Chapter Fourteen: Buzz and Woody

Bella POV

I waited at the door, struggling to find a normal breathing pattern. Come on Bella, breath! You can do this, please don't faint. There were footsteps to the door and it opened before me. I took in the familiar sight of green eyes, but not the eyes that I was half hoping, half dreading to see. I was still in two minds about visiting the Cullen's tonight but seeing the blonde well kept hair and Carlisle's warm smiling face put me a little more at ease.

"Hello Bella!" Carlisle beamed, surprising me by grabbing me in a hug.

"Hi Carlisle" I breathed out as he released me from his tight hold.

It was amazing how I could see a slight resemblance of Edward in Carlisle. The man I could call my second father reminded me of a boy I was fastly becoming obsessed with. They had the same piercing green eyes, although Edwards seemed more vibrant while Carlisles more grey. They both had fair skin and a warm smile. Remembering Edwards smile was from today as we laughed in Biology brought butterflies to my stomach. His would twist up in the corner into a sneaky crooked grin.

"Come in you must be starved? Charlie still not home?" He led me inside before looking back towards my house.

"No not yet, He's probably just working back."

"How is the chief of Police, anyway?"

"He's doing pretty well. I've left him food in the fridge so he won't go without."

"Good to hear." Carlisle led us into the kitchen where Esme was busy working on what I presumed was the dinner. I could hear the sounds of a Television in another room but couldn't see Alice or Edward.

"Hi Esme."

"Bella, Sweetie!" Her hands were covered in flour and she held them up to me. "I'd give you a hug, but I am in the gruelling process of making pasta from scratch, and God what a mess it is turning out to be."

I laughed, there were long thin sheets of pasta folded and placed on the floured marble bench. "Glad it's you and not me Esme, I get my pasta fresh from the bag." Carlisle retreated back to the study his usual haunt. I was left feeling slightly nervous, knowing I should probably seek out Alice, but still worried about encountering Edward. "Ahh can I help you Esme?"

She had returned to spinning the handle on a complicated looking device, feeding a thin rectangle of yellow doh through a slot. It looked more like a torture weapon than a pasta maker. I strongly doubted I could in fact help.

"No dear I'm managing, I know it doesn't look it, but I think I have it under control. Alice and Edward are in the movie room, watching a cartoon or something. You should go join them."

I turned leaving the kitchen and reluctantly made my way to the movie room. Alice and I had spent countless slumber parties in this room snacking on pop corn and watching scary movies. They had a massive projector screen and excellent surround sound. Accompany that with black out curtains, comfy couches, bean bags and a friendly mother who happily supplied drinks and treats. It was the ultimate in movie experiences.

I slid open the sliding door which cast a glow into the darkened room. The only other light was coming from the screen in which I could clearly 'Toy Story' was being watched. I felt awkward not being able to see into the room.

I meekly called out "Alice?"

"Bella" I heard her call from the front of the room. "Where on the front couch come down. They had three rows of couches lined up in front of the screen. As I walked to the front I finally found them sprawled out. Alice on a recliner, Edward stretched out on a bean bag with a big bowl of pop corn in his lap. They were both were looking up at me.

"I'm so glad you could come Bella, where watching Toy Story."

I laughed "Yeah I noticed" I looked up at the screen trying to distract myself from making eye contact with Edward. Buzz Lightyear was flying across the kid's room and I felt nostalgic watching. "I haven't seen this in ages, I love Buzz."

"Tell me about it!" Edward called out surprising me. "This movie is one of my all time favourites."

"Me too!" I was shocked by his revelation but glad we had something in common.

"Have to say I'm a Woody fan though," Edward explained. "All that wallowing in self pity, I can relate." He looked up giving me his crooked smile but I could see the hint of sadness and truth behind his eyes.

I sat down on the couch near Alice. Edward was just out in front, his bean bag pressed against the wall. "Buzz has all this amazing confidence," I mumbled looking at my fingers as I nervously picked at a nail. "Can't say I can relate but it's admirable." I couldn't help but feel the need to reveal something personal in return. Edward seemed to nod in understanding. "Couldn't Alice talk you into watching 'The little Mermaid'?"

Edward laughed the sound making all my fears about this moment dissolve. I was glad my optimistic side won out, just the sound of his laughter made it all worthwhile. "She just tried putting it on before I tackled her into the beanbag."

"It's not funny," Alice huffed. "You hurt my elbow."

"Aww diddums, suck it up princess." Edward playfully swatted her feet that were dangling from the recliner.

I laughed it was good to see them getting along. Charlie was right they were practically like siblings. It only reminded me of how tough it would have been for them, being separated for so long. I settled back in the seat trying to get comfy. Edward turned to me reaching out the bowl of popcorn.

"Want some?"

"Yes please," I took a handful and started picking at pieces, placing them in my mouth. No one made popcorn like Esme Cullen, she had perfected the art. They always had the right amount of butter and salt that would get you hooked from first bite.

"Esme makes the best popcorn hey?" Edward asked.

I nodded "I know. She's had a lot of practise over the years with the amount of parties and movie nights Alice use to have here." It was strange it's like he knew what I was just thinking. Or maybe it was obvious when I sighed out loud in satisfaction, woops.

"Damn right," Alice chirped in. "It's why Forks has never opened a cinema, they can't compete."

Edward laughed "Good to hear nothing's changed then. I use to complain to my mother when we would go to the cinemas in Seattle. I couldn't understand why we had to share the experience with so many other people. And the popcorn was never as good." Edward sighed with a smile "I forgot how much I missed this." He leaned further back into the bean bag stretching out his arms and closing his eyes. I couldn't stop my eyes from roaming his broad masculine chest and flat stomach. His grey, short sleeve shirt lifted slightly revealing an inch of creamy white skin above his jeans. I had the sudden urge to reach my hand down over his chest. Before I could get carried away in a day dream he sat up handing Alice the popcorn bowl. "I'm going to get us some drinks. All this salty butter-ness has got me thirsty."

As soon as he left the room, Alice unsurprisingly pounced.

"Bella" Her voice was a whisper and I leaned in, knowing Edward would be back any second. "After you left school I might have got a little carried away and smacked at Edward for talking to Jess and Lauren."

"You hit him?" I gasped, oh god this was bad.

"Well it hurt me more than it hurt him, but that's not the point. I told him they were bad news and not to waste his time, but he said he already figured that much about them. He just didn't know how to brush them off."

A wave of relief passed over me. I should have known that Edward would see through there bubbly exterior. But after seeing guy after guy fall for hopelessly head over heels for Jessica and be trodden all over, I doubted men in general had the ability to see past big tits and makeup. "It doesn't matter anyway Alice, I overreacted, and it was stupid. He's allowed to talk to whoever he wants anyway."

She was just about to argue when she paused, listening, "Shhh he's coming back!"

I heard the footsteps just before Edward walked back into the room. He was holding a tray of drinks and looking rather out of place as he balanced them. For some reason the care taker in me wanted to run over and help him out. It was usually me that would get drinks and food for Charlie. It was a nice surprise being weighted on, especially by guy, and a handsome one at that.

He balanced the tray on one hand while passing Alice a red-creaming soda. He must have known it was her favourite. He turned to me with this eyebrow raised. "Ok I didn't know what you would like and in retrospect I should have asked, so I brought you a selection." He looked down to the three cans. "Whatever you don't want I'll drown because I'm parched as."

I was slightly stunned and excited when he sat beside me, he moved slowly with concentration in an effort to balance the remaining drinks, before sitting and settling them on his lap. I was hit both with his amazing scent and the unusual tingling sensation that I associated with him. His smell was intoxicating. I had noticed hints of it at Biology and Lunch but in our close confines I could smell the distinct hint of a cinnamon, mint and aftershave.

He turned towards me, his eyes boring into my own and mouth turned up in his breathtaking smile. I was shocked by his proximity. Our faces were so close he would just have to lean in to swipe his lips against my own. I could just imagine how that would feel, softness of his lips combined with the slight of roughness of regrowth. It looked like he had shaved this morning, but the shadow of stubble was already showing. I could just imagine what the guys at school would have thought. Mike Newton took almost six weeks to grow a pathetic looking moustache for a school play. Edward Masen I'm sure could have stubble rivalling Brad Pitt by the end of the week. I mentally shook myself back to reality. Edward was eyeing me expectantly waiting for me to select a drink. I grabbed the coke without much thought, leaving him the fanta and lemonade. My hesitation would have appeared to be over the drink choice. Little did he know I was raging an internal battle, weighing up the consequences of just laying one on him. "Hope you don't mind if I take the coke?" I muttered forcing my eyes away from his.

"No of course not, ladies choice." he breathed out, his warm minty breath caressing my skin. He took both remaining cans, placing the tray on the floor. He opened the lemonade and put the fanta aside. I thought he was going to sit back on the bean bag but he remained on the couch, leaning back and making himself comfortable. I tried to do the same but didn't feel at ease with the crackling energy that was between us. I opened the can of coke and sipped cautiously. Flicking and twisting the ring pull as a distraction.

Once we settled in to watch the movie, the electric tension remained. I became overly aware of the darkness with only the flickering light of the screen illuminating our faces. The tingling sensation wouldn't let up. It was a constant almost tangible presence in the room. I was so curious if he could feel it to, or if it was all in my head. I couldn't help myself as I occasionally looked in his direction but I was constantly aware of him in my peripheral vision. Edward seemed completely at ease. He had finished the lemonade quickly and had moved onto the fanta taking seductive sips which entranced me. His legs were stretched out crossed at the ankles. He seemed to be staring intently at the screen but I noticed him look over in my direction a few times. At one point we made eye contact and he smiled, I couldn't help but smile back in what would have been a big goofy arse grin.

I was beginning to relax, when I noticed Edward yawn. If it wasn't happening to me, I would have laughed out loud at the ironic scene that was taking place. Straight out of the scripts, Edward stretched, reaching his arm back over the top of the couch, and yes directly behind my head. I would have laughed if it was not one of the most sensual moments in my life. In the darkened room his arm brushed the back of my exposed neck sending shooting tingles right down my spine and settling in the pit of my stomach. Goosebumps pebbled all over my skin. His hand moved to grip the top of the couch and I almost signed disheartened at the loss of contact with him.

I glanced over at Alice briefly, feeling nervous in case she noticed the exchange but she seemed absorbed in the movie. Knowing he was mere inches away from my skin I couldn't help myself as I leaned back into his arm. Once again revelling in the sensations of his warm skin against my own and the energy that tore through my entire body. I barely recognised my own actions and courage moving on instinct and longing instead of shyness and fear. Edward initially looked over at me, but to my relief he just smiled and seemed to relax further slumping in his seated position. I felt like I was on a high just sitting there next to him breathing in his wonderful scent, although the physical contact was minimal, it might as well have been a warm embrace.

It must have only been a minute or so that we sat like that, although it felt like much longer as my heart had settled into a slow steady rhythm. Although I stared at the screen as did Edward, Buzz Lightyear and Woody were a colourful blur that could not avert my attention from revelling in every bit of the moment. That was all until we got a rude awakening. The main light switched on filling the room with a blinding light, Esme's voice called out.

"Dinners ready kiddo's!"

********

A/N: *SIGH* Wow I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. OMG or should I say OME physical contact of the almost sensual variety and you probably thought I would never get to it. Your patience I hope has been slightly rewarded.

Damn Emse and her terrible timing!

Enjoy your dinner and sweet dreams x