sorry it's been so long. :\ indoor madness yesterday that also led to two broken toes and a seriously bruised foot. nothing to do with writing, i know, but i've been a wee bit busy. XD sorry to take so long, though.

here it is. :D ch. 29. btw, the last chapter of Together is 31 and then the epilogue. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PART! Two more parts, actually. The next part gets suspenseful and intense, not to mention some serious romance that heats up as the wedding gets closer and closer.

i'll keep it clean, though. i'm sure you don't wanna know what really goes on when things get that heated. we all have imaginations if we wanna go there...

anyways, two Paramore songs as chapter songs in a row ftw! :D

33. Whoa: Paramore

Edward kissed the back of my head as I continued studying the current green card at the beginning of our Apples-to-Apples game. There were eight of us in total playing. Edward and Alice weren't, but they couldn't really say why, so they just said they'd prefer to watch.

Jasper, Rose, Emmett, Oliver, Karma, Sapphire, Brynk, and I were gonna have fun playing, though.

The first word, which was Emmett's green card, was interesting. My hand consisted of a pool party, villains, Halloween costumes, my first date, and fighting robots. It was an interesting hand—best first hand I've ever gotten, to be honest.

So, I laid down a pool party because those can be interesting. Everyone else laid theirs down shortly after me, and Emmett hesitated to turn them over.

"Hmm," he murmured. "Anakin Skywalker? I never actually saw the ones where he's there, so I don't really know. I know he turns out to be Darth Vader, so that is kinda interesting. Brain freeze? Those are interesting to see someone else have." He grinned at me. "Funny as hell. Mario Brothers? Hell yeah! I freaking love Mario! Luigi's my favorite, though, because he's the not as recognized fella. Um . . . an ATV. Oh yes! That's awesome! They're so much fun. PG-13 movies . . . they are usually interesting. My favorite movie, which is not a porn movie for those of you wondering, is actually R, but . . . they are really good movies a lot of the time. Now . . . the kiddy pool?" He grimaced. "Nah. A pool party?"

He seemed to know it was either mine, Jasper's, or Rose's because none of the others playing fully grasped just how sex oriented that boy's brain was. He was instantly thinking of two people doing it real hard in a pool, particularly him and Rose.

"I'm gonna have to go with a pool party," he laughed, and all my friends jumped at how loud the boom and deep tone it brought the room really was.

I smirked and pulled the green card up. He was across from me, and Rose was beside him, so that meant it was her turn. I had to draw a red card really quick, which was hugs.

Her eyebrows rose as she flipped it over and laid it down. "Hard."

Emmett snickered before leaning over to whisper something in her ear. She acted like what he said was just any old thing, but I could see the desire burning in her eyes, and the way Edward made a face down at me, I realized I did not wanna know.

I knew my response, so I placed my hugs card down carefully. "I agree with this statement. You may not, but I do."

She was grinning. "I can imagine."

Edward kissed the side of my face with a sigh. The way he sighed was his secret way of saying, "Mayze? Something wants you."

What was that, you may ask? Well, it was that hard thing of his suddenly poking me in the side of my stomach.

I looked up at him with wide eyes. "What this time?"

"Everything," he muttered. "I mean everything."

Which translated into what? That would be fantasies, my friends.

I smiled happily and turned over to Brynk, who was the last to lay down a card. "Just wait 'til you guys meet Embry, too. He's . . . aw, man, he's awesome."

She laughed and nodded. "Okay, Mayze. We'll meet him. Let's finish this game first, though."

I stuck my tongue out at her and looked over at Emmett, who was smirking that devious smirk he got when he was noticing something significant in my sex life.

"Will you lay off my nonexistent sex life already?" I insisted.

He shrugged. "When you get one? Ha. No."

"It's not nonexistent," Alice disagreed softly, smiling at the bunch of us.

Karma laughed along with her. "I agree. Not nonexistent. It's just not very productive right now."

Everyone got a kick out of that, except Edward, who was really struggling to remain calm and not take me upstairs right now. Emmett could see it, and I could also see that he really did care, so he changed the subject.

"If I knew you guys better, I'd probably pick on the lot of you, too," Emmett laughed. "I have a feeling we'll get there one day."

"Probably," Saph agreed with a sigh.

I smirked. "I get this weird feeling that you guys are gonna be coming around more often now."

"I am," Oliver snorted, not really affected by the mention of his new found adoration. Sapphire got all blushy and bashful. He simply didn't care. "I'm thinking March, spring break?"

"That sounds good," Brynk agreed. "But this time, we've got it. Seriously!"

Emmett scowled. "Why can't we get this one?"

"I've got an idea!" Karma exclaimed, eyes wide. "Why don't they come to us?"

"There's way more of us," Rose reminded her. "I think it'd still be best for you guys to come here." She began turning over the cards, which stopped the conversation right where it stood. "Wow. Okay, um, yo-yos? Yes. Those are super hard. I hate those. Flossing your teeth is a pain, for real. That's a good one too. Pigtails? If I wasn't so pro at doing hair, they would be, but I am, so . . . not really hard for me. Hugs? Mayze," she looked up at me with a grin. "We all know you only enjoy hugging men, but come on! They're not hard. You just don't feel comfortable."

"Which makes them hard," I insisted, and she just laughed and continued on.

"Acrobats," she noted, pursing her lips. "That is some complicated stuff they do. Witches? Eh . . . don't understand. Field trips? I didn't go on many, so I don't really know. I'm gonna have to go with yo-yos."

Jasper grinned and leaned forward to grab the green card. "Blondie can't yo-yo. Go figure."

She gaped at him as everyone busted out laughing. He was really good at that, keeping silent until he had something witty to say. It was one of his best qualities. Rose, however, wasn't amused, and she was glaring playfully at her brother, who just smirked and literally made her anger go away.

I faintly heard her mumble, "Cheater," but my friends had no hope.

Oliver was next, so everyone put down cards to the word "bad." I had buried alive, which would be very bad and also Oliver's biggest fear. Emmett was grinning bigger than he had all night, so I was a little worried about what his might be.

"Oh geez," Edward moaned softly. "I think I need to go."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What on earth did he put that's making it worse? You usually don't like those thoughts."

He grimaced as he moved me around a little, mostly so his boner wasn't visible. "You'll see."

Wow. I knew Edward would struggle more than me, but I felt bad. I mean, I felt really bad. He was going crazy, and I was just kinda sitting here playing Apples-to-Apples.

I would find a way to make it easier on him somehow.

"A parking ticket," Oliver began, nodding in agreement as he continued. "Kittens? Nah. They're very useful. Love running 'em over."

"You're awful!" Karma exclaimed. "Kittens are adorable!"

I scoffed. "Then they grow up."

"This is very true," Saph muttered before looking over at Auggie, who was watching our game from the couch. "Come here, Auggie."

And on command, she came bouncing over and licking her all over.

"Aug," I scolded, but I was laughing, so she just bounced around to lick on me. "No, sweetie. Go see Saph. I just meant out of her face!"

She just began prancing around our circle back to Sapphire, like she knew what I was saying to her. Either way, Oliver was laughing as he continued.

"Crazy dog," he said quietly, shaking his head. "Let's see . . . grown-ups. Buried alive? Oh yeah. Biggest fear right there. Text messages? Um . . . can't I've sent any bad ones, per say, but hey. If that's the way you roll . . . bullies are very bad. Finally . . . ." he trailed off as his eyes got wide and bright, grinning just as big as Emmett had been. "Yes. This wins hands down!"

Emmett busted out laughing as he swooped down and picked up the card. "I knew it!"

"What is it?" I demanded, eyebrows furrowing.

Oliver was laughing so hard he couldn't actually say, so instead, he threw it down and laid back. Everyone else seemed to find it before I could, but when I did, my face probably turned tomato red.

Karma rolled her eyes. "Boys are stupid."

Rose grinned a little. "It is pretty good, but they're drama kings.

Jasper was laid back laughing his head off too while Alice simply rolled her eyes and mumbled things about the crazy guys around her.

Brynk was laughing a little, but it was nothing like the guys. Sapphire smiled, but she wasn't freaking out. Edward, on the other hand, just griped me tighter and moaned as he laid his head on my shoulder.

Wanna know what it said?

A maze.

Ha.

"I think Edward could tell us that one better than anyone," Oliver commented, and I about jumped him. "Whoever put buried alive, that would've won had it not been for that!"

"Emmett, that's just . . . no!" I exclaimed. "I don't know that I'm gonna be bad at it. I've never even tried."

"Wrong kind of bad," Edward said lightly, sighing deeply. "I give up."

"Good for you, kid," Emmett said cheerfully, smirking. "I have a feeling, Mayze, that you're going to be a very bad girl."

"You're sick," Alice commented. "Poor Edward. How's he supposed to last until June? He's already fragile enough after missing her all that time he was in Alaska, and you're just making it harder."

"Literally," Edward sighed. "I'm fine, Alice. This might help, honestly."

Emmett grinned. "We're trying to fix the poor boy up. June is such a long way aways."

"Only seven months," Rose disagreed. "Let him try peacefully."

Brynk punched his arm lightly. "You can do it. I have faith in you . . . to not do it. Anyways, I don't care, either way. I still love you both, so either way works."

I just picked another red card from the pile with a scowl. "Let's continue and stop talking about whether I'm allowed to have sex or not."

Yeah . . . sex talk got worse . . . but the game got fun. Karma, who was sitting by Oliver, got the word important. Jasper put Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Why? I don't know. I put fighting robots, personally, but he put Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

That got some laughs from his family, who claimed that my friends would've had to been there that night when they questioned it.

Anyways, the word "hot" got awkward. Brynk and Karma put Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man, which are both played by Robert Downey Jr., and that's the one guy they both agree on. I put villains, but Emmett? Yeah. He put screaming.

Yes. That kind of screaming.

Another funny moment, the word "great" was used. It was my word. There was popcorn, pizza, cotton candy, gum in your hair, freeze tag, a valentine, and donating blood.

That was Rose's card, and that got a laugh from the Cullens and me all over again. Irony.

The word wild did just that—got wild. After school detention got taken way out of context by Oliver and Emmett, as well as taking pictures and dancing.

Really, guys? Really?

I wouldn't change or trade them for anything in the world, though.

I made the mistake of putting my first date for one of the choices . . . 'cause the word was loud, and Emmett began questioning why it was loud, so . . . yeah.

Strong made me happy because it had break dancers, Taylor Lautner, and Peyton Manning. I love Peyton Manning, and if he doesn't come back to play, I might cry.

Of course amazing got strange. Jasper actually put home base, since it was Emmett. I put Batman, and home base won because it's Emmett.

Rose got "dirty," and I put a werewolf. That was priceless, everyone's faces after she read the word. They tensed up and got all rosy whereas Rose just laughed and laughed.

The game continued throughout the night. It started getting dark, but we kept going. Normally you play to ten, but we just played until we all decided to call it a night.

"That's a good one," Edward murmured in my ear, but he wasn't really paying the game much attention.

Emmett scowled at him but didn't say anything. "C'mon, Mayzie-pop."

Auggie began whining at the door, and Edward was quick to stand up and let her out. Alice was absentmindedly flipping through a wedding magazine, but I already had my dress picked out. She wasn't happy with it because it wasn't floor length, but it was decided anyways.

"So, what exactly happened to your leg?" Brynk asked curiously, striking up some conversation outside of our game that was seemingly coming to a sad end.

"I ran away back to Phoenix because I was scared of love," I lied nonchalantly. "Edward, Esme, and Carlisle chased me down and made me realize that I can't run from my fears. Well, madness, my luck, stairs, and such. Not to mention room service carts with knives. That's how it first happened, but then Seth and Embry kinda took me cliff diving. It was awesome, but it's not okay now."

Emmett grinned. "You can make up for it—"

"Don't even start," I said firmly, eyes narrowing. "You've made enough comments. Now, as I was saying . . . ." I frowned. "Don't start. Okay, well, I've gotta pee, and I want Mountain Dew."

Karma smirked over at me. "Of course. Well, do you guys wanna call it a game? It's getting late, and I'm exhausted."

"Sure," Rose agreed cheerfully. "Em and I should be getting home soon anyways, and I'm sure Alice would like to leave, too. It was really great meeting you guys. We'll probably see you tomorrow."

Edward popped back into the circle with a loving smile. Since Sam had spoken to him, something seemed off about him, but he seemed happier now than he was before he let out Auggie—still worried, though.

"You go ahead and show them to their rooms," he said gently. "I'll clean this up."

There was more to this than he was telling, but I knew not to ask now, so I nodded and led everyone to their rooms. Oliver was staying in the guest room downstairs, so he got to his first. Brynk was gonna stay in my old room, the bright blue one upstairs, and Karma was taking Alice and Jasper's purple room. Sapphire, on the other hand, got the sapphire and silver colored guest room.

Ha, ha. Sapphire got the sapphire room.

Yes. That was one hundred and ten percent on purpose.

When they were all settled, I went into our room and got into my pajamas just in time for Edward to come upstairs, too. He had been down there a good ten minutes, talking softly enough for Oliver to overhear nothing. They covered it up with some loud football Emmett provided, too.

I'm starting to notice these things, in case you couldn't tell. They're a lot better at hiding their secret than I first realized.

Anyways, he closed the door behind him with a completely serious expression crossing his features.

"I'm guessing you want to know what's going on," he murmured quietly, eyes falling to the ground. "Well . . . the pack had a few out patrolling the woods last night. The Denalis had already passed, so they knew it . . . they smelled a familiar vampire scent. Jacob worried it was the female pursuing Bella, but they weren't quite that familiar with it. That meant it was another one of the original six who showed up that day. Laurent is in Alaska, and they're more familiar with him now. James and Dusk are dead . . . ."

I knew who that left, but it didn't add up. He wouldn't just pass through, and if he was actually here, Edward wouldn't be this calm. So, what was going on?

"Blade wouldn't just pass through," I said, putting my thoughts to words. "There's something more to this than just that."

He nodded in agreement. "Alice said he was checking up on you, seeing just how much you were still suffering."

My eyebrows rose. "When did this vision happen?"

"While we were at Charlie's," he explained, teeth tightening a little. "We were trying to communicate without alerting anyone during your game. I think it worked."

I nodded. "I had no idea, especially with the boner and all. Edward, don't worry. I'll be fine."

"I can't not worry, Mayze," he disagreed, eyes tightening. "Until Blade is dead and you're a vampire, I can't stop worrying about you. In case you haven't noticed, you have tendencies to fall into trouble."

"I didn't notice," I mumbled sarcastically. "Okay, listen. We'll stay on the lookout for Blade. In the meantime, let's be cheerful, okay? I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered, eyes closing. "I'm scared to see him, Mayze . . . to get close enough to kill him."

"Why?" I asked slowly, eyebrows furrowing. "Emmett and Jasper can come for backup if you're worried he's too strong, but I don't think he's as strong as you."

"He is because of his human blood drinking factor," he dismissed, shaking his head. "I'm talking about something else . . . . Blade's ability is the ability to look at someone and figure out different ways to torture them, different ways to make them suffer. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out I'm going to be pretty messed up and tortured if he starts thinking about what he did to you, those vivid memories . . . ."

"Well, don't get upset about it now," I pleaded. "Edward, can you just kiss me and relax?"

For the first time in as long as I can remember, he actually listened to me . . . completely.