Twilight character names belong to Stephanie Meyer. All characterizations, plot lines, backgrounds and details belong to the respective author. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorization. ©2010 FoxxyJ. All rights reserved worldwide.

My betas are the most awesome girls in the whole fandom. Even though they both have exams to study for they still managed to beta my chapter.

Also a big thank you to shelikesthesound for the brilliant review she did of Step Right Up over at TwiNetwork. Go check it out.

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Step Right Up

Chapter Fifteen – Something's Got To Give

Bella was helping Esme untangle herself from one of her new dresses. She and the Cullens had been virtually inseparable for the past few days. Time was ticking away dangerously fast, and the final costume change in their act wasn't going as smoothly as it should have. Once freed from the dress, Esme stood with her face in her hands. Fatigue was taking its toll on everybody, even the gentle and usually steadfast Esme Cullen.

Carlisle faced them, placing a calming hand on each of the ladies' shoulders. "You both can do this. You're just tired, and that's why we're making mistakes," he said in his soothing manner.

Bella thought it was impossible for her to love Carlisle Cullen any more than she already did, but in that moment, when he used the pronoun "we," adding himself to the mistake in their performance when it was indeed only Esme and Bella who were messing up, she loved him even more. Bella had grown to love the Cullens dearly since her rehearsals had begun. Carlisle and Esme were the epitome of a perfect couple, and the support they had given Edward and Bella since they had started dating was something Bella would never forget.

"But, Carlisle, it has to be perfect…" Esme started to say.

"DC? DC, are you in here?" yelled a familiar voice from the entrance of their tent.

All three of them turned around to see Seth Clearwater enter the rehearsal space with one hand clamped tightly across his eyes, his other hand waving out in front of him like a blind man searching for obstacles.

"I'm not looking, I promise," he continued as he staggered off to the right toward the back of the tent. "But, there's been an accident, and we need your doctor skills like yesterday."

Carlisle sprang into action and ran for his medical bag that was stowed amongst their equipment.

"Seth, we're over here, love," said Esme. The sound of her voice had the young man turning toward them. Bella tried not to laugh at him. For some reason, with his eyes covered, Seth was walking like Frankenstein - not bending his knees as he stomped toward them, his left arm still waving wildly in front of his body.

Bella went to his side, unable to witness his monster walk any longer.

"Seth, it's me Bella," she said, taking his hand and bringing him to a standstill.

"Sweetpea? I wasn't sure if you'd be here, too." He smiled at her from beneath the hand that was still covering his eyes. It was his brilliant happy-go-lucky smile that always made Bella smile in return.

"What happened?" she asked as Carlisle came toward them with his medical kit.

"DC, you got any special stuff for burns 'cause Mike's been roasted real good by Laurent."

Bella and Esme both gasped at the news. As Carlisle approached them, he swore and turned back to his supply kit, adding items to his bag. Bella began guiding Seth back toward the entrance while Esme changed her clothes.

"What does DC stand for?" she asked.

"Daddy Cullen, of course," he answered as they stepped out into the sunlight.

It still amazed Bella how many nicknames Seth had for their circus clan. Some of them had stuck and were widely used by everyone, but most of them were just Seth's own private names, and they never failed to make Bella smile. He was such an ebullient spirit and his infectious demeanor was hard to ignore when he was around.

Carlisle dragged Mike into Leah's kitchen to attend to his burns. He needed access to clean running water and plenty of it. Bella, Seth and Esme were the only ones allowed to accompany him, as Carlisle didn't need a cast of thousands watching him work. Mike sat perfectly still while Carlisle gently cleaned his face and upper torso.

Bella and Esme stood together preparing a bowl of iced water for cold compresses to ease the pain. Poor Mike had lost the first three inches of his blond locks, his eyebrows, and most of his chest hair that wasn't covered by his open jacket in the roasting. The unfortunate hair loss make him look even more comical than usual. Seth stood explaining to Carlisle what had gone wrong in the main tent. Fire breathing was always a dangerous game in Carlisle's mind, and this incident only cemented that idea. Nobody was more grateful than Mike that his jacket had been made from thick woolen tweed - a fabric that didn't catch alight very easily.

"You're going to have to go to hospital, Mike," proclaimed Carlisle when he was finished. "I'll go arrange a ride. We don't need to bother the ambulance service this time."

Bella stood holding a large cold compress against Mike's forehead and eyes. He was bright pink from the scalding, but Carlisle was sure he wouldn't scar because the burns were only superficial.

"You're going to be fine, Mike. Carlisle takes his medical responsibilities very seriously, and if he says you'll be okay, then you will," Bella said quietly.

"Thanks. It stings like a bitch though."

Bella looked around helplessly. She couldn't think of anything else to say to him but wanted to distract him while they waited for Carlisle to return. An awkward silence ensued.

"Seen any good movies lately?" She cringed at how pathetic her attempt sounded to her own ears.

Mike couldn't see her with the ice pack covering his eyes, but he smiled at her effort.

"I haven't had time. I've been a bit out of the loop lately, but I didn't miss the gossip about you and Magic," he added matter-of-factly.

Bella didn't know how to respond. At this rate, her mother would find out before she had the protection of her father's presence. She didn't need this added stress before her debut.

"I've never been jealous of Magic…" Mike continued, "…until now."

If Bella thought she was at a loss for words before, then she was completely struck dumb now. She still had trouble coming to terms with Edward's attention, let alone other males, and Mike admitting that he liked her was just too much.

"Um…"

"Just remember if Magic doesn't treat you right, there's a line of guys who will," he added with a small smile. He winced with pain as he did so and the smile disappeared. Luckily Bella was saved from any more of this conversation by Carlisle's return.

"Right, Mike, I'm going to take you to the hospital. Let's go," he said, helping Mike to stand. "Oh, and Bella can you go back to our tent and help Esme tidy up?"

"Sure."

When Bella entered the magician's tent a few moments later, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"SURPRISE!" yelled a chorus of voices.

Bella jumped back in fright when all the Cullen clan minus Carlisle, and the Quileutes screamed at her as she entered the normally tranquil space. Jake ran forward and pulled her into a bear hug, swinging her around before placing her back on her feet.

"Jake, what…"

"Happy two month anniversary, B," he said, beaming down at her.

Bella looked around, slightly stunned. Her new family all stood surrounding a large chocolate cake, each of them smiling at her, and Alice held a handmade sign that read "Two Months Today!"

"Are you serious?"

"We just wanted you to see how much you've achieved in only eight weeks. Plus, everyone's so stressed around here. I thought a little celebrating was in order," Jake explained.

"I've hardly achieved much," Bella muttered.

"Come on, B. You accepted a full-time job – against your will – and totally rocked it. You're now about to become a star…" he said, winking at her "…and you've managed to snag the second-best looking guy around for your boyfriend."

"Hey, third-best looking," countered Seth.

Edward walked forward and grabbed Seth in a headlock.

"What did you say, Snoopy?"

"It's NOT SNOOPY," yelled Seth, clinging to Edward's arm that was still locked around his throat.

While Jazz and Em joined Edward in hassling Seth about the order of good-looking males at the circus, Bella cut the cake. She closed her eyes and made a wish as she cut the cake.

Noticing this, Esme said, "Bella, regardless of what happens in Seattle, I want you to be proud of yourself, honey."

Esme knew how much pressure Bella was under and how much she didn't want to let the magicians down.

"Whatever happens on opening night will happen. Just know that Carlisle and I couldn't be happier with your efforts," she continued.

An old hand at performing, Esme knew that opening nights, particularly for shows that had been put together on the fly, rarely ran smoothly. She was used to improvising but didn't want Bella to think she had failed if it didn't go as planned.

Bella had almost finished her cake when Aro strode into the tent. His immaculate, almost regal, appearance fascinated Bella. Having never put much time into her own appearance, she found it curious when others did, particularly a man. Aro's suit did stand out amongst the Lycra and gym gear.

"Well, well, well. Why wasn't I invited?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Seeing Bella blanch, Esme intervened. "Oh, Aro, we just decided to wish Bella luck, considering she's only been part of our family for two months."

"Yes, I knew she had potential from the moment I laid eyes on her." He spoke to Esme quietly for a few moments before taking Bella by the hand.

"Isabella, it pleases me greatly to see how perfectly you have settled into our circus family. I just wanted to wish you well for your debut. I know it's still a few days away, but I'll be busy once we arrive in Seattle."

Aro always made Bella slightly uncomfortable. He was a powerful man and could end her circus career without hesitation.

"Thank you, Aro. I hope I don't disappoint you."

"Impossible, my dear. Was Renee too busy to join your celebration?" he asked.

Bella was sure his eyes flicked in Edward's direction when he asked. Was it possible that even Aro had heard of their secret relationship? Bella's stomach turned over. Please no, she thought.

"She had last minute alterations to finish before we pack up," Bella lied. Well, technically, it might not have been a lie - her mother probably was doing last minute alterations at the moment.

"Yes, your mother has quite the work ethic. Well, my dear, enjoy your debut, and I look forward to celebrating the success of the show with you all in Seattle."

As Aro left the tent, Edward came to Bella's side. He kept his hands to himself in case the ringleader returned.

"You okay?" he asked. Bella was paler than normal, and Edward worried about the pressure she was under.

"Do you think he knows?" she asked, cutting another large slice of cake.

"That man is impossible to read, but I wouldn't be surprised," Edward said, watching Bella closely.

"We're telling her in Seattle with my dad. I can't cope with the secret any longer."

"We can tell her right now. We don't need your dad."

"Yes, we do. He carries a gun, and we're gonna need all the protection we can get," she stated seriously.

"Bella…"

"No, you might have seen Renee erupt before, but you've never seen her erupt in connection to me."

Edward eyed the giant slice of cake Bella had just pushed onto a plate.

"Now, who's got a sweet tooth, huh?" he joked.

"Oh, no. It's not for me," Bella said, patting her full stomach. "It's for Winny."

Edward tried to keep his face neutral. He hadn't realized Bella was still meeting up with Winston. He'd figured she'd given him up since her schedule had been so busy, and they had taken their relationship to the next level.

"Really? He gets cake?" His voice was a little higher than he would have liked.

"He loves cake," she whispered.

"Well…um… I want to meet him."

"Sure, let's go," she said happily. Bella wasn't quite sure why Edward's tone was so serious.

Edward called everyone to attention for Bella with one loud wolf whistle.

"I just wanted to say thank you. I… it's… thank you. I don't know what else to say," Bella said. Her new family could see the emotion their gesture had stirred in her moist eyes.

The couple turned to leave when Em yelled. "Hey, where are you going, lover boy?"

"We're going to see Winston," Bella replied over her shoulder.

"You might be, but he's not," said Emmett, pointing at his brother.

"Emmett…"

"No, bro. We've got practice, and you're the star so there's no time for another tea party for you."

The entire troupe had gathered around, and Edward knew that going off to meet Winston wouldn't be the right thing to do. His jealousy should never involve his family too, but it didn't mean he couldn't mark his territory.

Edward turned and pulled Bella's tiny body hard against his. His lips found the flesh of her neck while his hands gripped her ass. He pushed one thigh between her legs and ground her against him. She moaned quietly as her free hand fisted in his hair. Edward wasn't gentle as he kissed her fervently. He wanted to remind her who made her feel this way. His fingers had started to creep under the hem of her tiny shorts when the chorus of wolf whistles and clapping halted them. Bella was flushed pink from excitement rather than embarrassment, but the color on her cheeks deepened as she remembered where they were.

"Edward," she scolded, pulling back.

"I'll be thinking of you and what I want to do to this gorgeous body…" he said, letting his fingers slide under her shorts again. "…until I see you again."

Those fingers and his hardness pressed against her had clouded her thought process. Stepping back, she was surprised to see Winston's cake miraculously still on the paper plate. The look Edward gave her as he left the tent only sparked the embers of desire burning inside her. She'd never seen him look like that before and whatever the reason was, she decided she liked it.

Winston inhaled the cake before Bella even sat down.

"Did you even taste that?"

His lips tried to steal the paper plate smeared with chocolate icing but Bella wouldn't allow it. She settled next to him and closed her eyes. Usually Winston's calming presence was enough to ease her worries, but today the dull ache and nausea persisted. Tomorrow the move would begin and in four days, she would be taking to the stage for the very first time in front of a crowd of expectant, paying customers that included her father, and she was sure, half of the population of Forks and La Push.

Jasper's concept of imagining the audience naked didn't work so well when they were people you knew and never ever wanted to see in the buff. Alice's breathing technique was currently doing nothing as well. Bella tried it in conjunction with massaging Winston's ears. He loved this and Bella loved how soft they felt. Slowly, after several minutes, Bella no longer felt like she was going to re-visit her chocolate cake.

Bloody James was going to be the death of her whether he laid a finger on her or not, she thought. Anger was now the only emotion Bella could channel to focus. Each time she thought of that bastard, her anger at him submitting her name to Aro would allow her to forget her nerves and concentrate on the task at hand.

Winston's bellow bought her out of her fantasy of feeding James to his girls. Bella had been imagining Lucy's long canines around his neck.

"I'm sorry, Winny. I'm probably not going to see you before my show," she said, hugging his neck. Bella went on to explain that even though the move to Seattle wasn't so far, her time would be eaten up in last minute preparations.

In all the chaos of the last few days, Bella had forgotten that she and Edward were going to take another step together physically. Remembering now that the move was about to happen, the idea of going down on him only added to the list of things she could fail at in the next few days. Her chest began to tighten again. Sighing, she let go of her furry pal and kissed his nose.

"I promise I'll come and see you after the show. I'll try to bring my dad down to meet you."

True to her word, Esme came to collect Bella from her empty tent. All the costumes for the new magic act had been stored in a separate road case so the magicians could have access to it as soon as they arrived in Seattle. Bella looked around, double-checking that nothing had been left behind.

"Are you sure having Bella travel with you is no trouble, Esme?" Renee asked.

"Oh, we're happy to have Bella keep us company, Renee. She's such a delight, and it will give us the chance to go over any last minute details," Esme answered, smiling at Bella. "Now, remember that we won't see you until tomorrow 'cause Carlisle has decided we're going on a little camping trip."

"Now, I know he's only doing that so Bella can sleep in a 'real' bed. He really shouldn't have. She just goes on about beds endlessly these days," Renee said, scowling at her daughter.

"Well, I did promise Bella a night in a real bed, but that's not why we are doing this. Carlisle thinks we are all too stressed and wants to have a little fun before the show."

As the trip from Portland to Seattle was only a few hours, Bella and Edward would not get to spend much time together. Aro had still allowed three days for the move even though the circus could have done it in two. Since the new show was due to start, he decided all the acts could use the extra time. Most of the vehicles were driving straight to Seattle today and would start setting up this afternoon, but Carlisle had requested a free night from Aro and had decided to take his family camping. The added bonus to this was Bella and Edward would get to spend their second night alone together.

Bella couldn't look at Esme. Deceiving her mother again about her travel arrangements was the least of Bella's worries. In a matter of days, all would be revealed and her mother's anticipated reaction to her relationship sent a cold shiver down her spine. Bella took a crumpled packet of Gummi bears out of her Care Bears tin. She stuck two of them in her mouth. Food was not really an option at the moment as her combined fears caused a constant state of nausea. The only thing she could stomach was sugar, and Edward had been delighted when she raided his supply. Kissing Bella was his favorite pastime, but kissing Bella when she tasted of Gummi goodness was sublime.

Leah and Jake entered Bella's tent soon after. Jake stood close to Bella and purposefully bumped her with his elbow. He'd been keeping a close eye on her since James and Tanya had become new best friends. Bella seemed to be fading away before his very eyes, but there was nothing he could do about it. He understood all the reasons stressing her out, but he was helpless to prevent any of it. He hated feeling this way because it had always been his responsibility to take care of her. He was the big brother she never had.

"Shit, B, I don't know what I'm going to do without you this trip," he said, smiling. "Guess I'll just have to go back to annoying Seth. Got any good names I can call him to piss him off?"

His remark earned him a small smile from his friend, but she shrugged in response.

"I was thinking I would keep with the dog theme and call him Scooby Dawg Doo." Jake just wanted to make her laugh. If he couldn't take her worries away, then he at least wanted to cheer her up.

Bella rolled her eyes and muttered "boys" as she walked toward the door, leaving the three women behind talking.

"Hey, listen," Jake said, putting his arm around her shoulder once they were outside. "Try to relax. Just have fun with Edward. Tomorrow you'll be run off your feet, and then Friday is show time. You'll do great. Charlie will help you with your mom, and by this time on Saturday, it will all be sweet, and you'll be wondering why you were even nervous to begin with," he assured her.

"You make it sound so easy, Jake."

"Well, right now there is nothing you can do to change what's coming. So, you might as well quit worrying and just enjoy hanging out with your boyfriend. It's not something you get to do all that often now, is it?"

Jake actually had a point, Bella realized. There was nothing more she could do at this point in time, and worrying was only making her feel worse. Her fear of performing was too great to control, but her fears regarding Renee were another matter. Renee was going to go ballistic, and by having Charlie there as a witness, she'd hoped he could smooth things over a bit. But worrying about it for the next two days wouldn't change anything. She might as well put it out of her head and just enjoy Edward while she still had him. Never underestimating her mother, it may be the last time they would be together.

Carlisle and Esme hated lying to Renee. They did it because they loved their son, but it wasn't easy on the pair. To ease their guilt, Bella did start the trip with the magicians. Carlisle had chosen a beautiful campground outside Seattle, and it was decided that they would meet up with their children at the gates. It was a pleasant drive from Portland, and Esme and Bella sat together talking through the routine. Esme gave Bella advice on things she could expect to go wrong and how to handle the situations in front of a live audience. Tomorrow afternoon, the magicians would give a full dress rehearsal to a select few. Aro would not be in attendance as there were so many new acts to oversee. He trusted Carlisle explicitly and had decided that he would wait until their first live performance to witness their astonishing new show.

After a few hours chatting with Esme, Bella felt the tension in her body ease a little. She had finally listened to what Esme had been trying to tell her for a while now – sometimes during a performance things didn't go to plan and when that happened, it wasn't the end of the world.

Carlisle eased the RV to a stop on the side of the road behind the trapeze bus.

"Wow, the kids made good time. They're here already," he called to Esme and Bella.

Before Carlisle even had time to open the door, Edward was knocking to be let in. He boarded the bus in a whirlwind, only stopping once he had Bella in his arms. After kissing his mother hello and stealing two cookies from the jar, he led Bella from their bus saying it was his turn.

The RVs entered the campground and were directed to their twin site in a quiet corner of the park on the forest edge. Within half an hour, the empty space was transformed. Emmett really had a knack for setting up home in the blink of an eye. Edward ushered Bella into his RV before announcing to his family that they didn't want to be disturbed. Bella was glad she was inside the bus and didn't have to look any of them in the eye when he said this. How could Edward do that in front of his parents? she thought.

Once inside his bedroom, she was surprised at what he had planned. His large muscular frame curled around her as he pulled her back against his chest. They lay on his bed with his arms locked around her tightly.

"Now, sleep," he said quietly in her ear. "We both need it. Sleep."

That was the last thing Bella would have guessed Edward wanted to do, but she was relieved. She was exhausted and the soft feather quilt combined with the secure warm embrace of her man had Bella sound asleep within minutes.

Bella and Edward woke a few hours later to the sound of high-pitched squealing laughter. A second later, the whole bus seemed to lurch as a dull thud echoed before the squealing began again.

"What on earth?" Bella muttered, still half asleep.

"It's jut Em and Ally," said Edward, wrapping himself around Bella once more. The pair had become untangled while they slept and Edward didn't like the space between them.

"What are they doing?" Bella yawned when more strange faint noises could be heard.

"I'd bet they're playing charades. Alice thinks Emmett miming is hysterical, and her laughter only encourages him to be an even bigger clown."

Part of Bella wanted to go and witness Em's antics, but the other part wanted more sleep. She realized neither were options when she felt Edward's arousal press into her from behind. Her boyfriend was wide-awake.

Edward's lips found his favorite spot on her neck while his hands began to roam over her body. Soon they were under her shirt, cupping her breasts, a move she couldn't ignore and didn't want to. Visions of the last time they were alone in bed floated back to her, igniting the fire.

Bella arched back against Edward in response. His body wasn't the only one wide-awake now. Wanting more of him, Bella threw one leg over Edward's, hooking her foot behind his knee to pull him closer. This opened her up to him and his fingers abandoned her breasts in an instant to apply pressure between her legs.

Edward's hunger to taste Bella had grown into an obsession since she'd mentioned being ready a few days ago. Being about to show her immense pleasure consumed the bulk of his thoughts lately. Now that they had both caught up on some much needed sleep, he intended to taste her.

Sliding his fingers into her jeans, he wasted no time slipping between her folds. Edward was stunned at how wet she was, and this discovery was testing his patience.

"Fuck, B. You're dripping wet," he said as he slid one finger inside of her. "What are you thinking about?"

She moaned quietly and moved against his hand. "The last time we were here together."

"I can't wait. I need to taste you right this minute," he almost growled. Edward had Bella on her back and was between her legs in a heartbeat. Bella was shocked when he tore at her jeans aggressively, but the need in his eyes only fueled her desire to be touched. She let him unzip them, and he grabbed her jeans and underwear, pulling them down to just below her knees. She tried to sit up to help get them off, but he pushed her back down.

"Sorry, I can't wait," he said before diving between her spread legs. He placed an open-mouthed kiss against her most sensitive spot, sucking her into his mouth. Heat flooded her body at the sensation of his tongue spreading her apart. She raised her head to look down and was met with burning green eyes as his mouth consumed her. Nothing Bella had experienced with Edward could compare to him practically eating her alive.

Her jeans half off and under his torso had trapped her legs open wide against the bed, holding her in place against his oral assault. Her legs wanted to close in response to the tension building inside her, but she couldn't move. It was almost torturous but also the most erotic thing she had even seen or felt. Edward's face buried between her thighs was a sight she would never forget.

Edward hummed in delight at her tangy taste, and the vibration only added to the sensation caused by his tongue.

His tongue. His tongue down there. God, his tongue.

He was currently fucking her with it. Bella never imagined he could do that to her, and she felt herself tighten as her orgasm approached.

"Oh, fuck," she moaned, grabbing a fistful of his hair and pushing his face harder against her. Edward responded by sucking hard on her clit while his fingers took over the fucking.

Bella's hips bucked, and she grabbed at the bedcovers with her free hand. Edward slid the hand that wasn't pumping into her up under her thigh and took her hand in his. Their fingers entwined and he watched her closely, hoping his eyes told her how he felt about being given this honor. He loved her with all his heart as he watched her unravel and give herself to him in this intimate manner.

Having a woman come on his face was his second most favorite thing in the whole world. Bringing Bella to climax this way was up there on his list of most memorable experiences. Bella was on the brink of exploding, but Edward could tell she was fighting the sensation.

Briefly taking his lips from her clit, he implored her. "Let go. Come for me, angel."

Bella forced her eyes open, and she watched his lips consume her once more. He sucked her hard and began flicking her clit with his tongue while his fingers curled deep inside her. It was all too much and Bella gave in to her body.

"Oh, god," she cried out. Edward eased up but continued to lick her until she stilled. A dreamy smile graced her lips from the heady endorphin rush he had given her.

"Wow," she mumbled, still high on her orgasm. It was the most intense climax Bella had experienced.

Edward's hand had stopped, but his fingers remained inside of her, filling her up. He continued to gently lick her.

"Up here," she said, patting her chest, where she was still wearing her t-shirt.

Reluctantly, he left her pussy and crawled up her body slowly. Bella could see the evidence of her on his face, and she was surprised at how sexy she found that. Edward hovered above her, licking his lips.

"Do you want a taste?" he asked hopefully.

When she nodded, he very gently leaned down and touched his mouth to hers. Her tongue flicked out to taste herself on him and she moaned, pulling his head in for more. Bella hadn't expected that tasting herself on her boyfriend's lips would be so erotic, but knowing where his lips had been and what they had done to her, set the fire in her belly burning. She wanted to taste him now and didn't care if she did a good job or not. Her fears were totally forgotten by the passion that was bubbling up within her.

Bella struggled to push Edward onto his back, but her jeans around her legs weren't making moving easy. Edward fought against her attempts because he loved having her under him.

"Roll over," she requested. "It's your turn."

He stopped kissing her for a moment. "No, angel. Just you. I just wanted to do that to you. Just relax. You can go back to sleep if you want," he said, looking down at her. "I love you. I'm sorry I attacked you like that, but you drive me crazy."

"Don't apologize. I'm glad you did attack me like that as it didn't give me a chance to think about what you were doing. No time to get embarrassed."

"No reason to be embarrassed."

"Well, I didn't know if you'd like me down there," she said quietly.

"I love you down there, and I hope you'll let me do that again later." He smirked.

"I will, but only after you let me have a turn. And by the way, I love you, too."

Bella and the Cullens watched the sun set behind the mountains before the men congregated around the grill. The girls sat together, sipping drinks while Alice braided Rosalie's, Esme's, and, eventually, Bella's hair. She loved playing with long locks so unlike her own and was amazing at braiding unusual patterns around the girls' heads. Bella didn't get to spend much girlie time just gossiping, so it was nice to sit and relax. They painted their toes and fingers next, again not something Bella was very good at doing and she learned a lot. She seemed to be embracing her inner girl more and more lately and had discovered it was fun when you had other girls to do it with.

Dinner was a simple affair of grilled meat and salad. Bella felt hungry for the first time in days and enjoyed eating in the cool outdoors around a fire. Later, a game evolved that consisted of the girls throwing Gummi animals in the air. Whichever guy caught it in his mouth was then rewarded with a kiss from his girlfriend or wife. Bella discovered the Cullen men, including Carlisle who managed to capture his fair share, were very competitive. He eventually complained as the game got rougher that if any of them were sporting visible bruises tomorrow Aro would have his nuts, so things soon settled down.

Carlisle and Esme were the first to retire for the night, soon followed by Rose, Em, Jazz and Alice, leaving Edward and Bella alone in front of the fire. Bella ended up straddling Edward's lap as they made-out like teenagers till the flames turned to glowing embers. He didn't want Bella to feel obliged about what she had offered to do to him earlier, so he was happy to sit and kiss her until dawn if need be. When she extricated herself from him and pulled him to his feet saying it was his turn, he was more than pleased and followed her willingly to his room.

Bella was sitting on the edge of his bed when Edward locked his door.

"Strip and go lean against your desk," she commanded, pulling off her shoes and socks.

Edward grinned and began peeling off his clothes. His eyes never left hers. "What have I created?" he said, shaking his head at her.

Bella smiled, a slight tinge of pink dusting her cheeks. "Well, it's your fault, mister."

"I happily take full responsibility. Why the desk? Don't you want me lying down?"

"No, standing up." Bella had an image in her mind that she wanted erased and this was how she was planning on doing it.

Edward complied and leaned his naked ass against the edge of his desk, but he had a feeling he was missing something.

"B?"

"Please?" She moved to kneel before him, still fully clothed, her hands resting on his knees. "Just let me do this. Tell me what to do."

Edward could never say no to Bella and seeing her down in front of him was irresistible. Edward reached out and cupped the back of Bella's head with one hand; leaning over, he kissed her passionately.

"Just do whatever feels comfortable," he said, standing back up.

Bella was eye level with his rock-hard cock. She swallowed nervously as she inspected him closely. She was really about to go down on him. Looking up and meeting Edward's stare, she leaned in closer and took hold of his cock with her hand. He was smooth beneath her fingers, and Bella realized this was the first time she'd touched his bare cock. She's grabbed it through his clothes a few times but never had she held it. Remembering what she had seen when Edward had masturbated for her, Bella wrapped her fingers around him and pumped him several times. It felt good.

Licking her lips, she moved closer and took as much of him as she could into her mouth in one go. Edward swore softly and this encouraged Bella. She used one hand to grip the base of his cock while she worked him up and down with her tongue, mouth and accidentally her teeth. Edward's hiss of "yes" when her teeth grazed his length was a surprise, so she repeated it. After a few minutes, Bella looked up to see his head thrown back and his fingers gripping the edge of the desk. This was exactly what she wanted, and she moaned at the sight of his naked body above her.

"God, B. That's perfect. If… you… keep this up," he moaned between breaths. "God, if you keep this up, I'm gonna come."

Bella continued to work Edward's erection with her mouth. She sucked him hard and paid attention to his head with the tip of her tongue. She may have acquired some pointers earlier from Alice and Rose so that she had some idea of what she should do. As humiliating as that had been, she was glad for the knowledge.

Edward's fingers wound into her hair. He had to control himself because he didn't want to fuck her mouth by thrusting his hips forward. He counted backward from twenty to try and distract himself. Bella's mouth felt incredible wrapped around him, and the sight of her lips on his cock wasn't helping him stay in control. He couldn't believe how hot she looked.

"Baby, I'm nearly there," he said to her. He wanted to warn her if she didn't want to swallow. Edward's sexual frustration that had been building for the past few days, together with how turned on he was by Bella letting him go down on her earlier, had him wound tighter than a spring. Bella's opened her eyes and looked into his as she sucked harder on him.

"Fuck."

She pushed him deeper into her mouth, never letting up, and reached between his legs to cup his balls. Edward gasped and squeezed his eyes shut. A deep frown was creasing his forehead, a sign that he was close to coming. Bella ran her fingernails over his flesh from the base of his cock down around underneath him. Edward grunted at the unexpected gesture, and it pushed him over as he came in the back of her throat. She tasted him briefly before swallowing him down. He grabbed at her, pulling her to her feet, and hugged her against his slightly damp body.

"Ah, fuck. That was incredible," he panted against her ear. Edward pulled back so he could see her face. "You okay?" He wanted her to have enjoyed herself as much as he had.

She nodded and a slow smile spread to her lips. "I did it."

"I never doubted you," he said, happy that she was all right. "So, what do you think of the taste?"

She wrinkled her nose. "I taste better than you."

Edward threw his head back and laughed. "Yes, you do, my sweet. Yes, you do, and I'm going to have another taste of you once I get you out of these damned clothes. Why am I the only one naked?" he said, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her over his shoulder as he stepped toward his bed.

Edward spent the next ten minutes removing her layers of clothing. Slow and steady, he worshipped her body with his mouth and tongue, kissing her all over, as each new part of her was laid bare. The couple lay facing each other in the dim light from his bedside table lamp just looking at each other. It was quiet and intimate, and the emotions that filled the room surprised even Edward. Nudity was nothing to him, but for some reason, lying with Bella in his arms completely naked was more about touching her soul than her body. This was the first time there had been nothing between them, and after the day they had shared, the power of this simple gesture was intense.

Bella had never felt so exposed in all her being, and at the same time, she'd never felt so alive. She loved the man next to her with all her heart and soul and that was the only reason she was able to let his eyes and mouth roam her exposed flesh and revel in the feelings it sparked. She was so overwhelmed by her emotions that she thought she might cry if she didn't find some release.

"Edward," she whispered, her hand reaching up to touch the day's whiskers on his jaw line. "I love you so much. I feel so much. I can't describe this."

"Hush, I know, my love. I know," he replied.

"Please don't ever leave me," she begged. Bella was surprised at her own words, but what she was feeling in this moment was so strong that she felt as though she would die if it ever ended. She felt so vulnerable and out of control.

"I won't. I'm yours." Edward's mouth claimed hers once more, and before long, he had lived up to his words from earlier and tasted every inch of her body for the second time that day.

Bella felt dizzy as she made her way between the tents. The circus was set up once more, but this time in a place she was familiar with. The tents and trailers seemed out of place with the Seattle skyline in the distance. The merging of her old life and her new just didn't seem right.

The costume tent was abuzz when she entered. The full dressed rehearsal was taking place in a matter of hours, and all the acts were rushing about in preparation. Carlisle and Esme had surprised her with her own mirrored dressing table, set up in their space. Bella hadn't really thought about where she would get ready for the show because in her mind the costume tent was were she worked helping others, not where she would get ready to perform. Seeing a space set aside for her made her realize she was about to join their ranks. She was a performer now whether she felt like one or not. All the privileges that came along with performing would soon be hers.

She stood, staring at the makeup and the petite bunch of flowers sitting on her table. Carlisle and Esme gave her space knowing she would feel overwhelmed by their gesture. Edward swept aside the royal blue silk drape that hung between the two areas. He winked at her and smiled. He liked that they were going to be neighbors.

At the entrance, Seth yelled out, calling the clowns to attention, saying they had three minutes until their curtain call. The massive rowdy group headed out soon after, leaving an eerie kind of silence in their wake. Esme began sorting her first costume change, and Bella could hear Jasper giving last minute instructions to Alice. This was everyone's final chance to tidy up their performances before tomorrow's big opening.

Edward held the drape open while he turned to listen to Jasper's words. Bella seated herself at her dressing table and began inspecting her new stage makeup when her world was torn in two and completely shattered.

Tanya strode into view and stopped close in front of Edward. Her eyes darted over to meet Bella's reflection in her lighted mirror for a brief second. Bella's skin turned to goose flesh at the look in Tanya's eyes.

"Oh, Magic. I've been looking for you everywhere. You weren't here yesterday when I got back from the hospital," she said in a sickly-sweet voice loud enough for all to hear.

At the mention of the word "hospital," she had everyone's attention. Bella noticed even Carlisle and Esme stopped their preparations to listen in.

"I wanted to talk to you in private, but now is as a good a time as any since your family is about to expand," she said, lifting her hand to caress the side of his face.

"Tanya, what are you talking about?" he asked, trying to move away from her but having nowhere to go.

"Oh, darling, I'm pregnant," she gushed. "We're going to be parents."

If Bella thought the tent was quiet after the clowns had left, then she was wrong. After Tanya's bombshell, the silence in the tent was deafening. Not one single person even dared to breathe, and Bella actually wondered if her lungs were capable of taking in air. The constricting suffocation she was feeling made her glad she was sitting down. Her head swam.

Pregnant.

"What do you mean we?" Edward's voice was a soft ripple that broke the still waters of the tent; his voice sounded foreign in Bella's ears.

"I didn't want to say anything till I was sure, but I'm two months pregnant, Edward."

Eight weeks. Two months. The exact length of time Bella realized, as the fog in her brain lifted, for it to be Edward's child. Bella's head felt like it had transformed into a bowling ball. The strength it took her to turn toward Edward and look at him and Tanya was more than she thought she had in her at that moment. Tanya launched herself at Edward, throwing her arms around his neck as she prattled on about how delighted she was and tiny heartbeats and together again and words Bella couldn't understand. She needed to breathe. She needed someone to stop the wrenching pain that had torn up her side and through her chest where her heart used to beat a steady rhythm.

Edward pulled Tanya's arms off him. "This is bullshit. What are you talking about? This isn't real," he said. His tone was harsh, but the doubt was plain to hear. "We're not even together. Get off me."

Tanya looked mortally wounded at his words. "But, I thought you'd be happy for us," she exclaimed. "I thought you'd be a man and do the right thing by the child growing inside of me."

Tanya started to sway on her feet as she backed away from Edward.

"I thought this was going to be our new beginning," she sobbed dramatically before collapsing on the carpet at his feet.

Bodies rushed to Tanya's side in a flash. Carlisle somehow managed to get there before anybody else. Edward dropped to his knees to assist his father as Carlisle cradled her body and began brushing her cheek, calling her name. Edward watched in horror, swallowing back the bile in his throat. This couldn't be happening to him, not now that he had finally fallen in love. Not now that he had taken Bella's heart and soul and sworn he would protect them.

Bella. My angel. My love.

He looked up, dreading the emotions and disappointment he would see swimming in her eyes, but all he found was an empty, turned-over stool in front of her dressing table. She was gone.

A/N: Well, you knew something was brewing, but did any of you guess it was this?