Bella sighed, and lifted her head to look into the eyes of the bronze haired boy next to her. They were lying together on Edward's couch, shortly after they came upstairs to spend some time alone. The boy was lying on his back, one arm beneath Bella as she snuggled close to him, her head on his chest.

"Edward," she frowned.

Edward shifted his eyes from the ceiling to the human's curious face. This scene wasn't familiar to him in the least. He recalled tackling her at one point, he was certain that it happened towards the beginning of her visit. Or perhaps it didn't . . . this was all so confusing for him.

He had told her of Carlisle's history, just as he remembered, and he played the piano for her some time before. And then they came up to his room. He supposed some things were bound to change because he was doing things a little differently. After all, he wasn't saying things word-for-word, so some of her reactions were different. Like this, for example.

"What's wrong, dearest?" Edward tried to frown, but he realized that he already had been doing so. He couldn't help it, though. His mind kept traveling back to James and his coven.

"There is still something bothering you," she replied, lying her head back down. "You haven't said a word since we came up here and I asked you about the stereo. You're worried about something." She sighed. She was clearly distressed by the fact that Edward wasn't telling her the full truth, "Please tell me what's upsetting you," she pressed.

"I told you, Bella," Edward lowered his head to press his lips to her hair. "I promised you that it was nothing that you should fret about. Please just leave it be."

Bella groaned in frustration. "But it's something that you're worrying about," she said, exasperated. She pulled herself from Edward's arms and sat up. "And if it worries you, it worries me. I don't like the fact that you're not talking to me. Something is the matter, and you're not telling me what it is."

"Do you trust me?" Edward blurted.

"More than anything," Bella admitted.

"Then leave it be."

Bella huffed, "But Edward . . . ,"

"Bella," he pressed his lips into a thin line, and Bella folded her arms over her chest and looked away. Edward had to smile a little at that. She was absolutely adorable when she was pouting.

Suddenly, Bella's face changed. Her eyes held an emotion that Edward couldn't place, but whatever it was gave him the urge to reach out and comfort her. Damn the Gods for blocking her precious mind from him! The one mind he wanted desperately to reach was hidden. What was upsetting his Bella so?

"Maybe it's not worry that I see," she said, frowning. "Perhaps it's regret."

Edward didn't understand. Was she talking about the car accident again? No, that couldn't possibly be it. What on earth could she possibly imagine him regretting?

"Regret for what?"

"For yesterday," she replied, "I think you're having doubts about what happened in the meadow. It occurred to me earlier, before we came here. You regret telling me that you loved me, don't you?"

"Isabella!" Edward gasped, sitting up from his lying position, "Bella, you're being completely absurd! How could you think something so ridiculous?" He stared at her with wide eyes. "I love you. I could never regret anything about yesterday, especially not my confession of how much you truly mean to me. You're everything, Bella. Never doubt that. Never."

"I love you," he repeated. His hand reached out and cupped Bella's cheek, and his thumb brushed away a stray tear that fell. Bella leaned into his palm, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He sighed. "You should be," he said, shaking his head.

Bella smiled sadly and opened her eyes. Edward smiled too, and pulled her into his lap, her back to his chest and his arms around her waist.

"I love you," he reinforced.

The girl smiled. "I know," she said, leaning back to rest her head on his shoulder, "I love you, too."

I was born to tell you I love you
Isn't that a song already
I get a B in originality
And its true I can't go on without you
Your smile makes me see clear
If you could only see in the mirror what I see

"Ohh, Edward!" A cheery voice called from the hallway. Only moments later, Alice was parading into the room, a goofy smile on her face. She winked at Bella before she addressed her brother. "Guess what I saw?"

Edward was still smiling, still in lover boy mode. "What did you see, Alice?" he asked, his arms tightening slightly around Bella's waist.

"Stormy weather," she grinned. "What do you say to a game of baseball?"

"No." He snapped immediately.

"Baseball?" Bella questioned.

"Absolutely not," Edward persisted. "Trust me on this one. It's not a good idea." Well that was an understatement. Baseball was about the worst idea in the world at the time.

Alice huffed. "Well, why not?"

"Can we please just stay around here?" Edward had dropped as low as begging. "I'll talk to you about it later, Alice." He raised his eyebrows, and spoke the last line in a tongue that was too low and fast for Bella's human ears.

"I would be alright with that," Bella offered on Edward's behalf. After all, she just assumed that he was suggesting hanging about at home because of the likelihood of her falling on her face. She and sports didn't exactly mix.

"Alright," Alice sighed. "We'll play another time, then."

Edward nodded. "Good idea, Al."

"Come on then," Alice said with a smile, "Let's go bond downstairs. I'm sure there are some games around here we could play, or some old stuff we could look through."

Bella smiled. "Okay," she said. Edward released his grip on her waist and helped her stand, snatching her hand in his the moment they exited the room. He said that he would attach her to his hip if necessary, and he meant it.

"What kind of game do you have in mind, Alice?" Edward asked suspiciously as they walked down the stairs much slower than usual, for the sake of Bella.

An evil gleam shined in the pixie-like vampire's eyes. She flashed her teeth and winked at her brother. "You'll see," she sang.

Bella winced. "Because that doesn't scare me at all . . . ,"

"Silly Bella," Edward coaxed. "We're not thirsty."

"I'm not scared about that," Bella rolled her chocolate eyes, "One of you taking a bite out of me isn't even close to being one of my fears."

Alice smiled. "She trusts you."

Edward winced at her word choice, and looked away. "Then what are you afraid of?" he asked, still avoiding the eyes of the two girls with him.

"She's scheming something," Bella said, wide eyes traveling to Alice. "That is scary in itself. The fact that she is scheming something involving a game, and me, that's what's scary."

Edward laughed. "She sees right through you, Aly-Al."

Once they reached downstairs the whole family, save for Rosalie, was sitting on the couches that were laid out in the living room. Immediately Emmett grinned.

"Truth or Dare tiiiiiiiiime!"

Edward blinked. "No way."

"What Eddie," Emmett said mockingly, "Afraid of a little dare?"

Bella snickered.

"Don't be a baby," Alice said, taking Bella's free hand, pulling her away from Edward and sitting her down on the couch. "Let's have a little fun."

"Come on," Bella smiled. "How bad can it be?"

Edward sighed, and sat down next to Bella, sandwiching her between him and Alice. Suddenly Edward's eyes snapped to the archway where Rosalie was standing.

"I have a dare," she smiled evilly.

"Don't." Edward snarled.

"Bite her." Rosalie smirked.

Bella's eyes widened as she stared at the beautiful, spiteful blonde. Was she seriously suggesting that Edward would kill her? Isn't that what a vampire bite did? Her eyes darted to Edward's coal black orbs and to the faces of his siblings. Emmett looked shocked, and Jasper looked disgusted. Alice just looked annoyed.

"Rose," Emmett said softly.

Edward snarled fiercely and jumped up from his seat on the couch. Bella's eyes just about popped out of her head, and she resisted the urge to shrink back into the cushions. The feeling was strange for her. She had never been afraid of him before. It was odd, being terrified. That's how she should have felt all the time in his presence, but she loved him far too much to ever really fear him. Well, except for this moment. She almost felt ashamed of herself too, for feeling that way. It was just the combination of his midnight black eyes, the anger in his voice, and the fact that he was actually growling that scared her, that he could actually get that angry.

"I won't do that to her and you know it," he snapped, glaring daggers at his sister.

Do what!? Bella wanted to scream.

Rosalie didn't look phased at all. "You can't turn down a dare, now can you?"

"I can," Edward said, grabbing Bella's hand, and gently pulling her to her feet. Bella couldn't resist noticing how light his touch was when he pulled her away, compared to the sheer venom in his voice as he spat at Rosalie, "And I will."

There's a place in the dark where the animals go
You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow
Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands
Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo

------------------------------------------

Music:

Vulnerable – Secondhand Serenade

The Sharpest Lives – My Chemical Romance