CHAPTER THIRTY
BRIDGES REBUILT

CARMILLA'S words had been stuck with Thea for the past day, she'd been stuck in the guest room thinking about what she'd said.

"Talk to them. Just because someone does a bad thing doesn't mean they did it to cause harm."

Those are words Thea understood well.

Thea couldn't keep quiet. She couldn't just bottle up her emotions and then explode at all of them. Carmilla had taught her better. Communication is key, and Thea knew she had to be willing to talk and listen.

It was now late, the night had risen and the crickets chirped.

Thea walks into her and Alice's bedroom for the first time that day. Alice was sitting on the side of the bed, her eyes on the ground. They then snap up, "Thea?" Her eyes brighten.

Thea takes a minute. Don't be aggressive.

"...I don't like what you did." The words roll off of Thea's tongue slowly. "it makes me feel like a monster who is trying to be locked up in a cage. It makes me feel...controlled. I don't like feeling controlled."

Alice wasn't focused on anything else but her mate. Taking in every word, "It hurt you...I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry. Sweetheart, I promise, I won't do it again...I promise." She repeats.

Thea finally walks towards the bed, sitting down beside her. She kept her hands in her lap, "I heard what you talking to Carlisle and Esme."

Alice doesn't say anything, but her lips press into a tight line.

"I love you." Thea sighs.

Alice didn't miss a beat, "I love you."

"I trust you." Thea continues, her eyes not connected with Alice.

"I trust you." Alice nodded, taking hold of her hands and they met eyes. "I'm sorry for making it seem like I didn't."

Thea smiles faintly, "I've been thinking about the situation. I understand why you guys did it...but it was wrong, the way you did it, was wrong. And it hurt me."

Alice's eyes soften, "I understand." She caresses her mate's cheeks. Thea leans in her hand, God, she missed her touch.

Their foreheads touch a comfortable silence sitting over the both of them. Alice slowly moves closer, their noses touch and their lips graze against one another.

Thea smiles, causing Alice to smile.

Slowly their lips interlock. Slow. Although their lips were connected, it was still a tease because they both knew they could do so much more.

Thea backed away from the kiss, but their foreheads still touched. Alice frowns, "Sweetheart."

"You didn't think it would be that easy, hm?" Thea whispers, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Alice falls across the bed and nearly cries. Her hand extended to Thea, who was at the door.

"To talk to Rosalie and Emmett."

✸

"I'll let you hit me if it makes you feel better." Emmett immediately walks towards Thea when she meets him and Rosalie on the balcony.

Thea laughs, "Is that your way of saying I'm sorry?"

Emmett got quiet, "I am sorry." His voice softened.

"Me too." Rosalie stands next to him and places her hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to tell you from the start."

Thea nods, "I need you to trust me."

"I understand and just for the record...I never stopped trusting you." Emmett claims. Rosalie agrees.

Thea smiles from ear to ear and Emmett immediately opens his arms. "Bring it in!"

Rosalie stood with her arms crossed, Emmett then elbowed her, sending her a "do it!" Expression. Rosalie playfully rolls her eyes, holding out her arms as well.

Thea hugs the both of them. Chuckling as she does.

✸

Next was Carlisle and Esme. Thea would be lying if she said she wasn't a little upset with them both but she knew she had the right to be.

Carlisle and Esme were still in the study when Thea knocked on the door.

Esme was quick to her feet from the couch she sat on, "Thea."

Carlisle was behind his desk but stood in front of it when she walked in. "Thea, we never meant—"

"Wait." Thea stops them. She pinches the bridge of her nose. "I know I'm not always the easiest to deal with. Anyone who knows me knows that. But ever since I joined this family, I worked hard to trust all of you."

"Yes," Thea admits, "I had moments. And I'm not perfect, which is funny because I know vampires are supposed to be but we're not...I'm not."

"You guys are not." Thea points to them, "And, no, that doesn't excuse what you did. You still hurt me, lied, and made me feel like I was some pet in this family."

Esme was holding on tightly to Carlisle's hand, "We only wanted to avoid any conflict..."

"I know." Thea nods, "But I'm your daughter. Not Bella."

Carlisle nods, "of course."

"I can't be angry at you guys for being so...opening and welcome to Bella. That's just who you both are. That doesn't make you bad people." Thea smiles sadly, remembering that they did the same thing for her, "and Bella...I don't like her. And that doesn't make me a bad person either. What I nearly did to her...I understand why that made you worry, but you're still supposed to trust me, not exclude me."

Esme walks forward, immediately pulling Thea into a hug. Esme hurt her...she'd just hurt her own daughter. "I'm sorry."

Carlisle rubs Esme's back, he looks to Thea, "We're sorry for not communicating with you."

Thea could only nod, enjoying the feeling of Esme's hold.

✸

Thea had one last person to speak with. Edward. Her fuse with him had been short lately and it was currently still short but she had to talk to him.

"Edward," Thea calls for him as he leaves the driveway on foot. "Are you about to hunt?"

Edward shakes his head, his hands in his pockets.

Thea squints, "Then where are you—" It hit her mid-sentence. Oh. "Never mind."

"I wanted to talk to you about Bella." Thea shifts in her feet.

Edward turns around, nodding.

"I know that you're probably not sorry for what you've done in the last few months—"

Edward sighs, "Thea—"

"No, listen." Thea stops him, "You love her, that is very clear. But I don't."

"Yeah, that is very clear. You tried to kill her." His brows rose.

Thea crosses her arms, "I'm sorry for that." Thea apologizes before choosing her next words very carefully. "But I'm not sorry because it scared you or Carlisle and Esme. But myself...after my family, I promised myself I would never spill human blood again. For my sanity. To show that I wasn't some monster walking on earth."

"And I almost broke that." Thea's voice was slightly strained, "So I'm sorry to myself...but I'm not sorry to you." Her jaw clenched.

Edward may have thought she was lying or didn't mean what she said. But her thoughts confirmed that she meant everything she was saying.

"Have fun with your human." Thea slightly snapped, leaving him alone in the driveway.

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