Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Ten

Even Edward had to admit the fact that my desire to go necking with a vampire was pretty funny.

In the early-fading autumn light, deep in the woods on a long-abandoned logging trail, far from the hyper-sensitive hearing of his family, I finally jumped on him. He'd grumbled about what the overgrown rutted road and underbrush was doing to the Volvo, but by the time I climbed into his lap and began unbuttoning what clothes I could reach, he'd stopped complaining.

"We are not going to do this every weekend we visit my family," he laughed, pushing the driver's seat as far back as possible and reclining the backrest.

"We're making out, Edward. Just think of it as catching up on what we missed in high school."

He moaned and grabbed my hips as I ground against him. "Even if we had been doing this in high school, I would have had enough sense to rent a hotel room."

"Don't be a spoilsport," I whispered against his throat, then nibbled gently along his hard skin. He growled his approval and began trying to undress me as I squirmed on top of him. When we were both panting and naked from the waist-up, Edward drew the line at sex in the front seat and dragged me into the back with him.

Afterwards we snuggled awkwardly in the backseat, with me straddling him and laying down against his chest. Only our post-orgasmic bliss made the position comfortable.

"Look, we even steamed up the windows," I giggled.

"You steamed up the windows," he replied dryly.

"You helped. Now, doesn't it feel like we made up for something we missed in high school?"

"Of all the things I wanted to do to you in high school, this particular scenario hadn't crossed my mind, but I admire your adventurous spirit." He tilted his head back and, even from upside-down, managed to write a perfect B + E on the steamed-up window with his fingertip.

"You're so romantic," I murmured, peppering his face with kisses.

"I thought you'd like that."

"My legs are going numb, though."

"Can we go back home for round two, then?"

"Nope," I said pertly, climbing slowly off him and out of the car, somehow managing to do it without falling on my face. Edward handed my clothes out after me. "See, this gives us a chance to be creative."

He emerged from the car, fully-clothed already, as I struggled to pull on my jeans in the chilly evening air. "What if I promise to be very, very quiet?" He laughed when he saw the look on my face. "Bella, we can't keep doing this. Trust me when I tell you, with this situation they'll tease us for sure, when they wouldn't say a word about us doing it at home. Sex is a perfectly normal thing, and they all have it frequently too. Vampires are extremely lusty creatures."

"I figured that out already. I just…ugh! Doesn't it give you the creeps to hear them going at it?"

Edward laughed harder at my choice of words, reached out to pull me to him, and then leaned back against the car. "It's not as though I enjoy listening to them, Bella. You learn to tune it out, and after a while, you barely even notice. Until Rose and Emmett start breaking furniture, that is."

"I'm not as concerned with overhearing them… although I'm not looking forward to it. I'm worried about them hearing me."

"Hearing you what, love? Moan in pleasure when I lick and suck your delectable body? Whimper when I bring you right to the edge and then back off?" His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Scream my name when you come around me?"

I shivered involuntarily at his words, growing aroused again in spite of myself. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm worried about them hearing."

"If they overheard us, they would be happy that you and I were enjoying ourselves so much, and that would be the end of it. We're not voyeurs, and we've learned over time to respect each other's privacy. The only one who will probably say anything is Emmett, and it seems like you're more than capable of handling him."

I remained silent, and finally he put his finger under my chin and tipped my head up so he could meet my eyes. "I'm not going to force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with, Bella. I just want you to know the reality of how we live."

"I know," I muttered. "It's going to take some getting used to."

"I could take you again right now, against the car," he suggested helpfully.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's freezing out here."

He rolled his eyes and opened the passenger door for me. "Come on, let's get going. I have plans for you tonight."

We drove slowly back out the logging trail, and after we emerged back onto the main road he spoke again. "I also wanted to let you know that Emmett wants Jasper, Carlisle, and I to go hunting tomorrow. He's adamant about it, actually."

"That's fine. I can certainly keep myself busy. I'll let Alice have her way with me in the makeup chair to get her off my back. She's probably already hopping mad that I put her off about it once today."

"It's going to be a long hunting trip, love. We'll be going over to Goat Rocks Wilderness, about two hundred miles southeast of here. It's something of a tradition that we have, and since Emmett has been gone, he's insisting that we go right away."

"Honestly Edward, it's fine. Go enjoy yourself with your family. You won't even have to worry about me getting into trouble since I'll be with Esme, Alice, and Rosalie."

"That's exactly why I'm not pushing him to wait for a weekday. Being away from you makes me anxious."

"You're overprotective," I teased gently.

"I know, love, and I try not to be overbearing about it, but for the next six weeks, until you are as impermeable and unbreakable as I am, I will continue to worry every day about your safety. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you between now and then."

"Nothing is going to happen to me," I replied, surprised at the fretfulness in his voice. "Between you and I being attached at the hip, your psychic sister, and your doctor father, I'm not worried."

"I worry," he said quietly, then gently took my hand and kissed it. I thought about speaking again, but instead I relaxed back into the seat, my hand still in his, and tried to think reassuring thoughts in his direction. After a moment he squeezed my hand and a faint smile touched his lips. "Thank you, love."

"So when are you leaving, and when will you be back?"

"We'll leave tonight, after you fall asleep, and then I'll be back late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning. Then you and I will have all day Sunday together."

"That sounds nice. You can have your manly bonding time, and I'll have my girl bonding time. I want to spend time with your family, Edward. It's not like you're abandoning me."

He sighed. "I know, but I tend to overreact when it comes to you in general, and your safety specifically."

"Edward," I looked at him, completely baffled by this point. "You're talking like there's something to be worried about. Are you keeping something from me?"

"No, of course not!" he replied immediately. "It's just that you are the most precious thing in my life, and the idea of being two hundred miles away from you is upsetting."

"I'll be fine," I said soothingly. "Go. Hunt. Enjoy yourself with your family. The idea of you having fun makes me happy."

"I am looking forward to variety in prey," he admitted. "The area has a lot of bears, although they're all probably getting ready for winter. There's nothing that Emmett loves more than a good tussle with an irritable grizzly."

"Will I like grizzlies?"

"I'm sure you will, but you may find something you prefer more. My favorite is mountain lion."

"Mountain lion," I murmured, thinking that it was an interesting choice… the way Edward moved reminded me of a large cat sometimes, and Emmett could certainly be compared to a giant, albeit lovable, grizzly bear.

"And of course in Alaska there is so much variety, I have no doubt you'll find something you enjoy. I confess I'm rather looking forward to watching you hunt."

I turned to him in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes." His lips quirked slightly. "I get the feeling I'll find it incredibly sexy."

I tried to imagine what vampires hunting looked like, but couldn't come up with anything that didn't seem silly. "I don't suppose it's possible for me to see you hunt until after my change, huh?"

"No, absolutely not," he replied immediately. "Hunting is one of a few times that we give ourselves up completely to our instincts. I trust myself to not hurt you, but there is no chance I want you anywhere near when I hunt. Remember Bella, I am still a vampire, and you are still a human."

"Not for long," I whispered, but of course he heard and gave me a crooked smile. We rode the rest of the way in comfortable silence, arriving back at the house to discover Esme had cooked yet another stellar dinner for me.

"Really, Esme, you don't have to cook for me all the time!" I protested.

She laughed. "Truly, Bella, I enjoy it. I'm actually surprised by how much is coming back to me about cooking from my human life, and it's nice to have someone to spoil."

As I ate, I thought about the next day. I was truly happy that Edward was going hunting with his brothers. I didn't want him to feel that he had to be attached to my side all the time. My life after moving to Port Angeles had been fairly solitary, so the constant company, as much as I enjoyed it, was a drastic change. I knew that Edward would give me space in a moment if I asked for it, but I didn't want to be apart from him. I was still amazed each time I realized that our relationship was barely a week old; it seemed as though we'd been together for years.

The hunting trip was a good idea though, and I was actually looking forward to spending time with Esme and Alice. Any bonding between Rosalie and I would be out in the garage, which was nice to know as well. Maybe if Alice didn't have plans already, I could give her the go-ahead for the makeover she was so hell-bent on doing. It would probably be fun to be pampered for once.

A moment after the thought crossed my mind, I heard a faint but excited squeal from the second floor. I could only laugh and shake my head as Edward chuckled faintly. "Don't let her do anything drastic, love. I happen to be very partial to your appearance as it is."

After I finished eating and washed the dishes, Edward played the piano for some time, and then we headed upstairs to the bedroom. His hands were on me the moment the door closed behind us.

"Edward!" I protested, half-laughing. "I thought we talked about this!"

"Indeed we did." I could feel his lips curve up into a smile against my neck as his hands moved under my shirt, against my bare skin. "And if I remember correctly, I promised to be very, very quiet."

***

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was gone. He'd refused to leave until I was completely exhausted and utterly satiated, saying that he didn't want to leave me unsatisfied. I'd bitten my lips almost raw to keep from crying out or making any other noise, and Edward had been considerate as well. The unbelievably erotic sight of Edward coming while holding back every sound but the faintest moan had been enough to convince me that having sex at the Cullen home was doable after all. After he'd teased one final climax from me, I'd fallen asleep almost immediately, his cool arms wrapped firmly around me, and his lips in my hair.

I yawned and headed for the bathroom, showered, and then pulled on jeans and a bulky soft sweater. Alice was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, and I laughed out loud at the expectant look on her face. She followed me into the dining room and even watched every bite of breakfast, and then as I washed the dishes afterwards.

"Are you anticipating a jailbreak, warden?"

She laughed and grabbed my hand, tugging me up the stairs. "No, I'd see that from a mile away. I'm just so excited to get started. There's only so much you can do with vampire skin and hair, so I can't wait to play with yours!"

"Nothing permanent or drastic, please?"

"I promise." She dragged me into the bathroom attached to her bedroom, and my jaw dropped. It was enormous, outfitted like a luxury salon, and had more products lining the shelves than I had time to look at before she plopped me into a bona fide hairdresser's chair. Esme knocked gently at the door before entering, a sketchbook in her hand.

"Bella, if you don't mind me being here while Alice has her fun, I'd like to talk to you about your accommodations in Alaska. Edward had his own room there, of course, but I thought the two of you might enjoy some privacy, a small honeymoon if you will. There's a separate caretaker's cottage on the property. I would like to talk about renovating it for the two of you."

"Oh Esme, that would be wonderful!"

"Why don't I tell you what I have in mind, and show you some of my sketches? I know Edward's tastes and preferences fairly well by now, but I want this to be a comfortable home for you as well."

"Mani and pedi first, then!" Alice sang.

I felt myself relaxing as Alice gave me a complete, perfect pedicure in record time, and then began on my fingernails. I loved all of Esme's ideas for the cottage; her drawings were intricate and beautiful, and her excitement about the project was contagious. After we'd discussed everything, she excused herself to work on the project in more detail, and Alice proceeded to give me a facial.

"See, I told you this would be no big deal! You're beautiful as it is. I just thought you'd enjoy being spoiled a bit."

"Mmm-hm, this is heaven. You can do this for me anytime."

"Oh good, because I figured next I'd trim your hair, just a tiny bit of layering for body, and then-I-was-thinking-about-a-bikini-wax." She said the last part in a rush and then dropped a warm washcloth on my face. I immediately reached up to snatch it away.

"No way, no how. No bikini wax, Alice."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad! I looked it up; it's a special wax made out of sugar, and it doesn't hurt like regular wax!"

"No."

She tugged the washcloth out of my hand and arranged it over my face again. "Besides, just think how much Edward would appreciate a surprise like that!"

"Nmmph," was my negative reply from under the washcloth. Although I liked the idea in theory, there was no way I was letting my future sister-in-law do it. I'd find a good spa in Port Angeles or something.

"Come on, Bella, don't be embarrassed, and remember that once you're changed, your body is frozen the way it is. So you might want to keep that in mind; be neat and tidy for all eternity."

I lifted the bottom of the washcloth. "Jesus, you make it sound like getting ready for a visit to the gynecologist. Where exactly did you learn how to do a good pain-free bikini wax?"

"Online," she replied promptly, and I shook my head.

"No way in hell. I love you already Alice, but anyone who hasn't experienced one isn't giving me a bikini wax."

"Fair enough," she pouted. "Can I find a spa for you then, and come along for moral support?"

"Yes. But not today."

She grumbled throughout the remainder of the facial, but perked up again as she snipped away at my hair. I had to give her credit; the subtle layers she cut into my hair were a vast improvement.

"And voila!" she finally announced, after brushing on a little light makeup.

"I'm impressed," I admitted. "You're a good friend to have Alice. I look fabulous."

"Yes you do," she agreed immediately. "And now that you know that a spa day isn't a Spanish Inquisition-style ordeal, I hope we can do a few more in the next six weeks. And after your change too, of course, it's just that a lot of this stuff obviously doesn't work on vampires."

"Obviously, why improve on perfection?" I teased. "Seriously, thank you Alice. I feel like a million bucks. So what are you up to for the rest of the day?"

"Shopping," she replied, flitting around and restoring order to the pristine bathroom. "Stuff for our room in Alaska, more winter clothes, stuff like that. I just have it all delivered straight there. You'll be surprised how fast time will fly by before the move. Do you want me to order some clothes for you too?"

"Alice, after the La Perla order, you are hereby free to be my personal shopper. Just try and keep what I'm comfortable with in mind, okay?"

She grinned widely. "I told you he'd love the La Perla stuff. I'll just get you a few things. Your clothing size will actually be different after your change, so I'll get your measurements then and order a whole new wardrobe."

"You're the boss." I stood and stretched, checked the time on my cell phone and was surprised to find it was only eleven o'clock. "I'm going to call my mom. You can tell me more about Alaska later."

"Okay!" was her enthusiastic response, and I headed back upstairs to the bedroom. I felt incredibly relaxed from Alice's ministrations and I wished Edward were here so I could show off a little. I knew I needed to call my mother though, and arrange a trip down to see her. With all the work the other Cullens were evidently putting into the move, I needed to contribute in my own small way. I had my wallet with me; I could even go ahead and make the flight reservations after talking to Renee.

I sank into Edward's black leather couch and flipped open my phone, speed-dialing my mom. I hadn't actually spoken to her on the phone for almost three weeks, although I made sure to e-mail her weekly. It made me a little sad, thinking how we'd grown apart since I'd left her to live with Charlie, and I knew that a visit with her would be exactly what I needed before I wasn't allowed to be around humans for a few years.

The phone rang several times before there was a click and then Renee's voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom!"

"Bella!" She sounded pleased. "I'm so glad to hear from you, I was planning on calling tomorrow. What are you up to?"

I curled up and tucked my legs under me. "Well, I'm calling with news, actually."

"Let me guess, you met a guy?" Her voice was excited and I smiled. For as flighty and impetuous as Renee could be, she was also incredibly perceptive. Although, she asked me if I'd met a guy every time we talked, so maybe it wasn't so far a stretch after all.

"Yes mom, I'm finally dating a really great guy,and, um, it's pretty serious."

She squealed. "Tell me all about him!"

"It's a guy I went to high school with. We reconnected by accident and really hit it off."

"Is he a student? What's his name?"

"Yes." I'd have to remember to warn Edward about that. "He's at Peninsula College too. His name is Edward."

"That's wonderful, hon. I was really getting worried. You were never big on going out and socializing, but that's how you meet new people."

"Yeah, um, speaking of… I'd really like for you to meet him. Like I said, we're pretty serious, and I was thinking we could maybe fly down over Thanksgiving so you could get to know him, and I'd love to see you and Phil too, of course."

"Oh…" There was hesitancy in her voice and my heart sank. "Actually, Bella, that's why I was planning on calling you. Now that the season is over, Phil and I decided to treat ourselves and go on a cruise. Although, why he's okay with traveling on vacation when he travels around the whole rest of the year is beyond me."

"Oh, okay." I bit my lip, disappointed. "Maybe closer to Christmas, then?"

"Well, hon, it's one of those long cruises. You know, one that actually circles the globe. We're leaving here at the end of next week and we won't be back until after the New Year." She laughed nervously. "It's ridiculously expensive, but we've been saving up and we figured we'd treat ourselves to a nice vacation. Christmas on the equator and all that."

I bit my lip harder, wondering if my thoughtless mother had given a second thought to what my plans were for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We'd discussed the holidays earlier in the year, nothing concrete, but I'd mentioned coming and visiting even then and she'd been overjoyed at the idea. Of course it was typical Renee: she never meant to be hurtful, but she always put herself first, never considering how her actions would affect others. Even when I'd come to live with Charlie, I knew she missed me but was relieved to be free to follow Phil around the country, unencumbered by a teenage daughter.

"You're not angry, are you? I'm sorry hon, I really meant to call you sooner and give you a heads-up, but you know how hectic things get…"

I took a deep breath. "No, I'm not angry. A little disappointed, but you guys deserve a nice vacation together."

"Maybe after the New Year, you and Edward could fly down then? Towards the end of January?"

The end of January? There was no way I would be able to see people by the end of January, unless we put off my change until later, and putting it off was something I was not very interested in doing. I shut my eyes, willing back the irritation, and then felt a surge of guilt. My mother was entitled to take a vacation with her husband, and if I was angry that it put a crimp in my plans, then it just made me a hypocrite.

"Yeah, I guess we could wait until then, it's no big deal."

"I'm sorry honey, I guess I just didn't think you'd want to come down here for the holidays."

Where did you think I'd go? I felt guilty as soon as the thought crossed my mind.

"Really, Mom, it's fine."

"I just assumed you'd spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Blacks, I suppose…"

As opposed to spending them with my mother, whom I haven't seen since my father's funeral ten months ago. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, feeling more guilt over the irritation bubbling inside of me. I hadn't mentioned the holidays to her since August. I couldn't expect her to automatically assume that I'd want to travel to Florida to be with her and Phil.

"I guess I could just stay with Edward and his family…"

"Are you sure it's okay, Bella? I mean, I can't really change our plans now, but I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"No, I just really wanted you to meet Edward…" My throat closed up suddenly and I tried to suck in as quiet a breath as possible. "It's okay, though. We'll figure it out."

"Oh, I'm so glad you're not angry!" The relief in her voice was unmistakable and I stayed silent as she began prattling on about the itinerary of the cruise, the ports of call, and the various places they would visit. As she chattered on, I couldn't help but wonder what I would do for the holidays if I didn't have the Cullens. Would I have called the Blacks and blatantly invited myself over? Or would I have spent them alone, not wanting to impose where I hadn't been invited?

"…and so then we spend a few days in Greece and…what hon? Hold on a second, Bella." There was a brief muffled conversation on the other end of the line, and then Renee's voice returned. "Oh shoot, Phil just reminded me that his family is coming out to visit us for a week right after we get back. So maybe mid-February might be a better time for you to come visit, oh wait, hang on…" More muffled conversation before Renee sighed into the phone. "Phil keeps reminding me of all these things we have lined up. So hectic! How about this, Bella, I'll call you when we get back from the cruise and we'll figure something out then, okay? And there's internet service on the ship so we can still e-mail in the meantime. How does that sound?"

I swallowed down the aching lump in my throat. "Sure Mom, I guess we'll figure it out when the time comes."

"Thanks for understanding, Bella, you always were willing to put up with my craziness!" She laughed. "Listen hon, I have to run, we've got a million and one things to do, but I'll be in touch, okay?"

"Okay."

"Love you baby! Bye!"

I slowly flipped the phone shut, emotions raging furiously within me. Irritation and anger towards my scatterbrained mother who was always quick to put herself first; resentment that I would apparently have to put off my plans until Renee found time to work me into her busy schedule; guilt over begrudging her a nice vacation with her husband; and hurt that I still wasn't important enough for her to worry about.

It had been that way my whole life. I knew that Renee loved me, but she'd always led her life impetuously, from crazy whim to whim, and I'd always followed. When she'd married Phil, I knew she was unhappy having to stay home with me, and although she'd never said anything directly, I hadn't missed the relief in her eyes when I offered to go live with my dad. Even when she had insisted that I come back and live with her after Charlie's death, I knew it was because of guilt and worry, not a real desire to assume the responsibility of being a full-time parent again. It was a role she'd never been very good at.

I stood up from the couch suddenly and bolted down the stairs. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I suddenly just wanted to be alone, somewhere I could process my thoughts and emotions in private. When I got to the bottom of the staircase I froze. My truck was definitely still out of commission, and I had no idea where Edward's keys were. For the briefest moment I wondered if I could borrow another one of the Cullens' vehicles, but then suddenly Alice was in front of me, holding up a set of keys. She smiled, but her eyes were sad, and I realized that of course she must have overheard the conversation with Renee.

"We keep the spare sets of keys to all the cars in the kitchen, just in case you ever need to borrow one. I wouldn't recommend ever taking Rose's without her explicit permission, though."

"Thanks, Alice," I muttered, gripping the Volvo key fob tightly. "I'm going out for a while, just for a drive. I'll be back later."

I flipped a half-hearted wave to Rosalie as I entered the garage, and she looked at me curiously as I slipped into the Volvo and drove away. I was becoming more comfortable driving Edward's car, but I definitely didn't want anything to happen to it, and I wondered if my original plan of going for a long drive was such a good one after all.

Instead, I drove into downtown Forks, glad that no one would recognize me behind the tinted glass. I wasn't in the mood for idle conversation. I really just wanted to go somewhere private and maybe bawl my eyes out. On impulse, I made a right turn and, after a couple of miles, pulled into the cemetery where Charlie was buried.

The cemetery was northwest of Forks, just off La Push Road and surrounded by thick forest. I hadn't been here since the funeral and as I pulled up and parked on the gravel road near his headstone, I wondered why in the world I was here now. I sat unmoving behind the wheel for a few minutes, and then slowly opened the door and climbed out, zipping up my jacket. It was bitterly cold and when I felt the sting of the icy air, I retrieved a thick woven blanket from the trunk and wrapped that around myself too. Then I took a deep breath and walked over to my father's grave.

The cemetery management was in charge of the general maintenance and upkeep, and I was happy to see that the area was neatly kept. His headstone was a plain one, as per his will, although some in City Hall had wanted to upgrade to something fancier to honor their Chief of Police. I hadn't even known he had a will until after his death, and he'd been very specific about everything, thankfully leaving very little for me to decide. His headstone simply listed his name, dates of birth and death, and then under that, Beloved Father of Isabella.

I carefully sat down next to the headstone, arranging the heavy blanket between my pants and the damp ground. I remembered how I'd cried when I saw that line on his headstone for the first time at the funeral. Charlie and I had never been ones for long talks or father-daughter bonding, but in some ways I'd been closer to him than I'd ever been to Renee. Renee had been more like my best friend than my mother; it had been that way my entire life. Charlie, on the other hand, did his best to be a good dad, even when the role was suddenly thrust back on him when I arrived from Phoenix. He'd given me a curfew and rules because he worried about me, but he'd also given me love in his own quiet way. We'd fit together so comfortably, so easily.

He'd started feeling sick at work three days after Christmas and came home, complaining that he must have caught the flu from someone. Within an hour, he was feeling so much worse that he allowed me to drive him to the hospital, even though I think he only relented because I'd threatened to call an ambulance if he didn't. On the short drive there, he began sweating and struggling to breathe, complaining of a squeezing pain in his chest. I drove straight up to the emergency entrance where the attendants on duty took one look at him, put him in a wheelchair, and took him inside while I parked the car. I'd sat and waited for almost three hours before Dr. Gerandy and a counselor finally came to take me into a private consultation room and told me that Charlie was dead. He'd gone into full cardiac arrest within two minutes of being admitted to the hospital, and despite all their efforts, they'd been unable to save him.

That was the point at which I just went numb.

Everything blurred together after that. The funeral. Packing up all of Charlie's things, having to decide what should be donated to charity and what I should keep. The reading of the will and finding out he'd left everything to me. The sale of the house. Moving my few boxes of belongings to the Blacks' house. And then finally returning to school the third week of January. Moving through school automatically, hearing and seeing, speaking when needed, but not really there. Just numb. Completely unaware of how much love and concern was inside Edward, who was only ever a few feet away from me.

I felt tears slipping down my cheeks as I reached out one finger to touch Charlie's name, engraved in the cold marble. Charlie would have liked Edward. He'd admired Dr. Cullen a great deal and had mentioned his children in passing; about how polite and well-behaved they all were. What father wouldn't want a polite, well-behaved, respectful boy in love with his daughter? He would have probably made a point of cleaning his guns when Edward came over at least once, just as a subtle reminder that it would be foolish to break his daughter's heart, but he would have warmed up to him eventually. It would have been impossible for him not to.

I was sobbing now, letting out my frustration and hurt from the conversation with my mother, along with regret over having lost Charlie far too soon. I remembered how alone I'd felt at the funeral, and I felt that same feeling creeping back over me now. Even surrounded by people who I knew cared about me, I'd felt so isolated. My mother had a whole separate life now with Phil. I'd never even seen their house in Jacksonville. My life was buried beneath my feet; all the security and stability I'd had was taken away in one moment, and although it was never said to my face, there was now the problem of What do we do with Bella?

Billy had made the offer, quietly and respectfully, immediately after the funeral. Jacob held my hand as I considered it, and hugged me when I said yes. Renee had protested and then finally gave in, making me promise I'd let her know immediately if I changed my mind, but I'd seen it again, there in her eyes, that same tiny flash of relief that had been there when I offered to move to Forks in the first place; the knowledge that she could keep her happy life the way it was. She would have let me move in without a word of complaint, I knew, but she would have been unhappy, just as she had been in Phoenix when Phil would go on the road and she had to stay home with me.

I'd reminded her that I was eighteen, capable of making my own decisions, and that was the end of it. I felt years older by the time I packed up my truck and moved to Port Angeles a few months later.

I sniffled and wiped my face on the warm blanket. I felt a little better for having the emotional release of a good cry, but it didn't change the fact that Renee's plans had thrown a wrench in mine. I'd have to decide if I was willing to wait a couple more months than we'd originally planned for the change, or if I was willing to go ahead with our original plans and not see my mother for several years. I'd have to talk to Edward about it.

My stomach growled loudly and I glanced at my watch, shocked at the time. I'd been at the cemetery much longer than I realized. I stood up stiffly, pulled the blanket tightly over my shoulders, and then reached over to put my hand on the cold stone before me.

"Bye, Dad."

I trudged over to the car and opened the trunk, shook out the blanket and folded it. Just as I was closing the trunk I heard a voice speak behind me.

"Bella?"

I turned and my jaw dropped. "Jake?"

I knew it was Jacob who stood about ten feet away, but it wasn't the Jacob I remembered. He was huge, as though he'd simultaneously had a growth spurt and started taking steroids since I'd last seen him in June. Despite the weather, he was dressed in just jeans and a t-shirt, the latter showing off his massive forearms.

"Jesus, Jake, when did you turn into a giant?"

He shrugged. "I've been working out."

I looked him up and down, my eyes wide. "Well, you look great, but wow! How did you know I was here?"

He shrugged again. "I was driving by with one of the guys and saw you sitting here."

I looked behind him. "You drove here?"

"Nah, I had him drop me off."

"Well, I could give you a ride back, if you like," I said slowly. My surprise was wearing off and fragments of my conversations with Edward and Carlisle were flickering through my mind. I needed to tread very carefully now.

Jacob didn't answer for a moment, just stood with his arms crossed, his stance stiff. "Whose car is that?"

"I borrowed it from a friend. My truck broke down, it's in the shop right now."

"Who's your friend?"

"You don't know her. Jeez, Jake, what's with the cross-examination?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Excuse me? I came to visit my father's grave, if that's not obvious. Jake, what the hell is the matter with you?"

He took in a long shuddering breath. "I'm a little on edge, Bells."

"I can see that. I haven't seen you in five months and you're flipping out on me?"

He dropped his eyes but his stance didn't relax. "I'm sorry, Bella. Like I said, I'm a little on edge right now."

"Are you on drugs?" I asked cautiously, and a tiny smile finally cracked the mask on his face.

"No, I'm not on drugs."

"Well in that case, can I have a hug?"

He uncrossed his arms, his face relaxing a little more. "I'm sorry, Bells."

I laughed and shook my head, then ran to him, jumping up to wrap my arms around his neck. His arms went around my waist and he hugged me back for the briefest of moments before he suddenly stiffened again. He reached up and carefully grabbed my arms, pulling me off of him and pushing me away, keeping his hands wrapped around my wrists. His nostrils were flared and his face was a mask of fury; I felt my first moment of real fear. He had to be on drugs, he looked completely strung out.

"Whose car is that, Bella?" he snarled.

"I told you, it's a friend's." My heart was pounding now.

"It's one of those fucking Cullens, isn't it?"

"Jake…"

"I knew it. Goddamn it I knew it. Bella, what did I tell you about staying away from them? Which one of them is it?"

Somewhere in the back of my head, through the haze of terror, I swore I heard Edward's voice, and he told me to lie.

"It's Alice's. I went to school with her, remember?"

"Since when are you friends with a Cullen?" he spat.

"None of your business! Jake, you're scaring me!"

Jacob's entire body was shaking, literally vibrating. I could feel the trembling of his hands that were still locked around my wrists. At my words he shut his eyes and appeared to be breathing deeply, trying to calm down. "Bella," he said through clenched teeth, "Why did you lie to me? What did I tell you? The Cullens are dangerous."

"Why are they dangerous? How in the world could Alice Cullen be remotely dangerous to me?" I tried to keep my voice level. Somehow I knew if Jake found out that I was aware of their true nature, it would be disastrous.

Jake's eyes popped open and he took one big breath. "Please Bella, you've got to trust me."

"Jake, how can I trust you when you're acting like this, when you won't tell me what's going on?" He huffed and dropped my left wrist, but before I could speak again, he was pulling me by my right towards the cemetery exit. "Jacob Black, what the hell are you doing?"

"Taking you to La Push," he snapped back, over his shoulder. I immediately dug my heels into the gravel road.

"The hell you are! Let go of me!"

"Bella, just come with me. Please, just trust me and come down to the reservation right now. I'll tell you more there."

"Let me go! We are not going to walk…"

"We'll hitch a ride."

I struggled, pulling harder against the hand he had wrapped tightly around my right wrist. "Jacob, please! You're hurting me!"

He turned immediately to face me, dropping my wrist simultaneously, his expression contrite. "I'm sorry Bella, God I'm sorry. Please, please just come with me. I'm begging you, come down to La Push and I'll explain everything."

I backed a couple of steps away from him. "No, Jake. Not with the way you're acting. I'll give you a ride home if you want, but I don't want to discuss anything with you right now. I'll call you in a couple of days and we can talk then, after you've calmed down."

"Where are you going?" I remained silent and took another step back as the furious look returned to his face. "You're going to them, aren't you? What the hell is wrong with you? Why can't you listen to me? Please Bella, you've got to stay away from them!"

"I've got to go, Jake," I said unsteadily, continuing to step back. Jake began striding towards me when suddenly there was a blur in my peripheral vision. Jake's face contorted with fury as a hard arm went around my waist and I was abruptly flying backwards, away from Jacob. Two figures were suddenly between Jacob and I, one tiny with spiky black hair and the other tall and blonde. Both were crouched in unmistakably aggressive stances.

"Bella, be very still." It was Esme's arm around my waist, her whisper soft in my ear.

"Aren't you a little far off the rez?" It was Alice who spoke, but I barely recognized her voice. It was cold and threatening, not her normal sweet tones at all.

"You fucking bloodsuckers!" Jacob screamed. "What the fuck are you doing with her?"

"Protecting her from you, obviously. How dare you put your hands on her." It was Rosalie's voice this time, low in a guttural snarl.

Jacob's eyes went to me even as he moved to go around Rosalie and Alice. They matched his movements exactly. "She knows? Bella, you fucking know about them?"

"Shh," Esme cautioned me, and I remained silent.

"What the fuck is she doing with you? Leave her alone! If you lay a single fucking finger on her…"

"Her choices are none of your concern. She is with us because she wants to be."

Jacob began trembling violently again.

"I wouldn't if I were you, dog," Rosalie warned him. "You pose more of a threat to her right now than any of us, and you know it. Stay away from her, and stay away from us."

"What…are…you…doing…with…her?" Jacob's voice was strangled. Neither Rosalie nor Alice answered him and he took a step back, his trembling increasing.

"Bella," Esme murmured in my ear, "If I tell you to run, do it. We'll catch up to you."

Just then there was movement behind Jacob and I recognized Sam Uley and Embry Call, two of the guys from La Push. Sam and Jacob hadn't been close, but Embry was one of Jacob's best friends. They were shirtless, dressed only in cutoff jeans. Sam held up his hands as Rosalie moved to flank them, Alice squaring up against Jacob.

"We're not here for a fight," Sam said clearly.

"This one evidently was," Rosalie growled, not relaxing at all.

"We'll take him back to La Push."

"Bella," Jacob's voice was almost a feral screech.

"Bella is free to do as she chooses." Sam's eyes went to me, but he addressed Esme. "However I suggest you remind your mate of the terms of the treaty."

"We are all perfectly aware of the terms of the treaty," Esme replied, her voice as flat and cold as the others. "You would do well to remind your friend that an unprovoked attack on my family, off your territory, would be a very poor choice to make. We also will not stand by if he again attempts to force Bella to do anything against her will."

Jacob snarled but Sam merely nodded. "Know that we will be watching you."

"As we shall be watching you," was Esme's icy response.

Sam reached out and grabbed one of Jacob's arms, Embry took the other. "Let's go," he commanded quietly. They turned and headed off into the woods, none of the three vampires around me relaxed their defensive postures until the men had disappeared. Then there was a whirl of activity, I found myself in the backseat of the Volvo with Esme and Alice on either side of me, Rosalie behind the wheel. She started the car and peeled out onto the main road, headed back towards the house.

Alice and Esme were talking, their lips moving too quickly and voices too low for me to understand them. I concentrated on taking deep breaths, and now that the seriousness of the situation was sinking into my mind, I started to shake. Esme rubbed my back soothingly.

"Are you okay, Bella?"

"My wrist hurts a little. I don't think he realized how hard he was grabbing it…"

Rosalie growled from the front seat.

"Alice, how did you…"

She shook her head. "It was so strange, everything was fine, and then you just… disappeared. I couldn't see your future at all. I don't know if it's something to do with them or not, if they block my vision, but it scared the hell out of me."

"What's going to happen?"

"I don't know!" Her voice was frustrated. "I don't think they're going to do anything, not right away at least, but if they poke holes in my vision…"

"I'm calling Carlisle," Esme said immediately. "They need to get home as soon as possible."

"No," I protested weakly, but Alice shook her head.

"Bella, we need the entire family here now. What if Jacob tries to kidnap you? It would be war between us and the Quileutes."

"Oh my God," I whispered. My conversation with Edward from days before… "Imagine the reaction of the Quileute elders when they find out that a beloved adopted daughter has been seduced, hypnotized even, by their mortal enemy. That is how they would view it, I don't doubt that they would extend their definition of 'taking a human life' to include such circumstances. I also don't doubt that they would move heaven and earth to rescue you from such a dire situation."

"But Alice, they don't know about Edward and I…"

"No, and thank goodness for that. I truly don't know how things would have turned out if they'd realized that much. I guess they think we've just befriended you at this point."

Esme spoke rapidly into her cell phone and then hung up. "I left Carlisle a message. We normally turn our phones off while hunting," she explained to me. "They'll leave as soon as he gets it."

"He'll get the message in about half an hour," Alice said slowly. "And they'll leave immediately."

We pulled up in front of the Cullen house and I was whisked inside by my three bodyguards. They guided me into the kitchen, and Rosalie carefully picked up my hand to examine my wrist.

"It looks like it'll just be a bad bruise. Let's put some ice on it. Edward is going to be furious."

"Yes, he will be," Alice agreed.

Esme sighed. "I'm glad Carlisle and his brothers are with him, I'm afraid he'd do something rash otherwise."

"I wouldn't blame him," Rosalie grumbled, carefully arranging a bag of crushed ice around my wrist.

"This changes everything," Esme said softly. Alice and Rosalie both nodded.

"What happens now?" I asked.

"We wait for the guys to get back, and then we'll have to sit down and figure out what to do from here."

"Okay," I whispered, tears prickling my eyes. "I'm so sorry I caused this."

"You didn't cause this," Rosalie said sharply. "Don't blame yourself. That mutt did all this, and it's him doing something stupid that we have to worry about."

"Rose," Esme interjected gently, but Rosalie shook her head.

"It's true, and we all know it."

Esme shook her head slowly. "Alice, do you see anything happening between now and the rest of the family returning?"

"No," she said promptly.

"All right, then. Bella, why don't you come relax in the living room with us? Rosalie, please go check Carlisle's bag and see if he has some Motrin or something else to help with her wrist." She put her arm around me and guided me into the living room. Just before I sat down on the giant white couch, my cell phone rang in my back pocket and Alice swore.

"It might be Edward…" I murmured, pulling it out, but Alice shook her head. The caller ID display read Jake.

"Don't answer it," Rosalie said sharply, coming into the room with a small bottle and glass of water in her hand. The phone rang again and I looked up at the three concerned vampires around me.

"I have to… just so he knows I'm okay."

Esme nodded immediately. "Be careful what you say, though."

I took a deep breath and flipped open the phone. "What do you want, Jake?"

"Bella, oh my God, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay, except for my wrist that you almost broke."

He groaned. "I'm so sorry Bells, I was panicking. Are you with them now?"

"Yes."

"Bella please, if you've ever trusted me, as your best friend, your brother, please come down here now. We can protect you from them here."

"I don't need to be protected from my friends," I said sharply. "They aren't a danger to me."

"You know what they are?"

"Yes."

"Then how can you possibly believe you're not in danger? They're bloodsuckers, Bella, murderers. I won't let them kill you too."

"They don't hunt humans, and I'm sure you are perfectly aware of that!" I snapped.

He sucked in a deep breath. "You can't trust them. You'll never know when they might turn on you."

"They won't."

"Why are you hanging around with them anyway, Bella? You don't need friends like that, undead leaches. Come back down here, please."

"Jake, I'll tell you this once," I said, fighting to stay calm. "The Cullens are not going to hurt me. They are my friends. If for any reason that changes and I need your help, I will let you know, but for now, I don't want to see you or talk to you for a few days at least."

"Bella," he started, and then I heard voices in the background. Jacob mumbled something I didn't catch, and then he was back. "Fine, if that's who you choose as your friends. Good luck with that. I hope you don't end up dead."

Then he hung up on me.

A/N: Dang, those Cullen women are FIERCE, huh? So Jake has made his much-anticipated appearance, please be sure to leave me a review and let me know what you think! Was his reaction completely out of line, or somewhat understandable (except for hurting her wrist)? And what's Edward going to do when he gets back and finds out what happened?

THANK YOU to my super-beta Stratan, and don't forget to come over and check out the IDBiV thread on Twilighted…clicky-link is in my profile!