All characters except for Annabelle Causley and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.

This is an AU out of Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. This story starts after Eclipse, two weeks before Edward and Bella's wedding.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Annabelle paused outside of Edward's door, knowing he wouldn't be able to hear her thoughts. She smiled as she heard him and Bella talking. Walking into her room, she closed the door beside her with a sigh. Thanks to Bella, Edward was too busy to make a nuisance of himself.

Stripping off her clothes, she walked into the bathroom and turned on the hot water, lighting candles as she waited for the claw foot tub to fill up. Sliding into the hot silky water, she sighed as she let her head rest against the lip of the tub, her muscles relaxing in the warmth of the steaming hot water. She never stayed in the tub for long because no matter how hot the water was, it was only a matter of minutes before her body cooled it. She enjoyed hot baths because of the brief moments of warmth it gave her, warmth that evoked memories of what her life had been.

Walking out of the bathroom in her soft golden brown bathrobe, she walked straight into the large walk-in closet to search for something comforting to wear. Finding a pair of navy blue sweats that had been an impulse buy in the back of a drawer, she pulled them on along with a white t-shirt big enough to fit Emmett. Wishing she were able to eat something other than blood, she couldn't help but think with longing about the comfort ice cream and chocolate would have offered at a time like this.

She stopped outside her closet, her lips tightening in annoyance. Edward was sitting in the middle of the couch, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, his bare feet moving back and forth in the plush golden rug. She knew he was enjoying the sensation of the soft rug against his feet…that was the reason she had bought it, for the pure pleasure of feeling the tickling softness against her bare feet.

"Took you long enough," Edward looked up from the book in his hand, a blank look on his face. She narrowed her eyes as she walked across the room towards the desk chair, taking the book from his hand on the way there. She had been reading Romeo and Juliet the other day and had left the book sitting open on the couch before the family meeting.

"What do you want Edward," she curled up in the desk chair, dropping the book on the desk, knowing she would be able to find where she left off in seconds.

"Couldn't get the werewolf stink off of you fast enough, uh," Edward pointed at Annabelle's wet hair in response to her confused look at his comment.

"What werewolf stink," Annabelle cocked her head to the side, "I mean, I'll grant you, Sam Uley stunk bad but Jacob doesn't smell the same as Sam."

"They both smell like wet dog…how can you differentiate between the two," Edward cocked his head to the side, "You actually find his scent appealing?"

Annabelle looked out the window, her eyes sliding shut as a small smile appeared on her full lips, her memories recalling the rich, earthy smell that was Jacob.

"Wow, Annabelle," Edward shook his head as he leaned back, "I thought you had better taste than that."

"I would think, of all people, you would understand Edward," Annabelle gave him a hostile look before she turned her back on him, "Wasn't it that way with Bella?"

"Yes," Edward leaned his head against the back of the couch, "Granted, the physical desire didn't come until a bit later since her scent had me absolutely captivated…not to mention that I was absolutely intrigued by her since I couldn't read her mind, but yeah, it was almost the same. She was all I could think about from the first moment I smelled her…and the obsession got worse as I got to know her."

"So you finally gave up," Annabelle's soft voice carried across the room as she turned to stare intently at him, "But how did you keep yourself from killing her?"

"At first, it was mind over matter…once I made the decision that I was strong enough to resist, it all fell into place. But now, the very idea of losing her, of not having her with me, is what keeps me from losing control," Edward raised an eyebrow at her, "How do you keep yourself from killing Jacob?"

Annabelle bit her bottom lip as she turned to stare at the dark sky, the waxy moon casting a soft sheen on the trees bordering the Cullen's land, "I haven't made up my mind yet."

"About what?"

"About what I want the most," Annabelle turned to look at him, her golden eyes bright under her arched eyebrows, "Him or his blood. Besides, the more I talk to him, the more he intrigues me. Aside from that, he did throw a challenge at me," Annabelle's full mouth spread into a dazzling grin, "And you know how hard it is for me to resist those."

Edward chuckled as he recalled the memory that was in Annabelle's mind, "You almost died, you know?"

"It would have been your fault," Annabelle smiled at him in that sister-teasing-brother way, "Telling me I couldn't swim to the bottom of the lake."

"You almost drowned Annie…not only that, but I was right," Edward smirked at her as she gasped in outrage.

"I made it to the bottom of the lake," she hissed in mock outrage, "You said nothing about swimming back to the top."

Edward's laughter rang loud and clear, harmonizing with Annabelle's. It felt good to have their friendship back without the constant strain of unfulfilled emotions and desires. It felt just the way it had before they realized they could be more to each other than friends.

"So you find Jacob intriguing," the tone on Edward's voice expressed his incredulity.

"Don't you?"

"No…mostly, I find him a nuisance and a bit of a jerk," Edward shrugged as he sank deeper into the sofa cushions, "But I put up with him because of Bella."

"Uh…" Annabelle cocked her head to the side as her eyes unfocused, "She's married to a vampire and is friends with a werewolf…she definitely doesn't have a normal human life, uh?"

"No…for some strange reason, the world of myths and legends keep colliding into hers. It's like she's a magnet for the fantastical."

"Next thing you know, she'll be giving birth to a unicorn," Annabelle scoffed lightly, smiling at Edward as he frowned at her.

"That would be difficult," Edward ran his fingers through his hair, "Considering that I'm not a unicorn stud."

Annabelle laughed before cocking her head to the side, "So why exactly are you here instead of next door with your sleeping wife?"

"Well, since she's sleeping, there's not much I can do –"

"Wake her up."

"–so I thought it would be prudent to come and warn you about Jacob."

Annabelle frowned at Edward, wishing he hadn't ignored her comment, which would have made the conversation they were about to have go a different route, "What about Jacob?"

Edward looked out the window, his eyes slightly narrowing as he wondered how much he should tell Annabelle. He didn't want to betray Bella's secrets but he also didn't want to see her hurt and he knew that if Annabelle wasn't careful, or if her desire for the dog's blood was too much, it would be immensely painful for Bella. Aside from that, he wasn't sure how emotionally invested Annabelle would be and he didn't want her hurting either.

"Jacob's…very special to Bella. They got really close during that time I left Bella to give her a chance at a normal human life…" Edward faltered, not wanting to think about those six months away from Bella, "…and I believe, the only reason Bella's with me is because her love for me is much stronger than her love for Jacob."

"Bella's in love with Jacob?" Annabelle's eyebrows lowered as an unexplainable emotion flashed through her, "Is Jacob in love with her?"

"Yes on both accounts," Edward could hear her wonder how he could stand that, "And I've learned to deal with it…he was there when I wasn't and he helped put Bella back together, as well as keep her safe...He's as much a part of her as you are a part of me and for that reason, and that reason alone, I accept Jacob as a part of life. I don't want to see him hurt because I know it would hurt her. So I thought I'd ask you, if you could, to stay away from him."

Annabelle frowned at him as she uncurled from the chair, moving towards the window to stare at the lightening sky. She disliked sunrises, watching the sun proclaim the birth of a new day. They seemed to mock her, to remind her that she was stuck in time, in this nightmare of what she was. It was something she didn't voice often, but she hated being a vampire…

"You and Rose both," she looked over her shoulder at Edward, narrowing her eyes, wishing he would stop reading her mind, "I can't help it Annie. I'm so in tune to you that it's as if you were talking out loud."

Turning to look at him, she sank down to sit on the plush carpet, "I'm not sure I can stay away from him, Eddie. There's something about him…he justifies what I am, as if he were part of a much more complex reason as to why I am what I am."

"Just be careful Annie," Edward moved to sit cross-legged before her, "With him and with yourself. I don't want to see you hurt and if you insist on having him in your life, I'm afraid you will get hurt. Jacob doesn't come alone, he comes with a whole pack and tribe and history…all of which are centered in destroying people like us."

Annabelle tried to keep her mind blank but couldn't, her wonderings concerning the legends of a werewolf's ability to destroy a vampire flashing through her head before she could make herself disappear. She tensed her body as she heard Edward hiss, watching him move away from her.

"Are you insane, Annabelle," Edward glared down at her, his hands fisted on his sides, "Is that why you won't stay away from Jacob? Are you hoping he will kill you? Is that what you want?"

Annabelle stared at the golden carpet, not wanting to answer, not wanting to lie to her best friend. She gasped as Edward grabbed her shoulders and pulled her onto her feet.

"Listen to me," he stared deeply into her eyes, "You are a Cullen now…one of us. If Jacob does kill you…he will be breaking the treaty."

"And if I break the treaty first?" Annabelle couldn't help taunting him, "If I give him just enough reason to destroy me? What will that have to do with you? This is my choice Edward, not yours. Besides, I haven't really thought much about it or even broached the subject to Jacob."

A soft knock at Annabelle's door interrupted them. Edward let her go as Esme opened the door, smiling at both of them in apology.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," Esme looked into Edward's angry eyes then turned to look at Annabelle, seeing agony in hers, "But Carlisle will be leaving for the hospital in a few hours and we were wondering if Annabelle would be able to finish her story this morning or if we should do it when Carlisle gets back from the hospital."

Annabelle stared into Esme's compassionate eyes, wishing she didn't have to share this part of her reason for being here yet knowing it was best if she did. They had to know, they had to be ready…she didn't want to be responsible for what will happen despite her being here to warn them…

"Now will be fine," Annabelle stepped around Edward, her arms wrapped around herself in an effort to keep from falling apart.

It was time to turn all their lives upside down.