A/N:

DimpledBlonde: yeah, it was boring, sorry. The fun stuff comes later. Muahaha. Thank you so much!

MyLadyTopaz: Thank you so much!!! That's where I got it! Lilith was also said to have fed off of infants & pregnant women. I also named my pet rat Lilith haha. Thanks so much! Rooooooccckkk!

TotalVampire-holic: Yeah, Lil's a bitch. But that isn't the point. The point is... YOU HAVE A DRIVER? I have to drive my own damn car! Wtf!!! Yeah, I'm "not" obsessed either... but yeah! Thanks!

Ileamc: Yay for Alice! Yay for you, & me, & um... everyone else! Besides Lily! Boo for Lily!

Dangerous Blonde: Thank you sooo much!

Pheobesapphira: Yay! Thank you for such a wonderfully wonderful review!

Lizziemcclure: Thaaaaannnkkkkssssssssss! A lot!

Vampire's Love: Yeah, fuck Lily. Can I say that on here? Oh well. Yeah, I'm pretty sure if I vampire asked most anyone if they could bite them... they'd say no. If one asked me... well, ahem, anyway... thanks for the review!

LovingEveryMinuteOfTwilight: She isn't close enough for it to work... but anyway... I guess she just didn't think of it haha. Or maybe Lily is just too freaking obsessed with Edward that she has some kind of mental block up... I don't know, use your imagination lol.

Smileon: Yeah, Edward seems to attract the crazy, psycho, stalker, vampire bitches... coughuscough... thanks!

Twilightgirl1918: hahaha your review just made my life. Thanks!

EdwardFangJasperEmmettIggysomethingorother: yes, yes it does! Ok, ok I got thank you sooo freaking much!

Saranicole: Welllll... I hope you like this one! I tried my best!

Rachel1616: Diabolical? Score! Thanks!

Bloomingrose89: oh thank you, thank you!

Edwardlovr026: Spicy? Haha, ok! Thanks!

Twilightfan21: I like that song. I don't need an Edward, I have my own. Except he's the distant cousin of the Edward, known in America as the Jeff. I love him. Hehe. But remember, just because we can't taste the wine, that doesn't mean we can't admire the bouquet...

-bookluver1515-: kay.

So, attention everyone! I just thought of the best Romeo & Juliet quote for Alice & Bella. Not in this story, but in Twilight & New Moon.

the sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness,

& in the taste confounds the appetite.

therefore love moderately;

long love doth so.

Chapter 18

Once back inside, Bella walked up to Edward & embraced him. Then she put her plan to work. These aren't your thoughts Edward, this is Bella. Push me away. He tensed under her, not understanding. Do it! He trusted her, & obeyed.

"Edward, what's the matter? I love you!" she cried, not very convincingly. Tell me you don't love me. Tell me that you love her. His face showed a hint of disgust, but he obeyed.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I thought I could love you, but I just can't. When we kissed... I realized that there was only one person I could ever be with. I can't deny it any longer."

I love you, Edward, she thought, before running up the stairs in fake hysterics. Alice had managed to fill everyone else in while Edward & Bella had put on their act, & then Bella & Alice packed at mach speed.

"There's been a change of plans - she's bringing reinforcements now. It's a good thing everyone is in, because we're all needed."

"Shit," Bella muttered. "Where are we going anyway?"

"To a hotel nearby, that way none of us will be too far, just in case. Carlisle, Emmett & Edward will stay here." They finished shoving clothes into duffel bags, & Edward watched Bella, along with Alice, Jasper, Rose & Esme. Edward stared into Bella's eyes as Jasper drove them all away, wishing he could kiss her goodbye, but they communicated with their eyes what they could not with words.

"She should be at the house any minute. It can't tell if she saw us leave with Bella," Alice informed once they were in the hotel room.

"So we just watch," Esme said, glancing at Alice, but talking to everyone, "& wait."

"I can see this is going to be torture," Bella sighed, plopping down next to Rosalie, who was nonchalantly examining her nails. Now was as good a time as ever to get on her good side.

"That's a pretty color," Bella said, motioning toward her nail polish.

"Thank you," she replied cautiously. "I mixed it myself. That was about as much small talk as Bella could think of, so she was glad when Rosalie spoke. "So you & Edward, huh?"

"I guess so," she replied, pulling her knees up, & resting her chin on them. "I'm not really sure what happened. It was so unexpected."

"Do you love him?" she asked, pulling her gaze up to meet Bella's.

"Yes. I really do." The honesty was evident in her voice.

"Good. Treat him well, he deserves it. He's a good man." Bella was glad to see this side of Rosalie.

"You don't have to worry about that. I could never hurt him."

"You better not," Rosalie smiled playfully, unaware that Jasper was affecting the atmosphere from the other side of the room. "Or I'll hurt you." Rosalie laughed, picked up a pillow, & whacked an unsuspecting Bella over the head with it. Bella's surprised gasp was replaced with a laugh of her own as she retaliated with another pillow.

"If I could interrupt the slumber party for a moment," Jasper said, winking, "the rest of us are trying to focus on the whole, Bella not dying thing. Sorry if I disturbed you." He had them calmed down, but Esme & Alice were seemingly unaffected.

"Something changed. She was on her way to the house, but something made her change her mind. She's looking for us now."

"Damn it," Bella muttered. "So what do we do?"

"Edward's on his way," Jasper informed after whispering into his cell, using code. This brought Bella more relief than she thought possible. Excitement bubbled within her at the thought of seeing Edward.

"Wait, it's changed again." Alice looked exasperated. "She's going for Edward. She's sending others here." Jasper got Edward on the phone again. "Shit." Alice saw more. "She has two men going with her, & two are coming here."

"So we wait," Esme noted again.

"Can we fight them?" Jasper asked. Alice concentrated. "They're strong, but not as strong as us. But that's as a whole. Our only fault is that we're separated. They also know that Bella's our weakest link, simply because she's the newest, & hasn't fought before." Bella felt a twinge of guilt - not only was she the reason for all of this, but she also couldn't defend herself adequately.

EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.EB.

Edward tried not to pace. He didn't want to be obvious about how much he missed Bella, how much it hurt to dismiss her, though false. He settled for playing the piano, which turned out to be a good idea. He got so lost in his music, that he didn't even notice the petite blonde listening to him. Didn't she knock?

"That's beautiful, Edward," she whispered.

"Lily..." he breathed, trying to sound happy to see her. Where the hell are Emmett & Carlisle? He thought. Sure, he could take her alone, but her two friends were sure to burst through the door the minute he tried. "It's nice to see you," was all that he could come up with. He had to keep the charade until Carlisle & Emmett showed up, & it was difficult already. Weren't they just upstairs?

"It's nice to see you too," Lily said, & then chuckled. "Though, I have been watching you/"

"Have you now?" He feigned coyness & interest, & he thought himself to be a terrible actor, but Lily didn't seem to notice. "Seen anything interesting lately?" She laughed.

"I saw your little fling with the new girl. Now that was short lived, wasn't it?"

"Well, she's nothing compared to you." He cringed inwardly. He was committing the worst type of blasphemy. Bella was everything that Lily would never be.

"I could have told you that, Edward." She slithered toward him & he fought against himself to not visibly tense up. "I'm glad that you realized the girl for you." He swallowed hard.

"Me, too."