Chapter 53: Tying Up Some Loose Ends

Author’s Note (and it’s a long one – but please read!):

My old friend, my buddy, my partner-in-crime during this ridiculously long writing adventure finally went to that big recycling heap in the sky – my laptop that has seen me through this entire roller coaster road died, which is why it took so long to get this chapter to you…sorry for the delay. I just couldn’t bear to recreate this chapter from scratch.

While we’re here, I would like to clear a few things up…

First, I know that I mentioned the Grace was six in one chapter, and then five in the next. She is FIVE. Bella left when she was two, almost three – she spent a year tracking Victoria, then worked at the school for a year, before the Cullens returned to her life. I wrote down my timeline and the difference between a five and six year old can be startling. Please be AWARE that I know I have an error – I just never bothered to go back and fix it.

Next, as for Edward’s reaction to finding out that Victoria changed Bella and that he wanted to leave to kill Victoria in retaliation for ending Bella’s human life, even though we find out later that they found her ashes…keep a few things in mind:

*Edward was under great duress listening to Bella tell her story, not to mention the fact that she had just reappeared in his life hours earlier – he had a lot to wrap his head around. In Breaking Dawn, though that book doesn’t exist in my story, Edward lost it when he found out Bella was pregnant and wasn’t necessarily thinking straight or acting like our Edward – he completely fell apart – just a thought.

*Victoria had a gift for evading capture. Edward thought that he and his family might have been duped into believing that she was dead to throw them off the trail.

*Bella NEVER gave specific times during her story – all of the Cullens were thrown off guard with her revealing that Victoria was responsible and didn’t know when she was changed – it was a challenging night for all of them.

*This is an alternate universe – some OOC may occur.

So many people have commented on this – and thought that I had made an egregious error – Edward merely thought that Victoria had tricked them and was still out there somewhere (ALL THE CULLENS WERE ON THAT WAVELENGTH) – he wasn’t about to sit there and do nothing, thinking he had lost Bella forever. It’s one of our favorite Edwards…the someone-hurt-my-Bella and now I’m going to hurt them.

When writing it a story, it’s sometimes difficult to help the reader understand what every character is thinking and feeling…but this is my first writing project and I’m trying my best.

As for our favorite vampires, I have never mentioned that their tears actually were spilt. In New Moon, Bella sees Esme tear up, unable to shed them due to her vampirism. Vampires can feel emotions to extremes, and in this story, Bella goes on a roller coaster ride of feelings.

My biggest attempt in publishing this is to stay true to cannon, while still being entertaining – I hope I’ve accomplished that.

Just thought I would take a minute to clear this up. I’ve gotten a million PMs/reviews and I thought I would put all of this to rest.

Also, a big shout out to the Twilight Moms in this chapter…it’s been a really long time, but I’m hoping that they see the nod to them at the end of the chapter.

One more chapter and then a quick epilogue…thanks for reading and thanks to all of you for the overwhelming support!

A continued thanks to grumpy grizzly who took time out of her ridiculously busy schedule to beta this nightmare...especially after having such a long break! Many thanks, friend!

Thanks!

Bella’s POV:

After meeting Jacob halfway, I flew home with Grace on Good Friday where Edward met us at the airport. She clapped her hands excitedly when she saw him and flung her arms around his waist hugging him fiercely.

“Hi, Mr. Edward!” She squeaked. Her happy bubbliness reminded me of Alice.

Edward crouched in front of her so she switched her hold from his waist to around his neck. His face softened more with her loving and trusting acceptance of him as he hugged her back tenderly. They pulled apart and looked at each other eye to eye.

“Hello, Grace. I’ve missed you. How was your flight?” Edward asked. His eyes were glued to hers, and it was impossible to miss how captivated he was with my little girl.

Grace grinned hugely. “It was fun. Mommy let me play in her purse, and we had lemonade and cookies on the plane. It was like a tea party.” She looked at me as she recounted our flight. She continued to grin at him.

“Something's different.” He whispered to her. She nodded encouragingly. “Did you get a haircut?” She shook her head and grinned more widely. “New shoes?” She giggled but shook her head no. “Hmmm.” Edward said looking like he was thinking hard. “Are you missing something?” Grace laughed and pointed to the empty spot in the front of her smile.

“I lost a tooth, Mr. Edward!”

“Ah.” Edward replied, the slightest note of faux realization in his voice. “So I see. I guess the tooth fairy will have to pay you a visit.”

“She already came.” Grace stated proudly.

"As she should," Edward exclaimed. He effortlessly hoisted Grace into his arms -- then he turned to me and kissed me soundly on the mouth. “I’m glad you’re home. I missed you, too.” He whispered in my ear. The relief in his voice was easy to hear.

“Ew!” Grace screeched.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Now why is that ‘ew’?”

“Daddy and Mommy Meghan do that too. It’s gross.” Her face twisted into a disgusted grimace.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I teased and then I kissed Edward again. Grace’s face took on an exasperated look. Edward chuckled lightly as he took her bag and walked us toward the Volvo. He gently placed Grace in the backseat, buckling her in; she giggled at his chivalry.

“Who’s hungry?” He asked Grace, while he watched her through the rearview mirror.

“I’m starving!” Grace replied.

I remembered how Edward used to remind me to eat when I was still human. In some ways, it was like we had come full-circle. Edward was so comfortable with my little girl, and she adored him. I thought back to that first morning he had stayed with me and watched me eat breakfast. I thought of the times he had cooked for me. My heart filled with joy that the love in his heart now extended to the two of us.

Edward pulled into the closet restaurant near the airport and Grace was ecstatic that they had an indoor play area. He escorted the two of us in, his hand finding its way to the small of my back. Grace held my hand tightly, her excitement palpable when we were greeted by the sounds of children playing.

Edward ordered enough food for three. I still felt that Grace was too young to understand that her mother no longer needed food and most decidedly wasn’t ready for her to comprehend what I did for nourishment. That would come at a much later time. I would happily go through the motions of pretending to eat for her sake and Edward felt quite the same way.

Grace began to eat, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the other children playing on the playground. Knowing that once we were home, she wouldn’t have another opportunity to play with others her own age, I struck up a compromise. “Grace, honey, why don’t you go and play? You can finish the rest of your dinner in a bit.”

“Really?” She asked as she slid off her seat and started to skip toward the play area. The sparkle in her eyes was impossible to resist.

I felt my face stretch with a broad smile and nodded, while she shot off toward the slide. She chatted excitedly with other children. I heard Edward’s chair scoot closer to mine. “She’s grown,” he pointed out.

Did anything escape his sharp eyesight? “She has. I’m not sure anything in her closet will still fit.” I thought longingly of the lavender dress in her wardrobe, and realized that she must have outgrown it over the past few months. “We’ll have to buy her some new things.”

“I’m sure that will simply kill Alice,” Edward joked sarcastically. “Did you tell Grace you’re taking her shopping this week for a wedding dress?”

I nodded, my eyes fixed on my little miracle, while Edward nuzzled my neck. I turned to look at him, while my fingers lovingly brushed the hair out of his eyes. “I told her on the plane. She’s so excited. She’s much more girly than me,” I added. I grimaced when I thought of Alice wrangling me in and out of dresses, but in the end, it would all be worth it.

We continued to watch Grace play, while we held hands. I heard him clear his throat, which made me look up at him.

“I forgot to mention this earlier.” Edward commented with a chuckle, while he tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “Alice is a bit put out with you.”

“Oh.” I looked at him, my eyebrows lifting in mock curiosity. “Why?” I answered nonchalantly, though I was pretty sure that I already knew the answer to that one.

“She can’t get a clear picture of which gown you’ll pick and it’s driving her mad. You wouldn’t be using that gift of yours to keep her out of your pretty, little head, would you?” He accused, though the smile on his face was wicked.

I placed a hand over my still heart, still feigning complete and total innocence. “I would never do that to my favorite sister, Edward,” I teased.

“Keep it up, love. It’s refreshing to see someone else get so frustrated at not being able to read you!” Edward whispered to me, before discreetly nibbling on my earlobe, making my stomach flip flop.

After working on controlling my gift over the past few months, I’d finally figured out how to keep certain things private from Alice. With a simple manipulation of my gift, I could keep certain things concealed, which I knew would frustrate her. If I could keep Alice out of my future, Edward would be in the dark as well. Edward knew I had perfected this part of my “gift”, and although he thought it was wonderful, he asked me to not keep her completely out of my future until I was living with him full time. He argued that I wouldn’t be safe. I didn’t contest this point with him that I didn’t need his protection – that conversation was futile. To keep him happy, I was careful to only tune her out of simple things – and a very important dress was one of those decisions. I had plans to keep my gown a secret from Edward for as long as I possibly could. He might have an idea, but even he wouldn’t know the exact gown until I walked down the aisle toward him.

Pulling me back to the present moment, I saw Grace running back to us, her smile making my still heart leap. She grabbed some fries and hastily sucked down some of her milk before kissing my cheek and running off again. I couldn’t help but sigh in contentment.

Edward leaned toward me and whispered into my ear, “She’s really happy. Her thoughts are joyous and she is moving so rapidly from one happy thought to another it makes me want to laugh out loud.” I smiled and leaned into him. Words were unnecessary as we watched her scamper around.

We lingered for a while longer, enjoying the sounds of Grace’s laughter. Eventually we made our way back toward the house. The Range Rover was already parked waiting for us and Alice came bounding out of the house when she heard the Volvo approach. I could see her happy impatience as she waited on the small porch. She now reminded me of Grace at the airport while we were waiting our turn to get off the plane.

“What took so long?” Alice questioned, but I could tell she already knew where we’d been. She was just playing along for Grace’s sake.

“Ms. Alice!” Grace shrieked when she saw her namesake waiting for us at the front door.

Edward helped us both from the car, before handing Grace to me. I cradled her closely to my chest before ceremoniously handing her off to Alice, who could no longer contain herself and had rushed to the car as slowly and humanly as she could considering.

“We all missed you, little one,” Alice whispered in her ear, which brought a huge grin to my daughter’s face. “Grace!” Alice exclaimed merrily. “Where is your tooth?” She lifted her higher. “Is it under here?” Grace shook her head no. “Is it in your pocket?” Grace giggled and shook her head again. “Wherever did it go?”

“It falled out so a new one can grow in,” Grace said importantly.

“Well, you leave for a few months and come back practically a lady.” Alice sighed. Grace laughed again as we all moved toward the house.

Upon reaching the porch Grace squirmed to be put down and once her feet hit the ground she was basically hurling herself toward Rosalie and Esme, who both looked overjoyed to see her. I was only slightly exasperated that my new sisters and mother had brought Grace more gifts. It was obvious that they were simply excited to see her again.

We walked into the house, only to see it had been transformed into a makeshift dressing room where my sparse living room had been. Hats, tiaras, necklaces, gloves and all things girly were arranged neatly, just waiting to be fancied and taken for a whirl. Before long, Alice and Rosalie were letting Grace drape them with feather boas and loads of jewelry. They returned the favor and soon an elaborate tea party was well underway complete with giggles and whispers. Grace was having a wonderful time. Rosalie reached forward to “refill” graces cup when Grace grabbed her wrist. “Aunt Rosalie! That sparkles more than anything I have ever seen!”

Rosalie looked at her wrist and smiled. It was the diamond tennis bracelet that Emmett had given her one Valentine’s Day. She glanced at Alice who shook her head slightly. Rosalie shrugged, unhooking the bracelet from her graceful wrist, before wrapping it twice around Grace’s child-sized one.

“You can have it.” She smiled softly as she let go of Grace’s arm. Grace sat there smiling at the bracelet, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Emmett,” Alice began but Rosalie interrupted.

“Will understand.” She looked lovingly at Grace.

“Rosalie,” I jumped in, my tone one of subtle reproach.

“Bella,” she pleaded, her tone matching the giant pout of her bottom lip.

“What do you say, young lady?” I conceeded, wondering how I would explain this to Jacob later.

“Oh! Thank you Aunt Rosie!” Grace said as she got up slowly from her chair, holding her wrist out slightly. She moved gently around the table and gave Rosalie a one-arm hug, never taking her eyes off her glittering arm.

We visited for a while before it was time for Grace to eat again. Esme had been kind enough to run into town and buy some simple groceries – things that I could cook by simply following the directions on the box. Edward helped, and I remembered how he’d cooked dinner for me before the prom. It felt surreal and natural all at once, cooking for my little girl – like the last three years had never happened.

The three Cullen women excused themselves before dinner, while Edward set the table. We sat down to eat, while Grace entertained us with stories of what she had done at school and at home since we’d seen her last. Jacob may have said that she was like me, but her bluntness and sense of humor were unmistakably a trait she inherited from her father.

With dinner finished, Grace tried to stifle the yawn that escaped her tiny mouth. “It looks like someone’s tired.” I said gently.

Grace shook her head vehemently, trying to cover up what we already knew, while Edward used his hand to cover the grin invading his face. The look he shot me let me know that he could read her thoughts, while his barely perceptible nod toward me confirmed how very tired she was.

“I’m not tired, Mommy. Can’t I stay up for a while longer?” She pleaded.

“Grace honey, the quicker you go to bed, the quicker the morning will be here and we can go shopping with Alice, Esme, and Rosalie.” I smiled tenderly at her.

Her eyes widened with glee when she realized what I meant. “Ok, but will you tuck me in and read me a story before I go to sleep?”

I nodded agreement – she flashed a grin at me, her bright smile reminding me so much of Jacob.

“I’ll clean up dinner. Take your time,” Edward murmured, before kissing my temple lovingly.

I followed her up the stairs, her graceful legs carrying her smoothly up to the second story. Gratefully, she inherited her father’s athleticism. During our talks, Jake told me that although Grace was like me in most ways, his DNA was first and foremost when it came to her gait. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a scrapped knee, which made me relieved, since she would be spending time with my new family and me in the years ahead.

I assisted my little girl change for bed, listening to her chat excitedly about our week before us, before pulling back the covers and helping her settle in. I brushed a few stray hairs from her forehead, before tucking her in tight. I pulled one of her favorite books from the bookshelf and began to read, but her rapid heartbeat let me know that she was nowhere near a night of peaceful slumber.

Before I could reach for another book, I distinctly heard Edward pull the cover back on the upright piano in the living room, before he seated himself on the bench. The strains of my lullaby reached the second floor where Grace’s eyes showed her eagerness in hearing Edward play the piano for the both of us.

“Mommy, that’s the song from Christmas, isn’t it?” She asked.

I could instantly hear her heartbeat start to slow to a more peaceful rate, while her eyelids started to flutter. Her response to this song was the same as mine had been while I was still human. “Yes, honey, it is. Now, go to sleep, and Edward will keep playing until you reach dreamland.” I knew that Edward could hear our conversation and he continued to play.

Grace reached for my hand and I snuggled closer to her on the bed until she drifted off to sleep.

Before tucking her in one last time, I smiled at my daughter, once again grateful for my time with her after being apart for so long. Every moment I learned new, interesting facts about my precious gift of a daughter.

I turned on her night-light, before finding my way to the first floor where Edward was still playing with feeling. The look on his face was breathtaking as his fingers produced the sweet, hauntingly beautiful melody. He turned toward me, his handsome face holding that special smile that was meant for only me.

“Hi,” I whispered.

He continued to play, though his feet dampened the volume of the notes. “Hi, yourself,” he responded, his eyes full of nothing but love and tenderness. “She's sound asleep, dreaming about French fries and frilly dresses.”

I nodded, while Edward scooted over, making room for me. He continued to play for a few minutes, before he wrapped his arms around me, humming the same tune in my ear. We spent the rest of the night whispering to each other about our hopes and dreams for the future – a future that now included the tiny little girl upstairs, who occasionally mumbled sweet nothings in her sleep about lullabies and my new very favorite word -- “mommy”.

*******

The next day dawned, the mists of rain doing nothing to dampen our spirits. Edward’s phone went off repeatedly before he left. Alice was anxious to start our day and when she imperially announced she would be over before the non-existent sun was even up, Edward took the call outside. He hurriedly reminded Alice that Grace needed her sleep and that she could come by while she ate breakfast, but only if she was willing to share Grace’s favorite chocolate cereal at the kitchen table. Alice huffed and said she could wait a bit longer.

Edward kissed me before he left. Always the consummate gentleman, he didn’t want to leave the impression with a small child that he’d spent the night, regardless of how innocent our evening had been. We’d taken turns standing in the doorway of her room watching her sleep, before heading back to the main floor to discuss wedding plans or random topics.

Edward mentioned the silly grin that I had plastered on my face. “I can’t help it. I’m just so happy she’s here.” I replied.

Edward said nothing – instead, he wrapped his arm around me tightly and inhaled, his relaxed body making me all the more giddy with thankfulness.

Alice, Rosalie and Esme arrived a bit before nine. The car was scarcely in park before Alice rushed out of the vehicle, her enthusiasm evident while she barely achieved a human pace. She was mumbling something about open bridges and red lights, all the while her breathtaking grin firmly in its place. I could see the wheels in her mind turning; I’m sure full of plans for the coming day.

Alice and I had talked at length about the planning for the wedding and she’d assured me that in her mind, all of the important details had been worked out. We were simply going through the motions for Grace, so she could be part of such an important day.

We settled into Esme’s Range Rover, with Grace tucked in protectively between Rosalie and Alice in the backseat. If I’d thought that Edward had been protective of me ten years earlier, it was nothing compared to Alice and Rosalie’s fierce stance when it came to caring for Grace. It made me certain that if given the chance, both of them would have made outstanding mothers. Grace was just over the moon to be with her “aunts” and “grandmother” for an extended visit.

Grace kept us entertained with stories of the reservation and school, while Rosalie played with her hair and Alice, unable to tear her eyes away from my little miracle, hung on her every word. Esme knowingly grinned, her eyes frequently locking onto her grandchild in the backseat via the rearview mirror, chatting excitedly with the little girl who had captivated her heart so completely. The miles flew by quickly while we all laughed and enjoyed our little excursion.

We arrived at the exclusive bridal salon, its tall glass doors beckoning us with the allure of all the tulle, silk and hand-finished laces that Alice kept going on about, just waiting to be touched and tried on. Grace scrambled over Rosalie’s lap and out of the car to look at the window display that contained a beautiful display of airy flower girl dresses in an assortment of sherbet tones.

“Mommy, look! It’s lavender,” Grace cooed. She was excitedly pointing at a fragile silk dress in the window in the loveliest shade of pale purple. This was even prettier than the dress that had been hanging in her closet at the house since our reunion. I could already envision her walking down the aisle before me, her hair pulled back and held in place with fresh flowers. Flowers…Grace could help choose those as well. I couldn’t help the grin that had invaded my face.

“Oh no,” Alice quietly moaned behind me.

“Alice?” I questioned.

Alice looked up at me, her face a mixture of both disappointment and resignation. “I’d already had a vision of how the wedding would look – or rather, what we would all be wearing. Now everything has changed,” she lamented quietly to me.

Before she could say another word, Grace’s little hand found Alice’s. “Do you like it, Aunt Alice?” Grace asked, her innocent face obviously melting the large, golden doe eyes of my spik-haired sister.

“You will look beautiful in that dress. Let’s go in and order it right this minute, little one.” Alice gently squeezed her niece’s hand and led her toward the front door.

I wrapped my arm around Alice’s shoulder and whispered in her ear. “Thank you for being so understanding, Alice.”

Alice looked up at me while Esme helped twirl Grace around the room, her happy face taking in everything around her. “Well, lavender isn’t that far off from the original plan. And,” she added with emphasis, “she will look beautiful in that dress. I’ve already seen it,” she winked.

Rosalie had found her way to the many shoes on display, picking up a rather delicate looking strappy heel, while Alice made her way to the closest rack of beautiful bridesmaid dresses, the new color swatch in hand while she thumbed through the racks of gowns. I hung back, content to watch the scene unfold in front of me. Standing there, with what must have been a bemused look on my face, I jumped a bit when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Well, let’s not forget that we’re here to find something beautiful for you to wear.” I turned to see Esme smiling at me, holding Grace in her arms.

“Yeah, Mommy. Let’s find you a pretty dress.” She struggled to be set down and Esme quickly complied. She grabbed my hand and took off at a short sprint with me trailing behind her. She stopped suddenly in front of an open armoire, bursting at the seams – flowing fabrics in all shades of whites and ivory beckoning to be touched and explored.

Feeling a slight tug where our hands were joined, I looked down to see Grace’s brown eyes staring back up at me. “They’re all so pretty. I like this one.” Grace pulled on a lacy number, just dripping in beads and sequins. I inwardly cringed at the thought of looking like a cupcake. She looked up at me with what had been my human eyes. “Which one do you like, mommy?”

Glancing back up at the array of gowns before me, at that moment I realized how important this dress was to me. I’d never cared about clothing before, but this shopping trip was entirely different. I wanted the official start of my new life with Edward to be beautiful – more importantly-- I wanted to be beautiful for him. However, I had no idea where to start. The choices were entirely too overwhelming.

Edward and I had talked about our wedding – when we were on vacation together and he proposed. I was happy to elope or have something small and without the traditional fuss that came with most of these events. When I voiced my opinion, I immediately sensed Edward’s demeanor downshift. He wanted to celebrate this new, exciting start with all the traditional trappings, but wouldn’t press his wants on me. As always, Edward wanted me to be happy. He told me as much, as he kissed my forehead and said he was happy with whatever I chose. It was a simple decision to make – I had found some happiness with my life while Edward had barely existed while we were apart. We would have the wedding he wished for, stemming I’m sure from his human years and what would have been appropriate in the early twentieth century.

Rousing me from my preoccupied state, Alice, Rosalie and Esme surrounded us, each one grabbing gowns from the racks. Grace pointed out a few that she liked and Alice grabbed those as well, while Rosalie shooed the sales person away. Before I knew it, I was being hustled in and out of dresses, some being deemed ‘keepers,’ while others were quickly dismissed back to the racks, waiting for some other fortunate bride to discover as their perfect dress. Yes, that was it. I was looking for the perfect dress. How times had changed!

Just when I was convinced that finding my ideal gown was impossible, Rosalie’s deft fingers pulled the current zipper into place, followed by her quick work of the buttons that adorned the back of the voluminous ball gown. The room went suddenly very quiet. I smoothed out the flat, box pleats of the skirt and looked into the mirror, my gaze settling on the four sets of eyes gazing back at me.

“Let me guess…disaster?” I sheepishly lifted my eyes to glance at my reflection in the mirror and felt them widen at what they saw.

Knowing that being petite limited my choices in terms of apparel, I was surprised how the soft rustle of fabric and elegant lines of the dress weren’t the least bit overwhelming. The scooped, off the shoulder portrait collar framed my face, and made the angles of my jaw soften, placing the emphasis on my eyes and what Edward described as my full lips. Rosalie hastily gathered my hair and pinned it up and off my shoulders, securing the heavy mass with a few rhinestone studded pins, before placing a long, silk tulle veil near the nape of my neck. I knew I wasn’t breathing and the tiniest voice gasp beside me startled me out of my musings.

“Mommy, you are so beautiful,” Grace whispered softly, the first words spoken for what seemed like an eternity. I looked down at my mini me, and saw her hands hesitantly reach out toward the skirt, her fingers tracing the delicate shimmering beads that adorned the waistband and bodice, the only embellishment on the otherwise simple gown.

“She’s right, Bella. I don’t think we need to look any farther. I’m not sure that Edward will know what to think when he sees you coming down the aisle in that. What do you think?” Esme fluffed the train, while she held my gaze in the mirror. Her eyes were serene, but twinkled with quiet joy.

I knew I had made my decision…but I wasn’t going to let Alice know that. “It’s certainly a possibility, Esme. Let’s put it on the list.”

******

The final week of school finally came, and with it, the restlessness of students and staff alike. I always thought that teachers had it so easy; long holidays, no evenings or weekends, and most importantly--summers off. It wasn’t until I spent my first couple of years teaching on the reservation that I fully comprehended what it took to be in education.

Being a teacher, who also happened to be a vampire (that thought still made me giggle at times) was sometimes even more difficult. The idea of keeping my cover, working and being gentle with the small humans around me made me anxious and a little over zealous about every action and activity that I participated in.

Now that Edward was back in my life and our future stood directly in front of us, I was more than ready for summer vacation to begin. We had only a few days of school ahead of us and then I could collect Grace from her father and spend the week with her prior to the wedding. Every cell of my body was alert with energy, anticipating the happy moments before she walked me down the aisle to meet Edward.

My mind was so focused on those happy thoughts that I almost missed the subtle click of the knob to the door of my classroom as the door swung shut.

I didn’t need to smell Gerry’s horrible scent to know that he waited behind me. I thought “What now?” but the overpowering smell of alcohol almost stopped me in my tracks.

I knew Gerry was a jerk, but I’d never expected him to drink on the job, even with all the students gone for the summer.

“Sooooo,” Gerry slurred, “you’re really gonna marry this ass?” His tongue seemed to be stuck on the "s".

In my indignation, I turned around, only to find that Gerry was so close to me that I could see the relief pattern of his skin, the large pores even more evident than they usually were. I was more anxious over the fact that he had me cornered. Gerry had me trapped in the far side of the room, furthest from the door. That coupled with the idea that I wasn’t sure how I could extricate myself from the situation without possibly tipping him off that something wasn’t quite right about me had my mind racing.

His eyes narrowed, his eyebrows so hunched over that I could barely see the cold, steely gray irises that normally raked over my body making me feel exposed and uncomfortable. The unease with his proximity was making me begin to panic - that feeling was multiplying tenfold, when he spoke again.

“You know,” he began, his tone dark and menacing, “I’ve been really patient. I felt sorry for you, gave you a job, and have gone out of my way to make sure that you kept your spot here. I’ve tried being friendly, but you’ve done nothing to show any type of appreciation for all I’ve done for you.” He leaned in closer to me while I frantically tried to think of an escape. “I think at this point, it’s just easier to show you what you’re missing before you marry that jackass and ruin everything.” His hand grabbed my hip and he tried to pull him toward his waiting lips. My stomach sank while I frantically tried to keep his hands at bay without hurting him.

Gerry’s lips pursed toward mine and the smell of vodka, usually odorless to humans, was overpowering. While I was still trying to quickly find a way out of his trap without exposing my non-human nature, Gerry spun out of my direct line of sight and slammed into the wall. My eyes caught Edward’s quick work of taking Gerry’s arm, twisting it behind him and spinning him away from me as quickly as possible. It was obvious that Edward wasn’t concerned about exposing his abilities as a vampire.

I put a hand on his shoulder, attempting to calm him. “Edward, you could hurt him,” I whispered, too low for Gerry to hear.

“That's my plan,” he hissed under his breath. Edward turned his attention toward his adversary. “You have no right to touch her,” he barked at Gerry, whose face was now pressed flat against the textured wallpaper of the room. Edward tightened his grip and the low whine of Gerry’s bone protesting the unnatural position that he was currently in came through loud and clear.

“Get off of me!” Gerry barked, though the bravado was evident in his voice. He struggled in vain to pull himself out of Edward’s grip, which made my fiancé tighten his grip even harder. Just then, the district’s superintendent walked in, her face questioning the scene in front of her.

“What is going on here?” she quickly asked.

Edward didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he took a giant breath, trying to calm his enraged demeanor. “Your employee was attacking my fiancé,” he muttered low and I could feel the panic in the form of adrenaline emanating from Superintendent Birch.

“Maybe you should let go of him now,” she replied. Her voice was quiet and tense, yet authoritative.

“No.” Edward’s tone was eerily calm and deadly. “He’s not getting away with this,” he argued.

From my vantage point, I could see Edward’s usual amber eyes black with anger. I tried again.

“Edward, sweetheart, you can let go of him. We can talk about this logically,” I quietly reasoned.

“Sweetheart? Are you an idiot? Did you not understand what I just told you?” Gerry screamed at me, his tone incredulous. His actions did nothing but further aggravate Edward, who tightened his grip. I could hear the tiny tear of muscle, which caused Gerry to howl in pain.

Mrs. Birch scrambled toward the classroom phone, quickly dialing 911. While she spoke with the dispatcher, Edward glanced in my direction, his face lined in anger.

“Edward, you can let go of him,” I spoke softly.

“The hell I can,” he hissed back.

I breathed a soft sigh, trying to find a way out of this situation. With the police on the way, this was going to get complicated quickly. Edward’s voice roused me from my thoughts.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice softer, while his hands were anything but. His stance still had Gerry pinned against the wall, who was starting to pathetically whimper from the pain in his arm and shoulder. Edward again turned his head in my direction, his eyes full of concern.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“For what?” I questioned, watching and listening to Mrs. Birch as she continued her phone call with emergency services, her eyes scanning back and forth between the room and the window to the parking lot. I could hear her describe which building the authorities could find us in, her tone encouraging them to hurry.

Edward glanced at the still squirming Gerry, before looking back at me. “I know you can take care of yourself. But Alice saw something coming, something involving Gerry and you, but he kept changing his mind. We weren’t sure what he was up to, what he was capable of. When I arrived in the parking lot, the thoughts coming off him set me off. It took all my self-control to not race in here and rip his head off.” He was barely controlling the rumble in his chest.

I nodded at him, understanding that Edward and self-control when it came to my safety weren’t exactly synonymous. I put a hand on his shoulder, letting him know that I was listening. The hard line of his jaw started to soften while he continued. “I couldn’t bear to the disgusting thoughts from him…” he stammered, “…the ideas he had about you. And when I walked in, and he was touching you, threatening you,” he stopped and shook his head, his expression one of repulsion.

“I didn’t know how to get away without exposing me – exposing all of us,” I whispered back.

The corner of Edward’s lip lifted slightly. “You could have dazzled him,” he laughed quietly. The blare of sirens could be heard several miles down the road, and Edward’s smile broadened. “Now he’s worried,” he whispered.

The situation quickly became organized chaos. The police arrived and questioned us separately; Gerry was taken into custody when his drunken menacing remarks and threats extended to the police. I was told I would be contacted by the district attorney to offer my testimony and be a witness.

When everyone was gone, Edward helped me pack up the remainder of the room for the summer.

“Are you certain you’re all right?” Edward questioned, his hand reaching out to take mine as I packed books away for off-season cleaning. “You’ve been very quiet.”

I looked up at him and focused on his eyes, once again that molten gold that I’d fallen in love with years earlier. “I was just thinking about some things.”

“Such as?”

“This criminal case could get really complicated. What if the Volturi find out? What if it goes national and it affects Grace?” My worry was multiplying as quickly as the words were tumbling out.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Edward replied.

“How can you say that?” I shot back, my anxiety starting to show.

“Bella, we’ll figure everything out. Alice can help – her gift comes in very handy in situations like this,” he offered.

“But it can change with anyone’s decision,” I countered.

He took my hands in both of his. “Bella, listen to me. I don’t want you to think about anything but picking up Grace tomorrow and the two of us getting married in a week. My family and I will deal with Gerry, if you’ll let us. We’re a family – we’ll figure this out together.” The soothing tone of his voice was starting to calm my nerves.

But my head started swimming with details. “You’re right. But there are other things,” I offered.

“Such as?”

“At the very least, I can’t continue to work here. It’s hard enough being different – to have to walk around and actually hear those whispers about me will make it impossible,” I complained.

“Well, you don’t have to work at all, unless you want to. I’ll take care of you and Grace. Maybe you need a break,” he reasoned, but I couldn’t miss the spark of hope in his voice.

I thought about the idea of spending some time with Edward, unfettered by the rush of day-to-day living with a regular job and all the responsibilities that went with it.

“Maybe you’re right. Besides, dealing with some of these parents, especially the moms, are tough,” I offered.

“How so?”

“When I see them, it’s like they’re coming after me with flaming pitchforks,” I joked.

We finished the packing quickly and Edward and I headed to the car when I started giggling.

“What’s so funny?” Edward asked, as his hand snaked around my waist.

“You’re angry voice isn’t much different than it was in my head,” I responded.

Edward stopped and looked at me. “What exactly are you talking about?”

I realized too late that I had said too much. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.” I kept walking, trying to change the subject. Edward’s arm around my waist stopped in my tracks.

“You’re not going anywhere until you explain that statement,” he whispered in my ear.

Leaning into his embrace, too embarassed to look him in the eye, I told him about my daredevil ways after he left, those shots of adrenaline offering me rare moments of hearing his voice, even if the voice was angry with me for failing to keep my promise. Edward listened patiently, until I finished. Turning to finally look at him, I couldn’t gage the look in his eyes.

“So,” I finished, “it’s pretty obvious that I was a mess when you left– I was hearing your voice and you weren’t even there – and I was putting myself in danger to hear it. Pathetic,” I offered.

Edward took me into his arms, his embrace warm, yet tight and possessive. “The only pathetic thing was me leaving you, but I’m never letting go of you again. You and Grace are my whole life now. Don’t ever forget that.” He continued to lead me to the car, and grazed my forehead with his lips.

With the knowledge that I had him and his heart forever, I knew I never would.