Disclaimer: This all belongs to Stephenie Meyer, not me. I intend no infringement, only worship of her uber-cool characters.
A/N: Again, my thanks to all of you who took the time to read and review this story.
Chapter 10: Back to School
"Would you like me to drive you this morning?" I asked her quietly as she stumbled to the closet, looking for clothes to wear to school.
She hesitated, looking torn. "What I want and what we should do are two different things." I smiled a little at the familiarity of that statement; it always seemed to be that way with us, no matter what. "I mean, even if Charlie leaves before I do...well, it might look strange if we arrived together, after...you know. We're likely to be the gossip of the town for awhile as it is. And word might make its way back to Charlie—what would he think if he heard we'd arrived together in my truck?"
"You're right," I sighed. We didn't need things to be even more difficult with Charlie just now. "Maybe I should go meet Alice—we'll come in the Volvo and we can meet you there." Not that I was looking forward to being away from Bella for even that long...but it was the practical plan, and one which would allow us to maintain the proper appearances.
"Is the Volvo here?" she asked, momentarily distracted.
I grinned. "It is now."
"Did they take all of the cars with them?" she wondered. "Except the Mercedes must have been here, because Alice said she flew down..." She looked at me questioningly, and I chuckled.
"Yes, the Mercedes stayed. Carlisle isn't quite as possessive about his cars as some of the rest of us are. Our family owns a number of them, scattered all over the country just like our various places of residence." I grinned again when she rolled her eyes; I knew she thought our lifestyle was horribly extravagant. "Normally we don't bother taking our cars with us when we have to relocate...but sometimes we get attached. There was no way Rose was going to leave her M3 behind, or Em his jeep, particularly after all the improvements she made to them—they drove back east with the rest of them before they took off on their 'honeymoon' in Europe. But Carlisle doesn't get so worked up about it—he sees a car as more of a utilitarian item. So they left the Mercedes here as a sort of fall-back vehicle." I knew Alice had told them all that we'd most likely be coming back in the not-too-distant future...though only some of them had actually believed her.
"And the Volvo? Wasn't it...with you? Before you went to South America, I mean..."
I gave her a tight smile. "Tracking is best done on foot...not that I was any good at it in any case," I added with a sigh. "No, both the Volvo and the Vanquish made their way to New York state with the rest of them—Rosalie thought I'd want them when I...came home someday." I remembered that fateful phone call from Rosalie, when she'd tried to persuade me to just get over my heartbreak—suck it up and come home. At least she seemed to understand my feelings a little more now—even though it had taken the sledgehammer of my little trip to Italy to get it through her thick skull at last.
I felt Bella's warm fingers touch my hand. I met her deep brown eyes, and saw both pain and understanding there. She took a deep breath. "So," she said, her tone a little lighter, no doubt trying to distract me. "All the cars made it to Ithaca...and then Alaska?" She looked a little dubious.
"Why not? It's a nice drive—beautiful scenery." Not that any of them had been in much of a mood for sightseeing. "They didn't take all the cars, though. The Vanquish is still in Ithaca—Jazz said he'd fetch it back for me sometime this week. They took the Volvo with them, though—good gas mileage."
"Hmm..." The little furrow had appeared between her brows. "So that means...they were driving back from Alaska while we were on the plane from Italy?"
I nodded, my lips twitching into a smile at her expression.
"Hmm... Remind me how long that drive takes? For a Cullen, I mean."
I laughed. "A day or so. They were already underway when Alice called from the return flight."
"A day." Her brow puckered, and I knew she was imagining a parade of Cullen cars speeding down the Alcan like a multicolored line of bullets.
"This time of year there's not much traffic for most of the way, especially at night," I explained.
"No need to hold back," she finished for me, smiling halfheartedly.
"I do seem to remember a fair number of potholes, though. Not to mention moose wandering out onto the road—they don't have a lot of sense when it comes to cars." She arched her eyebrows at me. "Reflexes," I reminded her.
She nodded. "Yeah, I know." She turned back to her closet. "I wonder if I'll feel differently about the whole speedy cars thing after...you know..."
I felt my jaw tighten. I wished she hadn't brought up that particular subject. "Maybe you will." I could not help myself. "Maybe it's the sort of thing that doesn't seem so serious when you've already given away your soul for eternity."
I regretted my words instantly when the look of hurt crossed her features. She composed herself quickly. "Well, I still say you don't really believe that," she mumbled.
I sighed. "Just because I momentarily lost my mind and thought I was in heaven?" I'd had time to mull this over since she'd shocked me with the subject the day before. "Haven't you ever heard the expression that once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth? That's all it was."
She shrugged, undaunted. "So in other words, you thought it was improbable but possible that you were with me in heaven...but impossible that Alice was wrong, or Rosalie had lied, or the funeral was for someone else, or any number of things which could have meant I was still alive? That's something, isn't it?"
My mouth twitched as I fought a smile; I had to admit, she had a point there. That didn't mean I was ready to believe that I still had a soul. Momentary insanity was as good an explanation as anything else for my behavior that day.
Bella shook her head then, shuddering a little. "Edward, do me a favor: check more thoroughly next time."
Despite her grim look, I had to laugh. I went to encircle her in my arms, her warmth and vitality chasing away the demons which haunted me. "Don't worry; I've learned my lesson there as well." I kissed the top of her head. "I should go. Promise me you'll drive safely on the way to school."
"Because I really don't want to hurt anyone else with my truck," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Right. My concern is purely for the other drivers on the road."
"Mmm." Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. "Maybe I need a good luck kiss?"
I chuckled, and took her face delicately in my hands. "I'd be happy to oblige, Miss Swan." I touched my lips carefully to hers, and we kissed gently for a few moments before I pulled away. "There," I murmured. "That ought to ensure a little good fortune for you—if being kissed by a vampire counts, that is."
"It counts," she breathed. "The only problem is, now I'll be dizzy."
"It'll wear off," I assured her as I reluctantly stepped away. "I'll see you at school."
I sprinted to my family's house, hating every bit of distance I put between us. When I'd gone most of the way there, I almost decided to turn back. My mind kept conjuring up visions of Victoria creeping up on Bella's house while I was away, or pouncing on her truck from the side of the road. I told myself that this was foolish, that Alice had clearly seen nothing of Victoria returning to Forks in the near future, and that if anything changed she was only a phone call away. But I couldn't help my agitation—wasn't it too much of a risk to leave Bella alone like this with Victoria on the loose, even with Alice's predictions? Hell, that hunting trip I'd taken yesterday seemed the height of irresponsibility now! Maybe I should just go back...I could call Alice and tell her to meet me partway somewhere, so I could shadow Bella on her way to school, in case Victoria made an appearance...
Stop it, I told myself furiously. She's not there, and it's only a few minutes... But my agitation did not subside—what about the times when I'd have to be away longer? By the time I reached the house, I was already forming a plan in my head.
"Jazz," I said as I burst through the door. I found him standing with Alice in the living room; they were standing very close, their hands interlocked. Alice scowled at me for interrupting their private moment, but Jasper was a little alarmed at my state of anxiety.
What's wrong Edward? Is she all right?
"Fine," I answered. As far as I know, at least... "But I wondered if there was something you could do for me, if it's not too much to ask." I explained my anxieties about leaving Bella on her own, even for just a few minutes.
"Oh Edward, really," Alice sighed, interrupting me. "Haven't I told you twice now that I haven't seen a whisper of Victoria coming back? When she decides to, I'll see it." You worry too much. And you're making poor Jasper edgy.
"And I appreciate your efforts, truly I do," I assured her. "But what about the wolves Alice? You've admitted you can't see anything when they're involved—what if Victoria somehow uses that to her advantage?"
"And how would she find out about that?" Alice asked bluntly. "I'm sure she knows by now that we have certain talents—thank Laurent and his erstwhile friendship with the Denalis for that—but I doubt very much that she has any idea about the effect the wolves have on me." Not that I wouldn't relish sending the whole lot of them to the pound anyway...stupid mongrels...
Despite my anxiety, I had to smile at her irritation. "Still," I sighed, "I'd feel better if she was on her own as little as possible, and I can't be there all the time. Even just a few minutes feels like too long...and whether Victoria knows about the wolves or not, some freak circumstance might—"
"You want me to go over there right now and keep an eye on things?" Jasper interrupted me. His face was grave, but in truth he found my overprotectiveness rather amusing.
Alice rolled her eyes. "We'll be meeting her at the school in ten minutes." For crying out loud, Edward, get a grip!
I took several deep breaths, closing my eyes. What exactly was I asking of Jasper? To run around in the woods behind Bella's house whenever I had to be away? Was that an overreaction, as Alice so obviously thought? I felt myself calming a little. Ten minutes. That wasn't too long. And I knew I was wrong to have so little faith in Alice.
"Never mind," I sighed. "But maybe when I go hunting..."
"We'll make sure someone is there when you have to be gone longer," Alice said firmly. "But I really don't think Victoria is coming back anytime soon."
"I know. It's just...so hard..."
She laid a comforting hand on my arm. "I know." You've been away from her for so long; I understand.
"I just feel...so out of control when we're apart," I admitted. Crazy, more like...
"Don't I know it," Jasper put in darkly. Seriously Edward, you need to calm down. And I felt him using his power to do just that; it helped, a little. Alice has a handle on things, he continued, holding my gaze, and Victoria would be stupid to try anything now that we're back. I'm with you whenever you want to hunt her down, though. I don't think even Carlisle would protest.
I sighed again, and gave him a nod.
"Well," Alice said briskly. "Shall we? All your school stuff is already in the car."
"Thanks." I went out to the garage to give her a private moment with Jasper. I knew that in their own way, it was just as difficult for them to be apart as it was for Bella and me. At least we still had school to be together. I knew that the next time we started high school over again, wherever and whenever that might be, they would probably insist on being put into the same grade so they wouldn't have to deal with the separation. I knew Jasper was tired of pretending to be Rosalie's twin anyway.
Alice joined me after a short while, her expression content as she slid into the passenger seat. So, is the panic attack over now?
I smiled as I pulled out of the garage. I really was going to have to calm down, I realized. Bella had survived my prolonged absence, after all. Just. And danger had never been far away... I stepped on the gas, tearing down the long driveway faster than usual. Beside me, Alice sighed, and sank into her visions for a few moments, showing me plainly that Bella was going to be just fine for the foreseeable future. I relaxed a little, but I could never completely forget my worries. Even if Victoria had been scared off for the present, there was no doubt in my mind that she would be back, one day. We had to be ready.
I slowed down to a more reasonable speed when we hit town, and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the school parking lot to see Bella's truck just pulling into a parking space. I pulled in beside her and leaped out, barely managing to remind myself to move at human speed as I ran around to the driver's side of the truck and pulled open her door for her. She grinned as I helped her out.
"How was your drive?" I asked her as I cuddled her in my arms.
"Lonely," she sighed.
"So was mine ," I chuckled.
Gee, thanks for the compliment, Alice grumbled silently as she tarried a few feet away. I arched an eyebrow at her, and Bella followed my gaze.
"Alice!" Bella flew into her arms, and Alice grinned as she hugged her.
"Hey Bella! Ready for things to get back to normal?"
"Am I ever!" Bella laughed, though she sobered again as she glanced self-consciously at the other arriving students. I was a little glad that she couldn't hear their thoughts as I wrapped my arm around her waist.
Oh. My. God. Omigod! I do not flipping believe it. He's back. Edward. Freaking. Cullen. And his freaktastic sister too! And...what the..? They're together again? You'd think he would have found someone else in sunny L.A.—what does he see in her? I never understood it...
Jessica's mind never had been my favorite to listen to. I could hear similar thoughts from Lauren Mallory and a few others as they stared at us, making no attempt to hide either their curiosity or their shock.
Oh my...oh Bella! He...he came back? Angela was surprised and confused, but as always, her thoughts were full of a warmth and concern for Bella that Jessica's lacked. I thought the whole family left for good...and the way Bella reacted, I was sure they'd broken up... But we never really talked afterward...maybe I got the wrong end of the stick? She certainly looks happy now. I never understood how it could have ended so abruptly—one minute they're practically joined at the hip and the next... Well, I guess it's none of my business. But I hope he doesn't hurt her again, whatever happened the first time...I don't think I could stand to see her that way again...
I could not fault Angela for her honest concern for her friend—a concern which was more than justified, given what I had done. I could only hope that my return would not put any strain on their friendship...it seemed that my absence had already done enough to cut Bella off from her classmates.
What the f**k is he doing here? Mike Newton was seething with fury, and several more expletives sounded loudly in his thoughts. He's got a nerve! After hurting her like that, what, he thinks its okay to just swan back into her life like nothing happened? Argh! I want to rip his head off!
His thoughts dissolved into incoherent rage as we walked calmly past. It really was quite fortunate for Mike that he lacked the courage to follow through on his silent threats. I didn't really want to end up ripping his head off, after all.
First that Jacob kid, and now he's back, I heard Mike grumble as his thoughts briefly made sense again. Why can't it ever be me? Why can't she be my girl? And at that, I caught the beginnings of a fantasy involving him and Bella lounging in a jacuzzi...
Well, most of the time I didn't really want to rip his head off. There were definitely exceptions...
We remained the focus of both whispered gossip and silent musings throughout that first day. But I was able to tune most of it out, largely thanks to the fact I got to sit next to the girl of my dreams (figuratively speaking, of course) in almost every class. In the cafeteria, Alice and I sat with Bella at the end of the long table we'd shared back in September, and I was pleased that Angela and Ben sat near us—at least our return hadn't isolated Bella from all of her human friends. Everyone else kept to their end of the table, shooting us frequent glances as their whispered speculations about us continued.
Angela didn't question us much—it wasn't in her nature to be nosy, no matter how curious she might be. She was still a little wary, out of concern for Bella's emotional well-being, but a contented smile came to her face as she gazed at our clasped hands resting on the table. They seem so happy again...like they were never apart. I still don't understand, but...well, it is good to see Bella like this again. They always seemed so right for each other, before. Maybe it'll work out this time.
"I'm glad you're both back," she said with a shy smile as she glanced at Alice, then back to me. "It...well, it hasn't been quite the same without you."
No, it wasn't the same...it was a lot better, came Mike's silent grumble from further down the table. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.
"Thank you," I said to Angela, dipping my head as I rubbed my thumb along the knuckles of Bella's hand. "It's good to be back." Alice just grinned.
Jessica, sitting a few people away, leaned forward so she could frown at us. "Was there a reason you didn't keep in touch, Edward? I mean, most people are capable of calling every once in awhile—would it have killed you to pick up the phone?" She glanced at Bella, and I saw memories of her sitting alone, looking dejected. What's the deal? I could have sworn he dumped her—why else would she have been so depressed? She wouldn't talk to anyone...she wouldn't even eat. I mean, who acts that way just because a guy walks out on her? It was really getting on my nerves, not to mention freaking me out. God, I'll never forget that night we went to the movies in Port Angeles... To my horror, I watched a brief replay of Bella walking haltingly toward a group of drunken men outside a bar...
"Jess..." Angela hissed, looking pained; she was mortified that her statement of support and friendship had drawn in Jessica's insatiable curiosity. Let's just keep the peace, please...?
"It's okay Angela," Bella mumbled, her cheeks flushing slightly. She spoke louder as she glanced toward Jessica and the others. "It...it was my fault, really."
"It was more mine, actually," I corrected her, frowning as I snapped out of my dark contemplations of the men in Port Angeles. I absolutely refused to let Bella take the blame for something that had in fact been almost entirely my fault. "A misunderstanding. He said, she said...it got out of hand." I noticed Bella smile slightly at my re-use of the words she'd spoken to her father the day before. I squeezed her hand.
"I...see." Jessica's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she didn't press the issue. Hmph. Like that clears anything up. I still can't believe he wants to be with her. Guess it's true what they say: there's really no accounting for taste...
I found myself clenching my jaw a little at Jessica's spiteful musings, though Angela's next thoughts did something to soothe me. Oh, well that's a relief, actually...and hopefully they've got it all sorted out now. It never made sense to me that he would leave—it was so obvious how much he loved her. And still does.
I was glad that Bella had at least one human friend who truly cared about her.
As we sat down together in our next class, I couldn't help but remember what I'd seen in Jessica's thoughts, about the men in Port Angeles. The recollection was better than most human memories, probably due to the fear. But it had been dark, and the images weren't quite defined enough for me to tell whether any of the men had been the same as the ones Bella had encountered the previous year. At least I knew that 'Lonnie', the ringleader of the group and a serial rapist, was safely behind bars in another state.
But it didn't really matter who those men had been, because they had obviously been drunk, and Bella shouldn't have been going anywhere near them. I stared at her, frowning, and let out a heavy sigh. No sense of self-preservation.
"What?" Bella asked, looking a little worried as she took in my expression.
"Bella," I said, quietly enough that the rest of the filling classroom couldn't hear, "I swear you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." Not the easiest thing to do, that.
"What did I do now?"
"Would you mind telling me about movie night with Jessica in Port Angeles?"
Her eyes widened. "Oh." Her cheeks grew red, and she looked guilty. "That."
I closed my eyes, remembering her confessions about the motorcycle. "Let me guess...you decided to approach a group of drunks so you could hear the sound of my voice?"
"Well...not exactly," she murmured. My eyes flew open; she looked away, refusing to meet them.
"No? You had another reason?" This, I couldn't wait to hear. "Please, enlighten me."
Her brow puckered. "Well...do you remember what we said the day you...left?"
"Every word. I seem to remember making you promise not to do anything reckless or stupid," I said through clenched teeth.
"That's right. And in return, you promised it would be as if you'd never existed."
I stared at her, not quite seeing her point.
She sighed. "You see...as far as I was concerned, that promise was broken the moment the words left your mouth. Because really, how was I supposed to forget you? So...I guess I felt like breaking my promise in return. It was sort of tit for tat, I suppose."
I thought about that for a minute while I forced myself to calm down. I kept my expression smooth, so as not to alarm any of the other students. "So," I said casually. "You didn't hear my voice then?"
"Actually, that was the first time," she said, her cheeks coloring further. "You kept telling me to stop being stupid and go back to Jessica."
"Smart advice."
"Yeah, I guess I knew that at the time. But it was just so...so wonderful to hear you again. I wanted it to last as long as possible. But then I saw..." She trailed off, looking as though she didn't want to continue.
"Saw what?"
She sighed reluctantly. "I saw that they weren't the same men," she whispered.
I raised my eyebrows.
"And as soon as I realized that," she went on, "your voice went away. It was like you could only be there when the danger seemed real."
"And did it occur to you that just because it wasn't the same group of men, they might still be dangerous?" It was a real struggle to keep my voice quiet and even.
I heard Lauren snickering on the other side of the classroom. Wow, they're already fighting again...I'd give it 'til the end of next week at the most... The glare I shot her way erased the smirk from her face. Whoa... He's hot, but sometimes he scares the crap out of me...
Bella winced at me, thankfully oblivious to Lauren's thoughts. "I guess you have a point. But I wasn't getting the same vibes off of them...they were just a bunch of college kids having a fun night out."
I rolled my eyes, willing patience. "Thank god I'm back. You obviously have no idea how to look after yourself."
She half-smiled, squeezing my hand under the desk. "Sorry. I'll try to behave myself from now on. You have to realize, I'd gone a little crazy by that point."
And there was the guilt again. I doubted I'd ever escape it.
"And this was how you got the idea of motorcycles and jumping off cliffs?" I breathed, still so quiet that only she could hear.
"Pretty much," she admitted. She squeezed my hand again. "I'm sorry. I know I was being stupid, but it's over now. Let's not talk about it."
I could only nod as I rubbed my thumb over her fingers, relishing the feel of her silky skin. But it was difficult to clear my mind of all the things she had done to try to hold onto my memory. I supposed the pain was good for me though—I deserved to feel pain. In a strange way, it was healing...like a cleansing fire.
Our next class was the one I'd been least looking forward to, the only hour in the schedule that we had apart. Bella and I walked hand in hand to Mr. Varner's classroom, our arms swinging gently between us (oh, how I wished I hadn't gotten through with Calculus a year early!). The tension between us had melted again, and it was just the two of us, impossibly in love. She turned to face me when we'd reached the door, and I drew her to the side to say our goodbyes.
I remembered the first time I had walked her to Gym, when our relationship had been in its infancy—how I had lost the battle with my self-control and reached out to brush my fingers across her cheek. My fingertips had burned for hours with the memory of that touch, as I had berated myself over and over for putting her in such danger, for always wanting more...
How far we had come!
She smiled up at me, but there was an edge to that smile; she didn't want want us to be separated any more than I did. I gave her my best crooked smile as I brushed my knuckles down her cheek, and heard her breath catch in her throat. My smile turned a little impish as I heard a familiar mind approaching from behind. Hmm...this could be fun...in more ways than one... Cupping Bella's face tenderly in my hands, I bent to kiss her. I allowed myself to linger there for awhile, my lips working in gentle rhythm with hers. The part of me that was paying attention smiled inwardly as the approaching thoughts turned murderous behind me.
When I pulled back at last, Bella was flushed and breathless but smiling broadly. I kissed her once more on the forehead before I let her go.
"I'll see you after class," I murmured.
All she could do was nod. Grinning, I turned to head off to my own class, barely taking note of the several girls who had all but passed out nearby. But I couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped me as I sauntered past an absolutely furious Mike Newton.
The next hour passed excruciatingly slowly, though I kept tabs on Bella through her classmates. I kept a very small amount of my attention on my own class, but really, I wasn't very aware of anything around me. I was too lost in my own thoughts, as well as those of the students in Bella's class. I tried to do as she had asked and forget about the incident with the drunken men...but that was proving very hard to do. It didn't help that Jessica occasionally strayed back to them in her thoughts, still wondering if Bella had lost her mind. I gritted my teeth and tried to block it out, focusing instead on Angela and her gentler perceptions.
Why did it bother me so much, even now? The danger was long past, and Bella would never do such a thing again—she had no reason to now (not that there had been much of a reason then). But maybe I wasn't worried so much about a bunch of drunks. Maybe I was worried that if she could perceive them as less than dangerous, she might feel the same way about a certain wolfpack...
It was a very long hour.
But finally it came to an end, and I flew (at a reasonable human sprint) to meet her outside her class. She smiled when she saw me, and I took her hand. Just like that all my worries melted; I was home.
I kissed her temporarily goodbye as I helped her into the truck, then watched her drive away before I slid into the Volvo. Alice was lounging in the passenger seat already.
What a day! Everyone was staring at me, you know, like I was from another planet or something...
I smiled. "You think you had it bad," I murmured as I pulled out of the parking lot. I was determined to reach our secluded driveway as soon as possible, so I could leave the car with Alice and run home to Bella.
Right. I'm sure it was worse for you. But at least you had Bella to endure it with. She sighed, and I caught a wistful image of Jasper in her thoughts.
"You'll be with him soon enough," I chuckled. Just as I'll be with my Bella. "Do me a favor and check on Victoria again."
She heaved another sigh. Really, Edward, you are such a worrywart... But she did as I asked, and I relaxed again when she found nothing alarming.
"Thank you," I breathed. And then I frowned, for I'd caught something fleeting on the edge of her mind, something she was trying to keep from me. "Did you have a vision in school while I wasn't paying attention?"
"Um, sort of," she said aloud, her voice pitched a little higher than normal.
"Alice..."
"It's nothing to worry about, really. I would have told you if it was something that bad." I'm sure he won't actually kill you. Esme would never forgive him for that.
"Ah." I watched as she finally played the entire vision in her mind. I must have been so wrapped up in Bella that I'd missed it, earlier. "So, they'll be back from Canada soon?"
"Not terribly soon. Towards the end of next week, I think."
"And you were going to warn me sometime before then, yes?" I eyed her narrowly.
Of course I was. But you would have had enough of a warning beforehand anyway. She reached over and tapped my temple with her index finger.
"True," I sighed. We were nearing the turn-off for our long driveway. "So can you see who wins?"
"Not really." That's the thing about brawling—it can be so unpredictable, especially when it's a match between an impossibly strong, hulking gorilla and a speedy, cheating mind reader. Don't worry, though. I foresee that whoever wins, Emmett will forgive you afterward.
"Of course he will." I came to a stop in the driveway, just out of sight of the main road.
I'll see you later then. Maybe I can come over...
"Don't push Charlie just yet, please," I said as we both got out, leaving the engine running.
Are you kidding? He adores me. Even if I am the sister of the boy he'd like to ram headfirst into a brick wall. She looked at me slyly as she skipped around to the driver's side of the car. Of course, maybe the real reason you don't want me to come over is because you want her all to yourself for awhile...
"Is that too much to ask? I've got about six months to catch up on, after all..."
Point taken. She grinned and stood on tiptoe to give me a peck on the cheek. Have fun then.
"You too," I said, smirking as I noticed the decidedly intimate tenor of her thoughts as they turned toward Jasper again.
She kicked me in the shin. Shut up. I've been away from him for almost a week—we have some catching up to do too, you know.
"I'm sure you do. Just be kind and go out in the woods so Esme doesn't have to listen to your 'catching up'..."
She narrowed her eyes dangerously. I bet you wouldn't like it if I told Jazz you said that. You might end up in a two on one fight when Em comes back.
I chuckled all the way back to Bella's house.
She was waiting for me in her bedroom, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I encircled her in my arms.
"Welcome back," she murmured into my shoulder.
"It's good to be here," I breathed. But I felt as though something was off. She was trembling, and clutching me a little too hard (for her)—as if she was afraid I might disappear again...
I pulled gently back to study her expression. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. I brushed at her cheeks in alarm. "Bella?"
She gave me a faltering smile, shaking her head as more tears leaked out. "Don't mind me. Just...give me a minute."
She buried her face in my chest, and I held her to me, gently shushing her as I let her quiet sobs play out. I drew her over to the rocking chair and pulled her into my lap, murmuring words of reassurance as I rocked her. I didn't have to ask what it was that had upset her.
This was just one of the prices for my actions. So much had happened, it was hard to believe it had only been two days since our return, and only three and a half since we'd been reunited. So much to take in, in such a short space of time. Even though she had accepted, at last, that I loved her and was here to stay, I understood that a part of her would continue to doubt for some time to come. The wounds I had inflicted would be slow to heal, and I cursed myself over and over for the way I had hurt her. My own pain ripped and tore at me with each sob that left her throat; I squeezed my eyes shut and rested my cheek against the top of her head.
After a little while her gentle sobs quieted, and she rested silently against me as I continued to rock her.
"Sorry about that," she murmured after another few minutes.
"Please don't apologize. I'm the one who should be asking for forgiveness," I said softly.
She shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive, Edward." She took a deep breath. "It's just...a lot to take in. I guess my body just sort of rebelled, there."
"I understand. It takes time." I leaned in to brush my lips across her cheek. "Fortunately for us, time is something we have."
"Yes..." She snuggled into me, a blissful smile on her lips.
From that point on it was one of the most peaceful afternoons we'd ever spent.
The days rolled lazily by, and I was rarely away from Bella for more than a few minutes at a time—in part because of my continued edginess about Victoria, but mostly because I couldn't stand to be away from my love for any longer. She didn't seem to mind my company.
It was only a few days before she finally managed to persuade Charlie to let me in (officially) for a few hours each day, though it was plain that he only consented because he was afraid that she would move out if he refused. He might have been right about that. He treated me with about as much respect as I deserved...in other words, very little at all. I bore his hostility gladly, just grateful he was using cold words and stony silences rather than fists to make his point (I didn't want him to hurt himself, after all).
In my spare moments, I busied myself with hunting up college applications for Bella to fill in, eager to give her as many options as possible. She always gave me a dirty look whenever I brought a new set of forms—I knew she hated the tedium of filling them out, but I suspected her objections went further than that. The subject came up one night as we lay nestled together in bed.
"You aren't going to bring me any more of those stinking applications, are you?" she asked. I had to smile at the way her nose wrinkled as she spoke, as if the offending documents actually had smelled bad. "There can't be that many places left that would take me."
"You give yourself too little credit," I murmured, brushing the tip of her nose with my finger.
"And you give me too much. Honestly, I'll probably end up at Peninsula Community College or something..."
"And though I very much doubt that will be the case, I wouldn't mind going there with you. I've already done the Harvard route, after all."
"Of course you have," she said, rolling her eyes. "But I would feel better about it if there were no bribes involved, whoever accepts me."
"Who said anything about bribes?" I asked innocently. "I'm just bringing you the applications. It was my fault you procrastinated so long, so I feel some responsibility for helping you set it right."
She rolled her eyes again. "You try to take the blame for everything."
"I give credit where credit is due."
"And it's not like I'll be going to college anyway." Her voice dipped even lower as she spoke, and a jolt of pain shot through me.
"Don't say that," I whispered. "It never hurts to keep your options open. You might decide to marry me after all." I could not help but chuckle at her grimace.
"Well," she sighed, "I suppose it's good to go through the motions. For Charlie's sake."
I stroked her face. "For your own sake too, Bella."
"Right."
My anxiety about the choice she was making continued to loom in the back of my mind, though it was often chased away just by the sheer delight of her presence.
I drove her to school and work most days, now that Charlie had grudgingly decided to allow it. On the second Saturday after our return I dropped her off at the Newtons' store.
"Have a good time at work today," I murmured, kissing her goodbye.
"Mmm...I'm sure I'll get to chat with lots of rugged hikers. Between ogling them and flirting with Mike, the time will just fly by..."
I growled.
"Sorry," she chuckled. "You're just too easy to tease sometimes."
"Speak for yourself." I kissed her again.
She frowned as I pulled away, looking suddenly worried. "Maybe I should be trying to talk them out of hiking around here, though. If Victoria comes back..."
"She's not coming back anytime soon," I repeated, both for her and for myself. "Alice double and triple checked this morning, and there's still no sign." Though I didn't say as much to Bella for fear of alarming her, I suspected Victoria would be far more careful when she did make a reappearance—she wanted to take us by surprise, and further disappearances in the area would only alert us to her presence.
I drove back home, intending to spend a couple of hours with my family while Bella was at work. I was a little surprised to find them all waiting for me on the front porch, doing their best to hide their thoughts from me.
"What is it?" I demanded as I leaped out of the car, barely registering that for the first time in over a week they were all there. "Has something happened? Is Victoria—" I looked frantically at Alice, who rolled her eyes.
Relax Edward, it's nothing like that.
Then my eyes focused on the hulking figure beside her.
"Oh."
Emmett raised his eyebrows, an evil glint in his eye. "I think you owe me something, my brother."
I raised my eyebrows. "Do I?" My voice was cold. I hadn't forgotten his grievance about the television. I also hadn't forgotten my grievance—the reason said television was broken.
Really, it didn't make sense for me to be angry at Emmett—at least, not any more angry than I was at the rest of them. After all, everyone but Rosalie had voted the same way he had...so why was I glaring at him, my teeth slightly bared, my hands balled into tight fists at my side? Maybe it was because he'd so conveniently set himself up as a target, whining about a broken television when a girl's life was at stake...
"Edward," Esme murmured, seeing the indignation in my eyes.
"Temper, temper," Emmett purred. You really shouldn't let it control you like that. They have this thing called 'anger management therapy' you know...you might want to give it a try.
A low hiss escaped through my teeth as I glared at him.
"Emmett, stop goading him," Carlisle murmured, leveling a stern look at his youngest (and largest) son.
"Well, I'd say there's one way to settle this," Emmett said, flexing his biceps.
"No arm-wrestling," I said, seeing his thoughts. "You know you always win."
He laughed. Maybe that's why it sounded like such a good idea to me. But no, a good old-fashioned brawl suits me just fine.
"Both of you promise me to keep your heads," Esme said sternly. "I don't want any permanent damage."
"What, no scars even?" Emmett scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"
Esme growled.
"You didn't tell me we would have an audience," I said to Alice.
She shrugged. "I didn't see that until this morning."
"What's the matter, little brother?" Emmett taunted, "Too chicken to fight me in front of everyone?"
I narrowed my eyes. "Name the time and the place."
"Right here, right now."
"Not on my porch!" Esme growled.
"How about the yard," I suggested, gesturing to the wide expanse of fern-covered ground beneath the ancient cedars.
"Fine. Let's do it." He started down the steps, but stopped when Esme caught his arm.
"If either of you so much as grazes one of my cedars," she said coldly, "I promise I will make you regret it for the rest of your existence."
"No prob, Mom," Emmett said, grinning. "The only one who's gonna get any grief is lover-boy here." Or should I say, 'would-be-a-lover-if-only-he-could-be-a-lover-boy'?"
I snarled.
Emmett grinned.
Carlisle and Esme sighed.
I knew Emmett wasn't really angry at me—well, not too angry, anyway. In truth, he viewed the destruction of the flat-screen as more of an inconvenience than a real problem—after all, they already had another one on order from Korea, and it would be here soon enough.
But if I'd learned one thing about Emmett in all the years I'd known him, it was that he relished any excuse for a good brawl. Especially if he could use the opportunity to grind my face into the dirt in front of witnesses.
"Let's see," he said as we walked slowly out into the middle of the yard. "If I win, you're going to pay for the new TV. And you know, I think I'd like one for my room as well...and a new stereo would be nice..."
"And if I win," I said, quietly enough that the others couldn't hear, "you're going to keep your opinions about my love life to yourself."
Ooh. Hit a nerve, did I? Just wait until she's one of us and you two can finally go at it for real—it's only gonna get worse...
I snarled again.
Emmett laughed. C'mon though, talk about an uneven bet! I ask you for something you could buy a gazillion times over, and you ask me to stop having fun? Give me a break!
He did have a point; money was sort of meaningless in a family as wealthy as ours. I was probably lucky he hadn't decided to ask for some sort of ridiculous dare instead—something like running naked down the highway on a sunny day. At rush hour. "How about just for the next month, then," I sighed.
He pondered that a moment. "Tempting..."
I rolled my eyes. "Let's just fight."
He grinned. Deal. And with that, he launched himself at me.
But I was faster.
In truth (and despite what my brothers thought), I tried to use my mind-reading ability as little as possible during such bouts. For one thing, my sense of sportsmanship was better satisfied when I could win without it, and for another, I felt as though I was honing myself better for a day when the fight might be more real, and when every advantage would be necessary. Opponents could lie with their minds if they knew they had to, and some of the potential foes which clouded my future—Victoria, for one...Demetri, for another—were all too aware of my ability.
And there was always the possibility that I might one day face an opponent whose mind was completely closed to me, like Bella's. I didn't know if her mind was unique in that way; I had certainly never encountered such a one before in my ninety years as a vampire. But it couldn't hurt to be prepared, nonetheless.
So I tried to rely on my other senses as I dodged and leapt, feinted and dove, always managing to escape Emmett's clutches by the barest of margins. It helped that I was the fastest, and that of the two of us, I had taken far more away from Jasper's lessons in fighting strategy over the years. Emmett's style of attack was sort of like a charging bear, and he relied far too much on his brute strength.
But just because I was trying to ignore his thoughts didn't mean they didn't occasionally break through.
I can't wait til she's one of us. Then I'll get to tease her about it too!
That did it. With an enraged snarl I launched myself at him, and moments later I was pinned to the ground. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I couldn't believe I'd let him get to me...
"Are you through, little brother?" he taunted in my ear. "Maybe we should have waited until Bella could watch this. Or are you afraid she wouldn't like what she'd see...and hear?"
With another snarl I had twisted out of his stunned grasp and launched him across the clearing. He hit the ground with a thud like a falling boulder and skidded a good fifty feet—the air was full of the scent of crushed ferns. In another moment he was back on his feet, and we were back to our sparring.
And so it went on for quite some time; our family was content to watch from the porch, though I knew both Carlisle and Esme winced every time one of us struck a blow. They'd never understood the enjoyment my brothers and I got out of such matches, and I had the sense they were only still watching in case things got out of hand.
It ended in something of a draw, as it often did. We bumped fists on our way back to the house, our argument over.
"You're still paying for the new TV."
"Sure," I chuckled, "I was going to anyway. I am the one who broke it after all."
And I guess I can keep my thoughts to myself about you know what. For a few weeks, at least.
"Thank you."
It was good brawling with you again, little brother. It's been too long. Promise me you'll never run off again.
"Do I look like I'm going anywhere?"
Emmett chuckled. "So who won?" he called out to Jasper, who was lounging against a pilaster on the porch.
"Neither of you," he drawled, smirking. "I could've taken either one of you in thirty seconds flat."
Emmett raised his eyebrows. "Well we'll have to see about that, won't we?"
Alice, Esme, and Rosalie exchanged a weary glance. "Boys..." all three muttered in unison.
"Leave me out of it," Carlisle sighed, rolling his eyes. Emmett, Jasper, and I laughed.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed that little diversion. The next chapter will be the last, as we venture back into the established story of the epilogue. I'll try to have it out within a day or two this time, since my goal was to get this entire story out before Eclipse hits the theaters... ;) Still, no promises!
As always, please let me know what you thought!