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Chapter 13: Visiting the Cullens

Edward's POV

Bella's face paled at Charlie's unexpected announcement, and I honestly feared she might faint. Her apprehension was understandable, but it was causing Charlie to wonder what she—meaning we—might be hiding. With a quick look in her direction, I warned her to calm down before she combusted on the spot. She smiled at her father and said she couldn't wait for him to meet my family.

An actress she could never be.

Bella walked me to the door after Charlie returned to his armchair and pleaded with me to hurry back. As if she needed to ask.

"Everything will be fine," I whispered into her hair.

But judging by her fretful pacing when I came back, Bella didn't believe me.

"Monday night is going to be a disaster," she said as I climbed into her bedroom window. "A disaster from start to finish."

"Bella…."

"First of all, Charlie is going to wonder how Carlisle affords such a fancy house, even on a doctor's salary. Then he's going to question the great wall of windows. Hardly the safest construction for a house in the middle of the forest. Oh, that'll be next: 'Why do you live all the way out there?' Finally, and this is only if Emmett doesn't totally screw me by saying something horrible first, Charlie is going to notice that you all look exactly alike even though you aren't supposed to be related! How will Carlisle explain that?"

Her whisper took on a shriek-like quality, and although Charlie was snoring in the other room, I didn't want to take any chances. I walked over to Bella and took her hands in mine. "Breathe, Love."

She raised frantic eyes to me, and my protective instincts swelled. I cradled her in my arms and carried her to the rocking chair near the window. She curled up in my lap and expelled a loud breath.

"Monday night is going to be a disaster," she murmured into my chest.

"It won't. Alice has seen that the evening turns out well."

"Did she happen to see why Charlie is doing this?"

"It wasn't Charlie's idea." She arched an eyebrow for an explanation, and I kissed her nose. "You can thank Dr. Cullen."

Bella's face wrinkled unhappily, but she allowed me to explain. "Charlie forgot that we were going out tonight. When he arrived home after eight o'clock and your truck was here without you, he got worried."

She slapped her forehead. "And my phone was on 'vibrate' in my bookbag."

"Charlie called Carlisle after your voicemail picked up for the third straight time, and Carlisle reminded him about our date. As they started talking, Charlie expressed serious concerns about how much time we spend together at the mansion. To ease Charlie's fears, Carlisle extended an open dinner invitation which Charlie accepted for Monday evening after he…."

"Dinner?" She was shrieking again. "But you don't eat food!"

"We don't like food. But we can eat it if we have to."

"I knew it." She jumped up and started pacing again. "Monday night is going to be a disaster."

"Bella…."

"You all will be choking on Esme's five-star cuisine, and Charlie is going to get suspicious. He is a cop, after all, and they tend to be rather observant. You know, it's funny." She laughed dryly. "We survived James and my birthday party only to be destroyed by…by your well-meaning father…and…and Charlie's belated pa…pa…paternal urges…."

As Bella's fears began to bubble over, I had risen from the chair behind her. Resting my hands on her hips, I gently blew my cool breath across her neck. Her head lolled to the right, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, pressing myself against her back. As my lips brushed across her bare shoulder, her protests slowed to a stop. Her breathing soon deepened, and she turned in my arms.

"Thank you," she whispered after a moment.

I kissed her forehead. "That's why I'm here."

"I just…things are so good right now, and I don't want anything to wreck it."

"That won't happen. I'm sure that Carlisle and Charlie have the best of intentions, and Emmett will be on his best behavior. And even if something goes outrageously wrong, we will survive it together."

She rested her head against my chest, and I held her without moving until she was ready to prepare for bed. As she walked to the door with her nightclothes in hand, she turned to look at me.

"I forgot to tell you," she smiled. "I had a really good time tonight."

"As did I."

She blew me a kiss and then walked out of the room. I sat on her bed to wait for her return, hoping that her anxiety about her father's visit would remain permanently at bay.

To Bella's credit, she survived the next few days admirably well. Exaggerated accounts of our double date with Angela and Ben dominated most of the class chatter, and we found ourselves being invited to everything from Bible Bingo at Eric Yorkie's church to a co-ed baby shower for Newton's second cousin.

All offers were politely declined.

Then on Friday morning, as we approached the entrance to the main building, Bella asked why Alice hadn't come to school with me.

"She's at home with Esme, finalizing Monday's preparations." I would have to tell her now. "Since we will be away all weekend, Carlisle wanted them to…."

Bella stopped walking. "You're going hunting this weekend?"

I nodded. "I would have told you sooner, but you were so worried about…."

"Monday night is going to be a disaster." She stalked into the front hall. "How am I supposed to get through the weekend without you, knowing that we have a Greek tragedy on the horizon?"

"Greek tragedy? Esme wouldn't serve spanakopita."

"Really, Edward? You're telling jokes right now?"

I smiled in spite of myself. When her anger wasn't scary, it was quite adorable. "I'm trying to get you to relax."

"How can I relax when my unsuspecting father is going to walk into a house full of vampires on Monday night?" she hissed.

I felt as if the wind had been knocked out of my chest. "You think we would try to…."

"No!" Her volume attracted the attention of some students at their lockers, and she lowered her voice. "That's not what I meant. Please know that." She held my eyes until she was sure I believed her. "I'm just…you know I suck at keeping secrets."

"You've been keeping a rather important one for the past few months."

"I know, but if everyone is acting different and the house looks strange, that's going to make me act stranger than usual." She sighed as we walked into homeroom. "I don't want to ruin this night for us."

"So come over today and see what we've done to the house. We're not leaving until after dark, so that will be one less thing for you to worry about."

"That takes care of tonight." She sat down at our table. "What am I supposed to do for the rest of the weekend?"

"Did you say 'weekend'?" Brittany asked. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"That's okay," Bella said. "I'm trying to figure out what to do this weekend since someone has decided to go camping without me." She poked me in the chest, and I lifted her accusing finger and kissed it.

"You guys are so cute," Brittany gushed. "Anyway, Bella, I'm glad you're free. My mom said I could have a sleepover. And since we had so much fun at Coldstone the other night, I was wondering if you'd like to come."

I could have hugged Brittany. A sleepover with some harmless humans would be the perfect way to keep Bella preoccupied until we returned on Sunday afternoon.

"That would be great!" Bella said.

"Awesome!" Brittany said. "Rachel and Monica are busy, so it will be you, me, Angela, Jessica, and Lauren." Brittany pulled out her phone. "What's your number so I can text you my address?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket just as eighth period ended. Mr. Cromley was reminding us about the unit test on Monday, causing the entire class to groan. But when I read Alice's surprising text message, my thoughts soured for an entirely different reason.

What in the world was this about?

I replied quickly to Alice and turned my attention to Bella. With this new development, I wouldn't be able to double back for my car before I left town. So I followed Bella home in the Volvo so she could pack for her sleepover, then she followed me home after sharing her weekend plans with Charlie.

I heard the disquiet in my family's thoughts as I approached, but they agreed Bella should inspect the house before we revealed what was going on.

While I conferred with Alice and Carlisle, Esme showed Bella the few changes. Emmett and Jasper were temporarily sharing a room as were Rosalie and Alice. The girls' room also featured a trundle on which Bella supposedly slumbered during her overnight stays.

"Just in case Charlie needs to see the evidence," Esme winked.

The painting of Carlisle and the Volturi was moved to the garage and replaced with a harmless Monet. Finally, Esme assured Bella everyone would eat Monday's dinner without a problem.

"And if need be," she smiled as she and Bella descended the stairs. "We'll just purge in the backyard after you leave."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Emmett grimaced.

Bella made her way to my side, and everyone else made their way into the foyer. This assembly was not lost on Bella, and when she noticed Alice staring silently ahead, she turned to me.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We are expecting visitors."

"In less than two minutes," Alice added.

"Who?"

I pulled her closer. "Irina and Laurent."

"Laurent?" Her voice hollowed in shock. "Why is he coming here?"

"I don't know," Alice replied. "It was a sudden decision."

Bella turned to Carlisle. "You're going to allow this?"

It was the first time Bella had ever addressed Carlisle so frankly. But as Carlisle had come to expect all of his children to question his judgment at one time or another, she had inadvertently warmed his heart.

"Laurent departed our home in peace," he replied. "Despite my curiosity at his reappearance, I have no reason to deny his wish to call on us."

"Try not to worry." Esme said kindly. "He is coming with Irina, and that is of great comfort."

"Who is Irina?" Bella asked. "The name is vaguely familiar, but I can't place it."

"She is a member of the coven at Denali," I explained. "They have been friends of our family for many decades." Bella nodded, but I could sense her rising trepidation.

The doorbell rang, and Bella jumped. I smiled into her eyes while my hand fastened her to my side. She closed her eyes and began counting softly under her breath as Carlisle and Esme walked to the door.

Although Laurent had not been involved in James' plot, seeing his face would likely be unpleasant for all of us. My siblings were splitting their attention between Alice and me while I scanned our visitors' thoughts.

In each of their minds, there was apprehension and subdued excitement. Irina's thoughts always had a euphoric undercurrent, so I paid little attention to that. Yet they shared one emotion that surprised me most of all.

Contentment.

Carlisle opened the door to find Laurent and Irina holding hands on the top landing.

Laurent and Irina were a couple.

Hmmm.

"Welcome, Laurent, Irina." Carlisle said grandly. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"My dear Cullens!" Irina embraced my parents together. Laurent stood behind her, wary yet protective of his companion.

Although I was happy for Irina, something uncomfortable lingered inside me. And as the hand I was holding clenched in concern, that elusive something became flesh and blood.

Irina had mated with a former associate of the monster who had tried to kill Bella.

I knew Laurent was innocent and had not been involved in James' scheme. But when Bella's heartbeat accelerated upon Laurent's admittance into the room, I had to fight the urge to rip out his throat.

A wave of calm washed over me, and I became unspeakably grateful for Jasper's interference. As much as I wanted to eliminate Bella's distress, I would not undermine Carlisle's hospitality. If I had learned anything last week, it was the folly of making rash decisions…however well-intended they might be.

"Edward!" Irina was walking toward me. "How happy I am to see you again!"

"Hello, Irina," I said warmly. Despite her questionable choice of partner, my congenial feelings for her were unchanged. "You are looking well."

"As are you. Much better than the last time I saw you." Her golden eyes lighted on Bella. "And she must be the reason why."

"Love, this is Irina." Bella's heart fluttered when her pet name slipped off my tongue. "Irina, this is my Bella."

"Indeed, she is." Irina's eyes smiled. "I have heard a great deal about you, Bella."

Bella was uncomfortable under Irina's appraising gaze. "I wish I could say the same."

"And what a lovely creature you are!" Irina turned to Laurent who remained behind her. "Darling, you hardly did her justice with your description."

Laurent bowed stiffly, his thoughts revealing his agitation at being so close to Bella. I checked his eyes for proof that his diet had not changed in the past few months, but his eyes were the same color as his mate's.

No, Laurent's apprehension had a different root.

His mind addressed me. Although the thought was short-lived, I do not expect that you will ever forgive me for thinking that Bella was nothing more than the family snack. I can scarcely remember her face without shame.

I was stunned. With everything that James had done, Laurent's low opinion of Bella barely made an impression in my mind. Given our beastly nature, any vampire would assume we had nefarious plans for Bella as she was alone with us in a secluded clearing. And unbeknownst to him, every vampire here, with the exception of Irina and Carlisle, had desired to kill Bella at least once.

Could I really consider him guiltier than I did myself?

"You must be ecstatic to have another daughter." Irina had been speaking to Esme during my reverie. "And I am delighted for you all! The prodigal son has been alone for far too long." She kissed my cheek, then Bella's.

Bella was startled, but the gesture seemed to please her.

I nodded toward Laurent. "It seems that we should congratulate you as well."

"Yes, you should!" Irina reached back for his hand. "It is a new day."

"Your time in Alaska has certainly agreed with you, Laurent," I said.

"Yes. Denali has been most gracious to me." His eyes flitted to Irina, and the passion in their gaze was unmistakable. Even Emmett seemed poised to blush.

"Why don't we go into the family room and get reacquainted?" Carlisle suggested. He and Esme led the way, and I kissed Bella's cheek before we followed them in.

Once we arranged ourselves in the great room, I could barely listen to Laurent and Irina because I was so focused on Bella. She was engrossed in the lovers' tale, and hearing about Laurent's conversion to the vegetarian lifestyle definitely comforted her. But she was still sitting as close to me as humanly possible with her hands enveloped in mine. I could tell the contact was making her cold, yet she clung to me anyway, deriving some sort of benefit from my touch.

And wasn't that an apt representation of our relationship? Despite the obvious inconvenience I caused her, Bella refused to let me go. She somehow found warmth where I had none, peace in what had always been chaotic. I used to think she had a gift for asking for what I could not give her. But as I studied her angelic face, I realized her real gift was mining diamonds out of the coal-like blackness of my life.

My passionate gaze must have attracted Bella's attention because she looked up. Her eyes shone with gratitude, and I could only stare back. I had never been a source of comfort to anyone, except maybe Esme who still considered me "her baby" after all these years. For Bella to see me as her safe harbor, the place where she could be comforted and restored...

I didn't know if I would ever get used to that.

"How did your sisters respond to your pairing?" Esme asked a little too loudly. She winked at me, the increased volume for my benefit.

Irina laughed. "No one believed me at first. Kate thought I was playing a trick, and Tanya called me a fool for settling down after so many centuries. But soon enough, they came to see the truth."

"What's on your agenda now?" Rosalie asked.

"A world tour!" Irina exclaimed. "Laurent thought a change of climate was in order, so we're starting in Central America. I thought we would come and see my favorite family before leaving the States."

Carlisle and Esme suggested new places to find vegetarian-friendly vampires, and Emmett and Rosalie chimed in with their favorite exotic locales. I knew enough to stay out of their thoughts as they walked down memory lane. Their sexual exploits in Argentina still gave me waking nightmares.

"Why didn't I see your decision to visit before now?"

Despite her benign tone, Alice's question hung in the air like a thick fog. Jasper did what he could to restore cordiality to the room, but there was no denying the thought had crossed the mind of every Cullen in the room.

Irina looked at Laurent with a small, encouraging smile. "The fault is mine," he said as she rubbed his back. "I was unsure if I would be welcome, and she only just persuaded me to come. I…." He tried to look at Bella, but shame propelled him across the room to the window. "Tanya told us what happened to Bella in Phoenix." His accent thickened with the rise in his emotions. "When I think of what Ja…what he did to her, what he unleashed on your undeserving family…."

Carlisle formed a response in his mind but thought Laurent needed to hear it from me. "You are not to blame for James' choices," I said. "He alone was responsible for his actions, and he alone paid the cost."

"Edward is right." Laurent started at Bella's declaration, and his nervousness increased as she approached him.

"Please do not blame yourself for what James did to me." She touched his arm. "I certainly don't."

Laurent's thoughts mellowed for the first time since his arrival, and he dragged his eyes to Bella. Her sincerity filled the room, and I heard Jasper sigh. "I see now why Edward would have given his life to save you," Laurent murmured. "You are remarkable."

"I'm just me," Bella shrugged. "And I am wholly against people blaming themselves for the actions of others. That way of thinking is deadlier than all the venom in this room combined."

Irina gasped at her candor, and Alice laughed. "That's our Bella. Blunt, blithe, and beautiful."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

After Laurent and Irina took their leave, promising to come back when they returned from vacation, I rode with Bella in her truck to her girls' weekend in. After her graciousness toward Laurent, I was too enamored to leave her.

She stopped her truck around the corner from Brittany's house and let me kiss her goodbye for the eleventh time. "You have to go now," she grinned. "Lauren is waiting for me."

"I am just so proud of you, Love. The way you faced Laurent after what happened the last time you saw him…."

"I know. I'm awesome." She reached across me for the door handle. "But if you don't quit it, I'm going to be late."

I caught her wrist and kissed its gently pulsing skin. "Just a few more minutes?"

She moaned softly and climbed into my lap. I wrapped her in my arms and brought my lips to her jawline. I was so busy rubbing her back that I didn't notice that she had opened the passenger door. She pulled back and kissed me firmly. "Out, Mr. Cullen."

The urge to kiss her again overwhelmed me, but she had placed her hand over her mouth. "I'll see you Sunday afternoon," she mumbled.

I laughed at her whimsy and climbed out of the cab. "I love you."

She closed the door but kissed me again through the open window. "Back atcha." Though her tone was playful, her eyes were sincere, and I held on to the image as her truck turned the corner.

I ghosted across the street to hide behind a tree, still unwilling to leave. She parked in front of Brittany's house behind the car I recognized as Angela Weber's. Bella entered the house, and once her unique laughter floated back to me on the wind, I raced toward the Oregon-California border where my brothers were waiting for me.

After covering several miles in matter of seconds, I gave myself over to my natural instincts and reveled in the joy of running at full speed. Pretending to be human, even for Bella, was exhausting. And every now and then, I needed to shed my polished pretenses and behave like the savage beast I had become. Bounding from peak to peak in the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains had been the perfect precursor to chasing Jasper and Emmett through the tops of the trees with the endless night sky as our backdrop. Emmett was strong, and Jasper was careful. But I was fast and overtook them with ease. Frolicking with my brothers was always fun, but I was hungry and eager for the hunt.

So when I caught the scent of the mountain lion, I abandoned my brothers and followed his trail. I matched my feline prey step-for-step for five miles, relishing the fear in his eyes as his avenues of escape disappeared. Then the power of my thirst compelled me to spring, and I caught him in midair, sinking my teeth into his plush throat in a quick, smooth motion. As the hot, pungent liquid passed over my lips and down my parched throat, I growled with desire for more. My nostrils were flared and flooded with his scent, and I easily located three more males. I drained them and collapsed beside their bodies, my appetite subsiding considerably. With the respect and care Carlisle had taught me, I buried the carcasses in an inaccessible cavern where no one would ever find them.

Several hours later, Jasper and I were resting on a lofty plateau after polishing off the strongest bucks of a family of deer. I hadn't seen Emmett in some time, but his inner monologue revealed his pursuit of a trio of black bears heading southeast. They weren't as fun to hunt as grizzlies, but they were second on his list of favorite fauna.

I closed my eyes as a cool breeze blew across my face.

"You are happy," Jasper said.

"For the first time in this life, I am."

"I am glad for you, Edward. Truly."

His kind thoughts confirmed his words and reminded me of the unfinished business between us.

"I'm sorry," I said, and he stiffened. Because of his gift, Jasper was uncomfortable discussing his own emotions. And although this conversation was overdue, it made little sense to ruin his night, even to make much-needed amends.

Jasper accepted my apology in his mind then changed the subject. "Laurent surprised me."

My brother's complete silence during the earlier visit had not escaped my notice. "What did you sense from him?"

"His remorse and apprehension were genuine, suffocating almost. But Bella's declaration took immediate effect. It was as if Laurent had been holding his breath since he fled last spring and only exhaled when she forgave him." He turned to me. "You have found yourself an extraordinary mate."

"I know."

Jasper smiled then hissed. "What have I told you about that?"

I would really have to learn to control myself around him. "Sorry."

"You're as bad as Emmett."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so pleased," Jasper groused. "I avoid extensive contact with him for a reason."

"I'm sorry." I could not extract the glee from my voice. "I've just…I have never felt this way before."

"You're like a little child with a hot, sexy, bendable new toy." I glanced sidelong at Jasper, and he shrugged. "These are your feelings, not mine."

I wanted to relieve his suffering, but my feelings would not be suppressed. The more I tried to think about something less stimulating than Bella's appealing body, the more realistic my thoughts became.

Jasper surprised me by laughing. "Forget it, Edward. Bella has you completely surrounded, and the cavalry is trapped in an impassable ridge. You may as well man-up and surrender."

"There are worse ways to go."

"How are things with you and Bella in that department?"

I exhaled loudly, grateful for the chance to talk about it. "I don't know how to describe it. Your 'new toy' analogy comes close, but it's more primal than that. I feel like…like I cannot get enough of her. Like I would die if I couldn't touch her."

He didn't seem surprised. "Have you discussed it?"

"Discussed what?"

In Jasper's mind, I saw what he meant: Bella lying beneath me in my bed, her long legs wrapped around my waist as our bare bodies rocked in that sacred, timeless rhythm.

The image seared my brain, and I found it difficult to speak.

Then a different vision wrecked my fantasy: Bella lying beneath me in my bed with wild hair, parted lips, and lifeless eyes because I had inadvertently crushed her to death.

I could never allow it.

"What would be the purpose of discussing the impossible?" I said darkly.

He sighed. "You have so very much to learn."

"Yet you speak as if you could teach me." I didn't appreciate his dismissive tone. "What do you know about loving a human?"

"Nothing, but I know a lot about loving a woman," he said smugly. "And with a woman like Bella, her femininity is far more salient than her humanity."

"In Twenty-first Century English, please."

He ignored my irritation. "Treat Bella like the woman you love and stop seeing her as the human you're trying not to kill."

I started at his word choice, but his thoughts revealed he was trying to rattle me on purpose.

"Edward, you and Bella have already crossed the most perilous bridge: she knows you are a vampire, and she loves you anyway. Don't you think it's time to move on from there? Besides," He smirked. "Yours are not the only emotions I can feel."

My eyes widened, and I held very still. "Do you think she wants…I mean, would she…."

"You could bed her. I know your moral position on the subject, but based on the force of her desires, she wants you to take her."

Jasper continued to suggest how I might broach such a sensitive subject with Bella. And at some later point, I would certainly revisit this conversation to glean some helpful hints.

But for now, I was lost.

"You could bed her."

"She wants you to take her."

Bed her…take her….

I could bed Bella.

I could take Bella and make her mine in the truest sense of the word.

I could bed Bella because she wants me.

Bella wants me as I badly as I want her.

Man alive, how badly I want her...

But I don't want to kill her.

And bedding her…taking her…means killing her.

So I cannot bed her.

I cannot take her.

But oh, how I want to.

How very desperately I want to.

Impossible dilemma!

"You're not going to kill her," Jasper said crossly. "But you're giving me emotional whiplash which might kill me."

"I'm sorry. I just…I love Bella so much, but…."

"But nothing. You love Bella, and being fully intimate is the natural progression of that love. What?" He teased. "Are you honestly content with heavy petting and partial nudity?"

I'd never realized how exasperating Jasper could be. "Being with Bella is about more than mere nudity."

"Don't be such a prude," he scoffed. "We all know that you adore Bella. But you are still a lusty, animalistic man whether you want to admit it or not. And that man craves explicit nudity, aggressive sexual contact, and every filthy sound her pretty little voice can make."

His words unleashed a torrent of sultry images in my mind complete with pitch-perfect audio. I tried to turn them off—and myself in the process—but it was impossible. My body responded as if Bella were physically with me, and I groaned at its swift betrayal. "You are worse than Emmett," I muttered.

"Maybe," he smiled. "But I am definitely as happy as he is. And if you want similar happiness with Bella, the two of you must come to terms with your sexuality."

"Sexuality?" Emmett boomed as he climbed atop our rock. "Is Eddie ready for that talk we've been meaning to have with him? Finally! Jazz, fetch me two round rocks, a clump of moss, two pine cones, and a big stick." He grinned at me. "Visual aids."

I glared at Jasper who laughed as he stepped away on a fool's errand.

This conversation was about to get a whole lot worse.

A/N: I'm sorry if you were misled by the chapter title, but Charlie's visit to the Cullens is coming, so don't despair!

Fans of one of my favorite sitcoms will notice the nod to two of our favorite "friends" in Brittany's invitation. I just couldn't resist!

Oh, and… if you wander over to "Serenity's Prayer: The B-Sides," you might notice Chapter 2 is the Outtake of the boys' sex talk with Edward. And, you're welcome! XOXO