A/N: Sorry for the cliffies. I really didn't mean to make you guys wait this long for a chapter, but all of your reviews were amazing! I got twice as many as usual. INSANE. Thank you all so much. Not Stephenie Meyer. Also, I changed the summary again to the other one I got. So if you wrote it, will you let me know so I can give you credit. And thanks again to Fatima-FireAndIce for the last one.
"Jacob! What are you doing here?!" I yelled at him. I couldn't believe he was stupid enough to do that. Three seconds later Emmett, Charlie, and Edward came busting through the door.
"Jacob, get out!" Emmett growled.
"Woah woah! I'm just here to apologize." He said, throwing his arms up in the air in defeat. "And that I think you shouldn't listen to Billy. You should call the detective." He said.
"Well we did call the detective, so you can leave now, Jake." Charlie said to him. Jacob began to speak, but Charlie held his hand up.
"Charlie. I'm trying to help you. Don't tell my dad what I said about calling the detective." He said before jumping out the window.
"He could have used the door." Charlie sighed, as if he were embarrassed by Jake's behavior.
"What is up with them, Dad?" Emmett asked.
"I don't know." Charlie shrugged. He didn't really seem too concerned by Billy's behavior.
"They've been acting crazy ever since Bella got here. Jake's always been irritating, but I've never had a problem with Billy before tonight. I don't trust him." Emmett said to Charlie. I didn't think it was intended for me to hear, but I was spacing out. Everyone in the room probably thought I was off in my own world. I wished I was.
"Are you alright?" Edward's velvet voice whispered in my ear, I just nodded. I hadn't even noticed that he was standing so close to me. "You'll be fine, Bella. No one will find you at my house. Not even people looking for it can find it." He joked about the hidden road only loud enough for me to hear. I didn't laugh. I couldn't laugh, but he was lightening the mood.
"They said no one would ever find me here, either." I said out loud for the first time.
"Don't be like that, Bella. You will be safe. I promise." He said strictly, I felt like I was being lectured.
"Alright, Bella. Pack up your things. You too, Emmett." Charlie said sternly. I hadn't heard that voice much from him. It scared me, but also made me feel safe that he was on my side.
"No way, Dad. I'm staying here." Emmett said in shock. It was as if not being part of the action was inconceivable to him. He actually looked disappointed.
"Emmett. This is not up for question. You're going. I am your father, and it is my job to keep my children safe." He said. Emmett sighed in defeat. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realized that everyone was accommodating my problems.
"Everyone's packed." Alice ran back into the room. Her voice was as melodic as a wind chime. I hadn't even noticed she could hear the whole thing. "Everything will be fine, Bells. Don't forget your dress." Charlie said as he grabbed the wardrobe bag from the closet. Emmett looked at Charlie with pleading eyes. Charlie simply shook his head, and pointed at the door. Emmett huffed, grabbed our bags, and led us to the car.
"Do you want to ride with me?" Edward asked, gently placing his hand on my shoulder.
"Yes. Are you sure your parents will be okay with this?" I asked hesitantly.
"Bella, don't be ridiculous. Our families have been best friends for years." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. My heart warmed up at the little of him mentioning that I had a family.
"Maybe Saturday is a good day to stay out of town. I'm pretty positive Charlie will let me go after all this. The further the better." I said. A little bit a panic rang through me as I thought about Charlie there all by himself. But he was a cop with a gun, and friends with guns.
"Well I hope you can go, but I didn't really want it to be because you have to flee the town." He sounded angry. Not at me, but protective.
Edward helped me put my things into the back of the car. "I see you brought the dress. Does that mean we're still on?" He asked with that smirk so beautiful it was unforgivable, but you could never be mad at it.
"Yes. But you still can't see it. If you peek I will tell Alice and Esme, and you will be beat up and grounded." I teased. It felt good to not be so serious. There were so many bad things going on. I don't think I would have survived without Edward.
He walked over and held my door open for me. "I'll be good, I promise. I didn't think you would beat me up, though." He mocked offense.
"I meant Alice." I giggled. For a second I think real horror crossed his face.
"Oh, well that's different then." He chuckled. He started his car and waited for the other cars to move. Alice was behind us, Emmett in front, and Jasper and Rose in front of him. Charlie's front yard looked like a parking lot. I rested into my seat letting the small vibrations from the engine relax my body. My stomach let out a low growl, and I pouted.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked obviously amused by my expression.
"I'm hungry. We never got to eat." I sighed.
"I'm sure my mom cooked something up." He smiled, and grabbed my hand. I always felt fine as long as I was touching Edward.
"Edward? What do you think is up with Billy?" I asked him, he had known the Blacks much longer than I had. I thought that maybe he could give a little insight to the man's strange behavior.
"I don't know. Why do you ask?" He said. Every mannerism about Edward was absolutely perfect, even the inflection in his voice when he asked a question.
"Well. The first time he and I ever met, he kind of implied that he knew my mom was pregnant when she left Forks. But that couldn't be possible because she never told Charlie. It could have just been a slip. But then he freaked out because I wanted to call the detective. Edward, I don't like him. I think he's…involved." My voice shook at the last word as I considered it. Phil and Billy had gone to the same university at the same time, but Billy dropped out the first year. That would have been right around the time that my mom became pregnant. It was quite a speculation to make, which is why I didn't mention that part to Edward.
"Bella. Don't worry about it. I think it would be impossible." Edward was nonchalant.
"You're probably right. I'm just paranoid." I sighed.
"That's understandable, Bella. But please don't worry. There are a lot of people here that will take care of you." He assured me. Emmett was finally able to pull out, and we were on the winding road leading to the Cullen place.
Once we arrived Esme and Carlisle ran to meet us.
"We just got off the phone with Charlie, oh, honey, are you alright?" Esme asked me, placing her hand on my face. I thought having someone act so motherly toward me would hurt, but it was comforting, and needed.
"Yes. I'm fine. Thank you so much for letting me stay here." I smiled the best smile I could muster out.
"Of course. We would never want any of you to be unsafe, and there's certainly plenty of room. Plus, as much as Edward is at your house, I'm sure we owe Charlie some food anyway." Carlisle joked. Edwards whole family was so easy to get along with.
"Speaking of food. Momma we didn't get to eat in the midst of all the excitement. Do you think you could make us something?" Edward asked Esme. I smiled at how he had called her 'Momma'.
"I was about to make your father and me some cheeseburgers. I was going to repack the rest of the meat and freeze it, but I have plenty for everyone." She easily agreed and went to the kitchen to start her work.
"How's the hand, Bella?" Carlisle asked me.
"It's pretty much about the same as an hour and a half ago." I joked.
"That figures. I'm going to go to my office. If anyone needs me, I'm never far." He said before heading up the stairs. I looked around at Alice, Emmett, and Edward.
"So what do we do now?" Alice asked. We all looked at each other in deliberation. I knew they were only trying to busy me so I didn't worry.
We sat in the living room for a while. Rose and Jasper called to make sure that we all made it okay. Emmett assured them that everything was fine. Alice grabbed the phone from Emmett's hand and invited them for dinner. They agreed, of course. I was excited to have them over, too. I really felt like part of the gang. And it wasn't really whole without every single one of us.
We watched TV while we waited for Rose and Jasper to show up, which eventually, they did. Esme was just taking the last patty off of the griddle when they walked in, so we all gathered in the kitchen like hungry wolves.
The food was delicious. It was a simple meal, but good. We all ate quickly before returning to the living room where we sat in much the same fashion as we had the night we rented the movies, and I got to sleep in Edward's arms.
Suddenly Alice perked up and pointed to the corner, where Emmett's things and mine sat.
"Ah. I see you got your dress. So I guess Rose and I still get to make you up on Friday." Alice noticed. She rubbed her hands together maniacally as she realized we were still on. I refused to burst her bubble by telling her that she wasn't the first one to realize I was still planning on going on the date.
"Yes, Alice. I'm not letting her get out of that one." Edward joked, causing giggles from everyone in the room.
"I'll do your make up." Rose volunteered, which I knew she would.
"It'll be fun, Bella." Emmett told me. He had really warmed up to the idea of Edward and me once I told him that I liked Edward. "As long as he takes good care of you." Emmett spoke up again, peering at Edward, causing everyone to laugh again.
"I will, I will. I promise." Edward said throwing his hands in the air.
"You have to show Rose your dress, Bella. It's so pretty." Alice cooed, and Rose suddenly looked interested.
"Did you take her to Sal?" She asked Alice, causing me to laugh. I never thought I would get along with girls like that.
"Of course! Who else would dress her that well? Besides me, of course." Alice replied
Suddenly Emmett and Jasper were in a conversation about how they would never understand their girlfriends leaving Edward and me out of the loop.
"Let's get your things upstairs." Edward said, taking advantage of our potential alone time. We stood up, and no one noticed. They were still talking about make up, and how they would never talk about make up. They were really an interesting bunch.
Edward and I walked over to the corner of the room where we had set everything down when we were met by Esme and Carlisle. He grabbed my suitcase, courtesy of Alice, and led me to Alice's room.
"As you know, my room is right down the hall. So if you need anything, you can come get me, okay?" He said soothingly.
"Thanks. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you." I admitted.
He looked at me puzzled for a moment. He placed one hand on either side of my face.
"I don't think you'll ever see yourself very clearly." He sighed. I was about to say something sarcastic when I noticed that his eyes were burning into mine. I decided to be quiet before I ruined something important.
Edward's face turned into his half grin as he leaned down and gently placed his lips on mine. We didn't move for a few seconds, we just stood there with our lips touching ever so lightly. Eventually I couldn't take it and I placed my arms around his neck. He pulled me closer and began kissing my lips over and over before gently taking his tongue and tracing my bottom lip with it.
He picked me up, and carried me to his room. Never letting his lips leave mine. He sat me down on the long brown leather sofa he had. He sat down next to me, and began kissing me again. He licked my bottom lip for a second time, and I parted my lips slightly to allow access.
Our lips and tongues molded together for a few moments before he stopped abruptly placing light kisses on my cheeks, forehead, neck, and shoulders.
"Ah. Bella, you're going to be the death of me." He chuckled placing one last kiss on my temple.
A/N: They weren't supposed to kiss until their date, but it just seemed so appropriate. Review?