A Night to Remember

by Fanficaholics Anon

The geeky Edward and his brothers, Emmett and Jasper, all decide to go camping for Jasper's birthday. What happens when they get more than they bargained for?

Title: A Night to Remember

Penname(s):

Fandom: Twilight

Pairing(s): Edward/Bella

Picture #:87

Rating: M

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the owner. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchises. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: The geeky Edward and his brothers, Emmett and Jasper, all decide to go camping for Jasper's birthday. What happens when they get more than they bargained for?

Submitted for the 100 Pictures—An Anon Fanfic Competition

Please check out the other entries here: http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/100_Pictures_An_Anon_Fanfic_Competition_Entries/83603/

EPOV

I sat at my desk and stared out the window. It was a warm Saturday morning in late spring and the beginning of what was going to be anything but the usual weekend. I was going on my very first camping trip with Jasper and Emmett as a way of celebrating Jasper's twenty-first birthday. Personally, I would have preferred to go out to a bar and let him get shitfaced, followed quickly by a lap dance at a strip club, but he insisted on going camping to celebrate his big day.

I was nervous about going away with Jasper and Emmett, who were not only my younger brothers, but my best friends. We were going to be exploring some isolated territory in the forest, a hundred miles northeast of Forks, and there weren't going to be any other campers for miles around. Just us. We would be fishing for our survival and isolated from everything, even to the point that there was no cell coverage. Oh, how I'd miss my phone...my one connection with the outside world. I was in IT after all, and a complete geek and gadget addict. I needed my technology, my link to civilization just as much as I needed air to breathe.

Sometimes I wondered if I fell out of the sky and landed on my family's front porch. I was so different from them. Both of my brothers loved the outdoors, loved hiking. I was at my happiest sitting behind a computer screen. Being around technology was where I felt most comfortable. Yep, they were from Mars, and I was from the planet of the geeks.

"Edward, you packed yet?" Jasper asked with impatience as he burst through my door without knocking. "Ya know I do wanna get out of here by midnight, big brother."

"I'm packed already! I just need to send off a few emails before I go," I snapped as I stared at from above my black rimmed glasses. "And for the hundredth time, knock will you?"

"Didn't get the chance to jack off to pictures of Bella last night, eh?" he asked, sensing that I was in a foul mood.

"Yeh, I did, and I used the socks I was gonna give you for your birthday present," I scowled, angry he'd have the guts to mention the girl I had admired from afar since high school. There was nothing like a long distance love affair, especially when it was one sided.

"Well, happy birthday to me!" he barked. I snorted at him, and he was clearly not impressed with my mood. "Edward, just once would you cheer the hell up?"

I realised I was being a sad sack and behaving like a spoiled child. My mood had nothing to do with him. Being his birthday, I knew I should cut him a break, no matter how pissed off I was with the world. "Sorry. Happy birthday, little brother," I said as I grabbed a protein bar from my drawer, shoved it in my mouth and threw the crumpled up wrapper in his face.

"What? No gift?" he asked, that stupid crooked grin crossing his smarmy face.

"Yeh. You have me for the weekend ... and I'm the gift that keeps on giving," I said sarcastically, the pain in the ass that I was. Of course Emmett and I had planned to give him a gift. We just weren't gonna give it to him until we got there. It worried me a little, as Emmett had said he'd arrange the whole thing, saying it would be a great surprise for Jasper. He wouldn't give much away though, as I tended to find it difficult to keep secrets. It was my face. My brothers always knew when I was hiding something from them. They always said I'd make a terrible poker player.

"Okay, you guys, time for us to take a hike!" Emmett said, winking at me as he stood at the door of my room. "Jeep's all packed, so let's haul ass!"

I reluctantly switched off my computer and stood, grabbing my keys, phone and backpack, which had a sleeping back rolled up and attached to the back. I put on my weatherproof jacket, which would keep me warm no matter the temperature and which also had pockets for everything in it. I didn't much care for roughing it or starving to death, so I packed a few snacks that I hid strategically in the various pockets of my jacket as well as a Swiss army knife and small torch. It wasn't that I didn't have faith in my brothers' fishing skills. I just liked to be prepared in case the fish weren't biting.

"We've got cans of beans as a backup," Jasper said as if he could read my mind.

"You aren't gonna go all Blazing Saddles on us are you Jasper?" Emmett quipped as we walked outside towards the Jeep.

"Yeh, maybe we should've packed a cork to plug your ass if we're gonna live on beans all weekend, Jasper," I added, laughing as I held my nose.

Jasper punched me in the arm and said, "Don't worry, we'll be catching our dinner tonight, so the beans are only for emergencies," he said. "We don't usually pack anything, except we know how delicate you are, Edward," he added.

"Very funny, jackass," I said, rolling my eyes as I opened the car door.

We got into the car with all our gear loaded, and I had to say, the guys had splurged on the best of everything. We had a tent that virtually put itself up and the latest fishing and camping gear. Emmett was into the wilderness and always went away with Jasper, the two of them usually leaving me behind.

"What's the weather forecast for this weekend, Edward?" Jasper asked, knowing that I'd been tracking the weather all week, the careful person I was.

"Rain, as usual," I said, shrugging. "Though it could turn heavy later, so we should set up camp as soon as we can," I added anxiously.

The drive was uneventful, my brothers discussing fishing techniques they'd used and bragging about the sizes of fish they'd caught in the past, one always trying to outdo the other. I was relieved to get out of the car, even though it was a three mile hike to our campsite. There were a few cars parked in the area, obviously for hikers who walked the trails on this side of the mountain.

"Why the hell can't we just camp a little ways up there?" I moaned, spotting a clearing and pointing in its general direction.

"Because this is too close to civilisation, numb nuts," Emmett replied as he rolled his eyes.

"Spoke to a guy in town I ran into the other day, and he didn't stop bragging about this place," Jasper said, winking at me as we unloaded our gear.

"So, you've never been to this spot?" I asked, feeling a little panicked. I was a planner, not a fly-by- the-seat-of-my-pants kind of guy.

"No, Edward. Ain't it great?" Jasper said excitedly.

Fuck no.

Holding back my negative thoughts, I decided to go with the flow. It was Jasper's birthday after all, and he really didn't ask much of me, so it was the least I could do. Maybe, just maybe, it would distract me from the pain I felt. I wandered away from the Jeep and stood at the edge of the clearing, staring at the wilderness before me, and thought about the only girl who'd ever truly stolen my heart.

One month earlier, I'd received a personal message from Bella, telling me about her latest break up with a boy who had treated her like shit. She went on and on about how badly he treated her, and so we messaged one another back and forth, and I talked her through her crisis. I even went so far as to offer to meet her, to talk face to face about what had happened. It was then I realised I was only ever going to be a distant friend. She virtually blew me off and said that as much as she was grateful for my advice, she didn't want to lead me on and give me the impression that we were any more than just good friends.

"Oh, suck it up, Edward," Emmett said as he came up and whacked me on the back, nearly knocking my glasses off my face, as I lurched forward under the impact. As Jasper busied himself with the contents of the Jeep, Emmett leaned in and whispered, "You're about to have the weekend of your life, bro! Just wait till you two see what I've got up my sleeve!"

I stared at my brother in accusation, then at Jasper with sympathy. What the hell did Emmett have planned? I was beginning to get nervous. Really nervous.

As I was about to demand to know what he'd done, Jasper approached us and asked, "What's wrong, big brother?"

"Numb nuts is a little scared of the hike; that's all," Emmett chimed in on my behalf, slapping me on the back once more. And that wasn't the half of it. Oh, how I missed being in my room, my fingers nimbly tapping the keys of my laptop...alone!

Loaded to the hilt with our gear, we trudged slowly down the undulating trail, one which seemed to disappear the farther we got away from civilization. We walked slowly, and as Jasper moved on ahead, frowning as he checked for landmarks his 'friend' had given him, I wondered if he was getting us lost.

"Jasper?" I questioned, unable to express my concern without coming off as a whining wimp.

"Yep, there's the cave. It shouldn't be long now," he said, suddenly picking up his pace as he appeared more certain of where we were going. "A few clicks west from here," he said as he gazed upwards and then checked his compass. As we travelled further, I heard the sound of gently rushing water, and even though Jasper carried a shitload of equipment, he virtually began running towards the source of the sound. I was grateful we were close, as I was beginning to get a little lightheaded from lack of food and all that exertion.

"Dude, let me borrow your cell a minute," Emmett whispered as he held his hand out and waited for me to hand him my phone.

"Why?" I asked.

"Let's just say I need our gift delivered. It's a bit too big to carry, and I need to give rough directions," he said cagily. "Now shut your pie hole with the twenty questions, and hand me your phone."

"There's not much of a signal, but sure," I said, shrugging as I took my phone out of my pocket and checked the screen. I was hoping he was going to call for a huge ass pizza. Of course, getting them to deliver here would be highly unlikely, and I knew that this surprise was way bigger than food. I watched as he sent a quick text to someone, and then put the phone in his pocket as he kept watch for Jasper who was far ahead of us, obviously fixated on getting us to our destination.

"Hey!" I protested, putting my hand out for my phone.

"In a sec, I have to wait to hear back," he hissed as he kept a close eye on Jasper, who was virtually sprinting now as he increased the distance between us.

My phone buzzed, and he stopped and checked. "Excellent," he mumbled. "It's all in place."

I didn't bother asking. He wasn't going to tell me. He deleted the messages and handed me the phone, as I rolled my eyes at him. Finally closing in on Jasper, we found our way through the forest and came upon our campsite. It was by a river, and this private place was surrounded by nothing but forest. "Wow," I said as I felt my jaw drop. I took in the vastness of this place, the campsite situated along the river's edge, nestled amongst nothing but mountains.

"Great, ain't it?" Jasper said as he stood there, staring into the forest and beyond, unloading his gear from his back with his lopsided grin crossing his face.

"Sure is, bro," Emmett said as he set his gear down, smirking a little.

"What's with you, Emmett?" Jasper asked, catching his expression.

"Nothing at all, Jasper. I'm just excited about this place. Great spot, brother!"

We spent the next hour setting up the bright yellow tent and unpacking our gear, laughing and joking amongst ourselves as the afternoon wore on.

My stomach began to growl with hunger, and right on cue, Emmett spoke up. "How about, you two go fish, and I'll go collect some wood and build a fire," Emmett said, as he picked up the one and only pan we had and waved it around.

"As long as you let me cook when we get back," I said in warning. Emmett couldn't even boil water, but I knew why he was sending us away. He wanted to take delivery of whatever Jasper's gift was.

Jasper stared at Emmett with confusion and said, "Wouldn't it be better if Edward..."

"Jasper, come on. I have to learn how to fish sometime," I interrupted as I picked up our fishing rods and handed him one.

He shrugged in response and said, "Okay. There's supposed to be a deeper part about half a mile downstream, and that's where all the fish bite. Let's go catch ourselves some dinner," he said as he picked up his box of flies and net and headed towards the river.

"Lead on, birthday boy," I said, as I winked at Emmett, who was smiling goofily, before turning and following my brother.

Jasper taught me about the fine art of fly fishing, and we spent the next few hours shooting the shit, talking and catching some trout. We'd bagged ourselves quite a haul, enough to feed not only us, but an entire regiment.

"What's with you lately, Edward?" he enquired as we set ourselves up by the shore and began to clean the fish. "You've been more than your usual broody self lately."

"Oh, nothing," I sighed, feeling my brows wrinkle.

"Sure, it's nothing. I know you, Edward, and it's far from nothing. Maybe if you talk about it, you'll feel better."

I shrugged and let out a sigh. "Oh, it's nothing you'd understand."

"It's about a girl, isn't it," he said, not even phrasing it as a question.

I stopped what I was doing, threw the half cleaned fish on the ground and tossed my knife aside. I rose from my haunches and walked a few paces, staring into the forest. Of course it was about a girl ... a girl who saw me as nothing but a friend and, after all these years, a girl whom I still wanted more than anything.

"Yes. We met on Facebook," I said, cringing and as the words escaped my lips, I immediately regretted blurting them out.

"You're kidding!" he said incredulously as he stood to his feet.

"I shouldn't have told you," I snapped as I stared away, folding my arms, unable to look him in the eye.

"Sorry, big brother, but really? You met on the internet?" he asked softly, but the shocked tone had not completely left his voice. I nodded once and went back to join him, picking up another fish.

"I knew her before. We've known each other a while, but lost touch, until we met again about a year ago online," I explained. "It doesn't matter anyway. As far as she's concerned, I'm just a friend."

"She's gotta be crazy then," he said. "As much as I find you annoying, I know more than a few girls who've wanted me to introduce you to them. Maybe when we get back..."

"No. Not interested," I stated blankly. And I wasn't. Not another girl in existence would ever turn my head the way Bella had all those years ago. Even when I had tried to date other women, my mind's eye just couldn't see past those chocolate brown eyes, that petite but curvaceous body or that reddish brown hair that hung loosely over her shoulders and cascaded down her back. And it wasn't just about the way she looked. I felt an affinity to her I couldn't explain, so powerful that, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why she didn't feel the same way.

I was obviously delusional.

Jasper cleared his throat, bringing me back. "I've found myself a girl," he said in a cracked voice, looking at me with trepidation as we began to pack up our things and walk back. "Emmett knows about her, but I've been kind of anxious about telling you," he admitted, bouncing nervously as he walked.

"Why?" I asked.

"Big brother, do you know how protective you are of me? You've never really dug any of the women I've brought home before, so let's just say she's been my little secret until I knew it was serious. It's just easier that way."

"Oh. Sorry," I apologised, realising that what he said was true. I was that way with both of my brothers, always thinking that no girl was ever good enough for them. In contrast, my brothers had always teased me about the 'relationship that never was' with Bella, and the fact that I'd only dated a couple of times since her.

Well at least talking about Jasper's new girl was distracting me from my woes. "So, tell me about her then, Jasper," I said as we meandered along the shore and back towards our campsite.

"She's great. A firecracker, though. She doesn't cut me a break, and she's as hot as all get out." I watched his smile broaden and had never quite seen him like this about a girl before.

"Where did you meet? Facebook?" I joked.

"Ha fucking ha, Edward. Remember when Emmett and I went away for Spring Break?" he asked. I chuckled as I recalled the two of them going away to let loose and meet some seriously hot girls, remembering how I thought their trip was such a big waste of time.

"So this is a long distance relationship?" I asked, wondering if it would last. I knew the kind of girls that went to Florida for Spring Break.

"She's from Seattle, so it's not that long distance," he said as he gave me a sideways glance. "And before you go jumping to conclusions, she's not one of those girls who gets drunk, sleeps around and flashes her tits. She was there to visit family with a friend of hers."

"Did I say she was?" I asked, chuckling at him.

"You didn't have to. You know you might wanna work on that poker face of yours, big brother," he growled. "You could find yourself in a whole mess of trouble if you look at her like that when I decide to introduce you." He flashed me a warning glare, and that look made me think he was very serious about this girl.

"Okay!" I growled in frustration, a little jealousy rearing its ugly head. I was happy for him, but seeing him this gone on a girl made me realise all too clearly that my life was far from complete. In fact, it sucked. Big time.

I was, indeed, pathetic.

We arrived back at the campsite later that afternoon, but found no sign of Emmett. "Guess he must be collecting firewood," Jasper mused, shrugging as we brought the fish to the partially constructed campfire.

As I headed over to the tent to set down the fishing gear and grab the frypan, I heard a rustling noise, along with the sound of a snapping twig coming from the direction of the forest. As I heard that, a low growl emanated from the same direction, and I froze. "What the hell? Jasper!" I hissed, unable to move a muscle. "Did you hear that?"

Jasper flew to my side, and his ears pricked. "Raaaaaarrr!" I heard as something brown and furry ran from behind the tent and tackled Jasper to the ground.

"Fuck!" I wailed, my heart jumping out of my chest.

"What the hell?" I heard Jasper scream, laughing as they rolled around on the ground. "That's the worst bear impersonation I've ever heard!"

"Raaaarrrr!" he repeated as they play fought, their bodies twisting and turning as Jasper tried to get Emmett the bear in a headlock.

"You pair look like two animals in heat!" I commented, smiling as I watched the two of them, bursting into a fit of laughter at Emmett's antics.

Then, Emmett rolled Jasper over and dry humped him on his leg. "Oh, raarrrr, baby! That feels so good!" he growled. It was hilarious! I took out my phone and snapped a few pictures, and then I switched on my video and caught the rest of their antics, the image before me too good to pass up without recording it for posterity.

"Emmett, get the hell off me!" Jasper shouted, pushing Emmett away as he continued to nearly piss his pants laughing. Emmett got up and took the head of the bear costume off, his face red with heat, humour and embarrassment; a stupid grin spread across his face as he tried to calm himself.

"Happy Birthday, Jasper!" he said. "Ah hell, I forgot something!" he added, putting the stupid head of the costume back on.

"I have to recite my poem. You know, like those funny gorilla-grams?" he said, clearing his throat as he unzipped the top of the costume and took out a piece of paper, holding it closely to his bear face. He looked so fucking funny. "Here goes...

Jasper the monkey

Was a lonely little simian

Without a girl monkey in his heart

See he had a little problem

That he had no way of solving

Alas he could not help but fart

He tried and tried to charm

The females in his life

But no matter what he would try to do

He would let one rip

And they'd all hold their noses

Ah yes he knew he was screwed

So he had an idea

To rid himself

Of the stank that lowered his class

He took a banana

Unpeeled in his hand

And shoved the whole thing up his ass!"

Jasper and I both fell into fits of laughter, clutching our stomachs as Emmett took off the bear head and bowed, then burst into a roar of a laugh himself. "Happy birthday, man," he said as he walked over and slapped Jasper on the back while we continued to laugh our asses off.

"You wrote that, Emmett?" I asked punching him in his furry arm.

"Yeh, I did," he answered, suddenly blushing.

"It was shit-all funny, Emmett," Jasper said. "Thanks, man!"

"And that's not all I've brought," he said, waggling his eyebrows. He went into the tent and pulled out a freezer bag filled with beers, along with a bottle of Jack.

"How the fuck did you...?" Jasper asked, and I had to admit I was intrigued. How the hell did he get all of this here? The bear suit, the booze?

"It's about time you got legally shitfaced!" he smirked as he reached in, grabbed a beer, and then tossed it to Jasper.

"I'll get the food going," I said responsibly, wanting Jasper to at least have something in his stomach to save it from being pumped later. I wandered into the fringe of the forest to collect firewood, just as the rain began to fall softly and the wind picked up. I searched my pockets until I found the box of waterproof matches and gathered some kindling, running back to our campsite before the rain got worse.

"Where the hell is Emmett?" I asked Jasper as I arrived and dumped the kindling at his feet.

"I thought he was getting out of that stupid suit," he answered as he took a swig of beer. I handed Jasper the matches and watched as he lit the campfire, gazing into the flames that were sparking and flickering in the breeze.

And then I heard it. There were screams, coming from the distance. They sounded high pitched, female...and absolutely terrified. "Bear! Oh God, a bear!" the voice shrieked as more screaming echoed through the forest.

"You asshole! You ruined our tent!" I heard someone else cry. The sounds of the screams began to get louder as Emmett bolted back to the campsite, tore the head of his costume off and then dived head first into the tent. "Where the hell is he?" a tall blonde woman asked as she stalked towards us, wielding a huge stick in her raised hand. She looked thoroughly pissed off and ready to attack.

"Take it easy," I said as calmly as I could. "It was just my stupid brother playing a practical joke." I raised my hand, signalling her to stop. As she lowered her arm and dropped the stick, she let out a little giggle.

"Rosalie?" Jasper asked, his face filled with a mixture of excitement and confusion. "What the hell are you doing here?" Who the fuck was this woman, and how the hell did Jasper know her?

"I'm here because your idiot brother just scared the crap out of my friend and broke one of the tent poles when he fell on top of it!" she said indignantly. "I've never seen Bella's face look so..."

"Bella?" I asked, my surprise turning to shock as she emerged from behind the tent and walked towards me, dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, her hair all messed up as if she'd just gotten out of bed.

"Edward?" she questioned in return, arching her brow as she stared at me, her blush there as it always was.

Jasper stared at Bella, shocked for a moment, and then his eyes turned back to me, gasping as he read my expression and connected the dots.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." Rosalie commanded, smiling evilly as her eyes darted towards the tent. Before either of us could stop her, she flew into the tent like a bat out of hell and screamed, "Rarrrrrrrrrrr!"

Emmett howled with laughter as the tent shook with their movements. "Rose, stop it! Uncle! Uncle!" he shrieked at the top of his lungs. And then, it went eerily quiet, but not before we all heard Emmett let out a loud moan.

Bella stood there and rolled her eyes, seemingly irritated by the goings-on. I didn't give a damn about what Emmett and that girl were doing. Now that the girl of my fantasies was here, I wouldn't have noticed if the world had exploded.

I took a small step towards Bella, my eyes grazing over her curvaceous form. "You haven't changed a bit," I said in a low tone, admiring how the t-shirt hugged her body, its short length showing a sliver of skin between the waist of her jeans and the hem of her shirt.

"Well you certainly have!" she said in surprise, staring at me up and down. "I nearly didn't recognise you!"

I'd never posted any pictures of myself on my Facebook profile. I was never happy with the way I looked, and only had a photo of me as a baby on there. I'd also changed a bit since high school, my face changing from a feminine, beardless, four- eyed geek to a bearded, somewhat less feminine, four-eyed geek.

"Thanks, I think," I said with uncertainty as I stepped even closer, and then leaned over to pick up the frypan, my eyes never leaving hers as our bodies nearly made contact.

"You're welcome, I-I guess," she stammered in a tone that...was filled with regret? What on earth did that mean? And, oh God! That blush! Our bodies were so close I could feel that familiar pull that was there all those years ago, my thoughts scattering because of her mere presence, and it was worse than I'd ever remembered. We stared at one another for what seemed like hours, though I was sure it was only seconds, her eyes contrasting caramel in the dull green of the forest around us. She was so mesmerising.

"Hey! Thanks for leaving me back there, you two! I nearly got lost!" another girl complained as she emerged through the trees, looking like something of a woodland pixie.

"Alice!" Jasper said in sheer relief, dropping his beer, its contents slowly emptying onto the ground. Emmett and Rosalie emerged from the tent, both of them breathless, Emmett's bear suit removed.

"Well, it wasn't supposed to go down like this, but surprise, bro!" Emmett said excitedly as he looped his arm around Rosalie and gave her an affectionate squeeze. I cocked my brow at my brothers, silently accusing the two of them of keeping more than a few secrets from me. I felt like I'd been hoodwinked, but I wasn't about to complain. Not when the most beautiful woman in the world was standing right in front of me. "Rosalie, Alice, this four-eyed idiot is my brother, Edward."

"It's nice to meet you," Alice said, giving me a quick glance before she flew into Jasper's arms. He picked her up and twirled her around, her feet nearly catching alight as he swung her over the flames of the campfire. "You didn't think I'd stay away from you on your birthday, did you?" She laughed and threw her head back as he planted a kiss on her neck, and then set her down.

"But I thought you had to work," Jasper said, his voice filled with accusation.

"All part of the surprise," she giggled.

"And, Bella Swan, well I haven't set eyes on you since high school. Looking good there!" Jasper added. Emmett smirked in response, and then waggled his eyebrows at me. How the hell did he pull this off?

"Well, how about you join us for dinner, darlin'?" he drawled as he held her in his arms. "We've just caught a buttload of fish, so there's plenty to go around." While the conversation continued around us, Bella and I just stared at one another. The electricity humming between us was so strong I was tempted to hit her over the head with the frypan, throw her over my shoulder and drag her off to that cave we passed.

"That would be great," Rosalie chimed in. "But our tent..."

"How about I go try and fix it for you?" Emmett offered.

"Forget it! I'm not letting you anywhere near our tent, Emmett Cullen!" Rosalie hissed in mock threat. "Besides, it's pretty much collapsed. We may have to bunk in with you guys tonight." My ears pricked at that suggestion, bringing me out of my Bella-induced haze, and I smiled inwardly as I walked back towards the campfire, pan in hand.

"That's no problem. You ladies can take the tent, and we'll sleep out under the stars," Jasper suggested.

What the hell? I had to say I felt disappointed. I would not have minded sharing my double-sized sleeping bag with Bella, even though it was only within the realms of fantasy that would ever happen. Now I had the uncontrollable urge to hit Jasper over the head with the frypan to knock some sense into him.

"How about we go get your sleeping bags then?" Emmett asked excitedly.

"We also have some plates and other stuff to bring, so why don't the four of us go get our things and leave Bella and Edward to start dinner? Bella's a great cook," Alice suggested as she reached out and took the frypan from me and placed it on the campfire. Jasper walked to the tent and got out a pair of tongs, whispering something in Bella's ear before he handed them to her. She walked towards where I stood near the fire, her blush fierce, as she bit her lip and picked up a few pieces of fish, tossing them into the pan. We both crouched down around the fire, the flames warming us as a nervous knot began to form in the pit of my stomach.

"We'll be back," Jasper said, smiling that smarmy smile at me as they all headed toward the forest and disappeared. We were finally alone.

"I hate to ask, but what did Jasper just say to you?"

"He said we had thirty minutes, so I should make it quick," she laughed softly, blushing even deeper as she shook the pan over the fire, trying to keep the fish from sticking.

"God, I'm sorry about him. He has no verbal filters to speak of."

"I think that trait kind of runs in your family," she said, still laughing. "You have no idea how your brutal honesty sometimes catches me off guard, Edward." She sighed as she briefly glanced at me, her blush deepening.

"Oh. Sorry. Guess I should've kept my key strokes to myself then. I was only trying to help."

"You did, but at the time I guess I wasn't ready to hear what you had to say."

"Oh." I didn't quite know how to respond to her statement, so I decided to try and change the subject instead. "So, how do you know Alice and Rosalie?"

"I work with Alice. I told you about the little boutique, didn't I? I've been working there part-time until I finish my degree, remember?"

"Oh, that's right, but you never mentioned Alice." I recollected, smiling as I remembered our Facebook conversation about how I just couldn't see her working at a boutique. She was well on her way to becoming a teacher of course, but fashion aficionado she wasn't.

"And Rosalie, well the two of them sort of come as a package deal," she added, rolling her eyes.

"Of course they do. I can't believe the two of them hooked up with my brothers, though I have to say they seem alright," I said in approval, my mood lighter because I was around the one person who had the ability to bring me out of my misery, even when we weren't face to face and were just chatting online. For the past month, I'd really missed it and hadn't gone on Facebook much, avoiding her deliberately so I could try to move on with my life. And just like that, I felt my face harden into a grimace at the thought of what I'd missed out on and how stupid I had been. Being her friend was a damned sight better than not being in her life at all.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she deftly turned the fish and shook the pan once more.

"Yeah, just realising how much of an idiot I've been," I said softly. "I haven't been online much."

"I noticed," she said. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Edward. I just wasn't in a good place at the time." She took the pan off the fire and set it down on the ground next to us, then turned to face me. "You've always been there for me, and when you went silent, I really didn't know what to do."

"Me either, Bella," I confessed, staring into those caramel swirls once more, feeling myself becoming lost in their depths. No. This could not happen again. She was pulling me back into her world, dangling a carrot there just to keep me in her life on her terms. In the friend zone. I couldn't give in again, could I? "Besides, Facebook is just a place you should go to shoot the shit, have fun, and not get involved," I added coldly, trying to make light of what had transpired between us.

"Oh. Right. Sure. You're right; of course, you're right," she blubbered. I stood up and went to the tent, inhaling deeply as I picked up a plate.

"Here," I said, standing closely as I offered it to her, and she removed the fish and gently placed it on the plate. Without a word, she set it down next to her, grabbed more pieces of fish and threw them in the pan. The sun was setting, and a for a moment, I just stared toward the horizon, hearing nothing but the sound of the rushing water and feeling nothing but the heat of the fire and the nearness of Bella wash through me. Unfortunately, the sound of distant laughter broke the spell I was under as our friends returned to camp.

"Mmmm, something smells great!" Emmett said as they arrived, hauling a huge amount of gear.

"Dinner is served, everyone," Bella announced, forcing a smile. Alice got out some plastic plates, and we all sat down around the fire to eat. I sat strategically between my two brothers, who had their girls sitting either side of them, while Bella sat directly opposite on the other side of the fire. The sun lowered and disappeared and the pink orange hue blended with the fire made Bella look almost angelic. I closed my eyes for a moment, groaning a little as I imagined my lips on that delicate skin. Suddenly feeling as though I was being stared at, I opened my eyes and discovered there were several sets of laughing eyes fixed on me, Bella's included. Fuck.

"Sorry. Gas. Must be the food," I commented as I held my breath and thumped a clenched fist against my chest, trying to deflect everyone's thoughts from my stupid behaviour.

"Hey!" Bella laughed. "Ever think that maybe it's the fish you caught?"

"I'll have you know I throw back the gassy ones, little lady," Jasper said, arching his brow at Bella before smirking.

"I hate to think what would happen if we got out the beans!" Emmett added, bursting into a fit of laughter.

With the tension broken, we drank beer and cracked open the bottle of Jack, bantering for a few hours. As we washed the plates packed away the dinner gear, we joked and laughed and talked about anything and everything. Well, we talked about everything else other than the huge white elephant perched around the campfire, namely the subject of Bella and me. It was obvious that my brothers had been clued in further while they were gone. Though I was mortified, I knew if I made a big deal about it, things would only get worse. Uncharacteristically, I held my tongue, and Bella's gaze briefly met with mine as I did. I shrugged and tore my eyes away from her, taking a swig of my beer distractedly.

The night wore on, and as it did, I began to relax further, even joking with Bella as if there were no elephant sitting between us. She only sipped on her beer as did I. I didn't want to let my guard down in case things got out of hand. I had to admire her though. She was and always would be the easiest person to talk to even under this particular set of circumstances. It didn't matter if we were face to face or online. With Bella, what you saw was what you got. She was a female version of me when I thought about it, but when it was called for, she could also be subtle. I didn't know the meaning of the word subtle, my brutal honesty scathing at times. I guess that was why I was alone for the most part.

"So when are you gonna put the moves on Bella?" Emmett asked in a drunken tone as he nudged me in the ribs. Bella averted her eyes and squirmed where she sat, suddenly becoming more interested in the fire than anything else.

"Shut up, Emmett," I growled as I pushed him over, and he landed in Rosalie's lap. The two of them howled with laughter in response, and I felt the blush creep across my face. Fuck him! Why the hell did Emmett always have to put his stupid-ass foot into his gigantic mouth?

"Okay, big brother, settle down there," Jasper ordered, trying but failing to keep a serious expression. He leant in and kissed Alice on the neck, and then whispered in her ear. She nodded her head and giggled as she swallowed another belt of Jack.

I glanced towards the tent, knowing that the rain was holding off for the moment, but sensing it was going to worsen. The wind was beginning to whip around the campsite, and everyone had grabbed their sleeping bags, unzipped them and used them as blankets as they sat around the fire.

"Damn! I forgot to grab the S'mores, and since you boys provided dinner, the least we can do is offer some dessert," Alice slurred, winking as her cheeks flushed with the effects of the Jack. "Bella, the rest of us are a little wasted. Would you and Edward mind getting them?"

Oh fuck. Fuckity fuck fuck.

"Sure, I guess," she said as she looked at me warily. I shrugged casually, not wanting to give the smiling eyes and smirking faces that surrounded me the satisfaction of reacting to Alice's remarks.

"Come on, Bella. Let's go get these guys a sugar hit. It should go down really well with the alcohol." I was picturing them all hurling up a mixture of marshmallows and beer, and it made me feel a little grossed out. I stood to my feet and as I watched her stand and leave her sleeping bag on the ground, she shivered, grasping herself with folded arms, the wind picking up at the same time. Without thinking and before she could reach down and pick up her own, I moved closer and wrapped my much larger and far warmer sleeping bag around her shoulders, then zipped up my jacket to repel the unseasonably cold wind and rain.

"Thanks. Wow, this sleeping bag's so much warmer than Charlie's tattered old one," she murmured as she pulled the waterproof bag tightly around her body.

"No problem, Bella. That sleeping bag is made to endure Arctic conditions." We headed out of sight of the rest of them, and their laughter echoed through the forest as we left them behind.

I pulled out my small torch to help guide us to their campsite. "Seems that we've been the butt of their jokes tonight," Bella commented as we walked together slowly, the wind picking up further, the rain beginning to increase.

"Yeh, well I guess they have nothing better to do than see us squirm," I added.

She laughed in return, the wind and rain swirling around us as we travelled along the rocky trail and headed up the mountain. The ground began to become slippery under foot, and I kept a firm eye on Bella as she made her way up the mountain, not that she ever seemed particularly clumsy, but I really didn't want to see her fall and injure her pretty little behind. I had always felt protective of her, and when she'd spoken about the way some of her former boyfriends had treated her, I'd always bristled in response. In hindsight, I knew what I felt was a severe case of jealousy, and no matter who the latest man was in her life, I felt the same way and wished more than anything that it was me. I had hoped she'd see I was the one for her and pined for her when she didn't give me a second thought.

"And it's supposed to be summer soon. Where the hell did this weather come from?" she complained as she tried to pick up her pace.

"Stupid weathermen. Do they ever get it right?" I grumbled in annoyance, shivering as the wind suddenly picked up speed and the rain fell harder. I took Bella's hand in mine and pulled her towards the tent that stood partially erected. And then, it absolutely bucketed down, the wind turning into a small tornado, the rain piercing every bit of my exposed skin like fine needles. "Come on!" I yelled, dragging Bella towards our only shelter. We found our way inside the old tent, one end of the tent still up, the other partially collapsed. The main pole in the centre was, however, still standing, so I hoped that we could shelter ourselves there until the storm blew over.

I placed the lit torch on the ground, and we sat ourselves down either side of the pole, which was shuddering, the tent feeling as though it could take off with us still in it. I gripped the pole firmly, trying to ascertain if it was going to hold up, and Bella said, "I hope this old thing of Charlie's stays in one piece." She also grasped the pole, and as she did, my teeth began to chatter. Though the jacket was helping, my jeans and hair were drenched, and I couldn't keep warm. I hunched my body into itself as the wind howled and the minutes ticked by, but instead of the weather easing, it seemed to be worsening. The air around us became icy, and it was as if it had blown in directly from the Arctic. Bella looked at me sheepishly as I shook uncontrollably until she finally said, "You're freezing. Come on, Edward. How about we get you warm?"

My heart jolted, and my brain turned to mush as her extremely appealing suggestion penetrated my mind until I said, dumfounded, "No, I couldn't..." For the love of all that's holy, please don't agree with me!

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward. I can't stand sitting here all warm and watch you freeze to death, and if we zip this back up, we can both be warm," she said logically. And, it did make sense. I was just petrified that being in such close proximity to the girl of my dreams might cause me to lose control. "Edward?" she said, her eyes questioning. I nodded once in acquiescence, internally doing a combination happy dance and high five as I let go of the pole.

She manoeuvred the sleeping bag off herself, gasping at the rush of cold air, shivering as drops of water rolled off the sleeping bag and hit her body. I took one end of it and reattached the zipper, and we laid the sleeping bag on the ground. "In you get," I instructed, indicating my hand to the opened bag, my whole body shaking. She crawled in and lay on her back, while I took off my soaking wet jacket and crawled in next to her, zipping us in as I eased my way down into the bag and lay on my back next to her.

"God, Edward, you're freezing!" she complained, flinching as my hand accidentally brushed against her fingers, the electricity of her touch outdoing anything Mother Nature could bombard us with.

"Sorry," I said in apology, trying to keep some space between us, which was not all that easy even though there was ample room within the sleeping bag. Keeping my hands to myself was a near impossibility now, considering whom I was with. We lay there in silence for a few moments while I tried to get a handle on my breathing and my shuddering body. As the moments passed, I began to relax as the warmth from her body radiated out towards me, drawing me ever closer. Tonight was turning out to be one of the most memorable nights I'd ever had, and I mentally thanked the heavens that the weatherman had gotten things so very, very wrong.

Once warmed up, I stared at the shuddering pole and watched as the tent around us threatened to collapse, praying that it would just stay put. I reached out and grasped the pole once more, feeling it bow in my hands under the pressure of the wind outside, the tent creaking and groaning under the storm's onslaught.

"Is the tent going to make it, or will it need CPR?" she asked, giggling. I grinned and let out a sigh, relieved she didn't find this situation too uncomfortable. It didn't mean I felt comfortable in the least. In fact, the area of my crotch was beginning to tighten within the confines of my damp jeans, thus adding to the discomfort. The urge to touch her was becoming overwhelming as the heat passed between us, enveloping us in our own warm and comforting bubble.

"I sure as hell hope not," I answered, smiling wider as I rolled on my side and gazed at her. She was so beautiful, and I knew I had to tell her how I felt, the words creeping up my chest, my declaration unable to be suppressed as I blurted, "Because I'd really like to stay right here, just as we are, Bella. You have no idea how much I've missed you. How much I've always cared about you." I swallowed heavily after the words rushed out of my mouth and waited.

She rolled onto her side, facing me, her sweet breath fanning over my skin as she searched my face. "Brutally honest as always," she murmured. "So since we're being so honest, I have a confession to make. No matter whom I've been with, I've always compared them to you. I always found something about them didn't measure up, but I never dreamed it was because I had feelings for you that weren't strictly within the category of 'friend'. I just thought I had unrealistic expectations." Even under the torchlight, I could see the blush on her face appear once more. Without being able to help myself, I reached my hand upwards and gently stroked the pink skin, her flesh electric under my touch.

As I watched her expression change, I caressed her face with newfound confidence, her panting breaths and heavily lidded eyes telling me she did feel the way I felt, but was never brave enough to admit it.

"And here I thought you were always being honest with me. Why didn't you say anything?" I moved in closer, our bodies lightly connecting underneath the covers as I stroked her beautiful face and waited for an answer.

"Because I only just realised it tonight, when I saw you, face to face," she confessed. I wanted to scream. Not even in my wildest fantasies could I have pictured this. "I'm sorry, Edward. I probably sound so shallow."

"Not at all. You can't help when an epiphany hits and better late than never," I murmured as I reached my free hand up and placed it on the other side of her face and leant in closely, brushing my mouth against hers. "Mmmm," I hummed against her rosebud lips. She snaked her arms around my waist in response, her touch suddenly more urgent, both of our bodies trembling in anticipation.

Unable to hold ourselves back, our lips smashed together, and I ran my tongue along her pouty mouth, begging for entrance. She complied, my erection now painful as she took my tongue into her mouth and let out a moan.

I let go of her face and removed my glasses, quickly placing them next to the torch. Unable to resist her any longer, I wrapped her in my arms and leaned in, my tongue licking its way down her throat as I whispered in a low voice, "You know in this situation, I've been told it's best to be naked when you're trying to survive in cold conditions." No sooner had I said that than we were virtually tearing each other's clothes off, and within minutes, we'd tossed them around the tent, our bodies radiating so much heat I thought we would spontaneously combust. I brushed my fingers along her jaw and muttered, "Beautiful."

"I agree," she appraised lovingly as she pressed her hand against the plane of my chest and stroked my skin. One of her hands wandered downward, and she gripped my length, causing me to gasp in surprised delight.

"Bellaaaaaa," I moaned, breathless, plunging my tongue into her mouth, our tongues dancing, tangling, fighting to dominate, our skin slick with our collective beads of sweat. Though the cold and wet surrounded us both, the wet heat overshadowed it all as she stroked me slowly. God, what this woman did to me!

Her breaths became pants, and her chest heaved as I shifted my body downward until my mouth found her nipple, kissing it tenderly before my tongue darted out and flicked the puckered skin. "Edward," she whispered as her hand stroked me faster.

"Oh, God, yes," I moaned before I clamped my mouth over the pebbled skin and sucked on it hard, as if there was no tomorrow. She gasped, muttering my name several more times between her short, sharp breaths as I switched to the other breast. My other hand wandered farther south, and as I suckled on her delicious flesh, I traced circular patterns over her belly and around her sensitive navel, increasing the circle in size until my fingers brushed against her hot, wet centre. She thrust her hips forward to greet my gently probing fingers before finally rolling onto her back and opening her legs. "God, I want you so much, Bella," I declared against her nipple, my voice filled with sweet anticipation until I realised exactly how isolated we were and stared up at her beautiful face. "I hate to rain on this parade, but are you on contraception?" I asked in desperation.

"Ah-ha," she breathed, her eyes closing while she nodded her head. "So please don't stop, Edward," she begged of me as my fingers dipped and whirled over her slit, teasing her entrance, my actions leaving her moaning, wanting. I was getting my sweet revenge, for what she was doing to my cock was a mixture of sheer bliss and pure, unadulterated torture.

Unable to wait any longer, I moved upwards and positioned myself at her entrance, pressing the tip of my manhood against her wet heat. I wanted to feel every inch of Bella's skin, and as I entered her, I was rewarded with a low guttural moan while she shook her head from side to side. I needed to make her mine in every sense of the word, my cock probing her deliciously slowly as I claimed her. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and her body tightened and tensed as I withdrew and then filled her once more. "You feel so good," I gasped as I felt a grunt escape my lungs, ridding myself of the pent up anxiety of these past weeks, my body going into overdrive as I began to move within her faster.

Her legs had me in a vice-like grip, and as I looked at her exquisite face in the glow of the torchlight, I was turned on even more by her lust-filled expression. "Look at me, Bella," I pleaded softly and nearly came then and there as her eyes, filled with adoration and want, bored into mine. Her hands worked their way up and down my back, her nails scratching my skin as she bucked her hips into mine, causing me to moan wantonly.

"Oh, God!" she shrieked, the sounds of the tempest fading into the background until all I could hear was her heaving breaths, and all I saw and felt was her glistening body writhing beneath me. There was nothing else in my world more important than Bella there, with me now in that moment. She was my world. My everything. My very reason to breathe. I stared at her glorious face, her body convulsing as she came. She bit her lip so hard I thought it would draw blood.

The feeling of her coming was enough to topple me over the razor's edge I had been teetering on ever since I touched her. "Oh, fuck yes!" I yelped like an animal as I released within her, her body twitching beneath me as we both came down from our high.

I peppered light kisses on her jaw and neck as I withdrew myself from her heated embrace and rolled away, our bodies never losing contact as I lay beside her. She smiled lazily as she kissed me before turning on her side with her back to my chest, her actions prompting me to wrap my arms around her and hold her close. I lay there blissfully, spooning the girl of my dreams, Mother Nature blessing us as the wind played its song and we drifted...

I was rudely awoken by my phone ringing, the harsh light of the rising sun causing the inside of the tent to glow. I leant over and searched my jacket pocket, retrieving my phone as Bella began to stir. I hastily picked up my glasses and put them on, then looked at the caller ID. Though I didn't recognise the number, I had a fair idea who it was.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Edward, it's Jasper. Alice loaned me her phone to call you. We've been trying to get a signal all night. Are you guys okay?"

"Yes, little brother, we're fine. When the weather closed in we took shelter in what remained of the girls' tent."

"So I take it things went...well?" I could just picture his lopsided grin appearing on his cocky face.

I decided to remain cagey. "Went well? Jasper, we spent the night holding a pole, so it was bearable at best," I answered, smiling as I stared lovingly at Bella, who sat up groggily and stared at me through half closed eyes, appearing a little disoriented.

"Oh, I get it. Did your high school crush finally grab hold of your pole? I hope you got more than a hand job there, bro," he teased, causing me to bristle. And then, I let out an evil laugh as a plan suddenly began to form in my mind.

"Very funny. Hey, listen, Bella wants to talk to Alice. Can you put her on the phone?" I asked casually as I whispered a question in Bella's ear. She nodded yes and giggled, biting her lip between her teeth, which caused me to groan with desire...again.

After a few moments I heard Alice. "Bella?"

"Alice, it's Edward. Can you access Facebook from your phone?"

"Sure. Why?" she asked with a suspicious tone in her voice.

"Give me ten minutes and then get Jasper to login okay?" Of course, both of my brothers had a Facebook account I had set up for them, but they rarely used it.

"Um, okay, sure" she agreed, confused. I hung up and immediately worked my magic, posting the incriminating video of Jasper and Emmett, but not before I played it back for Bella. Both of us killed ourselves laughing as we repeatedly watched it.

"Can I borrow this for a second?" Bella asked, waggling her eyebrows at me.

Unable to resist her request I gladly handed her the phone. She turned away from me and pressed the keys several times and said, "There, that's better." She smiled at me with excited eyes as she handed it back to me.

"What have you done?" I accused as I stared at the screen and gasped. My relationship status had been changed from 'single' to 'in a relationship' with Bella Swan. I smiled exuberantly and immediately sent a text to Alice, telling them to enjoy the rest of their weekend before I switched off my phone and dove on top of Bella.

I knew there was a reason why I loved technology so much.