Bella

Happy is an Understatement

Just like his face, his beautiful face, nothing could compare to the happiness I had felt over the last 10 years. It didn't seem fair that so many people suffer, and I live an existence of pure bliss.

"What are you thinking about, love?" whispered Edward as we lay relaxing in the light pooling in from our garden.

"Oh just how happy I am… hmm" I sighed and rolled over in his arms. "We should probably go to see Nessie; it's almost 7:00…"

"I don't think she'll miss us quite so much at the moment my dear."

I felt him become like a statue next to me, and knew how he felt. After 10 years, Nessie had lost the "just family" feelings towards Jacob, my best friend, and the change just didn't sit well with her parents, even though they knew Nessie and Jake were perfect for each other in every way.

"I guess we'll just have to suck it up. She is plenty old enough now, and Jake has waited 10 years for her" I reasoned.

"Well technically she is not old enough, seeing as she is only ten years old."

"Well if you want to look at it that way, aren't you just a bit too old for me?" I whispered back.

"Ah, that again. As usual, you bring up a valid point. And yes, you are right, we should probably get going," though as he said it, he pulled his love closer to his iron chest.

"Maybe just a little longer…" I snuggled closer to him, hugging myself to him with all my strength.

After a while, we got up, and ran back to the house, racing, and I just about beat him that time. I knew he was faster though. I thought maybe he was being sweet and slowing down. It just slightly made me mad.

"Why do you do that?" I said as I jumped into the yard.

"Do what my Bella?" He said innocently.

"Slow down on purpose! You have been doing that for years!" I exclaimed.

"That's nonsense. I run as fast as I can when we race and you still almost beat me. You really are quite fast you know, but as usual, you don't see yourself very clearly."

"Sure, sure." I said sarcastically just as Nessie burst outside.

"Momma! Dad!" She shouted as she ran towards us. Every time I saw her, I still just couldn't believe that she was my daughter. She was so beautiful. She grew from being the most darling and precious little girl, to the most gorgeous woman on the face of the planet. She had my old eyes of course, curly locks of red-brown hair to her waist, pale milky skin, and long elegant limbs. The only bad thing she inherited really was my clumsiness. Sort of. She still was more graceful than any human alive, but she still wasn't as smooth as the rest of us. Emmett joked all the time that only I could be clumsy enough to pass on my "klutziness" to a half-vampire. I really hoped Nessie didn't mind that much.

"Hello beautiful." Edward grinned at her when she stopped in front of us. He looked happy enough, but whatever Nessie was thinking was making him uneasy. I could see that.

"I have a question. Um, well, Jake asked me to go on a trip with him to South America. Just us. I thought we could go see Zafrina and her sisters? He said we would stay for three weeks, and I just wanted to run it by you." She said this quickly. I could feel the nervousness radiating off her, and I could also hear Jake's heart pumping quickly. He was no doubt watching from the windows.

"I don't have a problem with it. Bella?" He said this as though he were hoping I had a problem with it. I opened up my shield to let him hear my thoughts.

Edward, come on, she will be fine. You know that Jake would rather eat everyone on the planet than let a hair on her head get hurt. And we knew this would happen sometime. We should just relax. You already see Jake as a son anyway, and so do I.

Edward looked at me for a moment, wonder in his eyes. I really don't know why after ten years he still hadn't gotten used to reading my mind. He looked then at Renesmee, and then at Jake, who quickly ducked behind the curtains.

"I say yes and thank you for asking hun, that was sweet." I said, clearing my throat at Edward.

"Alright then, that's settled. When will you be leaving?" He asked this for my benefit of course, he already knew the answer.

"In two days." Nessie said excitedly. The nervousness was now replaced with eagerness. She was almost bouncing.

She must get that from Alice. I mused. Then, as if called, Alice sprang out of the house and danced over to where we were standing, followed by the whole household.

"Oh Nessie! I am SO excited! Can I please pack your clothes? I have a dozen things already that you NEED to wear! Oh I love South America!" I could literally see the wheels in Alice's head turning. I felt bad for my daughter. If I know Alice, and I do, she will pack silk cock-tail dresses to wear as pajamas.

"Sure! But um, I get to veto." Nessie said happily. Even though Nessie liked to dress up and go shopping, which confused me, I was happy that Nessie had replaced me as Alice's Barbie doll.

"Hey Jake, you hungry?" I asked as we walked back to the house.

"Am I ever? Oh and thanks for the backup on the vacation thing. I know Edward probably didn't like that very much. He glanced back at Edward who was smirking at us.

"No problem Jake, but if you break her heart, I will break your neck, over and over and over." I said jokingly. Edward grunted in approval.

"Mom." Nessie groaned from inside. I laughed and went in to make pancakes.

After a while, I actually started to like cars. Fast ones. I could now finally understand why Edward had so loathed my driving. I just hated having to go so slowly everywhere I went. Now fast cars had become my friends. I have to admit I still didn't really care what they looked like though. I had just received yet another car from Edward, for our 10th anniversary. It was a shiny blue Camaro, and it was really fast.

"Earth to Bella." Joked Jacob as we were sitting in the living room.

"Sorry, just thinking about my car."

"Who are you and what have you done with Bella?" murmured Rosalie.

"What, is it really that hard to believe? I mean, after all, I Bella, the girl who couldn't walk straight, can now do this." Bella said, twisting and twirling around the room to Edward's piano music.

"It really is a miracle; Jesus walking on water has nothing on that," Smirked Emmet.

"Oh, right Emmett, I was planning on asking you. Do you by any chance want to…..um… arm wrestle?" Bella retorted.

"Outside. Now. This will be fun." Emmett said confidently, jumping up and striding out the door.

"Sorry Esme, but I must see this." Edward said, grinning as he stood up from the piano.

After everyone was outside and we had found a good rock, I said,

"Don't go easy on me Emmett; I want to see what I can still do. It has been a while since my renovation."

"Don't worry little sis. No chance of that happening again."

"Are you implying that our previous matches have been tempered with?"

"That's exactly what I am implying," Growled Emmett.

"Oh right, and your straining muscles were just fake, right?"

"I can be a good actor."

"Edward can easily tell if you are lying you know."

"Yeah that's why------- AHHHHHHHH," Screamed Emmett, jumping out at me, trying to pin me.

I was too quick for him. I slid out from where he was going to land, did a quick twist, secured his arms behind his neck, pushed his head into the mud beneath us, and sat on him.

"MEEME AAAP!" shouted Emmett's muffled voice. I let him up and jumped out of the way. Mud covered every inch of his front, and was even in his mouth.

"Why you little---"he growled, and made a move to charge again.

Once again, I was too fast. This time he was prepared for my jumping out of the way, and made to turn and grab me. I instead ducked down and grabbed his foot, which threw him off balance. I then pulled very sharply on his foot, and flipped him over onto his stomach. Then, after securing his arms, I placed one foot on his back and let out a feral snarl that shocked even me.

When I finally let Emmett up, seething, spitting mud out of his mouth, I glanced back at my family, who stood trying not to break into hysterical laughter. All but Jake of course. He just let it all out.

"Jeeze Bella, where did you learn that? I didn't teach you that," Choked Jasper, trying not to laugh. Jasper had been teaching me to fight for about five years now.

"I just went by instinct." I said, shrugging.

"You're lucky I'm not going by instinct right now Bella, because right now my instincts are telling me to strangle you."

"It looks like your instincts are a bit slow today anyway Emmet," Laughed Jacob, finally able to speak.

"Don't tempt me dog." Emmett snapped, storming off into the house, Esme trailing after to clean up his trail.

"Ha, I almost feel bad." I said, my eyes following Emmet's back into the house.

"Don't," said Edward, coming up behind me and putting his arms around me.

"Yeah, Bella. That was the coolest thing you have ever done," said Jacob, smiling.

"Well thanks Jake, that's nice to know."

"So you were thinking about your car, were you?" Edward Interrupted.

"Oh yeah, I was. I really do love it Edward. I was thinking that I know now why you couldn't stand my driving." I said smiling.

"Oh it wasn't just him." Jake said.

"Whatever Jake, you're just jealous of my Camaro."

"Am not."

"Don't worry, he is." Edward whispered in my ear.

"No fair mind reading." Jake complained, but then he shrugged and led Nessie back inside by the hand. Everyone else followed.

Emmett missed no chance over the next week to insult me in every way imaginable. Rather than being upset, I was amused. He also tried repeatedly to beat me in mock fights, but to no avail. He eventually stopped though, to my dismay. I was using the fights as an excuse to get out of Alice's vacation planning storm. I wasn't really too concerned about the whole thing, but with Alice, you never knew. Edward told me one night that he had caught her thinking about planning a trip for us too. Ever since my Honeymoon, I had vowed never to let Alice pack my clothes again.

On the night of Jacob and Renesmee's departure, the whole family got together to say goodbye. I had to say, it was pretty hard watching Nessie go. She had never been away from me for that long before. I could tell Edward was uneasy too. Nessie came up and put her hand to my cheek. She showed me her looking happy with Jake, and then me looking happy with Edward. She was trying to communicate that she wanted me to relax, and that there was nothing to worry about. I knew she was right.

"I love you Nessie. Have a great time. Say hello to the Amazons for me please." I said, giving her a big hug. I didn't know why, but I still felt incredibly uneasy, so I turned to Jake, giving him a hug too. "I love you Jake, take care of me baby."

"Bye sweetheart. Love you. Bye Jake." Edward said, giving Nessie a kiss and Jake a pat on the back. After everyone had said their goodbyes, I watched as they got in my Ferrari, and drove out of sight, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach the whole time.