Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.
Happy New Year everyone!
Aftermath.
"When are we going to get mommy?" Libby asked for the hundredth time today. She was as anxious to get her mom back as I was.
"Soon, honey," I laughed, looking at the clock. The plane would be landing in three hours.
Three hours until I got to hold my Bella in my arms again.
The selfish part of me had hoped the rest of the excursion would have been canceled after the Volturi-disaster had ended but in the end they had decided to finish the program.
Both Bella and Jasper had been reluctant to talk about what happened that night when Aro had come to collect his evil spawn. I could only imagine it would have been a complete pandemonium.
Of course Aro would never accept any version of the truth where his kids were to blame.
I had only met him of a few occasions but he had been an easy person to read.
Conceited.
Megalomaniacal.
Tyrannical.
I didn't know how Bella and Jasper had been able to put up with him for all these years. The way he held his entire institution in an iron grasp, unwilling to see how his own children ran rampage among it, would have me either lunging at him or quitting after I day.
The realization that Bella could probably say the same about me made me chuckle.
"What is it daddy?" Libby asked, turning her head away from the TV-screen.
"Nothing," I just thought about something funny.
She tilted her head, assessing whether it would be worth her while to mis precious minutes of Dora the Explorer to ask me more questions or whether to just ignore me and keep watching. Much to my relief she decided on the latter.
"What's the time?" Alice sang, coming into the living room.
"T minus an hour and a half," I chuckled.
"God, I wish they would have taken an earlier flight," she growled. We had busied ourselves getting Alice's luggage back to her apartment today, all the while trying not to think about our loved ones arriving very soon.
"I know," I admitted, "though we'd probably have gone through the same motions only then it would have been a few hours earlier."
"You're probably right," Alice sighed. "Have you checked for traffic reports?"
"You know we are probably going to be at the airport half an hour before the plane lands don't you?" I rolled my eyes. "If we leave any earlier we'd probably make it in time if we walk!"
"I just can't wait to see Jasper again," Alice's eyes glazed over as she though about her boyfriend. "Oh, and to get Bella up to speed on the wedding."
"Back off pixie!" I warned. "I'm saving her for myself for the next few days."
"You always were bad at sharing," Alice pouted.
We bickered some more, just to pass the time until we could finally get to the airport.
"Are we there yet?" Libby asked. She had been asking that same question at every turn we made or every stop sign we passed. I inwardly cursed myself for letting her watch Shrek 2 last night. It might have given her some bad ideas........
"Almost," Alice grinned. She had been as bouncy as Libby once we finally got on our way. "See, you can see the airplanes from the window!"
"Where?" Libby squirmed in her booster seat, craning her neck to see the planes Alice was pointing towards. "I can't see it."
"We're nearly there honey," I said, easing the car into the exit for JFK airport."You'll see them soon."
Libby almost launched herself out of her seat as soon as I had undone the clasps of her seats. "Yay! I can see them now!" she squealed, pointing up to the huge jumbo jet that was flying over, preparing for landing. "Is that mommy's plane?"
"No sweetheart, mommy's plane won't be arriving for another half hour," I sighed, looking at my watch.
"Let's go see if we can do some shopping to bide our time," Alice suggested.
"Excellent plan," Libby stated, hi fiveing her aunt. She was such a precious little character. So grown up and still so little.
Even thought I had grown accustomed to my new role as a father I still praised every day we had together as a family. This last week – even though being apart from the woman who made me whole – had brought Libby and me closer together.
With her mother away Libby had felt free to ask me questions she knew would have been painful for her mother to hear and our new found openness had done us a world of good. I really learned to appreciate the way her little brain worked. And magical it was.
The way she had opened herself up to me in these last few months had been nothing short of amazing. Her courage and the warmth with which she had welcomed me into her little world had reminded me of Bella when we first met and even though her exuberant behavior definitely channeled Alice, I was even starting to recognized some things she might have inherited from me.
Half an hour, a new bright pink tie and two bags filled with stuff for Libby and Alice later we were waiting by the arrivals hall for Bella and Jasper to appear. The plane had been a little delayed but they were due to arrive any minute now.
"Up daddy!" Libby shouted, pulling at my jeans.
"That's not how your mom taught you to ask for something," I scolded. I knew I had been a little more....lenient than Bella had been during the last week but I didn't want Bella to think I had let her turn into a total savage.
"Daddy? Can you lift me up please?"she pleaded, batting her lashes at me. "I can't see mommy from here."
"Sure sweetheart," I chuckled, lifting her up and settling her on my side.
"I wonder how many of these people are parents to the little shits Jazz and Bella had to take care off for the past week?" Alice whispered.
I looked around me to see a mob of botoxed, unhappy looking people faking niceties at each other.
"I think most of them are here," I answered, indicating my head towards them, "though some send their employees."
A little distance apart from the money induced bold and surgical enhanced beautiful a few slightly nervous looking people had assembled, shooting nervous glances at the mob in front of them when they were not eying the exit of the departures hall.
"I think I can see them!" I almost jumped as Alice screeched in my ear, jumping up and down next to me.
"Where? Where?" Libby squirmed dangerously in my arms and between her wiggling and Alice's bouncing I was finding it more difficult to keep my balance every second.
"Ah, Mr Volturi," I heard someone of the fake squad behind me squeal in mock delight. What was that asshole doing here? His evil spawn had gone home with him days ago so he had no business here.
I wanted to punch him in the face for attempting to ruin our reunion. This was supposed to be a happy moment. The moment our family was going to be whole again.
And now the asshole was going to ruin it.
I had taken one tentative step backwards and was already loosening one arm from it's hold on Libby's frame when that tiny voice of reason told me that punching her employer in the face – though pleasant – would probably not help Bella's situation very much.
She needed her job. She loved her job.
Strange as it may seem.
"Just focus on Bella, Edward," Alice whispered, placing a hand on my back as she pushed me forward again.
"Thanks sis," I whispered back.
"I can see her!" Libby squealed, almost launching herself at the partition between the arrivals hall and the luggage hall.
--
BPOV
--
I was so incredibly tired.
Tired from having to take care of twenty five – no, scratch that......twenty three – seventeen year olds for a whole week.
Tired from having had no sleep at all in almost forty eight hours.
Tired of having to sleep next to a man who wasn't the love of my live for six nights.
But most of all I was tired of missing Edward and Libby.
"Could those people move any fucking slower?" Jasper growled beside me. Obviously he was as anxious to get to Alice as I was to Edward.
We still had our twenty three little troublemakers to dispose off though.
"Let's just get our luggage," I sighed, following the rest of the passengers to the luggage hall.
Of course with it being the last night our pupils had kept the tradition and stayed awake all night, ingesting the contraband liquor they had somehow managed to obtain while running screaming from one room to another.
We on our part had spend the first half on the night trying to follow the liquor trail and quieting everyone down and the last part preventing drunk pupils from choking in their own vomit or engaging in random sex acts they were going to regret later.
The effects of alcohol hadn't all been negative though.....
Empowered by a little bit of liquid courage Chelsea had launched herself into Demetri's lap and started kissing him like it was the end of the world. After he had reeled from the shock of having the most timid girl in the entire school practically rape his face Demetri must have concluded he liked it because they had been an item ever since. I guess no excursion is complete without a budding romance.
My plan of catching up on my sleeping on the plane had backfired when I had been exiled to the isle seat in the middle row. Uncomfortable as airplane seats usually were, this one trumped all of my previous experiences. Every time I had tried to get comfortable by stretching my legs a little some evil stewardess would come along and push her little cart over my toes. The fact that the annoying idiot in the seat behind me started to kick at the back of my seat every time I would lower it wasn't helping either.
Still, I was feeling hyped up and positively bouncy as we were waiting for our luggage to appear on the belt.
We said a quick goodbye to the students before collecting our bags, knowing that once they had their luggage they would be sprinting out of here towards the comfort of their comfortable Upper Eastside homes.
Then, when I finally retrieved my suitcase, there was only one more thing out get out of the way.
Making my way to Edward and Libby.
"Have you seen them yet?" Jasper panted, dragging both our suitcases behind him.
"Nope," I said a little disappointed as we entered the arrivals hall.
It was the last conscious thought I had before a blue and brown 'mommy'- yelling missile crashed into me at dazzling speed.
"I've missed you!" I cried into Libby's hair as I swayed to keep my balance.
"I've made you a welcome home cake," Libby breathed into my shoulder, hugging me a little closer.
"That's nice honey," I croaked through my tears.
"Welcome home love," the most beautiful voice in the world spoke as I felt his arms and scent envelope me.
Home.
"Ah, miss Swan. A word please." I wanted to rip our Aro's throat for disrupting this moment.
"Can't it wait?" I heard Edward growl. Perhaps he would do the honors.
"I thought you would be anxious to get home." I could tell by the tone of his voice that Aro was annoyed, though probably not half as annoyed as I was at that moment.
"What is it," I hissed, without letting go of Edward and Libby. I was beyond caring if I offended him.
"I would like to see the three of you," he indicated towards Alice and Jasper who were engaged in a gaze that felt too private to be watched by and outsider and Zafrina who was pushing her way through the throngs on her way out, "in my office before classes start on Monday."
We had figured as much. With Monday being only a half day – classes would not be starting until after lunch break – it would be the perfect opportunity for Aro to yell at us.
"Is that all?" I asked, impatient to return to my family.
"Yes," he replied curtly before shifting his attention to the Archibalds who were at that moment hugging their son as if he had been away for years in stead of days.
"I don't like that man mommy," Libby said, taking my hand.
"That makes three of us honey," I sighed as Jasper and Alice joined us.
"Five," Jasper added. "What did he want?"
"Just as you said," I explained. "He wants to see us Monday before class."
A lot of yelling had taken place on that night when the twins had been found. First Zafrina, Jasper and I – and even the good inspector Lynley – had yelled at the Volturi twins about their irresponsible behavior. As to be expected they bore our tirade with indifference.
After that Aro had arrived and the yelling had been directed at us. While the twins had been looking on with evil smirks on their faces Aro had lectured us about the importance of doing head counts and keeping a tight reign on students during an excursion. He then went on to express his disappointment about us before he had marched out of the hotel flanked by his evil offspring and gotten on plane back to New York.
Though I had been glad to see the back of them the fact that Alec and Jane had a whole three days to sweet talk Aro into believing they were innocent had me worried. It still did.
I could barely keep my eyes open through the ride home even though Alice did her best, rattling off thing she had arranged for the wedding all through our trip back. It was almost eerily silent in the car after we had dropped her and Jasper off at my old apartment. Libby had fallen asleep soon after we had reached the express way and Edward focused on his driving, his hand laced through mine as it lay on the gear shift.
I found it difficult to focus as we walked into our house, my attention solely focused on making it up the stairs in one piece.
"Why don't you go sleep for a little while?" Edward chuckled as he saw me looking longingly at our bed.
"Can't," I muttered. "I've been without the two of you for so long......and anyway, I have to cook...and unpack."
"I can take care of those things for you," he said, unbuttoning my blouse. "You just hop in bed for a few hours sleep and I will take care of Libby and the food. We'll leave the unpacking for the next time Alice gets here."
"But......" I really wanted to put up more of a fight. Really. I had my kid waiting down stair for me to tell her stories about London and the most wonderful man standing in front of me whom I wasn't ready to let go yet.
But......the bed was calling.
"Sleep my love," Edward smiled, kissing me softly. "We'll have time for everything else once you're rested."
I surrendered, letting Edward change me into my pajama's and place me under the covers, too tired to do anything myself.
When did I get so lucky to get the last decent man on the planet?
--
"Okay Bella, you can do this!" I muttered to myself as I knocked on the door to Aro's office.
"We're right behind you," I heard Jasper whisper.
Yeah, that's where they would be. Right behind me. Safe behind my back.
Coming back to work today after the bliss of spending the last two days pretty much in bed, cuddling up with Libby and Edward during the day and making love during the night had been a harsh reality check.
Still, you could only dodge responsibility for so long until it came back to bite you in the ass.
We had made plans for this on our flight back to New York, coming up with a water tight plan of attack based on the liking Aro seemed to have taken to me and my ability to stay calm.
That is.....most of the times.
I remembered how we had laughed about Jasper warlike tactics a few days ago. How right had he been?
It really was like walking into a battle.
"Come in," I heard Aro's voice call.
Cue Rocky tune.
"I can do this," I repeated to myself.
"Ah, I see that the three of you have recovered somewhat from your trip," Aro welcomed us. "Please take a seat! I'd be uncomfortable talking to you when you're standing."
I didn't let Aro's fake hospitality lure me into a safe sense of security. I'd been around him enough to know it was just tactics. He'd trap you into thinking you were safe and everybody was getting along nicely before launching his attack on you. That way he always ensured himself of having the element of surprise and always getting what he wanted.
"I hope you've all had some rest?" Aro's sickly sweet tone was starting to make me nauseous.
"Yes," Jasper answered curtly. "After all the upheaval we were glad to still have some days off before we had to start again."
"Well……..yes………" Aro seemed a little out of sorts after Jaspers referral to the 'upheaval'. You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know what he meant. "Now that you mention the……..upheaval. I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
He took some time to compose himself after that. Studying each of us closely while choosing his words.
"Of course I've had a good and long discussion with Alec and Jane about the….incident and after talking to them and some of the parents of other children partaking in the excursion I have concluded that it was all just a simple misunderstanding."
What the fuck?
I had expected Aro to scream bloody murder at us for misplacing his kids like he had done in London. I had expected him to fire us if we didn't grovel in front of his evil offspring. I had prepared to stand my ground. All three of us had done so.
But we had never expected this.
"A misunderstanding?" I finally managed to stammer.
"Yes," Aro made it look like it was the most obvious conclusion imaginable. "A misunderstanding."
"Could you explain that please?"
"It must not have escaped your notice that Alec and Jane were unhappy about your choice of accommodation." He paused, looking at us for confirmation.
"Yes?" Zafrina seemed almost reluctant to admit it. I had to agree with her. We were being trapped – I could see that – but was it only into admitting that this was all just some terrible case of miscommunication or was Aro on to something else?
"Well," Aro continued. "They chose to make other arrangements for themselves. They would have offered others to join them but they were afraid some of them would have some……trouble in finding the money to pay for a hotel room in the hotel they selected."
"Then why did they take off like that?" Jasper asked. Aro's explanation wasn't making any sense. Even he must have realized that it was just too flimsy and implausible to fool anyone.
"They meant to tell you but they forgot." Aro leaned backwards in his seat, feeling he had the upper hand. "They are very sorry for that and realize they have made a grave mistake in doing so."
"So you are trying to get us to believe that Alec and Jane did this just so they could sleep in a more comfortable bed?" I was beyond angry now. How dare he make light of this whole situation. Had he any idea of what we had gone through? How much valuable police resource had been wasted on his kids?
"There simply is no other explanation," Aro stated calmly.
I jumped out of my seat in anger. I could faintly hear Jasper hissing something behind me – no doubt a warning to stay calm – but the red sheen of anger that had been drawn over my eyes was to powerful to ignore.
"Then how do explain the fact that they checked into the Burlington under a false name?" I yelled. "And why didn't they call us? Or join the rest of the class the next morning to go to Hampton Court? After all…..you said they were just trying to ensure better accommodations for themselves."
"That's quite enough miss Swan," Aro barked.
"No it is not!" I continued my rant. "You expect us to accept this fabricated story just because it absolves you precious children of all blame but I refuse to take part in this charade. They did this for the same reason they are always trying to start trouble: for the hell of it. They know that – just as you are trying to do today – you will be there to bail them out if they get caught."
"I advise you to watch what you are saying," Aro warned, his voice low and menacing. I couldn't give a damn about it.
"They think themselves untouchable and to make matter worse: they are. How far do they have to go until they reach their limit? Murder?"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Aro jumped out of his seat, fuming with rage as he looked at me. However he was quick to compose himself again.
"I seem to have made a terrible mistake,' he stated calmly. "I took a great risk in hiring you, Miss Swan, thinking that, in spite of your social position and lack of age and experience, you would prove a welcome addition to our team. I see now how mistaken I was in thinking you'd fit in and become more like us……."
Only a few months ago those words – practically the same words Lauren had so often used on me – would have stung me deeper than any knife could. They played perfectly into my old insecurities and fears.
Now I realized that they didn't harm me anymore. I knew I wasn't inferior to Aro, his family or any of the other teachers at this school anymore. In fact, as far as Aro and his nest of vipers was concerned, I even felt remarkable superior.
"If you are trying to imply that when you hired me I was some sad charity case you are even more mistaken than you claim to be." I was amazed at the tone of my voice. It was calm. Composed. Civil. "I never have been and never will be a pitiable little single mom in need of rescuing."
I glared at him before I continued. "As far as my behavior is concerned. I agree that I may have been a little…outspoken before but I would challenge everyone in this room not to be after he or she would have gone through what I went through having to report students that were placed in my care missing to the police."
"So you take responsibility for this?" He looked rather smug, thinking he had me right where he wanted me.
"No," I replied. "The only ones responsible for all of this are Alec and Jane and I for one refuse to take part in a blatant lie designed to save them."
"You have no the choice," he interrupted me. "Either you accept this version of events or you resign."
"Then consider my resignation tendered,' I spat back, rising to get the hell out of this office. "Effective immediately."
"You might want to rethink this," Aero threatened. "You may find it very……..difficult to find other employment in this city."
"Do you really think I give a rats ass about you threats?" I laughed. "I despise you and our tactics and frankly……I wouldn't want to find employment with anyone who would be susceptible to your lies." With that I turned on my heals and marched out of the room.
The shock came later, when I was driving home again.
What the hell had I done?
What had come over me?
I had just walked away from a job that had been my source of income for the last few years. My first job. The first time I had been able to truly take care of myself.
It wasn't just that, there were also the pupils. I had known and taught some of them for as long as I worked there. How could I have just abandoned them?
What would I do now?
Aro had made it pretty clear to me I didn't have to expect him to give me a recommendation. If anything he would try to hinder me in my search for new employment. How did I fight him? Could he make his threat a reality?
"How did it go love?" I could faintly hear Edward say as I shut the front door behind me.
"Not good," I croaked.
"What happened?" There was so much worry in his voice. I wanted to look at him. I wanted to be comforted by him. To Explain. To be told everything would be alright.
But I couldn't. It was like I wasn't in control of my body anymore.
"Where is Jasper?" Alice voice sounded.
Oh.
Jasper. Zafrina.
They had been in there with me but after the red haze had been drawn over my eyes I hadn't been conscious of their presence.
How could I have just left them there at the mercy of that man?
What would they do? How would they react?
"Bella honey, please talk to me," I could hear Edwards voice say as he eased me down onto the couch with him, cradling me in his arms as if I was a child. "You're starting to frighten me."
"Why is mommy acting funny?" Libby seemed as puzzled as the rest of them.
"It looks like she's in shock."
"Should I slap her? I heard it helps." I braced for impact after Alice's words, almost welcoming the sting of her attack. Perhaps it could get me out of this catatonic state.
"Don't you dare!" Edwards chest rumbled as he growled. "I mean it. Back off Alice."
"Mommy?"
"Bella my love, please talk to me," Edward pleaded. "What did Aro do?"
"I quit," I managed to whispered. I didn't think anyone could hear me, my voice was hardly producing any sound at the moment.
"What?" All three voices asked at once.
"I quit," I repeated, a little bit more firm. "Aro wanted me to lie about what happened and I quit."
"What happened?" Alice asked. "Did Jasper quit as well?"
"I don't know," I sighed. "It's just…..something inside me snapped after Aro tried to make us agree to his version of the story. I just…….ranted. I kind of stormed out after I was done. I'm sorry."
"What do you have to be sorry about?" Edward asked.
"I just…..I shouldn't have left Jasper and Zafrina behind and I shouldn't have just resigned like that. It's just that I was so angry………." I wasn't able to hold back my sobs anymore.
"You did the right thing love," Edward soothed. "You stood your ground against Aro. I'm proud of you."
"But I left them….."
"It's okay love," he said, kissing my hair. "I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Jasper's a big boy," Alice grinned. "He can take care of himself."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself again. "I'm sorry," I sniffed.
"Will you stop apologizing?" Edward chuckled. "Save it for when you have something to be sorry about."
"I can't believe I actually did it." I shook my head, still unable to believe that it did really happen. That I did really quit my job. "I think I'm just going to pop upstairs to wash my face real quick," I said, standing up again.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Edward asked. He was still worried about me. I couldn't blame him. I would be just as worried if he came home shell-shocked.
"Do you mind if I go alone?" I asked, "I just need some time to think. You know, get my head around all of this."
"Sure love," he said, trying to look less worried than he was. "If you need anything just call."
"Thanks," I replied before making my way up the stairs.
Now that I had gotten past the drama-aspect of what happened I actually felt relieved.
Lighter.
As good as my years at the school had been, they had also been filled with tension. There had always been the inescapable Volturi's and the threat they posed to the rest of the school population. And of course their insufferable father.
I had never really felt like I belonged there. It had never been what I truly wanted out of life.
Sure, I loved teaching and I couldn't see myself in any other profession. But did I love teaching at that particular school?
No.
I loved my colleagues – well, Jasper and Zafrina – and I loved the certainty of a steady job, but somehow the walls of the school had always made my chest feel constricted. The pupils – though mostly kind and pretty smart – where so far out of my comfort zone it made me feel uneasy and as for working under Aro........
"There must be something wrong with me," I muttered as I splashed some cold water in my face. Old familiar Bella Swan, the one I've grown accustomed to for over a quarter of a decade would never do this?
I looked up in the mirror. Who was this strange girl staring back at me?
She had the same dull brown eyes and pale white face as the old Bella but there was something different.
The dull eyes had a newfound fierceness to them.
The big fishy lips were pursed in determination.
She had just used the words 'rat' and 'ass' in the same sentence while speaking to her superior.
The old Bella would never have done that.
The old Bella would have bowed her head, accepted the scolding and gone home to cry.
I liked this new determined Bella.
It was Edwards Bella.
The woman who could do everything if only she put her mind to it.
The reflection smiled, though the smile turned into a frown as other thoughts entered it's brain.
It was also the reflection of unemployed Bella.
--
EPOV
--
I was so proud of my girl. She had refused to take shit from her boss and stood up for her own principles.
When Jasper had come in shortly after Bella had gone upstairs and told us what had happened I was almost glowing with pride.
Pride and worry.
My Bella had been walking around the house in a state of shock ever since she had come back and really, who could blame her? She had given up a job that had been a center point in her life for the last few years.
A job that her favorite professor had arranged for her.
A job that had been the outcome, the crown of all her hard work.
I felt so powerless to help her. The only thing I could do for her was just to be there for her, keep her safe and warm while she made new plans for her life.
She had told me all about Aro's threat. How he had told her in no uncertain words he would twart any attempt at finding employment at another respectable school in the city.
It made me want to strangle Aro with his own intestines even more. How dare he threaten my angel when all she did was call him out on his favoritism of his own children?
I knew how important work was to Bella. It was the same thing with me. I didn't have to work, I had more than enough money to provide quite well for the three of us and any more children we might have. Still, it felt wrong to just live on money I never earned myself. The only reason I had it was because of the family I had been born into.
We just loved our jobs.
I had seen Bella's face when she was teaching. She glowed, completely wrapped up in her story, as she told her pupils all about the deeper meanings behind Jane Austens works. It was probably the same facial expression I showed when I got to scrub in on a complicated heart surgery.
And now all of that had been taken from her.
I vowed there and then to not rest until I had made it right again, even if that meant opening my own school. Hell, I had the money anyway. Why not do it?
"Daddy!" Libby danced into the study, "phone's ringing!"
I must have been so wrapped up in my own musings I didn't even hear it and, judging by the sounds of frantic cooking and baking, Bella was still too wrapped up in her latest distraction tactic as well.
It was professor Bell, Bella's favorite professor from university. Bella had told me how they got together a couple of times a year to discuss the things that happened in their life and the poor state of the educational system. It had been this man who had helped her get her job at Aro's school after she had graduated.
"Has Bella returned from her trip to London yet?" he asked. The professor had called about a week ago, right after Bella had left.
"Yes, she's here," I acknowledged, walking into the kitchen. Perhaps professor Bell would be able to help her again, even if it was just to set her mind at rest.
I continued reading up on the latest developments in small bowel resections while Bella talked and Libby played with her toys in the living room.
"What did he want?" I asked as she walked back into the study.
"Just to see me," she shrugged. I could see the tenseness was still there. "He asked me to stop by tomorrow morning. You're not working then, are you?"
"Nope,"I smiled, "My shift doesn't start until three."
"I should be back by then," she sighed.
"Come here," I demanded, pulling her into my lap. "I hate to see you this unhappy."
"I'm sorry," she whispered and I could hear her tears weren't far off.
"That's not how I meant it," I explained. "I hate seeing you unhappy and being powerless to do anything about it. Please, tell me there's anything I can do."
"I wish there was," she sighed. "But you're already doing so much for me as it is....I just need some time to get my bearings back."
"I know." I buried my head in her hair, breathing her in. "When are Jasper and Alice getting here?"
Bella had invited the two of them over for dinner tonight. Part of that was because she had been cooking like a maniac to keep herself from as she put it 'brooding too much about things that could not be changed' and now she needed people to come and eat the huge amount of food she had cooked but another important part was to let Jasper know that she didn't resent him for hanging on to his job.
Poor Jasper had felt incredibly guilty for bowing down to Aro in the end – even though the thought that he was doing it made him physically ill – because he needed his job, his income. He felt like he had betrayed Bella by doing so .
It had been Jasper who had told us what had happened in Aro's office while Bella was still panicking upstairs. Even though I had known she needed some time alone to get her head together, leaving Bella alone was some of the hardest thing I had to do in my life.
The part of me that wanted to protect her from all possible harm was screaming at me to run upstairs and hold my Bella as the part that was still susceptible to Bella's wishes tried to listen to Jaspers words.
Sure, Bella had had a tendency to draw away emotionally, to prevent her pain from seeping out onto others, but this wasn't it.
This wasn't her hiding.
This was her confused.
Scared.
Lost.
If only I knew what to do.
--
"Hey Bella," Jasper asked tentatively as he shuffled into the room. "How are you doing."
"I'm fine," Bella said, enveloping him in a hug. She was making an effort to make her tone light. "Are you?"
"The place seems empty without you," he sighed, making Bella chuckle.
"Don't get all dramatic on me," she laughed, rolling her eyes at him as she placed a basket of bread on the table. "At least you don't have to deal with the little pieces of shit thinking we are having a steamy affair on top of your desk."
I had found out that referring to her former pupils as little pieces of shit was just another coping mechanism. A way to distance herself from the place. If she only remembered the more negative aspects of her time there she wouldn't feel so bad about just leaving without saying goodbye. Without closure.
"You've got a point there," Jasper replied, making an effort to smile. "I am sorry though?"
"For keeping your job?" Bella huffed. "Don't be. I never expected anyone to follow me in my dramatic exit so don't be sorry about the fact that you kept a clear head and your job."
"You really mean that don't you?" Jasper cried unbelievingly.
"Of course I do!" Bella chuckled. "I swear, your skull is getting as thick as Emmett's!"
"See," Alice soothed, rubbing his back. "I told you she wasn't angry."
"I's nice to know you're afraid of me. I wonder how I might use that for further reverence....." Bella chuckled.
"Oh shut up," Jasper growled, but the relief was still very audible in his voice.
The rest of the meal passed in a much more relaxed fashion. Libby claimed most of our attention with her relay of the field trip to the zoo her kindergarten-class had taken today.
"They didn't even know what the animals were called!" Libby huffed in disdain at the teaching assistant that had lead them around. "He was soooooooo stupid!" Libby's kindergarten teacher had recently taken on an intern who had caused quite the commotion at the school because he wasn't the brightest fish in the pond. Libby had immediately taken a dislike to him after she had called him on his bluff the first time she had asked him a question.
To Libby it was one thing to not know the answer to one of her many questions, but it was simply unforgivable to try and bluff your way out of it. Of course, her good opinion once lost was lost forever.
"It's not very nice to say that!" Bella scolded, hardly able to keep back her smiles.
"But he is!" Libby yelled in an offended tone. "He didn't even know giraffes were cannibals! He told us to be careful because they might eat us!"
"Did you mean carnivores?" Bella hiccuped, hiding her mouth behind her napkin to hide her amusement.
"He's stupid," Libby growled, glaring at her mom. "Giraffes don't eat meat."
"You're quite right honey," Bella admitted, trying to save herself out of this situation.
--
"Was Jasper really that afraid to come over tonight?" I asked as Jasper and Bella cleared the table after dinner.
Alice nodded. "And not just because he was beating himself up about hanging on to his job."
"What else?" I wondered.
"He envies Bella,"Alice whispered. "Quite a lot," she added as she took in my stunned expression.
"Why?" I couldn't for the life of me how Jasper could envy the existential crisis Bella seemed to have landed herself in.
Alice shrugged. "I think he just wished he had the courage to do what she did."
"But it's different for him," I interjected.
"How so?" Alice snapped, no doubt guessing where this was going.
"He needs the money......" I knew I was heading for the danger zone.
"And Bella does not?" Alice glowered. "Tell me Edward, because I fail to see what's different between Bella and Jasper's situation."
"It's just different for a guy....." I defended myself. I knew there was no way I could make her see that a guy would never allow himself to be kept by a woman. At least....not if he could help it.
"Male chauvinist pig," Alice huffed.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, but I have to agree with the pixie here," I heard my sexy fiancé say.
I turned to see her smirking at me. "If you for one moment believe that I feel comfortable being a 'kept woman' then you don't know me very well."
"I know love," I said, pleading with her to understand. "But it's just a psychological thing."
"Then all men are just screwed up," Bella huffed, sitting next to Alice on the sofa. They looked like a pair of angry kittens. Cute as fuck but dangerous as hell.
--
BPOV
--
"Come in Bella dear," professor Bell called.
Stepping into his office was like stepping into a time warp. Years might have passed and things might have changed but they didn´t seem to have had an effect on Stefan Bell. His office was still exactly the same as it had been when I was still a student here and I didn´t think that it had ever changed much in the twenty or so years that professor Bell had taught here.
There was still the desk, almost completely hidden behind stacks and stacks of papers. The walls that were covered with bookshelves containing almost every noteworthy book ever to have been written in the English language. The floor, covered in a worn but still beautiful Persian rug and the set of comfortable chairs standing in a corner of the office, surrounded by more stacks of paper.
"How are you," Stefans warm voice greeted me.
"I'm fine," I sighed, sitting down in the chair opposite from him.
"I heard you finally gave Aro a piece of your mind?" he grinned.
"Yes….well…." I blushed.
"Don't worry dear," he said, lightly patting my hand. "You'll find that at these offices that is a good thing."
"What?"
"In fact," his eyes glistened with delight as he continued. "You are seen as somewhat of a hero by most of the teaching staff of this institution."
"But……"
"How could I ever recommend you to Aro if I thought he was a pompous self-righteous ass?"
I nodded. It wasn't the choice of words I would have used but it boiled down to the same thing.
"Well…." He lifted his glasses from his nose, chewing on one of it's legs. "Pompous ass or not, he does run one of the most prestigious schools in the city and of course I wanted nothing but the best for my star pupil. Even if that meant striking a deal with the devil himself."
I blushed again, hiding my red face behind my head. Luckily Margery, his secretary, came in with tea, giving me a moment to recuperate.
"So how has life been treating you?" the professor asked after Margery had left. "I understood from my phone calls to your house that you've met a man?"
"Yes," I smiled, thinking about Edward and everything he had done for me over the last few days. "Although it would be better to say that I found the man of my dreams again."
I explained to him how Edward and I had met again and everything that happened after that.
"That's quite remarkable my dear," professor Bell mused. "You know you could write a bestselling novel about that."
"I don't think I'm a good enough writer to produce a bestseller," I chuckled. "What matters is that we are together again and that there is no force on earth that could drive us apart now."
"Yes," he smiled. "I can see that it has done you a world of good. As the great poet said: all you need is love."
"Did you run out of Shakespeare quotes?" I laughed, remembering how professor Bell used to have a Shakespearian saying for every occasion.
"One has to keep up with the times," he laughed.
"I see," I grinned, looking at the computer that was still hidden in a far corner of the room, covered in layers of dust.
"Well, at least I've moved on from using a quill pen!"
We talked some more about the past, our families and the deplorable state of the educational system as we drank our tea.
"Well my dear," professor Bell said in a suddenly versy serious tone. "As much as I enjoy sipping tea and exchanging the latest gossip with you……that's not why I asked you to come."
"It's not?" I couldn't remember us ever having done something else during my visits to him.
"No, I'm actual on official university business right now," he stated, trying to assume an air of command.
"Oh?"
The door to the office opened and a man came in. I recognized his long, eerily slim frame as that of Vladimir Tepeş, the head of the faculty. His story read like a fairy tale, though for a while I hadn't been entirely sure if he was the hero or the villain. His parents had fled the communist regime in Romania when he had still been a child and even though he had grown up in the States he still had a very mysterious, eastern European aura around him. It was almost as if he had stepped straight out of some old folk tale about vampires.
"For God's sake Stefan," he chuckled in a slight Romanian accent. "You still haven't asked her? What have you been doing all this time."
"Well………I………," professor Bell stammered.
I chuckled. The two of them had always been a very odd pair. They had been working side by side at this university for as long as anyone could remember and had become something of the Waldorf and Statler of the faculty, protecting the level of education from all harmful modern influences.
I had been a little bit intimidated by professor Tepeş at first. His demeanor had something of a villain about it, his name and descend doing nothing to help him in that respect.
I soon found out that he was as harmless as professor Bell was, though he was the more focused and determined of the two. That was probably why he had become in charge of the faculty when that position had become vacant. If it would have been professor Bell that became the new head of the faculty the whole place would have been a mess after a week.
"Just pull yourself together and ask her," professor Tepeş urged. "You wanted to do the honors so stop pussyfooting about and do it!"
"Well Bella," professor Bell started again, clearing his throat. "We have something to discuss with you...........a business proposition of sorts that............"
"A faculty position has opened up in our department and we would like you to take it," professor Tepes interrupted, rolling his eyes.
"What?" I was too stunned to form a coherent answer which, considering they had just offered me a position at an Ivy-league college, may not have been the smartest move.
"We want you to take a job with us," professor Bell explained, glowing with the realization that he had finally managed to say the words.
"Will you?" professor Tepeş urged.
So....will she?
Finally Edward and Bella are reunited again and if I did my job right this chapter will show some of the progress Bella has made after she was reunited with Edward.
Xparawhorextwerdx has made a thread for this story over at the twilighted(dot)net forums (again, thank you so much for doing that!) so if you have any questions about this story, my other story (which I will be starting a thread for soon), want to read sneak peaks into upcoming chapters or just chat please join me there.
The next chapter will be called 'old beefs and new beginnings' (unless I can come up with a better title than that) and will feature an actual fistfight. Any guesses on who will be punching who in the face?
Please review. It makes me happy and feel inspired.