Stephenie Meyers owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Undying Love

Chapter 1

With a deep sigh, we pulled into the parking lot for married student housing. Looking at each other, we glanced at the nearly empty lot, then at the sparse apartments that would be Bella's and Meagan's home for the next four years. It was a far cry from our house back in Forks. Dad and Charlie had both taken the day off to help us move a few of our things to campus. The administration had made arrangements for them to move in early, three months before the rest of the student body would arrive. I was required to stay nights in the athletic dorm with the team, at least during football season, so we needed to have them completely settled before Monday when football practice began. I would be working out with the team starting bright and early on Monday morning for freshman orientation at five thirty a.m. Jasper would be there, too. He was getting settled in the athletic dorm, but I expected him over soon to help us move in.

Bella quickly got Meagan out of the car. She was four months old now, and she was hungry and irritable from the long ride in the back seat. She wanted to get out and play. Bella went inside and changed her on the bathroom counter. While the rest of us were unloading the U-Haul, Bella went about feeding Meagan. She was now eating baby food in addition to nursing. As I made another trip past the two of them, I thought again about how it wasn't fair to Bella, having to take care of our daughter, alone for so long, but, for me to play football, that was the way it had to be. She understood what it would take for me to play, and she accepted it.

So, here we were, arranging our apartment away from home for Bella to live in with our daughter. I knew I would miss them terribly. I just thought it was bad going back to school when Meagan was born. I'd gotten spoiled during the summer being with both of my girls. I'd only been separated from them during my work-outs to keep in shape for football season. How in the world was I going to live without the two of them? Well, every spare minute would be spent with them, that's for sure! We were going to take every class together.

One of the first things we unloaded was Meagan's baby bed. I set it up in her room so Bella could put her down for her nap as soon as she finished feeding her. Once Meagan was asleep, Bella could start getting the rest of her things set up. She got busy putting up Meagan's clothes, toiletries, and toys. It was important that we make the transition as seamless as possible for Meagan. It would be hard enough on the two of us.

Sure enough, within an hour Jasper showed up to help. He was essential when it came to moving the couch and other heavy furniture. Dad and Charlie didn't want to admit they were getting too old to lift the heavier stuff. By the end of the day, we were moved in. Dad returned the U-Haul, and then he and Charlie left to return home. I had to spend the night in the athletic dorm, but until Monday, I was free to do as I pleased with my spare time. So, Jasper and I spent our time with Bella and Meagan. I wanted to get in all the time that I could with my two girls. I knew that the time with them was about to come to a close. Though most of our time was spent unpacking and organizing, I coveted it all.

Monday morning at five thirty came all too soon. Jasper and I dressed out and met with the rest of the freshmen in the Husky locker room. We met with head coach Tommy Spears. He lectured us for the first thirty minutes on what it meant to be there, in the locker room, and then he told us to hit the field. He lined us up and had us do routine calisthenics and laps, and then he divided us into offensive and defensive positions. He assigned the respective offensive and defensive coaches to work with us, and I, along with several other prospective quarterbacks, was sent to the quarterback coach. The Huskies had lost their quarterback last year, and the second string wasn't promising in my opinion. I felt as if I had a shot to win the starting position as a true freshman if I worked hard enough. As I looked around at my competition, all of them leaning over and out of breath from our run, I was glad that Coach Davis had continued to work with Jasper and me during the summer. Though he'd pushed us hard, we were ready today for anything that our new coaches had sent our way.

"All right. Gather 'round. I'm Coach Fields, you're quarterback coach. You're a sorry bunch'a losers! You can't run five laps around this field without floppin' like a bunch'a girls? You should be ashamed of yourselves! You all knew you were gonna be here this mornin', and you still show up out of shape! The only one of you worth any salt is Cullen! At least he's not pantin' like a dog in heat! The rest of you ass-wipes owe me ten laps after practice this mornin'! You understand? I'll whip you inta' shape if it's the last thing I do to you before I send you back cryin' to your mama's! Now, let's get started. We'll start with you, Cullen, since you're the only one not hackin' their guts out. Show me what you've got." He signaled down the field to the wide receiver coach who spoke to the guys who were obviously trying out for the position. Several of them ran towards me, Jasper included.

"You guys run some routes for me," Coach Fields said. I nodded, and after giving Jasper one of our hand signals, he took off on one of our routes. At the right time, I let the ball fly, a perfect spiral right into his hands, a forty yard completion.

"How did you two do that?" he asked.

"We went to high school together. He was my leading receiver," I said.

"Oh, okay. Let's see if you can throw to anyone else," Coach Fields said.

"Sure thing, Coach," I said. I took his instructions and threw the ball exactly where he told me to throw it. If the receiver was there, he should've caught it. I put it right on the numbers. Jasper didn't miss any of his passes, although several of the others did. I was so glad for Jasper's sake. The ones who dropped the passes were criticized. Some were even yelled at. The other quarterback wanna-be's didn't do so well, either. None of them were nearly as accurate as I was when their turns came, several of them not completing even one of their passes.

"Cullen, you're doing a fine job, but you were standin' still, without any pressure. Any quarterback worth standin' on this field had better be able to do what you've done today. How are you at pressure?" Coach Fields asked when we were ready to break for lunch.

"Not a hundred percent, but with a decent offensive line, I'm pretty good with a good receiver like Hale over there," I said. "It all depends on the offensive line and the receiver. I'm only as good as the rest of the team."

"Modest, too. I've seen you play. You're good," Coach Fields said, and then to the rest of the guys, "Lunch."

"Yes, Coach," we said. A few of the guys began to leave the field towards the field house. I knew this was a test. Coach told them to run ten laps before lunch, and he wouldn't be reminding them of their punishment. I placed my helmet on the ground at the sideline, and then began running the laps. Several of the others just looked at me, and then they joined me. Jasper quickly caught up with me.

"Why are we running in the heat of the day?" he asked.

"Coach Fields sentenced the quarterbacks to take ten laps before lunch," I said. "Besides, it's hotter at the end of practice, and I don't get much time with Bella today, so I'd rather run now then tonight."

"Suits me," he said, and we picked up the pace. We quickly out distanced the others as we completed the ten laps. As we walked off our run, both the wide receiver coach and Coach Fields came up to us.

"What was that, Hale?" his coach asked.

"Running laps, Coach Wilson," Jasper said. "I run daily with my running partner, and since he was running, I thought I'd get it out of the way as well. This is Edward Cullen. He's on scholarship for quarterback." I held out my hand, and he shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Cullen. I've heard good things about you from Coach Fields," he said.

"Nice to meet you, too, Coach Wilson," I said.

"Why were you running, Cullen? You weren't included in my punishment," Coach Fields said. Jasper looked at me with a question in his eye.

"You said for the quarterbacks to run ten laps before lunch, so I ran," I said.

"I said for the rest of the quarterbacks to run, and you know it, Cullen. Why did you run?" Coach Fields asked.

"When my team runs, I run, Coach. Besides, it is cooler now than after practice, and like Hale said, we run every day. I'd just as soon get it over with now as later," I said.

We walked to the field house where we took a very quick, but very nice, cool shower. We dressed for lunch and headed for the athletic cafeteria where most of the team had already been served and were well into their meals. As Jasper and I got our trays, he asked me what all that was about, and I explained everything to him. When he said that he'd have just let them all walk away to their own doom, I told him that I couldn't do that. I had to beat them fair and square. We sat down with the rest of the wide receivers to eat our meal. When they asked Jasper why he was late, he told them that he'd run laps with me before getting his shower.

"Why'd you do that? It's too hot to run," Adam Baker said.

"Edward and I run every day. Our old Coach made us run during the heat of the day to condition us. Most of our games will be during the day. If we can't stand the heat, we'll be worthless on the field," Jasper said.

"Where'd you two play?" Baker asked.

"Forks High," I said as the rest of the quarterback hopefuls started filing through the lunch line.

"Wow! Three championship years in a row! You two could've gone anywhere you wanted to go. Why here?" Kyle Summers asked.

"It's close to home," was all I had the chance to say before the others approached the table.

"Trying to show us up, Cullen?" one of them asked, venom lacing his voice.

"Yeah, you didn't have to do the laps, and then you and your friend out-pace us. You already out shine us. Did you have to go out of your way to make us look so bad?" another asked.

"Like I told Coach, if my teammates do laps, I do laps. I didn't set out to make any of you look bad, and I'm sorry if you feel like I did. It wasn't my intention," I said. "Jasper and I run every day, and you're all welcome to join us any time."

We watched film of the team running the first ten plays while lunch settled, then during the afternoon, we broke into our offensive and defensive teams. We worked through several of the first ten plays swapping out players. I stayed in as quarterback for most of the afternoon, and Jasper got to stay in as one of the wide receivers as well. Only two of the walk-ons got to try their hand for a couple of the plays. When five o'clock rolled around, Coach Spears dismissed us to our specialty coaches for the day.

"Gather 'round. Cullen, Michaels, Warrens. Meet back here at five thirty tomorrow morning. The rest of you are dismissed," Coach Fields said. "The three of you had better know the first ten plays backwards and forwards." He handed each of us tan folders. I nodded and stood by the side line while Jasper got his information. As the dismissed players walked past me, the looks on their faces were grim. I saw shattered hopes and frustration. Soon Jasper made it to my side.

"How many got cut?" I asked him.

"Thee," he said. "Yours?"

"All but three," I said.

"Damn. Coach Fields wasn't playing," he said.

"Don't I know it," I said. "You coming over for supper?"

"Nah, I'm gonna let you and Bella have some time alone. I need to study these plays anyway," he said. I just nodded. Some alone time with Bella sounded great right about now. When we made it to the field house, I got a quick shower and changed. I didn't even wait on Jasper as I made my way back to our room to get my keys.

When I arrived at the apartment, Bella was giving Meagan a bath. I gave Bella a quick kiss and knelt down beside her on the floor. Meagan had come a long way since she was a tiny baby. She didn't like baths when she was a newborn, but now she liked them quite a bit. She liked to splash and get her mommy and daddy wet when it was bath time. Tonight was no exception to the rule. Bella had quite the wet t-shirt going on. I could see her nipples, and the fact she wasn't wearing a bra wasn't helping with my growing problem.

"Well, how'd today go?" Bella asked.

"Hot and long, just like her mommy and daddy," I said, pressing myself against Bella who's gasp let me know she knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Well, I had fun with your daughter," Bella said, pressing back into me, rubbing against me just enough to make me groan.

"My daughter, uh-oh. What did she do?" I backed away, knowing that I couldn't really get anything started right now, not while Meagan was in the bathtub. It was too dangerous for us to allow our attention to slip, even for an instant.
"Nothing in particular. Just cranky today. I think she missed her daddy. She's used to you being around all day, you know."

"Yeah, I know. I missed her and her mommy, too."

"I think I can tell." I shrugged. Of course she could tell. I wasn't trying to hide how much I missed her. "Well, any revelations?"
"Yeah, they hit harder than high schoolers."

"Are you sore?"

"Not yet. I will be though. Do you have any ibuprofen?"

"Are you allowed to take any?"

"Yeah, they're not that strict on the drug testing."

"Okay, it's up in the medicine cabinet, there in the mirror," Bella said pointing to the mirror over the bathroom sink. I stood up and found the bottle. After taking the ibuprofen, I sat back down and finished bathing Meagan. When we finished, I got her out and dried her off. Bella had already brought her night gown in, so I got her dressed for bed.

"Is Jasper coming over tonight?" Bella asked.

"No. I think that he is studying. We have to learn the first ten plays in the playbook by tomorrow. Besides, he said he wanted to give us some alone time."

"Don't you have to study?"

"Yes, but I'd rather study cuddled up next to you than sitting at a desk next to Jasper."

"I see your point." She picked Meagan up, and as she walked out of the room, her hand brushed against my dick which had finally started to soften while I had been bathing Meagan. My imagination immediately went back to her pert nipples, and all of the progress I had made instantly reversed itself. I was hard, and I wanted my wife. I just had to wait until we put Meagan to bed.

I followed her into the living room, sat down on the couch next to my two girls, and picked up my playbook, strategically placing it to hide my erection. Bella sat down next to me with Meagan in her lap. She started playing patty-cake with Meagan as I looked over the first play. I had it down pretty well, as we'd been over it several times today. As I turned to the second play, Bella started playing ridey-horsey with Meagan. I was usually the one who played ridey-horsey with her, and I became distracted by her giggles when they "all fell down."

"Hey, that's my job," I complained.

"You're studying. Sometimes mommies have to do daddies' jobs."

"Not when daddies are sitting right here, you don't," I said, putting the book to the side and taking Meagan out of Bella's hands and putting her in my lap. Then I did ridey-horsey with my daughter and made her giggle.

"Of course you're getting her all riled up before her bedtime," Bella complained.

"What? Now you're complaining that I'm getting her riled up? What's up with that? You get her started, and then you complain that I've gotten her riled up? Bella, you're gonna get it when Meagan goes to bed."

"Promises, promises," she said, reaching over to palm me, a seductive grin on her face.

"I keep my promises," I said, taking her hand and bringing it to my mouth to place a kiss on it. I handed Meagan back to her and picked back up my playbook. I looked at the second play again, trying to remember its signal. Then I went on to the third play. We'd gone over this one in practice a good bit, so I didn't really have to study it either. The fourth one, however, we'd not even touched on, so I had to start it from scratch. I looked at it for about ten minutes, and then I reviewed all four of them. I studied until Meagan fell asleep in Bella's arms. Then I got up and went with Bella to put her down in her crib. I kissed her good-night and took Bella's hands into my own.

"How about I get you now," I said, placing her hands back on my rock hard dick, my hands slipping between her legs.

"That sounds great," she said, pulling me to our bedroom. She pulled me inside and shut the door. She started undressing me as I started kissing her, our passion ignited. I undressed her as fast as I could, and we fell together into our bed. I entered her as if it had been weeks not days since we'd had the chance to be together. Nothing was slow. We met each other, thrust for thrust, again and again. I reached between us and stroked her clit as I felt her begin to clench around me. She called my name as her orgasm took her over the edge a second time. She was like a vise, squeezing me, milking me. The feeling was too much, and I let go, spilling into her, calling her name. Afterwards, we cuddled in the bed.

"You still have studying to do," Bella said, running her fingers through my hair.

"You have to spoil the moment," I said, sighing as I contemplated returning to the dorm.

"You want to play football. That's why we're living apart, so get up and get your studying done."

"When I get up, I'm gonna have to go back to the dorm. I'm approaching the curfew."

"I know. You've gotta go."

"I don't wanna go. I wanna sleep with you."

"I wanna sleep with you, too, but we don't always get what we want. Now, go before you blow curfew."

I kissed her several more times before I got up and got dressed again. I picked up my playbook from the couch in the living room and gave her and Meagan another kiss before I headed back to the dorm. The entire way back, visions of her in her night shirt filled my mind. Was this worth it? We didn't need the scholarship to pay for school, and I didn't intend to go pro or anything. But I loved the game, and we had discussed the fact that I did want to play. It was just so hard to be apart. The only time we'd been apart this long had been when I'd been stupid. I'd promised I'd never leave her again….

Once I got back to the dorm, I checked in at the bottom floor and sprinted up the stairs to my room. When I opened the door, Jasper was still studying. A few of the wide receiver wanna-be's were in the room with him along with Baker and Summers.

"Did you have a good time tonight? You cut it pretty close," Jasper said, looking at his bedside clock.

"Yeah. I had a really hard time leaving." I didn't mind if the actual team knew about Bella and Meagan, but I wasn't certain I wanted everyone else to know.

"Where'd you go?" one of them asked me. "Didn't you have to study, too?"

"I went to meet someone. I studied while I was there," I said.

"Who'd you meet?" another one asked.

"Just someone from home," I said.

"Why didn't you go, too, Hale?" Summers asked.

"Oh," Jasper said, looking at me. He could tell I didn't want them to know about Bella and Meagan. "Edward is smarter than I am. He doesn't need as much study time as I do, so I decided to stay here and get a head start. He went on without me. I spent the weekend with them, though."

"Okay," another one said, giving both of us a suspicious look. Just then, Jasper's phone rang with Alice's ring tone. He answered it.

"Hi, darlin'. What's up?...I can't talk now. I'm studying with the guys….Yeah, Edward's here. Why?...Did you ask Bella?...Well, I think they're gonna have to talk about it, don't you?...We'll talk later, all right? I love you, too, Ali Cat. Bye." Jasper hung up. I looked at him questioningly. Just then my phone rang with Bella's ring tone. I answered it.

"Hey, sweetheart. Alice called?" I asked.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Jazz just got off the phone with her," I said, laughing. "I didn't pick up much from his side of the conversation, but it sounds like she wants something?"

"Yeah, she wants to spend the weekend with us so she can see Jazz. They'll be together all weekend, but she'll be spending the night here since he has to stay at the dorm anyway. Uncle George said she can't come if she can't stay with us. He doesn't want her in a hotel alone. Is that all right?" she asked. I looked up at Jasper, and he looked so hopeful.

"Fine by me," I said. "Just so long as they're together all day." Jasper nodded like a maniac, and I laughed. "He's going crazy over here."

"I figured he would be. It's hard enough to be away from you, and we're at least in the same town. He must be going crazy without Alice," she said.

"He is," I said. "Then it's settled. Bye, love." I hung up the phone.

"Thanks, man. Is Bella calling Alice back, or should I?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know. I didn't ask," I said.

"I'll call her then," he said. He picked up his phone and called Alice. "Hey, Ali Cat. Edward said okay, so it's fine. I'll see you Friday?...I love you, too. Tell Emmett 'Hi' from us. Bye."

"Who's Bella, and why do she and Edward have to approve for your girlfriend to come see you?" Baker asked. I had forgotten they were even here. I looked at Jasper, and he shrugged. He was at a loss to explain what they'd heard without telling the truth.

I took a deep breath. "Bella is my wife. She lives in married student housing with our four month old daughter. Alice was asking to stay with us for the weekend. That's where I was tonight, visiting them," I said.

"You're a father?" Summers asked. I nodded. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen. So is Bella," I said.

"What's your daughter's name?" Baker asked.

"Meagan," I said.

"So, you had to get married?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, they had to get married. Almost three years ago," Jasper laughed.

"Jazz," I stared at him. "You want me to call Alice back and revoke the invitation?"

"No, man. I'm sorry. Really. It's just weird realizing people don't know about you and Bella. I mean, back in Forks you two are such old news," Jasper said. The others in the room stared between the two of us.

"You've really been married for three years?" Summers asked.

"Three years in December," I nodded. When they looked at me warily, I said, "It's a long story, and we still have a lot of studying to do. Suffice it to say, this isn't the first time I got Bella pregnant."

"You have two children?" one of them asked. I shook my head "no."

"Why'd you two get married if she had an abortion?" another one asked. I guess my face reflected the anger I felt with that statement, because the next thing I knew, I was standing in the center of the room, and Jasper had moved across the room with his hands on my chest.

"Whoa, Edward. They don't know what happened. Calm down. Come on. Walk it off," he said, holding me in the center of the room. Then he looked at the idiot who'd made the accusation.

"Hell no! She didn't have an abortion. The baby was stillborn. His ex pushed her down a flight of stairs, and her placenta tore," Jasper said. "We buried their first daughter. I think it's time you all left."

I turned from him and walked out into the hallway. Leaning against the wall, I let myself sink to the floor. I rested my head against my knees and ran my hands through my hair. Most of the time, I was able to push thoughts of Victoria to the back of my mind. She still appeared in my dreams along with the baby Bella miscarried when we first found out she was pregnant with Meagan, but those were few and far between. While we'd visited the cemetery before we'd left Forks, we didn't spend much time there, and it didn't seem like a "good-bye." We'd placed some flowers and balloons on Victoria's grave and told her that we'd be back before long to see her again.

As the guys filed out of our room, several of them offered me their apologies. I didn't acknowledge any of them. I just sat in the hallway until the hall monitor came by for curfew check.

"Come on, Cullen. In your room," he said. I nodded, and Jasper gave me a hand up.

"You okay?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah. I guess so," I said as I walked back into our room. I plopped onto my bed and pulled my plays out of the folder. "We've only got an hour until lights out. You wanna go over these?"

"Why don't you tell me about your visit with Meagan and Bella first?" Jasper said.

"Well, Meagan was so cute. She had Bella in a wet t-shirt by the time that I got there. It was spectacular."

"Hmmm, I should have gone with you," Jasper said.

"No, you shouldn't have. That's my rack, not yours. Yours will be here on Friday, remember?"

"Well, did you get any tonight?"

"I still don't kiss and tell, but I've still got some studying to do. I'm not halfway done."

"Well, I'm almost done, but I'd rather be in your shoes. I miss Alice."

"Yeah, I know you do."

"I'm getting blue balls over here."

"Too damn bad, buddy. That's not something I'm willing to help you out with."

"Yeah, I know. Now shut up and get busy. It's lights out in an hour."

We got our studying done, and then we went to sleep. It would be an early morning.