Chapter notes:
Thanks again to my wonderful beta, NoMoreThanUsual. Special thanks to Camilla for catching my historical inaccuracies in this chapter, thus sparing me from complete embarrassment. And of course, the usual thanks and praise to my husband, the alpha of betas. He knows why.
This chapter picks up directly from the end of Bella, Chapter 11. Bad vamp alert!
I've never wanted to run from anything, not since I was changed. And not until today.
The thought of exposing Bella to three "traditional" vampires was more than I could bear. Certainly, they would realize she was human. I knew they wouldn't try anything foolish in the parking lot, but I had no idea what they were like or what they would do once this little meet-and-greet was over.
Carlisle elected to speak first. This made sense, since he's the patriarch of our coven; plus, Carlisle has a cool head. I was so highly strung over Bella being in the presence of these nameless killers that I could hardly stand it, and I might say or do something damaging.
My family moved to loosely surround Bella, except for Emmett and I, who stood tightly at her sides. Alice motioned subtly with her head to a wooded area at the rear of the parking lot. It was around 5 p.m., and there didn't appear to be any other human near us. We walked casually to where Alice indicated they would be waiting.
I could smell them: they weren't completely clean, though they retained enough of the vampire scent to attract their prey. They gave off a woodsy, almost gamey aroma to an experienced immortal nose. There were three of them, now cautiously walking out of the woods shoulder to shoulder. On the left was a blond, tall, thin male, clothed in denim, his hair drawn back in a ponytail. On the right was a female, dressed in wild 70's-style garb, her hair a untamed mane of ginger. In the center, perhaps the leader of this trio, was a lanky black male with dreadlocks past his shoulders, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a butterscotch-colored leather jacket. A smile spread across his face; at this point, I detected nothing in his thoughts but recognition of our species, and curiosity.
"Good afternoon," he said in a lilting Caribbean accent. "We became aware that you were staying in this area and we would like to introduce ourselves. I am Laurent. This is Victoria, and here is James."
Carlisle stepped forward, also smiling. I could hear his calm internal assessment of any possible danger. "I am Carlisle, and this is my family. We are visiting here from the West Coast." He turned sideways and gestured to the rest of us standing behind him.
Laurent's eyebrows raised in surprise. "A family? You live together, as a family?"
"Yes. Do you live around here?"
"We are nomads, but generally, we stick to this area of the East Coast. We have found the, ah, inventory to be satisfactory. Is that why you are here? A change of scenery, or a change of entree?" Laurent chuckled at his own creepy joke. I saw his eyes shift to Bella; he knew she was not immortal.
Carlisle's friendly grin remained plastered on his face. "We came to visit New York. Our family has a different hunting tradition." There was confusion in the minds of Laurent and Victoria as they tried to figure out what my father meant. James, however, had become disconcertingly focused on Bella. I held her tightly against my waist, with Emmett still on the other side of her. At first James misconstrued our possessiveness as unwillingness to share a victim, then the look on my face made him reassess that.
Laurent listened, fascinated, as Carlisle explained our diet. "And you exist on this? Constantly?" he asked, perplexed.
"Yes, it's our lifestyle," Carlisle responded.
"Why?" Laurent looked as if he could never understand.
"It actually makes things a lot less complicated," Carlisle explained with a cheery note to his voice. He was uncomfortable with their disbelief and mentioned the humanitarian side of our preferences only briefly, not wanting to start a lengthy disagreement with them.
James slowly walked closer toward me. "So, why is she here?" he asked, nodding to Bella with a smirk. "When you're good, do you get a piece of candy as a reward?"
I instinctively growled -- the stupidest thing I could have done, for I'd given him the exact reaction he wanted. I could hear in his thoughts that he suspected Bella and I had a relationship, so he made the vulgar comment to provoke me. Emmett inhaled as if to say something but thought better of it; Carlisle again spoke for all of us.
"The girl is with us," he said firmly. "We were just returning to our hotel rooms, but if you would like, some of us will stay with you and talk for awhile longer." He was looking to give me an open to get Bella away.
Victoria was unsure of James' interest in Bella; apparently they'd been together long enough where there was reason for jealousy, even over a human. I heard her relief as I said, "If you will excuse us, we need to return inside." She didn't want any competition.
James took another threatening step. "Do you share?" he asked, angering me again. Involuntarily, my growl became louder until Carlisle spoke.
"That's uncalled for," he said calmly to James. "She will not be harmed. We don't want to cause a scene here in the middle of the parking lot." Head back into the hotel now, Edward, and make arrangements to get Bella home, he thought.
Without a word, I turned and moved to the entrance of the inn, pulling Bella with me. I'm going to stay with everyone else, Emmett thought. There are a lot of people around; these clowns won't do anything stupid out here. But I'm worried about leaving the family if they go into the woods together. With my back to the rest of the group, I gave Emmett a glance of assent.
My family and the trio of other vampires headed off, James reluctantly going with the other two. Already he was thinking of ways he could pursue us, for the challenge of the hunt. He didn't necessarily want Bella but he would kill her as sure as look at her. He was a tracker, and I had bested him by walking away. James was after revenge for what he perceived as an insult. I knew he would not let it go.
I heard Bella's frightened, shallow breathing as we walked swiftly through the revolving doors. As soon as we were in an elevator alone, Bella looked at me. I'd never seen her so scared, not even the first nearly deadly day I met her.
"What were they thinking?" she said hesitantly.
"It doesn't matter," I replied, trying to remain calm. "It was pretty much in line with what they were saying."
"Will your family be okay?" It was so like her to worry about them; I loved her all the more for it.
"They can more than hold their own. Besides, they outnumber the other vampires two to one." The elevator arrived at our floor. "I'm far less concerned about them than I am about getting the next flight out of Newark."
"I think you're right. Let's go back to Washington now," she said, her voice tremulous but determined.
"An excellent call." I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes, some human habits that failed to soothe me this time. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I had no idea -- "
She was already shaking her head. "Exactly. You had no idea. It isn't as if you haven't told me there are others out there. Plus, let's not forget," and she eyed me significantly, "I was the one who wanted to come back East."
"You should be able to visit your family without fear of a vampire attack."
"Stop it," she said sternly. "This could have happened anywhere, you know." But it would be much less likely if I never pursued you, I thought.
I slid the keycard in the lock and pushed open the door, rudely shoving ahead of Bella. I wanted to make sure there was no one else in our suite. My paranoia was now in full swing.
Bella immediately pulled out her suitcase and began tossing her clothes and toiletries inside. I grabbed my laptop and turned it on, cursing the hotel's slow Web connection. I wanted to get out of here twenty minutes ago.
Finally, I logged on to our airline's site and scoured the available flights. The most optimal departure was 10 p.m.; it was still later than I would like, but we had to get to the airport and make it through security. As quickly as the computer would allow, I booked two first-class flights and listened for my family's return. I wanted them to accompany us to the airport, at least to the gates. If James was inclined to follow us, it was best if we continued to outnumber that coven.
But they must have remained in the woods, because I could not hear anything. I was certain they'd come to our room first to let me know what else had happened.
"I got a flight at 10 p.m.," I informed Bella. It was now just past 6. "Can you hold out on eating until we get to the airport? I'd prefer to stay in the room until we leave. And I'm going to ask my family to come with us." I began throwing my own clothes into my duffle bag.
She nodded. "There's enough in this suite to tide me over."
I heard Emmett's thoughts, dim at first but growing stronger. If Emmett was even near the hotel, the other vampires must have departed, for he would never leave the family alone with them. Several seconds later, I heard the rest of them, some talking and some silent. I searched out Carlisle first, knowing his impressions would be most accurate.
Concern. Caution. Anger. Frustration. And, like me, planning for us all to go to the airport together. If Carlisle was this worried, the situation must be bad.
Emmett rapped at our door. "Let us in, bro. We're all back," he said in a normal-for-Emmett tone.
Bella was already at the door, and, I noted with some amusement, peered through the peephole cautiously before opening it. That's my girl. Emmett looked at her as he brushed past. "You okay?" He briefly held her elbow.
"I'm fine. Edward got me here as fast as possible while surrounded by humans. What happened?" she demanded.
Our suite was now crowded with my family. Emmett shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear casual. "They left," he said simply.
"Do you know where they went?" Bella asked.
"I think they were headed north," he said reassuringly. I saw Rosalie shoot him a look, and was surprised to hear here think, Don't insult her like that.
I was distractedly staring at Carlisle and discerning his thoughts. Laurent isn't the problem; he wants no difficulty with us. James seems eager to start trouble. For whatever reason, he's intrigued with Bella, I heard. I emitted a low growl.
I'm afraid you may have incited him with your protectiveness, he added. He detected your relationship and seems to have taken that as a challenge. I saw Carlisle's memory of speaking with Laurent while James peppered the rest of my family with questions about where Bella and I had gone, and why she and I walked off if we were all a family. No one gave him an answer. Instead, Jasper tried to engage James and Victoria in conversation about how long they had been hunting in the area.
James mostly ignored him except for monosyllabic responses. He kept glancing back in the direction of the hotel, while Jasper and Rosalie surreptitiously moved at the same time to block his view. Esme was at Carlisle's side, with Emmett right next to her and Alice behind Jasper, trying desperately to detect what would occur next. But the other vampires were uncertain of their next move, so the future was a haze to her.
Bella finally noticed the silent staring between Carlisle and I. She came over to us and looked from me to him and back. "What is it?"
"Nothing," I replied automatically.
She snorted. "Like you weren't reading his thoughts. Is there something here I should know?"
Carlisle chuckled. You can't keep things from her, Edward. She's too smart, and she knows you too well already, he thought.
I rolled my eyes. "He just confirmed what I thought, that it's best for us to leave right now." Addressing Carlisle out loud, I said, "I'd like for everyone to at least come with us to the airport. I suspect James and the other two won't follow us and draw attention to all of us there."
"What if they see us leave? They're fast, right - like all of you? What if they follow us as far as the airport? Can they figure out where we'll go?" Bella asked, worry coloring her voice.
Carlisle raised his eyebrows and and shot me a sideways glance. She's a quick study. I nodded imperceptively and smiled grimly. I loved her persistence and intelligence, but they could make things complicated.
I put my hands on Bella's shoulders. "We'll lose them in traffic. Besides, we'll be on the Turnpike a lot of the way. No one would survive walking on the Jersey Turnpike, not even a vampire," I said, trying to joke her out of her concerns.
It was now almost 7 p.m., and we all headed downstairs so Bella and I could check out.
"Is everything all right, sir? I see you were suppose to stay through tomorrow," the desk clerk noted.
No, everything is most definitely not all right. Vengeful vampires are after my girlfriend and I, and we have to get out of Dodge before they kill her. My entire family, who are also vampires though not the nosh-on-humans type, may have to fight them off. But that's probably not what you meant.
I opened my mouth to say something more acceptable but Bella jumped in. "No, everything was lovely. Unfortunately, we need to return early due to a family emergency," she said smoothly.
What a cool liar she was. Did I turn her that way?
"I"m sorry to hear that. I hope everything works out all right," the clerk said with feigned concern.
"It will," I said firmly.
It took about an hour for us to get to Newark. Jasper and Alice drove us in the Mercedes to the airport, while Carlisle and Esme rode in the Escalade with Rose and Emmett. Throughout the trip, I clutched Bella's hand with my right and nervously drummed my fingers with my left. She glanced at me every several minutes, no doubt absorbing my anxiety. I hated the traffic -- hated how it slowed us down. This urban area was a far cry from Forks, where I could almost always speed because there were usually few vehicles. Here, even in the evening, the cars on the road seemed to outnumber the entire human population of Washington State.
Jasper pulled into the area for departures and swiftly located our airline. He popped the trunk as I jumped out of the car, searching, listening, smelling the air. No sign of the vampire trio we'd met earlier. I leaned down and took Bella's hand, helping her out of the Mercedes.
"Stay with me, I instructed her. "Don't leave my side."
The airport was brightly lit and not very crowded. It shouldn't be too difficult to detect any problems. When the rest of the family arrived, we rode the escalator to the section where our gate was located.
"Edward."
I was so involved in my thoughts I ignored Bella until she pulled on my arm. "I know you're worried, but does it really matter if we break land-speed records just to get to the gate? We have plenty of time," Bella chided, slightly out of breath.
I heaved a sigh. "Sorry. I'm stressed." Impossible as it seemed, I forgot how difficult it was for her to keep up.
The security guards waved travelers through the line toward the scanners. Bella and I turned to my family. We'll keep looking for them, Carlisle thought. When we get back to the hotel, we'll sweep the area to see if they're still around. I hope they've lost interest in us. I knew he really meant he hoped they grew bored with Bella and I.
"Stay in touch," I said, addressing everyone. "Let me know what you find out."
"We will," Jasper promised. He looked solemnly at Bella and I, and I detected the first flashes of affection and concern in his eyes as they met hers. Bella had won him over, and in the middle of this tension, that brought a smile to my lips.
There was still about 40 minutes until we'd board our flight. Bella debated whether she should get some coffee at this late hour, then decided to pick up some magazines. She started to walk a little aimlessly in the direction of the shops near our gate when I grabbed for her.
She looked at my hand and then at me as if I'd lost my mind. "What, Edward?"
"You can't wander off like that."
"I'm just going to the newsstand! It's right across from us. Jeez," she grumbled.
"No," I said, now walking with her. "You have to get used to this. I'm not leaving you alone. I don't know for certain they're not around here somewhere."
"They'd cause a scene in the middle of Newark Airport? If they're that stupid, they're no match for you."
I sighed. "Bella, don't argue with me." My voice dropped even lower. "I know my kind. We have many tricks."
"At some point, I'm going to have to pee," she said pointedly.
"I'll wait outside the entire time."
"Still a stalker." She nudged me teasingly.
"I've been called worse."
"Still a pervy stalker."
Newark-Liberty Airport is notorious for its delays, but the weather was good tonight and the plane departed on time. Bella yawned and gratefully accepted the blanket I found in the overhead bin. She pulled up the armrest and snuggled in close to my side.
I stroked her hair, loving the feel of it, not wanting to consider what would happen if I'd never be able to touch it again. "Will it disturb you if I read? I'll have to turn on the light." I didn't need it, but the flight attendant would be suspicious if I read in the dark.
"No. I can usually sleep through anything," Bella replied. After another minute, she said softly, "Edward?"
"Yes, love."
"What will happen when we get back to Forks?" She turned her face up to me, her eyes tense and questioning.
I took her hand and grasped it firmly, holding her gaze. "I'm going to be with you just about every minute for the foreseeable future."
To my surprise, that brought a smile to her face. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Well, it's not just my stalker-ish tendencies. I'm going to to protect you."
"You really think I'll need it." This wasn't a question, but a request for confirmation. I hesitated. She deserved honesty, but I didn't want to terrify her. What did other men do in this situation? How do they avoid panicking their loved one while trying to be realistic? Of course, other men generally didn't have to guard against brutal vampires. I reasoned that the danger meant I shouldn't sugar-coat it.
"I do," I said gravely. "I'll be with you at night, and during the day I'll watch you at work, from a short distance so no one else knows. The nights that I have to work, you'll stay at our house. I've already ordered a bed," I added.
She pulled away from me slightly, a mischievous grin lighting her features. "Reeealllyyyyyy?" she said, drawing out the word lasciviously.
"Really. Don't get any funny ideas, perv," I chided. Of course, I hoped she would. A little.
Bella pouted. "Then what good is it? Don't bother. I'll sleep on your daybed," she grumbled.
"You and your hormones."
"You love me and my hormones."
I leaned over and kissed her softly. "More than you can know," I murmured. "Which is why I'll keep you safe until James and the others aren't be a threat."
"How will you know when they're not?"
And that was the question. They could lay low for a very long time, but odds were good that James would never forget.
"I don't have an answer to that right now. Just remember that Alice will help, too. We have many things on our side."
Bella thought about this for a minute, and then panic showed on her face. "What about Mrs. Farrelly?"
I knew it wouldn't be long before her worry expanded to everyone she cared about. "We'll all keep an eye on her, too. When I'm there, I'll be protecting her as well."
"Can I bring Faith with me when I stay at your house?"
"I'm sure no one will mind. I hope it doesn't drive Faith crazy." I wondered how the cat would react to being in a house full of vampires, even with Bella there. Her feline instincts had already told her I was dangerous.
"She'll probably hide in your closet the entire time. Of course, there's plenty of room in there." Bella grinned again. "Hope you don't mind hairballs in your Nikes."
By the time the plane was over Ohio, Bella had finally dozed off. Although I'd tried to paint an accurate picture for her, I didn't want to cause her too much stress with my own anxiety. I was certain I could protect her, and that my family would help. It would impact her mobility and her independence, and I knew she'd dislike that, but she'd have to relent. It was the only way to be sure.
Chances were solid that James would find us. He was a tracker, and the challenge I'd presented him once he saw the bond between Bella and I would motivate him to search anywhere across the country, or beyond. I wondered what, if anything, Carlisle found out when they returned to the hotel. Had James and his companions stayed around?
It was difficult to concentrate on my book right now. Some of it was the usual awareness of the thoughts of everyone on the plane; I had to keep closing them down. It was easier than earlier today when we'd been in New York City, with its limitless drone of minds passing by me and through me. Always, it was the most difficult thoughts that were most prominent...worry, fear, sadness, hatred. I tightened my hold on Bella. No matter where I was, the quiet mind of the person next to me was most important, the thoughts I couldn't read most valuable to me.
Our weekend had been so wonderful up until this point. It all seemed so normal. We were almost like any other couple, enjoying a special trip to her home state. I'd met her family and her dearest friends. I'd even acted the way a normal, loving, more-than-boyfriend would by helping her with all the mixed feelings that come from returning to your family and slipping back into the role you always had as the daughter or sister. The day had taken an emotional toll on Bella, and I was proud that I could comfort her. She seemed soothed and relieved by my efforts to help her see she was too self-critical. I held her and loved her and almost gave in to desire more than I'd dared. The physical closeness between us, which was going further than I expected, gave me hope that what I wanted for us could one day happen. When Bella gave so much of herself to me it allowed me to forget, for a little while, my own abnormalities, because they didn't matter to her. She wanted only me and what I could give. And I believed that I had something worthwhile to give her. Nothing could force me to let her go.
As the plan brought us closer to home, I hoped that meant safety for Bella. The irony there didn't escape me. I had once been the biggest threat to her life when she made Forks her new home. Now, I would fight to my own death anyone who would try to take her life. I could more than handle my own thirst for her blood, I knew. I could ignore it, even nullify it. The venom was barely a nuisance, the tradeoff so immeasurably precious.
But I had to think about the probability that they would look for us. James, in particular, would make it his new mission. If I had to, I would keep moving her around, taking her wherever it might be safe, even for a few weeks at a time. She wouldn't be happy about it, but I had to make her understand there might not be any other way. I hoped the fact that we'd be together would be enough for her until I knew for sure that James and his coven were out of the picture. Between me and my family, it was entirely possible that we could take him down as soon as we knew he was near. Of course, that meant we'd have to wait, and I wasn't very good at that - not where Bella's life and safety were concerned.
"Bella. Bella, wake up," I said as I stroked her arms. The plane had landed and almost every passenger stood up to depart. Bella sharply inhaled and stretched, reluctantly opening her eyes. She smiled lazily when she focused on me.
"Hey handsome. Are we there yet?"
"Just arrived. Let's go."
I grabbed our bags while Bella gathered her backpack. She stumbled more than a few times on our way through the terminal. It was midnight here in Tacoma, and then I realized it felt like 3 a.m. to Bella, who had just adjusted to East Coast time this morning. As soon as we got in the car I'd cover her with my jacket so she could fall back asleep for the hours-long return to Forks.
Hoisting the suitcase straps over my shoulder, I wrapped my other arm around Bella to hold her up. She was shuffling through the garage, barely aware of her surroundings. "You look like a zombie," I chuckled as I dropped the bags and opened the door.
"You would know," she mumbled. Sense of humor intact, I noted as I eased her into the seat. Her eyes closed almost immediately, and I buckled the seatbelt and tucked my jacket around her.
"Rest, sweetheart. You'll be safe. I promise," I whispered with a kiss.
It was dark, there were no other cars on the road once we left the airport, and I used my built-in police radar to get us home in a couple of hours. Not wanting to wake Bella, I took her house keys out of a small zippered pouch in her backpack. I backed the Volvo into the driveway, carefully lifted Bella out of the car and unlocked the door.
I crept softly up the stairs in the dark, trying not to wake her landlady. Faith started crying as soon as I'd opened the back door, and I smiled; seeing the cat would make Bella forget about the unpleasantness today. One more door at the top of the stairs, and we were in her apartment, Faith skittering off as soon as I walked in with Bella in my arms.
I made my way to her bedroom and shifted so I held her with one arm while drawing the blankets back with the other. Once she was on the sheets, I removed her shoes and felt her feet jerk away from my hands. She was awake, confused and sleepy-eyed.
"What happened? Are we home?" she asked in a raspy voice. Faith's excitement at having Bella home apparently overshadowed her distaste for me. She pounced on the bed, purring, and nudged Bella with her head.
"Aw, Faith. I missed you, girl...Edward, what are you doing?"
I had removed Bella's jacket and was now tugging her pants off.
"You really are a perv," she muttered.
"I'm just trying to make you comfortable."
"Yeah, right." She dropped her head on the pillow, then grabbed my hand when I turned to put her clothes on the chair.
"Edward."
"Yes, Bella."
"I love you," she whispered.
I walked back and kissed her lips reverently. "I love you too. Please go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."
Before settling in next to Bella, I cleaned the cat's food and water bowls and gave her fresh chow and water. She didn't run into the kitchen when she heard me washing the bowls - not her normal behavior. I returned to the bedroom to find Bella fast asleep on her back, and Faith curled up on Bella's stomach. Carefully, slowly, I reached out my hand, and for the first time, Faith let me stroke her back. In a day full of danger and stress, that made me inordinately happy.
I set my book down on the floor and lay down alongside them. There really wasn't anything to do but wait and watch. I'm not particularly skilled at that when the stakes are this high; I wanted everything resolved immediately. Certainly, I wanted James out of the picture permanently. That meant annihilating him. I had to think seriously about the best way to accomplish that, considering I didn't know where he was at the moment. I knew my family would help, though Carlisle would want to avoid killing anyone until there was no alternative. I had to talk to Jasper as soon as they arrived home. His military tactical experience could prove useful.
In the meatime, I'd try to let Bella live her normal life while I shadowed her every move. Really, this wasn't too different from our life right before we left for New Jersey. I don't know why the idea that Bella and I would be together every day and night excited me suddenly. We were already together so much, Emmett wanted to know if I'd added my name to the lease on her apartment. Our hours melted together pretty seamlessly, there was just never enough of them. Having to stay together consantly for her protection merely formalized it, but I liked that.
Gently, so as not to disturb her or the cat, I moved Bella's left arm so it lay across my abdomen. Today was Memorial Day, a holiday set aside to remember loved ones who were in the armed forces. A lifetime ago, that was my goal, to answer President Wilson's call to fight in another country I knew little about. Young as I was, the excitement of enlisting and the so-called glory of war was all I could think of. The Spanish flu made other plans for me and thousands more, and then fate came up with an especially cruel twist as I lay dying. Bella was right: I'd long forgiven Carlisle for what he did out of an overwrought sense of duty to my mother and his own centuries of loneliness. I hadn't known a woman's love as a human, but I found it now. It might be enough to make me grateful for this immortal life, because whatever time I already had with Bella outshone every sharp memory made in immortality, and every faded one from my humanity.
My biological mother would have loved Bella; I was certain of that. I had few clear memories of her, but I knew Mother would have immediately seen Bella's shyness and initial lack of confidence, and would have been moved to make her feel comfortable and loved. I hoped that Elizabeth Masen saw how much I was trying to do that for Bella. I hoped my mother would feel proud now, for anything else I'd done in my immortality had probably only caused her sorrow in her own afterlife.
While Bella slept, I thought out the next couple of weeks. I noted on her kitchen calendar that a benefit bike ride was approaching. Bella was trying to train for it, and had enlisted my help in dragging her out of the house as soon as she finished work so she could ride enough to be able to manage the five-mile course. I usually ran along with her, discreetly in the woods, helping her track her distance. She may have to forego the ride. I wasn't sure I wanted to chance it, although if I could convince my family to help, we might be able to guard her sufficiently. I'd talk about this with her when she awoke.
I clasped Bella's hand with my right and reached across with my left, stroking the side of her face. She was in a deep slumber, with no talking or even much movement. I hoped this meant that everything going on in that beautiful subconscious was peaceful. That would be a miracle, considering the past twelve hours.
"Sleep, my love," I murmured. "No one's going to hurt you."
Author notes:
Thanks again to all of you who read and review. Your loyalty and encouragement make me as happy as Bella is to see Faith again.
Speaking of which, the reference to "hairballs in your Nikes" is a little tribute to Rob Pattinson's choice of footwear. I'm sure your eagle-eyes caught that!