Chapter 13

BPOV

I was all ready for bed, lounging under the covers and reading, waiting for my super-cool vampire boyfriend to waltz through my second story window. Maybe I should write a book about my life. No wait, that's already been done. Stephanie Meyer beat me to it. Hardly seems fair really. Though I've changed my future, so maybe I could still write it? After all, it isn't quite the same story anymore. All the same characters, but not the same lines. Eh, she'd probably sue me though. I can't believe she copyrighted my life, so now I can't write about it. I'll find a way. My story will be told, someday, some way, somehow. Wow. I like that last line. It sounds like it could be a song. I've got it! I grabbed my journal and feverishly started writing:

My boyfriend is really old.

His body is freezing cold.

His eyes are like molten gold.

My story shall soon be told.

Someday, some way, some how

I think I'm gonna start it now.

His body I want to hold.

My lust is making me bold.

I'm hoping he's gonna fold.

Baby, break out of your mold.

Someday, some way, some how

Wish you would start right now.

Stays every night in my bed

Wouldn't harm a hair on my head

I hate those vows that he said –

Won't do me 'til we're safely wed.

Someday, some way, some how

I need your loving right now.

Through the city my boyfriend sped,

Fighting his feelings of dread.

Saw me broken, dripping red,

And all the tears that I had shed.

He won't let the venom spread.

Wants to bite me himself instead,

Once he has properly fed,

So I don't end up really dead.

Someday, some way, some how

Please make me a vampire now.

Yeah! I love it. Now I just have to get Edward to make a tune for it, and we have the next number one hit! He wrote Bella's Lullaby. I think I'll call this Ode to Edward.

"You should make up your mind on the melody, my dear. You seem to keep changing it. In fact, I think maybe you even change genres. I think I heard everything from country to rap in your version of that song. By the way, I don't know if anyone ever thought to mention this, but I believe you may be tone deaf. In fact, I'm quite certain you couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but I still love you. Besides, all of that will change when you're a vampire."

"What exactly is it you're trying to say here, Edward? Are you implying that I shouldn't become a musician and songwriter? That I should give up my new lifelong goals, dreams, and aspirations?"

Edward looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Of course not, honey. I just want you to be happy, and you know you have no monetary worries, right? I promise I will always take care of you. You really don't need to work at all."

Let's see how deep he can dig his hole before I have mercy on him and help him out of it.

"Well, it's good to know I won't be a starving artist. Every good artist deserves a patron. I'll be sure to let everyone know you are the inspiration behind all my work."

He actually blanched. I had no idea he could get any whiter than he already was. "Perhaps you'd better wait until you're a vampire like me. Your hearing will improve and so will your voice. In fact, everything will be improved—your eyesight, your intelligence, your balance, your strength, your looks…"

"Oh, so what you're saying is that I'm a blind, deaf, stupid, clumsy, weak, ugly human?"

"No! You're definitely not ugly, my dear," he hastily proclaimed.

"But I am all the other things?"

He started to shake his head in panic. "Of course not, Bella! I didn't mean it like that!"

"So, what did you mean?"

He froze, desperately trying to figure out the right words to say so the whole thing wouldn't blow up in his face. I was snickering inside that I had him on the run, cowering in fear. The big, bad vampire afraid of the frail, little human. His phone buzzed. No fair! Alice was helping him out, just when I had him between a rock and a hard place. He surreptitiously slipped his phone out of his pocket, almost too fast for me to see, except that I was specifically watching for it. I saw him give a big sigh of relief. Darn it. I had intended to get some concessions out of the deal, but Alice had to go and ruin it for me. Darn psychic pixie.

"My sweet, darling Bella, what I mean is that I love you just the way you are. I will always love you, even if you never change a single thing about yourself. You are my life, my everything. Without you, my life has no meaning. So I will be there to support you no matter what you choose to do, because I am here for you. You are important to me, so anything that is important to you becomes important to me, if only to make you happy."

With that, my insides were a puddle of goo. He reached for me, and I gratefully melted into his embrace. It felt good to lean on him, both physically and emotionally. His strong arms, so gently encircling me in the safety of his embrace, reminded me I had never had a broad, capable set of shoulders to cry on before. It was such a relief to hand over some of the responsibility, some of the control to someone else. Scary, very scary, but a relief nonetheless. I was no longer alone. I was no longer 'in charge'. For the first time ever, I was free to just be me.

With a peaceful smile, I snuggled up against him, enjoying the contact with his beautifully sculpted body. We both lay down on the pillow, legs entwined together. I had intended to push his boundaries tonight, but, suddenly, I was just too tired. It had been a long day, and I had been emotionally tied up in knots, waiting to find out the results of Emily's surgery. Because Emily spent all her time around werewolves, there was no way for Alice to see her future. We were taking a big risk with this, and I was sincerely hoping it would work out, for everyone's sake. Thankfully, it had, or at least so far. Carlisle was happy with the way the surgery had gone, which was very good news. Emily was already happy with the results, even though she was going to have to heal all over again. I could almost feel her self-confidence increase as she met her reflection.

The sight of Emily's breathtaking smile as she gazed at herself in the mirror had made all the stressing worthwhile. As long as her wounds were kept free of infection, and she didn't do anything that might cause the stitches to tear, she should be almost good as new in a few weeks. She couldn't wait to show Sam. I was hoping her happiness would dictate his response.

I settled into Edward's chest and drifted off to the sound of him humming my lullaby.

BPOV

The first thought that popped into my head upon awakening was, 'I am going to a sleepover tonight at Edward's house. I'm spending the night in Edward's room tonight!'

I opened my eyes to see Edward's crooked smile inches from my lips. My tongue darted out nervously to moisten my own lips, and he groaned, reaching over to squeeze my hip gently. I parted my lips and closed the distance between us, eager to feel his cold marble mouth meet mine. He exhaled softly, blowing his scent directly into my face. I inhaled deeply, my brain buzzing with a natural high, stimulated by his particular aroma. I ran my tongue over his bottom lip, tasting him, and moaned. He tasted sweeter than honey, and I couldn't get enough. Hesitantly, he allowed his own tongue to slip between his lips, tasting my mouth and my tongue. Our tongues danced together, learning one another's contours, teasing, lightly touching, like a sensuous ballet. I threw my leg over his and pressed my body to his, clutching him, pulling him closer to me. One of my hands was entwined in his silky soft hair, the other was rubbing his back, urging him continually closer with a light, but consistent pressure.

Edward rolled on top of me, pushing my body into the mattress. I could feel every hard inch of his body pressing into mine. We both moaned at the full body contact, even though we were both dressed. The pressure alone was enough to increase my arousal but, when combined with his smell and taste, it sent me over the edge into a frenzy of eager passion. His hips bucked, and I moaned again into his mouth, sliding my hand from his back further down. I whimpered when he pulled away, both of us gasping for breath. He flung himself onto his back on the far side of the bed, his arm folded over his eyes. I rolled toward him, but he jumped up before I could reach him. I stared at him in lustful confusion.

"Edward? Did I do something wrong?" I watched him, searching for answers, but his back was to me, hiding his facial expression. He shuddered and clenched his fists, obviously fighting for control.

"No, Bella, don't be silly. It was absolutely wonderful," he commented, still refusing to face me.

"Well, if it was so wonderful, why won't you even look at me now?" I was feeling bitter and rejected. I knew he had his boundaries and had agreed to work at this with him. If we were moving too quickly, he simply needed to tell me, not start sulking and pout. "Remember, Edward: Communication is one of the biggest factors in a successful relationship. Whatever is bothering you, I need for you to tell me. Frankly, I feel rejected and hurt by your current attitude and position."

He turned to look at me with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, are we discussing favourite positions now? I hadn't realized we had progressed to quite that point yet."

"Edward! Don't try to weasel your way out of this one. Now tell me what is bothering you."

He moved closer to me, his voice turning husky. "But I haven't told you all about my favourite positions yet." I felt my eyes widen as his words sank into my fevered brain.

"Bella!" Charlie yelled from downstairs. "You're going to be late for school if you don't drag yourself out of bed right now, young lady!"

I groaned, throwing back my covers and moving to the edge of the bed.

"Now you know what was bothering me," Edward whispered directly into my ear. "I heard him muttering dire imprecations. He was actually thinking of coming up here with a glass full of ice water to help you awaken. I didn't think it would be good for his mental or cardiac health to find us in that position on your bed."

"Thanks," I muttered unhappily. I brightened with a sudden thought. "We'll just have to start over again tonight!" He grinned wickedly at me.

"Assuming I can get you out of Alice's clutches long enough. She has everything planned out, down to the minute, and the list is quite long, I assure you. I think she did a Google search on how to throw a successful slumber party and tried to include every single suggestion."

I looked at him in horror. That sounded exactly like something Alice would do. She was quite the party animal. At least I wasn't the only one she had her claws in this time. I would work something out with the other girls to distract her long enough for me to get my Edward time. As far as I was concerned, my Edward time was as necessary to me as breathing. Alice would just have to learn to deal with it.

I rushed through my morning routine, shaving off corners whenever possible. I grabbed a banana and a Pop Tart on my way out the door. I didn't have time for cereal at the moment, so this would have to do. I raced over to the Vanquish, managing to trip just before I reached the passenger side. My knight in sparkling armour dashed to the rescue of the clumsy damsel in distress, saving me from certain injury. I gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek, nuzzling against him like a cat.

"Thank you, Sir Edward," I trilled, trying to imitate my idea of a royal princess. I wished I had a handkerchief I could give him as a favour. He smirked and pulled off an elegant courtly bow.

"My pleasure, Lady Swan," he murmured, raising my hand to his mouth.

"Where did you learn to bow like that?" I giggled. He grinned.

"Ask Carlisle about the time he spent at court in England many years ago. You should see his bowing skills. He's the one who taught me, but alas, he didn't teach me everything he knows yet."

I couldn't wait to ask Carlisle about his experiences. Did he meet the Queen? Or maybe the Prince Regent? Did he wear knee breeches and hose? Did he still have any of the fancy clothes he wore centuries ago? Had he taught Esme any of the dances? Did he remember when the waltz was still considered scandalous? Now it was considered ultra-tame, though I suppose the matrons of society were right to be concerned it may lead the way for future generations to become even more touchy feely while dancing. They would likely all have heart attacks if they saw the behavior of kids even at middle school dances these days, much less the high school ones.

I wondered what Carlisle really thought about modern society. Has the progression been gradual enough for him to adjust naturally, or was he merely playing a part while internally squirming. I thought about how fashions had changed over the past three hundred years. Someone from his era would likely think all the girls at our high school were little more than prostitutes with the amount of bare skin exposed. If vampires didn't change without some major life event, like finding one's mate, how was Carlisle coping? What did he think about women's lib and social equality, about women voting and the downfall of slavery? What ran through his mind when working with female doctors and single mothers? All of these things would have been unheard of in his time period. How had he coped with all the changes around him?

Maybe I could work in a discussion with Carlisle tonight too. Man, I needed to be a vampire. How on earth was I supposed to accomplish all the things I wanted to do in a day if I had to waste all those hours sleeping? It was so unfair really. It reminded me of a saying I heard once. 'God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things, and right now I am so far behind I may never die.' I needed eternity, just to get my stuff done, and if I felt that way now as a mere high school student, how would I survive once I became a wife and mother? Renée was always telling me a mother's work is never done, not that she was the one doing the work, but even so, I understood the sentiment. There simply weren't enough hours in a day, unless you happened to be a vampire. Then all of life was a single day. One long continuous Monday. How depressing is that thought—a never ending Monday?

I saw Alice waiting for us on the sidewalk at the high school. She shouted to us as soon as we came within hearing range. I could tell she would be bouncing off the walls today. I began contemplating ways to focus her energy before she became nuclear. She practically ripped the car off its hinges in an effort to get to me.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," she sang excitedly. "Tonight's the night. I've got so much planned! We're going to have so much fun!"

I started desperately racking my brains. How could I distract her?

"That sound's great, Alice," I responded, less enthusiastically. "Hey, I heard you made up a schedule of events. Did you make a copy for each of us?"

She appeared confused. "No, should I have?"

"Well, I would like to have one, and I'm sure the others would too. You know I'm not big on surprises." She nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay, bye! I'd better get to class so I can get started on the schedules." With a brief wave of her hand, she bounced down the hallway, slightly more under control than she was before.

By lunch time, my little pixie had fully lost it. I was ready to call the men in white coats to bring the straitjackets and arrange for the padded cell. Then I mentally kicked myself for even joking about it in my head. Poor Alice was abandoned in an asylum for real, so I knew I could never afford to make snide comments about her sanity or lack thereof without risking hurting her feelings. Fine. The men in white coats can come for me instead then, with their tranquilizer darts and padded handcuffs. Who knows? I might even enjoy it. I'd finally have time to work on my writing. I'd be safe from psychotic nomadic vampires, and I'd have a hard time hurting myself with all the padding around. Okay, so now

I was the one losing it instead.

The reason I was having this completely pointless internal dialogue about insanity was because the moment I stepped into the cafeteria, Alice shouted my name as if she hadn't seen me in a hundred years. She ran up to me just slightly faster than she should have and began dancing around me in a little circle, bouncing and wriggling like an excited puppy. I expected to see a tail wagging, for heaven's sake. In fact, she was reminding me a bit of a cross between (A) Mike Newton refusing to keep a respectable personal distance from me, expecting excitement where none was forthcoming and (B) Jacob Black feeling frisky in his wolf form, trying to provoke Emmett into a wrestling match just for the hell of it.

Alice grabbed my hands and began forcing me to dance around in a circle with her as if we were playing 'Ring around the Rosy'. I tried to protest, but she is so much stronger than I am that it did no good at all. I felt so stupid behaving like little kids in the middle of the cafeteria in front of the entire student population. Angela chose that minute to enter the lunch room, and I desperately called out to her, hoping the diversion would be enough to help Alice develop some self-control. Unfortunately, my plan backfired, and Alice simply grabbed her and added her to our little dancing circle. I saw Jasper start smirking, just before Emmett grabbed Ben and Edward and started dancing in a circle with them. Rose tried to stop Emmett, but he simply pulled her into the center of their circle. The three of them danced around her while Emmett belted out 'Ring around the Rosy' at the top of his lungs. Rose knew the real culprit, and as soon as Emmett pulled Edward and Ben to the floor on the last line, she pounced on Jasper, tackling him to the ground.

In the chaos, Jasper sent Alice's own excitement back to her, doubling it, and then fed the higher level of excitement to our entire group. Before Angela, Ben, and I even knew what was happening, all eight of us were in a circle doing the Hokey Pokey. I couldn't believe I was making a fool of myself like this in front of the entire student body, but my special chosen family was having such a good time that I refused to let it bother me.

"That's your left foot, Emmett! You're supposed to put in your right!" Rosalie shrieked. Emmett gave her a goofy grin.

"Strip Hokey Pokey!" Emmett yelled, tearing off his shirt and tossing it into the center of the circle. All the girls in the cafeteria immediately began applauding and whistling. They were standing on tables to get a good look and pushing the human boys around them out of the way. We heard numerous catcalls, suggesting Emmett take off everything. The principal was fighting his way through the crowd with Ms. Cope right behind him. Rosalie was busy draping herself over Emmett and glaring at all the human girls who dared to stare at his naked torso.

Edward was frozen in place, staring at the scene in shock and horror, muttering, "We're supposed to blend in, be inconspicuous, inconspicuous!"

Alice was staring at the mayhem with wide eyes, whispering, "I totally didn't see this!"

Jasper's military background allowed him to formulate a strategy in the face of impending disaster. He swooped in and grabbed Emmett's shirt at vampire speed, helping him put it on faster than the human eye could track. Since he hadn't moved from his spot, it appeared to the human audience that one second he was topless and the next second he was fully clothed again, like the shirt simply appeared on his body out of thin air, causing them to question whether or not it had ever been off in the first place. In the next second, Jasper had made his way halfway across the room and projected his voice to announce, "Free condoms in the nurse's station to the first fifty students. No questions asked."

At that point, a riot ensued, with all the girls converging on Emmett and all the boys fighting and shoving to get to the office. The principal and Ms. Cope were caught in the middle. In the midst of the chaos, the Cullens, including Angie, Ben, and me were all safely whisked away outside, away from the avenging fury of the principal, intent on making somebody pay for disturbing the peace.

"Jasper, what the heck were you thinking?" I demanded, turning on him. "I ought to string you up by your toenails for that little stunt!" I had my hands on my hips and was raising my voice, while glaring menacingly. He tried to look sheepish, but couldn't help chuckling at me. I raised my eyebrow, daring him to continue being amused while I verbally put him through the wringer.

"I'm sorry, sis, but you look like a cute little kitten, hissing and spitting and fluffing up your fur, pretending your tiny little claws could actually do some damage. You just look so adorable, it's hard to keep a straight face, when all I really want to do is take pictures and tickle you under your chin," Jasper admitted. My jaw dropped. Stupid super-strong vampire big brother. I heard snickers from our siblings. Even Alice and Edward couldn't hide their smiles. I growled. They started laughing. I roared, curling my fingers into claws. They laughed harder. Emmett patted me gently on the head. I snapped at his hand. They hit the ground, shaking with laughter. I rolled my eyes at Angela and Ben, who were watching the scene in utter confusion, bemused smiles plastered in place.

"Losers," I muttered, stomping away. Edward quickly jumped up and ran after me. He pulled me into his arms. I let him, but I refused to relax against him. I stayed stiff and unyielding, radiating displeasure. Humph. It would serve them right if I decided not to attend the slumber party tonight. I was sure Mike would be willing to take me out on a date. I heard both Alice and Edward gasp simultaneously as they saw the vision of my decision. Edward clutched me tightly, mumbling about never letting go. Alice jumped up and wailed, "Noooo!"

She raced over to me and fell to her knees in front of me, clasping her hands together in full begging fashion. "Please, Bella! You have to come! You're my best friend! Please, please, please!"

I pretended to deliberate, just to get a small measure of revenge. Rosalie smirked at me, knowing exactly what I was doing. "C'mon, there's no way you're going to leave me to the mercy of Wolfgirl and the wolfettes, considering it was your idea to invite them over in the first place. Thanks to you and your bright ideas, Emmett and I have invested our life savings in the air freshener industry."

I chuckled. I couldn't help it. That was funny. "Okay, Rose, you've been a great sport, so I will be too,"

I conceded graciously.

"Yippee!" Alice cried, jumping gracefully to her feet. "We are going to have the Best Slumber Party Ever!"

"Slumber party?" Jessica asked. She had crept over when I wasn't looking. "Who's having a slumber party?" I looked at her skeptically. Did she really think we would answer her?

"Alice is," Angela replied. Poor girl is too nice for her own good. Rosalie snorted. I could tell she was thinking along the same lines. "Bella and I, plus a few girls from La Push are spending the night at the Cullens' house. We're going to do all kinds of fun stuff, including torturing the boys." She clapped her hand over her mouth, though her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oops. I wasn't supposed to mention that part. Sorry, Rose."

Rose smirked. "That's okay. Even if they have advanced notice now, they can run, but they can't hide."

Emmett and Jasper bumped fists. "Bring it on, Baby, we can take it," Emmett challenged.

Rose raised an eyebrow and then smiled evilly. "Good, then you won't mind modeling the new swimsuits Alice bought for you guys? I always did think you looked good in a Speedo."

Jessica choked, gasping for breath, while raking her eyes up and down the three Cullen boys. Edward and Jasper were both wincing, so I was certain her lust was out of control with her inappropriate fantasizing. Emmett only made it worse by interlacing his fingers behind his head and performing a hula dance. There was something about the way he smoothly and sensuously rotated his hips that made even my stomach tighten. I tore my gaze away and focused on Edward, picturing him moving that way while holding me close. Edward caught me staring at him with lust filled eyes and smirked.

"Do you know how to dance like that?" I whispered in Edward's ear. Rosalie gave me a knowing glance. Edward actually leered at me.

"I'll show you later, hmm," he whispered back. I felt my heart rate increase rapidly, and he chuckled, his chest rumbling against my back.

Jessica's and Lauren's eyes were glazed over, and they were panting heavily. Their own hips were rotating, though it looked jerky and uncoordinated when they did it. Rosalie smacked Emmett on the arm, and he stopped dancing, flashing her a boyish grin.

"I'll save the rest of the dance for when I'm wearing my new swimsuit, gorgeous," he teased Rose. She simply smiled back and raised both eyebrows.

"I'll look forward to it, monkey man," she purred. He gulped and pulled her closer.

Jessica grabbed Alice's arm. "Please!" Jessica gasped desperately. "Please, I've got to come to your party tonight!" Lauren nodded, grabbing Alice's other arm.

Alice gave them a scathing look. "Do you really think I'd let you within ten yards of any of my brothers? Sorry, but no sluts allowed." She ripped her arms out of their grasps, turning her back on them both. They stared after her in shock and anger.

Just then the principal strode outside and marched over to our group. He scowled at all of us.

"He's looking for a scapegoat," Edward whispered.

"So, we'll have to give him one," Jasper whispered back.

Jasper strode toward the principal. "Sir, I'd like to register a complaint, bordering on sexual harassment."

The principal gave him a stern look. "What seems to be the problem, Mr. Hale?"

"Jessica and Lauren have been making me and my brothers uncomfortable. They've been making sexual suggestions and lusting after us heavily, despite the fact that we have given them absolutely no encouragement. In fact, we have actively discouraged them from chasing after us, but they continually insist upon thrusting their unwanted company on us. Just now, they begged to be allowed to sleep with us tonight. This type of vulgar behaviour disgusts me."

The principal looked from Jasper, who had never given him any trouble at all and was one of his best students, to Jessica and Lauren, whom he had personally witnessed engaging in slutty behavior. He was still suspicious though. He had heard something about Emmett and strip Hokey Pokey from some of the other students. He looked back at the Cullen children, along with Angela, Ben, and me—all good students and well behaved teenagers. As he looked at us, he felt his trust and goodwill increase. He looked back at Jessica and Lauren and felt his distrust, disgust, and distaste strengthen. He had never felt such negative emotions so strongly toward any of his students before. He looked back at our group again and we seemed to glow with innocence and purity.

Rosalie chose that moment to step forward, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Sir, those awful girls kept chanting for my Emmett to play strip Hokey Pokey. Who ever heard of such a thing? When he refused, rather loudly, they tried to tear his shirt off of him! We barely escaped with our dignities intact. I'm tired of these brazen hussies propositioning my future husband!" She pouted delightfully for the principal, playing the virtuous damsel in distress to the hilt. I was busy taking notes. I couldn't wait until I was a vampire and could dazzle everyone to get my way. Of course, the principal didn't stand a chance against the full brunt of Rosalie's charm. He was caught—hook, line and sinker.

"Miss Stanley, Miss Mallory, you have detention for a week for disturbing the peace. In addition, I expect a 10,000 word essay from each of you on the virtue of chastity," he ordered sternly. "The rest of you need to get to class before the bell rings."

"Yes, sir!" we answered, like good little children. Jessica and Lauren glared hatefully after us as we strolled casually away.

"We are going to get them if it's the last thing we do," Jessica muttered through clenched teeth.

"It appears we'll have plenty of time after school to plot our revenge," Lauren grumbled angrily. My siblings chuckled, completely unconcerned.

Angela had watched the entire exchange between the principal and the Hales with awed admiration. She was currently feeling ten feet tall and invincible, very thankful she had chosen her friends so wisely.

MikePOV

I couldn't help but overhear Alice, Bella, Rose, and Angela talking about a slumber party. I could feel the drool dripping down my chin as I pictured the four of them in skimpy baby doll pajamas having a pillow fight. Maybe they would play truth or dare. I had observed a slumber party that Jessica had hosted for her birthday two years ago, and it had been quite enlightening. The girls had shared a number of embarrassing secrets for the truth portions and had shocked my socks off with the dares. They had been very curious and had explored different options, from showing each other their private areas to even playing spin the bottle with each other. I still had fantasies from some of the things I saw at that party. It was one of the best nights of my young life.

Of course, they did boring stuff too, like playing with makeup and opening presents. They attempted to hold a séance and fooled with a Ouija board for a while. Then they took turns trying to hypnotize one another. I was pretty sure the ones who got hypnotized were faking, but I wasn't completely sure. There was one girl, Moira, who was teased mercilessly after the party for acting like a dog while under the 'hypnosis'. She moved away soon after. I wondered briefly if the teasing was related to the reason her family moved, or if it was just a coincidence.

One of the most fascinating parts of observing the party had been discovering that girls thought about sex almost as much as boys do. I never would have believed it if I hadn't heard it for myself. I learned what they wanted most, what they liked least, and what most frightened them. I learned about female expectations for how much intimacy was appropriate for first, second, and third dates. I learned some of the ways girls communicate their interest and about the concept of 'playing hard to get'.

I knew that was what Bella was doing now. I've seen the way she smiles at me sometimes. She was just trying to make me jealous with Cullen. I understood. She didn't want to seem easily attainable. Well, I could wait. I would show her I was worthy of her time and attention. I would always be here waiting for her, and soon she would throw herself into my arms where she truly wants to be. I know she is with Cullen because of the image she is trying to maintain, and because of family obligations, but when she is ready, she will ride off into the sunset with none other than yours truly.

I had every intention of crashing this slumber party. I had driven down the Cullens' driveway one day while they were out of town on one of their camping trips. Their mansion had so many windows. Once it got dark, the lights would be on in the living room, where the girls would likely congregate, and they would be highly visible from a distance. I knew I could borrow some top quality binoculars from the store and get as up close and personal as I wanted without being anywhere near the actual house. I just needed a few more details.

I managed to corner Ben Chaney before he caught up to Angela at the end of the day.

"Hey, Ben, would you like to hang out tonight?"

Ben looked at me in surprise. He wasn't usually part of my social circle, as I was a cool athlete and he was a geeky nerd, but I was willing to take the risk of being seen with him in order to get the inside information I needed to put my stalkerish Peeping Tom plan into action.

"Um, actually, Mike, I already have plans. Angela is going to be at a slumber party at the Cullens' house, and I'm going with her."

I stared at him in shock. What? He was going with her? It was a co-ed slumber party? No way!

"A co-ed slumber party?" I squeaked, my voice cracking like it hasn't since I made it through puberty.

Ben blushed. "Well, not really, but half the guys live there too, and they felt if they were being kicked out of their own house for a girls only party, they would have a guy's party the same night. So all the guys are going to be camping out in the backyard with tents and a bonfire and the whole male bonding thing. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Wow, that really sounds like fun," I mentioned enviously. "But why just the backyard? Why not go someplace cooler? I mean, the Cullens have lots of experience camping."

"Oh, yeah, well, the guys are really protective, you know," he stuttered a bit, as if he wasn't sure what to say. "It seems kind of weird to describe it, but it feels perfectly normal when you're living it. The Cullen males don't like to leave their females unattended. The La Push guys seem to be just as protective of their girls as well. It's a little old fashioned by modern societal standards, but it feels good to just be a man and protect your woman and provide for her and stuff. I know we're supposed to be sensitive and all, but that doesn't mean we can't be real men too. Jasper is more in tune with other people's emotions than anyone I've ever met, yet he is a real hardass through and through. He may seem quiet and shy, but there's something about him that just screams 'dangerous'. I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, and I sure as heck wouldn't want to get on his bad side. When he feels like somebody in his family is being threatened, his entire demeanor changes. I've only seen it once or twice, but it's enough to give you nightmares. When he gets mad or protective, he looks like the Angel of Death himself, come to wreak havoc on mortal men. I've seen that same look on Emmett and Edward. I would never stand against these guys, and I am extremely thankful they consider me a friend. There's something menacing about the La Push guys too. Most of the time they seem like laidback, happy-go-lucky teenagers just like the rest of us. Occasionally though, the hairs on the back of my neck will stand on end, and I'll see something in their eyes that makes me want to hide under my covers. It's freaking scary, but I wouldn't trade any of them for anything. I love my relationship with all of them. It's like one big, happy family. Like we're all part of one big pack. I can't really explain it."

Hmm. Okay. Well, wasn't really expecting all this information. Not really sure what to do with it all. Maybe he just felt the need to vent. Yeah, in one ear and out the other, that's what I always say. So, still gleaned some important info. Slumber party is definitely tonight, but don't get too close to the house or I might get spotted by one of the overprotective, obsessive, chauvinistic Cullen or La Push males. Got it. Gotta go, got plans to make.

"Okay, well, have fun, Ben. Guess I'll go run by the store and see if my parents need any help."

"Sure, Mike. Have a good weekend." He shrugged and hurried out of the school to find Angela. Oh, I plan to have a good weekend. A very good weekend indeed.

BPOV

The four of us girls piled into Rosalie's convertible. We dropped Angela at her house to pack a bag and raced the boys back to the house. Ben and Angela would be joining us later. I went inside to check on Emily, while the other three began to get set up for the party. I expected to find her in the guest room, but was amazed to see her comfortably ensconced on the living room sofa talking to Esme. I didn't want to interrupt, so I just watched the two of them interact for a few minutes. It struck me then how much Emily and Esme had in common. Emily was the 'mother' of the wolf pack in the future Meyer had seen, just as Esme was the mother of the vampire coven. If the two of them combined forces, I knew the coven and the pack would become a true family, simply through the powerful love of those two women.

They both turned to smile at me and ask about my day. The nurturing instinct was so strong in both of them, it would be immediately obvious even to a perfect stranger.

I chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you two were twins."

They looked at me in surprised bewilderment, then exchanged glances, each to see if the other understood, then realized both were utterly clueless, so their gazes returned to me, hoping for an explanation.

I grinned. Even their expressions were identical. "You may not look alike on the surface, but I'd swear your souls were cut from the same cloth."

I watched as my words sank into their hearts and minds, then blossomed and grew. The smiled at me and then one another, each recognizing the other as a kindred spirit.

"Yes," Esme agreed. "I see what you mean. Indeed, my soul does seem to recognize yours on some level, Emily."

Emily nodded. "I feel it too, Esme. As if I know you and have always known you. As if I love you and have always loved you."

They shared an understanding smile. I took advantage of Emily's distraction to study her face. She already looked better to me than she had before. Carlisle had managed some actual tissue repair, in addition to the scar reduction. Her face didn't sag the way it had before. The lines of the claw marks were reduced as thin as mere threads, instead of the deep gashes that had remained before. Even though the lines were harshly pink, depicting their freshness, they already seemed so much more subtle than the scars that had been left behind before. She was even able to operate her eyelid completely normally once again. I was so pleased with the results, and knew she must be also. I left the two of them exchanging recipes and determining what to fix for dinner for all the guests tonight, and ran to the SUV to pick up the rest of our gang.

By the time I got back with Jacob, Embry, Quil, Seth, Jared and Kim, the house was fully decorated and ready to go. Leah was staying at the Cullens' house all weekend to help Emily. She wasn't worried about Emily's safety from the family, but she knew she couldn't afford for Sam to see her on the reservation without Emily and start looking for her. He would totally freak out and probably think the Cullens had kidnapped Emily and brainwashed her if he found out she was here. He would never believe she came here of her own free will.

"Okay, I'm here now. You can start the party. I know you were waiting for me," Jacob announced as he strutted into the house.

"Ugh, who let the dogs in? Who? Who?" Rosalie yelled down the stairs from her bedroom.

"Aww, Blondie, you know you missed me," Jacob taunted. "I bet you would have won that swimming competition too, if you had realized you should use your arms to do the breaststroke. Badumpum."

"Yeah, well, you probably chase your tail thinking it will help make ends meet," Rosalie returned sarcastically.

Embry chuckled and bumped fists with Emmett. "Gotta love those two, eh? Blonde jokes vs. dog jokes. Who do you think will win?"

"Who knows? They've got all of eternity to work on it, right? I'm just along for the ride," Emmett shrugged, his attention distracted by his current video game.

"Yeah, well good thing they've got eternity to work on the delivery, because neither one is set to make a career out of comedy. They'd both get kicked out of the club. I say we give them about ten years to work on their timing and delivery, and then make them do the amateur comedy night at one of the clubs in Seattle. We'll let the audience determine the winner," Quil suggested.

"You're on!" Emmett accepted.

I thought it was rather pitiful that the two of them thought they could so easily speak for Rose and Jacob. They were clearly deluding themselves. But hey, ten years is a long time, so who knows. Maybe by then they'll have talked them into it. Or not. Either way could be entertaining for the rest of us, so I let it go without a word.

Alice came down the stairs with a determined look on her face. "Okay, all males, regardless of species need to get out of the house for the rest of the night. If you feel the urge to relieve yourselves at any time, just use the woods like the animals you truly are."

All the male wolves started barking and howling. Quil and Seth did their best to join in, though their human barks and howls weren't anywhere near as intimidating or as believable as the rest of theirs. The male vampires just laughed, knowing they would have no need to 'relieve' themselves.

"Hey, why are you starting this party so early, Alice? I'm not finished with my game yet," Emmett whined. Alice rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Take the TV outside with you, Emmett. You can use the external electrical outlets," she recommended. Emmett's face lit with joy.

"Awesome idea, Alice! I knew there was some reason we kept you around."

"Thanks, Emmett. I love you too," she grumbled sardonically. "By the way, Ben and Angela will be arriving shortly, in about ten minutes, so if you guys want to use your enhanced speed and strength to set up camp, you'd better get cracking."

"Darlin', I love it when you use that Southern slang," Jasper drawled, patting her on the rear on his way out the door and flashing her a sexy smile. She pouted until he came back and gave her a proper goodbye kiss.

"Get a room!" Emmett shouted as he effortlessly carried the 60" flat panel TV out onto the deck with one hand, the Xbox carefully balanced in the other. "Enough with the tonsil hockey already." Their audience laughed.

"Maybe we should have you compete on amateur night along with Rose and Jake," Quil suggested.

"I'd beat them hands down," Emmett scoffed.

"No doubt," Quil agreed. "I certainly appreciate your humour better than either of theirs, but then again, I'm a simple guy with simple pleasures in life."

Embry snorted. "Yeah, that'll be the day."

All the boys started setting up camp, roughhousing and trash talking. Some of the boys worked on the tents, while others set up the bonfire. We girls watched them and chatted while we waited for our last member to arrive. The boys' antics were more entertaining than a movie would have been. Emmett kept trying to provoke Jacob into a wrestling match, while Jacob released his aggression by subtly sabotaging all of Emmett's work. We gals could see Jacob had rigged it for Emmett's tent to collapse on him the first time he entered, but we chose not to warn him. He deserved it after all his teasing.

Rose finally decided to intervene before Emmett did anything really stupid. "Are you sure it's wise to be provoking the werewolves while you're helping them build a bonfire, Emmett?" she shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. "You don't think that seems a touch suicidal? Are you sure it's wise for vampires and werewolves to be in such close proximity to one another with a roaring fire hissing words of temptation only a few feet away?" The wolves started laughing.

"She's got you there, leech. Hope you don't accidentally trip and fall into the flames, dude," Quil quipped.

"Nah," Emmett countered, throwing his arm around Jacob's shoulders. They were the same height now. "Jacob's my brother. He may try to beat the daylights out of me, but he'd never hurt me for real." He ruffled Jacob's hair as Jacob squirmed and tried to break away. Jacob snapped at Emmett's shoulder, pretending he was going to bite off Emmett's arm. Emmett stepped back, throwing up his arms in front of his chest, palms facing out. "Whoa, boy, down boy. Down boy. Good boy. Who's a good boy?" Emmett cooed at Jacob with a silly grin. Jacob lunged for him, but he dodged to the side. He took off running, with Jacob in hot pursuit.

Esme shook her head in maternal exasperation. "Well, they certainly act like brothers."

I saw the heads of all the supernatural creatures swivel toward the driveway, and nearly a minute later, I heard a car coming our way. Angela and Ben had arrived. Luckily, the camp was already set up and ready. It's amazing what a large group of mythical beings can accomplish in only a few minutes time.

"Okay, everyone, remember to act human," I reminded my whole family, wolves and vampires alike. I heard a mixed response, from chuckles, to silence, to offended muttering. "Well, you're used to this being a sanctuary where you can relax your restrictions and be free to be yourselves as you truly are. Unfortunately, you all need to bind yourselves up in the shackles of human limitations, at least until Angela and Ben are asleep. Then, anything goes. Well, anything Esme approves of anyway." There was a collective groan at my last statement, and Esme smiled indulgently.

Ben and Angela parked and got out, carrying their bags with them. Ben joined the guys outside, immediately gravitating toward the Xbox Emmett had set up on the deck. Quil, Embry, and Jared came to join him. Jasper decided to go find Emmett and Jacob to warn them of the new arrivals.

Rose and Alice each grabbed one of Angela's hands and dragged her upstairs to Alice's room. Yay! It's Angela Barbie time, instead of Bella Barbie time. I hoped Angela was enjoying herself. I couldn't help feeling relieved she took my place in that dreaded chair, though an hour's long Alice makeover is a torture I wouldn't wish on anyone. Well, anyone I liked.

I thought longingly of tricking Jessica and Lauren into allowing Alice to give them makeovers, only the end results wouldn't be the breathtakingly beautiful status Alice usually achieved. No, Alice would help them change their looks. They'd end up looking like punk rocker clowns. Or maybe emo Goth clowns, with little fake tears of despair carefully painted on their cheeks. I heard Alice laughing upstairs. "Love it, Bella! I'm definitely in, if you can persuade them somehow." I grinned.

"What is it?" Esme asked me with a gentle smile. I ducked my head with guilt, not meeting her eyes.

"Um, I was just picturing getting some nonviolent vengeance on a couple of girls at school," I muttered. "I know it's not right."

She patted my knee. "Let's go and fix dinner now sweetie. I know everyone will be getting hungry now."

I jumped up, eager to please. I called up to Leah and Kim, to see if they wanted to join us, but they were busy talking wolf stuff with Emily, so Esme and I got to have a little mother/daughter bonding time. We chatted happily, while working side by side in the luxurious kitchen. I always enjoyed cooking here, as Esme had ordered the best of everything when she originally redecorated the kitchen, even though she never expected to use it. Once I had started coming over, she had gotten the rest of the small appliances, tools, and utensils needed to make the kitchen truly useful.

After I had relaxed and was enjoying our happy, loving atmosphere, Esme cleared her throat meaningfully. "So tell me about your nonviolent vengeance."

I blushed and watched Esme out of the corner of my eye. She had a slight smile on her face as she pretended to be fully engaged in the task at hand. I sighed. She wasn't going to let this go, so I might as well get it over with and endure my resultant lecture in good faith. I admitted my idea about the multi-hour makeovers with hideous results. Essentially, the makeover from hell. A fate worse than death, in my humble opinion. Esme giggled at my descriptions of the girls. I looked at her in surprise, finally daring to meet her gaze for the first time since the conversation began.

"I know it isn't right, dear, but those girls just get on my nerves. I confess that the idea of the looks on their faces when they saw themselves in the mirror for the first time after hours of primping, pruning, and 'improving', appeals to my darker side. It would definitely be a Kodak moment. Something like that would deserve to be captured on film for the good of future generations."

I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing at the thought of dear, sweet Esme poised in the corner of the room with a camera, waiting for the right moment to forever record the image of Lauren's and Jessica's humiliation for the good of posterity. Absolutely hilarious. Esme and I shared the laugh together, bringing us even closer, and helping me feel better.

Wow. Esme had dealt with Rosalie and Emmett on a full-time basis for the past seventy years, while still demonstrating love, patience, acceptance, and forgiveness. How irritating did two people have to be to actually annoy Esme to the point she would entertain the idea of vengeance? Those two must hold a record or something. World's Most Irritating Individuals. Maybe they should be in the Guinness Book of World Records, if only I could prove it without endangering my family. Ah, well. I guess some things are better left unknown.

Esme and I served dinner to the humans and werewolves, both male and female. Despite the fact we made enough to feed an army, there weren't any leftovers. I figured we must be feeding an army now. An army of very hungry werewolves. Good thing the Cullens were so rich. Otherwise, the wolves would likely eat them out of house and home. I was glad the Cullens' were bankrolling the wolves, because none of them had the resources to purchase disposable clothes and mountains of food.

"At least all the groceries I buy aren't going to waste," Esme commented to me, once we were alone again in the kitchen. "Not that they were going to waste when we donated them to the food pantry in Seattle, but now I actually get to use them for the benefit of people we know! Besides, I love cooking as much as redecorating, but never had much use for it before. Now, I get to indulge myself in another of my favourite hobbies, and it's nowhere near as expensive as renovating houses is." She giggled. It warmed my heart to see her so carefree and joyful.

I grabbed a plate of food for myself, and we went to join the other young ladies. Angela was looking stunning, just as I expected she would. I was quick to compliment her, and she blushed just as badly as I usually did. It was cute to see, and I got a glimpse as to why my family liked to provoke that reaction in me so often.

Leah had three heaping plates of food spread out in front of her and was gradually demolishing them. Angela stared at her somewhat enviously. "How can you eat like that and stay so thin?" she wondered.

Leah gave her a wink and answered, "Good genes and lots of exercise." I snorted and promptly choked on the food in my mouth. Thank heavens I wasn't trying to drink at the time. I would have definitely had coke spraying out of my nose. See, luck is all a matter of perspective. I chose to focus on the positive aspect. If I tripped on the sidewalk and fell, a bystander would probably consider that bad luck. I, on the other hand, would be thinking about how lucky I was I didn't fall into the street and get run over by a car. No matter how bad things in life were, they could always get worse, so I tried to be thankful for all the small favours life granted me, rather than concentrate on all the bad stuff.