I apologise in advance for this chapter being the way it is.
It's so complicted, so many things happening, and I fear the balance isn't right. There were so many places it could be left off, but none of them felt right, so I've included it all.
But, it gets us to where I know you all want to go. You filth mongers :)
Mary Alice' description of Renee being livid was possibly the biggest understatement of the century.
She wasn't just livid, she was out for blood.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" she'd led with, not even waiting for Bella to enter the room fully before she let fly. Not how was your trip. Not how are you feeling. Not even a what are you doing home so early? It was straight to business, and for Renee this was business.
"I did what was right for me, mother," Bella said as she took a seat beside Edward in the living room.
Renee stared at the couples clasped hands and then her eyes narrowed. "I should've known Mary Alice wasn't just fishing," she hissed under her breath. "Edward Cullen I presume?" she asked through gritted teeth, her eyes boring into Edward. At his nod she hissed again. "You stupid, stupid girl," she rasped unsteadily at Bella. "Are you pregnant? Is that what this is about? Because we can have that taken care of within hours."
"You evil..." Bella snarled before getting a hold of herself, with the help of a squeeze on her hand from Edward. "I'm not pregnant, mother. And if I was it wouldn't be 'taken care' of. I suppose you've heard that I've gotten myself out of the engagement, so what is it you want?"
"Gotten out of the engagement," Renee whispered. "Oh yes, you've certainly done that. Your little statement was most effective in killing any hope of rescuing that situation, Isabella. I particularly liked the part where you apologised only to the Black family for being unable to devote yourself to their son and to his quest for public office."
"I didn't apologise to you or father because I don't feel I have to," Bella said calmly.
"You ungrateful, spiteful little bi..." Renee screeched but was stopped from finishing the statement by Edward.
"Be careful, Mrs Swan," he roared, effectively stunning Renee and cutting her off before she could complete the word.
"Be careful?" she asked with a twitch of her eyebrow in his direction. "Who are you to tell me to be careful? You're a nobody. You're a nerdy, pathetic, panic stricken little boy who couldn't withstand the pressure of a real job. You just sit there and keep your mouth shut," she snarled with a point of her red painted talon in his direction.
"That's enough, mother," Bella said, getting to her feet. "It's you who needs to keep their mouth shut right now. You do not speak to him that way. Your problem is with me so you address me and leave him out of it. You know nothing about him. You know nothing about me, either, while we're at it. So you don't get to speak to him that way. All you do need to know is that I never wanted to marry Jake. I was pressured into accepting when he asked for my hand and I've relieved that pressure by calling off the engagement publicly."
"Pressured?" Renee screeched, also getting to her feet. "You have no idea what real pressure is! Real pressure is trying to find a decent match for a girl who refused, outright refused, to do as she was told! Real pressure is finding a place to send you after you threw your little tantrum! Real pressure is trying to limit the damage done to my reputation by this latest stunt of yours!"
"And that's what it boils down to, isn't it?" Bella grinned smugly, lowering her voice as she sat back down next to Edward. There was no point showing her mother how rattled she was so she took comfort in the warmth and security of Edward's hand. "What damage has been done to your personal reputation by me backing out of an engagement I never wanted in the first place? Who I marry shouldn't have anything to do with your reputation it should only concern you that who I choose makes me happy. Your first priority should've always been me, mother. Not yourself. Not how it would reflect on you that I was unhappy, but my unhappiness in the first place should've been your only concern. And before you say you didn't know, which is exactly the same tack Edward's father took when he confronted him by the way, and that didn't work then either, I'll remind you that as my mother you should've known how unhappy I was. You should've seen how desperate I was not to marry Jake, or anyone at all for that matter. As my mother I should've been more important to you than your reputation."
Renee slapped her then. In the blink of an eye she leaned forward in her seat, got to her feet and struck out. Her hand sprang out without warning and the loud clap as it met Bella's cheek was heard echoing for several seconds, even after Renee put her hand back to her side.
Bella recoiled instantly but she wasn't quick enough and she took the entire brunt of the slap. Her cheek stung and her eyes watered as she looked blankly at her mother.
Edward got to his feet immediately and pushed a now shakily standing Bella behind his body, before he lunged for Renee. He shoved her backwards until he was sure she was off balance and then his arm shot out, holding her at bay across her collarbones to block her from any further attempt to strike Bella. "You evil witch," he snarled right into her gasping face. "Don't you ever, ever strike her!" he roared.
"Edward," Bella whispered softly, hoping to get his attention without startling him.
But Edward wasn't listening. He was staring Renee down. She was afraid and Edward found he wasn't quite so disgusted with himself for intimidating a woman as he should be.
"Edward, darling," Bella cooed then, stepping up behind him and placing a soft hand to the shoulder that was facing her, into the body of the room. "Step away darling," she murmured in a gentle voice to calm him. She could feel his muscles twitching beneath her hand and she could hear his breath coming in pants.
He let the arm he had across her drop but with his free hand he pushed Bella away so she'd be out of the hitting zone if her mother had another shot at it. He took a long step away from Renee and let his shoulders fall, loosening his screaming muscles.
"Yes, darling, step away," Renee hissed sarcastically.
She knew it was the wrong tack to take the instant she said it because Edward resumed his aggressive stance in front of her immediately. "Get out," he barked at Renee, his eyes blazing as he desperately tried to rein in his anger.
Her eyes widened at the threatening tone of his voice but she recovered quickly, plastering her usual mask of superiority on her face as she did. "You've taken up with a barbarian," she sneered in Bella's direction then turned her blazing eyes to Edward. "And you do not have the authority to eject me from my own daughters house," she spat.
Perhaps not Edward thought to himself as he bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood, but you still aren't staying he decided. "I'm warning you Renee," he hissed, spitting her name across his lips with as much distaste as he could muster, "Leave now or I'll force you to."
Renee for all her bravado knew when she was beaten. "Oh I'm going," Renee snapped at him as she bent to collect her purse. She leaned a little, making Edward lean too in an attempt to protect Bella, and eyed her crying daughter with what looked like determination in her eyes. "Your father has already forwarded your possessions. Don't attempt to contact either one of us ever again, Isabella. You aren't welcome in our home anymore."
"You won't be welcome in mine either, mother," Bella whispered at her retreating mothers back.
"Kindly inform my remaining daughter that she is expected at my home in one hour, Mr Cullen," Renee said through gritted teeth as she got to the door. "Her husband's presence is required too."
"Just leave," Edward barked by way of an answer. Only when the door was shut behind her did he turn to face Bella. He had her in his arms in seconds, her stinging cheek up against his chest as he held her. "Shhh," he soothed, much as she had just minutes before outside. "She's gone. She can't hurt you now. I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry I didn't see her moving to slap you before she did. I'm so sorry I shoved her, it was unforgiveable."
He called for Alice when he didn't know what to do or what to say for Bella. She came barrelling down the stairs and Jasper came out of his study almost as fast. They'd both come out when the shouting had escalated, Edward's voice carrying through the whole house. But Alice had stopped short at Jasper's whispered request to do so and they'd both spent an agonizing few minutes listening to the remainder of the argument, both desperate to rush to the other couples aide.
Now they were free to do just that and so they ran.
Neither of them had heard the slap but the evidence of it was on Bella's cheek, a bright red welt that shocked them both.
Edward was shaking from head to toe, mumbling how sorry he was into Bella's hair but she was beyond listening. Jasper, sensing that she needed her sister, bore him off for a drink – something stiffer than beer was called for, Jasper told him on the walk to the kitchen – while Mary Alice and Bella stood in the living room clinging to each other.
Edward didn't want to leave her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to tell her again and again how bad he felt at manhandling her mother. But Jasper was sure that leaving the two girls alone was the right course of action so Edward reluctantly left them to it.
"I don't understand Renee," Jasper said as he handed the glass to Edward. "She's all about social reputations and being so proper all the time and then she slaps her own kid."
"Yeah," was all Edward could muster before taking a huge swig from the glass. The burn as the scotch hit his stomach felt good. It almost made some of the agitation he'd been feeling subside.
They stood in silence for a few minutes, each of them sipping at their drinks and running over in their heads what had just happened. It all still seemed rather surreal to them both.
"I think Mary Alice is going to want to go to this meeting at her mothers," Jasper sighed.
"Watch her closely," Edward seethed, horrified at the thought of Alice being hurt by her own mother too. "Renee's whip fast, you won't see it coming."
"I'll make sure," Jasper promised. "You did good," he told a still reeling Edward.
"I wasn't fast enough, don't make the same mistake," he pled with Jasper through gritted teeth.
"I won't," Jasper told him firmly. "We'll have to leave in about forty-five minutes. I don't know how you went with your call to your mom, or whether we'll have time for you to tell me what happened, but I'll listen if you want," he told a shaky Edward.
"Not tonight," Edward pled. "I appreciate the offer, and tomorrow...well tomorrows another day. But I can't tonight. I just want to go to bed and hold her," he admitted. "Fuck..." he swore as he set his glass on the counter. "All I want to do is hide with her. That's wrong, isn't it? I know we came back to face all this shit but nothings gone as planned. And now this," he hissed, waving his hand towards where the living room was. "And my reaction to it all? I want to hide."
"I think that's fair enough," Jasper conceded kindly. "Don't be ashamed of it. Nothing wrong with hiding for a bit. And there isn't anything you can do overnight, as far as I can tell anyway. What will be will be as far as Renee goes. I'm not a mind reader but I don't think either of the sisters is going to want to have anything further to do with her. Charlie I'm not so sure, not yet anyway. So far he's not said a word so maybe if it stays that way things will lighten up. After this meeting who knows? And I'm guessing that whatever is going on with your parents will keep for another night, right?"
"Yeah," Edward nodded in agreement. "That situation isn't going anywhere overnight."
"Right, so go to bed. Hold her like you said. Neither of you have eaten though, but there's food here if you want it so help yourself. If not I'll make us French toast in the morning," he laughed. "I even promise to try not to burn it this time." After no response from Edward he grimaced. "Not up for jokes, I get it," he said solemnly.
"Sorry," Edward mumbled, already dead on his feet even though it was barely six in the evening.
"Don't be," Jasper said as he downed the last of his drink. "Nothing about his situation is funny anyway. My advice, for what it's worth, is to take Bella upstairs and hold her close. Sleep if you can. None of this will seem quite so bad in the morning."
"Good advice, thanks," Edward said truthfully. "And thanks for today, too. I'll see you in the morning."
Jasper watched the other man make his way to the bottom of the stairs with a heavy heart. The poor guy couldn't take a trick. He still had no idea what had occurred between him and his mother but he knew that seeing his girlfriend be slapped by her mother had to have been hard. How he tempered himself not to throttle the bitch with his own bare hands was beyond Jasper's reasoning.
He waited until Edward had dragged himself up the stairs before snatching his car keys off the counter and going back into the living room. The girls were calmer now. They'd always leant on one another. Even if sometimes they had to make it look like they didn't in front of their mother. Personally Jasper hoped those days were behind them now.
"I thought we might stop for a bite to eat before we head over to your parents," he said quietly as he moved further into the room. "You'll have to drive though, love. I've had two drinks this afternoon."
"But our guests haven't eaten," Alice began to protest.
"No, you guys go. I'm not hungry and I doubt Edward is either. Go and get this done Ally," she told her still shocked sister.
"If you're sure?" Alice asked.
"I am," Bella nodded.
"Edward's already upstairs, Izzy," Jasper said kindly. "I think he needs you."
"I need him too," Bella whispered as she hugged first her sister and then her brother in law. "I'll see you both in the morning."
Edward was already in bed by the time she made it upstairs after seeing the other couple off. The room was dark; he'd drawn the drapes to block out as much light as he could, so the only way she could navigate was by the light of the TV. Edward was propped up on the pillows, his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the television that he had on mute.
Bella went through to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, did her business and then shucked her clothing down to her underwear. She slipped on the terry robe that hung on the hook behind the door. She looked at the angry red welt on her cheek for a moment and then went back into the bedroom.
Edward didn't move or look at her as she shed the robe at the side of the bed and slid beneath the covers. He looked more zombie-like tonight than he had yesterday after being told about his inheritance she thought.
She kissed his bicep before snuggling down further and putting her hand on his naked belly. "Are you okay?" she whispered.
"Yeah," he whispered back but didn't take his eyes off the television set. The only time he moved was to sit up higher and lift his arm so she could duck under it to put her head on his chest. His fingers immediately went to her hair. The soothing of his strokes calmed her like nothing else could.
Bella looked to see what was holding his attention and gasped when she saw Jakes dad, Billy Black, holding court in front of a bunch of reporters. "Turn it up," she begged as she sat upright.
"...on the contrary, I wholeheartedly applaud Miss Swan's courage. Mental illness is a serious issue. One that those of us in politics are pleased to be seen brought to the forefront of social media and print media alike. Without free discussion of issues such as this we risk, as a society, falling back into the dark ages to a time when those who suffer these debilitating illnesses are shunned or worse yet, pushed aside and forgotten in the system. My son Jacob is devastated that Miss Swan feels unable to, in good conscience, marry him at this time. Of course he does, we all do, and we'll all spend a good deal of time mourning what could've been from their union. But, the strength Miss Swan showed by speaking out about her problems, and the selflessness she's shown in withdrawing from their engagement only stands to her character, not diminishing it in any way..."
"That's enough," Bella croaked. "Even when they're the assholes they come up smelling like roses," she griped.
Edward said nothing; he hit mute again but kept his eyes on the television set. There was a brief flash as the reporter from whatever news channel he was watching spoke to camera and then Bella's father was shown standing in front of another group of reporters. This time on the steps of the courthouse.
Edward turned the volume up of his own accord this time.
"...sad to report that our daughter has become estranged from her mother and I as a direct result of the illness she is suffering. Despite our love and attention, and our support of her plight, she feels she is unable to function within our family at this time..."
The camera pans out to another reporter; this one holds a microphone to his mouth. "Judge Charles Swan there speaking about today's announcement that his daughter, Isabella Swan, won't be marrying Election race hopeful Jacob Black after all. Mr Black released a statement himself this afternoon via his press secretary. It was very brief and he's asked for privacy during this very sad and stressful time. Mr Black hasn't been available for further comment though at this stage he has not withdrawn from the election race. A poll this afternoon suggests that the announcement of his ex fiancé's mental illness woes hasn't harmed his standing in his district. In fact," the reporter pressed a finger to his ear and received information via the ear piece there. "In fact," he continues, "there has been a two point spike in his approval rating since the revelations. Public sympathy seems to be rallying. Back to you in the studio, Ray."
Edward turned the television off then. He put the remote control on the bedside cabinet and then returned his hands to behind his head. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into the now dark room.
"I know," she whispered back, still rubbing circles on his stomach.
"We should've just stayed in Australia," he mumbled.
"Maybe," she agreed.
"We could still go back," he whispered hopefully. "I have money now too. We know what we want. We could live near Emmett and Rose. We could make a good life there and leave all this shit behind us."
"Maybe," she whispered. "If you really want to go I'll follow."
"But it's not what you want," he sighed.
"I just want you."
"I'm right here."
"You feel very far away."
"I'm here," he said and meant it. "I'm right here."
"So am I. Wherever you are is where I want to be," she told him.
"You said today I had two options. Stay and listen to what my mother has to say or walk away."
"I did say that, yes."
"What would you do?" he asked, finally bringing his arms down and shuffling until he too was under the covers.
"You saw how talking to my mother goes. Yours might be different."
"I think she might be," he whispered, afraid of Bella's opinion on that and thinking that running away sounded pretty fucking good right then.
"Then we'll do what we said we'd do. We'll stay and clean up this mess then move on with our life together. There's no hurry Edward. There isn't a timeline. We've got forever."
"I thought today was going to be so different," he whispered as he rolled onto his side and faced her. "I had this image in my head. I'd go to the bank and get my money. You'd release your statement and all of that would just melt away for you. I thought tonight would be different for us. I thought tonight we'd really start our life together. In my head I had it all planned. I wanted to finally make love with you, Bella. God, we lie in the same bed night after night and we never...something always ... I just want to start our fucking life. But nothing seems to ever turn out the way I think it will. It hurts that it doesn't."
"Oh love," Bella cooed as she traced his cheek with her fingertip. "I know it hurts. It hurts me too. And I meant what I said, there isn't a timeline here. Let's just take things one step at a time. I'm free of Jake, that's a pretty big win," she giggled lightly. "And I'm free of my parents, another win. You've got access to your inheritance, win number three. And you told her father that you won't be joining the firm. That's four pretty big issues taken care of right there Edward. I know there are more that we're going to have to deal with, but we've already had four wins. Significant ones. The rest will be easier, they have to be."
"Yeah, they have to be," he mumbled, eyes closed as she rubbed her fingers through his hair.
"I'm so sorry about tonight," he began but was cut off by Bella's lips on his.
"No, I don't need that from you. You protected me. You pushed me behind yourself and you protected me. That's what I needed from you and you delivered. So I'll thank you for that and we'll set it aside, alright?" she asked against his cheek, her fingers still strumming through his hair.
"Alright," he agreed reluctantly, a little confused how his apology had turned in to her thanking him, but pleased that they'd weathered yet another storm and were still intact.
"Get some sleep," she whispered before kissing him at the corner of his mouth again.
"Love you," he mumbled, sleep already closing in as she rubbed his scalp.
"I love you too," she whispered.
Bella wasn't as tired as Edward was. Her head wasn't as muddled as his was.
She was sure that they'd made significant inroads today and she was sure that tomorrow would be better again.
She wasn't naive though, she knew things were even more complicated than what they'd planned for, but they were together and Edward was right about one thing.
They both wanted to start their life together and tomorrow was another shot at it. That's how Bella saw it. One more day forward. She'd help Edward see that, that the new things that were standing in their way were just things that needed to be settled before they could move even further forward with their plans. That was still progress she told herself as she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.
Across town Mary Alice was having as much luck talking sense into her mother as Bella had. None.
"If you wish to remain a part of this family you will have your sister and her barbaric boyfriend move on from your home, Mary Alice. Immediately," Renee hissed across the dining room table within seconds of them all being seated.
"They are welcome, both of them, in our home for as long as they wish, Renee," Jasper replied for them both. "Neither of them have done anything wrong and we won't throw them out onto the street for nothing."
"You're willing to lower yourself and that's fine," Renee replied condescendingly, as though his life was somehow less important than his wife's was. "But Mary Alice has a reputation to uphold and having her mentally ill sister living in her home, in sin with the obviously unstable son of a family friend no less, will do untold damage, Jasper."
"Neither of them is mentally ill or unstable, mother," Mary Alice chimed in smugly. "Izzy," she said defiantly and inwardly giggled at her mother's scowl, "only said she was mentally ill in that statement because it was the only way to shake herself free of Jake. It was what she was willing to say in exchange for his agreeing to break the engagement. And I don't really care what anyone else thinks about my sister and Edward staying at our house. It's nobody's business but ours anyway."
"He's ruined his father," Charlie piped up. It was the first and only thing he'd said since they'd arrived. "Yanked a pot of money out of the family account and the bank has called his father's loans in."
Both Jasper and Mary Alice knew that for the lie it was but neither of them was too interested in provoking an argument that would reveal information that wasn't theirs to share, so they ignored Charlie's second comment and only made mention of the first.
"That's Edward's personal business," Jasper said calmly.
"I agree," Mary Alice chimed in. "That's their family business. What the Cullen's do is nothing to do with us, is it father?" she asked sweetly.
Charlie's lips were drawn into a thin line but he was smart enough not to react hostilely. "If he's planning to live the life of Riley on your sisters money then I think it is our business."
"You just said that he's gotten access to some of his family money, so he won't be using Izzy's, will he?" Mary Alice remarked as innocently as she could manage. Her parents had always underestimated her knowledge about business and she resented the hell out of it. "Besides, they don't need anything, they're our guests."
"Mary Alice," Charlie chided, "listen to your mother. Your sister is unstable. You can say that she included that in her statement to the press only to annul the engagement, but you wouldn't have fought so hard to send her away if you didn't think it was true. You need to distance yourself from her now, as we have," he said evenly, his eyes flicking to Jasper who knew very well that it was Charlie who was warned not to contact his daughter. "Think what this scandal will do to your husband's reputation, if you won't think of your own."
"You can believe whatever you like about why I supported Izzy's trip to Australia," Mary Alice said confidently. "I'm sure you heard Governor Black's statement this afternoon and personally I agree with it. Izzy needs our support and we intend to give it to her. As for Jasper's reputation," she said, then looked to her husband for his nod of approval before she continued, "he's resigned his position anyway."
The shock of that was evident on both her parents' faces. Mary Alice had just nullified their last remaining trump card and everyone in the room knew it. With no regard for her own reputation, no need to consider Jasper's professional one and every intention of supporting her sister and her boyfriend neither Charlie nor Renee could think of anything else to use to control the situation to their liking.
So Renee reverted to her most basic instincts.
She gave a brief look to her husband who gave the merest nod and then she leaned forward in her seat and put what she considered to be her most motherly, most concerned face on. When she did speak it was very quietly. "Your father and I are most disappointed in you, Mary Alice. We both felt sure that your loyalty to us as your parents would override whatever sympathies you hold for your very ill sister. She's made a fool of us publicly. We hoped that you'd understand that her illness is going to affect those around her in some very negative ways and that you'd at least be willing to concede that in your fathers position he'd have no choice but to insist you cut her lose. There's simply no other way to handle the situation I'm afraid. And now that she's taken up with that Neanderthal, well, I was sure that you'd be able to see how untenable the situation could become for your father, professionally that is."
Mary Alice wasn't shocked by the threat. In fact she'd been expecting it. Hearing her sister described that way cut her to the quick and the comments about Edward were only slightly less hurtful, but Mary Alice was made of stern stuff.
"What is it you're actually saying, mother?" she asked boldly.
"I'm afraid, if you won't agree to distance yourself from her as we've requested that you've given us no choice but to ask you not to contact us from now on. We cannot risk this scandal affecting your fathers position, nor my personal reputation," Renee replied smoothly, as though she were firing an employee.
Resisting the urge to grin Mary Alice stood and waited until her husband had stood beside her. They'd talked about this and had known that this would be Renee's fallback position. But her parents had underestimated Mary Alice once too often of late and she was quite looking forward to calling their bluff. She clasped Jasper's hand – the only hint that she was nervous was the tremble in it – and looked down to where her parents were both still seated.
"I'm sorry you feel that way mother, father," she said just as quietly as Renee had delivered her speech. "I hope that one day you'll look back on all this and see the error of your ways."
That was all the couple felt needed to be said so they both made their way to the front door. They could both hear her parents whispering furiously and weren't surprised to hear Renee's inhuman screech as she rushed to the door.
"If you leave now Mary Alice you'll be completely on your own!" she wailed to an unfazed Mary Alice. "Jasper," Renee hissed, "think about this for god's sake. You don't even have a job now because of Isabella! Don't let her ruin what's left of this family."
Jasper, despite his begging his wife on the car ride over to ignore any goading Renee resorted to when it came time for them to leave, turned on his heel at that comment and marched toward his mother in law with real purpose. Her eyes grew large as he approached.
"I quit my job because lawyers aren't supposed to spend their days screwing nice guys out of inheritances," he hissed in her face. "That has nothing to do with Isabella, she has nothing to do with my job, or anyone else's and she shouldn't be blamed for any of this. There is nothing left of this family to salvage, Renee, and that is on your shoulders. Yours and Charlie's. Not ours, not Bella's, not even Edward's. Yours and Charlie's. Goodbye Renee."
He put his arm around his wife as they stepped through the front door and made their way to the waiting car.
Renee was still screeching indignantly as they went down the winding driveway.
When they got to the end Alice turned left into the flow of traffic and then took the next right. She pulled to the side of the road as soon as it was safe to do so and put the car into park.
Jasper had her in his arms in a heartbeat.
"I know darlin," he cooed as she sobbed. "I know."
Having gone to bed so early the night before Edward was up before the sun. He hadn't heard Jasper and Alice come home the night before but he knew they were there because Alice' purse was on the kitchen counter and he'd heard the shower come on from their end of the hall twenty minutes earlier. One of them was up. He hoped it was Jasper.
He scoured the local paper for any mention of the Swan or Black families and apart from a very short opinion piece that focused on Jake's chances for election, rather than anything personal about Bella, there was nothing that held any weight.
The national papers held nothing at all and Edward began to relax a little. He didn't want Bella to have to endure any more false pity.
The business section held his concentration only long enough to make sure that there was no mention of any issues at Cullen Enterprises yet and after he was sure he folded them all up and took them inside.
He gathered the ingredients for French toast and was beating the egg mixture when Jasper came into the kitchen.
"Morning," he mumbled as Edward had the day before.
"Coffee's on and the kettle's boiled if you want tea," Edward chuckled, echoing Jasper's comments from the day before.
Cup of coffee in hand Jasper sat at the counter. "Hell of a night," he mumbled.
Glad that the ice had been broken on that topic Edward asked what he was dying to know. "Did they threaten you?"
"Of course they did," Jasper chuckled darkly. "It's all they know how to do when backed into a corner of their own design. Mary Alice called their bluff and I'm pleased to say we're done with them now, hopefully for good," he added gruffly. "Hey, I'm supposed to cook, remember?" he asked, nodding towards the heating skillet and the bowl in Edward's hands.
"I want to earn my keep," Edward told him. "And I have nothing to do but wait," he added sadly.
Jasper considered that for a moment and after taking a sip of his coffee he cocked his head to the side. "What exactly is it you're waiting for?" he asked seriously.
Edward didn't need thinking music and he didn't need to ask the audience. "For my own life to begin," he said just as seriously as the way the question had been posed.
"Is your heart beating?" Jasper asked. When Edward nodded he went on. "Do you have to go to work at your fathers?" This time Edward shook his head violently. "Is Bella engaged to another man?" Jasper asked, a grin forming on his lips despite the serious point he was trying to make. At Edward's head shake he stood from the counter, half empty coffee cup in hand. "Do you have money of your own now?" he asked and this time it was Edward who grinned as he nodded. "You got a plan?" Jasper asked finally.
Edward watched as the other man moved around the counter, skulled the last of his coffee and then set his cup in the sink. Did he have a plan he thought to himself as Jasper took the bowl from his hands and waited for the whisk to be handed over too.
Edward relinquished it without thinking, just standing there thinking over the question.
"We're free," was Edward's answer. At its heart that was their plan all along. To just be free. Free of pressure. Free to make choices. Free of unwanted fiancés and jobs forced upon them by crooked fathers. "We're free. That was our plan," he mumbled more to himself, but Jasper heard and smiled widely.
"See?" Jasper asked with another smile. "Your own life has already begun. You did it. You both did. And you're free. All that's left to work out is what you're going to do with that freedom."
Edward backed up until he felt the counter behind himself. He stared out the kitchen window and out across the terrace to the row of perfectly manicured pencil pines that lined the back of the property.
Jasper turned away and busied himself at the stove with the toast and egg mixture, wanting to give Edward time to think. It was obvious that the guy was totally out of his depth and totally lost as to what to do next.
It wasn't hard for Jasper to understand that neither one of the couple had thought too much beyond getting themselves out of the mess that had settled around them. That had to be hard enough to get your head around he thought to himself as he slid the first slice of toast into the pan.
Edward was still staring out into the yard when Jasper put the second slice of toast into the skillet, and rightly so thought Jasper. The guy had reached the fork in the road he'd probably never let himself believe he'd ever be facing.
When the third piece of toast was done and had been replaced by the fourth Edward began to move away from the counter. He didn't say a word as he began to walk, kinda slowly Jasper thought, out of the kitchen. Jasper watched him go.
His gate changed as he neared the foot of the stairs. Gone was the slump to his shoulders. The length of stride increased, as did his speed.
Jasper could only grin as Edward raced up the stairs. They'd probably leave, making Mary Alice sad for a bit. And if they stayed, he shuddered at the thought, his house would be filled with the sounds of the guy making love to his sister in law. Eeek.
The Drake was lovely he chuckled to himself at the thought of the hotel just a few blocks away where he'd spent his wedding night.
He took the last piece of French toast from the pan and set it aside. Then he reached for the handset on the wall by the counter. He told the operator he needed to be connected to the hotel and when his call was answered he made a booking, in Edward's name, just in case.
"You look cheerful," Mary Alice trilled when she came downstairs ten minutes later and spotted the impish grin on her husband's face.
"I am," he chuckled as he took her into his arms and kissed her good morning. "Darlin," he said gently, "I think I may have, um, given Edward a little poke or prod this morning and he's...um..." Jasper trailed off, suddenly nervous.
Mary Alice stared up at him, eyes wide. Her husband looked flustered and more than a little bit guilty. "Go on," she prodded carefully.
"I may have reminded him that they were both free now. I think he might have had a revelation, or an epiphany or something," Jasper chuckled. "Could've been a seizure actually."
Mary Alice thought on that for just a second and then she smiled. She got up onto her toes and kissed her husband soundly on his lips. "Good man," she praised him. "Bella's dying to start their life together for real, she told me so herself."
"She did?" Jasper asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Girls talk," Mary Alice giggled sweetly with a shrug. "Yesterdays shopping trip wasn't just about jeans and groceries," she laughed. "She wants him Jaz, and I'm pretty sure he wants her just as much. If you've given him a nudge in the direction of my sister then I can't be sorry because it's what she wants too."
Not understanding the shopping reference Jasper looked down at her, a confused look on his face. "Where did you two go?" he asked.
"I was going to keep what I bought as a surprise for your birthday," Mary Alice whispered as she got back onto her toes and breathed the words into his ear. "But I suppose you can know the name of the store, that won't give too much away. I took my sister to La Perla and may have gotten something a bit special for myself."
"Jesus," Jasper rasped.
"Mmmhmmm," Mary Alice hummed.
"I think they might be wanting to leave," Jasper said in a rush, the mental image of his wife being too upset with him to grant him an audience with her La Perla surprise clouding over the happiness he felt for Bella.
"I'm sure they'll want some privacy," she conceded, "but they won't go far, Bella promised they wouldn't go far when the time came. Besides, if they leave we'll be all alone here and you don't have to go in to the office today," she purred.
"I've booked them a room at The Drake," Jasper croaked in a rushed admission.
"Mmm, we did enjoy it there. Perhaps we should vacate this place and use the room ourselves?" Mary Alice teased as she ran her hands up his chest.
"No," Jasper croaked again. "Hot tub," he managed to say before he crushed his mouth to hers.
Hot tub Mary Alice thought on a moan as she kissed him back. There's no hot tub at The Drake, but there was one on the terrace here.
Bella was only half awake when Edward bounded in through the door of the guest room. He'd shut it quietly behind him but the noise he made as he dragged his suitcase down from the high shelf in the closet had her scrabbling at the edge of consciousness.
"Edward?" she rasped through a rough throat from too much sleep.
"Yeah, it's me," he said far too loudly in the still darkened room.
She watched him drag the case to the end of the bed before she could make sense of what she was seeing. All at once terror rose up inside her. "What are you doing?" she shrieked, getting to her feet and pulling on the robe over her underwear.
"Packing, what does it look like?" he asked as he threw his wallet and now useless keys into his carry on. She watched as he scooped up his dirty clothes from the day before and threw them into the case. He was unplugging his cell phone charger when she realised he wasn't going to explain.
"Don't leave me," she begged, running around the end of the bed and pulling out the clothing he'd just put in the case. "You can't," she wailed. "You promised," she begged. "You said you wouldn't leave unless I asked you to!"
He instantly saw the error of his judgement and grabbed her roughly about her heaving shoulders. "I want you to come with me," he said earnestly. "I'm done with all this. I'm done with the worry and the uncertainty. We both know what we want. We've done what we came home to do and I'm done. So done, Bella," he sighed. "I want to live now. I'm done making plans and waiting until the timings right to make them happen because the time is never fucking right for us. Something always gets in the way and I'm tired of waiting. Come with me."
For half a second Bella worried what her sister would think of them leaving so abruptly. She almost voiced the worry too but one look into his eyes told her not to. "You're right," she gasped as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm done waiting too. Let me shower and I'll pack my shit too."
She tore herself out of his arms and ran to the bathroom. She closed the door behind herself a little harder than she meant to and then turned, opened it and ran right back into the bedroom. Edward was mid stride, moving from the end of the bed to the dresser to collect his passport and the envelope that still held his ID from the flight.
Bella barrelled into him and knocked him sideways. A loud 'harrumph' escaped his lips as he fell, landing on his ass on the very edge of the bed. "What the hell..." he trailed off as Bella climbed into his lap and smothered his mouth with hers.
This wasn't soft or gentle and it was nothing like any of the kisses they'd shared since coming back to America he thought as she dug her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth harder to hers.
He went with it. Hell, he was a guy after all, and if she wanted to molest him here before they moved to a hotel he wasn't going to argue.
Her tongue raked over his and he couldn't help but groan into her mouth.
He was about to reach up and put his hands into her hair like she was doing to his when she pulled away.
"I love you," she told him sternly. "But if you ever come into our room and announce that you're packing without explaining that I'm going where you're going I'll junk punch you so hard you'll see stars for a month. Okay?" she asked as she stood and pulled the two sides of her robe tighter around herself.
"Okay," was all he could manage as he watched her go back to the bathroom. "Do you even know what a junk punch is?" he called out behind her.
"No idea, I read it somewhere, but you cringed away in fear so I figure it was a decent enough threat," she laughed and closed the door behind herself.
"Jesus," he cursed as he ran one hand over his lips and adjusted his recently threatened junk with the other. "I hope if you ever learn what it is you don't practise on me," he chuckled.
He heard the water come on in the shower as he zipped his suitcase shut. He checked to make sure everything that was his was gone from the room and then he put the case by the door and ran back out into the hall and back down the stairs.
He skidded to a stop at the kitchen counter in front of a grinning Alice and a smug looking Jasper. "I'm so sorry its such short notice, and I don't want either of you to think we're skipping out and that we aren't eternally grateful for everything you've done for us...and your hospitality means so much, to us both...and I know this looks bad because she's your sister and we aren't married ..." he trailed off as Jasper got off his kitchen stool and came around to his side of the counter.
Edward wondered if he should brace for a punch. After all, he was about to deflower the guys kid sister in law. Maybe. Hopefully. Shit he hoped he was.
Jasper did thrust his hand out but it wasn't to punch. "We know and we understand. There's a room at The Drake reserved in your name and I've paid for it for the next few days, consider it a freedom gift. A cab will be here in ten minutes so you better hurry. The rest is none of our business," he said with his hand outstretched waiting for Edward to shake it.
There was no decision to make. He shook it firmly and thanked them both profusely again before he ran back up the stairs. The water turned off just as he pulled Bella's suitcase down from the shelf in the closet. Most of her stuff was still in it but he busied himself by adding her cell charger and her untouched novel from beside the bed. He thought about going through the boxes her father had sent over to see if there was anything she'd need from them but decided against it. She hadn't opened them other than when they'd been delivered so he figured she could live without their contents for a few days.
It wasn't like they were never going to come here ever again. They would. Often. Their family lived here so they wouldn't stay away.
Bella went out into the bedroom just long enough to locate her shopping bags from the day before and then she ducked back into the bathroom. Two minutes later she came out in a pair of hip hugging jeans and a t-shirt.
He'd never seen her in clothing that casual and as she looked up at him with a look of worry on her face he let his smile form genuinely. "You're so fucking beautiful," he crooned as he stared at her.
She tugged at the hem of the t-shirt self consciously and reminded herself to thank him properly for the compliment later. For now she had a job to do.
She threw her toiletries bag and her dirty clothes into her waiting suitcase and then went around the room and checked nothing of hers was left, just as he had. She gave a cursory glance to the boxes by the door but shook her head.
"We'll come back, I promise," he told her, knowing what she was thinking. "In a few days. I promise. But I need you to myself for a couple of days."
"Yes," was all she said as she bent to pull on the handle of her case.
Her took her cue and pulled on the handle of his own case and then he shut the door behind them as they went out into the hall. They walked in silence to the head of the stairs and after Bella had retracted the handle on her bag, and he'd done the same to his, he took both of them down the stairs while she followed. He set them by the front door and then he met her in the archway to the living room.
"They know we're going and they know why. Tell them we'll be back in a few days and make sure they know we're serious, please?" he asked her but she was already nodding.
He watched her almost run to the kitchen and he smiled when he heard her short, sharp laugh at whatever they'd said to her. She returned, Jasper and Alice smirking behind her, and took his hand into hers. "You ready?" she asked.
"So ready," he chuckled as he watched her blush rise and bloom across her lovely cheeks. "Thank you, again," he told the other couple as he ushered Bella outside to the waiting taxi.
"You're welcome," Mary Alice called from the porch.
"Be safe," Jasper chuckled as he came to his wife's side. They both waved frantically, still chuckling, when the cab began to make its way down their driveway and out into the street.
"She's so different," Mary Alice sighed as she let Jasper guide her back indoors.
"She's in love," he answered simply. "And so am I, with her beautiful sister."
He kicked the front door shut with his heel and kissed her hard, memories of their stay at The Drake flooding his brain.
"Where are we actually going?" Bella giggled as she leaned against Edward in the back of the cab. She hadn't thought to ask or even to be a part of the decision because she'd been in such a hurry to just go with him.
"The Drake," Edward told her and the driver, who he assumed already knew their destination since Jasper had called for it.
"Oh it's nice there," Bella sighed. "Ally had her wedding night there."
Edward could only smile at that. He was a bundle of nerves. And he was full of nervous energy too. His foot tapped uncontrollably on the floor of the cab as it made its way across town.
Bella wasn't much better. Her fingers drummed on the armrest at her side as she did her best to stave off the impending heart attack she was sure she was in for if her heart rate didn't calm down soon.
They were both almost breathless with anticipation – both hoping the other's distracting behaviour was for the same reasons – as they marched into the foyer of the hotel. Their check in process was simple and short because the room was prepaid. It was just a matter of signing the register, collecting their key and handing over their luggage to a porter.
The ride up in the elevator was tense, to say the least.
Their hands were clasped together firmly, their bodies close too, but neither could meet the others eyes.
The porter stepped out of the lift first, waited for them to disembark, and then showed them to their suite. He set their luggage inside the door, asked if they'd need anything else, accepted a generous tip from Bella – the only one of the two who had any cash on them after Edward's shopping trip – and then he slinked away and left them alone.
Silence between them had never been uneasy before Bella thought as she stared around at the opulent accoutrements of the suite.
Edward felt the unease too. They were both nervous. They were both excited. They both knew what they'd come here to do. He wanted to be able to look around and appreciate the suite too, but the silence was awful.
He'd waited so long for this. He'd been so patient even though he hadn't known it was Bella that he'd been waiting for. He'd never given himself to anyone, not because he'd never had the chance – because even with this stifled college existence he had been propositioned once or twice – but all along he felt he'd been waiting for someone special enough to take that step with.
That special someone was trying to busy herself in the silence that seemed to cling to the suite like a fog. And Edward didn't like it. He allowed himself a moment to think back on how easy, how natural their first attempt at real physical intimacy had been way back there at camp. How their admissions to one another that they'd be missed if they were separated once they got home had fuelled their longing for the other.
It had started with a simple admission and it could again, he mused to himself.
Bella herself showed no sign of breaking the tense standoff and so Edward manned up. He wanted this. He loved her. He wanted her. And he was ready to live his life with her.
"I want it to be you," he said simply, repeating what he'd told her at camp, his voice piercing the silence like the crack of a whip.
Bella turned sharply and looked into his eyes for the first time since getting into the cab.
Her slow smile and the slight nod of her head calmed him more than any words could. But as she stepped towards him, and he heard for himself that they were on the same page, relief flooded his system before his deep seated longing for her could take over.
"It has to be you," she whispered against his throat, echoing her own sentiments from camp.
A/N: Thank you for reading.
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