Yes, I'm back. You know the drill, Don't own Twilight... and so on. Hope you like it.
18. Why her?
Ashley
Two weeks. Two long ass weeks since I'd seen Edward. Why did I ever agree to this?
Cause they really left you no choice, I thought. It was this or hit the road, and I didn't want to leave. Hell, I couldn't leave. Not until I did what I came to do.
So I'd play nice and live with the vampire version of the fucking Brady Bunch.
I sighed.
They were all protecting her and what she and Edward had. They loved her. All of them. The Cullen's, her family, and after meeting them, I hated Skye even more. First off, she had Edward. Second, she grew up like fucking vampire royalty. In a damn mansion and everything.
Her grandfather was understanding and protective, her grandmother nurturing and loving. Her uncle was cool and hip and her aunt beautiful and sleek. Her cousins were fun and funny. Her father overbearing, but his love for his children oozed from him. Not to mention he was a hottie. And her brother was all of the above. He'd die for her if he had to.
They were the perfect family. The family I'd always wished I'd had. And now she had Edward and the Cullen's too. It wasn't fair. How did she get so damn lucky. Why her and not me? Why'd she get the perfect life, while I got foster homes, touchy feely foster dads, and servitude.
I ran my hands through my hair and groaned. I hated my life. The old one and this one. But Edward would change that. If I had to live forever then it was going to be a good…no great, eternity. I would make sure of that.
"You alright?" Josephine asked as she entered the sitting room.
I smiled my best smile and sat the book I was supposed to be reading in my lap. I really needed to watch myself around here. Thoughts and all. My boss didn't know much about Skye's side of the family. Only about her and the brother. For all I knew there could be another mind reader amongst them. Though I didn't think that there was.
"I'm fine. Just a little bored." I answered.
She smiled back. "Well I think Jacques is about to go hunting. You're more than welcome to join him."
"I went a few days ago with Bastian and Claudette, but thanks."
And it was true. If you looked closely you could see the subtle changes in my eye color. The red was still there but I gorged myself to make the change happen quicker, so flecks of gold had already started to show through the red. And while I preferred them this way, I couldn't say I liked what it took to get them here. Animal blood tasted like shit in comparison to the real deal. But it did the job. And you know what they say, 'When in Rome…' and all that. Besides, it would impress Edward how quickly I took to his way of life.
"I must say. I'm really impressed with how well you're adapting to our way of life. I hope you keep it up after all this craziness is over," she said.
"Thank you," I said but then thought about what she had said. "What do you mean, 'after this craziness is over'?" I asked.
"You know, after the council finds whoever is after you. When you go out on your own again."
"Oh…right."
Little did she know. I wasn't planning on going anywhere. My place would be here. Or wherever Edward was anyway.
She looked at me. "I mean, I just assumed that once this was all over that you'd want to go off on your own. You know, find a mate and have a life of your own."
I smiled at her.
"Oh I do. And I will."
She smiled easily and relaxed into the plush recliner with her novel.
I would have my mate. I would have my own family too. Edward's older kids may have hated me but I think I still had hope with the little one if they didn't turn him against me too. In time, I would get everything that was coming to me.
"We really wish you the best, honey."
"Well thank you, Josephine. That's really sweet of you." I stood up wanting to roll my eyes.
They really were nice people. Putting me up and all. But they were essentially keeping me from where, and who, I wanted to be near. And I wasn't dumb enough to believe that I was really that big of a concern to her. She just wanted to make sure I wasn't sticking around to get in Skye's and Edward's way.
"Well… I need to get going. I'm meeting Nessie in town today for a little shopping and a movie."
"You two are spending a lot of time together," she said in a happy tone.
"Yeah, she's really cool. Can you believe that people think we're sisters?" I bragged.
I didn't have to worry about her not liking me. Nessie was easy. She was looking in me for something she had missed and I had her wrapped around my finger. She was my ticket to Edward. Her and this face.
"I can believe that. Nessie looks a lot like Edward, but now that you're here and they say you favor her, I can see the resemblance to her mother. Subtle things. But they are there."
I smiled weakly. Subtle things?
"Well I better go outside. She should be here any minute."
I turned and walked out the room grinning like a Cheshire cat. I couldn't wait to spend time with my future step daughter.
Skye
"Hey sis, you look beautiful today." I smiled at Rosie as she sat down at the table. She had on a pretty baby blue, cashmere, sweater dress and black, knee high Christian Louboutin boots.
She, Em and Colin had stayed on to help with Ashley's protection, but it had been quiet the last few weeks. So Eddie went back work last week and the kids went back to school as planned when the break was over.
Stevie had celebrated his first birthday a couple of weeks ago and it was a pretty big affair. It was the first birthday party of the kids where everyone, from both sides of the family, was able to attend. It was great.
"Thanks, so do you," she said hugging me across the table.
I smiled and fluffed my hair dramatically. She laughed.
"I guess things are going well with you and Edward. He left here literally singing this morning. Em and I heard him from the guest house."
I laughed.
"Things have been…much better since Ashley left. We're having fun reconnecting." I raised my brow at her.
"Um hum, I just bet you are considering what you've been connecting."
"Rose!" I blushed. "Virgin ears…" I gestured to Stevie who was drifting off in his high chair."
She looked in his direction.
"He doesn't know what I'm talking about." She waved me off with her hand. "And the child's half sleep."
She went to Stevie and took him out the high chair. He rested his head on her breasts and snuggled in.
"Just like your Uncle Emmett." She teased and I chuckled.
"Things have been great and we are having a lot of fun, but I still have this nagging feeling that something isn't..."
"Stop it, Skye." She ordered.
"What?"
"You have to let it go, girl. Okay, so he messed up a little. It wasn't anything major and he's a man and will do that from time to time. You know, forever is a long time not to make any mistakes and your perfect little Eddie is no exception. Look, you know that I'm the last person to ever agree with Edward, but I think you should cut him some slack on this one." She looked at me and made sure I was looking at her before she spoke. "My brother loves you. Any fool could see that. Enjoy reconnecting with him. Stop letting this…thing…fester. Squash it now and let it go forever."
"I'm trying."
"Don't try. Do. Trust me. It isn't worth it the stress you're letting it cause."
I sighed.
"I know. You're right."
"Of course I am." She smiled and ran her hand through Stevie's hair. "Remember when I talked you into cutting and dying your hair?"
I smiled at the memories. Hers and mine of the time when she, Alice and I, all had makeovers. I thought Edward was going to shit when he saw my hair but he didn't.
"Yes, I remember," I said.
"We should do it again." She smiled. "All your color has grown out and your hair's back to your behind. I personally don't know how you deal with all that hair."
"I'm just use to it I guess. It can be a pain in the summers though. And the summers here are nothing like those in Oregon."
"Well let's get an early start. Let's trim it just a little and dye it a honey blonde with high and low lights."
I tried to picture it.
"I don't know about that, Rose. Edward likes my hair dark."
"You're dirty blonde by nature. I just want to lighten you up a bit. Spring is coming and we've all been through a lot lately. I think we all could use a little pick me up. And you won't be alone. I'll get fixed up too. I'm thinking red, strawberry blonde and maybe we can talk Alice into platinum."
Just then her cell rang.
She laughed when she saw who the caller was.
"Hello…" she laughed. "Yes… I figured that they would…I'm glad you like the idea… I will tell her… Awww… we love and miss you too… Tell Jazz we love him as well… bye."
I laughed.
"So what's the verdict?" I asked.
"She says we should go for it, that Ed and Em will love it, and that she'll have hers done in Seattle. She also asked me to tell you that she loves and misses you and that she'll see us in a week."
I shook my head.
"So when are we going to do this?" I asked twisting the ends of my hair on my finger.
"No time like the present."
"No, not now. I don't have a babysitter and…"
"Emmett can watch him."
I looked at her like she was crazy.
"What? He'll be fine. He's sleeping so there isn't much for him to do." She kissed his head.
"I don't know."
"Come on, Alice says Edward will love it."
I shrugged. I could use a little pampering right about now.
"You can get a massage, we'll get our feet done, facials…"
It was sounding better by the minute.
"Alright, alright, lets do it. Let's go." I stood up. "If we leave now. We'll beat the kids home."
0~~~~~~~~~~0
"Damn Skye, Edward's not going to be able to keep his hands off of you. You're hot!" Rose said then made a sizzling sound when she touched me.
I laughed.
"You're not so bad yourself, Mrs. McCarty."
"Really?" She posed.
"Stop it Rose, you know you're gorgeous. Em's gonna be drooling when he see's you. Just make sure you two don't bust through any walls in my guest house. Take the rough stuff to the woods." I grinned.
"Got it." She smiled.
I pulled the visor down and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair really did look nice. It was a golden blonde with only a few highlights around my face and low lights throughout. The guy even dyed my eyebrows to match. He thinned it out for me in light layers making it a lot less heavy even though it was still long and stopped a few inches above my waist now.
Once he saw the finished product he insisted on doing my make-up too. He went on and on about my perfect skin tone so I let him. He was good though. And very expensive. But now I looked like a freaking supermodel. And I had a little surprise for Edward.
"Tomorrow I think we should go and get a new wardrobe to match our new hair," Rose said looking at herself in the rearview mirror. "We'll take Ness with us and…"
"Good luck with that," I said closing the visor.
"She couldn't possibly have plans with Ashley again." Rose frowned.
"I pretty sure she does. She's been spending a lot of time in Baton Rouge getting to know her so called cousin."
"So Edward did check into that?"
"Yes, he did. I think he found out that she was Charlie's fourth or fifth cousin on his father's side or something." I shrugged.
Rose laughed.
"So she's far removed?"
"Yeah, but you know that doesn't matter to Edward and Nessie."
"Skye, Ness is a lot like Bella. She cares more about the feelings and well being of others than she does for herself. She's smart but selfless and sweet too which can make her incredibly gullible at times." She looked worried.
"Well, I can't exactly tell her to stop spending so much time with Ashley. She's a grown woman now. But I did tell her that while she may look older than me, I've been in this world a lot longer than she has. I have a little more experience with people. Some of it I'd rather forget." I paused. "I asked her to be careful when it came to Ashley. I've asked her to look deeper and not let Ashley's charms or her face cloud her judgment."
"And what'd she say?" Rose asked.
"She says she won't and not to worry."
"And what's Edward saying?"
"Ugh… You know Edward. I can see in his head he has reservations, he wants to believe that she has the best of intentions toward Nessie. He thinks that Ashley has to have at least some of Bella's compassion and would never hurt Ness. But mostly he wants Nessie to have a piece of Bella back in her life since Charlie's getting older by the day. But Ashley's eternal and she is the last link, technically, to Bella that she may ever have once Charlie's gone besides Bella's mother. Who Edward says can never know of Nessie's existence."
She nodded in what seemed to be agreement then said, "I feel a 'but' coming."
"But... I don't feel that all this attention she's giving Ness is to get to know her 'cousin'. I think she's up to something. And I think that once we find out what that something is… Ness will be very disappointed and hurt."
"Well I think you should give Ness a little more credit. She can handle a lot more emotionally than you're giving her credit for. It's okay to want to protect her Skye, but she is her mother's child and she is a strong and perceptive young woman. She's had to deal with a lot in her past eighteen years of life. And she knows better than to talk about family with strangers. It's been ground into her head from birth." Rose touched my hand.
"But what happens when she no longer thinks of Ashley as a stranger? When she starts to think of her as family?
"She would never put her siblings in that kind of danger. Trust her."
"I do. And I may have missed her early years, but she was still a child when I met Edward, only ten years old. I helped raise her, and I love her like my own. But like you said before. She can be gullible. And I don't want to see her hurt again. Which is bound to happen if she looses' someone else she's come to love."
I sighed.
"I've always felt a closeness with Nessie. And I relate so well with, and to, her. We practically have the same life, she and I. Growing up hybrids, losing our mothers at such young ages, only to be raised by our vampire fathers and family. It's not an easy childhood. You're always wondering where and if you'll ever truly fit in. She's so lucky she has Jake to help and love her through all of this. What I wouldn't give for a little bit of that imprint magic. To know that my lover was devoted to and made just for me. To know that his love would never, ever, waiver. " I sat back in the seat and let that sink in. Then I said, "Do you know that they just recently made love? After all these years of marriage he still waited for her to be ready mentally and emotionally. Isn't that just…romantic. The love he must have for her." I swooned.
"Turns out he really was a 'good boy' after all." Rose smirked. "Maybe I'll scratch his tummy for him."
I looked at her and burst out laughing. She always knew how to make me smile.
"What am I going to do with, Rose?"
She shrugged grinning.
"You know Jake loves her.
"I do know. It's why I haven't strangled him. Him and his stupid little jokes." She smiled then turned serious. "Ness isn't trying to replace you with Ashley. Like you said, you helped raise her into the woman that she is today and she thinks the world of you. No one could replace you in her life. You may not be her biological mother, but you're the only mother she's known since Bella passed and she loves you."
I turned toward her.
"What makes you think that I was worried about that?"
She smiled.
"Cause I know you. I know how you think and what this is really about." She gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Skye, no one's taking your spot in this family. They couldn't. You're irreplaceable, babe."
"Awww, Rosie." I turned my hand and squeezed hers back as I held back my tears.
"It's true. Now stop worrying. And don't you dare cry and mess up that make-up before Edward sees you."
I sucked the tears back again and straightened up. She smiled.
"You alright?"
I nodded.
"Good." She turned and faced the road again.
"Hey Rosie."
"Yeah."
"Thanks…for everything."
She looked at me. "You're welcome. And thank you for being a true friend and sister. For knowing how bitchy I can be and accepting me still." She winked.
I laughed. "You're welcome."
Edward
Colin and I walked into a quiet house. There were soft voices, Skye and Rose's, coming from the kitchen, barely audible. The fluttering heartbeats of my babies were coming from the twins bedroom along with the sounds of some action movie and Em's thoughts. I decided to check on Skye and Rosie first since they were the closest and because the kids were obviously engrossed in their movie.
I walked into the kitchen and paused. That was until I realized that the redhead sitting at the bar was my sister and the blonde cooking dinner was my wife.
I couldn't help it when my eyebrows rose out of interest and fascination. I suddenly became anxious for Skye to turn around so I cleared my throat loudly.
She froze, then slowly turned from the stove. I waited impatiently for her to lift her head and give me a full view of her lovely face. When she did I got an instant erection. She was beyond beautiful and blonde had just become my hair color of choice for her. Sure I liked the dark hair on her. It had highlighted her face and made her alluring blue eyes hard to miss, but the blonde hair had lightened her entire essence. It made it seemed as though she had a glowing halo surrounding her body.
We stared at each other briefly then she smiled.
"I know you prefer brunettes but I thought this would be fun and…"
Before she could finish her sentence I'd flit to her, picked her up, and was headed to my office, ignoring the surprised looks on my siblings faces.
I lay her across my desk while I unfastened my pants and she took the opportunity to shake her head clear.
"Eddie…"
"Shhh…" I covered her mouth with my hand, "no talking."
Her eyes glazed over and I felt her lips curl into a smile under my hand. I removed my hand and leaned in to kiss her. I devoured her mouth as I removed her clothes.
Once she was naked I stood up and pulled her to the edge of the desk. She slid quickly over the papers now littering the floor. Then I took her legs by the ankles and spread them wide.
I stopped and blinked before looking at her face.
She was blonde…everywhere.
I raised my brow at her.
"What? I thought it'd be fun. Now the bottom matches the top perfectly," she said seductively.
"Who did it?" I asked.
"Michael, my stylist." She smiled.
"Michael!" I growled.
"Oh for the love of god, Edward. You don't have to worry. He's gay." She shook her head.
I narrowed my eyes at her. I could careless that he was gay. I didn't want him looking at my pussy.
"He was very professional. But if it will make you feel better, I'll request a female next time. I just thought you'd like it."
"I do, but it's not necessary. You're beautiful either way." I ran two fingers through the slippery slit then licked them clean. I felt my eyes changing and closed them. "Hmm… And no matter what the outside looks like, she's still going to taste, and feel like heaven on the inside."
She blushed from head to toe and my cock sprang forward like a heat seeking missile. It didn't matter that he'd just had his way with her this morning. The greedy bastard wanted more. He always wanted more.
She wiggled her toes effectively pulling my attention to them.
I kissed them one by one as she watched. The second go round, I sucked them gently. Making all the muscles in her body tense and her pussy wetter.
Her sweet scent filled the room. It was driving me wild.
"Put me inside of you." I told her.
She sat up a little, grabbed my cock, and began stroking it slowly while pulling me toward her.
Once I was at her entrance she grabbed my hip and pulled me forward. I closed my eyes as I filled her. She was hot, soft, soaking wet, and her pussy was sucking me in like a damn Hoover.
"Hmmm!"
I gripped her ankles tightly and she groaned.
"Easy, Edward…"
I relaxed my grip and kissed her ankles one at a time.
"Sorry, baby…"
"It's okay." She caressed my cheek. Then she sat up on her elbows and pushed herself down on my cock.
She cried out when I pushed back. The sound filtered through me and I couldn't help but pound into her then.
"Oh god!" Her head flew back, exposing her neck.
I leaned in and sliced it quickly with my thumbnail. She closed her eyes and laid back surrendering completely to me. The red liquid trickled out slowly until I drank deeply from her.
I grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her to me so I had better access. Then I took her leg by the thigh and pulled it up and over my hip so I better access here as well.
She looked beautiful, vulnerable, and fucking sexy with her head thrown back, neck exposed, hair falling over the edge of my desk, back arched with legs spread and me between them. It looked like a romantic scene from an old vampire movie when the villain/hero claimed his woman, his bride. Only this version was completely x-rated version.
I held her leg just behind the knee on her pressure point while I fucked and drank from her, so I could monitor her heart rate. I had to be careful with her because while we both enjoyed this, it could be very dangerous.
As she started to climax I pulled away so I could focus on making her cum.
She moaned out as she came and I leaned back into her to lick the blood that was now running between my fingers. But as soon as I wrapped my lips around the wound again I was snatched away…hard. My mouth ripped from her neck and my cock from her body.
I lost my grip on her and as I crashed into the far wall, I watched her fall back on the desk roughly. Before I could figure out what the hell had happened, Colin was on top of Skye pinning her to the desk.
He was growling and she seemed dazed. Whether it was from the blood loss, orgasm, the fact that she banged her head on the solid wood desk, or a combination of the three, I couldn't say. But I definitely needed her to snap out of it. He was getting ready to strike so I yelled his name.
"Colin!"
He stopped and turned to look at me but he hadn't taken his hand off Skye's neck.
"Let her go," I said as calm as I could manage because he literally held my life in his hands.
He turned to look at Skye again. This time he took in her state. His eyes narrowed and he sniffed her from bloody neck to the wet spot between her legs.
I growled when he lingered there. Skye chose then to snap out of it. She freaked seeing his head lingering between her thighs and began to panic.
"Love, calm down… He's not going to hurt you. I would never let him," I said silently.
And while I believed my words and in my friend, I understood her fear. After what she'd been through it was reasonable.
"Right, C? You're not going to hurt Skye, because you know how much I love her, right?"
I watched him close his eyes and try to regulate his breathing.
"She smells so good!" He moaned as his nose skimmed her thigh. "And not just her blood. She smells good everywhere." He proclaimed and licked his lips.
Skye's eyes locked with mine in horror.
"I know, but she belongs to me. She is mine." I growled in warning. "I'm sorry this happened. I totally forgot you were here and I got a little carried away."
He looked at me then at Skye. He didn't want to hurt her. But the thirst was calling to him. He leaned into her and pulled her to him.
"Just a taste," he said. "I won't hurt her. I promise."
He didn't know that once he tasted her he wouldn't want to stop.
"You can't do that. You'll kill her or change her. Neither of which she, or I want."
"But you were drinking from her. Maybe I could…"
I stepped closer.
"I was drinking from her. But she's my wife, and not my singer. Besides that, I have over century of resistance and experience on my side. I'm afraid her blood is too much of a temptation for you to resist not draining her."
I was beside him now. And when he looked up he was surprised to see me standing there. But I didn't dare knock him away. He had her neck in his grasp. One good squeeze and he could crush her windpipe like an fragile eggshell. He was already putting a lot of pressure on it, causing the wound to ooze.
He ran his free hand through the blood that was now pooling on my desk. He lifted it slowly bringing it to his mouth and I quickly seized his hand.
"Don't…"
He growled and tried to snatch his hand away but I held it firm.
"Please, let her go, Colin," I said softly.
He looked into my eyes and I knew he could feel my fear. His eyes began to change back and I knew I'd gotten through to him. I stepped back as he let her go and backed away. Then he fell on the floor in a big weeping mess.
I wrapped Skye quickly in my arms and turned to Rose who was standing in the doorway watching astounded by the situation and what she'd learned.
"Will you clean that blood up?" I asked and she nodded like a zombie.
I'd deal with her questions later.
I flit Skye to the shower in our bedroom. She clung to me like cub to its mother. She was sobbing a little and I was worried he'd hurt her.
"Shhh… It's alright. Are you hurt?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"Angel, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking… I mean it was just stupid to have you like that with him in the house."
She covered my mouth.
"I'm okay, Edward."
I wiped her tears. "But you're crying."
"I know. But I really am okay. He didn't hurt me. I was just scared…and…I feel bad for Colin. He's been trying so hard and doing so well. Maybe you should go and give him a pep talk."
I smiled.
"A pep talk? He wanted to drain you just now."
"We both know that if he really wanted to he could've bit me before you got him off of me. He let you talk him down."
She was right. He had. And I knew he felt like shit right now.
"You're right." I admitted.
"I know." She smiled weakly. "Now go talk to him. I'll be fine."
"You sure you're okay?"
She nodded.
"Alright, I'll be right back." I promised.
"Hurry."
I nodded.
0~~~~~~~~~0
The talk with Colin went well, but he was kind of down on himself. When I got back downstairs he hadn't licked the blood from his hands. He was just smelling it. Trying to make himself immune to it's charms. He apologized for interrupting, and for trying to hurt Skye. I apologized for being careless. I should've never spilled her blood with him there.
He left and went to the cabin with a promise from me that we'd work harder on his blood lust, especially where Skye was concerned. And with a understanding that if he ever sniffed my wife's pussy again, I'd rip his fucking nose from his face.
0~~~~~~~~~0
The next morning Skye and I were finishing where we'd left off before had Colin barged in. Just as I was catching my breath, the phone on my desk rang. Skye answered it quickly before it woke the kids.
"Hello…" she purred. "Oh, hi dad… Yes, he's right here… No, you called the office number. I just happened to be in here when the phone rang."
She laughed.
"You know your son well. Hold on."
She placed the phone on my ear and started giggling.
I smiled.
"Good morning."
"Well good morning, son. How are you?"
"I'm great." I bragged. "Better than great actually."
He laughed.
"Well I'm so happy for you, but I think I'm about to ruin your day so I apologize in advance."
I let Skye's legs slide over my hips then sat up, careful not to press too much of my weight on her. She protested and locked her legs behind my back.
"Love, I have to take this. I think it's important." I smiled kissing her lips.
She pouted her lips out and frowned at me. I sucked the bottom one softly.
"I love you," I said taking her by the hand then helping her off my desk.
"Umm… Me too…" she pressed her body into mine. "I'll let you speak with Dad in peace. I need to start breakfast anyway."
I pat her soft, fleshy, and naked behind gently as she sashayed away. When the office door shut I sat in the chair.
"Okay, what's up?" I asked grabbing my boxers off the floor.
"The council's search party thinks that they found one of the other facilities. It's in Asia just outside of China in Mongolia. It's right near the border."
"Well good, that means the search of the Canadian lab where Ashley was held turned out to be a good thing."
"Yes, the info we were able to scrape up was valid." He confirmed.
"Well all we need to do now is find the last one. Maybe they'll be clues to it's whereabouts at this Mongolian facility."
"Perhaps, but that's not the only reason I called, Edward. They want Ashley to accompany them on this raid."
I sat up.
"Why?"
"They're hoping that she can give them inside information. Maybe an idea of how many humans are stashed in there. How many vamps. A possible layout. That sort of thing."
"She can do that over the phone, Carlisle."
"They want her there when they enter the facility. They plan to use her as a tour guide of sorts. They'll make sure the place is clear before she enters, but they're convinced that she has seen a lot more than she says."
"I don't think so. She said they kept her locked up."
"Then she was really observant whenever they let her out. The info she gave on the Canadian lab was spot on."
I pondered that a moment. She'd told me that she was kept in a dark room.
"Her plane will fly out from Baton Rouge tonight. Do you want to call her or should I?" he asked deflecting my internal thoughts.
"I don't like this, Carlisle. I have a feeling that this lab won't be empty like the other one. It could be dangerous. And her protection is the last thing the Council is worried about."
"Edward, we need her there. I need her. I'll watch out for her. Trust me. She'll be okay."
"Wait a minute. You're going?"
"Yes, I've been asked to head this one up. Amun was the lead on the Canadian raid," he said.
"There was nothing there. He didn't have to do too much. Just gather intel."
He laughed.
"True, but we have to do our part too, Edward. It's only fair."
"They expect too much from us. First they stick me with babysitting detail and now they want to send you to god knows where totally blind."
"It comes with the territory, son. We took on this burden when we decided to change history as we knew it and overthrow the Volturi. It is now our cross to bear."
"Unfortunately…" I grumbled.
"Look Edward, I know Nessie has gotten really close to Ashley. And I know that you don't want any harm to come to her because of that. But the sooner we get to the bottom of things, the safer she'll be, and the quicker she'll be out of you and Skye's hair. I really would like for her to be there. The information in her head could save lives."
I sighed.
"Alright, I'll call her. But I'm coming too."
"Oh…Edward, son, I don't think that's a good idea. Things with you and Skye are just getting back on track. You should stay home and nurture that."
"Skye and I are fine, Dad. She'll understand."
"Son, I love you, but you really have a lot to learn when it comes to women. Stay home with your wife. I'll make sure Ashley stays safe."
"And who will keep you safe?" I asked.
I loved my father, but he was definitely a lover and not a fighter.
"Give me some credit, son. I may not be as good a fighter as you and your brothers, but I can hold my own." He chuckled. "Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have the Council guard with me."
"I don't trust them with your protection."
"I know you don't, but I do. I'll be fine. Stay home with your family."
I exhaled sharply.
"I'm coming with you."
"Son, listen to…"
"I'm going…"
He sighed. I had made up my mind. There would be no changing it.
I could picture him rubbing the bridge of his nose as he told me how hard headed I was.
"I just don't trust anyone else to do it."
"Are you sure that's the reason?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.
"Edward, how many times must we have this discussion? Why ask for my advice if you're not going to listen?"
"I listen."
"Yes, but it doesn't seem to be getting through. You must make your wife your priority. Especially now that she's feeling…inept and less confident in your marriage."
"Skye knows that I love her, and she's never been inept."
"Well you and I know this, but I think her confidence is waning. She told your mother that every since Ashley's shown up, she feels like you got one foot out the door."
"That's ludicrous!"
"Is it?"
"Carlisle?"
"I'm just saying, you're not making the best decisions right now. Did you or did you not tell her that you'd stay clear of Ashley once she went to the Moreau's?"
I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes.
"Yes, but…"
"No, no buts. You need to keep your word."
"I couldn't live with myself if something happen to you…or her." I said the last part softly.
"Oh son, you are going to be in so much trouble and unnecessary pain if you don't get a grip on this. Don't lose everything chasing after a mirage. She is not Bella. And even if she was, she's not your wife anymore. I don't even think you realize how much more in love with Skye you are. Don't be that fool who doesn't realize what he has until it's gone."
"I'm not going to lose her. Skye's not going anywhere. And neither am I. Besides, things are back to normal with us. As a matter of fact, we're better than ever."
"I hope you're right, Edward."
"I am… And I'll see you in Mongolia."
"Goodbye, son." He groaned.
"Goodbye."
0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0