Disclaimer: I am looking into buying Edward at Auction, no matter what the price, then I have to brainwash him to think I'm Bella… Muah ah ah, Evil plan step number one. (p.s don't own it, blah blah blah)
The idea of being in danger from even the most deadly of humans while I was with Alice or Edward was downright hilarious.
-Eclipse
It apparently was shopping day for Alice, and I was dragged along. Today was Bella-becomes-Barbie for Alice day.
"Edward would love this on you."
"Alice.. It's four, I'm tired, hungry and -"
"Your not going to miss anything I promise." she grinned and her focus moved from the blue cotton dress to a collection of blouse "Edward will meet you at the restaurant in an hour." I groaned and shuffled along behind Alice. She had already spent a ridiculous amount on me already, but the fancy boutique we were in currently one of my favourites so far, not that I'd tell Alice that, nor need to. Another half hour and a swipe of her shiny gold credit card, and she declared that we were done. Dumping all the many bags in the yellow Porsche, we decided to walk to the restaurant. My back stiffened when the group of men started towards us. The time when I was in Port Angles with Jessica flashed behind my eyes. And the time when I was alone, where was Edward when I needed him.
"Easy Bella." Alice whispered, a low growl sounded in her chest.
"Hey sweetheart. Aren't you something?" twilight was falling, and the shadow that covered their faces was enough for me, I was officially freaked out. Alice on the other hand…
"Back off." To anyone slightly larger than Alice, they may have taken notion but Alice was about the size of a.. well she was tiny.
"Oh look boys the kitten has claws." Alice's face went from mad to pissed off. I looked at her and grew nervous from her glare. Three, two, one-
"Gentlemen, I strongly advise you to back off." Alice's high soprano did nothing to the enclosing men, they simply laughed when they saw her arms protectively encircled me and still facing the group, that I now could distinguish as five.
"Alice no-" I moaned, "You know how I am with blood."
"Silly Bella, Edward would kill me if something happened to you. Beside's, I'm not going to hurt them that much, I don't think I'd be able to control myself after that." Alice snickered. The five confused and overly amused faces looked at each other and I saw a pair of hands reach out.
They didn't even come close.
Alice moved so fast, her limbs were a blur. Several short snaps and a solid crack against the pavement and all five were flat on the pavement. No only four. One was sneaking away, but they didn't get far until another sickening crack, followed by the sound of a body hitting the pavement and I saw a glaring Edward.
"When you didn't show, I started to get worried." The way the muscle in his jaw was clenched I knew he was understating his worry. I was surprised that his teeth hadn't snapped under the pressure yet.
Alice was working her way though her own anger. "Why didn't I see-," She looked at the four behind her, a couple moans washing relief over me. I don't know why I was worried about them. I could hear a chattering sound and someone breathing heavy and another moan, this time closer. Suddenly, Edward's arms were around me and I was tucked into his chest. I lost time in his sweet scent coming from his chest, the collar to the dark oxford shirt he was wearing beneath the leather jacket was cold, but after the heat radiating from my face burning, and scalding, the ice cold felt nice.
"It's ok Bella. I wouldn't have let them get you." Alice's sweet sing-song voice rang from behind me. Her attempt at being soothing4 fell short.
"Alice, she'll be ok, you can go."
"But Edward - .. I feel horrible."
"It's ok, done this before, she'll be fine." His voice was tight, but calm. I felt cool lips on my forehead, and she disappeared. Edward picked me up and next thing I knew, I was in the Volvo, surrounded by the sweet smell of leather and Edward.
"Bella sweetheart?" His voice was growing concerned. I guess I should say something.
"I hate Port Angles."
Edward's chuckle shook the car, "You feel up to eating?" I stared into the depths of the golden honey colour of his eyes. The feeling of safety consumed me, and I searched for the fear I had earlier, none remained so I nodded. He drove out of town and to a small building, parking near the back of the building, he was opening my door less then a second after disappearing from his own seat. He wrapped a cool arm around my waist and tugged me into his side. Dropping a kiss in my hair I realised he was checking how I was.
"Bella?" His hands cradled my face as he searched for any sign of distress, but only safety, security and the overwhelming love I had for him was what he could see in my eyes. "Oh Bella." His arms were suddenly wrapped around me, tightly. To tight almost.
"Edward?" I was curious by his behaviour, he pulled me into him, tucking my head under his chin.
"You wouldn't believe how scared I was." His voice shook with anxiety. "All I saw was them, after you."
"But Alice-"
"Bella, I don't-" I understood his concern, his terror of letting me from his sight. I pulled out of his strong embrace and cupped his face. He was in such.. Agony, the guilt he was going through ripped at my heart. An angel shouldn't be in pain. Especially because of me.
"Edward. I'm fine, see look at me," I waited till his eyes connected with mine, "I'm safe, I'm ok. Alice wouldn't have let anything happen to me. I am OK. I promise." He just gazed into my eyes for what seemed eternity. I was helpless to tear my eyes away, his golden eyes etched with pain and terror. He finally turned his head to glance out the window and I was free from his stare down. His grip on my shoulders relaxed and he sighed.
"Bella, what am I going to with you."
"Take me to dinner." I snickered. Recalling the last time in Port Angles. The night I broke through the concrete mask and truly fell in love. He looked down at me and quirked one of his long black brows.
"You feel up to eating?" I smiled weakly up at him. My arm's were becoming chilled by the cool breeze so I tucked my arms under the leather, and wrapped my arms around his waist, my hands unconsciously making soothing circles on his smooth marble back. "Edward, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm ok. Nothing happened to me. Although…" I eyed him deviously, "This would be a good time to discuss my transformation." Once I had become his equal, truly his partner. Immortal, beautiful, strong. I would need no help, I would be the danger.
"No Bella." His voice was firm and held a tone of finality to it, "I will not change you because of fear." I exhaled in a great sigh and leaned against him, I didn't want to fight with him, I would need him tonight when the occurrence truly hit me.
I looked up at his angelic face, still holding an edge of pain and sadness. "Feed me love." He chuckled and shrugged off his coat and draped it over my shoulder. Then grabbing my hand, he pulled me along to the restaurant.
"Table for two," he said, "under Cullen." I glared at him, my spite from him booking a table in the priciest restaurant in a two hundred mile radius, but under all that I could help the glee when his eye's never left my face, the supermodel-looking waitress glaring at me.
"Happy one year love." he said once we got back to our table. I thought back to before he left, my brain not registering the pain, to a happier time. A time when we just were. The gossip aside, nothing had been in our way, excluding the fact that he was a vampire, and I was his ambrosia, all was.. Fantastic. My memories flipped back to a time when we had been in a restaurant very much like this and the following car ride, when I had basically figured it all out.
"Too bad my brain doesn't work."
"Your not weird, love. Just-"
"FM, you get the AM channel." His laughter vibrated through me. The happiest sound I knew was Edward's careless laughter, it made him sound younger, more free, less troubled. Happy.
"What I wouldn't give to get inside your head."
"I guess I'll never be normal, at least I won't be boring." The crooked smile I love pulled at the corner of his lips, the pain from before fading.
"No, you'll never be boring, Bella." he said my name with such passion, it made me quiver, but not from the cold coke that had appeared in front of me, nor the memory of the angry men cornering me and little Alice, I search deep for a name to it. Lust. Love. The burn spread, and I felt the blood pool beneath my cheeks.
A throat was cleared above us and another supermodel look-alike gleamed at Edward. "So what can I get you." I giggled at her very forward advance.
"Love?" Edward's eye's questioned. The waitress' eye's lit up like fourth of July before she realised he was asking me, a sneer appeared in its place.
"I'll have the risotto." I closed the menu and smiled, giving her a subtle wink. She glare and spun around on her heels and left, as soon as she was out of ear shot I let the bubbling giggle go.
"Bella" Edward's voice was chastising, but light. He was laughing too.
"I figured I better get use to the idea of women falling to your feet it's not going to change anytime soon. On the way, might as well have some fun." I'm sure my eyes were twinkling with glee. Edward shook his head and grabbed my hand resting on the table. Pulling it up to his mouth, he placed a small kiss between my thumb and index finger.
"Have I told you how much I love you," Edward's eyes hardened a little, his face, "how much you really mean to me." I cupped his cold cheek with my hand, and the crooked smile appeared.
"You are the very center of my world Edward. I love you too." My food arrived that very moment and I jump, not hearing the waitress' yet Edward was staring down at the table, his hand still held mine, grasped in his strong hold. I unconsciously rubbed my thumb over his knuckle and I saw the waitress bite her tongue.
"Is there anything else I can get you?"
"No, were fine." Edward said pointedly. I waited patiently until she was out of earshot.
"What was she thinking." I had aimed for unperturbed but I ended up hitting more amused.
"How she feel's I just might be your best accessory." I looked at him shocked for half a second till I broke out into giggles. I pulled his hand to my cheek and his marble knuckles along my cheek, "I just might have to agree with her." He eyed me and pushed the bowl towards me.
After I had finished and Edward had paid the check, we left, hand in hand. Well it was more like I was melded to his side, and his arm was wrapped around me.
The drive back home was quiet, it's funny how we just liked being around each other so much, that there was no need for conversation. Jacob had it wrong, it wasn't like drugs, Edward wasn't my sun, he was my star, so much more powerful, more bright, holding me to this earth. Like Edward, before I came, I had no purpose. I had been living day to day, keeping up with my harebrained mother, but then she met Phil and took that away, then I came up here, and Charlie, who had been mostly self-sufficient didn't need me.
Then came Edward.
And now we need each other. He is part of me like I am part of him. Two parts of one soul. Finally together, right. I smiled and sighed, contentedly.
"Bella?" Edward glanced over, curiosity and apprehension edged his voice.
"I'm fine. Just.. Deep thought." I looked at him and smiled softly, I leaned over and kissed his jaw. "I'm really happy I met you."
"Me too love, me too."
Charlie was asleep on the couch when I walked into the house. As per usual routine, I woke him up, and he crashed in bed without even opening his eyes. Charlie was out before he hit the bed. I hurried through my bathroom routine and was in Edward's arm's within an half hour. I curled into his should and nuzzled his chest. There should be poems, songs, stories written about Edward's body. I feel as though I could spend forever just worshipping this man.
"What are you thinking Bella." He asked curiously.
"I think I've found religion." I kissed the corner of his lips, then full on. As usual, I got carried away and after a few moment's Edward gently pulled away. Resting his forehead against mine, his sweet breath washed over me.
"Sleep love." and he started humming my lullaby, he cradled me against his chest and sleep grasped me shortly.
Running away from bad men. I was running, I wasn't tripping (wishful thinking?) I knew I was dreaming, but I couldn't wake up. The long dark alley stretched before me and I heard five set's of footsteps behind me, two in front of me. I knew there was no Edward to save me, no Alice to hold my hand, I don't know how I knew. I just did. The alley slowly morphed to the forest, where I was tripping, and I could see Edward turn and run. No other footsteps this time, other than mine. This wasn't right, this wasn't real. So I screamed.
"Bella?" Edward shook me awake,. I woke, clenching the sheet's in my hand, he had been in the rocking chair, I noticed Romeo and Juliet tossed haphazardly on the floor.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm so sorry." he pulled me into his arms, and I sat curled into his lap. My fears and shaking receded as Edward hummed my lullaby and rubbed gentle circles on my back, pulling me into him tighter.
"I'm ok Edward. I'm awake." Edward looked at me, and by the moonlight I could see fear, sheer sorrow and terror etched into his marble face. My hand instantly flew to smooth the single wrinkle in his forehead.
"Edward? What's wrong?" His eyes glanced away and his hand stopped and paused on my back behind my heart.
"When you screamed. I -I've heard you yell in fear. And in anger, but that was.. Gut wrenching."
"I'm ok now. You're here, as long as you're here and you love me, I'll be ok. The dreams can't hurt me anymore Edward."
"Forever." He nodded, but I could tell that he wasn't convinced.
"Look Edward. I love you. Sometimes it scares me how much. It's a tangible thing in my chest," I clutched his free hand to my heart, "it's an animal all it's own, it grows and flexes by day. When you left, some say it was like someone died. Edward, my heart, all the love I held for you died."
I pressed my lips to his unresponsive ones. "Because you gave me no hope, nothing to use, to build on. You took everything that had made me Bella because it hurt to much to remember how I'd been with you. Happy, care free, I could even be clumsy around you, you were my white knight, my angel."
His face twisted but I kept going, my voice slowly breaking. It would forever be hard for me to dredge up these memories, but I had to do it. "The animal, it flexed, and had nothing to use. You told me you didn't want me," I pressed a finger to his lips, hushing him till I finished, knowing I wouldn't if he spoke now.
"But even now knowing you love me, my brain won't drop it. So the animal must become stronger, tougher." I smiled up at him, "it's got to become more like you. Untouchable."
I removed my hand from his face, let it drop to my lap, I went to tuck my face under his chest, the burn of embarrassment started to flame across my face. Before I knew it I felt his finger lifting my chin up. His cold hard lips pressed against mine, moving expertly, mine respond and soon the dance of our lips, moving in sync with our hands. My hands were tangled in his hair, threading the bronze hair through my fingers. His hands were at my waist, pulling me even more into his chest than I already was. The kiss was one of a kind, there was fire, and ice. The burn, yet the sweet twinge.
"Bella. Never has anyone held me like you do. Never before have I ever felt the- the impossible need for a single human, more than the blood, more than the shell but the person. Never before has my cold heart ever been so warm. Until you the only burn I had know was the one that doomed me for eternity. You give me warmth that I would have never known, will never have with anyone but you." He kissed my forehead, "you are my Bella, and-"
"-You are my Edward." And with that, silence overtook us, and I fell asleep shortly after, no more terror's filled my thoughts, subconsciously I don't know if it was finally getting the past couple months off my chest or pledging myself to Edward, I slept better than I had ever before.
I woke up just as Edward was jumping out the window. With a short goodbye, I hurried through my morning routine, and ran downstairs. I looked out at the sun, hiding behind obedient clouds and breathed in the cool morning air.
My future suddenly looked so much brighter. No matter what, from now till the end of eternity, I would be with Edward. My heart would be safe, for the rest of time.
And that was ok by me.