It's still pretty early in Bella's transformation, so we have to avoid the city for now.

But after awhile it gets kind of boring driving around in the middle of nowhere. Bella and I have been giving each other awkward glances for about an hour now. We ran out of songs that we could agree on. We played a few games until we were both too annoyed by them to ever want to play again. For instance, I would say a movie quote and she would guess the movie. Or I would name a designer and she would name the label. She was terrible at that.

So, we are glancing and driving in circles.

Have you ever been trapped in a confined space for a long period of time with another person? Even though I love my new Bella, I kind of want to kill her right now.

This can't be good.

"Let's get out and run!" I shriek while throwing the car in park.

There is nothing better than some fresh air after being claustrophobically confined in a stifling car with an on-edge-manic (because of her newborn status). Her mood swings are off the chart. Every once in a while her whole decorum changes and it looks like she's in pain. I know that is when she is thinking about Edward.

I let Bella run ahead of me. I want to keep my eyes on her. Except now I am noticing all the knots in her long hair. It's going to be some work to get those bad boys out. I look ahead and see three shattered combs. Eh, that's not that bad.

While studying her tangles I don't noticed that she has stopped. A flash of the future gives me a slight advantage, but I still run into her. It's like hitting a brick wall.

I even make a sound, like oomph.

Never in all my vampire years have I ever been caught off guard. I am really losing it.

"How much longer am I going to be this blood thirsty freak?" Bella asks. She is still standing with her back to me while I straighten my clothes. I really hit her hard and she didn't budge at all.

"The blood lust is strongest the first few months, but you will still be crazy for about a year. It takes time to adapt."

"I think we should go back and get this over with… but Alice?" Bella is asking for something, but I know she is just hesitant to say it. I don't respond. I just wait for her to let it out.

"I think I would like to travel. Would you come with me for awhile… you know, when I am ready to be around people?"

The things I see make me smile. Bella is a hungry little travel bug. I see us prancing around plazas and climbing cliffs. I see my arms full of shopping bags while Bella grabs up more brochures from a hotel lobby. I see ruins and museums and outside cafes where we pretend to smoke cigarettes and drink coffee. I see us dressed in borrowed kimonos while we take in the city's culture. I see us snapping pictures from the Great Wall.

I also see us saying goodbye and my smile disappears.

"How about this? I promise to go with you, but when I am ready to come home, you have to promise come with me."

She tenses up, but then nods. "Alright. I promise."

I check my visions and when I am satisfied with what I see (Bella stuck in high school with the rest of us) my smile returns and I jump up and down while clapping my hands.

"Oh Bella! You are going to love Taiwan." I squeal.

"What?" She looks perplexed.

"Don't worry about it. Worry about now… shall we go say hello to Edward?"

Bella messes with her hair. She's sort of scratching her scalp and fluffing her hair at the same time. My vision changes to four shattered combs.

"I guess," she finally answers.

"Carlisle and Esme are anxious to see you again. We'll probably end up heading straight home. I know Emmett is eager to see mom."

"Um, Alice. Maybe I should stay with Tanya and the others…"

I stop walking. "What!"

"You know, I mean, it's going to be kind of awkward. I don't want to cause anymore strife for your family."

Bella sighs and continues. "I don't think Edward will appreciate me living with you guys."

"Fuck Edward!" I growl. "He'll get over it. You are family now."

Bella sighs again.

I tug on her arm. "Come on. Let's get you home. Your hair is bothering the shit out of me. You a need a brush like Lindsay Lohan needs rehab."

Bella barks out a laugh.

"Or maybe more like, you need a brush like Lindsay needs a coke spoon. Cause let's face it - she'll get more use out of the spoon."

Bella is still laughing, but chokes out an almost inaudible, "Alice you are so egotistic."

I just smile and shrug as I lead her back to the car. We are arm and arm, laughing the whole way.

"Or you need a brush like Lindsay needs a get-out-of-jail-free card? Yeah, too easy… and this joke is so overdone now."

The house is eerily quiet when we pull up. Rosalie and Emmett are standing on the front porch. As we glide out of the car, Edward appears in the doorway, and boy is he in a state.

He looks about as sane as a mental patient. As I think this, he frowns.

So now he looks like a sad mental patient. He sighs and rolls his eyes while running his hands through his hair.

Bella has on her big girl panties (metaphorically speaking of course. I think she has been hanging out with Tanya too long). So, three things are happening; I'm watching Bella approach Edward calmly. When she is standing in front of him, she says his name, "Edward," as in greeting.

Secondly, I am thinking about her lack of underwear by accident because of my big girl panty analogy.

Thirdly, Edward is listening to my thoughts and groans a little when he hears them.

I smirk.

If Bella is confused by Edward's groan, she doesn't let on. She says his name lithely. She's a smart cookie though. I'm sure she realizes he is just reading other people's thoughts.

"Bella," he responds. His hand moves as if to touch her, but he thinks better of it and recoils it back.

Rosalie makes her way over to me and barely whispers, "You've been gone for two days and left me here with his brooding ass. Next time you better bring me with or I swear I'll hide all your credit cards."

I tap my head as if to remind her that I will know if she plans on following through with her threat.

She doesn't bat an eyelash to my action. "I'd find a way."

"Ok, everyone, lets load up. We have a drive ahead of us and mom and dad are expecting us," Emmett announces.

Jasper comes around the house to stand beside me. Guess he didn't want to ask Edward to move away from the front door, since he was blocking it and all. Tanya, Irina, and Kate come around the side of the house as well. They call out Bella's name and this allows Bella to walk away from her awkward meet and greet.

They all take a turn hugging her and present her with a gift. They tell her it was going to be a birthday gift, but now it's going to be a farewell gift. Bella holds it like it's made of glass and she's afraid she's going to break it.

Oh hell, it is made of glass… and she's got newborn strength.

I rush over and take it from her. "I'll hold on to it for you, for now."

Bella gives me a thankful smile.

Then we all take turns saying goodbye and make our way towards the two vehicles. We don't even have to say anything about seating arrangements. It's like an unspoken rule that those two are to be separated. Bella climbs in with Jasper and me. Rosalie and Emmett climb into Edward's car.

Tanya yells, "You guys are welcome back anytime! We haven't had this much fun in decades," as we pull away.

I get a text as soon as we hit the highway. It's from Edward. He's asking for permission to speak to Bella, alone, when we get home. I text him back telling him that it's not up to me and add duh to emphasize this fact. He texts back that he plans on asking her, but would appreciate if I step back and give them some privacy. I text back that he needs to stop being such a brat and to just ask her to take a walk or something when we all get back, and let her decide. He texts back some snotty remark about me being a bitch. So, I start to text back where he can shove his phone when Jasper grabs my phone out of my hand.

"It's against the law to text and drive, you know," Jasper scolds.

"Did you forget that I have vampire reflexes?" I snap.

"No, but you need to relax. Your hands were flying a hundred miles a second. It was bound to short circuit."

Bella giggles. I scoff.

Well, at least the drive is pleasant. I don't have to worry about anything for a couple hours. I could tell Bella about Edward's surprise meeting, but I see that it's better if she isn't expecting it. She worries too much. There are many ways this can play out. I hope Edward doesn't fuck it up.

This is dedicated to Jessica0306 and Parasilla.