Chapter Twenty-Six

Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer.

Mynxi, I love you for looking over this no less than three times! We need more anger! Thanks for helping me so much with the first part! Anyway, I solemnly swear not to go all Team Edward on you, unlike certain others who will remain nameless ;) Just kidding, I love you girls too, Anadabyel and VV! I won't read Edward for just anyone, but you two have sucked me in!

Thank you again to team Malcolm for assisting with the Scottish! You girls rock! NewTownGirl "translated" and Pyejammies and chedoo28 were good enough to pre-read again. Again, I softened some things to allow ease of reading for my fellow Yanks, so any inaccuracies are my own.

BPOV
I sat silently, feeling an eerie emptiness as I listened to Edward's words. I watched his lips move while he told me about the life I should have lived after he left me. He then proceeded to criticize my wardrobe, the way I had earned my livelihood, and the fact that I was having sex with Jasper. I vaguely heard Peter making some sort of warning comment before white hot rage rushed through me.

Jumping to my feet, I ignored the screaming pain from my shoulder as I leaned toward the eternal boy across the room from me. "How dare you?" I called across the room. "How dare you come here and judge me?"

Disbelief that Edward had really just said those words warred with my anger. "You left me!" I shouted at him. "You destroyed me and abandoned me, taking my best friend and the family I loved as my own! You left me alone, with no way to reach you if I needed help. You vanished, but the danger didn't, Edward!" My voice grew louder as the memory of Charlie's savaged body flashed through my mind.

"You left me with no protection, and no way to protect the people I loved. Charlie, Renee, Phil- I lost fucking everything because of you, Edward Cullen!" I remembered the panic I felt fleeing Forks, followed by the desperate hope that Edward would sweep back in and make it all better. Then, the numbness as I eventually realized that I was truly on my own in the world.

"It was all I could do to keep it together enough to survive. I had no one to turn to, no one to help me, except for the strippers you think so poorly of. When Jasper found me, I was just a shell going through the motions of existence. My only motivation to keep living was to piss Victoria off. I was dead inside."

Memories of my loneliness before Jasper returned to my life flitted through my brain, honing my rage to a laser fine point, directed at the immature vampire across the room. "And now you have the balls to walk in to my home and have the nerve to judge me; just because my life didn't turn out the way you think it should have? You have some nerve, you self-righteous piece of shit!"

Edward stared back at me, his shock at my language evident on his face. "That's right, dumb-fuck, I called you a piece of shit. You can add liberal use of profanity to that little list of my short-comings that you've compiled!"

He opened his mouth, but thankfully no sound came out. I felt my face growing hot with an angry blush, as I began to yell before he could say anything. "Believe me, for the sake of my parents, I wish that things had worked out the way you planned, but they didn't. I don't regret for a minute where I stand today, but the road to get here has been long and really fucking hard. And you have no right to judge or criticize me and the things that I've had to do and the way I lead my life!" I snapped at him.

He finally regained his capacity for speech, holding his good hand out to me. "I'm sorry, Bella," he gasped. "I spoke too quickly, and I obviously used words that offended you."

I rolled my eyes at the weak pseudo-apology. He kept on talking, acting as if he didn't see the disbelief on my face. "I'm just having a difficult time understanding and accepting the decisions you've made."

Closing my eyes briefly, I struggled to control my anger at his self-centered words. I heard movement from behind me, but before I could even turn around, I felt Jasper's hands resting gently on my hips. The peace of our contact flowed over me, allowing me to rein in my anger and find the words I needed to express myself to Edward.

I hadn't been looking for face to face closure with him, and I honestly would have been content to spend the rest of my eternal life without seeing his face again. But, here he was in front of me, offering his unsolicited opinion on my life. I wasn't about to miss this opportunity to give him a piece of my mind.

Taking comfort and strength from Jasper's physical presence, I opened my eyes, unsurprised to find Edward staring at Jasper's hands on me. "I'm sorry too, Edward," I hissed, feeling satisfaction when he jumped at the sound of the anger in my voice.

"I'm so sorry you don't approve of the choices I made after you disappeared from my life. I chose to fight for my life. I chose to do what I had to do to make my away in the world, alone and being stalked by a psychotic vampire bitch."

Edward stared blankly at me, and I felt my frustration growing as I realized I wasn't getting through to him at all. "I chose to survive," I continued, my voice breaking slightly from emotion. "I chose to give it up to an asshole, so I wouldn't freeze to death. Those were all choices, and I'm sorry you feel I could have made better ones."

Raising my eyebrow, I smirked at him. "I'm sure you would have chosen better, but you weren't there, Edward! Where the fuck were you, Edward, when the psychotic vampire bitch came after me and killed my family? Where were you when I had no food and no home? And where were you when I was being attacked by the filth on the streets of New York City? Because I had to survive and you weren't fucking there to help me! So, if my choices upset you, Edward Cullen, just remember it was your choice to leave me that forced me to make those decisions!"

Jasper squeezed me gently in comfort, and I allowed myself to relax against him. My emotions shifted suddenly, and I realized there were more choices I wanted Edward to understand. Laying my good hand overtop Jasper's, I zeroed in on Edward again.

"I chose to trust again," I began, my voice clear and strong. "I chose to allow someone to share my life again. I chose to love again, even though I thought my chance at love ended when you walked away from me in Forks. These are my choices, and I could give a fuck about your opinion on my decisions."

"You choose these things with him, Bella?" Edward asked quietly, shooting a glare over my shoulder at Jasper. "With the vampire that would have killed you if we'd let him? With the reason your arm is so disfigured? I've seen his mind, Bella. You have no comprehension of what Jasper is capable of. He doesn't deserve you."

My rage was back before the words finished leaving his sanctimonious mouth. "How dare you criticize him?" I shouted, leaning forward slightly against Jasper's gently restraining hands. "First of all, my arm is scarred because you threw me into a fucking glass table, asshole. Jasper never touched me that night. Second, I know exactly what Jasper is capable of, Edward Cullen. I know that he is capable of completely altering the method of his existence, even as an 'unchanging' vampire. I know that he is capable of persevering despite multiple setbacks and the constant expectation of failure from those around him."

Turning away from Edward, I looked up into the eyes that reflected my own soul back at me. "I know he is capable of great kindness and compassion," I continued in a softer voice. "He is capable of controlling an unbearable thirst to keep me safe. He is capable of pulling himself out of the violence he used to live in, for me. He is capable of teaching me to trust and love again. He is capable of balancing his need to protect me with my need for independence. He is capable of completing me," I finished in a whisper.

Jasper stared back down at me, my favorite soft smile crossing his lips. In this moment, we were alone in the universe together. Edward's drama was forgotten, as were Peter and Charlotte. "That was amazing, Bella. I'm in awe that you feel that way about me. Someday, I want to do the same thing for you, Sweetheart," Jasper said quietly, cupping my cheek with his hand before pressing a soft kiss against my mouth.

"Bella," Edward choked out. Sighing, I turned from Jasper, making sure to keep his arm wrapped around me. "Don't do this," Edward begged. "I understand that you're angry, and I deserve that. But you love me," he said in a louder voice. "I know I made a mistake, but you love me! Don't deny what we have, Bella."

Pity for the boy I once loved finally overwhelmed the anger I was feeling. "I loved you Edward," I said gently. "I loved you, and I won't ever deny what we had then. I don't know how healthy it was," I amended, "but I won't deny that it was powerful. But it's over, and it's time to let go."

Edward shook his head back and forth in disbelief. "No, Bella. I don't believe it. You're just angry with me for leaving you. We can move on from this…"

Unwilling to allow him to continue voicing his delusions, I interrupted him firmly. "I'm not angry with you for leaving me anymore, Edward. I'm really mad at you for storming into my home and hurting me and my friend, and I'm angry about the way you think you have the right to judge me, but I've let the rest of it go. I'm sorry to cause you pain, but we are over. We will never be together again."

"I can't live without you, Bella." Edward's agony was plain on his face, and I could only imagine how difficult it must be for Jasper to be feeling all of this too. Time to finish this so we can go cuddle in bed, I thought to myself.

"You're going to have to, Edward. I hope we can all focus on working together to help Alice," I sighed. "From there, maybe we can start to take baby steps toward building some sort of friendly relationship, but I'm not making any promises. You haven't given me a lot of reasons to trust you. I'm going to bed now. Tomorrow's going to be a long day, and all this drama has worn me out."

I began to turn around, but Jasper's hands held me still. "One more thing, before I take Bella up to bed," Jasper said to Edward in a hard tone. "I'm willing to tolerate your presence because I think it might do Alice good to see you. But," he continued, his voice lowering until it was almost a growl, "You need to understand that if you cause trouble in any way, my tolerance will end."

Jasper stared at Edward silently for a long minute, obviously giving Edward a more specific warning in his mind.

"Understood," Edward said woodenly. "I'm going to go hunt now. I'll meet you at the airport in the morning." His face was a blank mask, marred by the fracture lines Peter's fist had caused.

"Good idea, that," Peter said cheerfully. "Don't think we don't notice how hard you're workin' to control yourself around her. You've had your get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to causin' her damage. If you so much as breathe too deep around her, I'm gonna consider it a threat, and you don't want that."

Edward's only response was a short nod. He stood up from the floor, his movements awkward because of his injuries. He moved gingerly across the room and out the door without another word to any of us. Suddenly, the fatigue and pain that my anger had suppressed washed over me, and I sagged against Jasper.

I vaguely listened as Peter told Jasper that he and Charlotte were going to run to town to hunt in order to heal Char's injured face. "I hate to do it so close to home," Peter sighed, "but we don't have time to drive anywhere bigger, and she can't travel like this."

"Do what you need to do," Jasper answered quietly. "I know it kills you to see her hurt. Do me a favor and make a quick patrol around the property when you two get back. I don't care if Edward hunts nearby, but I'd prefer to keep him out of earshot of the house tonight."

Peter agreed, and he and Char were out the door before I could even say "Goodbye." The next thing I knew, Jasper had whisked me upstairs and onto our bed.

"I'm so sorry I let him hurt you, Sweetheart," he said slowly, his jaw tightening in anger. "I wanted to kill him for it, but I knew it was more important to take care of you."

I raised my good hand to touch his cold cheek, trying to massage the tension out of his face with my fingers. "I'm glad you didn't kill him," I answered quietly. Unease flashed through his eyes, and I hurried to correct his suspicion. "Not because I would miss him," I said hastily. "But because you would feel bad about it later. He's a fuck up, but he's been your brother for decades. You would beat yourself up about it if you permanently damaged him."

His face relaxed into a relieved grin and he leaned down to kiss my nose. "Always worried about everyone else's feelings," he teased lightly before his face grew serious again. "How are you doing? I'm sure Edward being here is a lot to process."

"I'm okay, I guess," I sighed. "I really have let the anger go. I feel bad that I'm causing him pain, but I'm not about to change anything about my life just to make him feel better. I'm kind of done thinking about him now though," I said with a smirk. "I'd much rather think about you kissing my boo boo better."

He stared at me incredulously for a second and I mentally relaxed to allow him to feel my desire. "You're really in the mood?" he asked, his expression doubtful. "I assumed you'd be too sore."

I gave him a loopy grin and started trying to get out of my shirt. "Nah, modern pain medication is good stuff. I'll be fine if we take it nice and slow. Besides," I added, "Who knows how long it'll be before we get any decent alone time again? The next few days are sure to be full of Cullen drama."

He answered my mischievous grin with his own and rapidly helped me out of my clothes. His hands were soft and gentle against my body, leaving me shivering for more contact. By the time he slipped a finger into my folds, I was desperate with need. "More, please," I gasped against his lips.

He quickly removed his clothes and I moaned when I felt the head of his dick at my entrance. Our coupling was slow and gentle, and we held eye contact with each other the whole time. My orgasm crept up on me slowly, breaking in waves once it arrived. Jasper's climax followed soon after, and he cleaned me up gently before helping me into the bathroom to finish my evening routine.

Jasper noticed me wincing as I struggled into my pajama top. "I knew we shouldn't have done that," he said sadly. "You're sore now, aren't ya?"

"It was totally worth it," I answered honestly. "Connecting with you that way was more important than an achy shoulder. Speaking of connection," I continued quickly, as the thought crossed my mind, "I wanted to ask you what Malcolm meant when he called me your mate. Is it just another word for spouse or something?"

He deftly helped me finish getting my shirt on and carried me to bed. I waited patiently for his answer, surprised at his hesitance in answering. "Not really," he finally began. "Most vampires don't live in the human world, so marriage doesn't mean much to them. I've never really liked the word 'mate', but it's widely used to describe an intensely bonded pair."

"Like Peter and Char," I said immediately. I had often thought that their love was palpable, and the term 'mate' seemed appropriate for them.

"Right," he answered with a smile. "Not all vampire couples are 'mates', but Char and Peter surely are. So are Rosalie and Emmett and Carlisle and Esme."

"Not you and Alice?" I asked slowly. His face softened and he shook his head gently.

"I used to think so," he admitted. "But now I know different." He stared deep into my eyes and I could imagine his high speed vampire mind searching for the words he wanted. "I don't want to minimize what Alice and I had, because it was good for a long time. But, what you and I have is totally different, Bella. Our connection is more existential, more fundamental. Apparently, Malcolm picked up on that as well."

"Yeah, I feel that way too," I said softly as I climbed into bed. "What'd you think of Malcolm?" I asked sleepily, struggling against my drug induced drowsiness.

"His emotions are unusual," Jasper answered. "He feels a kind of distance from everyone around him, like he doesn't have any strong relationships. Maybe because he's so old," he postulated. "He may be the oldest vampire I've ever met. I think he's trustworthy and he sincerely wants to help, though."

"That's good," I mumbled, settling comfortably into the covers.

"Sweet dreams," Jasper murmured into my hair. "I love you."

"Love you too," I mumbled. I heard him dial his phone and speak Emmett's name before he began whispering, allowing me to fall quickly to sleep.

My shoulder hurt like a bitch in the morning, but Jasper tolerated my grouchiness with gentle good humor. Char had found a 24-hour pharmacy last night after hunting, so Jasper was able to help me into a sling after I dressed, which helped the pain a little. He then brought me a cup of coffee and helped me pack my bag, ignoring my bitchy comments about not knowing what to pack for a vampire intervention.

As I sat down to eat my cereal, he wordlessly refilled my coffee and handed me a pain pill. Peter and Char loaded the car up before joining us at the table while I finished eating. I was relieved when they reported that there had been no sign of Edward near the house last night. I knew that the three of them wouldn't let Edward anywhere near me without permission, but it was nice to know he wasn't outside staring at my window all night.

I spent the ride to the airport mentally preparing myself for the emotional tension the day was likely to bring. I had every expectation of drama from Edward, but I would try my best to be polite to him. Snuggling into Jasper's arm, I focused on positive thoughts in the hopes that we could all act like adults during the flight.

Peter pulled the SUV into the airport parking lot, and I was relieved to see Malcolm waiting for us in front of one of the hangers. I scanned the area to look for Edward, but I didn't see him. I wasn't sure if that made me pleased or anxious. As little as I wanted to spend more time with him, I felt that Peter was correct in his theory that it was better to keep a close eye Edward's location.

My musings were cut short by the sound of a powerful car engine approaching. I was unsurprised to see it was a silver Volvo. It was a different model than he had driven in Forks, but Edward's taste in cars was clearly unchanged. He parked in the lot and walked quickly toward us. There was no sign of the injuries he had received last night, and I allowed myself a moment of envy as my shoulder began to ache again.

Jasper and I fell into step behind Peter and Charlotte, walking briskly toward Malcolm's waiting figure.

"Guid mornin'," he said pleasantly. "How's yer arm, Lass?"

"Sore," I admitted ruefully. "But I know it will feel better in a few days. Thanks again for helping me last night."

"Nae worries," he answered automatically, his expression friendly yet detached. Edward approached us at the same time as the pilot, and we all boarded the plane. There were more than enough seats for all of us, but I wasn't surprised when Edward chose a seat directly across from me and Jasper. I did find it interesting that Malcolm chose the seat next to my former love.

Making a conscious decision to ignore Edward, I focused on making myself comfortable and getting my iPod setup. Within minutes, we were taking off. I closed my eyes and clung to Jasper's hand as we made our ascent. Once we leveled off, I finally opened my eyes, startled when I found both Edward and Malcolm staring unabashedly at me.

Glancing up, I noticed Jasper looking back at them. His expression was intent, but his posture was relaxed, so I just snuggled up against him and stared back at Malcolm.

"Are we nae making ye uncomfortable?" he asked, grinning widely. I smiled back, amazed at the difference the happy expression made on his rugged face.

I shrugged my good shoulder as I answered, "Not really. I've been stared at by several other vampires. You get used to it." He chuckled in response, and I could almost feel Jasper rolling his eyes beside me.

"Ye've pricked ma curiosity, Lass," the Scottish vampire admitted, surprise evident in his tone. "I'm wonderin' how ye came to be here in a jet plane full o' vampires?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story," I answered slowly, forcing myself to tamp down the nervous laughter that wanted to erupt out of me.

"It's a lang flight," he answered, challenging me with his eyes.

"What the Hell?" I deadpanned, "If you need a soap opera fix, who am I to refuse you?" Jasper smiled and shook his head ruefully and Peter called out "Hell Yeah!" from his seat. Edward glowered at me from his seat next to Malcolm, but I just shrugged and dove into the story of my life.

I kept my narrative brief but accurate, and I didn't pull any punches when I got to the part about Edward abandoning me. I gave only bare bones details about my struggles before running into Jasper. I wasn't ashamed of anything I'd done, but the strange vampire was a relative stranger.

"Maybe someday you'll let me ken the rest of the story," he said slyly after I finished speaking.

"Maybe someday you'll earn that privilege," I answered tartly. He flashed a grin before turning abruptly to Jasper.

"And the lass we're going tae visit was yer companion?" he asked brusquely.

"She was that and more," Jasper answered softly, staring out the window at the passing clouds. I squeezed his hand, trying to convey my love and comfort to him. "She showed me another way to exist, a way that I could tolerate," he continued, finally making eye contact with Malcolm.

"An' she truly sees the future?" he probed. Jasper began describing Alice's ability as well as the way she behaved immediately after the Cullens left Forks.

"Her emotions were erratic," Jasper explained. "She would flip like a switch. One moment, she was calm, the next frantic, the next she was despondent. Other times, she was just empty."

Malcolm further questioned Jasper about his ability to feel and manipulate emotions. Jasper answered honestly, but he finally raised his eyebrow at the Scotsman. "I can't tell how much of this is information you need to help Alice, and how much is just idle curiosity," he said sternly. "I'm not trying to hide anything from anyone, but we're not here for your entertainment either."

"Fair enaw," Malcolm answered evasively. Turning to Edward, he pressed on. "An' ye read the minds of those around ye?"

Before Edward could answer, Jasper cleared his throat. "Before Edward fills you in on his talent, how about you explain your ability? It works through touch?"

Malcolm shot Jasper a quick smile. "Aye. When I touch someain, I get a sort o' 'feelin' abou' tham. Sometimes, I ken their thoughts, or feel thar emotions, but it's usually vaguer than that. Whan I'm dealing with a bodie who's out o' control, I can impose calm on them, but as soon as I break contact, tha effect ends."

Disappointment filled me. "So it's only temporary?" I asked. "There's no chance to permanently help Alice?"

"I didnae say that, Lass. "O'er th' years, I've helped many a newbairn an' several nae sae new. I use mah talent tae calm them enaw tae start teachin' them anither way tae think. I'm usually successful, although, as I've said, I've ne'er seen a case like this Alice a' yours 'afore. Now," he said, turning back to Edward, "ye read minds?"

Edward merely nodded in response, his expression cold. "And ye cannae turn it off?" Edward shook his head negatively, looking like a truculent teenager. "That must be verra difficult," Malcolm said, a trace of kindness in his voice for the first time during the conversation.

Edward snorted and turned away from Malcolm to stare out the window. I had often thought that one of the reasons Edward was so likely to judge others was the fact that he was constantly exposed to people's worst thoughts- the things we all think but don't say. I almost spoke it aloud, but I decided to be the better person and not torment Edward by talking about him to a stranger in front of his face.

I grabbed my ear buds and curled back into Jasper. I noticed that Edward was staring intently at Jasper, his jaw clenched with tension. Jasper was returning Edward's stare, clearly thinking something unpleasant at him. I allowed myself a small smile at the thought that Jasper could now feel like he had avenged my injuries by hurting Edward with his thoughts.

Closing my eyes to avoid the staring contest, I focused on the music and drifted off to sleep. I woke suddenly when my ears popped, abruptly realizing that we were already descending into New York. I clung tightly to Jasper's hand during the rough landing, sighing in relief when the plane stopped moving.

Eager to be out of the plane and away from Edward's staring eyes, I jumped out of my seat and dragged Jasper to the door, stepping out of the jet into Emmett's waiting arms as soon as the flight crew opened the hatch.

"How are you, Bells?" he asked, looking sadly at my injured arm.

"I'll live, Emmett," I answered evasively. In all honesty, I was getting pretty sore again, but I just wanted to get a move on and get the visit over with. Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte exited the plane, followed closely by Malcolm. Jasper introduced Emmett to the Scottish vampire.

"Thank you for coming," Emmett said politely, shaking Malcolm's hand. "I really hope you can help her…" His sentence trailed off as he noticed Edward slowly approaching from the plane. Emmett gave me a gentle hug before guiding me back into Jasper's arms. He strode quickly over to meet Edward, and I was surprised when he gripped Edward's shoulder in greeting.

Seconds later, Edward's gasp of pain clued me into the face that Emmett's grasp was far from friendly. No words were spoken, but Emmett looked as if he was giving Edward a mental tongue lashing to match the punishing grip on his arm.

"You're my brother, Emmett," Edward choked out. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"Edward, I do love you like a brother," Emmett answered out loud. "But you need to understand that my only concern in this situation is Bella's happiness. What she says goes, end of story. Furthermore," he growled, "If you ever cause, or even allow, damage to her again, I will make you pay."

Edward stared silently at the larger vampire, clearly in shock at Emmett's stance on me. Turning back to the rest of us, Emmett called over his shoulder, "Come on, let's get this circus on the road. The others are waiting."

We all followed him to a waiting limousine. The ride was quiet and tense, so I dug out my iPod again. Eventually, I realized we weren't headed toward the Cullen home.

"Where are we going?" I asked, looking up at Jasper in confusion.

"Don't worry, Little Bird," Peter answered first. "We wanted ya to be comfortable while you worry about Alice, so we rented a house about a half hour away from the Cullen place. It's just a quick run from there, but far enough away for privacy."

"Thank you guys," I said, smiling warmly at the three members of my family. "That was really considerate."

A few minutes later, we pulled up to a modest cabin on the other side of the valley from the Cullen home. I climbed out of the limo, followed by Peter and Charlotte, while Jasper got my bag. Peter unlocked the door and we filed inside the home. The house was small but tidy, and I knew I would be as comfortable as was possible while we waited to see if Malcolm could help Alice.

Peter was already messing with the TV, smiling slyly as he shook a board game box at me. "Jenga in ten minutes," he warned. His face softened as he nodded toward the bedroom. "Go say goodbye to J. He's in there worryin'."

I shot him a parting smile of thanks before walking into the little bedroom. Jasper had set my suitcase on the bed and was staring down at it, like it was attempting to escape.

"Stop it," I ordered gently, wrapping my arms around his torso. "I'll be fine here, and I'll be waiting when you guys are finished doing whatever it is you're going to do with Alice. I'm not afraid, and I know you're coming back here to me. Then we can move on with our life."

He scooped me into his arms before sitting down on the bed with me in his lap. "I just can't explain how hard it is to leave you, Sweetheart," he whispered. "Every cell in my body is screaming at me to stay here, but I can't."

"That's right, you can't," I answered softly. "So go help Alice and get your ass back here as soon as possible." I pulled his head down to mine, allowing our lips to meet in a soft, powerful embrace. "I love you," I whispered, standing up and tugging him out of the room.

He followed me wordlessly, his body tense with reluctance. He said a short farewell to Peter and Char before pulling me fiercely to his chest in a tight hug.

"I love you, Bella," he said, staring into my eyes.

"I love you too, Jasper," I answered, stepping back into Peter's waiting arms. Jasper smiled at me before he turned away, but it didn't meet his eyes. I stood silently, listening to the sound of the limo pulling away. When I could no longer hear the engine, I turned to Peter, brushing tears off of my cheeks.

"You ready to play blocks, or what?" I asked him, pasting a smile on my face.

"I was born ready, Birdy," he drawled, pulling me over to the table. Char joined us, and within minutes we were all laughing at each other's antics as we played the infuriating game. Even Peter and Charlotte struggled to move the wooden blocks without knocking down the tower. We spent over an hour cracking each other up before I finally pleaded exhaustion.

Gingerly easing myself down on the couch, I looked up in surprise when I heard Char hiss something to Peter faster than I could understand.

Peter's face was stark with worry, making my stomach drop in fear. "Try out the back," he ordered, tossing my shoes and coat at his wife as he whipped out his phone. The sound of glass breaking in the bedroom shot through the house. "Shit," Peter muttered. "Time to run for it."

AN- I know, I know, you hate the cliffies! I do too, but they're just gonna be a fact of life for awhile.

Sorry this one is a few days late, but I have a good excuse! Some awesome people have started a compilation called Fandom for Preemies, and I'm thrilled to announce that I have contributed an outtake! Remember the missing hot tub lemon from chapter thirteen? Well, if you want to find out what went down, head on over to http:/fandomforpreemies(dot)blogspot(dot)com Make a donation of five dollars or more to the March of Dimes during the month of November (there's a tab on the website!), and you'll receive the compilation via e-mail. While you're there, check out the profiles of the preemies of our fandom, including my own miracles, Emma and Jane. Help us ensure that someday every baby will be full term!

To MM, who owns my ass and doesn't know it- sorry you had a tough week. Hang in there!

Finally, my recommendation… Control by VegaTenshi. It's Jasper and an original character- but TRUST ME, you'll love her! Jasper and Sage are best friends (but they might be more!), and he helps her stand up to her overbearing brother, Emmett. I'm loving Jasper and loving to hate Emmett. Try it out, and leave lots of love- original character stories have a hard time getting attention!

Love you all, my people!

heavy