Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I do, however, own my OCs, this storyline, and a Snoopy watch.

A/N: Thanks to readingtime, the most awesome beta in the world.

Edward's POV

"So, got any questions for me today?" Adrian asked in between bites of the leftover pork chops from Monday. "This is really good, by the way."

"You're welcome. Has Bella always had self-esteem issues, or has that just been since she started hanging out with supernatural creatures?" Adrian choked on his bottled water with a laugh, not expecting that question, I supposed.

"No, that's just Bells and Whistles. I would be beating guys off her with a stick back home, and she would still believe that no one ever looked twice at her, and in her opinion, why would they? No amount of wolf whistles, compliments, or pick-up lines has ever been able to convince her otherwise."

"I can see that." It was amazing to me how many times she put herself down in her diary, called herself all varieties of uncomplimentary names. Pathetic. Ugly. Plain. Boring. Stupid. I used to think she just didn't see herself clearly. Now I was beginning to wonder if she saw herself at all.

"Take that girl you were talking to, today. Kelly, was that her name?" I nodded. "Now, you and I both know that while that girl's pretty, she doesn't hold a candle to our Bella. But I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that Bella mentally sized herself up to that girl, and in her mind, fell WAY short."

"When I danced with Kelly at the club, I overheard her tell Jasper that Kelly was the type of girl she thought I would end up with. Called her 'perfect,' I believe."

"See that. Right there, that's what I'm talking about. There is nothing that frustrates me more about Bells then how hard on herself she is. She thinks everyone around her is beautiful, but never sees her own beauty. She will forgive anyone for anything," Adrian looked at me pointedly. Like forgiving you for all those bruises you gave her. Or Jasper for his ability-enhanced seduction scene. Part of me hopes she tells him no tonight. I'm still pissed at him for that little stunt. "But when it comes to her own mistakes, she never lets herself live them down."

Tells him no? I wondered. Tells him no to what?

Adrian finished dinner and helped me clean up and was just grabbing the Ben and Jerry's Phish Food when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Edward, it's Alice. I need you and Adrian to meet me at our house. Right. Now." Alice was in a panic.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

"The Volturi, that's what's wrong! Just get there. Now."

"Alright, Alice, we're on our way." I was already grabbing my car keys and pointing towards the door. Damn, denied my Phish Food AGAIN, Adrian pouted as he put it back in the freezer and grabbed his coat.

"Oh, and Edward…bring your mother's engagement ring with you." Without another word, Alice hung up the phone. What is going on? I grabbed the ring from the safe in my study and bolted out the door.

When we got to the house, we found Alice in their bedroom, packing up all of Adrian's clothes. She didn't stop moving when we got there, running at vampire speed. I was certain all Adrian could see was a red streak moving around the room. "I've got to get you out of here. I've got to get you safe!"

Adrian looked like he was going to try and intercept her, but I knew that wouldn't be a good idea at her current rate of acceleration, so I stepped in front of him and stopped her. The moment she stopped she collapsed into my chest, wracked with dry sobs. "I love him, Edward, I can't see him die!"

"See who die, Ally-Angel?" Adrian asked. Alice looked up at him, and then ran into his arms. "You!"

We heard a car speed into the driveway. Alice picked Adrian up and we ran downstairs. Carlisle skipped all the pleasantries when he entered, Esme a step behind him.

"What all do we know?"

"I know that they're sending two representatives, and they'll be here in two weeks. At first, Caius wanted to send Jane and Alec, and that ended really bloody for us no matter what. Now it seems as though Aro wants to send Heidi and Felix instead, saying they are less integral to the guard and the most used to being around humans. That works out better in some ways, but not in others."

"Why are they coming?"

"They're coming to check on Bella, see if she's been changed yet. When they find out that she hasn't been changed yet, and worse, that she's not with Edward anymore, they will kill Bella and Adrian on the spot. Then later, they'll kill Edward, me, and Jazz when we refuse to join them."

Adrian spoke up, "Well, that's simple, then. Change Bella." Adrian shrugged his shoulders as if it were no big deal.

Alice shook her head, "That doesn't seem to save us, either. Once Bella is changed, Bella will have an ability which will make her irresistible to the Volturi. They will want her for themselves. We will fight to protect her, and we will lose. Plus, once they discover that yet another Cullen has fallen in love with a human who knows our secret, well, let's just say that they don't take too kindly to that idea. And even if I were to change Adrian today, the result is no better. Caius has already been talking about our 'coven' getting too large and powerful to be allowed. That would give him just cause for an all out war."

"Alice, you say that the outcome is worse once they realize that Bella and Edward are not together anymore?" Carlisle was calm, calculating.

"Yes. The only thing that saved us when we went to Italy the first time was that Marcus sensed the magnitude of their love. He felt that they had an unbreakable bond, and that messing with that bond would not work in their favor. The only way I see out of this is for Bella and Edward to pretend to be engaged. We tell them that she wanted to experience a year of college and get married before the transformation. We set the wedding date for June, and tell them the transformation will take place right after the honeymoon. It will at least buy us some time. Adrian, I need you to move into the football dorms with one of your teammates. They can't know about us."

"No, Ally. I can't leave you to face these thugs alone. What kind of a man would I be if I did that?"

"A living, breathing man, that's what kind you would be. As opposed to a dead man, and I don't mean the kind that still gets to walk around. You won't win the Heisman from six feet under, I'll tell you that." Alice was trying to be sarcastic to keep from breaking down, but it wasn't working. "There is no other way…"

Adrian hugged her to his chest. "Okay, Ally-Angel, okay. It's only, what, a couple of days, right? They come, they see Edward and Bella all kissy face, you promise to send them an invitation to the wedding that will miraculously get lost in the mail, and life goes back to normal." Suddenly a string of images flooded Alice's mind. Bella and I holding hands. She's wearing my mother's ring. Bella and I kissing. Bella and I cuddling on the couch at my house, with Felix just outside. Heidi and Felix sitting at a picnic table with Alice, Jasper, Bella, and myself, with schoolbooks in front of them. Hundreds of other images flashed through her mind before she started blocking me.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"What do you mean, Ally? You said…"

"There's a chance it will work out just like that. But there's also a chance that Aro will tell them to stay and 'observe' until Bella has changed. If that happens, then Heidi and Felix will be here until after the wedding."

"You mean, I would have to stay away from you…all year?!" When Alice nodded, Adrian started to cry. Esme excused herself to go upstairs to start packing Bella's belongings. Carlisle jerked his head towards the kitchen table, indicating we should move there and give them some privacy.

How are you doing, son?

"I'm terrified for Bella. She's in danger yet again because of us."

She's in danger because she loves this family, and there are risks associated with that, I'll give you that. But that doesn't make it our fault. You cannot take the blame for something the Volturi are responsible for. All we can do now is protect her by any means necessary.

"Agreed. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her."

You still love her, don't you? I nodded, staring at the grains in the wood table.

Are you going to be able to handle this?

"It's going to be the worst possible brand of torture, Carlisle. To hold Bella in my arms, kiss her, like I have wanted to every moment of every day since I released her and let her go to him, but it won't be real. She will be kissing me, but thinking of him. I will have to tell her that I love her, and I'll mean every word of it. She'll have to say she loves me too, but it will be a lie. She will have my mother's wedding ring on her finger, just as I'd always dreamed she would one day. But it's a farce. I mean, what do I do when I give it to her? Do I get down on one knee? Do I put it on her finger? Or do I just hand it to her and say 'Here, put this on and pretend it means something to you,' knowing full well that it's just a prop." I looked around the room trying to find anything else to focus on, anything other than the sound of my heart being ripped from my chest. Adrian was packing up the pictures of him and Alice and of Bella and Jasper in a cardboard box. I assumed they would be replaced with old pictures of Alice and Jasper together shortly. His mind was an incoherent swirl of pain and agony. He was fearful for Bella's life, fearful for all our lives, angry for being human, angry for having to run and hide, and his heart was breaking. He felt selfish for thinking about his own needs at this moment, for thinking about how he doesn't know how he will bear to be away from her, how the one night a week at my house was hard enough. I could understand exactly what he was going through. I turned back to Carlisle.

I know it's going to be hard, son, but you've seen Alice's vision, this is the only way, right? I heard the front door open and Jasper and Bella stepped inside. I couldn't look yet. I didn't want Bella to misconstrue my pain as rejection or indifference. I focused on Carlisle, and nodded my head.

Then you will find a way to make it work. I nodded my head again. For Bella. The Volturi wouldn't even know she existed if it weren't for me. She risked her life to save mine. The least I could do was swallow my pain and save hers in return. Before I have to give her back to Jasper. Again.

Alice said they will be observing you and Bella. I nodded. So this ruse will have to be 24 hours a day, every day, even at home. I nodded again. Oh, Edward. I feel so sorry for you all. Alice and Adrian will have it the easiest, I think. The focus won't be on them; Alice should be able to sneak out and see him occasionally. Alice and Jasper were never publicly affectionate anyway, and again, the focus isn't on them, so they will really only have to act that way in public, and even then, primarily with words. Jasper will have to watch you with Bella, and that's going to devastate him, I'm sure. They will all be separated from the ones they love. But your pain will be quite the opposite, because you will be so close to the one you love, and yet she will still belong to another. I'm quite afraid that of all of you, your burden will be the hardest to bear. I met his gaze, but didn't respond. I could see no possible way that I was going to come out of this unscathed, but it didn't matter. I would endure a hundred years of Jane's torture if it would save Bella.

Don't let anything Jasper might say affect you, alright? This will be hard for him, too. I nodded one last time and Carlisle turned his attention to the others.

Alice was projecting her thoughts at me as she and Esme came downstairs. You'll need to give her the ring tonight, Edward. For one thing, humans tend to play with rings a lot more when they first put them on. They twist them, look at them when they catch the light, that kind of thing. Then when it starts to feel natural that it should be there, they don't fiddle with it anymore, it becomes like part of their skin. Bella needs to get used to wearing that ring. She'll be moving in on Sunday morning, but you need to start reacting to each other as a couple again. Behave how you would have behaved before you split up. She can't flinch when you touch her or kiss her, she can't cringe when you call her 'love.' Starting now.

Esme's thoughts drifted to me as she gave Bella a kiss and led her to the table. Perhaps, something good may come of this. It may actually be a good thing for Edward and Bella. I don't think either of them has really gotten any closure. How could I tell her that I didn't want closure? That would mean admitting that there was no chance Bella will ever be in my arms again. But she will be in my arms again, in the very near future, and still I can expect no comfort from it. I intended to keep my gaze down and stay as far removed from the conversation as possible, but I couldn't help but look up when Bella sat across from me. Our eyes locked and it was almost as if she could read my mind. Do you know how much I love you? How scared I am for you right now? How nervous I am about what has to happen next? I don't want to have to cause you pain, or make you uncomfortable, and yet I'm afraid that's exactly what I will be doing time and time again for as long as they are here. I'm so sorry, Bella. How will you take all this? Will you hate me for it?

Prick. Jasper's thoughts broke the connection, and I went back to staring at my hands in my lap. I promised Carlisle I would not be confrontational with him. It's not his fault. That was just the first of a string of profanities that Jasper shouted in his mind as Carlisle and Alice explained the situation to him. They will have to be convincing, they will have to act as though they're in love. And I will have to stand by and watch. Worse, I will have to act like there is nothing wrong. I really did feel bad for him. This couldn't be easy for him, either.

I focused on forcing down my feelings, centering myself. I did not want Jasper to have to deal with the swarm of emotions flowing through me right now on top of everything else. Hey Edward! You really think that calm shit fools me? You're loving this, aren't you? Was he deranged? The Volturi were threatening to kill my family, to kill Bella! No, I am NOT loving this. But if it makes you feel better to take it out on me, go right ahead.

Carlisle stood. Edward, I'm going to take Jasper hunting, give him a chance to compose himself. While we're gone, you need to give Bella the ring. It will be easier for Jasper if he doesn't have to see you do it. I wouldn't recommend getting down on one knee, but there's nothing wrong with letting her know that the ring is special to you. I nodded again, still staring at my hands, and then he and Jasper were gone.

Bella sat back down at the table after Jasper kissed her goodbye, but said nothing, just stared off into space.

"Bella, are you okay?" Bella turned to me and shrugged.

"As well as can be expected, I guess. You'd think I'd be used to this by now. Seems like someone's always trying to kill me." Bella stood up and headed for the refrigerator. She pulled out a container of Chunky Monkey and a spoon, turning to lean back on the counter and eating straight from the container. She seemed to calm down a bit after the first bite. I guess ice cream really was comfort food, I mused. "So…this is going to be interesting, huh?"

"Yes, I suppose that's as good a word for it as any." I crossed the room then and carefully removed the ice cream and spoon from her, setting them down on the countertop. I took her left hand into my own as I took my mother's ring from my pocket with my right. I showed it to her and she got wide eyed and shaky. "Bella, this was my mother's engagement ring. I had always hoped to see it on your hand, just under vastly different circumstances. I realize that this isn't a real engagement, but I hope that you will cherish it nonetheless for however long it is yours." Bella nodded, just a little, and straightened out her fingers to allow me to slide the ring into place. She held her hand off to the side and admired it. It was a perfect fit.

"It's beautiful, Edward." An awkward moment followed as we looked in each other's eyes, not knowing what to do next. Finally, Bella reached up and put her arms around my neck, laying her head on my shoulder in a warm embrace. Silent tears soaked my shirt as I held her tight, tracing her spine with my fingers soothingly. After a while, Bella looked up at me, her expression so muddled I had absolutely no idea what she was thinking. She looked terrified, and exhausted, and God only knew what else. I wiped her tears away from her cheek.

"Don't cry, love. You know I can't stand to see you cry," I whispered. I thought about what Alice said. I must behave the way I would have behaved before everything went wrong. With that in mind, I leaned forward to kiss away the new round of tears flowing down her cheeks, but hesitated, not knowing if it was the right thing to do. I pulled back and Bella peered up at me.

"It's alright, Edward," she said, sounding resigned. "It appears we're going to have to get used to being together like this again." I wasn't positive if she meant it was alright to kiss her tears away, or if she meant it was alright that I backed away. I decided it would be best to just ask.

"Bella, may I kiss the tears from your cheeks?" Bella didn't answer, she just fluttered her eyes closed and leaned her head back a little, biting her lower lip. I slowly, tentatively, kissed each tear away until they ceased to flow, relishing the feeling of her flushed cheeks against my lips. Then when I was certain the tears had stopped, I pecked her nose with a kiss, and then, without thinking, I gave her a very quick peck on the lips, feeling that familiar electrical current pass between us. The kiss was so fast that I might have thought she didn't feel it at all, if it weren't for the fact that she jumped back about five feet and brought her fingertips to her lips immediately after, looking shocked.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I just, well, we're going to have to, and it might take some getting used to, and, well, I didn't think it through, I guess," I rambled. Bella walked back up to me and put her finger to my lips to shush me.

"Edward, it's okay. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. I guess Alice was right. It's going to take some time to getting used to that again. But not now, okay? Not here, in Jasper's and my house. We'll…work on…that…starting on Sunday, when I move in. After everyone else leaves. Okay?"

"Okay, Bella. You're right. I really am sorry." I heard the door open and close as Carlisle and Jasper came back from their quick hunt. "I'm going to go, there's nothing more I can do here tonight, and I want to make sure the house is ready for you. I'll be back tomorrow for your birthday party, okay?" Bella nodded, and I let myself out the back door. I barely made it home before the pain overtook me.

A/N: The Naked Cullen Boys are taking their Cullendales Revue show to Memphis, TN! In honor of the great Elvis Presley, they will be doing lap dances to 'A Little Less Conversation' for all my lovely reviewers!