Midnight (Twilight Fan Fic)

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

A few days later I was playing the piano with Ness when Alice danced in, too excited. She was thinking about her and Jaspers wedding and smiled sweetly when I stopped playing.

“Yes Alice?”

“It was Ness I was after,” She told me, “I wanted to ask her something.”

Ness sat up straighter and smiled, “Ask away.”

“Will you be my maid of honour?” Alice rushed out, Ness squealed and hugged her aunt, “Of course!” 

I laughed as the two spun around on the spot, chattering about dresses and flowers — Alice had definitely had too much of a fashion influence on Ness. My sister suddenly turned to me, “And you’re doing the music!”

I smiled and shook my head, “Of course I am, the only wedding in our family that I haven’t played music for was my own!”

“Want to go shopping?” Alice asked Ness, completely ignoring my statement.

Ness nodded and the two ran off as I turned back to my music. 

A few minutes later Esme came in and sat next to me on the bench, she rested her head on my shoulder and smiled softly.

It’s like you were never gone.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed as my hands came to a rest on the keys, “I keep saying I won’t go away again and …” I shrugged, she knew what I was implying. 

“It couldn’t be helped,” Esme smiled to me as she took my hand, “You always come back, that’s what matters.”

I lifted my arm around her shoulder and hugged her tightly, “I’m sorry for all the stress I put you all through,”

She rested her head against my shoulder, “You didn’t mean for it to happen.”

I chuckled softly and rested my head against hers, thinking about her fall out with Carlisle when the hurricane had hit, “You and Carlisle have never fallen out, not once,” I pulled back to look down to her face, my voice turned soft, “Not until I made you.”

Stop blaming yourself. Carlisle’s thoughts came from his study, It was my fault. 

I rolled my eyes and sighed, Esme looked up and frowned, What is it? 

“What exactly was the argument about?” I murmured.

Esme was quiet for a moment before thinking back to the weekend the pair of them had gone away, showing me every little detail — from meeting her human husband at their son’s grave, to Carlisle storming out of their hotel room.

It was both of us, the stress of it all got to us both and we didn’t know how to deal with it. So we took it all out on each other. 

Carlisle had come to the door and was watching us, “And before you say anything, son, it wasn’t your fault.”

I looked up to him and shook my head, there was no arguing with the pair of them. Of course there wasn’t, they were the parents.

Esme stood up and walked over to Carlisle, Play for us? She requested. I nodded and turned to the piano, letting my fingers roam the keys as the couple swayed together in the limited space. Bella came up with Jake and was about to ask something when she heard the music. I smiled as Jake offered Bella his hand to dance, she laughed and took it, spinning around in his arms. I never thought I’d say it, but I was glad things had worked out the way they had — that Bella could still have her best friend in her life despite previous disagreements between us all. 

Of course I was sad Ness had grown up so quickly, but I wouldn’t want her to be with anyone else. I had seen in both Jake’s and Bella’s thoughts what he had done for her those months that I had been gone and I knew he would do anything for either of them. 

I finished the song and turned to face the four of them, Bella smiled to me, “We were looking for Ness?”

I nodded to the door, “Alice took her shopping,”

Esme laughed, “I think Ness is the only one that doesn’t mind these endless shopping trips!”

“Well, you won’t hear me complaining!” Bella shook her head. 

We all laughed as the phone rang, Esme went to answer it while Jake and Carlisle wondered off, leaving Bella and I alone. 

I rested my hands on her hips and ran my nose along her jaw, she still smelled so sweet, “How about we head out to the cottage for some us time?”

Bella smiled and sighed, “That sounds good.”

I took her hand and we turned to run to our cottage.

*

Bella pulled away from my kiss, we’d been at the cottage for a few hours now, Ness could be back by now and was probably missing us. I didn’t need to be able to read Bella’s mind to know she was thinking the same thing. With a sigh I pulled her back for one last peck on the lips, “I’m sorry I’ve not been here,” I murmured to her.

“It’s fine,” She smiled, “You’re back now.”

We both got up and dressed, quickly getting sidetracked by each other as we did so.

Running back to the house I frowned as I heard Jake and Ness’ thoughts, they were both hiding something from me by singing nursery rhymes. I walked in to the lounge with Bella who was also frowning.

Everyone was sat in the lounge, “What is it?” Bella asked instantly.

Jake’s head snapped up, Ness was holding his hand tightly and sending him soothing thoughts. His mouth opened and closed before he closed his eyes, “Billy’s seriously sick,”

I watched his thoughts, Sue had been on the phone earlier and had told Jake that Billy was in hospital with pneumonia. Things weren’t looking good for him. Jake was hopeful though, that was what he needed, hope. I knew that from experience.

He looked to me, “When Billy gets out of hospital he’ll need a few weeks of bed rest, Charlie and Sue were planning on going away and everyone else has to work,” He looked to Ness, “I need to go and look after him for a few weeks.”

I sighed and looked to Ness as she thought to me, Please dad?

I knew what she was asking, they wanted to go together. Of course they did. I looked down to Bella, she dropped her shield, They’re adults, we can’t keep them under our wing forever. 

I nodded to her sadly, it was too soon though, Ness was too young. Bella squeezed my hand, Why don’t we give them the key to the cottage?

I smiled a little and nodded, dashing upstairs to Bella’s jewellery box and taking the key before running back downstairs. 

If you let her come, I swear to look after her! Jake told me as I joined everyone again. I sighed and held out the key in my hand, “If you’re going to Forks, you’ll need somewhere to stay,” I hesitated to add on the end, “Together.”

Ness’ face lit up as she jumped in to my arms, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

I smiled and kissed her hair, “Just promise to be careful love?”

She nodded and pulled back to hug her mom. Carlisle stood up, I’m going with them, Alice had the idea of using makeup to make me look older so I can go to the hospital to make sure they’re doing everything possible. 

I nodded my okay to him before asking the next question that I dreaded the answer to, “When are you leaving?”

Ness pulled back from Bella and bit her lip, “As soon as possible.”