A/N – Thank you again

Disclaim: I own nothing you recognise.

Chapter 9

Love

I once spent a whole 9 months standing still. It was during my hermit years. I stood up to get some paper but I didn't walk, I didn't go and fetch the pen and paper. I just didn't move.

My vigil, if that is what it was, only ended when there was a fire in the forest that surrounded my house.

Not moving when you don't have to is odd. There is no need to breath, no need speak or swallow. No need to think.

I just stood there.

A stone.

'Now, you, promised me that you'd come in for a cuppa.' Bridget voice comes down the stairs. She's standing in her doorway, hand on hips, looking at us as we ascend the stairs, turning onto the landing.

'Yes I did, Bridget.' I smile at her.

'Well then come on did dears, I'll put the kettle on.' She tells us before disappearing into her flat.

Edward smirks and shrugs in my direction, before following me into her home, closing the door behind us.

Her flat is almost identical to mine, except none of the wall have been knocked down, making it look smaller.

I offer to help but get shooed into the living room with Edward. He rolls his eyes at me as I walk around the room, looking at the photos.

'That's rude.' He whispers and vampire speed.

'Oh, shoo, there just photos.' I tell him, picking up what looks like a wedding photo.

'That's me and my Jimmy.' Bridget says coming in, holding a tray.

Nodding I place down the frame and sit down on the sofa next to Edward.

'Now then where did you to meet?' She asks, sitting back in her chair, obviously waiting for the tea to brew.

Edward looks at me, then back at Bridget, 'In the park' he tells her

She looks at us both, 'ohh, well there are worse ways. Now Edward, I know about Bella here. What about you? are you a Chicago man?'

'I am actually, but I live in Washington now – just outside Seattle.'

'ohh, visiting family are you?'

I can tell that he takes a break before answering, but Bridget doesn't 'No, they've all moved away, just seeing some friends.'

'Well what will you two being doing when you go back home then, Edward?' Bridget asks softly

He answers Bridget but looks at me, 'Well I was hopping to convince her to come back with me.'

Bridget doesn't say anything, but looks at me with her eyebrows raised, as she leans forward and pours the tea.

'Well that was a umm interesting tea.' Edward declares flopping onto the sofa, head first.

'I like her though, reminds me of my nan.'

Lifting his head he stares at me, 'trust me my nan was nothing like that.'

I sit down next to him, pushing his side, to make him move over.

We are silent for a moment, in the still room, until I sum up enough corourage, 'Did you mean it?'

He doesn't say anything, but just looks dead at me.

'About moving to Forks?'

He studies my face before saying the words carefully and considered, 'yes, I was.'

'Oh.'

Standing up I pace over to the window. I seem to have spent more time looking out this window since I've met Edward than I've ever spent looking out windows before.

'You don't want to?' His words are staggered and slow and pained.

'It's not that.' I pause, and breath and consider, before turning my head to him, leaning against the sill, 'It's just that I don't want to turn up with suitcase in hand telling your family that I'm moving whether they like it or not.'

'Isabella.' He stresses, 'My family, every single one of them will welcome you, no matter what.' He implores me to understand.

'Edward, I know that and I know that they're your family but...I don't know... maybe its politeness or out of a sense of propriety or maybe it's just because I'd feel awkward, just moving.' I have to shift my eyes down, not being able to look at him.

He is silent for a moment, 'hey babe.' He's standing in front of me, one hand on my arm the other under my chin, forcing me to look at him, 'okay.'

'What?'

'Then we won't.' He tells me, 'If you feel odd about it, then we won't. How about we go visit, because they are all dying to meet you. Then we can decide what to do.'

'Really?'

He smiles, slightly at me, 'Yes.' He leans in a gently pecks my nose.

'Okay, thank you.'

He looks at me, before shaking his head and retreating back to the sofa, 'I'm going to phone Carlisle.'

Nodding, I chuck his phone at him, before fetching my i-pad to play a wonderful game of angry birds.

After about an hour I see him hanging up and flinging his phone onto the cushion next to him

Pausing the game and pulling out my ear phones, I look at him, 'Everything all right?'

'They are getting antsy. Carlisle asked once but all I could hear was Esme in the background telling me to come home and that they want to meet you. Plus she wants to know what to do with my room.'

'Well maybe we should plan to go?' I tell him

He looks at me, 'really?'

'Yeah, why not a week tomorrow? We'll stay for a few days and then...' I trail off

'Great.' A big smile appears on his face as he stands up, 'thank you.' He says quieter.

I just smile in responce.

As he walks towards the bedroom, I go to put in my ear phones and continue killing pigs but before I plug myself in again I say smirking, 'You mentioned sex?'

A/N

And the countdown begins ...

Hope you enjoyed and people remember REVIEW, it's just a click away

xx