Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.

Rated M for several reasons.

Chpt 20 Game On

RPOV

Over the next few weeks our life has settled into a new routine, not as relaxed as it was before the family came back but comfortable nevertheless.

Em says I'm developing a terrible squint from trying to keep Ed and Jazz away from Bella but I can't help it.

Ed is worrying me less and less. They don't seem to be getting any closer and although I can see he's upset about it he isn't showing any signs of making a decision on whether or not Bella should be changed. I asked her if they'd discussed it once but she just shrugged and changed the subject. I can tell she's not happy but it's nothing like the Zombie Bella we came back to, more resigned and melancholy after she's spent any length of time with him. The longer it goes on the less likely it seems to me that they'll get back together. I'm happy about it but I still feel a bit sorry for Ed, so close to being happy forever and just not quite able to do anything about it. Loser.

She's been accepted into a decent college, Jazz used one of his old contacts to get her a scholarship that greatly increased how far her meagre fund would stretch, not that we told her. Char's been accepted onto the same course and so have I although I haven't told Bella that yet. She'll probably freak out and run away screaming but if she doesn't then I think I'll quite enjoy going through college with her. God knows she needs someone to watch out for her.

Carlisle knows there's a possibility Em and I will be moving away with her and we've both agreed not to mention it to Esme until absolutely necessary, she's upset enough about Ed and Bella as it is. I'm assuming Ed's wormed it out of one our heads by now but he hasn't said anything.

Em's excited and he and Pete are already looking into business opportunities as neither of them are willing to go back to school if they can get away with it.

There's inevitability about all this which I'm slowly coming to accept. The more time she spends with us the more likely she is to end up a vampire and before we do all head off to college together we'll need to talk about that.

Char's glamour lessons have been paying off in spades. The boys at school were always very keen on Bella but now she's got a bit more confidence and dresses slightly less like a bag lady she's more popular than ever. Not that she notices, bless her. Em sure does and has taken to picking her up from school whenever he gets the chance. He won't help me with either Ed or Jazz but if a human boy shows too much interest he's straight into big brother mode. Men.

On the subject of Jazz the jury is still out. He's definitely showing more interest in Bella than he ever did before but I haven't seen anything really inappropriate. I'm starting to wonder if Alice has though, she's even more irritatingly clingy than usual, although that could just be because of the prolonged presence of her arch enemy Pete. As for Bella, she responds to Jazz's gentle flirting with frantic embarrassment and increased self-confidence, so he's actually working in my favour at the moment.

So much so that I'm not even really worried about this weekend. Bella's staying with us as Charlie is fishing but as usual everything's gone wrong at the last minute. Esme's flipped out and stormed off to Denali because Carlisle's been spending too much time at the hospital with a difficult patient. It happens every once in a while but this time she's taken Nosey with her, as Bella's staying over she tried to take the Ed Head too, but he flatly refused.

As Char and Pete are in Seattle hunting Bella was of a mind to stay at home but I will not have my plans spoilt by other people's emotional problems and so I'm on my way to pick her up. I can keep my squint up for two days if needs be, besides without parental supervision Ed might get around to finally shooting himself in the other foot, a girl can but hope.

BPOV

As we enter the house I prepare myself to face Edward, a ritual I'm becoming used to. No longer butterflies in the stomach, more a dull ache of pain. I'm so sure he's eventually going to get round to telling me he won't change me that I've already begun the process of dealing with it. If I wasn't so yellow I'd ask him but our last conversation on the subject upset me so much I can't get the words out.

"Where's Ed?" Rosalie demands of Jasper as soon we enter the house and she's kissed Em.

"Hunting." Jasper responds without looking up from his position sprawled on the couch, nose in a book.

"Why's he gone now?" She huffs.

"Because he was pissing me off pacing up and down waiting for Bella to get here and I threatened to kill him." He drawls.

She laughs and I snicker, and then feel massively guilty.

"You're in the spare room." Rosalie announces taking my bag and handing it off to Em who rolls his eyes at me and trots away with it. "I got some wine Char recommended but she says you're only allowed two glasses tops, otherwise you get morose."

"I suppose I'd better get it." Jasper sighs, getting to his feet. "Since I'm the only one here who knows how to use the cork screw without stabbing something."

Rosalie pokes her tongue out at his departing back and I snicker again.

He returns with an immoderately sized glass of icy cold white wine and hands it to me with a wink before going back to his book.

"I'm warning you now." Rosalie whispers. "Em's got a full itinerary of games picked out for tonight, when it gets too much just act drunk and I'll put you to bed."

I kick my new boots off and wander to the big overstuffed chair, curling up in it to sip my wine.

Em bursts back into the room his arms laden with board games.

"Jazz, bro, can we turn this crap music off?" He asks.

Jasper looks up at him. "This is not crap music Emmett. I've had to listen to Edward's poncey shit all day and now I'm listenin' to this."

"Bells?" Em appeals.

"It sounds okay to me Em."

"Suck up." He grumbles laying the games out on the coffee table. "What are we playing first?"

"Spin the bottle?" Jasper asks absently, nose back in his book.

"You're not getting anywhere near my wife's lips Jazz, forget it." Em growls.

"Ahem." Rosalie interrupts, eyes burning a hole in Jasper's book. "No one is playing spin the bottle. I get to pick first since I hate playing games more than anyone else here."

"Granted babe." Em concedes. "Pick away."

What can I say? Never play Monopoly with vampires. They cheat.

An hour later I'm flat broke and negotiating with Jasper for the sale of my one remaining property. Rosalie has already smacked him upside the head for offering me five minutes in the closet plus five thousand dollars for it. I'm not sure if it's because she objects to his flirting or because if he gets it he'll probably win.

Anyhow my first glass of wine combined with their ridiculous competitiveness and unashamed cheating has me rolling around on the rug in hysterics which is how Edward finds us when he returns.

"Oh great." Em whispers theatrically to me. "The grown up is back."

I smile up at the grown up, inhibitions lifted enough to make me pleased to see him but his first words are a dash of cold water.

"You're giving her wine?" He snarls at Rosalie.

"Actually I gave it to her." Jaspers says calmly.

"Excuse me." I huff. "Her is right here and her has been given wine before by her mother."

"You're not old enough to drink."

Jeez even Charlie's more relaxed about it than Edward. I'm hardly wasted.

"It's one glass Edward." There's a distinct edge to my voice. "No harm done."

"Another?" Jasper asks solicitously.

"Yes please wine waiter." I pass him my empty and he strolls out to the kitchen while I stare at Edward defying him to say anything else.

Jasper returns and makes a big show of handing me a brimming glass.

We finish our game but the fun's gone out of it somewhat, at least for me.

"Bella." Edward pipes up. "Would you like to take a walk?"

"No she wouldn't." Em decrees, plucking me off the floor and plonking me down on the couch beside him. "She's going to be my partner in the next game, someone needs to teach her to cheat properly. You, Jazz and Rose can be your own teams."

It doesn't go well, humans just can't cheat vampires and poor Em is a very sore loser.

I sit the next one out, nursing my wine and watching the four Cullens almost slaughter each other over a game of Simpsons Cluedo. In a bizarre way it's quite sweet, families really are strange things. Jasper, the peacemaker, calmly separates Rosalie and Edward when she tries to jam the dog's bone in his eye after he peeked and read her cards.

Gamed out Edward suggests a movie and we all agree. Another argument breaks out which I win courtesy of being the guest and soon I'm wedged on the couch between Edward and Jasper watching a romcom in the dark.

Edward holds my hand in his lap, gently stroking my palm with his thumb which is heaven, and on the other side I am acutely aware of Jasper's denim clad thigh resting lightly against mine and occasionally pressing closer when his body shakes with laughter, which is hell. Or did I get that the wrong way round? I really shouldn't drink, I can't handle it.

Next up Rosalie picks a Swedish thriller, compelling but very uncomfortable viewing, noting my interest Jasper offers to lend me the books which earns him a low growl of disapproval from Edward.

By the time we start Edward's choice my eyelids are drooping. Out of loyalty I try hard, really hard, to stay awake but it's an exercise in futility. About halfway in I give up and allow myself to collapse sideways.

"You're a crap pillow." I mutter into whoever's stone chest it is I've landed on.

A rich deep laugh follows me down into my slumber.

I wake up briefly, cradled against a stone frame and gently swaying from side to side.

Bemused I look up at Jasper's moonlit face.

"Are you carrying me off somewhere to drain me?" I ask sleepily and with far less fear than is appropriate.

"No." He laughs softly. "You fell asleep on me and I'm putting you to bed."

"Where's Edward?"

"Downstairs practising his smacked ass face because Rose wouldn't let him tuck you in."

He eases the door open and carries me across to the bed depositing me gently on it but not letting go of me, arms still wrapped around my back, face filling my bleary vision.

We stare at each other in silence and my stomach does that slow motion turnover again. He has the most amazing eyes, framed by the longest lashes, so intense you can't look away from them until he lets you.

"Would you like me to undress you?" He whispers, his nose almost touching mine.

I shiver and his lips quirk up into the ghost smile.

"Not such a good idea." I stutter caught between fear and dangerous curiosity about what would happen if I said yes.

"You're probably right." He chuckles dropping a quick kiss on the tip of my nose and releasing me. "Sweet dreams Bella."

He's gone in the blink of an eye, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

Still half a sleep I crawl under the covers wondering why he smells like fresh cotton and having his cool hard body pressed against mine actually felt warm.