Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.
A/N: Thanks to katmom and Angelinia, who beta this story.
Chapter Fifteen
A Little of Everything
Bella was relatively pleased with the way things had worked out on Saturday. She had a feeling that she was going to be able to see Jacob more often. That was why she was in such a good mood when she got home, feeling that everything in her life was now how it was supposed to be. It also helped that she was thinking about what Edward had said the other day and that she would soon be able to see him in the sunlight.
"I take it you had a good day," Charlie said when Bella brought out the lasagna she had made. He smacked his lips as he looked at the meal.
"Yep, I actually got to see Jake today," Bella smiled.
"Hm..." Charlie said, raising an eyebrow in an odd way. "You two haven't seen each other in a while."
"No," Bella agreed, not really wanting to get into the whole issue with her father, not knowing what she should say.
"So, how was the kid?" Charlie asked after he had taken some time to eat. Bella was sure he was thinking about something else to ask or say, but shrugged it off.
"He's good," Bella smiled. "I met some of his other friends today... Embry, Quil, Jared and Sam."
"Ah, that's nice," Charlie said as he smiled more naturally now. "So do you think you'll be spending more time over in La Push?"
"Probably a bit more, yeah," Bella shrugged. The rest of the meal passed in comfortable silence and then Charlie went to watch a game and Bella went to her room. When she got there Edward was waiting for her.
"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, though thankfully she was just able to keep it from being a yell that would alert her father. She then ran to her boyfriend, barely able to notice his brilliant smile at seeing her before she wrapped her arms around him and she kissed him hard... well at least he was hard.
Edward stiffened slightly in her arms and pulled away much too soon.
"Sorry," he said when she pouted at him. "I'm just not used to your scent yet."
"Oops, sorry," Bella said blushing slightly.
"No, don't be," Edward chuckled, leaning into her and breathing in deeply. "Two days... I don't think I want to be away from you for that long again."
"I agree," Bella said, burying her face in his chest.
Edward moved them to her bed soon after that and they barely had a chance to say anything before Bella was asleep, a smile on her face.
O
The next morning she woke up and noticed the light creeping into her room. She sat up and quickly turned to look at Edward, who was smiling bemusedly back at her. There was not a centimeter of Edward's skin in the sunlight and she sighed in disappointment.
"Is there something you want?" Edward questioned a knowing look in his eyes.
"You know what I want to see," Bella pouted. "I've waited over a month and..."
"You can wait a little longer," Edward interrupted, he was pointedly looking away from her for he didn't want to be influenced by her expression... his girl could make him do anything she wanted with a look... not that she realized that yet, but it was true all the same.
"Why?" Bella almost whined, and he could imagine clearly what her expression looked like, causing his lips to crawl upwards.
"Because this is not the best light, Bella," Edward chuckled. "I want you to get the best effect or you might be disappointed."
"I could never be disappointed with you," Bella in a soft but firm tone.
Edward smiled proudly, but said, "all the same, you'll have to wait until a little later."
"Oh, just say it and be done with it," Bella huffed this time, and Edward looked at her with confusion. "You just want to make a romantic scene of it."
"You caught me," Edward chuckled. "So hurry up and get ready."
Bella got out of the bed and went to pick an outfit to wear. "So are you going to tell me where you'll be taking me at least?"
"Unfortunately not the meadow," Edward sighed. "Alice said the wildflowers hadn't bloomed yet, so we'll wait until next week before we go there. I wasn't sure where to go, but there is a nice place near my house that has plenty of sunlight and this stream nearby... it's really quaint."
"It sounds lovely," Bella smiled, she loved watching when he was talking excitedly like he was now. His cheeks almost looked flushed, though she knew that had more to do with the fact that he had just hunted the day before and that made the shadows in his eyes lessen considerably.
It was only twenty minutes later that Edward was running with Bella on his back, her eyes were closed tightly, both because he asked her not to look until he said something and because she didn't want to feel sick when he ran like this. Even with her eyes closed she could feel his joy as they ran through the forest and she thought the next time they ran she might want to open her eyes so she could watch him. Surely that would be an effective enough distraction for her, his face often made her forget her own name.
"Okay," Edward finally said and the breeze that was blowing on her face ceased, and suddenly he was putting her on her feet. "You can open your eyes now."
Bella opened her eyes slowly, and the sight in front of her took her breath away. Even being prepared for the sight didn't make Edward in the sunlight any less breathtakingly beautiful. He had often said that he sparkled in the sunlight, and he did, but she thought that word was a terrible way to describe him, and yet she couldn't think of a better way to depict what she was seeing.
Her eyes travelled upwards to his face and she could see that he was watching her with an almost shy expression. She smiled at him, even with the books' assurance, he was afraid of how she would react to him. She brought a hand up to his face almost expecting to feel a difference in the texture of his skin, but it was as smooth and flawless as it had always been. He closed his eyes peacefully at the contact as she continued to stroke his cheek.
"You're beautiful," Bella whispered, and then added in an amused tone, "once again reality has exceeded my expectations."
Edward chuckled when she used his own saying against him.
"Why were you afraid, Edward?" Bella questioned. "You knew that I liked the way you looked in the sun..."
Edward opened his eyes slowly and his expression was sad. "I'm not really sure... part of it is that I never really know how you're going to react to me. But mostly I think it was because this marks me as truly being different... that I'm different from you... I don't know."
"It doesn't matter if you're different, you're still my Edward," Bella assured him, as she played with a lock of hair at the base of his neck.
Edward smiled at her, reaching up and taking a piece of Bella's hair in his hand and examining the change he found in it. It really did have a reddish tint to it. "Then again, it seems that I'm not the only one that changes in the sunlight..."
"That's right... we're not so different after all," Bella chuckled.
Edward soon led Bella towards a picnic blanket that had been set up for them.
"How did this get here?" Bella questioned.
"Alice," Edward said. "I asked her if she would."
"What if I didn't want to come here?" Bella asked, sitting down on the blanket and noticing that there was also some food there for her, which was good because Edward had taken her away from her home before she could eat breakfast.
"That's the benefit of having a sister that can see the future," Edward chuckled. "I didn't even have to call her to make sure that she set this up for us."
Bella chuckled at that and began nibbling on a piece of fruit. "I noticed that there's nothing hot in here..."
"Of course not, Alice predicted that it would take you some time before you got your fill of looking at me in the sun... her words," Edward chuckled.
"And you were still worried about how I would react," Bella shook her head at him playfully as he laughed with her. After she finished eating they lay down on the blanket, basking in the sun.
O
Later that afternoon, Bella and Edward went to Edward's house, where Bella thanked Alice for everything she had done for them. The little vampire just smirked smugly.
"I wonder if Jessica will still ask me to go to Port Angeles," Bella mused sometime later, again remembering that the Cullens wouldn't be in school for the next two days. She was going to have to spend the next two lunches without them. Her thoughts soon drifted to something else, something that had her shivering. She gasped and looked at Edward, who was looking at her warily for a second before he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I forgot to tell you something, didn't I?" Edward sighed.
"That depends; have you or your family already done something to the guy that was in Port Angeles?" Bella asked, hoping that this was want he was thinking about.
"Yes," Edward said.
"Edward, how could you not tell her that?" Alice reprimanded.
"You're the one that had a vision of him when you were with Bella and didn't tell her," Edward said.
"Oh, so you're saying that you wanted me to tell Bella that a psycho rapist was stalking a girl in Oklahoma right before your first date?" Alice rolled her eyes. "Especially since we weren't sure if we could get there in time to help the girl or not? Bella would have been worried about that the whole time."
"Did you help the girl?" Bella questioned immediately.
"Of course they did," Edward said softly. "Alice wouldn't have mentioned it if they weren't able to."
Bella nodded her head. She had thought as much, and she was pleased that someone else had benefited from them getting these books. "Oh," she said as she suddenly realized when Alice was talking about. "So that was what you saw... and why you ran away from my house before Edward could hear your thoughts."
"Yeah, she didn't want me to be worried about this either," Edward said. He was thankful for his sister's consideration, but he would have liked to help take the monster in that would have tried to hurt Bella.
"You wish you could have been there," Bella said, looking at Edward closely.
Edward smiled, "Yes, though not as badly as Rose wanted to be there."
"Carlisle was right not to let me go," Rosalie sighed and Bella jumped. She hadn't realized the blonde vampire was in the room, too. "I would not have let that bastard leave that place..." Her expression was hard, and she looked regretful that she didn't get to go.
Bella looked at her confusedly. Though Rosalie had been kind to her this last month, she still felt intimidated by the beautiful blonde vampire. The look in Rosalie's eyes also made her shiver, for she knew that Rosalie would have no problem with taking extreme measures with this man. Still, she had a feeling that she was missing something about this, for there was also pain in Rosalie's eyes.
"You don't know my story yet," Rosalie observed with a sigh. She knew full well that Bella had only read the first book and it would be awhile before she learned what she had gone through. She didn't feel comfortable telling this story to anyone, but somehow she thought it would make her bond stronger with Bella if she was the one to tell it.
"We'll give you some space," Alice said, and Edward sighed. They both saw it immediately when Rose had decided to share her story with Bella and that she wanted them to be alone.
"Thanks," Rosalie said, please get Emmett, she added to Edward and he nodded.
"Um..." Bella said looking around... she had no idea what was going on. "Where are they going?"
Rosalie smiled. Bella was not used to Edward and Alice's reaction to someone's thoughts or a vision yet. "They're just letting me have a chance to talk... um... if that's alright with you?"
"Oh... yeah," Bella said, looking a little uncomfortable, but she was curious about everything that had happened in the last few minutes.
"I'm just going to tell you how I was turned," Rosalie said after sitting next to Bella. "It's not a happy story..."
Bella listened closely as Rosalie told her story, feeling sympathy towards the blonde vampire, who was this close to getting everything she ever wanted; before she was nearly killed by the man that she thought was going to be her husband. It was hard to listen to, thinking of how painful it had to have been for Rosalie to be that close... only to lose it... to realize that she could never have her dream. The tale also helped to explain why Rosalie was so jealous of humans, for her dream was so simple for them and yet impossible for her.
"So that was why you didn't like me," Bella mumbled after everything was said and done.
"That was part of the reason," Rosalie said. "But I'm sure I had more than one. You heard in Midnight Sun about my jealousy. Of how vain I was to dislike you because you were the one that Edward chose, even though I never would have wanted Edward for myself." Rosalie smiled slightly before she continued, "and then the other excuse that Edward gave you in Twilight was definitely true as well, I thought it was dangerous for a human to know our secret. And then yes, there is this reason... that I think it's wrong for you to give up your humanity... even if it is to be with the man you love..."
"You know I'm still planning on doing that," Bella mumbled, not able to look at Rosalie, in case she saw a glare on the vampire's face. "It's the only way I know how to be with Edward..."
"I know, Bella," Rosalie interrupted, and she prayed that Bella wouldn't ask why she seemed to have accepted this more than her book self ever would have. She knew she couldn't tell Bella about Renesmee, not yet.
Bella was contemplating asking why the change of mind, but she knew that Rosalie probably had her reason for not disclosing this, and the vampire had already shared a lot of herself today. She noticed that Rosalie looked emotionally drained and she was happy that not too long after that Emmett came into the room and instantly cheered Rosalie up, though there was still a sad, longing, look in the blonde vampire's eyes. She knew that Rosalie was thinking about the child she never could have, and the child of her friend, the boy with the curls.
Bella was quiet on the car ride home (Edward taking her in the Volvo because her truck was still at home), as she thought of all the things she heard today.
O
The rest of the school year seemed to go by in a flash. One minute she was talked into going to Port Angeles by a shy Angela who was beaming ear to ear when she said that she and Ben were going to the dance and she wanted Bella's help picking out a dress. Angela was a little surprised when she learned that Bella wasn't going to the dance, but luckily she didn't ask any embarrassing questions. Bella knew that she was going to have to go to at least one dance with Edward. He seemed to want that so much, and with that being said, she thought that it was going to be prom, not some girls' choice dance.
And that was exactly what happened. She went to prom with Edward, allowing Alice to dress her up, minus the stilettos heels, and she had a better time than she thought she would. Her last month or so of her junior year was spent much the same as her first month. Spending every minute she could with Edward, though sometimes she sat at a table with Angela and the other girls (that now had several guys at it; after the dance everyone seemed to pair off) when it was either sunny or Edward was hunting (knowing that school days were the days that he got to see Bella the least it was best if he hunted then). Occasionally, if Edward was hunting, Alice would join her at the other table, and with only minimal prodding she got Angela to open up to her.
Outside of school the only difference that she was pleased to note was the lightning of the Quileutes' restrictions. It wasn't long after going to the beach and she was allowed to visit Jacob again that he asked if she wanted to go to one of their council meetings. He told her that it was likely that the Elders only wanted her there so that she would change her mind about the Cullens. They hadn't changed his mind yet so it wasn't likely to affect her. With that encouraging invitation, Bella agreed to go, though she was going with the hope that she might be the one that would change the Council's opinion.
She did have better success than anyone thought she would, even herself, when she got them to agree to allow her house to be considered a neutral place and more importantly, to allow Jacob to go there on a trial basis. Though the first time Jacob came over when Edward and Alice were at the house, he came with Sam and Jared and things were tense to be sure, even though nothing happened. Sam had said through gritted teeth that he was trying to respect his pack brother's wishes, but that didn't mean that he was going to loosen any of the terms of the treaty.
"Well, that went better than I feared," Jacob sighed after Sam and Jared left.
"You're more trouble than you are worth, Pup!" Alice said with a grin.
"Yeah, right... I know you're just using me so that you could eventually get on the Council's good side," Jacob chuckled. "If it wasn't for that you wouldn't have bothered with me."
"Nah, that's just a pleasant side effect," Edward chuckled.
"Well, seeing as I'm providing you with a pleasant side effect, and that I'm not allowed to step foot anywhere near your house, do you think you can let Alice drive her car here sometimes?" Jacob asked with a pleading expression.
"Oh don't give me those puppy dog eyes, they don't work on me," Alice said. "Besides, Edward is the one that is strict about what cars we're allowed to drive in town."
Edward rolled his eyes, "We'll see."
Jacob had been to Bella's house three times after that, once when Alice did bring her car, which had Jacob and Charlie (when he came home) drooling over it again. Bella smiled as she thought of all that had happened in her life since she had met Edward, everything was how it was supposed to be. There was only one thing she had started to really think about as she grew closer to Edward. She made up her mind to discuss this issue with him the weekend after school was over, but when she had found that she was faced with the prospect, she felt like chickening out.
"You seemed to be quiet tonight," Edward said stroking her hair.
"We don't always talk," Bella said defensively.
"True," Edward agreed, he enjoyed just being in her company, they didn't need to talk. "However, usually you're not this stiff... is there something on your mind?"
Bella was silent for a long time, cursing him for being so observant. "It's nothing." She could feel his disbelieving eyebrow raising before he even said anything. "I was just going to ask you something."
"I'm listening," Edward said, but Bella shook her head. He chuckled, causing his chest to vibrate. "Bella, you know you can tell me anything."
"I know," Bella said and she could feel the heat come to her face as she blushed at the thought of what she was going to say. She felt him chuckling again, knowing that he could feel her blush, too.
"What is it that's got you so flustered?" Edward asked amusement and curiosity coloring his voice.
Bella buried her head deeper in his chest, unable to look at him as she said this. She mumbled her response, but she knew he would be able to hear her, "I was just wondering if we can ever be together... um physically... when I'm still human."
Edward felt a mixture of feelings at this question. The most powerful one was of satisfaction, though wariness was a close second. The next emotion that gripped him was amusement as he watched her turn a darker shade of red. Obviously she was embarrassed, and he always found her adorable when she was like this.
Bella finally made herself look up at him and was displeased with his amusement. She glared at him and groaned, "Edward!"
"Sorry," Edward said trying to mask his amusement, but finding it difficult.
"No, it's fine, laugh at me!" Bella huffed and then hid her face in his chest again.
Edward, just was barely able to stop himself from chuckling, leaned down to kiss the top of her head before he said, "I can tell you, but you keep saying that you don't want to know what was going to happen in the books."
"Oh," Bella said, and it was true. She had repeatedly told Edward that she wasn't ready to read the rest of the books yet, telling him that she wanted to really get to know him first before she had to worry about whatever it was they were going to face. The biggest problem with this decision was that after Emmett learned this, he would constantly hint at things she was sure where going to happen... never saying anything, but always making her curious.
Bella sat up again, looking at Edward, not letting him deter her this time. "So does that mean that we do?" she questioned enthusiastically.
Edward chuckled, "maybe."
"We do!" Bella said, biting her lips, but she couldn't read the answer on his face, knowing that he would be this amused whether it was true or not. "Come on, Edward, it's a yes or no question... I don't see how that will be affected by me reading the book."
Edward snorted at that; no this would have no effect what-so-ever in her reading the book... it only pertained to the most important event that he was dying to make sure happens. "Be that as it may, I promised you that I wouldn't tell you anything from the book."
Bella made a face. "Please, Edward!"
"Nope, you said no matter how much you beg, not to tell you," Edward chuckled.
"I never said that," Bella argued.
"No... but I could see you meant it," Edward laughed. "So if you want an answer to your question... you're just going to have to read the book."
"Argh," Bella groaned, before she gasped, her face turning bright red before she buried her head in her hands.
"Bella?" Edward said, slightly worried, but not as much as he would have been if she wasn't blushing, he had a feeling what she was going to say next.
"We're going to talk about this in the books," Bella moaned. "Whatever happens, we're going to talk about it."
It wasn't a question; Bella knew she would eventually ask this question, so Edward nodded his head.
"And your family..." Bella groaned, now moving so her head was buried in Edward's chest. It was so embarrassing thinking about Edward's family reading all the intimate details of their relationship... things she was sure she only wanted to share with Edward.
"Yeah," Edward sighed. "Just be glad you didn't have to be there while they read it."
Bella, though she didn't feel any less embarrassed, felt a little better because she knew that Edward really wouldn't want to share moments like that with anyone else... at least they were both embarrassed. "At least it wasn't in your thoughts though..." she felt she had to add.
"True," Edward chuckled.
"I still think this means that something does happen between us," Bella said, trying to get her mind off the unpleasant thoughts that were filling her mind now.
Edward shook with his laughter. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"
"Have you known me to drop anything?" Bella answered smugly.
"Well, I'll tell you that I'm not physically able to do anything of the kind right now," Edward answered.
"So you will, eventually!" Bella said her earlier excitement back.
"Maybe," Edward answered, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
Bella watched Edward closely, trying to see if that meant that he would be able to gain that control over time, or if she was going to have to wait. Edward just looked back at her, his expression was unreadable. "Argh... can't you just answer the question!"
Edward sighed, and he was silent for a while. "Why don't you want to read the books?"
"I don't see why I have to read the books to get the answer to this question," Bella said, avoiding his eyes.
"Perhaps not, but I don't understand why you're still delaying in reading," Edward said. "I've been able to hold you for months, we become closer ever day, and yet you keep waiting... I would have thought your curiosity would have gotten the better of you by now."
Bella bit her lip as she leaned against his shoulder. "I don't see what's so important about reading about a future that's never going to happen when my life is so perfect right now, not knowing."
"I see," Edward said his tone sorrowful. "And are you ever going to want to read the books?"
"I know there's something important in these books that you want me to know about," Bella said. "I know you want me to read the book... but I'm not ready yet Edward."
Edward frowned as he noticed how tense she had gotten. "You're afraid... I told you I will leave..."
Bella flinched at that.
"You know I won't leave you, Bella," Edward said in his most reassuring voice. "Ever!"
"Yes, I know," Bella said, relaxing in his arms, "but I'm starting to understand just how hurt I will be by that... and I don't want to see how I try to handle that... I'm sure I'm going to do something crazy."
"You can say that again," Edward grumbled to himself, but he thought Bella might have heard him. "I told you that it might be harder for you to read this once you can empathize with yourself more..."
"I know," Bella sighed, "but I still think it's better this way," she added as she nuzzled his neck, "as long as you're here, I can handle it."
Edward sighed, and kissed the top of her head again.
"Though I'd still like to wait a little longer," Bella went on. "You said that New Moon didn't start until the beginning of the next semester... there's no rush is there?"
"No," Edward agreed, as he thought of all the issues that were still to come, he thought it was better for him if they waited. He could think of several concerns that she would have with the book. "Get to sleep, Bella, it's getting late."
A/N: So I wasn't planning on having the first half of this chapter in the story, nor the part with Rosalie, but I thought it worked out nicely. I especially thought it was important that Rose talk to Bella herself like this, for it should make the two of them closer. The last part with Edward and Bella was something that I thought of a long time before, but I'm not sure if it came out as I had planned. I always thought it would be funny if Bella asked about their physical relationship before she had read the book and I hope it came across that way... All I can say is it's a lot easier just thinking of an idea than it is to write it down. Anyways, the next chapter Bella will be reading New Moon.