I KNEW EMMETT KNEW

This is probably totally inappropriate, but I really, REALLY want to do your Jasper.

And with that exchange between Jane and Edward, you made me cry.

Since the very first encounter with Charlie in this story, I wondered about just this. And out of all the voices in this fic, I like the sound of Charlie's best. Guh.

Gah.

Such a revelatory chapter. So much going on. I need to read on to find out how this plays out. And of course, the vital thing that this news changes hasn't escaped me... the obstacle has been removed. You are dastardly in your ingenuity. ALL THE HEARTS.

"She puts her hand on my arm, her warmth teasing me for a second, but I quickly realize that it's nothing compared to the heat of Leah's skin." - Dude.

DOOOOOOD.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Edward's grief is palpable in this scene. :(

Ping! Ping! Ping! I love movie parallels in this chapter. Pretty Woman, Breakfast at Tiffany's... Love Leah's apprehension and Edward's comeback. And of *course* he found the perfect dress. And again with the swoonsome descriptions.

"Stop staring."

"Stop being beautiful." SIGH.

This was like a romantic girl's ( - this guy right here -) wet dream. Especially her reticence to accept the extravagant gestures.

Love the change in E's demeanour when he offers her the chain and - oh! Oh! The chain. I can't. I can't.

I am slain.

Love the dream sequence as much as I hate it. So chilling, reflecting so much of her fears of love and intimacy, her grief for her mother and the weight of her duty to her heritage.

"Of course the Cullens vacation here, I tell myself. I bet they bathe in champagne and light cigars with hundred dollar bills while they watch the sunset."

I

am

snurking

so

hard.

They are so adorable together. I was grinning like a moron, reading the ocean shenanigans.

"I'm vaguely aware that somewhere, in the back of my mind, I hate myself a little for wanting him so badly."

I love this insight, and it sits so well with the picture I have of her. And I love how he then proceeds to fuck her stupid. That was possibly the hottest session in this whole story so far. *bites lip*

Also snurking at Angela and Edward being two fucking butch assholes together. :D

And Edward? I totally agree about a woman's collarbone. It's practically a sickness.

"Jasper sings like a whisky-soaked angel." Swooning at your words and the pictures they paint.

This whole funeral, like the rest of the deeper topics this fic touches on, is handled beautifully.

And damn are Leah and Ed hot together. And no, they can't hide forever.

The power play between Aro and Carlisle is chilling. And that they were lovers just makes so much sense, and so little, as the most bittersweet things in life are always prone to do.

I love how you're drawing and weaving these threads.

It was so poignantly sweet to see Leah and Edward's interaction through Jasper's eyes. I love how their connection and their mutual need deepens with each chapter. And also, I have come to suspect that you, like me, are essentially a lot more romantic at heart than you would care to admit. (I may be wrong, but that is my suspicion, so there).

I feel Edward's pain and turmoil more than anyone's in this chapter. And dude. That's exactly what narcs like coke are. Hot, sexy fucks of a lie.

I'm conscious that me banging on in every review about how expertly you write the Cullens and the Quilutes must be getting old, so I'll just say this:

You bring these beloved characters to life in a way I can't even articulate to me, so thank you.

Oh, Alec. Oh, Jane.

Jasper, you complete and utter badass. Inappropriate, but damn, I would.

And Caius... So that's it. I feared as much. Well, I feared it would be Aro.

Again, so well-drawn from canon with the Volt connection. I totally understand E's needing answers regarding his father, and why he can't comply with Carlisle's request immediately.

I really, really hope that Jane can come out of this.

I'm so in love with your Seth.

Poor Leah, finding that out about Sam. So hard.

"Sure thing. That's the closet to I love you, as you're ever going to get out of another Quileute man, but I'll take it." You deal with harrowing topics so well. You also have the intricacies of family tensions down pat. Bravo.

And Edward being adopted explains a lot. ;)

"La Push is my home. It's where I grew up, the place of my people, and it holds as much sanctity for me as the cold grave that holds my mother's body." I could not love this more.

In fact, I could not love this chapter more. It is my favourite so far. It's so damn real, and perfect. Your descriptions of the rez, Edward's reticence to enter Leah's room; the story of the necklace, Harry's warning. Perfect.

I love that Leah's cheeks are starting to hurt. It's only right, to match her other pair. Hee.

LOLed at Leah's answer to Alice's 'abuse' questioning. :D

"Men this beautiful shouldn't be real," and damn, do you talk a good Edward. Uh-huh. "Edward looks up at me through a curtain of his damp, messy hair. His eyes pinch at the corners, as he leans forward to brush his lips against mine. It's not a kiss, but it leaves me breathless and aching for more." - Like this, for example. So fucking perfectly Edward.

The way the Cullens rally for Alec, too, is just so perfectly canon, I am slack-jawed at how effortless you make this, and how pleasurable for a Twi-addict. It's really scratching an itch. Along with the hotness... Damn.

And finally we come to it with the sinister element of Volt and its hold on Edward. I need to know who the hell is in that picture. Damn you, woman!

Ew

Ew

Ew

Walking on slugs. Give me spiders, snakes rats, any day, I have no problem. Slugs - I have a horror of them.

What a poignant dream. Good reminder of the 'mortal enemies' aspect of the canon.

"I saw his face change just a little, almost like he had something in his mouth, and he couldn't figure out if he liked or hated the taste of it. Then he suddenly sat back in his seat, and crossed his arms." - Dude. Your writing. The pictures you paint. Perfect portraiture.

And again with the storytelling. Rich, traditional, folkloric and perfect, right in the middle of the contemporary.

This story rocks.

Holy mother fcuker. After careful consideration, I'm not even going to attempt to type a review of how hot this chapter got me under the collar, because it just wouldn't be seemly. I'm a prim little bitch like that.

But... DAMN. That is all. DAYUM.

And Alec, you and I would have strong words. That is all.

She's the girl who takes care of everybody else. She makes my heart ache.

I love how she thinks about reversing away from Edward, by the way. Totally been there. I still adore their dynamic, brilliant fucking smile and soapy, spicy scent (swooooon) and all. It just seems so damn *right*. ...Right?! LOL. You write him sooo perfectly. This is my fantasy Edward, I think. Oh to be jump-started by Edward. *fans self*

Yeah. Um. So.

Sorry, zoned out there. On with the review.

Laughing at the mental image of Jane getting Punk'd, sorry, Pie'd, by Lauren, and almost sobbing at the image of little protective Leah.

Oh, and I thought that *I* came up with 'does the Pope shit in the woods'. For real, though. I'm so disappointed. False memory syndrome sucks.

Oh, and Alec? You did right.