BPOV

Whoever was driving drove like a complete maniac. And I hated them for it. How on earth was a girl in a blindfold supposed to manage when she was being thrown around corners at ninety miles an hour. Granted, I had a seatbelt on, but that wasn't helping. Nor was the fact that I only had one usable leg to brace myself with. An alarmingly short time after we'd started moving, we stopped again. The engine went off and someone got out of the front. Alice, I assumed, since Edward spoke from inside the car a moment later.

"Charlie Tango, the eagle has landed. I repeat, the eagle has landed." I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from laughing. I had no idea anyone actually used that kind of terminology anymore.

"Edward, what century do we live in here? We're not here for something super secret. Though I suppose Carlisle will get a kick out of the whole Charlie Tango thing." Alice's chimes came from right beside my ear, startling me. "Ok, Bella, you need to get out now. But you have to keep that thing on. Personally, I don't see why-" Edward interrupted her there.

"You know why, Alice. I explained it enough times." He sounded worn and frustrated.

"She might as well be one of us, Edward. She deserves to know."

"Fine. She can take off the blindfold, but she can't look at the car. If anyone finds out about that, we're knackered."

"Do as he says, Bella." Alice's words came out wrapped in a sigh, but I could detect a note of smugness in there. She pulled the blindfold off and instantly put her hands over my eyes, giving them a chance to adjust. All too soon though, she dropped her hands and I was left squinting in the sunshine. "let Operation Bravo Papa-" she said the words in a mocking way, obviously irritated about something, "-begin."

"Don't look at me like that, Alice. This was your idea. I only went along with it because I owed you one." Edward rolled his eyes at her.

"You still owe me six." She replied sharply.

"Yes, but I did owe you seven." A hint of a playful smile tugged at his lips.

"Can we just get her inside already? Standing out here isn't going to do any good at all, is it?" Alice was frustrated. Alice one, Edward one.

"Ok, Tiny. Keep your fur on." Edward was all-out grinning now.

"I. Beg. Your. Pardon." Each word was punctuated, coming out as though each word would be a separate sentence.

"Excuse me?"

"What did you call me?"

"Nothing...Tiny."

"Alright, Eddie. You're gonna get it now." Alice proceeded to chase Edward round the yard, only stopping when a throat was cleared from behind me.

"Hate to spoil the playground games, but will you please get inside? Esme is going nuts!" Rosalie stood behind me, her expression carefully blank. "Honestly, you'd think they were school age. Section head and deputy...one of Carlisle's bright ideas...actually important..." Rosalie continued on her quiet rant to herself, as Edward and Alice looked sheepish but moved.

------

Having been directed down an enormous hallway and through a dramatic arch, I was too busy picking myself up off the floor to immediately notice the stillness of this room. There were balloons, a buffet. streamers, and most embarrassingly, banners. Banners that read: 'Happy birthday, Isabella!

"SURPRISE!" Five voices yelled. Jasper, Emmett, a blonde man I didn't know, a motherly looking lady who I didn't know, and...

"Dad?" What was he doing here? Why wasn't he back at home?

"That's right, honey. Happy birthday." He had a real look of love in his eyes. Not that I was going to forgive him.

"Two things, Dad. One, you know I hate parties." I paused for breath and Edward dived in.

"In your father's defence, Isabella, this was all Alice's doing." Stupid pixie perfect...person! "And all her idea. The rest of us just went along with it." You're not so shiny either, are you? Make up your bloody mind. First you kiss me - taking me completely off guard, might I add - and then you pretend it never happened! I was so busy fuming I almost forgot I was in the middle of a sentence.

"And two, my birthday was yesterday!"

-------

A.N. Couldn't resist. It was too similar to the New Moon birthday scene (in my head, at least) without Charlie screwing up. Silly man.

Well done to the person who got the Bruce Forsyth reference. Now...who can spot the reference to the film Princess Diaries 2?

Please review. Reviews = Happy Fee = Updates.

Fee x