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Prelude	By : belladonnacullen Category: Twilight Series > Het > Bella/Edward Views: 5838 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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This has some direct quotes from Breaking Dawn - just cause. They're not mine, they're Stephenie Meyer's. Thanks Stephenie!!

"Jazz!" Even to my eyes Alice was a blur as she raced across the airport terminal.
Jasper had been walking with us to the baggage area, looking around eagerly for any sign of Alice. When his eyes found her, he stopped in his tracks and it looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. He was vampire-still as Alice raced in our direction. Alice dove at Jasper, and he moved his arms just in time to catch her and hold her body to his. I noticed Alice trying to pull his body into hers with every muscle in her little arms, but he didn't move an inch. She pressed her forehead against his, and they stared silently into one another's eyes. Humans streamed around them like they were a piece of airport art.
"Is it really you?" Jasper finally gasped.
Alice shook her head yes and her grin took up most of her face. She wound her arms around Jasper's neck.
"I can't believe you're finally here," Alice whispered.
"I'll never leave you like that again."
"Thank God. If I ever ask again, tell me no."
"You won't ask again."
"You're right," Alice almost giggled with erupting glee.
They were still gripping each other; Alice's wound her legs around Jasper's waste. He seemed to be slowly melting in Alice's presence. A slow smile crept across his face, and then he moved in to nuzzle Alice's ear. I glanced at Rose and shrugged my shoulders. "We could take a taxi. We could run. It's only two hundred miles."
Rose rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.
Jasper didn't move, but Alice cast a glance in our direction. She jumped off of Jasper, and pranced over to Rose and I, tugging Jasper along, her arm wound tightly around his shoulders.
"We did it!" Rose cheered. "Now can we finally go home?"
Alice pulled herself away from Jasper. It looked like two opposite ends of a powerful magnet were being pulled apart. You could see the force it took. She gave Rose and I a warm hug. "I'm so relieved that you're back and you're safe. I am so sorry. I had no idea what I was asking. You won't have to go, you know. Bella will be changed by then."
"Alice, it doesn't matter. Either way, Bella and Edward are in the clear."
Something flashed in Alice's eyes when I said that. Was it doubt? Oh God. "We did it, right? They're not coming to kill Bella, are they? They said she has until the end of the year. If they were lying-"
"Was this all for nothing, Alice?" Rose must have seen the look in Alice's eyes as well.
"No! The wedding is tomorrow. Bella is alive. It's all happening like it was supposed to. And just wait until you see Edward." Alice couldn't keep herself physically apart from Jasper anymore. She jumped back into his waiting arms. He seemed to have completely regained the ability to move, and he pulled her body into his, his eyes never leaving her.
Seeing Edward was something that I'd been dreading for the past thirty-six hours of travel. Well, except for the time I'd spent celebrating our victory with Rose. "Yeah, Alice, about seeing Edward. Maybe we could just pop in at the wedding. With all of the distraction, maybe he won't hear our thoughts. Maybe we could get away with it until after they get back."
Alice's head snapped in my direction. "No! You have to go tonight and tell him. He thinks you're taking him out for a bachelor hunting party."
"What?" Rosalie and I exclaimed in unison.
"If you wait until tomorrow, everyone's going to be anxious that you're still missing. He'll be all over your thoughts when he sees you. We can't do that to him on his wedding day. Not after all we've done to make sure it actually happens."
"All we've done?" Rosalie challenged.
"You have no idea, Rose." Alice responded in a clipped voice.
"I'm going home. I need a shower, I need to wash my hair with real shampoo, and I need a dress for tomorrow."
"I've got one of those three items covered," Alice assured Rose in a more gentle tone.
"And I've got the other two," I offered, pulling her into my arms. I noticed that the four of us looked like newlyweds ourselves. It was hard to believe that it was Edward who was about to get married. Actually, I missed my brother and I did really want to see him. I was dying to find out how things went with Bella while we were away, not that he was likely to say anything.
"Guys, Edward's waiting for you. He knows something's up." Alice looked back and forth between the three of us, some signs of stress were showing around the edges of her eyes, and in the way she clutched her fingers. It was just starting to dawn on me how much of a strain Alice must have been under too.
"Alice, do they know? Do any of them know?" I asked.
"Bella knows nothing and Edward knows next to nothing. He just suspects there's something I've been keeping from him. Carlisle and Esme weren't as easy because they weren't as distracted. I let them figure out just enough to put their minds at ease, but not enough to get them into trouble. They know we'll be able to tell them some day."
Jasper was gazing at Alice with pure admiration. "Edward doesn't know anything? I don't believe it. You're amazing."
Alice smiled up at him. "I am. Wait till you see him tonight, Jazz. He's so happy. It's like he's totally changed, even more than before. It will be so much easier for you to be around him. I wonder-"
"No!" Jasper interrupted.
I had watched the expression on Jasper's face change as Alice was chattering away. He clutched her in his strong arms and his eyes blazed, his face inches from hers. "I'm not going anywhere tonight." And then he kissed her forcefully, crushing her head to his with one hand, while he pulled her waist closer to his with the other. Alice didn't have a chance. Maybe Jasper had learned a thing or two from Sakhmet after all. They were all over each other. Luckily, since they moved with vampire speed, most humans probably only saw a blur.
"Emm, come on. Let's catch a cab and go home. Alice can fix things with Edward."
For about an eight of a second I was tempted to just turn and go. But I remembered the stressed out look on Alice's face just a moment ago and I knew that it had to be one of us. We were the ones that were there, we were the ones that should tell him. If it had to be tonight, well then it had to be tonight. "Rose, I should go. And if I value my life, I should bring Jasper too."
"What about me?"
"Someone needs to talk to Carlisle and Esme. And Alice probably has a million things to do tonight." Rose sighed loudly and crossed her arms across her chest. She could put on quite a show, but I knew how she felt deep down. I'd seen it first hand.
I walked over to the cloud of arms and legs that was my brother and sister and tapped on Alice's shoulder to try to get her attention. I got no response and nudged Jasper. I heard a growl start to form deep in his chest and knew I should probably bolt for the nearest exit. But distracting Jasper seemed to break the spell over Alice. She pulled herself away a bit and seemed to reclaim her bearings. "Baby, we can wait one more night. This is the last thing that needs to be done."
"Alice, don't make me let you go again."
"I'm not going anywhere except home."
Jasper growled again. Three teenage girls that happened to be walking by jumped a little and hurried past us, looking at the ground.
Alice stroked Jasper's chest and whispered in his ear. "I drove the Volvo here because it has the biggest back seat. We get to ride in it the whole way back."
Jasper pulled Alice into his body again. His mouth was on hers and his arms were clamped firmly around her back. Neither of them said another word, so I wasn't sure a decision had been made. But I saw him dig his hand into Alice's back pocket. He tossed the car keys and the parking ticket in my direction. We were going home.
On the ride back Alice came up for air enough to pass me a map detailing the best locations to find bear and mountain lion. "Thanks, Alice! If I ever have to drink from another goat again I'll tear myself into small pieces." Rose playfully shoved me and rolled her eyes, but I was being pretty truthful.
"Hey Jasper, so are you coming or not?" I called out. But the only sound from the backseat was Alice giggling and the rustle of fabric against vampire skin. I turned up the stereo's volume to try to drown it out and give them some privacy.
As the city faded behind us and we passed onto the peninsula, I rolled down the car windows. The air here was sweet, salty and green. The moisture gave the air a weight it didn't have anywhere else in the world. I felt comforted as I watched the clouds seem to roll over the stars. I knew that we were in fact driving under the clouds, moving from one weather system to another, and I breathed deeply. I finally felt at ease. I was free; I was home.
We pulled up to the house and I jumped out of the car almost before it came to a stand still. I couldn't stay inside any longer. I don't know if it was the vampire in me, but I needed to be out in this night, in my territory. The need to hunt was overwhelming. I bounded over to Rose and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I've got to go Rose."
"Don't you want to see Carlisle, Esme?"
I knew they'd want to see me, and I did want to give Esme a hug to reassure her that I was OK. But I could see the scene play out in my mind almost as if I were Alice. I knew I'd be stuck there, pulled in. I needed to run, and Edward was as good an excuse as any."
"I can't take the time baby. I should go. I'll be back tomorrow. Please tell them I love them, and I'll see them soon."
And with a kiss, I turned and leapt over some underbrush and was racing through the wet forest toward the Swan's house. The feel of running through familiar trees, with familiar smells helped to instantly release all of the pent-up stress that had accumulated over the past weeks on the road. The mist fell into my face, the evergreens brushed silently at my arms. I could run this path backwards and with my eyes closed. Forks was my home more than any other place I'd ever lived. I was back. I didn't want to leave again for as long as possible.
Suddenly I heard footfalls behind me. I spun around, ready to pounce. Instead, I was tackled and rolling on the ground, and something or someone very solid was on top of me. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, brother? You make it out of the desert, fight your way through an army of newborns, kill a Volturi guardsman, bargain with the council, and now you want to throw your life away by going to talk to Edward alone?"
Jasper jumped off of me with a swift motion, and I was on my feet too. "You might need me, you know."
"But what about Alice?"
"I'll always need her. But she's right. Tonight I should be here with you and Edward." I shook my head in disbelief as Jasper sprinted ahead and I had to race to catch up.
In another minute the pitched roof of Chief Swan's house came into view. I momentarily felt a little awkward about barging in on them this way, but then I stopped myself. This was Edward we were talking about. I might catch him with the top button of his shirt undone. I might catch him kissing Bella's cheek, or with his hand around her waist. However, the closer we came, the more terrified I was about his reaction when he heard what had really been going on this past month.
"Jasper, how should we tell him?"
"We? I thought I was just along to help with the mood."
"So this is all on me?"
"I think we should play through the past month in our minds. Don't leave anything out. Just try to tell the story from beginning to end."
"I don't even know when the beginning was anymore. In Riyadh? With Valentino in Volterra?"
"Actually, I think it was the last time we were out hunting together."
We came closer to the house and I saw that Bella's window was half open, and the lights were on. Of course they were on. It would be difficult for Bella to play checkers in the dark. As I was watching Jasper I noticed him twitch slightly, and then a broad grin eased over his face.
"What?" But then I caught a scent carried on the edge of a breeze. I stopped in my tracks. "Is that?"
Jasper just nodded in my direction, smirking. "Maybe I can just go back to Alice. Edward doesn't seem to need much help in the mood department."
"You're not going anywhere. I want you here when we find out that I won the bet." I crouched and aimed for the landing under Bella's window.
"Emmett, stop."
"No dude, I've got to see this."
"Seriously, let's call him from down here. You're just going to piss him off even more."
"Try to stop me then."
With that Jasper hit me from the side and we were on the ground, wrestling. It felt so good not to be wrestling for my life. Jasper and I playfully rolled around on the ground, before I pinned him beneath me.
"You're losing your chance here, Emmett. Edward's going to hear us. He'll be down before we can find out what's going on. And then you'll never know if you won."
"Anything to get me to let you up, huh?" But he was right. I leapt from Jasper to the landing under Bella's window in one silent bound. In all honesty, I wasn't really prepared for what I saw. Jasper was next to me in an instant, and I quickly pulled him away from the window.
"What the hell, Emmett?"
"Dude, Edward's going to be angry enough with me. The least I can do is keep you out of trouble too."
"No! Are you saying?"
"Well, I don't know exactly."
And then we both heard it.
"Oh."
It was Bella. Jasper and I tried to muffle our reaction, but Edward heard us.
"Oh for the love of all that's holy."
Jasper and I laughed louder. I silently mouthed to Jasper "for the love of all that's holy?" and shrugged my shoulders. Where did he come up with that one?
Jasper looked like he might fall off the roof, he was silently laughing so hard.
I scratched my fingernails against the glass of Bella's window. "If you don't send Edward out, we're coming in after him." I thought back to my agreement with Edward about teasing Bella, and wondered if he'd hold this against me. I wasn't actually teasing about sex, just nudity. Who was I kidding? Edward would make me pay for that glance, with or without the stupid comment.
I quickly turned to jump down from the roof, but Edward caught me in mid-air, knocking the wind out of me. We landed to the ground with a loud thud. I saw lights go on in Chief Swan's bedroom window. Cursing under my breath, I bolted for the tree line with Edward. We watched the light in Charlie's bedroom go out and both breathed a sigh of relief. But then Bella's voice carried across the night air.
"You better not make him late."
Jasper was still up there. I grabbed Edward and wrestled him to the ground before he could jump back up and pounce on Jasper.
"Don't worry, Bella." Jasper chuckled. "We'll get him home in plenty of time."
"Jasper, what do vampires do for bachelor parties? You're not taking him to a strip club, are you?"
"Don't tell her anything!" I called, my arms pinning Edward beneath me. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew they were ridiculous. Jasper wouldn't tell Bella the real purpose of our hunting party. Edward took advantage of my momentary lapse in concentration. He managed to pick me up and toss me into the nearest hemock. Another enormous thud rang out. This time a neighbor's porch light went on.
Edward shook his head in my direction, chuckling, before focusing his ire on Jasper. He crouched, ready to jump, his hands extended.
"Relax," I heard Jasper say. Soothing waves of calm hit me like warm water in a tidal pool. Edward suddenly stood up from his crouch and calmly ambled over to the patch of yard just under Bella's window. Jasper saved himself.
"We Cullens have our own version. Just a few mountain lions, a couple of grizzly bears. Pretty much an ordinary night out." Jasper explained to Bella through the open window.
"Thanks Jasper," Bella called out to him as he jumped down to the ground.
"Hey Edward, what's up?" Jasper asked in a casual tone, smirking openly.
I jogged over to the two of them, ready to get between Jasper and Edward if necessary. But Edward was actually struggling to suppress a grin. "You both had better watch your backs, and your minds. If I catch either of you thinking about what you saw in there, you'll wish you stayed with Peter and Charlotte in The Yukon."
Uh oh. "Peter and Charlotte, Peter and Charlotte, Peter and Charlotte," I thought to myself in an attempt to focus my thoughts.
Edward looked between the two of us, a slightly suspicious look in his eyes. I wondered what Jasper had running through his mind. Suddenly, there were too many things to keep myself from thinking. I couldn't think about Bella's... "Ouch!" Edward's fist landed on my shoulder.
"What did I just get finished saying about Bella, Emmett?"
"Peter and Charlotte, Peter and Charlotte, Peter and Charlotte."
"Hey Edward, let's get out of here before we wake Chief Swan up," Jasper suggested.
"Good idea!" I chimed in. At least while running I could pay attention to what was around me, instead of Bella... "Ouch, damn it Edward. You've got to give me a minute."

A/N: I'm on vacation and I don't have real Internet access. I will finish, but you might not see an update in a week or two. I won't leave you hanging. In the mean time, feel free to review!! Marie
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Prelude