Author's Note: I reached my half-way mark for NaNoWriMo and am celebrating that I now have 20% of my latest novel written by posting this chapter I've been sitting on for the past few weeks. That brings me up-to-date with what I have written, so hopefully inspiration will strike within the next few weeks and I'll be able to finish my 50,000 words early.

Chapter Eleven: Who Does the Truth Free?

The next two weeks flew by in a blur of classes, homework, and shifts at the library. I spent most of my free time with Edward. I was enjoying getting to know more about him-his likes and dislikes, what moved him, and what made him angry.

Edward was also an excellent study partner when he wasn't a horrid distraction. Between his careful kisses and longing looks, he had me pretty much wrapped around his finger. But he was incredibly smart and knew the answer to any question I asked him about almost any subject. Sometimes Angela would join us to study in the library, and even Alice had come to our group study session, but she had only really wanted to talk to me about going shopping after Thanksgiving.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving, Bella?" Alice asked as we packed up our books for the night the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Alice's notes consisted mostly of sketches of outfits I desperately hoped she wouldn't try to make me wear at some point. Angela excused herself, explaining that she was supposed to meet Ben after his evening class. Edward took my hand as we made our way down to the first-floor lobby of the library.

"I'm headed home to Forks," I said.

"Oh, Rosalie loved Forks," said Alice brightly.

"She must love rain," I said dryly.

"I never asked. I think you liked it too, didn't you, Edward?" Alice pressed.

I felt Edward's body stiffen next to mine. Alice was doing it again-trying to give me clues. I loved her dearly but didn't particularly enjoy the way it affected Edward.

"Forks was fine," said Edward.

"Of course, that was before I joined the family. We almost moved there a few years back. But it didn't work out."

"That's too bad," I said. "I would have loved to know you guys in high school. It was a bit lonely."

"But you had Angela and Jessica, right?"

"Yeah, and Jacob. And Mike and Ben, I suppose. But that was different."

"I guess I'd better go and let you say goodbye," said Alice. "See you when you get back, Bella!"

"I wish she wouldn't do that," Edward said when Alice was out of sight.

"I know," I said. "Why does she?"

"Because, as usual, Alice thinks she knows best."

I thought about that for a moment. Alice was always so confident-she had yet to tell me something that hadn't turned out to be true. But was there something more to that? "Does she?"

Edward sighed. "Almost invariably. But there are always exceptions. There have to be."

"What are you hoping there is an exception for, in this instance?"

Edward just shook his head, his bronze hair swaying with the movement and distracting me from our conversation. I wanted to run my hands through it, but I wasn't sure how he would react.

"Never mind that," said Edward as we approached my dorm. "I'm not going to see you for three whole days."

"I'll be back Sunday night," I reminded him, but he still looked displeased. "What do you and your family usually do for Thanksgiving?"

"I'm sure Emmet and Jasper will think up some games to play; they are both extremely competitive, but they don't let me play anymore because they insist I cheat. Esme will want us all to go hunting together, most likely."

"It will be a little cold for that, I think," I said, coming to a stop in front of my dorm.

"Not for us," said Edward, pulling me to him in a hug. I felt him kiss the top of my head as he said, "Have I mentioned how much I will miss you?"

"Once or twice," I said, raising my face to his. He kissed me softly, careful as ever, leaving me equal parts content and dissatisfied.

"Promise me you'll come back to me in one piece," he said, holding me close to him. He didn't jump like I did when a door down the hall slammed but instead kept his gaze steady, waiting for my answer.

"Of course," I said, smiling into his mouth as he kissed me goodbye.

#

"Hey, Bella," Jake said cheerfully as he pushed his dad into our living room on Friday night. Charlie and I had spent a quiet Thanksgiving together, full of food and napping, a good book for me, and a game of ball on the TV for Charlie. Tonight we were spending some time catching up with Billy and Jacob. Charlie had seemed a little subdued the day before, so I was eager to make sure he wasn't becoming a total recluse in my absence. It was an interesting role reversal, but it was what it was.

"Hey Jake," I called, moving forward to hug him. I pulled back suddenly as I took in the difference in height from the Jacob I had seen three weeks ago to the Jacob who stood before me.

"What in the world have you been eating?" I asked as Jacob grinned. He had grown what looked to be at least six inches, and I didn't even know what to say about his improved muscle mass. Jake had always been a pretty strong kid, but this was ridiculous.

"I guess I'm just a late bloomer," he said, laughing at my reaction. I knew he was watching me to see if I liked the change in him, and I had to admit that he did look really good...but a certain pair of topaz eyes flitted across my mind. There was no comparing the two-not really. They were like oil and water.

Jake and I retreated into the kitchen, as was our way, allowing Billy and Charlie space to talk about ball, fishing, and, in this case, how things had changed since Harry Clearwater's passing.

"How's school treating you?" I asked, and Jake immediately shrugged.

"Just fine, I guess," he said. I knew he wasn't exactly the studious type, so I was pretty sure that was essentially the end of that conversation. "How's university life treating you?"

"I kind of have a boyfriend now," I said, biting my lip and looking down at the table. "I mean, I think that's what he is. We haven't sat down and had a "determine the relationship" talk or anything but...yeah."

Jacob was staring at his hands, his lips thin, just as I'd feared. I had hoped Jacob's feelings would have changed, but apparently, they hadn't. Not with the way he was clenching his fists. Had he expected I would wait for him? There was almost a three year age difference between us. He was still sixteen, for goodness sake.

"Does he treat you right?" Jacob asked after a long moment.

"Yeah. Yeah, Edward's the perfect gentleman."

"Is she telling you about her boyfriend?" Charlie asked as he came into the kitchen to grab some drinks.

"What's that now?" Billy called. "Boyfriend?"

I groaned inwardly. I didn't want to make this harder for Jacob than it needed to be. His hands began shaking, and he excused himself abruptly, brushing past Charlie and slamming the front door behind him. I made to follow him, to tell him I still cared about him and that this didn't change that, but Billy caught my arm as I walked past him.

"Tell me about this boyfriend," he said with a forced smile. I could tell it was a tactic to keep me from going after Jacob; I just didn't know why.

"What's his name? It's not that Mike kid, is it?"

Ew. "No, his name is Edward-Edward Cullen," I said, still trying to see if I could see Jake outside through the window, but it was too dark. When Billy didn't say anything more, I glanced down at him. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost. Was he that worried about Jacob? "We met in one of my classes. I should go talk to Jacob," I said.

"Just give him a minute," said Billy, sounding hoarse. "He's just going through a hard time right now."

"I'm sorry I seem to be adding to it," I said. Billy nodded but didn't say anything.

In the moments of silence which followed, Charlie cleared his throat and offered Billy a beer. Then my phone buzzed.

It was Edward. I didn't want to answer in front of Charlie and Billie, but they were looking at me expectantly.

"Hey," I said, turning towards the kitchen in an attempt at more privacy.

"Bella," Edward breathed. He sounded relieved.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, confused.

"I'm not sure. I just...what have you been doing today?"

I thought that was an odd question, given the sound of anxiety in his voice. "Just hanging out, doing some laundry. My friend Jake and his dad are visiting right now, so I can't really talk. But I'll call you later if that's alright?"

"Of course. I'm sorry. Don't worry about me. Have fun with your friends."

I sat looking at my phone after Edward ended the call, but I wasn't about to spend the rest of the night trying to dissect that conversation. Edward was just being Edward. He was eccentric at best, neurotic at worst, but I loved him, idiosyncrasies and all.

After a few minutes, Jacob came back, acting as if nothing had ever happened. He was not quite himself, but he tried. I felt terrible, but what could I do? I tried to let him down easy back in June when he'd admitted to having feelings for me, but he was so stubborn. Why was I surrounded by stubborn people?

#

"Alice," I said gently as Alice piled yet another flouncy blouse on top of the pile I was already holding. I was standing in the middle of a department store I didn't remember the name of-one of the up-scale ones I wouldn't normally step foot in because I'm not going to pay $100+ for a pair of jeans. "Are we almost done? I think my phone is vibrating."

"That's just your knees," Alice laughed. "I guess you are holding quite a few things. I forget you have normal human arms sometimes." She pretended to cover her mouth in surprise, but we both knew it was an act.

"You're killing me, here, Alice," I said. "Edward won't let me hang out with you anymore if you don't stop."

Alice waved her hand dismissively as she examined another blouse, then moved on in favor of a tighter top. "We both know that you are a strong, independent woman who makes her own choices. Can you imagine Edward's reaction to this one? He would die, poor boy. Although, I will say his prudish nature has improved ever so slightly since meeting you."

I went bright red. I could not talk to Edward's sister about that. "What about my "prudish nature"? I would never wear that."

Alice stuck out her bottom lip, frowning at me dramatically. "Fine, I'll get it for Rosalie. At least Emmett will appreciate it."

I looked at her curiously. "Are they together, too?

Alice nodded, and I laughed. "Edward wasn't joking when he said he was the perpetual third wheel of his family."

"Not anymore," said Alice. "He has you, and you're going to be quite happy together once he gets over himself."

"When do you think that might be?" Hopefully soon. I loved Edward fiercely, but this barrier between us was beginning to wear on me. I was trying to be happy and content with what I had, but it was always in the back of my mind.

"Soon, Bella," Alice reassured me. "Though probably not soon enough for your liking."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Call it a hunch," said Alice with a wink. Edward had used that same phrase before. This was another clue, but like all the others it flew right over my head. I tried not to think about it, tried not to pull it apart in my mind. At this point, I didn't want to know. Not if it meant losing Edward.

Another Christmas song came over the speakers above us, and Alice smiled. "Oh, I love this song."

I smiled. "You've said that every time a new song comes on, Alice."

"I know," said Alice, bounding to another rack of clothes that held some festive Christmas sweaters. "Oh...these are awful." Then, turning to me. "What can I say? I love Christmas."

"Does your family share your enthusiasm?"

"I don't know that any member of my family is quite as enthusiastic about anything as I am. But we do love Christmas. Carlisle and Esme, especially. And Emmett-he's like a kid about it. Edward loves it, too, though sometimes it's hard to tell."

"Maybe you could help me," I said, shaking my head when she held up a slinky black dress to my frame. "I'm trying to think of a Christmas gift for Edward, but he seems impossible to shop for. You guys don't exactly seem like you're hurting for money. I thought maybe some music, but he seems to have everything worth having.

Alice's eyes rose to the ceiling as she thought about my dilemma. "You should get him a book. He loves how bookish you are-maybe something he hasn't read or something that's special to you. Yes! Do that one. He'll love that. I can help you find the right edition."

I looked at Alice quizzically. I hadn't said a word, but she'd replied to me like she was listening to my thoughts. Could Alice...read minds? And if so, was that some sort of "monster" trait? But she didn't reply to any of my other things or the questions I tried to send to her telepathically, feeling like a complete idiot. Maybe Alice was just really perceptive.

After making Alice's purchases, we headed back to the Cullen's place. I should probably have been studying, as it was my one day off work that week, but I had a hard time saying no to Alice.

"Will anyone else be home?" I asked as Alice drove us up the gravel driveway to the house. We'd taken Edward's car, so I hoped that meant Edward was home.

"Everyone is home right now," said Alice. "Why? Does that bother you?"

"No," I said quickly, trying to reassure her and mask my nerves.

"Don't worry. Rosalie will keep her distance. But I didn't exactly give anyone a heads up that we were headed back here so…"

"Seriously, Alice? I don't want to be a bother. And it's five o'clock-I'm probably interrupting dinner or something."

Alice laughed, knowing little laugh that was starting to drive me crazy. "I promise you aren't interrupting anything-especially dinner. Edward wanted to see you today, but he was trying to respect your time. Plus, this way, you get to meet Emmett and Jasper, at least."

"Edward told me Jasper is your boyfriend."

Alice smiled softly as she reached behind her to grab the myriad of shopping bags from the back seat. "You'll love him."

Edward was standing on the porch by the time I got out of the car. He had his hands in his pockets, and his expression was alternating between furious and happy to see me.

"I thought you were working on a project at school," he addressed Alice as she and I made our way to him.

"I was," said Alice, gesturing to me like I was a game show prize. "Ta-da! Meet my model for my design class."

"And you couldn't have done this at Bella's dorm because…"

I frowned. He'd settled on furious, it seemed. He was all but blocking the entrance to the house. He didn't want me here.

"Listen, Alice," I said. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

Edward's eyes locked on mine, and he was instantly contrite, moving forward to wrap an arm around my waist and kiss me briefly. "I'm happy to see you. I would just have liked a little warning so I could prepare the rest of the family."

"I didn't realize coming to see you would put everyone out," I mumbled.

"It's not what you think," he said with that look that told me he couldn't explain more than that.

Alice leaned forward to pull at my hand, and Edward let go of me reluctantly. "Come on! Everyone is waiting to greet you."

Alice was right-Carlisle and Esme sat on the couch watching the news. It was such a normal thing to do. I was almost taken aback at the scene. Two men I assumed were Edward's brothers, Emmett and Jasper, sat on the floor with several lined game boards pressed together and two large tubs of black and white game pieces. It wasn't a game I was familiar with, but they both looked up and smiled as I entered. The large, dark-haired brother stood, moving towards me with a broad smile.

"Hey, Bella," he said. Edward came to stand in between us, and Emmett rolled his eyes.

"I'm not gonna bite her. I was just saying hello."

I could have sworn I saw Edward bare his teeth before he turned back to me, rolling his own eyes at his brother's joke.

"Hi," I said timidly.

"I'm Emmett," he said, still smiling.

"Bella," I said unnecessarily, as he'd already addressed me. Emmett laughed, and I smiled. He had the same kind of infectious, happy personality as Alice.

Jasper remained on the floor but waved politely for his place.

"You must be Jasper," I said, and he nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, and I could have sworn I heard a slight twang in his voice.

"Nice to see you again, Bella," called Carlisle from his seat on the couch.

"And I'm not even bleeding or anything," I joked, and Carlisle laughed, but he was the only one who did.

"Alright, enough pleasantries. We're here to work," said Alice after a moment, pulling me up the stairs.

"I'm just going to...go for a drive," said Edward. "Call me when you're done."

"Where are we going?" I asked, my head swiveling as I tried to take in every part of the house, but Alice was in a hurry. "To my room."

Alice's room was nice, but it had nothing on Alice's walk-in closet. It even put that scene in The Princess Diaries II to shame. I didn't know a person could have so many clothes.

"Now," said Alice, all business. "I need five different outfits for this assignment…"

Alice seemed to genuinely enjoy dressing me up like a doll, telling me that she appreciated my co-operation because not everyone would humor her anymore. Over an hour later, Alice finally called Edward to let him know that we were done.

"You look lovely," Edward said as I descended the stairs in the outfit Alice insisted I keep. I only agree because it was a somewhat casual pair of jeans and a plum blouse, and Alice wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyway.

"Thanks," I said, feeling awkward as his family watched us. Edward leaned down to peck my lips, and I saw Emmett hit Jasper's arm repeatedly, a stupid grin on his face.

"Can I take you home?"

I nodded mumbling. "Please. I'm sure I've intruded long enough."

"You could never be an intrusion, Bella," said Esme with a warm smile. Ah, so the superhuman hearing extended to every member of the Cullen family, it seemed.

"She's right, of course. I'm sorry for my behavior earlier; I was caught off guard, but that's no excuse."

Edward was unusually quiet on the drive back to UW, and I wondered if my presence had bothered him more than he was letting on. He seemed to sense what I was thinking as he reached over to grab my hand.

"I'm afraid of your spending so much time with my family, not because I don't want them to meet you, Bella, because I would love to shout from the rooftops how much you mean to me, how much you've changed me, but because every encounter brings you that much closer to the truth."

"So, you want me to stay away from them?"

Edward shook his head. "I know your friendship means a lot to Alice. And Carlisle and Esme adore you. Emmett finds you amusing…"

"But?"

"No 'buts,'" he said, rubbing my hand with his thumb. "Now tell me, what are your thoughts on our latest reading assignment in class."

Edward ended up walking me back to my dorm and, because neither of us wanted to say goodbye, even though we would see each other in class the next morning, I invited him in to continue the discussion of our reading. After all, we were technically working on homework.

"I'm not saying it wasn't a good poem," Edward was saying. "Just that it was depressing."

"I won't argue with that," I said. "But I think that was the point. If it can invoke that emotion in us, maybe we will be more inclined to look at others around us and be able to recognize the difference between "waving" and "drowning."

Edward laid back on my bed as I moved about my room, organizing messes (I'd given up on trying to appear always neat and clean when Edward came over-better just to let him see the real me and save my energy for more important things) and pulling out my homework.

"I'm sure you're right," he said, looking up at my ceiling. He looked...sad, and I wondered for a moment if, like the man in the poem, Edward still felt like he was drowning. The thought was unbearable. I moved to lay down beside him, and Edward was quick to pull me closer, nuzzling my neck and cheek with his nose and intertwining our fingers. It brought me comfort that I was able to pull him out of whatever dark thoughts plagued him, but I still worried that he spent so much time in his own thoughts, thoughts I was not privy to.

"Mmm," he hummed softly. "This is much better than homework."

"Says the one who probably already finished his," I huffed, but I wasn't really upset. How could I be with Edward so close to me?

He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over me. I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his lips twitching with amusement. "I must be distracting you. Should I go?"

I stared at him blankly, and I felt suddenly incapable of forming a coherent thought, let alone words. Edward lifted his hand to brush a hair from my forehead, studying it curiously as he placed it behind my ear.

"Now that is distracting," I breathed.

Edward's eyebrows pulled together. "What?" he asked softly, his face close enough that I could feel his cool breath.

"When you look at me like that, I can't even think. It's like you're...dazzling me," I cringed at how lame that sounded, but it was what I'd been calling it in my head for weeks.

"Hm," he said, focusing again on my face. "I think I rather like the idea that you can almost be as affected by me as I am by you."

I scoffed loudly, then instantly blushed.

"What?" Edward asked, pulling back slightly as if concerned he had hurt me.

"I just have doubts that they are in any way comparable."

"What is comparable?"

"Your attraction to me versus mine to you."

Edward laughed darkly, laying back on my bed and placing an arm under his head. "You're right, but for none of the reasons you are thinking, Bella. You have no idea just how attractive you are to me."

I thought about that for a moment. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"You're not meant to," Edward said simply. "Just trust me when I saw that I'm entirely too attracted to you. In all the worst and best ways." He turned to look at me, and he looked sad again. I wished...so many things, but I only had the courage to voice one.

"Come home with me for Christmas."

Edward's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and I immediately regretted the presumption that the invitation would be welcomed. We hadn't even talked about what this was...we'd skirted around it a few times, but never actually defined what it was we were doing, what we were to each other. We'd said we loved each other but... maybe that didn't mean the same thing to him as it did to me.

A broad smile graced his face, and he propped himself up on his elbow again, so quickly it was a blur, as he leaned down to kiss me firmly. I reached a hand up to hold him by the back of his neck, and he pulled away suddenly. His eyes shut firmly, his body tense.

"Sorry," he said. "That was a bad idea. Give me a minute." He didn't move away, but he looked as if he were holding his breath. I noticed he did that sometimes, especially when he looked angry, and I wondered if it was some sort of defense mechanism.

"Sorry," I whispered finally, and his eyes snapped open. They were darker today.

"I'd love to come home with you, Bella," he said at last. "I'll need to talk to Carlisle and Esme, of course, but I'm sure we can figure something out."

"Really?" I squeaked, feeling relief that I wouldn't need to spend almost three whole weeks without him.

"Really," he said, leaning down slowly this time to seal his words with a kiss.