DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM TWILIGHT. THEY ALL BELONG TO STEPHENIE MEYER.

I'm aware that if a child gets married before they become a legal adult (with the parents permission of course) they become officially emanicpated, but for the sake of the story, and the drama that I have planned :P (not divulging so don't ask) that is not going to be the case in "Alive Again". It will not affect Bella's situation within the story, she will still have to fight with Renee over whether or not she goes to Phoenix. Just thought I'd tell you guys that. Now on with the story.

EPOV

The past few days had been .... eventful .... to say the least.

What with Tanya resurfacing, making her presence known at the party at La Push, and in my house, in my ..... bedroom.

I didn't want to think of how long she had been in here, or what she had been doing in here.

I rolled over and stretched out my arms and shoulders. I looked around the room and felt that there was something out of place. It didn't feel comfortable to be in my own room after yesterday. It wasn't my place anymore. It wasn't mine and Bella's anymore.

It had been violated.

I needed to figure out a way to get that feeling of comfort back.

I loved this room. I didn't want to have to move out of my own room because it felt like there was something or someone else in there. I knew there wasn't. Esme and Alice had told me yesterday that after they had restored my CDs and books they had done a sweep of my room, making sure that there was no one else hiding in there anywhere, or if there were any gadgets at all. Mini cameras, microphones, anything like that. I had questioned that, and they had told me that it seemed Tanya was deranged and they didn't want to put anything past her. Thankfully their little search had come up empty. They stayed out of the drawers and closed cabinets in my room, respecting my privacy, but checked the outside to see if there were any holes or openings that could be used to spy. Yes, they went through my closet, but I wasn't really bothered about that. Alice had bought most of my clothes in there anyway. I really had no idea what I owned and what I didn't. That kind of thing goes hand in hand when you have a shopaholic sister though, I guess.

Thankfully, they found nothing on their search.

That didn't help my uneasiness though. Maybe it was just the knowledge that someone, especially someone like Tanya had been in my room. My Bella I didn't care about being in my room. She practically lived there anyway. My family I was okay with, to some extent. They knew to stay out of my personal belongings and my bathroom. Common courtesy really. But other that I didn't really have a problem with them being in my room. But complete strangers? Especially someone like Tanya. Okay, she may not be a complete stranger, but still, she wasn't a friend and I really didn't want that to ever happen.

The only people I didn't know that had been in my room were the movers, when we moved in almost a year ago. Other than that it was just myself, Bella or my family.

Not anymore. I figured. Who knows what she's touched. What she went through. You certainly don't. You don't have any clue how long she was in here before Bella found her. All you know is that she was there before you fell asleep last night, and she was here when you got back. But when did she get here?

I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of those thoughts. It didn't help that Bella had spent the night at home last night. After everything that happened yesterday, Charlie's help and everything, she thought that it would be the best idea to stay at home. At least for a night.

In all honesty Bella had been spending more time here than she had at her own home. She practically lived here. She knew the house and where everything was. She had her own key and was free to come and go as she pleased.

Yeah, it was pretty safe to say that she really did live here.

More than her own home that is, anyway.

I kind of felt bad about that. I knew that Bella hadn't been living with Charlie for very long before we moved to Forks. A year. Maybe a little longer. After God knows how long living with her mother, it didn't feel right for her to be spending so much time here. I was constantly telling her that she needed to spend more time with her father, but she always countered with the "he's working" or "he's in La Push", as he frequently was. Even though their children were at odds, over me, which I hated, I might add, Charlie and Billy hadn't let it affect their friendship. He still went down for fishing trips. Whether or not they were as frequent as Bella let on, I didn't know, but I didn't want question her. She might think that I didn't want her around. And that was definitely something that I didn't want her thinking. I did make her spend at least two nights a week at home. Something she didn't really like. She said that it was hard to sleep without me there.

I knew how she felt.

I hadn't slept very well last night. I never really did when Bella was at home. But the added stress of the discovery of Tanya in my room the previous morning had still freaked me out. But not as much as it should have. That led me to question the medication that I was on. It seemed that it wasn't just minimizing the depression that I felt, that could break through at any moment, but it seemed to be dulling my other emotions and senses as well.

I knew that I should be majorly freaking out at Carlisle and Esme about it. Not blaming them obviously. How could they know that there was a psycho in the house? But, you know, venting. I knew that that would be the normal behaviour. To let it out. But for some reason I didn't want to. I felt the need to, but, I don't know. Something was ..... off.

I sat up in bed and stretched out my arms again, feeling my muscles moving and flexing underneath my t-shirt. I needed to go to the gym soon. I would have to bring that up with Emmett. Maybe work out a routine for the gym while he was still here over the summer.

I hated that he was leaving for college. Even though I still had Jasper here, it wasn't the same as having my big brother. His presence around the house would be missed, and not because he took up so much space, but because he, like Alice, was such a bundle of energy. He just came in a larger package so to speak.

There was a slight knock on my door. I called for them to come in and Emmett stuck his head around the door. Ah, I thought grinning to myself. Speak of the Devil and he shall appear.

"You alright, Eddie-boy?" He asked, coming into my room and closing the door behind him, grinning as he made his way towards me.

"I will be once you stop calling me that." I shot back. He was winding me up. And it was working. He knew how much I hated that name. But he was just being big brother, doing it to purposefully get a rise out of me. Not in a bad way. Just because "that was his job" as he put it. I didn't understand that, but oh well, I knew he wasn't going to change. "When are you going to learn that I hate that name?" I asked him.

He jumped, I mean, literally jumped on my bed and sat indian style, facing me. He sat there and pretended to think for a moment. "Umm......never." He concluded with a grin on his face. I shook my head and laughed at him and he sat there on the end of my bed, grinning at me.

"So what do I owe the displeasure of this visit?" I asked him, smirking at him.

He feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart. "That hurt, Edward. That really did. Can a guy not come and sit and chat with his little brother when he feels like it?"

"Sure, a regular guy could, but you on the other hand," I narrowed my eyes at him. "Not so much."

He looked at me, frowning, seeming unsure of how to take that statement. Until I sat there and grinned at him. He grinned at me evilly, before launching himself at me from the other end of the bed. I managed to dodge him and he collapsed on my pillows, laughing.

"You know, if I had the energy, or the willpower I would continue that, but seeing as I really can't be bothered at the moment, I'm just gonna store that away and save it for another day." He whined into my pillow as if it was a major disaster for me that I wasn't being attacked by him at this very moment in time.

"Well, thank you so much, oh merciful Emmett!" I said sarcastically and he chuckled at me. "So ....." I grabbed the pillow out from under him and smacked him around the back of the head with it. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see how you are." He said, a bit more serious as he sat up and placed the pillow behind him again, leaning back. I turned so that I was sat indian style, facing him. "You know ..... after yesterday and everything."

"I'm alright." I told him truthfully. On some level I was, but I told myself that on some level I really should be freaking out about this.

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows at me and I nodded, smiling. "Cause most people would be freaking out that there was someone in their room. Especially someone like Tanya. You know, you sure can pick 'em Eddie." I whacked him with another pillow before hugging it horizontally to my chest, crossing my arms over the edge. I rested my head on my crossed arms and Emmett chuckled at me. "I'm just saying." I scowled at him. "But seriously, how are you feeling?"

"I really am okay." I told him again. "I mean, I know I should be freaking out, but I don't know ..... it's like whenever I do think that, something else causes me push it from my mind, even thought I know I really shouldn't."

"What do you mean?" His brow was furrowed in confusion.

"I don't know." I ran my hand through my hair before settling it back onto the pillow. "It's hard to explain. It's like, I know that I should be, like, ranting and venting to somebody, anybody or at least be freaked out by the fact that .... she ..... was in my room, touching who knows what-"

"Fondling who knows what." Emmett chipped in, his expression grave.

"Thank you for that." I said and he mock saluted, his expression not matching his action. He was trying to work out what I meant. I could tell that he was. "But it's like .... everytime that .... you know, that freaked feeling that you get?" He nodded. "Everytime I even start to feel like that, it's like there's something else that pushes it away, you know? Like something's blocking it from coming to the surface. I don't know, it's hard to explain."

"Kind of like, say that all your emotions put together are a like a swimming pool, and you yourself are that one I-know-I-should-be-freaked-out-feeling, constantly trying to get to the surface to breathe, but never quite making it." That actually sounded like a good analogy. Surprising, especially coming from Emmett. Note to self, I thought, give Emmett more credit in future. "Like the weight of everything else keeps pushing you back down into the water that represents your emotions? Am I on the right track here?"

"Yeah," I nodded, not really believing that something that close to how I was feeling could come out of Emmett's mouth. He really was smarter than people, even I, gave him credit for. "That's exactly what it feels like. It's weird."

"What do you thinks causing it?" He asked, looking at me. He looked slightly worried now. I was sure he was wondering if I was some sort of major freak. I was, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

"Honestly?" He nodded. "I think it's the medication." I took a deep breath. "I don't know. It's just since I started taking it, I don't really know how I feel. It's starting to worry me actually."

"How so?"

"Well," I sighed softly. "What if .... what if it's not really my feelings that I'm experiencing, but just effects of the medication? I can't help but think that."

"You know you can't stop taking them, though, right?" He asked me, sounding worried.

"Yeah I know." I looked and smiled at him. "Don't Emmett, I'm not going taking them. But I think I need to talk to Carlisle about it though. Maybe he'll be able to help me understand why I feel this way."

"Maybe." He agreed, seeming lost in thought. He snapped out of it quickly thought. "Hey, lets go grab some breakfast, yeah." I grinned nodding, knowing that serious Emmett wouldn't last very long. Daft Emmett was back and that was reassuring. Serious Emmett could get unnerving after a little while. He jumped off the bed and I followed him across my bedroom. He stopped at my door and turned around, his face sad. Uh-oh, Serious Emmett was back. "I'm gonna miss you when I go, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do," I told him. "I'm gonna miss you too Em. It's not going to be the same without my big brother here."

He grinned and slapped my shoulder playfully. I flinched slightly at the contact and he shot me an apologetic look. I told him that it was alright and we went down to breakfast.

We walked into the kitchen and saw that Esme was already up. She turned around and smiled at the two of us, placing some plates in the middle of the breakfast bar.

"PANCAKES!" Emmett cried, causing me to almost jump out of my skin. Esme laughed at his enthusiasm and I noticed that one of them was piled significantly higher than the other one. The larger selection I knew was for Emmett. "I love you Mommy!" Emmett said, practically skipping over to his seat and placing a kiss on Esme's cheek. She grinned at her son's response to her breakfast and watched him devour the pancakes.

I sat down at the breakfast bar, shaking my head at Emmett, laughing. Watching him eat was like watching a pride of lions devouring a carcass. So it wasn't really something that I did very often. I looked down at the pancakes and slowly started to eat, making sure to avoid looking at Emmett. Pancakes weren't something that I was fully used to yet. I knew that I had to get used to other types of food, and pancakes, especially Esme's or Bella's tasted amazing, but it was just something about them that didn't sit right with me.

I looked up to see that Emmett had finished his pancakes already and was eyeing my plate. I wrapped an arm around my plate and scowled at him. He frowned at me, obviously not happy that I had shielded my breakfast from his gargantuous appetite. I heard Esme laughing at our little exchange and I looked at her and smiled. I turned back to Emmett and stuck my tongue out at him, childishly and wasn't surprised to see that he imitated me. Esme continued to laugh at us and I could feel myself grinning, but again the emotions that I was feeling seemed tainted for some reason. I didn't like it. I wanted to be able to sit down and have a laugh with my brother and not feel conflicted for whatever reason.

This was going to drive me up the wall.

I heard the front door open and smiled as Bella walked into view. "Morning!" She called as she took her shoes off and hung up her jacket.

"Morning!" We all called back to her.

Emmett took advantage of the momentary distraction and speared a pancake that was on my plate with his fork, shoving it into his mouth before I could even attempt to grab it back.

"Hey!" I cried, staring at him indignantly, not believing that he had just done what he had.

"Emmett!" Esme scolded him, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sorry, Mom, Ed, it's just that they're so good!" He grinned as he said this.

"That doesn't mean you steal them off my plate, Emmett!" I said pulling my plate out of his reach so that he couldn't make any more surprise attacks while I finished my breakfast.

"That's right Emmett," Bella agreed walking up behind me. "If you still want some more pancakes after you've finished, you politely ask your mother if she could possibly make you some more, whilst pointing out that she is the loveliest woman on the face of the earth and that her pancakes are the most amazing pancakes that you have ever ever tasted." She spoke in an all-knowing, smug tone that made me smile. "Not stealing them off of your little brothers plate." I stuck my tongue out at him again and he responded in the same manner. "Grow up you two."

"Never!" I cried, looking at her, proud to be behaving like a child.

"Nope!" Emmett agreed in a childish voice and I couldn't help but grin.

"Children." Esme muttered just loud enough for us to hear, shaking her head, but smiling at the same time. Emmett and I sat there looking at her nodding enthusiastically, grinning.

Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head, scoffing slightly, muttering something under breath that sounded like "marrying a child". I didn't care. She smiled at me and leaned down to kiss me, gently, brushing her lips across mine. She stood behind me as I resumed eating, keeping an eye on Emmett this time.

"I have something to tell you when you've finished." She whispered in my ear. I looked at her confused, and she smiled, making a motion saying that her lips were sealed until I had finished.

Emmett was still eyeing my pancakes so I knew that I had to watch him as I ate. Esme had resumed her cooking, making more for the others for when they woke up. The beauty of Esme's pancakes is they could be eaten either hot or cold and yet they would still taste amazing. Whether or not the others would get to eat them is another question entirely. She asked Bella if she wanted anything, but Bella had already eaten breakfast at her own house, just as I knew she would have. She poured herself and Esme a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter next to Esme. They were chatting quietly while Emmett bounced up and down in his seat, knowing what Esme was making. I sat there and laughed at him as I finished my own pancakes.

I took the plate over to the dishwasher and loaded it up. Esme and Bella both knew that I wouldn't want any more, so they didn't question it. Unlike Emmett, I wasn't a bottomless pit and the thought that he could put away as much food as he could, even with his size, was disturbing. I walked over to the cabinet and took out my medication and a glass. I sighed softly. Was it really these little pills that were making me feel so conflicted? I would have to ask Carlisle when I had the chance. He wouldn't take me off them, but maybe he would recommend another brand to the clinic, seeing as it was them who prescribed my medication for me.

After taking my medication I waited while Bella and Esme finished their conversation and coffee and Bella walked upstairs, passing a groggy Alice and Rosalie on the way up. They both mumbled a good morning and something about pancake smell. I knew that they had smelt the breakfast Esme had made and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Stop making fun of your sisters." Bella scolded as we walked up the stairs.

"Why?" I asked grinning at her. "That's what they're there for."

"Touche." She said raising her eyebrows at me.

We walked into my bedroom and I closed the door, pulling her close to me. I pressed my lips to hers gently and she moaned slightly, causing me to smile.

"So," I started, pulling her towards my bed on which we both collapsed. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

She turned on her side, moving the duvet cover out of her face so she could see me clearly. She smiled softly. "Marry me." She whispered, so softly, I hardly heard it.

"Um," I was confused. "That's my line. And I used about a month ago, remember?"

She giggled. "Yes, I know." She grinned at me. "I mean before I have to leave. I don't want to have to wait til I come back from Arizona. Waiting all that time will kill me Edward. I want to be yours. I need to be yours. And I need you to be mine before I go. I know it sounds stupid and selfish, but .... it's what I want. More than anything."

I rolled onto my side and pressed a firm but gentle kiss to her lips. Her mouth opened slightly and I took advantage of the invitation, easing my tongue into her mouth, caressing her tongue with my own.

I broke the kiss and she pouted at me. "Absolutely." I whispered.

"Really?" She looked more excited than Emmett had a little while ago about the pancakes.

"Yes." I confirmed. "I want this more than anything. Mrs. Isabella Marie Cullen. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" She scowled slightly at the use of the name Isabella, but when I placed the Cullen on the end, her entire face lit up. There was something bothering me thought. "But you're seventeen. We can't until you turn-"

"We can with a parents permission." She giggled, placing a finger over my lips.

I felt my eyes go wide. She would never have mentioned this if she hadn't already gotten permission. "You mean Charlie....?"

"Yes," She nodded. "He told me that he wasn't happy that we're getting married so young, but he also knows that there's nothing he can do about it. He knows that we love each other and, he told me that he could see we're meant for each other. He's given us permission to marry before I leave." She grinned and I crashed my lips to hers, rolling her on her back, placing my arms either side of her, supporting my weight. I wanted nothing more than to have every part of her right then and there, but I knew that Alice and Rose would be waking up properly soon, realise that she was here and probably barge in trying to adbuct her.

As if on cue, there was a banging at my door. "Edward, we know you've got Bella in there! Send her out and we won't have to invade!" Alice's voice called menacingly through the door.

"How soon do you think Charlie can get the marriage certificate sorted?" I asked her quietly.

"He said, the quickest would be a week. Two at the most." She smiled at me and I grinned back, pressing my lips to hers. (A/N: I don't know if this is actually possible, but for the sake of the story, let's pretend that it is.)

"So ..... we could be married in a week?" I asked and she nodded, her grin widening and her eyes glittering.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen!" Alice cried, banging on the door again. "Send her out here or so help us, we're coming in!"

Bella looked at me pleadingly, and I knew that she didn't want to go. I kissed the end of her nose. "Stay here. I'll get rid of them." I got up and walked across the room, opening the door a crack. I saw Alice and Rose standing there, both hands on hips. The only difference was that Alice was standing there tapping her foot, a motion she knew annoyed me. I ignored it, too happy at what Bella and I had decided a moment ago to be annoyed. "What can I do for you?" I said calmly.

"Don't play with us, boy!" Rose said, impatiently. "Send your fiancee out here now and we won't have to use force."

"Yeah, about that?" I leaned against the doorway, not opening the door any wider. "I've decided I'm not going to give her up today. She's mine for the day."

"But you get her for the rest of your life Edward." Alice pointed out.

"Good point." I agreed and her eyebrows raised, expecting me to send Bella out. "But I think the two of you are going to be a bit busy." They both looked at me skeptically, challenging me to find something that was more interesting than playing Barbie with Bella, something I knew she detested. "Well, you are going to be a bit run off your feet, organising Bella and my wedding,"

"We've got ages before that Edward." Rosalie scoffed, not appeased.

"Actually," I mused, pretending I was thinking. "After talking this morning, you've got two weeks. Max. Bye." With that I closed and locked the door, leaving my two sisters stunned behind it. I ran to my closet and quickly dressed, hearing Alice and Rosalie screaming and squealing, along with Bella laughing. After pulling on a t-shirt, some jeans and the sneakers that I hadn't gotten round to putting back downstairs, I pulled out a pair of black flats for Bella, from one of the many compartments Alice had installed for her in her section of the closet. Why she kept Bella's shoes up here when she wasn't able to wear them in the house I had no idea. "Put these on." I told her placing them at her feet. She looked at me questioningly. "Come on, you really think that door's going to hold those two off for long?" I gestured towards the door that was now being pummelled by Alice and Rose. They were shrieking and squealing on the other side, probably wanting to know what had happened for us to decide to move up the wedding, but all I could make out were squeals and the occassional "Oh my God!"

Bella seemed to agree with me and slipped her feet into the shoes that I had given her. "What are we going to do?"

"Use and escape plan we've talked about but never used." I opened one of the glass doors that led out onto the slight balcony that branched off my room. I looked over the side and smiled, seeing the lattice that Esme had made Carlisle put up so that she could have some climbing plants going up the side of the house. Why she put it on the side that was made of glass I had no idea, but I was eternally grateful for her for doing so, seeing as it was the perfect escape for Bella and myself. I looked over at the door and heard that Alice and Rose were still on the other side. It seemed that the rest of the family had joined them now, seeing as I could hear Emmett and Jasper trying to calm the girls down and find out what was going on. I extended my hand to Bella who walked through the door, grinning and closing it behind her. They wouldn't know how we got out seeing as we had never used this escape before. "Come on, I think Esme's up here now. And she has a key."

That got her moving. She carefully swung her leg over the side of the balcony and I ease her down onto the lattice. I didn't like the fact that we were climbing two storeys down the side of the house, but being honest, it was better than the alternative. Making sure that she was secure on the lattice I followed suit, lowering myself onto it from the balcony.

We moved quickly, climbing down at a steady speed. We dropped onto the floor and grinned at each other. We didn't know if they had managed to get into my room yet, or whether or not I would need a new door, and at the moment, I didn't really care. I just grinned at Bella, grabbed her hand and we ran around to the woods at the back of the house. We would be safe there for a few hours at least.

As we broke through into the trees we heard Alice shouting my name. They had obviously convinced Esme to let them in, seeing as Carlisle was at work.

"EDWARD!" She cried. "GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE NOW!!! YOU CAN BRING YOUR FIANCEE WITH YOU, WHEREVER YOU ARE!"

I couldn't help but laugh as we ran. We knew that we weren't deep enough in the woods yet, so just laughed as we ran. Bella tripped a couple of times, but I was holding her hand so I was always able to stop her from falling.

When we felt that we were far enough into the woods, we stopped and collapsed on the ground. The ground was dry so we didn't have to worry about getting too dirty, it would just brush off. We looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh at the situation. We sat there, laughing for I don't know how long. All I knew was by the time I had it under control, I had tears in my eyes and I could vaguely see that Bella had the same predicament.

"I think we're in trouble, love." She said, pressing her lips to mine in a passionate kiss.

"So do I." I mumbled against her lips. "So do I."

And I really didn't care. I was sat here, in the woods, with my Bella. Nobody to disturb us. No one to questions us.

I would face the wrath of my sisters later.

It was all worth it.

There's a bit of a playful chapter for you. I thought that after all the drama of the last couple of chapters a carefree, easy chapter was in order.
Don't worry all you angst lovers. There's plenty more coming soon, but I think the next couple of chapters will be fluff filled.
Please Review
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