Originally this was all part of chapter one but when I realized it was over 12,000 words I thought I could break it up a little more.

So here is Homecoming part 1.2

"My best-laid plan - your sleight of hand

My barren land- I am ash from your fire."

I don't have time to stop and remember my last trip here, the house deserted and empty. It was like my own personal horror movie and if I stood there too long I might break down.

The broken window has been fixed and the box of $30 grand in cash is gone. Alice and Jasper were waiting on the porch when we arrived. She was wrapped in his arms, a look of contentment on her face as if all the trouble of Italy was truly behind us.

Edward let me down off his back and Alice gave me a tight hug. I could feel her glaring at Edward from over my shoulder.

He sighed. "Is there something you'd like to say to me?"

"You're an ass," she spat.

"Can we not do this now?" Jasper didn't bother moving from where he was leaning against the porch rail. "I don't have time to break up a fight between you two."

"Tell your brother he's an ass." Alice let go of me so she could hit Jasper.

"Edward, you're an ass," he said and I felt his amusement. Now that Alice let me go Jasper gave me a quick hug before I went back to Edward.

"I've missed you guys, too." Edward didn't sound sincere and I could only imagine what she was screaming at him in her thoughts.

"Everyone's waiting inside." Alice told me and I suddenly felt the flutter of butterflies in my stomach. "Don't be nervous."

He pulled me tight against his right side and started to lead me forward. "I'm just humoring you with this." He motioned with his hand toward the room in front of us as we walked in. "It doesn't matter in the slightest what they say."

I shook my head, trying my best to ignore the worry his words elicited. "This affects them now, too."

He shrugged indifferently.

He led me through the open front door into the warm house. I felt touched that they went out of their way to make it comfortable for me since they have no need for the heat.

I stumble as I catch sight of the room, it was just as I'd remembered it with the piano and the white couches and the pale, massive staircase. No dust, no white sheets. I was taken back, it looked as if the last few months never happened. The familiar pain in my chest aches dully, never letting me forget.

Carlisle was suddenly standing beside me, as if he'd been there all along. "Welcome home, Bella." He smiled. "What can we do for you this morning? I imagine, due to the hour, that this is not a purely social visit?"

I nodded. "I'd, um, like to talk to everyone at once, if-if that's okay. About something important." I couldn't help glancing up at Edward's face as I spoke. His expression was critical, but resigned.

When I looked back to Carlisle, he was looking at Edward, too. "Alice informed us that you wanted to meet so the family is in the dining room." Carlisle told me.

Carlisle led the way and I wiped my suddenly sweaty palms on my jeans.

The walls were white, with the ceilings towering high, like the living room. In the center of the room, under the low-hanging chandelier, was a large, polished oval table surrounded by eight chairs. Carlisle held out a chair for me at the head and I sat down.

Carlisle sat down on my right, Esme next to him and Edward on my left. Everyone else took their seats in silence. Alice was grinning at me, already in on my plan. Emmett leaned back in his chair, his arm across the top of Rosalie's chair. Jasper looked vaguely curious, and Rosalie smiled at me tentatively. My answering smile was just as timid. . . That was going to take some getting used to.

Carlisle nodded toward me. "The floor is yours."

I swallowed. Their gazing eyes made me nervous. Edward took my hand under the table. I peeked at him, but he was watching the others.

They waited patiently while I tried to order my thoughts.

"So, we. . . I have a problem," I began. "Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. . . T-They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bad thing, something to avoid at all cost." My mouth feels dry but I force myself to keep talking and get this all out before I lose my nerve. "And so, now, t-this involves you all. I'm sorry about that." I looked at each one of their beautiful faces, saving the most beautiful for last. Edward's mouth was turned down into a grimace. "But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not."

Esme opened her mouth to speak, but I held up one finger to stop her.

"I have to get this all out now, please." Esme smiled kindly, letting me finish. "You all know what, what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks, t-too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here." My forehead creased as I considered that. "I don't want to put anyone here in danger either."

There was the faint rumble of a growl in Edward's chest. I ignored him.

"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger, either way, I want you to, to um, vote yes or no on-on me becoming a vampire."

"I have something for you all to consider," Edward interrupted.

I glared at him through narrowed eyes. He raised his eyebrow at me while squeezing my hand. He didn't even have the decency to look abashed.

"I have something to add before we vote." He repeats.

I sighed.

"About the danger, Bella's referring to," he continued. "I don't think we need to be overly anxious or make any rash decisions." His expression became more animated. He put his free hand on the shining table and leaned forward. "You see," he explained, looking around the table while he spoke, "there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand at the end. There's something they didn't think of, and I didn't want to clue them in." He grinned.

"Which was?" Alice prodded. I was sure my expression was just as skeptical as hers.

"The Volturi are overconfident, and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?" He glanced down at me.

I shuddered. He took that as a yes.

"He finds people that's his talent, why they keep him. Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works. He's a tracker. A tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was. His ability is loosely related to what I do, or what Aro does. He catches the. . . flavor? I don't know how to describe it- the tenor of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances."

"And?" I wanted to know where he was going with this.

"And after Aro's little experiments, well. . ." Edward shrugged.

"You think he won't be able to find me," I said flatly.

He was smug. "I'm sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn't work with you, they'll all be blind."

"And how does that solve anything?"

"Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll hide you. They'll be helpless," he said with fierce enjoyment. "It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!"

He and Emmett exchanged a glance and a smirk.

This made no sense. "But they can find you," I reminded him.

"And I can take care of myself."

Emmett laughed, and reached across the table toward his brother, extending a fist. "Excellent plan, my brother," he said with enthusiasm. Edward stretched out his arm to smack Emmett's fist with his own.

"No," Rosalie hissed.

"Absolutely not," I agreed. He's smug. Too smug about the Volturi, but I don't want to mention the fact that Jane had him collapsed on the floor by just looking at him or when Demetri was seconds away from beheading him . . . Also, I don't know what Alice told Carlisle and Esme, they've suffered enough that I'll just keep my thoughts to myself.

"Nice." Jasper's voice was appreciative.

"Idiots," Alice muttered.

Esme just glared at Edward.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose looking as if he suddenly regretted adopting five teenagers for eternity. It would have made me laugh if we were in a different situation.

"You're playing with fire, Edward Cullen." I tell him.

"I like the heat." He smirks.

"Are you really that dense? Aro read your mind. He's seen Charlie and Renee and my friends. I have no doubt that if he can't find us then he'll try to lure us out."

"Alice will see-" he starts to reply.

Before I can speak again, Carlisle starts. "Bella, do you know what you're asking for? Do you realize what this means? You won't be able to ever see your family or friends again."

I feel like everyone in the room is gone except for Carlisle and me. I nod. "I know what I'm asking." I glance at Edward before turning back to his father. "I know who I can live without. My parents, I'll miss them but. . . they can survive without me and vice versa. They'll be safer without me, too. They'd want me to be happy, no matter where I am. And as for friends. . . I don't really have any, not anymore. They, uh, they didn't like me anymore after you all left. I had Jacob but, but I don't think I do anymore. I don't want this because of the friends thing. I want this for me, not because of anyone else. I want this, Carlisle, I want to be with Edward for eternity, and you guys too. . . if you'll have me. I know what I'm asking for."

He smiled at me and I felt myself relax.

I straightened up in my chair, focusing. This was my meeting. I clear my throat to try and regain my composure. "All right, then. Edward has, um, offered an alternative for you to consider." I said coolly with a glare in his direction (that he ignored). "Let's vote."

I looked toward Edward this time; it would be better to get his opinion out of the way. "Do you want me to join your family?"

His eyes were hard and black as midnight. "Not that way. You're staying human."

I didn't expect a different response.

"You deserve a life, you're human life. We shouldn't take that from you."

"I can't have one, Edward, no matter what you think. It's not an option anymore, hence the vote."

He sighs, taking my hand in his. "Bella, that's why we left. We didn't have another choice, but you do. I love you enough to want the best for you, even if that's not me. . . I promised you that I wouldn't interfere-" he starts.

I cut him off with a scoff. "Won't interfere? Three words Edward: Pacific Northwest Trust."

Edward has the good grace to look a little contrite.

"Wait. What?" Rosalie looked at Edward. "Pacific Northwest Trust?"

"Care to catch the rest of us up?" Jasper asked both of us.

I look away from Edward, still clearly pissed about the whole thing. "Sure. One day I went to the bank to deposit my check from work and there was a surprising addition of $20,000 in my account." I tell them. "But of course that wasn't all, no, after arguing with Mrs. Stanley and Mrs. Gerandy for hours they called the bank that paid out the money. I was informed I won a scholarship." I roll my eyes. "He pissed me off! They wouldn't wire the money back so I closed my bank account and a few days later there's a check in the mail for $25 grand. I burned that and then a week or two later, there was a FedEx box on my doorstep with $30 grand in cash." My eyes never leave Edward. "I mean really, how stupid do you think I am?"

"Damn Bella. It's nice to finally be around someone who can put Edward in his place."

"I hadn't even graduated or applied for any colleges but somehow I got a scholarship that was paying me an allowance of over five grand a month indefinitely." I turn to Esme and Carlisle. "I'm sorry, by the way. It wasn't my intention to throw that box of cash through your front window." I look back at Edward. "Don't promise you won't interfere and then do something like this."

"I wanted you to be taken care of." He defends himself.

"Then you shouldn't have left me alone to fight off vampires hell-bent on revenge. That's my point, Edward. Even when you were gone my human days were numbered. I refuse to live like that then and now. If you won't change me then I'm not going to sit around and hope the Volturi don't come after me." I tell him. "You can't all stop your lives to watch me 24/7. That's illogical and impractical. Of all the dangers I'm facing, my mortality is the one problem with a clear easy solution." I turn back to the room, keeping my face businesslike and hiding any emotion. I moved on. "Alice?"

"I already consider you my sister. Yes."

"Thank you. Jasper?"

"I vote yes," he said, voice grave. I was a little surprised, I hadn't been at all sure of his vote. "It would be nice, to not want to kill you. . . all the time." He smirks.

I'm grateful for his attempt to ease the tension.

"Rosalie?"

She hesitated, biting down on her full, perfect bottom lip. "No."

I kept my face blank and turned my head slightly to move on, but she held up both her hands, palms forward.

"Let me explain," she pleaded. "I don't mean that I have an aversion to you as a sister. I know your reasoning, and why you want this. It's not that I don't want you to be a vampire. It's just that. . . this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote 'no' for me."

Even if I don't agree, I understand where she's coming from. I nodded slowly, and then turned to Emmett.

"Hell yeah!" He grinned, not waiting for me to ask. "We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri."

I was still grimacing at that when I looked at Esme.

"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as my daughter. You're a cherished part of this family, and you always will be, vampire or not."

I felt my blush warm my face. "Thank you, Esme," I murmured as I turned toward Carlisle.

I was suddenly nervous, wishing I had asked for his vote first. I was sure that this was the vote that mattered most, the vote that counted more than any majority.

Carlisle wasn't looking at me. "Edward," he said.

"No," Edward growled. His jaw was strained tight, his lips curled back from his teeth.

"It's the only way that makes sense," Carlisle insisted. "We won't lose Bella, we've made that mistake before. We're a family. . . You've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave another choice." He sighs. "Edward I almost lost three of my children this past weekend, it wasn't a feeling I ever want to have replicated again. Which leaves me no choice. . . I won't lose my son or my daughter."

"How can we take away her humanity, like it means nothing?"

"You're not." Carlisle replied. He was speaking out loud, something I was grateful for at the moment. "She's giving it away. This is Bella's choice, Son. She's giving it up to be with you because that's what she wants. You think you can make all these choices for her. You think you can decide what's best for her, but Edward, if you love her, you'll let her make her own choices. You'll let her live her life however she chooses to do so, and you'll support her. We want her in our family. She wants to join us. Can't you see that?"

Edward dropped my hand, shoving away from the table. He stalked out of the room, snarling under his breath.

"Drama Queen." Emmett mutters under his breath.

"I guess you know my vote," Carlisle says, resigned.

I was still staring after Edward. "Thanks," I mumbled.

An earsplitting crash echoed from the living room before a door slam.

"What was that?" I asked as we all looked towards where the sound came from.

Emmett looked like he already knew the answer. He pushes himself up from the table. "He broke the fucking flatscreen." He goes the same way Edward did and we all sit and listen as he swings the door open. "Hey, Ass-ward. Break your own shit. Do you know how long it took to get that from Korea? They don't even make them here."

"It's just a tv, Emmett. I'll buy you another one." Edward yells back.

"How about you leave and we keep Bella instead?" Emmett slams the door behind him as he comes back it, clicking the lock into place. "She hasn't been a little bitch for the past fifty years unlike a certain other someone."

Rosalie rolls her eyes at her husband's antics but adds "he's not wrong."

I awkwardly clear my throat. "That's all I needed. . ." Man this is a weird dream ". . . But thank you. F-for wanting to keep me, and all. I, uh, feel exactly the same way about all of you, too." My voice was jagged with emotion by the end.

Esme was at my side in a flash, her cold arms feeling almost warm as they wrapped around me. "My dearest Bella," she breathed.

"Carlisle?" I turned to look at him.

"No! No! NO!" Edward roared, charging back into the room. He was in my face before I had time to blink, bending over me, his expression twisted in rage. "Are you insane?" he shouted. "Have you utterly lost your mind?" Edward grabbed my face in his hand, forcing me to look at him. His other hand was out, palm toward Carlisle.

Carlisle ignored that. "I'm able to do it," he answered my question. I wished I could see his expression. "You would be in no danger of me losing control."

"Sounds good." I hoped he could understand; it was hard to talk clearly the way Edward held my jaw.

"Hold on," Edward said between his teeth. "It doesn't have to be now."

"There's no reason for it not to be now," I said, the words coming out distorted.

"I can think of a few."

"Of course you can," I said sourly. "Now let go of me."

He freed my face, and folded his arms across his chest. "In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police."

I had forgotten about him briefly. I hadn't really considered Charlie at all these past few days and I felt a little guilty. Not to mention Renee. . . And Jacob, too, if he ever forgives me. They deserved better.

I was a danger magnet; I'd accepted that about myself.

Accepting this, I knew I needed to be able to take care of myself and protect the ones I loved, even if that meant that I couldn't be with them. I needed to be strong.

"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous," Edward said, still talking through his gritted teeth, but looking at Carlisle now, "I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house."

"That's a reasonable request, Bella," Carlisle pointed out.

"At this point will I even live until then?" I laugh with no humor behind it. It's a rhetorical question. I feel like I'm in a life-or-death situation at least once a week.

But I guess I can see their point. I had put Charlie through enough with my latest unexplained disappearance. If he were to find my bed empty. . . Charlie deserved better than that. It was just a little more time; graduation wasn't so far away. . . Even with my luck, I should be able to work with that.

"Fine." I pursed my lips. "I'll consider it."

Edward relaxed. His jaw unclenched. "I should probably take you home," he said, calmer now, but clearly in a hurry to get me out of here. "Just in case Charlie wakes up early."

I looked at Carlisle. "After graduation?"

He smiles kindly at me, wrapping me in a hug like Esme had. "You have my word."

I took a deep breath, smiled, and turned back to Edward. "Okay. You can take me home."

Edward rushed me out of the house before Carlisle could promise me anything else. I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to anyone.

When we got to my house, Edward didn't pause. He dashed up the wall and through my window in half a second. Then he pulled my arms from around his neck and set me on the bed.

I thought I had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking, but his expression surprised me. Instead of furious, it was calculating. He paced silently back and forth across my dark room while I watched with growing suspicion and unease.

"Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work," I told him.

"Shh. I'm thinking."

"Ugh," I groaned, throwing myself back on the bed and pulling the quilt over my head.

There was no sound, but suddenly he was there. He flipped the cover back so he could see me. He was lying next to me. I throw my arm over my eyes, which he also removes. His hand reached up to brush my hair from my cheek. "If you don't mind, I'd much rather you didn't hide your face. I've lived without it for as long as I can stand. Now tell me something-" he starts.

"What?" I asked wearily.

"If you could have anything in the world, anything at all, what would it be?"

I could feel the skepticism in my eyes. "You."

He shook his head impatiently. "Something you don't already have."

I wasn't sure where he was trying to lead me, so I thought carefully before I answered. I came up with something that was both true, and also probably impossible.

"I would want Carlisle not to have to do it. I would want you to change me."

I watched his reaction warily, expecting more of the fury I'd seen at his house. I was surprised that his expression didn't change. It was still calculating, thoughtful.

"What would you be willing to trade for?"

I couldn't believe my ears. I gawked at his composed face and blurted out the answer before I could think about it. "Anything."

He smiled faintly, and then pursed his lips. "Five years?"

My face twisted into an expression somewhere between chagrin and horror.

"You said anything," he reminded me.

"Yes, but you'll use the time to find a way out of it. I have to strike while the iron is hot. Besides, it's just too dangerous to be human, for me at least. So, anything but that."

He frowned. "Three years?"

"No!"

"Isn't it worth anything to you at all?"

I thought about how much I wanted this. Better to keep a poker face, I decided, and not let him know how very much that was. It would give me more leverage. "Six months?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not good enough."

"One year, then," I said. "That's my limit."

"At least give me two."

"No way. Nineteen I'll do. But I'm not going anywhere near twenty. If you're staying in your teens forever, then so am I."

He thought for a minute. "All right. Forget time limits. . . If you want me to be the one then you'll just have to meet one condition. . ."

"Condition?" My voice went flat as I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "What condition?"

His eyes were cautious. He spoke slowly. "Marry me first."

I stared at him blankly, waiting for him to continue. "Okay. What's the punch line?"

He sighed. "You're wounding my ego, Bella. I just proposed to you, and you think it's a joke."

I'm not laughing. "Edward, please be serious."

"I am one hundred percent serious." He gazed at me with no hint of humor in his face.

"Oh, c'mon," I said, an edge of hysteria in my voice. "I'm only eighteen."

"Well, I'm nearly a hundred and ten. It's time I settled down."

I looked away, out the dark window, trying to control the panic before it gave me away. "Look, marriage isn't exactly that high on my list of priorities, you know? It was sort of the kiss of death for Renee and Charlie."

"Interesting choice of words."

"You know what I mean."

He inhaled deeply. "Please don't tell me that you're afraid of the commitment," his voice was disbelieving (and slightly mocking), but I understood what he meant.

"That's not it exactly," I hedged. "I'm. . . afraid of Renee. She has some really intense opinions on getting married before you're thirty."

"Because she'd rather you became one of the eternal damned than get married?" He laughed darkly.

I didn't join in the laughter. "You think you're joking."

The conversation dies down when we both realize the other won't fold. . . And I can't stop yawning.

"We'll smite the smoke and fuel the fire"

"Bella, wake up, love." I hear Edward whisper in my ear as he tries to wake me.

"No." I grip my quilt tight as he pulls it back, and my strength is nothing against his.

"Charlie is coming in here to talk to you."

"Shit." I sit up. "Are you leaving?"

"Would it be childish of me to hide in your closet?"

I smirk at him and he shares my smile.

Charlie knocks on my bedroom door and in an instant Edward is gone.

"Come in."

Charlie comes into my room and sits on the foot of my bed. He rubs a hand over his face as he sighs. "Let's talk for a minute Bells."

I couldn't control my grimace. Fuck. I'd forgotten to ask Alice for a good excuse.

"You know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, I figured as much." I play with the edge of the quilt in my hands. It's fraying with age.

"I just about went crazy these last few days." He sounded exasperated. "I was getting ready to file a missing person's report on you! I come home from Harry's funeral, and you're gone. Jacob could only tell me that you'd run off with Alice Cullen, and that he thought you were in trouble. You didn't leave me a number, and you didn't call. I didn't know where you were or when or if you were coming back. Do you have any idea how- how. . ." He couldn't finish the sentence. He sucked in a sharp breath and moved on. "Can you give me one reason why I shouldn't ship you off to Jacksonville this second?"

My eyes narrowed. So it was going to be threats, was it? Two could play at that game.

"Because I won't go." I said simply.

"Look, Dad, I accept complete responsibility for my actions, and you have the right to ground me until you think I've learned my lesson. . . And I guess you're within your rights if you want to kick me out, too. . . But that won't- you can't make me go to Florida."

His face turned bright red. He took a few deep breaths before he answered. "Would you like to explain where you've been?"

Oh, crap. "There was an. . . emergency."

He raised his eyebrows in expectation of my brilliant explanation.

I filled my cheeks with air and then blew it out noisily. "I don't know what to tell you, Dad. It was mostly a misunderstanding. He said, she said. It got out of hand." I forgot to ask someone where they were saying they came back from. I don't want our stories to collide. I think someone mentioned L.A., obviously, they weren't really there but I think that's where they want everyone to think they were.

He waited with a distrustful expression.

"See, Alice told Rosalie about me jumping off the cliff. . ." I was scrambling frantically to make this work, to keep it as close to the truth as possible so that my inability to lie convincingly would not undermine the excuse.

Before I could go on, Charlie's expression reminded me that he didn't know anything about the cliff.

Fuck me. As if I wasn't already screwed.

"I guess I didn't tell you about that," I choked out. "It was nothing. Just messing around, swimming with Jake. Anyway, Rosalie told Edward, and he was upset. She sort of accidentally made it sound like I was trying to kill myself or something, which I wasn't by the way. He wouldn't answer his phone, so Alice dragged me to L.A., to explain in person." I shrugged, desperately hoping that he would not be so distracted by my slip that he'd miss the brilliant explanation I just provided.

Charlie's face was frozen. "Were you trying to kill yourself, Bella?"

"No, of course not. Just having fun with Jake. Cliff diving. The La Push kids do it all the time. Like I said, nothing." I could practically hear Edward rolling his eyes from where he was hiding.

Charlie's face heated up from frozen to hot with fury. "What's it to Edward Cullen anyway?" he barked. "All this time, he's just left you dangling without a word."

I interrupted him. "Another misunderstanding." I grimaced with the reminder. It's hard to sell a lie I don't fully believe myself.

His face flushed again. "So is he back then?"

"I'm not sure what the exact plan is. . . I think they all are."

He shook his head, the vein in his forehead pulsing. "I want you to stay away from him, Bella. I don't trust him or his family. He's rotten for you. I won't let him mess you up like that again."

"Fine," I said curtly with my arms crossed over my chest.

Charlie rocked back, clearly taken back by my words. "Oh." He scrambled for a second, exhaling loudly in surprise. "I thought you were going to be difficult."

"I am." I stared straight into his eyes. "I meant, 'Fine, I'll move out.'" I couldn't stay away from Edward. We tried and we both almost died. I know I wouldn't survive it again.

My resolve wavered as I started to worry about his health. He was no younger than Harry.

"Dad, I don't want to move out," I said in a softer tone. "I love you. I know you're worried, but you need to trust me on this. And you're going to have to ease up on Edward if you want me to stay. Do you want me to live here or not?"

"That's not fair, Bella. You know I want you to stay."

"Then accept Edward, because he's going to be where I am." I said it with (slight unjustified) confidence and blind hope.

"Not under my roof," Charlie stormed.

I sighed a heavy sigh. "Look, I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums tonight. . . or I guess it's this morning. Just think about it for a few days, okay? But keep in mind that Edward and I are sort of a package deal."

"Bella-" he started.

I cut him off. "Think it over," I insisted. "And while you're doing that, could you give me some privacy? I really need a shower."

Charlie's face was still a strange shade of purple, but he left, slamming the door behind him. I heard him stomp furiously down the stairs.

I threw off my quilt, and Edward was already there, sitting in the rocking chair as if he'd been present through the whole conversation.

"Sorry about that," I whispered.

"It's not as if I don't deserve far worse," he murmured. "Don't start anything with Charlie over me, please."

"Don't worry about it," I breathed as I gathered up my bathroom things and a set of clean clothes. "I will start exactly as much as is necessary, and no more than that. . . Or are you trying to tell me I have nowhere to go?" I widened my eyes with the alarming revelation.

"You'd move in with a house full of vampires?"

"That's probably the safest place for someone like me."

He ran a hand through his hair. "It is your house as much as it is mine, Bella. You're always welcome there."

"Besides," I grinned teasingly. "If Charlie kicks me out, then there's no need for a graduation deadline, is there?" It's so easy to push his buttons.

His jaw tightened. "So eager for eternal damnation," he muttered.

"You know you don't really believe that."

"Oh, don't I?" He asked, amused.

"No. You don't."

He glowered at me and started to speak, but I cut him off.

Carlisle's words from my 18th ring through my mind. I didn't agree with my father's particular brand of faith. But never, in the nearly four hundred years now since I was born, have I ever seen anything to make me doubt whether God exists in some form or the other. Not even the reflection in the mirror.

"If you really believed that you'd lost your soul, then when I found you in Volterra, you would have realized immediately what was happening, instead of thinking we were both dead together. But you didn't. You said 'Amazing. Carlisle was right,'" I reminded him, triumphant. "There's hope in you, after all."

For once, Edward was speechless.

"So let's both just be hopeful, all right?" I suggested. "Not that it matters. If you stay, I don't need heaven."

He got up slowly and came to put his hands on either side of my face as he stared into my eyes. "Forever," he vowed, still a little staggered.

"That's all I'm asking for," I said, and stretched up on my toes so that I could press my lips to his.