A/N: Hi everyone. I had some fun with this one, spent a little quality time with the Cullens. Hope you all enjoy, and please keep the reviews coming. They make my bed rest time pass faster! :)
Evasion – EPOV
That evening, Bella was distracted. No, not just distracted – completely not herself. And it was making me nervous. Worried I'd been pushing her too far with all the college applications, I ran them back to my house before meeting her in her room. She seemed somewhat appeased that they didn't make another appearance, but there was something in her expression that still wasn't right. I noticed she kept fidgeting with something in her pocket, and I had to stop myself several times from asking what it was.
She was restless most of the night, and kept muttering "I'm trying," as her expression twisted and contorted. I traced my fingers up and down her arm, planting light kisses on her shoulder and neck until she calmed down. Eventually, her breathing slowed and she turned into me, her head resting on my chest as I hummed to her.
By morning, all the anxieties of the night appeared to have vanished. She smiled lazily up at me and I leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Good morning, my love," I whispered as she signed and pulled herself closer. It was hard to let her go, but I knew she needed her personal time in the mornings. I also knew it would only be an hour or so until I'd see her again, and that knowledge was often the only reason I could make myself leave.
I ran home to pick up the Volvo while Bella got ready for school. As soon as I entered, Alice was at my side with a disapproving look on her face.
"Why won't you let me buy her new clothes? You could give them to her. You know she'd be more likely to accept them coming from you."
"Hardly," I mumbled, rolling my eyes. Alice was never going to give up her quest to turn Bella into Small Town Style Barbie.
"I saw what she's planning on wearing today," she continued relentlessly.
"And she'll look as beautiful as she always does," I retorted, eliciting a pout from Alice. "Why does it matter so much to you anyway?"
"Is it a crime for me to want her to look nice? After all, she is going to be my sister someday. I'm just looking out for her."
"Might be your sister," I corrected, which earned me another scowl.
"I refuse to argue with you about this," she said sternly. "One way or another, Bella is joining this family. Either by her transformation or by you two finally making it official, she's going to be my sister. All I have to do is wait to see which happens first."
"Right," I said sarcastically. "Like you have to wait to see anything."
"Hey, my vision isn't foolproof and you know it. Need I remind you that I didn't even see your proposal coming?"
"Neither did I," I muttered, somewhat embarrassed.
"Besides, Bella hasn't made up her mind yet. Until she does, I'm as blind as you. Now, hurry up or you'll be late. You don't want to keep Bella waiting."
I sighed as Alice flitted out the front door, letting my mind wander back to the night after the big vote, and to my quasi-proposal. Though I couldn't be sorry I'd said it, a part of me had been kicking myself ever since that night.
"Marry me first."
I inwardly cringed at my completely unplanned, unromantic moment of idiocy. A marriage proposal shouldn't be blurted out, and it certainly shouldn't be offered as contingency to vampire conversion. I was an absolute fool. She hadn't even taken me seriously. Then again, how could I blame her? There had been no warning, no prelude, no flowers or candles. There hadn't even been a ring.
Not that I didn't have a ring, but that was another matter altogether.
Although Bella and I hadn't spoken of it since that night, not a day went by that I didn't imagine new and much more proper ways of proposing to her again. I tried not to focus on the fact that she had basically refused me, deciding that under the circumstances, I shouldn't have expected any other response. Next time, though, I would make sure everything was perfect.
I felt a grin spread across my face, and laughed under my breath at my wandering thoughts. When the time is right... I reminded myself.
I knew Carlisle was home, and I wanted to talk with him about Jacob's theory on our being the cause of the werewolf...infestation...but I knew there wasn't time. Deciding it could wait until later, I hurried outside and drove off to pick up Bella. Out of respect for Charlie and his restrictions, she had been driving herself to school, and both of us were eager to resume our pattern from last year. She was waiting for me when I arrived, smiling from ear to ear as she ran to the Volvo. I took a quick peak around to make sure none of her neighbors were in sight, then flew around to the passenger door in time to open it for her. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, her smile growing impossibly larger before stepping inside.
We walked hand in hand until I dropped her off at her first class, and I was waiting for her outside of Spanish so we could walk to the cafeteria together. I loved the way her pulse raced every time my fingers laced with hers. The electricity between us seemed only to intensify with time.
We headed to our usual table, and though my attention was always primarily on Bella, I was momentarily distracted by the nervous energy I felt permeating the room. Nearly every mind around me was frantic, worrying about finals, wondering what they were going to wear to prom, running through lists of graduation details. It was deafening.
"Have you sent your announcements, yet?" Angela asked Bella the moment we sat down.
I just know I'm the last one to get them out. Where did all the time go? How could I have let this happen? Her thoughts didn't stop racing, and I wondered how she would even hear Bella's answer.
"No. There's no point, really. Renee knows when I'm graduating. Who else is there?"
With all that time she's saving not sending out invitations, you'd think she could let me take her shopping once. I looked up to see Alice frowning at Bella, and I gave her a swift kick under the table. The last thing I wanted was for Bella to feel uncomfortable. She looked perfect to me.
"How about you, Alice?" Angela asked, stopping Alice's less than kind thoughts in their tracks.
"All done," she said triumphantly. I rolled my eyes. Had we really needed another gradation announcement mounted on the wall? Esme had smiled proudly, as always, insisting there was no harm in letting her have a little fun with what would otherwise be a very mundane event for us all.
"Lucky you," Angela murmured. "My mother has a thousand cousins and she expects me to hand-address one to everybody. I'm going to get carpal tunnel. I can't put it off any longer and I'm just dreading it."
"I'll help you," Bella said cheerfully. "If you don't mind my awful handwriting."
I smiled, happy to see Bella getting to spend time with her friends again. I knew part of her eagerness to help Angela was out of desire to abide by Charlie's wishes, spending more time outside the Cullen circle, but she'd also really missed Angela, and it was nice that they would get to have some time, just the two of them. Maybe I'd reach out to some of her friends as well, and try to earn back their trust. It would be a difficult task with so many of them still harboring resentment toward me, but they were important to Bella, and that made me want to try.
I glanced back over to Bella who was absolutely beaming as she made plans to go to Angela's house. She explained how Charlie had finally lifted her sentence, and Angela's eyes lit up.
"Well, this is great, Bella! We'll have to go out to celebrate."
"You have no idea how good that sounds."
"What should we do?" Alice asked innocently, while her mind raced through various options she considered appropriate levels of celebration.
Surely if I took her shopping in Paris, she'd have to let me buy her something, right? I mean, it would be absurd to travel all that way and come back empty handed. Oh! Maybe Rome. It really was a shame she didn't get to enjoy Italy. Don't you think we should help her get some real use out of that passport?
I was about to give Alice another not so subtle kick, but Bella had already seen the look in her eyes.
"Whatever you're thinking, Alice, I doubt I'm that free."
"Free is free, right?"
"I'm sure I still have boundaries – like the continental U.S., for example."
Though Angela and Ben both started laughing, Alice looked absolutely crestfallen, and I had to stifle my own laughter. Even without the benefits of mind reading, Bella knew Alice almost as well as I did.
"So what are we doing tonight?" Alice asked, defeated.
"Nothing," Bella insisted. "Look, let's give it a couple of days to make sure he wasn't joking. It's a school night, anyway."
"We'll celebrate this weekend, then."
"Sure," Bella answered somewhat wearily. Alice's smile reappeared as her mind launched into another series of outrageous things Bella would never agree to. At least she was keeping her plans within the country this time.
The conversation shifted quickly into a lighthearted discussion of where they were going to drag Bella off to. It didn't escape my notice that Bella's earlier enthusiasm was slowly dissipating, and I took her hand in mine, silently assuring her she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. Her expression was distant, and I was starting to worry that there might be more to it than her usual aversion to attention and people doing things for her. I was watching her carefully, and was about to see if she wanted to leave, when Alice abruptly stopped talking.
Edward...
My eyes shot up to hers and I listened, unmoving, while the vision played itself out. At first, it was hard to tell exactly what she was seeing, but slowly the pictures became clearer. There was a flash of red, like fire blazing its way through Forks. Then, the fire slowed and I could see a face I recognized all too well.
Victoria.
Her villainous smile and ire filled eyes consumed my every thought as I forced myself not to tighten my grip on Bella's hand. Of course she would see Alice's expression and know she was seeing something, but I couldn't let her know it was anything to worry about. My family and I could handle one enraged vampire, and I would not allow Bella to waste one more moment of her life frightened.
"Alice? Alice!" Angela said loudly, waving her hand and trying to get Alice's attention.
I laughed to distract Angela , then kicked Alice sharply, reminding her we were in public.
"Is it naptime already, Alice?" I said, forcing her to lock gazes with me. Her eyes widened and she let her posture shift back into its relaxed position.
"Sorry, I was daydreaming, I guess."
"Daydreaming's better than facing two more hours of school," Ben added, and almost instantly, we were engaged once more in casual conversation. The difference now, was that Alice, Bella, and I were all pretending.
As hard as I was trying not to give Bella any reason to worry, I could hear that her heart wasn't settling back into its regular rhythm, and felt how tense her body was next to mine. Alice was keeping up the facade well, but I was sure Bella noticed the intensity of her gaze when she locked eyes with mine.
Get Bella away from Forks for awhile. We'll handle this.
I gave her the tiniest of nods while I ran my fingers through Bella's hair. I wasn't sure which one of us I was trying to comfort with the gesture.
I stayed closer than usual to Bella's friends for the rest of the day, unwilling to give her the chance to ask what was wrong. I had every intention of listening to Alice's advice and getting Bella as far away from Forks as possible. I just needed to think of somewhere she wouldn't refuse. Where could I offer to take her that she wouldn't instantly recognize as an excuse to get her out of town? We could go up to Alaska to check out the college that would be serving as her alibi, though that thought only made me more miserable and worried. Better yet, I could take her to see Dartmouth, and try to entice her with the beautiful architecture.
My mind still racing with possibilities, I eventually noticed Bella eying me suspiciously as we walked toward the parking lot at the end of the day. I quickly forced myself into a conversation with Mike Newton to delay the inevitable a little while longer. His car was only starting about half the time, and he was worried eventually he would end up stranded somewhere.
"Maybe you need a new battery," I suggested, infusing my voice with as much sincerity as I could muster, considering who I was talking to.
Yeah, genius, like I never thought to check the battery. Why is he even bothering, anyway?
Mike's biting internal sarcasm didn't make it any easier to keep the smile on my face.
"Yes, I thought of that," he said, obviously struggling as much as I was to keep the conversation polite. "But I just replaced the battery."
"Perhaps it's the cables?"
"Maybe. I really don't know anything about cars. I need to have someone look at it, but I can't afford to take it to Dowling's."
I suddenly felt Bella's hand squeeze mine tightly, and her body stiffened. I glanced at her, but she already seemed to be calming herself down from whatever had upset her.
"I know a few things," I said, bringing my focus back to Mike. "I could take a look, if you like. Just let me drop Alice and Bella at home."
Seriously? he thought, gaping at me. Don't want him at my house, don't want to be having this conversation...
"Er...thanks," he stuttered, and I nearly rolled my eyes at how stubborn her was being. "But I have to get to work. Maybe some other time." Like never.
"Absolutely." Then I smiled widely at him, trying not to take too much pleasure in the baffled look on his face.
"See ya," he muttered as he got into his car. It was so much easier when we both just hated each other. Does this mean I have to start being nice to Cullen?
I laughed under my breath and politely listened to make sure his car started up, then went to open the passenger door for Bella.
"What was that about?" she asked.
"Just being helpful."
Then I glanced meaningfully back at Alice, with a look that said, "now it's your turn to be helpful." She immediately starting babbling about everything and nothing, as Bella let out a sigh. She knew this trick.
When we reached my driveway, Alice paused her chattering long enough to let me see one more flash of her earlier vision. Victoria was perched outside Bella's window, and it was everything I could do to maintain my relaxed posture.
Bella already has plane tickets, remember? All you have to do is convince her to use them.
"See you later," I said casually, then nodded to her in understanding. How had I forgotten about the tickets to Jacksonville? I guess I was instinctively trying to forget everything about her horrible birthday that had led to the worst mistake of my long life.
Though I knew curiosity was getting to her, Bella remained silent the whole way back to her house. Every once in awhile, I caught her glancing at me from the corner of her eye, but I kept my gaze fixed forward, a soft smile on my face.
"Light homework load tonight," I said as we pulled into the driveway.
"Mmm."
"Do you suppose I'm allowed inside again?" I asked. Not that it ever really stopped me. Still, it was nice not to have to hide from Charlie.
"Charlie didn't throw a fit when you picked me up for school," she said simply, though there was an edge to her voice.
I followed her upstairs, holding my breath and waiting for the question I knew was coming. I was surprised when she walked almost immediately to her computer, flicking it on as I laid down on the bed. I glanced toward her nightstand, wondering if I would find the tickets collecting dust in her drawer. Bella seemed sufficiently distracted, so I quickly opened the drawer and shuffled through a thin stack of papers, only to find them at the bottom of the pile, just as I'd suspected.
Tickets tucked safely away in my pocket, my mind wandered as I listened to the sound of the computer warming up. Getting her to agree to a trip to Florida didn't seem like too difficult an undertaking. It was obvious she missed her mother. She had been talking about her in her sleep a lot lately, and I was sure a visit would do both of them a lot of good. And Bella and I being on the other side of the country would keep me sane.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Bella's fingers drumming nervously on her desk. I stared at her worried expression, and the next instant, I was beside her, locking my fingers with hers.
"Are we a little impatient today?" I asked, reveling in the warmth she was radiating. Suddenly, I needed to be closer.
Her heartbeat picked up slightly as I gazed into her eyes, my intent becoming clear when I leaned in and took in a deep breath of her scent. It was amazing the way all my fears seemed to disappear the moment our lips touched. Everything else vanished and there was only us.
Although I was no longer consciously thinking about the danger that was on the way, my concern for Bella's safety was still eliciting strange responses within me. Instead of pulling away like I normally would, everything in my body was telling me to bring her closer. Without thinking, my fingers were lacing into her hair and I was pressing her face tightly to mine.
I hadn't grown immune to the burn that always rose in my throat when we were this close, but I'd learned not to let fear of it take over. I knew I was in control, and the soft hum Bella was unconsciously making was telling me she didn't want me to let go. Caught up in the moment, I was all too willing to comply, and I allowed myself to sink into her. I let my hand trace down her spine, and as I held her closer, I felt her start to shiver. With a reluctant sigh and one final deep breath of her perfection, I started to back away, but she pulled herself flush against me.
I knew she always wished she was stronger, but in those instances when I felt her desperation to stay connected with me, I felt like I was the weak one. I wanted to give her everything, no matter what my rational thoughts were telling me. When her soft, warm tongue touched my bottom lip, the wave of desire I had been trying to bury came crashing in on me like a tidal wave. Her scent I'd learned to handle, but when she let me taste her like that...
My actions finally caught up with my hazy mind, and I gently moved her face away from mine. Her breathing was ragged as we stared at each other, and I let out one soft laugh as I saw the reflection of my eyes in her own. For one brief moment, we matched – two fiery eyed people in love, seeking more than was probably wise.
"Ah, Bella," I breathed, wishing that I could give her more.
"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not," she admitted, blushing.
"And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry, but I don't. Maybe I should go sit on the bed."
"If you think that's necessary..."
I smirked as I pulled myself unwillingly away from her. Necessary? Perhaps. Smart? Most definitely.
"Tell Renee I said hello," I said as she opened up her mother's email.
"Sure thing."
I'm sure it was impolite, but I couldn't help reading over her shoulder when my eyes drifted for a second onto the screen and I saw Jacob's name. Renee was asking why Bella hadn't mentioned him in awhile. I bit back the smile that immediately formed upon reading Bella's reply that she didn't see him much, because he was spending time with "a pack of this friends." Cute, Bella...
As she composed the rest of her reply, my eyes wandered around her room, and eventually landed on a mess pouring out from her closet. I recognized the stereo my family had given her last year, and was concerned that not only was it not in her truck where it belonged, but it also appeared to have been quite thoroughly trampled.
"What did you do to this?" I gasped.
"It didn't want to come out of the dashboard."
"So you felt the need to torture it?"
"You know how I am with tools. No pain was inflicted intentionally." Though she was being casual, something about her words pained me. Why had she been so desperate to get it out? Had the sight of it really been too much for her to take?
"You killed it," I sighed, a sharp wave of guilt crashing in on me as I tried to compose myself.
"Oh, well," she said indifferently.
"It would hurt their feelings if they saw this. I guess it's a good thing that you've been on house arrest. I'll have to get another one in place before they notice." Of course I was sure Alice already knew about the stereo massacre. I wondered why she hadn't said anything about it.
"Thanks, but I don't need a fancy stereo," Bella argued.
"It's not for your sake that I'm going to replace it."
Thinking about the lengths she'd gone through to get it out of her car, I knew she must be as eager to forget everything related to her birthday as I was. I would have to make sure to get a different model to replace it, one that looked nothing like the one that lay in a heap on her floor.
"You didn't get much good out of your birthday presents last year," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I was suddenly nervous that she would refuse the tickets, simply because of where they'd come from. Her heart jumped when she saw me casually waving the tickets, and I held my breath waiting for her response. She looked like she'd been punched in the gut, and for a moment, the whole plan felt ridiculous. Why didn't I just buy new tickets to Alaska?
"Do you realize these are about to expire?" I asked, still attempting to keep my voice light. Maybe she would agree to use them if I told her how happy it would make my family. They had been a gift, after all.
"No," she replied, staring at the tickets with a worried expression. "I'd forgotten all about them, actually."
Having forgotten them is better than having destroyed them like the stereo. I took that as a good sign.
"Well, we still have a little time. You've been liberated...and we have no plans this weekend, as you refuse to go to the prom with me." I smiled at the look of horror that crossed her face at the mere mention of the word prom. It really was a miracle I'd managed to get her to there last year. And not just get her there, but get her dancing and having a halfway decent time.
She still wasn't responding to my offer, so I added, "Why not celebrate your freedom this way?"
"By going to Florida?"
"You did say something about the continental U.S. being allowable."
I didn't fully understand her expression. It was like she was being pulled in two different directions. I knew a part of her wanted to see her mother, but it seemed as if she was fighting against herself, unwilling to give in to my request. She hadn't asked about Alice's vision yet, but I was sure it was too much to hope she had forgotten about it. Maybe she knew this was a diversion and she was just being stubborn.
"Well?" I finally asked, growing somewhat frustrated. I didn't want to force her into anything, but one way or another, we were leaving Forks this weekend. "Are we going to see Renee or not?"
"Charlie will never allow it."
"Charlie can't keep you from visiting your mother. She still has primary custody."
"Nobody has custody of me. I'm an adult."
A very good point, Bella, I thought wryly. "Exactly."
Bella's eyes lit up momentarily, and I thought I might have convinced her. All thoughts of Victoria aside, I had to admit I was a little anxious myself to see Renee again. The first and only time we'd met had been in the hospital in Phoenix, and needless to say, I was not her favorite person. Still, while she was obviously – and rightfully – upset with me for my part in Bella's accident, she had listened while I'd explained exactly how important Bella was to me, and had allowed me to stay in Bella's room without argument. Something told me Renee was a very perceptive person, and she sensed the depths of my devotion to her daughter. I was looking forward to cementing that idea in her mind, this time under far better circumstances.
I let myself grow excited and hopeful that Bella would agree to the trip as I stared deeply into her eyes. Then, the flash of enthusiasm I'd seen on her face only moments before disappeared, and I could almost hear her voice of reason kicking back in.
"No this weekend," she sighed, clearly disappointed.
"Why not?"
"I don't want to fight with Charlie. Not so soon after he's forgiven me."
If it was Charlie she was worried about, I felt certain I could take care of that problem. He wouldn't have a problem with Bella visiting Renee, and if he objected to my going with her, I would remind him that the tickets were a gift from Carlisle and Esme. They were given with the intention that she and I would go together.
"I think this weekend is perfect," I said calmly, ready to argue my point until she conceded. There was no reason for her to put it off.
"Another time," she insisted.
With a deep breath, I prepared myself to shamelessly use a very unfair tactic, one that I would never use unless I was truly desperate. Guilt.
"You aren't the only one who's been trapped in this house, you know."
She stared at me like she didn't believe the words coming out of my mouth – which meant she was right on track, because they weren't true. I hadn't felt trapped at all. I loved spending time with Bella and it didn't really matter to me where we were. Yes, it would have been nice to take her out on a proper date now and then, but as long as she was content with us sitting on her bed, talking, and holding each other, I would never for one second complain.
"You can go anywhere you want," she finally said, sounding somewhat apologetic. Then I was the one feeling guilty.
"The outside world holds no interest for me without you," I assured her, not wanting her to feel like she'd been keeping me prisoner. She rolled her eyes in disbelief. "I'm serious," I promised.
If we were confined to her four walls for the rest of time, I wouldn't care because we'd be together, and I instantly wished I'd never implied that I felt any differently.
"Let's take the outside world slowly, all right?" she asked, her posture relaxing slightly. "For example, we could start with a movie in Port Angeles..."
Not far enough... I thought desperately.
"Never mind. We'll talk about it later," I said, trying not to sound defeated. I didn't want to bring it up with Charlie without her consent, but if I had to...
"There's nothing left to talk about," she said flatly. When I simply shrugged, her expression shifted. "Okay, then, new subject." She now sounded determined, and the air of curiosity was back on her face. "What did Alice see today at lunch?"
I fought the look of terror that was threatening to reveal how worried I really was. I'd known from the moment I saw Victoria flash through Alice's mind, that if Bella came right out and asked, I would hide the truth from her. I hated myself for even thinking about lying, but there was no other choice. The only consolation I could offer myself, was knowing that as soon as the danger had passed, I would confess the truth to her. She would be angry, I was certain of that, but anger was better than fear. I refused to put Bella through any more trauma because of the realities of my world.
"She's been seeing Jasper in a strange place, somewhere in the southwest, she thinks, near his former...family. But he has no conscious intentions to go back. It's got her worried."
I held firmly to my resolve, trying to remind myself of the necessity of the lie. When Bella breathed a very relieved, "Oh," I knew I'd made the right choice.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't realize you'd noticed," I lied again, inwardly cringing. "It's probably nothing important, in any case."
Significantly more relaxed, Bella smiled and suggested we head downstairs to keep up appearances. We worked on homework while we waited for Charlie to come home, stopping to prepare dinner when Bella's calculus assignment got the better of her.
"Why is everything so easy for you?" she muttered as she threw her pencil down.
"Repeat high school a few dozen times and you'll understand," I said with a sigh. Unexpectedly, it made Bella grin.
"Planning on it," she said cheerfully, and I silenced the growl I could feel building inside me.
Although I hated all the disgusting food smells, I offered to help Bella with dinner simply to be closer to her. She laughed at me as I wrinkled my nose, pushing ingredients quickly away from me and into the pot on the stove. The atmosphere was light and comfortable, and when Charlie arrived, even he seemed to be in high spirits.
As usual, I let Bella and Charlie eat dinner together, retreating to the living room to supposedly watch the news. At times, I could tell it struck Charlie as odd that I never ate with them, but he appreciated the time alone with Bella so much, he never said anything about it.
I listened with a smile on my face as he complimented her cooking, and they talked about his day at work. He told her he had talked to Billy, but there was no mention of Jacob so I allowed myself to relax. That is, until he informed her that they'd both been invited to La Push for the weekend.
"Huh," Bella muttered noncommittally.
The logical side of my brain knew it wasn't the right moment. I told myself to wait until the tension in the room had lifted, but as Charlie got up and headed toward the living room for his nightly routine of falling asleep in front of the TV, I couldn't seem to stop myself.
"Charlie," I said casually.
"Yeah?"
"Did Bella ever tell you that my parents gave her airplane tickets on her last birthday, so that she could visit Renee?"
I heard Bella's heart start racing and she dropped the plate she'd been washing. It crashed to the floor, but Charlie didn't even blink.
"Bella?" he asked, his eyes still glaring wildly at me.
"Yeah, they did," she mumbled, her face turning red as Charlie turned to her in disbelief.
"No, she never mentioned it," he said through gritted teeth, turning back toward me.
"Hmm."
"Was there a reason you brought it up?" he asked icily.
"They're about to expire. I think it might hurt Esme's feelings if Bella doesn't use her gift. Not that she'd say anything."
Then it was Bella's turn to glare at me, her hand gripping the soapy sponge, frozen on the plate. I could feel both of us holding our breath while Charlie deliberated.
"It's probably a good idea for you to visit your mom, Bella," he finally said. "She'd love that. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about this, though."
"I forgot."
His thoughts turned skeptical as he tried to sort out what we were keeping from him.
"You forgot that someone gave you plane tickets?"
"Mmm."
Charlie's eyes turned back on me as the pieces started coming together.
"I noticed that you said they're about to expire, Edward. How many tickets did your parents give her?"
"Just one for her...and one for me."
At that, his face turned red, his eyes widened, and Bella dropped another plate. She didn't turn to look at me, but I could hear how ragged her breathing was.
"That's out of the question!" Charlie screamed, and I struggled to keep my voice even. I knew how much it would upset Bella to have to listen to Charlie and I fight.
"Why? You just said it was a good idea for her to see her mother."
He turned back toward Bella and suddenly, he was yelling her, though she hadn't said a word.
"You're not going anywhere with him, young lady!"
This was exactly what she'd been afraid of, and I felt terrible for having caused it. It had hurt her so much, having Charlie upset with her. They'd finally come to some sort of almost truce, and I'd fueled the fire again the very next day. I expected to see tears when Bella turned around, but instead I saw fury, and I was as taken aback as Charlie.
"I'm not a child, Dad. And I'm not grounded anymore, remember?" she spat.
"Oh yes, you are. Starting now."
"For what?!" she shrieked.
"Because I said so."
And because I knew Bella, I knew that was the moment Charlie had lost the argument. As angry as Bella might be with me for having brought it up, it was nothing compared to the fire I saw in her eyes at that statement.
"Do I need to remind you that I'm a legal adult, Charlie?"
He flinched slightly at the sound of Bella calling him by his first name. She was usually careful to only do that when he wasn't around.
"This is my house – you follow my rules!" he screamed, only digging the hole deeper.
"If that's how you want it. Do you want me to move out tonight? Or can I have a few days to pack?"
At the look on Charlie's face, I could see Bella turn instantly remorseful. She didn't want to hurt him, and she certainly didn't want to move out. It was desperation on both they parts, a father trying to protect his little girl, and the little girl fighting to be accepted as an adult. Eventually, they would find a balance, but not tonight.
"I'll do my time without complaining when I've done something wrong, Dad, but I'm not going to put up with your prejudices," she said evenly.
Charlie muttered something unintelligible, and I could sense Bella starting to relax. She still wasn't looking at me, and I wondered how much of her dissipated anger would later be coming my way.
"Now, I know that you know that I have every right to see Mom for the weekend. You can't honestly tell me you'd object to the plan if I was going with Alice or Angela."
"Girls," he muttered.
"Would it bother you if I took Jacob?"
I bit back my own rage at her words, although I figured she was only trying to make a point. Charlie had made it very clear that rules I had to abide by would be waived for Jacob. Still, I could feel my teeth grinding together and my hands unconsciously clenching into fists while I waited for his answer.
"Yes. That would bother me," Charlie answered, though it sounded like he didn't even believe himself.
"You're a rotten liar, Dad."
"Bella – "
"It's not like I'm headed off to Vegas to be a showgirl or anything. I'm going to see Mom. She's just as much my parental authority as you are." He nearly scoffed at her, and her anger started to show again. "Are you implying something about Mom's ability to look after me?"
At the same moment Charlie flinched, I could feel his thoughts start to give up the fight. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop her from going, and he was suddenly feeling nervous that she wouldn't come back if he didn't reign his temper in.
"You'd better hope I don't mention this to her," she said coldly.
"You'd better not. I'm not happy about this, Bella."
"There's no reason for you to be upset."
They both seemed to sigh at the same moment, and I was suddenly struck by how much they looked alike. The resemblance wasn't normally noticeable at all, but something about their mutual acquiesce made them appear more like father and daughter than I'd ever seen.
"So my homework is done, your dinner is done,the dishes are done, and I'm not grounded," she said definitively. "I'm going out. I'll be back before ten-thirty."
"Where are you going?" he asked, though I could tell he was only half expecting an answer.
"I'm not sure. I'll keep it within a ten-mile radius, though. Okay?"
Charlie mumbled something as Bella finally turned to meet my stare.
"We're going out?" I asked, hopeful but nervous as she glared at me.
"Yes. I think I'd like to speak to you alone."
She turned around quickly, storming out the front door with me trailing miserably behind her. As soon as we were in the car, I braced myself for the explosion.
"What was that?" she yelled. Instinctively, I used the only defense I felt would matter to her at all – my concern for her. Though I couldn't tell her all the reasons, it was, in essence, what had started the whole fiasco.
"I know you want to see your mother, Bella – you've been talking about her in your sleep. Worrying actually."
"I have?" she asked, her voice instantly softer.
"But, clearly, you were too much of a coward to deal with Charlie, so I interceded on your behalf." I was trying to keep it light, while still letting her know I was only looking out for her best interests. It didn't seem to be the right approach.
"Interceded?" she repeated, angry again. "You threw me to the sharks!"
"I don't think you were in any danger," I muttered sarcastically.
"I told you I didn't want to fight with Charlie."
"Nobody said that you had to." I'd actually been rather surprised, having expected Charlie to do most of the lecturing. Yet somehow, the tables had turned, and Bella had held her own far better than I'd expected.
"I can't help myself when he gets all bossy like that – my natural teenage instincts overpower me," she said defensively.
"Well, that's not my fault," I laughed.
We sat in silence for a few moments while I replayed the evening in my mind. She'd stood up for herself, and while she claimed it was just instinct taking over, I believed it was more than that. All throughout Charlie's severe restrictions, Bella had been more compliant than I ever would have imagined. She didn't complain or make Charlie feel guilty, probably because she felt her punishment had been justified. She hated how worried she'd made him those days she was off saving me in Italy, and whatever she needed to do to appease him and repair the damage that had been done, she was more than willing. It was a selfless gesture, and I admired her for it.
But this time, she knew she'd done nothing wrong. There was nothing wrong with my wanting to visit Renee with her, and that knowledge had made her fight for what she knew she deserved. Although I'd hated to see them fight that way, in a way, I was completely flattered. Bella had been angry with me for bringing the tickets up without her permission, but in the heat of the moment, she'd still stood up for me and our right to be together.
We'd been quiet for such a long stretch of time, Bella's words jarred me back into consciousness.
"Does this sudden urge to see Florida have anything to do with the party at Billy's place?"
My body tensed. I'd been so relieved that Bella would be nowhere near Forks when Victoria arrived, I'd forgotten all about that.
"Nothing at all," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "It wouldn't matter if you were here or on the other side of the world, you still wouldn't be going."
I could see her fists clench and it was clear she wanted to say something, but miraculously, she chose to keep it to herself. I was just happy to avoid another argument involving the dogs.
"So what do you want to do tonight?" I asked, anxious to get her mind on other things.
"Can we go to your house? I haven't seen Esme in so long."
"She'll like that," I said, smiling warmly. "Especially when she hears what we're doing this weekend."
Bella let out a long sigh, and we drove the rest of the way in silence. I was a little nervous about her current mood when we approached the house, and wondered if the whole evening was beyond repair.
"Bella!" Alice cried, throwing her arms around her the second we were inside. I let out a sigh of relief when Bella immediately relaxed. It seemed her frustrations with me were no match for the welcoming arms of my family.
"How does it feel to be out in the real world again?"
"Since when is the vampire house considered part of the real world?" she teased. "I still feel like I'm in a fairytale every time I come over."
I rolled my eyes at her use of the word "fairytale." Somehow, after everything she'd been through because of me, she still regarded us as creatures of magic and fantasy, rather than the monsters we were.
"Who all is home?" I asked, looking pointedly at Alice.
"Carlisle and Esme are upstairs," she said cheerfully. And the others are making a quick circuit around town for any signs of Victoria. She shouldn't be here for a couple of days, but we're taking every precaution.
"Great," I said, taking Bella's hand in mine. "Now, should we go share the news?"
"News?" Alice asked innocently.
"Oh right, Alice," Bella teased. "Like you didn't already know we're going to Florida this weekend. I suppose it shouldn't have surprised me that Edward had so much confidence tonight, you probably already told him it was a sure thing."
"I don't know anything until you decide it," she said solemnly, but when Bella quirked an eyebrow at her, she started giggling. "I did know how much you've been thinking about your Mom lately, though, so I figured the chances were pretty good."
Bella rolled her eyes as Carlisle and Esme came down the stairs.
"Bella, welcome," Carlisle said, smiling at her warmly.
"It's lovely to see you again," Esme added, reaching out to give her a hug.
"It's really nice to be back. I've missed you all so much."
"Well, you're welcome any time," Carlisle said, then glanced at me for a fraction of a second.
When are you two leaving?
I immediately turned to Esme, grinning widely.
"Esme, I thought you'd be pleased to hear Bella and I are finally making use of those plane tickets from last year."
"Oh that's wonderful. Is your mother excited, dear?"
"Well, actually I haven't even gotten the chance to tell her. It was kind of a spontaneous decision."
"We're leaving on Friday," I added, and Carlisle nodded approvingly.
From what Alice saw, that should be plenty of time. Does Bella know what's happening?
I shook my head in the tiniest of gestures and he seemed relieved. While my family had always believed in being honest with Bella about the dangers around her, I felt that in this instance, they all agreed it was unnecessary to worry her. It would all be taken care of soon enough. Victoria wasn't going to send us on the elaborate hunt that James had.
"Bella," Alice said, motioning toward the kitchen. "Would you like something to eat? Even though you haven't been around lately, we've kept things fully stocked."
"No thank you. I just ate dinner with Charlie."
"Dessert, maybe?"
I glanced at Alice's carefully fixed smile and saw she was trying to allow Carlisle and I a chance to talk without Bella around.
"She won't give up," I whispered to Bella. "You might as well take a few bites of something and get it over with."
Bella sighed and I gave her a quick kiss before following Alice to the kitchen. Esme joined them a few moments later, and I realized how much she had truly missed Bella. As soon as they were out of sight, I faced Carlisle.
"Are you guys going to be able to take care of this by the time we get back Sunday night?"
"I don't see why not. Alice saw her going directly to Bella's house. She's acting much more straightforward than James was, and she's completely alone. Don't worry. Just keep Bella distracted, and maybe try to have a little fun yourself."
"Thanks."
"Now, Alice mentioned earlier there was something Bella said that confused you. Was it something you wanted to talk about?"
"Oh," I said, having forgotten about it with our new concerns. "It's nothing really, just a mildly irritating notion the wolves seem to have."
"And what is that?"
"Apparently, they think we're the cause of their reappearance."
"Do they really?" he asked, sounding more amused than I might have expected. "Well, I'll admit it crossed my mind, though the timing makes it seem unlikely. They didn't show up until after we left."
"That's what I thought. Is it possible, though, that the change started when we arrived, and it simply took that long for it to complete itself?"
"I suppose anything is possible. I don't know much about their kind. Fascinating species, though."
I rolled my eyes. It was just like Carlisle to see everything, even the most despicable, volatile of creatures, as an interesting new learning experience.
"No, Alice, I promise it was delicious. I'm full, that's all."
Bella was walking back toward me, Alice in full pout behind her.
"She barely ate two bites," she sulked.
"Well maybe next time I'll have to bring her over before dinner, and you can play chef properly."
Alice grinned, her spirits brightened, and led Bella and the rest of us into the living room. A few minutes later, the rest of the family came home. Emmett and Rosalie said perfunctory hello's, then retreated upstairs. I might have been more irritated at Rose, but she was obeying my wishes. If you can't be nice, don't be here.
Alice and I played chess while Jasper and Bella talked. Admittedly, it still made me nervous having them in such close proximity, but Jasper's guilt over the incident last year had made him so overly cautious, it was nearly impossible to doubt his total control around her. He cared about her too, and he'd spent so long feeling terrible about what had happened, I figured it was good for them to finally get to talk.
Within minutes, Alice and my game was over. There simply wasn't any point in playing it out once we both saw where it was going. Sighing, she surrendered her king, then pushed the board toward Jasper and Bella.
"You two should play. At least Jasper won't be able to hear every move you're planning before you make it," she said indignantly.
After their game was over, we spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing, catching Bella up on what she'd missed. Alice convinced me to play the piano for awhile, and as Bella sat beside me, looking up at me lovingly, the rest of my family disappeared. When we realized they were gone, we both laughed, remembering the first time they had not so subtly left us alone in this very spot.
"They've missed you," I said softly, reaching up to run my fingers through her hair. "I missed you."
"You see me every day," she whispered, her breath catching slightly as I leaned in to give her a soft kiss.
"But not here. Not in my home, where I can really be myself. You don't know how wonderful it is for me to have you here. It makes the house complete."
She blushed, looking down at her lap, and I kissed her forehead. I took a deep breath and let my eyes shut, marveling at how perfect and content the moment was. It seemed impossible after all that had happened over the past few hours, yet here we were, just as I wanted to be.
"I don't want to go," she said, peeking up from under her lashes.
"But?"
"But Charlie and I have fought enough for one night, and I want to be back well before my curfew so he doesn't think I'm pushing him simply to be defiant."
"I understand," I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulder as we stood up.
A few minutes later, we were back at her house. The lights were on, and I could hear Charlie's mind wandering nervously. Of course I couldn't hear the exact words, but after a few moments, I started to understand the context. With a smirk, I turned to Bella.
"You'd better not come inside," she said sadly. "It will only make things worse."
"His thoughts are relatively calm," I said, trying to stifle my laughter.
"I'll see you later."
A low chuckle escaped me, and I kissed the top of her head. "I'll be back when Charlie's snoring."
I watched her walk dismally to the door, probably awaiting another bout of Charlie's anger. When she found out what was really on his mind, however, I had a feeling she might find herself wishing for his anger instead.
It took everything in me to drive away, but given the nature of their discussion, eavesdropping would have been beyond my normal level of intrusion. It was going to be embarrassing enough without her finding out later that I'd listened in.
I thought about going home again, but decided my time would be better spent checking things out around town. None of my family had found any signs of Victoria, but I knew I'd feel better after I'd checked it out myself. I'd made almost a full loop when I felt my cell phone go off.
"I know you're having fun looking for vampire tracks, and I hate to interrupt," Alice said, trying a little too hard to sound casual. "But I need you to go check on Bella."
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked frantically, already running in her direction.
"Nothing, I don't think. At least not yet. I figured with everything going on, you'd want me keeping a close eye on her. Everything was fine until a moment ago, then I suddenly went blind. You know what that means," she said heavily.
I suppressed a low growl as my feet instinctively ran faster.
"Filthy wolves," I muttered.
"Yes, they are that," Alice agreed. If anyone was more infuriated by the wolves, it was Alice. Nothing frustrated her more than not being able to use her ability.
"Is she still at the house?"
"I think so. I didn't see her leave, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Once she made the choice to leave, everything disappeared. She could be down there right now for all I know."
"Hold on, I'm almost to the house," I said anxiously. A few seconds later, I saw her truck and felt relief rush over me. "She's still here," I breathed. "Thanks, Alice."
"No problem. And by the way, let Bella know her choices effect me too. It was really unsettling, seeing her simply disappear like that."
"I'll let her know. Talk to you tomorrow."
The phone went silent as I reached the driveway. Without another thought, I opened the hood of her truck and removed the first vital item I saw. I shut it quietly then waited for Bella to come out. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Bella was flying out the front door. Looking somewhat guilty, she seemed to be checking over her shoulder every few steps, and when she finally stumbled into the car, she breathed a sigh of relief. It broke my heart to think of her purposely ignoring my warnings when my only concern was for her safety. It hurt even more to think of how angry she would be with me in a few moments.
She made two attempts to start the engine before I made even the slightest movement.
"Gah!" she gasped, finally noticing me in the seat beside her. If I hadn't been so focused on the situation at hand, it might have bothered me more that she hadn't noticed me right away. She always seemed so aware of my presence.
"Alice called," I explained, and in the darkness, I could see recognition flash in her eyes. "She got nervous when your future rather abruptly disappeared five minutes ago."
At this, her startled expression turned to one of absolute horror.
"Because she can't see the wolves, you know," I clarified. "Had you forgotten that? When you decide to mingle your fate with theirs, you disappear, too. You couldn't know that part, I realize that. But can you understand why that might make me a little...anxious? Alice saw you disappear, and she couldn't even tell if you'd come home or not. Your future got lost, just like theirs."
I understood that this must be confusing to Bella, and I wished I could explain exactly why it happens, but it was a mystery to all of us.
"We're not sure why this is. Some natural defense they're born with?" It had been my first inclination, but I'd eventually written it off as just another theory. "That doesn't seem entirely likely, since I haven't had any trouble reading their thoughts. The Blacks' at least. Carlisle theorizes that it's because their lives are so rules by their transformations. It's more an involuntary reaction than a decision. Utterly unpredictable, and it changes everything about them. In the instant when they shift from one form to the other, they don't really even exist. The future can't hold them..."
I wondered if Bella was even still listening to me. I'd gotten so lost in my own thoughts. As much as I hated to admit it, maybe Carlisle wasn't the only one with some sort of sick fascination with the wolves.
Obviously, Bella was angry with me, and in many ways, I couldn't blame her. She didn't believe the wolves were a threat, and thought I was being overprotective. She'd already proven earlier with Charlie, that she hated when people treated her like a child, and I realized she would probably see what I was doing as falling into that same category. It didn't matter, though. I would accept her rage if it kept her safe.
"I'll put your car back together in time for school, in case you'd like to drive yourself," I assured her, hoping perhaps futilely, that she would forgive me as quickly as she'd seemed to forgive Charlie. She climbed out of the truck without a word, eyes cold and staring straight ahead.
"Shut your window if you want me to stay away tonight. I'll understand," I said softly, feeling somewhat defeated as she shut the door.
The second she was out of sight, I raced around the side of her house and peered up at her window. Not even a minute later, Bella appeared, and with one swift motion, slammed it shut. My heart sank, though I'd expected nothing less. I was debating staying outside her room anyway, reminiscent of the days when I'd watched her from afar. I would respect her wishes and not go inside, but the thought of spending the night away from her was nearly unbearable.
I stared longingly up at her room, wishing there was a way to keep her safe that wouldn't make her shut me out. Then, I saw her return, and I once again wished I could read her mind. Her expression was a mixture of frustration and hurt, but despite whatever she was feeling, she took the final step toward the window and opened it widely.
Excitement bubbled up inside, and I fought to remind myself she probably still needed time to herself. I didn't doubt for a moment that she was still upset with me, and I didn't want to push her too far too soon. I tried to convince myself it was better that I wait.
I almost made it to the count of ten before climbing up and pulling her into my arms.