding of the music began again. As I neared the edge of the woods, I debated whether or not to go for a hunt, when suddenly an overwhelming odor of wet dog filled my nose.

"Just me."

Turning, I saw Embry standing behind me. I hadn't spoken to him since our minor yet amusing misunderstanding at Christmas and crossed my arms. "How can I help you at this moment, Embry?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. He was about two inches taller than Richard, and his skin was russet to our pale. He steps forward then, and looks as if he could cry, and I remember the sensation of tears falling from my eyes and down my face. "I've just got to say this, Beth..."

"Say what?"

"I know you're kind of with Richard and everything, but..."

"But what?"

He bites his lip. "But I don't want you to be with Richard, Beth. I know we don't really talk much or anything but I..."

"Embry, no..."

"No, I have to say this," he says firmly. "With werewolves, we're in each other's heads all the time—it's awful! So, they...they all know..."

"They all know what?"

He shakes his head before closing the distance between us and grabs me by my humerus and, before I have time to react completely, dips his head down and kisses me. His grip is so tight upon me that I find I cannot move, and I am completely frozen. When I remember who I am, what I am, and who he is—what he is—I pull away from him. Glaring at him, I know full well I'd be sobbing if I was a typical teenage human girl.

"Damn you, Embry Call!" I hiss through my teeth, taking off into the house. I head in to the back door, just as I hear the telltale sign of clothes ripping and a howl as Embry inevitably heads into the woods to forget his shame. With gritted teeth, I bypass the party entirely and head up the staircase via the kitchen entrance to the main hall and head directly into my bedroom. Shaking, I proceed to throw clothes into a laundry pile versus a put away pile, methodically trying to forget Embry's lips on mine...

"Beth."

Turning, I see Richard standing there, and I immediately close the distance between us and kiss him, feeling as if I could come undone at any moment. "I'm sorry, Richard... I'm so, so sorry..."

"Edward told me what happened..."

"He watched it?!" I cry out in anguish.

"No. He read Embry's mind."

I shake my head. "I swear, I didn't want it to happen..."

"Do you feel anything for Embry?" Richard asks. "I won't fault you, I promise."

I shake my head again. "No. I love you, Richard."

He nods. "All right." He sighs. "Do you want to go see your father?"

I nod. "Yes, we probably should."

The party dies down within two hours and Alice is an expert at getting the guests to clear out in an orderly fashion. She has made a list of everything I've received corresponding to the person's name and tells me to get on the thank-you notes by the following day. I quickly assure her that I will, and leave the Cullen house in my car, Richard riding shotgun, as we make our way across town.

My father's house hadn't changed, I mused inwardly as I parked on the street just in front of it. The stone steps were the same, and its color, which I could just make out as the sun set all around us. Richard took my hand, and I nodded, knowing that the inevitable was coming as he and I got out of the car and made our way up the stairs and knocked on the door. I heard my father's footsteps coming down the fraction of the hallway from the living room, and I heard him unlocking the door from the other side.

Relief flooded through me as we made eye contact, and I crossed my fingers that he would not suffer a heart attack. "Hi, Dad," I say softly.

"Beth!" he says, quickly choking up and shaking his head. "They... They... Dr. Cullen said you were dead..."

I sigh. "He just signed off without seeing the body—a rookie doctor assured him that it was me," I reply, going with the cover story that we'd come up with and rehearsed for this very moment. "It was a rookie mistake, and I'm so sorry. I was in the hospital for a very long time and I couldn't speak to identify myself. Finally, when I was well enough, I was brought to Seattle for some plastic surgery—that's why I don't look one-hundred-percent like me, Dad, that's why..."

"Where have you been staying?"

"With the Cullen's," I reply. "I... Dad, please don't hate me, but they've become like a family to me, and I..."

"You're the Beth Cullen who graduated from the high school last month?" he asks, and I can see the shock in his eyes.

I nod. "Yes."

"Why didn't you come back?"

I shake my head. "I can't tell you that."

"Did they keep you there against your will?!" he demands, his eyes sliding in an accusatory manner to Richard. "Who's this? Your jailer?"

"No, Dad!" I cry. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Who is he, then?"

"Richard Kingsley, Chief Partridge," Richard says, putting out his hand.

Dad takes Richard's hand, and stiffens at its coldness. "And you are?"

"I'm Beth's boyfriend," Richard replies, for he knows as well as I do that the term 'mate' probably wouldn't fly with my father.

My father looks to me to Richard and back again before sighing. Clearly, my father is at a loss for what to do. He knows as well as I do what day it is, and, while Carlisle, Esme, and the rest of the Cullen's could potentially go down for kidnapping, however, a look enters his eyes when Richard begins to speak.

"Chief Partridge, sir, you wouldn't want to upset the family dynamic forged between your daughter and the Cullen's, would you?" Richard asks, sincerely.

My father immediately shakes his head. "No. No, of course not. I wouldn't want to upset the family dynamic forged between my daughter and the Cullen's."

"In fact, you will keep your daughter's survival a secret from anyone who comes sniffing around, won't you?" he continues.

"I'll keep my daughter's survival a secret from anyone who comes sniffing around," Dad assures the two of us.

Richard smiles. "Good."

"Dad?" I ask, and the glazed look on my father's face fades away and he turns back to me, anticipating my next statement. "Richard and I are going to Oxford in the fall. We move to England in a few weeks."

"What are you two going to study?" he asks.

"Law," Richard replies. "I want to work with the human rights division."

"And you, sweetheart?" Dad asks me.

To tell the truth, I hadn't given the future of my education any thought. I thought I'd just get a degree in any old thing—after all, now I had all the time in the world. But now, now that I was being asked, the only answer that seemed logical popped into my head. I realized the only logical answer, had been standing in front of me this whole time, and I'd never even considered it before now, yet, when it came right down to it, I knew exactly what I wanted in life, and what career I wanted.

"I want to be a children's oncologist," I reply, finding relief in identifying something for my future, and knowing it would please Carlisle as well.