You were about to do something really stupid. Trust me on that. Alice explained.

A hard laugh came from my left. "Not a chance." Emmett smirked. "Now calm down. What would Bella think?" He looked at me in mock horror.

I looked away.

It was so odd to feel this infuriated over something as small as a dance. His hands were gripping her on her waist. I wanted to grip him around his throat. I wanted him so far away from her that the wish was a strong flavor on my tongue. I was automatically sorting through the range of tortures I would bring upon him.

"Jeez, Edward. Calm down," Emmett muttered, his hand on my shoulder - restraining me. My face in his mind was showing nothing but a murderous glare.

I settled on eavesdropping. Emmett leaned against the wall beside me.

"Wow, Jake, how tall are you now?" Bella looked up at Jacobs towering frame.

I growled and Emmett patted my shoulder in understanding. I deal with this kind of stuff all the time, he thought to himself. What's the big deal?

"Six-two." Jacob's thoughts were smug. In the past months he had grown several inches in height, something he was very proud of.

I watched as they swayed on the spot, not really dancing due to Bella's casted foot.

"So, how did you end up here tonight?" she questioned, but her tone was absent of curiosity, like she already knew.

Just tell her, just get it over with. He swallowed hard. If I blame it on my dad, she can't really get mad at me, can she? He frowned."Can you believe my dad paid me twenty bucks to come to your prom?" He confessed. That was easy enough, now the hard part.

"Yes, I can," Bella muttered. "Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, at least. Seen anything you like?" she nodded to a group of girls lined up against the wall, waiting and willing for their knight and shining armor.

Her hint to him sent me a little bit of relief. He was just a friend. Nothing more.

"Yeah," he sighed. You! "But she's taken."

He glanced down at Bella's face.

Bella looked away, blush rising in her porcelain cheeks.

Dammit! She knows I meant her. You idiot!

"You look really pretty, by the way," he added apprehensively. Oh crap! Did that just come out of my mouth? How embarrassing. He hung his head slightly.

Pretty? She is much more than that! Angelic, maybe. Exquisite, yes. But pretty? Idiot.

"Um, thanks." Bella's forehead creased. "So why did Billy pay you to come here?"

It didn't go without notice, her lack of compliments back to him. Jacob noticed, I noticed...

"Burn!" Emmett bellowed.

Emmett noticed. I had almost forgotten he was standing beside me; I was so intent on listening into their conversation.

Forget it. I can't do this. Jacob argued in his mind. Master cylinder...master cylinder, he chanted over and over.

The look of discomfort on his face pleased me.

Get it over with... he grimaced.

"He said it was a 'safe' place to talk to you. I swear the old man is losing his mind."

His humorless chuckle was joined with a weak laugh from Bella.

"Is he going to say what I think he's going to say?" Emmett guffawed loudly.

I nodded.

"No way!" he continued to chuckle. "Human's are so hilarious! You sure know how to pick the good ones," Emmett chuckled in amusement.

"Anyway," Jacob continued. "He said that if I told you something, he would get me that master cylinder I need," he confessed with a sheepish grin. Master cylinder...you can do this. Master cylinder.

"Tell me, then. I want you to get your car finished." Bella grinned back.

There was a faint irritation close by. A young girl, only fifteen, screaming her fantasies at me through her thoughts, my name and face intertwined with them. Only if she knew what it would mean for my lips to be that close to her skin. It wouldn't be a kiss she would receive.

I pushed her thoughts from me. I had no time to deal with it.

Here goes nothing. Jacob exhaled heavily. Just set it up so you are in the clear. This isn't your fault...you were sent by your insane father. She'll understand....right?

"Don't get mad, okay?" Jacob stared down at Bella intently.

"There's no way I'll be mad at you, Jacob," she encouraged him. "I won't even be mad at Billy. Just say what you have to."

I didn't deserve to have someone like Bella. She was forgiving, sweet and kind. She had even forgiven me for nearly taking her life.

Danger magnet.

"Well -- this is so stupid, I'm sorry, Bella --" just spit it out "-- he wants you to break up with your boyfriend. He asked me to tell you 'please.'" Jacob shook his head back and forth.

I can't believe I just said that.

A burst of laughter came from Emmett. "He said it. I can't believe he actually said it."

"Pay up!" Jasper held out his hand....and I wasn't even here when the wolves were around. He grinned.

I hadn't even noticed that he was there until right now, let alone hear them making bet's over the conversation. I tuned out Jasper and Emmett's exchange.

"He's still superstitious, eh?" Bella pulled me back into the conversation. Her brush off was surely just pity. She was kind. That was all.

That's it? She's not going to get mad...or hit me? What a relief!

"Yeah. He was... kind of over the top when you got hurt down in Phoenix. He didn't believe..." He believed you were attacked by Edward, he finished in thought.

Finally, I saw the first signs of Bella's irritation as her eyes narrowed. "I fell," she infused with a little bit of steel in her voice.

She's mad. Oh crap.

"I know that," Jacob said quickly.

"He thinks Edward had something to do with me getting hurt," Bella said tersely, stating it as a fact, not a question.

Bad idea...really, really bad idea. Master cylinder? What?

They stopped swaying; Jacob's eyes looking away, Bella's eyes alight with fury. It was surprisingly strange to see her be protective over me. It was...nice, even though her anger was quite comical.

"Look, Jacob," Bella began. "I know Billy probably won't believe this, but just so you know" -- Jacob looked up, his thoughts scattering wildly trying to find a way to patch up their little tiff -- "Edward really did save my life. If it weren't for Edward and his father, I'd be dead."

She forgot to add that if it weren't for us, we wouldn't have had to save her in the first place.

"I know," Jacob claimed. I tried to tell him...I'm an idiot for letting him convince me to do this.

"Hey, I'm sorry you had to come do this, Jacob," Bella apologized. "At any rate, you get your parts, right?"

Forgiveness was her virtue. There was no other meaning behind her words. I don't even think she knows how to hold a grudge.

"Yeah," he muttered.

Maybe you could just leave off the last part, he thought. I mean, she got the gist of what he wanted her to know....right?

He frowned.

"There's more?" Bella asked in disbelief, reading his face.

Jacob's mouth twisted down further. Why did she have to be so perceptive?

"Forget it," he mumbled, "I'll get a job and save the money myself."...bye, bye, master cylinder, his thoughts were chagrined.

Bella's cheeks turned red again, but this time in pure anger and not embarrassment.

"Just spit it out, Jacob," she hissed.

"It's so bad." He grimaced.

"I don't care. Tell me," she insisted.

I can't believe she is going to make me say this.

"Okay... but, geez, this sounds bad." He shook his head. "He said to tell you, no, to warn you, that -- and this is his plural, not mine" -- he lifted one hand and made little quotations marks in the air -- '"We'll be watching.'"

Please don't scream.

He cringed in anticipation.

I growled at Billy's words.

Bella's response took us both off guard. She stared at him for a second and then laughed loudly.

"Sorry you had to do this, Jake." she continued to snicker.

"I don't mind that much."

Shew. He breathed a sigh of relief. Now that that is over with... He grinned....maybe I could enjoy a dance with her. His eyes roamed over her body appreciatively. I really like how her dress falls just right on her body. She has amazing curves.

Emmett grabbed my arm when he saw Jacob's eyes undressing Bella. I leaned against the wall again, angry I had to stand through this torture.

"So," Jacob smiled. "Should I tell him you said to butt the hell out?" he asked hopefully. It would serve him right, mad old man!

"No," she exhaled. "Tell him I said thanks. I know he means well."

Gradually the song dissipated and morphed into another song. Bella instantly dropped her arms. It pleased me to see that she didn't want to continue their awkward dance. Jacob, on the other hand, was thoroughly displeased.

I made my way through the crowd.

But...I... His hands hesitated on her waist and his gaze turned toward her casted leg. Well, I can't just leave her here like this, he told himself.

"Do you want to dance again? Or can I help you get somewhere?" he asked uncertainly.

"That's all right, Jacob. I'll take it from here." I glared at him.

Gah! Jacob jumped slightly, and stared wide-eyed at me in surprise.

"Hey, I didn't see you there," he mumbled. "I guess I'll see you around, Bella." He stepped back, waving halfheartedly.

...bad timing.

Bella grinned at him. "Yeah, I'll see you later."

She was just being courteous. It was only in her nature.

"Sorry," he said again before he turned for the door....what a freak.

As the next song's melody began weaving its way through the crowd I pulled Bella back into my arms. She instantly warmed my body. The music was awful, so I played my own tune in my head, dancing to it instead.

Bella's eyes roamed over my face happily before she leaned her head against my chest. I tightened my arms around her and she sighed, content.

"Feeling better?" she teased.

"Not really," I said through my teeth.

"Don't be mad at Billy," she sighed, her hot breath seeping through my clothes, down to my skin. "He just worries about me for Charlie's sake. It's nothing personal."

She had it all wrong.

"I'm not mad at Billy," I revised in a curt voice. "But his son is irritating me."

Her head left my chest then. Our eyes met and the intensity of her gaze gave me the impression she was trying to read my mind.

"Why?" Her eyes grew tight in suspicion.

"First of all, he made me break my promise."

Her eyebrows crunched up in confusion. The look of perplexity made my lips twitch up.

"I promised I wouldn't let go of you tonight." I explained.

"Oh. Well, I forgive you."

"Thanks. But there's something else." I frowned. "He called you pretty," my previous anger began bubbling to the surface. "That's practically an insult, the way you look right now. You're much more than beautiful."

She giggled. "You might be a little biased."

"I don't think that's it. Besides, I have excellent eyesight."

I lifted her up, bringing her close to my chest. We continued our dancing. Her hair moved slightly with our breeze. Waves of freesia floated in the air around us.

"So are you going to explain the reason for all of this?"

What did she mean by that? Her eyes lifted to the crepe paper and her lips pursed. I understood. I decided it was time to move our conversation to a less populated place. Twirling the opposite direction we spun gracefully through the crowd toward the back door.

I wish Mike could dance like that... Jessica waved at Bella as we flew by, her eyes green with jealousy. Where are they going? Bella smiled at her. Angela was in Ben Cheney's arms, enjoying my gift to her. She deserved happiness.

Finally, we were away from all the stares and eavesdroppers. The sun was beginning to dissipate below the horizon, the sky a brilliant color of pink and orange.

Her elegant features were glowing in the coppery color of the sun. Without effort I swept her off her feet. There was a bench under two madrone trees and I walked over and sat down, Bella's delicate arms wrapped around my neck. I held her closer, never wanting this moment to end.

It doesn't have to end. We could have each other for eternity. I banished that thought immediately. The moon was already up, visible through the gauzy clouds. I looked up, wishing the sun wouldn't fade to night.

"The point?" Bella prompted softly.

"Twilight, again," I whispered. "Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end."

"Some things don't have to end," she muttered through her teeth.

I sighed. I knew what she was thinking...what she wanted. But I couldn't give it to her. It was best to just ignore her train of thought.

"I brought you to the prom," I said slowly, "because I don't want you to miss anything. I don't want my presence to take anything away from you, if I can help it. I want you to be human. I want your life to continue as it would have if I'd died in nineteen-eighteen like I should have."

She trembled slightly before she shook her head angrily. "In what strange parallel dimension would I ever have gone to prom of my own free will? If you weren't a thousand times stronger than me, I would never have let you get away with this."

My lips curved into a half-smile at her kittenish anger. "It wasn't so bad, you said so yourself."

"That's because I was with you."

I gazed absently back up at the moon. Prom...it was the only formal occasion that I could think of this evening. Did she think we were leaving the city? I was curious now.

"Will you tell me something?" I asked, glancing down at her in amusement.

"Don't I always?"

"Just promise you'll tell me," I insisted, grinning.

"Fine." She was suspicious.

"You seemed honestly surprised when you figured out that I was taking you here," I began.

"I was," she interjected.

"Exactly," I agreed. "But you must have had some other theory... I'm curious -- what did you think I was dressing you up for?"

Her lips pursed, a slight pucker forming between her brows. "I don't want to tell you."

"You promised," I reminded her.

"I know."

"What's the problem?" This should be good. Her cheeks were red, the blush filling the air with her silky aroma.

"I think it will make you mad -- or sad."

Her words held some meaning, yet I couldn't grasp it. My eyebrows pulled together as I speculated the subtlety of her words. It was moments like these I wished I could read her mind.

"I still want to know. Please?"

She sighed. I waited expectantly for her answer.

"Well... I assumed it was some kind of... occasion. But I didn't think it would be some trite human thing... prom!" she sneered.

The meaning was slowly surfacing.

"Human?" I asked flatly.

Suddenly, her blush deepened to a scarlet red and she looked down, her fingers lightly tugging a piece of chiffon.

I waited in silence. She would tell me, I just had to be patient.

"Okay," her shoulders slumped as her breath rushed out. "So I was hoping that you might have changed your mind... that you were going to change me, after all."

The mingled fury and alarm was present on my face. We had this conversation already. I wasn't going to change her. I refused.

First, I was furious. Absolutely irate that she would even think I would take her soul. What did she think me capable of? Second, her blood, beyond delicious, would never be a strong enough siren call to make me...change her. What if I tried and I wasn't able to stop? What if I did change her and she forever hated me? Isabella Swan, forever stalking the night for all time, never aging, never changing... soulless. Many emotions filled my head and ran down my veins.

Her words replayed in my mind. I assumed it would be some kind of...occasion. Was she joking? She had to be, she couldn't be serious.

"You thought that would be a black tie occasion, did you?" I teased, touching the lapel of my James Bond tux in amusement.

She frowned. "I don't know how these things work. To me, at least, it seems more rational than prom does."

Yes. I wanted to say. Because what you wear will really matter when you're burning. I continued to grin at her, despite the image in my head. "It's not funny," her frown deepened.

"No, you're right, it's not," I agreed, my smile fading. "I'd rather treat it like a joke, though, than believe you're serious."

"But I am serious."

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I let out a deep sigh. Could this really be what she wanted? "I know. And you're really that willing?"

She bit her delicate lip and nodded.

"So ready for this to be the end," I muttered to myself, "for this to be the twilight of your life, though your life has barely started. You're ready to give up everything."

"It's not the end, it's the beginning," she disagreed in a whisper of her warm breath.

"I'm not worth it," I said sadly.

"Do you remember when you told me that I didn't see myself very clearly?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "You obviously have the same blindness."

"I know what I am." I stated. A monster.

She sighed.

A course of action had just occurred to me.

"You're ready now, then?" I asked, my eyes probing hers.

"Um." she gulped. "Yes?" It was a question.

I smiled at my plan before moving my lips over her soft skin. I breathed softly at the corner of her jaw, letting the flavor burn down my throat.

"Right now?" I whispered, moving my lips down her neck. She trembled under my touch. I wanted to bring our lips together fiercely, but I resisted.

"Yes," she whispered.

Her breathing began to pick up, her heart pounding out a jagged rhythm. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her hands balled up into tight fists. She showed all the signs of distress, yet she didn't move.

I chuckled darkly, and leaned away. I was disappointed by her actions. She didn't take any action for self preservation. I was her guardian vampire, though. My protection included keeping her human.

"You can't really believe that I would give in so easily," I said with a sour edge to my mocking tone. It was with great effort that I didn't yell at her for making it so easy.

"A girl can dream."

What! I screamed in my head. My eyebrows rose. "Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?"

"Not exactly," her lips turned down. "Mostly I dream about being with you forever." There was a sad ache in her voice.

Instantly I understood. Our dreams, per say, were the same. All I wanted was to be with her forever, but for her to wish for this soulless existence to be with me was absurd. It shouldn't be allowed. In that moment I was decided. Leaving wasn't an option. I needed her, and she needed me, too. All previous thoughts of leaving her to her human life, her future, disappeared, like someone popped a balloon.

"Bella." My fingers lightly traced the shape of her lips. "I will stay with you -- isn't that enough?"

She smiled gently under my fingertips. "Enough for now."

I frowned. For now, I scoffed. She was determined, but I wasn't going to concede to her wishes. I exhaled a low thundery growl.

She touched my face. "Look," she breathed. "I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn't that enough?"

Me, too.

"Yes, it is enough," I answered, smiling. "Enough for forever."

I leaned down to press my cold lips once more to her throat.

The End.