Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Oh how I wish I had a time machine.
Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. RL (and getting too caught up in reading other fanfics) has been keeping me from writing. The next chapters should be posted close to the old weekly schedule. *Crosses fingers*
Love and thanks to FangMom for pre-reading, and to A Little Distracted, for endless moral support and amazing beta-ing.
To everyone who reviewed, added as a favorite or story alert, I love you all. I usually try to reply to all the reviews, but with no access to the site during the workday, it's harder to make happen.
I'm tired of angst and am in need of something warm and fuzzy, and so I bring you this happy little number…
Look for two new Random Story Facts in my epic Author's Notes below.
Playlist for Chapter 15 – "The Mystery Zone" by Spoon, "Days of the Old" by Every Avenue, and "James Dean" by Borne
Chapter Fifteen – The Mystery Zone
~Edward~
Heaven.
My lips moving against Bella's luscious, soft, warm lips, her hands fisted tightly in my hair, my arms wrapped around her waist. The nomads had been eliminated and my universe consisted of only Bella, here in the place I had built for her all those years ago. It felt amazing, and I never wanted the moment to end.
Edward.
I tried to ignore the nagging thought.
Edward! The mental voice persisted.
I groaned and wished that for once she could hear my thoughts. NO! Alice, please not now! Go away!
Edward, I know you can hear me. We're all coming up there, so unhand the human. I could hear the smugness in Alice's mind.
Great. My first chance to be alone with Bella and my family has to intrude, effectively bursting our little bubble.
Emmett's exuberant mental voice joined Alice's. Dude! I can't wait to finally meet Bella!
Rosalie's thoughts were actually touched with concern for Bella. Edward, I'm sure she's traumatized because of those goddamn nomads. I'm here, if she ever wants to talk about it.
Huh? Who are you and what have you done with my narcissistic sister? I thought to myself.
Sorry Edward, I tried to talk them out of it and give y'all some time alone, but they overruled me, Jasper's apologetic voice collided with the others bouncing around inside my head.
Reluctantly, I disentangled myself from Bella. Bella looked crestfallen.
"We have company coming. My siblings will be here momentarily," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.
Bella's expression brightened and a slow smile spread across her face.
"I've wanted to meet your family since I was a little girl. I can't believe I finally get to," she said excitedly.
"Well, they can be a bit overwhelming at times, and that's with half a century of experience, so brace yourself," I told her, grinning.
"What if they don't like me?" A furrow of worry appeared between her brows.
"There's nothing to worry about. They already love you. They've known about you since you were five years old," I reassured her.
Alice appeared in the doorway, with Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie behind her.
"Hi Bella, sorry to interrupt your alone time with Edward, but it's time for you to meet everyone," she said, capturing Bella in a tight hug.
"Hey Bella, seems like I've been waiting forever to meet the girl who's rocked Edward's world… I'm Emmett, by the way," Emmett laughed, eliciting a squeal from Bella by picking her up from the ground and spinning around.
"Put her down right now, Emmett, she's had enough of a scare for one day," Rosalie commanded, batting him away from Bella.
"My husband is enormous and somewhat intimidating, but he's harmless. He's basically a giant teddy bear. I'm Rosalie, and I'm glad to finally meet you." Rosalie hugged Bella gently and quickly released her, and I'm fairly certain my jaw was on the floor by that point. I'd never actually seen Rosalie being nice to a human before, much less making actual physical contact. Usually she just ignored them. Apparently the time-space continuum had imploded and we had been pulled into an alternate universe.
"Bella, this is my husband, Jasper," Alice said, nodding happily at her mate.
Jasper smiled warmly, but kept his distance. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," he drawled.
"Jasper is newer to our 'vegetarian' lifestyle, so he doesn't feel comfortable getting too close," Alice informed Bella.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Bella apologized to Jasper.
"It's no problem at all," he assured her. "I'm just glad you're back in Edward's life now. The misery he put off while you were apart was really hard for me to handle. There wasn't anything I could do to cheer him up. The best I could do was bump him up a level from severely depressed to moderately depressed."
"Jasper can feel and manipulate other people's emotions," I explained to Bella.
"That would explain the calm, relaxed vibe I'm feeling right now. Thanks, Jasper, I appreciate it." Bella smiled at him with gratitude.
"You're welcome, Bella. Any time I can help, that's what I'm here for." You have no idea the lengths we'll go to help you, Bella, Jasper thought as he grinned at her, remembering his task as a "Secret Service" agent with Emmett when they protected us on our date in Port Angeles.
Jasper cleared his throat, one of the little human idiosyncrasies we had perfected as part of the charade, and spoke up. "I'm afraid we have some bad news for you," he said, looking first at Bella, and then settling on me. "The redhead got away. We almost had her when she crossed the treaty line, and we could have caught up to her but the stupid wolves wouldn't let us cross into their territory, and they were just too slow to catch her."
Emmett bristled, remembering a giant gray wolf launching itself toward him when he accidentally crossed the treaty line. I could have had her, Edward, if they hadn't been in the way.
I took a sharp breath. Damn those mongrels for interfering with our business.
Bella's face blanched to an even paler shade than mine, and her voice trembled when she asked, "Will she come back?"
"I don't think she will, knowing that there are seven vampires and at least five giant wolves protecting you," Jasper answered confidently. "It just would have been better if she could have roasted along with her mate."
"None of us will be far away," Jasper added. "We can take shifts keeping watch at your house."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Thanks guys, I really appreciate your help. I hate to make your lives difficult, though," Bella said sincerely. She always put the needs of others ahead of her own.
"We won't let anything happen to you or Charlie," Alice promised. "I'll see if Victoria's planning to return."
Bella looked confused for a moment.
"Alice can see the future, based on the decisions people make," I pointed out.
"She saw me in your life, didn't she?" Bella asked. "And you had to leave because of something she saw?"
Sometimes it amazed me how intuitive Bella was.
"Yes," I nodded. "I'll tell you the whole story sometime."
Suddenly she frowned. "Um… I remember you telling me about your family when I was little. You told me about Jasper and Alice's abilities, and…" she trailed off, looking uncomfortable with what came next.
"What is it, Bella?" I was starting to get worried.
"You mentioned that you could read minds, and that it worked on everyone except me." She hesitated again. "Is it still true… that you can't read my mind?"
"More than anything I wish I could, but you're still a mystery to me," I answered.
The relief was clear on her face, and she smiled enigmatically. "Good."
"So show us around this palatial treehouse, would you?" Emmett requested.
Alice was bouncing on her toes. I've wanted to see this place since I first pictured it in a vision fifteen years ago.
I gave her a puzzled glance as Bella grabbed my hand and led the field trip through the gift I had made twelve years ago for her sixth birthday. I felt a twinge of sadness that I hadn't been able to give Bella something befitting her eighteenth birthday, but it was too soon and I didn't want to overwhelm her. Our fledgling relationship had been going well, but even though I knew the date, she hadn't felt comfortable enough to tell me it was her birthday. Instead, I watched through her kitchen window as she and Charlie ate a quiet meal together to celebrate the event, silently wishing her a happy birthday with all my heart.
Emmett wrenched me from my reverie by wiggling his eyebrows suggestively when we reached the bedroom upstairs. Rosalie caught him just as he was about to hop onto the bed and slapped the back of his head. Nice bed, bro. Plan on testing it out with Bella? If it were Rose and me, this entire place would end up as kindling. It's just not sturdy enough for hot vampire lovin'!
Ewww… I shook my head to try to clear the images of Emmett and Rose completely destroying the treehouse as they christened every available flat surface – horizontal and vertical.
I growled at him, "Don't even think about it."
"Lighten up, bro. I was just kidding." Sort of, he added.
"You know I can't even consider… that… with Bella. She would end up hurt, or worse," I said quietly so Bella wouldn't overhear. I couldn't even contemplate the "or worse." Seeing her cold and lifeless in my arms…
Then change her. Problem solved. Emmett seemed pleased with his solution.
"NEVER. I will NOT destroy her soul and turn her into a monster. She is too precious, and she deserves a full life, with heaven at the end of it. I won't deny her that."
What the hell, dude? You can't look at my Rose and tell me she's a soulless monster, he scoffed.
To be honest, Emmett, that description usually hits the nail on the head when describing Rosalie, until today. I was grateful that he didn't have my talent.
"You're free to think what you want, but I believe we lost our souls when we lost our humanity," I answered while managing to avoid directly answering his question about Rosalie. "Now can we please drop the subject? I'm not going to change her. End. Of. Discussion."
Whatever, dude. All I know is that I'm glad Rose decided to have Carlisle change me. Emmett lost himself in the memory of Rosalie running with him; carrying his dying, bear-mauled body almost a hundred miles from where he was attacked to the cabin where she lived with Carlisle, Esme, and me. In his mind's image, Rosalie appeared to be an angel.
Hah! As if! I suppressed a derisive snort. Emmett didn't need to know that I thought of Rosalie as anything but angelic.
This entire conversation went on under Bella's radar. Alice was chatting at Bella incessantly, while Jasper was laughing silently at Bella's emotional responses. Bella never even noticed that Emmett and I were in deep, one-sided conversation.
All of a sudden I heard a commotion coming from across the bedroom. Alice was standing in the middle of the closet, surrounded by all the princess outfits and accessories I had stocked for little Bella, clapping and jumping up and down like a kangaroo on crack.
"Oh, Edward, I'm so proud of you! I mean, I saw it in my vision, but in real life… This is spectacular! Well done!"
Bella was doubled over holding her sides, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. The rest of us couldn't help but join in the merriment. Rosalie actually snorted from laughing, and that started Emmett on an additional fit of giggles.
"Yeah, it's great that Edward can be so 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy', now that we've confirmed he's not gay…" Emmett spouted between chuckles. "These outfits are just fa-bu-lous, Edward. And the accessories... you have such a gift." He even went high with a lisp.
Rosalie stepped aside to let Alice smack Emmett's head, which started the whole laugh-fest again.
~Bella~
I loved spending time with Edward's family. I had never really felt like I belonged around people before – I was always the odd, clumsy bookworm – but with Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie I was home.
We had so much fun laughing together all afternoon, happiness replacing the terror from earlier in the day. I knew that they meant it when they said that they would protect Charlie and me.
Edward and I were side by side on the couch, our fingers twined together, as his siblings told tales of the things he had done through the decades.
"I swear that Edward was James Dean's inspiration. Can't you just see it when you look at him, so 'Rebel Without a Cause'?" Alice said, winking at me. "You know, that whole angst-ridden, misunderstood, outcast teen persona? The poufy hair? It was all Edward."
"Sure, Alice," I laughed disbelievingly, glancing at Edward. Well… she was right about the hair.
"No, really! It was before Jasper and I found the family, but Edward graduated with him in Fairmount, Indiana, back in 1949. Edward even had a motorcycle then. You'll just have to see the pictures! Esme will be delighted that she'll finally get to show off those scrapbooks she's put together over the years."
"Wow! I can't believe you went to school with James Dean!" I looked at Edward and shook my head in amazement.
"It's true, I had several classes with him," Edward admitted. "He was a smart kid, but he never applied himself to make the grades. He did okay in drama and debate, and better on the baseball and basketball teams."
It was hard to wrap my head around the concept of Edward in high school just after World War II, when my Grandma Marie was still a young girl, much less picturing Edward sitting in a class with James Dean.
Emmett spoke up. "I remember! It was when Carlisle was working at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, and we lived just outside of Fairmount. That bike of Edward's was badass! It would flat-out fly because Rose tinkered around with it all the time."
"It wasn't just my tinkering, that thing was a work of art to start with! It was a hand-made 1948 Vincent 'Black Lightning' with a 1000 cc engine – the fastest motorcycle available in the world at the time, special-ordered from England," Rosalie reminisced with a gleam in her eye. "I loved that bike."
"Damn, Rose looked hot on it too, when she had the chance to ride it," Emmett added as Edward gave him a dirty look. "Yeah, we had a hard time getting Edward off of it. He probably would have slept on it, if we were able to sleep and all."
I smiled as I imagined Edward riding his motorcycle, his beautiful bronze hair caressed by the wind as he flew down the road, thrilled by the exhilarating speed. I pictured myself seated behind him with my arms wrapped tightly around his waist, my face resting against his back, and let out a little sigh.
"What was that for?" Edward asked.
My cheeks heated as I responded, "I was just thinking about you on a motorcycle. If you ever get another one, I'd love to ride with you."
Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you sure about that? I can make the arrangements if you're really interested, although riding a motorcycle in this area is like taking a shower at seventy-five miles an hour…" he said, grinning widely.
"Seventy-five miles an hour?" Emmett interrupted. "Wow, that's really toning it down for you, Edward. Usually it's more like a hundred seventy-five miles an hour."
"If Bella is going to be riding with me on the back of a motorcycle, I am going to drive safely and responsibly, because motorcycles respond to road conditions differently than automobiles."
"Oh, so you do admit to driving your car less than safely or responsibly!" I teased.
"You do realize that I've never had an accident or even received a speeding ticket, don't you? Between vampire reflexes and being able to read the minds of any police in the area, I have it pretty well covered."
"Yeah, well Rosalie's been caught speeding too many times to count, but she's always managed to avoid getting a ticket, unless it was a female cop that stopped her," Emmett pointed out.
"That's why Jasper and I would rather be passengers and not deal with the aggravation," Alice laughed. "Still, I would be able to see ahead if I were going to get a ticket and slow down in time, and Jasper could probably make the cop feel generous and only give him a warning."
"At any rate, if Bella is going to ride on a motorcycle with me, I'm going to make sure she has all the proper safety equipment, and I won't be speeding."
Well there went my sexy fantasy of riding on a motorcycle with Edward. Having Edward see me stuffed into a motorcycle jacket, boots, gloves, and a helmet would be the polar opposite of sexy. He would look like the Greek god he always does, and I'd look like a sausage.
~Edward~
The thought of Bella in a tight motorcycle jacket and boots, shaking her hair out when she took off her helmet, was definitely appealing. I would do some research online on the motorcycles currently available and surprise Bella with an excursion on my new motorcycle when it came in.
I took a deep breath to clear my thoughts, comforted by Bella's scent, and pulled her closer to me, until she was sitting in my lap. She snuggled back against my chest, and I curled my arms around her protectively. I was stunned when I saw the two of us in the minds of my siblings.
You two look so happy together, like Rose and me.
Edward, I know I've been a hateful bitch and a pain in the ass to you since Carlisle changed me, but I'm really happy that you have Bella in your life. I can see how good she is for you.
I can feel the happiness and love radiating from the two of you. It's a wonderful thing.
Edward, you and Bella are simply meant to be. I've seen it all along.
So this is what love looks like.
A/N: My apologies in advance for the epic A/N.
I promise to do better with posting the next chapters. I have the outlines for 16 and 17 worked out, and Chapter 18 and 19 are complete. (Like I said, I'm NOT a linear writer.)
Random Story Fact #7: The famous pouty, poufy-haired actor James Dean did indeed graduate from Fairmount High School, in Fairmount, Indiana, where he participated on the baseball and basketball teams, as well as drama and debate, and graduated in 1949. Seriously - take a look at his pictures on the interwebs. Alice DOES have a point…
Random Story Fact #8: Edward's motorcycle, the 1948 Vincent "Black Lightning" motorcycle set the U.S. National Motorcycle Speed Record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on September 13, 1948. (Anyone recognize the date? Bella's birthday, 39 years prior...)
I hope everyone got to see "Eclipse". I LOVED IT. Especially in IMAX format. Sigh.
(Get ready for my rant…) The only criticism I have with the movie is that as much attention to detail that they spent on getting the costumes right (and staying truer to the books – both "Eclipse" and the new "Bree Tanner" one), they completely missed the boat on the location for the scene where Jasper is between Houston and Galveston, when Maria, Nettie, and Lucy intercept him. MOUNTAINS? Seriously? El Paso (west Texas) – yes. Houston/Galveston (southeast Texas) – no. Geez! El Paso is 750 miles from Houston. Did anyone making the movie even LOOK at the map? They could have at least Googled it – they have the technology. Hint movie-making people: Big bumpy-looking things on the picture are mountains. Galveston is an island just off the southeastern Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The land between Houston and Galveston (which are about 50 miles apart) is FLAT people. NO big bumpy-looking things on the map. The highest land point in Houston is a whopping 360 feet above sea level (and it's most likely a landfill). Northern and eastern portions of the area are largely forested; southern and western portions are predominantly prairie grassland; coastal areas are prairie and sand. The scene in the movie was filmed in a quarry in Vancouver, and it looks a WHOLE lot like… El Paso! Grrrrrrrrrrrr! (RANT OVER.)
Mini-rant: What did they do to Esme's hair? It was the normal caramel color at graduation, and then it's black during the fight with the newborns?
One last public service announcement. For anyone who listens to the playlist for MIF on Playlist(dot)com, it has been epic FAIL lately, and many of the songs that were included on my playlist have disappeared. (Titles are there, links to music are gone.) Until I find a suitable replacement for the playlist site, all of the songs for each chapter are available for purchase on iTunes.
Fanfic Recs:
The Last Breath by First Blush – an AH set during WWII, made me cry at points. An amazing fic. Read it!
Embodiment by Cullen312 – a COMPLETED (yay!) vamp fic that was a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions, also had me crying, but happy at the end (including the outtakes).
Elemental by TallulahBelle – an AU with a twist. Our favorite characters are witches rather than vamps.