Author's note:

Well, here it is - Book 2 of Ages of Innocence. Thank you to everyone who emailed and added me as a favorite story/author - that was awesome! Such an ego boost. LOL Anyway, this book is a bit more...intense, shall we say...than the last one. But then, Bella has learned a few things about herself, so maybe she's ready for the intensity. Enjoy!

It had been kind of weird at first, right after Edward got home. She knew that he would know about her...tryst...with Alice and Jasper, but to see the hurt in his eyes in that one unguarded second before he forced it out - it was almost too much to take. In the weeks since, though, it had gotten easier. Edward had never said a word. Alice and Jasper had given her all the time and space she wanted to adjust to the idea and her new-found womanhood, ecstatically welcoming her into their arms when she finally came to terms with everything. And though the three of them had been together fairly often since, Edward seemed nonplussed about it. He still treated her as if she were breakable, but after talking with Esme for a while she understood that it was less about her and more about him, and that made it easier to bear. All in all, things had almost gone back to normal. Sitting on the bed, staring out at the early evening, she was talking with Alice.

"So you and Jasper are going?" She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"We need to hunt too, Bella. Or have you forgotten that there are other needs besides amazing sex?" Alice's voice was teasing, and Bella blushed.

"Who are my watchdogs this time around?" she asked, trying to keep her mind from whirling all of the possibilities around. It was hard, though - especially when she recalled what had started during the last hunting trip.

"Em and Rose." Alice giggled. "They've been warned not to touch you unless you give the go-ahead, but don't expect Emmett to keep his mouth shut."

"Yeah, like I ever do anyway."

"So, anyway, it's only three days this time. You'll be fine."

"Alice..." Bella began hesitantly. Catching the tone of her voice, the bouncy vampire dropped to the bed beside her friend and waited. "Why doesn't Rosalie like me?" ~Ahhh.~ She chose her words with care.

"That, actually, would be Rose's story to tell. But I can say it has less to do with who you are than with...well, what you are."

"So, she doesn't like me because I'm human?" Bella's voice was incredulous.

"In a way," said Alice honestly. "Bella, understand, Rose has been down a hard road. A very hard road. And though it's her story to tell if she ever wishes to, I can tell you that it was the decisions she didn't get to make that prompt her resentment. She'll come around, though. As bitchy as she is sometimes, she has a truly kind heart, and her fear of being hurt again is only one of many reasons she acts as she does." Bella nodded, staying quiet. Alice paused, then jumped to her feet. "Come on, it's time for us to go. You want to say goodbye to Edward, don't you?" The two friends stood and, arms around each others' waists, they wandered downstairs.

Alice bounced over to Jasper when they hit the bottom of the stairs, and they all wandered in to join the rest. Getting to the kitchen gave Bella pause. It was amazing. With the last of the day's rare sunlight streaming in the enormous window, the entire room seemed filled with celestial creatures. The diamond-dust shimmer of their skin that always took her breath away was near overwhelming in its beauty when they were all together. Suddenly she felt very small, and very humbled. Here was this family, these immortal, wonderful beings, who had all of eternity on their side, advantages she could only guess at, beautiful enough to make a person want to stop breathing, and they liked her. Loved her. Accepted and cherished her. Fought and would die for her. Her, Bella Swan, the clumsy duckling who was average at best in her own estimation. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"What's this?" Carlisle's soft words from beside her startled her and she jumped, blushing as he reflexively caught the vase she bumped before it could smash. Wide-eyed, she watched the golden-haired demigod place the vase back and gently lift his hand to her cheek. She nearly swooned at the touch of his finger on her skin, feather-light and electric, as he wiped away a tear that she hadn't known escaped, and felt her knees go weak when he lifted his finger to his mouth, his tongue flicking out to steal the tear away. His smile was purely amazing, and her mouth went completely dry.

"You really are beautiful, Bella," he murmured before walking over to join his wife by the door. She followed him with her eyes, not even able to break her gaze when she heard Alice giggle. Her friend darted over to her, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially.

"He's really something, isn't he?" Bella, still incapable of speech, could only nod. "You know, he wants you too." Her eyes finally broke free from Carlisle as she snapped her head around to stare at her friend. "Don't look so shocked. They all do. You have no idea how jealous Emmett is that Jazz and I got you first." Bella's mind swam. "Of course, like I said, no one will make a move without your say-so. Edward isn't so thrilled, but he's adjusting. He's seen how much happier you are." Bella supposed that was true. Since that first day he'd not treated her any different. They still shared their heated embraces, he still backed down. They were still friends, confidants...everything but lovers, and Bella couldn't conceive of a world without him. Now that it was Edward that needed time, she was more than happy to give it to him. Within reason, of course. As if thoughts could summon, he appeared in the opposite doorway and crossed to her, smiling for her alone. Alice melted away as Edward approached, walking to Bella and wrapping her in his arms.

"I'll miss you," they said simultaneously, smiling at each other. Bella was prepared for the quick peck on the lips that he usually graced her with whenever the entire family was around. However, Emmett's voice broke into their moment.

"Don't worry, bro. Rose and I will take good care of Bella." The burly vampire wiggled his eyebrows comically at them and Edward growled slightly. Without warning, he slanted his lips over hers and kissed her thoroughly, completely, picking her up to meet his onslaught before setting her back on the ground. As her mind tried to clear away the lust fuzzies that had taken up residence at his touch, she heard Emmett whooping behind them, heard Alice and Jasper chuckling. She knew she was blushing, but for once she didn't care.

"I'll see you in a few days, Bella." Edward's voice was warm, yet she could catch the undercurrent of worry. She placed a hand on his cheek.

"I'll be waiting." She kissed him again and watched as he disappeared out the door.

"He'll come 'round, darlin'. You'll see." Jasper was beside her now, though she'd never noticed his approach. The quiet vampire had become so much more comfortable around her in the past month. ~Well, no surprise there, not after everything,~ she thought. He leaned down and kissed her soundly. "We'll be back in a few days. It's okay to enjoy yourself, if it's something you want. Trust me - no one will mind." He grinned at her and turned to Alice, who had just come over. At the touch of her lips, Bella felt a little light-headed. She'd never considered herself attracted to women before, but this was different. This was Alice. As the two embraced, the distant part of Bella's mind that was still in the present registered Emmett's groan, Esme's focused gaze, Carlisle's lips parting involuntarily...and unexpectedly, Rosalie's softly whispered "Whoa." After what may have been forever or only a few moments, the two girls broke apart. Alice, perky as ever, shouted her goodbyes over her shoulder as she dragged Jasper out the door. Carlisle and Esme left as well, and suddenly Bella was very aware that it was only her, Rosalie, and Emmett standing in the room. Unsure of herself, she stammered.

"I'm going to...I think...I'm going to go to bed. Take a nap." She turned and stumbled out the door, Emmett's voice following her into the hallway.

"Want some company?" She thought she heard a playful smack as she walked up the stairs, but by the time she fell into Edward's gigantic bed, she was almost completely asleep.

"Did you see that kiss?" Emmett was beside himself. "I mean, I thought Alice was just going to hold her there forever! That was HOT!" Rosalie flounced over and flopped onto the couch.

"I don't see what the big deal is." She couldn't quite keep the hurt out of her voice. "You see her kiss me all the time."

"Yeah, and that's hella hot too," he said, dropping down beside his wife and pulling her into his arms. "Come on, babe. You know you're the only one for me. But you gotta admit, Bella sure is something." Rosalie stared at her hands.

"Yeah. Human," she said quietly. Her mind focused inwardly, she gave in to Emmett's touch and relaxed against him. And Emmett, exuberant as he was, understood. They sat there in each others' arms, thinking their thoughts and sharing their comfort, as the moon rose over the trees.

Out in the woods, out of the house, Edward could finally drop the guard he'd been holding in place around Bella. He ran with the others, moody and morose, and when they decided to stop and eat he broke away from them and went off on his own. Alice found him sitting by a stream, his flawless features full of pain and confusion.

"You know, it's all on you now," she said as she sat down on the grass near his feet. He turned his gaze to her, not bothering to hide his expression.

"I know that. Do you think I don't know that? Do you know how much I wish I could give her what she wants? Do you have any idea how much it tears me apart knowing that she's being satisfied by my FAMILY because I can't trust myself enough to not hurt her?" His voice cracked on the last word, and she jumped up, sitting on the rock beside him. His face was turned from her, but she grasped his chin and made him face her.

"Edward. Listen to me. We may be able to give her pleasure, but we cannot give her what she wants. Because all she wants is you! Sure, the sex is great, but I've seen the way she watches you. You are everything to her, and she feels like she's losing you just because she wants you. I've watched her cry when she thinks no one is looking, and every tear has your name on it. Don't you see, Ed?" He wrenched his face out of her grip, so she straddled his lap, giving him no choice but to meet her gaze. "We could fuck her until she died from orgasm overdose, and her last thought wouldn't be the pleasure. It would be of you." She sighed, standing up. "Edward, I love you. You're amazing. And you need to understand that until you trust yourself, you're condemning both of you to unhappiness. But I love Bella too. She's my sister, she's my best friend. And if I can do something, anything, to make her feel like she is beautiful and adored and worth every ounce of happiness and pleasure I can bring her, I'm going to do it. And I know if you talk to the others, they'll say the same thing." She turned to walk away.

"How do I stop hurting her?" His voice was raw and sore and it made her heart ache to hear it, but she never turned back to him, speaking over her shoulder instead.

"By loving her."

Only the rustle of the wind through the trees remained to keep Edward company, and it sounded as hollow as he felt.