Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's helped. I owe you guys big time.
I was confined to my room, a prisoner, in what I'd once considered to be my sanctuary, for the next few weeks. I had an endless stream of people pouring in to see me, or rather to ensure I was eating. Edward especially, kept close by. I knew he was reading my thoughts, invading my head. And while, I also knew, somewhere inside, that he hated encroaching on my privacy; I couldn't help but resent it, and therefore, him as well.
The green had returned to my eyes, some color had resumed its place in my skin. I wasn't happy with the way I looked. I felt like my face was rounding out again, and I was completely horrified at the thought that my weight would soon cross the threshold of triple digits again. I tried to keep these thoughts in check, because deep down, I wanted to get better. And because I knew my every move was being scrutinized.
For the first time in my life, I longed to get out of my room. I wanted to be outside, where it was snowing lightly. I wanted the wind on my face, the ice in my hair. I just wanted to be. Gone. Anywhere. Today, the whole family was going hunting, and Carlisle had promised me that while they were gone today, if my health seemed adequate in the morning, that I could have free reign of the house and the yard. A whole day, alone with Seth, free of my IV's and machines. I was determined to make it work.
And I was still enjoying the thrill of knowing that someone like Seth could love me. It was like riding a roller coaster of emotions, and I wasn't sure I ever wanted to get off. As that thought rocked through my brain, Seth's voice interrupted it.
"Happy 17th birthday, Paige"
My head whipped towards the door, where I saw my whole family was gathered, huge sloppy smiles plastered to their faces.
"My birthday isn't until December 12th." I reminded them, rolling my eyes.
"Wow, Paige." Renessme said with a giggle. "You need to get out more."
"Or at least buy a calendar." Jake finished.
I thought about it for a minute, mentally counting the days I'd spent locked away. They were, of course, right. Somehow, it had become December. And I was seventeen. Now my promised freedom made sense. They weren't going to keep me cooped up on my birthday.
"Sweet." I declared, when I realized they were all waiting for me to say something. I turned my attention to Edward. "I'm the same age as you now!"
A peal of laughter rang through the room, and Edward said nothing, simply arched an eyebrow.
"Okay, I guess not really" I admitted. "Still, it was fun to think for a moment."
"Don't you want your stuff?" Emmett interrupted loudly.
"There's stuff too?" I asked, unable to hide my excitement. "I thought my present was being allowed to go outside today."
"That's a reward for listening to us. It was just lucky that it worked out today." Carlisle said kindly.
My eyes brightened as Alice trusted a huge box into my hands. It was almost bigger than I was, the sheer size floored me, and I wasn't sure what it could possibly contain.
"Open it!" she squealed. Jasper braced a hand on her shoulder. She pouted, and spoke again, though much more softly. "I wanted to throw a party…but they wouldn't let me."
I saw my mother's face fall. "I thought it was best… considering everything."
I laughed. "I didn't even remember what day it was, remember? I'm not terribly disappointed I can't have a party on top of … whatever this monster gift is."
"Will you open it already?" Jacob demanded
I sighed, and began to tear the paper off the box. I felt my jaw detach from my chin, as I stared at the label. Gibson. They'd bought me a guitar. And a damn good one at that.
"Wow. Thanks." I muttered taking the delicate instrument from its protective casing, running my hand over the steel of the strings, the wood of the body. It was a deep blue colour, and it contoured elegantly, flaring in the classic bell shape at its bottom. My fingers pressed into the metal, two in the second fret, one in the third. A simple D chord. Though I didn't have a pick, I strummed anyway, letting the sound reverberate within the wood.
"Cool." I whispered, and again found my attention focused on Edward. "You'll teach me?"
"Of course." He replied easily. "You've always held the same fascination with music that I have. If anyone could appreciate this, it would be you."
I glanced around my room where CD's lay stacked haphazardly about. Confined to my room for three weeks in a very bad mood, I really hadn't bothered to tidy up after myself, so my usually organized chaos was simply chaos. There was a lot of music around though, it was something I'd always been able to sink myself into, somewhat of an escape. I remembered the piano lessons I'd begged for when I was younger, and how next to Renessme, I'd struggled so much. But I was determined to play as well as she could, and some day as well as her father. I didn't feel so inadequate now that I knew he'd spent decades learning, as opposed to the years I'd once believed.
"Am I really allowed to go outside?" I asked suddenly.
Carlisle moved closer to me then, checking the monitors, making little clicking sounds with his mouth. "I think so," he finally announced "after you eat." He turned his attention to Seth. "Make sure she does. I hate that we need to leave, but we postponed this hunting trip to ensure her health…" He disconnected the needle then, placing a bandage on the puncture.
"Nah, I get it." Seth responded quickly.
"We won't be going far." Jasper added.
And my mother tossed a small smile in my direction, and led the procession out of my room.
The Cullens were hunting closer to their home than usual on the off chance that Paige and Seth needed help. Their pace had been a medium amble, until a snowball collided with force into Emmett's back.
"Who threw that?!" He roared, turning around with a grin.
To the snickering vampire's horror- he, too, had an arsenal of snowballs clutched in his arms. With unmatched strength, he hurled them at Edward, Jasper, and Rosalie. Alice had foreseen this, taking Bella with her as she dove out of the way. Carlisle and Arielle were up ahead, laughing as inner children of their vampire kin came out to play.
"Race you to the spot, Emmett..." Jasper smiled.
By the time Emmett said "You're on!" Edward was already seconds ahead of them, both.
Rosalie joined in, catching up with Emmett as she laughed.
"So, who's going to win?" Bella asked Alice, quickening their pace to catch up with Carlisle and Arielle.
"Three guesses."
"Edward." Carlisle, Arielle, and Bella chimed together.
Alice merely chuckled.
As it turned out, Edward did win, though Emmett was vehemently protesting his ample head start.
"There's one way to settle this," Carlisle declared.
"Wrestling?" Emmett asked, putting Edward into a headlock.
Carlisle's wizened face contorted with suppressed laughter- the look on Edward's face was priceless. After all, it was a rarity to surprise a mind reader. "No, let's just see who's the quicker hunter."
Emmett dropped Edward to the ground, pumping his fists in the air. "I will OWN you, Edward!"
With that, they went their separate ways, in couples, in search of predators to prey upon.
Silence ensued in the house, I watched from the window as they raced each other into the forest.
"So, I didn't know what to get you." Seth whispered "But then, I figured, since you didn't even know it was your birthday, that it really doesn't matter."
I chuckled, and raced into his outstretched arms. "You're here, and that's enough." I stood on my balls of my feet, touching my lips to his. "Let's go play in the snow."
"You heard Carlisle. Food first, games later." I pouted, he flashed a brilliant grin. "Besides, I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." I complained, but dutifully followed him down the stairs, and ate the eggs he prepared.
"Going outside was enough of a bribe to get you to eat? I wish I'd know that sooner." He mused.
I stuck out my tongue, and grabbed my coat off the hook on the wall. I danced in the snow, letting it catch in my hair. I sped through the snow, kicking up mists of white, before stopping and falling on my back. I laid there, spread eagle, staring up at the sky until a face moved into my view, black eyes laughing down at me.
"What are you doing, Paige?"
"Making an angel" I informed him, returning his smile. "You see, you fall down, then you move your arms and legs like this" I demonstrated for him, and my smile faded. "The trick is to get up without making a mess of it. Takes good balance." I stood, putting my weight on my heels, teetering slightly. I jumped clear, then turned back to admire my own handiwork. "You see," I stated with a certain amount of arrogance in my voice. "An angel"
"Beautiful," he agreed "You're very talented." He touched my lips with his, stilling the laughter. "We don't do this nearly often enough" he muttered against my mouth, deepening the kiss until my senses whirled. "You've snow all over your face."
And before I could say another word, he'd swept me off my feet, carried me back into the house, up the three flights of stairs back into my bedroom. It no longer seemed like a prison, as it had just hours earlier. Once again, it was my haven, my safe place, as long as Seth was with me.
He'd set me down, though I wasn't sure when, as I couldn't seem to feel my feet. My arms felt heavy, and I let them fall to my sides. I felt free. It was a lovely sensation as his lips trailed gently over my knuckles. "Shouldn't you be groping me or something?"
A laugh, even the weak one he provided soothed some of my nerves. "I'll get to it." He slipped my shirt over my head; let it drift to the floor. I was all subtle curves, strong angles, my skin glowed gold in the soft light. "You're beautiful." He muttered.
I closed my eyes, my cheeks flames. "Whenever you talk, I feel as though I can't get my breath."
"Beautiful" he repeated, and cupped a hand to the back of my neck, drawing me closer. His fingers combed up, my hair tumbled down. We fell backwards onto the bed, and I sighed. I wasn't conscious of when my pants had come off, and didn't really care.
"Let me have you, Paige. Hold on to me, and let me have you."
I gave up my innocence without regret, with a smile curving my lips as I matched him stroke for stroke. In his eyes I saw need, focused only and fully on me. When I looked deeper, I saw myself, reflected back in them, lost in them.
And this, I thought, as he buried his face in my hair, as we rode the steady peak, was true beauty.
