A/N: I'M NOT DEAD!!!! Sorry about the long hiatus (it is pretty long for me). Sadly there may be an even longer one before chapter eight is out. Life for me is very hectic at the moment, but I'll try to be as quick as possible. This chapter is pretty light and fluffy. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and if you have any ideas, let me know. Hope you enjoy:

Seven. Family Time

Andrew had sent me on my way (after admitting that, yes, he was a werewolf). I had left without argument. My mind was a turmoil mess. Andrew loved Tiazza… did that mean she loved him too? It made a lot of things make sense. Her dislike of Aro, and the feeling of betrayal, for starters. If Aro had condoned the imprisonment of her love, of course she would hate him, and feel betrayed by him. It also explained why she had been so adamant that I not be curious about the room. If someone had found me there, not only could it mean my death, but also Andrew's- I was willing to bet the Volturi Lords would jump at the smallest chance of getting rid of the werewolf.

After all, werewolves and vampires were natural enemies. Carlisle had told me so. I remembered his exact words: "We can really only be killed by other vampires. Or werewolves, who are our natural enemies."

So how did Andrew and Tiazza fall in love?

"You're back, are you?"

I looked up in surprise and realized, with some frustration, that I had done in my preoccupied mood what I'd been unable to do in nearly an hour of determined wandering.

I'd found my room.

Jasper was looking at me with a bit of bitterness.

"I'm an immature brat," I told him with a sigh, plopping down on the chair across from him. "I realize this- and I'm really sorry for being such an immature brat."

Jasper grinned at me wryly.

"It's not me you should be apologizing to," he pointed out. "But you are forgiven."

"Is Edward really angry?" I asked, casting a glance at the door I knew he was behind.

"He's more hurt than angry. He doesn't understand why you were so mad at him. I don't really either," Jasper quirked his head at me. "We were just teasing you."

"And it embarrassed me, Jasper," I replied. "I'm not an open person- you know that. I'm not used to being teased about such… private things. It makes me uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry," he told me honestly.

"I overreacted," I replied. "I'm going to go talk to Edward."

"Good luck."

I nodded to Jasper and approached the door slowly, easing it open nervously.

Edward was lying on his back, his arms cushioning his head, staring broodily up at the roof.

"You're back," was all he said, not even looking at me.

"I am," I agreed.

There was an uncomfortable silence. I didn't know where to begin, and Edward wasn't willing to help me out. I supposed I deserved that- I had been pretty bitchy.

"I don't know why you put up with me," I said at last, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I love you," Edward replied immediately.

"I know," I agreed. "Though I'll never understand why. I'm selfish, immature, and can be pretty unfeeling at times. I really don't deserve you."

"That's my line," he commented, his lips quirking slightly in a grin. "I'm the one who broods- remember?"

"I'm sorry, Edward," I whispered. "I hurt you, and then I ran from you- and I'm really sorry."

"Don't apologize," he said his voice gruff. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

"I shouldn't have reacted like I did," I corrected. "It was childish of me."

Edward sighed, and sat up so he could reach me and pull me down to lay beside him.

"We certainly know how to make a mess of things, don't we?" he asked, burying his nose in my hair.

"We do," I agreed. "Although there's no one I would rather be making a mess with."

His laughter was soft.

"Me neither."

"So… I'll try to act more mature, if you'll cut back on the sex jokes- at least until I get used to this?" I asked, looking up into his eyes. He brushed my hair out of my eyes and nodded.

"Deal," he replied, sealing it with a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. I wondered how Andrew got through each day- seeing Tiazza, but never able to kiss her, to hold her. If I lost Edward like that…

I wasn't sure which would be worse- that, or death.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked, breaking away from our kiss and staring worriedly into my eyes.

I gazed back and brushed some of his hair off of his forehead. I wanted to tell him what I had discovered- God knows I did- but I couldn't. Not because Edward would be angry- I could handle his anger- but because I felt that I owed it to Tiazza and Andrew to keep it secret. She obviously didn't want anyone to know, and I doubted he did either.

"Nothing…it's just," I buried my head into his chest. "Don't ever leave me, okay?"

I could almost feel his confusion as he pulled me closer to him, but he didn't ask.

"Never," he murmured instead.

Edward and I didn't leave the room until the next morning. When we entered, it was to hear Carlisle addressing the others.

"I believe today would be a good day to go out into the city."

"Why?" Edward asked curiously, leading me to a loveseat.

Carlisle looked at us and gave a small smile and a nod of welcome.

"Aro told me that he sent Heidi out last night. I don't think Bella should be around when she returns. There's no need to test her control needlessly like that."

I quirked my head at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Heidi goes out to collect… food," Edward explained.

"Oh," I replied. "Well then… I think going into the city would be a good idea."

It might also serve as a distraction.

"Excellent!" Alice clapped. "We can go shopping again! Are you up to it Rose?"

"Of course," agreed Rosalie. Neither asked me- I didn't get a choice.

"Yay, fun, shopping," I muttered sarcastically. "Do I get a say in what we do at all?"

"Stop whining, Bella," Rosalie ordered. "We let you out of it last time- now you can come. Sisterly bonding and all that."

I should have known that when she said that, she meant torture.

"This is the fifth store we've been to," I groaned as I followed my sisters into yet another building whose name I couldn't pronounce. My knowledge of the Italian language was non-existent.

"So?" replied Alice. "This store is very necessary."

"Neces- no. No Alice, we are leaving now!" I exclaimed when my eyes fell on racks upon racks of lingerie. "I have enough underwear that I'll never wear- I don't need more."

"But we haven't gotten you any of these pretty little things," Alice informed me, holding up a dark blue baby doll night gown.

"Alice is right," agreed Rosalie. "Every girl needs something to make her man drool."

"Not this girl," I informed them. "I'm fine with my current nightwear- besides, what's the point in getting something I don't technically need?"

"It's for show," Alice replied as she and Rose began pulling out various silk garments that would show way too much skin for comfort. "Now- go try these on."

I found myself forced (after much fighting) into a change-room stall.

"You can't make me try these one!" I called.

"Wanna bet?" replied Alice. "We can do this the hard way or the easy way, Bella- but you will try on that lingerie."

I decided to do it the easy way.

"Now, was that so hard?" asked Alice as we left the store, new and never-to-be-used lingerie in tow. I had tried on everything they forced upon me with, in my opinion, little argument. I had, however, argued quite loudly when Alice started buying everything she decided looked good on me. Rosalie had finally threatened me until I stopped arguing and stood petulantly behind them instead and let them buy the lingerie.

"I don't see why I need something like this," I replied, hooking my finger in the shoulder strap of too-short and almost translucent sky blue nightgown and pulling it out of the bag. "Can you imagine ever seeing me wearing this?"

Perhaps if I had noticed the look on Alice and Rosalie's faces, I could have saved myself the embarrassment that little act would cause.

Sadly I didn't.

"Perhaps they can't," a low voice murmured. "But I certainly can."

I spun around to come face-to-face with none other than Edward with Emmett and Jasper on either side of him.

"Edward, you heard that, didn't you?" I asked my voice oddly high. I looked at the nightgown in my hand and gave an embarrassed squeak, shoving it back into my bag. "And saw that… oh God this is embarrassing."

I turned my back to him and buried my head in my hands.

"What else do you have in there?" Edward asked, trying to peek into the bag the nightgown had went back into. I pulled it out of his grasp.

"Nothing that you will ever get to see," I replied.

"Then what was the point in buying it?" he asked, grinning down at me as he grasped the wrist of my empty hand in one of his and pulled me against his chest.

"Ask your sisters- they're the ones that forced it on me," I retorted, struggling out of his hold. I glared at Jasper and Emmett, who were snickering. "And you two can shut up any time now."

The snickering became full-blown laughter.

I groaned and threw my hands up in the air.

"I give up on this family- truly I do. Is it time to head back yet?"

"Are you really so anxious to get away from us?" asked Edward with mock hurt.

Looking at him with a straight-face, I got a wicked idea and answered as seriously as I could:

"Maybe I just wanted to model my purchases for you."

I looped my arms through Rosalie and Alice's and led them away, smirking as I heard Jasper and Emmett's renewed laughter- this time at the expression on their brother's face.

Maybe sex jokes did have perks to them, afterall.