Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and all the encouragment. I LOve it! Oh, and sorry about the whole 'Debussy' thing last chapter but it's hard to edit chapters and look stuff up sometimes when you're busy. FoRgIve me? Smiles

Here's the next chapter, my faithful readers!

Ch. 9 More Complicated Than Expected

Bella POV

The night around us was making it hard for me to breathe, but that might not have been the only thing.

I changed my plan right then and there. I wouldn't try to get close to Edward to figure out his secrets, I just needed out. I just needed - wanted - to be back in my own bed, safe.

The way I was starting to feel about him was scaring me.

Edward POV

We were entering a new state, one that was gradually putting forest on both sides of the road. I felt like the trees were pressing in on me, but that wasn't the only thing.

I was getting distracted from her and I needed to sort out my feelings. Fast. But we'd just gotten back on the road and I wanted to get as many miles as I could between me and that cop.

And what was up with Bella? She was quiet now; reserved.

Aro would not be happy about these developments between us at all. He would take one look at my thoughts, then give permisson for that foul Felix to finish me...not that he could. My mission should've been the most important thing to me. Is the most important thing to me, I corrected myself.

The plan was simple: steal Bella, get her to New York, go to Aro's own little private pla--

"I need to go to the bathroom."

Bella POV

He looked at me shocked. Clearly he hadn't planned on that ever happening. Well I got news for you buddy, it is.

"Can't you wait," he asked, trying to conceal his panic.

I stared right into his eyes, defiant."Nope."

His expression was hard, thinking; contemplating. He pulled over without saying a word.

I reached for my door handle, but he was already there, opening the door for me. It wasn't courtesy, but a tatic so he could make sure I wouldn't jump out of the car and make my escape. Yeah, well...we'll see.

I got out slowly, and stood in front of him. He was looking at me expectantly.

My eyes widened in horror. "I'm not going in front of you," I screeched, horrified.

He frowned, but the look in his eyes told me he'd been expecting as much. I found myself giving him a shy grin in spite of myself. He was just too cute; more than cute with that look on his face as he grinned back.

"So where would you have me stand?"

My grin disappeared as I caught the challenge in in his voice. "The other side of the car would be nice," I answered with authority. He gave me a long, level look before he complied.

I watched him walk with exaggerated slowness to the driver's side of the car; his eyes were still on mine. I waited again, but he just stood there, watching me...

"Um...rude much? Could you possibly turn around at least?"

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it as I heard him mumble something under his breath and turn his back to me.

My eyes stayed on him though, and I couldn't help but notice his oldly colored hair shimmer in the faint moonlight. My mind instantly conjured up a thought where I went around the car and snuck up behind him to wrap my arms around his waist.

Then he would turn around in my arms and look at me with that dazzling smile of his - the one that sent my heart all aflutter - before leaning down and pressing his perfect lips to mi--

I snapped out of the insane daydream.

He was my kidnapper, for crying out loud! I wasn't supposed to be feeling anything for him, let alone having thoughts about us kissing!

My body finally reacted to my commands and - though he would probably get ahold of me one way or another - I turned and ran. I was getting desperate to escape before I got in too deep. It was just wrong! I ran as fast as I could towards the surrounding trees. Maybe if I could just lose him in there he wouldn't be able to find me, then I could walk to the town we'd past about five miles back.

But he wasn't having any of that. Before I was even seven yards away, I felt him grab hold of me from behind, turning me around to face him. But I stepped back quickly in shock, and we both fell to the ground.

Him on top of me; me underneath him.

I looked up at him dazed. There was definitely something not normal about him, and I had to get away soon. No normal person could've caught me like that in hardly no time at all. Plus, everything else that had happend. Things were just getting too supernatural.

His hands gripped my wrists above my head so that I was unable to move my hands.

The look he was giving me was murderous, then changed to reflect the akwardness of our positions. I couldn't think about anything else anymore. All my thoughts just went out the window. "La de da..."

Okay, so I was lying again.

I was also thinking about the way his body felt up against my own. He was unnaturally cold, just as his hand had been the other day, and he was hard. I could compare him to an ice sculpture.

It wasn't normal, my mind screamed at me from somewhere distant.

But I would come back to that later.

His face was close to mine - inches in fact - and all I could do was stare up into his eyes, dazed. The look he was giving me was intense, like he was trying to decide the fate of the world. I watched as his eyes slowly left mine, drifting downwards to stare at my lips.

My own eyes looked at his, too. I started to imagine what they would feel like...

Bad Bella...

I felt our silence change from akward to sizzling desire - the air as if it was charged with something - in less than a second. He must've felt it, too. His eyes drifted back up to mine.

Then, in the best moment of my life, his lips came down in a passionate motion, connecting with mine; cold and hard and smooth against my own, but I didn't care anymore because I was kissing him.

Kissing him!

His hands released my wrists and braced themselves on either side of me so that his weight wouldn't crush me. I hardly cared about that as my newly freed hands ran up his chest and gripped his shoulders.

He tasted amazing, unlike anything I'd ever known. I couldn't even describe it. He seemed to enjoy us kissing as much as I did. One of his hands found it's way to my face, stroking my cheek.

I ran my tongue along his bottom lip and what sounded like a low growl escaped from him.

Yeah, I know it's short and that I'm evil for ending it there, but like I said, I wasn't going to get a lot of opportunities for cliffhangers and this one was really fun to write. It basically came out of nowhere on my part, as well, so I had to take it.

The next chapter will be a continuation of the kiss...but will that be a good or a bad thing?

Stay tuned!

BroodyBrittney23