Chapter 5 - Truth

The party evening went well. Everyone relaxed and enjoyed themselves. They played the music loud and all their spirits were high.

Turns out Emmett was a fantastic break dancer. Rosalie stood back, watching in awe as he broke the beat and nailed every move. She loved her 'monkey man'. Alice and Jasper danced to the more classical numbers. Renesmee watched teary eyed at what the expressive steps portrayed as they swirled around the living room.

Edward laughed when Renesmee attempted to get Jacob up to mirror Alice and Jasper's steps. He wasn't the daintiest being in human form, and Jacob's embarrassment only fueled Edward's delight. He loved seeing Jacob squirm.

Carlisle and Esme danced elegantly, too. They also rocked some great disco moves. Seeing as they had been through many dance crazes in all their 300 years, they knew them all very well.

Mari remained withdrawn as she sat quietly just watching them all, observing their family bond. It was a bond she hardly even remembered having, if indeed she'd had one at all. But all that mattered to her now was her future. They seemed like a perfect family to pick, if she'd had the chance to ever pick one. At one point, she entered the kitchen to replenish her glass and Edward joined her.

His face was bright and his broad smile revealed his teeth, yet another striking feature Mari quickly grew fond of. The other was his laugh. She'd been watching him too during the evening and she saw that he'd looked his most happiest she'd seen yet, while he was relaxing with his family around him.

It was shocking- Edward Cullen was having fun.

"Great party!" she smiled, pouring herself a glass of nectar.

"Yep! There's no party like a Cullen party!" he replied, nodding and grabbed a fresh glass from the cupboard.

"Thank you for being so gracious. You know, for allowing me to join your family." Mari passed him the large bottle of nectar.

"No problem." Edward filled his own glass to the brim. "And thank you for not eating my daughter!" They both knew he'd said it in jest and they both tittered, their chuckles filling the air.

"She's beautiful, Edward. Renessme, I mean." Mari said softly.

"Yes...I know..." He wistfully glanced to the other room at his daughter as she danced with Rosalie to a club tune that played. "...Something she didn't get from me. She inherited that from her mother." His glance now tapered to his glass as he swirled the thick crimson liquid around in it.

"I'm truly sorry about your wife." Mari finally breathed the words she'd been wanting to say and her condolences were gratefully received.

"Thanks," he said, with a painful look in his eye.

"I ...errr...didn't know wolves could Foxtrot!" She motioned to Jacob, successfully lightening the mood.

With a chuckle, Edward replied, "Nope! Neither did I! Did you see his face? I hope Alice got a great shot of it with her camera."

"He didn't look best pleased." Mari agreed as she sipped her drink delicately.

"That will be one for his Bachelor party!" Edward winked. After a small awkward silence Edward held out his glass to toast.

"Happy Birthday, Mari." With a small smile and a clink of their glasses, she realized they had finally made signficant progress.

"Thanks!" As they rejoined the party, Mari felt extremely humbled at her new family's kindness on her first birthday as a reborn.

Renesmee couldn't help but notice her father's feelings of warmth towards Mari that evening. She'd seen them chatting in the kitchen and had spoken to Alice about it a little later on. Alice confirmed Renesmee's thoughts and stated she had seen the vision -the vision that they'd all hoped would happen. Of course, Alice wouldn't go into detail about what she'd seen, but she didn't really need to. Renesmee guessed exactly what Alice had seen. They, and the whole family, were exactly on the same page.

Renesmee loved her mother dearly and she could never or would ever be replaced. But it was time for her father to move on and find some happiness in his life. He'd bore his grief, he'd carried his guilt, and he'd revenged her mother's murderer. Now he needed joy in his life, and she knew without a doubt, her mother would have agreed.

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The next day, Mari sat alone watching TV in the lounge, flipping aimlessly through the channels. She finally settled on a soap opera as Edward joined her and sat down on the couch beside her.

"Hi," he said turning his head slightly to one side with a slight smirk knowing exactly what his presence did to her nerve. He'd felt it every time he got near her.

"Hi." She greeted him calmly, but refused to turn her head. She tried desperately to not quiver because he was so close in proximity to her now. But it was obvious by her thoughts she gave away that she wasn't thinking about the program that played.

"Ok..." Edward began "We both know where this is going, right?"

"Yes ...We do," she said, not daring to take her eyes from the screen. Yes, now she was shaking. She briefly closed her eyes to redeem her calm, before returning them to the pictures on the screen.

"I just..." Edward paused, unable to say the words. He needed time. Somehow, Mari knew exactly what he was thinking and held up a hand to finish his statement for him.

"Edward, I know. I'm in no rush." Mari broke her gaze to stare at her hands instead. She intertwined her fingers, moving them around each other nervously. "We have a lifetime to wait."

"Thanks," he said, smiling again. "Thank you for being patient."

This time, she turned her body fully to face him. With courage and a soothing voice, she replied. "It's fine."

"You look like her you know?" Edward shocked himself as the words left his mouth.

Not sure what to say at his confession, Mari shook her head slowly and looked deep into his glistening yellow eyes. "I'm not trying to replace Bella, Edward. I know what she means to you."

If he'd had a heart, it would have skipped a beat as she said his name. Why did that always happen?

Regaining some composure, his words filtered out softly. "I know you're not … I just wanted to say, I don't have any bad feelings at where you came from. I know it's not what you wanted."

"It wasn't Edward, trust me! I knew... It felt so wrong! That's why I wanted to leave. And when he..." Mari stopped herself, not wanting to hurt him anymore than he was already.

"I will never forget Bella," Edward replied, his eyes glazing wistfully at his wedding band. He twisted it around, the gold glimmering from the sun in the window. "She was my world, you know? We had planned this life, a life that meant forever. And when she finally… After I nearly lost her so many times, and then that bastard…"

Edward could feel himself breaking down and he looked away to regain his composure. This wasn't about Bella's death, it was about her life. He had to hold on to the good he remembered and not the last bitter memories that kept him awake at night.

"I wouldn't want you to forget her," Mari whispered, feeling one of our own tears betray her. "I know what she meant to you. And the ring doesn't bother me, at all. I heard what you just thought. It's yours and you should keep it on."

"I need to let go, Mari. One day…" Edward held the ring between his finger and thumb, ready to get rid of the band that represented both Bella and his past. Before the ring reached his knuckle, Mari stopped him, covering his hand with her own.

"Today is not that day." Her words were soft and she meant them.

Her hand lingered on top of his just long enough for him to feel the strange pull from deep inside which he'd only felt once before - the day he met Bella.

She pulled it away gently, feeling the jolting vibration as well. Her withdrawal left him reeling inside.

"Woah!" He excaimed aloud, jerking his hand toward himself.

"Sorry, I shouldn't touch you." Mari stood quickly and paced across the room, away from his personal space, half to retreat and half to regain her composure once more.

"No, Mari. It wasn't bad. It was..." His eyes finished his sentence as they met Mari's and he stood up, reaching out for her.

Mari held her hands to herself and she needed to flee. The feelings were too overwhelming. They buzzed throughout the room, electrocuting them both with a sensation neither were ready for. Feeling her shyness return she muttered "Like I said, I'll wait." And she fled before, he could say a thing.

Still openmouthed he breathed in her scent as the breeze brushed past. Was this it? Was he finally letting Bella go?

He wasn't sure, but something was changing.

And for once, the change felt good and it was enough to make him smile.

From the kitchen, Renesmee felt a sudden pull to go to her father in the living room. She said nothing as Mari swiftly bumped past her and ran down the hall. But Mari's sudden disappearance worried her to the core. "Dad, are you all right? I saw Mari rush out and I felt confused signals from you both. I thought you two were getting along?"

Sitting back down onto the sofa, Edward shook his head to clear it. "Er...I'm fine. Don't you worry about me. Mari's okay, too. We just had a chat that's all."

"You promise? I really worry about you Dad. I worry about you both." Renesmee sat next to him and shoulder bumped him playfully.

"Ahh...Don't worry about us, and the only thing that bothers me is that mutt you are shacked up with!" Edward squinted and glanced out of the room "Where was Jacob anyway?"

"He's upstairs, I think, and he's not a mutt! Well not in the bedro-" A smile adorned her face as she sat beside him.

"No, no, no!" Edward waved his hands in front of his face, desperately trying not to see her thoughts. "Don't even think things like that!"

"I'll try not to," she giggled.

"Well, try harder!" Her thoughts made him wince sometimes.

"I'm glad you like her, Dad. Mari is lovely." Renesmee placed her small hand on his knee.

"That's another thing I hate about being like this - there are no secrets!" he smirked.

"There are no need for secrets. It's not wrong to like someone new, you know? We know Mom will never truly die, but if you're waiting for my permission Dad, you have it." She nudged his shoulder again, trying to lighten the mood.

"I wasn't, but thank you." Leaning in closely, Edward placed a single soft kiss on his daughter's forehead.

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The feelings Mari had felt from Edward that day made her a little scared. She worried if she pushed him too hard, if she'd inadvertently pushed him away further.

So, she kept out of his way. She had to wait till he came to her. At least it would be on his terms then -his decision.

Three days later, that time finally came by means of a small knock on Mari's door. She'd been reading and she felt her stomach lurch, creating small knots that twisted enough to make her sick. Knowing who it was, of course, she felt like a teenager again. She quickly stood and smoothed down her hair and clothes.

"Come in!" she called out, desperately trying to not sound too overly keen.

The door opened with a creak. It was as if it happened in slow motion. There stood Edward, leaning against the door frame. She gazed at the blue checked shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the white tee that peeked underneath. He wore dark black jeans that made her mouth fall open before she could control herself. The thoughts going through her mind were going be hard to hide.

Quickly realizing she was gaping, she snapped herself out of it by shaking her head and said the first thing that came into her head. "Work that bad, huh?"

Was it even possible for a vampire to blush? Edward was unsure, but he ignored her filthy thoughts.

"Er, yeah. May I come in?" He asked to enter her room in his head.

"Of course." Mari nervously gestured him forward. Edward had never set foot in her room since she'd arrived. This had been her sanctuary, her place to keep her thoughts away from Edward Cullen.

Inside, she ached to feel his hands touch hers again. The pull she got from him was addictive. A drug. She wanted his hands on her, to hold her in his arms ... to kiss her lips.

And boy, did he know it. It was with only sheer restraint that they had not succumbed yet. But it was getting harder each time he saw her. In more ways than one.

"I like what you've done in here." Edward glanced around her room putting their thoughts to one side for a moment. It reminded him of his room many years ago, back in Forks. Full length windows made a light airy room, a tall bookshelf lined one wall and a large easy chair sat facing out with a view over the nearby forest. A small table hosted her stereo, while underneath were stacked all her music CDs.

"Thanks, I like to read and the music takes my mind off... things" she said honestly.

Feeling she was referring to her past, Edward sympathized. "I guess we both still have demons we will carry for a while?"

"Hmmm," she agreed wistfully.

Mari felt nervous and her foot tapped anxiously. Why was she nervous? Vampires didn't get nervous! At least she thought they didn't. Edward had a way of making her question everything she once knew.

"What you reading?" he said, pointing at her book face down on the chair.

"Oh, um…" Mari bent down to pick up the book, held it up to show him the cover and shrugged. "The Merchant of Venice."

Edward stepped closer and his musky scent now danced in her nostrils. She held her breath to stop herself from being so overwhelmed. Bending to place the book back onto the chair, she peeked through the wisps of her hair at his smile.

"Great choice!" he nodded. "One of my favourites."

Mari stood again but couldn't help but stare at Edward's form.

The way he slotted one hand in his pocket, alienating a thumb, and leaving it hooked outside his jeans.

His pale muscular arm encasing his venom filled vein tunnels.

His broad shoulders which hung his checkered shirt insinuating his powerful chest.

His tight stomach, which was wrapped tightly inside the white cotton fabric.

His long strong legs that she yearned to wrap around her.

It was all too much.

That magnetic pull was immense.

Mari felt Edward respond to her thoughts, and she didn't know how much longer she could resist.

She didn't know if she wanted to.

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A/N: It's Happeeeennnnnnning! I fink he likes her.

If you are still reading, I must be doing something right. Thank you for sticking with me. It means a lot.

As Always...many, many, many thanks to ThisIsReallyHappening. Best BETA out there. IMO ;o) Loves Ya x

Wonder what Edward's reaction will be? To find out, read on...Chapter 6 then?

DeathToBeReborn