Flashing. Clicking. Blinding. The paparazzi had always been an extremely painful thorn in my side, but this…did they have no respect? It always boggled my mind how normal people, if that'd indeed what they were, were able to invade so easily, and so happily, in fact, into peoples' personal lives and feel the need to document their most private, intimate moments. It was like a work of art getting destroyed. They'd turned what was a beautiful, cherished moment between Rob and I into a messy, press free-for-all. In a matter of seconds, we'd gone from being at peace with a couple of security to surrounded by the media, all peering in from behind trash cans greedily like we were unwilling performing animals at a zoo. I sighed, ducking my head. Tomorrow, the pictures would be plastered all over the internet. I knew this would happen somehow. Every time we tried to be a normal couple, something got in the way. Our moment of bliss, shattered.
"I'm sorry" Rob murmured, quiet as breath, slowly untangling his fingers from my own, " I didn't see them watching"
I turned fiercely to the photographers that had steadfast become the bane of my life. It was a struggle to not just turn and flip them off, giving them my best bitch face. Such a tempting deal.
I glanced up quickly to check his expression, and although there wasn't a great deal of change in his composure, I could see the disappointment and sadness settling there behind his eyes. I knew he felt the same way that I did - tired of pretending we were nothing more than best buddies and being unable to do things as a normal couple without having sneak around like ninjas. I thought of Taylor, who could easily start a relationship with his girl Taylor Swift and go to Lakers Games together without that fact being ostracized and scrutinised in the media. They weren't co-stars. He was lucky in that way. Of course, I wouldn't change the fact that I had fallen in love with Rob for the world, but I knew it bothered him sometimes too that we had about as much freedom as battery hens. I guessed it was worse for him. Rob had been in love with me much longer than I had with him. I'd been slow - It took me a while to realise I needed to try and be with him. But for Rob, it had always been there. Looking up at him now, I could see why he was saddened with our situation. He wanted to profess his love for me from the rooftops and inform the world we were a couple, and I'd love that too, but that had been difficult to do so far. I paused, my mind going into overdrive. Why should it have to be difficult though?
With a wide grin spreading across my features, I hastily reached back and took his hand in my own, only much tighter this time. His face flashed to mine, wearing an expression mixed with disbelief and elation. I simply nodded, only curling my fingers around his more tightly, and running my fingers over the leather strap on his wrist that matched my own. He'd given me the bracelet before he left to film Remember Me and had kept another for himself, saying that even when we were far apart, we could still feel close. I glanced down at the thin strap on my wrist and smiled faintly - I'd clung to that last remnant of him for over a month, and when the ache of missing him got too bad, I always tried to pull strength from that little piece of evidence of his love.
"What?-" Rob began, though I soon silenced him, putting a finger to his lips.
"Let them watch." I said gently, but with the firm assertion I knew he needed to hear from me. "Since when did I care about a couple of shitty photographers? They can stick the pictures up their asses" I shrugged, smirking.
"You're sure?" I caught him reading my face, trying to decide if I was real or not. I knew he only wanted what made me happy, which sparked my decision further.
"Sure as can be" I replied, "I'm fed up of pretending"
Rob's answering smile melted my heart in a way that only he could. His grin was so dazzling he could have given Edward Cullen a run for his money.
"You have no idea how much this means to me, love" he said softly, squeezing my hand and looking at me with the same, if not definitely doubled, amount of tenderness and adoration I remembered from our early days of working together on Twilight.
"Oh, I know, trust me"
It was crazy to think of how far we'd come. From the initial flirting on Twilight to being a real couple on our promotional tour for New Moon. Unintentionally, I let out a giggle. Rob looked at me with amusement, cocking an eyebrow.
"Do I get to hear it?" he asked.
"I was just thinking of how far we've come in a year…It's insane" I replied.
"I know…I mean, we're in Paris, baby! Together!" Rob agreed, so loudly he almost yelled it.
"Remember last time we were here?" I smiled fondly at the memory.
Rob then proceeded to begin to sing Frère Jacques at the top of his lungs, so I took that as a yes.
"Rob!" I laughed, playfully shoving him. "We're attracting enough attention to ourselves as it is, we don't need to deafen half of Paris too!" Deep down, I was thrilled at how happy this small, yet meaningful action was making him. Rob had waited such a long time to be able to show off his love for me; he more than deserved this little slice of public PDA. And, to be honest, I was loving it too. The media attention, not so much, but that I could learn to deal with.
"And London tomorrow" he smiled warmly. "I can't wait to take you back"
"I know" I replied, squeezing his hand. I knew how much it meant to him to head back to England, even if it was for only a day or so. And I also know how much it meant to him that I'd be with him to share in that happiness.
From that moment on, I felt a sudden weight lift from my shoulders that I didn't even know was a burden to me before, and I lifted my head higher, walked straighter - prouder. I didn't need to feel conflicted and scared of sharing the truth anymore; everybody knew already, and if they didn't, then they did now. And that was ok.
"I can just imagine the talk show questions now" Rob laughed nervously.
I nodded. "I know…But we'll work around them. We always do."
I was so encapsulated in my own little bubble, so enraptured in this little slice of heaven, that I did a double take as I saw the looming figure of our private jet awaiting our arrival on the runway, set aside, like it was in a separate league of its own. I shook my head, a little in awe of the situation. I was in Paris. With Rob. On our press tour for New Moon. About to get on our private jet. To quote Bella, that kind of stuff just doesn't happen in real life. It doesn't exist. I could have never imagined this life for myself a year ago. It was scary, yet mesmerizing at the same time to think of how one little decision could change your life so drastically, set it on a different path.
We'd stopped at the same time just before the steps of the plane. And I knew why. Suddenly, I felt Rob's arm tighten around my waist and I leaned into him, not caring at all who was watching. Our security staff were used to this kind of thing between us and always very tactfully averted their eyes. I didn't need Edward Cullen's vampiric gift to know that Rob felt exactly the same as I did in that instant. I didn't need to look at him to know. I just felt it.
"I'm so blessed" Rob murmured quietly, softly kissing my hair.
I looked up, touched by the depth of his words. I didn't know exactly what he was talking about, but regardless, he always came out with such beautiful sentiments when you least expected it. I wished more people knew about that.
"For what?"
At this, he simply gestured to the runway and then to me. "This. You. Everything." He paused. "A year ago, I was an unemployable drunk about to get evicted from my flat. Now…" He trailed off, grinning, as he pressed my body closer to his once more. "You came into my life, and everything changed for the better…my world got brighter…Look at all this. You gave me this. You've always been my inspiration. You're the reason I'm here today. Thank you"
I blinked a couple times, willing myself not to well up. We rarely found time to escape everything and just have a heart to heart, but when we did, they were always so profound. Looking Rob straight in the eyes, I prayed that I could find the right words to tell him how grateful I was that he was in my life. "I love you. So much" I whispered into his ear, so that only he could hear. "I should thank you. You've been so consistent throughout all of this and so wonderful. I'm certain I couldn't be here without you either"
"I love you more" he whispered back, and just as we were taking in our last view of Paris, he added in an amused tone "And just so you know - I can't live in a world where you don't exist"
I rolled my eyes, then followed him up the stairs and into the plane, not willing to let go of his hand for a second. For some reason, I always felt vulnerable and awkward during press tours - with Rob, I felt safe. I didn't need to worry about what I said or how I came across. He loved me for me. And that was more than I could ever ask for.
The plane was even more majestic in its interior. Taylor grinned as we entered, waving happily. He was sat with Chris Weitz on one of the 3 luxurious sofas on the plane, dressed in jeans, a brown shirt, and a leather jacket.
"Hey!" He exclaimed brightly, popping a grape in his mouth. "Where've ya been?"
"Hi" I managed weakly, Rob and I flopping down on the sofa opposite Taylor and Chris. It baffled me how the kid managed to sound so chipper at 4 in the morning.
"We got held up" I glared sourly out the window to prove my point
Rob nodded in Taylor's direction. "She always distracts me so much. It's awful"
I whacked him on the head.
"I can imagine" Taylor laughed.
"Now we're all accounted for, are we ready for takeoff?" Chris asked. I was beyond thankful it was Chris with us and not someone else. He was so accepting and focused, and with all his quirkiness and love of orange things, it made the whole process a lot easier.
We all vehemently and reluctantly agreed, and he disappeared to tell the pilot we were good to go.
"I can't wait for the press conference tomorrow" Taylor announced cheerily once we were in the air.
Rob and I exchanged a glance.
"I think he's wired differently to us" Rob said.
"Definitely" I agreed, raising an eyebrow. "Taylor the Energizer Werewolf"
We both laughed at this thought, and as Taylor went to protest, I picked a grape up from the fruit bowl in front of us and threw it directly at him. Naturally, he caught it straight in his mouth like a dog with a Frisbee. I smirked. Maybe there were more similarities with his wolf side than he thought.
Once we were in the air and Taylor was engaged with Chris in a very animated conversation about something or other, I felt Rob's arms wrap around me and I snuggled into his embrace, leaning my head against his shoulder. He slowly reached down to kiss the top of my head and I smiled contently. These moments were so precious and so seldom found, so every opportunity we had to be together, sans public scrutiny, was a blessing.
"You know" Rob said softly, "Paris is the city of love..."
I looked up in curiosity. What exactly was he proposing?
"How about we come back again another time and really see Paris? Once we find time, of course" He smiled down at me, using that smile he saved for me and me only, the very smile that made me weak putty in his capable hands.
"I'd love that" I replied, "It'd be nice to see more than just the inside of our hotel room"
Rob nodded in agreement, and then was silent for a moment, looking off into space with that deeply thoughtful expression that so often graced his features.
"What is it?" I twisted around to look at him properly.
"What I said earlier…about wanting to take you home, I really meant it. You're so important to me, and I can't wait to show everyone just why. I know it's only for a day, but you should know, my mum has invited 18 people. Including Tom. All of whom are chomping at the bit to see you again. She's that excited" He laughed, running a thumb across my cheek.
"Aah" I choked, feeling very self conscious at the thought. "Should I be scared?"
"Very" Rob smirked. I put a hand over his, not at all wanting to make it sound like I didn't care. I knew how important it was to him to bring me back to England to see his family and friends, regardless of the fact that I'd met his mother once or twice already, and had Tom's mobile number stored in my phone on speed dial.
"I'm looking forward to it" I smiled warmly. "And maybe we can go back for longer than a day at some point too?"
Rob's eyes lit up in the way I knew they would when I suggested that. "I'd love that. My Mum's already trying to get you over to London for Christmas" He grinned at the sheer mention and I couldn't help but beam back. Christmas in England? Dinner with the Pattinsons? I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be than with Rob for the holidays.
"That's not such a bad idea"
"Really?"
"Really"
I left Rob to mull that over, still smiling, and while we enjoyed a moment of silence, I studied his face - his perfect jaw line, the way his cheekbones cut across his rugged face, the intensity in his blue-green eyes, the three- day stubble, and the perfectly disarranged hair I loved so much. Suddenly, I was overcome by the immediate, desperate desire to touch him, to feel his touch. We'd had so little time the past week to eat or sleep, let alone do anything else, and what I felt for him right now was desire acute to the point of need. I remembered the last time we connected properly was on the plane here, and we'd only managed to get a few minutes in then, since our publicists were on at us the whole way.
Rob noticed my strange expression. "What?" he asked in amusement.
"How about…?" I suggested, reaching up to whisper seductively in his ear what I had planned.
Rob's eyes widened and then locked with mine, the fierce desire burning there too. "I'm not complaining" he winked.
We waited until Taylor disappeared into the pilot's area to ask something, then, taking Rob's hand tightly in mine, we snuck to the aeroplane's bathroom and continued where we left off. Our moment of bliss, rekindled, like wildfire.
