Disclaimer: No, I still don't own "Twilight". I also don't own "Silent Night" (Although that's probably public domain. . . ) :P

AN: So, I'm not sure what was wrong with last chapter, I didn't think it was too bad, but I hope I'm not losing the thread of this story or something. I'm hoping I just posted it at the wrong time or something. That's not to say I'm not grateful to the two people who did review, thank you both. :) Anyways, I like this chapter, so I hope it's better than the last one. Please read, and I hope you enjoy!

Also WARNING: there's a bit of language in this one. But I'm sure you've heard it before, it shouldn't be anything shocking. :P


Somehow, in the rush of all the decorating, the buying gifts for everybody, the schoolwork, and my first snowball fight (courtesy of Emmett, of course), I managed to forget, until the night before Edward's party, two important facts; 1. I hated parties, and 2. I absolutely couldn't dance. So, due to this unsettling revelation at around eight-thrity PM, the whole of that night, while I made some last minute preparations for the next day, slept, helped Renée around the house and tried (unsuccessfully) to do some of my homework, I was working myself into a panic. I knew I couldn't bail; Edward and Esme both would be so disappointed, but that didn't stop me from dreading it.

It was not until I was actually getting ready, when I was already in my borrowed outfit of Esme's and standing in front of my bathroom mirror, trying to do something with my hair, that I calmed down. After I'd managed to get my hair up in a way that I was at least semi-satisfied with, I stepped back and looked at myself. Yes, Bella Swan definitely didn't go to parties, didn't dance, didn't fit in. But the girl in the mirror didn't really look like Bella Swan. She was taller, thanks to the pair of little black heels I'd borrowed from Renée. Wearing Esme's clothes, and with my hair up, and the fact that I was very uncharacteristically wearing makeup, I looked stylish, sophisticated, maybe even pretty. I didn't look like the Bella Swan who hated parties, so maybe I didn't have to be her. If I looked at it objectively, maybe I wasn't anymore. That Bella hadn't had many friends, never a boyfriend, wasn't outgoing.

Six months ago, if you'd asked me, I would have said that I liked that Bella. But now that I'd left her behind, I realized that it wasn't such a bad thing.

With that in my mind, I picked my little beaded silver clutch off my desk (I'd dropped off Edward's present with Esme the day before, so it was already there), and set off for the Cullen house.

My first thought when I walked through the door was that Esme must have been incredibly busy that day, and the night before. Emmett, Edward, and I had been helping her decorate for a few days now, but the rooms in front of me were now almost unrecognizable from the modestly decorated ones I'd left yesterday, having been seemingly magically transformed overnight into a veritable winter wonderland.

I stood there, openmouthed, in the big airy foyer, just staring at the towering fir decorated with silver and gold ornaments until I felt arms slip around my waste from behind. "Hello beautiful," Edward whispered in my ear "may I take your coat?"

I laughed, turning around to hug him back. "Thanks." And of course, as soon as I started to shrug out of my heavy wool peacoat, Edward's hands were there, guiding my arms out of the sleeves and folding it over his arm. It was one of those things that boys seemed to only be able to pick up in an earlier century, and one of the little things Edward did that I loved about him.

"I'll be right back," he promised, heading up the stairs to put away my coat.

I then had a chance to take in the room a little bit more. I was the first guest there, having purposefully arrived early, my excuse being to give Esme any last-minute help she needed, but really because I hadn't seen Edward in nearly twenty-four hours, and, since he'd come back, that was nearly a record.

Apart from the big, beautiful tree, there were more evergreen garlands festooned with silver and gold ribbons, and tiny sparkling lights. These, apart from those on the tree, and dozens of candles in crystal holders sprinkled among the hall tables, were the only source of light in the hall. It gave an overall beautiful, almost fairytale effect.

after only a few moments, Edward came back down the stairs, and as he descended I noticed for the first time what he was wearing - a dark blue dress shirt that looked like silk, with a silver-grey tie and very dark jeans. He looked, as always, gorgeous, and I had a moment to admire him, as he paused on the bottom step of the stairs.

After a moment, though, I began to get worried, as he still wasn't moving, just staring intently forward. "Edward," I took a step toward him "is something wrong?"

"Of course not," he replied, quickly closing the distance between us to stand in front of me. He took both my hands in his, in a gesture that was almost like a reflex, as if he didn't even realize he was doing it. "I was just thinking that you look so incredibly, heart-rendingly beautiful tonight that I may have to lock you in my room for fear of someone stealing you away from me."

I blushed, looking down at our feet. "I could say the same about you."

"Hardly," he laughed. "At least I match you" he held out his arm, and sure enough, it was an identical shade to my blouse.

"Esme suggested you wear that?" I guessed.

"Yes, how. . ."

"She lent me this," I gestured at my outfit. "It is pretty, isn't it?"

"Exceptionally," He agreed, "but nowhere near as gorgeous as the girl inside."

An hour later, spinning under the thousands of twinkle lights in the Cullens' big dining/living room, I realized how silly my fears had been. Of course I was enjoying myself. How could I not, surrounded by all of my friends, and with Edward? It had been great from the start, when Edward and I went in to see Esme in the lavishly decorated main room, and she hugged me like a daughter, telling me I looked beautiful, to all of our friends arriving, and now dancing with Edward. I'd been a little apprehensive about that, but apparently a really good partner can make even the clumsiest girl twirl elegantly, and, of course, that was another of those things that boys from 1918 seemed to just know.

As the song, an instrumental "Silent Night" - Esme had insisted on only seasonal music - ended, Edward went to go get us drinks, and so I drifted to the side of the room to watch the dancers. I was just thinking how great Angela and Ben looked together - something that depended more upon how happy they both were than anything physical, like a height differential - when I was ambushed from behind. "Didn't you get the memo, Scrooge? One usually wears red or green at a christmas party. Or are you just colourblind? But, I must admit, that outfit is clever, the colour difference, it almost makes it look as if you've actually got breasts."

I didn't even have to see the tall, shapely figure stalking away in her scarlet minidress to know who it would be. She had impeccable timing, picking the perfect moment to strike and set my fairytale evening tumbling around me. I didn't even know how she did it, how she affected me so much, but whatever the cause, I was fighting back tears when Edward arrived with two eggnogs.

The moment he saw my face, he set the drinks on the floor, swiftly coming to stand in front of me, gently gripping my shoulders, and looking me right in the eyes. "Bella, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, fighting back tears.

"Bella, you insult me. You think I don't know you well enough to believe that you're not upset right now?"

"I'm fine," I insisted, but my voice wavered. I'd never admitted to Edward that Rosalie was continuing to torment me. I didn't know why, but for some reason I just couldn't.

"Bella, who was it? What did they do?"

I answered him with another question, one that just slipped out. "Who the fuck invited her?"

"Bella, who?"

I shook my head again, but I reflexively looked in her direction, and he caught on immediately. "Rosalie? Wait - like that time in September? Has she been torturing you this whole time?"

I nodded mutely. He knew me too well for me to be able to lie.

His eyes suddenly burned with anger, an emotion I'd never seen on his face, especially not in this concentration. "The fucking bitch." He abruptly smoothed out his face, making his tone polite and pleasant, at least on the surface. "Why don't you just watch the dancing for a bit, Bella, I've got something to deal with."

"No," I caught his arm as he began to stride away. "Just don't. It won't help."

Now he was incredulous. "You don't want me to do anything? I'm not going to hurt her Bella, just giver her a piece of my - "

"No. Just don't." the last thing I needed was for her to think I couldn't fight my own battles.

"Fine," he put his arms around my waist again, steering me back onto the dance floor. "We can just pretend she doesn't exist and enjoy our evening, if you'd rather." His tone was pleasant, but I could tell it was taking a lot of effort.

Usually, this kind of thing, Edward's fiercely protective side made me happy, could always cheer me up, and made whatever had hurt me seem insignificant, but not now. I shook my head. "No. I think I'd rather just go home." I started out towards the foyer, but of course he followed me.

"Bella, you can't go home now-"

"Edward, I can't enjoy myself back there anymore either. I'm sorry. I won't be any good company tonight anyways."

He shook his head, stubborn. "If you want to let her ruin the party, fine. But she's not ruining our evening. We don't have to go back in there, but stay, please?"

"And do what?"

"Well, it's Christmas. That usually entails the exchange of gifts, doesn't it?"

When I didn't immediately object, he started leading me upstairs. We walked down the darkened second floor hallway until we got to the little TV room. It was dark inside, with the familiar couches and entertainment system, but they had been moved around to make room for the tree in the corner. This one was smaller that the one downstairs, and covered in a motley array of decorations, many that looked as if they had been made by a little boy who had no patience for crafts. It was lit by the same warm, twinkling lights as downstairs, a soft, romantic glow in the corner.

Edward led me over to this tree, reaching into the pile of gifts below it. Among them, I noticed the big box containing my present for Edward. "I've got one for you too"

"Me first," Edward insisted. He held out a small, square white box tied with a gold ribbon.

I took it, undoing the bow so the silky ribbon puddled in my palm, and lifted the lid. Inside was the prettiest bracelet I'd ever seen. Suspended from a chain made of little circular silver links was a multitude of delicate glass beads in every colour of blue, as well as a few little silver charm pieces.

Edward gently lifted it from the box, fastening it around the wrist I held out for him. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

"I'm glad," he smiled. "Blue looks beautiful on you. And I had the maker put in some charms, see?" He turned the bracelet to expose in turn a tiny silver key, piano, and diary in turn. Then four round silver disks stamped with letters. First, an "E" and "B". "For you and me", and then an "X" and "O". He took me into his arms to demonstrate those two.

"Edward, it's-"

He held a finger to my lips "Wait, there's one more." He turned the bracelet again, until he found a sparkling, faceted crystal heart. "It's a bauble of my mother's that they managed to reunite me with," he explained. "I thought it looked nice on there. I wanted you to have it.

I swallowed around the new lump in my throat. What had I ever done to deserve someone this thoughtful? "Edward, it's gorgeous. It's perfect. Where did you get this?"

He smiled, obviously pleased. "There's this girl in my Design class - I think she's in you Chemistry class too, maybe - Nora Eastwood? She makes the most amazing jewelry, she had a bracelet on like this, so I got her to make this one for you. We designed it together."

In his design class. It all clicked together.

"When you were running errands - when you wouldn't tell me who was calling you - You were getting this made for me?"

He grinned, nodding. "What, did you think I was sneaking around?" he laughed.

I blushed. "Of course not," I lied.

"Silly Bella. When will you ever learn that you'll always be the only one I'll ever want?"

"I don't know," I laughed. "I guess you'll have to keep trying to convince me."

"I'm going to take that as a challenge, you know," he warned me, before pulling me tight in the most exquisite kiss, effectively driving all thoughts of the spectre of Rosalie Hale - and everything else, for that matter - out of my mind. The rooms downstairs might be beautiful, but I'd take this simple little tree with it's twinkling lights, and Edward, over it any day.

AN: So, I had fun with this one, I hope you guys liked it (better than the last one). I think it's ok, and it's not too choppy or anyhting. . PLEASE leave your thoughts in a review. :) I love reviews, but they also help me, and tell me what I'm doing right, and what I'm doing wrong!! Also, yes, many of you called it. OF COURSE Edward wasn't cheating on Bella! :P He was just being super adorable.
:) Also, I start school in a few days, so I don't know when I'll be writing next. But, I'm more motivated if I get reviews. (hint, hint) Anywho, I'll stop bribing and threatening you now. I hope you enjoyed!

-Hannah

P.s. rrrrrreview! :D

Thanks!