At last, I was free of the Swan residence. Bella was finally showered, dressed, tucked in for the night and snoring under the influence of painkillers. Edward would be returning to her later tonight, but for now, he'd asked me to take a walk with him.

"Alice," Edward began solemnly as soon as we had entered the forest, "you know that you have always been my favorite sister."

"I do," I confirmed in like tones.

"And that I would trust you with my life as well as that of the girl I love," he added.

I knew exactly where he was going with this and he knew it. I had Seen the bare bones of this conversation while playing Crazy Eights with Bella in a Phoenix hospital. Edward had kept changing his mind about the particulars, but the outcome would be the same. I just wanted him to humble himself a little for the sake of love.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"Help," he admitted. "I want to take Bella to prom and I want everything to be perfect."

I nodded sympathetically, my lips pursed in concentration. "Understandably. The last time any of us went to prom was 1986 and only then because Rosalie was going to be elected Prom Queen. I wouldn't trust your taste in fashion."

"Well, yes," he said with a teasing smile, "but it's your taste in fashion that concerns me."

I clapped my hands in utter delight. In none of the previous versions of this had Edward given me control over her dress. I had sudden images of him spinning her effortlessly on the dance floor while a floor-length gown fluttered in the breeze.

"You want me to do you a favor and find her a dress?" I squealed.

"No, no, no."

He slung an arm affectionately over my shoulders and pulled me close.

"This is a thank-you present," he explained. "You're being very kind to help Bella and I can think of no more appropriate gift than to let you play dress-up with her."

I could think of a few–a perky little Citroen, for example–but this was the most thoughtful gift Edward had given me since he had found me a vintage Chanel dress for my anniversary.

"I accept," I assured him, "but on one condition."

His mouth turned up at one corner in that ridiculously goofy crooked smile that every girl seemed to swoon over. "And what's that?"

"She can't know what she's getting herself into," I informed him. "I want it to be our little secret."

The grin turned mischievous and I had a glimpse of Bella staring in awe and joy at a romantic candlelit dinner in Charlie's kitchen. It was followed by his plans for waltzing with her nearly suspended in his arms.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."