I glared unreasonably annoyed at the sun as I drove the Volvo home, my truck already shipped out east for its face-lift. I had spent the afternoon at Charlie's without Edward, dropping off all the perishables I thought my dad might use out of our kitchen.

It was irrational to feel this way. I tried to remind myself that in spite of the sun, my husband did have a few loose ends to tie up. He needed to hunt before we headed off to the airport. And while like my pick-up, the majority of our personal belongings were already gone, the house wasn't quite closed up.

"We're killing two birds with one stone." He smiled and kissed my forehead, all but shooing me out of the house.

He was right, of curse. It was a perfect opportunity to check on Charlie one last time before we took off.

I felt guilty behaving this childishly. I had truly enjoyed my afternoon with my dad. Since deciding on a year of school, every moment I spent with Charlie felt like a precious gift. It was a gift because I knew this time was so limited, just a temporary reprieve. When I had originally accepted that for both my parents' sake I would not be able to stay in their lives, it had been in the abstract, something I was not going to worry about until I absolutely had to.

Sitting at the traffic light and looking around our tiny town, things seemed different now.

In spite of his efforts to hide it from me, I didn't miss the slight sadness in Edward' s eyes as I turned and walked out our door. It wasn't about me leaving to visit Charlie, he was more than happy for me to see my dad. It was about him being unable to come, to have no choice in the matter.

Maybe the impending horror of the newborns and the following circus that led up to the wedding had kept me distracted. Perhaps it was that when I waved goodbye to my parents as we drove away a month ago, I had indeed faced and truly accepted losing them… and now would have to do it again. Maybe it was that things were going so wonderfully for Edward and me… that staying human was such an easy way to make everyone happy.

I thought I had planned and prepared. Now my deadline had shifted, my timetable thrown off and up in the air. As Charlie held back his tears and hugged me goodbye this afternoon, I felt the full weight of what I was planning to do. This extra human year at school that Edward wanted for me so badly would be bitter sweet.

My parents would think I was dead and my heart ached for them. Worse than any pain I would endure, I now knew this was going to be the hardest part of becoming a vampire.

It would not, and could not change my mind. I knew all to well the stark realities of our situation. However, these last two weeks had given me the opportunity to really think about it… about them. My mother and father would be devastated and there was nothing I could do about it.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as the unfairness of it angered and saddened me. If only Edward was here to hold me…

Yes, irrational and childish to be this needy. I had to be tougher than this for him. With the exception of the day and a half he and his brothers had taken off hunting, my husband had literally not left my side since we came back from our honeymoon. I didn't realize until just this moment how much I'd grown to depended on him.

I hung my head in disgrace.

A woman in a minivan honked her horn behind me. I pulled myself together and continued to drive, grasping at anything that would make me feel better. It had relieve some of my grief to see Sue and Seth Clearwater come through my father's door as I was about to leave. Sue had been there earlier in the week as well and though she was clearly awkward around Edward and me, I could tell she really like my dad. As she and her son wished me a safe trip, it made me happy to think that maybe my dad wouldn't be completely back to bologna sandwiches and diner food once I was gone. More importantly, maybe he would have a shoulder to lean on when I…

I shook the dark thought from my head. Only a few minutes from home, I could not let Edward see me this way. I turned into the Cullens driveway and moved on to other distractions. Taking the newly forged lane off the main drive, I concentrated, driving as quickly as I dared over the twisting single lane and wooden bridge toward our home. Arriving at our cottage, I glance at the clock in the car one last time before I turned off the engine.

5:02...

Edward had informed me that I needed to be home by five and not to eat supper. I kind of thought that last part was odd, we just emptied the frig and all the cupboards.

"Edward?" I called out as I opened our front door of our little stone cottage. "Sorry I'm a couple minutes late."

The suitcases that I packed with the left behind necessities we needed for the last couple of days were beside the door. He had covered all the living room furniture in sheets. Most of it was staying here. I hated the thought of disturbing Esme's perfect layout and when Edward suggested that we keep it this way for when we came back over Christmas break, I didn't have the heart to argue about the waste of it.

Already feeling pathetically down, I could not stop the melancholy that washed over me as I looked around. My bookshelves were bare. Our furniture had become ghosts. Edward's stereo was gone.

It was finally official: we were leaving.

Of course, I was excited to start school, to see our new house up close and personal. It looked lovely in the pictures, an open floor plan on the first floor with a two-bedroom loft looking down into the living room.

Esme had insisted that I help pick out the paint and furniture, something that I initially didn't care about one way or another. But as she asks my opinions on fabrics and colors, I was surprised at how much fun it was. It made me feel almost like a grown up choosing my couch and kitchen table and I was anxious to see how it all would come together.

But I loved my little cottage here amongst the dark pines. I had barely gotten a chance to enjoy it.

"I'm going to miss it too."

I jumped about a foot in the air.

"I'm sorry." Edward apologized behind me, "I was hurrying and you left the front door open."

It was bizarre how all the stress of my drive home melted away the moment his arms wound around me.

"Hurrying?" I asked. "We don't need to leave for the airport until six-thirty."

"I know Love, and that only gives us an hour and a half." He paused to sweep my hair out of the way and kiss my neck. "So unless you have some other human needs to attend to… I have dinner waiting."

As soon as I returned from the bathroom — its really embarrassing sometimes being human — Edward scooped me up in his arms and began to run through the forest. He ignored all my pestering about where we were headed, but when he stop briefly to let traffic by before he leaped across the sunny highway, things began to look familiar.

He slowed to a stop at the edge of the trees. The meadow had changed so much in the past two months. The early summer wildflowers were gone, replaced by high grasses that waved fluidly in the light breeze. I climbed off his back and took his hand gazing out into a sea of green and gold.

"Is this what you have been doing all afternoon?" I asked.

"Among other things." He smiled mischievously at me.

There was a part in the green and gold sea, an even perfect path carved into the meadow. Still holding his hand, I led us though, brushing my free one over the tips of the grass at my waist. I was only a few steps in before I saw the large red blanket spread out at the end of the trail.

"We haven't been back here since we got home from the island." Edward said as he lifted our entwined fingers to his lips and kissed my wedding band. "I thought perhaps you would like to say good bye."

Edward pulled me down into our own little private room, the grass walls hiding us from the world. A picnic basket sat on the corner of the blanket along with a bouquet of flowers. I sat there stunned, blown away by the sweetness of his gesture as he began to assemble my dinner, placing a couple pieces of fried chicken and a biscuit on what I recognized as Esme's china.

"I thought it would be nicer than a restaurant." He smiled as he opened a couple thermoses and added macaroni and cheese and some baby carrots to the plate.

"What did I ever do in my previous lives to deserve someone as wonderful as you?"

"Lives?"

"Oh, it would have to more than just one to earn you." I smiled at him.

He rolled his eyes, but kissed me on the forehead before picking up the fork to feed me a bite.

As expected, dinner was superb. Apparently, he had just come from here when I arrived home. The chicken had hardly cooled. The mac and cheese was piping hot and definitely not the stuff I usually made from a box. He laid back on the blanket satisfied when I took over my own feeding. It wasn't long before there was nothing left but a couple of bones. I considered licking the plate.

"That was absolutely delicious, Edward." I complimented him.

I sat my plate to the side and went to lean over to show him proper appreciation, but Edward was already in motion. As if he had not already outdone himself, he reached back into the basket and pulled out an apple dumpling for desert.

"Are you trying to fatten me up for Thanksgiving dinner?"

"You remind me more of a goose than a turkey." He laughed, ignoring my complaints while he cut into the crust, filling my fork up again. "so I was planning more for Christmas…"

I opened my mouth to say something snarky back, and he immediately filled it with dessert. He never relinquished the fork until the dumpling too had vanished into my stomach.

He shook his head bemused as I refused to give up my dishes robbing him of the chance to clean up after me, taking my plate and silverware and putting them back in the basket myself. Then I curled up along side him, full and content wrapping my body around his.

"Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome." He replied, his arm tightening around me. "I just wish we could stay a bit longer."

I knew the clock was ticking, and we really couldn't be here much longer, but as so often the case when lying beside him, personal responsibility began to elude me.

"Don't worry," I said as I climbed on top of his chest and rubbed his nose with mine. "we'll be back again someday."

Edward's hand came off the blanket and gently stroked my back. "Sorry about your panties this morning."

"I didn't mind Edward." I blushed.

His head lifted from the blanket touching our lips together... but only briefly.

"They looked like they match your bra."

My hair fell around us holding in his sweet smell. More, I thought, chasing after his flavor as he lowered himself back down.

"I'm sure Alice will just buy me another pair." I murmured against his mouth feeling the corners turn up.

"I'll make sure I apologize to her."

As I kissed him once more, desire took hold. I wanted him, right now. My body made its intentions clear, squirming on top of him, the soft moan of his own need urging me on. Gently, he rolled us over, pressing me into the soft mattress of crushed grass.

"We only have five more minutes until we have to leave, Love." His voice may have been saying no, but the lips at the edge of my jaw were saying yes.

My legs came off the blanket and hugged his torso as my mouth found his ear. Edwards hips began to rock slowly against mine. His hand slipped down onto my breast… a definite yes.

"I don't care." I panted, doing my best to get to the buttons of his shirt. "We can always wait and reapply next semester."

He froze for a moment then sighed, rolling off me and on to his back. "But I do."

I should have just kept my big mouth shut. My lip went out and he laughed, taking me by the waist and tucking me back into his side

"You don't really want me to run people off the road do you?"

"I suppose not."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

It surprised me how much easier it had become to fly across country. I was so used to the constant burning of her ridiculously sweet scent; the stale concentration of normal human respiration barely registered.

"Oh, excuse me." She yawned

"Try to get some rest, Love." I encouraged, with little hope of her actually sleeping.

"I'm way too excited." She replied as she picked up the in-flight movie list and began to browse through it. "Besides, you expect me to sleep with all of that going on?"

"All of what going on?"

"I can't believe how loud people are." She whispered, snickering at the sound of the portly fellow in front of us snoring vigorously along with about a third of the other passengers,

"I've heard you saw ones off much louder than that." I teased.

"I don't snore." She frowned.

"Sometimes it so bad the windows rattle." I grinned back.

She had managed with no problem the first leg of the flight to Chicago's O'Hare, but you could tell she was starting to wind down now. As the movie she chose began to play, her yawning became more frequent. Unfortunately, just as she began to doze off, the announcement began that we would soon land.

The morning haze was still visible as we touched down at Manchester- Boston Regional Airport. Alice assured me there would be no problem with the sun until afternoon.

"What time is it Edward?" She asked groggily as she leaned away from my shoulder and stretched.

"A little after six am at home, nine here."

Her energy levels seemed to improve as we made our way off the plane and through the arrival zone

"Look Edward."

I had already seen the middle-aged man in a dark suit standing at the end of the wide hallway holding a cardboard sign that read "Cullen".

"He has the keys to the Vanquish."

She giggled and I looked over at her puzzled.

"Just seems odd," she explained. "I thought they only did that for important people."

"You are an important people, Mrs. Cullen."

She smirk at me, but took my hand as we approached the end of the hallway

"I'm Edward Cullen." I informed the man.

He's a kid and that's his ride? Lucky bastard. "Your car is parked right out side the main terminal sir."

Well at least he called me sir.

I smiled and handed him a tip as he passed me my keys before reaching over to a large gift-wrapped box leaning against the wall.

"I was told to give this to the young lady."

I knew what was inside. Alice didn't bother to try to keep me out of the loop.

"I believe that means you Love." I smiled as she eyed the fancy bow suspiciously and removed the attached note.

You're going to need this in two weeks.

"Alice." she muttered more a statement of fact than a question.

"I believe Esme and Rosalie were also involved."

She frowned as she shook the box. "Do I want to know what's inside?"

"Why don't you open it and find out?"

She handed the box to me and yawned, "I'll deal with it after I've had some sleep."

I laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's head downstairs and get our luggage so we can get out of here."

A light drizzle began to fall as we pulled out of the parking lot. It was still a good hour and a half ride up I-93 before we got to our new home. I could see her still fighting stubbornly to stay awake, but now nearing twenty-two hours since she last slept, it was only a matter of time before she succumbed.

Her snoring began in earnest about fifteen minutes from our destination. I chuckled silently and pressed my lips against her slumbering brow.

She truly didn't know what day it was. Alice told me she wouldn't remember. I knew the precise moment it turned midnight. There was no way on earth that I would forget.

She sighed and mumbled I love you then let out a loud snort before returning to her steady cadence. I suppressed the urge to wake her up and truly kiss her.

Like her, I too was excited to see our new home, looking forward to seeing her reaction. I could draw it from every angle, picture in my head from any point of view, but there was just something different about touching a place… smelling it…

I leaned into her hair and inhaled…

I made the final turn onto the unpaved road that lead up the forest-covered mountain to our new house. The architecture was modern, yet still rustic with a North facing entrance and a deep cedar porch. I had caught sight of the two-bedroom bungalow for sale perusing the area real estate sites months ago. It seemed a perfect fit for us. The previous owner had built it to be completely off the grid, with solar panels on the roof and a windmill that sat high above the tree line attached to the separate garage.

I pulled straight up into the yard between the two large sugar maples that shaded the house and turned off the engine. The sound did not stir her one inch. After a moment's consideration, I carefully took her from the car.

I could wait, I told myself. She never sleeps.

Balancing her in one arm to unlock the front door, I carried her past the boxes in the living room, straight up the stairs to our new bedroom. The movers had already reassembled the bed from my old room on the third floor and I pulled the blankets back, gently laid her down and removed her jacket and sandals.

There were a hundred things I should have been doing at that moment, and I would get to them before she awoke. But right at that second, only one thing came to mind. I kicked off my own shoes and removed my shirt as I walked to the other side of the bed and slid in beside her. She didn't wake, but rolled over and nuzzled herself into the her usual spot in my arms.

"Happy birthday, Mrs. Cullen." I whispered into her hair.

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