So, I started my journey into Fanfiction with my first story, La Cantante. I had never been driven to write until I read Twilight and saw the movies (and the beauty of Robert Pattinson ~ dayum, he's one yummy guy.) Writing that first story got me through the end of my marriage and the beginning of my new life as a single woman. Now, it's almost four years since I completed that story. I'm so sorry for the delay, but I did promise you a sequel. Here it is!

We're going to finish up Edward's birthday, with his family more so than his friends. Some more lemony goodness. Then, we're going to find out about Rose and Emmett. Will they try to make their marriage work or will they go down the path of a divorce? Finally, we're going to head to Baltimore for the next tour date. And there will be a reappearance of drama … sorry!

Chapter Eleven: Putting on some Charm in Charm City

EPOV

I woke up and I was sore. That delicious perfect sore from amazing love making. Looking over, I saw my gorgeous wife curled up next to me. Her lips swollen from my kisses and her naked body tangled in with our cream-colored sheets. I could see a hint of her breast and the dimples above her round ass. The part of her body that I'd claimed the night previous.

Talk about an amazing feeling.

When we first met, Bella was a virgin and very conservative. Now, she was willing to do so much since we were so comfortable with each other. The fact that she trusted me enough to allow us to explore that part of our bodies. I felt like I'd given my virginity to her. I'd lost my virginity the senior year of high school and it didn't mean anything. Then, I'd had a friends with benefits arrangement with Tanya but that was just a huge mistake. Ginormous, really. After that, I met Bella and I was irrevocably hers.

My fingers ran down Bella's spine and she sighed, her gorgeous brown eyes blinking open. She smiled shyly, her pale skin blushing beautifully. "Hey, handsome," she said, her voice raspy and throaty. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Just looking at the perfection of you," I replied, kissing her temple. "Thank you so much for this wonderful birthday party, Bella. It was a perfect day."

"Only the best for you, Edward," she yawned, moving her lithe body until she was snuggled next to me. "Did you like your presents?"

"Which one?" I purred, cupping her ass.

"I know you liked that," she giggled, kissing my collarbone. "But, I'm talking about the guitar and bike."

"The guitar is sweet and we're so taking the bike over to my parents' home when we go over there for dinner," I beamed. "I can't believe you got me a Ducati."

"Nothing but the best for my baby," she said, her fingers gliding along my belly. "It's staying here for when we finish the tour. I know we're spending our hiatus here while we're working on our third album."

"Always thinking of everything," I said, pressing my lips to hers. "I can think of a few things I'd like to do with you before we head off to Casa de Cullen."

"Tempting, but Rose asked to meet up with me for an early lunch. She sent me a text this morning," Bella said, sitting up.

"When?"

"I got up to go pee and my phone chimed. We're meeting in Albany," she replied, twisting her hair up into a messy bun. "And yes, I know that I need to have protection. I sent a text to Ainsley and she's picking me up at twelve." Looking at the clock, she wrinkled her nose. "I didn't realize it was this late. Join me, Mr. Cullen?"

"Spending time with my naked wife in the shower? You don't need to ask me twice," I chuckled, following her into the bathroom. Our shower was innocent since Bella had to be ready in forty-five minutes. I just relished the fact that I got to touch her soft, sexy skin as we cleaned each other. I watched as she fingered in some gel into her hair and applied simple, soft makeup. She put on a sexy but demure halter dress. "God, you're absolutely gorgeous."

"You make me feel that way," Bella smiled, putting on her earrings. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"I think I'll call Emmett. I bet he's a bit rattled about seeing Rose," I said, pulling on a pair of shorts and a V-neck t-shirt. "Tell Rose that I say hello." Bella nodded, kissing me sweetly. She left and I followed her down the stairs. Waving at Ainsley, Bella slid into the front seat of a rented SUV. They drove away and I dialed Emmett. He was actually on his way to see me since my parents were out running errands for my birthday dinner with them. Ten minutes later, Emmett let himself into the house and found me in the kitchen. "Hey, Em. You hungry?"

"Starved. I didn't feel comfortable rooting around in your parents' fridge. I was going to pick up something on the way, but I knew you'd be able to hit me up," he said, smiling but not really reaching his eyes.

"Whatever you want," I said, opening the fridge.

"Is that egg salad?" Emmett asked. I nodded, knowing that my wife loved egg salad. I was not surprising that Emmett had the same craving. I took it out along with some brioche rolls. We made lunches and went to sit outside. The crew who had set up the tent were working to dismantle it. Alice was barking orders, making sure our yard wasn't destroyed. "I didn't know shorty was here. I didn't see her car."

"She usually takes care of any party clean up. My guess is that she was dropped off by security and was getting ride from me and Bella to my parents' house. How are you doing?" I asked, tucking into my sandwich.

"Numb," he sighed. "Rose and I talked. Like, really talked."

"How did that go?"

"Rose is willing to give me another chance, but like you guys with the contract, she wants the same," Emmett said, leaning forward. "I'm willing to do it for her, but there's a distance between us."

"What did you expect, Emmett?" I pressed. "She's been hurt by you."

"I did more than hurt her. I completely betrayed her. She's a better person than me, giving me another chance. I'm afraid that we'll never go back to the way we were before," Emmett muttered. "And that's all my fault. My fault because I got drunk, high and fucked around with random sluts. I'm such a fuck up."

"Just like you're working on rebuilding trust with us, you'll have to do the same with Rosalie, Emmett. It's going to be an uphill battle. You'll have to prove yourself to her," I said, rubbing his shoulder. "Think of it as a fresh start. Court her, woo her."

"Did you just say woo?" Emmett laughed.

"I did. And I woo your sister as often as possible," I smirked. "Why do you think we're as nauseating as we are?"

"Good point," Emmett nodded. "How should I proceed? Since you're the king of woo."

"Do things, little things, that really show that you care about her," I suggested. "Things that have meaning. Think about when you first started dating. What did you do to get her attention then?"

"You're good at this shit," Emmett replied. "I think I know what I'm going to do." He finished his sandwich and put his feet up on the retaining wall. "Thanks, Edward. You are such a good guy. My sister is so lucky to have you."

"I'm the lucky one," I smiled, picking up the plates and bringing them inside. I grabbed a couple of beers, sitting down next to him. We randomly talked about the upcoming leg of the tour. He was excited to go to Raleigh, North Carolina but I was looking forward to go to Washington, D.C. We were performing at the Verizon Center and then a few days later, we'd perform on the Capital Fourth. We had a few days explore our nation's capital and I'd only been when I was in eighth grade. It was a whirlwind of a tour, but I wanted to spend time doing things with my wife and my friends in D.C.

A couple hours later, the tent was completely dismantled and Alice had left, picked up by Kellan. I could have sworn that I saw them both kiss. I shook it off and waited for my wife to come back from her lunch date with Rose. Emmett watched baseball on the big screen in the basement while I changed into some dressier clothes, a pair of black pants and a charcoal gray button-down after my mom called me, saying that it was going to be a dressier occasion for my twenty-seventh birthday.

It also meant that I couldn't ride over on my new motorcycle.

Damn it.

When I was finished changing, Bella came back home. Emmett greeted her, asking about Rose. Bella didn't say much, but she did kiss her brother's forehead. Perhaps things weren't as hunky dory as Emmett led to believe. Bella walked past me, grabbing my hand and leading me up to our bedroom. She licked her lips, staring at my outfit but I could see that she was troubled. "What is it, Bella?"

"Okay, let me just say that you're all sorts of hot," she said, shaking her head. "Now, that's out of the way, Rose is so conflicted. Like on edge about what to do about Emmett. She said that she was willing to give him another chance, but she doesn't think she can ever trust him, Edward. I told her that it wasn't fair for her to dangle that carrot of hope to him and then blindside him with her decision to get divorced."

"Maybe she's sincere, Bella," I said, pulling her into my arms.

"God, you smell so good on top of being freaking hot," she moaned. "Sorry, I'm totally distracted by your perfection." She buried her nose against my chest, inhaling deeply. "I'm just concerned about Emmett. I love my brother and I love Rose, but my heart is shattering for the both of them."

"I get that, baby. You can't let their problems affect you. We need to focus on us. On our relationship, that stalker, the tour, our health …" I prattled off.

"Ugh, the stalker! I was hoping that they would have been eliminated by now," Bella moaned. "But, since we haven't heard anything, I can assume that they're still out there. Damn it." Her face wrinkled and she gripped my shirt.

"As long as they're out there, we'll have protection and Pandora is sending over a bigger team for this next leg. Ryan, Ainsley, Greg and Max will work mainly with us with the secondary team coordinating with each venue," I said, hugging her closely. "We'll be safe, cantante."

"Hey guys! Alice texted and said that we should be there!" Emmett yelled up the stairs.

"We're on our way," I shouted back. Cupping Bella's cheeks, I looked into her espresso colored eyes. "We're safe. I love you and I would do anything to make sure that you are okay, Bella."

"Kay," she whispered, kissing my lips tenderly. "Let's get some home cooking for your birthday, Edward. Your mom wants to love up on you." We kissed once more, heading downstairs. With Emmett, we got into the Volvo and drove to my adoptive parents' home. Since my parents lived in a gated community, we didn't need the protection, but Ryan did follow us at a safe distance. He was meeting with the rest of the team while we celebrated my birthday about the next leg of the tour.

Arriving at my parents' place, I parked behind Alice's car. We got out and went inside. I could smell my favorite meal, eggplant parmesan, being made and my stomach rumbled. My adoptive mother hugged me. "It smells absolutely delicious, Mom."

"There's a spin," she smiled. "A combination of pasta sauce and alfredo sauce. I think you'll like it. Plus, we have meatballs, sausage, mozzarella sticks, huge salad …"

"Mom, you're making my stomach growl," I laughed, kissing her cheek.

"You're not the only one," Bella giggled, squeezing my mom. "God, this is exactly what we needed before we went back to ordering room service and eating out all the time." The two of them went into the kitchen and I was pushed outside onto the patio. My sister, along with Kellan, was out there. They were sitting next to each other, looking very familiar. Across the patio, Nia and Jasper were making out and Emmett was talking to Senior and Carlisle.

"Edward!" chirped my sister. "Did you have a good birthday?"

"The best, Shorty. Thanks for all of your help!" I said, kissing her cheek. "In setting up the birthday party and helping it getting dismantled."

"I tried to pawn it off on MY assistant, but she was in Cabo with her boyfriend. I got home late and stayed up even later," Alice said, smirking at Kellan.

I sat down across from them. "Okay, so are you two a thing?"

"A thing?" Kellan snorted. "If a thing means that Alice is my girlfriend, then yes."

"Good," I smiled. "But, you hurt her, your cock will be tossed into the Hudson River, followed closely by your body."

"Duly noted," Kellan said, taking Alice's hand and threading their fingers together. She practically melted against him. Bella walked out with Esme, carrying a large tray of antipasto, fresh cheese and pasta salad. Moscato was also poured and we talked about the tour. It was so nice to hang out with my family like before we were famous.

I loved performing and I loved the music, but the fame was daunting. Never any privacy. Always having to have protection. I felt like no matter what I was on stage. "Why the long face, handsome?" Bella asked, sitting on my lap. "This is your birthday."

"Just thinking about fame," I sighed. "And how we don't have much freedom."

"Too heavy, Edward," she giggled, poking my face and trying to make me smile. "Focus on wonderful things like what we did last night." That did make me smile, but it wasn't out of happiness, but of pure desire to do it again with my wife. I cupped her neck, kissing her so deeply that she was bent almost to the floor. She smacked my chest. "Calm down, horn dog. Your parents are present."

"And we don't need a demonstration of that," Senior deadpanned.

"Sorry, my wife was being irresistible," I smirked, kissing her neck.

"I do try," she laughed.

"Okay, I know that we only have you for a few hours before you have to go back home to pack so you can leave for Baltimore tomorrow morning," Esme said. "We want to make the most of it."

"I agree," Carlisle said, holding up his glass of wine. "Shall you tell them, darling or shall I?"

"Since it affects you more, go ahead," Esme smiled, walking to her husband and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Well, after thinking long and hard, I've decided to retire at the end of this year," Carlisle said. "I love my job, but the hours are starting to wear on my old bones. So, effective December 30th, 2016, I will be turning in my scrubs in for a vacation home in Los Angeles, but I'm secretly hoping for Palm Springs."

"That's awesome news!" squealed Alice. "You'll have to let me help you decorate."

"We'll see. But, we're keeping this place, as well," Esme replied. "I know that you all value your privacy and you get that living here. The separation, it's been weighing on us both. Not being able to see you as often as we'd like. So, Carlisle's retiring and I'm setting up my interior design business online, with the help of my new partner, Yvette. She'll run things here and once I get established in California, I'll handle things over there. I'm not ready to retire yet. My career is not as intense as yours, Carlisle."

"You don't have clients calling you at three in the morning having a chintz emergency," Carlisle laughed.

"Good point," Esme snickered.

"Are you retiring, Senior?" I asked.

"Nope. Not yet," he replied. "I got a renewed drive for my job when I changed the direction I was going. Maybe in another five years."

"I got the numbers from the first leg of the tour," Kellan smiled. "Your grandchildren will not have to worry about money. With ticket sales, t-shirts, concessions and promotions, you made some serious bank! So, Happy Birthday, Edward! Breaking Midnight ensured that you will never have to work a day in your life."

"Well, as nice as that sounds, I'd still work," I chuckled. "Any other news?"

"Not news, but a present," Alice chirped, hopping up from Kellan's side. She handed me a large envelope. I pulled Bella closer to me and we opened the golden paper. Pulling out a heavy embossed folder, I opened it and gasped. "You never got a honeymoon. Neither one of you, so we all chipped in and got you a month in the South Pacific on a secluded, exclusive island. All of the amenities are there and no paparazzi. You leave the Monday after Thanksgiving and return just before Christmas."

"Look, it says clothing optional," I smiled crookedly. "I could let it all hang out."

"You might blind people with your pastiness, Cullen," Emmett teased. "You too, little Cullen."

"Bite me, Swan," Bella sneered, tossing an olive at her brother. He caught it with his mouth and did some really bad dance. "Though, this secluded island sounds freaking awesome. Can we go now?"

"Oh, no," Kellan said. "You've got three more legs of your tour, missy! Breaking Midnight and the Midnight Sun tour are the hottest ticket right now. Plus, on the Billboard charts, your songs are numbers one to three. Yeah, you're kind of a big thing."

After that, we ate dinner on the patio and devoured my favorite cake, Bacardi Rum cake with extra glaze on the side. We stayed as long as we could, but left around nine so we could drive back to our hideaway in Albany to pack up for our next leg of the tour. We'd depart from Albany, flying to Baltimore. Driving back to our home, with Ryan on our tail, we went upstairs and packed our suitcases. Most of the clothes inside were comfortable and loose, being worn on the bus or in hotel rooms. Tossing my toiletries into my bag, I walked back into the bedroom and my wife was standing in front of me, wearing nothing but her wedding ring and a smile. "Hello," I cooed. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

She just smirked, sashaying toward me and kneeling gracefully onto the ground. Tugging on my basketball shorts, she revealed my naked body. Her fingers glided along the ink along my hip from my first tattoo. Her hands so close to my cock made me hard. My arousal was growing. Licking her lips, she traced the vein underneath my length. "Fuck," I whispered.

"All in good time," she murmured, barely touching me and making me shudder with anticipation. Leaning forward, she kissed the head of my dick, peppering it with more. I threaded my hands into her soft hair as she continued to tease me with her lips. Her large, doe-like eyes were staring up at me as she caressed me with her mouth, lips and tongue. Closing her eyes, she took deep within her mouth and sucked as she dragged her lips back.

"Oooooh, God," I moaned. Licking her lips, she repeated the motion, but squeezing my balls with her hands. My hips moved with her.

"Fuck my mouth," she growled, swirling her tongue along the head of my arousal. "Use me, Edward. I'm yours. All of me is yours."

I didn't ask twice as I held her head in place and she grabbed onto my hips. Slowly, I began thrusting and she hummed in approval. As my body reacted to the movement, my thrusts moved faster and went deeper inside of her mouth. Her fingernails were digging into my ass, taking all of me. "Fuck, Bella. You feel so good. Your pink lips around my cock." She sucked me and I growled. "Suck my dick, baby. Take all of me." She responded with a gurgle and a sharp thwack to my ass. It was my turn to moan as I lost myself to her. Her mouth, her tongue, her teeth, her hands … all of it was making me come apart at the seams. "Shit, Bella. I'm coming …"

My balls tightened and my cock swelled, exploding into her mouth. Streams of my cum pulsing out with each heartbeat. Bella released me with a pop, daintily wiping her lips. I took a few breaths before picking up my wife and carrying her to our bed. "Did you like my surprise?" she asked.

"Oh, very much. Now, it's my turn to repay you in kind, baby," I replied, kissing her deeply. Her fingers pulled at my hair as our tongues danced with each other. I could taste my essence on her tongue, but like her, I needed my taste. With open-mouthed kisses, I moved down her body. My hands cupped her breasts. She whimpered, arching into my grip. Using my fingers, I twisted her nipples as I continued moving further to her sex. Spreading her legs apart, I saw that her swollen, pink folds were dripping with her arousal. "Does sucking me off make you wet, Isabella?"

"So much," she breathed, her voice deep and husky. "Seeing you come undone. It's so …. Uhhhhhh!" I ran my tongue along her slit, savoring her earthy, sweet flavor. Flicking her pink clit, I teased the entrance to her pussy with my fingers. With her arousal and my saliva, she was soaked. I easily slid two fingers inside, pumping deeply. Her muscles clenched around me. I sucked her clit between my lips, curling my fingers up. Bella's hips were rocking, making her taut breasts bounce with each movement. She was sex personified, open, wet, rolling and whimpering for me. Her hands flew to my hair, tugging painfully on the strands. I growled against her, adding another finger and slamming my fingers in her, moving it faster. "Edward …" she gasped. I blinked up, seeing her head thrown back. On my hand and coating my tongue, her arousal was spilling out of her unhindered. Every drop was delicious and I didn't want to waste one bit of it.

"You're so gorgeous, so wet for me," I snarled against her sex. "I want you to come, Bella. I want to taste you. Come for me. I need to feel your pussy." She whimpered, bucking wildly. I held her firm with my arm and went back to sucking on her pink clit. Curling my fingers inside, I felt an increase in her arousal and her panting grew more erratic. I flicked her clit with my tongue and watched as she completely unraveled. She screamed my name as her hips skyrocketed off the bed, coating my face and hand with her wetness.

Collapsing back on our bed, she was boneless and ticking with aftershocks from her orgasm. Crawling up her body, I hovered over her. Blinking up at me, she pulled my face to hers, kissing me deeply. She moaned as her legs lazily tried to latch around my hips. I centered her, sliding into her heat easily. We both sighed against each other's mouths, feeling complete and whole within her. "That will never get old," she murmured, hitching her legs over my hips. "Make love to me, baby."

"Always," I purred.

And that was a vow I took very, very seriously.

xx LMDC xx

"Who's brilliant idea was it to have us leave at o'dark thirty?" Jasper grumped. "Oh, right, that would be your brother. Nia, would you hate me if I killed your brother?"

"A little. He's kind of useful," Nia quipped, flipping a page in a gossip magazine. "And it would make Alice pretty fucking sad."

"Pretty sad? I'd kill you, Jasper Whitlock," Alice bitched. "Keep your sleepy paws off my brilliant man."

"Good point. I'm sleepy and killing him would require too much energy," Jasper yawned, putting his head on Nia's boobs. He fondled them like they were pillows, making himself comfortable. A breakfast burrito went flying in his direction from Kellan.

"Stop molesting my sister," Kellan growled. "No one wants to see you squeeze her tits. They're like negative A-cups."

"Kellan Dale Moore, so help you god, if you want to stay male, you will shut the fuck up," Nia sneered.

"All of you, shut the fuck up," Bella yelled. "Migraine! Lights, sound, yelling … very, very bad!" She threw my coat back over her head and whimpered. "Ow."

"What will help, Isabelly?" Emmett asked.

"Coffee and silence," she retorted. "And don't call me Isabelly."

"Come on, Em. Let's go get some joe," Ainsley said. "Anyone else want some?" We all raised our hands. Bella raised a foot. Emmett and Ainsley left, heading to a small café further down the gate.

"Despite Jasper's uncouth reaction to Nia's girly things, he did bring up a valid point. Why are we leaving so early?" I asked, massaging Bella's side. "The flight is what, an hour?"

"A couple of reasons. Sound check is one and an interview/performance for WBAL's lunch newscast. It was just added the day before yesterday," Kellan said.

"How am I supposed to perform with a migraine?" Bella asked, arching a brow. "I want to gouge out my eyeballs and squish them, they hurt so bad."

"Don't do that, baby. I love your eyes," I said, pushing her back to rest on my shoulder. Bella grumbled, laying down with her head on my lap. I kept her head covered by my jacket. "Again, valid question."

"Bella, do you have medicine?" Kellan asked in a loud, obnoxious stage whisper.

"Not one that renders me useful," she whispered back from underneath my jacket.

"She's down for the count if she takes it. It's rare she gets migraines. I'm usually the headache sufferer," I said. "I think we were just up too late last night." Jasper waggled his brows, pretending to thrust his hips. I rolled my eyes, but nodded subtly. "Bella, why don't you take something?"

"I took some Advil Migraine, but my head is still throbbing," she said. "Just let me rest." She snuggled into my lap. I just ran my fingers through her curls and I heard some quiet snoring. Emmett and Ainsley came back with coffee, passing out the cups of coffee. I held a cup for Bella, knowing that caffeine will help her migraine, but she was sleeping deeply, based on how she was draped over me.

We eventually got onto the private Twilight jet. Bella nursed her coffee, but she was still struggling with her headache. She eventually buckled and took her stronger medication, curling up on one of the couches in the rear of the plane. An hour and half later, we landed in Baltimore, heading to our hotel, the Four Seasons. Bella was feeling better, but was a little loopy. She said that another hour's worth of sleep, she'd be fine. Nia and Alice decided to hang out in our suite while us guys went to the arena to check out the stage.

"Have you met with the new security guards?" Jasper asked from the backseat of the SUV. "They can't be nearly as cool as Ryan!"

Ryan, who was driving, smirked behind his black sunglasses. "Yeah, because I'm the shit. I met with the four new additions, Pete, Dick, Dennis and Kenny, during this break. They are all former military and will work closely with the security teams at the venues, as well as the police. We've gotten no new news about this stalker, but we'd rather be safe than sorry."

"Can we have their contact information?" Emmett asked.

"I'll send it to you," Kellan replied. "More than likely, you will not be working with them, but it's good for you to have those numbers if any of our core security team is unable to step in." With a few swipes of his phone, we all got texts with pictures and contact information for the four men that Ryan mentioned.

We pulled up to the venue and were scanned upon entering. Kellan and Ryan were pleased with this addition. We went on the stage, checking our instruments and doing a quick mic check. Emmett played his new drums, pleased with the sound and the quality. Leo came out, his normally jovial face stern. "Hey, Leo. What's up?" Kellan asked.

"Just don't like this place. We couldn't put up all of the pieces for the stage," he shrugged. "Plus, we're struggling with a feedback problem, but we'll fix it by the time you have your mic check tomorrow afternoon."

"But, there are no other problems? Broken instruments? Lights falling from the stage?" I asked.

"Oh, no! That's all good. We checked and double checked everything, Mr. Cullen," Leo nodded. "The security is extra tight which is great. We all have to wear our credentials if we're working on the stage." He wiggled his lanyard, making a face. "This damn thing keeps getting caught, but we have to wear it."

"I'm glad that the security is tighter," Kellan smiled. "Well, we'll let you finish up on here. Despite your feelings about the stage, it looks great." Leo wrinkled his nose and his mustache bristled. "We'll be here at three tomorrow afternoon for sound check." With a wave, we left the venue and picked up some food after getting the orders from the women.

Bella was looking better when we got back. She had her contacts in and she was nibbling on her cup of soup she'd ordered. However, she was still tired and would be until we'd get back from the lunchtime performance. Finishing our meals, we changed into some casual clothes, driving to the television station. Arriving there, makeup was applied to our faces, but Bella was fine thanks to Alice's deft hand.

We performed three songs, acoustically, for the show. After each song, we were interviewed by the anchors. The female anchor was totally flirting with me, touching me and batting her eyelashes at me. Bella tactfully, but forcefully reminded the woman that we were married, but it didn't stop her from palming my ass and putting in her cell phone number into my back pocket. Bella, who had almost no patience, almost went off on the woman, but I held her close, kissing her and blatantly showing how much I adored my wife.

Alice, Kellan, Jasper and Nia decided to spend the rest of the free afternoon wandering around Baltimore. Emmett was going to just relax in his hotel room while Bella and I were going to enjoy some quality time together. Bella wanted to sleep more and me, being a creeper, wanted to watch Bella sleep.

God, I'm so pathetic.

The next day, we slept in late and went to the arena to do some rehearsal. Bella hadn't seen the stage and we had to do sound checks. My wife was feeling much better. As a result, her inner-snark was out in full force, making up for lost time from yesterday. "The stage looks so … small," Bella said, her nose wrinkled. "Why couldn't we pull the whole thing forward so the LED screens above us could be assembled?"

"Not enough room," Kellan said. "It would have eliminated almost three hundred seats. So, we get this."

"Blech," Bella muttered, turning her back so the sound technician could attach her mic pack. "Thank you." She put her ear protection in her ears and walked to her wireless mic. We picked up our instruments, running through each of the songs and working through the pyrotechnics, lighting and sound cues. The show wasn't nearly as dynamic without the overhead LED screens, but it would work for our performance tonight. However, our rehearsal fell flat. "Where is the energy?" Bella sked.

"I think we'll kick it into gear once this is filled with an audience," Jasper yawned. "We're still on vacation mode."

"If I were in vacation mode, I wouldn't be wearing pants," Emmett snorted. "Or a shirt or clothes. Nekkid … that's how I roll."

"None of us want to see that, Emmett," Bella deadpanned. "You have a hairy ass and it's slowly migrating up your back. You're following in Dad's footsteps."

"I do NOT have a hairy back," Emmett scoffed.

"Focus, people," Kellan barked, holding back laughter. "Are we good for tonight? Anything else we need to address?"

"I think we're good," I replied. "We need some brain bleach, thanks to Emmett's overshare, but good musically."

"Okay. Food is going to be delivered in an hour and the doors will open an hour after that," Kellan said, checking his watch. "Let's start off our second leg of the tour and kick some major ass!" He pumped his fist, leaving the stage. Our mic packs were removed and we went backstage. The crew was already helping themselves to the buffet that was set up. We got in line, filling our plates and eating with the crew. Most of them were shocked since there was a clear separation between the crew and the performers. Bella and I hung out with the lighting technicians while Emmett chatted with the 'roadies' who set up our instruments at each stop. Nia and Jasper talked with the sound engineers, the guys who make us sound awesome in the back of the venue. We never saw them, but we knew that they worked their asses off.

After dinner, Nia and Alice took my wife to curl her hair and apply her makeup. In the green room, there was a Playstation set up. After we had changed, we took turns playing whatever games Emmett had in his duffel. The Cliff Hangers began their set as Bella came down, wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a skin-tight black tank top. Her hair was sleek and straight with dark, sultry makeup. We prayed and got ready for our performance. Before we went on stage, Bella pulled Jasper and Emmett aside. They both gave her a thumbs up. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing," she smiled. She kissed me, sashaying onto the stage. The Cliff Hangers finished their set and the lights went down. Our mic packs were attached and we put in our ear protection. Seamlessly, we began our performance and as Jasper predicted, we kicked it into high gear once we had an audience in front of us. Between the fourth and fifth act, a roadie came out with an acoustic guitar. The lights were softened and Bella put the guitar over her body. "So, we just got off a brief hiatus. Do you all know why we took a few days off?" Bella asked. The crowd cheered and I vaguely heard my birthday. "Exactly! Edward turned twenty-seven. He's an old fart."

"I'm not," I pouted.

"Says the guy who watches me sleep. Can we say creeper?" Bella giggled. The crowd laughed with her. "Creeper or not, Edward is my husband of almost six years. He's my best friend and I love him very much … go ahead, say 'awwwww!'" The audience obliged her and clapped. "Tonight, I'm premiering a new song. Edward doesn't know about this because it's a part of his birthday present. He made out like gangbusters. He got a new Ducati."

"It's a sweet bike," I crowed. A picture of it shone behind us. "See? Fucking awesome."

"Language, handsome," Bella laughed. "We've got little ears in the audience."

"Ooops, my bad," I chuckled.

"He also got that blue guitar he's been playing tonight," Bella smiled. "My husband is spoiled. And now he's going to get even more spoiled with the premier of this new song, 'Until Forever Dies.' This will be on our new album which will be released sometime next year." Looking back at Jasper, she led them with a dip of the head of the guitar. It was a soft introduction, using finger picking and a shuffle beat with Emmett's drums.

This is us,
Never alone.
We have each other
Whether in the same room
Or by the phone,
You will always be there.
I know you'll never leave,
And there's one thing I know,
This is the truth.

We will be together
Until forever dies
Until forever dies

Because I'm yours,
And you're mine.
Listening to your heart,
A rhythm so fine,
So much comfort,
So much love.
With only you I feel this,
Not any other man
Can I love so much.

We will be together
Until forever dies
Until forever dies

Because we're in love,
As everyone can see.
Never a broken heart,
Never a tear cried,
You can hold me in your arms,
And I'll hold you in mine

We will never let go
Until the end of time.

We will never let go
Until the end of time.
'Cause I will never leave you,
And you won't leave me

We will be together
Until forever dies
Until forever dies*

Bella's fingers slowed and with a flourish, the song came to an elegant end. She removed her acoustic guitar, handing it to the waiting roadie, thanking him. I strode across the stage, my own guitar in its holder. I took Bella's face in my hands, kissing her deeply. The crowd was screaming for more and she clung to my shirt as I practically bent her over. "Cantante," I whispered against her lips. "Oh my goodness … that was …"

"You can thank me properly later," she said, her fingers twining in my sweaty hair. "This was what I was working on." She kissed me again and stepped out of my embrace. Gesturing to me, the crowd roared. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pumped my fist above her. The crowd's cheers grew louder. She laughed, blushing a brilliant red. She could perform in front of thousands of people, but she still struggled with getting praise. Waving her hand, we continued onto the next act of the show, wrapping it up in forty-five minutes. After our encores, we left the stage and I was barely out of my mic pack when I pinned Bella against the wall, tongue-fucking her mouth in gratitude for the gorgeous piece of music that she'd written for me.

"Do I need to break out the hose?" Kellan teased.

"Did you hear that song?" I asked, staring into Bella's eyes. "Back off, Moore."

"You can't fuck her back here, Edward. Wait until you get to the hotel," Emmett said, his voice straining. "There are parts of my sister that I should not see."

"Feeling's mutual, Emmett McCarty Swan," Bella growled as I released her from the wall. I kept close to her, needing to touch her since I was desperate for her. We stayed backstage, waiting for the crowds to dissipate. An hour after the show, we got onto the bus and drove back to the Four Seasons. I wanted nothing more than to tear my wife's clothes with my teeth and then make love to her all night long.

In the lobby of the hotel, the concierge approached us. "We heard nothing but amazing things, Mr. Cullen, about the concert. I just wanted to let you know that you had a delivery while you were performing. One of our managers delivered it to your room," she said.

"What was the delivery?" Kellan asked.

"A lovely bouquet of flowers," she replied, smiling brightly. Despite the high of the night, my heart fell to my toes. Kellan clenched his fists, blinking over to Ryan. Bella whimpered next to me and I held her close to me. The concierge saw the change in our demeanor. "Was I not to deliver them?"

"We'll see," Ryan growled. "We've been dealing with a situation with Mr. and Mrs. Cullen."

"Yes, I read the memorandum from my boss," she nodded. "There was nothing about floral deliveries …"

"I thought we included that," Kellan muttered. "Can I see that memorandum?" She nodded, scurrying behind the front desk and handing Kellan a paper. He scanned it, his lips pursed. "This was the email I sent, but I forgot about the flowers. I apologize. You didn't know." He handed the paper back. "I'll send out a revised note to the upcoming hotels and venues. I dropped the ball."

"It's okay, Kellan," Bella said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Let's just go upstairs," I growled. I nuzzled Bella's hair and kissed below her ear. "We're safe, baby."

"They know where we are," she hissed. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, following Ryan and the rest of the band to the elevators. We rode up to the top floor and Ryan used my key to check our suite. He did a sweep, checking for anything other than the flowers. He came out, his face impassive and told us it was okay. On the dining room table, there was a large bouquet of orange lilies. "Can you check if there's a note, Ryan?"

"Of course, Mrs. Cullen," he said formerly. He rooted around in the flowers, wearing gloves. He pulled out a tiny envelope and he grit his teeth. "Shall I open it?"

"Another clue," Jasper snarled.

"Another form of fucking torture," I snapped. "I thought that this asshole disappeared. We didn't hear boo while we were on hiatus."

"That's because they didn't know where in the hell you were," Kellan snorted derisively. "What does it say, Ryan?"

"One word: HATRED," he said, holding up the tiny card.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Bella muttered. Nia and Ainsley grabbed her, pulling her across the hall and I heard my wife throw up in the bathroom.

"Would anyone be upset if we left Baltimore early?" Kellan asked, his face fierce and his posture tense.

"I think that would be best," I said, my body zapped of all energy. "We can check into the hotel in Norfolk. How long's the drive?"

"Four hours. Alice, can you make arrangements for our hotel?" Kellan asked.

"Already on it," she chirped, her Bluetooth in her ear.

"Let's get packed up and meet down by the buses in an hour," Kellan sighed, scrubbing his face. "Ryan, find out more information about this … make it stop … do whatever you do to make it better."

"I'll do my best, Mr. Moore," Ryan replied, his voice determined.

We all separated, Ryan following me as I packed up Bella's and my clothing. It was haphazard and I knew that I'd get yelled at, but it didn't matter. We needed to the fuck out of dodge. I pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a loose shirt for Bella. I quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slamming on a hat after I'd showered. Emmett and Kellan came and got our luggage. Emmett looked so sad and I knew that Bella was an absolute mess. Pushing into Jasper and Nia's room, I found my wife curled up in a ball. She was still wearing her concert attire and her eyes were wide with fear. I helped her into the comfy clothes. When I was done, she flew into my arms, clinging to me. "We're leaving, cantante. We'll be safe. I promise you."

I carried her out of the room and road down the elevator with Ryan and Max. They led us out the back entrance. Still in my arms, I got onto the bus and into the back bedroom, closing and locking the door. Curling around my wife, I held her as closely as I could.

What should have been an amazing night, debuting a new song and my wife serenading me, turned into a clusterfuck of epic proportions. Whoever this stalker was – they knew how to get under our skin; how to terrify us. I just prayed that I could protect my wife from this nightmare.

A/N: Yeah, we had some citrusy goodness and we continued the Midnight Sun tour, but an old enemy came back to haunt our two favorite lovers. Who do you think it could be?

Now, pictures of Baltimore and the venue in Baltimore are on my blog, not to mention the flowers, too. You can find that link for the blog on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and Twitter, too: tufano79. Up next will be Norfolk, Raleigh and leading up to Washington DC. Leave me some loving!

*The poem listed in this chapter, used for Bella's song for Edward, Until Forever Dies, is adapted by an original work by ©Serbec. I'm not, by any stretch, a poet. THIS POEM IS NOT MINE.