There and Back

Jacob looked so tired as I was driving but he refused to go to sleep. Finally, I surrendered the driver’s seat to Tony and sat in the back with Jake. He held me close in his arms and soon we were both sound asleep.
There was a slight glow coming into the tinted windows and I heard a murmur of voices. My brain was still pretty shut down so I didn't even open my eyes to show I was awake. "Thank you for taking care of her. " That was Jacob.
"It's no problem. She deserves it." And that was Tony. Wait, rewind and freeze. Tony and Jake were having a totally civilized conversation? So how many times has hell frozen over now?
"Why did you do it, though?" There was suspicion in Jacob's voice.
Tony was absolutely silent. "You might want to wake her. We're entering Paris and she might want to see the Eiffel Tower."
"Liz, sweetie, wake up," Jake muttered, gently shaking me. "You've got to see this."
I yawned and stretched as my sleepy eyes opened. "Hm? Oh wow! It's gorgeous." I was suddenly wide awake. The city lights shone and the Tower glowed bright gold. The water danced and shimmered from the reflection. It was the most beautiful and romantic sight I'd ever seen. And to make it all better, I was snuggled next to Jacob in the backseat.
"Like it?" Jacob smiled warmly.
"Love it! Wow, Jake, it's amazing." Wow, I was turning into one of those girls that swoon at the sight of pretty things and the hot guy they like- aka, Jacob. Oh, well, I deserved it, right?
We followed the Ascari into an expensive, elegant hotel whose name I couldn't pronounce. "Wow, no one killed each other," Emmett commented as we got out of the Solstice.
"Oh, shut up. I just want to get upstairs and take a nice long shower." I seriously needed a wash. My hair was beyond gross and I smelled like an Italian bar and garbage. It was totally disgusting.
"I'll say," Emmett teased. "You don't even smell good enough to eat anymore."
Jacob growled, earing the attention of the pimple-faced French bellhop. "Good."
I smiled at him and he stopped shaking. "It's fine, Jakey. He's right. I'm pretty nasty."
He pulled me into his arms. "I still think you're the most perfect person ever."
"Aw, that's sweet. What did you do wrong that you need to earn brownie points?" I joked. He smiled and kissed my greasy hair.
I entered the room Alice pointed to with every intention of getting right under the warm water. Instead, I was tackled by three figures. I felt like a sandwiched Goldielocks: one was too hot, the other was too cold, and the last was just right. Leah, Rosalie, and Bella were dog piled on top of me.
"Thank god!"
"We've missed you so much!"
"I'm so sorry!"
They were all talking at once so I only got tid-bits of what each girl was saying. "Guys... can't... breath. Need... air. GETOFF!" All three gave me one more squeeze and backed off. I looked between the vampire, werewolf, and my twin awestruck.
"M'kay, there's no frickin way I was gone long enough for you three to become BFF's. What happened that brought this on?"
Bella gave me an "are you serious?" look. “What the hell do you think happened, Lizzy?” she scoffed. I shrugged absently and made my way to the bathroom before any of them could stop me.
The five of us girls had a giant sweet to ourselves. Once I was refreshed from my bath and in the fluffy white hotel robe, we sat on the beds and fold out couch to talk. "So where's Emma? Is she okay?"
"She's back in New York with her aunt and uncle," Bella answered. "Embry stayed with her and I think they’re coming on the plane with us from there to Forks."
“Emma’s coming back to Forks?”
Leah nodded and rolled her eyes a little. “Yeah, she talked it over with her uncle and Em’s going to transfer to La Push high and live with our family. The pack though it’d be good to have Embry’s imprint close by and her uncle liked the influence we were all having on her.”
"Onto more important things. C'mon, Liz, we all want to hear about how you got out," Rose pressed.
"I'm a genius, that's how I got away."
"We're serious. Give us all the dirty details," Alice pried.
"There's really no story. I tricked bitchy old Jane and got her to take me into the city. They don't have an awesome Alice and didn't see me slip away. End of story."
"Oh, and Jake was so ready to be your knight in shining armor."
"Well, Leah, this Cinderella doesn't need a prince on a white horse. Any more questions?"
"Nope. Tomorrow is our shopping day."
We all groaned. "Alice, do we have to? I just got back with you all and you're not going to ruin my mood.
"Fine," she pouted.
I fell into the most dreamless, peaceful sleep I've had in a long time.
"LIZZY!" Emma screamed when we landed at the airport in New York City. "I've been so worried about you. It's so good to have you back."
I hugged her tightly. Jacob was right behind me acting as my shadow. "It's good to be back. I've missed you guys too."
"Oh my god. Liz, I'm never drinking again. I'm completely giving up alcohol at least until I'm 21 and legally allowed to drink it."
I stared at her shocked. "No shit? There's no frickin way you can pull that off."
I glanced at Embry. "So far so good." He smiled lovingly at her.
"Well, good for you. Me, however, I need my booze so I'm gonna keep on having fun."
Jacob frowned at me. I kissed him quickly and his lips turned up at the corners. "I'll just have to keep an eye on you," he whispered.
"Mm. I'm counting on it."
Miley Cyrus' 'Party in the USA' was playing over the speakers. Normally, I seriously hate her and that song, but I was just so glad to be home that I was actually singing along. Ah, it's good to be home.