"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Edward asked for what must have been the twentieth time that week.

"I'm sure. Go have fun with your brothers and Carlisle."

"It's going to be hard to have fun for missing you."

"I know you will enjoy yourself once you all get started hunting."

"I'm worried about you." he said, his brow furrowed with anxiety. "I trust Esme, Rosalie and Alice to come running if anything happens. Alice assured me she'd keep an eye on your future this weekend and that everything is fine but I can't stop thinking of how much I don't want to be without you."

"Here." she said, reaching in her nightstand and handing him a small men's locket. "Esme helped me. I texted her while we were in school because I knew you were going to come back with me so you wouldn't see it in her thoughts. It's only fair that if I have one, you do as well. She was able to locate what I wanted really quickly. The locket itself is a gift from her and Carlisle."

He opened the locket, smiling sweetly as he saw what was inside. "Your hair."

"This was traditional when you were human, right?"

"It was." he smiled, carefully running his fingertip over it.

"Now you'll have a part of me with you while you're gone."

"Bella…" he said, looking at her as if he might cry although it wasn't possible. He was at a loss for words as he admired her gift. She rested her hand closest to him in his lap, the left hand, and he admired the ornamental ring on her finger as well. "Come here." was all he could manage to say in a low tone, his voice full of need as he grabbed her and placed her in his lap, their lips meeting practically that same second. The feelings running through him were nearly impossible to describe, warmth, love, desire, fulfillment. His mate. He couldn't get enough of her.

She immediately responded by wrapping her fingers in his hair in a way that drove him wild. She scooted closer to him until there wasn't so much as a centimeter between most of their bodies as their kiss intensified. He pulled back to place gentle, chaste kisses on her lips over and over, unable to stop touching her. "We have to behave." he whispered. "Your father is home."

"I know." she pouted.

He smiled and sat her back beside him with a last lingering kiss. "Something to look forward to when I return."

"Are you back yet?" she asked with a sad smile.

He kissed her face and whispered in her ear. "Soon we won't have to part at all."

She smiled for real then, laying back against the pillows to get some sleep. He happily held her in his arms until she was dreaming and only regretfully left to join the family when Emmett's thoughts outside threatened to wake Charlie if he didn't meet his brothers in the woods that very second. Edward scribbled a quick love note in his swirly, old-fashioned cursive and hopped out the window, not daring look to look back for fear of refusing to go at all.

Bella slept just fine because she had been relaxed as she fell asleep and her room, especially her pillows, still smelled like Edward. There were no loud noises or haunting thoughts to wake her from slumber. When she awoke with a stretch on that chilly Saturday morning, she immediately regretted sticking her arms out of the covers and quickly retreated back to their warmth. She found the love note beside her and smiled, sleeping just a little while longer feeling safe and at peace.

A quiet knock on the door woke her up just after ten in the morning. Her dad was at work and everyone knew it, so visitors were odd and unexpected. She was surprised by a large package with her name on it. She had already gotten her books for review for work this week and was waiting until Edward returned so they could start on them together. Careful with the knife, she opened the box to find a stack of books like the one he had bought for her at the bookstore. It was the entire series (minus the one she already had) that one of her favorite TV shows was based on.

"You sneaky-" she whispered, unable to come up with an appropriate name to call him and excitedly stacking the books up on the coffee table to look at them all in order. This is where her dad found her a few hours later, lounging on the couch surrounded by books, pillows, and snacks and smiling contentedly.

"Doing some light reading?" Charlie asked with a grin. He was so happy to see her like this, enjoying herself and her hobbies. Eating normally. Smiling. All of the above.

"A lot of light reading."

"Your books for work?"

"No, those are upstairs. A certain someone was afraid I would miss him and wanted to keep me distracted."

"So, he bought you half the bookstore."

"Pretty much." she agreed. "This is the series one of my favorite TV shows is based on."

"Which one?" he asked excitedly, listening in amazement as she happily talked about something of interest to her. It was more than just a sentence or two. She wasn't fidgeting or trying to run back to her room or return to her book. There was no shadow of the fear and almost paralyzed state he had once seen in his daughter. She had come so far in such a short time.

"I'm sorry dad, I'm talking your ear off."

"I'm not. Go on, it sounds like something I might be interested in too."

"I mean – maybe. I figure you're tired of seeing bodies and bones in your line of work."

"My job is mostly speeding tickets." he said, sitting in his chair beside her and grabbing a book to look at. Thus, the two of them spent an evening engrossed in the books, happily reading, and occasionally sharing a smile or a glance in the other's direction. It was one of their favorite evenings ever spent together. When Charlie's stomach was growling too much to ignore, he called and ordered pizza so neither of them would have to part long from their reading.

"Thanks, dad."

"My pleasure. I haven't read for fun in years. This is awesome!"

"I'll admit they aren't the best, but I really like them."

"That's all that matters. I'm enjoying them too." he said with a grin, settling back in his recliner. He would have to remember to thank Edward as well, not for the books, but for the time together and for his helping Bella with something she really enjoyed. She hadn't even appeared to protest the money being spent on her. He was glad to see it. She deserved having someone to love her as Edward did, and so much more. He was a good kid too despite all he had been through.

They happily ate pizza when it arrived, sitting their books aside for a few minutes so they wouldn't get them greasy.

"You know Bella, I've been thinking about myself lately more than I ever have. I can't stop remembering little parts of that book I borrowed from Carlisle."

"Do you think you have C-PTSD too? Jasper said it's commonly passed down."

"No, not necessarily but I don't think I handle emotions very well. I'm sure there's probably a reason for that."

"I thought it was your personality."

"Mostly." Charlie agreed. "But it might also be because of my father. He was a tough man. A real Teddy Roosevelt type. He had very strict ideas of what a man should and shouldn't be that he taught me as soon as I was old enough to understand them."

"I remember grandpa a little."

"He died when you were very young."

"He carried a big walking stick almost everywhere."

"He did. The better to flog people with if they deserved it." Charlie said with a quiet laugh. "Maybe that's a small part of why I'm so messed up."

"The beatings?"

"Perhaps." Charlie laughed.

"You're not messed up, dad. You're one of the most normal people I know."

"Maybe that's just what I want everyone to believe. What is normal anyways?"

Bella nodded in agreement. "I'm sure Jasper or Carlisle would be happy to talk to you too."

"I wouldn't want to ask too much of them. They have already been so great with you. It really isn't their job."

"Maybe you can come to one of my sessions with me and see what it's like."

"I would never invade your privacy like that."

"I'm inviting you to the next one." she said. "I don't have many secrets to hide."

"Oh, so you do have some secrets to hide?" he teased.

"I'm a teenager, after all." she said with a grin.

"I suppose that's fair. I definitely had my fair share of secrets at your age."

"I'm not like…sneaking out at night or anything."

"No need to when Edward comes here."

"True."

"He's really good at hiding his car."

"I think he has one of his brothers or sisters drop him off. Or at least he did until you told him to just use the door and come up anytime."

"The door sure seems a lot safer than climbing up the side of the house. I hate ladders and tall trees myself."

"You know they're all into hiking and rock climbing and stuff."

"Is that what they're off doing this weekend?"

"Yeah. Carlisle and all of his sons. They do this at least once a year. Esme invited me to go on a shopping trip with the women but I really can't keep up with them. Especially not Alice."

"I don't think anyone truly keeps up with Alice." he agreed. They put the rest of the pizza in the fridge and returned to their reading, neither of them moving for hours until Charlie started to softly snore in his recliner. Bella smiled and took the book she had up to her room, reading as she walked up the stairs. She managed not to fall or even lose her place as she went upstairs and settled in her bed. Just as she finished a chapter, her phone lit up with a call from Edward.

"Hi." she said with a huge smile.

"Hello beautiful. Done any good reading lately?"

"You are so sneaky."

"And?"

"Thank you. We love them."

"We?"

"Dad has been reading them too. We've barely looked up from books all day."

"I didn't know he was going to enjoy them too. That's a nice surprise. Have you had a good day?"

"As best as I can without you. That was a sweet way to distract me. Catch any mountain lions?"

"A few." he said with a smile in his voice. "I miss you."

"I miss you too. Are you home yet?"

"I wish."

Emmett was in the background making loud kissy noises while Jasper laughed and Carlisle tried to calm them down. "Those are some wild sounding animals there with you." Bella said.

"A bunch of jackass-I mean jackals." Edward chuckled.

"Think you can take them?"

"I know I can."

"PROVE IT!" Emmett shouted loudly as Jasper cheered him on.

"Sounds like you're about to be very busy." Bella said.

"They can wait."

"I don't think they're going to." she laughed at the familiar sound of rock hitting rock – one vampire tackling another.

"Perhaps not." Edward agreed. "I love you." "I love you!" Emmett added. "I love you too!" Jasper shouted. "Yes, yes, we all love Bella. Give them a minute!" Carlisle laughed, almost all in the same couple of seconds.

"I love you all too – except maybe you Emmett. Don't kill my fiancé if you want my love."

"No promises!" he shouted as the call ended. Bella shook her head and returned to her book, feeling at peace since she knew Edward was safe, though she couldn't wait to see him again.

She slept well for a few hours before waking up to her empty room. It was dark and there was a chill coming through a small crack in the window, which she got up to close all the way. The empty rocking chair and bed seemed to taunt her with the memory of places Edward usually lounged. She sat on the edge of her bed, remembering the phone call and that he was safe. The texture of the quilt beneath her fingers calmed her a little, but not nearly enough. Her heart started to race and her breathing grew shallow. What's wrong with me? she thought. I know he'll be back. It's not like I have to worry about him getting in a car crash or anything. He would damage the car more than it would him. He's with Carlisle and his brothers. He's safe.

Still, tears came to her eyes and she cried, wiping her face on the sleeve of her t-shirt. She opened the map book Edward had picked out and caressed the textured mountain chain where he was 'hiking.' It did settle her nerves some. Not nearly enough.

Charlie came upstairs then, having woke up with a sore neck from sleeping in the recliner. "What's the matter?" he asked softly, stepping only slightly in her room until he made sure that she was dressed by looking at her feet dangling off the bed first. He sat beside her on the bed, watching as she traced the mountain range with her finger, likely not even thinking about what she was doing. "Is that where he is?"

"Yeah. He thought it would help if I could visualize where they're at this weekend."

"But it isn't."

"A little. I'm alright, dad. I know you want to go to bed. I just miss him."

Charlie, though he hated to see his daughter crying, was grateful that it wasn't a complete shutdown. Tears, he was learning how to handle. "Truthfully, my neck hurts from sleeping in that recliner so long. I want to move around a bit before I go to bed. How about a late-night snack?" "I'll let you whoop my ass at Uno." he added as extra enticement.

She smiled softly and nodded. It would be a nice distraction. Charlie went downstairs and gathered chips and dip out of the fridge and the Uno cards from a cabinet. Bella's phone, which she had brought downstairs with her, chirped. She smiled a little at it and her dad smiled just a bit in return. There was no question who was texting her. Checking on her, most likely. He was shocked the boy had left at all but knew he didn't want to disappoint his father.

"Is he alright?" he asked as he sat down and started to shuffle the cards.

"He said Emmett finally stopped bothering him for the night."

"That's the big one?"

"Yes. He's rowdy and child-like. He means well though. I think it's his way of keeping Edward distracted."

"Most likely. They're a great family."

"They are."

"We haven't played this in a few years."

"You said I cheat and you would never play with me again." Bella reminded him.

"You do cheat."

"I do not!"

"How else do you always win?"

"The same way you always lose." she smiled. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

"We'll see if you're all talk or not this time. Maybe I was just letting you win before."

"Maybe." she agreed. "Then don't let me win this time."

"I won't." he said, sticking out his tongue and laughing as she looked at her cards.

It wasn't ten minutes before she shouted "Uno!"

"Already?!"

She shrugged as he studied the nine cards in his hand, looking for any way to stop her from winning so early on.

"Aha!" he shouted, throwing down a Draw 4 card. She groaned dramatically but with a giggle as she picked up the four cards.

"You had that this whole time and just now decided to use it?"

"I wanted to let you think you had won, at least for a minute."

"That's mean."

"Your face when I laid that down was great though. Draw another four!" he said, laying down another Draw 4 card when his turn came around again. Now, they both had their hands full of cards. He sat his face down on the table and reached for a chip, while she tried to slyly reach over and peek at his cards. "See! I told you that you cheat."

"Do not." she insisted. "Just wanted to see what I was up against."

"Uh huh." he said with a grin. "Well, here's your answer." he said, laying down a quick succession of cards that allowed him extra turns by skipping hers, reversing things and making her draw more. "Uno!"

"Oh no."

"Not 'oh no.' Uno." he said, smirking.

"You told me I could whoop your ass."

"Hey, language!" he laughed. "I did. But for once the cards were in my favor."

"You should know. You shuffled them!" she laughed at him.

"You shuffle this time." he said, laying down his last card to win when it again became his turn. They spent almost an hour playing, laughing, and joking the entire time. Finally, Bella couldn't stop yawning and wiping her watering eyes, this time from sleepiness rather than tears. "Think you can get some sleep?'

"Yeah. I feel a lot better. Thanks, dad."

"Any time. That's what dads are for."

The next morning, Bella was surprised again by a soft knock on the door while she was home alone.

"Rosalie." she said. "Come in."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. Is this purely a social visit?" she asked, a little worried about what might have gone wrong o cause Rosalie to be the one to come see her.

"More or less." she said, sitting beside Bella on the couch. "I suppose that says a lot about my behavior that you are surprised by my coming by to check on you. And no, Edward didn't send me. I came on my own. I know what it's like to be away from my mate and wanted to see how you're holding up."

"I thought you would be happy to have some time to yourself."

"Emmett's a goof for sure but I love him. It's not easy to be away from your mate no matter how long you've been together. I miss him."

"I'm sure he misses you too."

"In his own way." she agreed. "I've been doing some thinking about you and Edward. You know I've always been against him changing you. Hell, I told him to just eat you and get it over with many times-"

"Thanks." Bella said sarcastically.

Rosalie giggled, knowing she was kidding. "For a long time, I wondered if I did the right thing by changing Emmett. He didn't have a choice either. I took his future from him. I remind myself that he was already dying and no human medicine could have saved him, at least not back then. That doesn't really help though. But then I also remember how happy he is in this life. He says he's never once regretted what he is. He sees it as an opportunity and is so happy to be with me. Me! of all people. You know, Bella, I don't think you will regret it either. You and Edward are so tightly bonded. It never occurred to me that any woman wouldn't want children as I did. As I still do. I was so caught up in what I wanted and traditions that I failed to see you as an individual, as a woman and not a child, for the longest time. Bella, I know I may have said it before but I need to say it again. Properly. I really am sorry for how I treated you in the past."

"Thank you. I know that I won't regret it. I love him. He's…"

"Everything?"

"Everything." Bella agreed.

"My everything turned out to be quite a goof. Teenage me would have been horrified at some of his off-color jokes and pranks. I love him more than anything though. I wouldn't trade him for all the rich bachelors in the world. Not for anyone."

"Edward told me that Carlisle tried to matchmake you and him."

"He tried. It was quite the failure though. I love my brother, just not like that. It was never like that, though I was angry for the longest time that he didn't fawn over me and find me as attractive as I felt like all men should. I'm too serious and brooding to pair well with someone of the same. I needed someone who was opposite me. Who could challenge me. And also, someone who can't read my mind constantly. You sure lucked out there to at least be able to control when he can hear your thoughts."

"For sure. I love that I can surprise him."

"You're one of a very few people who can. What do humans do for fun these days? I haven't kept up with the times well, I'm afraid. I usually zone out in school and think about anything but what the local children are up to."

"You don't hear them talking in class?"

"I daydream a lot. Jasper says it's a form of escapism. He also says it's perfectly normal and healthy as long as it doesn't interfere too much with my daily life. It's not like I'm really missing anything in high school. I've graduated medical school!"

"I like to daydream a lot too. Sometimes I have to go back and re-read entire chapters because my eyes have moved over the words without thinking."

Rosalie giggled. "Me too. Being a vampire allows you to focus on and comprehend multiple things at once yet sometimes it's still hard to focus if it's something you really don't care about. Like most human affairs."

"For fun…well, most people enjoy sports and video games. I like to read, cook, or bake, sometimes go for walks outside to sunbathe a little, though I don't get to do much of that in Forks. I used to draw but my mom made fun of me for it and I've been scared to try again. It's like every time I try, I hear her voice in my mind reminding me how bad at it I am or laughing when she couldn't figure something out. Edward bought me some sketchbooks and a guide at the bookstore. I haven't worked up the nerve to try them yet."

"I love to draw. So do Esme and Alice. Alice mostly draws fashion and dresses she wants designed. Esme likes architecture. I do flowers and landscapes mostly. I could show you a few tricks…if you'd like?"

"I would love that." Bella agreed, quickly going upstairs for the necessary supplies. "And thank you. I know I'm not your first choice of person to spend time with. It means a lot that you came to check on me."

"I'm a work in progress. I'm leaning a lot less towards asking him to eat you now." she smiled, showing all of her pearly white teeth in a way that was supposed to be teasingly scary but just made Bella laugh. "It's important to consider a few things when drawing. What's the perspective? Where is the light source coming from and how does that impact the shadows and shading? Start with light lines. You can easily darken the lines and shades but it's a lot harder and sometimes impossible to totally make them lighter or erase. What did you like to draw?"

"Doodles mostly. Sometimes cartoons or animals."

Rosalie outlined the shape of a giraffe and Bella smiled. "See how it isn't one steady line? It's a bunch of smaller, lighter strokes to get the shape. Then I'll add in the eyes and nose, keeping in mind which way he's facing. Then I'll draw in the details."

"What if it's a she giraffe?"

"Then I suppose I need to find some colored pencils to put makeup on her." she smiled and Bella smiled in return, doing her best to imitate Rosalie on another sheet of paper. "That's not bad!" Rosalie said, "Try again with a slightly lighter touch." "There you go!" she exclaimed a few minutes later.

"Wow. This is cool."

"You picked that up really fast."

"Have you ever drunk from a giraffe?"

"No. How on earth would we hide the body when done?" she laughed. "I make a point to stay away from anything endangered or super cute."

"Or super cute." Bella laughed. "I'm sure I'll be the same way. But I can't imagine my first hunt with Edward. No honey, that one is just too cute! We'll have to find another pair of mountain lions for dinner."

Rosalie laughed. "Remember, in the mated relationship, the prettier one holds all the power, no matter what gender."

"I'm no match for him."

"I'm going to tell him you called him pretty. He might see that as an insult to his masculinity." she smiled softly. Bella had never seen her smile so much. "He loves you more than anything. He'd do anything you ask of him. I never could have left Emmett like that even if I thought it was for his own protection. I'm ashamed to say he's so much stronger and more courageous than the rest of us. That's behind us now though. I know he won't be that foolish again. We won't let him. Just remember, you hold all the power here. Use it. Enjoy it."

"I will." Bella smiled, having a few ideas of things she might like to try talking Edward in to. She blushed as Rosalie looked at her.

"I don't need Jasper here with me to know that expression. Emmett and I could hardly be in the same house as anyone else for the first decade we were together, let alone the same room as you two are. I don't know how you both haven't gone mad yet resisting that particular temptation."

"I'm not really the one resisting."

"No, I'm sure you aren't. Even I have told him how outdated some of his morals are. I think he's coming around though."

"He is."

"Your drawing is great. I don't know what your mom was talking about. I'll be happy to show you some tips or give you honest critiques any time."

"Thank you. For everything."

"It was my pleasure." Rosalie said. "And now, I believe Alice wanted some help shopping for new décor for her bedroom. Are you sure I can't convince you to come help me spend some of Edward's money?"

"I think he's spent enough money on me this weekend." she said, gesturing to the books on the coffee table.

"That's nothing. He's worth a few million, you know." Bella grew pale, the talk of money making her uncomfortable. "I felt guilty at first when Edward and Carlisle bought me things. Especially after how I…died. I didn't feel worthy of their pity or their money. It took me many years to realize they did it out of love. Money means nothing to us. We can always make more, especially with little Alice around."

"I would enjoy a distraction from how much I miss Edward."

"Come on then. We'll leave Charlie a note with Esme's phone number so he can find us if he wants to. We don't have to buy you anything if you don't want us to."

"I would actually like a couple of small things for the cabin. Maybe I'm OK with it if it's for both me and Edward."

"That's the spirit." Rosalie smiled, scribbling a note for Charlie on her giraffe drawing in lovely, perfect cursive not dissimilar to Edward's while Bella ran upstairs to brush her hair.

"That's cute!" Bella said as her, Rosalie and Alice huddled around the computer screen. "It's not really Edward's style though."

"So?" Alice asked with a laugh, clicking add to cart. "Please let me pick you out some new clothes while we're at it! I love shopping for other people. Your wardrobe could use an update."

"Edward is going to kill us." Bella said.

"No, I've seen his reaction already. He's going to be really happy that you let him spend some of his money on you. Really. Happy." she emphasized, winking at Bella, who blushed.

"Fine. Although it's you I'm letting spend his money."

"But on you! I won't tell you the total!"

"Good. I don't want to know."

"Trust me, he doesn't care. Any money we spend I'll make right back on the stock market. And-" she emphasized. "This store donates thirty percent of every purchase to charity."

"In that case, go nuts." Bella said, smiling at how excited Alice got and picking a magazine to read through while she enthusiastically shopped. Rosalie noticed her admiring a particular updo in a section about hair styles.

"I could do that for you." she said, looking at the page.

"I wouldn't ask you to do all that work."

"Nonsense. It's not like my hands can get tired. We're all hanging out anyways."

"I'd like that."

"As a bonus, if you sleep in it, your hair will be extra wavy when you take it down." Bella smiled as Rosalie started to brush her hair. "My mother used to do my hair for me when I was little. It's one of my few human memories that really stands out."

"What were your parents like?"

"Wonderful. They loved me very much. I had everything I ever dreamed of, except for a family of my own, until that horrible night. My father in particular spoiled me. He loved to buy me new dresses and parade me for strolls around the block on his arm or in his car. Mom was proud that he was happy with a daughter and with her as well. They had everything they wanted. Carlisle told me they never stopped looking for me."

"I'm sorry about what happened to you."

"Me too. I especially feel bad for my parents. I wish it had never happened, however, I am grateful for Carlisle and Esme and even Edward, though he was a brat at first. I've found my place here and I am really happy. Jasper has been helping me a lot lately too. It isn't Carlisle's fault for what those men did to me. He gave me a life instead of leaving me for dead, even if it isn't exactly what I would have wanted for myself. Get that one in purple for me!" she added for Alice, watching the screen as she started pinning Bella's hair in sections.

"Alice?"

"Yes!" she squealed before Bella could even ask the question.

"Fill the rest of us in." Rosalie said with a laugh.

"Bella wants to do her wedding 1920s themed. Like the kind of wedding Edward might have had when he was human, but Cullen style. A little more modern, but the dresses, the cake, the decorations, all vintage. I love it!"

"Will he?" Bella asked.

"Bella." Rosalie snorted laughing. "He'd love it if you had a barnyard themed wedding just because he was marrying you."

"We can't have a barnyard theme."

"Why not?" Alice asked.

"You guys would eat the guests!"

"Contrary to popular belief, pig blood is disgusting. Cattle isn't much better." Rosalie said with a straight face.

"You tried?!" Bella asked, laughing now.

Rosalie shrugged. "All these books and movies made it seem like vampires just love drinking from the local cows all the time. Thought I'd give one a try. Not worth it. I will not do that again."

"Vintage is fine, Alice. No animals."

"What about my husband?" Rosalie asked.

"OK, one animal. Emmett." Bella agreed.

"Vintage sounds lovely." Esme said, coming into the room with a snack for Bella. "They might be a little too modern compared to the twenties but I saved some of the decorations from mine and Carlisle's wedding. They're well preserved and rather timeless. Some silver candleholders and handmade lace tablecloths. It was a small ceremony. Myself, Carlisle and Edward."

"Who performed the ceremony?"

"A human minister. We used fake documents, of course, and told him that we didn't have any family. It was a quick service. It meant the world to us."

"I'm excited. I thought I would be a lot more nervous yet I'm not. I know I'm making the right choice." Bella said.

"Exactly how I felt." Esme agreed. "That's a lovely hairstyle. Perhaps you might consider something like that for your wedding."

Alice's hand froze on the scroll wheel of her mouse. "Great choice, Bella. It's going to look wonderful with your dress."

"We haven't looked at dresses."

"It doesn't matter. I've seen it. It's absolute. Once you see the dress, you will love it. You won't even have to try anything else on."

"Glad that was made easy for me." Bella said. "Has Edward seen?"

"No. I've been extremely careful to keep it from him. We can go shopping for a dress if you want. I would hate for you to miss that experience."

"You know I don't enjoy shopping. Picking my first choice sounds great, especially if you approve. I know it will look amazing."

Alice smiled as if she could have blushed at the compliment and grabbed a pencil and paper, quickly sketching the gown she had seen in a vision.

"It's lovely! But how do we know where to find it?"

"You will when the time is right. And if you don't, Esme and I can make it for you."

"Everyone here is so talented."

"It comes with practice, dear." Esme said. "When you have a few decades of almost nothing but free time, you'll pick up some talents and hobbies as well."

"I'm pretty sure her first decade is going to be nothing but sex." Rosalie said.

Bella blushed and looked at her feet but didn't deny it. "I don't think Edward is going to complain about that."

"Definitely not." Rosalie agreed as Alice laughed.

"Carlisle didn't." Esme said with a mischievous smile. Bella couldn't decide if it made her uncomfortable or if it was hilarious. She went with hilarious, laughing and blushing at Esme, who giggled and helped Alice with the shopping. Bella could get used to having a loving, if a little crazy, family like this. Her chest still ached with how much she missed Edward and yet, she was happy and loved. There was a longing but no panic. She was grateful to Rosalie for distracting her for a few hours before taking her home to her books and her bed.