Chapter 49: Ginger

Bella watched Edward saying good-bye to his best friends, knowing it was unlikely to see them again. Especially Leah – if she left town, it was going to be hard to contact her, and there was her new boyfriend who would realize Edward hadn't aged in a few years.

Bella couldn't even bring herself to be jealous when he hugged Leah that way, when he almost kissed her –Bella was certain that if she hadn't appeared into Edward's life, they would have been happy together. After parting from her, he turned her way, but Jake accosted him.

The newlyweds had to leave. Bella waited until Edward bid him farewell, wishing him to be happy, and then they hugged.

Edward's phone buzzed on the table in front of her, and she answered, seeing it was his mother.

"Yes?" she asked, fear gripping her.

"Sweetie, come home. Ginger isn't feeling well."

Edward's head whipped up, his eyes wide in horror. He patted Jake on the back then rushed over, snatching the phone. "Mom?"

"Edward, come quick. He's throwing up and breathing harsher."

"I'm on my way," he whispered in a pained voice, hanging up. "Take the car. I'll run."

He disappeared before she could tell him it was rude to just leave. Bella made sure to say her goodbye to Jacob and Nessie, and then she went to Leah who was telling her daughter about Mark.

"You're leaving?" Leah asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, uhh…the cat's not feeling well."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, but don't tell Edward that. He'd hate to hear it." She knew him so well.

"I won't." It was uncomfortable. Bella had no idea what to say to her. "Well, I hope you'll be happy."

"Oh, I will. Thank you. I'm happy for both of you," she whispered.

Bella smiled, leaning to her, unsure if it was wise to hug her. She got up and hugged Bella tightly. "Take care of him, Bella."

"Of course."

She said her goodbye to Antonella then rushed to the car. Bella was afraid of the state Edward would be in when she got home. Was Ginger still alive? They had all tried to prepare Edward for this, but it was difficult, and it was going to be even worse when his parents disappeared. She didn't even want to think of that day.

Parking in front of the house, her insides twisted. She could hear Edward crying. She knew that the cat had died. There was no heart beat around, besides his parents'.

"Nooo!"

Bella froze with her hand on the door handle when he yelled.

"Edward, he's dead, honey," Elizabeth said softly.

"NOO! Breathe, Ginger."

"You're probably destroying his sternum right now," Ed commented.

Was he trying to resurrect the cat? Bella rushed inside, and found him in the middle of the living room, kneeling over the dead cat, pressing two fingers over the cat's chest.

She bit on her lip to keep from crying herself, and walked slowly to them, falling next to Edward. She took his hands in hers, turning him to her.

"He's dead, love. There's nothing you can do."

Edward nodded against her neck, and sobbed. Her eyes fell on the cat before she squeezed them shut. There were flashbacks from over the years.

When he poked his little head from the box, mewing.

When he played with that silly toy-mouse.

When he scratched Edward.

When she and him had waited at the window for Edward to come back.

When they tried to live without him and failed.

When Edward came back and Ginger didn't leave his side for a whole month. He even went into his backpack when it was school time, making them laugh.

When he got sick and the whole nightmare started.

Bella sat there on the carpet, in front of the fireplace, holding Edward for hours. He had picked the cat in his arms and was just stroking the fur. His parents had gone to bed, and Bella could hear Elizabeth crying before she fell asleep.

"Let's bury him," she whispered, stroking his hair and kissed the spot where his jaw met the neck.

Edward shuddered, taking a huge gulp of air. "Okay."

"Where are we going?" She wondered as Edward led the way outside.

"To bury him," Edward answered hoarsely. He stopped in the backyard, looking around for something. He seemed to find what he wanted because he scurried to the left side, putting Ginger on the ground before he started digging with his fingers.

"Don't you want a shovel? It's cleaner," she reasoned.

"Nah." He sniffed, turning to her. "Come here."

She shuffled to his side and saw why he had chosen that place. His other cat had been buried there, along with the parakeet.

"Do we say something? I remember saying something when we buried them," he mumbled, squeezing Ginger to his chest.

Bella shrugged, having no idea what it was done in such cases. She just wanted it to be over. She wanted to fast forward a few months from now when Edward was going to be okay again.

"I don't know, Edward," she whispered when he nudged her.

"Okay, I'll do it," he murmured, laying Ginger in the small hole. "I'll miss you so much. I'm glad I can remember everything about our time." He stroked the fur. "I love you, Ginger. Rest in peace," he mumbled, shoving the dirt over the body.

Bella watched as the cat became covered by the black dirt. A part of her was happy that he had died, he had been suffering too much, but she was going to miss him too. He had lit their boring days, especially the sunny ones when they just lazed around the house.

Edward took a shuddering breath when he was done. "Okay, let's go back inside. I need to wash my hands."

As he scrubbed his hands, Bella sent Alice a text, telling her to put all of Ginger's things in the basement, away from their room. She answered with an okay.

"Do you want to hunt?" Edward whispered, coming behind her and sneaking his arms around her waist.

"How are you?" Bella asked, putting her hands over his.

"I'll be okay. I knew it was going to happen. It doesn't make it better, though."

She turned around and hugged him tightly. He chuckled lightly making her look at him surprised.

"We've come such a long way. I was thinking of the first time you hugged me," he murmured, kissing her forehead.

She giggled, titling her head. "My little muffin," she said affectionately.

Edward narrowed an eye at her. "You, red eyed monster!"

"Hey! That's not working," she said playfully.

"I'm not a muffin anymore," he grumbled, clasping her closer to his chest.

"But you'll always be my warm, soft, delicious Edward. Even though you're more durable now."

"Durable?" He smirked. "Like…the Duracell Bunny?"

"You remember that?" Bella asked surprised.

He frowned, peering at her. "What should I remember?"

Bella focused on the memory of him promising to buy her a Duracell Bunny, and opened her mind to him. As always, he gasped, his eyes glazing over as he paid attention to what she had for him. And then he was laughing so hard, she thought he'd roll on the floor any moment.

"I can be the Bunny." He winked. His head snapped to the door and he cringed. "Oops."

"You woke up your parents?" she asked, realizing someone was coming to his room.

A moment later, Elizabeth peeked inside, bleary eyed. "I know you kids don't sleep, but can you keep it down?"

"Sorry, Mom," Edward mumbled, just like a scolded child.

After a short hunting trip, they returned to the house, ready to say goodbye. His parents tried to make them stay longer, but they insisted that they had to return to their family.

Every time they were away or some other Cullen was away, it was hard. They were a real family.

"But look at the rain," Ed insisted, pointing to the window.

"So what?" Edward asked. "It's not like we'll have an accident."

It was the wrong thing to say, and he realized it too late. Elizabeth's eyes became glassy as she threw herself at him, hugging him. An accident had ripped him away from them. An accident kept him around because Bella loved him too much to let him die.

"We're going to be okay," Edward whispered, rubbing her back. "We really have to go back."

After they left, Bella wished she had let him drive. It was raining so hard, there was a fog around them. She could see through it, but it was distracting. And Edward wasn't exactly allowing her to focus on the road.

He kept talking about anything and everything, not even allowing her to answer the few questions that slipped. An hour later, she realized why he was doing it.

Bella pressed Pause on the blaring music, turning to him. "Shut up, will you?"

"I can't," he said quickly. "Don't make me shut up. If I don't talk…I think I'm going to break down again."

Admitting it, seemed to be hard for him, but it meant a lot to her. She had to distract him, but crying would make him feel better.

"Distract me," he whispered brokenly. "Please."

Bella reached for his hand, squeezing it. "You should wear your seatbelt," she said the first thing that popped into her head.

Edward chuckled, tracing his thumb over her palm. "You said it yourself. I'm more durable now."

"You tell that to the cops when they stop me."

His eyes turned to the road, zooming to the police car that was ahead of them.

"Then you should drive slower," he whispered.

"And you should wear your seatbelt," she retorted. Bella adjusted the speed after he snapped the seatbelt.

Edward pressed Play on the CD player, turning down the volume. "Sorry, but I'm on edge. I feel…actually, I have no idea how I feel."

Little Jimmy's gone way out of the back streets
Out of the window, into the falling rain,
And he's right on time, right on time.
That's why broken arrow waved his finger
Down the road so dark and narrow
In the evening just before the Sunday six bells chime
And way out on the highway
All the dogs are barkin' way down below
And you wander away from your hillside retreated view
Went to wanderin' Northbridge way out on the railroad
Together all the tipping trucks will unload
All the scrapbooks built together stuck with glue
And I'll stand beside you, beside you

Oh child, to never wonder why
To never, never, never, never wonder why at all
To never, never, never, never wonder why
It's gotta be, it has to be

Bella met his eyes, a lump forming in her throat. There was something about Van Morrison's voice that sent chills down her spine. Every time she heard his music.

Across the crystal pavements
Way across the country where the hillside mountains glide
The dynamo of your smile caressed the
Barefoot virgin child
To wander past your window in the nighttime cross the floor
Crying as ecstasy surrounds you
Through the night air your proud time is open
Go well against the pointed idle breeze

Past the footlights of the brazen silence easy
In the night you cry and you want spirits to tell you
Everything's alright
Go ahead and do it one more time baby
You're satisfied I guess, you're way up and the sky comes down
Kaleidoscope

Edward leaned into her, pressing his lips to her ear, crooning along. Bella turned into goo, momentarily forgetting about the road.

Open and just hold the lantern in the doorway,
For the freedom of it.
And you take the night air through your nostrils and you breathe
In out, in out
And you breathe just like that, just like that

How does it get you when it gets you
When it gets ya
You may not know it's got you until you turn around
And I'll point a finger at you, point a finger at you
You say which way, which way
That's alright, we've gotten hip to it
Goin' to do it right now.
Behind you
Beside you, beside you

Oh child to never wonder why
To never, never, never, never wonder why at all
Never never never never wonder why at all.

"Beside you. Always and forever," he murmured, peppering kisses on her jaw and neck.

Turning her head to him, Bella kissed him, pouring all her love for him in that kiss.

"Crap," he murmured, pulling back.

"What?" she asked, dazed.

They were close to the cruiser and they got pulled over. Perfect. She wished she could speed past them, but dismissed the thought.

"What ID do you have on you?" Edward asked, fishing for the car's registration.

"The Masen one," Bella said, smiling.

"Good. I might allow you to flirt with him."

"I have a kinky husband." Bella laughed making him shrug unapologetic. "Jerk!"

"Hey," he hissed, slapping her with the registration documents.

The cop knocked on her window. It was the first time she'd got pulled over. And it was only Edward's fault.

She offered the cop the documents before he asked. She knew the drill. The cop grabbed the documents and went to his car.

"He has a preconceived idea about teenagers driving alone," Edward muttered. "But he inclines to let us go with a warning because you're beautiful."

"You just made that up," Bella groaned, exasperated at his smirk.

"Did not! Pinky swear."

Bella slapped the side of his head, making him burst in laughter. "What's so funny," she grumbled.

"You just reminded me of Ella. She poked me for a few minutes, telling me to set her mommy up with the hot doctor," Edward explained.

"Little did she know that her mommy was…with that doctor," Bella said, not really wanting to say any bad word. It wasn't like her. She rarely used them.

"Uh-huh! What did you want to say? Don't restrain, I'm not afraid of big words." He shot her a cheeky grin.

"I'm afraid I can't swear in front of minors."

"Bella! Will you ever give it up?"

"Uhh…" Bella tapped her chin, urging that cop with her eyes to finish already – of course, he didn't see her since he was with his back at them. "How can I let something like this slide?" Bella asked Edward, pinching his cheek. "My husband is a minor. Go figure!"

"It is called jailbait in my days," he added through a smile.

"Cop, ahead," she hissed, gesturing to the guy that was finally returning to them.

"Oh, well…"

"Here you go, Miss Masen."

"That's Mrs. Masen to you," Edward said loudly, linking their fingers. Possessive vampire.

The cop blushed lightly, looking at the documents in his hands. "Uhh, here, Mrs. Masen. I'm sorry for my mistake. Please, do keep under the speed limit and try to refrain from…other activities on the road. That's part of the many accidents nowadays."

Bella nodded, taking the documents back. "I will. Did you hear him, honey? No funny business."

Edward pinched the skin above her ass, where the cop couldn't see, making her jump. "Of course, sir. We'll wait until we park."

What happened to the gentleman I had fallen in love with? Bella wondered amazed. He was spending too much time with Emmett.

The cop looked flustered. Poor guy. "Have a safe trip," he said, returning to his car.

As Bella pulled up, Edward looked through the documents.

"He didn't do anything to them," she told him, rolling her eyes.

"I'm checking if there's something missing," he said seriously. "He's human…and cops usually are scattered-brained."

"You sound like you speak from experience," she told him, grinning.

"Maybe I do."

"When were you pulled over? You didn't mention it."

Edward groaned. "It was before we met. Before we talked," he rectified. "Dad had just given me the car for my birthday…and told me to take it for a ride."

Bella snorted, imagining that he had sped up the second he was on the main road. "And?" She urged him to continue.

Edward rubbed a hand through his hair, nervously. "I might have hit 90…I was aiming for 100."

Her head whipped to him. "You wanted to kill yourself?"

"It's called adrenaline rush. Anyway, I was watching the needle going over 90, slowly and surely-"

"You weren't even watching the road," she exclaimed, scandalized.

"-and then I heard through megaphones to pull over as sirens blared behind me. There were two cruisers! You'd think I was some Bonnie and Clyde." He rolled his eyes.

"And what happened next?"

"I got fined." He beamed. "Although, I tried to bribe the cop, begging him to let me go since it was my first car, my first drive… He had none of it. He was Mark, you know him? One of Dad's friends," he added on a small voice.

"The law is law, Edward. And what just happened – warnings – they usually work best for women."

"Should I have showed him my leg?" Edward asked sarcastically.

"If he was gay… And what did your parents say?"

"Oh, that was…well, it resulted in grounding and no car for a month." He shrugged.

"Ouch."

"Yeah, I was so excited to finally have my car and then…it was gone. Well, not gone. It just sat there in front of the house, dusting. I washed it every weekend, even attempted to sleep in it."

"And you accused me that I loved my car!" She giggled.

"What can I say? It was my baby."

"And you wrecked it."

"Let's not remember its death."

"But tell me how they reacted when you told them," Bella insisted.

"I don't remember, Bella. Dad shouted and Mom was disappointed, like always when I did some bad thing." Edward shrugged.

When they arrived in front of their house, they realized it was empty. The others had probably gone hunting. Taking the bags from the car, they walked inside.

Their room looked the same, minus Ginger's stuff. Edward realized what was missing, and hugged Bella tightly.

"Thank you. I couldn't have looked at it," he murmured in her hair.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Bella."


Thank you all for re-reading or reading for the first time.

See you for my new story I Put A Spell On You?