Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga and all respective characters, names and related details are the property of Stephenie Meyer, Little Brown publishers and Summit Entertainment. I couldn't have come up with the rest of this blather without my wonderful Beta.
Warning: No sour fruits here.
Approx: 13 Pages/ 5,773 Words
CHAPTER 50: IT'S NEGOTIABLE
With two days till our performance for the record execs, I was on top of the world. I couldn't get over how different life had become in two weeks time. Then again, my life had been an epic rollercoaster ride since meeting Edward. Hours and days and weeks blurred together; time no longer made any sense to me. The best of times and the worst of times co-existed side by side and I found that I could live through them all. I could make friends and lose friends and keep friends and save friends all in a matter of days. Everything I knew about myself had changed and I had gone from being a wretched, whoring, broken woman to a happy, fulfilled, optimistic girlfriend in love.
I felt like I should skip outside and sing until beautiful little woodland creatures ran over to me and little blue birds landed on the side of my finger, tweeting along in tune.
I should have known there'd be a damned poison apple.
There's always a poison apple.
Or a witch.
Or a hunter come to claim my heart.
Or a stupid, silly misunderstanding to send the love of my life racing for the hills.
I'm starting to think I'd prefer the apple.
I awoke to find a note on Edward's pillow, written in his neat script.
"Bree says good morning. We didn't want to wake you. I'm tired of Alice's healthy cereal, so I'm running off to get us some coffee and donuts. Might run a couple of errands while I'm out. Love you, and I'll be home soon.
Yours Always,
Edward"
I smiled at the warm sunlight on my face, twisting and stretching pleasurably. If I couldn't look in my green eyes when I first woke up, reading a note that told me he loved me and would come home to me wasn't so bad.
I rolled out of bed, grabbing some clothes and a fresh towel as I headed for the bathroom for a shower. The house was silent and I noticed that Ali's keys were gone, so I assumed she had already taken off for her morning jog.
I jumped at the unexpected knock at the door. I stretched on my tiptoes to look through the peephole, only to find a very nervous looking Native American on the other side.
I pulled the door open quickly. "Jake? What's the matter?"
He barged past me, pacing back and forth from the arm chair to the dining room table. I closed the door and secured my robe more tightly around me to make sure that I was decently covered.
"Bella, I need your help. I've been up all night, going crazy, trying to figure out what to do." He spurted, his feet stomping so hard on the plush carpet that I could actually hear his footfalls.
My heart clenched nervously. "Anything Jake. What do you need? What's wrong?"
He reached into his pocket, his hand dwarfing the small black box in his palm. "I'm going to propose to Nessie."
I jumped at him, wrapping my arms around his massive neck and squeezing excitedly. "Jacob, I'm so happy for you!"
He threw one arm around my waist in a haphazard hug before pushing me back down onto my feet. "Not so fast, Bells. I haven't proposed yet. That's the problem. I want to make it special and wonderful for her. I want it to be one of the best memories she'll ever have – something she's going to cherish for the rest of our lives. But I can't think of anything! I'm such a Neanderthal that I am absolutely incapable of coming up with a romantic way to propose to my girlfriend!"
His voice cracked with stress. I noticed for the first time that his hair was an absolute mess and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was really losing sleep over this.
"Jacob, she loves you. No matter what you say or do, she's going to treasure-"
"No Bella! Don't tell me she's going to love whatever I do because that's not enough!" He barked nervously. "I want to give her more than I know how, so I didn't come over here for you to tell me that whatever I do is going to be fine. I came here so you could help me make this the best damn proposal known to man! So, stop trying to make me feel better and start using that talented brain of yours to come up with a girl's dream come true!"
"Oh, Jake…" I bit down on my lip, unsure I could deliver whatever magic spell he was looking for.
"Please, Bella. Please. You were right. I'm tired of waiting for special moments. I want to make a special moment all on my own." He begged with dark eyes. "Please."
My hazy brain snapped to attention. "Okay, but Jacob…if I tell you what to do, it won't be coming from your heart, and that is much more romantic than following my instructions." I began.
"Dammit, Bella!" He was so aggravated that he looked on the verge of tears.
I put my hand up to calm him. "Let me finish. I'm going to help you, but I think it's important that we only build on what you would have done naturally. So, why don't you tell me what ideas you already came up with, and we'll just work on improving those, okay?" I placated him.
He sighed. "Alright, but I'm warning you, my ideas are all crap."
"Let me be the judge of that." I folded my arms, standing my ground on the matter.
He exhaled, plopping down onto one of the dining room chairs in exhaustion. "Did I ever tell you how we met?"
I walked calmly over to another chair, turning it at an angle so that I could face him. "I don't think so."
He smirked as he thought back upon that moment. "It was about a year after you stopped coming to the rez. I was still a pretty angry bastard most of the time." He chuckled darkly. "Anyway, she came here with some of her friends who wanted to go cliff diving. Apparently, she had been talking tough on the way over, but when they got up to the ledge where I was hanging out with the guys, she chickened out.
"Her friends all started making clucking sounds at her and, just like you always do, her face flushed and you could see her standing up taller indignantly. It was the funniest thing to watch this tiny girl trying to look big and tough. I was one of the jackasses who were teasing her. I told her if she couldn't handle hanging out with the big kids, that she ought to try one of the lower ledges where the little kids learned to jump." He shook his head, a grim smile on his face. "She was so livid, her face practically turned purple. Before any of us realized what she was doing, she ran straight for the edge, flinging herself over the side of the cliff."
His features changed, became stark with worry. "She didn't know what she was doing. No one had ever taught her or explained. Just as she disappeared beyond the cliffside, her cousin yelled out for her to stop. She didn't fucking know how to swim, Bella." He shook his head, obviously still blaming himself for having pressured her.
"She hit the water at a bad angle…she could have snapped her neck or broken her spine. The only reason I saw her enter the water as well as I did was because I jumped after her as soon as I heard her cousin scream. I splashed down about twenty feet away from her. I remember that it felt like forever for me to reach her, and then another eternity for me to get her back on the shore. I started giving her mouth to mouth."
He swallowed deeply, obviously pained from having to recall it. "I wasn't family. I wasn't even her friend, so the doctors would never tell me exactly what injuries she sustained, but I stayed with her in the hospital until she got better. Then, when she was finally released, I talked her into letting me give her swimming lessons. By the end of that summer, we were inseparable."
I reached across the table, patting his large hand. "So, you were thinking about using that in the proposal?"
He shrugged. "Well, I thought about taking her to the ledge where we first met and proposing to her there at sunset…but that's stupid, right? I mean, that would probably just be a reminder of the bad stuff. See what I mean? I suck at this romantic crap." He rested his elbows on the table, cradling his head in his hands.
"Not necessarily, Jake. Depending on what you choose to say, I think it might be a beautiful way to bring the whole thing full circle. Edward and I had a particularly dramatic experience in the very beginning…but he recently found a way to give me happier memories in place of the bad. It was kind of like putting a bandaid over the wound. It didn't make the bad thing go away…but it covered it up with something wonderful so that it didn't hurt so much. Relationships aren't always wonderful – you have to take the good with the bad. I think proposing to her on that ledge would show her that you remember where you two come from, reminding her of how very far you've come and proving to her that you want to take her for everything that she is – through the best and worst of times. You're not so bad at this 'romantic crap' after all." I smiled, nudging him.
"You really think so?" He looked hopeful.
"If she's as much like me as you say, then I know she'd love it." I confirmed.
"But, it still matters what I tell her – and that's where I get all tongue-tied. You saw the way she reacted to Edward when she first met him. She practically got all googly-eyed. I'm not that guy, Bella. I don't know how to make a girl swoon." Just like that, he talked himself right back into hopelessness.
"Jake – you're not Edward, but you have your own unique set of charms. Why don't you try it out on me? Maybe, if you practice, yo won't be so nervous. It will help you plan out what you want to say so you'll be better prepared when you're with her." I stood up, grabbing his hands and pulling him to his feet, away from the table.
"You want me to propose to you?" He asked skeptically.
"Pretend I'm Nessie. Just say all of the stuff you want to say and I'll help you pick out the good stuff from the bad." I promised.
He looked at me as if I had grown a second head. "This is stupid."
I put my hands on my hips and huffed. "Do you want my help, or not?" I threatened.
He huffed back in response, obviously still against the idea. "Fine." He started grudgingly.
I kicked him in the shin. "This isn't going to work unless you really get into it, Jake!"
"Okay! Okay!" He shot back. He shook his shoulders and his arms, attempting to get into character. "Alright, so imagine we're on the cliff – you know the one we used to go to, right?" I nodded. "Right. So, imagine the sun is setting on the horizon, so the sky's all shades of purple and pink and red." He took my left hand, using his right hand to paint the horizon for me. "So, we're looking out at this sky…"
"Don't narrate, Jacob. Just talk to me." I instructed.
He swallowed.
"Nessie…I never knew what to expect when you literally flung yourself into my life. All I know was, from that first moment that I saw you, I couldn't let you go. Even if it meant racing off of a cliff to chase after you, I knew I would do it. You think I was kind…you called me selfless for staying by your side and teaching you to swim…but you never realized that I did every bit of it for me because trying to stay away from you was an absolute impossibility."
I was vaguely aware of the sunlight that cast across the room as the front door opened, but I was too mesmerized by my friends confessions to look away from his intense eyes. He had only started, and yet, his words reminded me of my relationship with Edward.
"I was drowning long before I met you. Struggling to keep my head above the water of hurt and anger and loneliness. Don't you see, you were the one who saved me. I love the fact that you're fearless, despite the fact that the world is so much bigger than you are. I love your passion for life and your stubborn determination not to let anyone tell you what you can and can not do. I love that you challenge me to be a better man on a daily basis, never letting me settle for being anything less than my very best. Ever since that first moment when my lips touched yours, you were the one breathing life back into me. In that moment – we shared one life, one heartbeat, one breath. And if you would let me, that is exactly what I want to do for the rest of eternity.
Tears streaked down my face at his beautiful words – happiness that my friend could find someone who could make him feel so very passionately, and happiness for the beautiful, green eyed man who made me feel exactly the same way.
Jacob knelt down before me, my left hand still in his as he removed the black box from his pocket and flipped the lid open to reveal an elegant, simple diamond solitaire. "Baby, would you save me once again by letting me love you for the rest of my life?"
"Yes!" I shouted as I flung my arms around his neck, so incredibly proud of the man my friend had become. "It's perfect, Jacob! Absolutely, breathtakingly stunning!" I squeezed him tightly, rocking him back and forth, basking in the warmth of his happiness.
"Really Bella? You mean it?" He asked, struggling to allow himself to be confident.
I pulled back, pecking him quickly. "Yes Jacob! It's completely brilliant!"
I turned to find Edward staring at us in wide-eyed horror. "I should go." Edward said quietly, stepping around the chair to walk towards the bedroom.
I looked quickly from Edward to Jacob, instantly realizing what he must think. "No, Edward-" I began, my legs trembling with fear.
"Please Bella, you don't have to explain." He couldn't even look at me.
"But Edward, it's not what you think…" Jacob interjected.
"I don't want to know." He put his palm up, turning his face away from us. "Just let me get my things and I'll be out of your way."
"No!" I gasped, my heart shattering, the pieces falling like the desecrated planks of a destroyed ship among the tumultuous waters of my raging blood. "Edward, don't. It's not what it looks like, I promise , Edward. Don't go. I need you." I begged and pleaded, clinging to his arm as if my life depended on it.
He looked up into my watery eyes, the pain in his emerald gaze causing the tears to overflow. "It's okay, Bella. I knew this wasn't going to last." He cupped the back of my head, pulling me in for a gentle kiss on my temple before walking away.
I knew this wasn't going to last? That knocked the breath right out of me.
What the hell did he mean! What happened to him telling Renee how he saw his future with me? Had he changed his mind? Was he waiting for me to express my undying love and devotion, and now it was too late? Had I waited to long to tell him how I felt, just like everyone warned me?
The tears flowed freely down my cheeks, even though I didn't feel like crying. I felt…numb?
No, not numb.
I felt…angry?
Yeah, a little. But that's not all.
I feel…indignant. Stubborn. Determined. Resolved.
Jacob gripped me, pulling me to him in a vice like hug, plainly reading the plethora of emotions as they played across my face.
"It's okay, Bella. Let him calm down and then you can explain. Everything is going to be alright." Jacob soothed.
I pushed against him, freeing myself of his comfort, allowing the rage to take over. "No, Jake! Nothing is going to be alright!" I turned in time to see Edward coming from the bedroom with his overnight bag hooked on his shoulder.
"I don't care if you want to hear it, Edward, because I am not letting you walk out of here like some kind of victim. Jacob is proposing to Renesmee…you know, his long term girlfriend who you met at the drum circle? Yeah, I'm not cheating on you and he is not pledging his undying love for me. He is just a friend who needed help figuring out how to tell his girlfriend how much he loves her and he came to me because he knows I'd sympathize, because I'm trying to come to grips with how I can possibly love you so very much when we barely know each other!"
"Bella-" he started, but it was too late. My wrath was unleashed and he was about to see how ugly I could really get.
"Because I can see myself fucking marrying you, Edward! And I don't believe in that shit! I believe love and unending devotion develops slowly over time and you've come into my life and in two months, turned everything I know upside down. So here I am, planning our wedding and the little house with the picket fence and the 2.5 children even though I'm scared to death to tell you cuz I could never understand why someone as wonderful as you would want to be with a screw up like me. Because I'm afraid, if I really pour my heart out to you and tell you everything that I'm thinking, that you'll realize you can do ten times better. I'm afraid that you'll remember all of the fucking mistakes I've made and leave me and I'll have nothing left for my friends to put back together this time." Angry, hot tears streaked down my cheeks as the muscles in my neck knotted with the tension.
Edward's mouth dropped open, but I persisted.
"So now you know. Go ahead and leave. You have your bag in your hand. You're so ready to doubt me, Edward. All that shit you say about how wonderful I am and how you forgive me for my past, and yet the first guy who comes in here and gives you reason to doubt me and you're ready to pack your bags and run for the door without even giving me the benefit of the doubt. Fine! Take your shit and get out! Because what it comes down to, Edward, is that you don't fucking trust me. And, considering that all you've told me is how very much you love, trust and forgive me and you turn your back on me the moment you get a chance, I guess it stands to reason that I shouldn't trust you either. So go!"
I pushed him just for good measure. I turned for my room to find Ali standing by the front door watching the drama unfold. I'm not sure how long she stood there or how much she had seen, but her face was drained of all color and her onyx eyes were the size of saucers. I was far too riled up to attempt a conversation, so I yelled an apology at her before running to my bedroom and slamming the door as hard as I could.
I stormed back and forth across the floor, throwing clothes and sheets and pillow cases around the room in an attempt to rid myself of the incredible tension that was building within my body. My feet slammed hard against the carpeting, my heels digging into the lush beige flooring with every step as I paced back and forth.
Slowly…so incredibly slowly…the rage gave way to hurt.
I threw myself onto the bed, sobbing like I had that night when Edward first told me he was married. Only this time, instead of smelling him on his jacket, I could smell him on the sheets, the pillows, the bed, my hair, my robe…he was everywhere.
It would take me forever to wash Edward out of my life.
That thought cracked my chest wide open, the hurt and pain flowing like a torrent over my…our bed. I was so angry with him, so hurt with him and yet, right now, I wanted him to come through that door and hold me and make it all better. I wanted to bang against his chest like a child throwing a tantrum…I wanted to hurt him the way he had just hurt me. Then I wanted to kiss him and beg for forgiveness until we became tangled in each others arms, loving all the pain and anger away.
I beat and kicked and screamed at the mattress beneath me as I dealt with the warring emotions that were twisting my insides into a knotted mess. The mattress shifted on both sides of me and soon, warm arms were wrapped around me, willing the hurt away with friendship.
I continued to cry as Ali smoothed my hair back, Jacob hushing my sobs and attempting to soothe me with empty reassurances that it would all be alright. When there were no more tears to cry, I sat up, hugging her tightly. "How long were you there, Ali?"
She gulped. "You see yourself marrying him?" It came out as more of a question than an answer.
I bit my lip. "I've lost him, Ali. I did the best I could and yet…I've lost him."
"Shhhh…." Jake hushed me, pulling my head to his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Bells. If I had just manned up and done the proposal thing on my own, none of this would have happened."
I shook my head vehemently. "No, Jake. It's not you're fault. You all were right. I should have told him how I was feeling. If I had told him sooner, he never would have had any reason to doubt me. He could have sat there and watched the whole proposal without the thought ever crossing his mind that I was actually agreeing to marry you. If I had made my feelings clear, there never would have been any room in his mind for doubt. I waited too long. Fuck-up Bella strikes again, and now I've lost the best thing to ever happen to me."
Ali brushed the hair back from my tear-stained cheeks. "Well, I'm not too sure about that. I can't blame Edward for being hurt to find another man proposing to you. And, you still really need to work on talking to people, Bella."
"I know." I pouted glumly.
"But at the same time, he knows he was an ass. He gave me a puppy dog face that would have put one of my patented pouts to shame. You're not the only one with issues. I think he's just as insecure in this thing and just as frightened by his feelings as you are."
"Another volume of Cosmo?" I asked, struggling to make a joke out of the situation.
Ali frowned, sadly shaking her head. "Nope. Sorry, sweetie, this one was all me."
Jacob helped me crawl out of bed, hugging me tightly with my head tucked beneath his chin. "Edward's crazy about you, Bella. I can tell by the way he looks at you. I see all the things I feel for Nessie right there in his eyes. Once he wises up and comes back to you, don't be too hard on him, okay? He was wrong and, if what Ali says is true, then he knows it. Plus, you've given him a lot to think about. But, for what it's worth, I think I would have lost my mind if I caught my girl excitedly accepting a proposal from her childhood friend. Not sure how much rational thought would have played a part in my reaction, either."
I hugged him back silently before pulling away to turn to Ali. "Can we just go to rehearsal? I really need to get out of here…it smells too much like him." I sniffed.
"Sure, sweetie. You can probably take a shower in Rosie's room – wash the stink right off of you." She teased. I glared at her. "Too soon?" She asked. I nodded. "Okay, well…you can still take a shower over there. It'll probably make you feel better. At least for a little while."
We didn't rehearse my love song today. I was in no mood. Instead, we sang every angry song we had ever written. I embraced the opportunity to belt out the songs with every ounce of fire I could muster. By mid-afternoon, we were starting to sound a lot more like death metal. I knew I was ruining the purpose of our rehearsal, but it felt good nonetheless and the others were enjoying rocking out, so they didn't begrudge me the outlet.
They finally convinced me to stop singing before I totally blew my vocals on angry hate music. It still helped that I got some of it out, at least.
Ali went gothic with our make up and outfits for the night, which was perfectly fitting for my dark mood. Still, I couldn't help the fact that it felt wrong to be doing all of this without Edward by my side. I had already come to depend on him being here for our performance ritual; had already come to anxiously wait to see what outfit Ali would have him dressed in for the night. Instead, I had not heard from him since I stormed into our bedroom this morning. The not knowing where he was or what he was doing was eating at me.
I missed the butterflies. At least then, there was something filling this nagging hole in my stomach.
I am so angry and so hurt…and yet, missing him is the worst.
In spite of it all…I love him.
That couldn't be healthy, right? Maybe I was still set to self destruct.
I don't remember loading up the cars or the long drive to Port Angeles. I don't recall unloading the cars or setting up the equipment. I'm vaguely aware of getting onstage, only because that was when I spotted him at the bar, doing shots.
I'd never seen Edward drink before. Funny, but I found it disturbing.
The warring feelings returned, part of me wanting to yank the shot glass out of his hand and ask him what the hell he was doing. Another part wanted to glare angrily at him for doubting me so easily. Another part wanted to kiss him all over his beautiful face and apologize for hurting him. Still, another part of me wanted to drag him into the back room and do whatever it took to make us both forget that this morning ever happened.
These were the things going through my head as I numbly performed the first half of our set. I don't remember applause. I don't recall announcing that we were going to take a fifteen minute break. Hell, I wasn't even sure I had been singing along to the songs! But, the band wasn't going off on me, so I assumed I had passed thus far.
As we wandered down the dark hall to the dressing room, music floated down to us from the stage.
"Someone's on my keyboard!" Ali gasped, turned to run back and save her precious equipment.
Jazz's hand shot out in front of Al, holding her in place. "Wait…whoever it is…they're good." He mumbled appreciatively.
Edward's velvet voice carried through the stage door, stronger than I had heard him before, more confident in part due to the alcohol he had been consuming. I pushed past Ali and Jazz, pushing the stage door open to watch with my mouth agape.
Audience members were all frozen in different positions – some getting up to head out for a smoke, some looking to each other as they tried to figure out if this was part of the act, a couple more standing in front of the bathroom doors because they were reluctant to go in and miss this part of the performance.
I had heard him sing only once before, and yet I knew the tone of his voice meant that this was coming from his soul.
"Keep your penny,
Here's my thoughts,
You can take 'em.
Here's the key to my heart,
Please don't break it…"
His eyes scanned the crowd uncertainly.
"I want you to need me,
I need you to want me-
The way that I already
Want and need you.
And I'd like to believe
I could be worthy
Of being the man
Who is loving you-
Because I do."
He broke it down for the next part, really getting into the soulful sound of it.
I smiled in spite of myself.
"And you make me happy,
For the first time in my life.
Oh yes you do.
Oh yes you do.
How sweet would life be,
If I could spend it with you?"
Green eyes landed on mine, as he broke into the world's most earth-shattering, beautiful smile. The hurt and the anger disappeared in that moment…he was singing for me…and he was happy.
"I want you to need me
I need you to want me-
That way that I already
Want and need you.
And I can't help but dream
That you could love me
The same crazy way
That I'm loving you.
Please say you do.
Here's a penny for your thoughts,
I can take it.
If you give me your heart
I won't break it…"
The words were sincere. He was asking for forgiveness and promising to never hurt me again. In front of all these people.
He was marking me as his…there just wasn't any biting involved.
I looked around at the audience, who were all bobbing their heads in appreciation with big grins on their faces. Some had already picked up the chorus and were starting to fumble along to the upbeat tune.
"I want you to need me
I need you to want me-
The way that I already
Want and need you.
And I'd like to believe
I could be worthy
Of being the man
Who is loving you-
Because I do,
Love you.
It's true,
Oh I do-
Love you."
Despite the broad smile on my face, he looked at me bashfully; still uncertain he had been forgiven. My face softened as I nodded, gesturing for him to follow me into the back.
I went ahead, but not before I noticed him nod toward Felix at the bar, who was doing a shot in his honor. Apparently, Felix had once again been his wingman.
The rest of the band hugged me quickly; glad to see that Edward and I were on the way to making amends. Then they rushed off to the dressing room to give us some privacy backstage.
"Bella, I'm so sorry." He started the moment he pushed back through the door.
"Do you really think that we're not going to last?" I interrupted.
He shook his head frantically. "I'm just so afraid of losing you, Bella. It's still so hard for me to believe that you could honestly feel the same way for me that I feel for you. I keep waiting for a better man to come along and sweep you off your feet. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…" He rambled.
"I'm not going anywhere. That's what I need you to understand. I've dedicated everything I am to you now. Everything. Do you get that? You have to understand that I would never, ever-"
"I know, Bella. I know." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. "Watching you with him today was like a punch in my gut."
"It didn't mean anything. I was just helping him figure out what he wanted to say." I mumbled against his chest.
"I know." He kissed me meaningfully on the forehead as he smoothed my hair.
"What's with the gothic look?" He asked, looking unsatisfied.
"You don't like it?" I asked.
His mouth pulled to the side as he inspected me closely. "Not really. It's just…I don't like seeing you look so angry and sad."
I shrugged. "It kind of fit my mood today."
He pulled me to him once again, locking his arms around me. "I'm so, so sorry, Bella. I told you I wasn't perfect."
"If you really thought he was there to propose to me…you didn't even put up a fight. You were just going to walk away…I thought I meant more to you than that?" I whispered, the hurt once again clawing at my chest at how easily I could have lost him.
"You looked so happy. I love you with everything I have, Bella…but if another man could make you happier than I could…I would never stand in the way of your happiness."
"Don't you see now? I can't be happy without you. You can't leave me, Edward. Now that you know what it does to me…please. You can't walk out on me again." I muttered.
"Never, Bella. I was stupid to let you go." He cradled my face in his hands, kissing me sweetly once again upon the forehead. "For what's its worth, I don't think I could have stayed away for long, even without the explanation. You see…I've kind of already started planning to spend the rest of my life with you. The wedding, the picket fence, the 2.5 kids…even a dog named Spike. It's a little scary, isn't it?"
I hugged him tightly. "Terrifying…but not quite as scary as the future I envision without you."
His large hands roamed over my hair, tickling my back. "I thoroughly agree. It's much better to be terrified together."
I nodded against his muscular chest. "A dog named Spike?" I asked doubtfully.
He chuckled. "It's negotiable."
A/N: Alrighty all. Only one more chapter to go before my bad ass Bella will bid adieu. Show her, Eddie and the rest of the crew some love by hitting up that little review button below.
