Forwarded To My Future

by Foenix2phorks

Complete. Bella is resigned to living a boring and unfulfilling life until she's old enough to graduate. But that was before fate stepped in. Looking up from her lunch tray, she sees four perfectly sculpted, pale faces - plus a bronze-haired, green eyed boy known for his gentility. He's not like the other boys in Forks. Can he help make her life a little more interesting? AU.

34. Forever Came Today

A/N- I uploaded this chapter on November 1, but unfortunately Fanfic dot Net was having major tech issues and sent almost everyone a dead link. I tried again on Nov 2 with the same results (GAHHH!). I'm sorry if you received multiple alerts with no way to access chapter 34. Hopefully, it will work correctly now.

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Chapter 34- Forever Came Today

December 26, 2009- Alaska

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"He's a friggin' mind reader, babe."

Emmett's revelation still rings in my ears. Edward - my loving husband - can read minds. To say the news has startled me is putting it mildly. Of course I was aware some vampires have special talents... but telepathy? The ability for him to see every thought and fantasy my overactive imagination might cook up? I've had nightmares of showing up to family reunions wearing only a thong that sound less frightening.

Taking a deep and calming breath, I try to tone down the panic in my eyes before Edward notices. Then I remind myself that he probably already knows I'm freaking out on the inside. There will be no more secrets or privacy between the two of us from now on.

"Is that true?" I croak at him, sounding a whole hell of a lot like a frog with a nasty head cold.

Edward sighs and stares back at me, almost wearily. "I'm afraid so."

I swallow hard as I maintain eye contact with him. "So you've been, umm...hearing everything I've been thinking this whole time?" I overly stress. I'm very concerned what his answer will be. But maybe I'll get lucky, I tell myself. It's entirely possible he wasn't paying attention during the more embarrassing parts of my earlier internal monologue. Maybe he didn't notice how much my thoughts resembled that of a sex-starved maniac. And I'm sure tomorrow the leaders of every country on Earth will declare an end to all forms of war, Elvis will come out of hiding and admit he was only faking being dead this whole time, the Loch Ness monster will begin posing for daily photographs, and...who am I kidding? I'm screwed.

Edward's brow creases in the middle, his face forming more of a puzzled expression than before. "Actually, no I haven't," he confesses.

Standing several feet away, Carlisle stares at Edward for a long moment before speaking up. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I haven't heard one peep from Bella's mind. Not even one picture, Carlisle." Edward rakes a hand through his hair, his fingers scraping all the way down to his scalp. "It doesn't make sense. I can see and hear everyone else it seems. So why not her?"

"I believe I have a theory," someone announces from across the room. The voice is kind and gentle, possessing a slight foreign accent. Eleazar, wearing a small yet charming smile, leaves the spot next to his mate. He walks at a human pace and comes to a stop right beside the bed I'm sitting on. Golden eyes peer down at me. "Tell me, my dear. You know of the Volturi, do you not?"

I recall Alice mentioning the group here and there over the years, so I slowly nod my head. "Well, yeah. They're the enforcers of vampire laws."

Eleazar's smile widens a little more. "Exactly. Did you know that I once worked for them?" I give a silent head shake. "Yes. It was long ago," he reminisces. "You see, the Volturi are constantly in search of talented vampires to add to their ranks. Only the best are invited. I was recruited to the organization for only one reason - I detect the hidden skills of both humans and vampires. To use a common term to make it easier to understand, they used me as their talent scout. I get a...hint of what someone's talent consists of and I would then report my findings back to the Volturi... Are you with me so far?"

"I think so."

"Good. As you can see, I no longer work for them. Carmen and I have lived with Tanya and her sisters for many years now, so my talent is no longer of much value. However, today I find it quite useful for a change. I detected very interesting skills within you both, but I wasn't aware of how strong they would be. Your husband's talent is in the telepathic field as you may have guessed. Most telepaths with mind reading abilities are limited in what they can do. Usually they hear only one person at a time, or they need to physically touch their intended target. But your Edward's talent appears much more powerful than your average telepathist. He can hear many minds all at once, without touching or even concentrating. It's extraordinary. I'm curious to see how far his abilities extend. Now, as for you - your talent is the opposite of Edward's. You are a shield, my dear."

My face screws up. "A shield?" I echo back. What kind of a talent is that supposed to be? It's just my luck I'd end up with one that sounds like a feminine hygiene product you only wear on "light days".

Eleazar chuckles with shining eyes. "Yes. A shield," he replies. "Your talent blocks Edward's ability to read your mind. I wasn't sure of how effective it would be after hearing how strong your husband's skill was, but now I can see that yours is just as powerful in its own way. My only question is, what else can your shielding protect you from? I'm anxious to test both of your abilities very soon."

This information perks up my interest. My ability blocks Edward from snooping into my brain. Maybe being a shield isn't as useless as I first assumed...

I glance over at Edward and decide to put Eleazar's theory to the test. I scavenge up a memory that would definitely catch Edward's attention - the time the two of us almost got caught messing around in the reference section of the Cornell campus library. In our defense, we had been working very hard on our Human Anatomy curriculum before we got sidetracked into studying our own anatomies. There were hot lips, roaming hands, an unoccupied corner, and two people who forgot you're supposed to be quiet in a library. Thank goodness the librarian's approaching footsteps sounded like a whole herd of elephants, thereby giving us plenty of time to escape.

I monitor Edward's reaction closely, searching for signs of recognition or amusement. All he does is frown, his lips almost in a pout. My own mouth curves up slightly in response.

Edward doesn't have a clue about what I'm thinking!

As I'm quietly celebrating, Carlisle's hand falls onto the shoulder of Eleazar. His normally friendly expression has grown serious. "While this was very interesting, Bella and Edward need to feed. I'm sure their throats must be uncomfortable by now."

"Oh, yes, of course." Eleazar bows politely in our direction. "We can continue this some other time then," he says before gliding back to Carmen's side.

Moments later, Carlisle stands stock still and scans each face in the room. "We need volunteers to accompany these two on their first hunt," he begins. Soon, he zeros in exclusively on the group bunched together in the corner - his "children". One fair eyebrow arches high on his forehead. "Four volunteers to be exact," he emphasizes not so subtly.

Emmett makes a show of rolling his eyes. "Gee, Carlisle. You're not asking for my help are you?"

Alice sucks in a giddy breath. "Come on, Emmett. This will be fun!" she chirps. Without consulting Jasper first, she grabs her mate by the elbow and directs him to the center of the room. "The whole Cullen clan can finally hunt together. This is a pivotal moment, so don't ruin it," she instructs Emmett.

Rosalie steps forward as well, but her face holds no joy. "I guess that means I'm expected to go too. Yay," she deadpans, using a voice flatter than an ironing board.

Ignoring Rosalie's lack of enthusiasm, Alice moves her head to silently encourage me to join the growing hunting party. I decide to do just that. One moment I'm sitting in an upright position on the mattress. Half of a nanosecond later, I've whipped off the white sheet draped over my legs and I'm standing beside the bed. My head tilts down at myself in my amazement.

Wow...

I'm fast now. Mind-bogglingly fast. But I quickly become too distracted by something else to pay my super speed much mind.

I walk over to a full-length mirror hanging nearby and study my new form. The face staring back is stunning. Whatever halfway decent good looks I may have possessed as a human has been doubled. The very first thing I notice are my ruby eyes. They're simultaneously terrifying and beautiful, exactly how a deadly snake's slitted orbs appear right before the creature strikes. The fair skin I've hated since birth has paled to a pearl-white that's borderline unbelievable. Yet, my new complexion suits me, giving my face an inner-glow that lessens the negative effect of my newborn eyes. And, with no cosmetic help required, my eyelashes have become longer, darker, and lusher. They frame my red eyes in a way that brings out a sultry beauty within me, one I never before guessed I could successfully pull off.

But some things remain the same about me. The general shape of my face is no different than it was a few weeks ago. Yes, my cheekbones are a little sharper, but they are positioned exactly as they were when I was human. Surprisingly, my bottom lip is still plumper than the top - a trait I thought for sure I would have lost.

That's definitely me in the mirror, only more perfect - more beautiful - than ever before.

I glance down and notice the shape of my body has undergone some changes, too. My slim figure developed more rounded curves since the last time I saw it. Now I look like a grown woman instead of a cartoon stick figure - a welcome improvement if you ask me. Additionally, my bra size went up by at least one cup. I know this is so because somehow I've ended up wearing a slinky, light blue dress that has my breasts pushed up on display, making me feel like a Victoria's Secret mannequin in a store window. The dress is smooth underneath my fingertips, the fabric clinging to my figure like a glove all the way down to mid-thigh. No doubt it's a beautiful outfit, but its not something you'd catch me wearing on a normal day - or even a special occasion for that matter. It's too fancy and revealing for my taste. This leads me to wonder how I got into this thing in the first place. There's no way I would have been walking around in this get-up when I was hit by that car.

At least, I don't think so...

"Umm. Why am I dressed for a cocktail party?" I ask no one in particular.

Utilizing the manic energy she has stored away for occasions exactly like this, Alice claps her hands wildly together. "Isn't it great? That color looks fabulous on you."

"I like the shoes. Who designed them?" the normally reserved Irina asks.

Alice holds her head a little higher. "It's my design. The shoes and the dress."

Shoes?

I stare down at my feet and freeze. Dainty straps wrap around my ankles and "secure" the shoes to my feet. And the heels are extra long and not thick at all - similar to the nails often used in the construction of houses.

There's a name for this type of shoe.

Stilettos.

Alice put me in stilettos!

I can't believe this. I can only handle footwear you'd trust a toddler to wear - safe ones, like sneakers and sandals. Hell, even flip-flops are too risky for a clumsy oaf like me. High heels are downright lethal. I guess while I was in the throes of a coma and suffering through days of burning anguish, the person I thought was my best friend decided to use the opportunity to her advantage by dressing me up like Night Clubbing Barbie. I don't understand her sometimes. Did she not have access to a toy doll when she was a child and she's now determined to spend the rest of eternity trying to make up for it? But no matter the reason, she should know by now that bad things always happen when I'm forced into high heels. It's a fact of my life. Yet she still expects me to hunt, kill, and feed from wild forest animals tonight while hobbling around on these ridiculous things? Is she crazy?

Hold on, I already know the answer to that last question.

"Ooo..." Kate gushes, unaware of my mounting outrage. "Maybe you can help me design a dress too. I just love that one," she informs Alice as she points to mine.

Still smiling like a loon, Alice nods in agreement. "Sure! That sounds great! We can start tonight if you want."

A growl percolates in the back of my throat. I give Alice a death glare. "How could you?" I snap. My hands wave down at my feet. "I can't go out like this! I'll fall."

Alice prances up to my side and joins me in staring at my reflection. "No you won't. Haven't you noticed how graceful you are now? Vampires never fall unless we want to."

I give her an incredulous side-eye. If anyone can prove that theory wrong, it's me and my klutzy feet...

Someone in the room releases a gruff sigh. "Come on people," Rosalie groans. "We can play dress up later. Let's get this hunt over with."

Alice sticks her tongue out at her. "Bella needs to see how beautiful she is now, Rose," she admonishes. "Out of everyone here, I thought you would understand since you spend 50% of your day looking in the mirror."

Edward's face falls into a scowl. "And she spends the other 50% defiling kitchen tables with Emmett," he grumbles to himself.

The members of the Denali coven, Carlisle, and Esme remain where they are while the rest of us leave for the hunt. We travel at a leisurely pace through the large house, allowing me the time to admire its rustic beauty. The structure itself is built from giant logs while the stone fireplaces emit a peaceful, warm glow. The floors are made from planks of hard wood buffed to a mirror-like shine, a beautiful if not dangerous choice of flooring in my humble opinion. It's the equivalent of asking your guests to walk around on a giant banana peel. You just know someone will slip and fall on their butt sooner or later. Yet, as I take care to walk across its polished surface, it slowly dawns upon me that Alice was right about one thing today - I can get around fine now without falling flat on my face. Each step I take is strong and confident, as though deep down I've always had the ability to move gracefully but couldn't access it until now. If I was a human being walking through this house, I would have inevitability ended up looking as awkward as a newborn giraffe trying to cross a wet Slip 'N Slide. Luckily for me, there is no such thing as a clumsy vampire.

Wearing a tender smile, Edward takes my hand and leads me through the front door to the outside world. I look all around and discover that during the many weeks I was unconscious, winter arrived and set down its roots. Layers of thick snow crunches underneath our feet and blankets every tree in sight. Snowflakes sprinkle down from the heavens and dusts our heads. Long icicles hang from the rooftop, glistening like an animal's barred teeth in the star-filled darkness. And in the near distance, a chain of white-capped mountains rise thousands of feet above the earth. It's like we've been painted into a Bob Ross landscape.

Although the winter wonderland surrounding us is beyond beautiful, I admit I've never gotten along too well with cold climates. I've always dreaded how the cold would freeze my bones and raise heaps of goosebumps on my flesh. However, it doesn't seem to affect me at all anymore. My bare ankles are currently buried in a snowdrift that would have once sent me into shivering convulsions, but tonight I'm none the worse for wear. I barely notice a temperature difference between the heated house we left and the frigid nighttime air. Evidently, my body has become immune to cold temperatures and icy weather conditions.

I think I just found another upside to being a vampire.

Six members of the Cullen family soon huddle in a loose circle in the front yard. Rosalie's eyes sweep quickly around the assembled group. "So... what's the plan?" she wonders.

Alice cocks her head to the side like a small bird as she ponders the question. "Hmm... Well, since it's Bella and Edward's first hunt, we should probably keep it simple. There's a nice, broad plain nearby that usually attracts a good amount of herbivores. We can start them out there tonight and see how they do."

Emmett barks out a laugh and shakes his dark, curly head in the negative.

"What?" Alice squeaks, furrowing her brow.

He takes a moment to eye her skeptically. "Two newborns hunting together? Please tell me that's not what you're suggesting, because I really don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" she asks, sounding genuinely bewildered. "They've behaved wonderfully so far. I believe having someone they care for deeply nearby helps soothe the dangerous, erratic behavior you would normally find in a newborn. It's grounding for them. So what purpose would separating them serve?"

A half smirk crawls up Emmett's mouth. "Sure, these two lovebirds are getting along fine right now. But what happens when there's dinner between them? Their instincts are gonna kick in and make them go nuts. They'll be fighting in no time."

Alice raises up her chin defiantly in the air. "I never saw that," she defends. "I saw them running through the forest together. They looked calm and happy."

Emmett snorts at her prophetic vision. "Yeah, you saw them running through the forest - not holding hands while they sucked an elk dry."

Alice opens her mouth to argue but is stopped when Jasper butts in. "Maybe we should try Emmett's suggestion first, pumpkin. Just to be safe. They are newborns after all. Their moods can change on a dime."

Her eyes narrow at her husband for several, long seconds. Then she huffs out an exasperated breath. "Fine. If that's what you think, I'll agree. But, mark my words, Bella and Edward can handle hunting together. You'll see," she ends cryptically.

Like a quarterback proudly sharing with his teammates a strategy to score a touchdown, Emmett leans forward into the huddle. "OK, so who gets who exactly? I was kinda thinking that Rose and I should handle Edward since he's bigger than Alice. And, of course, since I'm so much stronger than everyone else."

The corners of Alice's mouth curve up into a crocodile smile. "You know, Em? You're right. Jazz and I will stay with Bella since I'm so tiny. The only person here who could even handle someone Edward's size is you. I bet that you could handle him all by yourself."

A faint look of surprise washes over Emmett's face. Then he shines a pleased grin. "Thanks. I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking eventually."

While Jasper and Emmett iron out the details, Edward rotates around until we're both facing one another. He's frowning - which is exactly what I want to do since the prospect of us separating sounds awful. But on the outside, I slap on a small smile to comfort him. "I'm sure it won't take very long for us to learn how to hunt and feed. We'll be back together before we know it," I say.

Edward's bright red eyes grow piercing, pinning me in place. The entire world fades around us until everyone and everything vanishes from existence. All that remains is him, me, his hypnotic gaze, and a current of electricity flowing between us that could supply the energy needs of every household in Alaska. It isn't an unusual situation for us. He's rendered me entranced numerous times. Though, after being with him for nearly five years, there is one question I have about Edward that remains unsolved.

How does he do that?!

His hand cups the side of my face, caressing my skin with a lover's touch. "But I'll still miss you. Every second we're apart, I'll miss you," he breathes out.

"OK, Romeo," Rosalie's seemingly disembodied voice filters through. "Time to go. You can lock face with Juliet later."

Edward does a fine job of pretending he can't hear Rosalie. Without breaking eye contact with me, he bends his head until he captures my lips with his own. I thought the kiss would be sweet and innocent, a quick goodbye peck before we part ways. But no. Edward decides to go all out, weaving his velvet tongue sinuously around mine until I'm set on fire. It's a sweet and addictive burn, nothing like the torturous flames caused by a vampire's venomous bite. I'm seriously considering saying to hell with hunting, ripping his shirt and accompanying pants off, and performing experiments on his new body right here in the snow...

Then Alice tugs me away from his embrace, reminding me without words why going any further with Edward wouldn't be such a hot idea since we currently have company surrounding us.

Following one last look of longing at Edward, I shoot off into the forest with Jasper and Alice. We travel at a pace which would have once caused me to faint. Trees and rock formations fly by at a supersonic speed, our feet barely touching the snow-covered ground. Even though I'm in four inch heels, I leap over scattered pine logs and deep pits effortlessly. It's astounding how natural and easy it is to run. The darkness of night doesn't hinder me either. I can see everything in my path as clear as day. The absence of sunlight doesn't affect my advanced eyesight much at all.

But the excursion isn't all sunshine and rainbows. A strange sensation began gnawing at me moments after we entered the forest, weakening my already fragile sense of concentration to such an extent that the promise of hunting barely registers within my thoughts. And the farther we plunge into the wilderness, the more I feel it.

I am incomplete.

It's as though I've left behind something I desperately need to survive. Running off into the woods without it seems as improbable as leaving the house without your own head - or your heart. Yet it feels like that's exactly what I did. I don't understand...

I skid to a halt at an icy stream, my feet refusing to go one step further. Alice and Jasper keep on running for a second or two more before they notice my absence. Immediately, they rush to my side. "What's wrong? Alice questions.

My fingers curl themselves together and fidget in my grasp. "I... I don't know. I just...feel weird, that's all."

"You're probably thirsty," Jasper theorizes. "I'm sure you'll feel better once you feed."

"Is your throat bothering you a lot?" asks Alice sympathetically.

I touch the base of my neck as I weigh my answer. "It burns a little, I guess. But I don't think that's the main problem..." I trail off my answer, unsure of how to explain things without making myself sound pitifully weak and/or mentally deranged.

Alice's golden eyes lock on to my face and zone out for a short time. Snapping out of it, she twirls around on the tips of her toes and faces her husband. "Jazz," she coos sweetly. She points her finger to a barren rock two hundred yards away. "Would you mind standing over there for a few minutes, please? Thanks."

He glances to where she points and then frowns like Droopy the cartoon dog. "Why? What am I supposed to do over there?"

She heaves out a long sigh. "I don't know... Look at the stars. Count to a million in Aramaic or something. Just go. Bella and I need to speak in private." Jasper doesn't move a muscle as he carefully studies both of our faces. In response, Alice softens her demand with an angelic, wide-eyed gaze. "OK, Jazz?"

The questioning expression on his face slackens somewhat. "All right. I'll go." He takes a step away, stops in his tracks, and glances at us over his shoulder. "Holler if you need me," he adds. Alice smiles in response and blows him a kiss before he runs away.

Once he makes it to the barren rock, Alice quietens her voice to a level where it would be impossible for him to eavesdrop. "OK, Bella. Now that we're alone, let's get down to business. I think I know what's wrong with you." She pauses and steps closer. "You're a bit... distracted. Aren't you?"

"Uh-huh."

She taps her chin thoughtfully. "You also feel sad... and empty inside."

I stare at her in surprise. Future Bella must have been very forthcoming with information for Alice to pinpoint my emotions so accurately. "Yeah."

A soft smile curls up the ends of her mouth. "And let me guess. You're fighting the urge to dump me and Jasper out here in the middle of nowhere and truck it back to the house."

I want to deny it, but she's absolutely correct. My guilt-filled gaze drops to the ground. "Yes," I confirm. Reluctantly, I lift my face back up. "Alice, what's wrong with me?"

She breaks into a giggle. "Oh, Bella! Nothing's wrong with you," she assures me. "What you're experiencing is completely normal. You're only having mate withdrawals. See? It's nothing to worry your pretty little head over."

My forehead furrows into a mass of wrinkles. "Huh?"

"Mate. Withdrawals," she repeats. "I made up the term myself. Carlisle liked it so much that even he uses it now to describe folks with your condition. Do you like it too?"

One of my hands rolls impatiently. "Sure. Yeah. Whatever. It's great. But what does it mean?"

Her lips pucker out in thought. "Hmm. Let's see... Remember how it felt when you first fell in love? How you couldn't stop thinking about Edward and generally wanted to be around him nonstop?"

"Yeah..." I drag out warily. My memories might be a little hazy, but I doubt I could ever truly forget that.

"And remember all those times when you felt sad and mopey just because you had to work? Making it to where you couldn't see Edward whenever you felt like it?"

"Of course I remember," I huff. "But what's that got to do with anything?"

"It's got everything to do with this, Bella. Because... SURPRISE! You get to relive the experience all over again!" she cheers, complete with wiggling fingers. "In the vampire world, finding your mate is a big deal. Falling in love with him or her forms a bond which changes you forever. I mean, so what if the feelings of love and attachment to your mate will be around a hundred percent more powerful than anything you've ever felt before. You'll learn to live with the separation anxiety eventually. It only took me two years before I could go on extended shopping trips without needing Jazz by my side. Though when I look back, I suppose he wasn't quite ready for the separation yet since he dry heaved the entire two days I was gone. But hey! The trip was worth it in the end 'cause I found him a terrific deal on a blue satin zoot suit." She pauses and crinkles her forehead. "Gosh. Come to think of it, I haven't seen his suit in ages. I wonder what could've happened to that thing? I hope Esme didn't accidentally donate it to a museum..."

While she drifts off in thought, my unblinking eyes stare at her in horror. This is almost too much to take in. Mate withdrawals? Separation anxiety? I don't want to become a blubbering mess just because Edward might want to leave the house for a few hours!

"What?" I gasp.

Alice waves off my concern with her hand. "Oh, Bella. Don't get your panties in a twist. This is a common part of immortal life. It's really not so bad."

"Yes it is!" I hiss. "Edward's going to think I'm crazy!"

She gives an amused look. "No he won't. He'll be experiencing the same issues as you are." I snort my disbelief but she pushes on. "And I promise none of this is weird or unusual to our kind, Bella. The bond formed between mated couples are actually vital to our well-being. Since non-vegetarian vampires are solitary creatures, it often takes years for them to establish a friendly relationship with another vampire - that's why covens rarely grow larger than two or three individuals. But the moment after two unmated vampires become aware of their mutual feelings of love, they create an unbreakable bond.

"When the bond first forms, it's at its most potent state. It has to be because it's imperative that the the couple's burgeoning relationship be cemented properly. Sure, the powerful emotions the bond unleashes will affect your behavior sometimes. But do you consider unwavering trust, eternal devotion, and the instinct to protect one another from harm to be a bad thing? I don't. And I swear the severe separation anxiety doesn't last forever. It will fade with time.

"You know, Bella..." she continues with a musing expression. "I think you should count yourself lucky. Not everyone can say that their mate is the same person they were married to during their human life. Heck, put yourself in my shoes. I ran into a stranger at a diner in downtown Philly who - prior to that meeting - I had only seen in my visions. Three days later, we were madly in love and had a bond connecting us for all of eternity. Don't get me wrong. Meeting Jasper was the best thing that's ever happened to me. But it still would have been nice if we could've dated like a normal human couple for a little while and gotten to know one another first.

"So I guess what I'm trying to say is this: if you had to be joined at the hip with someone, aren't you glad it's with Edward and not some random person you might have bumped into one day?"

I surrender to Alice's point of view and agree with a nod of my head. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Then my posture stiffens. Without editing my thoughts, I voice a new fear out loud. "But how do you know Edward's my mate? What if the bond only happened on my end and he didn't get any of it?"

Alice shoots me the side-eye. "Five minutes ago, you and Edward were seconds away from going at it like wild beasts in heat. That's a clear sign of a mating bond in action. I think it's safe to say we know who your mate is, Bella."

My eyelids briefly shut, comforted by her answer. I'm satisfied until I analyze her word choice more thoroughly. My intuition sniffs out something strange.

"Alice..." I trail off nervously.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you call it a mating bond?"

Her mouth twists to the side awkwardly. "Oh, yeah. I guess no one's given you the talk yet, huh? You should...um... probably prepare yourself, Bella. The honeymoon phase of mated vampires can be... How can I put this delicately? Uhh...spirited? And since you and Edward are newborns, I expect it might be an teensy weensy bit more intense than usual."

"How intense are we talking here, Alice?"

"Well... you know how the Denali sisters are famous for having an overactive sex drive?"

"Yeah," I drawl out.

Alice places her tiny hand on my shoulder to comfort me. "Let's just say that you and Edward's sexual appetite for one another will rival theirs."

I slap a hand over my face to hide my embarrassment. "Oh no," I moan.

"Don't worry. It's a natural behavior for newly mated couples. Nobody here is going to think less of you just because you'll be at a near constant state of arousal for the next few years."

The hand covering my face falls to my side. "Really? So you're saying Emmett won't tease Edward and me relentlessly about it?"

Her mouth opens and shuts like a gasping fish. Then she gives a contrite grimace. "Oh yeah. Emmett. He laughs at just about anything, doesn't he? Yeah. You're right. He'll definitely torture you two." At my expression of despair, Alice gives a one-armed hug. "Aww! Don't look so depressed. You'll find a way to deal with Emmett and his annoying sense of humor just like everyone else. See... what I like to do when his teasing gets out of hand is erase the last save file of whatever video game he's currently obsessed with. It's very cathartic for me. And when he pisses Rose off, she locks him out of their bedroom. To him, that's a fate worse than death. If he bothers you too much, you can always ask Rose to punish him for you." This gets me to smile slightly. "And hey! Look on the bright side. At least Emmett can't tease you about blushing anymore!"

I huff out a tiny laugh. Not having any blood pumping through my veins to flush my skin whenever I'm embarrassed has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "True."

Glancing down at the ground, a rock the size of my fist distracts both my eyes and mind. It's round, rough, and boasts a swirl of colors. Curious, I tap the toe of my shoe against it so I can examine its underside. The stone shoots off like a bullet, hits a large spruce, and sends the tree crashing to the forest floor. My mouth drops open wide in astonishment.

Expecting a reprimand of some sort, I gradually glance over at Alice. "Whoops... That was unexpected," I mumble.

She smirks at the destruction I created. "It's fine. Better for you to learn what your increased strength can do while we're out here in the woods than back at the house."

I quietly agree and pick up another stone. I give it a squeeze. It crumbles to dust between my fingers.

Cool.

Not only am I super fast and can walk in a straight line without tripping like a klutz, I'm super strong as well. Except for the nearly debilitating separation anxiety and nymphomania, vampire life is clearly a step up from what I'm used to dealing with as a human. And just think - not long ago - I was injured and stuck in a seemingly endless comatose gloom...

A startling awareness hits out of nowhere. My questioning face tilts up to meet my best friend's gaze. "Alice, what's today?"

"It's Saturday. December 26."

I do a quick calculation. The news stings my conscience. Five weeks. That means I was unconscious for more than five weeks.

"Oh," I frown. "That's a long time... We missed out on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, didn't we? I ruined all our plans."

Alice gives me a stern eye. "Don't you do that. Don't even try blaming yourself again. What happened wasn't your fault."

I give a noncommittal grunt in response.

"No. I mean it," she persists. When she sees my continued incredulity, she tsks her disapproval and shakes her head. "You're so frustrating sometimes. Though, I guess I shouldn't be surprised since you and Edward are like two peas in a pod. We told him the same thing at least a million times. Did he listen? Nope. He kept on pointing the finger squarely at himself anyway."

I squint my eyes at her, puzzled by the remark. "Why? What was he blaming himself for?"

"Your accident."

"What?" I blurt out. "But that doesn't make any sense. He had nothing to do with me getting hurt."

"Ah, Bella," she exhales. "Have you forgotten how your dear husband's brain operates? For example, do you recall what he did when that guy attacked you in Port Angeles?"

"Edward beat him up."

She rolls her eyes. "I meant after that."

I strain my brain until a hazy memory comes to the forefront. A distressed Edward stands on Charlie's front porch, apologizing profusely for not preventing that crazed maniac from stalking me in the first place. It was ridiculous of him to think he was at fault. After all, I was the dumb one that chose to get out of the car while Edward was buying us ice cream...

"He blamed himself for not being there for me," I answer Alice. "He thought he didn't do enough to keep me safe."

"Exactly," she stresses as if her point is obvious. When I don't utter another peep, she regards me with tired eyes. Then, with a twist of her upper torso, she glances behind herself. "Jasper? Come here for a sec."

He appears by her side in a flash. "Yes?"

"I'm trying to explain something to Bella and she doesn't get it. Would you please show her what Edward's emotional state was like while she was in the ICU?"

A hint of alarm crosses his features. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

She gives a curt nod. "Positive. She won't understand unless she experiences it herself. Besides, she deserves to know the truth."

"O-K," he hesitates. He establishes eye contact with me. "Umm...Bella? You may want to brace yourself for this."

I do as he says, firmly planting my feet to prepare for whatever emotional wave he plans to send. It isn't enough. My knees hit the ground as soon as the tsunami crashes into me. Misery. Anger. Dismay. Confusion. Desolation. Each one pummels me further into submission. Just when I believe it can't get worse, guilt seeps inside of me. It hollows my insides and strangles my soul. If this is what Edward experienced while I was lost in a coma, I don't see how he managed to survive either.

Then, as soon as it began, the emotional turmoil inside of me abruptly recedes.

I cautiously reopen my clenched eyelids. Jasper gives a sad smile and weak shoulder shrug. "Sorry about that. I know that had to be a lot to take in all at once."

I tremble as I rise back up to my feet. "It's all right," I reply in a tiny voice.

"See, Bella?" Alice presses on. "For a month, Edward tortured himself daily with the belief that he should have been there to prevent you from being hit by that SUV. It's a unrealistic notion, really. It's not like he could have stayed by your side twenty-four/seven just to fend off every bad thing that might happen to you. We told him until we were blue in the face that he couldn't possibly be responsible, but he rejected it every time.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you. He spiraled into a mess. Esme and I practically had to force feed him every day or else he would have wasted away into nothing. It wasn't until we all agreed to the plan to get you out of the hospital and bring you here did he get better." She and Jasper share a sorrow-filled look. In turn, he slips an arm around her waist. "Do you understand now, Bella?" she asks. "What's done is done. Playing the blame game with yourself won't do you any favors. And if Edward catches you doing it, I can guarantee you he'll end up trying to convince you it's his fault instead. No good will come of that for either one of you. The only thing that counts is that you're both here, you're both safe, and you've got an infinite amount of time to create a wonderful new life together. Got it?"

I wrap my arms around myself and unsuccessfully fight off a frown. "Yeah, yeah," I say half-heartedly.

Alice suddenly stares off into space, her eyes glazing over. Seconds into the vision, she locks gazes with me. Her lips form a teasing smirk. "Hey, Bella! He's coming."

"Who? Edward?"

"Yep." She points towards a spot where the dark forest meets the clearing we're standing in. "He'll be here in around ten seconds."

Jasper folds his arms across his chest and grins. "Wow. Emmett had Edward under control for a whole five minutes," he jokes.

The empty feeling I've been battling within myself vanishes at the news. Anticipation takes its place.

Because Edward is coming.

I'm so happy, I don't even try containing my smile. A blend of instinct and playfulness has me dropping into a sprinter's position, one knee on the ground while I lean on top of the other. As soon as Edward bursts through the trees, I surprise him by striking like a pouncing tiger. I leap through the air and smack hard into his middle. He falls backwards - taking me along with him. I land on his chest and hang on tight to his shirt as the force of the impact sends us skidding across the winter landscape. His sliding body acts as a sleigh/plow combo as he pushes up a mountain of snow along his path, inadvertently creating a gaping hole. We keep right on sliding until we reach the dormant brown grass hiding underneath. A wall of white surrounds us on three sides.

I'm sure if I were in the right frame of mind, I would laugh over what happened. But I can't. I'm too absorbed to notice much of anything right now except what's in front of me. That's because I have the sexiest man/vampire on the planet pinned underneath me. And it definitely isn't helping that his hands are gripping my outer thighs, the position they took only moments ago in order to keep me from falling off his body during the sleigh ride. I think that's a very good reason for me to be distracted.

"Hi," I greet, staring into the handsome face which is only a few inches from mine.

"Hello," Edward replies huskily. His mouth splits into a half smile. "I didn't like being away from you."

"I didn't either," I confess. As I straddle him, the urge to touch him in some way becomes uncontrollable. I pretend I'm doing something useful by sweeping off a clump of snow from above his eyebrow. There. Now he looks perfect again, like an ancient Greek statute recently unearthed from the ground...

"Where is he? I'm gonna kill him," someone grumbles loudly into the night. My fingers immediately stop their exploration of Edward's face. I know the identity of that voice. Emmett. But what's weird is I don't think I've ever heard him sound mad before. I know him as a jolly and good-natured kind of guy, one that's more concerned about planting whoopee cushions underneath unsuspecting victims than anything else.

"He's over there with Bella, Sherlock," Alice reveals to him. "Give them a minute before you go freak out on him."

"Can you blame me for being mad? He just took off and wouldn't stop."

"Aww... What's wrong, Emmett?" Alice goads, her voice dripping with snark. "I thought you said you were the only person that could deal with Edward? Don't tell me that he turned out to be harder than you could handle?"

"No," Emmett fires back. "He's just a little bit faster than me right now, OK? If I had been able to grab him, he wouldn't have been able to get away."

"Well, we may as well let them stay together now that they've found each other," Jasper advises. "Bella's a lot happier now than before he showed up."

"Hmm. I could have sworn someone told you two that we should keep them together for the hunt," Alice hints pointedly. "I wonder who that could have been?"

I hear Jasper breathe out a defeated sigh. "You were right, Alice, and we were wrong."

"Oh, Jazz..." she giggles, clearly pleased. "You know you don't need to tell me that. I always forgive those who doubt me."

Edward wiggles underneath my body and moves us into a sitting position. Just as we stand up and his hand slips into mine, a visibly furious Emmett charges up to us.

"I can't believe that you pulled that stunt on me," he growls at Edward.

To be confronted with such an intimidating sight, Edward remains remarkably calm. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure you've heard the saying - All's fair in love and war. And, as you may know, I'm in love. So, please excuse my behavior. I can't help it," Edward ends with a half shrug.

"Yeah, right," Emmett snorts dismissively. "But next time when we're out together, you'd better do as I say, or else."

"Or else what?"

Emmett's eyebrows glue together in a single line. "Or else I'll pin you down until you cry 'uncle'."

"Oh? Like wrestling?"

"Yeah. Just like that," Emmett nods gruffly. A few seconds tick by. His scowl vanishes with no explanation. "You know what, Ed?" he asks in a chipper tone.

Cardinal red eyes narrow at Emmett's grinning face. "Edward."

"Sorry," Emmett says even though he doesn't sound apologetic at all. "You know what, Edward? I think I'll forget about what you did if you do something for me."

Edward exaggeratedly rubs his chin. "Let me guess. Are you planning on challenging me to a wresting match?"

The triumphant smile on Emmett's face disappears. "I'm never gonna get used to you being inside of my head," he complains to himself. His huge shoulders droop wearily. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. I'll overlook that stunt of yours if you agree to wrestle me once we're back at the house."

I suck in a startled breath. No, no, NO! Wrestling is a terrible idea. I've seen Emmett bench press boulders the size of pickup trucks for heaven's sake! The guy's arms are almost one mass of muscle. One wrong move during this "wrestling match" and he could snap Edward in half.

"Edward, don't. He'll hurt you," I beg, gripping his hand tight.

Both his eyes and tone softens. "I'll be fine, love. I've watched Emmett and Jasper wrestle for years. They aren't aggressive." He smiles and sends a wink my way. "Besides... It might be fun," he adds, too cheerful for my taste under the circumstances. Taking this as an agreement, Emmett lumbers away to rejoin Alice and Jasper.

Within moments of Emmett's departure, the light-heartedness on Edward's face disappears. His bronze head whips to the left, to where a tall blonde quietly watches us. "I'm sorry to intrude on your fun, Rose," he says derisively. "But I just want to remind you that I can hear everything you're thinking."

An unexpected smile grows on her face. "Oh, I know," she emphasizes. "But I realized that insulting you that way really saves time. I don't even need to open my mouth to remind you of how big of an idiot you are." Then she saunters away to stand by Emmett's side.

My eyes flick back to Edward. "What was she thinking?"

He answers my question accompanied by a roll of the eyes. "Just the standard Rosalie brand of insults she slings out from time to time. Nothing new."

Ah. So that means it must have been too bad to repeat...

From thirty feet away, Jasper waves us over. "I think it's time to pick up the hunt where we left off," he reminds us.

Alice points in the direction we should go right before Jasper takes off into the forest. Tugging on Edward's hand, we follow immediately afterwards. He and I run at the same pace, our steps matching almost perfectly as we hop over woodland debris and large snowbanks. I find myself stealing glances at him along the way. And every time I do, I discover him doing the same thing to me.

Jasper screeches to a halt a few minutes into the run. We mirror his actions. The six of us stand at the edge of the woods bordering a huge, almost empty, plain. I'm sure during the warm months, this place has tons of grass and wildflowers, however all the plant life is currently covered by layers of thick snow. In the middle of this field is a large number of furry-coated grass eaters. Some of the animals lay at rest on the ground. Others are scraping at the snow in search of food. Clouds of white mist exhales from their snouts. My nose wrinkles at the smell wafting over from them. It's a mix of pungent stench and something else that has my throat burning more harshly than ever. Suddenly, I'm fighting to keep myself from dashing across this plain and sinking my teeth into one of their scruffy necks - something prior to today I never imagined I'd want to do.

Alice tiptoes up to me and smiles. "OK. There should be enough here to feed the both of you. So go have at it," she instructs in a low tone.

I glance over at the herd again and frown. The animals have long, majestic antlers jutting from their skulls. I remember what they are. As a young child in Phoenix, every December I would leave them carrots in the front yard for them to munch on during their annual trip around the globe. And now I'm supposed to eat them? That doesn't sound right.

I turn my head and stare pleadingly at my friend. "But they're reindeer, Alice," I whine.

"So what?"

My eyes harden from disbelief. "But Christmas was just yesterday! Won't that make me an awful person for killing beloved Christmas animals?" I'm pretty sure it would make me worse than Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch combined.

Emmett snickers into his hand. "It's better than eating Santa's elves." I shoot him an unamused glare but he only laughs more.

"Come on, Bella," Alice coaxes. "You eat Thanksgiving turkey without batting an eye. Feeding from a few caribou is no different. Stop worrying about that conscience of yours and start listening to your instincts."

I want to fight her on it, but sadly she's right. My instinct tells me those reindeer will be more satisfying to my dry throat than a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day.

"Fine," I grunt at her. I turn to the side and find Edward staring at me. "Are you ready to do this?" I ask him.

He nods and crouches into a racing position. With a twinkle in his eye, his head jerks towards the herd. "Ladies first. You get first pick."

I hold in a laugh. "Always the gentleman," I tease.

And then I'm gone.

My sights lock on a gigantic caribou who stands in the center of the herd. As I draw closer, my mouth waters. I forget all about how I'm possibly hunting Santa's reindeers' descendants. I don't even care about how badly they stink. The only thought on my mind is satiating my thirst. In less than a second, I'm mounted like a cowboy on top of my dinner's back. My front teeth puncture the animals flesh before it's even aware of danger being present. A flood of hot liquid pours down my parched throat. By the time the animal realizes something's wrong, it's too late. I've consumed nearly all of its blood.

I slide off its back, already hungry for more. The herd has finally caught on that there are predators around and have begun to move, but it's no problem for me. They don't run nearly as fast as I do. I can easily catch another one and drink from it. And that's exactly what I do. Twice more.

With my belly filled to the brim, I stop pursuing the fleeing prey and allow them to escape. I look down at myself and cringe. The beautiful blue dress Alice designed for me is splattered with mud and gore. It also reeks of moist caribou. I've ruined the dress. I doubt a dry cleaner's shop could even fix the damage.

Alice is going to kill me!

Pushing that concern aside for now, I scan around in search of Edward. I catch sight of him a few dozen feet away. His arms are wrapped around a caribou as he drinks from its neck. Once its body is drained of life, he steps away from the limp creature and lets it fall to the ground. I suppress a giggle at Edward's grungy appearance. Smudges of dirt are smeared across his forehead and cheek. His left pants leg has a tiny hole ripped below the knee. And his shirt is soaked with blood. Looks like we both ruined our new clothes tonight. At least Alice will have to divide her wrath between the two of us.

Edward lazily slaps away the clumps of dirt and snow stuck to his pants. When he reaches his shirt, he pauses to examine the bloody mess. An eye blink later, he whips it off from over his head and turns the shirt inside out. Now he's bare-chested and using the shirt to clean his face.

My eyes glaze over.

Edward's body certainly has... gone to the next level since the last time I saw it. How do you improve perfection? I don't know. But bless him, he found a way.

Broad shoulders built like a wooden wardrobe? Yup.

Lickable pecs? Check.

Washboard abs? Double check.

I may have been unconscious yesterday, but clearly Santa still delivered a Christmas present just for me. All I have to do in order to enjoy it is ditch our friends so I can unwrap the rest of him.

I float on a cloud of lust over to Edward. He's finishing cleaning himself to the best of his ability. Most of the dirt and grime is gone, yet the blood stains on his pants are more difficult to remove. Pausing in the task of wiping his arms, he hears my approach and gives me a once-over.

"You've got blood on your dress," he points out.

"Uh-huh," I answer through my stupor. He could have told me I have a dancing dodo bird on my head and I'd probably have responded the same way.

He takes my hand and pulls me closer. "Come here. Let me help get it off," he offers. My outlook on life brightens considerably.

Yes. Do it, Edward. Get that dress off...

Then he starts using his discarded shirt to clean the blood spatter from the front of my dress.

It's nearly impossible for me to conceal my disappointment. We had a slight communication error, I see. But, thankfully, it's not a total bust. Every few seconds, he halts Operation Clean Up Bella in order to kiss me. I taste the heavenly flavors of him mixed with the warm blood he just consumed.

He's delicious...

"Do you two mind postponing your tonsil hockey tournament for later?" Rosalie squawks from behind him. "Some of us would like to get back to the house sometime this century."

Edward gives a tiny groan at having to stop and backs up a step. His eyes sweep over my clothes again. Noticing a tiny drop of blood on my shoulder, he wipes it off. "There you go," he proclaims. "It's not perfect, but you're certainly cleaner than you were a couple of minutes ago."

Huh. Well, I have to disagree. My mind still feels VERY dirty. But I guess nothing can be done about that yet...

The run back to the house feels more exhilarating now that I'm fed and have Edward at my side. I actually enjoy it. The scent of burning wood hits my senses the closer we approach the Denali residence. As we step out of the tree line, I watch in wonder as columns of smoke billow out of the chimneys. Warm, amber light pours from the windows. I smile at the welcoming sight.

Not wanting to leave litter behind in the forest, Edward carried his ruined shirt back to the house. He tosses it into a garbage can stored near the garage. When we turn to walk up the front porch steps, we discover a hulking figure waiting for us.

"It's time to make up for that stunt now, Edward," Emmett grins ominously.

Crap! I've been so distracted by shirtless Edward, I forgot about Emmett wanting to wrestle him as payback for running away earlier.

Wearing a frown, Edward takes a quick peek at me before responding. "But, Emmett. Don't you think it would be better if we waited a few days? Spread the fun out instead of doing it all in one night?"

"Nope. I want to do it right now. And you owe me, remember?"

Edward releases a tired sigh. "Very well."

"All right!" Emmett whoops triumphantly. Then he takes off in search of a referee.

My fingers dig into Edward's hand, terrified of what's to come. But once everyone assembles outside to watch the upcoming event, he is forced to leave my side. Using his foot, Jasper clears out a large, circular hole in the snow for use as a wrestling area. Edward goes to stand in the left hand part of the circle. Emmett takes up position on the opposite side. Having been named as referee, Carlisle recites the rules before the match. In the meantime, I'm chewing my fingernails and becoming frustrated that they're indestructible. How can I relieve anxiety if I can't even bite my nails down to the quick anymore?

A tiny being flits to my side. "Well, this should be interesting," Alice observes optimistically.

I remove my thumbnail from my mouth. "This is a bad idea. Someone should put a stop to it," I reply.

"Why?"

My eyebrow cocks up at her obliviousness. "Maybe because I don't feel like becoming a widow so soon after escaping from death."

She giggles lightly. "Oh ye of little faith. Edward's no delicate flower, you know. Just wait and see."

I flick my eyes over to him. Both he and Emmett are crouched on the ground in preparation for the match. Emmett wears an arrogant smirk. Edward has no facial expression at all. Carlisle's head moves from left to right, giving one final look at the two of them. "And... Go!" he announces as he steps out of the circle.

Emmett blasts off with arms extended, a competitive glint in his eyes as he plows towards my husband. I wince at the impending impact. None occurs. Similar to something you'd see in an old cartoon, Edward side-steps out of the way as fast as lightning, right before his opponent arrives. Emmett tries charging after Edward again, yet he somehow nets the same results - nothing. Changing his strategy, Emmett utilizes a pouncing technique in hopes of capturing his prey. It doesn't work either. Edward dodges him easily. After several unsuccessful attempts, Emmett lifts his face and howls angrily at the night sky.

Watching from the sidelines, Jasper grins from ear to ear at the antics going on in front of us. "I think a certain someone has finally caught on that Edward won't be easy to catch. Wrestling a mind-reader with superior strength is next to impossible if you don't block your thoughts. I guess we should've reminded him."

"Maybe...but where's the fun in that?" Alice quips. They snicker quietly at the joke.

"Superior strength?" I repeat, more than a little confused.

"Yes," Jasper replies quickly. "For around a year, a newborn will be much stronger than that of an older vampire. It's your blood, you see. The human blood which still lingers inside of you boosts your strength, speed - nearly everything. The only way to beat a newborn is to outwit them. Though seeing as how Edward has the mind-reading advantage, I doubt Emmett stands a chance to win tonight."

Rosalie quietly slides up next to us. "Hey. Can I change my bet?" she whispers into Alice's ear.

Alice snorts. "Nope. I told you to put your money on Edward, didn't I?"

Her beautiful face scowls. "I thought you were just trying to annoy Emmett."

"I was. But it also happened to be the truth," Alice smiles.

Meanwhile, Emmett lunges into the air with the hopes of making a surprise grab for Edward. In the amount of time it takes for Emmett to notice that he's failed, the unthinkable happens. Edward sneaks up behind him, seizes him by the midsection, slams his massive body into the frozen ground, and leaps on top of Emmett's back. Despite being held facedown, Emmett continues to struggle, desperately attempting to yank Edward off. In response, Edward gathers up Emmett's arms and legs and restrains them. Emmett squirms like a worm to escape, but it's useless. Edward has complete control. The more Emmett struggles, the more Edward tightens his grip. And the more Edward tightens his grip, the more the muscles of his arms and chest pop out to say hello. Even the muscles of his back and shoulders ripple underneath his skin. Ripple. I wasn't even aware that was possible (or how insanely hot it could be) until now.

I audibly gulp.

Ooooh boy, I think. This definitely isn't curbing down the number of those dirty fantasies of mine...

Someone nearby loudly clears their throat. At the sound, I turn my face slightly to my right. Tanya's watching the wrestling match with wide, rounded eyes - much like I am. Taking a few steps back, she shakes her head and veers her gaze away from the wrestlers. "Uhh...I think I'll go call Jake and see if he can visit soon," she announces in a shaky voice. Then she zooms into the house and disappears from sight.

I glance over at Alice. We share a knowing look. Tanya may not try to seduce Edward since he's no longer single, but that doesn't mean she's blind to his new male vampire allure. And honestly, I can't blame her for getting all worked up. She and I have a lot in common apparently.

My eyes glue themselves back onto Edward right as Carlisle announces he is the winner. Edward rolls off of Emmett's back and stands up straight, releasing Emmett from his hold. Almost immediately, Emmett storms into the house without saying a word to anyone. Evidently, he's taking the loss hard. I overhear Rosalie telling Kate not to worry - he'll be fine after he pouts for a couple of hours. But I'm not concerned much with Emmett's bruised ego. I'm too engrossed in observing shirtless Edward dusting off his knees while a lock of bronze hair falls across his forehead. I'm licking my lips at the sight.

Edward's face lifts up without warning and discovers my heavy stare. He freezes in place, his gaze deepening until my insides begin to flutter.

"Esme," a feminine voice calls out. I slowly recognize it as Carmen's. "I was thinking that Edward and Bella might be more comfortable in the guest house out back. That room we set up for them in the main house is so tiny..."

Esme hums in agreement. "That's a very good point. But are you sure it would be OK for them to be off by themselves so soon? They might get into trouble."

A loud laugh echoes behind me. "Oh, I doubt that's going to be a problem," Kate volunteers. "I've been around long enough to know when a man and woman have other thoughts on their minds. And trust me, these two are too occupied with one another to get into trouble, Esme."

I should probably shrink from embarrassment at having been caught undressing Edward with my eyes while in the presence of others. However, I can't find it within myself to care. After all, my uncontrollable leering has netted us private lodging away from the house. Score one for creepy me.

Alice races into the main house, stuffs our things into a few suitcases, and hands them over to our care. Esme and Irina accompany us to a small, unoccupied cabin at the back of the property. Irina stokes a log fire while the rest of us do a quick dusting of the place. Though she isn't particularly talkative, Irina shares that the cabin is sometimes used during the warmer months to house their male "friends" when they drop by. I make a mental note to change the bed linens.

All during the house cleaning, I force myself to not look at any rock-hard abs or wavy bronze hair. Edward hasn't shown much of an indication that he's as sexually charged up as I am. So far, he's been content with loving kisses and gentle hand holding. I don't want to seem overly needy or anything, so I decide to keep my feelings in check for now.

When we're done with our work, Irina bids a goodbye and heads back to the main house. I occupy myself by feigning interest in the living room's wall decorations instead of what I really want to examine. And Esme speaks a few final words with Edward before she departs.

"Are you sure you and Bella will be all right way out here?" she asks.

"Yes," Edward answers simply.

"OK... But if you get into any trouble - any at all - you'll give us a shout, won't you?"

"We will."

I take a quick peek and see Esme lingering in the doorway. "Good. Because someone will come in a jiffy if either one of you ever need help," she says.

Edward nods his head. "I know. Though, I can assure you we won't require anymore help tonight. The only thing we want is peace and quiet."

A sweet smile blossoms over her face. "Yes. You need to relax! You've both been through such a busy and stressful last few weeks. This is exactly what you need. And don't you worry about creating any... 'unfortunate accidents' so to speak. Humans don't ordinarily come out this far into the wilderness, so temptation should be fairly low for you. Other than us, there's nothing but trees and animals for miles and miles around. There's no traffic or any unpleasant noises to disturb you either. You can relax as much as you'd like out here."

"Sounds wonderful," Edward responds. He begins to shut the front door with her standing on the outside. With only a few inches remaining, he adds, "Have a good night, Esme."

She catches the door with her foot and pokes her head through again, a fretful frown pulling at her face. "But are you positive this is a good idea for you two to be off by yourselves so soon, Edward? Newborns are generally wild and unpredictable. What if you become crazed with hunger and run off all by yourself to hunt?"

"That won't happen. I believe we drank enough earlier tonight to last us for quite a while," he assures her. "But even if that were to occur, Alice's visions would notify her of trouble brewing and you would stop us before anything bad could happen. So there's really nothing to worry about."

"But-"

"I said we'll be fine, Esme... I promise," he adds more gently.

She nods once and removes her foot from the doorway. "You're right," she concedes. "Even as a teenager, you've always been trustworthy. Just because you're a newborn doesn't mean you'll forget all of your manners. You wouldn't really leave here without letting us know first... Right?"

"Right," Edward echoes. "Good night, Esme."

"Good night, dea-" she calls out as he shuts the door and locks it tight.

Like a whirlwind, Edward spins in place to lean his back against the door. A drawn out sigh blows from between his lips. "Finally... Alone at last," he mutters to myself.

Before he notices me staring, I immediately tear my eyes away from him. I take carefully measured steps around the room, making sure I keep my distance. Stopping for a moment, I examine the weird Cubic painting on the wall. It features a pale-skinned blonde woman with a gorgeous face and square boobs. The signature on the painting reads "Picasso".

Hmm. Interesting. I wonder which of the Denali sisters modelled for this one?

I proceed to the bookshelf and pretend it's the most captivating thing I've ever seen. The books aren't anything to get super excited about. Atlases. Encyclopedias. Botanical guides. The books appear to be there mostly for show. That really shouldn't be a surprise considering the Denali sisters didn't build this place just so they could have a nice getaway for book reading...

"Bella, love?"

I rotate slowly around and keep my cool. Edward's still leaning against the door, arms crossed over his bare chest and eyes on me. I arch my brow in question. "I can hear every thought and conversation going on in a two mile radius. It's driving me mad," he reveals, straight-faced. "If you're not terribly busy, would you mind distracting me, please?"

Curious, my head tilts to the side. "Distract you how?"

One corner of his mouth lifts into a sly, lopsided grin. "Surprise me."

That's all it takes to set me off.

I explode across the room and crash into his arms. Taking him possessively by the neck, I pull him down and allow my lips to smash into his. His answering moan removes all doubt from my mind. He wants me - just as much as I want him. The all-consuming need Alice told me about earlier spirals around and binds us together, overpowering us both. Without pulling his mouth away, he rips my dress down the middle and tears it off like it's a piece of paper. My undergarments meet the same fate. Scraps of silk fabric puddles at my feet. Not to be outdone, I do the same to his pants and boxer briefs. He's naked as I am now.

There. That's better.

We press our bodies together, skin-to-skin. I shiver at the touch and revel in it. The current running between us is alive and well, sparks flying everywhere. Mortal, immortal. Human, vampire. What form we take doesn't matter. The energy is the same. But what's startling to consider is that I could have lost this with him. I could have died and never again felt his lips move over my skin, never experienced the joy of having his hand meet the small of my back, nor would I have ever again been able to hear how he whispers my name over and over like it's the most wonderful word in the world to say. Although living as in immortal may have its drawbacks, I would suck a dozen caribou necks dry every single night as long as Edward is what I get to come home to afterwards.

Desperate for more contact, I shove my chest further into him, almost hoping we'll fuse together into one being. Immediately, he stumbles backwards from the unexpected force. A loud crack follows. We pull away slightly in search of the source of the sound. We soon find it.

The wall now has a large hole, one which is in the shape of Edward's butt. I cringe at the realization that I'm the one at fault for causing the damage.

"Hmm," Edward muses. Slowly, he meets my guilty gaze. "Don't worry, love. Some spackle and paint is all it needs."

I don't quite buy it. But once his fiery eyes reignite, I find myself too swamped with lust to worry about a dumb wall. We're back at it again in seconds. I grab his face and reattach his mouth to that spot behind my ear I love so much. He wraps my legs around his waist and totes me over to the nearby couch so I can do some old-fashioned straddling. Without a care in the world, we plop down on to it.

The couch's frame collapses from the impact.

This time we don't even pause to examine the destruction we caused. "We'll get the sisters a new couch," Edward murmurs into my mouth. "A stronger one."

His fingers are busy exploring my thighs, so I'm not about to argue with this man. "OK."

We roll off the ruined couch and land on the stone floor. With my legs firmly around his middle, he slides himself inside of me. We join together perfectly, as though someone designed our bodies to fit this way. I groan in victory and relief at the feeling of fullness. This. This is what I've craved. Even as an immortal being, I still need Edward like a fish needs water. I need his touch, his body connected to mine. I need everything and anything he's willing to give. And I can see by the way he's cradling my body to his that he feels the same as I do.

Soon we're clawing to get closer, deeper, inseparable. Though our hearts may no longer beat within our chests, there is no question of what our joining means to us. It's a celebration of life - a new life. Our contented sounds echo through the otherwise silent cabin. Every movement I make, he responds in kind. My fingers thread through his silky hair. His arms pull me in tighter. My teeth nip playfully at his jaw. His tongue swirls around a nipple. My hands take his butt in a firm grip. His hips thrust forward, hard.

The floor buckles beneath us.

We roll to the side and gape at what we see. Several stone floor tiles have shattered into pieces. The subfloor has splintered as well, revealing the cabin's concrete foundation. Amazingly, even the concrete is damaged. It has cracked into a spiderweb pattern, as though a cannonball was hurled at it repeatedly.

We gaze at one another for a long moment.

"Uh-oh..." I gulp nervously. Who knew newborn sex destroys houses?

Edward tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and tries to sound positive. "It's fine. We'll build them a whole new cabin." In true vampire style, he bends his face down to slide his lips over the hollow of my throat. "Two stories. Luxury kitchen. Sauna room... Whatever they want."

"Brilliant," I exhale. As long as Edward keeps doing what he's doing, the Denali coven can have permanent possession of our savings account for all I care.

And so it goes for the remainder of the night. We talk. We laugh. We make love. We break stuff. We're too wrapped up in one another to stress over the accidental destruction of material possessions. Our bodies never tire, either. Each time we find our release, we take a moment to enjoy it and promptly dive back in for more. This happens again and again and again. When morning light gradually seeps into our sanctuary, we go on just as energized as when we first began. It isn't until late in the afternoon that Edward pauses mid-kiss and tries to sit up.

"Why'd you stop?" I complain.

"It's Alice." He points to his temple and frowns. "She's been pestering me for the last ten minutes."

Poor Edward. Being a mind-reader can't be easy - especially when you're forced to be stuck inside Alice's head. Her brain is mostly just a backup copy of clothing catalogs.

I absentmindedly play with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Pestering you about what?"

"She thinks we should take a break from each other and visit the main house."

"Ha!" I mock. "Like she's the boss of us! We'll do what we want, thank you very much."

I'm pulling him down again to resume our prior activities, but he doesn't budge an inch. "She also wanted me to remind you about calling your father today," he adds, peering deeply into my eyes.

My resistance deflates like a balloon. "Oh."

"So? Do you want to?"

"Yeah. I do."

He pecks my lips lightly and smiles. "Good. I'm sure it will make Charlie's day."

We pry ourselves apart and head to our unpacked suitcases. As I rifle through mine, I become aware that I don't have any of my clothes from Ithaca. This is all new stuff. Edward explains that taking clothes and other personal items away from our house would have been seen as suspicious since we're both supposed to be dead. I agree with his way of thinking and begin sorting through my new clothes again. My instincts tell me that Alice took it upon herself to put together my new wardrobe. The abundance of pricey, sexy dresses and complete lack of clothes a normal person would wear tells me so. When I show him, Edward shakes his head in annoyance and says we'll order some t-shirts and pants for me from Target soon. Alice will probably consider it punishment for all of her hard work. Good.

After much searching, I find a dress I can live with. It's hunter green, doesn't show off the girls as much, and falls below the knees. Edward slips on a plain button-up shirt and pants which has me eyeing him like he's prime rib. Although I'm tempted, I manage to hold myself back from attacking him. After all, I really do want to talk to Charlie today.

It's a white out blizzard when we step outside. Snow blows in sideways due to the high gusts of wind barreling through. We run to the main house so fast that only a few snowflakes have enough time to land on our shoulders and heads. We let ourselves inside and find everyone in the living room. Some of the women are watching Alice piece together an outfit of her design. The dress she's creating must be intended for Kate since she's the one being used as a mannequin. Most of the rest of the Cullens and Denalis are scattered into groups to talk - with the exception of Emmett. He's sitting on a chair near the front door and watching intently as we enter the house. His fingers are steepled, like a James Bond villain up to no good.

"Well, well, well. Look who the cat finally dragged in!" he bellows with gleaming eyes.

"Hello, Emmett," Edward greets as he closes the door.

Emmett slaps on a wide, toothy grin. "You two kiddos look all tuckered out. Have a rough night?" Edward's eyes narrow into pinpoints. "What? It's a legit question," Emmett claims. "I've been worried about you guys. We kept hearing weird noises coming from your cabin."

"That's enough," Edward warns.

"There was an awful lot of smashing and crashing going on over there. What were you guys doing? Renovating the bedroom?" Emmett teases.

"Emmett," Edward growls, jaw clenching.

In response, Emmett roars in laughter. "And don't even get me started on all that grunting you did, Edward. It was like listening to the ambient sounds of the African savanna. I've heard warthogs going at it during the breeding season that were quieter than you!" He sits up and tries to appear serious again. "And just what exactly were you doing to Bella? It sounded like she was being tortured into giving a confession. I never realized how loud she can scream-"

My hands ball up into fists as I stare him down. "Shut up, Emmett," I spit out. "Or, in exactly five seconds, I'll be challenging you to an arm wrestling match in the middle of the living room."

A flash of fear crosses his eyes. Emmett doesn't utter another peep, going so far as to press his lips together to keep himself from saying anything else. I guess the possibility of being beaten by two newborn vampires in less than twenty-four hours is too much of a risk for his pride to take.

Alice fights back a giggle and tries unsuccessfully in making it sound like a cough. Once she's settled down, she speaks. "You ready to make that phone call, Bella?"

"Yeah," I answer.

Kate pauses in her mannequin job and points to a nearby hall. "There's a home office with a telephone down that way. Make yourself at home."

"Thanks," I mumble with a soft smile. I walk at a human pace until I reach the hall. That's when I become aware that Edward's familiar tread is absent. Twirling back around, I find him where I left him, near the front door. His hands are buried in his pants pockets as he watches me leave the room. "Aren't you coming?" I ask him.

He sucks in a slow breath. "I... Well, no. I assumed you'd want to speak with Charlie privately."

"I don't." I hold my hand out towards him. "I want you there, too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Charlie might ask a question that would be difficult to answer without giving too much away. You can help me think of what to say." A tooth digs into my bottom lip. "Plus... I'm a little nervous."

Edward zooms across the room and takes my hand. At the end of the hallway, we come to the home office Kate spoke of. It's furnished simply with a desk, personal computer, and a couple of chairs. Since cellphone coverage here is nonexistent, a landline phone rests on top of the desk.

Edward pulls out a chair and encourages me to sit. A jolt of nerves flutters in my stomach. I carefully pick up the phone without breaking it and dial in the number I've known since I first learned it at the age of five. It rings four times before someone picks up.

"Hello," the gruff voice answers.

I swallow and attempt to keep my voice steady "Hi, Dad."

Silence.

Then there's a quick intake of breath.

"B-b-bella? Is that you?" Charlie stutters.

A faltering smile spreads over my face. "Yeah. It's me."

"Y-... Are you OK? Did that medical treatment work like it was supposed to? The last time I saw you, you were..." He doesn't finish his thought out loud.

"Yes. It worked. I...woke up yesterday. Carlisle said I'm doing fine." I glance over at Edward to make sure I didn't reveal too much. He nods his approval.

"Can you walk yet? Or move around?"

I think back to how I can run faster than the wind now, through the woods and over almost any obstacle set in my path. "Uh-huh. It took some getting used to, but I've been managing," I answer evasively.

"That's good...but what did they do to you, Bells? I don't see how in three days time you could go from being in a coma to talking on the phone with me."

My perfect posture slumps into my chair. "Sorry, Dad. I can't say."

Charlie grunts. "So I guess that's one of those secrets I'm not supposed to know about?"

"Yeah," I trail off.

"I see..." He clears his throat. "And Edward? He said he planned to go through with that treatment too. I wasn't so sure if that was a good idea, but he insisted it was the only way to make sure he could stay at that facility you got sent to. Did he make it through all right?"

Edward's hand comes to rest on my shoulder. He must have heard what Charlie said. I grab on to it like a lifeline. "Yeah. And he's doing great. I'm...glad he did it with me."

Charlie grunts in acknowledgement.

"What about you, Dad?" I ask. "How are you?"

"Well, it's been real busy around here," Charlie answers, his voice almost hesitating. "I haven't had a moment to myself lately."

I recall Edward telling me about the ambulance accident they set up near Forks. I'm sure faking your daughter and son-in-law's deaths would keep anyone very "busy". And stressed out.

"You've been busy because you're having to cover for me," I reply with a frown.

"Yeah, but I don't mind. I wanted to do it. I... needed to do something for you, Bells. For weeks we were so afraid that you'd-... And then Edward said there was a way to keep that from happening and help you live. It... gave me hope again. Writing up a few fake reports saying that you and Edward were in that ambulance when it crashed is nothing. In fact, I wish I could have helped more. But I'm glad it all worked out. You're awake and alive. That's all I wanted."

"And Mom?" I urge. "How is she?"

He huffs out a heavy sigh. "I won't lie. It's been hard on her. She misses you a lot. And she...felt guilty about not making the trip from Ithaca to Forks with you."

My eyes slam shut. "But she shouldn't. As far as she knows, she would have died too if she had been with us that night," I whisper.

"Don't worry. Phil got her to see reason eventually. He reminded her that you wouldn't want her to think that way."

"Phil's right."

Charlie hums in agreement. "I told her that you'd want her to live as best as she can instead of blaming herself for something that was out of her hands."

"And you're right, too."

He's quiet for a few beats of time. "Your mom's doing a little better now."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She's been - um - reading some spiritual book she bought somewhere. It claims to help you overcome traumatic events and balance your loved ones chalkas... whatever the heck that is."

I smile through my grief. "Chakras, Dad."

"Oh. Well, anyway. It seemed to help Renée. She even went into your old room yesterday so she could feel close to you again. I think with time... she'll heal."

"I think so too," I mutter. "But I still wish there was some way I could help her."

"Don't you worry about your mom. We'll take care of her. You just concentrate on getting better yourself." He clears his throat and speaks quicker than usual. "So how long do you think it might be before I can see you again?"

I look up to Edward for an answer. In a tone lower than what a human could hear, he speaks. "It depends on how quickly you and I can adapt to being around humans."

"Do you think it would be safe to see him once the newborn phase passes?" I ask in a low voice.

"Perhaps."

I nod my head and put my mouth at the phone again. "Dad? I'm not sure yet. It might take at least a year before it's safe for me to visit you. I'm...so sorry."

"Don't be. Carlisle and Edward said it could take a while before you're ready to leave that facility in Alaska. I want you safe and healthy. That's all that matters to me. I'll wait for however long it takes." Several seconds pass before Charlie speaks again. "I was also told how some things would change about you after the treatment. Alice said you'd probably end up looking a lot like her. Do you?"

I look down at my pumped up bust, milk-white skin, and shapely figure that would make a runway model jealous. "I guess there are a few things different about me," I answer vaguely.

"You sound different too," he blurts out.

Both of my eyebrows raise up an inch. "I do?"

"Um. Yes. You... Your voice is... Well... It sounds a little like...music," he mumbles, the last word barely audible.

I try to stifle my laugh but I can't. "Music? Really?"

He joins me in a short chuckle. "Yeah. But you sound good."

My eyes dart up to Edward. I smile wider. "I am good. Very good."

Charlie and I talk for thirty minutes, a lot longer than we usually do. I promise him that I'll call at least once a week. He promises to send me pictures of his wedding to Sue once it happens in the spring. When we hang up, I feel lighter. Sure, I'm a bloodsucking vampire. But I still have my grouchy but loveable Dad in my life telling me all about the foul weather going on in Forks today. The subject was dull, had no point, and was wonderfully normal. He ended the call by reminding me to wear a scarf outside so I don't get hypothermia. If he only knew...

Edward and I step back into the living room and cuddle together on the couch. I watch the activities going on around us with half interest. Jasper and Eleazar play a game of chess. Esme helps Carmen in creating a beautiful lace tablecloth that would take months for a human to make. Carlisle reads a book by the fireplace. The atmosphere feels homey and inviting. Living here in the wilds of Alaska is nicer than I would have believed. Yes, one day in the future I want to leave here and start my life over again. I'll move to a new home. I'll graduate from a university. And someday I hope to get a job - just like Carlisle - and do something to benefit myself and others. But it's good to know that no matter what may happen, the Cullens and Edward will be with me all along my journey.

Alice pauses in sewing Kate's new dress. Her topaz eyes stare off into outer space for an eye blink of time. "Hey, Tanya," she calls out after the spell passes. "You've got a guest who's about five minutes away from the house."

Tanya shoots up into a standing position. "He's here already? Oh, no! I've gotta get dressed!" She flees up the stairs like it's an emergency.

I incline my face up to Edward. "Was there something wrong with what she had on? I thought the blouse and pants looked good." He just shrugs his shoulders, clearly just as clueless about clothes as I am.

As Alice predicted, we soon hear a knock at the front door. Irina lets in two figures shrouded in layers of crusty snow. Like dogs coming in from a storm, they shake themselves off after entering. Ice flies everywhere. They're very tall, heads almost scraping against the ceiling. The men look like humans, but the smell they're putting off isn't as inviting as I have been led to believe. Their scent permeates the room and assaults my senses. By far, it's the nastiest stench I have ever experienced. I pinch my nostrils shut to save myself.

One of the men points at me and laughs. I recognize his easy grin and happy-go-lucky attitude. "What's wrong, Bella? Finally get a whiff of yourself?" Seth jokes.

"Sorry," I hum through my nose. "But you stink. You smell like a sheepdog that got dipped in skunk musk."

"And you smell like cotton candy that's been rolled in Pixy Stix powder," he retorts.

"That doesn't sound bad."

Seth snorts. "Trust me. It is. But you get used to it eventually." Kicking off his muddy shoes, he walks barefoot across the room and stops to gape at Edward and me. "Whoa... You guys got laser beam eyes now." A white-toothed grin stretches across his face. "That's sick! Did it scare you when you first got a look at yourself in the mirror?"

"No. I was too amazed by everything else to worry much about my eye color."

"I guess I would be too." His upbeat attitude visibly weakens. "Well, anyway... I'm glad to see you up again. You gave us all a bad scare."

"I know," I reply softly. "But it's good to be back." He sends me a wan smile in return.

Jacob moves away from the entryway and takes his time as he crosses the living room. He carefully studies Edward's face and then mine. His expression turns hard when his gaze reaches our eyes. "I see that you both went through with it," he begins. "Decimate any defenseless villages yet?"

Edward humphs in annoyance. "Thank you, Jacob. It's nice to see you, too," he snaps in return.

"Of course they haven't hurt anyone," Alice interrupts in our defense. "Edward and Bella have been very good so far. The only living organisms they've eaten were a few reindeer last night."

"Then why the red eyes?" Jacob points out.

"It's from their own blood. As long as they drink from only animals, their eyes will fade to gold over time."

He stares for a few moments more. Then he relaxes his stiff stance. "All right. Sorry about grilling you, but I had to ask."

Edward gives a quick head nod. "Understood."

"Speaking of eating," Seth chimes in. He looks over at Kate and Irina. "You guys got any TV dinners left? I'm starving."

Kate wrinkles her nose in apology. "No. You and Jacob ate them all the last time you came up here. Though, I think there's some cans of soup left in the pantry."

Esme gasps out loud. "Canned soup for dinner? Oh no. That won't work. Don't you have anything more substantial than that in the freezer?" she asks Kate.

"We sure do. We try to keep a variety of food on hand in case anyone snoops around the house."

Esme zips over to the connected kitchen and pokes her head inside of the freezer. Frozen items of various sizes and shapes get moved around. "Do you like rump roast, Seth? I'm certain I saw some potatoes and carrots around here earlier that would go perfectly with it," she says.

A spark of hope lights his eyes. "You don't mind cooking for me?"

She shuts the freezer door and smiles. "Oh, I love it. It's so very creative." Waving him over, she encourages him to sit at the kitchen table. Within seconds, she drops something into his hand. "Here. Eat this while you wait. It's peanut butter on celery. It's healthy and won't spoil your appetite."

He takes a large, crunching bite. "Umm... Thanks, Mrs. Cullen!"

While Esme plays Betty Crocker in the kitchen, Tanya rushes down the stairs to join us once again. She's now wearing a short, sparkly dress and high heels. Taking a couple of steps towards Jacob, she almost immediately slams the brakes and looks him up and down. Tanya's gaze begins at the top of his head and wanders all the way to his feet. Her upper lip curls up in revulsion. "Ugh. Oh my god, Jake. A holey t-shirt and dirty cutoff shorts? I got all dressed up and invited you here to visit me, and THIS is what you decide to put on yourself? Those aren't even fit to be rags! Where'd you find them? Underneath a highway overpass?"

Jacob's black eyebrows crash together. "Hey, I ran two thousand miles on foot. Excuse me for not looking my Sunday best. But whatever. It's not like what you're wearing is any better. A dress covered in tacky rhinestones, and platform shoes with cork heels? What? Did Elton John clean out his closet and donate all of his '70s crap to you? All that's missing is one of his old feather boas."

She jabs a finger down at her feet. "I'll have you know that just the left shoe of this outfit is worth more than that hunk of junk Rabbit you drive around in!"

"She is not junk! I restored her to her original condition."

"So you're saying those rust stains on the roof were put there by Volkswagen? I don't think so. And stop calling her 'she', Jake. It's a car - not a living thing!"

His nostrils flare in outrage. "Well, SHE is an antique that I've had since I was fifteen - long before I met you. SHE is solid, dependable, and rarely gives me any problems. SHE doesn't nag me to death about what I'm wearing all the damn time. And SHE smells a helluva lot better than you do."

"Oh? You're implying the car is more important to you than I am? You can get along just fine without me?"

He shrugs a shoulder like he doesn't care. "Interpret it however you want."

Tanya presses her marble lips together for a short time, anger brewing behind her eyes. "OK. Well, I don't need you either. Getting involved with a cocky, flea-bitten mutt was a mistake. I've wasted three years of my life on you!"

His arms cross over his chest. "No one forced you to hang around me, sweetheart. Remember? But you're right. Maybe it's best we end things now anyway."

"Fine."

"Good."

Tanya waves her hand towards the front door. "Go then."

"I will."

Neither one budges.

Tanya huffs through her nose. "God, you're irritating."

Jacob takes a step towards her. "And you're a spoiled brat."

"You dress like a slob."

"You worry too much about how you look."

Despite the height difference, her scowling face gets right in his, making it impossible for Jacob to glance away. "You have no idea how to treat others with respect."

"And you don't know when to shut up."

They stare one another down, utilizing death glares that would rattle the most hardened criminal.

Then they assault one another with their tongues and hands.

Everyone in the room cringes at the slurping sounds they're making. Jacob more or less looks like he's trying to swallow Tanya's face whole. Tanya is openly fondling him, so much so that I wish I had access to some bleach to clean my eyeballs. Even Seth frowns and pushes away the plate of celery sticks he'd been chewing on, apparently having lost his appetite thanks to their intimate display of affection. When Tanya grabs Jacob by his shirt and leads him willingly up the stairs, a majority of us share mutual glances of relief.

"Well," Carmen hesitates, "that fight wasn't as bad as it usually gets. Maybe they're finally settling down."

Kate rolls her eyes. "I doubt it. The more they argue, the more it seems to turn them on."

A door upstairs slams shut. We have approximately three seconds of peace and quiet. Then Edward's eyes bulge from their sockets. Both hands grab the sides of his skull, fingers digging into his scalp. "No!" he yells in agony. "Dear lord, NO!"

"What is it?" I call out to him. He doesn't respond right away, so I shake his bent elbow a little in an attempt to get him to talk. "Edward? Tell me what's wrong. Are you OK?"

He yanks at his hair and grits his teeth. "I see... I see them doing things up there. It's... it's... horrible. I can't make it stop!"

Esme pauses with her task of cooking and frowns in sympathy. "You poor dear. Have you tried thinking of other things to take your mind off of it?"

Edward squeezes his eyelids together in response. Soon, he's frantically shaking his head from side to side. "It's not working. No matter what I do, I keep seeing and hearing everything!" Suddenly, he flinches back as though he was punched, his entire body shuddering. Once it passes, he squints his eyes at the staircase leading up to the second floor. "Jacob! Don't you dare do that while I'm in this house!"

Alice gives him a scolding glance. "Stop being so dramatic, Edward. It's just sex between two consenting adults."

He tosses the look right back at her. "Ordinarily I would agree with you. They can do whatever they may want as far as I care," he growls. "However, that doesn't mean I want to be a witness to their private bedroom romps. Being forced to view amateur pornography is not my idea of a pleasant evening activity."

Emmett guffaws from across the room. "From what I've heard, I wouldn't exactly call Tanya an amateur." As a reward for his remark, Rosalie smiles and gives his shoulder a loving pat.

Alice points to one of the figures playing chess. "Edward, take a good look at Jasper. As we speak, he's being inundated with all of the emotions Jacob and Tanya are producing. You don't see him having a freak out just because he feels their sexual passion."

Jasper's eyes never leave the chess board. "That's because as soon as I felt it coming, I retreated within myself and showered my immediate area with tranquil energy as a means to combat it."

His chess opponent, Eleazar, sits up straighter in his chair. "That was because of you?" he asks. Jasper nods his head. Eleazar smiles. "Why, thank you. I was wondering where that feeling came from."

"You're welcome." Jasper moves his Black Queen and captures Eleazar's White King. "Checkmate." That wipes the smile right off Eleazar's face.

Ignoring the goings on around me, I loosen Edward's tight grip from his bronze hair before I end up married to the world's only bald vampire. I lift his chin until our eyes meet. "How about this," I begin gently. "Why don't you and I leave for a little while and give your brain a break. How far did you say you could pick up on their thoughts? Around two miles? If we go just a bit farther than that, you won't hear anything."

"Yes. Excellent idea," he exhales in gratitude. He rises up on his long legs a split second later, his anxious hands already pulling me towards the front door.

"Edward," Alice whines. "You'll never learn how to deal with your mind-reading ability if you run away every time something awkward comes up."

"This is me learning how to deal with it. I'm saving my sanity," he fires back. The door opens. Snow flurries fly inside.

"Don't go too far," Carlisle mumbles, his nose still stuck within the pages of a book.

"We won't." Edward and I step through the doorway.

"Edward."

He stops and glances over his shoulder. Alice watches from her position in the living room, tiny hands thrust on her hips. She doesn't speak, but her arching eyebrow says a lot. It's obvious that she's silently communicating something to Edward.

He shoots her a false, tight-lipped smile. "I'll make no promises on that, Alice. Goodbye for now. We'll see you when we see you." Then he closes the door before she can argue.

We take several steps into the front yard. Then I ask the question tugging at my curiosity. "What did Alice say to you a second ago?"

"She said something about how I should be careful and not tear your beautiful dress beyond repair."

"Ah." I press my lips together to keep from smiling. "So...where should we go?"

He points north, towards the nearest mountain. "See that boulder jutting out of the ground at the halfway point? The one not far from that cluster of pine trees up there?"

I squint in the direction he indicates. Slowly, I nod my head. "Yeah."

"Race you to it."

I laugh softly. "A race? OK. That sounds like fun. But what do I get when I win?"

Edward chuckles at my confidence. "If you touch that rock first, you get me."

"Hmm. I guess that is a decent prize. But what happens if you win?"

His red eyes smolder like fire, easily penetrating the white blizzard raging around us. "Simple. Then I get you."

My tongue traces over a corner of my mouth. "This is beginning to sound like a win-win if you ask me," I murmur.

His lips tilt into a crooked smile. "That was the general idea."

After a short countdown, we're off. We race side-by-side across the valley and up the mountain slope, neither one of us leading or trailing behind. When we reach the finish line, we don't bother noticing who touched the boulder first. It doesn't matter. A small grove of trees becomes our temporary shelter. A snowbank works as our makeshift bed. Tomorrow we'll have to come down from this mountain and face the world again. But until then, all we have is each other. And that's fine with me.

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A/N-

Next Chapter- The next chapter is the end of this story (though, you might want to read the author notes for more news on that...). It will be uploaded very soon, so stay tuned. In case you are curious, Bella's epilogue will be set at a different time period than the one featured in Edward's pov. He got closure from his point of view. I figured Bella deserved closure of her own.

Thanks for reading! :-)