The hours passed far too quickly. And as my remarkably sensitive eyes began to detect more and more light in the blackened sky, I wrapped my angel tighter in her blanket and reluctantly moved from our silk-enclosed sanctuary in the meadow. I was aware of the overwhelming stench while I sat in the tent. As I stepped out of the tent, I became painfully aware of the thoughts of four enraged werewolves waiting a quarter of a mile away. The big, shaggy wolf was far angrier than the others and as I looked deeper into his mind I understood why. Like me he was hopelessly in love with the sleeping beauty that lay unconscious in my arms.

Look at him he's probably freezing her to death wrapping her in his arms like that. How could she do that? Take him back. He broke her. He destroyed her. I put her back together. Oh, just the sight of them together. It's disgusting. What is he doing just standing there anyways? Does he think we'll break the treaty? Cross the line! Ha! Let the leech make the first move so Bella will know that I'm the good guy here. He's so creepy. What could she possibly see in him? He's as dead and cold as that heinous rock he's got anchored to her wrist. I cannot wait until he goes to change her. I cannot wait to rip the still heart from his chest in and burn his disgusting bones into ash.

"Good evening, gentlemen." I spoke softly into the night, interrupting Jacob's silent diatribe. "The skies are quite beautiful tonight, no? I won't be requiring your services. I have not harmed a hair on Bella's head, nor do I intend to."

The leech has the nerve to speak to us?!?!?!? Lying piece of trash. Sorry excuse for a being. Doesn't intend to harm her, huh? What does he call changing her?

"I have not changed her, nor will I for some time. Until then, I expect the peace to remain. We have an agreement." I said solemnly.

And with that I turned and sped into the forest with my lovely Bella. Changing her was inevitable, but this would obviously require careful planning. Not only did we have the wolves to worry about, but the goodbye to Charlie, Renee, and all her friends. So many ties were chaining her to the human world. We had to find a way to cleanly sever them in as painless a way as possible for every part involved. Although, it seemed that Jacob would prove to be quite a complication in this process. His feelings for Bella were much stronger than I had imagined. And I was completely in the dark on how she felt for him. Judging from her warm, graceful, and kind reception of my sentiments that I in no way deserved, I supposed that her feelings were platonic in nature. I could only hope.

I climbed through the window.

Way to cut it close, Edward.

Alice was rather grumpy.

"It's not like you didn't know I would." I remarked gleefully. "You're just grumpy because you were cooped up in the house the whole time."

Well aren't we just smug tonight?

Alice escaped out the window and ran off to go hunting. Despite her snippy remarks, I could tell she was in remarkably good spirits. Jasper was returning today, and she would finally be reunited with her best friend, Bella. She was itching to go shopping in Portland with her favorite human Barbie doll. I chuckled to myself as I thought of how annoyed Bella was going to get at once again being subjected to playing dress-up with Alice on a regular basis.

"Edward?" Her soft whisper rang crystal clear in my ears.

"Yes, princess?" I murmured.

"Just making sure it wasn't a dream."

And she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. Every part of me felt alive. I felt overcome by urges I had suppressed for so long. And with a painful desire that I was performing this action for a different purpose, I threw her onto the bed. I narrowly escaped being detected by Charlie as I lunged for the closet.