My but it's been a while. I'm sorry if I kept anyone waiting, but the last couple of months have been rough. It's been nice to get back to writing again.

Thanks go out to Marley, for encouraging me with this story. I was having some problems getting this chapter out, but her desire to see it forced me to finish it. You're the best, dahling.

So, here it is. I hope you like it.

I don't own 'em.

Chapter 5 – BPOV

This was quickly becoming one of the best days of my life. Not only was I away from all my retainers, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, eating gelato on the Spanish Steps with a promise to see the Coliseum soon, but I was also spending the day with a man who nice to me because he wanted to be, not because he thought he needed to. That alone made this day very special.

And Edward was no ordinary man. Or so I had been lead to believe. Common people, especially Americans I was told, were boorish and rude, and never had anyone's interests at heart except their own. The men in the alley way from earlier were how I had been taught how all common men acted. That's why I was always kept under guard no matter where I was. Or so I was told.

But Edward, who should have been all of those things, was not. I had the strangest feeling that if any other man in Rome had found me last night the outcome had would not have been so pleasant. Perhaps I was being overly dramatic. I knew my sheltered upbringing had severely skewed my perceptions and that undoubtedly people were much better than my retainers told me. They had to be or this world would be a far more miserable place than it already was.

Overly dramatic or not, I knew that Edward was special. Very special. There was something about him that put me instantly at ease. I hadn't meant to tell him much of anything about me, afraid that one slip would let him know the game I was playing and who I really was. But he just asked one simple question and suddenly I was spilling my soul onto the stone steps. I had told him everything from my favorite poems to my issues with my parents. And he listened and empathized and didn't judge at all.

I had meant what I told him earlier. I was going to miss him very much. I wished there was some way I could take him with me back to Fourchette, to keep me grounded and sane. But that was impossible. In Fourchette he would know who I was and the magic would end. I did have his address though. Perhaps I could write.

No, my mail was screened and they would track my letter down to his apartment and make his life living hell for sheltering me. And then not only would he know who I was, but he would hate me for the terrible things done in my name. He would be searched, questioned, locked up, subjected to a psychological analysis, and questioned some more. It was unthinkable.

There was no help for it. I'd have to end all contact after today.

The thought broke my heart.

I heard him humming beside me and put aside my musings for another time. I could not waste a single moment in his presence. This was a day that would have to sustain me for the rest of my life, most likely.

"What are you humming?" I turned to my companion with a questioning smile.

"Just a little something that's been running through my mind. It came to me, sudden-like." He smiled back and it warmed me more than the Roman sun.

"Will you sing it for me? Or hum it, or play it, or something?" I wanted so desperately to hear his composition.

"It's not finished yet," he shrugged. "I can't let anyone hear it until it is finished. Except my neighbors, but only because my walls are so thin."

I laughed. "Fine, be that way."

"I will."

I took a deep breath and leaned against his shoulder. It was very bold of me, and I know it would be frowned upon by my retainers, but I could not help wanting to. Thankfully he just leaned his head atop mine. "You've heard all about my life," I said, to break the silence. "Tell me about yours."

Edward slung an arm around my shoulders. "Well, most of it has been pretty boring. I was born and raised around Chicago. My father is a businessman and my mother a housewife. They were good parents, on the whole. I went to the best schools and was always encouraged in all my pursuits as a child. As I grew older, they grew less tolerant of my "fanciful ideas," as they called them.

They were very down-to-earth people, and I suppose that's why we had such arguments. They were infinitely practical, and I was an idealist. I wanted to live for my music, and they wanted me to live with money to put food on the table. While my mother had once delighted over my musical inclinations, she later would interrupt my practicing to ask if there wasn't something more useful I could be doing.

That hurt, a lot. So when they told me in no uncertain terms that I would be attending Georgetown University, I began making plans of my own. I moved here on a whim, as you know, and since then have been working as a waiter in an upscale restaurant and trying to get jobs as a musician. I finally got one last night and it went very well. I think my music career might finally be taking off. That's about the entirety of my life, right there."

I leaned into him closer. "I'm sure there is much more to it than that, but that will do for now. What sort of instruments do you play?"

"All sorts, though my true love is piano. Aside from that, I play acoustic and electric guitar, the cello, the violin, and the banjo."

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "The banjo?"

"Hey now, don't look down on the banjo. It is a lovely, but very under-appreciated instrument and is not just for hicks from Deliverance." He looked sort of offended.

"I don't know where Deliverance is, but I'll take your word on it." It was amusing to hear that the well-educated, supposed-to-be Georgetown bound, cello-playing Edward was also a banjo enthusiast.

"Deliverance is not a place; it's a movie that gave banjos a very bad reputation. People joke that if you are so far out in the woods you are hearing banjos that it is time to hightail it out."

I shook my head. That didn't make sense at all. Surely the dangerous parts of the woods were where there was no one to play the banjos? "I see," I lied. "I'm sorry I insulted your precious banjo, however slightly."

"Apology accepted," he sniffed, his nose up in the air as he affected a wounded air. I giggled.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes before Edward leapt to his feet, hauling me up with him. "Come on, sweet, we're wasting daylight."

"It's not wasted," I insisted as I allowed him to lead me down the steps. No moment of today was wasted.

"Still, we have lots of things to do today. I'm still trying to figure out how I can arrange a rain shower so you can dance in it." Now down from the Steps, Edward threaded his fingers with mine and we began a leisurely stroll across the square.

"Don't worry about," I said, examining the cloudless skies. "Next time I'm in a rain shower I'll try my best to go dance in it. That way you won't be considered slacking in your duties."

"That's very kind of you," he smirked. We continued our way through the throngs of tourists, never once lessening the grip of our hands. It felt wonderful to be connected to him, even in that small way.

We walked for a few more minutes before Edward pulled me over to a small stand. He handed the stall manager a few bills and then waited as the man disappeared into a small shop behind the stand. The man returned with a scooter and two helmets.

Edward grinned at me. "This will make our trip a little quicker. And more fun, I should imagine."

He got my helmet situated on my head and I tried not to hyperventilate at how close his face was to mine. When we both had secured our safety equipment, he got on the scooter and motioned for me to do the same.

"Have you ever driven one of these?" I questioned skeptically.

"Never. Should be fun, huh?"

I backed away a step. "I don't think so."

Edward pouted and turned the devastating effect of his eyes on me. "Please Bella? Live a little."

That did it. I was here to live, after all. One day of brilliant life before a lifetime of duty. His begging may have assisted the matter as well. I climbed on the back of the small motorbike and wrapped my arms around him tightly. I didn't want to fall off, after all.

He sped off and I tightened my hold, shrieking. I could feel him shake with laughter against me. I tried my best to watch the scenery we passed as he wove his way through the winding streets of Rome. Unfortunately I found myself distracted by Edward's movements.

One thing caught my attention though. There were several police officers about peering in the faces of all the brunettes they passed. I even thought I recognized one of my bodyguards. I was ever so glad that the helmet covered my face and hair. Hopefully there would be no police at our destination. Or perhaps they wouldn't even check me, being so strangely dressed as I was.

Thankfully, there weren't any police on princess-duty at our destination – the Coliseum. And there weren't any at any of the other places we visited. Edward spent the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon showing me around all the famous buildings and sites of Rome. It was magical and more than I ever dreamed of when I dreamed of Rome.

I passed the hours in a haze, clinging to Edward's hand as if it were the only thing keeping me from drifting away altogether. I became convinced that this was all a dream, a marvelous dream brought on by whatever drugs Dr. Cullen had given me the night before.

Reality came crashing down after our small lunch.

We were sitting at another sidewalk café when Edward noticed someone hawking newspapers. From where I sat I could see that the front-page story involved the illness of the princess of Fourchette – me – complete with pictures. Edward stood.

"I'm going to grab a paper, alright? I always read the paper and I'm feeling a bit out of touch with the world, going without today."

"No!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.

He turned to me in surprise. "Why not?"

I sputtered as I tried to come up with a plausible excuse. "Well, it's just, you see…" I paused. Inspiration struck. "It's just that today feels like a day out of time, a small bubble of happiness. Letting the world in feels…wrong somehow."

He considered this. "I won't tell you any of the news, I promise. I just want to make sure no one has started any new wars in the last twenty-four hours."

"Please?" I stared up at him with my hands clasped and tried to pout. I'd never tried it before – never had a reason to.

He pouted right back. "It makes me feel more connected with home. I'll just be a moment and then I'll be right back, no big deal."

He turned around and began walking to the newsvendor. My heart clenched horribly and my eyes began to tear up. It was a big deal. In a few moments my secret would be revealed and this beautiful day would end. I turned and ran to the scooter. Edward had left the keys on the table and I scooped them up as I ran.

I could hear someone shouting "Signore, signore!" as I hopped on the bike and started the ignition. I awkwardly began to maneuver the bike away from the café. Just as I started to really get in the bike moving, there was a loud thump and something hit me from behind.

Before I could scream, I felt Edward's arms around me. "What on earth are you doing?" He shouted in my ear as I sped away.

"I had to get away," I called back. I was starting to cry, I couldn't help it. He couldn't know, he just couldn't.

He wrapped himself tighter around me and I pressed myself against his comforting warmth. "If you really didn't want me to read the paper that badly, you should have just told me. You didn't have to commit grand theft auto."

My eyes blurred over with tears. "You wouldn't have understood," I said, trying hard to keep my voice even. I could barely see for unshed tears.

"Hey! Watch out!" Edward suddenly called. His hands let go of my waist and went to grab the handlebars.

Too late, we went careening into a scarf vendor's stall. I shut my eyes against the horrible sight of the oncoming stand. There was a magnificent crash and I screamed as our scooter fell over and landed under falling debris.

I cringed away from the falling stand, only to find myself covered by Edward. There was a crash and then I silence. I lay still, trembling between Edward and the scooter. Slowly, Edward lifted himself off me. I could hear pieces of wood sliding off of him and I sat up.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

"Are you?"

"No. You are crying. I am not okay."

I sniffed. "I'm alright. I just, well, I made quite a mess, didn't I?"

We looked around. The small side street where the stall had been located was a mess. The stall I had crashed into had pushed into another stall, causing its collapse into yet another's and on down the line. The whole street looked like a war zone.

Edward pulled me into a hug. "I'm sure they won't mind too much. It's no big deal."

Half an hour later we were in a police station, handcuffed. The last of the stall owners – the large man who own the scarf shop – had just finished venting his grievances. I was still crying silently. Finally the police officer turned to Edward and I.

"What do you two have to say for yourselves?" He asked sternly.

I was at a loss. I had no idea what to say. Sorry, I was just trying to get away from this man because I like him too much for him to know my name? That wouldn't work so well.

Thankfully, Edward spoke up.

"I'm sorry, officer. My wife and I are on our honeymoon and we rented the scooter to tour your city. She got a little excited," he lied smoothly.

I tried not to let the shock show on my face. Instead I turned my face up to his and put on a face of vapid adoration. He stared back down at me with an equally tender look. I tried not to laugh at the spark in his eyes and the hint of a smirk around his lips.

"Honeymoon? Are you newlyweds?" The police officer questioned.

I smiled brilliantly and snuggled closer to my 'husband.' "Since yesterday."

"Congratulations!" Suddenly the air was alive with laughing and clapping and Italian felicitations. All the owners of the stalls I had ruined had silly looks on their faces as they hugged us and kissed our cheeks and shook our hands.

I laughed and smiled too as I accepted their heartfelt congratulations. They ushered Edward and I out the door with nostalgic smiles on their faces.

We kept up our looks of puppy love and our entwined arms until we were well away from the station. Then we proceeded to fall into a bench and dissolve in laughter. When we our giggles finally died, I sighed and rest my head against his shoulder. I was tucked under his arm against his chest and felt perfectly at home.

I looked up at him. "So, married, huh?"

He blushed. "Hey, it worked, didn't it? Don't worry, I promise not to hold you to it."

I feigned shock. "You're divorcing me so soon?"

He laughed and tightened his grip around me, cradling me against him. "Don't worry, Bella, I won't let you go if I can help it."

And there you have it, folks! Chapter Five in all its splendor and glory. Please let me know what you think. I'm still uncertain about this story, sad to say.

Love you all, always.
OnlyOneSymptom