Chapter 2

It was a quick journey as Edward decides he likes to drive a few miles per hour over the speed limit at all times. I broke the quiet between us by asking "you did let Bella know that Esme was cooking for her didn't you, Eddie?"

"I did." He chuckled, "although I will not be surprised if she has already eaten to be considerate."

"That will go down well." I mused. It's nice of Bella to be considerate like that considering our diet but surely it was also a pleasant thing to do to not decline if someone has gone to a lot of effort preparing a meal? "If Bella declines Esme's meal, at least it won't go to waste with me around. Smelt delicious when she started when I got home."

Edward chuckled once more and I noticed he had slowed down a considerable amount and realised he was pulling up outside our destination. "The only time you will ever obey the law is when the police chief is your girlfriend's dad. I have you rumbled my dear boy." Incredibly happy that Edward at least smiled at my horrible humour, we exited his car and headed to the front door where Edward politely knocked.

I had a little bit of trouble not laughing when the Chief opened the door and scowled at my brother. "I'm here to pick Bella up to take her to meet my family, sir."

Begrudgingly, the Chief opened the door for us to enter, "I hope you know I am licensed to hold a gun and use it." I appreciated Charlie's dry humour towards Edward because it's a running joke with us at home that Eddie finally has to work at something.

"Morning Charlie. I think that very gun is the reason Eddie asked me to join him on the ride over because he wants to use me as the shield to save himself." I quipped with a smile. "I hope I'm not intruding on you, sir? I just came for the ride."

Charlie smiled at me when we had moved into the kitchen to await Bella coming downstairs. "You're always welcome, Sera. Was there anything that happened at work whilst I was away?"

"No Charlie. All was quiet actually. But I think that was because Samuels was on patrol today and not crowding the office as usual." I had taken a seat opposite Edward at the kitchen table whilst Charlie stood against the door frame to keep both of us in his line of sight. Mostly to keep Edward from making a mad dash up to his little girls` bedroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Edward's slight downturn of his lips. "You've not just been watching a game on your day off have you, Chief?"

"Have a little bit more faith in me Sera, please." He huffed at me. "I also went fishing." He smiled at me since that was his usual response when I casually persuaded him to get away from Forks on his days off. I know that he sometimes heads to a friend in the local reservation which, in theory, does get him our of Forks for awhile. This isn't unusual for the Chief as he is a creature of habit.

"Bella!" Charlie called up the stairs during a lull in the conversation. "Edward is here for you." He added with a frown on his face in Edward's direction which I caught and Eddie politely ignored. "Will you stay a little bit longer, Sera? Or are you leaving with them?"

"Sorry Charlie, Edward's my driver. I'd be a little stranded if I stayed behind a little longer. How about in the morning, I'll drop by and you can drive us to work? You do have a bit of catching up to do from your day off, after all."

Bella had finally descended the stairs and she and Edward had already greeted each other when Charlie replied, "no problem, Sera. I'll see you in the morning for work."

"Hi Bella." I greeted the woman and walked past the pair, "come along Edward we'll get the car warmed up. Bye Charlie!" With my departing words, I headed back to Edward's car and got ready to get into the back once Eddie has unlocked it for us. I heard Edward and Charlie converse once more and then Edward led Bella out of the house and to his car and opened the passenger door for her.

Once we were all in the car and Edward headed back to the Cullen house, I had to ask, "will this be a quiet car ride or are we allowed conversation?"

"What would you like to talk about, Sera?" Edward asked.

"What do you have planned once Bella has been introduced to everyone? It's not going to be fun for you Bella if Edward decides you're only going to hang out with him and I."

Edward smiled, "I'll show her around the house to begin with and we'll go from there."

"That's nice. Are you nervous yet, Bella? Esme and Carlisle are delightful. It's everyone else you need to watch out for." I chuckled a little and noticed Bella relax a little from the light humour between Eddie and I.

She smiled a little when she replied, "I'm nervous but excited too. I've heard a lot about your siblings from Edward already."

"Spilling our secrets before she's even met us, Eddie? Shame on you!" I joked. Bella looked shocked at my joke and I realised how close my joke resembled how she discovered our life style. "Oh don't worry too much Bella. My jokes are always horrible so do feel free to ignore me. Eddie already does."

"That's because your inner monologue is pure torture." He replied with laughter.

"Oh just drive you beast!" I feigned hurt by turning my head to look out the window. I noticed that Bella had lightened up during Edward and I talking.

Edward pulled up to our house not too long after that and I got out first and headed into the house.

I entered the kitchen and noticed Carlisle had joined Esme with the preparations and Rosalie was providing an extra pair of hands. Emmett was just in the way by the looks of it, leant against the door frame as if he'd been told off for trying to help. I pulled up a stool at the island where most of the food was placed, "where's Alice and Jasper gone?"

"They went hunting to prepare for this." Emmett replied. "Probably had a quick smooch in the bushes at the same time."

"And they didn't invite me?" My quip gained a chuckle from all around. "Surprised you didn't follow them Emmett, surely you wouldn't have missed a good show?" I paused from continuing the joke when I heard Edward bring Bella to the kitchen.

Esme stops what she is doing when she sees Bella, "Bella, we're making Italian for you."

To Bella Edward started the introductions, "this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes." With a nod in my direction, "you already know Serafina and Carlisle." I waved with a smile.

"Bon giorno?" Bella asked in reply to Esme's greeting.

"Molto bene!"

"You've given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time." Carlisle said.

"Given us an excuse?" I asked Carlisle, "I've used it plenty of times!"

Carlisle laughed, "my apologies, my dear."

"I'll forgive you, papa." I said sweetly.

"I hope you're hungry, Bella." Esme said, successfully redirecting the conversation back to our guest.

Bella, very nervous, smiled slightly, "oh, absolutely."

"She already ate." Edward butted in.

I watched as Bella shot him a dirty look and Rosalie shattered the glass bowl she was holding. "Perfect" she huffs before storming out.

Carlisle shot me a look and nodded towards the glass on the floor, with a flick of my wrist I had the glass and food off the floor and disposed of. He nodded his thanks with a smile on his face.

As Rosalie left, Bella had followed, hoping to apologise. Quickly, I grabbed a bite of the food Esme had left behind before following everyone else. "I just assumed," I heard Bella start, "because you don't eat, you know."

Esme, trying to keep the peace, replied, "of course. That was very considerate of you."

"Ignore Rosalie," Edward said, "I do."

"That was mean!" I exclaimed at Edward.

"Yes, lets keep pretending this isn't dangerous for all of us." Rosalie growled.

A shocked Bella replied, "I would never, ever tell anyone."

"She knows that." Carlisle reassured Bella.

"Rosie just has everyone's best interests in mind." I added in to try and explain Rosalie's statement knowing Bella might become upset with Rosalie's hostile nature to the fact she is a human in a vampire's world.

Emmett decided to butt into the conversation with his endless inability to be tactful, "the problem is, you two have gone public now, so" he let his sentence hang. I snorted.

"Emmett" Esme chided even though it was to no effect.

Rosalie huffed, "no, she should know." She turned to face Bella directly and said with a hint of malice in her voice "the entire family will be implicated if this ends badly."

"Badly?" Bella squeaked out. I watched as everyone but Rosalie shifted uncomfortably as the implication hung in the air. Edward couldn't even look at his girlfriend after the statement. "Oh" Bella realises, "'badly', where I become the meal." I snorted loudly in laughter and this eased everyone else up. Emmett chokes on his laughter, Edward grins and Esme chuckled but I couldn't see what Carlisle did with him stood out of my line of sight.

Rosalie, exasperated, heads back into the kitchen. Emmett still chuckling, shrugs, and follows his wife.

Alice had finally decided to make an appearance, "hi, Bella." She leapt over the railing and handed Bella the bouquet of wild flowers she had in her hands. Jasper followed her over the railing and I went over to him and placed myself against his side, comfortably situated under his arm. "I'm Alice," she continued, "you do smell good."

"Alice!" Edward groaned.

"It's alright, Edward. Bella and I are going to be great friends." I chuckled and poked her in the side where I could reach.

"Confident of that are you, little seer?" I joked. I knew of the vision Alice had which confirmed of their friendship, she was so excited when she witnessed it that she couldn't sit still for awhile. Alice merely turned to the side slightly and hit me in the arm. I turned my head to look at my husband with a mock hurt look, "did you see what she did to me? She's bullying me!" I playfully whined to my husband, his return smile lit up my world. His slight squeeze of my shoulder made my dead heart swell with love for him.

Bella looked at Jasper and extended her hand towards him, "and you're Jasper, right?"

I felt him tense slightly when her hand got close to him, I squeezed him in comfort, "pleasure to meet you." He said charmingly but didn't return her handshake. I squeezed him tighter in comfort.

Alice turned to him and said gently, encouraging him further, "you won't hurt her, Jasper."

I watched him shake his head minutely, only enough that Bella was the only one to not see it. Obviously, he didn't believe our seer sister. I slowly ran my hand over his that was wrapped around my waist in the hopes of providing him with some comfort. I looked at Edward and politely suggested he showed Bella around.

"I'll give you a tour of the house." Edward said to Bella and he took her hand and led her off.

"I'll see you soon!" Alice called after them with meaning. Edward shoots her a look before walking off. "I promise you, Jazz, you won't hurt her." She said to my husband in comfort before heading to the kitchen with everyone else.

In the quiet of the hall, I wrapped my arms around his neck and stayed close to him. Offering as much reassurance as I could to him in the hug alone. I am positive he felt my confidence in him and my love, and I knew he appreciated them because he wrapped his arms around me a little bit tighter. His nose dug itself into my neck and I felt him breath a sigh so quiet it was only his breath on my skin that let me know he had. In a whisper I told him, "I love you, Jasper" and pulled him just a little bit closer.

He kissed me and nuzzled his nose against mine, "I love you, Sera." He kissed me again. "Thank you." We smiled at each other and entered the kitchen.