Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own the plot.
Many many thanks to my wonderful beta Dazzled eyes22. I hope you get a chance to catch some R&R soon.
AN:
Thank you very much to the people who added me to your alerts and commented. I love reading what I get.
A very special thanks to Chartwilightmom for bothering to comment on every single chapter of this story. I bow to you, you're so much fun.
Emmett is ghosting it… read Prima Nocte I'm posting on FF Net and figure out why.
Back to Bella and Edward… and the horde of reporters. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
oooooOOOOooooo
Chapter 28
My heart felt like rabbits jack hammering away in my chest. What the hell had just happened? Though, I knew exactly what happened. Reporters! I felt like I was staring down the barrel of a gun.
I picked up Elizabeth who was screaming 'mama.' Her shrill cries filtered through the air like prickling pins. I shushed her and trying to calm her down. Outside, I could still hear the rumble of the agitated mob. I couldn't tell exactly how I had managed to push through them, but I had. I grabbed my purse, left the stroller and sprinted to our apartment. I wanted to Elizabeth to feel safe and sound, not like a guinea pig served up to the vultures. However, they had managed to take a lot of intrusive pictures of us. They knew who I was now. More importantly, how dare they frighten a child like that? I was revolted.
Beating the pain in my legs, I found the door unlocked and panic surged. Would they be so invasive and head inside our place? I closed the door behind me and sagged against the wall trying to regain my breath. I noticed a box and Jasper's bag on the floor. It was like her purse had vomited its contents all over the hardwood floor. Oh no!
"Jasper?" I called. No answer. "Jasper?" Tremors shook my voice. The thought of her having to go through that crowd downstairs was horrific. She wouldn't deal with it or even know how to. With Elizabeth clinging to me like there was no tomorrow, I rushed to Alice and Jasper's bedroom. Like I suspected, she was at home and rattled beyond rational comprehension. Her eyes were wide and terrified. Her hands were trembling so much that they were a huge blur. She was sobbing uncontrollably.
"Jasper? It's Bella." I tried to keep my voice very soft and not startle her. She didn't even look up. She was pushed deeply into a corner behind a dresser fiddling with her phone, punching buttons with no rhyme or reason. "Jasper?" I called louder.
"I… I… I…" she stammered or snorted. I wasn't sure which. Her eyes flickering like she was being hunted.
"It's okay." I tried to soothe.
"I can't… find… I can't find her number." Instantly, I knew what she was asking. She was trying to call Alice, but she was too messed up to actually make the call.
I crouched down in front of her carefully, balancing Elizabeth on my knee. She had completely stopped screaming and was just watching Jasper with big and curious eyes. "Let me." I carefully reached for her phone and dialed Alice. It didn't ring many times.
"Hey baby," Alice responded lightly. "I was just thinking about you."
"It's Bella," I answered, feeling my own adrenaline kick in once more. It was making my head spin. I hated the sudden silence. Alice knew something was wrong.
"Where is she? What happened?" She demanded immediately. Her voice was leaking thickly with worry. I knew perfectly well about her fears of losing Jasper.
"She's okay. However, I think it's best that you come home now. We're at home." I clarified.
"Promise me that she's okay," Alice breathed, her exhale sounded shaky.
"She's okay, but a little scared. I think she needs a hug. Uhm, Alice, when you come home, there are a lot of… uh… reporters downstairs."
"Reporters?" The silence stretched. "Oh!"
"Yeah," I muttered. This was what I feared. Over the phone, I could hear a door slamming and her heels clicking at a vast pace down a hall. She was on her way.
"I'll see you in ten." She hung up. Ten minutes for Alice to get here was a bit optimistic, but I had my suspicions that she would manage within that timeframe when it evolved Jasper.
I looked at Jasper again. Her eyes were still wide from fear, but at least her hands had stopped trembling so fiercely. "Alice is coming home," I said. She nodded a bit before hauling in a deep calming breath trying to compose herself. I settled on the floor, reached for her hand, and held it. I hoped to soothe her, but knowing only Alice could really do that.
We didn't say much. I just ran my fingers over the back of her hand while we waited for Alice. Elizabeth's warm cheek was still nuzzled into the crook of my neck, but she was breathing calmly now. I peered down at her, when her little chubby hand suddenly mirrored mine and she clumsily patted Jasper's hand too.
"That's it, sweetie. Help Jasper feel better," I cooed.
Jasper smiled a little. That was an improvement.
"Is Jacker crying?" Elizabeth looked up at me with confusion etched into her eyes. I was stunned at her words and her sudden ability to show empathy.
"Yes, Jasper is a little sad. It's okay, sweetie." I murmured. I hoped that I wasn't laying too much weight on her that her small shoulders were far too young to handle. Her soft form suddenly crawled from my lap and she padded out of the room. Befuddled, my eyes met Jasper's before I looked at towards door searching for Elizabeth. About a minute later, she shuffled back into the room and jammed her favorite teddy right into Jasper's face.
"Duckie." Elizabeth smiled and a dropped back in my lap.
A silence stretched over us as we both stared at this tiny young girl who baffled us by having so much heart. My eyes glassed over with tears.
"You'll let me borrow Duckie? Thank you, sweetheart. You're such a precious girl." Jasper theatrically hugged the teddy and wiped the last tears on her sleeve. Elizabeth beamed and looked innocently up at me.
The front door slammed minutes later. Alice called out and ran on instinct for the corner where we were huddled. "Oh, baby." Her voice was filled with a warmth that could melt the sun. Her bag was thrown aside as she rushed over and crouched down at the same moment that Jasper threw herself into her arms. Jasper melted into Alice. The sobbing started all over again, but this time, I knew it was from relief and not fear. I could see the calm washing over Jasper like a tidal wave. I watched this intense hug for a moment, before I was able to remove myself and give them some space.
"God, what mayhem," Alice practically spat, while glancing back at me as I left the room. "You okay, Bella?"
My automatic response was to answer yes, so that was what I did. By the way my stomach suddenly churned, the real answer was a big fat screaming no! I closed my arms tighter around Elizabeth leaving their room. I settled her on the quilt with her toys hoping to hide the fact that I was suddenly choking on sobs and trying to hold it together for Elizabeth. I was walking on a knife's edge.
In the hall, I dug my phone out of my bag. Now, it was my hands that were shaking like a leaf. The damn phone just kept ringing and ringing. I was about to hang up when a sleeping angel answered in a husky voice.
"Hello?"
"Edward, I need you to come home." I sobbed at the sound of his voice. Unbidden tears washed down my face and I couldn't seem to stop them.
"Bella?"
"Please, Edward. Come home to me." I wasn't sure whether my words were understandable or not. I was snorting heavily.
"What happened, sweetheart?" He asked softly. "Oh, shit no! We're not having a miscarriage, are we? Please don't tell me that you're bleeding." Now, he was panicking.
"No." I hiccupped. "The paparazzi are here. There's so many of them, Edward. They are at the front door. They scared Elizabeth half to death and they really did a number on Jasper."
"Oh no. I'm so sorry. Is Elizabeth okay? Tell me that she's fine."
"Yeah, she's right here. She's playing with her giant Legos. When can you come home?"
"Oh, thank god. I'll be home in ten hours or fifteen, tops. Look, I'll call Jenks now and get him to come over and give you some protection. Call Emmett too. I don't want you guys to be alone." He paused. "And er… tell Jasper that I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to her."
"I will. Please hurry." The click of the phone sounded like thunder and the silence that followed was deafening. Why did this have to happen when he wasn't here?
"Oh, Bella." Alice's voice was gentle and soothing, when she found me hiding out in the hall trying to hold just some of my tears. She hugged me warmly. "Is Edward coming?"
"Yeah." I snorted. "Late night or tomorrow." I just knew that amount of time would move at a snail's pace.
"You hungry? I was going to make something to eat for Jasper." I nodded and cracked a smile for her. Alice's way of easing tension was often to feed people. It usually helped.
Alice went back to the kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge taking things out. Jasper's face was swollen from crying, but the tears had stopped coming. I just hung around them focusing on keeping calm. You could faintly hear the hum of the reporters huddled outside our front door. It made me anxious.
"What are you doing home so early, baby?" Alice asked starting to crack some eggs into a bowl. It looked like she was going for a cheese omelet with mushrooms. Yum! The monster in my head approved. Besides, the little nudger in my stomach would approve of anything edible. I was suddenly starving, but I hadn't exactly missed lunch. I popped the button in my jeans discreetly as they were starting to feel too tight.
Jasper chewed the inside of her cheek, looking suddenly saddened. She hoisted herself to the counter and twirled her phone in her hands. "I er… I got fired today."
"You…what?" Alice spat.
"Management was restructuring?" She shrugged. "I'm so sorry, baby. One disaster hardly comes alone, I guess."
"Why would they fire you? You're the best they got." Alice was angry, but not at Jasper, that much was clear.
"Mr. Marcus sold the company. The new owner wanted to make some improvements, so I got restructured." She paused. "It's logical really. I haven't been back at the company for that long after my leave of absence and before that, my body of work was hardly impressive because of my head being all messed up. So, I would fire my ass too with those credentials." Jasper shrugged once more, feigning indifference.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, sweetie," Alice said quietly and stepped over to Jasper. She gently took her phone from her hands, while placing it on the table. She then laced her fingers into Jaspers. "Their loss, honey." Alice leaned in and kissed her gently.
Jasper pulled back, looking softly at Alice. "What about the money?"
I looked away, feeling this was a private moment just for them. Though, I knew financially Jasper and Alice didn't have much money left at the end of the month, probably due to her depression and not working for a while. Besides, what the hell was it with people getting the pink slip these days? First, Angela's boyfriend and now Jasper? Today just didn't seem to be able to get any worse!
"We'll figure it out. We have before." Alice encouraged sweetly. "I'm sure something will come along soon. If not, you can come and work with me." She smiled sweetly. "I wouldn't mind looking at you all day." I knew there was a dirty undertone to that sentiment. I ignored it studiously, because low and private sounds once again emerged from their room late at night,.
"Uhm, I could cover next month's rent," I offered tentatively. I knew paying their rent meant that Angela wouldn't be getting any extra hours and I wouldn't get more time with Elizabeth. Sacrifices had to be made. I just wished that I could manage both and not sell one of them short.
"That's awfully nice of you, Bella, but that hardly seems fair," Jasper said and frowned.
"Well, it would be more like Edward paying rent than me," I muttered. The balance in my private account had received a boost by a deposit of five grand. Sure, initially, they'd been tagged for Elizabeth, but now that I wasn't a single parent anymore, I was not accepting that money from him. It was just a hurdle that hadn't been crossed yet.
We left the disagreement alone and Alice finished the food. Sitting down to eat and ignoring the increasingly large mob downstairs. There was a sudden knock on the door and we all tensed.
"I'll get it," Alice said and stood up. She was handling this far better than I was. I heard a male voice and then Alice came back into the room. "It's for you, Bella. Some lawyer named Jenks and about three hundred pounds of muscle."
I ventured into the hall to meet the man who was important to Edward. "Come on in, please." I gestured, but only the elderly man with a seriously receding hairline entered. "Felix, I trust you with the door," he said pointedly. I remembered him. He was the security guy that Edward had used earlier. The giant next to the man nodded, but said nothing before descending the stairs again and clearly taking up space at the front door.
"I apologize for the intrusion, ladies." Jenks said when he took in the sight of the food and the set table. "I won't take up much of your time, Ms. Swan." He glanced quickly at Elizabeth, who was banging her fork into the table, and Jasper, who was trying to get her to quiet the racket. "She certainly does look like Edward," he murmured, like he was talking to himself.
"She does," I agreed.
"Anyway. Is there a place we can talk?"
I motioned for the couches in the living room. In the midst of the turmoil, I completely forgot my manners and just sat staring at the man, who carried himself with a boatload of authority. He took out a letter size envelope from a fancy leather briefcase.
"I spoke to Edward and he said it was imperative that I saw you today. I'm sorry to see that you need protection. Edward had hoped to avoid this. However, several things need to be settled. First of all, here is Elizabeth's passport. You're going to need that. Also, I took the liberty of bringing the custody papers I need you to sign. I know today is not the best time for this, but I'm not sure when we get a chance to meet again. The document doesn't say anything you haven't already read and approved. It only a formality so the joint custody can be finalized. Besides that, you need to sign this additional document saying you have received a copy of Edward's living will. He wants you to know what it says."
My head felt foggy and my brain was like mush when flipped through the paper work, checking things were as we agreed. I put the pen to the dotted line and signed my name.
"Now that is in order, Edward should be here in about eight hours and Felix downstairs is not leaving until you do. I advise that you do not step outside because it would make keeping you safe a bit precarious."
"I understand," I answered quietly, since I had absolutely no plans of stepping outside for even a second. "Mr. Jenks. How did they find out?"
"Edward's name was added to Elizabeth's birth certificate. Nothing is sacred in Hollywood," Mr. Jenks answered apologetically.
"I see."
Jenks stood up. "Just remember to keep your chin up. Edward knows how to handle situations like this, but if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me." He handed me his fancy embossed business card. "Good day, ladies." He nodded politely at Jasper and Alice, who were gaping in the kitchen. Talk about polished and perfect manners.
Jenks let himself out. I just stared at the copy of Edward's living will left on the coffee table. I decided now was definitely not the time to read it. I couldn't deal with anything else today.
Now, there was just the wait until he got here. The hours couldn't possibly move any slower. I took my time bathing, cuddling and dressing Elizabeth, before choosing the longest bedtime story that I could possibly find for her. She was asleep before I hit page three, but I took my time and finished anyway.
I really had nothing to do now, but wait.
I tried calling Emmett again, but there was still no answer. It was so strange with him these days. Jasper had been calling all day as well with the same fruitless result.
Together, we watched Titanic. It seemed like an apt movie given the tragic events of the day, so why not end it with some more turmoil. Alice sat with her computer in her lap, probably working on designs. Jasper was curled up on the end of the couch with a blanket over her. She looked about ready to go to sleep, but I knew that she was just waiting for Alice.
"Boyfriend just landed at JFK," Alice said suddenly. Lately, neither Jasper nor Alice said Edward. He was always referred to as 'boyfriend' for some reason.
"You do not know that." I checked my watch. The time seemed about right though.
"I do." She shrugged. I inclined a brow at her. "Twitter," she said as a way of explaining. I rolled my eyes. A minute later, my phone beeped with a text.
Just got off the plane. Jenks is picking me up now. See you soon. Love you.
The virtual world of Twitter was actually faster than the person himself. Impressive! I slumped back on the couch, while trying to keep composed until he got here. The crowd of people outside our front door had only increased during the day. It made us anxious, but there was nothing that we could do about it. If I could, I would vanish into thin air until the news got old and died. I just couldn't deal with it right now.
Groggily, I dragged my lids back at the sound of his voice. "Hey, gorgeous," he whispered. A wave of ease dragged all the damaging anxiety away from my body. He was here. Edward was home. He was kneeling besides the couch and I reached for him. I needed the consolation that only he was able to offer me. I was desperate for the embrace that he didn't hesitate to offer. I just clung to him without saying a word. His love and warmth was exactly what I needed.
I pulled back, noticing that the TV was off and Jasper was also asleep. Her form was curled up and her mouth slack. Her breathing was effortless. It was such a contrast to her panic attack earlier. In our little world at home she was doing fine, but out in the world she was fragile.
The coffee table was littered with sketches and pens. Alice's computer was open with what looked to be fabric prints. She'd been working. I heard some banging with the cupboards in the kitchen.
"You just got here?" I mumbled, feeling his mere presence soften the tensed muscles in my body.
He nodded. "How are you feeling?" He gently eased his hand over my belly, while stroking me.
"Okay. It's not too bad today," I murmured. His eyes radiated sadness, but it was like he was trying to cloak it.
His hand went to my side and slipped over my hip. "These jeans are way too tight for you now." He paused. His exhale was shaky. "When you called today… you really scared me." The low and strained tenor of his voice was disarmingly honest.
"I'm sorry. I was a bit hysterical."
"I understand. I know how to handle with the rats down the front door, but if we lost what's in here…" he tapped two fingers lightly at my stomach. "I wouldn't know how to deal."
"Oh, Edward." I mused and curled my fingers into his silky hair. "We're both fine," I answered.
"I'm so thankful that you're safe."
I smiled. "You want to see Elizabeth?"
"Already did. She's sleeping. I didn't want to wake her. She's had enough trouble for one day."
"She was a trooper. She really was, Edward."
"Well, she is your daughter," he said softly, while moving his hand to stroke my forehead.
"And yours too," I countered. He leaned in to kiss me. His mouth felt heavenly on mine.
"Here you go," Alice said, having no qualms about interrupting this blissful moment. I wanted to growl at her, but then I looked at the plate that she set on the table. She was feeding Edward too. How sweet.
"Thank you so much, Alice," Edward mused and sat down at my feet. "Airplane food turns my stomach." He dug into the sandwich with what seemed to be a ferocious appetite.
"When was the last time you ate?" I asked as he chewed hastily.
"Yesterday morning, I think," he answered and shrugged it off when I glowered at him. Forgetting to eat was never a good thing.
"Hey, boyfriend," Jasper croaked before she caught herself. "Edward," she amended quickly and stretched on the couch, before huddling into the pillow again. "You got some work done?" she asked Alice, who nodded.
"A lot actually. It's surprisingly easy to work with you two snoring like freight trains," Alice mocked.
Edward cleared his throat to intercede. "Jasper, I'm so sorry about what happened today. I really didn't think it would happen like this," Edward said, his voice was grave and consolatory. I stared at him, while thinking that was a bit naïve. How else would news like this implode?
"It's okay. I'll get over it," she mouthed. "It'll probably make me stronger in the long run. So what are you two going to do now?"
I had no clue. I turned to Edward, who apparently knew exactly what was going to happen. "We need to leave for a while. I won't have Elizabeth or Bella here in this chaos."
"We're leaving?" I blurted stupidly.
"Yes," he answered without further explanation. My head was still a bit groggy from sleep. I wasn't sure now was the time to get into an argument about him pulling the rug from under me. Besides getting hormonally bent out of shape, I had to acknowledge that he knew how to deal with this and I didn't. Edward seemed lost in thought suddenly as he slowly set the plate back on the table. "Actually, I have an idea," Edward said carefully. "Until this shit-storm settles, I won't have my family near those money grubbing fuckers. I know where we're going, but how about you guys came too? It would get you all away from this craziness."
"I don't think so. Besides, we don't have the money for that," Alice refused immediately.
"Especially not now." Jasper filled in, and glanced sadly at Alice.
"You kind of do. You already have the tickets," Edward countered. Somehow, innuendoes were laid on so thickly that I couldn't help, but feeling totally out of the club of the cool kids that were in on all the gossip.
They both blinked. Jasper inclined her head. "Oh, that's actually not a bad idea."
"We can't just pick up and leave," Alice frowned.
"Well, I for one am unemployed now and have nothing better to do. You're sketching your new collection and planning it out on paper. There's no reason that you couldn't do that there. You can bring your work with you. I could help you with whatever you'll need."
Alice batted her lashes at Jasper. "I like the way your mind works. Perhaps, it would be good to get some inspiration from somewhere completely new. Besides, I wouldn't mind getting you away from this too."
"See," Jasper smiled gloatingly.
I cleared my throat and decided now would be a great time to air my concerns, because as idyllic as a getaway sounded, it wasn't plausible for me at all. "What about the store, Edward? I can't just close up for weeks. I'll go bankrupt."
"I know. Uhm… isn't there anything you can do? I mean that place will be infested with reporters by tomorrow. It will be a while before this settles down."
"I only have Angela."
Edward sighed, looking exhausted. "Can you think about it while I take a shower?" He kissed my cheek before he picked up his bag and strode for the bathroom. Alice and Jasper chatted while my mind was reeling. Would my life ever just be calm and quiet again? I knew that I would always choose Edward, but I seriously hoped the press would be merciful with us. Though, I figured that would actually be a long shot. The outlook of having lost our freedom was about to haul me into a pool of depression.
With little time to think, I quickly saw that I had all the pieces at my disposal to make this work. I knew that I needed to lean on Edward for this, but also sacrifices had to be made whether I wanted to or not. That was just how life worked in all its gritty fun and glory.
Quickly, I stumbled off the couch and slipped into the bathroom where Edward was just stepping out of the shower. "Edward. I think that I found a solution, so that we can leave." I reached for a towel in the vanity and handed it to him, before I sat down on the lip of the tub.
"Yeah?" He prompted enthusiastically. He roughly friction dried his hair, leaving it in an utter state of chaos, before dragging the towel down his chest, stomach and going to his thighs. I lost my train of thought for a moment, while virtually eating him up. I had missed him so much. I gathered my thoughts quickly and snapped out of my reverie.
"You offered to help out once." I wasn't really comfortable with the solution, but it was probably the only way out of this. He nodded with his brows knitting together. "If it's okay… maybe you could help me out financially, so I could hire some extra help. That way, all our opening hours would be covered. I wouldn't be able to afford it on my own, but if you covered the expenses for the extra help, we should be fine. We could leave then."
"You didn't read the will, did you?" He asked, as he fished his toothbrush out of his bag. He squirted some toothpaste on the bristles and started brushing his teeth completely cavalier to the mention of that document.
"No," I squirmed a bit. That envelope was still on the coffee table and was stuck underneath some of Alice's sketches. It was like the thing had eyes and had been staring at me all night. I almost felt like it was burning a hole in my brain, while begging me to read it.
"I figured that you'd put it off," he said around a cloud of white froth. He spat once then continued brushing and talking at the same time. "But of course, I'll cover the expenses. I was just surprised that you asked," he mumbled and smiled.
"I'm learning how to share," I said too sweetly. Edward grinned.
"That makes me happy."
"Spending money makes you happy? Well, in that case, you're actually paying next month's rent."
He stared at me through the foggy mirror, gaping a bit. "Do you take a check?" He mouthed playfully when he recovered. The toothbrush was still stuck in his mouth.
"Nah, I'm snagging the cash from the five grand that's feeling ignored and bored in my account."
"That is for you and Elizabeth, Bella. It's not rent money," he admonished. He spat another round of toothpaste and rinsed his mouth out.
"I don't want your money, Edward. Well I do, but I don't." I frowned. I hoped that he was getting my point.
"Please don't say it, like taking my money is something disgusting. It's just a little spending cash. Indulge yourself."
My hormones took over and I couldn't help myself. It hadn't escaped my attention that Edward hadn't bothered to cover up and was still gloriously naked. My eyes swept down his utterly toned chest to the lines of his hipbone and...
Edward laughed. "That wasn't exactly what I meant, Bella." I flushed for a moment and closed my eyes waiting for the swirling blood in my cheeks to subside. "If I supply the money for an extra employee, you will go with me in the morning and leave this mess of a situation behind?" Hope was flaring in his eyes.
"Yes, Edward. And I won't even fuss about it."
"This day just got better. The money is yours." Edward picked up a pair of PJ bottoms, putting them on commando. Nice.
"I'll go call Angela. She'll be happy to know that her boyfriend just got a new job."
Picking up the phone, I knew that I would be waking Angela up. While dialing, I could hear Edward's faint voice as he was talking to Jenks on his phone. Jasper and Alice were hovering, after handing over their passports. They were probably in the process of booking tickets and making arrangements.
Angela's voice was disorientated when she answered. We spoke back and forth and I explained the entire predicament to her. As the sweetheart that she was, she told me not to worry and that Ben would love the work. We settled on a salary for the first four weeks and after that, we would see how the situation was panning out. It broke my heart that my store was practically taken away from me without my consent, but with the threat of the press hanging over our heads, all I could was to succumb to Edward's advice and leave it behind for now.
"I'm sorry you had to do that," Edward whispered into my ear and wrapped his arms around my waist hugging me from behind. His clean and freshly washed smell wafted past my nose. He smelled delicious. "I hate that my life gets in the way of what you love to do."
"I love you more."
His answering squeeze at my midriff was sweet and telling. "Me too. Everything is ready to go. I'm glad that Jasper and Alice chose to come too." He kissed my neck lightly, brushing sweet caresses on my skin. "Come to bed with me. We should get to sleep."
"I need to pack, Edward. First of all, I have no clue what to pack and second of all, traveling with a one year old is not as simple as you and your light backpack are used to."
"I'm sure that it's not. When it comes to packing, it's going to be very hot. You won't need much though because it's all been taken care of. What can I do to help?"
"You're still not telling me where we're going?" I leaned back into his embrace and laced my fingers into his that were on my stomach.
"You'll figure it out soon enough. Let's pack in the morning. Right now, I really want my beautiful and pregnant girlfriend to come to bed with me, so I can hold her and really know that she's okay," he whispered into my ear, It tingled down my spine.
"You're awfully good at persuading the innocent."
He snickered and pinched a tiny ripple of skin on my stomach. "I think that we both know you're hardly innocent. I'm usually the one persuaded." He removed his hand and slowly dragged my hair away from my shoulder. He gently traced his fingers up the column of my throat. "Tell me what to pack and you can sleep in tomorrow morning. I want you in bed because we have a very long journey ahead of us and you need the rest."
"You could just have said please, but I like the sound of bed. You make the simplest things sound so sexy."
His lips stretched into a smile, as they pressed against my throat. Controlling my body, making my feet move with his, he forced me to walk towards the bedroom. He didn't say anything, but his body spoke volumes. "Goodnight." I called over my shoulder, as I chose not to refuse being manhandled like this.
"Be nice, Bella," Alice chimed behind me. "Goodnight, boyfriend." Jasper and Alice called in unison and giggled at their inside joke.
My room was shrouded in darkness and filled with the slow rhythmical breathing coming from Elizabeth. Edward swiftly ridded himself of his shirt, before he reached for mine. I crawled into his arms and huddled under the sheets. He held me almost desperately to his chest. What we both needed most in the world was a little skin on skin and just the closeness of each other.
"I had this thought today. Well, it wasn't just today because it's been coming for a while now. Today just simply cemented it all. I'm quitting acting completely and not just holding off on signing on to more projects. I'm not doing it anymore."
"Edward, don't base such a big decision on one bad day. We can handle this."
"If it was just this one bad day, I would agree with you. Ever since I got you back and Elizabeth came into my life, I am so miserable when I'm away from you."
"I thought it was getting easier."
"It is in some ways, but it still doesn't mean that I am happy. I want something different from my life now. Tonight, I let Jenks know what I'm planning and he is canceling next week's promotional tour for me as we speak. I need to be here with you, especially now that the press is all over us like a bad suit. My family is my sole priority. This stretch of time when I was gone was the last one. I'm home to stay now, Bella."
"Oh, Edward." I mused and slipped in closer into his already tight embrace. "I didn't want to be a stick in the wheel in your life, but I am so happy that you've come to a decision that is right for you."
"It's right for us. I can't wait for us to get away from this and start living our life together."
"Tomorrow, we will."
"Tomorrow." He promised.
oooooOOOOooooo
The morning was chaos unfurling. Edward had let me sleep. Sure, Elizabeth was fed, bathed and dressed, but besides that, with Alice, Jasper and Edward packing, the entire apartment was like a whirling hurricane.
Time was moving forward swiftly and we were getting ready to leave. We were all excited to go, but the prospect of having to leave the apartment was weighing us down… especially Jasper.
Jasper was curled into a ball on the couch, basically looking like when she was sick. Her eyes were consumed with fear, hands tucked into her sleeves and she was silent as the grave. Alice had spent the last half hour trying to talk to sense into her.
All the bags were packed. Once more, Edward had proven just how efficient and experienced he was at packing as he just breezed through it. I stared at the one large backpack that I had bought when I fled home more than two years ago. It was now ready again, but this time it was for all of us. How he managed to get all that stuff crammed into it was a mystery to me. Though, it has some sense of déjà vu about that backpack. However, we were all ready to go and only waiting for Felix to arrive and offer us some much needed security to get out of our apartment. We were basically locked under house arrest. We were prisoners in our own home. I had waited for the storm to settle, but that didn't seem to be the case. The climate outside had only gotten worse after Edward arrived.
There was a sharp rap on the door and Jenks' mute cousin was here. It offered me some sense of relief. Edward was in all-business mode and handling everything in a sharp tone. There was no protesting his decision when he got like this. I guessed that I understood. He was stressed out just like we all were. So being all over the situation was his way of handing this stress. I ate to alleviate my nerves and upset stomach. Sadly, Jasper's way was to vanish into her own world.
"Bella, you take Elizabeth. Put this over her, so they can't see her." He threw a small blanket over to me and I magically caught it mid-air. I normally had no hand to eye coordination. I picked up Elizabeth and took a solid hold on her small body. She was filled with tension and her radar was picking up on the stress in the house. I folded the blanket over her, so she was completely shielded by my body and the cover. I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt up, cloaking my face.
"Felix, you shield Bella and Elizabeth. I'll take Jasper. Alice, you good?" He all, but barked the orders. Alice nodded silently, while throwing a worried glance at Jasper. Her fingers lingered on Jasper's shoulder with her thumb resting just at her neck and grazing her skin.
"Mr. Cullen, perhaps I should cover Ms. Whitlock?" Felix asked apprehensively.
"No. You're bigger than me and nobody lays a hand on either Bella or Elizabeth. You got that?" Mr. Muscle nodded. "No complete stranger touches Jasper." Edward gave me a small smile. I was grateful that he understood the Jasper situation perfectly. He was the only one here with whom she was comfortable enough to shield her.
Waiting in the hall, I was ready with Edward's small carry-on luggage on my back and Elizabeth in my arms when I noticed Edward and fell in love with him all over again. Alice was fidgeting at his side as he crouched down in front of Jasper and spoke softer than ever before. The hard commanding tenor was gone for now. "It's time to go. I know you can do this. You are so damn strong, Jasper. Ready?" She barely responded with a bob of her head. Edward carefully draped one of his zipped sweaters over her shoulders and helped her into the shirt. "I'll take care of you. You'll be safe all the way. I'm not going to let anyone touch you. Alice will be at your other side at all times. It's just a short walk from the door to the car, okay?" He zipped the sweater up, dwarfing her in the garment and pulled the hood up over her head, shielding her.
"Time to go, sweetheart." Jasper's shoulders trembled then she drew a deep breath and nodded with a little more effort. Alice held out her hand and pulled Jasper up from the couch.
This was it. It's time to go.
I was apprehensive as hell and it was hard to control my anxiety, but I maintained my focus on the car and getting to it without stumbling while still being fast.
I trotted down the stairs in a vast pace with Mr. Muscle shadowing me and leaving no space between him and me. I could hear Alice, Edward and Jasper right behind us. I paused shortly and stole a glance behind me. Edward had an arm draped around Jasper's shoulder, shielding her with his body and Alice on her other side. Alice didn't give a shit about the reporters. They couldn't get to her, but she was fiercely protective of her wife and her face showed exactly that.
Mr. Muscle pulled the door open and I tightened my arms around my daughter, practically choking her, but her soft arms around my neck were tight and she was scared. She didn't cry, but she was far from comfortable.
The world outside was ridiculous. It exploded into a myriad of screaming, calling names and flashing lights. I ducked my head down and let myself be led by the brawny man at my side. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other and making it to the car. This was one of the most uncomfortable situations that I'd ever been in. There was no doubt that I would rather be in labor than this.
I threw myself into the back seat of the huge SUV really noticing how hard my heart was palpitating in my chest. My breath was ragged and shallow. Next to me, Jasper tumbled into the car, basically being pushed by Alice. I was glad the car was extremely spacious.
Edward slammed the door behind him closing out the white noise of the reporters. We all let out a sigh of relief. This shit was intense.
Everyone strapped in. I watched Alice wipe the tears on Jasper's cheeks. She was still trembling, all shook up and trying to regain her composure. This was terrifying for her.
Edward took my hand and kissed the back of my palm when the car started rolling. "Well done, baby," he murmured.
"I hate this," I wheezed, as my voice betrayed me. The aftermath of hustling my way through that crowd had my stomach in knots.
"Me too," Edward answered.
"How often are you exposed to this?"
"From time to time. There's not really much to do, but to sit it out. It will stop eventually."
"I don't want to live like this, Edward. I don't want to be followed, photographed or pegged on a stick for whatever I do."
He palmed my cheek and stroked my face, before treading his fingers into my hair. "You won't have to. Like I said, I'm quitting and this won't last forever."
"I sincerely hope not. I just need to learn how to ignore all of this."
He smiled warmly. "That's my girl." He paused. "Now, let's just board the plane and get out of this country."
I sat back and surrendered myself to the quiet purr of the car engine. It has a nice and calming effect on me.
"So where exactly are we going?" I asked after a while.
"You still haven't figured it out yet?" Edward smirked.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Would I ask if I had?"
He laughed. "Touché. Wait and you shall see. I think that you will like it."
"I'm with you and the rest of my family, there's nothing I won't like." I answered and leaned my head to his shoulder. He answered after a while.
"We're going back at the beginning, baby."
oooooOOOOooooo
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