Previously: "I heard Edward's voice, telling me 'no'. Then I jumped; the fall was exhilarating, the water was the danger. I was tossed around beneath the surface." Charlie's leaning forward caught my eye and the look on his face. Priceless! "Edward's voice commanded me to keep swimming, keep fighting. I sensed I was going to die and I was happy to have Edward's voice with me at the end; my last thought was, 'goodbye, I love you'." My heart went to my throat and a gasp made its way out of my mouth. Charlie looked like someone kicked his puppy.

Chapter Twenty: New Moon Part Three

Before Bella could continue or say anything else, Alice came in from the back door.

Alice smiled brightly over at us and then looked over at Edward and Bella.

Edward nodded slightly to Alice and she quickly disappeared up the stairs and was back in mere seconds, holding a beautiful sleeping Nessie.

She looked like a porcelain sleeping angel.

Wait.

Where was she taking her?

"Alice is taking Ness home for a while. Someone will bring her back later." Edward answered my unspoken question.

Man that was going to get some getting used to.

I looked over at the clock and was amazed it was only 6:30.

It's only been an hour since we have eaten!

Gosh.

It was going to be a super long night.

"Oh and Jacob wants to know if he can come back inside yet." Alice said, laughing; her tinkering bell voice ringing through the house.

Edward and my daughter joined in the laughter.

Bella nodded her head.

"Yes, you may send him in. But he has to behave. He was acting too much like Emmett."

Alice laughed again, cradling Ness to her.

"We certainly don't need another Emmett."

Alice smiled and waved bye with her free hand and walked back out the back door.

As quick as she walked out Jacob came back inside.

Jacob sat down on the floor, next to the arm rest of the couch.

He smiled but didn't say a word.

Bella shifted her weight closer to Edward and began talking again.

"As I was thinking; what I thought was going to be my last thought, Jacob pulled me from the water and 'resuscitates' me with a couple of chest compressions."

Edward looked down at Jacob and smiled softly, before turning his attention back to Bella.

"Sam was there too, but Jacob told him to get back to the hospital. After Sam disappears, Jacob told me that Harry Clearwater had a heart attack and was at the hospital."

Charlie grimaced and leaned back against the couch.

I knew Harry and him were kind of close.

I also knew he loved Harry's fish fry; I always hated it.

"Jacob took me back to his house. So I could dry off and get warm. We both rested in the living room and I remembered Romeo and Juliet."

Romeo and Juliet?!

What did that have to do with this!?

What did that have to do with anything?!

I hate Shakespeare.

But Bella loved it!

"I briefly thought that if Romeo left Juliet, could she love Paris? Wouldn't Romeo want her to be happy? But I knew I would never be happy. I needed my Edward for me to be complete."

Edward smiled and whispered something to her, which resulted in Bella giving him a small kiss on the lips.

"When Billy came home he told us Harry had died and Jacob took me home. He embraced me on the way and I briefly wondered again if I could love Jacob enough, and make him happy."

Edward cringed and pulled Bella closer.

"I knew if I kissed him, I could have made the decision whether or not I could. But I didn't. I wouldn't. I couldn't."

Edward kissed Bella on top of her head.

Jacob smiled softly, but says nothing.

"When we pulled up in front of the house, Jacob smelled a vampire and rushed to get me away."

Charlie sits forward again.

I did the same.

"That's when I saw Carlisle's car. I knew that car. I knew the sound of the engine purring and accelerating. I knew the feel and smell of the black leather seats. It was the same car Alice and Jasper rushed me to Phoenix in. I knew it wasn't Victoria and I demanded to go back."

Charlie relaxed a little bit.

I was still so unsure about everything!

"I had family home. I thought and hoped it was Carlisle but I wouldn't hope for Esme or anyone else. It didn't matter who was back. I told myself one was enough for now. I had someone home. I was safe."

Jacob kind of smiled up at Bella.

"I knew Jacob felt betrayed. But I needed to know who was home. I needed that comfort!"

Jacob chuckled lightly this time.

"I did. But nothing matters anymore, about any of that or what happened between you and I. Everything worked out in the end; you have your true mate and I have my imprint."

Edward grimaced when Jacob said 'you and I' but smiled and nodded at the rest; along with Bella.

"I ran into the house and I saw someone I didn't expect. Someone I didn't even let myself hope for. It was Alice and I as soon as I saw her I ran into her arms."

Jacob's smile never faded as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"I had my best friend back. My best girl-friend back. I had my sister back and I didn't know for how long."

Edward smiled at Bella.

Charlie smiled at her too.

I know Charlie loves Alice.

"Alice was confused, she saw me throw myself off the cliff, but she didn't see my resurface. I assured Alice I wasn't trying to kill myself, just having 'fun' cliff diving."

Edward and Charlie shook their heads slowly; disapproval clearly showing on their faces.

"I explained to Alice that Jacob Black saved me. But Alice did not see Jacob in her vision."

Edward grumbled something and Jacob laughed, making Bella narrowed her eyes.

"Alice can't 'see' werewolves." Bella said slowly, before continuing her story.

"I told Alice, that Jacob is a werewolf and that Victoria is trying to kill me. I made Alice stay with me, even though she was already planning on it. She wasn't going to leave me alone again."

Edward pulled Bella closer and kissed her forehead.

"The next morning I overheard Charlie telling Alice how bad it was for me when Edward left."

Edward cringed slightly as did Charlie.

"Alice also told Charlie that Edward wasn't much better than I was. He was even worse."

Charlie shifted his weight yet again and leaned back.

"Like Edward said before, he isolated himself from the family by his own volition and he did a few things like hunting for Victoria. Alone!"

Edward flinched back against the sofa and I couldn't stop myself from laughing at the look on his face.

Jacob and Charlie joined me soon after.

"Then he was hiding away in some attic in Peru. Anyways, later Alice told me she had found out her real name and also that she had a sister, and she has a niece that's still alive."

Edward closed his eyes and leaned against Bella's head.

"Harry Clearwater's funeral was that next day. Jacob came over after Charlie left but before the funeral to see how long Alice is staying for."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Ha! Forever!"

Bella smiled softly.

"Jacob said that he couldn't be around vampires. Well not anymore, clearly. But it was back then; well I will explain it later."

Edward smirked as Bella scoffed, jokingly.

"After talking and arguing, I could tell Jacob wanted to kiss me."

Edward squeezed his eyes shut even tighter.

"I panicked. I didn't know if I wanted it to happen, I didn't want to kiss another man, but Edward was gone and I thought there was absolutely no chance to see him again. I was so confused. I couldn't decide what to do."

Edward kissed the side of Bella's head.

"I didn't want a relationship and wasn't sure if I ever would again. I didn't want to be Jacob's girlfriend and I told him that so many times. I didn't want to be with anyone but Edward."

Edward turned Bella's head towards him and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Jacob smiled sweetly, but looked away.

Charlie shifted his weight again and I moved over to lean on the arm rest.

Edward kissed her on her forehead and then Bella continued after she whispered something to Edward.

"Jacob was getting ready to kiss me when the phone rings. Thank God! I was literally saved by the bell. But then Jacob had to answer the phone and said that Charlie was not there, that he's at the funeral."

Bella grumbled and mumbled something towards Jacob; who ducked his head.

"Jacob thought it was Carlisle, but it wasn't. Alice rushed back into the house to say it was Edward on the phone, not Carlisle. That Rosalie had told Edward about me jumping off that cliff and Edward thought the funeral was for me and he was going to Italy."

Bella grimaced and took a deep breath.

"I knew what that meant and I acted quickly. Edward was going to Volterra to ask the Volturi to kill him, because he believed I was dead."

Charlie's eyes widened and Edward frowned slightly.

"Alice and I hurriedly left for the airport and Italy. Jacob cornered me at the door and begged me to stay with him."

Charlie shifted again and made a soft noise.

"I couldn't. My world was about to end; again. It would just worst this time."

Edward cringed and buried his head in Bella's neck.

"On the plane, Alice told me it was too dangerous for any of the family to come with us. That she can't lose Jasper. I could and can understand that."

Jacob nodded as did Edward; who lifted his head from Bella's neck.

"Alice told me that Edward needed to see me to believe that I'm alive."

Edward smiled sadly.

"I wouldn't have believed anyone else."

Bella's mouth formed a straight line and she continued.

"She explained about the Volturi, their guard, their law enforcement, and their eating arrangements."

Everyone shuddered.

"Alice then closed her eyes and followed Edward's actions in her mind; leaving me alone in my thoughts."

"That's dangerous!" Jacob scoffed, earning a light smack from Edward and Bella both.

Well he did deserve it.

Edward took a deep breath and began talking this time.

"You know most of this and Bella will tell the rest but I thought you should hear it from me as well. After I mistakenly learned from Rosalie that Bella had 'committed suicide' based on a vision that Alice had; I become completely broken. I attempted to convince the Volturi to kill me, by explaining that I broke one of the most important vampire laws: telling Bella, a human, about the existence of vampires, but Aro refused as he found my power useful to their 'collection'."

Jacob looked up towards Edward and then to Bella before looking back at his hands.

Charlie muttered something and scooted himself to lean back on the couch.

"I decided to expose myself by appearing under the sunlight during the St. Marcus Festival to make them kill me, so I would be back with Bella."

Bella smiled halfheartedly and sighed, hugging Edward to her.

"Alice immediately had a vision of my death, and she and Bella rushed to Italy to stop me before I fulfilled my plans. During the festival, I was about to step into the sunlight, but Bella managed to stop me and she showed me that she was still alive."

Bella kissed the side of Edward's face and continued her story.

"In Italy, Alice stole a Porsche and we raced to Volterra."

Charlie looked up and raised an eyebrow but smiled none the less.

"It was St. Marcus Day; the day in history where Marcus sent all the vampires out of the city. Ironically that didn't really happen. St. Marcus is the same Marcus that's one of the founders of the Volturi."

Charlie made a funky noise and shifted to cross his legs and lean against the armrest.

"Like Edward said, he planned to enter the main plaza when the sun was at its brightest, at noon. The roads around Volterra were super crowded; Alice had to drop me off and told me which direction to run."

Jacob frowned and leaned into the bottom of the other couch.

"There were people everywhere! They all had red hooded cloaks on. It was a sea of red fabric. I was afraid. Terrified I'd be too late. Then my life would be absolutely nothing."

Edward pulled her closer into him and kissed the top of her head.

"The clock chimed for the first time and I screamed out his name. The cobblestones under my feet rang with each toll. As the stupid bell tower was tolling, I saw Edward at the edge of the light."

Charlie leaned forward again.

My gosh, I wish he would sit still!

"I cried his name again but he was not listening. Edward's eyes were closed, his face peaceful. I slammed into him. It felt like I ran into the brick wall next to him. But then Edward wrapped his arms around me and I was whole."

I sighed.

I was so happy and glad they were together.

I was also slightly torn.

I wanted to hear the rest of this story and everything but I was also getting antsy.

Whatever.

I need to listen.

I shifted my legs under me.

"I was home. But I still knew we were in danger. I was pushing against Edward; trying, not succeeding to push him back into the shadows. But Edward believed that he was already dead and was reunited with me in Heaven."

Bella smiled up at Edward and he smiled back, kissing her on the forehead, then her nose and finally her lips.

When they broke away; Edward nuzzled his face in Bella's neck.

"Making me happy he finally believed he indeed has his soul." Bella said the last part as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"I finally made Edward see that we were not dead, but before we could leave, Felix and Demetri were already there."

Jacob made a noise and started mumbling under his breath.

Edward nodded against Bella's hair, agreeing to whatever Jacob was mumbling.

"There was a slight confrontation and then Alice joined us. Then Jane arrived."

Jacob growled and Edward looked up from Bella and down at Jacob.

They stared at each other for a moment then Edward shook his head 'no' and Jacob looked away.

"Edward's defensive stance relaxed in defeat. We followed Jane through a long, cold alley to meet the Volturi."

Charlie made that funky noise again but didn't move.

"Edward held me, caressed my face and kissed my head. He was holding me closer to him with each step and I sadly realized this was going to be the only reunion we were going to get."

Edward kissed Bella's temple.

No one said anything.

"Jane finally lead us into what seemed to be an unremarkable office; we pass through long halls with many doors, into a round, cavernous room filled with several vampires."

Jacob mumbled something and stood up.

He didn't go far, just over to the front window.

Bella watched him for a moment and then continued on.

"Aro cheerfully talked to us about our talents. He wondered how Edward could stand so close to me, with me being his singer."

Edward pulled Bella onto his lap and buried his face in her neck again.

"Aro knows that I am the one exception to Edward's gift and he wondered if I was also an exception to his own. Aro reached for my hand and I reluctantly give it to him."

Jacob shook slightly as did Charlie.

I felt sick and confused by the whole thing.

"Nothing."

Charlie smiled and chuckled a bit.

"Bet that bruised his ego."

Edward looked up and smiled at Charlie and nodded.

He then rested his chin on Bella's shoulder.

"Aro then asked Jane to see if I was immune to her talent as well."

Charlie's smile went away and Edward and Jacob made a low rumbling noise.

"Edward then launched himself towards Jane but ended up on the floor, writhing in pain; Aro redirected Jane towards me, and again, nothing."

Jacob laughed and came back to sit on the floor in front of Edward and Bella.

"Oh I would have loved to see the look on that stupid leech's face!"

Edward rolled his eyes at him and refocused himself on Bella again.

"Aro asked Edward, Alice, and myself to join his guard. We of course said no."

He asked my baby that?!

My stomach felt like it flipped upside down.

Charlie looked over at Edward and Bella but didn't say anything.

"Aro noted that I knew their secrets. And that I must either become a vampire or die."

I felt myself gasp and then I sat forward this time.

Charlie didn't make a sound.

What was wrong with him?!

"Alice gave her hand to Aro and she showed him a vision of me as a vampire; with that Aro was satisfied. For now."

I felt the cold chill in my spine again.

Charlie's whole body was unsettled.

Jacob rolled his eyes and leaned back.

"Then we were free to go. As we were walking out a group of tourists was led into the room, their screams of terror begin before Edward could pull me out of that long hall."

Charlie cringed back into the couch.

I took a sip of my water, hoping to calm my stomach.

"We all had to wait in that office until midnight and then we were completely free to go." Bella said the last part in almost a whisper.

Bella looked up and sideways at Edward and she kissed his temple before speaking again.

"I forced myself to stay awake all that day and through both long flights home; I didn't want to miss a second of my time with Edward. I didn't know how much time I had. And in Edward's arms, it was easy for me to fantasize that he still wanted me. That I had everything once again."

Edward laid his head back on Bella's shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She looked up at him and kissed his nose, whispering something back.

"All the Cullens met us at the airport and they thanked me for saving Edward, Rosalie apologized for her part in the whole misunderstanding. And at home, a very worried and angry Charlie was waiting; furious with Edward."

Charlie grumbled something and slouched further into the couch.

Edward grimaced and buried his face back into my daughter's hair.

"After a long sleep, I wake up to find Edward with me and I was convinced I was still asleep."

Jacob snorted, earning a glare from Bella.

"Edward tells me that Charlie had forbidden him to ever walk through his door again. He joked saying he didn't; that he came through the window."

Charlie's eye did its twitchy thing again as I glanced over at him.

"Edward was in complete agony over the dangers he left me to face. I'm going to spare you all romantic details and spare myself from the embarrassment of talking about my private talks. But basically Edward explained why he had to leave me and he explained that he lied to me about not wanting me; Edward was astonished that I believed the lie he told after all the thousands of times he told me that he loved me. My answer was that it never made sense for him to love me."

Edward looked over and Bella kissing her softly on the cheek.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered quietly, but loud enough for me to hear it.

Bella kisses his forehead. "I know. And I love you, Edward so much."

Edward grinned and rested his chin back on Bella's shoulder.

"I do want to tell you one thing that Edward said to me that night."

Bella glanced sideways at Edward and he looked up and started to say what Bella wanted.

"I said to Bella; before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars—points of light and reason… And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything."

I could feel my eyes tearing up as he spoke.

Edward leaned forward, towards Bella; resting his forehead with hers.

Bella pecked his lips once.

Charlie half smiled and leaned back with a groan, crossing his legs.

Jacob smiled, but said nothing.

"Edward tried to convince me again that he loves me and will never leave me again. I then reminded Edward that I was going to grow old and die unless he changed me. Edward refused."

Bella glared at Edward when she said the last two words.

Jacob snickered something like 'Busted'.

Bella glanced at him and he quickly looked towards Charlie and away from Bella.

"So I decided to put my mortality up for a vote by the family."

Charlie looked slightly uncomfortable and I think all the blood drained from my face.

"On the way to the Cullens', I tell Edward that my worst fear is that he would leave me again. Edward tells me that my hold on him is permanent and unbreakable."

Edward smiled.

"Always has been, always will."

Bella kisses the top of Edward's hand.

"That's when I had an epiphany, that I should have had a long time ago. Edward loves me."

Edward nodded and lays his chin back on her shoulder.

"The Cullens congregated in the dining room. I explained that my mortality involves all of them and I asked them if they wanted me to join their family. Everyone but Rosalie and Edward said 'yes'."

Charlie looked over towards Edward for a second then looked back at Bella.

I was still confused.

"Rosalie told me that she wished there had been someone to vote 'no' for her and Edward said that, yes he wanted me to join the family; but not that way."

Edward whispered something in Bella's ear again, which earned him a kiss.

"Long story short, Edward bargains for more time— he suggests that we wait until after graduation."

Jacob yawned and stretched his long legs out again.

"Then Edward asked me, 'what was one thing that I wanted'; naturally I said him. He changed his question to, 'name one thing I wanted that I didn't already have."

Charlie scooted to sit straight and stretched out his legs, much like Jacob did.

"I said, 'I wanted to have him change me, instead of Carlisle.'"

I saw Charlie's eyes widen from the corner of my eye.

"I wanted to have Edward's venom in my veins. I wanted his venom to be the one to change me so we could be together forever. It was an almost intimate thing to me."

I got chills thinking about it.

It sounded so romantic!

Charlie made his weird face again and Jacob snorted.

That earned Jacob a jab into his ribs by Bella's foot.

"Shut up Jake!"

Jacob nodded and smirked.

"Edward said that he would change me himself on one condition."

I leaned forward as did Charlie.

"If I married him first."

Charlie made a noise and leaned back.

I turned my head to the side; thinking.

I guess I'm incapable of putting two and two together, because I got nothing.

"Of course I wanted to marry him. I want to spend forever with Edward. I was just terrified of marriage. That was really stupid now that I think about it."

Bella chuckled softly, kissing the side of Edwards jaw.

My poor Bella.

She was afraid to get married and it was because of me!

I sighed and looked back over at them.

"Almost everything was back to normal, I was grounded and Jacob wouldn't return my phone calls."

Charlie shook his head at Jacob, who slouched down further.

"Then one day soon after we got home, Edward drove me home from school to find my motorcycle in the driveway."

Jacob slouched even further into the couch and into himself.

"Jacob was waiting to talk to Edward and I in the woods. Jacob had hoped the motorcycle would get me grounded and away from Edward. Little did he know, I already was!"

Jacob's shoulders were now above his head and he had no neck visible.

"Edward shocked Jacob by thanking him for keeping me alive."

Jacob looked up a little and nodded.

"Yeah he did!" Jacob chuckled.

"Jacob also reminded Edward that the treaty forbids a vampire from biting a human.

What?

I still don't understand this whole thing.

I guess they will tell me and answer my questions later.

Edward nodded towards me.

Man that is strange!

I leaned back into the couch and sighed.

"Jacob left sad and angry; and I vowed to see him smile again"

Bella took a deep breath and leaned further into Edward's arms.

Jacob smiled up at them.

Charlie and I shifted our weight as Bella began once again.

Surprise:

…

"I'll just go ahead and get my beautiful little niece and take her home. I'll put her up in your old room, Edward."

Edward nodded at Alice.

"Thank you, Alice." Bella said, too quietly for Charlie or Renee to hear.

...

Edward smiled, "I love you. You are my life. You and our daughter." He whispered softly to Bella.

Bella gave him a small kiss on the lips.

"As I love you." She answered mentally.

…

"Always causing trouble, Jacob and Alice. Would have saved us a lot of trouble if she could have just seen Jacob." Edward grumbled, sort of jokingly.

Jacob laughed which made Bella narrow her eyes.

...

Edward kissed Bella on her forehead.

"I love you, I know this is hard." Bella whispers to her mate.

Edward nodded lightly and softly whispered, 'I love you' back.

...

"You should have just handed me the stupid phone!" Bella mumbled harshly at Jacob.

Jake ducked his head.

...

Charlie's eyes widened.

"That's where she ran off too! To save Edward. Stupid boy should have just handed the phone to Bella!" Charlie's thoughts were spinning.

Edward frowned.

...

"Oh my gosh. The Volturi people. What a mess." Charlie muttered and scooted himself to lean back on the couch.

...

Jacob made a noise and started mumbling under his breath.

"Stupid, bloodsucking, red eyed leeches. I would have loved to rip them to pieces."

Edward nodded his head, agreeing with Jacob.

...

Jacob growled and Edward looked up from Bella and down at Jacob.

"I was going to rip her head from her body, the way she was looking at Bells and Ness. Stupid leech! She is one of the worse of the lot! Her and her evil twin. Am I wrong?!"

They stared at each other for a moment while Jacob was 'talking' to Edward.

Then Edward shook his head 'no' and Jacob looked away.

...

"Death room. Bloodsucking cowards." Jacob mumbles and then stands up.

...

Edward laid his head back on Bella's shoulder.

"You did and do have everything." He whispered into Bella's ear.

She looked up at him and kissed his nose.

"I know that now, love." She whispered back.

...

"Worried sick. Think I was too harsh. No. Never mind." Charlie grumbled and slouched further into the couch.

Edward grimaced at Charlie's thoughts of Bella after he left and by Charlie's words.

He buried his face back into Bella's hair.

…

"I do want to tell you one thing that Edward said to me that night."

"Will you tell them the 'moonless night' thing, please?"

Bella glanced sideways at Edward and he looked up and started to say what Bella wanted.

...

"I realize how wrong I was. But I'm glad we did things the way we did. We have our daughter because of it." Edward whispered in Bella's ear again, which earned him a kiss.

…

A/N: Next Chapter is the first part if Eclipse.

Thank you my lovelies!

~Twilightlovergirl