Disclaimer: As usual, I do not own Twilight.
Author's note: This is a few hours late, but it's the longest chapter yet. Seriously I pulled an all-nighter for this-it's 5:30 in the morning and I have to leave for work in two hours. Hopefully you'll reward me with LOTS of reviews!
Authors note II: If you're the type who likes a soundtrack, I suggest you listen to a piece called "Spiegel im Spiegel" for violin and piano...especially during the second half of this chapter. Go. Youtube it now!
Bella leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the car window. She was glad to put some distance between herself and Edward. The entire exchange was perfectly normal...and completely bizarre. Most of her concern was about the rest of the Cullens though, not Edward himself. She could sit here and try to convince herself otherwise that what she'd seen was just her imagination, but Bella's perfect memory and recall meant she couldn't lie even to herself. There was...something...off. And it involved the whole family.
She looked at the occupants of the front seats, Rosalie and Emmett. Rosalie was flying at unthinkable speeds as usual, and Emmett was visibly relaxed beside her, their hands meeting in the middle. Bella smiled at that. She had grown accustomed to the affection that was rampant in the Cullen's household, and was working on becoming more comfortable with it herself. Oh, there were the now frequent hugs and motherly pecks on the cheek she shared with Esme, and the occasional rough housing with Emmett. But whenever she held Alice's hand or leaned into Jasper's half-hugs, she had to consciously tell herself she wouldn't kill them by doing so.
"So what did you think of Edward, Bella Bear?" Emmett asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Uhh," she really didn't know where to begin.
He chuckled. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Is he always so..." Bella searched for the words.
"Brooding? Meditative? Moody?" He laughed.
"I was going to say thoughtful," she tisked at him. "So...is he?"
"Yup!" Emmett grinned.
"Edward is more complicated than that," said Rosalie. "He's better than most at reading people, so he thinks that makes him understand them...and as a result, he's very quick to judge. People are much more than what's on the surface though...something he doesn't seem to get into his thick skull."
Bella raised an eyebrow at that. It was disconcerting to hear such hostility directed at a Cullen from another Cullen. She couldn't help then but feel a little bad for Edward. It appeared he was the black sheep of this family. Slightly creepy or not, she resolved to try to befriend the boy. He was a Cullen after all-if Esme and Carlisle were the ones who raised him, how bad could he be?
"Music preference, Bella?" Rosalie asked, her hand on the radio dial.
"Um, classical please," she responded.
Rosalie tuned into an appropriate station, and Bella relaxed back into her seat. She knew the piece being played of course. It was Franz Liszt's Liebestraum no. 3, and it was one Bella had played many times. She smiled and closed her eyes, listening.
Rosalie was having a difficult time keeping her eyes on the road, not that she needed to of course. She was torn between looking back at Bella's peaceful figure in the rear-view mirror and resisting doing just that while Emmett chuckled beside her.
"Are you trying to torture me?" Rosalie whispered, too low and fast for Bella to hear.
"No," his tone was suddenly sincere. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"
Rosalie was silent. She honestly didn't know how to respond.
"Rosalie, I love you," he said passionately. "Now open your eyes and quit acting like Edward. You gave her your necklace for god's sake. That necklace!"
"How is this not bothering you?" She asked, quietly.
Emmett sighed. "Rose, do you love me?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation.
"Do you love me as much as you did 70 years ago?" He asked again.
"I love you more," Rosalie said with all honesty.
"That's why this isn't bothering me," said Emmett. "I'm a little nervous about the logistics mind you," he said with a chuckle, "but I'm not scared of sharing you with her. I-I know this is strange, but I want Bella to be happy too. She's my best friend, Rose, and I want her to be happy. I want you make her happy. She deserves it. You both do."
Rosalie looked at her husband. She wasn't lying before when she said she loved him far more than she did when they first married. Rosalie was broken then, and with his indomitable spirit he had somehow found a way to put her back together. She glanced back at Bella, still concentrating on the music, and thought of the changes the girl had sparked in her since her arrival. Whereas Emmett had pulled her back together, it felt like Bella, in the short weeks she'd been here, had enveloped Rosalie in a protective coating that nothing, not even her bitterness over the lost life she could have led, could penetrate. Like Emmett, Bella had believed in the best of her. Even when facing the worst Rosalie could throw at her, she had still believed.
"I love you," she told him, knowing that those three words were no match for the intensity of her feelings for him.
Emmett smiled softly and squeezed her hand.
Bella felt like a kid in a candy store as she walked from aisle to aisle in the rare bookstore that was their first destination in Port Angeles. It couldn't hold a candle to Carlisle's collection, but she still spied a few oddities here and there that had her salivating a little.
Emmett groaned. "We had to come here first? Now we'll never leave!"
Rosalie laughed. "Bells, you get 45 minutes, Ok? Or Emmett will melt from boredom."
"Uh, huh," Bella said, completely distracted. A person who grew up surrounded by books never got over their love for them, and Bella had spent way more time with books than anyone even twice her age probably did. At first she did it to test her new-found photographic memory. Then, when it was clear her mind had no limitations, she did it so she'd get some semblance of an education. After she'd passed the doctorate level though, she did it because it was the only way to surround herself with people while still maintaining the necessary distance so as not to hurt them. She could sit in the quietest corner of a library, reading, while still listening to the soft murmurs and movements of other people around her, and pretend that everything was normal...that she was there to study for an exam and that her parents would soon be there to pick her up.
They finally left the store an hour and a half later, much to Emmett's frustration.
"I pick where we go next!" He insisted.
Bella stuck out her tongue in his direction, and he reciprocated with a light shove. Rosalie just shook her head.
Emmett's choice turned out to be an indoor ice skating rink. Bella laughed trying to imagine the huge boy gliding on the ice.
"Have you ever skated, Bella?" Rosalie asked her.
Bella shook her head.
"Hmm, well stick close to me till you get the hang of it," she said.
No problem, Bella thought, and blushed.
"Let's see...there they are," Rosalie said, pulling out some jackets from the trunk of the car and handing one to Bella.
"What else do you have back there?" Bella asked, trying to peek as she pocketed the pair of gloves Rosalie gave her.
"You'll see..." Rosalie said mysteriously. "Come on. Emmet's already pouting."
They both laughed and walked into the arena. As Emmett paid their entrance fee and got their skates, Bella studied the people already out on the ice, trying to understand and memorize the basic moves. When Emmett came back with their skates, she struggled to put them on and wobbled along with them to the ice. She took a couple of unsteady steps and was about to fall but Rosalie caught her at the last second.
"Please be careful," said Rosalie as she supported Bella's back.
"Sorry," said Bella, blushing again. Stop that, she thought to herself.
Rosalie held her hand and they glided a few laps around the rink while Emmett raced past them over and over again, showing off some rather graceful and fancy moves, Bella was surprised to note. Bella continued to analyze the more accomplished skaters around her, and slowly applied what she learned.
"I think I got it, Rosalie," Bella said excitedly and let go of her hand. A little faster now, she continued on her own around the rink, building up speed and confidence. This is fun, she thought to herself with pleasure.
"Woohoo!" She exclaimed as her feet finally fell into step with her brain. She zoomed around the rink, catching up to Emmett and overtaking him with Rosalie following behind. She changed her footing a little and managed a small leap. She changed it again and succeeded with a tight turn that had her spinning till she was laughing uncontrollably. Bella cried out again in delight. She continued experimenting with different axels and jumps that she remembered seeing on TV as a child, not noticing that both Rosalie and Emmett had stopped skating and were watching her together with huge smiles on their faces.
"Nice choice, Emmett," Rosalie said to her husband, unable to take her eyes off the twirling girl.
"I think she'd put Alice to shame," he said in admiration of the complex double jump Bella had just pulled off.
Rosalie nodded in silence.
"I still think you'll win," he said, referring to Rosalie's plan for their evening. "Speaking of which, I won't be joining you there."
"What?" She asked, finally distracted enough to tear her eyes from Bella. "Why not?"
"Because," he said, "you need to spend some time with her on your own...and love, what you got planned really isn't my thing." He crinkled his nose as he smiled warmly at her.
"Don't worry," Emmett said as he put one arm around her shoulder. "She'll love it."
Bella looked up in confusion when they pulled up to a posh looking inn.
"Uh...what are we doing here?" She asked.
"We need to change our clothes," Rosalie said. "Jeans aren't acceptable where we're going."
"And where exactly is that?" Bella asked, a little apprehensive now.
"You'll see," Rosalie smiled, as the bellhop carried the bags from the trunk to the lobby.
"Have fun, girls!" Emmett blew them kiss. "Call me when you're ready!"
"Emmett's going to a basketball game," Rosalie said to Bella, who was staring after the departing car with even more confusion. "If you think he was bad in the bookstore, believe me you wouldn't want to see him at our next destination."
That didn't help ease Bella's nerves. But she trusted Rosalie, so she let the blonde lead her inside.
"Reservation for Hale," Rosalie said briskly to the man behind the counter.
"Yes, here it is. Would you prefer a double occupancy?" He asked, looking from her to Bella.
"No, that isn't necessary," Rosalie said, causing Bella to blush profusely. What's gotten into you, she scolded herself. Stop this!
Bella's eyes popped at the amount Rosalie signed for, and she had to remind herself that the Cullens were richer than some small countries.
They finally made their way upstairs, Bella trying very hard not to look at the one huge bed in the center of the room. Rosalie opened the garment bags and Bella was unable to stop herself from gasping at the dresses. Holy shit, somebody kill me now, she thought.
"Rosalie," Bella squeaked. "You do know I'm likely to have a panic attack if I have to go outside in one of those, don't you?"
Rosalie turned around and gave her a stern look. "Isabella Swan," she said. "You are more beautiful than a dozen of these dresses. When you wear something like this and people notice you, it won't be because of the dress, believe me. It will be because of you."
She handed Bella her dress. "Now please," she said softly, "Put this on and come back out here so I can do your hair."
Bella gulped but did as she was asked, trying but failing to stop replaying Rosalie's words in her head.
After struggling with the dress a bit in the bathroom-straps were impossible to figure out!-she took a deep breath and came out. Rosalie smiled when she saw her. The dress was a deep blue sheer thing...not exactly revealing but not conservative at all either. It had four straps that weaved over her shoulders and down her exposed back. The front was much simpler-a little too low on her cleavage, Bella thought, but that was all.
Rosalie was ready to go when Bella came out. She wore a black dress that shimmered in the light, Bella noted. It reached to below her knees and Bella was grateful for its elegance...she didn't want to have to concentrate on avoiding...certain areas. Not that it made any difference, she thought dejectedly, as she caught herself staring nonetheless. She quickly turned to the wall and shuffled her feet, never noticing the small knowing smile on Rosalie's face.
Rosalie spent a few minutes on Bella's hair and makeup. She didn't need much, but an occasion did demand a little pomp. She paused as her hand went to her necklace, which was resting right above the valley of Bella's breasts. Bella thought she would die right there as Rosalie's fingers and eyes lingered on it for a few moments.
"It looks good on you," Rosalie said with a smile. Bella smiled weakly.
At last, they exited the room and before Bella knew it, were sitting in a taxi and on their way.
"No way!" Bella brightened immediately when she saw the big sign on the building.
Rosalie smiled. Yup, I win, she thought. They pulled up and Rosalie laughed when Bella jumped out of the car, barely able to contain herself. She linked arms with her and practically ran inside the Port Angeles Music Hall.
Bella scarcely blinked that evening. It wasn't a fancy or even well-known ensemble...just the local volunteer symphony orchestra, but it was the first time Bella saw an actual live performance...and she was mesmerized. She drank everything in. The pianist's fingers flying over the keys. The string section's synchronized strokes. The flutes, the oboe, the percussions. The harp. And she listened. She listened to every instrument, her trained ears picking each one out individually. She concentrated so hard she never noticed the tears slowly flowing down her face, or that Rosalie spent the entire time looking at her with a most curious and unreadable expression. She never even comprehended that she was holding Rosalie's hand throughout the whole concert, gripping it tightly every time the music swelled and climaxed.
When it was finally over and Bella gradually became aware of her immediate surroundings, she turned to Rosalie.
"How did you know?" She asked her, her voice unable to project beyond a whisper.
"Alice," Rosalie responded.
They stayed in their seats, not moving or saying anything while the audience and orchestra members steadily filed out.
"You play the piano, right?" Rosalie asked.
Bella nodded.
"Can you stand one more surprise?" She asked her.
Bella raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid to ask..."
Rosalie just smiled and stood up. "Follow me," she said, as she started walking down from the box where they had been seated.
Bella did till they reached the front of the hall, and she waited while Rosalie went to speak in a hushed voice to man in a dark suit by the main doors. They shook hands, and Rosalie started walking back when suddenly the big main doors, as well as all the other side entrances were shut one by one. They were alone in the big hall.
"It's all yours," Rosalie said, grinning.
"What?" Bella asked, not understanding.
"The piano, silly. It's all yours," Rosalie said, smiling widely at Bella's shocked face. "No one will interrupt us for a while."
Bella swallowed, and looked up at the concert grand which dwarfed anything she'd ever played before. Her eagerness to play won over her trepidation and she slowly walked up onto the stage. She walked around the mammoth thing, her hand lightly touching its glossy enclosure. She did the same thing as she sat down, her hands gliding over every key. She took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, and started to play.
This time, it was Rosalie who was hypnotized. Bella played like she was drinking her first gulp of water after a long drought. Her eyes were half closed, her mouth shut tight, but her body opened itself up much like it had on the skating rink today...she moved every muscle along with the music...more intensely with the crescendos, less so with the diminuendos. And when the piece reached its climax, Rosalie's stomach flipped as she watched Bella's body swell with it.
Rosalie could watch her like this forever. Piece after piece, Rosalie sat frozen in her chair as she stared intently at Bella's eyes, her lips, her fingers, her legs...while listening to the music the girl effortlessly summoned.
When Emmett pulled up hours later, Bella was completely drained. He found them sitting on a bench outside, Bella half asleep with her head on Rosalie's shoulder. He smiled at them and helped Bella into the backseat of the car, where she slept soundly the whole way back.
He glanced at his wife, who was smiling subconsciously with a faraway look on her face.
"She enjoyed herself then?" He whispered, careful not to wake the exhausted girl in the back.
Rosalie nodded, unable to say much at the moment.
A little while later, she turned to him and said, "we need to get another piano."
"She's that good?" He asked, chuckling.
"She's amazing," she said breathlessly. "Edward's an amateur next to her."
"Wow," he said, impressed.
She continued to look off into the distance, clearly too distracted to do much talking right now.
"I'm in love with her, Em," Rosalie's voice was small and pleading. She turned to face him, anguish written on her face. "I've been falling for her from the beginning. I can't stop it."
"Hey there," Emmett tried to comfort his wife. "I know. It's ok. We talked about this. I want you to go ahead."
"This isn't some fling!" She cried out. "It's real. As real as you and me. Can you really live with that? If she feels the same way, can you live with a third person for the rest of her life? Even...for the rest of ours? For eternity?"
Emmet gasped. So she had thought about it. He knew the rest of his family was secretly wondering about Bella...joining them, officially someday. Rosalie's strong opinions over their existence and her old life made him wonder if they would win out over her feelings for the girl. But if she was actually thinking about it, and admitting it out loud to him...then clearly her desire for Bella had won.
"Yes, Rose," he said. "I can live with it. I love you, and I love her too. It won't be easy, but if anyone can figure it out it's the two of us, and if there has to be a third person I'm ecstatic that it's her."
Rosalie closed her eyes and looked away. She knew that if she could cry she'd be sobbing a river right now. What did she do to deserve someone like Emmett? She felt overwhelmed with emotion...love for her husband and for the sleeping girl in the back...guilt for daring to imagine eternity with Bella. Despite all that, she still held onto the image of Bella moving with the music, watching her sway with the rhythm in her mind's eye. She shuddered, and, startling Emmett, leaned and kissed him with as much passion as she could muster.
She let out a ragged breath. "Ok."
"Ok?" Emmett needed to be sure.
She nodded once, and looked him in the eye.
"Ok." He repeated. Ok, he thought to himself. Here we go.
They drove in silence the rest of the way. When they reached her home, Emmett turned off the headlights and stopped a little further away so as not to wake her father.
Rosalie turned to him. "I'll take her inside and meet you at the house."
Emmett nodded, and waited while she roused the exhausted girl.
Rosalie let Bella's full weight lean on her as she watched her husband drive off. She slowly walked a stumbling Bella to the hellhole she called home. Inside, she gently helped her out of her dress and carried her up to the bed. Barely able to sit up, Bella managed to point Rosalie to her night things, which Rosalie then helped her put on.
Rosalie laid her down and tucked her under the covers. She sat there, watching her drift off, stroking her forehead, her cheeks, her hair, until Rosalie knew she had to leave before she couldn't. She leaned in, breathing her divine scent, and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Sleep well," she whispered, and left.
Please, please review! If you didn't follow my music recommendation, trust me you're cheating yourself out of a better reading experience. Try it with "Spiegel im Spiegel" in the background and you'll thank me for it!