Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.
Chapter Eight
Eclipse 6-10
Switzerland
Edward's Volvo appears out of nowhere and Bella says aw, crap:
"You're following her, Eddy," Emmett laughed. "You must be dying to talk now."
"Yes, I am rather mad, aren't I?" Edward said, smiling a little … it's the only reason he would have for tailgating her like that.
Bella mentions that the Volvo follows inches behind her, but she keeps her eyes on the road ahead:
"Exactly. Pretend there is no car behind you with your jealous boyfriend in it," Emmett laughed.
Angela thanks Bella for helping and getting her out of having to watch martial arts films with Ben:
"But those are awesome," Emmett said incredulously. "Especially the badly dubbed ones."
"Not everyone appreciates fine art like that," Jasper said, shaking his head.
"That's because they're crap," Alice said, smirking at the other two.
"Are not!" Emmett pouted.
Bella thinks that it's nice to know that life was normal somewhere:
"I'm sorry," Edward frowned, it looked like she would want that.
"Her life with you is normal enough for her," Alice said. "And as soon as you stop biting her head off for this whole pup issue, it will go back to being more normal."
Edward didn't answer, but his frown became more pronounced.
Angela explains that Ben is pretending to have tendonitis:
"What a good boyfriend she has there," Emmett laughed.
"I doubt you would have helped either," Rosalie said.
"Of course, I wouldn't have helped," Emmett said, waving a hand. "But I would have just said so instead of making excuses."
"Right … that's so much better," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.
Bella realizes how much cards Angela has to write say put me to work anyways:
"It looks like she would rather lose the ability to write, than to be with you right now, Eddy," Emmett laughed.
"She would have stayed there even if I wasn't mad at her right now," Edward said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, she would have been trying to take up some of the time that you were off hunting," Alice smirked. "At least that was her original hope."
Bella tells Angela that Edward is hiking, and Angela says you don't sound sure:
"Oh, she's sure that we're not hiking anymore," Emmett smirked. "Do you think that you're listening to this."
"I doubt it," Edward said. "I'm probably trying to work off some of my anger … I don't want to be too mad at her."
"Then it's a good thing that she went there," Esme said.
Bella says that the outdoors is not for her and there's no way she ever be able to keep up:
"Oh, I wouldn't say never," Emmett said, smiling in anticipation of Bella turning into a vampire.
"I'm not going to let that happen," Edward hissed.
"You have no control over the books, Eddy," Emmett said. "And we all know it's going to happen."
Edward just hissed at that again.
Bella thinks that there is never any need to fill the silence with meaningless chatter around Angela:
"She seems like a really good friend for Bella," Esme smiled.
"Yes she is … I hope they do become friends in our reality," Edward said. "It would be nice for her to have a normal person to talk to like this, once in a while."
"Maybe she could become friends with the pup; he'll be normal for another year," Emmett chuckled.
Edward let out a growl and glared at his brother.
Angela mentions that Bella seems anxious, Bella asks if it's that obvious, and Angela says not really, but Bella thinks she's lying that to make her feel better:
"Probably - she really isn't a hard person to read," Alice said.
"Speak for yourself," Edward muttered with a fond smile again.
"I was actually talking emotionally," Alice said, smiling at her brother.
Bella thinks that she couldn't talk to Angela about this, because she couldn't talk about this to a human and that's against the rules:
"But most of your problems now aren't so supernatural," Alice said. "What you need is a good girl talk … Hey, why aren't you doing this with me?" she ended with a pout.
"I think you might take sides in this," Jasper said to her soothingly. "You definitely wouldn't want her anywhere near the pup … especially when you can't even see him."
"You're right," Alice sighed, feeling a little better.
When Angela says, he's jealous and Bella says no, not jealous:
"Oh, he's definitely jealous," Emmett and Alice both said, and Edward didn't argue with them.
Angela says Edward's only human, and he's going to react like any other boy:
There was a short silence after that before Emmett started laughing, followed by everyone else. "Well I'm not sure about that."
Angela says you and Jacob are pretty close and Bella says like family:
Edward let out a breath.
"Trying to be accepting, again?" Jasper asked.
"Yeah," Edward sighed.
"This book has you more conflicted than ever, and there's hardly any danger in it," Jasper said.
"Oh, there's plenty of danger," Edward muttered, but didn't elaborate.
Bella thinks about Angela and Ben going to University of Washington and going to Seattle in a few months and if the vampire menace will be gone by then, then she started thinking about being a newborn and if she would cause new headlines:
"No," Edward said.
"Yeah, we won't let that happen," Jasper smirked at Emmett.
"Hmph … maybe I should have bet the other way," Emmett pouted. "It's not like I can say, 'No - kill a bunch of people.'"
"Tough luck, Em," Jasper said still smirking.
Bella and Angela talk about classes and majors while they continue to work:
"I wonder what major she would have," Carlisle mused. "She seemed to be really good in Biology … maybe she would study science …."
"But she's not very good with math … or at least she doesn't like doing it … and most branches of science you need to know a lot of math," Edward said, smiling. "Besides, I see her doing something with literature … with all the books she loves to read …."
"Hm … you do have a point there, maybe …." Carlisle agreed, smiling too.
"Could we get on with the reading?" Emmett whined impatiently. "You two can talk about this later."
"Okay," Carlisle said.
Bella his home and Edward tells her that he was close to breaking the treaty and coming after her and she tells him he can't break the rules:
"Unfair," Edward grumbled.
"What?" Alice asked, looking at him.
"She's breaking my rules and putting herself in danger … driving me insane, but I can't break any rules myself," Edward said. "Unfair."
"Well, since you breaking the rules does mean all-out war with the wolves …" Alice reminded him.
"So, it's still unfair," Edward grumbled.
Bella says she doesn't have to worry about Jacob and neither does Edward and then she describes how Edward seemed like ice too, frozen the way he was:
"What's that supposed to mean?" Edward said, pouting.
"That you're really thickheaded," Rosalie answered with a smirk. "Never changing."
Edward says he's not negotiating this and Bella says neither am I:
"It's going to be great when she gets here," Emmett laughed. "No one fights with Eddy like that."
"And no one has a chance of being right when Edward is so stubbornly against something," Alice added also smiling.
Bella says that Edward knows better than to be jealous:
"How could she think that you wouldn't be jealous?" Emmett laughed.
"Because she knows there is no reason for him to be jealous," Esme answered, smiling.
Bella explains that when it comes to enemies nonsense she's out, she's Switzerland and that Jacob is family and Edward is the love of her existence:
"Love of your existence trumps family any day," Jasper said.
"You mean you don't care about us?" Emmett tried to pout, but ruined it with his laughter.
"Obviously not," Jasper smirked at him.
Bella says and if Angela turns out to be a witch, she can join the party too:
"That would be interesting if she were," Emmett laughed. "It would also explain why Bella is able to be so close to her."
Edward says don't be offended but you smell like a dog:
"Ah, poor Eddy," Emmett laughed. "There's another reason why it was good that she stopped at the witch's house …."
"She's not a witch," Edward groaned, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever," Emmett said, still laughing, "she was at least able to dilute the wolf's stench a bit."
Bella thinks about calling Jacob and making plans to meet with him and thinks that if Edward broke her car that Jacob can pick her up because Forks was neutral:
"You know, it might be better if they did meet in Forks … and stayed there," Edward said. "I wouldn't have to worry so much."
"I doubt the pup would want that though," Alice said. "He would be too worried that you were listening in."
"And if he wasn't, he really should be," Emmett said. "There is no way you would leave the two of them alone."
"No, I probably won't," Edward said.
Alice comes to pick Bella up on Thursday and she gets in the car:
"No Bella, she's trapping you … run away!" Emmett said dramatically.
"Idiot," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.
"What it's true … I bet Eddy's having Shortie watch her," Emmett pouted.
Alice says sorry and that Edward had paid her off:
"Cool … how?" Alice asked.
"Well, I know of at least one thing that you want," Edward smiled.
"I really hope you're right about that," Alice smiled. "I want to get my car in both realities."
"Yeah, but once Bella gets away from you, Eddy will probably take the car back," Emmett put in. "And there's no way you're actually going to get this car … at least not from me."
"Oh, you think so, do you?" Alice asked at the same time as Edward said "Bella's not getting away from Alice … how could she …."
"I don't know … she'll find a way," Emmett smirked at Edward first then turned to Alice. "And this will show you that Bella is the more stubborn one … she gets what she wants more."
"Oh there is a big difference between these two issues, Em," Alice said, smirking at him.
"And what's that?" Emmett asked, still smug.
"One, she is convinced that Edward's wrong and she wants to help her friend," Alice said. "The other, she has issues with, but knows that Edward really wants it … and she is rather selfless when it comes to others' feelings …."
"We'll see," Emmett said, not looking as smug as before, but still smiling.
Bella realized the car bribe is not just for now, but every time Edward's gone:
"I would have given it to you for just this weekend," Edward said confidently.
"Probably, but I don't mind kidnapping her," Alice said. "And I must really not like the wolves either."
Alice says that the young werewolf can be dangerous, especially since she can't see them, and that Bella shouldn't be so reckless:
"But she does have a point there," Rosalie admitted. "She already knows how important she is to Edward and it's bad that she's 'risking her life' like that."
"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Edward smirked.
"Not yours," Rosalie answered.
"You two really need to sit down and talk about this," Esme said, frowning. "Edward, you have to listen to her, and not just force your ideas onto her like you have been. And she needs to explain herself better and understand your worries."
"I'll try to work on that," Edward said.
Bella thoughts on the 'sleep over' with Esme getting food, Alice getting Bella's favorite movies and even Rosalie being there, but she wonders if Alice had a list she got from watching bad sitcoms:
"Not bad sitcoms … bad romance movies," Alice corrected, laughing.
"Do you already have a list?" Edward said.
Alice eyes went blank the second that she decided to make a list of everything she wanted to do with Bella and she was able to see the end product. "I do now."
"I don't think she's going to like most of those things," Edward frowned.
"She'll live," Alice shrugged.
Bella leaves the message for Edward saying that that he's in enormous trouble, angry grizzly bears are going to look tame next to what's waiting for you:
Everyone was laughing at that, especially Emmett, who seemed to really like the grizzly comment.
Edward might only have been chuckling at this, but his eyes were brighter than they had been in a while. "That's my Bella."
Bella goes to Edward's room and sees the bed he had in there:
"Colossal bed … Eddy, whatever are you going to use that for?" Emmett asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Not that," Edward grumbled.
End of chapter and it's Rosalie asking if she could come in to talk to Bella:
"That's it," Rosalie said, furrowing her eyebrows at the ending of the chapter.
"Why are you going to see her?" Edward asked warily.
"I can think of only one reason," Rosalie said, frowning.
"You're going to tell her about your past," Emmett said, uncharacteristically concerned.
"It looks like it," Rosalie said and then glared at Edward because he was smiling at this.
"No," Edward said in response to whatever it was that Rosalie had thought. "It's just … this means you really have accepted her as family."
"Right," Rosalie agreed; her glare at Edward loosened, but she still was looking upset as she handed the book to Alice.
O
Unhappy Ending
Bella thinks that her stomach twisted as the one Cullen that doesn't like her:
"I wouldn't say doesn't like," Rosalie said.
"Does that mean you actually like her?" Emmett asked, sounding a little too shocked by that.
"Obviously she does … haven't you seen how much more she's been talking in this book," Edward smirked at his sister, who was now glaring at him.
"Yeah, but I thought that was because you were acting like a jealous idiot," Emmett laughed.
"It was," Rosalie smirked too.
"But she was defending Bella," Edward pointed out.
"Oh … right," Emmett said, as if that explained everything.
Bella wonders what Rosalie had to say that she couldn't say in front of Edward:
"Why wouldn't you want her to hear this?" Alice asked. "I would think that you could have used this as a deterrent to her becoming a vampire."
"It's not my story to tell," Edward replied.
'There's more to it than that Edward,' Alice thought impatiently when he didn't say more.
"I probably don't want her to worry too much about that," Edward said. "It's not a nice memory."
Bella says that Edward told her it was close to what happened to her in Port Angeles:
Rosalie was looking at Edward incredulously at that. "It was nothing like that."
"Not nothing …." Edward said.
"Did she know the man …." Rosalie started, now looking more angry than shocked.
"I didn't want to worry her," Edward said gravely. "I know how much worse it was for you …."
Rosalie tried to regain her calm, but it wasn't easy; she was already on edge, knowing what was going to come.
Rosalie explains that she pictured her fair-haired children playing on the King's huge lawn:
Rosalie clenched her teeth together at that; this almost being the most painful part for her - that she had lost that dream, the dream she had wanted with every fiber in her being. Emmett tightened his hold on her hand but didn't make any other move to comfort her. She wasn't one that liked to take comfort - which was why Esme was just watching her, wishing to hug her, but staying firmly in her seat. But Rosalie did lean more into Emmett and rested her head on his broad shoulders.
When Edward is talking about her while Rosalie is transforming and growling that the Kings will pretend to search for her not suspecting Royce:
"I almost wished that I hadn't given up my rebellious days in that moment," Edward said.
"I don't," Rosalie said harshly, though it wasn't directed towards Edward. She was quite pleased that she had gotten her revenge.
Rosalie saying that her record is almost as clean as Carlisle and a thousand times better than Edwards:
"You're always so smug about that," Edward groaned.
"Well, I do have the fewest (everyone already knew that they weren't counting Carlisle) and I can still claim that I never killed an innocent," Rosalie smirked, though her eyes were still hard because of the story – the hard part was over, and she was starting the gather herself.
Rosalie explains that it was good she had saved Royce for last because she could control herself and make it slower:
"Okay that's enough," Edward said, knowing what tortures Rosalie had put Royce through and that it really wasn't something that she should be telling Bella.
"Don't worry about it … she stopped herself there," Alice rolled her eyes.
Bella says that Edward doesn't like telling other people's stories because he hears so much more than just the parts that they mean for him to hear:
"Huh," Edward said.
"Is that how you feel?" Esme asked with a knowing smile.
"Yeah," Edward smiled too.
When Rosalie says that Edward is really quite decent, isn't he:
"Huh," Edward repeated, this time smirking at Rosalie.
"I don't know what I was thinking when I said that," Rosalie growled, trying to be playful, but not quite managing it.
Rosalie starts to explain that she was mostly jealous because Edward …:
"Oh, crap," Rosalie exclaimed, looking like she was about to blush.
Edward was holding his hand in front of his mouth a second later trying not to laugh, but he couldn't quite manage it. Alice, seeing as she was the one with the book in her hand started laughing too and Rosalie shot both of them a glare.
"Don't read it!" Rosalie demanded, glaring at Alice.
"So you were already thinking this earlier … did that happen while we were reading Twilight and you got embarrassed for no apparent reason?" Alice asked, smirking - hoping the teasing would get Rosalie out of her glum mood faster, but also knowing that it could just cause her to become worse.
"What's going on … what's the next line?" Emmett asked enthusiastically.
Rosalie narrowed her eyes at Alice – a threat was clearly written on her face, but she didn't look upset about her past story anymore – as Alice continued to read.
Rosalie was jealous because Edward wanted Bella and not Rosalie:
"You're jealous about Eddy not wanting you?" Emmett laughed boisterously.
Rosalie's glare was now directed towards Emmett, who had just enough sense to shut up.
Rosalie mentions Tanya's clan in Denali and all those females:
"No … don't tell her that!" Edward moaned.
"Why not … I like this," Rosalie smirked at him, her eyes still hard, this time because of her embarrassment.
Bella is thinking about Edward and Tanya and all those females:
Emmett laughed at that, along with almost everyone.
"Argh, now she'll needlessly worry about that," Edward grumbled. "When I've never shown any interest in any of them."
Rosalie explains why she doesn't like Bella because she has a choice that Rosalie didn't have, and Bella is choosing wrong:
"That's a bit harsh," Edward frowned.
"It's how I feel," Rosalie sighed.
"I know," Edward said. "And I agree with you on most parts … I just wish you didn't say it like that."
Alice says that Edward is going to take the Porshe back because Bella is supposed to be having fun:
"Hmph," Alice said. "It does suck that she's so down about being with me."
"It's not that … it's the being forced to be with you that's got her upset," Jasper said.
Jacob shows up in the parking lot with his motorcycle and waves at Bella:
"Ah … the pup is going to help her escape this time," Emmett laughed.
"And I couldn't see this coming." Alice glared at the book too. "Stupid wolves."
Bella wonders how far Alice will go to stop her:
"Not far enough … at least seeing as I'm not near you now," Alice gritted her teeth.
"Relax, Shortie, you know the pup isn't going to hurt her," Emmett said.
"But Edward could take away my car now," Alice pouted. It wasn't the only reason she was upset, but it was one of them.
After Bella escapes with Jacob and she thinks it felt great to be free:
"Well, that's a wonderful way of thinking about this," Edward grumbled.
"If you want her to think differently, then perhaps you shouldn't keep her locked up so much," Rosalie offered. "It just makes her do more reckless things …."
"You have a point there," Edward frowned.
"That was the end of the chapter," Alice said, handing the book to Edward.
O
Temper
Bella thinks Charlie's blatant preference for my Quileute friends was so unfair:
"What is she talking about … he loves me," Alice stated.
"I think she just means 'boy' friends," Emmett laughed.
When Jacob stares at Bella without speaking, his eyebrows furrowed, and concentration and she asked what he's staring at:
Emmett covered his mouth, holding back his laugh. Edward was giving him a curious look, as was everyone else, until he suddenly rolled his eyes and smirked.
"What?" Jasper asked.
"Em thinks the pup was trying to imprint on her," Edward said dismissively, or at least that's how he tried to make it sound.
"I don't think that's how it works," Carlisle smiled.
Bella guesses that Quil imprinted on Emily too:
"I don't see how that one could work." Carlisle shook his head. "Not if the imprint is supposed to be with your soul mate (or more than your soul mate), and how that would affect the relationship with the two wolves involved."
Bella guessing that Emily doesn't want her niece with a werewolf:
"That one seems more reasonable," Carlisle said thoughtfully.
"I don't think that's the reason though," Esme said. "Not when she knows what it's like to feel the love an imprinted wolf gives you."
"What makes you think it's that strong?" Emmett asked.
"Because of the description of Sam and Emily's love in New Moon," Esme said.
"And because despite everything that they had gone through she still looks at him like that," Edward said. "No, I would say the love imprinting brings is very powerful. So, I agree with Esme, this isn't the reason either."
Jacob says that Claire is two:
"What?" everyone said, looking rather disturbed by that thought.
"Those mutts fall for babies!" Rosalie growled, looking really upset about that.
"That's just wrong," Edward said, narrowing his eyes and looking like a chill just raked through his body for some unexplained reason. "I really don't like that."
"I'm sure it's not like how you're all thinking," Esme said recovering from her own shock and trying to defend them like she does everyone else.
Bella explains that she's trying not to be critical, but she was horrified by this:
"Well, this is a horrifying attribute," Emmett said.
"I'm sure there's more to it than this," Esme defended them again.
Jacob explains that imprinting is like gravity, once you see her it's not the earth that holds you, it's her and that you'll be anything for her:
"See," Esme said and everyone's revolted look loosened except for Rosalie's and Edward's. Ignoring Rosalie, seeing as she would always find the werewolves disgusting no matter what, Esme frowned at her son and asked, "Why is this still bothering you?"
"I don't know," Edward said, his eyes still narrow. "I just don't like this."
Jacob explains that he thinks that he's never going to imprint because he has to see the one that's supposedly meant for you:
"Then go travel the world pup and try and find her," Edward muttered.
"Now now Eddy, that wouldn't be so entertaining for me," Emmett laughed. "How else are we supposed to see this jealous side of you?"
"What's wrong Edward, not up to a little competition?" Alice teased.
Bella mentions that she held still, her reaction to stress that she had picked up from Edward:
Edward had to smile at that, a true smile too, that was shared with most of his family.
"So, I guess most of the vampire tendencies that we've seen she's adopted from us," Jasper said.
"Maybe, thought the only one for sure is the way she reacts to stress," Alice said.
Bella says that she's planning on becoming a vampire and Jacob reacting to that and saying that will start a war and she says that they'll leave first:
"You should leave," Edward said. "Leave the garage now."
"He's right, all this is doing is testing the wolf's control …." Jasper said. "And it doesn't look like he has much left."
Jacob explains that there is no geographic limit to the treaty, and they would go after the Cullens if they knew they broke it:
Carlisle's eyes were calculating, and he was frowning.
"I don't think that he speaks for the whole pack," Edward said. "He would want revenge for this and he would be willing to go to greater lengths to achieve that than the others … they would want to keep the pack and town safe."
"But if Jacob comes after us … they would go with him," Carlisle said.
"I'd have to agree with Carlisle with that one, Eddy," Emmett said. "There's no way they would let the pup handle this on his own."
Jacob says that Bella wouldn't be her anymore after the transformation that she wouldn't exist and there would be no one to forgive:
Edward growled at this, and everyone else narrowed their eyes.
"That's not true!" Alice growled too.
Jacob says they still have years, can't they be friends until they're out of time:
Edward stiffened again at this and it looked like he wished that Bella wouldn't answer that question.
"Looks like you have one person on your side, Eddy," Emmett chuckled, not noticing the state that his brother was in right now.
Bella tells Jacob that she would be turned in weeks not years and his reactions ending with his shape blurred:
Everyone was tense and quiet for this and Edward's voice was strained while he read, but he forced the words to come out.
Jacob says that you'd be better off dead, I'd rather you were:
Luckily Edward had enough sense to drop the book before he balled both his hands into fists and hit the armrest on his chair (causing the whole chair to shatter, though he was up and pacing before that even mattered to him).
"How could he have said that?!" Edward growled and no one answered him (Alice shaking her head at Jasper as he was about to try and calm his brother down; Edward needed to get this off his chest). "He's supposed to be her best friend! He freaking wished that she was dead! DEAD! I should go and tear his stupid mutt head off!"
This went on for almost a minute before Carlisle stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Doesn't he realize how much that will hurt her?" Edward snapped at his father, still quite angry.
"I don't think he was thinking about that at all," Carlisle said. "I think he just didn't want her to change …."
"He wished her dead!" Edward hissed.
"And from his point of view …." Carlisle said.
"It's not better!" Edward shouted.
"But isn't that what you want?" Emmett said. "You're against her becoming a vampire too."
"It's not the same thing!" Edward really growled at his brother. "I don't wish her dead!"
"But that's what is going …." Emmett started.
"After a full life yes … but the stupid mutt …." Edward interrupted.
"He thinks that she would be worse than dead if she becomes a vampire," Carlisle said and this time didn't let Edward interrupted him. "He thinks she'll be a monster and he doesn't want that for his friend. He doesn't think that she could still be Bella after this."
"I know!" Edward growled. "But he said that to her face … Her best friend said that he wished her dead!"
"I know son," Carlisle sighed. "That angered me too."
Edward stopped his pacing at this though his eyes still looked furious.
"So, now that Eddy is done with his tantrum, do you think we can read again?" Emmett asked another few minutes later.
"Fine!" Edward said; not going to let anyone read for him it seemed and he picked the book off the floor.
Bella thinks that she recoiled as if he slapped her and it hurt worse:
Edward flinched at that and glared murderously at the book.
Bella is back at the Cullens and Alice is sad that she didn't get to drive her car:
"That's not important right now," Edward shot her a glare.
"It's not like I know what happened to her!" Alice said. "What the mutt said to her!" she added looking quite livid about what had been said to Bella too.
Bella wakes up and Edward is there:
"Good … you'll make her feel better," Esme said.
"If she tells me what happened," Edward said.
"She'll tell you," Esme said confidently.
Bella tense and waits for the fury, both his and hers, but it's quiet and calm:
Edward sighed, not liking the sound of that.
'Well at lease there was no fury,' Alice thought to light his mood up. 'And it's definitely good that you didn't yell at her for this right now.'
Edward looked at her for a second and then went back to reading.
Bella thinks she does care that she's supposed to be angry with him she searches until she finally found his lips:
"Too bad we can't have her do that to you now … she would have you cheered up in no time, Eddy," Emmett smiled at his brother.
"I'm sure that's true," Edward said, trying to let go of his tension; it seemed easier to do when he didn't have to read about the mutt.
Edward says that he was braced for the wrath to put grizzlies to shame:
"That was rather a let down," Emmett pouted.
"Do you not know where she was today?" Jasper questioned.
"I don't know," Edward said slowly, puzzled by that reaction. "I don't see how I wouldn't … it's been hours and even if Alice didn't call … . well I would have heard it by now."
"Maybe Shortie doesn't want you to know," Emmett said. "That way you can't take away her Porsche."
"No, Alice wouldn't let me go up there without knowing this," Edward frowned.
Bella thinks that maybe there was more significance to the bed than she guessed:
"It looks like Bella is thinking what I'm thinking," Emmett laughed.
"She knows that can't happen," Edward bowed his head.
"Then maybe you shouldn't tease her like this," Alice reprimanded. 'You got her all hopeful and now you're going to leave her high and dry.'
"I doubt I thought this through," Edward frowned.
Edward says it's too dangerous for them to be together and she says I like danger:
"I know," Edward hissed and smiled at the same time.
"Great … now you're so conflicted that you've made your own emotion it seems," Jasper frowned. "It's rather uncomfortable."
"Tell me about it," Edward grumbled.
"Well it's like there's this dark … ." Jasper started while grinning at Edward, but stopped when his brother growled at him.
Edward says it doesn't help that Bella is so eager to undermine his self-control:
"I don't care what you say Eddy, you really should loosen up more," Emmett said. "It's really …."
"She's human," Edward hissed at him. "If I let loose …."
"Maybe you just need a little more faith that you can't hurt her," Emmett shrugged. "If you think that way you will be less likely to hurt her."
"Er …." Edward said, looking like he thought Emmett's advice was valid.
Bella says that Edward could hold her hostage any time he wants:
"Don't you sleep in her bed everyday?" Emmett asked, only snickering a little.
"Yeah, just about." Edward smiled at that thought.
"Then why is it so different here?" Emmett said.
"I guess it's because she doesn't think anyone would come up and bother us," Edward shrugged.
When Edward asks what do you have to apologize for:
"I think that would be running away again," Alice said. "Edward, why are you acting so strangely?"
"Don't ask me," Edward said. "I'm still rather upset about that, even without what …." at this point he paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I would think that my book self would be too."
Edward says that Bella was right, that he was being prejudice against the werewolves and he's going to believe her if she thinks it's safe:
"Wow," almost everyone said.
"Did I really have to pick this time to be reasonable?" Edward groaned. "When I really should be mad at that mutt."
"Too bad Eddy," Emmett laughed. "But I wonder what made you change your mind."
"I think I have a good idea," Edward glanced at both of his parents.
"Yes, I was thinking that I would likely have had a word with you about this," Carlisle smiled.
"But why did it have to be now?" Edward groaned again, this time in a different tone than last time.
"What's wrong with now?" Jasper asked, raising his eyebrow at his bother.
"If I'm going to be more accepting, then she's going to make up with the wolf," Edward huffed. "And she was so close … with the way things are now, she might not want to go back to him," he sighed and once again grumbled, "the world is conspiring against me."
After Bella says Jacob wasn't expecting that it would be so soon, and Edward says 'ah':
"Ah," Edward glared at his own reaction to this.
"She hasn't told you the bad part yet," Alice said, rolling her eyes.
"I should have tensed at least," Edward grumbled.
"You don't know the pup very well yet," Alice shrugged her shoulders. "You might not know how bad he would react to this."
When Bella says he'd rather see me dead, and she says Edward was controlling whatever reaction he didn't want her to see:
"Fury, wanting the kill the stupid mutt," Edward hissed.
Then Edward crushes Bella gently to his chest and says I'm so sorry:
"Good," Esme said. "Make her feel better."
"Yeah," Edward said. "That's more important than my fury."
Edward says that he could literally kill Jacob for saying that to her, he wants to:
Edward was smiling at this.
"Edward!" Esme reprimanded.
"Sorry," Edward said. "But I'm glad to hear that … I was beginning to have a hard time recognizing myself."
Bella mentions talking with Rosalie and then talk about their family in Denali:
"Yes, that is the thing to think about," Emmett laughed.
"So she didn't take anything from the conversation we had," Rosalie said, frowning.
"I don't thing she's going to follow your advice," Edward said, "but I think she can understand you better now."
Bella wants to know if any of the Denalis had shown any preference for Edward:
"Yeah, all of them," Emmett laughed.
"Only at first," Edward rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, now it's only Tanya, she'll be so disappointed when she finds out about Bella," Emmett chuckled.
Edward says I prefer brunettes:
"That's not true … I've seen you turn down just as many brunettes as blondes," Emmett said.
"He was saying that he preferred Bella, you idiot," Alice said rolling her eyes.
O
Target
"Target," Edward repeated, looking panicked and everyone else looked almost as worried.
Bella is in her room and notices no pillow, the room was oddly tidy, her gray sweatshirt, pair of dirty socks, and a red blouse was missing along with her hamper had less close in it:
"This isn't good at all," Jasper said.
"Someone was there," Edward said tensing, but looking relieved that Bella hadn't been there at the time.
"I would say so … there are way too many things missing for it just to be a coincidence," Jasper said.
Bella looks for her red shirt and couldn't find it and thinks she's paranoid:
"No, you're not," Edward said, narrowing his eyes. "And you better tell me this when I get there."
"Even if she didn't … you would probably know," Jasper said. "Someone would have had to have been there to take the things in the first place."
Edward didn't say anything; he was stiff and his eyes were looking at the book tensely.
When Edward comes and his eyes are wide, nostril flared, and lips pulled back:
"Damn," Edward hissed.
"There really was someone there," Esme sighed, looking very worried.
Edward comes back to Bella and pulls her towards the kitchen:
"Which means that whoever it was wasn't there anymore," Jasper said, knowing that Edward wouldn't have brought her inside if someone was still in the house.
"You thought that was a possibility?" Edward snapped his head toward his brother.
"Not a very likely one," Jasper said. "But we really weren't given many details about this except that things are missing. There was a slim chance that whoever it was didn't get out before Bella got there or …."
"What do you think it was?" Edward said.
"I'm not sure," Jasper explained, "but it was something that got you pretty worked up … I would think that it would be one of us. I think we should read … I need more information."
Bella says that no werewolves:
"It's not a wolf," Edward shook his head. "I wouldn't react like this to their scent."
"Yeah, he would just be mad … not scared and defensive," Emmett said, sounding like he was trying to tease, but his voice was too tense.
Bella suggested one of the Volturi:
Edward's head again snapped to his brother, but it was Carlisle who answered.
"I'm not so sure they would send someone like this," he said thoughtfully. "Especially since it has only been a few weeks since you were in Italy."
"But who else would be in Bella's room?" Edward asked. "Who would go there … ?"
"I don't know," Carlisle frowned, looking puzzled and worried.
Edward explains that he thinks it's the Volturi because the intruder came not to long ago and left Charlie unharmed and there must be another purpose:
"I really don't like this," Edward said, seeming even more worried because Charlie wasn't hurt, though it was obvious that he was relieved by that fact too.
"The Volturi are looking more likely now," Jasper said, looking like he agreed wholeheartedly with what the book Edward had just said.
"It does," Carlisle frowned, "but it still doesn't feel right that they would get involved this soon …."
Edward says that they're going to talk to Alice:
"I didn't see this!" Alice said suddenly, her eyes going wide. "How could I not see this?"
"Whoever it was must not have had any intention of hurting her," Jasper said, and that sentence seemed to make everyone relax just a little. "If he had, you definitely would have seen it, even if Bella wasn't there."
"True," Alice nodded her head. But still, a vampire was in Bella's house … I should have seen that, even without them having the intention of hurting her. They would have had to make the decision to go there …
"Then whoever it was must have known about you -," Edward said, narrowing his eyes "- known how to get around you."
"Who would know that?" Alice asked, her eyes going wide. "Besides our family … and Tanya's … no one knows that."
"Aro would know that," Carlisle frowned. "He would know everything about you and your power after he touched you."
Edward tensed again.
Alice says she doesn't think it's the Volturi, she would have seen that:
"But who else would know how to get around me?" Alice frowned.
"Maybe the vampire just got lucky to get around you," Esme supplied hopefully.
"No, I see vampires even when they merely decide to come to Forks. I would have seen this," Alice said.
"But you were looking at all those others things … maybe it would stop you from seeing something like that," Esme argued.
"If that was true, then I don't think that Charlie would have been left alive," Edward said. "No one else would have the control not to kill him."
"If they had just fed …." Esme began and shuddered at what Edward said about Charlie.
"I still don't see it," Edward said.
"And add this to the preface … it just makes sense that it would be them," Jasper added and with that, everyone tensed again. "No one else could threaten our family like we seemed to be there …."
Edward says you're watching for an official command:
"Which means someone could be acting on their own," Edward frowned.
"Or he could have merely suggested something like this," Jasper said.
"No … I would have seen that too," Alice said. "It doesn't matter how 'suggestive' he makes it sound to them, it would be a decision in his head … and theirs."
Carlisle says that the scent isn't familiar, not one he's ever met:
"Then it might not be the Volturi … I know most of them, though they may have acquired a few new members since I left," Carlisle said.
"It could always have been someone that they just associate with -" Edward said. "- someone doing them a favor."
Esme suggested that it might be a coincidence:
"Even I know that it couldn't be that," Emmett scoffed.
"Hmph," Esme huffed, rolling her eyes. She didn't bother to defend herself, knowing that the book would do it for her.
Esme explaining further that she meant that he vampire was just curious since their scent was aground her and wonder what drew the Cullens there:
"Interesting," Carlisle said and Edward hissed loudly at that.
"Why does that bother you so much?" Jasper asked, looking at him nervously.
"Because it could be true," Edward said. "Not in this case … definitely not in this case, but in our reality it might be true. If a vampire decides to pass through here, they might be curious about why we're around Bella so much …."
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to her," Esme reassured him.
"Yeah, like we didn't let anything happen to her when James' coven came," Edward hissed, his eyes hard. "We're still dealing with that mistake."
"Relax, Edward," Emmett said. "That's not going to happen and, even if it does, we're not going to let anyone hurt Bella."
"Right," Edward sighed; Emmett seemed to be dead serious about what he just said, and that was very convincing.
Bella says they shouldn't wait for graduation:
"Argh," Edward groaned loudly.
"No, Bella," Emmett said, shaking his head. "You can't change like this."
"Really … I thought you wanted her to change as quickly as possible," Edward questioned.
"Of course I do, but she can't get changed because she's afraid," Emmett said, making a face. "That's running away … you can't let your fear rule you."
Bella thinks that she would make up with Jacob because it seemed petty to make him feel guilty about what he said to her:
Edward bowed his head again, groaning.
"It looks like you'll never get rid of the pup," Emmett laughed.
"Stupid vampire coming and making her worried," Edward grumbled, seeming almost as mad about this point as he was that the vampire was even in her house in the first place.
Bella thinks that it seems Edward is really over his anti-werewolf thing:
"That must be it," Emmett said. "Or you just want her to think that, so you're really trying to be understanding."
"I hope it's a little more than that," Edward said. "That makes it sound like I'm manipulating her …."
"All's fair in love and war," Emmett smiled. "And this is a little of both."
Bella on the phone with Jacob saying that she has more to worry about then Jacob:
"Huh," Edward said, suddenly brightening up.
"What is it?" Jasper asked, seeing as Edward seemed to be more relaxed now than he had been in any other part of this chapter.
"The wolves," Edward replied. "They could help us with this … they would want to find this new vampire as much as we would."
Jacob asked if Bella could come there saying that Edward knows that she will be safe there:
"He has a point there," Carlisle said, "especially with the other wolves there too."
"Still, I would probably like it better if she were somewhere that I knew she would be safe," Edward said, giving Alice a pointed look.
O
Scent
Jacob is at Bella's house and he clenched his hand with the knife in it and say damn it, ouch:
"Well, that's what you get when you squeeze a knife," Emmett snickered. "Of course, if you were a vampire, you would have just crushed the knife to dust … but everyone can't all be as cool as us."
Jacob tells Bella it's nothing to worry about:
"It's …." Carlisle, ever the doctor, began, but it seemed like he thought of something else because he was suddenly smiling with excitement.
"What is that smile about?" Emmett questioned, looking at him oddly.
"Werewolves heal fast," Carlisle said excitedly. "Jacob mentioned that in New Moon … now we'll get to see exactly how fast that is."
Jacob shows that the cut is now just a faded shiny pink scar now:
"Hm … that is fast," Carlisle said. "Rather impressive."
"You don't have a completely accurate view, though. You don't know how long they were talking before she got to see the cut," Emmett said.
"I think I have a good idea how long that would have taken," Carlisle said. He must have calculated how long that conversation would have taken between humans.
Bella explains they're bit sensitive to blood around here:
"You don't have to worry about that this time, this wouldn't affect me like that," Edward rolled his eyes.
"But you should really appreciate the effort," Emmett said. "Who would want to put up with that concentration of dog?"
Bella says that the whole secrecy and deception thing is kind of a pain:
"It kind of is … and it's a lot harder with Bella involved too," Alice said. "She's worth it, of course, but with her here so much, we have to have more concrete stories …."
"And none of us had to deal with what she's planning to," Carlisle frowned. "We all had a clean break from our human lives … there was no point in looking back, but she'll still have a family worrying about her … that she still worries about."
Edwards says that it gets easier after a few decades everyone you know is dead:
"Edward," Esme reprimanded.
"Sorry," Edward bowed his head. "I just want her to see the truth."
"You didn't have to be so harsh," Esme glared at him.
"I know," Edward sighed.
Edward says things with your scent:
"I don't like this," Edward said.
"Yeah, I kind of figured that," Emmett said, still shaking the hand that was just crushed by Edward, though it looked like he was over-exaggerating the pain.
"He took a lot of clothes with her scent," Jasper said, narrowing his eyes and seeming to agree with Edward. "No, this isn't good."
Edward is muttering to himself that it's very sloppy, young and crazed, or a death wish:
"It is the Seattle vampire again," Jasper hissed. "Perhaps this new threat is from Seattle."
"Maybe," Edward said, raising his eyebrow. "That might be why it's being mentioned so much."
Edward says this can't be the work of just one newborn vampire:
"I really don't like the sound of that," Jasper said. "What's going on there?"
"Perhaps the new vampire was … interrupted … and that would increase the numbers," Carlisle frowned.
"Somehow, I think it's more sinister than that," Jasper narrowed his eyes.
Edward explains that what's happening in Seattle is something the Volturi would stop and that if they came here, they would check on Bella:
"Aren't you convinced that's what they're already doing?" Alice asked. "I mean, that's why you thought that they were in Bella's room … if it was them."
"Hm …." Carlisle mused. "Yes, if they did come down here to stop the newborns, they would send someone to check on Bella … it would only be logical, and Aro would want to know that if they were that close."
"Then why is this in the paper?" Edward asked.
"The visitor was only in her room the morning before this," Carlisle explained. "This is still a viable news story. They never do anything to stop the press because that just causes more trouble than it's worth."
"That still doesn't explain why they took her scent," Jasper said. "What would the Volturi need with her scent … and so much of it too, if they were just checking on her?"
"I don't know," Carlisle furrowed his eyebrows.
Edward is dropping Bella off with Jacob and he is just about to leave and she see something that she's not supposed to see, worry or maybe panic:
"You never make something out of nothing," Edward said. "I am worried."
"Why are you almost relieved by that?" Jasper asked.
"I'm finding myself hard to understand in this book," Edward said. "It's nice to know that I am actually worried … at least I know what I'm thinking now."
"Which is?" Emmett asked, but Edward didn't answer.