A/N Expect delays for a couple more weeks! Sorry! I'm going to try to get another chapter written before I get stuck in the woods with a bunch of teenage girls. I promise to take pen and paper with me though.
This chapter is another one that evolved over time. I hope you enjoy it.
Twilight and all related content belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
Music: Blondie, "Call Me"
Edward drove faster than I did, of course I was going slower than usual because I had no need to make my imagination yell at me. There really was no need to cut him off that morning, but I did it anyway. This time I did it pulling into the lot, not a space. I could clearly hear Emmett cheering from an open window. It was childish, it was dangerous, but I seriously enjoyed it. I trusted Edward's superb vampiric reflexes to prevent an accident. I should have known he'd be angry.
He pulled into the spot next to mine and furiously stormed out of the car. Emmett sat in the backseat next to the window giving me a huge thumbs up despite the glare he was receiving from Rosalie. Perhaps I shouldn't have cut him off. I looked at Jasper to see that he was concentrating on Edward's back. Edward released his hands from the two fists he had balled up at his sides. I removed my helmet and prepared to face his wrath.
"Sorry?" My statement came out as more of a question. Edward let out an exasperated sigh and promptly came over to help me with my bags. I folded my jacket and tucked it into a bag before he picked it up.
"Are you ready to go have breakfast?" His tone was guarded, he was still mad but refusing to yell at me. I flinched a little bit.
"Let's go," I sighed. Breakfast was not going to be fun. I followed slightly behind him, not wanting the inevitable conversation of my recklessly foolish behavior to start sooner than it absolutely had to. He was still obsessive when my safety was in question. I wouldn't have been surprised to find the motorcycle in pieces at the end of the day.
Edward led me down the wooded foot path and into the dinning hall. He refused to let me fill my own tray, which annoyed me, but I figured that this was fair given the incident with the bike in the parking lot. If he tried this tomorrow we would most likely have issues. The tray was heaping with food by the time he paid for it and we found seats. The fact that he'd filled my plate with some rather high-calorie items wasn't lost on me. I set to work on my massive meal and every once in a while he would pretend to take a bite of something but palm it into a napkin.
"Do you think that perhaps you could make an effort to not tempt fate by behaving recklessly for at least one day?" There was no humor in his voice, but to his credit Edward had calmed down before bringing up the parking lot incident.
"No." My answer was curt. I had taken care of myself for long enough and I didn't intend on letting Edward Cullen tell me what to do anymore no matter how sensible and reasonable this sounded. "And don't touch my bike," I warned him in the most serious tone I could force out of my throat.
"You do realize that you are killing me here." He gritted his teeth, gripping the table while simultaneously trying not to break it. I couldn't help but ponder how many tables I could get him to break in a day. He did need to learn that I was a grown up though and he didn't get to act like my father.
"I think we both know that's impossible." I smiled, intentionally being infuriating. This was going to be a long and difficult lesson for Edward.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I hauled it out to check the caller ID. I groaned.
"Who is it?" Edward forgot his anger for a moment.
"Quil," I sighed. I knew that I would have to talk to him eventually. I just hadn't thought that it would be so soon. Reluctantly I flipped the phone open and placed it at my ear. "Hi Quil." I didn't manage to fake much enthusiasm.
"Bells! How's school? Charlie said your first day was yesterday." His joy was contagious, I couldn't help but smile just a bit.
"School's good." I nodded, attempting to sound casual.
"You sound good." I could hear Quil's smile from the other end of the line.
"Thanks, I'm doing well." I was doing pretty well even for being in the middle of an argument. Something occurred to me. "Aren't you up a bit early in the morning?"
"No... not so much... I'm on the east coast." Quil sounded dangerously casual about that, like there was something to hide; I wondered where and why he was all the way out here. Edwards phone suddenly rang and he divided his attention between that and my conversation.
"What do you mean you're on the east coast?" My heart faltered and I looked wide eyed at Edward. His focus snapped intently to me, his eyes wide with shock. Whoever was on the other end of his call had just said something that took him off guard.
"I'm looking at your bike right now."
"You're what?!" I looked at Edward horror struck.
"I'm standing by your bike. Where are you?" His voice was laced with suspicion; the latter half of the comment was spoken with too much concern. Could he smell the Cullens? I was going to have to meet him and I definitely smelled like Edward. There was no avoiding a confrontation.
"Bells, are you okay?" I had failed to respond for a minute, watching my own pain reflected in Edward's eyes. I was going to have to explain things immediately.
"Bella?" Edward set his phone down, concerned. His eyes searched my face for a clue.
"You're on campus?" I forced the words to leave my mouth so that Edward would hear them.
"Yeah, a couple of us decided to take a road trip since things have been quiet out on the Res. for years. Bells, are you okay? There's a horrible stench near your bike. It smells kind of like... wait... vampire?" I could hear the panic building in Quil's voice. I had to get down there before he decided to do something impulsive.
"It's not what you think. I will be right down. Quil Ateara, do not move and do not phase." I hung up and jumped from my seat.
"You can't go down there." Edward grabbed my hand as I moved.
"I have to go down there," I corrected. "Otherwise he's going to follow my scent here."
"That was Alice and your future disappears when you get to the parking lot. She doesn't know what that means but there's a possibility that you die if you go down there." He hadn't let go of me yet, his cold hand locked around my wrist like an iron manacle.
"If he comes here and sees and smells you it might put everyone else at risk. You could be exposed." I stared into his eyes seriously. He had to trust me and see that there was no other way. This had to be done.
"I'm coming with you." He stood, grabbed our things and strode toward the door practically pulling me along.
"Don't you think that that might be a bad idea?" He stopped and patiently waited for my explanation. "Edward, let me break this to them slowly. If you go sauntering down there with me they might assume I'm in trouble and attack." We weren't out of the cafeteria yet.
"Your future disappeared! I'm not letting you go alone!" He raised his voice enough to call attention to us. "I'm sorry." He let go of my arm. "I've already lost you once and I can't do that again Bella. I can't. This time I will run to Italy if I have to but I will not live without you again." Only the pain evident in his topaz eyes kept me from arguing with him.
"Fine, but you stay back and you let me talk to them alone," I acquiesced. "The treaty is still in effect but not if you get into a fight," I paused, "and they can be a little volatile."
Edward didn't argue for once. When we reached the edge of the parking lot he stayed at the trees. Emmett and Jasper appeared next to him, and as I walked away I noticed Edward place a restraining hand on Emmett who had moved to follow me. Three Quiluetes stood next to my bike. I was surprised to see that in addition to Quil's bulky form, there was one other man slightly smaller with a boyish face his name was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't place it, the third figure was a copper skinned beauty her hair was pulled back away from her face to combat the heat and humidity and as she turned to face me I recognized Jacob's sister, Rachel.
I ran flat out to her. Having relived her brother's death yesterday the grief was still near the surface. She had lost her Paul that day too. I rushed to her arms and she caught me in a warm embrace. Tears welled up in my eyes and she pulled me tighter as she felt my sobbing. She patted my back gently. I held back these emotions for so long that now the grief was almost a physical part of me, an extra limb. Quil and Brady, I had finally placed the boy's name, stiffened at my reaction to Rachel.
"Have you been hurt?" Quil jumped to the wrong conclusion and stared at the Cullens who were standing at the edge of the trees. I allowed my eyes to follow his and noticed that Alice and Rosalie had joined the group. All of them were tense, ready to spring into a fight. I shook my head.
"It's not what it looks like Quil. Please don't jump to conclusions until we've had a chance to speak." I released Rachel and hugged Quil. He didn't give me the bear hug that I had expected; instead, he gingerly hugged me and tensed. He pulled back after a second.
"I smell him on you." Each word was distinct and angry. "What have you done?" His frame shook angrily in my arms I let go and backed up into the Mercedes to get as much space between us as possible.
"Quil, control yourself." I used the same tone that I had used on Jacob years before. I had to talk him down before this escalated. "There is the treaty to consider. It hasn't been broken, there are five of them and only two of you." He continued to shake. I peered over my left shoulder to glance at the Cullens who were conversing heatedly. Emmett and Jasper were making a move to head toward the parking lot. I caught Alice's eye and held up a hand for them to stop.
"Quil, I will not tolerate any fighting today. Must I call Sam?" I pulled out my cell phone just as he stopped shaking and became still. "Are you prepared to be rational now?" My voice had not wavered from it's calm tone. I learned that this was the easiest way to calm the wolves down and to prevent conflict. Emily taught me that when we all had thought that Jacob and I would be together. The thought sent another surge of pain through me but I squashed it.
"Bells, why are they here? Is this why you haven't come back to LaPush in three years?" Rachel accused. Her rage was fierce but not nearly as dangerous as that of one of the wolves. It was clear to me that she saw my reinvolvemet with the Cullens as a betrayal to her brother and to Paul.
"No Rachel," My eyes fell and I stared at my shoes. "I didn't know that they were here until yesterday. Edward and Alice turned up in one of my classes."
"Why can't they just leave you alone?" Brady spat. "Haven't they done enough damage!?"
"Listen up, before everyone gets angry here. I have already been over that with Edward. They came back for me while we were in the woods that summer and found the mess in my house. They have been living under the assumption that I was dead for the past three years." I looked at their faces. "They've been grieving for me."
"They're not safe." Rachel touched my shoulder. "You know what they are. One of them could lose control and kill you at any time. Is that what you want? Do you want to die?"
"I'm not going to die." I placed my hand on Rachel's. The warmth from her hand radiated up into mine. She stared into my eyes and I returned her gaze. "There's no reason to worry about me."
"There is no way that we're letting you stay here!" Quil clenched his fists; his face had gone dark and angry again.
"Letting me?" I threw all thoughts of his mental state out the window at that. "Last I checked I didn't need your permission for anything Quil Ateara!" I shrugged Rachel's warning hand off of my shoulder and approached him. "I know that you don't like them. I know that you're angry, but you do not get to tell me what to do. Sam doesn't even get to tell me what to do anymore. In case you forget, I'm not a member of the pack; I'm not even an official member of the tribe or hasn't Leah reminded you of that lately? Do you remember her insistence on me being abandoned after that day?"
"Don't bring Leah into this." He glared down at me.
"Listen, the Cullens don't like you, you don't like them but as far as I'm concerned this is ridiculous!" I shouted at Quil. He kept his cool and continued to stare at me. "Quite frankly, I don't care who's who. You are all my friends and seeing all of you," I indicated the wolves and the Cullens in a sweeping motions, "makes me happy." I backed up a little in case I needed to move away quickly. "I still love Edward. I miss Jacob, it kills me that he's gone but I've been dead inside for four years Quil! I haven't been living! So, I don't care what you think about it I am going to take my life and scrape up what little happiness I can from it."
"They're vampires, Bella," he protested.
"And you're werewolves. I'm aware of everyone's allegiances here, you don't need to remind me. However, I am not betraying anyone. All I'm asking is that everyone stick to the treaty and let me live my life how I want to. As far as the treaty and the war that it's held off are concerned, I'm Switzerland." I clenched my teeth and spat icily.
"Switzerland?" Brady spoke up.
"Yes, I'm a neutral country, as is my apartment, as is this town. No one is breaking any treaty here today. Now, if you can behave in a civil fashion you are welcome to stay. If not, I'm going to ask you to leave because if a fight breaks out and anyone dies it will kill me. There have already been enough deaths on my account. Do you understand?"
"Fine." Quil folded his arms across his chest glaring at the Cullens instead of me. His jaw was set, eyes hard. There was no point in saying anything further to him.
"How long are you in town?" I asked Rachel, my tone still wasn't back to normal and it came out a little biting.
"We were going to stay for a week... thought it'd be nice if you had a visit from family since you're so far from everyone..." She hesitated over the words.
"If you still want to stay that's great. I have to go lead a discussion group. Call me when he calms down and we'll see about doing something." I cut her off and stalked off toward class shaken by the mornings events. I couldn't seem to catch a break. Edward and Alice fell into step beside me before too long. We had lost part of the morning and Edward hadn't dropped the class yet. He was still my student.
"So, you're going to go do something with them?" Edward sounded slightly appalled, his mouth contorted into a grimace.
"Did you catch the entire conversation?" I folded my arms stopping in the middle of the sidewalk for a moment.
"Yes."
"Switzerland!" I shouted at him and started moving again. "No one gets to tell Switzerland what to do. I will hang out with whomever I want, whenever I want; you are not going to stop me and neither are they."
Edward continued to walk next to me, fuming. When I looked closely I swear I saw steam coming from his ears. He felt like I was taking unnecessary risks. I felt like he was being overprotective and prejudiced. The fact that we both could be right was beside the point, the Quiluetes were safe and I was sick of everyone treating me like a child just because I was physically weaker.
It was Alice who spoke next, "I think I've figured out why you disappeared."
"Okay, why?" I sighed.
"I can't see them. I guess it transfers over to you when you're with them and that's why I haven't been able to find you for three and a half years. That's when you started spending time with them isn't it?" She mused a stone finger gently tapping her lip.
"Sounds about right." My mood was still black.
Edward followed us in to class and put down my bags and helmet on the table under the white board. We were convened in one of the smaller classrooms since discussion groups were limited to twenty-five. He stalked to a seat near the back of the room. I called the class to order and started the discussion as the last few stragglers made their way in. I successfully managed to get an intelligent conversation going; talking about literature was second nature to me. I felt better, more in my element. About five minutes in I noticed Edward positively beaming at me. I blushed and kept things moving along attempting to focus solely on the this week's topic. I couldn't fathom why he might be smiling with such enthusiasm.
