Good morning!
Stephenie owns the names.
Thanks to oscar519 and laurnorder. You ladies light up my life.
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Special thanks to DiamondHeart78 for the rec in Teacher of the Year! XOXO
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Chapter 7 – Definitions
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Edward asked nervously. He knelt in front of Reagan and brushed her hair from her face. She smiled and threw her arms around his neck.
"Edward, I think we're perfectly capable of surviving a week without you," Rosalie said with a small scowl.
"I know." He sighed and stood up, but Reagan held tight to his neck and came with him. Edward laughed quietly and hugged his daughter as tightly as he could.
"You're squishing me, Daddy," she whispered.
"I'll miss you," he whispered back. It was true; he would miss her. The last time Edward had been apart from Reagan for more than a day was before the divorce was final.
"I'll miss you, too." Reagan smiled and kissed his cheek. He set her down and gave a Rosalie a quick nod before heading to his car.
Bella was meeting Edward at his apartment to take him to the airport for his weeklong conference in Denver. It was tough for him to leave them both, but he reminded himself that it was only for a few days.
"So, you'll call me when you get there?" Bella asked quietly after Edward had checked in.
"I will," Edward replied before kissing her softly.
"And don't forget to let me know when your flight gets in on Sunday," she said in a rush.
"I won't." He sighed and pulled her into another kiss.
"Be good," Bella whispered. Edward laughed and held her tightly.
"Oh, I'll try," he teased half-heartedly.
"I'll miss you."
"Me too, but I've really got to go. They've called my flight three times already," he explained. She frowned and leaned up to kiss him one more time.
"Have fun," she said as he walked away. He gave her a small wave and continued on, feeling sad about the whole situation.
Since he and Bella had starting dating, they hadn't spent every waking moment together, but still – they spent enough time together to miss each other. Especially after their night with Alice and Jasper and Señor Cuervo.
"We'll come get your car in the morning," Edward said as they got into the cab outside of their friend's house. Jasper had ceremoniously kicked them out after dinner and Alice's four margaritas.
"Whatever you want." Bella sighed, leaned into Edward and tilted her face to his. He told the cab driver his address and leaned in to kiss her. She tasted like alcohol and vanilla lip-gloss. It took all Edward had to clasp his hands tightly in his lap to keep himself from pressing her against the germ-ridden leather seats of the cab.
"Thanks, man," Edward called as he threw a few bills over the seat. Bella giggled and ran ahead up the stairs of Edward's building. He followed her, laughing as she stripped off her shoes and ran inside. The elevator doors opened and she pulled him in with her, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and kissing him roughly.
They stumbled into the apartment and down the hall, breathless and laughing.
"God, you're beautiful,"he whispered against her lips. Bella laughed quietly and slipped her hands down Edward's chest. She untucked his shirt and made quick work of the buttons before he stopped her.
"What's wrong?" she breathed as she pushed his shirt off of his shoulders. Edward grabbed her hands to stop her and she finally met his eyes. They were dark and dangerous with a hint of worry with them.
"We shouldn't…" he trailed off at the hurt look in her eyes and Bella understood how Edward had felt when she rejected him just days before.
"Okay," Bella whispered and let her hands drop to her sides.
"Bella…"
"No, I know Edward. I mean, I'm still pretty buzzed, but I'm coherent enough to know that we need to take things slower and that we need to– "
"Talk?"
"Yeah. We need to talk," she agreed with a tight smile. Edward sighed, but proceeded to rifle through his bedroom drawers until he found an oversized t-shirt for Bella to put on. She took it silently and slipped past him into the bathroom to change while Edward did the same in his bedroom. He slipped into his bed and held the comforter open in an invitation for Bella when she finished in the bathroom. She smiled and turned the lights out before sliding in next to him.
"So, what are we going to talk about?" Bella asked quietly.
"Weather? Baseball? How pretty you are?"
"Edward," she groaned and rolled onto her back. Edward laughed and propped himself up on his elbow so he could look down at her.
"Fine," he said with a sigh. "I like you a lot. I think we should… make this official or something."
"You want to go steady with me?" Bella grinned and Edward covered his face with his hand. "You're so sweet, Edward. Can I wear your class ring, too?"
"This is really difficult for me, okay? I haven't dated for almost fifteen years."
"I know," Bella said softly, shifting herself so she and Edward were face to face. "And I agree, we should make it official."
"I don't have my class ring anymore, sorry." Edward grinned and she shoved him lightly.
"I'll settle for your letterman jacket. Now, shut up and kiss me, boyfriend."
Edward smiled as he shoved his bag in the overhead compartment and took his seat. He was already looking forward to being home.
xXx
"Mommy, I don't want to wear these bows!" Reagan whined and pulled at the little pink offensive things that Rosalie had put at the end of her pigtails. She also didn't want to wear pigtails, but her mother hadn't listened to that either.
"Baby, you look so pretty!" Rosalie told her, and glanced at her in the rearview mirror. It was only the first morning of them being alone together and already she was frustrated with her daughter and sure that Edward let her get away with murder.
"Daddy doesn't make me wear bows," Reagan pouted.
Rosalie sighed. "Well, Daddy's a boy – he doesn't know what's pretty."
"Yes, he does! He tells me how pretty I am all the time. And he likes Bella and she's really pretty so he has to know what pretty is!"
"What?" Rosalie's eyes snapped back to the rearview mirror and Reagan sighed delicately.
"Bella. Daddy's girlfriend. She's really pretty."
"Daddy has a girlfriend?" Rosalie's voice sounded high-pitched and nervous. Reagan gave her an odd look but went on.
"Well, I think she's his girlfriend. She comes over for dinner and we go to the park sometimes. Sometimes they kiss but most of the time Bella plays with me."
"Do Bella and Daddy have sleepovers?" Rosalie asked which caused Reagan to laugh loudly.
"No, Mommy!" she giggled. "That's just silly. Bella has a 'partment by the zoo."
"Hm." Was all Rosalie said.
"Bye, Mommy! I love you," Reagan called when they arrived at her school. Rosalie frowned, and watched her daughter run up to school wondering what exactly was going on in her ex-husband's house.
xXx
Edward had hardly landed in Denver and turned his phone on before it buzzed with three new messages.
Bring me a microbrew. From Jasper.
Miss you already. From Bella.
Who the hell is Bella? From Rosalie.
Edward replied to the first two messages, but ignored Rosalie's. It really wasn't any of her business who Bella was.
He checked into his hotel and ordered lunch. Edward didn't usually do things so flippantly when money was concerned, but considering everything would be on the company's tab, he didn't really mind. After a while, Edward figured he should probably call Rosalie and explain who exactly Bella was. Or maybe he'd just ask to talk to Reagan.
"Edward, she's in the bath," Rosalie said with a sigh. Edward frowned at the phone.
"Alright, just tell her I called then," he replied.
"Wait! You didn't answer my question!"
"What question?" Edward tried to play dumb, but Rosalie was no fool.
"Edward." She sighed.
"Not that it's any of your business, but Bella's my girlfriend. We've been seeing each other for a few weeks now. Happy?"
"I just want make sure there isn't a parade of women floating through my daughter's home, that's all," Rosalie snipped.
Edward held his tongue, but could imagine that smoke was billowing out of his ears. And then he stopped holding his tongue.
"That's rich, coming from the woman the moved her new boyfriend in the second she kicked her husband and daughter out," Edward relied coolly.
Rosalie huffed and hung up the phone. Edward rolled his eyes and tossed the phone on his bed them fell back against the mattress too. Technically, Rosalie didn't kick him out of their home. He'd left on his own. Reagan was going to be living with Rose, so it only made sense that she kept the house. He had no idea, of course, that she would change her mind about custody.
It was bad enough that Edward had to see Emmett when he picked up Reagan (though it was nice to only have to see him two days a week), but for Rosalie to be angry that he was seeing someone? Emmett was the reason he and Rose were divorced in the first place and Rose really had no right to behave the way she did.
Edward sighed, flipped on the television and waited for his room service. It had been a long day, saying goodbye to Reagan and Bella was emotionally exhausting and now he was feeling nothing but anger toward Rosalie.
So, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he picked up the phone and called the one other person he knew would make him feel better.
"You made it?" Bella answered.
Edward smiled. "I made it."
"How was your flight?" she asked.
"Fine," he said with a yawn.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine, I just didn't get to talk to Reagan tonight."
Bella frowned. "I'm sure she's fine."
"I know," Edward replied. "It's just… weird."
"You're weird." Bella laughed. "When will you be back again?"
"I just left!" he cried. Though, admittedly Edward was feeling a little smug at the idea of her missing him already.
"Well, maybe I miss you." She sniffed quietly and Edward grinned.
"Now who's the weird one?" he asked with a laugh.
"Oh, it's still you." She teased. "I've got to get to bed. Call me tomorrow?"
"Of course."
"Goodnight, Edward," Bella said softly before she hung up.
Edward frowned and turned off his phone, knowing that Rosalie probably wouldn't have Reagan call so late. Talking to Bella did make him feel better. A little bit anyways.
xXx
"I've got to run across the park, will you be okay for a little while, Mike?" Bella called from her office.
"We're good!" he yelled back.
Bella left the office in search of some ointment for a wounded penguin; unfortunately, she had to trek halfway across the park for it. It was Saturday, almost a whole week since Edward had been gone. He called her every night and morning, and sometimes texted her during the day when she knew he was supposed to be in meetings. It made her feel like a kid again.
The last relationship Bella had was more out of convenience than anything. Being with Edward was something completely new and exciting.
Bella made a quick detour through the penguin habitat before returning to her office. What she saw there nearly caused her heart to leap out of her chest.
It was Reagan, standing against the observation window, completely alone. Reagan with tear-stained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, looking lost and scared.
"Reagan?" Bella touched her shoulder softly. The little girl jumped and then threw her arms around Bella. "Sweetie, what are you doing here?"
"I lost my Mommy," Reagan said. A deep sob racked her little body and Bella held her closer.
"Okay, baby. We'll find her. You just stick with me," Bella told her. Reagan nodded and relented her hold on Bella.
"Can you call my daddy?" Reagan sniffled and gripped Bella's hand.
"I don't have my phone, Rae. Let's go somewhere they can call your mommy and maybe she can call him, okay?"
"Okay," she replied and let Bella lead her to the main entrance of the zoo. They paged Rosalie, and Bella pulled Reagan into her lap, tucking the little girl's head under her chin and holding her tightly.
Bella didn't have to ask if the frantic blonde woman was Rosalie. Her features were very prominent in Reagan, except for her eyes, of course. Edward could have mentioned that his ex-wife was gorgeous, though Bella was sure it wouldn't have helped the way she felt standing there in her drab uniform.
Reagan practically jumped out of Bella's lap and ran to her mother. Rosalie scooped her up and hugged her while scolding her mildly.
"I told you to stay with me. What where you thinking?"
"I'm sorry, Mommy," Reagan mumbled. "Bella helped me, though."
"Bella?" Rosalie asked as she set her daughter down. She looked from Reagan to Bella, her eyes raking over Bella's uniform and messy hair before a look of understanding dawned on her face.
"Oh, so this is the infamous Bella." A tall, dark-haired man joined Rosalie and patted Reagan's head affectionately. The little girl frowned and leaned into her mother's side.
"Infamous, huh?" Bella smirked at the guy, assuming he was "the boyfriend". Then she erased that thought because she really didn't want to be known as "the girlfriend", even though she technically was. She wasn't, however, the cause of their divorce, so that made her feel a bit better.
"Well, we've just learned about you, that's all," Rosalie said with a kind smile. Bella tried to "unruffle" her feathers while Rosalie thanked her again for helping with Reagan.
"It's okay, Rosalie. Really. I'm just glad I was the one to find her. I would have hated if she were scared." Bella smiled down at Reagan, who detached herself from her mother and hugged Bella tightly once more.
"Thank you again, Bella. It was lovely to meet you." Rosalie held out her hand and Bella shook it quickly. Emmett gave Bella a quick nod and the three of them walked away.
"Oh! Rosalie!" Bella called and jogged after them.
"Yes?"
"I'm picking Edward up from the airport tomorrow and I was wondering if I could take Reagan with me. I know he'd love it…"
Rosalie frowned down at Reagan, who clasped her mother's hand and beamed up at her.
"Please, Mommy? I really miss him!"
"I know you do, baby," Rosalie said with a sad smile. "Are you sure it's not too much trouble?"
"Of course not. I know he misses her, too," Bella replied. Rosalie nodded and pulled a pen and paper from her purse then jotted down her address.
Bella couldn't keep the smile off her face for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, Edward would be home and she would get to surprise him with his sweet little girl.
xXx
Bella was nervous as she pulled up to Rosalie's home – the home that she used to share with Edward. It held the living room where they probably watched movies together, the bedroom that they shared, maybe a kitchen table where they'd shared family breakfasts and… no. Bella wouldn't think of things like that. She and Edward were together. She knew that he loved Rosalie, and that a part of him always would. Rosalie was, after all, the mother of his child.
But Bella also knew that Rosalie had done the unthinkable. She'd turned her back on Edward and their marriage, and hurt both him and Reagan in the process.
She knocked on the door and waited, though a bit impatiently. She was already running late and Edward had texted her when his flight left. He was on time.
"Hi, Bella!" Reagan yelled and threw herself at the woman on her doorstep. "Mommy! Bella's here!"
"My God, child. Do you have any other volume?" Emmett turned Reagan around and pretended to check her for a switch. Reagan giggled and ran off into the house. "She's been on loud all morning. C'mon in."
Bella laughed politely and stepped into the foyer. The house was lovely, really. It was lived in and homey. Toys and books were littered throughout the house, but it was by no means messy.
"I'll call you before bed, okay?" Rosalie entered the foyer with Reagan and helped situate her backpack on her.
"Okay, Mommy," she replied and leaned up to kiss her mother.
"Thank you," Rosalie told Bella. Bella nodded and led Reagan to her car. She helped her into the backseat and they made their way to the airport.
"Are you excited to see your daddy?"
"I really am! I missed him lots. Do you think he missed me?" Reagan's voice was still loud, but it only made Bella laugh.
"I'm sure he did," Bella told her. The ride to the airport was quick and soon enough they were waiting outside the terminal for Edward.
"Do you think he brought me a present?" Reagan asked with wide green eyes.
Bella laughed and hugged the little girl to her side. "You're so crazy."
"I think I see him!" she yelled as she jumped up and down. Bella followed her gaze and felt her own face break into a huge grin.
It was Edward, of course. One of those rare times when he was sans suit and – as much as Bella liked him in a suit – she really did enjoy him in jeans and t-shirts. Bella watched as he ran a hand through his hair and looked around tiredly, then gave Reagan a small shove forward.
"Go get him," she whispered to the little girl. Reagan didn't need to be told twice. She took off at full-speed and practically tackled her father. Bella laughed, watching the scene play out in front of her. Edward looked down surprised as Reagan's arms wrapped around his waist, and then he smiled and lifted her into his arms and looked around.
"What are you doing here?" he kissed his daughter and looked around.
"I came to take you home," Reagan smiled winningly at her father.
Edward smiled when he caught Bella's gaze. She simply shrugged and made her way to them quickly.
"This is quite the surprise," he said before dipping down to kiss her softly. He set Reagan down and took her hand and wrapped the other one around Bella's waist.
"We thought you might like it." Bella smiled up at him. He nodded in agreement and kissed her again, feeling very happy to be back with his favorite girls.
Quick note: If you like non-canon you should check out AccioBourbon's "First Person, Present". It's Bella/Peter. Short, sweet, and lovely.
