Name: MIRAGE

Author: Sdfreeze

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

This story was last published on 6/18/10.

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Chapter: 7

Charlie

We woke up early and packed up the two vehicles and headed down the foggy mountain roads. I was exhausted from fretting all night and couldn't believe how calm everyone acted. Jasper received word the Denali's had been told Charlie was being taken to the Cherokee Mountains to join me at a safe house.

Jasper was following behind us and called Emmett on his cell phone to see if we wanted to pull over for lunch or drive thru. Everyone laughed, knowing full well Edward wouldn't eat in the car. "Were you always such a germ freak or did some trauma bring it on?" I asked him seriously.

"This has nothing to do with germs," he said incredulously. "I just have manners."

Rose looked at me in the back seat and said, "He once broke up with a girl because she shared chapstick with someone."

I laughed and said, "He let me eat M&M's in his car once."

Her mouth fell open and she turned more to look at Edward, "Ah, you are so in love, I'm proud of you, Edward."

"It took her thirty seven minutes to eat them," he mumbled.

"You timed me?" I screamed with laughter.

"Longest half hour of my life," he said shaking his head.

"Are your parents like this?" I asked him.

He shook his head in disgust, "My dad kisses ass all the time, and doesn't seem to mind."

"So what would be worse," Emmett asked, "swimming in vomit, or having sex on a public restroom floor?"

"I vote for the swimming," I said.

"You guys are making me sick," Edward said looking away.

"I know," I laughed, "Would you rather kiss a girl with a cold sore or find a used condom in your bed?"

"Stop it right now," he yelled.

"Or better yet," Rose added, "You get oral sex from a girl and then find out she has a cold sore."

"Pull over," Edward yelled.

Emmett pulled to the side of the road laughing so hard he couldn't see to drive. Jasper pulled in behind us and Edward got out of the car and slammed the door. I fell to my side in hysterics and lay on the seat to spread out. We continued on and I felt guilty for teasing him so badly.

We got to our destination by early evening and checked into a hotel using fake names and paying with cash. Edward headed to the pool and I saw him take a chlorine tester out of his bag first. I vowed to never tease him again.

I went to the pool and sat with my feet on the step as I watched him swim. I felt melancholy and wanted to enjoy every second of our time together. He finished his laps and swam over to me.

"I'm sorry," I said honestly. "I won't tease you anymore. I'm sure my fear of water seems crazy to you."

He smiled and said, "I seem crazy to you?"

"No, you seem perfect to me."

"Get in," he said nodding to the water.

I shook my head and tensed a bit.

"Trust me, love. I'll carry you and never let the water touch your face."

I looked at the water for a second and shook my head again. Just then a family with several young kids came to the pool. Edward exhaled loudly and got out to wrap his towel around his waist. I leaned against him and kissed him passionately. I heard a couple of the kids laugh but I didn't care.

We hugged each other tightly and headed to our room. I wasn't willing to let more than a couple of inches between us. We got in the shower together and then lay our clothing for the next day on the spare bed.

I couldn't find the energy for sex, I just wanted to hold him and feel like nothing could separate us. He held me tightly and spoke very softly. "I dreamed about you, years ago I dreamed about a woman who held all my love."

"I only hoped for you. I didn't dare dream, but I hoped you were out there," I told him.

"Just a few steps on a desolate road could have been the difference between us meeting or not. It haunts me," he admitted.

"You want to hear what haunts me?" I asked him.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Your determination to bring down the Denali's, I am so afraid it will ruin us."

"Bella, remember your determination to help your father?"

"Uh huh."

"It feels that way for me, try to understand that."

I felt the tears begin to fall so I used the only thing I could think of the change his mind. "Edward, don't do anything dangerous. I'm not asking for me, I'm asking for Rose."

"Rose?" he asked.

"She's pregnant."

He raised his head and looked at me in shock. "She told you?" he asked.

"No, I overheard her and Emmett talking. She is worried about you Edward; it will take away her focus if you try to do anything outside of the plan."

He didn't respond but I noticed how his brow furrowed and he seemed to be deep in thought.

We woke up the next morning and silently dressed. I kissed him goodbye and headed out with Rose. Alice was putting his mustache on as I drove away. We began to wind through the deep Cherokee Mountains, climbing higher and higher.

When she pulled onto a dirt road I began to shake. "Rose," I said with a terrified voice.

"It will be fine, Bella," she assured me.

"I want to tell you something," I said as tears fell down my face. "Take care of your baby over Edward."

She turned her head slowly and stopped driving. "What?" she asked in shock.

"He's determined to do what he wants to do," I sobbed. "Don't lose your baby for him."

She reached for me and hugged me tightly, "Thank you, Bella."

I cried loudly and she held me until I got it all out. We wiped our eyes and looked down the narrow road. "Ready?" she asked.

"No, but go ahead."

The car inched closer and closer to the showdown.

The cabin was small and dilapidated. We moved anything that could be used as a weapon out of the house. Rose showed me the entrance to the cavern we would climb through and assured me she had already crawled through the cramped space.

We went back into the cabin and waited. The hours passed slowly and I jumped when someone knocked on the door. Rose answered and two large bearded men told her strangers were in the woods. She thanked them and handed them a wad of cash.

"Here we go, are you ready?" she asked me. I couldn't speak so I only nodded.

After another hour I heard a car coming toward the cabin. Rose walked onto the old porch and pretended to look around. She motioned for me to come out and I walked slowly into the sunlight. Jasper got out of the car and looked around before opening the door for 'Charlie.'

Edward stood and walked toward me, even his walk looked like my dad. I ran from the porch and threw my arms around him, my tears were real.

We walked into the cabin with Rose and Jasper following. Chaos broke out as soon as the door was shut. We stripped from our clothes and tossed them into a bag. Edward pulled off the wig and mustache and quickly put on a black stocking cap.

He grabbed my hand and we exited out the back door and into the woods. I didn't look to see Rose and Jasper run. I just trusted they made their way to the assigned spot. Edward buried the bag under a fallen tree and motioned for me to climb into the cavern.

I was shock at how big it was once I got past the entrance. It could easily fit six to ten people and several passages led from the big antechamber. Edward handed me a small flashlight and said, "You lead the way, stay completely silent and I will be right behind you the entire way."

I nodded and began crawling through the narrow course. I could feel the ceiling rub against my back every once in awhile and wondered how Edward's tall body was making it. I got excited when I could see a ray of light ahead. I crawled faster and gasped when I saw the passage widen into a huge cavern with a waterfall. It was so beautiful and I wanted to take pictures.

I turned to wait for Edward, and I couldn't see him, so I shined the light into the hole. It was empty so I yelled out for him. There was no response. My heart fell to my feet and I spun around to find my way out. I was standing on a ledge and the only way to the exit was through a dark pool of water. I couldn't see the bottom and had no idea if it was inches deep or several feet.

I was so angry with Edward, and terrified his deception would be my last memory of him. I sat on the ledge and put my leg in the water. I could feel the bottom, but it slanted sharply. I inched forward and when I felt water on my stomach I panicked and backed up.

"Damn you," I cried. He did this on purpose. He was betting on my inability to cross the water and I had to find it in me somewhere to do this. I inched forward again and stood. I took tentative steps as I sunk further and further into the water.

I was frozen neck deep in the pond. I was too afraid to take another step in case it put me under the water. I was gasping for breathes and crying as I felt with my toe the space in front of me. It didn't go any deeper so I raised my head high and took a step.

I inched my way slowly forward until I felt the incline headed out of the pond. I moved quickly to the shallow water and fell onto my knees, shaking in terror.

I had to calm down, so I could help Edward, I took several deep breathes and tried to picture us at home and snuggled up together. I stood and began climbing my way out of the cavern. I moved slowly and looked around for any signs of people hiding in the woods. I wasn't exactly sure which way to the cabin and had to believe it was downhill.

I remember Edward talking about things to toss, so I picked up small pebbles and put them in my pocket. I moved from tree to tree, waiting between steps for any sounds. I thought I saw the roof of the cabin just as I heard the sound of footsteps.

I flattened myself against a tree and held my breath. I saw a large older man, very overweight, and holding a gun working his way down the mountain. I watched him taking deep breaths and holding onto trees for support.

I watched as he made his way closer to the cabin and to where I knew in my heart Edward was. I began following the man making sure to hold still when he took time to rest. I was searching the woods for any other movement, desperate to see Rose or Jasper. I couldn't hear anything and hoped James had been captured and they were waiting for this man to work his way into the trap.

When we got within eyesight of the cabin I had to bite my lip to stop myself from screaming. I saw Jasper's body lying in the dirt. I watched the man stop his movements and stare at the cabin trying to decide what to do. He raised the gun and aimed it at the cabin.

I didn't know what to do and was beginning to panic. I took one of the pebbles from my pocket and threw it to the other side of the large man. He spun around and aimed at the empty forest. I stayed behind the tree and held my breath in hope.

Several minutes went by and I heard the man move forward again. I tossed another stone and this time he headed slowly in that direction. I stared at the cabin, wanting to hear anything that would give me a clue as to what was going on.

The temperature was beginning to drop and I was starting to shake from my wet clothes. I began moving toward Jasper and stayed low as I looked for the fat man to return. I tiptoed up to Jasper's still body and felt for a pulse.

His heart was beating strong but I noticed a large gash in the back of his head. I looked in his hands for a gun and found nothing. I moved down his body and felt something on his leg. I pulled up his pants and found a small gun in a holster. I quietly unhooked it, having no idea how to actually use the small firearm.

I moved into the shrubs against the cabin and tried to listen against the wall. I heard the large man huffing and heading my way. His gun was raised and his face was red with the exertion. Right when he stepped into full view I saw James come out of the forest holding Rose in front of him by the hair.

The fat man stopped and stepped behind a tree. I had to snap my head back and forth to keep an eye on them both. Rose looked furious as James harshly pushed her by the hair. He stopped her a few feet from the porch and called for Charlie.

The Bigger they are…

"Charlie, I have one of your people, I'll cut her head off, I swear I will," James screamed, as he pulled Rose's head back.

I couldn't see if he had a gun or knife by the way he was holding her. The door slowly opened and I wanted to scream for Edward to run. I was frozen to my spot and watched as Edward stepped out holding Tanya in front of him.

He held her in a choke hold and had his gun against her temple. "Let her go," Edward yelled to James.

James smiled and ran his tongue up Rose's face as she squirmed. "I don't think so," James sneered.

Edward pushed Tanya forward and they stepped off the porch and circled around James. Rose screamed out as James pushed his large knife against her neck.

"Your guys are dead, James," Edward said calmly. "We got Charlie out of here."

"Then your people are going to die, too," James threatened as he looked around in panic.

I was so afraid and tried to stop my teeth from chattering. I looked at the small gun in my hand and tried to figure out how to use it.

"Stop," Edward yelled as James began to back into the forest. "Let her go and I'll let Tanya go."

"Don't do it," Tanya yelled. "He won't hurt me."

Edward jerked her head back causing her to cry out, "I have no qualms about hurting you," he said sternly.

"You are too late; you already broke my heart by leaving me. I don't care what you do now," she yelled at him.

Edward chuckled loudly, "You better invest in acting lessons, darling, nobody bought that."

I had to admit I bought it. She sounded genuinely upset that Edward had ended their marriage. I watched as Edward's eyes remained trained on James the entire time. He wouldn't make a move to endanger Rose, but he was watching for any opportunity to attack.

"I was a good wife to you," Tanya said with clinched teeth.

James was growing angrier as his sister spoke, so Edward tried to distract him. "I'll bet she didn't tell you she slept with at least three other men during our marriage," Edward said to James.

"He's lying," she yelled to her brother.

"Am I?" Edward said, choking her harder.

"I bet this pretty thing spent time in your bed," James said as he ran the knife down Rose's throat, cutting her slightly.

"You do that one more time and I swear to God I will shoot Tanya," Edward warned and pushed the gun harder against her head. Tanya knew he wasn't joking and began to look afraid.

I heard a noise and Edward spun around to see something. I saw Jasper was no longer lying in the dirt and knew he was against the cabin, just to the side of me. It was then I saw the fat man taking aim behind Edward.

I wanted to scream, but all of the sudden the man grabbed his throat as an arrow pierced through both sides. He fell to the ground as a loud noise came from behind the cabin. I had to believe it was Jasper or Emmett making a distraction.

James stepped back toward the tree line, not knowing where the danger was going to come from. Rose tried to fight and got him right in the ribs with her elbow. He pushed her away and before she could steady herself he gave her a jump kick right in the stomach.

I shut my eyes tightly wishing I had never seen what I had just witnessed. Rose's body flew through the air and landed with a thud in the dirt. I heard Edward yelling with rage and the sound of shots rang out.

He ran forward just as James fell to his knees. Tanya stuck her hand into her boot and pulled out a small gun and began to raise it toward the spot Edward was running. I automatically held Jasper's gun up and fired over and over again.

Tanya turned in my direction before falling to the ground. I ran out of the bushes to see if Edward and Rose were okay. I saw Edward kneeling over Rose's still body. Movement caught my eye and I saw Emmett running at full speed toward James.

Someone stepped out from behind a tree and it was a man I didn't recognize. He lifted his hand, which was holding a large knife and prepared to throw it at Emmett's advancing body.

I raised my hand, which was shaking uncontrollably, when someone's arm came over my shoulder and under my arm grabbing my wrist. A hand locked over mine and steadily fired the small gun at the man with the knife. I saw the knife fall from his hand just before I shut my eyes and began to scream.

Emmett barreled into James, and knocked him back to the ground, rolling with him in the dirt. They came to a stop with Emmett on top of him punching him over and over again in the face. James head fell limply back and Emmett stood and pulled a knife from his side before running over to where Edward was holding Rose.

Alice ran up and into Jasper's arms, as I fell onto my knees, unable to stand any more. There was an awful silence as we all tried to calm down. Emmett was turning pale and Edward leaned behind him to steady his back as he held Rose in his arms. I looked around at the bodies lying still in the dirt and saw the blood dripping from where I shot Tanya.

Everything began to spin and blackness claimed me.

"Bella, open your eyes," I heard Edward instructing me. I wanted to believe I had been dreaming and I would wake up and we would be in our bed or driving in the car. I opened my eyes to see the stress on his face.

"Did I shoot her?" I asked him in panic.

"Stay calm, help is coming," he said softly.

"Is she dead," I asked and began to cry.

He began rocking me gently and I heard Alice crying. I looked over where she was sitting on the porch in Jasper's arms. I tried to see Rose and Emmett but Edward was blocking my view.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked, not wanting to hear the truth.

"Yeah, were all fine," he said numbly.

I lost control and began swinging my fists against his chest. "You lied, you left me alone in that water," I accused.

He pulled me tightly against him and kissed my head as I screamed out further. "You said you would stay with me, you said we were a team."

I could hear sirens far away and held onto Edward as I listened to them getting closer. Edward looked over at Jasper and picked up the gun lying next to me and tossed it to him. "Bella, listen to me," Edward said forcefully. "Jasper used his gun. You came down from the mountain when it was all over. Do you understand?"

I nodded and knew one look at mine or Alice's face would tell the officers it wasn't true. Jasper was holding Alice by the shoulders and giving her instructions. I finally sat all the way up and saw Emmett sitting against the house with his eyes closed as Rose lay still in his arms.

I crawled over to them and saw the blood trickling from Rose's mouth. I grabbed her hand and begged God to save her child. Emmett tried to speak but couldn't make his voice loud enough. I saw the bloody shirt wadded in a ball and pushed into his side.

The first police car showed up just as I heard the helicopter overhead. Edward raised his hands high and yelled out who he was as the officers approached us with guns drawn.

"There are two alive in the cabin," I heard Edward say to my surprise, "And four dead in the forest."

Several cars began arriving and one ambulance. I watched as they loaded Rose and Edward. I ran over to a paramedic and told him Rose was pregnant. He thanked me and they drove away. I turned to see Edward and Jasper in deep conversation with officers and I walked over to Alice and hugged her tightly.

"I didn't know what it would really be like," she said softly. "I thought it would be exciting."

I watched as the officers got blankets from the car and brought the two men from the cabin out naked. The police were laughing and asked, "Who tied them up together naked?"

"They asked me to," Edward lied, to cause them more pain. I was relieved he hadn't killed them outright.

It was late and the constant blinking of the lights was giving me a headache. I sat in the car wrapped in a blanket until we were finally allowed to leave. I asked where Rose and Emmett were and was told they were airlifted to Knoxville.

I stared out the window as Edward followed behind Jasper in Emmett's car. I didn't know if I was mad at him for lying or grateful he didn't die. I felt confused and depressed. He finally took hold of my hand and kissed my fingers as I began to cry.

"Bella, I'm sorry," he said.

"How can you live like this, Edward? Who chooses this for their life?"

"Somebody has to do it, or people like the Denali's would rule the world," he pointed out.

"I killed her, I took her life," I cried.

"She would have taken your life without a second thought, Bella. You acted to save someone, not just for the sake of having your way."

"I saved you, Edward. She was going to shoot you," I pointed out.

He kissed my fingers again and said, "She would not have cared at all if I died. She never loved me, she owned me. You did the right thing and it only makes me love you more."

"Do you think Rose will be okay?" I said through the tears.

I noticed how Edward's eyes grew wet and his jaw tightened, but he didn't answer me.

Jasper pulled off the road and Edward pulled up behind him. He got out and met Jasper halfway to talk between the cars. He came back to the vehicle and had a hard time controlling his emotions.

"What's wrong, Edward?"

"Emmett's…not doing well," he managed to get out before he broke down. I pulled him to me and cried loudly. This was my entire fault, and in my fear of losing Edward, I didn't consider losing Emmett or Jasper.

We drove faster when we pulled back onto the road. Edward's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel in rage. I tried to think of anything but Rose and Emmett, but the thought of their family being ripped apart consumed me.

When we pulled into the hospital parking lot, I got out of the car to see Alice's tear stained face, white with worry. We walked quickly to the reception area and asked for information. Rose was in surgery and when I asked the lady in the pink smock if the baby was okay, she smiled and told me she didn't have that information.

We headed to the surgical suite to check on Rose. A young nurse told us she was still in surgery and she didn't have any other information. Jasper's phone rang again and he looked at Edward with a worried gaze and they both walked a few feet away to talk.

"Who is it?" I asked Alice.

"I think it is their boss. He has called several times."

"How are you doing?" I asked her.

She shook her head and sighed loudly. "I worry about Rosalie. I don't know how she will handle it if she loses her baby."

"Do you think Emmett will make it?" I finally asked in fear of having her speak the truth.

"He's got to be that big for some reason," Alice said with conviction. "I can't imagine a simple knife bringing him down."

"He's only human," I reminded her.

She turned to look me in the eyes, "No he's not; Emmett is bigger, and stronger, and kinder than any man I know. He's special, and special people don't die because of scum like James."

I hugged her and wanted so desperately to believe her. "Let's go check on him," I said and we headed to the ICU.

We were walking down the hallway when a nurse ran from Emmett's room and yelled, "Crash cart, code blue."

An alarm went off and a light began blinking above the door to his room. Nurses and doctors came running from all directions as Alice and I clung to each other in tears.

Eulogies

I was standing in front of the two coffins as I leaned against my father's side. Edward was trying to talk quietly to Jasper, but I had to glare at him to be quiet.

"Why do I have to do this," Edward whispered.

"Because the whole thing was your fault," Jasper reiterated.

I noticed how Edward kept staring at a woman on the front row who was wiping her nose and eyes constantly with a handkerchief. His face showed perfectly the disgust he was feeling.

"This whole thing is ridiculous," Edward complained.

"Stop whining and deal with it," Jasper said.

I looked at Edward with wide eyes to tell him to shut the hell up, but he just ignored me. "You do it then," he said to my angry face.

Just then the minister asked Edward to come forward and say a few words about Rosalie and Emmett. He exhaled in irritation and walked to the small dais to address the mourners. He looked out at the emotional crowd and looked back down to exhale again.

The tension was building and I watched as everyone fidgeted uncomfortably. I finally stepped forward and took his hand and nodded for him to begin. He covered the mic with his hand and said, "I can't do this, Bella."

I smiled nervously and said, "You big baby, you owe me big time."

I took the mic and when Edward tried to step away I held firmly to his hand. "Mam," I called to the woman on the front row with the handkerchief. "May I borrow that?"

She quickly stepped forward and handed me the soggy piece of material. Edward winced when I just took it in my hand. "I am so sorry, but Edward is very emotional, so I will deliver his remarks for him," I announced.

I turned and said quietly, "Here honey, let me wipe your tears."

He backed away and glared at me while I tightened my hold on his hand. "I insist," I said through clenched teeth. He closed his eyes and cringed as I wiped the cloth over his face.

I could hear Emmitt laughing over Edward's ear piece so I quickly spoke into the microphone, "It is fitting for me to speak for Edward; it is a perfect symbol of Emmett and Rosalie's love. Emmett was a mountain of a man, but he was so tender and loving on the inside. Rose was a stunning beauty, but tough as nails and able to handle the roughest situations. They were the perfect complement to each other."

"I will never forget the first time I met Emmett," I smiled as I remembered him walking in on us in the safe house bed. "He just had a way about him that you never forgot. Rosalie was very authoritative, but the moments I spent alone with her are times I will always treasure. I was privileged enough to call them friends for a little while, Edward was lucky enough to know them for years. We will miss them both terribly."

I turned to walk away but Alice threw herself at me and pulled me to her tiny body. "That was so beautiful, Bella, I want you to talk at my fake funeral."

I tried not to laugh inappropriately, considering the solemn occasion, but the whole thing was pretty funny.

Charlie came up and raised his eyebrow. "Wow, I'm impressed," he teased.

"I have a lot more planned for yours," I teased back.

"Hopefully, that will be years away. I want to tell you how proud I am," he said yet again.

"Okay, stop saying that or it loses its meaning."

"What have you decided about coming home with me?" he asked quietly so Edward couldn't hear.

"We haven't talked about it yet. I have to come back to school, so I will be there eventually, I just don't know if Edward will come too."

Jasper walked up and leaned in to my ear, "Emmett said you left out a couple of things."

"Damn right I did," I said and hoped Jasper didn't continue in front of my dad.

The crowd slowly dispersed and we met up at a restaurant to eat with Jasper and Alice. Jasper lifted his glass of wine and said, "To Rosalie, one hell of an agent."

"I can't believe she just quit, I never thought Rose would do it," Edward said as he shook his head.

"I think almost losing Emmett changed her," Alice said.

"I think it's the baby making her walk away," I added.

"So what are you guys going to do?" Jasper asked us.

Edward and I looked at each other and I felt a new kind of tension. "Well, I have school and Edward has a playboy model to protect."

"I do," he smiled. "Wow, my assignments keep getting better."

I stood to head to the women's room when Edward asked where I was going, "I'm going to the restroom to smear fecal matter all over my neck."

He laughed, "I'm not worried; you would have to touch water to do it."

A woman walked past me holding a baby and I pointed at the diaper, "No, I won't."

"The engagements off," he teased.

I looked into his eyes and said, "We knew it would happen anyway." I walked away and felt like I wanted to cry. I was trying to sit precariously on the paper toilet cover when Edward looked over the top of the stall.

"Why did you say that," he demanded.

"Are you standing on a toilet?" I asked in shock.

"No, I'm standing on your table napkin. Why did you say that?"

"Do you mind? You wouldn't even let me stand by the door," I said angrily.

"Bella, we are free now, with nothing hanging over our heads. I want to marry you," he said emphatically.

"Edward, we just attended a fake funeral for two people who want to be free to raise their child. I don't want to live that way."

"We'll find a way to work it out, but you have to be willing to believe in us," he said as he folded his hands over the stall.

"Can you please give me a minute? This is disgusting, Edward."

"Fine, but hurry," he said as he got down.

I shook my head, only Edward would be this insane. I came out of the stall and washed my hands vigorously. When I opened the door Edward was standing there waiting. "I think we should get married before the semester begins," he said as he put his arms around my waist.

"I think we should wait until I graduate and see how well we work things out," I told him.

"Bella, damn it, do you want to marry me or not," he asked in frustration.

"Yes, I do, and I know we made a deal and I will let you keep your job, but we will have a lot of other stuff to work on. We really haven't known each other that long, and I am younger than you."

"I spoke to Charlie," he said quietly.

"About what?"

"I asked for permission to marry you," he admitted.

"You asked my father if you could marry his adult, fully capable of answering for herself, daughter?"

"Yeah, he said it would just piss you off, but I felt I owed it to him to hear his opinion."

"What did he say?"

Edward chuckled and lowered his eyes, "He said, 'good luck'."

I leaned in and kissed him softly on his lips. "I do love you, Edward, I really do."

He hugged me tightly and led me back to the table. We spent the rest of the evening with Jasper and Alice at their home and headed out for Washington the following morning.

"Will we ever see Emmett and Rose again?" I asked him.

"Yeah, in a year or two they will surface in some little town somewhere," he told me.

I nodded but didn't speak.

"So did you decide if you want to see a counselor about the shooting?" he asked nervously.

"No, I don't. I would have wanted to if Tanya shot you, but saving you is something I am good with."

"Well, it's an option."

"Are you going to see the counselor?"

"We have to have counseling once a year, kind of a tune up," he chuckled.

"Do you tell them about your obsessions?" I teased.

He turned to look at me, "I'm not mentally ill."

I leaned over to kiss his cheek and said, "I am not calling you crazy. Maybe I will go to a session or two."

It took us three days to get back to Seattle. We stopped every night and I would watch him swim, but he never tried to get me to jump in with him. The last night on the road I was snuggled up in his arms and asked, "Are you sure you want me to move in with you? I get pretty messy."

"Compromise," he whispered.

"What does that mean?"

"You will clean up your mess and I won't throw you into the lake," he said with a yawn.

"You live on a lake?" I asked in shock.

He chuckled and shook his head, "No, but I can find one easy enough.

I ran my hand down his stomach, feeling his tight muscles. He sighed and tightened his arms around me. I stared into his green eyes and felt my heart speed up. He was so beautiful and I smiled at him causing him to smile back.

"We can do this, Bella," he said softly.

I nodded and kissed his chest several times. I knew it was going to take a lot of work, but I was willing to give it my all.

Our first night home his parents came over. I hugged Senator Cullen and Edward seemed surprised by my gesture. His mother, Esme, was stunning and so sweet. She told me stories of Edward as a child and I couldn't help but ask her about his germ obsession.

"I blame it on his nanny," she laughed. "She was an older German woman who demanded he never get dirty or have a hair out of place."

"You should have fired her," I laughed.

"I loved Erna," Edward protested. "She was the only one who understood me."

Right at that moment his phone in his office, which I was instructed never to answer, rang. He excused himself and I'm sure his parents noticed how I stared sadly at his retreating form. I was terrified he was going to be leaving and I had no idea for how long.

"Bella, I promised you compensation for helping with the Denali's," he said as he handed me an envelope. I stared at it, not knowing if I should take it now that Edward and I were together.

"It doesn't feel right," I told him.

"You did way more than I asked, of course you must take it," he insisted.

Edward came back into the room and I noticed how tight his jaw was. His parents noticed too and excused themselves. "You don't have to leave," Edward told them.

"I'm sure you are both very tired," Esme said as she hugged us both.

We walked them to their car and I stepped forward to hug Carlisle. He looked at Edward for a second and then awkwardly hugged him too. I noticed how Edward seemed to hold on just a bit longer than Carlisle.

I put my arms around Edward's waist and looked up at him, "Good news or bad?"

He kissed my lips chastely and pulled me back into the house. We walked into his office where he had a large calendar on the wall. "When does school start?" he asked.

I picked up his pen and circled a date. He looked at it for a moment and then said, "Now circle our wedding date."

"What?" I asked him in surprise.

"I'm going to need to plan so tell me when you want our wedding to be?"

"You're leaving aren't you?" I said in panic.

"This is a really important assignment, Bella; there is no way to turn this down."

"Who is she?" I asked with tears in my eyes.

"I can't tell you, love." His eyes showed the pain he was feeling. I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. It didn't work for long. Tears began streaming down my eyes and Edward quickly lifted me into his arms and carried me to our bed.

"I'm trying to be understanding, Edward, but I can't take seeing pictures of you with some woman on your arm," I cried.

"You won't, I can promise you this time."

"How?"

He kissed me passionately and whispered in my ear, "She's only seven."