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

Chapter Eleven

Three pairs of golden eyes bored into me as I slowly snapped my cell phone shut. I knew they'd been able to hear every word Jacob spoke, so I didn't bother explaining. Jake's parting words, so cold and hateful, were like a knife twisting in my heart; regardless of the potential danger he posed to me and to my new family, it was like having a piece of me ripped away. Jacob had been the brother I never had, and his last dispassionate words, "I hope you don't end up dead" would never have come from the Jacob I knew. If those words were his final goodbye to me, I'd carry that regret forever in my heart.

I looked up dully as Alice sank down next to me on the couch, and I immediately recognized the distracted faraway look on her face. Esme and Rosalie noticed it too.

"Alice, has something changed?" Esme asked urgently.

Alice's eyes were almost completely blank, flickering back and forth rapidly. Her face was in constant motion, although the movements were so minute I almost couldn't catch them. One moment her small mouth would purse in concern, and in the next her jaw would relax. It was as though she were swinging back and forth between emotions so disparate, that she couldn't pause to verbalize them. Finally, though, her head turned and her blank eyes settled on me.

"Carlisle just got your message, Esme," she said slowly, her attention obviously still elsewhere. "Edward is extremely upset, he wants to…" She gasped and tensed. In a flash Esme was dialing her cell phone again, but Alice's hand shot out to stop her. "No, wait, they're trying to convince him."

We all fell silent again until the blank look in Alice's eyes slowly disappeared and her face relaxed, and then scrunched up again in frustration. "Edward was determined to go straight to La Push. The guys were having a hell of a time restraining him, but they're on the way back now. Edward wanted to run but they've practically got him physically restrained in the Jeep…" Her eyes drifted off again, and then snapped back. "They're coming straight here. They'll be here in less than two hours."

"Oh thank God," Esme breathed, while Rosalie rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Why am I not surprised that Edward would try something so stupid?" she snapped, irritated. Alice shot her an annoyed look.

"As if Emmett wouldn't do the same thing if it had happened to you?"

Rosalie huffed and sat back against the couch.

"What should I do?" I asked quietly, still fingering the cell phone in my hand. Alice sighed and put her arms around me; I leaned gratefully into her strength.

"Edward is extremely upset right now, Bella, and the only one he's really going to listen to is you. You know how he feels about your safety, and he feels that he let you down. I know that you believe Jacob didn't pose a threat to you, but…" she paused for a moment. "Well, let's just say that we don't agree, for a myriad of reasons. Anyway, when the guys get here, we're going to have to figure out what to do about this whole situation. Jacob is unpredictable right now, and that makes him dangerous, especially since I can't see him or any of his actions in advance. We'll need you to keep Edward calm and rational during the discussion, and you're the only one he'll truly listen to right now."

"Why is he so upset? I mean, I understand he's overprotective, but nothing really happened…"

"You're his mate, Bella," Esme said softly. "And you were in danger today, even though you don't yet realize how much. Your wellbeing is the foremost thing on Edward's mind, always. After your change, you'll understand the depth of emotions and instincts that come along with being a vampire."

"Thank you then, all three of you, for coming after me today." I bit my lip. "I don't think Jake would have been able to forcibly keep me at La Push, if that's what he was really planning on doing, but I can understand why it would have been bad if Edward felt he had to come after me."

"And he would have," Rosalie put in. "God, I was just hoping that mutt would make one wrong move so I could give him the beating he was asking for."

Esme saw me flinch and frowned. "In the meantime, Bella, I think it might be a good idea for you to go shower."

I blinked at her. "I…okay?"

Alice finally grinned a little. "Don't take this the wrong way, Bella, but right now you stink like wet dog. And if Edward smells Jacob on you it won't help the situation at all."

"Why does everyone keep referring to him as a dog?" I asked curiously. The three Cullen women exchanged glances, and it was Esme who spoke.

"We'll let Carlisle explain that one."

Alice stood and tugged on my arm. "Come on, I'll throw your clothes into the wash for you."

"God, this has been a fucked-up day," I muttered as we trudged up the steps to the third floor.

"And it's not over yet," Alice agreed. When we reached the bedroom, Alice pushed me in the direction of the bathroom, insisting that I not even touch my clean clothes until after I'd showered.

I stripped slowly in the bathroom, wondering how much more I could be expected to process in one day, and hoping I could keep Edward under control as everyone seemed to be expecting I would. I balled up my jeans and panties, pulled off my sweater, looked down, and gasped.

Although it genuinely didn't hurt much at all, there was a very distinct purple bruise around my wrist, wrapped like a bracelet; finger marks clearly visible. I turned my hand over and winced to see where the bruise deepened against the soft flesh of my inner wrist. Rosalie was right, Edward was going to freak out. To be perfectly honest, I was a little freaked out: I bruised very easily, half the time I couldn't remember what caused the marks I was always finding on my legs or hips. This was ugly, though, and the idea that one of my best friends had put it there… I shuddered, understanding for the first time what Esme had said about me being in danger. Jacob evidently didn't know his own strength.

I took a long hot shower. I scrubbed every inch of my skin and washed my hair twice for good measure. When I emerged from the shower, my old clothes were gone and a new outfit sat neatly folded on the vanity, waiting for me. I couldn't help but notice as I dressed that Alice had picked out a soft green jersey top, clingy and surprisingly low-cut, but with extra-long sleeves that draped all the way to my knuckles.

"I take this to mean we're going to try and keep the wrist from him until after the family discussion?" I called out, knowing she was in the bedroom.

"Yes, I thought it would be a good idea. Try and shield that thought from him if you can." She peeked in through the door. "Carlisle called while you were in the shower. They ran into a traffic jam just after getting on the I-5. It was so sudden I didn't even see it until too late. Anyway, Edward jumped out of the Jeep before they could grab him, and took off running. He's coming cross-country so he'll be here a lot sooner than they will. At least he's coming straight here."

"How soon?"

"He'll be here in about forty minutes. Do you want me to dry your hair for you?"

"Sure."

"Let's go to my bathroom then; you look like you should sit down."

I followed her obediently and found myself ensconced back in her ridiculously large stylist-grade bathroom. She whipped out a blow-dryer and I shut my eyes, fighting back the overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

"Alice, this is all so weird," I whispered, knowing she would hear it even over the roar of her professional blow-dryer.

"I know," she said sympathetically. "You've had one hell of a day already. Are you sure you want to keep running with vampires?"

I smiled a little. "It's not really a choice for me at this point, is it?"

"No," she sighed, and then was silent until she'd finished drying my hair. Once again I had a professional blowout, courtesy of my future sister-in-law. The situation was so surreal I was starting to feel nauseous.

"You really need to eat something, Bella."

"I'm not hungry." The thought of food made my insides heave.

"I know you're not, but you need something in your stomach. Maybe at least some soup?"

"Fine," I muttered, and less than thirty seconds later Esme arrived with an enormous mug of hot chicken noodle soup. The psychic sister-in-law grinned at me.

"Eat. Then we'll talk."

"I don't want to talk," I muttered rebelliously. "I've done enough talking today, and no one is listening anyway."

Alice's eyes softened. "Fine then, I'll talk, you listen."

I took a tentative sip of the soup. "I want to go back upstairs."

"No problem."

She didn't speak again until we settled down onto Edward's black leather couch. I clutched the warm mug of soup close to my chest; Alice was right, I did feel a little better with something in my stomach.

"Bella," Alice started carefully, "I understand better than anyone what an awful day this has been for you. I saw the conversation with your mom. I saw you going to the cemetery. I can't see how the rest of the day is going to go… Edward is so conflicted right now that his future, and yours, is changing faster than I can keep up. At least one of his plans was to throw you on his back tonight and head for Canada."

I snorted and took another deep sip of the soup. "Overreacting?"

"Not really. The rest of us are concerned, you know that. This is a very serious situation now, but Edward is in a very volatile state at the moment, and I want you to be prepared for it. In one week you've had a crash course in almost all things vampire, and you're doing a wonderful job coping with it all. What you and Edward share transcends the current physical differences between you, but you're going to see him in a very different state than ever before.

"Vampires are very different creatures than humans. We are ultimately ruled by our instincts; although the restraint our family practices has given us greater ability to control ourselves when need be. Vampire instinct, however, is a power that has to be experienced; I have no words to adequately explain it. I know you've heard about newborn instincts, that overwhelming and uncontrollable desperation for human blood. Can you truly understand that, Bella? The idea that you would rip your own mother's throat out without a second thought, to drink her blood, and enjoy every moment?"

I shook my head silently.

"We have other instincts as well, some more powerful than others. Self-preservation, of course, as well as a strong aversion to our natural enemies. The need to hunt and feed, even after the newborn years. The strongest instincts, though, are the ones that bind us to our mate. The bonds between us are so powerful that severing them is utterly and completely catastrophic to the mate left behind. I don't think 'catastrophic' really even comes close to explaining it. I've never witnessed a vampire dealing with the loss of their mate, but Jasper has. As I understand it, the loss literally drives the surviving vampire insane."

"Are you saying… if something happened to me…?"

"I don't know." Alice's voice was thoughtful. "What you and Edward share, such a bond between a vampire and a human, I've never known anything like it. Your souls are most definitely connected, but I think that after your change, there will be a final piece clicking into place. Right now he's halfway there, but you aren't yet, you can't be until your change. Think about it, Bella. If I asked you right now if you would die for Edward, or kill for him, would you do it?"

"I would die for him, yes. I don't know why I would need to kill for him, but I think I could if I needed to."

"That's exactly what I mean," she said promptly. "To your human mind, your rational human mind, you would consider the choice and then make it. That's not a criticism of your devotion to him, it's a fact. To Edward, though, there is no choice. The instinct to protect his mate overcomes all others. He would kill for you, he would die for you, to protect you. Had he been in the cemetery today. he would have killed Jacob, and believe me when I say he was still thinking about it after Carlisle got Esme's message. That's why we wanted you to scrub every last bit of that dog smell off of you. Otherwise, it might have pushed him back over the edge. Had Jacob managed to get you down to La Push, no treaty would have stopped Edward. He would have gone straight there and wiped out the entire Quileute tribe if that's what it took to assure your safety."

I gasped. "But that's just so extreme. Jacob couldn't have kept me there. I could have just walked home if it came to that."

She shook her head. "Again, that is the difference between your rational human mind and Edward's instinct to protect his mate. You see his behavior as an overreaction, as him being overly protective and even unreasonable at times. To him, even the slightest threat to your emotional or physical safety warrants immediate action, and there is no such thing as 'too extreme.' You'll understand better after your change. I could sit here and talk all night and still not explain it fully."

I took another long sip of my cooling soup, my mind racing. "Alice, tell me, what exactly is a mate, to a vampire? It's a word that doesn't seem to have a human equivalent, honestly."

"It doesn't," she replied immediately. "Humans form bonds, of course; they love deeply and do amazing things in the name of that love, but a vampire's mate is something greater than all of that. There is love, friendship, companionship, and of course, the great sex." She nudged me playfully, trying to coax a smile, but I just stared back at her over the rim of the mug. "A vampire's mate, though, is all but physically the other half of themselves. Not to say we're incomplete until we find a mate; there are plenty of unmated vampires out there and they are whole and fulfilled. It's more like when you bond with your mate, the two of you create a whole new single being. Which is why losing a mate can drive a vampire insane… could you suffer the loss of fifty percent of yourself without irreparable damage?"

"So it goes without saying that vampires mate for life?"

"Swans do too, you know." This time I did smile at her playful words.

"I wonder why that is? I mean, why is it that vampires form these connections, when humans don't?"

Alice pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Who knows? Maybe it's as simple as a biological difference, just like the other ones between us. Or maybe it's because we physically utilize more of our brains than humans. Maybe that taps into something the human brain doesn't? You should talk to Carlisle about this. He loves discussions like this."

I set my now-empty mug on the floor. "Okay, so what you're trying to tell me is that I shouldn't try to downplay Edward's reaction as being overly-protective when he gets home? That even if I can't understand it, that I should at least recognize it for what it is?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. His behavior may even scare you, but you need to keep one thing in mind. You are his grounding force, you are his gravity. He will listen to you when no one else can get through to him. Don't try to make light of his words or his actions, and don't underestimate the seriousness of the situation to him. Just try to reassure him as best you can."

"And you can't tell me how it's going to go?"

Her face went blank for a long moment, and then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Bella. I would if I could. He's just so upset, and he doesn't even know all of what happened. But I know that you understand a little better now, and that makes me feel much more confident. We can all physically restrain him if he tries to do anything reckless, but I really don't think it'll come to that. He'll listen to you."

I turned my head to gaze out the window into the unending forest beyond. "How long do I have?"

"He'll be here very soon, actually."

"Thanks, Alice. I don't know what I'd do without you… I mean that." I swallowed thickly. "I just need to be alone for a few minutes."

She sprang up immediately from the couch. "No problem. I'll keep everyone else away from you." Then she was gone; the soft click of the door behind her the only noise in the sudden heavy silence of the room.

I kept staring out into the woods, not even trying to think any more. It seemed like each day of the past week had been so eventful, so full, that each one lasted a year. It was no wonder that I'd had such a meltdown at Charlie's grave… my life seemed to be moving in fast-forward, too quickly for me to really grasp all the changes that were swirling around me, carrying me forward. A decision was made, and then was changed a moment later. Plans revised because of unforeseen events. Eight days ago I'd been living a different life, now I was flailing, and failing, to keep up. The only constant that I could cling to was Edward. I knew to the depths of my soul that I could cling to him forever and he would never let me fall.

I rested the side of my head on the back of the couch, watching the branches sway outside in the late afternoon light. Alice and her explanation about vampires and their mates… I saw all of Edward's actions over the past week in a new light now. Honestly, I had to give him more credit… the idea of suddenly losing him was horrifying to me in a way I didn't want to ponder. I couldn't pretend to imagine what it must feel like for him, to know that his mate was literally in peril every day.

The words I'd used when I'd asked him to change me… "I could die of a heart attack right now in your arms. I could die of cancer, I could be hit by a car crossing the street. There is nothing you could do to prevent any of those things from happening, and I don't want you spending your life… my life… trying to keep me alive." These were his worst nightmares, and I'd casually voiced every one, not realizing he struggled with the knowledge every day; that he fought to keep from frightening me with his own torment. How foolish, how selfish of me to think such things hadn't crossed his mind.

The branches outside blurred as tears filled my eyes, but I scrubbed my fist over them, frustrated. Why couldn't I stop crying? Why couldn't I be strong, and think of what he would need from me? In return for everything this strange and wonderful family had given me, couldn't I at least pull myself together for the one time they needed me?

There was a commotion from downstairs, suddenly loud in the quiet house, and I sat up, startled. A heartbeat later the bedroom door was flung open, and Edward stood there. I barely had time to register his disheveled clothing, wild hair, and panicked wide, black eyes before he was across the room and had me in his arms.

"Bella…" I hardly recognized his voice as he pulled me close to him, then carried me over to the bed. His every move was at vampire speed, and it made me dizzy, so I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. He was trembling as hard as Jacob had been earlier, although this was more of a thrumming vibration, as though an electric current was moving through him. His hands were on my face immediately, his lips following with a desperate intensity that had nothing to do with arousal. He kissed me as though he were trying to reassure himself that I was really there, that every part of me was okay. Alice had been right: I'd seen Edward loosen some control in the heat of passion, but this was an Edward I didn't recognize, and it did scare me.

"I can't… I can't hear you," he choked out. "Please Bella, look at me. Please let me in."

My eyes snapped open immediately, but I was in too much turmoil to form a coherent thought. I felt the jolt as he sank into my mind and his lips parted in a pained groan as he settled there. "Love, I'm so sorry… I had no idea he would ever try to hurt you, or to even come near you."

He didn't hurt me, I'm okay, Edward.

His teeth sank hard into his lower lip as he heard me, then he shook his head. "This is my fault, all my fault. I should have known better than to leave you here, with them so close. I should have known he would find out somehow…"

It was all an accident. It happened so fast that even Alice didn't know. It's no one's fault. And I'm okay. Can you feel me in your arms; can you hear my heart beating? I'm okay.

His black eyes drilled into mine and I let the knowledge of the one thing, that one thing, sink far into the back of my consciousness, to where I wouldn't even acknowledge it existed.

"I'm not leaving you alone again."

Then you haven't heard yet exactly what Esme, Alice, and Rosalie did?

Surprise flitted briefly across his hard face. "What?"

I showed him the scene from the cemetery: Alice and Rosalie crouched ready and fearless between Jacob and me; Esme's arm wrapped tightly around me; the cold threat underlying her words as she spoke to Sam.

Edward's lips parted again, this time in astonishment. "They did that?"

I wouldn't want any of them mad at me. Rosalie especially.

He took in a deep shuddering breath. "I owe them… so much."

I get the feeling there's a LOT that needs to be explained to me, Edward.

"Yes," he said softly, finally shutting his eyes and lowering his head until his forehead pressed against mine. "It was stupid of me not to tell you before, but you're handling everything so well… I didn't want to push you."

"Tell me now," I whispered aloud.

"The Quileutes… they have some kind of genetic quirk… I don't know how to explain it any more than I can explain why we exist. But they are shape-shifters; they can assume animal form to protect themselves and the tribe. In this case, they assume the form of wolves, hence the legends about the Quileutes being descended from wolves."

I sucked in a sharp breath, and he pulled quickly away from me, his eyes immediately fixing back on my own.

THAT explains why they kept calling them dogs!

Edward collapsed back against me again, a choked laugh wrenching from his throat. "I prefer 'mutt' myself, but yes. They aren't true werewolves, although they like to think of themselves as such, but they are our natural enemy nevertheless."

He laid against me for a long time, supporting most of his weight on his forearms, his lips against the pulse point of my neck and his hand over my heart. Very slowly, the quivering in his body began to diminish, and then ceased altogether. I was careful to keep my thoughts as quiet and calm as possible until he finally laid a gentle kiss against my throat and pulled his body slightly apart from mine. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"Alice and I… talked." I replied hesitantly. "But I don't want to go into that right now."

His brow creased a little. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I raised my left hand to gently push the hair back from his forehead. "I'm here, aren't I? Don't you know there's nothing in the world that can take me away from you?"

A real smile came to his lips now, his eyes brightening. "Not if the women of my family have anything to say about it, apparently."

"They were amazing," I agreed, gently stroking my fingertips over his brow. "Do you want to talk more now, or do you want to go downstairs?"

He sighed softly and cocked his head, then turned back to me after a moment. "According to Alice, Carlisle and my brothers will be here in exactly eighteen minutes."

I trailed my fingers down his cheek to his lips. "Do you know exactly what happened today?"

"Esme told Carlisle that Jacob tried to take you to La Push." His jaw clenched and I automatically began stroking his cheek. "And that he knows you are aware of our existence now."

Yes, but I think he's backed off. And they don't know about you and I.

"I guess that's good," he muttered grudgingly. "Although if he comes near you again…"

I don't think he wants anything to do with me now.

"All the better," he growled, then winced.

What's wrong?

He sighed. "If you didn't know before that it's possible to scream at someone through their thoughts, you do now. Alice keeps yelling at me to chill out."

Did you really run the whole way here?

"Most of the way. There was an accident slowing down traffic, and I couldn't just sit. I was on auto-pilot by that point anyway, and I knew I could get here more quickly on my own."

Did you run faster than you did with me on your back?

"Much faster than that," he confirmed, rolling onto his side and pulling me against his body. He kissed my lips gently, and then pulled back again just far enough to maintain eye contact. "There was nothing that could convince me you were actually safe until I saw it for myself."

I missed you today.

"Don't worry; I'm not leaving your side again until after you're safely changed."

That's NOT what I meant!

"I know that, but it doesn't change anything. The idea that someone deliberately set out to hurt you, to take you from me, and that I wasn't here to protect you… it was my very worst nightmares brought to life."

My breath left me as if I'd been punched and tears suddenly filled my eyes again. His hand flew to my face as anxiety creased his features. "Bella? Love? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I choked out loud. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know…" I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and curled up against his chest as a deep sob ripped from my throat.

"What? You have nothing to be sorry for, Bella…please tell me what's wrong!"

"Alice told me… I didn't know, when I was asking you… I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't understand…"

His arms tightened like a vise around me. "What didn't you understand?"

"How it feels for you, every time I thought you were just overreacting…" I pulled slightly away from him and immediately his cool fingers were wiping the tears away from my eyes. I couldn't completely articulate the guilt I felt over unknowingly using his own worst fears against him, as a bargaining chip even, but I knew he understood when his eyes widened and his breathing stopped.

"Noooo… Bella…" He pulled me crushingly against his chest again. "There's no way you could have known any of that."

"But for me to have thrown it all in your face, as though you didn't live with it every day already…" My voice was muffled against his chest and through my tears, but I knew he understood every word.

"You didn't throw anything in my face, love. You just acknowledged that you were just as aware of how fragile you really are as I am." His hand began stroking the back of my head. "I've lived with those fears every moment of every day since the first time I realized that I loved you. I've done everything in my power to eliminate any possibility that you and I could be parted. Hearing you admit that you knew how mortal you are was more reassuring to me than if you'd insisted that nothing could ever happen to you. Don't you think I'd rather hear you recognize those reasons, than to have you to believe you could live forever otherwise?"

I pulled back and his hands were again on my face, wiping away tears. "I just didn't realize how it affected you…"

"And you can't fully realize, until after your change." He spoke gently now. "I have absolutely no doubt of your love for me, in fact I can't wait to see how much more love you're capable of."

"How could you stand it before a week ago? Protecting me from far away?"

His crooked grin flashed briefly across his face. "It was extremely difficult, especially after you went to live with the Blacks. Alice's threats and promises helped quite a bit, though."

"I don't have a fraction of your strength," I murmured.

In a flash his hand was under my chin, lifting my head and forcing me to meet his eyes. "You can't truly believe that, can you? Bella, you are far stronger than you know. Everything you've gone through before last Friday, and then everything since… you've lived through a lifetime's worth in a week."

"It felt that way, today," I confessed. "I feel like every time we make a decision, something happens to change it."

"Part of living this life is constant adaptation," he admitted slowly. "I can't promise you stability, Bella. We've had to drop everything and move at a moment's notice before."

"If I have you, then I have stability."

"You'll always have me," he vowed. I whimpered faintly as he kissed me, tasting the remnants of my tears on his lips. He gently shifted my body into his until both his hands were free to roam over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him more deeply. The softest of moans rumbled in his chest as I felt the last of his tension melt away, and my own body relaxed under his hands. Kiss followed kiss, each more deep and lingering.

I love you…

"I love you," he mumbled against my lips. "You are my life, Bella. You are my soul." He kissed me again, harder this time, then lifted his head. "I would like to keep you up here for the rest of the day and night, but Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett are back."

I looked up at him, my arms still looped around his neck. "It's serious, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Esme said this changes everything?"

"Yes. You remember what I told you in the car a week ago?"

"I remember everything you told me," I replied slowly.

"We may have to leave sooner than we'd planned."

"Okay."

"We'll see what Carlisle thinks… I can't think of anything but you right now."

I finally smiled. "That's fine with me."

He kissed me lightly again, stood, and then scooped me up in his arms.

"Edward… put me down!"

"No way."

"You can't carry me around like a baby… you promised!" I laughed.

"I could throw you over my shoulder instead," he offered, moving into the hall and towards the stairway.

"Caveman!" I squirmed in his arms.

"Vampire," he corrected, now halfway down the second flight of stairs. "We're just as bad. Ask Carlisle, he knows."

"Very funny," I heard Carlisle reply, and I immediately wiggled against Edward's arms until he finally set me down. "It's nice to see you smiling now, at the very least."

"I just needed to see her."

"I know." Carlisle sighed, and ran his hand through his blond hair. "We all need to talk, immediately."

Edward captured my hand in his and we went together into the living room, where the rest of the Cullens were already gathered. Alice and Jasper were squeezed close together, whispering quietly, while Emmett had Rosalie planted firmly on his lap. Carlisle went over and pressed a kiss to Esme's lips before sitting down next to her. Edward tugged me over to the loveseat and pulled me down next to him, both his arms wrapped firmly around my waist.

Carlisle's soft golden eyes moved over each member of his family before finally coming to rest on me. "Tell us everything that happened," he started, without preamble.

"I went to the cemetery, to visit Charlie's grave. Just as I was leaving, Jake came out of nowhere. I almost didn't recognize him, he's… huge. I mean, it's like he grew a foot and put on a hundred pounds of muscle since I last saw him. He asked whose car I was driving, and I said it was a friend's. I gave him a hug and he just… freaked out."

"He recognized our scent on you," Carlisle said quietly.

"He must have, he knew right away whose car it was, but I told him it was Alice's. I didn't think it would be a good idea for him to know about Edward. And he just lost it… he kept begging me to come down to La Push. He told me that he'd explain everything, if I'd just go with him. And I told him no, and that I was leaving… that was when Esme, Alice, and Rosalie showed up."

"He almost shifted right in front of her, at that point." Esme spoke then. "I pulled her back far enough that I could get her away, if need be."

Carlisle's eyes returned to me. "He didn't hurt you?"

I hesitated, not sure if this was the time or place, but Edward suddenly stiffened next to me and snapped his head towards Rosalie. She glared back at him, and before I could stop him, Edward had pushed back my right shirt sleeve. My bruised wrist looked even worse than it had earlier, and the room went silent as everyone stopped breathing.

Finally, there was a low growl from deep inside Edward's chest. "Did he do this to you?" he asked, teeth clenched.

"Yes," I replied quietly.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"Yes, after you'd settled down." I felt the trembling begin in his body again, and I quickly slipped my sleeve back down over the bruise.

"I will rip his hands off… before I kill him… for touching you."

"Edward," Carlisle interjected, "Please, calm down."

Edward continued to tremble, and I quickly slipped my hand into his clenched fist. Please Edward… I need your stability right now.

He shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. After a moment his trembling stopped and he gave Carlisle a curt nod.

"What happened then, Bella?"

"Um, Sam Uley and Embry Call, two of the guys from La Push, showed up then. And then, I guess…" I shrugged at Esme who smoothly took over the story from there.

"They told us to remember the terms of the treaty, and I warned them that any attempt on Jacob's part to attack our family, or to take Bella against her will, would be a very bad idea. They said they would be watching us, and then they took Jacob into the woods. We came home, and Jacob called Bella, again asking her to come to La Push."

Carlisle turned to Alice, who sat wrapped in Jasper's arms. "You are unable to see them in your visions?"

She shook her head, the frustration from earlier flitting across her face again. "I didn't see him approach her in the cemetery until it was literally happening, and then her entire future just vanished. Then when he called her, I wasn't able to see anything around her until he hung up on her. It's as though anything with their involvement punches a giant black hole in my vision. I don't see anything happening at the moment, but I don't trust my vision where they're concerned."

Carlisle was quiet for a long moment. "As I understand it then, no terms of the treaty were breached. I'm thankful for that. And it sounds as though their current leader, this Sam Uley, wants to continue abiding by it as well. In terms of the current relations between us and the Quileutes, we don't have to be concerned." Edward growled again and Carlisle held up his hand. "However, we do have reason to be concerned about Jacob Black. It sounds as though he must have just started shifting since you last saw him, Bella, and they are extremely volatile during their first few months."

"What could have happened?"

"First and foremost, if he'd lost control and shifted while too close to you, he could have killed you. It's a very violent change. I saw it happen a few times when we were here before."

"Jake could have killed me?" I whispered, disbelieving.

"Accidentally, but yes. Again, they are very unpredictable beings during their first few months of shifting. Would you have ever imagined he would hurt your wrist the way he did?"

"No," I admitted.

"He obviously hasn't learned to control himself yet, and his anger towards us was instead directed at you. It could have been much, much worse. I'm also extremely concerned that he was so insistent on trying to get you to La Push… he clearly knows the terms of the treaty, specifically that we vowed never to set foot on their land. Whether he'd hoped it would keep you away from us, or whether he thought it would lead to a fight which he counted on winning, I can't say." He was quiet again for a long moment. "The question now is: what do we do?"

"Why is that even a question?" Edward snapped. "Obviously we need to get the hell out of here. I will kill him if he comes after Bella again, Carlisle, you know that."

"None of us are letting him near Bella." Emmett finally spoke. "I'll rip his legs off and ram them down his throat before I let that happen again."

I flinched, trying not to think of my Jacob, the one I remembered from before.

"My concern is that if we suddenly leave Forks after this incident, and that if Bella coincidentally disappears at the same time without sufficient explanation, that it would raise even more suspicion," Carlisle mused. "The situation is already strained enough. I don't want to give them a reason for taking any action they feel is justified to 'rescue' Bella, as it were."

"I agree," Esme said softly.

"I do too," I whispered, and Edward's jaw dropped as he turned to me.

"After what he did today…"

"Carlisle is right."

"Bella," he shook his head. "I can't take that chance with you. You know that now."

"Okay, could we consider, um, worst-case scenario? What is the absolute worst that could happen? Even if Jake somehow managed to drag me down to La Push, he can't keep me there against my will. If I called the police and told them he'd kidnapped me, what could he do? Tell them he's protecting me from a horde of vampires?"

Jasper chuckled and I felt emboldened to continue.

"Or even if he did find out about Edward and I, that's still not violating the terms of the treaty, right?"

"We swore not to trespass on their land or to take a human life," Carlisle reminded me. "Edward changing you falls under that category."

"Then Jacob simply won't find out," I said. "I'll talk to him again, over the phone, tell him I'm moving to Jacksonville to live with my mom. We weren't going to change me here anyway. I'll finish out the semester here, pack up, and move."

"What if he comes to your apartment in Port Angeles? Wouldn't it be safer for you to stay here?" Emmett asked.

"Not if I want everything to appear normal. They probably already think it's weird enough that I'm friends with you all and know about you as it is. They'd definitely know something was up if they heard I'd moved in here."

"I agree with Bella," Carlisle spoke firmly. "Keeping up as normal an appearance as possible will calm any suspicions they may currently have about our motives." He smiled at me. "It will give you good practice for being a Cullen."

"I don't think…" Edward began, but Carlisle held up his hand again.

"Bella, one of us will be with you at all times. Even if he does show up unexpectedly at your apartment, if they know about your friendship with the family they won't necessarily consider it odd to find one of us there. Go to your classes, and if he approaches you at the school, remain calm and stay in public. You and Edward are going to visit your mother over Thanksgiving?"

I shook my head and I saw Edward lift his eyebrows in surprise.

I'll tell you about THAT later.

"In that case, let's continue to get ready for the move. It goes without saying that none of us should mention to anyone where we are going. I'll tell the hospital that we're going to… Ithaca." This time I smiled at him.

"In the meantime, let's try our best to avoid any kind of confrontation with the Quileutes. A breach in the treaty, and what would ensue, is the last thing we need the Volturi getting wind of. Does anyone have any other concerns?"

There was silence in the room; I could actually hear my own heart beating.

"Well then, I suggest…" His next words were cut off by the muffled ringing of my cell phone in my back pocket. I blushed, forgetting that the Cullens almost always left theirs on the vibrate alert.

"Sorry," I muttered, grabbing to hit the mute button, but Edward reached over and pulled it from my hand.

"It says, The Blacks," he said flatly.

"That's their house number," I replied, holding out my hand for the phone. It rang again and after a moment Edward handed it to me. I looked at Carlisle, who nodded.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" It was Billy's voice.

"Hi Billy."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry for Jake's behavior earlier." His voice was incredibly sad and it tugged at my heart. "I hope you can forgive him. He was taken aback by the news…"

"Yes, I know."

"Are you with them now?"

"Yes."

"May I please speak with Dr. Cullen?"

Carlisle was at my side before I could even lift the phone away from my ear, and I handed it to him immediately. "Hello, Mr. Black." He listened for a long time, and then spoke again, his voice polite and calm. "I understand and appreciate your concern for Bella. Although I can only offer you my word, please understand that neither I nor any of my family means her any harm. I must ask that you make Jacob understand that she has free will, and may associate with anyone she chooses. We will not hesitate to come to her aid if he again attempts to force her to do anything against her will. I was extremely concerned when I heard he'd injured her wrist in the confrontation from earlier." Another long silence as he listened. "Yes, I understand that, however we will continue to respect the terms of the treaty as long as there is no threat to my family or our friends… yes, of course, absolutely. One moment, please." He handed the phone back to me.

"Billy?"

He sounded resigned now. "Bella, are you sure you're all right? You want to be around them?"

"Yes, Billy. They're my friends."

"You know you can call on us anytime, if you need help, regardless of what Jake said earlier."

"I know that. Please don't worry… I'm moving to Jacksonville after this semester, to live with my mother."

"Are you really?" He sounded surprised.

"Yes, you can call her and ask if you like." I knew he wouldn't, Billy was no fan of Renee's.

"Will you come see us again before you leave?"

I smiled sadly. "Yes, absolutely. I'll call you before then, okay?"

"Okay, Bella. We're here if you need us. Just remember that we're your family too."

"I know. Goodbye Billy."

I clicked the phone shut and looked around at the assembled Cullens. "I guess that's that."

"I'm sorry you have to lie for us," Esme said with regret.

"She'd better get used to it," was Rosalie's brusque response.

"Hey Bella," Emmett asked excitedly, "Is it true that my girl here was ready to beat some werewolf ass on your behalf?"

"Oh God," Edward muttered under his breath.

"Yes Emmett, she was ready to beat some werewolf ass for me."

He squeezed Rosalie's hips. "Damn baby, that's hot. No one crosses my girl, she'll mess you up. Come on!"

In the blink of an eye they were both gone, and I turned to see Carlisle and Edward apparently engaged in a silent conversation. After a moment, Edward turned to me and sighed. "Let's go talk."

He was careful to take my left hand and squeezed it tightly as we returned to his bedroom. "I wish you would have told me about your wrist instead of me hearing about it from Rosalie."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I was afraid it would be the last straw for you at that moment."

"Yes," he agreed reluctantly, "You're probably right about that." He switched on the overhead lights and carefully took my right hand, pushed back the sleeve, and hissed when he saw the purple mark encircling my wrist. "He'd better hope to God that our paths don't cross before we leave here."

"Remember what Carlisle said…"

He groaned. "Yes, I know. What's this about us not going to see your mother?"

"Let's just say that her 'round-the-world holiday booze cruise is more important than seeing her daughter right now." I recounted the conversation quickly for him in my mind and he pulled me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, love. What do you want to do?"

"I don't want to wait."

"I'm selfish enough to be glad of that."

"You're not selfish. She'll just have to wait, just as she wants me to do right now."

"We're talking about years, Bella," he warned me.

"I know. Trust me when I say she won't notice how quickly they go by."

Edward was quiet for a moment. "There's something else that Carlisle wants me to talk to you about."

"I noticed that. What is it?"

"He thinks that we should get married sooner rather than later. Much sooner."

"Ooookay. Why?"

"If we were married, I would legally be your next of kin. If Jacob does try anything stupid, like attempt to kidnap you and keep you against your will, it would have more weight for your husband to go to the police about it. Carlisle wants to take any and all precautions necessary, and to maintain the treaty for as long as possible. Also…as your next of kin I would have certain other legal rights…if you were incapacitated or in the hospital…"

"Enough talking about that," I said quickly. "How soon is soon?"

His crooked grin reappeared finally. "He said he could pull in a favor and have a judge out here to marry us tomorrow."

"Whoa, he means… soon. Well, all right then."

"Is that what you want?" He looked a little sad.

"I want whatever is necessary to get us to happily ever after, Edward. What do you want?" I tugged him towards the bed as I spoke.

He growled. "I want people to stop messing with my marriage proposal."

I climbed onto the bed and he followed me. "What if I proposed to you?"

"No good. I'm an old-fashioned boy. I want to do this properly."

"Huh… funny, you seem to forget about being old-fashioned as soon as the lights go out."

"I'm not that old-fashioned."

I laughed. "Come here." I reclined back against the mountain of pillows at the head of the bed and held my arms out to him. He crawled up over my body and settled slowly against me, gently resting his ear against my chest, just over my heart. "I get the feeling we're going to end up married soon, although if you'd told me that a week ago, I would have died laughing. I think Carlisle has the right idea; we can have a quick, practical legal wedding here, and then have something a little more formal later if you'd like."

"Would you like something more formal?"

"No," I said thoughtfully. "I don't need the white dress and flowers and cake and all. I want you, and when it comes down to it, the ceremony is all that's important."

"Bella," he moaned, "I had it all planned out. There were going to be flowers, and candles, I was going to make you a wonderful dinner…"

"Flowers and candles and romantic dinners are overrated." I kissed the top of his head. "What you and I have together, right here and now, between the two of us… that's the important thing."

"I don't deserve you," he mumbled into my shirt.

"Tell you what… why don't you share with me everything you were planning to say in your proposal, and I'll give you a formal yes or no."

He slowly turned his head until his chin rested gently against my breastbone, his beautiful topaz eyes meeting mine. "I was going to tell you how, until I met you, I was convinced that I didn't have a soul. That I was damned to wander the earth alone until someone or something found a way to finish me off."

This isn't very romantic so far, Edward.

"Give me a chance, I'm just getting started. I was going to tell you that from the moment I met you, something somewhere deep inside of me must have recognized you, because even as I was fighting the insanity of bloodlust, I found the strength to resist. I was going to tell you that the moment I realized there was something more between us, that it was the first ray of light I'd had in a very long, dark existence. For the first time, I had hope.

"I was going to tell you about how I was willing to wait for you, even if it took years longer than it actually did. I was willing to follow you, watch over you, wait for the moment when I was worthy of you. I still don't know if I am worthy of you, but every day, every time I see your beautiful face, every moment you let me into your beautiful mind, you remind me to try."

Ohhh…

"And most importantly of all, I was going to tell you that you alone have convinced me that somewhere, deep down inside, I must have a soul. Only because I know that anyone as kind, beautiful, and capable of so much love must recognize a soul, even if it has lost its way. You brought me back my soul, Bella. You brought me back to life."

His eyes studied me for a long moment before he spoke again. "It's tough for me to read your mind when those beautiful eyes are filled with tears, you know."

"There is nothing I could say that can match that," I whispered.

"I thought you were going to give me a yes or no answer?"

"You haven't asked me yet."

For the first time all day, his smile was wide and genuine. "Of course, I forgot the most important part. Isabella Marie Swan, love of my very long life, will you marry me? Will you become my wife, my heart, my soul, my mate for all of our eternity?"

Yes, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, I will marry you. I love you.

He lifted up to kiss me, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that started off gentle, and ended up deepening ever-so slowly. I moaned softly as his lips dragged mine apart, allowing his cool tongue inside my mouth. It tangled smoothly with mine, still tender but with the promise of greater things to come. When he pulled away long enough for me to draw in a breath, I whispered against his marble lips.

"Hold on there, Romeo. Do you have the ring?"

He chuckled, his hand going immediately to the bedside table. He opened the drawer and pulled out the little black velvet box. He opened it and quickly removed the ring, sliding it carefully onto my left ring finger and kissing my hand before answering me.

"Of course I do. Alice told me to make sure I brought it this weekend."

A/N: Obviously things are far from settled and squared away, but what do you think of the Cullens' plans so far? Seems like Billy and Sam are resigned to Bella running with vampires, but will they be able to keep a leash on Jake? Well, if he tries anything, at least now we know that Rosalie is fully prepared to deliver a werewolf ass-beating! Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I LOVE hearing what you all think about the story so far!

A great big hug and kiss and thank you to Brits23 for pimping IDBiV at the end of her last chapter of "Laid Bare." I KNOW you're all reading it (right?!?), come over and join Team VILTF on her Twilighted thread! www (DOT) twilighted (DOT) net/forum/viewtopic (DOT) php?f=44&t=7529 Bitey rocks my world!

Many thanks and big hugs for my super-beta Stratan, who cranked this chapter out for you all over the holiday! Damn I am blessed!

Swing by and say hello on the IDBiV Twilighted thread: www (DOT) twilighted (DOT) net/forum/viewtopic (DOT) php?f=33&t=7736

Happy 2010!!!!!!!