I play TwiFicTrivia on Twitter every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. It is so much freaking fun. Check it out if you get the chance! We had a bunch of new players this past week, so I figured I'd mention it one more time. I won't bring it up again for awhile.

=)

Shel

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Bella sighed and smiled, her eyes closed and facing the sky, as the classical notes of Tchaicovsky's 1812 Overture swirled around the air. She felt Edward's hand gently begin to play with her hair and she bit her lip to stifle a sigh. He had been nothing short of amazing today and she didn't want their date to come to a close any time soon.

She opened her eyes and turned her face slightly to the left.

Edward's fingers still held onto a strand of hair as he smiled down at her.

"Enjoying the concert?" he asked, in a low husky voice. She smiled widely and nodded happily.

Thank you so much for your review! Here's a little teaser for the next chapter! I hope to have it out on Friday. ^_^


Bella sat, swinging on the Swan's back porch, watching as Jack and Charlie played with his new pool and water slide. She smiled as she got to see a side of her father that she had never really seen before. She didn't remember much when she was Jack's age and when she was older, it was all of the arguments and tension in the house that she recalled, none of the fun times. After Renee left, Charlie continued to throw himself into his work. 

Now, it was like he was getting a second chance. It was amazing how much this little boy had changed all of their lives.

Just then, Bella felt something whiz past her head and then splatter against the wall, wetting her slightly. She looked back at the pool to see Charlie doubled over in laughter and Jack grinning.

"Nice one, Jack," Charlie managed to get out through his laughter. She watched as Jack reached down into the water and pick up another water balloon.

"Don't do it, Jack," she tried to say in a warning tone, but could barely hold back her own giggles. She was up and squealing as he let the balloon fly towards her. 




Also, just to let you know, I submitted a pic from this part of the chapter on http://pictease.blogspot.com, which get put up on Mondays! 

There should also be something completely different from this story on Teaser Mondays at http://www.fictionators.com/

Thanks again for your review and giving my baby a chance!    <3

On Mondays, I send out teasers for reviewers. There is also a completely different snippet from the next chapter post on The Fictionators, as well as the PicTease blog on Mondays as well. 

Thanks again for supporting my story! Love and Hugs!

~Shel~

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Bella fastened the clasp of the sterling silver I.D. bracelet over Jack's wrist. He looked up at her with wide, watery eyes as he ran his fingers over the letters that were etched in the metal.

"It has your name, Jackson Swan, our address and my phone number engraved on it. As long as you have it on you, you'll never be lost again."

Jack threw himself into her arms, with tears streaming down his face. 

"Thank you," he sobbed. "Thank you for loving me so much!"

"Oh, baby," she sighed, crying along with him. "I never had a choice. You're my son."

The two held each other tightly, while the others in the room gazed at the pair in wonder and love.    

I added a separate story called "Parachute Outtakes" as a place to keep everything together! There's an outtake of the new car purchase and Jack's 8th birthday up right now! Check it out! Feel free to leave any suggestions for future outtakes in your reviews over there! As you can tell from this message, I respond to every single review because you guys rock my socks!

Also, as another head's up, Parachute's 1000th reviewer will get to choose the subject of one of the outtakes and maybe a little something else. It's the best way that I can think to to thank you guys for all of your love and support!

<3

Shel

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Charlie cast his line out into the lake, watching Jack out of the corner of his eye. It was obvious that the boy had a lot on his mind. 

"Well, kid," Charlie started, "you look like you need someone to talk to. That's why we're out here. Nothing like the peace and tranquility of fishing to help clear your mind. I come out here a lot more now that you and your mom moved into your own place." 

Charlie noticed that Jack flinched a little when he mentioned Bella. Jack sighed and continued to gaze out over the water. 

"Will she?" he asked. Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"Will she what?"

"Will she still be my mom if we go to Chicago to meet my family?" 

When Jack turned towards him, Charlie's heart broke at how the boy's eyes were filled with sadness. He cleared the emotion out of his throat.

"Of course she will. Bella will love you and consider you her son until the day she dies. One thing you gotta learn about us Swan's, Jack, is that when we love, we love forever, just like the actual birds. You'll always be a part of our hearts." 

Charlie blinked back tears as Jack let his drip down his face.

"I don't want to leave you or mom, Pops. Please don't let them keep me!" he cried.

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I have taken to calling you, my readers, "Verucas". A good number of you are so demanding and impatient, even though I update every week! It makes me feel so damned loved and I give you this moniker in adoration! You truly give me chills and warm my heart at the same time with every review you leave me! As you can tell from this message, I respond to every single review that is left for me because you guys rock my socks!

Parachute's 1000th reviewer On FFnet was given the option to choose the subject of one of the outtakes and she deferred the choice to my judgement, so I will continue to listen to ideas and then maybe post a poll to see what you guys as a whole would like to see. The 500th reviewers on Twilighted and here will also be extended the same deal, since I want no one to feel left out!

Oh, and one more thing! An awesome Veruca named Phoebe started Parachute a thread on the Twilighted Forum! The link is up on the blog if you need it! In addition, thanks to many of you, Parachute was named as FanFic Addicts Fic of the Month! Super-freaking-yay!

I love you guys something fierce and I hope this next chapter lives up to your expectations of the first Cullen meeting!

XoXo

Shel

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Esme's gaze went back and forth between Bella and Jack. She could clearly see the love that wound between the two of them and a million questions started to swirl around her.

"How?" she asked, as tears started to trickle from her verdant eyes. "What happened? How did you find him? How long have you known we were his family?"  Both she and Carlisle looked at Bella expectantly.

"It's very long story," Bella chuckled, humorlessly. "Let me start at the beginning."

Bella started to tell the Cullen her tale, starting with finding Jack in the alley and taking him to the police station. She didn't get very far. They were interrupted with the sound of the front door opening and a loud voice calling out of the foyer.

"Mom! We're here!"

Bella felt something tighten in her stomach as she prepared to come face to face with Jack's father. Her nerves were at an all-time high and she briefly wondered if Dr. Cullen could prescribe her something to help prevent an ulcer from forming.

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XoXo

Shel

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"Wait, you're staying in his house instead of the hotel? Bella, is that really safe? I mean, I know you want to make everyone happy, but you've gotta think about your own safely, seriously!" Alice chastised.

"Calm down, woman. It's his parents house, which is enormous and beautiful. I figured it would be fine, since I was calling you and Dad to let you know where I would be. Just in case you needed somewhere to start looking for the body."

"Bella, do not joke about this! I am going on record as saying that I completely disagree with this decision."

"Duly noted, Alice."

Thank you so much for your review! The Monday teases are up on the Blog (http://kitsushel.blogspot.com) as we speak, so check them out if you'd like! The teaser this week isn't much, but the one on the Blog is more exciting, lol. I've been driving myself crazy trying to get my O/S for the All Hallow's Eve contest finished, so I wouldn't get your hopes up for an early posting this week, sorry! See you guys on Friday!

<3 Shel

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Jack curled up with Bella on the couch opposite of Edward, who was propped up with a ton of pillows. Her hand absentmindedly ran through the boy's hair and he hummed a contented sound. She heard a soft laugh come from Edward and looked up to see that he was smiling adoringly at her and Jack.

'Is it worth it?' She thought. 'Is potentially falling in love with him worth the heartache I'll feel at the end of the summer?'

His eyes moved up to hers and sent her a brilliant smile that made her breath catch in her throat.

The better question to have asked would have been, if it was even possible to avoid it happening any longer.    

Once again, I want to say thank you so much for all of the love and adoration that you guys have given to me and Parachute! People are going to get tired of hearing me say how much in awe I am of my readers and their giant hearts, but it's so very true! This story wouldn't have been nowhere near as good as it was nor had the kind of response that it had without my loyal and fuckawesome Verucas! (Heh, haven't heard that in awhile, have we?) I am prostrate at your feet. (Not to be confused with prostate, lol) I owe you all so very much!

The blogs have undergone some work over the past two weeks. KitsuShel.blogspot.com will now be used as a hub for everything that I write, with links to actual story blogs. Parachute's will remain up, just under a different name. Parachuteff.blogspot.com My next fic, Rabbit Heart's blog is up as well. There are a few pictures and teasers up there as well. =) RabbitHeartff.blogspot.com

Rabbit Heart will start posting this Friday, February 18th and will follow the same update/posting schedule as Parachute. I hope that you guys decide to continue on that journey with me as well. =)

♥ Shel ♥

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Teaser from Rabbit Heart Chapter 1:

The streets were eerily empty as the girl stealthily slipped out of the Beverly Hills house, although one could quite easily exchange the term mansion in its stead. Her shoulders were hunched as she made sure her hood was firmly covering her blond hair, her back laden with only an over-stuffed backpack and a guitar case. She needed to escape quickly, unseen, and today was the best time to make that happen. It was just after eleven pm, on Christmas Eve and there was practically no movement on Santa Monica Boulevard. She traveled on foot for almost three miles before coming across a cab running on the desolate streets.

She quickly stowed her meager possessions in the backseat before climbing inside.

"The nearest Greyhound station, please," she requested as softly as she could, but still within the driver's hearing range.

The older man glanced at her in the rear view mirror. If he thought anything was off about the way she kept her face hidden, he made no mention of it.

"Heading home for the holiday, sweetie?"

"Something like that," she murmured, staring out of the window and watching the lights pass by. They reached their destination in just under fifteen minutes and she handed him a $50 bill.