Okay, my beta assures me this doesn't fall off the storyline wagon with this chapter, which is good because I really liked the idea. But if you think it does, well….at least I'll have my beta to keep me company in the looney bin because he thought it was a good idea too! (Usually people absolve their betas of mistakes, but I throw mine under the bus, too.)

Thanks to everyone who is reviewing and adding this or me to their favorites and update lists! I have been responding to reviewers, so take a sec to tell me what you think!

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BPOV

Edward is a basket-case when Rosalie and I finally pull up to the house and into the garage. He crushes me to his chest and I have to admit I'm confused. Rosalie didn't get too much out of Emmett, but whatever was keeping us away doesn't appear to have been good.

"Can't…breathe…" I gasp against him and he loosens his grip but does not let me go. Jasper, Emmett, Edward and Alice are talking very quickly. I mean, very quickly. They're talking about protection and strategy, timing. Edward seems to be getting more and more agitated as the conversation continues.

He finally lets out an extremely frustrated, and a bit menacing to someone who doesn't know him, growl and whisks me upstairs to his room. He pushes the door shut with more force than he usually displays in my presence and deposits me on the edge of the bed. Then he steps back and runs his fingers into his hair.

"I can't think." he says quietly.

What on Earth is going on? What has got him so upset?

"Edward," I pop off the bed and step to him, gently putting my palm on his cheek. "What's the matter? Did the negotiations not go well?"

He shakes his head and looks at me; his eyes agonized. "They're going too fast. I can't catch it all."

I've only seen him this upset once before, and I don't even have a clear memory of it; in the ballet studio, after he pulled James off of me. Things went that badly with the pack?

"Bella," he says looking at me intensely. "There is a lot I have to tell you."

"Okay." I nod encouraging him to get on with it.

"You should sit back down."

"It's that bad?" I ask surprised. He nods and leads me back to the bed. This is not instilling a lot of confidence in me right now.

"The pack's not really the bad part of the news in light of new developments, though I am certainly less than thrilled."

"What did they want?"

"They want to talk to you." He says. "Tomorrow after school, Sam Uley wants to speak with you himself, just him, and Carlisle will accompany you. You'll go to the clearing with him. I'll be as close as I can be."

"What does he want to talk to me about?"

"He wants to be sure you're not being coerced by me; that you are with me of your own free will. Carlisle won't let anything happen to you."

It's really quite incredible that werewolves and vampires are part of my daily life, that a vampire is essential to my existence, and right now they're fighting over my best interests and who is less deadly to me.

I put a pin in that issue for now. I'll be with Carlisle and I'm not worried. From the tortured look in his eyes, I know this wasn't the worst thing he needed to tell me.

"And now what are you putting off telling me?"

I thought that would at least get a smirk out of him. It hasn't; this is bad. I didn't think it was possible for him to get any paler than he normally is, but he does now. His eyes look haunted, hopeless.

"The Volturi have requested a personal introduction of you," his voice is even and hollow.

"They're coming here?" I gasp. They can't come to Forks! That would be completely disastrous. Only Volterra is safe from their hunting.

"No," He laughs without humor. "We're to bring you there."

I am…confused.

I say the first thing that comes to mind.

"Edward, I can't possibly go to Italy, I have to go to school."

He looks at me sadly.

"Carlisle told that to Jane; he told them that we would bring you there during Christmas break."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," he says softly. "He blocked me."

"How am I supposed to…Charlie is not going to let me go to Italy for Christmas, Edward!"

"No, we're going to have to tell him something different. They'll find us though, Bella, they have the best tracker in existence." He looks over my shoulder, his eyes dark and deadly.

"Are they going to…kill us?"

His eyes instantly snap back to mine. "They expect you to be changed."

What? This is the problem?

"Oh, Edward! So change me then! I can't believe this is what you're bothered by! Is the thought of me being like you really that disgusting to you?"

"It's not that simple, Bella, and that's not the issue," he replies. "If you were changed right now, you can't go on a plane in December, you'll slaughter all the passengers!"

"What is the issue then, Edward?" I ask desperately. My voice is shaky and I can feel the hot tears sting the back of my eyes. How very human of me. "Please help me understand this. Do you really not want me forever?"

"Bella, don't be absurd," he says, instantly angry, and he just as instantly softens in the face of my tears. I try to hold them back, I really do. I hate crying in front of him. It's just so…female. "Please calm down, love. Of course I want you forever. There's no one else I've ever wanted or ever could want. But changing you because it's what I want, Bella, it's just so selfish of me. And what if you regret it and resent me for it?"

"I could never regret anything that keeps me with you." I whisper, wiping away the tears. "Alice saw it, it's what I want and now the Volturi are demanding it. Shouldn't I be able to have a say in who does it? Shouldn't I be able to pick the moment, how I'm going to be frozen for all time?" He smirks at me, and I'm assuming its because of the utter irony of my statement. No one got to pick how they were frozen.

"Ah, ah, ah." He finally smiles my favorite crooked smile. "I told you, that comes with conditions."

"What conditions?" I ask. We're interrupted by a knock on the door though. Am I ever going to find out what conditions he's referring to?

"Come on in, Emmett." He permits.

I sigh and look at Emmett as he enters. He has Alice with him, who's absolutely beaming with happiness. He looks from me to Edward and Alice bounces over and sits next to me on the bed. Edward arches a brow at them.

"So," Emmett says. "I've got an idea."

Alice is bubbling over.

Emmett looks mischievous.

Edward looks incredibly intrigued.

I am guaranteed not to like Emmett's idea.

I am not disappointed.

"You get married." He says this like it's the most obvious solution in the world.

Everyone turns immediately to me in unison. However, I'm having a bit of a hard time reacting because I'm still processing what he said. He didn't seriously say 'married,' did he?

It feels like hours before I speak.

"I don't understand," I say, as I shake my head.

"You and Edward get hitched," he explains. "The Volturi will see how committed you are and accept that as the reason you're still human right now."

"This is wonderful!" Alice gushes throwing her arms around my neck. I look over at Edward, who's very quiet.

"Whoa, hold on," I say prying myself away from Alice. "I'm in high school! I can't just get married!"

"You're 18." Emmett shrugs. "By law, you can do whatever you want."

"Listen, I know you guys are bored having to go through high school for the tenth time, but in case you haven't noticed, nobody gets married while they're still in school anymore. It's not done."

"It's not like you have to go register and have a reception; it's just for the Volturi."

"Emmett, I'm worried about telling Charlie and Renee I'm getting a C in American History. You're suggesting I tell them I'm getting married?"

"You don't have to tell them anything."

"Not only am I hiding a trip to Italy, but I'm also hiding a marriage?"

I have to confess that in my plans to remain with Edward for eternity, I never really thought of marrying him. My parents' marriage was such a disaster that I never really equate a serious committed relationship with marriage. I can't say that I didn't think about vampires being married because I know Rosalie and Emmett have married each other several times, but I know that the ceremony isn't really a big deal in the vampire world.

I guess I just kind of thought of it in the abstract. On the one hand, it's not like I see myself ever being with anyone else. Edward is all I want forever. But on the other hand, well, I actually am 18. 18 year olds don't get married. Not the non-pregnant ones.

I touch my fingertips to my temples and take a deep breath.

Married.

"Edward," Alice says. They're all studying me closely. "She looks like she's about to get hysterical, what's going on?"

"She's had a lot to absorb in the last few minutes. Why don't you give her a few minutes?" Edward suggests to them. I can feel his scrutiny on me as Emmett and Alice leave the room.

"Bella, love," he says slowly, like he's trying to convince a four year old not to drop a bomb. "You look a little overwhelmed. Do you want to lie down?"

"Yes," I whisper.

That's a great idea. It's getting late. I promised my dad I wouldn't be up late. I should do what my dad says. I'm a good kid; I listen to my father. My father told me not to run off and get married too young. Actually, I think that was my mother. I can't really remember right now. I think lying down is a good idea. Burrowing under the covers and not coming out for a few months sounds like a good plan.

I turn around and crawl to the head of the bed. Edward pulls the covers back for me. I don't even bother getting changed out of my clothes. He pulls the covers up to my chin and I squint my eyes closed. Eventually, I feel myself relax as he gently strokes my hair.

Married.

To Edward.

Married.

To a boy from a small town.

Just like my mother.

But if I'm making an eternal commitment to Edward already, does the married part really matter that much? My mother didn't think of this particular scenario when she was warning me about getting married too young. It's not like if I say, 'Hey mom, I have to get married or I'm going to die a very gruesome death.' I'm sure her opinion, and Charlie's for that matter, would be very different in this particular situation.

Married.

I think I definitely need to sleep on this.