This chapter is dedicated to Kayleigh and L.C., because the poor things had to leave me early tonight, for they have to return to school tomorrow.

Stupid school, taking Kayleigh and L.C. away from me.

DANG YOU SCHOOL SYSTEM!

"Can Bella and I have a moment alone, please?" Laurent asked, his eyes darting around, watching all the members of my family.

"Not a chance," Edward growled, his grip around my waist tightening. "I'm not leaving you alone with her."

I sighed, and looked over at Carlisle. He wordlessly nodded at me, and I smiled at him quickly, and then turned my attention back to Edward. I stood on my toes, and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"It's alright Edward," I said, my lips brushing up against his cheek again as I spoke. I lowered my weight back to my heels, and offered him a weak smile. "I'll be alright. Talk to Carlisle about my gift, or something. Laurent can't hurt me now, remember?"

"Isabella," he pronounced my full name, to prove the seriousness of the situation. As if I needed more proof of that! "I will not leave you alone with the vampire that consorted with the one who wanted you dead. The idea is absurd."

I smirked, "Absurd? How about incongruous?"

"Bella, please be serious," He said, although I saw his lips twitch, as he attempted to hide a smile. He dropped his arm from my waist, and pulled me in front of him, so we were face to face, although he had to look down to catch my gaze.

"I am being serious, Edward," I sighed. "All will be fine. I'll meet you inside in a few minutes, okay?"

Edward groaned, and looked in the distance, up at the now dark sky. "Bella…"

"It's okay. I'll scream if I need you. Or I'll run. I can run a lot faster now, can I not?"

Edward sighed, and kissed my forehead. He started making his way to the house, but before he got too far, he turned back around, snarling at Laurent.

"If you lay one hand on her," he threatened.

Laurent smiled slyly. "I wouldn't dream of it."

And then, it was just Laurent and I, alone in the Alaskan night.

"Bella," he began, "You must understand that I am very sorry for what happened to you. Honestly, you were never supposed to get hurt. The Cullens were supposed to come out of their trance before Victoria bit you, but it took them longer then anticipated for them to snap out of it."

I nodded politely, taking all this in. So it was his plan all along to save me. Manipulating the Cullens to stand behind Victoria was so they would be closer to her, so when she tried to bite me, it wouldn't take more then a millisecond for them to attack her. Laurent was a good guy all along.

One question burned in my mind though.

"Why?" I asked. "Why the sudden interest in saving me? Why betray Victoria to save a feeble human, like I was?"

"That's a good question, Bella." Laurent chuckled, and I didn't really understand the reason behind the laughter.

"Thanks," I said, somewhat rudely. "Would you care to answer it?"

"I'm not a terrible guy," he said, smiling smugly. "I may not be strong enough to stick to the…" he struggled to find the correct wording, "…less satisfying diet that you, and your coven share, but that does not make me evil."

"Taking innocent lives, to gratify your thirst," I said, folding my arms over my chest. "I don't believe that's a usual habit of a good guy."

He laughed again. "Bella, you are a bright girl," he said, reaching up to touch my cheek. I couldn't move beneath his cold hand, as he cupped my face.

"You never answered my question," I said, glowering at him. "Why save me?"

He dropped his hand. "Bella," he smirked again. "Why must you be so concerned with such trivial things? I apologized for not being able to stop Victoria. And now you have your eternity with Romeo over there," he pointed to the house, where Edward was watching from the window. "Stop asking pointless questions, Juliet."

How dare he speak to me like that? My eyes narrowed, and a low growl escaped my chest. "I want you to answer my question, Laurent." I spat.

"You're not dead," he said, "Well, not in the literal sense anyway. Can't you just say thank you, and let us go on with our lives?"

"I want an answer," I snapped.

He sighed, giving in. "Bella, you were an innocent girl. You did nothing wrong. James was entranced by your scent, and he hunted you, and you nearly bled to death."

I winced at the memory. He noticed, and I saw him genuinely smile apologetically.

"Edward did what he had to do to James to save you." He shrugged, "I would have done the same, if the woman I loved were in danger. If Victoria wanted to avenge James, killing an innocent girl… that would do nothing. I may be a vampire, but I'm not that sadistic."

I smiled, "See? Was that so hard?" I chuckled, "You're not such a bad guy after all." I playfully punched his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, let's not let that get out, alright?" he smirked, "I'm quite proud of my big bad vampy reputation."

I laughed, "Your secret is safe with me."

He smiled genuinely. "Have a good eternity, Bella. Maybe we'll meet again someday."

"Goodbye, Laurent."

He kissed me sweetly on my cheek, although he was moving dangerously close to my lips, before we heard a soft roar come from a figure suddenly standing next to me.

Edward was immediately at my side, growling quietly. He had obviously been watching though the window the whole time.

Laurent glanced apologetically at Edward. "Goodbye, Isabella." He said, harmoniously. And then, he was gone.

Edward looked at me, a mixture of anger, jealousy, and pain crossing his features. "What the hell was that, Bella?"

"It was nothing Edward," I assured him. "Laurent was just saying goodbye. It meant nothing."

"Nothing?" he exclaimed. "You call another guy kissing you, nothing?"

It hurt me to see him like this. He wasn't only jealous. He sounded truly hurt.

"Yes," I said, with a hint of pleading in my voice. "It meant nothing to me, Edward. Laurent actually is a nice guy, but that's all he is. He was saying goodbye, and the kiss meant nothing. It was just chaste kiss on the cheek."

Edward sighed, "You sure it meant nothing?"

I took his face in my hands. "Your kisses are the only ones that mean anything to me, the only kisses that will matter for the rest of eternity."

Edward smiled, and urgently pressed his lips to mine. My hands moved from his face, to his hair, my fingers tangling in his already unruly locks. I felt him smile, as he pressed every line of his body against mine. He deepened the kiss, tossing away our old boundaries that no longer mattered. This kiss was not the usual, innocent, cautious, kiss that I had gotten used to. I held him close, not at all willing to let him go anytime soon. I laughed softly against his lips, my mouth opening in the process, inviting him in. Of course, he didn't waist a second hesitating to oblige.

And then we pulled away, panting, although neither of us actually needed to breathe. His forehead rested against mine, as he stared lovingly into my crimson eyes, and I returned the gaze, into his topaz ones.

"Welcome to eternity, love." He murmured.

And with that, we both walked inside our home, hand in hand.

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That night, Edward and I just laid in bed talking all night. We didn't even talk about anything in particular, nothing of any consequence. However, it was certainly the best night of my life. Human, or otherwise. I got an amazing thrill when I realized that nights would be like that forever.

Eternity was a scary concept to think about. Time was endless, we would continue roaming the earth forever, never ending. The idea itself was scary, actually living it, now that was frightening. The thing was, that I would be living this terrifying forever with Edward. That made all of that fear feel meaningless.

The sun had just peeked its head over the horizon, when Edward turned his head to me again, kissing my cheek. I realized then, that it was Saturday.

"Emmett, Jasper, and I are going hunting today," he announced, pulling himself out of bed. "You're going to go shopping with Alice. The guys and I will be back by sundown."

"But, can't I come with you?" I asked, standing up as well, next to him.

"Bella, you don't need to hunt yet," he explained. "You'll have enough of your human blood left in you to last you a few more weeks."

I groaned, "But I can't go shopping with Alice without you!" I exclaimed, tugging on his shirt. "She'll torture me, to no end!"

Edward found my whining amusing, and he chuckled. "I'm sorry darling, but I really do have to go," I looked at his eyes, and realized that they were darker butterscotch then usual.

"Fine," I muttered, folding my arms over my chest. Edward laughed and kissed my forehead.

"I love you, and I'll see you tonight."

I sighed, "I love you too,"

He smiled one more time at me, and was out the door. I watched the wall length window, and my eyes followed him, as he and his brothers jumped into the Volvo and sped away.

"Kay Bella, get dressed," Alice's voice told me from the doorway.

Whoa, when the hell did she get there?

"It's about time we get our girl's day," Alice beamed. "Let's go shopping,"

Let's get some shoes. XDD

Sorry, I couldn't resist on that one. Half of you won't know what that is, but that's okay. That lot of you is lucky to not have had all those brain cells killed.

Okay, well, what did you think of Laurent? I luff him. Of course, this won't be the last time you see him.

And boy, do I have a surprise for you next chapter! It's a must read guys.