Chapter 25:

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"Bella?" a voice cooed in my ear. A gentle hand stroked the side of my cheek in an attempt to rouse me. "Bella, wake up."

I grunted furrowing my brow as my eyes cracked open slightly. The hand continued to stroke my face with a small chuckle. "Come on, Bella, we need to get you to your house."

I blinked my eyes open, more aware of my surroundings. Tanya was leaning over me with a faint smile, her golden eyes watching me intently and slightly amused. I raised a hand to rub my eyes as I heard soft explosions in the background.

I turned my head to the side to see Kate still playing Call of Duty, but with the volume turned down at a level that wouldn't wake me. Irina was now reading from a magazine in one of the chairs as Carmen and Eleazer again played chess.

I set my hand on the couch as I gave a small nod, showing her I had heard her and pushed myself up. Tanya's arms loosened around me, giving me room to sit up as I continued to become more awake. I rubbed my eyes with a small groan. "How long was I out…?" I murmured.

She shrugged. "A few hours," she said. She chuckled. "You were out cold after Kate wouldn't stop tickling you to death."

I furrowed my brow confused. "Huh?" I asked.

Kate looked away from the game to me, raising a brow. "We got into a hand puppet fight and I had you at my mercy from my wonderful tickling abilities. Remember?" she asked.

I blinked, scraping the back of my mind for any memory of that occurring. My brows furrowed in concentration as I tried to remember. After a moment I vaguely remembered laughing and something about a hand glaring daggers at me, but nothing else.

Eleazer looked over from his chess game. "Is this what you meant by memory issues, Bella?" he asked curiously as he cocked his head to the side.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I…suppose so. I don't really remember anything besides a hand glaring at me?" It came out more as a question than a statement as I briefly wondered if I was, indeed, insane.

Tanya kissed my cheek. "That's close enough," she smiled. She leaned back to swing her legs down to the ground, grabbing onto my hand. "Let's gather your things. Charlie will be arriving at your house soon, and we shouldn't keep him waiting."

I nodded slowly and let her pull me to my feet as Irina set her magazine down to grab my belongings. She blurred out of the room to reappear in three seconds with my shoes and bag.

I gave the dirty blonde a nod of thanks as I took the items from her. "Thanks, Rina," I said, sliding my left foot into the shoe.

She smiled. "Sure thing."

I set my left foot down and began to slip my right into the other. Of course, however, my finger was caught between my shoe and my heel again. I rolled my eyes and grabbed onto Tanya's shoulder for support as I hopped in place, kicking my right foot slightly into the shoe as I pulled my finger out.

It didn't move.

I grunted, still hopping. "Go. In," I growled with each hop.

The Denalis chuckled while I practically lost a battle with my shoe. "Do you need backup, Bella?" Kate teased over her shoulder.

I glared at the blonde. "I'm fine."

She smirked as I continued to hop. I growled around the 20th jump as I gave another large push and kick at the same time. "Damn. Mother—Aha!" My heel slipped into the shoe and my finger popped out. "Success!"

Tanya hummed. "It only took you about…ten minutes?" she asked, looking at the clock on the wall as if it was evidence.

I punched her in the arm. "Shut up, Tan," I growled. "It's not my fault that the freaking thing wouldn't let my foot inside."

"Your finger was blocking it."

"…so?"

Tanya merely shook her head at me as I put the bag over my shoulder. Irina leaned forward and wrapped me in a quick hug. "I'll see you later, Bella," she said.

I nodded, giving her a small squeeze. "You too," I replied.

Irina released me as Kate jumped up from the ground, her game paused. The pale blonde grinned and scooped me off the ground, causing the air to rush out of my lungs from the force as she swung me back and forth. "Mm-mm! I'll make sure to recreate the tickle scene for you so you can experience it again just like it happened."

I patted her arm, giving a thumbs-up as I gasped. "Air…"

"Sorry." She set me on the ground to let me breathe again, still wearing her dopey grin as she ruffled my hair. "Later, Belly."

I cocked my brow at the nickname, but didn't comment on it as Carmen gave me a small smile and gentle hug as she kissed my cheek. "Make sure Charlie knows that we can take you to the MRI if you decide to schedule it, alright?"

I nodded. "He probably already knows," I said, "but I'll tell him."

Carmen smiled as she let her arms fall from around me, allowing Eleazer to pull me into a quick hug. "I'll make sure to win all of that back from you next time, Bella," he said. "Don't think that this will start a streak of you being the Queen of Poker here."

I chuckled. "I already am, Eleazer. You have to win your title back."

He pulled away and gave me a playful glare as his arm wrapped around Carmen's waist. "You can count on it," he smirked, puffing out his chest slightly to look "manly".

I rolled my eyes at him as Tanya took my hand, giving it a small tug. "I'll be back after I drop her off," she said to her family, before wordlessly leading me out of the room.

I followed Tanya out of the door to her car, giving her a soft smile as she quickly opened and held the door for me. I slid into the car and grabbed my seatbelt as the door closed. Tanya was in the car less than a second later, already turning the key in the ignition. She took my hand in hers once she backed out of the driveway and shot off towards my house.

The car eased to a stop in front of my house, going into park as Tanya shifted the gear. The whole ride had been in a comfortable silence while we just enjoyed each other's company during the small trip back. Having spare moments alone together was something we both enjoyed—even if it was just five minutes.

No words were needed to be communicated between us, and it was a part of our relationship that truly let me know this was right. With Edward, it was always awkward. Sure, there was some mutual agreement, but in the end I was completely love struck and did whatever he said.

Tanya was different.

She wanted me to tell her what I thought. She wanted to hear and give just as much I listened and gave. The balance was perfect, keeping us both at eye level on the scale and not have the other look down on the other as it had been with Edward and me.

Deep down, a part of me knew that this thing I had with Tanya was more than what I had ever thought I had had before—even with Edward. The bond and relationship Tanya had with me, and me with her, was stronger than anything I had ever felt before, and was most likely one of the most important bonds in my entire life; or at least would become one.

I was falling for Tanya, plain and simple. I had known that from the moment I ran into her in that bookstore—even if I hadn't wanted to admit it to myself. I knew I was more in love with her than one second ago, two seconds ago, and that was what strangely made it difficult.

Not in a sense of actually loving someone in such a way, but in a sense of letting someone in in such a way. Having a connection that went deeper, far more intimate than I had ever allowed or felt in my life was a change that could be arguably bigger than having cancer. Learning you had cancer was one thing, you adjusted just as your body adjusted, but falling in love? Letting the walls down to let someone into the furthest depths of your soul, heart and being?

That was one of the most difficult battles known to man.

A sudden hand on my thigh made me jump, snapping myself out of my mind back to the present. I jerked my head to the side as a faint chuckle floated through the car. "I'm sorry, love, for making you jump out of your head," Tanya said smoothly, her eyes glinting with all amusement and no remorse.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Uh-huh, sure," I replied.

Tanya again chuckled as she slipped her hand from my thigh to my cheek, cupping it in her cold palm as she pressed her lips against mine in a tender kiss. I leaned into her as I returned the kiss, instinctively placing my hand on the back of her neck to deepen the kiss.

The kiss lasted for only a few seconds, but was still sweet and soft before we mutually pulled away. I rested our foreheads together as she took in a breath and let it out slowly before she chuckled lowly. "Charlie has learned to restrain himself from peeking out of the curtain to tapping his toe impatiently at the door."

I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as I imagined Charlie standing at the door with his arms crossed in front of his chest like a child as he tapped his foot, checking his watch. I was tempted to add a pouted lip to the image, but quickly replaced it with a scowl when I started to see a bib and binky in the image too.

"It still has the same effect, though, when you have a vampire with crazy hearing as your girlfriend," I said.

She hummed. "I've also heard I have an amazing gift in touch," she purred. Her hand holding my cheek slid down my jaw and along the muscles in the side of my neck, making them twitch. Her fingers skimmed over my shoulder. "Perhaps you'd enjoy a demonstration…?"

I bit my lip as her fingers seductively began to trail down my arm, making goosebumps rise on my skin. Heat shot through my body to my lower abdomen. Tanya chuckled and moved forward to steal a kiss as her fingers trailed over my hand and fingers to rest again on my thigh.

Geeze, I had been around Tanya and her sisters enough to hear them talk about sex, but having it directed at me by Tanya as she touched me in a way sent every remaining teenage hormone in my body raging. Half of it was the thrill of it, the rush of feeling so intimate in a moment. The other half was the thought of what could happen, of how it all could happen right now, in her car…that was sitting in front of my house.

Immediately I jerked my head back just before her lips could meet mine, flicking her nose with my middle finger. "Bad Tanya!"

The blonde vampire, literally, was frozen on the spot. Her dark gold eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth opened and closed five times like a fish out of the water.

I flicked her nose again, this time letting her regain her movement as she closed her eyes and jerked her head back, wiggling her nose. My finger was honestly hurting a little—who knew a nose could hurt so much to flick only twice?

Tanya rubbed her nose. "What was that for?" she asked haughtily.

I shrugged. "You were acting like a dog in heat, so I thought I should get you off before Charlie came out and saw you practically groping me in the car."

Tanya huffed. "I was most definitely not a dog in heat."

"Is cat preferred?"

The blonde huffed again as she raised her chin. "I had perfect control of myself, and was not going to grope you in the car," she clarified.

I felt a smirk spread on my lips. "But you don't deny that you forgot about the potential barging in of my father, do you?" I inquired, leaning forward.

Tanya gave my shoulder a gentle shove in the direction of the car door. "Just get in the house already before Charlie comes out to see what's taking you so long," she grumbled.

A victorious grin spread over my face as I happily opened the door and slid out of the car. When I was standing outside, I peered back inside to say, "My window will be unlocked, by the way…in case you think you can try your luck again, kitten."

Tanya gave a soft growl in warning as I slammed the door shut and headed for the door. Charlie pulled it open not long after he heard the door shut and gave Tanya a small wave as she began to drive off, heading back for her house.

He watched the car drive off, and then looked back at me. "So," he said, "did they survive the chemo or just dump you here to recover?"

"So, I should be able to take you to the scanning this coming next Sunday, but I may not be able to stay with you long afterwards. It depends on how the schedule down at the precinct looks for the day," Charlie said as he handed me another wet dish from our dinner to dry off.

I nodded as I took it. "That's fine. I can hang at the Denalis'."

He nodded. "I thought as much," he replied as he cleaned the pot.

I finished drying the dish and turned to put it back in the cabinet above my head, closing the door after it. I turned back to him as he handed me the pot and he began to drain the sink of water and soap. I finished drying the pot and put it away before he finished the sink and glanced at the clock.

8:00 on the dot.

"I'm gonna take a shower and then head up to bed, Dad. I'm still tired after the whole treatment today," I said.

He nodded, looking at me over his shoulder. "Alright, Bells. I'll see you in the morning," he said.

I gave his cheek a quick kiss and then jogged up the stairs, the best I could because I was actually tired, and turned into my room. I grabbed undies, sweats and a t-shirt before I headed down the hall to the bathroom, ready to let my muscles relax under the warm water.

Fifteen minutes of showering, three minutes of vomiting and forty minutes of reading later, I was sitting on my bed peacefully. My dinner had settled decently—besides the episode after the shower—and I found some time to indulge myself in a good book.

I could hear Charlie watching TV downstairs as he tried—and failed—at quietly yelling at the TV as he watched a baseball game. Based on the few words I could hear, his team was winning as he spoke with Billy on the phone to make sure they stayed connected for it. While I wasn't completely sure what they were talking about the occasional "Dimwitted sons of bitches!" and "Grow a pair and throw like a man, bitch!" gave me a pretty good idea to the conversation topic.

I smiled to myself when I heard a particularly loud, "Fuck yeah!" come up the stairs. I chuckled as I turned the page. My eyes looked over the words quickly, drinking in the story when I felt the small breeze. My hair waved against my neck, tickling my bare skin as the strands brushed against it, and two arms wrapped around my upper arms.

A pair of lips kissed my hair, making me hum before a head gently rested on my shoulder. "Hey," Tanya said lowly.

"Hey," I replied, looking away from my book to her. She looked up at me from under her eyelashes with a small smile. I smiled back as I marked my page and set the book on the nightstand next to me.

I turned my body to wrap my arms around her waist easier as my legs entangled with hers. I glanced at the clock. "You're here a little earlier than I thought you'd be. It's only a little past nine," I said.

Tanya shrugged. "I wanted your company, is that a crime?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Course not," I said. "I just thought you'd at least wait a little longer until Charlie was gonna be in bed or something."

She glanced up at me, lifting her head slightly from my shoulder as she raised a brow. "Are you worried he'll come in or hear us?"

"Yeah! Fuck yeah, boys!"

"No, not really," I smiled.

Tanya gave a small chuckle and settled her head back on my shoulder, closing her eyes as she gave a content sigh. Her arms tightened just a fraction around me. She turned her head into my neck and inhaled my scent, holding it for a moment. "I can smell the chemo," she murmured.

I cocked my head, my chin almost hitting her head as I tried to angle myself to see her. "What?" I asked.

"Not the chemotherapy specifically," she corrected herself, still not pulling out of my neck, "but I can smell the drugs. The medicine is in your bloodstream and I can smell it. It changes your scent slightly."

I raised a brow, moving my shoulder to make her lift her head once again towards me. "Is that a bad thing?" I asked. I really didn't know what to make of it. The statement was so random, so…strange to hear coming from her. She had smelt the chemo on me before, I'm sure of it, but I had no idea why she would bring it up now.

Tanya shook her head, giving a small smile as she cupped my chin. "Of course not," she said. She leaned up, pulling my chin down to peck my lips. "I'm just thinking out loud."

I hummed, studying her. While to the untrained human eye—meaning the people that mostly just drooled after her because of her looks—Tanya would look spotless, I knew better. I had been around Tanya enough to know when something was out of place.

Her eyes were duller, not fully there. I could see the slight indecision in them as she stared up at me, thinking a plan or idea over and over again in her head. Her features were not relaxed, they were tighter, her smile wasn't full and genuine. It was halfway full and cracked the rest of her carefully placed stoic mask.

I frowned as Charlie called again at the TV downstairs. I pulled against her arms, loosening my hold on her in order to look into her eyes better, when her grip tightened. "Don't."

I stopped.

In that one syllable were several emotions warring with each other. Desperation, worry, pain and anger were the strongest ones I could pick up. The others were in the background, harder to pick out as her eyes shut tightly to hide the gold orbs behind them that were no doubt filled with the same emotions.

Slowly, I removed one of my arms to cup her jaw, making her look directly at me as her eyes opened. As I predicted, hundreds of emotions swam in them, showing for a brief moment each before the other took over. The way she looked at me…it was like I was her anchor that kept her sane for the moment. She took in deep breaths, trying to hide the war inside of herself as we held each other's eyes, but she was too late.

I gently removed my hand from her chin and ran my fingers up her jaw, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What's wrong, Tanya?"

She leaned into my hand, closing her eyes. "Bella…"

"Tan," I said firmly, "I know something is wrong. You aren't as good as you think you are at hiding it. Just tell me what's on your mind."

Charlie began chanting downstairs again. "No, no, no…!"

Tanya took in a deep breath, calming herself down as she opened her eyes to look into mine. She steeled her jaw.

"No, come on…!"

"The Cullens are coming. They'll be here next Sunday."

My whole body froze, going numb as the words played over and over again in my head. The Cullens are coming. The Cullens are coming. The Cullens are coming…Sunday.

They were coming here—to Denali.

"No, damn it!"

At the moment, I couldn't agree more with my father.