Title: Loose Ends
Rating:
Characters: Cullen Family (Now including Bella)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer
Summary: Edward and Bella make plans regarding their future together.
Sunlight crept through the glass walls and illuminated Edwards out of character less than spotless bedroom. Articles of clothing were flung everywhere, looking very disproportionate to the neatly arranged shoes. The room shimmered before my eyes. I rolled over to stare into the beautiful face of the human disco ball beside me. Sunlight bounced off of his unclothed skin and lingered like diamonds in the surrounding atmosphere.
"Good Morning, beautiful." He grinned.
"mmmm.." I sighed as I threw my arm over his chest and rested my head on his shoulder, not yet willing to surrender our first night as husband and wife.
"Mrs. Edward Cullen." I exhaled.
His arms tightened around me in response.
We laid in silence for what seemed like an eternity. His patience with my laziness caused me to feel slightly guilty. I reached up to touch his dace. I ran my hands through his hair and outlined his cheek bones.
"I'm sorry." I apologized, "We can get up if you want to."
"No." His arms grew tighter around me yet. "Soon enough there will be no reason for us to even lay down anymore….. I mean……after…" He stopped.
"What's the plan?" I coaxed.
He hesitated, trying to decipher what I meant.
"With the….honeymoon, and after…..the change and, er….." I stammered.
"Well, the decisions are entirely up to you." He began, "Depending on how your priorities lay. Now, Esme has already purchased a new home near Denali. After we change you, we obviously can't stay here any more due to the issue of the treaty."
I nodded to signify my understanding.
He paused, deep in thought for a moment.
"Bella, are you comfortable here?"
I wondered what 'here' he was referring to. There were many interpretations of the word.. Here in Forks, here in his arms, here in his house, here in his bed. I nodded my head, realizing that the answer to all of the possible meanings of the word statement were the same.
He continued. "Would you rather the change occurred here, or at out new home?" He asked.
I looked at the wall thoughtfully. "Here." I responded honestly. "But there are two reasons why that can't happen." He gestured with his hand that I should go on. " Well, first, the treaty forbids it, and I don't want to put the family in danger. Second, I don't know how out of control I will become after the change, and I don't want to endanger any one here in Forks." I bit my lip.
He examined my reasons for a brief moment before speaking again.
"Bella, can I lay out a possible schedule for you and trust that you will think of only yourself when you either deny or accept? "
"I guess so." I submitted.
"Alright, Alice and I have been talking about this, and we predicted that the most preferable condition for you would be in this house, by my venom." He cringed at the word. " Is that correct?"
"Yes…but-"
"No," He interrupted. "Bella, I have this figured out. Just give me a minute to explain." I fell silent and allowed him to continue. "When you are ready for the change, you would have to first speak to Charlie and tell him that we were going on our honeymoon and then immediately moving to Denali so you could be closer to college. Tell him goodbye, and make sure that Jacob somehow hears our plan. Then, instead of leaving on our honeymoon, I can change you here and give you three days to recuperate and then move you to Denali with us as soon as you were well enough."
He stopped, surveying my expressions to judge my response.
"But," I felt myself frown. "I thought you wanted an actual honeymoon."
"Bella, this is not about what I want, remember? We have the rest of eternity to go on as many honeymoons as we want. This needs to be the way you want it. We only have one chance to get this right. You are sacrificing so much for me Bella, and if you are still insistent upon it, I am going to do everything in my power to make it as easy and convenient for you as possible."
I chewed on my lip as I considered his words.
"Bella," He started, "what do you want?"
"I want you, Edward."
"You have me."
"No, Edward, I want you for forever."
"So your saying that you're ready now?" He seemed surprised.
"Yes." The word came out as an unintentional whisper. "I am your wife. With that wish fulfilled, all I want is to be less breakable…..and - more time"
"We can wait as long as you wa-""No, that's not what I meant." I cut him off. "I meant I want more time with you, and I don't want to get any older."
He nodded. The realization that I was ready now set an uncharacteristic layer of fear over his face. He composed himself quickly and exhaled a short laugh.
"It's ironic, isn't it? You're the one giving up your humanity forever, and I'm the one who is terrified about it."
"I'll be able to handle it." I assured him.
"Its not you that I am worried about." He mumbled almost inaudibly.
"Don't worry," I brushed my fingers across his lips. "I trust you."
"That's the problem." He grimaced, "You trust the monster in me far too much for your own good."
"Edward, if I honestly thought that you were a monster, do you think I would be choosing this?"
"Yes." He replied curtly. He was right.
I frowned. "Edward, you're not a monster."
"Maybe not now," he allowed. "but once I taste your blood, Bella, you have no idea what I could turn into. Bella……what if I kill you?" His face contorted from the terrifying images he was no doubt imagining.
"You wont kill me." I pulled his chin up until he met my gaze. "You stopped once before, remember?"
"But Carlisle was right there, waiting to stop me if I got carried away." He gulped back a fresh wave of fear. "And besides, I don't even know how I was able to stop the first time. You can't trust that the self control will magically reappear."
"You're stronger than you think." I brushed a stray lock of golden hair out of his face. "And besides, we can have Carlisle on stand-by again. Plus, Alice can warn us if she sees something going wrong." I pointed out.
"Bella, your life is far too important to me to trust an imperfect vision of the future." He groaned. "I don't know what I would do if…I mean, I would…… Bella, I would die if I lost you. Especially if I am the one to blame! This scares me, Bella. You don't realize how much." He struggled to compose himself, but the fear that twisted his face was excruciating. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt at my selfishness.
"Edward, you don't have to be so brave. Carlisle can do it. I'm fine with that. He said he wouldn't have a problem-"
"No." There was no compromise in his voice. "This needs to be the way you want it. I can do it. I have to do it."
"You don't have to do anything." I assured him
"No, Bella." His eyes were full of concern. "My condition was marriage and you followed through on your part of the deal. I can't, now, deny you your stipulation. You said you wanted me to do it, and so I will."
"You already followed through on something last night." I reminded him.
"That doesn't count. I wanted that just as badly as you did."
"Well then, by that token, the wedding doesn't count as me following through on any deal either. I wanted that as badly as you did too."
He shook his head in disbelief at my stubborn tendencies. "Bella, I will do it. I will change you. Whenever you are ready. I will do it." I knew it was the last word.
We lay tangled in each other's arms silently for a while. I was lost in my thoughts and Edwards glassy voice brought be back to reality.
"What are you thinking about?" The concern was apparent in his voice.
"Do you think Jacob will really tell Charlie?"
Edwards entire body responded by stiffening completely.
"So help me, Bella, if he does….." His voice broke. "How dare he threaten you like that.."
"Shhh, I know." I immediately regretted bringing it up as I attempted to calm him down.
"Speak of the mutt," Edward suddenly sounded furious. "guess who is watching us through the window." He spat.
"No!…… He wouldn't!" I gasped.
"I don't understand how he could be so damned thick headed." Edward growled. "He is waiting to see if we are wearing clothes or not."
I had a mixture of different reactions. Anger and resentment were the most powerful. I wanted nothing more than to walk outside and give Jacob the cruelest piece of my mind that I could possibly muster. But I didn't. Instead, I scrolled through the options in my mind, searching for the one that would be most efficient in teaching him a lesson without direct contact. Here he is, a peeping tom, invading a newlywed couples first morning together…. He couldn't possibly be expected to get away with this unscathed.
Edward moved to get out of bed, presumably to pull the wall length curtains, but I stopped him. I sat up in bed with my bare back to the window and placed my hands around Edward's shoulders. I kissed his neck once, twice, and then pulled him back beneath the covers.
Jacob would get what was coming to him.
Edward didn't take long to catch on. He chuckled at my mischievousness.
"Bad, bad girl, Bella." He scolded playfully.
I smiled. "It serves him right."
Edward cooperatively rolled over on top of me and allowed me to weave my fingers through his hair and pull his face closer to my own. He kissed me as enthusiastically as ever and with such desire that when he finally allowed me to breath, I exhaled a cloud of cold vapors. He chuckled in amusement.
"This was definitely a good way to teach him a lesson. I have never heard so many creative cuss words in one sentence before."
I smiled, allowing myself to bask for a moment in the glory of my achievement.
"This will really get him going." Edward whispered as his lips moved hungrily to my throat and began kissing a straight line all the way to my belly. I arched my back and moaned lightly, over exaggerating the movement for Jacob's sake. Edwards hand rested on my hips and his head reappeared above my own.
"Our audience has left. Our show was too much for him."
"I don't care." I breathed as I pressed my lips to his again. "It was just a good excuse to get you to kiss me." I winked.
"Silly Bella, all you have to do is ask." He kissed my forehead and then my jaw line. "Alice is considering making you breakfast in bed." He spoke against my throat. "We should probably get down there before she sets her mind to it. Her cooking is one experience that you don't need"
I giggled. "I need to shower first."
"Me too." He grinned.