AN: For the love of all that is fantastical in this world REVIEW!

Eternal Night

5. Annoyances

The rest of the weekend passed without consequence. Charlie was relentless in his punishment; never allowing Edward to stay even a few extra minutes past the allotted time limit. Friday night when I got home I had taken off the ring and hidden it a drawer in the box Edward gave me. I knew that neither Renée nor Charlie was going to take the news very well. Even if Renée is making Charlie allow me to see Edward, she did not want me making a choice this huge so early in my life, besides, last time she saw us together I told her it was just a 'crush'.

On Monday when we entered school there were several multicolored posters duck taped to the wall advertising a 'school is almost over' dance. I saw one before Edward did and immediately sped up to get past it before he took notice. But Edward reads minds, and found out anyway. Stupid vampire abilities.

But that was yesterday and Edward had been badgering me about going practically non stop.

"Bella, be reasonable. This is a good human experience and since you are so hell bent on ending your life you should take advantage of it."

"First of all, don't say hell bent because that's not something I feel like proving wrong to you right now. Secondly I HATE dancing. I wouldn't go normally and I'm not going now."

"College then?" Edward's eyes held hope and stubbornness.

"You've got to be kidding me." I brought my hand up to my face and covered my eyes wishing this conversation would dissolve into thin air. Edward gently pried my fingers off of my face and intertwined his own through them. I kept my eyes shut knowing that the second I opened them it would all be over. It is virtually impossible to win an argument with him.

Even though we disagree all the time (we're both so stubborn), I can always look at it from his side ad try to understand what he is talking about. He tries the same also but this is something that he is not giving up on. This and changing me. That particular topic is so touchy that we don't bring it up unless absolutely necessary, which is basically never; despite prodding from Alice and Emmett.

"Don't be mad. Please. I just think that you should finish college first you know? It would be good for you." Like I don't know the importance of a college education. But it pales dramatically in comparison to the thought of being so much older then him, forever. I can't stand the fact that I'm already older then him by almost two years, it shouldn't be this way. We lost so much time together this year, time we can never get back. The sooner we start our lives together as equals, the sooner we can forget about that.

Everything in my life right now seems to be pending on this. Ignoring the fact that there are several beings in this world right now that would love to kill me, this is about us. But that can't be ignored. Victoria: she's homicidal and wants me ripped off the face of this Earth, probably literally. Then the Volturi have ordered that I be changed or killed. Edward seems to think that they won't hold up on their end of the bargain for a long time but I disagree and think testing that particular boundary would be a suicidal decision in itself.

"Edward I can't talk about this right now okay? I'm tired of thinking about it and I don't need it voiced." His hands left my own and I opened my eyes to gauge his exact reaction to my words. He was looking down at me, trying to pry into my mind unsuccessfully.

"I'm just trying to do what is going to be good for you. It's bad enough that…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?" Edward was flat out not looking me in the face now.

"It's bad enough that you are choosing between life and death here but now you aren't even going to appreciate the time you have left of being…you." That stung. I actually stumbled back a bit from the blow those words gave me. My mouth opened and closed a few times. Every retort, every reason I had for doing this, was reeling through my head but seemed unable to escape in words. I feel like I had just… jumped off a cliff. That initial freeze of the unexpected water rushing over me and chilling me to the bone, making it difficult to breathe.

I walked around him slowly without looking into his eyes and made my way to the lunch room without him. I saw him flinch in my direction out of the corner of my eye but he thought better of it. I crossed the cafeteria and sat next to Alice, completely silent. She was in the middle of talking to Jasper and turned to me when I didn't even say hello. My best friend stared at my face for a few seconds before her eyes flashed to the empty doorway. She grabbed the untouched pudding cup off of her tray and slid it towards me with a plastic spoon. I pulled it closer in front of me and peeled back the aluminum foil, dipping in the utensil and putting pudding in my mouth to keep myself from crying.

I swallowed the mouthful and pushed it away shaking my head slightly. I put my right elbow on the table balling my fingers into a fist and putting them over my lips, my chin supported by my palm. Staring out the window my vision became blurry but I refused to cry. I decided right then and there that I wouldn't anymore, no more angry tears, such a waste of energy. I should be pummeling him into the ground. I locked my emotions up, like I had in Phoenix. Jasper looked over my direction and gave me a questioning stare.

"Bella, are you ok? I can't tell…" My gaze flitted over to him for a second.

"Yes I'm fine." I said trying to push some cheer into my voice. "Just not very hungry." A few minutes later Edward came and sat down next to me at the table, sending furtive glances my way. I didn't look at him but answered the few questions Alice asked me directly, never offering spare information. After school I walked out and passed Edward, asking for a ride home from Alice.

"Sure." She said looking over at Edward who stared down at his car keys with disgust. When I got into my house I went and sat at the kitchen table without moving. Charlie wouldn't be home for several hours. I stared down at the pattern of the wood grains in the table watching them weave away and towards each other.

"Are you going to just stand there or are you going to say something?" I asked after about half an hour. Edward came forward from the door my back was to.

"You're much more observant then I give you credit for." He tried to joke.

"I'm not a complete fool." I clipped.

"I never said-" We were silent for a few minutes before he came around the circular table to sit on the floor in front of me, cross legged.

More silence.

"Do you still love me?" He whispered so low I almost didn't hear, almost. A frown sketched onto my face.

"That is an absolutely vile question. I can't believe you are even asking me that. Seriously, this isn't about me choosing life or death. This is about me never choosing who I fell in love with, but doing everything in my power to stay with that person. Everything and anything Edward. This has nothing to do with that at all and you know it." I breathed in. "I didn't agree to marry you to become a vampire. I agreed to marry you because I realized it would be stupid not to when I can't even breath properly without you. Let alone live without a hole in my chest." I paused, "And I won't be a different person, I'll still be me, just… less clumsy, hopefully."

More Silence.

"I'm an idiot.'

"Yes you are." He hung his head even lower.

"It seems like every time I start to redeem myself I wind up making it worse."

"Maybe you just need to trust me to know what's best for me every one in a while." I said this calmly, watching him for a reaction. He sat and seemed to just think this over. He took a bottle cap out of his pocket and began spinning it on the floor. I watched it as it spun faster and faster, déjà vu over taking me.

"This is the same one you know." He stated throwing a small glance up my way. I felt my mood soften. "I kept it before I even knew. I have a lot of little things like this. An indulgence I allowed myself when I was away from you." He looked up at me full on then. Our gazes caught and we gazed at each other, becoming lost in our own small world. His eyes were trapping his emotions and thoughts, not releasing a glimpse of his mind to me. We continued to stare, and after a while his dark eyes expressed longing and love.

I sat forward in my seat and lay a light kiss on his lips. His eyes closed, as I moved away his hand flashed out to mine and held it there. His touch sent my heart into frantic palpitations. A small smile fought its way onto my face as I looked at his closed eyes, dark shadows underneath them. I leaned forward and kissed him again saying gently,

"Go eat something." His face formed a small grimace but he nodded and got up. He stroked the side of my face in one of his blindingly fast movements; causing déjà vu again, and he left.

I decided to make lasagna for dinner tonight. While the noodles cooked and the sauce heated up I did some homework, keeping my mind busy. When that was done I chopped some garlic to put in the sauce and cheese to be lain on top of the lasagna when I put it in the oven. Charlie walked in right as I was taking it out, perfectly browned.

"Wow Bells, looks great." We ate in silence except for Charlie asking me how my day went and me telling him it was fine. When he was done he shuffled off into the living room and turned on the sports channel. I was cleaning the dishes when I felt a cool breath on the side of my face. I turned and gave a small smile to Edward who instantly smiled back. He held up a cobalt blue plate.

"Esmé made you cookies." I laughed lightly and told him to put them on the counter. I finished up and began packing my backpack to bring upstairs. Edward moved vampire speed and had it all done within seconds. Charlie walked back into the room, looking down, and went to grab a glass from the cabinet. When he looked up at me next to the plate of cookies he said,

"Where are those from?"

"Esmé dropped them off this afternoon, have one." He took one off the plate and popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly staring down into his glass of water. He grabbed two more off the plate, threw me a sheepish grin and went back into the living room. I took one and broke off small pieces to eat as I made my way upstairs, they tasted amazing.

When I entered my room I brushed the cookie crumbs off my hands and grabbed my bathroom bag. My shower was long and hot. I didn't rush anything. By the time I got out my legs were light pink from being in the hot spray so long. I brushed out my hair put in some milky looking cream Alice gave me, and blow dried it so it was impeccably straight. I brushed my teeth, got dressed, and walked back into my bedroom squeaky clean.

I got to the middle of the room before I realized that Edward wasn't in there. I called him quietly but he didn't appear. Is he that bothered by this that he left? Did I take too long in the shower? I felt tears forming but I pushed them back. I went over to my nightstand and put in the CD that Phil gave me. I listened to the clashing beats as I checked my email and then shutdown my computer. I got up and began crossing the floor to my bed, facing the fact I would have to try to fall asleep without Edward's comforting embrace.

I was halfway there when something slammed into me and sent me flying onto the bed. The speed let me know that it was a vampire. This is it, the end, Victoria got by everyone and now I am going to die. As I landed on the bed my wrists were trapped by cool hands and brought out to the sides, pinned down. I didn't even have time to make a sound of protest before a pair of lips came crashing down on mine. Edward moved down my neck laying sweet kisses along the way as my heart nearly threw itself out of my chest.

"That…wasn't…nice…" I breathed out in between huffs of air. My chest was rising and falling rapidly, putting my bedroom door in and out of view. Edward was straddling me, supporting his weight on his knees. He pulled back and looked me in the face. He leaned closer and closer, his breath making my completely incoherent.

"Sorry." He said with a smirk. He leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on my lips allowing my hands to find his auburn tresses. His lips moved softly against mine as his hands moved down my waist to the brim of my pajama shirt. His lips and breath became faster against me as he put his hands under the light fabric and just held me, his hands never going higher. It was getting harder for me to breathe; Edward released my lips and kissed my neck again. A small moan emitted from me as Edward grazed my neck with his teeth. His fingers made small kneading motions on my bare skin sending chills throughout my body. Apparently Edward left the boundaries somewhere else tonight.

As soon as I thought that his head snapped up. I thought he couldn't read my mind! But his eyes were the lightest I had seen them in a while, and seemed to glow in the dark of my tiny bedroom.

"Don't move." He said. He got off me and went through the window. I tried to get control over my breathing, my face was flushed all over and I was a mix of exhausted and exuberant. Everywhere he had touched was tingling. I waited for him to return; the CD ended and shut off. I listened to the air entering and leaving my lungs; my body itself screaming for his love.

♦

A slight wind blew, casting pieces of my hair into my face. I raised my hand to brush them away. The sea was crashing up against the rocks below, making background noise for the conversation going on next to me. I turned to face my companion and saw Jacob lurking near the trees. I made no move towards him and he made none towards me. More hair was swept into my face only this time, cool fingers brushed it away before I could. Edward smiled down at me and my own face automatically did as well.

"I love you Bella."

"I love you too Edward."

"Bella? Bella? Bella, Bells come on." A chilly hand traced up and down my arm. A smooth nose glided along my jaw line and laid a kiss on my collarbone. "Bella wake up." I opened my eyes slowly to be met with Edward's face. A smile met my own as I looked into his still light eyes. "You fell asleep on me." He chuckled. I looked at the clock next to the bed; time to get ready for school.

"Sorry."

"It's fine; we probably shouldn't have… a bit too far maybe." I sighed and saw Edward's chest expand further.

"You looked fine before you left." I stated simply. I got up from my bed and pecked him on the forehead. "Human moment." I looked in the bathroom mirror and needless to say my hair was an absolute mess. I combed through it for a few minutes until it returned to the straight style I made it last night. I finished doing everything I needed to in the bathroom before returning to my room to get an outfit. When I entered Edward looked up at me and asked,

"Can I do it?" I nodded my head and watched him select a few items from the dresser at vampire speed. He pushed them into my arms and then turned me around to face the door again, laying a kiss on the top of my head. I quickly dressed into my favorite pair of jeans and blue long sleeved v neck shirt he picked out, with my black bra underneath. I pulled on my black zip up hoodie and pulled the hood up. My face was beet red when I opened the door. Edward picked me up and brought me into the kitchen despite my protests for him to put me down. He watched me as I moved around the kitchen grabbing a small bowl of cereal.

"I didn't leave because of control last night." This made me spin around to face him with a confused look and my spoon and bowl dangling limply in my hands.

"What?"

"Alice was there, she said she needed to tell me something very important but she didn't want to …intrude." My face immediately turned scarlet again and I crossed my arms over my chest, the spoon digging into my side.

"So…?"

"She saw Sam calling Carlisle is all." He looked up to my face but I composed my face into indifference rather than the shock I was feeling.

"Oh, that's…interesting?" He smiled slightly.

"Yes, it's interesting. We're going to be late if we don't leave soon." This brought me back into motion and soon I was done eating and had cleaned the bowl. We made it to school with a few minutes to spare. As we walked toward the school hand in hand I looked up at Edward quickly, he glanced down at me and my heart fluttered; I also tripped. Edward tried hard to restrain himself but I small chuckle escaped as he steadied me. I pouted but he quickly wiped it away with a kiss.

"So I was thinking on the way here…"

"No way, I honestly wasn't sure if you ever did or not, seem as how I can't hear you." My jaw dropped in shock but I couldn't help but join him in laughing, after I playfully smacked his arm of course.

"I'm serious." We reached the awning over the sidewalk and stopped moving for a moment. It was then that Mike decided to come up to us.

"Hey, Bella! Cullen." He added distastefully. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" I gave a exasperated sigh but smiled and said,

"Sure Mike." I squeezed Edward's hand gently and released it, stepping about 15 feet away to where Mike had repositioned himself.

"So Bella, I was wondering if you would like to go to the dance with me. As friends of course!" He added quickly, shaking his palms in front of me. After about thirty seconds of me being in shock I answered.

"Mike… that's nice of you, but that is a horrible idea and I think you know that. I'm sorry but no." I didn't even give him the opportunity to reply but turned on my heel and quickly made my way back to where Edward was fuming. I grabbed his hand and tugged on it until he started moving, then half dragged him into the building. Once we were out of Mike's eyesight I whirled on him.

"Before the idiot interrupted me do you want to know what I was going to say?" Edward was glaring out the door to where Mike had been standing, growls lowly rising from his chest. "Edward." I said sharply. His gaze drifted back to me, his eyes visibly blacker. "I was actually going to say I was thinking that maybe we could go to the dance together after all… maybe if you still wanted me to go."

It seemed to take him a minute to concentrate on the words I had strung together. His face lightened a little, a very little. "Yes, we should do that." He said distractedly, planning Newton's terrible death in his head. "God I hate that kid."

♦

That night Edward was allowed to come over for one hour of Charlie supervised time. Edward arrived early but waited outside until the chief got home. When Charlie came in Edward trailed him with a somewhat troubled expression. Charlie's face was no better.

AN: Short and somewhat anti-climatic but I had to stop it there for various reasons

Songs (4):

You Blew Me Off – Blare Jr.

Colorblind – Counting Crows

Every You Every Me – Placebo

Bedroom Dancing – Day One