A/N : I got such GREAT reviews for the last chapter that I couldn't wait to post this one! As always, much appreciation to my reviewers, LilMizzNae, abzz, jade dragon618, xLoopiloox, blonde-gal, jennyx00, bronzedoe, Laughing Dragoness, Pearledtears, and Quiet and Invisible.

Plus a very, VERY special thank-you to flamingo 1325 and obsessed over twilight : your wonderful comments touched me. You guys rock:)

Disclaimer : I know, I know, I don't own 'em...

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Chapter 04 - Vampire Take Out

I awoke to muted sunlight filtering into my eyes and stretched, smiling when I felt his body still right under me, the same exact spot it had been when I fell asleep.

"How did you sleep?" Edward asked, lifting a finger to play with my hair.

I thought back on the previous hours and answered with some surprise, "good...I slept good." I racked my brain and couldn't remember when I had slept that peacefully lately.

"I'm glad," he said finally, sounding like he wanted to aid more but was hesitating. Curious I looked up at him. Looking away from my eyes he asked finally, "have you been sleeping lately?"

I knew he got his answer the minute he looked into my eyes and I swallowed, turning to stare at my comforter. I hadn't wanted him to see me like that, to know how depressed I had been, how broken. Those first hours after Jacob had left and before we had talked were among my worst and I never wished for him to feel my pain.

"Bella..."

"What, uh, what did I say?" I asked evenly, starting to pick at my comforter so that I had an excuse to not look up at him. It was common knowledge that I talked in my sleep, especially when I was upset.

He knew what I was asking and admitted after a pause. "You cried a lot..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence for me to know that I been crying about Jacob; I could hear it in his tone. I continued to pick at my blanket and felt it rip under my fingers before they were pulled back from it, Edward's larger hand wrapped around mine.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

I shook my head no, still not looking up at him. I felt him pull me closer by my hand and I laid my back against his chest, letting my head fall to the right and I gazed out the window.

Edward simply held me, running his hands through my hair for what seemed like hours before he kissed the crown of my head and asked, "do you want breakfast in bed?"

The question came out of left field and I stirred, looking back at him. "You're gonna cook?" I questioned hesitantly.

"I was thinking more along the lines of going and picking it up." He smiled down at me. "I don't think anyone needs to be subjected to that."

I could feel a smile tugging at my lips and I gave in, earning a kiss on the lips in the process. Thinking it over, I stretched and sighed before saying, "mind if I cook here instead?"

"Whatever you want," he agreed automatically and happily. "You can have anything you want."

"Really?" I asked, turning back to him. "Anything I want?" He nodded and I thought for a beat before adding, "no matter what you think?"

I saw his eyebrows pull together and he stated with a more even voice, "with some conditions."

I sighed and knew he had caught my drift. He had made it very clear that the discussion of me becoming a vampire was over - and his decision stood, I was to stay human. A little voice in the back of my head, the same voice that was growing stronger and bigger everyday, argued that me becoming a vampire would solve a lot of our problems. And besides, I had made up the decision that I wanted it long ago. I almost mentioned this out loud when Alice suddenly appeared in my room.

"Alice," I exclaimed, startled.

She skipped over and sat on the edge of my bed, pouting. "It's been very lonely by myself. Entertain me, please."

I laughed briefly and leaned over, engulfing her for the second time in the day. "I've missed you," I added.

I could feel her eyes over my shoulder and turned to see her and Edward having a silent conversation, ending with Edward looking away, his face hardened by whatever she had been thinking. I wanted to ask what it was about but knew it was futile when he got that look on his face.

"How about we get some food into you while Edward gets some clothes and stuff for us?" Alice asked suddenly, her voice chipper as always. She stood up and pulled me off the bed with her.

I looked down at Edward and he sighed, standing up. It was clearly evident on his face that he did not want to leave me but Alice must have said something pretty convincing cause he scowled and shot her another look. Before he even looked my way I knew what he was going to say and I offered, "it's ok. Me and Alice can...visit."

I heard Alice snicker at my choice of words and Edward growled at her before leaning down, taking my lips gently. The kiss was tender and sweet and sad all at the same time, making a little ball of dread start to form in my stomach. Here it was just a few hours after his proclamation and he was leaving already.

But again, before he could say anything I forced a smile and told him, "you'll be back before you know it." I tried to make the smile reach my eyes but I'm pretty sure I failed since Edward placed his hand on the back of my neck and kissed me again, deepening it slightly more than the last, causing my heart to beat on double time and my breath to come out in a whoosh when he let me go.

He saw right through my facade and leaned in, promising into my ear, "I will be back." He pulled away finally and looked at Alice briefly before heading for my window and hopping out it. I held my breath for a count of ten before I let it out, knowing it would be shaky after I watched him disappear across my yard and hop into his car.

Alice came up behind me and threw an arm across my shoulder and suddenly asked, "can you order in breakfast like you do pizza?"

The true innocence in her eyes made me try and hide my laugh before giving up and telling her, "If you weren't a vampire you'd starve to death."

She just smiled happily and started to dance her way down the steps without making a sound, while I clamped down them after her, my bare feet sounding like combat boots in comparison. By the time I had made it to the kitchen she was perched on the counter and swinging her legs back and forth.

"So, what's for breakfast?" she asked.

I pondered that myself and walked over to the fridge and looked inside, careful to step over the spot where I had collapsed last night. I pulled out some eggs, sitting them on the counter. Alice, curious, picked one out of the carton and turned it all around before giving it a toss in the air and catching it effortlessly.

"You do realize these come out of a chicken's butt, right?" she asked suddenly.

"You drink bear blood and you think my eating of an egg is weird?" I tossed back.

Ignoring my question, Alice just said, "I don't eat bear; I prefer deer - or goat."

I sent her a mock frown. "Poor Bambi."

Alice for her part though, just grinned and continued to toss the egg up in the air, my eyes following it automatically.

"You know, those do break easily," I told her, not relishing the idea of cleaning up the mess if she were to actually drop it - which would be very unlikely.

Alice just smiled again and placed it back in the carton while I pulled out the frying pan and went around to her other side, starting up the stove and greasing the pan.

"He needs time, you know," she said suddenly, still swinging her legs.

It was obvious who she was talking about and I had a very good idea on what he needed time with also. I cracked the egg and dropped it into the pan, listening to the sizzle for a beat before telling her, "it would just be easier. I wouldn't be liability anymore."

"I see your point. And to be truthful, I'm pretty disgusted with the whole argument." Almost like she stating an after-thought to herself Alice added, "I've been flirting with the idea of changing you myself."

I nearly dropped my spatula as I turned full body toward her. "Oh my god Alice, do it!" I exclaimed, even throwing my wrist out toward her. "Bite me!"

Her eyes went wide at my reaction but she remained calm when she replied, "I didn't mean right now obviously."

I could feel my lower lip pout out and I knew I was employing one of Alice's own tricks. "But you'll change your mind if we don't do it now," I argued, even going as far as laying my head on her shoulder.

"No...I don't think I will," she said after a brief moment of contemplation. After giving my back a rub she said, "is something burning?"

"Oh!" I gasped, turning around and quickly flipping my eggs. Sending her a quick glance I accused playfully, "nice warning."

Alice just grinned wickedly. "I doubt you would've burnt the house down."

I rolled my eyes and finished cooking my eggs quickly, delivering them onto a plate, charred side down, and taking a seat at the table, Alice right with me. I picked up my fork and took a bite, chewing it slowly as I tried to think of a way to phrase my question.

"Alice?"

"Hmm?" she answered.

I used my fork and cut up another piece of but didn't take the bite, instead asking quietly, "how was he? You know, while we were apart."

She didn't seem surprised by my question but still thought carefully before telling me, "dead."

I looked up into her eyes sharply, my heart ramming my ribs just from her saying that word about him and she explained, "he wasn't Edward any more. He was empty, a shell. Not even Jasper could help him. And then he left."

"Left?" I repeated slowly. During the whole time Edward had been a vampire he had only left Carlisle once and that was when he rebelled and started feeding on humans. I knew how horrible he felt about that period of his past looked back down at my eggs again, not letting my mind go to that scenario.

Alice nodded. "He went to stay with some friends for a bit. I don't think I'll ever really know how bad it hurt him," she finished, eyeing me. "But...maybe you do?"

I just nodded, not being able to lift my eyes at the moment. She crossed her arms and leaned casually on them before starting again. "I checked in on you a few days after we left." I could feel the horror fill my face at the thought of that, knowing Edward could have read her mind and got it from her.

"Di-did he see me..."

"No," she answered. "As soon as he realized that the thought was about he recoiled back and got furious with me." She paused a beat then added, "I think seeing you would have been too much. He wouldn't chance it."

I could understand that and simply nodded again, playing with my food some more. Everything about that time had been painful.

"He'd pretty much made up his mind last week to come back for you," she stated suddenly, catching me off guard. Alice saw my startled look and smiled. "He gave himself a few more days to try, but it was useless and he knew it." Her smile disappeared and she kept going with, "and then you decided to suddenly take up extreme sports."

I sighed, practically throwing my fork on my plate. "It was stupid. I just...I just wanted to feel something, you know?" I thought about telling her about the voice but decided against it, feeling embarrassed.

"Well, with your track record I don't think-..." Alice suddenly trailed off and whipped her head toward the front door, her nose flaring. I had only ever heard Alice hiss or even growl once - she had acted remarkably human for a vampire up until now - so I was looking at her with complete shock when a hiss escaped her lips.

Before I could ask what was wrong my eyes suddenly widened even more when I heard the knock. His knock.

"Jacob," I breathed out, taking a quick look at the door then back at Alice.

Her eyes were drawn and suspicious. "What is he?" she asked. "I smelled him in your house earlier...and I didn't see him coming." Her face suddenly blanked for a second and I knew she was trying to get a picture from the future.

I opened my mouth, undecided on what to tell her when the knock came again, impatient this time. "Werewolf," I finally whispered, hearing Alice suddenly exclaim, "your gone. I-I don't know what's going to happen."

"What?" I had heard her slight fear when she had spoken and it made my hair stand on end. Alice had always been calm and collected but the thought of her powers failing had her shaken up. I was about to ask her what she meant by 'I was gone' when Jacob knocked a third time, sounding like he was trying to pound the door down.

I couldn't keep my eyes from the door and she saw, sending a questioning look my way before standing up.

"Alice," I tried, but all I could do was sit there helplessly. Then she was suddenly at the door, opening it and going out onto the porch. I scrambled out behind her, my breath coming out in a whoosh when I found Jacob on one side of my door frame and Edward on the other, both of them screaming predator as they stared each other down.

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As always, I'd love to know what you think!

Melissa