Title: Lightning

Summary: Bella hates thunderstorms. When she sneaks into her roommate's bedroom for comfort in the middle of a stormy night, she feels an electric spark that has nothing to do with the storm. Is it possible to fall in love with someone you've known since you were three? Bella and Edward are about to find out. AH.

Pairing: E&B

Rating: M, for the obvious reasons.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

POV: Bella

AN: Welcome to the continuation of Lightning, finally! I've edited a few details in the previous chapter a little to fit with the continuation, but if you've already read it, only small details were changed. This story is going to be 95% lightness and fluff, so don't expect much drama. You've been warned. Don't go blaming me for diabetic comas. I'm predicting this'll end up around 10 or so chapters, but we all know I'm horrible at predictions, so take that estimate with a grain of salt.

xx

I lay my head on Edward's shoulder, enjoying the day of relaxation that we've been afforded. It's a rainy Sunday, and neither of us has to work. Edward's work hours have been crazy. As the low man on the hospital's totem pole, it's not uncommon for him to work the graveyard and other unfortunate hours. Today though, we're both free, and we've made sure to take advantage of the opportunity.

The storm brewing outside has given us the perfect excuse to hole away without our nosy friends questioning us.

It's been a week since Edward and I added a healthy dose of sex to our relationship, and we haven't told a soul. Not to say there isn't more to our newly redefined relationship than just sex, but, yeah, there's been a whole lot of sex.

It's been blissfully easy tacking an intimate relationship onto our longstanding friendship. A part of me expected more of a transitory period, some awkward morning-after fumbling, or, I don't know, something, anything, that might mark the monumental shift in how we feel about one another. But, no, it's been smooth sailing.

Only one little tidbit hangs over our relationship: the fact that our aforementioned nosy friends are none the wiser. Neither of us has brought up mentioning our new status to them, though perhaps that's because we've been too busy doing other more enjoyable things with our mouths. I know I haven't been thinking about much beyond the bedroom when we're together.

Edward's fingers comb through the hair curling over my shoulder as he grins down at me. "This is the best day off I've had in forever."

"That's because you haven't had a day off in forever," I tease.

He twists onto his side, so he's facing me. "I'm sure it has something to do with you, pretty girl." We're so close that if I tilt my head a few inches, my lips will be on his. It's tempting, especially when he's being this sweet.

"Hmm, flattery. What do you want?" I affix him with a playful stare, fighting the now powerful urge to crawl on top of him and make use of my most dirty thoughts.

Edward plasters on his most innocent face. He's adorable. How on earth did I resist this man for two decades?

"Nothing. Can't a guy compliment his girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" I quirk an eyebrow at the new title, even as something warm settles upon my chest at the thought. My smile must be ginormous. Yeah, hearing him call me his girlfriend lets loose the rampant thirteen-year-old inside of me.

"Yes, Bella," he says. His words are dry, though his eyes sparkle with lightness. "You are my girlfriend. And I am your boyfriend. That's what happens when two people are allowed to see one another naked. See, it's this strange thing called a relationship."

"I just wanted to hear you say it again." I kiss his chin, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Though… considering some of the people you've called your girlfriend, I don't know if that's a title to be proud of."

"Hey, I've dated lots of cool people!"

"Uh, no you haven't," I snicker, recalling previous conversations about Edward's pathetic taste in women. "Tanya and Leah top your list of 'cool' girlfriends. You're lucky you landed me. I'm quite a catch, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Edward laughs. "My mother drops hints to me weekly about how much of a catch you are, trust me. I think her head just might explode when she finds out we're dating."

"And that is why we're not telling anyone," I remind him. "Our friends and family are overly concerned at best. They're unbearably annoying, interfering, smug gossipmongers at worst."

Edward chuckles at my description. "Right. So we're keeping this," he gestures between us, "on the down low. We live together. How hard can it be to keep them from finding out, right? We lock the door and don't answer the phone. Crisis averted."

"We'll tell them eventually," I assure him, and myself, as I snuggle close under the blanket. "Just… it would be nice to have this for ourselves for a little while. We deserve a chance to figure this out on our own before we're smothered with well-meaning but unnecessary dating advice and hints about marriage and babies."

Edward kisses my forehead. "Agreed. See, this is why we're awesome. We get one another."

The melodic chime of Edward's phone interrupts. We both spare a baleful glance at the annoying device.

"Didn't you say something about not answering the phone?"

Edward reaches over to snatch it from his nightstand and peers at the lit screen.

"It's Jasper. I should probably answer it."

Jasper is his twin brother.

The pair of them are a picture in contrasts. They share their father's tall, lanky frame and square jaw, but that's where the similarities end.

Edward inherited Esme's caramel-coloured hair and bright green eyes. Jasper takes after Carlisle, with his cool blue eyes and golden blond hair. Edward's the calm, reliable voice of reason, whereas Jasper's ever ready with wit and easy-going charm. Jasper majored in art in college and makes a humble living off of his paintings. Edward chose the more practical route, going into medicine. Needless to say, they're fraternal twins.

Though they've lived across the country from one another since college, they've remained close, unable to bear the thought of being cut off from one another entirely.

I can just make out Jasper's voice on the other end of the line as Edward picks up the call.

"Remember how I told you I had a surprise for you last week?"

Edward sits up in bed, his expression wary. I trail a comforting hand over his shoulder. "Yes," he says, his tone suspicious. "I'm sure you can understand my alarm at the prospect of a surprise from you."

Jasper snickers. "One little joke or five hundred and your baby brother never lets you forget it."

Jasper lives for teasing Edward. When the two of them are together, they argue and like cats and dogs, though it's apparent to anyone who spends five minutes with them that they love the hell out of one another. They're the only reason I wished I had a sibling growing up. As an only child growing up around Edward and Jasper, I was always very aware of what I was missing out on.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you don't get to call someone your baby brother when they're eleven minutes younger."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, that surprise I was talking about?" He pauses for dramatic effect. "I'm coming to visit. And I'm bringing Alice!"

Edward smiles. "You are? When are you coming? Bella and I'll set up the pullout for you guys."

"Well… that's the thing." There's a knock on the door. "Surprise!"

"Oh fuck!" Edward gasps, peering at me with wide eyes.

We both scramble out of bed like our asses are on fire. Edward grabs his discarded clothes, still holding his phone to his ear. I dash to my room to find something to wear. I toss on a sundress and, after a glance in the mirror, run my fingers through my hair in an attempt to make it less unintentional sex-hair and more stylish bedhead.

When I return, Edward's still on the phone with Jasper, hopping on one foot, trying to pull on a sock. I yank up the bedspread and straighten it, hoping it doesn't look like we've been messing around in it all morning. It's a futile effort.

"Geez," Jasper grumbles. "Are you gonna let us in or what? We drove up here to see you in the middle of a goddamn hurricane. The least you could do is let us in so we can dry off."

"Well sorry," Edward grumbles, making it clear he's anything but. He's stopped trying to dress himself, too absorbed in arguing with his brother. "Maybe I'm in the middle of something. I can't just drop everything in my life because it you said so."

"Jerking off doesn't count as being in the 'middle of something,'" Jasper laughs. "Just tuck it back in, wash your hands, and come answer the door. Geez. Alice and I are getting old out here."

"For your information, asshole, I could have had a girl in here."

"Do you?"

Edward brushes off the question with a muttered "whatever."

As of yet, we haven't had to face lying about our relationship. While Edward's usually much better at coming up with bullshit on the fly, right now he's coming up short. Usually I'm the one turning pink and stuttering until Edward swoops in with something charming that makes everyone forget all about my twisted tongue. Today, though, it's my turn to play relief.

I grab the phone from him, and gesture that he should finish getting dressed while I take care of his brother.

"Actually," I tell Jasper snarkily, "he does have a girl in here."

Jasper chuckles. "You're not a girl. You're Bella."

"I assure you I have all the right parts. Not that I'd let you see them, even if you were the last man on earth." I might not have had any siblings growing up, but Jasper was pretty close. Though Edward and I have always been closer, Jasper treats me like his little sister.

"What's so absorbing that you can't answer the door? Are you guys playing Monopoly again? How many times to I have to tell you that game sucks? You two are such dorks."

"We just wanted to keep you in suspense. Is it working?"

"Yes!"

"That's what you get for springing this visit on us without any warning," I say, hanging up the phone with a laugh.

There's another pounding knock on the door. "Come on!" Jasper's voice is muffled through the hardwood. "If this is your idea of payback, it's really lame. Have I taught you nothing about getting even?"

Edward finally emerges from his bedroom fully dressed. Taking that as my cue to let his brother in, I open the door before our neighbours start poking their heads out looking for the source of the racket Jasper's making.

Jasper and the girl who must be Alice are waiting in the hallway. She's a tiny thing with dark hair and a smile that looks like it's been ripped from a toothpaste commercial. She's wearing a dress I'd call weird if anyone else was wearing it, but somehow it suits her. I like her instantly.

Considering it's pouring buckets outside, the two of them look incredibly well put together. If one didn't know better, they look like they could have stepped out of the pages of a glossy magazine photo shoot… one full of waterfalls and dripping wet clothes clinging to skin.

Alice glances at me, a grin pulling at her elfin features. "Are they always like that?"

"Yes," I answer honestly.

Jasper and Edward both scoff, but embrace with a masculine clap-one-another-on-the-back hug. For all their bickering, their matching grins declare that they they're happy to see one another.

Alice watches their reunion with an indulgent smile. "I kind of figured. I'm starting to understand why I'm an only child."

"Growing up with these two, it wasn't much of a mystery why I was," I laugh. "They scared my parents off of the idea of more kids."

Alice extends her hand. "I'm Alice, Jasper's girlfriend, as I'm sure you've gathered."

I shake her offered hand. "I'm Bella, Edward's roommate, best friend, and overall centre of his universe."

"Ain't that the truth," Jasper snickers, pulling Alice into his side. "Bella's practically family. She and Edward have been joined at the hip since we were in pre-K."

"So you've known each other since you were toddlers?" Alice glances between the three of us, impressed. "And you all still like one another?"

Edward hooks his arm around my shoulder, shooting me a sideways grin. "Of course. Who wouldn't like me?"

I roll my eyes at his posturing. "Let's not go there. We might accidentally deflate your huge ego."

"That would be tragic," Jasper drawls. "Edward collected all the 'most liked' titles in yearbook. He topped his winning streak by getting voted Valedictorian. He says it means nothing to him, but he never misses a chance to bring it up."

"I didn't bring it up," Edward grins. "You did. You're bitter that you lost by three votes."

Jasper scoffs. He'll never admit how much he wanted it, but it's true. He and Edward are in constant competition over something. Thankfully, they both do their share of winning, and therefore losing. Both Cullen brothers could stand an ego check and then some. I'm pretty sure the only people ever to tell them no are related to them.

"He was so bitter he abandoned us to go to UT. Though I bet you're happy about that," I glance at Alice. They met in a coffee shop on campus.

Jasper saw her studying at a table, struck up a conversation and they've been together ever since. At just over four months together, this relationship marks the longest Jasper's ever been off the market.

Alice's laugh is like the sound of fairy dust in a cartoon. "Yeah, I suppose so. I guess it was meant to be. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I knew the moment I laid eyes on him that we would have something special."

Jasper grasps her hand in his, adoration shining bright in his eyes. "We do."

I've never seen him like this. It's touching to witness. I can see already why they were drawn to one another. They seem like natural complements. Though they're completely different, it's the good kind of different.

Edward ushers his brother and Alice toward the couch, playing the role of good host. "Do you guys want to shower or get something to eat? I'm sure it was a long trip coming from Austin."

Jasper flops onto the loveseat like he owns the place, tugging Alice down beside him. They exchange a wordless glance that seems like a conversation. Edward and I squeeze into the oversized armchair opposite them. Our little apartment is severely lacking in the furniture department. It's not like we regularly seat four people. Most our free time is spent hanging out with our friends in neighbourhood bars and dives.

"Nah, I think we're good," Jasper answers. "We just want to chill and catch up, if it's alright with you."

Edward nods. "We were supposed to hang out with the guys tonight. We're meeting them for dinner and beers if you feel up to it. That's not for another few hours, though."

"Babe?" Jasper questions.

"That sounds fun," Alice beams. It's apparent that she's the outgoing type who revels in meeting new people. "So these people we're hanging out with… is Emmett among them? I've heard stories. I want to meet the man behind the legend."

I laugh. "Yeah, Emmett will be there."

Emmett McCarty was one our closest friends growing up, and Jasper's most frequent partner in mischief. Where I was the ying to Edward's yang, Emmett was Jasper's. We've all managed to remain close. It's only Jasper, who picked up to go to school in Texas, who hasn't remained in the city.

Also included in our tight-knit little social group are Rosalie, Emmett's fiancée, and Kate and Irina, a pair of sisters who live in the apartment below ours. Edward gives a brief description of each of our friends to Alice, who listens with genuine interest.

"They sound cool. I think I'm going to like it here."

"About that…" Jasper clasps Alice's hands in his, eyes flicking to where Edward and I are sitting. "Alice and I are staying here. We've sublet an apartment just off of 10th."

Edward gapes at them. "No shit?"

Jasper shrugs and beams at his twin. "We weren't sure if it was going to work out until a few days ago, so we didn't want to say anything. But yeah, Alice got into NYU for her masters, so here we are. Back home. Well, for me."

Alice glances at us uncertainly. "I hope you don't mind me inserting myself into your lives like this? It's obvious how close you all are."

Edward bestows her with a smile that's every bit as charming as he thinks it is. "You're with Jasper. That makes you family."

Jasper gets a mischievous glint in his eye that I know is bad news. "Since we're family and all, you wouldn't mind letting us crash here for two weeks, right? Our apartment isn't going to be ready until the twenty-third."

"Stay with Mom and Dad," Edward suggests flatly.

"Aw come on," Jasper whines, turning up the potent puppy eyes that all Cullens inherit. "They wouldn't even let Alice and I sleep in the same room. You know how Dad gets. Just because Grandpa was a pastor doesn't mean we should all have to live with archaic rules."

"You'd survive not sleeping with Alice for two weeks," Edward suggests primly.

Jasper scowls. "Who said anything about sleep? And, sure, we would survive. But would it be a life worth living?"

I can't help but laugh. "Way to be dramatic, Jas. You do realize that you're saying that the only reason you want to stay with us is so you can get it on in our apartment? That's so many kinds of wrong."

"For the record," Alice chimes in with a laugh, "I was perfectly happy staying with Carlisle and Esme. It's Jasper who would rather be homeless than move back in with his parents, even for two weeks."

I glance at Edward, starting to cave. What can I say? I like Alice, and I'm a pushover. "It wouldn't be the worst thing if they stayed with us…"

"Yes, it would," Edward mutters, his eyes connecting with mine meaningfully. Unfortunately we're not quite up to par on the whole communicating without words thing. I frown, unsure what he's trying to convey. "So what if they have to survive with no sex for two weeks?"

With that emphasis, suddenly I get it. If Jasper and Alice stay with us, there will be no more nighttime shenanigans for the next two weeks. Not unless we tell them the truth about our newfound relationship.

I sigh. Edward frowns; he already knows what I'm going to say.

Suddenly I can sympathize with Jasper's dilemma. This might just be worse, because Jasper won't even know what we're sacrificing for him. We're giving up all privacy in our own home.

"They'd do it for us," I tell a resigned Edward.

Jasper gives an emphatic nod. "Totally. We'd definitely let either of you stay at our apartment and get your sexy times on. We're cool like that."

Alice covers her face, hiding a laugh or embarrassment. I'm not sure which. When she emerges, her face is tinted pink.

"I promise you we will not be defiling your apartment, no matter what Jazzy thinks. Some of us have standards. I draw the line at screwing in an open concept apartment where my boyfriend's twin and his best friend could walk in at any moment. We just need somewhere to stay because my stubborn boyfriend refuses to stay with his parents."

"You can stay," I offer, chancing a glance at Edward. He seems to have developed a little raincloud over his head if his sullen expression is anything to go by. He looks like someone just stole his puppy.

It seems we have houseguests for the next two weeks.

Fuck me. Because Edward won't be.