Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. Enjoy.

Only Monday, and I was already miserable. Mike Newton and his inability to follow the basic written response structure dominated British Literature, giving me no time to even glance at Edward. This, coupled with the knowledge that he wouldn't be able to go for a walk with me in the woods after school or come to my room tonight, had me dragging myself through the day with aching limbs and a throbbing head. I was lovesick.

Sitting at an empty table during lunch duty, I sulked like a fourteen-year-old girl forbidden by her parents from seeing her new boyfriend. I tapped my pencil against the table, running the lead tip against my fingertip. Ouch! Fuck, you're so embarassing right now. Get it together. I'd become so accustomed to always having Edward around that the slightest distance sent me into a tailspin.

"Miss Swan!" Alice's bright voice broke me out of my thoughts. She floated towards me, books in hand, before taking a seat beside me. "I'm wondering if you would have a read of this piece of writing I'm thinking of submitting," she asked, her voice a higher octave than usual.

"Uh, sure, Alice." I looked around and noted Mrs. Prescott and Angela walking past. Both looked a little puzzled at my new acquaintance, but then a look of understanding flashed across their faces, their eyes moving to focus in on Alice as she pointed to the paper in front of me.

"Don't worry, they think I'm getting your help. They're not suspicious." She spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.

Alice began doodling on the page. "So, in regards to graduation. You're going to need to ask Angela for an alibi. You'll do it casually in the last week...early in the last week." She paused. "Explain that you've got a booty call coming to Port Angeles. I've seen you mention an 'old flame' before, so she'll believe it."

I blushed, and took Alice's pen, pretending to make notes on her page. "Are you sure that will work?"

"Absolutely, it will!" She pointed to something on the page and then took the pen from my hand. "Summer will be a little trickier. But I think it will work if you open the letter with Charlie there."

I turned my face to look at her. "What letter? Edward hasn't told me anything."

"Oh! Well, Miss Swan, you will be winning a scholarship to the University of Alaska for the summer." Alice sat back on her seat and clapped her hands dramatically.

I rolled my eyes. "And what exactly does this scholarship entail, Alice?"

"Well, of course it's for new teachers passionate about British literature!" Her eyes narrowed as she spoke.

I sighed, looking around the room as I spoke. "And you're sure this is going to work?"

"Absolutely," she said with conviction.

Turning my attention back to her, I raised my brows. How on earth would they pull this off? I had never even mentioned applying for a scholarship. A tension headache seeped through the front of my forehead.

"Bella, if you do everything I say, it will work out. I promise." Alice's hand grazed mine. "The letter is arriving tomorrow, and you'll need to open it in front of Charlie. Then, in the final week of school, you're gonna tell Angela about it, but she'll be too distracted by your news about booty calling your friend from Arizona to really pry. Ben's taking her to California for vacation, so she's going to be pretty keen to tell you all about that anyway."

"Okay… So the letter will arrive tomorrow." I traced over the lines of Alice's handwriting on the page.

"Mmh. I'll text you to confirm. I also need a favor. I need you to just chill out and trust that we've got this whole situation. I know this week is going to suck for you and Edward, but if we do things according to plan, this issue will be easily resolved." Alice was out of her seat, her small hands still on the table next to mine. "There's a reason why Edward says not to bet against me! Everything's going to be fine." She twirled and strode away from me. "Bye!"

Late the following afternoon and true to her word, Alice texted me prior to the arrival of the letter. I had just jumped out of my truck when my cell buzzed in my bag. It couldn't have been Edward since he had skipped school due to the weather and was off hunting. I opened my cell to see a message from Alice.

Charlie's inside. His cruiser is in the shop. He's got the letter. You're gonna be fine. Just go with the flow! x

I took a deep breath as I walked up to the house. Making my way inside, I could hear Charlie rummaging through the kitchen cupboards.

"In here, Bells!" he shouted.

"Where's your cruiser? You're home early?" I asked, slinging my bag down onto an empty seat at the table.

"Jacob's fixing it for me...funny noise coming when I brake. Had a bit of overtime banked up, so I took half a day," he said between gulps of beer.

My eyes darted around the kitchen table, noting the thick white envelope stamped from the University of Alaska near his beer can.

"Sooooo. Wanna tell me about this?" Charlie's eyebrow raised as he picked up the envelope and waved it around. "Am I losing you already?" he almost sang before handing the letter over to me.

I rolled my eyes, snatching the letter. Play along, Bella. "I think it's probably a rejection letter for this summer scholarship program I applied for forever ago. To be honest, I kinda forgot about it." I placed the letter back on the table.

"Well, come on, open it up! Who doesn't love a free trip?"

"It's not exactly a vacation... I'd be learning." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Enough. Open it!"

I picked the envelope back up and jammed my thumb under the lip. Charlie's eager eyes followed my every move. I took a breath and pulled out the thick paper.

Lifting the paper to my eyeline, internally I was impressed at how authentic the letter looked. I scanned my eyes over the page, and checked the inside of the envelope to find an airline ticket to Alaska. "Oh, wow. I actually got in!"

Charlie's smile beamed, his moustache reaching upwards. "I'm so proud of you, Bella."

"Thanks, Dad." I smiled, toying with the piece of paper. "This means that I'll be gone the bulk of the summer. Do you think you can take care of yourself for that long?"

Charlie snorted. "For your information, Bella, I was taking care of myself just fine prior to your arrival!"

"But were you taking care of yourself well?" I cocked an eyebrow and Charlie laughed.

"You still good to come down to the reservation Saturday? I called Billy yesterday and booked us in."

"Sure, I'm looking forward to it," I mumbled, knowing deep down I'd be spending my Saturday worried about Edward.

The week crept past, its pace the equivalent of a slug. I caught glimpses of Edward at school and he texted me throughout the day, but everything felt so distant and it made my stomach turn.

I hate this.

My hands moved furiously across the keys of my cell. Hitting send and tossing it across my desk. I leaned back in my work chair, toeing the wooden frame of my desk.

My students had a free period, and I sat bored in my classroom.

"Miss Swan?" Edward's melodic voice made my stomach flip. He strode towards me much like our first one-on-one encounter, graceful, confident, cool. I turned around in my chair, my skin prickling from nerves and my stomach turning over.

"Hi," I mumbled, letting out a sigh and gnawing on my bottom lip.

Edward's mouth opened to speak but I cut him off.

"If I stay like this, will it always be this way?" I paused. "Just sitting around, waiting, while you sort things out?"

Edward took a step towards me, reaching his hand out only to then move it to his hair.

"Bella, please. I'm doing this to protect you." His voice was low, barely above a whisper.

"I just feel so helpless." My hands found their way to the top of my head and I let out a loud sigh. "I hate being away from you. I hate feeling like I'm just...dead weight."

Edward's eyes narrowed, turning on his heel and walking towards the door. The door swung open to reveal Mike Newton, paper in hand.

"Oh, hey, Cullen." He stopped and nodded at Edward. "Miss Swan, can I get some help?"

"Sure, Mike." I watched Edward walk out the door, barely offering a glance my way as he exited the room.

"Geez, that guy is always in a mood," Mike uttered, the chair he pulled across the classroom floor screeching.

It was 3:00pm and I sat sulking in my truck. My finger hovered over the send button.

I know this is in the interest of my safety. But this sucks.

I clicked and then tossed the phone into my bag.

I pulled out of the parking lot and pumped the gas pedal, my truck hurtling down the damp road. I let my hand dangle outside the driver's window, my fingers aching in the cool air. The pain was something though, a distraction from the thoughts tumbling through my mind.

If I was changed, things wouldn't have to be like this. Surely I would be of some help. Maybe I'd have a gift, or a talent…something… If Edward didn't change me, there'd always be the threat of the Volturi. Too much attention, secrets revealed, vampire law… What did vampire punishment involve? Did I even want to know?

I snapped my hand back into the truck cab, jamming it into my pocket, the burn of the cool air against my fingertips becoming too much. Charlie's house appeared in the distance, the driveway empty. It slipped my mind that he was rostered for the night shift.

I pulled into the driveway, the truck rattling as the engine turned over for a final time. Opening my car door, my head down as I stepped out of the truck, my body slammed into something hard. Edward.

"Hey." Edward's hands fastened around my waist, his cool fingertips slipping underneath my sweater to graze the skin above the waistband of my jeans. I melted into his touch, my head lolling against his shoulder.

"Edward, not here, people can see us." I mumbled, intoxicated by his closeness, my skin already warming from his touch. "C'mon, let's go inside." I pushed my hands against his torso and walked to the front door, Edward following behind.

"Don't you have to go hunting? Why are you here?" I threw my backpack on the kitchen table, walking towards the fridge to take out leftovers from the previous night.

"I wanted to see you before I went out." He paused. "I'm so sorry it's like this, Bella, it's killing me as much as it is you. But it's the only way."

"Yeah, well, it sucks," I replied, adding more force than necessary as I slammed the microwave door shut.

"Bella, if the Volturi find out about rule breakers, like these nomads, like me…death is the penalty. They don't mess around."

My eyes bugged at the word death.

"Oh." I watched the dish spin in the microwave, unable to look Edward in the eyes. "So even with these nomads gone, we're always going to have to stay in secret from the Volturi, if I'm not changed?" The microwave dinged as the words left my mouth.

"Yes."

I sighed, massaging my temples and staring at the kitchen floor. The more I learned, the more complicated everything seemed to be.

My stomach churned as I removed the dish from the microwave. Food didn't feel like such a good idea. I placed the dish on the counter, toying with my fork. "What's the risk with Saturday, though? Alice hasn't seen you like...die, right?"

"We're going to be fine, Bella. I promise."

Friday, 11:00 p.m, the clock flashed on the nightstand. Edward promised he'd be here half an hour ago. I stared at the illuminated clock, my body curled around a pillow.

Just as I began to doze off, Edward's cool hand caressed my face, his lips feathering over my forehead.

"I'm sorry, my love. We got caught up getting ready for tomorrow. I wanted to be here to say goodnight."

My hands reached out and pawed at his crumpled shirt. "Come to bed," I mumbled, still half asleep.

"I'm here."

I inhaled his woody scent, nuzzling my face against the fabric of his shirt.

"Everything's going to be fine, Bella. You're going to go fishing, and you might even have fun." He paused for a moment. "Alice keeps seeing a vision of you driving Charlie home and he's very, very intoxicated." He stopped to laugh, tracing the freckles on my face. "Just make sure you leave before 5:00 p.m. The weather is supposed to change."

"Any other instructions?" I smiled sleepily at him.

"Keep your entire evening free, because I'll be all yours." He kissed my forehead again, stroking my hair.

How had I only been in Edward's arms a few hours ago? I squinted, turning my face away from the warm mid morning sun, my cheeks reddening at the sound of Billy and Charlie laughing from the other side of the boat. My hair whipped around my face, as I once again attempted to haphazardly to control it. "Can you tell your son to stop driving the boat so goddamn fast?" I shrieked.

"Lighten up, Bella." Billy replied, nudging his son as the boat began to slow down.

"Finally." I murmured. I pushed my hair out of my face once again, my eyes fixed on Jacob whose tanned skin reflected the golden sun. He looked so warm, even with droplets of water peppering his face. My stomach tumbled, despite the warmth Jacob promised I still longed for the cold; for Edward.

"Looks like this is the spot." Jacob switched the engine off, plonking down into the boat seat, the boat rocking back and forth from the weight. Billy and Charlie began rustling through their bait bags, beginning the processing of gearing up. I leaned back, toying with my phone, opening and closing, begging for it to illuminate.

"Put that away, Bella. This is a phone-free zone!" Charlie guffawed.

I jammed my phone in my pocket, sticking out my tongue. Jacob scooted over to me, a rod outstretched in his hand like some form of peace offering. I smiled, and held the rod, as he fiddled with the bait and hook. We didn't say anything. The wind whistled around us, Billy and Charlie joking in the distance, the water lobbying against the boat as it rocked back and forth with the weight of us.

I faded into my surroundings, squinting back up at the sun again.

Now on dry land, the early afternoon sun bounced off the lake. We sat around the campfire, grilling hot dogs, the wind creating excess smoke that hung in the air. I waved off the smoky haze coming towards me, "How many beers is that?" I looked between Billy and Charlie, who I could swear were on their sixth can.

"Just leave them be." Jacob sat down next to me, his body radiating heat just in close proximity. "They never really get like this. Let them have their moment."

"We caught ten fish, Bella! Ten! This is cause for celebration." Billy and Charlie clinked their cans.

Jacob handed me a hot dog, which I accepted gratefully, jamming it into my mouth, feeling my silent cell throbbing in my jacket pocket.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Jacob asked, between mouthfuls of food.

"Yeah, sitting on that boat made me feel a bit woozy. Will be nice to stretch a bit, now we're on dry land."

Jacob and I walked for some time, the sounds of the leaves crunching under our feet the only noise that whirled around us.

"I know where he is today. They came to see us during the week. Said they were dealing with them."

I nodded, kicking a stray tree branch out of my way.

"You know how dangerous it is to be with him, right?"

I sucked in a breath. "Yes, I know."

"Then why? Surely it's enough to turn you off?"

I threw my hands into the air. "Because I'm fucking in love with him, Jacob!"

"Geez, Bella, you're even more fucked than I thought." His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"Why do you even care about this, Jacob? Aren't you with Leah?"

"Yeah, Leah and I are, I don't know. It's a wolf thing…" He scratched his chin. "I just th…I thought I'd at least get to give something with you a shot." He let out a sigh.

Why was my romantic life so complicated? My boyfriend was a vampire, and my childhood friend, who was a wolf, had just admitted to still harboring feelings for me? Whilst clearly being in a relationship with someone else...

"I'm sorry, Jacob, but I want him, and only him."

We stood silently, staring out over the cliff face, the water thrashing against the rock wall below us.

"You do know the rules though, right? If he bites you… To make you like him. Our treaty is broken. We don't play nice anymore."

My head snapped around to face him.

"Didn't tell you about that?" He smirked.

"Wipe the grin off your face, Jacob. I'm not even sure I'm ready to be like him yet anyway." I fished my cell out of my pocket. No signal, the illuminated time, the only message; 4:30 p.m. Fuck, I had to leave within half an hour.

"I really should get Charlie home, Jacob. I don't particularly want to drive home in the dark, and the weather is changing. Let's start heading back."

Getting Charlie into the truck was harder than I thought. Thankfully, Jacob, noticing my plight, came over to us and helped shove him into the passenger seat, buckling him up.

"Thanks, Jacob." I checked over Charlie's seat belt buckle again, craning my neck to see that his fishing gear was in the bed of the truck.

Jacob frowned, his hand curled around the rim of the open car window. "I just wish things were different, Bella."

I nodded. I wished for things to not be so complicated. "I guess things are just the way they're meant to be though, right?"

Jacob smiled sadly.

"Why the frown, big guy?" Charlie pointed to Jacob through the open passenger window, his hand slamming against the passenger door. "What are you two talking about, anyway? Sounds awfully mature," Charlie slurred.

Rain started pattering down on the truck roof, the noise ricocheting through the air. I looked at the clock. Shit. 5:05 p.m. Edward said I needed to leave the reservation before 5:00 p.m. I patted Charlie on the head. "Sit back and enjoy the ride." I reversed out of the Black driveway, waving at Jacob through the window, watching as his tall frame became a tiny dot in the distance as I hurtled the truck out of the rez.

"You and Jacob, huh?" Charlie's voice grated on me as I navigated the truck along the wet Forks roads.

My hands gripped the steering wheel. "No, Jacob's with Leah. Nothing's going on."

"Someone else caught your eye?" Charlie dramatically drew a love heart in the air with his finger.

"You could say that." I replied, my eyes focused on the road.

"You don't sound so thrilled about it." He mumbled, his hands searching for something in his pockets.

"It's complicated... There's an age difference."

Charlie sighed. "Well yeah, that's tricky to navigate." He turned in his seat to face me. "You're a mature young lady, though, and I trust your judgment. So if it's what you want… Well, go for it." He threw his body back into the cushion of the seat and belched. "Sorry, Bella."

I wound the windows down, the cab reeking of beer and hot dogs. "Ugh, Charlie. Gross."

My hair whipped around my face, the air biting as it circulated through the truck. Alice had been right so far, Charlie was incredibly drunk and the weather had changed. I wondered how long it would be before Edward arrived in my room tonight. I patted my cell again in my pocket, annoyed I had yet to hear it chime. "Okay, that'll have cleared it." I turned to face Charlie, who now snored softly against his seat. I smiled to myself, lips turning down into a frown as my truck approached the sharp bend ahead. It swept downhill to the left, the road narrowing the whole way through. Ugh, I hated this part.

As I slowed the truck down, the wipers worked overtime to clear the slow, blinding rain that saturated my windscreen. God, was this bend always this long? I hummed to myself, the noise mixing with the sound of my tires crunching stray gravel and tree matter.

Coming out of the bend, I sighed, relaxing my grip on the steering wheel. My foot pressed the gas to speed up. Not too much longer. I fiddled with the radio, trying to drown out the sound of the rain. Squinting, my brow furrowed as my eyes narrowed in on a deer crossing the road up in the distance. "Really?" I murmured, my foot pumping the brake pedal as I approached.

The car continued at speed. Something was wrong. My heart rate accelerated as my truck hurtled towards the deer. I kicked my feet, the truck continuing to speed up rather than slow down. What the fuck was happening?! This wasn't supposed to happen. Alice hadn't seen this.

I swerved out of the deer's way, the car veering to the left. I kicked my foot again, desperate to hit the brake. The sound of my lace snapping rang through the truck cab as we lurched forward and bounced. My foot finally activated the brake as we slammed into a pothole. My body lurched forward, the seatbelt flinging me back against the seat, Charlie's head thudding against the truck roof.

My vision blurred as fat wet tears stung my cheeks. "Charlie, are you okay?" my voice trembled as I unbuckled my seatbelt. No response. He lay slumped against his seat.

"D-dad?" I stammered. Poking him in the shoulder, he let out a sound between a snort and a snore and nestled himself back into the chair. Thank god, he was alive. Relief washed over me. With shaky hands, I leaned down, my hands searching for my tangled laces in the darkness. I turned my head into the raw and icy wind that brushed against my face. I didn't open the door? The grip on the skin of my arms was tight as I watched my foot leave my converse, I strained my neck to see piercing red eyes bearing down on me as my doll-like body was yanked from the car. I thrashed my head side to side. My eyes now locked on Charlie who lay peacefully unaware in the passenger seat, his head lolling to the side.

"You do smell good." A menacing voice pierced the air.

My breath caught in my throat. I choked on my words. My body now frozen, suspended midair.

"Get the fuck off her!"

My upper back hit the gravel with a thud, two bodies looming over me, casting dark shadows across my frame. My elbows took the bulk of the impact as the lower half of my body crashed into the wet road. I tried to move but nothing worked, my limbs heavy, stuck to the black glistening road underneath me. My heart hammered in my chest. You need to breathe, my inner voice shouted. I sucked in a breath and held it for 3 seconds, exhaling as slowly as I could. My eyes searched frantically for the voices, landing on a set of legs being dragged into the scrub, thrashing wildly.

"Bella, are you okay? It's Esme, Edward's mom." Esme's cool hand cradled my head. Her heart-shaped face filled with worry. "I need to get you back in the car, sweetheart. We need to check on Charlie. Everything will be okay." Her voice soothed me.

"Wh-what's happening?" My body throbbed, my clothes now damp from the light spray of rain that lingered in the sky.

"I'm just going to lift you up, sweetheart, and put you back in the truck. I need to check on Charlie, alright?"

Esme lifted me easily, and too fast for me to register, I was sitting upright on the driver's side, my legs dangling outside the door. She had moved around to the passenger side and tended to Charlie, still slumped against the seat.

My heart thudded in my ears and my skin burned. "Is he okay?" I asked, my voice trembling with worry.

"It looks like just a slight head knock, combined with the alcohol in his blood." Her hands gently pressed against Charlie's skull. He snuffled but did not wake. "He's in a pretty deep sleep. He'll be fine, maybe just a sorer head than usual when he wakes up."

"What was that?" My eyes searched my body for signs of injury. Everything looked okay, my elbows slightly grazed, but my back stung.

Esme was by my side in an instant. "You're okay, but I think your back may be bleeding a little. Can I check?"

I nodded and turned slightly in the seat, I looked down at my legs that now jittered. Esme lifted my top up, her cool finger tips grazing the skin.

"Mmmh. The tiniest smidge of blood, but otherwise just scratched. You'll probably bruise." Esme's head whipped around, her eyes searching out smoke that began billowing in the distance. The smell travelled towards us, picked up by the wind.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" My voice still shaky.

"You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, sweetheart. Your little incident with the deer had you crossing paths with them." She paused. "They won't bother you or us again."

My mind swirled. What if the Cullen's hadn't been at the right place, at the right time? I looked over at Charlie, snoring peacefully against his seat.

"Esme, is she okay? I came as quickly as I could." Edward's frantic voice broke me out of my spell.

"Ed-Edward." Sobs escaped my mouth as I shook violently in my seat. He held me in his arms as I shook, murmuring words I didn't understand into my hair.

I peeked out past his shoulders to see his family standing around the car. Carlisle moved to the passenger door, his voice quiet as he spoke to Alice.

I sobbed against Edward's chest. His body bearing my weight as I clung to him, unsteady on my feet.

"Bella, Charlie's going to be okay. But it's important you get him home soon." Carlisle's voice was close to me now. "Edward's going to drive you, okay?"

I snuffled against Edward and nodded.

"He's going to wake at 6:32, Bella. He's going to be fine, just a big headache. I promise." Alice's reassuring voice rang through my ears.

The drive home was a blur. I curled myself against Edward as he forced the truck at max speed home. Charlie continued to snore, oblivious to everything that had happened.

"How do I get him inside?" I asked as we pulled into the driveway. "Will he wake up?"

Edward squeezed my hand. "I'll run him inside and put him on the couch. We've got 20 minutes up our sleeve."

I nodded, my eyes fixed on Edward as he exited the truck at vampire speed, opening the passenger side door and scooping Charlie up into his arms. I trailed behind him, my hand curled up in the back of his shirt, only letting go to open the front door.

Edward lay Charlie down on the sofa, covering him with a blanket. Too quickly for my eyes to register he stood in front of me, and leant down, his forehead pressing against mine, as his cool hands guided me to start moving up the stairs. My hands lingered behind me, entwined with Edward's as we ascended the stairs to my bedroom. I sat on the edge of my bed, my eyes locked on Edward's appearance. My heart stuttered and my stomach lurched.

The front of his shirt was ripped, covered in black dust. Dirt was smeared across his face and neck, debris lingering in the mess of his bronze locks.

"Edward, you're a mess." I reached out to touch his face. "Are you hurt?"

"Charlie's awake. You need to go downstairs." He caught my hand before it could stroke his cheek, bringing it towards his lips. He kissed my knuckles and I shivered under his touch. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here as soon as you come back upstairs."

I nodded, closing my eyes for a moment, before turning on my feet and jogging out of my room, I called out Charlie's name as I descended the stairs.

"Bella? What happened? Uh, my head." Charlie groaned and pressed himself further into the pillows.

"You got really drunk and then we hit a pothole on the way back from the rez." I leant down and rested my hand against his forehead. "I'm gonna get you a glass of water and some painkillers, but I think it's best if you just sleep it off."

Charlie grumbled, covering his face with his hands. By the time I returned with the water and painkillers he was fast asleep.

As I made my way up the staircase I heard the sound of running water. Edward was in my shower? Knocking on the bathroom door, I opened it up to see Edward undressing.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my hand fingering the tattered fabric of his shirt.

"I look like an animal. I don't want you to see me like this," he mumbled, his hand gesturing to his dirty face and tattered clothes.

With shaky hands, I unfastened his shirt buttons one by one. As the mangled fabric slipped off his shoulders, I lifted my henley over my head. "Let me help you clean up."

Edward nodded and turned around. I watched the back of his arms as he unbuttoned his jeans, stripping down to his boxers. I'd never seen his pale skin so dirty, flecked with brown and black. Turning my attention to my own clothing, I unclasped my bra and peeled off my jeans, standing only in my panties as Edward stepped into the tub and under the spray.

Edward's eyes remained closed as the water cascaded down his face. "I never wanted you to see me like that." Pulling at his hair, my hands shot up to replace his. Dragging my nails across his scalp, Edward shuddered at my touch, his pink tongue darting out to run across his bottom lip.

"I want to see and know all the parts of you, Edward." I reached behind him for the shampoo, and as I began massaging the strawberry-smelling liquid into his scalp, he purred, tilting his head back into my hands.

I cupped my hands and began rinsing the shampoo out of Edward's hair. Moving to grab some body wash, his hand snaked out to stop me.

"Turn around, let me wash your hair."

I spun around obediently, relishing in the way his hand caressed the smooth skin of my belly. Using the slightest amount of pressure, he pressed our bodies together, my bottom flush against his hardness. I felt my cheeks redden, tilting my head back against his chest.

"That was really fucking scary, Edward."

"I know, love. I'm sorry that you were involved. It wasn't supposed to happen like that." He pressed his cool hands against the scrapes on my back. "Alice's visions aren't infallible. She never saw you veering off the road, or that they'd try and run from us. The future is so malleable." He kissed the back of my neck as he rinsed my hair, his hands resting again on my back. "Are you okay? These must hurt."

"I'm fine. I promise." Turning to face him, I grabbed my loofa, pressing it against him. The dirt on his body washed away, revealing his marblelike skin. "So they're dealt with? It's done?" I asked.

He kissed the top of my head. "It's done. It's over." He took the loofa from my hand, dragging it across my shoulders.

I leaned my head against his chest. "It all happened so fast. I barely even remember what he looked like. All I can remember is his eyes were so red." I nuzzled my face further into his chest. I shuddered as the water began to cool as it poured over us. "I'm so glad Charlie is okay. I just don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there…"

"He's okay and you're okay, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that it will never happen again." Edward kissed my forehead, running his hands down my hair. "Comeone, the water is getting cold. Let's get out of here and get you into bed."

As always, a massive thank you to my beta team.