I am so sorry for the delay! There's been a lot of things that has made RL difficult ... but better late than never, right? I am also so sorry for not responding to your reviews. I WILL get to them, but I thought you'd much prefer an update rather than a reply right now anyway.
HUGE thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites this story! It's not perfect, and it's taken longer than I thought, but you have stuck by me and supported me and I appreciate it so very much.
Another HUGE thanks goes to Fran-she fixes my mistakes, helps me when I'm stuck, and listens to my ideas. Please forgive any mistakes. I went back and added things.
Another huge thanks goes to MrGandMe; she's a wonderful writer and friend.
Okay ... on to the chapter. The last chapter with our favorite duo.
SM owns everything Twilight.
The darkened room gradually lightens as the credits roll, bathing the dark walls and rich scarlet curtains in ugly, muted yellow light that does the beauty of this space no justice. It's an older building renovated to suit the changing times, from stage theater with live acting to a projector screen.
It's weird, but I almost feel affronted for the original building. It seems a shame to cover up what it once was for something new.
The humans in the room—a group of three, sitting five rows in front of us—need no other invitation to jump from their seats and race out, stumbling over their own feet and each other.
I laugh, amused by their reactions and the subsequent further nervousness they radiate at the sound of my laughter. When they chance a look, they pale and hiss at each other to hurry and get out.
I'm honestly surprised it took them this long.
As soon as we entered the theater, they stiffened, their adrenaline pushing harder through their bodies. It was a delicious scent that I preferred over the heady smell of stale and burnt popcorn mixed with overly processed sugar.
Edward had confided that they were uneasy; they knew something off about us, but they didn't know exactly what it was. Their instincts were telling them we were dangerous.
I didn't need to be a mind reader to know that.
He also confided that he wanted to kill one of them because he thought I was "smoking hot."
I ignored that and the guy in question because he wasn't my type. At all.
That didn't stop Edward from glaring at him every time he moved, though.
"Ready?" Edward asks, holding a hand out to me in invitation as he practically leaps up from his seat.
He had been antsy and fidgety all throughout the movies like some kid hyped up on sugar. It distracted me so much that I spent most of the time watching him instead of the film.
Obviously, something is on his mind … but what? Is it what my mother texted him?
What had she texted him?
I scowl and give him a hard stare, remaining in my position. "No. I'm doing well, Edward. Why can't we stay and make a night of it? We'll have a date night."
"Baby, I love you, but you know I can't stand these movies."
"Because you have no taste."
He rolls his eyes, knowing how this discussion will go. "Come on."
"You can go if you want. We don't have to spend every minute together. We'll meet up later."
"I thought we were on a date?"
"I'll date myself. I'm better company, and I have better taste."
Heavily, he sighs, the sound of it louder as the music gradually fades before the next one starts to ease its way in as the movie begins to list the crew.
"Come on, brat. The marathon is over."
I pretend to think about it before shaking my head. "Nah. I'll stick around."
"They're not showing any other movies in the franchise … thank the heavens for that. I think I lost twenty IQ points."
"That implies that you had some," I sarcastically quip, jumping up from my seat and marching toward the door.
There's no sound of footsteps behind me, and when I turn to look, he's bent down at the end of the aisle, looking at me. I freeze, watching him carefully before he lifts his wallet from somewhere, shaking it in my direction with a smirk.
"Don't know how this fell out."
I release the breath I had been holding and laugh lightly at my stupidity. What did I think he was going to do?
Propose?
Thinking of my mother's text to Edward, that's the only thing he would need or want to ask me … not that we've talked about marriage at all. We're both pretty content with our relationship and don't see it changing anytime soon.
But what else could it be?
My mother and Esme had made teasing remarks about how nice it would be to have a wedding for their kids … but which kids? They have a whole litter to choose from … does it automatically mean us since we're the only unmarried vampire couple?
If that's the case, then that's wrong and not fair … and if it comes up again, I'm going to divert all attention to Rose and Jasper.
That's what siblings are for.
Still, I can't help but wonder if Edward had taken their teasing seriously and decided to do something about it. After all, he comes from a time when it was normal to be married young. Even though he's somewhat adapted to the current times, he still wants to open doors for me, and when we enter a room together, he escorts me inside.
Then again, that could also be his possessiveness coming out to play.
"What did you think I was doing?"
"What?"
"You looked … apprehensive," he remarks, watching me closely. "What did you think I was going to do?"
"Nothing," I quickly reply, shifting my weight from my right to my left as I think of a lie. "I thought you had a change of heart and wanted to stay. I should have known."
He hums, eying me skeptically as he places a hand on my lower back as we exit. A low, grumbling growl rattles through his chest as he glares at one of the workers, who immediately pales and stumbles backward.
I slap Edward's chest with the back of my hand, shaking my head. "Knock it off."
As soon as we're in the middle of the hallway, racing footsteps can be heard as the terrified worker runs into the theater, his buddies chuckling nervously as they watch him. Edward snickers and I give him a look.
"What?" he questions innocently.
"Did you have to scare him?"
"Yes," he simply says, no remorse at all. "His thoughts about you were disgusting. He deserved more than a glare. In fact—"
He starts to turn, and I press a finger into his chest as I shake my head. "Uh-huh."
"Oh, come on. I thought you wanted to scare people. We could start with him."
"Not out of jealousy. You'll get pissed off and end up killing him."
He shrugs, seemingly indifferent, but he lets it pass as we continue out.
My nose wrinkles as we slowly meander through the lobby of the theater, and quickly, I hold my breath because the scents here are just plain awful. I don't know how I ever ate this stuff when I was human.
As Edward holds the door open for me to exit, he stands back as a group of women walk through. Several of them thank him without their gaze lingering too long, but one woman, in particular, places her hand on his arm, squeezing once.
"Thanks. It's nice to see chivalry isn't dead."
Taking a step forward, I plan on shoving her through the door just to get her inside. My shield swirls around me in my peripheral like a deadly fog, waiting for my silent command.
The only thing that stops me is Edward's reaction; he gives her a tight smile and walks outside to join me, immediately wrapping his arm around my waist. I'm not sure whether it's to stop me or he just wants the contact, but it works.
The woman shrugs off the dismissal easily, joining her friends by the concession stand.
"Easy, killer," Edward murmurs, clearly liking my reaction.
"You'd be the same way … or worse if someone had touched me."
His eyes darken, and his lips press together tightly, but he agrees with a single dip of his chin. "Agreed."
"It's nice to know you really love me and are jealous of other women."
"I'm taking one for the team. I'd hate for you to make two women on this plant miserable," I tease, patting his chest.
I cackle as he scowls. "You weren't complaining when I made you scream this morning."
I tap a finger against my lips as I pretend to think. "As I recall, you were doing a fair share of moaning and screaming as well."
To this, he says nothing because he knows I'm right, and my grin grows bigger.
We continue to the car in silence, and when he reaches into his pocket, I freeze, watching him with a studious eye.
What is he reaching for?
He eyes me as well, his eyebrows rising high on his forehead. Slowly, he removes his hand from his pocket, his keys hanging off his index finger. I release the breath I had been holding, feeling the tension ease from me.
"All right, what's going on?"
Clearing my throat, I keep my eyes on him. If I look away, he'll know something is up, and I want to play ignorant as long as I can.
"Nothing."
"Bullshit. There's something going on; you've been acting weird since we left the house."
The sputtering laughter that leaves me makes me sound like I'm choking, but his words have left me astonished and speechless.
"M-me? I've been acting weird?" My hand flies up, a finger aimed in his direction. "You're the one acting strange … like you're antsy about something. Why don't you tell me what's going on?"
"Nothing is going on," he replies with a roll of his eyes. "I'm being normal. You freeze and have a look of panic on your face whenever I reach into my pocket. What do you think I'm going to pull out? A ring?"
Once more, I freeze, proving his point.
His mouth drops open in shock, and this time the sputtering comes from him.
"Wha—you—I—"
"Use your words."
He scowls, shaking his head as he shoves a hand through his hair, tugging roughly on it. "You—You actually thought I was going propose to you in a parking lot? Or in a damn movie theater with strangers surrounding us?"
His words make my ideas sound kind of stupid now, reaffirming the logical side of me that thought there would be no way he'd propose in such a way … but what else was I supposed to think?
"Well, my mom told you to ask me, and you wouldn't tell me what you were supposed to ask, so my mind ran with it! And regardless of your denials, you have been acting weird since we left the house. It only reaffirmed my crazy ass thoughts! I couldn't think of anything else it could be."
His mouth opens as if he's going to speak, but he closes it just as quickly, shaking his head rapidly and jerking the passenger side door open.
"I—get in, please."
I do, watching him closely, both highly amused and mildly concerned at his behavior. I've never known him to not say what's on his mind. When he doesn't know what to say, he'll sit in pensive silence for however long it'll take him to think of what he wants to say, and then let it loose.
But I've never seen him act like this before.
When he sits in the driver's seat, he looks as if he's going to say something else but ends up stopping himself again.
"Just spit it out," I tell him.
"I just … I can't believe you would think I would propose in any of those ways, Bella! I have a little more romance in me than that."
"What else was I supposed to think?"
"That I wouldn't propose to you in a movie theater or the parking lot," he replies with a sarcastic drawl as he somewhat angrily inserts the key into the ignition.
My body flies into the seat as he speeds down the street, the buildings, and trees blending into one blur of brown, red, and green. His hands on the wheel are tight, the skin of his knuckles stretching white against the bone. His lips are pressed together thinly, nearly disappearing from his face.
He looks pissed, and I don't fully understand why he's upset, but I feel a little bad.
"Okay, I'm sorry."
A grunt is my only reply, and I roll my eyes at his childish behavior. Sure, my assumption was idiotic, but I apologized for it.
I turn my gaze out of the window, realizing we went past the street we need to turn on to get to the house.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going to dump you off in the middle of the woods for thinking I'd propose to you either of those ways."
I smack his arm, relieved when he laughs.
"We're going hunting."
Confusion races through me as the muscles in my face tighten. "I already went hunting before the movies."
"Yes, but you just spent several hours in a room with humans. I know it was trying for you."
He's not wrong; my throat has been on fire since we stepped into the theater. Yes, it was a huge, open area, but it was still enclosed and filled with human scents, both new and old.
It probably wouldn't hurt to hunt once more, just so I can get their scents out of my memory. Besides, it's not so different than when I go into town on my own. I hunt before and after, which Edward and Kate had assured me was normal when I had my first supervised trip into town with them.
"I just can't believe you thought I'd propose in a movie theater … or worse … a parking lot?!"
I roll my eyes, rubbing the right side of my head with my thumb. "Are we going to discuss this forever?"
"We are until I figure out why you'd think something like that."
Muttering a curse, I turn to face him. "I already told you that was the only thing that came to mind when I thought of something you needed to ask me. If anything, the fault lies with you and my mother for this clusterfuck."
"It's our fault because you read my text messages?"
"If you would have answered me about what question you needed to ask me," I trail off, smirking at his exasperated glare.
"Well, I take no blame in this. It's my personal messages for one, and for another, I would never propose to you in public, surrounded by strangers, or by my car."
"So you've said a thousand times now."
He continued as if I hadn't spoken. "It would be somewhere romantic and memorable, for crying out loud!"
"Okay, I get it!" I reply a little too sharply.
"There would be candles. Probably," he pensively muses. "Flameless ones, though. I don't trust you around fire."
Sneering, I flip him off and rest my head back, staring out the windshield. I've only brought this upon myself with my ridiculous assumptions, so I can't complain too much.
That doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
"What would you say?" Edward asks, turning his focus to me.
"Why do you want to know?"
"What would you say if I were to ask you to marry me?" he asks again, his lips pursed in thought.
"Are you asking?" I counter, folding my arms over my chest.
"Hypothetically."
"Well, hypothetically, I wouldn't know. It depends on the situation. If you're hypothetically asking right now, it would be no because you're pissing me off."
He snickers, trying to hide his grin behind his fingers, but it's not working. I can tell he's highly amused by the way his eyes are crinkled.
"You wouldn't know what to do without me," he says, his tone very matter-of-fact.
"Speak for yourself. And you wouldn't be any better."
Conceding, he nods, silently accepting his defeat. "Fine, you have a point. We're both miserable and miserably in love. That's why we're perfect for one another."
Taking my hand, he kisses my knuckles and squeezes once, raising an eyebrow as if I'm going to jerk away from his touch, but I keep my hand in his, going a step farther and entwining our fingers together. Even though he's being extra cheesy, I kind of like it.
"Such a dork," I mumble.
He chuckles, seemingly giving up his quest for an answer to his hypothetical proposal. He did mention that his proposal would be romantic, and of that, I have no doubts. Despite his rough exterior and sarcastic personality, he can be quite thoughtful and loving.
… Just like me.
We just don't feel the need to be that way all day and all night. There are certain moments, though, when I need to tell him I love him, and Edward has the same moments. During those times, there's nothing but pure love and truth spoken between us, without smart-ass retorts and ribbing.
I should have known that wouldn't have been the question he was going to ask, but it was the first thing that popped into my head. I blame my mother and Rose for their love of romantic comedies because whenever there's a "question" that needs to be asked, a proposal always comes up.
I can't help but wonder what the question is then since it's obviously not that.
The car coming to a stop pulls me from my thoughts, and I realize he's parked the car near some bushes. Why he feels the need to hide it when we're so far out is beyond me.
Outside, my throat tightens in anticipation, my body tensing as I think of what's to come. Edward grins knowingly, giving me a quick kiss before he nods at me to take off first, something he always does when we hunt together.
There's still so much I want to talk about, but right now, all I can think about is quenching my thirst. As I take off into the trees, leaves crunch under my feet, flying around like a tornado had just come through. I can't help but watch as they dance in the air before falling gracefully to the ground.
Vaguely, I hear Edward run off in the opposite direction, but he doesn't go very far; he just puts as much space between us so we'll both be comfortable hunting.
Once I've had my fill of food and feel somewhat overly stuffed, I wander back to the car, finding Edward leaning against the passenger side, without a wrinkle or speck of dirt on him.
I wish I could say the same for myself.
Hurriedly, I try to casually brush the dirt away, but of course, he sees me and smirks.
"I guess I should have brought that bib for you."
Flipping him off, I slide into the passenger seat as he gets in on his side. Without another word, he starts the car, but I see him casting glances at me from the corner of his eye.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Oh, you don't like it when someone watches you?" he asks innocently. "Now you know how I felt."
I laugh, because he's so full of shit, and I tell him so. His responding smile is enough for me to know that while he might have been irritated, he enjoyed my attention.
"Do you feel better now that you've hunted?"
"Shouldn't that have been something you asked me while we were still near the woods? What if I said no?"
"It's not like it'll take me long to go back there."
"Not with the way you drive," I remark, agreeing.
"Please," he responds with a single shake of his head. "You love it when I speed."
I say nothing to this, not wanting to confirm or deny his statement.
"Well? How do you feel?"
I eye him suspiciously, wondering why he's asking about this. "I'm fine."
"Good," he answers, drawing out the word. "A meal always makes things better. Helps the mind focus."
I turn toward him, wondering where he is going with his rambling.
"So … back to the earlier hypothetical question … what would you say?"
I shoot him a look full of astonishment and surprise; I should have known he wouldn't have given up so easily.
"I don't know!"
"That's a straightforward answer."
"To a hypothetical question. A word you keep throwing out there. Why are you so insistent on this if you're not really asking?"
He shrugs a shoulder. "I'm curious. Why don't you want to answer? Do not want to marry me?"
"Not when you're being annoying. Besides, you're the one who said we're mated, and marriage was the final step, meaning it didn't matter that much."
Edward grimaces, raking a hand through his hair. "I did not say that."
"It was implied, and that's enough."
"You know, with this stalling you're doing, I'm starting to believe you wouldn't want to marry me."
"It's a hypothetical question," I grind out through clenched teeth. "It shouldn't matter."
"Well, I'm curious. What would your hypothetical answer be?"
A low growl of frustration bubbles from my chest as I throw my hands up in the air. "Fine!"
His head cocks to the side; his eyebrows raise high on his head. "Fine? 'Fine' what?"
"If you need an answer so bad, I will, okay? I'll marry you!"
The last words slip from my lips with ease, hanging heavily in the air. Quickly, I look away from Edward's confused face and stare out the window, but it doesn't do any good; I can still see his reflection in the glass.
It mirrors mine perfectly; eyebrows pulled together in confusion, our lips pulled down in baffled frowns as we process what had just occurred.
"Did you just … are we—" Edward asks, stumbling over his words.
It reminds me of the time he had found out we were dating; I want so badly to laugh, but I keep it to myself for now.
"I don't … know," I slowly reply, trying to make sense of it as well.
Technically, I did say I'd marry him, but does it count? Edward didn't officially ask me, and he did use the term hypothetically when phrasing his question, so perhaps it doesn't count.
Or does it?
We're silent for the rest of the drive, both of us stewing in our rampant thoughts as we try to piece together what just happened. The silence lingers even after taking the turn down the long driveway that leads up to the house.
After several more minutes pass in silence, I can take it no longer.
"We should talk."
Edward gives me a look from the corner of his eye, his face expressionless, giving me no clues as to what he's thinking or feeling as he slowly pulls up to the house. A frustrated growl bubbles from my chest, but before I can say anything, I pause, picking up on the trio of heartbeats I hear thundering ahead.
My body stiffens, and Edward's hand shoots out, gripping my arm almost painfully as he quickly throws the car in park.
"Bella—" he starts, but he's ignored as I focus on the heartbeats.
"There are people in our house," I hiss, surprised by their audacity.
I suppose they figured a grand house like this, being out in the middle of nowhere, would be an easy target. It certainly looks like someone rich would live here, in the massive wooden mansion with large windows.
But these idiots don't know what lives here.
In the side mirror, I see my lips curl into a sinister snarl, my eyes dark onyx.
I look vicious.
Like a predator…
Like a vampire…
"Bella," Edward snaps, shaking me lightly. "You need to calm down."
"Someone broke into our house, and you want me to calm down?"
His face is stern; his eyes narrowed, eyebrows pushed together in a fierce seriousness that has me pausing.
What's wrong with him?
I thought he would be just as upset as I am at the thought of personal space being invaded like this, but he seems more concerned about my reaction, rather than what's happening just beyond the walls.
"Why aren't you upset? Someone broke in!"
"Bella, you need to calm down," he repeats, never loosening his hold. "If you go in there now while you're pissed off, it won't end well."
I roll my eyes and try to squirm out of his grip, but his hold remains firm.
"I'm not going to go in there and massacre them! I'm just going to scare the shit out of them!"
Edward smirks at this, but he doesn't release me. "I'm all for it, but you need to calm yourself first. Scaring them may be your intention, but with your anger, it could easily go the other way."
"Let me go," I say with a huff, still trying to free myself.
"No."
The golden silver mist of my shield starts to swirl around the edges of my vision, slithering around like a snake, ready to strike. I take a deep breath and hold it back, because I don't want to hurt him … and I know if it does shoot out at him, he'll most likely be a little hurt, and his car will be ruined.
Taking another deep breath, I frown, smelling the familiar rich, heady scent of sweet mint, warm laundry, and spicy leather—the same scents I had smelled in the house for the past few weeks.
Edward had told me they were something one of the sisters had bought, but why was it stronger right now? And why is the distinct smell of vampires there with them? It's difficult to distinguish them apart from the overpowering smell of aromatic blood, but I can detect there are multiple vampires inside.
"What?" I question, completely confused.
I squint through the windshield as if I can see through walls now and immediately sit back, meeting Edward's amused gaze.
"Something you wanna tell me? Do you have X-Ray vision now?"
"Nope. I've always been able to see through you."
Loudly, he laughs, his head dipping back briefly before he meets my gaze once again. "As much as I hate to admit it, it's true. I need to work on my acting skills."
I hum, returning my focus to the house. "What is going on in there? There are vampires with them. They smell—"
"Yeah," Edward rushes out. 'That's what we need to discuss—"
Suddenly, there's a frenzied murmur of voices coming from the house. "Just wait—"
"No," a feminine voice hisses. "They're taking too long."
There's a rush of footsteps as the person races away, and I stiffen, recognizing the voice immediately.
I gently slide myself out of Edward's grip; the action made easier thanks to my shield helping me ease away. I race onto the porch just as the door opens.
Deep blue eyes widen as she gasps, bringing a hand up to her chest over her rapidly pounding heart. The sound echoes in my ears, and my body tenses as my mouth fills with venom.
In an instant, Edward is by my side, gripping my arm and standing in front of me, his eyes never leaving my face.
Emmett appears out of nowhere, stepping in front of Rose, his features guarded and protective as he watches me closely. I can see Rose scoff as she comes to stand next to him, ignoring his attempts to get her behind him. He finally gives up when she sends him a glare but instead places an arm around her shoulders.
Commotion from inside has my gaze shifting upward, meeting Jasper's curly head and the same blue eyes that match his sister's. He stares for a long moment, blinking slowly as if waking from a dream.
After a few moments, a grin slowly forms on his face.
"Your hair," he says through a chuckle. "I can finally see it in person! Look at your hair!"
I sneer, flipping him off. "That's the first thing you say to me? Really? Asshole."
His amusement finally calms, and he pretends to wipe tears from his eyes. "First of all, I've spoken to you before, you overdramatic cretin; and second, what did you expect? You complain about it all the time. I had to do my duty and give you grief. It's in the contract."
I roll my eyes, but I can't stop myself from smiling because I'm so overwhelmed.
And happy.
I'm seeing them.
… Not through a phone or a computer, but in person.
I hadn't realized how terrible the camera quality was until this moment.
Rose looks healthy and glowing, though the dark circles under her eyes tell me she hasn't slept in a while, or she hasn't slept recently. Her hair has been cut, though not by much; instead of resting at her waist, it rests in the middle of her back, at her shoulder blades. Her bangs are in layers around her face.
Jasper looks taller, with a little more muscle definition on his arms and legs; he hadn't mentioned he was working out, but whatever he's doing is obviously working for him. Like Rose, he looks happy.
"Bella," Rose says, her voice no louder than a whisper. I smell the salt of her tears before her eyes water and her chin quivers. "I—I ne-never—"
Without another word, I give Edward a pointed, meaningful look, taking a deep breath; my throat pulses, heat igniting. It's painful, and I want nothing more to quench the burning, but I refrain.
I remind myself this is my family, and I don't want to hurt them.
Edward gives a singular nod, taking half a step to the side. "Em," he says lowly, jerking his head to the left.
Emmett's lips press together so tightly they almost disappear. He eyes me warily as he removes his arm but doesn't back away from Rose. I'm slightly irritated he's not giving us room, but I understand, and I'm glad.
If something goes wrong, at least he'll be there to get Rose to safety.
Stepping up to her, I watch as the tears building in her glassy eyes finally fall, cascading down her cheeks. I pull her into a hug but immediately jerk back when she gasps.
Emmett growls at me, pushing Rose behind him and into Jasper. In response, Edward growls back, stepping closer to my side, ready to fight for me.
"I'm sorry," I murmur, paying the two of them no mind. I watch Rose closely, wondering if I used too much pressure on her.
I thought I had been doing well in that area; I hadn't broken a shower handle or a doorknob in so long, but I guess humans are more fragile.
"Oh, knock it off," Rose snaps, her voice gravelly as she tries to control her tears. She steps up and sends Emmett a lethal glare as he tries to pull her back.
With a pout, he backs off, taking half a step back and mouthing an apology to me.
Rose walks up to me once more, pulling me into a hug. Gingerly, I wrap my arms around her and lightly squeeze, reminding myself not to use too much pressure.
"I guess I'm fragile now," Rose says with a light laugh.
"Just a little. I'm just nervous; I don't want to get into a fight with your boyfriend."
Sniffling, Rose looks over her shoulder. "He wouldn't dare."
"I just meant I didn't want to hurt him; you'd be pissed."
Rose laughs as Emmett scowls. "I could totally—"
I raise an eyebrow, shooting my shield around his feet, and apply the tiniest amount of pressure. He stumbles backward, making everyone laugh.
"You were saying?"
He crosses his arms in a pout, grumbling under his breath. I shake my head at his antics, my gaze drifting over to Jasper, who looks like he wants to join us, but he's allowing us our time together.
Without another thought, I motion for him to join us. It's the invitation he needs, wrapping both Rose and me in a hug.
The three of us stand there for a moment in silence; the only sound their heartbeats and breaths. I'm too nervous to breathe too often, so I've been taking small inhales every few seconds; it's not like I need oxygen anyway.
With each breath, the burning in my throat intensifies, but I push it back, not wanting anything to ruin this moment. There's a familiarity about them, and something in the back of my brain sparks, telling me I'm missing something important, but it's clouded by the thoughts of tasting the delicious scents in front of me. Deciding it's too risky, I hold my breath and tell my shield to keep me immobile, not wanting to take the chance that I might hurt them.
Rose and Jasper immediately look up, worried.
"What's up with you?"
"Are you okay?" Rose and Jasper both speak simultaneously, their voices blending over one another.
"I'm … fine," I reply, my response chopped and hard. "I haven't been this close to humans in … ever."
"But you've been around them," Rose says, confused.
"Around them, not hugging them."
Rose lets out a sob, bringing a shaking hand to my cheek.
"Do we … do we have to leave? We don't have to, right? I'm not leaving," she tells me, her voice going from pleading and sad to firm and resolute. "I never thought I'd see you in person. It's been too long, and we just got here."
"You don't have to leave," I reply, giving Jasper the eye to get his sister under control. He understands immediately and wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her back a step.
"Let's give her a little air," he whispers.
"That's good, thanks … and, it was impossible before now. My control has been shit. Plus, with my shield," I tell her, trailing off with a shoulder jerk.
"Making Em stumble … that was you?"
With a grin, I nod.
Rose's eyebrow shoots up on her forehead, and her lips purse. "Huh. Pretty cool."
"Cool?" Jasper repeats, aghast. "It's awesome! Just think of all the stuff she can do! She can make that asshole Mike think there's a ghost haunting him."
The idea intrigues me, and I glance back at Edward, who smirks, seemingly on board with the idea as well. Emmett makes a sound of excitement that sounds like a squeal. I want to remark on it, but before I can utter a word, Alice comes to the door, her movements lithe and graceful as always.
"Did I miss something? Did Bella teach Emmett a lesson?" Alice asks, racing to my side and pulling me into a hug, while simultaneously pulling me back slightly. I squeeze her arm in thanks, and she shoots me a wink as she continues. "I'm so happy we could come see you! Of course, it was difficult to tell if everything would be okay since you still block my visions," she remarks, shooting me a look of fake annoyance.
I give her a cheeky grin, not in the least apologetic. I like having my privacy; though I will admit, having the assurance of Alice's visions telling me everything will be okay for this visit would help a lot.
If I tried to turn off my shield somehow—if it were possible—I wonder if Alice could see my future then. It's not something I want or need to know, but it would be nice to test … and I'm sure Alice—and Carlisle—would be anxious to help.
For now, I'll just focus on the moment. That's an event for another day.
"Sorry."
Her eyes narrow as she presses her lips together. "No you're not."
"Not really, no."
Her pretend annoyance fades away as she laughs, along with my cousins.
"You look good … for the undead," Jasper starts, eying my hair. "Except for—"
"One more word," I warn, pointing a finger in his direction.
Specifically, my middle one.
A deep, hearty chuckle sounds from close by, and I look up, seeing my father turn around the corner as if he had been waiting there the whole time.
Which he probably was.
His eyes are glassy with unshed tears, but his smile is bright. He looks a little tired with a few more wrinkles than I remember him having, but he looks good.
"Hey, kid," he says, his voice choked. He coughs into his hand to hide the cracking in his tone, but I hear it clearly.
It makes my eyes burn with trapped tears, and my throat tightens—issues unrelated to being thirsty.
"Hey, Dad," I whisper.
"Too low," Edward tells me softly, reminding me that now, I can speak at a low pitch only vampires—and probably dogs—can hear.
This time, I speak louder, and Dad's smile widens. Rose and Jasper step back a little more, and Dad comes forward, pulling me into a hug. I hug him back carefully, being mindful of the amount of pressure I use and holding my breath.
In the doorway, my Mom, along with Esme and Carlisle, stand by, watching with happy expressions, though I see a flash of apprehension there too.
"It's good to see you in person," Dad says, his voice stronger now, as he pulls back, keeping his hands on my shoulders.
Most likely seeing the look on my face or picking up on the tension in my body, he steps back to join my cousins, allowing me a little breathing room.
I hate that I need so much space, but until I can control the need to growl and lunge forward, it's for the best.
"Yeah, the feeling is mutual," I reply, looking at each family member in front of me. "I'm just so surprised. I never—I never thought I'd see you so soon."
"Well, Edward said you were doing well. I heard you've been going into town on your own the last few times."
Before I can remark, Jasper snorts, a teasing glint in his eye. "You were left alone unsupervised? Not the smartest decision. You need to be watched at all times."
"I don't make terrible decisions and need to be told when to buy new clothes, now do I?"
He mutters curses at me under his breath, not caring—or not realizing—that I can hear him. I simply smirk in response because I don't care. I'm too happy to see him … and it's not as if I was lying. Everything I said is the truth.
Dad snickers, shaking his head. "I'm glad nothing has changed between you two."
"I doubt it will."
"I doubt it too," Dad replies with a chuckle before sobering. "I'm really proud of you, Bells. I know it hasn't been easy with your control and your power thing, but from what I've heard, you've been doing great."
Pride washes over me, and I stand a little taller. All that time I spent apart from my family feels like nothing now; all that matters is that they're here, with me, and I'm handling it.
Granted, I'm not breathing that much, but better safe than sorry.
"Thanks, Dad. I am pretty awesome," I joke.
"You are. You get it from me," Dad jokes, laughing when Mom makes a playful disgruntled sound. "I knew you could do it; you're the most stubborn person I know. If anyone could overcome their struggles, it'd be you."
"That's for damn sure," Edward mutters, shooting me a wink when I glance at him over my shoulder.
"I had hoped I could," I say, taking another small inhale. My teeth grind as the delicious scents invade my senses once more, but they're more tolerable with the wind blowing from behind me, bringing the smell of earth, pine, and flowers along with it.
"Well, I was worried for a minute; I was afraid this moment would never come. I wanted to see you, but it was too soon," I tell them.
When Dad shifts, lifting an arm to scratch his neck, the action sends a burst of their scents toward me, and a low growl rumbles through my chest, and the vampires around me tense, watching me with cautious gazes.
Edward is the only one who takes action; he steps up to my side, and I lean into him, knowing he'd never let me hurt my family. He holds me tight against him, whispering lowly so only I can hear.
"Continue breathing slowly; it's difficult when they're so close, but you can do this."
"You can," my mom says, too low for anyone but us vampires to hear. "You can do it, baby."
The Cullens murmur their agreement, and I nod in thanks, following Edward's advice, taking deep and slow breaths.
Slowly, the feeling of wanting to lunge forward abates as I stare at each member of my family. Surprisingly, they seem to understand what's going on. They stand by patiently and quietly, waiting for me to get my ass under control.
"Are you okay?" Jasper asks, not looking afraid or apprehensive. Instead, he seems almost despondent and sympathetic.
"I'll be okay. I'm doing better," I assure him, trying to make my smile look happy and genuine.
My words aren't a complete lie; now that I'm taking frequent breaths, it's gotten a little easier. The burn is raging in my throat, but I know it's never going to go away.
Subtly, I nod, and Edward loosens his hold slightly, but he doesn't let me go.
"What does it feel like?" Rose curiously asks, her tone low.
I wonder if she's speaking softly because she doesn't want anyone to know—which is impossible with this group—or if she's afraid of doing something that might set me off. The idea of the latter has me frowning, but I understand; I'd be the same way if I were in her shoes.
"What? Being a vampire?"
She shakes her head but immediately stops, her face twisting in a grimace as she murmurs an apology. "No, your—" she gestures to her throat with an apologetic smile.
Lightly, I rolled my eyes but decided to answer her question before addressing the other issue. "My thirst? Like an awful sore throat. Like I've screamed for hours—shut up," I warn, grinning at Emmett, who's nodding at Edward in approval.
I jerk my elbow back, scowling when he effortlessly moves out of the way of my attack.
"Really?" I say, plastering a grin on my face. "You two are awfully brave with my father right here … who has said he has a flamethrower…not to mention my vampire mother. And yours," I tell them with a snort, spotting Esme's glowering face as she glares at her two boys.
Carlisle just shakes his head, trying to hide his grin at the mess they've found themselves in.
"Sorry," both Edward and Emmett mutter.
"Idiots. Anyway," I continue, returning my attention back to Rose. "It's just … uncomfortable."
Rose nods slowly, her expression far away as she processes everything. "So … it doesn't hurt."
"It … does. But regularly breathing in your scents helps a little," I admit, finally realizing why their scents had been so familiar; at the same time, Rose speaks.
"I thought the clothes we sent were supposed to help you with that?"
"You dirty liar!" I exclaim, spinning around to face Edward. "You did this?"
He nods once. "Yep. I felt you were ready, but I wanted to be sure. I asked for a few of their shirts and hid them around the house. When you didn't go crazy looking to kill them, I knew it was time."
"You dirty liar!" I repeat with a laugh as I lunge toward him.
A bark of laughter escapes him as he jumps back, his eyes light and his smile smug. I rush after him, and he keeps gliding out of my reach, weaving in between our amused family members.
Sick of chasing him, I shoot my shield around his feet to keep him immobile, and he immediately complains.
"Cheater," he huffs, sliding his arms under my thighs as I jump on his back.
"Like you've never cheated," Emmett challenges, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he says, his tone innocent.
"You cheat," I say, lightly pulling at his hair. "I've seen you play games with Garrett. You read his mind."
He shrugs. "It's not like I can turn it off. You, on the other hand, can."
"I do what I have to do when you're running away from me, chicken."
"I run because you scare me."
"Don't you forget it." Lightly, I pull his hair before tousling it, making it stick up even more.
"I'd never. I need to be on my toes all the time with you."
Everyone laughs, but no one laughs louder than my family, and I smile wider because hearing it means they're here … with me … and I'm doing well around them.
Jumping down from his back, I lean into Edward's side as he wraps an arm around me, pulling me to him.
"And yet, you still asked me to marry you."
"Well, technically—" Edward starts, stopping as several of our family members gasp before everyone lapses into complete silence.
Mouths are agape as wide eyes stare at us in shock. It's strange how still everyone is, especially the humans of our family. If it weren't for their hearts racing and regular breaths being taken, I would swear they were vampires too.
I glance up at Edward, who smirks, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "We finally found a way to get some silence in this brood," he murmurs.
His voice cuts through their shock, bringing everyone to life with a shout as they crowd around us in a loose circle, placing us in the middle of their questions so we can't escape.
"What?"
"You're engaged?"
"You're getting married?"
"When did he ask you?"
"How did he ask?"
"When is the wedding?"
Wincing against the onslaught of raised voices, I hold my hands up, silently telling them to calm down. They ignore me and continue firing off their questions while talking amongst themselves about the possibility of a wedding.
My mother and Esme start excitedly talking about colors and decorations while Rose and Alice discuss what type of dress I would look the best in. Emmett and Jasper are theorizing how Edward proposed, and their common consensus is Edward asked me during sex—something that makes Jasper screw his face up, but he agrees it's something only we would do.
As for my Dad and Carlisle, they're grinning broadly, seemingly happy we've taken this step … or they're just enjoying the circus around us.
"Guys, calm down," I start, but I'm ignored as everyone continues talking.
My head is starting to pound, and my irritability is growing with each word uttered around us. If it were possible to slip out undetected, I would have already done so, but since we're surrounded, we're trapped.
"I'm gonna freaking lose it," I murmur.
Edward laughs, shaking his head in amusement before letting out a sharp whistle. "Shut up!"
Once more, everyone is quiet, looking at us expectantly. Edward nods, indicating that I should say what I need to. Flabbergasted, I release a breathy laugh.
"Seriously?"
"You brought it up."
"Technically, you brought it up first."
He shrugs a shoulder, unbothered by the truth of my words. "Semantics. You better get to explaining. You have an audience," he says, jerking his chin toward the group around us.
"Coward. You'll pay for this," I hiss.
Leaning toward me, so his lips brush against the shell of my ear, he whispers, "I'm looking forward to it."
I try to be majorly annoyed, but my irritation only hangs on by a thread; Edward knows what he's doing. He knows it makes me shiver when he whispers to me like that.
Jerk.
Pretending to be annoyed, I shrug away from him, but he merely grins in response, his hand settling on my hip.
Everyone stares at us curiously, with questions and expectations clear on their faces. I'm unsure how to tell them the proposal was hypothetical, so I'll jump into it.
Holding out my left hand, I show them my bare, ring-less fingers.
Excited grins melt into confused frowns as eyes dart between my hand and my face.
Finally, it's Alice who breaks the silence.
"Where's your ring?"
"I don't have one."
"What?" Alice shrieks, glaring at her brother. "You don't have a ring?"
Edward moves slightly behind me, intent on using me as a shield once more. Firmly, I shake my head and grab his hand, squeezing once. He winces but doesn't try to move behind me again.
"You asked her to marry you without a ring?" Rose questions, seemingly appalled and irritated.
"We're not engaged because he didn't ask me," I tell them, wishing I had never opened my big mouth.
"What?" Esme asks, looking as confused as everyone else. "You said he asked you."
"He did … though it wasn't a real question," I reply, only adding to the confusion.
Everyone exchanged confused looks. Several of them look as if they're going to ask the other a question, but with a shake of their heads, they return their attention to us.
"I'm confused," Rose slowly says, her head tilted to the side, her eyebrows coming together as her eyes narrow, darting between the two of us.
Everyone murmurs their agreement, clearly wanting an explanation.
Heavily, I sigh and launch into the story of our non-engagement. By the time I'm done, everyone is chuckling under their breath, and Mom is frowning in disapproval.
"That message was not for you," she tells me.
"That's what I said," Edward agrees with a triumphant note in his tone.
"Not important," I rush out as I continue. "I couldn't imagine what he could have to ask me except … you know ..."
A loud squeaking laugh leaves Jasper as he presses his lips together. "So you immediately jumped to marriage?"
I throw my hands up in the air. "I don't know! My mind went crazy! I thought of Mom's stupid rom-coms, and then Edward was acting weird like he was going to say something, and then he'd change his mind … he was patting his pockets at one point! I mean, it's not all on me!"
"Went crazy?" Jasper questions, still laughing.
I growl, the sound louder than I want it to be, but it definitely gives me the results I want. He pales and swallows thickly, stepping slightly behind Alice, who snickers at his reaction. As soon as my eyes land on her, amusement falls from her features.
"Continue," she says, waving a hand.
"That's pretty much all there is, really. I was watching him closely, looking for any sign he might propose or something—"
"I still can't believe you think I'd propose in a movie theater or a parking lot," Edward grumbles, proving my next point.
I jerk a thumb in his direction. "Yeah, that happened too. He was ranting about that for a little bit before asking me what I'd say if he had asked me. Hypothetically, of course."
Everyone exchanges a glance, looking just as confused as they were when I started this tale. I look at Edward for assistance, and he sighs, nodding once.
"I'll admit, I used the term hypothetically because I was curious about what she would say if I had asked her. And FYI," he lowly says, looking me in the eye. "Your mother was asking me if I had told you they were coming."
"Thanks," I drawl. "I got that now."
He nods once, giving me a quick kiss before returning to the others. "She said she would marry me."
"Hypothetically," I stress.
"Right," he agrees with another nod. "Hypothetically."
Once more, there's nothing but silence as everyone processes the information given in the past few minutes. Much like earlier, they exchange baffled glances.
"So, you're not engaged?" Mom slowly asks, looking between us.
Edward and I shrug because we're not even sure ourselves at this point.
"Maybe?" I reply. "I don't know. I think I have a headache."
Carlisle laughs. "I'm sure you do. Unfortunately, painkillers won't work."
"Fabulous," I grumble.
"What if you knew without a doubt?" Edward asks.
"Can we not start this again?"
He says nothing, instead dipping into his front pocket. Between his fingers is a dark-colored ring with two amethyst stones set in the middle of an infinity symbol. Excited squeaks emit from the women, but immediately quiet as Edward turns to me.
"It's black gold," he murmurs, his thumb gently running over the stone. "Amethyst because it's your favorite color and the infinity symbol … well, because that's how long you're stuck with me … and it's also how long I'll love you."
"When did you get this, you sneak?!"
Joyful, he laughs. "I've had it for a while. I was just waiting for the right time … and this is it. With my family and yours with us."
My throat tightens, and my eyes start to sting as I process what's happening. Warmth fills me from head to toe, sending tingles rocketing throughout my body.
"You'll notice where it's not happening," he pointedly says.
"Let it go," I tell him with a growl.
Thankfully, he does.
"You know we're mated, and that means we're stuck together whether there's a ring or not. Despite all the teasing we give one another, I know I could never live without you, baby."
"Same," I reply, my voice cracking.
He grins crookedly, reaching for my hand and threading my fingers with his. "So, we're stuck together. Heaven help us both," he mutters, shooting me a wink when I chuckle. "Marriage is just a formality, but—"
"But it's one you'd like," I interrupt, already having a feeling this was coming.
Slowly, he nods, his face twisting in apology as if he's ashamed of admitting it. "Yeah … and I like the idea of you wearing my ring."
I raise an eyebrow. "Marking your territory?"
He shrugs, unrepentant. "It would be the same for you, don't deny it."
I don't say a word because I won't deny it. After tonight, I like the idea of having something of mine on him.
Who knew I could be so territorial?
"It's more than that, though," he murmurs, pulling me closer. "Technically, no, we don't need to get married. We've been tied together for a while now. But I want it; I want to be yours in every way."
Looking into his eyes, I push aside all thoughts and decide to go with my gut feeling, knowing it won't let me down.
"That sounds good to me."
His grin grows as excited squeals, and hushed murmurs of joy break out amongst our captive audience. Fluidly, he slides the ring onto my finger, pulling me into a kiss before I can even stop to gaze at it on my finger.
The weight of being there sends a thrill through my body, and I want nothing more than to take him inside and lose myself in him, but the subsequent cheering reminds me why that's not the best idea.
We're surrounded by family, throwing out their congratulations and pulling my hand into the center of our group, marveling at the ring.
I'll admit Edward did really well. The black gold paired with the deep purple of the amethyst looks Gothic and just my style.
"This is so awesome!" Alice exclaims. "Your wedding is going to be fabulous! When are you thinking for a date?"
"How about I just enjoy one thing at a time … err … two things at a time? My family is here; I'm not going crazy vampire on them. Let's take it down a notch, okay?"
Alice nods, but the beaming smile doesn't leave her face.
Everyone trails inside, offering their congratulations once more, leaving Edward and me on the porch. I want nothing more than to follow them in and soak up this time with them, but there's something I need to do first.
I pull back on Edward's hand as he starts to head inside, and he turns, looking at me quizzically.
"I joke around a lot, but I do love you, Edward."
He feigns a look of shock. "Really? You do?"
Lightly, I shove him, and he chuckles, giving me a warm smile as his hand cups the edge of my jaw. "I know."
"Thank you for bringing my family here. And for my kickass ring."
Chuckling, he kisses me once. "You're welcome." He pauses, his eyes slightly narrowed. "You liked my first proposal better, didn't you?"
Pressing my lips together, I shake my head, refusing to answer verbally.
His eyes narrow further, and his lips purse. "The first one was more us."
A burst of laughter leaves me then. "It really was."
"What do you say we sneak away—"
Before he's done speaking, I'm shaking my head and tugging at his hand to join everyone inside. I want to celebrate our engagement, but right now, I want to be around my family.
"There will be time for that later," I tell him, smirking as his eyes light up. "I'd say … a year from now, maybe?"
He sputters, his eyes and mouth wide open in shock. We ignore the snickers around us, staring at each other challengingly.
"Sure. We'll see," he says after he recovers.
I raise an eyebrow and use my shield to push him away. Once more, he gapes and immediately reaches back for me, only to hit my shield.
"Try again, loser," I tease.
Rolling his eyes, he makes a show like he's going to walk away, and like a love-sick fool, I fall for it. Grabbing his hand, I pull him back toward me, chuckling when he stumbles.
When he rights himself, he pulls me into his arms, and we fall back on the couch. I squirm as I get comfortable, leaning my head back on his shoulder and sighing in contentment as I listen to the familiar sounds of my cousins arguing over dinner.
He presses a kiss to my temple, his lips skimming a path to my ear that makes me shiver.
"I love you, Bella."
"Always and forever, baby."
That's it! That's all I have written for these two. I do have some outlines for some outtakes, but I'm undecided about them. What outtakes would you guys like to see?
I might have something else in the works too ... I'm trying to get a majority of the story done and get through this RL stuff I'm going through, so hopefully that can start posting soon.
And I PROMISE I will get to your reviews. 3
I hope everyone has wonderful night/day (depending on where you are and when you're reading this)!
Stay safe, friends! Until next time!