Part Two: America
Chapter 13
Edward
"Would you like some more champagne, sir?"
A heavily perfumed, platinum-blonde flight attendant interrupted my dozing. Bella was curled into my side, under a blanket, her eyes closed. I wasn't surprised that she was tired after graduation and our pre-flight shenanigans. I was pretty wrecked myself.
We had gotten to the airport just an hour and fifteen minutes before our flight departed, having lingered in the magnificent hotel suite, soaking in the whirlpool tub and eating the delicious spread of finger foods Emily had left for us in the suite fridge. Our new home movie was safely tucked away in our luggage. It was up there with one of the best sexual experiences of my life. All the others were also with Bella.
Emily had also upgraded our flights to First Class as a wedding present. I hadn't realised that Emily was heiress to the Aviator Grand Hotel chain; she was determined to take over from her father, and to prove that she was no Paris Hilton-like princess, by working her way from junior manager to CEO with no leg-up from Daddy. I had a new level of respect for her after finding that out.
"No, thank you," I replied, turning back to my journal.
"What about your, uh, daughter? Do you think she would like a top-up of hers?"
"His wife," Bella raised her head irritably and covered my left hand with hers, proudly showing off our coordinating, twisted platinum rings and the matching Patek Philippe watches we had bought each other as wedding presents, "is fine with the drink she has left, thank you." Her tone was curt, and the flight attendant scuttled away, leaving us, and our nostrils, in peace. "Stupid cow," Bella added, kissing my jaw. "She's been eyeing you since the moment we stepped onto the bloody plane."
"Jealous, Baby?" I enquired. "There's no need."
"I'm not jealous, just marking my territory. You are mine. End of."
I kissed her forehead.
"Sleep, my little vixen," I whispered. "You'll need your energy when we christen our new pad later."
She giggled, and her cute button nose twitched.
"Maybe we could review our new movie, Foxy."
"Definitely."
I pecked her on the lips, and she snuggled against me again, and that was where she stayed until we landed.
Getting to Cambridge and our new apartment was surprisingly easy, and the friendly taxi driver, with his distinctive accent and jaunty hat, even left the cab idling to help us carry our suitcases into the apartment building that was to be our temporary home. When we arrived at the apartment door, I realised, despite my tiredness and Bella's, there was a tradition I had to uphold.
"Come here, Baby."
I opened the door and then scooped her up into my arms.
"What are you doing?"
"You are my bride. This is our first official home as man and wife. I'm carrying you over the threshold," I explained.
She giggled and kissed my neck as I carried her through the hallway, past a small, neat, kitchen, and into a large living room, before depositing her on the sofa.
"I'll get our stuff Bella. Just rest. You look shattered."
"Okay."
The fact that she put up absolutely no argument belied her tiredness, and by the time I had brought in our suitcases and bags, she was fast asleep. I left her there while I opened her case and found one of her t-shirts, before carrying her to our bedroom, stripping and changing her. She barely stirred.
I was fairly tired myself, but not quite ready to sleep. I wandered around the new apartment, done out to be bland and corporate, and I was fairly sure that one of the first things Bella would do when she woke up would be to start looking at houses. She didn't mind contemporary style, but she wanted a home, and this place might as well have been a hotel.
In the small but functional kitchen sat a huge hamper of food, with a note on top. It was from Esme, welcoming us to Harvard. I smiled to myself. It was wonderful to start our new life with some lovely friends already in place. I felt sure that Bella's fears about telling them about our relationship were unfounded.
I got myself a glass of water and sat down on the sofa to regroup. In the space of six weeks, I had quit my post in Oxford after eighteen years there, proposed and married the love of my life in Italy, come back to Oxford for her graduation and moved to Harvard. Everything I'd done in my life before had moved at a snail's pace, because I generally hated change, and liked to do things meticulously, which further imposed slowness, so it kind of blew my mind to think how different my life was, now that I had Bella.
I picked up my bag and decided to sort through the post I'd collected from the lab. Around half of it was junk, flyers or notices that were no longer relevant. There were a couple of journals and newsletters that I saved to read later and the rest were cards from colleagues, wishing me luck. I opened them one by one, making a mental note to send everyone a thank you email with my change of contact details. I was left with the last envelope, addressed to 'Edward Masen.' Inside was a card with a picture of an Oxford sunset.
Dearest Edward
It is such a shame that we will not be working together when I take over as Head of Neurosciences in September.
However, I am very much looking forward to taking on your lovely protégé Isabella as my doctoral student. Thanks for keeping her warm for me.
Enjoy Harvard
Yours, Aro
White-hot fury burned through me, and it took everything I had not to scream the place down. Although the card clearly had been written before Bella made it known she was leaving Oxford too, it as good as said that he had intended to pursue her, and I was sure that he would have tried everything he could in order acquire her as another conquest. When he found out about Bella's defection to Harvard and our relationship, I wouldn't put it past him to do everything in his power to do ruin both our reputations.
Cursing my stupid decision to check my mail, I put the card away along with the rest of the post I was keeping, and walked into the bedroom. Bella was asleep on her side, her arm wrapped around a pillow. I crouched down beside her and stroked her hair. Immediately, she turned over to face me.
"Foxy," she mumbled.
I stripped down to my boxers and slipped next to her. The pillow ended up on the floor as she curled around me instead. I kissed the top of her head as her hot breath tickled my chest.
"I love you, Baby."
"Mmm ... Love you forever, my Fox," was her sleepy reply.
Bella
I woke up to darkness, in an unfamiliar bed. I was wearing my Oxford Graduates 2013 t-shirt, my panties and nothing else, while Edward slumbered next to me in his boxers. The alarm clock on the bedside table said 5.30am, but my body obviously thought it was 10.30am. I had been asleep for eight hours.
I kissed my Fox on his temple. He murmured my name and turned over, still asleep. I decided to leave him be, and after putting on a pair of yoga pants, I wandered through from the bedroom, into the living room and then into the kitchen.
One of things I loved about America was the coffee, and I was delighted to see a proper coffeemaker on the kitchen counter. Next to it was a large hamper of foodstuffs with a letter attached, addressed to Edward. It was open; he must have read it last night.
Dear Edward
Welcome to the neighborhood! Carlisle and I are in Cape Cod until Sunday evening, but we'll call round next week. Here are some groceries to get you started and a map of Cambridge. I've also taken the liberty of leaving you my old cell phone with a new SIM card, until you get set up with your own contract. It's basic, but it does the job. We'll ring you Monday to see how you're getting on.
If you have any problems, please call us. Our cell numbers are below.
See you soon
Esme Cullen
She genuinely was the sweetest. I hoped she and Carlisle would understand when Edward and I revealed our relationship.
I fished out the coffee from the hamper, and after a bit of fiddling with the coffeemaker, managed to produce a decent pot. Also in the hamper were some apples, pancake mix, syrup, bread, eggs, sugar, Oreo cookies, Hamburger Helper and some honey. In the fridge was milk, that rich Half and Half stuff, butter, strips of bacon, some sliced cheese, onions, a head of lettuce, tomatoes, a bottle of white wine and a carton of orange juice. She had even put a pack of minced beef, a tub of ice cream and some ice cubes in the freezer.
After finding the Wi-Fi password, I got out my laptop, intending to look at real estate websites. The Fox and I had agreed on a budget, and that we wanted a house in a quiet area, but we were aware that the process of buying or renting a house was different in America. I knew the area a little from my internship with Carlisle the previous summer, but it was new to Edward. He had been to New York a few times to see Tanya, and once to Stanford for a conference, but that was it. I hoped that Carlisle and Esme would be able to help us with some advice, that is, if they didn't shun us for falling in love.
However, before I could do anything, Skype started chiming. It was Jasper starting a voice call.
"Hi Ed, are you in Ba-a-st-an yet?" He asked, drawing out the vowels dramatically.
"Hi Jasper, it's Bella. Edward has been using my laptop as his is in storage. Your Boston accent is crap, by the way!"
He laughed throatily.
"Cheers, sweetheart. Where is your husband? Shit, I still can't believe you two tied the knot. Congratulations again."
I fingered my engagement and wedding ring and grinned.
"Thanks. Edward's still asleep. It's barely 6am here. I'm sorry we didn't have time to see you after the wedding."
"Oh, don't worry about that. We're still in Cornwall anyway. Alice wanted a decent spell at the beach before we return to the chaos."
"How are the new labs?"
"They're brilliant. The lab's ethos is remarkably relaxed, and yet, Siobhan runs that place with military precision. The difficulty is going to be getting used to commuting to London."
"Are you going to be travelling in from Oxford every day?"
"Yeah, certainly for this year at least. It was too short notice for Alice to find another school to teach at, and yanking the kids out of school so suddenly would be pretty disruptive."
"Of course."
"Anyway, I just called because I saw Edward's name pop up on my list of online contacts, no other reason. Tell him to call me when he gets the chance, okay?"
"Best wishes to Alice and your little ones."
"Thanks," he replied. I thought he was about to sign off, but then he added, "By the way, Bella, did you get the article I sent you?"
"No, what article?"
"My article on the use of fluorescent dyes to demonstrate NMDA receptor blockade on rat hippocampus cells. It's been accepted for publication in The Journal of Neuroscience. I'm crediting you because I've cited your dissertation work several times."
"Oh, wow, thanks, Jasper. Which email address did you use?"
"I sent it yesterday to your Oxford one. You know that, as an alumnus, you get to keep your email address for life?"
"I did know, but what with moving, getting married and so on, I haven't bothered to check it since the end of June. I'll check it now." I only used my Oxford email address for study and research stuff, so didn't bother to receive emails from it on my iPhone.
"Please do. I'd love to hear your thoughts before I submit the final copy."
"No problem."
At the top of my inbox were Jasper's article, and a couple of Oxford Alumni news emails. I downloaded the article, and I was about to log out, when my eye focussed on some of the other unread emails, and suddenly, I felt chilled to the bone.
Yesterday
Volturi, Aro: New incentives at Oxford Neurosciences- not too late to change your mind!
Last week
Volturi, Aro: High Priority: Contact me ASAP
Volturi, Aro: New funding secured- please contact me
Volturi, Aro: Your withdrawal- please contact me to discuss this hasty decision
Two weeks ago
Volturi, Aro: Your withdrawal from Oxford Neurosciences PhD programme
Volturi, Aro: Your PhD project- please contact me
Three weeks ago
Volturi, Aro: Invitation to meet
Volturi, Aro: Your PhD project
Last month
Volturi, Aro: Welcome to my team!
In total, Professor Slimy had emailed me eight times in the space of a few weeks. I felt sick; the man literally made my body pulse with revulsion. I curled in on myself, trying not to feel violated. He hadn't even officially started at Oxford, and yet, just as Edward predicted, he was bombarding me with attention.
I couldn't look at them. I shut down my email account, trying to think of how I could tell Edward without him freaking out.
An hour or so later, Edward emerged, beautifully dishevelled, in just his boxers.
"Hi Baby, sleep well?"
I jumped up to greet him.
"Yeah, sorry for falling asleep straight away. So much for christening our new pad."
He pulled me into his embrace.
"We have plenty of time to do that, Bella. You needed the rest. I went to bed less than half an hour after you."
"We did have a rather busy day yesterday," I acknowledged. "Coffee, Foxy?"
"Yes, definitely. I'm guessing there was some in that colossal hamper Esme left us?" he asked.
"Yeah, she gave us a few days' worth of groceries, along with that sweet little note, and a mobile phone," I replied. "Well, technically she left it for you."
"Baby, are you fretting about telling them?" Edward asked, noticing my underlying worries.
"Yeah ..." I began, a little butterfly fluttering inside me. "I don't want anyone to judge our relationship, Foxy, even people I respect as much as Carlisle and Esme Cullen. But I don't want to start our new life here hiding. We did enough of that in Oxford."
"They may think it strange, but as long as it doesn't interfere with our work, I doubt they'll object. And of one thing I am sure; Carlisle and Esme will keep our confidence, regardless of their opinion about us."
He cupped my face and tilted it upwards before kissing me tenderly. Any thought of not telling him about Aro's emails went right out the window. Our love was pure, and lying, or even omitting the truth, would taint it.
"There's something else on my mind," I whispered.
"What? Shit, Bella, you're trembling. What's wrong?"
I told him about the phone call from Jasper and Aro's emails.
"I haven't read them yet. I don't think I believed he would be so relentless until I saw my clogged inbox."
Edward's jaw was tight and clenched.
"I knew he'd be all over you the moment he got that fucking job. I fucking knew it." He reached for me again, and I clung to him. "It's okay, Bella. He won't hurt you."
"I'm worried about you just as much as myself. You hate him so much. I want you to be able to enjoy our new life without dwelling on this." I paused, trying not to cry. We were so happy twelve hours ago, and now Slimy was encroaching on our new life. "Just how much damage can he do when we're over here?"
"I never underestimate that man's dastardliness, Baby." Edward leaned over into his messenger bag, and pulled out a card. "Look at this. It was in the pile of post I collected from my pigeonhole yesterday."
I opened a generic, touristy card of Oxford at sunset to small, tight, pointy handwriting that screamed 'evil.' When I finished reading the words inside, I nearly tore it apart as anxiety and fear was replaced by anger.
"That fucking rat-bastard. 'Keep me warm?' Deluded sicko. Ugh."
"I couldn't have said it better. Let's have some breakfast and see what the 'fucking rat-bastard' has written."
After two bracing mugs of coffee and a plates of pancakes, bacon and syrup, The Fox and I read all of Slimy's emails. The first two were fairly generic, offering congratulations on my results and sending me some research papers on his work and the projects he was bringing to Oxford, as well as some forms about funding.
However, his next email invited me to meet him for a dinner meeting, in either Cambridge or Oxford, and he also expressed regret that he would be unable to me at my graduation because he had to be present at the Cambridge convocations. When I didn't reply, his next email was more abrupt, pointing out his surprise that I hadn't been in touch and telling me to contact him about funding.
The rest of the emails expressed disappointment that I had left Oxford. The last couple also promised gifts from Eclipse Pharmaceuticals, and contained offers buy me a new bicycle and a laptop and even, in his last email, to pay rent on an apartment of my choice in Oxford. I desperately wanted to delete them from my inbox, but Edward stopped me.
"I know it's tempting, but anyone reading these emails would think they were creepy. If he were to try anything ..."
"They're further evidence of his interest in me," I acknowledged.
"This may still come to nothing," Edward stated. "When the new term starts, he may well find another girl to pester."
"I bloody hope so, Foxy." I decided that I'd had enough of Slimy and shut my inbox. "So, how about we watch our movie now?"
His eyes darkened.
"Where's the camera?"
I disentangled myself from him and went to retrieve it. It only took a couple of minutes to hook it up to my laptop.
"Let's see if this has come out okay," I murmured as we waited for it to open.
"Even if it hasn't, baby, it was great fun to make. Thank you." He captured my mouth with a kiss, and deepened it, such that it took us a few seconds to realise that the movie had started.
"That's good. Now, on your knees. Right here."
We turned back to the screen and set it down on the coffee table before positioning ourselves on the sofa.
"What do you want, Mrs Masen?"
"I want your cock, sir, please."
"Why should you have it? Why do you deserve it?"
"I've been such a good girl today, and I really want to please you."
"If I give you a chance, and you don't behave, I will punish you. You realise this, don't you?"
We watched, mesmerised, as the movie played out. It had captured our mutual desire, the grace of our movements, and most of all, our absolute love and devotion to one another. I could see it in both our faces.
Silently, Edward stripped me of my clothing, and as we watched, kissed my neck and my shoulders. I reached behind me and tugged at the elastic of his boxers. He got the hint, and they too joined the pile of clothes at the other end of the sofa. His hands gripped my hips, and he lifted me into his lap, before tilting me forward so that he could enter me. I extended my arm around his neck and slowly, we moved together, watching ourselves on screen.
"Spectacular, aren't we, baby?" Edward whispered into my hair, his words punctuated with his grunts of pleasure.
"Yeah. One, uh, of my, ah, better ideas."
"I'll say."
His fingers ghosted over my clit, and he bounced me up and down faster. As he climaxed on screen, I climaxed in his arms, and he soon followed. After he had turned me around, we held onto to one another, and I realised that the nervousness and worry in my tummy had gone away.
People could, and probably would, judge us, but we would handle it because our love was infinitely strong. Aro could pursue me as much as he liked, and threaten both of us when he didn't get his way, but it didn't matter as long as The Fox and I were united in our hearts. We were perfect together, perfect for one another.
-cc-
AN: The second part of The Foxdoesn't have a specific timeline, unlike the first, and the pace will be slower. When I wrote the original one-shot, I never anticipated expanding it, so major characters like Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett aren't going to have huge parts in this story, although they are still going to feature significantly. As a result, some characters who would usually be considered fairly minor will have bigger roles, and I've merged a couple of characters too.
Unfortunately, my RL craziness isn't improving as quickly as I'd hoped, so the next update will be in a fortnight, but I have my fingers crossed that I can return to a weekly posting schedule after that.
By the way, in Britain, we don't have Half and Half- we tend to have milk in our coffee instead. You can usually only get Hamburger Helper through specialist American food shops.