Right, here we go again.

Disclaimer: Surprisingly, I still don't own the rights to 'Twilight', or any of the franchise. This story is fanfiction only, written to amuse, interest and be enjoyed.

It was true. Judging by the state of the bed, the complaining creaks it made every time one of us shifted positions, it seemed that a new bed would be necessary. A shame, really. I had rather liked our current bed.

But the sacrifice of the bed was in vain.

That wolf's face was still in my mind, something I couldn't rid myself of even after the distraction, trying to lose myself in Bella's flesh. That casual way his calloused fingers brushed against Renesme's neck, that awkward, fumbling motion that he made when putting on the necklace, his shy smile when she said that she loved it, the sweet, innocent kiss they shared, sickly sweet, a perfect moment.

Using Bella wasn't enough.

The whole happy, perfect scene played over and over again in my mind, each time getting more and more distorted. His smile. Her giggle. His broad, muscular back framed in the doorway, saying goodbye for the night. Bella's smile. Her promises of distraction.

Perfect.

Except now, the scene still haunted me, and the bed was ruined, and I was bathed in Bella's scent, and...

'I'm going to take a shower,' I announced in a mutter, walking towards the bathroom with a pile of clothes. Bella looked tempted to follow, but her lust had been sated for the moment, and with a contented smile directed at me, she rolled over, stretching casually.

The soap wasn't working.

No matter how hard I scrubbed, I could still smell her, wedged comfortably inside every pore. But I was already clean enough, she would only get suspicious if I stayed in the shower for much longer. She would like to know that I smelt of her.

That she smelt of me.

Hopefully she would decide to take a shower, though. The last thing I needed was Alice making conspiratorial winks in our direction, or having a quick and quiet conversation with Bella about it. Then again, Alice was far too perceptive for her own good, and Bella lacked any subtlety, so I had no doubt it would happen either way. I dried myself, pulling on another pair of jeans and a shirt buttoned at the front so that it revealed just enough of my chest. My hair still dripping quietly, I exited the bathroom, following the muffled noises of the TV to where Renesme was sitting, giggling quietly at the program playing. Some kid was holding a megaphone, shouting at a crowd, the words lost on me as I looked at her neck.

She was wearing the necklace.

My eyes narrowed, but I quickly recovered my composure. The scene switched to a courtroom, the baliff shouting at one of the people, the identity of only Renesme knew. She tore her eyes away from the screen, looking at me quizzically. I ruffled her hair, ignoring her half-hearted complaints at the attention, heading for the door.

'Edward?' It was Bella, wearing a deep blue dress with a silver pattern along the side, her hair still sticking up in different directions from last night. Clearly she hadn't thought of taking a shower.

'I'm going to see Carlisle,' I told her with a small smile, glancing at the mess on her head. 'It's his day off.'

'I'll catch up to you in a bit, then,' she replied, running her fingers through her hair self-consciously.

I closed the door, the clean breeze greeting me, bringing with it the cornucopia of floral smells from Esme's garden. Carlisle was sitting outside the house in a chair, chatting to Jasper, who was standing next to him.

'...Mozzarella, can you believe it?' They both shared a smile, turning to me in unison as I approached.

'Don't let me interrupt,' I said.

'I had something to do anyway,' Jasper said quietly, his thoughts confirming the statement. Carlisle and I watched him walk away, and when he was out of sight, I sat on the grass next to the chair.

'Carlisle...' I began, not sure how to continue.

'Problems with Jacob?'

'How did--'

'We've known each other for a long time, Edward. You tend to pick up a few things when you know someone for that long.'

We sat in silence looking at each other for a moment, his smile piercing straight through my eyes. Sometimes I could swear that he could read minds, too.

'Jacob and Renesme... It has to stop.' His face didn't change, but the smile grew sharper somehow. 'He could hurt her, it's going too fast. She's only a child!'

'Alright, I won't interfere,' he said, that smile suggesting that he knew much more than he was letting on. He really did know me far too well. It was disconcerting. 'It's--'

'Edward!' It was Bella, hair nice and neat again. She waved to me and Carlisle as she approached, and when she came close enough she sat next to me on the grass, kissing my cheek and putting an arm around me, hugging me close.

'What were you talking about?' she asked. Since her mental shield was up, I couldn't tell that she hadn't been listening to our conversation, although some of the other sights that greeted me made the knowledge almost unwelcome.

'Oh, nothing much,' said Carlisle, that inscrutable smile still on his face. Bella returned it with a cheery smile of her own.

Sooner or later, she'd find out.

And that's the end of another chapter. Reviewing is greatly appreciated, be it positive or negative.