Planned for this to go up much earlier today, but I cuddled with my son and we passed out. Got to love holiday weekends.

The Proposal

The door swung open as we stepped onto the porch.

Charlie stood just inside the door with his shotgun pointed right at my chest.

Great…

"What the fuck, Dad? Put that down."

"Sorry, B, wasn't sure if this guy was holding you hostage."

I tried my best to contain my laughter, but I guess I didn't do a good enough job, because Charlie jerked the gun forward just a bit. The barrel hit my chest.

"Mr. Swan, I promise you that I have not been holding her hostage. She has stayed of her own free will." I raised my hands in surrender.

Charlie chuckled. "You are a fun one to screw with." He lowered the gun and set it against wall. "Come in, kids." He turned around and started to walk into the house.

"Dad, should you be up like this? Did the doctor say that it was okay to be holding weapons again?"

"It wasn't loaded, B. Don't worry." Charlie made his way to his recliner and took a seat. Even sitting, he was pretty intimidating.

I looked over at Bella and she was rolling her eyes. "Sorry about that."

I leaned down so only she would be able to hear me. "It's worth it, if it's what it takes to have you." I lightly kissed the side of her head.

She pulled back and smiled up at me. "Don't think smooth words will get you out of trouble. I still haven't forgotten that you called him." She pointed at her dad with that.

She winked, smacked my ass then skipped ahead of me. "So, Dad, I'm going to stay with Mr. Cullen tonight."

Why did she have to call me that? It made me sound like I was her elder or some shit.

Charlie turned in his chair and looked at me where I was still standing in the entryway. I was sure I looked insanely anxious.

"Son, would you mind coming over here? We need to talk. Isabella, to your room."

"Charlie, I'm an adult."

I walked up behind Bella and wrapped my arms around her. She relaxed into me. "It has nothing to do with him wanting to control you, go upstairs. I'll handle this," I whispered into her ear.

She nodded and left me, alone with her father, who was now sitting on the edge of his chair, glaring at me.

"Sir-"

"Don't you sir me. What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Intentions?" This was not what I expected!

"Yes, intentions! My Isabella is young and impressionable and I will be damned if she is going to be coerced into doing whatever it is you want from her, pretty boy!"

Was he for real?

"Sir, I care greatly for your daughter. I would never do something to her that she didn't want…"

"So you are saying you have done something to her?"

Fuck my life.

"Uh…"

"Is that all you have to say? And here I thought you were intellectual."

"Sir," I paused and took a step closer to the chair. I leaned down so I was close to his face. Part of me thought maybe he would punch me, but that didn't matter. "I care for your daughter more than you could ever imagine. I will take good care of her, I promise."

I prayed he trusted me.

"Okay, but if you hurt her-"

"I won't."

"Then we won't have any problems." He winked at me before settling back into his chair and turning on the TV.

This is one fucking weird family.

"So what was that about?" Bella asked when I walked into her room. She was lying on her bed, with her pillow propped against the headboard and well, she was half naked.

"Uh…Bella." Words escaped me as she uncrossed then recrossed her legs. The barely-there lace that covered her was teasing me.

"Come here." She curled her finger, beckoning me to her.

I took a step toward her. She looked fucking spectacular. But then it hit me, we were still in her room, in her father's house and he had a gun.

I was fond of my balls. I wanted to keep them.

"Baby, we can't."

She moaned. "Say it again."

"We can't…"

"No, what you said before that."

"Baby?"

She closed her eyes and a smile graced her face. "Yeah, that."

I climbed up on her bed. "I will call you baby all night long if you put on some clothes before your dad comes up here." I put my hand on her bare belly and kissed her temple.

"He won't be back up here until later…we would have time." She turned her head and looked at me. We were nose to nose, her stomach rising and falling under my hand with every breath she took.

I closed my eyes. "We need to wait. I don't need your father waiting and shooting me once I go back down there."

She sighed and rolled away from me. "Fine." She jumped up, left the lace on and threw a pair of sweatpants over top.

I lay on her bed, watching her as she pulled her hair up in a ponytail. I just realized that it was a bit damp. She must have showered while I was down with her dad.

"What you staring at?" she asked as she smiled at me.

"Just you." She was beautiful and so natural. In sweats and no makeup she looked better than most women did after hours of pampering.

"Well stop, you're freakin' me out." She pulled a duffle bag out of her closet and threw some clothes into it. Definitely more than one night's worth of clothes. She left the room and I followed her with my eyes. She came back with a hair brush and her toothbrush.

"Ready to go, baby?"

"Oh, Edward, so very ready." She held her hand out for me to take. I reached for her and pulled her to me.

She giggled as she fell onto me. "What was that for? I thought you wanted to stay out of bed?"

"Just want to feel you on me." I brushed a piece of hair back out of her face.

The moment was right. I should tell her… now.

"Bella…"

"Yeah?"

"I-"

"Isabella, you and that pretty boy get down here! I don't need to be a grandpa!"

And my moment, ruined!

I wanted to carry Bella into my apartment... but I figured that was too matrimonial, so I carried her bag while she walked.

"Sorry about my dad. I won't use any of the stuff he gave me," she said as we made our way from the parking lot to my door.

When we left her room and went back down to where Charlie sat, again holding his rifle, he lectured Bella on safety. Just when I thought he was going to give her a box of condoms, he handed her a pocket knife, with a blade that was longer than legal standards, and some mace.

"Uh, not to worry. He has every right to be nervous about you staying with some strange man." I smiled at her.

"Edward, you are far from strange."

I fumbled getting the key into the lock… I guess it would help if I was looking at the lock instead of her.

"So, what cartoons are we watching tonight, baby?" I asked as we walked into the living room.

"Um, well I was thinking we would look and see if The Power Puff Girls are on," she replied as she headed toward the balcony window.

"And why that one? What is special about the, uh, Power Puff Girls?"

"Well, because they are just like me." Oh, her expression was classic. She looked appalled and amused at once.

"You're like a cartoon character?" I cocked my eyebrow at her.

"Mr. Cullen, I guess you didn't know," she paused and walked back toward me, "but I'm sugar and spice and everything nice." She smiled and winked.

Uh, okay…

"Do you not agree?" Her voice was light and carefree.

"Oh, baby, I agree… I think." I smiled at her and she smiled back before getting on her tip toes and kissing my cheek.

I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around me and I carried her across the room. I pressed her back against the wall and my front against hers.

She let out a moan before I covered her mouth with mine. Our tongues teased each other.

Her fingers ran through my hair. She tugged on the ends and I was on fire. I needed more.

I pulled her away from the wall and carried her to my bed, where I wanted to show her with actions what my words had yet to tell her.

'Sugar, spice, and everything nice… These were the ingredients chosen… To create the perfect little girls… But Professor Utonium accidentally added an extra ingredient… to the concoction - Chemical X… Thus, The Powerpuff Girls were born… '

Bella was wrapped in my sheets. Her head was lying on my chest, and I ran my fingers through her hair as we watched The Power Puff Girls.

This was a first.

"Edward?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Which power puff girl do you think I am like?"

"Excuse me?"

"Which one? Blossom, Bubbles or Buttercup?"

"Uh… baby, this is the first time I have ever watched this show, so um…"

"Well, Blossom is the commander. She keeps shit in check, kinda. And Bubbles, well she is joy and the laughter. And Buttercup could kick your ass. Which one am I the most like?"

"I would, uh, say Bubbles?"

Is she for real? Love must really be blind because this is the most insane conversation I've ever had.

The power puff girls were keeping the people of Townsville, really Townsville, safe and I was lost on Bella. She would giggle at something funny in the cartoon and I watched the smile on her face change. She was playing with the hair on my lower belly while she watched.

It was the most erotic and innocent thing all at the same time.

The three little girls who were too young to be out alone had just taken down the evil villain, Mojo Jojo. The end credits started to roll. Had that much time passed?

I was thinking of ways to tell Bella that I loved her. I knew I needed to tell her before too much more time passed. Over dinner? With wine and roses? At a park as the sun set? I briefly considered in the shower, but she would probably get hurt so… maybe not that one. Either way, there were so many options…

"Edward?"

"Huh?"

"Did you hear anything I said?"

Uh, no… too focused on you and my love for you…

"Sorry."

"Just wanted to ask you if you wanted to order in for dinner."

"I love you."

"Wha?"

Oh… I said that out loud…