Author's Notes:
CONVERSATION KEY
*When characters are speaking out loud, quotes will be used.
*When characters are signing with their hands, italics will be used. (Italics will be used in other places as well, i.e. to emphasize certain words/phrases. Please keep that in mind.)
*When characters are communicating via iPad or e-mail, bold will be used.
*Bella's conversations with others, signing and writing, will ALWAYS be encased in *stars*.
*Edward's conversations with Bella, signing and writing, will remain unmarked.
*Any other characters that sign in a chapter will have their conversations encased in {brackets}.
Many thanks to azure0610 for acting as my beta. Also, thanks to aerobee82 and JenEsme for pre-reading for me.
The awesome Nayarit and FluffyLiz created my beautiful banners for me.
All the usual disclaimers apply. This story is rated M for a reason.
Chapter 20: The Ties that Bind
As it turns out, Alice only spent one night at my apartment. She and Bella got along so well that we ended up spending every night thereafter at Bella's apartment. The day after Alice arrived the three of us went to the beach. It was a beautiful day in Tampa. Although the Gulf was still on the cool side, we enjoyed our time by the water nonetheless. Alice and Bella spent most of the day sunbathing, and I spent most of the day ogling Bella. I couldn't help it. Her tiny blue bikini fit her perfectly, accentuating all the right spots and leaving nothing to the imagination. She was the very definition of sexy, and if Alice hadn't been there, I would have been proposing that Bella and I do much more than just lay together under the warm sun.
Returning home from a long day, Bella suggested we order pizza, and after showering and changing into comfortable clothes, we all sat down together in the middle of her living room floor. I had to laugh at Alice, who was attempting to sign while she ate. It wasn't quite working out for her, and Bella was in stitches across from her, her eyes tracking Alice's breadstick as she waved it about in the air.
"Put the bread down before you douse one of us in sauce," I laughed, and Alice turned frustrated eyes on me. She brought the breadstick perpendicular to her sealed lips, and the message was clear; she wanted me to shut the hell up and 'speak' in sign.
This was something she'd come up with this morning on the way to the beach. She wanted the three of us to communicate solely in sign, no exceptions. I'd raised a brow at her suggestion, but I was certainly game. Bella was amused and clearly touched by Alice's grand efforts to learn sign. She was also more than patient with the both of us as we fumbled our way through conversations sans iPads and with sealed lips.
*I want you to know, I'm so grateful you're learning sign,* Bella signed to Alice once we'd eaten the last slice of pizza. Thankfully, Alice had ceased waving her food around in the air, and we had all managed to avoid getting pelted by drops of pasta sauce.
Alice shrugged her shoulders at Bella's comment, indicating it wasn't really a big deal to her.
{I knew from the moment Edward told me about you that I was going to learn. I could see he was set on winning your heart, and Edward generally gets what he wants,} Alice signed with a smirk.
Bella raised both her brows in an 'oh really' type of expression before gesturing to Alice to continue. Alice turned in my direction, winking at me, and I chuckled softly. I knew exactly what story she was going to tell and there was no use trying to stop her. She would tell it regardless of whether or not I wanted her to, and at the end of the day, I had a good sense of humor. I could laugh at myself when necessary, and it would most definitely be necessary tonight.
{So, when Edward was a sophomore in high school, he had a huge crush on a girl named Kate,} Alice began with an eager smile. {She was popular and beautiful, but she was a senior and also happened to be dating the captain of the football team.}
Alice paused for a moment and Bella looked in my direction. She smirked at me, rubbing her hands together in anticipation, clearly looking forward to *hearing* more.
{I was in the same grade as Kate's younger sister, Irina,} Alice continued. {She was kind of a misfit, and the two of us didn't have anything in common, but Edward decided I needed to befriend her.}
*He used you to try and get to Kate?* Bella signed, amused.
{Something like that,} Alice replied. {Although it was more along the lines of acting as a spy.}
*A spy?*
Bella glanced back in my direction, and I rolled my eyes. My sister certainly had a flair for the dramatic. Of course, everything she was saying was true.
{Yes, a spy,} Alice reiterated. {Kate and Irina were very wealthy, and they lived in a mansion on a hill. Edward wanted to know which bedroom was Kate's, so he enlisted my help.}
At that, Alice snickered, and Bella fixed me with a bemused gaze. Not having any reasonable defense, I threw my hands in the air in a 'what can you do' type of gesture. I was a teenage boy then after all, and I had my eyes set on Kate. Bella giggled, rolling her eyes a little before reaching over and squeezing my arm. It seemed my antics didn't bother her, which was a relief.
*Did you find out?* Bella asked, turning her attention back to Alice, and Alice nodded.
{I did.} Alice paused then, growing suddenly quiet, her face set in a solemn expression. {But at great personal cost to myself.}
I noticed that Bella appeared genuinely concerned by Alice's sudden change in demeanor, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Again. Alice was really laying it on thick tonight.
*What happened?* Bella wondered, her face now drawn tight with worry. She was hanging on Alice's every word, and I wondered, not for the first time, why my sister had never considered a career in theater.
{After spending several weeks hanging out with Irina at school, I was finally invited to spend the night at her house. Imagine my surprise when I walked in her room and discovered she collected snakes!} Alice shuddered at the memory, and Bella looked on at her in disbelief.
*Snakes?*
{Yes, snakes! And one of them happened to get loose that night! It slithered into bed with me, and I woke up when it began coiling itself around my leg!}
By now, both Bella and Alice looked completely horrified, but while I understood that Alice had been slightly traumatized by what happened, she was being a little dramatic. Yes, she'd suffered some, but the truth of the matter was she got me back good.
I think now is a good time for me to finish telling this story, I signed, interrupting Alice before she had a chance to begin signing again. She moved to protest, but I held up my hand stopping her. Alice sighed in resignation before starting to giggle, no doubt remembering what happened next.
So, Alice came home from Kate's the next morning, and she never mentioned what happened. Instead, she told me she'd had a good time, also telling me which window to stand outside of the following evening. I had my plan all laid out. I would wait until after dark before sneaking onto Kate's property and standing below her bedroom window, throwing a stone to catch her attention before serenading her with my guitar.
*Wow, you really lay it on thick, don't you?* Bella signed with a grin. *What did Kate think of your Casanova routine?*
Casanova? I signed, clutching my heart and feigning hurt. I reached out to pinch Bella on the thigh and she swatted my hand away.
*I call them like I see them,* she signed with a shrug, and I pinched her thigh again. Harder. She gasped and smacked my arm, but before she could take things any further I threw my hands in the air in surrender.
Anyway, I don't know what Kate thought of my routine.
Bella furrowed her brows in question then, silently asking me why.
I never did get to play for her, I signed in response.
*Because she never came to the window?* Bella wondered, and I shook my head.
No. Because Alice sent me to the wrong room.
Silence fell across the living room. Bella peered in Alice's direction before staring back at me.
*Whose room did she send you to?* she finally asked.
Kate's parents', I deadpanned, and Bella gasped. Turning in Alice's direction, she gaped at her in shock, but Alice only giggled. As far as she was concerned, justice had been served.
*What happened next?* Bella eagerly asked, barely able to contain her curiosity.
I chuckled softly at the memory.
I threw a few stones, but nobody came to the window, so I picked up a larger rock.
"It was a boulder, Edward!" Alice suddenly cried, splitting the quiet of the room and temporarily forgetting her own rule of silence. Flustered, she waved her hand in front of Bella, catching her attention. She then went on to explain in great detail the exact dimensions of the rock I'd thrown. Although I didn't remember it being quite so large, it had crashed through Kate's parents' window. Bella could hardly believe it, but that was only the start.
The rock hit Kate's father in the head, I explained, and by now Bella's face was permanently painted with disbelief. He stumbled out of bed and inadvertently tripped and fell, cutting open his forehead on the end table in the process.
*This is unbelievable,* Bella signed while shaking her head. She was trying hard not to laugh, but she wasn't meeting with much success.
I know, I know. But believe me; everything I'm telling you is true. Thankfully, my father was working in the ER that night. He was the one to treat Mr. Denali. It turns out the two of them knew one another from when they were kids. They belonged to the same Cub Scout troop, believe it or not.
*What are the chances of that?*
I don't know, but I'm thankful. It meant Mr. Denali didn't go so hard on me.
*And what about Kate?*
I started dating her several weeks later, I signed with a wink.
Bella laughed quietly, gently shaking her head.
*Do you always get what you want?* she asked.
Scooting a little to the left, I pulled her between my legs, wrapping my arms around her waist.
Yes, I normally do, I signed in front of her once we were comfortably situated. I bent to kiss her neck, and she shivered a little as my lips made contact with her skin. Drawing my arms more tightly around her, she moved her head to the side to allow me easier passage. I continued to kiss along the smooth curve of her neck, oblivious to everything around me until Alice's hands started flapping around in front of us.
{Hello! Remember me?} she signed in jest, interrupting my moment with Bella. Bella laughed softly.
*Sorry,* she replied, although I didn't think that she was. Alice winked at her, letting us know she was only kidding.
*Any more interesting stories to tell?* Bella asked as she settled back in my arms. Her back was pressed against my chest, and it occurred to me that my comprehension skills were improving because it wasn't difficult for me to understand her, even though I was watching her sign from behind.
{Well, there was the time Edward convinced me that my mother would like it if I trimmed her shrubs into topiaries,} Alice offered, and I heard Bella gasp. Turning in my direction, she chastised me with her stare but all I could do was laugh. It was funny as hell back then and it was funny as hell now. I mean really, they were just bushes after all. They eventually grew back, even if it did take six months.
{Then there was the time that Edward raided my bathroom cabinet and used up all of my good make-up for art class.}
Bella furrowed her brows in confusion and Alice went on to explain. I had been instructed to use an alternative medium for my project, something other than paints, pencils or pastels, and Alice's make-up just happened to fit the bill. How was I supposed to know the blush alone cost fifty dollars? I saw that shit in Wal-Mart for much less than that. Bella laughed along with Alice, who had long since forgiven me. I chuckled softly too, but I was beginning to wonder how I had become the center of attention tonight. Not that I minded, but still...
Hey, I may have done some crazy things, but I still think I was a pretty good brother, I interjected, feigning hurt at Alice's selective memory. In a moment's time, my sister's mood shifted, her eyes softening as a wistful expression settled on her face.
{You were,} she agreed with a nod of her head, her eyes temporarily losing focus as she reminisced about some long ago memory held dear. {You were the best brother. You may have gotten me into all sorts of trouble,} she qualified, {but you were the best brother.}
I smiled at Alice, happy to hear she shared the same sentiment as me.
{Did you know that Edward once drove straight through from Florida to Chicago just to take me to a dance?} Alice asked. Bella blinked a few times in succession, and I could see her doing the math in her head. It was a long fucking drive. She turned and cast a disbelieving glance in my direction just as Alice caught her attention.
{I promise you he did. He was a freshman in college at the time. It was my senior prom, and Jasper came down with the chicken pox two days before. I remember calling Edward, completely devastated. I'd worked so hard to design my dress, and I really wanted to go, but I didn't want to go alone. As soon as Edward hung up the phone, he jumped in his car and drove straight to Chicago. He didn't even tell me he was coming. He just showed up on the doorstep two hours before prom started, with a tired, dopey grin on his face.}
Alice finished telling her story while brushing tears from her face, and as I peered around Bella's shoulders, I could see that she was getting misty-eyed too. I realized this conversation had devolved into a sentimental story time, so I waved Alice off, telling her it was nothing.
{It wasn't nothing, Edward,} Alice insisted. {It's just you. It's who you are. You're willing to do anything for the ones you love.}
Alice caught Bella's eyes then, with some sort of silent exchange taking place that ended up with both the girls in giggles. The rest of the evening played out in a similar fashion. Alice shared long forgotten memories from our past while Bella *listened* with rapt attention. Sometime after 1 a.m., I crawled onto the couch. When I pulled an old blanket over my head moments later, Bella and Alice were still sitting on the living room floor, signing away. A few moments passed, and Bella pulled back the cover, offering me a sheepish smile.
*Sorry,* she signed. *Are you ready for bed?*
I smiled up at her, reaching out to smooth her hair from her face.
It's okay. You two stay up and talk.
*Are you sure?*
Positive, I signed. And I was. Nothing made me happier than to see my sister and my girlfriend getting to know each other.
*Okay. Goodnight.*
Bella bent over me, pressing her lips to mine before pulling the cover up to my chin and tucking me in. I smiled up at her before rolling on to my side. My eyes were heavy and soon I was fast asleep.
The week flew by with alarming speed. Our days were spent relaxing on the beach, with a mid-week trip to Busch Gardens, and our nights were spent hanging out in Bella's apartment. We went into Ybor City several times, one of which included me escorting two very tipsy girls home in the backseat of my car. It had been hard not to laugh at Bella teaching Alice how to swear in sign, but when Total Eclipse of the Heart came on the radio and Alice started signing along, I couldn't hold back any longer. Bella was familiar with the song, and she joined in, giggling at Alice's egregious errors while patiently correcting her.
By the time Friday rolled around, Bella had to spend the day at school. She wanted to prepare lesson plans for her class on Monday, even though Alice tried to twist her arm and convince her otherwise. She was leaving the following day, so today was our last day to spend time together. I suspected this was part of Bella's decision to go to school; she wanted to give Alice and me some time together alone. While this wasn't necessary, I appreciated the gesture. Besides, we had plans to cook out with Emmett later on, and Bella promised to see us then.
Alice and I headed into Clearwater Beach before lunch, although we didn't have plans to go to the beach. Instead, we grabbed a couple of sandwiches at a small cafe overlooking the water. Afterwards, Alice asked if we could browse the shops for a new, sea-themed charm for her Pandora bracelet.
"It's been so good having you here," I said to her as we strolled side by side past souvenir shops selling everything from sand dollars to flip-flops to tacky tees emblazoned with Clearwater Beach. Alice swung sideways, nudging me lightly in the arm.
"I've enjoyed it. I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad all about Bella."
"I'm excited for them to meet her at Graduation," I commented before admitting I was a little nervous.
"Why?"
Alice turned her head in my direction, her eyes rimmed with curiosity.
"Well, I'm still not sure Mom's entirely convinced that Bella is the best thing for me," I explained, choosing my words carefully. "We haven't talked much about her since I left, so I really don't know."
"Does it matter?" Alice wondered.
She tugged on my elbow, leading me into a small jewelry boutique. It looked to be upscale, and Alice made a beeline for the Pandora display.
"No," I answered her without even giving it a second thought. "It doesn't. I'm with Bella now, and nothing's going to change that. But it would be nice if everyone was as supportive as you."
"What makes you think they're not?"
"What are you, the devil's advocate?" I teased, and Alice just shrugged her shoulders.
"It's not that," she laughed. "I just think you worry too much. Yes, mom was concerned about your ability to juggle a relationship and school, but you've proved yourself entirely capable," she explained. "You always did do well with a full plate, Mr. Overachiever."
I snorted out a laugh at that comment.
"But seriously?" Alice reached out and lightly gripped my arm as her sympathetic eyes met mine. "I do understand what you're saying, Edward, and I promise you they're going to love her. Don't fret about it, okay? Now help me pick out a charm."
Alice winked at me and gave my arm a gentle squeeze before turning her full attention to the shockingly large display of charms. I tried, but failed, to help her select one. Every suggestion I made, she huffed at me and waved me off. After spending ten endlessly long minutes loitering by her side, I decided to wander around and see what else the store had to offer.
I had actually been thinking of buying Bella a necklace to mark our sixth month anniversary of meeting each other, which would fall on the 30th of the following month, and this store seemed as good a place as any to do that. I wasn't sure that buying jewelry was the appropriate way to commemorate the occasion, but I wanted to do something, and flowers just didn't seem Bella's style. Neither did jewelry necessarily; it hadn't escaped my notice that she didn't wear much of it. But that was part of the appeal to me. I wanted to buy Bella something she wouldn't normally buy for herself. I also wanted her to wear something that I'd given her. In short, I wanted the world to know she was mine.
Finding Bella a necklace proved more difficult than I thought. There were so many styles to choose from, and I obsessed over finding one that was perfect for her. I probably looked at twenty or more possibilities before one finally caught my eye. It was a platinum and diamond encrusted pendant, and when the sales lady removed it from the display case and rested it in the palm of my hand, I knew without a doubt that it was the one.
"It's perfect," Alice murmured, approaching me from behind.
"You think so?"
My voice sounded uncharacteristically small and uncertain, and I cleared my throat, hoping she hadn't noticed.
"Is that how you feel?" she quietly prompted, and I could do nothing other than nod my head and smile. "Then it's perfect, Edward. She'll love it."
Alice smiled at me, and I knew I would buy the pendant for Bella. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to wait a month to give it to her. I was anxious to give it to her now, but the moment had to be just right. I would wait until Alice went home and plan our date.
Alice and I made our purchases, and after making a mess of ourselves eating soft serve ice-cream under the blazing hot sun, we headed home. Emmett was already there, with a grill brush in hand, scrubbing the charred residue off the grill from our cookout several weeks before. I could see him through the sliding glass doors, standing on the patio, and much to my surprise, Rose stood by his side.
"Oh! I didn't realize Rose would be here tonight!" Alice exclaimed.
"Neither did I," I mumbled in irritation.
What the fuck was Emmett thinking? Ever since the last BBQ things had been tense between Rose and me. I had no idea why she was here tonight.
"Edward? Is everything okay?"
Alice looked up at me in question, and I bit my tongue. I realized she had no idea about the fiasco the last BBQ had been, and I didn't want to fill her in just now. She knew nothing of my issues with Rose, and it was best to keep it that way. For tonight, anyway.
"Everything's fine. It's just more complicated for Bella when there's a lot of non-signing people around," I replied, offering her what was a best, a half-truth.
Before Alice even replied, I regretted my words. I shouldn't have used Bella as an excuse.
"You underestimate her, Edward," Alice gently scolded, looking me squarely in the eye. "I mean, she's been around hearing people her entire life, right? I think she'll survive one small cookout," she teased before walking around me to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Lighten up, okay?"
With that, Alice exited the kitchen, heading out onto the patio and leaving me alone to consider what she'd said. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the sliding glass door click open, and I looked up to see none other than Rose making her way in my direction. She strolled through the living room, stopping short at the entrance to the kitchen.
"Hey," she greeted me, her tone of voice surprisingly friendly.
"Hey," I answered back, wary. She reminded me too much of Jessica, even though I knew it wasn't a fair comparison. I just didn't trust her; not after the comments she'd made the last time we were together.
Rose eyed me cautiously before advancing in my direction.
"Can we talk?"
"What do we have to talk about?" I wondered out loud, causing Rose to sigh.
"I suppose I deserved that."
"Listen, Rose. Now's not the time to…"
She held up her hand, stopping me.
"Edward, please. Just hear me out, okay? I don't want to argue with you. Emmett invited me over tonight because he thought I might like to see Alice before she left. That's all. I hope that's all right."
I was quiet for a moment before speaking.
"Well, I guess that depends."
"On what?"
"On whether or not you can treat Bella with respect," I stated bluntly. I wasn't rude about it, but I definitely wanted to make my point.
"I thought we already covered this," Rose said with an exaggerated sigh, as if I didn't have any right to be concerned."The morning after the last cookout, remember?"
"I remember," I replied with a nod of my head. "But the four of us haven't been together since, so I thought it would be best if I reminded you."
"Well then, consider me reminded," Rose stated, and I couldn't be sure, but it almost sounded as if she was teasing me, inwardly rolling her eyes.
"I'm not kidding, Rose," I said, feeling my heart rate spike in my chest. The last thing I wanted was for Bella to feel uncomfortable tonight. I'd put her through that once before and I didn't intend on doing it again.
Rose's expression sobered and she leveled her eyes at me, acknowledging my warning with a silent nod.
"I understand, Edward."
"Okay," I said, feeling as if I'd gotten my point across.
We stood there uncomfortably for a few moments more before Rose turned and walked back outside.
When Bella walked through the door nearly an hour later, she was full of profuse apologies for being late. She had bumped into Jake, who had a question about a class she had taken in a previous semester, and one thing had led to another causing her to be late. I tried hard to smile and pretend that I didn't care, but the truth was I found myself mildly annoyed that she had been delayed due to Jake.
Kissing her definitely helped ease my jealousy.
*You taste like cilantro,* she commented, signing with her right hand while keeping her left arm wrapped securely around my waist.
"I made fresh salsa," I said, smiling when Bella licked her lips in excitement. Unable to resist, I leaned in and kissed her again. While we were otherwise occupied, I snuck my hand into the chip bowl on the counter nearby, grabbing a chip and dipping it into the salsa. When Bella pulled away, I popped the chip into her mouth, taking her by surprise. She laughed as she attempted to chew without making a mess, and that's when Rose chose to make an appearance. I glared at her, annoyed by the interruption, but my irritation quickly turned to surprise when Rose not only smiled and waved at Bella, but also attempted to sign.
{How are you?} she asked, her hands moving tentatively in the air. As if on cue, Emmett appeared behind her, murmuring assurances in her ear.
"That's it, baby," he encouraged. "Just like that."
To say I was shocked by the effort Rose was making was quite literally the understatement of the century. I hadn't been expecting this, and I was left speechless, gawking at Rose as if she'd grown a third eye. Bella, ever the composed one in our relationship, stepped in on our behalf. It never ceased to amaze me how she was never lost for words.
*I'm fine, Rose, how are you?* she replied with a warm smile. Rose studied Bella's hands intently, but she appeared flustered, so Emmett came to her rescue.
"She said she was fine and asked how you are," Emmett explained with a proud grin.
He was obviously pleased with himself, and I had to say, I was impressed. Where was all this coming from? I didn't linger too long on that thought. In the end, all that mattered was both he and Rose were finally making an effort to include Bella.
I looked at Rose, watching her as she very carefully signed the word fine, finally answering Bella's question. She smiled nervously, but Bella jumped in, reassuring her she was doing fine. Just then, Alice appeared in the kitchen.
{Hey, why don't we take Rose into the living room and help her practice the alphabet?} she suggested, signing and speaking at the same time.
Bella looked to Rose, who smiled back at her in return.
*I'd be happy to,* Bella replied. *What do you think, Rose?* I translated for Bella, and Rose nodded her head, indicating she'd like that. With that, the three girls left Emmett and me to finish preparations for dinner while they practiced sign language together in the living room.
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and good times. The cookout went much smoother than our last, with everybody contributing to the conversation. However, despite the fact that Alice relaxed her rule of 'no talking', she stuck mostly to signing. This meant that she, Bella and I outnumbered Emmett and Rose. The three of us tried to include them in all our conversations, but as the evening progressed, I couldn't help but notice there were times when they were left out. And I wasn't sure whether or not I saw understanding etched on Rose's face partway through the night, but at the very minimum, I knew she had a better idea what Bella had to go through on a regular basis. This seemed to cause her to soften towards Bella even more.
By the end of the evening, when Alice suggested a game of Guesstures, I was cautiously optimistic that the antagonism between Rose and Bella had finally come to an end. Rose chose Bella to be her partner, and Bella happily obliged. Of course, Rose was very competitive, and Bella was obviously the perfect pick for that particular game, but I tried to give Rose the benefit of the doubt and assume she had chosen Bella for other reasons.
It was a bittersweet farewell when Bella finally announced it was time to call it a night. Alice had an early morning flight, and I had to be at the hospital directly after dropping her off, so for the first time in nearly a week, I kissed Bella goodnight at my door. I gave her and Alice some time to themselves to say goodbye then, and when I peeked out the kitchen window, I saw that they were tightly embracing. Alice smiled warmly at Bella when she let go, leaving her with promises to e-mail as soon as she got home. My heart warmed over knowing my sister and Bella were now such good friends.
The following morning, I dropped Alice at Tampa International at half past seven.
"Thanks again for everything," she said as she drew me into a hug.
"It's me who should be thanking you," I replied, squeezing her back tightly.
"Nonsense," she argued. "You've given me a new friend, and for that I'll forever be grateful." Alice winked at me and I smiled down at her.
"So, when are you going to give Bella her necklace?" she asked, craftily changing the subject.
"I don't know. I was thinking maybe tonight, but I want to plan something special, so maybe not. I don't want to wait too long though."
"I wouldn't," Alice agreed. "And just remember," she said, pulling me to her for one final hug, "It's the sentiment that counts. Don't get hung up on the details, okay? She's going to love it, I promise."
"Thanks, Short Stuff."
I ruffled her hair and she frowned.
"Stop that. I'm not a little kid anymore," she protested in a half-hearted whine, but her smile was big and grand on her face, telling me she really liked it.
"Safe flight," I murmured, kissing her temple before she headed through security to her gate, and with a small wave over the back of her shoulder, Alice disappeared into the crowd.
Endnotes:
*Well, who would have ever guessed I could write an entire chapter of fluff? Hard to believe. ;)
*I teleported us back to modern day this chapter. Edward left Alice at Security this time around, lol.
Rec:
I am crazy wild about Jaxington's Under These Lights. I was a fool for her other story Hallett Hall, and this newest story of hers is just as good. It's angsty. Really angsty. But her Edward is all sorts of amazing. She has seriously written my top two favorite Edwards in this Fandom. Anyway, check it out. If you like angst, you won't be disappointed. Even if you don't like angst, it's still worth checking out. There's a certain honesty to her writing that really tugs at your heart. And her characters grow in such amazing ways from the start to the finish of her stories.
Thank you for reading.
Follow me on Twitter - misgatoslocos! I'll follow you back!