a/n: I promised you this on Wednesday, but since I got all of the reviews I needed by the time I logged into my email Monday morning, I decided I'd put this up early. Plus, I was just so excited, because I got a brand new Macbook Pro, and I've been using Dell all of my life. I've been trying to get my dad to order me this since March when I had the money to pay for one, but it wasn't until about a week ago that he finally called in the order. It's fucking INCREDIBLE! I mean really, have any of you ever used these things??? Holy crap. So, I've got another reason for posting this. A couple people have mentioned starting school by now (hahaha I still have two more weeks left before my school year starts...gotta love Jersey) and I thought you could all use a little pick me up. That and, well, I did sort of leave you all with a nasty little bugger of a cliff hanger. So, since you all have been so good, this is my present. And, if I get 20 reviews then I will update again before Saturday!! So, my pathetic excuse for a life. Hmmmm...well, I've gotten pretty far in "My Immortal" and it sounds beautiful. I started high school tennis on Monday and while I lost my first match (a two fucking hour match that started at 12:15 in the fucking hot hot summer sun), I did win my second match at a very nice 6.4 6.2 even with my shoulder injury. My serve is actually pretty awesome. It's fast as hell and has some crazy ass spin on it! I even aced my opponent today! Snaps for Jordi!

Things I own: two tennis racquets, a new Macbook Pro, a bag of Fritos, and a can of Sprite.

Things I don't: the rights to Twilight and all of the amazing characters...including the fuckgasmic amazingness that is Edward Cullen.

Edward's POV

"We didn't use protection," I coughed out, gripped by fear, and to my surprise, Bella laughed as she tucked her head into my shoulder. I could feel the heat of her blush on my bare skin. "I don't think this is funny. At all."

She shook her head. "Sorry, sorry. I'm…I'm on the pill…irregular cycle," she admitted, embarrassed.

I sighed in relief, my rigid posture relaxing slightly after my scare. I mean, honestly, I'd only asked her to be my girlfriend a few days ago, and we'd been dating for only two and a half weeks. Not to mention the fact that we were both only 18. I was positive a baby wasn't in either of our plans at the moment. That, and well, then there was…

I put my arm around her shoulders and hugged her to me, kissing her forehead. I saw her glasses on the nightstand where I'd put them last night when I'd woken up after midnight. I'd picked them up off the ground in the bathroom, afraid one of us would step on them in the morning. I lifted them and placed them over Bella's eyes. I loved seeing the liquid brown, but I knew she felt uncomfortable without them.

She smiled broadly. "Thank you," she said softly.

I turned my head just slightly and pressed my lips to hers in a tender kiss. This was heaven, right here, right now.

And then the moment was ruined by the shrill cry of my cell phone. I groaned and stood, walking to the bathroom where my jeans were still on the floor, and grabbed the phone out of the pocket. Turning around, I made my way back to Bella who sat there in my black button up. Perfection.

"Hello," I answered. I pulled the covers back and slid under, wrapping my arm back around Bella's shoulder.

"Edward, where are you?" Alice screeched into the phone, making both Bella and I cringe.

"With Bella, why?"

"At her apartment?"

"Yeah."

And then Alice hung up on me. Not a second later did Bella try to squirm away from me saying, "Oh shit, she's coming." I didn't know how she knew, but before I could ask, the door to Bella's apartment flew open and Bella cringed at the sound it made. Was that left unlocked all night?

"Edward, Bella, where the hell—Oh!" Alice and Jasper stood in the doorway of the bedroom, Jasper chuckling and shaking his head, looking apologetic, while Alice had this face with a mix of surprise and a huge smile. Bella was trying to dig a hole in my shoulder as she buried her burning hot face, trying to hide from Alice.

"We'll come back later," Jasper said.

I shook my head, my cheeks burning as well. "Just close the door and let us get…dressed," I told him, though I was pretty sure Bella would not be enthusiastic about facing them in a few minutes.

When she heard the door shut, she muttered, "That wasn't embarrassing at all."

I chuckled and lifted her face, pressing my forehead against hers. "Just be glad it was Jasper and Alice, instead of Emmett and Rosalie. Rose may have been cheering, but I don't think Emmett would have been happy."

She giggled at that, and I kissed her nose before standing up and getting my jeans from the bathroom. I slipped them on and walked back over to Bella who was rummaging around in her drawers. I supposed Rose hadn't come by to set out her clothes last night.

"Do you need help? I mean, Rose usually picks your clothes and everything. I could go get Alice to…" I trailed off as Bella began shaking her head, laughing.

"I can pick out my own clothes. I always let Rose do it because it makes her feel like there's always something to do for me, that I'm not always as independent as I try to be. I may not know what color I'm wearing, but I'm really pretty good at grabbing my favorite pair of jeans and a comfortable shirt. I did it all last year while Rose and Emmett were here for college and I was still back in Forks." Just as she was saying this, she pulled out a long sleeved red and black striped shirt with a low neck and a pair of dark blue jeans. She moved over to her night stand and pulled out a bra and panty set that was attached by a small ribbon that must have been tied on by Rose.

She started walking toward the bathroom, but I stopped her and began to unbutton my shirt, watching as her creamy skin was revealed bit by bit. When I finally got to the bottom button, I slid it off her shoulders and pulled it on myself. She then walked away after that short, intimate moment toward the bathroom and got herself dressed. I buttoned up the shirt, thinking about baseball to calm my reaction to seeing her body, and walked, bare foot, to where Alice and Jasper were sitting in Bella's living room.

"Have a good night?" Alice asked cheerily.

I glared at her, but not too harshly, because I was in too good of a mood. "I did, thank you, though it wasn't without its challenges." I still felt like an idiot for some of the things that had happened last night.

"Did you hand over your V card?" she continued.

I rolled my eyes. "That doesn't concern you, dear sister."

"Hey Jazzy, I think my brother finally got laid," Alice whispered in his ear, but she said it loudly with the intention of me hearing.

"Grow up."

I walked back to Bella's room where she was struggling to brush a knot out of her hair. Chuckling, I removed the brush from her hands and carefully unknotted her hair. She smiled at me and then pulled her hair up into a pony tail high on her head. She'd gotten a pair of sneakers on while I was out with Alice and Jasper. I wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," I apologized.

She shrugged. "I'll live. Were you supposed to go out with them?"

"We were all supposed to be meeting up with—"

"Bells, we're going out with Alice and—oh, hey Jasper, Short Stuff," Emmett shouted and then quieted to his more normal inside voice when he noticed the two people who were sitting on the couch.

"As Emmett and I were both about to tell you," I continued, chuckling, "we were all planning on going out to shop for the Halloween party Alice and Rose are throwing." I rolled my eyes. My sister threw a party every year for every holiday possible. She even threw a Thanksgiving Day party and a Saint Patrick's Day party. Some were more family oriented than hanging out with classmates, but she still threw them. Now she had a partner in crime. I bent down and picked up my shoes of the floor, taking a seat on the toilet to put them on as I spoke with her. "I get to spend another day with you!"

Bella giggled at my enthusiasm, shaking her head as she leaned back against the counter. I wrapped my arm around her waist when I was done and then pulled her into my side, walking with her out of the room and into the now populated living room. Jasper was sitting next to Alice on the couch, while Emmett was leaning against the wall, smirking knowingly, and Rose was sitting in the chair, winking at me.

At the door, I kissed Bella softly. "I'll be right back, okay? I'm just going to change really quickly."

And boy did I change quickly. I could wear my jeans a second time, because I always did that. There was no reason you couldn't wear a pair of jeans twice. I simply just changed my shirt and my socks, putting on a dark red polo. I went with my more comfortable sneakers, as opposed to my dress sneakers, because I knew I'd be walking around a good amount, and then grabbed my leather jacket, dropping my wallet, keys, and cell phone into the pocket. I locked my apartment door and then headed back downstairs to Bella's apartment.

Everyone was putting on their jackets and Alice was telling them the 'game plan'. I wrapped my arms around Bella from behind and placed my chin on her shoulder, trying to listen to Alice. She was wearing a black blazer and her side bangs were falling into her face over her glasses. I chuckled, pulling them back just a bit.

"Everyone got that?" Alice finally asked.

"Sure, sure," we all answered, not really having listened.

We all walked out and Bella gripped onto me, not even bothering to try using her cane, which did not escape my notice, nor did it Rosalie's and Emmett's, judging by their surprised faces. I kept my arm raveled tightly around her waist and hers was the same around mine as she leaned into me.

"There's a bump," I whispered to her as I noticed the upturned sidewalk while I walked to the parking lot with her. She probably knew the way all on her own, but I didn't want to risk any mishaps, especially not with Emmett watching. When we reached my car, I opened the door for her and helped her inside. I buckled her seat belt for her, making her laugh.

"I can do that all on my own as well, Edward Cullen."

I grinned, pecking her cheek. "I know, but I needed another excuse to touch you."

She smiled in return and I closed the door gently, knowing how sensitive her ears were to loud noises. I was the same way, but I was positive my hearing wasn't nearly as impeccable as hers. Starting the car, I spotted her hand seeking out mine and I took it happily as I pulled out of my space. She was rather quiet for a while, as though she had something on her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked.

"What kind of car do you have?" She seemed embarrassed that she had to ask. I squeezed her hand softly.

"A Volvo," I answered as if the question were as normal as ever. She nodded, and then a smile spread across her lips.

"Is that what Emmett meant the other day about the 'mom car'?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, that's what he meant."

She was still very quiet the rest of the drive, and it was starting to bother me. If something was wrong, she would tell me, wouldn't she? Did it have to do with last night? Was she beginning to regret it?

"What would you like to be for Halloween?" I asked her as I walked with her into the costume store. She shrugged.

"It's not really a holiday I care much about," she admitted, and I looked over at her. Her lips were in a straight line, which had me even more worried.

I stopped walking, also halting Bella in the process. She looked up toward my face, tilting her head to the side. I could see her eyebrows furrowed just over top of the frames of her glasses. I pulled her against my chest in a firm hug and looked down at the beautiful, saddened, confused face of this incredible, strong woman.

"Bella, what's bothering you? Is this about last night? Has something changed since this morning? Is—"

She kept shaking her head and then leaned her face against my chest. I tucked her head beneath my chin as I held her. Emmett and Rosalie were approaching along with Alice and Jasper, all four of them looking worried. "I don't like Halloween. It's all about scaring the crap out of people and dressing up like people on TV or in movies or whatever. It's just a fucked up holiday if you can't see."

And that made so much sense to me that it wasn't even funny. People scare the shit out of little kids all of the time, but when you can't see and everything is already so much a surprise, someone jumping up into your face and screaming 'boo!' was probably a pretty horrible experience. And of course, then there's the fact that everything else surrounding this holiday has to do with looking like some person or animal or object.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We don't have to dress up," I offered, kissing the top of her head before tucking her head beneath my chin once again. She shook her head against me.

"That's not in the spirit of the holiday," she muttered just as Emmett and Rosalie got to us, Alice and Jasper staying a few feet back.

"Bella, I have the best idea for your costume. And Edward can wear a costume that goes with it," Rose said in a motherly tone, rubbing a hand along Bella's back.

I smirked. Couples costumes. "You hear that, Bella? We get to be like all of those other tacky couples out there and match," I joked.

She giggled against my chest. "You're crazy, Edward," she muttered.

"And you still go ahead and have sex with him anyway," Emmett teased her, once again with that knowing smirk. If he knew, why wasn't he kicking my ass right now? I would kick my ass if I was him.

Bella giggled, kicking her foot out behind her and managing to connect with Emmett's shin.

"So you did lose it last night!" Alice chirped too loudly.

I groaned, moving my head so that I could hide my face in Bella's neck. I could see the delicious red blush on her skin. "Alice, you can't say that in front of Emmett. He's going to beat me up," I whined.

Bella was giggling still and I felt Emmett's hand pat my back, mumbling very, very quietly in my ear, "As long as she's happy, man, I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize it."

I knew Bella heard Emmett because she spoke a very soft, "Thank you," to him.

He laughed, tugging on her pony tail. "No problem, Squirt."

I supposed I understood, now, why Emmett wasn't pounding my face in, but I still would have pulled me into an alley somewhere and landed a few good punches.

"Now, let's go costume shopping!" Alice squealed as Jasper smiled at his girlfriend. My little sister's exuberance never failed to surprise me, and no matter how much Jasper was capable of calming her, the second anything related to shopping was involved, all was lost on the girl.

We entered the large shop, walls all painted black with costumes hanging on hooks covering the entire expanse of the walls. Alice and Rose scurried off while the other four of us hung back, relaxing. I refused to let go of Bella, and I was pretty sure she was happy to be held onto by me. At least, the smile on her face said she was.

"Emmett, I want to cook tonight," Bella said to her brother suddenly.

He looked pensive for a moment. "Why don't we just go out tonight, Bells?"

She shook her head. "I've been going out a lot lately. I don't know, I guess we could go out, but I want to cook dinner once this week. Oh, and I want to make some of my double dark chocolate chip cookies."

I could see Emmett's mouth watering at the thought of those cookies, and guessed that Bella was good with her baking. She'd told me that she loved to cook, something about this sensory overload: the sound of her music playing in the background, the smell of the food wafting through the kitchen, the taste of it as she tested it, the feeling of doing all of it with her hands. She was just able to stimulate every one of them.

She also told me she wished she didn't need someone to watch her so that she could do it.

"We'll cook dinner this week, Bella, if that's what you want," I offered, and Emmett looked thoughtful once again before smiling at me.

"I'd really appreciate that, man." Then he grinned. "Just be careful you don't have a heart attack, and try to keep her away from the knives."

Bella stuck her tongue out at him and Emmett just laughed at her and reached out, tapping her nose.

"Okay, here," Alice said, appearing out of nowhere and shoving two costume bags into my free hand. I looked at what she and Rosalie had selected and then looked at the both of them questioningly.

"Baseball uniforms?" I asked.

"You played varsity in high school, and it's Bella's favorite sport," Rose explained.

"It's your favorite sport?" I asked Bella, turning to look at her. I didn't even know she cared about sports. It was definitely a very visual experience.

"I'll show you why someday," she answered cryptically. "What's the costume look like?" I hadn't even gotten the chance to look at hers when Alice snatched it from my hands and Bella stepped out of my grasp. The three girls walked away as I looked at the white costume with red decal.

Emmett was chuckling to himself and Jasper and I stood there curiously. "What's so funny?" Jasper finally asked.

He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try us."

"Like Bella said, we'll show you someday."

The girls continued to peruse the costumes, but I was pretty sure Bella was happy with the baseball costumes. Rosalie picked out an orange prison suit for Emmett and one of those playboy police officer costumes for herself. Alice picked out a playboy boot camp girl costume, and chose for Jasper an army man costume as well.

We spent the rest of the day walking around buying different decorations and music and so on. Basically, whatever Alice and Rosalie deemed necessary was purchased. We went out to lunch at some point in between, but I wasn't paying much attention. All I really cared about was being able to hold Bella in my arms and keep her away from the craziness that was Halloween, a holiday that didn't even mean anything to her.

A holiday that was only about three days away.