A/N: Hi again, and thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming, I love hearing from you guys! Lots of filling in missing action in this one. What can I say, I'm a sucker for detail. I didn't think there was a way to use different fonts on ff, so while I kept most of Edward and Bella's note passing conversation intact, it doesn't look as cool as it does in Eclipse. Sorry...'s the way it is. Much love to all. Happy reading.
Motives – EPOV
Our flight left an hour after school was out, ensuring we would arrive in Florida in the middle of the night. When I made a joke about not needing sunscreen, Bella looked at me almost apologetically and I wished I had kept my mouth shut. I asked Carlisle to drop us off since Charlie was still only moderately okay with the situation, and I didn't want anything upsetting Bella this weekend. It was a chance for her to get away for a couple of days, forget the stresses of her upcoming graduation and all she felt that entailed. I reminded her as often as I could that there was no hurry, and since we were talking about eternity, she needed to be completely sure, but she always repeated the same thing – her mind was made up. Shortly after graduation, she was determined to make Carlisle follow through with his promise.
Bella stared out the window dreamily for most of the flight, glancing occasionally at me with a look of pure love in her eyes. I wasn't sure if it was the simple fact that we were getting away, or that she was going to see her mother again, but it was the most at peace I'd seen her in a long time.
Renee met us at the airport, and the moment she and Bella locked eyes, they squealed with delight and ran toward each other. I watched in awed silence as they grinned and hugged, both talking a mile and minute, probably not understanding a word the other was saying but not caring because they were together. It was several minutes before either of them seemed to remember I was there. Then, with a sheepish smile, Bella turned to me.
"Mom, you remember Edward," she said tentatively. I could hear her holding her breath.
"So nice to see you again, Renee," I said, using the fact that I was holding both Bella's and my own bags as an excuse not to shake her hand. The last thing we needed was for her to jump at my icy skin.
"Edward," she said formally, nodding once at me.
I'd forgotten how interesting it was listening to Renee's thoughts. It was a jumble, much like Charlie's was, but I could hear coherent words and phrases every so often, and was surprised at how clear a picture it granted me.
Polite...clearly cares...too soon...seventeen.
It was as if Renee was in a constant battle with herself. She could sense how deeply I loved Bella, but was also frightened by that very fact. She couldn't let go of the notion that falling in love too young had no way of ending well. If only she knew how long I'd waited for Bella, and how complete my devotion to her truly was.
"Phil's sorry he couldn't be here to greet you," she said, turning back to Bella. "He has to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, and he'll be working with the team all weekend, getting them ready for the big game on Sunday."
"That's fine. I'm sure we'll find some time to talk."
"That would be nice. Maybe I can make everyone breakfast Sunday morning before he has to head out."
"Or you could let me cook," Bella said, a little too enthusiastically. I held back a chuckle as I thought of all the stories she'd told me about Renee's cooking.
"We'll see. For now, we'd better get you kids home. I'm sure you're both exhausted."
It was a short car ride to Renee's house, but she and Bella managed to catch up fairly well. I'd never heard Bella so talkative. It didn't escape my notice that Renee kept glancing back at me in the rear view mirror. With so much of my time spent listening to people's thoughts and figuring them out, it was an odd feeling, knowing she was working so hard to figure me out.
She noticed the way I watched Bella every second, and again she seemed to be arguing with herself over whether it was endearing or cause for concern. When Bella felt my stare, she reached back over her shoulder and I gave her hand a quick squeeze, enjoying the way her heart sped up as soon as we touched. Renee's scrutiny only increased after the gesture, though her voice remained even.
When we arrived, the two walked hand in hand inside while I carried our bags. Renee had made up the couch for me, and Bella was shown to the guest room.
"Goodnight," Bella said, glancing back at me longingly. That look didn't escape Renee's notice either, and she eyed me cautiously as they headed upstairs.
A few minutes later, Renee came back down, and her mind was working overtime, debating how much to say to me. I had to suppress a grin when I realized she was worried about me sneaking up to Bella's room.
"I hope this is all right for you," she said, glancing at the couch. "And I'm right upstairs if you need anything else."
Subtle...
"It's wonderful. Thank you for your hospitality."
"No, thank you," she said, her eyes instantly softening. "Thank you so much for bringing Bella out here. I miss her every day."
"I'll pass the thanks along to my parents. It was their idea, and I'm happy we were able to make the trip. She misses you very much as well."
"Really?" she asked, her voice almost shaking as she sat down beside me.
"Of course. She talks about you often."
"That's good to hear. Every time she calls or emails me, all I really hear from her is how happy she is. Obviously, that's what I want. That's the most important thing. It's just that it's still strange for me, hearing that she's happy in the place I couldn't wait to get away from."
She paused then, and I tried to listen to the path her mind had taken her on, but there were too many conflicting emotions and thoughts.
"She didn't use to like Forks much either," she finally continued.
"She probably never spent long enough there to really get to know anyone. She has a lot of friends now, and she likes school."
"And she has you." It wasn't a question, but a simple statement of fact, as sure as if she'd told me it rains a lot in the Northwest.
"Yes, Bella and I are very happy together. And my family absolutely adores her. She spends a lot of time with Alice especially. It's fun to watch them together. Opposites in so many ways, yet somehow the best of friends."
"Yes, well, I'm glad to hear she's doing well."
Be careful...slow down...too young...so kind...
The battle raged on for a few more moments, before she finally sighed and let her expression relax into a smile.
"I'm sorry, I should let you sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
Without another word, she stood up and walked quickly up the stairs. When I heard her door shut, my own internal battle began as I decided whether or not to go to Bella. A part of me wondered if she was expecting me to, though we had already decided to spend the two nights there apart. While I had no doubt I could get to her soundlessly and unnoticed, I knew the idea made Bella nervous, and it seemed smarter not to take the chance.
It was a very long night. I hadn't realized how much I'd come to depend on Bella's presence to make the otherwise lonely, mundane hours pass by quickly. Early the next morning, I heard Phil coming downstairs, so I closed my eyes and leaned back onto the couch.
Bringing the boyfriend home to meet Mom. It's a wonder she's not more of a wreck.
I inwardly smiled, watching him through half opened eyes as he made himself breakfast. He was quiet and respectful, looking in my direction only once before heading out for his busy day. A couple of hours after Phil left, a door opened upstairs. I sat up and stretched out my arms when I heard the familiar sound of Bella's heartbeat. She was still rubbing at tired eyes as she entered the living room, but as soon as she saw me, her face broke into a huge grin.
"Good morning," I whispered as she curled up onto my lap.
"It is now," she giggled, her arms wrapping around my neck as her face buried into my shoulder. "I didn't realize how hard it would be to sleep without you."
"Well, after tomorrow night, I'll do my best to make sure you never have to again."
She didn't respond, and when I glanced down, I noticed the pout on her face.
"Are you rethinking our sleeping arrangements already?" I teased.
"Maybe," she mumbled, and I felt her cheeks growing warmer.
"If you want me to come up tonight, all you have to do is ask."
"I'll keep that in mind," she said, nuzzling closer.
I smiled and stroked her hair, comforted by the fact that even one night apart felt like too much to her. I felt exactly the same way. We sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each others company, until Bella sighed and started to pull away.
"I want to get breakfast started before Mom wakes up. That way, she has no choice but to accept the offer."
"And what will Renee say when I decline your gracious food offering?"
"Oh, well you will have already eaten, of course. My cooking is simply too delicious to resist," she teased.
I followed her into the kitchen and watched in fascination at the way she knew where everything was.
"Mom is such a creature of comfort," she said as she reached for the frying pan. "Different house, yet everything is set up exactly how it was back home."
"Do you think she misses Arizona?"
"You're asking me? You must have a much better idea than I do."
"You'd be surprised," I muttered, not really wanting to get into the mechanics of Renee's mind with Bella. "Besides, that's not exactly what's at the forefront of her thoughts."
She stopped in her tracks and looked at me wide eyed, her heart starting to race.
"Is she upset? Does she wish I had come alone? Is she going to lecture me like Charlie?"
"Hey," I said, crossing the room instantly and pulling her into my arms again. "Don't worry about it. She's fine. Just a little worried, that's all. She can tell how much we care about each other, and she's afraid we're too young."
"If only she knew," she sighed, mirroring my earlier thoughts.
With a deep breath, Bella resumed breakfast, and as the scent started to waft through the house, I could hear Renee stirring upstairs. I quickly detached myself from Bella and took a seat at the table.
Shouldn't have...they're guests...so thoughtful...
"Good morning you two," she said brightly. "I was going to cook, but it looks like you beat me to it."
"That's the idea," Bella smiled. "Consider it a thanks for picking us up and letting us stay here."
"You know you're welcome any time. It's just so good to see you again."
She walked over and gave Bella another enormous hug, her mind suddenly racing through a number of memories from Bella's childhood. Although it was little more than quick glimpses at pieces of a large puzzle, I got a fairly clear impression of why Bella always said she felt like the grown up in their relationship. Renee never kept her thoughts in one place for long, always looking forward to the next exciting event. It was like nothing was ever able to hold her interest for more than a few moments.
When breakfast was ready, they sat down at the table, Bella beside me and Renee across from us.
"Edward was really hungry so I him something earlier," Bella said, smirking sideways at me, "but I waited for you so we could eat together."
"That's so sweet. And after breakfast, maybe I can take you into town."
Bella's eyes darted to me for a moment before answering. I wouldn't be able to set foot outside, and we weren't sure the excuse of my term paper would last the entire weekend.
"I'm still a little jet-lagged," she said. "Do you think we could stay here today? Talk some more, maybe watch a movie. It's good to finally be able to just relax."
"Of course, sweetie. Whatever you want."
Renee glanced over at me and I tried to momentarily divert my attention away from Bella. I looked around the house and finally let my gaze wander back to Renee, who was still watching me questioningly.
"Your house is lovely," I said, smiling warmly. "How are you and Phil liking Florida so far?"
"It's hot, that's for sure, and a different kind of hot than Phoenix was. But we're really happy here. How are things back home? Are you two getting excited for graduation?"
I heard Bella's heart jump, and she instinctively leaned in closer to me.
"There's definitely a lot to think about," I said, taking Bella's hand underneath the table.
"But we're ready," she added, giving my hand a firm squeeze.
Renee kept us engaged in near constant conversation, her mind still racing trying to figure out how to fit months worth of not seeing Bella into the two days she had. She was always exceptionally polite to me, though I continued to hear her warring thoughts and see her confused glances. Phil came home late and completely exhausted, apologizing for having to make a hasty retreat. He needed a shower and a good night's sleep before the big game Sunday. Bella smiled at him sincerely, and I knew she was planning on getting up extra early to make sure breakfast was ready before he had to leave. It would be the only real time she would get to spend with him.
Bella and I generally kept a respectable distance, but when evening came and Renee wished us goodnight, I caught a very pointed look in my direction. It was nearly as obvious as the one Bella gave me only moments later, telling me beyond any doubt that she'd decided it was worth the risk.
As soon as I was sure Renee was asleep, I swiftly flew upstairs and into Bella's room. She was beaming at me the moment I entered.
"Missed you," she whispered as I crawled into the bed next to her. She leaned into me and laid her head against my chest.
"Missed you, too," I said, kissing the top of her head. "So, are you and Renee going out tomorrow? I wouldn't want you to miss out on the sun entirely because of me."
I was trying to keep it light, but she detected the hint of sadness in my voice. I hated that I wasn't able to take her outside or walk along the beach with her, and I certainly didn't want her giving it all up because she felt bad about leaving me behind. The day was coming far too soon when she too would have to hide from the sun, and I couldn't stand to think of her missing out while she could still be basking in it.
"Yeah, she's going to show me around town, and we might go down to the beach for a bit."
"Please don't hurry on my account. I'm perfectly happy here. You two should have some time alone together anyway."
"I know. I just hate leaving you behind."
"Bella, it's okay. I'm happy to see you so happy. That's all I care about."
She snuggled closer to me, and I started to hum her lullaby. Within a few minutes, she was drifting off to sleep, and I tried to fight the feelings of guilt over all the things I was taking away from her.
I crept downstairs before the sun came up, and Bella joined me shortly after. By the time Phil and Renee woke up, she'd prepared an elaborate breakfast which they all devoured, while I pretended to already be hard at work on my supposed term paper. A couple of hours later, Bella and Renee left for their day together. When Renee suggested I bring my paper down to the beach to work on it there, I explained that the heat tended to give me a headache and I needed to concentrate.
As soon as they were gone, I took out my cell phone and made the call I'd been both wanting to make, and dreading since we'd arrived. It hadn't even rung once when I heard Alice's voice on the other line.
"We almost had her, but she got away."
"What?" I yelled. "How is that possible?"
"We don't entirely know. It was like she knew exactly where we were and what we were planning. She knew where the boundary line was too, and she used it against us. Besides the fact that as soon as we got near the wolves, I was effectively blind, there was a bit of an incident. The pack had been tracking her as well, but when one of them thought Emmett had crossed the line, he lunged at him, teeth bared, no thought whatsoever of the hunt that really mattered. Two of the others jumped in front of him to stop the attack, but when Rosalie stepped in, ready to fight right alongside Emmett, it only got them more worked up. Esme and I tried to pull Emmett and Rose away, while Jasper and Carlisle calmed the pack down. Between Jasper's ability to make them feel like we're all one big happy family, and Carlisle's voice of reason, the whole ordeal didn't take more than a few moments. It didn't matter, though. Victoria was long gone."
I took a deep breath and clenched my eyes shut, exasperated. "So what do we do now?"
"There's not much we can do. I don't see any sign of her returning right away, but we'll be prepared in any case."
"So you're sure she's nowhere near Forks?"
"It doesn't look like it. Are you two coming home tonight?"
"We have to. If I try to keep her here longer than we'd planned, she'll know something's wrong."
"And you're still sure keeping this from her is the best idea?"
"Yes. There's no point in frightening her as long as we're sure there's no danger. She's lived through enough trauma because of us as it is."
"All right. But for the record, I think you should tell her. It was different when we thought Victoria would be taken care of by now. But don't you think she deserves to know what's out there?"
"She knows what's out there. All that matters now is that she never has to face any of it again."
"Okay," she sighed, obviously not convinced. "I'll see you tonight."
My mind raced the rest of the day, and although I knew I was being ridiculous, I couldn't help but worry about Bella. There was no reason to think Victoria could have somehow known we were here, but after hearing how quickly she'd disappeared from Forks, all I wanted was for Bella to be back in my arms again.
When they returned that afternoon, I went to give Bella a hug, and noticed she pulled away from me almost instantly. She looked up into my eyes with the strangest expression, and glanced at Renee who was busying herself in the kitchen, trying to give us a few moments together. When I asked if anything was wrong, she shook her head and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, then went to join Renee.
After they'd eaten dinner, Bella reluctantly went upstairs to pack her bag. Renee watched me while her mind once again tried to figure me out. There was something softer now, more accepting somehow in her thoughts, which was mirrored in her expression. She walked over and sat down beside me on the couch while I too started gathering my things.
"She loves you," she said simply, and I stopped to look her in the eyes.
"And I love her. More than anything."
"Yes. I can see that. I may not understand exactly what it is you two have, but I trust Bella, and she trusts you."
Then, inexplicably, her mind became clearer than I'd ever seen it. She was imagining Bella older, picturing her future. And I was unmistakably in it – beside her, loving her, protecting her. I smiled as I realized Renee understood us a lot better than she was giving herself credit for.
"Promise me one thing," she said softly, looking wistfully up toward Bella's room. "Take care of her, and make sure she's always as happy as she is right now."
"I will. For as long as she'll let me."
She smiled, shaking her head as she laughed to herself. As hard as I tried to listen, her thoughts had become hazy again. She seemed happy though, content, which gave me a peace of mind I hadn't realized I'd been looking for.
Bella came downstairs with a sad smile on her face, and when Renee hugged her, they both had tears in their eyes. The sun was starting to set as we drove to the airport, and after another round of tearful hugs and goodbyes, Renee let Bella go and waved us off.
She didn't say much on the plane, and I watched the way her eyes kept following the horizon line as we flew west toward the setting sun. Carlisle had brought the Volvo to the airport for us, figuring we would want some time alone to talk. As I watched Bella from the corner of my eye, I finally decided I couldn't take the silence anymore. Though I thought the weekend had gone exceptionally well, I was worried that something had upset her.
"You've been very quiet," I said softly. "Did the plane make you sick?"
"No, I'm okay."
"Are you sad to leave?"
"More relieved than sad, I think."
I looked at her skeptically. I knew she'd enjoyed the time with her mother, and Renee had been much more accepting of our relationship than I think Bella had expected. What reason could she have to be relieved it was over?
"Renee is so much more...perceptive than Charlie in some ways. It was making me jumpy," she explained.
I laughed, suddenly more than a little curious what Renee had said to her during their time alone. When she'd spoken to me, it almost seemed like she was encouraging our relationship to progress. It's not like I thought she was expecting an engagement or anything, but I was sure from the glimpses I'd gotten, she knew Bella was my future, and I was hers.
"Your mother has a very interesting mind. Almost childlike, but very insightful. She sees things differently than other people."
Bella nodded as she considered this, then turned to look back out the window. Her eyes fluttered closed and I heard her breathing slow, as she finally gave in to her exhaustion. I slowed down slightly, enjoying watching the peaceful way she slept, and when we finally pulled into her driveway, I wished I didn't have to wake her. At least it wouldn't be long before I could hold her, and let her drift off gently again into a full night's sleep.
I slowly reached out to touch her cheek, not wanting to startle her. Her eyes squinted open and she smiled as she focused on me. I kissed her forehead and whispered, "We're home, Sleeping Beauty. Time to awake."
As I reached into the back seat to get her bag, we both noticed the curtains move. Charlie was trying to stay calm and not appear too anxious, but he was happy to have Bella home. A part of him was worried that she might have found Florida too appealing, or missed her mother too much. He couldn't stand the thought of her wanting to leave Forks behind the way Renee had.
Somewhere in the middle of his muddled thoughts, I caught something about Jacob, and I felt my body tense.
"How bad?" Bella asked, misreading my sudden change in posture.
"Charlie's not going to be difficult. He missed you," I said, trying to force myself to relax.
When we reached the door, Charlie was waiting with a wide, enthusiastic grin on his face.
"Welcome home, kid! How was Jacksonville?"
"Moist. And buggy."
I could hear the relief as his worried thoughts eased.
"So Renee didn't sell you on the University of Florida?"
"She tried. But I'd rather drink water than inhale it."
With an audible sigh, he turned to me and asked, "Did you have a nice time?"
"Yes. Renee was very hospitable," I said politely, smiling – which always confused him.
"That's...um, good. Glad you had fun."
With that, Charlie scooped Bella into a huge hug, laughing when she muttered, "Impressive."
"I really missed you, Bella. The food around here sucks when you're gone."
"I'll get on it," she said, grinning as he released her. She was happy to be home too, and it wasn't until that instant that I realized part of me had been as nervous as Charlie was that she would be entranced by the Florida sun, wishing she could stay. I'd never stand in her way, and I'd spend my life inside hiding from the sun if that's what she wanted. But I was glad to know she truly considered Forks her home.
"Would you call Jacob first?" Charlie said, interrupting my moment of joy. He hadn't thought about it since he'd first seen us pull up, and I'd allowed myself to forget it was coming. "He's been bugging me every five minutes since six o'clock this morning. I promised I'd have you call him before you even unpacked."
"Jacob wants to talk to me?" Bella asked tentatively. I wished I hadn't heard the touch of excitement in her voice.
"Pretty bad, I'd say. He wouldn't tell me what it was about – just said it was important." The words were barely out of his mouth before the phone rang, and I nearly growled. "That's him again, I'd bet my next paycheck."
"I got it," Bella said, running toward the kitchen with me following nervously behind. "Hello?" she asked expectantly.
"You're back," I heard him say.
I put one hand around Bella's waist and listened to their short conversation. I didn't think even he would be foolish enough to let something about Victoria slip, but I was waiting, ready to grab the phone away at the first indication. It all felt simple enough, though I couldn't understand why he wanted to make sure she was going to be at school the next day. Did he think I'd kidnapped her or something?
I tried to ignore the way Bella's heart sped up slightly as she told him she was happy he'd called. The hand that wasn't holding her clenched into a fist and I instinctively backed away so she wouldn't feel my extreme tension. The conversation ended abruptly, and Bella was left with a look of severe disappointment on her face.
"That was short," she said dejectedly.
"Is everything all right?" I asked, feeling simultaneously relieved he hadn't said much, and furious that he'd upset Bella.
"I don't know. I wonder what that was about."
"Your guess is probably better than mine," I said, smirking at her. The only time I had any idea what he was thinking was when I had access to his mind, and thankfully, it had been a long time since we'd been close enough for that.
"Mmm," she mumbled, absently reaching for ingredients for dinner.
I watched her, once again trying to figure out her what her silent mind wouldn't tell me. Was she simply worried about him, or did she really miss him? Was it nothing more than a friend looking out for a friend, or were there unresolved feelings from the time I'd left her so broken, she'd turned to the wolf for solace?
I was still staring at her, perplexed, when she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened, her breath sped up, and the hamburger meat slipped from her hands. I closed the small gap between us, catching and discarding it before pulling her into my arms.
"What's wrong?" I whispered nervously, but she merely shook her head.
After several very long minutes, I gently shook her, and asked, "Bella?" Her eyes were glazed over as I stared into them.
"I think...I think he was checking," she said quietly, her voice trembling. "Checking to make sure. That I'm human, I mean."
My body tightened and I felt a hiss building in my chest. The kid had a lot of nerve.
"We'll have to leave," Bella said softly. "Before. So that it doesn't break the treaty. We won't ever be able to come back."
Her voice broke and I held her closer, willing her misery away. "I know," I breathed, wishing for anything that would give us more time – her love for Charlie, fear of breaking the treaty, even unwillingness to hurt Jacob. Anything.
We were both so lost in our own minds, we didn't hear Charlie enter the kitchen.
"Ahem."
Bella flinched away from me, face bright red. I leaned against the counter to give her space, and as hard as I tried, I couldn't relax my expression. I focused down toward the floor and attempted to calm myself down, not wanting Charlie to misread it as irritation with him.
"If you don't want to make dinner, I can call for a pizza," he said.
"No, that's okay, I'm already started."
"Okay," he answered, leaning against the wall and staring at us intently. It was clear he wasn't about to leave us alone again.
Using exhaustion from the trip as an excuse, I decided to make my exit. It was late, and I knew it wouldn't be long before Bella would be asleep. I needed to make a quick run home to check in with my family before joining her again. She started setting the table and, ignoring Charlie's glare, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I'll see you soon," far too low for Charlie to hear.
When I got home, of course Alice was waiting for me.
"How was your trip?" she asked casually as I rolled my eyes. I wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"It was lovely. Now, there's a more important matter at hand."
"I've already told you, Victoria is nowhere near us."
"It's actually not about that," I said, my earlier irritation creeping back into my voice. "It seems Jacob thought I was running Bella out of town to change her."
"What?" she gaped, and her thoughts immediately turned sour. She hated that it was just one more thing she hadn't seen coming.
"He'd been calling Charlie all weekend, and when he finally got to speak to Bella, the whole conversation didn't even last five minutes. She thinks he was checking up on her."
"What right does he have? Even if you had taken her away for that reason, it would have been far away from Quileute land and he'd have no way of ever proving it."
"I know. I think it's more that. He's...worried about her. He wanted to know she was okay."
I felt some of my anger dissipate as I realized it probably wasn't all about the treaty to him. He cared about Bella, in his own way, and I couldn't fault him for that. Still, I didn't want him checking up on her every time she disappeared for a few days. With Victoria's whereabouts unknown, it was entirely possible that we'd have to repeat our escape again in the near future.
After a few minutes, Carlisle and Esme came downstairs. They greeted me with smiles and hugs, happy Bella and I had enjoyed our trip. The atmosphere was almost too light, considering the reason for our departure. They all assured me, however, that there was no danger in the immediate future, and the best thing I could do was to keep Bella calm – close, but calm – until they could figure out a plan of action.
By the time I was on my way back to her, everything had started to feel nearly back to normal. That was, until we got to school the next day.
Better get here soon. Don't want to be here any longer than I have to. Stupid bloodsuckers. They're lucky Paul didn't take that big one out. Had every right to. Next time, we're not stopping him. They step over the line, they're fair game.
I could hear Jacob's infuriated thoughts a few blocks before we reached the school, and my hands clenched around the steering wheel.
"If I asked you to do something, would you trust me?" I asked Bella warily. It was obvious Jacob would have no problem speaking bluntly in front of her, and I knew there was little I would be able to do about it.
Her heartbeat accelerated as she took in my expression.
"That depends," she said shakily.
"I was afraid you would say that."
"What do you want me to do, Edward?"
"I want you to stay in the car." As I parked the car, I glanced carefully around until I found him. There was no way I'd be able to convince Bella to stay if she saw him, so I tried to keep her eyes locked with mine. "I want you to wait here until I come back for you."
"But...why?" she asked, her gaze breaking from mine as she surveyed the parking lot. "Oh," she finally breathed, and I knew the battle was lost. All I could do now was try to stop him from saying the words out loud.
"You jumped to the wrong conclusion last night," I told her solemnly. "He asked about school because he knew that I would be where you were. He was looking for a safe place to talk to me. A place with witnesses."
She looked momentarily confused, but her expression quickly shifted into one of resolve.
"I'm not staying in the car."
"Of course not," I sighed. "Well, let's get this over with."
We got out of the car and I wasted no time in reaching out to grab Bella's hand. I laced her fingers through mine, ignoring the icy thoughts that were coming my way as Jacob glared openly toward us. The thoughts of everyone around us were confused and nervous, with an occasional touch of exhilaration, the way most high school kids responded when they sensed a fight could break out at any moment.
I stopped walking when I was sure we were close enough to talk without anyone overhearing. I gently moved Bella a step behind me, and set to work trying to stop Jacob from saying too much.
"You could have called us," I said firmly.
"Sorry. I don't have any leeches on my speed dial."
"You could have reached me at Bella's house, of course," I said, smiling sincerely.
His face contorted, his jaw tightened, and I bit back the growl that was threatening to escape. Being familiar with the irrational responses of werewolves, I reminded myself that it was my job to keep him as calm as possible.
"This is hardly the place, Jacob. Could we discuss this later?"
"Sure, sure. I'll stop by your crypt after school. What's wrong with now?"
I glanced around pointedly at all the bystanders, listening carefully as they grew more and more curious. It wasn't worth stirring suspicion, and Jacob knew it. He was just being stubborn.
"I already know what you came to say," I said softly, a small grin playing at my mouth. Really, we hadn't even needed to get out of the car. This could have been settled before it was started. "Message delivered," I said dryly. "Consider us warned."
I chanced a quick look toward Bella who was still watching us worriedly.
"Warned?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"
Unbelievable, Jacob thought, his irritation growing. Won't even let her make up her own mind who to be upset with.
"You didn't tell her?" he asked incredulously. "What, were you afraid she'd take our side?"
"Please drop it, Jacob," I said calmly.
"Why?" You afraid she'll ditch you when she hears how it was your family who took it a few steps too far? And how if it wasn't for that idiot brother of yours, Victoria might be a pile of ashes by now?
"What don't I know?" Bella asked nervously. "Edward?"
You don't tell her, I will. All's fair...
"Jake?" she asked, turning to him. It took every ounce of strength in me not to scoop her up and take off running. If it weren't for the growing number of witnesses staring at us, I don't think I would have been able to stop myself.
Jacob smirked at me. You know she would have rather heard it from you, but I'm happy to oblige.
"He didn't tell you that his big...brother crossed the line Saturday night?" he said, scrutinizing Bella's reaction. Then, he turned back to me and he was scathing. "Paul was totally justified in – "
"It was no-man's land!"
"Was not!"
I watched him closely for any sign he was losing control. No amount of bystanders would stop me from getting Bella out of there if I thought for one moment he was about to phase. He seemed to be calming himself down as Bella finally spoke, her voice terrified.
"Emmett and Paul? What happened? Were they fighting?" she asked, increasingly nervous with every second that passed without an answer. "Why? Did Paul get hurt?"
"No one fought," I whispered. "No one got hurt. Don't be anxious."
You have got to be kidding me, Jacob suddenly thought, staring at me in disbelief.Well this is an interesting twist. I get to be the barer of all sorts of good news today, don't I? I glared at him, but he was long gone. He was enjoying the moment far too much.
"You didn't tell her anything at all, did you?" he said deliberately, piquing Bella's curiosity. "Is that why you took her away? So she wouldn't know that – ?"
"Leave now," I spat, wishing more than ever that we were alone and I could put him in his place properly.
"Why haven't you told her?" he persisted unrelentingly.
I glared at him, more furious than I'd ever been with him. He was doing this out of spite. He didn't care about how much it would upset Bella, only that it would get her angry with me. In the midst of my fury, I could hear Bella's heart start to pound and her breath was coming in quick, short gasps. I looked down at her wide, scared eyes just before she spoke.
"She came back for me."
The fear in her eyes, the fear I'd worked so hard to shield her from, was increasing with every second. I pulled her into me and softly touched her cheeks, willing her pain away.
"It's fine," I whispered, desperately trying to look into her eyes, but they were glazed over and distant. "It's fine. I'll never let her get close to you, it's fine," I repeated. When she still wouldn't look at me, I turned to stare at Jacob.
"Does that answer your question, mongrel?" I growled.
"You don't think Bella has a right to know? It's her life."
"Why should she be frightened when she was never in danger?"
"Better frightened than lied to." You may not agree with me, but Bella will. Just wait. I almost wish I could be there to see it.
Bella's breathing started to steady, and I wiped the last of her tears away.
"Do you really think hurting her is better than protecting her?" I whispered, hating the way the panic was still lingering in her eyes after the tears had stopped.
"She's tougher than you think. And she's been through worse."
Without warning, all the bitter and sarcastic thoughts vanished from Jacob's mind, and I was left with nothing but images of Bella. For a moment, I didn't understand what had caused his sudden shift in thinking, but then I saw her lying on the ground in the woods. Her hair was tangled and matted, her face twisted into a mask of pain, her eyes bloodshot, staring into nothingness. It felt like a secondhand memory, one that Jacob had seen through the eyes of another, but that only diluted it infinitesimally.
Then, I saw her with Jacob. She was so still, she might have been asleep, except that her eyes were open. Open, but completely vacant. Image after image of that vacant stare followed, sometimes accompanied by images of Bella wrapping her arms around herself like she was in some kind of physical pain. It looked like she was gasping for air as she fought to keep her composure. Nowhere in the sea of memories did I see the faintest glimpse of a smile. It was the worst kind of torture, because it was exactly the kind of pain I was trying to protect her from, yet I knew I had been the cause of every moment of it.
"That's funny,"Jacob laughed, finally releasing me from the torment of his memories.
"What are you doing to him?" Bella snapped angrily at Jacob.
"It's nothing, Bella," I whispered. "Jacob just has a good memory, that's all."
Another wave of images hit me just as I was recovering, and Jacob smiled viciously.
"Stop it!" Bella yelled. "Whatever you're doing."
"Sure, if you want," he said casually. "It's his own fault if he doesn't like the things I remember, though."
Then, I heard the school principal making his way toward us. He'd heard talk of some big kid no one knew hanging around the parking lot.
"The principal's on his way to discourage loitering on school property," I said softly. "Let's get to English, Bella, so you're not involved."
"Overprotective, isn't he?" Jacob said to Bella. "A little trouble makes life more fun. Let me guess, you're not allowed to have fun, are you?"
"Shut up, Jake," she snapped, but he was too amused to care.
"That sounds like a no. Hey, if you ever feel like having a life again, you could come see me. I've still got your motorcycle in my garage."
"You were supposed to sell that. You promised Charlie you would."
"Yeah, right. Like I would do that. It belongs to you, not me. Anyway, I'll hold on to it until you want it back."
He was nearly smiling, all signs of anger completely gone as he looked at Bella. It was like he'd completely forgotten why we were standing there, or that I was there at all for that matter.
"Jake..." Bella said softly, and he leaned in closer to her. I watched with dark curiosity at the way she seemed to have such a calming effect on him. No wonder she'd never felt in danger around him. He was much more carefully practiced than I would have expected.
"I think I might have been wrong before, you know, about not being able to be friends. Maybe we could manage it, on my side of the line. Come see me."
I forced myself not to flinch at the suggestion. Bella was already going to be upset enough, without me reminding her for the hundredth time how unsafe it was to be in the company of werewolves. Even if Jacob had managed to infuse me with some small amount of confidence that he wouldn't cause her any physical harm, there was no way I was letting her anywhere near the rest of the pack. Especially after what happened Saturday.
Bella glanced up at me before answering, and I kept my expression composed.
"I, er, don't know about that, Jake."
"I miss you every day, Bella. It's not the same without you."
I was stunned. There wasn't a single trace of a malicious thought in his mind, though he was looking right at her, wrapped tightly in my arms. All I could hear was compassion, and a genuine longing to be with her.
"I know and I'm sorry, Jake, I just..."
"I know," he sighed, and in an instant, he was the person he'd been before. Jealous, angry with me, and endlessly frustrated by the fact that Bella was no longer his in the way he'd once thought of her. "Doesn't matter, right? I guess I'll survive or something. Who needs friends?"
I felt Bella's arms twitch toward him, but I couldn't make myself let her go. My need to protect her was too strong. Yet somehow I knew it was no longer physical harm I was protecting her from.
A moment later, we all heard the principal's voice coming up behind us, and we knew the conversation was over.
"Okay, get to class. Move along, Mr. Crowley."
"Get to school, Jake," Bella whispered. I dropped my arms from around her, and took her hand in mine.
"I mean it," the principal continued. "Detention for anyone who's still standing here when I turn around again. Ah, Mr. Cullen. Do we have a problem here?"
"Not at all, Mr. Greene. We were just on our way to class."
"Excellent. I don't seem to recognize your friend," he said, looking at Jacob. "Are you a new student here?" Can't possibly be in high school. Come on, just leave. We don't need any trouble today.
"Nope," Jacob said, obviously enjoying the fact that he was making poor Mr. Greene nervous.
"Then I suggest you remove yourself from school property at once, young man, before I call the police."
Jacob and I both grinned as the same image came to us. Charlie would get a phone call that somebody was causing a scene at the high school, and he'd come charging in only to see Jacob standing there, laughing. While Jacob was sure he would shrug the whole thing off, I knew how seriously Charlie took his job, and I couldn't help but think the incident would take Jacob's approval rating down a notch. Maybe I should keep him here a little while longer...
"Yes, sir," Jacob said with mock sincerity, saluting him before speeding away on his bike.
Disrespectful. Shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense...
"Mr. Cullen," he said, directing his frustration back at me. "I expect you to ask your friend to refrain from trespassing again."
"He's no friend of mine, Mr. Greene, but I'll pass along the warning," I said, smiling warmly at him
Should have known. Not his fault. Never had any trouble before. Shouldn't have been rude.
"I see. If you're worried about any trouble, I'd be happy to – "
"There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Greene. There won't be any trouble."
"I hope that's correct. Well, then. On to class. You, too, Miss Swan."
Bella's baffled expression didn't escape my notice as we walked to class hand in hand.
"Do you feel well enough to go to class?" I asked her softly. I knew she'd have an enormous amount of questions, and while I wasn't in any hurry for the anger that would likely accompany them, there was no point in putting it off and watching her sulk all day.
"Yes," she said, gripping my hand a tighter.
Class had already started when we arrived, and Bella wasted no time getting to her questioning. I nearly laughed when I saw her furiously scrawling a note to me. Was this really the best way to discuss this? I read her note, in which she demanded that I tell her everything. Though it didn't seem the ideal way to go about it, I decided if this was how she wanted to handle it, I would be all too willing. She couldn't yell at me in the middle of class.
I explained that Alice had seen a vision of Victoria, but promised Florida had merely been a precaution. I told her about the incident in La Push much the way Alice had explained it to me. It was a misunderstanding, and no one got hurt. There was nothing for her to be concerned about.
Her eyebrows pulled together as she read, some hidden emotion upsetting her further, though I'd tried to keep it as casual as possible. A moment later, she started writing again, and as soon as I saw she was asking about Charlie, I shook my head. This wasn't about him, and Victoria was being far too careful about not exposing her location to risk an attack on him.
I reached out for the paper so I could explain, but she was already scribbling again. When I saw, Florida was a bad idea, I cringed, and quickly answered that there was no way I was sending her there alone. Then, with a grin, I added, With your luck, not even the black box would survive.
Her eyes widened as her expression shifted again, and I was suddenly having more fun than I probably should have been, given the circumstances.
So let's say my bad luck did crash the plane. What exactly were you going to do about it? she wrote, eying me skeptically.
Why is the plane crashing?
The pilots are passed out drunk.
Easy. I'd fly the plane.
She glared down at the paper, and I chuckled under my breath as she started writing again.
Both engines have exploded and we're falling in a death spiral toward the earth.
I'd wait till we were close enough to the ground, get a good grip on you, kick out the wall, and jump. Then I'd run you back to the scene of the accident, and we'd stumble around like the two luckiest survivors in history.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"What?" I whispered. It wasn't like it had come out of nowhere. She'd been nearly silent on the plane, so I'd let my mind wander a bit. Maybe more than a bit.
"Nothing," she mouthed, as she scratched out the words on the paper, replacing them with the one sentence I'd been waiting for from the start.
You will tell me next time.
I met her stare again and wondered how long it would be until there was a next time. I knew she was trying to be brave, and in a way I understood her desire to know what was coming. As difficult as it was to think about telling her a vicious, out for revenge vampire was coming for her, I knew she deserved better than to be lied to. After an endless stretch of time, I reluctantly nodded, and she let out a long, slow breath she'd been holding.
First they walk in late, then I'm completely ignored...
I heard Mr. Berty's irate thoughts just as Bella was scribbling Thanks onto the page. I snatched the paper from Bella and covered it with another, then quickly scrawled down notes on the poem Mr. Berty had been reciting as he began his walk toward us.
"Is that something you'd like to share there, Mr. Cullen?"
"My notes?" I asked.
He looked down at the paper, baffled.
Could have sworn...getting too paranoid. Oh well.
He walked away and Bella rolled her eyes. I let a huge grin take over my face, happy the conversation was over. At least for now.