Author's Note: This chapter is pretty long. I was considering on cutting it in half, but then I thought, who cares? My fans will love it anyways. Right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.


Chapter 48

Bella's Point of View

I knew they were keeping something from me. The look on Alice's face told me everything I needed to know. They were keeping secrets. And after Edward's newly relaxed face after talking to the others, I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out.

And he still hadn't taken off his ring.

The Cullens all agreed to sleep over, even Edward. He looked rather cheerful as he wished us all good night before disappearing inside a guest room.

I felt disturbed. He was with me under one roof. Though I'd tried my best to make everything seem normal as possible, I still didn't like it.

As I was getting ready for bed, there was a soft knock on my bedroom door.

"Yes?"

Alice peeked inside. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Alice." I patted on the bed.

She came over and sat on the edge. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine?"

"I hope it wasn't very awkward," she said. "I mean, what with your past with Edward and everything…"

I shrugged. "I grew used to it after a while. It's fine. Is that what you were worried about?"

Alice studied me. "You have something to ask me, don't you?"

"No," I said, confused, laying back comfortably. And then, I realized what she must have meant. "Yes." I sat back up abruptly. "Why is he still wearing that ring?"

Alice seemed unsurprised. She'd been expecting it. "He can be such an idiot sometimes. I was surprised you didn't notice it from the very beginning."

"Alice…" I said in a warning tone. "Tell me. Or is that a secret too?"

Now, she looked surprised. "I don't have any secrets, Bella."

"Right," I snorted. "Did you think I believed you about you guys giving advice to him or something earlier? Honestly, I could have lied better."

Alice made a face. "No, it's not a secret. Not really. It's too obvious to be a secret."

"Not so obvious if I'm asking you this question right now, is it?"

"Never mind," she said, looking uncomfortable. "I'm not giving away anything."

"Fine," I said stoutly, lying back down. I was tired to secrets and lies. "What do you want, then?"

"Were you telling the truth about not having a boyfriend?" she asked.

I sighed. "Get out."

"Answer me, Bella," she insisted. "I have to know. This way, we can get you a late Christmas present. You've spent too much on us." She grinned mischievously.

"Forget it," I said, rolling my eyes. "You're not getting me a boy for Christmas. My dating career ended when I was seventeen. I'm going to live alone for the rest of my life."

Alice smiled innocently. "Really?" She got up and drifted towards the door. "Good night, Bella." And she slipped out, looking satisfied.

What was the pixie planning now?

Edward's Point of View

I slept peacefully for once. And I didn't feel that cranky when Alice woke me up at exactly eight-thirty the next morning. Not really.

"What?" I mumbled. "Go away, Alice." And I covered myself up with the blanket.

"Come on, Edward!" she whined. "I need you to go somewhere with me!"

"Go with your husband," I muttered, already half-asleep.

Alice huffed indignantly. "What will it take for you to get you out of bed? Shall I wake up Bella and have her come over here to kick your butt?"

"Leave Bella alone, Alice," I said sternly, rolling over and placing my pillow over my head to drown out her too-cheery-for-morning voice. "And go away."

"Defensive," she sang slyly. "So you do still love her. Well, then, it won't hurt you to get out of bed so that you can come with me to pick out a late Christmas present for your ex-wife."

I sat up abruptly, glaring at her. "Stop reminding me. It's not a past I'm proud of."

"Ex-wife," she repeated. A grin spread on her face. To my horror, she started singing tunelessly, repeating those words over and over again, at the top of her lungs. Though the whole Swan mansion was soundproofed, it still freaked me out.

"Shut up!" I hissed frantically, glancing at the door. "You'll wake everyone up!"

"Ex-wife!" Alice sang. "Ex-wife Bella…Ex-wife…"

"Alice!"

She finally stopped and looked at me, grinning. "If you don't come with me, I swear I will go bursting into your ex-wife's room right this minute and tell her about the ring, your intentions on getting her back…"

I sighed miserably, my shoulders hunching wearily. I ran my fingers through my hair, groaning. "What do you want, Alice?"

She bounded lightly on the edge of my bed. "You'll go then?"

"I'll go," I agreed grudgingly.

She giggled. "Good. Take a shower and get dressed. I want to get out of here before anyone else wakes up."

"I'm surprised they're still sleeping, what with your loud voice," I grumbled, but I climbed out of bed, obeying.

I took a quick shower, then threw on dark skinny jeans, a plain T-shirt, and random black hoodie that I found in the closet. I groaned when I checked the time. It wasn't even nine yet. I could have still been sleeping.

With a sigh, I trudged downstairs slowly, taking my time. Alice gestured hurriedly when I got to the front door.

"Hurry up," she whispered impatiently. "You slowpoke."

I made a face. But I followed her out to my car, and yawned as I started the engine.

Alice was bouncy and cheerful as always. She was a morning person. I was not. But then again, I wasn't much of a night person either. Now that I thought about it, I'd been a bit boring these past eight years. I'd seen no point in living cheerfully after Bella had left.

"Oh, stop yawning," Alice chided when I yawned for the fifth time. "It's not that early."

"Yesterday was Christmas," I said grumpily. "It makes sense for everyone to be tired the day after."

"We'll get to have another day of family time today," she said brightly. "Doesn't that make you happy? Everyone's got the day off!"

"Not everyone. I have tons of work to do."

She scowled for the first time. "You're not working today. You'll be spending time with all of us."

I rolled my eyes. "Enough nagging, Alice. People would think you're my mother instead of my sister."

"Ha, ha," she said sarcastically. "Just drive to the pet store."

"The pet store?" I asked curiously. "You're going to get Bella a pet?"

"She's lonely," Alice said simply. "Until you get her back, she'll be all alone. The least I can give her is a companion before you make her all confused and miserable."

"I thought you were on my side," I said dryly.

"I am," she said lightly. "Don't worry. This is just caring for her in a sisterly way."

"In an ex-sister-in-law way?" I asked slyly.

She grimaced. "You're right. It does sound horrible. Let's not mention the 'ex' stuff, eh?"

I smiled as I turned to the nearest pet store. The shop was just opening up, and there were no customers.

"Hello," a young woman greeted us. She looked past Alice and glanced at me as if I might be worth her time. Her name tag told us that her name was Lucy. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Alice said cheerfully, recapturing Lucy's attention from me. Thankfully. "I know it's a bit early to be browsing for pets, but it's supposed to be a late Christmas gift. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all," Lucy said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I'm not sure," Alice said, looking doubtful for the first time. She glanced at me. "What do you think Bella will prefer?"

I glanced at the little puppies inside the glass cases. Most of them were still sleeping, but a few of them were up and yapping at us. I turned my head to watch the lazy kittens on the other side of the store.

I remembered that Bella had always wanted a dog. But Renee had been allergic, strangely, to big dogs. Why not get her a puppy so she can raise it herself?

"How about a puppy?" I asked, strolling over to the little Golden Retrievers. Alice and Lucy followed me.

There were four puppies and a mother. The mother was awake, and she seemed to study me carefully before letting down her guard. I don't know what she saw in me, but she seemed to be smiling at me approvingly. I had a feeling that she knew that I'd come to take away one of her babies.

The four puppies were all awake. Maybe they weren't morning dogs either. They all looked groggy as they stared up at me, looking exhausted. Maybe the mother was like Alice, and they'd been prodded awake forcibly too.

"How adorable!" Alice cooed. "I love Golden Retrievers."

"Golden Retrievers are very good pets," Lucy said. "They have a way of bonding with humans in a very special way. They're very loyal and friendly, and they're easy enough to train."

"Let's get her a Golden Retriever, Edward," Alice urged, not taking her eyes off of the puppies. "I think Bella will like the company. Friendly and loyal… It's perfect."

I nodded. "Which one?"

Alice smiled as she finally looked up at me. "Why don't you choose? I'm sure Bella will like that."

I rolled my eyes, but turned back to the puppies. "What are the genders?" I asked Lucy.

"These three are females," Lucy said, pointing out the three puppies that had darker fur color. "This guy here is the only male." She gestured to the pup that had the lightest fur color. It was bronze, like my own hair color. "He's the oldest."

"What's he like?" I asked, intrigued. I stared at him. His eyes looked wise and deep, yet at the same time, I sensed playfulness in him.

"He's very enthusiastic about everything," Lucy said helpfully. "He's very intelligent, even more so than his sisters. He catches onto things very quickly, though he's very young. He's funny, and he's very playful. But he's quite well-disciplined. He knows when to stop fooling around."

"He sounds perfect," Alice mused. "Hey, he reminds me of you. Intelligent, quick-witted. You can be playful. I don't know about funny, but you're very well-disciplined." She smirked when I glared at her playfully. "He even has the same fur color as your hair. Maybe you two were twins in your past life."

I chuckled, looking back at him. He cocked his head, blinking drowsily. Yep, he wasn't exactly the morning person either. Like me.

"We'll take him," I decided. "Can we take him home right away?"

Lucy nodded. "I'll get him ready for you. In the meantime, you can look around for the pet supplies." She disappeared into the back.

During her absence, we picked out food, treats, toys, and a shelter for the puppy. We finished paying for everything, just as Lucy brought the little guy out.

"Would you like to carry him?" she offered. "Or perhaps-"

"We'll carry him," Alice decided. She took the little puppy gently in her arms.

To my amazement, the puppy didn't even blink an eye. He looked perfectly content in her arms, and he didn't even shake in fear. He watched me constantly, studying me like his mother had earlier, as if he knew that I would be making trouble for his new mistress soon.

"Hey, buddy," I said, holding out my hand. He sniffed twice before licking my finger. "Ready to go home?"

He cocked his head, then nudged his head against my hand in answer.

I laughed. "This guy's a genius, Alice. Look at him."

Alice smiled, satisfied. "He's perfect for Bella."

Once we loaded everything into the back of the car, we finally headed home. We were passing by gift shop when Alice told me to stop the car.

"I want to surprise Bella," she told me. "Hold him, and wait here." She gave me the puppy and disappeared inside the shop.

The puppy looked up at me curiously, examining me. I couldn't help but smile when he wagged his tail.

"Do you think you can protect Bella for me, buddy?" I asked softly, stroking his soft fur gently.

He licked my palm. I smiled again. He really did understand me, and it was his way of saying yes.

"I might make some trouble for her very soon," I told him, playing with one of his floppy ears. "Will you comfort her if she cries or something?"

He wagged his tail again. I laughed softly.

The car door opened just then, and Alice slipped inside again. She was carrying a blue cube-shaped, wrapped box with a ribbon on top. It was big enough for the puppy to slip inside.

"You're seriously going to surprise her like that?" I asked, laughing as I handed him back to her.

"Yep," Alice said, placing him inside the box gently. He didn't fuss, but merely sat down obediently. He did seem to catch on quickly. He knew we were planning to surprise someone.

"Good boy," she said to him.

I called Emmett out when we arrived outside the mansion. He was the only other person we'd told about getting Bella a puppy for her Christmas gift. He seemed to take an immediate liking to the little guy, and helped me transfer all the pet supplies to the back of Bella's new car.

"Alright, let's go surprise her," Emmett said when we'd finished. "I hope she likes him."

"Of course she will," Alice said, and to my surprise, she handed me the box. "You can give it to her yourself."

I sighed, but took the box willingly. Alice closed the lid quietly, and we walked inside the mansion.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"The kitchen," Emmett explained. "Esme, Renee, and Bella are cooking breakfast. They were all just beginning to wonder where you two had gone. It's perfect timing, actually."

"Good morning!" Alice chirped as we entered the kitchen. "Smells good!"

"Hi, honey," Esme said. She smiled at me. "Sleep well, Edward?"

"Not really," I said, nudging Alice as best as I could while trying to keep the box steady. "Pixie here woke me up at eight-thirty in the morning and dragged me out to get Bella her Christmas present."

Bella looked up from the frying pan. "What?" She spotted the box in my arms, and she frowned. "I told you I didn't want anything. You didn't have to go through so much trouble for me. Sorry, Edward."

I grinned. "It's nothing. I was happy to do it."

She blushed slightly, biting her lip. I couldn't help but keep staring at her, while everyone exchanged knowing looks. Jasper looked rather unhappy.

"Why don't you open it?" I suggested casually. "I think you'll like him."

Bella looked startled. "Him? What'd you get me, a male doll?" She smiled, handing over her job to Rosalie. She walked over curiously. But then, she paused in front of me.

"Go ahead," I urged softly. "Open the lid. Just be careful not to startle him."

Bella looked bewildered, but she did as I suggested. She gasped quietly when she saw the cute, little puppy waiting for her patiently inside.

"Oh," she breathed. "He's beautiful! You're giving me a puppy for Christmas?"

"What?" Jasper looked up, blinking. "You got her a puppy?"

"A puppy?" Esme looked interested. "Really? Well, that was very thoughtful."

Bella lifted him out of the box gently, then held him for the first time. The puppy didn't look uncomfortable at all, but made himself right at home in her arms. He seemed to know that he was finally home with his true mistress, and he cuddled cozily into her.

Bella's smile didn't leave her face. She stroked his fur gently, looking relaxed and content. It was as if the two of them had been made for each other. There was no awkwardness between them, and they loved each other right away.

"He's so adorable," Renee cooed, looking over her daughter's shoulder. "But what if he gets big? You know I'm allergic."

"Bella's not going to be living with you, Mom," Jasper reminded her. "It'll be fine. Nice puppy, sis." He winked at her.

Bella laughed freely. "He's so cute. Thank you so much, Edward. And Alice and Emmett. Thank you." She looked up, sincerity filling in her beautiful eyes.

I found myself staring at her again. Never mind the cute puppy. Bella was more breathtaking.

Bella caught me looking at her again, and she blushed. She looked down at the puppy in her arms quickly, just for something to do. I didn't bother looking away.

Suddenly, the furball wriggled around, as if he wanted to be let down. Bella placed him down on the floor, and immediately, he was off to explore. He ran towards a cupboard and he began sniffing it. He kept walking around, sniffing everything.

Carlisle and Charlie began laughing, amused by the way he sniffed their feet.

"Aw, isn't he adorable?" Rosalie gushed. "He's just perfect for you, Bella!"

Bella smiled.

"We should name him," Jasper mused, watching the little puppy right below him.

"We should name him after we eat," Emmett corrected. "I'm starving."

"Breakfast is ready," Esme announced. "Shoo! Go on into the dining room, everyone."

"Come on, buddy," I said to the puppy. "You hungry?"

Bella glanced at me, surprised at the familiarity, but then shrugged. She looked back and forth between us, then abruptly, burst out laughing.

"What?" Alice asked, confused.

"Have you noticed that these two look exactly the same?" Bella asked, picking up the puppy and holding him close to me. "You guys are practically twins!" She laughed again. "That's something."

It was nice to hear her laughter again. It sounded so relaxed and carefree.

"You're right," Jasper said from his place at the table. "Both of them have bronze hair too. Hey, you should name him Edward Junior."

"That's not a good name," Alice scowled. "A puppy should have a cute name that suits his personality."

I took my place next to Emmett. Bella placed her puppy down on the floor again, and, to my surprise, sat down next to me.

I froze briefly before brushing it off. There was no need for awkwardness anymore. I was going to get her back.

"We got you all the pet supplies you need," Alice told Bella as we ate. "We transferred it to your car earlier."

Bella nodded. "Thanks, guys."

"No problem."

After breakfast, while the parents were in the kitchen, discussing business as usual, the rest of us sat down on the living room floor, playing with Bella's new puppy.

"Hey, look at him!" Emmett said gleefully as he growled playfully as he attacked the dog with his hand. "He likes to roll around."

Sure enough, the small puppy was rolling around on his back, his tongue sticking out, and looking extremely happy.

"Aw, how adorable!" Rosalie cooed as she reached out to pet him on the stomach.

"Arf! Arf!" the puppy yapped as he rolled back to his feet. He ran to Bella, bowing his head under her hand, begging her to pet him. She obliged, smiling, scratching his ears gently.

Five seconds later, the little guy lay flat on his back and began rolling around again, making us all laugh.

"He's so funny," Jasper said amusedly. "He's perfect for you, Bells."

"We should call him Rollie," Emmett joked. "He loves rolling around." He laughed.

Bella's face lighted up. "Rollie. I like it."

Emmett looked blank. "You do? I was only joking."

She smiled as she clapped her hands, capturing the little puppy's attention. "Rollie! Come to mommy, buddy!"

Rollie perked up. He seemed to realize that he had a new name, and recognized it immediately. He ran to Bella's arms happily, yapping.

Bella giggled. "He seems to like it."

My siblings all smiled as they watched the puppy prancing around wildly. But I was staring at Bella. I knew that her smile was going to disappear very soon. Because of me.

But what could I do? I was going to be selfish from this moment onward.


AN: What'd you think of Rollie? The pet thing is totally new in all of my stories, but I thought I'd try it. And let me warn you. Rollie isn't going to be any ordinary dog. He'll be pretty intelligent, smart enough to pass as human. But don't criticize that because remember, it's a story, and besides, it makes him more lovable because he can sympathize with our characters.