Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Peak, peek, pique

Walking into the Cullen's house was like being a mouse entering a den of vipers. Actually, being a human in a house of vampires is probably worse. All conversation stopped, and more than a few drew in deep breaths, looking hungrily at me, as Edward growled and tried to put his body between me and the closest person with red eyes.

"Maybe we should do this somewhere else?" Carlisle asked Edward, his eyes also taking in the rigid stances around the room.

"What are we doing?" I whispered to Edward, forgetting everyone in the room, probably even the house, could hear me.

Edward let out a breath before turning and looking down at me. A deep sadness was in his eyes. "Alice sees many things happening, but the one where you're the safest is where I change you."

"Wasn't that the plan all along?" I asked. None of the Cullens, or any other vampire, would meet my eyes, until I looked at their father. "Carlilse?"

"You're confused," Jasper said.

"I doubt it requires an empath to tell that," I quipped, my face heating, followed instantly by remorse. "I'm sorry, Jasper, I shouldn't take my pique out on you. It just seems like you're all trying hard to tell me something without telling me anything."

He smiled. "I understand, Bella. We're not being very open with you."

Edward cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. "We have to change you. Tonight."

My eyes were open, sounds surrounded me, coldness seeped into my arms from Edward's hands, but nothing registered but this one thought. It swirled around as I attempted to make sense of it. Once it gelled in my brain questions pounded in time with my heart beats. Will I see Charlie, Renee or Phil again? Is this what Alice meant when she said I wouldn't be walking? Why do I have to be changed right now? Would this be what killed Charlie? Would I?

"Why?" I asked, barely able to hear my own voice. It didn't matter, everyone could just fine.

"Because the Volturi are coming and will use your being human as an excuse to annihilate us, regardless of our previous agreement," Carlisle said, walking to me. A heavy sigh followed. "As a vampire Alice sees us succeeding in convincing them to leave us alone." He paused, looking at Edward. "Eventually."

"Eventually what?"I asked, my voice rising.

"There will be a fight," Edward said, "one we'll lose if you're human."

"I thought we had at least another month."

"This way we can teach you to fight, little sister," Emmett said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "I get first dibs."

"Emmett," was chorused by many around the room, but it was what I needed to relax.

"Bring it on," I told him, trying to look serious but losing as a smile spread over my face. "From what Edward tells me, I'll be stronger than you, for a little while at least."

He flexed his arms. It looked like bands of steel under his t-shirt, stretching the material to the point it looked to almost tear. "I don't think you can take this out, little B. I'll be here, waiting for you, three days from now."

My face chilled as the blood drained from it. It was going to be now. There was no more time to prepare. "Now?" I asked Edward. He nodded, so I took a breath to steel my resolve. "Where, upstairs?"

"Um, that wouldn't be a good idea," Alice said. "The blood…" She pointed to the other vampires in the room. "We'll be able to smell it."

"There's a cottage a little way away, but still on our property," he told me. "Carlisle will go with us. He's hoping that if he gives you morphine it will block some of the pain."

"Okay," I said, turning for the door. "I guess I'll see the rest of you in three days?"

Emmett's face sobered. In no time I was wrapped up in his arms. "I'll be there when you wake up, little B." He sounded like he was on the edge of tears, which caused me to lose my control. One tear slipped out as he let me go. I couldn't face any others in case I lost it completely, so I ran for the door.

Edward scooped me up the moment my feet hit the porch and kept running. Carlisle was next to us. "We've set up a bed with an IV stand next to it," he told me, not sounding at all like he was winded from running in spite of the fast pace. "I have no idea if the morphine will work, you'll be the first. I didn't get it into Emmett in time. If it doesn't work the pain will peak in about three days. From that point you'll feel it fade first from your extremities, and then slowly work its way up to your heart."

I nodded as the trees flew past me. There was nothing to say, other to express my fear, and I didn't want to tell them about that. Thankfully Jasper wasn't with us. If Edward read my emotions through him he might run away with me to Canada.

Edward looked at me frequently as we ran over the neighboring peak, his brow furrowing. What expression did he see on my face that made him look so worried?

In the valley was a small stone cottage. It made my father's house look huge. It made Jacob's father's house look large. Pine trees surrounded it and out front it looked like someone was doing some landscaping. The earth was freshly turned and small bushes dotted the area around the front door that Edward set me on my feet in front of. "This will be our home if…" His voice trailed off.

"If we survive," I finished for him. Curtains showed through two small windows on either side of the door. My hand trembled as I reached for the knob, making it rattle as I twisted it.

The smell of fresh-cut wood, paint and cleaner, along with something antiseptic, met my nose. The floor was partially tiled, boxes of the remaining tiles sat waiting their turn beside buckets labeled as glue. The curtains billowed in the breeze created by the door opening.

"It's not ready yet," Carlisle said. "We thought we had more time."

"It's beautiful. I'll love it," I said, choking out the words. My mouth felt like the Sahara had taken up residence.

"This is the living room," Edward said, sweeping his hand around the small space. He tugged lightly on my hand to pull me down a hallway. "Here is a spare room, an office maybe?" I spared it a glance. There was only a sub-floor and sheet-rock that had yet to be taped. "In here will be our room."

From the hall I could see the bed, one that could be found in any hospital. Next to it was the promised IV stand. Everything else faded into the background. My feet seemed to grow lead weights as I moved one in front of the other.

"Help me up," I said, gritting my teeth to keep them from chattering. Edward placed his hands on my waist and lifted, setting me on the mattress. I lay back on the bed and stuck out my arm. "I'm ready."

"I'm not," Edward said, bending over me. His eyes burned. "I love you Bella. I'm so sorry you have to do this."

I cupped his face with my hand. "I'm not. This is the only way I get you forever."

A sob broke through him. "What if we lose?"

"Then we'll see each other on the other side of this life." I pulled his face down close to mine. "I love you."

His lips met mine. Carlisle pulled my arm down. I turned to watch but Edward reclaimed my lips.

There was a prick on the inside of my elbow.

Edward's lips left mine, trailing down over my chin to my neck.

Something cold entered my arm.

My eyelids felt heavy. I couldn't lift them.

Edward sucked on the skin of my neck.

Everything went black.

I was on fire.

I wrote this listening to the most beautiful music, my two-year-old grandson's laughter. It didn't quite fit with what I was writing, so it took a while.