Of all I had done in the years leading up to her, nothing had ever made me as nervous as waiting for her in her driveway. When I heard her say goodbye to her father, I stepped out of my car, wanting to be the best date she could ever have. I had never felt the need to prove myself to anyone, it came naturally with immortality and the subsequent beauty. With Bella Swan, it was so inconceivably different. It was new territory, uncharted violent waters that threatened to drown me if I wasn't careful.
That feeling changed when she stepped down from the porch and I could finally see her, the waters calmed and the sun appeared in a calming treaty of peace. She wore jeans and a slightly cropped sweater, her hair falling in those beautiful natural waves that I had previously hated her for having as they only made her that much more beautiful.
"You look really pretty, Rose." It was such a simple statement, so why did it make my stomach twist in such a viciously beautiful way?
I was speechless for a moment before I managed to say, "If I had to breathe, you would have taken that away." God, that sounds stupid. It apparently didn't, though, because a blush flooded her face and I heard her heart speed up a bit.
The drive to Port Angeles usually felt like it took forever, but just with her there, I wish it had been longer, if for no other reason than to spend more time in her presence. At one point, our hands brushed and she apologized - I could hear her criticize herself for it - and I made it a point to take her hand in mine.
"Do all of you usually drive this fast?" I slowed down, fearing it had scared her.
"Most of the time, I slowed down if it bothers you." I would do anything to please her at this point, not caring if it proved that I was helplessly in love with her.
"It doesn't," she assured me, and she smiled as I sped back up.
The restaurant was dimly lit, and the table I had reserved was in the back. I would answer any question she had, but I knew the implications if anybody else were to hear it. It was enough that she was hearing it.
"I'm genuinely surprised that none of you have ever gotten speeding tickets." Bella laughed as she sipped her Coke.
I thought about it for a moment, "Oh, no, Alice has gotten about five in each state but that's only because she's trying to beat Emmett's record."
"Which is?"
"Seven," I said, and she laughed again. I could smile for the rest of my eternal life at the sound alone. "Listen, I'm willing to tell you anything you want to know, screw whatever my brother has to say about it."
"Okay," she started, thinking about the possible questions, "why does Edward not want us together?"
"It's not that, it's the fact that you're human. Without structure, our world would fall apart, anarchy and fear would plague the human world. In order to keep us protected, there's a sort of government in Italy. The Volturi are my world's only real form of law and order. They only have three real 'laws': we can't create immortal children, we have to stay inconspicuous when it comes to feeding and changing others, and - this is where you come in - we can't tell humans our secret."
"Wow, okay, vampire government, cool. What are immortal children?"
"Once we're turned, we stop developing. For fully formed adults, it's usually never a problem, but children do not understand what they're feeling, and it's incredibly dangerous. They're beautiful, but violent and kill without remorse. The children are the opposite of inconspicuous, and they can kill entire cities because they don't understand what they're doing or why they've done it. The Volturi are forced to step in and stop the child," I explained to her, and my mind went back to Tanya, and how abruptly her coven leader was taken from her because of her inability to follow the Volturi's laws.
She looked worried, "Stop as in...kill?" I wondered if I had gone too far in my explanation, if this would scare her away.
"Yes, but Bella, these children are unteachable. It's awful from both sides, but worse, in my opinion, is subjecting them to the change. That was unbearable for all of my family, I can't imagine having done it as a child."
"So it's painful, then?" She was still here, still asking questions as if I wasn't telling her about most peoples' worst fears coming to life, living amongst the general population, virtually undetectable.
I had to laugh at her question, though. "To put it lightly. The venom flowing through human blood is the worst pain anyone could ever endure, and I couldn't ever subject you to it." Given the chance to do it again, though, I would for her.
"No, it sounds awful. If it came down to it, though, in a dire situation, would you stop it? Or would you let me, just to live forever with you?"
Looking into those deep brown eyes, I asked, "You would endure the worst pain imaginable? Just to stay with me?" I would do it for her, I already knew that.
"Yes. Between death and living by your side for eternity, I would choose you a thousand times. The pain, I could manage, but losing you? I'd have to die a million different deaths before I could ever manage that pain."
Before I could stop myself, I was kissing Bella Swan. The feeling soothed whatever remnants of pain I still had from the transformation, whatever fragments of my mortal soul were left had been mended and thrown away because they would never matter as much as she did.
"Do you think normal people declare eternal love on the first date?" I laughed at her question.
"Probably not, but we're not normal, so I think it's okay."
She sighed, "God, I hope so. I don't think I can stop from convincing myself that you're all I want."
I hoped she never would. All the years of pain from watching my family find their happy endings, while I stood alone in the void of loneliness had dissipated. She was my happy beginning, and the moments that followed would never matter as long as she was there. Bella could do anything she wanted and I would be there beside her, loving her and her the same.
