A/N: I'm on a roll with this story! This always happens. I roll out a few chapters in the beginning and then it slacks off for a while. So if there are a few weeks in between chapters, I apologize in advance. I write whenever I can and sometimes when I shouldn't (like now when I should be working) Also, if my muse is gone, so are the words… so sometimes it truly is writers' block that keeps me from updates. My goal is weekly updates, though, so I'll make an honest attempt to adhere to that as much as I can. For now though, enjoy the updates every day or every other day while they last ;)

Note: SPN and SM are the stage; I am merely a player.

Chapter 4

Bella PoV

The rest of the Cullens gather on the porch, clearly thinking in line with Edward and that I'm about to accept his proposal. "Who are these gentleman? And why are they reciting Latin exorcism verbiage and Metallica lyrics in their minds?" Edward asks, pointing at Sam and Dean who are just exiting the truck. Seth and Connor have hopped out of the bed, too. All four are flanking me. I know it's for my protection, in case this break-up goes south. I can only hope they're still reciting poetry or song lyrics in their heads.

"This is Sam and Dean. I met them at the diner the other day. They um… have an affinity for the supernatural and offered their help with the Victoria situation. In fact, they knew that Victoria was behind it all. I overheard their conversation at the diner and they were referring to a red-headed vamp creating 'noobs'. I knew exactly who they were talking about. When I asked them about it and told them the details I knew, they decided to help. As to why they're reciting various things in their minds, I told them about your ability." His eyes narrow. "Don't give me that look Edward. Just because you have the ability to read minds does not give you the right to just sift through a stranger's thoughts because you feel like it." His eyes then widen in shock, surprised that I'd address him in such a way. Yeah, he's used to the quiet meek Bella that goes along with whatever he says.

"And if you pulled any of the battle on the Rez from Seth and Connor's thoughts, you know they killed Victoria themselves. I'm very grateful to them. I was quivering in the bathroom of the hotel room while they fought her. They brought me the proof that she was dismembered and then threw her body on the pyre."

"Yes, I saw a good chunk of it through the wolves. I have to admit, my Bella, when I saw through their minds that Victoria was attacking you there, I nearly lost it. Alice had to practically force me to stay at our own battle. I guess if I had tried to help you, we both would have died." He gives me a sad smile. That situation is far too Romeo and Juliet for me. I'm very glad Alice interfered in this instance.

"Anyway, I just thought you'd like to meet the men that killed Victoria," I say.

"You have my thanks," Edward tells them. "My Bella is my entire world." I can't help but notice that he keeps referring to me as "my Bella." Like I'm a piece of his property. Yeah, that's so not okay.

"All in a day's work," Dean says in reply. Edward nods. I notice they don't shake hands and it looks like Edward is sizing Dean up. What the hell is that about.

"So, my Bella, back to your surprise?" Edward queries, his eyes lighting up.

"Yes about that… Did you know that when you and James bit me that trace amounts of your venom was left behind? Clearly not enough to change me, but enough that the scar on my arm was rather odd."

Edward nods. "Yes it's colder than the rest of your skin and shimmers slightly in the sun."

"Indeed… Well I'll bet you also know of the other effects the venom had on me. Like the part where it bonded me to you and made it very easy for you to bend me to your will and begin molding me into the mate you desire."

Edward looks affronted. "My Bella, what are you talking about?" Dammit if he says "my Bella" one more fucking time...

Ignoring his question, I turn to Carlisle. "Carlisle, in all your centuries as a vampire, were you aware of the manipulative effects of venom?" The Cullen father figure swallows audibly.

"I um… recall something of that nature during my time in Volterra. But seeing as I would never harm a human, I never delved into it much."

I smirk. "So you knew… you knew full well what Edward's venom was capable of doing to me and you never said a word. I'll bet you even went out of your way to not even think about it, didn't you?"

He nods sadly. "I didn't want Edward to know what he was capable of with the venom. I feared what would happen.

"Ha!" I laugh, my voice thick with sarcasm. "Fat lot of good that did. Edward still used it against me."

"My Bella, I haven't a clue what you're on about. Please come inside so we can talk in a more comfortable setting." He tries to lightly grab my arm in persuasion, but I wrench it away.

"Stop calling me your Bella! I'm no one's but my own, and you'd do well to remember that. I'm talking about the fact that you used your venom to manipulate me, Edward. Why do you think I was so destroyed when you left last September? It wasn't heartbreak. It was the venom, demanding to be reunited with the vampire it belongs to, and damn near killing me as a result of the separation. You invariably made me your possession and used it and your dazzling techniques against me. Has anything we've ever had been real? I don't think so."

"Bella if any of that were true, how could you be fighting the venom bond, as you called it now? Wouldn't it still be affecting you?" The way he asked it was as if he couldn't believe I was fighting it. His eyes kept flashing to the wolves, thinking they may have something to do with it given their supernatural ability to thwart some vampires' gifts.

"Funny you should ask, Edward. Because I know it's true. And how do I know? When I'm with you, all I can think about is staying by your side. You never anger me, annoy me, irritate me or anything negative when you're near. All I want is to get closer to you, to meld my body with yours. And I don't even mean sexually. It's like I long for us to be the same person. When we're apart, my mind clears and I feel annoyed by the way you treat me like I'm made of glass, and how you and your sister are constantly convincing me to do things that I'd never want to do on my own like manicures and prom. And how you never treat me like an equal. You've been trying to make me subordinate to you because of your ancient morals and ideals that a woman should be subservient to her man. Well fuck that, Edward. and fuck you!

"Furthermore, I met an Angel. Yes, a bonafide Angel of the Lord and he confirmed my suspicions that you and your kind can use venom to manipulate humans and other vampires. Carlisle could use it to manipulate anyone he's changed. Why do you think you always stay together as a family wherever you go? Because your venom is bonded to Carlisle's, and he wants his family to stay together. The venom in your bodies yearns to be one, so you remain close to each other. Jasper, how do you think Maria got you to do her bidding for so long? She bit you all the time, right?" He winces, nodding nearly imperceptibly, then his gaze flickers to his would-be mate. "And the look on yours and Alice's faces tells me she does the same damn thing. Even though neither of you were changed by Carlisle, you share a bond with him. I wouldn't be surprised if while sparring and having fun if Carlisle accidentally on purpose bit the both of you, thus binding you to him." The fact that both Jasper and Alice looked to Carlisle, alarmed, told me everything I'd said was precisely the truth.

"This angel I met had a way to remove the venom from my body and thus completely break the bond." I shove my sleeve up my arm and show that the scar is gone. "No more manipulating, Edward. We're done. I've had it with being treated like a barbie play-thing. I've had it with feeling like I'm unworthy and beneath you. You aren't worthy to lick the dirt off my shoes you sick bastard.

"Bella, you're being ridiculous, and I don't appreciate the foul language. Why would Edward be manipulating you? He loves you," Esme states, her brows furrowing in anger.

"Esme, I've thought of you as a mother figure for a long time now. But all I can see now is a female vampire that wants to ensure her vampire son finds a suitable mate. And you thought it could be me, well, I hate to inform you but that is no longer the case. No more will I fall under your spells and be bewitched by your mere presence. Why do you think I've been begging for immortality since I was bitten? I don't want to be a vampire! I have no desire to live forever. It's the venom… the venom was demanding to be allowed to spread through my body and claim another soul. But no more. The venom is gone, you can no longer use it against me. I'm leaving."

"Leaving? Bella, please," Edward cries, falling to his knees. "You're my mate, my Bella. I love you!"

"No you don't Edward. You're obsessed with my scent, my blood. And the fact that my mind is silent to you makes me intriguing. All that together is giving you the impression of love. But really all it does is make it so you NEVER know what I'm thinking. Even when you think you're guessing correctly. All you ever have done is put thoughts in my head, make me think I was falling for you, but it was all an illusion. Not a single moment of our time together has ever been real. So no, I will not marry you. No, I will not be changed, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Sammy, Dean! Let's go." I turn away from Edward to head back to the car and Edward's hand circles my wrist, squeezing too hard. "Edward if you don't let go right now, you're going to lose your arm and you won't get it back." Dean pulls out the machete he had tucked in his jacket. Edward lets go and I head towards the truck.

"You're mine!" Edward hisses, rushing forward and grabbing me around the waist to pull me back. Then surprising the hell out of me, Rosalie runs over and yanks Edward off of me. She and Jasper put him in a hold and keep him immobilized.

"Go Bella!" Rosalie yells. "And keep going!" I run towards the truck, throwing the keys at Dean who scrambles into the cab. I sandwich myself between the brothers and soon we're barrelling down the driveway and away from the Cullens. I've already got all I need from my house, so no need to stop there. We go to the hotel on the Rez to switch vehicles. Tossing my bags in the trunk, I then hand my keys to Seth telling him to give them to Jacob and that I'll call when I can to explain what happened.

Seth hugs me briefly, wishes me luck and runs towards Jake's house. I climb into the back seat of the Impala and off we go, destination anywhere. Before leaving Forks all together, we stop at the bank where I empty and close my bank account. Edward had been adding funds there since he returned so I had a little over $90,000. That much money could probably go a long ways on the road. Thankfully the teller didn't need much info to give me that much cash, and they'd just had their delivery of cash the day before, so they had enough on hand to completely empty my account. She even gave me a nice leather pouch to keep it in.

"Bells, how do you feel about tattoos?" Dean asks, once we're back on the road.

"Indifferent. Why?"

"Well, there's one that you should get. Sammy and I both have it. It prevents possession by demons. We think you should get it, too." Sammy turns around and pulls his shirt to one side of his chest, revealing a pentagram surrounded by a flaming sun. "If you get that, no demon will ever be able to possess you.

"She should get the Enochian sigils, too," Castiel says, suddenly appearing beside me. I stifle a scream. "That way, angels can never track you. It'd be for your benefit, Isabella. Not all Angels are as nice as me." Nice isn't a word I'd use to describe the trench-coated angel, but he certainly isn't mean either.

"You've never told us to get those," Dean complains.

"Because I burned them onto your skeletons, remember?" Dean nods, wincing at the memory. I can't imagine that was pleasant. "But since you've both died several times since then, your skeletons have reverted to their original form. It would be prudent for you to get the sigils now as well."

Wait just a gorram second. "Did you say they've both died several times? How…"

"Dammit, Cas! We hadn't gotten a chance to tell her everything yet," Dean hollers. "Sorry Bells… when you deal with the supernatural, sometimes you die. And sometimes you stay dead, and other times you don't. Both the upstairs and the downstairs have kind of a think for Sammy and me, so we get brought back to life when we die."

This news has me thinking. Neither the upstairs nor the downstairs would have any reason to even know I exist, so they'd have no gains by bringing me back to life should the worst happen. Granted, I was going to lose my life anyway if I stayed with Edward, so that really wouldn't have changed much. And knowing what I know about vampires now, that would be a fate worse than death. "I want you guys to promise me something."

"Depends on what it is, Bells," Dean says, his voice tight.

"If for some reason the Cullens, namely Edward, don't get the message that I'm through with them, and come after me… if I get bitten. I want you to kill me. I'd rather be dead than be a vampire."

"Isabella, I will be able to reverse the change if you're bitten. Until it's complete at least. Once your heart stops, there will be nothing I can do. But if we catch it even a moment before then, I'll be able to remove the venom from your body and restore your humanity."

"Okay, but if not… if for some reason I get changed. I don't want you to hesitate. I want you to take my life and that of my maker. Please… promise me this."

"Bells, I… please don't ask me to do this," Dean says, his voice cracking with sadness. "I know we just barely met, but you're one of us now. And I… I don't know if I'd be able to do it. Maybe if faced with your bloodthirsty newborn face, I could but… right now, please don't ask me to promise that."

Perhaps it was too much to ask one of the guys to do it. But maybe the angel would. "Castiel, would you be able to?" I ask the angel seated next to me. He grimaces but nods.

"Yes, Bella, if we are unable to reverse the transformation, I will… I will take care of it. I promise."

I reach over and pat his hand. "Thank you, Castiel."

"So… to the tattoo shop!" I declare. Dean grins and speeds down the highway. I can tell he wanted to change the subject, so I did that for him. The guy barely knows me but already has decided that when push comes to shove, he does not want to be the one that kills me should the worst happen. And funny thing is… if it happened to him, it'd be the same for me.

Though if Dean were turned into a Cold One, first thing I'd do is get bitten myself, so at least he'd have company. Forever doesn't sound so bad if Dean is there.

"I think we should put some miles between your vamps and us before we go spilling your blood at a tattoo parlor," he says. Oh yeah… tattoos mean bleeding. Awesome.

We stop for gas somewhere in southern Oregon, and I grab us some snacks and take a moment to call Charlie. I'd ditched my cell phone when we left Forks, so the Cullens couldn't track it. Dean lends me his. "Hey Bells, what's up? You don't normally call when you're with Alice."

"Yeah, about that… I'm not with Alice. I never went over there," I answer, wincing as I anticipate his reaction.

"What a minute, you lied, Bells?"

"Well, I did earlier today, but only for a few minutes. I did lie, but only to protect you, Charlie. I'm sorry about that. I never left the Rez until today. There's a lot more going on than meets the eye. But what I can tell you is that I've broken up with Edward."

"Yahoo!" Charlie hollers.

I shake my head. "Yes, I'd had a feeling you'd be pleased about that. Turns out he'd been manipulating me ever since Phoenix. Alice, too. I know you had a soft spot for her, but she's just as guilty as Edward in what they've done to me. I've decided no more. I had an eye opening experience, so-to-speak."

"Where are you now, Bells?" he asks.

"Somewhere in Oregon at the moment," I answer. "Not sure where I'm going from here. Kind of going wherever the wind takes me."

"You sound like your mother. And I know you're a lot like me, Bells, but you've also a lot of her in you. And she did this same soul-searching type thing when she was your age. Just… promise me you'll be safe. Are you alone?"

"No," I answer. "I've got three travelling companions. The four of us will watch each other's backs." I glance at Castiel whom I know comes and goes like the wind, but I figure he'll be around enough.

"Anyone I know?" he asks.

I have to lie. He won't like it if I tell him I'm traipsing the country side with the two guys from the diner that we'd met only days before. "No. I've met them at the Rez," I answer. "They're not Quileute, but they're really great people. Seth likes them, too." Let that sink in. I didn't even have to outright lie. I did meet up with Sam and Dean on the Rez, it just wasn't the first time I met them. And Seth does like them.

"Alright Bells, as long as you're careful, I'll trust you. You'll call often?"

"Every week. Sound good?"

"Yeah sure, that'll work. And make sure you call your mom, too. You know how she worries." Yes, I got my worrywart tendencies from her. I decide to call her next.

Dean PoV

Bella is busy calling her folks, letting them know she's alright and is gonna do a soul-searching road trip thing. It's actually not far off the mark. You'd be surprised what someone can learn about themselves when thrust into this life. I learned it; Sammy learned it; our Dad did. Hell, everyone we know changed irrevocably after learning what's really out there. And that the things that go bump in the night can do far, far worse.

After her calls and filling up my baby, we head back on the road. Cas has vanished once again, but promised Bella he'd drop in from time to time. He told her we'll have to call if we need him since we'll be blocked from even him once we get our tattoos. A few hours later, I pull up at a motel that Sammy says is only a few blocks away from a highly rated tattoo shop.

Inside there's a small table, mini-fridge, microwave, two beds, and the bathroom. Sometimes these places come with recliners, but no-go here. Guess Sammy and I will have to flip for who gets the bed and who gets the floor. Bella will get a bed, always.

We decide to grab some food and head down to the shop to see if they can fit all three of us in tomorrow. "Tattoos are on me," Bella declares as we're walking towards the restaurant.

"Um, what? Bells, you know tats are kinda pricey."

"Why do you think I had us go to the bank before leaving Forks?" she retorts. "Edward had put nearly a hundred-grand in there as 'disposable income' he called it. More like another way to make me feel inferior, but anyway, he clearly didn't think to have it taken out when I left him, so his loss is our gain. Though I doubt he'll miss a measly 90 grand considering how much money they have. Anyway, I've got plenty of money to treat you guys to tattoos. Really, it's the least I can do after all you've done for me. Please."

"Well, don't twist my arm about it, Hells Bells, Jeez." I put my arm around her and guide her into the restaurant. Leaving no room for argument, I slide into the booth right next to her, feeling her thigh pressed against mine. It just feels… right. Having her with us is right. She orders a chocolate shake with her double bacon cheeseburger and fries. I order the same, as does Sammy, which surprises the hell outta me. He normally gets something healthy like a Cobb Salad or some shit.

"Make my shake vanilla instead of Chocolate, though, please," he says before the waitress walks off. "When in Rome," he adds, seeing my surprised expression.

"Sammy here is the health nut," I explain to Bella. "Where I indulge in red meat and fried potatoes, Sammy gets rabbit food like salads and fresh veggies."

She shrugs. "You guys are grown men, you'll eat what you want. But I'd like to do the cooking as often as possible. I know we'll be on the road a lot, but if we can get rooms that have kitchenettes in them, we'll save money on eating out all the time, and you'll get a quality meal. I can make a bacon cheeseburger with the best of 'em, but it won't be as greasy and fatty as what we'll get here. Plus… just wait until you try my apple pie."

"Did you say pie?" I ask. "Bells, marry me."

Bella laughs. "If that's all it takes…" If only she knew… it could be just that simple.

After we eat we head towards the tattoo shop that's still open for another hour. "How can I help you folks?" the artist behind the counter asks. He's working on another client, but pauses to greet us. He's covered in tattoos from neck down, from what I can see. He also has dreadlocks in his hair that are tucked into the back of his shirt and hang down below the hem.

"We know you're about to close, but we're hoping you might have time tomorrow to fit us in?" Bella asks sweetly.

The artist glances at his calendar and lets us know he's got the whole day open. Sammy shows him the drawings of what we need and that all three of us will need those, plus Bella will need the anti possession symbol. We call it a sun, of course, and tell him it's a family thing. He shrugs. I figure as long as he's making money, he's not gonna care what we want for the tattoos.

He blocks off his whole day to get us taken care of. "Let's head back to the room and see if anything interesting is happening around here," Sam suggests. We head out and walk back towards the motel. Bella weaves her hand into the crook of my elbow as if I'm escorting her on an evening stroll. I've never had a woman do this before, but it feels nice. I look and see she's not doing the same with Sammy's arm, which makes me feel a bit warmer inside. I was right… this girl is good for us.

Inside the room, Bella perches on one of the chairs at the table. Her eyes are shifting back and forth between the two beds. "Sammy and I will flip for who gets the floor, Bells," I tell her. She nods absently. Sammy slides one of his laptops over to her and tells her he'll teach her how we do research when looking for a new case to work. She nods again, and I'm not entirely sure she even heard what Sam said. It's like I can see the gears churning in her head… she's got an idea rolling around in there and I'm not sure I'm gonna like it… then again maybe I will.

Sammy looks around on the local news sites for a bit but comes up with bupkis. "Might as well get some good shut eye," I say. "We're all going under the needle tomorrow."

"Yeah, they say you need a good night's rest and plenty of water before getting a tattoo," Bella adds. I walk over to her and see she's on a tattoo FAQ site.

"Is that why you're out of sorts, sugar plum? You're nervous about tomorrow?"

She shrugs. "I've never been good with blood." I smirk at her. "Ironic, I know, considering at one point I wanted to be a vampire. I'm just trying to be as well informed as I can be so I don't lose my marbles tomorrow. Also, if I'm gonna roll with you guys, I'll probably need to get over my aversion to it at some point."

Sammy yawns, which causes me to yawn, and then of course Bella yawns. "Alright Sammy. Rock, paper, scissors for who gets the bed."

"Guys, don't be silly. I can sleep on the floor. It's not a problem." We both wave her off and commence our battle.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!" We yell. At the moment I throw down scissors, Sammy throws down Rock. Dammit!

"Dude! Just once… just once you should consider not picking scissors. Seriously." Bella quirks an eyebrow at us but says nothing as she disappears into the bathroom for a shower. A few minutes later, she's back, having changed into her worn out t-shirt and sweatpants. Her wet hair is braided down one side of her neck, leaving the other side completely exposed. All I can see is the creamy expanse of flesh just begging to be kissed.

Dammit Dean, get it together! She's barely legal for god's sake…. Yeah, but she is legal. I'm having that proverbial war with the angel on one shoulder and the demon on the other. Considering Angels are often just as bad as demons, the cliche doesn't quite work anymore.

Sammy is already passed out on his bed and Bella is quietly climbing into hers, frowning at me. Again she says nothing, but I can see in her eyes that her mind is moving a million miles a minute. I try to get comfy on the floor with a pillow and blanket, but this carpet smells funny and there's a lumpiness to it.

After a half hour of unsuccessful attempts, I hear Bella hissing at me. "Pssstt! Dean!" she whisper shouts.

"What is it, sweet cheeks?" I can't see in the dark, but I know her cheeks are red with embarrassment. ANd she wonders why I keep throwing nicknames at her. She clearly has no idea how delectable her blush is.

"There's plenty of room on this bed for the both of us. Get up here," she says. Well, hell, she doesn't have to tell me twice. I pick up my pillow and blanket and slide into the bed next to her. "You kind of already know, but I talk and sometimes scream in my sleep. I think… I think the nightmares might be held at bay if I don't sleep alone."

"Ssshhh, it's okay Bella. You don't have to explain to me. I'm here for ya." I lean over and kiss her forehead before moving back to my half of the bed. I can't remember the last time I actually shared a bed with a woman, especially for the purposes of sleeping only.

By morning, I realize I've slept better than I have in years. I actually feel well rested for once. I'm laying on my back and Bella is curled up beside me with her head on my chest. Her arm is wrapped snugly around my torso and my arm is wrapped around her back. Apparently we're both prone to sleep-cuddling. Her hair is tickling my chin and I take a deep breath in. She smells like strawberries.

Sammy is sitting on his bed, staring at us and smirking. "Shut up, Bitch," I hiss, trying to wriggle my way out of Bella's grasp.

"I didn't even say anything, jerk!"

"You didn't have to; it's all on your face." Bella is gripping me tightly and I can't move. But dammit, I have to pee.

Finally she starts stirring and realizes rather quickly that we're not on our respective halves of the bed, not touching. "Whoa… sorry. Apparently I also cuddle in my sleep.

I kiss the top of her head. "No worries, muffin. I think it was half my fault, too." She releases me and I dash to the bathroom. I also had to make sure she didn't see the morning wood I'm sporting. Yeah, she won't want to share a bed with me anymore if she sees that happening. Thoughts of me and her in bed doing more than just sleeping keep rolling through my mind as I shower and take care of Winchester Jr.

Sammy showers after me and I see Bella is all ready and wearing a pair of stretchy pants and a tank top. "Going to the gym?" I tease.

She snorts. "Hardly. I just thought it'd be best to wear comfy clothes for getting a tattoo. I think I'm gonna have him put the anti-possession symbol on my back and then have the enochian markings all around it. Do you think that'd look okay?"

"Sounds great," I tell her. "I was gonna have him put the enochian along my rib cage. But maybe on my back would be better."

She nods. "I picked the least painful spot I could. Along the rib cage is one of the worst spots. I'm sure you're no stranger to pain, given your chosen profession, but still… I wouldn't voluntarily put myself through that if I didn't have to." Then her eyes glaze over as she's having another thought. "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if there were a sigil of some kind that would make the bearer immune to vampire venom? I'd get that in a heartbeat if it existed. Maybe we should ask Castiel."

Smart… she's smart, funny, sexy, and good. Bella is a truly good person. Part of me thinks we should send her back to Forks to prevent further corruption, but I fear her demise is inevitable if she stays there. She's safest with us, which is about the most ridiculous thing ever, considering it seems all we ever do is get the people we care about killed. But I'll be damned all over again if I let that happen to Bells on my watch.

We stop at the diner again for a quick breakfast before heading to the tattoo shop. Bella's appointment is first so she can get it out of the way, she'd said. She drinks an entire glass of milk, orange juice, apple juice, and water along with her hearty meal of bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, and pancakes. I have no idea where she's put all that food and drink in her tiny body. She's really taken those tattoo prep suggestions seriously. Sam and I just watched in fascinated horror as she cleans her entire plate. Well, multiple plates as it all didn't fit on one. And I thought I could put away food.

Once we're done and paid we walk towards the shop. "I hope I don't hurl," bella whispers.

"Then why the hell did you eat that much?" Sammy asks.

"Because, the website said to have a good full meal and plenty of fluids before getting a tattoo. I didn't find anything about what to do once you smell your own blood pouring out of your body, but I plan to simply breathe through my mouth and hope to not notice it. I won't be able to see it at least, which will help."

The artist is all ready for us and has Bella lay flat on the table once she's shown him where she wants the tattoo. He tells her to take down the straps of her tanktop and push the back down a bit so he has space to work without ruining her shirt or it getting in the way. She blushes six shades of crimson, which has me chuckling quietly, but she does as she's asked. She is face down on the table, so nothing is being seen. Sammy hangs out in the waiting area, fiddling around on his laptop, while I pull up a chair and sit by Bella's head, taking her hand in mine. "Feel free to squeeze as hard as you need to, Bella. I'm here for you."

A/N: This definitely isn't the last we've seen of Edward… he'll be around again later. Imagine what he'll do when he learns she's got ink marring her cream and roses flesh (I think he called it that in Midnight Sun."

I have a bird tattoo on my chest that I got done in Georgia. The artist did legitimately have dreadlocks so long that they hung out the bottom of his extra long t-shirt. Seriously, they almost hit the back of his knees. He said tucking them into the shirt was an easy way to keep them from getting in the way while doing tattoos. I think it'd drive me nuts to have hair that long let alone it be in dreadlocks. On the subject of hair, I attempted to do my own highlights last night. Probably makes the top 10 of bad ideas in my life. I clearly have zero business even attempting to do it. My niece is getting married on Saturday (eek!) so I wanted to have my hair highlighted nicely for the style I'm going with (fishtail braid updo). But, my lack of skills in that area will now require that I go to a salon and spend a bunch of dollars having it professionally done. Which I obviously should have done in the first place… ugh, live and learn they say.

Also… Speaking of tattoos… I've been debating getting a Supernatural tattoo…Or I might do the "superwholock" logo that I've seen on Pinterest. It's got the sun part of the anti-possession symbol, the eyes from the spray-paint smiley face from Sherlock, and the crack in the universe from Doctor Who as the mouth of the smiley face. If I can figure a way to throw Firefly and Lord of the Rings in there, too it'll be a 5 in 1!