Invitations

It would be a very long, torturous six weeks that followed the day of the accident...the discussion our family had afterward left a great impression on Edward, especially since he knew he needed to stay here, now more than ever. He played his part, just as he always did, and took care of his responsibilities like he always had: attended school with the rest of us, listened to the thoughts of the other students to find out if there was any news about his family. Thankfully for him, however, there was nothing new aside from the usual rumors and stories; just as mama and I knew, Bella didn't bring up her suspicions to any of our fellow classmates. Even if she'd wanted to, whenever anyone asked her for details about the accident, they were more interested in knowing how she'd managed to evade death, especially since none of them had seen either Edward or I until after the van had been moved. It wouldn't be long until her eager listeners would get bored of the story and move on with life; what little danger there was to be had passed as quickly as it had come. 

And yet, even after things had calmed, Edward remained adamant in his decision to change the future; even with Alice's warning that he wouldn't be able to stay away from Bella anymore, he was stubborn enough to try, to the point he did everything he could to avoid being around her when he didn't have to be. He kept her at a distance just as he did others and had stopped speaking to her in Biology; the only time he acknowledged her was the day after the accident when she'd greeted him first, before he proceeded to give her the cold shoulder. She seemed to get the message and soon stopped trying to initiate a conversation. 

The rest of the Cullens gave the pair a wide berth as well; none of them attempted to make contact with Bella, not even Alice, though she was the most enthusiastic about making friends with her. I did my part to try and keep things running as smoothly as possible, working behind the scenes to keep Edward calm and convince him to try and let his guard down, even just a little, while mama and I tried to steer Bella toward what she needed to know without actually admitting anything aloud. I'd started leaving my grandfather's guidebook out in the open for her to see every day, occasionally mixing it up in her school bag by 'accident', hoping she would grow interested enough to read it on her own. Unfortunately, though, the commotion that had kicked up from the accident and Edward's cold demeanor kept Bella otherwise preoccupied, so she never gave the book more than a passing glance now and again. I didn't think her losing sleep over him was helping matters either...she must be having nightmares or dreams about Edward or something, since it was making her increasingly aware of him as time went on; there wasn't a day that passed when I didn't notice her watching him, always from a distance in the parking lot or the cafeteria. In class, she treated him as invisibly as he treated her while the bags under her eyes became increasingly prominent, to the point they could almost rival the Cullens'. It was frustrating to watch, especially knowing how the separation made both of them miserable... 

Mama did her part by offering Bella consolation whenever she got the chance, something my stepsister was reluctant to accept, which was not entirely surprising, considering she wouldn't even open up to her own mother, who had also noticed the change, even though their emails. Renee'd called the house on more than one occasion over the weeks and even tried to call Charlie, mama, and I on our cell phones to check in on Bella, to the point we had to reassure her things were fine at least a dozen times before she was calm enough to hang up. 

Not surprisingly, the obvious iciness between Edward and Bella had caught the attention of her human suitors, especially Mike, since he shared our Biology class, and knowing he had one less rival to compete with gave the boy a boost of confidence. He continued to walk Bella to her classes, often offering to carry her books and, in the week that followed the accident, he grew comfortable enough to sit on the edge of Bella and Edward's Biology table to chat with her before our lessons, ignoring Edward as completely as he ignored the pair of them. I was the only one who really noticed the torment this caused the vampire as he watched someone else grow close to the woman his dead heart was yearning for. I was the only one who knew enough to read the signs, the one who knew his body language enough to know when something was wrong, the way his hands would clench in his lap while his steadily darkening eyes darted irritably in Mike's direction, jaw clenching as he watched his rival talk so easily to Bella, picking her apart piece by piece and unlocking her secrets, like I was sure Edward himself wished he could. He was still learning everything he could about her through the conversations the duo had, he learned about how kind and selfless Bella was, the good person she'd grown into as a result of living with her mother, though I knew he wished he was learning these things directly instead of through someone who probably didn't really appreciate all her good qualities. I couldn't even imagine the things Edward wanted to do to Mike while he got to know Bella and I sometimes worried if he would unintentionally lash out whenever I noticed a mischievous twinkle in the vampire's eyes, his lips twitching upward into a faint smile. 

And yet, I knew the situation between Mike and Bella wasn't the only thing making staying away from her so difficult...Edward was still curious about her, curious about the kind of person she was and why she seemed so different from other humans, why she seemed to stick out of a crowd. He wanted to know her for himself....he wanted to get close to her, even knowing doing so would be dangerous. It drove him mad like nothing else had before, not knowing how to get through to someone like he had others he'd known or how to handle such a situation. I think the only thing that really saved Edward from completely breaking down or breaking his silence when he was around her was the way he knew she stared at him, the way he knew she still even acknowledged his presence nowadays, even though he probably chalked it up to her wondering what he was, his story, just as the rest of the student body did. He didn't think she thought of him as anything more than a freak. 

I sighed to myself at the thought for what felt like the millionth time this week, leaning my head in my hand as I stabbed absent-mindedly at the pile of pasta on my lunch tray; Alice hummed under her breath behind me, running her nails gently through my hair while she braided it. 

"Everyone look alive, Bella's going to stare at Edward in a minute." Alice announced quietly as I took a bite of food and smacked a bottle cap back across the table with my spork; it bounced off Emmett's stomach, which shook with silent laughter. Rosalie rolled her eyes at us while Jasper looked amused, flicking the bottle cap back toward me while Emmett chuckled under his breath and Edward followed the little plastic disk with his eyes, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It always pleased him knowing Bella glanced in his direction, especially since she hadn't stopped doing so since the last time she'd spoken to him. I hit the bottle cap back to Jasper as Alice sighed wistfully, earning a frown from Edward. 

"Stay out of it, Alice." He muttered under his breath, voice and eyes dark, "It isn't going to happen." I could almost feel Alice sag against me, though her lithe hands didn't stop their administrations to my hair. I flicked an invisible ear in amusement, knowing how anxious she was to get to know my stepsister for herself. Edward shrugged then, engrossed in another of his and Alice's conversations the rest of us would only hear his half of. 

"Makes perfect sense to me." He pointed out, turning away as Alice gave a quiet, delicate snort while he began to crush the cookie on his tray, his shoulders rigid. I could guess the reason behind it, knowing there was a Girls' Choice Dance just a few short weeks away that Mike had been hoping Bella would invite him to, though I knew Jessica wanted him to go with her instead. Hell, she'd called Bella last night to make sure it was okay to ask him and see if she would be attending the dance herself. Due to her natural clumsiness, Bella had told her she wouldn't and encouraged Jessica to ask Mike to be her date. Not like Jessica had even really tried to convince her to come, anyway, since I knew she only hung out with her because she was popular, like a little pilot fish following a shark around for a quick meal. The fact that Mike had asked Jessica to give him the chance to think about it to wait and see if Bella would ask him herself had only served to complicate matters further, since Mike didn't want to risk going to the dance without a date if he outright refused Jessica. Honestly, I hated high school drama, just say yes or no and don't lead a girl on for crying out loud, especially if she was going to blame my stepsister for her misery. I swear I wanted to smack Mike and tell him to just take Jessica to the dance instead of being so wishy washy and putting Bella in the middle of all this...I was having a hard enough time not storming over to their lunch table and snatching Bella away to escape Jessica's harsh glares. All I could do now, though, was glare at Jessica from across the cafeteria myself, flashing my eyes in warning when she caught my gaze, which caused an uncomfortable frown to cross her lips as she immediately turned away. I smirked; yeah, not so damned tough when someone challenges your bullshit, are you? 

Edward and I left the cafeteria after lunch together as usual, trekking silently across the school grounds toward the Biology building; no doubt he was listening in on Mike's thoughts as he and Bella followed us to class. I watched his face scrunch into a mask of irritation and jealousy, pulling his eyebrows together into a single line over the bridge of his nose and causing creases in his forehead while his lips pursed, deepening the corners of his mouth. I sighed quietly to myself, letting my gaze sweep over the dead lawn, the grass so brown it nearly blended in with the mud now. Rain had washed away the last of the snow and ice for good after that particularly dangerous day over a month ago. Well, at least we didn't have to worry about another van trying to crush Bella, or her splitting her skull open on the pavement. 

"Dawn, ten o'clock," Edward's voice caught my attention, drawing me from my thoughts as I turned to him, blinking. 

"What -?" 

"Hey, Dawn!" 

I tensed at the familiar voice behind us, finally catching onto what Edward had been trying to warn me about as a warm hand touched my shoulder. Oh man, not right now... 

"Hey Tyler," I turned to face him, smiling half-heartedly in reply to his beaming smile and tilting my head back a little to look up at him. Edward's footsteps faltered, just slightly, like he was going to wait for me, but I silently told him to just go on ahead, promising I could handle this on my own. There was a second of hesitation before he continued onto the science building while I focused my attention on the young man in front of me, "What's up?" 

Tyler cocked his head, totally oblivious to the silent conversation between Edward and I, "Just wanted to catch you before class to talk." He continued to smile brightly while I quirked a brow and crossed my arms, "We just talked in Gym earlier...we were on the same two-man badminton team." I reminded him, watching in amusement as he rubbed his neck, chuckling and nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I know, but that's kinda been the only time we've been able to talk this year, you know?" 

"Hm, true...well, until recently." I hum to myself, thoughtful; like most of the other kids in school, I'd known Tyler since we were in kindergarten, so we'd hung out once in a while in class or afterschool clubs. The two of us had even hung out for a while during our freshmen and sophomore years when we'd both been on the basketball teams, which usually shared the Gym for practice. I'd thought of joining again this year but decided against it, so I could focus on getting Bella accustomed to living in Forks, meaning I hadn't really had the chance to hang out with the friends I'd made on either the boys' or girls' teams, including Tyler. We'd still talk during Gym, of course, but otherwise Tyler gave me my space while I was looking out for my stepsister, though things seemed to have changed over the last month and a half. Since the accident, Tyler had been coming around more often, sometimes seeking me out to talk or offering to hang out after school. The Cullens had a pool going about when they thought he was going to ask me out, except Edward, since he was still preoccupied with his own dilemma. Alice had guessed he would bring up the Girls' Choice Dance in hopes I would invite him as my date. 

As much as I loved music and dancing, I never really liked school dances since I wasn't a fan of small, confined spaces or large groups and the music in situations like that were always way too loud for my ears. Tyler was cute, but like I'd told Esme no one at school had ever really stood out or caught my interest enough for me to try to pursue anything with them. I couldn't see myself having a future with any of them...Edward had teased me a couple of times about being a heartbreaker since I'd been asked out by guys since middle school and had turned them all down, but there was really no point stringing someone along if you didn't have feelings for them in return. Sometimes it was best to rip off the band-aid and be honest instead of giving them false hope and wasting their time when they could have a real partner, someone who could give them a happier, more fulfilling life. 

"Yeah, well...things haven't really been the same at practice without you, I've missed hanging out." Tyler chuckled, his smile softening as he looked at me, sending a thorn through my heart. Ah geeze, Ty, what the hell were you trying to do to me, huh? Like this wasn't hard enough. "I've actually wanted to do that more when we're not busy with school or practice, though, you know? Maybe go do something, just the two of us?" 

"Like just hanging out oooor...?" I quirked a brow, hoping he would pick up what I was trying to say; he chuckled again, "A date? Maybe, or we could save that for the dance coming up, I'm not going with anyone else yet." 

I sighed, adjusting the strap of my messenger bag, "Tyler, you know I'm not really into school dances, it's just too...confining...besides, even if I wanted to, I work at the animal shelter on the weekends." 

"What about during the week?" Tyler asked, undeterred. I had to fight very hard not to let my head drop forward in exasperation, "When I'm not dealing with family stuff, I've gotta be on call until Jason gets back, in case Annie needs help or gets sick. Maybe you should try someone else, Tyler, I'm sure there are plenty of girls who would want to ask you to that dance...probably someone you could have a real blast with." 

"Hm," Tyler looked thoughtful as he cocked his head, eerily reminding me of some of the dogs at the shelter whenever they heard one of their trigger words, like 'treat' or 'walk', an easy smile on his lips, "I'm sure I could, but I don't think I'd have as much fun without you." 

"That had to be the cheesiest thing I think I've ever heard in my entire life." Despite myself, I laughed, my ears warming at the compliment, especially as Tyler's smile only seemed to grow instead of shrink. He shrugged, obviously unbothered, "Well, it's true, D, you make things interesting, you know? But I get it, you're busy with work and family issues. I'm sure I could get that date another time and, hey, we have prom, too." The warning bell sounded as I opened my mouth to protest, making Tyler glance up before he smiled at me out of the corner of his mouth, already pivoting on his heel in the direction of building three, "Better get going before we both get into trouble. I'll catch up with you later, Dawn. Be sure to say hey to your sister for me, okay?" 

"O...kay?" I watched him go, frowning to myself as I processed what the hell had just happened. Well, there was something to be said for Tyler's character if he was still so optimistic after I'd turned him down for a date, both for the dance and otherwise. I'd always known he'd been stubborn and confident given the right circumstances, but this was ridiculous...for one, I didn't have the time or energy for dating or romantic relationships at this very moment and, even if I did, Tyler wasn't exactly at the top of my list of potential partners. Don't get me wrong, okay, he was cool, I liked hanging out with him, but I just couldn't see him as anything more than a friend...why he couldn't get that through his thick head, I would never know... 

The second bell sent me sprinting for the door to my own class and I was in the science building in a flash, my coat hung up and my butt on my chair before Mr. Banner had turned around to do roll call. Thanking my lucky stars for my supernatural speed for times like these, I set about getting my books out and chanced a glance to my right to check in on Edward and Bella; to my surprise, Edward was turned away from me today, his face inclined toward my stepsister instead. I quirked a brow as I watched Bella look up, catching his gaze and holding it as he stared at her intensely, probing in the depths of her big, chocolate brown eyes. Her gaze was more inquisitive, questioning than his was, curious as to what could have possibly caught his attention while her cheeks pinkened. I watched the pair with fascination, wondering what could have possibly changed. Had something finally tipped Edward over the edge, pushed him in one of the directions Alice knew he would go? It certainly seemed that way... 

"Mr. Cullen." Mr. Banner's voice broke through my thoughts, disturbing Edward and Bella's moment as he inadvertently pulled them back to reality in his search for an answer to a question I was sure none of us had really heard; Edward tore his gaze reluctantly from Bella's, moving impossibly slower than usual as he turned his attention to our teacher, sucking in a quick breath to speak. 

"The Krebs Cycle." He answered, almost automatically, like he was on auto pilot. His face twisted into a familiar expression of discomfort as Bella's scent filled his olfactory senses, burning its way down his throat; his body coiled instinctively in response, his jaw tightening as his eyes slipped closed in an attempt to rein in his desire. I frowned quietly, watching Bella drop her head, allowing her hair to create a curtain between them, just as usual, her way of hiding when she was nervous or anxious. I couldn't say I blamed her, especially after witnessing just how intense Edward had been after weeks of him being cold to her. It was a drastic change, especially since I knew he'd been all but determined to change the future and not be a part of her life any more than he had been already. Looked like that plan was now out the window, to say the least... 

I kept a close eye on Edward and Bella over the next hour, reading every little movement, every emotion that flickered across their faces, or what I could see of them, since neither of them were turned in my direction; Bella kept her attention forward, shielding the view of her face with her hair while Edward had returned his attention to her, staring intently, evidently deep in thought, going over his options from there. He remained just as stiff as he'd always been, the only indication of his internal struggle the occasional twitch of his fingers under the desk, clamped tight around his knees, the muscles stretching and flexing as he tightened and loosened his grip. He was realizing just how pointless it was for him to fight the future anymore, wavering between the proverbial rock and hard place, the only two paths left laid out before him. No doubt his monster was taking pleasure in his pain and in the knowledge that those two futures gave it a chance at what it craved. 

Well, mama and I had always known there was bound to be a risk when it came to including my stepfather and sister in our world despite them being humans, so we knew we'd needed to take precautions to be sure they were safe. Edward and Bella's situation was similar to mama and Charlie's, meaning we could take a leaf out of their book in figuring out how to handle it properly...just with a few extra steps, to be sure it worked effectively. 

When the bell rang at the end of class, I swept all my things into my bag, watching the couple out of the corner of my eye to see what would happen; Bella had her back to Edward as she gathered her own things. No doubt she was expecting him to leave straight away like he usually did. 

"Bella?" Edward's voice was quiet, unsure, but steady as he attempted to catch her attention, like he'd spoken involuntarily. She froze at his voice, as though surprised, before turning slowly round to face him. Her face was schooled into a hard expression, guarded, the look in her eyes the only thing betraying her distrust as she eyed him, frown deepening when he didn't continue. 

"What is it?" She asked after a prolonged pause, furrowing her brows, "Are you speaking to me again?" Her tone was as hard as her expression, the waver in the undertone of her voice giving away the pain his silence had caused her. I quirked a brow at the way Edward's lips twitched at the sound, like he was going to smile, but was fighting against it. 

"No, not really." He admitted, raising his shoulders in a half shrug. 

Frustration flitted across Bella's features as her eyes slid closed, Edward's own expression mirroring hers' than as he watched her pull a slow, deep breath through her nose; I noticed her jaw tighten, the corner under her ear dipping inward, and I knew she'd just grit her teeth, as though steadying herself. She didn't open her eyes again when she spoke. 

"Then what do you want, Edward?" She murmured tightly, missing the way his name escaping her lips caused the vampire to stiffen, his hair standing on end like he'd just received an static shock. I watched in amusement as he took a moment before answering, like he was putting the pieces of his mind back together. 

"I'm sorry." His voice had softened to show his sincerity, his head cocked as he watched her eyes open at his words to peer up at the serious look on his face, "I know I'm being very rude, but...you should know, things are better this way..." 

Her eyebrows furrowed, lips pursing, expression still wary, "I don't know what you mean..." she answered slowly, voice tight, guarded. 

Edward spoke gently, like he was trying to explain something very complex to another who couldn't quite comprehend it, "It's better if we aren't friends." He said, the hope underlying his voice that she would be able to understand evident to anyone who was actively listening for it, "Trust me." 

I had to fight the urge to facepalm then and there as I watched my stepsister's eyes tighten, remembering when Edward had said the same thing to her before he'd broken his promise at the hospital. He flinched at the almost audible grit of her teeth at the memory. 

"Too bad you didn't figure all this out earlier." She hissed out from between clenched teeth, straightening herself as much as she was able to put on a more formidable air, "Then maybe you could've saved yourself all this regret." 

Bella's words took Edward and I aback, to the point he turned to me in surprise, blinking slowly while I frowned at my stepsister, "What regret are you talking about, Bella?" 

Bella pursed her lips tightly, pinning Edward with a glare, "his, for not letting that stupid van squish me!" 

Edward froze beside me, knuckles cracking just quietly enough for my ears to hear as he clenched his fists. 

"You think I regret saving your life?" He growled, voice low, but controlled; Bella jerked her chin up defiantly to meet his gaze, "I know you do." 

"Bella -" I started, trying to calm the situation when Edward let out a low, angry growl, "You don't know anything." 

Bella's eyes blazed and she jerked her face away from his, her jaw so tight I was afraid her teeth were going to crack under the pressure as her cheeks flushed red in anger; slamming her books into a pile, she yanked them into her arms and marched toward the door, obviously attempting to sweep dramatically from the room. However, lacking the grace and charisma necessary for such a thing, Bella was not paying attention to where she was going and was tripped up at the lip of the doorway, making her stumble and drop everything she was carrying. She tensed instead of immediately bending to retrieve them, back rigid while her face was turned away from the classroom, as though she was contemplating whether to leave everything where it was or not. After a moment, she let out a slow sigh and bent to retrieve them while Edward flitted to her side, and I glanced around to be sure no one was watching. Thankfully for us, most of our other classmates were otherwise engaged among themselves; it looked like Mike had slipped out at some point instead of waiting for Bella like usual...more than likely he'd talked to her about things with Jessica and the Girls' Choice Dance, only to end up being shot down. I guess the human guys in this school couldn't get much of a break today, could they? 

Shaking the thoughts away, I moved to join Edward at the door, letting my gaze drift off in the direction Bella had gone before we headed out into the cold air together; the parking lot was on the way to the Spanish building, so most days Edward and I would walk together and talk...usually, when his mind wasn't preoccupied with my stepsister. He was off in his own little world again, although today there was something different in his expression. It wasn't quite as murderous or dower as it had been of late, there was no immovable glower, but, rather, something softer; the light had returned to his eyes, like a long burnt-out fire that had been reignited, filling a statue with life. 

My phone vibrated in my pocket, drawing my attention and I pulled it out to check the caller ID. 

"Oh, Annie's calling me, give me a second, Edward." I shot the vampire an apologetic smile, though he kept staring straight ahead as I accepted the call, "What's up, Annie?" 

From the other end of the line, I could hear the telltale signs of the dogs barking and the phone being juggled, "Hey Dawn, I'm sorry to call when you're at school, but I could really use your help at the shelter. The elementary school's called to let me know Sarah's in the nurse's office with an upset stomach and I really need to go pick her up. I wanted to know if you could come in to cover the rest of my shift and close for the night?" 

I frown at the news, knowing it was rare for Annie's daughter to get sick enough to be pulled out of school, "Of course, you know I love working with the dogs. I'm done for the day, so I'll drive right over, and you can get Sarah home." I smiled gently at her thanks, "No problem, Annie, you know I'm here to help. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay? Bye. Hey Ed -" I hung up the phone as I turned to Edward, only to find myself standing alone by the parking lot, "Where the hell? Edward?" I scanned the area, spotting him as he disappeared through the door to the Spanish building, "Okay, rude. I'm so smacking you the next time I see you." A smile tugged up the corners of my lips despite my words, though, and I shook my head as I crossed the lot to my car, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. 

Annie was waiting outside by the time I pulled up and she ran up to the drivers' side door as I stepped out of my car, "Thank you so much for helping me out, Dawn, you have no idea how grateful I am for this." 

I smiled gently and gave the older, auburn-haired woman a hug, "I'm always glad to help. Now, go get Sarah home and in bed, all right? Be sure to give her some of this, too." I handed her a bottle of ginger ale I'd picked up on the way over, earning another grateful smile in return, "It should help settle her stomach. And tell her big sister says she hopes she feels better." 

"I will." Annie promised, hurrying for her own car, "I really owe you one, Dawn." 

I chuckled softly, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my sweatshirt, "I'll hold you to that, Annie." I joked, waving as she reversed out of her parking spot and waiting until she'd driven out of sight before I headed inside. I would only be here for a couple of hours at most since the shelter closed around five during the week, but I decided to text Bella to let her know where I was, so she could make dinner if she wanted. No use making the rest of the family wait until I got home to eat. 

There wasn't much left to be done by the time I got in since Annie had already walked the dogs and made sure they each had food and water, so I was able to get some homework done while I was there. I still double checked to make sure all the dogs were situated and had what they needed, did a quick clean, made sure the office was in order and everything was locked up tight before I headed home for the night. I arrived just after Charlie, who was still hanging up his coat and gun belt as I walked through the front door, the overpowering scent of cooked green peppers, onions, chilis, and chicken hitting me full in the face. I rubbed at my nose to dispel the sharp scent of the pepper as I hung up my own coat and put my boots on the shoe rack next to the door, following Charlie across the entrance hall to the kitchen as he sniffed cautiously at the air. 

Bella had made chicken enchiladas for dinner, which was a nice change of pace since we didn't often get the chance to eat good Mexican food; the closest restaurant near us was all the way in Seattle, which was really a shame. Nevertheless, the boys and I were grateful to Bella for the meal as we sat down to eat without mama, who had called Charlie and I ahead of time to let us know she wouldn't be home until eight. It was pretty good, too, just the right mix of chicken with the onions, chilis, and green peppers to where none of them overpowered the others. I wasn't much for spicy foods, but I enjoyed it and the boys polished off most of the meal themselves, which seemed to please Bella, evident by the faint smile on her lips as she watched our father and brothers finishing up the last of the enchiladas. 

"Hey Dad?" She spoke up as we were finishing, making him look up, curious, "Um, I wanted to let you know I was planning on going to Seattle for the day a week from this Saturday, all right?" She hesitated after she finished speaking, as though unsure if she should have worded it differently; I sipped my juice silently, knowing she wouldn't have wanted to ask permission nor seem rude when she told him. Charlie cocked his head and furrowed his brows. 

"What's in Seattle, aside from all the big lights and buildings?" He sipped his beer as Bella pursed her lips, pushing what was left of her food around on her plate with a fork. 

"I was just thinking about looking into some of the clothing stores, maybe build up my winter wardrobe. I don't have a lot of clothes that're good for this weather." 

"Hm, they do have some good stores in Seattle for clothes shopping." I pointed out, looking at my stepsister, "You still have that money you saved up for a car, right?" Bella nodded in agreement; Charlie had helped her save a good chunk of change when he'd got her the truck, even if it cost more to fill the gas tank than she had anticipated. 

"Your truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage..." Charlie pointed out with a frown, obviously just as worried about that as we were. Bella sighed, nodding again. 

"I know, but I planned on stopping in Montesano and Olympia, just in case." 

"You should probably think about adding Tacoma to that list, too." Geoffrey added, earning a grateful nod from Bella in return. 

"You plan on going by yourself?" Charlie wiped his mouth on a napkin, eying Bella worriedly, obviously not comfortable with the idea of her going to such a large city by herself, "Why not take Dawn with you? I'm sure the two of you would have a lot of fun." 

"Dawn works at the shelter on the weekends, though, I wouldn't want to pull her away from that." 

"I'm sure I could get someone to cover for me for one day." I mused, knowing those on vacation at the moment would be back by the time next Saturday rolled around, "I just had to go in today to cover for Annie since her daughter got sick and she promised to pay me back, so I can see if she can cover for me that day. Besides," I leaned my head against my knuckles, tracing the lip of my cup thoughtfully, "Seattle is a pretty big city, easy to get lost in." 

"Phoenix is five times as big as Seattle and I can read a map if I get lost." Bella quipped with a frown in my direction, "And I thought you didn't like big cities." 

"I don't, but that doesn't mean I won't go into one if I need to. I need some new clothes, too." 

"If Dawn can't go, I can, if you want." Charlie offered; Bella frowned, doing her best to hide her horror at the thought as she turned back to him, quickly shaking her head. 

"No, that's okay, Dad, I'll probably just be in and out of dressing rooms all day, it'd be pretty boring just to sit there while I try on clothes." 

"Oh," I almost laughed at the put off look on Charlie's face at the thought of sitting in a women's clothing store for a full day, "Okay..." 

"Don't worry, Dad, I'll make sure I get the day off to go with Bells." I promised; Charlie shot me a grateful look, nodding his head before he seemed to remember something. 

"Will the two of you be back in time for the dance?" 

Oh right, I'd forgotten in a place this small everyone knew everything that went on, including any and all school functions. I shook my head as Bella pursed her lips. 

"Neither of us really like dances, Dad, remember?" I quirked a brow, inclining my head in my stepsister's direction to remind him of the little problem she had with balance; realization sparked in his eyes, and he cleared his throat slowly, giving Bella a quietly apologetic look. She smiled faintly in return, and I decided to change the subject as we finished dinner and cleaned up. 

The rest of the night was fairly peaceful from there; Henry joined Charlie downstairs to watch baseball after he'd finished his homework and Geoffrey occupied himself in his room while Bella and I went up to the attic to do our own thing. Mama stopped in around nine to say goodnight, apologizing to Bella for not being there to enjoy the enchiladas she'd made, though Bella promised she'd make them again, which I knew mama looked forward to. Mexican was her favorite food and she always enjoyed it on the rare occasion she could get it. 

Bella headed to bed not too long after that; I took advantage of the quiet and privacy to take a shower and dried off in front of the TV before heading up to bed around ten. I was jolted awake a little while later, however, feeling something was off. 

Rolling onto my right side, I blinked up at the face of my alarm clock, the bright neon red numbers reading out 1:18 AM. I'd been asleep a little more than three hours...what had woken me up? 

Sitting up, I threw the blankets aside and slipped out of bed, crossing my room to the silhouetted curtains; I'd started to leave the light on over the sink in the kitchenette, so Bella would be able to see at night if she needed to get up for any reason. It lit up a good enough portion of the attic that a human was able to sweep their gaze the length of the long room and notice anything that could be out of place. I frowned to myself, seeing everything looked to be where it should be, everything where I'd left it before I'd gone to bed, there was just something...different. Just the smallest change in the air, miniscule enough to be unnoticeable by someone ignorant of the supernatural, a new scent that had invaded a space it hadn't touched until now. 

It was a sickly-sweet smell, sharp, just like the green peppers, but in its' own way, colder, underlaid by the scent of designer fabric and sheet music. The Cullens never came over suddenly like this unless there was an emergency, or they gave us a heads-up first, which could only mean... 

(Edward?) I turned my head toward Bella's tower room, my ears inclining forward, listening for the smallest movements just beyond the curtains; the scent was stronger as it wafted from that direction into the rest of the room. (Edward, I know you're there. I can smell you.) The curtains twitched then, and one side moved, just the smallest bit, to allow a pair of golden eyes to peer out at me from the darkness. I waved a hand, pursing my lips tightly to let him know I wasn't joking around, (Get over here, Edward, now!) 

Letting the curtain fall back into place, I crossed the room again to turn my lamp on, and by the time I turned back around, he was standing where I had been just a few seconds before, watching me silently; he was still wearing the clothes he'd worn to school yesterday, although now they were a little more rumbled and dirtied, with spots of dried blood on the collar and around the corners of his mouth. 

"Jesus, Edward, you couldn't have cleaned up before you came over? Are you trying to give Charlie and Bella a heart attack?" I reached into my bedside table and tossed him the container of wet wipes I kept in there for just such an emergency, sighing as I plopped down on the bed with my arms crossed, "You're lucky Bella's such a sound sleeper or you'd have a gun pointed at your head about now...what in the hell were you doing in her room in the first place?" 

"I needed to see her..." Edward wiped his face clean and tossed the used wet wipes into the waste basket under my desk before returning the container to my beside table and taking a seat in the plush blue chair by the window. His long fingers drummed restlessly against the arms as he started out the window into the night, his mind elsewhere once more. I was surprised at the agitated edge to his movements, like he was buzzing with energy all of the sudden, "What's up with you? I know vampires don't get much use outta caffeine, but you look like you just chugged a red bull or something." 

A corner of his lips twitched at my lame attempt at a joke, but he didn't turn his gaze from the window as his fingers continued to drum against the upholstery, "Bella said my name tonight..." He was almost whispering, as though he was afraid him saying it aloud would make it untrue, "She said my name, told me not to go..." 

There was a brief pause as this sunk in, my brain taking a moment to process before I nodded slowly, scratching one of my ears with my nail, "Hm, I thought Bella might've been having dreams about you...very perceptive she is." I glanced at Edward out of the corner of my eye, taking note of the change in him again, seeing that same fire had returned to his eyes, though it was brighter than before, like someone had added kindling to the flames, "So, you've finally realized, huh? That you do love her, like Alice thought." Edward froze, his spine straightening and fingers tight around the arms of the chair as he pursed his lips; I hummed, "So, what's your new course of action? Alice said there's only two ways things can go from here...you aren't going to try to leave again, are you?" 

Edward sighed, finally relaxing his stiff posture as his shoulders slumped, shaking his head slowly back and forth, "No...I'm not strong enough to stay away from her anymore...Alice was right about that, too. But...maybe I can still change things." 

"You just said you can't stay away from her, so how exactly do you figure you can change the future?" I quirked a brow, leaning back into the headboard as I played with the end of my braid, watching Edward cross his arms. 

"I've seen the two futures Alice has foreseen for Bella, they're both clear enough that one or the other could possibly happen." His eyebrows pinched at the thought and I knew he worried about the fifty/fifty chance he had of accidentally killing Bella, although it didn't diminish the light in his eyes, "Just because I love her doesn't mean I'll be able to keep myself from killing her...I need to be careful, very careful, not to make any mistakes, if I'm going to try to be with her." 

"How's Mr. Monster taking that?" I hummed, sitting Indian style on the sheets, surprised when Edward just shook his head, "That's the thing, I can't...feel him anymore, it's like...this change has silenced him for good..." He sounded relieved, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders at the realization that that part of him was no longer a problem, "But, I'm still going to need to be careful around her, keep my guard up so I don't succumb to my urges." 

"Aaaand what about the other future? The one with her becoming -?" 

"I won't condemn her to this life." Edward frowned, looking pained at the thought, "I can't...not her, she doesn't deserve to become a prisoner to this immortal half-life like I have, just so I can selfishly keep her by my side...but...if she wanted to be with me...maybe there is a way, without killing or damning her." 

"Be with her...and leave her human?" I stared at Edward as he gave a slow nod, "Edward, are you completely out of your mind? You're already walking the razor's edge here trying to keep yourself from pouncing on her for her blood and you really think you could be with Bella for an entire human life without doing anything to her? Have you even thought about what she could want?" 

"She won't want a life like this one." Edward argued, finally turning to meet my gaze, "and I won't turn her for my own selfish reasons. If I can be with her, if I can have a relationship with her, love her up until the day she died, I would be happy. I can do it. And even if I can't, I know you and Elizabeth would be able to keep me in line, you'd be able to keep me from hurting her." 

"Edward..." 

"Dawn, please..." He was suddenly at my side, gripping my hand tight in his and staring intently into my eyes with blazing golden orbs, "I might just be strong enough to be with Bella, but I need help...I need someone there to rein me in when it's needed. Say you'll help me." 

I stared into the intense fire of his eyes, frowning quietly at his resolve and determination to make this work, to be with Bella somehow, have that happiness the rest of his family had without condemning her to the same fate. He had accepted his destiny, how things were supposed to be now, but he was still willing to fight for Bella's humanity at any cost, even his own sanity, his own life. He would be able to do it, but he knew there had to be precautions, knew there was still a danger to including her in our world that he needed my and mama's help against. We wouldn't be able to be there twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year to prevent every little thing from happening, but...we could at least try to streamline the operation, make things as easy for the couple as possible. And, who knew, maybe one day Edward would change his mind about turning Bella or she could find a way to compromise with him about it. Either way, the couple needed us, and we owed it to the two to do whatever we could to help. 

"All right," I finally sighed, putting a hand over Edward's and squeezing tight, "I'll talk to mama in the morning...we'll do what we can to help you." He smiled, grateful, his posture relaxing again at knowing he had someone to make things easier, "First things first, though...if you're really planning on trying a relationship with Bella, we'll need to figure out a way to smooth things over with her." 

"I'll figure that out, I caused this mess to begin with." Edward swooped to kiss my forehead before getting to his feet and moving across the room again, "For now, I should let you sleep, you'll need it for tomorrow. Goodnight, Dawn." 

"'night, Edward." I waved after him, watching in amusement as he disappeared behind the curtain and slowly shaking my head as I reached over to turn off my bedside lamp.