Chapter 12
EPOV
"So if you're all here, where's Bella?" Charlie asked in concern, standing with us in Tyler's front yard.
"She's with Leah and Seth Clearwater, Charlie. They won't let anything happen to her," Alice chirped, giving him a big smile.
His eyes got a bit dazed as he smiled absently back at her. "Hey, Carlisle, Esme, I hate to ask, but I've got to work a double shift tonight, since one of my deputies is sick. Would you mind if Bella stays with you tonight?"
"Of course we don't mind, Charlie! Bella is welcome any time," Esme offered lovingly.
"Thanks," he mumbled gruffly, blushing under Esme's warm regard. "Uh, I've got to go back to the station now. See you later." He quickly got into his squad car and left.
"Finally!" Rose huffed. "You two mutts are about to register on the Richter scale."
"Bite me!" Jacob growled.
"Only in your dreams, dog breath," Rose sneered.
"Only in my nightmares," he muttered in return, really starting to shake despite Jasper's hand on his shoulder.
"We need to get to the tree line now!" Jasper commanded. "Jacob, toss your keys to Esme. She'll take your car back to our house. You're not going to be in any condition to drive." He used his 'Major Whitlock' voice, which immediately spurred everyone to action. Jacob tossed his keys to Esme as Jasper, Jacob, and Embry began running in tandem toward the forest. Rose, Emmett, and I ran after them, while the others decided to return to the house and wait.
As soon as they were safely out of sight inside the trees, Jasper let go of the boys and sprang fifteen feet away in a single jump, turning to watch. Once free of Jasper's influence, they immediately began phasing into wolves. It only took a few seconds for them to completely transform. We were then face to face with two massive, deadly, horse-sized wolves. They instinctively growled and bared their teeth at the sight and smell of us after their change. I was glad there were four of us, just in case a brand new werewolf was just as confused as a brand new vampire. We stood as still as statues, waiting for recognition to gleam in their eyes and comprehension to flash through their minds. We didn't have to wait more than a few minutes.
Whoa, that was really odd, a little painful, but mostly creepy. The vamps look weird with my new eyesight. Kind of sparkly. So, Edward. A bark came out as Jacob tried to speak. He looked rather startled with himself, which caused all of us to start chuckling.
What's so funny? Yeah, they do look kind of sparkly, Jake. Jasper's scars are a lot more obvious than they were before. And boy do our new friends stink. It kind of burns my nose. Embry reached a paw up and rubbed his snout, whining. We chuckled again.
"What are they thinking, Edward?" Emmett asked curiously, amusement gleaming in his eyes.
"Embry says we stink. He says we're burning his nose," I relayed.
Rose snorted. "Oh, well, we simply adore the aroma of wet dog they are so gallantly emitting."
I started gathering the tattered remains of their garments. "Just wait until I show these to Alice. You know what that'll mean." We vamps all chuckled darkly, giving our best evil genius impressions. "Shopping trip!" I sang out these words, as if announcing a new evil torture device.
The wolves gave us horrified and slightly scared looks, before they sat on their haunches and started to 'beg'. "Better you than me," Jasper muttered with a shrug.
"Yeah, sorry, guys, but we're going to throw you…to the wolves!" Emmett started laughing so hard he fell to ground with a giant bang that shook the forest. It was pretty impressive to see the massive wolves both rolling their eyes at Emmett.
How many times did your mama drop you on your head when you were a baby, Em? Jacob growled and yipped. It sounded pretty funny; like he had something caught in his throat and couldn't get it out again. I took the liberty of translating.
"Oh, please," Rosalie grumbled. Then she got a wicked grin on her face and started singing the Star Spangled Banner in Swahili in her mind. It was disconcerting to say the least. She walked over and patted both of the wolves gently on the head. "Now that you're all cute and fluffy…" They snarled and snapped at her. She picked up a tree branch and hurled it about a half a mile away. "Fetch!" They stared at her in disbelief, and she started giggling. "C'mon, puppies, go fetch! I've got a box of milk bones at home for you."
I'll show you a bone, vamp tramp. Jacob growled. Embry howled, his shoulders shaking with canine laughter. I couldn't resist passing on Jacob's statement.
"Sorry, I don't like to do it doggie-style," Rose sneered, shaking her rear end at him. Emmett was torn between amusement and protecting Rose.
Jasper was starting to get nervous. "As much as I'm enjoying this, we need to get back to the house so Jacob and Embry can phase back to their human states before Sam and Paul become wolves."
I decided to help him out. I dashed over and touched Embry's shoulder. "Tag! You're it. Last one back to the house is a rotten egg."
Then we all took off running. I was the fastest vampire, but the wolves were just as fast as I was, much to my dismay. Embry easily caught Emmett and tagged him with his nose. Jacob had stopped to watch and Emmett was quickly on his tail. Instead of just tagging him, Emmett chose to tackle him. It caught Jacob off guard, but soon the two of them were having a rousing wrestling match, knocking down trees and kicking up dirt. Jasper, Embry, and I stayed close by to make sure things didn't get out of hand. Emmett sent Jacob flying through the air and took off running again. He started chanting, "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm a vampire man!"
I heard the wolves chuffing their odd canine snickers, but I was off and running. Only seconds later, I found myself rolling on the ground, having been tackled by Jacob. I glared at him as he snickered again. He had fooled me by picturing Jasper in his mind and imagining himself pouncing on him.
What's the matter, mind reader? Your thoughts bring you down? Oh, no, wait. That was me! Ha, ha. Loser. He took off bounding for the house before I could respond. I jumped up and decided to take some of my current frustration out on Jasper. It took me almost a full minute to catch up to him. He and Embry were running side by side. I knew they were aware of me, as their senses easily gave them all the necessary information. I came at an angle to intercept and pounced on Jasper when they came in range. Unfortunately, Jasper had anticipated my move and instinctively jumped over Embry, leaving me to crash into Embry instead. We both went rolling a few feet before skidding to a stop.
"Sorry, I was aiming for Jasper," I confessed awkwardly. Whatever. Embry snorted, jumped up and sent me flying with a double back kick. By the time I was up and running again, Embry had pounced on Jasper. He and Jasper were going at it full tilt, with Jacob and Emmett cheering from the side-lines. I made sure I was further ahead than any of the others before I turned back to watch.
Well, wolf boy, let's see how fast you can run on two legs instead of four. I realized Jasper's plan and watched wide eyed as he poured his power of calm, peace, and tranquillity into Embry, quickly forcing him back to human form. Embry was disoriented from the change, and Jasper easily tossed him to the side with a laugh. In a flash, he had chased down Jacob and done the same to him. All three of us vampires were laughing hysterically as we raced toward the house, leaving the wolf boys to reorganize their thoughts.
I heard them coming up fast behind us, almost as fast in human form as they were in wolf form. I was in the lead and within sight of the back porch, where the Rosalie, Alice, Esme, and Carlisle were waiting for us, watching the race with amusement, when Jacob and Embry suddenly remembered they were naked.
"Jasper, you jerkoff, your wife is about to get an eyeful, thanks to you! Are you sure she'll still want you after she gets a look at me? Cause I have no intention of being the rotten egg!" Jacob yelled.
Suddenly, I felt like my legs were heavy as lead, as if I were trying to run through quicksand.
"Phase you idiots!" Jasper shouted from somewhere nearby. I heard the strange creaking and popping noises and then two wolves blew by me to land on the deck beside Carlisle. I fell to the ground on my knees, trying to pull myself forward by my hands. I groaned, closing my eyes and feeling as if I could actually fall asleep for the first time in eighty years
"What the heck are you doing to me, Jasper?" I screamed. I heard laughter from the multitude in front of me. I heard the sounds as Emmett and Jasper both made it safely to the porch, leaving me lying face down in the back yard in defeat.
"What's the matter, Rotten Eggward? Feeling a little sleepy? Need a blankie? Should I sing you a lullaby?" Jasper taunted. I heard my whole family laughing hysterically, even Carlisle and Esme. Jasper was a dead man once this wore off, and I regained use of my limbs. Thank goodness Bella wasn't back yet. At least she wouldn't witness my indignity.
"And cut!" Alice squealed. "That's a wrap, people! What a perfect ending to my little film! I can't wait to show Bella!"
BPOV
I checked in with Alice and discovered she had another home video to share. She also let me know Charlie had asked for me to spend the night with them. Yippee! I passed the news on to the others and they decided they wanted to join us, since it wasn't late yet. Quil called Jared and Leah called Kim. Both of them wanted to come over also. So I picked them up from their houses. On the way back to the Cullens' house, Quil let the others know Carlisle's decision about performing plastic surgery on Emily. They were all ecstatic.
The atmosphere at the Cullen house was boisterous, to say the least. It felt like a cross between a wild teenager party and a family Thanksgiving. Edward opened my door as soon as I came to a stop, lifting me out and carrying me inside. I gave him a passionate kiss, only to be stopped by a multitude of catcalls and wolf whistles. I flushed red as expected. I really hated that annoying habit.
Emmett arrived a few minutes later with ten large pizzas. I couldn't believe they had ordered so many, but I was surprised to learn just how much werewolves and almost werewolves ate. Amazingly enough, there weren't any leftovers. We all sat around laughing and joking, though only half of us were eating. I absolutely adored the easy atmosphere. Leah was messing around and flirting with both Jacob and Embry. She seemed to have them both wrapped around her little finger. Jared was sitting comfortably with Kim, his arm on the couch behind her. I wouldn't be surprised if his hand drifted down to her shoulder before the end of the night.
Esme made giant bowls of popcorn for me and the Quileutes. Emmett made numerous derogatory remarks about the smell of it, until the wolves held him down and shoved a handful into his mouth. He started gagging and spit it out on the carpet, which made Esme angry. Then he had to clean the carpet, and the smell of the carpet cleaner was even worse.
"Congratulations, Emmett. You managed to fill the air with something worse than the combined odours of wet dog and buttery popcorn," Rosalie complained, grimacing in disgust.
"Maybe we should spray some Lysol," Kim suggested. The vampires and wolves immediately started shaking their heads and begging against it. Poor Kim was confused. "It smells good to me."
"Headache," Jacob groaned. The others nodded in agreement.
"The combination of scents in here is bad enough already without adding to it," Embry added. Kim shrugged.
Alice finally put on the video for us to see. I couldn't help laughing most of the way through, and I was in good company. Poor Jasper was so overcome with the combined hilarity of the whole crowd that he was curled up in the fatal position, with his eyes closed, rolling around on the floor, laughing maniacally. Emmett and Jacob started rolling him back and forth between them, like they were two toddlers playing ball. Those of us who could produce tears had them streaming down our faces, as we laughed so hard we cried.
After the video, the others wanted to hear about our conversations on the rez.
"I made my peace with Sam," Leah informed them. "This was the first time I was actually able to sit and listen to him, knowing what really happened. Knowing that both he and Emily actively tried to fight it to keep from hurting me helps me to forgive. After all, neither of them chose it. It was just meant to be. Knowing that somewhere out there is someone who is meant for me helps me to let go. Knowing I have friends and a whole new family and pack to belong to helps me to learn to live again. I have hope now, and I don't feel so lost and alone anymore. I belong, even if it is to a family full of freaks and misfits. Really, Carlisle and Esme, who did you cross to deserve all of us?"
We all started laughing. Carlisle smirked. "I'm not sure, but it must have been somebody fairly high up in the chain of command. Vampires and werewolves and humans, oh my!"
"I thought that was supposed to be lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" Jared protested.
"Stop! You're making me thirsty!" Emmett cried, making a big show of smacking his lips. "Lions…and tigers…and bears…yum yum."
Jacob threw a pillow at him, but Emmett caught it and returned it faster than we humans could even see. It looked really strange, like Jacob started to throw the pillow, but hit himself in the face with it instead.
"Learn to keep up, Wolfman!" Emmett taunted cheerfully.
"Oh, I will, Dracula," Jacob threatened back playfully.
I let Quil explain about the conversation we had in the deserted town square to confuse Paul. Jasper was alarmed at first at the content of our exchange, but I assured him there were no other humans around to hear our conversation. Quil carefully explained how he had chosen to respond the way he would have before he met the Cullens. He knew how Paul would likely have spoken in the conversation, and he deliberately tried to answer accordingly. He didn't want to call attention to himself or all of us before the time was right. I had understood what he was doing at the time, so it hadn't bothered me.
After discussing our options of what to do next, we all agreed we would like to help Emily. Leah decided tomorrow was as good a day as any to re-establish a relationship with Emily. Carlisle agreed to perform the reconstructive surgery the following evening, if Emily was amenable.
"Friday night is the slumber party!" Alice sang. She looked around at Leah, Kim, and me. "Remember your promises!" We all nodded and agreed to submit ourselves to her mercy, as per our agreement. Actually, I was really looking forward to it, and I could tell the others were too.
Thursday afternoon
EmilyPOV
I can't believe Leah has finally forgiven Sam and me for our betrayal. Neither of us had wanted to hurt her, but there is a whole other world out there of which she is blissfully unaware. Sam had imprinted on me, and that was all she wrote. End of story. Now he and I had an important mission in life—protecting our beloved tribe from attack from the Cold Ones. So far, only Paul had joined Sam's pack, but they were watching several others. It wouldn't be long before our pack had new members, and my home would be filled with laughter and camaraderie. I would be able to guide new imprints. I had made sacrifices for this life, and so had Sam, but our overall purpose was greater than any individual's sacrifice.
I tried not to mind the scars on my face that marred my natural beauty. I tried not to mind people's curious stares. I tried not to see the sorrow and guilt on Sam's face every time he looked at mine. I tried, but I couldn't succeed completely.
Leah had asked me to stay with her until Monday morning, and I had agreed, though I would miss Sam something fierce. I hated the wedge between me and my cousin, my best friend. I would do whatever I could to ease the tension between us and regain her love and support. I needed her. I was so lonely, though I tried hard not to let Sam know. There were no other females in my position. No women, other than Leah's mother, knew what had really happened to me. Sue was the one who had taken care of me after Sam's accidental phasing. I couldn't wait until there were new imprints who could share my fears and frustrations. In the meantime, having Leah to talk to, even though I couldn't tell her, the truth would help a lot.
Ah, there's Leah now. She looks so different. She's taller, more mature looking than the last time I saw her. She's more confident too, but her eyes hold an air of mystery, an allure, and her hair is so short now, though the style looks good on her.
I opened the door and welcomed her into my home, the home I share with Sam. She smiled tentatively and I responded with a warm smile of my own. I wanted to embrace her, but could tell by her body language she wasn't ready for that yet.
"Thank you so much for coming, Leah. I know it can't have been easy for you."
She smiled as she took a seat on the sofa. I sat at the other end of it. We both turned to face each other.
"It's okay, Emily. I forgive you. I wish you two had told me the truth from the start, but perhaps it was better this way. I can see now that he is your soul mate, not mine, and I'm willing to wait however long it takes until I find the one who completes me."
Wow. I didn't expect that. She has come a long way and sounds so mature. What happened to her that helped her gain this insight? I had to ask. She grinned at my question.
"A very wise friend of mine helped me work through my feelings of betrayal, showed me how things could always be worse, and helped me understand that both you and Sam had no real choice in the matter and never intended to hurt me. She pointed out how lucky I was it happened before Sam and I got married and had children, and helped me believe there is someone who is made just for me waiting to shower me with all the love and affection you and Sam share. Another wonderful friend helped me overcome my feelings of self-loathing, shame, and doubt. She showed me how beautiful I am, helped me determine a new look for myself, and filled me with the confidence I had been sorely lacking. Yet another friend helped me learn to love and trust again, showing me not to believe what other people tell me, but to judge people and situations based on their own merit, instead of preconceived notions. She helped me to overcome blind prejudice and learn to trust my heart and my own observations. She unknowingly taught me about unconditional love, simply by example."
"Wow, Leah, you have some really awesome friends!" I exclaimed enviously. "I'd love to meet them."
"I'd love for you to meet them. Today, in fact, if you're willing," she offered eagerly. I can't believe she's offering to share them with me. A tear ran silently down my cheek.
"Emily," she began hesitantly. "I know someone who could help with your scars, a very talented surgeon who could minimize the damage so it's not so noticeable. He has volunteered his services, so money wouldn't be a problem. Would you be interested in having him do some plastic surgery on your face, or would you prefer to leave things as they are? I don't know whether or not you think the end result would be worth the additional pain."
I froze like a statue in shock. Was she really offering me free plastic surgery? A way to recover some of my former beauty? To significantly reduce the curious stares? To take away some of Sam's guilt and pain? And she was worried I wouldn't accept a little pain? She started to fidget, which broke me out of my trance.
"Oh, Leah! Really? Please tell me you aren't kidding. I would do anything to make these scars go away. I don't care about the pain."
"The scars won't go away completely, you know. But the lines will be much thinner," she warned me, eyeing me cautiously.
"I know, I know," I assured her. "Oh, Leah. I can't believe you set this up for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the best friend and cousin a girl could ever have." Tears were freely running down my cheeks now.
Leah pulled out a cell phone, making a quick call. "It's a go… Got it."
I wondered when she had gotten a cell. I noticed all her clothes were new too, and obviously high quality. Had she come into some money somehow? She stood up and began pacing, full of some kind of nervous energy. "Okay, do you have a bag packed?"
"Not yet," I admitted with a blush. I hadn't really believed she had forgiven me. I had secretly been expecting her to come today and cuss me out.
"Well, get cracking. Our ride will be here in ten minutes," she ordered. When did she get so forceful? Her words motivated me, and I jumped up, rushing to my room. I had all my necessary belongings ready and by the front door when an expensive looking SUV pulled up in front of the house. Leah led the way and loaded my stuff in the back, while I settled on the seat.
"Hello, Emily. I'm Bella Swan. It's so good to finally meet you," the driver introduced herself warmly, offering me her hand. I smiled and shook it.
"Hello, Bella. I'm happy to meet one of Leah's new friends."
"I hope you enjoy meeting the rest of them," she countered enigmatically. Leah slid into the passenger seat just then, before I could ask her to tell me more about them. She and Leah exchanged a speaking glance. How odd. I had a distinct impression questions had been asked and answered, on both sides, even though neither had spoken a word.
I was surprised when we stopped in front of Kim's house, and she climbed in beside me.
"Hello, Emily! I'm so glad you could join us!" she squealed excitedly. Weird. I always thought she was so shy. I smiled back hesitantly, feeling like I was missing out on something the other three knew.
"Hi, Kim. I didn't know you'd be joining us, though I'm happy to see you of course," I replied, not wanting to sound rude. I was strangely nervous.
"Oh, yes, we'll all be there," she answered cryptically. I couldn't take the strange tension anymore.
"Who's we? What's going on, Leah?" I demanded anxiously. She turned and smiled at me.
"I'm going to introduce you to my new family. We're really all unrelated, except for me and Seth. Oh, Quil and Jacob are actually cousins too. But the rest are not blood relations." Kim snorted and Bella stifled a quick chuckle. Leah smiled at them. "Some of them are married to each other. But basically, we are a group of friends ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-six. The two oldest act as parents to the rest of us. They're just naturally gifted that way. We are a large group of people who choose to be a family, despite our differences. They are all willing to welcome you too, if you're willing to accept."
Kim and Bella nodded, watching me.
It sounds just like what I want for the pack. Sam described for me from the legends how close the pack gets, how it is one big, happy family, though not without the occasional fights and disagreements. I couldn't wait to meet this family.
"I'd like to meet them," I answered honestly. They all relaxed a bit.
We pulled up in front of a gorgeous three story house. I couldn't help gawking. I guess we had found the ones with all the money. The door opened and people started pouring out. A pale bronze-haired boy opened Bella's door, Jacob opened Leah's, Jared opened Kim's, and Embry opened mine. We got out, and I gawked at the crowd of people all lined up in front of the house. I turned back to look at my companions. I did a double take when I realized the very pale boy had his arm around Bella, Jared and Kim were holding hands, and Leah stood in between Jacob and Embry.
"Some of us you already know." She beckoned Quil and Seth over. They stopped rough housing with two tall pale boys and walked over to shake my hand, smiling at me.
Leah pointed to the pale boy next to Bella. "Edward, Emily. Emily, Edward." He nodded graciously to me from where he stood. "He and Bella are soul mates, like you and Sam." I nodded, seeing them sharing the same kinds of looks Sam and I did. "Okay, left to right. The blond, gorgeous father figure," she laughed, "is Carlisle. He's the head of the family, and his word goes. Don't worry if you have a hard time thinking of him as a father at first. That's perfectly natural. Give it a few days, and you'll start to feel it. Besides, he's utterly and completely devoted to his wife and soul mate, Esme. She the one standing right next to him, who instantly makes you think of princesses, tea parties, and milk and cookies. She's mom to all of us." Now that I could totally see. I had the strangest urge to just bury my face into her shoulder and tell her all my worries, frustrations, and fears, while she would rub my back, stroke my hair, kiss the top of my head repeatedly and keep murmuring that everything would be okay. My fantasy was so strong in my head that I actually took two steps toward her before I caught myself. I blushed and heard somebody chuckle. By the time I had raised my eyes to find out who, they were all impassive again. Leah continued her introductions.
"The tall blonde guy is Jasper. He's the strong, silent type, except when he is trash talking with his brothers over some silly game or competition." He grinned widely, but didn't say anything. "The short, black haired girl is his soul mate, Alice. You'll get used to her, but I'll warn you now she's a force to be reckoned with. The family motto is 'Never bet against Alice'. She's always right."
Alice was bouncing up and down in place, quivering with excitement. "Oh, Emily, you're going to be so happy!" Well, I certainly had no desire to bet against that.
Leah grinned and continued her spiel. "The huge muscle man is Emmett. He looks scary, but he's only dangerous to people who try to hurt his family. Otherwise, he's really just a five year old trapped in a man's body."
"Hey, you are going down, Little Bitch," Emmett growled. I stepped backward in surprise. I thought only Sam and Paul could growl like that.
"Who are you calling little?" Leah demanded indignantly, hands on her hips. Huh? She objects to little but not bitch?
"I am. Come and get me, pup," Emmett sneered.
"I am so going to kick your ass on Dance Dance Revolution later," Leah threatened.
"Bring it, babe," he challenged with a smirk. Both of them laughed, while the beautiful blonde girl beside him just rolled her eyes.
"Saving the best for last, this is Rosalie," Leah announced, smirking at Rose. Rose smiled warmly back. "Rosalie and Emmett are soul mates. Rose has a full time job trying to keep Emmett in line. Alas, it's too big a job for one person, but she does her best."
The whole family started laughing at that, while Emmett crossed his arms across his chest, looking smug. There was so much love here. I could feel it and see it. The groups converged together again, mingling comfortably with one another.
"I'm very pleased to meet you all. I can see how much you all love each other." My statement was met with cheering and whistling, mostly from the other Quileutes. The group dispersed, and Carlisle and Esme made their way over to me. Leah, Bella, and Edward stayed by my side. Once Esme was close, the urge to hug her was almost overwhelming. I intuitively felt she would understand if I poured out my heart to her. She seemed to read something in my eyes, because she opened her arms to me with a look of maternal love written all over her face. I fell into her arms and started sobbing. I was embarrassed, but not enough to pull away, because she was indeed comforting me just like I had wanted. I was surprised by how cold and hard her body was, but I wasn't uncomfortable. One of her cold hands gently rubbed circles on my back, pressing me closer in a hug. Her other hand caressed my head, face, and hair. She murmured soothingly to me while I sobbed helplessly. I sensed the others move away to give us this moment alone.
After I finally cried myself out, I pulled back. I saw how wet her shirt was and felt guilty. "I-I'm sorry about your shirt and about losing it like that."
She smiled so lovingly at me, lifting my chin to look into my eyes. "My shirt's not important, but you are. You've been through a lot of difficult changes and have had to bear the burdens of so many secrets. You've been bottling it all up inside, trying to present a brave front to the world. I am deeply honoured that you would allow me to comfort you in your time of need." I gazed into her honey coloured eyes and read the sincerity there. How did she know? All of a sudden my brain started working , cold, hard, yellow eyes. I gasped and jumped back. She watched me with sadness and hurt in her eyes, but made no move to come closer.
I grabbed Leah's arm, my fingers trembling. We were all in danger!
"Leah!" I shrieked. "She's a Cullen! A Cold One!"
Leah rolled her eyes at me. "Yeah, I know."
She didn't understand. The legends were real. I had seen it first-hand. "The legends are real, Leah! She's a–"
"Vampire. Yes, I know." My jaw dropped this time. How could she be so calm about this? We were all in danger!
"If we had wanted to hurt you, we would have done it already," Edward mentioned calmly. I saw that several of the others had joined us. Jacob laughed.
"Relax, Emily. I've seen them around injured humans, with open bleeding wounds, and they didn't attack," Jacob promised.
"Me, too," Kim added. "Alice saved me from two men who had captured me intending to rape me." I looked at her in surprise and read the truth in her gaze.
"Carlisle really does perform surgery on a regular basis at the hospital. I've seen him do it. He never loses control, and his technique is flawless," Embry contributed.
"Rosalie and Edward both have medical degrees," Bella mentioned, looking at both of them proudly.
"They really don't drink human blood, Emily. There are evil vampires like the ones in our legends, but our ancestors were right to make a treaty with the Cullens. They are people just like us, trying to make the best of the hand fate has dealt them. They all have good hearts, even if they don't beat," Jacob informed me calmly.
"Carlisle has volunteered to perform the reconstructive surgery on your face, here in the privacy of his house. Since he can use his vampire speed, it won't take long. Perhaps an hour at most," Leah reminded me. I needed a few minutes to process all this information.
"Take your time," Edward offered. "We'll all give you some space and privacy to think it over. Then, if you want to go, we won't stop you or pressure you." They all nodded and backed away, even Leah. Good vampires. Was such a thing even possible? I thought about what Kim had said. There were certainly good and bad humans, and vampires were made from humans. I watched the vampires and the Quileutes interacting. These vampires could certainly pass for humans. They had fooled me at first. I wondered how long it would have taken me to figure it out if I hadn't hugged Esme.
I thought about Esme's embrace. I realized how much better I felt, having let out all that emotion and having her strong, loving arms soothing me. I thought about how close I had been to her, how easily she could have killed me. I couldn't even picture her biting me though. She could have, but she didn't and she wouldn't. I thought about Sam attacking Esme and was horrified. It would be a tragedy to lose her. I had just met her, yet even I would mourn her loss if something happened. My heart proclaimed what my head hadn't wanted to admit. Yes, there are good vampires, just like there are good people.
"Hey, Blond Bombshell," Jacob taunted Rosalie, "Good job finishing that jigsaw puzzle in only six months. The box said 2-4 years!" Quil and Embry snickered. Rosalie raised her eyebrow in disdain.
"Hey, Mangy Mutt," she responded. "I just realized which superhero you remind me of: Underdog!" There were a lot of "oooo's" after that. Rosalie and Leah exchanged high fives.
Emmett scooped up Bella in one arm and Kim in the other and began spinning in circles. I heard Bella yell that she was going to hurl. He set them both back on their feet and stepped back, watching them. The both took a few crazy steps, then crashed into each other and fell to the ground groaning. I heard an echoing boom as Emmett hit the ground, laughing uncontrollably. I watched as Edward, Jacob, and Jared snuck up on him. Edward grabbed his feet, while Jacob and Jared each grabbed an arm. They picked him up and started swinging him. They let go at the top of the arc and he flew thirty feet through the air into a tree. The tree snapped in half and fell on his head. The tree broke again when it hit his head. Wow, he really is hard-headed, isn't he? He stood up, shook himself off, grabbed the giant tree trunk, hefted it, and threw it like a javelin. It flew through the air and crashed to the ground somewhere out of sight. Emmett held his arms out, mimicking the stance of an Olympic gymnast who just completed his routine. Then he bowed to us all solemnly.
"Thank you, thank you. Yes, you are all in the presence of greatness." We all started laughing, including me. Yep, he was a big kid at heart. I really liked this family. I could get used to spending time like this, in their company. It was just like I had imagined the pack would be. I had made up my mind. I wanted Carlisle to do the surgery. I stood up and walked over to meet him. He was smiling at me, ready and waiting. I looked at Esme and realized there was something I needed to do first.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. She smiled and opened her arms. I threw myself into her embrace, hugging her as tightly as I could.
"It's okay, honey. I know you were taken by surprise. Thank you for choosing to come back to us. It means more to me than you know," she murmured against the top of my head. I finally stepped back and turned to Carlisle. He was beaming at me with love and pride. I felt my heart swell.
"Carlisle, I would be honoured for you to perform surgery on me, and more thankful than I could put into words. I trust you with my life and my future," I stated honestly.
"My pleasure, my dear," he replied, beaming broadly. "Everything is already set up, so let's go inside."
Leah and Esme walked me inside and gave me a tour, trying to increase my comfort level. Alice gave me a different top to put on, just in case. I was amazed when I saw the mini-hospital they had set up in the guest room. I decided to call Sam quickly to tell him I was healthy and happy and would be unavailable for the next few hours while we were watching a movie. I reassured him that Leah had the best of intentions, and we were friends again. I let him know I really liked Leah's new friends, though I didn't give him any details. I told him I loved him more than anything and hung up. I was ready. I climbed up onto the bed and rested on my back. Carlisle set me up with an IV and injected something into it with a syringe. Less than a minute later, the blackness swallowed me, and I knew nothing.
LeahPOV
I still had some pangs of jealousy and insecurity in my heart, but I was trying to squash them. It was hard to give up on the dreams I had carried for so long. My talk with Rosalie had let me see that it was the death of the dreams that hurt the most. Royce had raped her, betrayed her, and essentially murdered her. She had her revenge on him, yet she still hung on to her girlhood dreams of being a wife and mother. It was obvious to me as a human third party that Rose was missing the big picture. Carlisle didn't steal her chance at a happy human life and motherhood, nor did the change take it from her. I knew Carlisle and had no doubt that she would have died if he hadn't initiated the transformation. I decided to discuss my revelations with her after the surgery. I had benefited so much from her wisdom that I desperately wanted to bring her some of the same peace she had offered me.
I watched carefully as Carlisle began the procedure. I knew I wouldn't be able to help, but I wanted to record his actions in my memory, so I could share it with Sam at some point. Jacob was with me in the room, likely for the same reason. He seemed utterly fascinated by the whole process though. I wasn't particularly enjoying watching Carlisle cut her open, cut away the scar tissue, and then sew her up again with teeny, tiny stitches, though Jacob seemed to be taking lessons. Maybe he'd become a doctor one day. Or maybe, since he was a werewolf, perhaps he should become a veterinarian instead. I smiled to myself at the humor. He and Carlisle could start a practice together and call it Mythical Medicine.
What I found the most fascinating was seeing how close Carlisle was to all that fresh blood, yet he never once lost focus, or trembled, or appeared the least bit thirsty. I watched his eyes, knowing the vampires well enough now to recognize the way their eyes changed to indicate their thirst. His eyes never changed, even minutely, from his honey gold, even though he was only inches from her bleeding wound and was breathing normally. Rosalie was assisting in the procedure, and I noticed she was holding her breath. Her eyes had darkened a bit, but were still yellow around the edges. She was under control, though it was clearly not as easy for her as it was for Carlisle. Now I fully understood what the other Cullens meant when they said Carlisle was immune to human blood. I was seeing it in action.
I had a lot of respect for Rosalie too. I had seen Alice ignore the freely flowing blood of the men who attacked Kim, but it was possible it had been in the heat of the moment when her protective instincts were in full force. Seeing Rosalie calmly assisting Carlisle, regularly cleaning the blood away from the wound so it wouldn't impede his vision, I was in awe of the restraint she was able to muster. I was now convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Cullens were trustworthy.
Jasper knew he would be affected by everyone else's thirst, so he and Alice had chosen to go hunting during the surgery. That too reinforced my trust, because he had recognized his own limitations and willingly chose to remove himself from a potentially dangerous situation. So many accidents happen on a daily basis around the world because people allow themselves to be placed into situations they know they can't handle.
Edward and Bella were helping Esme out in her garden. I could see them pulling weeds and chit chatting peacefully. I thought it amusing beyond belief that Bella couldn't stand the smell of blood and would actually faint from it, yet she intended to marry a vampire and become one herself. I wondered what would happen when she needed to drink it to survive. Would the smell still make her faint? Could vampires faint? I'd have to ask Carlisle later. Would the smell make her nauseous? Would she throw it up as fast as she drank it? I was really glad I had met Bella. She really was one strange human. She kept life from getting too boring.
Emmett was downstairs in the living room playing video games with Quil, Embry, and Seth, while Jared and Kim snuggled on the couch and pretended to watch. Really, they only had eyes for each other. Bella had assured me Kim was Jared's imprint, or else I would be really nervous for her right now. I had talked things over with the others, and we agreed to help keep each other in check to prevent breaking anybody else's heart the way Sam broke mine. None of us would enter into a serious relationship with anyone other than our imprints.
I heard Emmett cursing as he broke another controller. They paused the game to allow him to get another from the supply closet. While in there, he saw Bella and Edward outside. I had seen they were having a 'love moment' where they were lost in each other's eyes. Ugh, yuck. Okay, I'm just jealous. I want someone to make me feel that way, but I have to be patient. Ugh, no fair. Esme was pretending to ignore them, but I could see she was watching them out of the corner of her eye, with a smug grin plastered on her face. She was so happy about their relationship, about the joy Bella brought to Edward and all the rest of us.
Emmett couldn't resist trying to ruin their Kodak moment. He opened the back door and yelled out to them, "Dang! Somebody's bleeding like a stuck pig! Beeellllllaaa, did you fall down AGAIN? What's with you crazy humans spilling blood in a house full of vampires, for crying out loud? Don't you guys have any sense of self-preservation?"
He slammed the door shut on her disgruntled glare, laughing to himself, and stomped back to the living room while opening the new controller. He froze as his eyes took in the scene before him.
I knew Emmett was joking. I knew that. I also knew he could smell Emily's blood, because I knew I could. He had been smelling it for a while now and hadn't reacted to it at all, as far as I knew. Yet, despite that, one portion of his statement jumped out in my mind, echoing over and over again. Humans spilling blood in a house full of vampires… Humans spilling blood in a house full of vampires… Something snapped inside. Something deep and primal welled forth. Some portion of my brain recognized that Emmett was laughing, that he was still in control. But that part of my brain was not in charge. Something else was. My vision started going black.
I felt something run into me hard, and then I was picked up, thrown over someone's shoulder, and rushed down the steps to the front yard. It all happened in slow motion for me. I could sense the urgency in the one who carried me. He set me down none too gently, and I just stared blankly at him. His name popped into my head. "Jacob?" I whispered. He was watching me intently. I realized we weren't actually experiencing an earthquake. The tremors that shook my body were coming from me.
"Relax, Leah. You're just changing into a wolf now. I'm right here to help you if you need me," he murmured soothingly. I did relax, because, for me, the scariest part had been not knowing what was happening to me. Now that I knew, I could focus on the strange sensations in my body. I felt my body moving, folding, shifting, strengthening, growing, stretching, expanding. I felt my bones rearranging themselves underneath my skin. I could actually feel my hair growing all over my body and feel my teeth growing and sharpening. I could feel a tail extruding out behind me, my tailbone elongating and actually becoming a real tail! Secretly, I've always wanted a tail. How cool is that? Finally, it was over, and I was a new wolf, lying on the ground panting, my clothes in tatters all around me. I could see and hear and smell absolutely everything!
JacobPOV
It was utterly fascinating to watch Carlisle work. My eyesight was just as good as his, and I could see all the tiny repairs he was making that a human surgeon would never be able to do. I was amazed at the sight of the different layers making up the human body. Originally, I had merely wanted to commit the sight to memory so I could show it to Sam later through the mind link, so he could learn to trust the Cullens like I do. Once there though, I was drawn to it. My attention was almost completely absorbed by it. For the first time ever, I considered looking into medicine as a career choice. I didn't want to become a doctor like Carlisle, but maybe I should be a physician's assistant or something. I wanted to do cool things like this, but I really didn't want to be in school that long. It took too many years to become a doctor for my taste.
Suddenly, I heard Emmett shouting. I could tell he was trying to needle Bella and Edward. Leah was looking out the window, watching them in the garden below. One phrase he used set off shocks in my system. Humans spilling blood in a house full of vampires. I felt my inner wolf well up, wanting to force a change, as my protective nature was triggered, but I was able to push him back down. I took my role as a Protector for my people seriously, especially as the Alpha, but I knew there was no threat here. Emmett's laughter drifted up the stairs to us as he got his controller and started coming out of the kitchen.
That was when I felt it. A charge in the atmosphere. I looked to the source and saw Leah trembling all over. I immediately recognized what was happening, having just gone through the change myself, so I ran to her, threw her over my shoulder, and rushed down the stairs to the front yard. I set her down and backed away to give her some space. I told her what was happening, and I could see the tension slowly drain out of her. I knew she was fine and just needed time to finish phasing and come to terms with her new self. Now that she was settled and safe, I needed to help Embry with Jared.
On my mad dash down the stairs, I had noticed Jared was trembling just as badly as Leah was. I was quite thankful Embry had managed to keep a handle on his control like me. He was busy moving Kim away from Jared to a safe place. Our eyes met briefly before I sailed out the door. I rushed back toward the house in time to see Embry hauling a struggling Jared outside. I quickly grabbed onto him and helped Embry get him out onto the lawn.
"Kim!" Jared howled in his human voice, staring at the open door where she was standing watching him. He reached his shaking hand toward her. I grabbed his face between my hands and forced him to look at me.
"Kim is fine, but you are phasing into a wolf. If you change too close to Kim, she will end up looking like Emily," I explained firmly. I saw his eyes widen as comprehension dawned. He stopped struggling and relaxed, nodding his head. He smiled tremulously at Kim and began shifting. I turned back to Leah, who was now fully in wolf form. She was looking all around her like a puppy with a whole new world to explore. She started wagging her tail, then looked back at it in wonder, wagging it harder. I chuckled and her eyes met mine.
"I know. It feels great to wag your tail, doesn't it?" I asked her. She nodded, snickering. "It's something you really can't explain to someone who doesn't have one. We'll go for a run as soon as Jared is ready. Don't worry, Kim, we'll be back soon enough."
I turned back to Jared and saw him up on all four paws, testing out his own tail. He looked longingly at Kim, though he didn't step in her direction. She blew him a kiss.
"Wow, Jared, you're as big as a horse! I expect you to let me ride you some day," she hollered. He started nodding enthusiastically as laughter poured out from all directions. Kim stopped to think about how that sounded and blushed almost as pink as Bella does. Leah's laughter sounding like barking coughs, since she was in her wolf form.
I knew Bella felt bad for Kim and decided to draw some of the attention to herself to save her friend's feelings. That was quite a sacrifice, considering how much she hated to be the focus of attention.
"Hey, Jake!" Bella teased. "You're not superheroes, you're Transformers. More than meets the eye!" She giggled at her little reference. Honestly, her little giggle was funnier than her joke, but we all chuckled anyway, out of respect for the selflessness of her attempt. Embry and I quickly shed our shirts, pants, shoes, and socks, leaving us both clad in just our boxers for a few seconds.
"All right, team Wolfman, time to move out," I announced. Embry and I phased into wolves, and we started running through the forest, testing our newfound abilities. Embry and I had already gotten used to each other's thoughts from the night before, but now there were two new voices dancing around in my head. At first, all that went through their minds was the need to explore—their bodies, their senses, their strengths and weaknesses, their limitations and boundaries, and their environment. We ran in relatively quiet comfort.
I can't believe we had to learn about ourselves from our supposed mortal enemy. Were Sam and Paul intending to just let us go through that transformation on our own, with no prior knowledge? Leah asked. I would have been absolutely terrified! Even after it was explained to me in my wolf body, I probably would have been freaking out for days.
Yeah, me too. I could have hurt Kim really badly if Jacob and Embry weren't there to help me. Even after they had me, I still fought to get to her. Once Jacob told me what was happening, I knew I had to let her go until I was back under control. If neither of us had known what to expect, it would have been a disaster. She would have run to me, and I would have fought to be with her. I can't believe Sam would be so irresponsible, especially after his own experience with Emily, Jared said disparagingly.
Well, we can't be too hard on him, Embry defended. He changed on his own and tried to deal with it on his own for a long time. It was at least a year from the time he disappeared for a few weeks to the time Paul disappeared and upon return began hanging out exclusively with Sam. Maybe he just thinks that's the way it's supposed to happen.
The tribal council definitely knows about them. I guess now I know why they cater to the two of them so much. I do think it's wrong not to tell us what to expect though. They can't say it's because we wouldn't believe them. If they had turned into giant wolves right in front of me, I certainly would have believed.
I suddenly realized I'd better learn to start guarding my thoughts or the pack would be privy to every last thought that slips through my head. Some of my thoughts are so strange and whimsical even I can't believe I thought them.
Leah yipped joyfully. I found Alice's and Jasper's scent. Why don't we practice hunting down bloodsuckers?
Jared shook his head. Nah, they're probably enjoying a little 'alone' time together.
Yeah, if I have to watch leeches making love I think I'll lose my lunch, Embry growled.
Hmmm. Should we stay or should we go? Well, it would be handy to have Jasper around in case Leah and Jared have a hard time phasing back into their human status, and Alice always seems to have clothes ready for us when we need them. Yeah, let's go ruin their moment.
You're so bad, Jake. I want to show Alice my new form though, Leah barked. She can't see us in her visions, so she won't know we phased already.
A light bulb went off in my head. A slow, mischievous grin started spreading across my wolfy face, baring my teeth. It probably would have scared the crap out of a human looking at it, but my companions all recognized it for what it was.
You do realize, my dear friends, that we werewolves are the only ones who can actually surprise Alice. Can you think of the pranks Emmett and Jasper would be able to pull if we work together? They've both been so busy whining about how they can never do it that none of us have even considered the implications of our involvement before. We could all play games and stuff together and she won't automatically know who's going to win or what cards her opponents have. We can help level the playing field for them, and then they're going to owe us.
Embry let out a barking laugh. You are so bad, Jake, but I like the way you think.
So let's go surprise them already. What are we waiting for? Leah asked.
Okay, but I don't want to be out too long. Jared agreed hesitantly. I want to get back to Kim.
We started running again, following the scent deep into the forest. I reminded them to keep calm, to try and minimize their emotions, so we wouldn't alert Jasper through his gift. We came to a hot spring with a waterfall. It was gorgeous. I wanted to come back sometime when I could be alone to truly enjoy it. The two vampires were naked and embracing in the water. They were so occupied that we were able to surround them with ease.
Okay, on my signal, we're all going to bark. Hearing it come unexpectedly from all four directions should scare the crap out of them, not that vampires have normal bodily functions or anything, but you know what I mean.
One, Two, Three, RAORWF! The simultaneous barks echoed off the trees. Their reaction was everything we could have hoped. Jasper sprang about fifteen feet straight up into the air, with Alice wrapped tightly around his body.
His eyes made a rapid assessment of the situation the moment he became airborne. I saw the recognition in his eyes before he even hit the height of his jump. The four of us fell to the ground laughing hysterically. How many people could say they sneaked up on and startled a vampire? How many could say the same about a psychic vampire? We were so cool.
We were all rolling on our backs, kicking our paws in excess merriment. I watched Jasper on his way back down into the water. I saw our waves of laughter pass over and through him. He struggled to hold back his own laughter in response to ours. But it was his eyes that scared me as his body started sinking back into the water. His mouth might be smiling, but his eyes promised revenge.
Uh, guys. I think it would be best if we leave now. Jasper's not too happy with us at the moment.
We all got up quickly and started sprinting back to the house.
Oh, that was priceless! Embry laughed. Did you see his face? Who knew vampires could jump so high?
Man, Jared sighed, if only we had brought Alice's video camera! It's time somebody catches her doing something funny and embarrassing.
And how are we supposed to carry the camera, much less operate it? Embry huffed. It requires hands, you dufus.
Well, you could have come in human form. Jared explained.
But then I wouldn't have been able to communicate with you. Embry said reasonably.
Whatever, losers. I just want to get back to Emily and see how she's doing. Leah growled.
Yeah, you guys needed to stretch your limbs a bit and get a feel for the wolf, but we do need to check on her. You know Sam will kill all of us if anything happens to her.
What? You think something's going to happen to her? Leah yelled.
Stop panicking, Leah. I don't think anything is going to happen, but I'd feel better about being there just the same. I don't want Sam thinking we just abandoned her there in the vampires' lair.
As we got closer to the house, I started mentally calling Edward. He flew toward us with Bella on his back, enjoying the ride.
"You rang?" he drawled.
How's Emily? I asked mentally. He ran alongside me back toward the house.
"She's fine. The surgery is over, and everything looks good. She came out from under the anaesthesia and was lucid, but is asleep now, resting peacefully. Personally, I think she looks better now, even though the wounds are fresh, than she did with those horrible scars."
I felt the relief and joy flood the minds of my pack. Thanks, Edward. We're going to go and see her for ourselves now. Oh, and you might want to avoid antagonizing Jasper today. He's not feeling very pleasant at the moment. Please warn us if you hear him coming. Please, old buddy, old pal?
"Warn you if I hear Jasper coming? Why should I side with you over Jasper, pup?"
Because we surprised Alice! Leah laughed, picturing the entire encounter.
Edward almost tripped at the sight. Luckily, we had just broken through to the back yard, so he put Bella down and promptly collapsed with laughter. He was lucky. He got to see the whole thing from four different angles. No doubt he'd get another two points of view once Jasper and Alice made it back to the house.
EPOV
I was rolling on the ground laughing hysterically, while the love of my life watched me, a bemused expression on her face. After a few minutes, she started to get impatient. Then she started to get angry. I desperately tried to stop laughing, but I hadn't seen anything like that little stunt in all the decades I've known Jasper and Alice.
"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! Either you let me in on the joke right now or I'm leaving!" she shouted, stomping her foot in frustration. Did she really just stomp her foot? Really? I let loose a fresh gale of laughter. She huffed and started to stomp away. I grabbed her hand. Something about the sight of her walking away from me sobered me up immediately.
"Bella, love, I'm sorry," I wheedled, on my knees. I gave her my crooked grin and watched her get dazzled again. "I'll tell you all about it."
She sat in my lap, and I described the scene the werewolves had shone me as to how Alice got a little taste of her own medicine, a little surprise of her very own. She clapped her hand over her mouth, and her entire torso started shaking like she was going to phase into a wolf herself, but I knew she was just trying to hold in the laughter so she could hear the entire story. Once I finished, she fell out of my lap and rolled around on the lawn in her own laughing fit. This, of course, triggered me to relapse. Carlisle and Esme came out on the deck to watch us being silly together. He put his arm around her, and she leaned into him, as they both wore indulgent smiles.
After a while, we both calmed down, and I helped her to her feet. "It's time for you to get home and cook dinner for your father, Bella."
She nodded reluctantly. "Will you stay and help me in the kitchen? I promise not to make you taste anything."
Oh, joy. The things I went through for this darling girl. I'm sure she has no idea of the sacrifices I make on her behalf.
"Of course, love. I'll be happy to help you cook dinner for Charlie," I responded sweetly, dreading the horrible smells I would be forced to endure. I would do just about anything to spend more time in her company. She grinned widely, seemingly oblivious to my internal struggles. I am happy to have been the one to put that smile on her face though.
"Bella!" Carlisle called to her. "I'd like to speak with you before you go, if you have a minute."
"I always have time for you, Carlisle," she replied warmly, making her way over to him.
"Bella, you spoke before about giving us a blood sample to help with training. I'd like to go ahead and get that, if you are amenable."
She nodded, though her cheeks were noticeably paler. My poor darling positively hated needles. She followed Carlisle inside and upstairs to his study. He settled her in a comfortable chair and told her to watch the ceiling while he prepared. A few seconds later, he advised her to hold her breath. He had the sample drawn in seconds. Before she even had time to worry about what he was going to do, he was already done.
"Thank you, Bella. That was very brave of you. Personally, I admire your courage."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you finished already?" she wondered. He nodded, chuckling slightly. "Boy, I could really get used to having a vampire doctor. Don't worry, Dad, I'm going to contact my insurance provider and have you listed as my primary care physician. Well, at least as long as your name is on the designated provider list for the HMO." He started laughing and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.
"That's okay, dear Bella. For you, it's 'on the house'."
She grinned at him and joked, "Wow, just think of all the money I'll save on medical bills. It's unbelievable how much it costs for a single emergency room visit. I knew there was some reason I put up with this crazy family."
"As I said before, my dear, you fit right in with the rest of us," Carlisle teased.
"I guess I was simply born to be a Cullen," she quipped. Carlisle ruffled her hair playfully.
"You won't get any complaints from me," he responded, more seriously. "I'm very thankful you've joined us." Then he grinned again. "Even if you have inflicted me with half a dozen teenage werewolves."
"You know you love us, Papa Fang!" Jacob yelled from the living room. Carlisle winced.
"Papa Fang? I know you can do better than that, Jacob," he complained.
"Papa Leech?"
"Jacob," Carlisle groaned.
"Okay, we'll just stick with Pops for now then. Unless you'd prefer 'old man'," Jacob suggested.
"Nah, he's British, right? Shouldn't it be 'old chap'," Embry corrected.
"Tallyho, old chap, don't get your knickers in a twist," Quil offered in a terrible English accent. Carlisle rolled his eyes, shaking his head sadly.
"You'll forgive me someday," Bella insisted with a wink. Carlisle smirked and escorted her out of the study.
"Good night, Bella. I'm going to hide out in here for a while, until it gets quieter downstairs. I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie. They're so much cuter when they're sleeping."
"Well, you should love the slumber party tomorrow night then, Pops," Rosalie taunted from inside her room. With a groan, Carlisle ducked back into his study and shut the door.
Bella cheerily wished everyone good night, and I escorted her out to the Vanquish. On the way to her house, we enjoyed a companionable silence until we were close to her street.
"I just love it when a plan comes together," she sighed happily. I smiled at her.
"Proud of yourself, are you?"
"Yes, actually I am. Things are so much better for us now than they were in Meyer's Twilight. Part of me can't help but fear something is going to mess things up, that there's no way things could be that easy for us. The other part tells me we've worked hard to get where we are now, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Can you imagine how Charlie would feel about you if the very first night he meets you, on our very first official date, I run away to Phoenix and end up in the hospital? It's no wonder he was always so suspicious of you in Meyer's books. When I think about what the other me said to him that night, it just makes me sick to my stomach. I can't let James get the upper hand this time around."
"Don't worry," I growled. "I have no intention of allowing him anywhere near you."
"Well, Edward, fate's a funny thing. I think it might be better to affect a compromise rather than trying to avoid it completely."
I stared at her like she had truly lost her mind. Did she really think I was going to let her anywhere in the same state as those sadistic nomads? She can just go visit her mom while they're here in Washington. I let it go for now though. I didn't want to fight with her. She is so incredibly stubborn. We went inside her house and strolled straight into the kitchen. Bella put me to work slicing and dicing vegetables for her homemade spaghetti sauce. I had to hold my breath to avoid gagging when she began frying the hamburger meat. Cooking meat is one of the worst smells to a vampire. Perhaps it reminds us of how easily we could become dust in the wind. Well, maybe not easily, but certainly under the right circumstances anyway. I stirred the spaghetti noodles, while she kept track of her simmering sauce and worked on making garlic bread.
"How do I know when they're ready?" I asked. She giggled.
"Well, you could bite into one of the noodles and check the texture with your teeth…"
"Or?"
She giggled again. "Or you could throw the noodle at the wall. If it sticks, then they're ready."
"Seriously?" I looked into her eyes to see if she was pulling my leg.
She grinned. "Seriously! Try it."
I dipped my fingers into the boiling water and grabbed a long noodle. I held it up in front of my face and watched wiggle. I looked at Bella out of the corner of my eye and saw her watching me intently. I gently threw the noodle at the wall, being sure to use only human strength. Lo and behold, it actually stuck to the wall. I grinned at Bella, proud of myself for some reason. I turned off the burner and poured the noodles into a strainer. I thought about telling the rest of the family about this amazing property of spaghetti noodles when my phone began to buzz.
"Hello, Alice. What's up?"
"Don't do it, Edward. The consequences to Esme's kitchen are irrevocable if you do."
"What? Why?" How harmful could limp noodles be?
"One word. Emmett."
"Say no more." I sighed and hung up the phone. So much for sharing my newfound knowledge of noodles. I got a mental picture of Emmett and Jacob in a spaghetti war inside Esme's kitchen. There would be noodles everywhere: ceiling, cabinets, windows, floor, etc. If only the dogs would just clean it up afterwards, like good dogs do, it might be okay. No doubt licking spilled food off the floor is beneath them though. Oh, well. Maybe we can teach them to play ball instead.
Before long, Charlie arrived home. He hung up his jacket and gun belt before strolling casually into the kitchen. He was always concerned that he might be 'interrupting something' when he would find me over here alone with Bella, mainly because if anything was going on between us, he didn't want to know about it. He still liked to think of her as his little girl.