The Turning of Cecily Stewart

Settling

Cecily trotted down the stairs into the living room, smiling slightly as she saw Emmett and Rosalie on the sofa watching TV.

"Ready!" she shouted cheerfully. "Where's Alice?"

Rosalie sighed and pushed off the sofa, walking over to her.

"She's out with Jasper, so you get me today," Rosalie said, obviously not thrilled.

Cecily's eyes widened as she studied the woman, not particularly thrilled to go out with her either. It had been a few months since the first meeting with Nessie and while the blonde seemed to be warming up to her more, there was still a level of distrust there.

"I can wait until they get back," Cecily said quickly. Emmett chuckled from the sofa, earning a frown from Cecily.

"We're going now. You need to eat," Rosalie said.

"Fine," Cecily replied as she started towards the door.

Once outside, the two women took off at a run, keeping to themselves as they moved through the forest. Once they were far enough away from civilization, they came to a stop and Cecily began surveying their surroundings, searching for her prey. She was hoping for something large and substantial so that they wouldn't have to stay out long. A few elks would do. Or maybe another cougar. Those were fun to hunt.

She glanced over, seeing Rosalie calmly taking in the forest as well, though she was keeping a watchful eye on Cecily.

"I'm not going to run off on you or anything," Cecily said, breaking the silence.

"Can't be too sure," Rosalie replied.

"Why do you not like me?" Cecily asked bluntly.

Rosalie straightened up from her crouch, staring at the redhead.

"Tact much?" she asked.

"I don't like to beat around the bush," Cecily replied.

Rosalie was silent, though Cecily swore she saw a hint of a smile cross her face.

"It's not that I don't like you. I just don't trust you," Rosalie said. Cecily rolled her eyes.

"I've been with you guys for four months now. I'm not going to hurt anyone," Cecily said. "And I'm pretty sure whoever was after me thinks I'm dead so we don't have to worry about them."

"Doesn't change the fact that we barely know anything about you," Rosalie said.

"Trust is a two-way street," Cecily shot back. Rosalie just stared at her. "Fine. What do you want to know? I'm from New York. I was a reporter. I didn't have a lot of friends."

"Already knew that," Rosalie said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I went to university at NYU," Cecily continued. "And I suck at dating."

Rosalie snorted slightly at the comment, finding it amusing.

"How old are you?" she then asked.

"30," Cecily said. Rosalie cocked her head to the side.

"I would have pegged you for younger," she said.

"Runs in the family," Cecily quickly replied. "Take it everyone else was turned at younger ages."

"Pretty much," Rosalie said. "In that sense, you're older than all of us. Granted, not technically... Jasper and Alice were turned at 19, Emmett 20, Edward 17, Bella 18. Esme was turned at 26. Carlisle at 23."

"How old were you?" Cecily asked.

"18," she said. Cecily's eyebrows shot up.

"Pretty young to die," she said. Rosalie nodded.