Disclaimer: I don't own any of the dialogue that took place in the book, or any of the characters. I do however own the discussions that don't appear in the books, Edward's thought processes, and the events that took place while Bella and Edward were separated. By the way, I know I may leave small things out, like the radio thing, but I'm mostly focusing on the more important events. I'm trying to make it not so repetitive that way. After all, we've all read New Moon. We don't need the recap.


I could hear her truck start. I loved hearing the sound of it.

Despite the fact that I had only left her a few hours ago, still deeply sleeping, I already missed her. I had nothing during the rest of the night that made my existence interesting. Early morning was always a bore, when I would go home before neighbors could spot me, change, and grab my car. I used to hate school, too. All those voices. But with Bella, I had something to look forward too.

Her truck approached, chugging noisily. I couldn't help but smile.

I rolled my eyes as Alice skipped to her truck. Alice and Bella had become really close. I wondered what Bella's death would do to her. I still wasn't planning on doing anything to change her mortality, and Bella's departure wouldn't only just hurt me, but it would hurt Alice, too. While it was what I planned, Bella getting older was not exactly my most favorite realization, either. It mean less time with her. I had already lived a century, yet I would probably only get around sixty years with her. Less than half of my existence.

But I was a good liar. I could play along and act as if I were happy and couldn't care less what every day did to her aging body. Slowly bringing an end to her life, and in turn, mine.

Finally, Alice and Bella reached me, I took her hand gently. Her precious heart stammered, and my smile grew.

"So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?" I confirmed. Maybe she had changed her mind.

"Yes. That is correct." she replied, trying to imitate me.

"Just checking. You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts."

"Of course you'll enjoy it," Alice added, going with the flow that I created. "Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Bella." Of course Alice didn't expect that. We all knew that if Bella had her way, she would be just like us. She was not getting that birthday present. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Getting older," Bella responded. My smile stiffened. Why? Why did I constantly have to be reminded of the day that she would leave me forever?

"Eighteen isn't very old," Alice said, trying to raise her spirits. "Don't women usually wait till they're twenty-nine to get upset over birthdays?"

"It's older than Edward," Bella mumbled.

I sighed. Another reminder. Not that the thought had left my mind yet anyway.

"Technically. Just by one little year though. What time will you be at the house?" Alice asked, changing the subject. Bless her still heart.

"I didn't know I had plans to be there."

"Oh, be fair, Bella!" Alice whined. "You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?

"I thought my birthday was about what I want."

"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school," I told Alice.

"I have to work," Bella excused herself.

"You don't actually," Alice told her. "I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you 'Happy Birthday.'"

Bella kept rolling off excuses, including school assignments. That one has been in the book for ages. She may have been very unique, but at times, there wasn' that much originality. Alice eventually resorted to threatening.

"Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday."

"So there," Bella said smugly.

"I'll bring her over around seven. That will give you more time to set up," I added. Alice wouldn't need the time, but perhaps if we acted more human, Bella wouldn't feel there was anything special about us.

"Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see," Alice replied, skipping away after kissing Bella on the cheek.

"Edward, please - " she began, but I silenced her with my finger to her lips.

"Let's discuss it later. We're going to be late for class."

When we got back to her truck after school, I opened the passenger door for her as usual. She didn't seem to like that idea.

"It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?" she whined.

"I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished."

"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight..." Why was she always so stubborn?

"All right," I said, shutting the passenger door and opening the driver's side for her. "Happy birthday."

"Shh," she joked.

"You should be in a good mood, today of all days," I said when we reached Charlie's house, taking her face in my hands. I really didn't want her to get in a bad mood today of all days. Partially for selfish reasons. I didn't want to be put in a bad mood.

"And if I don't want to be in a good mood?" she wondered.

"Too bad." I simply stated. I knew one thing that would cheer her up.

I softly pressed my lips to hers. My mouth lingered on hers for a while, but we still hadn't perfected this simple display of affection. So when Bella threw her arms around my neck, I panicked, miraculously without Bella noticing, and detached our lips.

"Be good, please," I requested, kissing her once more.

"Do you think I'll ever get better at this? That my heart might someday stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me?" she asked, hopping down from the truck.

"I really hope not," I replied. I was rather adorable.

"Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other up, all right?"

"Your wish, my command."

I watched her pop the video in, fast forwarding through the credits, and after I bashed Romeo a little, the movie started. I said Romeo's lines with him, trying to help Bella concentrate on the movie, after all, she said that if she wasn't distracted, she'd cry. I thought that might be amusing. I thought it was ridiculous when fictional things made humans cry.

"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here," I said when Romeo killed himself.

"She's very pretty," Bella answered. Leave it to Bella to think that she wasn't pretty. Bella was beautiful. "Bella" was even Italian for "beautiful."

"I don't envy him the girl - just the ease of suicide. You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts..." I began. But Bella did not like that thought at all.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"It's something I had to think about once," I told her, launching into how I knew it wasn't easy because Carlisle had tried and failed multiple times when he found out what he had become.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean, this something you had to think about once?"

"Last spring when you were...nearly killed...of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human." I watched as Bella subconsciously rubbed the scar on her hand.

"Contingency plans?" she questioned.

"Well, I wasn't going to live without you. But I wasn't sure how to do it - I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help...so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi."

That had not been the best of ideas. Pissing off the Volturi was a good idea. Telling Bella about my plan had not been. I had to explain the Volturi to her. Instantly she pieced together that I wanted them to kill me the instant that she died.

"You must never, never, never think of anything like that again!" she exclaimed. More like ordered. "No matter what might ever happen to me, you are not allowed to hurt yourself!

"I'll never put you in danger again, so it's a moot point."

"Put me in danger! I thought we'd established that the bad luck is my fault? How dare you even think like that?"

"What would you do, if the situation were reversed?" I asked.

"That's not the same thing. What if something did happen to you? Would you want me to go off myself?"

"I guess I see your point...a little," I admitted. "But what would I do without you?"

"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated you existence."

"You make that sound so easy," I said, rolling my eyes.

"It should be. I'm not really that interesting."

"Moot point," I repeated. Then I heard the voice.

Of course Edward's gonna be here. I'll eat my badge if he's not.

I pulled Bella off of me and sat up.

"Charlie?" she guessed. I smiled. She took my hand.

Charlie came in with pizza, and I cleared Bella's schedule through him.

"Try to be a good sport," I requested when we arrived at my house.

"Sure," she agreed.

The moment that Bella dreaded came. Presents. From Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper, an empty stereo box (Emmett had already installed it so she couldn't take it back), from me and Alice...

"You promised," she reminded me.

"I didn't spend a dime," I confirmed.

"Give it to me," she sighed.

And then...

"Shoot!" she exclaimed. I realized that she had given herself a paper cut. Even without a talent like Alice's I knew exactly what was going to happen now.

"No!" I shouted, pushing her away from Jasper.

Unfortunately, I threw her across the table. She took everything on the table with her as she slid across, then landed on top of the shattered plates.

It took all of strength to keep Jasper away while refraining myself. But everyone else seemed ready to consume her, too. A real happy birthday to Bella.