Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. No copyright infringement intended.

So…this chapter is more than five thousand words. I kept trying to split it in half or make it shorter, but everybody just kept talking, LOL! I'm nervous because so many of you are looking forward to this double date. I really hope you like what I've done with it.

Chapter 12: Double Date

Bella's POV

I reached the line where Angela was holding a tray for me, trying to wrap my mind around what Edward had done. A double date with Angela and Ben? Really?

I chose an orange from the large wicker basket of fruit, then changed my mind and grabbed an apple instead.

"They are the safest choice, aren't they?" Angela asked.

"Definitely. Anything could be going on inside an orange, and bad pears are the worst. As hand fruit goes, apples are a girl's best friend."

She took two for herself. "So, about our double date. Does tonight work for you guys?"

I nodded. "What should we do?"

"I don't know." Angela grabbed three chicken Caesar wraps, and I realized she was getting food for Ben also. "Ben's a geek," she said with a smile. "So we usually check out lectures at the university or go to the science museum in Seattle. But that's a bit of a drive, so we don't do that very often."

I placed two granola bars on my tray. I loved watching Edward pretend to eat them.

"And because I babysit so much," Angela continued. "A lot of the time, we stay in and watch TV or play board games. Pretty boring, right?"

I took an order of french fries. "That sounds ideal, actually."

"I think so." Angela smiled. "What do you and Edward normally do on your dates?"

My cheeks turned pink as memories from our weekend floated through my mind. Angela was my closest human friend, but I wasn't sure if we were close enough for such disclosures yet, so I filed those images away for later viewing.

But as I recalled her question, I realized that I didn't have an answer. And I didn't have an answer for one simple reason.

Edward and I had never been on a date.

My brain called "Timeout" to process this information.

We'd had one dinner in Port Angeles, but he had been trying to help me recover from my near-attack. There was our first time together in the meadow, but that outing could either have meant the beginning of our love or the end of my life. And he hadn't actually asked me to prom.

As I sifted through the thousands of hours Edward and I had spent together, I was stunned to realize that we had never been on an actual date. We had tracked and killed a mythical monster, discussed Edward's bloodlust for me, and debated whether or not he would turn me into a vampire. But something as pedestrian as a date?

I couldn't say we'd ever had one.

That realization struck me as incredibly funny, and I started laughing. Angela looked confused, and I blamed my outburst on something that had happened in Spanish.

But the idea that Edward and I had never gotten around to having a real date was hilarious to me. Immersed in the sheer foolishness of my thoughts, I piled some more snacks on my tray and smiled at Edward. He was talking to Alice at our table but gave me my favorite lopsided grin, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

And with that one simple gesture, Edward unknowingly reassured me that for everything our courtship had been missing, it had been perfect for us. Sure, it had been abnormal, impossible if you asked most people, but we were abnormal. Edward certainly was, for obvious reasons, and I had never felt like a typical teenage girl. Why wouldn't our romance be atypical as well?

Besides, our beginning had had more than enough drama without the added angst that came with going on dates. For us, "Does he like me?" and "Should I kiss her?" had come with a side order of "Will he kill me?" and "Should I change her?" We didn't have time to obsess over whose turn it was to call whom because we were discovering meaningful truths about love, eternity, and the definition of sacrifice.

A first date hardly compared in significance.

But with the worst behind us and our lives settling into some sort of normalcy, having our first date now would be perfect. Going out with Edward—and Angela and Ben—with our love proudly on display for the whole world to see….

I could hardly wait.

By the time I finished deliberating, Angela had paid the cashier and was out of the line. I met her at the condiment and cutlery station to answer her question.

"Edward and I are homebodies, too," I said. "We usually lie around talking, watching movies, cuddling, kissing…." My voice became slightly airy, so I cleared my throat. "You know, normal stuff."

"Do you guys bowl or play miniature golf?"

"Um…." I stifled a laugh at the image of Edward crushing a bowling ball or bending the putter with a touch. "He's not really into sports."

"But he goes hiking a lot, right?"

"That's just a five-dollar word for 'walking in the woods.' Carlisle and his brothers are the real adventurers. They only take Edward because he has a great sense of direction."

Angela must have believed me because she didn't press the issue. "So how about a movie? Or would that be too corny?"

Hmmm…no forced consumption of human food and no physical activity. "No," I reassured her as we approached the table. "That would be perfect."

As we sat down, Lauren and Jessica walked by our table. Jessica waved at everyone whereas Lauren only gawked at Edward. As Lauren sauntered to the other side of the cafeteria, I considered introducing my apple to the back of her head.

"So we're going to the movies," Angela announced.

"Awesome!" Ben cried. "The Departed just came out. Book it."

"Which one is that?" Angela asked.

"A Scorsese crime thriller starring Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio," Edward winked at me as he unwrapped a granola bar.

"Oooh!" Alice cooed, stealing three of my french fries. "Count me in."

An image of me in pointy shoes and a tight dress plopped into my mind as if Alice had planted it there, and I had to act fast. "Don't you already have a date tonight?"

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and then she practically jumped out of her seat. "I almost forgot!" Her volume startled Angela. "My boots!"

"You have a date with a pair of boots?" Ben asked between bites of his wrap.

"It's a girl thing," Alice and Angela said at the same time, launching into a discussion of styles and colors. I was grateful to be off Alice's radar for the moment, but I knew I would need to speak to her about her plans to play dress up tonight.

My opportunity came just before the sixth period bell. Edward and I were walking toward health class, and Alice was heading to Government across the hall. I asked Edward to save me a seat then pulled Alice aside.

"About what happened on Friday," I said. "I'm sorry I ran away from you. I just had so much going on with Edward already, and I didn't want to deal with your interference."

"Interference?"

"You know, the way you meddle in things that are none of your business."

Her smooth brow crinkled in confusion. "I do?"

"My wardrobe, for example." Her cluelessness was irking me. "You're always criticizing what I wear, telling me how unflattering my clothes are. I'm a fashion failure, and you never cease to point that out."

Alice stared blankly ahead as if she were in a trance. Then her mouth fell into a soft "O," and she sighed. "Bella, I'm sorry for upsetting you when I talk about your clothes. It's just that I've seen how you see yourself, how you think you're ordinary compared to the rest of us, and that is simply untrue! You are so beautiful. Stunning, in fact. But you don't believe that, and it drives me insane! I thought that if you dressed better, then maybe you'd start seeing yourself better. Clothes can make the woman, you know."

"Wow, Alice…." I was floored. "I am…I didn't think you cared that much."

"Bella, be serious," she snorted. "I love you almost as much as I love Jasper, certainly more than I love your bullheaded boyfriend." She smiled, knowing he'd heard her. "I can be intense sometimes, and I'm sorry about that. I promise that from now on, I'll only help you when you ask me to. I just hope that my being such a Betty Buttinski isn't the reason you have a new best friend now."

"A what?"

"On Friday, I saw you mumbling something about a new best friend, and I figured that was…"

"Oh, Alice!" I threw my arms around her hard little body. "That's not what I meant! Why would I need a new best friend when I have you?"

She squeezed me as hard as she could without crushing my bones. "I'm so glad to hear that." The late bell rang, and she scurried across the hall. "By the way, I love what you're going to wear tonight. Super chic and very sexy!"

I mulled over Alice's prediction as I stood in my closet later that afternoon. Nothing I would ever purchase alone would garner such enthusiasm from my fashion-forward sister. So whatever ensemble she had envisioned had to be inside one of the many bags from one of our summer shopping trips.

After surviving my encounter with James, I had been so grateful to be alive that I willingly accompanied Alice every time she suggested we go "pick up a little something." Although her concept of "a little something" was vastly different than mine, there was no denying her impeccable taste. She had told me via text to wear the blue dress to see Edward on Friday, and I would never forget how well that selection had been received. Edward always insisted that he didn't care what I wore, but he couldn't hide the sparkle in his eyes when I wore that dress.

Or took it off.

Remembering how hungrily Edward had watched me this weekend, I unpacked the shopping bags with a new purpose. I would rummage through the dozens of garments for the outfit that would guarantee his annihilation. I wanted to look so good that Edward would be unable to keep his honeyed eyes off of me.

And as I walked downstairs to meet him, I knew I'd done it.

My hair was swept up in a loose bun with a few tendrils loosely hanging in the back. The asymmetrical black sweater hung off my left shoulder and exposed all my skin from my earlobe to my upper arm. I paired it with skinny jeans and black and gold ballet slippers—my new favorite footwear—and wore modest gold studs in my ears. I looked better than good, if I had to say so myself.

But that wouldn't be necessary.

When I opened the door just after five, Edward stared at me without moving or speaking for the better part of a minute. His eyes caressed me in greedy appreciation, desire pooling in their depths. He blinked himself back to life then approached me slowly.

"Bella…." He reached for my hand and kissed it. "Scandalous."

His word choice sent a warm shiver up my spine.

"All this delectable skin…." His lips had made their way to my bare shoulder as his hands wrapped around my waist. "So tempting to taste…."

He kissed his way from my shoulder to my chin before finding my mouth. "Do you know what you're doing to me?" His lips were cold and fervent as he whispered. "Do you?"

"I…." I wanted to answer him, but I couldn't think. His hands were on my lower back, but I could feel them everywhere at once. My body flooded with sensations too enticing to ignore, and as I wrapped my arms around his neck, I decided that the movie could wait.

The sound of a passing car horn reminded us of where we were, and he stepped back.

"You will truly be the death of me, Isabella Swan," he groaned.

"That's funny," I joked. "I thought you were already dead."

Our eyes locked as he took my hand. "Not anymore."

My heart melted with his declaration, and we walked to the car in silence. When the sounds of the CD he'd made for my birthday filled the car, I closed my eyes in satisfaction.

This was already the perfect date.

—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—

We arrived at Coldstone Creamery a few minutes after six as Edward couldn't stop staring at me long enough to get out of the car.

"Scandalous," he kept saying, his eyes somehow raking over me as we walked.

I felt bold under his gaze. "You keep that up, and we'll miss the movie."

He glanced at me wickedly. "Would that be so bad?"

The prospect of making new memories in the backseat of his Volvo fogged up my mind, and I stumbled over a raised crack in the sidewalk. Edward caught me effortlessly, chuckling in my ear as he steered me toward smoother ground. "Clumsy, but scandalous."

Angela and Ben were seated near the window, and she waved as we reached the entrance. Once inside, Edward escorted me to the line, and my stomach was already growling at the choices. Chopped nuts, mini candies, and diced fruit nested in neat, clear bins, all waiting to be blended into the ice cream of my choice. I'd eaten a large serving of the chicken casserole Charlie had brought back from the Clearwaters', but my sweet tooth was in overdrive. Edward smiled at my distress.

"Too many options, Love?"

"Everything looks so good that I don't know what to pick."

He surveyed the choices. "Would you let me select something for you?"

"I thought you didn't eat ice cream." Or any other human food.

"I don't," he smiled. "But I know you."

He was far too sexy to refuse. "Fine. But if I don't like it, you have to eat it."

"I wouldn't worry about that."

When it was our turn to order, the blonde behind the counter looked up at Edward and promptly dropped her scoop. It clattered loudly against the floor, and her face turned the color of a strawberry milkshake.

"I am so sorry!" she exclaimed as she fished a replacement scoop from a nearby container.

"That's okay," Edward replied, his easy smile worsening her condition. "Are you all right?"

"Yes!" She chirped. "How can I have you…I mean, do you want my…that is, um…."

I gently nudged Edward as Blondie continued babbling. "Stop dazzling her," I whispered.

Understanding lighted on his face, and he lowered his eyes to the selections behind the glass when he spoke again. "Mint ice cream, raspberries, almonds, and a drizzle of fudge in a plain waffle bowl, please."

She was so hypnotized by Edward's voice that she would have slathered herself in butterscotch had he asked her to. I was surprised that she handed him the ice cream without fainting.

"That poor girl." I let him pay without protesting. "You should apologize to her."

He was chagrined. "Was I too forceful?"

"Too beautiful," I said.

"If you say so."

"I do."

We reached Angela and Ben who had barely touched their desserts. Apparently there had been some discussion about the proper way to eat a sundae.

"Back me up, Cullen," Ben said. "You're supposed to attack from the top, taking half the whipped cream with the first bite. Then you devour the ice cream, the toppings, and whatnot. And if you're lucky enough to have a cherry," he plucked his off the top and set it to the side, "you eat it last."

Angela took a demure spoonful from the side of her bowl. "I don't like when ice cream turns to soup, so I always eat it first."

"That's crazy talk," Ben declared. "My man here is going to break the tie."

"Well," Edward picked up my spoon to demonstrate. "The key to enjoying a sundae is balance. Start with the ice cream, as it is the foundation for the flavor profile. Then add some fruit, if you have any…."

"Unless it's a cherry," Ben interjected.

"True," Edward agreed. "Cherries should be eaten last. Nuts are next but not too many. End with a little fudge, and then," he lifted the loaded spoon to my mouth, "you bite."

I closed my eyes as the flavors and textures hit my tongue: subtle mint, tangy raspberries, smooth almonds, decadent fudge. It was a sweet symphony of delicious pleasure and easily the best dessert I'd ever had.

When I opened my eyes, Edward was watching me, delighted that he had satisfied me even in this small thing. I was touched by his desire to please me, and as I licked a bit of fudge off my bottom lip, the look in his eyes ignited my desire for a different sort of cold treat.

"Dude, you just put me to shame," Ben's voice snapped us back to reality. "All I did was bring Angela some extra napkins."

Edward shrugged. "I saw that in a movie once."

"Did the hero get the girl?" Ben asked.

"Of course."

Ben lifted Angela's spoon toward her mouth, and she shook her head. "You're not getting chocolate all over my new sweater."

"Your pretty new sweater," I added. "Purple looks really nice on you."

"Thanks," she said. "Alice said that lilac was one of my best colors, so I thought I'd try it out."

Edward and I just looked at each other.

"Have you guys decided on your senior projects yet?" Ben asked.

"I'm clueless," I said. "But my dad's the police chief, so maybe I'll do an exposé on crime in Forks."

"That would be the shortest oral representation in history," Ben said.

"Probably," I said. "What about you?"

"Since my mom had the twins, I've become fascinated by the differences in their development," Angela said. "So I've started making videos and notes about their progress, hoping to get something useful."

"Isn't she creative?" Ben beamed. "Brilliant, creative, and head over heels in love with me."

"Now who's being creative?" Angela teased. "Maybe you should write a story."

"Writing is so one-dimensional," Ben proclaimed. "I am going to make a film."

"Not a movie, but a film," I asserted.

"Keen observation, Ms. Swan," he said. "I am making a film about loyalty and loss, sanctity and suffering, good and evil. A film with epic implications that will forever stand as a testament to the crises and climate of these troubled times. I am making a film about my two pet mice, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern."

The three of us erupted in laughter as Ben continued. "Rosencrantz has been monopolizing the wheel, running and running at all hours of the night while Guildenstern is working on his dissertation about War and Peace. Guildenstern has had enough of his suitemate's antics, and he takes drastic action to stop him. Hilarity and heartache ensue. Guildenstern finishes his paper, and I get an 'A' and an Oscar nod for Best Short Film."

"Change the book to Who Moved My Cheese?" Edward said. "Then you'll have a masterpiece."

"Thank you, my brother." He bowed with an elaborate flourish. "For that suggestion, you will receive Executive Producer credit."

"Isn't this nice?" a familiar voice said, and the sound made me cringe.

Lauren was standing behind our table flanked by Jessica and Brittany, the girl who had given me the Calculus notes in homeroom. Brittany was smiling at all of us, and Jessica looked bored. But Lauren's fiery gaze was focused on me, specifically, on the bare shoulder where Edward had just placed his hand.

"I didn't know you guys would be here," Lauren said. "I heard in gym that some people were meeting tonight at Coldstone, but I didn't know it would be you." Her eyes were fixed on Edward.

"Didn't you have the plague?" Jessica asked me.

Jessica had a strange sense of humor, but she was cool otherwise. "All better now." I touched the hand on my shoulder. "It's amazing what a weekend can do."

"Would you guys like to join us?" Angela asked. "We could push the tables together."

"Sure!" Lauren said. I wanted to groan, but I took the high road for Angela's sake. I decided to focus on the fact that Edward was at my side.

And ignore the fact that Lauren had plopped down on his other side.

"What are we talking about?" she asked Edward.

"Academy Awards," Ben replied.

"And Ben's delusions of grandeur," Angela said.

"Senior projects." I turned to Brittany. "Have you thought about yours?"

She sipped her milkshake. "Only a little."

"Same here," I said. "They're almost done, but they're trying to be some sort of power couple."

"Yeah, we are!" Ben put his arm around Angela. "Just call us 'Bengela.'"

Angela shook her head. "Not if you want me to answer."

"Is anyone applying early decision, or am I a freak for considering it?" Jessica asked.

"You're a freak," Lauren scoffed into her sorbet.

"I did," Brittany said.

"Already?" Angela asked with interest. "Where?"

"Juilliard. The music department."

"Piano, right?" Edward asked.

Brittany's eyes lit up. "How did you know that?"

"Your hands," he replied. "It's in the splay of your fingers and how you hold them."

"Wow." She looked at her hands. "How did you notice that?"

"Because he plays too," I said. "He plays and composes and does both very well."

"Sweet!" Ben exclaimed. "You can score my film."

Edward hid his embarrassment by tucking an errant curl into my bun. "You'll have to speak to my manager about that."

Ben turned to me. "Can he work for Monopoly money?"

"So, Edward." Lauren leaned on her elbow. "Are you going to music school too?"

His fingers trailed lightly across the back of my neck before resting in my lap. "You'll have to speak to my girlfriend about that."

While I tried to hide my shiver, Jessica nearly choked on her Oreo Overload. "You're following Bella to college?"

"That's so sweet," Brittany said.

"It's ridiculous," Lauren muttered.

"He can't go to school with Bella?" Ben asked.

"Are you going to college with Angela?" Lauren asked.

Ben looked at Angela, and she shrugged. He smiled, and then tried to feed her more ice cream.

"Okay then, Bella, what colleges are you applying to?" Jessica asked.

"I'm still narrowing them down," I replied. "I want a diverse English department with a liberal take on the canon. There's a Great Books Program at St. John's College in Maryland that looks promising. And I'll have to apply to at least one believable school in Florida."

"Believable?" Ben asked.

"My mom and my stepdad live in Florida. I have to pretend that I'd consider going to school down there."

"But you're from Phoenix," Lauren said. "I would think that you'd want to be someplace sunny and warm. Wasn't that the whole reason you didn't want to stay in Forks?"

"Sunny weather is nice." I squeezed Edward's hand beneath the table. "But there are more important things."

"Like being on time for this movie," Ben said as he looked at his watch. "We need to go."

"Which movie are you seeing?" Jessica asked.

"The Departed," Ben replied dramatically.

"I saw that with my mom on Saturday," Brittany said. "It's awesome."

"You still go to the movies with your mother?" Lauren asked.

"You don't?" Angela asked her.

"Only if she makes me."

"I love spending time with my mom," Brittany said.

"Me too," Angela said. "Especially when she takes me to lunch."

"Or buys me stuff," Jessica agreed.

Lauren stood up and reminded Brittany and Jessica that she needed to be home by eight-thirty because she was expecting an important call.

Whatever Edward heard in her mind made him smile. "Then you should leave now," he said. "I wouldn't want you to be late for that."

"Thanks," Lauren frowned. "I think."

—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—

"So, did you enjoy yourself tonight?" I asked Edward once we were on the road back to Forks.

"It was a very interesting evening," he smiled.

Angela and Ben had sat next to us in the theater, and the four of us chatted until the previews started. I had intended to pay attention to the coming attractions, but as soon as the house lights went down, Edward's lips made their way to my shoulder. We had tried to behave—the theater wasn't that dark—but it took someone loudly clearing their throat to make us separate.

I blushed at the memory. "Did you like The Departed?"

"I liked watching you watch it."

"Kind of hard to follow the plot that way."

"You are far more fascinating than any cinematic creation." His eyes caressed my shoulder. "Besides, I can buy the DVD."

My body was warming under his gaze, so it was time to change the subject. "Who called Lauren tonight?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "The employee of the month."

It took me a moment to get it. "Mike?"

"Please don't make me explain why."

"I wouldn't dare," I laughed. "But I hope we can double with Angela and Ben again."

"As long as Ben doesn't pick the activity." As we left the theater, Ben had said that the next time, we should try go-karting. Watching Edward drive a tiny car at human speed would certainly be fun for me.

"Angela will probably talk him out of it," I said. "She thinks you're not into sports."

He seemed amused. "What else does she think?"

"That you're a lactose-intolerant vegetarian, and that we spend a lot of time kissing and cuddling." I blushed again as he chuckled. "It just slipped out."

"I'll bet," he said curiously. "Amazing what slips out when you start talking." He waited a beat. "St. John's College in Maryland?"

I looked away. "Caught that, did you?"

"It has not left my mind for a moment." His voice got quieter. "Did you mean it?"

I didn't answer right away because I couldn't read his tone. Did he still want me to attend college or had he just been hoping to defer my transformation? Would I still want to go if he were suddenly against it?

I could feel the anxiety crackling in my stomach, but I refused to panic. Edward and I had come a long way in the past week, and nothing would get in our way now. Least of all, my decision about college.

"I did mean it," I finally said. "I think it would be fun to go off to college, meet new people, and have new experiences. Who knows? I might discover an aptitude for a subject I've never heard of and create a whole new life for myself."

Edward didn't respond, and that familiar fear of his reaction was almost overwhelming.

Then suddenly he pulled over and turned off the car. He took my face in his hands and kissed me with so much passion and urgency that I was breathless by the time he let me come up for air.

"Bella," he panted. "I'm just so…I am overjoyed that you have made this decision. Knowing that you want to experience all that life has to offer as if I weren't a part of your life makes me so…."

I covered his mouth with my hand. "What do you mean by that?"

He shook his head, so I removed my palm so he could speak. "I know that you base many of your decisions on what would be convenient for me, and I love you for that. But anytime you make a decision that isn't affected by my needs and nature, you make me extremely happy. So, thank you."

"Oh," I mulled over his explanation, then kissed him again. "You're welcome."

He started the car again, resting his hand on my thigh. "Does this also mean you'll let me pay for college?"

I took my time before answering. "Yes…."

He jerked the wheel so quickly that I thought we were going to hit a tree. "Sorry," he grinned.

"Under four conditions. One, you don't kill me on the way home tonight."

"Sorry."

"Two, I will only attend a school that would accept me on my own merit, so no bribery or record tampering of any kind. And I will accept any scholarships offered to me."

"And four?"

"We do not tell Charlie."

"That's it?"

"Provided the school is in a mutually agreeable location, yes. Those are my only terms."

"Unbelievable." He was positively giddy. "Will you let me by you a car as well?"

I considered this. "You can pay for our off-campus apartment. Let's start with that."

He kissed me again. "If vampires could sleep, I might think I was dreaming."

We pulled in front of my house, the night's contentment still floating around us, and found that the living room light was on. It was only ten o'clock, so that wasn't unusual, but my spidey senses were telling me that something was amiss. But I didn't want to ruin our night by worrying, so I didn't say anything.

"I'm going to walk you in," Edward said.

That made me nervous. "What is Charlie thinking?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." His brow furrowed as we climbed my steps. "But I don't want to leave you yet."

I pulled out my key, and Charlie yelled that the door was open.

Curiouser and curiouser.

We walked into the house, and Charlie was sitting in the living room wearing his uniform. A half-eaten square of leftover casserole rested on a paper plate on the coffee table, and a Mariner's game was on the muted television. Charlie's eyes noticed my sweater and frowned.

"Good evening, Chief Swan," Edward said as I let go of his hand.

Charlie nodded as he rose to greet us. "Edward. Bella."

"Hi, Dad." I tried to smile. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine," he said. "Are you all right?"

"Yes!" I sounded like Blondie from Coldstone. "I'm great."

An awkward silence dragged on as Charlie looked between Edward and me, pausing now and then at my bare neck and shoulder.

Stupid fancy Alice clothes.

"I should get home," Edward said. "Carlisle and Esme are expecting me."

"You know, it's funny you should say that," Charlie said, setting off wild alarms in my head. "I spoke to them tonight."

"You did?" I exclaimed. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I thought I should get to know them."

"But you do know them." My voice was getting higher by the second. "You've known them longer than I have."

"Yes, but that was before my daughter started spending so much time with their youngest son. Now," he glanced at Edward again. "Different times call for different measures."

I gulped. "What does that mean?"

Charlie's voice was all business. "Monday night, I'm going to meet the Cullens. All of them."

A/N: A ginormous THANK YOU to my dynamic Beta, CassandraLowery, for editing my increasingly lengthy chapters. She is a dynamic, uber-busy lady, but she's willing to fit me into her schedule, and I am so very grateful!

I also wanted to reply to these recent reviews to which I cannot respond privately:

Bella3628: I'm so glad that you took a chance on my story! As a writer, I'm rather anti-angst and fluff myself, so you won't get much of that in SP. So stay tuned…you won't regret it!

LaurenR: I have written an original work of fiction and am working on three more in addition to this fanfic. My completed novel hasn't been picked up yet, but your words really touched and encouraged me, and I thank you for them.

MissyB: Greetings, my friend from down under! I'm so glad you're enjoying SP and my Rosalie. Isn't she great? She's that tell-it-like-it-is friend that everybody needs.

And thank you again to everyone who reads and reviews SP. I was floored when this story reached more than 100 reviews…floored and excited, so keep those comments coming!

Off to work on Chapter 13!