*DISCLAIMER*
I do not own the characters of Twilight, just this fluffy plot that I concocted. Stephenie Meyer is credited with the wonder that is Twilight Saga.
Edward was nervous wreck; he couldn't believe that he let his moronic brothers talk him into this. He could tell Bella that he was interested without making an utter fool of himself in front of a bar filled with people. Unfortunately for him neither one of his brothers believed a word he said. Now he was pacing the carpet in his living room waiting on his brothers to finish getting ready so that they could go and pick up their dates for the night.
"Would you calm down?" Jasper asked as he walked into the room wearing worn out Levis, a black button up shirt that had the arms pushed up to his elbows. His hair was pulled out of his face with a leather cord that he preferred to hair bands. In other words he looked like a true cowboy that was not afraid of his Texas roots. He jogged down the stairs and forced Edward onto the couch before he walked a rut into the carpet.
"I cannot believe that you guys talked me into doing this! What if she publically rejects me? Can you even imagine how embarrassing that will be?" Edward ranted, getting worked up again. Jasper just looked at his adoptive brother as he worked himself into a nervous blob. He critically took in the dark jeans and the black fitted tee and the mop of hair that could not be tamed. Jasper just sighed before he began the process of calming Edward down.
"Edward, we have told you many times that Bella adores the ground you walk on! I think the next time Rose has to tell you she is going to take a stiletto and ram it up your ass for being so blind. Then again, Alice isn't that far from doing that to Bella, except ramming stilettos on her feet. It still amuses me that Alice can't get Bella to dress like she wants her to." Jasper commented, hoping that bringing the fact that Bella resists any fashion advice Alice gives her would help calm down Edward. His gamble paid off because Edward let a short chuckle out at the comment.
"True no offense to your woman Jasper, but there isn't anything wrong with Bella's sense of style. I like her just the way she is. I probably wouldn't like her if she was into fashion and how she looks like her sisters are." Edward told him truthfully. Jasper knew Edward felt this way and had tried explaining it to Alice, but she was adamant that Edward would show his feeling if Bella was better dressed. Jasper just stopped trying to stop her and let Bella take care of herself. It was entertaining to watch Alice and Bella butt heads over shopping trips. It was at that moment that their other brother, Emmett, came bounding down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a white fitted tee.
"Ready to roll, we have exactly twenty minutes to pick up the ladies before Rosie has my balls." He informed them as he grabbed his keys and rushed Jasper and Edward out of the house and into his jeep. To say that he was excited was an understatement. He was brimming with enthusiasm about what he was going to sing to his Rosie tonight. He didn't tell his brothers this, but he was also planning to ask her to marry him tonight. He gunned the engine and made his way to pick up the ladies.
Edward couldn't believe the gullibility of his brothers sometimes, and smirked to himself at a successful act.
On the other side of town there was an epic battle of wills going down between one Bella Swan and Alice Swan.
"No Alice, I will wear what I want to wear, not whatever whorish outfit you picked out for me." Bella told her sister for the final time before calmly walking into her bedroom and locking the door from the inside so that she couldn't get in and change Bella's outfit.
"ISABELLA SWAN! You need to look your absolute best tonight, and admit it you don't have the fashion sense to pick out the right outfit." Alice whined through the locked door. There was no answer and Alice just huffed and stomped her way sulkily to the living room where their other sister, Rose, was sitting filing her nails.
"I don't know why you event try anymore. You know for a fact that you will never get her to dress the way you want her to. Let her be." Rose told the middle Swan child. Being the oldest meant that she had to keep the peace between the middle and the youngest. She was excited about tonight. It had been awhile sense she had been out with Emmett and their friends. She was wearing a pair of skin-tight jeans and blood red sleeveless top with a pair of black stilettos.
"I know, but still Edward is confessing his feelings tonight and she needs to be appropriately dressed." Alice pouted, straightening her light purple dress. She was wearing a pair of stilettos to match. "I don't know how she is even related to us."
"Easy Alice, you know for a fact that Bella was teased as a child for being so different. Besides, she is more like the Swan side of the family." Rose defended her baby sister. Alice just sighed. Rose continued like she didn't hear her. "Jasper has told you countless times that he likes Bella the way she is. He doesn't want someone that will shop all day for the perfect outfit. Keep pushing her and she won't stay here anymore. She has enough money from her job to get her own place."
"I know, but still, she could still pick more flattering clothes." Alice grumbled, but cheered right up when Bella came back into the room wearing a pair of fitted jeans and a vintage AC/DC shirt with a pair of black sneakers on her feet. It could be better, Alice mused, but it fit her.
"When will they be here?" Bella asked her sisters, well aware of the conversation that just took place. She didn't have the heart to tell her sisters that their worst fear was happening soon. She had gotten a phone call from her boss. She was being transferred.
"They should be here any minute now. I threatened Emmett with his balls if he showed up late tonight." Rose answered and she took stock in how Bella presented herself. She could tell something was wrong with her, but didn't want to get into with Alice present. If she mentioned anything then Alice wouldn't let it drop until Bella stormed off. She pushed it to the back of her mind. She would deal with it later.
DING DONG
Alice scrambled to get the door and squealed when she saw Jasper and leaped into his waiting arms and started to kiss him. It took Emmett pulling her off to get them out of the doorway so that he and Edward could get into the apartment. Edward immediately started for Bella. He already knew, of course, about her transfer. He had been with her when she got the phone call, it was just luck that they worked together and he had also been transferred. Like Bella, he hadn't told his brothers that he was moving out.
"You look stunning Bella." He complimented her, loving how intense her chocolate eyes could be.
"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself." She replied, getting lost in his emerald eyes.
"Right, let's roll. We have a reservation and can't be late." Jasper announced and then escorted Alice out of the apartment with Emmett and Rose following close behind. This left Edward and Bella to lock up. He took this chance to talk to her privately.
"Another fight with fashion Nazi tonight I take it," he asked her. She nodded and started to tear up. "What happened baby girl?" He asked her, cupping her face. It would surprise their siblings to find them in this position, but neither one cared. They had been secretly dating for a few months now, but had decided to keep quiet.
"Alice said that she couldn't believe that we were related and that I needed to be more concerned about what I wear." Bella mumbled before she buried her face into Edward's chest for comfort. He was silently fuming, he was getting tired of having to comfort Bella after a fight with her domineering sister. "Rose took up for me as usual, but all she said was that Alice should now that I was teased when I was younger for being different and that I took after dad's side of the family." Edward sighed again, Rose was good at defending her sister, but she always brought up that Bella was different. He rubbed her back soothingly before he spoke.
"Its only for a few more days baby, then we are bound for England. Have you told them yet?" He asked her, already knowing the answer. He just wanted to take her mind off of the fight that she had.
"No, I was going to tell them in the morning before we left for Forks." She mumbled. "I'm banking on them keeping Jasper and Emmett here tonight since it has been awhile since they have been out together. You can sleep in the extra bedroom." She finished explaining. Edward just nodded his agreement and started leading her out the door, knowing that if they took too much longer that someone would come and get them. He made sure the door was locked before escorting Bella down to the jeep. They climbed into the vehicle silently and settled into the back before anyone said something.
"What took you guys so long?" Jasper asked curiously.
"I was looking for my cell phone." Bella answered calmly, not giving anything away. We had perfected the art of lying to our siblings when it came to matters like these.
"Okay, well let's get this party started!" Alice stated loudly, completely buying Bella's feeble lie. I just shook my head in annoyance before pulling an excited mask on for the others' sake. It was a tense ride to the bar.
The tension filled silence ended fifteen minutes later when Emmett pulled into a parking lot that was across the road from the bar. Edward and Bella quickly got out of the vehicle and started walking towards the entrance for the bar. They left the others behind and had a guess that they were talking about them. It was sad that they were guessing correctly.
"Is it me, or have Edward and Bella been acting strangely?" Jasper asked the others as they slowly walked towards the bar. His arm was firmly wrapped around Alice in support because while they waited on Edward and Bella in the jeep Rose had told them about the latest tiff between the two sisters.
"You mean stranger than usual, right?" Alice snarked still upset over the whole outfit debacle from earlier. Jasper tightened his arm around her.
"I noticed that Bella seemed a bit off earlier when she was finished getting ready, but I have noticed that she seems to be distancing herself from us. What is going on with Edward?" Rose answered quietly, as they were getting closer to where Edward and Bella were.
"I don't know, but he disappears for hours and doesn't say where he is going. I know he is old enough to take care of himself, but he is still the youngest of us three. It all started a few weeks ago. I caught him mumbling something about a phone call and his job." Jasper replied. His answer caused the group into a contemplative silence that was broken when Alice squealed in delight and rushed into their favorite bar. Jasper assumed that she was going to try and get Bella on the dance floor, another thing that she had never been able to do. He followed Rose and Emmett into the bar and started looking for his excitable girlfriend and finding her in front of Bella and Edward. He could tell that they were arguing by the look on Edward and Bella's face. It was pure annoyance and rage that she was trying to get Bella to do something that she didn't want to do.
"I don't know why she even tries anymore. She knows for a fact that Edward won't let her do anything to Bella if Bella doesn't want to do something." Jasper mumbled to Rose and Emmett as they watched the two sisters and Edward.
"It's different, they have always been like that but it got worse when mom and dad passed away. They used to be inseparable, but then Alice was introduced to shopping and fashion. That seemed to push Bella away pretty quickly." Rose answered before strolling forward to diffuse the fight before it got violent. She stepped in front of Alice with her back facing Bella, so everyone but Edward missed the hurt look on her face. "If she doesn't want to dance, don't make her." Was all that was spoken before she grabbed Alice by the hand and pulled her towards the bar. This left Edward and Bella alone again.
"One would think that they are plotting to put us together and leave us alone as much as possible tonight." Edward whispered into Bella's ear. She giggled and leaned into Edward's side for comfort after another fight with her sister.
"It is like they are plotting something huh?" She asked. He nodded sagely in agreement. He was looking around the bar and caught Jasper's signal to get a move on it, and sighed in frustration. Bella heard and turned her eyes onto him curiously.
"He making you sing your feelings?" She asked, and got a nod in response. "Go on, the quicker you get it done the faster it will be over for the both of us. You sing the song, I say lets get out of here, and we don't have to put up with our suffocating family." Bella told him soothingly. He sighed again but agreed with her plan. He hugged her gently before making his way to the stage to perform the song that he had wrote for Keith Urban. He stepped into spotlight and grabbed the guitar that was there for patron use and started strumming.
A/N Imagine Keith Urban's "I Want to Love Somebody"
At the end of the song Edward jumped off the stage and rushed to where Bella was standing, tears in her eyes. He knew that he had caused a lot of tears with his song choice. He was stopped multiple times by women but brushed them off quickly to get to Bella. She just stood there and hugged him hard in front of their friends, as they originally planned.
"Want to get out of here?" She asked, just loud enough to where Jasper could hear her. Edward didn't say one word; he just started dragging her towards the entrance. There was a lot of whistling and catcalls as they walked into the street. Bella hailed a taxi and they quickly made their way back to where the girls' lived.
"That was really sweet Edward." Bella said as she pushed him down onto the couch before straddling his waist. She didn't give him time to answer and she started kissing him. He was still for a moment before he started kissing her back. It was awhile before either of them remembered that the others would be joining them shortly. They reluctantly parted ways and went to their respective bedrooms. There would be nothing for the others to tease them about in the morning when they finally told them that they were being transferred.
It was ten in the morning by the time Emmett and Rose rolled out of bed the next morning. Rose was unbelievably happy; Emmett had proposed to her last night after singing her favorite song on stage, and Edward and Bella were finally together. Her life couldn't get any better than it was. She was all smiles when she walked into the kitchen this morning, to see a despondent Alice and Jasper.
"What is wrong with you two?" She asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat down at the table before either one of them could answer.
"We checked in Bella's room this morning and found her sleeping by herself, we figured that Edward was in the shower; but when Jasper went into the guest bedroom to get some bed sheets from the closet in there he found Edward dead to the world asleep." Alice answered glumly, effectively bringing Rose's good mood to a screeching halt.
"She said no?" Rose gasped. She thought for sure that Bella would be all up on Edward after his heart-melting performance last night.
"We don't know, when they woke up they wouldn't say. Bella pushed me out of her bedroom and locked the door, and Edward told Jasper to butt out." Alice answered her sister's gasp of shock. She couldn't believe that her plan failed, her plans never fail. It was a somber group that greeted Emmett when he finally walked into the kitchen, and he quickly joined them when he found out what was wrong.
It took everything in Edward and Bella to keep their faces straight when they walked into the kitchen and saw the gloomy mood of their siblings.
"You guys look like someone ran over your puppy." Bella commented lightly, sitting down across from them, Edward sitting on her other side. "Why are you so sad?" She asked.
"Isn't it obvious? Edward sang you such a beautiful song last night and you said no? I thought you liked him?" Alice wailed in frustration.
"What gave you the idea that I said no?" Bella asked in confusion, thus confusing the others.
"You all weren't in bed together when we got up this morning." Jasper explained finally.
"So, that doesn't mean we aren't together. That just meant that we didn't sleep together. I don't put out on the first date, not even for Edward." Bella replied. The others brightened up considerably at this announcement.
"We need to celebrate! Let's go to a club tomorrow night!" Alice went from pitiful to excited in a span of minutes, only to come crashing right back down.
"I'm sorry, but I won't be here tomorrow night." Edward replied. "And neither will Bella."
"What? Where will you be?" Emmett asked in confusion. Rose just sat back and analyzed the body language of Edward and Bella. They weren't relaxed like one would think they would be in the company of their siblings. Fear began to rise in Rose's chest, almost like she knew what was coming and she had no way of stopping it.
"We will be on a plane to England. We've been transferred to the sister company. Carlisle Cullen himself asked for us specifically." Bella quietly answered. The others were shocked into silence before Rose started sobbing. She had a feeling this was coming. She knew for a fact that Edward and Bella were the best writers in their company. She was so happy when she woke up, and now she was in despair. Her baby sister was moving thousands of miles away. Emmett immediately acted and pulled her into his strong embrace.
"When did you find out?" Jasper asked quietly.
"A few weeks ago," was the answer he got from Edward. Alice was fuming, they had found out weeks ago that they were moving to a different country and they were only now telling them.
"Why didn't you tell us when you found out?" She asked scathingly, this messed with her plans of finding a house that they could all live in like one big huge family.
"When have you given me the chance Alice? Every time I try talking to you and Rose you start harping me about my wardrobe, or my social life. You should feel happy that I am even telling you instead of just leaving and never looking back." Bella replied hotly, tears pooling in her eyes at the hateful tone that her sister had taken with her.
"We are your family! We had a right to know as soon as you found out!" Alice yelled in Bella's face. Edward looked ready to explode, but Bella's hand on his arm stopped him and he let her fight her own battles.
"You sure don't act like it! Ever since you found out about the world of fashion you have been criticizing me about what I wear, how I act, and who I hang out with. At least when Dad was alive he would curtail you a little bit, but when he and mom died it got worse. The ONLY reason I even moved in with you guys instead of getting my own place is because of Rose." Bella yelled right back. This little argument made Edward glad that he and Bella had already shipped most of their stuff over to their new house. They each had more than enough money to buy what they needed and not have to worry about anything.
"Bella, why didn't you tell me?" Rose finally asked her sister, tears streaming down her stunning face.
"You would have stopped me. This is such a huge opportunity for my career, and I didn't want to take the chance that you would guilt me into staying here with you guys. I love you Rosie, but I need my own life. Away from expectations of these hideous reminders of our mom and dad; I could feel the disdain that I didn't follow either one of my parents into medicine or law like you and Alice. This place isn't for me." Bella explained. She wanted her sister to know, she tried living here, but the people around her were stifling her and creating loathing deep inside her that could cause serious trouble.
"I would never," Rose began, but faded off because she knew that Bella spoke the truth. The guys for the most part kept quiet and let the girls get their emotions in check before Emmett and Jasper began their questioning of Edward.
"When were you going to tell us?" Was all Emmett said, his arms still comforting his fiancée.
"I've been trying to find the right way since we found out. I'm sorry guys, but this is whats best for me." Edward replied steadily. They just nodded their agreement. It was a quiet breakfast before Bella and Edward finally left so that they could take care of final minute arrangements. The others stayed behind to discuss what had just been dropped on them like a bombshell.
"I can't believe they are leaving." Rose whispered painfully. She didn't understand why anyone would want to leave their family, but she had a strong suspicion that Alice's treatment of Bella had a role in the decision.
"Please, they won't last long without us." Alice scoffed, but internally she knew that she was partly to blame and that they could and would succeed without their overbearing siblings.
"You don't believe that," was all Jasper told his girlfriend. She could frustrate him to no end sometimes, and her treatment of Bella was a big issue between them. He loved her, and hoped that she would change her ways since she had effectively driven her sister away. Emmett didn't really know what to say, he was sad that his baby brother was leaving and that Bella felt that she couldn't succeed here, but he was so proud of them both. The owner of their company had asked for them personally.
"I'm happy for them, this transfer they got is outstanding and highly prestigious. The owner of the biggest music company asked for them personally, that's pretty amazing for a couple of small town kids." Emmett said, hoping to ease the pain a little. Rose gave a slight smile at Emmett's comment and couldn't help but to agree with him.
"He's right, this is an amazing offer for Edward and Bella. We will always be their family and we always be here if they need us. Let them make their name and we will support them one hundred percent." She said before she got up to get ready for the day ahead. The others copied her actions, and soon everyone forget the fight that had taken place.
Two Weeks Later
Edward and Bella couldn't believe their luck, not only did Carlisle Cullen ask for them personally, he was offering them a room at his house. Bella was admittedly a touch nervous when they first met him and his wife, but that was quickly dispelled by the warmth displayed between the couple. Bella felt that she had her parents back when dealing with Carlisle and Esme. She was deep in thought when Edward found her sitting on the window ledge in their bedroom. He could see the sunlight glinting off of the rings that sat on her left ring finger. They had a quick wedding ceremony a few days after they had arrived with Carlisle and Esme as witnesses.
"What are you thinking about love?" He asked her, causing her to jump. She smiled up at him and turned back to look out the window.
"Do you think we should tell them?" She asked him. He knew she meant about their nuptials, and he figured that it was killing her to keep something like this from Rose.
"Only if you want to, just be prepared for Mount Alice to erupt at the missed opportunity to plan your wedding." He replied easily, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin on her head. She sighed and leaned into his chest.
"I wouldn't have let her plan it anyways. I wonder if they are even awake right now?" She mused, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket before dialing Rose's number and putting it on speaker.
"Hello?" Came the answer.
"Rose? This is Bella," Bella hesitantly replied, there was an excited squeal on the other line that made me chuckle.
"Bella, its so good to hear from you! How is England, Edward, your job?" Rose rambled, there were voices in the background demanding to know what was going on. It appeared that everyone was there at the moment.
"England is amazing, Edward and I are doing well, and my job is indescribable. Carlisle and Esme are the nicest people you could ever meet, they took me and Edward in and have been grooming us to become the best writers in the country. We are already up for some pretty big awards." Bella answered all the questions, and Edward knew that she was putting off the reason that they had called. He nudged her to get her attention and gestured towards the phone. She knew what he meant.
"That's wonderful Bella, I'm so happy and proud of you. We miss you, and you left before I could tell you that Emmett and I are engaged!" Rose squealed in excitement. "The wedding is around Halloween, can you and Edward make it?" She queried. Bella's happy look dropped at the mention of the date so Edward quickly took over before she could say anything.
"I'm sorry Rose, but Bella and I will be away on business with Carlisle and Esme for the whole month of October." Edward told them, regret lacing his voice.
"Oh, that's fine then." Came the sad reply, he could hear the tears over the line and it was killing him to miss his brother's wedding, just as he knew it was killing Bella.
"We also have news of our own. Edward and I are married." Bella finally blurted out. The shock was deafening as Alice let a screech that could break glass.
"You got married and didn't let me plan the wedding? How could you!" Came the indignant explosion, which just got Bella all riled up, but before she could say anything Rose came to her defense.
"Shut-up Alice, who is to say if they got married here that you would have planned their wedding? Say congratulations and be happy for her." Rose commanded, Bella could hear Emmett and Jasper congratulate them along with Alice before Rose began talking again. "I'm so happy for you Bella. I know that Edward will treat you right. Please visit us soon okay?"
"Of course Rosie, I love you." Bella whispered into the phone, wishing that she could hug her sister.
"I love you too Bells," Rose replied softly. Bella quickly ended the phone call and turned around and buried her face into Edward's chest.
"She couldn't even be happy for me!" She murmured. He soothed her the best that he could.
"She doesn't understand love, give her time. You will always have Rose, and me." Edward spoke, burying his face into her chocolate hair. She hugged him tighter and conceded that he was right. She and Alice may never get along, but she always had Edward and she always had Rose; and that was good enough.
THE END