Chapter 13

"What's happening?" Bella asked, rubbing her neck. I cringed as she cracked it to the side.

"Welcome back, Zombella!" Emmett yelled at her excitedly.

"What?"

"'Bloody Bella'?"

"What?"

"'Isavampire!' It's like Isabella and 'is a vampire' you know? Actually, that one's not very-" He was cut off by Edward, who nearly fell down the stairs trying to get to us.

"Is she okay?" he asked. "How is she?" He seemed really concerned.

"Oh my god! She's awake!" Alice screamed as she ran with Jasper into the living room. Rosalie didn't look as excited as the rest of them when she came downstairs but she did look curious.

Carlisle joined us and asked, "How are you doing, Bella?" Esme smiled at her.

"Are you okay?" asked Rosalie.

"I'm so sorry about this," said Edward. Now, the only one missing was Stefan, but I could hear the shower running so I assumed he was busy.

"Guys! Can you be quiet?" Bella yelled. "My head hurts and I can't listen to all of you at the same time." She put her hand on her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. We mumbled our apologies and filed out, leaving her alone with Edward. After ten minutes, everyone left to go hunting and Carlisle left for work to fetch some blood bags since our supply was getting low. I probably should have left and given them some privacy but I wanted to know what was going on. Besides, Edward has heard my every thought for a week now, there's no way he's going to judge me for eavesdropping this one time.

Of course, it's weird to stand outside of the door, especially since I can hear them across the house anyway. But when I went to Alice's room, her bed was covered in piles of clothes she was planning to get rid of so there was nowhere to sit. Instead, I went to Edward's room and sat on his couch. It was a strange room; sun cascaded from the almost completely glass walls over the shelves of hundreds of CDs.

I focused my hearing on the living room. "I know that it's a hard decision to make, but I want you to complete the transition. I can't lose you."

"I was planning on it."

"Really?"

"Yes, Edward. I'm not going to just die."

"You weren't even considering not going through with it?"

"I'm not suicidal. If this is what had to happen, then I might as well see it through."

"Caroline, stop listening to us."

"Sorry!" I yelled back. "Can I stay here though?" His couch was really comfortable. He muttered a quick yeah and got back to talking with Bella. I stretched myself out on his couch and stared out the window at the trees. There was a bed but I felt that it would be weird for me to go on it. Besides, Stefan's scent lingered on the couch so I assumed this is where he had been sleeping.

I heard the shower turn off and minute later, Stefan came into the room. "What are you doing here?" he said. His hair was still wet and he was wearing some of Edward's clothes and it just clicked that they would fit him perfectly because they're identical. I didn't know why I was thinking about that.

"I was eavesdropping on Edward and Bella but now I am just bored."

"Bella's awake?" he asked.

"Yeah, you didn't hear everyone freaking out?"

"I wasn't paying attention." He ran his hand through his hair. "So what do you want to do now?"

I shrugged. "Wanna go somewhere?"

"Like where?"

"How about the beach? It's not this sunny often," I suggested.

"I'm pretty sure the Quileutes don't want vampires around there."

"Right." He sat down on the couch next to me and while we thought about what we could do to pass time. "Where else is there in Forks?"

He glanced out the window. "Why don't we leave Forks? It's only nine, we could check out Seattle."

"Oh! I've always wanted to go there!" I exclaimed.

"I'm pretty sure it is only a three and a half hour drive so if we leave now, we can spend the rest of the day there," he said, almost giddily. "Come on, let's go ask Edward if we can borrow his car."

When we went downstairs, Bella was asleep in Edward's arms and he had his head resting on hers as he held her. Like always, I couldn't help but see Stefan holding Elena. I silently asked him if we could use his car and he nodded. We slipped out the door before he could comment on my thoughts.

The drive to Seattle was actually pretty fun. "No, not this song!" I complained when Stefan turned on the radio.

"Why not?" he asked. "I like this song."

"I hear this literally all the time. Change the station." He turned the knob on the dashboard and the song changed to one that was more my taste.

"We belong to the light, we belong to the thunder," I sang loudly.

"You really like eighties music, don't you?" he teased.

"You got a problem with that?" I accused him and turned the volume up higher.

"Nah, I just think it's funny." He said. "You're really good."

"Why, thank you." It hit me that he hadn't been there the time I sang at the Mystic Grill. "Whatever we deny or embrace for worse or for better, we belong, we belong, we belong together." It was one of my favorite songs growing up since all of my childhood fantasies of true love and love at first sight were summed up in its lyrics. About how people were soulmates and were destined to be together. "I hear your voice inside me, I see your face everywhere." But as I sang the lines, the song made me feel sick for some reason. I changed the station back to the song we were listening to earlier.

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked, surprised my sudden interest in pop.

"I just decided that I'd rather listen to Ariana," I claimed. I didn't sing this time since the song was far out of my range. Even though he nodded and lip-synced along, I felt like he could tell why I changed the station.

When we arrived in the city after a three-hour drive, we had to decide where to visit in our couple of hours we could stay. "We could visit the Space Needle," I suggested.

"Definitely," he agreed. "Or we could try the Pike Place Market if you'd like. They throw fish around there."

I stared at him. "Fish?"

He laughed at my puzzled expression. "It's actually impressive. All you have to do is buy a fish from them and they'll throw it."

"Have you seen it in person or something?

He nodded proudly. "I visited back in nineteen… forty or so. It's a tradition of their's to throw the fish that are purchased."

"I'll have to see it myself, I guess. Where do you want to go first?"

"Well, we're about a block from the Space Needle." He pointed at the structure towering above us.

"Woah, let's definitely check that out first."

He pulled up to the parking lot in front of a bunch of skinny trees. The place was mostly empty because it was a Monday and only half past noon. At the base, we purchased two tickets for the elevator up. The elevator was made of glass so we could see the entire city. I pressed myself against the wall and stared off at the water in awe. It was the first time I had ever seen the Pacific Ocean and while it didn't look much different from the Atlantic, it was still amazing to know this was water on the complete opposite side of the continent.

Instead of buying lunch at the top, we opted to just sit at the window because of how expensive the meals were. "Stefan, this is so cool!" I nearly yelled as I watched the planes fly close to the water. I pulled out my phone and took a couple of pictures of the skyline. "Which tower is that?" I asked while pointing the tallest one. When he didn't respond, I glanced over at him. Instead of looking at the city like I was, he was staring directly at me. We were silent and I could see something in his eyes that I couldn't quite put a finger on. His eyes locked on my lips and it felt like a magnet was suddenly pulling us together.

We were just inches apart when a group of girls who looked like they were in middle school walked past us, giggling amongst themselves. I turned to glare at them but they had already turned the corner.

"The Columbia Tower," Stefan said when he snapped out of his daze.

"Sorry, what?"

"The Columbia Tower," he repeated, shifting away from me awkwardly. "You asked which tower that one was."

"Oh, right." I had completely forgotten about my question.

There will be more of their Seattle trip! I actually live here so I know my way around Washington. I'll try to post soon. Again, check out "I'm Still Here" as I'd love feedback there like I get here. You guys are the best!