Even though that danger had long since passed, I still looked for any dark-void creatures materializing in the corners as I quietly stepped through Charlie's home. I'd had my work cut out for me. My poor father had left sad, dark, and deep stains of grief throughout the home. I knelt down at each one and brushed it away, ignoring the flashes of anguish each one stirred in me. Just outside, Jasper was using his gift to keep the sadness at bay; not to mention to keep me calm as I listened to Charlie's quiet, shallow breaths. I frowned, hearing that he was not sleeping well.

Though he'd said my gift was not as dramatic as some, Jasper thought it was very profound and unique. I'd kept my ability to see auras—even ones left behind when memories were made—and could even manipulate them. I thought it fitting. I'd always been fond of colors, and I was very nostalgic; always lost in memories and daydreams…I was not sure how sensitive Charlie would be to these, but I would never rest knowing I could clear them away. Just in case.

Finally, I made my way into the last room, taking caution not to wake him just yet. I swept away the

deep blue aura by the phone—the memory created when he'd gotten the news of my body's discovery—and a few others that dangerous or gloomy tones. There was a soft, white one near the bed. I smiled.

"Daddy…" I don't remember what I'd been dreaming, but it still didn't quite feel over yet, "daddy…I had a nightmare…"

"Oh no," Charlie's fatherly voice was sympathetic—indulgent, even, despite the fatigue, "what happened, honey?"

"I don't remember, but…I feel scared still…" He picked me up and sat me down beside him.

"Well, you don't have to feel scared anymore, Bells. It was just a dream, and it's all over now." He smiled at me. My dad always had the most wonderful smile.

I wanted to see the rest, the part where he sang to me and told me stories all night until I fell back to sleep, but something a little more important caught my attention.

"Bella…?" Charlie's voice was filled with disbelief, but his aura brightened slightly; cautious to get too hopeful.

"Yeah, dad. It's me." I smiled at him and his face only expressed more disbelief. I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Bella…you're…"

"I'm fine dad." I rested my hand on his arm through the blanket so he wouldn't feel the chill of my skin, "I promise…I'm fine, and nothing's ever going to happen to me again."

"But they found you…you were…"

I shook my head and I watched his deep brown eyes—so much like mine had been—study every tiny detail; the way my hair swayed with the gesture, every blink, and the unnecessary breaths that were all just too real for an apparition; even one you'd been hoping for weeks to see.

"I'm better than I've ever been, Dad."

Finally, his strong, earthy-green aura turned into a healthy color that reminded me of the forest he'd chosen to live in. But then again, it was not the color of the dreary trees of Forks; more like the sort of woods that fairy tales took place in—magical forests.

"But you have to go."

"I'm not dead, Dad." I chuckled a little, "I'll come back. Soon. As soon as I can." The aura brightened still and finally, his smile matched mine. I felt Jasper's presence stir as he used his gift on Charlie, magnifying his happiness and content until he became sleepy again. My father laid back down, relaxing the way he deserved to. Once he was calm and near enough to sleep for the chill of my kiss not to disturb him, I left him with a kiss to the forehead; just like the one he'd given me at the end of the bright memory I'd been reading. As I got up, I noticed another bright aura had formed right beside it.

"I love you, Dad."

Jasper's POV

Outside of the car, the landscape got increasingly drier and warmer in every sense of the word. We were getting closer to Nevada, on our way to Arizona. I wasn't too enthusiastic to moving to a region of the country I'd once terrorized, and as Peter eloquently put it, keeping hidden there would be 'a bitch'; but Bella's heart was there and maybe her love for the desert could help me see it with new eyes. Anything that made her happy could not upset me.

'Plus!' Peter had also said, 'you can wear that cowboy hat around and no one would look at you funny! Come on, I know you still have it!'

"It's not that bad." Even now, Peter was on my side, even if he was treating the matter like I'd slapped her on the ass or something. Of course, I hadn't quite told them everything, "that's just how vampire mating goes. Just kind of uh, harsh if you try it on a human I guess."

"Yeah right," Charlotte snorted, "human or not if you'd tried that with me, I'd have ripped your dick off and left it somewhere for you to find.

"There's an idea." Bella mumbled from the passenger's seat, but I smirked knowing she didn't mean it.

Peter winced, "aw, babe, come on! I thought you loved little Pete-"

I gave him an amused but authoritative look from the rearview mirror, "we don't want to hear it, Commander."

He gave me a lopsided grin from the backseat. It was very Emmett-like.

"You be angry with him as long as you need to Bella. We can gang up on him if you want." Charlotte offered.

"Oh shit." Peter grinned, "maybe they'll run off together, and we'll get a little girl on girl action."

Charlotte smirked, "now how would you 'get action' if we ran off together?"

I shook my head at the pair, but I was glad we were with them now. Peter and Charlotte had already given us a lot of good advice about being mates—should Bella accept me that way—, and for returning to the standard vampire diet in these modern times, though Bella wasn't sure about that yet, either. Yeah, they would definitely be invaluable, when Peter wasn't being an idiot, anyway; but I couldn't deny I was glad to see my old friend so happy and carefree after all he'd been through. Maybe someday he could say the same for me.

I was already well on my way to that. Bella closed her eyes, leaned on me, and sighed contentedly against my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around her, and she didn't protest.

It was the dead of night, and we were almost there. Peter and Charlotte had settled down in the backseat, not sleeping, obviously but they had calmed into a similar, restful state; eyes closed and oblivious to anything but each other.

Bella opened her eyes and sat up, looking through the window at the desert outside. I felt a huge swell of emotion from her; something happy but overwhelmingly heartrending at the same time.

"What is it?"

"Nothing…It's just…" I understood. Her new senses and emotional capacity had overwhelmed her upon seeing her home. I reached over and easily pulled her onto my lap.

"You alright, darlin'?"

She nodded, and smiled just a little. It was a good thing I was used to my senses, because the sight may have been too much for me too. I felt her lean on my chest and watched her admire the stars and the landscape outside, feeling much more secure against me. I kissed the top of her head as I kept my eyes on the road ahead. She still had that warmth to her scent, the one imbued with desert flowers and sun.

Yeah, I could get used to the desert again.

Well, there's the end of my first fanfic. I'm not so good at endings, either. Heh. Still, I think it was worth it as the bulk of the storywas very fun and interesting to write. Not sure when I'll have the sequel up, but expect more darkness from me! Thank you to all my reviewers, whose encouragement actually got me to finish the story this time!

In light of recent reviews and PMs, I have decided to post the less than happy version of this story. Since it will be much shorter, I will post it fairly soon (before the sequel, probably) while I'm still feeling this story. Thanks again!