Bella drove around Salem for awhile after the concert, not quite ready to return to the hotel and trying to decide if she needed to hunt. Since she had hunted the evening before, she decided she would be alright and Edward (and herself) would be safe. Besides, she had practically gorged herself in preparation of being around so many people, and she wasn't sure that even 24 hours later she could drink any more.
After an hour of driving around she returned to the hotel, finding it was still at least an hour before she could expect Edward. She was both apprehensive and excited about what he wanted to speak about. She knew he knew her family's secret, which was dangerous for them both. Vampires only had two laws to live by – don't interfere with someone's mate, and never reveal your existence to humans. The Cullens lived on the fringe of the second everyday. Their lifestyle allowed them to act human and interact in society for which Bella was grateful. She'd lived the nomadic life and didn't care for it. She needed to be around people, either human or vampire, for her own sanity. But they were always careful, taking precautions and moving on before anyone could become suspicious of their lack of aging.
But it was why they held themselves apart. They tried to blend in, but didn't make friends for everyone's sake. Which was why Bella found Emmett's friendship with Edward a bit odd. Emmett had always shied away from group projects, never wanting to get involved if he could help it. So it had to be something about Edward, rather than Emmett, that had prompted the friendship.
While she mused, Bella drew a bath, letting the water run as hot as it could. She laid out comfortable lounge clothes – yoga pants and a tank top, and carried her iPod into the bathroom after pulling her hair up into a messy knot on top of her head. She shut off the lights and the water and sank into the tub with a sigh, feeling her skin warm at the water's touch. She lay back and drifted with the music, contemplating Edward and her family.
Alice liked him, though Bella wasn't sure they'd ever really met, despite sharing a class. But Bella didn't know how much Alice had really seen, so she'd just have to continue to follow her instincts and not bet against her pixie-sister. Rosalie was mostly indifferent, worried about the family, but Bella knew she liked Emmett having another guy friend. Jasper was great, and he and Emmett were like brothers, but their shared love of video games only got them so far. Part of it, Bella knew, was their different ages. Jasper had been a soldier, was quiet and reserved and liked to observe and study. Emmett was a child of the depression and lived very much in the moment. She could count on both of them for advise and hugs, but she went to Jasper for philosophical debates and Emmett for a prank war or entertainment of other kinds. They were a family, with different strengths and interests, no matter how unconventional a family of vampires could be.
Esme and Carlisle would accept whatever decision Bella would make regarding Edward. Intellectually, she knew there was only one real solution to both 'problems.' He would have to be changed, eventually. The only way Bella could guarantee she'd not kill him was to have him join the family, and if the Volturi every found out that a human knew and they let him live, it would bring the ruling vampires wrath down on the family, and Bella couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't the reason her family as put in danger.
But even though she knew what she'd have to do eventually, she knew there was time. The Volturi didn't venture out of Italy and she would know when other vampires crossed their path and if they were risk of expose. She believed Alice when she said Edward could be trusted. So she had time yet, to figure things out. She'd not see him changed unless he agreed, and she'd not have him be left to wander the world alone. She wouldn't have him changed to assuage her blood lust for him – she'd done enough already in her life that her conscience couldn't handle that. And truly, Bella wasn't sure how she felt about the boy.
She was attracted to him, of course, both by his blood and his physical appearance. She felt protective of him, needing to know he was safe and felt oddly bereft when she didn't see him. But she barley knew him. She didn't know about his childhood, or his favorite food, or what gave him nightmares. She knew he was intelligent, liked music, drove a Volvo and disliked Mike Newton. But it wasn't quite enough.
The water had cooled dramatically and Bella finally pulled the stopper on the tub when her body temperature returned to normal. She dried herself quickly, changed, and settled at the food of the bed, feet tucked under her, to watch the first few minutes of Saturday Night Live. The show wasn't as great as she remembered from years past, but it was getting better after a lull, even if the best parts were still the opening sequence and the Weekend Update. She muted the TV after the guest's monologue and retrieved a new book from her duffle bag. Though she'd 'lived' through the Second World War (and reprised her role as a nurse at a VA hospital with Carlisle) she still enjoyed reading other perspective on it. Jasper, her fellow history buff, had recommended the book to her, and she'd brought it along to fill the empty evening. After Alice had cancelled, Bella'd almost forgone the hotel, but she was glad she hadn't since it meant spending time with Edward, and not roaming around Portland waiting for the shops to open on Sunday morning.
She was three chapters in and had grabbed the hotel stationary to make notes on all the authors flawed assumptions and findings (she wondered if that was why Jasper had recommended it), when there was a knock on her door. She closed the notepad in the book to mark her place and crossed to the door.
"Hi, Edward," she greeted, stepping back and letting him through, throwing the privacy lock as was her habit.
"Hey," Edward answered, his voice low and rough like he'd been sleeping. Bella glanced at the clock – it was after 2 am.
They stood awkwardly in the middle of the room before Bella shook herself loose. "Have a seat." She waved him toward the bed. She took the armchair by the window and climbed into it, pulling her knee s to her chest and wrapping one arm around them. Edward seemed to hesitate a moment before toeing off his shoes and taking a seat on the edge of the bed facing her, one foot tucked under his body, the other swinging against the edge of the mattress. He looked young suddenly to Bella, in worn flannel and a t-shirt, looking for all the world like he was about to he scolded by his parents for stealing a cookie before dinner (and where, she wondered, did that image come from?).
"I know what you are," Edward blurted suddenly and Bella couldn't help but giggle quietly at the absurdity of it. But she gathered herself and looked at him quietly, silently asking him to continue.
"I'm not sure I actually believe, it," he continued more softly. "I always thought it was a religious myth, something to keep the faithful in church as a way to write about issues like sex and lust in Victorian times or whatever." He sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "You're a vampire?"
Bella nodded slowly.
Edward let out a huge gust of air. "That's why I've never seen you eat lunch?"
Bella nodded again, a smile playing at her lips. She was surprised he hadn't run screaming.
"That's why you don't come to school on sunny days. Burst into flames?"
Bella let the smile go and laughed softly. "Yes, but no. That's a myth. I can't go out in sunlight, but it doesn't hurt me." Well, close enough.
"Holy water?"
"Myth."
"Turn into a bat?"
"Just the one vampire," she clarified. Edward stared at her wide eyed and she laughed.
"Sleep in a coffin?"
She shook her head. "We don't sleep."
"What, like ever?"
"Nope. Vampires don't sleep."
Edward just nodded slowly, looking down at his hands folded in his lap. "How old are you?"
Bella smiled softly. "Seventeen."
He just stared at her.
"I was born in 1875, in Boston," she said quietly. "September 13," she answered, anticipating his next question. When he didn't speak again for a few minutes, Bella spoke up. "You've not asked the most important question."
Edward looked up from his hands again, a curious look in his eye.
"About our diet?" Bella prompted.
"Oh. That." Edward was quiet. "You won't hurt me."
Bella was both troubled and amused by his response. Troubled because he didn't seem to understand how serious it was, amused because he was right. "Oh?" She echoed him. "How are you so accepting of this?" She asked him, honestly curious.
He shrugged. "I told you, I feel safe with you."
"You really shouldn't," Bella said sadly, wondering if there really was something wrong with his sense of self-preservation.
His answer was interrupted by a huge yawn that he hid behind a hand. "Billy Black said you don't feed from people."
So that's how he'd figured it out. Emmett must not have gone to class that day, for one of the tribal elders to have been so free with the story. But then, Bella knew, Black didn't really believe them, for as influential as his own father had been in negotiating the treaty between her family and the tribe. "We try very hard not to," she said softly.
Edward's smile was small and crooked. "Is it hard for you? To be around me, I mean?" He asked.
"Yes. But it's getting easier," she admitted quietly. Her soft smile turned somewhat morose. "You smell too good for your own well being."
Edward's smile slipped, and Bella could see that for the first time, he was actually taking this seriously. That realization put Bella somewhat at ease. "You mean you want-"
Bella nodded. "It's easier now, that I've gotten to know you. And the more time I spend with you, the easier it becomes to resist." She briefly thought about telling him about the other part of her resistance, but decided for the moment, it was better to not let him think he was completely safe with her.
Edward shifted on the bed, moving the pillows behind him and sitting up against the headboard, his bare feet tucked under the edge of the bedding. "Is that why you tried so hard to stay away from me?"
"For both of us," Bella agreed with a nod. "Just because we try not to feed from people doesn't mean we always succeed, or that the need isn't always there. It's not safe for you to be around me."
Edward sat quietly for a moment and she could see him processing. "You skipped the day we did the blood testing in class."
Bella nodded. "Avoiding temptation. Though it almost would have been worth it to watch Newton's reaction first hand," she teased.
Edward laughed lowly. "That explains Emmett's reaction in the hall," he said, and Bella thought he was talking more to himself than to her. "We walked to Spanish together," he explained, "and he got really weird when I was cleaning blood off my finger from the lancet poke."
Bella held his gaze and nodded slowly.
Edward let out another long sigh, punctuated by a yawn. "When you guys skip school, where do you go?"
Bella watched as he unconsciously started to slide down in the bed after his body gave a shiver. He was close to falling asleep mid-conversation. "It depends on what the weather is like other places. Sometimes Alice will drag me to New York or Chicago or Los Angeles to go shopping. Sometimes I just go hunting with Emmett, or stay home and debate with Jasper. Sometimes we go out as a family. We just try to stay out of the public eye on those days."
"Why?" He yawned again, his eyes drooping closed as he sagged down into the mattress.
"Another time, Edward," she said gently, glancing at the clock. They'd been talking for over an hour. "Get some sleep. What time do you have to be back in your room?" Bella untangled her limbs and rose smoothly, retrieving her book from where it laid on the bed near Edward.
"Six." He yawned again and she saw another shiver run through him. She wasn't sure if it was her proximity or his body shutting down for sleep.
"I'll wake you." She shut off the lights while Edward settled himself in for the night, leaving just the one small light on over her chair so she could read. She didn't really need it, but it was comforting. His glasses made a quiet sound as he placed them on the nightstand next to the bed.
He didn't answer and within a minute his breathing and heartbeat had slowed and Bella knew he was asleep. The next few hours passed quickly, her book and Edward's soft snores keeping her company. Try as she might, she couldn't help but watch Edward sleep for long stretches of time. He was a quiet sleeper, other than the snoring; she didn't think he moved three times in his sleep and even those shifts weren't much. He looked peaceful in sleep, and Bella forced herself to go back to her book and stop being an awkward yet creepy stalker.
The sun hadn't begun to lighten the sky when the clock on the table clicked over to 6 am. Bella set her book aside again, having nearly filled the notepad with criticism and rose from the chair, managing to trip over herself once she was upright. She crossed to the bed and perched lightly on the edge of the mattress.
Edward was slightly curled up on one side, one hand tucked under his head, the other resting across his chest. Bella grasped his shoulder gently and gave him a light shake while she called his name. It took a few tries but he eventually stirred and she sat back as he blinked his eyes open and yawned.
"Good morning," she said, after he'd peered around blearily and reached for his glasses.
"Morning," he said, voice low and thick with sleep. He sat up and stretched, his shirt rising a bit, giving Bella a glimpse of toned abs and a dusting of dark hair disappearing under the waistband of his sleep pants.
They sat awkwardly for a few moments before Edward stirred again, shifting under the blankets and moving toward the edge of the bed. He sat there for a moment, rubbing his hands over his face before getting to his feet. "I should go, before they start checking beds again." he said quietly. "Thanks for letting me crash here last night."
Bella nodded. "No problem. I wasn't going to use the bed anyway," she teased lightly, and was relieved to find that he grinned. As much as she'd thought he'd freak out on her in light of the truth, she was rather glad that he hadn't, and that the conversation hadn't scared him off. She had a feeling he was also thanking her for more than the bed – he didn't really get all that much sleep.
"I have to ride back with the others in the bus," he said as he stepped into his shoes. "And I'd like to see you tonight, but I'm going to have to catch up on homework."
"It's alright," Bella responded. She wanted to see him, too, to continue their conversation, and because she never wanted to let him out of her sighed. "Call me, and we can figure something out."
Edward nodded. He started to move toward the door and paused, turning back to Bella. Silently, he stepped closer to where she was still seated on the bed. She stayed very still as he reached out, tucking a length of her hair behind her ear and smoothing his thumb over her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed and she held her breath as he leaned closer and brushed his lips over her cheek, lingering for a moment before brushing against her temple as well. She could feel him breathing her in, and she'd never felt anything so sensual in her life. Her left hand went to his hips and she barely remembered to keep her touch light as she clung to him slightly. Her right hand drifted over his t-shirt and rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat reverberate through her palm.
"I'll call you," he whispered, still pressed against her. He gave her another brief nuzzle and stepped away slowly, almost as if he didn't want to, and Bella released him. She followed him across the room with her eyes and didn't release her breath until the door had closed behind him.
Something had definitely changed between them. Bella'd be lying if she said she hadn't noticed the connection between them at the concert the evening before. There had literally been sparks flying between them before they'd touched, and once Bella's hand had been in Edward's everything had just seemed right. She'd felt whole, and Alice help her, happy. She just felt right with him, and it still scared her.
She'd never felt that way with anyone. She'd spent 20 years with James and never felt the connection she had with Edward. Bella snorted. It figured. After nearly a hundred years alone, she finally fell in love, and it was with a human.
The thought stopped her in her tracks.
Was she truly in love with the boy?
She fell back onto the bed. She knew she couldn't be without him, that he was far too involved in her life already. Not only did he know her secret, but she couldn't possibly fathom living without him.
If it wasn't for the way he'd said goodbye, Bella would think that he couldn't possibly feel the same about her. But every word and every move of his body had rung with sincerity.
Part of Bella rejoiced at finally finding someone that made her feel whole and happy, and part of her just felt sick at knowing she would bring darkness to his life by her mere presence. The only thing for it, she supposed, was to just have it out and tell him her past and let him decide if she was worth it. She wasn't, and figured that he'd come to his senses after that, and she could let him go. She'd leave Forks and her family until he graduated and they moved on again.
Her phone rang, interrupting her musings. She reached for it on the nightstand, glancing at the display. Alice. She'd meant to call Jasper back the previous evening and had forgotten.
"Hi, Alice," Bella answered.
"You were going to call last night, but I saw things went alright," Alice said easily. "They did, didn't they?"
Bella laughed softly. "Yes, Alice. I'm a bit worried about his sanity, but everything went fine."
"What do you mean?"
"He took everything so easily. It was unnatural." Bella sat up and placed her feet flat on the bed, pulling her knees to her chest again. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and scooted back to rest against the headboard, enveloping herself with Edward's scent on the pillows and sheets.
"We've talked about that," Alice said. "He's perceptive. He has to know you won't hurt him. Did you tell him why?"
"No." Bella pulled a bit of hair over her shoulder and played with the end. "Just that we tried to stay away from human blood. I didn't tell him about my aversion."
"Why not!?"
Bella winced at the volume. "Because I wanted him to realize how dangerous this is, Alice," she said firmly. "I wanted it to be completely clear to him what he was doing and who I was." She sighed. "He already feels too safe with me, Alice. I don't want to lull him into a false sense of security with me."
"You love him."
"And shouldn't that mean that I want to keep him safe? Even from myself?" Bella realized her mistake too late.
Alice squealed. "I told you!"
Bella could hear Jasper's laugh and murmuring as he probably tried to calm Alice down. "Don't start planning anything yet, you meddlesome little pixie," Bella threatened. "We've spent a few hours talking, is all."
"Oh, Bella, I told you you'd be happy if you just let it happen," Alice said.
"Alice, you've forgotten one pretty significant detail here," Bella said quietly. "He's human."
"Psh," Alice scoffed.
"I can't just dismiss that," Bella hissed.
"No, no, that's not what I meant, Bella," Alice protested quickly. "He won't be human forever."
Bella froze.
"Bella?" Alice's voice was tinged with worry.
"No." Bella was firm.
"It's going to happen, sweetheart," Alice counseled softly.
"How can you be sure?" Bella whispered. She wouldn't wish this life on anyone.
"I've seen it."
Bella knew better than to bet against Alice, but still that didn't mean she was always right. "When?"
Alice didn't respond right away.
"Alice?"
"It's unclear. I just see him as one of us, one day, and the two of you will be happy together."
Bella sighed. She still had time.
"Bella, we've got to go," Alice said softly after a beat. "We'll see you at home tonight?"
"Yeah," she answered quietly. "I'm going to stop in Portland for some shopping on the way. No, Alice," she protested with a soft laugh before Alice could interrupt and turn it into a full day excursion for more clothes that Bella didn't need. "I'm stopping at Powell's and picking up a few things for Esme at the craft store here in Salem."
Alice huffed and Bella could hear Jasper laughing quietly in the background again. "Fine. But I'm dragging you off somewhere special for a shopping day the next sunny stretch we have," she threatened.
Bella rolled her eyes. "Alright, Alice." It was better to just go with it. Resistance, against Alice at least, was futile.
"Love you!"
"You too," Bella answered before ending the call. She sat silently for a few minutes, turning Alice's revelation over and over in her head. It seemed the decision was already made for her.
Bella glanced at the clock; she had a few hours yet before the craft store opened, so after she dressed in jeans and a sweater, she retrieved her book and her iPod and curled back up on the bed, once again letting Edward's scent permeate her senses as she continued to tear apart the historical account she was reading.
She had nearly finished the book an hour later when there was a knock on her door. She frowned as she rose to answer, not expecting anyone, knowing it was too early for room service, and not sensing any danger beyond. However, as she drew closer, she could smell him on the other side.
"Edward?" she asked as she opened the door, instantly worried that something was wrong. "Is everything alright?"
His bag was slung over his shoulder and he was dressed in jeans and sneakers, with a UW hoodie, and he flashed her a crooked smile as he stepped into her room. "Yeah, everything's fine. There was just something I needed to do before we leave," he said softly.
Before she could speak he stepped closer to her and gently cupped her cheek, tipping her chin up. "Edward," she breathed just before he pressed his lips to hers. His other hand slid around her neck, curling into the hair at the base of her skull and combing his fingers through it.
She gave herself over to the sensation, of the warmth of his body pressed against hers, the jolt of electricity that coursed through her at his touch, the smell of him and the sound of his heartbeat reverberating through her ears over the sound of the music still buzzing in her ears. Bella looped her arms around Edward's neck, playing with his hair in return. He moaned softly and Bella felt his mouth move on hers, and she returned the kiss before she rationally considered what she was doing. She felt the venom pool in her mouth and she swallowed it back as she was enveloped in Edward.
One of her hands shifted from his neck to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under her palm. It felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest. She broke the kiss as he sagged slightly against her, and she brushed her lips over his cheek. "Breathe, Edward." Her arms wrapped around his waist and she tugged him just a bit closer, resting her cheek against his throat, breathing him in, finding herself quite in control, for the moment.
He drew in a shuddering breath and let it out slowly, resting his chin on top of her head as he waited for his breathing to return to normal. "Is this okay?" he asked quietly.
"More than okay," Bella answered. It was perfect, the way they fit together, the way she felt in that moment. It was also completely wrong, but Bella was struggling to tell that part of her brain to keep quiet and let her be happy.
Edward stepped back a bit, lifting her chin again. "The bus is going to leave," he said quietly, running his thumbs over her cheeks. "Your eyes have gone dark again," he murmured. "They're still gold, but darker." He kissed her again gently. "You're beautiful," he whispered.
Bella would have blushed, if she'd still been able. As it was, she ducked her head, letting her hair fall around her.
"I have to go," he said regretfully, tugging on the end of a piece of her hair gently.
"Give me your phone," Bella asked. When he handed it over she quickly typed in her number, hearing her phone ring on the opposite side of the room. She handed it back to him, her fingers lingering over his hand. "Stay away from Newton," she cautioned with a soft smile.
"Not to worry," he promised, kissing her again. "I'll call you," he said, stepping away, Bella's hand trailing over his hip as he moved away.
Bella nodded. "I'll talk to you later."
"Bye, Bella," Edward said with a smile before letting himself out.
She stood still for a moment, her fingers drifting to trace over her lips until the beeping of her phone caught her attention and jarred her from her musings.
1 new msg
Bella flipped her phone open and called up the message, laughing out loud when she read it.
its l8r
She saved his number and sent him a quick reply.
so it is. travel safe
Bella began to gather her things, repacking her duffel and messenger bag. She was double checking the room when her phone beeped again.
U2. going to sleep to avoid MN. someone kept me up all night talking ;)
She smiled, hefted her bags, and went to check out of the hotel.
good strategy. and someone stayed up asking questions :p
Bella stashed her things in the back, pulling the lockable cover down over the bed to secure them, and drove the few blocks to the craft store where Esme had placed an order knowing that Bella would be in the area to retrieve it.
She got another message while the clerk was tracking down Esme's order.
it was worth it
Bella could picture his crooked smile in her mind and smiled herself.
good 2 hear. how goes avoiding MN?
The clerk returned with Esme's paints and canvases, and Bella added a stack of the sketch pads she knew Alice preferred, and some wire and beads for herself to play with. She paid for the items and accepted help getting everything into her truck. When she didn't get a reply to her last text, she figured he'd probably managed to sleep, and tucked her phone away for the drive to Portland.
Bella spent several hours in Portland, mostly in Powell's book shop. She purchased a dozen random novels and began the journey home to Forks.
It was mid-afternoon when she returned to their home on the outskirts of town. She found all but Carlisle's car in the garage when she parked her truck and returned the key to its peg on the wall. Jasper was waiting to help her carry in the day's purchases.
"Good trip?" Jasper was smiling.
Bella grinned. "You can say that."
He kissed her forehead. "Love suits you." He gathered Esme's canvas and paints, and the bag containing Alice's sketchbooks, while Bella grabbed the bags of books and draped her messenger and duffle bags on her shoulder.
Bella just smiled and carried her things to her rooms. She changed once more into comfortable clothing and set her iPod to charge on the dock, setting a classical playlist on low to fill the room. She stacked the new books on the table near her chaise and took her messenger bag into her study and sat to do the homework she needed to complete before classes resumed on Monday. She sped through it, barely taking the time to think about it. When it was finished, she tucked her phone into the pocket of her lounge pants and wandered downstairs to the video game war she could hear from her room upstairs.
Emmett and Jasper had brought the TV up from the rec room and had hooked up the PlayStation to it, while the main set in the living room was hooked up to the Nintendo 64. They were playing two games simultaneously, both of them concentrating furiously on the screens. Rosalie sat behind Emmett, reading a fashion magazine, glancing up occasionally, and Alice perched on the loveseat nearest Jasper, sketching away.
Bella flopped down next to Rose, watching the boys fight it out and reading over her sister's shoulder. She wasn't particularly interested in the magazine, but she felt like she'd been neglecting Rose lately, and by reading over her shoulder, Bella let Rose point out things that Bella would look nice in and Bella'd let her get them for her. She might even wear them.
Her phone went in her pocket, signaling another message and not the call she'd been expecting. She tried to hide her disappointment, but caught Jasper's quick look over his shoulder.
parents demanding quality time. talk to u 2mrw?
She sent back a quick message.
is ok. Have fun. See you at lunch?
Alice made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed squeal and Bella rolled her eyes.
yes. Miss u
Bella ducked her head and smiled softly at Jasper's quiet laugh. She felt like a giddy teenager having her first crush, and then was mortified to realize that was exactly what she was, only what she felt was much more than a crush. But it didn't solve the larger issue that she'd never done any of this before and she felt unsure of herself.
u2
She tucked her phone away after that last message, not expecting another response. Bella spent the rest of the evening with her family, the boys eventually giving up on the video game war when Esme and Carlisle returned home. She sent Edward another text around midnight wishing him a good night. The family spent a rare night all together watching movies and catching up, and planning the next weeks' hunts. It was nice, and Bella'd forgotten how much she'd missed spending time with them, and realized just how much she'd been avoiding her family lately. She fought against the guilt that washed over her as she thought about how far she'd isolated herself in an effort to not be completely miserable in the presence of the couples in the house.
"Bella," Jasper whispered, sending a wave of calm serenity at her. "It's alright."
She just nodded, accepting the comfort, then gasping out loud as she was bombarded by feelings of love and affection that he must have gathered from the family and sent at her. She basked in it for a moment, until she was tackled by Emmett and drawn into a bear hug that she could feel bend her ribs.
"Missed you, baby girl," he whispered to her and let her go after a smacking kiss to her cheek, tugging Rose up out of the couch and leading her upstairs to their room.
Carlisle excused himself to his study, and Esme soon followed, disappearing to their bedroom, but not before giving Bella a more gentle hug. "It's good to have you back, dear. He'll be good for you, I think." She kissed Bella's forehead and gave her a knowing look before she went upstairs.
Bella soon followed, leaving Jasper and Alice alone downstairs as she spent the early morning hours on her chaise in quiet thought.