A/N: Monday is being too Mondayish...make it stop. *grumpy Kris*

"She wants to talk to all of you."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Does she?" Carlisle said, his voice wondering. "She wants to be in the same room as five vampires."

Edward couldn't help the smile that quirked at his lips. "She trusts you. Well." His smile broadened ever so slightly. "She trusts me, which is remarkable. She has no reason to trust me."

"Obviously, she's a good judge of character."

Again, Edward smiled, though this one more fond. Carlisle had a father's bias to be certain. "I think she's just braver than she gives herself credit for."

"Both are true. When will you be over?"

"Pretty quickly, I think. She's taking a shower, but she was adamant about coming over without delay."

"That would be fine. We all went hunting last night," he said nonchalantly, and Edward smiled again. Of course he could trust Carlisle to know what he worried about. It was somewhat ridiculous—their family were all around people all the time—but he didn't want anything to go wrong.

"I went hunting last night too." After Bella was deeply asleep. "Thank you, Carlisle."

He hung up the phone and listened to the sound of her moving under the water. He tilted his head back, and for a few moments, he let himself imagine. The soap between her hands. Her fingers sliding over her skin.

At the last moment, he stopped himself from banging his head against the wall hard enough to leave a dent in it. With some control, he merely tapped his head against the wall. Bella's shelves shook.

Whether or not it was a biological imperative, Edward had a mighty urge to express what he felt for Bella in a physical way. It was manageable—as he'd told Bella, not a biological imperative, and therefore his most intense urges didn't rule him.

Still, he had desires. And his damnable, limitless mind had no trouble conjuring all kinds of scenarios. Oh, the things he would do if he could.

The shower turned off, and Edward forced his thoughts to get in line. A pipe dream for far, far too many reasons. Oh, to be normal.

But then, were he a normal man, he would be in his sixties, and utterly unable to protect her. Sixty-six. A grandfather perhaps. A wife growing old by his side. Or, he supposed more likely, divorced, but still with a child or two.

Where would Bella be?

"Hey?" Bella's voice was soft and shy again as she reappeared in the doorway. He rolled his head toward her and smiled. She smiled back. "What does one wear to meet the parents of her vampire beau?" She was wearing a robe right that moment, her damp hair hanging down.

Such a domestic scene.

He got up from the bed and went to her. "Beau, huh?"

Her cheeks flushed scarlet. "You know what I mean."

He put his hands to her waist. "I wasn't born in the 1800's, Bella. I was never anyone's beau."

She ducked her head. "Getting ahead of myself, anyway," she muttered.

With two fingers underneath her chin, he tilted her head up. "No, sweetheart. You're not." He kissed her. A serious kiss. He let his hand drift down to the small of her back so he could pull her flush against him.

Bella whimpered and pulled back. Her heartbeat raced. He could see her skin had broken out in gooseflesh, and could smell the adrenaline marked by her cold sweat. "I'm sorry," he said, taking a quick step backward. "Bella, I didn't mean—"

She held up a hand—he could see the way it trembled—even as she turned away from him. "It's fine." Her tone was thin. "I'm fine. Just...give me a minute."

If she hadn't been between him and the door, he'd have gone downstairs to find her some water. As it was, he stayed motionless, helpless as she battled to steady her breath. Her eyes were screwed tightly shut. He imagined that, this time, he wouldn't have wanted to know what she was thinking.

"I'm sorry," he said minutes later when her heartbeat had slowed and her breaths were even again. "That was careless."

She huffed and groaned. "Will you sit down on the bed please?"

Ever confused, he obeyed readily. She opened her eyes, peeking at him, and when she saw he'd complied, she went to him on fawn's legs. He shouldn't have been surprised when she sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face against his skin. It broke his heart that he could feel the heat of her tear-streaked cheeks.

"I'm not afraid of you. I swear I'm not afraid of you," she whispered.

He said nothing, but just held her, stroking her hair.

After a few minutes, she growled and struck her open palm against his chest. With a gasp, she raised her head. "Sorry." Then she furrowed her brow. "No. Nevermind. You can take it." She gave his chest another smack.

"Are you angry with me?"

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't hit you just because it doesn't hurt you. I'm sorry." She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder again. "I'm not angry at you. I'm just angry." She sniffled. "I want to believe I can be normal. Ugh." Rather than hit him again, her hand found his, and she twined their fingers together. "I just have to be prepared. I was fine when I knew what was happening." Another deep breath. "You surprised me."

Now that he thought about it, Bella had been the instigator of each and every one of their touches and kisses. This was the first time he'd taken the initiative.

She gave him a watery smile. "Just takes some practice, I guess."

He cupped her face, brushing the pad of his thumb over her lips. "You never back down, do you?"

"There's nowhere to go but on." Her fingers stroked the hairs at his nape, her eyes studying his face as she sniffled again. "You never did tell me what I should wear."

He laughed and hugged her close. He did adore this human. His human. His Bella. "Whatever you damn well please," he said.

Some time later, they were headed downstairs, walking hand in hand. "I didn't come in my car, but if you'd like me to drive, I can, of course," he said.

She had an apprehensive look on her face. He touched her arm. "Are you having second thoughts? Because if you are—"

"I'm not."

"Then what is it?"

She screwed up her nose as she peered at him. "I was wondering… You know how you said you liked the speed? How fast you can run?"

He furrowed his brow. Would he ever get over his frustration of not being able to glean her thoughts straight from her mind? "Yes?"

"I was wondering if we could run to your house."

Edward blinked at her. "You mean really run."

She nodded. "I want to know what it's like."

"I've run with you before."

Her lips turned up at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes danced. "I want to know what it's like when I'm fully aware of what the hell is happening."

"Ah. Right." He considered a moment then offered his hand to her again. "Care for a piggy back ride."

Her lips crinkled as though she didn't know wasn't sure if he was kidding. When he only looked back at her serenely, she took his hand. "Okay."

When he got her around to his back, she clung to him, her legs around his waist and her arms in a stranglehold around his stone neck. She ducked her head against his neck. "Hold on tight. Hold on tight," she chanted to herself.

He chuckled, giving her legs a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, spider monkey. I'm not going to let you fall." With that, he ran.

It was, for both of them, a unique and breathtaking experience. Well, if Edward had breath, it would have been taken. The feel of her on his back—warm, her heartbeat thudding—was incredible. Her quick breaths in his ear gave him an odd kind of pleasure. He'd never been able to share this exhilaration before. Not like this. Her cheek was pressed against his.

When he was sure the little noises she made weren't of terror but of exhilaration, he pushed faster. She whooped, and he laughed.

He'd always thought if a human only knew about him—that vampires weren't myths as they believed—they would be terrified. Yet, despite being terrorized by a monster arguably worse than anything she'd seen or read in fiction, Bella was endlessly fascinated by vampires in general, and Edward specifically.

Barely two minutes passed before they arrived in front of his house. He pulled to a quick stop, and she gave a shriek of surprise. "Are you okay?" Edward asked, though he was more amused than actually concerned.

Bella let out a high-pitched giggle—more like a cackle. She set her feet on the ground and leaned her forehead against his back. "That was cool." She raised her head and kissed his cheek. "Can you run forever?"

He laughed again. He could hear his mother, father, and brother's amusement. "I suppose I could. You do run out of Earth eventually, though."

When she'd calmed, he offered his hand to her. She took a steadying breath and squared her shoulders, ever brave.

Carlisle and Esme were in the living room. Both of them smiled but kept their distance as Edward and Bella came in the room. They needn't have bothered. Bella kept her left hand tightly in Edward's, but stepped forward, as though he was her tether. She offered her hand out to Esme. "Hi."

Esme and Carlisle were instantly charmed. Edward grew more smitten by the minute. Especially as Bella's curiosity got the better of her.

"How do you touch blood all the time?" Bella asked Carlisle. "Wouldn't it be like a heroin addict just swimming in heroin?"

Edward snorted because that was an apt description if ever he'd heard it. He was an addict breathing in heroin, kissing it, but never indulging. To indulge would be to overdose, and then both of them would be destroyed.

He shook his head, dispelling that heavy thought. He concentrated instead on Carlisle's answer.

"See, I have a theory," Esme said, her grin wide. She wound her arm through her husband's. "It's true that Carlisle is compassionate, but compassion alone doesn't keep you from feeding when the urge hits."

Edward heard the pang in her voice and saw the memories flash through her mind. Esme had killed four humans before she mastered her control.

"But Carlisle's main personality trait is pure stubbornness," Esme said, looking up into her husband's eyes as he looked bemusedly back at her. "He was going to be a good vampire if it killed him."

"Stubbornness?" Carlisle asked.

"Amplified by vampire strength, as with everything else."

Carlisle chuckled. "Well. My father would have agreed with you."

Emmett and Rosalie appeared then. Bella took one look at Emmett and all but plastered herself against Edward's side. Emmett just smiled, but Edward could hear the hurt in his thoughts. Not personal hurt, but for her. He kept his tone light as he greeted her, introducing both himself and Rosalie.

Bella gulped, but curiosity got the better of her. "Okay, so… being a vampire amplifies everything. And vampires are already super strong. So what does that make you?"

Even Rosalie laughed at that one. Emmett waggled his eyebrows. "Really, really strong."

"And yet you can't beat me in wrestling," Edward said, rubbing Bella's back.

"Because you're a mind-reading freak," Emmett scoffed. He looked at Bella. "This guy cheats. If he didn't, there'd be an Edward-shaped hole in the backyard."

Bella looked at Edward coolly and raised an eyebrow. Edward laughed at the implied threat. He remembered she'd said he should let Emmett slap him around a bit for his lie.

It was only a few minutes later that Rosalie tired of the game. That was how she saw it. She didn't understand what Edward was playing at, with his arm around Bella's shoulders. She didn't know what Bella was playing, pretending that she could pal around with vampires.

"So what is this?" Rosalie said. "You came to gawk at the sideshow freaks?"

Bella furrowed her brow. She looked somewhat stricken. "No. No, it's not that."

"Rosalie." Carlisle's voice was soft and admonishing. "Don't you think it's natural for Bella to be curious?"

"No. I think it's natural for Bella to be terrified."

Edward gritted his teeth. Rose was nothing if not blunt.

"You think I should be scared of you?" Bella asked.

"You think you shouldn't be? You get a papercut, and you'll be dead before you blinked."

Bella shuddered. Her hand got damp in his. Edward growled, low and under his breath so Rosalie could hear but Bella couldn't. His sister's eyes flitted to his, and he heard the challenge in her thoughts.

You think you're any better than that asshole, playing with your human?

Edward was struck by that. He had to clench the fist of his free hand to keep from snarling at his sister. How dare she?

"I'm not afraid of you," Bella said. It was a lie. Her voice shook, but she was in control of herself. "But you're right. I have things to talk about." She looked to Carlisle and Esme. "Can we maybe sit down?"

"Of course." Carlisle swept his hand toward the dining room.

"Hey… if you don't need to sit or sleep or any of that, why do you guys have furniture?" Bella asked.

That broke the tension again. They all laughed. Except for Rosalie. She was vaguely annoyed at how quickly everyone took to their new pet. She found it degrading.

"It's just in case," Esme said. "That, and I like to decorate."

"My mother's worked as an interior decorator several times," Edward said. "She's best at restorations, though. Restoring old homes."

"Well, I do have personal knowledge of what homes looked like, at least through the 1800's," Esme said, her smile bright.

"That's awesome."

"It's great," Rosalie said, her tone icy. "Can we talk?"

Edward glared. Bella cleared her throat. They all sat. And Bella finally took her hand from Edward's. He frowned at the loss of contact.

"Okay." Bella was nervous. She wiped her hands on her jeans. "Edward told me you've all been helping protect me from...him." She had to pause to take a steadying breath. "But I think he's holding back."

Edward's head snapped toward her, and Emmett guffawed. "Oh, hell. She's got your number, bro."

Bella looked at him apologetically. "You want to protect me. I get that, but I can tell you're pulling your punches."

"It's nothing you need to be concerned about."

"See, there's where you're wrong." Some of her nervous tics were coming back. She began to wring her hands and stare off, like she'd done so often when they talked early on in their friendship. "This is what I wanted. I wanted to know what was going on. Everything." She hurried on before he could speak. "I want to understand. Everything."

So they talked.

Edward hated how scared it made her. He hated how the smiling, somewhat confident, bright presence he'd watched emerge over the past couple of days faded before his eyes.

By the time they explained about the wolves, she'd pulled her knees up to her chest, ducking her head and rocking slightly right there at the kitchen table. Esme had moved to the chair next of her and ran her fingers through her hair—the motherly touch Edward had so often reveled in.

"That boy. Jacob. That's how he knew I was talking to you."

"He could smell me around your house," Edward said.

Bella covered her face with her hands and laughed. That old, raw sound. "God, what is this? Vampires. Werewolves."

Before he could stop him, Emmett said, "Actually, these are shapeshifters. Those are different from werewolves."

Edward shook his head and Bella groaned. "I'm surrounded. Surrounded," she muttered under her breath, raking her hand through her hair. "What else? Mummies? Zombies? Witches?"

"Witches," Rosalie said, her voice hard.

"Fuck."

Edward put his arm around Bella's shoulders, and she leaned into him. "Bella, the wolves are harmless to you."

"As long as none of them get angry and fursplode when you're standing too close," Rosalie muttered.

Edward made a mental note that he was going to kill his sister later. He hugged Bella close. "They're helping protect you, remember?"

Bella lifted her head, her eyes narrowed. "Oh, so all werewolves—shifters, what the fuck ever—are good, huh? Is that part of their make up? Their special power? Automatic goodness?" She chuffed. "Isn't it like everything else? There are bad humans. There are good vampires. There can't be bad wolves? Jacob was a jerk. If he wanted to act on his innate jerkiness, you're telling me this is another asshole I can't protect myself from?"

"I'd never let that happen," Edward said, his voice hard. "I'd know if he was even thinking that way." And I'd end him.

Bella hid her face again. Her breath came in staccato puffs. After another few seconds, though, she raised her head. She stared forward, not looking at any of them. "I want in."

Her words were met by silence. "You want into what, sweetheart?" Esme asked, stroking her hair from her eyes.

"I want in. I want in the superhuman club."

If Edward had a heart, it would have stopped beating that moment. "What?" The word came out rough. "Bella, no. No. We can protect you."

"The hell you can. He almost got to me once already." She stood up and started pacing. "I saw what he did to you, Edward." She shook her head—the movement jerky. "Like Emmett said. You're a mind-reader. You can beat him, and he's the size of a house, but you can't beat that bastard."

Edward stood too, and tried to take her by the shoulders. She twisted away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "There are too many of us," he said, addressing the side of her face since she wouldn't look at him. "Between us and the wolves, we can get him."

"Yeah, but can you promise me none of you will die?"

"He can't," Rosalie said.

"Rose," Edward said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, it's nothing I can't figure out myself," Bella snapped.

"Bella, it's just a matter of planning. We can keep you safe until we figure out how to take care of him."

She finally stopped pacing and whirled to face him. "I don't want you to have to protect me." She drew in a breath with a wheeze. "Don't you understand? Four fucking asshole humans took everything from me. Everything." She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to take a deep breath. "Do you get that's how I took my life back? I couldn't trust anyone. No one. You can't tell who the human monsters are. They look like everyone else. So I learned how to defeat them. I learned how to protect myself, and I learned how to win. I made it so that no one could do that to me ever again.

"How do I protect myself now? There is no winning against...things. I can't do this." Her eyes were red-rimmed and pleading with him. "Look, even if you do take care of Jasper." She shuddered just saying his name. "Even if you take him out, how am I supposed to live with this knowledge? How am I supposed to wander around like I don't know that vampires exist? That werewolves exist? How am I supposed to forget that any one of them could kill me—could do any damn thing they want with me—and there's nothing, nothing, I can do? I can't live like that. I can't survive knowing how helpless I am."

She surged forward and took Edward by the arms. If he'd been human, she would have shaken him. As it was, her hands pressed uselessly on his stone arms. Her eyes were desperate and wild. "I. Want. In."

A/N: Welp….