Chapter 18:
*Edward & Bella*
"I wonder what Ness is thinking right now…" Bella lay on Edward's bare chest and made soft circles with one finger on his stomach.
They occupied the bed in the room that used to be Edward's.
Edward grinned slightly. "Wondering if she's angry with us, are you?"
She sighed. "No…I guess I've just been worrying about how all of this is affecting her...how she's handling all of this chaos."
Edward gently turned over on his side to face her and kissed her softly. "As well as can be expected, I suppose." A crooked smile crossed his lips. "After all, we did just ground her from seeing her soulmate…and I can't possibly imagine how that must feel." The sarcasm was obvious.
Bella gave his chest a soft shove and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Edward…" She reached her hand out to touch his face. "Don't you remember what it was like for us…what it's still like for us to be separated?"
He nodded. "Yes…" His voice trailed. "Excruciating."
"Exactly." She replied. "I think that's how Ness feels when she's away from Jacob…like something is missing."
"I understand that." He closed his eyes. "And Bella, I will try my best to keep my word…but you—."
"Shh." She put a finger to his lips to silence him. "That's all you need to do. Give them a chance, Edward."
He sighed and rolled over onto his back, his eyes on the ceiling. "Bella…I'm trying very hard to be tolerant, and to accept this, but it's been difficult for me."
"I know that it has." He felt her hand on his cheek. "But there will come a time when she won't be ours' to worry about…and I think you need to start getting used to that."
He rolled over to face her once more. "That's not happening anytime soon, Bella." His face was stern.
"Edward." She shook her head. "She's a young woman...and before you know it, she'll be on her own. Like it or not, it's something that we're going to have to accept."
"She's much too young for this, Bella. I can't even believe for one moment that you're considering such a future for her right now."
"I didn't say anything about "right now." She stated. "But, some day, Edward, she will be his responsibility, and I think you need to start trusting him."
"I do trust him." He returned, though it wasn't convincing.
"Edward, for all that it's worth, thank you…but I don't believe you." Bella smiled.
"I know that he'll protect her…and I have no doubt that he cares for her…but his thoughts about her are becoming more and more advanced…and I'm not quite sure I'm ready for that, Bella."
"Advanced?" She questioned, though she knew exactly what he meant. "Sexual, you mean?" Though it probably didn't aggravate her nearly as much as it did Edward, the idea of Jacob having such thoughts about her daughter was indeed uncomfortable.
"Nearly." He closed his eyes once more. "And I'm just afraid…"
"That she's crossed the line with him." Bella finished. "No, I don't think she has."
"You don't think?" Edward repeated her. "We can't know that for sure."
"Sweetheart, don't you think that you would have heard that in Jacob's thoughts if they had done anything remotely that extreme?"
"Bella—."
"Edward, our daughter is responsible…and I trust that she'll make the right decision, whatever the circumstance. I trust that Jacob will, too. He's very cautious with her, and I don't believe for one moment that he would ever do anything to disrespect her."
"I hope that you're right…" Edward sighed.
"Edward." She moved closer to him and pulled his arm around her. "We have other things to worry about right now."
"Of course." He pursed his lips. "Your mother vacationing is Forks is much more important than the well-being of our daughter…"
"That's not fair, Edward." Bella closed her eyes. "This is incredibly difficult for me."
"You shouldn't have asked her to stay." He returned. "All of the time she's spending with Charlie can't possibly be good for him, or us."
"He won't say a word." She promised. "He wouldn't jeopardize Renesmee."
"What about our entire family?" He shook his head. "Bella, Renee being here…spending time around you as you are…I just—."
She waited for him to finish. "Just what?"
"Just afraid—." He paused. "That she'll discover what you are…what we are…and you know that she already blames me for all of this lost time."
"Edward, this is killing me." Bella sat up in bed, and the sheet fell from her skin. She wasn't concerned. "Everyday, I think about her…and I wonder what it would have been like if we had just told her from the beginning…instead of hiding this from her."
"Bella, you have to understand that this is what we chose…"
"I understand that." She replied firmly. "But Ness has every right to know her grandmother, and I think that having a relationship with Charlie makes it harder on her, because she knows that my mother exists, somewhere in this world, and she won't ever have a bond with her like she has with Esme."
"Is this really about Ness, love, or is it about you?" Edward reached out to stroke her hair.
"I just really miss her." Bella said softly. "I don't think I realized just how much until she walked back into my life."
"Come here." Edward breathed, sliding his hands softly around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He held her for several long moments, and neither of them said a word. After a long while, Edward spoke again.
"Bella, I love you…and you know that if you wanted something badly enough, I wouldn't even think twice about keeping you from having exactly that."
He felt her nod into his chest.
"And you know that as much as I want to protect you, and Renesmee, I won't stand in your way if you truly feel this is what is best for our family…"
"Edward—." Her voice trailed.
"I'm serious, love." He returned. "I love you, and I trust you. I know how important your relationship with your mother is, and I'm sorry you've been away from her so long. If you must tell her, then I will support your decision."
Bella glanced up into his eyes, and smiled. "Thank you." She smiled, and pressed her lips gently to his.
