Chapter 21

Bella:

Deliriously happy.

That was the only way to describe myself lately.

Edward and I were a couple. Loving, caring and totally happy. We still hadn't figured out the physical side of our relationship yet - I was adamant about being able to remember our entire life together before such an act as sex took place and I knew Edward enough to know he was more old-fashioned and such and act would require a certain ring on a certain finger - but emotionally and intellectually - we were right there - In the prime of our unnatural lives.

"Two pieces of a whole." Edward said to me one evening.

"And I'm holding the very best part." I said in a sultry tone as I sqeezed Edward tighter.

He chuckled darkly, so sexy, "I would beg to differ."

I looked him in the eye and made a point to roll mine, "I knew you would."

We spent countless hours each day just sitting in each other's embrace. I would compare us to Jasper and Alice in the way that we need only to look in each other's eyes to be home, but even though we were definitely not as PDA as Rose and Emmett, we still needed some form of physical contact at almost all times. I noticed it as time since our coming together progressed, I would situate myself around Edward and when he moved I involuntarily did as well. We were like magnets always sending currents out to each other, drawing the other in.

"What are you thinking about love?"

"You." I said simply, smiling and planting a kiss on his lips.

"Care to elaborate?" he flashed his crooked grin. He dazzled me with his breath. I couldn't deny him.

"I was just thinking about us, it still amazes me."

He nuzzled my neck as I continued.

"Just thinking about the way we are, it's so natural, talking to you is natural. I love it. But we're also unnatural - we're like magnets. When you move, I move unconsciously to see you better or feel you better...it's amazing."

"I know what you mean." Edward murmured against my neck and I felt his tongue dart out as he spoke.

"Are you happy Edward?" I asked him quietly.

"Ecstatic Bella, I've never felt more complete. When you were human I had to be so careful with every movement around you, so careful not to hurt you, I couldn't be myself really...now I can and be accepted... you don't know how that feels or what it means to me. Priceless."

"Oh Edward, I'm so happy. Deliriously. Hopelessly. It's thrilling...but also terrifying at the same time." I added.

He smiled at me, concern in his eyes at my admission on the end, "How so Bella?"

I paused and twined our hands together, really enjoying and milking in our position. Me in his lap, entangled around him. I shook my head. "Never mind. It's not important." I said not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Bella, tell me?" Edward pleaded.

I shook my head again and decided now was the time to change the subject. "Come on, lets go downstairs. I want to talk to Alice. I have an idea." I jumped lively out of his embrace and pulled him up by the hand. I pulled him out of the room but he stopped me just outside it.

"Bella, please tell me." his breath was cool and sweet on my lips, his face so close to mine, he was dazzling me...

I leaned forward involuntarily, aching to kiss him, losing my train of thought but I mentally slapped myself and backed my head off a bit, he wasn't playing fair, "I...not today Edward...can you just leave it for now? I'm too happy. I Don't want to spoil it. Let's not spoil it with nonsense."

He seemed to drop it at my request, his worried eyes raked my face. I kissed him chastely. "We're okay." I promised and thankfully he allowed me to tow him downstairs. I could tell by his worried glances that he would not forget to push the subject later.

"BElla! that's an awesome idea!" Alice squealed loudly before I had even located her on the main level.

I playfully pushed Edward into the love seat to watch some football nonsense with his brothers and traipsed off to find my friend.

"Alice?" I called out. "Marco?" I joked.

I heard her tinkling laugh, "Polo!" she answered and I followed the sound to the study.

I found her sitting at the desk with books strewn across it and hanging up the phone.

"What are you doing Al?" I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well now that everything is right in the world...well you and Edward are together - I thought I would start my other project."

"You're first project was getting Edward and I together?" I quipped.

"No silly, my first project was finding you and making you and all of us whole again. My second project was you and my dear brother. My third project was working on my past."

I rolled my eyes and quickly crossed the room. "Thanks Alice. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you." I gave her a hug and kiss.

Alice laughed and shrugged, "Eh, I saved your life - you saved mine - we're even." She joked.

I put my arm on her shoulder. "You're past?" I asked, "I thought you couldn't remember anything?"

"I can't, I just have tidbits to go on."

"Where'd the tidbits come from?"

"James." she swallowed. "He sort of told you that I was his first prey that got away...he basically gave me some background info to go on...I was in an asylum for visions."

I nodded quietly. I hated not being able to remember. I wasn't sure if Alice was sad or upset or anything with the 'tidbits' he gave her. "I...Alice what can I do to help?"

"Well right now I'm making calls to Asylums and trying to track down my records."

"Say no more. I'm on it." I sat down on the floor beside her and pulled out my new iPhone Edward had bought me. Alice handed me one of the laptops from a drawer and we both got to work on tracking places down.

We took a break after a couple hours and began to whisper about my great idea from earlier. We were sorting out some details for it and booking things before getting back to our research project. We spent hours locked in that study. I began to miss Edward and his touch but I had to stick through it for Alice. He was in the next room after all. I think I could be strong enough to help my best friend and survive the 30 foot separation right? Just for fun I decided to send him a mental message. I sent him an image of us kissing...he must have enjoyed it because I heard him sigh appreciatively.

Finally I jumped up from the floor. "Yes sir, thank you so much!" I hung up my cell. Then I gave an Alice worthy shriek of excitement and Alice hung up her phone mid sentence.

"You found something!?" she peeped jumping up from her chair and grabbing my arms.

"I found something!"

We started jumping up and down and my cell broke into a hundred pieces against the wall thanks to Alice's enthusiasm. "I'll buy you a new one!" she laughed as she waved her hand nonchalantly at the mess. "What did you find!?"

By this time we had an audience. The whole family was watching us through the doorway with smirks on their faces.

I stopped jumping.

"I found you! In this place..." I pointed at the name of the Asylum. "According to the Asylum's records you were born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and you were there because of your premonitions. You were lucky really...not long before that they had burned people for such things....anyways - Then I called the local library there and they checked the microfiche. You're parents weren't of the society to be mentioned a lot but their wedding was in there. He said the date you were admitted to the asylum was the date of your announced death...sorry about that... and the man went on to tell me you had a little sister named Cynthia, and that Cynthia's daughter, your niece, was still alive in Biloxi."

I watched Alice warily. I wasn't sure how she would react at such news. She was unnaturally quiet. I couldn't help but glance nervously at the scar on her neck. Alice wasn't the same after that day with Victoria. Sure she was still spunky and excitable...but there was a tainted part of her now...a part full of darkness left from the beast that attacked us in the woods. A darkness we didn't often see but were all extremely aware of. None of us were really sure how deep she had been affected by her near death experience...

A tiny body was suddenly clinging to me. She hugged me tightly and once out of my thoughts I reciprocated. "Thanks Bella." she said as I hugged her tightly. Her voice was unnaturally choked up. I realized that she wasn't just hugging me to celebrate, she was hugging me until she regained her composure, and I was glad to assist her anyway I could. "Anytime Al." I whispered only for her and rubbed her back gently.

Finally she pulled herself from me and winked slyly. She turned to our family. "Bella and have planned a surprise trip." she announced.

I laughed when she finished. I was not expecting her to change the subject after such a revelation about her past and laughed even louder when I realized no one else had either. There mouths hung open and eyes were wide. Then we all started to laugh."Pack bathing suits and snow gear!" Alice chirped as she danced out of the room with Jasper in tow.

I knew she was going to go discuss things with him, her soul mate. They were going to talk things out and figure out if Alice wanted to return to her birthplace or not. I wished so badly that I could help her out, but I didn't know what I could do more for her. I had tracked her old life down but that was it, I couldn't bring back her memories...I could only lead her to the source of them.

Or could I?

If I figured out Victoria's power...I could absorb it...I could use it...I could help out Alice! I could help Edward remember his mother more clearly, something I knew he wanted dearly. I could be a source of comfort to my new family, comfort instead of worry and impending death and/or memory loss.

"Bella? Where's your head at love?" Edward's voice rang in my ears.

I snapped out of it and found him leaning on the door jam watching me. I smiled and he did the same after a moment. "Will she be okay?" I asked.

He nodded, "She's processing it all. She hasn't really decided how she feels about it yet."

And the Victoria near death thing? I asked him in my head.

"Same." He answered.

"I wish I could help her."

"She'll come to you when she is ready. If anyone understands coming out of the darkness it's you. She'll find you Bella."

Suddenly I remembered how much I missed him. And in no time at all I had crossed the room and was clutching to him, his strong arms wrapped around me. "I missed you." I murmered into his stone chest.

I felt his chest rumble as he laughed. "Is it sad that we were 30 feet away all day and still missed each other?"

"Yes!" I heard Emmett's booming voice and laughter fill the house.

"Rose!" I called out. A moment later I heard the sound of something very hard hitting Emmett and his resulting whine. "What was that?" I asked Edward.

"It sounded like a wrench." he said and laughed again.

"I love your laugh." I sighed, "It's one of those things I wish I could bottle up and just take it out whenever I need it."

I looked up at him and he smiled, "One of those things?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, "Well obviously I'd take your scent to calm me, your eyes to ignite me, your mess of a hairdo to play with, your touch to guide me, your lips to kiss me, your chest to lean on, your butt 'cause..wow.." I started a list, but before I could finish his lips crashed into mine.

When he pulled away his eyes were smoldering again, "I'd take your heart." he whispered.

"It's already yours." I told him serenly before kissing him again.