A/N: Sorry about the wait... r/l fail.

Last chapter Alice didn't make Bella go to the dance -- she was referencing prom, which is a different dance. It was her way of giving her approval for Bella missing homecoming.

As always, thanks to Jilburfm for being an amazing beta and OCD for validating like THAT *snaps fingers*

I sucked hard at responding to reviews. I apologize. To ALL reviews: THANK you from the bottom of my heart :) I love them so much.

**

Bella POV

My body jerked upright and I gasped for breaths, my hands aimlessly prodding every surface in their reach. I swiped my palm across my forehead, scrunching my nose at the unattractive sheen of sweat that was covering my brow.

With squinted eyes, I quickly surveyed the woods visible from my bedroom window. Just because I couldn't see any danger, I remained unconvinced that it wasn't out there.

Jesus. I was turning into a bigger wreck than Edward.

A quick glance at the clock told me it was just shy of six. It was still too early for Charlie to be awake, but given the speed at which my heart was beating, it seemed useless to try to sleep again. With a groan, I pushed the covers off of myself and stood, stretching and heading straight for the shower.

By the time I was done preparing, Charlie had awoken and taken root downstairs. As the familiar banging of pots and pans began to resonate from the kitchen, I flinched, closing my eyes and shaking my head dejectedly. As much as I loved spending my birthday morning with him, I'd have preferred to be left in charge of the cooking. I could only imagine how this would turn out.

My phone buzzed next to me and I answered without checking, prepared for either Alice or Renee on the other end. It was Alice.

"Happy birthday Bella!" she sang.

**

Alice POV

As I got off the phone with Bella, I looked wistfully around the living room. Although it would be nothing bigger than the usual seven of us, she would only turn eighteen once, and I wanted to make sure it was properly handled; especially considering the visions I'd been having. If nothing changed, this would be her last birthday. And as much as Carlisle was trying to set her on a different path, so far, the vision had not been altered.

Curiously, I had seen it before. When Bella had first moved to Forks, I had seen an eerily similar picture. It was just a flash, but it was enough to have the family on edge. After we removed James from the picture, those peculiar images stopped presenting themselves. I had, possibly foolishly, attributed them to his desire for a mate. And for six months, the images remained obsolete, seemingly confirming my suspicions.

With the reemergence of the exact same picture, I was not going to sit back and let this birthday pass without recognition.

"We're going hunting," Esme interrupted my thoughts. Of course you are. I smiled and nodded, continuing my inspection of the room. Flowers, I tapped the end table lightly, running my fingers along the edge. And the cake…

"Will you be alright to do the decorating, Alice?" Jasper whispered as he crept up behind me, enclosing me in his arms. I nodded contently, knowing I wouldn't actually be alone. Kissing my neck, he released me and quickly spun my body to face him. "You're sure you don't need help?"

I shook my head and pulled myself away from him. "Positive. Go hunt so we don't have any birthday mishaps."

He sighed and shook his head, clearly not entertained by my teasing. He kissed me briefly on the cheek turned to leave. Emmett and Rosalie followed, leaving Carlisle and Esme lagging briefly. I rolled my eyes.

"I feel so badly leaving you with all the work," Esme began, picking up the rag and running it lightly over the piano.

"It's not work." She knew this already, though. This was typical Esme behavior. "And don't feel bad, I think I'll have company." I dramatically rolled my eyes, wondering if things would really work out as I had seen them.

Carlisle cocked his head to the side and looked at me pensively, his eyebrows knitting together as he considered what I was implying. "Really?" he finally asked, surprise lacing his tone.

I nodded and began moving toward the door, eager to stop wasting time and start preparing for the party. There really was a lot to do, and I knew I couldn't count on him to actually help.

"Alice," Carlisle said, as Esme left to catch up with the others. "Everything will go okay?"

I nodded. I didn't see much trouble brewing; it actually looked like the afternoon would be more or less relaxed.

"Be careful?"

"Of course I will be," I answered, turning back toward the living room. Carlisle closed the door, leaving me alone with Edward for a day of party setup.

**

I crept slowly up the stairs, considering where I should let my thoughts go. Part of me wanted to chant, I come in peace, repetitively, but I inevitably decided that would do more harm than good.

As calmly as possible, I ascended the staircase. I stood at the bedroom door, quickly checking to see what I would be met with. As the vision played out without a hitch, I knocked quietly. I knew there wouldn't be an answer, just as I knew that he was already aware of my presence, but I knocked anyway.

I opened the door only slightly, peering through the small crack that I made. The visions were coming as quickly as they were playing out, which kept me a step ahead of where I needed to be and helped instill a sense of confidence in me that I otherwise would not have had. I didn't know how Bella did this everyday – it was intense, even knowing that he wouldn't attack.

But then again, Bella knew he wouldn't attack her, as well.

I smiled at the images that my brain automatically pulled up. The bed, the balcony, the yard. Leave it to Bella to fall in love with a vampire.

His growling abruptly stopped and his gaze bore into mine. The intensity made me want to flee; he was looking right through me, scrutinizing everything about me with that one powerful stare. I forced my feet to remain planted as we continued this wordless conversation, unsure of what I had done to warrant such a reaction. Like a wrecking ball, it hit me; the mind reading.

I reconsidered what I had thought about, what had gained his attention, and knew implicitly that it was my commentary on Bella's feelings. Shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Honestly, I hadn't meant to out her already, as she likely hadn't even come to terms with her own emotions –

I cut myself short. The mind reading. It was more difficult than I would've guessed – keeping my thoughts in check. He continued to stare at me as I tried to get my own mind under control. I was failing miserably – outwardly composed while inwardly floundering around. Of course, the fact that I could keep myself composed on the outside meant absolutely nothing in this company; I would have to work hard at maintaining my thoughts in his presence.

"How close do I have to be for you to… hear me?" I asked, my mind instinctually checking my future for his answer. Blank. I shook my head and moved closer, my palms up and facing him in a futile attempt to gain his trust. I sat at the far corner of the bed, crossing my legs underneath me, and tangled my hands together in my lap. On the opposite corner, Edward arms began to tremble around his knees. The reemergence of his growl didn't surprise me, but rather reminded me to be cautious. We didn't exactly have all day, but if he wasn't ready, he wasn't ready.

I changed my tactic, hopeful to elicit some sort of response. "Do I have to be in the same room as you?" I asked. He pulled himself into a sitting position and rested his cheek on his knee, his bright eyes still gazing directly into mine. He swallowed once and shook his head, closing his eyes and flinching lightly as he answered my question.

I decided to be bold, while he was being forthcoming. "Do you know who did this to you?"

Blank.

His forehead creased as he considered my words, his eyes darkening before mine. I could see that his breathing was off tempo; faster than I was used to hearing from him and steadily increasing. He closed his eyes and his mouth set into a deep frown, his shaking frame rigid and terrified. I expected as much; it led me to believe that he did remember. Although I anticipated that only Bella would get it out of him, he knew.

"I need to go get the house ready for Bella's party," I said with a smile, rising and moving around the bed. He watched me closely as I made the shift, finally stopping when I was at his side. I reached my hand toward his but didn't initiate actual contact.

He regarded my fingers as if they were piranhas, ready to snap at him at any given opportunity. A laugh escaped me at the imagery.

I pulled my hand back and gradually moved away.

"You should come downstairs – see the house," I whispered as I retreated. "No one's home – and I could use some company. Besides, I wanted to talk to you a bit, if you wouldn't mind." He watched me, confused at my speech, as he slowly calmed down. I continually checked his future to see if he'd come, and just as I reached the door, it changed.

I hesitated, unsure of whether my indecision would change things again, and looked back at him over my shoulder. He was uncoiling himself, watching me intently as he did so. He pushed the blanket off of his lap and quietly stood, making his way toward me with in small, fearful steps.

I smiled in encouragement and pulled the door open further before walking through. I heard, rather than saw, his sharp intake of breath before he followed suit. His shoulders were trembling, and I knew of no way to calm him. I reached out instinctively, dubiously, keeping my eyes on his as my hand neared his shoulder.

I won't hurt you. His shaking frame was retreating closer to the wall as I made my approach, so I backed up, opting to let him follow on his own volition. If he didn't want to, I wouldn't force it. I knew that, if what I had seen last night had been accurate, he'd follow, but I also knew that we still had some wiggle room in getting him more comfortable. Carlisle had convinced Aro to keep the Guard from coming immediately, so they wouldn't be making their appearance for almost four weeks. I nodded my head at my internal confirmation and began moving toward the staircase.

I could see that he would follow, he just needed time to adjust; and he adjusted better when he was alone. I moved quickly, making it to the living room and resuming the first task on a long list of things that needed accomplished today. I picked up the rag and began cleaning every surface, watching the future and listening to the present as I worked.

As he made his way down the stairs he took in each photo that Esme had hung on the wall. They were an eclectic assortment of photographs that documented our history, focused largely on the decades we had spent as one unit. There were times in which some of us would separate from the family, but invariably we would find our way back together not long afterward. As he looked through the pictures, I considered each one, effectively passing on their stories to him.

When I felt he was nearing the landing I slowed my movements, unsure of how to make the transition as smooth as possible. By the time he was in my line of sight I had stopped cleaning altogether and was frozen in place, watching different futures arise as quickly as they faded. I suspected the end result would be as similar for any, but I didn't want to chance an altercation with Edward. I smiled warmly as our eyes met; his somewhat akin to a deer in headlights.

I moved to the couch and sat down, gesturing him over with one hand. "Has Bella shown you around yet?" I asked. He ignored me, instead eying the room skeptically for something that might harm him. I channeled whatever patience I had and watched him take in his surroundings, before he tentatively moved to the couch.

He sat down at the far end, using very calculated motions, seemingly waiting for something to strike.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded and let out a long, quivering breath. Unsure of how I wanted to proceed, I thought back to Bella's usual course of action. In the back of my mind I noted the irony of looking to Bella for advice, but really, she was the only one who had been able to reach him so far. If any of us were going to make any headway, her example was probably the best we had to go off of. As silly as it had seemed at the time, I remembered the night that she and Esme had given him a blanket. I'm sure every one of us had scoffed at their efforts, but in this moment, I knew of no better way to comfort him.

I reached behind me and grabbed the blanket, hesitantly handing it to him. He took it quickly and immediately wrapped it around his shoulders, clutching the excess fabric tightly in his hands. His shaking let up some as he found some form of security. Smiling, I brought my own knees to my chest and reached out to his leg. He flinched violently when my hand made contact, but he didn't make any other move to stop me. I thought about withdrawing, but as he calmed, I opted to leave my hand where it was for the time being.

As he adjusted to my touch his breathing slowly came down. I was unsure of whether talking would help at this point, so instead, we sat in complete silence as he gradually relaxed.

The list of things that needed done was still long, so I eventually stood and went back to dusting.

As I prepared for the party, I talked incessantly about nothing in particular. Edward didn't talk, but he still seemed keenly interested in everything that I was saying, so I happily continued rambling about the family. I spent a large chunk of time filling crystal bowls with rose petals while explaining who the Volturi were. It was only a matter of time until he would find out first hand, but I figured now was as good a time as any to get the foundation built.

I explained the spoken and unspoken rules of the vampire world. The only direct rule we were each required to obey was to keep the secret of our nature from humans, but there were several indirect rules that supplemented this. To control our hunting, for instance, was always necessary, as too much hunting in a small range inexorably created suspicion among humans.

Edward surprised me when, as I explained the possible punishments for breaking the rules, he spoke. "Will she… be okay?"

I stood still, pondering his question. Of course, Bella was always a concern, especially with the Volturi coming here. We hadn't figured out the finer details yet, but we didn't think they would be terribly interested in Bella either way. With the nature of their visit being Edward's history, if we could keep the focus off of Bella it might turn out alright. Of course, there was the matter of the law.

"Well," I began, choosing my words carefully. We knew the Volturi had a staff that consisted largely of humans, so there were clearly exceptions to their rules. "I don't see anything bad happening to Bella," I concluded, leaving it at that. Of course, I wasn't getting more than brief flashes of what was to come yet, but the one constant that remained was the image of Bella and me. Surely if that remained, the Volturi couldn't be too large a problem.

I resumed decorating and talking about them, explaining what we knew regarding the nature of their visit and how we expected it to go. When I told him they were coming to investigate, he seemed unsurprised yet still somehow afraid. I tried to quell his fear, as adding to his already constant stream of terror really wouldn't do any good, but it didn't help. Either way, I knew at this point the family would do everything we could to protect him; Carlisle had quickly grown attached to him, Esme couldn't turn her back on anyone, and Bella… Bella would kill us if we let anything happen to him.

I heard the front door open as soon as I saw it, Carlisle beelining for the living room but stopping short at the archway. His eyes immediately went to Edward then back to me. "Oh," he said, running his hand through his hair nervously. Carlisle rarely displayed uneasiness, but it was clear in the moment that he was faltering. "Do you… want us to go?"

I rolled my eyes and began to speak, but was interrupted by Emmett, who quickly bound into the room. I held the crystal vase that I had been working on still in my hands, tightening my grip as not to drop it. Carlisle and I both watched him wide-eyed as he flipped on the TV and quickly made his way to the couch. I chanced a glance at Edward, who had curled himself further but was still in no position to attack. Although I thought about warning Emmett, the future seemed to indicate that this would be okay.

He was almost all the way to the couch before he noticed Edward, tightening his grip on his knees and looking absolutely terrified.

"Oh, hey dude," Emmett said, extending a fist in Edward's direction. "Sorry, didn't see you…" He kept his arm outstretched, just feet away from Edward's face, as they both stared at his balled fingers. I couldn't help myself – a chuckle escaped me.

"Emmett," Carlisle chided, entering the room slowly.

Emmett kept his gaze locked on his un-pounded fist for several seconds before finally dropping his arm to his side and plopping down on the couch. Edward growled softly, his gaze remaining fixed intently on our burly brother.

They stared at one another for several minutes before Emmett flipped to ESPN, turning to Edward solemnly and nodding his head decisively. "The Buckeyes got this," he spoke in a low voice, turning his attention back to the TV. Hesitantly, Edward's eyes followed Emmett, the look of absolute confusion forcing another laugh to escape me. This time, Carlisle couldn't hold back his chuckle.

"Do you need me to do anything?" he asked, examining my work around the room. It was almost five, the cake would be ready and Bella was set to head over at six.

"Actually," I said, "can you go pick up the cake?"

Carlisle nodded as I handed him the information, grabbing his coat and heading back for the door.

**

Bella POV

At 5:45, with my overnight bag in tow, I kissed Charlie goodbye and headed to the Cullen's.

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I had hope that someone was able to contain Alice. I was only mildly nervous as I drove the winding roads to the mansion, wondering what this 'party' could possibly involve.

When I got to the mansion, I was pleased to find that outside, there wasn't much different. There were big ribbons tied around the trees that lined the driveway, but other than that, there were no outward signs of any impending festivities. I half-expected twinkle lights to be scattered mercilessly about, so I was pleasantly surprised.

Alice was already waiting outside when I exited the truck, bounding over to me and pulling me into a tight hug before I could even grab my bag. I laughed nervously, combing my fingers through my hair.

"You look nice," she said with a knowing smile as she spun me in all directions. "You didn't need to get all dressed up for me, Bella!" I glowered at her while she laughed at herself. "How does it feel to be eighteen?"

With a sigh, I reached across the cab and grabbed my bag, dropping it to my feet as I locked the door. "I feel old," I said, leading the way into the house.

"Well, you've got another year before you catch up to me," she responded happily, grabbing my bag and placing it in the corner of the foyer.

"Come, come!" She grabbed my wrist and started leading me to the living room. I followed willingly, having believed that I wouldn't see my vampire until later anyway.

When I walked in, the onslaught of pink and red and white hit me and I immediately spun around, taking in the whole room. Alice had gone overboard, just as I knew she would, and it was beautiful. I couldn't agree that it was necessary, since all of the guests lived in the house, but it was breathtaking nonetheless.

There was a small pile of presents on the table next to a rather daunting cake, all of which were presumably for me. There was no way I'd let one of them subject themselves to cake on behalf of birthday traditions. A mixture of embarrassment and awe crept into me as I hugged each member of my second family, all whispering words of encouragement and love and hope.

When I got through the pool of family that was waiting for me, my eyes immediately found the little white couch, and my vampire watching me intently from his position there. For a moment, I thought my imagination was betraying me… I wasn't sure what to make of it, how long had he been there? I looked to Alice for the answers but she simply pushed me forward, encouraging me to go to him.

Keeping our eyes locked, we simultaneously inhaled deep breaths, the rest of the world fading beyond him and me. I was suddenly happy for the decision to wear my hair down and the slightly less-casual blouse I had chosen for the evening. I bit my bottom lip as I approached him and he took another shaky breath, standing from his position on the couch.

He took one step to meet me and my arms tangled around his waist as I pressed my face flat against his chest. I could feel his cheek resting on my head as he tightened his shaking arms around me, my heart beating erratically out of my chest.

"Happy birthday, Bella," he whispered lowly into my ear, the tremble in his voice offsetting the intensity of his words. I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes, threatening to spill if he continued, and as he pulled me tighter still, they began to fall freely down my cheeks.

"Th… thank you," I replied, clasping my hands behind his back. I couldn't tell if we stood there for seconds or minutes, or what any other person in the room was doing at that moment. Eventually, he pulled away, smiling down at me with a perplexed look on his face. I wiped my hand over my eyes, setting loose a few more tears before finally getting myself under control.

We sat down on the couch together and I finally chanced a peek around the room. The other Cullens had all conveniently disappeared during our embrace, but I could see Alice covertly peeking around the corner. I laughed and sniffled at the same time, gesturing her to come back in.

"You two done yet?" she asked with a smile, making her way tentatively to the couch. She pulled me up as the others came back, and together, we headed toward the little present table.

I opened each present with deliberate concentration, giving Alice the reactions she was longing for. She took pictures of everything, bouncing up and down with each reveal. Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper got me a CD player for my truck. Esme and Carlisle got me a ticket to Florida to see Renee. Alice gave me an iPod filled with her favorite songs.

I ate cake while everyone watched. We spent the bulk of the evening sitting in the living room talking about nothing important, just behaving as any normal group of friends would. Edward remained curled on the couch, the trembling only visible when he was startled. He kept his focus on Carlisle for the most part, watching each of his actions intently throughout the entire night. I could feel that he was tense, but he kept his growling to a minimum, instead clutching my hand tightly throughout the entire evening.

By the time nine o'clock rolled around I was exhausted, having not slept much the previous night. After I thanked the family again, Edward and I made our way back upstairs and I quickly kicked off my shoes. I stretched my feet for several minutes as Edward moved to the window, inspecting the dark yard. I took the opportunity to get ready for bed, heading to the bathroom to change out of my nicer clothes.

When I returned he was just as I had left him, his palm laid flat against the panel of glass. I crept over to him and placed my hand on top of his, letting our outstretched fingers curl around one another. For several seconds, he continued gazing out the window, before finally turning his attention back to me. He flipped his hand to grasp mine, and together, we moved back toward the bed.

"Did you have a good time?" I asked.

He smiled in response. "Did you?"

"I think it was more for Alice than for me," I began. "She loves any excuse for a party…"

Several silent moments followed as we both collected our thoughts before I finally broke it. "I had a great time," I whispered, moving to sit on the edge of the mattress.

"You were downstairs," I remembered, absently rubbing my thumb along his veins. "And you were okay." I smiled widely at the image, searching his face for his reaction. He nodded, the corners of his lips turning up as he watched me.

"I didn't want to miss your party," he whispered, clasping his hand tighter around mine.

"So you got to spend some time with Alice?"

He laughed under his breath, nodding knowingly.

"She's… energetic," I started, trying to find the proper words to explain Alice. "But she's my best friend."

"I know," he answered, his voice barely audible.

"What did you guys talk about?" I laughed at all the possibilities. Knowing Alice, there was likely an intense one-sided conversation about the joys of internet shopping.

He took a deep, thoughtful breath and turned his focus back to the window. He shook his head pensively before swallowing and looking down at me. "She wanted… to know who."

I sighed, falling back into the bed. It was the million dollar question, and it shouldn't have surprised me that Alice would press for the answer at any given chance.

Edward laid down as well, both of us turning so that we were righted on the bed, each of our heads resting on our own pillows.

"Do you not remember who?" I asked, sitting up slightly and pulling the blanket up over his body. I tucked it around him, putting as much of a barrier between us as I was willing to, before curling up against his frame.

Instinctively, his arm wrapped around my shoulders, and mine around his waist. I smiled against his chest, closing my eyes and relishing in the comfort that he offered me. I hadn't spent the night in a week; I had missed this more than I realized.

I felt him swallow, his lungs filling deeply as he prepared to talk. "I don't know… exactly who did it," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. He tightened his grip around my shoulders as his breathing and trembling increased slightly.

"I do know that it was a group of…" He inhaled deeply. "Humans," he said, his voice shaking as he exhaled. "It's just too much… right now. It's too much to think about," he finally whispered, his tone signifying the end of the conversation.

"It's okay." It was my turn to tighten my grip on him. He needed to feel protected; he needed to feel loved. "I'll be here when you're ready," I finished, curling my body to further form to his and closing my heavy eyes.

I didn't understand how any human could've kept him for so long. And I didn't know how they could capture a vampire. And I wasn't even sure how long we had before they came for him.

All I knew was that I absolutely and irrevocably loved Edward, and this was undoubtedly the best birthday I would ever have.

**

A/N: So it was humans. Review if you're surprised. Review if you already came to this conclusion. Review if you haven't cared. Or review if you're happy Bella has admitted to loving Edward! Or if you're sad.. dude.. just review! :)

Oh! And some pretty VITB art that a wonderful reader drew here---- this-issteph (dot) livejournal (dot) com