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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
- 6
- 7
- 8
I woke with a chill, pulling the blanket closer around my frame. Without consciously putting words to my excitement, my eyes flew open. Edward was lying next to me, his golden eyes meeting mine, my favorite crooked smile on his face. If I hadn't noticed his change of clothes I would have thought that his twenty-four hour absence was a dream.
"You left me," I accused.
"I'll never leave you for that long again." He reached out to stroke my face with an impossibly gentle touch. "When I returned last night you were already asleep."
"You should have woken me up! I waited for you for hours."
"Bella, I keep you awake too much as it is." His tone was chiding, but I saw a gleam in his eyes hinting that another emotion might be lurking beneath his jovial exterior.
"Bella, please accept my apology. So often I think too much. As a vampire your mind never stops, except for a few instances that I am just now learning about. I'm not used to thinking with my heart, or whatever rules my emotions these days. And I certainly don't trust my emotions like I am finding I should. I over-thought yesterday, and only realized late last night that it was ridiculous."
"Ridiculous? Ridiculous to try to get out of wedding planning with Alice?" I hedged.
"That's not exactly why I left."
I waited, blushing. I wanted to hear this from Edward, unprompted.
"Bella, at first I wanted some space to consider your request from the other night. You might not understand this, but I can think much more clearly when you're not around."
Actually, I understood that all too well.
Edward seemed at a loss for words and started again, "I'm afraid I've been unnecessarily chaste. I am serious in that I want to preserve our virtue until after the wedding. I cannot compromise that, those are my morals, I suppose. I want to keep you safe, but in matters as innocuous as bedroom activities, I may have gone overboard. I tend to do that, you know. You should know this about me since you're going to be my wife."
With the words 'my wife', his eyes melted into soft pools of molten butterscotch and he bent his head in my direction, and gently kissed my cheek.
Edward continued rapidly as was his habit when he was excited, "Bella, I would say no if I had any doubt that you were supposed to be mine. If I had to go by reason alone, there is a good chance I would say no. But my dear, I can't say no with regard to our destiny. For that reason, I say yes to your request, to a point of course. And I can't tell you what that point is just yet. I'll know when I get there. Does that sound fair to you?"
I responded by flinging my arms around Edward's chest, ducking my head into the space under his chin. "Thank you," I smiled.
"No, thank you, for putting up with me." His arms encircled me right back. He kissed the top of my head, and his hands felt like lightening as they gently traced a line along my spine from my neck to my waist and back. I pressed myself more firmly against him, and lightly kissed the cold hollow of his neck. Edward tensed, and I was immediately deflated.
"I thought things were going to be different?" I asked, frustration and disappointment bleeding into one another.
"Bella, Charlie is waiting for you downstairs, a bit impatiently. He's considering waking you."
"But it's Saturday! He should have left for fishing hours ago."
"On the contrary, he's planning quite the breakfast spread."
I cringed. "What's the occasion?" I asked suspiciously.
"Charlie called me this morning to ask me over for brunch. I get the feeling he wants to make peace, of sorts."
"He didn't!" Oh, this would be awkward.
"He did. I should be arriving in about a half an hour. You should get ready if you want to look presentable for your fiance." He chuckled, playing with my wild hair. Fiance was a word that would take me some time to get used to. Also on the list were the words: wife, marriage and wedding. My nerves were suddenly tensed at the thought of Charlie, Edward and I sitting around our kitchen table using all of those loaded terms together, in a casual conversation.
"I should give you some privacy to get dressed, and perhaps some time to help Charlie in the kitchen." Edward seemed slightly bemused.
I pulled myself up reluctantly. "Will you be on time?" I asked. I certainly didn't want Edward to leave, even for just half an hour. After his absence yesterday, I needed to get my fill.
"My car is around the corner, so I'll hardly be leaving the property."
I sighed, "O.K."
He lips brushed against mine, as light as butterfly wings, and then he kissed the top of my head, and before I could turn around he was out the window.
I chose a blue sundress Alice had recently purchased for me, and then quickly topped it with a white cardigan sweater. Glancing glumly out at the gray morning I thought that Forks in July must feel like mild winter in the rest of the northern hemisphere. I took my bag of toiletries to the bathroom to see what could be done about my appearance. I gave up on my hair and twisted it into a loose bun at the back of my neck. There was no denying Edward's return had had a positive effect on my face. My cheeks were pink and my eyes were bright.
I ran down the stairs to try to intercept Charlie before he could do too much damage. I was too late. Smoke blackened the air throughout the first floor and a can of fruit cocktail was laying half opened on the counter. On the table, a plate held a stack of blackened round briquettes, possibly pancakes.
"Dad, what are you doing?" I asked through coughs, as I swatted at the smoke, trying to clear the air around me.
Charlie turned toward me, a slightly sheepish look on his face. "Well honey, I'm making us some breakfast."
There was a light rap on the front door.
"That must be him." Charlie said with an edge of malice in his voice.
"Char-dad, what is all of this?"
"Bella, there are some things that I need to say to you, and to Edward," he choked out Edward's name.
"Dad, I've made my decision. There is nothing you can say." I turned to get the door, looking forward to having EdwardÕs presence for support, but Charlie stopped me in my tracks.
"No Bella, I would like to talk to Edward, man to man."
"Oh dad!" I groaned, "Don't -"
"Bella, this is something I have to do as your father." With that Charlie strode toward the door with an air of determination that I had only had the opportunity to see him use on the few occasions I'd watched him make an arrest or handle prisoners in Fork's small jail. It was not a good sign.
I set the table without thinking. The house was small, and it was easy to hear Charlie and Edward talking on the landing.
"Edward."
"Good morning, Charlie."
"Edward, before we eat, there's something I need to say."
Charlie paused, perhaps expecting some protest. After an awkward silence, one that was even painfully evident from the kitchen, he started in, "I'm just going to say this once. If you ever leave her again, God help me, I'll kill you. Maybe one day you'll have a daughter and then you will understand what it did to me to see Bella that way. It was the worst thing I have ever had to live through, and it haunts me to this day."
"Charlie, that was a mistake that I'll have to live with for the rest of my existence. It is a mistake that I would never make twice. You have my word that I will never leave Bella again, unless she asks me to."
"I hope you're not doing this in some attempt to make things up to her." I was impressed by the edge in Charlie's voice. If Edward were any other teenaged boy, I'm sure he would be quaking in his shoes.
"Marriage is not a word I take lightly, Charlie. I was raised to consider marriage as something that lasts forever, and that is what I intend."
"Edward, I notice you throw around that word 'forever' a lot around Bella. It may be a dreamy idea to a kid like you, but you're talking about life son, a long time."
Edward's voice was instantly grave, "Charlie, when I say forever, it is not lightly."
"Huh, well, alright. I guess that's all I had to say. You're a good kid, Edward. Bells could do a lot worse. I wasn't exactly clear the other day; you have my blessing. Please, she's my only daughter, keep her safe for me, from now on."
I walked to the front door in time to see Edward smile easily at Charlie, so easily I was surprised. "Always."
I beamed at Edward and as he looked up at me, and his smile turned radiant.
"Who wants pancakes?" My voice sounded silly after the solemnity of their conversation.
I opened the door to let everyone inside, and Edward practically leaped past Charlie to get to me. He lifted me off of my feet and pulled me into an enormous hug, nearly squeezing the breath out of me. I wound my arms around his neck and sighed. I felt so safe and secure in his arms, these arms that would keep me forever.
"I will keep you safe, forever," he whispered in my ear, too quietly for Charlie to hear.
I turned my head and kissed his lips forcefully enough that it was Edward that caught his breath this time. But instead of pulling away, he tightened his grip and pulled me in closer.
Behind us, someone coughed. I had forgotten about Charlie. I didn't think vampires forgot anything, but Edward seemed as though Charlie's presence were a surprise to him as well. We let each other go, my face burning, and Edward sporting a sheepish grin. But he made sure to hold my hand in his, and bent to whisper in my ear once more as we walked into the house. "Just wait until we're alone."
I wasn't used to this kind of talk from him, and my legs gave out a bit. But Edward helped me along to the kitchen and into a chair, strangely reminiscent of Alice's visit yesterday.
But the phone rang before Charlie could sit down.
"Billy, hey, what's up? Are we still on for this afternoon?" My stomach was immediately in knots and I was glad I was sitting. Any mention of Billy was still too close to Jake.
"Of course I can head over to your place, but I've got the bigger T.V. you know."
"No ride? He could be back by then, it's not 'til one."
There was silence in the kitchen as Charlie listened to Billy on the other end of the line. My stomach continued to lurch in uneasy somersaults. I looked at Edward. It was clear that he could hear Billy's end of the conversation quite clearly over the phone. Gone was all trace of happiness; his face was blank, his eyes were unfocused and his hands fell to his sides.
"Billy, I'll be right over. No Billy, I'm coming over. I'll call the station, get a squad car out there."
There was another short pause. Edward flinched at something I couldn't hear Billy say.
"Goddammit Billy, you can't stop me from coming over. I'm not just your friend; this is my job!" He slammed the phone down and swore under his breath.
By this time the blood had drained from my face and tears were welling in my eyes.
"Jake ran away." But Charlie didn't have to say it. I already knew. I had driven my friend from his home, from his family.
"When?" I choked.
"Yesterday, around dinner time."
The bottom fell out of my stomach, and I grabbed the edge of the table as a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. This was my fault. I didn't look up.
"What happened?" My voice was shaky, and I sucked in some air.
"Billy wouldn't say much. I'm going over there now. It doesn't make sense. Kid's been gone all night. Billy never called it in. Says he needs his space. He's sixteen, the kid needs a home, not space."
Charlie strode to the door, pulling his jacket on, getting ready to leave.
"I should come dad. This is all my fault."
Charlie's look hurt more than the pain I was already in. There was stony accusation in his glance. "Bella, that's not a good idea. Not now."
It was too much. I let my head fall into my hands, tears streamed freely into my palms as I cried silently for my friend. I felt Edward's cold arm wind around me, and he pressed his face into my hair.
"Bells," Charlie's voice was apologetic, "stay with Edward while I go handle Billy. I'll be back soon. I know this is hard on you, but Billy's his dad. He needs me and I've got to get over there so we can get him back, for all of us."
I kept my head buried until I heard the front door click and the cruiser's engine roar to life.
When I was sure Charlie was gone, I lifted my face to meet Edward's concerned glance. "This is all my fault," I croaked.
The pain in Edward's eyes was unmistakable and mirrored my feelings perfectly. "Bella, I have more of a hand in this than you. I broke your rule."
I didn't understand what he was saying at all. I pulled back from his embrace waiting for him to continue.
"I sent Jake an invitation." Edward held my gaze, clearly apologetic.
It was like being punched in the stomach. I couldn't find my breath. It took several seconds to remember how to breathe. "You what?"
"Bella, I knew the wedding would be incomplete for you without your best friend there."
"But what about Jake's feelings?"
"Bella, if it were me, I would want the opportunity to be there. I would want the choice to either support you in your happiest hour, or to object if I chose."
"You thought Jake might object. Why would you want that?"
"I know his is the only objection that might hold any sway with you. The way you cried that night, well it was the most hurt I've seen you since . . . I want to make sure, for all of us, that youÕve chosen correctly."
"I already made my choice." My sorrow was tinged with anger.
"I know that now, better than I did yesterday."
"I can't believe you would invite that kind of drama to our wedding."
Edward grabbed both of my hands in his. A series of emotions played across his face, ending with contrition. "I'm sorry Bella. Please, I'm so sorry."
I fell into his granite arms, but the tears wouldn't come anymore. He let me lay like that for a long time.
Over the next day and a half our house and the police station became the two headquarters for mobilization to find Jacob Black. People streamed in and out at all hours, posters were designed and distributed, and search parties were assembled. I kept a large pot of coffee at hand, and food ready for when people came in from the woods after a long search. I thought it might be similar to when I went missing, and felt bad knowing that the pain I felt for my friend was similar to the pain I had caused Charlie that night long ago.
There were two distinct differences. The Quileutes were not here to help this time. They knew no one would spot the boy on the missing posters. The other difference was that Edward was by my side the entire time. Touching me the entire time. Always willing to help in any way possible, even though he knew as well as the Quileutes that it was a lost cause.
Charlie worked tirelessly without sleep that first night. He spearheaded the search, and had sheriff's departments all along the coast, and throughout the peninsula, on the lookout for Jacob. I loved him so much more watching the concern he showed for Jake, and understood a little better his love for me. And I watched how Charlie compartmentalized the guilt in this situation. I don't know if Billy told him about the wedding invitation, but Charlie easily shifted the blame to Edward on this count, something Edward was not going to argue about.
While it would have been easiest to jump on Charlie's bandwagon and blame Edward, I felt much more deeply responsible myself. Edward had given Jacob the chance he would have wanted. Even though he broke my rule, he proved himself to be a better person than I would have been in the same situation. At worst, I considered Jake's disappearance something Edward and I had done together, and I wasn't happy to have this as our first joint accomplishment.
After the first twenty-four hours passed with no news of Jacob's whereabouts, the action began to focus more intensely around the police station. Alice flitted in and out, checking on Edward and I, seeming a bit distracted. Finally, after close to thirty-six hours, Charlie came home to sleep. I fed him and hugged him and he trudged up the stairs without a word. I was exhausted, but I was glad things had settled down. I needed time to process all of this, but decided to wait until later. I knew Edward would be waiting in my room, and this was the first night we would be alone together since he had agreed to the terms of my deal.
- 6
- 7
- 8
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Prelude