~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~
I felt like Cary Grant in "To Catch A Thief". Specifically the scene where he was in the car with Grace Kelly and she was driving like a maniac. Bella was driving the same way. Just like Cary, I was gripping my knees as the SUV sped towards my house. If we wrecked, nothing would happen to me, but my Bella is not durable like I am. I'm pretty sure I could grab her and jump to safety, but she had me worried.
Bella looked over at me and smirked. "What's the matter there, Mario Andretti, am I'm I driving too fast for you?" She teased.
"Does Charlie know that you have a death wish behind the wheel?" I asked as I watch the speedometer rise.
"Please…I only drive this way when I have a hunky vampire passenger that wouldn't let anything happen to me."
"And does that happen often…having a hunky vampire passenger that is?"
"Nope. You're the first." Bella quips as she took the turn onto our private road. Sensing that this road was bit more dangerous, Bella slowed the vehicle. We were still going too fast for my comfort, but at least she was not going the breakneck speed she was just traveling.
As we got closer to the house, I could start to hear the thoughts of my family, including Alice and Jasper. In a surprise move, they had returned from their vacation early.
"Now that Edward has his Bella, I no longer need to stay away." I could hear Alice tell my family. "Plus, we're dying to meet her just the same as you all are."
"Bella, it appears that my full family is at the house," I tell her. "Alice and Jasper, who had been away, have decided to come back early. I'm just warning you to be prepared. Alice can be a bit much for the uninitiated."
"I heard that!" Alice thought at me.
"Oh," Bella answered while a distressed look came over her face. After a few seconds she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Just promise me that you and I can get away for a bit. Okay?"
"That's an easy promise to make," I assured her. "I would like to have some time alone as well."
When we pulled up to the house, my family had assembled themselves in the family room. With Bella's hand in mine, I walked her into the house. Esme was the first to come forward and greet us.
"Hello, Bella. I'm Esme Cullen, Edwards mother, for all intents. Welcome to our home!" Esme pulled Bella into a quick hug. She then turned and hugged me too.
"I'm so happy for you!" She thought as she gave me an extra squeeze.
"This is my husband and mate, Carlisle." Esme said as she pulled Carlisle forward and wrapped her arm around his waist.
"Hello, Bella. It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you." Carlisle greeted.
"Hello," Bella answered. "Thank you for having me over, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen."
"Enough of the Dr. and Mrs., okay? We're just Esme and Carlisle." Esme corrected Bella with a warm smile.
Bella nodded and smiled. It could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was starting relax a bit.
Alice and Jasper approached her next. "Hi, Bella. I'm Alice and we're going to great friends!" Alice squealed as she hugged Bella.
When Alice pulled away, Bella looked at her strangely. "Okay," she replied before looking at Jasper.
Jasper stayed a step back, smiled genuinely at Bella. "Hello, Bella. I'm Jasper." He said with a slight bow.
Finally Rose and Emmett approached. "Hey, Bella. I'm Emmett. If Eddie steps out of line, you come see me and I'll stick my foot up his ass."
"Emmett! Language!" Esme called out as Rosalie slapped him. Bella giggled at Emmett being…well, Emmett.
"Excuse my husband, Bella. I'm Rosalie, but you can just call me Rose." Rose gave Bella a hug.
Bella smiled at my family. "Hello. Thank you for having me and for allowing me to know how special your family is. I hope you all know I would never tell anyone." As Bella spoke she kept glancing over at Emmett and Rose. "I'm sorry I keep staring, but I think I seen both of you before." Bella paused while she looked them over. "Emmett, were you at the airport when Edward picked me up?"
"I was!" Emmett exclaimed excitedly. "Well, I guess that is to be expected. I'm kind of unforgettable." Bella giggled, Rose snorted, and the rest of my family rolled their eyes in response to Emmett's well-inflated ego.
"I remember, you ran into Edward while we were talking." She paused slightly while she tried to suppress a smile. "I thought it was a very rude thing to do. But now I can see it was just you being you." My family laughed at Bella's teasing, while Emmett just shook his head.
"Oh, I like her already!" Jasper vocalized what everyone else was thinking.
"So how do you know me?" Rose asked. In her thoughts she was both curious and worried that Bella had recognized her.
"Hmm." Bella looked at Rose, specifically she was looking at Rose's face. "When I was a kid I had substitute dance teacher that looked like you. She was the most gorgeous woman I'd ever seen, and her dancing was so graceful. I was about to quit, but she talked me into trying a new dance school across town, which was amazing." Bella paused to look at Rose some more. "You know, for years afterwards I used to color all the princesses in my coloring books so they looked like that teacher. You two look so much alike, especially the eyes." Bella paused and looked around at all of our faces. "I'd never seen eyes like hers before until I met Edward, and now your family." Bella paused for a moment while she mulled over something. "Rose, were you ever in Phoenix?"
"Should I tell her, Edward?" Rose thought.
I didn't want to keep secrets from Bella. She was too important, but I just got her back today. I didn't want her to freak out again, once she knew my family had been involved in her life for a while. Plus, it would be hard to explain without getting into Bella's initial connection with me as my singer. However she deserved to know everything. I just had to have faith that she could absorb one more shockingly weird thing.
I took a slow breath and nodded slightly towards Rose.
"I have," Rose answered. "It was me at the dance studio."
Bella gasped before turning to look at me with a shocked expression. I rubbed a pattern on the back of her hand gathering the strength to have this much-needed conversation.
"Bella, I think I need to explain some things," I told her.
"Actually, Edward you don't, but I do." Alice said, surprising the rest of the family and me. During the introductions Alice's mind had been very quiet. I should have guessed she had something planned.
"Edward, Bella will take this much better if I explain. She may get upset. It is better for her to be upset with me rather than you. Please trust me to tell her, okay?" Alice thought.
I gave Alice a nod and said a small prayer that she would be right about this.
"Bella, I think you, Esme, Rose and I need to have a little girl talk," Alice continued. "I promise to tell you everything, okay?"
Bella looked to me for reassurance. "It'll be okay," I assured her. "It's part of our story I haven't told you yet."
"You mean there is more than you being a vampire and us being mated?" Bella asked incredulously.
"There is." I told her before I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Just remember that I love you and I would never hurt you."
Bella's eyes went wide as she processed my words. It was then that I realized that was the first time I ever told her that I loved her. As far as romantic firsts, it sucked, but I wanted her to know just in case.
"You…you love me?" She asked in wonderment.
"I do. More than I could ever put into words." I kissed Bella lightly before handing her off to Alice.