Author Note: This is becoming such a wild ride, but I love it! Your reviews are amazing--thank you all for liking what I'm doing. I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride with the plot, as you'll soon see.

This chapter feels like I am finally expunging all the terrible shopping scenes I've read in fan fiction throughout all the time I've spent hanging around on this site. They so often become demeaning and I hate it when Bella only sees her own value through either the eyes of Edward or when she dresses up in outfits she's not ultimately comfortable in. Enough of my soapbox, I'll just let you read and enjoy.

Thanks to my betas, tameleine and Madeleine (wow, their names rhyme and I never even noticed), you guys rock my world.

BPOV

I unlocked the door of our townhouse and thought to myself that it had been a long twenty four hours. A single day in which much of what I'd believed had gotten flipped upside down. A lot had happened and I was incredibly exhausted, emotionally and physically. Thank god today was Friday and I could sleep in as long as I wanted tomorrow.

I breathed a silent sigh of relief when both the living room and kitchen were dark. Obviously both Alice and Rosalie had gone to bed and there was no need to revisit the day's drama all over again.

After tiptoeing down the hall to my bedroom, I nearly emitted a scream when I switched the light and Alice was sitting cross-legged on my bed.

"What the hell," I breathed out, "are you doing sitting in my room in the dark?"

Alice stretched her short legs out in front of her. "Waiting for you, of course. And I might ask you where you've been. It's almost midnight. I left you at nine." Her expression was slightly petulant and I remembered all the calls I'd ignored while at dinner with Edward. I wondered if I could get away with not telling her what had transpired.

"Uh. I got some dinner. . ." I trailed off and set my purse down on the desk in the corner. Slipping out of my heels, I wiggled my toes, and let out a groan of contentment.

"Three hours for dinner?" Alice's face scrunched up and I knew something wasn't adding up right in her head, but before she could question me further, the creases in her brow smoothed out and she gave me one of her lightning smiles.

She patted the bed next to me. "Come sit down, and we'll talk."

I was just grateful to get off my feet. I stretched out next to her, and she pounced.

"You were with Edward weren't you?"

I knew my expression was guilty and there was no point in hiding it. Alice could read me like a book.

"Yes," I replied, guardedly, though I knew perfectly well that I'd end up confiding all of what had happened between us, my hopes and my fears. Alice was like human truth serum.

All she had to give me was a look and just like that, just like I'd feared, the truth came tumbling out of my mouth.

"I called Edward, and he said he was already downtown. We went to Rogue."

Alice hummed in approval. "You told him your favorite restaurant already? You work fast, girl."

"No, no," I said before I realized that this was just another of Alice's traps. "He suggested we go there before he knew I loved it."

Realization lit up her eyes. "You realize what he's doing, right?" she said excitedly. "He's after you."

I could hardly deny it after the hand-holding and the charming way he'd said goodbye, leaning in just far enough that I knew he'd wanted to kiss me, but reluctantly pulling away because he said he wanted to respect me. All the while my heart had thudded at about a million miles per hour. I had really really wanted him to kiss me, respect be damned, and the surge of disappointment at his words still hadn't completely faded.

"Well, that's the crazy thing," I began. . . "Obviously, yes. He is. I'm just not sure why."

Alice smacked me on the arm and I glared at her. "Bella. What am I going to do with you? Edward should thank his lucky stars that you allowed him to even talk to you."

I rolled my eyes at her exaggeration. "You really don't have to be nice, Alice. Edward Cullen is gorgeous, successful and brilliant. He could get anyone he wanted."

"And he's smart enough to want you," Alice said with a note of finality in her voice. I knew that she was through discussing any possible way that I wouldn't measure up to Edward's standards. If only I could turn my own mind off that easily.

"You can't tell Rosalie, though," Alice continued.

"Why not?"

"You tell Rosalie and she'll think she's off the hook." Alice examined her nails pointedly and I realized how sneaky she truly was.

"You're right. Rose finds out and she'll think that Edward and I can handle you and Jasper all on our own."

"Which you can't," Alice interrupted. "Jasper may be able to do a fairly good impression of a brick wall, but you'll need me and my help."

Sometimes I wished that Alice over-exaggerated her own abilities but I knew that she didn't. Alice could do anything she set her mind to, and I was proud that I only got jealous once in awhile.

"So we're going to have to keep it a secret from Rose." Somehow, the already complex plan had become impossible. My face was an open book, and Rosalie was. . .well. . .Rosalie.

"Alice," I said, despondently getting up from the bed and crossing to my dresser. "I'm not going to be able to do this. Rose is going to know in five seconds flat the first time she sees me with Edward."

Alice chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

I quickly stripped out of my clothes and threw on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I didn't miss Alice's eye roll. She hated it when I wore sweatpants. The only way she'd even allow it is if I bought them from Victoria's Secret, which was why I was currently wearing pink sweatpants. Ugh.

"That bad," I confirmed, reluctant for Alice to know just how sunk I was, and even more reluctant for me to admit it to myself.

Alice's expression had turned distant and I knew she was sorting through the various possibilities in her mind. If anyone could come up with a solution it was Alice, I tried to reassure myself.

"Well," she finally spoke up, "I don't have any doubt that Rose is going to have her hands full and her attention pretty distracted by Emmett. That man has always managed to turn her inside out. Chances are, if you can be even a little discreet, then she won't notice."

I guess I must have looked pretty unconvinced, because Alice continued, reassuringly. "You never saw her with him in high school. Aliens could have invaded the school, and she never would have noticed. She's going to be really distracted whenever we're all together and she's going to hate every second of it. The last thing she's going to think about is you and Edward, as long as you're not ridiculously obvious."

I told myself that Alice knew what she was talking about and that any feelings of intense disappointment that Edward would have to keep anything "ridiculously obvious" under wraps were pointless. As nerve-wracking as it had been, I'd enjoyed holding his hand and when we hadn't kissed, I'd wanted to scream in frustration. I was beginning to realize that dating "comfortable" men ultimately meant that I had missed out on a connection with someone who was fascinating and who fascinated me. Maybe that was why I felt so out of my depth with Edward: it was a novel experience for me to date a gorgeous and charismatic man.

"Okay, I'll just tell him that he can't be. . .obvious." And how I was going to manage that, I wasn't entirely sure, because admitting that there were things we had to hide meant admitting something was going on between us. I was barely comfortable that what we'd been on tonight counting as a date, nevermind the rest of it.

"Awesome," Alice said, popping up off the bed. "I'm going to bed. And tomorrow, Bella," she said, turning back to look at me, "we're going shopping."

"Shopping?" Disbelief was quickly replaced by resignation. As if anyone could keep Alice from shopping when she'd determined we needed to go.

Alice sent me a chiding yet loving look from across the room. "We're going to need a lot of new clothes for this new venture."

I opened my mouth to tell her that Edward hadn't seemed to mind the rumpled work clothes I'd shown up in tonight, but when I turned toward the door, she'd already left the room.

"Blast." I said aloud, also remembering that I'd failed to share the somewhat pertinent news that Emmett had been so upset by Rosalie's presence in his life that he'd punched a wall. It was just as well. At least I'd have something to share tomorrow as Alice dragged me, practically dead weight, from store to store.

As it turned out, I didn't get an opportunity to tell Alice about Emmett, as Rosalie decided to accompany us on our shopping expedition. I'd quickly decided that it was better that Rose not know what Emmett had done. The plan was quickly devolving into a convoluted mess of facts dispersed on a "need to know" basis.

The only explanation she'd offered for coming with us instead of working as she sometimes did on a Saturday was that she needed some "armor" for the upcoming "trial." I could only assume that she meant clothes and meeting Emmett. I tried to suppress a smile, as she glared from Alice to I, challenging either of us to say a single word.

Instead, Alice and I exchanged gleeful looks behind Rosalie's back, as she poured coffee into her travel mug, and grabbed her purse, meanwhile doing an excellent impression of the Grinch.

Rose had stomped into the kitchen this morning, obviously in a bad mood, and mumbling that she hadn't slept well. I'd opened my mouth to say that I hadn't either, but I quickly snapped it shut, remembering that I wasn't allowed to say anything about why sleep hadn't been forthcoming. Inwardly, I lectured myself at keeping quiet, which typically wasn't a problem. Unfortunately I had a feeling that what had been easy before was now about to become a lot harder, and that was just one symptom of everything that had changed over the last two days.

By the time we got to the mall, I'd had to muzzle myself a total of three times, and Alice wasn't helping with her uncharacteristic silence. I was one of those unfortunate souls who hated an uncomfortable silence and would try to fill it babbling small talk. Regrettably, there was very little I could seem to come up with this morning that had nothing to do with Edward, Emmett or Jasper. Grimacing inwardly, I finally gave up, and let silence again drift over the car. Typically, we were a fairly loud-mouthed, fun-loving bunch, but apparently the emotional revelations of the last forty-eight hours had left everyone contemplative. I prayed that this state of mind lasted well into our shopping trip.

I was not that lucky. As soon as we entered Macy's, Alice was quickly back into her bossy, fashionista element and Rosalie's expression was one of dire determination. They both threw themselves into the racks of clothes like they were really going into battle. I, however, held back, only picking out a few select things to try on.

Alice noticed quickly my reticence and launched into one of her typical lectures.

"Bella, I really don't know what to do with you." She set one hand on a hip and balanced a terrifyingly large amount of hangers on only one arm. If anyone thought that Alice's size prevented her from being a superior shopper, five minutes in a department store with her would be enough to change anyone's mind.

Rosalie had apparently heard Alice, as she also came over to see what was going on. "Is that all you're trying on?"

"We just went shopping a week ago," I heard myself whine piteously, "I hardly need anymore clothes."

Alice's eyes flashed. "It's certainly not about need," she enunciated, "it's about what is going to get you the results you're looking for."

I flashed Alice a desperate quick look, trying to impress on her that going any farther was going to tip Rose off, but Alice was still Alice. She'd apparently known that Rose's attention had shifted to a rack of sundresses and she was now out of earshot.

Still, Alice walked closer, and hissed quietly at me, if only to remind me of my new place in this whole mess. "I'm sure Edward would appreciate you dressing up for him."

I shook my head, determined that for once, Alice wouldn't get her way. "You've been helping me shop for six years. You've already done your makeover magic with what I've got. I no longer wear workout pants in public or t shirts. I put makeup on every morning and style my hair. Ponytails only a few times a week, even. You've done your work, Alice, and I can take it from here."

"Besides," I continued, "if Edward does really like me, I want it to be for more than knowing my way around an eyelash curler and the difference between Prada and Guess." I turned around and proceeded to examine the rack of tank tops behind me, hearing Alice splutter and mutter behind me.

Still, it appeared that she'd agreed that I'd come a long way and no longer needed to be chastised into stylish choices, as she walked away without arguing.

My feelings on the matter had been building for some time, and though there some occasions I'd always need Alice's help with, I felt pretty comfortable seeing to my own beauty routine now. Of course, when I'd first Alice and Rose, I'd been a wreck: unibrow, worn jeans and a whole closet full of t-shirts.

I felt a surge of elation. Sometimes it felt as if your life just meandered along and any progress you made toward your goals was minimal at best, and then sometimes, out of the blue, several pieces just fell into place at once. I felt as if the latter had just happened. I'd just gotten a promotion, I'd handled myself semi-decently with Edward, and now I'd finally told Alice that I felt comfortable and beautiful in my own skin, with no help from her.

I felt like doing a little dance of joy right there in the middle of Macy's, but I refrained, only out of a duty to not make my two best friends terrified for my sanity. I did however, break into a huge smile that I couldn't put away if my life depended on it.

Flipping through the rack of tank tops, I selected two and was about to move on, when Rosalie passed behind me.

"I heard what you said to Alice," she said, quietly, so that the topic of our discussion wouldn't hear, "and I wanted to say, 'way to go, Bels.'" She gave me a quick smile, and slyly held her hand down by my waist for a subtle high-five that wouldn't send Alice through the roof.

"She seemed a little upset." As much as I wanted my independence from Alice's fashion dictatorship, I loved her and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Yeah," Rosalie brushed my concerns aside nonchalantly, "she'll get over it. Believe it or not, she tried to make me over once, after Emmett and I broke up in high school, and let me tell you, when I resisted, I thought she'd never forgive me. But she was over it in three days."

I laughed, but was secretly gratified to see Rose able to talk about Emmett in front of me without getting overly emotional. Maybe this would actually work, after all.

Five minutes later, my mood was still high, even though we were on our way into the dressing room. Despite what I'd told Alice, I did have quite a few things in my arms, though they were all handpicked by me. It was funny, I thought, I used to hate shopping, and though it certainly wasn't a replacement for sleeping in on a Saturday morning, there were a lot worse ways to spend my time. In fact, though I needed none of this, I was enjoying myself despite that particular fact, and I'd probably end up buying a significant portion of it.

Just as I was about to slip off my shirt, I heard my phone start to ring. Digging through my purse, I pulled it out finally, only to almost drop it back in my bag like it was a red hot poker. Edward's name and number flashed on the front screen and I wondered if I could slip out of the dressing room without Rosalie noticing. There were certain things that needed to be discussed out of earshot.

I quietly opened and shut the dressing room door and slipped down the hallway in my stocking feet. Thank goodness I'd already taken off my boots. I still hadn't gotten the hang of walking in them, and Rose would have heard me for sure.

As soon as I was out of the dressing room, I clicked the send button and tiptoed over to the plus size section. This was one part of the store that Rose wouldn't be caught dead in and I'd be safe for the time being.

"Hey," I whispered into the phone.

"Why are you whispering?" Edward asked, doing a not-terrible impression of me trying to keep my voice down.

"Oh stop. I'm shopping with Alice and Rosalie and I don't want Rose to hear what I'm saying. They're in the dressing room, but that could change any minute."

"Shopping?" The distaste in his voice said it all.

"I know, believe me. It isn't pretty here."

"I can imagine," Edward replied with amusement blooming in his voice, "I went to school with Alice and she looked like a fashion plate even at 18."

"Well, nothing's changed in that regard, except that now it's her career, and it's about fifty times worse."

Edward laughed, deep and full, into the phone, and I felt my heart stutter again. Stop it Bella, I told myself, you can do this. You're a powerful, strong, in-control woman and hot green-eyed men flirting with you doesn't throw you a bit.

"I hope she doesn't try to change you into a version of her. You look perfect." The dark seductive tone was back in full force, and this time I actually was beginning to believe that it was for me, not just an act he put on for every woman.

But perfect? If only he'd used a less enthusiastic adjective, then I could have actually believed him.

Edward must have sensed my disbelieving silence, because he continued. "Really, Bella, you're a knockout, major labels or no."

I closed my eyes in a brief prayer of thanks to whatever God had given me this incredible blessing of a man. I'd try really hard to deserve it—maybe I'd even send a nice fruitcake to Heaven at Christmas.

"Thank you," I said, attempting to force the teary tone out of my voice. Guys didn't want a girl who got all emotional whenever they told them that they were beautiful. Except that I had never really been told it so nicely before, and from someone from who, I was beginning to realize, actually meant what he said.

"But speaking of that," I continued, attempting to downshift into the matter at hand, "you're going to have to keep that under wraps a little." I curled two fingers on my free hand into a quick cross, praying silently that he wouldn't ask me to elaborate.

"What under wraps?"

Damn.

"Uh. . .well. . .you know. . .the whole date thing."

"Okay," he replied slowly, "I can do that, but I have to ask why."

Really, the man was incredibly intelligent, but he was sometimes also a moron. "Hello," I said, borrowing one of Alice's favorite expressions, "earth to Edward. Rosalie is only going along with this whole thing because we're trying to get Jasper and Alice together. If she thinks the matter is already accomplished by having us there. . .well. . .she'll bow out."

"Hmmmmm." Edward was clearly thinking this through. "Well, I told Jasper," he finally said.

"That's okay, I told Alice too," I said a little too quickly. Stupid stupid me.

Edward immediately pounced. "What did you tell her?" His voice was full of undisguised and uninhibited glee at having caught me.

I took a chance that maybe he had really enjoyed the verbal sparring we'd had at dinner and rolled the dice. "That we had a business meeting, of course," I said, innocence dripping from my voice like honey.

Edward laughed long and hard. I leaned against a column and tried to remember all the reasons why I didn't want to get involved with this man who took such joy in everything, and in me.

"Well, that settles it. I had a feeling you were trouble, Bella Swan, and you've confirmed it."

"Good," I said tartly, "and don't you forget it."

"So," Edward started, clearly changing the subject, "do you ladies have any plans for tonight?"

"So soon?" I almost panicked but remembered just in time my "I'm a woman" chant. I'd discovered recently it was almost as good as the deep breathing I'd learned at the yoga class Alice had dragged me to.

"No point in wasting time. We need to strike while the iron's hot. I give Emmett any more time to change his mind, we're not going to have any walls left in our house."

"So what's the plan then?"

"Dinner, then drinks?"

"Perfect. When and where?"

"Seven, at Montage."

"Perfect." I was beaming and I hoped that he knew that I'd be happier to see him than to actually meet his foster brothers for the first time.

"Great, I'll see you then. And Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Don't worry. It'll all work out."

"Okay," I said breathlessly. "I'll see you tonight."

"Until this evening, beautiful."

I was sure he heard my intake of breath. "Whoops," he said, voice serious, "looks like I've been practicing my Italian translation a little too much."

I laughed, clicked off the phone, and had to lean back against the pillar for support. I felt further justified in everything I'd said to Alice. I didn't need plunging necklines, skintight pants or elevated hemlines to catch Edward's attention. If she ever heckled me again, I could simply bring up that Edward thought I was beautiful just the way I was.

Obviously, Rosalie didn't feel the same way. I caught sight of her, coming out of the dressing room just in time, and she was wearing a traffic-stopping red dress that was practically painted on. Subtle wasn't exactly Rose's strong suit, and I had to admit that it suited her. When you were so outrageously gorgeous and had legs up to your chin, and a whole head of shiny blond hair, subtlety was just lost anyway. It was better to embrace the gaudiness and just run with it, which she clearly was.

"Bella!" Rose caught sight of me and waved me over.

"Where'd you go?" she asked, as she frantically ripped through half a rack of dresses.

"I . .. uh. . ." I started to reply, but Rose was clearly in another zone as she simply interrupted me.

"What do you think of this dress?" she said, gesturing at what she was wearing.

The dress was even more outrageous close-up, but it would probably have the effect that Rose wanted: to physically drag Emmett's tongue out of his mouth and his brain into his pants.

"If that's the direction you want to go," I said, doubt in my voice.

"It is," she snapped, then returned to the rack. Remind me not to mess with her today. Maybe I'd let Alice break the news that we all had a "date" for tonight. Maybe we should tell her while we were safely ensconced in our respective dressing rooms. Less collateral damage that way.

"I'm going to go try on the rest of my clothes," I called over my shoulder as I headed back to the dressing room.

Rosalie didn't even reply, she was too busy demolishing every rack of dresses in the section. I had to admit that even watching Rose and Alice shop nearly every week for six years hadn't prepared me for the desperation-tinged trip that this was turning into.

I heard Alice before I saw her. Her voice was incredibly distinctive and loud in normal circumstances, but considering Rosalie's frenzied quest for the most revealing dress in the entire store, it was becoming clear that these were hardly normal circumstances.

Alice had the door of her dressing room open, and there were clothes everywhere. She'd clearly decided in favor of not even bothering to shut the door as she took dress after dress from a beleaguered saleswoman's arms and tried each one on, before tossing it onto a growing pile on the bench of her room.

"Bella!" Alice's eyes lit up as soon as she spotted me, and the saleswoman sent me a look of undeniable gratitude.

"Alice," I said as calmly as I could, "what's wrong?"

"I can't find the right dress," she whined petulantly.

"Well," I said, "I'm sure most of these are pretty nice and would do for our date tonight."

"Tonight?" she squeaked and if I wasn't mistaken, I heard the saleswoman say a fairly naughty word under her breath.

"Now, there's no need to panic. You own more clothes than you could possibly wear in about ten lifetimes, so maybe we can find something in your closet," I soothed, gently disentangling her clenched fingers from the fabric of yet another choice.

Unfortunately, Rosalie had come in behind me and had heard what I'd said.

"Tonight?" she stormed. I could only nod as I felt both of them slowly begin to spin even more out of control.

"Rose, that dress looks really amazing on you," I said, trying to keep the frantic edge out of my tone, and looking toward the poor saleswoman for confirmation.

She'd clearly figured out that I knew how to handle these two better than her, as she simply nodded. "Looks great," she said with false enthusiasm.

I was just glad she hadn't said that Rose looked like she belonged on Broadway, which wouldn't have been far from the truth.

"Now, Alice," I said, turning my attention back to the short pixie in front of me. "I like that one you're wearing."

"This?" she said, doubtfully, rotating in front of the mirror. Her brow puckered and I could see her working up a million reasons why it wouldn't do.

"I think that turquoise color is gorgeous with your skin and your hair. Jasper won't know what hit him," I said pointedly, hoping that at least someone would back me up here.

"It does look nice," Rose said, as she went back into her room and closed the door.

"I'm just not sure. . ." Alice replied, still turning and lifting the dress, examining it more completely than its designer probably had.

I decided it was high time to play the trump card. Six years of shopping with Rosalie and Alice had taught me one thing: it was a good idea to keep a steady pace of moving from store to store.

"You need to pick a dress," I said rationally, "because we still need shoes and bags. . ." Alice's eyes perked up and there was a muffled assent from Rosalie's dressing room, and I continued, following Edward's plan of striking while the iron was hot, "and accessories," I finished triumphantly.

Apparently I'd said the magic word because, Alice was immediately pushing the saleswoman out of her dressing room and the poor woman quickly took off down the hall, throwing me another quick look of appreciation as she escaped.

I realized that I hadn't tried anything on that I'd picked out, but I already knew what I liked and usually trying things on was simply a visual confirmation of what I'd already knew. I scooped everything I'd brought into the dressing room into my arms, prepared to buy the whole lot unseen. After all, there were a few—not many—but a few items that were a little bolder than I was used to, and I didn't want to chicken out by seeing them on me before I bought them. I told myself that these were new clothes for a newly emerging Bella.

Alice led the charge to the customer service counter, like she was General Custer on his last battlefield and I knew with a sinking feeling that this was going to be a very long afternoon. The only bright spot was that I was going to be able to see Edward at the end of it, and just maybe, despite the sinking feeling in my stomach, the plan wouldn't be an utter disaster.