This story contains some mild language, suspense, romance, and some frightening situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Twenty Four:

Preparing for Departure: Part II

On Tuesday morning I woke with my head cradled in the crook of Edward's arm.

"Hey, sleepy-head, how am I supposed to finish packing when I'm stuck being your pillow until morning?" he joked.

I squinted in the direction of the night stand where the alarm clock rested. "It's only seven o'clock," I moaned.

"Our flight leaves out at eleven o'clock…a.m. in case you forgot."

I yawned widely. "You haven't finished packing yet?"

"I have one other thing…but I have to wait until Carlisle leaves for the hospital this morning. Right about now, actually."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, instantly suspicious. "What are you taking that you're not supposed to?"

He grinned. "It's a surprise."

I frowned mockingly. "There are no secrets between us—unless you want to count that episode Saturday night." I paused for a moment as the thought sunk in. "Hey that makes two nights without an incident…no fever, no struggle. Maybe you beat it."

Edward didn't look or sound convinced. "Maybe—"

"You don't believe so?" I asked, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

He shook his head. "I think it's just bidding its time. Getting stronger, maybe, or waiting on me to have a weak moment…But no worries."

"No worries? I can't believe you just said that," I said, pulling the covers up and smoothing our obvious outline.

"So what is it, this surprise?" I wasn't sure I liked the idea; Edward was keeping too much from Carlisle and the others. It wasn't natural.

"Can't tell you yet."

"You can't make me wait like that; you know how crazy it makes me."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "I'll show you when we get to the airport."

I sighed, resigned to wait another hour or two, though why he'd want to wait until we got to the airport, I had no idea—unless, by that time it would be impossible to undo…and useless for me to protest.

The Volturi family had left Forks Monday morning so there had been a weightless feeling in the Cullen household yesterday, subdued only by the fact that Edward and I would be leaving the next morning. Alice and Jasper had generously offered to take us to the airport and we had accepted, gladly, since there was the possibility (though neither of us actually said it) that we might not see each other again for a while…or at all.

Edward ran a hand through his tousled hair and paused at the window. "Be ready in a few minutes, alright?"

I raised my hand in protest. "I'm already packed, unlike some people."

***

I climbed into Edward's silver Volvo half an hour later. I was a little surprised to see Jasper driving and Alice in the passenger seat. But it was nice to be taxied for once.

"Got everything?" Alice asked, smiling broadly at me.

I looked back at Charlie's small, yet cozy house, not realizing until that moment how much I would miss it. "I believe so," I answered.

Edward tossed my bags into the trunk and slid into the backseat beside me. He smiled softly at me and then said breathlessly, "Here we go," as if up until now it hadn't seemed real. We gazed at one another; how strange, I mused, that our thoughts could go unsaid, yet understood, with just one look.

We were leaving my fog-shrouded driveway, leaving Forks. We turned our heads and watched it disappear through the back window, knowing that when we returned our lives would be forever changed.

***

(Note: It seems that I uploaded the wrong document yesterday—how embarrassing. {Thank you, Twihard and CullenLover for emailing me—no telling when I would've realized what I did.} I'm always paranoid that I'm going to leave an edit note in the story, so uploading an unfinished, note-riddled draft makes me want to hide under a rock. At least no one flamed me for it. So here is my apology, and please forgive my "human moment". And thanks for reading… I think.)