Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or plotlines of the Twilight Saga and the following is a form of fiction based on the brilliance of Stephanie Meyer's work.
Author: ToryD
Beta: Splendorous Night Unfurled
Title: A Forbidden Forever
Chapter Five
Alice stood staring at her reflection in a three way mirror as her sister inserted yet another pin into the hem of her latest design. "Oh Rosalie, you have really outdone yourself with this one," Alice complemented as she ran her hand over the delicate layers of pale blue chiffon fabric.
"Yes, it is one of my best," Rosalie responded with a flick to her perfectly styled, platinum blond hair.
"So what are you going to be wearing?" Alice asked as she stepped down from a platform to cross to the dressing room in Rosalie's design showroom.
"I think I'll wear something other than mine," Rosalie responded with a bored expression gracing her faultless face. "Maybe a vintage Valentino."
After changing back into her jeans and high-necked ivory lace blouse, Alice emerged from the dressing room. "Do you think you will have time tomorrow to show Bella some dresses?" Alice asked as she checked her cell phone for missed calls.
"I don't think that I will be able to help Edward's assistant with her quest for a dress," Rosalie informed with a malice that served to surprise Alice.
"What do you mean?" Alice asked as she looked up to better judge Rosalie's intent.
"Well you must know that being a top designer I have to be careful who is seen in my designs," Rosalie imparted with a short little laugh. "I mean come on Alice! I'd be the laughing stock of the fashion industry if I allowed a nobody like this Bella person to wear one of my dresses at a function such as the hospital's annual ball."
"I can assure you Rosalie that Bella is not a 'nobody'," Alice shot back with an ominous glare in her usually loving brown eyes.
With a deep sigh, Rosalie crossed the room to her sister's side. "Oh Alice, I didn't mean to offend you," she said with a conciliatory expression adorning her astonishingly striking features. "It's just that I don't think it's a good idea for us to be socializing with the hired help."
Alice's frame tensed at the ugly side that Rosalie was revealing of herself at the moment. "Rosalie, I can't believe that you just said that."
"What?" Rosalie asked with a feigned look of innocence in her expression.
"If you don't want to lend Bella a dress that's fine, but don't stand there and act like any of us are better than her," Alice advised with an unmistakable challenge in her tone.
"Now don't get all high and mighty on me. I am entitled to an opinion on this Bella person whom Edward has seemed to go crazy for," Rosalie snarled as her eyes took on a peculiar threatening look. "And you should have asked first before you offered one of my dresses," Rosalie said with a haughtiness that set Alice's teeth on edge.
"I wouldn't have thought that you would have had any objection to doing a favor for me or Edward," Alice responded with a slightly disgusted tone at her sister's reaction to letting Bella borrow a dress.
"Of course I don't begrudge a favor to you or Edward, but why should I go out of my way to help someone who should know her place and not be attending an event that is reserved for high society," Rosalie tossed back with an air of superiority that she felt her due.
Appalled at Rosalie's comment Alice stalked towards the door to put as much distance between herself and her uncooperative sister as possible before she lost her temper.
"I didn't say she couldn't borrow a dress," Rosalie called after her departing sister with a smug look in her coal black eyes as Alice slammed the door hard after her exit.
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"I don't think that I really need all of this," Bella began protesting as Alice continued to hold up several different earrings to Bella's ears in order to judge the best match.
"Of course you do," Alice said decisively. "Ah this one is it!"
Bella looked at the large sapphire drop earring with a skeptical look. "Can't I just wear the first one you tried?" she asked with a slightly pleading look in her warm brown eyes.
"The pearl studs?" Alice asked with a slight frown gracing her raspberry tinted lips.
Smiling almost apologetically, Bella nodded in acquiescence.
Looking at the vast array of one of a kind pieces lain out before her, Alice sighed in defeat as her gaze settled on the simple white pearls buttons surrounded by small diamonds and rubies, "Alright. Can you please put those on Edward's account Steven?" Alice asked the very distinguished man who had provided the large selection of jewelry based on Edward's request.
"Yes, Mrs. Hale," Steven responded professionally without showing his disappointment that the other young woman hadn't selected a pricier piece to increase his commission.
"Come on Bella," Alice called as she ushered Bella towards a modern freestanding staircase that led to the upper loft area of her and Jasper's home. "We need to get you in your gown before Edward gets here."
Bella glanced at her watch and seeing that it was already a few minutes past seven, rushed after Alice's petite form; as Edward was due to arrive at seven thirty.
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Edward paced the foyer with an uncustomary agitation that Jasper found utterly amusing. "So Edward," he began as he decided that he would enjoy himself at his brother's expense. "What's with all the pacing? You're not nervous are you?"
Edward froze in place as he shot an irritated glance at Jasper's mocking face. "Shut up Jasper!" Edward growled back.
Laughing at Edward's response, Jasper rose and walked towards his obviously nervous brother to place a supportive arm around his shoulders. "Oh come on Edward, you know that it's not every day that I see you act like a normal…human."
Shrugging off Jasper's arm, Edward crossed to the black leather sofa and sank down while he lifted his gaze towards the staircase in hopes that Bella would finally appear. "What's taking so long?" he asked with an irritated tone that caused Jasper to bite his lip to forestall his chuckle so as to not further incite Edward's ill mood.
"I honestly don't know," Jasper said as he too crossed the room to sink down into a chair to await his wife. "Alice was out the door at eight this morning, so I don't know what they could have possibly done all day."
"Since eight?" Edward asked with a stunned expression. "What did they need to do that it would take eleven and a half hours?"
Jasper laughed at Edward's expression. "Well from what I've gathered from Alice, there were manicures and pedicures, hair and makeup, the dress and other shopping ventures."
"I thought Rosalie was going to provide a dress," Edward asked with a frown marring his brow as he began to read the thoughts that Jasper was trying valiantly to hide.
"Yes well, Alice decided to choose something other than a Rosalie this year," Jasper said quickly as he rose from his chair to cross the room and stand at the foot of the stairs.
Rage entered into Edward's face as he read the replay of Jasper and Alice's conversation regarding Rosalie's refusal to allow Bella to borrow a dress. "I'll have a talk with Rosalie this evening," Edward promised just as Alice and Bella began to descend the staircase.
Bella drew in a deep breath, at least as deep a breath that her form fitting Vera Wang crimson dress would allow as she descended the stairs. Holding tightly to the stair rail, she carefully maneuvered her Prada strappy silver shoes down the stairs.
Edward felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach at the vision that Bella made when she entered his line of sight, for he had never seen a more beautiful woman in all his existence. Without taking his hungry eyes from her, he rose so stiffly that one would have wondered if he were made of stone. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he waited until she reached the bottom step before he whispered her name with a reverence that barely hinted at the intense emotions he was feeling in this, one of the most memorable moments of his life. "Bella."
Bella was so absorbed in not falling off her three and a half inch heels that she didn't know that Edward was awaiting her arrival at the bottom of the steps until she heard him whisper her name. Smiling almost shyly, she greeted her boss while trying to get a grip on her run away heartbeat. "Hi Edward."
Taking her hand in his, he leaned down and bestowed a gentle kiss that served to cause Bella's already racing heart to skip a beat. "You are truly the most beautiful vision I have ever seen," Edward said with such an honest sincerity that Alice had to look away from the private moment in order to collect herself.
Feeling a little overwhelmed at Edward's actions, Bella looked away from his hypnotic golden gaze in order to get a grip on her emotions. "I really can't take any of the credit," she said as she stepped down the last step so that she was level with Edward. "Alice was the one who did all of the hard work."
Alice gracefully descended the stairs in her stunning off one shoulder, ivory Dior gown. "That's not true Edward," she announced as she leaned over to kiss her brother on his cold cheek. "Bella was a real trooper allowing me to play dress up all day with her, I can't think of when I have enjoyed myself more."
Bella laughed at the impish grin on Alice soft pixie face, glad that she had pleased her new friend.
"Shall we go?" Jasper asked as he held out Bella's black evening coat to Edward before assisting Alice into her own coat.
Edward held out the coat and slowly drew it up her arms to settle it around her shoulders as he drew in a deep, intoxicating breath. A heavy, all-encompassing need filled him as he clenched his teeth in order to control his instant lust for Bella's blood.
'Easy Edward,' Alice thought urgently as she correctly read her brother's struggle.
Jasper's gift of imposing his feelings upon others immediately sent out a feeling of calm.
Bella, unaware of the strong undercurrents going on around her swayed unevenly as the room began to spin around her. Lifting a hand to her brow, she swayed once more and would have fallen to the floor if Edward's strong arms hadn't caught and held her to his strong cold body.
A look of intense concern instantly replaced the former ferocious hunger in his eyes as he swept Bella's trembling form into his arms. "Bella," he called out in an alarmed tone that testified to his fear for the woman in his arms.
"What's the matter?" Alice asked urgently as she flew to Bella's side.
"I don't know," Edward answered tersely as he crossed the room to place an unconscious Bella upon the black leather sofa. "Get Carlisle on the phone."
Jasper handed his cell phone to Edward who quickly related Bella's symptoms to an awaiting Carlisle. "She looks so pale Carlisle," he said with an uncharacteristic tremor to his voice. "Okay, I'll see you in a moment."
"What did he say?" Alice asked as she sank down to her knees beside Edward's kneeling form.
"He said just to keep her flat and that he will be here in a few minutes," Edward answered with a distinct edge of worry in his tone.
"Okay," Alice agreed as she reached out to place her hand on Bella's pale cheek.
Bella felt as if she were swimming beneath a heavy thick blanket as she began to surface back to consciousness. "Oh," she winced as a sharp pain throbbed through her head.
"Lay still," Edward ordered sharply as a fear that he had never experienced spread through him at lightning speed.
"Edward?" Bella asked as she opened her eyes to see that both he and Alice were leaning over her with an undeniable anxiousness alighting both of their golden gazes. "What happened?"
"You passed out Bella," Alice answered with a slight smile that did little to erase the tension in her beautiful face.
"Oh, I guess I should have taken some time to eat something," Bella answered as she began to rise into a sitting position.
"When did you last eat?" Edward asked with a look of barely leashed rage directed at Alice's guilty face.
Unaware of the unspoken conversation going on between Edward and Alice, Bella answered in a small, slightly embarrassed voice. "Yesterday, at lunch."
"Yesterday," Edward whispered with a slight edge as he arose to withdrawal his cell phone in order to talk with Carlisle.
"I'm really sorry Alice," Bella began an apology with a plea in her warm brown eyes.
Flushing guiltily, Alice shook her head. "It's all my fault Bella, I ran you all over Portland today without once thinking that you needed to eat."
"You didn't eat either," Bella reminded Alice with a knowing smile. "I'm okay now."
Alice looked sick as she rose to turn and stare at the very angry brother. 'I'm so sorry Edward,' she thought silently.
Jasper crossed to her side to place a supporting arm around her slumping shoulders.
"Carlisle is bringing some orange juice he squeezed from a centerpiece that Esme had on the dining room table," Edward whispered so softy that only Alice and Jasper could hear his words.
"Edward," Alice whispered with a pleading that failed to crack the look of anger on Edward's face.
"Not now," he growled at Alice.
Bella watched the three most beautiful people she had ever seen deep in a private conversation and wondered why there seemed to be such a strange tension between them. "Edward," she whispered as she rose from the sofa on her now supportive legs.
"Bella," Edward called out as he instantly came to her side to place a protective arm around her waist should she feel faint again.
"I'm so sorry. I was foolish to skip so many meals," she said with a slight laugh at her own expense in hopes of easing the tension within the room. "I'm ready to leave now."
Edward frowned at the woman who he held so protectively within his arms. "Carlisle is coming over to check you out," he announced as he led her back to the sofa and gently pushed her into a seated position.
Groaning in embarrassment, Bella dropped her face into her hands, which caused Edward to sink down onto the sofa beside her with an instantaneous look of distress entering his eyes.
"What?" Edward asked with fear once again lacing his words.
"I can't believe that I'm about to meet your brother in such an embarrassing way," she said as she looked through her fingers at Edwards perfect face. "I mean, just imagine what he is going to think of me."
Edward felt as if someone had lifted the weight of the world off his shoulders as he looked into her apprehensive gaze. "He's going to think you're beautiful just like I do," Edward imparted as he leaned down to press his cold lips to the top of her down bent head.
Bella felt an unexplainable warmth spread through her as Edward held her gently to his hard masculine frame, which struck her as odd since his body temperature seemed to be abnormally cold like his sister Alice.
"Edward," Esme called out as she and Carlisle entered.
"In here," Edward called towards his mother as he continued to watch Bella with a tenderness that spoke irrefutably of the new found love in his heart.
Esme entered the room with an unequaled elegance in her manor. Her upswept caramel-blond hair served to only enhance the soft beauty of her flawless face, while her navy-blue Rosalie original hugged her perfect figure to perfection. "How is she?" she questioned as she leant down to hand Bella a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice.
"She seems to be better but I still want Carlisle to examine her," Edward said as he met his mother's worried eyes.
"Honey," Esme called out to her handsome husband.
"Coming," Carlisle announced as he swept into the room with much the same effortless elegance that all the Cullen men seemed to possess. "You must be Edward's Bella," he said as he opened his bag to pull out his stethoscope.
"Yes," Bella said a little uneasily in being referred to as 'Edward's Bella'.
Edward frowned at what Bella must be thinking of his family and himself for that matter as she took in their acceptance that she was already his.
"Do you have a headache Bella?" Carlisle asked with his professional doctor's tone.
"Yes," Bella answered truthfully and almost wished she hadn't as she felt Edward's arms tense around her.
"Carlisle?" Edward questioned impatiently, his worried eye's seeking a medical conformation that Bella would be alright.
"I believe that she just needs to get some sugar into her system," he announced as he took up her wrist just for show, as he had already counted the beats of her heart and calculated the rate of her pulse. "If you could please make sure she eats before you take her to the ball, then she will be just fine."
"I'll make sure she eats, but we're not going to the ball," Edward stated as he watched Carlisle begin to put away his medical supplies into his bag.
"Oh Edward," Alice complained before she could help herself.
Edward shot Alice a heated look to convey his still barely simmering below the surface anger for her thoughtlessness in caring for Bella throughout the day.
'I'm sorry,' she shot him the thought in her head only to be rebuffed by yet another blazing look from her brother.
"Edward," Bella called to him softly as she didn't like the unspoken exchange the he and Alice seemed to be engaged in. "I'd really like to go if you still want to take me."
Looking down into Bella's soft, warm gaze Edward felt all of his anger drain away. Lifting his hand, he gently brushed the back of his fingers against her soft, pale cheek. "Are you sure you're up for an evening out?" he questioned her with a look of complete adoration in his smooth pale face.
"Of course," Bella said as she smiled at Edward.
Alice leaned down and gave Bella a quick hug. "I'm so glad you're feeling better enough to go Bella."
"Me too," Bella said with a conspiratorial wink with her new friend.
Jasper grabbed up Alice's coat and held it out to her. "We'd better get a move on then."
Edward released his hold on Bella and stood with his hand outstretched to her with an intense look of pleading in his eyes, as if he were requesting more from her than just her hand to assist her.
Bella felt a strange undercurrent as she gazed up into Edward's unblinking, passionate stare. Her heart once again began to race as she felt as though he was asking something from her that would change both of their lives from this day forward. Lifting her own trembling hand, she placed it trustingly into his with an odd expression of undeniable awe on her face.
Pulling her gently to her feet, Edward leaned down and whispered softly into her ear, "Ready?"
Bella drew in a startled breath at the feeling of electric excitement coursing through her body like a live wire, her intuition instantly telling her that Edward was asking her if she were indeed ready for what the future had destined for them both.
Reaching up she traced the side of his face softly with her fingertips. With a look of wonder in her eyes, she answered his life changing question. "Yes Edward, I'm ready."
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A/N Yay! Now it really starts! Hope you liked Edward and Bella finally getting connected so to speak. Next chapter the ball and of course mean old Rosalie will have some nastiness to throw out at our poor Bella.
that failed to hinder the vision he created in an elegant tuxedo that hugged his masculine frame to perfection.