Bella:

My heart sank when I saw the look on his face. Angry frustration was replaced by a look of devious cunning. He masked it quickly, but it was too late. I had seen it.

"Edward…" I warned, trying vainly to hide my annoyance. "You are thinking again. Don't waste your time. There's nothing you can do." His constant attempts to reopen and influence a subject that I considered long closed were beginning to irritate me. And he called me stubborn?

"I don't know what you mean," he said with a look of cherubic innocence on his face.

God save me from vampires who look like angels. "You know exactly what I mean," I said with asperity. "You're trying to find a way to prevent me from being changed, and it's got to stop."

He finally sat down next to me. "I thought you said there was nothing I could do about that," he countered a touch smugly, reaching for a tendril of hair that had escaped my ponytail and tucking it behind my ear.

"There isn't," I snapped, batting his hand away. The last thing I needed right now was the distraction of his touch.

He smiled sweetly, and leaned back on one elbow, lounging on my bed like a lion. "Then what is the harm in my thinking about it?"

I eyed him suspiciously. There wasn't much I could say to that. Still, I didn't like it. I had learned not to underestimate Edward – the hard way. He would go to any length to keep me from making what he considered to be the wrong choices, and in his copy of Bella's Book of Wrong Choices, my becoming a vampire made the Marijuana Incident look like a child's tea party. My confidence wavered slightly. There was nothing he could do about it, right? I wracked my brains trying to think of a way he might prevent it, but short of kidnapping me and keeping me prisoner for the rest of my life…

I froze, but just as quickly as the idea popped into my head, I discarded it. The idea was so perfectly ludicrous I actually smiled.

"What are you so amused about?" he queried, looking a little nonplussed.

I thought about telling him, but decided he didn't need any extra ammunition to use against me, even if it was absolutely ridiculous ammunition. "Nothing," I choked out, suppressing a giggle. I suddenly had a romance-novel-cover vision of myself struggling with an Edward dressed in tight pants and an open pirate shirt, and attempting – quite successfully - to carry me off into a lurid sunset. The laughter bubbled over.

He sat up again. "What now?" he asked in a long-suffering tone, sounding slightly offended.

"Just a silly thought," I gulped, my voice shaking with amusement.

His face grew serious. "Your cheeks go pink when you laugh," he said pensively, touching the backs of his fingers to my face.

Something in his eyes and his tone sobered me up instantly. It was as if he was considering something very seriously, and the color of my cheeks weighed heavily in the equation. It made me nervous all over again. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was planning something, but I had absolutely nothing to base that assumption on.

I took a shot in the dark. "Edward, don't do anything stupid," I said gravely.

He looked at me sharply, dropping his hand. "Why do you say that?"

"I'm not sure," I replied honestly, shrugging.

"Silly Bella," he murmured, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. He reached for me again, his icy fingers burning a hot trail down my cheek. "I never do anything stupid when it comes to you."

And denial is a river in Egypt. "You left me," I countered, lifting up my chin.

"Touché," he said quietly.

He continued to stare at me, golden eyes smoldering. I was beginning to get uncomfortable under his scrutiny, when he spoke. "Are you sure I can't talk you into putting off your transformation for a few years?"

"I'm sure," I ground out.

"Willful, headstrong child," he sighed, in a manner that made me think he wasn't aware he had said it out loud. It also made me feel the difference in our ages quite keenly.

I yawned suddenly, shivering, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He stood up. "Get into bed," he ordered, pulling the covers back for me. "You need sleep; I shouldn't be keeping you up like this."

I scrambled under the comforter, getting comfortable. "Only if you lie down with me," I said, patting the mattress behind me.

He sat back down on the edge of the bed, tucking me in, and looking at me seriously. "Bella…I don't think that's a good idea. We had a pretty close call, and I don't want to push it."

"Oh please, Edward!" I made doe eyes at him, and reached for his hand. "I promise I'll keep my hands to myself!" I thought about batting my eyelashes as well, but figured that might be a bit much. I wasn't exactly an accomplished flirt, after all. I may have been able to fool Jacob, but Edward had been around a lot longer.

"Bella…" His voice sounded strained.

I sat up. "Please?" I pleaded huskily, my hand going to his face. My eyelashes fluttered slightly. I was reveling in my new-found power over him.

"Bella…" he protested, his voice cracking. I dialed up the intensity in my eyes. "Ok…" he finished weakly. He climbed over me carefully, and stretched out on top of the comforter. I rolled in to him with a satisfied sigh, unable to ignore the tremor that coursed through his body. Was it unfair of me to push him like this? I felt a stab of guilt.

"Edward?"

"Mmmm?" He started running his hand lightly up and down my arm.

I looked up into his startling eyes, worried. "Am I pushing you too hard by forcing you to stay with me like this? I mean, is this very difficult for you?"

He laughed softly, squeezing my shoulder. "Well, it certainly isn't easy. But no, you aren't pushing me too hard. I think you are pushing me just hard enough."

"Good," I said, snuggling back down again. "I would never want you to be uncomfortable around me."

He shifted slightly, pulling me closer to him, flush against his cold body. "I love you so much, Bella," he said fervently.

"I love you too," I murmured sleepily, glad that our latest disagreement over my transformation was finally over. I smiled into his chest, rubbing my cheek against the cotton of his t-shirt and inhaling a deep breath of Edward. "Sing to me? Please?"

"Your wish is my command," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. He started humming, and I drifted, wrapped in the sound of his voice, floating closer and closer to sleep, until I winked out like a light.

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was gone. I stretched like a cat, and rolled over with a contented hum, catching an unusual flash of color out of the corner of my eye. Lifting my head, I looked over at the nightstand. On it lay a deep blood red rose, its luscious velvety petals just beginning to unfurl. A note was tied around it with a red ribbon. Reaching for it, I sat up, pulled off the ribbon and unrolled the note, tracing the words with my finger as I read it.

My Darling Bella,

I'll be back sometime this morning.

Oceans of Love,

Edward

Warmth blossomed in my chest, and I smiled, touching the gorgeous bloom to my nose and inhaling its exotic fragrance. Wanting to keep it forever, I used the ribbon to tie the rose upside down to my bed post, so it could dry, perfectly preserved.

I paused in my actions, suddenly seeing an uncomfortable parallel with my situation. The rose would be preserved, yes, but it wouldn't look the same anymore. The flower would be frozen at its peak, just on the point of fully blossoming, but it would be...different. The rich, vibrant garnet would darken to a blackish burgundy, and the moist, soft petals would become brittle and dry.

When I became a vampire, I would change just as dramatically. Was there something more to Edward's steadfast refusal to see me changed? Was my scent, my blood, my heartbeat, my life, a large part of the reason he loved me? Would he love me less as a vampire?

Even as I asked myself these questions, I knew the answers didn't matter. I was so pathetically, irretrievably in love with him that I would take any scrap of love he threw my way. Not that I would have to; I knew without a doubt that Edward loved me. His love for me was so deep and consuming, that even if he only loved me half as much, I would still be the most loved woman on the face of the planet.

Those were fighting words, but I suddenly felt uncomfortable watching the rose slowly dry out as the days went by. I untied it again, and put it in my water glass, propped up against the wall. Grabbing my toilet bag, I headed to the bathroom to get ready for my day.

Starting the shower, I stripped off my pajama top, glancing briefly at the mirror. I did a double take, and froze.

My upper arms were ringed with fresh bruises, about the width of a man's hands, with a thinner bruise over my biceps, where the thumbs would have been. Edward's thumbs. I lifted my arm, gently probing the bruises with my other hand. They came as a complete surprise to me. I had been so caught up in my argument with him, that I never felt any pain when he grabbed me.

I groaned. This was absolutely the last thing I needed. Edward would lose it completely. He'd go into a blue funk, and take an extended guilt trip, possibly on a one-way ticket. And that could be the least of my problems. If Charlie or any one else saw those bruises…they were unmistakable, and it would look like nothing less than domestic abuse. It could ruin Edward's life in Forks, not to mention cause a rift between me and my parents when I refused to leave him. I could already hear myself making excuses for him, sounding like the typical victim, defending her abusive boyfriend. He didn't mean it, he's just incredibly strong, he forgot himself for a moment, it's different for him, one lame excuse after another, except that they were true, and I could never tell anyone why. He's a vampire you see, and they have super-human strength. He couldn't help it. Humans and vampires don't usually mix; sometimes it gets tricky, these things happen. Yeah, that would go down real well. There was no way I would be able to convince anyone that my situation was different. And yet it was different.

I sighed. I would just have to wear long sleeves for the next two weeks or so, and roll them up to my elbows if I wanted. T-shirts wouldn't cut it. I sighed again in irritation, wishing not for the first time that the mysterious intruders had taken something other than my red shirt. With bruises on my arms to hide, my clothing options for graduation had shrunk to almost nothing. A shopping trip was in order. I'd leave a note on the door for Edward, and head to Portland for the day. I would have preferred Seattle, but what with the serial killings, I don't think I'd make it even halfway there before Edward caught up with me and hauled me home.

Satisfied with my plans for the day, I hopped in to the shower.

I bounded down the stairs, ready to go out into the world. I had unearthed a white cotton shirt with long sleeves, which was a little small, and clung to me quite attractively. I wore it outside a red and black plaid skirt, paired with black tights and black flats. Stopping in front of the mirror, I pulled my hair into a pony tail, tying it back with a rubber band and the red ribbon from Edward's rose, and headed into the kitchen for breakfast.

Charlie had already left for work for the day, his cup, plate and silverware drying in the dish drain. I fixed myself myself a bowl of honey-nut cheerios with a banana sliced into it, and sat down with my breakfast to compose a note to Edward. I kept it short and sweet, letting him know I was going to be clothes shopping in Portland for the day, and I'd see him this evening, love Bella. Eager to be off, I left my rinsed bowl and spoon in the sink, grabbed my backpack, coat and keys, and headed out to the car, pausing only to lock the door and tape my note to it.

It was, for Forks, a pretty decent day. A milky sun was trying to break through the haze with limited success, and it seemed unseasonably warm. I threw my coat on to the passenger seat, glad that I wouldn't be needing it just yet. My truck cooperatively roared to life, and I was on the road in no time. Turning on the radio, I started singing along with it, a surge of happiness welling up inside me.

My life had never been better. I had found the man of my dreams, the man I would marry – someday anyway. Well, maybe. I was still my mother's daughter in that respect. He was the embodiment of the romantic hero, tall, strong, kind, caring, compassionate, all wrapped up in one beautiful package. I was done with school; graduation was days away, and then I would be able to be with my love in all ways, forever. I tried not to think about what I would have to go through before getting to that point.

It had been shaping up to be a day too good to last, but I had thought it would last a little longer than it did. I had barely made it on to the freeway, when I heard a car horn blare behind me. I looked into the rear-view mirror, to see a silver car approaching very rapidly; far too quickly to be mistaken for anyone other than my overly controlling boyfriend.

"Now what?" I said, exasperated, as he flashed his lights at me and flipped on his turn signal. Taking this as a command to pull on to the shoulder, I obediently slowed and pulled off the road. I turned off the engine and rolled down the window, watching the Volvo through the side mirror.

"Bella!" he yelled, as he got out of the car, slamming the door and striding purposefully toward me.

I winced. "Holy carp, what did I do now?" I muttered sarcastically, knowing he could hear every word.

To be continued...