Trials of Letting Go

Edward and Jacob decided to marry in June. The time that passed between the wedding and the proposal was uneventful; at least it was, according to Edie. Preparation for the Volturi confrontation had been put on hold and everyone's favorite hybrid was not happy about it at all. However, this didn't mean she stopped training.

Field near Lake Crescent

She gave Riley weapons to practice with. "Why'd you give me these? It's not like I'll need them."

"You're right. A vampire doesn't need a weapon. It can use its body to defend itself and attack its adversary."

"So why give me machetes?"

"Because they expect you to come at them with only your body."

Riley's mouth created an "o" shape. "Oh! Alright, alright. I got you. But, how will they work anyways? It's not like these will be able to cut them." Edie grabbed one of the blades and sliced off Riley's hand. "What the fuck?! My hand! You bitch!"

Ignoring Riley, Edie reattached his hand to the rest of his arm. Calmly, she replied, "These are specially made blades that can cut through vampires."

"How'd you come up with these?"

"A group of humans who tried to fight against the Volturi came up with it, but they never got the chance to use it against them."

The question was gnawing at Riley, "Are you really a vampire? 'Cause you smell different."

"I'm sort of a mix between a vampire and a wolf."

"How does that happen?"

"I have no fucking clue. You'd think that two opposing forces inside me would kill me, but, hey, I'm still here."

"You're amazing," Bree exclaimed. "Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt. I just wanted to know: when is it gonna be my turn?"

"Just a minute, Bree." Edie turned to Riley, "I want you to carve three statues of the Vitruvian Man. They must be perfect. You can only use your blades."

"I'm gonna need a picture, Doll. Ow!" Riley rubbed his head.

"My name isn't Doll nor Bitch. When we train, you can call me Teacher or ma'am. Otherwise, you can call me Edie like everyone else."

"Yes ma'am," Riley and Bree chorused.

Edie quickly showed Riley a picture of the Vitruvian Man on her phone. "I want everything on this picture represented in stone." She pointed him to the large boulders on their field. "I want them done in one hour."

"Got it." Riley got to work immediately.

"Okay, now Bree…"

"Yes," Bree interrupted.

"Your training will be different from Riley's. Physically, you're not the most reliable person. Neither is Riley, but let's not talk about that," she said conspiratorially. Riley retorted from a distance. She laughed, "All joking aside, I think you have the potential for a gift. So, for today, we're going to meditate."

"What about fighting?"

"We'll run drills, don't worry. We'll make you a fighting machine."

Edie was right about Bree having a gift. They discovered within a month that Bree had the power to see a person's greatest fear and greatest hope. Right now, both she and Edie were working on how to work that into actual combat.

As for Riley, his first statues were less than perfect, so Edie made him do them repeatedly until they were. When they were perfect, Riley had completed them too slowly, so Edie had him do them with less time finish it. Riley was frustrated with Edie's methods and called her a bitch under his breath most times. Edie would knock him over the head when he did that. Eventually, Riley saw the method to Edie's madness. To defeat the enemy, he had to be quick and precise. He regards her with the utmost respect now and calls her Teacher.

Once every few days, Jacob came to Edie's practices to check up on the trio. "Ya know, you could take a break," he chided her.

"We take breaks," she insisted.

"I mean, look, we're not exactly going into battle tomorrow or next week. You said so yourself, we have time. Come to the Rez, relax. Take a breather," Jacob tried to coerce her.

"I can't. We both have stuff we need to do. You need to plan your wedding and I need to keep preparing for the Volturi," she replied softly. "It's what I came here to do."

Jacob sighed, "Are you at least feeding yourself? Are you hunting?"

"Edward takes me once a week," she smiled at Jacob. "Don't worry so much. Enjoy your life while you can."

"You should take your own advice." When she didn't respond, he continued. "When you're not here, you're at school and you barely come over to the house. I feel like you're avoiding us."

"What are you? My mom," she said jokingly. "I'm not avoiding you. I'm just worried."

"That's one of the things I love about you. I love the way you care so much, but Sunshine, you're not even singing anymore."

"How do you know that?"

"Ed and I have been going to the club; we were hoping to run into E.E. Black," he confessed. "We wanted her to sing at our wedding."

"She would love that." She gave in, "Alright, you win. Riley, Bree!" Her students came running to her. "We're off training until after the wedding"

"Sweet!" They cheered and did a high-ten.

"Yeah, yeah. Go on and enjoy your two weeks off," said Edie. "Just stay out of sight."

"We know," they chorused.

When they left, Jacob asked, "Does this mean you're coming to the Rez?"

"Not today," Edie lamented. "I promised Angela that I would help her sort out her graduation invites and plan out the senior after-party. Whatever that means. By the way," Edie pulled out a bag of beef jerky. "I got these for you. I know they're your favorite."

"Thanks! I don't know why, but I've been craving these like crazy," he exclaimed.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Edie gently responded.

Angela's House

"Thanks for helping me with all of this stuff I need to do," said Angela.

"It's no problem, I can help you hang it up too."

"No need. The Jitterz people said they could take care of it." Angela had secured the club for an after-graduation party for the senior class. She just needed to provide the decorations for them, but she also needed to send out her invitations for her own college send-off party.

"Where did you decide to go?"

"I'm gonna go to Washington State."

"I thought you got into Brown."

"I did," she confessed. "But maybe I'll transfer there in a few years."

"Have you already accepted?"

"Not yet. I'm sending my notice tonight."

"Don't send it."

"Why not?" Angela squinted her eyes at Edie.

"I may or may not have sent your acceptance to Brown."

Angela was gob-smacked. It took her at least ten minutes to form proper words. "What gives you the right? How can you– Why would you do something like this?"

"You worked hard to get your grades up. It's only fair that your hard work is rewarded."

"Even if I was somehow okay with this, how am I gonna pay for it?"

"You have a full scholarship."

"I don't. Brown didn't give me one."

"I never said it was from Brown."

"You applied to scholarships for me, too?"

"Just one. Check it out if you don't believe me."

Angela went straight to her laptop and did just that. True to Edie's word, Brown had acknowledged her acceptance and her entire tuition was paid. This included housing and food and other miscellaneous things. It was all paid for by the Angela Weber Scholarship Fund. "How?"

"I'm not going to college, Angie. My grandmother left me a lot of money and I want you to have it."

"I'm not taking your money."

"I'm not letting you say no."

"Take your damn money and go to college. I know you're smart enough."

"I don't need it."

"Why? Are you dying?" Angela meant it as a rhetorical question, but the expression on her friend's face stopped her in her tracks.

"It's not like you're getting all of it," Edie said nonchalantly even though her face showed the opposite. "I'm leaving a lot of it to the Rez and whatever I don't use will be donated to orphanages."

"Is it cancer?"

"Lupus."

"But, but, you're… when were you diagnosed?"

"I had the doctors run tests on me when Grandma died."

"Is that why you don't come to school on sunny days? I thought you went camping with the Cullens. I'm so sorry. Can't you treat it with medication?"

"They aren't working anymore. Hey, don't cry," Edie sighed. "I'm okay."

"How can you be okay?" Angela's tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I've lived a life that many people can only dream of. There isn't a lot left for me to do."

"You aren't lying to me, right? Because that would be really messed up."

"No, I'm not. Please, Angie. Take the money."

In reluctance, Angela accepted. "Who else knows?"

"Only you and Charlie."

Olympic National Park

Edward invited Edie to hunt with him often, hoping to get something out of her too. For the most part, Edie kept her mind blank. However, there were moments, when she would reveal wayward thoughts

Today, they were hunting near Whiskey Peak. They finished off three mammals between them. Together, they enjoyed the silence after a satisfying kill.

"I noticed that you don't really go after elk," Edward remarked.

"I like herbivores just fine, but elk have this rough taste that makes me want to eat real vegetables instead."

"And you're all about meat, aren't you?"

"Not necessarily. I really like grapes and mangos."

"When I was human, my favorite was strawberries."

"I never had one."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Grandma didn't let me near them. She said that they had too many chemicals and that their rich flavor was nonexistent."

"I suppose she was right. They don't smell the way they used to when I was a boy."

Edie giggled. "Way to sound old, grandpa."

"Yeah, that was kind of bad, wasn't it?"

"I like it. I like the way you talk."

"Thanks."

A peaceful moment later, Edie asked, "How's the wedding getting on?"

"Everything's done. I'm telling you, it's one of the most stressful situations I've done in my long life."

"Is it that bad?"

"No, but Jake and I have had some fights about the future and he keeps calling me a– "

"Self-sacrificing dumbass with a martyr complex."

Edward's eyes widened. "Yeah," he spoke slowly "and I tell him that –"

"He's an infant with no idea about the consequences of his choices. I can see how that can stress you out, but you made up, so that's what matters."

"Did you see that too?"

"No. I'm not about invading your privacy. I use my gift as a search engine and I find whatever caused you stress recently."

"I wish I could do that with mine. I want to be able to turn it off whenever I want."

"Why don't you ask Jake?"

"It's not a matter as simple as a shield. My power is raw, if I'm not concentrating on you, your thoughts are just whispers for me in the background. That gives me some comfort, but some days I just want silence."

"I've never had that problem," she started, "but maybe that's because my gift isn't as strong as yours. I used to have to touch someone to be able to see their memories, but when I turned, I became like you and I saw without touching and at a distance."

"Do you see multiple people's memories?"

"No. Only one at a time. If I could do more, I would probably go crazy."

Edward hummed as if he concurred with what she said. "Then again, it's not like I need telepathy to see what people are thinking."

"What do you use then, body language?"

"No, I look at a person's eyes. You can see entire lifetimes in them if you look deep enough." Edward turned to see Edie. She felt him staring at her and glanced his way. Heat rose to her cheeks and she broke eye-contact. "You know that old saying, 'eyes are the windows to the soul'? I guess that's one of the things I love most about Jake; he is unguarded with how he feels. Even when he hides his thoughts, I know if he's okay or if he needs me to be there for him just by looking into his dark, deep eyes."

"He has this way of telling you how he feels without actually saying it," she agreed. "He forces it on you without being aggressive."

"Your eyes, on the other hand, it's like they have a shield on them. It's another way that you distance yourself from us."

'Not this again.' She began to walk away. He followed her and it annoyed her. "Have you two ever thought that maybe I'm not distancing myself, that maybe life is going by and I just stepped aside to let it happen like it should?"

"The thought has crossed our minds. We've also considered that with school and the wedding, we haven't had much time to spend together."

"You're also forgetting that since you guys decided to stop training, we hardly see each other."

"They're kids, Sunshine. Give them a break."

"I'm younger than all of you."

"Technically, you're not. You've lived through more than most of us. I saw some of your past," he confessed. He quickly added, "It was an accident."

She snorted, "Right. What did you see?"

"You were in a chamber and you were restrained. They were performing experiments on you and possibly torturing you as well. You were alone, which explains a lot, actually."

"Since when have you been a psychologist?"

"Since 1974," he replied smartly to her snarky question. "We're worried about you."

"I don't need you to worry about me, Edward. I need you to worry about yourself. We're at a point where anything goes. I have no idea what's going to happen."

"Too many things have changed," he concluded.

Unable to contain her frustration, she continued, "Edward, in my time, in the Crimson Future, you were already dead. Jacob's pack was dead and Sam's pack, I don't know what they were doing, but they certainly weren't doing any of this!" Then, she realized what she had done, "Fuck!"

"The packs were split?"

"You weren't supposed to know that." Edie started to close down, but Edward was insistent.

"Is that why you said it was important for us to remain united? Even at the cost of your life?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him. "You can't do that, Edie. You matter too much to us, to me! My Sunshine can't dim for others." He held her close to his chest and cradled her head preciously. "Promise me, please promise me that you'll think of yourself more. Be selfish."

Edie's arms had been hovering over Edward's backside. She was unsure if she should return the hug. He felt cold, but it was a nice cold. It was like eating shaved ice on a hot day or when you face a breeze head-on and it secures you. She wanted more of this feeling so she gave in and returned the hug.

For Edward, when Edie finally hugged him back, it felt like part of his being was returned to him. He hadn't noticed this before. Other times they hugged, it was about making sure that she was okay. It was about him calming her own emotion. This time, it was his emotion that needed to be placated; he wanted to convey to her how much she means to him. Although neither person knew that he was doing it, Edward was also awakening a feeling inside the hybrid that she couldn't comprehend. Edie had no idea an emotion like that existed.

"I will, but you have to promise me something too," she said with her cheek to his shoulder.

"Anything."

"Promise me that no matter what, if there ever comes a time when you must make a choice between staying to fight and going with Jacob, go with him."

"I promise." Edward kept what he discovered a secret until the right time came.

Edward and Jacob's Cliff

After the Newborn Victory party, Jacob tried to get Edie to tell him more about the future, but she kept rebutting him. Sam was getting fed up with Edie's behavior and he demanded that Jacob force her to tell them the truth.

Jacob recounted their last conversation.

"You're too soft on her," Sam critiqued.

To which Jacob responded, "How do you want me to be then?"

"You're the Alpha, so be one." Sam thought that was the final word of the conversation.

Finally, Jacob out-rightly asked, "Then why did you offer me the Alpha position?"

"Out of courtesy, I didn't think you'd take it," even Sam was surprised at his answer.

This caused a strain between the Alpha and the Beta. "Why make me a leader? I never even wanted this," he complained one night to Edward. Jacob leaned himself against Edward and buried deeper in his vampire's embrace. "Listen to me, I sound like a brat."

"Yeah, maybe," Edward teased. To which Jacob playfully hit him with his elbow. "No, you're just young and to have a lot of responsibilities thrust upon you is almost heartbreaking."

"The way you say it, makes it sound like some kind of tragedy."

"It is, in a way. You're a kid and already you're doing more than most adults have done by the time they're thirty."

"Like, what? Lead a battalion? Go to war?"

"I'd hardly call marriage a war." Jacob sniggered at Edward's retort. "All joking aside, if you wanted to slow down and step down from being Alpha, you have my full support."

"I know, but I can't do it."

"Why? You said so yourself, that you didn't want this."

"I didn't want it before, but being the Alpha… It fits like a glove, ya know. It feels like I'm supposed to be in this position, even if I have to take it from someone else."

"It's not exactly like you took it. It's your birthright to be Alpha."

"Did you know Ephraim?"

"That's a bit abrupt, but yes, I knew him. It was only for a few days. He was proud and not that much older than you. You remind me a little bit of him. You both have that strong and silent mannerism that is noble in its way."

"Noble, me?"

"Of course." Edward pecked Jacob's lips. Jacob pecked him back. Soon, their kisses turned sensual. Jacob moaned when Edward trailed kisses down his neck. His cold hands traced the russet muscular back. Jacob pressed his erection against Edward's. Edward whispered in Jacob's ear, "Too bad we're waiting for the wedding. If we weren't, I would take you right now."

"Wait! We're waiting for the wedding? I thought you just weren't in the mood."

"You don't want to? I thought that's what you wanted."

"What? No way! I've been horny as fuck."

"Oh, thank God! I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to hold out."

Jacob threw down his vampire and caged him between his arms and legs, "What are you waiting for?" Jacob attacked his mouth. He grabbed the hem of Edward's shirt and yanked the thing off. Edward regarded Jacob's heated gaze. There was something different about his lover. He didn't have an exact idea, but for now, he would enjoy the benefits.

The couple had no interruptions in their love-making. After three intense rounds, they rested on the grass. Edward was on top of Jacob and tucked himself inside Jacob's arms. "Oh, God," Edward groaned. "I haven't felt this exhausted in a hundred years."

Jacob panted, "It's a good kind of exhausted, right?"

"Definitely." Edward kissed his wolf. 'It's just strange because I'm not supposed to be tired at all.'

'Why are we talking this way?'

'That's how drained I am.'

'Oh.'

'I tried talking to Carlisle about it. His theory is that maybe because of our opposing natures, that we tire more easily or our sex is just too intense.'

"I'm going with the second one."

Their fatigue was lifting. "Definitely."

"You know, what sounds good right now?"

"What?"

"An elk. No! A bear!"

"You're serious?"

"Yeah," Jacob got up excitedly. He rapidly shifted and went into the mountains to find his food. Edward ran beside him, he didn't bother to get dressed. It wouldn't have mattered anyways because their clothes got shredded during sex. As he ran, he didn't slow down for Jacob's sake. There was no need. When they ran, when they did anything together, they were like one.

The couple stopped about fifty feet from a herd of elk. The wolf took in his surroundings and sniffed the air. 'Yuck! Never mind, those elk smell nasty. Let's get something else. I smell a few carnivores. It's bears!'

"Actually, bears are omnivores."

'Whatever, nerd! It's okay though, you're a cute nerd.' Jacob winked.

They stopped when they saw three cubs and their mama bear nibbling on some roots. "Come on Jake, let's look somewhere else."

'Aren't they cute?'

Edward saw that his wolf was staring at the four-month-old cubs. "They are," he agreed. "They must've been born around February."

Jacob sat down on the grass after he shifted back. "Wanna know something weird?"

"Sure."

"After my mom died, I had this recurring dream. I dreamt that I was a wolf and there was this cub that always ran beside me. We were playing. I guess it was a game of tag." There was a slight blush creeping on Jacob's face. "Now, remember, this was way before I knew you existed." With Edward's encouragement, Jacob continued, "I…I named the cub Edward." Edward chuckled. "Stop it," Jacob shoved the vampire.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just really cute and you're right, a little bit weird."

"For a while," he sighed. "Forget it."

Edward grabbed Jacob's chin with his index finger and thumb. "Tell me," he sincerely requested.

"It doesn't really matter anymore." Edward silently urged him to say more. "I wanted to name my first kid Edward."

"I'm sorry. Because of me, you'll never get that chance."

"Hey, I don't regret anything. I love you."

"I love you, too."

There was a new scent in the wind. "Puma," Jacob exclaimed. The mountain lion set its sights on the small family. "Leave them alone," he growled. This caught the bears' attention and they ran from the apparent danger. Jacob lunged at the feline and cracked its spine. 'Good. So, good.' His teeth grazed the puma's jugular. He could hear the blood flow through the carotid artery. His pupils dilated.

"Jake? Jacob!" Edward's words pulled him out of the trance he was in. The vampire saw his beloved's mind become clouded, only focused on the puma in his clutches.

Jacob dropped the mountain lion. "I'm not hungry anymore," he whispered. The volume was so low, that not even acute hearing could completely decipher it; the sound was so small, that it may as well have been a thought. More clearly, he said, "I need some clothes."

"Alice placed some here for us."

"Let me guess, she saw us! God! Isn't there any privacy left? Fuck!"

"She couldn't see all of it. She only saw that we may need them," Edward articulated while they were dressing when they felt calmer. "You've become blurry to her and in turn, so have I. That's why I think that she asked for our help with the wedding instead of taking care of it herself." After not hearing an immediate response he exclaimed, "What is your problem?"

"Nothing!" Jacob sighed, "I'm sorry. I don't know what's happening to me. I'm all moody and shit."

"Is it the dreams?"

"Maybe. What took you so long bring to bring it up," he asked good-naturedly.

"I wanted to respect your privacy and give you time to figure it out for yourself."

"Thanks." Jacob gave him a chaste kiss. "I don't know what to call them. They're weird. It's my mom apologizing and this lady in this fancy dress, I can't see her face, telling me to save you."

"I think that she's my mother, Elizabeth."

"How are you so sure?"

"It was her favorite dress and I still remember what her voice sounded like."

Satisfied with the vampire's explanation, Jacob continued, "I didn't think much about it at first. I thought that it was my subconscious or something. It's the same thing. Not every night, but often enough that they seem like it. They won't say anything else. 'I'm sorry' and 'Please save Edward'. Over and over again."

"Oh, Jake." Edward's frozen hand cupped his heated cheek gently.

"It's scaring me, Ed. Back there, with the puma, I wanted to drink it dry. And it all started with those dreams. I'm all fucked up," Jacob choked up.

Edward embraced his shifter and let him cry on his chest. He stroked his soft midnight hair.

Forks High School- Gymnasium

It was a week before the wedding; school was out for the underclassmen and the seniors were graduating today. The Cullens were in attendance. Some Quileute were there, too; Jacob, of course, and…Billy? Jacob was talking to Edward and Billy was flagging down Edie.

"Pop-Pop," she whispered. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you."

"It's not every day that I get to see my granddaughter graduate high school," he answered proudly. "Besides, if anyone asks, I'll just say that I'm here with Charlie. So, what's this, your fourth, fifth time?"

"Actually, this is my first real graduation."

"Even more reason for me to be here. You better get going, it looks like the ceremony is about to start."

"See you soon."

Jacob and Edward were amusing themselves over the thoughts of the other graduates and their families. Most were worried about college and others just wanted to get the hell out of Forks. The couple was amused by the trivial worries of the humans.

'You wanna know how I know we're in love,' Jacob asked through their connection.

'How?'

'Because we silently judge people together.'

'As opposed to…'

'Judging people separately.'

Edward raises one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows. 'Okay… Personally, I like that we have our own thought wavelength.'

'Me too. The pack mind hive is a little crowded, if you know what I mean.'

'Sam is still giving you a tough time?'

'Not lately, but sometimes it gets a little claustrophobic.'

'Do you feel the same way with our conversations?'

"No," Jacob answered verbally. "Because it's just you and me."

"I love you." Edward connected their lips. They kissed slowly. 'They're staring at us.'

'Does it look like I care?'

"I need to line up with the others." Edward broke the kiss.

"Just one more."

Edward hummed into their last kiss happily. "Save that energy for the honeymoon."

Jacob watched his fiancé take his place in the procession and took a seat between his dad and his future mother-in-law. 'I wonder how many are gonna trip on-stage.'

'One of my graduations ended with the salutatorian upchucking on this poor boy in the first row.'

Jacob giggled and caught the attention of the rest of his row. He cleared his throat.

"What's so funny," asked Billy.

"I'm just wondering how many of these dorks are gonna trip and fall on stage." Billy playfully shoved his son and laughed softly along with him.

Edie was lucky enough to sit between Jessica and Angela. The latter was holding Edie's restless hand. "Are you okay? Is this too much for you?"

"No," Edie assured her friend. "It's just that, this is the first graduation that I've ever been to. I'm excited and nervous, too."

"That's right! You were homeschooled before this year, weren't you?"

"Yeah. Every time I passed a grade level, Grandma would make this special dinner and we would spend the day outside. We wouldn't worry about anything that day. We could be normal; the rest of the world be damned." Hearing this, warmed Esme's heart. It was rare that Edie ever talked about the future.

The ceremony went on and it was time for everyone to get their diplomas. It was a long time before Edie had her turn. Though to be fair, the Forks High School graduating class was smaller than most high schools, so there wasn't a particularly long wait. Jessica Stanley had just walked across the stage and Edie was waiting for "Edie Ward" to be called, but instead, the assistant principal announced, "Ms. Edie Black Swan!"

There was a minuscule pause and then with his claps thundering, Chief Charlie Swan stood to congratulate her. Billy, who was clapping almost as loud, whooped and cheered with Jacob and the Cullen family. Edie received her diploma with the biggest smile on her face. When she was back in her seat, she opened her diploma and she saw her new name in black and white.

After the last student was back in his seat and the ceremony was over, the graduates went to be with their families. Edie walked up to Charlie, expressionless. He took it in stride. They were standing two feet apart for about a minute when Edie finally spoke. "Do you think you could've clapped any louder?"

"I wasn't the only one cheering."

"Yeah," she grinned slightly, but it disappeared quickly. "Was Billy in on it too?"

"He gave me the idea, but I did it on my own."

"Why?" A flicker of emotion ran across her face.

"We've been living together for over a year, so I might as well make it official."

Edie raised an eyebrow, "Why, Chief Swan. That sounds like a proposition."

"I prefer to think of it as an adoption," Charlie grinned.

Edie pressed her lips into a thin line and her chin started to wobble. Edie's eyes changed color; the contact solution dissolved with the affection she held for the man opposite of her. She jumped the police chief and he instinctively held her to him.

Charlie wasn't ready to have another daughter, per se. Edie knew this. But the gesture he made by changing the name on her diploma showed that he valued Edie as family. To Edie, this meant more than she could comprehend. To her, Charlie was someone that affected her in a way she had never experienced before.

Jasper decided to observe this interaction from far enough away to notice it, but not be affected by it. Although Edie wasn't confident enough to label her relationship with Charlie, Jasper didn't hesitate. To the Empath, it was obvious how Edie regarded the chief of police.

Alice saw Charlie's decision a month ago and didn't want to spoil the surprise to anyone, especially her hybrid sister. Since it was Charlie's decision that instigated her vision, it was clear to see. Edie had kept her promise to open up more about her choices for the future, but there were still things she kept hidden from Alice.

"Edie Black Swan?" Rosalie remarked, "It suits her. When did Charlie decide to do this?" She directed her question to Alice.

"He and Billy were talking one day. Billy wanted to change Edie's name to Black and Charlie went a step further."

"Why though," asked Emmett.

"The same reason I gave you my name," Carlisle answered confidently. "Because he wanted to. He feels, towards Edie, the same way I feel for you. From what I can see, he's either afraid to admit it or he can't recognize it."

"I agree," Jasper conceded. "They're both afraid. Bella left a deep scar in Charlie and Edie's own demons won't let her understand her feelings."

"At least she lets her guard down with someone," Edward had one of his arms around Jacob and vice versa.

"She comes here all the way from the future and worries about nothing else but us," Esme sighed. Carlisle reassured his wife. Her concern over their granddaughter was shared by everyone. "Jacob, I noticed you have a certain glow today."

"I do?"

"Yes. You look particularly handsome today."

"Esme! Come on, you're embarrassing me." Jacob fiddled with his button-up shirt.

"Take the compliment, Jake. A bride must always look his best especially a week before his wedding," Rosalie smirked.

"Oh, shut it Blondie." He playfully shoved her.

Port Angeles, Washington

The entire senior class showed up at Jitterz that night. There were very few extras in the crowd; they were guests or dates of some of the graduates. The sweaty bodies of the Forks High graduates were jumping all around the dance floor.

Edie showed up with her brood of vampires and shifters, but then she met up with Angela and they started talking about the future. Angela was still reluctant to take Edie's money, but the hybrid was adamant.

Angela, knowing she lost that fight, changed the subject. "What are you going to do while the rest of us go to college?"

"I'm staying here, in Forks."

"Why not Paris or some other exotic place?"

"I've traveled the world for most of my life. I want to stay in one place for the rest of it."

"I gotta ask. How are you so loaded?"

"My grandma made a lot of great investments in her life. Grandpa was a doctor, so when he died, she inherited a substantial amount and she used that money to make a life for us."

"Still, why Forks?"

"I was born here. I wanna die here."

Angela was satisfied with that answer. They leaned against the bar and watched their ex-classmates go crazy on the dance floor. "How are we gonna get them to stop dancing? We only have the club for one more hour."

"We just need to ease them into it. I'll handle it."

Angela watched Edie walk to the DJ and he greeted her with a surprised look on his face. They hugged like they were old friends. He let the song finish and then handed a microphone to Edie. "How ya doin' Forks High?" The graduates cheered. "I've got a treat for ya. Ladies and gentlemen, E.E. Black!"

Alice and Jasper and the other supernatural couples turned their attention away from each other and focused on the stage. Jasper used his gift to contain the excitement of the crowd.

"It's been a long time," Jared commented.

"You can say that again," Paul agreed.

"Come on," Alice encouraged. "Let's get on the dance floor. I love this song."

"What song is it," Rachel asked.

"It's that song from the movie Enchanted. The one from the ball."

"Ooh! Paul, let's dance!"

Edward watched the girls drag their partners to the dance floor. A russet hand came into his line of sight, the owner, of course, being his fiancé. "May I have this dance?"

He smirked, "You may, but I'm leading."

"No way, the asker leads the asked. Or, whatever, you get what I mean."

"Sorry, I called it. Better luck next time."

"You're lucky you're cute," Jacob grumbled. They went to an available spot on the floor; holding hands with one hand and holding their waists with the other, waiting for the song to start.

"Hi, guys," Edie started. "I'm E.E. Black. We're going to slow things down, so grab a partner and get on the dance floor."

The chords of the recording were gentle as people strode to the area in front of Edie. Her voice came out clear. She gave every lyric the impact they deserved. The couples on the floor swayed gently to the music. The singer focused on the song and reeling in the feelings that tried to escape. She felt more of herself unraveling, wanting so much to let it all go. The song was slowing down and the last lyrics were coming up. Edie let her eyes open and she regretted it because the couple in her line of sight was the one she didn't want to see.

Edie summoned her courage and sang the last stanza, "We're so close to reaching that famous happy end, and almost believing that this one's not pretend. Let's go on dreaming though we know we are," her voice trembled. "So close, so close and still so far," she cracked. The crowd cheered and she rushed off the stage. The next song was already playing. She felt the air go thicker with every step. She pushed the exit door wide open and got as far as the far edge of the parking lot.

She won't break down. No sir, no ma'am, she will NOT break down and cry. Crying means that somehow, they won. They took everything else from her. They will not take her strength. They will not make her weak. She will never give in to what breaks her barriers.

Edie's inner monologue was moving in all sorts of directions while her actual body stood still. One should take note that a non-supernatural human would barely be able to make it past the exit, but Edie, being who and what she is, made it to the far edge of the property.

At a human pace, she walked to the place where thought she needed to be.