Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.
Chapter Seven
Eclipse 1-5
"So what is this one called?" Emmett asked, as Alice handed the book to Edward.
"Eclipse," Alice and Edward said together.
"You know – the books' title doesn't really help us understand what the story is about," Emmett pouted.
"I'm sure there is another Preface that's going to spell out the catastrophe for us at the beginning of this book too," Edward groaned.
"Hmm … I wonder what this one would be about," Emmett said, thoughtful this time. "I hope graduation comes soon …."
"I hope it takes the whole book and then some," Edward groaned at the reminder of what was supposed happen, come graduation.
"Just start reading already, Edward," Alice said. She thought it would really be good for him to see Bella as a vampire. It might even make him …
"Don't count on it," Edward scoffed and then picked up the book and read.
O
Preface
Bella thinks that they couldn't expect help because Edward's family was fighting for their lives just like Edward was fighting for theirs:
"Oh great – what is it now?" Edward groaned.
"You said it. These prefaces really do set up the tension right away," Emmett laughed.
"You don't seem to be as worried this time, Edward," Jasper said, ignoring Emmett's comment.
"I'm there," Edward said, looking a little tense, but also confident that he would be able to defend her.
"What I don't like is the fact that it said we were fighting for our lives too," Rosalie said and Edward narrowed his eyes at her. "Geez Edward, I wasn't saying that Bella being in danger wasn't bad … I just meant that it's worse because everyone is in danger … even you could see that."
"Yeah …." Edward sighed. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Rosalie said smugly; it wasn't every day that Edward said sorry after all.
"Oh, dear," Esme said, looking very tense. "You don't think it's the Volturi, do you?"
"I don't know," Edward sighed, no longer as confident as he was a few seconds ago.
"I don't know what else could be a threat to our family like ours," Jasper said.
"Maybe it's the wolves," Emmett supplied. "Our treaty has always been shaky … and I don't see it getting better now that Bella will be hanging with us."
"Oh … I really hope it's not the wolves," Esme frowned, but even she knew that it would have been safer for her family if they had to face the wolves instead of the Volturi – still, she wouldn't want those kids to get hurt or killed because of them.
"I don't think it's them," Carlisle said. "I actually think that Bella might be able to bring us closer to the wolves … seeing as she could understand both of us better than we let ourselves understand the others."
"You understand them just fine," Edward pointed out, "which is more than I could say for any of them … but there is a flaw in your logic, Carlisle. As soon as we change her … they're not going to like it."
"We would move before that," Carlisle frowned, knowing that Edward had a point there, but he was going to avoid any conflict with them if he could.
"Right," Edward sighed and decided to read again.
Bella wonders if she would know the outcome of the fight and that the odds didn't look good:
Edward tensed at that for a second before he let out a breath.
"What was that for?" Jasper asked.
"She's a pessimist," Edward replied. "I'm going with the fact that it's likely she's just overreacting to this like the other things she's worried about in the past … That is until I know what the real danger is."
O
Ultimatum
Mentions a letter from Jacob:
"So, it looks like the pup is going to stay away from her," Emmett said.
"I doubt he'll have an easy time with that," Edward frowned. "She's not an easy person to stay away from."
"And it doesn't look like she's making it any easier on him," Alice frowned too. "If she's writing him a lot."
Mentions of Charlie trying to cook and then had a surly attitude, but Edward wasn't there yet:
"Argh … he doesn't like me," Edward groaned.
"Can you blame him?" Alice asked.
"Edward's a wonderful …." Esme started in defense of her son.
"He has to show Charlie that he's not going to hurt Bella again," Alice said. "What would you do to someone if they turned Edward into a zombie?"
"Hmm … you have a point there," Esme frowned. "I just hope he's not too hard on Edward … I don't think I could take that."
"I'm sure he'll behave," Edward chuckled, "for Bella's sake, if nothing else."
Bella thinks that describing Edward as just her boyfriend wasn't right but in casual conversation that calling Edward was her destiny or fate was hokey.
"I like the way she is thinking," Edward said and everyone else seemed to be smiling about that.
Bella thinks that Edward has another word in mind to describe them and it made put her teeth on edge to think about it even to herself:
Alice started chuckling at that point and Edward groaned, rolling his eyes.
"What?" Emmett asked, confused.
"Bella is just odd sometimes," Alice shrugged.
"Well, we all know that … .but what are you laughing at?" Emmett asked again.
"Just the things she chooses to get her nervous," Alice smiled and Edward read the next line.
Mentions the word Fiancée and then Bella shuddered away from the thought:
"Oh," Emmett joined in Alice's laughter.
"I really wish she didn't feel that way about marriage," Esme sighed.
"Don't worry, Mom. I know she'll come around," Alice smiled.
"No, you don't," Emmett said, suddenly smirking. There was a glint in his eyes as if he just remembered something important. "You don't know anything that's going to happen."
"Oh, I know … I don't need to see the future to know that this is going to happen." Alice smiled confidently at him. "Look at him," she added pointing at Edward; he was beaming at what she had just said like he would do just about anything to make it happen. "It's going to happen."
"Hm," Emmett said, now thoughtful. "You have a point … .Eddy's going to do everything he can to change her mind … but Bella is really stubborn too."
"Come on Em … you know you don't want to bet against me," Alice said, smirking at him and knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from betting now.
"Fine … I bet you that Bella and Eddy don't get married … er … by the end of this book," Emmett tacked on to the end. This time he was the one smiling.
Alice narrowed her eyes. She wasn't as sure of that one, seeing as she was sure that Bella was still human in the preface. Edward glared at her at that thought. "No, how about I win if they get engaged, by the end of the book," she offered; it still wasn't for sure, but she thought that it had a greater chance of happening.
"All right, that seems fair," Emmett said without taking any time to think about it. "So, what's the prize …."
"I want my Porsche," Alice said.
"Er …." Emmett stammered. That was a pretty big bet, but he just laughed a second later, he could ask for just about anything in return. "Lets see …." he said, giving her an evil grin. "If I win you can't talk to Bella for two months after she gets here."
Alice's eyes went wide for a second, causing his grinned to broaden even more. She was dying to meet Bella almost as much as Edward was and she didn't think she could stand it if she wasn't able to do it right away. She never had much patience – not to mention, there was something about Emmett's smirk that told her that he was going to be particularly vociferous if she were to lose. But there was no way she was going to back down. 'You better get her to agree to marry you Edward or so help me I'll make you suffer for this too,' she thought to Edward before she said, "You're on."
Edward gulped a little at that, mostly because he really had no control over what was going to happen, but knew she was still going to blame him if she didn't get her way. He was about to start to read again, but was interrupted.
"You could have asked for anything and that's what you went with?" Rosalie said, glaring at her husband. "You know we've needed another house for the last decade …."
"Yeah, but this was more fun," Emmett shrugged.
"Argh," Rosalie groaned.
Mentions that Charlie's gun belt was already in place because he didn't need to wear it at the station:
"I wonder if he thought to unload the gun when Eddy was gone," Emmett mused.
"What are you talking about?" Jasper frowned.
"In Twilight, it mentioned that he unloaded the gun when she was younger, but he didn't when she started living with him in that book," Emmett explained. "I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose," he recited word for word.
"I don't know," Edward said, flinching at that.
"Er … sorry I brought it up," Emmett sighed.
"Though she did say she wouldn't ever do that because of how it would affect Charlie and Renee," Alice pointed out in hopes it would cheer Edward up a little.
"I know that … but Charlie didn't …." Emmett started again but stopped when Alice glared at him, and Edward's head lowered even more. "Sorry."
Mentions that Bella being grounded, and Edward was only allowed to be there from seven to nine thirty and only under Charlie's supervision:
"Well, that's not so bad," Edward said.
"That's only because you know that you sneak up into her room after the curfew anyway," Alice smirked.
"Obviously," Edward grinned. "And I'm probably outside of her house now … listening to them."
"That wouldn't surprise me," Alice laughed.
Mentions Bella was grounded for her unexplained three-day disappearance and cliff diving episode:
"Which, the last one, he had every right to punish her for," Edward said; likely he was thinking how close he had come to losing her because of it.
"Actually, I think he has every right to punish her for everything she did," Esme said in a motherly tone. "She really put him through a lot in the last book."
Bella thoughts on not hurting her dad by moving out now knowing that a more permanent separation was on the horizon:
Edward smirked at that and Alice groaned.
"What?" Emmett asked, confused again.
"It's obvious she's not really ready to be turned yet – if she's worrying about the separation like this," Edward said smugly. "And I don't care what you agreed to Carlisle, you wouldn't turn her if she was not really ready for it."
"That's true," Carlisle agreed.
"It doesn't mean she'll never be ready," Alice pointed out.
"You're probably right," Edward groaned at that.
When Charlie reads about Seattle running for murder capital of the country:
"Well, that's not nice, but I wouldn't really call it the murder capital of the country," Emmett laughed.
"I don't like this," Edward narrowed his eyes.
"It might be a vampire … why else would it be in here?" Jasper offered, looking just as suspicious as Edward.
"Because they're having a family dinner and Charlie happened to read the paper," Esme said.
"Even if it is a vampire, it is in Seattle … that's not exactly next door," Rosalie pointed out.
"But it's not that far either," Edward countered.
"Overprotective idiot," Rosalie muttered, rolling her eyes.
Charlie explains that he wanted to cook to soften Bella up:
"Why would she need softening up?" Edward frowned. "I thought she was the one in trouble."
"He might be telling her something she doesn't want to hear," Alice shrugged.
Charlie says it's about Jacob:
Edward frowned at that.
"I have a feeling that Charlie might prefer the pup over you," Emmett laughed.
"Probably." Edward's frown deepened.
Charlie says that for a teenager she's amazingly non-whiney:
"That's because she's seriously middle age," Emmett said. "She's just trapped in a teenage body."
"That's nice, coming from a vampire," Jasper laughed.
"Hey, I'm not middle age. I'm a grandpa," Emmett chuckled.
"And Bella already acts a whole lot older than you," Alice laughed too.
Bella thinks that Edward hadn't picked up Charlie's wavering thoughts:
"Hm … I wonder if that means I still can't read his mind properly, or if he just thought of this plan recently," Edward said, frowning. It was obvious he was hoping it was just the latter.
Charlie says that he didn't want her to spend time with only Edward and she mentions she spends time with Alice too:
"Good," Alice beamed.
"Not going to happen for a while if you lose the bet," Emmett laughed.
"Er … Em, I wouldn't tease her about that," Jasper said, nervously looking at Alice. "At least not until you win or lose the bet."
"But …." Emmett started, but noticed Alice's glare – it was one of her strongest and everyone knew that it was no idle threat. "Fine … but this means if you do lose, Shortie, I can tease you all I want and you can't do anything to me."
"Fine," Alice agreed.
It mentions that Angela even looked comfortable with Alice and Edward at their lunch table, and it was impossible not to be charmed by the Cullens:
"Hm … that's interesting," Carlisle said. "I wonder if that works for all humans … it just takes time for them to be able to be close to us."
"No one is afraid to be near you," Edward said. "I think it has more to do with Alice and I being in more control of ourselves. If we're always around Bella … and her friends, as the case seems to be, we'll have to have a better control over that part of us."
"That make sense too," Carlisle agreed, looking like he was still thinking about the reason behind this.
"I wonder if I like her too," Alice mused.
"She's actually pretty nice and unselfish for a human," Edward said. "I'm sure you get along well."
Charlie says that if she had a life outside of Edward, she wouldn't have reacted the way she had when he left:
"Somehow I doubt that," Jasper said.
"If she was closer to others …." Edward started.
"She still would have reacted like that," Jasper said, convinced.
"And what's your reason for that?" Edward asked, glaring at him.
"Something that you won't know," Jasper smirked at him, enjoying teasing his brother and focusing his mind so Edward couldn't read his thoughts.
Bella thinks that the plans to deal with werewolf had not gone over well with the vampires:
"No, that definitely wouldn't have," Edward said.
"Edward, I thought you already accepted that they wouldn't hurt Bella," Carlisle frowned.
"I did," Edward said. "But that doesn't mean my book self has … nor that I care much for the idea now."
Charlie mentions that he talked to Billy that day:
"Which might have prompted Charlie to have this conversation," Edward said, hopeful.
"Why do you care so much if you could read Charlie's mind clearly or not?" Alice asked, smirking. It's not like that's going to help you to hear Bella's.
Edward just glared at her for a moment before he said, "I think it's useful to hear clearly what my girlfriend's father is thinking."
Yeah I'm sure that's what it was, Alice thought, still smirking.
Charlie gives Bella a thick envelope from University of Alaska Southeast:
"Ah, college," Edward smiled.
"She's not going to go to college … she's becoming a vampire, Eddy," Emmett laughed.
"But she's the type of girl that would want to go to college," Edward said. "It could be something I can use to convince her not to change …."
"I don't see that one working," Alice laughed. "Especially once she realizes that she could go to college for however long she wants after she learns to control herself."
"Whatever," Edward frowned.
Charlie says congratulations and your first acceptance:
"Yeah!" Edward cheered and everyone looked at him like he was crazy. "What? I want her to go to college … and I'm happy she got accepted."
"I think it's lovely that you're that excited," Esme smiled at him. "And I'm proud she got accepted too."
"Yeah," Carlisle smiled. "I was just wondering why this would be her first acceptance … I mean she is really intelligent … she should have been accepted to many schools by now."
"I don't think that she worried about applying to schools while Edward was gone," Jasper pointed out.
Bella mentions that she had her tuition covered and there were a lot of loans out there:
"Well, I'm sure I can come up with some kind of loan to give her," Edward smiled.
"You know she won't accept that," Alice said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"If she knew about it," Edward smirked. "But it can't be that difficult to make it look like it came from a credible source."
"I wouldn't be so sure with Bella," Alice warned, "and she wouldn't be too pleased if … no … when she finds out."
"Whatever," Edward just shrugged.
Bella mentions that she's glad to be the exception to Edward's gift:
"Not so much anymore," Edward smiled.
"She's not going to be too happy when she finds out we've been reading these books," Jasper said. "Even though things aren't going to be the same when we actually get to meet her – I doubt she'll appreciate this."
"What makes you think that we're going to tell her?" Emmett asked.
"I'm going to tell her," Edward said. "There's no way that I can keep this from her … she needs to know all of this too. Though, I probably won't be telling this to her for a while … I have to give her the choice of liking me first, after all."
"Of course she's going to like you … .she's going to love you," Esme said.
"I know," Edward smiled confidently. "But I still have to give her that choice, don't I?"
"Yes," Rosalie said, actually smiling at Edward. "And it's a good thing to show her these books too."
"But Jazz is right, Bella is going to be pissed when she finds out you read all this," Emmett laughed.
"She'll live," Edward shrugged.
Bella thinks about Edward trying so hard and is comforted in the knowledge that she wouldn't cause him pain much longer:
"Which is no comfort to me," Edward frowned. "I would rather have the pain."
"I don't get that," Emmett scoffed. "Wouldn't you be happier if Bella could live forever …."
"Not at the expense of her soul," Edward sighed.
"But if that wasn't the price … ?" Emmett asked.
"But it is the price," Edward cut him off, but Emmett raised an eyebrow, quite clearly saying that he was going to keep asking until Edward gave him an answer. "Fine … I would love for her to be a vam … that way … but I can't let that happen. Are you happy now?"
"Quite," Emmett smiled.
Edward shows Bella the paper and the murder spree in Seattle and explains it's a new vampire:
"That's not good," Jasper said. "We might want to do something about that."
"I don't see why it matters … as long as it's away from Bella," Edward said. "It's not our job to go after vampire on the loose, it's the Vol … oh … I see your point."
Mentions talks about going to Alaska when Bella's a newborn and having grizzlies:
"The whole family can join you there," Emmett smiled, looking like he always did when grizzlies were mentioned.
Then Edward mentions the wolves get quite large:
"Oops," Edward shook his head.
"Idiot," Alice groaned.
After Bella reacts badly to the idea of hunting wolves Edward says something:
"If the idea is offensive to you?" Alice repeated, shaking her head. "That's not a good apology."
Edward says please forgive my thoughtlessness:
"Hm … I wonder if I mentioned the wolves because the idea was rather appealing to me," Edward mused.
"Edward!" Esme admonished.
"Sorry," Edward sighed.
Bella says she needs to make it better (with Jacob) and added it was one of Charlie's conditions:
"I'm not so sure trying to make it better is the best move," Edward frowned.
"They're friends and it's hard for them," Carlisle said. "It's not easy to cut someone so important to you away from your life …."
"I know, but it would be better for the pup if she didn't try to keep him as a friend now," Edward said. "I mean, if she's going to be changing soon, she can't really be his friend for long … it would be better to just let him go."
"And how much of this is coming from jealous Eddy?" Emmett smirked.
"Only a small percentage," Edward answered and Emmett raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Well, it's less than half anyway."
Edward criticizes Heathcliff and Cathy and mentions Romeo and Juliet:
"I thought that you didn't think much of Romeo and Juliet," Emmett smirked, "at least that's what you led me to believe in the last book."
"The characters themselves were idiots, but their love was strong," Edward shrugged.
"No, I think you can just relate to them easier now that you've been more stupid than Romeo," Emmett laughed.
"That might be it," Edward allowed.
Bella explains it by saying how nothing can keep them apart, not her selfishness or his evil or death in the end:
"Hm … that kind of sounds familiar here," Emmett smirked. "Maybe you'll come to understand this story better too."
"She's not selfish and I'm not … well, I'm not evil at the moment," Edward said.
"You're never evil," Esme said.
"I try not to be," Edward sighed.
"But the inevitability … how death can't even stop that …." Emmett said shrugging. "It sounds like you to me."
Edward explains about Carlisle being the one that stop the Cullen and the wolves from fighting in the past and convinces Ephraim Black into a truce:
"How did you manage that anyway?" Jasper asked. He and Alice didn't really know that much about the werewolves before this point because they didn't think that it was that important to understand them – seeing as they thought the werewolves were gone now.
"It helped having Edward there … it's good to have a translator," Carlisle smiled. "And the fact that we outnumbered them, but still asked for peace, helped too …."
"Yeah, I could see that one," Jasper said. "But I would think that would make them more wary of you too."
"It did," Edward said. "They couldn't understand where Carlisle was coming from and they thought he was going to attack them when they least expected it."
"So why would they sign a Treaty?" Jasper asked again.
"I think the biggest help was our eyes," Carlisle said. "It marked us as truly being different from the others and it was enough to give us the opportunity to prove ourselves."
Bella explains how Jacob was there for her and says just because he's not human all the time, he was there for me when I was not so human myself.
Edward flinched, his eyes were ridden with pain and shame.
Bella continues explaining and then notices Edward's wary face and his eyes were closed and his jaw strained:
"Of course, his eyes were closed … he wouldn't want you to see this," Esme said, her voice a little strained as she looked at her son's obvious pain, knowing that the Edward in the book was probably worse than this.
Edward asks if she has any concept at all how much he loves her, and she says I know how much I love you and he says you compare on small tree to the entire forest:
"Her love is not a tree, Edward," Alice said exasperated, rolling her eyes.
"I know," Edward smiled.
Bella says she has to see Jacob and Edward says he's going to have to stop her:
"Argh," Edward groaned.
"I bet she sees the pup," Emmett chuckled.
"Knowing how persistent Bella is when she puts her mind to something, I would think that's very likely," Edward said, looking upset and amazed at the same time.
O
Evasion
Bella thinks about being free to go anywhere except La Push or see Jacob and that there has to be some kind of middle ground:
"You really shouldn't be controlling her like that," Rosalie glared at Edward.
"I think it's dangerous," Edward said. "And I really doubt I know how strongly she feels about this."
Angela calls Alices name and waves her hand in front of Alice's face:
"You're having a vision," Edward said, tensing a little.
"Looks like it, and it must be a big one or I wouldn't have let it affect me like that," Alice frowned too.
Mentions Bella wanting to ask Edward what Alice seen but they were never alone, and it felt deliberate to her:
"And you're trying to keep it from her," Jasper said. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"I don't want her to worry," Edward said.
"Well obviously you're not succeeding with that," Jasper chided. "She's going to notice something is up … she's already suspicious, so she'll notice everything you do differently. And it's just going to make her worry more."
"Right," Edward sighed.
Edward tries to help Mike with his car:
"Don't try to help him, Edward," Rosalie scoffed. "You know that you don't know anything about cars."
"I know some things," Edward shrugged. "And so what if I give him bad advice."
"You know how to change the battery – at most," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.
Alice starts babbling about Edward not being a good mechanic:
"Looks like you're trying to distract her too, Shortie," Emmett smiled.
"Or someone made me try to distract her," Alice said, frowning. "I agree with Jasper – whatever this is, it would be better if you just told Bella already."
"If you really thought that, you would have told her yourself," Edward pointed out.
Bella thinks that Edward is avoiding her question and then that he would have to be alone with her soon enough it was only a matter of time:
"I must have realized by now that she would be on to me," Edward frowned. "I'm probably thinking of something to tell her."
"So you're going to lie to her?" Esme asked, looking disappointed. Avoiding the question was different from lying to the girl.
"I don't know," Edward sighed, not liking the look his mum was giving him.
Edward lounged on her bed appearing oblivious to her edginess:
"Highly unlikely," Edward said.
"Then what are you doing?" Jasper asked suspiciously.
"Trying to think of something to tell her," Edward said. "It has to be good and well thought through to fool Bella."
Esme narrowed her eyes at Edward, who was pointedly avoiding her gaze.
Bella describes what it's like kissing Edward:
Edward was starting to look a little uncomfortable as Emmett laughed loudly at him.
Aren't you glad you get to read this book with your whole family here? Alice smirked at him too. Edward narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't stop there, and I bet it's only going to get more intense as the book goes on …
Bella describing how most of her life she took care of Renee:
"She certainly seems like she's the mother in this picture," Carlisle noted. "I know it was mentioned in Twilight too, but it really helps explain why she seems so much older than she is."
"She seems like she would have made a good mother," Esme said a little sadly and Rosalie was frowning at that comment too. "The way she took care of her mom …."
Bella thinks that her mother's most life-altering mistake was getting married:
"Argh," Edward groaned and Esme sighed. Emmett, on the other hand, was laughing really hard at that.
"She'll come around," Esme said, trying cheer herself up as much as she was Edward.
Edward looking at the voucher for airplane tickets to visit Renee in Florida:
"You're going to make her go to her mom's?" Alice asked.
"Looks like it," Edward said.
"Oh …." Esme said, her disappointed look loosening a little. "I suppose if you're going to have to lie to her, this is the best result I could hope for."
Bella says that Charlie wouldn't let her go and Edward says Renee still has custody of her and Bella says she's an adult and Edward says exactly:
"Oh, Edward don't," Esme scolded, suddenly frowning again.
"What am I doing?" Edward asked, looking at her. Her tone was sad, not disapproving, this time. After a few seconds Edward sighed.
"I hate it when you do that," Emmett huffed, which he always did whenever someone talks to Edward with their thoughts and doesn't share it with the rest of the family.
Bella mentions that she almost forgot about her worries this afternoon and wondered if that was his intention:
"Yes," Edward answered immediately.
"And whatever it is, it will probably be happening this weekend," Carlisle observed. "Seeing how insistent you are to get her out of the house then."
Edward tells Bella that Alice's vision was of Jasper being in strange place near his former … family, but he doesn't have conscious intentions to go there:
"Well, that would be worrisome," Alice said, frowning. Esme was glaring at Edward again for lying to Bella like this.
"That's not what you saw," Jasper said.
"I know, but I really don't like hearing that all the same," Alice said.
Bella thoughts on how Jasper was Alice's soul mate, her true other half, though they weren't as flamboyant as Rosalie and Emmett were:
"You got that right … but no one seems to be," Emmett laughed smugly.
"That doesn't really show how strong your love is," Jasper said just as smugly; he knew feelings after all.
When Edward says that he didn't realize that she noticed Alice's vision:
Emmett snorted at that.
"Angela was waving her hand in front of my eyes," Alice said incredulously. "Surely you would have known she would have noticed."
"I'm trying to be nonchalant about this," Edward said.
Mentions Bella thinks she's imagining things, and she was taking a normal day and twisting it to Edward trying to keep things from her and she needs therapy:
"Are you happy now, Edward?" Esme asked, glaring at him.
"She's safe," Edward muttered, but he didn't really look happy.
Charlie mentions that he talked to Billy and that he and Bella were invited to visit this weekend:
"Do you think that was what you saw?" Emmett asked Alice.
"It couldn't have been," Alice grumbled. "I can't see the wolves …."
"Oh, that's right," Emmett laughed loudly and Alice glared at him.
"So, then it's just another reason for me to not want her to be there that weekend," Edward said.
Bella wonders if Edward would have a problem with Charlie being in La Push:
"Well," Carlisle asked, looking interested in the answer to that too. "Do you think you would have?"
"I'm not sure," Edward frowned. "It's less likely that Charlie would say anything to the wolves that would make them … react badly, so I probably would have been okay with it."
Edward mentions to Charlie that his parents gave Bella tickets to visit Renee:
"Oh, Edward," Esme sighed, looking sad again.
"She wants to see her mother," Edward defended himself this time.
"That's not why you're doing this and you know it," Esme said, looking really angry this time.
"But that doesn't mean it's not true," Edward said.
"You shouldn't have done this, Edward," Esme frowned.
"What is he doing?" Emmett asked, but no one answered him.
Edward says that the tickets were about to expire and that it would hurt Esme's feelings if Bella didn't use them:
Esme was now glaring so hard at Edward that he flinched a little; obviously not liking that he was using her as an excuse for bringing this up.
"Sorry," Edward said.
Bella asks Charlie if he would say no if she was going with Jacob:
"Did she have to pick him?" Edward groaned.
"Yes, actually," Carlisle said. "I would think if Charlie was going to be okay with her going with any boy, it would be him."
"That just makes me feel so much better," Edward groaned again.
After the fight between Bella and Charlie:
"That wasn't so bad," Edward said, looking tentatively at Esme.
"It could have been worse," Esme admitted, "but I really wish you didn't make them have this fight …."
"I know … I'm sorry," Edward sighed.
Bella compares Edward to Charlie and how he's treating her like a misbehaving child, but she didn't want to fight with Edward too:
"Do you really want to be compared to her father Edward?" Rosalie asked. "You have to lighten up on her."
"I wouldn't think you would have wanted her to see the wolves," Edward said.
"Hmph," Rosalie huffed. "As if I care about that. I just don't like how controlling you are."
When Bella comes home and Charlie start saying when you're physically involved with …:
Edward would have been as red as a tomato at this – as it was, he looked considerably less pale than he normally was – because of how hard all his siblings were laughing.
"I don't know which one to feel more sorry for," Carlisle chuckled. "I'm just glad that wasn't one of the fatherly duties that I had to worry about …."
At that both Rosalie and Alice made faces and Edward was even able to smirk a little.
Bella says that she had this talk with her mom ten years ago:
"She had the sex talk with her when she was eight … isn't that a little early?" Carlisle muttered, but Emmett's strangled laughter, along with his attempts to read, almost drowned him out.
When Bella says don't worry about it dad it's not like that:
"But how Eddy wishes it could be," Emmett laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous. That will never happen," Edward said.
"Sure it will," Emmett said smirking. "Once Bella's a vampire, I'm sure you two will …."
Edward had almost smirked for a second before he frowned and looked rather angry. "That's not going to happen … not in our reality."
But you want it to, Alice thought, smirking at her brother.
When Bella tells Charlie that she was a virgin an she had no plans on changing that status:
Emmett of course laughed harder at that and judging by the scowl on Edward's face, he was thinking some rather interesting things too.
Bella tries to go visit Jake, but the truck won't start and then she gasped when she was no longer alone in the cab:
"I knew you would be there," Alice said.
"I couldn't let it be that easy for her," Edward said.
"It probably would have been better if you didn't give her a heart attack though," Esme chastised.
"She must have made me pretty worried," Edward said, then shrugged.
Edward explains how Alice was nervous when Bella's future abruptly disappeared:
"Hmm … I don't like the sound of that," Alice said, frowning – to have someone's future just disappear.
"Nor do I," Edward frowned. "I really wish you could see them because that would make this whole thing a lot easier."
"I'm so sorry I couldn't help you," Alice hissed with real venom, though only part of it was directed at Edward.
Edward's theory that Alice can't see the wolves because it's a natural defense they're born with:
"Interesting theory," Carlisle said.
"I doubt that's it," Edward said. "It's kind of a big defense for only one vampire."
"And seeing as Edward could still read them, we know that they aren't immune to all vampires' abilities," Jasper added.
Bella shoving her window shut signaling she didn't want Edward to come to her room:
Edward lowered his head at that, and Emmett paused for a few seconds, trying not to laugh.
"Was that the end of the chapter?" Rosalie asked impatiently.
"Not quite," Emmett chuckled as he read the last line.
Bella staring at the window for a while until she sighs and opened the window:
"Jerk!" Edward said, glaring at his brother, but Emmett was laughing along with Alice, Jasper and Rosalie.
"Now that was the end," Emmett said, handing the book to Esme.
O
Motives
Bella saying that Renee was more perceptive than Charlie and that made her jumpy:
"Hm … I found that Charlie noticed quite a bit," Carlisle frowned.
"Yes, but he doesn't pay much attention to Edward … or Edward and Bella together," Alice said. "I'm sure there are lots of things that he simply refuses to see that her mom wouldn't."
Edward explains that Renee has an interesting mind, almost childlike but insightful and she sees things differently than other people:
"So, if you combine a childlike and different mind with a muted mind you get someone that has a very private mind," Edward said, almost smiling.
When Renee says that she was worried about you and Edward:
Edward looked tense now, almost like he did when she was in danger, but he didn't have the painful look in his eyes.
"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Esme said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Her anger with him she'd had in the last chapter seemed to be gone now.
"I know … it's just a mother's opinion means a lot," Edward said, giving his mother a weak smile before he looked at the book and Esme knew that he needed to hear the next part.
Bella thinks about how much her mother saw and how her simple view of the world allowed her to cut through distractions and to the truth of things:
"So, is that what Bella does too?" Jasper asked.
"I don't know. I wouldn't say she has a simple view of the world," Carlisle said. "She must have gotten her sense in that matter from Charlie but was still able to retain the ability to see to the truth easily."
Bella thoughts on how easily Renee was swayed away from her idea about worrying about Edward and how it pains Bella because Renee was right this time:
"I know how you feel," Edward said, probably thinking about the many times that Bella had done the same thing.
"Though sometimes it has its advantages," Jasper pointed out. "Or you wouldn't have even been there with her mother."
"Yeah, she would have made you tell her what was really going on," Emmett chuckled. "And she would have yelled at you."
Bella talks to Jacob on the phone, and she remembers all the time they spent together and mentions kindred spirits:
Edward didn't seem to be taking any of this well - he wasn't saying anything, but he was looking angry and a little hurt.
After Jacob hangs up:
"Seriously, what was all that about?" Emmett asked impatiently. "He was bothering Charlie all day, but he hardly said anything to her. What is the pup up to?"
"I don't know, but I doubt I'm going to like it," Edward hissed.
Bella thinks what difference could three days make:
"Oh …." Emmett said and then chuckled. "All the difference in the world."
"Do you really think that the pup thinks we would change her like that?" Jasper asked. "It's not really a good alibi, seeing as she would have to see her mother or Charlie and Renee would have been worried about her …."
"Well, the wolves aren't the biggest thinkers," Emmett said.
"I still think there might be another reason behind this," Edward said, frowning and looking a little worried.
"Yes, I was thinking the same thing … and you should be worried if I'm right," Jasper said, smirking at Edward as he sighed.
Bella thinks about becoming a vampire and how she would forever be a prisoner to her own thirst:
"She's got that right, but at least it becomes more manageable," Jasper said. "But don't they know that the transformation would be a lot more extensive than that … Don't they know that it wouldn't be just school she wouldn't be able to go to, but she wouldn't be able to be around Charlie either …."
"It's hard to say what the wolves think," Carlisle said, "but aren't you sure that Jacob was calling for another reason …."
"Yes," Jasper said, looking like he would have blushed out of embarrassment if he could have. "I guess I was taking Bella's worry a little too much to heart … She's usually right about things like that."
"Well, I don't think that she's right about this one," Carlisle said. "The wolves should know enough about the transformation to know that."
They are at school now and Edward asks if Bella would stay in the car and wait until he gets here:
"The mutt must be at the school," Rosalie said, shaking her head. "Do you really think it would be that easy?"
"If she agreed to it, she would feel obligated to fulfill her promise … it was worth a try," Edward shrugged.
Mentions that Jacob would never manage the perfect serenity that Sam exuded:
"He's still young … I'm sure he'll learn it," Carlisle said.
"Or maybe it has something to do with his love for Emily," Esme offered. "The way that their love was described … it was powerful."
"Interesting," Carlisle said, looking thoughtful and excited as he always does when he has something new to think about.
Edward mentions that Jacob had called so he could find a safer place to talk to Edward, a place with witnesses:
"Why would Jacob - or more likely all the wolves, using Jacob as the spokesperson seeing as he is involved with this issue - want to talk to us now?" Carlisle asked narrowing his eyes and then looked towards Edward.
"That's what I was thinking too," Edward agreed, and Emmett groaned.
Bella realizes that the other students thought Jacob looked dangerous:
"Indeed, that is odd. The pup's not dangerous," Emmett smirked. "I could take him."
"He would be dangerous to them," Jasper pointed out. "And it would probably be a good fight …."
"Don't say that," Esme groaned, because all it did was make Emmett look like he wanted a fight with Jacob or any of the other wolves.
"Sorry," Jasper sighed.
"Idiot," Alice said, shaking her head at her husband.
After walking to Jacob, Edward pulled Bella halfway behind him:
"Protective idiot," Alice rolled her eyes. "You know if anything, that stance will only provoke something to happen, rather than prevent it."
"The pup will just have to deal with it. I'm not going to let anything happened to Bella," Edward shrugged.
"He wasn't the only one that would be provoked," Alice smiled. I'm sure Bella wouldn't like you acting like that either.
Jacob says that he'll stop by Edward's crypt and Edward looks around at the witnesses that were barely out of hearing range:
"Actually, I think that's a plus," Carlisle said. "It would be more of an incentive for him not to lose his cool …."
"But it doesn't help our cover …." Edward tried to say.
"Sure it does … obviously, you're fighting over Bella," Alice grinned. "That's a very human problem."
Jacob says that Edward's big brother crossed the line Saturday night:
"Why would I cross the line?" Emmett asked.
"There is only one reason I could think of," Edward said, his eyes hard.
"Which is?"
"Something you're just going to have to wait to hear about," Edward smirked at him.
"That's not cool, Eddy. What have I done to you … er … lately," Emmett pouted.
"How about laugh at everything in these books," Edward said, his eyes narrowed a little.
"Oh," Emmett said and then shrugged. "It's worth it … though I hope she gets to the point soon," he added impatiently.
Bella notices the students watching them and how Mike had a hand on Ben's shoulder looking like he's holding him in place:
"Does that mean that Ben was going to try and help you out?" Jasper asked, looking a little impressed.
"It looks like it," Emmett laughed. "He's rather brave for a little guy."
"Hm … that goes along with him being desensitized by being around you," Carlisle said. "I'm sure that most of the people around there instinctively know not to go near either of you at the moment."
Bella thinks about something that Edward was keeping from her and something that Alice had seen, and that Edward had lied to her about it:
Edward flinched at the harshness in Esme voice when she read this line, knowing that it was probably in the same tone that Bella would have been thinking it.
Continues thinking that it was something that she had been waiting for, something that she knew would happen and that this was never going to end:
"Tell us what it is already!" Emmett shouted and everyone laughed at him. "You all already know, don't you?"
"Yep," Edward was the one to answer, seeing as he was the only one that could answer that truthfully.
"And no one told me?" Emmett pouted.
Bella says she came back for me:
"Oh!" Emmett said, smacking his own forehead (with the force like that of a truck). "Victoria, of course."
Everyone laughed at that.
Bella thinks that Victoria was never going to give up until Bella was dead and she would keep trying until she found a hole in Bella's defenders:
"Her considerable number of defenders … you know I think that I would have just given up," Alice said.
"I wouldn't have," Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie said.
"I mean, if something would have happened to Bella/you … I would have wanted revenge …." Edward and Jasper said in unison.
"It just makes it more challenging …." Emmett smirked.
"Nothing would have stopped me from getting what I wanted," Rosalie said coldly, her eyes hard, and it was obvious what she was thinking about.
"Right … anyway, moving on," Alice said, rolling her eyes.
Bella thinks about the Volturi coming and killing her faster:
"Depending on which member of the Volturi gets you …." Emmett started.
Edward was glaring at him.
"What? I'm just saying that she pissed Jane off …." Emmett continued.
"Shut up," Edward growled. Esme was shivering at that thought.
Edward is angry with Jacob because of how Bella took this information, but Jacob says better frightened than lied to:
"He has a point," Esme said. It was obvious she didn't like the reaction that Bella was having, but she still believed that. "You can't shield her from this."
"I know," Edward sighed, "but that doesn't mean that I don't want to."
Jacob says that Bella is tougher than Edward thinks, and she's been through worse:
Edward groaned at that. "He might have a point there."
"She's definitely been through worse," Emmett said.
"I meant that she's tougher than I think," Edward said.
"She is, so you should stop babying her," Alice said.
The description of Edward as he listens to Jacob thoughts and how it reminded Bella of when Edward was being tortured by Jane:
"Oh, dear," Esme sighed.
"It looks like he's punching back," Emmett frowned. "And it looks like he's hitting you with everything he's got."
Edward didn't say anything, he looked like he was going through all the things that the mutt could be showing him in his head, and he was both angry and pained by this situation.
Edward saying that Jacob has a good memory:
"And that's the downside to being able to read minds," Edward said, his eyes were hard. "I can't block his thoughts even if I wanted to … not with him being so close and screaming them at me."
After Bella tells Jacob to stop and he smiles impishly like he's a kid that was caught by someone he knows won't punish him:
"That's not fair … the mutt should be punished for this," Alice said, glaring at the book too. In her opinion he was hitting below the belt on this one and Bella should be angry with him.
Jacob saying that he's changed his mind and that he and Bella could still be friends if she came to his side of the line:
"And now she has even more incentive to go … I bet she'll be in La Push in the next chapter," Emmett chuckled.
Edward just hissed at that and most of the family didn't seem too pleased with it either. The mutt wasn't really winning anyone to his side at the moment.
Jacob saying it doesn't matter and then he'll survive and who needs friends:
Edward really glared at that and snapped, "He'd better not be putting that on!"
"But it's a good plan … a good way to make her come," Emmett chuckled.
"He's manipulating her!" Edward growled, now fitting his glare at his brother, who just shrugged.
Jacob picturing Charlie showing up to arrest him and she didn't like his grin because it was bitter and mocking, and it wasn't the smile she wanted to see:
"Just give her the damn smile already so she could stop thinking about you," Edward groaned. "Don't you see that this stupid friendship thing is just going to hurt the both of you in the end?"
"Jealous?" Emmett chuckled.
"And I think you mean the three of you," Alice said, but her tone wasn't teasing, it was sad.
Bella pictures tiny Alice fighting a huge werewolf:
"As if that would matter," Alice scoffed, but Jasper was looking at her worried. "You know I can handle myself."
"He's worried that because you can't see them that it would be difficult for you," Edward clarified, and Jasper glared at him. "Sorry, but it's important that she knows this."
"As if that would make a difference," Alice said. "I hardly ever use that sense in a fight."
"But you do use it," Jasper frowned, "and it would make a fight with the wolves more dangerous for you."
"I can handle myself," Alice repeated, her voice hard as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"I just worry," Jasper said, giving her a smile that always got to her no matter how angry she was at the moment.
"I know," Alice rolled her eyes and smiled back.
Mike, Ben, Tyler and Austin are talking about Edward and Jacob fighting and wondered what it was about and then Mike says I can guess:
"Told you that's what they would think," Alice smirked. "All normal high school drama stuff."
"Idiots," Edward said.
"Yeah … because that's not the reason that you're fighting," Emmett laughed. "Sure, the whole vampire/werewolf issue is there too, but …."
"Shut up," Edward growled.
O
Nature
Bella thinks that in theory not panicking was easier said than done:
"You can see why I didn't want to tell her," Edward said.
"And you can see why it wasn't such a good idea to keep secrets from her," Esme said.
"Yeah, because the stupid mutt would rat me out again," Edward groaned, but his anger wasn't as strong as it was before - so it was easy to see that he was joking.
Bella thinks that it was foolish to stay human all weak and tasty and waiting for the next disaster. That they were just begging for trouble:
"Nope, none of those reason would convince me to change you," Edward said.
"Edward … name the reason that would convince you to change her," Alice shot back.
"Well, there is none, of course, but those reasons are worse than most," Edward answered. "I definitely don't want her changing out of fear."
"You have a good point there," Alice conceded.
Bella mentions that it's a consensus that she just forgets there is a deranged vampire was stalking her to kill her, go about her business:
"That's just about right," Edward nodded his head.
"It's never going to happen," Emmett said.
"I know," Edward smiled. "Hey, you don't think that it was Victoria in the preface … that she was the danger …?"
"How would she threaten the whole family?" Emmett scoffed.
"Oh … right," Edward frowned; he would much prefer it to be her, then the Volturi … they all would.
Bella thinks that Edward will change her as long as she marries him first:
"And who would want to do that?" Emmett laughed.
"Anyone would be lucky to have Edward," Esme said. "And Bella wants him … she's just having issues with the idea of marriage."
Bella wonders if Edward is only pretending not to be able to read her mind since he picked the one thing that would slow her down:
"Luck," Edward said. "I didn't know what would slow you down, but I had to try everything I could to do that. Luckily, you have a very open face, and I could see how opposed to the idea you were."
"Come now, Edward, you know that you want to marry her for more reasons than just stalling her," Jasper said.
"Of course, I do," Edward smiled brightly. "I want to marry her because …. Well, I just want to marry her … it just has the added bonus that it stalls her."
Bella thinks that she would never tell Edward how she feels when he's gone and how it brought back abandonment nightmares:
Edward stiffened, not liking the sound of that one bit.
"Don't worry Edward, she's never going to feel that way in our reality," Esme said. "Because you're never going to leave her."
Mentions that at first Edward would stay with Bella even after his eyes would turn black and he suffered more than what was necessary:
"It's really not a good idea to do that," Jasper said.
"I would never hurt Bella," Edward said.
"I didn't mean that you would," Jasper clarified. "I just meant that all it did was make both of you suffer and it would be better if you just feed."
Edward left a note on Bella's pillow says look after my heart – I've left it with you:
Esme and Alice awed, and Emmett and Jasper snorted. Edward just pinched the bridge of his nose.
Mentions that Alice was only fifteen minutes away and that Bella shouldn't try anything while Edward was gone:
"Oh," Alice said warily.
"It looks like I'm not the only one that thinks Bella would be in danger if she was near the wolves," Edward said.
"No, I would think they were dangerous too," Alice agreed, knowing that was true and that she would do just about anything to keep Bella safe.
The description of Bella trying to make the magnets and then held them in her hand forcing them to be together saying see that's not so horrible:
"No, it's not, but it's better than hearing voices in your head," Emmett laughed.
"It's me and the pup," Edward sighed. "What she's thinking about the magnets … it's because she wants me and the pup to get along … forget our differences."
"Well good luck with that one," Emmett laughed.
"It could happen," Edward shrugged.
"No … not with the way things are now, it can't," Emmett said. "The wolves have a chance to change their minds about us, but you and the pup …."
"I would try for her," Edward said, closing his eyes. "I would do anything for her."
Mrs. Newton telling Mike that he can't go to Seattle until the police stop what's going on there:
"They're bringing up Seattle again," Jasper narrowed his eyes. "I don't like this."
"You think we will actually get involved with that?" Edward narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, judging by the other books, conversations like this usually have meaning," Jasper said, frowning. "But I don't know what it means yet."
There's a flyer on Bella's car that says Save The Olympic Wolf:
"That just brilliant," Edward groaned, shaking his head and Emmett cheered. "Is the whole world working against me?"
"Relax, Edward, it's not like this is the end of the world," Emmett chuckled. "So, she sees the pup …."
"I don't really care about that … it's just that … it seems like everything is working so that she has to see him," Edward groaned. "It's rather annoying …."
Bella thinks about only going fifty-five and hoping it would be enough:
"How could you not catch her if she's going that slow?" Edward asked.
"How do you know that I don't?" Alice asked.
"Because the world is conspiring against me," Edward grumbled again.
"You know it takes a few minutes before I get the vision," Alice reminded him.
Bella thinks that Alice didn't need to be mad at her because Edward will be mad enough for both of them:
"Yeah, and he's likely to be angry at me too for letting you escape like that," Alice said.
"Probably," Edward tried to joke, but his focus was all on the book.
Description of Jacob and Bella's greeting and jumping up and down like kids:
"She really is a different person when she's there," Carlisle said.
Edward's head snapped and he looked at his father, "What do you mean?"
"She just seems more like a normal teenage here," Carlisle said, frowning.
Jacob says that he wishes Sam took a picture of her when he save her in the forest:
"I'm pretty sure your memories of that night were enough for me," Edward said.
"You think that was what he showed you in the last chapter?" Jasper asked.
"That certainly would have pained me …." Edward said.
"I think that he wanted it to show Bella," Alice said.
"I don't think that it would have affected her as much as it would hurt me," Edward said.
Bella thinks it's a good thing that the Jacob doesn't know the reason why Edward left, that Jasper had tried to kill her:
Jasper flinched at that.
"It would do no good if they knew that," Carlisle frowned. "They're already hostile enough toward us without knowing that it really is a daily struggle …."
Jacob muttering that it was too bad that he hadn't stuck to his decision to stay away:
"Only because Bella can't seem to stay away from the supernatural," Edward said.
"Yes … I'm sure that's the only reason," Alice smirked.
"Not by a long shot, nor was it the most important reason," Edward smiled. "But it was the reason that I could use to convince myself that it was safer for her if I was with her."
Jacob says the fortune telling bloodsucker can't see us:
"Did she have to tell him that?" Alice frowned and Jasper sighed gravely.
"I told you not to worry about that," Alice said, glaring at him.
"And you know that I can't do that," Jasper smiled at her and she just rolled her eyes at him. "So, what's your reasoning for not wanting her to tell them?" he added.
"The fewer people that know about this, the better," Alice groaned impatiently.
Bella tells Jacob about her visit with the Volturi but leaving out the promise they made or that they would be coming to visit:
"That's probably a smart idea," Carlisle said. "We don't want the wolves involved if the Volturi come here."
"They would be useful if it came to blows though," Emmett said with almost a wishful look in his eyes. "That is, if we could get the wolves to be on our side … ."
"We wouldn't want that," Jasper said. "Even with the wolves' help, we would be no match for them."
Jacob describing what happened when Victoria was chased by the wolves and the Cullens and how it would have been the perfect ambush if they had known where to wait:
"Ah … it almost seems like he wouldn't be opposed to that idea," Carlisle said.
"I would think that if it involved keeping Bella safe, he wouldn't be," Edward agreed.
Jacob mentions it was Paul and you know Paul:
"Yeah, it really is unfortunate that it would be that particular wolf that you ran into," Edward said.
"Honestly, in that situation, I doubt any of them would have reacted well to Em coming at them," Jasper said.
Jacob continues to explain and says that the big one and calm one wanted permission to cross the line to go after her but of they said no:
"Argh," Edward said. "We might have been able to finish this."
"I doubt we would have caught her," Jasper said. "She must have had a few minutes head start by the time she got to that point. Besides, it's nearly impossible to follow someone once they're in the water."
Jacob says that he wished that nothing changed and there wouldn't be any vampires in forks and Bella and him …:
"He's saying that like that's a good thing," Emmett scoffed. "Doesn't he know that Bella's happier this way … that she's better like this …?"
"No … I don't think he does," Edward sighed. "Especially the last part … he definitely doesn't think she's better like this."
"He does have a point though," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "It was just a bunch of coincidences stacking up. I think you're wrong about the world going against you and Bella."
Edward looked hopeful at the prospect.
Bella says Edward was coming back anyways and Jacob being belligerent as soon as she mentions Edward's name:
"Jealous?" Emmett laughed.
"Yeah, but he has a reason to be," Edward said.
"So do you," Emmett laughed harder.
"Yes … but not as much," Edward shrugged.
"Alright, you think that," Emmett smirked.
Bella thought that no one was going to let her forget about jumping off the cliff:
"Well, it was a rather stupid thing to do," Edward said.
"It got you back together," Alice pointed out.
"It was still stupid," Edward repeated.
"Yes, it was," Alice agreed.
Jacob mentions that Sam thought that Bella was the one person with as much reason to hate the Cullens as he does:
"Oh … I suppose he has a point there," Edward frowned. "We … I did put her through hell …."
"Edward, she could never hate you … not for a moment," Esme said. "You know that she didn't hate you …."
"But she could have … she should have," Edward said. "I hate me …."
"Don't," Esme said sharply and rested a hand on his shoulder. "You made a choice that you thought would help her. Just because it was the wrong choice … just because it had consequences doesn't mean that you should put yourself down like this. You were trying to do the right thing."
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Edward grumbled.
"Only if you follow those intentions blindly," Esme said. "But you've opened your eyes Edward, and you won't ever go down that path again."
"No … I won't," Edward said.
"Just make sure you don't go down another path," Rosalie said and Esme glared at her. Edward had almost been smiling before she said that. "I'm just saying that there is more than one way to get there and you have to be careful …." she added, noticing how he was taking it. "And no I'm not talking about the whole soul thing…I just mean that you can't always think that you're right … Your stubbornness could get you in trouble."
"Are you warning my book self or me?" Edward asked.
"You," Rosalie said.
"I'll keep that in mind," Edward frowned, looking like he was going over what she had said to him. "Though, that's rich coming from you," he teased.
Rosalie glared at him, though it was clear that she wasn't really mad this time.
When Jacob says she should start by looking within her own species and Bella says she'll be stuck with Mike Newton:
Emmett snorted loudly and when he threw his head back laughing, he knocked over the chair he was sitting on.
"The poor girl," Alice said, but she was laughing almost as hard … as was most of the family.
O
Imprint
When Bella breaks off mention Quil because that had been a sensitive subject:
"It looks like there are six wolves now," Edward frowned.
"That's a rather large pack," Jasper frowned. "They are almost as many of them as there are of us … . I don't like this."
"They won't do anything," Carlisle said, trying to alleviate Jasper's worry - as if it was that easy. "They are honor-bound to follow the treaty, but it is preeminent that we do not break any rules, because they will not hesitate to enforce them."
Jacob explains that Quil is happy to be a wolf and be part of the 'in crowd':
"I can understand that part. After his two best friends changed it must have been difficult for him to be alone," Carlisle said. "It would have been a relief to finally know why they did it, and that it had nothing to do with him."
Bella mentions that Edward will be mad at her for this and that if she didn't come back, he would go looking for her and Jacob questions 'would he?':
"Yes, I would," Edward frowned. "If she was gone too long without me knowing if she was safe … I would go there."
"Then let's just hope that Alice didn't tell you that Bella went there," Jasper said.
Edward did looked worried about that. None of them wanted to start a war with the werewolves and something like this would.
"Don't worry, Edward," Carlisle soothed. "I know you wouldn't rush into their territory recklessly, even if you did know about this. I think you would give her some time. You know how she feels about them and you've read Jacob's mind - you know that he wouldn't hurt her on purpose …."
"That might buy them some time," Edward admitted. "But I'm nowhere near as understanding of the pup in this book as I am now, and I still don't like the idea of her being there."
"But how much of that is jealousy?" Emmett asked.
"I'm fine reading about it … because I know what's happening," Edward said, ignoring Emmett's question. "But just waiting for her to come back and having no idea when that would be … I really don't like that thought."
"Well, you can't just hold her close to you and never let her do anything," Rosalie scolded.
"I know," Edward sighed. "I'm just hoping that she doesn't start to like the wolves in our reality, so that this is never going to be a problem … I think I can stand it if she's goes out with normal people."
Bella says that it bugs her that Edward and Jacob are so ready to kill each other:
"I'm not ready to kill him," Edward said. "I really don't want to kill anyone anymore, knowing how it would affect her, and to kill the pup would be horrible … I'm sure she would hate me for that."
"But if it came to a fight?" Emmett smirked.
"Like I … er, my book self that is … said in the last book – I would try very hard not to do that," Edward quoted.
Bella thinks about Harry Clearwater and dying of a heart attack:
"Hm," Carlisle said, suddenly thoughtful.
"What is it?" Emmett asked.
"Well, I was wondering if we should warn Harry Clearwater about the heart attack," Carlisle said.
"Don't you mean, you were wondering how you're going to warn him?" Edward said smiling at his father.
"Yes," Carlisle returned the smiled. "It will be difficult to do that seeing as they don't trust us … and unfortunately the Quileutes don't even come to our hospital because I'm there … but I can't just stand by and let him die, knowing that it could be prevented."
"I'm sure we could think of something," Edward said. "It won't happen for more than a year from now …."
"Right," Carlisle said. "But it still would be best if we get this information to him as soon as possible," he continued to murmur for a second before he started reading again.
Bella thoughts on Sam being with Leah and how it was hard to believe that because of the way he looks at Emily reminded her of how Edward looked at her:
"Is she comparing our love with the mutts?" Rosalie spat bitterly.
"No, she's just comparing my love with the mutts," Edward said, but unlike Rosalie, he said it in almost a joking matter.
"Why do you take that as a good thing?" Rosalie asked, looking disgusted at the mere thought.
"Because of the way that she described their love," Edward smiled. "I'm glad that she could see that I love her at least that much … even though I know that my love for her would be even more powerful than that."
Jacob says that Sam wouldn't be the only one that was affected by the Cullens' return:
"I wish I could find a way to tell them how sorry I am about that," Carlisle sighed. "That I never meant for this to happen."
"They won't listen," Edward sighed too.
Jacob explains that werewolves don't age while their wolves but once they stop phasing for a long time they will start aging again:
"Interesting," Carlisle said. "So, they could control how long they'll live … at least to a certain extent."
"I would image that's why Sam has so much control over himself," Edward said. "He would want to try to stop phasing as soon as possible, so he could live his life out with Emily."
"Too bad we're here to ruin that plan," Emmett smirked. "He won't think it's safe enough not to phase."
"They'll learn that we're not a threat," Carlisle said confidently.
"Besides, there're so many of them now, they wouldn't really need Sam to be there," Jasper added.
Jacob explains that they reach full growth inside of a few months when the werewolf gene is triggered:
"Oh … that makes sense," Carlisle said. "That explains why they grow so fast, but why would they need to age so fast for it to happen at first …. Hmm … Maybe it's better for their bodies if they were already full grown … it would be rather painful for them if their bodies went through the natural growing process, along with having to change back and forth between werewolf and human … not to mention how hard it would be if their bones keep changing while they …."
"We get it … it's fascinating," Emmett said impatiently. "But can we get on with the story now?"
"Right," Carlisle said sheepishly. "I'll think about this later."
Jacob mentions imprinting and then explains that Sam did love Leah but when he saw Emily after he was a wolf it didn't matter anymore, and that it was how they found their mates:
"I don't get it," Emmett said.
"It sounds like love at first sight to me," Edward said.
"It's probably more powerful than that, but I think we should read more to see," Carlisle said.
"Who cares," Rosalie muttered, but everyone ignored her.
Bella asks if it's like love at first sight and Jacob says it's more powerful then that … more absolute:
"Probably meaning they can't fall out of love," Edward frowned and narrowed his eyes.
"Oh, Edward, I doubt he imprinted on her," Alice laughed.
"What makes you think that?" Edward snapped his head to her.
"Because he would never have been able to stay away from her like he was in the beginning of the book," Alice said.
"Right," Edward smiled and seem to take this whole subject a little lighter now.
"It does make it sound permanent," Carlisle said. "Almost like our love …."
Rosalie hissed at that, but they just continued to ignore her.
"Well, I'm happy for them," Esme smiled.
Jacob explains that Sam hates the Cullens because he had to break Leah's heart and go back on all his promises and that he has to see the accusation in her eyes:
"That has to be rough," Esme sighed.
"It doesn't look like he had a choice," Edward said. "In that way, they are very different from us."
"We don't have a choice who we fall in love with either," Esme said. "Our heart decides."
"I know, but we would only be able to fall in love once," Edward said. "There isn't anything more powerful out there for us that would make us change our minds."
"You don't have to sound so happy about that," Esme said.
"I bet Edward is just wishing that the pup could find someone to imprint on," Alice laughed.
"Well it is one way to get the wolf off my back," Edward shrugged. "Then I wouldn't have to hate him so damn much."
"Be careful what you wish for," Emmett warned.
"What do you mean by that?" Edward asked confused, as was everyone else. How could that be a bad thing?
"I don't know, but I thought I should say it," Emmett shrugged.
Jacob explains how Sam felt after he had hurt Emily, how he was shattered but then Emily was the one that was comforting him:
Edward was looking down at that.
"You can really sympathize with him, can't you," Emmett said, trying to sound caring, but still utterly tactless.
Jacob says that Sam and Jared are the only ones that imprinted:
"So two out of six … that seems a lot to be an exception," Carlisle said, as Edward looked even more pleased that the pup had confirmed that Bella wasn't his imprint.
Bella being relieved and 'I tried to explain my reaction to myself and I decided I was just glad that he didn't have some mystical wolfy connection between us:
Edward narrowed his eyes at that point and his relief didn't seem to be there anymore.
"What's the matter now?" Alice groaned.
"'I tried to explain my reaction … I decided I was' … ." Edward muttered. "I don't like the sound of that."
"Relax, Edward, she's happy that there's no connection with the pup," Alice rolled her eyes.
"I still don't like this," Edward repeated.
Jacob explains that he hates that the wolves could all read each other's minds because there was no privacy, everything you're ashamed of laid out for everyone to see:
"That sounds horrible," Esme said.
"I wonder how that works for them," Carlisle mused, looking at Edward hopefully.
"No, I think they can only see what they're thinking at the moment like me," Edward answered, his voice a little reluctant - like he was more in the mood to brood. "But I think they might have a clearer view of things when they are faced with the situation. I imagine that there were times when Sam would see Emily and all this would just come to mind … or maybe it is Leah that he would have to be seeing for it to come up … but either way, the rest of the pack would get the story."
Bella thinks that as much as she worries about Jasper or Emmet getting hurt she felt nothing but panic with the idea of Jacob facing Victoria:
Edward frowned at that again.
"It's only because we're indestructible," Emmett said smugly. "Even Bella knows that we're tougher than the wolves."
Edwards frown loosened a little.
Bella tells Jacob that Edward couldn't read her mind, Bella says that probably means there's something wrong with her brain:
"There is nothing wrong with you," Edward said.
"Yeah, it just makes you more perfect for Edward," Alice smiled.
"Because he can't cheat with you," Emmett added. "Eddy would have annoyed you so much by now if he could have heard you …."
"Yeah, and now Edward's the one that's being annoyed," Jasper chimed in, it was obvious that he was talking about both the book Edward and the Edward in the room right now.
"And he needs some of that with how annoying he is," Rosalie added, feeling the need to add to the ribbing.
"Thanks," Edward muttered.
Jacob tells Bella what he was thinking about to make Edward look tortured starting with what she looked like when Sam found her:
Edward flinched at that - no matter how many times that was brought up, it was going to make him flinch.
Then how Bella looked when she first visited Jacob, how it took weeks for her to look human again, then how Bella used to wrap her arms around herself:
"Yes … all those images would be hard for me to see," Edward said gravely.
"It's still below the belt for him to think of them," Alice hissed.
Bella saying that she doesn't care who is a vampire or werewolf, that he is Jacob, he is Edward, and she is Bella and nothing else matters:
"It is a good way to think about it," Carlisle said. "We could all learn from her example."
"Yeah … I don't see that one happening any time soon," Alice laughed.
"But you don't see anything happening any time …." Emmett started, but Alice smacked him in the head as she glared at him.