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Bella's Point of View:
We had spent pretty much the entirety of our day in the church. Alice felt the need to break down every bit and piece of it for me. I'd lived through a 2 hour long lecture of the history of the Presbyterian Church while Carlisle and Edward had some 'important' talk that I wasn't allowed in on. A two-hour long lecture so that Edward could have a 'talk' with his father. Ironically, in the past six hours I had grown to dub a church 'hell on earth'. Most people might say the DMV or something along those lines, but not me, as soon as I'm married there is no way that I'll ever step foot in on of those places again. I had this foreboding feeling about the pre-marital counseling stuff too. I really was dreading it.
"Bella?" Edward said, breaking my train of thought. When I snapped back into reality I realized that we were in my driveway.
"Oh," I undid my seatbelt. "Edward will you come inside and help me explain the church and the counseling stuff to Charlie." I hoped that Charlie wouldn't make a big deal out of it. His resentment towards Edward had grown since the announcement of our engagement. Edward said that he'd warm up as it became more obvious that the marriage was definite, but for now he was trying very hard to keep me from marrying Edward. The mix of his hatred towards Edward and his detest towards getting married before you were thirty was deadly.
"He seems like he's in a good mood, sure." As if Edward wouldn't come in otherwise. I could tell it bothered him a lot that Charlie didn't want me to marry him.
"Alright, thanks." We got out of the car and walked towards the door. When we got in Charlie was at the kitchen table eating leftovers. Dinner, crap, I had completely forgotten. Now he was forced to eat the freezing cold-week old pizza that probably tasted horrible. "Dad?" I yelled as I took of my shoes and coat. He flipped around in his chair obviously startled dropping his pizza on the floor. He muttered something under his breath and picked up the pizza. I definitely got my grace from my father.
"Hey Bells." He said taking another bit into the pizza. "Edward," He nodded his head towards Edward while the name just came out like gibberish mixed with the rock solid pizza he was trying to chew. "What did you kids do today?" He was in a bizarrely good mood. It brought mine up considerably.
"Well, Alice found us a church." The pizza dropped again. Edward chuckled so that only I could hear it.
"Oh really?" Charlie said, this time not even bothering to pick the food up. It probably tasted horrible anyway.
"Yeah, It's huge! I'm sure you've heard of it, The Presbyterian Church of Seattle, or something along those lines." Alice had bantered on about it for hours but I couldn't even remember the name. Edward chuckled a little.
"It's the Presbyterian Church of Seattle, she's right." Edward cut in trying obviously to help Charlie with his thought process.
"I know that one, yeah, its huge Bella, you're right. It's very prestigious too. Expensive, you sure you all don't need help paying to use it?" Edward smiled at Charlie and shook his head 'no'. "Well, alright then. So, anything else?" He asked now eager to get Edward out of the house.
"Well actually Dad, the priest requires pre-marital counseling," Whatever that really is. "And Edward and I have our first session tomorrow." Charlie seemed to think about for a minute.
"That's actually a good idea. Alright then, Bella it's late, shouldn't Edward be on his way?" I smiled up at Edward who was biting his lip to hold back the laughter.
"Sure dad." I turned back towards Edward. "Edward, I'll walk you to the door." We walked in silence to the door and then to his car.
"Well, that wasn't so bad was it?" Edward asked before kissing me.
"Which part? Charlie or the church because my answer varies." He let out a loud laugh and kissed me again. Short and sweet, but it honestly was becoming what I lived for. Counting the days until we were married for my own reasons.
"The church wasn't that bad." He said smiling at me.
"For you maybe but I was stuck with Alice all day. She's relentless." Edward let out another laugh and a crooked smile.
"Yeah sorry about that, I really had to talk with Carlisle." His voice seemed to become angry when he mentions his talk with Carlisle. It was odd, he was never mad at Carlisle. Or at least I'd never seen him mad at him.
"That's okay," I said suspicious, I'll save the questions for later tonight. "It's not your fault Alice has completely lost her mind. Really? Who can possibly talk about a church for that long?" He smiled wider.
"Only Alice."
"I love her to death, but really." I laughed at myself, more because it sounded right with the sentence than that I found it funny. "You're coming tonight right?"
"Of course Bella, I just have to drive home, I'll be back in no time." He smiled at the worry in my voice that was there every time I asked that question. Those nights when he said no I found it hard to sleep.
"Okay then, hurry up! Go drive home!" I was teasing him now and he was enjoying it. He leaned in and kissed me passionately. One of those kisses that made my heart stop, made me forget my name, left me speechless. After a good moment he pulled away, allowing me to breath.
"See you soon," He said before kissing my forehead and jumping in his car. I just stood there, in a daze, watching his shiny Volvo speed off into the distance. I was just like some love struck teenager. I was hardly forming coherent thoughts as I walked up the stairs towards my room.
"Bella, honey, you going to bed?" Charlie, I had almost forgot about him.
"Yeah dad, the church drained a lot out of me. I'm tired." I was about to sprint up the rest of the stairs when I remembered the pizza. "Oh dad, I'm so sorry about dinner, I completely forgot!" I knew my voice sounded worried but I couldn't help it. Charlie had been forced to eat the equivalent of cardboard so that I could plan towards a wedding that he didn't even want happening.
"Don't worry about it Bell, the pizza was fine. You shouldn't have to worry about feeding me. That, in normal families, is the father's job. I'm really glad that you guys are going to do counseling. It might help since you're both so young." He jumped into it fast and I got the feeling that he was hopeful that I would realize that Edward was wrong for me or something like that.
"Yeah dad." I said faking a yawn. "Goodnight." I couldn't bare another one of Charlie's marriage talks. I ran up the stairs, grabbed my pajamas and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. I took a long shower trying to wash off the church experience and shake the foreboding feeling that I had to be there tomorrow. I remembered that Edward was most likely waiting for me and hurried up a bit. When I was finally done, I felt refreshed and a little better. I still had to ask Edward all my questions though. I wasn't really too sure that he would answer.
I pulled another pair of torn up sweats on for bed and walked to my room—dragging my feet. When I got there Edward was sitting on the bed. As I opened the door a wide smile spread across his face and he started laughing. I couldn't figure out what was so funny, nothing should be that funny. I looked down and realized what he was laughing at. I felt my face turn bright red as I saw my clothing. Apparently I had been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to pay attention to how I was dressing myself. I turned towards the door and ran back into the bathroom. I saw it in the mirror now—the superman type outfit I had on. How I had possibly managed to pull my underpants over top of my baggy sweats was beyond me. I was honestly afraid to go back to the room after I fixed my 'fashion mishap'. I knew that Edward would probably still be laughing but I couldn't stay in the bathroom all night. Could I? No, I had to work up some courage and pray to god he wouldn't tell anyone else about this.
I stormed back to the room with new confidence until my hand held the doorknob. I'd never been that embarrassed in my whole life. Surprisingly the doorknob turned under my hand and opened away from me. Pulling me into Edward's arms. He laughed again and I assumed that I had to be the color of a tomato by now just kept my head buried in his chest.
"Oh come on Bella, it wasn't that bad." I couldn't see his face but I could imagine him biting his lip to keep away his laughter. I felt sick I was so embarrassed; this day was becoming worse by the seconds. "Bella, come on." I groaned softly knowing that he could hear it and pulled up my bright red face. "Wow Bella, I don't think I've ever seen you that red." He said giggling a little bit. I shot him a glare—my best attempt at anger. "Aw, Bella it was cute. You looked like you were trying to be a super hero." I reluctantly pulled myself away from him, angered by his teasing. I pressed my face into the pillows hoping that I was just dreaming all of this. Unfortunately, I pinched my arm and nothing happened. It was very unnerving. "Love, I'm sorry please let me see your pretty red face." He was having way too much fun with this. I tried to pull up one of the pillows that surrounded my head but missed horribly. Instead it appeared I was tugging on his cold hand. "Alright Bella, I'm done. I am sorry." I sighed and decided to make sure he was telling the truth. When I looked up he had his poker face on so I decided to give in.
"We're never speaking of this again. Okay?" I was still angry at him and it was helping me now.
"Speak of what?" He flashed me my favorite crooked smile and all was forgiven.
"Ha, ha." I said fighting the urge to stick my tongue out at him like a four year old.
"So, what did you think of the church?" He seemed ecstatic to bring it up. I knew that he loved it. Probably more that we were getting married than that he really liked the church. Oh well, he looked gorgeous when he was this happy.
"It was…special." I said trying to find my way out of lying.
"Special? As in 'eat the paste' special?" He cocked one eyebrow at me and I couldn't contain my laughter.
"Eat the paste special?" I managed to repeat his choice of words before erupting in giggles again. He just rolled his eyes at me a chuckled.
"You're beautiful when you laugh, you know that?" Oh my god, he could make my heart soar at any moment. With the snap at his fingers—I just wished I could do that to him.
"No, I didn't know that." When I caught on to his attempt to distract me I changed the subject. "What did you think of the church?" I decided to start my questions easy and let them grow on him.
"It was nice…actually, I loved it." He was smiling a mile wide now. I wasn't cruel enough a person to tell him what I really thought of it so I lied through my teeth.
"It was nice wasn't it?" He smiled and kissed me passionately. I knew it made him exceptionally happy when I didn't complain about something regarding our wedding. I loved the idea of being his forever, but I had to do it in front of all those people. He was smiling again when I positioned myself to sit in front of him. Tired of this—I wanted to get down to business.
"Hey Edward? What were you talking to Carlisle about?" That question had been bugging me all day and Edward looked so angry when I brought it up. I thought he might be mad at me. I panicked, he couldn't be mad at me. That's no good. "Edward, please don't be mad." With that his poker face was back.
"I'm not mad at you Bella." He said still sounding angry.
"Really? Then why are you mad?" He sighed and puffed out his lips a little. He seemed to be contemplating whether or not to tell me.
"Carlisle…" I waited as he did some more thinking. "Did something…unexpected." He flashed me a crooked smile but I still saw the anger in his eyes.
"What was so 'unexpected'?" He could be so vague some times. It drove me insane.
"Nothing Bella don't worry about it. You'll find out soon enough." He was getting frustrated and I could tell he wasn't going to budge so I let it go. I wanted to ask him about marriage counseling but then I yawned—the biggest mistake I could have made. Before I was even done yawning I was under the cover while Edward hummed my lullaby. I groaned. He was impossible. I fought away my sleep but it eventually began to win as my eyelids betrayed me. I heard him whisper something as he kissed my forehead but I was too out of it to understand. Before I knew it I was slipping into the darkness of my dreams.
Edward's Point of View:
I drove home as fast as possible to my house. As soon as I got there Alice was sitting on the front porch. She was bouncing and I tried to read her thoughts but all I got was something about underwear and then a bunch of hysterical laughing. She didn't make any sense to me. I walked out of the car towards her.
"Alice?" I was so confused as to why she was laughing so hard. I should be on my way to Bella's but instead I sat here trying to figure out my sister. Her head popped up immediately her eyes wide with excitement.
"Edward!" She squealed. I couldn't believe what was going on in her head--
Bella had just opened the door to her room. First all I got from Alice was a confused look on Bella's face and the sound of my laughter from her bed. The scene puzzled me. It continued though, rapidly, as I began to see all of Bella in Alice's mind. Bella was standing in the doorway. In her normal pajamas except something was different. Her bright blue underwear was pulled over top of her extremely baggy pants. I saw her take herself in as recognition struck her. Her face turned redder than I think I had ever seen it and then the vision ended.
I couldn't control my laughter as I went through what I had just seen in my sister's head. I felt horrible for my Bella but it was hilarious. I couldn't take it. I just kept laughing, as did Alice.
"Edward! Have you ever seen anything that funny in your life!" She spewed the words out at record speed before the giggles took over her body. If it hadn't been Alice I probably would have been upset. Alice was always on my side and I had to admit that was funny.
"No I don't think so." I kept laughing as I talked but then I remembered Bella's pitiful face as she realized what had happened. "Poor Bella. She looked mortified."
"Oh she'll get over it. You better not stop this from happening Edward. If you do I swear…" She went through the many ways to cause me pain in her mind and I found myself cringing at quite a few. That one that involved raw meat…ugh. I shook my head trying to erase the horrible thoughts.
"Alright, you know she looked like Superman or something." I couldn't control myself after this realization and the convulsions of laughter began again.
"Wonder Woman!" Alice said, gasping for air, as she shot her hand up in the air. I couldn't take it I thought my sides were going to burst from the hilarity of the moment.
"Alice I have to go…I don't want to miss this." I turned around my running slowed from my laughter. As I reached the end of our driveway I heard her squeal.
"Superheroes UNITE!" I fell onto the pavement I was laughing so hard. I couldn't shake the image of Bella in the doorway looking like some bizarre form of Wonder Woman. When I finally picked myself up I sprinted towards her house.
Soon enough I was underneath the window. I could hear Charlie's snores and I knew it was safe. I could also hear the shower running. I hadn't missed her. I was anxious as I jumped up onto the tree in front of her window. I couldn't wait to see this played out first hand. Once I was inside I laid down on the bed preparing myself for what was to come. My mind kept jumping back to Bella as 'Wonder Woman' and Alice's 'Superheroes UNITE' both of which made me laugh harder than I had in years. I tried to hold back my laughter as the doorknob turned. Bella walked in and I smiled and started laughing so loud I couldn't breath. I didn't need to but I was still clutching my sides. I looked up to see Bella looking down at herself and turning redder than ever before. She sprinted out of the room, almost tripping which made me laugh even harder. My whole body was shaking. That was definitely better in person. I'm sorry Alice missed it. I was waiting for her to come back to the room when I noticed the doorknob budge a little.
I walked over and opened it. Bella-feeling the need to bring me back to my delirious state-involuntarily feel into my chest. I could feel the heat radiating off her face as I tried to calm myself down. It wasn't working very well but within a few seconds I thought I could keep a straight face while talking to her.
"Oh come on Bella, it wasn't that bad." I muffled my laughter enough to get the words out and she didn't budge. I thought I felt her head shake side to side a little bit but other than that she seemed unmoved by my words. "Bella, come on." She groaned softly and I couldn't take it any longer…I had to see her face. I grabbed her pointed chin with my hand and pulled her head up so I could examine the damage. "Wow Bella, I don't think I've ever seen you that red." I couldn't believe I had said it but the words came out—along with my giggles. She just looked up at me obviously wanting to burn holes into my face. I decided I could have some fun with her.
"Aw, Bella it was cute. You looked like you were trying to be a super hero." I laughed a little at mine and Alice's inside joke. She tugged away from me and I let her go. I was being evil, I know but it was just such a hilarious moment. It was a Kodak moment. Damn, I should have brought a camera. She stormed over to her bed and buried her face in the pillows. Immediately, I felt guilt was over me. I knew I had upset her. It's not every day that you forget to put your underwear on. As hilarious as I found it I could imagine how horrible she felt.
"Love, I'm sorry please let me see your pretty red face." I couldn't help but through in the 'red face' thing. It was just way too easy. I saw her reach for a pillow like she was going to hit me with it and instead I gave her my hand. She tugged for a minute until realizing it was just me. "Alright Bella, I'm done. I am sorry." I was being honest about the sorry thing but I wasn't sure I was quite done yet. She pulled her head up and I was glad I had kept the sincere look on my face. She still seemed upset.
"We're never speaking of this again. Okay?" I could tell her anger was dying down a bit as she stared at me. I decided to play with her some more but in a loving way.
"Speak of what?" I smiled at her and she seemed to completely forgive me.
"Ha, ha." Her voice was filled with sarcasm. She had too much pride to let her forgiveness show. I wasn't very found of her when she was angry, well at least when it was towards me. I decided to change the subject.
"So, what did you think of the church?" I knew she'd let my rudeness go if I brought up that place. She'd been lying through her teeth all day about how much she loved it and I was sure she'd do the same now.
"It was…special." She was looking for loopholes. Special? I could take that so many ways…how to respond? Hmm…
"Special? As in 'eat the paste' special?" I raised one eyebrow up at her and got the result I had wanted. She was laughing, happy again. She hadn't laughed much today and I missed it like hell.
"Eat the paste special?" She repeated my words hardly able to get them out—her laughter was over powering everything else.
"You're beautiful when you laugh, you know that?" She was, I wasn't trying to dazzle her or distract her. I had no ulterior motive. I was truly just captivated by her beauty.
"No, I didn't know that." Something seemed to click with her and I saw that faint twinkle in her eye when she had a thought. "What did you think of the church?" Great, she was going to play twenty questions with me. Oh well, I could get out of them easy enough.
"It was nice…actually, I loved it." I didn't exactly love it. I was dreading counseling but the fact that we had a church set our marriage in stone for me and that made my heart soar.
"It was nice wasn't it?" I knew that she didn't really think that but I couldn't contain my happiness. I smiled widely and grabbed her face in my hands. I crushed my lips up to hers. They were so soft, sweet… I started to drift again as I caught myself and pulled away. She looked quite satisfied when we were done but then the questions began again.
"Hey Edward? What were you talking to Carlisle about?" She had to bring that up. Carlisle had decided to tell pastor Dan about Bella's sexual 'frustrations' and my 'abstinence obsession'. That conversation between him and I had gone horribly. By the time Esme intervened I was shaking with angry and on the verge of screaming at Carlisle. I couldn't stand even talking about it. Emmett was the one I expected to do stuff like that, not Carlisle
"Edward, please don't be mad." Bella's words brought me back to reality and I tried to erase my anger towards Carlisle.
"I'm not mad at you Bella." I knew that my voice wasn't convincing but I wasn't lying.
"Really? Then why are you mad?" I sighed a bit letting my lips fall out in frustration. I didn't know whether or not to answer that question, afraid of the questions that would follow.
"Carlisle…" I hoped she would leave it at that but no she just stared up at me with big brown eyes that I couldn't refuse. "Did something…unexpected." I smiled a little at her trying to get her to drop it but I guess I wasn't convincing enough.
"What was so 'unexpected'?" I could tell she was frustrated with the way I had phrased my answer but I couldn't tell her anymore. She didn't need to worry anymore about what awaited us tomorrow.
"Nothing Bella don't worry about it. You'll find out soon enough." I could tell she was giving in when I gave her my answer. I needed an escape, and she needed sleep. I stared at her for a moment and she let out a yawn. Thank god that she didn't have control over those because now I was able to get her to sleep. I pulled her under the covers and into my chest as fast as I could. She tugged away a bit but I started humming to her and she began to slip into unconsciousness. When I was sure she wouldn't notice. I whispered.
"Superheroes unite." I kissed her forehead laughing a little bit at the way tonight had turned out; a nice escape from the worries of tomorrow's session.
WOW! That was a long chapter…it took me FOREVER to write I know but I hope you like it! SUPERHEROES UNITE! Review please!