So here I am again with a new update. I'm fairly sure that all of you guys are really happy about that. Anyways, just thought I'd like to say that Stephenie Meyer owns everyone except for Riley. On with the chapter! By the way, in one or two of the reviews, some people said they loved the Edward-Riley/father-daughter moments. There's going to be a lot more of those in the coming chapters. Just to let you guys know. ^_^

Chapter Song: Angel, By: Sarah McLachlan

X-x-X
Chapter 12: Ready

Bella

I awoke the next morning to find that Riley had snuck into my bedroom. She was sleeping, curled up, beside me in my bed. Her breathing shallow and short, so I could tell she was having some sort of nightmare. I glanced at my digital clock on my nightstand, which read the glaring red numbers 7:26. I glanced out the window. It was storming outside.

"Riley, honey, wake up," I murmured, as I gently shook her shoulder.

Riley's eyes flew open, and she shot up into a sitting position, her eyes wide and panicked. I felt a pang of remorse - I hardly had any nightmares anymore now that Edward was here. And yet, here was my daughter, still waking up with dark circles under her eyes with terror clear in her expression. I hated having her to go through this, and I wished I could protect her from all of her fears.

"Are you okay, honey?" I asked her anxiously.

Riley nodded and ran her hands over her face. "I'm fine, Mom," she answered, even though I could tell she was lying. "We have to go in today, don't we?" She looked at me with an exhausted expression, and I could tell the nightmare had prevented her from getting any real sleep.

"We don't have to. Everyone would understand," I offered.

Riley shook her head. "I don't want to look like I can't handle a day of work," she instantly protested as she climbed out of bed in her flannel pajamas. "I can handle it."

I sat up and frowned. I didn't want Riley pushing herself. Because, like me, she tended to not let others know when she couldn't handle something for fear she'd be made fun of or thought of as too weak. She was stubborn about it too, even more so than me. I folded my arms tightly across my chest and observed her for a second. She mimicked me.

"I don't want you to act today if it's too much," I warned her.

Riley rolled her eyes, a trait she definitely inherited from me. "I can handle it, Mom. I'm not a baby anymore."

On the contrary, I thought to myself, you're always going to be a baby to me. My baby. I knew that was what every mother thought of her child, but frankly in my mind the saying fit our case better than anyone else's.

"Alright," I agreed cautiously. "But you remember that if you feel tired at all, or if you feel like you can't act anymore, you tell me or Edward or someone immediately. Promise me you'll do that."

"I promise," she grumbled before going to go get dressed.

When we met downstairs fifteen minutes later for breakfast, we were both dressed and ready to go. And, in my case, I was also ready to tell her something that I had forgotten about until this very moment.

"Riley, can I talk to you about something?" I asked uncertainly as I handed Riley her plate of bacon and eggs.

"Um… sure," she said before beginning to scarf down her breakfast. "Wha iz it?" she then asked through a mouthful of eggs.

"Well… er…" I thought of how to word this as I sat down across from her with my own plate of breakfast. "Riley… how would you feel if…" She was waiting for me to go on, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. "How would you feel if Edward and I… if we were… together?"

Riley swallowed her mouthful of food and squealed. "Are you serious? Are you going to ask him out?" she demanded with excitement.

I shrugged. "I was thinking about it," was my answer. "But only because of what happened last night."

Riley's eyes grew to the size of tennis balls. "Why? What happened last night? Tell me!" She sounded like a miniature Alice right then. I instantly wondered how much time she really spent with her excitable aunt.

"Well…" I considered how to word this, but thinking about it merely made a smile form on my face. "Edward and I, after he put you to bed… He promised me that he would never let anything happen to us, and then we kissed." I paused, awaiting the verdict of my loving daughter.

There was all silence for a moment before Riley exploded. "Mom, that's great!" A grin spread across her face too as she jumped up from her chair. I had never seen so much life in her chocolate brown eyes. "I'm so happy for you! You have to ask him out today. You have to. Then he'll really be a part of the family, and we can play Guitar Hero all day long. This is going to be great!" And, if I thought about, I had never seen her so excited for a man to be in my life.

"Riley, I'm bringing Laurent home tonight, so I want you to be on your best behavior," I said to thirteen-year old Riley, who was perched at the kitchen island with a dull expression as she finished up her homework.

"I'm always good, aren't I?" she grumbled.

I didn't understand it. Riley was usually very upbeat, but now that I had brought up Laurent… well, she wasn't so bubbly anymore. Had I said something wrong? What had I done? I sighed and pulled up a stool beside her and watched her do her homework for a minute before asking, "What's wrong? Why aren't you happy about this?"

"Because I hear the way you talk about him," Riley finally said after a moment's silence. Her answer confused me, and I tilted my head curiously. What did she mean by that?

It was as if she had read my mind. "You don't talk about him like a normal woman talks about a man. You don't talk like you're in love with him. You talk like you're obsessed with him. There's a big difference - and personally, from the things you've told me, he doesn't sound like a very nice guy. He sounds like a prick to me," she said with a tone that made it sound like she knew everything when it came to dating.

"What would you know about love?" I demanded.

It was very rare, me fighting with Riley. But this was just one of those times when I didn't understand her young teen logic. And when I didn't understand something, I got frustrated with it. Especially when the things I didn't understand dealt with my daughter.

"Not much, but I know enough to know that you're not in love with Laurent," Riley snapped, returning my heated tone with one of her own. "I don't want you to get hurt again, Mom, and you keep setting yourself up. By the sounds of it, he's a rotten man with a rotten personality and you're not in love with him!" She glared at me with a look I had never seen from her before. My hands clenched into fists.

"Riley Renee Swan!" I exclaimed. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"Like what?" she shot back. "Like I don't approve? Because I don't."

"You have no right to tell me who to date," I growled.

"I'm not trying to! I'm just saying Laurent isn't the man for you, and you're digging yourself a hole that is way too deep!" She was standing now, her own hands clenched into fists. I'm pretty sure that if you looked in a mirror, we would be mirroring each other.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted our argument. Riley scowled and sat back on her stool, returning to her homework as if our argument had never happened. The only sign that she was angry was the fact that her fists were clenched around her pencil.

"Why don't you call Aunt Alice?" I grumbled, already feeling sorry for our argument. "She can take you somewhere so you don't have to deal with him."

As I began walking away, I saw her eyes soften and her grip on the pencil relaxed. "I'm not leaving you alone with him," I thought I heard her say before I opened up the door to see Laurent's smiling face as he handed me a red rose.

"Mom!"

Riley's snapping fingers appeared in front of my face and I looked at her in surprise. She comprehended my expression for a second before blinking herself and frowning.

"Day-mare?" she asked instantly.

I shrugged and looked away, not wanting to tell her what it had been about. It couldn't really be considered a day-mare, but simply a memory. But she didn't need to know that, really. I looked at her plate and smiled.

"You should eat some more. You have acting to do today, young lady," I told her.

Riley grinned and began shoveling food into her mouth. I was pretty sure she inherited that from her grandfather Charlie and her uncle Jasper. They were the only two people I knew, besides Emmett, that ate like that. As I watched her eat, I thought about what had happened last night and what Riley had said about it.

Riley had suggested, well demanded really, that I speak to Edward. That I ask him out.

Perhaps I really was ready. Ready for a man to be in my life again, for Riley to have a father, and for so many other things. Maybe I was ready to try this again. Everything that everyone else had said about Edward had seemed like nice comments or remarks, like he was a sincerely good person. Of course, he had left Chicago when he was younger, and had hurt Alice's feelings by doing so, but… I was sure he had his reasons.

I had my reasons too for the things I did.

And so, with that little thought, I realized that I was ready. I was ready to get through this obstacle course and reach the finish line. I was ready to be happy, and so was Riley.

"I'll ask him," I announced.

"Huh?" Riley asked through a mouthful of bacon, her expression confused.

"I'm going to ask him. Edward. I'm ready for this," I explained instantly.

Her eyes lit up with sudden understanding and a huge grin lit up her face. She swallowed her food, jumped up from her chair, and rushed to me. She threw herself into my arms with that same grin on her face as she hugged me to the point where I could hardly breathe.

"I'm so happy for you, Mom," she whispered against my shirt. "I really like Edward, and I think you're really going to like him too."

"I think I'm going to like him too," I murmured back, kissing the top of her head.

Riley pulled away then, giving me that confident smile she always wore when she knew something was going to go right. "Then let's go to work and get Edward to fall in love with you."

X-x-X

"Bells, you alright?" Jasper was waiting for us at the theater, and was instantly there the second I opened the door. He looked worried, and I knew it was because he hadn't been there last night. Jazz was always worried about Riley and me - and he made it his job to make us safe. I could tell it made him uncomfortable that last night, he'd allowed Edward to come home and protect me instead.

"I'm fine, Jazz," I told him as he helped me out of my truck. I gave him a quick hug before turning around and unlocking Riley's door. "Just a little shocked."

"Not scared?" I could feel his suspicious glare burning into the back of my head.

"I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't," I murmured as I opened up Riley's door for her. She hadn't heard our conversation, so as she hopped out she grinned at her uncle.

"Hey, Uncle Jazz."

"Hey there, Riles," Jasper answered. I turned around just in time to see him envelope her in a crushing hug. When she started wheezing for breath he released her and grinned right back. There was tenderness in his eyes whenever he looked at Riley that I only saw whenever he looked at me.

Riley and her Uncle Jasper had always been close.

"Bells, you awake?"

Before I could answer, he babbled out, "Dad went to get something to eat and… J-James went to work. I wanted to come and see if you were alright. And I kind of wanted to meet the baby. I'm so sorry I haven't been here yet, but with school and work and Maria, I haven't been able to stop by, and…"

"Jasper, calm down," I told him, cradling the newborn Riley in my arms from the hospital bed. My brother was always rambling these days - ever since he had started going out with Maria he never spoke with me around her. When we were alone, it was like he was making up for lost time by going on and on about things. Usually, Jazz was a really calming presence, but something about Maria changed him. But I kept my mouth shut, hoping that someday he'd keep his own mouth shut about James.

"You mad at me, Bells?" Jasper asked anxiously.

"Of course not, Jazz. Why would I be mad?"

Jasper closed the door behind him and looked at his feet, looking mortified. "I mean, the baby is three days old already and I haven't been by to see it," he said quietly. "I knew the kid was important to you…"

"Jazz, you can come meet her now," I said instantly. "It's a girl. And her name is Riley. Come see." I held out the sleeping baby almost like a sacred offering.

Jasper edged closer to the bed, almost as if he didn't want to get too close and upset the baby. But when he was close enough to see that the baby girl was sleeping, I saw his eyes soften and he stopped his edgy movements. In a swift few steps, he came to take Riley from my waiting hands.

He picked her up with care - Charlie had told me that he'd had plenty of experience holding babies from holding me when I was just born.

"Her name's Riley, you said?" he whispered, trying not to wake her now.

I nodded with a smile. "Riley Renee Swan."

"Riley… you're a pretty baby aren't you?" he murmured with a soft smile in the bundle in his arm's direction. "Yes. A very pretty darlin', I think." He'd spent last summer down in Texas with Maria, so I figured he'd gotten the drawl from there.

Riley stirred, restless in her sleep, and let out a little whimper.

"Shh, shh, now little thing," he whispered as he cradled her tighter to his chest. "Don't you cry."

"You ready for today, Riles?" Jasper asked brightly.

"You betcha, Uncle Jazz. Edward said yesterday that we'd get to do some fun scenes today. And in the afternoon they're doing an introduction to the chorus rehearsal thing, so I was hoping to follow you and Uncle Emmett around!" Riley replied excitedly. It was almost like her nightmare had never happened.

Jasper just laughed and ruffled her hair with a brightened expression. There were no traces of the worried conversation he'd just shared with me in his chocolate brown eyes that were so much like ours. "Sure, Riles. We'll be waiting for you after lunch. Got it?" He winked at her.

"Got it, Uncle Jazz!" Riley answered cheerfully with a returning wink.

"See you later, Bells. And let me know if something's bothering you." His expression added on silently, "And I mean it." I nodded and only smiled in response.

"Of course, Jazz," I replied before he led us inside. As soon as we got backstage, Riley and I signed in and Riley instantly went to the stage, where she was to report in this morning for rehearsals.

When I got into my office, I was surprised to find Edward there, fiddling with a pencil as he sat at my desk. Apparently he'd been waiting for me. I shut the door behind me and cleared my throat quietly.

"Bella?" Edward turned his head to look at me, and the instant he saw me he stood. "I'm so sorry if I frightened you, but I wanted to speak with you about last night…"

I winced, wondering why he would possibly want to talk to me - unless it was a cruel but well-deserved rejection. I knew that even though I was a scared, and frightened woman, I shouldn't have kissed him like that. But his words from last night still echoed through my mind, and a bit of hope flickered in the pit of my stomach. I then mentally told myself over and over that I was ready for this - and that I had to ask him before my sense of bravado wore off.

"Actually, Edward, I wanted to speak with you too."

He paused, obviously letting me to continue first. I let out a hesitant sigh and then ran my fingers through my hair. Taking a deep breath, I let it out and began.

"Edward, I know last night shocked us both. I'm not here to say that I regret it, because actually the kiss got me to start thinking. About… about us. I spoke to Riley, and I thought about this so much over the past few hours. You're so gentle, loving, and you just seem to be there for me. You drove Riley and I home last night, and I'll never forget that for as long as I live. And I'm sorry if that annoyed you, having to take us home, but I wanted you to know I thought it was amazing. I think you're a marvelous human being, and I suppose I'm trying to say that I'm ready." I let out a sigh of relief at having finally spoken these words.

Edward looked shocked, and his emerald green eyes were wide. "Ready?" he asked, his voice rough with surprise. "Ready for… for what, Bella?"

I looked down at my feet before murmuring, "I'm ready to try again. I'm ready to try a relationship with you, Edward."

I heard an intake of breath and I peeked up to see what his reaction was. Edward was staring at me, jaw slack, with wide eyes. I didn't need to be psychic to know that he was shocked or surprise. Whether it was from my audacity or his joy at my proposition, it was still clear on his face.

"Bella, I…"

I knew what was coming. I blinked back tears and turned away from him. "It's alright. I… I understand. You don't want me in that sense, and I completely and totally-"

"Bella, I was going to say that I'm happy." Edward's firm voice caught me by surprise. "I'm happy that you're going to try again, with me of all people. More than happy, in fact. I'm downright joyful and I feel like shouting this from the rooftops. Of course I will help you, I'll try with you. I'll make you the happiest woman on this planet because frankly, that's what you deserve. And… well, I was wondering if we could do a repeat of last night. The kiss. If you'll allow that."

I turned to face him, as it was my turn to be surprised. At the sight of my expression, I saw pink creep its way up his cheeks and I bit back a smile to myself. I made Edward Cullen blush, I thought with a surprising bit of pride.

"Edward, I said I'm ready," I said, and decided that this was alright. I took a step closer to him. "And I meant it."

Edward smiled and opened his arms to me. Hesitantly but willingly, I went to him and felt his arms wrap around me. I felt safe, protected, for the first time in my life. When Jasper used to hold me when I was younger and needed comfort, I felt safe then too. But this was a different kind of safe. A loving safe. Something I hadn't had in… well, ever.

When his lips met mine, it was gentle and sweet. Our lips moved in sync as he held me to him with the gentlest of holds. Like last night, there were no tongues or entrances - merely moving lips.

I pulled away when I ran out of breath, and Edward smiled down at me. Then, to my surprise, he hugged me to his chest, tucking my head underneath his chin.

"I swear, Bella, I will make you feel like the best woman in the world. I'm going to do my damnedest to make you happy, and I promise on my own life that I will protect you and Riley from any danger this world has to offer," he murmured above me, and I closed my eyes - strangely content with his promise.

"I know you will," I whispered back, not sure if he heard me or not. I couldn't deny to myself that this was the best decision I had ever made in my life.

But I couldn't help but let my mind go back to James, and his haunting words before the police had dragged him out of the apartment.

"You'll pay for this, bitch," he had said.

I couldn't help but wonder if even Edward was enough to protect Riley and me from that.

EOC: Buahahahaha! I finished another chapter, and I'm so proud of myself. Very soon I shall be going back to school, but thankfully this semester will be the easiest of my high school career. The entire second half of my day are all fun, awesome classes like Creative Writing and Latin and stuff like that. Woot woot! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and Bella and Edward are finally together! The next big event is Jasper and Alice's wedding and James's releasing from prison. I'll try and update soon. - Dark and Wild