Changing Our Forever

by Lillian Marie Hope

What happens when Bella and Edward receive the Twilight books from a Psychic-also known as Stephenie Meyer? What happens if the Cullens befriend the Quileutes before it's too late? The Cullens and Quileutes work together to save a damsel in distress AND a Quileute from being attacked in the mall. Read the story to find out. Disclaimer: I don't Own Twilight :(

10. The Meadow

Chapter 10

BPOV

Emmett drove us to Charlie's house in his jeep. Esme was already there with some food she had prepared for me. Rose and Alice stopped by after school to keep me entertained. Rose took over the phone, screening all my calls and deflecting all the nosy gossips.

"Frankly, Jessica if we wanted you to know, we'd tell you. If you were supposed to know, you would have been there at the time. Since you weren't and we don't, you're just going to have to wait for the memo like everybody else," Rose snapped into the phone. "Bella's not your friend, she's not your sister, and she's certainly not your rival, as that would imply you actually had a chance, so really, you're just not on the 'need to know' list. Actually, you're on the LIMP list, for Least Important People. So, get a life and stop trying to live vicariously through everyone else's." She slammed down the phone, glaring at it irritably.

A few seconds later it rang again.

"Hello, Swan Residence, Bella Swan's Answering Service. How may I help you?"

"Uh, this is Mike Newton. I was calling to check on Bella?"

"She's fine. Goodbye."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to her?"

"I'm sorry Newton but she's busy right now. The love of her life and soul mate, Edward Cullen, is feeding her grapes with his fingers while she is curled up in his lap. He's been waiting on her hand and foot all day like a lovesick slave, and, honestly, one lovesick puppy is enough for any girl. Since she already has someone stronger, smarter, and better looking filling that role, you need to give up and apply for that role with some other chick, got it?"

"Uhhh… Who is this again?"

"This is Bella's sister. I'm going to do you a favor and let you in on a little secret. Bella does not want to go out with you. She will never want to go out with you. Even if you were the only boy in the entire town of Forks, she still would not date you. So go find another girl to be the object of your obsession, because this one is already taken. I don't think there is a man alive who is more obsessive than Eddie here, so he's even got you beat there. Do yourself a favor and focus on Jessica instead. At least then you'll probably finally get some." She laughed evilly and hung up briskly.

"Did it work? Will he finally give up on asking me out?" I asked Alice hopefully. She went into her vision trance and came out again shortly thereafter giggling. She shook her head and laughed.

"Nope! That boy's head is harder than ours! I'm not sure there's anything strong enough to knock some sense into him," she professed.

The phone rang again, for the twenty-fifth time since school let out.

"Hello, Swan Residence, how can I help you?" Rose answered sarcastically.

"Rose? Is that you?"

"Oh, hi, Angela. Would you like to talk to Bella?"

"Sure, if she's up to it."

"Well, let me see if I can sneak you past her resident bodyguard," Rose quipped. She tossed the phone over to Bella and Edward promptly caught it, handing it to me.

"Hey, Angela!" I greeted her enthusiastically.

"Bella! You sound pretty good to me. Must not have been too bad then."

"Yeah, I'm doing okay. Just got a little bump on the head. No biggie. Everyone needs to concentrate on Tyler instead of me. He's in worse shape than I am. I'm pretty sure he's still in the hospital, so maybe everyone can go visit him or something."

"Hey, that's a great idea! I think I'll suggest it to Jessica, but let her think it's her idea. That way it'll be sure to be a success. Everyone can make him a card or something and hang them on the wall in his room to make him feel better."

"You're such a sweetheart, Ang, always thinking of others."

"Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black?" Angela laughed. "Well, you obviously have plenty of help right now, so I'll just talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, sounds good. I'll probably be at school tomorrow."

"Great! I'll see you then."

We hung up and I tried to toss the phone back to Rose. It almost hit Alice in the head. If she didn't have vampire reflexes, it probably would have. She caught it with a laugh and passed it on to Rose. I had to endure a few snide comments about my pitiful aim, so I ignored them all and concentrated on snuggling up with Edward. My head was starting to throb a bit, and it felt better when pressed against his cold skin. I lay there in his arms, resting my head on his chest, letting my eyes drift closed. I listened to the conversation around me until it faded into a nonsensical buzzing. Finally, I drifted off into dream land.

I woke up when Charlie came home, and all the Cullens cleared out, except for Edward who agreed to stay for 'dinner.' Esme had been a real sweetheart and made a delicious home cooked meal of pot roast, cooked with onions, carrots, and potatoes, allowing the beef flavor to percolate throughout the vegetables. It was a genius way to get Charlie to eat some vegetables for once. At least fish is supposed to be good for the heart, considering how many pounds of it he consumes in the average week. She had used the juices from the roast to make a yummy gravy. She had even made a peach cobbler for desert, complete with a quart of vanilla ice cream in the freezer.

When it came time to actually eat, Edward claimed he had gotten full being his mother's official taster while she was preparing everything. Charlie didn't mind, as it meant more for him. He moaned appreciatively throughout the meal. The pot roast was so tender it could be cut with a spoon, and it simply melted in my mouth. I had to admit it was the best I'd ever had. I wasn't sure which spices she had chosen to toss into the mix, but I wanted to learn her secrets. I couldn't believe that a vampire who couldn't even smell or taste the food appropriately was still a better cook than I was. Talk about an inferiority complex.

When I told Edward the peach cobbler a la mode was 'to die for,' I even got a chuckle out of him. Of course, Charlie gave him a weird look for laughing, since he didn't see anything amusing in the statement. This made me lose it, and I burst into laughter. Charlie smiled at me in bemusement, clearly wondering if I was suffering the after effects of my head injury.

I calmed myself down and concentrated solely on the pleasure of consuming my dessert. I found myself moaning occasionally and sometimes licking the ice cream off the spoon. I didn't think anything of it until I saw Edward watching me intensely, his eyes black with hunger. This wasn't hunger for my blood, but hunger for my body. My eyes widened, and I blushed as I realized how my behavior might have been viewed by an audience. Thankfully, my dad was oblivious to the electricity shooting between us. Suddenly, I was in a hurry to finish my dessert, desiring to go to bed for the night, where I knew Edward would meet me and hold me in his arms again.

I finished the last few bites, and Edward grabbed my dirty dishes before I could, taking them to the sink and washing them while I watched. Charlie noticed and was smiling at Edward's back with approval. When he finished, he came back to my chair to carry me into the living room.

"Actually, I'm feeling rather tired, even though it's not so late. I'm ready for bed now," I announced once I was in his arms. He raised an eyebrow at me in amusement, flicking his eyes in Charlie's direction. I blushed even worse than usual and groaned when I realized how that probably sounded in my current position. Thankfully, Charlie simply chuckled at my embarrassment, letting it go without saying anything.

Edward walked into the living room, lowering me down onto the couch. I looked at him indignantly. Why hadn't he carried me up to bed like I wanted?

"Getting a little forgetful, love?" He asked with a chuckle, kissing my uninjured temple. "Perhaps you hit your head harder than we thought." Huh? What was he talking about? Why did he always insist on being so cryptic anyway?

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Don't worry, Charlie, I'll get it," Edward volunteered, rising swiftly from the couch. He opened the door and ushered Carlisle inside. Carlisle brought his little black bag of tricks with him, though he probably didn't actually need most of the tools.

"Hey, Charlie," Carlisle greeted pleasantly as he passed by the kitchen door. "I'm just here to check on Bella. Please enjoy your dinner in peace."

"Actually, your wonderful wife made it, so please feel free to join me when you finish with Bella."

"Thank you for the offer, Charlie, but I prefer to spend dinner time in person with my wife whenever possible. She usually waits for me to be available before eating."

"Oh, I understand. Well, it's available if you change your mind."

"Thanks, Charlie," Carlisle replied as he walked over to me. As soon as he was out of Charlie's line of sight, he shuddered, wrinkled his nose in disgust, and then winked at me. I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing, though my eyes teared up with the effort.

"So, how are you feeling, Bella?" he asked, switching over into doctor mode. He checked my eyes and my reflexes while waiting for my reply.

"I'm fine, really," I assured him. "My head was throbbing a bit earlier, but felt better once I applied an icepack." I smiled and indicated Edward, my personal icepack. They both grinned in response. "In fact, after my nap, I feel well enough to return to school tomorrow." I beamed at him, trying to project the picture of perfect health.

"Don't fall for it, Dad," Edward protested. "She just got finished complaining of fatigue and wanting to go to bed early."

I glared at Edward and poked him in the chest. "Duh!" I whispered, rolling my eyes and frowning. Carlisle watched the exchange and smirked while putting away his tools.

"Well, Bella, your reflex responses are still a bit delayed, though you are much improved over this morning. I'd feel a lot better if you took it easy tomorrow too. You should be able to take care of yourself, but I think the noise and stress of school, with all the attention you'll be receiving from the other children, might delay your recovery. I want you to take it easy, rest and relax, and allow your brain a little more time to heal before you subject yourself to the chaos and cacophony that reign supreme at the high school."

I started to protest, but Carlisle place one cold finger on my mouth to stop me. "It's going to be sunny tomorrow," he whispered. My eyes widened in understanding. Oh, well, that makes all the difference in the world.

I sighed forlornly, for the benefit of my father in the other room. Carlisle and Edward shook with suppressed laughter at my theatrical attempt. "Well, if you say so, Carlisle. You know best, of course. I wouldn't want to disobey doctor's orders."

"Thank you, my dear," he snickered, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead. We heard Charlie's footsteps approaching, and once again his demeanor became entirely professional. He stood up from where he had been kneeling and approached Charlie with a smile.

"I'd like her to stay home and take it easy for one more day, if you don't mind, Charlie. I'll write her a note for school, though I'm sure the whole town already knows what happened earlier. She should be fine to look after herself as long as she agrees to take it easy."

Charlie shook Carlisle's hand with approval. "Thanks, Carlisle. You're a good man. I really appreciate all you've done for my girl."

"Anytime," he replied peacefully. "We've all grown rather attached to your Bella. We like having her around." The two of them smiled at one another, in perfect accord. Carlisle walked toward the door. He stopped just in front of it, his hand on the knob.

"Come along, Edward. I'll give you a ride home, since you don't have your car any longer." Edward had been about to protest, but swallowed it when Carlisle pointed out his lack of a vehicle.

"Certainly, sir. Let me just help Bella up to her room, and I'll be right down," he answered calmly. Carlisle nodded and went out to wait in the car. Edward lifted me up and carried me effortlessly up the stairs to my room. When we got there, I giggled and looked up into his eyes.

"You know, you should at least be breathing hard after that workout, or you're going to give Charlie an inferiority complex," I reminded him. "Don't worry; I know just the thing to help you." So saying, I drew his head down to my lips and proceeded to kiss him senseless. When we pulled apart to allow me to breathe, he was panting, just as I knew he would be.

"There you go, that's more like it," I teased, giving him a push toward the door. "Now don't keep your father waiting."

He grinned at me, leaned forward, and whispered in my ear. "I'll be right back, little one, and then you'll get your just desserts." I shivered in anticipation, as well as due to his cold breath tickling my ear.

He marched downstairs and said goodbye to Charlie, before heading out to ride home with good old Dad. I knew Carlisle would pull over and let him out again as soon as they were out of sight, so I knew I didn't have much time for my human minute. I rushed to the bathroom to get ready, eager to be back in the arms of the man I love.

BPOV

Wednesday morning dawned bright and early. I forced my eyes open to see Edward hovering over me, looking at me excitedly.

"I had a great idea for today, love! If you're feeling better, that is."

I smiled sleepily up at him. I loved to see the sparkle in his eyes when he was happy. "Keep smiling like that or, better yet, kiss me, and I'll be feeling much better," I teased.

He grinned, leaning down to capture my lips with his own. After a minute or two, when I was fully awake and aroused, he pulled away. I groaned in frustration. I continued to cling to his neck as he stood, which pulled me up out of the bed with him. He chuckled, which sent electric shocks shivering through my system.

"Now, Bella, your father has already left for work, and I have someplace special I would like to go and something special I would like to show you. So please get up and get ready, so we can be on our way."

I studied his eyes and his expression for a few moments, while I taxed my brain to read into his statement. He wants to go somewhere, but it's sunny outside, so our options were rather limited. In the books, he usually took me to the meadow when it was sunny. Oh! Comprehension dawned. Of course! He must be taking me to the meadow to show me what he looks like when he is all sparkly. I grinned up at him, enthusiastic about his plans now. No doubt my own eyes were twinkling as well.

I rushed to get ready, taking a quick shower, and putting on comfortable jeans and long sleeves to protect myself from the leaves and branches that would scrape me on our way there. Edward was waiting for me downstairs in the kitchen, where he had prepared a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese and turkey sausage. I had never tasted turkey sausage that actually tasted good, so I was rather pleased with the result.

"Hey, Edward, how did you learn to cook the turkey sausage, because I obviously haven't been doing it the right way," I wondered. He smiled at the praise and was eager to share his secrets.

"Well, the problem with the turkey sausage and turkey bacon is that they don't have enough fat in them for them to cook properly. Having less fat is of course one of the main reasons they are better options than the pork versions, so one has to overcome the lack without compromising the healthiness. Since olive oil has been proven to help lower cholesterol, thus being good for you, you simply pan fry the turkey meats in olive oil. That way the turkey bacon can get crunchy and the turkey sausage can brown without getting dry. Voila!" he lectured carefully, clearly proud of himself.

"Huh. Well, it certainly tastes good. It's not the same, but it is still good. Besides, now I don't have to feel guilty about having another one!" He grinned and brought out a small bowl of a fresh fruit salad, which I devoured wholeheartedly. I felt the blood rushing from my head to my stomach once I finished eating. This made me feel sleepy, as my body wanted me to stay still and concentrate on digesting. Too bad for it. I already had other plans. I got up from the table and started moving around, forcing my blood to circulate throughout my body.

Edward kindly put away the leftovers, cleared the table, and washed the dishes. How nice to have a domesticated man. Now all he needed was an apron and a wooden spoon. I chose not to share my amusement with him, especially as I didn't care for those particular chores. I decided to up the ante. Renée had taught me a few tricks about how to handle men when I was living with her.

"Mmmm, you have no idea how sexy it is to see a man doing dishes and cleaning the house," I drawled seductively. He looked over his shoulder and saw me watching him through hooded lids. He raised an eyebrow and gave me a sexy smile in return.

"My pleasure," he murmured, his velvet voice caressing my ears. Excellent! He was caught, hook, line, and sinker. I just needed to reel him in gently, and he wouldn't even realize what was happening until it was too late.

"I need to grab a few things before we go," I announced cheerfully. Then I made my voice husky and smiled slowly at him, deliberately licking my lips. "I can't wait until we get to the meadow, sweetheart, and then you're all mine."

He swallowed hard, and his eyes glazed over. I turned on my heel and fled into the hallway out of sight. I think I just dazzled him again. I pulled an old backpack out of the hall closet and started packing it with supplies. I found an old thick blanket and slipped that in first. Then I added a couple of water bottles and some snack food. I guessed we would likely be there all day, so I wanted to be prepared. As a last minute thought, I grabbed a small first aid kit, sincerely hoping I wouldn't need to use it. I tucked that in too and tossed the pack over one shoulder, knowing I would just be putting it in the car in a few minutes.

"Okay, I'm ready now," I called as I made my way back to the kitchen. When I found myself at the doorway, my mouth opened in shock. I kept blinking my eyes, as if I didn't trust them to be functioning properly. The whole kitchen gleamed and sparkled. Holy moly! I'd been gone for less than ten minutes. How did he do that? Well, vampire speed, obviously, but still! Edward was beaming at my reaction, reading my facial expressions, while dumping dirty water out of the mop bucket. If it weren't for the obvious indentations, scratches, styles, and color of Charlie's kitchen, it could have passed as brand new. Shucks, I doubted it even looked this good when it was brand new.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, at a loss for words. "Just wow! I am amazed, awestruck, and ecstatically happy to see what you've accomplished! You deserve a reward, Edward Cullen, and I'm just the gal to give it to you!" I tried to walk carefully across the kitchen floor to Edward, but the floor was now 'slippery when wet.' Being Bella, I started slipping and sliding almost immediately. I quickly lost my balance and would have fallen if Edward hadn't grabbed me. I was now excited and panting from my near accident, which immediately led to thoughts of other things that made me excited and panting. I pulled Edward's face down to mine and poured my love and passion into my kiss. He groaned into my mouth and reluctantly pulled away again.

"If we don't leave now, we aren't going to make it out of the house at all today," he protested. I smiled like the cat who ate the canary.

"Quite alright with me," I offered. He shook his head and carried me out of the kitchen, not wanting to risk any more accidents. Once by the door, he slipped on an oversized hoodie and gloves, effectively hiding all his skin under fabric or in shadows. I complimented him on his ingenuity. He led me to his Vanquish, his special occasion car.

"Is this a special occasion, or are you merely driving this because the Volvo was demolished?" I asked pertly.

He grinned. "Both."

On the way there, I talked to him about what kind of car he wanted to get to replace the Volvo. He mentioned several options, but since I'm not into cars, I had no idea what any of them looked like. I just pretended to listen as he compared and contrasted their various qualities.

"What about you, Bella? What's your dream car?"

"A Corvette," I promptly replied. I didn't even have to think about this one. "I've always had a thing for the Stingray, though the latest model is really nice looking too. If you got an old Stingray and had Rosalie work her magic on it, that would make me drool. Any other car is just a car."

"Really?" he asked, clearly not pleased with my answer. After all, I'd just suggested an option even I could possibly afford. I didn't need a five-hundred-thousand dollar car to be happy. Especially not with my luck. The car would likely end up dented, nicked, and scratched by the end of the first day. Or maybe stolen. Or a meteor could fall from the sky and make a hole right through the engine. Okay, I'd better stop there.

"Bella, baby, the Corvette only seats two people," he grumbled.

I shrugged. "Works for me! I don't mind having you all to myself."

He grinned at that, back in a good humor again. "I can see I need to educate you about cars, my dear."

"Ugh!" I grouched, putting my hands over my ears. "Only if you want to put me to sleep or drive me insane. Sorry, babe, but the 'Vette is the only car that does it for me."

I smirked as he groaned in defeat. He gave a resigned sigh and mumbled something under his breath. I had a feeling it was a good thing I didn't hear whatever he had just said. But I had won the debate, so I was magnanimous in my victory.

When we got to the end of the road, I seriously expected to have to hike there, like the Twilight book had mentioned. Edward just grinned. "You already know all about me, Bella. Why don't you just hop on my back and we'll be there lickety-split."

Hey, I wasn't going to complain about not having to do a five hour hike through the woods where I would trip every five minutes, even if he was there to catch me. So I eagerly hopped onto his back, pressing my face into his neck.

We were at our destination in less than five minutes. Edward set me down gently and held onto me until I was steady on my feet. I eagerly stepped into the meadow, taking in the beauty and serenity of my surroundings. After I had finished soaking in the scenery, I turned to watch him expectantly. He removed the hoodie and gloves, hanging them on a tree branch, then checked my expression before removing his t-shirt as well. My breath caught in my throat as I beheld his splendid form. I couldn't wait to run my hands over his muscled contours. I crooked my finger at him, encouraging him to walk out into the center of the meadow with me. He smiled, watching my eyes drinking in his figure.

He strolled casually up to me, and I stared as the sun hit his skin, causing him to sparkle as if he was covered in body glitter. Hmmm. What an interesting idea. I think I'll get Alice to pick some of that stuff up at the body shop. Then I'll coat myself with it on the morning of the next sunny day. That way, when he comes out into the sunlight glittering like a million diamonds, I can too! We can be glitter twins. Yeah, because I was a little jealous of how beautiful his skin looked right about now.

I took off my backpack and began to set up camp. I shook out the blanket and laid it out flat on the grass. Then I took out my iPod and portable speakers and put on some soothing background music. I wasn't hungry or thirsty yet, so I left my food supplies in the bag. Then I sat down comfortably on the blanket and waited for Edward to join me. He was watching me with a quizzical smile. He peeked into the backpack to see what other supplies I had brought and nodded in approval.

"Good job, thinking of all this. I should have thought about it, but I didn't. I'll remember for next time." I simply nodded, choosing not to argue about whether or not he should be able to anticipate all of my human needs after a mere week and a half. He curled up on the blanket beside me, and I took the time to examine his skin more closely. I decided to have some fun, and began exploring. I started by simply using my eyes to trace his form and features until I could memorize the details of his unclothed torso. Next, I began exploring with my hands, rubbing them gently over every exposed surface, trying to memorize the contours of his body, the texture of his smooth, silky skin, and the cool temperature against my warm hands. I could tell that he was deeply moved by my touches, as he had begun to make a sort of purring sound in his chest, like a cross between a growl and a roar. Finally, I daringly decided to explore with my mouth. At first, he didn't say anything as I began planting gentle kisses up his arm to his shoulder. As I began to make my way down his chest, he put a restraining hand on my shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded breathlessly. I smirked down at him.

"Exploring," I purred coyly, playing innocent. "Purely for educational purposes, of course. I was using my five senses to explore the nature of a vampire."

He raised his eyebrow. "Your five senses, huh?"

I grinned back. "Absolutely! Sight," I ran my eyes over his body, "sound," I rubbed his skin until he purred, "touch," I continued rubbing his skin, "smell," I murmured, leaning close to his facing and inhaling deeply, "and…taste," I finished, taking his earlobe into my mouth and gently scraping it with my teeth as I pulled back.

He shivered and moaned in reaction to my ministrations. He fell back onto the blanket with a groan as I continued to explore his exposed skin with my teeth, tongue, and lips.

"I'll…sacrifice…myself…on the…altar of…higher…education," he gasped out, moaning occasionally. By the time I was finally finished exploring him, he was in complete and utter bliss. I couldn't help but chuckle at his satisfied expression.

I realized I was hungry and took out my food and water. I enjoyed my lunch as Edward lay peacefully beside me, gently stroking my back while I ate. Once I had finished and packed up the trash, he pounced. I found myself on my back with my arms up above my head. My shirt had ridden up a bit to expose my tummy. His eyes were black with hunger, and I felt a shiver of fear run through me. Then he leaned down and kissed me, and I understood he wasn't craving my blood. I felt his cool fingers slide across my exposed tummy and tensed in surprise.

"What are you doing?" I gasped breathlessly.

"Exploring," he snickered. I moaned at the thought of all that implied. Well, I was game if he was. I relaxed against the blanket, knowing I would enjoy the torture he would give me after the way I had just tortured him. Sure enough, he soon had me moaning, putty in his all too capable hands.

"We wouldn't…want to…neglect…your…education," I gasped in agreement. I moaned when I felt the vibrations of him chuckling against me. When he finally felt he had sufficiently explored me in return, we lay there together on the blanket, holding hands. We took some time to talk with one another and learn more about each other. After a few hours had passed, we decided it was time to return home. He helped me pack up the blanket and then ran with me back to his car. We rode all the rest of the home in silent, peaceful contentment, simply enjoying being in one another's presence.

Edward decided to take me back to his house, rather than take me home. I didn't mind. I'd had enough couple time with Edward today to be happy about spending time with our family and friends. Esme was delighted he had brought me, and she promptly went into mother hen mode. She was fully in her element, fluffing pillows behind me on the couch, bringing me refreshments, covering me with a soft blanket and tucking me in with a kiss. Renée had never been one to fuss around me when I was sick. I had learned early on to suffer in silence and lean only on my own independence. I felt something snap in my heart, but not in a bad way. I couldn't really explain it, even to myself, but some part of me that had remained unfulfilled was suddenly warm and happy. Intellectually, I could understand it was a result of Esme's love and selfless, concerned mothering, helping me when I was weak and weary, trying to make me feel better, simply because she cared.

I smiled at Esme, allowing my love, hope, and affection display on my face and in my eyes. This woman touched me in a way my own mother never had. She was there for me, not the other way around. It was nice to be the child for once, to release the burden of responsibility to someone else, to allow someone else take the weight off my shoulders for a while. I had been a mother to my mother for too long, taking care of her, sacrificing my own life, pleasure, and happiness for her, losing myself in the process.

"Thanks, Mom," I whispered as I hugged her. Her face lit up like a beacon, like she had just won the lottery. I was happy to see her happy. She became even more flustered than before, practically wringing her hands, while trying to think of other ways to take care of me. I was glad when the others came home from hunting to distract her. Having never been the recipient of such nurturing, it was actually a little overwhelming.

Of course, Esme's presence was immediately replaced by the bouncing pixie. Alice had me in a hug, before I could even greet her.

"So, Bella," she murmured in my ear. "Did you enjoy exploring the meadow with Edward?" I instantly blushed redder than a stop sign, and she snickered.

I grabbed her shoulders and mouthed, "Don't you dare tell Emmett!"

She got an evil grin on her face. "Who's going to stop me?"

I glared at her and growled menacingly, "I'll set all your clothes on fire." She stared at me wide-eyed. I saw her going into vision mode to check the sincerity of my threat. I quickly decided I would use gasoline and matches to torch her entire closet. I pictured myself standing in her room watching as the flames consumed thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of designer clothes and shoes. She came out of her vision staring at me in absolute horror. I smiled smugly.

"Don't try me," I growled. She shook her head, holding her hands up in front of her in an expression of surrender. Ha, ha. It was just too funny. She was scared of me, the fragile human. I was threatening a vampire, and she was afraid of what I might do. I was busy using my brains since I had no brawn.

"Fine," she huffed, seeing my amusement in the situation. Her sly look scared me. Now what? "But I want details later."

"Alice!" I protested. She gave me one of her 'looks', the kind that tell you she is saying you do this or you will regret it for the rest of your life. I scowled back at her. She smirked smugly, knowing she had already won. Grrr.

"So, what did you two do all day today?" Emmett boomed, sweeping me up into a bear hug. "Sit on opposite sides of the couch and make moon eyes at each other?" Edward turned his head away, his smirk still prominently displayed. I tried to hide my face in Emmett's chest. He pulled me away from his body, staring down at my overheated cheeks. He gently set me back down on the couch beside Edward.

"Wow, you mean you actually made it to first base?" Emmett asked in amazement. Edward grinned at whatever Emmett was thinking.

"I don't play baseball," I informed him haughtily.

Emmett chuckled heartily. "By the look on Eddie's face, I'd say you do now. Don't worry, baseball is a Cullen specialty. All Cullens play baseball, so welcome to our team."

I rolled my eyes and heard Jasper laugh. Rose came over to look at us curiously. "So what did you two do today?"

I attempted to gather up the shattered remains of my dignity. "We had a lovely picnic in Edward's meadow, and he showed me why you guys can't go out among humans on sunny days."

"Huh. Sounds boring," Emmett grumbled. "I'm going to go play video games now." He stomped over to the Wii. He turned it on, grabbed one of the controllers and started waving the remote toward the TV, trying to get the little hand to show on the screen.

"Oh, no you don't, Emmett McCarty Cullen!" Esme shrieked. "You put that little wrist strap on right now, young man! If you throw another controller through the TV or through the window or through the wall, I will donate the entire system and all the games to charity, and you'll never get another one. You've already had three strikes, and each time I've had to make the list of don'ts longer. So let me just make this clear once and for all. If you damage anything else by losing control of your remote, it is GAME OVER. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear, ma'am," Emmett replied sheepishly, attaching the chain to his wrist. Rose had modified the original wrist strap for him, as the fabric would have been virtually useless.

I was hoping this little distraction would move the conversation away from Edward and me, but unfortunately, vampires with perfect memories can always remember what they were talking about before the distraction occurred. I grumbled under my breath about the stupid vampire memories. If it had been humans having the conversation, the previous conversation would have been easily swept aside in favor of discussing Emmett's escapades with the controller.

"Did you do anything else today?" Jasper inquired casually. Edward glared at him, so I knew he must be suspicious.

"No, just exploring in the forest, enjoying each other's company," I stuttered, my heart racing. My cheeks were practically on fire. I saw Esme, Rose, and Jasper examining my face curiously.

"So, why are you so…worked up, Bella?" Rose wondered. "Your heart is about to burst from your chest, and I've never seen you so red before."

"Yeah, I'm about to keel over from embarrassment," Jasper laughed. "Either that or go hide my head in the sand like an ostrich for a week or two. So tell me, Bella, did you enjoy exploring with Edward?" I couldn't help it. It was instinctual, involuntary, over before I could even think about it. When Jasper drawled the word 'exploring', my eyes instantly flew to Edward as his flew to me. Our gazes met, and the knowledge of the secret we shared passed between us, in what is commonly referred to as 'a meaningful look'. Unfortunately, that one look was enough to give the game away.

Jasper started laughing. "I thought so. I noticed a distinct lack of certain…tension…that has been building for the past several days, and Edward is feeling more satisfied and content than he ever has in the decades I've known him. Who knew our sweet little Edward was adventurous enough to go exploring with Bella out in the wide open meadow, under the clear blue sky, on a picnic blanket no less? Our baby brother is finally coming into his own, Em. He'll finally get to join the rest of us at the grown-up table on holidays." Emmett's head shot up with Jasper's speech.

"No way!" he screeched, bounding back over to us. He peered into my eyes. "There something you'd like to tell us, little sis?"

"No!" I shouted.

"Then why are you redder than a strawberry?"

"None of your business!"

An evil grin spread across his face.

"Emmett," Edward growled warningly. The grin got wider.

"So when are we going to have a little half-vamp baby running around here?" Emmett asked. Rose and Esme gasped in surprise, looking at me more closely, from my eyes down to my abdomen. I buried my head into Edward's chest.

"I'll get you later, Emmett, when you least expect it," Edward promised. "Sorry to disappoint you all, but there is NO possible way there will be any munchkins running around anytime soon. Bella needs to graduate high school before we start a family."

Esme and Rose nodded, but I could tell they were disappointed. Intellectually, they understood why it would be best for us to wait but, emotionally, they were both already in love with a child who didn't even exist yet and couldn't wait for us to bring the little miracle into our lives. Everybody was silent for a few moments, each lost in thoughts of the future.

My stomach chose that moment to rumble.

"Oh! Let me get you a snack, dear!" Esme offered in concern, jumping up from her place on the couch. Just then the door opened, and Jacob, Quil, and Embry strolled inside.

"Did I just hear the word snack?" Jake asked playfully, giving Esme a giant hug. She gave him a brief kiss on the cheek. The other two took turns in her motherly embrace.

"Oh, boys, it's good to see you again! Come on in and make yourselves comfortable. I was just on my way to the kitchen. I baked some cookies earlier, and I made enough for all of you, just in case you came to visit. There are oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and chocolate chunk."

"Sounds awesome, Mom!" Jake exclaimed eagerly, giving her his best grin. "You're the best!" He gave her another quick hug and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Please let me help you in the kitchen, Esme," Embry begged. "I'd be happy to volunteer myself as your official taste tester."

Esme grinned and ruffled his hair. "Well, come along then. I knew there was some reason we keep you around," she teased.

"So any special reason for your visit, or did you just want to hang out today?" Rose inquired politely. Jake walked over and gave her a brief hug.

"Thanks again for all your help the other day. The car runs like a dream." Rose smiled in pleasure and nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"We're here to beat the pants off of Emmett in Mario Kart," Quil informed us.

"You wish! Like you mutts could possibly beat my super awesome vampire skills!" Emmett rose to the challenge, already loading the appropriate game into the Wii and grabbing three more controllers and the driving wheels.

"By the time we're through with you, you're going to wish you had tears to cry, leech," Jacob returned, grinning in anticipation. I didn't really understand why the boys always had to insult each other when they played together. They all did it, apparently, even Carlisle, when he let himself relax enough to play with them, which wasn't often. They all actually enjoyed the trash talking. Must be a guy thing.

Jasper took the fourth controller and sat beside Emmett.

"Eat my dust, pups," Emmett howled as the game started.

"Eat this!" Quil yelled, firing a turtle shell at Emmett's car.

"Son of a bitch!" Emmett shouted as the shell knocked him into a road sign.

"Nah, I get it from my father's side," Quil drawled, racing past Emmett's accident. We all started laughing. Jasper's motorcycle knocked Jacob's car off a bridge.

"Stupid bloodsucker!" Jacob complained.

"Mangy mongrel!" Jasper replied with a laugh. He was safely in the lead at the moment, but Quil was closing in fast. I was watching Jasper and Alice, chuckling softly. Edward followed my gaze and joined in my amusement. Jasper was moving his whole upper body every time he went around a curve, just like he would if he were riding on a real motorcycle. That was funny enough, but it was even funny to see Alice matching his movements exactly, as if she were riding behind him on the real motorcycle.

I pulled Edward's head down to mine and whispered in his ear, "Why don't you get the video camera and get a recording of Jasper and Alice?"

He grinned and nodded disappearing in a burst of vampire speed. Seconds later, he was back, camera in hand. Hmmm. Maybe it's good that he's capturing Jacob and Quil having a great time playing with Jasper and Emmett on film, in case we ever need to use it as evidence.

Embry and Esme came into the room holding plates of cookies. They set them down on the coffee table, and Embry promptly plopped down beside the cookies. I reached over and snagged one of each kind. Jasper won the first round of Mario Kart, but before they could start a new game, the boys smelled the cookies. Jacob and Quil jumped up and were pushing and shoving each other in their effort to get there first. Jacob won out, but when Embry saw him approaching, he pulled the plate toward him and hunched over it, shoving a cookie in his mouth and grabbing another one. Jacob snarled and snapped at Embry, grabbing the plate and pulling it toward himself. Embry let go of that plate and grabbed the other one. Both boys hunched over their plates eyeing one another suspiciously. Quil knelt between them, quietly whimpering, his eyes going from one plate to the other.

"Boys! Behave yourselves!" Esme commanded. The three of them instantly relaxed into more natural postures, the tension fading from their necks and shoulders. They eyed each other carefully, and suddenly a mad scramble ensued, with all three of them grabbing cookies by the handful. In a matter of minutes, the cookies had been devoured, and only crumbs were left on the plates.

"Ugh!" Rosalie sneered in disgust. "You guys eat like animals!"

"Ya think?" Jacob muttered sarcastically. "I wonder why."

"Woof!" Quil joked, panting and holding his 'paws' in the begging position.

Embry just grinned and began licking the crumbs off the plates without using his hands.

"Boys!" Esme scolded, trying to hold in her laughter. Rosalie's lips twitched, and when the rest of us started laughing, both she and Esme joined in too.

"So, are you officially wolves yet?" Emmett wondered.

Jacob shook his head. "Not yet, but it will probably happen soon. Sam and Paul are going crazy trying to keep track of all three of us. We've actually been having a little fun with them, trying to see how quickly we can get them off our trails."

Carlisle came in then and looked really happy to see all of us interacting peacefully together. Jacob became excited when he saw him.

"Hey, Doc! I got that picture of Emily for you!" he enthused, running over to Carlisle and handing it to him. Carlisle looked it over quickly and frowned, studying it more closely. Jacob's face fell when he saw the frown.

"So what do you think?" Jacob asked flatly, expecting disappointment.

Carlisle's brows drew together, indicating a level of anger and frustration. He struggled to maintain a calm façade. "Did they even sew up the gashes at all or tape them or anything? Or did they just leave them to heal on their own? She has a massive amount of unnecessary scar tissue." He looked up at Jacob then, his eyes demanding answers.

Jacob shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, I believe they took her to a nurse who lives on the reservation. I know they were desperate to have everyone believe it was a bear attack, and they refused to take her to the hospital because you were working there." Jacob rolled his eyes. "They should have sucked it up and brought her to you in the first place, but it's better late than never, right? Can you help her?"

Carlisle nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, of course. There is absolutely no need for her to have such massive scarring. My only regret is that it will be painful for her all over again."

"Well, at least she'll have the option, whichever way she chooses," Jacob conceded.

"How is my little head case this evening?" Carlisle teased, coming over to check on me.

I huffed, pretending to be outraged. "Well, I never!"

"Are you sure?" Emmett taunted. "Not even in the meadow?"

I glared at him for real, and Edward growled. Emmett held his hands up in surrender, but he was still smirking. Carlisle continued his physical exam without comment, though his eyes darted questioningly to Edward's face and seemed surprised by what he saw there.

"Any problems?" Carlisle asked me seriously, looking into my eyes.

"Only one," I mentioned, as seriously as possible. Carlisle looked expectant, and I felt Edward tense beside me, his eyes intent on my face. "I'm afraid that insanity runs in the family. The Cullen family, to be precise. I'm not sure if it's contagious, or if the nutcases just naturally gravitate toward you, though considering present company, I'm leaning toward the latter. I may be a danger magnet, but you, Dr. Cullen, are a nut magnet!"

Carlisle grinned and everybody laughed. He stood up, took my hand, bowed over it, and kissed my knuckles like the gentleman he was raised to be. He looked me in the eye, raised one eyebrow and smirked. "Aren't you glad you fit right in, my dear?"

I grinned back at him. "Absolutely!"

He put his medical bag away and joined Esme on the loveseat.

"So what happened to your head, Bella?" Jacob asked curiously. Edward told them all about Tyler and the accident, without mentioning his own loss of control. By the time he finished, both Jacob and Embry had jumped to their feet and were pacing angrily.

"That stupid idiot!" Jacob yelled. "He could have killed her! What the hell was he thinking to go speeding down an icy hill toward a stop sign? He doesn't deserve to have a license!"

"They should keep idiots like him off the road!" Embry growled.

"He's been telling everyone that he was running late because he was fantasizing about Bella after she called that morning expressing concern over his well-being," Rose interjected.

"What?" Edward and I both shouted at the same time.

Alice nodded in confirmation. "That's what he told the group who visited him in the hospital."

"You called him?" Jacob asked Bella in disbelief.

"Well, according to the psychic, he was supposed to have an accident in the parking lot. I was trying to prevent it by warning him to drive slowly and carefully. I prevented the parking lot accident, only to have the accident happen elsewhere."

"Some things are just meant to be," Alice warned her. "That's one thing I've learned from my gift. Some things just can't be changed, no matter what you do or how hard you try."

I nodded in reluctant understanding.

"So the idiot was warned to drive slowly and carefully, yet he deliberately did the exact opposite?"

Jacob growled. He was starting to shake.

"He could have killed someone, anyone, not just Bella!" Embry added in a roar, trembling all over.

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! And then I'm going to bite his head off, literally!" Jacob screamed, losing control of his temper. His shaking was worse, looking like he was having a seizure.

"What if there had been children playing there! He would have squished them flat!" Embry shouted, vibrating from his tremors.

Before any of us could react, Jasper was beside them, one hand on each of them, pouring calm into their bodies as hard and fast as he could. Their shaking quickly stopped, and when Jasper let go, they both collapsed to the floor. Carlisle was instantly beside Jasper, examining them both.

"Do you need to go outside? It would be safest if you transform outside. That way you wouldn't hurt anybody by accident. None of us need a repeat of the suffering Emily has made it through," Carlisle advised. They both nodded soberly, got up and headed out the back door. To our surprise, they ran to Jacob's car, got in and drove away.

"Where are they going?" Quil asked in confusion. "Why did they leave me behind?"

Everyone was looking at each other, puzzled and concerned. I thought about what I might do if I were in Jacob's shoes.

"The hospital?" I guessed. "To see Tyler?" Several of the others nodded, acknowledging the possibility. They looked at Alice for confirmation.

"Tyler's future just disappeared!" Alice exclaimed in horror. "If they phase inside the hospital, it would be a disaster! We've got to follow them." Everyone began preparing.

"Wait!" Carlisle commanded. "Bella, you take Quil back to La Push. Quil, you try to distract Sam and Paul, try to keep them both in their human form. If Jacob and Embry phase tonight, it would be best if they don't have to deal with Sam and Paul as well. You may be able to get Seth and Leah to help you. The rest of us will head to the hospital and work on damage control. Edward, you, Rosalie, and Jasper run through the woods. Esme, Emmett, and I will take my car. Alice, you stay here and coordinate all the groups. Let us know what is happening with each group and any important visions you have. Any questions? No? Move out."

With that, we were off, each to play our respective roles.