Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, I just use their creations to have my wicked way with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
I'm back! Work went all kinds of crazy on me which allowed me very little time to spend in Foundations-ville. I should be able to update regularly from now on again though, even though it's only for two more chapters and an epilogue. Snif.
Many thanks to xparawhorextwerdx for fixing my grammar and holding my hand. Love ya!
Back again.
April 2010
"Bella?" It was hard to ignore his voice, especially when he was doubling up on the butter smooth like he was doing right now. However, I wasn't ready to wake up yet. Waking up would mean getting up.
And getting up would get us one huge step closer to leaving this place, something I really didn't want to do.
"We should get up if we want to make it to the airport on time." He sounded more insistent this time and I had a feeling he wasn't going to let me get away with stalling. Or, at least, not too much of it. What gave me hope, though, was the fact that I could still feel his body, inches away from mine, in the bed.
"I don't want to go," I whined, burying my face even deeper into the soft pillows. I knew I was probably sounding more immature than Libby, but to hell with it.
"We're going to miss our plane."
"We'll take another one…a later one," I growled, "it's not like it's the only plane flying into JFK this year!"
"My, my. Eager to spend money aren't we, Mrs Cullen?" he mocked, his fingers brushing a lithe pattern over the naked skin of my back. "I thought you were all about frugality? Does this mean I will get to lavish you with gifts without getting my head bitten off in the process when we get back?"
"Maybe," I grumbled, feeling my body start to wake up more and more because of Edward's consistent talking. "But don't let it get to your head. I'm not about to let you do lavish me with anything right now. You woke me up!"
"I somehow doubt if you'd deny me if I lavished you with something else!" he chuckled, his hands resting on either side of my head as he pinned me between the mattress and his body.
"What are you going to do?" I chuckled, wriggling underneath him just to see if he was paying attention. "Keep me as your prisoner?'
"I like that idea," he purred, dragging his teeth along the soft skin of my neck. I let out an involuntary moan at the sensation of the cold harness and sharpness of them against the tender skin, my blood throbbing in my veins with my need for him. He knew he had me then, the smug smile peeking out through the general look of lust. I knew I shouldn't make this so easy for him, but I wasn't in a hurry to get away from him. Or even make him chase me for that matter. Not when I could feel him hard and throbbing against me, my body reacting in kind to his obvious desire for me. I could never get enough of this.
I could never get enough of him.
He knew my body like no one else did – or ever would – knew exactly which buttons to push to give me insane pleasure…or turn me into a quivering puddle of mush. It was that trait that would always have me willingly surrender to his wishes in the end, knowing that there was much more to derive from giving in than from holding out.
I chuckled, knowing how that notion went against every awkward lecture my dad had tried to give me when I was young but as long as Edward shared the milk so freely with me, he would be welcome to take the cow.
It didn't mean I was going to deny him the pleasure of 'the chase' though…
I turned, determined to at least make the effort of pretending I had some backbone inside of me even though the wetness between my legs as his hard cock brushed against me betrayed the falsehood of my sudden reluctance before I could even utter a single word. "I thought we were going to be late for our plane?" I tried, my legs undermining my attempt at holding out by wrapping around his waist, pulling him closer against me. Damned traitor of a body!
"Screw the plane!" Edward growled. "I want to hear you scream my name at least once more before I am ready to leave this place. Do you think you can let me?" His green eyes bore into mine as he hovered above me, his strong, sinewy body supported by his arms and legs. I could feel how hard he had to fight his own body as well, his trembling arms and lust-clouded eyes betraying his need to be inside of me. I could only sympathize. He was so close, but still so far away from where I wanted him, from where I needed him.
"Edward," I moaned, the words rolling from his velvet tongue with a tantalizing, excruciating purr being enough to bring me to the brink of insanity on their own. Let alone when he brought his body into play.
"Answer me, Isabella," he demanded. "Do you want me to take you...hard, fast and furious until you scream my name as you come around my cock?"
"Y-yes," I managed to stammer, my raw need for him making my body writhe on the mattress seeking comfort.
"I won't be taking me time with you today, my Isabella," he continued, the low growl of his voice shooting straight between my legs, "I am going to drive into you until there is no doubt in your mind who your sweet pussy belong to…..and just so the outside world know it to, I'm going to mark you…with my teeth. What do you say to that?"
I was beyond rational thought at that moment, my breath leaving my lungs in an almost painful gasp of pent up lust. As much as I loved it when Edward and I made sweet, sweet love, his dominant side…it turned me to mush. Absolute and utter mush. "Please…." I finally managed to pant, knowing he wouldn't do anything until he had his okay, "let me feel you….inside me."
"Whatever the lady wishes," he growled, thrusting into me as his deep green eyes shone into mine with a furious intensity.
I felt whole again, the moment I felt him inside me, the two pieces of the circle joining, humming in contentment and creating something that was larger than just the sum of two pieces. Larger than us.
It was fate, destiny, soul mates, or whatever other name you could think of. But most of all, it was pure, unadulterated pleasure.
I cried out, my hands clawing into the taut skin of his back, leaving my own visible marks on him as I held on to him, needing him as close as he could get.
The fact that Carlisle, Esme and the children were probably having breakfast on the balcony of their room, wondering what the hell was keeping us added an extra urgency to our lovemaking and left our body's sweaty and jubilant as they moved against each other, joined in the closest form man and woman could ever be united.
Before long I could feel that familiar tightening in my body, the pleasure intensifying as the tension started to build up deep down inside of me. "So close," I panted, my fingers digging into his skin to find some leverage against the weight of the storm brewing inside of me. I was so close, close enough to make the absence of release a sweet, sweet torture.
"Fuck, honey," he panted, his body brushing against my throbbing clit every time he slammed into me. "I'm right there with you." His eyes were closed now, the lids squeezed shut as he tried to hold off his own release for me. "Come for me, Bella. NOW."
My head rolled backwards, as my body twisted with pleasure, a sharp sting hitting me through the rumbling freight train of emotions. The sensation of Edward, marking me with his teeth was enough to make the dark clouds erupt into a thunderstorm and I came, crying out his name as my whole body shivered, panted and cried out with its intensity. Edward followed hot on my heels, giving himself to me completely as his release shot into me.
"I told you, I'd make you scream," Edward chuckled as he caught his breath after a while, kissing my sweaty shoulder as he crashed on the bed beside me.
"Arrogant ass!" I scolded playfully, swatting him away as I go up from the bed. "Go make yourself useful for a change instead of lying about, blowing your own trumpet!"
"Excuse me," he growled in mock indignation, scratching the sweaty skin of his chest. "I'd say I made myself pretty useful just now!"
I rolled my eyes at him. "You know what I mean. And just a quick FYI: I'm referring Libby to you if she asks why mommy has a big old bite mark on her neck!"
I caught another one of his so called pantie dropping grins before I managed to escape to the bathroom. I had somehow, during the last couple of days, turned my own husband into a complete horn dog. He really was beyond help, which, in itself wasn't so bad if only he wasn't so good at it.
A sense of melancholy settled over me as I got through the motions of a quick shower, brushing my teeth while the conditioner was working its magic before rinsing the stuff out of my hair and hopping out from underneath the spray to finish my morning ritual. The feeling only intensified when I got out of the bathroom, my skin still glowing with the warmth of the water, only to spot both our suitcases lying on the bed, my husband cramming them with our clothes and toiletries.
Edward caught my gaze as he looked up, his eyes holding that same hint of sadness I was feeling. We both knew what the open suitcases between us meant.
They meant that our holiday was officially over.
We went about our business silently, both sneaking in longing glances at the other every opportunity we got as we packed our last clothes into the suitcases and got ready for our journey back.
"Don't worry love," Edward spoke, snaking his arm around my waist in a one-armed hug as we stood in front of the bed. "This is not the end of something. This is only the beginning. We'll find a way to keep all of the things we've discovered with us, as long as we're both willing to fight for it."
"I know," I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder and allowing him to sooth me. I truly did. It was just that this holiday had been so amazing….the adjustment to everyday life was bound to be difficult. I knew it. "I guess this was what Eve must have felt when she'd been banished from paradise."
"Hmm," he hummed, burying my face in my hair for a moment or two. "Have you been eating any apples lately? Or doing anything else that would warrant us being banished from our place of happiness?"
"No," I breathed, "and maybe that's why it's so hard for me to accept that this is the end of our stay in Eden."
"Maybe it's not," Edward insisted. "Maybe it's just the beginning of a new chapter in our lives." It was the discussion we had been having a lot over the last couple of days. Edward was so sure that we would be able to take what we'd found here back with us, even if I had my doubts. For me, Italy, would forever be my garden of Eden.
My smile reappeared when I thought about all the things I'd seen and done over the last couple of days. They were too much to mention almost and I knew it was mostly down to the presence of my in-laws and children that we'd managed to soak up so much of the country because if it had been up to Edward and me, I was pretty sure we would have hardly left our suite, just like at the farmhouse.
"What are you thinking about that has you smiling so beatifically?" Edward asked, pausing his final inspection of the cupboards and bathroom.
"The last couple of days…everything I've seen….experiencing all of this with the people I love the most…"
"I know what you mean," Edward nodded.
"I wish I could take it all with me," I sighed. "Do you remember that little eating place we visited?"
"Which one?" he chuckled.
"The one where we ate in the backyard, with all the fairy lights and those beautiful fragrant shrubs. I'm thinking of restyling the backyard to look just like it." The place had truly been magical, as with most of the small restaurants that were scattered all over town. Every single one of them seemed to hold some sort of hidden treasure, whether it were a beautiful mural or a secret garden. And then I hadn't even mentioned the food.
"As much as I like the idea, I think it might be a bit hard to recreate the exact look of the place while still incorporating Libby's swing set and the sandbox," Edward chuckled. "I know Libby is going to raise hell if you get rid of those."
"You're right," I sighed, "but maybe she'd appreciate a nice mural of the 'Last Supper' as a background picture?"
"Don't you think you've bought enough poster replica's to turn the whole house into a bite sized version of the Ufizi gallery?"
"True," I snorted, remembering how Libby and I had gone completely wild in the museum's gift shop, buying almost every painting we'd loved in poster format. And we'd loved a lot of paintings. "But really, did you find that at all surprising considering your mother was with us?"
I had found that visiting a museum with Esme was another experience that could be described as very interesting. After Carlisle and Edward had described her as nothing short of Satan's little sister, unleashing a reign of terror over her unsuspecting loved ones the moment she stepped into a museum I had been a bit hesitant when she had asked me and Libby to join her for a visit to the Uffizi, the largest of the museums the town boasted of and filled to the brim with the most amazing works of art known to man. Esme, of course, had known of no harm, counteracting her son and husband's image of her with her own vision that had her as some sort of cultural vigilante, fighting an honorable battle against the 'dummification of the masses' as she called it.
Truth, as always, lay in between those two descriptions.
As much as she appreciated my respect and awe as I stood in front of the Venus by the famous Florentine painter Sandro Botticelli, she wouldn't let me get away with appreciating just the highlights of the museum. According to her every painting, ancient wooden box or silver artifact exhibited within the 139,000 square feet of exhibiting space deserved our attention. It was completely and utterly exhausting but then again, she knew so much about the works of art that graced the walls of the museum, from famous paintings by the likes of Rubens and Botticelli to unknown works by artists with outlandish names like Sofonisba Anguissola and Jan van den Hoecke. Her explanations of the symbolism within the paintings and anecdotes about the lives of the artists were what made the visit interesting, even to the last frame.
But the art and ancient buildings hadn't been all that made this trip into an unforgettable journey. Most of all it had been the way we'd come together as a family and spend time together without being distracted by work, school or horse riding classes.
"Not really," Edward replied, closing the lid on his suitcase, " But I have to say….I was kind of surprised when you and Carlisle went to visit that church on the hilltop that one morning. I never did take you for a devout catholic…..Oh, for God's sake, why don't you just let me do that?" he chuckled, interrupting his question as he saw how I was struggling with the latches on mine.
"Thanks," I muttered, seeing how Edward made the impossible possible and closed the damn buckles of hell on his first try. "And I'm not really, but the experience was amazing." It was humbling, really to attend mass in a place of worship that had been there since the Middle Ages. It had seen so many things over the years. Marriages, christenings but also the fear and desperation during the Black Death pandemic. "It gave me such a feeling of calm and peace….even if I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying."
"Carlisle said exactly the same, you know," Edward chuckled. "He really liked spending that morning with you."
"I did too," I nodded. It was strange, the times me and my father in law had spend together could be counted on the finger of one hand, but as we descended the hilltop after mass had ended we had felt completely at ease with each other. And it showed. I had been able to discuss things with him I had never imagined I could ever speak about to anyone but Esme or Rose.
"Yes," he mused. "I never did find out what it was that had you blushing so hard when the two of you came back."
"I'll never tell," I challenged him.
"Wanna bet?"
"Don't make me," I pleaded. "Isn't as girl allowed to have some secrets around here?"
"Nope. I think Doctor Moon was pretty adamant that keeping secrets wasn't part of a good and healthy marriage."
"Not even when you stand to gain so much more by letting me keep my little secret?" I knew I had him there, or at least given him some stuff to think about while I made my escape.
"Am I right in assuming that my step-father gave you advice on our love life?" he gasped.
"Maybe." Really, why was I even bothering denying it? My blush said it all. "And what of it if he did? You were never so surprised when Esme and I discus in ins and outs of our marriage."
"Yeah, but the both of you are female," he muttered, trying to get himself out of this particular minefield. "It's just….unexpected. I didn't think you'd feel comfortable…."
"Relax!" I snickered, coming to his aid after I'd enjoyed watching him sweat for a little while. "We discussed many things but in particular the things I could do to support you during the next year."
"And he suggested sex?"
"No, you crazy perv!" I cried, trying to stop myself from laughing. "You're making it seems like it was some kind of porno-conference. We didn't just discus sex. We spoke about many things."
"But you did speak about sex," he insisted.
"Let's just go and have breakfast," I growled, quickly changing the subject. "That is…if Carlisle and Esme haven't decided to dump us and leave for the airport yet!"
"We are a bit late, aren't we?" he chuckled.
"A bit late?" I snorted, hooking my arm around his as we left the room. "Try scandalously."
Esme seemed to agree with me as she greeted us in the front lobby, her scowl nevertheless hiding an underlying hint of humor as she handed both of us a chocolate filled cornetto for breakfast. "And that's all you're going to get. If we want to make our check in time at the airport we are going to have to leave right now," she warned before turning to Edward, staring his smug grin down with an icy cool glare. "Carlisle is already loading our luggage and that of the children into the car. I suggest you do the same."
"Yes, mother," he answered, putting his 'I'm a good little boy'-look in place.
It was all to no avail. Whereas Edward might have been frustratingly good working his magic on me, Esme seemed to be quiet immune to his boyish charms. Perhaps she'd seen them one too many times. "Don't you 'yes, mother' me Edward Antony Cullen," Esme hissed. "I know who it was that made the two of you miss breakfast and really, I had half a mind to send Libby in to get you. It would have given you a nice opportunity to fill her in on the birds and the bees."
"Whatever happened to 'it takes two to tango'," Edward grumbled under his breath as he took my bag and made to follow the bell-boy who had just come down with our luggage. "It's not like Bella was an unwilling subject in all of this!"
"Don't look so smug," Esme glowered at me as we watched him disappear through the doors. "He's right and you know it. Really, Bella. I expected more responsibility from you."
"I know," I sighed, hanging my head in shame only to lift it up, almost dropping the sticky pastry I still held in my hand in shock, when Esme erupted in a fit of giggles.
"I was only joking!" she chuckled, her laughter deepening as she saw the shocked look on my face. "Really? You thought I was angry?" She snorted. "If Carlisle and I had been alone we probably would have done the same!"
The time Esme spend settling the final things at the reception gave me the opportunity to coax my face back from fire engine red to a state somewhat resembling normal. I was just about there when she rejoined me, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "Esme, I never did thank you for everything you've done for the two of us. Not just during this trip…but in general."
"It is my duty as a mother to do everything in my power to make my children happy," Esme stated. "And Bella, I do reckon you as one of them."
"Still, I think you went above and beyond your call of duty," I insisted. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome," she smiled. "And as I said before, it is a small sacrifice when it finds me with an excuse to spend a week in Italy."
"Mom!" Libby came running inside, giving me a quick hug before she spoke again. "You have to come outside. Daddy and grandpa are fighting!"
"What?" both Esme and I gasped at once.
We got outside just in time to stop things from getting ugly between the two of them. They were standing face to face over the hood of the Alfa Romeo, Masen watching on with a bemused grin from the comfort of the backseat of the black Mercedes Carlisle and Esme had rented.
"Will the two of you tell me what on earth is going on?" Esme demanded.
"He wants to take my car," Edward snarled, pointing his finger at Carlisle.
I sighed. Of course it was the damn car. Edward had Gollumed over it all through our trip, even going as far as to insist that he was behind the wheel at all times, inventing some lame excuse about how he needed to make sure the thing was handled properly because of the security deposit he'd had to pay. "How old are you?" I snorted. "And he might be right. After all, how did you envision taking Libby and Masen with us in a two-seater?"
"I don't know…" he shrugged.
"Neither do I, since strapping them to the hood of the car really isn't an option as far as I'm concerned and don't you even start to suggest that Carlisle and Esme take them with them in the Mercedes. They've done enough for us over the last couple of weeks. The least we could do for them is give them some alone time."
"But….."
"Just give up, Edward," I groaned. "I know you love the car, but really, you can't have everything." It felt like I was talking to Libby at the moment, his angry pout even making him look like her. It made me realize with a start that Alice probably hadn't been the source of my daughter's princessy behavior after all.
It had been her dad. He'd been a closeted little princess all along. I should have known it!
"Okay." He finally admitted defeat, handing over the keys to his father with a cool glare while muttering something under his breath. I rolled my eyes at him, sharing a knowing look with my daughter before heading over to the Mercedes to make sure she was strapped into the back seat properly.
The rest of our journey home passed without incident or further upset. I guess almost all of us were sad to leave Italy behind because apart from Libby, for whom it was impossible to be silent for longer than ten minutes, hardly a word was spoken between us.
Masen was a bit fussy in the plane, the altitude making his ears pop, earning us a few glares from some snotty business men in first class. I think Edward would have killed them on the spot, had the fasten seat belt signs not been on at the moment, though I could sort of understand, even if I could do nothing against it. The angry cries my son was emitting weren't exactly music to my ears either.
We arrived back in New York very early, the sun barely visible on the horizon when the plane started to descent towards JFK Airport.
It was a good thing we'd all slept – or tried to – on the plane because I knew that as soon as we got home, things would be crazy.
Edward had another five days of leave before he had to start his fellowship and he planned on spending as much of it as he could with us. He and Libby had been huddled together for part of the flight, trying to come up with as many things as they could cram into those days. It hardly left any room for food or sleep, let alone jetlag.
Emmett and Rose were already waiting for us at the airport, having driven there in separate cars to be able to get us all back to the city since Carlisle and Esme would be spending next week with us. I looked back, watching Carlisle and Esme assist Libby in her efforts to pile all of our luggage onto a trolley. The way she kept stubbornly refusing their help, her sweet little face red with the strain of the weight she was lifting while her grandparents watched on with equal parts amusement and worry.
I was going to miss them. Both of them. So much. The last couple of days made me wish more than ever before that we could all live in the same town.
"Well, I don't think I have to guess how the two of you have been celebrating Edward's promotion over the last two weeks," Rose snickered as soon as she reached us, her eyes lingering on the bite mark that peeked over the neckline of my CU sweatshirt .
"Rosie!" Emmett groaned. "I thought I told you not to mention that kind of stuff around me!"
"What?" she growled. "You know she has sex, just as she knows we do."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I like to have my face rubbed in it!" Emmett complained. And for once I couldn't agree more. "As far as I'm concerned Libby and Masen were conceived immaculately, just like Bella and me were."
"And Charlie and 'Baby to be'?" Rose snorted. "What about them? Should I change my name to Mary?"
"Nope," Emmett grinned, kissing her on the cheek. "No miracles there. Just hard work and lots and lots of sex!"
"Uncle Emmett! Aunt Rose!" Libby squealed as she ran towards us, catapulting herself into her uncle's arms. "You have to see the necklace grandma bought for me at the Ponte Vecchio. It means 'old bridge' in Italian!"
"I take it you had a good time, baby squirt?" Emmett chuckled, hugging her to him.
"Yes, the best!" Libby, nodded before starting off on a full blow by blow on everything that had happened since he'd seen her last. She only stopped her incessant flow of words when we all but manhandled her into Edward's Volvo for the ride home.
It was strange, being back in New York. We'd only been away for such a short period of time, but it felt like something big had changed.
Or maybe it was just me.
Alice and Jasper were waiting for us at home with a large spread of all the breakfast foods a person could think off laid out on the dining table.
"Which army are you feeding Alice?" I teased as I saw all of the food.
"Oh, go ahead and make fun of me," Alice growled, though her eyes were shining with happiness as she hugged her brother and the children. "I was only trying to be nice."
"And it's much appreciated," I added, pulling her into a hug, much to the pixie's surprise. She did return it, though, not until after a few moments and even then it was awkward. We were getting better though. We weren't there yet – not even close – but we were on the right path. Everything would return to normal.
Soon.
"How was your trip?" Jasper asked as soon as everyone had taken their seats around the table. He must have noticed how Libby started to wiggle in her seat, impatient to launch into another recount of the week's events because his next question was directed mainly at her. "Did you see a lot of the 'old stuff'?"
I giggled, knowing how Jasper had gone all teacher on Libby when, during a visit to the Met, had called the ancient artifacts 'old stuff'.
My daughter just rolled her eyes at him before launching into another lengthy account of all her actions during the week, this time paying extra attention to our visit to the Piti Palace, the main seat of Florence's powerful Medici family and it's royal apartments before turning to Alice as she changed into a detailed description of the ancient clothes in the costume gallery.
Libby knew her audience.
"And what's new here?" Esme asked after Libby had completed her recount of the last week. "Did anything special happen while we were away?"
"Well," Alice started hesitantly, her hand reaching out for Jasper, a small smile appearing on her lips as it found its purpose and the two of them wove together. "We kind of have some news of our own as well…."
"News?" Edward growled as he tensed up beside me. I had a feeling that, like me, he knew what piece of information that might be.
"Yes, news," Alice snapped, her eyes glaring at her brother in warning before growing softer again as she looked at Jasper. "Jasper and I have decided to give our relationship another try."
xXx
Edward Cullen
"Ally, are you really sure about this?" I asked, helping my sister clear the table. I'd held my tongue throughout breakfast, knowing that lashing out wasn't going to solve anything, especially not when there were children present. "I mean…you don't have to do this."
"I know," she nodded. "But I love him, Edward. I really love him."
"The son of a bitch broke your heart!" My words reverberated through the empty kitchen and could probably be heard even in the living room where said son of a bitch was currently hiding out. I couldn't find it in me to care, though. Now that we had the house to ourselves I didn't feel like holding back anymore, like I had done before at the breakfast table.
My parents had retired upstairs after lunch and Bella too had already gone to bed after seeing that Libby and Masen were settled in. It hadn't taken much effort to get the kids to take a nap though. Masen had already conked out in the car on our way back home and Libby had fallen asleep with her head against my shoulder as soon as she had finished her stack of chocolate chip pancakes. Only Jasper and Alice had stayed behind, my sister probably knowing that we needed to speak about her little announcement.
"He did," she admitted, her smile wavering for a second as she hopped onto the counter, "and I'd thank you very much not to refer to my boyfriend as a son of a bitch. There's no denying that it hurt like a motherfucker when he left me but it is all in the past now. He's the only man I ever loved and the only man I ever see myself loving. I've always know it in my heart…we belong together. He sees that now." The smile was back, turning slightly devious at some kind of private joke. "It was about bloody time too because I don't know how long I would have kept waiting for him to be ready."
"I still think you gave in too easily."
"Don't you think you're being a tad….oh, I don't know….sanctimonious, big brother?" she sneered. "After all, how long did it take you to welcome Bella back with open arms?"
"That is beside the point!" I argued.
"Is it?" she snorted, folding her hands underneath her chin in contemplation. "Please explain, because I had a hard time discerning the difference myself."
"Our situation was….more complicated," I started. "I mean, we had the kids to consider and all. And I was every bit as guilty in letting it come that far between us as she was. Probably even more so."
"True, but did you ever stop to consider that the absence of kids and evil ex-wives makes it easier for Jasper and I to get past our issues?"
"How?" I asked. "And I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear your remark about the ex-wives."
"The risk is smaller," Alice shrugged. "It's just my heart I'm gambling with here, not those of others depending on me."
"But it's a very valuable asset to just gamble away, Ally."
"I know," she sighed, "and please believe that I didn't take that gamble lightly. I know the stakes…I know the losses, but at the end of the day I also know that I can't ever be happy knowing that I could have fixed this but didn't."
"What if he bolts again? He did it one time, who's to say that he won't be heading back to that swamp of his the moment you two hit another rough patch?"
"He won't."
"What makes you so certain of that?" I knew I was fighting a lost battle here. Alice determined was an unshakable fortress and at this moment my sister seemed very determined in her quest to make her relationship with Jasper work.
"I know so." She sighed deeply, her hands fidgeting with her earrings before she worked up the courage to look at me, the determination in her eyes startling me as she spoke. "He asked me to marry him."
"What?" I cried out, anger slowly rising as her words sank in.
"Don't you start," she warned. "He asked me and I said yes. The only condition I made was that our engagement wouldn't be strung out any longer than absolutely necessary."
"Why?" I had to command every last bit of my self control to stop me from saying or doing things which would only have me end up at odds with most of my family.
"Really Edward?" she snorted. "You're asking me why I consented to marry him after everything I just told you?"
"Humor me."
She let out an exasperated sigh before she spoke. "I love him and I guess I could say it's as simple as that, but I know you're not going to be satisfied with just that." She looked at me, accepting the nod of my head with a wry smile before she continued. "With Jasper I feel a sense of security that I have never felt with anyone else…not even with mom and dad…and not even with you." She gave me an apologetic smile as she hopped down from the counter and walked towards me. "Jasper accepts me just the way I am and it calms me in a way no drug ever could…..I might not be book smart as you are or worldly and experienced like mom and dad, but I do know Jasper and I know he would not have asked me to marry him if he hadn't been absolutely sure about it."
She paused for a moment to see if she'd had me convinced yet, another small sigh escaping her lips when she realized she hadn't. "Jasper…..I guess you could say that to me what Bella is to you. He has my heart, my soul…my whole being and because of that he can hurt me like no other can. But at the end of the day, I will always give him the benefit of the doubt," A lonesome tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke, "because I can't see myself having any kind of happily ever after without him. Can you? Can you see yourself being happy with anyone else but Bella?"
"No," I grudgingly admitted. "And I do know how you're feeling."
"Do you?" she snorted. "You don't sound all that convincing."
"Maybe that's because I'm not at all convinced." I held up my hand to stop my sister from reacting before I had said my piece. "It's your life Alice, and I know you love the guy and think this is a good thing for the both of you but please think before you act. You might think that Jasper wants this just as much as you do, but how can you be sure that he's not doing this just for your sake? Are you really sure about this"
"Absolutely." The conviction was still there. It was in her voice, her eyes…in her whole tiny being. "Look, Jasper doesn't take marriage lightly. It's the way he is….you could call it old-fashioned, but with the example his parents set it doesn't really surprise me that he was in no great hurry to take the plunge."
"When is all this going to happen anyway?" I asked, changing the subject since the only accord we'd be able to reach was that we'd agree to disagree. "You said just now that you didn't want to wait."
"I don't," Alice shrugged. "Not for longer than a couple of weeks. We are planning to keep everything simple and small, just a few very close friends and family, nothing fancy."
"Nothing fancy? What happened to your dream wedding?" The anger was rising again. Alice had been dreaming of a lavish wedding and a huge puffy dress for as long as I knew her. The fact that she was throwing all of that away so that she could keep Jasper and his frosty feet from running away again before they'd tied the know was just wrong.
"It will still be my dream wedding," Alice defended herself. "It has always been my dream to get married. The only thing that has changed is that I don't see the need to rub it in every one's face anymore.
"Wise words," I snorted. I had always been very vocal in my response to Alice whenever she droned on about her elaborate plans, the saccharine romance of it all making me want to puke.
"I do have my moments," Alice snickered. "So do you think you can muster the common decency to at least plaster a fake smile on your face by then? Because I don't know if I want you there if you're just going to look like a big ole grump."
"I don't know, but I'll do my best." I tried to match her light tone but it was hard for me to make light of this situation. I sighed, knowing I owed her more than that. "I know you're sure about all of this and I also know that it's damn hard to argue with you when you've made up your mind….but please understand that I am not in quite as much of a hurry to forgive the guy than you seem to be. "
"I know."
"Do mom and dad even know you're engaged?" I growled. I still had a hard time wrapping my head around the speed with which Alice seemed to be moving.
She nodded. "Jasper asked dad for my hand in marriage, old-fashioned sap that he is. I think dad was a bit blown away by his request though," she chuckled, "I'd only told him we'd gotten back together a day or so before so you can imagine the shock when Jasper called him to ask permission to pop the question."
"But he still said yes," I growled.
"He did," Alice replied curtly.
"Wait, when did all of this happen?" I growled. If Carlisle had known Jasper was going to ask her the whole thing had to have taken place before my mom and dad joined us in Italy. And is Carlisle had known, I was sure Esme had known too. Had they been keeping secrets for me?
I shook my head in indignation. It all fell into place now…how my mom and dad hadn't seemed at all surprised when Alice and Jasper dropped their bomb onto our breakfast table, how I seemed to be the only one to be upset about it. Bella's quick acceptance of the news didn't surprise me since she had played a pivotal role in getting them back together, but mom and dad…..Of course they'd known. Why else had they reacted so stoically to the news that their cherished little girl was getting back with the son of a bitch who broke her heart?
"Calm it, Edward!" Alice hissed. "And before you go off on another pity party please consider that this is MY news, to be delivered just as I want. Yes, mom and dad knew of our engagement before they left for Italy. It all happened just before they flew out and when I told mom I begged her to keep this from you. For one because I wanted to be the one to tell you and secondly because I knew you were going to react like this and I didn't want to ruin your holiday."
"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I'm really ruining this for you, aren't I?"
"No more than I expected you to," she snickered, surprising me by rising to tiptoe and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. "I know this is your way of looking out for me, but please, don't make this any harder than it already is. I could really use your support in this."
"You have it," I muttered, pulling her into a hug.
"Even though I'm marrying Jasper?" She leaned back to look up to me, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized my reaction.
"Of course!" I cried. "You stood by me when Bella and me got back together, even if you had kind of funky way of showing it. Now it's time for me to do the same thing for you."
"But you still haven't forgiven Jasper?"
"Have you forgiven Bella yet?" I countered. "And don't even think about lying to me. I saw the look on your face when she hugged you."
"I need a bit more time. And you're not answering my question," Alice snarled.
"You're not answering mine."
"I hate you!" It was a good thing I was still wearing shoes because when Alice stomped her foot it accidentally landed on mine.
For someone so small, she could sure pack a stomp.
"Fuck Alice!" I gasped, hopping up and down on my good foot until the pain started to ebb away. "You didn't have to torture me!"
"Truce?" she snickered apologetically, holding out her hand to me.
"Okay," I yawned as I shook it, the last forty-eight hours finally catching up with me.
"Go to bed, Edward," Alice chuckled, wriggling out of my arms. "I'm sure you'd rather be snuggling up to your wife than to your sister right now."
"So we're good?" I still didn't quite knew where I stood on this, but I wasn't prepared to let it damage my relationship with my sister. Life was too short to waste it arguments.
"Definitely," Alice nodded, "but will you promise me one thing?"
"Depends on what you're asking," I chuckled. I had learned early on not to make promises to the little pixie when you didn't know what she was going to demand.
"Only that you give Jasper a fair chance to redeem himself."
"I'll see what I can do," I sighed. "And I am happy for you, Alice. I know how badly you've wanted this and I hope it's going to be everything you ever dreamed off and more."
"Thank you." Her eyes were glassy again as I wrapped my arm around her and walked her towards the front door. "It means a lot to me to hear you say that…to get your blessing in a way. I know I didn't need it, but I'm very glad I have it all the same."
"You'll always have me in your corner, little hobbit," I chuckled, ruffling her hair as I handed her over to her fiancé, who had been watching the final act in our exchange with a fascination bordering on fear. I gave him a slight nod which, hopefully, told him I wasn't going to kill him right now but would reserve the privilege to do it any time in the future when he hurt her again. I'd leave it to Alice to fill him in on the finer details of our conversation.
"Edward Antony Cullen! If you ever have the fucking nerve to call me a hobbit again I will murder you in your sleep!" Alice huffed. "A hobbit indeed. Have you even seen these feet? They are small and don't have any hair on them!"
"Come on, sweetheart," Jasper chuckled, helping her into her coat. "Let's just go home. You'll have plenty of time to rail at your brother after he's had some rest."
"Thanks man!" I chuckled, watching as Alice's anger vanished like snow before the sun the moment she took his hand. It was like the whole world around her had suddenly eased to exist, leaving only the two of them.
"Any time," Jasper nodded without ever taking his eyes off my sister, not even when she broke eye contact with him to wish me a 'good night'.
I watched them walk down the street in the direction of Alice's apartment as I locked the front door, laughing and joking and being in love. They suited each other. Not in the way that they were completely on the same line or even close, but in the way that they were complete opposites of the circle but together created a perfect entity, like yin and yang.
Maybe they would make it after all.
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