I am so sorry for the long wait, but soon after publishing the last chapter I got terribly sick and for a couple of weeks I was completely KO. I even left behind uni lectures to get better, and therefore this comes to you a bit later than expected. I still hope you'll enjoy it! Once again, I remind yuo all that English is not my first language and I have no beta, so all errors are mine.


BELLA POV

"I'm so proud of you!" My father gets up to hug me. I can see he is truly happy for me, but the same cannot be said for Jacob.

My childhood friend is already upset that we didn't let the wolves participate in the battle against Victoria, but how could we? Alice would've been blind and several wolves had just recently shifted and were in desperate need of training. Not the best recruits for a deadly battle.

Furthermore, Jacob knows that, after I leave with Jasper, me becoming a vampire will be a certainty and a not so far one at that. Never mind that it always was a certainty.

"Yeah, Bells, congrats" he tries for a cheerful tone, but instead it comes out as more pained than anything.

If Charlie notices, ho chooses to ignore it. "And are you and Jasper going to live together?"

"Actually no. He will live with his family in a ranch in the middle of nowhere, while I've rented an apartment near the campus. It was the Cullens gift for my graduation. They paid for the first six months of rent" I say. Actually, they wanted to pay for the whole year, but I convinced them to limit it as I would find a job and pay myself.

"Wow, Bells that's amazing. Don't stress too much with work. I'll send you some money myself when I can spare it" Charlie starts, but I hurry to interrupt.

"Not a chance dad. You take care of yourself, go on vacation, do whatever you want. I am all set with house, college and car. Don't worry."

He spies my face for signs of uncertainty, but he finds none. He sighs, "Alright, but if you ever need something just know that your old man has got your back. I have kept a fund for college since you were three and it has grown quite a bit. With your scholarship you won't need it as much, but keep in mind you've got backup."

I go hug him, "Thank you, dad."

"So" Jacob cuts back in the conversation, "English right?"

"Nope. Psychology" I correct.

"And will you disappear in your studies, or will you grace us with your presence again?" he asks, eyes narrowing. I know exactly what he's really asking.

"Jake!" dad cuts in, "I don't know where this animosity comes from, and I understand that you have had a crush on Bella since forever, but this is not the time to be a jealous child. Either you get a grip, or you know where the door is."

I am not laughing. No, nope.

Jacob grunts, the beginning of a fiery blush on his russet cheeks, but stays silent.

"To answer the question, I'll probably stay with Jasper's family for Thanksgiving and come back for Christmas and New Year."

"I'll keep you room clean then" Charlie says, smiling at me.

A knock at the door interrupts us. I get up to open the door and I'm most surprised by the people there.

Esme is standing there with Seth and Sue Clearwater. Both women are shielding themselves from the rain with a wide umbrella, while Seth is content getting soaked as he looks at my Corvette with admiration.

"Hello, dear" Esme says, "I'm sorry to crowd your home like this, but I was coming here to give you the last of the belongings you left at the house, and I spotted the Clearwaters walking under the rain. I thought of giving them a ride."

"It's no bother at all Esme, all of you are always welcome." I say, letting them in.

The two women and Seth enter the house, and Charlie immediately offers them some coffee. Esme naturally refuses, as does Sue, but Seth drinks enough coffee for three.

"Damn, kid, are you doing the small hours?" Charlie jokes.

"No, it's just that I have some schoolwork left behind. I can't seem to understand certain things, Biology especially is hard, and if I don't pass the tests the teachers will make me take in September, I won't be able to attend next year" Seth says, looking downright miserable.

"I can help you" I say.

His head snaps up and he looks at me with disbelieving eyes. "But I thought you're going to college."

"Yeah, but I can tutor you from Texas. I'll give you my old computer—I don't need it anymore—and we can videocall each other once a week, or twice. How many times you need."

"Really?" he seems to perk up a bit. He looks at his mom for confirmation, and when she kindly nods—hell, I forget this kid is, like, fourteen—his smile lights up the crowded Swan living room. "Thanks Bella!" His hug is scalding hot, the blood of the shapeshifters running in his veins ensures that.

"When do you have your first test?" I ask after he releases me.

"It's in three weeks" he tells me, looking mildly worried.

"Alright, I'll leave to settle in tomorrow morning, so I'll give you my computer now—after I've transferred and cleared all the files—then you email me the topic of each test and I'll let you know when te tutoring will start. Probably in three or four days."

He nods eagerly.

"Well, now that you're both set, can we hear the ladies?" Charlie laughs, patting my back with a proud smile.

"Oh, as I said I'm simply returning some of Bella's belongings that she left at the house" Esme says, holding up a white leather bag full of my things. "I'll go ahead and place it in your room, dear. I must return to the house. I've left on the stove Emmett's favorite stew, and he'll be most upset if I were to burn dinner" she laughs, the lie slipping smoothly from her lips.

Sue's voice fills the silence as Esme moves up the stairs to my room. "I just wanted to bring some food. Harry made some fish fry and I thought that with the preparations for your move you wouldn't have time to prepare dinner. Plus, Seth wanted to say bye."

"Fish fry!" Charlie seems more than interested.

"Still warm. Harry even packed extra sauces" Sue smiles, handing to dad two brown bags.

"Now, that's what I'm talking about! By the way, wanna stay for dinner?" Charlie adds, already midway to the kitchen. A glance at the clock tells me it's already 7 pm. "Yeah, you can stay" I add.

Sue kindly shakes her head. "No, Harry is waiting for us. It's actually best we make our way home now."

"Want me to accompany you home? I can also say goodbye to Harry in the meantime and Seth can ogle my car some more" I joke, and she takes up my offer as Seth blushes.

"Can I ride along, Bella?" Jake asks, and I nod.

"I'll start heating the food and preparing the table, then" Charlie says, waving goodbye to us. Esme slips out of the house with us and after a quick kiss on the cheek for both me and Seth and a polite nod for the others she enters her own car and sets off for the mansion.

Sue rides shotgun while the two wolves sit behind.

Jacob wastes no time. "So, when is the bloodsucker gonna bite you?"

"Jake!" Sue admonishes, throwing an apologetic glance my way. With the corner of my eye, though, I see that she's not so happy about my choice either, but at least she has the decency of knowing that it's none of her business.

"No problem, Sue" I smile serenely, "I think we'll wait until after my first year. Maybe even more depending on how things go. Now that I am with my mate and there are no threats, I am in no hurry to change."

Jake harrumphs like a damn bird, and Seth is quick to fill the awkward silence with appreciative questions about my car.

I park the car right in front of Harry and Sue's home. The rain has let up a bit and now is only a small drizzle, so none of us bother with an umbrella.

Harry's house is small, even smaller than Charlie's, but cozy. Everything is in the tones of the earth, and the walls are filled with Native American artifacts, surely handmade. I can spy on a wall a dreamcatcher similar to the one Jake gave to me as a present.

"Bella! What a nice surprise" Harry says, smiling.

I go to hug him, "It's nice to see you. I thought to come and say goodbye while taking them home."

"Ah, yes, tomorrow you depart, is it right?"

"Yeah," I say, scratching the back of my neck embarrassedly, "Did Charlie put up a billboard to tell everyone or what?"

"You can't fault him for being proud—and calling both me and Billy to tell us that his little girl is going to college."

"I suppose I can't."

We chat for a few more minutes before I make my way out, though not before assuring Seth that tomorrow my father would deliver his new computer.

Obviously, it has started pouring buckets again.

As I park in the driveway, I spot Charlie running outside with an umbrella. He reaches the car and opens my door, holding the umbrella over us so that we don't get soaked. We make a run for the house and I don't even trip once.

The smell of warm fish fry fills my nostrils and my stomach grumbles loudly enough for Charlie to hear. "C'mon, let's eat" he says, helping me out of my coat.

My heart is sad at the thought that this is the last dinner I'll have with Charlie in a while. As if he could read my thoughts, Charlie says: "Don't be sad, sweetie, I'll miss you too. But we can always call or email each other. Your old man is not so old as to not know how to email" he jokes. As we both laugh at his joke, the cloud of sadness that permeated the room lifts, and the rest of the dinner is filled with reminisced memory from my childhood and new plans for the future.

The morning after, a Saturday, I wake up as groggily as always but with a spring in my step. Having packed the evening before—the three luggage bags Alice gifted me long ago are filled to the brim with clothes, both mine and new ones Alice bought—I don't have to do anything but say my goodbyes. I also took care of the computer, and have already instructed Charlie on what to do.

The plane is at 11 am, and now it's 6 am. A few grumbles from downstairs tell me that Charlie is already awake, so I go down and say hello to him. I smile at his answering grunt, taking the offered mug of coffee.

"When they'll arrive?" he asks, chewing down on a granola bar.

"In an hour" I say, instead opting for an apple.

We both get changed—Charlie insisted on coming to the airport too—and sure enough, exactly 60 minutes later, Carlisle's black Mercedes is rolling in our driveway, parking besides my own car—which will be shipped to Texas before I begin my lessons—and my dad's cruiser.

Charlie helps me with the luggage, and as soon as Carlisle is out of the car he comes to help too. Esme and Jasper both get out of the car a second later, and immediately I feel his cold embrace on me.

"Hello, darlin'" he rumbles, kissing me deeply, his tongue dancing with mine. It's been a good couple of days since I've last seen him, and I can't help but want to melt in his embrace.

A throat clearing interrupts the process of melting. "If you two are done doing that in front of us, you have a plane to catch" Charlie says, playfully looking at a nonexistent watch on his wrist. Carlisle and Esme both look at us with amusement.

"Alright, dad. So eager to send me away?" I smirk at his aghast face.

"Never" he says, before planting a kiss on my forehead and going to sit in the car.

Jasper nuzzles my neck as Carlisle and Esme both sit shotgun, "I missed you, every moment."

"Well, cowboy, now we have a whole life ahead of us" I smirk, kissing him one last time before going to sit in the Mercedes, in the middle seat between Jasper and Charlie.

"The others are sad they couldn't be here, but they left for their own new colleges too" Esme says, looking marvelously contrite.

Naturally, the entirety of the Cullen children had crowded my room the night before, saying their goodbyes and getting promises of calls out of me. I'm positive I still have Emmett's hug printed on my body. Even Edward came, we chatted a bit and left each other with a sort of civil companionship. Not yet friendship, but nothing belligerent either.

"I'll call them later, don't worry. I know they are busy, too" I say.

"Remember to call your old man too" dad adds.

"Of course, I'll call you as soon as I land, I'll even send you pictures of the apartment."

"I'll help her settle in before I go to my relatives' place. I'll make sure she's as safe as can be, Chief" Jasper reassures him, probably in answer to a shift in my dad's emotions.

"Thank you, son." I can practically taste my mate's happiness at such acceptance and affection from Charlie and I have to smile.

The drive to the airport is swift and we arrive precisely when the line for checking the bags is dwindling. Our punctuality must be Alice's work, I'm sure.

"Very well, kids. It's time for you to embark on a new journey" Carlisle says, and the truth of his words hits me in the gut like a punch.

As we say goodbye to my parent figures—both biological and adopted—my head remains entrenched in the thoughts of what is to be from now.

The moment I step off of that plane, life as I know it will be over forever. Yes, my life has already taken a lot of unexpected turns, but this is the final one. The big bridge before entering a new era. My first year of college, to put some distance between my human life and my new one, to grow into my womanhood and to have my last human experiences.

"What's cookin' in your head, sweetheart?" Jasper asks me, kissing my temple after we sit in our assigned first-class seats.

"Just thinking about how things will change from now on. I obviously don't regret a thing" I hurry to reassure, "but I can't help but be a little bit overwhelmed by all this."

He hums, bringing me closer to him with an arm around my shoulders.

"Your final human year" he muses, "But I hope ya know you can change your mind. We can wait more if you need more time."

I shake my head. "No, I know I'm ready. If we wait, I'll be in the same situation only with a few months' delay. I want to be immortal, and I want to be with you." I snuggle in his chest, breathing in his delicious scent.

Jasper drops the subject and opts to distract me with a movie. We watch Gattaca—one of my favorite movies—and then we cuddle and kiss a bit.

The rest of the flight passes surprisingly quickly, and I don't even have to worry about showcasing the entirety of my nonexistent physical power to retrieve our bags. Jasper is more than capable of doing that on his own.

Awaiting us outside our gate are Peter and Charlotte, safe in the shade away from the late afternoon light. They both smile brilliantly when they see us and hug us both when we reach them. Peter crushes me to his chest and Char kisses my cheeks.

"Welcome back, Major" Peter says, clapping Jazz on the shoulder.

"I'm happy to be here."

"I bet, ya even got little sweet cheeks here with ya" he snickers.

"Ya better not bother her too much, she's got college to think about" Charlotte elbows Peter, before directing us toward a black pick up truck quite a few years older than I'd have expected from wealthy vampires—all the while ignoring her husband's whining.

We quickly put out luggage in the back and soon enough we are on the road. "To your new home" Peter announces, taking place behind the wheel and smirking at me.

"Let's go! I've never ever seen pictures of the house, it'll be nice to see it in real life. I hope Esme didn't go too overboard with it" I say. Esme had wanted to keep the house a surprise for me, adamantly refusing I look at any pictures.

"Well, she texted me the address, and I think it'll suit ya just fine" he winks.

We chat a bit, them telling me stories about the old days with Jasper and in return I tell them a bit about my own childhood and some of my plans for the future.

"Psychology! I've never studied it, ya better tell me all about it!" Charlotte says, smiling brightly.

"Of course. What have you studied?"

"Well, to be honest I've only gone to college three times: Finance, Sociology and Mathematics. The rest of the time I've dedicated to my hobbies."

"Oh, what do you do?"

"I make handmade jewelry, mostly I make engagement rings or otherwise expensive pieces. The gold and silver is from Peter's personal stack he has accumulated in the centuries, and the gems are either made in a lab or ethically sourced, regardless."

"Oh my God, that sounds amazing. I can't believe Jasper has never shown me any pictures" I say, glaring at my mate.

"Don't worry, sweetness, I'll show ya plenty of things in real life" Char laughs.

Between the chatting and bickering, we soon reach a pretty big apartment block. I am astounded at the beauty of the buildings. Three seven-floor-tall buildings are positioned in a circle with a big fountain in the middle. Beside each there is an underground opening with a sign that reads Parking Lot—Residents only. I can't wait to park my car there. The buildings themselves are made of red bricks, with white doors and window fixtures. There are no balconies that I can see, but that's not a problem. Three steps separate the door to the street, kept in pristine condition and with vases of plants decorating each side.

Peter parks in front of the central building, in one of the guest parking spots, and I cannot thank Charlotte enough for stopping him from honking like a madman and attracting the attention of all my new neighbors.

"Welcome to your new house, my love" Jasper says, kissing my neck as we step off the truck.

"This place is stunning" I exhale. Jasper smiles brilliantly, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. I don't need him to say anything to know that he's tasting my emotions, so I push a wave of happiness and love at him. His smile widens even more, before he launches himself at me, enveloping me in a hug.

"I'm glad you like it" he tells me, before admitting somewhat embarrassingly "I chose it."

"Jasper, it's absolutely perfect. And I haven't even seen the inside" I kiss him.

"Yeah, 'bout that. Here are the keys to your new not-so-humble abode, little one" Peter says, before producing a pair of bronze keys out of nowhere and presenting them to me with a flourish.

I laugh, "Thanks. Let's go!"

Jasper's luggage is still in the truck, given the fact that he'll stay with the other Whitlocks, but Peter and Jasper are kind enough to help me carry my heaviest bags, while I myself only carry a backpack and the keys. The tag on them says 5-A2, so my home is apparently on the fifth floor and its second apartment.

Jasper and Peter race each other—at human speed naturally—to the apartment, while me and Char opt to take the elevator.

They all quiet down as I reach my door, pleased to notice that only two apartments make up the floor, and I'm filled with anticipation as I slide the keys in the lock.

It barely makes any noise as I turn them, and when I open the door, I am faced with the most beautiful apartment I have ever seen.

Surprisingly spacious, the first floor is composed of a kitchen fit for a single person, but big enough to make it enjoyable, and a comfy-looking leather couch. The floors alternate parquet —I think it's cherry?—and rugs. A white table for four sits in a corner and several plants are interspersed in the room, but the things that complete the look are definitely the massive wooden shelves lining three out of four walls. In the middle of the shelves there is space for the TV, but the rest is empty and waiting to be filled with books. I already spy some classics—to cite some: Moby Dick, Anna Karenina, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Dracula, funnily enough—but I can wait to go on a shopping spree to fill all the empty space.

The other wall, the one not covered in shelves has a door, probably leading to the bathroom—and what a marvelous bathroom, I think once I open the door. With a nice vanity and a bathtub too. And then iron stairs, leading to a smaller platform that makes up some type of second floor.

An enormous bed takes up nearly half the space, with dark red sheets and high canopies, a big floor length mirror is strategically placed in a corner, a nice rocking chair with a red cushion and a humongous five-door armoire in the same wood as the bed.

I look down, where the three vampires are now seated at the table—my table.

"Guys, this is beautiful! It's so homey" I gush excitedly.

Jasper looks up, smiling at me. I see his eyes twinkle. "Look to your right darlin'" he says.

And when I turn I can't believe I didn't notice before. A massive rectangular window right above the shelves brings light to the entire place, I can see it both from the first and second floor.

"That's beautiful" I whisper.

Cold arms suddenly envelop me, and I don't even have to think before letting myself relax.

Jasper nuzzles my neck, his chest pressed to my back. "I'm so happy that ya like it, sugar."

"How could I not, my darlin' god. You chose it for me" I tell him, kissing his nose.

"Well" he smiles, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against mine, "I guess it's good, since you'll spend the rest of your human life here."

I laugh, "It's good indeed."

We kiss.

I forget about Char and Peter, I forget about college, about the beautiful apartment I'm in. I even forget I have no idea how much rent is, because I am happy.

I am so happy. In the arms of my god. My lips trapped between his and our tongues dancing to a tune of their own.

This might be a new beginning, but I have everything I need right in my arms.


The apartment building is completely invented. PS. We are closing in on the end of the story!

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