Author's Note: I try to not switch POV in this story too much, but some events really need Bella's perspective. We'll start with Edward. Drama warning, though I deliberately keep this story low stress/low angst for anxious readers like myself, I decided to keep a little bit of the book plots in it too. I promise to not leave you on a cliffhanger with this chapter, but it will be a slightly long one.
It was weekend before it seemed a day had passed. Alice knew I couldn't protest further to their Seattle trip since we had dealt with the newborn problem. Reluctantly, I kissed Bella and sent her on her way with my mother and sisters. It was something I would have to get used to for eternity if she truly wanted to be part of the family. We frequently split up for trips or long weekends hunting, though if I had my way, I would never let her out of my sight even when she was eventually no longer human.
There was no need to hunt so soon, no new books I wanted to read or shows that caught my interest to watch. Anxiety was my activity, constantly monitoring my phone for the slightest chirp indicating she might need me. After a few hours of pacing relentlessly through the house since last hearing from her, I gave up and raced my way to Seattle in the Volvo, needing to at least hear in the thoughts of others that she was safe, Alice be damned.
BPOV
Alice, Rosalie, and Esme were a lot of fun once I learned how to relax around them. They promised not to make me play dress up too much and to even take me to a new bookstore I hadn't seen before once we picked out the dress. Alice assured me that despite my reservations, we would find'the one' while we were out shopping.
What really put me at ease was Rosalie. She was so grateful that Edward hadn't died in his rush to Volterra, that she not only just tolerated me, but actually seemed to like me a little bit more each day. "So kid, want to hear some embarrassing stories about Edward to help us tease him with for the rest of eternity?"
"Always!" I answered enthusiastically, causing her to grin in a way that showed all of her front teeth.
"Rosalie! You might upset him doing that." Esme said.
"I'll tell him she charmed me with her cute human weaknesses." she said with a playful roll of her eyes.
"You've got me there. He would go for that." Esme answered with a small smile. "I guess it is best you get to know more about us, Bella. You're about to be stuck with us for a very long time."
"Not stuck. I love you guys." I blurted out, blushing when I realized what I had said. I meant every word of it, but I usually didn't come right out and say things like that to anyone but Edward, and even that had taken some time.
"We love you too, sweetie." Esme said. "Don't be embarrassed."
"How did you know I was embarrassed?"
"Your blush for one, but a mother always knows these things. Is there anything you'd like to ask the women of the family now that you have us alone?"
"Um, not really. Edward has been a lot more honest with me lately. He's been answering my questions instead of avoiding the subject."
"I've been telling him for years all he needed was a good bit of –"
"Rosalie! Don't you finish that sentence." Esme said sternly.
Alice giggled and turned up the music a little bit. "We're going to have so much fun!"
"Will you tell me more about Edward, Esme? What was he like when you first met him?"
"Incredibly shy. He was polite, especially with me and Carlisle, but he didn't talk about himself or his own interests much without a lot of coaxing. I met him when he was still a bit young in vampire terms, so I think he was still just nervous. However, I couldn't have asked for a better guide when I woke up. He was so patient with me. And always honest. If Carlisle ever tried to dance around something, Edward would just come right out and say it but then try to help me through it.
As much as I adored Carlisle, Edward understood my worries a lot more at first. I don't believe just due to the mind reading. We would spend hours sometimes just watching clouds or painting or something relaxing, no conversation needed.
He's always had a lot of self-doubt and low self-esteem. I've been so worried about him. We hoped that he would find a mate and settle down and be happy, but as decades passed, I started to wonder if he was changed too young. Then, you came along and made us all so thrilled.
I haven't really answered your question though, have I? He mostly kept to himself unless one of us needed him. He read books, studied languages, practiced the piano. He's always had such high standards for himself, often worrying way too much about bothering people or not being good enough. I'm so glad he has you."
"Me too." I said, thinking about how lonely he must have been these last eighty or so years feeling completely alone. He loved his family, but they didn't get him in the way he needed. Not like I did.
"He was really patient with me." Rosalie said. "When I woke up, surrounded by two strange men after what my last human memory was and having spent three days burning in the most excruciating pain, let's just say I was a little less than friendly. And I had newborn strength. I knew immediately that he didn't like me. I could see it in his eyes. Yet, he still read what I was thinking and talked to me, showing me that I could trust him whether I liked him or not. I know Carlisle hoped I would be Edward's mate, but it just was never like that. Over the years, I came to love him like my bratty little brother. I honestly didn't think I would ever be interested in men again until I found Emmett, but Edward and Carlisle both were easy to trust and be around once I understood they didn't intend to harm me."
"He hated me at first!" Alice said with a laugh.
"Well, you did march right up to the house and try to take over his bedroom while he was out hunting." Esme said.
"True, but I just saw that we would be close, and I was impatient to get started! Besides, he didn't need all that room to himself."
"Alice has had to learn the concept of personal space over the years." Rosalie said with a smile.
"Alice? Personal space? Never." I said.
"Hey now, I agreed not to make you try on too many things today. We just wanted to help you find your dress. I saw that you will find it today, although I haven't actually seen the dress itself yet. That part is really frustrating! I hate how my visions don't catch everything but especially the things I'm really interested in!"
"It's for the best. This way, Edward will be surprised too." Esme said.
"You mean to tell me that you know every time I so much as take my shirt off around Edward, but you haven't seen my wedding dress yet?" I joked, blushing as soon as I said it. I was being rather open on the ride to Seattle.
"Don't get her started talking about anything sexual." Rosalie warned. "She will never stop."
"You're the same way." Alice answered.
"I am, but I'm trying to be respectful of the embarrassed little human and her sensibilities."
"I'm really, genuinely surprised that you got him to do it before getting married." Rosalie said. "He's always stuck to these old values of his. I mean personally, I was telling him to just screw you or kill you and get it over with, preferably kill, from day one, no offense meant."
"None taken." I answered. "I know I was a threat to your family's safety."
"Never." Esme said.
"But as far as Edward was concerned, yes." Alice said. "You were. I kept telling him to just accept it and change you already! I knew we were going to be best friends!"
I smiled, she was always so peppy and happy. It was hard to not be happy around her as well, especially knowing that everyone was safe. This speeding car ride with Alice was the complete opposite of the way we raced through Volterra. "Didn't he promise you a Porsche?" I asked, half remembering a conversation from that night.
"Don't think I forgot about it either." she answered.
"And where on Earth will we park another car?" Esme asked.
"We can always expand the garage."
"Again?"
"Why not?"
"I suppose so. I have been wanting to paint it anyhow." Esme agreed.
I shook my head a little and looked out the window as scenery sped past us. My stomach growled. I was nervous to be parted from Edward for even a few hours and had only eaten a light breakfast.
"The first item on our agenda today is lunch for the human." Alice said, sounding very much like a tour guide. "Then, we're going to start with bridesmaid dresses, then a few decorations, favors-"
"I figured you would have ordered all of this online. Or had it imported from some faraway place I've never heard of."
"I still might, but I wanted to give you at least some input. It's your wedding, after all."
"What's this?" Rosalie joked. "Alice practicing restraint? I have never!"
"Don't get used to it." she answered.
My phone vibrated with a text. I miss you so much already.
I answered: I miss you too.
Are you alright?
I'm fine. They haven't tried to eat me for breakfast yet.
He apparently wasn't in a joking mood. Not funny.
I'll tell them to save me for dinner. I should at least be savored properly.
Please don't.
What are you doing?
Missing you.
That's it? Don't you have like a million hobbies? He didn't answer, so I texted him again to try to settle his fears. You know I would much rather be with you. It's just a dress. It really doesn't matter.
I can't wait to see you in it. Or out of it.
I'm looking forward to seeing you in a tux again. Or out of it.
I can show you what I look like out of one tonight if you'd like.
Thanks, now that's all I will be able to think about all day. I imagined his perfect naked form and how happy it made me that he not only he loved me, but that he wanted me in all of the same ways I wanted him. It was nice to no longer wonder if he would would share the same passionate feelings as me. The happy memories flooding through my mind reassured me that he wanted me very much and at a second's notice, always.
He sent back laughter and I smiled, looking back up at everyone and realizing I had been in my own little bubble for a few minutes. Again, I blushed. It was going to be a long day.
They let me get lunch with just Esme while Alice and Rosalie started looking at bridesmaid dresses. It was much less awkward having one vampire watch me eat instead of all three of them. I always worried about being too human and gross with even normal things, like eating food that they all insisted tasted like the equivalent of dirt.
"How's your lunch?"
"Delicious. Sorry the food court doesn't sell the type of things you're in to."
"It's quite alright. I think that would upset some people." she smiled.
"I'm sure it would."
"I haven't been here in a while. We usually just send for the things we want. Or let Alice do all of the shopping. That little one sure does love to spend money."
"You can say that again. What types of things do you like to shop for?"
"Home décor and gifts for my children mostly. I love art. I could lose myself for hours in a gallery imagining all of the thoughts and feelings behind the sculptures and paintings."
"Me too. It was always one of my favorite things to do in Phoenix, the galleries."
"Perhaps we can sneak away from all of the wedding shopping for a bit and pick out something new for Edward's room."
"I'd like that."
"I'm sure he would too." she said. I finished eating and we went for a walk to the other side of the complex, taking our time through a few galleries and finally settling on an abstract that reminded me of our meadow with its rich blues and purples, and Esme of a beach sunset. We knew he would love it.
We rejoined Alice and Rosalie, who hadn't found anything to their exact liking wedding wise, but both had already taken a load of bags to the car from their favorite boutiques. True to their promise, they took me into a few stores but only had me try on some shoes and a couple of dresses. I had learned my lesson to just not look at price tags when with them.
Rosalie took her turn sneaking me away from Alice and to the large bookstore to pursue something more to my interests. "Thanks, Rosalie."
"You're welcome. I know how mentally exhausting high fashion can be."
"A little. Mostly I just like the quiet better than the loud music in the other stores."
"I get that. Besides, I like a good romance novel or a mystery book sometimes myself."
"You all have such a big library at home. I'll never get through it."
"Trust me, you will. A lot of those books are boring medical journals and such, although the older ones are hilarious. We believed some wacky things before the modern scientific process. But soon, you will have all of the free time in the world to read. It helps when you don't need to sleep."
I nodded, unsure of what to say. It caught me off guard to hear her talking about my change without a hint of upset or sarcasm. She continued, "I see the look you're giving me. If I could take back my change and be human again, I would. And I wanted you to seriously consider that and just what you're giving up. But you aren't me. And Edward loves you so much. Anything you may be giving up, you're doing it to make my brother happy, and that's alright in my book."
"Thanks, that means a lot, although he doesn't want me to change either."
"He may say that, but he does. He can't wait until you're indestructible and don't need sleep." she said with a wink, perching herself on the arm of a chair while I blushed yet again and browsed nearby, trying to not be embarrassed. It was a difficult task. Just as difficult as removing the smile from my face to hear her approval. I didn't try to hide it.
Rosalie and I both picked out a few mystery novels to read and talk about, and I got a few classics that I hadn't read yet as well. She happily paid with Emmett's credit card. "It's his punishment." she said.
"For what?"
"I'm sure he'll get into something soon enough if he hasn't the second, we left this morning."
I laughed because she wasn't the least bit wrong. We both knew Emmett. I tried to not listen as the cashier said the total, but she was all smiles. "It's good to see you relaxing around us. A credit card isn't going to bite you, you know."
"I know. I just don't want anyone to think I'm interested in your money and not you."
"Bella, if you were interested in money, you would have tried to blackmail us a long time ago. Not that it would have worked, us having fangs and all. But still…"
We laughed and jokingly linked arms as we walked at a human pace to find Alice and Esme. Esme was browsing table linens in a kitchen supply store. Alice…well…. we didn't see her exactly, but a small mountain of bags in front of a bench definitely seemed like an Alice hiding spot. It was. We all took part in teasing her as we walked everything to the car. I was only allowed to carry a single bag in each hand, neither weighing more than a pound.
"Won't anyone think it's odd? A few women carrying like thirty bags."
"No." Rosalie said with a laugh.
"I mean your strength, not your shopping habits."
"Bella, dear," Alice said, "Remind me to reallllly take you shopping sometime."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes!" she insisted.
"What about your other hobbies? Perhaps instead of shopping you can show me how to like…crochet or something I don't know."
"Fashion is my passion." she said with a straight face, making all of us laugh. "We have just one more stop to make."
"We promised Edward we wouldn't go anywhere but the mall."
"I know, but the newborn situation is dealt with, and you're with three of us in the middle of the day. It's perfectly safe."
"I don't think he would-"
"He doesn't have to know. This is where you find the dress. I just know it!"
"We won't tell him if you don't tell him." Rosalie said.
"I hate lying to him."
"Don't lie, just don't mention it." Alice said.
"Can't we bring Bella back another day?" Esme asked.
"Why? The risk is dealt with. You heard Carlisle say that yourself. Besides, who is going to get through to her with the three of us here in broad, well, cloudy, daylight?"
"Fine, but I won't lie to him. If he asks me, I will tell him. Only because I trust your judgement." Esme agreed.
I tried to not think about it as Alice started the car again and drove us to a vintage clothing shop.
"I don't want us to risk seeing your dress." Alice said. "In my vision, I saw you grabbing the sleeve and smiling. You said it was perfect."
"Won't you have a vision of it once I buy it? Try it on? Surely, you can't hide it from Edward for very long. Besides, what if it needs altered or something?"
"They do alterations here and they can mail it to you without us ever having to touch the package."
"And your visions?"
"It's a risk, but I can't control them. I've been trying so hard to see it, but eventually I decided it was better to fully let you surprise him. We'll be in the car. We can hear you and smell you and even see you through the windows a little. It's perfectly safe. I'm at least going to do everything I can to stop him from seeing it."
Hesitantly, I accepted Alice's offer of her credit card, or Jasper's, or Edward's, it was impossible to tell them apart since they were all black and featureless, at least to me, though I was sure the vampires had some subtle difference they could see printed on them. I got out of the car and walked into the shop. The woman at the counter greeted me nicely and I easily found my way over to a display of wedding dresses. The styles on the mannequins were poufy and screamed nineteen eighties. The first few I saw on the rack were horribly dated and not in a pleasant way. A few were even yellowed.
I was just about to turn around and go back to the car empty handed when I caught a glimpse of a long, ornate lace sleeve. I carefully spread the sleeve out, admiring it against my arm before taking the dress off the rack. It was a crisp white silk, strapless, with matching white lace sewn over it to form long sleeves and just a hint of a neckline. It was clearly handmade and one of a kind. The tag said it was from 1921. It was perfect. I made sure to keep it bundled down low in my arms where they couldn't see through the window and took it to try on. Though it was a little long, otherwise it fit like it was made for me. I bought it without a second thought and arranged to have it altered and mailed to dad's house in Forks. Alice was squealing when I got back in the car.
"Did you see the dress?"
"No! We just saw you paying through the window. You got it, didn't you?"
"I did. It's –"
"No! Don't say another word. Let it be a complete surprise."
"I was going to say beautiful." I laughed, settling back into my seat.
"Oh no." Alice said quietly.
"What is it?" Esme asked.
"He's coming here."
"Who?"
"Edward. He's really angry."
"Why would he be coming here if this is our last stop before we head home? Don't tell me he suddenly sees the future." I said.
"No, I must have been so distracted that I didn't see his initial decision. He'll be here in two minutes."
"He promised not to follow us."
"I don't think he did. Or if so, only the last few minutes. Let's get out of here." she said, pulling out in a hurry.
"Won't he freak out more if we aren't here when he arrives?"
"He'll hear my thoughts and follow us home. Trust me, you don't want him to speak his mind in public right now."
"Just because we made one stop? You all said it was perfectly safe. And it was. Besides, I found the most gorgeous dress."
"I don't think it's that. Something's wrong. Try to call him, Bella."
"Why me?" I asked, afraid of his anger. There was usually only one thing that would set that off. A threat to my safety. My mind thought back to the James incident and how quickly things had escalated. I definitely didn't want to go there again.
"He'll listen to you. Please. You're the only one that can calm him down."
I hesitantly lifted my phone and called him. He answered on the first ring. "Tell Alice to get you home, NOW. Do not make any more stops. Don't drive one mile slower than that car can go."
Alice of course heard him and sped up. "What's wrong?!" I asked, now in full panic mode.
"Don't worry about it. Just get to our house and stay there. Emmett and Jasper are on their way here. I'm going to see that you get home safe and I'm coming right back."
"I can't not worry about it, Edward. Not when you're acting like this. What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about."
"Please don't leave me again." I said, suddenly feeling small and afraid regardless of who was in the car. Esme was beside me and put her arms around me, whispering "Never." in my ear.
"I'm not leaving you. I will never do that again. But I will eliminate any threats to your safety long before they get a chance to touch you, except thanks to my sister, they almost had that chance tonight!"
"Who is they, Edward?"
"Newborns. There are more of them. They are lurking in a warehouse right beside that little store you went in waiting for the sun to set so they can grab a few pedestrians."
"That's horrible!"
"They won't be killing anyone tonight. We'll see to that."
"Please be careful! Think about your own safety."
"I'm not my concern."
"No, but you're my concern. I don't want to live without you. Please."
Though I couldn't see him following behind us, I could practically picture him pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to clam himself down as he drove. He took a deep breath. "It's alright. I won't let them hurt you. Or me. I promise."
"You can't promise that. Why do you have to endanger yourself too?"
"Emmett and Jasper are on their way. Carlisle is going to ride up with me. We'll get them."
"Let me help." Rosalie insisted.
"NO!" he shouted, and I had to move the phone away from my ear. "Sorry, I forgot." he said more softly, probably reading what had happened in someone's thoughts. "I need you all to stay and protect Bella for me. One of us isn't enough. There's no one besides my family that I would rather trust her with."
"Not even yourself?"
"Eliminating any threat to you is my job tonight."
"Just bite me and get it over with and call the Volturi to deal with it." I insisted.
"After you just found your dress?"
"We can always get married later, in a year or two. Edward, please."
"I won't hurt Charlie and your friends with your sudden disappearance on top of already taking you away from them. You're going home safely tonight, at least to our house."
"If the newborns are in Seattle, how am I at any risk in Forks?"
"Because we don't know who is in charge of them just yet. They might just be a trap to try to lure us away from you. I'm not risking it."
"Who would think I'm worth all of that trouble? I can't smell that good."
"Victoria." Alice whispered.
"Have you seen anything?" Edward asked.
"No."
"I could really use some of your visions right now to see what she's up to!"
"I know! Me too! I'm sorry! But if I can't see her at all, I'm sure that means she's up to something."
"Just great! When I think things are finally going well this has to happen! Why is something always risking my entire universe?!" he asked, exasperated. Though I was anxious and terrified and although my heart was practically beating out of my chest, it was impossible not to feel my love for him spreading through my body to hear him talk about me in such a way.
No one answered him, but he didn't end the call as we drove the rest of the way home in near silence. Though I doubted the phone could pick up the sounds of my heartbeat or whatever it was that he liked to listen to, he seemed to draw calm from having me on the line with him.
The second Alice's car pulled into the driveway, he ended the call and sped off towards the hospital to pick up Carlisle, not even stopping to give me a goodnight kiss. Tears fell wildly from my eyes as Esme still held me. "It's alright. They will be safe." she promised.
"Am I really worth all of this? Why not just let me pretend to run away and change me."
"Do you really want to do that to your father?" she asked. I shook my head no. "Exactly. We can handle this. You are absolutely worth this and more. You are a member of this family. You are every bit as precious to us as Edward himself."
"Yeah, if not more." Rosalie said and I gave her a sad smile. "Though to be clear, I do actually agree with the human. We already voted. Why not just get it over with?"
"No, she is Edward's mate. This is their decision to make together. It can't be one sided." Esme said. "Why don't you go upstairs and get comfortable, and we'll carry everything in and come check on you?"
I nodded, slowly going inside, and climbing the stairs to Edward's room. The house felt so empty without him. I fidgeted with the phone for a minute before deciding to call him. I needed him. It's not like he couldn't talk while he was driving.
"Bella." he answered.
"I needed to hear your voice. I'm so scared."
"Me too." he said, though I could hear his rage hadn't dulled.
"Promise me you'll come home safe." I knew he couldn't be certain, but I just had to hear him say it. I needed him to keep talking to me.
"I promise. I will eliminate any threats to your safety and then I'll be home to protect you myself. I am never letting you out of my sight like that again."
"I found the dress. It's lovely." I said, hoping I could calm him down by changing the topic. He didn't respond. "Are you wearing your seatbelt?" I asked, thinking of a much earlier date and another time he had likely saved my life.
"Of course not. I'm picking up Carlisle from work now."
"Will you stay on the phone with me until you get there?"
"I need to call Emmett and Jasper and strategize."
"Oh…" I started crying again, not wanting to lose my link with him while I knew he was in danger. "I love you."
"As I love you. I'll be back before you wake up in the morning. I promise." he said, and then the line was dead.
Esme came upstairs a few minutes later and had me help her choose a spot to hang the new painting in, though I knew she was only trying to distract me.
"I wish we could help him somehow."
"Me too. I hate being here while they all fight. Rosalie is feeling rather anxious as well."
"Do you really think Victoria is behind all of this?"
"I only met her the one time. I really don't know what she's capable of. I wish I had a gift like the rest of the family so I could be more help in times like these."
"You can't have had many times like this before I came along."
"Not many, but a few." she said, sitting on the foot of the bed. I sat down beside her, knowing she was only trying to set an example so I would get comfortable. "Here." she said, standing up and sitting back down in a flash and handing me a t-shirt from Edward's laundry hamper. "I understand that even human mates are comforted by each other's smell."
"A little, yeah." I said, taking it from her and burying my face against my knees with it draped over them. It did help a little smelling his sweet scent. Esme always knew how to help.
"The last time something like this happened before we met you, where there was a fight, it was actually another small group of roaming nomads. They wouldn't stop hunting near our home, and we feared that it would raise Volturi suspicions. We considered moving, but Carlisle had just gotten settled at a job he really loved, and all the children were in an advanced magnet school that they were actually a little challenged by, at least at first, so we really didn't want to do that. Eventually, it came to a fight. You know, with Edward's mind reading, Alice's visions and Emmett's strength, they were no match for us. Thankfully, no lives were lost as they eventually decided to retreat to another country entirely, not wanting to be within a thousand miles of us." She smiled at the memory of how quickly they had run off. "But I do wish I had some superpower to help protect the family."
"Edward has often said that you're the glue that holds the family together."
"He's said it, a time or two, and I'm very happy with my life regardless, just saying though, wouldn't it be nice to see the future or disable your opponent without a bit of strain?"
"Honestly, not really. I think it would be too stressful seeing the future. And I certainly wouldn't want to hear what everyone was thinking. I guess super strength would be cool. I've always wanted like x-ray vision or something." I joked, it was impossible to not be calmed at least a little in Esme's presence, though all of my thoughts were with Edward and hoping that he was alright.
"I'm sure they're fine." Esme said, though I hadn't spoken any of my worries aloud. It wasn't necessary to. "Trust me, they will take care of each other. And Edward has both speed and mind reading on his side, he's always two steps ahead of everyone else."
"I hope so."
"I know so."
"Everything was going so well. We've been so happy. Why do things like this always have to happen to us?"
"I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that, but please don't ever doubt that you're worth it. True love is always worth fighting for. I've spent decades worried about Edward. You have made him so incredibly happy. I've never seen him so carefree and relaxed. He's smiled more this week than he probably had in years, just from having you around."
"I love him so much."
"We all do too." she wrapped an arm around me and sat with me as I silently cried into his shirt, unable to stop worrying about him.
EPOV
Killing was never something I wanted to do, but so help me God I was ready to slaughter every vampire within a few hundred-mile radius of Seattle and Forks that wasn't a member of my family to see that no one would ever risk Bella's safety again. My rational brain knew it wasn't the answer, but my rage was chanting at me to do it. Seeing red was no longer just a metaphor. There were no words to describe the anger, the fear, and the betrayal I felt towards the universe as Carlisle and I raced toward Seattle to take down the vampire making operation.
I had just gotten her back and finally learned to love her properly and now there was yet another threat to her existence. From now on, she wouldn't be leaving my sight. When I hunted, I was going to insist that she stay on the phone with me or spend the evening with the entire family at my house or something, anything to stop this madness and just let me keep her. She had to exist in this world with me, or my life wasn't worth living at all.
"Has Alice seen anything, Edward?"
"No, and I made her promise to call me the second she does. After this, I am never trusting her with anything again. I can't believe-!"
"You know she didn't mean any harm."
"No, but they were right there! She could have died Carlisle! All because Alice didn't listen. She promised!"
"She had no way of knowing-"
"No way of knowing! She can see the future! Of course, she could have known!"
"She saw that Bella's future was safe. You know that."
"But how quickly things can change!" I shouted. I could not be reasoned with. Not where Bella was concerned. His thoughts indicated that he hoped I would calm down, not just to protect Alice, but so my emotional state wouldn't cause me to blindly run in regardless of plan and get in over my head. "I will follow the plan. But no one that threatens Bella will live to see morning, whether it's a direct threat or not."
"I agree, son. We have to take care of the newborns. But if one of them should surrender-"
"No!"
"Yes. Don't lose your head about this. You know I don't like to take innocent life and though these people may be murderers, they didn't sign up for it. They may not know another way. We must try to save them."
"They won't listen."
"We won't know unless we try. And we must try. It's what separates us from total barbarianism."
"If Victoria is behind this-!"
"If Victoria is behind this, she dies. She's already proven herself to be a threat to our family and I will not allow that. Please trust me."
"You know I do." I agreed, though frustrated as I was, Carlisle had never steered us wrong. He would not allow any harm to come to Bella. And though I was angry with them, especially Alice, all of the women in the family would fight fiercely for her as well. I trusted them to protect her too.
We arrived in Seattle and met up with Emmett and Jasper quickly. There was indeed a very small group of newborns huddled together in an abandoned building, waiting to come out and terrorize the city. Many of them were just days old, having been changed or finished their change after our trip into the city earlier in the week. None of them surrendered, and none would listen to reason. All of them were quickly tore apart and we set the entire warehouse on fire once we were done disintegrating the bodies and scattering the ash just to be safe.
Though interrogation proved no good with vampires that young, several of them saw flashes of curly, red hair in their minds. We knew exactly who had created them. It was my worst fear come to life, or perhaps my second worse as the family reassured me that Bella was safe. Esme texted me such every ten minutes before I could even ask. She was a wonderful mother, though I held some disappointment in her for going along with Alice to deviate from our agreed upon plan.
"We've got to find her." I growled. Carlisle nodded. Jasper and Emmett agreed.
"Where do we start looking?" Jasper asked.
"She can't be far." Emmett said. "Someone has to keep an eye on this operation."
Our answer came to us in a rare stroke of luck. Her thoughts registered in my mind just a minute or two after the flames of the building reached their highest peak and firetrucks could be heard with sirens screeching in the distance. Who would dare! My newborns! My army! I hope they escaped. It's the only way to kill the bitch without them seeing me.
I ran towards the direction of her thoughts with the family on my heels, silently indicating which direction each of them should run in to trap her. She smelled us as we got close enough to almost grab her and averted course, but I pushed my feet as fast as they would go, tackling her to the ground. Emmett quickly piled on top of us, just a few seconds behind. I ripped off her head without questioning her. I knew her ability would allow her to escape if we didn't act swiftly. Jasper caught it and ran into the woods far away from the humans coming to put out the building fire. Emmett and I ran with the body and we set it aflame a few miles away. I could have wept with the weight of the last few hours finally catching up with me, weighing me down with how close I had come to losing my Bella forever. The fire should have been a release, but it was a reminder of how close we had come to my total destruction.
Esme texted me again that Bella was safe, though she was beside herself with worry and waiting up for me. I asked her to tell everyone that all was handled and watched the fire slowly burn, my fears not at all dulled.
BPOV
Esme promised me that Edward was alright and would be home soon, but it wasn't enough for me to relax. Every noise made me jump, fearing for his safety, needing him with me. They left me alone so I could try to sleep, but it was no use. I feared that even once the situation was dealt with, that he would retreat back into his fears, that he would leave, though everyone promised me they wouldn't go with him this time if he tried. I was trembling and crying into a pillow that I held in my arms, wishing it were him when I was suddenly embraced from behind, cold lips kissing my cheek.
I took a deep, calming breath and turned in his arms to face him. His eyes were black, not with hunger, but with anger. His face was a stone mask. My heart pounded in my chest, so terrified that I thought I might throw up.
"Please don't go." I said, realizing how small and desperate it sounded, but unable to think of anything else to say. "I'm sorry. I'll do everything you say, I promise. Just don't leave again."
He stared at me intensely, his expression never changing. "I'm not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. You know that."
"You're mad at me. I'm sorry. I trusted Alice, but it's really my fault. I shouldn't have gone with them."
"I'll deal with her later. But you promised. You don't have to obey me or do everything I ask of you. I would never expect that, except where your safety is concerned."
"We didn't know."
"I didn't know, or I never would have let you go."
He stared at me, his expression intense in an uncomfortable way. I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed him. At first, his lips were unyielding, and he didn't move, but when I put my hand on his face, he returned the kiss, a low growl sounding in his chest. I was glad that Esme had turned on the white noise machine and such to soundproof the room, hoping it would help me sleep but really keeping him all to myself. He was safe. He wasn't leaving. That was all that mattered.
Our kiss turned fiery and one of his hands roamed down my side, lifting the hem of his t-shirt that I wore and traveling up towards my breasts. He rubbed my nipples in his fingers, and I moaned quietly, glad I had decided not to wear a bra to bed. I scooted as close as I could get to him. His hand slid down to my panties, two fingers going inside of them to rub my clit, but only for a second or two before he stopped, leaving me pushing myself against him wanting more.
"You want me to touch you." he said, but it was more of a question.
"You know I do."
"I've just killed people." he said bluntly, coldly.
"You saved a lot of human lives, including mine."
"Does that make it the right thing to do?"
"You kept me safe." I insisted. Of course, I hated the idea of him taking lives, but if they hadn't, those newborns may have massacred the entire city. While I was alright with the idea of vampires, I shuddered thinking about what a small army could do to a city. It wasn't fair.
"For now. Every time you risk your safety, you are potentially taking away the most precious thing in the world to me. I need you to exist. You don't want me to go, I don't want you to go either. Before I make love to you, and I'm going to very, very thoroughly because I need to feel you more than anything right now, I also need you to understand why this is so important. I don't mean to control you and tell you where you can and can't go, but Bella, you have to exist. You have to understand what that feels like. The desperation I feel just for you to be in this world with me. The need to love you, whatever that means, in any context. I don't take what I did tonight lightly. I hope to never have to do that again. But please, you've got to promise me that you will do as I ask from now on. I'm going to go crazy if this keeps happening. I can't keep nearly losing you."
I promised and suddenly he was everywhere. His lips were pressed against mine, moving faster than I could keep up with. His hands were removing my clothing and then his. I was almost instantly wet, needing to feel him just as much as he needed me. Every touch re-assured me that he was safe. That we were safe. He wasn't going anywhere.
When his hands found my nipples again, I tangled my own hands in his hair, urging him to deepen our kiss. I ran my tongue over his lips, he pressed his erection against my thigh. I moaned. He growled.
He rubbed the head of his cock over my clit with one hand while the other still teased my nipples. I quietly whispered his name when his lips moved down my neck. When he looked in my eyes again, the cold mask was gone, replaced with intense desire. I couldn't get him inside of me fast enough.
"Please." I begged, my very soul calling out for him. He needed no further urging, pushing himself inside of me with ease, causing us both to cry out with relief as he thrusted slowly, but urgently.
"Bella." he whispered in my ear. "My everything. I never want to emerge from you. Soon, I will bite you, and I'm never going to have to share you again. I won't have to worry about your safety."
It was so good to hear him say it that I started to insist he bite me then though I knew he had his reasons not to. "I love you." I said instead.
"As I love you." he said, kissing my ear and gently sucking on my earlobe. I moaned as he thrusted in me just slightly deeper, every motion making me shiver with pleasure. He rolled us over, putting me on top but still holding me tight against him for a moment before he allowed me to take control of our motions. He felt so amazing inside of me from this angle, though he did from any angle. My thoughts hyper focused on him and what I was feeling. His expression softened as he watched my face, two of his fingers again finding my clit and rubbing it gently, almost lazily as I rode him.
I could feel the tension releasing from his body, not because he was near his climax, but because he was letting go of the anger that had been consuming him for the past few hours. He was again allowing himself to feel. He increased the pressure and speed on my clit, and I moaned, quickly crashing into my orgasm, and truly feeling that everything was alright. He came just a minute later, rolling us over again so that he was on top. His arms were trembling as he held his weight off of me, but not from the exercise, from relief.
"Fuck." he panted, not removing himself from inside of me. He kissed a slow path down my neck then back up to my ear. "You still have no idea the hold you have over me. How tightly you grip my heart in your hands. You have to know that I can't leave you. I can't and I won't."
"I know. I was just scared."
"I was terrified." he admitted. "It's hard to believe that you're really safe."
"I'm safe. I'm with you."
"I just can't let you out of my sight again."
"I'm sorry for putting you through that. I didn't mean to."
"I know. I'm being a dick."
"You're being protective."
"You're your own person." he said, pulling out of me. "They wouldn't have let anything happen to you. I'm being irrational."
"You were scared."
"I owe you an apology."
"No, you don't."
"I scared you."
"I was only afraid of something happening to you."
"Or me leaving."
"And that." I agreed.
"Haven't I told you a thousand times? I'll gladly tell you a thousand more. Or I'll show you every single second of every day we spend together. You shouldn't fear me."
"I only fear losing you."
"I guess we're one and the same there." he said. "I should apologize to everyone."
"In the morning." I agreed. "I need you right now. Please."
He nodded and kissed me again, immediately sending a jolt of desire down to my groin. Our relationship was about so much more than sex, but when I could feel him around me and inside of me as if he were a part of myself, nothing was wrong. There was no worry. I felt whole. We were whole.
Author's Note: This one really took me a while to write. This is mostly my chill story that I write for fun and escapism, but at a certain point, I decided that it would need to have a little bit of plot. I realize that a lot of my readers, like me, prefer low drama and tension, so I tried to respect that by resolving everything in this one chapter with the newborns and Victoria. I could have drug it out probably into several chapters, but it didn't feel right. This chapter came along because I had this idea of Edward being upset with Bella, but her eventually being able to calm his fears with physical touch. Plus, we love lemons or else you wouldn't still be reading this one! haha. I hope this wasn't too intense.
