Hi again, everyone! I don't know if you guys remember this, but I was unhappy with the original ending of this fic and promised to come back and change it. Well, here we are! I'm much happier with the direction we are going to go. There will be no Jacob. Instead, the end of this fic will be the sweet, silly antics of a vampire in a human setting. Edward and Bella will struggle to settle into each other's worlds. Don't worry. The struggle will only bring them closer.

I went through the first few chapters with some edits. The big change was that I switched everything to third person, which is how I like to write now. I would recommend going back to read the whole thing from the start because it is a cute story, but if you want to continue from here, I understand. DM me if you want any reminders!

The long drive to campus felt routine, even after a long winter break. Bella allowed her mind to wander as she drove the familiar, winding roads, as if on autopilot. Though it was only her second semester of college, she went in with more confidence than her senior year of high school. She passed her first round of classes with flying colors. She had a solid group of friends. And—most importantly—Edward Masen awaited her arrival.

The mere thought of him spread warmth through her entire body—pooling lower and lower.

Edward and Bella spent most of their winter break apart due to prior family commitments. Charlie and Bella had their holiday traditions while Edward's family traveled to Alaska, where they spent their holidays with another coven of like-minded vampires Edward affectionately referred to as his cousins. They talked on the phone as much as they could, testing their families' patience every day.

Bella shook off the snow from her hat and coat before entering the room that held her generic prerequisite business class. Most freshmen took that class or something similar, including all of Bella's friends. She spotted them at a round table in the center of the room—a clear compromise between Jess and Mike's preference to be in the front versus the back. She did not see a ducked bronze head at the center of unwanted attention, so she knew Edward had not arrived yet. Edward and Bella had nearly the same schedule, the same prerequisites. They didn't have to rearrange their classes after their reunion. Both signed up for classes to ensure they wouldn't run into each other, resulting in nearly identical schedules. They laughed at this discovery with sad smiles.

Bella sat down to a chorus of greetings. She joined in the conversation about winter break, interjecting once or twice with a story of her own.

"Uh-oh, Bella," Jessica gasped. Then, to Mike, she hissed, "Quick, get rid of that chair."

Without question, Mike stuffed the last seat at their table into the one behind them.

"What?" Bella asked.

Jessica discreetly pointed toward the door with her chin, where Edward entered the room. He looked like a male model for winterwear, donned in a wool trench coat and scarf. Heads turned in his direction, but his attention settled into one place: Bella's lips.

She licked them in anticipation. Time had not dulled her senses to him. Her eyes raked across his perfect features, memorizing and re-memorizing. Goosebumps prickled at her neck and her heart pounded in her chest. He hadn't even touched her, yet her body reacted to him like they were in the throes of passion.

"Bella?" Jessica grabbed her wrist. "Are you panicking? Do you need to call the police?"

"No!" Bella shook off the stupor and Jessica's hand. "But, um, there is something you need to know. About Edward…"

All her friends leaned in at once. "Yes?"

"We're back together," Bella admitted, just in time for Edward to place a coffee before her. A hot vanilla latte, steam drifting from the lid. Bella wondered what vampire ability allowed him to bring it from the coffee shop downtown to their classroom, still piping hot. Whatever it was, she adored it.

"Here you are, Sweetheart," Edward spoke in a level voice, like he couldn't hear the confusion rippling from her friends. Bella certainly felt it. Like a particularly powerful wave, it pulled Bella under and tumbled her about.

"Thank you," she said in a choked voice.

He addressed the table with a smile so thoughtlessly beautiful, it stunned everyone into silence. People from adjacent tables craned their necks to see. "Hello, all."

Ben snapped out of the trance first. "Hey." The others chimed in after.

"Pull up a chair," Bella offered.

Jessica pouted prettily. "But our table's already full."

"Don't worry about it." Edward ran a comforting hand down Bella's arm. "I'll join you after class."

"Alright."

Edward left his signature butterscotch scent in his wake. Bella peeked up at her friends' faces. A humorous study of human expression, ranging from shock to awe.

"Ignore them, Bella," Jessica waved their friends away.

Bella blinked, floored by her friend's acceptance. "Wow. Thank you, Jess."

"No problem. I went through the same thing in high school. The first boyfriend is the hardest to drop. But we're going to help you through it."

"Anything," Tyler latched on quickly. "We'll keep that freak away from you."

"From all of us," Mike added.

Bella frowned. "I don't need to drop him."

"Honey," Jessica spoke in the soft, pitied voice reserved to keep kindergarteners from biting each other, "He's already flirting with another girl."

Bella highly, highly doubted that, but she turned anyway. A pretty girl across the room happily made room for Edward. He handed her a bag from the chair beside her. Apparently, she deemed Edward more worthy than whoever she originally saved that seat for. Bella didn't blame her.

"He's returning her bag. Besides, he wouldn't have to do that if you let him sit with us."

Jessica pressed her hand to her heart, as if witnessing a devastating travesty.

"You're going to have to trust me on this. He's sweet and kind and gentle and perfect. He's just shy around new people."

Jessica theatrically tapped her finger to her chin, "Strange. I seem to remember you saying something very similar. Right before a date with him that ended with you in tears."

Bella gripped the coffee cup too hard, forcing the steaming liquid to bubble through the mouthpiece and pool into the cervices of the lid. "That was a misunderstanding."

"Oh, I'd love to hear this."

"You should! Especially since it was because of you and your serial killer nonsense. I spent that entire night misreading his behavior. Doubting his intentions. Creating mountains out of mounds. It wasn't fair to him."

"What's different now, Bella?" Lauren spoke up for the first time, "Because to me, the question remains the same: why would that boy only want your attention?"

Bella bristled against her incredulous tone, but did not comment on it. "I told you. He likes me."

The reactions varied widely around the table, all mildly insulting Bella or Edward or both.

Angela, more willing to listen than anyone else, calmed the chatter. "What did he do to convince you to give him a second chance?"

"Nothing." Bella practiced her story in the mirror that morning, anticipating the question. "Even though I was downright cruel to him, he respected my wishes and stayed away from me. Edward's mom works at the same school as my dad. I went in to help him decorate his classroom and ran into her. The subject of school came up, then she brought up Edward. After we made the connection, she was thrilled to meet me because of how much her son adored me."

Angela nodded, "If he told his mom about you, then your relationship wouldn't have been a joke to him."

"Exactly! I gave him one more chance, right before winter break. The date was perfect. He behaved like a gentleman, and he never gave me grief about dumping him. We went on a few more dates, each better than the last."

Both dates were—thankfully—less absurd than the first. For the second date, they went ice skating which, after she made a huge fuss, Bella thoroughly enjoyed. Only because Edward never once took his hands off her. For their third, Edward found another antique fair, where Bella had to stop him from buying every small trinket or bauble she expressed interest in.

"There you have it. We're together. End. Of. Story."

"That's great, Bella," Angela offered. A kind gesture of faith, but Bella could see the apprehension behind her sweet friend's glasses. The rest of her friends looked just as doubtful, though they tried to keep their expressions neutral. Except Lauren. She did not bother to hide her blatant disgust as her eyes flickered between Bella and Edward.

Class began and ended quickly. Professor Morris went over the syllabus and sent them on their way. Bella's friends lingered at the table, planning their next move. A silence fell upon them the moment Bella felt a gentle presence behind her.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice innocently seductive.

Bella lingered, testing whether her friends were willing to extend their plans to include Edward.

"Bella, are you staying with us?" Jessica posed the question as an instruction.

"No," she rose hastily, leaving her books behind, "I'm off with Edward."

Edward scrambled for her belongings—if such effortless grace could be considered scrambling—and followed. He caught up quickly and wrapped his arm around her waist for all her friends to see. She hugged him back, fretting over the thoughts that must be turning in his head.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered fiercely as soon as they were out of earshot. "I expected them to be skeptical, but I didn't think they would be so rude! I can't even imagine what they're thinking. Oh, Edward! We can change classes, if you want. I just can't believe they're being so difficult. My word should be enough. My word is enough! What are we going?"

During her rant, Edward led her to an empty corner of the building.

Edward pushed Bella against the wall. She gasped. Her bag slid from her shoulder and landed on the ground with a thud. As light as a feather, his lips fluttered against hers. Bella's worries melted away with his tender touch. Who cared what her friends thought? Edward was there, and they were together. After all the drama in the past months, that should be all that mattered.

She thought the chaste, loving kiss was all she would get, but Edward dove back in with vigor. His thumbs grazed across either side of her jaw as his hands went to the back of her neck, anchoring her to him. She clung to him, eagerly.

Again, Bella thought he would pull away when he removed his hands, but he lowered them down her body, keeping their lips locked. His graceful fingers unzipped her coat. He chuckled under his breath when he found there was a second coat, but pressed his lips back to her as he undid the buttons. He hummed with pleasure as he pushed his hands under her sweater, where the only barrier between their skin was the thin fabric of her t-shirt. She shivered, but not from the cold hands on her waist. Edward deepened the kiss.

"Hello," he whispered when he broke away, "I've missed you."

"Hello." She wrapped his scarf around her hand, slowly dragging his back down, until his forehead rested against hers. "I've missed you, too."

With that spectacular reunion, the day passed peacefully in Edward's presence. Loath to separate after their last class, they lingered in the library, pointing out all the books they read to each other, because there were no assignments on the first day. When they exhausted that, Edward slid into the passenger seat of Bella's truck, explaining that he'd run to school that morning and didn't have a car.

When they arrived at her house, Bella didn't even think. The laughter from a joke he made was still on her lips, his hand rested adoringly on her hip. It all felt so natural. Edward fit into her life like a puzzle piece. Lapses in conversation were never awkward lulls, but blankets of comfortable silence. Her hand never grew tired of holding his. She shared every thought that popped into her head with him, eager for his opinion on everything.

One inside, they were greeted by an off-key, off-beat rendition of Dreams. Charlie's presence in the kitchen meant take-out. It suited Bella—she wasn't in the mood to cook. Just as she suspected, folded Chinese take-out containers covered the kitchen table. The amount of leftovers from such a feast would relieve Bella from cooking duty for at least three days.

"Hey, Dad."

Charlie didn't look up as he fixed himself a heaping plate, "I ordered pork lo mein, honey. Remember how badly your stomach reacted to the shrimp last time?"

Bella cleared her throat. He looked up. He took in Bella's anger with a confused quirk in his brow until his eyes flickered behind her, where Edward stood.

"Oh," he gasped. He grinned at Bella, sheepishly, "Whoops."

"Whoops is right." Bella tried to look menacing, but the blush ruined the effect. "Dad, you remember Edward."

"The boy you're determined to leave out in the cold?" he said, referencing the times Bella made Edward stay outside whenever he picked her up or dropped her off for their dates. Charlie held out his hand, "Charmed."

Edward gave Charlie's hand an earnest shake, "Great to meet you, Sir."

"Sir?" Charlie drew his hands to his hips, impressed. "Inform your mother that your manners were noticed and appreciated. But you can call me Charlie."

Edward nodded. "Charlie."

"Is it okay if he joins us for dinner?"

"Of course. But it will leave us enough leftovers for only three days instead of four."

Bella smiled ruefully. "I think we'll manage."

Bella fixed a plate for Edward first. "Here you go."

"Remember, Sweetheart, I can't eat meat. Or gluten. Or sugar."

It all came rushing back to Bella all at once. Edward was a vampire. She brought her vampire sweetheart home for dinner with her father. Edward couldn't eat. She exposed him—ruined him—on their first day as an official couple. Horrified by her forgetfulness, Bella nearly dropped the plate. "Oh my god, Edward..."

Edward steadied it in her hands. "It's quite alright. Why don't you take this one?"

"Okay." She steadied herself with a breath. "I'll get you another."

Bella took a second plate and piled it high with white rice. She picked out the vegetables around the chicken in several containers.

"Fascinating," Charlie commented. "No bread?"

"No, sir."

"Well, it does explain a lot. You are exceedingly attractive."

"Dad!"

"Please, Bella. People work for their physique just so they can be told they're attractive. Do you play any sports?"

"No. If I do, it's a friendly match."

"So, all this…" With her back turned to them, Bella could only hope Charlie's gesture was respectful, "…is for pleasure? Bella's pleasure presumably?"

One blush blended into the next. "Oh my god, Dad."

"My brothers and I spend our quality time together in the gym."

"Does one of them happen to be Carlisle Cullen?"

Bella whirled, horrified.

Edward blinked, the perfect picture of polite confusion. "The doctor at the ER? No. I'm afraid not."

"Hm," Charlie pursed his lips. "I asked because I thought you two looked so alike. But now that I'm searching for a specific similarity, the only thing I see is that you are both uncommonly handsome."

"Dad," Bella said between her teeth. "Carlisle already told us he didn't know Edward, remember?"

"Oh, that's right," Charlie nodded. Then, to Edward, "But you know Carlisle. Or at least recognize the name."

Bella cursed her big mouth.

"Yes. My brother went in for stitches a few weeks back. I suppose I could easily get lost among six family members."

"Or you could have gone in after us," Bella latched on.

Edward rubbed a circle on her shoulder blade, "That's true, too."

"Sorry to presume," Charlie said to Edward. "My questions can be a bit invasive."

"No, it's quite alright. In fact, it's a shame there's no relation," Edward wound his arm around Bella's waist. "It would be nice to have a doctor in the family with this one around."

Bella flushed. "You haven't even seen the worst of my accidents."

"No?" Edward laughed causally, "Breaking a growth plate while making hot chocolate wasn't your worst?"

"Doesn't even make the top ten," Charlie added with a laugh.

Edward sighed adoringly and kissed the top of Bella's head.

"Shall we?" Charlie gestured toward the food.

Two metal folding chairs sat at the kitchen table—the dining room chairs were still without seats and shoved into the back corner—so the party moved into the living room. The three of them were forced onto the couch, for the side chairs were as indisposed as the dining room chairs. Charlie—naturally—settled between Edward and Bella.

He turned on the TV to an old family sitcom and immediately talked over it. "So, with such a big family how is it that I've never run into them in town?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure…" Edward started.

Bella had no idea how he could remain so causal. Her heart pounded against her chest. Terrible excuses flew to her mind, like sun allergies and crowd phobias.

"Well, I thought I would hear a full description of the newcomers from Mrs. Jones at the grocery store. She loves to spread gossip—especially if you have such a strict diet. When I stopped buying red meat, she told everyone in town I was going to die of a heart attack."

"Well, that's easy. My mother only buys fresh produce from the farmers' market."

"The one in the attic at Sarge's?"

"Sometimes. Most of the time, she takes the trip up to Port Angles."

"Fair, fair. Sarge does tend to overcharge."

"I believe when a chick hatched from one of the eggs she was turned off for a while."

"That sounds like Sarge!" Charlie laughed. "I guess your siblings are all too old to enroll in the school system? Otherwise, I would have heard about it."

"That's correct. We're all in college."

"Has Bella met them?"

Bella choked on her food. She didn't expect to be addressed directly. She met neatly everyone in Edward's family, but she wasn't sure who they were to him in his human façade. She tried to find Edward's eyes around Charlie's big head, but Charlie kept moving with her. Presumably, trying to catch her gaze.

"Um…"

"It's alright, Bella, I don't mind sharing," Edward said, his voice sweet and encouraging. "Not yet, unfortunately. My family isn't great at handling change—especially change like this. We're avoiding drama by taking things slow."

Charlie whirled back in Bella's direction, his hand on his heart. "Am I the first to see you as a couple?"

Bella swallowed loudly. Then, with Edward's encouragement, nodded.

"Oh! I am beyond honored. You two make a fabulous couple! You should flaunt this so everyone can see!"

Satisfied, Charlie finally dropped the conversation and watched the show. Bella tried to catch Edward's eye, but he, too, was fixated on the whacky antics happening on the screen. When the credits rolled, Charlie got up to take care of this plate. He took Bella's, then Edward's.

"Did you not like the food?"

Bella stared in wide-eyed horror at Edward's full plate. His answering smile was sheepish, as if he'd been caught. "Soy sauce has gluten in it."

"Oh, Edward, I'm sorry," Bella said, too relieved by the believable excuse to add any sympathy to her voice.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have said something. I didn't want to make a scene."

"Oh, nothing you do can be a scene compared to what I do when I'm unhappy with dinner," Charlie said as he took Edward's plate. "Ask Bella. In the future, feel free to speak up. I've been known to be quite accommodating to men with arms like those. Good at keeping secrets, too, but that's irrelevant to our situation."

Bella squeezed her eyes shut. Her entire body felt fatigued—like she had stupidly thrown herself into a high-intensity, full-body workout without any preparation.

Edward's hands cupped her cheeks. "Shhh. You need to relax, my love."

"I cannot believe I brought a vampire home to meet my very perceptive, very invasive human father."

"Sweetheart, I've spent decades in the human world. Your father isn't going to throw anything at me that I don't already have an excuse for or an explanation about."

Bella doubted that. There were already too many close calls. Charlie's mind was an enigma. Even if Edward could read it—which she already suspected he couldn't—her father would be the first to stump a vampire without even trying.

"You're the first person to figure out my secret in one hundred years. And I was shamefully obvious."

At that, Bella let herself be comforted. After all, she hadn't figured out Edward's secret. Esme told her.

Edward sensed the change, as if he could hear her heartbeat slow and even. "See? Everything is going to be fine."

"If Charlie doesn't embarrass me to death."

Edward chuckled under his breath. He pressed a kiss to her chin, her nose, and her forehead in a row.

"I'll get going. Let you enjoy the rest of the right in peace."

"I don't want you to leave." Bella latched onto his wrists, keeping his hands where they were on her face. "Won't you come up to my room?"

"Maybe another night. We'll work up to that. I don't want to push your father too far."

"I think he'd be more scandalized if he doesn't catch us making out."

Edward's head quirked to the side. He drew dangerously close, his lips nearly brushing hers as he asked, "Would you like to test that theory right now?"

"No."

Chuckling, Edward released her and pulled back.

"Bella, honey," Charlie's voice sounded from the hall. "I was looking for some dessert. We have those little cakes and some cookie dough in the freezer. Which would you prefer? And Edward?" He held up a little red box and gave it a shake, "How does a box of raisins sound?"

Bella hid her face in her hands.

"I appreciate the thought, but it's getting late." Edward stood, bringing Bella with him. "I should get going. Thank you for the hospitality."

Charlie leaned against the doorframe. "Literally anytime."

Edward kept his fingers laced through Bella's as they went to the front door. Charlie joined them. He lingered as Edward pulled on his jacket and laced up his shoes.

Bella gave her father a hard look.

"Oh! You kids want a proper goodbye." He pulled away and slunk back into the living room. "Call me when it's my turn."

Bella blushed furiously. "Today has made me realize that none of the people in my life are normal."

Edward angled her chin up with his finger to kiss her. "I have some terrible news about your boyfriend."

She snickered. Then sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize until you've properly met my family," he said.

The prospect of Edward's vampire family didn't trouble Bella the slightest bit. She'd met them all individually, each interaction was a positive experience. All except one: Edward's sister Rosalie. Edward didn't speak of her often. Bella took that to mean she was unremarkable, perhaps the plainest of her gorgeous, wildly successful vampire family. Which led Bella to believe she would like Rosalie best.

Charlie walked past them, back into a kitchen. The apologetic smile on Charlie's face was forced and half-amused. Bella knew they wouldn't get a long enough moment alone for their "proper goodbye." Edward sensed it, too.

"You have nothing to worry about," he took her hand again, pressing a kiss to each fingertip. "Sleep well. Dream of me."

"I always do."

He held her palm to his lips before reluctantly letting go.

When the door was shut, Bella counted to thirty. Enough time for Edward to flit away at vampire speed. She barreled into the kitchen and wailed, "You could not have been weirder!"

Charlie held up his hands in defense. "I know! I'm sorry! My mouth got away from me. But there was nothing I could have done differently!"

"Impossible!"

"My baby girl brought home a supermodel who sits at her heels like a golden retriever. How do you expect me to react to that?"

"Like a normal, human person."

"What's truly impossible is that you failed to mention how attractive he is!"

"Must have slipped my mind."

"I'm going to get you checked for a brain hemorrhage if that boy's looks slipped your mind, Isabella. I need to know everything about him." He trotted after her, up the stairs. "Does he have to practice his resting face in a mirror to get that perfect pout?"

"I'm ignoring you."

She went into her bedroom to snatch the robe hanging on her closet door.

Charlie lingered in the hall right outside, pestering her. "Do you keep baby carrots in your pocket like treats to reward his good behavior?"

She stormed past him.

"If I looked into his one of notebooks, would I just see the phrase Mr. Edward Swan written over and over?"

"Dad!" Bella whirled. They stood toe-to-toe at the threshold of the bathroom. "Enough."

"He adores you," Charlie grinned. "Completely smitten."

The quickest quirk of a smile passed Bella's lips. Finally, someone readily accepted her relationship with Edward. A feat even she did not accomplish. Then, she slammed the door in her father's face.

oOo

Edward stepped through the back door to find himself center-stage of a one-man production he did not prepare.

The family stood in a loose semi-circle around him. Most of the family. Carlisle was at work, like every other night. And Rosalie was… somewhere. Presumably looking into a reflective surface.

The rest of them leaned in, expectantly. Their thoughts were the same. More like a current in a rushing river than snow flurries in a blizzard. They were eager to hear about his day, for it was a day of many firsts for Edward. Different than his few dates with Isabella Swan, it was their first day spent as an official couple. Edward warily glanced between Emmett and Esme. His gaze bounced between Alice and Jasper. Wide-eyed and hopeful.

He wavered. Then, swallowed.

"I need to see the medical dictionary."

He turned on his heels, straight for Carlisle's office. The family followed him like a row of ducklings, repeating his name in incredulous tones. Edward plucked the familiar tomb off the shelf. He'd been to medical school a few times in his long life. When he thought Bella had fallen ill weeks ago, he scoured the contents, searching for what could have kept her from him for so long without a hospital visit.

He was back, scanning the pages again. Looking for… not really reassurance. Vindication, he supposed.

He flipped open to the proper page. "Just what I suspected… Symptoms of Moyamoya can appear at any time in life. She thought she had a headache coming on this afternoon... Oh my god…"

Esme carefully shut the book. "I don't think this is helpful behavior."

Edward stifled a horrified gasp.

"We should be able to do drugs," Emmett frowned.

Esme held up a finger. "Also, not helpful."

"Do you realize how many things can happen to a human?" Edward hissed as Esme pulled the book out of his reach.

Alice's dainty eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "And your first thought was rare disease?"

"No, those just came to me. Before that, I was worried about vampires."

"You mean you?"

Edward gave Emmett a dour look. "Other vampires. Dangerous ones. The ones that would hunt a lonely, lovely girl stumbling out of a college library late at night."

The family exchanged wary looks. Edward ignored them. He was in no mood for logic.

"We're not even the only hunters out there! Take away the other supernatural creatures, there are still bears and cougars! Other humans! With guns and knives!"

"And nunchucks," Jasper nodded along. "And swords!"

Edward sucked a breath through his teeth, aware that he was being mocked.

Eager to hop on literally any bandwagon, Emmett jumped to his feet. "She could flip her car off a cliff!"

"She could get stung by a venomous octopus," Alice added.

"She could step on a landmine."

"She could stumble upon a bank robbery!"

"Kids," Esme's voice cut through the giggles. "I think that's more than enough speculation." Esme gave Edward a doting pat on the cheek. "There is no accident nor predator that you cannot save her from."

Edward frowned.

He basked in Bella's presence for as long as possible, delaying the enviable. Eventually, he had to let her rest. Without his lovely distraction, in the long, dark hours ahead of him, Edward was going to think.

Charlie Swan and his incessant questions were an issue. At first, Edward was elated that he couldn't hear Charlie's thoughts. Until he realized Charlie was just as intuitive and insightful as his daughter. In the end, it was manageable. It unnerved him that he couldn't hear the thoughts that inspired the questions, but Edward could lie his way through almost anything. He kept up the rouse and even held Bella together through her panic. He would never allow Bella to bear the burden of his secret, if he could help it.

The true horror lay in the fact that Bella's friends did not like Edward.

Edward knew it was a possibility. He was not an easy pill to swallow. He wasn't even a pill. He considered himself more like a rock that had to be choked down.

He didn't think it would be a problem. Bella loved him. He knew ahead of time that he would have to keep a respectful distance from her friends. He even fabricated an appointment during future lunch breaks, so Bella would have time with them instead of sitting alone with him like she did that afternoon.

What Edward didn't expect was vengeance. Bella's friends cared for her. Obviously, they would want her to break up with the boy who broke her heart in the fall. And there was nothing Edward could do about it. A romantic relationship with a vampire had to be entirely Bella's choice. Her friends could pick apart his odd human behavior. That, coupled with the horrors of his vampirism, could bring Bella to her senses.

And Edward would have to let her go. He could not justify a fight for her affection. Not when he knew she could do better.

It was far, far easier to dwell on the fact that at any given moment, a meteor could fall from the sky and strike her on the head.

He smiled past the fears—real and fabricated—to appease Esme.

"You're right," he pressed her hand to his cheek. "Plus, it gives me an excuse to never leave her side."

"Exactly," Esme's gold eyes sparkled, delighted. "Bring her here soon. Charlie Swan can't have you both to himself. It's a shame he can't know we're practically family."

One day as his girlfriend, and Bella was already considered family. Edward didn't know whether to consider that charming or pathetic.

"Will do," he promised, guiding his mother out the door.

"I'll always keep my eyes out for her," Alice offered. "For bears and bigfoot and disease."

Though her visions were as sporadic as she, Edward earnestly thanked his sister. Jasper gave Edward a supportive slap on his shoulder as he followed Alice out the door.

Emmett lingered behind. "Hey…"

"Hey."

Emmett bit his cheek, looking oddly boyish, despite his bulk. "I know you're stressed, so I hope this alleviates some of the pressure you're under…"

Edward plucked the thought from his brother's head. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

Emmett spoke the words out loud, anyway. "She'll come around."

The strained relationship between his wife and his buddy was the only source of strife in Emmett's simple life. Rosalie had not forgiven Edward for his outburst many months ago. She collected grudges against him like purses, and held onto them until they became vintage.

They set aside their differences for the holidays for Esme's sake, but the second they were back in Washington, Rosalie stalked off in the opposite direction of Edward and he hadn't seen her since.

"I don't know if she will," Edward said. "Not this time."

"That's not true," Emmett said. "Let her have a few more weeks to cool off, then I'll swoop in with my pro-Edward propaganda, as usual."

"Thanks."

"It would help if you did something stupid. She always likes that."

Edward ran a hand through his hair. "Falling in love with a human isn't stupid enough for her?"

Emmett offered a sad smile. "It probably would have been. But since it was the cause…"

"Yeah, yeah," Edward waved a hand. "Sure. Something stupid. Alice will love to help me come up with something."

"Thanks, buddy."

Emmett loped off, carefree as always. Alone in Carlisle's office, Edward frowned at the medical dictionary. He shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind with the rest of the beehive, flipped to the page on psychosis, and started to read.