Alice planned to take Bella wedding dress shopping in Seattle the upcoming weekend. She couldn't be dissuaded, even with a rogue newborn vampire known to be on the loose. She promised to keep her safe only letting her out of the car at the crowded shopping mall in broad daylight. They wouldn't even be stopping for gas and would get lunch at her favorite restaurant in the mall's food court. Rosalie and Esme both promised to go and help make sure my little danger magnet didn't wander into trouble.

I wasn't allowed to even follow them. Rosalie threatened to disable my cars if I tried. How they frustrated me! They knew it was foolish to take her out of my sight. I pleaded. I tried bribes and practically begged Alice to spend as much of my money as she wanted taking her for a custom-made dress in Europe or somewhere far away, at least safe from whatever was happening in Seattle, but she was unrelenting.

"I haven't seen the dress. But I did see her face when she finds the one. I will not be doing anything to change that. Here, see for yourself." she insisted, replaying a vision of my fiancée smiling and laughing in the middle of a bridal store. We could only see the faintest hint of white fabric draped across her hands. "My vision doesn't show the actual dress, but perhaps that's best. You can't snoop!"

"I don't want to snoop."

"Don't worry so much, Edward. Look, you are going to take her to your meadow again next weekend." she insisted, showing me a lovely vision of a topless Bella lounging in my arms as the stars sparkled above us. I should have been embarrassed or even upset that my sister saw my soon to be bride in the nude more often than me sometimes, but the vision was so lovely and serene. Her skin glowed. She wore a faint blush and a contended grin, admiring me and caressing my face leisurely as we relaxed.

"You're sure of it?"

"There is no other possibility for her next weekend." While her visions were normally knotted, or at least split into a few choices, there was no doubt or question at all in this one. It did reassure me enough to relent permission, though I was still a nervous wreck.

"Why don't we go see if we can find this newborn?" Carlisle asked, walking down the stairs. "Maybe we can teach them there's another way to live."

"And you think they would listen?"

"Likely not, but we can give them the chance. If not, well, as much as I hate to…" his words trailed off, but not his thoughts. He hated the idea of taking innocent life, but he would do it to protect his family, Bella, and innocent humans if it were truly being a menace and making no efforts to conceal itself and keep our secret.

"I'll go too." Emmett added from upstairs.

"Me too." said Jasper.

"Then it's settled." Carlisle agreed, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll take care of it. There won't be any risk to her bridal shopping."

"What if we can't find them?" I asked.

"Shouldn't be too hard based on the way they've been making the news. Animal. Ha!" Emmett said.

"When can we go?"

"Tonight." Carlisle said. The others quickly agreed. He saw no reason to put it off.

"I won't be there when she goes to sleep in an hour two. Or at school tomorrow."

"No, but you can work towards keeping her safe." he said, knowing it would convince me.

"I don't want to leave her alone, just in case."

"I'll go sit with her." Alice said. "In fact, I can go over there right now. I'm sure Charlie won't mind if I have a sleepover. I'll tell him I needed a friend to talk to about boys. He won't question it."

"Does he ever question you?"

"No. Usually just you." she laughed.

"Tell Bella-"

"That you love her. That she is your sun and moon. The entire universe. You miss her and you can't wait to see her again. You'll be careful. In fact, even better if I lie about your whereabouts, except you know she won't go for that. That you're sorry you can't be there to tuck her in. To think about how many books, she wants to buy with your credit card this weekend as something to look forward to her shopping trip. That cover it?"

"And then some." I agreed, rolling my eyes at her.

"Should I give her a goodnight kiss?"

"Please don't." I insisted, horrified at the thought of anyone else kissing Bella, even my teasing sister.

"Most men are into that you know." she said with a wink in Jasper's direction that I really didn't want to think about.

"I'm not. She's mine."

"You can share."

"Alice!"

"You're no fun." she said with a laugh. "Good thing I was only kidding. I'll take care of her. I'll keep an eye on you all as well and text you if I see any leads."

"See that she eats, especially breakfast. She'll try to skip it but shouldn't. She needs eight hours rest so don't keep her up all night. Make sure she doesn't forget her bookbag, but if she does, I keep extra pens and things in my locker for her. The combination is-"

"Edward, it's fine. I've got this. I can handle one human. Your locker combination is probably something sentimental like the day you met."

I grinned and ran a hand through my hair. She caught me. "You know me better than anyone else."

"It's my job as your sister. Now go. Find this newborn. Besides, it's not like you haven't kept her up all night before." she smirked.

Emmett laughed loudly at her innuendo, clapped me on the back and headed out to the Jeep. I sent Bella a quick text to let her know that I loved her, and Alice was on her way so she wouldn't worry too much, or at least I hoped. Then, I settled my thoughts on our mission. Finding and eliminating this newborn threat. Sure, Carlisle wanted to try to offer him our way of live, to save him, but if I heard one doubt or ill will in his thoughts, I would destroy him.

"I've looked at the newspaper reports and lined them up with Alice's visions, though she really hasn't seen much at all since this guy is a total stranger. I'm pretty sure he's hiding out in the north part of the city." Jasper said once we were all settled in the vehicle.

"I've never dealt with a newborn before." Emmett said.

"Would you believe I actually forgot that? I suppose you are the newest member of the family."

"Yeah. What are they like?"

"Vicious. Unpredictable. Wild. Bloodthirsty, much more so than you can imagine." Jasper said.

"I wasn't that bad as a newborn."

"Yes, you were." I corrected. "You did follow Rosalie around like a lost puppy, and you did everything she asked which helped somewhat, but remember how many humans you drank in the beginning decade or two? And how many trees you snapped? Don't even get me started on how many of Esme's-"

"Alright! Point taken." he said, reflecting on what he was like back then, especially the first few months. Jasper remembered many battles fought and unfortunate lives he had to end. Carlisle tried to remain hopeful, focusing on the potential positive outcomes, though we all knew they were unlikely.

My phone vibrated with a text. Please be careful.

I will. I sent back immediately so she wouldn't worry.

I love you.

Words aren't enough to express how much I love you.

When will you be home?

As soon as I can.

Alice won't stop talking about brassieres. Please help me. I laughed out loud at that one, earning funny looks from the rest of the family. "Alice is tormenting her."

"Ah." Carlisle said. No one needed further details to know exactly what that meant.

Such a fancy word for a tomboy. I teased.

She's saying all kinds of fancy words. That's the only one I think I could even attempt to spell.

All lingerie talk, huh? I'm sad to be missing it.

Pervert. she shot back.

Only for you. I responded. Always. Only you.

She said you forbade her from giving me a goodnight kiss.

Should I have not?

Thank you. she said and I smiled, knowing that she was getting ready to relax into bed for the evening. I cherished every second with her, even the simple texts. A few minutes later, my phone lit up again with a picture of her sound asleep. I thanked Alice and again paid attention to the strategizing going on in the car.

"You sure he's acting alone?" Emmett asked.

"No." Jasper answered.

"Maybe we should just let him be."

"And risk the Volturi's attention?!" I interjected. "No way. We can't have them snooping around here until after Bella's change. I won't risk her safety like that."

"Why can't we just change her now?"

"Because I'm already taking away her life, her family, her ability to go out in the sunlight as she pleases, go to college, have children, just let me let her have this one thing. Her graduation and time with her family before the change." I didn't want to think about all of the things I was taking away from her, not when I was mostly at peace with my decision to agree to change her, but they had to at least be mentioned. I still felt some regret at the things she could never have because she chose me.

His thoughts were immediately apologetic. "Of course, she's worth it bro. Just thought it would be simpler."

"It would, but her disappearance would be too hard to explain. And I do want to marry her first. It's only a few more months."

"Feels like an eternity." Jasper said.

"You have no idea." I agreed, though I knew he could feel it in my emotions. The excitement, the anxiety, the nervousness, the love.

"Why so excited for the wedding? It's not like you're waiting to uh – consummate it."

"No, but she's going to be mine. Totally, completely mine in every sense, but especially in the normal, human way. It's tradition. One I never thought I would get to take part in."

Jasper and Emmett thought back to finding their mates and how grateful they felt to know that it was one normal, human thing they wouldn't miss out on. They understood. Carlisle was focusing on his happiness for me, and for Bella. He had been lonely in the three hundred years or so before he met Esme, but threw himself into his work, trying to focus on doing good for humanity. Esme was a pleasant, well-timed surprise that changed his entire life. He knew how lonely I had been the last decades, how I could never be happy and content believing I was cursed. How completely she changed that for me.

We arrived in Seattle quickly with how fast we preferred to drive and immediately decided to split into teams of two to cover more ground.

"Now remember," Jasper started "Newborns are stronger than us. They're faster. But they're dumb. The only thoughts they have will be escape, and blood. They will always try to go for the obvious kill, so we have an advantage. If you find him, call or text the rest of us your location before engaging."

We all agreed and set about our ways on foot, me with Carlisle and my brothers together. I tried to scan the thoughts of anyone nearby, in particular listening for murderous instincts or thirst for blood. There were thousands of people and we only had until daylight to find the rogue vampire, making each minute spent looking more precious. Carlisle didn't speak, knowing that I was focusing as we walked street after street.

Just as we were starting to give up hope, I found him.

"Got him." I said as I heard thoughts that sounded much like my own as a newborn. I don't want to kill again, but so thirsty. Maybe I can find a criminal or at least somebody old, who has lived a full life. Throat burns. Must feed.

I ran towards the building I recognized from his thoughts with Carlisle on my heels. The newborn was off running as well, scouring for suitable prey. He was fast and even I struggled to catch up with him, but eventually, I did, with my father just a minute or two behind me.

He was older, perhaps in his fifties. He had jet black hair and bright red eyes. His expression was terrified, yet grim. He wasn't sure what to make of the appearance of two obvious immortals in front of him with odd golden eyes. He decided not to question our eye color for now, more concerned with his own safety and escape.

"There is another way of life." Carlisle started. "I know you are afraid. You don't have to kill humans to survive. We haven't killed a human in several decades." Or ever I thought.

But I like to kill humans. he thought. Just because I don't want to doesn't mean I don't like it. He remembered the way the blood felt gushing down his throat, the warmth, the fulfillment. He considered the pleasure of the hunt and selecting his prey. Sure, he felt guilty afterwards, but mid-meal, he wouldn't trade it for the world. "Who are you?" he asked, more concerned with survival than anything my father had to say.

"He's too far gone, Carlisle." I said.

"Who made you?" Carlisle asked instead.

"I don't know."

"You don't know your creator?"

"No." I could see a man in his thoughts, but he truly had no idea of his name or where he had come from, only that he had been turned and set free. "Who are you?" he repeated.

"It's not important." I answered. "I'm sorry." I said, running up to him, leaping into position behind him and snapping his neck before he realized what was happening. We burned the body in a nearby burn barrel, made sure we didn't leave a trace behind once my brothers arrived with us, and walked back to the car. "I'm sorry, Carlisle."

"Don't be. You said he was too far gone, and I believe you. Our lives take a lot of dedication to preserving human life. He didn't even know his creator. Perhaps its better this way. His soul can rest."

His soul. I wasn't prepared to think about that too much just yet. I had taken yet another life and hated doing so, but it was only to protect her. I would kill even myself to protect her, though I realized now that would never be an acceptable option to her no matter the stakes.

"Did you see anything about his creator?"

"Not really. He turned him and then left him. Kind of an odd thing to do."

"Yes. We'll have to keep our eyes on the news in this area in case he does that again. Hopefully just someone upset and acting out because they were changed. We've seen that before."

"Well since we're here…" Emmett started. "I've been itching to go higher up in the mountains after a real challenge. What do we say to a hunt?"

Though I was anxious to get home to Bella, I didn't want to be rude, and was grateful for their help. "Alright."

Carlisle and Jasper agreed enthusiastically, and we changed course, driving to where we could park the car out of sight and run high up in the mountains after the more vicious type of prey that had likely never even seen a human or vampire before. The prey that was truly wild and ready to fight, at least Emmett hoped so.

Alice texted me re-assuring me that my beloved was safely asleep in her bed. We had only been away for a few hours, though it sounded like my brothers intended to miss school the next day instead enjoying a long hunt. She's going to spend a few hours with me and Rosalie after school in our garden. You will see her then. She will be grateful to you for pulling her away from our tea party and all of the bridal magazines, but she'll have a good time with us too.

What would I ever do without our family seer? I was grateful to her for setting my fears at rest, but also for loving my mate dearly and even trying to see that she had a good relationship with Rosalie. I allowed myself to rest, pushing fears aside to enjoy the evening with my family.


The next afternoon, we returned to Forks to find the women as promised. Esme was out running errands, but Bella, Alice and Rosalie were sitting on a low table in the garden that was covered in bridal and fashion magazines. There was tea for the human and a small tray of assorted pastries and snacks. I noted that her hair had been braided in Rosalie's usual style. It made me happy that they were spending time together. I loved them both dearly, but in completely different ways.

I quickly ran upstairs for a shower before she noticed me not wanting to smell like wild animal when she saw me again. I didn't bother to comb my hair knowing how much she loved the mess and dressed simply in soft clothing she could snuggle against.

She smiled the second she saw me leaning against the doorframe of the house admiring her as she pouted and scrunched up her nose at things Alice was insisting on showing her in the magazines.

"Edward!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running towards me. I met her halfway, my whole body relaxing with relief when I held her in my arms again and smelled her delicious scent.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Save me from Alice."

"Alright." I laughed, as did Alice seeing her vision from the night before playing out. "What about Rosalie?"

"She isn't shoving magazines in my face and trying to convince me to cut my hair."

"I'm just saying that she would look cute with a-"

"No." I insisted. "She's perfect the way she is." I put an arm around my beloved and led her upstairs. She quietly thanked my sisters for spending the afternoon with her as we walked inside.

"I'm so happy to see you."

"Maybe I should go away for the evening more often."

"Please don't."

"That bad?"

"Alice was sweet. But I don't like being without you even for a few hours. It makes me anxious."

"Me too, but everything is alright now."

"You had to kill him." she stated, not really a question.

"He was too far gone."

"I hate that you had to take another life because of me."

"It isn't your fault." I said, closing the door to my room and leading her to sit with me on the bed. "He was taking innocent lives and doing so in a way that would have attracted attention to our entire family if we had let it go on. I don't like killing but it had to be done."

"I guess so." she said sadly.

"It kept humans like you, and especially you, safe. It's worth it."

She nodded and put one of her soft hands on the side of my face pulling me closer to her for a kiss through which we shared our sorrow at being parted for even a time and our joy at being reunited. I couldn't wait for an eternity with her by my side. For a time when she wouldn't be so fragile and breakable, though I would miss her softness.

The few hours we had before I had to return her home to her father for the evening passed too quickly, though I would go through her window for the evening just an hour or two later. It seemed that we got closer by the day, though each day I thought getting any closer to her was impossible. We completed each other and made the other happy just by existing. Though it still didn't make sense to me how I was ever enough for her, how I could deserve her, she made it clear she believed that I did. She wasn't the only one counting down the days until summer.


Author's Note: My options here for what I have planned was to go ahead and put out this kind of short chapter or wait a few days to a week for a much longer one. I decided that I've kept you all waiting long enough. Home gets an update by Tuesday and then I'll work on the next one for this one. Hope you enjoyed!