TRANSCENDENCE CHAPTER 3 - HOMECOMING
Carlisle and Esme embraced Bella gently but intently, not letting go for the longest time. Carlisle pulled me into the embrace, awkwardly patting my back and telling me it was good to see me. If I didn't know better, I'd have said Carlisle was choking back tears. Just because the tears would never fall, didn't mean the sobs weren't real, and he looked decidedly emotional. Esme didn't even try to hold back, her chest heaving slightly as she pulled us both in closely. I could see Bella's eyes begin to tear up as the intensity of the emotions built, but Emmett came to the rescue, hoisting her into the air and spinning her around as if she were a child. In his arms, she almost looked it, and her fit of giggles completed the scene.
"That's a pretty impressive tan you've worked up little sister. Oh, wait, it was just a shadow," Emmett snickered.
"Pot, kettle," Bella quipped in return.
Rosalie hugged Bella tenderly, and they seemed to share a moment, Rose giving an almost imperceptible nod of approval at me as she took in Bella's demeanour. She noticed everything, all the subtle and not so subtle changes in Bella that indicated that she was different, yet still the same. Rose was the most perceptive among us, but she rarely revealed her talents, preferring to inconspicuously size everyone up. She would never outright tell me, but she didn't hide from her thoughts how happy she was to see us both and how particularly relieved she was to see the shift in Bella. But Rose was still Rose, and she just had to roll her eyes and smirk at me disapprovingly.
Don't get too carried away with the sentiment, Edward. I'll be sick of you again in under a day, I'm sure.
What could I do but return the smirk and nod in acceptance. Rose and I had never had an easy relationship, and I knew that was a trend that was likely to continue. She'd never truly forgiven me for rejecting her, though the feeling had been mutual. But I sensed a shift in her, too, a softening around the edges, and I suspected that through Bella, we may find even more common ground.
Jasper was reserved, and I knew he was acclimating himself to Bella's scent again after such a long absence, but it was more out of habit. He'd frequently visited her room in our absence so he could keep his familiarity with her scent, and I could see that he posed no real threat at that time. My smile of encouragement seemed to bolster his confidence. He placed a gentle kiss on Bella's cheek in welcome, and Bella was struck speechless. It was the first time Jasper had made such an overtly personal gesture towards Bella, and I knew the burst of indifference that came at us was his way of masking his own embarrassment at suddenly becoming the centre of attention. He and Emmett then took turns in pushing and shoving me and slapping me on the back in some strange macho welcoming ritual.
Alice was the last to approach us, standing back and letting everyone have their turn before she threw herself on me, holding me so tightly she actually hurt me a little.
"Alice, my ribs," I heaved, doing my best to pry her arms loose from around my chest. She was deceptively strong, even by vampire standards.
"Sorry, Edward. I just missed you." Don't ever go away for that long again. It's unacceptable. She practically shouted the last part to my mind, everyone else oblivious.
She tore herself away from me, took Bella's hands in her own and led her to the sofa, sitting her down comfortably before carefully wrapping her arms around her and burying her face in Bella's neck. It was an incredibly touching scene, and Alice's thoughts of love and sisterhood towards Bella were quite overwhelming. She must have seen Bella's imminent tears, so she pulled back and grasped her hands again, commanding Bella to tell her everything, successfully lightening the moment.
Bella composed herself and smiled mischievously. "Everything's a pretty wide category, Alice. But I promise, I'll do my best, maybe when we're alone." Then she blushed, and Alice giggled, and I didn't need to be a mind reader to know exactly what they'd be talking about later. I couldn't begrudge it though. The selfish part of me would have preferred to never leave her side - to be her everything. But the newly matured part of me liked that she had friends outside of the two of us that she could confide in, even if they were my sisters and probably my mother, as uncomfortable as I knew that would likely prove to be. Discretion was not prevalent in this house, and there were very few secrets between the couples or amongst each other. Teasing was bound to ensue, and it was usually at my expense. I sighed in anticipation of the onslaught that was bound to be coming my way at any moment.
The unspoken words didn't escape anyone's notice, and Emmett and Jasper started slapping and pushing me again, this time accompanied by wolf whistles and a few, "whoo hoo's". I steeled myself and put my best amused face forward. If they knew how uncomfortable I was, it would only make it worse.
Bella blushed deeply but rose to the challenge. "Get your minds out of your pants, boys, or you won't get the presents we brought back for you, and believe me, you want these presents."
This pretty much floored everyone. They'd seen glimpses of the tough, funny Bella, but she'd just taken Jasper and Emmett's sexual innuendos on full force without breaking a sweat. And she managed to get them where it hurt, well, Emmett at least. The carton that had been shipped and arrived ahead of us with strict instructions not to be touched or opened had been gnawing at him for days. He kept stealing glances at it, and his thoughts betrayed his desire to move the welcome home part along and get to the present opening stage. Always the eternal child, Emmett loved presents, and he loved surprises. Bella had him good, and he was too stunned to even think of a witty comeback.
I took my queue, relieved at having avoided the goading for now. Thank you, Bella, I thought gratefully. The carton was by the front door, so I quickly moved it towards the sofas where everyone began to congregate, all still a little shell shocked by Bella's swift handling of the lewd insinuations.
Jasper took the change in mood in his stride, though he was certainly impressed in Bella's new-found strength. As he sat himself next to Alice, pulling her lovingly into his side, he asked cautiously, "So, there were no signs of him at all?"
I knew the "him" to which he referred. Bella's emotional climate gave him the courage to voice his question publicly rather than waiting to speak with me privately as he first intended. But before I could answer, Bella spoke up.
"No, Jasper. Nothing. No rabid wolves. No crazed vampires. Not even any freaking fairies, unless you count Tinkerbell at Disneyland. Nope, no disasters when I entered a room. I guess this means my mere presence doesn't guarantee the apocalypse after all. It's actually nice to know that life can be normal for a change, well, as normal as possible living la vida loca with Dracula's descendants and all."
Emmett, still reeling from her last comments, somehow managed to recover and be the first to roar with laughter. "Again with the vampire humour. Geez Bella, what the hell happened to you over the summer? It feels like Bambi left the building and Mike Tyson came back swinging."
"I have a feeling we're starting to see the real Bella Swan," Rosalie grinned, "and I like her. Sassy!"
Things must have gone even better than expected. She's like a new person, Edward. Still the old Bella, but I can see the strength in her. She's grown. You both have. I'm so very happy for you both. Carlisle sent his thoughts to me kindly, among other more embarrassing sentiments involving our apparently obvious sexual consummation. He just couldn't let it go. I rolled my eyes, and he smirked shamelessly. Carlisle definitely had a mischievous side, and it seemed as if he'd chosen to unleash it full force on me. Lucky me!
"Geez, I quit the moody bitch phase, and it's like the second coming or something. Now shut up and sit down, or I'm serious, no presents for anyone." She looked around at everyone sternly, but her pink blush and the twitching at the corners of her mouth betrayed her true feelings. She was happy to be home and happy that everyone had noticed the change in her, though still embarrassed as hell by all the attention. Some things would never change.
Esme couldn't contain her excitement, even though she was a little shocked by her forwardness and more colourful language. "Oh Bella, it's so good to have you home, really home." She planted a big kiss on Bella's cheek before falling into place beside a beaming Carlisle on the sofa. "But you didn't have to buy us any gifts. We're just happy to have you home."
"Speak for yourself," Emmett boomed, again indicating his excitement at the prospect of presents. Bella just smiled and ignored him, before taking a deep, calming breath.
"I -- we wanted to. You've been so good to me, there's no way I can ever repay you for. . . everything. You've helped me -- us -- to get through the worst of times, and so we wanted to do something special for you as a thank you, even though it could never be enough. . ." Bella trailed off, suddenly serious and embarrassed at being in the spotlight. In truth, the gifts were all Bella's idea. I wholeheartedly agreed with her, of course, because our family had been amazing. I'm not sure either of us would have endured if it weren't for their support, but Bella had a special desire to show her appreciation. She wasn't sure she could ever put into words what they meant to her. They had given her a family when hers was taken from her, so she hoped that the gifts could in some small way convey how she really felt. It was times like these that she reminded me so much of Charlie. Public displays of affection were difficult at best for them both, but she'd come so far, and this was her way of telling them how much she loved them, while avoiding a weepy emotional breakdown that she knew she wouldn't be able to control. The way she twirled a lock of hair around her finger and chewed on her lip showed me exactly how vulnerable she still felt.
So as not to prolong her agony, I diverted everyone's attention by searching out the first of the gifts. Bella had insisted I take the lead so that she could see everyone's reactions. I knew that was true, but I also knew that she didn't want to bring any more attention to herself. She hadn't changed that much. So she sat back, relieved to have said her piece but still looking nervous. She had been almost obsessive about making sure we'd chosen perfectly. For Bella, these were the most important gifts she would ever give. They needed to say what she didn't feel she ever adequately could with words. I dug into the carton, bringing out a small yet substantial package which I handed to Carlisle and Esme. They opened it carefully and revealed the bronze sculpture we had commissioned from the famous artist, Artis Lane. She was a favourite of Carlisle and Esme's, appealing to Carlisle's appreciation of the human form and Esme's love of style and design. They already owned some of her "Emerging Into Spirit" sculptures and so immediately recognised her unique style.
"It's called "Love". We met with her while we were in Los Angeles, and she agreed to create this for you. We wanted something that represented your unending love and devotion to one another," I told them, as they examined the creation in awe.
"It's beautiful. Absolutely perfect!" Esme gushed while Carlisle nodded emphatically. They were both quite overcome, thinking that the sculpture represented love so beautifully and uniquely. Esme was already thinking about where best to place it, possibly their bedroom, while Carlisle was admiring the craftsmanship. He thought it could be the artist's best work.
Bella smiled widely at me, thrilled by their reaction, and I was thrilled for her. But I knew that her own observations wouldn't be enough. She'd want a full run down on everyone's unspoken reactions later, so I made a special note to pay attention to all impressions as each new gift was revealed.
The next was for Alice. I handed her the large package and she trilled with delight. Of course, she knew what was coming, but she was overwhelmed by the sentiment and the efforts we went to in procuring it. She didn't even open the box, preferring to keep it hermetically sealed.
"An Oleg Cassini original worn by Jacqueline Kennedy herself in 1961. I love it. It's absolutely perfect." She bounced in delight and pecked Bella on the cheek, promising to show Esme and Rosalie the contents later when there was no chance of Emmett "accidentally" touching it.
I adore it, Edward. Be sure to tell Bella how much it means to me. I will, too, of course, but she'll want to hear it from you to be certain. I may have known what you decided to get me, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate the amazing thought behind it. This will be the showpiece of my collection.
I nodded my assent, more than pleased at how this was going and probably too focused on Bella's reactions, which were even more delightful than the recipients' of the gifts. It was very easy to get lost in her. She caught me staring and frowned, urging me to continue. The next was for Jasper, so I handed him a much smaller package than Alice's, which he opened eagerly.
"I don't believe it! A Colt 1849 pocket revolver, .31 calibre with five inch octagonal barrel and six shot cylinder!" he practically shouted. "She's a beauty. Thank you so much." There could never be any doubt about Jasper's reaction. Joy radiated out from him like the heat from a flame, and suddenly everyone became fascinated in the historical weapon.
"It was probably manufactured in 1862, and it has an interesting history. It was actually used in the civil war. The full history is in the box," I told him. He caressed it lovingly, fingering the smooth iron ridges of the octagonal barrel, pulling back the loading lever to inspect the cylinder. Bella giggled and grinned knowingly at me, no doubt a reference to my prior handling of the Volvo. Jasper was gone, lost in his previous life, remembering patchy images of the Colt he once owned, wondering where it might be now.
Emmett was getting very restless, eyeing the carton impatiently, but one look at Bella told me that he had to wait until last. I suppressed my mirth, loving the way Bella could "handle" Emmett with such ease. I handed Rosalie a medium sized package, and she took it cautiously, hesitating before beginning to unwrap it. She loved gifts just as much as Emmett, but she wasn't fond of overly emotional scenes in front of the whole family. Given the nature of the gifts so far, she was unsure how she might react. She didn't want to lose control, always needing to be strong. She gently pulled off the wrappings to reveal a framed photo of a stunning blonde beauty from a former time. The clothing and hair styling were evidence of that. She reverently rubbed her fingers over the girl's face, tracing her outline, and I knew if she could cry, she would have. She swallowed hard and reached across to squeeze Bella's hand affectionately, keeping her face angled down and her hair forming a veil to shield her from our prying eyes. Thank you, Edward, I don't know what to say. She glanced up briefly, and I nodded in return, hoping she understood that no words were necessary.
"What is it, Rosie?" Emmett asked eagerly.
"It's a picture of Rosalie when she was human. The Rochester Historical Society has a large collection of original photographs which we sorted through and well, "borrowed" so that we could make this copy. You were quite the socialite, Rose; we found a few photos. We copied them for you, too. You have always been beautiful," Bella explained lovingly, unable to contain her enthusiasm. This was the gift she was most excited about. Finding such a direct link to one of our human pasts was not something we had expected, and quite honestly, I still couldn't believe our luck. It was the most personal gift we had managed to find.
Rose remained silent, though her thoughts were anything but. Her mind was a myriad of images and remembrances of happier times. Her parents' faces. Her mother curling her hair. Her father buying her the latest fashions. Her first grown-up dance. It was gratifying to give her something of her past that could inspire such favourable emotions. For so long now, her every thought of her former life had been tainted with such bitterness over how it had ended that the betrayal and hurt never left her. But finally, through this solitary image of a girl from a bygone era, Rosalie could remember the goodness. I had a feeling there would be no gift, besides Emmett, that Rosalie would ever cherish more, and I was very happy for my sister.
"Let me see." Emmett was instantly at Rosalie's side taking in the photo for himself. "Aw, Rosie, I'd have wanted you as a human, too. You were gorgeous then and you're gorgeous now, inside and out." As often as his foot ended up securely in his mouth, Emmett had a way of saying exactly the right thing when it counted the most. I had first hand experience of that, and seeing him pull Rosalie into a tender embrace as she smiled up at him adoringly, I was reminded once again at just how much depth there truly was to my wayward brother. He hid those parts of himself well, preferring to be the fun, carefree, eternal child we were accustomed to.
The photo was passed around the whole family, evoking much emotion and a sense of wistfulness for all the human lives lost so long ago. It was met with appreciative sighs and "wows", and Rosalie tried to force back her sobs as her chest heaved. Alice was almost as emotional as Rose, but for different reasons. Though only Carlisle and I had the opportunity to bring a chosen selection of our human belongings with us into this new life, we all had our memories, albeit somewhat hazy. But Alice had nothing except for what James had revealed to Bella at the ballet studio. It was the only positive to come out of the entire ordeal, as it gave her some measure of understanding for why she had no memories. But the pain and the loss remained. She wanted desperately to remember, and suddenly the ache to know what colour her eyes had been was all consuming. Jasper embraced her firmly and sent forth such a burst of love and desire that Bella blushed, as we all would have if only we could. He toned it down immediately, but Alice was already coming back to her normal, cheerful self. I realised then that her sunny disposition was not without effort. She made a choice to be happy rather than lose herself to her sadness, and I couldn't help but see the comparison with Bella and with Rose and Esme, too, for that matter. It was actually a little intimidating. These women were a force to be reckoned with. How could it have taken me so long to notice this?
Bella coughed, bringing my attentions back to the task at hand. She shared a smile with me, and I was certain she was feeling just as overwhelmed as I was over the reaction to all the gifts but especially the photo of Rosalie. It was even better than we'd hoped. But this still left Emmett, who was now practically bouncing with eagerness to receive his. He looked to Bella and me imploringly, but I left it to Bella. She was the one handling Emmett, and she was doing a far better job of it than I had ever done, so I was happy to defer to her.
"Emmett, you'll get your presents on the condition that there are no more sex jokes." This certainly dispersed the mixed emotions the nostalgia had conjured. Everyone's eyes snapped to Bella, and she stood firm, not even the hint of a blush in sight. She was a constant mystery to me. In one moment the thought of handing out gifts to our family had her full of nerves and embarrassment, and in the next moment she was browbeating Emmett into not teasing us with embarrassing sex jokes. It was something I had never managed to achieve. Emmett started to protest, but Bella silenced him with a simple raise of her hand. "No, Emmett. I know you haven't even started yet, and you're just dying to get stuck into your tease the shit out of Edward and make Bella blush jokes that you've been storing up. But I'm warning you, any out of line sexually charged references to me, Edward or both of us together, and you forfeit this and all future gifts. We're talking eternity, Emmett. Think about it."
I was suddenly very turned on - she was fantastic. Jasper snickered at me knowingly. Emmett, on the other hand, was crestfallen, and I could both see and hear his inner debate as he weighed up the arsenal of sex humour he had stored against the potential for awesome gifts until the end of time. Reluctantly, he conceded.
"Geez Bella, you drive a hard bargain. I think I liked you better when you were meek," he moped.
"I was never meek, Emmett, I just grew up. So get over it. Now do you want your presents or not?" Bella quipped, grinning widely. Score: Bella one, Emmett zero.
The rest of the family were thrilled with Bella's new-found confidence and a little overwhelmed that she'd managed to handle Emmett so effectively. Like me, they suspected there was always a lot more to Bella, but our time away had allowed her to blossom, and it didn't go unnoticed. Nor did my apparently new and improved relaxed mood. I guess I could see their point. There was a time I wouldn't have left Bella to fight her own or my battles with Emmett. That was new. My normal reaction to Emmett's teasing and insults would have been to get angry and quite possibly storm off in frustration. So, it seemed that from our family's perspective at least, that Bella and I had both done a lot of growing up over the summer. Their thoughts on Bella's transformation were of pride, and with mine, it was more like relief. I wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not. Just how moody did they think I was before?
"Wait a minute. Did you say presents, as in plural?" Emmett asked eagerly.
"I might have," she said slyly.
And that was all it took. Bella owned Emmett.
"Of course I want them. Now, hand them over, and with those terms, they better be good," Emmett retaliated, already moving on and excited about what was coming.
I handed him the first package, and he ripped off the wrapping enthusiastically.
"No way. Vintage Tennessee Smokies uniform. I used to go to some of their games when I was human. This takes me back. Awesome! Okay, I guess it was worth it." He gave Bella his best gentle bear hug and slapped me on the back some more. Seriously, what was with all the male bonding back slapping that was going on? Emmett was no slouch, and his slaps were getting painful. It had been quite a while since I'd been away from the family for this long, so I assumed it must be a normal "human" custom for when you'd been absent at length. I was usually quite good at noticing the various quirks of humanity, but I'd somehow missed this one. Emmett's mind reeled through images of the baseball games he and his brother had attended before his fatal run in with the bear and then Rosalie, so I used his memories as a distraction from the sting across my shoulders.
"Not just vintage, Emmett. Circa 1934. They're the real deal," Bella proudly told him.
I handed Emmett the final package and shared a smirk with Bella. He tore into it eagerly, grinning even wider as he revealed the clock we brought back from Disneyland for him. He checked it over and started pressing buttons as the Indiana Jones theme music began playing.
Rosalie rolled her eyes and groaned, "Thanks heaps, guys. That's gonna get old really fast. It's not like we sleep you know. We don't really need an alarm clock."
"It doesn't have to wake you up, it can remind him to get ready for school or anything else for that matter," I encouraged.
As predicted, Emmett kept playing the alarm demo over and over. He was the epitome of a kid with a new toy, checking out the snooze and wall projection features. I fought hard not to lose my composure, but Alice and Bella were nearly in hysterics, Bella flashing through the entire spectrum of crimson as Emmett got more and more enthralled with his Indiana Jones alarm clock.
"I love Indy. We should watch those movies again. Hey, what's so funny?" he asked, totally oblivious to what was really going on.
Bella and I exchanged a knowing glance, and Alice did her best to reign herself in. Jasper was confused by the mix of emotions coming at him and couldn't quite reconcile how an Indiana Jones digital alarm clock could bring forth lust, embarrassment and hilarity all at the same time. Fortunately, no one else seemed to notice that we were anything other than amused by Emmett's obvious entertainment with his gifts. In reality, it was our way at getting back at Emmett for all the sexual innuendo and teasing he had ever put us through and that he had intended to continue to put us through. While staying at the Disneyland Hotel during one, shall we say, amorous afternoon, we may have gotten a little overly enthusiastic, and the alarm clock fell from the side table and crashed to the ground, playing the Indiana Jones theme music over and over at a rather delicate point in proceedings. Things didn't end well for the alarm clock, but when Bella suggested it would make the perfect gift for Emmett, I had to agree. Now, whenever he innocently set the alarm off, we would think of our afternoon of passion, and he'd never know why we thought it was so funny. Letting him in on the joke would just make it embarrassing for us, and he'd never stop playing it. This way, we got to have some revenge even though he never knew it. Of course, Alice knew what was going on, and she was bound to let Jasper in on the joke, but we decided this would be one secret we'd keep to just the four of us.
The rest of the evening was spent catching up. We laughed a lot, and everyone gushed over their gifts which made Bella extremely happy. It was getting late when I noticed Bella trying to yawn discreetly. She was sitting with Carlisle, who had been trying to get her alone all evening so he could speak with her about her injuries. He'd been uneasy about the break in her physical therapy routine and not being able to monitor her progress whilst we were away, but Bella had managed to satisfy him that she hadn't suffered any setbacks. I could hear the strain in her voice as she tried to assure him that she got plenty of physical activity in lieu of her physical therapy. Carlisle was about to delve further when I decided a rescue was in order.
"You look exhausted, Bella. You should get some sleep," I interjected. She looked so relieved that I almost laughed.
"Oh, of course, you must be worn out. We can catch up some more tomorrow, and if you wouldn't mind, maybe you could indulge me with a physical exam just so I can see for myself how you're doing?" Carlisle prodded.
"Sure, Carlisle. But you'll see, I'm really fine. As fine as I'll ever be in this human body, that is," Bella casually answered. "But I wouldn't mind a piggy-back ride to our bedroom, Edward. I'm exhausted."
I didn't miss her reference to her bedroom as ours. A knot of excitement formed deep within my stomach, and I couldn't wait to find out if she'd really meant it or if it had been a slip of the tongue. Carlisle seemed oblivious and was instead caught up by her casual request for my help. Bella was nothing if not stubborn, and it wouldn't be unusual for her to struggle up the stairs on her own just to prove it to herself that she could do it.
Edward, the change in her, in you both, is wonderful, Carlisle thought kindly. She's asking for your help without putting up a fuss. And from what I have seen tonight, her range of motion is very good, certainly better than what I first anticipated it would be. Of course, there are permanent issues, but she's doing very well. She seems so much more relaxed and content. You both do. I'm truly happy for you. I smiled at him in response, thenlifted Bella from the couch and onto my back. She wrapped her legs around my waist and hung on in her awkward way, teasing me with her scent as her long hair and warm breath swirled around my face.
"I could really get used to this mode of transportation," she giggled.
Carlisle's silent sentiments were echoed in my mind by all as we bid our good-nights and made our way upstairs. I was certainly eager for a modicum of privacy after our lengthy reunion, even if it meant simply holding Bella in my arms and watching her sleep.
When we reached her room, I eased her down gently so she could reacquaint herself. Her eyes widened in wonder, much like they did the first time she saw the space. She immediately went to the family photo of Charlie, Renee and a baby version of herself, delicately tracing the faces of her parents as she looked upon them wistfully. I didn't know what to say, so decided to not say anything at all.
"Is it wrong that I'm happy?" She was still lost in the faces of her parents, caressing their images as her eyes glistened, but no tears fell.
I made no move to go to her. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have been able to keep myself from her, but I knew she could stand on her own - that she wanted to stand on her own. As much as I wanted to be her hero, her protector, we had moved beyond those childish notions. We were more than that now. I had finally come to understand that I couldn't fix everything. It was as simple as that. And she'd learned that it was okay to ask for help when she needed it. I knew now that wanting to protect her and catch her when she fell was was different to wrapping her in cotton wool and smothering her with protection and platitudes. I'd learned that those things only made me feel better but didn't necessarily help her at all. The loss of her parents and a part of herself was real. They were wounds that could never fully heal, and she owned them. I had my own. So we learned to do the only thing that mattered. We loved each other unconditionally and hoped it would be enough. So far, it seemed to be. So I remained fixed, staring at her as she dealt with her sadness and her guilt, wishing I could do more but in the end, doing the most by allowing her to deal with it herself.
"No, it's not wrong," I said simply, and I remained in the doorway. We'd had this discussion many times before. She knew my feelings, and I think she only asked now for reassurance to stay her course. Moving forward was not without effort. It was a choice, one that we both needed to work at daily.
She half smiled as she set the picture back down on her side table, the glass in the frame clinking softly as she placed a chaste kiss to her fingers and pressed them to the her parents' faces. I could make out the faint ridges from her fingerprints smudge over the glass as she sighed deeply, still transfixed on the image. After a few silent moments, she turned to me with a new glint in her eyes.
"Well, I think we need to move some of your stuff in here if we really want it to be our room. It can't just be my stuff," she said matter of factly, opening her arms and signalling her need.
I complied instantly, wrapping her in my arms and spinning her around in my excitement. She really did want it to be our room. I peppered her with kisses, and she chuckled in my excitement.
"Take it easy, lover boy, this can't be a surprise. You can't possibly think I want to spend my nights without you. It's been as much your room as it has been mine since the beginning anyway. Now I just want to make it official, okay?"
"It's more than okay. I really love you. Do you know that?" I grabbed her face in my hands and looked into her eyes. Sometimes I wished so badly for her to be able to see the depth of my love that I thought I could will it upon her. So I just stared, hoping that through my eyes she could see just a fraction of what I felt. I'd taken to doing this more and more because honestly, words just weren't always enough.
She stared back at me, and silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. But she wasn't sad. She smiled, and her teary eyes crinkled. She knew.
"Thank you. It's how I feel, too," she whispered.
I changed into my "sleep" pants and waited for her in our bed as she performed her nightly ritual. She emerged from the bathroom in sleep shorts and a tank top, looking weary but adorable, and crawled in beside me. I wrapped a blanket around her for warmth, and she snuggled into me, quickly falling into an exhausted sleep. I guess she could wait until tomorrow for the run down on what everyone thought about their gifts. So I did what I always did - I held her tightly and watched her sleep and dream. Sweet dreams I hoped, and I knew that at last, they mostly were now. She'd had more than her share of nightmares, and now when she cried out in the night, it wasn't in despair or fear -- not always. I pulled her in even tighter, allowing myself to get lost in her every detail as her face and limbs relaxed in full slumber. It was good to be home.
A/N
Thanks to TwilightZoner, my fabulous beta. Please read her stuff - you won't regret it. She created "The Monster" after all!
Thank you so much for reading, and don't worry - the angst is coming!!
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