So, yes we're back to normal here. The Cullens had a fun weekend but now it's back to normal with Edward trying to find out more about Bella.

Sorry it took so long but it seemed everything was against my Beta and I getting this chapter out! Thanks a lot, Taylor btw!

Disclaimer :- I do not own Twilight but I just realised that Mick is mine! :) On second thoughts, does anyone want him?

So, it's getting very excited as at the end of this chapter you get the biggest clue ever in the history of clues that will give it away and the next chapter will be where you find out the whole story and Edward finds out! :)

I don't really like this chapter. I don't know why. But anyways, enjoy …

Chapter 9
EPOV

The next day, I picked up Bella on our way to school. Since it was just Jasper and me, there was lots of room in the car.

"Where are Alice and Rose?" Bella asked as she jumped in.

"Oh, they decided to go on a mini vacation," I smirked slightly. She saw it and gasped.

"What did you do? You didn't kill them did you?" Bella actually looked upset although she was joking about me killing my sisters so I was quick to reassure her that I hadn't hurt them in any way, it was just revenge.

"I suppose I should be thanking you, we never went shopping yesterday so if she was here, she would probably kidnap me to go shopping!"

Jasper and I chuckled, but his laughter was a little bit subdued, he was missing Alice already.

When we arrived at school, Maddening Mick came up to us. He seemed nervous about something and kept on telling Bella that the rumors weren't true and that she shouldn't believe them. Bella knew what he was talking about clearly and had a hard time trying to repress her laughter. I didn't understand a word, so I listened to his thoughts.

Someone had prank called him on Saturday night, congratulating him for coming out that he was gay. I suspected that Rose and Alice were behind this.

Over the next few days, school was the same - boring, repetitive and uneventful. After school on Monday, Jasper couldn't take it anymore and went to rescue Alice from her prison. He released Rose while he was there but I could tell he was tempted to just leave her there. He knew that Rose was really angry with us two and I think, he was actually scared by what she would do. Alice, on the other hand, though was furious at Jasper at first, forgave him a few hours after being released. He was her 'Jazzy-poo' and he had promised her all sorts of things, like accompanying her shopping. Yes, he was idiotic.

As soon as Rose was released she set to work getting all the wrecked cars back to perfect condition. It didn't take her long as she is such a good mechanic. We sold most of the cars, but some of them we kept and added them to our collection of cars.

Over the years, we collected cars that were special to us in some way and kept them in a garage in Alaska. As we always moved on every few years, it didn't seem practical to bring them with us all the time. It would just raise a lot of questions. So we bought a warehouse near - for vampires - to where the Denali coven lived. They would be able to keep an eye on the cars and because they lived permanently there, it was just easier.

By the end of the week, Alice had taken Bella on numerous occasions, shopping for stuff to bring at the weekend. I don't think Alice understands that we're going to see her sick mother, not on holiday. But what can you do? It was best to just let Alice have her fun.

I met Bella's father officially as Bella's boyfriend on Tuesday after school. I knew that he wasn't that keen on Bella having any boyfriend, but he knew he couldn't complain. I came from a respectable family, I was polite, I was a straight-A student, I had never gotten in trouble with the law and I didn't drink. At least I wasn't a druggie with anger management problems and was failing high school, he had reasoned. No, I was a lot worse.

Charlie was reluctant to allow Bella to go away with a person of the opposite sex - especially as we were together romantically speaking - but Alice and Carlisle managed to change his mind. Carlisle told Charlie all the things a father wants to hear - that he won't let us out of his sight, that his son was very responsible and that we would be staying in separate suites in the hotel with him right beside each of us etc.

I felt that Charlie had another reason for his reluctance though but I couldn't figure it out what it was. Whatever it was, it was personal and most likely private, and Bella knew what it was.

Carlisle was actually (I can't remember if I've mentioned this :P) coming with us, it wasn't just a lie so that Charlie would let Bella go. He had some business in Phoenix anyways. He was actually taking his duty of rather seriously and had a talk with me saying that I 'better behave myself' while we're away and be the 'perfect gentleman'. It annoyed me a little that he was acting like I was some sex-starved teenager, and when I said so, Rose said I was. Ugh, sometimes my family can really annoy me. But I knew that they had my best interests at heart.

Bella found out how I watched her sleep at night and thankfully she wasn't annoyed. She found it 'comforting', that she 'felt safe when I was there, protecting her'. She was a little self-conscious about her sleep-talking though I tried to show her how I thought it was cute. I didn't ask her about the nightmare.

We got excused from school on Friday after explaining the situation and the three of us caught a flight to Phoenix on Friday morning. Bella was still half asleep as the flight was very early in the morning and as we were having to drive to Port Angeles first as well, she had to be up around four in the morning.

This time we just took a commercial flight though we were in first class. Bella was too tired to make a fuss out of us spending money on her. I wish that she'd realize that we could do a lot worse than pay for a first class ticket on a plane.

When we arrived at the airport in Phoenix, we went over to collect the cars we were going to hire over the next few days. Carlisle had hired two cars, one for him and another for us. He knew that there was no point getting three cars when Bella and I would probably be together the whole weekend. Carlisle picked a similar car back to the one he had in Forks and I got Bella to pick ours. She wanted to pick the cheapest but I wouldn't let her, I knew she didn't want me to spend so much money on her. In the end, I gave her the choice of two cars and she picked a silver Porsche.

We arrived at the hotel - the best one in Phoenix and checked in. We made sure our suites were right next to each other though we only got the two. There was no point as only one of us would be getting any real use out of them. Bella hadn't phoned her mother to tell her that we would be here this weekend as she wanted it to be a surprise.

We decided that Bella would go visit her mother today, while I would pick up the all the stuff that Alice had ordered me to get her while we were here. I might as well get it over with and I knew that Bella wouldn't want me to intrude on a reunion between just her and her mother.

I dropped Bella off at her mother's house. It was half past four in the afternoon by now. She seemed very nervous and when I asked her why she was so anxious about seeing her mother, she confided that Renée and her had got into a big fight before she moved to Forks. I suppose her mother mustn't have been that keen on her moving for obvious reasons. Did they disagree over it? Did Renée want her to stay here and was angry when Bella did move against her wishes? Maybe that was the reason for their distance. Bella told me before that she hadn't talked to her mother on the phone or emailed her because she knew that 'Renée is too busy at the moment'.

I went about getting all the things Alice had ordered and I realized with a sigh that I wouldn't have enough time today to get it all done and would have to do the rest either tomorrow or the day after before we leave. It was only half past 5 and I had hardly made a dent in the list when Bella rang to ask me if I would pick her up.

I decided that it was enough for the day and drove to the café where Bella was. It was near to her mother's house, only a few blocks away. I was surprised that she wasn't with her mother, trying to spend as much time as possible with her before we had to get back. I walked into the café to find Bella at a table in the corner as far away as possible from everyone else staring at her glass of Diet Coke absentmindedly.

"Hi," I said as I sat down. She jumped, she hadn't saw me walk in.

A bored waitress came over and asked me if I wanted anything. I politely declined and asked for the bill. After a few minutes of silence, I leaned forward and asked her softly, "What's wrong?"

She blinked. "Oh, nothing," she lied, laughing nervously. I raised my eyebrows at her. "No, really. It's just… hard to be back here."

"Oh," I said, still baffled. "Do you wish you were still living here?" Maybe it was hard because she missed here so much that when she was here, it just reminded her of past memories.

"God, no. I prefer the weather here but honestly, there are better people in Forks." She finished her drink and asked me if I was ready to go.

I paid the waitress for Bella's drink and the chocolate muffin she had just finished eating when I had come in, despite Bella's protests. She wanted to buy her own food but it was too late. I opened her door for her and then we were off.

"So how did it go with your mother?" I asked curiously.

"Not good," she frowned and looked down when I glanced at her. I was still staring at her when she screeched, "Watch where you're driving! We'll die." I smirked but turned my head so I was looking straight ahead again.

"Are you going to elaborate on that?" I pushed.

She sighed. "It was just … awkward and I don't think my mom wanted me to be there. I had a feeling that she couldn't wait until I was gone and she was so edgy. I don't know what to do, to be honest …" she looked at me shockingly, as if realizing that she had just said something she shouldn't. "So how was your day?" she quickly changed the subject.

I frowned, I thought we were finally getting somewhere but then she shuts me out. Nevertheless I answered her, "It was ok. Alice wants me to get her so many things that I didn't have enough time today. I'll have to do some more tomorrow," I said regretfully. "Do you want to go back to your mom's house tomorrow or come with me?"

"No, that's ok," she said, relieved for some reason. Did she not want to spend time with me when we were here? Was she embarrassed to be seen with me? "I've got some … errands to do as well, and I want to see a friend of mine as well. I haven't seen her in ages."

"Ok."

The rest of the drive was in uncomfortable silence. I turned up the volume on the CD player.

When we got back to the hotel room, Carlisle was already there. He noticed Bella's sad mood but didn't mention it. We went out to dinner for Bella but she didn't eat much. She mostly played with her food. I could tell there was a lot on her mind. I was mad at myself that she didn't trust me enough to talk to me about it.

After dinner, Bella said goodnight to us, saying that she had had a long day and she was really tired. When I walked into her room a hour later, she was just sitting up in bed looking out the window absentmindedly, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Bella?" I said her name softly. Her head jerked to me and she looked at me. "Goodnight," I smiled.

She smiled as well. "Goodnight." She turned of the lamp on her bedside table and snuggled into the covers. She closed her eyes and I just stayed standing in that spot watching her. She was so beautiful - no angel deserved to be in such pain. And I knew she was in pain emotionally though she hid it well. After about ten minutes she opened her eyes showing some mock irritation. "Are you coming to bed or what?"

I chuckled but nevertheless climbed into bed with her and snuggled up to her. She sighed in contentment and buried her face into my chest, her eyes closing and she yawned. I kissed her forehead.

I didn't understand how she would want me as a pillow - I was cold and hard. Not exactly the characteristics of a pillow. I don't mean that I didn't like her lying on me or against me or anything like that. In fact I quite enjoy it, I can smell her hair and I can feel her lovely warmness.

"Edward?" Bella said sleepily.

"What?"

"Will you throw Mick out the window?" (A/N - Just so you don't get confused, it's a dream, she's talking in her sleep)

E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.

The next morning I woke Bella up early so we could get on our way. As Bella got changed and had her 'human minute', I cooked some breakfast. Thank you, Jeffery Morrow for those excellent cooking lessons (He's the guy who cooked Bella's dinner for their first date, remember he agreed to teach Edward how to cook. BTW - I just made up that person. Just pretend he's some famous chef that everyone knows, ok?).

Bella seemed quite appreciative that I had gone to the trouble of cooking her breakfast when it was just for her.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Carlisle asked us as Bella ate a piece of bacon.

"Well, I still have some more stuff to pick up for Alice and Bella has some errands to run, people to see. What about you?"

"Oh, I think I'm just going to stay here for the day. Bella can use my car so you can get finished quicker." We thanked him and there was a moments' silence.

"I still don't understand why you're sucking up to Alice lately," Bella commented as she ate on her toast.

I smirked, "Bella, you would do the same if you knew who you were dealing with. I need to be in her good graces if I want to live another week. She's really annoyed by the stunt Jasper and I pulled on her last Sunday, so if I do this for her, maybe she'll just forget," I said hopefully.

"I wouldn't count on that," Carlisle smirked.

After breakfast was finished and cleaned up, Bella and I parted our separate ways. I practically flew across everywhere trying to get everything as quick as I can. Run in this store, run in that store. After a while I was forgetting which store I had been in already and which one I had yet to sweep through.

After over the hundredth boutique I have entered today and was finally finished. I took a deep breath and cheered silently in my mind.

I was on my way home and I tried to ring Bella's mobile but she didn't pick up and it went to her voice mail. Maybe she was really busy and forgot to put her phone on. I rang Carlisle and told him that I was on my way to the hotel suite.

As I passed a local graveyard, my eyes recognized the only car in the tiny car park.

It was the car Carlisle had hired the day before. The car Bella was driving.

I looked at the sign to find out the name of the graveyard. It didn't sound familiar. After a few moments of deliberation, I drove into the car park and parked myself beside Bella's car. I went over to the car and I knew that it was definitely ours.

I could still smell Bella, she hadn't left long ago. Not only that but I recognized her bag sitting on the seat and her mobile beside it. So that was why she didn't answer her phone.

I walked into the graveyard and I looked around for Bella. The graveyard was enormous but I couldn't see anyone. I looked down at the names on the graves as I walked past them. Most of them were so faded that you couldn't make out any of the words, or even a single letter. That is if you were human, of course. Even with my vampire sight, I could hardly make out what was said but saw enough to realize that I must be in the old wing of the graveyard, most of these people were from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

I walked further on and they slowly became more up-to-date. I came around the corner and then I could see Bella.

I quickened up my pace until I was just a few meters from her.

She was kneeling down in front of a grave, a bunch of roses in her hands and she was speaking quietly to the grave. She was crying silently and I could only make out a few words. She hadn't saw me yet.

I looked down at the gravestone :-

In Loving Memory of,
Emmett Charlie Swan
A caring son, a devoted brother, a honest friend
We miss you.

Who the hell is Emmett?!

So review? I got 7 reviews for last chapter (thanks guys!) so maybe I could get at least 10 for this one? :) Please. Who's Emmett?

The next chapter will hopefully be updated some time today or tomorrow. I don't want to leave you guys hanging for too long! Again I would really appreciate some reviews on what you think, especially in this chapter and the next. After all, these two chapters are two of the most crucial chapters in the whole story.

Love,
Smile! Edward Luvs Yhoo :)
xXx