Chương 56: ch 54
Anna's POV:
"Have you decided which dress you are going to wear for prom?" Alice asked me looking up from her Vogue that was lying in front of her on the ground across from me while I was sitting on the big comfy couch in the living room snuggled up to my Edward.
"It's the last prom before we are going to graduate." She added.
"Wow I can't believe how the time had rushed away. Only in a few short weeks we will graduate." I stated partly stunned and in a daze about that fact.
Not long anymore and I would have graduated, be married, enjoy Edward's and my honeymoon and I would be turned into a Vampire.
"Yes," Edward purred and leaned into me as his lips were ghosting over the shell of my ear, causing my body to tremble slightly at the sensation.
"And then after graduation we will finally get married." He beamed down at me when he pulled back to be able to look at my equally happy looking face.
"You are such a guy." I rolled my eyes in amusement at him.
"And who's fault do you think that is?" He leaned back in and rubbed his nose against my own, tightening his arms around my frame as he pulled me on his lap and nuzzled his face in my neck.
I sneaked my arm around his neck and my hand waved into his hair tugging it the way he liked it.
"Anna! The dress!" Alice huffed impatiently bring me back to reality.
"Ahh…..I think I will choose the peach coloured one with the sparkly, tiny crystals embedded into the fabrics," I mused not entirely sure myself which one of the four dresses that Alice couldn't help but buy I should wear.
Alice's face glassed over for a second before she resurfaced and scowled at me.
"Decide finally! You are screwing up my visions." She huffed at me again as Jasper reached his hand out and touched her shoulder to relax her.
Little miss pixie was sitting between his legs on the ground and leaned back into him when he touched her. Jasper chuckled and looked satisfied with himself.
Whatever had happened to her she suddenly snapped out of it, turned around with super speed and I could see in the reflection of the window that was located behind Jasper that she glared furiously at her husband while his eyes softened and twinkled.
Alice puffed her cheeks out and focused back on her magazine not paying any attention to her husband anymore who seemed to be greatly amused.
I cranked my neck and gave my fiancé, who's arms were around me while we were about to watch "Transformers 3", a curious look.
Edward only smiled at me, shook his head, rolled his eyes and placed a kiss against my temple.
"I also have the game to the movie," Emmett announced as he entered the living room.
"Thanks but I suck at those games."
"You are giving up way too fast." My big brother of a bear shot back.
"Well, if I get killed three times in a row under a minute…" I shrugged.
"You need to practice." Jasper supported Emmett who nodded in agreement at him.
I rolled my eyes.
"Anyway when was the movie released here?"
"June 2013," Emmett answered while he put the DVD into DVD player.
"Nearly a year ago." I pointed out the obvious just for the heck of it.
"Here sweetheart," Esme said standing suddenly at my side as she handed me a plate with a lemon bar on it.
"Thank you." I beamed at her as I took the plate out of her hands.
I took in the mouth watering citrus scent and smiled to myself.
"The children in the hospital will love them." I told her.
She had been baking nearly all day for the little event that would take place the following day at the hospital where Carlisle worked. A few artists who worked for the Circus that was visiting Manchester, a big city not far anyway from Kingsten, had agreed to come and perform a show for the little patients and their families.
"I really hope so." She smiled back at me.
"I have no doubt. Believe me," I assured her and looked hungrily down at the lemon bar.
"Will Carlisle be joining us?"
"In a minute. He still needs to prepare some things for the medical conference next week since he was appointed to be one of the organizers."
"Will he talk in front of the audience?"
"No, he could get out of this one luckily." She smiled at me.
"Do we really have to attend the dinner afterwards? All of us?" Emmett sighed, giving Esme a pleading look.
"Of course Emmett," Esme said sternly, "we all be there to support Carlisle."
"Exactly and besides your new Armani suit is begging to be shown to the outside world." Alice chimed in.
"I have a new suit again?" Em raised an eyebrow at the little shopaholic.
"It hangs between your jet black Brioni and the mid night blue Stefano Ricci." She stated as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Yeeeaaahhhh," Emmett said slowly before he shook his head and took the remote control into his hand.
I pressed a finger to my lips as I counted in my head.
"What are you thinking about love?" Edward breathed in ear letting his cool breath dance across my skin, causing goose flesh to break out on my arm before he placed a kiss on one of my sensitive points.
I inhaled sharply, closing my eyes while the sensation rocked through my body before I answered his question.
"I just noticed that ever since I arrived here we have been visiting some kind of event at least twice a month. You guys weren't that social in Forks."
Rose snorted.
"Forks and Kingsten are two different worlds. And…."
But Rose was interrupted by Alice's moaned "Oh no!" and Edward's annoyed groan.
"What's wrong?" Emmett immediately asked wearing a curious expression on his face.
"Bella Swan will be here in Kingsten in a few days." Alice sighed.
"She is coming to Kingsten!" Rose exclaimed angrily, glaring furiously at the messenger of the bad news.
"What is this, some the past is catching up with you game?" Emmett snorted with stunned bafflement.
"Are you sure Alice?" Carlisle asked as he entered the living room, coming to a halt next to Esme before he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Unfortunately." Edward sighed in annoyance.
"Do you think she found us this time around?" Emmett wondered.
Edward had told me that over the past eight years Bella tried three times to find them. She hired private investigators to locate the Cullen's but luckily Alice was always able to see that and bought the private investigators over. Bella was left with no clues to where to find us.
"No, I would have seen that." Alice shook her head.
"Then why is she coming then?" Esme piped up.
"Isn't her husband a Doctor as well?" I asked remembering that Alice or Edward had once told me something like that.
"Yes, he is. Many of the Doctors who will arrive are bringing their wives." Carlisle stated with a glumly expression on his face.
"How long will that nuisance be here?" Rose barked in irritation.
"The conference starts on Thursday and ends with the dinner gala on Sunday but some of the participants stay for the lecture on Monday that Batiste will give." Carlisle frowned.
"Just great." Rose muttered under her breath while wearing a furious expression on her face. She scowled hard into nothing with her arms crossed over her chest. Her lips were pressed into a thin line before Emmett slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest in an attempt to calm her.
I stood up from the couch Edward and I were sitting on and hugged my arms around my body before I felt two strong arms sneak around my middle and my Vampire pulled me into his chest.
"This is not so bad. I'm only one of the organizers and I don't hold any lectures on the conference. It should go over well." Carlisle mused.
"But what about the gala dinner on Saturday?"
Carlisle sighed heavily.
"That does pose a problem."
"Not only this! The wives of the board of the hospital are the ones who are organising the entertainment of the wives of the Doctors who are coming and you know they have only one topic and that is you," I pointed out. "Bella might accidentally hear something she better not." I shrugged.
Silence befell the living room as everyone looked grave or annoyed and angry.
"I'll be on the look out." Alice announced.
"Maybe we should ask Mischa to come here. She could have an eye on Bella 24/7 with her gift to see the present."
"That is a good idea actually." Edward piped up.
"Don't you think that is a little bit over the top? If she does hear we will have to solve the problem." Jasper raised an eyebrow at my fiancé.
"Jasper," Carlisle chided him.
"If she got to know about us her father and the Quileutes could explain everything to her. Maybe it wouldn't turn out to be as bad as we think." Esme tried to be diplomatic.
Edward shook his head.
"While Charlie was here I saw something in his mind. Apparently Bella had some kind of strange dreams about us."
"What do you mean?" Emmett questioned.
I cranked my neck and looked curiously at him. Edward sighed and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before he returned his attention to our family.
"She was dreaming about some of the Twilight events…."
"She knows what we are?" Rose pushed out horrified but she became pissed off rapidly.
"No, she doesn't." Edward quickly tried to calm her.
"Then what are you saying?" Esme titled her head in confusion.
"Now that I think about it, in the books she also had the ability to dream about future events but she never paid what she dreamt about any attention." I mused.
"You never said anything about that." Edward pointed out.
"It was only a few times that she had this kind of dreams and like I said she never paid any attention to those dreams in the books." I shrugged.
"What exactly does she know about us?" Jasper demanded.
"She had a break down about two years after we left Forks and told Charlie about the dreams that she had about her future with me," Edward tightened his grip on me, "and as a member of our family but in her dreams we were human."
"So she doesn't suspect anything?" Emmett wanted to know if there was any threat to our family. He was very protective of the ones he cared about.
"I would say no." Edward answered. "But…."
"But what?" Rose barked annoyed.
"I don't think it would be good if she saw any of us again. Charlie was worried about her mental stability if she would ever see any of us again."
"Why?" Alice queried.
"She isn't over you, is she?" I looked up at him.
"That is what Charlie is afraid of. Despite the fact that she seems to love her husband her feelings for me never seemed to have died according to Charlie."
I snorted and shook my head.
"What?" Edward nudged me placing a calming kiss on my neck.
"It's like "New Moon" and "Eclipse" all over again." I sighed.
"We'll think of something." Edward assured.
"I will call Mischa and ask her if she could come." I offered.
"It is better to be safe then sorry." Carlisle agreed with me so did the others.
I had no idea to which extent Mischa's ability would be helpful in preventing Bella of finding out about us living here but it is always good to know what is going on in the territory of the opponent.
"Alright Mischa see you Monday then." I told her after I explained the situation to her.
"And just by the way I'm demanding a shopping trip for my assistance." Mischa stated seriously but I heard the playfulness in her voice.
"Don't worry knowing Alice she was planning on kidnapping you to shop with her anyway."
"But you are coming with us." Mischa murmured sternly.
"Naturally." I rolled my eyes and already felt sorry for my poor feet.
We exchanged our goodbyes and ended the call.
"Are you alright?" Edward asked as he came up behind me, placed his hands on my waist before sneaking them around my middle. His cool lips touched the side of my neck while I stood at the panorama window in our room and looked out into the darkening forest.
My eyes fell shut and I let my head fall back on his shoulder granting him further access to my neck, enjoying the feel of his lips on my flesh and his touch on my body.
"Anna?" He asked after leaving a burning trail of baby kiss on my skin.
I sighed but didn't say anything.
He turned me around then, cupping my face in his hands softly forcing me to look at him. His golden orbs shone with love and intensity into my eyes.
"I love you and only you. That will never chance," he murmured before he leaned in and our lips touched for a sweet and adoring kiss.
"I know. It's just I don't want any drama to interfere with our wedding." I pouted like a kindergartner.
A perfect fairy tale wedding had been my dream ever since I was a small child and first of all I didn't like the fact that Bella was unpredictable, posing a threat to the ones I loved. It could go well or she could flip out.
"We'll deal with it one way or another." Edward vowed as he pulled me into his board chest and I nuzzled my face into his neck.
xxxXxxx
"You know you are painting quite a picture for my future life here." Tia noted sarcastically after I told her a little about Bella leaving the entire Twilight sage books out of the loop.
"Hey that is something you have to deal with when you have a generous boyfriend…..husband." I shrugged while I was helping her to get the guest room in her house ready for the visit of her grandparents.
"What is the worst that could happen when this Bella person found out about you guys?"
"Aside of the fact that she would immediately see that we haven't aged in nearly eight years?"
"Yeah, that would be hard to explain," Tia nodded in agreement.
"What we are or about to be come as in our cases is a secret. If she would figure it out who knows what she might do with that information." I mused.
I knew of Bella's soft, forgiving and kind side out of the books but also about her obsession with Edward. She believed that I stole Edward from her, which I kind of did without meaning to, who knows what she would be capable of if she saw us again.
"But with Mischa's help it shouldn't be too hard for guys to stay clear of this Bella Swan person." Tia murmured as she threw a soft, fluffy cover over the bed.
"It's not that easy Tia and besides her name is Bella Dawson now."
"What?" Tia turned around and gave me a confused look.
"Well she could hear about us from other because….."
"That's not what I mean," Tia shook her head, "her name what did you call her?"
"Bella Dawson. She took over her husband's name." It was my turn to look confused now.
"Dawson. Bella Dawson." Tia repeated and looked thoughtful for a moment.
"What is it?"
"It's just," she began and looked in concentration at me.
"There is an Isabella Dawson that is going to give a lecture on Friday in our English lit class."
"What are you talking about?" I wondered utterly confused as fear and shock crawled up my spine.
"Haven't you heard?"
"Heard about what?"
Tia narrowed her eyes at me before her face lit up in understanding that seemed to hit her like a fright train.
"You weren't there."
I shook my head still not understanding while I urged her on with my eyes to explain.
"While the whole Lear thing happened our English teacher announced a change in the list of the gust lecturers. Instead of Carl Goodrich who was supposed to talk about Dante Alighieri but called his lecture off an Isabella Dawson was called up as a replacement."
"Oh god! I breathed as I let myself fall on the newly made bed.
"By any chance she doesn't teach at the University of Chicago?" I asked in the vain hope that she was talking about another Isabella Dawson.
Seth told me that Bella had studied English literature and that she had a position at the University in Chicago after she and her husband Cooper moved there with their children.
It was already strange enough that she lived next to Edward's old family house but her coming here of all places….
"Ahhh…..wait a sec." Tia said and rushed out of the guest room.
I buried my face in my hands and groaned just as I heard my cell ringing from downstairs where I left my purse on the table in the hallway.
I rushed out of the room using my super speed since there was no one else besides Tia and me in her house. I didn't need to be a psychic to know who was calling me.
"Hey Alice." I greeted her after I put my cell to my ear.
"We are in trouble." She announced.
"Bella is going to be at our school huh?" I sighed, shaking my head in annoyance.
"This is bad." She murmured.
"What do you mean we just ditch on that day and everything is going to be fine." I shrugged hopefully.
"Maybe you are right. Let's hope she will not check the attendance."
"Or that she won't overhear anyone talking about us while she will be in our school. This is going to be a disaster." I groaned as the possibilities how her visit in our school could go wrong popped out in my head while my hand was running through my hair.
"What is going to be a disaster?" Seth asked as he and Fin entered the hallway.
They must have used the back door that was always open in Tia's house.
"Bella is going to give a lecture at our school and all of us are in her class." I muttered trying to keep myself from having a fit.
"Bella is coming here?" Seth asked stunned.
"You didn't know?"
"Well we do see each other on Thanksgiving or Christmas but we aren't that close. I don't really age so…." Seth shrugged.
"Hey guys what are you doing here is it already so late?" Tia wondered as she looked down from the second level over the railing.
"It is nearly five o'clock. The movie we have to watch for our sociology class will start in about forty minutes and we still have to get to school."
"And Seth you are here because?" Tia wondered while she was coming down the stairs with a paper in her hand.
"Oh Fin gave me a lift. I offered my car to my aunt since hers is broken this morning. Fin saw me standing at the bus stop and offered to give me a lift to my work since it is on your way to school."
"Listen I will go and tell Carlisle about the new development."
"Alright, bye Alice." I said and hung up.
"Here we got a note with some information of the lecturer." Tia handed me a sheet when she reached the bottom of the stairs where I stood.
I took the sheet from her and looked at it and sure enough there was Bella's picture smiling back at me along with some information of her academic life.
"Oh boy!" Seth murmured as he cranked his neck to be able to take a look at the sheet as well and saw just what I had seen.
"That's an understatement." I shook my head.
"But wait! When exactly is she coming?" Seth suddenly asked.
"They are arriving Wednesday or Thursday as far as I know. Why?"
"Mom and Charlie could come. When Charlie hears that Bella will be here for a few days I'm sure he will have nothing against coming here."
"You mean….."
"Together with my mom and Charlie we should be able to keep Bella occupied for a few days." He offered.
Knowing Bella she would certainly prefer to spend her time with her father then to have to bother with the society events that were planned for the Doctors wives.
"That would help a great deal Seth thanks." I told him honestly before we made our way back to school.
xxxXxxx
"There is an easier way to get rid of that nuisance." Rose grumped.
"Rosalie!" Carlisle warned her as we were in the living room discussing the next few days.
It was Monday and the nightmare would begin in a few hours for us. Bella and her husband were to arrive the next day in the evening hours.
After Seth contacted Charlie and told him about Bella's visit to Kingsten Alice told Charlie when he had to call Bella in Chicago so he would be able to talk with Cooper.
Bella was still very observant and if Charlie asked her all of the questions we need to have answered Bella would have been ticked off but thankfully Cooper was a way easier target.
Thanks to him we knew what they had planned on doing during their stay in Kingsten.
"But she is right this is quite a bother for one little human." Mischa pointed out not really understanding why we were going this much out of our way but regardless helping us in doing so.
"Bella is connected to the Werewolves to kill her would put quite a strain on our alliance." Alice explained once more.
My reason to keep Bella alive was because I felt like I owned her. Since I did took her future with Edward and the Cullen's away from her though if I had to decide between her life and the safety of my family there was no doubt what I would choose.
"Still it is strange that she has such an importance for them even though she doesn't even know anything about our world." Mischa wondered.
"She is their Alpha's first love. It's a long and complicated story with her." I sighed.
"Obviously." She nodded finally letting it slid.
"The Alpha wolf is also coming to play?" Emmett asked looking at me.
"Yeah, Seth said that Jake would come too."
"I think we have everything covered so far." Carlisle announced.
"We arranged for Fin and Tia to be the guides for Bella when she will arrive at school….."
"Tia is rather edger to play her secret agent part." Alice chuckled interrupting Carlisle who shook his head while a small smile danced on his lips.
"I switched my official parts with Batiste and another college which means I will only be present in the background. As for any unwanted collisions with Bella's husband Mischa will be with me in the hotel where the conference is held to warn me of any unexpected situation so will Alice." Both of them nodded.
"Seth, Jake and the others will keep Bella occupied in her free time."
We had our course of action the only thing that was left to do was to hope that it would all go well.
Jacob's POV:
"Seems like your husband is keeping my girlfriend busy." I taunted Bella as we both watched Cooper and Marissa strolling in front of us while Marissa was gushing about god knows what and poor Cooper only nodded politely every now and then.
Marissa was Paul's cousin and quite a force of nature. She was loud, strong willed, pigheaded and boy this girl could curse when something didn't go her way not to mention that she could kick ass.
"More like my poor husband has no chance of escaping her." Bella nudged me.
"Well I don't see you helping him out." I shot back at her.
"There is only so much talk about wrestling I can endure." Bella shook her head while a look of horror washed over her face.
Marissa discovered her fascination with wrestling about a month ago and was all for it. That is just how she was. Her taste changed from mood to mood but once she found something she was interested in. She was intense.
I laughed and Bella soon joined me while we were walking through the shopping mall that was located only a ten minutes away from the hotel where Bella and her husband were staying in.
Cooper was a good guy. He knew about Bella's and mine past but he was never hostile towards me or against Bella's and mine friendship. I didn't know if it was just because we did live on the other sides of the country and saw each other barely twice a year, to Christmas or Thanksgiving, or if he really did have that much trust in her.
Either way I had never seem him act jealous or rudely in my presence.
Soon her laughter died down and she looked thoughtful before she hesitatingly glanced up at me, blushing slightly.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You already did." I quipped.
Bella rolled her eyes and glared mildly at me.
"I'm serious here."
"Shoot," I nodded while chuckling.
"Say, are you two serious?" She bit her bottom lip blushing further.
"You know it is a little too late for the both of us….."
"Jake," she exclaimed, swatted my utter arm and blushed furiously.
"No, we are not. I'm her rebound guy."
Disapproval masked her face.
"And you are OK with that?"
"Yes, Bella I am. It's uncomplicated and easy with no strings attached."
She looked at me as if she wanted to say more but in the end decided to keep her opinion to herself. We walked past a couple of more stores before Bella spoke again.
"Don't you want more? A family. Kids…." She asked curiously.
I sighed loudly and shrugged my shoulders.
"Of course that is what I want but I haven't found the one yet."
"And you are sure that Marissa isn't the one?" She teased trying to cheer me up.
"Positive," I didn't imprint on Marissa nor was I in love with her though I did like her a lot, "there is another poor soul that will have "the honour" of her companionship."
"Do you think there is anyone who will be able to keep up with her?"
"I hope so though I have yet to meet anyone who will be able to keep up with her." I half whined remembering the day we arrived in Kingsten.
~o~
Flashback:
~o~
"Marissa, are you nuts?" I yelled after her as she stormed out of Seth's aunt's house and was making her way to the rental car.
"Why? Just because I want to know how they look like?" She spun around on her heel and glared furiously at me.
"Ahh…let me think….YES!" I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air.
Just because the Cullen's were different from the usual blood suckers and I did trust them to some extent that didn't mean I would let anyone close to me anywhere near them. They were after all still Vampires and accidents happen.
She scowled darkly at me before she continued to storm angrily to the car. She was determinate to see a Vampire even if it killed her. Ever since she found out about Werewolves and Vampires about a year ago when Paul wolfed out on her after she pissed him off royally she was set on seeing a Vampire face to face.
"You don't even know where they live."
That stopped her and I could practically hear the wheels in her mind turning before she turned around again and glared at me.
"The one of them is a Doctor. The hospital is a good place to start searching if you don't want to help me." I sighed heavily.
She was insane and suicidal but so lord help me she was a freaking smart cookie.
"Paul won't be happy about this."
"And why exactly are you under the impression that I would give a damn?"
"M.A.R.I.S.S.A!" I growled as I pushed the car door close that she had just managed to open.
I pressed her up against the car and our eyes locked in a star down.
"I'm going." She hissed through her clenched teeth.
"No, you…."
"Jake I called them and Anna, Edward, Carlisle and Esme agreed to meet you two in a café in town." Seth drawled happily as he suddenly stood behind me.
"Yay, you are the best Seth," Marissa gushed as she ducked and escaped the cage I had build with my body around her to throw her arms around Seth's neck while I couldn't for the life of me understand where the fascination for females with those blood suckers was.
I blamed it all on the Interview with a Vampire.
Damn Brad Pitt!
~o~
End of Flashback.
~o~
"Thank you." Bella's voice straddled me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I asked her dumbly. "What are you thanking me for?"
"For giving our friendship another chance. I have never thanked you for the second chance." She told me while she looked up at me.
"Oh….well…It's fine really," I stammered out.
I hadn't spoken to Bella for over a year after our break up but that had changed with her letter. I had heard from Charlie that Bella was in therapy to get over her obsession with Cullen and as a step to get her life back in order she had to sort her life out. It had become quite a mess after the Cullen's left Forks.
It had taken me about a month to respond to her letter but I eventually did and from then on we started to rebuild what was left of our friendship, which had been every little back then.
I did still love Bella and I cared for her but I came to accept that the both of us weren't meant to be. I was proud at myself about the fact that I could truly say that I was happy for Bella even though she wasn't my wife.
"Jake look!" Marissa suddenly called for my attention. "Look there that is my bike!" She pointed at the shiny black Yamaha in the showroom of a car dealership.
"Oh I so have to show you my baby," she gushed as she dragged poor Cooper into the shop like a rag doll.
"You will have a lot of making up to do." I murmured while narrowing my eyes at the sight of the both of them.
"He is counting on that." A small voice moaned beside me and when I looked at her I saw her face glow in a new red colour while she glared at the back of her husband's head.
I let out a belly laugh and we went over to a bench to sit down and wait until Marissa would finally have mercy on Cooper.
"What is this all about Jake?"
"What do you mean?" I asked still chuckling.
She looked at me with narrowed eyes and pursed her lips.
"You, Seth, Charlie, Sue and even Marissa you guys are up to something."
I gave her a confused look and shrugged my shoulders.
"And that would be?"
My voice had been even when I asked and my body language didn't betray anything either. I had become very good at lying and acting along the years.
Bella dropped her eyes from mine and sighed loudly.
"I don't know but I do know that something is up."
"Just because all of us are happy to see you again?" It wasn't completely a lie we were happy to see Bella again.
She didn't like to come to Forks. Too much reminded her of the one she couldn't have there, of what she thought she lost.
"It's just," she paused before her chest heaved and she exhaled loudly.
Before our fall out she would have no problem to speak her mind in my presence, especially to me but now she often paused and thought about her words before she let them leave her lips.
We became friends again but it was not the carefree friendship we had before though one thing didn't change at all I would still always be there to protect her if she needed me to. Just like now.
We all had successfully distracted her for that past two and a half days. Cooper and Charlie agreed on surprising Bella with us all being here so she had no idea what was waiting for her when Cooper took her out for breakfast.
Even though she had been happy about seeing Charlie, Sue, Seth and me again she had been also slightly put out about the surprise factor of that reunion.
Since then she hadn't had a minute to herself someone of us was always by her side making sure she was shielded from the knowledge of the Cullen's living in this town. At the decadent posh school where she had given a lecture the Lycan's and that crazy chick Tia had monitored her through the school day without a disaster happening.
Though why assigned students were responsible for guest lecturers at that posh school and not the teaching staff I would never understand.
It was all well until the gala dinner that was to take place in a few hours. The tiny pixie Vampire had seen that if Bella would show up there she would hear the name of the patriarch of the leeches.
I knew her well enough to know that once she had that trace she wouldn't let go of it until she found gold.
I couldn't let that happen if not for her own sake, she would only get hurt again seeing Edward and Anna together and now even engaged weeks away from their wedding, then at least for the sake of her children. Who knew in what condition she would be once she wasn't chasing a ghost anymore but met the real thing again.
Neither Charlie nor I liked what we would be doing to Bella in a few hours but it was for the best.
Marissa would slip purge into Bella's coffee when she would be helping her to get ready for the gala dinner and before Bella would be even ready the effect of the medicine would hit home. At least that was what Seth had told me.
She would be sick for a few hours but at least her life would still be happy and normal afterwards.
Suddenly I felt Bella's head on my shoulder as she leaned against me.
"I still think about him."
I tensed at her words. I knew the tone which she just had used very well. It was a tone reserved only for Anna's fiancé.
"But you are married to Cooper."
"And I love him and our children. I still have no idea how I got this lucky because I certainly don't deserve him."
"Bella," I groaned not liking it to hear how she was talking about herself.
"I am a bad person."
"You are not." At my words Bella straighten up and looked sharply at me.
"How can I not be? Part of my heart belongs to him," her words were suddenly losing their edge and her voice grew soft, "and it is the greater part."
I tried to come up with something to respond to what she said but words failed me in that moment while Bella leaned her head back against my shoulder.
"You are so warm." She murmured after some time passed.
"I know I'm hot." I chuckled she swatted my tight playfully.
"Whatever." She huffed and I put my arm around her.
Being together with her like this reminded me of the time we spent at First Beach. When everything was still alright and Vampires and Werewolves didn't exist in our word. I miss this time sometimes.
I couldn't help but to sight wistfully.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Our time back in Forks."
"The good old times," she agreed.
Silence settled between us again and I saw Cooper throw a pleading look through the display window of the car dealership that clearly screamed "Rescue me for the love of god, please rescue me.". Bella only giggled and waved at him. He scowled at her before Marissa demanded his full attention again.
"Are you happy Bella?" I didn't know where that question came from but I just needed to hear her say it.
She took her time to answer me but eventually did.
"I am. I can't imagine a life without my little ones in it and without Cooper….."
"But then why?"
"I know myself that this is irrational and probably self-destructive. As much as I want to see him again I'm also afraid of exactly this happing as crazy as it sound." She sighed and pulled away from me.
"If I were to ever see him again as much as I desire to I have no idea what would happen to my life then." She admitted while pain crossed her delicate features.
That expression she had showed me made me even more determinate to keep the location of the Cullen's a secret.
"It'll be fine." I assured her as I pulled her into a brief hug.
"Who is ready to go home?" I asked as noticed Cooper and Marissa leave the car dealership and closing the distance to where Bella and I were.
Cooper shot me a grateful look completely ignoring the fact that his wife was leaning against my body.
Marissa pouted at me obviously not ready to end her shopping trip but I shot her a look reminding her that we had a mission to accomplish. She sighed and nodded in surrender.
"Yeah, let's go back," Marissa recovered in record time skipping over to stand in front of a frightened looking Bella.
"I need to get you ready for the gala dinner. We are going to have so much fun. In High School I was the captain of the cheerleaders and we always had pyjama parties…." Marissa gushed away as she grabbed Bella's arm into a death grip and started to drag her off.
Bella's eyes went wide and she was pleading with her chocolate orbs to not to be left alone with the over exited ex-cheerleader.
"Enjoy your girl's time." Cooper laughed as he threw his wife to the wolves.
She glared at him before I received an equally sinister scowl. I was released from that dark look when Mia jerked her forward still gushing about her experiences of her High School life.
I kind of felt sorry for the guy who would be stuck with her forever but she did have her good side and definitely knew how to make up for her tiresome personality.
"Still alive?" I asked Cooper when I cranked my neck to look at him.
"Barely sane," he responded.
I nodded at him in understanding. We both walked next to each other after them. The awkward air was tense between us.
I had met Cooper a few times ever since he and Bells became an item and even though I had to admit that he was a great guy and loved Bella above everything I never came around to like him. Maybe the fact that he had Bella while I didn't prevented me from fully accepting him.
Such thinking was pointless really. I had moved on from that heartbreak years ago but my heart still lingered briefly on the hurt and couldn't help to lick it's wounds, as non existent as they were.
"Bella!" Sue called out once we entered the lobby of the hotel Bella and Cooper where staying in.
"Oh lord, I will have to beat the guys away with a stick once the both of them will be finished with you." Cooper moaned dramatically what earned him a glare from Bells while her cheeks flamed up.
"You have no idea," Sue chuckled and swatted his arm while Marissa gave me a thumbs up to signalise that they had everything under control.
Guilt washed briefly over me when I thought about what would happen when they got into Bella's room to Dress her. How I was betraying the woman who was my first love and considered me as her best friend.
I didn't like lying to Bella and even less I liked that I had to allow to poison her but it was for the best. The knowledge that this was the only way to ensure Bella's happiness and happy human life was the only reason why I went along with the Cullen's plan.
"While the ladies are going to play beauty salon how about we guy's enjoy ourselves in the sports bar?" I asked Cooper as Bella shot me an angry glare and then scowled at her husband for the same reason, leaving her in the hands of Sue and Marissa.
We went into the luxurious looking sports bar of the hotel and sat down on a very comfortable couch, enjoying a football game while sipping our beers. The bar was held in dark, male colours with everything in it what a men's heart desired.
I inhaled deeply and relaxed watching the New York Yets against the Buffalo Bills in the nearly empty tavern.
"Are you still in love with my wife?" Cooper asked all of the sudden causing me to nearly choke on the pull of beer I had just taken.
I whipped my head around to face him at his utter boldness but he wasn't looking at me instead his eyes were glued to the flat screen in front of us. The strange calm that ruled his body was slightly unnerving.
I mulled his question over in my head, thinking about how to best answer his question before deciding that the truth was the only answer I could give him.
"Partly I think I still am but I came to accept that we don't work together. As much as it sucks for me us being friends had always been our thing." I shrugged before I took another pull of my beer.
Cooper didn't respond to that at all for a very long while but eventually I felt him nod his head before he lifted his bottle to his mouth.
The ever present tension between us was swirling around us while we were just two guy's bounded together by circumstances of life, accepting each others existence.
"Is my beautiful wife ready?" Cooper asked Sue and Marissa as we entered their hotel suite.
"Yes," Marissa smiled at him.
"Where is she?" Cooper asked while his head whipped around in the search for Bells.
"She just went to the bathroom." Sue answered and Marissa winked at me.
"Well then I go and throw myself into the suit." He murmured before taking off into the bedroom.
"And?"
"Let me put it that way she is not going to leave the loo anytime soon," Marissa reported while her face was torn between guilt, sympathy and the urge to laugh.
"Are you OK again Bells?" Charlie asked his daughter as we were saying our goodbyes to Bella and Cooper.
She blushed furiously and nodded her head timidly.
"I blame it on the hot dog." She grumped with a ducked head and her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.
Cooper smile, slid his arm around her shoulders, pulled her into his body and placed a kiss against her temple.
"Good thing you married a Doctor." He chuckled.
"That was really heaven sent." Charlie agreed while Bella groaned pitifully and hid her red glowing face in her husband's chest while the rest of us chuckled at her expanses, in good humour of course.
"We should definitely consider to make it a tradition to meet up once a year like this and spend some time together. And next time you should bring the kids. We nearly never see you." Sue pointed out as Bella came out of her hiding and looked guilty at her stepmother.
"That sounds good," Bella smiled at her. A smile that reached her eyes thus told that she really considered that idea.
After hugs and partly tearful goodbyes, one could think the two of them were going off to war and not returning home, Bella and Cooper got into their cap and sped off to the air port.
"Mission accomplished." I called out to the leeches that were hiding in a back street near the hotel where Bells and her husband had been staying in.
Anna and Edward stepped out of the back street and the burn in my nose increased with each step he took closer to me.
"She isn't suspecting anything is she?" Charlie asked mildly concerned.
"No, she is completely unaware." Edward answered after greeting everyone.
"I thought you couldn't read her mind?" Marissa asked confused.
He chuckled.
"I can't but my brother is able to read her emotions."
"And a psychic? God it gotta suck to be a member of your family." Marissa shook her head in disapproval stepping away from him, hiding behind my back.
After she got to know that Edward could read her mind her fascination with Vampires died down pretty quickly though it did concern me that the fact that they were blood drinking predators didn't bother her but the fact that he could read minds did.
Women!
"That's it we are safe now right?"
"As long as she doesn't suddenly reappear somewhere we live." Anna shrugged wearing a wary smile on her lips.
"Since it is Bella we are talking about and given her track record for trouble….." Charlie trailed off and we all chuckled humorously before we all feel into a tense silence.
I took the time to really look at Anna. She looked different then the last time I had seen her, more like one of them. On the outside she was beautiful but I couldn't help but wonder if her inner beauty would remain when the transition was completed.
I felt Edward's eyes on me and saw that he pulled her closer to him while she was chatting with Sue and Charlie. He gave me a hard look as if chastising me for doubting her.
"Ahh…Jake there is something that I would like to address." Anna suddenly said.
"That'll be?"
"Have you met Bella's daughter Marli already?"
"No, why?" I asked confused.
Anna sighed and looked unsure at Edward who just shrugged at her before she returned her gaze at me.
"I'm not entirely sure. I could be wrong here." She warned making me really curious as to what she had to say and by the look of it I wasn't the only curious soul.
"It could be that Marli is your imprint but I'm not sure about it." She bit her bottom lip.
Charlie, Sue, Seth, Marissa and I looked dumbstruck at her.
"What?" Charlie pushed out after god knows how long.
"Like I said I'm not sure about it but there is a chance. I just wanted to warn you since you are planning on family meetings in the future…." She trailed off.
"If what Anna assumes is true a whole new set of trouble lies ahead of us." Edward murmured.
"No shit Sherlock!" Marissa snorted beside me in disbelieve.
I groaned if Marli really was my imprint then I had an adventurous future ahead of me to put it lightly.
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