A/N – Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's characters.
Soooo, it's been a really long time and I'm sorry. Real life got busy.
To everyone that sent me a message, I'm sorry I haven't replied yet.
The reviews as always were awesome and I was a total failure at replying to any of them. Again I'm sorry.
This chapter is a bit of a filler chapter, it didn't go where I was expecting it to when I started writing it and it's not my favourite, but it's done now.
If I named my chapters or this was a Friends episode, it would be called, 'The one where Rose won't shut the fuck up.'
Massive thank you to Wendemyre, she knows why. x
Chapter 13.
I hadn't been asleep long when I was startled awake by a god awful screeching noise. It was relentless and I sat up in bed, wondering where the hell it was coming from.
"Oh, fuck, T." Edward moaned sleepily and I froze. Was he dreaming about her? I was about to get really, really mad and possibly hit him, but luckily for him, he added "I'd recognise that fucking shrieking anywhere, I forgot they were bringing her to the house." He rubbed his hands over his face.
"E." Rose knocked on the door. "You best come down, she won't stop."
Edward groaned and jumped out of bed and pulling on the jeans he'd discarded earlier. He threw open his bedroom door and stomped down the stairs. Rose gave me a quick wave and followed him.
"Shut the fuck up!" I heard him yell and the screeching stopped, only to start up a minute later. Finally it seemed to stop for good and Edward stormed back into his bedroom, slamming the door shut, taking off his jeans and climbing back into bed. He reached for me and pulled my back to his chest.
"What did you do?" I whispered.
"I told her I'd duct tape her mouth shut if she didn't stop. People are trying to fucking sleep." He said angrily.
I didn't know what this 'war' was going to mean for Edward. I knew he was capable of being cold and dangerous and I worried that side of him would become more dominant with this new situation. Over the last few days, I'd had brief glimpses of E, but he'd been surprisingly absent given all the things that had happened to us and I had to admit I preferred it that way.
I turned to snuggle into Edward's chest and he tightened his arms around me. I knew that whatever happened, there was nowhere else I'd rather be, than safe in his arms.
Edward wasn't in bed when I woke up and I stretched out, yawning, I felt a little achy, but only in a really good way and I showered with a dreamy grin on my face as I thought back to last nights activities.
"Morning Bella." Esme smiled as I entered the kitchen. She handed me a coffee and a plate of breakfast, and I sat at the breakfast bar. I thanked her enthusiastically, I could seriously get used to this.
"Where is everybody?" I asked her.
"The boys and Alice are downstairs talking with Marcus and Alec. Rose is still in bed I think and Carlisle's with Tanya."
"Is she hurt?" Tanya certainly wasn't my favourite person, but I don't know if she deserved all this, it wasn't her fault her uncle had started a war with the Cullen's.
"No." Rose replied coming and sitting down next to me. "I didn't even have to lay a finger on her, she came with us willingly."
"Really?" I said surprised.
"Yeah. She knew it was E's birthday and we told her that we were bringing her here as a surprise for him. Can you believe the silly bitch fell for that?" Rose laughed and I shook my head. The Cullen's had a bit of a mean streak.
"Hey, Peaches, Little B! You're up." Emmett came bounding into the kitchen and kissed Rose's cheek.
Jasper and Alice followed him in.
"Bella." Jasper said to me and I turned to him. "I've been checking out the Seattle PD computers, we got lucky, it seems your friend won't be in the Organised Crime Division until the third week of August."
"Oh, right." I nodded, I'd forgotten all about Jake.
"Now, I can get into the files and kick him of the course, scramble the paperwork, so it looks like he was accepted by mistake, but E said I had to talk to you about that."
I groaned, if it wasn't one thing, it was another. I knew it would be easiest to let Jasper do what he suggested, but I couldn't do that to Jake. He had been so excited when he applied and I knew he was really looking forward to going. He had been my best friend for nearly a year and I would never jeopardise his career that way. I just hoped the Cullen's would understand that.
"No, you can't do that." I said to Jasper and he shrugged.
"Ok well, it gives us a few weeks. We'll think of something to tell your dad." He smiled reassuringly at me and I tried to return it.
My dad was going to find out the truth eventually, if I was going to be with Edward we couldn't hide it from him forever. But I couldn't imagine any way of telling him, that wouldn't involve him going mad and banning me from seeing the Cullen's. I could see him shipping me back off to live with my mom and there was no way in hell I was going back to Phoenix.
I sat around with Edward's family for a good chunk of the morning. Edward never materialised and I was told that he was still with Marcus. After lunch I made my way upstairs to pack up my stuff. I was not looking forward to going home.
I loved my dad, but he did work long hours and I had got used to having lots of people around. I enjoyed the noisy, family atmosphere of the Cullen house, and more than that, I had got used to sleeping next to Edward at night. Even though he wasn't always there when I went to sleep or woke up, he was always around and I knew I was going to miss his presence when I was alone all night in my own bed.
"Sorry Princess, I didn't expect things to take that long." Edward apologised as he came into his room. "Are you alright? What are you doing?" he frowned as he watched me.
"I'm fine, I'm just packing."
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah, well, I'm going home. My dad's expecting me tonight."
"Oh." He looked disappointed.
"I don't want to go." I told him honestly.
"Then don't." he shrugged. "Stay here."
"I can't." I whined.
"I know. I was kidding, kinda." He smiled. "I've got to go to Seattle tomorrow, I probably won't be back until Sunday."
"What are you doing in Seattle?"
"Aro's got a big shipment of guns coming in from Russia, we're going to intercept it."
"That sounds dangerous." I stopped what I was doing and stared at him.
"We'll be alright." He winked at me.
"You better be." I pointed my finger at him. "If you get hurt, I'm going to be really mad."
"You don't want to play naughty nurse to my wounded soldier? Em said it was a lot of fun." He laughed, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me towards him.
"Ew! No!" I swatted at him and he leant down and kissed me quickly. "So I'm not going to see you until Sunday?" I had seen him every day since that first Monday.
"I'll come see you tomorrow before I go. Jazz is staying here, so he'll keep an eye on your house, and Rose and Alice will be around."
I pouted. "That's not the same."
"No, but at least you get them, I'm stuck with fucking Emmett."
I finished packing the rest of my stuff and Edward drove me home. "You have your phone?" he asked before he left and I nodded. "Ok, Sam and Embry are outside. I'll come by in the morning." He kissed me, told me he'd call later and I nodded and watched him leave.
I got on with doing laundry and picking up the house, after an hour I was bored.
I was sitting watching TV when Jake burst through the door, "Bells!" He plopped down next to me on the sofa.
"Alright?"
"Yeah, you? Good weekend?"
"Yep." I spent the afternoon with Jake, he never mentioned my new friends so I didn't either. He filled me in on his course and where he was going to be staying in Seattle, he was so excited. My dad came through the door at six with a pizza and Jake stayed for dinner. I told my dad about my weekend, leaving out, well, pretty much everything. So basically I said I stayed in a fancy hotel and went shopping, but he seemed satisfied.
I didn't sleep nearly as soundly as I had been, and I got up groggily the next morning. I went downstairs and put the coffee machine on, where was Esme with a cup waiting when I needed her.
I handed my dad a cup of coffee as he left for work and was on the phone to Edward before the cruiser had left the driveway, he was at my door within half an hour.
"Princess." He grinned coming inside. I made us a drink and we sat on the sofa. We talked about his plans which he said would be easy, although I wasn't so sure.
"What time do you need to leave?" I asked as I straddled his lap, leaning forward to kiss him.
"In about half an hour." He said against my lips.
"I'm gonna miss you." I told him, swivelling my hips, I was tempted to take him upstairs but we didn't really have time.
He groaned and held me still. "Shit Princess, don't do that, I'll never leave."
I laughed and he smiled at me, grabbing my waist and tickling me until I was shrieking and squirming on his lap, giggling like a mad woman.
"Stop." I begged.
"I love you Princess." He said as he pulled away and I pressed my lips to his smiling.
"I love you too." My hands went into his hair and I pressed my chest against his. He held me tighter and deepened the kiss.
"Does your father know this is what you get up to when he's out at work?" Jake asked from the doorway looking irritated.
"Jake! What are you doing here?" I asked climbing off of Edward's lap. I have really got to start locking my front door.
"You said you didn't have plans today and I had the day off, so I thought you might like some company, but obviously you already found some." He said giving Edward a dirty look and heading off to the kitchen.
"Please let me kill him." Edward moaned and I shushed him, giggling.
Jake came back with a drink settling himself down on the sofa on the other side of me and we spent a tense ten minutes in silence before Edward looked at his watch and sighed.
"I need to get going." He said standing up. I got up to walk him to the door and was surprised when Jake followed me.
"See ya later Eddie." Jake smiled and Edward's nostrils flared.
He looked over my shoulder straight at Jake before leaning down and kissing my cheek. "Please?" he whispered and I shook my head. "Fine." He pouted, pulling away. "I'll see you on Sunday Princess." He winked and smiled his special smile at me before climbing into his car.
As soon as he was gone I spun around, annoyed with Jake. "What the hell was that?" I shouted at him.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"That!" I gestured at nothing in particular.
"Look Bells, I'm sorry, but I don't like him." Jacob shrugged. "I've just got a feeling about him, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I don't think you should be hanging out with him, or his friends." I gaped at him.
"You can't tell me who I can or can't hang out with" I said shutting the door and going into the kitchen.
"What happened to Mike?"
"Nothing happened to him." I replied tersely.
"Well a couple of weeks ago, he was your boyfriend, and I'd never seen him so much as kiss you and now I walk in and find you getting up to god knows what with this other boy you hardly know."
"His name is Edward." I said through gritted teeth.
"Are you sleeping with him?"
"That's none of your damn business."
"Answer me."
"No!"
"No you're not sleeping with him, or no you won't answer?"
"Get out." I shouted.
His eyes widened. "Look Bells, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that, I just want you to be careful, I don't trust him."
"I don't care. I trust him, now get out!"
"Fine, but I'm telling Charlie what I walked in on." He stared at me.
"Fine, but I'm telling Charlie." I mimicked him in a baby voice. "You know what Jake, you do that. I'm nearly eighteen years old, if I want to make out with my boyfriend then I will. If you, or my dad, have a problem with that, then you can both go to hell." I stomped up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door, leaving Jake staring after me. I knew I just acted like a stroppy teenager but, well, I was one.
A few minutes later I heard Jakes car pull out of the driveway.
I pulled out my phone and pressed two.
"Did you change your mind already Princess?" Edward answered casually.
"What?" I asked him confused.
"Can I kill him now?"
"No." I laughed, I loved Edward's attitude, and it was just what I needed to feel better.
"Alright, but you just say the word and its done."
"I hope one day you'll be friends." I told him, Edward was so important to me, but Jake was my friend and I did hope one day they would at least learn to tolerate each other.
"I hope for an end to the third world hunger crisis." Edward said.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"I thought we were sharing our unrealistic expectations."
I snorted. "Is it that unrealistic?"
"I'm not sure. It's a complicated issue, I just can't see it happening in our lifetime."
"Edward!" I whined.
"Ok, I'll be nice to Jake." He grumbled.
"Thank you, that won't be too difficult will it?"
"I think you're underestimating how much I really want to kill him Princess." He said seriously.
"Well I appreciate the effort."
"And if he ever, calls me fucking Eddie again, all bets are off."
"He's going to tell my dad that we're together."
"He was going to find out eventually."
"You're not even a little bit worried? My dad's the Police Chief, he'll probably threaten to shoot you."
"No!" He gasped. "No one's ever threatened to shoot me before."
I shook my head, he was too flippant for his own good.
I spent the afternoon making a dinner and my dad sat and ate with me, he cleared his throat several times but didn't actually say anything until we were finished.
"Uh Bells, Jake came by the station, he said he's worried about you."
"Yeah?"
"He said that Edward and you are dating, is that true?"
"I, uh, we're still new, I was going tell you." I stammered, blushing.
"Jake doesn't like him."
"I know, but he's wrong." I said heatedly.
"You can have a boyfriend Bells, I don't have a problem with Edward, he seems like a nice boy, no father wants his little girl to grow up, but it happens." He shrugged. "I know you haven't always enjoyed living here, but these past few weeks you've been different, you like those kids and they seem to bring out the best in you."
I gasped, I did not give my dad enough credit for being a great, albeit easily fooled, guy.
"I've only ever wanted you to be happy. And I'm not stupid. I know what teenagers get up to." It was my dad's turn to blush. "And If you decide to…, um, well…, you need to, uh…., be safe."
"Dad!"
"I'm sorry Bells, but your mothers not here to do all this stuff." He mumbled embarrassed.
"Ok, well ….," I got up from the table to head upstairs. This conversation was bordering on uncomfortable territory and I wanted to nip it in the bud. No teenage girl wants to talk sex with their father.
"So you're not…., uh…," My dad called after me.
"No!" I gasped, as I lied right to his face. Thankfully the shock of him asking me such a question meant I was able to lie very convincingly.
"Oh, ok, um…., ok." He nodded and I swear I saw a small smile on his face as I hastily retreated to my room.
"What's up Princess?" Edward asked when he called me later that evening, he'd arrived in Seattle and was back in his suite at Alec's hotel.
"What's up! Jake told my dad about us and he tried to give me the safe sex talk!"
"Ooh, I'll bet that was awkward." He laughed.
"It really, really was." I shuddered.
We spoke for a few more minutes, Edward asked me not to call him unless it was an emergency and said he'd call me as soon as he could.
When I hadn't heard from him by lunchtime the next day I called Rose, who assured me they were fine and that she hadn't heard from Emmett either, she said they were probably working and would contact us when they could. She arranged to come over on Saturday and we baked cookies and watched chick flicks, I think we both helped each other keep our minds off the boys.
She stayed with me that night and we retreated to my room when my dad got home.
"How do you do it Rose?" I asked as we were lying in my bed with facemasks on.
"What?"
"Let Emmett go off, fighting, with guns and stuff. I hate that Edward might be hurt. I don't know how you stand it."
"It's not always easy." She admitted. "But I've seen the Cullen's in action, they don't take unnecessary risks and they are good at what they do. Am I scared fucking stupid that one day I'll get a call to say he's been seriously hurt or worse? Of course I am, but what can I do? This is his life and Em loves it, if I want to be with him then I have no choice."
I nodded. I suppose she was right. It wouldn't stop me worrying, but Edward was going to do what he had to do. I either had to accept that or I couldn't be with him.
When my phone rang, I nearly fell off the bed in my haste to get to it. I heard Rose laugh, just before hers started to ring and she grabbed for it just as desperately.
"Edward!" I gasped into my cell.
"Hey Princess. Sorry I couldn't call before now."
"Are you ok?"
"Of course. I'll be home first thing tomorrow. What are you up to?"
"I'm just in bed with Rose." I told him without thinking what that might sound like to a teenage boy with a fairly one track mind.
I think he choked, because there was a lot of coughing and muffled expletives on the other end of the line.
"Holy fuck!" I heard Emmett bellow through my phone and Roses.
"Princess?"
"Yes Edward?" I said coyly.
"I've never even seen your bedroom, we'll be rectifying that situation as soon as I get back." He promised.
"Yeah?" I breathed.
"Fuck yeah and if I was with you now…" he trailed off and I felt myself blush, how did he do that to me when he wasn't even in the same town.
"Ok, enough. Bye Emmett." Rose said into her phone before snatching mine out of my hand. "See you tomorrow E." she laughed and hung up on him.
"Rose!" I looked at her murderously.
"They'll be here in the morning. I don't want to listen to you and E getting funky over the phone. That shit's just nasty."
My phone chirped with a text message and she looked at it and laughed before turning the screen to show me.
*Love you Princess. P.S. Tell Rose I hate her.*
We washed off our faces and went to sleep, my dad was already gone when I woke up and I got dressed and went downstairs to make some coffee for me and Rose. I heard Edward's car pull up beside Roses and rushed to the door.
"Oh Man!" Emmett whined and I looked at him confused.
"He was hoping you wouldn't be up." Edward told me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me to him so he could kiss my temple. I sighed, happy to be back in his arms.
"Ok." I frowned.
"He wanted an excuse to break in and catch you in bed with Rose." Edward laughed and I rolled my eyes, letting them into the house.
"She's upstairs." I told Em, who raced up the stairs.
"So, my cousin and his girlfriend both get to see your bedroom before me?" Edward quirked an eyebrow at me and I laughed. "Fuck, I missed you Princess." He swept me into his arms and kissed me until I was breathless.
"So what happened?" I asked when he released me and I got my bearings back.
"We intercepted the shipment easily, took out some of Aro's men and basically fucked him over. Things will really kick off in Seattle now, but we won't really be involved in any of that past making the plans and Marcus giving the orders."
"Won't you get bored?"
"We run a business Princess, I know it's been a bit crazy these last few weeks but it's not all drama and killing people." He shrugged. "Besides I'm sure I'll think of something to do." He smirked at me suggestively.
"And what about Aro?" I asked ignoring him.
"He'll probably go into hiding for a while, he knew what he was starting and he'll have planned for that so we won't get near him now." His voice hardened.
"Will he still be after you?"
"Uh, yeah." He grimaced.
"What?" I asked and he hesitated. "Tell me." I demanded.
"With what's happening now, the deal we made at the hotel won't matter." He shook his head angrily. "I should have shot that motherfucker when I had the chance."
"So he'll come after me again?"
"Probably." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry Princess. You shouldn't be caught up in all this shit. I'd stay away from you, but I don't think it will make you any safer."
"What!" I stared at him incredulously. "Are you kidding?"
"Uh, no."
"So if you thought it would stop Aro coming after me you'd leave me?"
"I love you Princess, I'd do whatever it took to protect you."
"That's.., you…, huh." I spluttered gobsmacked, he really wasn't kidding. In one sense it was overwhelming that he would do anything to keep me out of danger, but my mind couldn't get past the fact he'd actually thought about leaving me.
"You love me, but you'd leave me." I said to him.
"I'd leave you because I love you." He nodded.
"Can you not hear how stupid that sounds?"
"Wanting you safe is stupid?"
"If we have to apart for it to happen then yes! I don't want you to stay away from me Edward."
"I don't want to!" He said frustrated.
"That's what makes it stupid!" I yelled at him. "You can leave me Edward. No one can force you to be with me. But leave because you don't want me anymore, because we don't work out, because you don't love me. Don't do it under some misguided impression that it would be better for me."
"What's going on?" Emmett asked as he and Rose came down the stairs.
"Edward said he'd leave me to keep me safe." I eyeballed him as I totally grassed him up.
"What the fuck E?" Emmett looked stunned. "You can't break up with Little B."
"I wasn't going to!" He cried.
"Then why the fuck would you say that?" Emmett frowned.
"I was just explaining that I would stay away from her if I thought it would stop Aro coming for her."
"Shit E, grow a fucking brain." Rose rolled her eyes. "Jesus, even if you think it, you don't fucking say it!"
"What?" he looked at her confused.
"Nothing's going to make a girl feel more special and secure than her boyfriend announcing he might leave them at any given moment for their own good. Christ you're a moron."
"Fuck…, I…, uh….,"
"Didn't think about it like that?" She smirked. "E, you're scarily intelligent, but when it comes to relationships you don't have a fucking clue. Sometimes things are best left unsaid. Come on Bella." She said heading for the door.
"Wait. Where are you going?" Edward asked.
"We're going to the house. You're going with Emmett, who will school you in the fine art of apologising to your girlfriend after you've fucked-up monumentally. Trust me, he's an expert." She smiled and pulled me out of the house towards her car.
"Princess." Edward called to me and I turned. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"But you meant what you said."
He hesitated and I wondered if he was going to lie to me, but eventually he nodded his head.
"Shit Princess, I'm sorry, I just…," He ran his hands into his hair and screwed his eyes shut. "I can't fucking stand the thought of something happening to you."
"I get that Edward, I really do. I feel the same way about you."
"Do you hate me?"
"Never." I told him getting into Roses car and leaving him standing on my doorstep.
"Interesting start to the morning." Rose said as she pulled out of the drive.
"Yeah." I sighed.
"Look, I'm not going to make excuses for him….,"
"But?" I arched my eyebrow at her, because I knew there was one coming.
"But can you see where he's coming from, even a little bit."
"No!"
"Really Bella?" She scoffed. "If E was in danger and staying away from him would keep him safe, you wouldn't think about it?" It was her turn to arch an eyebrow at me.
"Of course I would." I groaned and she nodded, a bit too smugly for my liking. "So you agree with him?"
"Fuck no! I'm just explaining what he was thinking."
"Ok, so what do I do? Just sit around waiting for the day he decides I'm safer without him and leaves."
"He's not going to leave! Christ Bella. He couldn't stay away from you if he tried. He can't help thinking it, you've just admitted that you'd think the same thing, the only difference is that you'd never say it to him."
"Right, but he's put it out there. I'm going to worry."
"I know, he shouldn't have done that, the problem is E genuinely hasn't got a fucking clue when it comes to interpersonal relationships. He's an emotionally stunted jackass."
I laughed. "He's not that bad."
"I'm glad you feel that way, because you're the best thing that could have happened to him. You've bought back a side of him we never thought we'd see again. The Edward you know isn't the E I grew up with."
"Esme said something very similar."
"Because it's true, you're the first person he's had any kind of relationship with outside of the family in ages. You've found the boy we all knew he was capable of being, but he needs to reconcile that in his head."
"What do you mean?"
"For years E's only focus has been the family business, he's relied solely on logic and intelligence. He's a hot-headed motherfucker, but it's never been a problem because he's incredibly calculating, so he's always been three steps ahead of everyone else, that's what makes him the best at what he does. He was distant and serious but he always knew exactly what he was doing."
I nodded.
"Now you've come along, and the change in him was almost instant, he laughs and smiles, he's not taking everything so seriously, but it's completely thrown him for a loop. He's got all these emotions that he's never had to deal with before, and he can't rely on logic or intelligence in his relationship with you, things aren't that black and white when feelings are involved and that's new for him."
"So you're saying he has to find a way to merge the two different sides of him." It made sense, I'd always known E and Edward were very different people.
"Exactly!" she said. "It's going to take him a bit of time, so you're going to have to give him some leeway while he gets his shit together."
"Ok." I nodded, I could do that.
"He thinks the fucking world of you Bella, he's not going anywhere. But Aro is a very dangerous man and for the first time in his life E's got something to lose and he's scared. Every instinct is telling him to protect you at any cost and that's why he said what he said."
"So I should forget he said it and carry on as normal?"
"No, you should get the motherfucker to grovel and buy you diamonds." She laughed and I gaped at her. "In all seriousness, I'm asking you to go easy on him, this is all new to him, the poor sod has no idea what he's doing, so he's going to fuck up and he's going to say dumb things, this can't have been the first time he's said something stupid."
"No." I admitted. "I didn't realise the two of you were so close." Rose had given me a real insight into Edward and she obviously cared a great deal about him.
"We're complicated, we fight like brother and sister, I can't stand the fucking sight of him sometimes and I'm sure he feels the same about me, we've always clashed because we're both strong willed. But I trust him implicitly, I respect him more than anyone and I would do absolutely anything for him. I owe him a lot, we all do, but that's a story for another day." She said with an air of finality that I didn't dare challenge and we spent the remainder of our journey in silence.
When we got to the house Esme was in the kitchen and she insisted on making us some breakfast. She kept looking at me surreptitiously and I wondered why, but every time I caught her she smiled and I didn't like to ask.
Edward and Emmett came in around lunchtime and Edward approached me cautiously. "Uh, can I talk to you?"
"Of course." I followed him up to his room and he shut the door behind us.
"Um, about this morning." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, it was never my intention to make you feel insecure about us."
I nodded.
"I don't know how to make this better Princess."
"I know why you said what you did Edward. I don't like it, but I do understand it."
"I thought about it and I can't promise that I wouldn't do it, because that's not true."
"Edward…"
"No, just listen, please. I can't promise that, but I can promise that I'd only do that if it absolutely guaranteed your safety, and I can promise to discuss it with you first, so you're not blindsided by it, and I can promise that if it ever came to that, it would break my fucking heart, because the thought of staying away from you, is almost as terrifying as the thought of something happening to you."
I blinked, stunned, for someone who said he didn't know how to make it better, he'd done a pretty good job. He hadn't lied and said he didn't mean it, but he had managed to reassure me that it wasn't something he wanted and it wasn't a decision he'd make lightly or without consulting me.
"I, uh, got you this." He handed me a small wrapped package.
"You didn't have to get me something." I frowned.
"Really? Em said I did." He sounded surprised and I shook my head at him. "He thought I should buy you diamonds, but, I don't know, that seemed wrong. I mean, I'll buy you fucking diamonds Princess, whenever you want, but I want to buy them, because you want to have them, not to get myself out of trouble, does that make sense?" He asked all unsure and contrite.
"I don't want diamonds Edward." I reassured him.
"Oh, ok." He nodded, relieved. "I spoke to my mom and she told me to keep it simple and get you your favourite flowers, and when I admitted I didn't know what flowers you liked, she went ape shit."
"I like daisies." I said, as I hid the smile that wanted to escape for my sweet clueless boyfriend.
"When I called Alice and explained what happened she called me a fucking dick and hung up. I can't really repeat what Jazz suggested, but I'm fairly certain you wouldn't go for it, and my dad just laughed at me!"
I giggled, he was too adorable.
"So anyway, I found this and it felt right." He shrugged.
I ripped open the paper and found a little box. I popped open the box to reveal a delicate chain with a flat heart-shaped pendant engraved with the words 'I promise'. I looked up at him for an explanation.
"I can't take back what I said earlier, so I thought if you had this, it would remind you of what I can promise and maybe keep you from worrying about what I can't."
I gasped and felt tears well up in my eyes.
"Fuck, don't cry princess! I can get something different." He said panicked and I snorted out some kind of giggly sob.
"I love you Edward." I told him and he looked thoroughly confused. "This is perfect."
"So why are you crying?"
"I'm not." I said as a tear leaked down my cheek.
"Uh, I think you'll find you are."
"Happy tears Edward." I explained.
"Why would you cry if you're happy?"
I rolled my eyes at him and handed him the necklace, turning so he could put it on me. He held my hair up and fastened the necklace, dropping a kiss there afterwards.
"I love you Princess." He whispered.
"I know." I told him. I wasn't going to hold what he said against him. We could get through this, just like we'd overcome everything else. Now I knew he wasn't going to suddenly disappear or make decisions on my behalf I felt a lot happier and much more secure.
We went back downstairs hand in hand and Esme smiled at us as we came into the kitchen.
"Did you like the flowers?" she asked.
"Flowers?" Rose scoffed. "I hope it was diamonds."
"Dick." Alice added.
Jasper raised his eyebrows and Carlisle chuckled to himself.
"I tried to persuade him to get Princess tattooed over his heart, but he wouldn't go for it." Emmett said shaking his head.
Even though it had only been a few days, I had missed being in this house, with this family and as Esme handed out lunch, I revelled in their banter.
The end of June bought Jakes departure, my dad was devastated, and we both went over to his house to bid him farewell. He was going to be sharing an apartment with two other officers that were on the course and had decided to head out a week early and get settled.
Things had never gone back to completely normal between us and our goodbyes were a little awkward. The hardest part was I knew he'd be coming back from Seattle with a much worse opinion of my friends.
I spent most of July with Edward and his family. My dad had extended my curfew to midnight for the school holidays and he was letting me sleepover at Rose's fairly often.
Marcus and Alec were insisting that Edward stayed close to home. All their information was pointing at Aro being after Edward primarily, so he was pretty much forced into house arrest, but he spent a lot of time with Alec, going over things he needed to know when he took over the business.
We hung out at the house, if the weather was good, Emmett got out the grill and we played ball games in the garden. Well, they did, I tended to watch unless they cajoled me into playing, sports was not my forte. All in all, it was shaping up to be a pretty great summer.
Edward and I just grew closer as the days passed. We talked, laughed, got to know each other better and generally enjoyed our time together. The more time I spent with him, the more I craved him. He was fast becoming the most important person in my life.
Rose was immersed in her wedding plans and I helped her out wherever I could. It sounded like it was going to be an amazing day and I was a little jealous that I hadn't been invited. I thought Edward might mention it but he never had.
I was helping Rose clear the kitchen after lunch one day at the beginning of August. Edward, Emmett and Jasper were having some kind of tournament on the wii, although I think there was more cursing and fighting going on than actual playing.
"Have you got a dress for my wedding?" Rose asked me.
"Uh no."
"Oh good, because I was wondering if you'd be a bridesmaid for me?" She looked at me hopefully and I gaped at her.
"Uh, well, um, really?" I asked shocked.
"Yes really." She rolled her eyes at me.
"Um, wow, I'd love to, but, er, well Edward hasn't, uh, actually invited me."
"So? I'm inviting you." She shrugged.
"Well, it's just, I don't know, maybe he doesn't want me there." I said grimacing.
"Fuck Bella, do you have low self-esteem issues we need to talk about?"
"Um, no."
"Ok, so didn't we go through this over a month ago? E, socially inept moron, you remember?"
I nodded laughing.
"E!" Rose yelled, startling me. "Get your fucking ass in here now."
Edward hurried into the room his eyes darting between me and Rose and he relaxed slightly when he saw we were both fine.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Rose punctuated each word by smacking him in the chest.
He recoiled and stepped away from her. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asked crossly.
"You didn't invite Bella to my wedding?" She yelled.
"What?"
"My wedding…, happiest day of my life, the day I commit to Emmett forever. The day I officially become a Cullen. You know?" She asked him like he was stupid.
"I know what your fucking wedding is Rose, I've listened to you harp on about it for years." He scoffed and she growled.
"And you know it's in less than two weeks?"
"Yeah."
"So why haven't you invited your girlfriend yet?"
"I have." He said looking at me to confirm it. Did he? When? I'm sure I would have remembered.
"Really?" Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "When?"
"Um…., I don't know." He admitted.
"No, because you didn't." she said smugly. "I know you E, you're thick as pig shit when it comes to this stuff. You assumed Bella would know that you wanted her to come without actually inviting her."
"Uh…., maybe." He cringed.
"So Bella's just supposed to have a dress and all the things she needs when you happen to mention it the day before! Girls can't just throw on a suit and be done you know. You have five minutes to fix this Cullen." She stormed out of the kitchen shouting. "You made her think you didn't want her there you stupid fucker!"
"What! Why would you think that?" He looked stunned.
"Because you didn't invite me."
"You don't need an invite."
"I'm not going to gatecrash your cousins wedding Edward." I rolled my eyes at him.
"You wouldn't be gatecrashing! Fuck Princess, you're part of this family, if we're doing something, it automatically includes you. I thought you knew that?"
I was a bit lost for words, I'd always wanted to be part of the family, and they'd never made me feel like anything less, they included me in everything they did, but hearing Edward say it, to know that he felt like that, that was…., I couldn't even describe what that meant to me.
"And as for me not wanting you there, are you serious? I always want you with me, if I had my way you'd never leave this house." He said and I arched my eyebrow at him it had been a while since possessive Edward made an appearance. I had to admit I kind of missed him. "Alright, I might let you leave for school or something." He conceded smiling.
"Oh wow thanks."
He pulled me into his arms. "So you'll come to the wedding?"
"Is that an invite?"
"Yes, this is me, Edward Cullen, inviting you, The Princess, to accompany me to the wedding of the fucking century." He said and I laughed. "I'm not kidding, Rose has been planning it for years, it's going to be truly shocking." He shuddered. "So?"
"I'll come to the wedding." I smiled and he leant down and kissed me.
"Right, I take it that's all sorted. E, get the fuck out, I have to discuss dresses, flowers and hair with Bella." Rose stomped back into the room and Edward and I both groaned.
"You can't back out now." He whispered and swatted my ass. "Have fun." He smirked and left the room.
I spent the next five hours, yes that's right, five hours, going over things with Rose. Alice and Esme had eventually joined us and I was due to be fitted for a dress the next day.
I found Edward in his room listening to music when I was finally free and I flopped down beside him on the bed.
"When we get married, can we like, elope to Vegas or something?" I sighed.
"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever you want Princess." He looked at me and I realised what I'd just said.
"Oh! I, er…, didn't mean that."
"So you don't want to elope?" He arched an eyebrow at me.
"I don't know." I admitted. I didn't even know if I wanted to ever get married.
"Ok Princess." He laughed. "Let me know when you do."
And that was all he said about it, he didn't freak out that I'd talked about us getting married after only two months of being together, he didn't push me for any kind of explanation. It was like he saw it as a given that one day it would happen.
I couldn't help smiling as I snuggled up beside him. Edward obviously saw a future with me, and it was what I saw with him. I knew that at our age, forever was a long way off, but I couldn't imagine wanting to spend it with anyone else.
A/N - So, there you have it, the next chapter is almost written and should be up soon, I know this wasn't the best chapter, and I hope you stick with this story. I'd still love it if you told me what you thought. x