Disclaimer: SM owns all things Twilight. It's her world; I'm just visiting. No copyright infringement intended. Original content/plot is the property of the author. Plagiarism maims.

Massive thanks as always to Nuttyginger, rosellebec, and twilly for their pre-reading and beta work on this! You ladies rock!

Any mistakes are all mine as I tend to tinker right up until I post.

*WARNING* - There is a very brief mention of physical abuse in this chapter. Including this warning just in case.

*SPOILER ALERT* - If you haven't read or seen Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, then...I'm sorry.


Chapter 11

BPOV

Waking up next to Edward in my bed is surreal.

It takes me a moment to realize I'm not dreaming as I look at his beautiful face. He's so quiet in his sleep; I can barely even hear him breathing. His lips are puffed out in a little boyish pout, and as I watch him for a moment, they part and he lets out the cutest 'puhhh' sound as he exhales.

I smile adoringly at him, and that's when I realize he's the first man I've ever let into my bed in this way.

Wow.

The few times I was with Mike, it was at his place, and there hasn't been anyone else except my drunken one-night stand on my birthday.

Warmth spreads through me as I realize I get to have a first with Edward after all.

We're lying facing each other with our hands joined in the middle of the bed and one of each of our feet touching. Laughter bubbles up inside me, and I'm just barely able to keep it in as I remember the night before…

"Holy shit, I think I'm dead," I breathe out after we've collapsed in a pile of sweaty limbs.

Edward's chuckle reverberates through my body. "Well that would be a shame. I'd miss those perfect tits," he remarks as he gives them a squeeze.

I gasp. "Ass!"

He laughs again. "It's becoming increasingly clear to me that you're completely obsessed with my ass."

"No I'm not."

Liar

"Uh-huh, sure."

"You just are an ass, and I feel it's my duty to remind you frequently."

And so the tickling begins…

"Stop, I can't breathe!"

He doesn't stop.

"I'll stop as soon as you admit that you're obsessed with my ass."

"Never!" I grit out as I thrash underneath him.

He's relentless in his assault, and I have a desperate need for oxygen. So…

"Okay! Okay…" He stops with raised eyebrows, keeping me trapped beneath him and his hands poised for attack in case he doesn't like what I have to say.

Doing my best to keep a straight face, I continue. "Your ass is all I think about all day, every day. It consumes my every waking moment and some of my sleeping ones. It should be in the 'Ass Hall of Fame,' okay? Happy?"

"Meh, that'll do I guess." He releases me, and I bolt into the bathroom that's adjoined to my room. I can hear his laughter as I close and lock the door. I make sure the other door that leads to the hallway is also locked and step in front of the mirror.

Holy cow.

My hair is a rat's nest, but I'm absolutely glowing. My skin is flushed, and my lips are almost a deep red. I touch my fingers to them lightly, reveling in Edward's sweet kisses. My eyes linger on the pink splotches on my collarbone where he's marked me as his, and I shiver.

I'm undeniably his.

I saunter back into my room, still completely naked, after cleaning up and taking my pill – definitely couldn't forget that.

"Your turn," I say to Edward as I stop at the end of the bed.

"I don't know. I think I like the view from right here," he says, looking up at me with a sexy smirk.

"Come on, lazy." I haul him up and he loses his balance 'accidentally' on purpose, and our bodies come together for a moment. His hands quickly find my hips, and he pulls me even closer so that there's absolutely no space between us.

He's seriously going to kill me.

I stifle my moan as he squeezes the flesh of my hips and instead whisper, "You know I want to, but I'm so ti-" The yawn finishes my thought appropriately.

"It's okay. Let's get some sleep." He kisses me on the forehead and heads into the bathroom. While he's in there, I decide to at least throw on a t-shirt and some panties. Otherwise, I doubt we'll get any sleep tonight.

I'm lying on my side when Edward emerges from the bathroom in his underwear, and he crawls in behind me, molding his body to mine. The warmth and tingles that rush through me are out of control as his nose skims the side of my neck. I close my eyes and just enjoy the feel of him pressed against me.

After a few minutes though, I start to get uncomfortable. His arm is around my middle, and I can feel his warm breath on my neck. His leg hair is making me itch like crazy, and I'm getting hotter by the second.

And not the good kind of hot.

It's funny. In movies and books, lovers always seem to fall asleep with their bodies intertwined or pressed together in some way, but… I'm pretty sure I won't be able to actually sleep like this. I'm hot-natured, and Edward's body is exuding even more heat than mine.

I start to wriggle away from him, but he pulls me even closer.

"I'm hot," I complain.

"Mmm, I know you are," he says as his hands roam my body.

I snort. "No, I mean I'm really hot. I don't think I can sleep like this. I'm sorry."

"Oh, thank God," he replies with relief as he releases me.

"You weren't comfortable either?" I ask with a laugh.

"No. I just know girls like to cuddle or whatever."

"Ah, well, I definitely enjoy it for a few minutes, but there's no way I can sleep like that."

"Good. Me neither. I like holding you too, but I'm pretty sure I was already starting to sweat a bit," Edward says with a chuckle.

"Okay, I'm just going to move over here, but it doesn't mean I don't love you," I respond with a smile.

"I love you too. Sleep well," he says before planting a soft kiss on my lips.

As we settle in, our hands find each other in the middle, as do our feet, and I smile in contentment before drifting off to sleep.

I almost always wake up in the same position I fell asleep in, and apparently Edward's the same way. We also both like it to be cold in the room and have some white noise going, like a fan.

How is it possible that I found someone who likes the exact same sleeping conditions as I do? I guess it's just another example of how we seem to be perfect for each other.

I'm brought out of my musings when one green eye cracks open across from me.

"Mm, what time is it?" Edward asks groggily.

Gray light filters into the room through the blinds on my lone window.

"I'm not sure. I haven't been awake long, so I haven't checked."

He pulls on my hand that's in his to indicate that he wants me closer, and I easily oblige. Now, of course, I'm cold, so I snuggle into him and burrow my face into the crook of his neck.

"Mmmm, I could get used to this," he murmurs into my hair.

I smile against his skin. "Me too."

~XXXXX~

Breakfast with Alice is a tad awkward.

We're all trying to pretend she didn't hear me screaming last night, and my cheeks are getting redder by the second as I quietly eat my waffles.

Edward comes to the rescue and breaks the silence.

"So, Alice, what are you studying in school?"

My hero.

"Oh!" She wipes her mouth and clears her throat lightly. "Fashion design."

"That sounds cool. Are you enjoying it so far?"

"Oh my God, yes! I love it! I'm really hoping to move to New York one day, and-"

As Alice continues to gush, I tune her out, mainly because I've heard everything she's saying already.

My mind begins to wander over the last two nights spent with Edward. It lands on all the intimate moments we've shared – every touch of his fingertips to my skin, every kiss planted on my body, every warm embrace.

My cheeks are already red, so why not?

I'm in my own little world as Alice continues to babble on.

Then, out of nowhere, a wave of sadness washes over me as it sinks in that I only have a couple of days left with Edward…and then what? We're just going to fly back and forth whenever we can afford it? That's not going to be very often. How will I cope with him being across the country after I've shared my body and soul with him?

Shit, now I'm crying.

Luckily, I'm able to wipe the tears away without anyone noticing, because Edward is still considerately listening to Alice go on and on about her favorite fashion designers. It seems I'm the only one who's noticed the way his eyes have glazed over.

I decide to intervene. "Hey Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you up to this weekend? Any plans?"

"Oh, yeah. I made plans with Angela to do some shopping today and go see a movie tonight. And uh, I'll probably just crash at her place," she finishes as she glances from me to Edward.

Real smooth, Alice.

Angela is one of Alice's best friends, and she's also become a good friend of mine since I moved here. She's one of the sweetest people I've ever met.

"Oh, that'll be fun. Tell her I say hi."

"Oh, I will," she replies with a sly wink as she starts clearing plates. I know she's going to tell Angela everything, which I don't really mind. I think she'll be happy to know that things are going well between Edward and me.

Very well.

He leans over and whispers in my ear. "Thank you."

I giggle lightly. "No problem. She can get a little carried away at times."

"Yeah, but she's cool," he responds with a shrug. "And at least she knows what she wants to do with her life. I wish I had that."

"Yeah, me too," I say with a touch of sadness.

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I forget we're both kind of in the same boat with that."

"Yeah, I thought I had come up with something I might want to go back to school for a few months ago, but that idea was tossed out the window at Thanksgiving."

His eyebrows furrow together. "Huh? What were you thinking of doing?"

"I thought it would be cool to be a labor and delivery nurse. You know, bring new life into the world and all that? I thought I would really enjoy that."

"Oh, well yeah that could be cool. What made you toss that idea out?"

"Well, I couldn't even stick my hand up inside the turkey at Thanksgiving to get the innards out."

For a minute, he just stares at me. I can almost hear the gears turning in his head. When he realizes what I'm saying, his face transforms, and he starts laughing so hard, I think he might pass out.

"You-" He can't catch his breath."with the-" He makes an upward motion with his hand to indicate what he's trying to get out between wheezy laughs.

His laughter is contagious and I dissolve into hysterics right along with him.

I love these moments. We just have so much fun together. Becoming friends first the way we did, without introducing the physical side right away, really helped us establish a strong foundation. I just hope it can withstand the impending distance.

~XXXXX~

The next two days fly by in a haze of talking, kissing, laughing, and love-making. I've literally never been this happy in my entire life. I know the bubble will pop tomorrow afternoon, but right now I'm doing my best to live in the moment and enjoy this blissful time with Edward.

Alice has pretty much made herself scarce since she went to Angela's yesterday.

Bless her.

Tonight, Edward and I can't get enough of each other. He's leaving tomorrow, and we don't really know when we'll be able to see each other again at this point. We come together as much as possible throughout the night, cherishing one another; catching our breath and sleeping in between.

We even try something I've never done before.

No, not that.

When Edward maneuvers me onto my hands and knees and gets behind me, I definitely hesitate. Mike tried this once, but I just didn't trust him back there.

Now Edward, I trust. His caressing hands and soft, reassuring words make me feel totally at ease.

Another first.

I wasn't sure I would like this position, because it seems like the intimacy would be lost. I was always under the impression it was only used for rough fucking, but he's blowing that theory out of the water at this moment. The way he's touching me, so reverently - it takes my breath away. He's sliding his hands up my back, then back down to my ass, then under me, up to my breasts, making a circuit while keeping up a slow, steady rhythm with his hips.

We lock eyes in the mirror that's across from us, both sets heavy-lidded and burning with lust. Edward wraps his arms around my torso and brings us upright as he continues to move in me. Our bodies are so close, touching from legs to shoulders as he holds me, but all I want is to be even closer. My head lolls back onto his shoulder as my eyes close.

Edward's lips graze my ear as he whispers, "Watch, baby."

I lift my head and pry my eyes open. He's looking at me in the mirror like I'm the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. No one has ever looked at me like that.

I'm mesmerized by the way we move together as he plants soft kisses up and down my neck. His arms tighten around me as we climax together, and my name falls from his lips like a prayer.

I'll never get enough of him.

We make love one final time in the morning. It's slow and passionate, our arms wrapped tightly around each other and our bodies pressed together so closely, I can't tell where he ends and I begin. Afterward, traitorous tears leak out of the corners of my eyes, sliding into my hair. When I sniffle quietly, Edward gives my neck a light kiss before lifting his head to look at me.

"I know, baby," he whispers as he uses his thumbs to wipe the tears away. I give him a watery smile, and he leans down to place lingering kisses on my lips. I want to live in this moment for the rest of my life. Edward wouldn't have to leave, and I wouldn't have to lose this feeling of complete and total contentment.

Instead, we get up and get ready to leave for our trip to Seattle.

~XXXXX~

"What are you doing?" Edward asks, looking at me like I've lost it.

I guess it's a valid question. Maybe only girls do this. I don't know.

"I'm trying to stretch these jeans back out a bit. They just came out of the dryer," I answer as I do another squat.

"Oookay. I'm ready when you are."

His bag is packed and by the door. I look at it and sigh before heading to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

We spend most of the drive quoting our favorite movies and just being goofballs in general.

It's the best.

When we arrive at Pike Place Market, I'm able to find a somewhat decent parking spot since M.L.K., Jr. Day isn't a holiday that everyone gets off for - just us bankers and government workers…and probably school children.

We walk along, hand in hand, looking at all the fresh seafood, gorgeous flowers, handmade crafts, and beautiful produce. The produce is one of my favorite things about this area. With all the rain we get, it all just seems to taste better.

We find a little booth that makes fresh crepes with different fillings. They have one with peaches and cream, which they fill with a giant fresh peach from one of the nearby produce stands.

It's probably the most heavenly thing I've ever eaten.

"Isn't that more like dessert than lunch?" Edward asks as he takes a bite of his ham and mozzarella crepe.

"I don't care. I had to have it. It called to me," I reply before taking another delicious bite.

He chuckles and just stares at me for a moment with a grin on his face.

"What?" I ask, with my mouth full, of course.

"Nothing," he says, shaking his head slightly. "I just love you."

~XXXXX~

After we finish eating and watch the famous fish throwers for a bit, it's time for us to go to the airport.

I'm really not sure how I'll survive this.

We're both dragging our feet as we head inside the terminal. He checks in to get his boarding pass, and as he walks back toward me, I already feel the prickling behind my eyes. Once those tears start flowing, I know they won't stop.

Before I even say anything, Edward is trying to comfort me. My eyes are starting to water now. "It's going to be okay. We'll see each other again soon."

"I know. You're right. I just hate this."

He wraps his arms tightly around me, and I bury my face in his chest as the tears are unleashed. "Me too," he says while stroking my hair.

We stand there holding each other for who knows how long. His shirt is probably going to be soaked through, and I even hear a few quiet sniffles from above me.

When we finally break apart, Edward uses his thumbs to wipe away the remaining tears on my cheeks, but it's useless. They just continue to flow. Thankfully, the heaving sobs and hiccoughing haven't started yet.

I'll save that for later.

When I look at his face, I don't see any tears, but his eyes are red-rimmed and glassy. He cups my jaw in both of his large hands. "Listen to me. We're gonna be just fine, okay?" he says emphatically, like he's trying to convince both of us.

Sniffle "Okay."

I try to shake it off and compose myself the best I can. It's not like I didn't know this was coming. I was somewhat prepared for it.

But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

This has to be the worst feeling I've ever had in my life. Worse than when my mom left. Worse than when I realized my dad had married a monster named Maria. Worse than all the times that monster put me down or hit me. Worse than finding out my mother never wanted me. Worse than my…

Just worse, worse, worse.

How am I going to let him just walk away, not knowing if or when I'll see him again?

"Bella?"

I attempt to answer, but my breath catches in my throat as I try not to hyperventilate.

"Bella. Are you all right? Shhhh. Calm down, sweetheart. Everything's going to be okay. I promise," Edward soothes as he pulls me back to him.

I've been made promises before, and they've rarely been kept.

I pull away from him a little. "How can you promise that? You live in Chicago, Edward. Chicago!" I yell like he doesn't know where he lives. "And I live here! How the hell is it going to be okay?"

I might be freaking out.

He bends his knees just a bit until we're eye level. His hands are wrapped around my upper arms. "We'll figure it out together, okay? I love you. This was not a one-time thing."

My pent up breath whooshes out of me, and I close the distance between us again, melting into him. He seems to know the right thing to say just when I need it most.

"And I don't live in Chicago. I live in Evanston."

"Ass," I mutter against him as I reach down and pinch it.

He jumps and laughs, which makes me laugh too.

"Better?"

"Better," I say with a smile.

"When I get home, I'll look at some dates for next month. Maybe you can come out to Illinois?"

Next month.

God, that feels like a million years away.

"Okay. Maybe around President's Day. I'll have another long weekend then."

"Alright." He checks his watch. "I better get going, or I'll miss my flight."

I move my head up to rest on his shoulder. "I love you so much," I whisper in his ear.

"I love you too," Edward says into my hair as he squeezes me tight one last time.

We pull apart, and he slides his fingers into my hair at the nape of my neck. He cradles my head as he brings his lips to mine – once, twice, three times…I lose count eventually.

Tears leak out of my eyes again as he continues to kiss me like he's dying of thirst and I'm a…bottle of Gatorade...or something like that. I don't know. I can't really think straight right now.

I finally have to push him away, albeit gently. "Go, before I drag you back to my car and do dirty things to you."

"Oooh, I like that option," he says, then with a raised brow… "Is that an option?"

I laugh. "Go!"

"Okay, okay," he says with a pout.

God, that pout.

I pull Edward to me again by the front of his shirt and plant one more kiss on those perfect lips, because I just can't resist.

"Love you," he whispers against my lips.

"Love you."

As he walks away, I see him lift his glasses and swipe his fingers under his eyes a couple times. And that's how I know for sure that he's in this with me. He's not just blowing smoke.

Smoke.

He didn't smoke at all today.

Weird.

I'll have to ask him about that later. He's definitely not a chain smoker, but he's had a few every day since he's been here.

When I focus back on him, he's already through security. The line wasn't long, which is good because we stood here a little longer than we should have. But he'll still make it in time for boarding.

Edward turns and gives me a small wave once he has his jacket back on and his bag slung over his shoulder. I give him a half-smile and put my hand up.

And then he's gone.

And the blubbering can commence.

God, I should have had Alice come with us, just so she could drive me home. I'm a wreck.

I make it to my car, but then I just sit there and stare at the steering wheel until it's a complete blur. The tears are pouring out of my eyes, and I search frantically in the glove box for tissues. I really should have thought ahead and put some in there.

Eventually I make it back home. It's dark now, and the lights are on in our apartment, so I know Alice is home.

When I walk in, she's sitting on the couch watching TV. She turns her head toward me, and then suddenly she's running at me with her arms outstretched.

"Oh honey, are you okay?" she asks as she squeezes the life out of me.

"No," I respond pitifully.

"Here. Come sit down. I made cookies." She guides me over to the couch and runs into the kitchen.

Alice comes back a minute later with a glass of milk and a plate of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

"My favorite," I say with a watery smile.

"Yeah. I figured you'd be a little blue when you got back."

"That's an understatement," I retort; then realize I haven't thanked her. "Thank you, Alice. Really, this is great."

"Oh, it's no big deal. They're just cookies."

"Yeah, but it was really sweet of you to think of me like that," I say with a sniffle.

"Okay, stop it before you make me cry too."

"Sorry. I guess I'm just in a sappy mood right now. Maybe I need to watch a funny movie so I can snap out of it."

"Alright." Alice goes to the DVDs and holds one up.

I nod. "Sure."

Afterward, we're making up our own "this one time…at band camp…" stories and laughing our asses off.

"Thanks, cuz. I needed that." I give her a hug and we say goodnight before I head to my room to get ready for bed.

I can't go to sleep yet, because Edward's plane probably won't land for another hour or so.

I grab my Harry Potter book and lie down to wait for him to call.

~XXXXX~

Great, now I'm crying again. Clearly this was not a good choice. Why'd she have to kill Cedric off? What the hell did he ever do to anyone?

Ugh.

On my way back from getting some tissues, my phone rings. I dive like a champ to grab it, but then I can't get it to flip open because I'm too excited.

"Hey," I say breathlessly once I'm finally able to open the damn thing. "Are you home?"

"No, not yet. On my way though."

We chat for a bit while Edward drives. I tell him about the cookies Alice made for me, and he tells me about the smelly guy he had to sit next to on the plane. We make each other laugh like we always do.

It almost feels like our whole weekend didn't happen at all - that everything is the same as it was before.

But it's not. Everything is different.

It's different because now I know the exact placement of each tiny mole on the back of his neck. And he knows I have a small oval-shaped birthmark on my left hip.

I know the sound he makes when I roll my hips a certain way while he's inside me. And he knows that when he sucks lightly on that spot right behind my ear, I'm putty in his hands.

Knowing these intimate little details about each other makes all the difference in the world. It's real now.

We're real now.


I cannot thank you all enough for your thoughtful reviews. I love hearing from you!

Thank you so much as always for reading! Mwah!

Story Rec: Fold Your Wings by jadalulu - I'm not sure if there's anyone out there who hasn't read or heard of this one, but it will absolutely rip you apart, in the best way possible. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the writing is incredible. Come talk to me after you've read the prologue... if you're still alive. jadalulufyw dot blogspot dot com (This story is not on ffn, but she does have others on here under that pen name.)