Note: The Twilight Saga is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I will not profit from this work.
Chapter 2- Prophecies and Ploys
The rest of my evening with Bella was relatively quiet. We didn't discuss Jacob Black further, and Charlie was too absorbed in his baseball game to give the issue much thought. Alice had sent me a text message saying I didn't have to worry about Bella tonight. So when it was time for me to officially leave for the night I changed my mind about going home and decided to go talk to Jasper and Carlisle until Charlie went to sleep.
As I raced down the familiar streets toward home, I found myself replaying the conversation I'd had with Bella about the wolves in my head.
'The wolves came back because the vampires did.' Bella had said.
If this were true, did that mean the size of our coven would impact the size of the pack? Bella told me there were five wolves and they were expecting a sixth boy to change. Based on those numbers, it seemed possible that there was some sort of correlation between the number of vampires in the area and the number of wolves. The last time we'd taken up residence here, there had been five of us and four of them; Ephraim Black, Levi Uley, Josiah Clearwater, and Quill Ateara. Perhaps Victoria and Laurent's visits had been the catalyst for Jacob Black's transformation. According to Bella, he'd changed shortly before her encounter with Laurent.
I cringed at the idea that Jacob Black had become what he was because of Victoria's decision to hunt Bella. Was I responsible for even more of this mess than I would have thought possible?
I heard Carlisle and Jasper's curious thoughts coming from Carlisle's study when I stepped onto the sweeping front porch; Alice must have told them I was coming.
"Hello, dear," Esme said from the living room couch watching a home improvement show when I walked through the front door. Her demeanor was like any other suburban mom in Forks. "I'm glad you're home."
"Hi mom," I said, smiling in spite of my grim mood at the warm expression on her face and the love in her thoughts.
"Your father and Jasper are waiting for you upstairs," she said, gesturing automatically toward the steps. "I know you won't be staying long, but do me a favor and please bring Bella home with you for awhile one day this week now that she isn't grounded." Alice told me the news this afternoon. I'm so glad she isn't being unfairly punished anymore…the poor dear. She thought.
"I will, I promise," I replied, leaning over the sofa to kiss her smooth cheek. She smiled more broadly and patted my shoulder before I turned to walk upstairs to speak to Carlisle and Jasper.
"Hello, Jasper, Carlisle," I said as I stepped into Carlisle's cavernous, book filled study. Carlisle was sitting at his desk and Jasper was standing behind him.
"Alice said you wanted to see us but she didn't say why," Jasper replied without preamble. "What's going on?"
`I tossed Charlie's newspaper onto the desk. Carlisle reached for it deftly and frowned as his eyes darted across the page while Jasper read over his shoulder.
"I hadn't seen this," Jasper said thoughtfully after he finished reading the article. This is getting way out of hand. I'm sure the Volturi will intervene if this keeps up. He thought.
I flinched again at the thought of Caius and his minions coming to Forks and finding out that Bella hadn't been changed yet.
"A couple of the local news stations are reporting the same story," Carlisle said after a moment's pause. The humans are getting anxious." Have you told Bella anything about this yet? She probably needs to know what's going on. He said silently.
I nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I discussed our suspicions with Bella this evening. But I didn't tell her we were worried about the Volturi paying a visit. She's got enough to deal with, and I didn't want to frighten her. "
Carlisle's mindset was diplomatic, but Jasper's thoughts were quarrelsome. I know you want to protect her Edward but she needs to understand. Maybe you should have given her a few more details. He thought.
"I told her what I thought she needed to know," I snapped so Carlisle could understand that I was answering Jasper's thoughts. "I wouldn't have mentioned it at all if it weren't for the fact that we've been discussing her wish to change.
"And you were trying to talk her out of it again," Carlisle said with a shake of his head. You can't stop her; she's made her choice. He thought.
"I know that, but I want her to wait until things have quieted down," I answered his thoughts tersely. "I'm not going to stop trying to persuade her to postpone her plans at least for a few more months. We can handle Victoria if she decides to make a re-appearance, and I can move Bella to New Hampshire at a moment's notice if things get dicey."
"You know what Alice saw and what the Volturi have commanded," Jasper said. His thoughts were full of arguments, but I ignored them. We had other matters to discuss.
"Did you need to ask me something about the newborn situation?" Jasper prodded, skillfully changing the subject in response to my mood.
"Yes," I replied. "The deaths are increasing in frequency. The ones humans are noticing are surely the tip of the iceberg. There are probably several more disappearances that no mortal would link to this case, so I was wondering if it were possible for this to be the work of more than one young vampire."
Carlisle raised his eyebrows in surprise. The idea had not occurred to him.
Jasper frowned thoughtfully. "Possible, but highly unlikely," He answered pensively. "If there were more than one I think we'd be seeing even more obvious carnage. Newborns just like to feed often. I think we've probably got a creator on our hands that bit off more than they could chew, if you'll pardon the expression."
Carlisle laughed and I smiled a little at the bad pun before my mood turned somber again. I wondered if we would have to try to intervene in Seattle to keep the Volturi from coming here. Jasper sensed my anxiety and sighed.
"Don't worry," Jasper said pointlessly as he sent a wave of calm in my direction. "Alice will make sure we have some advanced notice if they decide to come and we'll take care of Bella." I know you can't help how you feel, but try to relax. He added mentally.
I pinched the bridge of my nose out of habit. There was no way I could stop worrying about her, though Jasper's talents had taken the edge off.
"Be patient, Edward," Jasper continued. "Our hands are tied until the threat moves on willingly or the Volturi intercedes."
"I think Jasper's right," Carlisle agreed. "There's nothing we can do right now but watch and wait."
I nodded once in concession. "There's something else," I said to Carlisle. "Bella and I were discussing her Quileute…friends (cringe) this evening and she told me that they believe the presence of the wolves is directly tied to the presence of vampires in the area."
Carlisle's eyebrows shot up so high that they nearly vanished into his golden hair.
"I'm not sure that I understand," Carlisle replied, leaning back in his chair in a perfect human gesture.
"We know that until recently shape shifting wolves had not existed in this area since Ephraim's pack 70 years ago," I elaborated. "Bella told me the Quileutes believe that the wolf transformation only occurs when vampires are near."
Carlisle gasped in surprise and his scientific vampire brain kicked into high gear.
"So they think the change is caused by some kind of dormant gene that's triggered when the tribe is threatened by the presence of vampires," Carlisle said too quickly for human ears to comprehend.
"Is that possible?" Jasper asked, almost as intrigued as Carlisle. That's insane. He thought.
Carlisle paused for a moment, thinking hard.
"I think it must be," Carlisle answered him finally. "But we don't have enough information to assume it with any scientific certainty. I'd need a sample of DNA from a member of the pack and a tribal elder who carried the gene in order to gain a more definitive answer. But, it makes sense." What I wouldn't give to get just a small blood sample from one of them. It would make for some very entertaining and insightful research, I'm sure. He added mentally.
"Bella is convinced that it's true," I said, frowning at Carlisle's conclusion and enthusiasm. I'd been hoping futilely that he would scoff at the idea and give me very specific reasons about why such a thing wasn't possible. His answer meant that it was probable that my family had caused all the present supernatural conflicts in the area.
"The werewolves are here regardless," Jasper said, sensing my melancholy. "So thinking about the whys can't really help us right now."
The sound of lithe footsteps and a quiet knock at the door sidetracked all of us. A moment later, Alice danced into the room, a smile on her elfin face.
I just talked to Bella," Alice said cheerfully. "She tried to call you but she said your cell phone went straight to voice mail. You might want to charge the battery every once in awhile." She said Charlie is asleep and she misses you Edward, She added silently.
I smiled a little; suddenly all of my fears seemed less urgent. I was distracted by the fact that my Bella missed me. Jasper registered the change in my mood and Carlisle smiled.
"I've got to go," I said as I opened the large wooden door. "We'll discuss this more another time."
Bella was already lying in bed with her battered copy of Wuthering Heights when I climbed through her window a few minutes later. She was dressed in her favorite blue pajama pants and tank top and her hair was freshly washed.
"There you are," she said with a sleepy smile as she tossed the book aside and made room for me on her little bed.
"Did you miss me or something?" I teased, kissing her softly.
"I always miss you when you're not with me," she answered as I lay down beside her and began carefully tucking her into her favorite quilt. I hated having the barrier between us, but being next to my cold skin was uncomfortable for her after awhile. I turned off the reading lamp and pulled her close, and she rested her cheek on my chest, creating a warm spot just above my still heart. The feeling was ecstasy.
"That baseball game lasted forever; I didn't think Charlie was ever going to go to bed," Bella yawned. "What did you do with the rest of your evening?" She asked, turning her head so she could look up at me.
"Just chatting with Jasper and Carlisle," I replied vaguely, unwilling to tell her about the details of my conversation. "Nothing exciting."
"Hmm," she sighed sleepily, pressing her lips to my chest; the feeling of warmth was intense even through the cotton of my shirt. I groaned softly as she kissed her way up to the base of my throat. "I can think of something exciting to do," she murmured suggestively against my Adam's apple, her pulse quickening.
A thousand exciting things ran through my head in a half second; running my fingers through her damp hair as I crushed her warm lips to mine, tossing the thick blanket aside as the spaghetti strap on her pajama top slipped down her creamy white shoulder…"
Stop it, Edward!!! I admonished myself mentally. I couldn't lose control, no matter how desperately I wanted her.
"Good night, Bella," I said through gritted teeth as I shifted uncomfortably beside her.
She sighed, frustrated as I gently pushed her face away from my neck.
"It must be nice to be so self-contained," she grumbled, burying her face into my chest again. I could feel the heat from the blush on her cheeks.
It was my turn to sigh in frustration as I brushed my lips against her hair. She had no idea how hard I fought for my control.
"Good night, Bella," I repeated, trying clear my head of the images of exciting things as she drifted off to sleep in my arms.
Bella was exceptionally cheerful the next day, and I was sure it had a lot to do with the fact that she was no longer grounded. By lunchtime, I was fantasizing about taking her someplace special this weekend. It had been so long since we'd had an entire day to ourselves. Graduation was fast approaching, so this weekend might be the only time we could get away before Bella had to start studying for exams.
You can't keep her to yourself this weekend! Alice snarled mentally at me as we made our way through the lunch line. An image of me taking Bella to our meadow for a picnic swam in her head. I need to take her shopping before graduation! Just look at her clothes. She needs a new outfit.
I glared surreptitiously at my sister for imposing on my plans and the insult to Bella's appearance. Bella looked beautiful as always. She was wearing a form fitting long sleeved t-shirt and dark jeans, and her long wavy hair hung gracefully down her back. She was perfect no matter what she wore.
A second after I sat a tray of food down in front of Bella, a harried and tired-looking Angela Weber began talking at top human speed. Her thoughts were a snarl of stress and anxiety.
"Have you sent your announcements yet?" Angela asked the table at large as she played with a slice of pizza. The stress of graduation was really taking its toll on her, and I felt bad for the uncommonly kind girl when I saw the number of people she was obligated to send announcements to. Ben glanced over the top of his comic book at her, his face and his thoughts were sympathetic.
"No," Bella answered with a shrug as she opened a bottle of soda. "Renee knows when I'm graduating. Who else is there?"
"Alice?" Angela asked.
"All finished," Alice replied, smiling cheerfully.
I nearly laughed at the idea of Alice sending graduation announcements to our family in Denali. Tanya would probably come; she'd been curious about Bella for some time now. Thank heaven Bella didn't know about Tanya's infatuation with me; she was insecure enough as it was sometimes.
"Lucky you," Angela replied with chagrin. Her thoughts were embarrassed; she felt guilty for her procrastination. "My mother has a thousand cousins and she expects me to hand address one to everybody. I'm going to get carpal tunnel. I can't put it off any longer and I'm just dreading it."
"I'll help you," Bella offered genially. "If you don't mind my awful handwriting," she glanced at me as she spoke, looking for my approval. She knew I would be grateful she was working on Charlie's "balance" request sans werewolves. I smiled at her.
"Really!" Angela exclaimed gratefully, thinking about how lucky she was to have a kind friend like Bella. My smile widened. "That's so nice of you. I'll come by any time you want."
"Actually, I'd rather go to your house if that's okay," Bella replied. "I'm sick of mine; Charlie un-grounded me last night."
"Really!" Angela repeated eagerly. "I thought you said you were in for life." Angela wondered what had changed Charlie's mind since the last time he'd spoken to her father about the situation. Angela's father was a well-respected minister and a friend of Charlie's.
"I'm more surprised than you are," Bella answered. "I was sure I would have at least finished high school by the time before he set me free."
"Well this is great, Bella," Angela enthused. "We'll have to go out and celebrate."
"What should we do?" Alice jumped in eagerly, her gold eyes dancing with excitement. I feel a girls' day out coming on! Maybe we can go to Vancouver, or even better; Montreal and I could talk Bella into getting her hair done…maybe she'd let them cut a few inches off the length, or some highlights... Ooh! She thought excitedly.
"Leave her hair alone," I grumbled, too softly for human ears to hear. Alice merely smiled at me.
"Whatever you're thinking Alice, I doubt I'm that free," Bella interjected warningly.
"Free is free, right," Alice countered with a smile.
She's such a killjoy. She lamented wordlessly.
"I'm sure I still have boundaries," Bella quipped. "Like the continental US for example."
Everyone laughed except Alice. I shot her a smug look. Bella knew her so well.
"So what are we doing tonight?" Alice pressed, undeterred.
"Nothing," Bella retorted, rolling her eyes. "Look, let's give it a couple of days to make sure he wasn't joking. It's a school night anyway."
"We'll celebrate this weekend," Alice decided. I'm going to get her out of the house if it kills me! What's the point of freedom if you aren't going to use it? Alice grumbled internally.
"Sure," Bella agreed happily.
I was glad she was pleased that she was going to get to do something fun, but I had to admit I was a little disappointed at the idea of sharing her on her first free weekend.
Angela, Alice and Ben began talking about things to do in the area this weekend; upcoming concerts, movies, and restaurants they'd heard good things about. Bella joined in the conversations eagerly at first, but I noticed that her attention began to wane after a few minutes. I watched her curiously. I knew where her mind had gone.
La Push.
Jacob.
My mind was replaying our argument about the subject when a familiar blank expression washed over Alice's features and an image in her head obliterated every other thought in my brain.
I saw a flash of dates on a calendar; and Victoria, running through the forest toward Forks.
She was coming back for Bella.
A half second later, the vision went black, as though a cloud of smoke had consumed the image, and that could only mean one thing:
The wolves were going to be involved in the hunt for her somehow. There was no way to see the outcome with them obscuring Alice's sight. I had to get Bella out of Forks this weekend.
"Alice?" Angela was saying curiously. "Alice!"
Bella looked up with a start at the urgency in Angela's voice. Her face turned bone white and I saw nervous comprehension in her eyes. She knew Alice was seeing something and it frightened her.
I couldn't let her find out what was coming this weekend. She would be terrified, and it would be virtually impossible for me to get her to leave town if she knew. I had to ease her suspicions and Angela's worries as well. I kicked Alice in the shin and laughed convincingly. I had years of practice at mimicking normal human behavior.
"Is it naptime already, Alice?" I said jokingly as she returned to the present. My calm exterior contrasted sharply with the horror racing through my insides.
You need to leave with her, Edward because I can't see whether or not it's safe for her to stay in Forks, Alice thought urgently. I inclined my head a fraction of an inch in confirmation, acutely aware of Bella's scrutinizing gaze.
"Sorry, I was daydreaming I guess," Alice said with just the right amount of awkwardness in her voice. Victoria isn't the only threat here; if we're going to be in close proximity to the wolves, we'll need to stick together and she can't be left alone. She added mentally.
I thought of all the places we could go, but nothing seemed plausible. How was I going to get her away from Charlie for an entire weekend? My thoughts were turning quickly into a haze of fury and panic. And then the perfect solution came to me…
Jacksonville.
I would take her to Renee's for the weekend. Bella had been talking about her mother in her sleep for the last week. A trip to Florida would make her happy and keep her safe. We wouldn't even have to make any travel arrangements since Bella already had the tickets Carlisle and Esme had given her on her wretched birthday. I had hidden them in her room before I left last fall, so she hadn't been able to throw them away. I felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude for this stroke of luck.
"Daydreaming is better than facing two more hours of school," Ben was saying to try to ease Alice's supposed embarrassment. Angela and Alice laughed and began discussing things to do in Port Angeles while Bella watched Alice carefully for some clue about the nature of the vision she'd had.
A cloudy image of Bella walking on a sunny beach beside her mother popped into Alice's head abruptly, but it wasn't very solid.
YES! Alice shouted in her head. That would be perfect if you can pull it off. I can't tell for sure if it will work yet, though.
"I'll get her to Jacksonville; whatever it takes," I whispered to Alice, speaking far too softly and quickly for human ears to comprehend.
The rest of the school day passed slowly for me as I continually made sure that Bella never had an opportunity to ask me about what had transpired during lunch. Her brown eyes blazed with questions and, as the afternoon wore on, growing suspicion. I was going to have to lie to her when we were alone later. I hated being dishonest with her, but there was nothing I wouldn't do to keep her safe.
Bella's covert, searching looks shifted from suspicious to outright incredulity when I started a conversation with Mike Newton out of sheer desperation after school. I'd heard him telling Tyler Crowley about a mysterious mechanical problem he'd been having with his old suburban.
"Excuse me, Mike," I said jovially a second after the dismissal bell rang. "I couldn't help but overhear that your car wouldn't start this morning. Perhaps I could be of some assistance."
Bella's expression was almost as shocked as Mike's thoughts. Alice's thoughts were amused.
"Umm," Mike stammered. "I'm not sure."
Why the hell is Cullen offering to help me? What can he do? Does his foster dad experiment with cars and people? He thought.
"Have you had your battery tested?" I asked. Alice nearly laughed out loud at my rudimentary question.
"It's possible, I guess," Mike muttered doubtfully, exchanging a bewildered glance with Bella. "But I just replaced the battery." I wonder what he's up to. Bella doesn't get it either. This is really weird. He thought as his confusion and suspicion intensified.
"Perhaps it's the cables," I suggested cheerfully. The growing discomfort he was feeling was quite funny. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to torment him if it weren't for the serious situation at hand.
"Maybe," Mike mused again. "I really don't know much about cars," he continued grudgingly. "I need to have someone look at it, but I can't afford to take it to Dowling's." I really wish he'd just stop talking to me now. He thought irritably.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella open her mouth as if she were going to say something.
"I know a few things," I said quickly before she could speak. "I could take a look if you'd like; just let me drop Alice and Bella off at home."
Bella and Mike's mouths fell open simultaneously. Their synchronized reactions would have amused me if the people involved weren't the love of my life and one of the many boys who wanted to take her from me. Alice walked ahead of us to the car so Bella wouldn't be able to start asking her questions while Mike and I were talking.
Okay, now I know something's up. Mike thought anxiously. Cullen probably wants to tamper with my brakes or something. I don't know why he cares; Bella picked him, not me.
I smiled widely at him, and he shuddered slightly.
Freak! He thought.
"Er…thanks," Mike answered lamely once he'd composed himself. "But I have to get to work…maybe another time." I'll take you up on the offer if I ever want someone to help me commit suicide by brake failure, Cullen. He added mentally.
"Absolutely," I replied to his words and his thoughts. He had no idea that I wouldn't have to resort to such measures if I wanted to kill him.
"See ya," Mike said with a shake of his head, relieved that the conversation was over.
"What was that all about?" Bella hissed accusingly as I held the car door open for her. She was looking at me with the intensity of an FBI agent trying to catch an alleged criminal in a lie.
"Just being helpful," I answered vaguely as I slid into the driver's seat and started the car.
"You know you really aren't that good a mechanic Edward," Alice blurted quickly, making sure Bella couldn't get a word in edgewise. "Maybe you should ask Rosalie to take a look at it tonight just so you look good if Mike decides to let you help, you know. Not that it wouldn't be fun to watch his face if Rosalie showed up to help."
Bella was getting more irritated and suspicious by the second. Alice's ridiculous topic of conversation and her nervous babbling were making things worse. I shot her an irritated look through my rear view mirror so Bella couldn't see me.
I know how stupid I sound, but I have to keep talking or she's going to question us both relentlessly. She thought desperately.
"But since Rosalie is supposed to be across the country attending college, I guess that's not the best idea; too bad. Though I suppose for Mike's car you'll do. It's only within the finer tunings of a good Italian sports car that you're out of your depth. And speaking of Italy, and sports cars, you still owe me a yellow Porsche." She smiled at me from between the two front seats. "I don't know that I want to wait for Christmas."
I think she's distracted now, but I'm going to keep talking about nothing until you get me home. Alice thought.
And that she did; she kept up a stream of idle chatter the entire way home. But, I didn't think that Bella was really listening anymore. There was a far away look in her deep brown eyes that I recognized.
I know you don't want to lie to her, but you can't tell her what I saw today. She's going to ask you about it. Maybe you should tell her about the vision I had of Jazz in the desert. That will be believable enough to get her off your back for awhile. Getting her to agree to go to Florida this weekend is going to be a challenge. She thought quickly as I turned onto the lane that led to our home.
I stopped the car at the end of the drive way and Alice jumped out quickly. She gave me a fierce look.
Do whatever it takes to get her to go with you. She thought.
"See you later," I said casually. I nodded once at her before I turned the car around and headed back to Forks.
Bella was surprisingly silent the entire way home. I wondered desperately what she was thinking, but I decided it would be too risky to ask right now. Perhaps she was pondering the best way to question me when we got back to her house. Her silence made it possible for me to think of ways to approach the subject of our trip on the way to her house, but nothing really clever came to me.
"Light homework load tonight," I said casually as we got out of the car.
"Mmm," was Bella's only response; she was too quiet, and it was making me uneasy. I knew she would get around to questioning me in due course, so I decided to keep the conversation light.
"Do you suppose I'm allowed inside again?" I asked in a half teasing voice. I already knew Charlie wouldn't be pleased to see me when he got home.
"Charlie didn't throw a fit when you picked me up for school," Bella pointed out as she unlocked the door.
Bella and I walked upstairs to her room in silence again. I tried to keep my face smooth because I could feel her scrutinizing my demeanor. I wondered how much longer it would take before the interrogation started. I assumed she would start talking as soon as we got to her room, but instead tossed her bag aside, sat down at her desk and turned on her ancient computer. I stretched out on her little bed, thinking hard as the antique machine clattered to life.
Victoria was coming back to Forks in a matter of days, and I couldn't help but wonder why she'd chosen this point and time to return. Did she think my homecoming meant that I was planning to change Bella? Was Victoria trying to get to Bella while she was still human, or was it something else entirely? I glanced over at the closet to where the airplane tickets were stored and sighed. How was I going to initiate this conversation without upsetting her?
My reverie was interrupted by the urgent sound of Bella's fingernails clicking on top of the desk. She was impatient and anxious. I had to distract her, and I knew the perfect way to do it. I zipped over to the desk to stand close behind her before she had time to notice and I covered her warm fingers with my icy ones to halt the movement in her hands.
"Are we a little impatient today?" I whispered softly as I knelt beside her.
She turned to face me, and I could see from the ill tempered frown between her eyes that she was about to start questioning me. The close proximity of our faces startled her and she gasped. Her soft lips were parted in an unintentionally seductive way and I felt the desperate need to kiss her overwhelm me.
I leaned in carefully and pressed my lips to hers. She yielded to me at once, her mouth moving with mine. Her pulse quickened and I felt her tongue on my lower lip. I moaned softly as I moved one of my hands down her back and pulled her closer while I ran my fingers through her hair with the other. The feel of her perfect curves against me was almost unbearable, and I could feel her body react to the contact just as strongly as mine was. Her heart was racing now and I could feel the blood pounding in her veins. She wrapped her arms around my neck, encouraging me to continue.
I knew I was going to have to pull away soon. My increasing desire to take things further was going to get the better of me if I didn't stop. Just as the thought entered my mind, I felt her grip on me tighten as though she knew what I was thinking.
With great reluctance, I broke the contact, panting almost as hard as she was. I shifted imperceptibly to try to hide the extent of my excitement as my eyes bored into hers. I laughed softly at the blush in her cheeks and the look of irritation on her face.
"Ah, Bella," I said with a deep sigh. She had no idea what she was doing to me. I wished I could make her understand how much I wanted her, but then again it might be better if she didn't. She might try harder to tempt me if she knew.
"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not," She breathed as her heart rate gradually returned to normal.
"And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry, but I don't," I replied, wanting her hear the significance in my words and hoping that she didn't at the same time.
"Maybe I should go sit on the bed," I continued. It was better to be safe than sorry.
She let out a deep breath. "If you think that's necessary," she answered, still slightly disoriented. I smiled at her and got up when I was sure it was safe for me to do so without embarrassment. I glanced over at the computer and saw a letter from Renee on the screen. She would be thrilled to get more than an email from Bella.
"Tell Renee I said hello," I told her as she turned her full attention back to her mother's correspondence.
"Sure thing," she said as she read her mother's letter intently.
I thought about the passionate intensity between us as I stretched out on Bella's little bed. I loved that I could have such an effect on her and yet it made me feel guilty that I couldn't give her more. I wanted all of her in every way, and I wanted to physically give her all of me in return. How I longed to be human for her! I ached for us to have a normal life together. I thought of how wonderful it would be to give her children. For a brief moment, the image of a little girl with long curly hair and big brown eyes danced in my head again. I shook off this impossible mental picture and turned my attention back to reality. I had more pressing matters to attend to.
I got up and walked over to the closet and silently rifled through it until I found what I was looking for. I pulled the tickets out of a dust covered box that still had a sliver of wrapping paper on the side, but not before my eyes took in the sight of the stereo Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper had bought her last year. It was sticking out of a trash bag on the closet floor, covered in a layer of dust and mangled almost beyond recognition. I picked it up and examined it carefully, and the sight of it made my heart ache.
There were scratch marks and traces of blood on its face that made me sure that Bella had dug it out with her bare hands in a fit of pain and rage after I'd left. I knew it wasn't in her truck anymore, but I had no idea she'd gone to such barbaric lengths to get it out. Her soft little hands would have been terribly injured with the effort.
My poor Bella! Seeing this tangible reminder of the hell I'd put her through by leaving made the coming task seem all the more daunting. I heard her chair scraping against the hardwood floor and looked over to see her watching me warily. I reminded myself that the coming conversation was necessary to protect her. I had to get her out of town.
"What did you do to this?" I asked her dramatically.
She blushed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I felt so guilty for using this approach.
"It didn't want to come out of the dashboard," she replied with an attempt at an indifferent shrug. I could tell that she didn't want to look at it.
"So you felt the need to torture it?" I said in a halfhearted attempt at sarcasm. She was the one who had been tortured.
"You know how I am with tools," she said defensively. "No harm was inflicted intentionally."
I composed my face into an expression of phony sadness that didn't show the guilt I felt.
"You killed it," I said in a teasing tone. There was nothing funny about the gouges in the little black box that had most certainly shredded her fingernails to bits.
"Oh well," she answered with a shrug. She didn't want to talk about it. Neither did I for that matter, but I had to.
"It would hurt their feelings if they saw this," I said in an attempt to play on her sensitivity. It was a lousy thing to do, but I had to get her to agree to leave town with me. I was also hoping it would give me an acceptable excuse to replace her stereo. "I guess it's a good thing you've been on house arrest. I'll have to get another one in place before they notice."
"Thanks, but I don't need a fancy stereo," Bella retorted, rolling her eyes. She was still really uncomfortable. It was time to get this over with. I braced myself for what I needed to say next.
"It's not for your sake that I'm going to replace it," I replied.
"You didn't get much good out of your birthday presents last year," I grumbled as I waved the plane tickets in the air purposefully.
Bella's irritable blush turned bone white in a matter of seconds. My insides burned with guilt and misery at her nonverbal response. I could see that she was too shocked to say anything. It took all of my strength to keep my eyes on hers. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I had a secret to keep.
"Do you realize these are about to expire?" I asked in an even voice after a moment's pause. She stared at the paper in my hands and her expression flickered with a sliver of surprise. She sighed deeply.
"No," she said morosely. "I'd forgotten all about them, actually."
Something she'd said to me over a year ago echoed in my head.
'I'm good at repressing unpleasant things.' She'd said.
I winced internally. She'd probably tried to forget as much as she could about that dreadful night. I reminded myself again that I had to do this for her safety, and I looked at her with a cheerful expression that contrasted completely with the remorse I felt.
"Well, we have no plans for this weekend, as you refuse to go to the prom with me," I said with a carefree smile. "Why not celebrate your freedom this way?"
Bella's mouth fell open in shock.
"By going to Florida?" she gasped incredulously. Spontaneity was not one of Bella's many talents.
"Well, you did say something about the continental US being allowable," I reminded her. My tone was light, but I was desperate for her to agree to go without a fight.
She gave me a piercing mistrustful look, but she didn't respond. The seconds ticked by and I was growing too impatient to keep pretending to be calm.
"Well?" I prompted curtly. "Are we going to see Renee or not?" The suspense was getting the better of me now.
She frowned at me thoughtfully for a long moment, and I knew before she said anything what her answer would be. I was prepared for this argument.
"Charlie will never allow it," she said as though that settled the matter.
"Charlie can't keep you from seeing your mother; she still has primary custody of you," I replied methodically. I suppressed a smile at my deliberate choice of words. Regardless of her immense maturity, Bella was still a human teenager.
She would hate the idea of me referring to either of her parents in a custodial fashion.
"Nobody has custody of me," she snapped reflexively. "I'm an adult."
I smiled a wide and genuine smile this time at her predictable reaction.
"Exactly," I replied cheerfully.
Bella bit her lip as she thought about what I'd suggested. I could see an internal struggle going on behind her eyes as she weighed her desire to keep the peace with Charlie versus her longing to see her mother. I watched her carefully, waiting for her decision and hoping against hope that she would say yes. I didn't want to have to resort to more desperate measures to get my way. I felt bad enough as it was keeping things from her and bringing up her birthday.
"Not this weekend," she said finally.
Damn it. I thought.
"Why not?" I demanded. I really didn't want this to turn into a contest of wills between the two of us. She would not be in Forks this weekend.
"I don't want to get into a fight with Charlie," she replied simply. "Not so soon after he's forgiven me."
Translation: I don't want Charlie to get angry about me taking a trip with you less than a week after he released me from my punishment no matter how much I want to see my mom.
Bella and I both knew how Charlie would feel about her going out of town with me no matter the circumstances. Yes, Charlie would be difficult. I briefly considered the idea of sending her alone, but that was unacceptable for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I couldn't guarantee her safety if she were alone and secondly, the idea of being away from her for three days was enough to send me into a fierce panic.
"I think this weekend is perfect," I countered with a scowl.
Bella shook her head emphatically. "Another time," she insisted.
I rolled my eyes at her. Well, if she wouldn't agree to go for her own sake, perhaps she would do it for mine.
"You're not the only one who's been trapped in this house you know," I grumbled, frowning at her again. Of course, I couldn't have cared less where we were as long as she was with me and safe, but she wouldn't be safe here this weekend.
Her eyes narrowed mistrustfully at my words. She knew me well enough to know that this wasn't the kind of thing I would usually say. My own happiness was completely dependent on hers.
"You can go anywhere you want," she said in a practical voice.
I almost laughed at the absurdity of her words. As if I could go anywhere without her! I was intricately and irreversibly tied to her in every sense of the word. Just leaving her to hunt was mentally torturous to the point of causing me physical pain. Honestly, I sometimes found myself thinking about the merits of starvation when it was time for me to go.
"The outside world holds no interest for me without you," I said simply. It was a enormous understatement.
She rolled her eyes at me doubtfully. She had no idea how hard it was for me to be away from her.
"I'm serious," I said emphatically. Bella sighed skeptically.
"Let's take the outside world slowly, all right?" Bella insisted. "For example, we could start with a movie in Port Angeles…"
"Never mind," I interrupted curtly. "We'll talk about it later." Quarrelling with her wasn't getting me anywhere; it was time to move on to plan B, which would have to wait until Charlie got home.
"There's nothing left to talk about," she insisted.
Her words seemed to be an invitation to keep arguing, but I wasn't going to do that. I shrugged noncommittally.
"Okay, new subject," she said agreeably. I didn't mind in the least to let her think this discussion was over for today. The element of surprise would work in my favor later. "What did Alice see today at lunch?"
I should have known this would be the next topic of conversation, but the abrupt shift had taken me off guard a little. She stared at me intently, looking for signs of deceit or stress, but I kept my face carefully blank and recited the story Alice had suggested earlier.
"She's been seeing Jasper in a strange place," I replied darkly. "Somewhere in the southwest near his former…family," I stumbled on the last word. Jasper's companions when he was changed could hardly be called family. They were savages. "But he has no conscious intentions to go back. It's got her worried." I sighed. I hated being dishonest with Bella.
But, there was truth in my statement. Alice was worried about the vision she'd had this afternoon, and she was also worried about the vision she'd had of Jasper looking for Maria in a desert. She had no idea what it meant, but she'd seen it more than once in the last three weeks and she was getting anxious.
"Oh," Bella said in surprise. She'd clearly been expecting something different. She had been certain I was keeping something from her. She was right, of course, but the explanation I'd provided seemed to satisfy her.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" She asked curiously.
"I didn't realize you'd noticed," I lied severely. Bella noticed everything. She was going to be the most observant vampire on the planet. "It's probably nothing important, in any case." I continued in an effort to downplay the situation. I didn't want her to question me further because I didn't want to lie any more than was absolutely necessary.
Bella's expression was slightly guilty. She must've felt bad for being suspicious of me. I reminded myself again that keeping her in the dark about what was really going on was essential in order to keep my own guilt at bay.
Bella and I did our homework and I assisted her in the kitchen with Charlie's dinner. We made small talk as we worked, and she didn't seem to notice my preoccupation. I kept obsessing over the repercussions of failing to get her to go along with my plans for this weekend. Where could I take her besides Jacksonville to keep her away from the impending danger?
Charlie's cruiser pulled into the driveway just after dark, and for once I was glad he was home.
Charlie was much more cheerful than usual in spite of my presence, and it didn't take me long to discern the reason in his head. He'd been corresponding with Billy Black today about some sort of get together they were orchestrating to get Bella out to the reservation this weekend. Charlie had suggested on more than one occasion that Jacob should surprise Bella by coming to Forks, but Billy had insisted this was a bad idea. I knew Sam Uley had forbidden Jacob from coming here, as did his father. So, Billy told Charlie they needed to get Bella to visit there.
Leaving town with her seemed even more urgent now.
I made my excuses about not eating as usual, which suited Charlie just fine since Bella had made one of his favorite dishes. He never suggested that I dine with them anymore. When Charlie had asked once about my strange mealtime behavior, Bella told him that I had a lot of really severe food allergies and so he was under the impression that I was on a very limited diet.
I retreated to the living room couch and pretended to watch TV while they ate. I decided to call Alice to see what she thought of my plan to start an argument between Bella and Charlie. I pulled my freshly charged cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Alice's number.
"Do you think it will work, Alice?" I whispered into the phone while Charlie and Bella ate in silence in the other room. She paused for a moment, and I knew she was trying to visualize the outcome.
"Yes," she replied finally. "Bella will be mad at you for doing it at first, but she'll get over it. Charlie's reaction to the idea of Bella going to her mother's will be positive until he realizes that you're planning to go with her. He'll lose his temper and Bella will get instinctively defensive."
"Good," I said, breathing a deep sigh of relief as I heard Charlie complimenting Bella on the meal and the clatter of dishes as she started clearing the table.
"Have you seen anything else about what's going to happen this weekend?" I asked her curiously.
"No," Alice said irritably. In my head I could see the frown that was surely marring her delicate face. "Those dogs are clouding everything."
"I'm sure that's frustrating," I answered sympathetically. "Just keep looking, and please keep any eye on Bella for me."
"Of course," Alice replied. "Now, I believe you have a fight to start after Charlie and Bella get finished talking, so I'll catch you later."
I hung up the phone and turned the volume down on the TV as I listened to the conversation Charlie and Bella were having.
"Billy invited us down to visit this weekend," Charlie was saying happily from his usual place at the kitchen table. "He was thinking of having the Clearwaters and the Uleys over too; sort of a playoff party." I told her what my conditions were yesterday, so she knows she'll have to go to Billy's. I hope she doesn't try to bring Edward along. Billy's sure she won't. I'm glad he thought of this. I know if they had the chance to talk things out she'd realize how much he means to her. Charlie thought happily.
I gritted my teeth in irritation at Charlie's latest scheme to get Bella and Jacob together. I comforted myself with the knowledge that Bella was going to be on the other side of the country this weekend.
"Huh," was all Bella said in response to Charlie's news about the invitation. I heard the sound of running water as she prepared to clean up the dinner dishes. Charlie was just about to remind her of the balance clause he'd attached to her freedom when I joined Bella purposefully at the sink to assist her with the dishes.
I could see Charlie glaring at me from the corner of his eye as he got up to take his usual seat in front of the TV.
Gee, I wonder if he was eavesdropping, Charlie thought sarcastically. He was annoyed that I'd interrupted his conversation with Bella. I smiled slightly; his annoyance was about to turn into full fledged anger.
"Charlie," I called politely before he could make his exit. He stopped cold and looked at me with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. He didn't want to talk to me but he was curious about what I had to say since I rarely ever struck up any sort of conversation with him these days.
"Yeah?" he asked warily.
"Did Bella ever tell you that my parents gave her airplane tickets for her last birthday so she could visit Renee?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Before Charlie could answer, there was a loud clatter from behind me as Bella lost her grip on the wet plate in her hand. It hit the floor with a resounding crash and I felt flecks of warm soapy water land on my back and legs. Charlie was too shocked by my revelation to even blink in response to the droplets that landed on his face.
"Bella?" Charlie gasped in a voice that invited her to explain herself. Plane tickets!! I can't believe it! Is he serious? Why didn't she say anything? He thought as he waited for her response.
"Bella's heart was thundering in her chest now, and I saw the uneasy blush on her cheeks for a second as she stooped down to pick up the sodden plate.
"Yeah, they did," she muttered uneasily, still staring at the plate. I felt terrible for doing this to her, but I didn't have a choice.
Wow! That's really generous. But I wonder why he's mentioning it now? Is it because I said something about going to visit the Blacks? If that's the reason, he's beyond jealous! Charlie thought as his mind raced with theories on what my real motivation was.
He wouldn't be able to guess my reasons in a million years.
"No, she never mentioned it," Charlie replied, squinting at me suspiciously.
"Hmm," I answered in a falsely thoughtful voice.
I glanced over in Bella's direction out of the corner of my eye for a fraction of a second to see that she was staring unseeingly at the floor. Her face was contorted into a scowl that was almost as mistrustful and curious as Charlie's.
"Was there a reason you brought it up?" Charlie asked me warily.
He's up to something, I just know it. He thought.
I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly before I answered him. "They're about to expire," I explained blandly. "I think it might hurt Esme's feelings if Bella doesn't use her gift. Not that she'd say anything."
Bella's head jerked up and she gaped at me in shock. I could see a flicker of betrayal and pain on her face for a moment. If only she'd agreed to leave with me earlier…
"It's probably a good idea for you to visit your mom, Bella," Charlie said after a brief pause. "She'd love that. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about this, though."
Bella bit her lip and twisted her hands nervously before answering.
"I forgot," she answered in an embarrassed tone. Charlie scowled at her doubtfully.
"You forgot that someone gave you plane tickets?" Charlie asked incredulously. She forgot! Well, she did lose her mind after he left, but I can't believe she didn't jump at a chance to see her mom. She's been missing Renee a lot lately. He added mentally.
"Mmm," was all Bella managed to say in response. She turned away from both of us and stared at the diminishing suds in the sink before picking up another plate to wash.
Hmm. I know she doesn't like to talk about what happened last fall, but I don't understand why she's acting so nervous. There's something else going on here. But, wait he said they…no that better not be it…
Understanding was just beneath the surface of Charlie's thoughts now.
"I noticed you said they're about to expire, Edward," Charlie continued. "How many tickets did your parents purchase?"
I felt Bella tense behind me, but I proceeded relentlessly anyway.
"Just one for her, and one for me," I answered serenely.
Bella's heart actually stopped for a split second before it started trying to pound its way out of her chest. She dropped another plate into the sink with a wet thud and her face flooded with heat. I knew she was panicking and she would soon be furious with me.
Charlie's response was similar, but more dramatic. His face turned radish red in the span of about 3 seconds. He exhaled as though he'd just taken a blow to the stomach. I braced myself for the coming argument as I listened to his mental shouting.
I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW HE WAS UP TO SOMETHING! HE'S GOING TO RUN OFF WITH HER AGAIN! PROBABLY WANTS TO GET HER ALONE SO HE CAN…OH GOD! I WON'T LET HIM TAKE HER! SHE CAN'T…
Charlie thought I wanted to take off with Bella so we could have some sort of tryst. I thought of disgusting Mike Newton and realized that wouldn't be too out of character for a normal teenaged boy. Charlie had no idea that was impossible for Bella and I.
"That is out of the question!" Charlie bellowed furiously. His face was growing more flushed by the minute as anger intensified.
"Why?" I asked naively. "You just said it was a good idea for her to visit her mother." I reminded him politely.
Charlie's mind was a snarl of fury as he fantasized about choking the life out of me. Not that it would work. He restrained himself and turned his anger on Bella since he was too irate to address me. I felt awful for putting her through this, but Alice had assured me it would work out just fine.
"You're not going anywhere with him, young lady!" Charlie roared at Bella as he strode across the kitchen to the sink. She turned on her heel to face him and was instantly defensive at the tone of his voice.
"I'm not a child, dad," Bella yelled back at him reflexively. "And I'm not grounded anymore, remember?"
Charlie's reaction had pressed every single teenage button in Bella's body as though he were reading an instruction manual on how to infuriate your teenage daughter. Alice was right; this was going to work, I could feel it.
Damn it! I never should have released her from her punishment! I should've known he'd come up with some way to cause trouble again. Well, I can fix that right now! I'll take it back! He thought furiously.
Oh yes you are!" Charlie bellowed. "Starting now!"
"For what!" Bella shrieked incredulously.
Charlie's mind tried to come up with a legitimate excuse, but he couldn't think of one, so he blurted the standard parental answer without thinking it through.
"Because I said so," He snarled. He was being completely irrational now.
"Do I need to remind you that I'm a legal adult, Charlie," Bella fumed, her chin jutting out mulishly the way it always did when she was angry.
"This is my house…you follow my rules," Charlie blustered as though he were reading from a list of parental clichés.
Bella's facial expression changed from furious to stubborn in a fraction of a second.
"If that's how you want it," she said coolly. "Do you want me to move out tonight or can I have a few days to pack?"
I grimaced; Alice hadn't said anything about the possibility of Bella moving in with us over this! The last thing I wanted was to cause a rift between Charlie and Bella. But at least I wouldn't have to worry about the dog if she moved in with us.
Charlie's face turned impossibly redder and his thoughts were chagrined. He hadn't meant to push Bella this far. The last thing he wanted was for her to move in with me, and he knew that's where she would go if she left. Bella winced in response to his reaction, and I knew she felt bad about what she'd said. She took a deep, calming breath before she broke the strained silence.
"I'll do my time without complaining when I've done something wrong, Dad," She said calmly. "But I'm not going to put up with your prejudices."
Charlie thought of a multitude of things to say about why he had plenty of reasons to object to Bella travelling with me, but he fumbled for the right words.
"Now I know that you know that I have every right to see Mom for the weekend," Bella interjected before Charlie could collect his thoughts. "You can't honestly say that you would object to the plan if I was taking Alice or Angela."
Okay, so now we had a plan. Mission accomplished. I breathed an internal sigh of relief. We were going to Florida and Bella would be safe.
Charlie snorted too softly for Bella to hear before he answered.
"Girls," he grumbled. Does she really think she can compare her relationship with her boyfriend to her regular friends? She can't think I'd be dumb enough to believe there's nothing going on between them…
Bella glowered at him and spoke her retort without blinking.
"Would it bother you if I took Jacob?" she asked rhetorically.
I gritted my teeth to stifle the growl that was building in my burning chest. I knew the answer to that all too well.
No, I wouldn't mind if it was Jake, but he's a gentleman. He wouldn't take advantage of her. He thought. But, of course, he didn't say so out loud.
The mental image of Bella and Jacob alone on a sunny Florida beach flashed in my head and the flaming jealousy in my chest nearly consumed me.
"Yes," he lied in complete contradiction to his thoughts. "That would bother me."
"You're a rotten liar, Dad" Bella hissed angrily at him. Like father, like daughter.
"Bella…" he started to argue, but she cut him off mid sentence. I could tell she'd registered my discomfort with this subject and she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"It's not like I'm headed off to Vegas to be a show girl or anything," Bella reasoned. "I'm going to see Mom. She's just as much my parental authority as you are."
I thought that was a bit of a stretch considering that Renee didn't seem to have an authoritative bone in her body. Charlie was thinking the same thing and he gave Bella a sour look. She clearly noticed his response.
"Are you implying something about Mom's ability to look after me," Bella asked bluntly.
Charlie cringed at the accusation. The last thing he wanted was to start a fight with Renee. It had apparently taken some time for the two of them to have a comfortable relationship after their divorce.
"You'd better hope I don't mention this to her," Bella pressed relentlessly.
"You'd better not," Charlie said with a frown. He was about to back down. "I'm not happy about this, Bella." At least they're going to Renee's and I won't have to worry about them doing something stupid, like eloping. Renee would rather kill Bella than let her get married. He added silently.
I remembered Bella's remarks about her mother's feelings on marriage when I'd first proposed to her. I guess she wasn't exaggerating.
"There's no reason for you to be upset," Bella countered.
I can think of a few reasons, Charlie thought angrily as he thought about raging teenage hormones and the consequences again. I nearly laughed out loud. I was too relieved that my plan had worked and Bella would be safely away from Forks this weekend to be insulted by Charlie's low opinion of my moral character.
"So my homework is done, your dinner is done, and the dishes are done," Bella snapped. "And I'm not grounded, so I'm going out. I'll be back before Ten thirty."
"Where are you going?" Charlie grumbled as his anger threatened to make another appearance.
"I'm not sure," Bella mused for a moment. "I'll keep it within a ten mile radius, though. Okay?" she added as a polite afterthought.
"Not really," Charlie grumbled too quietly for Bella to hear. "But I guess there's nothing I can do about it…18.. ugh."
Bella sighed guiltily as she watched her father walk to the living room.
"We're going out?" I asked, unable to keep the enthusiasm out of my voice. I'd gotten my wish and Bella and I would be spending the evening somewhere other than Charlie's kitchen.
Bella glared furiously at me in response. I knew I should feel some remorse for the position I'd put her in, but I was too relieved to feel guilty. I was keeping her safe from harm and worry.
"Yes, I think I'd like to speak to you alone," She said in a voice that was dripping with anger.
She didn't say anything else until we were in the car. I still had no idea where we were going, but I put the Volvo in reverse and pulled onto the road anyway.
"What was that?" she snarled as we drove through the sheeting rain.
I decided to tell her something that was based in fact; a legitimate reason that had absolutely nothing to do with what I did tonight.
"I know you want to see your mother, Bella," I said persuasively. "You've been talking about her in your sleep. Worrying, actually."
It was true that Bella had been talking about Renee in her sleep more for the last several days, but there hadn't been anything really serious in her one sided nocturnal chatter. Mostly, she admonished Phil for letting Renee behave irresponsibly.
"I have?" Bella asked. Her anger had been replaced by surprise for the moment.
I nodded in affirmation. "But, clearly you were too much of a coward to deal with Charlie, so I interceded on your behalf," I teased. Knowing that we were leaving town after all the stress of the afternoon had made me giddy with relief and suddenly everything seemed funny.
"Interceded?" Bella echoed furiously, her voice high pitched and incredulous. "You threw me to the sharks!"
Now there was nice bit of irony; I was trying to keep her safe from a real monster who wanted to take a bite out of her. I rolled my eyes.
"I don't think you were in any real danger," I said as I suppressed a sardonic smirk. She would have been in terrible danger if I hadn't managed to get her to go on this impromptu vacation.
"I told you I didn't want to fight with Charlie," she grumbled.
"Nobody said you had to," I reminded her. None of the little after dinner drama I'd just orchestrated would have been necessary if she weren't so stubborn. She could have just went along with me from the start. But, she was far to stubborn to ever make anything easy.
Bella gave me a nasty look as the crease between her eyebrow deepened. "I can't help myself when he gets all bossy like that. My natural teenage instincts overpower me."
I laughed. "Well, that's not my fault." I replied. She and Charlie were the ones who had taken the bait, to use one of the chief's favorite fishing analogies.
Bella was silent for a long moment as I drove aimlessly through the streets of town. She knew I was keeping something from her, but I didn't think she would figure out what was going on unless something dramatic happened. Finally, after several pensive minutes, she broke the silence.
"Does this sudden urge to see Florida have anything to do with the party at Billy's place?" she asked abruptly.
I tensed at once at the memory of Charlie's scheming.
"Nothing at all," I said coldly. "It wouldn't matter if you were here or on the other side of the world, you still wouldn't be going." I finished matter of factly.
I could hear Bella's heart rate increase as anger pulsed through her once more. Her cheeks flushed, and I could tell from the stiff set of her lovely jaw that she was using every ounce of self-control she possessed not to lose her temper. I sighed deeply. I couldn't deal with any more disagreements just now. I'd had enough arguments for one evening to say the least. And besides, this was a closed subject. There was nothing more to argue about. She was not going to set one toe on their land.
"So, what do you want to do tonight," I asked in an attempt to diffuse the tension.
The tension in Bella's face seemed to relax, and I was sure she was thinking about her freedom again.
"Can we go to your house?" she asked. "I haven't seen Esme in so long."
I smiled when I remembered the conversation I'd had with my mother earlier. I'd promised to bring Bella over so they could visit now that her punishment was over.
"She'll like that," I agreed. "Especially when she hears what we're doing this weekend."
Bella groaned dramatically, but I knew she was going to love seeing her mother this weekend.
My smile widened as I thought about having a Charlie-free weekend with Bella. Everything was okay.
She was safe, and nothing else in the universe mattered but that.
We spent the evening laughing and playing games with Alice and Jasper. It was the first time that Bella had been at home with me since that travesty of a vote we'd had about her immortality. Emmett and Rose were back, and Emmett made me promise that I would run the perimeter of the Hoh forest with him tonight before I went back to Bella's "just for fun". I agreed eagerly when Alice assured me that she would keep her third eye on Bella. She also promised to call me if she saw anything out of the ordinary.
Esme was thrilled that we were going to be using the tickets this weekend, especially in light of the whole situation with Victoria. Alice had explained her vision to the others as soon as she'd arrived at home and they'd spent most of the evening strategizing and dividing up territories for patrolling purposes. Esme had consented to keep an eye on Charlie while the others searched for Victoria.
All in all, it seemed as though everything was going to work out better than I'd anticipated.
I got Bella back to Charlie's before her curfew. She probably would've stayed longer under most circumstances, but it would be better if she didn't press her luck too much with Charlie tonight. The downstairs was still ablaze with lamplight and the glow of the TV, so Charlie was waiting for her to get home just as she'd suspected he would be. I searched his thoughts for any sign of turmoil as I pulled into the driveway and found none.
However, I did find something strange.
This is going to be awful....I have to do it....responsibility as her father to explain things...ugh....how to parents do this! I can't talk to her about...but I have to...I have to!
Charlie was going to talk to Bella about sex. I nearly laughed out loud as I put the car in park.
"You'd better not come inside," Bella said dully as she unfastened her seatbelt. "It will only make things worse."
She was sure that Charlie was waiting for her to get home so he could start another fight, but I had a feeling she would prefer to fight with Charlie than to talk about the birds and the bees with him.
"His thoughts are relatively calm," I said with a smirk. He wasn't planning to yell at her anyway. I pressed my lips together tightly to keep from smiling. Perhaps I should stay and listen, just for fun...
"I'll see you later," Bella said dejectedly. I leaned over to open the door for her, kissing her gently in the process.
"I'll be back when Charlie's snoring," I reassured her. She nodded and climbed out of the car. I finally succumbed to the laughter when she closed the front door.
"You're such a cheat!" Emmett shouted in my head when I beat him for the third time. I laughed at the irritated tone of his mind. He rarely ever out ran me and I didn't know why he'd insisted on trying.
"And you're a sore loser," I retorted smugly. "Admit it, you can't stand it when..." I was interrupted by the shrill ringing of my cell phone. I looked down at the number and felt a stab of anxiety. It was Alice.
"What's going on?" I asked urgently without saying Hello.
"You need to get back to Forks," Alice replied urgently. "I can't see Bella's future. She's still at home right now, but I can't see anything past the next five minutes."
Horror rose in my throat as the copious amounts of venom my body produced in times of stress threatened to strangle me. Every particle of my body vibrated with fear and fury, because there was only one thing that could cause Bella to disappear from Alice's vision.
She was going to La Pus