A/N: Sans beta, as you know. Sorry for any confusion about the banner. There was no significance to it. Waveward wasn't giving her a message. He's a to-the-point kind of guy anyhow, ya know? ;)

Just to recap, Waveward picked B up for their first date and convinced her to climb to the roof of a building by whispering naughty-like in her ear. They then watched a banner plane fly directly above them. This is actually much more awesome than I managed to describe it. We pick up right where we left of. Be sure to read the previous chappy so you'll understand a few references!

~whispers~ Play 'I Go To The Barn Because I Like The' by Band of Horses while you read this first part. If you wanna... Js... ;)

prompt: (none from now one because I failed that Witfit task good & proper)

BPOV

It turns out that we're on the roof of an old hangar that's used for storage now. It's in a field just beyond the runway of a small airport used primarily by banner pilots and the occasional private plane. Edward assures me that the building is very much up to code and, while it doesn't do much to comfort me, I force myself not to care right this second. The excitement of what he's just shown me is still too fresh. I'll save that particular panic attack for when it's time to climb down.

"How long have you been coming here?"

He pulls his knees closer to his chest and wraps his arms loosely around his legs, looking out over the field in front of us as he answers me. We've somehow ended up close enough to one another that his thigh brushes against my knee as he does so.

"For a couple of years now. I found it one day back when I was training. I was the newbie so they stuck me with the dirty jobs. I had to haul parts and whatnot back and forth for the first few weeks. Anyway, I got curious when I'd hear the planes overhead, so I climbed up here and just... never stopped coming back."

He glances at me and I'm beginning to recognize his small shrug as something he does when he's talking about himself. For as confident as he is, there's a genuine modesty there as well. It's a rare attribute and very endearing. I lean my shoulder into him and revel in the slight pressure he pushes back with.

"Well, I'm glad you brought me here. That was amazing, Edward. Thank you."

He answers with a small smile and I return it. The sun is lower in the sky now, leaving behind streaks of yellow and pink across the horizon. The light paints Edward's profile golden, simultaneously highlighting and shadowing the angles of his face and making his eyes even bluer. Being this close to him causes my stomach to twist in anticipation.

A glint from his neck catches my attention. Once again, his necklace is tucked into his shirt, but this time I decide to act my curiosity. I extend my index finger and lightly rub it over the small section of chain that I can see, looking to him for permission. He glances down at my hand and nods, so I hook the tip of my finger under the box chain and slowly pull it from beneath his shirt. It's warmed by his body heat and I'm positive it must be the single luckiest piece of jewelry on the planet.

I pull the pendant free and let it come to rest flat on my open palm. It's round and silver, too. About the size of a dime, it shows the image of a man wading across water, a staff in hand and a small child on his back. A memory tugs at the back of my mind from when I was younger. From before everything went so wrong.

"St. Christopher?"

"You know it?"

I scoff at the surprise in his voice before plastering a wide, excited smile across my face. "I saw it once on a trip into town. And sometimes, when we adjust the bunny ears just right, we can even get cable!"

He shakes his head at my sarcasm and laughs. "Now who's the smart ass?"

I laugh lightly with him and explain. "My grandmother on my dad's side is Catholic and she had all these creepy statues of saints over her fireplace. They used to freak me out as a kid." I rub my thumb over the pendant as I try to recall its significance. "Saint Christopher, patron saint of..."

"Travelers," he says looking down at my palm, where his gaze stays as he speaks. "My dad had one just like it that my mom gave him when he became a cop. The job didn't exactly fall under traveler, and we're not even Catholic, but it was about the sentiment. She gave it to him to keep him safe, in her own way. And after he died, before she left, she gave me my own. Made me promise never to take it off."

I remember how I've yet to see him without it on. How it was one of the first things I noticed about him. "And you don't."

He looks into my eyes now, a gentle conviction to his voice. "No. Never."

He drops his chin to rest on his bicep, bringing his face closer to mine and looks up at me with the sexiest smirk. I tuck my hair behind my ear and look away when the temptation to climb him becomes too great.

"So what is it that you really wanna be doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, instead of Cornell."

I can't stop the curve of my lips at the very thought of it. I have to look away from him again when I start to lose my train of thought though. We're sitting so close and damn, he's handsome - ridiculously so - and it's distracting. Especially when he hits me with the eye contact and genuine interest in what I'm saying. I don't speak about this very often. And any time the topic comes up with Renee, it's in the form of an argument – one that's become easier to avoid than engage in. But here, with him, my usual hesitation is nowhere to be found. I can't help it...I wrap a smile around the words.

"Marine biology."

"Why am I not surprised? The ocean? Get out."

I slap his arm with the back of my hand and he laughs.

Feeling a surge of excitement and feeling silly for it, I keep my eyes locked down on a few loose strings coming from Optimus Prime's face.

"When I was twelve, my parents took me to Hawaii on vacation. Well, really it was for a medical conference my dad had to go to for work, but Renee wanted us to make a family thing of it or whatever. Anyway, the hotel was advertising this scuba camp thing for kids and I asked if I could go. I just didn't feel like lying around by the pool all week with my mom while Charlie worked, but it ended up being this insane thing! I got to swim with sharks and stingrays. I rode a dolphin and fed whales and just spent the entire day in the water." I laugh through my nose. "I think I was the only kid there actually paying attention to everything they were trying to teach us about marine life and the ocean. I was just...absolutely fascinated. It took me completely by surprise. After that, I devoured anything I could find on the subject. I still do."

He just stares at me with a thoughtful look on his face, but doesn't say anything. The silence drives me crazy though, so I break it.

"What?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing...just... Well, don't take this the wrong way, but how can you stand not going after it?"

I know exactly what he means. It's not as if I haven't had this silent argument with myself before. I shrug, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation is headed in.

"I don't know. New York isn't so bad. I'm lucky, really."

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I'm slapped with the realization of how insulting they may sound to him. If he takes offense, he doesn't show it. He nods and I'm grateful that he doesn't push me on the subject, but chooses instead to provide the levity like only he can.

"You know, since I – and I quote – did good, do I get a reward?"

I narrow my eyes playfully at him and lean back an inch or two. He holds his hands up in mock surrender and shrugs. "Hey – your words, not mine."

"And just what did you have in mind?"

"Well..." Inching himself closer to me, he rests his arm on my leg so that his wrist curls around my knee. He gently coaxes me to rest my leg over his thigh and slowly brings his face closer. I close my eyes, lost in the sensation of his cheek against mine. I lean into him as he drags the side of his lips down my cheek and stops at the corner of my mouth. Eager to have his lips on mine again, I turn into the almost kiss but meet only his jaw as his mouth rises up to my ear. "...you could tell me about my nickname."

My eyes fly open and I shove his chest while he dissolves into laughter.

"Dick!"

Leaning back onto one elbow, he laughs through his words.

"No, no." Laugh. "Not dick." Laugh. "Poseidon." Laugh.

I shake my head at him and smile, trying to stay serious and losing the fight. "Oh, I'm really not telling you now. No way."

Somewhat sober from his laughter, he sits up. "What? That's not fair. I told you about yours!"

Feeling satisfied by the shift in power, I flip my hair over my shoulder and cross my arms over my chest. "Yeah, well, that's what you get for teasing, buddy."

"Teasing? Oh no, Bella. No teasing."

Before I know it, he lunges forward. With a half-squeal, half-laugh, I find myself pinned beneath him in the most unexpected and glorious way. Our legs tangle and he holds himself above me on his forearms, my hands clutching his biceps. Though he's being careful not to crush me, what I can feel of him pressed against me causes my laughter to fade into shaky breaths. He swallows, his eyes fixed on my mouth. Anxious for him, I lift my head as he lowers his. Just before our lips touch, I feel his thumb graze over my earlobe and down the side of my neck. The pressure of his mouth causes me to rest my head back against the blanket and I want...more. I angle my mouth against his and I get it.

More.

Deeper.

He moans as his tongue brushes mine and his fingers weave into the hair at the crown of my head. I react with a whimper, cupping his face and lightly biting his bottom lip when I realize he's pulling away. He kisses me again, a gentle peck, and backs his head away.

"Tell me? Please?"

He fights dirty. So dirty. Like, with pleading eyes and rubbing his lips against mine kind of dirty playing. But I won't go down quite that easy. I might be on my back, but there's no way I'm tapping out.

"You know, I kinda like this leverage I have. I think I'll hang on to it for a while."

Unexpectedly, his smile falters for just a second. "A while, huh?"

Confused, I search his eyes, but then he seems to realize what I'm doing and smiles down at me again, wickedly this time. "You know, I have a feeling this story is gonna be gooooood. I can just tell by the fear in your eyes every time I ask."

He laughs again and damn it, he's got me there. The adorable jerk. Catching him off guard, I push on his shoulders and roll us until he's underneath me. My hair hangs around our faces like a curtain and I waste no time in kissing the hell out of him. For the second time.

Because I know how he likes even numbers and all.

.

.

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I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW how much I suck for how long this update took. Believe me, I know. Please don't hate mehhhhh! A pic of Waveward's necklace is up on my profile if you're interested. Not much happening here, but the plot moveth along, I promise you. This chappy was supposed to be longer, but I had to end it here. It just didn't make sense not to cut it in half. Sorry! The next one will be up tomorrow!

RIP, Just4ALE. You were taken entirely too soon and will be painfully missed. God bless you and keep you, baby.

~jada~