After school on September 13th, Bella is upstairs of the Cullen home getting dressed. Alice has been decorating for a while. Today's Bella's eighteenth birthday. Novalee is sitting on a chair near the piano as Bella fomesndown wearing an olive green dress.

"Sorry about all this," Carlisle says to Bella. "We fried ti reign Alice in."

"If that's even possible," Esme coos as she hugs Bella. "Happy birthday, Bella."

"Thanks," Bella says shyly, she knows Novalee isn't her biggest fan anymore.

Alice snaps a picture suddenly, the flash startling the birthday girl. "Found it in your bag."

Rosalie steps forward and she hands Bella a jewelry box that's wrapped. "It's a necklace. Alice picked it out."

"Show me the love!" Alice chirps after Bella thanks Rosalie, and Edward kisses her head, Alice snaps the picture before handing Bella a box. "This one's from Emmett."

Bella shakes the box, but it's empty. She gives Emmett a skeptical look.

"Already installed it in your truck," Emmett muses. "Only a decent sound system for rhatvpiece of cr..."

"Hey," Bella cuts him off, "d...don't hate the truck."

"Open Esme and Carlisle's," Alice says as she hands Bella a small gift.

"Just something to brighten your day," Carlisle assures her.

"You've been looking a little pale lately," Esme coos.

Bella goes to open the box, but gets a paper cut on the wrapping paper. Both jasper and Novalee's eyes turn dark at the feeling of Edward's lust. It takes Esme and Rosalie to hold Novalee back, then Emmett and Carlisle to hold jasper back after Edward throws Bella, making her bleed even more.

"Shh, Jas, it's just a little..." Alice coos but runs she smells it, her lust makes Novalee struggle against Rosalie and Esme even more. "Blood..."

"Get them out of here," Carlisle says as he rushes over to Bella.

Rosalie gets Novalee outside and brings her into the woods to hunt. Novalee leans against a tree as she pants. Rosalie pulls her new friend into a hug, comforting her. Jasper walks over and he hugs her too. They're both feeling guilty, blaming themselves for this.

~~~

After a three day hunt, Novalee goes home and finds the house empty but a note on the counter. The vampire sighs as she sits on a stool at the counter and opens the letter.

Novalee,

I'm sorry for the sudden leaving, before you return from your hunt. But Jasper... We had to get him out of there. And people are going to start to notice that Carlisle isn't aging.

But we leave you the house. Please, take care of it, and take care of Isabella.

Love,

Esme and Rosalie.

Novalee touches the letter and she sighs. She had a feeling they'd leave before she returned. Novalee throws the note away and she sits on the couch, holding her knees to her chest. Nova isn't sad, but she feels kind of lost.

Novalee knows she's gonna be lost without Jasper. He usually helps her with her urges, her blood lust. Nova just sighs before sitting at the piano bench, playing a sad classical tune.