Final Author's Note: This was supposed to go up yesterday, but when the cable went out (stupid summer thunderstorms...) so did Ellie's internet connection.
Interestingly enough, I got a lot of questions about Curbstomping. It's not like a national event or anything, guys. It's just an occurrence in a fight (usually taking place on a street of sidewalk) where someone falls and is kicked or…stomped. Since battery is a felony, taking pictures of the 'crime scene' against the law. My friend was in New York at the time and was just so caught up, she said she didn't even realize she was taking pics until the police took her camera away as evidence. Relax, you weren't missing out on anything big. Watch a couple of episodes of Cops on SpikeTV and you'll be good to go. –winks-
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who managed to finish last chapter (I have it on good authority that it took about 20 minutes to read, lol). And thanks for sticking with me through my –fanfare- FIRST COMPLETED MULTI-CHAPTER FANFICTION!
-balloons fall- Hugs to everyone who has reviewed and encouraged me. But sadly, all good things must end. This chapter, you get to find out exactly how Edward knew about the Volvo. I was planning on leaving that to your imagination, but you guys deserved it, so here we go!
Without further ado, I present the final chapter of The Car.
Disclaimer: You know the drill: Stephanie Meyer pwns us all, 'cause she's the genius creator of the 'Twilight' universe.
Epilogue
Forks, Washington- Jan—Oh, honestly, does it even matter anymore?
The invoice for the tarp came. In the Cullens' mailbox no less. I've got to hand it to him, when Mike's determined, he's determined.I had completely forgetten all about that stupid tarp. Edward looked at me strangely, but agreed to pay for it. I, of course, insisted on reinbursing him, which only led to another argument.
"Please, Bella?"
"No way, Edward! I just bought a car, you know," I said crossing my arms and fighting very hard not to fall under the spell of his eyes. I was sitting on his lap in the cozy quiet of his room, agitated to no end. "I'm a little short on cash."
Edward merely rolled his eyes. "I know Alice bought it, Bella." He didn't even have to finish that thought; we both knew no average teenager (especially in Forks) could ever afford a car like that.
"Why won't you let me buy you a wedding gift?"
We'd been on this topic for two days now. Didn't he realize that I had everything I wanted right in front of me? I didn't need some flashy present to know that Edward loved me. "No! Look, I'm surprised the Cullen platinum card isn't on fire from the number of times we've used it this past week!" I sulked. "Why are we arguing anyway?"
"Hmm, I can think of a few things I'd rather be doing…" Edward grinned mischievously.
We were happily enjoying some of those things when Jasper barged in.
"Do you know how to knock, brother-dear?" Edward said irritably.
Jasper, however, didn't seem to mind the situation at all, since he only sat beside us and said, "I still can't figure it out, Bella."
He said I hadn't been doing the 'Isabella' thing since Edward came back, but I was no closer to solving the puzzle than he was. My mind, I knew, was closed off to the powers of most vampires. I like to think it's because I value my privacy so much. But as for my emotions…I pretty much wore my heart on my sleeve. I had everything I ever needed; why shouldn't I?
"Beats me," I responded, dragging my eyes back to Edward's stunning face. I grinned, knowing that forever and eternity he was all mine. And no further escapades of mine were going to change that.
"Make out later," Alice said dancing into the room to stand next to her boyfriend. "I want to know how come Bella's emotions just shut off like that."
"They don't shut off," Jasper pointed out. "I just can't get a read on her."
"Are you throwing a party without me?" Emmett asked, strolling in and holding Rosalie's hand. "What are we all doing up here anyway?"
Edward grumbled, "That's what I'd like to know." I pecked his cheek affectionately and said, "Having a deep and meaningful conversation, of course, Em. What else?"
Emmett plopped on the arm of Edward's sofa. (Edward growled softly at this). "Wouldn't surprise me after everything else that happened this week. If you want to take a breather from the whole adventure thing, Bella—" He paused to sigh dramatically, "—I wouldn't mind."
"Could you all leave, please?" Edward asked, sounding anything but polite. "I'd like some time with my fiancée, if you don't mind."
"You have forever," Rosalie said impatiently. "I'm curious."
I thought I heard Edward mutter, 'Of course you are'. I think he'd been a bit bewildered by how quickly Rosalie and I had become friends. Rosalie had only offered the explanation that we were going to be sisters soon and she might as well make an effort. Her flippant words were punctuated by a dazzling smile in my direction, which I returned, much to Edward's confusion.
"Might I make a suggestion?" Carlisle queried, entering the room just after Esme. (Edward groaned, 'I can't even have her to myself for two minutes'). "When did you feel that you couldn't sense Bella's emotions anymore, Jasper?"
Jasper paused to think. "Well, the first time was when Rosalie and Alice had tracked Bella down and she was sitting in the living room with us. Then, after Bella woke up when that mechanic had repainted Edward's car. And then just before they left for Seattle."
Carlisle stared hard at the floor for a few seconds. "Bella, can you think of what emotion you were feeling at any one of those times?"
I blushed as every eye turned to look at me. "Well, there were a bunch, really…" Carlisle made a move for me to continue. "Um, when Rose and Alice picked me up from Angela's I was slightly upset that they had found me after all my hard work…"
Edward didn't look too pleased at this. "Anything could have happened to you, Bella! What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't. But then you called and I felt guilty for disappointing you and them, and worried about the car and your reaction, and angry that they wouldn't just let me do it my way, and sad because they were mad at me, and…" I trailed off. It had gotten to be too much, I realized, in every situation. I felt my emotions about to swallow me whole.
"I have a theory," Carlisle said, rubbing his chin. "Bella is, as we know, far more mature than the average teenager in her mind. Perhaps this is true for her emotions as well. When her emotions get to be too much, I think, as a kind of defensive mechanism, she blocks Jasper's power."
I shook my head. "But I wasn't even thinking about Jasper when I was feeling that!"
"Subconsciously, Bella," Esme clarified.
"You don't try to block me out, do you?" Edward asked from beneath me.
They were right. I must have unknowingly exuded my need for privacy by disengaging Jasper's ability. Oops.
"So, as long as we keep Bella happy, she doesn't go into that defensive mode?" Emmett wondered.
When Carlisle nodded, Edward kissed my forehead. "Sounds good to me."
Esme could work wonders. She had managed to throw Edward and I an impromptu engagement party that same day, complete with decorations, food (for me), and music.
Edward's hands flew over the keys of his piano in a lively dance tune I didn't recognize. Alice and Jasper were twirling in a lightning-paced foxtrot that made my eyes cross trying to follow them.
"I'll remember this moment," I said from beside Edward on the piano bench. "When I change, I promise I won't lose it."
Edward smiled lovingly at me. "I won't let you forget, beautiful."
We'd compromised on the wedding gift.
"Do you think it's alright?" I asked nervously. I wasn't at all sure it was appropriate. It was a golden box (the exact color of the Cullens' eyes) wrapped with a brown bow. Edward had agreed to let me get them all something for putting up with me during my psychotic stage.
"Yes, Bella. It's coming from you, so even if they didn't like it, they'd say they did," Edward said.
"Well, gee, I sure am convinced now," I commented sarcastically.
Edward sighed. "I meant to say that since it's coming from you, they're going to love it." He stilled his hands and asked for everyone's attention.
"Yes, Edward, Bella?" Carlisle asked, acknowledging us both.
"Um…I, um, wanted to thank you all…for everything you've done for me this past week." I held the box in trembling hands. "Alice, would you like to unwrap it?"
Alice came forward obligingly, shaking the box a little. "I guess a yellow Porsche wouldn't fit in here, would it?" She smiled fetchingly at Edward. "You still owe me one, big brother."
Delicately, as though what she found inside might be fragile, Alice peeled away the wrapping paper. When she revealed what was inside, she sighed, "Oh, Bella."
Did she hate it? I knew I should have gone with something more…I don't know, flashy. But I would have thought the Cullens would appreciate a little simplicity. In the box was a black-and-white photo of all of us after Edward had returned from Italy. I'd set the timer on my camera and we had all stood together, each one of us beaming at the camera. Or…at least that was the way it was supposed to have been.
Just before the picture was taken, a stray bee had zoomed in, startling me. I had batted my hands, trying to scare it off, which had all of the Cullens trying to figure out why I was acting so strangely. We'd all landed in a heap, laughing until it hurt when the picture snapped. There, in the gold frame, was the photo of us piled on top of one another, chuckling happily.
It was my favorite picture. I'd thought they would enjoy it, too.
"I'm sorry," I said uselessly. "It…I just thought…"
Esme rocketed forward to embrace me. "I love it! Oh, Bella, can we keep it here?"
I nodded, still stunned. "Yes, I have another copy in my room."
Carlisle came forward after his wife, touching my shoulder. "You've always been my daughter, Bella. I'm glad to make it official." Joyful tears sprung to my eyes as I kissed his cheek.
Jasper grinned at me. "Did you think we wouldn't like it, Rabbit?" I smiled at our inside joke as I was kissed. "It's wonderful, Bella. Thank you."
Emmett just winked at me. "This is my favorite picture of you, Bella. You look so happy."
Alice and Rosalie came next. I had something different prepared for them. "Nothing," I said, "will ever make what I did okay, but I'm sorry. I was stupid enough to think Edward would be upset. I really hope you can forgive me."
They looked at each other, then back at me. Their faces were unreadable and I held my breath apprehensively. "We love the gift, Bella," Alice finally said beaming.
"We're even," Rosalie added, smiling deviously. I really didn't want to know. I accepted their hugs gratefully as relief filled me.
"Told you," Edward whispered in my ear.
Later, everything had calmed down and we were all sitting in the living room, enjoying the light from the fire. Everything was perfect.
Everything except…
"Edward, you said you knew it wasn't your Volvo. How?"
For whatever reason, Alice and Rosalie grinned at each other. Edward took my hand and pressed it to his lips. "Come with me." He led me to the driveway where the wanna-be Volvo sat bathed in the moonlight.
"Bella—"
"I love you. So much." I laughed in delight. "I was going spare from not saying it for so long."
Edward held me, rocking us to a lullaby only we could hear. "My angel, I love you, too. Forever." His chin rested on my head and nothing else in the world could compare to how I was feeling. I was on a cloud and I never wanted to come back down.
Yes, the wolves, the treaty, the Cullens, and Victoria were in my mind, still. But at the forefront, now and for the rest of eternity, was my boyfriend—no, I thought with a smile, my fiancé.
Edward stopped our gentle swaying to pull a small gleaming object from his pocket.
"Edward…?"
"I didn't have the chance to give it to you before tonight. To be honest, I was too excited," he said.
It was gorgeous. Two pear-cut topazes sat together in a heart-shaped silver setting. It was discreet but absolutely lovely. He knew me so well.
Edward looked at me with…was that nervousness I saw in his face? "Aren't you going to put it on?" he asked.
"No," I said simply. His face fell. "I want you to put it on me."
He was only too happy to oblige. Then his lips brushed mine with an intensity I had never before experienced.
I loved it.
Edward pulled away with a grin. "To answer your earlier question…" He pointed to a small white sheet of paper taped inside the window of the backseat. But how could I have missed it? How…
I was so going to kill Rosalie and Alice.
"Next time, Silly Bella…" His smile made my heart flutter. "Don't forget to take off the price tag."
The End