Author's note: So apparently, FF has decided to completely kill all of the formatting in my stories, including those lovely things called chapter breaks. I just realized this when I looked over my more recent posts. I do apologize for this - it's truly a pain in the ass. And I thank everyone who's read and reviewed despite the crappy quality, LOL I hope to be able to rectify the situation, and re-post with some semblance of order. With that said, on to Learning...

~This is definitely my favorite way to wake up,~ thought Bella, keeping her eyes closed as she burrowed deeper into Edward's arms. Even that small movement pulled muscles that had gotten one hell of a workout, and her quiet moan was a mixture of pleasure and pain and contentment. She felt his chest shift as he laughed quietly.

"Well, love, you survived our attentions. Do you still think you're not special?" She turned her head to meet his gaze, losing herself in the love in his eyes, love that was tempered by lingering guilt. She knew why it was there, and that she may never be able to watch it go away, but she could try to help. She kept her tone light and teasing.

"I'm willing to concede that you all believe I am special. Is that good enough?" He sighed dramatically - which was especially funny since he didn't have to breathe - and shook his head.

"Some day, Bella, I will manage to convince you that you are nothing short of extraordinary."

"I'll believe that as soon as you stop beating yourself up for not treating me like a perfect princess last night." He blinked at her, obviously surprised that she'd picked up what he'd been trying to hide from her, but after a moment he just closed his eyes in resignation.

"I still can't break the feeling that I shouldn't be disrespecting you in this way. You're the love of my life, and as of late I find myself treating you like...well, like a common slut. It's not something I do easily." Bella sat up fully and placed her hands against his chest, leaning closer to him.

"Edward, open your eyes and look at me." With obvious reluctance he did just that, and though she wanted to reel from the amount of guilt and worry in those butterscotch depths, she drew on some of her hard-won confidence to hold his gaze and keep her voice steady.

"I know this is hard for you. I just wish it wasn't. You're not treating me badly, not when it's something I obviously want as well. I love you, Edward Cullen, and I always will, and when two people love each other as much as you and I do, then nothing they do together is wrong."

"Bella," he began, pausing as if not sure what to say. She'd never seen him so hesitant before, and it made her stroke her fingers gently over his bare chest in soothing motions. "I was going to wait, to find a better way, but I just...I...Bella, will you -"

"RISE AND SHINE!!" Bella barely had time to blink before Alice pounced, and even less time to think as her best friend gave her a passionate good-morning kiss before turning to treat Edward to one as well. Bella could feel his frustration and wondered what on earth he'd been about to say, but Alice was wasting no time in dragging her from the bed and all but tossing her into the bathroom.

"Take your human moment, Bella, but be quick. Esme's got your breakfast ready, and I just want the school day to be over quickly 'cause I have you all to myself this weekend!" Bella couldn't stop her own giggles at Alice's enthusiasm, especially as she knew it was all show, and acquiesced gracefully.

"Okay, okay, I'll be down in a minute." She closed the bathroom door and started the shower, letting the water heat up as she puzzled over Edward's half-spoken comment.

"ALICE," he growled, "you have the worst timing in the world." She turned to him, a gleam in her eye as she pounced, landing on the bed beside him and smiling.

"It's not time yet, Edward. I know it." He glared at her, a look that would have had mortals trembling in fear, yet it had no effect on the lingerie-clad vampiress beside him. "Oh, don't get all upset. Trust me, you'll know when the time is right, and it will be perfect, but if you propose now, she's going to have some hard months ahead of her, and you don't want to cause her grief."

"What did you see? What kind of grief?"

"Doesn't matter now. You won't ask her yet."

"Alice..." he grumbled. She just grinned and slid over him, until she was straddling his lap. She shifted slightly against the growing erection nestled between her legs.

"Mmmm. I'm so glad you finally came around to our way of thinking, Edward," she purred, sliding against him. "Do you think Bella would mind if I sampled you this morning?" He was about to answer when the human in question popped her head out from around the door.

"Only if I get to watch," she said with an impish smile, and Edward moaned as she walked out of the bathroom, the towel around her hair the only fabric in sight. His eyes eagerly drank in her curves, still damp and glistening, and he watched as she took a seat at the end of the bed. Alice turned to watch as well, reaching a hand out to the seated girl and tracing it delicately down Bella's leg.

"You can watch or you can help, Bella," offered Alice, but the brunette shook her head.

"I'll just watch this time. You're hot when you're giving head." Alice grinned from ear to ear and turned back to Edward.

"You hear that? Your girl thinks I'm hot." Edward, still slightly reeling from Bella's decision, shook his head and turned his full attention to Alice.

"No, she thinks you're hot when you're giving head. Which you aren't yet."

"He has a point, Alice," laughed Bella, leaning back against the foot board and crossing her ankles. The pixie huffed.

"Well, if you're both going to be that way," she pouted, and then quicker than Bella's eyes could track she had Edward's sleeping pants shredded and his cock down her throat. He arched upwards and let out a long moan, the sensation of being completely enveloped in Alice's talented mouth leaving him reeling. He let his eyes close for a moment so he could fully savor the feeling, but snapped them open again as the scent of Bella's arousal hit him. She'd uncrossed her legs and was lightly tracing a finger along her folds as she watched Alice suck and stroke him. He noticed how reddened and swollen her delicate skin was, caught sight of the faint tracings of bruises beginning to show on her inner thighs, and wanted to be ashamed. Instead, to his shock, the sight turned him on more, visual confirmation of the passion the three of them had taken out on her slender body making him harder still. Bella saw his gaze and smiled wickedly.

"You like knowing you guys put me through a workout, don't you. Claiming me, fucking me. You can't deny it - it shows on your face." Without needing prompting Alice sped up a bit, and the combination of her expert attentions and Bella's quiet words had him whimpering.

"Please..." He didn't realize he'd spoken until he heard Bella chuckle.

"Please what, love?"

"Please...touch yourself. For me." She grinned and complied, stroking herself more firmly, timing her fingers to Alice's slowing motions.

"Like this?" she asked teasingly, sliding her finger between her damp folds. He could only nod as she kept it up, letting her voice wash over him. "I'm still sore, Edward," she breathed, though it was anything but a complaint. "Taking you three over and over again..." Alice's small hand came up to stroke and tug on his nuts, and he could feel himself losing control. He tangled his hands in her hair and began to shift his hips, loving the feeling of control as he plowed into her mouth with abandon, her moans and Bella's spurring him on.

"God, Edward...I think you're gonna make her come if you keep that up." A quick glance at Alice showed the truth of Bella's statement and he groaned, knowing how close all three of them were. Without his conscious thought he spoke to her.

"You want to come, Alice?" She nodded around his pistoning dick, her lips never letting up their blissful suction. He tugged her head downward more forcefully and she moaned, a needy, drawn-out sound that made him shudder.

"Do it Edward, make her come for you." Bella's voice was harsh and just as desperate as he felt. He forced himself to hold on, to hold out until...

With a squeal Alice came, shaking like a leaf in a high wind, and the loud gasping from Bella let him know she was careening over the edge as well. His control fell apart completely and he groaned as the still shivering pixie wrapped around his cock swallowed everything he unloaded down her throat. It seemed to go on forever and then he fell back against the headboard, gasping for air he didn't need and staring in amazement as Bella crawled over to Alice. Bella's hair trailed over Alice's creamy skin as the brunette pushed her friend backwards, stretching out against her and kissing her deeply. He couldn't pull his eyes away, couldn't find the strength to be ashamed as he knew he should. He just lay there and watched as the girls brought themselves down from their peak through gentle kisses and caresses. Even after Bella stood up and walked on unsteady legs to get ready for school, after Alice gave him a final kiss and dropped from the landing to head out the bedroom door, Edward could only lay there while his thoughts chased each other like a bunch of puppies finding their tails for the first time.

"Edward?" Bella's voice cut into his distraction.

"Yes?"

"Time for school," she said reluctantly. With a quick move he was standing beside her, holding her in his arms and feeling more content than he had in a long time.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," he said absently, hugging her to him. She tensed and looked up at him, hope in her eyes.

"We can, Edward. You already know I want to be with you for eternity." She looked away then, knowing that this was a sore spot, but for some reason he realized that, damned or no, he was never going to let her go. Forever wasn't going to cut it. He placed his fingers gently under her chin and coaxed her eyes back to his. The guilt he saw in them rocked him to the core, and he knew he'd rather die before causing that look again.

"Eternity isn't long enough, Bella. But it's a good place to start." The joy that slowly crept across her beautiful features as she realized what he meant made everything worthwhile. He'd deal with the afterlife when it came to it.