A/N: I apologize in advance for the very short chapter!


"It's weird, isn't it?"

Bella hummed sleepily, wondering for the millionth time why it was so hot the way he said that. 'Ees weh-eird.' "What's weird?"

"I feel rather more serious about you than someone I would date, you know?" He tilted his head, the look in his eyes bemused as he watched her over the camera. "It almost feels as though I'm coming home to you."

To that point, Bella had been about ready to drift off to sleep, but her eyes flew open at his words. "What?"

He grimaced. "Sorry, duck. I suppose that's an early morning kind of thought, not a sweet dreams notion."

She swallowed hard and looked at him. "I don't know." Her cheeks burned. "I've had that dream."

His eyes were intense on hers. "Have you?"

"Ugh." She put a pillow over her head, only peeking at him when he started chuckling at her. "You're right. It feels more serious."

He hummed. "I am, you know."

"You're what?"

"Serious about you."

Her heartbeat sped and her stomach fluttered. "So I'm not just some piece of American ass you're after?"

He laughed. "Oh, well. Can't it be both?"

"Are you saying you want me?" she asked, letting her voice turn dark and sultry.

"Bugger it, Bella. Don't look at me like that when I have to be out the door."

"You started it."

"So it seems." He sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to be late, and you should be asleep."

Bella hummed, rolling over onto her back and stretching, knowing damn well she was showing off for him. She couldn't pretend it didn't thrill her, that she could make a man like Edward groan just by the sight of her. "I do have a test tomorrow. It's so close to the end of the semester."

"And yet so far." His eyes roamed the expanse of her body, and Bella could feel the heat of his gaze like fingertips on her skin. "It's hell not to be able to touch you."

Getting bolder by the day, Bella let her fingers trace the path she wished his could take. Send him off to work with a nice image in his head. "I'm counting the days."

His laugh then was shaky with lust. "You're not the only one.

~0~

"It's just...weird, that's all."

Bella narrowed her eyes, looking over at her best friend. She'd woken up still over the moon about what Edward had said. "I'm pretty sure that's not your line. I'm pretty sure your line is something like, "oh my gosh, Bella. Tell me everything."" She squealed for good measure.

To her surprise and dismay, Alice's expression didn't change. She still looked dubious at best. "It's strange," she insisted. "It's just that I know you, Bella. You like this guy enough, maybe you even love him, that I think it would be easy to stay with him even if you don't have that spark in real life."

"Damn, Alice. Jumping the gun much?"

Alice tilted her head, fixing Bella with a look. "Am I jumping the gun? Bella, you came in here on a cloud because Edward said he was coming home to you. That's pretty damn serious. And that's fine, except it's really weird to me that you don't actually know if you have any chemistry."

She held a hand up to silence Bella's protest. "I know. I know. You get along well. You love the sound of his voice. It's a really nice fantasy. It's just that I think there's safety in the fact there's an ocean between you. As in it's easy to imagine you have all this chemistry with him when he's never actually been in front of you."

Bella pressed her lips together, irritated that Alice-who had always insisted Bella needed a man or at least a date-was raining on her parade. "You really think if we don't work, I'd stay with him?'

"I'm saying you're throwing yourself into the middle of a relationship. An intense relationship." Her cheek twitched. "Take it from me. Dating an older guy is different. Not bad, but it's overwhelming sometimes. Jasper talks about things in terms of five-year plans. And that makes sense for him. He's ready to have a family." She paled a bit, looking briefly overwhelmed. "But that's okay. We went through the dating thing before we were serious about each other. We knew we were compatible on all levels before we got to that point.

"Bella, you're not a shallow person. Even if you were, we all know Edward Cullen is a mega hottie, but there's something to be said about having a physical connection before you jump into something that serious." Alice wrinkled her nose. "I don't know. I guess I'd feel a lot better if you'd have met him once before you decide you're all in."

"You're overreacting," Bella said, crossing her arms, grumpy.

"Possibly. This whole internet thing is a little crazy." Alice sighed. "What's wrong with us, Bella? We're too young for this kind of stuff."

Bella rolled her eyes. "College boys are annoying."

"Yeah, but who says we even have to have boys?"

"Wasn't that my argument until recently?"

"We should be going on adventures," Alice said with a sigh, starting up at the ceiling. "Getting into trouble, not settling down with guys who have a five-year plan."

"What adventures?" Bella said with a snort. "You realize we're both destined to become workaholics, right? You and I both spend way too much time at school. Even without boyfriends, we'd just being doing what we always do-working."

Alice snickered. "I guess you're right about that."

A minute of silence passed with both of them deep in thought. Then, Alice sat up straight with a gasp. "Bella, I just had a totally crazy and amazing idea."

"Uh oh," Bella said. She already knew she was in trouble.

~0~

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Bella said, banging her head on the side of the plane.

Next to her, Alice bounced in place. "Come on. It's the perfect solution. Now, we can never say we haven't done something impulsive-because flying to England on a whim is damn impulsive. You can give Edward the surprise of his life, and you'll know before he moves to the States if you're really a good match. Worst-case scenario, you spend a few awkward days in England, and when he moves, you never have to see him again." Alice smiled wickedly. "Best-case scenario, you could be having the best sex of your life in another two hours." Her eyes it up. "In England!"

Bella blew out a nervous breath, her stomach twisting at the thought. "Isn't English sex supposed to be boring?"

"No, man. You know the saying. Close your eyes and think of England? It's because England is a kinky, sexy bitch, even if your partner isn't."

Bella laughed, her amusement breaking the nervous tension. She smacked Alice's arm. "You're deranged."

"That's possible."

Some hours later, after they'd checked into their hotel and changed out of the bedraggled traveler look, Bella was still shocked to find herself outside of Edward's house. "Oh, god," she muttered, trembling badly now. "Oh god, oh god, oh god. What am I doing here?"

Alice rubbed her shoulders. "Getting your groove on, hopefully. I'm just going to sit over here, out of sight." She did a gleeful little dance. "This is going to be amazing."

"He might think I'm psychotic."

"Sure, okay. You guys have been cyberfucking nonstop for months, talking about the serious relationship you're going to get into before you've ever physically touched the man, but it's psychotic to hop on a plane to come see him. I love you, Bella, but you're a basket case." She took Bella by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "Now stop stalling and go get your man."

"Right." Bella wiped her sweaty palms at her sides, smoothing down her dress. God, she was a wreck.

Somehow, though, she made it up the walk, up the steps, and to the door. She closed her eyes and brought his face to mind. She tried to imagine him here in his little front yard, walking to get the mail, waving to the neighbors.

Despite her nerves, she smiled. Summoning every ounce of bravery she had, Bella knocked on the front door and waited.

And waited.

She frowned and knocked again. They'd timed this perfectly. Edward should have been home for at least an hour, even if he'd stopped to pick himself up something to eat.

"I don't think he's here," Bella said when Alice peered around the hedge to see what was going on.

"Well, crap. I thought you said he's predictable."

Bella frowned. "He is."

It occurred to her then that though her phone was on and active-she'd splurged for a traveller's plan for the month-she hadn't heard from Edward all day. She was discombobulated, what with the time change, but she would have heard from him by now. "I wonder if the phone is acting up," she said, trying to get the message screen to refresh.

"Well, I guess the best thing to do is call him," Alice said, coming to sit beside her on the stoop. "As great as it would be to see the look on his face, I don't want to be hanging out here for hours when there's an England to explore."

"Yeah." Bella frowned at her phone, realizing Edward wasn't connected to Skype at all. "Fuck it," she muttered as she dialed his actual phone number and put the phone to her ear.

To her immense relief, he answered after only a ring. "Bella."

"Hey," she said, her nerves renewing.

"It's good to hear your voice, love," he said, and it occurred to Bella he sounded, very, very tired. "You wouldn't believe how good."

"Where are you?"

"Ah. That's rather a long story."

There was something thin to his voice, something that set Bella's heart pounding. "Edward, I'm here. In England I mean."

For three long seconds, he there was nothing but a heavy silence. "What?" The word came out strangled and hoarse.

"I… I wanted to surprise you. I'm here. In front of your house."

"Oh. Oh god. Oh no."

"Edward, I'm sorry, I-"

"No. No, Bella. I'm the one who's sorry. I… Damn it!"

Bella looked to Alice who was staring back at her in concern. Her friend put a tentative arm around her. "Edward…"

He sighed. "You're really there?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Please don't say that. Please. It's… it's incredible that you're there. I can't believe it. I just… The timing… but I feel like a right bastard for even thinking…" Another sigh. He sounded so pained, Bella didn't know how to react. "Bella, there's something I need to tell you, but I'm quite certain you're never going to want to talk to me again. It's just… I swear I wasn't trying to keep this from you. It wasn't supposed to be something that could affect us, but now…"

Bella struggled to swallow down the painful lump of confusion and fear that had risen in her throat. "Where are you? Maybe this is something you should say to my face?"

Really, she desperately needed him in front of her right then. She felt as though her whole world had been sent into a tailspin, and she couldn't tell why.

Again he sighed. "Oh, my sweet girl. Jesus. I don't want to lose you. You're going to hate me."

"Edward…"

"I'm not there. In England. I'm not there."

Bella froze. "What?"

"I'm in California."

"What are you doing in California?"

For a few seconds, there was only the sound of his breath coming and going. "I'm… I'm seeing to my son."


A/N: *whistling innocently* Soooooooooo.

Hi?