Welcome back to the often heartbreaking, constantly gassy world of the Encore gang.
I won't keep you...I just REALLY need to thank Minnakoda and Katmom AGAIN for getting me through this process again. They are such a huge part of these stories and helping me keep what little bit of sanity I have left intact. I heart you guys. Really, I do.
This first chapter helps us get caught up with what's been going on. You'll get to hear from all six of the gang. I hope you enjoy.
Oh, and SM owns Twilight, but I literally picked up Charlie Bewley (Demetri) and I bet she hasn't done that!
Bella
"Emmett! Be careful with that!"
"Jasper, watch out!"
"Goddamn it, Edward, that's my foot!"
"Where does this box go?"
"This box is in the wrong house!"
"I can't lift it, I'm pregnant."
"Bella, go lie down, you're all slanty."
I slammed my fist down on the counter and snorted loudly. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, turning to stare at me all slack-jawed, like a bunch of pervs at a porn convention, except for my girls, who waved as they made a hasty retreat out the kitchen door. I didn't blame them; I had had enough and I was going to blow. It's bad enough that my life has been overrun by chaos for the past week, but when Emmett points out the obvious, effectively breaking rule number one, my patience and my mind snapped.
"Captain Emmett Awesome Cullen, can you please read rule number one on the whiteboard hanging in the kitchen; and please do so loud enough that the entire class can hear you."
He sighed heavily. "Don't assume that Bella doesn't know that she's tired."
"Thank you. I am aware that I'm tired, and as soon as I can make sense of the mess you're making in my house, I will go lie down."
The room began to spin and I know immediately that I am done for. "Okay, scrap that. I'm going to lie down for a while and I'm begging you guys to please leave the house in somewhat good condition. I'm sorry I'm not much help, but that's the way it goes with Brain-Injured Bella."
Edward walks over to kiss my forehead. "I'll make sure that everything is done right, love. Please go get some rest because I plan on tiring you out again tonight."
Leaning into him, I hummed happily. "I'm going to like having you around 24/7, Edward. I intend on holding you to your promise."
He walked me to our room and left me at the door with a searing kiss and a quick squeeze to one ass cheek. "I'll see you soon. I love you."
"Mm, I love you too."
I gratefully crawled into our bed before my face had a chance to meet the floor for some serious hardwood Frenching. I listened to the hubbub outside my door as I snuggled under the light duvet. Today is moving day. We have to move three different households around. Edward is moving in with me, Alice and Jasper are moving into Edward and Emmett's old house, and Emmett and Rose are moving into the beautiful four bedroom home they purchased with Carlisle and Esme's help. We have spent the better part of the week organizing things, packing and labelling boxes, and moving the small stuff by the car- and Jeep-load. Emmett rented a large cube truck to move things from house to house and we only have it for the day, so all of the big stuff needed to be taken care of today.
We are all going to be living within a ten-minute drive of one another, which is great. Alice and Jasper are the closest to us, and I can't wait to go for walks with Alice and the baby once it arrives. Em and Rose's home is in a newer subdivision which is full of kids and pets and parks.
When had we all grown up? When had everyone I know gone crazy and gotten engaged or pregnant? Weekend gatherings were now pretty much dry and tame, except for Rose and Emmett, who still enjoyed a beer every now and then.
So much has changed since Edward and Emmett reappeared in my life in August. Now late April, my life is unrecognizable compared to the way I was living this time last year. I was working in a porn store, living with my best friends, and going to school. I got up on the good days and went about my business, and on the bad days, I stayed in bed and prayed that my body would work properly again the following morning or that I'd even be emotionally stable enough to greet the world. Yet I still managed to forge ahead and create a life for myself.
Besides drowning under the weight of losing my parents and baby girl in a car accident five years prior, I still had to deal with my physical limitations that arose as a result of the same accident that took their lives. Living with a head injury means that nothing can be set in stone. I can't tell you from day to day whether I will be able to walk when I get out of bed, remember what I had done the day before, or get through the day without a seizure. I can go months without a sign that anything is the least bit wrong, and then BAM! I could have a seizure. I can no longer hold a driver's license, and my family and friends are on constant high alert to make sure that I don't get overtired or overdo it and bring on a spell.
I can understand their concern, really I can, but I am, by nature, a very independent person—hell, I ran a porn store, completed my undergrad in three years, and did it with only Alice and Rose hovering in the shadows. Having a gazillion people following me around and watching me like a hawk is degrading and unsettling, but it is also very sweet. Deep down I know it's because they love me, but it still drives me up the fucking wall, across the ceiling, and down the other side...
I can't help but smile when I think about the amazing support system I have in my life. They are my friends and my family, and more importantly, my home. I love my life. I miss my family every day, but it's so much easier to deal with now that Edward is back in my life. We had both hidden away from the reality that we had lost our baby. Emma was two and a half when she was killed, and learning to come to terms with it was probably harder and more painful than the year of recovery I had to endure after the accident. Edward couldn't deal with everything and he ran off to Alaska to live with his cousins in Denial, er, Denali. I saw neither hide nor hair of him for five years and I really didn't think I could ever forgive him for leaving me to deal with this alone.
But I did.
We are both in a better place now, having dealt with some of the bigger issues of grieving, and rebuilding our relationship. The grieving parents group has been a godsend, and we're in therapy now; both individually and as a couple. I think that having all the support that we do have helped us get through the fifth anniversary of the accident that shattered our lives. Other years I chose to hide away from the world and wallow in my sorrow on April 15th. This year, Edward and I chose to drive to Forks to spend the day at the cemetery and celebrate them and the time we had been blessed with, not mourning the things that could have been. Our sorrow wouldn't bring them back, and it only served to drag us down instead of moving forward, which we both understood was okay now. Survivor's guilt be damned, it was okay that I lived, and I finally wanted to LIVE without regret.
A muffled fuck came from the living room and I hoped that nothing of any importance had been destroyed as I finally drifted off to sleep.
Edward
I'm glad that it was Emmett who commented on how tired Bella was looking. Let him take the lumps for it, because it was finally someone else's turn to fry for it. Her stubbornness is frustrating, and it's still hard for us to let her figure things out on her own because it quite often leads to her fainting or having a mild seizure. She is definitely doing better in the seizure department since her last big setback after the Halloween fiasco, but just the same, I've seen her pass out one time too many, and it still scares the shit out of me.
I was standing beside my mom watching her while she directed Emmett and Jasper as they moved the big furniture items from the bedroom, which would now become our guest room. We are converting the former guest room into my studio and Bella's writing space. Mom smiled up at me. "How's our girl, sweetie?"
"Oh, she's tired herself out again and is being stubborn. I hope she sleeps for a couple of hours; she's run herself ragged this week trying to get things sorted out with Alice's move. I'm glad that Em and Rose did stuff on the sly because I don't think she could have handled dealing with that."
Mom locked her arm with mine, giving me a squeeze. "Sweetie, as hard as it is, you need to try to let her stand on her own two feet. I know that none of us want to see anything happen to her, but she needs to learn, and she won't learn if we mollycoddle her."
"I worry, Mom. Dr. King wasn't feeling very optimistic about her rebounding quickly, if at all, from a major seizure. Her memory hasn't been very good since the last series of small ones, and I'm scared I'm going to lose her. What if she has one and doesn't come back?"
"She'll always come back in some form or another, sweetie. Bella's tough. Emmett," Mom barked, breaking off from our conversation, "please don't balance that vase on your head, it's going to..."
As if in slow motion, we all stood there and watched as the vase dropped from the top of my brother's head and crashed onto the floor.
"Fuck!"
"Language, Emmett!" Mom scolded.
"But, Ma!"
"But Ma nothing. You clean up that mess, and we'll have to go out and replace it...and it's coming out of your pocket. What did I tell you about balancing breakable objects on your head?"
For the second time in the past half hour, I watched as my brother recited yet another rule that he had broken. "Balancing breakable objects on my head will only result in something getting broken, battered, or bruised."
"And what just happened?" Mom asked.
God, I love my mom.
"Something got broken and I'm fixing to get bruised. Baby Girl's going to hurt me."
"Yes, sweetheart, and none of us are going to stop her. Don't forget to find out how much it cost, and you'd better pray that it didn't hold any emotional significance to her."
Jasper snorted. "Alice and I picked it up at a yard sale as a joke. We paid a quarter for it, so no worries, Big Guy."
"Just the same, please be careful, Emmett. You can go destroy your own belongings when we're done here. Now, let's get this stuff outside and into the truck," Mom nudged my brother toward the bedroom.
"I'm going to check on Bella, and then we can go. Alice and Rose will be wondering where we are."
Emmett groaned. "Edward, you're just trying to get out of heavy lifting," he lamented before ripping off a very loud and potentially killer fart. "That's for you, bro!"
"Oh god! Emmett, enough!" Mom choked on the toxic waste. "Leave your brother alone. Edward, hurry up so we can get this done."
Jasper leaned in, kissing her on the cheek. "Thanks, Ma Cullen. It's about time someone said something."
"Traitor," Em hissed, as he passed by us, carrying a bookcase.
We managed to get everything into the truck and dropped off at my old place, then picked up my piano and a couple of other large items to bring back to mine and Bella's place, as well as a few of Emmett's larger items, which are to be dropped off at his new place. Thankfully, it had been determined that the bulk of our furniture will remain for Alice and Jasper's use since Bella owns everything we need, and Em and Rose want to buy new pieces for their home. Rose calls it their clean slate. Emmett calls it a pain in his credit card.
I'm happy for my brother and his fresh start. I hope they survive one another.
Alice and Jasper will no doubt excel at parenting—I have no worries where they are concerned.
Bella and I will make it; I just hope that we don't strangle each other along the way. I am discovering very quickly that every day brings a new challenge and although we'll likely get bruised along the way, we'll make it in the end.
Emmett
"Put it over there, Em."
Fine.
"Not there—THERE."
What the fuck?
"Emmett Cullen, do I have to do it myself?"
I put down the chair I was holding so I could rub my face. "Rosie, sweetie..."
Hands are on her hips. Shit. This isn't going be good. "Don't use that tone with me, mister."
Oh my God, I'm going to kill her before we get to spend our first night under our new roof. I grumbled quietly as I sat down on the chair and it wasn't long before she's wrapping her arms around me.
"I'm sorry, baby. I know I'm being an unbearable bitch; I'm just tired and anxious to get settled in. You can put the chair wherever you want. If I don't like it, I'll move it later. Why don't we go upstairs and lie down for a bit? I can give you a massage."
There's no need for her to say the M word twice. I jumped up, grabbed her, and threw her over my shoulder as I sprinted toward the stairs up to the bedroom. Setting her down gently on the bed, I crawled over her to plant a kiss on her beautiful lips. "Mm, Rosie, have I told you today that I love you?"
Her eyes scrunched closed in mock concentration before she blessed me with the sight of her beautiful blue irises and a sweet smile.
"I don't think so."
Like magnets, we are pulled closer together and her intoxicating smell makes me drunk. I ran my nose along her jaw toward her perfect ears. "I love you, my perfectly imperfect Rose," I breathed into her ear. I watched as she shivered, and goose bumps began dotting her pale skin. Her eyes rolled back slightly as she sighed. "How much do you love me, Emmett?"
I smiled against her mouth before taking her bottom lip gently between my teeth. Her hands moved under my shirt to my back and I could feel her nails scratching down my skin as her legs parted so I could better rest between them.
"I love you enough to forget the massage and try to get into your pants, baby."
"Thank God," she groaned, grinding her hips against me. My cock is rock hard and in dire need of some serious Rosie time. With the chaos of moving, we've been too busy and too tired to do any proper smexin' and this was well overdue.
"Off," I muttered as I tugged on her tank top with my teeth.
My girl sat up, pushing me back and motioning for me to do the same. We stripped off together until we were both good and naked.
"Fuck, you're hot, Rosie." I kissed my way down to her tits, where I swear to God her nipples are the third sweetest tasting part of her body; the first is below the equator, and the second is her lips. Her pink nipples were standing at attention, just begging me to suck on them. Taking the right one between my teeth, I tugged gently on it until she let out a loud groan.
One of her hands clasped mine, leading it down to the Promised Land. She rubbed our joined hands over her mound, guiding it between her lips so we were stroking her clit in tandem until she was panting like a dog on a hot summer's day.
"Shit, Em, roll over," she grunted as she nudges me onto my back.
Oh yeah, my girl was gonna ride me 'til I yelled yeehaw. How I ever got so lucky to find her, I don't know, but I'm thanking the sweet baby Jebus every day that she's mine.
Rosalie
I own his ass.
Looking down at my man, I surveyed the planes of his rock hard body and praised whichever god saw fit to give this beautiful creature to me.
"Rosie?"
Oh yeah, I was gonna ride him-HARD. I smiled demurely at him before pinching his nipples roughly. When he bucked up and let out a hiss, I reached back to find what I was looking for and arranged myself over his Richard. Yes, I said Richard instead of dick because there's nothing abbreviated about my man.
"Oh GOD, that feels good, baby," he grunted as our pelvises meet. I had to agree...it does feel good. I've been with my fair share of men, but no man has EVER fit me as perfectly as my Emmett does.
Rising up, I slide him almost to the point of popping out, being sure to pay close attention to how it feels as the ridged edge of his cock rubs against the landscape of my Promised Land until I get an idea of where I want him to hit hardest. Once I'm satisfied that I've got everything mapped out, I slammed myself back down on him, grunting.
"Baby, I need..." he groaned as his hands gripped my hips. He lifted me up, then thrust up to meet me as he brought me back down.
The sound of our flesh slapping as we fucked was such a turn on that I knew I wouldn't last long. I grabbed at my breasts, staring down at him through heavy eyelids knowing full well that he thinks this shit is hot. I was paying so much attention to turning him on that I didn't even realize what was happening until Emmett flipped us over, pulled out, and rolled me onto my stomach.
"Rosie, babe, as much as I LOVE watching you and your magnificent tits bouncing on my cock, I need..."
He spread my legs and impaled me roughly.
"OH YEAH!" I screamed. I love it when he's rough because he never gets too rough...it's always just right.
"You like it when I pound you from behind, don't you?" he grunted as he pounded away, effectively hitting my g-spot on every second or third thrust.
"Mm..." I moaned. I was too overwhelmed to respond properly, but he knew the answer to his question and he knows that this is my second favourite position because I am guaranteed an orgasm every time... "Oh God!" There it is.
"That's my girl," he said, slapping my ass. "Do you want another?"
Fifteen! I want fifteen, I wanted to scream out, but instead all I could do is grunt and nod.
"What's that?" he asked again.
My body was still coming down from the first orgasm when he shifted the position of my hips just a little higher and I was blindsided by another.
"HOLY SHIT!" I screamed as my body tensed, then relaxed.
Emmett could have been doing anything to me at that point and I likely wouldn't even notice—I was totally blissed out, my bones had melted, and I was oblivious to the world beyond the intense euphoria rolling through my body until he yells.
"HOLD ON, BABY, I'm cumming!"
I woke up several hours later and smiled. I was wrapped safely in the arms of the man I was going to be marrying, the man who loves me as I am, and would never expect me to change...
...even when I'm being a bitch.
Life is good.
Jasper
"Sweetheart?"
No response.
"Alice, darlin'?"
A grunt. Well, that's progress.
"Baby?" I nudged her gently.
"What?" she grumbled, shifting her body so it covered mine.
"I need to get up, so you need to move over a little."
My pregnant pixie doll groaned as I moved her off me gently. "Here's your belly pillow; I'll be back in a bit. I love you."
She swatted at me as I tried to place a kiss on her cheek. "Mm...sleep."
I watch as she settled around her belly pillow so she was spooning it, and hear her sigh as she slipped back into slumber before I made my way to the bathroom. Her belly isn't huge, but she finds she sleeps better if she is draped over me, or the pillow.
Getting to the bathroom proved to be more of a hassle than I initially thought it would be because I manage to trip over at least three boxes, likely breaking most of my toes, and emitting about a dozen expletives fit to come out of Emmett's mouth.
Normally the boxes wouldn't be an issue because they wouldn't be here, but Alice, being about six months pregnant, doesn't have the stamina she once had, nor the attention span to get much accomplished. The only time she has an excess of energy or finds an attention span is when sex is involved; then, and only then, is my girl supercharged.
So, if my sweet girl wasn't pregnant, I daresay that she'd have had this place unpacked and organized hours ago. Instead, she begged me to go to bed, promising that we could work on it in the morning. When I offered to work away at it tonight while she slept, she ordered me not to touch a thing, and that she would just end up rearranging things anyway. Who am I to argue with her? I'll do what she wants to keep the peace and pregnancy hormones at an even level.
After relieving myself, I picked my way through the boxes toward the living room and sat on the couch. Running my hands along the plush fabric, it's hard not to smile. There would have been no way that Alice and I could have afforded such nice furniture on our own, and although it annoyed the hell out of me to accept it, I can't thank the Cullens enough for all they've done for us.
Alice and I are now living in Edward and Emmett's old house with a lot of their old furniture, which I might add, is nicer and newer than anything I've ever owned before. Carlisle and Esme are charging us minimal rent until we get sorted out with the baby and work and school. At first, I didn't want to agree to it, but Rosie was right when she said that the Cullens were helping because they care about us, which is more than I can say for our parents. Mama Hale is furious that Rosie's engaged, and, well, we haven't told her about the baby yet.
Emmett did some sweet-talking, finding me a job at his school as a teaching assistant and substitute teacher. Luckily for me my professors have been more than understanding and have been counting my work toward my degree and I'll be graduating in May with the prospect of a full time job at Em's school in the fall when one of the teachers retires. I can't thank him enough—hell, all of them, for what they've done. It's been humbling and my stubborn pride has taken a huge hit, but I'm feeling more optimistic about things now; I can wake up and not have to worry about much at all.
Except for Alice's cravings.
Alice
Tacos.
"Jasper?"
He grumbled sleepily beside me. "What, darlin'?"
"Baby needs tacos."
The bed shifted slightly as he rolled to take a look at the clock. "Darlin, it's four in the morning."
"Please? The baby's hungry."
"The baby can't wait a couple more hours?"
I shook my head as I rubbed my belly. "No."
The bed shifted again. "Alright, darlin', I'll see if Taco Bell is open somewhere."
I hugged him to me. "I love you. So does Bump."
He grinned at me, gave me a sleepy lopsided grin, and my heart swelled. Leaning over, he planted a kiss on my belly, then on my awaiting lips. "Love you, Bump, love you, Ali. Be back soon."
Jasper pulled on some pants and a t-shirt before heading out. It's not the first time he's gotten up and picked up food for me, and although I felt like a bitch for making him do it, he has never complained.
My man is a great man, and I can't wait to watch him be a great daddy.
I felt fluttering in my belly and smiled. "Did you hear Daddy talking to you, my little bump? You have a good daddy and I can't wait for you guys to meet.
"Things are going to be okay, Baby Bump, everything is falling into place now, and there are so many people who love you already and you're not even here yet.
"I'm going to get everything sorted out before you come so I can be the best mommy possible. I'm going to finish school, take Lamaze classes and breastfeeding classes, and yoga classes, and baby classes and I'm going to try really hard to be great for you. I'll change your poopy diapers the right way so you don't get rashes, and I'm going to feed you only organic food so your belly doesn't hurt and I'm going...
"...ooh, dark chocolate M&Ms. I wonder if your daddy can pick some up on his way back."
So, there you go...I hope you enjoyed getting caught up.
You may wish to have tissues on hand for the next chapter. Yeah, yeah, I know, already...sorry.
IMPORTANT NEWS!
ENCORE was nominated for BEST TEAR JERKER in the Hidden Star Awards. Voting began today (Sept 10) and ends on Tuesday (Sept 14). Please go vote if you're so inclined. Some other stories of note/nominations are my sweet Minnakoda, who is up for BEST ONE-SHOT, and my friend KitsuShel, who is up for BEST CANON.
Vote here: http : / thehiddenstarawards (DOT) blogspot (DOT) com / p / voting (DOT) html
Don't forget to take out the spaces and the DOTs to replace them with the real thing.
I am going to try to keep a regular schedule of posting, but where things are still in the early stages, there might be longer wait times. I'm sorry about that.
Reviews will get sneak peeks. :)