When we got there, he spread the blanket out and shed his shirt. What surprised me was when he also shed his shoes, socks and pants. He stood before me in nothing but his boxers, which were severely stretched across the crotch. His eyes were almost black, but I knew it wasn't hunger staring me in the face. He lied down next to me.

"Bella, I don't want to go all the way, but I do want you to show me show me your love as long as my boxers stay as they are. I want to do the same for you. The only rule is that hands must stay on top of the clothes." I nodded.

"Bella, this is very serious. You can get hurt. I am unsure of how I will react because I've never done anything like this before. Don't be upset if I just leave; I will always come back." I nodded and kissed him. I shed my shirt and pants as well, leaving me in my underwear. I kissed all over his body and he moved in any way that I wanted him to. I straddled his hips; both of us groaning in pleasure. His hands helped my hips roll around on top of his. I could feel my climax getting closer and started to pant heavier. I was suddenly on my back with Edward doing all of the work. I slowly and cautiously exposed my neck, knowing that when I did finally climax, I would be arching my back. He appreciated the gesture and kissed me softly each time. This was new territory for the both of us. I was clutching at Edward as if to draw him inside my whole body and never have to share him with the world again. He hitched my leg up higher on his hip and I was hit with more intense waves of pleasure. After a few more bumps of our hips, I screamed out his name in pure unadulterated bliss. Edward's eyes were pitch black now and I was a little worried. He didn't stop. I focused on his eyes and palmed his cheek.

"I love you." Those three little words sent him to the same cloud I was drifting down from. I was proud of him because he didn't bite me. In fact, he had clenched his jaw so tight that I could hear his teeth grinding. When he moved to lie next to me, I looked at his body. I knew he wasn't ready to be touched just yet because his skin was so much more sensitive than mine. His boxers had a giant wet patch on the front of them and I could see streaks of clear fluid on his thigh. It was clear but still sparkled like a lake on a sunny day. I resumed my scan and ended on his face again. He was smiling at me.

"If that was a test run, then I can't wait for the real thing."

"Me either. Can I touch you now?" He nodded.

"How do you know when I'm lying?" He asked me.

"I know your tells."

"I don't have any."

"Yes you do. The others don't know what they are and I'm not sharing it. Maybe it's because you can't lie to me or because I'm your mate or both. You know that if I caught you in a lie, it would hurt me more than if you would slap me."

"I would never do that."

"Oh, I know, it was just an expression. You know that lying to me would destroy my trust in you. So, in essence, when it comes to me, you are a crappy liar." I smiled and thankfully he returned it. It was getting dark and I was getting hungry. I wanted a big, juicy burger with some Kool-aid. Edward called the house to get my order cooking for me and I knew it would be hot and ready as soon as we walked in. I loved that all of the Cullens plus Kate were learning to cook just for me and my dad. It helped that we all would be cooking food at some point for the new baby. I was pleasantly surprised by the fried pickles and sautéed mushrooms on the plate with my burger. It was the perfect addition to my meal. My dad and I had our daily chat and the rest of the family left us alone. He was getting increasingly close to Kate and he told me that he was thinking about asking her to marry him. This shocked me; I didn't think he was ever going to get remarried. I also didn't think he would fall in love with a vampire either. We didn't see the family for thirty minutes after we cleaned up our dishes. We sat on the couch to watch some television together when Edward and Kate came rushing into the house and snatched us up.

"What's going on?" He stood in front of me as the rest of the Cullens arrived. I recognized the protective stance and looked at my dad. He looked just as confused as I did. I told him with a look to just stand there behind Kate.

"Edward, what's going on?"

"Tanya went to Italy to tell them about your dad. She's returning with them and Aro wants to see you and him. He's very interested in the theories that she told him about your vampire characteristics manifesting themselves in human form. He wants to recruit you." I shivered. If he touched Tanya, then he knew about the baby and he knew that Eleazar had seen a talent in both me and my dad. This was not good. Why hadn't we known about this before now?

"Edward, why didn't Alice see this?"

"No one was expecting her to go to Italy, so we didn't watch her. She must have told them not to think anything specific until they were close so that we wouldn't have much time to react. They will be here in five minutes. I can hear their thoughts already." I figured that much out when he told me what Aro wanted. My dad had a gift and all we knew so far was that it was a possible shield. I was interested to see if he had any other gifts. I was thinking that he had a form of Jasper's gift because he's so empathetic and he never judges people. The rest of the family surrounded me and my dad. Carlisle, Emmet and Jasper stood in front of Kate and Edward. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme stood behind us.

"I don't know how it will end; I've seen a few possibilities. If they let us be as we are, we will be under their watchful eye for a while. They might demand that Charlie be bitten tonight or they might force us all to go to Italy. Decisions still need to be made." We were out of time by then because thirty seconds later, the doorway was filled with Italian vampires. I clung to Edward just a little tighter. Rosalie stepped up closer to my back. Emmet placed himself between Edward and Kate. Alice was behind my dad. Jasper and Esme were on the sides of us and Carlisle was in front of everyone.

"Carlisle, my old friend, it's been ages. Why the defensive formation?"

"Aro, it has indeed been too long. What brings you this far away from home?" He looked at Alice.

"Naughty, naughty Carlisle; you already know why I'm here. You broke a rule."

"Yes, well it was for his safety at the time and before he met Kate, he had already decided he wants to join us."

"Wonderful." I hated his fake enthusiasm.

"Where do you find these treasures, I ask you. You seem to have a knack for finding gifted vampires, or future vampires." He looked at me and my dad.

"I can't take credit this time. Edward is the one that found Bella, and by extension, her father."

"It is rather curious that Bella is still human. Did you not take our warning seriously?" He asked me and Edward.

"We did Aro, but Bella wanted to graduate from high school first and the wedding is on New Years. She will be changed as soon as we return from our honeymoon."

"Yes, I was sad to learn of the reason behind the delay of the original wedding plans. I'm so sorry my dear that this has happened to you." He walked over to where Kate was standing protectively in front of my dad.

"Kate, will you introduce me to your mate?" She moved only a fraction of an inch and made the introductions. Aro held onto my dad's hand.

"Curious, I can't get a solid read on him. Eleazar was right, you are a partial shield, but he can't get a read on if there is more than one gift or not. How fascinating is it that two members of the same family would have similar gifts. Bella, what are you planning to do with the baby?" He released my dad and refocused on me. Edward moved more in front of me.

"I haven't fully decided. The baby will stay in the family and will be changed when he or she comes of age. So far, that is all I know. He hadn't touched anyone that knew the definite decision I had made. I was fighting the instinct to climb onto Edward's back and beg that we escape. I knew it wouldn't do any good.

"The facts remain though that you told a human. I understand that Bella had figured it out on her own, but her father, however suspicious he may have been was told the truth."

"He will be changed while Bella and Edward are on their honeymoon. He wanted to be able to meet his grandchild and to walk Bella down the aisle. We've been steadily preparing for both of their changes. They have been slowly saying good bye to the people in their lives and setting their wills up to protect their assets. Jasper has been helping with that. We're simply waiting for this baby to be born. Bella is twelve weeks now." Alice explained. He looked at Edward.

"Is this baby your child?"

"No, I have not mated with Bella in the physical sense. She was raped at the will of another vampire."

"This is an incomplete story; please tell me everything." I grasped tightly to Edward.

"Please have a seat; it will make the tension in the room a little more bearable." Jasper suggested. I smiled gratefully at him. Edward and Kate led me and my dad over to some chairs where we sat and they hovered protectively. He sat on the arm of the chair and I put my hand on his back, under his shirt to calm him a little. Everyone else in the room either sat or tried to relax their posture against the wall. Emmet stayed closer to me than my dad because Kate had an offensive ability. We all listened to Edward explain what happened with Victoria, her mate James and their friend Laurent. I told my art of trying to keep it a secret from everyone and why Carlisle and I told my dad. Edward told of the confrontation in my kitchen and that she had been burned and the two men arrested for confessing. I was just now learning that they never made it to jail. After my dad dropped them off, efforts were made to break them out and delete their files. They had been killed. The look on my father's face said that this was news to him as well.

"It had to be done, Bella. Those two would have started to talk and people would have believed them. We would have all been screwed." Alice told me and tapped her temple.

"Bella, I am truly sorry for what you have suffered through. I do understand all of the facts now. Edward, I am sorry that Victoria took such extreme measures to hurt you and your mate." We both nodded.

"Tanya, you did not have all of this information when you approached us. We see now that you came to us and sought our help out of spite and jealousy. I've seen through Edward's thoughts that you've tried to mate with him many times and he has rebuked you every time. Your jealousy stems from the fact that he has found a mate in human form. So, because you could not have what you wanted, you deliberately tried to hurt people you love. Your sister Kate has also found a mate with a human; that must be painful for you to watch."

"I'm sorry Aro. You're right; I have acted out of jealousy. I had no idea that you already knew of Bella."

"I'm glad that you see the error of your ways and the decisions that you should have made instead, but you still need to be punished."

"Please don't." I whispered.

"Why do you feel that she shouldn't be punished?"

"She didn't do anything wrong. She didn't expose the secret and she didn't try to take anyone's mate away. Like you said, she acted out of jealousy. She can't hurt us anymore than she already has. Killing her would only hurt the rest of us." I tried to reason with him.

"She's right, Aro. Tanya's bond to her sister is very strong. I don't even know that her mate would be able to help her grieve over the loss of her sister. However, I may have had a different response if Kate's new bond wasn't so fresh. She just recently mated with him."

"Yes, we met only six weeks ago. He is my singer and I have not been as of yet able to complete the bond with him." Kate explained. Aro's eyes widened.

"Amazing that two vampires have found their singer and the singer survives. I must know how you are accomplishing this. He looked between Edward and Kate.

"Aro, Edward and Bella's bond is one of the strongest I have ever seen. Although new, Kate and her mate have established a strong bond as well." Jasper nodded to back up Marcus' claim. I was proud to have such a strong bond with Edward.

"Yes, I must know more of these theories. Bella, I've heard that you are exhibiting many characteristics of vampirism." I nodded. We retold everything that has happened since the day I met Edward. How even before he acknowledged that I was his mate, he was protecting me from the van crushing me and the potential rape, how I risked everything to save him in Volterra, how I rubbed my scent all over him just before meeting Tanya, how he saved me from Victoria's hands, how when James was after me, he sent me away because it was safer for me, even how my scar was more sensitive than the rest of me. Jasper had told Aro that my emotions run as deep as a vampire's emotions. I had told him that when Edward left me, I was a zombie for months on end, putting on a façade until I learned that his life was in danger. Aro was impressed and I was beginning to feel it was my destiny to be a vampire. I had an idea and looked to Alice.

"That's perfect Bella. It will work." Even Edward smiled and relaxed.

"What is going on?" I knew that Aro didn't like not knowing what was going on; neither did anyone else for that matter.

"Tanya, do you think you can you pass for eighteen?" Edward asked her.

"I guess, why?"

"I think you should stay here with us and enroll in high school." He said. I looked at Aro.

"Before you decide on a punishment, can she stay here and observe how Edward and Kate are able to find a mate with a human?"

"All of you are welcome to stay for a few days as well if you wish." Carlisle offered and I was thankful. I wanted Aro to observe and know that the secret was still just that; a secret.

"The school is surrounded by trees and you can have several excellent viewing points if you wish to see us interact with the humans." Emmet said. He, Rosalie and Jasper would be helping in case the bloodlust became too much.

"That sounds lovely. I would like to observe. Marcus, Caius, Jane, Felix, and Demitri will stay here to minimize the risk. Punishment will be delayed." I smiled and my stomach told the room that I was hungry. Edward took me to the kitchen for a snack and then I went to bed in our room where I would be the safest. He never once left my side and in the morning, we went to school. Carlisle and Tanya went to register her; she was posing as his niece temporarily staying with him while her parents suffered through an ugly divorce. Her staying with the Cullens was supposed to be a more suitable environment for her and easier on her emotions. I was eager for lunch and I knew that Edward was too. He had been splitting his attention between me and watching her through others' eyes. Finally, lunch had arrived and Edward reminded her to get food to keep up with the human charade. He and Alice had shown her how to make it look like they were eating when in fact they hid the food. We had been at our usual table with Angela, Ben and Jessica when Mike and Tyler finally showed up.

"Hey, who's the new girl?"

"Mike, this is our cousin, Tanya. She's here from Idaho." He added, it would be too obvious if we had said Alaska. Edward had a huge smile on his face when their eyes locked and both he and Alice had a restraining grip on her.

"Alice, let's go to the bathroom and freshen up." I said to help Tanya get some fresh air. She nodded and pulled Tanya from her seat. Edward would be ok making up excuses for us. We got her a safe distance away.

"Is he her singer?" I asked.

A/N: Is Mike her singer? What do you think Mike will do? Reviews are wanted and appreciated. Have a great day? Kelly