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Chapter Two
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6 Months Later
Six months had gone by fast to Bella as she found herself getting off of the train at platform six in her little hometown of Forks. Charlie had agreed to let her visit Dr. Cullen and his wife when she arrived.
Odd.
She shrugged it off when she felt cold hands grab hers. She looked down and saw Alice with a large smile. "Happy to be home?"
The smell was the same; the scenery was just as green; and the people still seemed to blend in with the environment.
But just by looking around, a hole in her heart seemed to fill.
"Yes, I missed it."
Alice smiled at her and said, "Come on! We're going to go to Port Angeles for a little while!"
Bella's eyes didn't have time to widen for Alice to start pulling her toward her yellow Porsche. That car held a lot of memories for Bella.
But she suddenly wasn't touching the ground. She looked around and saw bronze hair. The feeling of stone wrapping itself around her was more comforting than people would've ever imagined.
"Hey, Edward! Me and Bella are going shopping!"
The two girls watched Edward shake his head with shock. Usually he was okay with it. What was up?
"I have something already planned for Ms. Swan and I."
Alice made a pout and twirled on her heel. "Fine. But me and her are going to go shopping sometime this week." Jasper was already at the entrance, waiting for her.
Edward merely smiled his little crooked grin that made Bella melt, even after seeing him in every class with it on.
Emmett, suddenly, came up and punched Edward in the shoulder. "You two be good, okay?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes as she joined her lover's side. "What's going to happen? It's not like he could impregnate her."
Bella's face turned red at the thought of that.
Edward was obviously getting nervous as well, seeing as his grip tightened and he quit smiling.
"Still got to warn them. If you see any wolves, tell us," Emmett said with a smirk. He was always ready for a fight, wasn't he?
The Cullen children had told Bella about the wolves and the vampires going against each other for centuries. And right now, she didn't like the sound of the wolves. They were so vicious and got angry so quickly, not even listening to reason.
"Let's go, Emmett." Rosalie walked off and Bella swore she saw Emmett staring at her hips.
"See ya!" And then the large vampire ran after his fiancée.
Edward and Bella were left alone in the train station. And she was in a very vulnerable position.
In Edward's arms, unable to touch the ground.
"Um… Edward? You can let me down now."
He just began walking forward, as if she hadn't said a word. "We're going somewhere special after seeing Carlisle and Esme."
Bella raised a quizzical eyebrow and asked, "Oh really? Where?"
Edward just smiled and walked to his Volvo. He opened the door with no problem, obviously, and slid her in the passenger side.
He walked slowly to the driver's seat, watching Bella with his smile still intact.
He slid in and closed the door, taking in the feel of his car after so long. "Ready to go?"
Bella shrugged, still cautious of where he was taking her. She remembered when he had taken her to prom. It wasn't going to happen again.
He smiled as he put the thing in reverse and backed out and then drove out of the parking lot. "Carlisle will be happy to see us."
Bella nodded, glad that she knew something of his plan. "Esme as well." She looked around and smiled as she noticed the market again. The Newtons' was looking less busy, not that she could remember it being busy. But it was winter again and many would be staying home for the winter holidays.
Speaking of Newtons, she saw Mike coming out of the shop just as they passed. His spiked hair seemed to hang lower now that it had grown and his childish features were red from the cold. Not to mention the backpacks on his back looked heavy.
She saw the police station and thought of Charlie. But his police cruiser wasn't in his parking space. That was strange.
Bella was shocked to feel Edward's marble hand grasp hers and she forgot all about Charlie's odd absences. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing really. Just going through the changes."
Edward nodded and went around a curb. And there, Bella saw the hospital. There was a new addition to the back and she suddenly felt excited about the new add on.
"Wow! I don't remember Carlisle saying anything about this in his letters," Bella exclaimed as they rounded it. The large sign of "emergency" shone over the entrance to that part of the building in red and there were at least five ambulances aligned perfectly in certain parking spaces.
It seemed so professional compared to when she had last seen the place. It stuck out.
But she wasn't surprised when Carlisle walked out with a large smile, his hands in his coat pockets.
When Edward parked near the entrance, Bella got out and smiled as she walked over to Carlisle. "Congratulations," she said while looking at the addition again.
"Shouldn't I be congratulating you," Carlisle asked while smiling warmly at her and his "son." "This is just an improvement for the emergencies that come in."
"That doesn't make it less wonderful," Edward said while admiring it himself. Bella felt his arm wrap around her shoulders again and she got closer.
"You two look more married than Esme and me sometimes," Carlisle said with a chuckle. The two just ignored it so their discomfort on the subject would subside.
"How was college, Bella," the doctor immediately asked, sensing the unintentional tension that seemed to fill the air.
"It wasn't what I expected," she said truthfully. But then again, she should've known not to believe everything you watched on television. "It was great, though."
Edward smiled down at her and that made her smile. He had been through many colleges, but she knew that he was more interested in how she was taking in her last moments of human life than how much it didn't or did change.
"Glad to hear it." Suddenly, Carlisle's beeper began to go off. He smiled up at them and replied, "Sorry. I'll have to leave you for a surgery."
But the two nodded with understanding and the doctor walked back inside.
"He's thinking of inviting you and Charlie over for dinner," Edward said while looking at his watch. Bella wondered what he was trying so hard to make.
And then she felt him leading her back to his car. "Are we going to see Esme now?"
Edward shook his head when he led her to his car once again. "She's busy doing something. Carlisle was thinking about it when we pulled up." Bella wondered what she was busy doing when her family had finally come back.
But then again, Edward had already made a plan for just the two of them somewhere. Which meant that they were headed immediately to it now.
"So where are we going," Bella asked after he got in the car and pulled out. His cold hand seemed to grow tense with excitement as he grabbed hers. When he didn't answer, she tried to look into his eyes to see if they would let anything clue her about where he was taking her.
"Stop trying to ruin your surprise, Bella," Edward finally replied when Bella found nothing in his gaze. He eyed her when she finally sat back and formed a slight pout. "Be patient. We're almost there."
She looked up to see his burning, golden gaze and sighed. "Okay. We better get there soon." His hand tightened on her hers and she could only smile. How could she stay mad at him?
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It had only taken a few minutes for Bella to recognize the path leading into the forest when Edward parked. The trees still parted the same way, the place still smelled heavenly. And if she listened hard enough, she could hear the stream in the distance.
She looked up and noticed through the clouds that it was about to descend into the darkness of night. But she didn't care. She wasn't scared of much, seeing as Edward was always by her side.
She got out and walked ahead to where her beloved was waiting for her. "I'm guessing you remember where we are."
Bella sure did.
She smiled and walked ahead; ready to see his precious meadow again. It had been so long since she had even asked for a glimpse of the beautiful paradise.
They finally stepped into the beautiful scene and Bella felt complete bliss wash over her. The stream, the neatly cut grass, the way that the sun peeked through the clouds and trees, and the flowers that appeared every now and then…
It was too perfect for words.
"Miss it," Edward asked as he stepped through a light streak of sun. The back palm of his hand sparkled in a way that took her breath away. For some reason, it didn't take away the masculinity of his person. It just added to his miraculous-ness.
"Yes. It's been a long time." She walked to a little patch and saw down. The breeze that danced through the trees and across her skin made her smile wider.
She was so enveloped in the atmosphere that she didn't even jump when Edward's arm snuck its way around her waist.
"What are you thinking," he asked as she felt him pull her closer. His breathing landed against the side of her neck, near the jugular vein. Even if he was so close to where he could tear her away from life, she didn't care.
She loved him so much. If people knew how much…
"How much I love you," she said with a smile. This place brought back memories and helped her forget the complicated studies that she had to remember whenever she went back to Biology 101.
"Nothing special compared to how much I love you," he replied as he pressed a kiss to her throat. Her mouth parted very slightly and she had to stop herself from making a sound.
"That's what you think," she said as he pressed a trail of kisses up her neck.
A chuckle escaped him as his arm tightened around her. "That's what I know, Bella."
She loved how he said her name. It was so mesmerizing. So amazingly beautiful that if he said it again, she was liable to lose control.
She felt him press another kiss to her ear and she couldn't tell if she had let out a breath or took in a gasp. All she knew was that there was some sort of air passing through her body.
"So how do you like college so far?" Bella was shocked by the question. "Well, I guess it's okay. Nothing special."
Edward seemed to be disappointed by that answer. "It's everything, Bella. It's what builds up your human character."
"But I'm not going to be human for long."
Edward didn't reply to that. He still wasn't used to the idea of Bella turning into his kind. But she didn't care. She was intent on being with him for the rest of eternity.
Even if he didn't like it.
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An hour or so had passed before Edward had driven from his spot to the residence of the Swans. The funny thing was that it was no longer the two-story house that she was used to.
It was another one, a much larger one with a balcony seen on the side with a large, beautiful garden in the backyard. The exterior was whit with blue shudders and the cop cruiser seemed out of place.
"This house could probably rival yours," Bella said, a little irritated by the fact that Charlie hadn't spoken of his new house's extravagance.
"Edward laughed at Bella's remark and hot our of the car to escort her to the door. When they began walking down the neatly paved driveway, she noticed that Edward seemed to be a little nervous.
But she was unable to ask about it before coming to the door.
"Welcome home," Edward said with a smile.
"I don't know if I can call this home just yet," Bella muttered as she took in the expansive doorway.
How did he afford this?
Edward wiped away all of those thoughts when he kissed her forehead. "You will in time. If you can stand seeing me rip off another vampire's head, you can stand anything."
Bella would've rather not been reminded of that horrible fight. If the Volturri hadn't come, the Cullens could have been dead.
(A/N: Remember that she never met Jacob, so the idea never occurred for them to join together.)
"I guess so." Edward gave her another kiss before walking back to his car.
Before Bella could even breathe, though, the door swung open to reveal a beautiful young woman with curly, black hair and vivid green eyes. A gold, halter dress decorated her Native American figure while her chandelier earrings contrasted with her elegant up do.
"Oh! This must be the wonderful Isabella I've heard so much about!" Bella felt the woman's arms wrap around her as the name Isabella clicked in her head.
This was why Edward had seemed nervous. The house came along with a rich freak.
Must be the sales woman over for celebration.
The woman let her go and immediately began to help her into the house.
"Oh, Charlie! Isabella is home!"
Bella looked up to the woman as she closed the door behind her. "It's Bella."
The household freak seemed to be shocked by Bella's blatant attitude, but shrugged it off when Charlie entered the beautiful den.
"It's nice to see you again, Princess!"
Since when does Charlie act so warm? And what's with that huge smile on his face?
"You, too," she said while finally taking in the living room. The large television sitting opposite of the white leather and fireplace matched perfectly with the black coffee table and the exotic rug at the door.
The chandelier hung over a beautiful grand piano that almost made Bella's heart break.
"Like it," Charlie asked after following her stare to the percussion instrument.
"Oh! Does she play," the woman asked while scurrying to her father's side. I say, "scurrying" because those golden stiletto heels probably wouldn't go past two feet per hour.
"Not that I know of," Charlie answered slowly while eyeing Bella.
"Anyways, this is Cara, Bella." The college girl watched as she grabbed the woman's hand finally added, "She's your new mother."
Bella looked at them and felt as if she was staring at a broken television screen; the sound was mulled over and everything was growing blurry.
"Bells?"
And then, Bella only remembered black.
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To Be Continued
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