A little over nine months after Bella is Bitten

Bella's point of view

After jumping down from the jet I stop for a moment to enjoy the feel of the warm morning air against my skin, I breathe in deep, taking in all the new scents around me. The asphalt beneath my feet smells freshly paved, at least within the last week, it still smells strongly of chemicals and hot tar. The scent of jet fuel mingles in the air with cut grass and the earthy smell from recent rain.

Looking around I see a metal aircraft hangar, most likely where the jet will be stored until needed again. The wet close-cropped grass that I smelled surrounds the landing strip and hangar and they're both enclosed in a chain-link fence separating them from the forested area beyond.

After taking in my surroundings my eyes fall to my hand intertwined with Edwards, I trace his arm up to his face to see him observing me closely. Excitedly I ask him "ready to go" with a big happy smile of anticipation for what's to come.

Edward beams back at me and says "yes, let's go."

we take off at a run and in a few strides jump over the fence around the landing strip, Edward matches my pace easily. We land well past the fence and far into the wooded area nearby. As we run I take in all the life teeming around us and smile at each new discovery, whenever I run the extraordinariness of this life is reaffirmed.

Edward gives my hand a soft squeeze to get my attention, I look to his face and he nods in the south direction and says "our best chance this time of year of finding a Mountain Lion is to go in that direction about 65 kilometers, towards the mountain range near Olympia. We would run that direction anyway unless you wanted to do the short swim across the water."

"I prefer running, and don't forget when we catch the sent the race is on?"

Edward gives me a cocky grin while he says "You should know before we race, I am the fastest in our family."

I remind him "well you haven't raced me yet, maybe I'll steal that title from you."

"You are strong-willed and surprise me hourly with some new amazing talent, so I won't be surprised if you do. You also still have the strength of a newborn so you might beat me with your superior strength."

I give him a warning look wondering if he is trying to qualify a later win for me, and he quickly adds "I promise you I will make an honest effort, if you win it is because you are faster." I smile satisfied and after about 40 kilometers Edward slows our pace and says "you want a snack, there is a herd of deer just up ahead."

I nod and say "there's three, no four."

Edward answers "I agree there is four, I'll take the two on the right."

"Ok, I'll take the two on the left."

Shortly after we both come to a stop we have reached the deer, they are grazing in a large clearing with tall green grass peppered with white flowers. I smile at Edward and then drop his hand and leap to the left where there just so happens to be the larger two deer. I sink my teeth in and drain the first deer before it even has an inkling anything is happening. It is drained dry quicker than usual, I must have been hunger than I realized from stretching my power past its limits.

I sigh disappointedly as I let the deer drop to the floor and turn to hunt down the second, I can hear it not far off. I run out of the tall grass and into the heavily forested area surrounding it. Running is exhilarating, I smile and laugh happy to be hunting after the flight. The second deer comes into view, this one has no antlers it must be female, it also has a cute bushy black tail. I am careful when I pounce not to startle the animal, I like hunting but I am always careful to make sure the animals suffer as little as posable. The second deer is also drained quickly but no faster than is normal for me. I feel nearly full, after this one.

I look down and see my neat clothes, I have gotten much better at this my blue jeans and sweater from yesterday still look pristine. I look up and Edward is standing a few yards away watching me. I drop my second dear to the ground and ask "shouldn't you be on the right side of the clearing right about now, or chasing down your second deer?"

"I was curious and decided to satisfy my curiosity instead of my hunger."

This prompts a memory from when I was human to surface. "I remember wanting to see you hunt when I was human. Did you learn anything about me from it?"

"well, you are very neat when you hunt, elegant even. You are quick, the animal doesn't suffer for long and you like the chase. You were smiling more when you went to look for the second dear than when you caught the first."

remembering my first hunt, I tell Edward "I wasn't always so good at it. My first hunt I caught a Mountain Lion and it tore all my clothes to shreds and I was covered in blood and dirt. I had to change into one of Alice's dresses when I got back to the house."

Edward's face slowly brakes into a large grin and I wonder if he is imaging my first hunt or the aftermath of my attire.

I jump over the few yards between us and into his arms. He catches me easily and wraps his arms around me. He spins us around eliciting a laugh from me and tells me "my first hut wasn't easy either I caught a bear, and in the process of draining it, I tore my clothes, became drenched in the animal's blood, and was covered in hair from head to toe. We are all bad our first time out, we learn and develop an individual style over time. I am neat about it now but still rather animalistic, my instincts take over."

Edward surveys me in his arms and gives me an impressed look like I again have done something unexpected.

He continues "You seem to be very present while you hunt, you look happy and like you are having fun on an adventure rather than hunting. Our kind once we catch the sent, especially when as hungry as you were, tend to hunt with a singular focus to catch our prey and feed our hunger, it is what the others and I do. Its why I never would have hunted around you when you were human, it wouldn't have been safe."

Remembering a time when my hunting instincts overwhelmed everything I tell Edward "I know what you mean I hunted that way at first, I thought it was a product of being a newborn, my senses felt overwhelmed by need, I thought it was something I had to train myself out of, especially if I didn't want to hurt a human on accident. Over time it became natural for me to hunt the way I do, with it more about experiencing what's around me than feeding my hunger."

Edward stops spinning us and says "you make it sound easy when I know it couldn't have been. I think you were only able to do it because of your adaptive nature and an exceedingly big heart. You did not want to hurt anybody so intensely that you developed a whole new way to hunt. It's very impressive Bella."

A little shy from the complement I tell Edward "you are always so ready to complement." He gives me a dubious look, like he is unsure whether I consider it a good thing, so I lean forward in his arms to kiss his cheek as thanks for the praise and ask curiously "Did you notice anything else?."

He smiles and nods affirmatively then continues his evaluation. "you have a unique elegance and charm while you hunt, it draws me in and I am unable to look away. You run most like Alice, light and delicate, but I would say you are a bit more graceful than even her. With your beautiful hair flowing around you, you look like a goddess."

Ignoring his embellishments, and say skeptically "Really, I am more graceful than the others, that's strange considering how I spent my human years. I was in constant fear of falling and always bumping into something and getting myself hurt. Are you sure you aren't being a bit biased? You do seem to marvel at everything I do, even when it seems insignificant to me."

Edward looks a little unsure of himself for a second and then becomes confident once again, reaffirming with a nod what he said earlier. I kiss his cheek again to show my gratefulness to the fact he thinks so highly of me, I don't want him getting the wrong idea, it's rather cute of him to think the world of me, I am just not sure it's justified.

With a confident look in his eyes, he says "I am positive you excel in this life more than what is usual, I said at school you were born for it and was not exaggerating, in fact, I probably was not doing you justice."

Convinced by Edward but still surprised I say "I have never had anything to compare myself to. I always assumed everything I learn and did as a vampire was just the way it was done, a normal progression. Like when I was learning to control myself around humans or hunting and even to control my gift, I just figured the rate at which I did each was the standard. As a human, every vampire I met impressed me with their beauty and strength and the fluidity of their movements. I always assumed since I never met another vampire after being turned, that that was the way. I thought we were superior to humans but about equal when it came to each other. I honestly only thought special ability like are gifts set us apart from each other, I never considered differences in natural abilities until today."

"I am sure as you learn more about our kind you will start to realize how special you are and understand why I always look so stunned by you. Now that you have found us Bella, you can ask any of us if you ever have any questions."

Thinking back to earlier I say "well I do have one"

Edward lowers me so that I can set my feet on the ground. I unwrap my arms from him and ask "how did you know the left side of the clearing had the larger dear? You asked for the right side because you knew, didn't you?"

Edward tilts his head to the side and with an arched eyebrow and a devilish smile he says "you caught that, did you. It was their heartbeats, steady and stronger. The smaller deer tend to have a quieter heartbeat and a bit of a different smell as well. You will pick it up with time."

In Edward's arms I turn my body towards the deer I dropped a Minute ago and sniff the air wrinkling my nose in the process. I catch the potent scent of the large dear on the ground and memorize its specific fragrance for future reference.

I turn back and notice Edward observing me, a growing common occurrence. I ask Edward "you ready to race, I smell a cat?"

Edward looks in the direction the scent is coming from and says "yes, I picked up on that as well but was choosing to ignore it. I was savoring the moment and enjoying having you in my arms. You also looked rather cute memorizing the deer's scent."

I push his shoulder away teasingly and say "not as cute as I'll look beating you to the Mountain Lion."

He argues "I don't know you always look so delicious."

I lean in closer to him and say "the first one to it wins, agreed." Then I place my hand on his cheek and continue to lean in slowly. He gulps loudly and stares at my lips and says "agreed", I lean the remainder of the way in for a goodbye kiss before the race. He sighs with pleasure as our lips meet and I am tempted to skip the race altogether.

I kiss my way up his jawline up to his ear and whisper to him slowly "ready, set, go." Then I take off as fast as I can towards the Mountain Lion. Edward is only momentarily delayed, he is quickly right behind me. I dig into the ground using my strength to go faster. I manage to keep my lead for about 3 kilometers, then he runs alongside me and gloats with a big smile, he says "nice try, love" then he pulls ahead and I run my fastest but can't catch up to him. As I slow to a stop at the same tree as Edward, he flashes me a smile and says "well I guess I am keeping my title."

With a humble smile, I say "I guess you are, but the race was fun. I guess running is what you excel at. You're my sexy Road Runner." I feel embarrassed saying that and then I picture the gangly bird and laugh at the absurdity of Edward being compared to it.

Edwards smiling with triumph turns his back to me to point up at the mountain lion. He says "it's all yours."

With Edward in fount of me, I have little interest in the cat and jump on his back wrapping my arm and legs around him. I lean down to kiss his cheek from behind and inform him "I kinda cheated with a little head start and you still won, now who has an amazing mate."

"How about we agree we both do and since I won you stop getting distracted and drink up. We can go see Charlie after."

Edward must know just how to get me to do what he wants, with the mention of Carlie I am Eager to eat and head out to see him again, I kiss him one last time and leap off his back and into the tree. I look back at Edward to see if he is watching and see a worried look in his eyes that confuses me. I turn back to the mountain lion, it looks harmless to me. I am distracted contemplating what Edward could be thinking when the mountain lion rakes its claws down my pant leg. I quickly sink my teeth in at its neck and drink without getting a drop on me.

When I am done I lick my lips and jump down with the Mountain Lion in hand. I land softly next to Edward and place the cat gently on the ground.

While investigative the large rips down my leg I ask Edward "You distracted me, why did you look so worried?"

"It wasn't rational, but I was imagining you getting hurt."

Jokingly I tell him "Well its claws felt soft, it was more likely to tickle me then hurt me." After a moment I add "You were right about just needing to hunt I don't feel tired anymore."

Looking pleased he says "Excellent then shall we head over to Charlies or do you want to try for one more."

Feeling energized I say "Let's go see Charlie the sun will be rising soon and I want to get there well before he wakes."

"Your wish is my command." Edward takes my hand and we make our way to Charlie's house. The run goes by fast we are soon climbing into my bedroom window.

I go up first with Edward close behind, we walk to the center of my room my eyes fall on my bed, and I think back to all the times I fell asleep in Edward's arms, the thick quilt tucked around me to keep me warm. I am so glad that's not necessary anymore, that we can just be together with ease, he can touch me and not worry I'll break."

Suddenly I hear Edward's voice from beside me, "what are you thinking?"

I turn my head from the bed towards Edward, he is looking at me curiously, an expression not uncommon for him when it comes to me. "nothing much just remembering happy memories and contemplating a few things"

"It is torture not being able to hear you, the 54 minutes on the plane were some of the most interesting of my life. I was so consumed by your thoughts it was hard to pay attention to Alice's visions. At least for the first 30 minutes it was, for the rest of the time you were mainly focused on your shield. Now I feel like I am back in the dark again, what were you contemplating."

Instead of answering, I'll just show him. I move to stand in front of him with my back now to my bed. Edward looks confused as I gently pull the collar of his shirt, making him bend down, so I can kiss him. He kisses me back without hesitation, as soon as my lips touch his the kiss consumes me. I pull him towards me and move us back until my leg brushes the end of my bed. Without breaking the kiss I slowly bring us down to sit at the end of my bed.

Edward takes over from there, he lays back on the bed bringing me down on top of him. His hands on my hips pressing me closer to him as he moves us further up onto the bed. I place my hands on his sculpted abs and then move them up his body and place them around his neck. After a few minutes I pull away to catch my breath and we both pant quietly. As my breathing calms I tell Edward "this is basically what I was contemplating, not being as fragile has its perks."

Edward chuckles quietly and rolls us over so that he is on top of me, he says "I agree" then I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around him with my hands moving under his shirt and across his back. I can't help myself from moving my hands to his abdominal muscles again, hiking his shirt up in the process. Edward seems just as lost in my body, his hand is under my shirt making its way up my torso as he bends down to kiss me once again. After just a few seconds he pulls his hands away from me and instead uses it to brace himself up, so his upper body hovers over mine.

The absence of his lips makes me frown so he bends down and gives me a quick kiss then pulls back to look into my eyes. I study his face he looks nervous for a split second and then resolute about something. He then kisses his way up my jaw as I did earlier and whispers into my ear " Isabella Swan, will you do me a great honor and marry me."

I gasp unprepared for the question and then unwrap my legs from around him, he completely took me by surprise with this one. Edward moves to sit next to me on the bed and I sit up against the headboard.

What is Edward thinking, why ask me to marry him we are already committed to each other, I know we will be together forever, what would getting married accomplish? I look into Edward's hopeful eyes and decide not to raise my question.

I guess if it will make Edward happy I do not mind getting married. My biggest obstacles are both ones that do not matter any longer anyway. One is my age, which won't ever change. The other is the idea of a large wedding, a crowd of people staring at me, I have never liked being the center of attention and still don't but that's not possible since everyone thinks I am dead. At the most, it would just be the Cullen's at the wedding and maybe the extended family in Denali.

My moment of contemplation has Edward looking unsure. I turn my body towards him and ask "isn't their usually a ring?"

He smiles exuberantly and gets off the bed. He kneels down on one knee as he pulls a ring box out of his pocket. Swiftly taking the ring out of the box he again asks "My beautiful Bella, You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You give my life purpose. Will you marry me?"

Getting off the bed I bend down and kiss him and then look into his eyes and tell him "I love you with all my being Edward, of course, I will marry you."

Edward wraps an arm around me and pulls me up to my feet as he gets up. We have only been here a few minutes, it feels to eventful for so short a time. I feel the ring being slid onto my ring finger and look down. Edward has placed a beautiful and old-fashioned styled ring on my ring finger.

While examing the ring, I tell Edward "it's perfect."

He smiles and tells me "it was my mothers."

At that moment I hear a particularly loud snore drift into the room. "Charlie, we should go see him before its too late." I grab Edward's hand and walk out into the hall. I listen to Charlie's steady snores and walk towards his open door. Edward lets go of my hand and walks back towards my room, whispering "I'll let have some alone time with him, say hi for both of us." I nod and watch him sits on my bed and pick up the book on my nightstand. He's Looking very nonchalant consider all that just happened.

I walk into my dads' room and go over kneel next to his bed and listen to his calm breathing. The last time I came by he was restless, muttering my name in his sleep quite a bit.

I Look around the room noticing it is not neat and tidy like he used to keep it. His uniform is piled on a chair instead of hung up so it does not get wrinkles. He has socks and a jacket thrown on the floor in the center of the room, and his shirts are piled around his overly full laundry bin.

I am still examining his room when my dad says my name, I look down to his sleeping face, it looks pained and his breathing is getting louder. I whisper to him impossibly quiet "its ok dad, I am ok" it seems to calm him though I know he can't possibly hear me. His breathing slows and his face looks peaceful again. "I just came to assure myself you're ok, I am worried about you dad. I have to go now, I love you."

I stand up to go and Charlie opens his eyes to a squint and says "Bells" in a sleepy voice. I disappear in an instant and go grab Edward so we can leave. I jump down from my window and Edward follows me past the tree line after closing the window behind us.

Edward holds me close and says "don't worry love, he thinks he imagined it. I can hear him, he thought you looked angle like, distorted because he was hallucinating your image."

I look at Charlie's house over Edward's shoulder as Edward hugs me. I can hear Charlie sitting up in bed, his mattress springs squeaking from the movement. He must have decided agents going back to sleep.

Edward turns to gazes at Charlie's house with a surprised look. He tells me "he remembers hearing you as well, it must have been on one of your other visits."

"what, I don't remember that."

Edward continues "He thought your voice sounded different though, he barely recognized it as yours, so he kept his eyes closed and listened, that why you didn't notice. He thought if he kept his eyes closed, he would continue to hear you. He remembers your voice telling him you loved him, and you asked him to be strong. He tells himself it wasn't really you but still holds onto the memory tightly not letting himself forget it. He likes to pretend to himself that you are somewhere out there safe and happy."

I say sadly "well, it is good he wrote it all off, I wish he was doing better though. He still dreams about me and his room looked a bit disheveled. Him seeing me was a big mistake, it looks like he is still having trouble, and this is just going to make things worse." We stand there for a little while as I inwardly chastise myself for getting caught.

I hear the shower start in my dad's house, he must be getting ready for the day. I turn away from Charlie's house to burrow into Edward's chest. The moment Charlie's eyes perceived me I was guilty of making a grave mistake. I never realized that he had heard me before, that also was a grave mistake. My mistakes will only hurt Carlie more and make him think he has reason to hope. It will only hurt him that much more when he relies over time I am gone for good.

Edward brushes my hair from my face and then places his hand on my back to rub gentle circles. He sounds worried when he asks "are you ok love?"

Unsure of how to answer I remain silent and absentmindedly twirl my ring. He continues in a reassuring voice "You know Charlie is strong, I think you both can get through this but if you can't live with him thinking you are dead, or if you think you will regret it, then we can find a way so that he could have a place in our lives. We can't for his safety tell him the truth, but a plausible lie. You can have Charlie if that's what you need."

I finally speak "I want what you wanted for me all those months ago when you left, him to be safe from the dangers that surround our kind."

Edward points out "I am asking because the moment I thought you were dead I realized that was the stupidest decision of my life. It is my biggest regret and I don't want to stand by if you think this would be yours."

I place my head back on his chest and say "It might be Edward, but I can't change that, our world is too dangerous for Charlie, especially now. We can revisit this topic when we have solved our current problem, you know, the large powerful coven coming after us."

Edward tells me "you're right, I just want you to be happy and not have any regrets weighing you down for the next few centuries as mine will."

I look up at him and place my hand on his cheek and ask "as yours will? Edward why not instead of sulking about the past that worked it's self out favorably you focus on being blissfully happy with me."

Edward leans into my hand and in a charming voice says "you win, it's too hard anyway to not be blissfully happy in a world where you exist and overflowing with joy since you agreed to be mine forever."

I drop my hand from his face because I just realized how right Edward was before when he talked of regret. I admit in a solemn voice "You are right though, I do feel regret, I have ever since the night I told Charlie goodbye. I don't know how Edward but you always seem to know what I am feeling before I do myself. I don't like Charlie suffering because of a lie, it makes me feel guilty. If I had to lie to him I'd rather it be to make him happy."

Edward nods and says "I thought so, we can find a way, I promise you we will but for now let get back to the others. You are right we need to sort our current predicament out before we can sort Charlie out." then he whips me onto his back and says how about I give you a ride home as I used to when you were human."

"yeah let's head home."

He takes off towards home and I wrap my legs around his midsection and lean my cheek to his shoulder.

Edward says "I think as a human this frightened you a bit, you acted like I would hit a tree or something.

"When I was human it seemed impossible to run this fast and not hit something. My body then was not designed for it, I remember my teeth chattering from the wind, it felt so cold and I thought the force of it was going to blow me away. It's much more enjoyable now, your smooth running strides are soothing and I like being so close to you."

Edward answers "I thought you would like it. I like having you on my back and your arms around me." Edward has a goofy grin plastering his face. I move my arms from gently wrapped around his neck to tickling his side. He turns his head to look at me, perfectly able to focus on me and running.

"So you want to play that game." He gently pulls me around from his back and into his arms, tickling my sides. He says, "I remember you have ticklish sides as well." I am laughing and squirming in his arms while he runs. I grab his hands to stop him, and say "stop, stop, truce." With his hands are trapped in mine, he stairs down satisfied at my smiling face.

"you'll have your truce, but we should seal it with a kiss don't you think." My lips are on his before he is finished with his sentence. He runs along holding me effortlessly with just his left arm, he has me curled up and pressed to his chest. We stop kissing only when we get to the house.

I tell him "well you accomplished your goal."

He answers boldly "my goal to extract a passionate make-out session with my fiance."

"No, your goal to distract me, Thank you." I lean up to give him one more quick kiss then he sets me down.

I nod to the house "we should go in and get dressed we should be meeting the wolves soon. The sun is rising in a little while, and we need to meet them first thing." I look down and say "I don't want to go to meet them in ripped pants though. I'll have Allice get me something to wear while I shower quickly."

Edward asks surprised "Are you sure you want to trust her with picking something?"

I think given the situation Alice can be trusted to have restraint and say "sure, I am not as picky anymore and I trust Alice not to go too overboard."

Alice form in the hose says "thank you Bella, I have the perfect outfit in mind."

Edward chuckles and we walk through the front door.

Hi all,

Thanks for reading.

I wrote this chapter before the preceding one but after accidentally deleting it I gave up on writing it for a bit. After completing the previous chapter, I rewrote it again but it is not the same. I don't think it's as good as it could be and may come back to edit it later but I am to annoyed with the dissimilarities now to focus on making it better.

Don't forget to let me know what you think, I am always curious to know how people are liking the progression of the story.

-Byher