Chapter 29

EPOV

By four o'clock I was getting nervous. I needed to be back with Bella now. I had enjoyed my afternoon of driving far too fast but now I just wanted to be near her.

'Are you alright son?' Carlisle asked as I once again evacuated myself from the car to let Charlie have a go. I nodded towards Carlisle but he didn't seem convinced and asked again.

"I'm fine. It's stupid. I just worry." I admitted as Charlie roared off down the road chuckling to himself. Carlisle sighed and pulled out his cell phone and began pushing buttons.

"Hello Jasper. I have one very concerned father to be here who wishes to enquire about the well being of his intended... I see… Excellent… Did she? Lovely. Thanks, I'll let him know. Certainly, about half an hour I'd say. Thanks, bye for now." And then he pushed end and turned to me. "She's fine. Jasper took her hunting earlier so she's fed and content. They were just hanging out – his words not mine – but she fell asleep on his bed, which is where she remains. Nothing to worry about."

In his bed? What the fuck was that about? Why were they in Alice and Jasper's room anyway? I needed to get home, now. I turned to Carlisle but he was doubled over laughing and pointing down the road in the direction of home.

"Go. Go on. Your face…too funny…go on Edward, I'll tell Charlie and I'll bring the car home. You go on ahead." He was laughing so hard he was snorting loudly. I didn't even stop to tell him to piss off before I was running.

As I got closer to the house my rage was replaced by panic. I needed to see her, smell her, and taste her urgently. I took all three front steps in one stride and raced to Jasper's room, throwing the door open violently but carefully enough not to let it hit the wall and wake her. She was lying on her side on Alice's bed with a small blanket over her legs. She had her hands under her cheek and she was snuffling gently. The noise was at once familiar and comforting. I took a deep pull of the air and registered her heady scent, swirling it around in my mouth. Oh god, I'd been away from her for four hours and already I was pining for the loss of contact. I wanted to scoop her up into my arms and take her back to our room and lie down with her but she looked far too peaceful, I didn't want to disturb her.

I scanned the room and came to Jasper, seated at his desk but turned towards me and grinning inanely.

"She's fine Edward." He whispered, putting his magazine back in the rack above his head and coming to stand beside me. "You can unclench your fists. Come on." He tugged the shoulder of my shirt out the door and I followed him out into the backyard.

I ran my hand through my hair and paced up and down in a small figure of eight pattern in front of him. My fear, my jealousy, my envy was consuming me. I knew it was illogical, I knew it was misplaced, fuck…I knew it was stupid!

"I'm sorry Jaz. It's not you, it's me." I walked towards him and nudged him at his shoulder and went back to my figure of eight, though now slightly slower.

"Don't be." He said and thought at the same time. It was a comment that surprised me greatly. I expected him to be pissy because I thought he had done something inappropriate with Bella, or that I mistrusted him, but instead he said don't be.

"I am, all the same. It's irrational, I know that." I shook my head in contempt at my own raging emotions.

"I can feel it coming from you, its intense. Fury, passion, fear, longing, need. All normal I reckon." He said quietly with a sideways tilt of his head.

"Is it normal though? I can't seem to go more than a few hours without her before I start imagining all sorts of scenarios where someone will take her from me. Even you!" I pointed at him and he bowed his head.

"Of course it's normal. I was the same, still am, a lot more than I like to admit and a hell of a lot more than I like you to be able to see dude. I've had Alice with me for sixty years, you've had Bella for less than six months, and it's intense. We all know and understand that." He walked back towards the back porch and sat on the bottom step and began pulling at grass stems idly.

I moved to where he sat and crouched down onto my heels. "I don't want to know the answer, but I need to ask. Why is she in your bed?" I was so ashamed of myself for needing to ask I couldn't look him in the eye.

I winced when I heard his curse in his mind. He seemed to think better of voicing it and instead took a deep breath and began slowly, "A full account, from midday when you left to collect Charlie or shall I just do the time I was alone with her Ed?" He asked acidly.

"Whatever you feel you can tell me." I felt a shit for asking but still wanted to know, despite his anger and resentment that I'd asked at all.

He laughed heartily and I looked up to see him smiling down at me from his perch on the step. "Ah Ed, it does my heart good to see you so unsure of yourself." He laughed again, I threw him the bird. "I took her hunting, we walked back -hand in hand before you ask or see it in Alice' head later- then we played Xbox, which she sucks at, then I asked if she'd like to see my library. I figured she liked books judging by the number of cartons I had to carry to the bloody cottage. We talked for ages and then I was reading to her from a World War One diary account when she started yawning so I told her to climb into the bed and I'd keep reading. She fell asleep there and that's where I left her. That's it dude."

I let out a huge sigh of relief, again I was ashamed of feeling relieved, and stood. "Sorry to have asked Jaz. Thanks for looking out for her for me." I offered him my hand and he shook it eagerly.

"No problem. She's my sister dude, nothing more. I do love her though, so if you piss her off I'll have to kick your ass all the same." He laughed and I launched myself at him. Nothing like a friendly wrestling match to use up some nervous energy.

BPOV

I woke up in my own bed which was weird because I'd gone to sleep in Alice'.

The television was on which was even weirder, I had never seen Edward watch television before. What he was watching made me gasp.

"Don't laugh Isabella." He called to me over his shoulder and I stifled the giggle that had risen in my throat.

I threw off the blanket and went to sit between his knees on the floor in front of our new TV. He immediately ran his fingers through my hair eliciting a loud purr from my throat.

"How was your drive?" I asked.

"Your dad loved it almost as much as Carlisle and I did. If I thought he'd accept it I'd buy him one of his own."

"Not a chance! I can't believe you are watching this." I tapped his knee and heard him curse in his mind.

"Yeah, well, Emmett asked me why we never watched TV together so I thought I had better give it a try. I'm sorry I did though. Is this really what people spend hours in front of?" He asked.

"Sorry but yeah, it is. Although, grown men don't tend to sit in front of The Simpson's too often." I giggled.

"Oh I don't know, Homer sort of reminds me of Emmett in a lot of ways and Marge is soooo Esme!" He chuckled.

"Speaking of which, are they back yet?" I asked.

"Nope. You'll probably miss them if they don't come back soon." He said and I wondered why I'd miss seeing them.

"Why would I miss them? Where am I going?"

"Not you, us. Alice has put a garment bag in the closet for you and we need to be out of the house by six love." He said casually.

"I noticed you didn't answer my question, where are we going?" I searched his head to see what he was trying to avoid but only heard his recitation of the Forks High School pledge. Nicely played Mr Cullen I chuckled.

"Please don't ruin my surprise Bella." He said, bending over and kissing the top of my head. "Now, you go off and get yourself ready and I'll go take a shower in Emmett's room and get dressed. I'll see you at the foot of the stairs at six, yes?" He asked, rising from the sofa.

"Ok, sure." I said, getting to my feet and heading to the bathroom. "Hey Edward?" I called as he stuck his head back through the bedroom door, eyebrow cocked. "Is this, like, a date or something?" I giggled.

"I guess it is, yes. In that case I shall call for you at six Isabella. I'd like to meet your parents before we leave." And with that he was gone. I could still hear him laughing as he ran down the stairs to Rose and Emmett's room.

EPOV

My foot tapped absently against the firewall of the car and my fingers drummed the dashboard in some nonexistent rhythm.

I couldn't contain myself. I still had fifteen minutes before six and it was killing me thinking about her in our shower, dressing in our room, wondering what Alice had left for her to wear. I knew she'd like the gallery, I had no doubt about that. There was no hurry to get there, it was only Port Angeles and the humans who would be viewing the exhibition tonight would be going for dinner dates before the showing, something we didn't have to bother with.

I'd driven down the driveway and parked just off to the right, ready to swing back around and go and collect her for our 'date'.

I made a mental note to take her on dates even after we were married. I was sure I could find things to entertain us, like normal human couples and I knew Bella would enjoy that too. The nervous anticipation of time spent together hadn't diminished at all even now that she lived with me. I only had one more hellish week of school to contend with and then four weeks of bliss by her side.

I checked my watch for the hundredth time and chuckled darkly as the second hand ticked over six o'clock. Ready or not here I come Miss Swan I thought as I threw the Guardian into drive.

Within seconds I was knocking on my own front door and being greeted by Carlisle and Esme in the foyer.

Bella stood at the foot of the stairs in a chocolate brown wrap dress and she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Her smile lit up the foyer and I had to use every ounce of self-control I could muster not to move toward her and just take her into my arms. This was supposed to be a date and I needed to play my role in order to make this what Bella wanted, normal.

Carlisle and Esme stepped aside slightly and invited me in, I stood inside the door and kept my gaze on Bella. "Good evening Bella, you look lovely." I smiled at her and she took a small step toward me. Both my 'parents' were grinning widely and their mental thoughts were only those of mirth and good humor as I shook Carlisle's hand and introduced myself to them both as Bella's date.

"What time can we expect you to bring her home Edward?" Carlisle asked, keeping up the charade.

"Ah, well. We won't be back until tomorrow morning, mid morning at that, sir." I grinned.

"I see. I hope I can trust you to take good care of her then?" Esme laughed and I nodded.

"Edward?" Bella asked, cocking her head to the side. I knew she was surprised that we'd not be home until tomorrow but for now I tried my best to ignore that and kept reciting the school pledge over and over in order to keep my secret from her.

"We have reservations in Port Angeles and should begin the drive." I said noncommittally.

"Right, well, you two kids have a nice evening and we'll see you tomorrow morning then." Carlisle said, grinning.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow mom and dad." Bella giggled and I took her hand in mine and tugged her out of the front door towards the car. I settled her into the passenger seat, as I had so many times when she was human, and ran to the drivers side before roaring out of the driveway in a spray of gravel and dust.

"You look ravishing Isabella." I whispered as I pulled the Guardian onto the highway heading towards Port Angeles.

"Thank you. You look so handsome tonight Edward. I do love you in a dark suit." She giggled and I looked down at my suit and smiled. I liked this suit too.

"Thank you." I knew she wanted to know where we were going and why but I was determined to take her on a 'real' date so I kept my thoughts to anything other than that as we drove.

BPOV

He looked better than handsome, he looked fucking edible! I wanted him to cut out the 'I'm the well behaved boyfriend' routine and pull over and take me, hard!

I stifled the moan that sat at the back of my throat and instead I tried to concentrate on the conversation.

"Angela said things have settled down a bit now, that Seth and Mike's fight was the new topic on everyone's lips last night at bowling." I said by way of contributing.

'Bowling! Ha! Fucking amateurs.' I heard Edward think before he replied to my comment verbally. "Oh good, maybe I'll be spared anymore rumors about you and I."

"If they're amateurs what does that make you Edward?" I laughed.

"Oh, shit. Well…I didn't mean…I mean…I didn't want to imply I know what I'm doing…I mean, shit." He stumbled and I laughed harder. "Hey, don't laugh. I'm really trying here. This dating business, human dating, is bloody tricky Bella." He chuckled.

"I know it is. I remember how nervous I was on our first date Edward. You looked like someone ran over your dog when we got to the parking lot at the school."

"Ha! Well, if you had to listen to every single voice in the whole school calling you horrid names because you dared turn up on the arm of the most beautiful, and most coveted, girl in the place you'd have looked a bit peeved too!" He crowed, throwing his head back and laughing heartily.

"I may not have had to listen to all those voices Edward, but I had to contend with every female eye in the place mentally undressing you that night. I was just as peeved, trust me." I replied quietly. I hated thinking about how fragile our relationship had been back then. I hated thinking about what might have been, had he chosen not to tell me or if he'd run away on any of the number of times he'd tried. I shuddered and his gaze immediately fell to my belly. "I'm fine Edward. Stop panicking." I grinned as he relaxed back into his seat again.

The rest of our journey we talked about our upcoming trip to Italy and about all the things he wanted to show me whilst we were there. We only had two days, one of those wasn't even a full day, as we'd be leaving in the evening, so it was going to be a tight schedule if we wanted to do half of what he had planned. Lucky we didn't need sleep. Well, lucky he didn't.

Edward pulled the car into a parking lot at the back of a row of small shops in a part of town I'd never been to. The streets were dark except for the feint glow from old-fashioned street lamps that gave off a hazy shimmer.

"How did you do this with Esme, love?" He asked as he turned the car off and shifted until he was facing me. I could hear the fear and worry for my safety and wellbeing in his mind as he thought about whether this, whatever this was, was such a good idea.

"We just sat for a bit. I'll open the window and keep letting it down until I'm a little more used to the scents around me. I'll be fine Edward. I can always run if it gets too much. It would help if I knew what we were here for though." I hedged.

"Ok, you crack open that window and I'll tell you why we're here." He grinned. He waited until I opened the window an inch before he began. I couldn't really smell too much of anything as we were sat at the rear of the shops, not in the street where the humans would be walking. But there was a faint trace of human so I took a long hard pull and steadied myself for the onslaught when I opened the door. "God you're so amazing." He whispered and took my hand and raised it to his lips. "Okay, so I know how much you enjoy taking photos and I was so impressed with your prints on our bedroom walls I thought you might like to have a think about what you want to do after high school." He tilted his head to one side and waited while I opened the window another inch. Again, no burst of scent but it was an increase in the burn I already felt.

"I haven't finished high school yet Edward." I sighed. I wondered if I'd ever get the chance to finish high school now we were pregnant.

"I know that, but there is plenty of time Bella. I don't want you to think, now that we're having a baby, that your aspirations have to come to an end. You can do anything that you choose, I want you to be able to do what makes you happy." He said, kissing my engagement ring and then my palm.

I opened the window further and drew in a long, slow breath. I could hear a human couple exiting a car a few rows back from where we sat parked and their scents hit me with a blast as the cool night air fluttered across my face. I ignored it though, I wasn't thirsty and I knew I could resist if I concentrated on them being people rather than humans with no names and histories. I looked towards Edward and knew I had to ask the next question, regardless of his answer. "Edward, why aren't you doing what makes you happy?"

"Ah. Well. That's complicated." He sighed and I knew I had to press him.

"I think I can keep up." He returned my smile.

"At first I wanted to become a doctor like Carlisle but because I was turned so young I'd never be able to practice, not really. Nobody would ever take me seriously as a doctor so I gave that idea up a few decades ago." He sighed heavily and I knew he regretted not having had the chance to help people that way.

"And music?" I asked.

"Yes well. Over the years I have dabbled in all kinds of musical projects but as yet I've not devoted a lot of my time to doing anything with it seriously." He sounded sad about that although his mental voice belied nothing other than what he'd just shared.

"Well then, once we are happily ensconced in our cottage you'll have to devote some time to it, wont you?" I said matter of factly.

He threw me the most amazing smile I'd seen all day and then winked at me pointedly. "Yes Isabella, that would be grand in the scheme of things. However, I fear, once I have you all to myself at that cottage there will be little time for music." He kissed my palm and ran his tongue along my wrist and I shivered.

"Be that as it may, we can't sit here all night. Show me what you've bought me here for Edward." I said cheekily.

"Are you ready then love?" He asked and I nodded. "I don't imagine there will be hordes of humans inside here Bella, but I can't be certain until we get there. How would you like to do this?" He asked again.

EPOV

I was about ready to forsake the gallery and just have her.

She was being so goddamned brave sitting in the car with the windows down as human groups and couples moved past us that I wanted to just take her somewhere quiet and tell her, show her, make her see just how amazing I thought she really was.

"Please don't spend too much time thinking about the humans Edward." She grimaced and I cursed myself in my brain for making her pain worse. "Let's go inside now, I can handle it, I promise."

I nodded and went around to help her out of the car. I kissed her hand as she came to stand beside me and then I led us around the front of the row of shops. As we came to the gallery entrance I stopped and let her look in the windows at the exhibitions. She gasped when she saw the portrait photos hung on stark white walls and I felt her fingers grip mine a tiny fraction tighter as her excitement built. "Would you like to go in and take a closer look?" I asked and she nodded quickly.

"Oh yes." She said then took a large gulp of the fresh outside air as I opened the door and ushered her inside the gallery.

There were eight humans in this front room of the gallery so I stood very close to Bella as she took in her surroundings carefully. She clocked each of the humans and I saw her peer at them carefully each in turn before turning to the next. I would ask her about that later.

After she had looked at each of the people in the room with us she took a first step towards the artwork that adorned the walls.

There were a dozen prints of varying sizes in the front room but each of them were of fall colored landscapes. They were each by a different photographer and each had a different aspect or point of reference. One was the leaves themselves another had a focal point at the edge of a river. There was another that was totally dominated by the moss on the base of a thick spruce tree. They were good but they weren't as alluring at what Bella had taken. I was done with these and was ready to move through to the next room so I used my time watching Bella look at the photos.

She tilted her head this way and that as she took in each subject in each frame. She wasn't breathing so I kept a good portion of my attention on who was thinking what around us, but nobody was too concerned with the beauty in the brown dress looking at the photos, apart from the bearded man across the room who was busy admiring my fiancés legs. I turned sharply and shot him a withering look which made him jump and startle before turning back to gawp at the photo directly in front of him again. His thoughts did not stray towards Bella again while we were in the front room.

I stood slightly behind Bella, one hand resting lightly on her hip, as she looked over the photos carefully. I moved closer to her and breathed her in. Glorious. I whispered to her, "Of these which do you like best and why?"

I wasn't sure if she would be able to answer me as that would mean she'd need to open her mouth, but I wanted to know what she thought nonetheless. She turned and stood directly in front of the moss-covered tree. "This one is my favorite. The subject matter is nothing but the use of the natural light is fantastic. The green is so intense it has to be a light technique, not natural. Its very intense, don't you think?" She gulped the air again and went back to holding her breath as I stared once again at the photo.

"I see a moss covered tree where you see beauty and intensity." I chuckled against her slender neck. "Would you like to come and see some others?" I asked and she nodded. I tugged her hand and moved us on through the gallery further until we were standing in another stark white room. This time the photographs were black and white still lifes.

Another dozen framed prints hung on the walls here and Bella moved to the first one inside the room and began to trace her eyes along it's lines. It was an innocuous basket of bread but seeing it in black and white made it look slightly insidious. Well, to me it did anyway. Like the bread was old or poisoned.

"Not poisoned Edward, inedible. That's the point. Look at them all. Photographic still lifes like these aren't like painted ones. Painted ones are about preserving the life of the object in paint so that even though the flowers or objects might one day die there will be a record of them for eternity." She took another breath, squared her shoulders and then continued. "With still like photography its more about the way the object is presented, not preserved. With paint you can create dimension. You can't do that with still life photography so you have to use light and shadow and colour to make the image. Making these pictures black and white on purpose makes the object dead. Or in this case inedible. It's done on purpose." She finished with a nod towards the other pictures and I began to see what she could see.

The bread, some apples in the next picture, and a crate of bottled water two pictures down. They were all pictures of something organic but they all looked dead. Well, not dead exactly, they all looked not alive. I, as well as Bella, knew the difference between not alive and dead.

I watched her looking at the photos and became enthralled as she moved between them. She glided along between the six pictures on the left hand wall and then did the same against the opposite wall with the next six. She made no comment and I kept quiet too, happy to just watch her.

When she was done in this room I motioned towards the last of the rooms, at the rear of the building, and then I ushered her through into it. As soon Bella spotted the portraits here she stopped and gasped with pleasure.

Twenty-two enormous portraits hung from the, by now expected white walls. These were human subjects, all of them. Many were nude, some were of children but all were stunningly beautiful. As was Bella while she studied them.

BPOV

The exhibition was fantastic!

It was perfect. I hadn't realized just how much I enjoyed taking photographs until I had someone to appreciate them. Edward had liked the photos I'd taken whilst we were away and he was encouraging me to use the gear he'd bought me, so maybe he was as interested to see what I could produce as I was?

He stood behind, or beside me the whole time in the gallery and never let my hand go. I was entranced by the portraits.

They were stunning. All very different but stunning all the same.

"Which is your favorite in here?" Edward asked as we stood in front of a photo of a small girl sitting in a wheelbarrow in amongst fall leaves.

"That one." I pointed towards a portrait of a woman's back. It was black and white, which seemed to be a bit of a favorite of mine too. It was taken of her from bottom to shoulder, following the curve of her hip and it was taken from behind her. She had her arms wrapped around her belly and the fingers of one hand were showing across her waist. It was very sensual. The soft curve of her breast was visible but not in a pornographic way. She looked lovely, soft. Her skin was luminous and even in the grey shades of the printing it was obvious that she had a flawless complexion.

"Why that one Bella?" He asked and I heard him thinking the one beside it was much nicer. I took another look at that one and stifled a giggle.

It was a huge nude, full body length of a male, full frontal too which made me miss my human blush!

"Once you've experienced perfection there is no going back Edward." I whispered and placed a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth, earning me a deep groan in return.

'Indeed, that's why I find nothing alluring about the female nude in front of you.' He told me silently as we stood hand in hand staring at the photos again.

There was a man standing beside us who instantly made my throat burn and I stiffened as he came to stand a little closer, bending over to look at the fine detail of the portrait. I felt Edward tense behind me so I squeezed his hand tightly in mine. 'You need to hunt, come.' Edward tugged on my hand and I let him lead me out of the gallery and to the rear of the parking lot where the trees joined the asphalt. He kissed me lightly at the corner of my lips and then pulled back to say, "I'll race you to the elk, five miles to the north, the winner names the prize."

I smiled widely and nodded before darting off as fast as I could in the direction of the elk.

I heard him behind me so I called to ask whether he was letting me win on purpose. Within half a second he had overtaken me and I'd lost sight of him as he rounded the bend up ahead. Damn! He was so fast, there was no way for me to win now. Unless…

I stopped dead in my tracks and called to him using a soft, gentle voice. "Edward, baby." While I waited to see if he'd turn around and come back I undid the tie at the side of my dress and let it fall open to my waist. The coffee colored bra would be clearly visible if he stepped back through the trees. I tossed my hair over my left shoulder so that my tattoo was clearly visible too. All the better to distract you with, my pretty, I thought as I waited.

I heard his footsteps and the panic in his brain as he ran back towards me. I felt bad that he thought I was hurt or something was wrong from the timbre of my call, but all was fair in love and prizes after all. He came into view and I heard him suck in a heavy breath. "What is it love?" He called as he ran towards me, obviously worried.

"Oh Edward, I'm so sorry for frightening you." I purred as I took him into my arms. I kissed his temple and felt him relax a little. "But…well…you once said I was a dangerous creature…and well, I thought, I'd cheat." And with that I patted his ass and ran as fast as I could.

EPOV

Son of a bitch! She'd played me!

I took off through the trees as fast as I could go but I knew the game was already lost. She had a half second head start and with her newborn reflexes and speed she'd be at the herd already.

My relief that she wasn't hurt or in danger was quickly displaced by the amusement of having been fucked with so thoroughly. She really was a dangerous creature!

I slowed as I came to where the scent of the animals was beginning to strengthen and cautiously made my way into the clearing where Bella could be seen lying under a large male elk. Her eyes were straining in my direction and I knew she could see me as well as smell me now. I kept my distance, still unsure if she was able to have me near her when she fed, and watched as her eyes closed and a satisfied grumble came out of her chest. I leaned up against the nearest tree and watched intently as she drained the last of the elk. With a soft sigh she rose and put the elk back on the ground tenderly. Gone was the primal flinging of the carcass and in its place was a gentle reverence for the animal that had given its life so she may have hers. With a renewed amount of awe and respect for her I walked into the clearing and took her hand in mine.

"You are so beautiful when you hunt Isabella." I whispered as I kissed down her neck and towards her collarbone. She had retied the dress so her skin was covered but I couldn't help sliding a finger along the neckline and tracing her tattoo. She moaned and pressed herself into me as I sucked her skin into my mouth. "Name your prize." I growled.

She laced her hands into my hair and pulled my mouth harder onto her skin and hissed "Take me to the hotel Edward and I'll show you what I want for my prize."

I bit down on her throat and moaned then threw her over my back, as I had done when she was human, and ran back towards where the car was parked.

I'd not taken more than three steps when I smelled him. Another three paces and I could hear him. Fuck.