“Ouch.” Emmett applauded my comeback from 10 yards away where an apparent audience had gathered. “I’m sure I could stuff your head anywhere you want once I have successfully torn it from your body.” Tanya spat.

Edward jumped out of the window and landed beside me.

“Awe, how nice. Your husband is coming to your rescue.” She scoffed mockingly.

“No.” Edward corrected her calmly. “She is more than capable of asserting herself. I was merely aiming to welcome her back, seeing as you have so rudely interrupted our reunion.” He grinned deviously as he swept me into an unexpected kiss.

I could nearly feel the tension emanating from Tanya.

“Enjoy it,” She scowled, “It may very well be the last time that ever happens.”

“Doubtful.” I smiled menacingly at her crouched form.

“With an unorthodox decisiveness, she flung herself towards me in a very predictable manner. Her mistake became apparent when I grabbed her clothing as she flew past me and boosted her speed into the siding of the house. She landed with an angry squeal and flew at me again, this time her fingers curled securely around a few strands of my hair that had not dodged her attack as quickly as the rest of my body. Controlling my movement by a chunk of hair, She yanked me to the ground beside her and swung a leg over my chest. As she lifted her fist in preparation to punch me, I lifted my legs and locked them around her neck securely. Her hand released its hold on my own two hands and flew to her throat in shock as I forced her to the ground. Somehow she wiggled her way away from me and appeared 3 yards away moments later. Using solely my sense of smell, I detected her approach and calculated it just in time to move out of the way. She had predicted my move and in moments she had flung herself again from behind me and my face collided roughly with the ground. I could feel my nose crack and I groaned in pain. I didn’t have any time to consider my likely broken nose. I rolled out of the way lithely as her foot appeared inches away from my already hurt face. I jumped up and performed the unacknowledged skill of a roundhouse kick, or at least that’s what Emmet called it later, directly into her chest.

She staggered backwards, stunned. “I guess it makes sense that you learned to defend yourself. It must have been a pain in the ass for you to have to keep depending on them to save your life every ten minutes.” She gestured to the audience 10 yards away.

That was the last I was going to hear from her. With an unreal burst of speed, I was at her throat in seconds. She flew back into a tree, but I was there again, before she could even hit the ground. With one hand around her neck and the other curled tightly in a fist I snarled my final warning.

“So help me, Tanya. You will leave this house, and you will leave now, and if I ever see you anywhere near my husband again, I will personally rip you to shreds and make love to Edward by the fire that disposes of them. Do you hear me? Get out of my sight….. Now.”

With those final words I flung her across the yard in my own suggestive direction. She landed in a heap on the ground as her defeated sob rang through the surrounding trees. She stood up slowly and scrutinized Edward for a long moment, willing him with her hurt expression and tearless sobbing to come console her. When his only action was to place his arm around me, she wailed loudly and sprinted into the brush.

“Irina wont be pleased.” Carlisle muttered. “She said that after the wedding, Tanya was inconsolable and utterly depressed constantly.”

“Bella, you’re my hero.” Emmett grinned widely. “You kicked her ASS.”

The entire family murmured their agreement.

“I’m sorry that I broke a window.” I apologized sheepishly, resisting the urge to also apologize for displaying the very unladylike behavior of kicking ass in the front yard.

“Easily fixed.” Esme waved it off.

“Just like your nose.” Jasper pointed out casually.

Yes, windows and noses were things that were easily fixed.

Other things though, things like marriages and families, were not so easy to mend.

I silently thanked whatever higher power there was in this world that I had a marriage and a family that were in much better condition than my bedroom window.