I had been in the bath for an immeasurable amount of time. I had no idea what part of day it was but I didn't care.
I just sat in the tub refilling it every now and then so it stayed hot. I had some of my friends around me. Every now and then someone would knock on the door to check how I was.
I loved the fact I was no longer on my own. I got cosy in my bath and enjoying it, a little too much.
''Bella. . . Love, are you okay?''
''I'm fine and still alive.'' I replied back with a chuckle.
''Carlisle and I need to nip off to do . . . . . a job. Esme is going to stay till you get out of the bath and then she will head off. Will you be okay for an hour or so on your own?''
''Yes. I'll be fine.''
''I've taken my belongings to the room on the left of the lounge so don't worry about watching your feet. Ok?''
''Ok.'' I smiled at myself then decided to be sentimental. ''Edward?''
''Yes love.'' His concerned reply came from the other side of the door. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me while I was still in the bath. It was too good to get out off, I was too comfertable.
''Get in here.''
''Um Bella. . . . I don't think that is a good idea.''
''Edward, just get in here.'' He opened the door and popped his head in with his eyes closed.
''Edward, I'm covered please open your eyes.''
''Oh okay?'' He said shocked, then he looked at me and laughed. ''Bella, what are you going to dry yourself with?'' I waved my hand to show I don't really care.
''I'll deal with that later. Now get over here.'' I said playfully. When he got to the tub, he kneeled down and placed his head on his arms.
'Yes love.' He smiled with a grin that could melt butter. I leaned down to him and kissed him long and passionately.
''Have a nice meeting. Don't let them terrorise you too much.'' Edward leaned in for another kiss and then he moaned against my lips.
We held each other tighter and he then fell into the bathtub. He turned around quickly and climbed out before looking at me and whispering.
''Bella, I have to go while I can still think like the gentleman I am.'' I giggled as he pressed his lips to my forehead and then rushed out the room, Looking horribly embarrassed.
I heard Esme and Carlisle laugh. I was still laughing when I heard another knock.
''Yes.'' I called out
''Bella, I've got you some dry towels here.'' Esme responded
''Come in Esme. There's no need to talk through the door.'' I chuckled back. The door opened and then Esme placed the towels on the towel rack.
''How are you feeling?''
''Fantastic.' I replied as she left the bathroom. ''Thank you Esme.''
I got out of the bath and walked into Edwards room seeking out something comfortable. I searched around till I found one of his jumpers.
I threw it on and held it to my nose as I took a deep breath in trying to calm myself down. I walked out of the room and headed back to the council chamber.
I was tiered but I wanted to be with Edward. I needed to be sure Edward was here and safe. I walked down the long corridor getting more and more stressed.
Would they let me in? Would Edward be there? What would they decide to do with me? The worries had to stop as I came face to face with the large double oak doors of the council chamber.
The guard at the door opened it for me. I smiled and whispered 'Thank you'. He bowed his head in response.
I hobbled through the double doors leaving my worries on the other side. I looked around and saw him there at the opposite end of the table.
Everyone had fallen silent when I got through the door. I couldn't help but smile at seeing him, seeing my Edward.
Edward must have sensed what I wanted as he looked at me. He pushed the chair back slightly and stood up.
As I got closer to him he held out his arms to me. I didn't look at anyone else in the room. I kept my eyes on the only man I needed.
I pushed him back into his seat, which he willingly let me do. I then crawled into his lap.
I had my Edward back and I decided then that I would not let him go, ever again. I did notice Natalie holding up her hand in a stop fashion.
The figures around the room that had started to move stopped at her signal and walked backwards to their starting position again.
''Are you alright?'' he whispered into my ear. I didn't care how disrespectful I was being to everyone else. I wanted to feel safe and that was all I cared about.
When someone coffed I looked up and then tried to slide off Edwards lap to the seat next to his. He wouldn't let me move.
''I am now.'' I can't help but let the need to be near him hint at my voice.
I lean into his neck and took a deep breath in and tried to burn the memory of his scent into my mind. I could feel sleep taking over and I happily let it.
I have my comforter, my security blanket that told me I was safe. Edward started rubbing my back and toying with my hair.
As I drift off and go into a bizarre dream of nothing but voices.
''I love going home and walking into the house to find her asleep on the sofa. I adore doing things for her. I feel like my life isn't complete unless I'm doing something for her. Everything I do for her makes my existence worthwhile. I get fearful at the thought of not going home to find her there waiting for me.''
I felt a gust of air blow out of him. He then sucked in a deep breath and nuzzled his face into my hair.
''Finding Bella missing nearly broke me. I've not stopped looking for her the whole time she has been gone. I can't live without her and I'm sure she feels the same way.''
''Edward, I understand. Believe me I do but we have to protect her.''
''Her health is clearly suffering. Wouldn't it be better for me to take her home with me? Please. I know how honourable your intentions are but she is safe with me and my family. We have eight vampires in total. How can she not be safe there? She can carry on living her normal life.''
I can hear Edwards voice seep with desperation.
''I would do anything for her and I mean anything.'' I could hear his plea to keep us together.
''We will gladly temporarily move in with Bella and stay here, if it helps to prove what we say.'' When did Carlisle join this dream?
''Bella obviously needs this. When I saw her earlier it didn't look like she has slept properly in a while.''
I hear someone suck in a breath of air and then puff it out as if to settle their nerves.
''She hasn't been. I've been getting daily reports. She is sleeping in twelve hour or more blocks and barely eating. When she sleeps she is constantly fitting or thrashing about and screaming.''
Natalie is sounding more and more concerned as she speaks.
''Will you at least consider letting us prove that we can protect and look after Bella?'' Edwards buries his face into my hair.
''I don't like this. Is it just me or is anyone else missing the key bit of information. They are vampires. How can vampires be safer than the council? We are talking about looking after a simple human.''
I heard a fist hit the table. I felt the growl Edward desperately tries to hide at the comment.
I whimper at the sound of this harsh atmosphere, I could feel the environment getting threatening. I feel the comfort of a hand twirling through my hair again.
I start to feel the calm atmosphere again and Edward starts humming. There is silence for an immeasurable amount of time as Edward hums and rubs my back.
I sink back deeper into his arms sighing as I go.
''She is not a simple human, she is MY sister. I think what we have all just witnessed proves this is what SHE needs.'' I can hear the force in Natalie's voice.
''I know Bella, she will not get better till she feels safe and relaxed. I vote for giving the Cullen's a chance to calm her down. Let's see exactly how much a difference in her they can make.''
I knew it was Alex but he sounded so forceful with his vote.
''I vote for giving this a try. Everything else we have tried hasn't worked.'' I wanted to smile at Marie in gratitude but I couldn't, I was too tiered.
''I don't want vampires anywhere near 'The Brambles' they are too dangerous.'' Chris snaps and growls.
''If Bella has faith and trusts that these vampires will not hurt her. I will go by her judgement. Am I right in my presumption that she knows the basics of what you are?'' I have never heard Natalie talk this way. She was firm but determined.
'Edward has told her everything she needs to know about us. We will always openly discuss what we are with her. We will not hide what we are from her.''
''Does all of your family feel that way or is it just the way you and Edward feel?''
''My whole family sees Bella as part of our family and we do not hide who we are from each other.'
''I think we need to try it and see what happens after a week. My only condition would be that the Cullens and Bella stay in The Blackberry wing. Where we can supervise and monitor the situation.''
Tthis new voice sounded concerned but caring.
''I think it's settled then. Carlisle, are you sure your family don't mind staying in the 'Blackberry wing' with Edward and Bella? We will review in a week as to where we go from there.''
I hear a growl coming from somewhere. I listen as chairs scraping backwards and footsteps scurry away from us. One set tho is walking towards me.
''Edward, the woman in your arms is my sister and I love her with all my heart. If you hurt her there will be hell to pay, but I can already see a difference in her from your return to her life.''
Natalie is whispering very quietly. I feel like I am floating and shuffled about a bit. Then I hear another whisper.
''Edward this will work she already seems better than I've seen her in weeks. Carlisle if there is anything you or your family need, please don't hesitate but to let me know straight away.''
I can feel a new hand stroke my hair and then the cold stone lips of the man I love touching the top of my head.
''Thank you Natalie. I know she is your sister but she is the love of my existence.'' The darkness then takes me away.
I rolled over and felt someone else in my bed. I had an arm under my pillow. I started to worry till I felt their hand rub down my back and heard the best sound in the world.
''Are you with me now?'' He whispered into my ear before placing a kiss behind my ear.
''Obviously not because your still here.'' He chuckled at me and I started laughing as well. I felt his hand rub against my cheek. I nestled into his shoulder and dropped my arm over his chest.
I started drawing lazy trails over his chest.
''Have I really been that bad?''
'Unfortunately yes. I had to throw the pillow under your head because you kept fitting. I got worried you would hurt yourself but if I moved off the bed you would start up again.''
''Sorry.'' I felt the guilt from having him watch over me. I hated the guilt of taking over his life. I was a monster because everyone regularly had to give up part of their life to babysit me.
''Bella. Don't.'' Edward's chest raised and then lowered as he puffed out a breath of air over the top of my head.
''I care about you, as hard as it was to watch I got to be with you. I saw you have some peaceful moments and some stressful ones. I have you in my arms, safe and sound. That means everything to me. I worry about you but I know you feel better and you'll keep getting better.
We will all flock around you, to protect and love you. We are here because we want to not because we have to or feel sorry for you.'' I squeezed closer into him and placed my hand over his.
''Nothing else matters to me but you. When I'm with you I feel complete and whole again. Being around you is not only enjoyable but fun as well. I've walked around for nearly two hundred years exploring the world.
The whole time I thought I was happy and complete but I wasn't. When you walked into my world you made me realise how incomplete my world really was. . . . . When I am with you my world is complete, but when you're gone my world is rushing away with you. I don't want to be on my own anymore.''
I could have sworn if he was able to cry he would be.
''I feel exactly the same only I wish I had walked around for two hundred years following you.'' I whispered back to him.
''I have a surprise for you. Would you like it?''
''Yes please.'' Any surprise off Edward was a hit or miss but I would gladly take it today. I just hoped he hadn't spent a fortune on whatever it was. Edward shuffled about a bit and dropped his hand off the side of the bed.
When Edwards hand returned to the bed I looked at him lost. I put my hands out and examined the jar. It was a hand cut jar with a lid on it. Why was he holding an Empty jar?
''Okay, I'm sorry but I don't get it.'' Edward started laughing now.
''I don't either but Natalie said you would understand.'' I still looked puzzled and then turned to him.
''She said if you still didn't get it to hand you this.'' His hand then appeared in front of me with a pad of paper and a pen.
''Oh my god. No way.'' I squealed before laughing my head off. Edward stared laughing with me. A few minutes later we were both quiet.
''Does this mean you understand what this is then?'' He said pointing to the jar.
''Yes. It's a jar of dreams.'' I replied with a smile.
''A jar of dreams?'' He looked puzzled.
''You take strips of paper and write down something you want to do.'' I looked at him.
''They have to be achievable small dreams. You add things like picnics and miniature adventures. You can't put a do by date on them. When a bad day comes along you pull out a dream and you arrange to do it within two weeks, of it being drawn. By the end of the jar you should of accomplished your bigger dream.''
''How does doing small things lead to a big thing?''
''Let's say you had a dream to become more confident.'' I looked at him to see if he was following me to see his eyes staring deep into mine. 'You fill the jar with things that build your confidence.
The little dreams make the bigger dream achievable.''
''It sounds like fun.'' Edward leaned over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
''My jars have always been to make me happier.''
''Why always to make you happier?''
''Because when we do them I tend to be ill. I've never really completed a jar though.''
I felt a bit disheartened at the memory of the times we tried to do it and the goals were rarely achieved.
''Why is that Bella?''
''I never get to complete them because to do the things on them I always need someone to go with me, so it gets complicated and complicated means you lose enthusiasm.''
I looked down at my hands and felt the shame wash over me. Something so easy should never be so hard.
I felt Edwards hand go under my chin and cup it as he drew my eyes to him.
''You write your jar and I'll help you accomplish it.'' He whispered gently before wiping a tear away, I didn't realise was on my cheek.
''Thanks for the offer Edward but I'm fed up of waiting on people to let me go and live my life. Passengers are not always fun to take along. I don't want you to feel compelled to do things for me.''
I tried to hide the hurt from my face. I had remembered the last time I decided to do something for myself.
The fight I had had with my mum had been the worse fight ever.
''Well Miss Swan.'' He said in a very polished tone. He had a slightly menacing expression on his face.
''What are you planning Mr Cullen?'' He started chuckling.
''I think it's time I snuck you out. We can go do whatever you want. No permission needed to do it unless . . . ''
and there it was the massive conditions. ''. . . One you have fun doing it. Two nothing overly dangerous and finally three we ask no one for permission.''
He smiled at me. Did he really mean it? What do I do? What do I say?
''It's now or never Bella.'' I looked at him concerned. Could this really happen and work? I should really say no.
''Okay then but we do it fairly.'' If we both wrote a list and put it in the same jar we could both get a say then.
''What are you thinking?'' He replied with a slight smile.
''We write all the things we want to do down, both of us.'' I said waggling a finger between the spaces between the pair of us.
''Then we put them in the jar. We take turns to pick a slip out and we have two weeks to do it in. Agreed?''
I smiled this now meant it wouldn't be one sided. I couldn't help but grin and chuckle at that idea. I wondered what he would put on his list.
''That's fine with me.'' He grinned too.
''But I do have one more condition. . . '' I started stressing over this. Oh god what was this condition going to be?
''I want you to choose the first dream out of the jar and we do it this weekend.'' If that was all he demanded then I can't say no. Can I?
I got up leaving him on the bed and scoured the draws in the kitchen for a pair of scissors. I ran back and saw him stressing.
''Oh come on Edward, we have to start working on our lists.''
I squealed at him as I grabbed a pile of paper, the scissors and pens. I skipped into the front room with my arms full pulling Edward along.
I dropped everything onto the coffee table and then realised I had left the jar in my room.
''I'll get the jar. You start writing.'' He grinned at me while grabbing a piece of paper.
''Shame I have no internet access.'' I mumbled to myself.
''Actually you do. They gave it to you when we all agreed to stick with the rules and you weren't likely to talk to anyone else.''
I spun around so quickly I nearly knocked into a wall.
''Really?''
''It's there in the corner.'' I squealed and grabbed the bag he pointed to. I pulled out my laptop and placed it on the coffee table.
''Use my laptop if you need to.'' I shouted as I ran towards my bedroom.
''Bella! Is there a particular reason as to why the paper is purple?'' He shouted back.
''It's lilac, not purple.'' I grinned. ''It's because I can read off lilac the best.'' I grabbed the jar and walked back into the front room and placed it on the table.
''Um Bella. Do we show each other our dreams before we add it to the jar?''
''That's an interesting thought. . . .' We both sat thinking for a few minutes till I then said. ''No. Let's make this as fun as possible. Fold each suggestion up tightly and add it to the jar.''
We spent the next hour writing and researching things we wanted to do with our dream jar. I looked at my list and couldn't help but chuckle at some of the things on it.
We never said they had to be sensible. I had twenty two 'dreams' on my list.
Some were old and others were new dreams that I had never thought about. I started cutting my dreams into strips and folding them up to throw in the jar.
''Once they are in the jar they can only come out to be done but I'm curious. How do you feel about adding things to it as we go along?''
Edward looked over the laptop and from the other side of the coffee table.
''That's fine with me.'' I smiled at him. You never know when there might be something you wanted to add to a jar of dreams.
''Now let's start filling this jar.''
When Edward had finished writing his list he cut them up and folded them into the jar. When all of the slips were added Edward stood up and put the lid on the jar and shook it.
''Now it's all shook up and fair. . '' I looked at him puzzled as he unscrewed the jar lid and pointed it towards me.
''You're first to pick a dream.'' I put my hand in the jar and dug deep to grab one of the 'dreams'. While I bought my hand out.
I started to get nervous whatever was on this piece of paper was about to go from a dream to reality. I started hoping Edward didn't put anything too embarrassing in this jar.
''Right, let's see what we are doing on first.'' I closed my eyes and counted to ten. At the same time my hands were unfolding the dream. I opened my eyes and looked at the dream. I couldn't help but laugh at it.
''What is it we are doing then?'' Edward looked as concerned as I had felt a few seconds ago. This was going to be so much fun.
''So what are we doing Bella?'' He huffed and started to look panicked.
''We have to go. . . on a star light picnic.'' I giggled. I really couldn't see Edward going on a starlight picnic, in the middle of a field. A field, ''Damn.'' I muttered to myself.
''What's wrong Bella?''
''I'm not allowed off site so we can't do the picnic.'' I grumbled crossing my arms. I knew it was too good to be true.
''Bella we are doing this picnic we can sort it out.''
''Edward, I can't just leave the premises. I am only allowed to walk around this place with a guard unless Alex is with me. We are going to have to sort this with the council?''
''Bella, you're with me. You will be safe.'' Edward smirked at me.
''I think we need to check and just make sure.''
''Fine.' He sighed 'Let me go check what the Council say.''
I watched as Edward left the room. He came back about Ten minutes later smiling.
''They said yes in essence.''
''What does that mean?'' How can you have a yes in essence?
''They have some conditions. . . As long as we take an adequate guard with us to the offsite stuff and we give them at least seven days notice we can do it.''
''That's fine with me. Are you okay Edward?''
''Yes I'm fine. Now get over here. I want to watch some telly with you.'' I grabbed the remote and he pulled me onto his lap.
Three days later Alice had spent the day dressing me up. That night I was shooed out of my bedroom and down the flight stairs in a casual outfit with walking boots.
I found Edward at the bottom of the stairs and he held his hand out to me.
''Are you ready love?''
''Where are we going?'' I asked excitedly. I froze when Edward took my arm and led me to the door.
''Edward I can't leave. I'm not allowed off the premises. The council didn't get seven days notice. I don't want to get you in to trouble.'' I squeaked as I stared at him in alarm.
''Edward, get my sister out of here.'' I turned to see Natalie, Alex, Marie and a unhappy looking Chris standing at the top of the stairs.
I smiled at everyone and walked outside to find a carriage waiting for me.
''We were in the sports field twenty minutes later. Edward opened the carriage door for me. I climbed out and then he fished out a picnic basket.
''Starlight picnic remember.''
''Yes I do.'' I giggled happily. We walked into the field and then Edward threw a blanket down on the floor.
I started eating the food Edward unpacked and leaned back into his body to stare at the stars.
''Isn't it beautiful?'' I whispered to Edward scared that if I spoke any louder it would suddenly vanish. Edward didn't reply so I turned to him. What I saw in his face scared me.
''Edward, are you okay?'' Edward didn't reply but I felt him move so he was in front of me. I then saw him whip his phone out and press it to his ear for a few seconds before he slipped it into his pocket.
''Bella, I need you to stand up.''
''Okay.'' I whispered. I stood up and just as I stood I saw what had upset him. On the other end of the field the trees were rattling and out walked three people.
