Author's Notes:
Oh, Wow! I know, it's been a very, very, very long time. Let me just say that mind readers and psychics really mess with your head when you're trying write. ;-)
It took me a long time to put this together simply because we are, sadly, getting closer to the end. Thank you for your patience while I worked out all the kinks in the plot so I could move forward from here.I anticipate an estimated 6-7 more chapters tops.
Huge thanks to Kathie, Susie, and Morgan, without whom this would have been a very different and far inferior chapter. I love you ladies soooo much! To MissP, thanks for the pre-read as well.
Hugs, Ginnie
Chapter 24:
"Changes"
The relief I felt upon gaining Bella's acceptance of my family, and their subsequent acceptance of her, was a palpable thing. For the first time I'd been able to be myself, or more accurately to just be in front of Bella. To have her with me and my family all at once was unexpectedly freeing.
In the weeks that followed Bella's first visit with my family, we fell into a fairly regular routine that included spending most Sundays at the big house in Cedar Falls. The Cullen clan was eager to experience the newness that Bella brought with her into our home and she quickly developed a unique rapport with each of them. When she was with us, and when Rosalie was behaving, things felt complete. For the first time in my long existence, I felt strangely fulfilled and lacked for nothing on those quiet afternoons.
The month of May seemed to pass quickly, a mere blip on a radar screen of time –even for Bella. Of course, as swiftly as the days went by, she also regularly lamented that the month would never end. I found her perceptions quite amusing, but knowing that it was from the amount of stress she was feeling to complete her degree made it difficult to watch. On more than one occasion, I'd wanted to offer to support her in any way I could, thinking perhaps she could leave her job and focus on her studies. I didn't actually mention that to her however. I didn't need Alice telling me that it wouldn't have gone over well.
Apparently, just cooking dinner for her was an overwhelming act of generosity to Bella. She'd been stunned speechless the first time she came home from work to find that I'd already warmed one of her pre-prepared meals and made a simple salad. I merely copied the actions I'd seen her take on numerous occasions, but my effort was a very big deal to Bella who was used to being the one cooking for others. The first time I actually prepared something that she hadn't previously made or frozen herself, she nearly burst into tears.
"It's the chicken picatta from our first date," she said, her voice thick and slightly awed.
"It is."
"How did you manage this? I'm not even sure I remember where I put the recipe."
"Well, a perfect memory helps," I said, trying to keep things light. "While the chef was busy talking to you, his mind was also busy giving me a play by play of his techniques."
Bella's glassy eyes widened. "That's..." She paused and a range of emotions played over her face before she settled on one. "...terrible," she laughed suddenly. "You could single-handedly destroy careers of top chefs all over the globe if you wanted to," she snickered.
I smiled genuinely. "Good thing I have no diabolical plans to dominate the world of fine dining."
"Exactly," Bella giggled.
"So... did I interpret the chef's thoughts correctly?" I asked, still waiting for her to try the food. "How does it taste?"
"Oh, sorry... I'm sure it's wonderful," she said, picking up her fork.
I smiled somewhat uncertainly as she turned her attention to the meal. The appreciative moan that escaped her as she took the first bite gave me all the answer I needed. Still, despite how much taking care of Bella pleased me, I was more than a bit relieved when she crashed through the door after finishing the last final exam of her undergraduate career the first Thursday in June.
She was in her room changing clothes so that we could spend a celebratory afternoon on our mountainside when her phone began ringing from inside her bag on the floor. The tone was a whimsical instrumental ringtone that I knew belonged to Bella's mother and was supposedly indicative of her personality. Knowing it was likely in regards to her upcoming visit to Seattle, I ran up the stairs in a heartbeat and knocked on Bella's door.
"Bella?"
"I hear it," she yelled, opening the door while still sliding an arm through one sleeve on her shirt. I tried not to notice as I handed the small device to her. "Thank you," she smiled before answering it quickly.
"Hey, Mom."
"Hi, Baby! How are your exams going?"
Bella waved me inside her room and then quickly turned her attention back to her mother. "Great. I'm finished. I just took the last one this morning."
"That's wonderful, Bella. Perfect actually. I needed to talk to you about something."
Bella's face fell ever so slightly. "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Nothing's wrong, silly. Something came up here at the last minute though and I have to change my trip around a little. Phil has some kind of award thing here next week, so I'm going to have to fly home a day earlier than I planned. Since I didn't want to lose a day with you, I thought I'd fly in this evening. Well, I'm at the airport now, but my plane won't get in until later."
Bella's eyes widened. "You're coming here today?"
"Yes. Is that okay? Because if that doesn't work for you... if you have plans with that hot boyfriend of yours or something, I can just take a cab to a hotel and we'll see each other tomorrow. We'll still have all of Friday, Saturday and Sunday together."
"No, no," Bella answered, her cheeks flaming while I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. "It's fine, Mom. You can come today. I just..." Bella looked around a little. "I haven't finished cleaning my apartment or done the shopping yet."
"Don't worry about that. I'll help you tomorrow. I don't want to be a burden."
"You're not, Mom."
"Good. Now, let me go so I can get checked in and I'll see you in about six hours or so."
Bella laughed nervously. "Wow, six hours. Sounds good."
"See you soon! Love you, baby!"
"Love you too, Mom. Bye."
Once the call was disconnected, Bella sighed. "Well, there goes the rest of our day. I have to get this place put together. I know she said not to, but-"
"Can I help? I've been told I move very fast." To illustrate my point, I picked her up and flew down the stairs as fast as I could with her in my arms. "We'll be done in no time," I said, grinning as I set her down.
"Okay... you're a crazy man, first of all," she said, trying to catch her breath. "And second, I don't want you cleaning my apartment."
"Bella..."
"No, we've been through this. I'm the human, I make the messes. I can clean them up."
"You're so stubborn," I sighed.
"Yeah, well you would know," she smiled, sliding past me and heading for the kitchen.
When I caught up to her, I turned her around and walked her backwards slowly. "Please let me help you?" I asked, lowering my voice to a persuasive tone.
She blinked hard and put her hands on my stomach, pushing against me futilely. "Um, no?" she said, her voice shaky. The feeling of her hands on me reminded me of how little I would get to see her this weekend and suddenly, I was just a normal teenage boy who wanted his girlfriend all to himself a bit longer.
"Please, Bella," I said, leaning in so my lips were hovering just above hers.
"No," she whispered roughly, but sounding not at all convinced.
"Please?" I begged, trying to persuade her for my own selfish purposes. "If you let me help, then we might still have some free time before I have to hand you over to your mother." I pulled back and then grazed my nose along her jaw while my hands found purchase on her hips.
"Who says you have to hand me over to her?" she breathed, shivering.
I lifted her easily onto the counter causing her eyes to go wide and her heart to beat faster.
"Propriety says," I murmured. "You haven't seen her in how long?"
"I can't remember," she said.
"Exactly," I whispered, moving to pepper her jaw with kisses. I continued my ministrations until I reached the spot behind her ear. Bella's hands quickly found my hair, as they often did. To my very great amusement, she fruitlessly tried to continue her argument.
"I talk to my mom nearly every day, you know. She won't mind."
"Nice try. You need to spend time with her. Time alone. Without me hovering," I said as my lips covered hers.
We kissed until it was almost impossible to stop. I was starting to get a little too comfortable being with Bella like this and it truly scared me. I didn't have to read her mind to know that she wanted so much more than I could give her. Of course, she didn't know that the hardest part for me was that I wanted it too. And if I gave in, it would be mean destroying both of us.
"Bella..." I groaned, forcing myself to pull back from her heavenly mouth. My hands were aching with the restraint it took not to handle her too roughly in my overstimulated state.
"Do you really believe you could still hurt me?" she asked, breathless and very reluctant to let me go.
"It terrifies me," I admitted sadly.
"But you make it seem so easy."
"I don't want to frighten you by letting you see the struggle. You have no idea... the dual desires that rage in me."
"Dual desires?" she asked, her tone incredulous.
I chuckled darkly. Was she really that unaware?
It was against everything in me to admit out loud what I desired –what was impossible for us. Instead I ran a finger across her exposed collarbone, over her shoulder, and down her arm. I stared at her small hand, playing with her fingers before twining them together with mine and begging her with my eyes to understand.
"Oh," she breathed, her heart rate soaring as the realization hit her. "Really?"
"Of course," I said too quickly. "I thought it was obvious. I feared it was altogether too obvious." I looked down in shame at my admission.
"It wasn't," she said, moving her hands to the sides of my face. "But I'm glad. And I want you too."
A timid and reluctant smile took over my lips and I met her eyes once more. "Were I a man, I could die happily now just to hear that. But... I am not a man, Bella. I can't."
She searched my eyes. "Not ever?" The disappointment in her expression was heart breaking.
"I thought... I thought you understood," I said, my voice faltering. "I could kill you."
Bella's thumbs grazed my lips and cheekbones. "That's not possible."
"It's not only possible. It's highly probable. Please understand, love," I begged her.
She took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. But... can we talk about this more another time? Maybe there are things we can do. Things that wouldn't be so... risky." She cringed and I knew she regretted the word as soon as it left her perfect mouth. I, on the other hand, was glad to hear her admitting I was dangerous, even if it was just a mild admission.
I kissed her tenderly, but chastely and tried to make her understand. "Every moment you spend with me is a risk. I will not promise to consider anything that would be dangerous or even disrespectful to you."
"You think you'd be disrespecting me?" she said, sitting back but holding my face tighter, the bottomless depths of her eyes holding me captive.
"That's how I would interpret it, yes."
She frowned, but it appeared sympathetic. "You know, if it was fifty years ago I might agree with you, Edward. But it's not. This is 2010. I don't think it would be disrespectful for us to have... more to our relationship. We love each other. We're committed to each other.
"It's not that simple, Bella."
"I think it is. Not that I'm an expert because this is all new to me, too." She paused and looked away. "Well, it's not all new, but what I want... the way I feel... this," she gestured between us. "And this," she put her hands back in my hair and met my eyes. "And this," she moved slowly forward to kiss my jaw. "It's new for us both."
My body remained rigid, holding in the tremors I was afraid to let her see. I pulled her hands away for both of our sakes. "I can't, Bella. Please..."
"You don't know unless you try. We might have challenges to overcome, but there are human couples who do, too."
"I'm not human," I said more forcefully than I should have.
"I know, that's why I'm trying to explain-"
"You just don't understand," I cut her off.
She looked at me for a long time before scooting off the counter and around me. "You're right. I guess I don't."
"Bella..."
"I have to clean, Edward."
I hated that the rest of the afternoon was awkward. Bella would barely meet my eyes, and I couldn't stand the thought of speaking out of turn and causing her more heartache. Her disappointment in the limits of our relationship was only natural, I reasoned. I also took it as another sign that being with her was the most selfish kind of love imaginable. She deserved so much more than what I could offer her. By the time we'd finished all of her preparations for her mother's arrival, we'd whispered apologies to one another and she swore the subject was forgotten. I knew that she was lying to both of us, but for the time being I had no choice but to let her.
~(~)~
I returned to Bella's apartment the next day to meet her mother, and to be reintroduced to her father as well. It seemed we both felt it important for the introductions to go smoothly and that mutual goal erased any awkwardness leftover from the previous afternoon. I was relieved to be greeted with a genuine smile from Bella and even more pleased when she easily took my hand and introduced me to first her mother and later, her father.
It became immediately apparent upon our meeting that Renee Dwyer was almost as perceptive as her daughter. Almost, but not quite. Fortunately for me, her insights were more fanciful and imaginative than they were discerning. She was also easily distracted, just as Bella had described her. While it did not escape Renee's attention that there was something off about me, she soon became more focused on the intensity of my relationship with her daughter than on the things about me that seemed otherworldly. It was obvious to her how much I cared for Bella, and it seemed as plain as day to her that Bella was in love with me. I found it both reassuring and unsettling to see us through her mother's eyes as the day continued on. To the one person who had known Bella the longest, there was an ease and physical awareness between us that I had never taken note of before. But perhaps that was because I'd always exhausted so much effort trying to subdue the side of me that was anything but at ease around Bella.
When Charlie Swan arrived in Seattle that afternoon, I was actually looking forward to the insight his thoughts and opinions would bring me in regards to Bella. Of course, I hoped he would accept me as a part of his daughter's life as easily as Renee had, but I didn't anticipate a huge problem considering that Chief Swan had always been warm and accepting of my family when we lived in Forks. There was one drawback to his arrival, however. Sue Clearwater was planning to attend Bella's graduation with him and after their last meeting, the thought of seeing her again had Bella on edge. We were both surprised when her father arrived without Sue at his side. Charlie's partially obstructed thoughts gave me no clue as to the reason for Sue's absence, so I had to wait for Bella to bring it up in conversation to find out what had happened.
"So Dad, where's Sue today? I thought she was coming with you,"
"Well, Bells... she's actually here. Um, in Seattle I mean." His eyes flitted to Renee and then back again before he finished. "She spoke to Seth this morning and I guess he's coming down with something. She wanted to check on him so I dropped her off at his dorm on my way here. She said she call me in a bit."
Bella stopped moving almost entirely at Charlie's words. Her eyes met mine briefly and although I couldn't read her mind, I had a pretty good idea where her thoughts were going.
"Seth is sick?" she asked, her voice unsteady.
Charlie shrugged. "I guess. I don't really know. I haven't heard from Sue yet."
Bella paled. "I'm going to call her," she said, jumping up from the kitchen table presumably to go find her phone.
"Bella," I called after her.
"What was that all about?" Renee asked, looking concerned at her daughter's sudden departure.
"I don't know," Charlie said. "Maybe she's worried Seth won't be able to be there at the graduation tomorrow. She said Embry wasn't going to make it either and those two were thick as thieves the last year or so."
Renee frowned. "You know... I'm not sure I will ever understand her friendship with all those boys," she commented.
Worried, and trying to hide how much I agreed with Renee, I excused myself and went after Bella. She was sitting outside on her front step when I found her, her phone held to her ear. I heard it ringing.
"Hello?" a feminine voice answered.
"Sue?"
"Oh hi, Bella. You must have heard."
"Yes. What's wrong with Seth? Is he...?"
"Yes. It's the fever."
"Oh, Sue..." Bella gasped. "Oh, Seth... I'm so sorry."
"Ah, honey..." the woman sighed. "It's not your fault. Don't you even think for a minute that this is your fault. I know what I said when you were in Forks... but I was wrong to put that on you. So, I'm the one who is sorry."
"But you were right. I..." Bella's words fell off as she raised her eyes to mine. She shook her head minutely and I could see the conflict raging in her eyes. I sat down on the step next to her as Sue's tinny voice came back through the line.
"Hey, you listen to me, Bella. I was crazy with worry when we talked last time, okay? I was beyond desperate to try and spare my son something that I watched destroy my daughter's life. But Seth is not Leah. And he's not Sam either. Or even Jacob. The silly boy is actually looking forward to what's about to happen to him."
"So he knows?" Bella asked, trying to keep her tears at bay. I could hear her parents inside wondering where we were. Renee would be getting up to look for us at any moment.
Sue continued. "Yes, he knows."
"And is he okay? Can he... I mean, do you know how long before..."
"He started with the tremors not long after I got here. I called Billy and Sam. They said it could be a few more hours, or a few more days. They had me call Embry and he's on his way over. Sam and the others aren't far behind."
Bella's eyes shot to mine. "Others?" Who?"
Sue seemed to pause longer than was necessary. "I think he was bringing Quil... and Jacob."
Bella nodded, her breathing accelerated. "They'll be there soon then..."
I whispered words of comfort to her as Sue chuckled lowly. "Don't worry, Bells. The boys are going to have their hands full here."
Bella let out a small breath. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"How are things going there? Is your dad okay with... him?"
"If you mean are he and Edward getting along well, then yes. He's fine. They're both fine."
"That's good. I'm sorry I can't be more supportive, Bella."
"Yeah, I know," Bella sighed. "So, um, what are we... what are you going to tell my dad?"
"That Seth has a bad case of the flu and I'm taking him home to La Push since the semester is over."
"But Charlie drove you here."
"Seth has a car and your father knows how stubborn I am."
Bella laughed quietly.
"Don't worry, Bella. I'll call Charlie and take care of everything. Just enjoy your visit with him and your mom. And congratulations on finishing school. We're all so proud of you."
"Thanks," Bella said softly. "I'm sorry you won't be there, Sue. Really. And Seth, too. Will you tell him for me?"
"Of course, honey. I know he wishes he could be there. But he wouldn't want you to worry about him, okay?"
"I know," Bella said, her voice shaky.
"Your mother is coming, sweetheart," I murmured in her ear.
Bella nodded and began speaking quickly into the phone. "I gotta go, Sue. Call my dad. And will you call me back when you get Seth home?"
"Of course, honey. And Bella?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry again for the position I put you in last month. I still wish you weren't involved with the Cullens personally, but I can't deny what they've done for our people. What they're doing still. Just be careful, honey. It would kill your father if anything happened to you."
Bella cringed at Sue's words. She mouthed an apology, but I just shook my head. She was in no need of apologizing. Sue spoke the truth and denying it changed nothing.
I heard Bella's mother coming towards us.
"Smile, beautiful girl. Here comes Renee." I kissed her temple as she went back to her conversation with Sue.
Renee opened the front door and looked down on us with a giggle.
"Are you two hiding from us already?" she chirped. Bella turned around and waved, pointing to the phone while I stood up and distracted Renee so Bella could finish her conversation.
"She was checking on Seth," I explained.
Renee smiled. "Uh, huh. And you? What were you doing?" she teased.
I grinned as disarmingly as I could without "dazzling" her. "I was holding her hand."
"Uh huh..." she said, blinking but still dubious.
"What's going on out here?" Charlie called out from behind her.
Renee stepped back and gestured to the steps. "Bella's just on the phone. And apparently she needed Edward's help with that," she teased.
"Who's she talking to?" Charlie asked, ignoring Renee's remark.
"Sue, I believe," I answered casually.
Charlie frowned a bit. "Seth okay?"
I shrugged, as Bella stood and headed back inside. "Hey, dad... Sue should be-"
Charlie's phone started ringing as she spoke. "-calling," Bella finished with a small smile.
He nodded, looking a little embarrassed, and excused himself to the kitchen. A moment later Renee ran off to find her phone upstairs, having been reminded that she needed to call her husband as well.
"Are you alright, love?" I whispered when they were both gone.
"I'm fine. Seth on the other hand..."
"Wouldn't want you to worry," I said, leading her to the living room to sit down.
She sighed as she curled up on the sofa. "So you heard all of that then?"
"Yes," I answered honestly, sitting with her.
"Are you worried?" she asked.
I smiled at her. "Not at all," I lied.
"Really?"
"The only thing I am concentrating on right now, is you," I said, touching my fingertip to her nose. "And maybe your altogether too curious mother," I winked.
"And what about the wolves?" she whispered.
I sighed. "As many times as they've been through this, I'm sure the pack knows how to handle the situation."
"They're not down on the rez, Edward. Seth lives in a dormitory on a crowded college campus smack dab in the middle of Seattle."
"Okay, point is taken and conceded. But what is there to do? You are not going anywhere near there right now."
Bella scowled. "I'm going to pretend that you didn't just try to tell me what to do, and go ahead and agree with you for now. But still... I'm worried. I mean, what if-"
"Your dad's coming back," I said quickly. I tucked a strand of wayward hair behind Bella's ear and smiled crookedly at her, hoping to make it look as though we hadn't been having a serious conversation.
Bella blushed and pushed my hand away. "No dazzling in front of my parents, please," she whispered.
Her words caused me to start laughing lightly, and I was chuckling still when Charlie finally appeared from the kitchen. Renee coincidentally made her way back down the stairs about the same time.
"Well, Sue is insisting she take Seth home immediately," Charlie announced.
"What? Why?" Renee asked.
"He has the flu. I guess it's pretty bad. High fever. Body aches. The whole nine yards," Charlie answered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Charlie, that's four hours there and four hours back," Renee said, her voice concerned.
"Not to worry, Ren. Seth has his own car here," Charlie soothed her. "Sue will drive him down in that."
"Oh, thank goodness..." Renee put her hand over her heart dramatically, making Bella shake her head and Charlie roll his eyes. Renee noticed the gesture and began stammering. "I mean, it's not good that Seth is sick, or that Sue can't make it to the graduation, but... oh, you know what I mean."
"Yes, Renee. We understand," Charlie chuckled.
Bella laughed quietly along with him, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes all the way. I squeezed her hand gently, trying to soothe her anxiety. Renee noticed and sat down on the other side of her daughter, placing her arm around Bella's shoulder. I moved back a bit to allow her to comfort Bella.
"What are you worried about, baby? Seth will be fine. He'll be over it in a week or so," she murmured.
Bella smiled at her mom and nodded, but didn't say anything which just made Renee nudge her shoulder and whisper in her ear. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you happen to have the hottest boyfriend in all of Seattle right now, so you don't get to be morose."
And even though I shouldn't have been able to hear, Bella knew immediately that I had, and her sputtering, red-faced response had me fighting very hard not to laugh. Charlie noticed and looked from the girls to me in question. I shrugged, but not before he saw the odd expression on my face.
"Everything okay over there, Edward?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh, yes... Fine, sir. I just had something stuck in my throat for a second."
"I'll bet you did," Bella muttered. When she finally turned her face to look at me, I honestly couldn't help but grin widely and wink at her. Predictably, she turned bright red once more.
Inevitably, Bella and her parents grew hungry and the subject turned to dining out. Alice had warned me a week ago that I might be forced to choke down some actual human food if I went along with them, but I was prepared to suffer through the meal for Bella's sake. Almost as soon as the humans in the room were settled on a restaurant, my phone buzzed once inside my pocket. I retrieved it and checked the message.
Head's up... You just got all fuzzy on me.
Call me when you find out why.
Please?
"Everything, okay?" Bella asked quietly.
I nodded and was about to show her the message in lieu of saying anything out loud, but was interrupted by the familiar sounds of Duran Duran.
Burning the ground,
I break from the crowd,
I'm on the hunt I'm after you...
Bella's eyes flashed to mine and her cheeks flushed predictably. She got up to find her phone with a wry smile. The expression on her face told me she was putting some effort into not laughing. I didn't even try to hide it, and chuckled openly at the ringtone she'd assigned to Embry.
I smell like I sound,
I'm lost and I'm found,
And I'm hungry like the wolf...
Despite her parents confusion, my laughter only grew at the memory of the first time I heard her little version of an inside joke. As Bella's phone had always been set to silent due to her running between work and school, it had come as a surprise one day when she apparently turned the volume on and left it on while we were visiting my family. I don't think I'd ever seen Bella quite so embarrassed, or quite so amused, as she'd been when she explained who the caller was. As red as she'd turned, it seemed a relief to her to have someone, anyone, to share the joke with. And my siblings didn't disappoint. Emmett in particular had laughed so hard, that he'd been reduced to silent, tearless sobs when all of the air had been pushed out of his lungs and he still remained unable to stop laughing.
I was still thinking about how Jasper had been forced to help Emmett get his emotions under control even after Bella picked up.
"Hello?" her voice spoke, interrupting my reverie.
"Hey, Bells... It's me."
"Yes, Embry, I know. Hi," Bella giggled.
"Why are you... Oh yeah, your ringtone. I forgot," he said.
Bella frowned. There was something off with Embry's voice, even I could hear it. Three weeks ago I might not have been aware of the strain there without his thoughts to tip me off, but Embry and I had come to an uneasy kinship based on our mutual interest in Bella's wellbeing, and of course the threat we both faced in Victoria.
The slippery red-head in question had moved her camp just shortly after we found it. When the press in Olympia began to report the increased number of abductions and violent murders in the area, Victoria was wise enough to move on to new hunting grounds. The question had been and continued to be, where? Their trail had gone cold where it ran into the frigid waters of Puget Sound. Despite a combined effort –the wolves combing their side of the territory, and we combing ours– we'd failed to pick up any further evidence of the newborns or Victoria again. It should have been almost impossible for them to disappear like that, except that the unique geography of the area in and around Puget Sound worked to their advantage. Even Alice's visions had been unable to give us any further clues. The occasional nondescript or vacant house that Alice saw them in could have been any number of several thousand homes located in the region. The only thing we did know was that they hadn't completely disappeared from Alice's sight, which meant that Victoria was biding her time and possibly adding to her number before moving against the wolves again.
In the meantime, Embry and I both waited and learned to tolerate the multiple ways our two worlds had become intertwined. Bella being the most significant one to me, of course.
"What's wrong, Em?" she asked, bringing my focus back to the present.
"Nothing, Bells. Nothing to worry about anyway. I was actually calling just to let you know that Seth is okay. Sue said you were feeling guilty and I told her I'd check on you."
"Oh, thanks," Bella said. "So... he's hanging in there?"
"Yeah, he is. He'll be better when we can get him home. Which reminds me..."
"What?"
"Well, uh, I just wondered if you know whether there are security cameras on all the doors going in and out Seth's dorm."
"Yeah, there are. There should be at least," she answered looking confused at first. I watched as she paled ever so slightly. "Why?"
"Um, well, you know, I'm not really a student here and uh..."
Bella got up to go in the kitchen. "Embry, don't," she huffed. "Tell me what's really going on."
Renee looked after her and then at me. "Is she always running off like that?"
"On occasion," I said, trying to keep a light mood with her parents even as I continued listening into Bella's conversation.
"Listen, B... don't freak out. I just need to get Seth out of here as quickly as I can and I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention. Sue is already waiting in the car for us, but..."
"Is he... Did he?"
"Not yet. I just wanted to know what we were dealing with just in case."
Bella sighed heavily. "From what I know, most of the dorms have cameras on all the external doors and then there are cameras outside the building as well. And if you see any of those blue emergency phones around campus, they all have cameras on them too."
"Thanks, B. And seriously, don't worry. Seth will be fine. We'll get him out of here."
Bella was quiet except for the sound of her breathing and her nails tapping on the kitchen counter. I got up and excused myself from the living room to check on her.
"I'll call you later, 'kay?" Embry asked finally.
Bella sighed. "Sure, sure..."
Her back was to me as I stepped into the kitchen after she'd ended the call. From the pattern of her breathing I guessed she was trying not to cry. I stepped behind her and slid my arms around her, hugging her to me gently.
"Are you alright?"
She shook her head and then turned in my arms, wrapping her small arms around my waist and burying her face in my chest. It took her several breaths to voice her fears.
"What if Seth phases in the dorm? What if someone gets hurt and he hates me after this, Edward?"
"He won't hate you."
"How can you be so sure?" she whined.
I chuckled. "Years of experience."
She tilted her head up to look at me. "I was being serious."
"So was I," I said sincerely.
She stared at me a moment longer. "Would you... Never mind," she said, looking away.
"What is it, Bella?"
"It's nothing. I was just being silly."
I tilted her chin up. "Tell me, please? You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."
She smiled and shook her head. "I just want to know what's going on. As long as I've been friends with Embry and Jake, they've kept me at arm's length. I get that sometimes they didn't have a choice, but it's stuff like this –like what's happening with Seth- that drives me absolutely insane."
"I know the feeling," I smiled, taking her face between my palms and kissing her forehead. She giggled softly.
"Yes, I guess you do. But... at least I don't shut you out on purpose." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's not as if I can control whether or not you can read my mind."
"True enough. Though that would be something," I mused. Bella rolled her eyes, but smiled. I heard Charlie get up and sensed his concern over where we'd disappeared to. I not-so-subtly shifted my eyes towards the hall. "Your father is on his way in here to check on us."
As if on cue, Charlie cleared his throat from the doorway as he approached. "Everything okay in here?
"Yeah, Dad. We're fine," Bella answered, stepping away from me when her father came into view. Charlie studied the distance between us and then honed in on Bella's face, examining her moist eyes, rosy cheeks and fidgeting hands with unease.
"You ready to go eat now?" he asked. "Your mother is still on Atlantic time, so we should get going before she starves or falls asleep."
Not long after, we were passing by the University of Washington campus while I drove Bella and her parents to dinner. In the midst of fielding questions about my own education and career aspirations, I picked up on the thoughts of several all too familiar minds nearby.
It was slightly odd for an individual mind to jump out at me from the hum of background noise in a city this size, but then the wolf-pack mindset was completely distinguishable from just about anything else I'd experienced. Their thoughts rang through loud and clear. And as I tried to make sense of what I was hearing and seeing in their collective mind, it became clear that one set of thoughts in particular were less than ordered. They were, in fact, panicked.
Fur... What the...? Oh, crap... Too small... Everything is too small... Why is my room so small? Trapped... How the hell do I get out of here?
In my effort to decipher what was happening with who I assumed to be Seth, I missed a question that Charlie had asked from his seat next to me. A question that apparently had Bella in an uproar.
"Dad!"
"What?" he asked, glancing at her through the partition between the seats. "It's a valid question."
"It's rude."
"Bella..." Renee cut in. "Your father's not being rude. It's not as if we know many musicians. Least of all any that have studied all over the world like Edward has. We're not insinuating anything, we're just curious."
I chuckled as I realized that Charlie had asked about the consistency of my income as a supposed musician. It was the cover story Bella and I both decided to go with since the groundwork had already been laid when I left Forks. Although I'd doubted that her father had any recollection of my imaginary transfer to a conservatory in Europe five years ago, it was one less thing Bella had to lie to him about since I did actually play and compose.
"It's okay, Bella. I don't mind," I smiled, momentarily putting aside my concern over what was happening with the wolf pack. Instead I turned my attention back to impressing Bella's parents.
Charlie looked at me expectantly, so I answered his question and a number of other concerns he had as we made our way towards Seattle Center. It was obvious to me that Chief Swan was in investigative mode, evaluating my fitness to care for Bella. Eventually Renee caught on to what he was doing and put a stop to it. Of course, then she began her own round of questioning.
By the time we reached the restaurant, Bella was fit to be tied. While we waited for our table, I spoke softly in her ear, reassuring her that I was not at bothered by the inquisition. In fact, I'd quite enjoyed it. The only exception had been the part where I'd been distracted by the thoughts of a particular group of Quileutes. Not that I shared that fact with her immediately.
Dinner went well. Charlie and Renee were more amicable than any other previously married couple I'd had the pleasure of knowing. Not that I'd known many, but in my experience it was usually the case that that ex-spouses' thoughts dripped with bitterness and resentment towards each other. Perhaps it was simply the passage of time, or maybe that Bella's parents had both moved on, but I got nothing of the sort from either of them.
With Bella's assistance, and a beautiful view of Seattle to aide me as well, I managed to get away with eating very little actual food while we dined. Just two bites of the least unappetizing thing on my plate had been required to satisfy everyone at the table that I was eating. Even Bella was convinced that I'd eaten more than that and was surprised when I told her that I'd not.
"Really? That's it? Just two bites?" she asked, her eyebrows arched high. I laughed quietly.
"Yes, really."
"Wow... you're very good," she smiled and I laughed again.
She glanced over her shoulder at the partially closed door behind her and sighed. We were back at her apartment, saying our goodbyes until her graduation ceremony the next day since she had overnight guests staying; her father was sleeping on the couch, and her mother in Jessica Stanley's old room. I'd already bid adieu to Charlie and Renee, but Bella had insisted on walking me out.
"Thank you again for tonight. I think they're almost as in love with you as I am," Bella said quietly, teasing. I smiled.
"I wouldn't go that far. But you're welcome. And I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..." she sighed, pushing out her bottom lip.
I smiled and stroked the lip in question with my thumb. "I could always sneak in your window after your parents are asleep."
Bella looked up, surprised but obviously delighted. "You would do that?"
I laughed, thinking of how I'd considered it several times already. "I was actually kidding just now, but yes. If it would make you happy I would."
"Then climb in my window," she said, her voice dropping low and a lone eyebrow arching high.
"Bella..." I warned, taking a small step back.
"Oh fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, I'll be good."
"Thank you."
"So are you headed home now?" she asked.
"Perhaps."
She regarded me for a moment and then narrowed her eyes pointedly. "Where else would you go?"
I laughed again. Was that jealousy I detected? It seemed like that was the case when she looked down, seemingly embarrassed.
I touched her cheek tenderly and then placed a small kiss where my thumb had been. "Don't worry. I just may have a small errand I need to attend to."
She sighed at the feel of my cool lips on her skin. "An errand..." Her eyes snapped up a moment later, and she blinked. "Wait. It's not some big graduation surprise, is it?"
I let out my own frustrated breath and stood up straight. "No. It's not." I was still upset that she wouldn't indulge me when it came to buying her things, but I knew that was a tedious conversation best left for another time. As it was, there was enough going on tonight. The drive home had once again been interrupted by the thoughts of her werewolves nearby. I was surprised they were still around at all, but it seemed as though they had a bit of a situation on their hands. Or paws, as it were.
"Oh, okay..." Bella said quietly, biting her bottom lip and looking somewhat unsure. "I'll still see you later, right?"
"Of course."
"Tonight?"
"Yes, tonight."
"Do I need to leave the window open?"
I smiled. "No. Though if you don't want me to have to repair it later, you should leave it unlocked."
She smiled and then shivered. "Okay."
"Go inside, love."
She nodded and quickly (for her) reached up to kiss my cheek before retreating inside. I watched after her as she shut the door, but as soon as I heard the click of the lock, I turned and walked towards my car at normal human pace. It wasn't until I heard Bella asking her father if he'd heard from Sue Clearwater that my mind was entirely made up. I took one look at her beautiful but worried face in Charlie's mind and knew what I had to do.
I only hoped I wasn't about to lose an arm, or my head, for what I was thinking of doing. Even if the brand new werewolf involved didn't take me apart, I was fairly certain that one of my sisters might.
~(~)~
End Notes:
Uh, oh... what is that crazy vamp-boy off to do now? I would love to hear your theories, but you will definitely find out in the next chapter. Which I am very happy to say is already written. :-) Update will be in about a week.
Thanks, Ginnie
(PS- I'm VGMay if you're on Twitter)