Trials of Confessions

Swan Residence

Charlie was watching the Redskins game with Billy after the graduation ceremony and Sue was coming by to get Billy when she saw a girl on the side of the road. When she saw the girl through her rear-view mirror, Sue stopped then reversed the pick-up. Sue parked the truck and got out to see the girl up-close.

The girl was crouched to her abdomen as if she was hurt. She had her head down and stands of her hair sticking out from her braid. "Are you okay," Sue asked affectionately. "Are you hurt?"

"Sue?" The girl rose her head. Her emerald eyes glowed with the moonlight.

"Edie," Sue breathed. The green in the hybrid's eyes caused for concern. "Let me take you to Dr. Cullen."

"No," Edie surprised Sue. "I don't want to go there. Please, Sue."

"But, Edie, what if you're hurt?"

"Please, Sue," she begged.

"Where do you want to go then?"

"Charlie."

"Okay, I'll take you to Charlie." They climbed the truck and drove the small distance to Charlie's house. Sue was intermediately splitting her focus from the road to her passenger.

"It's not the same way, so you don't have to worry."

"What," Sue answered, startled by the sudden statement.

"His whole being is lighter every time you're in the room."

"I don't…"

"I see the way you look at us sometimes. I don't have to be Uncle Jasper to know that you're afraid that I might want Charlie that way. It's not the same." Edie didn't speak anymore after that.

They arrived at Charlie's front door. Sue waited for Edie to open the door, but she saw that the girl wasn't going to try, so she knocked instead.

Inside, Charlie was finishing up his sixth beer. It was amazing how much he could drink after the incident last Thanksgiving. He was stronger, he had more stamina, like a teenager. He and Billy finished the game an hour ago and were catching up.

"Well, that was a crap game," Billy commented.

"Not really. They were only, what? Three touchdowns from catching up?"

"Glad to see your sense of humor is still intact."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know. It's been a year since Bella left. I just want to know that you're okay."

"I'm fine. I'm getting by."

"Good. That's good. How's living with Edie going for you?"

"Great. She's a good friend."

"Kind of odd to say about a teenager."

"She's not really a teenager. She's a centuries-old vampire and I'm her mindless slave," Charlie proclaimed with a straight face that quickly faded quickly into an all-out laugh.

"Ha-ha-ha. You had me worried there for a minute. I thought I was gonna have to stake her."

"What?!" Charlie guffawed. "No, no. But, she is older than she looks. She was here on assignment to investigate the disappearances."

"Why didn't she leave when they were done?"

"She's gonna join the force and she didn't want to stir up anything. You know how Forks is."

"Yeah," Billy empathically agreed. "Have you two ever talked about Bella? I'm asking because you hardly talk about her with me or Sue."

"Edie and I, we," he sighed. "We both know what it's like to be left behind. We both had people leave us for one reason or another and from that, we bonded."

"Yeah, anyone with any sense can see that. You two are very close."

"We're not dating!"

"I wasn't even suggesting that." The thought of his granddaughter with his best friend in that way made bile rise inside Billy. "But you did give her your name."

"I also gave her yours. What's your point?"

"Fine. I'll just ask you straight. Are you trying to replace Bella with Edie?"

"You really didn't pull any punches." Charlie chugged his freshly opened beer.

"I'm just trying to get a clear picture."

"Well, the way you're doing it is stupid. It's like me asking if you would ever replace one of your kids."

"None of my kids ran away from me."

"One word: Rebecca."

"That's different. She left to get married."

"So, you yelling at her and the whole month after she left never happened?"

If Billy and Charlie's friendship wasn't as strong as it was, this conversation would've quickly turned ugly. "I'm sorry, you're right that was a stupid way to ask you. I shouldn't've suggested that you would replace your child."

"Talking about Bella is worse this time around," Charlie confessed. "Before, she was with Renee and that time she didn't choose to leave, but this time, she didn't just leave me. She outright deceived me and Renee. I met Edie in a dive bar outside of town. Somehow, she got me home and in my own bed. When I saw her that morning, believe me, I thought I'd done something beyond stupid too."

His expression made Charlie seem far away, "We bonded over past experiences. Bella was just the latest in the long line of people that have left me. A long line of people that have forced me to live my life a certain way."

Billy didn't need to ask in what way. He knew that Charlie wanted to leave Washington just as much as any townie. Hell, he wanted to leave with Renee and Bella to Arizona, but he stayed behind for his parents. For as long as Billy had known him, Charlie wanted to be something that he never was: free.

"I see a lot of myself in her. Edie, I mean. Because of that, I'm worried about how close she is to Jacob."

"You think she's crushing on him?" 'Ha. If you only knew,' Billy commented in his mind.

"No. I'm afraid that she hates him. Him and Cullen."

Suddenly, they heard the doorbell. "That's my ride," Billy wheeled his way to the front door. He maneuvered his way to open the door. "Hey, Sue," then he noticed she had someone else with her. "Pup, I thought you were still at the party."

"I saw her on the side of the road. I think she's hurt, but she won't let me take her to Dr. Cullen."

Charlie came from behind Billy. "Hey, Kiddo. I thought I wouldn't see you until later."

"She's hurt Charlie, we need to take her to Dr. Cullen," Sue implored.

"No!" Edie screamed.

"Okay. Let's come inside." Charlie grabbed her gently by the sides of her arms and led Edie inside, though she resisted at first. "Are you hurt," he asked once they were in the kitchen. She shook her head. "You gotta tell me something."

"I tried. I'm trying, but it's hard," she answered. Edie let go of her side and showed Charlie what she had been hiding. Charlie grabbed it from her hands immediately.

"Where did you get this?"

"I hid it."

"Did you drink from it," his voice lowered a whole octave.

"No. I haven't had a drink since November. But tonight, it was really hard not to." Her confession reverberated off the walls.

"Billy, Sue, I don't mean to kick you out, but…"

"Say no more," said Billy. He and Sue left immediately.

"Tell me," Charlie commanded.

"I was talking to Angela. The party was getting crazy and she said we only had the club for another hour, so I thought a slow song would help. I went to the DJ and he put a song on the karaoke monitor for me to sing. He insisted, so I did it. I should've said no."

"What happened when you sang?"

"Every word stabbed me. I knew they were there in the audience. They were dancing to this song, so I closed my eyes because I didn't want to see them. I didn't want to see them look at each other like that."

"Look at each other like how?"

"Like nothing else mattered except the person in front of them; like there was no room for me. The song ended and I ran out of there, but I didn't have the strength to go full speed. I ended up walking away. I really needed to get rid of this torture that I felt, so I went to my secret stash. I swear, Charlie. I haven't touched it, but tonight, I almost did."

"What made you stop?"

"You did," she confessed. "The thought of you made me stop."

He set down the bottle. He put his hands on his sides in fists as if he suspected that the words he was about to hear might make him uncomfortable, so he braced for impact.

"You're the only one, Charlie." The sincerity in her eyes sparkled. "You're the only one I've ever been this honest to. Not even Marcus knows all the things I've told you. I was so afraid that if I told him everything about me that he would leave me too. But, you're different. You…" She sighed, "I love Marcus. He's exactly what I need and what I want from a mate, but there was always this fear when I'm with him. There are days I think 'When is he gonna leave me? When will he realize that I'm no good?' I never felt that way with you."

Charlie uncomfortably scratched the back of his neck and headed to the living room he wanted to escape this conversation, but Edie was being relentless. "I don't care if you don't want to hear what I say because I really need you to listen."

"It's not that I don't want to know. I just don't think I'm ready for what you're gonna say." He feared the worse out of this conversation and that usually meant that someone was about to leave.

"Please, Charlie. I really need you to listen to me. I can't last without you." She received confirmation from him to continue. They were sitting across from each other with Charlie on the three-seater couch and Edie on the coffee table in front of him. "You need to know that what I feel for you is different from what I've experienced in my life so far. I can't put a name to it yet. The closest it comes to is… family, but it's not generalized, it's specific. Today, when I heard my new name, I was so happy because to me, it meant that you felt the same way that I do." She was silent after that. She didn't know how to express her next thoughts.

So, Charlie did it for her. "You and me, we're family. I won't leave you."

"I know," her eyes watered, but no tears fell. "I know you won't leave me and if I had a choice, I would never leave you. You've," she took a short-staggered breath. "The reason I didn't drink that bottle is that I don't need it anymore. All the old Quileute stories say that a wolf only imprints once, but it's like the Spirits or someone up there knew that I needed someone like you. Someone who cares for me the way you do." Edie moved next to him on the couch and hugged him as best she could with her nose on his shoulder. She felt at ease, so much so that she immediately fell asleep.

When Charlie felt she was in deep enough sleep, he carried her bridal-style to her room. She latched onto him like Bella used to when she was a little girl. He set her on the bed, she heard her mumble words that took him by complete surprise. "Daddy, stay."

He tucked her in and gently closed the door. The hair on his arms stood on end and his heart nearly stopped.

Cullen Residence

Sam and Jacob reconciled after the party at the club. Jacob understood Sam's concerns about Edie and he admitted that his judgment may have been clouded by his feelings towards her. Sam was grateful and conceded that he was being a bit too aggressive in his methods. He apologized; he said about not being sincere in offering Jacob the Alpha position. He thinks that Jacob is a great leader and more than deserves his position.

"So, you really asked him to be your best man?" Edward a bit skeptical. It was the Monday before the wedding and the couple was watching their friends and family set up the aisle for the literal hundredth time.

"I was always gonna ask him, but the fight delayed it."

"Why not ask Quil or Embry?"

"Because then I'd have to choose between my two best friends. I don't want them mad at me forever for choosing one of them over the other, and despite that little snag, I trust Sam; he's a good guy."

Edward hummed in agreement. He moved his head slightly. Alice was having a vision. "Our Sunshine is coming to see us."

"Does Alice know why?"

"She wants to talk. She should be here in fifteen minutes."

Edie spent the weekend fishing with Charlie. It gave her the time she needed to figure out what she was going to say to her parents. Charlie had strongly encouraged her to tell them the truth. When she came back on Monday, she went to the Cullen mansion and was greeted with the sight of her family setting up for the wedding.

"This looks beautiful, Alice."

"Thanks, Edie. How was it fishing with Charlie?"

"Therapeutic."

"They're waiting for you in the music room," said Alice knowingly.

"Thanks." In the music room, the soon-to-be newlyweds were holding each other and swaying to the background music. "Practicing for the big day?"

"Hey, Sunshine," Jacob greeted.

"Yeah, I was just teaching Jake some moves," Edward answered. Then he whispered, "He has two left feet."

"Fuck you! I'm an awesome dancer."

Edie giggled, "I've missed you guys."

"We've missed you too."

"I brought you some jerky," she tossed the bag. "It's a peace offering."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Edward reassured her, already having read her mind.

"Yes, there is. I've been unfair to everyone, especially you guys and you deserve to know why."

"Alright," Jacob began. "What do you need to tell us?"

"Do you guys remember after the Newborn battle, I said that I met my parents?"

"Yeah."

"At the time, I may have implied that I met them recently, but the truth is that I've known about them for an entire year." Seeing that she wasn't going to be interrupted, Edie continued, "I saw them one day before school and I was…" She couldn't say the words. "They," she sighed. "They looked perfect together, totally naïve to what was coming for them. Somewhere along the line…"

"You started seeing us as your parents," Edward concluded.

"That's not a bad thing, Edie," Jacob reassured. "It's a little weird, I'll admit, but I don't see the problem."

"I didn't know how to handle it. They're so happy. I started feeling weird and I thought their life was great without me in it. Then, that night happened and I lost it and I started to pull away from everyone."

"Edie," Edward carefully spoke. "What happened?"

Like ripping off a Band-Aid, she said, "My mom's pregnant. With me." Outside, everyone dropped what they had in their hands and caused a slight tremor. With what sounded like a herd of wildebeests, the music room was flooded with the rest of the occupants of the mansion.

"Jake! We need to set up patrols for Edie's mom," Paul

"Oh, Edie! You're gonna be so cute, as a baby!" Rosalie

"Where are they living?" Sam

"Does your Dad have a decent job?" Jasper

"We have to set up an account for them! We need to provide for our sister." Emmett

"How much do you look like your mom?" Seth

The questions were popping out at the speed of light. Jacob had to grab their attention with a high-pitched whistle. "Don't you guys have a reception to set up?"

"Jake, you can't seriously expect us to," Jared began.

"I expect you to do as your alpha says and finish what you were doing outside."

"I'm also asking that you go back to setting up for the ceremony," Edward addressed his family.

The group returned, dejectedly, outside; still listening in, but giving the illusion of privacy to the trio in the music room. "What you want to do about them? Do you want Jake to set up patrols to guard them?"

"Do you want Ed and the Cullens to send them away from Washington?"

"There's nothing you can do. I want them out of here, but that can change more events and I can't take that chance. My dad is supposed to be dead already and if I send him or my mom away, then another family might suffer and there are too many variables if that happens."

The couple knows that she doesn't mean to be cold about the situation and they don't mean to either, but she was right. But then, Jacob still had to try. "Edie, you can save your dad. You can trust us when we say that we'll do anything we can to save your family."

"I know you will, but that's the problem. If you guys are in the picture, in any way, then they'll never have a chance to live mundanely. Even if I do get bit again, by then it'll be my problem."

Edward ran his cold fingers across her forehead and tucked strands of her dark hair behind her ears. He felt her trying, unsuccessfully, not to lean toward his touch. "Your eyes are green," he commented.

"Do they look okay?"

"They're beautiful. It's just a shame that their owner thinks she should carry the world's burden."

"I'm the only one strong enough to hold it."

"You may be right, but at some point, it will be too much and when that day comes, I hope you know that we'll be there to help."

Edie left after that, but not without promising to sing a kick-ass song for their first dance as husbands. "I worry about her," Jacob sighed.

"Me too. I can't stop thinking about what she said."

"I know, right? I mean, imagine being her and watching your mom be pregnant with you? It's totally bizarre."

"I was thinking more about how she projected her parents unto us. Can you picture it? You, me, and a child?"

Jacob snorted. "Come on, Ed. Let's not get crazy."

"We could do in-vitro fertilization. That way you could pass on your shifter genes."

"Look," he paused. "We may be getting married, but I'm in no rush to pass on my genes. Ask me again in a few decades."

"I'll hold you to it."

Carlisle and Esme waited until Edie was halfway home to go talk to her. When they stopped, she was waiting for them. "I called Pop-Pop and Sue. They're waiting for us at his house. Do you guys have anything else to do for the ceremony?"

"Not for now," Carlisle answered.

"Cool. Let's go."

Black Residence

Edie knocked on the door and greeted her grandfather with a light hug. "How've you been Pop-Pop?"

"As good as a man my age can be."

"You're still a young man."

"Okay, well enough talk about me. On the phone, you said you had some news for us."

"I do. Let's go in the living room to talk." They gathered in the small living space. "You might want to sit down Sue. This is a real doozy." Sue did as the hybrid suggested. "Jacob is pregnant."

Suffice it to say, Sue was glad she was sitting. She knew to expect this, but the reality of it was overwhelming.

"Is that all?"

"That's how you react to your son being pregnant," Sue commented disbelievingly.

"It's not like we weren't expecting this. Besides, I kind of already knew."

"How?" The question came from Carlisle.

"Certain behaviors were familiar. Plus, pregnant Wildes love all kinds of beef jerky. Though never the venison jerky."

"You said that once before. What's a wild?"

"Wilde, with an e, was your Nana's maiden name."

"You saw Jacob exhibit these behaviors and you didn't think to say anything?"

"Well, doctor, if I'm being completely honest, I thought I was seeing things or projecting my knowledge unto my unsuspecting son."

"When were you planning on telling us?" Esme directed her question to her granddaughter.

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. I wanted to be long gone before anyone took notice." Edie had previously expressed the changes in the timeline. She specifically stressed how the pending battle had been pushed back by her interference.

Being proactive as he was, Carlisle suggested, "We'll need to run tests to see how the baby and Jacob are progressing."

"We're fine, Grandpa."

"You're fine now, as an adult, but it would give me peace of mind if you let me run these tests. Would we be able to see you in an ultrasound?"

"I honestly don't know."

"Maybe you should hold off on the tests, Carlisle."

"Why, Esme?"

"Don't you think it would be best to have them discover the pregnancy on their own?"

Sue agreed, "How will you explain that you knew the right tests to do? You need to let them come to you on their own."

Carlisle conceded, "How long until they know?"

"If they're far enough away from me, then they'll discover their predicament quickly."

"What does being away from you have to do with them knowing about the pregnancy?"

"Don't you have to get back to the house?" Seeing that their granddaughter wouldn't answer that line of questioning anymore, the Cullen couple moved on.

"Are you going to Charlie's?"

"I think I'll stay with Pop-Pop for a while." Carlisle, Esme, and Sue left the two of them alone in the hut-like home.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Not particularly."

"Can I ask you something and you'll give me a straight answer?"

"Shoot."

"Why don't you call Jacob 'Mom' anymore? I mean in private. With us."

"There's no particular reason."

"Are you angry at him or Edward?"

"Should I be? I don't know them. Well, I mean, I know them as Jacob and Edward, but not as my parents."

"Yeah, they did die before you could know them like that, right?"

"Right," she answered. To her grandfather, she appeared uncomfortable with this line of questioning. He's had enough experience with stoic people to notice the signs. Mainly, from Charlie and his father. "Can you show me Nana's grave?"

"Sure. She's just a way outside of the reservation." They got to the gravesite in under half an hour. The gravestone read Sarah Wilde Black –The Autumn moon is bright.

"That's a weird saying to leave on a gravestone."

"That's what she wanted. Her dad used to tell her stories similar to ours about wolves who were slaves and I forget the rest, but the Autumn moon was very important to her."

"Did you plant this?" Weed-like plants were surrounding the grave. They looked like violets. Upon further observation, Edie realized the plants in front of her were definitely not violets.

"Sarah told me to put that flower there on her gravesite if she ever died before me. It was a tradition from her dad's side. Jake was always allergic to them."

"It's not a flower. It's aconite."

Cullen Residence

Alice found it easier to see Edie's future every day, but at the same time, her brother and his wolf have been disappearing from her. Jacob more so than Edward. The whole thing gave her a headache, but the familiarity of the unknown gave her a sense of peace. That being said, she was due in the music room where Rosalie was helping Edie choose a song for her gift.

"I'm sure they'll be fine with whatever you choose, so just pick one!"

"I can't, Rose. I need the right song."

"How about this one," Alice interrupted. She pointed to the song she had in mind on one of the CDs that were in Edie's hands. "Listen to it and tell me what you think, but since I know you'll choose it, here are the lyrics." Alice watched Edie read over the lyrics.

"Thank you, Alice. You too, Rose." Edie would spend the time up until the wedding rehearsing the song.

"Now that we have that settled, is there something else you need?"

"Oh, Rosalie, I love your tactlessness. Yes, I do need your help. Since I can't really trust my sight these days, I need your expertise with these seating arrangements."

"Who are we going to invite? It's just the pack and us. It's not like we can invite our friends."

"I invited the Denali coven. You know they have Laurent with them."

"The girls will have their wolves with them, no problem. Just sit them far away from each other."

"But Rachel is going to want to sit next to her brother. Then there's Sue, Billy, and Charlie."

"You've had months to do this. I've seen you plan a wedding in twenty minutes."

"Yes, well there have been as many factors with this one. If I sit too many on one side, then it will look uneven. We don't want to isolate them."

"Is Jacob's other sister coming, too?"

"Yes, she'll find a flight and barely make it, but she'll be here. And there's no immediate danger coming this weekend, so everyone will be able to attend."

"I see the problem. We don't want too much division, but we also need to keep the humans away from Laurent. Well, Jasper can help with that." After looking at the seating chart more carefully, Rosalie came up with a solution. "This is what you do. Put Leah next to me and Embry next to Carlisle. They'll like feeling like extra security and if you sit Embry near Eleazar, he will ask a lot of questions and that will satisfy his inner scholar. Tanya is next to Laurent since he's the furthest away. Sue and Charlie will be at Table 5, but we'll sit them near Billy."

"I don't see Riley and Bree," Edie commented.

"They won't get here until after dinner and the Denali have promised to get rid of their food discretely when Charlie's not looking; leftovers will be given to the wolves. I also put your seat furthest from Tanya."

"Why would you put a lot of distance between them?"

"Because Tanya is Edie's ex-girlfriend," Alice responded Rosalie matter-of-factly.

"Alice!"

"You're gay?"

"No!" Edie's cheeks reddened. "Tanya is the only other person I've been with besides my husband. It didn't end well."

"So, definitely avoid." Changing the subject Rosalie recommended, "Since we're done with everything, for now, let's go to the mall, and get you a dress, little sister."

Black Residence

The day after tomorrow was their brothers' wedding day. Emmett called ahead to Embry so he and Jasper could cross the Quileute border. Quil and the rest of the pack minus Leah had the same idea as Jasper and Emmett for what to do tonight. It was time to kidnap their brother and Alpha. Normally, the couple would've heard them coming, but they were too busy trying to eat each other alive (at least that's what it looked like).

"Yoo-hoo! Oh, boys!" They heard Emmett's call.

"Come out and play!" Embry followed.

Jacob detached his mouth from Edward's earlobe. "Why did we have to make them friends?"

"We must be masochists," Edward agreed. Knowing where this was most likely headed, the couple put their shirts back on. The hopped out of Jacob's window and were greeted by the pack and the men of the Olympic Coven. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, Carlisle, but I don't understand why you're here."

"It's boys' night. Billy is coming, too."

"You're damn right!" Billy came out from the back door.

"So, we're having our bachelor parties with our dads?"

"It's just one, Jake. And no strip clubs. We're headed to the beach."

Edward reached down and held the tribal chief by his legs. "I'll carry you there, Billy." The chief didn't protest. Likewise, Jacob carried Carlisle to the seashore. Carlisle tried to protest, but Jacob was insistent, so he gave up. All the while, the couple smiled sideways at the other.

Second Beach

At the shore, there was a campfire burning high. There were chips, burgers, beer, and a karaoke machine. "You guys are gonna serenade us?"

"Nope! You are." Quil handed him the mic.

"You're out of your mind. I can't sing for shit."

"That's fine, we're just gonna have to you drunk enough to do it on your own."

"Dude! My dad is here."

"Pftt. I don't care," said Billy while throwing back a can of beer. "I did the same thing at my bachelor party."

"Can't say I did the same," confessed Carlisle. "But I won't disapprove either."

"No offense, Carlisle, but you were a priest. I don't think you did much partying." Jasper snickered. "Now, us Southerners, we know how to party. Ain't that right Emmett?"

"Hell yeah, Bro!"

"Weren't you a minister's son," asked Sam.

"And aren't you marrying us," Jacob queried.

"Doesn't mean I don't know how to party." Emmett took a shot of tequila. "Damn, that's good! I just wish I could feel the burn."

"Shame you can't get drunk."

"Took the words out of my mouth, future baby brother."

'I know these idiots are gonna secretly sneak more drinks in me.'

"Billy, how good a singer is Jacob," asked Edward.

"Oh, he's like an angel. He sings all the time. In fact, the only reason I knew something was up with him is because he kept singing pop songs in the shower."

"Oh, really," Edward teased his fiancé.

"He gets it from his mother. Sarah had the most magnificent set of pipes in the whole tribe."

"Yeah, I remember she used to sing to us during the bonfires while the grown-ups were doing whatever. Don't you remember, Jared, Paul?"

"Oh, yeah," Jared recalled what Sam was saying. "That was a long time ago."

"I remembered there was always this girl hanging around her and sometimes they sang together. I know it wasn't Rach because she can't sing at all."

"That wasn't a girl. That was Jacob. He used to go with Sarah everywhere."

There was a small lull. Edward broke it by revealing, "Mother and I played piano together. She used to dress me up in this three-piece suit and she would split my hair in the middle. She used to say it made me look 'so handsome like my father'. We would play in this building every Thursday after my etiquette lessons."

"You took etiquette lessons? Well, that explains a lot," said Quil. "You always act like one of those British guys. All proper and shit."

"I like it. It's better than your uncultured ass." Jacob threw a beer at his friend.

"Whatever," he chugged the beer can. "You're the one who has to put up with it for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." The rest of the night was about the same. Jacob tried drinking with everyone, but after the first few beers, he kept feeling sick, so he stopped drinking altogether. This eased the two grandfathers-to-be because neither knew how to tell the pregnant boy to stop without raising questions. Their night ended at two in the morning. Jacob didn't end up singing, but the guys ended up serenading the almost-newlyweds.

It was time to leave. Everyone else was already gone. "Let's walk, Ed." He intertwined their fingers.

"Okay." It was nice. They let the sounds of the reservation serenade them. Although, there was one persistent noise following for longer than Edward would've liked. Jacob couldn't hear it, if he did, he never let it show that he could. It was an odd hum, almost like a small melody. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it just yet.

"Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah?"

Jacob stood still facing Edward and grabbed both his hands. "You know I love you, right?"

"I do. What brought this on?"

"I just needed you to know. I may be young, but I know what love is because I feel it whenever you're there."

"The way I love you scares me sometimes. I'd give anything, do anything for you."

"Don't. I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me. Hand me the world on a silver platter and what good would it be with no one to share, with no one who truly cares for me. Some people want it all, but I don't want nothing at all if it ain't you baby. If I ain't got you, baby."

"Jake." Edward was mesmerized by his wolf's confession in song.

"Some people want diamond rings. Some just want everything, but everything means nothing if I ain't got you, yeah." Edward smashed their lips together. Every feeling, every ounce of love they had was poured into that kiss. There was urgency for them to show their lover that every atom, every particle of what they were, was meant for the other. The kiss only broke for new breath for Jacob's lungs. Even so, Jacob held onto Edward's shirt for dear life. He was afraid that his vampire would disappear if he didn't.

"I'm not leaving you. I'll never leave you." He wiped the tears from his wolf's eyes.

"I don't know why I'm feeling this way. I know that you won't. I trust you. Oh, God! It's like I'm a freakin' girl and my hormones are going crazy."

"Well, if one of us was going to be the girl, it would be you," he jested.

Jacob punched his chest. "Shut up," he snickered.