Fanfiction based on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series

Rated M for Mature.

Into The Wild

By Miss Baby

Summary: No one who values their life ventures into the woods after dark. However, when the man Bella

loves disappears in the woods surrounding Forks, does she really have another choice? AU/Canon

pairings/Humans and wolves.

~*~

~ Prologue ~

No one who valued life ventured into the woods after dark.

It was a truth that every inhabitant of the small town of Forks knew to be self-evident; a lesson every child within
the town learned as soon as they were able to understand the underlying message.

Danger.

A danger that lay within each and every one of them, though only a select few of the town elders were aware of
that. To the others, it was just a terrible curse, laid upon the town in retaliation for an equally terrible crime.

It had happened long ago, so long that with each passing generation the story had been added to and made so
wondrous that it was almost hard to believe. However, the essence remained the same and would never be
doubted, not when almost every inhabitant of the town had first-hand proof of it: the woods that cut the town of
Forks off from the rest of the world were cursed by an ancient magic, imprisoning all those who dwelled within
the city limits.

It was the finality of that truth that had driven Charles Swan, chief of police of that same town, to the watchtower
that stood tall amidst the pastures and plough lands that made up the border between the town and the forest. It
was the place where he had spend many a night in his life, sometimes tense and wary, always vigilant but never as
anguished as he was that night.

"Good evening, Chief Swan." Much to his own mortification Charlie was unable to hide his reaction to the sudden
noise coming from behind him, inwardly cursing himself for not paying better attention to what was going on
around him. "How fare you this night?" He shouldn't have been surprised by the doctor's nocturnal visit to the
watchtower. Over the last six days Carlisle Cullen, his childhood friend and the town's doctor had become a
regular feature up at the tower. It was common practice for every father out there with a son on the brink of
adulthood.

"As well as any father with a child out in the woods," the policeman sighed in his characteristic half-growl. "But I
don't think I have to explain that to you. How's Esme?"

Now it was his friend's turn to sigh, his face clouding over as the memories of the last few days seeped back in.
"Coping as well as could be expected, though I wish I could do more for her." The memory of the unspeakable
pain and anguish on his wife's face when he left her that day, visible even as she lay asleep, had haunted him as
he went about his daily work, treating wounds and curing fevers to the best of his ability.

He had never felt so powerless before, not even when he had watched his sister slip away under his hands,
knowing there was nothing he could do to save her. And now he'd lost his last remaining tie to her: her son, the
boy he'd raised as his own…loved as his own.

"And you?" The gruff voice of his childhood friend pulled him out of his dark thoughts.

"The same."

Silence fell between them after that, the comfortable silence between two friends who needed no more than two
words to know how the other was feeling. Both elders of the town, they had stood beside each other during
hardships and challenges over the years but none as big as the one they were facing right now.

"She will be safe, Charlie," his friend reassured him. "If there is anyone who could make it out there, it's her."

"I know," Charlie grunted, his eyes never leaving the dark shadows on the edge of the wood, "but I still wish I'd
never let her do this. No offense…."

"None taken," the other man replied with a sigh. "Though I think you would have been hard pressed to keep her
there against her will."

"True." Charlie chuckled even in spite of himself. "But you forget….I am the chief of police after all. Locking
folks up is part of my core business."

Their conversation was cut short by a loud sound coming from the darkness in front of them, a lonesome howl
reverberating through the trees.

"What the hell was that?" Carlisle breathed, his eyes frantically scanning the darkness in front of them, the
answering howls of the rest of the wolf pack making their skin crawl.

"What the hell do you think," Charlie cried, his hands gripping the railing so tight it was in danger of breaking
into two. "It's the wolves….they must have caught her trail."

"Charlie I….."

"You'd better get back home, Carlisle," Charlie barked, his shoulders squaring and his eyes narrowing. It was a
shift in demeanor Carlisle knew all too well. He had witnessed it countless times when they grew up. It was the
end of their conversation. "You're not supposed to be out after dark anyway. Esme will be sick with worry."

Carlisle breathed in a deep breath as he watched his friend, the shadow of Chief Swan's proud, commanding
frame standing out against the dark. He wished it would be different, that their roles would have been exchanged,
that it would be his son out there searching for Charlie's daughter. Not the other way around.

It wasn't supposed to be the other way around.

Still, Charlie could hope where he could not. His child had only been out there for a day, less even, when
Carlisle's boy had set off into the woods six days ago.

Six nights of listening closely.

Six nights of watching the same damn tree line, hoping for a sign of life.

Six nights of knowing, when the wolves began to howl, that all hope should be abandoned.

Six mornings of starting all over again.

"I'm sorry," he spoke in the general direction of the shadow of his best friend.

Because he was.

~ x ~

Meanwhile somewhere deep in the forest Bella Swan was lost in more ways than one. Initially when she had set
out into the forest earlier that day, determination and focus on the task at hand had been enough to keep her going,
but as night fell and the forest gave birth to sudden movements and unsettling sounds, both of those had vanished
like snow before the sun, leaving only fear.

Fear for herself, but most of all fear for those she loved.

Her father.

Her sister.

Her lover…

If only she could have found him. If only she knew…

The thought that he might still be alive there somewhere, needing her, while she was standing there in the middle
of a moonlit clearing petrified with fear…

"Pull yourself together, Bella," she growled at herself. "It's only trees. Trees and leaves and roots. Nothing to
fear."

Although, her subconscious was quick to add, roots had made her slip more often than she cared to remember.
Not to mention the thorns on the brambles…..

"Just put one foot in front of the other." It was easier said than done with a body that had suddenly decided to
speak a different language than her mind. Between the throbbing of her slightly sprained ankle and the crippling
fear, movement was pretty much the last thing her body had in mind. The only thing that could make it move, in
the end, was the image of the one she had set out to find.

I have to find him.

Next thing she knew she was on the edge of the clearing, her eyes scanning into the darkness, hoping to satisfy
themselves that all was safe and hopefully detect a sign of life…human life.

It all happened so quickly, her brain barely catching up as the horror scenario's it had made up all came true at
once.

A twig snapping underneath her feet.

The bloodcurdling howls of the wolves, followed by the sound of living beings moving through the forest at a
dazzling speed.

Moving towards her…..

Preferring light to darkness Bella backtracked into the clearing again, though she realized that the sense of
security the moonlight gave her was nothing but falsehood. The wolves would react the same, whether they could
only see her fear or just smell it.

The only difference was that she would be able to see them, though in retrospect she wasn't quite sure whether or
not that would be an advantage.

A dark shadow crept out from beneath the tree line, minutes after Bella had backed into the clearing, it's piercing
eyes and bared, glistening teeth the only things standing out against the darkness surrounding it.

It must have smelled her through the forest, fear and the dried up blood from where thorns and branches had
scratched her skin guiding it towards her through the darkness like a hungry man towards a roasted chicken.

And with the same purpose…..to devour.

Instinct took over right that moment, her sore foot forgotten or just blocked out by the adrenaline rush, survival
outweighing visibility as far as her subconscious was concerned and Bella took off in a sprint, the fabric of her
dress rustling against her legs as she ran for dear life, hoping that the cover of darkness and the thickness of the
forest would somehow shield her from the evil that pursued her.

It was to no avail.

Soon the rustling of branches and the heavy foul breath coming from the animal's snout could be heard behind
her, stopping only when it paused to emit a deep, low howl, the answer coming almost immediately and from a
space right behind her.

Crap!

Spurred by fear Bella made the capital mistake of looking back, the shadows of at least five wolves closing in on
her making her feet pick up speed and loose every caution they had held on to until then.

The result was almost immediate, a slippery tree stump causing her to lose her balance and crash onto the ground.
The fact that the adrenaline coursing through her veins overrode the pain she would normally have felt only a
small blessing as she scrambled for a nearby tree.

She had seen death many times, even in spite of her young age. As a volunteer at Carlisle Cullen's clinic she had
stood by powerless as men with the strength of juggernauts crumbled before her eyes, not to mention watched as
her own mother sacrificed her own life to save that of her unborn child.

However, she had never given much thought to how she was going to die.

Not until then.

A frightened whimper left her mouth as she crawled backwards, her hands clawing at the earth beneath her as she
pressed her body against the wood of a tree, hoping it would somehow protect her.

"Please…." She whispered at the dark shadows moving in on her, a lone tear dripping out of the corner of her eye.

A figure sprang forward from the circle of wolves that surrounded her, its menacing snarls a taste of what was to
come.

Bella's voice barely registered above a whisper as she started to pray, the words leaving her lips in a frantic flutter
as the shadow slowly but surely crept forward.

She prayed to be saved.

She prayed for a quick ending.

But most of all….she prayed for the man she loved, more than her own life.

As the beast before her crouched, his figure poised to strike, the moonlight caught its eyes, a familiar shimmer
catching her eye.

She would have recognized those eyes anywhere, having caught that same shimmer from across her father's
dining table many, many times.

It was then, and only then, that Bella screamed.

~*~

~ Chapter One ~

"Jess, are you sure?" Bella's surprise was obvious as she withdrew her hands from the earth she had just been
digging up in search of potatoes.

"Yes! Edward Masen is the perfect man for me! Why is that so hard for you to see?" her sister cried out
impatiently. "I love him and I want to marry him and bear his children!"

If Jessica had known her exultant words and exaggerated gestures only served to show how childish and ill-
considered her plan really was, she would probably have chosen others, or held her tongue entirely.

The problem was, Jessica rarely ever thought twice about what she said or how she came across. It was a trait she
had inherited from their mother. And like her mother, she got awaywith it because of her beauty and because her
easy, open character made her ignorance sometimes seem almost cute.

Her older sister Bella, however, took more after her father. She was thoughtful, silent and reliable. It had always
been in her nature to put the wellbeing of others before her own, even if it meant getting her heart broken and her
hopes crushed. "Are you sure, Jess?" she asked, her eyes squinting against the light of the sun. "I mean….did you
speak to him about it?"

"No, not yet," Jessica huffed impatiently, "but I'm sure he'll come around as soon as he finds out that I'll have him.
After all….he'd be hard-pressed to find another unattached girl as pretty as I am in this town."

"You don't mean…." Bella's face drained of all color as she thought of the possibility that her sister, the girl she
had practically raised on her own ever since their mother died, was entertaining the thought of throwing
convention and good manners completely out of the window. "Are you saying…" she continued cautiously, "I
mean….am I right to understand that you are going to speak to him directly?"

"Why not?" Jessica shrugged, playing with a strand of her shiny light brown curls.

Bella dropped her tools, her hands trembling with a mixture of anger, shock and disappointment. "Why not?"
Bella huffed. Jessica's eyes narrowed as her sister repeated the words, only with a voice conveying the
mortification Bella felt. "Jessica, women do not just blurt out their feelings whenever they feel like it! There are
proper ways in which this should be dealt with."

"Proper ways," Jessica grumbled as if propriety was something utterly disgusting. "I'm sure he'll only like me
better because of my spirit and spontaneity."

She rolled her eyes when Bella didn't seem to be so convinced of that, her impatience and annoyance only
increasing with everything her sister said. Why couldn't Bella see the logic in all of it? She and Edward would
make such a beautiful couple and, even though Edward might not have seen it yet, she was convinced that once
she had spoken to him he would see it too. Why should she risk all of that simply because of something as dull
and stupid as etiquette?

"Mike always says that it's about time we got rid of those stuffy, archaic manners the old folks want to impose
upon the young," she tried, remembering how this same subject had been a recurring grievance amongst her
friends. She could only wholeheartedly agree with Mike. New times called for new ways. It was about time the
old guard, including, as it seemed, her sister, would realize that.

"Ah, Mike Newton," Bella grumbled.

She'd wondered when her little sister would drag Mike into it. Ever since Jessica had started hanging out with the
popular group surrounding the self-proclaimed 'Prince of Forks' she had become utterly insufferable. In fact, it
surprised Bella that Jessica had set her cap at Edward, when Mike Newton was also still available and much better
suited for her. Though God help the town if those two should ever breed.

"If you ask me, the Newtons are just the kind of social pillars we don't need around here!"

"Bella…." Jessica groaned. "Don't be so damned old-fashioned! I'm not some brainless ant in desperate need of
guidance and protection!"

"Then don't act like one!" Bella scorned.

"And what?" Jessica spat back. "Become like you?"

Bella's already pale face became as white as the dead when she caught her sister's words. There was no
clarification needed. Bella knew all too well what Jessica was implying. At the tender age of twenty and
unmarried woman in the town of Forks was in grave danger of becoming that which every woman and her family
feared: an old maid.

"Did you at least speak to our father about this?" she retorted, quickly composing herself although her sister could
plainly see how affected she still was by her harsh words.

"No," Jessica crossed her arms in front of her chest, hoping it would finally make her sister realize that – whatever
she might have thought or felt about this – it was her decision and she would act upon it. "Nor do I intend to. I
have made up my mind, Bella. I'm going to talk to him today. It would be impossible to have a wedding before
winter sets in if I postpone this any longer and I don't want to wait another year."

"But has he ever indicated that he felt the same way about you?" Bella asked, trying to calm her sister down as
she struggled to keep her own feelings under control.

"Not really," Jessica replied, be it reluctantly. "But you know what he's like. He never talks much…especially not
to women."

She had a point there. If Bella hadn't been thrown together with him because they were roughly the same age and
both worked at the hospital, she would have thought Edward to be a mute. There was preciously little anyone
really knew about the man, except for the bare facts, since he kept himself aloof from the town and most of its
inhabitants. Apart from the Cullens, his uncle and aunt who had taken him in when both his parents had died in a
horrible flu epidemic when he was only a little boy, she did not recall him ever socializing with anyone.

It was probably that same mystery that surrounded him, that had attracted her sister to him in the first place. Apart
from his startlingly good looks and his family's good name, it was just about the only thing she could think of. In
the whole town of Forks you probably wouldn't find two people more different in character and disposition than
Edward Masen and Jessica Swan.

"But if he has never spoken to you, or sought your company then how can you be so certain of his affections?"
she tried.

"I'm not." The younger woman shrugged as if it were the most normal thing in the world to speak of marriage to a
man whom you had never shared anything with, apart from the pleasantries polite society forced upon two people
who happened to be in the same room to exchange. "But I'm never going to know how he feels about me unless I
ask him."

If her heart hadn't shattered into a million pieces at the faint possibility that Jessica might be right she would have
been in awe of her little sister's boldness, even if it went against every proper sense of propriety. As it was, she
was still desperately trying to hide her true feelings and tell herself that she was trying to dissuade her sister from
making this bold move to protect her reputation, not because Bella had been in love with that same man ever since
she knew what love was. And maybe even before that.

"I won't stand in your way, if this is what you really want to do," she finally sighed, knowing that nothing she
could say or do would stop her little sister once she'd made up her mind, "but please Jess, be careful and don't get
your hopes up too high. Wait until you have seen some confirmation of his feelings for you in him before you
speak to him because if you don't, I am afraid that you are headed for heartbreak."

"Why do you always have to make me feel like a child!" Jessica cried out. "Just because you're older than me and
took care of me after mom died, doesn't mean I have to do what you say! And it's not like you're not just jealous
anyway!"

"Jess…."

"No, I'm done talking to you!" Jessica screeched, her skirts flailing around her legs as she turned on her heels and
stormed off.

There was no doubt in Bella's mind as to where her sister was going, nor – if she looked at it rationally – of what
the outcome would be. It was ironic, though, that her sister's heart would shatter on the very same day hers was
crushed only three years ago.

She rarely thought about that day, or the events that followed it but that probably would go to show that, though
her heart had been bruised, it had never been broken. Not even when she had been all set to marry Jacob Black,
her childhood friend and the son of the village chief, two weeks after he turned twenty-one. Still, she had resigned
herself to the inevitability of her marriage and even grown to like the idea and make plans for their future. She
could never wish her sister the same kind of heartbreak she had suffered when those plans had all gone up in
smoke. No, she would at least hope for the best and try to be happy for her.

On the other hand, her heart hurt even worse when she thought of the possibility that Jessica had been right. Her
little sister was, after all, the most beautiful unmarried woman the town boasted of. It would only be fitting if she
were to marry the most beautiful man. And, improbable as a match between them was, it wasn't unheard off. Men
had been known to marry women much different to them…look at her parents.

The only thing Charles Swan and Renee Higginbotham had had in common when they got married were the fact
that they were both human and had been born and raised in Forks. To the outside observer they had nothing that
could bind them together, yet they had had a very loving and successful marriage none the less, until her mother
had died giving birth to Jessica, almost seventeen years ago.

Bella sighed as she sat up straight, her eyes gliding over the town in front of her before settling onto the white
house that sat proudly on the border between the town and the forest. It would do no good to entertain hopes in
that direction. Though the Masens had always been known for their courage and independent spirits, the chance
that Edward Cullen would ever think of her in terms of marriage was slim to none. She had nothing to entice him
with, her features plain, her fortune small and her talents too insignificant to set her apart from all the other girls
in town. Even the standing her last name had amongst the townsfolk as the protectors of safety and order both
within the town and on the border, couldn't save her ever since her reputation had forever been tainted by the
events in the past.

If only she had known that an act of friendship could destroy your future just as well as any act of hate.

Not that Bella regarded her life as destroyed. Apart from the fact that she would have to resign herself to
spinsterhood, she lived a very satisfactory life. She and her father had always been very close and she liked taking
care of him and of the house they inhabited. Her garden, the chickens and the household chores kept her busy well
enough and her temporary job as a nurse at the small hospital in town provided her with enough distraction to
prevent everyday life from turning into a drag.

She was content with the way things were going for her.

Content, but not entirely happy.

Deep down inside Bella longed for a family of her own – a husband, a baby, a house to be mistress of – but she
also knew that she could never settle for anyone else but Edward. She had tried that before and look where it got
her: alone and living with her father.

She was one of the few girls her age that was.

If Bella had kept her eyes on the white house on the edge of town she might have been able to spot the man who
featured so heavily in her thoughts coming out of his house, the helve of an axe resting casually against his
shoulder as he made his way to a big pile of wood. His muscles strained against the rolled up sleeves of his plaid
shirt as he lifted the axe up and made it come down with a crushing blow.

The poor unsuspecting wood never stood a chance.

She would also had been able to spot a female figure walking towards him, the determination, confidence and
barely concealed sensuality in her step leaving no doubt as to the purpose of the woman's visit.

Instead, Bella busied herself digging up potatoes, pulling weeds out from in between the vegetables and other
plants that grew in the Swan's big and flourishing garden. As was the case for almost every other family, their
own garden was not just a place to unwind and relax whenever the weather permitted it, for most it was also the
only supply of fruit and vegetables they had, since most of the farmland in the small valley that made up their
world was devoted to grain and cattle.

However, unlike many others, Bella greatly enjoyed getting her hands dirty as she worked on her little kitchen
garden. All her life had been about the struggle of the town she lived in against the horrible forces of nature that
were afoot in the forest that surrounded it. The fact that here, in her own backyard, was a tiny piece of nature that
she could bend to her will, gave her hope that one day the battle with nature might yet be decided in their favor.

After all, had not David defeated Goliath?

"Bella?" As she looked up again the face of her dear friend Alice Cullen, formerly Brandon, smiled down on her.

"Alice! How are you? How is the baby?" she gasped in surprise, quickly wiping her hands clean on her apron
before rising to hug the small woman standing on the other side of the garden fence. A young mother, her baby
girl only a few weeks old. Bella had not had a chance to speak to her friend too often in the last couple of days.

"I am well, as is little Kate," Alice replied, the warmth of her character seeping though in her words. "But that's
not what I came here to talk to you about, as much as I miss our talks. Carlisle needs you. There has been an
accident at the workshop and both Tyler and his dad are hurt."

"I'll be with you in a minute," Bella was quick to reply. She had picked up a routine during the few months she
had assisted Carlisle Cullen, the town's doctor, and his wife in their practice. She only needed a few minutes to get
rid of her apron and garden gloves, leave a quick note so that her father and sister knew where she was and got her
bag and shawl before she rejoined her friend in front of the house. "Is anyone else hurt, apart from those two?"

"No, thank God," Alice sighed, linking her arm through Bella's as they started for the town, "but Peter is in a
pretty bad shape and with my mother's skills needed to assist my dad, they are relying on you to keep an eye on
Tyler. I would have done it myself if….."

"And what kind of stand-in would I be if I allowed you to do all the work for me?" Bella chuckled.

When Alice became pregnant shortly after marrying the love of her life, it had been a done deal that her best
friend would take over from her the moment she was unable to assist her father in law at the hospital. Bella's
father had no objections against it, provided her tasks at the hospital didn't conflict with her household chores and
the Cullens had been happy to take her on as an apprentice, not that they had to prevail upon her too often. After
all, in a town as small as Forks it was a rare occasion that there was an emergency large enough to require two
nurses at once. "Be with your child Alice and enjoy her as much as you can before she grows up."

"Thanks, Bella!" Alice sighed. "It's just…sometimes I wished there was an easier solution to all of this." Her face
broke out of a blush as she realized how her words could be construed. "Not that I don't trust you to fill in for me,

God no! With your calmness and patience I'll be relieved if Carlisle and Esme even want me to come back when
the baby is older." She sighed, her small, thin fingers playing with the fringes of the shawl she had wrapped
around her shoulders against the chill of spring. "It's just that I've spent such a big part of my life in that hospital."

It was hard not to feel sorry for Alice. Like Bella, she had seen a lot of heartbreak in her short life, losing her
mother when she was still a baby and her father falling ill when she was only fourteen. Her life had not been an
easy one, but Alice was never quick to accept any help. She'd seen it as her cross to bear, and though there was no
shortage of people very eager to help her, she had only ever accepted the bare minimum of what they offered; a
basket of food, a stack of chopped wood, a shoulder to cry on….

When it became impossible for Alice to take care of her father at home, she had moved with him to the hospital,
picking up all kinds of chores along the way to show her gratitude to the Cullens for taking her in and letting her
live at the clinic instead of forcing her to go home and face the darkness alone. When the old man had died, five
years ago the doctor and his wife had adopted her, saying they weren't just gaining a daughter but also a highly
skilled nurse.

They hadn't realized, though, how true that first part had been until their son, upon his return from his ordeal in
the woods, announced his betrothal to their ward and his intent to marry her as soon as possible now that all
obstacles standing between them were out of the way.

"I know it's hard to let go, Alice," Bella smiled, hoping cheerfulness and positivity would cheer her friend up, "but
think about what you've gained. You have a husband who truly loves you and a beautiful baby girl who needs
you, that's important. Don't trouble yourself with things that don't matter in the grand scheme of things. Home is
where you need to be right now."

"And home is where I am headed. Or, at least, I should be. God knows Jasper is probably bordering on a nervous
breakdown by now. He's never been left alone with Kate for so long."

Alice's smile was radiant as she hugged her friend close.

"Thanks Bella, for putting things into perspective. You're right. I have been blessed of late – finally – and I should
enjoy my blessings while I can and be happy that I have friends willing to hold down the fort in my absence."

"I will always be there for you," Bella assured her as she left the warmth of her friend's embrace . "Now go. And
give my regards to your husband."

"Good luck, Bella!" Alice called after her as she watched her friend enter the hospital while she set of for the
small cottage she lived in with her husband and child, before adding another remark in a softer voice. "I know you
will be equally blessed yourself someday soon. I can feel it."

And everyone in the small town of Forks knew better than to bet against Alice Cullen.

~*~

~ Chapter Two ~

It was close to curfew when Bella left the hospital that night. The evening had already drawn long shadows in the
grass as she made her way to the small white house on the edge of town that had been her home for as long as she
existed.

With the town looking so peaceful and quiet one would almost forget, that underneath the cheerful façade of
idyllic white wooden houses and colorful, fragrant gardens it was nothing better than a prison. A pretty prison, but
a prison none the less.

The story of how all of it had come to be, was ancient and through the years each generation had added its own
bits and pieces to it until it had become a story so incredible that, had not almost every inhabitant of the town
witnessed the outcome of it one way or another, no one would have regarded it as more than a fairy tale; a scary
bedtime story that taught children of the dangers a forest could hold to them.

In any form, though, the core of the story remained the same.

It had started with a crime. A woman, her toned skin and dark eyes and hair a testament of her heritage, being
violated in the worst possible way by a group of boys from the village and being left to die after they had their fill
of her.

When her body had finally been found, days after she had gone missing, the wrath of her people had been so great
that they had put a curse on the town that would affect not only the people who lived in those dark days, but all
those who came after them.

Of course the villagers had dismissed them with no small amount of sarcasm. After all, their teachings of God and
science didn't leave any room for the ancient wisdom of nature. They had felt secure, knowing that out of the two
parties involved, they had the safest houses and the most powerful weapons.

Nothing could touch them, or so they thought.

It was that same night that the wolves had first appeared, forcing the people of Forks to believe in that which they
had only hours ago regarded as nonsense. The curse of the Quileute's was real. The ferocious animals that killed
nine of its inhabitants were too large and menacing to be explained by science, coincidence…..or by faith.

The town had been a prison ever since, the distance between it and the outside world being too great to be crossed
within the bounds of daylight and nighttime being too dangerous to be outside.

Not that there hadn't been those who had tried. A few of them had even succeeded. There had been merchants
whose curiosity and pursuit of monetary gain had made them take the risk, doctors desperate in their attempts to
cure the sick and young men eager for more than the town could offer them. Some had made it to the outside
world and back again, some even more than once, but inevitably the forest would stake its claim on them and
another name would be added to the huge marble column bearing the names of all those who had fallen victim to
the hounds of Olympia.

It was a long list.

She shivered, her eyes shooting through the sinister darkness of the forest that surrounded the town. It had been a
long, long time since the wolves had breached the borders that separated their two worlds, but that hadn't meant
that no names had been added to the memorial. On the contrary…it had been no more than two months since the
reverend Thomas Weber had lead the memorial service for Embry Call, aged twenty-one, missing and presumed
dead in the forest.

"Stupid Curse! Stupid tradition!" Bella growled, nearly losing her balance as she kicked at a few pebbles. She had
known Embry well since they were the same age and his father was a member of the night watch, the daily
changing group of men who patrolled the borders of the town at night. "Why do men always have to proof just
how manly they are? Why can't they just take care of their families and settle their masculinity in a game of arm
wrestling?"

Embry didn't deserve to die, his death hadn't been necessary, Bella thought. Like so many others his life had been
wasted in a time old tradition that stated that every young man, upon the brink of adulthood, had to venture into
the woods on the day before his twenty first birthday and stay there for three days and two nights to prove his
worth. It was only upon arriving back into the village that he could call himself a man and take up his seat as head
of his own household and member of the town council.

It had been like that for many decades and – unless some disaster would wipe out the town – it would be like that
for decades to come and why? Because none of the men, not even those who had emerged from the forest on the
third day, shell-shocked with fear, put this ridiculous tradition into question.

Not even when the time came for them to send their own sons into the wild.

Bella's troubles, however were forgotten the moment she opened the door to her house, the heartbroken cries of
her sister greeting her the moment she stepped in.

"It's not fair! Why can't he just love me?"

"There, there now, poppet." Bella could hear the awkwardness in her father's voice all the way from upstairs as
she walked into the house, his voice almost drowned out by the heartbroken sobs of her sister. "There's plenty of
other boys in the town. I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding a husband amongst them."

"But I don't want them!" Her sister cried. "I want him!"

She could sense her father's desperation from where she was standing. Her father, coming from a long line of
men's men wasn't good at dealing with 'female sensitivities' as he called it, preferring to hide out in his
watchtower instead. As long as her brother Emmett had still been at home he had been relatively safe. Emmett
was no more apt to deal with the many outbursts of Jessica's mercurial temper than he was, but at least he had
seen the fun in sticking around and seeing what his sister would get up to now.

Charlie, however, could not see the 'fun' in it, which was why Bella could not have been more welcome than if
she were an angel sent from the Lord above.

"Dad? Jessica?" Both people on the top floor breathed a sigh of relief as they heard her voice, followed by the
shutting of a door. Charlie, because he knew he failed at soothing his daughter in her time of need, Jessica
because – in spite of her many friends and acquaintances – her sister really was the only one she could talk to.

The sound of her sister's anguished sobs drifting down from upstairs, broke Bella's heart. Bella and Jessica Swan
might have been as different in character as two girls born from the same parents could ever be, but the bond
between them was still strong and her sister's sadness cut through Bella's heart like a knife.

Jessica should never cry. It had been the promise she had made herself on her mother's deathbed and one she had
worked very hard to keep. Pretty and lively since the day she was born, Jessica had always sailed through live
getting everything she wanted. It was hard to deny her anything, even for those who knew the effect too much
indulgence had on the girl's character.

It was all her fault, Bella concluded. If she had managed to protect her sister from her own tendency towards self-
centeredness and self-importance, none of this would have happened. She should have stopped her. She should
have known!

She had failed.

What made matters even worse, was the overwhelming sense of relief she felt, knowing that not only had her
sister been spared a marriage she considered very ill-fated, but also that Edward Cullen was still a free man.

Free to marry whoever he would choose.

"Bella!" her father's voice sounding from the top of the stairs pulled her out of her thoughts. "Thank God you're
here!"

Bella and her dad shared a knowing look when he came down from the stairs, Charlie hugging his eldest daughter
as if she were the prodigal son returned. Bella returned his hug fondly for it was not often that her father showed
his affection for either of his children, though all three of them had no reason to doubt his love for them.

"You knew of this?" he asked after a while, the muffled sobs reminding them of the predicament they found
themselves in.

"I did, yes," Bella replied with a sigh. "That is to say…she informed me of her plans just before she went out to
meet him. I tried to stop her really but…"

"Don't trouble yourself," her father chuckled, ruffling his daughter's hair before placing a fond kiss on top of her
head. "I think I've seen enough of your skirmishes to paint a pretty lively picture of what must have transpired
between the two of you."

'It wasn't that bad…"

"I bet it was," her father interrupted, his voice a little sterner than he might have intended it to be. "I know Jessica
has her way of trampling over you and disregarding the advice you rightly offer to her."

"Dad…."

'I know it goes against the grain for you to be firm with her but don't let her take too much advantage of that or
she will end up in trouble, likely pulling you with her as well."

"I'm sorry." Bella hung her head in shame, feeling that she had let not only herself but also her sister down.

When their mother had died, Bella had only been five years old and though their grandmother had done her best
to fill the gaping hole the absence of Renee had left in their home, her old-fashioned ideas of what a young
woman should be like – homely and not too smart – had been ingrained on her little sister's nine year old brain
when grandma Marie too had passed away.

"Do not blame yourself, Bella," her father insisted, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. "If anyone deserves to
be blamed in all of this, it is me. I should have been home more and taken my responsibility as a parent instead of
putting the town's wellbeing above that of my own family. I should not have left my fourteen year old daughter to
manage a household and bring up her two siblings."

"I still should have done a better task at it," Bella insisted. "If mom had been alive…."

"But she's not," Charlie interrupted with a sigh, his eyes showing the loss that still weighed as heavy on his heart
as it had the day after his beloved wife had died in his arms, "and I think that even she would have struggled to
make a sensible woman of your sister."

"Dad!" As much as Bella worried about her sister's character and the total disregard for the rules her little sister
often showed, she could not stand by and have her father accuse the girl of being a simpleton.

"You know what I mean," Charlie grumbled. "Our Jessie has many qualities and I love her dearly, but one could
never accuse her of being a wit. I am sure that in time, and with a good husband to steer her in the right direction
she will grow into a good woman. But for now all we can do is try and keep her from making too much of a fool
out of herself until that day comes."

Bella sighed, knowing that they would just have to agree to disagree on this. "Have you eaten? I'm sorry I'm home
so late but there was this emergency over at…."

"Crowley's workshop, I know," her father added with a nod. "Don't trouble yourself. I managed to sneak out in-
between breakdowns to fix myself a sandwich." His eyes glanced from the spiral staircase in the corner that lead
up to the top floor where the bedrooms were to the grandfather's clock in the corner of the room. "Are you okay to
deal with this on your own?"

"You know I am, father," Bella chuckled. "Go take care of the town. I know you're anxious to get to your tower."

"You're a treasure, Bella," he smiled, nodding goodbye before he went towards his duty.

Bella watched him as he made his way to the watchtower, chuckling at the way his posture straightened and his
confidence grew the minute he transformed from 'dad' into 'Chief Swan'.

Charles Swan was never more in his element than when he was up in his watchtower, making sure the good
people of Forks could sleep easily, knowing they were protected against the danger that surrounded them. He was
one of the few people in town unencumbered by curfew, her brother Emmett, destined to follow in his father's
footsteps, being the other as well as the handful of men who were on watch that night.

When she was sure her father had reached his workspace safely she made her way up the stairs and to the
bedroom she and her sister had shared ever since they were little girls. "Jess?" Bell asked, cautiously progressing
towards the crying figure of her sister.

The sight of the prettiest girl in town was retched. Her hair was in disarray, her face blotchy and red, her dress
frazzled and wrinkled from curling up on her bed. It was hard to recognize the girl who had left their home earlier
that day, brimming with certainty and hope, and the heartbroken and humiliated little girl that looked at her now
with her big, blue eyes clearly conveying her sorrow for the way she treated her loving, kind, considerate sister.

"Oh Bella." Jessica fell into her sisters arms as soon as Bella's body had settled down onto the bed, her small
frame shaking uncontrollably with grief. "I should have listened to you. I made such a fool out of myself."

"Shhh," Bella soothed, lovingly stroking her sister's back. "It's okay."

"No it's not!" Jessica wailed. "I acted so horribly towards you when all you tried to do was keep me from making
a mistake. Why do I always do that? Why do I never listen?"

"You're impulsive," Bella chuckled, "and because you let your impulsivity lead you it gets you into trouble."

"I know," Jessica sighed, "it's just...you know when I spent the night at Em's a couple of weeks ago, when you
were busy at the clinic and dad had to patrol that night?" She waited for her sister to nod before she continued.
"Well, I guess my maternal instincts must have kicked in when I saw Emmett and Rose interacting with their
children. It was such a pretty picture…"

"I know, I have to admit that I quite envy them myself." Bella scooted her whole body onto the bed, her sister
making room for her as soon as she caught the intent. It was the behavior of two people who knew each other
through and through, both of them assuming the position that had seen them through many a conversation over
the years, lying side by side on their backs, looking out through the window in the wall across from their bed.
"After all, you'd have a tough time finding two children sweeter than Henry and Julia."

My brother had married Rosalie Cullen, the great beauty of the town, fresh out of the woods after his 'test of
manhood'. They had been sweethearts for as long as I could remember, even when they had still been kids. They
were one of those couples who just belonged together, like my best friend Alice and her husband, who just so
happened to be Rosalie's brother.

"I do really like him, Bella," her sister admitted after being silent for a while, a fresh set of tears appearing in her
eyes. "I know it is strange, considering I didn't even really know Edward…but I do really think I was well
underway of falling in love with him. But then….he never even spoke to me."

"Tell me what happened," Bella spoke, when the violence of her sister's sobs seemed to wane a little. "It helps."

"I was so certain of myself when I walked towards his house…." Jessica started, her self-reproach clear in her
voice as she rested her head on Bella's shoulder. "I never even once thought about the possibility that he might
turn me down."

"I know," Bella sighed as she ran her hand over the mass of light brown curls that framed her sister's face like a
halo.

"He was chopping wood when I got there," Jessica continued. "And the sight of him...his muscles standing out
from underneath the rolled up sleeves of his shirt and his sweaty hair sticking to his head…."

She shook her head as she let out a humorless chuckle. "God, I wanted to marry him so badly in that moment. If
only so I could run my hands through his hair and taste the sweat on his lips when he kissed me."

Bella swallowed hard as she tried to dispel the lively image her sister's words painted, wondering how Jessica had
become so wise in the manifestation of physical love. She was wiser than a girl her age had any right to be. Wiser,
even, in this matter than her older sister…

"Then, I threw caution to the wind and blurted out my feelings for him like a common simpleton," Jessica went
on. "God! I never even once checked to see if he made any indication of reciprocating my feelings….no, I just
went on and on!"

"You didn't know," Bella tried, only to be interrupted by her sister.

"No, I didn't," Jessica nodded with a sigh, her voice growing indignant and angry as she launched into the final act
of her dealings with Edward, "and I never expected him to just stand there, chopping wood as if nothing important
had happened."

Jessica sat up straight, her tiny frame shaking with anger as she spoke. "He barely even looked at me, Bella! In the
end I couldn't stand it any longer and walked away."

"I'm so sorry, Jess," Bella sighed, pulling her sister into a hug, her own anger flaring up at the realization that
Edward, whom she had thought so much off, could be so cruel. Sure, Jessica must have completely taken him by
surprise and he never had been much of a talker, but at least he could muster the common decency to turn a
woman down in a gentlemanly fashion?

"How did you do it, Bella? How did you deal with all of this when Jake…" She sniffed, burying the side of her
face in the pillow while she awaited her answer.

"The pain will lessen," Bella spoke, trying to pour as much reassurance and conviction into the lies she was about
to tell. "In time, it will be as if all of this has never happened." Considering Jessica had already progressed to the
anger-stage in her grief she probably wasn't even so far from the truth.

"Really?" her sister sniffed.

"I promise." Bella could make this promise easily since she suspected that for Jessica, the love she claimed to
have been feeling didn't so much concern the person she had fallen in love with as the idea of what she could
stand to gain from being in love. If she knew her sister like she thought she did, Jessica would soon rally from her
disappointment and find another, more willing subject to bestow her love upon. With Jessica's good looks and
generally easygoing character she would have no trouble finding such a person, even if word of her little faux pas
got out.

For her, however, things hadn't been so easy.

The truth was, it had all been a mistake. She had never meant to marry Jake in the first place. How could she
have, when her heart belonged to another? It had been circumstance that forced her hand. Circumstance and her
own kind heart and desire to help.

She remembered it as if it were yesterday; her best friend pacing around the living room, his usually tanned face
pale with worry and fear as he muttered inaudible sentences at no one in particular, thought she didn't remember
when he had brought up his fear of dying without even having received his first kiss. His fear hadn't been entirely
unfounded. Just two weeks shy of his twenty-first birthday and with the knowledge that his family name featured
very prominently in the list of those who had not returned from their stay in the woods, Jacob was only right to
fear for his life. It was what any sensible boy would do.

Bella, ever the giver, had obliged him without thinking. It wasn't as if it was a big deal to her anyway. The boy
had been scared out of his wits and she had figured this might be a good way to comfort him. She had felt nothing
but the sense of gratification that came with helping a friend in need when his warm lips had pressed against hers,
the whole thing being more awkward and clumsy than sensual.

What she hadn't figured into the equation was the fact that her father walked in on them, when Jake's arms
wrapped firmly around her and their lips locked; he had drawn his own conclusions.

Bella sighed as the memories of that night drifted back to the forefront of her mind. It could all have worked out
fine, even at that point, if her father had been the only one to see them, but unfortunately he had been in the

company of others and those others included Mrs. Mallory, the town gossip. In short; at the end of the day Bella
had found herself betrothed to a man she didn't love and with a wedding planned as soon as humanly possible.

And all of it simply to save face.

In the end she had been saved the misery of a loveless marriage though her rescue had never given Bella an ounce
of comfort.

Jake had not come back from his three days in the woods.

Grieving for the loss of her best friend and guilty for the fact that she could not love him as well as he had
deserved, Bella had made herself a promise. Never again would she allow herself to get trapped in a situation she
did not want to be in. And though men had pursued her in the three years since Jacob had passed away, she had
never replied to any of their advances, saving herself for the only man she could ever envision herself growing old
with.

She was saving herself for him.

"You know…" Once again it was Jessica who broke the silence.

"What?"

"Edward and you are very similar…."

"Don't start Jess." Bella growled, breathing a sigh of relief when her sister didn't pursue that particular line of
thought.

Because as much as Bella might have liked Edward, he had made the capital mistake of hurting her sister's
feelings.

And that was a flaw Bella Swan could not easily overlook.

~*~

~ Chapter Three ~

Edward stood there, completely dumbfounded as he watched the small yet furious figure of Jessica Swan stalk
down the garden path, nearly pushing over his cousin Rosalie as she went.

What the hell had just happened?

He dropped his axe, needing his right hand to scratch his head as he tried to get his mind around the insane
parallel universe he had found himself in, just minutes ago. One moment he had been chopping wood for his aunt
and uncle's fire, the next this crazy woman had appeared in front of him railing on and on about her feelings for
him.

Her feelings for him?

Though he knew the girl well enough, they had hardly even shared enough words between them to be called
acquaintances, let alone develop feelings. While he had stood there confused and slightly scared of so much
feminine display of affection in front of him, Jessica had droned on indefatigably, apparently not in need of any
kind of reply or reaction until she had finally drawn a much needed breath and looked at him expectantly.

And that was the moment where it had all gone wrong.

"Well, as far as screw ups go, this sure was one." Rosalie's voice pulled him out of his thought and he finally
looked up, seeing her lean against the wood shed with a smile on her lips and her arms crossed in front of her
chest.

"It's nice to see you too, cousin," he grumbled. "Was there anything in particular you need? Or did you just miss
my company?"

"So he does speak!" she jested. "I was beginning to think your life as a recluse had claimed its first casualty." She
chuckled, her eyes gliding towards the town. "Though one might argue that the Swan girl is."

"As nice as catching up with you is, I've got a lot of work to do," Edward grouched, lifting his axe up in the air
again. "So unless you've got something important you need to ask me, I suggest you go back on your merry way
and laugh at me from a distance."

"Poor Edward!" Rosalie cooed sarcastically. She had always refused to accept the walls Edward had put up
between him and the rest of the world, even from the very start. When Edward's mother and father had died and
Edward had been adopted by his uncle and aunt everyone had been lenient on the little guy, thinking his
reluctance to speak or join in on family gatherings was caused by his loss.

Not Rosalie.

On the first day of his arrival eight year old Rosalie had gotten into a screaming match with her five year old
cousin when she called him a freak after she found him hiding out in the pantry. It had also been the day when
their special friendship had started.

"It's not like it's all my fault." Rosalie rolled her eyes at Edward's words, an act which only deepened the scowl
that had been etched on her cousin's face. "Truly."

Edward gesticulated wildly, almost forgetting his hands were still holding on to what was rightly considered a
deadly weapon. Blushing as Rosalie yelped and stepped out of its range he finally set the axe down only to sit
beside it on the chopping block. "You're forgetting that is was she who accosted me, not the other way
around…and you know her well enough to know that when that woman opens her mouth it is damn near
impossible to silence her. What was I supposed to do? Interrupt her rant to tell her that the very thought of being
condemned to listening to her shallow ramblings until death does us part sickens me?"

Rosalie let out a very unladylike snort at his words, making a smile appear on her cousin's lips. "I think you'd
agree that that would not have made matters any better," Edward added.

"Face it, Edward," Rosalie snickered, her beautiful face wrinkling with abhorrence as she left the safety of the
paved path between the house and the garden shed, taking the utmost care not to taint her clothes or shoes with
the remnants of a very wet spring. "You don't exactly have a way with the ladies or with people in general, to be
honest."

"Not that old song again!" Edward groaned. He was well aware of his own defects, as both Rosalie and his Aunt
Esme never failed to point them out to him, be it both in their own ways. Yes, he never spoke much, especially
not when he was in company that made him feel uncomfortable and yes, that had made him shy away from
seeking the company of those he did not know altogether but was that necessarily a bad thing?

He didn't think so.

It wasn't like he was even a complete recluse to begin with. Both his work at his uncle's clinic and his job as the
town's herbalist meant that he ventured into the company of others often enough and as long as their interactions
remained purely professional, Edward had no problem with them.

It was only when situations that went beyond the realm of medicine or the usual commonplaces that Edward
found himself completely tongue tied or scrambling for words.

"Just be glad that it's me who does the scolding and not my mother." Edward had half forgotten that his cousin
was still there until she spoke again, her face softening when she saw the turmoil that brewed beneath the smooth
surface of Edward's face. Over the years she had learned to read his expressions, difficult a task as that was.

Edward had always been very good at hiding himself away and pretending everything was fine. It was in the little
things that you could spot the truth; a shimmer in his eyes when he was content, the tight set of his mouth when

he was angry, the faint hint of a frown when he was frustrated….it was only when he was utterly confused – like
when she had happened upon him just now – that he showed his true feelings.

"Anyway," she added, quickly changing the subject before Edward would draw away entirely. "Carlisle sent me
on a mission. His supply of medicine is running low."

Rosalie hated these conversations. Like any child growing up in Forks she had learned to live in fear of
everything that dwelled inside the forest. Asking someone she loved as if he were her brother, to risk his life for
the benefit of the town wasn't right, even if it was the right thing to do.

The selfless thing to do.

Edward, on the other hand, didn't share her fears. He never had. He was well aware of the dangers that lurked
beneath the ancient trees and the risk he was taking by disregarding them, but considering that he only went into
the forest during the day and that he always stayed close to the border he had always considered the odds stacked
in his favor.

And even if they weren't, it wasn't like he had that much to lose.

"How much does he need?" Rosalie's request could not have come at a more welcome time. Edward needed some
time away and the forest would provide him with the peace and quiet to sort through the mess the younger Swan
girl had left in her wake and come up with a way to fix it. The fact that hiding out in the forest for a couple of
days would save him the embarrassment of running into the girl or her family was an added bonus.

"Everything," Rosalie replied with a wry smile. "You know how much he hates asking you for this, but with
yesterday's accident he cannot put it off any longer."

"I heard about that. Does he need any help?"

"Not that I know of," Rosalie replied. "Pete is in pretty bad shape but Tyler seems to have suffered only minor
cuts and bruises, nothing that Isabella can't take care of on her own."

"I'll set out tomorrow," Edward promised, trying not to show his body's reaction when the name of the elder Swan
sister had fallen from his cousin's lips. He was relieved when Rosalie left soon after extorting the promise that he
would come to dinner with her family somewhere during the next week. If Rosalie knew that he secretly carried a
torch for her sister in law there would be no end to it.

And Edward wasn't ready yet to act upon his feelings.

Edward might have been brave, but he wasn't stupid. He knew that, though the forest might have been harmless
enough by day, the forest by night was a completely different story. With his twenty-first birthday looming over
his head like the metaphorical sword of Damocles he shied away from forming attachments to people as much as
he could. The less who grieved him, should he not return from his three day stay in the woods, the better.

Edward knew what it was like to grieve and he didn't wish that for anyone.

He had been only five years old, that year when a terribly flu-epidemic had descended upon the people of Forks
so there wasn't much he could remember about what had happened. All he knew was that he got home from
school one day feeling horrible and his mother put him to bed. The next thing he could remember was waking up
two weeks later in the hospital, completely famished and with a terrible sense of dread. He could only recall bits
and pieces of the days that came between him getting sick and then waking up in the hospital.

He could faintly recall his mother trying to hold his body upright long enough to feed him some chicken broth,
though he had resisted her vehemently, even going as far as to tell her he hated her when she begged him to just
try one spoon full.

He could remember waking up one night to the sound of someone coughing somewhere in the house while a
heated conversation between his father and another man took place downstairs.

He could remember the cold, when his uncle had carried him from the house to someplace else.

But nothing else.

The first thing he had seen when he had opened his eyes was his aunt, her normal beautiful face wrecked with the
traces of grief and her slender frame shaking as she hugged him a little too close for comfort.

Edward had soon found out why.

It turned out that whatever had ailed him had been contagious. Half the town had been sick during the two weeks
he had been out of it, though few had it as bad as he did, one of them being his mother.

The agony the little boy had felt when his uncle had told him that his mother, the woman who had held him when
he was scared, sang him to sleep and to whom his last words had been spoken in childish hate, had died, had only
been surpassed when it had been followed by the news of the passing of his father.

Edward Masen Sr. driven to desperation by the suffering of his wife and child, had set out into the woods on
horseback on the third night of Edward's illness, determined to reach a nearby town and find some sort of
medicine there that could make them better.

He had not returned.

~ x ~

Edward spend as much of the next four days out in the woods, leaving his home at first light and emerging only
when the warning bell would sound in the evening. This time, however, his journey into the woods didn't give
him the peace of mind he usually derived from it, the aftershock of his conversation with the younger Swan girl
haunting every step he took.

He had made a big mistake. Yet again. The irony of it all was that this time he had done it without actually saying
a word.

After the memory of those hateful last words he had spoken to his mother had come back to haunt him, words he
could never take back no matter how much he wanted to, his five year old self had taken a vow never to speak in
haste. He was never going to speak, without having weighed his words very carefully first. He had stood firm to
that vow ever since, even when his long silence made people think he was simple, arrogant or, as in this case,
plain rude and disrespectful.

The biggest of his problems though was that in turning down one Swan sister, he might have ruined his chances
with the other forever.

Edward sighed as he pushed the small cart he used to store the herbs he had collected towards the clinic, taking it
straight around the back to where the kitchen was. The clinic had always been a place where he had felt
completely at ease. He had wanted to follow into his uncle's footsteps for as long as he could remember, the
prospect of preventing other people from suffering a loss – whether a loss of limb, blood or of a whole person –
appealing to him more than his father's profession had done.

Carlisle had been all too glad to take him on. With his own son preferring to oversee the family's farmland instead
of following in his father's footsteps, the town had been in danger of being without a physician when he became
unable to do his work. And Edward was a very bright and eager pupil after all.

He was also a very startled man when, upon his knocks on the backdoor, it was opened by no other person than
she who had occupied many of his thoughts while he had been out in the woods.

Isabella Swan.

While Edward frantically tried to think of something appropriate and thoughtful to say, given the circumstance
they were in, Bella's feelings were very similar to his. With her initial anger somewhat abated and her sister doing
better, her old feelings were starting to resurface, making her feel more confused than anything else.

"Edward." It felt like ages before Bella had worked up the courage to acknowledge the man in front of her, and
even then she felt like she was doing a very poor job at it.

"Miss Swan," Edward nodded, both of them wishing for some divine intervention to make this moment less
awkward and their tongues more proficient.

"Carlisle asked me to help you bring those in," Bella spoke, the low whisper of her voice forcing Edward to lean
into her personal space where he was met with the most lovely scent he had ever breathed in. Wild strawberries
and lavender. "I hope that's okay, with you?"

It wasn't until he heard the insecurity in her voice that Edward realized that he was still standing there, too close
for comfort and sniffing her like a dog. "O-Of course," he stammered, lifting his hat from his hair in order to
scratch his head. "Follow me."

Bella did her best not to check out the backside of the man who had broken her sister's heart too much as she
followed him out to the backyard where a barrow laden with all kinds of medicinal herbs awaited them.

They were silent as they carried the supplies into the clinic's kitchen, laying them out the huge wooden table in the
middle of the room. At first the silence was pleasant, refreshing even. Neither of them was fond of speaking when
words weren't really required and so it was a relief to finally be in the company of one who would not force the
other to talk.

After a while, however, the silence, and above all the weight of the words that should have been spoken but
weren't, started to become more unbearable by the second, which unfortunately also increased the difficulty of
actually starting a conversation.

"You never speak," Bella finally spoke when Edward had almost given up hope that she ever would. "Is it because
you can't or you won't?"

"Won't," Edward replied with a shrug, his relief short-lived when he realized that she was both angry with him
and very dissatisfied with his short reply.

He let out another exasperated sigh before he continued. "I'm twenty years of age. I've never traveled, never done
anything astounding or noteworthy...what do I have to talk about?"

"I'm sure there are plenty of subjects left to be discussed."

"Hmm." Edward mused, trying to stealthily subject her face to a close study while he appeared to be pondering
her words. She looked radiant, her face flushed with anger and being outside in the clean, crisp air; a few strands
of thick curly mahogany hair falling out of the loose bun she had gathered it in and framing her face like the
prettiest of pictures. She was an angel, a paragon of virtue and female supremacy as she stood before him.

And she took his breath away.

"Well?" She was not easily appraised, her foot tapping impatiently on the ground as she awaited his answer.

"I am sure that there are enough trivialities one could discuss when in the company of strangers but I have to
admit that I find no pleasure in doing so. I took a vow long ago to never let a word fall from my lips without
consideration and – even better – not waste my breath on things that have no need to be said at all."

Bella was shocked as she stood there and listened to him. His admission had been the most words she had ever
heard Edward put together in a sentence but what was the most shocking aspect about it was that he was
absolutely right, though that didn't make up for the way he had acted towards her sister.

"Let's for a moment agree that it is true what you say," she replied, her eyes tightening as she carefully considered
her words, "would you not agree with me that the conversation you had with my sister the other day did require
you to speak?"

Edward sighed, he in turn choosing his words very carefully and mulling over them before he gave her a reply. He
did not want to upset her, or making her think ill of him. Not even when he deserved it. "You are completely
right," he admitted after a while. "That was an occasion where I should have spoken and I can only regret that I
didn't."

"Do you know that she spent two days in bed, crying, after what happened?" Bella spat back, his calm demeanor
and quiet acceptance only adding fuel to the fire.

"Is she alright? Is there anything I can do to help her?"

"I think you've done quite enough." Her bluntness startled both of them, Bella's face flaring up with mortification
as she realized she might have insulted him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Edward smiled, grabbing the last of the herbs from the barrow and offering them to her. "It's not like
you said anything that wasn't the truth. I know my lack of talent when it comes to making myself amiable to
others has turned me into somewhat of a recluse – as my aunt has always been apt to remind me of – but it is with
shame that I must now conclude that they have bereft me of the ability to act in a gentlemanly fashion."

Bella smiled, as far as she was concerned there was nothing wrong with his gentlemanly ways. He seemed to
consider every word he spoke carefully, which made him pause longer than perhaps most men would have but as
for his amiability….she would say he had that in abundance. "You do not seem to regret standing by the sideline,"
she remarked after another moment of silence, his words striking her as odd.

"I don't," Edward replied with a shrug. "Apart from church gatherings and town meetings, I find most of the social
functions in this town both trivial and redundant. Apart from that….as I said: I lack the skills to thrive at them."

"I would argue that those skills do not come naturally to me either," Bella cautiously replied, "though I have
always considered that to be a flaw in my character, one I was – and am – very eager to fix."

"Then you, miss Swan, are a better person than I am," Edward replied with a genuine smile, his admiration for the
young woman only rising with every word that came from her full, rose-colored lips.

He had to look away before the thought of those lips took him to places that should only be visited in the confines
of his bedroom at night, the now empty barrow drawing his attention.

Her eyes followed his and it was not without a sense of regret that she realized that soon their conversation would
be cut short.

She was astounded at the ease with which she spoke to Edward. Apart from her father, Alice and Jacob there had
never been a man or woman she could really talk to, and she reveled in their honesty and openness.

Still, there was this thing lingering in the air…something she didn't understand…something that made her heart
beat faster and her throat feel constricted.

Could it be….? Her heart beat even faster, it's motions fast as a hummingbird's wings as, for a moment as she
entertained the thought that she too might one day find her happily ever after. Until reason kicked in again, telling
her that just because the man spoke to her didn't mean he intended to make her his bride.

Her brain, out of some perverted sense of self-preservation had caused her lips to move while Bella was deep in
thought, the essence of those words not becoming known to the girl until it was too late. "I wonder," she spoke,
"If you ever get married….will you give your wife the silent treatment as well, or will you succumb to the
necessity of trivialities and speak to her?"

Edward eyes widened as he listened to her startlingly honest words, not knowing whether to laugh, be offended or
kiss the living daylights out of the woman.

For Bella, however, there was no doubt about the way she felt when she realized what it was that she had just
said. "I'm sorry," she stammered, her hand flying to her mouth as her mind frantically sought for an escape route.
"That was horribly inappropriate of me…I should never have…."

"Don't…." Edward started, but it was too late. Bella had already fled away, her scent lingering in the air long after
she had flown into the building, the loud bang when she closed the door echoing through the silence.

If Bella had waited around instead of running as far and as fast as her legs could carry her, she might have heard
Edward's voice as he addressed the void she had moments ago filled. "Yes, Bella Swan, when we get married, I
will speak to you as much and as often as you wish."

And if Edward had paid attention to the forest, instead of keeping his gaze fixed on the patch of grass where the
object of his affection had stood, he might have caught a faint shimmer from within the dense foliage; a pair of
shiny black eyes staring at him with a fiery fury.

~*~

~ Chapter Four ~

In the week that went by Bella found herself at the hospital more often than she could have ever imagined when
she had volunteered to step in while her best friend was out of commission.

With the relatively dry and pleasant weather that spring had bestowed upon the town, a lot of men had taken it
upon themselves to repair the damage that the winter storms had done to their homes or even add to what was
already there. For some, however, those undertakings ended in a visit to the town doctor when thumbs were
bashed by hammers, saws missed their targets and cut through skin or roofs turned out of to be weaker (or men
heavier) than imagined.

Bella let out a deep breath as she pulled out her key and opened the back door, ready to start yet another day of
work. The silence of the hospital kitchen, the place where she did most of her work, was a nice change from the
hustle and bustle of spring activity because, as nice as it was too see all kinds of improvements made to the town,
the noises and obstructions that came along with it were starting to become somewhat of a nuisance. For someone
like her, who had trouble keeping herself upright on a perfectly flat surface, the road work that was being carried
out on Main Street at that very moment, was downright life threatening.

At least the work provided her with a distraction from the things that were going on at home, which was part of
the reason why she had volunteered to fill in for Esme that day so that she could spend the day helping Alice out
with the baby. Little Katie had come down with a cold yesterday, leaving Alice completely exhausted and
desperate.

Though Bella felt sad for both mother and child, she was relieved that this meant that she had a good excuse to be
away from home, where things had grown ever more complicated since her sister had been jilted by Edward
Masen.

Things between her and her sister had been strained ever since Bella had caught Jessica blatantly eying Michael
Newton over the cover of the Book of Psalms during Sunday worship. When Bella had made a passing remark
about it during dinner later that day her sister had erupted into one of her typical fits of rage, only this time it had
lasted longer than usual.

Much longer.

Looking back on it Bella wondered when the two of them had stopped acting like friends and started to become
mere acquaintances, even though they shared a house and a bed. In the last five days she had witnessed a side of
her sister that had always been there, but had lain dormant, waiting until Jessica was old enough the extract
herself from under the watchful eye of her father and sister.

It seemed like forever since she had been rejected, the younger Swan sister had set out to prove she was not only
popular but also desirable. The outcome scared Bella, because it made her feel like her sister had changed into a
complete stranger overnight.

A stranger, Bella wasn't sure she liked.

As she skimmed through the notes Esme had left for her, Bella tried to empty her mind of all the everyday
troubles that worried her, focusing instead on the tasks that needed to be done. The infirmary was almost empty,
much to her relief. Only the Crowley's and Jeremy Bell remained of the previous onslaught of handymen that had
been coming through the door in a steady procession.

Jeremy had been knocked out cold when he fell from three stories high and Peter Crowley was still slowly
recovering from having half his carpentry workshop come down on him. Both of them were still in a critical
condition, while Tyler would probably be well enough to be released today.

"Silly boy," Bella muttered under her breath as she quickly checked her reflection in the mirror before she set to
work. If Tyler had obeyed his doctor's orders he would be home with his mother instead of cooped up in a
hospital bed. But no, the stubborn fool had to go and put the workshop back into its normal pristine condition,
working well into the evening in an unheated room which had caused him to contract and infection.

With two of the patients requiring around the clock attention, Edward and Carlisle had alternately taken the night
shift and sure enough, the clinic's kitchen bore the traces of its nightly visitor; the cot in the corner a scrambled
mess of bed sheets and the remnants of breakfast still littering the table.

Men! Why did they always require a woman to pick up the mess they had made? It wasn't like the good Lord had
given them opposable thumbs just to hook them behind the belt loops of their trousers and look on as the opposite
sex picked up after them!

Bella tried not to pay too much attention to the sweet musky smell of man that clung to the sheets as she made the
bed. Paying attention would mean that she would recognize that this scent belonged to no other than Edward
Masen, and no good could come from having her mind wander in that particular direction.

This was something her mind had been doing all too often of late.

The increase in her workload had also meant that Bella had found herself in Edward's company more than ever
before. Carlisle seemed to think that Edward's studies had advanced enough to have him take on more
responsibilities at the hospital and Edward, eager to prove himself as the town's future medic, jumped at the
chance. They still hardly ever shared more than two sentences between them on such occasions and never beyond
the lingo of the clinic. They found that neither was uncomfortable in the presence of the other. In fact, they both
craved it, more than they would ever care to admit.

As for Bella, she realized that she was fast underway of falling in love with Edward. Not the kind of love that
goes with an admiration from afar, like she had been feeling before, but the kind that was real and close and
confusing. It was not at all like in the romance novels she had found amongst her mother's personal belongings.

As she tried very hard not to let her mind wander to what he might be doing right that moment, she had to
conclude that the effort was futile, especially after the sight she had witnessed yesterday.

She'd just come back from a visit to Alice when she had stumbled upon him, helping Jasper out at the farm, the
two of them working together as they brought in the hay.

Had Bella thought the picture her sister had painted of Edward chopping wood was the epitome of masculinity
and – dare she admit it – sensuality in a man, the sight of him, wielding a scythe as seen by her very own eyes
yesterday afternoon, was the very fuel that set a fire to her blood.

"Stop it Bella!" she hissed at herself, noticing that once again her mind had run rampage with thoughts that,
according to Reverend Weber, were both unhealthy and indecent when manifested in an unmarried woman.

To keep her mind from going back to those images, something it was very eager to do, Bella made her way to the
ward, hoping hard labor would keep her mind off the subject of Edward Cullen or – even better – men altogether.

"Ah, miss Swan!" Tyler's voice was just a little too low and husky for comfort as he greeted Bella in welcome, the
hand on his good arm stretched out towards her. "Just the person I want to see when I wake up in the morning."

Bella sighed deeply, almost regretting her promise to Esme. Suddenly, Jessica's silent wrath seemed infinitely
more appealing to her than Tyler's clichéd flattery. She was careful to hide her chagrin behind a carefully molded
professional exterior while she washed her hands at the basin on the far end of the room before grabbing her
toolkit and walking towards the bed near the window.

Somehow, she did manage to mold her face into that perfect professional mask of indifference she had so greatly
admired in Alice and Esme, as she advanced towards the bed. "Lie back so that I can assess your wounds, please."

"My pleasure," Tyler beamed, clumsily working his shirt free of his body both to aid his nurse and force her to
appraise the fruits of eight years of hard labor in his father's workshop.

If Bella was impressed by the hard outline of his muscles, she didn't show it. On the contrary, hoping to get the
message across that she wasn't interested in him whatsoever she was a little rougher than she'd normally be with
him that morning, even forgoing the warning she usually gave when she was cleaning his wound.

The effect, however, was not the one she had intended.

Instead of distancing himself from her, Tyler grabbed onto her arm in retaliation as he struggled to suppress the
profanities from flying out of his mouth when his nurse adapted the stinging ointment to his skin.

"Dear Lord, Miss Swan," he gasped, using his hold on her arm to pull her close, his eyes wandering over her firm,
slender body as far as her dress and apron gave it away, "why is it that you torture me so?"

"Will you please let go of my arm?" Bella asked, trying to remain calm though much of her distress had seeped
through in her voice.

"No," Tyler grinned, "I don't think so, at least not unless you give me a kiss."

"What?" Bella paled, every hope that she had somehow misunderstood his intention flying out of the window
when his greedy eyes zoned in on her lips.

Her panic was short-lived, though, anger and indignation soon replacing it as she struggled to free her arm. "Tyler
Crowley, let go of me this instant or you'll regret it!"

"Will I?' he purred, his eyes shooting down from her lips to her chest.

"If you intend to use that arm ever again, you will," a calm but very dangerous voice sounded from behind them.

Tyler dropped Bella's arm as if it were on fire the minute his eyes discerned the figure of Edward Masen standing
in the doorway, 6'2" of pure rage and menace, all directed at him. "Good. Now apologize."

The protective anger with a hint of – dare she presume – jealousy that shone through in Edward's voice caused
Bella to shiver while Tyler apologized profusely for his crude behavior, she stood as if caught by Medusa's glare.

"Are you okay?" Bella nearly jumped as Edward's voice sounded right next to her, a warm hand enveloping hers
and pulling her towards safety, towards him.

His eyes held the same concern she had registered in his voice, her cheeks flaring up in an intense blush as she felt
the tips of his finger ghosting over her cheek as they brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen free of her bun.
"I-I'm fine," she finally managed to stammer, completely caught up in the intensity of his look.

They both felt it when the spell, or whatever it was that had passed between them, was broken by the sound of a
groan coming from one of the beds. Edward's demeanor shifted immediately the minute he realized what had
happened, his armor coming up again as he withdrew from her, both physically and emotionally.

It was those moments that the lukewarm feelings between hot and cold, were utterly confusing to Bella and made
her feel more insecure and desperate than ever before. She didn't know where she stood with him. It was obvious
that something was going on between them, but at the same time there was no denying that he was fighting
whatever that was hand and foot.

Bella often wondered what it was that made him run from her the moment they seemed to have made a tiny bit of
progress. Was she so unappealing to him? Or was it just the thought of being tied down by matrimony?

Edward hovered in the room as Bella finished her morning routine, making sure that no boundaries were crossed
and – more importantly – that Bella was okay, even if staying meant that he had to struggle perpetually to
suppress the urge to smother Tyler Crowley with his pillow.

Good God, he'd never thought he'd be able to hate someone as fiercely as he hated Tyler Crowley. He'd never
been too fond of the family in the first place, but the fact that Tyler, that unworthy low life, had seen fit to put his
filthy paws on Bella – his Bella – made his blood boil with a murderous rage.

When he walked into the kitchen after making sure his other two patients were taken care of and leaving a couple
of very choice words for the despicable creature, the object of his admiration was already busy cleaning up, a
small blush of embarrassment tainting his cheeks when he realized it was his mess she was taking care of.

She went to get him some fresh water from the pump in the backyard while he cleaned his hands, scrubbing
ferociously as if the pain of the brush as it scratched his skin could focus his attention away from the conflicting
emotions that had turned his brain into a maddening vortex.

"Thank you," Bella spoke after a long silence, her eyes trained on the reddening skin of Edward's hands
wondering idly why he kept on scrubbing when he knew they must be clean by now. If he kept up his labors he
would soon hurt himself.

"No thanks needed," Edward answered as he – much to Bella's relief – dropped the brush and winced as he
submerged his hands in the cold water. "I was just doing what any proper man would have done. Tyler had no
right to act as he did, especially not considering that you're partly to thank for the fact that he's still alive today."

Bella had to struggle to keep her smile on her face as she listened to his words.

I just did what any proper man would have done.

Nothing more.

For a moment she had allowed herself to hope that Edward's actions had sprung from jealousy, from a need to
protect and defend one who was dear to him, but it seemed now that she had been mistaken.

To him she was just another woman, nothing special.

As they worked side in the kitchen, their activities mainly consisting of the preparation of medicine out of the
herbs he had collected earlier, Edward noticed how silent and withdrawn Bella seemed. There was something
weighing on her mind, something grave and important. But every time Edward cautiously tried to get some
information out of her she shot him down, quickly changing the subject or fleeing the room altogether.

As his frustration grew, so did Bella's. She did not know what to think of him. Why was it that one moment he
would seek her company and speak to her as if she were a friend – or more even – only to retreat back behind his
solid armor the next? She simply didn't know what to make of it so, instead of following her heart, Bella chose to
rely on her head and keep her distance.

"Bel- ah….Miss Swan?" Edward's voice sounded hesitant as he pulled her out of her depressing thoughts and for
a moment she thought he was going to address her by her given name.

"Yes?" she looked up from her work, her breath hitching in her throat when her eyes met the intensity of Edward's
forest green eyes. "D-did you need something?"

She watched him swallow forcibly, the air between the cackling with electricity, before he looked away, breaking
whatever it was that passed between them. "The microscope….pass it to me, please," he ordered in a voice so cool
it would have turned Bella's blood to ice had it not been boiling with anger and disappointment. "I need to study
these cultures."

Bella managed to catch the profanity only moments before it would have left her lips as she shoved the instrument
in Edward's direction, the force with which she handled the precious instrument causing Edward to purse his lips
in disapproval.

She chose not to see it, though, as she focused on her work. At least the crushing of various plants so that their
extract could be used in various medicinal ointments gave her a perfect outlet for her frustration.

Poor plants.

"Is there anything else you need, Doctor Cullen?" she hissed, the muscles in her arms protesting against the
violence of her movements.

"I…ah…no," Edward mumbled, the slight blush in his cheeks indicating that he knew he'd gone too far. "That
is….I wonder…do you often visit Mrs. Cullen in the afternoon?"

Bella frowned, the speed with which Edward changed subjects making her head spin. "Mrs. Cullen….oh, do you
mean Alice?"

"Yes." His reply was short but, as Bella peeked through her lashes she could clearly see that the iceman was
starting to melt again. It made her wonder, with a barely concealed snort, how long the interglacial was going to
last this time.

"Sometimes," she replied. "Why do you want to know?"

"I saw you coming out of their house yesterday," Edward explained, is hand briefly brushing along hers as he
reached for a flask on her side of the table.

"Oh," she managed to mutter, a deep blush staining her cheeks when she realized he might have caught her ogling
him on her way back, her blush deepening even further with the memory of the very pleasant view he had
provided.

"So…." Edward restarted to conversation after an awkward silence. "Do you see her often?"

"Not as much as I used to, you know, before she got married and had a baby," she answered with a shrug, "I just
stopped by to see if I could help out. With little Kate sick, and Esme tied up at the hospital, I figured Alice might
need an extra set of hands….or a shoulder to cry on."

"I bet Alice really appreciated it," he spoke, his smile apparent in the tone of his voice even if she hadn't seen it in
all its blinding force. "She must get lonely, living on the edge of town."

"I don't know," she answered with a sigh, wondering where this conversation was headed. "I think she has her
hands quite full, looking after Jasper and Kate…and of course the garden and vegetable patch. I think she might
have more on her hands than I do, actually"

"So…ah," he fidgeted, his obvious nervousness spreading to Bella. "You don't have
anyo…..anything….important in your life apart from your work here and at home?"

"Not really," she shrugged. "My sister can look after herself for the most part and with my father out on police
matters for most of the day – and the night actually – I am pretty much by myself all the time."

"Hmm," Edward hummed, his genuine interest in how she spend her day completely befuddling her. Why did he
want to know how she passed her free time? Unless…..

Oh!

Bella gasped, as the thought that maybe Edward was sneakily trying to inquire after the fact if she was seeing
someone special entered her brain.

Of course, that was when the iceman made its return. "Esme has been looking a little frail recently," he spoke
coolly. "I think the long hours and hard work might be starting to take their toll on her and I wondered if maybe
you would be available to take over some of her shifts."

"Of course," Bella sneered. "Just let me know when I'm needed. " In her anger she forgot that she'd just added the
oil to the rubbing lotion she had been preparing which, combined with the sudden force of her movements caused
the mixture to splash around in a great oily wave and stain the front of her apron.

"Crap!" she groaned, blindly reaching out for the rag she had put within her hand's reach just in case something
like this would happen, only to find the space empty and Edward looming over her with the rag in his hands.

"I-I…." he stuttered, looking awfully dejected, though this time Bella took no pity on him.

"Thanks," she scowled, as she snatched the rag from his hands and furiously scrubbed the front of her apron, her
anger only deepening as he kept hovering over her, looking like some lost puppy.

"I'll be fine now," she added in a scathing tone. "You can go back to work."

If Edward had had a tail, it would have been firmly lodged between his legs as he set back to work, trying to
ignore his body's reaction to the sensual way Bella was rubbing her chest with that rag and – most of all – trying
to stop his mind from wondering what it would feel like to have his hands take over.

He would never know, or so he thought. After their latest exchange, Edward was pretty sure Bella's feelings for
him were hostile.

And so, silence fell over them yet again.

"Ah! Isabella, just the person I was looking for." It was hard not to answer Carlisle's radiant smile when it fell
upon you. In this case, his presence could not have been more welcome, for it broke the heavy silence that had
fallen over the clinic after their latest failed attempt at small talk.

"Could you run by the Collins' on your way home? Esme prepared a care package for the family, since Victoria
will be bedridden for the next couple of days. However, since she can't be spared from our son's house at the
moment I was wondering if you could give it to them."

"Of course," Bella smiled. "I'll do it right now."

The Collins' lived somewhat out of the range of her usual route, but it would be a small detour and one she was
happy to make.

Victoria Collins had given birth to her second child a couple of days ago and since labor had been rough, almost
killing mother and child, she would need to stay in bed for at least a couple of more days. Since the family didn't
have any other relatives to fall back on, Esme had taken it upon herself to see that James Collins and three year
old Laurent were taken care of.

"Bless you, Bella," Carlisle said, handing her a basket filled with food and other necessities. "Make sure you don't
stay out too long. It's getting dark out and I don't want your father worrying over you."

"I can go with her," Edward was quick to offer.

"That won't be necessary," Bella assured. After the tension of their day together she didn't think she could stand to
see it prolonged, not to mention the fact that being in the company of a man – an unmarried man even – would
only worry her father more than having his baby girl out on the streets alone.

"Fine. I'll be in the infirmary if anyone needs me." Bella cringed at the tone of his voice, the anger and
disappointment driving another spike into her already tortured heart. She had all but deliberately caused him to
lash out like that.

As Carlisle watched the strange exchange, he knew something was going on between the two of them. He had had
his suspicions before but as he watched Edward leave, slamming the door in his wake and studied Bella's reaction
he knew for sure. "Bella?"

The deep blush on her cheeks spoke more than a thousand words as she turned towards the sound of his voice, the
fact that she tried to hide it only confirming his suspicions.

"I'll be on my way then," she spoke, clinging onto the basket for dear life as she scurried towards the back door.

"Give my regards to the Collins'," Carlisle called after her before taking in a deep breath. It was about time he sat
down and had a good conversation with his nephew, one that was long overdue….

Meanwhile, Bella made her way through the town, her skirts swaying around her legs with the briskness of her
pace as she vainly tried to make some sense out of her emotions. As she suspected, she reached the Collins'
cottage before she had even managed to determine what they were, even if it was a twenty minute walk.

The Collins' lived in a small, rundown cottage near the forest, the location of their home – so far away from the
town it could hardly be called 'the outskirts' – symbolizing their place in the community.

They didn't fit in, neither of them. Not just because their tastes were so different from the people in the town or
their families had been among the last to settle there before the town got cut off, but because there was something
about them, something that made you be on your guard whenever in their presence.

It was why Bella wouldn't have lingered there after she had handed the basket over to James Collins, even if
curfew hadn't been so close. In fact, she couldn't wait to get away from the man's piercing, rodent-like stare.

The streets were empty as Bella rushed back towards the town, most of the people already safely indoors for the
night. She sighed, knowing that her lateness would result in yet another lecture from her father. He hated her
being outdoors so late, even though as long as she had lived, the only danger a person could find when outdoors
after curfew was a sound reprimand from the chief of police.

Just then, as if the devil had a hand in it, a loud sound echoed through the empty streets, a sound so foreign that it
took Bella some time before she could place it.

The alarm.

Blind fear wracked her body the moment she realized what that meant. The wolves had breached the border. They
were here, in the town, while she was out….alone.

"No!" she gasped, immediately turning on her heels and making her way back to the Collins's cottage as fast as
her feet could carry her. The door was closed and the shutters already drawn when she reached it, the people of
Forks having learned from early childhood how to protect themselves against an attack.

There was no answer when she knocked, no sounds of anyone approaching the door or even acknowledging that
they had heard her. "Please!" Her fists pounded on the door both in fear and in desperation.

"Please, let me in! It's me…Bella Swan!" She could hear the sounds of children crying from deep within the
house and even if she didn't, she knew there were people inside. She had just left them.

When it finally dawned on her that no one was going to open the door for her she turned and ran, trying not to
look around her for any wolf-like shapes standing out against the darkness even though her mind kept seeing
shadows moving towards her from every angle.

Her heart pounded in her throat as she moved, fear giving her a strength and stamina she didn't knew she
possessed as she entered the town, hoping, against her own better judgment, that she could find safety somewhere.

The town looked like a ghost town, even the streetlights seeming to have lost their soft glow as Bella entered the
shelter of the town centre. The stark contrast between the liveliness of people moving towards their homes, as she
had witnessed no more than fifteen minutes ago, was striking.

Her father would have been proud to see that all of his efforts towards the safety of the townsfolk and the speed
with which they would be able to evacuate, were paying off, Bella observed with a bitter smile.

She barely managed to suppress a scream of terror as she heard the sounds of the wolves communicating
somewhere close by, the low, menacing barks and ear piercing howls chilling her to the bone.

It was in that moment that she realized that all the doors around her were closed, locked and bolted, the families
behind them all having retreated to the safest place within their house.

Leaving Bella Swan alone and more vulnerable than she had even been in her entire life.

~*~

~ Chapter Five ~

"Have you spoken to her father yet?" Edward jumped as he heard his uncle's voice behind him. He had tried to
sneak out undetected after doing his usual round around the infirmary, knowing instinctively that his uncle
probably wanted to speak to him and he had almost thought he'd succeeded.

But then, almost doesn't count.

As it was, Edward was still mentally chastising himself for his stupidity. All through the afternoon he'd been so
caught up in the raging battle between his head and his heart that he'd never once stopped to think that maybe the
first casualties of said battle were Bella and his chances of ever being able to call her his wife.

"Edward?" The amusement in Carlisle's voice made Edward retreat even further into himself.

"What?" He tried to play dumb, hoping his uncle would be busy enough to let him get away with it for a while.
The man wasn't stupid. Carlisle knew something was up between Isabella and him, Edward was pretty sure of
that. After all, they had done a rotten job of hiding their quarrel in front of him. If what had happened between
them could indeed be called a quarrel.

"Isabella's father…about courting his daughter."

"I-I didn't…." This was a question Edward hadn't expected. He had expected Carlisle to want to know why Bella
and he had fallen out and had already prepared some kind of excuse for it. He had not suspected his uncle would
have seen right through them. "W-what…" he stammered, frantically trying to find a way out of the mess he
found himself in, "how do you know?"

"Anyone who witnesses the two of you together for an extended period of time can tell," Carlisle chuckled, much
to Edward's mortification. "It's good Edward. I didn't bring this up to make you feel uncomfortable, only to satisfy
myself that you are going about this the right way."

"It's too soon for that," Edward scowled. "If it will ever even come to such a step."

Carlisle let out a deep breath. This was not at all going like he thought it would.

Given their behavior that afternoon and the obviousness of their feelings, even if they had appeared to be
quarreling at that time, he had expected this to be a conversation about abstinence and restraint, about waiting to
do the right thing and taking the right steps… not about pushing someone forward. But, if pushing was what he
needed to do, he would do it all the same.

"Is it?" He mused, mentally berating himself for the fact that Edward's tense behavior amused him. It was not
often that he stumbled across a weakness in his nephew's armor. "It seems like a done deal looking at the two of
you."

"I'm not of an age where I can entertain thoughts of matrimony yet. There's a lot that can happen…."

"About as much as could happen at any other day," Carlisle interrupted him. "You know as well as I do that both
the Cullens and the Masens register above average when it comes to surviving the rite."

"It's still not a chance I am willing to take!"

"Not even when not taking that chance can have you end up hurting her even more?" Carlisle was quick to strike
back. "I know you, son. You may have been a good enough actor to fool everyone else, but I am not so easily
assuaged. I know why you're holding back and while I think it is admirable, I also think it unwise of you to keep
this up."

He sighed, knowing he had to resort to the heaviest of artillery when he witnessed the shutters come back up
around Edward's mind. "Put yourself in Bella's shoes. She does not know you as well as we do and is finding it
very hard to keep up with the changes in behavior you show towards her."

"But she is doing the same thing!" Edward cried out in frustration, dragging both his hands through the unruly
mop of reddish brown hair that graced his skull. Her reaction to his offer of protection had been unexpected and
confusing. Why did she not want him to join her? Had his presence suddenly become so revolting to her that she
was willing to endanger her own safety to keep him at arm's length?

"Ah, yes," Carlisle mused, "I take it you are speaking of this afternoon?" He paused, waiting for a sign of
acknowledgement, continuing only when Edward lifted his head up long enough to nod. "Did you not stop to
wonder that maybe she is pulling away from you only in reaction to your behavior?"

He frowned, going over his actions again. He had been disproportionately cool with her after his blatant display of
true feelings, but did that warrant her throwing both safety and caution to the wind?

"I thought so," Carlisle continued. "Consider yourself a warned man, Edward. If you keep this up, you run the risk
of her pulling away forever."

"This is all so…" Edward groaned, his hands dropping from his skull to his eyes. If only he wasn't so tired he
might have been better equipped to deal with this. The thing was, he had been awake for almost twenty-four hours
and he had been feeling the effects of it for some time now. In fact, it was his fatigue that had caused him to slip
and show his true feelings to Bella in the first place.

"Confusing?" Carlisle snickered. "Well, welcome to the land of the lovers, Edward." He patted his nephew on the
back. "Pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable, because it'll be quite some time before you figure all of this
out."

Their conversation was cut short at that moment by the sound of a lone bell, tolled from the watchtower at the
edge of town.

"How could it be?" Carlisle gasped. "Our borders have not been breached for as long as I can remember! What
could have made them breach the boundary now? "

Edward paled, his blood running cold the moment he realized who his uncle meant when he spoke about 'them',
his mind immediately going to the woman he loved, out there, unprotected.

"Bella." He was almost out the door the next moment, his figure already poised in the doorway when his uncle's
arm stopped him.

"Edward! What the hell are you doing?" Carlisle yelled as Edward frantically tried to pull out of his hold.

"I'm going out." His voice was a low growl as Edward spoke, the determination in his words meant to show that,
no matter what his uncle might say or do, his mind was made up.

"It's madness! The wolves are there. You'll get hurt!" The desperation in Carlisle's voice was clear, though it
didn't waiver Edward's resolve. Not even for a second.

"She's out there, Carlisle. Even if she went straight to the Collins's and back again there's no way she could have
made it home in time. She's out there – alone – because of what I did, or failed to do in this case. I have to make
sure she's okay."

"You can't….."

"There's nothing you can say to stop me, uncle." Edward insisted. "This is my decision and mine alone. I take full
responsibility."

Carlisle sighed, withdrawing his hand from his nephew's arm only to reach inside the small cupboard that hung
beside the door. "At least take this."

Edward's eyes widened as his hands made contact with the cold steel his uncle pressed into them. "If not for your
sake then for mine."

Firearms were a rare commodity in the town of Forks. With crime virtually non-existent in the town and all iron
and lead needed for other, more pressing and constructive purposes no-one had any need for them. Edward didn't
even know his uncle possessed a fire arm. As far as he had known only the chief of police had a few; one for
himself and the others distributed every evening to the townsmen on night watch.

"Thank you," he finally managed to speak, his hand clutching the steel, feeling an odd sense of comfort knowing
that at least he could protect Isabella with something else than his bare hands should she be in need of it.

"Good luck." Carlisle nodded, trying not to show the fear he felt of loosing this strange, courageous boy who
looked so much like his departed sister. "May God protect you."

Carlisle's final words were almost lost in the night as Edward ran out of the door, his eyes frantically scanning the
road as he tried to decide whether to go left, towards the Swan's house, or right to where the Collins' lived. He
knew that if she had been on her way back she would probably have made it home when the bell started to ring, or
would have gone back to the clinic for safety.

So right it was.

Edward tried not to think of everything that could have happened as he ran, nor did he pay attention to the sounds
that indicated that not only had the wolves descended upon the town, they were pulling it to pieces as well. If he
went down that road he would have to think about Bella, alone and exposed; the only woman he had ever
considered as his future mate in mortal peril.

But, as often with these kinds of attempts, he failed.

"Bella!" he hissed, trying to make as little noise as possible as his eyes scanned the deserted streets for a sign of
her.

But there was no answer, nothing breaking the silence except for the sounds of destruction coming closer.

He had almost given up hope of finding her when he spotted a dark shade, curled up against the walls of the
bakery probably hoping it would make her blend in to her surroundings.

"Bella!" he hissed, relief washing over him as the figure lifted her head. It was her. She was alive and – for now –
she was safe.

He didn't know it that would last for long though, the sounds of the wolves as they tore through the town getting
closer by the second. He would have to make haste if he wanted to get the both of them to a safe place before it
was too late.

"Edward?" Her voice sounded unsteady yet filled with hope as she looked up at him.

"Come on," Edward breathed, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a standing position as he repress the
desperate urge to kiss her. "The wolves will be here any minute. We don't have time to waste."

He set off in a sprint again, his tempo this time slowed down by Bella's skirts as he pulled her along with him,
their heavy breathing, the echoes of their footsteps and the howls and snarls behind them the only sounds that
could be heard as he instinctively set out towards the safest place nearby.

His home.

A rough bark sounded right behind them as they left the protection of the houses and as Edward glanced back he
saw one of those filthy mutts right behind them, its hate-filled yellow eyes shining in the darkness as he tried to
snap at the most precious thing in Edward's life.

"Get behind me," Edward growled, using the leverage of their joint hands to pull Bella's shaking, panting form
behind him in protection as he took his stance, relieved that – for now – only one of those filthy dogs had caught
their trail.

The creature in front of him let out a menacing growl, his actions revealing a vicious set of teeth as it drew back
on its hind legs and jumped at them, only to be met with Edward's strong left arm which sent it crashing back onto
the ground.

"Oh my God!" Bella sobbed, torn between her crippling fear and her anxiety for Edward's wellbeing.

"Run!" Edward yelled as the creature who had attacked them got back on its legs its deep, angry howl answered
almost immediately by at least another five more of its species.

They were coming…and, considering the speed with which this one seemed to have been moving, they could be
there in any minute.

Not wanting to waste another moment Edward took off again, his stronger body soon catching up with Bella, his
anxiety abating slightly when he took her hand again. They were almost at his house, he could already see the
shape of it outlined against the night sky but the wolves were gaining on them and Edward knew that, if he did not
think of something to keep them at bay, they would be overtaken before they could reach their safe haven.

The gun!

Edward decided that now was as good as any time to put the metal death machine into action. He had held back
from using it before, knowing that the loud noise when he fired the gun would alert the other wolves to their
location but he knew that right now it could not make their situation much worse than the predicament they found
themselves in.

"Keep running!" he yelled, letting go of her hand. "The door is open and most of the ground floor shutters are
already closed." He mentally gave thanks to the Lord for his long hours over the last couple of days. Were it not
be for Spring storms and night shifts the wolves would have had no trouble getting into his house since Edward
had a hard time believing a thin pane of glass would keep them out when they seemed to be so determined to kill.
"If I'm not right behind you when I get to the door…..go in and lock it."

"No!" Bella gasped. "Edward, don't!"

"Keep going!" he growled. "I have to know that at least one of us has a good chance of getting out of this mess
alive."

The look that passed between them said more than a thousand words could have and – even though it lasted no
longer than a few fleeting seconds – it gave Edward all the strength and determination to proceed as he turned
back to face the wolves after satisfying himself that Bella was on her way to safety.

"Let's see if you dirty mutts want to take a bite out of this!" he hissed as he pointed the business-end of the thing
in the direction of one of the fast-moving predators and pulled the trigger, the success of his actions apparent in
the anguished yelp, followed by the whole wolf pack coming to a screeching halt when they realized one of their
members was down.

It was everything Edward could have asked for, since it gave him a perfect opportunity to retreat, though his joy
was short-lived when he spotted Bella standing in the doorway to his house, open and completely exposed to
danger.

Why didn't she close the blasted door? Did she want to die?

As Edward ran he didn't stop to realize that if Bella had locked the door she would have left him at the mercy of
the wolves, his mind solely focused on keeping her safe. Her, not him.

"Thank Heavens!" Bella breathed, closing the door immediately, the moment he sped past her into the house.

"I thought I told you to lock the door!" he panted, coming to a stop in front of a side-table and bracing himself
against the elegant piece of furniture as he tried to catch his breath while Bella dexterously snapped the locks and
bolts into place.

He turned only when he felt he could without passing out from lack of oxygen, his eyes scanning over Bella's
small, feminine form to see if she had come to any harm.

He had saved her. He. No-one else.

The surge of emotion that realization stirred up inside him was almost too powerful to behold. His whole body
screamed at him to act in ways unfitting for a man who had always prided himself in his moral rectitude.

"I couldn't very well leave you at the mercy of those beasts, could I?" she snapped back, her eyes widening with
fear as she heard the sounds of the wolves, trying to break their way into the house. "This place is safe, isn't it?"

"I won't let anything happen to you." Bella didn't doubt it as she looked into his eyes, greedily drinking in the
intensity and wealth of emotion captivated within them.

"Come here," his voice was strangely unsteady as he spoke which, combined with the nearness of his body, the
intenseness of his gaze and the strange electricity that seemed to buzz in the air surrounding them, made Bella's
knees almost falter as she rushed into his arms.

"You're safe here," Edward muttered into her hair, his muscular arms encircling her as the wolves barked and
growled at the windows.

"I know," she whispered, closing her eyes as Edward's strong arms and masculine scent enveloped her and
shielded her from great and terrible danger that roared only a few feet away from them.

As Edward breathed in the sweet, floral scent of the women he loved, the adrenaline and fear that had coursed
through his veins since the moment he realized Bella was out there alone started to slowly ebb away, leaving
nothing but his passionate feelings for the small, shaking figure in his arms and the question on how to proceed
from here.

"I will always keep you safe," he spoke, desperately fighting the urge to kiss her as she looked up to him. It was as
much a promise to her as an admission to himself.

There would be no more denying.

"I know," she repeated, her words only barely audible though her eyes spoke stronger and louder than any words
from those sweet, cherry lips could have ever spoken.

What he read in those big, doe-like eyes, unnerved him. It was feelings that were overwhelmingly strong and
frighteningly beautiful. Feelings that wavered every promise and conviction he had ever entertained.

And it scared the hell out of him, though it also caused a strange warmth to spread through his body.

The spell they had been placed under broke when Bella blushed and looked away, her attention caught by a dark
patch spreading from Edward's shoulder.

"You're hurt!" It was only when Bella pointed it out to him that Edward felt the wetness seeping out of his left
shoulder, the pain still completely blocked out by the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

She disappeared into the kitchen before he could say anything about it, emerging only moments later with a
water-filled bowl and some clean fabric, looking every bit the nurse.

"It's nothing," he replied with a shrug. "That damn mutt must have bitten down harder than I thought. I hope it
didn't have rabies."

He tried to hide the very strong reaction his body showed to her touch as he helped Bella peel away the blood-
soaked fabric of his shirt to reveal a wound that looked a lot worse than it probably was. It had to be…because
Edward still didn't feel a thing.

"It's not nothing, Edward!" Bella answered in a half-growl, as she dabbed the moistened cloth around the wound,
cleaning the area so that they could have a better look at what lay beneath the blood.

Edward had to suppress a chuckle at the fire in her words. Her anger was more adorable than actually scary. She
looked like a little kitten, a furious kitten with treacherous little claws, but still sweet and cuddly.

His obvious amusement at her anger only seemed to make matters worse though, especially when – much to
Edward's surprise – she punched him in the shoulder.

Apparently this kitten's claw were more than just treacherous, they were downright lethal. He should have known
that, as the police chief's daughter she could pack a punch. "Ow! I don't know if I deserve that!"

"You do!" she cried. "Why do you always have to do this? Why do you always have to draw back the minute we
get closer?"

"This isn't about that!" Edward replied, a little more agitated than he would have liked. "You asked about my
injury and I told you there was nothing wrong because – really – I don't feel anything!"

It was as if the bubble that was Bella's anger deflated right before his eyes, a sadness creeping into those huge
doe-like orbs of hers that broke Edward's heart because he knew he had been the one responsible for it.

"You don't feel anything," she whispered, "and that's exactly what lies at the base of this." She stepped away, his
body feeling the loss of her as a sharp stab of pain shot through his system, making Edward's restraint slip.

He was immediately reminded of the conversation he had with Carlisle earlier that day about the possibility of
losing her before he even had her. "Bella," he gasped as he tried to suppress the burning of his wound, "please
wait."

"Don't feel obligated to apologize," Bella spoke softly, a false restraint making her look cooler and more
composed than she was. Truth was inside she was slowly falling apart. "I'll be in the kitchen for now…and home
as soon as it's safe again."

"No…Bella please…stay." Edward's voice felt strangely constricted as he drew out his words, knowing that if he
continues along this path there would be no going back. He had to get her to stay though, because he knew
intrinsically that if she walked away now, she would walk away forever.

To hell with caution! He thought as Bella's steps faltered, her body turning slightly in his direction. It was time for
honesty.

"I am sorry if my behavior of the last few days has caused you to doubt my feelings or intentions towards you,
though I can't blame you. For years I have lived in the conviction that caution should be upheld in all
circumstances, even if it goes directly against your feelings."

He stopped to take a breath, noticing when he looked up, that Bella had turned into his direction, her beautiful
eyes hanging on his words. "Tonight I came to the conclusion that I have fought my feelings long enough," he
sighed, the honestly behind his feelings hopefully leaving Bella in no doubt of what those feelings were. "I'm tired
of forcing myself to stay away from you."

He looked at her, watching as sadness and anger grew into confusion and – hope? – take residence on her face.
The presence of that last emotion caused a warm strength to flow through his veins as he braced himself for what
might have been the most important words he ever spoke. "My feelings for you…they are very strong. In fact, at
times it feels like I could burst from the intensity of them"

"I-I…." Bella stammered, shyly hiding her face behind the strands of hair that had fallen loose from her bun. The
blush on her face giving Edward the affirmation he needed to continue.

"I know we hardly ever spoke or even sought each other's presence outside work but…" Edward took a deep
breath, his heart pounding in his throat as he continued. "….would you take me into consideration as a suitor?"

"Yes." The swiftness and resoluteness of her reply surprised him and make his heart leap inside his chest, his fear
that maybe he had misheard soon taken away when she spoke again. "Yes, Edward, I would gladly accept you as
a suitor….with all my heart."

The wolves, the throbbing wound on his shoulder, the uncomfortable conversation he was going to have with
Chief Swan in the morning…they were all forgotten as Bella finally lifted up her head and looked at him. "Thank
you," he whispered, crossing the small distance from the side table to the door where Bella still remained.

They were both novices when it came to intimacy. The new closeness of their bodies, equal parts exciting and
terrifying didn't stop them. On the contrary…it was his curiosity that finally caused Edward to lift up his hand and
tentatively brush it along Bella's cheek, much as he had done earlier that day. It was so soft, so pure and the way
she closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch, her lips parted slightly in a contented sigh, it made him so very
eager for more.

"There's something I want to try," he muttered, his instinct urging him to go on while his conscience warned him
that it might be too much too soon.

All doubts went out of the window, however when Bella opened her eyes, the longing and burning in them
mirroring Edward's and as she bit her lip in anticipation Edward knew that he was powerless to resist.

"Close your eyes." Edward thought that Bella having her eyes closed would make it easier for him to keep himself
together. He was mistaken. The sight of the woman he had such strong, confusing feelings for, the woman who
had just accepted his offer of courtship, standing before him, her eyes closed and her lips waiting to be kissed all
but made him come undone. He dropped his hand off of her cheek and ran it down to her shoulders before letting
it come to rest on her waist.

However there was nothing comparable to the sensation of feeling those plump, soft lips, the same ones he had
fantasized about many times, pressed against his own as he kissed her, softly and cautiously at first. She seemed
to have no objection to their newfound closeness.

As his lips brushed against hers and his tongue slipped between her lips, asking for permission to enter beyond the
gates of heaven, Edward reveled in the sweet taste and the adorable small sounds she emitted.

She was so precious, so beautiful, so pure…He still couldn't believe that she was his.

And neither could she, apparently, for as the two lovers got more and more caught up in their kiss, Bella's hands
weaved through his hair, holding him to her with a strength that surprised Edward as well as stirred a very
powerful urge to possess beyond what was acceptable in him.

"We have to stop…." He panted, suppressing the dissatisfied growl that rumbled up inside of him as he tore his
lips away from Bella's.

The small whimper she emitted as well as the sight of her lips; red and swollen from their kisses, stirred up the
fire even more and made Edward scramble to put a little more distance between them. He was afraid that with
their closeness Bella would feel his passion for her in ways that were unsuitable beyond the marriage bed.

Ways that were hard as granite and throbbing for attention.

"Oh, Bella," he sighed, testing the waters as he cautiously rested his forehead against hers, the fire in his veins
slowly winding down to a smoldering stream of molten lava. "My sweet Bella. Do you have any idea of what it is
you do to me?"

"I might," she spoke softly, her happiness radiating from her voice. "If my feelings for you are in any way a
reflection of yours for me…."

"You will be the death of me someday," he panted, placing small kisses all over her face.

But what a sweet death it would be.

~*~

~ Chapter Six ~

Bella woke up that morning completely disoriented but still very pleasantly buzzed. Lifting her head off the
pillow it rested on she found that she was in a bedroom but she had no idea how she got there. What she did
remember, however, was the kiss.

Dear lord! That kiss!

As she giggled aloud, her hand touching the still slightly swollen surface of her lips, she thought that maybe her
mother's romance novels hadn't been so wrong after all. True, they had been grossly exaggerating when it came to
the pleasures of falling in love, but when it came to kissing they were really spot on.

Closing her eyes again Bella remembered the tingling sensation in her body when Edward had first touched her. It
was as if her whole body was oriented to his, like a sunflower to the sun. The strange thing was that, though she
had no idea of what to do, how to act or what to expect, her body hadn't appeared to be so…unknowledgeable.

And then he kissed her and the quiet hum had turned into a bolt of lightning, illuminating her from the inside until
all she could think about was him.

Speaking of which….where was he?

Returning her attention to the room she soon found that it was probably Edwards; his powerful masculine scent
ingrained in the bed linen, the razor, placed neatly beside the bowl and water jug on the dressing table, the neat
and unadorned look of the room…..Yep. Definitely male.

Afraid of being caught snooping around in a man's bedroom, she left the room as soon as she could. Even if said
man was courting her, be it as yet unofficially, it somehow felt inappropriate to stay longer than a quick fix-up of
her hair and look in the mirror could justify. As soon as she was done, she slipped out of the room and slowly
started to make her way downstairs.

The house was beautiful, that much she could tell. It might not have seen a woman's touch in quite a few years,
apart maybe from someone coming in to clean, but as she walked downstairs Bella could still see the beauty of it.
The wooden railing intricately carved and the soft colors making the most of the light that shone in through the
tall rectangular windows which offered a spectacular view of the forest.

But the décor wasn't what caught Bella's eyes as she cautiously took one step after another, afraid of slipping over
the hem of her skirt.

The paintings were.

In all her life Bella had never seen anything like them; the vibrancy of the colors and the likeness to the subject
making them look like they could come to life at any moment. Most of them depicted the scenery and houses in
and around town, but there were rare ones that had actual people in them. It was only when her eyes fell on a
small watercolor painting of a little boy with a shock of auburn hair and the most startling green eyes she had ever
seen, that she realized who the artist behind these masterworks was.

Elizabeth Masen. Edward's mother.

From that moment Bella flew down the stairs in her hurry to get away from them. Looking at those paintings now
felt almost as if she was poking her nose into matters that didn't concern her, even if Edward probably didn't mind
her seeing them. It was up to Edward to tell her about his childhood and the loss of his parents when – if – he was
ready to do so.

The same theme of light feminine decorations with just a touch of male continued downstairs. The femininity of
the elegant carved legs of the dining table contrasted with the dirty trimming shears and soil stained scoop lying
on its smooth surface almost making Bella giggle. Judging by the look of them, they'd been there ever since
Edward had returned from his latest trip into the forest.

Well, at least that was something she didn't have to get used to when she married Edward. Growing up around her
dad and Emmett had more than prepared her when it came to finding all sorts of implements in various states of
cleanliness on top of tables or in sinks.

When she married Edward.

The thought of the promise they had made to each other yesterday evening made her heart beat faster and her
temperature rise. A request for courtship wasn't made lightly in a society where everyone knew everyone, nor was
acceptance given lightly. As far as the town would be concerned, once her father gave them permission they were
as good as betrothed; proposal or not.

She would have to get used to the size of the house though. Ugh! She definitely wasn't looking forward to having
to clean all those rooms!

Bella sighed, letting her eyes glide over the huge expanse of the downstairs living accommodations as she looked
around her. The place was huge! The Masens had been very wealthy when they exchanged the noise and
crowdedness of the big town for the peace and quiet of a small village. Bella couldn't help but snort as she thought
of how the family got a bit more than they bargained for when, five years after their arrival, they found
themselves trapped in the middle of nowhere forever…..like the rest of them.

She shook her head as if it would make the melancholy thoughts go away. Dwelling on things that could not be
changed was pointless. Especially now, when she had so much to live for…..someone to live for. So she smiled as
she walked in the direction of an almighty noise coming from the kitchen. Edward was cooking breakfast.

He had probably been in a hurry to fix himself some food because the sight of him was at best unruly. Not that
Bella minded though. Between his messy hair, untucked shirt and suspenders hanging idly, Edward looked more
edible than any dish he could be preparing. Which wasn't a great achievement though, Bella thought wryly.
Judging from the absolute carnage that appeared to have taken place inside the kitchen, preparing his own food
wasn't something he usually did.

He must have been hungry.

I guess fighting a rabid pack of wolves does that to you, Bella thought as she took a tentative step into the room,
her nerves suddenly overtaking her.

He didn't notice her, his attention completely taken up by the task of preparing food, which meant that unless
Bella wanted to practice her skills as a living statue, she would have to be the one to speak first.

"Good morning," she spoke, shyly announcing her presence in the room.

Edward turned around. A radiant smile appeared on his face the minute he spotted her and his eyes shone like
precious gemstones as he appraised her, the feelings behind his stare making her feel awkward and unspeakably
happy at the same time. "Good morning, my sweet girl."

She noticed how he winced slightly as he turned towards her, which made her remember how fiercely he had
defended her last night. "How is your shoulder?"

"I'll live," he shrugged, taking the skillet off the stove and one handedly pouring the contents into two bowls.

"Don't be difficult, Edward," she huffed, her worry for Edward's health momentarily distracting her from the
awkwardness of being in a strange man's kitchen the morning after you'd shared a heated kiss with said man. "I
can see you're hurting even from the other side of the room!"

"Fine," he sighed. "It hurts. But the wound is clean and doesn't show any signs of infection."

"Show me," Bella demanded, blushing fiercely as Edward flashed a crooked grin at her.

"Not unless you want to give me a hand in unbuttoning all these blasted buttons," he smirked, the darkening of his
eyes making Bella's blush spread all the way down her torso. "We'd be here all day if I have to do it myself. Not
that I'd mind."

There was a new confidence and lightness in his voice, both of which Bella liked immensely. It was as if he
wasn't so hesitant to speak to her anymore which, in turn, made her grow bolder than she'd ever thought she'd be.

"Okay," she nodded, biting her bottom lip as she took a few, tentative steps towards him.

"Okay," Edward responded, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed hard, his breath audibly
hitching in his throat as Bella's hands started to nimbly unbutton his shirt and thereby touching the naked skin of
his chest.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, hiding her face behind her hair. "My hands must be terribly cold."

"I-It's okay," Edward panted as he tried to focus his attention on the fragrance of the eggs, the quiet bubbling of
the nearby stream or anything else but the reaction of his body to the softness of her touch or the sweetness of her
scent.

Bella could do nothing else but agree with Edward's assessment of his wound, though she made sure to check the
superficial laceration and the skin surrounding it thoroughly.

"Ow," Edward gasped as she poked her small fingers around the wound to search for infections or any other
things that shouldn't be there.

"Hush," she scolded him. "Don't be childish and let me do my work!"

"Only if you promise to kiss and make it better when you're done," Edward grinned, surprising his lady when his
free hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her towards him.

"You keep your hands to yourself and let me finish this and I might think about it," Bella answered, enjoying both
her own forwardness and the playfulness in her beloved. "There."

She didn't even have time to wrap the wound in a fresh bandage before Edward drew her towards his, her lips
stumbling onto his as she fell forward. The passion in his kiss mirrored that of the night before, though there was
a new comfort in it that came from the certainty they both had of the other's feelings.

All too soon Edward knew he had to pull away, the sweetness of her taste and the warmth of her mouth against
his stirring desires in him he wasn't sure he could ignore for much longer.

Bella didn't help, her small whimper when he slowed down his kisses before pulling away altogether making the
savage inside him scream at him to just take her right there on the kitchen table.

"Breakfast," he growled against her lips, trying desperately to shut the best back inside its cage. There would be
no taking. Not today or ever, if Edward had any say in it. A fine woman like Bella Swan deserved to be loved and
cherished from twilight until daybreak or until he body was so sated and satisfied that she could no longer keep
her eyes open, not taken like some beast in the field.

"Breakfast," Bella repeated, panting for breath as she helped Edward back into his shirt, buttoning it up one
torturous button at a time.

"There," Edward chuckled as she finally fastened the last one, celebrating the victory of his mind over his more
primal urges by brushing his lips against hers one last time, "all better now."

His words, words she had heard countless of times before though from a different set of lips, made her gasp and
clasp her hands over her mouth. "Father!"

"Don't worry," Edward chuckled; turning his attention back to the stove since the contents of the frying pan had
started hissing at the blatant disregard he showed them. "Your father knows you're safe."

"How?" This bit of information puzzled her. Judging by the position of the sun it was still early so, unless Edward
would have set off at daybreak and jogged across town and back at a dazzling speed, he could not have been the
one to deliver the news.

"Carlisle came by just before you woke up….I guess he was anxious to see if we were still alive," Edward spoke,
a hint of nervousness lacing his voice. "I asked him to drop by your father's house on his way to the clinic to let
him know you were safe."

"Thank you," she whispered, her fingers itching to take over from him as he all but molested the eggs he was
scrambling. Those beautiful products of nature need to be scrambled, not butchered you gorgeous man who
intends to marry me one fine day.

"I can do that," she offered, her hand already wrapping around the spatula.

"Are you questioning my ability to cook?" Edward asked, her original fear of having offended him soon
dissipating as she saw the lights of amusement dancing in his eyes.

Yes. "No," she replied cautiously, trying to hush her inner voice as she tried to come up with a sensible reply, "but
it feels unnatural for me to sit back and have you do all the work."

"If that's all there is to your worries, then rest assured," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. "I have taken
care of my own needs for three years now." Bella didn't quite understand why that statement made him blush,
though she could see how it made him reluctant to give up the command over his kitchen.

She would have felt the same.

"Please, Bella," he chuckled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face she hadn't even noticed was there as he
appeared to be debating something before coming to a decision and leaning in for a chaste kiss. As a second and a
third kiss followed the first one, Bella didn't realize that Edward was manipulating her body until she found
herself sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, the feeling of her rear hitting the wood of the seat making her gasp in
surprise.

"There will come a day when you are mistress of this house but until that day comes, please let me take care of
you," Edward whispered against her lips, his thumb brushing over the heated skin of her cheek. "It gives me great
pleasure to do so."

"Fine," she sighed, powerless to resist when he put it like that.

She took her seat reluctantly, though even Bella had to admit that from her seat at the kitchen table the view was
much nicer than it would have been had she been standing in front of the stove.

The view of Edward's backside.

The food, in spite of the massacre that had taken place, looked and tasted amazing, the combination of fragrant
fresh herbs and the heartiness of the egg and fried bacon satisfying at least her need for sustenance. Her other
needs, though, weren't yet met as they sat across from each other eating silently.

"Edward?" Bella finally spoke; the questions bubbling inside of her almost making her explode.

"Hmm?" Edward replied, his mouth still full.

"Why did you never speak to me?" She blushed, thinking her question might be a bit forward. "I
mean…considering how strong you claim your feelings for me are, I'm assuming they didn't develop
overnight…."

She waited until Edward nodded his affirmation. "Why did you never approach me?"

He was silent for a long time – too long – and Bella could almost see him mulling over the answer time and time
again before he finally spoke.

"I am twenty years old, Bella." His voice barely registered above a whisper as he took her hand and started flaying
with her fingers to distract himself and maybe even her. "I am well aware of the dangers I am about to face. I did
not want anyone to grieve needlessly, should I not return."

"I would have mourned you even if this had never happened," Bella spoke, the truth self-evident in her words.

"I know."

"Do you? Because I don't think you realize how long I've waited for a sign – or anything – that told me that you
felt the same way for me as I have for you….ever since we were children."

"But…." Edward's brow furrowed in confusion. "You….Jacob…"

Bella sighed. "It was all a farce." As she proceeded to tell him the truth about how her engagement to her
childhood friend came to be.

"I am so sorry you had to go through that, Bella," he spoke softly as she finished. "Had I known what was going
on…"

He sighed, picking at his fingernails as he shook his head. "I thought you were grieving and I wanted to give you
time and space to do so. And apart from that…after what happened to Jacob I thought that the last thing you'd
ever do was go through it all over again."

Bella's reply was cut short when the front door shot open and her brother marched in stopping only when he was
on the threshold to the kitchen.

"Is it safe to look?" Emmett grinned, his huge hands splayed out so widely that – even if it hadn't – he still would
have seen everything.

"It's safe," Bella growled, her appetite all but lost now that her brother had arrived. She knew all too well what the
hidden message behind his arrival was; her father wanted her home. "I guess dad sent you."

"You got that right, squirt," he chuckled, his eyes shifting from his sister to the man he had considered one of his
best friends for years now, even if he never tired of teasing Edward about the fact that he was the youngest in their
group of three. "The old man wanted to make sure his daughter's virtue was still intact."

"And he sent you?" Bella snorted.

Emmett could be scary enough when he got angry – that was, if he ever did – but with the way both he and his
wife had been hinting at a possible love match between the houses of Masen and Swan, she wondered if joy hadn't
been the dominant emotion when her brother found out where his sister had spend the night.

"What? You don't think I am man enough to defend my baby sister's reputation when it's in danger of being
sullied?" Emmett pretended to be hurt but the amusement in his eyes gave him away. He had always been a
terrible liar.

Just like his sister.

"I think you've done all too much sullying in your life to be able to defend anything!" Bella muttered under her
breath, wishing Emmett would just drop the matter, especially since it took place in front of Edward who had
been looking on at the verbal sparring between the two siblings as if he were watching a sports game.

"Au contraire, fair maiden," her brother quipped, making matters even worse by winking at Edward. "I think it
makes me the best possible defender of your honor."

He eyed Bella's plate of food long enough for her to surrender and push it across the table where he plopped down
in a chair and started shoving the food into his mouth as if Rose didn't feed him often enough.

His next remark was barely audible as it came from behind pieces of chewed egg and cheese. "And you wouldn't
want Jess to be over here anyway. She's been in an awful mood ever since she found out."

"Jess," she sighed. Knowing her sister, Jess would have probably resented Bella even more than she resented the
wolves for staying the night at the home of the man she'd set her cap at. The conversation that would have to take
place soon, in which Bella would inform her little sister of her new status as Edward's sweetheart, was one she
was dreading maybe even more than the conversation that would take place very soon with her father. And that
was saying something, for Bella didn't expect her father to part with her lightly.

"It's my fault," Edward spoke. It was the first thing he said since Emmett had entered the house. "I should have
thought…."

"With all due respect and all that crap, Edward," Emmett grinned, "I think you're talking out of your ass."

"Emmett!" Bella scowled.

"It's true!" Emmett cried, his booming voice making the porcelain cups and plates rattle on the table.

"Even if Saint Isabella was carried home by angels, Jessica still would have found fault with her, so don't beat
yourself up over it, Edward. Instead, you might want to think about making it over to Swan headquarters to face
the pater familias. He's been waiting anxiously ever since Doctor Cullen paid him a visit."

Emmett's last remark was enough to set both Edward and Bella in motion, knowing that a lot depended on
Charlie's mood when they faced him. Five minutes later the three of them were walking into town. The fact that
the townsfolk zeroed their eyes on Bella and Edward's clasped hands made Bella feel more uncomfortable than
she ever thought she'd been.

Bella and Edward soon found themselves lagging behind as they followed Emmett across town to her home, both
of them wanting to make the most of the time they had before they had to face the force of nature that was Charles
Swan.

The presence of the townsfolk and their stares meant that any obvious displays of affection were out. However,
the holding of hands was just about tolerable in the eyes of the town and Edward wanted to make the most of it.
He rubbed soothing circles with his thumb as they slowly progressed to the Swan residence on the other side of
town.

They were anxious to get their impending meeting over with but dreaded it at the same time.

It was only when Edward gripped Bella's hand with intense pressure to the point that it was almost painful, that
Bella caught on to the fact that he was as nervous about their meeting as she was.

"You're awfully quiet," she teased, watching Edward's face tense up as he listened to her. "In fact….if I hadn't
seen you take on a pack of wolves singlehandedly last night I would think you were afraid of meeting my father."

"I am a man, Bella," he growled playfully, though he let go of her hand, "I'm not afraid."

Bella bit her lip as she mourned the loss of their intimacy. Apparently men didn't like it when people questioned
their bravery, even if the questioning was very just and very true. "Liar," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" he asked, chuckling at her ill attempt at keeping her words from him.

"Nothing," she sang, the innocence in her voice too obvious to have any credibility.

"Liar." His voice was barely audible, as hers would have been, but that didn't mean she didn't hear it.

A few choice words in reply, however, were out of the question when they reached the small cottage that was
home to the Swans, Emmett waiting for them by the door with a huge grin on his face.

"You didn't think I'd miss this, did you?" he chuckled, completely disregarding Bella's fierce glare, choosing to
zone in on Edward's less than calm expression instead. "You okay there buddy?"

He continued only as Edward gave him a slight nod. "Deep cleansing breaths, baby boy. I don't think my dad
would consider you a suitable companion for my sister if you passed out on the front steps."

"Emmett!" Bella hissed. "Cut him some slack!"

"Just returning the favor, sis," Emmett shrugged. "I'm doing nothing he didn't do when I asked for my Rosie's
hand in marriage."

"Men," Bella growled, tugging a very silent Edward – more silent even than he usually was – up the front steps
and into the house, knowing her father would be waiting for them.

The first emotion that hit her when they entered, though, wasn't frustration or defiance – things she would have
been prepared for – but confusion.

"This is even better than I thought it would!" Emmett snickered behind them causing both Edward and Bella to
hiss at him in annoyance.

"Emmett," Charlie's voice called. "Don't you have a wife to pester?"

Emmett took that as his cue to leave, his snickers lingering in the air long after he'd left though his sister paid no
notice to them. As her eyes glided over her father's robust form and settled on his hands she wondered what the
hell he was doing.

And, more importantly, why he was holding a gun in his hands.

~*~

~ Chapter Seven ~

When they reached the small cottage that was home to the Swans, Emmett was waiting for them by the door with
a huge grin on his face.

"You didn't think I'd miss this, did you?" he chuckled, completely disregarding Bella's fierce glare, choosing to
zone in on Edward's less than calm expression instead. "You okay there buddy?"

He continued only as Edward gave him a slight nod. "Deep cleansing breaths, baby boy. I don't think my dad
would consider you a suitable companion for my sister if you passed out on the front steps."

"Emmett!" Bella hissed. "Cut him some slack!"

"Just returning the favor, sis," Emmett shrugged. "I'm doing nothing he didn't do when I asked for my Rosie's
hand in marriage."

"Men," Bella growled, tugging a very silent Edward – more silent even than he usually was – up the front steps
and into the house, knowing her father would be waiting for them.

The first emotion that hit her when they entered, though, wasn't frustration or defiance – things she would have
been prepared for – but confusion.

"This is even better than I thought it would!" Emmett snickered behind them causing both Edward and Bella to
hiss at him in annoyance.

"Emmett," Charlie's voice called. "Don't you have a wife to pester?"

Emmett took that as his cue to leave, his snickers lingering in the air long after he'd left though his sister paid no
notice to them. As her eyes glided over her father's robust form and settled on his hands she wondered what the
hell he was doing.

And, more importantly, why he was holding a gun in his hands.

In all her twenty years Bella had never seen her father take the gun any farther into the house than the little
cupboard that hung beside the door. Yet there he sat, at the very kitchen table she had served their breakfast on
only yesterday, cleaning the blasted thing as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"Morning," he spoke in a gruff voice, acknowledging their existence with a slight nod while his eyes were still
completely focused on the task he had set for himself. A slight hint of amusement was shining through only when
he cocked the hammer and, for the slightest hint of a second, pointed the thing right at the center of his
prospective son in law's chest.

Had Charlie not known for some hours that his daughter had come to no harm , he would probably have reacted
very differently. Although he was never one to show his feelings, he felt as deeply and passionately as any other
man in town. He had been up all night, pacing a hole in the floor of his watchtower, scanning the town for signs
of wolves and for clues of what it was that had made those vile beasts breach the town borders. He had thought all
three of his children to be safe; Emmett at home with his wife and kids, Jessica attending a sleepover at Lauren
Mallory's and Bella still at the clinic.

His shock, when Carlisle had told him about what had happened, had been great as well as his gratitude towards
the Masen lad for keeping his daughter safe even if that meant ending up hurt himself.

Not that Charlie was ready to show his gratitude yet, though. No, as far as he was concerned, Bella would not be
safe until she was lawfully wed to the man standing beside her at that very moment. Until then, she was in just as
much peril as she had been last night. Charlie could know. He had been a twenty year old boy himself once, a
long time ago.

Edward was unable to fully conceal the small gasp of shock, even though he tried to swallow it down as best as he
could. His frame poised for escape as he clutched Bella's hand in his. His subconscious urge to protect her from
all possible harm that could come to her, made Bella forget her anger, even if it was only for a fleeting moment.

"Dad!" she cried, watching on horrified as her father enjoyed the reaction he got out of her suitor.

"Sorry sugar," he chuckled before settling his glare back on Edward, forcing the boy to show any sort of weakness
so that he could pick it apart, just like the good parent he was.

When the young man remained silent for a little while, probably trying to rally enough courage to speak after
what had just happened, he cocked his eyebrow and let out a small snort. "You just going to stand there and look
pretty, boy? Or is there any purpose to your visit?"

"O-f course Mr. Swan."

"Chief Swan."

"Dad!" Bella was getting to the end of her patience. If she had thought that before they entered the house her
brother had behaved despicably….her father had just now trumped it.

"Look," Charlie guffawed, holding up his hands in surrender to his seething daughter, "I know you're not a man of
many words and neither am I, so let's just cut to the chase: what makes you think you're worthy enough for me to
entrust you with my daughter's life?"

"I can't believe you!" Bella hissed crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Much to her amazement, it was Edward who silenced her. "No Bella," he stated calmly, apparently having
retrieved his courage, "he has every right to ask. You're his daughter and I am the man seeking to take you away
from him. If our roles were reversed, I would have done the same."

Bella could feel Edward's confidence growing as her father nodded his approval and pointed his dirty, grease-
stained hand towards the chair opposite from him at the table. Bella took the hint and left them to their devices as
she set herself to the task of preparing some refreshments for the men while they talked. She had to admit, though,
that her efforts weren't so much caused by her wish to take care of the two most important men in her life, but to
relieve her own nerves.

Time passed – it could have been minutes, it could have been hours – as the men spoke and Bella watched,
frantically trying to decipher her father's mood until finally she couldn't take it any longer.

"Do you know enough now?" she cried exasperated, almost crushing the fragile porcelain of the empty cups as
she snatched them away, "or are you holding off on your final verdict until you've rooted through his garbage?"

Charlie seemed to ponder that question for a while, much to Bella's vexation, until finally he answered. "Very
well," he sighed, acting as if he was giving up a struggle instead of winning the war, "if you really feel that
passionate about the girl then I guess there's nothing to do but give you my blessing as well as my respect for
keeping her safe and caring for her when I could not."

"Thank you daddy!" Bella exclaimed, taking her father completely by surprise when she launched herself at him,
his arms awkwardly wrapping around her as he responded to her love and happiness with his own gruff emotions.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, patting her on the back. "Don't count yourself too lucky yet. I reserve the right to put
an end to this….courtship the moment I find out this boy isn't treating you the way he should."

The pause before he spoke the word 'courtship' in addition to the pointed glare Charlie sent Edward over his
daughter's shoulder told the young man that said behavior wasn't restricted to hurting his daughter's feelings, even
if Bella seemed to be oblivious to this.

"Don't be silly daddy," she chuckled, her eyes beaming at her now official suitor. "He'd never do anything to hurt
me."

"I won't make you regret giving us your blessing, sir," Edward solemnly declared, taking Bella's hand to help her
up again. He couldn't stop himself from wrapping one of his arms around her slender frame, needing to have her
near him, his body aligned with hers, at this most joyous time. "I will love her until my dying breath and I will
never hesitate to let her know."

Charlie's eyes tightened when he looked at the position of his hands. "Just don't be too obvious about it, will you?
It's still my little girl we're talking about!"

"Yes sir," Edward chuckled. "I think it's about time I made my way to the clinic anyway. Carlisle and Esme will
be expecting me and I have no doubt that Bella is in need of some rest."

A stifled yawn confirmed what the two men had already seen: the events of the previous night had worn Bella out,
even if she tried to hide it to the best of her ability."

"Before you leave…" Charlie spoke, "would you mind giving me a quick rundown of what happened last night? I
will need you to come down to the station later today to give a full testament, but for my own peace of mind I'd
like to know what happened.

"I understand," Edward nodded, before launching into a quick explanation if everything that went to pass from the
minute he left the hospital last night to the moment he had his Bella safe behind his own front door. As he spoke,
Bella's hand clutched his, the rigidity in her posture and force behind her grip telling Edward that she still felt the
mental trauma last night's effects had caused acutely. It would be a long time before she'd be able to forget, but he
made a solemn vow to do everything he could to distract her.

"That's strange," Charlie muttered as Edward told him of how he'd shot one of the wolves. "We never found a
corpse.'

"You didn't?" Bella asked.

"Just some bloodied tracks leading back to the woods," Charlie answered. "I guess the animal somehow managed
to drag its way to safety but I'll drum up a few lads to take a closer look at them anyway. God knows what they
might find."

Bella shivered again and it was with great difficulty that Edward tore himself away from her to fulfill his
commitment to his uncle and aunt, even though he knew she'd be safe with her father and that she needed to rest.

Charlie might not have liked the so blatant display of affection playing out in front of him, he wasn't completely
oblivious to the desire of the lovebirds to have a few moments in private before Edward would leave for the
hospital. He could still clearly remember being in the young lad's position himself long ago and so he knew how
the frustration of having a girl's parents hovering over the newly courted couple in their attempts to protect the
young woman's virtue could drive a man insane.

Not that he wasn't very eager to protect his little darling Bella's virtue though, far from it. It was just that he was
absolutely certain that as long as Edward was under his roof – and thereby within the range of his trusty rifle – he
wouldn't put a hand, or any other appendage, in a place where it didn't belong.

The guy might have been young and in love, but he wasn't stupid. Or suicidal.

"You done?" he asked as he came back downstairs, trying not to see the flushed look or swollen lips his daughter
was sporting.

"Yes, father," she chuckled, leaning in to kiss him on her way to the kitchen.

He patted her on the back, holding his little girl's body to his for a little while longer than he would have on an
ordinary day. "I'm glad you're home safe, pumpkin," he spoke, leaving his daughter almost shocked by the
emotion in his voice. "When you didn't return last night…..I was worried sick."

"I was safe, daddy," Bella whispered, resting her head against his shoulder. "Edward saved me…"

"I know," Charlie sighed, "and I can never thank him enough for that."

"You have a funny way of showing your gratitude!" Bella snorted, stepping out of his hold. "I think you'd have
had no problem getting your message across without pulling a gun on the poor man! You all but scared him
away."

"I was only testing his bravery and devotion to you," Charlie maintained. "It's what any proper father would have
done."

"That doesn't make it any less stupid," Bella huffed, sending him a pointed glare before changing the subject. "I'll
go fix us some lunch."

"It's already done," Charlie chuckled. "Apparently your soon to be surrogate mother in law has a habit of cooking
when she's nervous. The good doctor left us a basket filled with all kinds of fancy food so we might as well eat
that now before it goes to waste."

"Will Jessica be here?" Bella asked timidly, busying herself with unpacking the rather large wicker basket while
she awaited her father's reply.

"Nah," he answered. "She's got something to do over at young Miss Mallory's house. She won't be back until
curfew, I think. Not unless she hears about a certain piece of news….."

~*~

~ Chapter Eight ~

"Please?" Bella's pout was virtually irresistible, especially with the way her face was flushed from the heat and
her eyes shining with love and happiness.

"No!" Edward chuckled, lying back on the checkered plaid blanket that had been their resting place for most of
the afternoon as he popped one of the three remaining strawberries he'd been holding onto for dear life into his
mouth.

"Not fair!" Bella pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You still have three and I none!" Edward peeked
at her through his closed eyelids, savoring the sweet, succulent taste of the berry. Bella's eyes were brimming with
mischief as she no doubt thought of a backup plan to ensure that at least one of the red delights that were currently
safely stored in Edward's strong hands would make it to her mouth.

If only she knew how irresistible that pose made her look; her arms pushing her firm, ample breasts up to new
heights, though they were still vying for his attention along with her pouty red lips. She was beautiful and sexy
and she didn't even know it…..and she was all his.

Or she would be, in just another week. God willing.

Being with his beloved was the sweetest kind of torture Edward could think of. Over the weeks their feelings for
each other had deepened from infatuation to love but aside from that they had also formed a friendship unlike any
Edward had ever encountered before. Being with Bella and talking to her was more effortless than he'd ever held
imaginable and he often found himself sharing more of himself than he ever thought he would.

Unfortunately for Edward their newfound closeness also stirred emotions of a different kind within him; yearning,
possessiveness, protectiveness, lust. They were feelings Edward battled very hard to keep from his beautiful
betrothed because her good opinion of him might be lost forever if she ever found out just how strongly his body
reacted to something as simple as her scent.

Or what he intended to do to her – and very often too – once they were married.

Over the last couple of weeks it had gotten harder and harder to ignore her body's siren song and he guessed that
in hindsight taking her on a picnic in the fields behind his house might not have been the smartest move if he
intended to return her to her father virgo intacto.

He sighed. As if the good people of Forks would ever let him trespass beyond the conduct proper for a young man
and his betrothed.

Edward smiled, thinking about how a few weeks ago he'd formally asked for Bella's hand in marriage. He'd kept it
off for days, the memory of his first meeting with Charlie still fresh in his mind, but in the end it had gone
smoother than he could have hoped for, though Edward knew he had Jessica and her new beau to thank for most
of that. Who knew that defying all rules of common decency could turn out to be so…advantageous?

He'd proposed to Bella that same afternoon, in the same meadow they were sitting in right that moment, unable to
keep his feelings of relief bottled up inside for another hour. That had been exactly four weeks ago, a milestone in
their relationship they were celebrating this day under the very watchful eyes of Forks.

Previous to courting Bella, Edward had always enjoyed living in Forks. The close-knitted community meant that
crime was virtually absent and no-one would have to be lonely unless out of choice. The special nature of their
town also meant that it was your contribution towards the greater good that was important, not the depth of your
fortune. Since every product used in the town also had to be produced within its borders, every single inhabitant
had to pull their weight, whether it was by toiling in the field, chopping wood, growing fruit or safeguarding the
spiritual and physical wellbeing of everyone. Laziness was a sin that could not be tolerated since it could mean
the difference between comfort and deficiency.

It was a mentality that had always suited Edward fine, until the day when the whole population of Forks seemed
to have become concerned with safeguarding fair Isabella Swan's virtue.

Stupid, meddlesome, narrow-minded know-it-alls.

And then there was always her father, the inevitable Charles Swan, who took his job as the protector of his
daughter's virtue very seriously. A little too serious if you would have asked Edward.

He was probably even watching them right now from the hidden confines of the watchtower, scrutinizing their
every move with a face that spoke 'you put your hands on any surface I don't want them and you don't have to
worry about your hands going anywhere for the rest of your life.'

It was no surprise that Edward had come to know that look very well. Or that he hated it almost as much as he
loved Isabella Swan.

"Oh!" Bella gasped as Edward, pulled himself away from the gloomy path his thoughts were taking, popped
another strawberry into his mouth.

Her pout deepened as she watched Edward's jaws squeeze the juice and flavors out of the fruit before he
swallowed it, the lust in her eyes – be it for the food, not for his body – bringing on the need for a shift in position
before his 'situation' became too obvious even to Bella's untrained eyes. "And here I thought you to be a
gentleman!"

Edward paled at her words, his eyes widening for a moment when he thought that Bella might not have been as
unknowledgeable about the inner workings of the male anatomy as he thought, until a covert glance at her face
taught him that her attention was still solely invested in soft fruit, not in hard body parts. "You had your own
portion of strawberries," he chuckled, relaxing again, "and I seem to remember that out of the two portions of
strawberries, yours was the greatest in size."

"A true gentleman would still share," she pouted.

"And what, pray tell me, would a gentleman be getting in return?"

"Nothing, of course!" Bella frowned, looking at him in confusion before understanding dawned on her face, a
deep, scarlet blush settling onto her cheeks, making her lovely face even lovelier as she spoke, her husky voice
making Edward grow even harder in his trousers.

"I don't know…..." she half-whispered, her beautiful eyes hooded with desire. "To justify the sacrifice of a
strawberry the payment would have to be substantial, I guess."

"Yes," Edward's voice matched her in huskiness and as he watched Bella's eyes darken in reaction to it, her
eyelids barely able to hold back the naked lust within them, "the price would have to reflect the value, but – I
think – also the sweetness….In fact, I think a kiss – one chaste kiss on the lips – would be a very just payment…."

Edward was well aware of the fact that he was grossly contradicting himself. A gentleman would never ask for a
kiss, whether from his betrothed or not. A gentleman would abstain.

It was a good thing that Edward had stopped referring to himself as a gentleman ever since he had opened his
heart to the evil little seductress sitting next to him.

Bella let out a deep sigh. Edward was sure it was meant to show reluctance and virtuous fear of compromising her
reputation but the time spent together had enabled Edward to pierce right through that top layer of artifice and
acknowledge her true feelings; uncertainty, impatience….lust. "Okay."

"Very well," Edward purred, barely able to hide his enthusiasm as he opened his hand and produced the last of the
strawberries, an extra large one he had saved especially for this occasion. "Open your mouth."

Bella's blush deepened to the rich crimson color of the roses in his aunt's garden as she slightly parted her lips, the
gap just wide enough to envelope the fruit as he offered it to her.

He gasped as her soft, warm lips made contact with the tips of his fingers for a moment before she bit down, a
single drop of juice slipping from the corner of her mouth as she did and gliding slowly down her chin.

Edward had never known fruit could be so….erotic.

Instead of waiting for Bella to properly finish her end of the bargain or even look to see if she was okay with it, he
dove in and collected his kiss, a low, throaty groan bubbling up from inside him as his mouth encountered the
sweet taste of Bella and strawberry, his tongue lapping at every single last drop of it until he could no longer
continue, the pesky need of air forcing him to withdraw.

It was anything but a chaste kiss.

"You taste so sweet my love," he muttered, his desire naked in his words as he looked at her, his mind feverishly
trying to contain the burning, smoldering need to touch, kiss and devour.

An almost pained whimper was his reply, but it told him everything he needed to know. Bella felt it too and she
too suffered because of it.

Equally frustrated and out of breath they both dropped back onto the blanket again. "There will come a time when
we don't have to stop," Edward whispered as they lay side by side. "Soon."

"I can't wait." The impatience in her voice surprised him. As far as he had been taught, women weren't supposed
to be this eager for physical intimacy. In fact, as far as Mr. Banner had taught the boys when they had reached the
subject of matrimony and procreation in biology – the only class boys and girls followed separately – women
were supposed to be afraid of it.

The repulsion and horror he was sure his biology book wanted him to feel, however, failed to make an
appearance. Instead an overwhelming lust and a strong sense of relief washed over him. Only a few more days.

Edward sighed, watching the birds dance in the sky above them in a clear blue sky and enjoyed the warmest
summer in years. They would make his stay in the woods a little easier since the long days meant that the wolves
had fewer hours to attack him and the warmth would give him some comfort while he hid somewhere high and
safe at night.

He guessed he had to thank God for small favors.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked after they had been silent for some time, each wrapped up in their
own thoughts. He leaned back on his arm, his free hand absentmindedly playing with a strand of Bella's dark
chocolate hair as he tried to read Bella's face.

Bella sighed deeply before reluctantly answering his question. "Inevitability."

Now it was Edward's turn to sigh, lying back on the checkered blanket as his gaze drifted from the woman he had
grown to love almost more than life itself over the last couple of weeks, to the uncharacteristically blue sky.
Bella's explanation needed no further clarification because, as beautiful as this day had been, a dark cloud hung
over it. It was the twentieth day of June, which meant that tomorrow; Edward's future would be decided.

"I ruined it, didn't I," Bella muttered. "We were having such a lovely time together and there I had to go and put
my foot into my mouth."

"You didn't ruin anything," Edward stated calmly, his hand blindly seeking out hers. "If you want to blame
something, blame the idiots who put us in this situation." He lifted her hand, loving the way the sunlight made the
tender skin almost seem iridescent. "Or blame fate."

Over the last few weeks Edward had found himself doing something he never thought he'd do: he was questioning
the justness of the trial he was about to embark upon. For years he had been looking forward to it, strange though
it may seem, and part of him still did. It was exhilarating, going into the great unknown with danger lurking
behind every tree. For as long as he'd been aware of the treat that lurked beneath the foliage, he'd been filled with
curiosity and now, finally, after twenty-one years he could finally still his hunger for knowledge.

Bu there was another hunger that had started to overpower all of his other desires as of late.

Bella.

His beloved made no secret of her skepticism when it came to the rite and, what was worse; her reasoning was
starting to get to him. As the date of his birthday crept closer he found himself more and more reluctant to venture
into the woods. Not because he was afraid of the wolves, but because he feared not coming back.

He had to come back.

"Be careful," Bella joked, her beautiful face appearing above him, framed by a mass of soft brown curls, "people
might hear you speak like that and think you're guilty of blasphemy!"

"I think the good people of Forks gave up on saving my soul a long time ago," Edward chuckled as he tried to
fight off the urge to kiss her again. He didn't think Chief Swan would let him get away with a second violation of
the code of conduct.

Speaking of Charlie Swan…..

"I'd better get you home," he sighed, "It's already close to curfew. Your father must be getting twitchy."

"Let him!" Bella groaned, closing her eyes and holding onto him as if denial of the situation would magically
make it go away. "It is about time my father understood how important even a few more minutes can be when
time is swiftly running out."

"I'll walk you home," he suggested, though he couldn't agree more with her. Time was running out. When he said
goodbye to Bella on her doorstep in a few more moments he would see her only briefly tomorrow morning when
the whole town would gather at the edge of the forest to send him off.

They walked silently, both lost to the same thoughts and both cursing every step that brought them closer to the
Swan residence.

"I don't want you to go," Bella whispered as she lingered on the bottom step of the porch.

Edward knew she wasn't just speaking of today. "I don't want to go."

"Then stay." The added height of the step leveled Bella's eyes to his and as they stared at him, filled with love and
fear for his wellbeing Edward found it difficult to deny her anything. Even if he had to.

"You know that's not possible." Edward leaned his forehead against hers as he spoke. "You know that tradition
dictates…."

"Tradition be damned!" Bella growled. "I don't want to lose you, especially not to some foolish tradition thought
by a gang of bored, jaded fools God knows how many decades ago."

"Bella," Charlie's voice sounded behind them. "I think you better say goodbye to the young man and get inside."
His voice held a warning, for both of them.

"Goodbye my sweet Bella," Edward whispered, placing a chaste kiss on her lips, savoring the sweet taste of his
beloved and committing it to memory. He had a feeling he was going to need it. "I'll see you tomorrow."

There was so much more he wanted to say to her, so many emotions battling to find a voice…but he couldn't. Not
just because he knew Charlie was listening to every word he said but also because he didn't want to burden her.
He was still holding back, even now, so that Bella might be spared.

"Goodbye Edward." Bella's beautiful face was marred by tears as she took a step backwards, her eyes speaking
the words her faltering voice could not produce.

When she did speak it was a commonplace, a general phrase of politeness used to distance herself from the panic,
fear and refusal to let go that were screaming inside of her to be let out. She kept them at bay, even if it almost
killed her. She did not want to burden Edward even further by harassing him with her childish worries. "Give my
regards to your family."

Edward knew that if he didn't turn around and walk away that second, he would be unable to do it tomorrow and
so he took the coward's way out and walked away, as fast as he could without having it seem like he was running

away. At least he had something to do tonight, something to keep his mind off that pained expression in her eyes
when she said her goodbye, though he knew that her pain would haunt him none the less.

As it should.

Still, he could not find it in himself to regret the choice he'd made. The last few weeks had flown by like a dream.
A dream filled with Bella. A dream not even Jessica's hateful words and even worse treatment of her sister could
tarnish.

Edward growled. He had always prided himself on being in control of his emotions but the very notion of Jessica
challenged that control. The things she'd said to her sister when she found out about Bella's engagement to him
had warranted a much harsher reaction than Bella had allowed him to show. Edward was convinced that since
then every action Jessica had undertaken had been born out of malice, even her own marriage to that vile and
despicable joke of a man.

At least Jessica being married meant that the constant strife between the two sisters had ended. With Jessica
having moved out of the house and busy establishing herself as the wife of one of the most self-important
windbags of the town, she barely had any time to bother her sister. She was far too busy being fawned over by
Lauren Mallory and the rest of those vile vipers who deigned themselves the popular clique of the town.

Still, Bella wasn't at peace.

After being married for about two weeks, not ever Jessica could deny the fact that her husband was a complete
and utter prick and, though Jessica still held her head high, it was no secret that she found herself unhappy and
regretting the rash choice she'd made. Not that she would ever admit to it though. It did, however, make her seek
out her sister a lot more and even though it infuriated Edward to see Bella forgive her sister's nasty words so
willingly and start afresh, Bella could not remain angry with her sister. Not when Jessica was in desperate need of
guidance and a listening ear.

At least the dealings in the Swan family had given Edward a whole new appreciation for the way his family had
welcomed Bella's addition into their wide open arms with the same warmth and naturalness they had bestowed
upon him when he was adopted years ago.

It brought a huge relief to Edward to know that Bella would be looked after by them and by her own family,
during the days he would be absent from her side.

True to tradition the Cullens hosted a dinner in celebration of the fact that the boy they had raised was on his way
to becoming a man, though to Edward it seemed more like a last supper before they threw him to the dogs.
Literally.

The dinner in itself was pleasant enough, though Edward could hardly get any food past the big lump in his throat.
To his family it probably seemed like he was afraid of what awaited him inside the forest. They tried to cheer him
up as best as they could with Rosalie and Emmett making all kinds of jokes at his expense to get any sort of
reaction out of him, Jasper and Carlisle trying to engage him in debates about anything they thought might interest
him and Alice regaling them all with stories on how adorable her little baby girl was while Esme just sat silent
and watched him, her eyes filled with motherly concern.

They could not have been more wrong. Though Edward was both worried and afraid, neither his worry nor his
fear concerned his well being. They were all about Bella.

Even though the woods held no fear to him, he knew that the rite of passage he was going to subject himself to
tomorrow wasn't without danger, especially not to one who – considering the fact that he had wounded one of
them – was probably very high up on the wolves' hit list.

If he didn't return, what would happen to Bella? Would she go on with her life, find another man who would take
her – someone like Tyler Crowley – and live happily ever after, eventually forgetting all about him? Or would
losing a second fiancé to the dangers of the woods be the straw that broke the camel's back?

God, he wished not! He wanted her to be happy should his life come to an early end. Not with Tyler Crowley
though. He could not stand even the thought of it. Or, as Edward thought some more on the matter, with any of
the other single male fools the town seemed to be littered with.

It was then that Edward strengthened his resolve to return home to his beloved in four days, for that no other man
could lay a hand on her.

Bella was his and his alone.

"Edward?" When he looked up he saw that the women had departed from the dining room, leaving the men to
their own devices.

It was an ancient custom and one Edward had encountered many times in the novels his parent's had bequeathed
onto him, though in the novels there was always cigars and brandy and the men of Forks had to make do without
the first and with a poor excuse for the other.

The home brew old man Newton fabricated in his shed was good for many things – getting drunk, degreasing
tools, getting rid of frostbite – but it could never be called a fine, elegant digestive.

Carlisle waited until he had his nephew's attention before he continued. "As you are setting off into the woods
tomorrow, there are a few things we want to share with you to make your journey a bit more…bearable."

Edward perked up, his eyes scanning every face in the room until they landed on Emmett's. "We need you to
come back alive, if only because my dad would have a stroke if he has to deal with another broken heart."

"Shut up, you unfeeling idiot!" Jasper hissed, nodding at Edward as Carlisle scrapped his throat.

"Yes, well….." he turned serious again as he rifled through the pocket of his jacket, producing a small circular
object.

"What is it?" Edward let his fingers glide over the smooth surface of the object, taking in all of the dials and
figures.

"It is called a compass. The head of every household in Forks has one to lend to those of his family when they
face the same challenge he has one successfully conquered."

"It is to help me find my way back to the village, isn't it?" Edward had heard of these compasses and what they
did, but he had never seen one with his own eyes. He had never had any cause for it. Even during his foraging
trips into the forest he had always remained close to the town, venturing only down those pathways that he knew
through and through.

"It is," Carlisle nodded deliberately, "but that is not its only use."

The older man looked around the table, an atmosphere of conspiracy settling over the room. "Deep within the
forest, at about a six hour walk from the town, stands a small cabin built by those who preceded us. It will offer
you safe haven during those hours of the night when it is dangerous to linger outdoors."

"There is a shelter?" Edward cried. This was the first he had ever heard of it.

"I can understand your surprise," Carlisle chuckled. "It is one of the town's best kept secrets."

"Why?"

"Because, Eddie," Emmett chuckled, "it kind of takes away from the heroic of our 'ordeal' when all we do for
those three days we're out there is lock the door behind us on our way inside, sit on our assess all day and eat the
food our women have so lovingly bestowed upon us. And who doesn't want to be a hero?"

"I don't want to be a false hero," Edward muttered.

"Then stay outside and take your chances with the wolves," Emmett chuckled, knowing that even in spite of his
displeasure Edward would never choose for that option. "I'm sure you'll make a pretty decent snack!"

~ x ~

Hours later Edward stood beside the watchtower as the whole town gathered to bid him farewell and make sure he
held fast to the rules. Even the Collins' attended, though with sour looks on both their faces. It was the best
Edward had seen James look since having broken his nose three times over the last couple of weeks, each time by
a different fist.

There were a few muffled chuckles when Charlie searched Edward's knapsack, pockets and body a little too
roughly for any contraband only to ascertain that the 'Masen boy' had passed the test.

"Good luck out there, son," he nodded gruffly, the undertone of kindness almost shocking in lieu of his recent
behavior. "And hurry back. She needs you." He inclined his head slightly towards the spot where his daughter
stood, sheltered between her brother and sister and their spouses as she cried silently.

He wanted to go to her, hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. He wanted to crack some lame joke
to make her laugh and relish in the gently cackle of her voice and the way her eyes shone when she was happy. He
wanted all of that and more.

But he couldn't.

"Edward," Carlisle nodded, as he hugged him before stepping aside to let Esme say her goodbyes, the others
following after her until there was only one person left to say goodbye to.

Bella.

"Don't cry," he whispered, silently cursing each and every staring set of eyes to hell as he took his leave of the
woman he loved. "I will come back to you and make you my wife." He brushed his finger over her cheek,
lingering a little longer than necessary on the purple bruises underneath her eyes indicating she had had about as
much sleep last night as he had.

"You'd better," she finally sobbed, her hands grabbing the fabric of his shirt and using it to pull him towards her.
"I don't think I could stand to lose you. I love you….forever."

"Forever," Edward whispered.

And then he kissed her, in front of virtually the complete town and all their relatives and acquaintances, both of
them only parting ways when they were panting for air and Bella's cheeks had turned into a more vibrant shade of
red than they ever had been in their existence.

The loud scrapping of a throat broke the spell that had kept them gazing into each other's eyes and called their
attention back to the present. Charlie Swan was not amused, so much was clear from his eyes. They seemed to be
in the midst of a debate on whether to kill the 'Masen boy' now or wait until he had returned from the forest.

Edward couldn't find it in himself to regret his actions though, not even for the tiniest fragment of a moment.
Because, though he had nothing but respect for Chief Swan and the virtue in which he left his betrothed behind,
he wanted to leave no one in any doubt of who Bella Swan belonged to.

"Be safe," his angel whispered as she let go of his hand. "And come back to me…..please."

His answer was in the determination his face showed as he defied Charles Swan one last time and pressed a soft
kiss to her lips before turning his back on her and the town and stepped forth.

Into the wild.

~*~

~ Chapter Nine ~

Edward.

It was the first thought that registered the moment Bella awoke, the first light of morning shining through the
window of her bedroom. It was the same thought that made her bolt from her bed and run down the stairs as fast
as her legs could carry her the minute she became aware of her surroundings.

"Anything?" she panted, her eyes desperately pleading with her father to deliver the news she'd so anxiously
awaited for days now as she clutched her nightdress to her body against the chill of the early morning.

"I'm sorry, pumpkin." Charlie's voice was laced with regret as he answered her plea. "He still hasn't turned up."

Bella's face fell from hopeful to hopeless as she digested the news, her mind clutching at final straws to keep her
from thinking about the possibility that….

"It's still early," she spoke determinedly, as if determination could keep her fears at bay, "he might show up still."

"He might," Charlie answered, trying to hide his face behind the steaming mug of chicory coffee in front of him.
He had not the heart to dash his poor girl's hopes – not again – and so he held his tongue. He didn't tell her that he
the likeliness of anyone returning from the forest after three days had passed was slim to none, and he didn't tell
her about the howling of the wolves.

That last – the incessant howling at night – was something that confounded even Charlie. For, normal as it was for
the wolves to announce the arrival of a new addition to their pack, the sounds they had been emitting over the last
three nights had been like nothing he'd ever experienced. And that was saying something. They were angry,
frustrated….ferocious.

Bella sighed, glancing out of the window to the edge of the forest, before turning her back on it and making her
way upstairs to get dressed while trying to think of something to keep her distracted for the day.

For more than three days now Bella had been sick with worry, her anxiety finding outlet in all sorts of useful
manners. It hadn't been so bad at first, when her hopes were high and there was enough work to be done.

Who would have known that all the neglect she had shown her house chores in favor of spending time with her –
now official – fiancé would come in so handy?

On the first day of Edward's stay in the woods Bella had set to work cleaning the whole house from top to bottom,
the hard manual labor of wiping, brushing and scouring taking her mind of the lone figure trapped inside the
green, leafy prison of tradition.

On the second day Bella had set off to give Edward's home the same treatment, thinking that Edward would
appreciate coming home to a nice, clean house after his days in the great outdoors. It turned out she wasn't the
only one who'd had this idea….Small smiles and nods of understanding were exchanged when she met Esme on
the front steps of the Masen family home that morning, both of them understanding the other's need for
distraction. It was a good thing there were two of them anyway. Between the two women they barely managed to
get the whole house in a pristine condition before curfew, their hands sore and their muscles protesting as they
went back to their homes, tired but unsatisfied with the day's achievements.

On the third day the formidable cleaning team had turned its attention towards the clinic, almost driving Carlisle
insane with their obsessive need for dirty surfaces to clean, bandages to rinse and iron and medicine to prepare.

In the end Carlisle had to put a stop to their endeavor when their rigorous activities were starting to unsettle the
few patients that had been brought in of late. He sent them outside to take care of the small medicinal garden in an
effort to keep the women busy and his patients calm.

At the end of the day neither of the women felt that satisfaction they usually felt when looking upon the fruits of
all their hard work. True, they had been successful, but as had happened every day, the moment their task was
complete that almighty, overpowering dread that had settled deep within their flesh the minute Edward had
stepped out of view settled back into their bones and would give them no rest until they found something else to
keep it at bay.

It was a good thing, both women had concluded, that Edward was expected home at the end of the day, for they
were running out of things to clean.

But he never came.

A sob wracked through Bella's body as she recalled yesterday afternoon. All of them had gathered together at the
edge of the forest to welcome Edward home. They'd been so full of hope and joyous anticipation, the women
planning the impending wedding, and the men Edward's initiation into the town council. But as time had lapsed
and their initial optimism had vanished slowly the fear of something horrible having happened started to creep in.
He hadn't come home….he might never come home.

All those fears Bella had carefully brushed, swiped and scoured away over the last couple of days had exploded
and had it not been for her almost superhuman self control – who knew that Granny Swan's drilling would have
come to such a good use – and the fact that half the town would witness it, she would have fallen apart there and
then. But she held it together, even when her father and brother had almost forcibly pulled her from her spot,
waiting until the last rays of sun had vanished below the treetops to get her home. They understood her need to
hope….but they felt helpless when it came to the rest of her emotions.

"It might still be okay," Bella tried to convince herself. "He might still be alive….."

It had been the mantra she had been repeating over and over again ever since she had returned home the night
before, only interrupting it when she keeled over from the sheer exhaustion, fear and three days of hard work
could bring.

She had to admit though, that every time she repeated it, her words had started to lose some of their conviction.

"I can't lose hope," she whispered, a deep panic rising up inside of her and threatening to burst from within like
one of those volcanic eruptions she had read about in one of the sparse scientific books amongst her family's
collection. "I cannot abandon him like that."

With about all the composure she could muster Bella made her way downstairs. She knew she had to get out of
the house for it she would see the compassion and worry in her father's eyes one last time she would probably
start screaming at the top of her lungs and she didn't want to cause him a heart attack.

"I'm going out for a bit, father," she announced, her whole body trembling with restrained emotion. "I'll be home
before dinner."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, pumpkin?" Charlie asked, the strange, eerie shimmer of her eyes set against the
pallor of her skin setting off a fear he had only felt once before.

He was losing her. He could see it happening right in front of his eyes. "Don't you rather want to go and see some
of your friends? How about Jessica? You could see how she's doing in her new house…."

"I just need some fresh air and some time to think…." Bella's almost robotic voice answered. "I'll take care of
myself, you know that."

"Just….don't do anything rash," Charlie sighed, his child already halfway out of the door before he could finish
his sentence. His fear of his daughter doing just that made him follow her out and watch, breathing a sigh of relief
when Bella's long, frantic steps took her not to the edge of the forest, but towards the town.

As she walked, Bella's legs were moving on their own accord, carrying her first to town, then through it and –
once she had cleared the center – on a much faster pace to the one place where she knew she would feel connected
to him.

The minute the large, white house came into view, though, she knew she had made a mistake. Where she had
thought to feel comforted – maybe even reassured – by the connection it held to Edward, the sight of his home
standing there, abandoned and alone hit too close to home to cause her anything but a heartbreaking pain.

As her footsteps faltered her eyes shifted away quickly from the empty house, to the cause of all her pain.

The forest.

Like any child growing up in Forks, Bella had always lived in fear of her green surroundings. Now, however, all
she felt when she looked at it was a boiling, overpowering anger. It had no right to take this from her. She had
never done anything wrong, anything to deserve this.

A low growl welled up in Bella's chest, a red haze clouding her vision and – maybe – her better judgment as she
took off in a sprint. Stopping only when she was surrounded by trees, the town almost invisible as she kicked at
any part of the forest her legs could reach.

"Give him back to me!" she cried out at the trees and the birds and the bushes, only the echo of her words coming
back to her in answer.

"He's mine. He promised himself to me as I did to him. I cannot lose him….please!" Her knees gave out as heavy
sobs wracked through her body, making it sink onto the moss and the leaves that carpeted nature's floor.

"Please….."

Time went by as Bella cried, her emotions ranging from fear and despair one moment and hatred and violence the
next, her hands clawing the earth open in a desperate attempt to wound it as it had wounded her.

In the end, though, it was to no avail. The forest didn't answer or even acknowledge it had heard her desperate
plea for help and as time lapsed, Bella's sobs slowly started to give out, her body so utterly spent that it couldn't
even muster the energy to cry any longer.

As she drew her protesting body up from the ground, carefully brushing all traces of the forest away, she had a
feeling she was being watched, though as far as her eyes could see there was nothing to indicate another presence.
"Is….is anyone there?" her shaky voice called out.

Bella gasped as a loud snap sounded a few feet away from her. "Edward?"

She chose to follow hope instead of fear, her feet rushing to the place the noise had come from but finding only
open space and more greenery.

It held no trace of anyone having been there…ever.

As Bella walked away from the forest she felt as if she was in a trance, the sheer exhaustion causing her to
feel….nothing. Somehow, though, in the corner of her mind, something must have been working because when
she stopped in front of a door and looked up to see where her trusty feet had taken her, it was the one place she
had longed to be.

It was only when her hand reached out to knock on the door of the cozy, well-built cottage her best friend
inhabited that she started to doubt her decision. Alice had enough on her plate. She had a new baby, a household
to manage and a husband who was probably suffering as much as Bella was at that moment. As she stood in front
of the door, her hand lingering in the air, Bella realized that it was foolish to assume that Alice could make space
in her heart for her at this time.

Before she could move, though, the door opened and the small form of her best friend emerging almost
immediately caused Bella to burst into tears. "Bella? What are you doing there, standing on the doorstep?" Alice's
soft words sounded and Bella was faintly aware of a small hand wrapping around hers and pulling her indoors.

"I didn't want to impose…." She managed to stammer without crying.

"Nonsense, honey," Alice answered, her voice thick with concern for her best friend's wellbeing. "You'd never
intrude. Please…sit down."

Bella stared off into the distance as Alice set herself to the task of preparing some herbal tea for her guest, the
faint sounds of a whimpering baby drifting down from the upstairs. "That will be Jasper," Alice smiled as a faint
neigh of the head told her Bella had heard the sounds.

"He's trying to change Katie's diaper but I think he found out that is a lot harder than it seems. The poor fool has
been going at it for almost half an hour now. I shudder to think of the state Katie's room is in…." She trailed off,
realizing her worries and fear had made her ramble on like a lunatic. It didn't cause any change in Bella's
appearance though, not the words, nor the silence that followed it.

"Alice?" Jasper's tall frame appeared at the top of the stairs. "I need to get back to the crops. Katie's asleep
and…." Jasper's voice halted as he followed his wife's concerned gaze to the lone figure reclining on the sofa.
"Bella?"

He drew in a sharp breath as the figure looked up, the pain and despondency on the young women's face too much
to absorb, even for him. He felt the loss of his brother and best friend as urgently as anyone else, but as he looked
at Bella he knew his feelings were trivial compare to hers.

"I'll be back before dark," he spoke to his wife, knowing that his presence would only disrupt, before adding in a
much lower voice. "Don't give her hope, honey. The sooner she will get through this, the better. It is what he
would have wanted."

"You'd do better to have a little more faith in my wisdom," Alice whispered furiously, "but I see what you mean."
He kissed her forehead before cautiously nodding in Bella's direction, even if she didn't see it...or even react.

The moment Jasper pulled the door shut behind him, however, Bella's head snapped up, causing Alice to gasp and
almost drop the tea tray she had been holding. "What did Jasper mean when he told you not to give me hope?"

"You heard that, huh?" Alice sighed.

"Yes. Now please…explain," Bella demanded, her heart once again pounding with nervous anticipation.

Alice stalled for as long as she could while she poured the two of them cups of tea and fussed over the
arrangement of the cookies on the little plate while she desperately tried to come up with a way to explain that
mollified both her husband and her friend.

"It's complicated….." she finally admitted with a sigh, but only after Bella had started to tap her foot impatiently.
"Before I say anything though….I have to ask: how are you feeling?"

Bella knew what it was that Alice was asking. In the towns eyes Alice had always been peculiar. Hypersensitive
to other people's feelings she was often able to predict their actions before a plan had even started to develop in
the minds of those concerned. Bella often thought that was what drew Jasper and Alice together in the first place.
Like Alice, Jasper had always been very sensible to the emotions of the people around him, though his talents
didn't go as far as his wife's.

In a distant past her powers might have made Alice a witch or an outcast, however Forks had learned the value of
having an insight into the future and, though Alice was still seen as somewhat of an oddity around town, they all
knew her to be perfectly harmless and benign as well as very accurate in her predictions.

"Bella?" Alice's hand closed around her friend's, pulling the small, fragile woman back into the present.

"I don't know," Bella sighed, her voice sounding shaky and raw as she continued. "The uncertainty is what kills
me the most. On the one hand I know that it is foolish to think that he is still alive. I mean….look at the
statistics…."

"But that's not what your heart is telling you, is it?" Alice asked.

The excitement in her voice wasn't lost on Bella, though it had a hard time cutting through the thick crust of
numbness that had formed on her soul after she'd returned from the forest. "My heart…..my heart wants to hope. I
keep thinking what if he's had some kind of injury that kept him from making the journey back to Forks? What if
he's wounded somewhere and needs our help?"

"I think you may be right," Alice sighed, taking Bella's other hand and holding both firmly in hers as she
continued, Bella's eyes fixed onto hers with a franticness that made her see the reason of her husband's words. But
it was too late now.

"I don't know what it is…" she started. "It might be my own willingness to believe it or it may be…something
else." She tried to look away but a firm squeeze from Bella prevented her. "I think I can still feel him…out there,
somewhere."

"You mean he's still alive?" Bella gasped.

"I don't know," Alice replied. "As I said…most of it is probably due to the fact that I want to believe he's still out
there somewhere."

"But you said you were never wrong," Bella insisted.

"I know," Alice brushed a tear from the corner of her eye, cursing herself for her inability to keep quiet, "but I
have never been tested like this before."

Alice's heart broke for her friend as she saw Bella's face, hopeful a few moments ago, fall again, the shutters
coming back up immediately.

Bella tried her best to keep it together and act as cheerful and responsive as she could, given the circumstances,
but her mind was still elsewhere and soon after she had finished her tea she excused herself, citing her father's
worry as the reason for her swift departure.

The fresh air as she walked home did her some good. It cleared her head and gave her just about as much peace of
mind as she needed to face her father.

When she entered the house upon her return, almost her whole family was waiting for her: her father, her brother
and Jessica….with her husband.

The town's surprise when, not two weeks after Edward had rejected her advances, Jessica had announced her
betrothal to Michael Newton, son of the most prominent mercantile family in the town, had only been rivaled by
her father's, whom the happy couple had 'forgotten' to ask for his blessing before they announced the news all
over town. They must have known that Charlie would never have bestowed his blessing upon the union otherwise.

Yes, Charlie had come to know the value of a son in law who wasn't only deserving of his child, but also
determined to do right by her and her family. And with it he had come to greatly value the worth of his other –
future – son in law.

So when Edward, a few days afterwards, had turned up on the Swan's doorstep formally asking for Bella's hand in
marriage they had had a very nice conversation, the infamous shotgun safely locked away in its holding place
throughout it.

Since Mike had been fresh out of the woods from his challenge – though according to Emmett he had survived
not so much because of his bravery but because his head was too big for the wolves to swallow – the wedding had
been able to take place without delay and a few weeks later had found all the people of the town decked out in
their finery, celebrating the union of Mr and Mrs. Michael Newton III.

The wedding had been one of the most embarrassing moments out of Bella's life. Her sister, glad to have finally
caught a man in her nets – and a fine catch too – had danced around on cloud nine all day, completely blind to the
fact that she had married one of the most ignorant, pompous men the town had ever boasted off. It was in every
look, every gesture of the man…the way he looked down on everyone as if they were mere subjects to his
superiority, the over the top luxury food and drinks that had been served, the snide remarks he had made about the
way some people dressed….

No, he was not a man to Bella's liking. But, for her sister's sake she would do her best to be polite to him.

"What is this?" she asked, plastering a fake smile onto her face as she entered the house.

"We thought you could do with some quiet family time, sis," Emmett's voice welcomed her, enveloping her in one
of his characteristic bear hugs. "Rosie sends her love. She could not be spared from her mother's side."

"How are they doing?" Bella asked, her heavy heart hurting even more as she thought about the pain his family
must be feeling.

"'Bout the same as you are, going on what my eyes tell me," Emmett sighed.

"I'm fine, Em," Bella sighed.

"So Esme keeps telling me too." Emmett shook his head, letting out a humorless laugh. "But I don't believe her
either."

"I don't know what all the commotion is about anyway," Michael Newton snorted. They were the first words he
had deigned to speak after entering the Swan's home, but they set the tone, "it's not like the two of you were
already married. Masen is expendable."

"What did you just say?" Bella gasped, the air of familiarity in the room evaporating almost immediately. A
tension so thick you could cut it with a knife took its place.

"He is," Michael defended. "Half the town is in an uproar because he didn't get back but I really don't see why.
He's just a guy….it happens all the time."

"I think it is time for you to leave, Newton," Charlie announced as he enveloped his eldest daughter in a protective
hold, his children immediately recognizing the undertone of anger in their father's voice.

Michael Newton, however, didn't. "I thought we were going to have dinner together as a family?" he frowned.

"We are," Charlie replied, waving towards his family "and if your wife wants to remember where her true
loyalties lie, she's welcome to join us as well."

He paused, the slight squint in his eye and the 'I won't take any crap from you boy' undertone in his voice now
clear enough that even Mike Newton was catching on. "You, though….that's a whole different question."

"I'm not….welcome?" Michael gasped, his puffy cheeks coloring with indignation.

Emmett was barely able to hide his snort as he watched understanding dawn on the bloated, arrogant face of his
brother in law. He had never been able to hide his displeasure in his sister's choice of mate and this had just
proven him right.

"Ya got that right, son," Charlie smiled. Like Emmett he had never taken a fancy to 'the Newton boy' as he kept
calling him, much to his daughter's discontent. Though in his case it was based on empiric fact instead of feeling.

Charlie had witnessed too much of Mike's cowardice during the night watch to pretend to have any respect for the
guy. "Unless you learn yourself some manners, boy, you're not welcome in this house."

"I guess we'd better go," Jessica whispered, pulling Newton towards the door before he could say any more
foolish things. As her husband fled the scene, mumbling something about 'damned insolent hick's' she turned
around and straightened her shoulders, determined to leave with some dignity.

"Thank you for inviting us father." There was no hiding the sadness that crept into her voice when she noticed the
distance that had developed between her and the rest of her family. "I am sure that dinner would have been
wonderful."

"Jess." There were tears in her eyes as Bella took a few tentative steps towards her sister. "I am so sorry…."

"Don't be," Jessica replied, the sadness in her eyes reflecting the disappointment of a woman who had seen the
error of her ways but also the inevitability of her fate. She had made her bed, and now she had to lie in it. Till
death do her part. "I am the one who should be sorry. I treated you in a way you didn't deserve….." She was quick
to recompose herself, turning her shoulders towards the door as she spoke her final words. "I will pray for
you….both of you."

~ x ~

Sleep never came as she lay in her bed that night, after having spent a surprisingly nice, quiet meal with her father
and brother. The memories of her conversation with Alice and even the things her brother in law had said,
combined with the heavy snores her brother emitted in the room next to her, making her toss and turn until deep
in the night.

Until she finally came to a resolution.

The next morning – even in spite of Bella's resolve – saw a repeat performance of the last day, with Bella dashing
down the stairs at first light only to have her father shatter her hopes. Again.

This time, however, Charlie couldn't bring himself to give her hope.

"Baby," he sighed, his steps heavy as he crossed the small distance from the kitchen to the window. "I think it is
time for you to face the facts. It's been five days now without a word or any sign of life coming from the
forest….."

He took a deep breath, knowing that no amount of veiling would make these words easier to bear. "He's dead."

"No!" Bella cried, her ferociousness startling her father as she flew out of her chair. "You might be so quick to
give up on him but I'll be damned if I do the same! Edward Masen is alive out there. I can feel it and Alice can
too."

She paused, her courage growing exponentially with ach breath she drew in. "And I am going to get him."

"The hell you are!" Charlie yelled. He could have seen it coming. He should have….After all, she was his child.
She might have been a feeble little girl, but inside she had the heart of a man. And the stubbornness too.

"You cannot stop me father," she answered calmly. "I have not made this decision lightly but now that I have,
there is no force on earth that could shake my resolve."

"Why you?" her father snarled, fear and despair for the life of the little girl he had held into his arms a few
moments after she had been born and promised to always love and protect, making him lash out in anger. "What
good could a woman do in a situation like this?"

"I am a trained nurse. If Edward is injured or ill I will be of more use to him than most of the men of this town."
She paused choosing her words carefully because she knew they would cause a stir. "And out of all the people
close to him, I am the only one whose life is…expendable."

"Expendable? Expendable! Have you gone completely mad?" Charlie yelled, a purple vein standing out on his
forehead against the redness of his fury, the noise also bringing a sleepy Emmett, who'd been awoken by the
noise, rushing down the stairs to find his father and sister locked in an epic showdown.

Bella disregarded his insult, continuing with much the same calm as she had all along. "Both you and Doctor
Cullen cannot be missed because of your great value to the town and with both Jasper and Emmett having wives
and small children depending on them; I could never ask them to risk their lives." She looked up, the fire and
determination in her eyes impressing even her father as she continued. "This is my task and I intend to complete it
with or without your blessing."

"Is this just some childish reaction to that prick Newton's words last night?" Charlie barked. "Because you know
that boy hardly ever talks out of anything else than his backside."

"This isn't about that," Bella answered, trying desperately to keep her calm, "and I am not a child. I am old enough
to marry, start a family and take responsibility. And if I were a man I would have soon been old enough to risk my
life on foolish and unnecessary game men thought up. I think I have every right to chose what I do with my life!"

"Dammit Bella!" Charlie shouted, making both Emmett and Bella flinch as his fists slammed down on the solid
wood of the table top. Hard. "You might not think yourself a child but you are one! You're my child! And I am
not going to stand by and let you squander your life away."

"You cannot stop me father."

"The hell I can!" he roared. "I am calling a town meeting on you."

"And by the time you make it to the watchtower to ring the bell, I will be long gone," Bella answered.

Charlie, knowing he was fighting a losing battle, called upon his last resort; the man who was right now
desperately trying to blend into the background, wishing his frame would have been less of a handicap. "Emmett,
you say something. Put some sanity back into that head of hers!"

"I'm sorry, dad," Emmett muttered, Charlie's eyes snapping to his the moment he caught their meaning. "I'm with
Bella. Too many things have happened in the last few days. The wolves howling every night….it's something
we've never seen in the history of this town. Something is stirring in the woods…something special…and it calls
for a special solution."

"And you'd want to risk your sister's life to find out what that is?" Charlie yelled exasperated.

"I don't like that idea any more than you do," Emmett sighed, "but I can also kind of see the point in what she's
saying."

Both children watched anxiously as their father's face turned almost purple, his anger and frustration finding
outlet in a frantic pacing across the room, his monotone movements and mutterings only broken by the occasion
glare in his daughter's direction.

"Fine, then!" he finally grumbled. "Go risk your life!"

He held up his hand, halting Bella's dance for joy a few moments as he continued. "But before you do….there are
a few things you need to know….."

~*~

~ Chapter Ten ~

Both children watched anxiously as their father's face turned almost purple, his anger and frustration finding
outlet in a frantic pacing across the room, his monotone movements and mutterings only broken by the occasional
glare in his daughter's direction.

"Fine, then!" he finally grumbled. "Go risk your life!" He held up his hand, halting Bella's dance for joy a few
moments as he continued. "But before you do….there are a few things you need to know….."

And just like that, the atmosphere in the room shifted as Bella watched in wonder and confusion as both men
turned from agitated and concerned to tense and ….wary?

"What's going on?" Bella asked when neither her father nor her brother showed any intention of breaking the
silence any time soon.

"Bella," her father finally sighed, his face seemingly having aged a million years in the short time span, "how
much do you know about what lurks in the forest?"

"Not much," Bella admitted, barely able to hide both her impatience and her frustration. She wanted to get
underway, not be stuck indoors listening to a story she already knew not while Edward could be dying out there.
"I guess I know what everyone else knows: that there are wolves out there and that they were sent to the town as
punishment for the horrible actions of a few men a long time ago…."

Charlie let out another deep sigh. "What I am going to tell you now cannot go beyond this room, do you
understand?"

Bella nodded, but apparently that wasn't enough. As Charlie's piercing stare remained upon her she realized that
he actually needed a vocal confirmation from her. "I understand, father," she spoke in a steady voice.

"That's not good enough," Charlie's gruff voice answered. "Promise me you'll never speak about this to anyone
but me and your brother."

"What?" Bella asked as she tried to reconcile this new side to her father to the man she thought she knew.

"Bella," he insisted, his frown deepening as he held her gaze in his.

"Okay," she spoke quickly. "I promise. But what…."

"Parts of what I am about to tell you, you already know," her father interrupted her, "other parts are told to every
man who has completed his stay in the woods…" He paused, his eyes never leaving hers as they gauged her
reaction. "And finally, there is a part to this story that is known only to a very small group of people."

"Small?" Bella had the idea that whatever that last bit was, it was going to turn her world upside down.

"Five," her father clarified, "two of which are in this room."

He looked so nervous as he continued, his fingers fidgeting with a frayed end of the tablecloth. Bella had never
seen her father like this. It was almost as if he was…scared.

It unnerved her.

In all her life Bella had never seen her father scared. How could he be? He was the chief of police, burdened with
the task of keeping the people of Forks safe and protected. As had his father, his grandfather and the very first of
the Swans to settle in Forks.

Swan men didn't do fear, as far as Bella knew. Swan men were to be feared.

"Dad?"

He seemed to have recomposed himself as he spoke again, his hands coming to rest upon the table next to hers. "I
would have preferred to have that information remain limited to the five of us but, seeing as you are determined to
go out into the woods, I think you should know what will await you there."

"Please…dad." Bella looked from her father to Emmett, who had sat down on his usual spot to her right, his face
betraying the same nervous tension as her dad's. "You're scaring me."

Emmett looked up, a shaky determination in his eyes as he spoke. "Let's just get this over with."

"Okay," Charlie nodded. "I think it's best to start at the beginning here."

He waited for Bella to nod her affirmations before he continued. "Over a hundred years ago, when the first settlers
came to live in these parts, things were very different. The first families who came to live in these parts – the
Cullens, the Blacks the Stanleys, the Webers and the Swans – came from a big town much farther inland but felt
that life there no longer appealed to them."

"They had concerns about how the loose morals and harsh manners of the city would have a negative effect on
their young so they moved on. Life was hard, as you can imagine, when you have to start building a community
from scratch and for the first few years they struggled to survive but, with the help from the Quileutes, a Native
American tribe that had learned to survive in these parts many generations ago, they just about pulled through."

"But the Quileutes….."

"Yes," her father sighed. "As the years went by the settlers learned to bend nature to their will and as the success
of the village grew, so did its appeal on others." Charlie looked out the window. The sight he saw today was

probably the same as the first Charles Swan who had lived in that house – and built it too – must have seen,
though the meaning of it couldn't have been more different.

To the first Charles Swan the woods had held the prospect of friendship and many opportunities, to him the tree
stems were much like the steel bars on the small, hardly used prison cell underneath the town hall.

"Many of those who came were good folk, like the Masens and the Crowleys, but there were also those who
were….different. Soon disagreements started to rise amongst those who wanted to cement the ties that had come
to exist between the Quileutes and the town and those who wanted nothing to do with them."

He sighed, glancing out of the window to the town. "The last group saw the original inhabitants of these parts as a
pest that needed to be eradicated. I think it was greed – for the land and its riches – that drove them to entertain
such radical and violent ideas, although according to the old texts they cited the Bible and their God-given task to
eradicate all paganism as their main motive."

"How awful that must have been to the first settlers," Bella whispered. A lot of things were now starting to make
sense to her. As long ago as the events her father spoke of had taken place, there was still a very tangible
undercurrent coursing through the town, dividing it into two factions: a progressive one, the one her family as
well as most of the oldest families of the town belonged to, and the conservatives, lead by the Collins and the
Newtons.

"I imagine it was," Charlie nodded, "though by that time most of the original settlers had already died. Their
children, however, were still alive. They saw their whole dream shattered before their eyes. Especially when
William Collins, the ringleader of the radicals, started to poison the minds of the townsmen with lies, one even
more preposterous than the other. Many wanted nothing to do with him and his nasty rumors but in the end the
powers of propaganda are strong and even some descendants of the people who had originally had their lives
saved by the Quileute's started to sway…."

Charlie paused again, looking first at his son, then at his daughter before launching into the darkest part of his
tale. "It was in that light that a rumor of a young woman from the town being raped in the forest could light the
fuse in the powder keg. Immediately the radicals cried outrage and wanted extreme measures to be taken against
the tribe, though the majority of the townsmen were smart enough to vote against such an action when it was put
before the council."

"I would have loved to have seen the face of old 'sourpuss' Collins when he realized he'd been outnumbered,"
Emmett chuckled.

"They should have taken him and his vile offspring round the back and shot them," Charlie grumbled, "before
they had the chance to bring this entire town to damnation."

His hands were balled to fists and for a moment Bella was afraid he was going to hurt himself, but as the moment
passed and he calmed down again and his hands relaxed. "That night Collins' son James and a few other
youngsters went into the woods and caught a young Quileute woman as she was bathing in the stream. They did
unto her what they assumed had been done to one of theirs….though at least James, and maybe some of the
others, knew better."

"That's awful!" Bella gasped. Of course she had known this beforehand, but to have it told in so much detail was
another thing entirely.

"What they did was monstrous," Emmett sighed, "and it created a monster."

Their dad nodded, his hand reaching across the table to take one of his daughter's small hands in his as he
continued, knowing that they had only just reached the hard part. "Of course the Quileute's were outraged when
they found out what had been done to one of them and their retaliation was quick. They cursed the town and its
inhabitants, stating that if the people of Forks were so eager to possess this place, they might as well spend
eternity living there…and only there."

"Yes, they sent the wolves to us," Bella nodded.

Charlie let out a humorless chuckle. "That is the story that people have been told, yes."

"It's not the truth?" Bella knew that whatever her father was going to say now, was probably the part restricted to
the five people Charlie had referred to before. If she had to hazard a guess he would say that those five consisted
of her father and Emmett as representatives of the law, Billy Black as the mayor of the town, Carlisle Cullen in
his capacity as the doctor and the reverend Simon Weber.

"Not the whole truth." Charlie patted her hand as he gave her a small smile. "For the six men who had raped the
girl, mere imprisonment wasn't enough. They needed to be punished more severely and in the way that would
make them suffer as long and great as possible. In them, and all those born from their evil blood, the Quileute's
with their great powers ignited an ancient power."

"Oh my God," Bella gasped, pulling her hand from her father's to clasp it in front of her mouth.

"Yes," Charlie sighed. "In the chaos that reigned after the initial attack most people assumed that the six. Like so
many others, had been killed. It was only in the days after that, when none of their bodies had been found and the
wolves – six in number – kept terrorizing the town, that those leading the investigation found out the truth."

"But how is it that the wolves exist until this day?" Bella asked. "they must have died by now, haven't they?"

"The curse, Bella," Charlie answered. "Those who had been born from their blood were implicated in it as well
and – as it soon turned out – some of them had a very selective approach when it came to Christian morals."

"How is it that no one knows about this?" Bella cried, her head spinning with all of the information she had just
received. "Something has to be done….."

"Initially it wasn't known to the council that the male offspring of the six were included in the curse. When the
town elders found out just how deep the curse ran it was already too late. As I said before, many children of their
blood had already been born. Before the curse revealed itself in them, they too had created offspring. By the time
it became apparent that many of the attacks that plagued the town came from within, there were already too many
infected to do something about it."

"So they did nothing?"

"No," Charlie's voice sounded strained, as he answered. "They created a solution that would solve the problem
without bringing the complete town in an uproar."

"The rite….."

"Getting the people of the town to commit themselves to it was a challenge but in the end some crafty lies and the
horrible death of a young family brought the town around." Charlie went back to his fidgeting as he paused
shortly.

"The council claimed that they had been offered a truce by the Quileute's. In return for a strict adherence to the
rite, there would be no more attacks upon the town."

"They believed that?"

"Despair makes people particularly eager to accept a lie when a seemingly reasonable solution to their problem
presents itself. They weren't too critical, not when they saw a way to save their loved ones."

"And so the boys of this town are thrown before the wolves….literally."

"There is no other way," Charlie sighed, "almost every family in the town is infected in some way or another,
though over the years we have found that not all those who are infected fall victim to it, sometimes not even those
who have a very strong connection to the original six…"

"James Collins…." Bella gasped.

"How he survived is a miracle with his connection to his godforsaken namesake," Emmett growled. "With Billy
Black it was probably his disease that saved him from it, Newton's family has married wisely but Collins…."

Once again Bella's mind had trouble catching up, but when it did…nothing made sense. "Wait a minute….you
said Billy…"

"Yes," he father affirmed. "The Blacks were amongst the original six wolves. The virus runs very strong through
their blood."

"So that means that Jacob…." Bella's breath came in gasps as her mind put two and two together and for a
moment she feared it would stop altogether. The fact that Jacob hadn't died but possibly befallen a fate much
worse made her whole world turn on its axis.

"Is probably a wolf," Charlie sighed, his hand gently squeezing hers, "which is why I am telling you this in the
first place. You have to know what it is you're up against – what it was that young Masen was up against – when
you venture out there." His face clouded over when he looked out of the window.

"But it's Jake we're talking about!" Bella cried. "He's been my friend since before we even knew what friendship
was. He's not going to hurt me!"

"Sweetheart, you have to stop thinking about him as the friend you used to know," Charlie spoke. "We do not
know a whole lot about these creatures, but what we do know is that the moment they transform into their beastly
shape, they stop being human and – what's even worse – they stop recognizing friend or foe."

"I….don't….dad…." Bella broke out in a cold sweat, her mind overloaded with everything that had happened over
the last couple of days.

"Quick Emmett, get her a glass of water," her father shouted, catching her body just in time as it slid limply from
the chair and sagged to the ground. It was the last thing Bella heard before she lost consciousness.

~ x ~

The next morning found Bella once again in much better spirits. The confusion, shock, fear and anger that
resulted from her father's confession had somewhat abated after a good night's sleep. Carlisle's sleeping draught
had worked wonders on her troubled mind, though there had been a quick relapse when she remembered who it
was that had collected the herbs that made up the biggest portion of it.

Determination had followed and stayed with her until she found herself standing in the same spot he'd been in, six
days ago; the town behind her, her loved ones beside her and the ominous green of the forest in front of her.

Her anger at her father and brother, as well as all the others who had remained silent when they should have
spoken, was still gnawing at her. She could understand why the town elders would have chosen a lie over the
mass panic that would have broken loose if the truth would have become common knowledge, but that – in Bella's
eyes – didn't justify the sacrifice of human life that had been made over the years.

All those boys…they had been lead to believe that if they abided by the rules and kept indoors when twilight fell
they would be safe when all along the danger came from within.

"I wish I had your courage, Bella," Esme sniffed as she wrapped Bella in a firm embrace. "You will have my
eternal admiration for this….and my undying gratitude."

"I'm merely doing what my heart dictates," Bella muttered, the older woman's words strengthening her resolve. "I
know deep down inside that he's still alive out there somewhere. And I have to find him."

"Thank you," Esme whispered, before loosening her hold so that others could take their leave.

Bella was bustling with impatience to get underway. If it had been up to her she would have set out yesterday, the
moment she woke up, but her father would have none of it. He even threatened to lock her up in the holding cell
overnight if she would not listen to reason.

In the end she had no other reason than to obey, even if it was with trouble. She could see that her father had a
point when he spoke about plans and preparations because as far as they went, she had none.

"Do you remember what I told you?" Charlie questioned, his gruff mask back in place.

"Yes, father," she nodded, clutching the small compass in her right hand.

It had easer her mind a great deal when he had told her about the little shack in the woods because first of all, it
increased the possibility of Edward being safe and alive. If he had fallen ill or wounded himself, like she hoped,
there was a chance that he'd made it back to his refuge where he would be relatively safe, apart from the fact that
it had no running water and hardly anything to offer in ways of food and comfort.

Secondly, because the woods were vast, they spanned an area so great that it even went beyond Bella's
comprehension. Looking for Edward in that great expanse of green and brown was like looking for a needle in a
haystack.

Searching for Edward along the trail leading to the shack, however, was a task altogether more comprehensible
and practicable.

"Remember," her father warned, "no deviations from the path and no lingering. You are to go there, remain in the
cabin with the door firmly locked overnight and come back again tomorrow. If I don't have you back under my
roof tomorrow night then so help me God, I'm coming after you."

It had been a point of perpetual disagreement between the two of them and even now, Bella merely rolled her eyes
at him as he spoke. "I will come back when I've found him, father, and if he's too sick to be moved, I will wait for
him to get better before I return."

"You will do no such thing," Charlie growled. "Your place is here, in the town. Not out there where your life is in
constant danger."

"My place is with him, as you well know," she sighed. "Wherever he goes, goes my heart….and the body cannot
live without the heart."

Her father growled, muttering something under his breath about the foolishness of the young as he proceeded to
inspect the contents of his child's knapsack one last time, making sure nothing had been forgotten.

And then, when all goodbyes had been said and Charlie had finally given the all clear, Bella set off. Her
determination and the words of encouragement from her family and Edward's strengthened her mind and spurred
her movements as she sought her way through the woods, the compass held out in front of her as if it were the
shining light that guided the apostle Paul safely to Damascus.

Eight hours later, all of that initial bravado was long gone.

About four hours into her walk Bella had met with an accident, a rather deep hole in the ground, concealed by
layers and layers of leaves and branches had made her sprain her ankle and - even worse – ruin the only hope she
had of ever finding him.

Bella's cry of frustration when the compass, that had been in her hand throughout her journey, had flown out of its
resting place and collided with a nearby tree as Bella made her acquaintance with the mossy forest floor once
more, had reverberated throughout the woods. It was shattered into four little pieces and her heart along with it.

She had been so close….Only two more hours would have brought her to the cabin. Two more hours before,
hopefully, she would find a trace of him, a clue whether he was alive or not.

Determined not to let it crush her spirits Bella had soldiered on, wincing every time she put pressure on her sore
ankle and merely guessing whether or not she was still going in the right direction.

However, as the forest grew increasingly quieter as the light started to fade and her ankle started to throb so
violently that it could no longer be ignored, even Bella had to admit it: she was lost.

~*~

~ Chapter Eleven ~

Edward had been hopeful and full of a boisterous good mood when he left the village behind him on the day
before his twenty-first birthday. He wasn't exactly looking forward to spending three days away from his beloved
and the town that had been his whole world ever since he'd been born, but he also knew that spending those three
days away would bring him so much closer to spending eternity with her.

His Bella.

Or at least, she would be, when he got back.

He chuckled to himself as he remembered his nerves when he had finally pulled himself together and asked her
father for Bella's hand in marriage. The problem was that with his previous conversation with his – hopefully –
soon to be father in law still very clear in his memories, he couldn't help but be wary.

~x ~

"Chief Swan?" Charlie turned as the voice of his favorite soon-to-be son in law sounded behind him. He had a
feeling that he knew what the boy was about to ask. The slight pitch in his voice and the cautious and overly polite
way the boy approached him gave him away.

He'd be a lousy criminal.

"Yes, boy," Charlie answered, laying as much fatherly gruffness in his voice as he could. "If you want to ask
something, be quick about it. I don't have all day."

Charlie had a hard time keeping his amusement hidden. He might have grown fond of his eldest daughter's choice
in husband, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy seeing the boy sweat. After all, there could only be benefits in
having his son in law thoroughly intimidated by him. It would make the boy think long and hard before he
contemplated an act that might hurt Bella's feelings.

"O-of course, sir," Edward stammered, cursing himself for his cowardice. Why was it that he'd had no trouble
squaring up against the wolves or venturing into their territory to collect medicinal herbs, but talking to the father
of the woman he loved – a man sworn to uphold peace and lawful behavior in the town, none the less – made him
break out in a cold sweat and his heart pound his chest.

He gnashed his teeth as he thought about how Charlie must think him a milksop; a man hardly worthy of giving
permission to marry his daughter.

"Well?" Charlie raised his eyebrow as he crossed his hands in front of his chest. "Out with it boy!"

"I would like your permission to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage, sir," Edward blurted out, mentally
slapping himself as soon as he'd caught the word vomit that poured so freely from his mouth. Not that his words
had been improper or lacking in respect in any way. It was just that he'd planned on framing his suit a little better
and more carefully

His whole body was poised in anticipation of Charlie's reaction as Edward carried on mentally berating himself.
He was sure it would be a violent one, though it was with no small amount of relief that he'd ascertained that the
gun was nowhere in sight.

The reaction, when it came, shocked the life out of him. For it was nothing but a small chuckle and a pat on the
shoulder.

"You go ahead and ask her, son," Charlie snickered. "I doubt she'd refuse you." The older man found himself
wholly unable to hide his glee when Edward cringed the moment his hand made contact with the boy's shoulder.

Mission accomplished, Charlie chuckled to himself. The boy was more scared of him now than he was of death
and hellfire. Charlie would have no problem entrusting him with the happiness and well-being of his most
cherished daughter now.

And with that he turned around and proceeded towards his watchtower, leaving his prospective son in law behind
with a look of utter confusion on his face.

~x~

Edward chuckled to himself as he thought about that day.

He could have spared himself a long, sleepless night if he'd known that Mike and Jessica had chosen the previous
day to announce their betrothal to their families. As far as Charlie had been concerned he would have welcomed
Edward with open arms even if the boy had followed his suit by a detailed description of the many things he
intended to do to Charlie's little girl after he'd married her.

Edward hadn't known about Mike's forced entry into the family though. There was hardly a thing that happened in
town that registered with Edward these days.

Well, apart from everything pertaining to a certain brown-haired beauty.

Only three more days, he sighed to himself as he quickened his pace. He had been making good progress
throughout the day, though maybe not as good as he'd hoped. There would be no doubt to the fact that he'd reach
the cabin before nightfall. It was what awaited him that tainted his journey, though he had enjoyed the beauty of
the forest and the stunning views he'd encountered along the way.

It had been Charlie who had alerted him to the fact that, seeing as its last occupant had been lost to the forest, the
cabin might be in a bad shape.

He had been right.

A gasp escaped Edward throat as he came into the clearing that, according to his male relatives, housed the cabin
he'd been walking towards. His eyes were immediately drawn to the small wooden structure that stood in the
middle of it, or – better said – what was left of it.

Something had definitely taken place in there.

Something bad.

There were traces of it everywhere; from the door, that hung precariously from the bottom hinge to the scratch
marks on the stacked up logs that made up the walls of the cabin. A small structure, probably once meant as a
fortification was hanging precariously against the rest of the structure and would have to be knocked down
entirely.

So much for extra security, Edward thought. But at least as far as he could see it, there was no blood.

As he looked at the rampage that had been left when the previous occupant had left the building, Edward was
struggling to recall why he had been so eager to defend the upholding of tradition in the heated discussion he and
Bella had had when the date of his birthday had drawn closer. Right now, with his nose rubbed into the dangers
this test of valor and moral strength entailed, he could see why Bella hated it so much.

~x ~

"Really," she had huffed, one beautiful afternoon, "I cannot for the life of me understand why intelligent men like
Carlisle, Billy and even my own father would condone a stupid ritual that put their own children in danger!"

Edward had smiled, his attention shortly diverted from her words to her actions. She looked so beautiful, her
cheeks flushed with anger and the effects of clean air and pleasant company, her small, feminine body moving
graciously around the backyard as she fed the chickens.

It had been during those days before he had worked up the courage to officially ask for her hand and with that
particular conversation looming over him like a Sword of Damocles he had savored every moment he had with
her because it might be his last.

"Edward!" He blushed, realizing that his blatant ogling of her fine form had kept him from answering her. "I
don't see how this could be funny!"

She growled, the chickens fleeing for safety when she was no longer scattering the breadcrumbs in front of them
but rather pelting them with it. "You could die out there!"

The words hammered through his head. He knew she was worried about what would happen when he would go
into the woods, and she was probably right to do so, but even in spite of the danger he couldn't help but feel
excited. It was a test – the ultimate test – and one he had been mentally preparing himself for ever since he was a
boy.

"I don't expect you to understand this, Bella," he had started, knowing as soon as the words left his mouth that he
was making a mistake. A big mistake.

"Typical," she had snapped. "So typical…."

She had scowled at him, her eyes narrowing into tiny slits as she finally discarded the last of the chicken fodder
and flopped down on a rickety old chair, its legs squishing with the force of impact. "If all else fails, just blame it
on the difference between the sexes!"

"Bella…." He tried, only to be interrupted.

"No," she growled, pointing a finger at him as her eyes scorched into his with an intensity that made him both
mightily afraid and painfully aroused. "I will not let your sweet words bring me to submission. I've watched Billy
Black send his oldest son into the forest, never to return nor see him again. And he did it all over again when it
was Jacob's time."

She shook her head in disbelief. "There has to be some logical explanation for his actions other than the perpetual
drive of men to prove themselves to their peers."

"It is a test of courage…" he had stared, knowing, once again that his argument was very weak to say the least.

"Then why do you still have to suffer it?" she cried. "I think you have proven you valor to me, my dad, and the
whole damn town that night you saved me from the wolves. There's no point in tempting faith anymore!"

Edward's reputation in the town had blown sky high after his little brush in with the wolves, not that he had liked
it very much. The fact that suddenly everyone wanted to be associated with him when, only days before, they had
been very content to keep their distance, unnerved him. He had no way with people, in fact; crowds made him
very anxious.

He bore it with dignity though, knowing that the safety of the woman he loved greatly outweighed the discomfort
and nausea that came from knowing that people like Michael Newton now proudly proclaimed that 'Sullen Cullen
had him some balls of solid steel'.

"I want to do this, Bella," Edward snarled, dragging his hand through his hair in frustration as he wondered why
it was that she couldn't see the importance of it to him. "If I asked for leniency or remission I wound not only be
deemed as a worthless coward in the eyes of the town, but also in my own."

He sighed, sitting down next to her and taking her hand in his, his eyes searching hers as he continued. "My
whole life I have been preparing for this. I know it's hard to accept, but I have to do this. For me."

Bella sighed, a solitaire tear escaping from the corner of her eye as she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it.

"I still don't understand," she started, placing the finger of his other hand on her lips before he could speak, "but
for you, I will try to reconcile myself to the idea."

~ x ~

Looking around the place it was no surprise that Embry Call hadn't returned from his stay in the woods. Edward
had never cared for the guy or most of the other young men of the town – they were too boisterous, too full of
themselves for his taste – but he couldn't help but feel sorry for the waste of life.

No one deserved to die like that.

As Edward surveyed the work that had to be done, he prayed death would have come swiftly for Embry, though
the sheer damage done to both the inside and outside of the little shack spoke of a different story.

Time was both his ally and his enemy at that point. Every hour that passed would be an hour that brought him
closer to his return – closer to her – but with the door pretty much destroyed and some of the walls badly
damaged it would be a difficult task to get everything fixed before dusk.

He had to though. There was no point in doubting and worrying about the sheer amount of work that would have
to be accomplished within the every shrinking amount of time allotted to him when he should be working his butt
off to get it done.

He shuddered, recalling the fire and venom in the eyes of the beast that had attacked him a couple of weeks ago.
The murderous intent had spoken so clearly from those two dark eyes that there was no mistaking what would
happen to him if he was unable to get his shelter dog-proofed before nightfall.

And so Edward set to work, his first task being the further demolishment of the little outbuilding that had been
completely destroyed. It was a heinous task, as Edward soon found out. The whole structure leaned on the rest of
the cabin in a status quo that was about as brittle as the pause of an eagle in its pursuit of a mouse as it hovered,
suspended in the air, over its prey. The minute Edward started to take away from it, the balance shifted and the
whole thing came crashing down on top of him.

"Fuck!" Edward yelled, a sharp pain shooting thought his shoulder as something penetrated the flesh that was still
very vulnerable after having wolf's teeth sink into it a couple of weeks ago.

He felt something move inside of him as he tried to push the moldy pieces of wood off of his body, the culprits
soon turning out to be an assortment of rusty nails sticking out from one of the pieces of wood that had now
lodged itself firmly into Edward's shoulder.

He groaned, knowing that he had no other option but to remove it, forcefully, and patch himself up as best as he
could for now.

"Damn it!" he cursed loudly, gnawing his way through the pain as he extricated the nail and pieces of wood that
had crumbled into the wound, which was now bleeding profusely.

If he'd been back home, he would have taken his time to treat the wound, and the various others that marred his
skin. But seeing as twilight would be upon him soon, he had no other option than to wash it out to the best of his
abilities with water from the nearby stream and tear some strips of fabric from his shirt to bandage it.

The pain, as he set back to work, was fierce, as was his worry that he could be setting himself up for blood
poisoning or other infections, but he had no other choice but to work through it and ignore the pain and throbbing
in his shoulder and other parts of his body affected by the crash.

He would take the gamble over the sure death the wolves would bring.

For the next three hours Edward worked, his blood bleeding through the bandages and sweat trickling down his
spine as he demolished the outbuilding, rebuilt the door and patched up all the weaknesses the wolves' frenzied
attacks on his fellow townsmen had brought to light. He was nowhere near done when the fading light heralded
the coming of night, but far enough to be safe.

The door could be closed and locked once more and all weaknesses to the structure of the cabin had been patched
up. No wolf would gain admission tonight.

When he was done, he managed to close the newly repaired door behind him and push the crossbar into its place
before fumbling his way through the dark to the stack of hides that made up his makeshift bed, his tired body
succumbing to sleep the moment it made contact with the soft fleece.

Rest would not be granted to him though. Not when, even in spite of the warmth during the day that had made
him sweat profusely throughout his hard work, the night turned out to be more chilly than he'd imagined. Not
even the animal hides could give him solace, for whenever he'd settle underneath them he'd wake up not half an
hour later with his body sweaty and hot, though when he was without them, his body cooled to a shivering cold.

But the elements weren't the only things to keep him from his slumbers.

After another hour or so of fitful sleep, Edward awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of a howling wolf; a
very close howling wolf.

He couldn't see a thing. The cabin didn't have any windows or even a fireplace and the light that peeked in from
underneath the door was wholly insufficient to see even his own hand as he moved it in front of his eyes.

But he could hear.

He could hear the soft padding of their paws on the thick soil of the forest floor as they circled the cabin,
sometimes close to the walls, other times moving further away as if some steps back could give them a new
perspective on how to get in.

He could hear the low barks and menacing snarls with which they communicated, their number seeming to
increase as time lapsed.

He could hear the sniffs and scratches when one of them got a little closer….the howls when they moved further
away.

Edward had never known a night could go on for so long, his body completely chilled with the drop of
temperature, his wound throbbing angrily at the blatant neglect he'd shown it and his muscles and joints aching
from the strain of yesterday's hard labor as he listened….

And longed.

~x~

"Do you ever think about what lies beyond the woods?" Bella asked, turning onto her side so that she could see
Edward's reaction.

They were in what he'd come to regard as their meadow; the small patch of grass adorned by brightly colored
flowers to the side of his house. It was a Sunday morning and they'd just returned from church to enjoy a quiet
picnic in the sun while the warm weather lasted.

Although Edward could not wholly enjoy it because he had a task to complete, a question to ask.

"Edward?" her soft voice spoke, pulling him out of his nervous state of mind as he looked up at her. She was so
beautiful that Edward sometimes had trouble breathing around her, the sensual energy that emitted from her body
and wrapped around him like a lasso almost too much to resist.

She was like a drug to him, and he an addict no longer able to abstain the sweet pleasure she would bring.

"Huh?" he asked, checking himself when her large brown eyes looked at him questioningly. "Er…no."

Bella frowned as she listened to his reply. "Why not?"

Edward chuckled. "Why would I?" he parried, his eyes blazing into hers with a fierce intensity. "Everything I
could ever want is right here. I have no desire to risk it for the unknown."

"Hmm," Bella mused, pondering his words.

"And apart from that," he added, "our forefathers chose to settle here for a reason. We might not know that much
about the world that lies beyond the woods, but what we do know is that it was awful enough to drive them away."

"You've got a point," Bella responded. "But still…I'm curious about life on the other side…what it could bring
us."

"I know how you feel." Edward spoke. "Not so long ago I too found myself wondering about life outside of our
little bubble, but not anymore."

"What happened?"

Edward chuckled. How could she have been so unknown of the power she held over him? "You did," he admitted.
"My happiness is almost perfect now. There is nothing in the unknown world that could interest me."

"There is nothing you want?" Bella gasped. "Nothing at all?"

Edward seized his opportunity there and then, his fingers closing around the ring in his pocket he had been
nervously playing with all morning.

"There is something I want," he started cautiously.

"I knew it!' Bella chuckled, her mirth soon evaporating as she saw the seriousness and tension in his eyes.
"What…."

"What I want, Bella my love," Edward interrupted her, "is something only one person in the world has the ability
to bestow upon me and if she would, she would make me the happiest and most completely contented man on
earth…."

"Edward," Bella stammered, her eyes radiant with happiness and emotion as she caught on to his meaning. "I…."

"Mary me, Isabella Swan," he continued, presenting her with the engagement ring that used to grace his mother's
hand. "I promise to love you every day…until forever."

"Yes," Bella whispered, her tears staining her cheeks as Edward slid the cold precious metal down her finger. "I
will marry you, Edward."

~x~

When Edward awoke after yet another short nap, he could still taste the sweetness of Bella's lips on his, the
memory of the afternoon softening the pain that came when he emerged further into consciousness.

Though only a little.

The broken night and the cold had wreaked havoc on his system and his restless sleep had caused his wound to
reopen many times during the night, blood trickling through the soaked bandages even then, as he loosened them
to inspect the damage.

What stared back at him were the three bloody gaps the nails had left and a growing patch of swollen, red skin
that indicated that the wound was indeed infected.

He could only pray that last night's intermittent hot and cold would not add to his misery, though he had little
hope. Between the blood loss and the harshness of life here in the wilderness, his immune system had probably
taken one too many blows already. But that wouldn't keep him from trying his damndest to push through his rite
and return to town alive and victorious.

This was why, without hesitation or attention to the desperate cries for attention his body emitted in the form of
pain, dizziness and fever, Edward set to work. He redressed his wounds and washed his sore body in the stream
before setting out to collect as many dry twigs, berries, nuts and other edible plants and medicinal herbs to sustain
him for a period of time longer than the three days he'd planned to remain. Not that he intended to stay longer than
that, but it was better to be prepared in case his fever got worse.

He just about managed all of that before he crashed, his body barely strong enough to make sure that door was
barred behind him before he sagged down on the stack of hides again.

Over the next few days Edward's condition went from bad to worse, his body protesting every movement, his
temperature going from high to low and his eyes growing more sensitive to light until in the end he gave up on
going outside altogether. It wasn't like he had the strength to do so anyway.

He rested, making use of the few moments in which he could prevail over his body to go outside, relieve himself,
clean his wounds and find some more berries and nuts to eat.

On the fourth day, the day after he had been expected home, Edward made one last, desperate attempt to get up
and leave, thinking that maybe if he just pulled himself together and put mind over matter, he would be able to
make it. One step at a time.

He even made it as far as the edge of the clearing that day, until he had to conclude that both mind and matter
refused to cooperate. He let out a humorless snort as he glared at the forest, thinking how maybe he could hold out
long enough for the next poor loser who was sent out into the forest to save his ass. But as he tried to compose his
aching, shaking frame long enough to stumble back to the cabin and slide the crossbar into place he knew he had
hit the end of the line.

His hands fell down listlessly as he gave up, his body soon following its descent until it hit the floor like a sack of
potatoes. This wasn't simply a test of his manhood; a chance to prove his valor and moral strength to his
peers…..this was a war of attrition.

And he had lost.

~*~

~ Chapter Twelve ~

"Edward."

He knew he must have died when he heard Bella's sweet voice call out to him.

"Come back to me."

A lithe touch caressed his forehead as he frowned. This wasn't right. If this was heaven, then what was Bella
doing there? As far as Edward knew, only the dead were allowed to enter past Saint Peter's gates and when he had
left his beloved fiancé behind days ago she had been very much alive. A sharp sting of pain shot through his chest
as a chuckle rose up from deep within his stomach, the answer to his question now clear as day. Of course: she
was an angel.

And didn't all angels belong in heaven?

"Hmm." He was almost startled by the gruff, unsteady croak of his own voice when he spoke. "I think I like it
here." It was all he could manage before he was sucked back into the void of unconsciousness.

Over the next two days, as Bella had to put everything she had ever learned working at Carlisle's clinic to good
use, he awoke again a few times. Each time his words were jumbled and barely audible and his actions unable to
progress past the stage of intentions. He was too weak to even lift his hand to reach for her. Nevertheless, Bella
reveled in the way he sought her out. It was as if he could sense her presence from across the room. It made her
realize once again that it had all been worth it.

~ x ~

"Pull yourself together, Bella," she growled at herself. "It's only trees. Trees and leaves and roots. Nothing to
fear."

Although, her subconscious was quick to add, roots had made her slip more often than she cared to remember.
Not to mention the thorns on the brambles…..

She knew better than to think she could survive in the wild, her sore ankle form where she'd tripped over a
particularly evil root on her path and the scattered remains of the compass that had managed to guide her family
members to safety made that as clear as day. But she didn't want to dwell on her own failure as a rescuer, not
when the goal she had set out to reach was far more important.

Yet dwelling and crying was what she had been doing for the last half hour or so, when the despair at having lost
the only thing that could bring her to her beloved had taken over her mind and weighed her down until in the end
she could no longer push forward and sagged down onto the grass in a small clearing in the woods.

"Just put one foot in front of the other," she tried to command herself, though it was easier said than done with a
body that had suddenly decided to speak a different language than her mind. Between the throbbing of her slightly
sprained ankle and the crippling fear, movement was pretty much the last thing her body had in mind. The only
thing that could make it move, in the end, was the image of the one she had set out to find.

I have to find him.

Next thing she knew she was on the edge of the clearing, her eyes scanning into the darkness, hoping to satisfy
themselves that all was safe and hopefully detect a sign of life…human life.

It all happened so quickly, her brain barely catching up as the horror scenario's it had made up all came true at
once.

A twig snapping underneath her feet.

The bloodcurdling howls of the wolves, followed by the sound of living beings moving through the forest at a
dazzling speed.

Moving towards her…

Preferring light to darkness Bella backtracked into the clearing again, though she realized that the sense of
security the moonlight gave her was nothing but falsehood. The wolves would react the same, whether they could
only see her fear or just smell it.

The only difference was that she would be able to see them, though in retrospect she wasn't quite sure whether or
not that would be an advantage.

A dark shadow crept out from beneath the tree line, minutes after Bella had backed into the clearing, it's piercing
eyes and bared, glistening teeth the only things standing out against the darkness surrounding it.

It must have smelled her through the forest, fear and the dried up blood from where thorns and branches had
scratched her skin guiding it towards her through the darkness like a hungry man towards a roasted chicken.

And with the same purpose…..to devour.

Instinct took over right that moment, her sore foot forgotten or just blocked out by the adrenaline rush, survival
outweighing visibility as far as her subconscious was concerned and Bella took off in a sprint, the fabric of her
dress rustling against her legs as she ran for dear life, hoping that the cover of darkness and the thickness of the
forest would somehow shield her from the evil that pursued her.

It was to no avail.

Soon the rustling of branches and the heavy foul breath coming from the animal's snout could be heard behind
her, stopping only when it paused to emit a deep, low howl, the answer coming almost immediately and from a
space right behind her.

Crap!

Spurred by fear, Bella made the capital mistake of looking back and saw the shadows of at least five wolves
closing in on her making her feet pick up speed and loose every caution they had held on to until then.

The result was almost immediate, a slippery tree stump causing her to lose her balance and crash onto the
ground. The fact that the adrenaline coursing through her veins overrode the pain she would normally have felt
only a small blessing as she scrambled for a nearby tree.

She had seen death many times, even in spite of her young age. As a volunteer at Carlisle Cullen's clinic she had
stood by powerless as men with the strength of juggernauts crumbled before her eyes, not to mention watched as
her own mother sacrificed her own life to save that of her unborn child.

However, she had never given much thought to how she was going to die.

Not until then.

A frightened whimper left her mouth as she crawled backwards, her hands clawing at the earth beneath her as
she pressed her body against the wood of a tree, hoping it would somehow protect her.

"Please…." She whispered at the dark shadows moving in on her, a lone tear dripping out of the corner of her
eye.

A figure sprang forward from the circle of wolves that surrounded her, its menacing snarls a taste of what was to
come.

Bella's voice barely registered above a whisper as she started to pray, the words leaving her lips in a frantic
flutter as the shadow slowly but surely crept forward.

She prayed to be saved.

She prayed for a quick ending.

But most of all…she prayed for the man she loved, more than her own life.

As the beast before her crouched, his figure poised to strike, the moonlight caught its eyes, a familiar shimmer
catching her eye.

She would have recognized those eyes anywhere, having caught that same shimmer from across her father's
dining table many, many times.

It was then, and only then, that Bella screamed.

~ x ~

She shuddered as she thought about the ordeal that lay behind her; the nightmarish memories of a few nights ago
chilling her blood more than the evening air could ever do. Still, as she looked at Edward's face she knew she'd
made the right decision. At least she could take pride in that.

The few times Edward stirred to consciousness were the only times she allowed herself to become distracted
during those first crucial days after she'd stumbled upon the cabin. The rest of her time had been spent in the ever
raging fight with death over who got to keep Edward, a fight she was desperate to win even though she knew the
likelihood of it was slim. For even now that his fever was down and Edward seemed to be doing a bit better, the
effects of the blood poisoning were still raging inside of him. Edward needed more than she could give him, more
than her flawed skills and basic knowledge of medicine would ever achieve, He needed Carlisle, she concluded
once again with a deep sigh. And Carlisle was miles away.

Still, she remonstrated herself; it would do no good to dwell on the negative. Edward's illness might have been
hanging over them like a Sword of Damocles, but he was doing a whole lot better than he had been a couple of
days ago. What she'd seen when she entered the door had scared her more than all her dealings with the wolves
ever could have.

~ x ~

Her heart was pounding in her chest as Bella ran through the forest, trying to ignore the pain of thorny branches
tearing at her clothes and scraping against her skin as she pushed her way through the undergrowth, as well as
the defeating growls and snarls sounding from behind her.

"Oh, Jake," she whispered, her tears running freely as an anguished yelp pierced the sky. "What have I done?"

She could not let her mind linger on what was happening behind her though, not if she wanted to put a safe
amount of distance between herself and those vile creatures that roamed the woods. She might have escaped them
for now, but she had no doubt in her mind as to what would happen if they managed to catch up with her once
more.

She would not survive, of that she was certain.

Another desperate wail for help wracked through the forest as the barks and growls of the others started getting
louder and more ferocious. She could only imagine what that meant…

Bella increased her pace, knowing that the conclusion of the fight would mean that the pack would be free to
chase her once more. Scanning the darkness in front of her for obstacles she soon was able to discern a small
patch ahead of her that seemed a little less dark than the rest of her surroundings.

Another meadow.

Bella's heart skipped a few beats at the possibilities her new discovery offered. Maybe, just maybe, what
happened with the wolves had set her in the right directions again. Maybe she would find him…

As the sounds of creatures fast approaching her started to pick up behind her, Bella put all of her efforts into
reaching the clearing that was now slowly becoming visible before they did, her feet tumbling over each other in
their attempts to pick up more speed.

"Thank God!" Bella panted as, upon entering the clearing, she was able to discern a small dark shape standing
out against its surroundings. She'd found it!

But there were no signs of life anywhere…

She didn't have time to dwell on whether or not the closed door or dark aspect of the shack should worry or sooth
her, for the snarls and growls behind her were starting to get dangerously close.

They were coming for her. In fact, they could be there any minute now.

Bella pushed forward, once again biting through the pain every time she put pressure on her damaged ankle.

"Edward!" she called out as she neared the building. "Edward! It's me! Open the door!"

There was no answer or any other signs that her words had been heard, no sound to be heard from within even
when Bella came to stand right in front of the door. Bella's hope started to dwindle as she called out again.
"Edward! Please..."

This time there was a reply, though not the one she'd hoped to get. For instead of a word from her beloved there
was a menacing bark right behind her, the small yet dangerous shapes of the wolves starting to pour from the
darkness of the forest once more.

Unable to put off the inevitable, Bella pushed her hands against the wooden door, surprise taking over for a
moment when she found it to be unlocked. "Edward?"

The cottage was as dark from the inside as it had been from the outside, a stuffy, putrid smell of disease wafting
out the moment Bella tried to push open the door. Tried, being the emphasis.

With some effort Bella managed to open the door far enough so that she could slip through, and not a moment too
soon. She could feel the pressure of a wolf's paws pushing against the door as she slid the crossbar into place.

"Edward?" She kept trying his name as she took a tentative step into the room, her hand reaching out in front of
her to 'see' when her eyes could not.

The next moment found her on the damp, earthy floor, her feet having tripped over something soft yet sturdy.

Something that let out a weak groan as Bella's feet made contact with its ribs.

'Edward!" Bella gasped, as her hand reached out and found soft, cold and clammy skin. "Oh my god!"

She could feel that all of her fears had been just. Edward was sick, and judging from the lack of response, the
shallow breathing and the very faint beat of his heart when she felt his chest, he had been sick for quite a while.

Alice was right.

While she had gone about her daily business, literally brushing her fears away through her rigorous cleaning
exercise, Edward had been slowly succumbing to death out here.

Bella shook her head, feeling around her in the dark to find something – anything – that could make her help the
mortally diseased man she so desperately loved.

The only things she could find while stumbling through the dark, her body tensing up more and more with the
wails and crashes as the wolves pounded the structure of the cabin the their attempts to gain admittance to their
prey, were a few stinking animal hides.

At least those would keep him warm.

"Ung," he moaned as she lifted his head and transferred it to her lap, her fingers brushing his hair out of his face
as she covered the rest of his body with the hides.

"Shh," she soothed, kissing his clammy forehead. "I'm so sorry for leaving you out here for so long when I could
have known that something horrible must have happened to keep you from me…I should have come sooner… I
should have done more to save you."

His weak answering groan was drowned out by another round of howls coming from outside but even if Bella had
been able to hear it, it would have done nothing to soothe her anguished mind.

She wished that there was something she could do but she knew that as long as the darkness remained, so would
the wolves. With a fire not lit nor any other means of aiding Edward in the battle he was barely able to fight, she
felt more helpless and desperate than she had to date.

She had to somehow get him to pull through the night.

If only she knew how….

~ x ~

She had made a pact with God, that night. If he allowed Edward to live through the night she would make it her
life's effort to make sure that no man would ever have to suffer the same faith. She would make sure this foolish
tradition would end. In the morning, when Edward's shallow breaths still gave her hope and fear in equal
measures, she'd set to work going on the sound conviction that where there was life, there was hope.

And hope was all she had to cling onto.

He got a little better with each passing day. Once Bella had managed to find enough rocks and pebbles to build a
small fireplace in the middle of the cabin she could make him some herbal tea and finally get him to warm up a
little, because as stifling as all the bear hides on the makeshift bed looked, they weren't doing their job at all.

After three days he started to get some color back into his skin, no longer looking like he had already passed the
threshold between life and death but still looking miles away from his usual self. That night was the first time he
woke up for real, his fingers shifting a few moments before his eyelids fluttered open and his fever-glistening eyes
shone into hers.

It was during the same the night that his fever broke, a victory that Bella silently celebrated with a cup of herbal
tea and a lingering kiss to his clammy forehead as she rested her eyes for a few moments, reveling in the calm
now that Edward was no longer thrashing around in feverish hallucination.

When she woke up hours later, judging by the light that streamed in from underneath the door, Edward was awake
and more lucid than he had been for days.

"So it was you," he whispered, his hand shaking as he tried to brush away a strand of hair that had fallen out of
her messy bun. "I thought it was just a dream."

"It was me," she whispered back, her fingers tracing the lines on his face as if to allow herself to believe that he
was truly back. Her Edward.

"You came here for me," he whispered, his labored breaths trailing off in a series of coughs that shook him
violently.

"Of course," she smiled, holding a cup of water to his lips. "There's not much else out here worth risking the
wrath of Charlie Swan for."

Edward stared at her, slowly but surely feeling his body come alive again. It had been so long since he had had
full command of it; he hardly knew what to do. He still felt weak though, weaker than he had ever been. But he
was alive, and he knew who he had to thank for that. "You saved me. You saved my life"

"I had to do something to keep myself from getting bored out here," she shrugged, her blush betraying that it had
been more than just keeping herself busy. "And anyway…what kind of fiancé would I have been if I'd just let you
rot inside this stinking hellhole of a refuge?"

He couldn't decided whether to feel insulted by the way she shrugged it off or find it adorable but as he lay there,
watching her, all he really knew was that he loved her, more than anything in the world.

"I can't believe Charlie let you go into the woods. You could have died out there!" he finally spoke.

"I didn't give him much choice in the matter," she chuckled, before turning serious again.

"When you didn't return I knew something had happened to you. I was so scared. I thought you were going to
die." Her honest brown eyes shone into his as she spoke. It was only then that he saw how worn out she looked.
How long had she been there?

"You look troubled," he croaked, brushing his fingertips along the deep purple marks underneath her eyes.

"I have been taking care of you," she replied with a sigh, her fingers fidgeting with a fray of cotton that hung from
one of his bandages. "Sleep took the backseat while you were struggling to stay alive."

"It's not just that." Edward spoke with a matter-of-factness he didn't even knew he possessed in this matter until
the words left his mouth. He knew them to be true though. Over the last couple of months he had studied Bella
more closely than he had ever hoped to have opportunity for. Every look, every action and every reaction had
been carefully committed to memory and stored away for further use.

Which was how he knew she was withholding the truth.

"Very well." Bella knew that no matter what she would say or do to change the subject, Edward wouldn't let go.
She too, had learned to read the habits and behavior of her betrothed. "I saw something…when I was out in the
woods."

"What did you see?" The tone in her voice worried him, the gravity and tension telling him it was something
big…something that would have consequences. If he had had the power to do so he would have sat up straight
and grabbed her hand, knowing she needed his support. Being as things were he had to resign himself to moving
his hand slowly to where hers rested on top of the bed, hoping she would understand his intention.

"Tell me. Please."

She folded her hand around his, gently squeezing his rough skin as her eyes seemed intrigued by the lines and
marks on the floor. "I saw Jacob." Her voice was so low and weak that for a moment he thought he'd
misunderstood.

But then his eyes met hers.

~*~

~ Chapter Thirteen ~

"I saw Jacob." Her voice was so low and weak that for a moment he thought he'd misunderstood.

But then his eyes met hers.

"You're sure?" he gasped. It couldn't be. Jacob was dead. Lost in the same way he would have been if not for the
amazing angel of a woman sitting next to him.

"I know him, Edward." She swallowed the tears that had started to form in the corners of her eyes, the pressure of
her hand on his increasing as she drew strength from his touch, just as Edward had intended. "We grew up
together, played together, laughed and cried together. I know who it was I saw. It was him."

"So where is he now?" Edward tried to lift his body so he could see the rest of the cabin. Surely if Jacob had
somehow miraculously survived in the woods all those months he would be there to join them? "And why didn't
he come back?"

Bella sighed, the corners of her mouth twitching but Edward couldn't see if the motion spoke of grief or anger. Or
both. "It's complicated…." she sighed, before launching into the most surreal story Edward had ever heard.

As he listened, his worn out mind had a hard time trying to wrap its powers of credulity around the tale she told
him, though soon enough his surprise and confusion turned into rage as he thought about how he'd been lied
to…all those years. How he'd risked his neck and future happiness just because the town elders were too scared to
reveal the truth.

"So you're saying that all these years….they lied to us?" He rubbed his temples, ignoring the angry remonstrations
of his body as he focused on relieving the pounding in his head.

"They had their reasons," Bella softly spoke, "however misguided they might have been."

"Don't try to justify their actions," he spat, the pounding in his head getting so severe that he had to close his eyes.

"I shouldn't have told you," Bella sighed, shaking her head in disapproval of her own candidness. "Dammit! I
shouldn't have…."

"I asked for it," Edward groaned, his body deflating in submission to the pain. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Through a haze he felt her soft hands push him back onto the bed and cover him up as best as she could. "Stay
with me," he whispered. "I hate it when you're out of reach."

"I will," her voice sounded soothing, sunnier than her mind must have been, as her hands brushed his hair out of
his face.

The love in both her words and her actions made him feel better than any medicine ever could have when she
spoke again. "I will not leave you again."

"Good." He could feel the tension leave his body as he gave himself over to sweet sleep.

The cabin was black when he woke up, Bella's form outlined faintly against the red glow of the shouldering
remains of the fire she'd made earlier that day, when the door could safely be opened to get rid of the smoke.

"You're still awake." Her body jolted with surprise as he spoke, her gasp barely audible over the sounds of the
wolves.

They were particularly vocal that night, or maybe it was just his imagination. The thought of who they had been
and what they had turned into made him shudder.

"I couldn't sleep," Bella whispered. He could see her head turning towards the wall, towards the sounds. "Not with
them out there."

"Come here." He patted the space next to him. He needed her close. Not just because he wanted to comfort her,
but also because he needed to be sure that she was alright.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she carefully placed herself next to him, making sure not to put pressure on
his weakened frame while still having her whole body touching his. "Is there anything you need? Anything I
could get you? Water…."

"I'm fine," he chuckled, correcting himself before she could let her disapproving snort be followed by a sharp
string of words. "Not to say that I'm healthy in any way, but I am not in need of any refreshments at the moment.
Having you near me is enough."

And truly it was. The feeling of her body against his miraculously made the pain fade and the tension, that always
resided in his body whenever she was more than an arms width away, dissipate like snow before the sun.

As they lay there, in strained silence, listening to the sound of the wolves he felt her body tense up with every
sound they made. Her face looked like she was miles away, reliving some horrific experience from the past.

He could only hazard a guess to what it was that inspired such fear in his beloved.

She had been out there, with those beasts, knowing what they were and what they would do if they got their hands
on her.

Even the very thought of it, though he would be forever grateful and in awe of her, made him sick. She was the
most precious thing alive in his world and to think that she could have died out there…that those mutts could have
sunk their teeth in the soft flesh that was his and only his to touch….He couldn't bear it.

"There is something I didn't tell you yet." Her voice shocked him back to the present and he could almost feel her
distress, even before he turned his face towards her and caught the anxiety shimmering in the faintly illuminated
deep chocolate eyes. "I don't want there to be any secrets between us but…."

"Tell me," he urged, her words making him strangely anxious. "Don't worry….I am well enough to cope with
whatever you have to say."

A loud snarl nearly made her gasp, her body cowering into his embrace as she shifted a little closer to him.
"Jacob," she breathed. "When I saw him….he…recognized me."

"What?" His gasp was drowned out by a chorus of answering howls, as if the wolves were listening in on their
conversation. "How do you…..Are you sure?"

"Yes, she whispered, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, the soothing scent of love and man she breathed in
calming her enough to continue.

"But I thought you said they lost their humanity when they turned into whatever the hell they are?" Even in spite
of his promise, Edward couldn't prevent the throbbing in his temples to start back up as a barrage of questions left
unanswered welled up in his mind.

"I know. That's what my father told me. Evidently he was mistaken." Bella sighed, her heart hammering in her
throat as she relived the memory of what happened that night.

"They cornered me….all six of them, but one of them stepped forward…he was so close," she shuddered and
leaned into his touch as Edward cautiously wrapped his arm around her, "I could smell his breath and his foul
intent before I looked up and…those eyes."

Tears forced her to stop and as she cried Edward wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close, ignoring
the pain and possible damage his actions caused in his desperate attempt to soothe his beloved.

And it worked.

Bella felt safe, being in his arms, his love making her feel stronger and after a while she recovered enough to
continue. "I thought he was going to kill me," she continued. "I had a gun….but in the commotion and panic I
dropped it before I could even fire a single shot…..and I knew I was going to die."

The tears were streaming freely down her face as Bella continued in a shaky voice. "From what my father told me
I knew better than to expect him to take pity on me…..but that didn't stop me from pleading for my life with
him….and it worked."

She let out a deep sigh, resting her head against his shoulder. "I could see a change in his after a few moments. He
looked…different, more like the old Jake I used to know. The other wolves must have felt it too because they
started to advance and then…it all went from bad to worse."

"What happened?" Edward asked. He wished Bella hadn't been put through this, didn't have to see whatever it had
been that she saw and didn't have to know what she knew now. Hell, he wished he didn't know that those same
wolves he had cursed to hell and damnation were the boys he had grown up with!

Tears were running freely down Bella's face now, her body trembling worse than his as she got closer to the
climax of her story, her mind transported back to those horrible moments which she had thought to be her last.

~x ~

As the wolves answered her screams with a chorus of deafening howls, Bella tried to press her body even further
into the tree, hoping it's soft bark would somehow swallow her whole and take her away from what was playing
out to be her worst nightmare.

It didn't.

In fact, the wolf that had sprang forward from the circle the wolf pack had drawn around her only crept closer, as
if it were enjoying her misery.

"Jake?" Bella whispered in an unsteady voice.

The wolf's eyes tightened as it glared at her, the creature now so close that she could see her own fear-stricken
face reflected in its beady eyes.

"It's me….Bella," she tried again. "You remember me, right?"

She felt ridiculous, talking to a beast that was so clearly fixing to attack her, but there was something in those
eyes that gave her a tiny shimmer of hope. Something told her that – in spite of her father's words – her old friend
may yet be alive somewhere inside his new furry skin.

"Please…." She pleaded, as the creature inched even closer, its foul breath permeating the air as it continues to
silently regard its shaking victim.

The wolves behind it were getting impatient, Bella could deduct as much from their dissatisfied growls and the
way they kept scathing their paws across the forest floor as if to urge Jacob to make haste and just kill her.

"You wouldn't want to hurt me, Jake…" Bella pleaded, the tiny shimmer of hope kindling into an adult spark as
she took in the behavior of the wolves. "Think about Charlie…."

At the mention of her father's name the wolf took a small step backwards, its head turning as if it were thinking
about something.

"And what about me," Bella boldly continued. "You were in love with me once…we were going to get
married…you would want me happy….right?"

As the creature let out a bloodcurdling snarl, Bella realized that a reference to her happiness might not have been
such a smart move. Did he know about Edward? Bella thought not. How could he have?

Only if…

"No!" she gasped as Jake crouched on his hind legs, his figure poised to strike. "Remember Jake. Remember what
you told me when you went into the woods…you wanted me to be happy…you never wanted me to pine away…"

In an act that might have been construed both as genius and utterly stupid she reached out her hand, her fingers
shaking as they hovered in the air before making contact with the soft fur. "You wanted me to live…"

Jake's soft whine bespoke of the internal struggle that was taking place between the creature's nature and the
human trapped inside.

The rest of the pack must have grown annoyed at him now, for as Bella looked up from the dark eyes of her once
closest friend, they had started to close in on both of them, their teeth glistening in the moonlight.

Jake must have sensed them too, for he took a few steps backwards, making Bella's hand slid away from its fur
and the tension coming back into its posture.

When he looked at her, Bella knew her fate had been decided for her.

In an effort to show more bravery then she was felling, Bella raised her body up from the tree trunk, determined
to stand proud in the face of her enemy, just as her father had always taught her to do. Looking at them was
another thing entirely though.

Bella swallowed hard, tears gliding over her cheeks as she bade her farewell to Jake and to the world before
closing her eyes and waiting for the inevitable end.

Edward, I love you. Please forgive me for not being strong enough…..

The rest of the sentence was cut off when all hell broke through around her, the violent snapping of teeth and
muffled growls and snarls letting her know that the battle had begun...without her.

She opened her eyes to see an indeterminable tangle of half a dozen wolves caught up in a deadly strife, teeth
glistening and paws clawing at the air as five of them rounded on one.

Jacob.

~x ~

"They fought and….it was so horrible….but I had to get away. Jacob was giving me the chance to escape and
so….I ran….and now I'll never really know what happened to him, if he's still alive or if he died…because of
me."

"It might be for the best," Edward sighed, letting her cry it all out as he comforted her as best as he could,
"knowing Jacob he wouldn't consider what he's doing right now as living."

She sighed. "I know." She suddenly looked so frail, so breakable.

"Sleep, my love," Edward whispered, scooting over on the bed to make room for her. "You took care of me when
I needed it, and now it is time for me to return the favor."

"But you…." She wiped away her tears, wanting to appear stronger than she really was, but Edward saw right
through her.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself alive for a few hours," he chuckled, summoning every bit of
strength he didn't have to lean down and kiss her before settling back next to her, his arms wrapped protectively
around her.

She was out like a light before more than a couple of minutes had passed, but for Edward sleep didn't come so
swiftly. As he lay there, listening to the sounds of the forest, he knew they had to get back to civilization soon.

They both needed it.

Bella was slowly going crazy around here. She might have done her best to hide it from him, but Edward knew
what happened was weighing her down and would continue to do so until she crumbled. He wasn't going to stand
by and let that happen.

The problem was…he was still very weak. The fever might have come down, but he could still feel the effects of
the blood poisoning raging through his body. He needed medicine and not the one that could be doctored up by
Bella or himself in the dilapidated shed that had been their home for the last couple of days. If he wanted to stand
a chance he had to get to the clinic. To Carlisle.

They had to get out of there.

The only problem was that Edward wasn't sure if his tormented body could survive the journey.

~*~

~ Chapter Fourteen ~

She heard the muffled voices beside her speak long before her consciousness had returned enough for her to place
them.

"I hope she'll wake up soon," a woman's voice sighed as she felt something soft and warm brush along her cheek.

Bella knew she liked the person behind the voice, the musical tingle and underlying happiness of it making her
want to smile. "Carlisle said that if it was just exhaustion and nothing else she should wake up within the next
couple of hours."

"Let her be, honey," another woman spoke in a voice filled with maternal love and concern. "God knows she's
been through enough. She'll need her strength when Charlie tells her…."

"Poor little squirt," a deep masculine voice sighed. "Dad's been beside himself with worry over how he's going to
tell her. There's only so much a person can take at one time."

The fear those words inspired in her was enough to pull her firmly back to the surface, her body trashing as it
fought against the thick blanket of sleep she was under as one word – a name – kept shooting into her mind like a
distress signal.

Edward.

"Esme! She's coming around!" Bella hadn't realized she must have spoken aloud until she felt the attention of
every person in the room placed upon her. "What did you say, sweetie?" The nice musical voice suddenly got a
face, a name and a complete history, a lot of it attached to hers.

"Alice…what happened…Edward!" Her words came in gasps, the voice foreign and hoarse…just the way she
felt.

"Shhh. Easy honey." It was Esme who came to her rescue, the soothing power of the woman's voice comforting
her some. Even though neither Esme's voice nor the hand that brushed through her hair could take away the
blinding fear that coursed through her.

Not this time.

"E-Edward…." She tried again, this time putting a herculean effort into cranking her eyes open. "I-I
need….Edward."

"He's right here, Baby Belle." The first thing her eyes witnessed when they cranked open in a tiny window of
vision was the grinning face of her big brother. "He's conked out right beside you, snoring like only a real man
can."

True enough, as more and more of the outside world started to seep in through the filter that had separated Bella
from the rest of the world from God knew how long, she could hear the steady sounds of someone sleeping deeply
over to her right, the breath she had been holding for quite some time leaving her lungs in a shaky sigh.

Thank God.

"He'll be fine, Bella," Esme spoke. "As will you be."

"But…." The filter started to get more murky again as she concentrated, body and mind both protesting every
action and demanding more rest.

"Drink this." Another familiar voice sounded above her – Carlisle – and she could feel the cold, hard surface of a
glass being pressed against her lips, a bitter draught entering her mouth as she opened it slightly. "You need your
rest, Bella. All questions will be answered in time. Right now, you need to let your body recover from its ordeal."

Yes. Her body rejoiced in his words, even though some part of her still wanted answers. Edward was alive, so
what could it be that had them all so worried about her…about how she was going to react?

~ x ~

"Just a few more steps…another couple of yards and we can take a break." Bella felt like the worst kind of human
being, tugging the man she loved forward when both his looks and his actions spoke clearly of his pain and
exhaustion.

"I…can't….I have to…" Edward grunted, his feet wobbling as he lost his balance, making his body dangle
precariously in the space between her shoulders and the forest floor.

"Just a few more steps." She kissed his hair as they stumbled, their limbs tangled in a struggle for survival, until
they reached a tree stump.

"Thank God," Edward sighed as his body slumped against it, his eyes shining apologetically into hers as he
reached for the canteen she held out to him, drinking a few big gulps of water before he nodded off, the canteen
almost crashing to the ground as his hands lost their grip on it.

"Yes, sleep, my love," Bella sighed, letting her tears fall freely now that he couldn't see, as she set to work.

She stayed close to where Edward was resting, collecting some wild strawberries and other edible plants for them
to snack on when he was awake again, as well as some white willow and other herbal remedies against the pain.
Her tears kept falling, keeping in pace with her ever growing dread as she toiled on.

They weren't making enough progress.

Bella knew it even without having to watch the arch of the sun as it travelled the skies above her. They had set out
that morning at first light, knowing that with Edward's strength still holding up but no longer increasing, this was
the one and only chance they had at making it back to the village alive.

The question of whether or not they would attempt to make it back to the town had been a point of constant
struggle between Edward and Bella during the last couple of days. Bella, still very afraid of losing her one true
love, wanted nothing more than to get him to safety or at least try – her own future and the ever-present threat of
the wolves be damned.

Edward, of course, wanted to hear nothing of it. He knew that if they would remain at the cabin for much longer,
his body would slowly start to drift back in the arms of illness and death but he also knew that in his current state

of health it would be nothing short of a miracle if they could get to the town in one day. As much as he didn't want
Bella to suffer through seeing him slowly die a painful death, the alternative was much worse since it might put
her in direct and acute danger if they failed. He would rather die than let that happen.

Bella had won.

As Edward drifted between consciousness and sleep, he comforted himself with the thought that had his brain not
been so tormented by fever and pain, he would have put up a better fight.

He knew better though.

Bella was nothing if not stubborn. She had begged, pleaded and yelled at him for three days straight and when
that didn't convince him, she had threatened to walk out of the cabin in the middle of the night and surrender
herself to the mercy of the wolves if he didn't yield.

He'd had no other choice but to give in the, especially when he saw the determination in her eyes. It was not an
empty threat. She would have done it.

He had made one stipulation to his surrender and that was that they would wait until her ankle had been fully
healed, using her desire to get him to safety against her this time. After all, if they were to start off on their insane
trek through the woods, he knew he'd have to lean on her quite heavily for support, in more ways than one. He
needed her in tiptop shape if they were to stand a chance.

Their tentative plan of walking for one hour and resting the next had to be let go as soon as the second cycle,
when Edward couldn't go further after walking for barely forty-five minutes. Their window of activity had gotten
smaller from then on out until it felt like they were merely creeping along, slower than a snail's pace.

Bella sighed, watching as Edward started to stir. They had to be close to the town by now. They had been walking
and resting for well over twelve hours by then and- even with the absence of speed - they had made some
considerable progress. The question was: was it enough?

The sun was already starting to set and with the town still nowhere in sight they were cutting it close. Very close.

"Bella?" Edward's strained voice pulled her out of her gloomy thoughts and as she stepped back into his line of
vision she could see him sitting up. It could have been her, but he looked a lot better, a lot stronger. They might
just make it.

Bella gasped, both of their faces snapping to the left as a piercing howl echoed through the forest, announcing the
awakening of the wolves.

Or not.

~ x ~

Bella woke up again with a start, the memory of the slow building fear as she and Edward battled time and illness
to get back to town before nightfall pushing her fears for him back onto the surface.

"There, there now, sweetheart," the gruff voice of her father spoke, a big hand patting her awkwardly on the head
until her shaky gasps started to fade into normal, steady breaths again. "It's alright. You're safe here. Daddy's with
you."

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness the first thing she saw was the huge, bulky figure of her brother, squeezed
into a chair that was way too small for him. He was asleep, his head resting on the cabinet next to him at an odd
angle as his deep snores permeated the air.

Sometime during the day Esme, Alice and Carlisle must have left, leaving the Swans almost to themselves.

Almost.

Bella smiled as she glanced briefly at the figure of her sleeping fiancé, the mere fact that he was here, alive and –
given some time – well again, making her heart swell and tears of gratitude start to pool in her eyes.

They'd beaten the odds. They did it.

"It's a miracle you slept through that for as long as you did," her dad chuckled, scratching the back of his head as
he pulled Bella back into reality. "I think even your sister may have been able to hear them Emmett's snores. And
she lives on the other side of town!"

Charlie beamed as he watched his daughter's face light up in a smile, softening the visible effects of the hardship
she'd been submitted through over the last couple of days. "I think you may have to prepare yourself though," he
added, hoping he could keep that smile on her face a bit longer as he pointed over her shoulder to the equally
noisy sleeping figure in the bed next to her. "Your Edward is proving to hold his own with your brother!"

Bella smiled, her eyes gliding from the sleeping form of her brother to the bed beside her, a small sigh of
happiness escaping her lips when she took in the sight of her man, sleeping as peacefully as anyone who produced
so much noise could. "Did he wake up?"

"Not yet." Charlie tensed; his figure poised to intervene as Bella slipped from between the sheets of her bed and
crossed the small distance to Edward's bed.

"Carlisle figures it will probably be another day or so before he does. He lost a lot of strength and his body needs
to heal." He knew he should have done something to stop her, especially when she lay down beside him as if it
were the most common thing in the world to do for two people who weren't actually married.

But he didn't.

The look on his daughter's face as she looked at her fiancé, the tenderness in her touch as she tentatively bushed
her right index finger along his cheek…they spoke of so much emotion that no matter how protective he felt of
Bella's virtue and reputation, he couldn't find it in him to break the two of them apart. Not after everything they'd
been through.

"I know," she whispered, her eyes never leaving Edward's face. He looked so beautiful and serene, even though
his face was still ghostly pale. "He's been through so much."

"One could say the same about you, pumpkin," her father remarked. "You gave us all quite a scare."

"I'm sorry," Bella sighed, resting her head against the iron headboard as Edward's body unconsciously turned
towards her, squirming until it was in close contact with hers. Bella looked at him, her whole body glowing up
from the inside with love and gratitude now that she was slowly starting to believe that this was real. They had
really made it. Being back home still seemed so surreal after the constant fear and danger she had been in for
days.

She ran her fingers through his hair, focusing on the quiet hum of contentment that reverberated through her
system every time she was close to him. "I was so scared dad."

"I can believe that," he answered. "I don't think you'd find a lot of people in his town who'd dare do what you did.
Not even amongst the men."

As much as she tried, for her father's sake, Bella couldn't conjure up a smile. Not with everything that lay behind
her. "When I was out there…" she started. "I saw something, dad. Something…"

"You saw him?" Charlie interrupted her, his voice so loud Emmett jolted back into the land of the wake, emitting
a pained groan as he rolled his stiff neck.

"What's all that about?" he complained. "Can't a guy get a decent night's…"

It was only then that his eyes settled on his sister. "Ah, you're awake….and sharing a bed with lover boy…with
dad in the room."

He looked both amused and confused, his eyes shooting from his sister to his father as if he were watching a
tennis match. That was until he spotted the glum looks both of them were sporting. "Did you tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Bella asked, a slight hint of panic seeping back into her voice. "What's going on? Dad? Em?
What happened?"

"Who did you see, Bella?" her father demanded.

"Jacob." Her voice sounded so small that both men might have misheard her had they not known what she was
going to say.

"So you know," Charlie sighed. "I'm so sorry, honey. To find out like that…I can only imagine what it must have
felt like."

"Wait a minute…" Bella looked up for the first time, her finger hovering over Edward's skin in perfect stillness as
she frowned, her father's words not making sense. "I already knew. You told me Jacob was a wolf…."

"He's dead, Bella," Charlie sighed, cringing as the look of horror on his daughter's face slowly gave way to pain
and grief. He looked a thousand years older all of a sudden. "We found his body."

Bella groaned in pain – both physical and psychological – as more memories crashed back into the forefront of
her mind, the disturbing images making her breath run out, her heart to speed up and bile to rise in her throat.

A fear so blinding she thought she would never feel safe and at ease again.

The flash of white teeth bared and within striking distance.

Gunshots ringing through the air.

An onslaught of emotions wrecking through her already tormented mind; confusion, comprehension and then
finally realization and acceptance.

Jacob was dead.

It was an odd feeling. She had thought he'd been dead many years ago, when he didn't return from his three days
in the woods. She'd been to his funeral and mourned his loss, only to find out that he's been alive all along – just
not as a human. Then, in the forest, she'd come face to face with him and discovered that underneath that beastly
façade he was still there…still her friend.

Now, it turned out, even that course had run out.

"So he was the one you shot?" Bella's hand flew to her throat as she fought to suppress a sob.

"He wasn't the one I shot," Charlie spoke. "That….was Sam Uley."

He fidgeted with his hat, avoiding having to look at his daughter's face as he continued. "We found Jake a couple
of feet into the forest from where you and Edward came out. I probably wouldn't even have noticed him had it not
been for the way his skin stood out against all the green and brown…..Carlisle figured he must have been dead for
some time – days maybe. He must have tried to find his way back to town when he felt his end draw near."

Bella let out a sob as her final hopes were dashed. She'd feared he had not survived his revolution against the rest
of his pack all along, but still she had allowed herself to hope that maybe they'd left him alive. Maybe the rest of
the wolves were capable of showing mercy as well.

"Wait," Bella panted, something her father had said finally registering with her. "His skin?"

"He was human," her father confirmed. "At least he was when we found him."

"But I saw him!" Bella gasped. "He was a wolf only four days ago!"

Her erratic movements as she tried to make sense of the jumbled mess her dad's explanation and her own
memories left her with made Edward stir, a small groan uttering from his lips as she accidentally touched his side.

It was enough to make Bella deflate like a balloon, the horrible truth only now settling in as confusion gave way
to grieve. "I saw him."

Jacob was dead and it was her fault. If she hadn't gone into the woods he wouldn't have had to turn on the rest of
his pack and he would still have been alive, as would Sam.

But Edward wouldn't.

A horrible sadness washed over her when she realized she was weighing the importance of two lost lives against
the one that had been saved, the worst of it being that Edward's – to her – far outweighed the lives of the two other
men, one of which she had known for almost as long as she'd been alive.

It made her feel like the most horrible person in the world.

Her father approached her through a mist of tears and even through her blurred vision she could see that he had
his work-face on. "What was it exactly that you saw?"

She had to give him credit for the way he tried to prevent this from turning into an official interrogation, his
question laced with fatherly tenderness. However, Bella wasn't fooled. She knew her father wanted answers, and
with her being the only one who could give them to him, she'd better make it good.

She closed her eyes with a sigh, her mind taken back to those horrible moments in the woods, when she seemed
even closer to death than she had been when surrounded by the pack.

~ x ~

"Almost there." If it wasn't for the sweat dripping from his face and the all around haggard look he sported,
Edward's false optimism might have fooled her.

It didn't though.

With his body leaning heavily on hers and the sounds of the wolves approaching fast, optimism was the last thing
Bella was feeling at that moment.

Blind panic, choking fear and mortal dread came closer to the mark.

"I...I can almost…see the town," Edward added, the strain in his voice building as he struggled to remain upright.

"Shhh, don't speak," she soothed. "Save your strength."

Apparently Edward still had enough strength hidden somewhere to exude a disapproving snort. This whole trip
had been a challenge to his masculinity and to have his fiancé, the very one he was depending on to remain
standing, challenge it even more…

Bella realized that hadn't been the smartest move she'd ever made. Edward was a proud man that much she'd
known long before he'd set off into the woods. It wasn't like him to be needy and unreliable, let alone dependent
on a woman – his woman. She would have done better not to remind him of it.

"You're right though," she offered, trying to break the laden silence, "we're almost there."

She could see the forest thinning, giving way to smaller trees and shrubs as they neared the edge of it, but the
relief it caused her to feel was short-lived when an angry snarl sounded just a couple of feet away from them.

"Save yourself," Edward groaned, his feet dragging through the soil as he tried to push his body forward,
knowing that their enemy was closing in on them. "You'll make it if you go alone."

"Hold your tongue!" she barked, trying to move the two of them faster. "We've had this discussion before,
remember? You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not!"

She rolled her eyes at him as he let out a weak, dissatisfied snort. "If you think I dragged you through this
godforsaken stretch of woods all day only to dump you a few feet away from our final destination then you don't
know me at all."

"And if you think I'm going to stand by and watch you get eaten by those mangy mutt's then you don't know me at
all," he bit back, though there was little conviction or power in his voice.

"No!" she growled, countering his faint moves easily as she pulled him closer again. "If you stay, so do I. I'm not
leaving you out here at the mercy of those…those beasts and that's final."

"Fine," he grumbled, too weak to object any further, "then get us out of here."

"My pleasure," she snorted, trying to set a faster pace for them.

It was of no use though, as it soon turned out.

They might have made it to the edge of the forest, but as they stepped into the moonlit clearing that housed the
town of Forks, so did their enemy; its teeth barred and eyes burning with malicious intent as it cornered them
between the stream that provided the town with fresh water and the tree line.

"Save yourself," Edward cried, using the last of his strength to push her away and move to stand in front of her
taking Bella wholly by surprise.

"No Edward! Don't!" she cried, pulling the last bit of strength she had inside her to push him aside and jump in
front of him, her arms shielding her face as she stood her ground and waited for the attack.

It never came.

What did come where two loud cracks and a piercing yelp as the wolf in front of her let out its final breath and
crashed to the ground, bleeding profusely from two gun wounds to its side.

Charlie.

She knew it had to be him when she realized that, though they were quite far away from the town, they were
within firing range from the watchtower. A huge wave of relief washed through her, knowing that her father was
out there somewhere and that he was coming to rescue her.

Safety.

She could already hear the commotion of what she figured was the night watch coming to their aid, sounding in
the distance, the very human sounds making her breathe easier than she had in days. That was, until she
remembered what had happened.

When she turned around she found Edward lying still on the grass, his body spayed out at an odd angle as if his
legs had given out underneath him and he hadn't had the strength to fight it.

"We made it, Edward," she whispered, crouching down beside him and grabbing his cold hand in hers. It was
only then that she noticed how pale he looked and how long the intervals were between the shallow breaths he
was taking.

He was dying.

"Please," she begged him, "stay with me. I don't want to live without you…" She could hear the voices of men
approaching come closer as she watched his final strength now leaving him rapidly. Would they be in time to save
him or would all of her hard work have been in vain?

"Bella!" Her father's voice was thick with relief and anxiety as he ran to where she was still lying on top of him.
"Oh God! It is you!"

"Edward!" Bella allowed herself to breathe again when she heard the one voice she had been dying to hear,
maybe even more than the voice of her father.

"Carlisle!" she cried. "You have to save him. He's hardly breathing."

"I'll do everything I can," he assured her, wasting no time as he set to work. "It's a good thing I was on guard-
duty tonight or my help would have come too late."

"His blood," Bella croaked, "it's poisoned from a maltreated wound."

The profanity that left the doctor's lips as he examined his nephew would not be held against him.

"Come on, Edward!" he grunted as he gave the others instructions to bring his nephew to the clinic as fast as
humanly possible, himself walking beside them all the way the monitor Edward's pulse.

"He's going to be alright," Bella assured herself, her whole body suddenly feeling as if there were weights holding
it down. She was so tired, her voice slurring as she finally drew her attention away from the retreating group of
people holding the man she loved and to her father. "You saved us, daddy."

"That I did," her father replied in a soothing tone. "I couldn't very well let those wolves have their way with you,
could I?"

The last thing she heard, as strong arms lifted her from the grass, was the gruff, emotional voice of her father.
"Thank you, God, for bringing my little girl back to me."

~ x ~

"Bella?" She hadn't even realized she'd drifted off into nothingness until she saw her father's worried face
appearing in front of her.

"Oh," she sighed, blinking a few times to dispel the horrible images from her mind's eye.

"Are you alright there, sis?" Emmett's form appeared on her other side, his big hand patting her smaller one. "For
a while there, it looked like you'd vacated the premises."

"I'm fine," Bella replied in a shaky voice. "Like I said, it takes a while to get used to living with the memory of
what happened."

She shook her head, her mind drawing strength from the steady rise and fall of Edward's chest; the visible
reassurance that, as horrible as some of the consequences had been, it had been worth it. He had been worth it. "I
can't believe Jake is dead….and Sam too. It's such a waste."

"I know sweetheart," Charlie sighed, "but their fate could not be altered. Maybe they will find the peace and grace
in death that on earth had so completely forsaken them."

"What will happen now?" Bella asked, looking up for the first time since she had crawled into Edward's bed. The
faces that looked back at her were grim and reminded her of the conversation the three of them had had before she
set out into the woods. With the memories the anger about the secrets and lies her father and brother had allowed
to persist and the vow she had taken on that first night in the cabin.

"As soon as you are ready, we need you to give a full testament of the things you've learned about the wolves,"
Charlie started, the hesitation in his voice betraying the fact that he had picked up on Bella's sudden change in
mood. "If we know more about them, we may be able to prevent things like these from happening again."

"I know," she nodded, "but I won't tell you what I know unless you tell the town what you've been hiding from
them."

She remained undeterred by the collective gasps of her father and brother, focusing on her own resolve and the
promise she had made in the cabin when Edward had been fighting for his live instead. "This secrecy has to stop.
The people have a right to know…..This madness has got to end."

~*~

~ Chapter Fifteen ~

"Are we supposed to let our women rule the town now?" Leonard Newton's intonation made it very obvious what
he thought of that notion. "Isn't it bad enough that this…girl…went against the rules and, dare I say, against every

proper sense of propriety when she marched into the woods like some crazed Virago. And for what? To save a
boy that God in all his wisdom was calling upon?"

There were a few nods and sounds of approval as Leonard looked around, his own son nodding so fiercely that
Bella was afraid he'd pull a muscle. "I vote to disband this meeting immediately and call and end to this…this
madness. We are wasting our time."

"Cool your heels for a moment, Newton," Emmett barked, his tone holding the authority of the next police chief.
"It wasn't my sister who called this meeting, it was me."

Leonard Newton narrowed his eyes at him as he listened, Emmett's tone cooling even further as he went on. "And
I would very much appreciate it if you'd refer to my sister in a more polite manner. You don't hear me calling
your kinsmen names, even though God knows they sometimes challenge my patience!"

There were snorts and chuckles all around, everyone knowing which particular kinsman Emmett was referring to.
Ever since Michael had come of age and taken up his seat in the town government the otherwise boring meetings
had taken on a whole new kind of appeal. Michael had ideas, very fixed ideas, and he liked to share them with the
rest of the town. Even if the ideas were generally stupid and sometimes even dangerous.

As was Michael.

"It doesn't change a thing about what lies at the root of this here meeting!" Newton growled, obviously less
charmed by the veiled insult to his son and heir. "We decided a long time ago, that government was a matter of
men, and men alone. Why change that now? I'm sure that if this girl were a mere citizen and not the chief of
police's daughter no one would have given any heed to the nonsense she's talking."

Once again there was a chorus of approval, most of it sounding from the conservative faction, seated to the right
of the small stage. "We are not under an obligation to listen to this girl so why would we?"

"Did it never cross your mind that maybe the girl has something to say?" It was Jasper who spoke in her defense,
a shockwave going through the town hall as he stood up. Like Edward, Jasper had a reputation of being a quiet,
calm man. In fact, prior to this meeting the only words he'd ever spoken during the four years he'd taken up his
seat in the council were the words belong to his inaugural oath.

"I can imagine Miss Swan had better things to do with her time, this evening, than to sit here and be insulted,
which makes me believe that had she not had something to say that would be of great important to this town, she
would not have bothered going up against her father, her brother and the general prejudice the men of this town
hold against the members of her sex."

"I have to say that it's a surprise to hear you speak, Cullen," James sneered, his figure rising from the seat behind
the Newtons, "though your words do not surprise me at all. Did you think of this all on your own or has that
heathen of a wife been whispering in your ears again?"

"You'll take that back!" Emmett was just in time to keep Jasper from attacking James Collins, though as Bella
herself reeled from the hateful words that had been spoken so far, she wasn't at all sure of she would have
regretted watching James being beaten into a pulp.

Yet again.

This was not at all how she had figured things would go, though she had to admit it was hard to make any kind of
conception of how this night would turn out in the first place.

This was all so foreign to her.

When she spoke the words, late last night, demanding a town meeting, she hadn't expected it to take place so
soon. It shouldn't have surprised her, though, that her father wanted to learn what she knew as soon as possible,
nor that he was willing to risk his reputation in the town by bringing a woman into a town meeting when in the
hundred or so years that the town had existed, no such thing had ever happened.

The horrible truth about what lurked beneath the green trees of the woods had caused a rift to appear between her
and the rest of the family. Though Bella could understand her father's reasons to want to keep it a secret, she could
not, in her own conscience, reconcile what she knew and what they had done.

The truth had to be known. Something had to be done.

And so the next night found Bella in the strange, yet oddly familiar surroundings of the town hall; the unofficial
boy's club of Forks.

As she took in her surroundings Bella found herself struck yet again by the similarities between the building she
was in now and the church on the opposite side of the street. Both buildings had the same tall, vaulted ceilings,
long and tapered windows and dark wooden furniture. Even the position of the pews and the people in it were the
same, as was the atmosphere of importance and solemnity.

One thing was different though; the smell. In the church there was always the smell of fragrant herbs, used in lieu
of incense during mass to mask the smells of too many people crammed into a small, enclosed place.

City hall, however, was severely lacking on the side of air fresheners. Which may also have something to do with
the fact that no woman stepped foot inside, except maybe to clean up the mess.

If she were less nervous or agitated she would have snickered at the thought that she was probably the first female
ever to gain admission to one of these gatherings. After all, women were far too feeble and fickle to be having a
say in important political matters.

"Idiots!" Bella grumbled under her breath, her eyes once again lingering on the blatant hostility and disdain on the
faces of the members of the conservative faction. If only they knew the true strength of women – the strength that
made them create new life, nurture it and endure the dangers and pain of the birthing bed as they pushed their
babies into the world only to mold them, educate them and – finally – set them free to watch them grown into
pigheaded, narrow-minded men, they would not be so quick to call them fickle.

"What are you saying, pumpkin?" her father asked, his tall frame bending towards her.

"Nothing," she sighed, knowing that this was going to be a long and very frustrating night.

As if it wasn't already.

Leaving Edward, when his health was still very much hanging in the balance, was one of the harder things she'd
had to do in her life, though it paled in comparison to what she'd had to do in the woods, but between her father's
insistence and Carlisle's solemn vow to watch over him in her absence, she had been able to tear herself away for
a few hours. Carlisle was convinced that he would wake up soon, his health still improving with the rest and
medication he had been receiving, though all of them realized that he was nowhere near healthy. poisoning as
severe as the one he had suffered it would be months before he would truly be out of the woods.

Months of uncertainty, months of suffering; on both their parts.

While Bella's mind had been otherwise occupied, the quarrel around her had grown, both in size and in passion.
Both camps now facing each other in a scathing stream of words and gestures, until the opening of the front door
put an end to it.

"For pity's sake calm yourselves!" The whole room fell quiet as the lone figure of Billy Black walked into the
town hall, his speed severely encumbered by the two crutches he leaned on, though his feeble physical state had
no effect on the power of his voice. His lack of speed and the traces years and years of pain had left on his face
were seriously misleading. Inside that tortured frame rested a sharp mind, one of the sharpest the town could boast
of. "The one thing that sets us apart from the beasts that haunt us is our civilization. Looking at what goes on here,
I am beginning to doubt if we are not made of the same fabric after all!"

He was a figure of authority, in more ways than one.

The Blacks had always been leading figures in the town. Amongst the founders of the settlement they had always
been held in high esteem, even in spite of the fact that Ephraim Black had been foolish enough to get caught up in
James Collins' schemes.

The Blacks had always kept the town safe and steered it towards clear and quiet waters and, judging from the
expectant looks his presence was garnering, many expected that quality to shine through today.

It had to.

"Good evening, my brethren," Billy greeted them, his look still holding that same sternness that had quieted the
room when he entered, as he sat down in the chair at the head of the room. "Please take your seats so we can start
this meeting in the proper way.

As reverend Weber rose to lead the community in prayer, Billy's eyes shot across the room, lingering briefly on
each man assembled and a little longer on the twelve heads of family before settling on Bella. As they did, it
struck Bella how much older he looked, more fragile too. There was a new sadness in those deep brown, almost
beadlike eyes of the village chief which didn't just come from the fact that he had lost his only son for the second
time.

No. She'd seen what grief could do to this man, the devastation she'd seen when he realized he'd lost both his boys
to a curse he wasn't allowed to speak about so crushing she could still feel it. The weariness she was sensing in
him now, though, as he scrutinized her appearance, had a different origin. Billy knew what she was going to say
or at least, in part.

"There is only one matter on the agenda for today," Billy started, as soon as the official ceremony was out of the
way. "The chair recognizes Chief Charles Swan." The look shared between the two men of prominence was one
of understanding and nervous resignation, making Bella wonder how they were going to broach the subject of the
truth without causing all hell to break loose.

In hindsight she could understand the decision the heads of the town had made, though for herself understanding
did not mean accepting. They chose peace and stability over despair and disorder, rationalizing that what the
people of Forks didn't know, couldn't hurt them. It was too late now for such a course of action. The people had
seen the bodies and heard the stories. They would not be coddled with half-truths now.

What would that mean for her father? For Billy? For Carlisle? Bella couldn't help but wonder, though it was with
no small amount of irony that she concluded she should have thought of that before she'd made her rash demands.
It was too late to go back now. The only road that lay before them was the one moving forward.

"Thank you," her father muttered, even after all those years of being police chief he still felt uncomfortable to
have all attention drawn onto him. Bella and her father were very similar in that way. "As all of you know, my
daughter has just returned from a stay in the woods, a stay where she has encountered the wolves on more than
one occasion."

A hushed buzz of sound traveled through the room and all eyes settled on Bella as Charlie spoke, looks of
disbelief, disapproval and even some of awe making her shift nervously in her seat. "Her experiences and new
insights into the behavior of the wolves have caused Billy and me to make a very difficult decision; one that has
been pushed forward for generations…."

"What Charlie is trying to say," Billy stepped in, "is that for almost as long as this town has been in existence, the
leaders of it have carried the heavy burden of a horrible secret with them."

There was another round of muffled whisperings as he paused, the tension in the room so thick you could cut it
with a knife. "With the recent activity of the wolves and the new information Miss Swan has provided us with, we
no longer can defend this course of action…"

He looked up, his commanding stare still silencing the room in the blink of an eye. "It is time the truth came out."

For the next fifteen minutes the town hall was so quiet you could have heard a needle drop to the floor. The faces
of the men assembled mirroring the incredulity that grew inside their heads as every truth they had held sacred
proofed to be a falsehood. The moment Billy concluded his story, though, all hell broke loose.

"This is outrageous!" As always it was the Newtons who played first fiddle. "The nerve of those two! Sneaking
around, gambling with the lives of our children! This is a travesty of justice!" The approval his outrage garnered
didn't surprise Bella.

"And what would you have had us do?" Charlie countered. "Create mass panic amongst the townsfolk when we
told them that the very beasts who threatened their life were their brothers, fathers and sons?"

"That is beside the point!" Another man fumed. "You owed us the truth, as soon as you found out about it, and
you know it."

"What will happen now?" A third demanded. "We can't just turn our backs on them, now we know! Those are our
kin out there!"

"What do you suppose we do?" A shrill voice shrieked. "It's not like we can have them rejoin our fold! We'd be
dead in a day if we did that!"

"I say we shoot them and be done with it!" James sneered. "It's the better solution for all parties concerned."

"You rotten bastard!" Martin Call hollered. "It's my son you're talking about, you despicable insect of a man!
You'd do good to remember what happened to your father. And your brother, now that I remember it."

"SILENCE!" Billy's thundering voice shocked them all in obedience and reminded them once again why they had
elected him the leader of this town. Once everyone had calmed down a bit he continued to speak, Charlie Swan
and his family standing beside him as a united front with Charlie and Emmett both keeping their hands on their
weapons just in case things went out of hand again.

"This is exactly why our ancestors decided to keep this a secret." He sighed, once again letting his eyes glide over
his fellow townsmen, this time in disappointment. "Knowledge can in many circumstances be used as a powerful
weapon but in others – like this one – ignorance can be bliss."

He shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. "I can only say that I am truly sorry to have disappointed you as
your elected chief. However I do press that we look forward instead of dwelling on what cannot be changed."

There were a few sounds of protest amongst the townsmen, but most of the attendees of this unusual town
meeting acquiesced. "Now that everyone is up to speed on the history of the wolves, I would like to ask Miss
Swan to regal us with her findings."

Bella took a deep breath as she rose from her chair, her father grabbing her hand as she passed him and quickly
pressing it to reassure her of his loyalty and support. "My esteemed townsmen," she started, her voice shaking as
she stood before the crowd of surly looking men. "As you all know, I had the misfortune to meet with the wolf
pack on more than one occasion and whereas most of the findings Mister Black and my father have just spoken
about are true, others aren't."

"Then speak up girl," a voice sounded from the mass, "we don't have all night."

"Hold your tongue before I rip it out," Emmett growled in the direction of the culprit, both his father and Billy
quickly admonishing him for his disproportionate reaction.

Bella looked around her nervously. Unacquainted with the etiquette of town meetings – though the dynamics
proved to be awfully similar to those she had witnessed when face to face with the wolf pack – she did not know
how to act.

Thankfully, Billy's ever watchful eye had noticed her discomfort. "I fear I must apologize, Miss Swan," he spoke.
"I can assure you we are not always this disorganized and rude."

A few men nodded apologetically, others just answered with wry smiles as the crowd fell silent again. "Please
continue." He motioned for her to step forward again while at the same time urging Emmett and Charlie to sit
back down. "I am sure there will be no other interruptions."

"Thank you," she muttered, biting her lip nervously as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "What I
found out in those encounters is that, though for the most part they follow the instincts and behavior of the
predators they've become, there is still some part of them that is human."

She took in a deep breath, her eyes flittering from her father and brother, to the crowd and finally to Billy. "When
the wolf pack attacked me during my first night in the forest, one of them sprang forward and defended me,
allowing me to escape while he fought the rest of the pack."

Once again the silence that fell over the room was almost deafening, words that weren't being said weighing
heavily on the air. Everyone knew who Bella had been referring to, even though she'd never mentioned his name.
They knew of her history; the forced engagement, the loss of her fiancé…With what they had been told that night,
they only had to put two and two together to get to the truth.

"This cannot go on." Frank Uley rose from his seat, his face deeply engraved by sorrow. Amongst the townsmen
Frank was revered not only for his advanced years (he had been alive long enough to have known the founding
fathers of Forks as old men when he was a little boy) but also for his wisdom.

"Three days ago, I lost my son for the second time. There's hardly a family in this town that hasn't been affected
by this curse." He shook his head, his long, bony fingers brushing through the deep wrinkles in his forehead. "I
understand why our elected leaders have wanted to keep the awful truth hidden from us and why some of you,
even now, may want to stick to our old way of life, but I cannot, in good conscience, send another boy into the
woods knowing what it is he'll be facing."

"What would happen to the peace of the town if we went out there to look for whatever it is that you're suggesting
we look for?" Joseph Yorkie countered. "As long as we stay out of the woods and do nothing to provoke them, the
wolves have allowed us to live in peace. Who can promise me that will still be the case if we try to change our
plight? Change doesn't always turn out to be an improvement!"

"Surely you cannot imply that with the knowledge we possess now, we go on living the way we used to live?"
Jonah Call cried. "These are our children and grandchildren we are gambling with. Your family may not have
been as heavily affected by the curse as some others have, but that doesn't mean you can simply deny its
existence! I've already lost one of my sons. If there's a remote chance I can save the other I say we grab it!"

"What are you suggesting?" Michael Newton's self-important sneer sounded. "That we talk to those savages who
did this to us?"

His father was almost glowing with pride as he watched his son speak but as Bella watched Michael's normally
already puffy face grow almost purple with outrage the only thing she felt was regret. Had Jessica known what
kind of man he really was, would she have married him? Had she been feeling so unhappy in her own home that
she was desperate to flee it, even if it meant marrying this crude, conceited upstart of a man?

While Bella made a silent vow to try and salvage her relationship with her sister before it was too late, Michael
went on, his words picking up a new kind of venom now that he knew he had the backing of his father's faction.
"Those infidels cannot be trusted nor can they be bartered with. May I remind this council that the last time we
resorted to diplomacy the whole town got cursed?"

"And may I also remind you that your kinsmen were amongst those responsible for our predicament?" Jasper spat.
"You speak of beastly acts….I suggest you read the ancient texts a little closer, Newton. You might find that your
ancestors weren't exactly averse to that kind of behavior either."

"Alright, men," Billy intervened. "I suggest we put this matter to a vote. All those in favor of sending a delegation
to the Quileute's to discuss a treaty, please stand."

It was a close call.

Bella held her breath as her eyes scanned the room, the division of the town in the two factions becoming more
and more apparent as some rose to their feet and others remained seated. With both camps being almost equal in
number, the margins would be small and with Carlisle stuck at the clinic; those in favor of diplomacy missed an
important member.

Bella frowned as she looked at those who had remained seated, seeing a lot of faces she expected to see, but also
some that came as a surprise to her. Why couldn't they see how it was more than just the risk of coming under
attack they were playing with?

It was the future. Their future!

She feared she was going to pass out from all the tension that had built inside her body when Billy rose from his
chair and stood tall before the town. "The votes have been counted," he announced in a solemn voice. "The aye's
have it."

~*~

~ Chapter Sixteen ~

How is he?" Bella panted. She'd jogged the whole way back to the clinic and even though it was only a short
journey, she was completely wiped out by the time she got there. The town meeting had ended a few hours ago,
but – even though her heart had kept tugging at her to return to the clinic, to her beloved – she had been held up
inside with a few of the men forming plans and making arrangements….and saying goodbye.

"Carlisle thinks he could wake up any moment now," Esme smiled, getting up from her seat by Edward's side, but
not before brushing her hand through his messy hair with a motherly affection. "I think he must have missed you
because he started to show signs of consciousness about ten minutes after you were gone."

"I'm glad I didn't miss it." Bella let out a huge breath of relief as she sat down in the chair Esme had just vacated,
Edward's hand twitching in hers as they made contact.

For a moment Bella allowed her feelings to take flight, basking in the quiet hum of contentment that coursed
through her veins whenever part of her body was touching Edward's. "Thank you for watching over him," she
muttered when, all too soon, she gave in to the pull of everyday life again.

"It was my pleasure," Esme smiled. "I think it may have been one of the last instances that I get to mother over
him. Soon you will take over even more than you already have."

"Do you resent that?" Bella asked, fearing that she had overstepped her bounds. As soon as she'd been strong
enough to leave her bed she'd all but completely taken over his care, staying by his side day and night to make
sure he had everything he might have wanted. "I mean….I may have be a bit pushy in wanting to take care of
him…."

"Not at all, Bella," Esme chuckled. "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. It does me great joy to see how much
you love him. As a mother, or as close to a mother as he has allowed me to come, it is always a relief to see that
your child is taken care of."

"Thank you," Bella whispered, gently squeezing Edward's hand. She might have been mistaken but it felt like he
was answering her loving gesture. It was feeble, but the pressure she felt against her hand could not be denied.

"We are all in awe of you, you know," Esme continued. "You did what no man or woman in this town has ever
had the guts to do, and you did it all on your own."

"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Bella replied. "There were moments when I was so scared…when I felt like I
was going to die, but in the end it was all worth it."

She kissed the back of Edward's hand, before looking up. "You would have done the same for Carlisle, I am
sure."

"I'd like to hope so," Esme smiled. It was only then that she noticed how Bella's face had suddenly taken on a sad
look, the tears she was trying to hide lingering in the corners of her eyes. "Hey," she asked. "What is it honey?"

"Nothing," Bella sighed, though her sloping shoulders confirmed what Esme had already guessed.

"Does it have something to do with the town meeting?" Esme persevered. She'd learned from one of the women
who'd happened to be lingering outside the town hall that more than one townsman had left the meeting enraged
and blazing with indignation.

"I heard it all but ended in battle," she added, thinking about the faces of the men she'd seen as they made their
way back to their homes and their families. Grim and angry, they had been, their indignation over what it was that
they'd heard very clear.

"It's a long story," Bella muttered, avoiding Esme's gaze by looking at the man she loved, "and most of it could be
summed up in a few words: most men are stupid."

"As most women already know," Esme chuckled. "And as for the long version…I have nowhere else to be
tonight, as you well know. Please, share your burden for I can see that it weighs heavily upon your shoulders."

Bella closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that Esme was probably right. There was precious little she could do to
prevent Esme from finding out what the men of the town had been keeping from their women anyway. She was
sure that by morning the whole town would be buzzing with the news.

Before she could start explaining, however, the front door to the clinic shot open, revealing a bristling Rose.
"That's it mom!" she cried furiously. "You can pick whether the good name of the Cullen family goes down the
drain because of murder or because of divorce but either way it's going to happen. There's no way I'm going back
to that dumb ape of a man I married!"

It was only then that she spotted the frail figure of her sister in law skulking in the corner. "Did you know?" she
demanded, her eyes glowing white with rage. "Did they at least have the common decency to tell you?"

"My father informed me of the truth about the wolves the day before I set off in search of Edward," Bella
answered, "though to be honest, my initial reaction was much the same to yours."

"Can one of you please fill me in?" Esme interrupted them. "What is this I hear about the wolves."

"You'd better sit down, mom," Rose snorted, "because you're in for quite a shock."

Rose's account of the revelations that had shocked the town was a lot more colorful than it would have been when
Bella would have explained the truth though – for someone who hadn't been there – it was almost shockingly
accurate.

Esme's face remained calm throughout, much to the surprise of both girls, not even when they explained to her
how her own husband had been in possession of the truth for most of his adult life but failed to share this
important piece of information with her, the woman who'd been sick with worry when she'd send both the boys
she'd raised – one her son, the other as close to it as any boy not born from her womb could ever become – into
the woods to meet their destiny.

"You don't look all that surprised," Rose remarked, her eyes tightening to tiny slits. "Please don't tell me you
knew about all of this."

"I didn't," Esme answered, her voice soft and laced with sadness, "at least…I didn't know this was it. I always
knew Carlisle was keeping something from me, though."

"And you never thought to ask?" Rosalie fumed.

"I always resigned myself to his better judgment," Esme shrugged. "I knew he would have told me if he could."

"I don't understand you," Rose growled, shaking her head. "How can you just sit here and not be outraged that
those stupid know-it-alls thought we were too weak to know the truth? And dad too! How could he have allowed
Jasper and Edward to go into the woods, knowing what he did! They should have gone out there to beg for an end
to this madness years ago!"

"Sometimes a man will prefer the devil he knows," Esme sighed. "Foolish as their course might have been, there's
no knowing what this mission to the Quileute camp will bring. Who is to say they are ready to forgive us for what
has been done to them? And even if they do, will our lives really improve if we are able to venture out of the
forest?"

She interrupted her daughter before she could make another scathing remark. "Not that I in any way want to
justify keeping this a secret. The elders of this town made a mistake when they held on to a course set by men
generations removed from them but I have no doubt in my mind that they did it with the best of intentions."

"Yes, well good intentions or not," Rose growled. "I told Emmett he was on his own tonight and that, when he put
our son to bed, he should take a good look into little Henry's eyes and justify to himself how he wanted to offer
him up as a sacrificial lamb when there were other ways out of this mess."

"You'll forgive him," Esme stated with a small smile. "You love him…"

She held up her hand before her daughter could interrupt her. "You know you do, even in spite of the choices he
made."

"And he's going to need you now more than ever," Bella chimed in, her voice so soft both women had to strain
their ears to hear it. "With dad heading out to lead the mission tomorrow…he's going to take it hard."

"Wait," Rosalie gasped. "Your dad is going in? Emmett never told me that."

"He would have been the one to do it anyway, but with the Collins and the Newtons on their hind legs he felt he
had no other choice," Bella explained. "If my dad had stayed behind they would have called him a weakling or a
coward and I think he might even have agreed with them. He and old man Yorkie will lead the delegation and
Will Newton and Jonah Call will join them for extra strength."

"I'm sure Leo didn't volunteer his oldest for the job," Rose snickered.

It was no secret that the oldest of the Newton boys disapproved of the way his father and younger brother acted.
Taking more after his mother he had a more quiet and contemplative attitude, making him as different from his
younger brother as a raven from a dove. "What happened? Did Mikey chicken out?"

"I think he'd tell you that he had other, more pressing matters, that prevented him from joining the mission to the
Quileute camp," Bella chuckled.

"Matters that involve getting the shit out of his pants because he crapped them when it was suggested that he'd
actually do something useful for a change?" Rose snorted. "Or does he have your poor sister do that? No offense
but I never thought much of Jessica and my respect for her completely vanished when she married that booby of a
man. I have to say that I'm in awe about the way she puts up with him, though. I would have murdered him before
the honeymoon was over!"

All three women laughed unrestrictedly, all of them knowing the truth in Rose's statement, until the sound of a
throat being scrapped forced them to come to their senses again. "To what do we owe the honor of your
presence?" Carlisle joked from his spot inside the door opening as he looked at his daughter. "It has been a while
since you visited me here."

Rosalie made a face, though she knew her father's words to be the truth. Rosalie didn't do sickness, even in spite
of the vow she had made to Emmett on her wedding day. Blood and disease unnerved her and it showed.

When she was younger, her father – eager for his child to follow in her mother's footsteps – had thought it was
just something she had to grow out of, but when her nervousness and aversion had started to affect the patients,
her father had dismissed her from her charge and taken on Alice Brandon instead, much to everyone's satisfaction.

"Let he who is without faults throw the first stone," Rose scowled. "I could run off a long list of defects I have
found in your perfect appearance over the years, dishonesty being the first and foremost of them."

"Yes," Carlisle sighed, "and for that I am truly sorry."

A further argument was prevented by the sound of a feeble groan coming from the bed, followed by Bella's gasp
as Edward's hand squeezed hers and his eyes started to twitch.

"He's waking up!" she breathed, tears of happiness starting to form in her eyes as she hovered over him watching
as life slowly started to creep back into the face and body of the man she loved. "Edward, can you hear me?"

"Bella," he whispered in a scratchy voice, his eyes fluttering a few times before he managed to open them.
"You're here."

"Of course I am, silly," Bella chuckled through her tears. "We all are. You didn't think I'd drag you all the way
back to town through those God forsaken woods only to abandon you the minute we were safe? I told you: you're
stuck with me. "

As he slowly started to regain command over his body during Bella's nervous rant, Edward studied the face of his
betrothed, remarking the signs of worry and lack of sleep etched deeply into her face though for the moment they
were buried beneath the more prominent emotions of happiness and relief.

Bella felt naked as Edward's deep green eyes followed a tear that slipped down her cheek, only to come back and
refocus on her eyes. She knew what he was doing: he was reading her, like only he could, but instead of it making
her feel awkward or cheap, it caused her to feel a safety she had never felt before.

Edward would take care of her. Edward could take care of her. Not in the way her father, her brother or her
friends had, but in the way only a lover could. She could see it all in front of her, how her life with him would be.
In those few moments when the world seemed to vanish around them, her whole life stretched out in front of her
as clear as if it were memories instead of castles in the sky.

And it was magnificent.

As time passed and the lovers remained caught up in their bubble, Rose and Esme decided to make themselves
useful in the kitchen preparing dinner for those who'd stay the night at the clinic and medicine for Edward, but
most of all giving Edward and Bella some privacy.

Carlisle, however, was torn. He could see that right now the last thing Edward wanted was a doctor hovering over
him, but what Edward needed was a whole different matter. In the end, the oath he had sworn in the presence of
his father and the town elders – the same oath doctors had been swearing for ages – won out.

"Bella?" he tried to make his voice sound more like a doctor's and less like a father's, hoping it would make
Edward understand why his interruption was necessary. He had no such luck. Bella blushed as Edward's piercing
glare chilled his uncle's blood, knowing what it was Carlisle was trying to convey.

"I'll give you some privacy," she muttered, her cheeks flaming a fiery red as she rushed out of the room to help
Esme and Rose in the kitchen.

"You might have done the same," Edward growled at his uncle as he heard the door close after her.

"Calm yourself," Carlisle commanded. "You'd do well to save your strength to get better. You'll do Bella no good
when you suffer a relapse and God only knows she is going to need you."

"What is it?" Carlisle was surprised b the amount of strength Edward still had left in him as he tried to sit up.
"What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong with her Edward," Carlisle soothed, pushing Edward back into a flat position. "Settle down."

As his uncle told him of what Bella had gone through while he had been unconscious Edward let out one
expletive after another, the enormity of what his girl had to suffer through hitting him like a ton of bricks. "And
they'll set out at first light tomorrow?" he asked as Carlisle finished his explanation.

"That's the plan," Carlisle nodded. "I just spoke to Charlie on his way to the watchtower. They leave at first light
tomorrow." Carlisle fidgeted with the hem of his white coat, debating whether or not to divulge some of the other
things that had come to pass in his conversation with the police chief.

"He's not going to say goodbye, is he," Edward growled, interpreting his uncle's grim look.

"No," Carlisle sighed. "He didn't want to say goodbye since he doesn't think it will end badly…and I guess he was
also uncertain about how he would be received." Both men shared a knowing look. Carlisle had already told
Edward about how knowing the truth had caused a rift between father and daughter that not even Bella's ordeal in
the woods had been able to heal and, knowing what he did of Bella's stubbornness, he could see Charlie's point.

"He's a fool." Both men turned at the sound of Bella's voice coming from the doorway. A small humorless
chuckle following as Bella carefully walked into the room, carrying a full tray of food. The chicken broth and
fresh bread making both men's mouths water. "But at least he is predictable."

She shook her head, amused at the way men always thought they could fool their women but never actually
succeeding in their task. "I already said my goodbye to him when the town meeting ended. I suspected he might
decide to sneak away without a word."

~ x ~

They spent the next two days living between hope and fear; hope because Edward started to get stronger every
day and fear because on the eve of the first day, Charlie still hadn't returned.

Bella grew twitchier as Charlie's absence from the town lingered on. As always she preferred industry as a
distraction mode, but as the hours grew and her tasks diminished, not even the task of taking care of Edward
managed to keep her distracted long enough.

Edward did all he could to relieve her worries, but since his body and mind were still reeling from his illness,
there wasn't much he could do for her besides talking to her when he was awake and making sure someone was
watching over her when he was asleep.

Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, a commotion outside the clinic drew their attention, soon followed by
the opening of the front door and the appearance of Charlie's imposing stature.

"Dad!" Bella squealed, crossing the distance between Edward's bed and her father's arms in the blink of an eye.

"Easy there, poppet," Charlie chuckled, though Edward could clearly see that his embarrassment was a farce.
Charlie was basking in the love of his child. "You don't want me to keel over and break something now, do you?"

"How are you? Are you okay? Did you run into any trouble? What did the Quileute's say?" Bella's barrage of
questions fluttered from her lips like the movement of a hummingbird's wings, much to the endearment of the two
most important men in her life.

"Chief Swan," Edward nodded, when finally the stern gaze of his future father in law settled on him. "How does
this day find you?"

"I can't complain," Charlie nodded, "though I should probably have asked you that same question."

It was the kindest he'd ever been to him and Edward glowed, recognizing this for what it was: an opening. "What
did they say?" he asked, knowing that Charlie would be as happy as he was to skip further pleasantries.

They knew his answer from the victorious smile that broke out on his face, even before he had uttered the words.
"They say yes."

~*~

~ Chapter Seventeen ~

As he lay on his back, the warmth of the woman he loved, radiating from his side, Edward was almost shocked to
see that the sun was still in the same place it had been a little over two months ago, and shining just as brightly.

Another three months.

That was the amount of time it would take, according to the Quileute's, for the curse to lift and the people of Forks
to venture safely outside of the town borders. But to Edward the effects were already visible. The town was
falling apart. Now that the cement that had held them together was slowly crumbling, a lot of the people suddenly
realized that there was precious little they had in common to begin with. Except for the shared history.

Edward sighed. If he was being completely honest, the sheer amount of possibilities and options that lay open for
him scared him to death. All of his life he had been certain of how it was going to be. He was going to head in the
woods, come back, get married, become a doctor and live happily ever after.

Right now, he wasn't so sure. All he had to go on was the here and now. Everything else was subject to change.

Not that the here and now weren't particularly enjoyable.

They were in the same meadow as they had been, many weeks ago, before he had found himself on death's door
only to be saved by that very same angel who was now curled up beside him.

"I guess some things will never change," he muttered, as the torrent of changes that had already come to pass and
that were about to happen flashed in front of his closed eyes.

It seemed that life was changing. An faster than he could keep up with.

That night, when Charlie and the rest of the delegation had returned safe and sound and bringing with them the
promise of freedom and safely way beyond what anyone could comprehend, they had known nothing would ever
been the same

"What did you say?" Bella asked, her beautiful face appearing above him. Thankfully she shielded his eyes from
the piercing rays of the sun as they looked at one another. He noticed a slight frown marring her features.

"Nothing," he sighed, knowing that his sorry attempt at withholding the truth would not go unnoticed.

Sure enough, the minute the words left his mouth, the frown between Bella's brows got deeper and she bit her lip
in frustration. "Edward," she scowled. "If we are to be married, then surely you see how honesty will be of a
crucial importance?"

"You're right," he admitted with a sigh. "I just didn't want to burden you." He took her hand, placing a loving kiss
on it before placing it over his heart. "I only ever want you to be happy."

"Then tell me the truth," she insisted, "for I will not be happy knowing something is weighing on your mind."

He closed his eyes as he concentrated on his words before they left his mouth. In the months that he had known
Bella, he had become better at voicing the musings of his mind, though he still sometimes struggled to find his
words. He was determined not to make the same mistakes with her as he had made before though. He would
always try to be honest with her.

As long as the truth didn't hurt her.

"Edward?" her fingers squeezed the hand that was still wrapped around hers to get his attention, a silent demand
as well as a plea.

"Nothing is certain anymore," he sighed. "It makes you wonder whether the choices you made in your life have
been the right ones…."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked, a little worried by the detached sound of his voice.

"You know….when the curse lifts in a couple of months a whole world will open itself up to us…literally," he
sighed.

"I wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to postpone our wedding or…." It was his greatest fear that Bella
would one day come to regret the choice she'd made and resent him for not setting her free when the conditions
that lay at the base of their attachment had changed so drastically.

"No!" Bella was quick to answer. "I love you and I want to marry you. No tribe or curse or anything the outside
world can give me will ever change that."

"I will be a burden to you," Edward went on. "You know as well as I do that my recovery can take another few
months, preventing us from leaving this town or doing pretty much anything else. You are so young…so healthy
and bright. You could go places…see places…"

"But they won't mean anything to me unless you're there with me," she interrupted him. "Truly, Edward, I have no
desire to leave this town. It has everything I've ever known, everything I've ever loved. The outside world holds
no interest to me."

He frowned, not believing her for a second. "You're never curious about it?"

"I am, sometimes," she admitted, "but you know I could never be far away from my father and he will always be
here."

She paused and he could almost feel the heat radiating off her cheeks as they changed color. "Besides….I think
that with us getting married tomorrow, we'll have enough to get used to for the next year."

"True," he chuckled, letting out a relieved sigh as he kissed her hand one more time. "So you don't feel obligated
to go through with our wedding?"

"No," she stated determinedly, "I feel honored." It was silent for a few moments, her unspoken words hanging
heavily between them until she spoke. "Do you? Do you feel an obligation to marry me?"

"Because you saved me, you mean?" He turned on his side, ignoring the protest his ribs made to the added
pressure as he leaned on them to look at her.

He sighed as she nodded. "Bella….you must know that I've wanted to marry you almost for as long as I was
aware that there was such a thing as marriage. Yes, you saved me, but you did that long before you stepped into
the woods."

He chuckled, seeing her confused expression as her eyes blinked violently against the brightness of the late
afternoon sun. "I've been living the life of an old man for God knew how long until you came along and pulled me
back into this world."

His eyes blazed into her with an intensity that made her whole body vibrate with want. "You're loving and caring
and beautiful and I could never for one moment see myself growing old with anyone else in the world. The fact
that I owe you my life only serves to show how little I deserve what you're given me willingly, each and every
day."

The tears of happiness and passionate kisses his fiancé bestowed upon him when he finished gave him all the
certainty he needed of her desire to wed him and he treasured it since certainty had become a rare commodity of
late. "Oh, Edward," she sighed as their lips finally parted. "I love you and I will do my best to show you, each and
every day of our future."

"As will I, love," he sighed, holding her for as long as he could until in the end – as always – Charlie's voice
heralded the end of their time together. Edward chuckled as Bella made a face in the direction of where her father
stood on the front porch, kissing her sweet lips one last time. "I guess that means I'll see you tomorrow."

"I guess you're right," Bella smiled. "I'll be the girl in white escorted by the glum looking police man."

"I can't wait to start forever with you," Edward whispered as he lifted his body up from the grass. "Sleep well, my
love." His faint blush as he mentally added 'you're going to need it' didn't go unnoticed by his soon to be wife,
though the meaning behind it completely evaded her.

Not that she was without sinful thoughts herself, though.

For the last couple of weeks, especially after both her father and Carlisle had deemed Edward's recovery strong
enough to set a date for the wedding, Bella had been wondering what it would be like when they would finally be
together as man and wife, though she had precious little to go on as to what would be expected of her.

As their spiritual attachment had grown stronger, so had their physical one and whether they had been severely
encumbered by the ever present supervision of Charlie, Emmet or the rest of the town, Bella couldn't help but
notice certain effects Edward's presence was starting to have on her body.

She ached for him, a slow, churning, ever-present throw that manifested itself in that hidden place between her
legs, one she had never given much attention to. Now, it seemed, it was begging to be discovered...and put to use.

As she watched his retreating form, her own legs dragging out her journey back until he was out of sight before
she would walk into the house to meet with her father's look of parental discontent. She couldn't find it in herself
to be angry or sad about it though. In only a few, fleeting hours, he was going to lose the last of his little girls. It
was a big step for him as well as for her.

And she couldn't wait to take it.

"Bella?" her father's voice sounded behind her as she tried to sneak upstairs silently, trying to avoid a final lecture
on proper conduct in a young woman. "Would you mind joining me for a while?"

She was surprised to see her father settled in as if he were going to spend the night indoors. For as long as she
could remember, he had never done that, not even in the days after he'd just lost his wife. His job was everything
to him and his sense of obligation to the town had forced him to go up into the watchtower ever single night.

But with a sigh, Bella guessed that that was one of the many things she would have to get used to. With the threat
of the wolves all but gone, there was no need for a night watch anymore, or an ever vigilant chief of police.

"Aren't you going to miss it?" she asked, her head indicating towards the window where the watchtower could be
seen.

Charlie sighed. "I guess I will," he spoke. "It's going to take some getting used to…you know, when the wolves
are gone."

"I know," Bella nodded silently, once again wondering how it was going to be when there would be no more
curfew and people would be able to come and go as they pleased.

"And I'm afraid of what will happen when the world outside of Forks will sink its claws into our community,"
Charlie continued. "Our founding fathers have worked so hard to build this up. It would be a shame to see all of
their work go to waste and the people of this town to fall into the same kind of debaucherous behavior that made
them flee for the safety and security of the forest."

"Do you think it will be really horrible?" Bella wondered.

Her father took her hand and patted it lightly. "There's no way of knowing that, pumpkin, but I do know that
Edward is going to keep you and the family the two of you are going to build together as safe as a man can in
these uncertain times."

A smile crept onto Bella's face as she thought about her future with him. "Do you know that there's still a part of
me that can't believe he really loves me?"

"Oh, he does, sweetheart," Charlie chuckled, before turning serious and even downright nervous again. "And
that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about…."

Bella frowned, wondering what it could be that her father would speak of to her. She knew he'd blown off
Emmett's plan of spending her last night under her father's house as a family and right now she wondered whether
it was because of this…because of what he had to say to her. "What is it, dad?" she asked warily. "There's not
some other big secret lurking in the woods I should know about, is there?"

He shook his head, the slight blush creeping onto his cheeks making Bella even more nervous. "O-originally, this
would have b-been a conversation…..y-you would have had with your mother," he started, his voice stammering
with nervousness before he managed to steel his nerves and continue in a more self-assured tone, "but seeing as
your dear, dear mother was called to God before this day could come, the task falls onto me to prepare you for
your duties as a wife….."

"What?" Bella wondered what on earth he could be talking about. She had been taking care of 'wifely' duties in
her own home for as long as her grandmother had been dead. If there was anyone who knew what they entailed, it
was her.

"Well, you know…" her father muttered.

And it was only then that Bella put two and two together and finally understood that he wasn't talking about duties
that could be fulfilled by day, her cheeks staining the deep red of mortification when she did. "Oh."

Charlie scratched his head. "Yeah." He cursed himself for not taking Rosalie and Alice up on their offer to
'enlighten' his little girl in the wisdoms of the marital bed. He'd wanted to do this himself, feeling that he'd be
ducking out of his responsibilities as a parent if he passed this burden onto someone else.

That was, until he actually had to sit his little girl down to have 'the talk' with her. Not even Charlie could have
thought it was going to be this hard. "It's….I…." he continued, trying to think of words appropriate (and
enunciable) at this kind of moment.

"Dad, please," Bella pleaded, not wanting to go through this any more than her father seemed to. "You don't have
to do this, I…."

Charlie held up his hand. "Please…I have to do this right."

He took a few deep, cleansing breaths before had commanded himself enough to continue. "As I have
found….through my relations with your mother…."

Bella's facial color faded from red to white as she tried not to think about where this may be going. "Dad…." She
had no desire whatsoever to be enlightened on the subject of the marital relations between her mother and father
beyond the fact that there must have been at least three occasions on which they happened. She had been very
happy in her denial up until now.

Charlie chose to ignore her, his eyes focused on one of Renee's watercolor paintings that had graced the walls of
his home for as long as he could remember, even if no one actually knew what it was meant to depict. "…is that
conversation is a vital part of any marriage. No matter what the circumstance is…."

Bella frowned, not quite sure of what is what that her father was saying. "So you're saying I should…talk to
Edward on my wedding night?"

This might not be as bad as she had feared, Bella though. Talking was something she could do….talking would
not hurt as badly or be as icky and beastly as the things her sister had told her about.

"Yes…well…no…" Charlie stuttered, scratching his head. "What I mean to say is that you should talk about what
you like and dislike…you know?"

Bella's face turned back to red when she caught on to his meaning. "Okay," she managed to croak out.

"And as to the mechanics of things…." Her dad continued, his cheeks as red as Bella's and a slight sheen of cold
sweat glistening on his forehead as he worked up the courage to continue.

"Jess told me all about that when she visited a few days ago," Bella interrupted him before he could elaborate on
what those mechanics entailed. "You don't have to…."

"She did?" Charlie asked enthusiastically, the possibility of being let off the hook lifting a huge weight off his
shoulders.

"Mmmhmm," Bella nodded fiercely, trying not to think too much about what she'd heard or how her sister was
doing that with vile Mike Newton and actually enjoying it. "So you don't have to…."

"Right," Charlie sighed. "That's good…great…So if you have any questions…"

"I'll ask them," Bella was quick to add, not adding that she'd rather go to Mike Newton himself to ask anything
she might want to know about the physical aspects of marriage than to go through this whole thing with her dad
again. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No," Charlie answered, still not quite sure whether he should be relieved or disappointed that 'bonding time with
his little girl' had come to such a sudden end. "I think that was it."

"I'll be off to bed then," Bella announced, "I've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow."

"Okay," Charlie nodded, a sudden sadness falling over him with the realization that the last – and dearest – of his
children would be spending her last night under his roof before flying the nest. "Goodnight pumpkin."

Bella, overwhelmed by that same sentiment, eagerly let her father encase her in his embrace. "Good night,
daddy," she muttered, letting her tears run free for a moment before she managed to walked away from him, and
her old life.

"Sleep well, my dear girl," Charlie muttered at the empty space his daughter had left behind, his eyes slowly
traveling from her chair to the one opposite from him, the one that had been empty for almost seventeen years
now.

"We did it, my darling Renee," he whispered, before blowing out the candle and heading upstairs, feeling both
more alone and more proud of himself than he had in a long time. "And we did well."

~*~

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

As Edward watched the first people entering the church he couldn't remember ever having been as nervous as he
was right that moment. It had started right after he'd kissed his beloved Bella goodnight last night and started his
journey across town to the house that would today become their home.

This was the first of many things that had kept him awake last night.

Edward was no fool. He knew that, though he wasn't anywhere near as messy as Emmett was according to Rose,
the fact that no woman had inhabited his house in years clearly showed…and not just in the filthy boots standing
by the front door or the lack of flowers and other feminine accessories.

No. Esme and he had worked very hard over the last few days to clean the whole place up and banish the tools
and other items that had no business being in the house to the shed. The place was clean and relatively tidy,
Edward could be assured of that, but that wasn't his main problem.

It still looked like a very clean bachelor pad.

What if Bella couldn't feel at home in his – their – home? What if, after a couple of days, she became so homesick
that she regretted her decision to marry him?

Not wanting that to happen, Edward set to work cleaning the house from top to bottom once again, just to be sure
it was absolutely clean. When even the last speck of dust had been eradicated he started rearranging the furniture
in a way that – at least to him – seemed more elegant and feminine than the practical way in which it had
previously been arranged, and – as a final piece de resistance – he brave the wrath of the wolf pack as well as
Chief Swan by going out to pick a few bundles of flowers from the garden to be placed in the dusty vases he'd
found somewhere buried in the back of the pantry.

When he was done with the living room and kitchen he finished up his task by tackling the bedroom. Here too he
left some flowers to make the place smell a bit less like man and more like a home, changed the bed sheets,
flipped the mattress and restored the dark blue and lilac quilt back to the place at the foot of the bed where it had
lain when this was still his parents' bedroom. It had been too girly and unnecessary for him but he thought Bella –
being a woman and all – might like a bit of color on top of the white sheets and wooden bed frame.

It was only when he took a step back to appraise his hard work in the faint light the moon and the few scattered
candles provided him with, that he remembered what was going to take place in that very bed in only a few more
hours. And where the thought of consummating his marriage to Bella ad previously only served to make blood
heat up with want and certain parts of his anatomy swell with desire and impatience, it now made his tired eyes
snap open in absolute dread and his body to break out in a cold sweat.

What if he was unable to please his wife?

Over the years Edward had become acquainted with the basics of marital relations. His studies to become a doctor
had provided him with ample material to get the general idea of what was expected from him and even if it hadn't,
Jasper and Emmett had been more than happy to enlighten him in the differences between men and women and
the many pleasures to be derived from those differences.

But when it came to the application of said knowledge, Edward was completely and utterly clueless. He knew the
first time was probably going to be painful for Bella and that there was likely to be some blood, but how this
should affect his actions, he didn't know. How did he go about making her as comfortable as possible? What did
he do when she was in too much pain to continue? How the hell was he even going to broach the subject with her?
You didn't just drag a woman like Bella into the bedroom and mount her like she was some kind of animal.

As Edward spent the night tossing and turning in bed, he could not have imagined Bella – prompted by the
conversation with her father – had spent her night as equally awake and nervous about what was going to be
expected of her during their wedding night. Had he known that, he might not have been so scared of failing her
and actually gotten some sleep.

Being as it was, though, a pale and sleep-deprived Edward paced the space between the front pew and the alter in
the moments before his wedding, desperately trying to look more manly and self-assured than he was feeling at
the moment.

Fortunately, there was always Emmett, popping up at times when he was most needed.

"Eddie!" his voice boomed through the church.

Edward had never been so glad to hear it, even if Emmett was calling him by the much hated abbreviation of his
name.

His wife, however, wasn't quite as happy about Emmett's outburst as her cousin was, a sharp elbow to the gut
being her swift retaliation. "You're in church, you big oaf!" she hissed under her breath, her eyes narrowing as her
husband's groan broke the peace and quiet of the place of worship once more while she tried to keep their kids in
line. "For God's sake! Keep your voice down!"

Emmett had the good sense to listen to her and refrained from any more loud noises for the time being, though not
even Rose could stop him from crossing the aisle in a few long strides to have a quick talk with his buddy before
rejoining his wife.

"So, how are you holding up?" he asked, trying not to show his humor at the way Edward looked more like a
frightened little rabbit then a grown man on his way to become the head of his own family.

"Better than you were when you were marrying my cousin," Edward let out a low chuckle, his nerves temporarily
forgotten as he thought about how Emmett had looked like he could either crap his pants or throw up– or both –
any minute in the moments before Rosalie had entered the church on her father's arm.

"Touché!" Emmett snorted, his mind also transported back to that day, a few years ago. "Do you know that, up
until the very last moment, I was afraid she was going to change her mind?"

He went on when Edward's eyes shot to his, his baffled look confirming that at least Emmett had been able to
keep his doubts hidden from his best friend. "I know it's crazy. Rose has never been known to bow out of a good
shindig and she had the dress and all…but up until the moment I woke up next to her in our new home on the
morning after our wedding, there was still part of me that couldn't believe someone as gorgeous and highbrow as
Rosalie could ever tie her faith to a crude bumpkin like me."

"Well, neither of us could," Edward teased. "But for some unknown reason the girl had been determined to have
you since early childhood. And you know Rose always gets what she wants. Plus, you really make her happy."

"I like you, Eddie," Emmett warned, "but I won't hesitate to kill you if you ever purposefully do anything to hurt
my baby sister."

"I know," Edward nodded solemnly, wondering how, after all those years of being friends with him, a serious
Emmett still frightened the hell out of him. "In fact, I'd be more than willing to let you."

"I know. And that's exactly why my dad didn't shoot you when he had the chance." Emmet's face broke out in a
huge grin as he patted his soon-to-be brother in law on the back before making his way to the pew where his wife
was intermittedly glaring at her husband and trying to keep their two kids in check.

Edward didn't get a lot of time to ponder Emmett's words, because as more and more people started to enter the
church, Jasper appeared next to him, trying – like a true best man – to prevent Edward from turning into a
complete nervous wreck while they awaited his bride.

"She won't be long now," he reassured his cousin as they watched Jessica Swan, who'd been helping her sister get
ready for her big day, slither into the pew and settle next to her sourly looking husband.

It was no secret that things between the Newtons had gone from bad to worse ever since the night of the town
meeting. Jessica, who appeared to have inherited more of her father's common sense than anyone could have
suspected, had finally come to see her new husband for everything he was and, more importantly, everything he
wasn't. Judging from the disgusted look on her face as she listen to something Michael was whispering in her ear,
she had come to regret her decision.

But it could not be unmade.

Mike, on his side, regretted the fact that he had to spend yet another tedious morning in church with the rest of the
town while he should have been out having a good time. The trouble was that in a town as small as Forks, it was
impossible to not attend a wedding or any other feast without risking the wrath of the rest of the town. Seeing as
the Newtons had a reputation to keep up, Michael felt himself strong-armed into attending the nuptials of the two
people in the town he hated more than anyone else.

Just like James and Victoria who were seated only a few rows back frown the Newtons, though at least they had
the pleasure of exchanging snide and deprecating remarks throughout the service.

Unlike Emmett, Jasper had more sense than to ask Edward whether he was nervous or not. Having been in
Edward's position not so long ago, he knew just how his cousin must be feeling at that moment and even if he

didn't, the paleness in his face and the way Edward kept fidgeting from one leg to the other told him enough about
his state of mind.

"I know," Edward's strained voice answered, as they were joined by Carlisle, Esme and Alice, who had up to now
given Edward the space they knew he needed.

"Your father would have been proud of you, Edward," Esme assured him as she enveloped him in her arms,
relishing in the final moments she could care for him before she would officially relinquish her duties to Bella.
"As would your mother. I am sure you and Bella will have a very happy life together."

"Thanks, Esme," Edward sighed, allowing her motherly reassuring to soothe his nerves. "For everything…"

When they parted, Esme had tears in her eyes, having fully understood what Edward tried to say to her, though be
it in not so many words. Further conversation between them was cut short, however, by the sounding of the bells,
heralding the arrival of the bride.

Before he followed his wife and daughter in law into the Cullen family pew, Carlisle took Edward's hand in his
and looked him in the eye. "Be the man you have it in you to be," he advised his nephew. "Follow your heart as
well and your mind and never ever think it a weakness to open up to your wife about your thoughts and fears.
These are uncertain times we find ourselves in, but they will only become disastrous when you fail to focus on
what's really important. You're in this together, never forget that."

"I won't," Edward assured him, seeing them quickly move into their pew behind him before his attention was
drawn solely to the sound of the large, double doors of the church being opened.

The minute he saw Bella – soon to be his Bella – stride in on the arms of her father, all fears and doubts he might
have had were pushed to the back of his mind. Walking slowly towards him, supported by the rigid yet oddly
moved figure of the chief of police, she took his breath away.

She was beauty. She was perfection.

And she'd chosen him.

A look of concentration graced her face as she slowly put one foot in front of the other, trying to appear graceful
and not too eager when in truth she would have gladly sprinted to the altar, long skirts or not, if it meant that she
could be married to Edward a few seconds sooner.

When she did look up and saw him, his green eyes radiating with love, a huge smile broke through as she
unwittingly fastened her pace, only a subtle tug from her father reminding her of the gravity and decorum that
came with this ceremony she was in.

As Charlie placed his daughter's hands in Edward's he could hardly keep his emotions in check. "You take care of
my little girl, now," he spoke, patting Edward on the back before he retreated to the vacant seat next to his son,
leaving Edward and Bella with a small moment to themselves before the reverend Weber would commence the
service that would join them in holy matrimony.

"I love you," Edward whispered, gentle squeezing her hand as he slowly turned towards the reverend, still unable
to quite take his eyes away from the angel standing next to him yet.

"I love you too," Bella whispered as she too, with difficulty, tried to focus on the ceremony and not on the man
standing next to her and the many wonderful things he made her feel.

And so Edward and Bella stood opposite each other and promised to love, honor and cherish one another till death
did them part, both of them pledging themselves to the other without doubts, fears or even nerves getting in the
way, not even when the time came for them to share their first kiss and husband and wife in front of virtually the
complete town…and Chief Charlie Swan.

The nerves came after, when they found themselves alone in the Masen family home; their home.

Edward suddenly felt very flustered, as he looked around his familiar surroundings. "So…" he started, only
having his words falter completely as he turned and saw his new wife standing there, looking as if she'd come face
to face with the wolf pack instead of her husband.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he watched Bella go from just pale as a sheet, to pale as a sheet and shaking like a
leaf. "Are you cold? Should I make a fire?"

"No, I'm fine," Bella whispered in a tiny voice. "I'm just a bit…nervous."

Edward let out a relieved chuckle, though he soon caught himself as he realized how his amusement might be
interpreted. "I am too."

"You are?" Bella's eyes went wide, a little color drifting back into her complexion.

"Is that so hard to believe?" he smiled, taking a little step closer. "I've never done this either, you know. And
usually this is the point where your father steps in."

"I know," she muttered, biting her lips, her cheeks staining when she thought about how they would never have to
stop themselves ever again when things became too heated between them. There would be no more prying,
fatherly eyes watching their every move. They were free to explore…to consummate.

Edward watched transfixed as he saw Bella's plump bottom lip disappear between her perfect white teeth. He
wished she would stop doing that for it made him want to pounce on her like an animal and seeing that there was
no barrier standing between them anymore, his self-control was hanging by a thread.

"So…," Bella asked, as the silence between them seemed to take on a new kind of charge, "how do we do this?"

It was the causality, almost business-like approach his beautiful wife took towards the consummation of their
marriage that snapped Edward out of whatever it had been that had held him hostage until then; his shoulders
squaring and his face taking on a little more confidence as he took another few steps towards her, closing the gap
between them as his right hand molded itself to the softness of her face.

She hummed contently, leaning into his touch and her little hands held on to him, a new warmth emanating from
their position on his waist all through his body. He knew now what he wanted to do. He wanted to take, to give, to
possess and surrender until that warmth would swallow them whole. "I think we should go upstairs," he
whispered against her lips, resisting the urge to kiss her for now, because he knew it would make it impossible for
him to fight the urge to throw her down on the couch and take her there.

"Okay," she nodded, her words trailing off into a squeal as her new husband lifted her up in his strong arms and
carried her up the stairs while placing soft kisses on every piece of skin his mouth could reach.

It was only with difficulty that he set her down on her own two feet again when they were finally in their room.
Only the knowledge that she wouldn't be out of his arms for long could make him do it.

She had other ideas, or so it seemed. Not much of her initial bashfulness remained when she raised herself on
tiptoe and crushed her lips to his, her nimble hands dancing across his chest until they found the buttons of his
shirt as the silence of the bedroom was disrupted by the sounds of lips kissing alternated by contented sighs.

As the need for air forced them to part, Bella stepped back, her hands brushing the thin fabric of his shirt away
from his shoulders until it pooled at his feet. He felt naked, even more so than he already was, as her eyes
appraised him, the faint blush and biting of her lip testifying of her own discomfort.

"You're beautiful," she muttered, her hand tentatively reaching out and touching his naked skin, forcing him to let
out a moan of pleasure as her soft fingertips brushed over his toned chest. "And hard."

If Emmett had been there, he would have had never let her live that innocent remark down. As Bella explored the
lines of her husband's chest, she found herself genuinely surprised to find hard muscle where she had only soft
flesh. Fortunately for Bella, her brother was nowhere in sight and Edward was far to entranced by the beauty of
his wife standing in front of him to think of double entendres.

"I think it's my turn now," he grinned, trying to keep his enthusiasm in check as he stealthily tried to find out how
the hell to get a woman out of her dress.

As Bella caught on to why he was staring at her so intently she turned even redder, before a radiant grin lit up her
face. "It hooks in the back," she muttered.

They both breathed a little sigh of relief when she turned around; Bella because she was afraid that she would
spontaneously combust from the heat of Edwards stares, Edward because he was afraid that if Bella bit her lips
one more time he was going to do something he was going to regret for the rest of his life.

He had every intention of taking his time with her, make slow, sweet love to her and make sure that this would be
a night they would both remember, not a quick, frenzied fuck.

His fingers shook, making the normally so easy task of sliding the hooks out of the eyes an almost impossible
mission, but in the end he did finally manage to complete his task. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for
the sight that awaited him as he brushed the delicate fabric of her dress away, only to let it out in a disappointed
sigh when all it did was reveal another layer of clothing.

Undergarments. The instruments of the devil.

He must have groaned aloud because Bella turned around, her arms shielding herself against the sudden cold as
she looked at him questioningly. It was only then that he noticed just how thin the fabric of those undergarments
was. "Is something wrong?"

Edward snapped himself out of his lustful study of the contours of her body, mentally berating himself for
discomforting her. "N-no," he stuttered. "Everything is right….very right."

"Good," Bella breathed, her blush deepening as she slowly lowered her arms, revealing the gentle slopes of her
breasts.

His breath came in pants as his eyes drank in the sight before him. She was perfection; from the gentle curves to
the way her hardened, deep pink nipples stood out against the pale porcelain of her skin. "You're beautiful," he
managed to stammer, his body shaking with the effort of reigning himself in. "I need you."

"Then have me," Bella simply replied and before he could catch on to why it was that her nerves suddenly seemed
to skyrocket she had untied the strings that fitted her chemise to her body and let the fragile piece of fabric drift to
the floor.

Edward swallowed hard, all control out of the window as he drank her in, his feet closing the distance as he
advanced on her, almost like a predator, until there was nothing but skin between them. "God," he groaned, his
hand reaching up to cup her cheek before gliding down past her neck and her cleavage until it hovered just over
where her heart was.

Bella closed her eyes, a small sigh of pleasure leaving her lips before he captured them with his. It wasn't long
before they were both completely caught up in each other. Their initial bashfulness forgotten as hands explored,
lips kissed and voices uttered muffled words of love and encouragement as they stumbled towards the bed.

The sight of Bella, splayed out on the crisp white covers of his bed, took his breath away, but only for a moment.
He wasn't going to waist previous time watching when he could do more than that.

He had to touch her.

Bella seemed to agree with him, her hand reaching out to pull him on top of her the moment his knees touched the
mattress. "Careful, angel," he chuckled against her lips, arranging her body so that he was on top of her, his
weight supported by his arms and legs as he continued to kiss, nip and lick; familiarizing himself with every
single fragment of her skin until, inevitable, he was met with the final layer of fabric standing in his way.

"Take it off," Bella's breathy voice whispered. "Please…."

He could hear her unspoken plea. They both wanted this as much as they feared; she for the pain it would bring,
he for the pain he would cause.

Taking in another steadying breath, Edward hooked his fingers underneath the thin cotton of her bloomers and
slid them down, the musky fragrance of feminine arousal and the sight of just how ready she apparently was to
welcome him almost making him come undone in his drawers.

As he threw the undergarment across the room, Bella shifted with impatience, her heart pounding in her throat
with nervous anticipation as she followed Edwards hands while they undid the drawstring of his drawers and
pulled them down to reveal his manhood.

She had to admit that the sheer size of him unnerved her. How was that going to fit? There was no way she would
be able to accommodate him, not that she had done a whole lot of exploring down there.

"Are you okay?" Edward's voice sounded, making Bella realize she was shaking like a leaf when Edward's
worried eyes regarded her. "We don't have to do this tonight…."

"I want to," she whispered. "I know it will hurt. Just…be careful."

"Always." His reassurance came immediately as he settled in between her legs, placing soft, loving kisses on her
lips as his hands tried to caress the tension out of her. "Hold on to me. Don't be afraid."

She could feel his hardness against her opening, her flesh giving way to him in some miraculous way as he
pushed inside her until he was met with resistance. She could feel how hard it was for him to go slow and remain
in control, his body shaking as hard as hers had been only minutes before.

This was it.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her lips as his eyes took on a look of determination. "Forever."

It hurt – there was no denying it - a sharp pain shooting through her, making her gasp as her nails dug into the
flesh of his shoulders. Thankfully for her Edward held still, allowing her to get used to him and letting the pain
slowly subside. Little did she know that it wasn't just for her benefit.

Edward was as close to losing it as she was, be it for different reasons. The warmth of her body as he sheathed
himself inside her was overwhelming, his whole being demanding a release which, through some herculean effort,
he was able to keep at bay.

"Do you want to stop?" he grunted, as Bella's body still felt incredibly tense with pain after a few moments,
though he wondered if he could.

"No," she answered, her voice strained. "The pain is getting less…you can….erm…go on now."

The urge to lose himself came back the moment he started to move inside her, the incredible feeling of being so
close to her, she was doing things to him he had never thought possible. He didn't want to give in just yet though.
From what Emmett and Jasper had told him, a woman could derive as much pleasure from this act as a man did if
only the man would take his time to give it to her instead of only thinking about his own gratification. And God
did he want to pleasure her.

"There is something I want to try," he panted, as he reached in between them, his hand sliding down her stomach
until it reached the wetness in between her thighs, searching for the tiny little button that – according to what
Jasper had told him – unlocked the door to feminine bliss.

He could tell when he found it, a deep gasp falling from Bella's lips as her walls clamped around him, causing him
to moan in return. "Edward."

The sound of her throaty moan told him that he was doing the right thing, her body moving along with him as she
slowly but surely started to tense up under his ministrations, though this time it was in pleasure, not in pain. "Oh,
yes," she gasped, her head thrashing on the pillow, her hair matted to her face by the sweat of their exertion.

It was much the same for him.

It was strange, but the focus on giving her pleasure made it easier to deal with his own urges even in spite of all
the wonderful ways her body reacted to his touch. "Something's happening!" she gasped, as her legs started to
clamp around him, holding him to her as her eyes widened in surprise before her whole body started to thrash, the
tightening and releasing of her walls around him bringing forth his own release, her name falling from his lips like
a reverend prayer as he spilled inside her.

For a long time, as both of them drifted back down to earth, the only thing that could be heard was their labored
breaths, the sounds of their soft, breathy kisses and the rustling of fabric as Edward rolled his body to the side,
afraid Bella would be crushed underneath his weight.

"That was…." Bella finally muttered. "I never knew it could be like that."

"I know," Edward answered, pulling her back into his arms.

She had been too far away.

She should never be further away from him than a hair's width.

He could only agree with her assessment. Not unfamiliar with giving himself pleasure – he was a man after all –
he had never, ever experienced it to be something like this. It made his own efforts seem so…juvenile.

She let out a content hum as he kissed her shoulder, pulling the sheets up around them to shield them from the
cold as she molded her body to his, her head resting on his chest. "Do you think it will always be like this?"

"No," he spoke, letting out a small chuckle when she lifted her head in surprise. "Don't worry, my angel," he
smiled, placing a soft kiss on her lips, "it will only get better. This is only the beginning."

~*~

~ Epilogue ~

"Jacob Edward Cullen! You get back here right now or there's going to be hell to pay!" Bella called after the little
boy who, unimpressed by his mother's mock anger proceeded to run through the garden dressed in nothing but his
birthday suit.

As she ran after the little boy, his messy brown hair and green eyes a testament of his parentage, her movements
were unencumbered by the danger of her skirts flailing around her legs, threatening to trip her with every step she
took. Bella smiled, and not just because of the adorable sight of her little Jakey running towards the end of the
garden unsteady on his chubby legs. If there was one thing she loved, out of the many things that had changed in
her life over the last couple of years, it was the fact that women were now legally at least, the equals of men. They
could drive, hold jobs, vote, stand for government …and wear pants.

Like a man.

She'd been shocked when Rose, the first woman in town to ditch her old, traditional dresses in favor of modern
ware, though two days later found Bella at her worktable, tailoring a pair of her husband's trousers to fit her.
Strange as they looked and felt, she couldn't deny that being able to run after your very lively little boy without
the risk of tripping over your hemline and breaking your neck far outweighed the mortification she felt when she
first ventured out wearing them. And, of course, the benefits of having Edward look at her with that gleam in his
eyes that made her insides turn into fire whenever she wore pants was an added bonus as well.

"Gappa!" Jake squealed as he saw the solitary figure approach the garden fence, his arms spread wide as he ran
towards him.

Charlie caught him in his arms and hoisted him up in the air, much to the delight of both parties involved. "Hey
there, little Jakey! Does your momma know you're running around half naked?"

"It appears he doesn't care," Bella's voice sounded as she too made her way to her father. "Hi dad. How are things
at the station?"

Charlie's face clouded over. "Not so good, pumpkin. There's been another break in last night."

Bella sighed, her eyes wandering to the innocent face of her three year old son. "It's at times like these that I can't
help thinking if we hadn't been better off…."

"What's done is done, honey," Charlie interrupted her, "and no matter what has happened; we are better off now."

Though as another busload of tourists could be seen driving up to the town from the newly built highway through
the woods, even he had a hard time convincing himself of that.

Where life in Forks had remained at a standstill ever since the town had been cut off from the outside world, the
rest of the world had evolved and progressed around it….much to the shock and amazement of the town.

How it was possible for a complete town to remain unspoiled and undiscovered in the time of electronic highways
and satellite navigation remained a mystery but, as the first brave souls stumbled out of the forest and into the
notice of their fellow 21st century Washingtonians, it was only one of the many questions that were asked.

In the years that followed the lifting of the curse, many things changed and few remained the same. Much like
Edward had predicted, the town had fallen apart rapidly with half the people of Forks jumping ship as soon as the
Quileute had declared it safe to do so, and the ones who stayed scrambling to keep up with everything that was
happening around them and the sudden interest the discovery of it had brought onto them.

They were, after all, a miracle.

In times troubled by the recession faraway wars claiming the lives of many American sons, the discovery of a
quaint little town, tucked away deep into the Olympic Peninsula, that breathed the air of a distant past when
troubles were small and work aplenty, was the breath of fresh air the 21st century Americans needed and made
both media and tourists flock to the state of Washington like bees to a honey pot.

Some, like the Newton's, made good use of that. Amongst the first to leave the town they milked their sudden
fame for everything it was worth while drinking in the achievements of modern life. It was only after the media
frenzy had died down that disillusionment struck.

Unfamiliar with the life in modern Chicago, Leonard Newton and his family became the victims of virtually every
crime their sheltered life had always managed to protect them from, until in the end they had no other chance than
to go back; destitute and disenchanted.

They weren't the only ones.

In the four years that had gone by since the curse had been lifted most of the people who had fled the town had
returned, either unable to adapt to modern life or shocked and alarmed by the influence it had on their young.

The town welcomed them back, though be it reluctantly, and they were able to live out their life in relative peace
and quiet, like most of the people who had been so eager to get away from it.

Though even in town the changes had been big.

The unlocking of the town had not only enabled the townsfolk to venture out, it also meant that modernity could
seep in. Electricity, civil servants, modern forms of transportation and the arrival of new blood had changed the
once so quiet and often boring life into something the townsfolk were still scrambling to keep up with. Most of
them, though, were able to see the many benefits and kept optimistic, though that wasn't always easy.

"I wish those townsfolk would stop acting like we're some exhibit in a museum," Charlie grumbled, as he shielded
his grandson from the prying eyes of the intruders and followed his daughter into her home. "I can't believe those

Newtons. Trying to make cash by turning us into a bunch of circus freaks! As if they haven't done the town
enough harm over the years!"

It had been the Newtons and their many appearances on Oprah, Jay Leno, David Letterman and just about every
other news- or talk show that would have them that had spurred tourist interest in the town, a fact they had
subsequently milked for all it was worth by setting up the 'Original Forks experience', a guided tour that would
take whoever was paying enough around all points of interest in town, including the little shack in the woods.

"I know," Bella answered with a wry smile. Like many others she felt uneasy by the way their history had been
exploited but, as Edward had told her, there was no way of stopping them. "Though there are some perks to it, I
guess."

Bella was right. Tourism and all that went with it had made the town of Forks into a very prosperous one over the
years. People came from far and wide to gaze at the architectural beauty of the unspoiled village, revel in the
charm and otherworldly manners of its inhabitants and sample food and drink wholly unspoiled by modern
technology, the popularity of which completely taking the townsfolk by surprise.

"Where's Jess?" Bella asked, the thought of the town's first venture into modern entrepreneurship automatically
bringing her to her sister.

"Do you really need to ask?" Charlie snorted, as he guided his grandson into the house to go and find the boy
some pants.

"You're right," Bella giggled. "I guess that was a bit of a silly question."

If there was one person who'd benefitted from the unlocking of the town it was Bella's little sister. Almost as soon
as she had been dragged into the outside world kicking and screaming by her husband and his greed for fame and
fortune, she had started to make it her own.

One of the first achievements of modern America that Jessica Swan-Newton had jumped on, had been the chance
to dissolve the ties between her and Mike. There was nothing, not even the fear of ending up alone in a world she
didn't understand, that could hold her back. During the few months she had been married to him she had found out
that the benefits of being married to a rich, influential man in the town did nothing to sweeten the complete
absence of both character and education.

Jessica hated life in the limelight. While the rest of the Newton's soaked up every last bit of attention, Jessica saw
the interest in them for what it truly was: a glimpse into the lives of the crazy freaks that'd managed to keep
hidden from the world for centuries.

And she was not about to allow herself to be made a fool of. She was still too much her father's daughter to do
that.

Proceedings went quickly. Since there was some debate as to the validity of her marriage since there had been no
civil ceremony whatsoever and therefore the State of Washington had no record of them even being married. The
legal proceedings therefore went surprisingly quick and as to the division of their property…Jessica wanted
nothing out of the marriage but the chance to go back to her father and live out her life in blissful anonymity.

There was nothing to fight about. And the fact that Mike never really did put up a fight to save his marriage, was
all the evidence Jessica needed to know she'd made the right decision.

When the little town that had been her whole life came back into view, she cried tears of joy and relief. Who
would have known that she would ever be so glad to be back? Her only fear was whether the people of the town
would be of the same mind. After all, the disseverment of marriage was something that would probably be
frowned upon.

A promise made was a promise kept.

Much to her relief, and that of her family, hardly a soul even noticed her return. In their struggle to keep up with
the arrival of electricity, motorized vehicles, antibiotics and tourists, most of the townsmen didn't pause to think it

strange that Jessica returned alone, bearing her maiden name. If you would have asked them, a lot of them
probably applauded her for taking that step, even if they would never admit to that in public.

It was only after she's returned that Jessica's true transformation had begun.

While in the outside world she'd developed a fascination for technology and with it came a hunger to explore it
and use it to her advantage. It had been Jessica who'd set up The pick of the Market, the website that sold the
traditional items the people of Forks produced.

Jessica now spent her days maintaining the website, chatting with her new online boyfriend who lived on the
other side of the continent and taking care of her father. She'd become a whole new person but she never could
have done so without her older sister as a guide and role model.

Over the years the sisters had gotten as close as they had been a long time ago. Jessica had been a great help to
Bella during her pregnancy and afterwards, looking after Jake when Bella had to go into Port Angeles to attend
classes for her associate degree in nursing and helping Bella use the computer to complete her coursework. Bella,
on the other hand, had helped Jessica develop into a more balanced and self-sufficient individual, one her family
could be proud of.

"Mama!" Jake squealed as Charlie brought him down again, this time fully clothed and with a huge toothy grin on
his face.

Bella smiled as she lifted her son into her arms and breathed in his sweet scent. "Did you have fun with grandpa?"

"I think he did," Charlie chuckled as he sat down in the leather chair that had gradually become his. With as much
time as he was spending in his daughter's house, it was only natural that he had his own seat there. "Though I
think you and Edward should be worried about the strange aversion the little lad has to wearing pants."

"Dad!" Bella giggled, barely avoiding one of Jake's arms as they flailed around his little body.

"What?" Charlie's gruff answer came. "Is it so strange that I don't want my grandson to turn into some strange
exhibitionist?"

"Jake is only three years old!" Bella shrieked, nuzzling her nose into her baby's messy brown hair. "I dare say he'll
be alright. It's probably just a phase he's going through. At least, that's what Esme told me. She said all boys go
through it."

"Well I never did," Charlie grumbled. He couldn't fathom his mother ever letting him run around the house
indecently clad. "Though now that you mention it….I think your brother went through that phase-thing as well."

Father and daughter shared a knowing smile, the lines in Charlie's face now deep and worn with age and worry.

With so many things changing, the old leaders of the town had decided it wiser to step back and let the new
generation take over. The names that replaced them were no surprise: Masen, Swan, Cullen, Crowley.

For Carlisle, practicing medicine was no longer an option now that state regulations had been imposed upon
Forks. He had been replaced by a new doctor who had extended the small clinic into a modest but impressive
country hospital where Bella – amongst others who'd come new to the town – assisted him as a nurse while she
continued to train to be a registered nurse.

At first things in the hospital had been eerily quiet. The townsfolk, unwilling to bend to the will of politicians and
fancy city doctors, had preferred to drop by the Cullens to get an unofficial consult from the old doctor over
visiting the new one. In the end, doctor Gerandy – a seasoned country physician whose interest in anthropology
had driven him to the town – had had no other option than to take Carlisle on as a consultant and liaison officer,
which he still was.

He and Esme now – for the most part – lived a life of retirement, though, like her husband, Esme still preferred to
keep herself busy. She spend a lot of time helping Jasper and Alice run their farm, which had grown twice in size

due to the success of Jessica's online farmer's market, as well as restoring old pieces of furniture, a hobby's she'd
picked up not so long ago.

Edward, no longer in training to follow in his Carlisle's footsteps had stepped up to take Billy's place as the new
mayor of Forks. His youth and bravery , his education and the longtime standing of his name made him an
excellent – though be it somewhat young – candidate to steer the town into the twenty-first century, a task that
took almost more hours than there were in a day.

He was aided in his work by Emmett, now a licensed police man, father of four and the replacement of his dad as
the Forks Chief of Police. Unlike doctor Gerandy, Emmett had immediately seen the importance of respecting his
predecessors and had practically begged his dad to stay on in any sort of capacity he wanted. A request Charlie
had been only too happy to comply.

He now spend his days between the police station, his own home and Bella and Edward's place as well as making
sure Billy who, devastated by the loss of his son, didn't turn into a complete hermit.

Of the wolves, Embry Call was the only one who made it back to the town after their transition back into human
form. His memory of the months he had spend as his predator self were jumbled, but he could still recall what it
had felt like to shoot through the woods in search of prey, the thoughts of the other members of his pack as clear
in his head as were his own.

What happened to the others wasn't clear. Some said the Quileute's took them in, others that they wandered the
forest alone, unable to readjust to normal life after spending so much time as a wolf.

As Charlie spent the rest of the afternoon being every bit the doting grandfather he was, Bella set to work cooking
dinner. Over time the Cullens, Swans and Masens had developed the habit of having a big family dinner on
Sunday where all the grownups and the ever-expanding number of children could catch up on the events of the
week and nurse the ties of family, something that had become increasingly important now that all other ties were
broken.

She was just about to drain the potatoes when the voice she most wanted to hear spoke behind her. "Hmm,
something in here smells nice."

Bella smiled, feeling her husband's arms wrap around her before his firm, muscular body made contact with her
back. "Thanks, honey. I'm making your favorite tonight."

She shivered as Edward's nose rubbed along the exposed skin of her neck and shoulder, her body pushing as far
into him as it could while she wondered how, after four years of marriage and one – almost two – children he was
still able to stir inside her feelings so passionate she was afraid she would burst if they wouldn't be satisfied.

"That's nice," he muttered against her skin, his lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake. "But I wasn't talking about
the food."

"Edward, please," Bella moaned, her head falling backwards against his shoulder as she gave herself over to him.
"I have dinner to prepare….you have to cut me some slack."

"But I've missed you…" he pouted, his fingers exploring her midriff, caressing her distended belly and creeping
slowly upwards towards her full breasts.

"Tonight," Bella promised, her hips moving against her husband's very aroused groin as she started mashing the
potatoes, making him groan in frustration.

"Tonight," he growled, stealing one last kiss from his wife before he made his retreat. "I hope you slept well last
night because I intend to take my time with you, my love…."

As she watched him retreat into the living room, Bella couldn't help but congratulate herself on the course her life
had taken. So many things had changed and even more had become lost, but the love between them had remained
strong, even stronger now that it had been on their wedding day.

To them, the world outside Forks never held any temptations even though they were both at times forced to
interact with it. What she loved most, however, about those interactions was driving back home after a long day
of class and shut the door behind her, reveling in the sounds of her husband and son and life as she knew it.

And they lived it very much as they were supposed to live: happily ever after.

~*~

The End

~*~