The plane ride home seemed long, probably because Bella was awake. She had missed the entire original flight because of the Dramamine Edward fed her before they left. She curled up next to Edward on this one, snuggling against him as he wrapped an arm around her.
She angled her face up so she could study his. She loved him so much, that it caused a physical ache in her heart. Love was a funny thing. A year ago, the focus of her love was her parents. They were her center, what kept her grounded. Her home base.
It was all changing now; her mother was gone and that had created a huge gaping hole in her heart. Bella knew this was going to change, maybe even break Charlie, and she didn't know if she had enough love left to fix him.
The focus of her life, of her love, had shifted. Edward was the center of her life now. It was like she had absorbed him, and he had become part of her. They were one.
He must have felt her watching him, because Edward looked down at her. Her skin looked chalkier than usual and the smudges under his eyes made him look almost sick. Bella reached up and touched his cheek, and Edward's lips curved into a smile as he eyes drifted shut.
"I really love you," Bella whispered. Edward's eyes opened and he turned his head slightly to kiss her hand.
"I love you, too," Edward replied, his beautiful face solemn.
"Everything is different now," Bella said softly. "Isn't it?"
"I suppose it is," he nodded.
"What will we do?" she questioned.
"We'll go back to Forks," Edward responded, his melodical voice quiet. They were in the first class cabin, in their own row, to afford the most privacy possible.
"We'll go back to Forks, and we'll get Black," Edward continued. "I know I let you down, Bella. I don't even know how to express myself - how sorry I am. Everything that I want to say just seems so pitiful. I should have known. And now… now it's too late."
Bella moved her hand across his cheek to the back of his neck and pulled his head down to her level.
"I don't blame you," she whispered, her voice caressing his cheek. "I never have, and I never will. Nothing that has happened has been your fault. Jim Black is sick, and the blame lies with him."
Edward closed his eyes, as if he was too ashamed to look at her while he spoke. "You're so innocent, Bella. Naïve, even. What we have between us is dramatic and huge and amazing, but don't let it blind you. I am a monster. I am evil. I'm just as bad as Black, if not worse."
This time Bella cupped his face with both hands and forced him to look at her. Tears filled her eyes and her throat tightened. "Stop it, Edward."
He shook his head and Bella felt her chest constrict.
"Don't you understand? You're the one who can't see clearly," Bella argued. "You're not like him. You're nothing like him. He is evil. What you've done for me - you're good, Edward!"
Edward smoothed her hair back and touched his lips to her forehead. "I know you believe that, Bella. It's just hard for me to accept that. Sometimes I wonder if you'd be better off without me…"
He heard the sharp intake of Bella's breath.
"But don't worry," Edward whispered. "I'm far too selfish to ever let you go."
By the time Charlie pulled up to the house, Bella and Edward were watching a movie in the living room while a baked ziti casserole warmed in the oven. Edward nudged Bella to alert her and she hopped up to open the front door.
Charlie seemed to have aged ten years. The lines in his face were deep and his eyes weary. Bella felt a lump form in her throat and she threw her arms around him.
"I love you, Daddy," she said into his neck. "I'm glad you're home."
"Me too, Bells," Charlie sighed, hugging her tightly. He released her and she stepped back, rubbing her hands on her jeans uncertainly.
"I made some ziti," Bella mumbled, gesturing to the kitchen. "I don't know if you're hungry…"
"Yeah, I'm starved," Charlie nodded. He looked at the doorway to the living room that Edward's tall frame suddenly filled. "Thanks for taking care of things at this end, Edward. I appreciate it."
Edward nodded and took Charlie's outstretched hand. Charlie shook it firmly and nodded again, an unspoken indication of his gratitude.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Charlie asked him.
Edward looked at Bella uncertainly. "I already ate. Do you two maybe want some time alone…?"
"Let me speak freely," Charlie said, clearing his throat. "I know I haven't given you both the easiest time, because, frankly, I know what teenage boys are thinking of."
Edward shifted uncomfortably and folded his arms in front of him, while Bella's eyes flickered shut and her cheeks reddened.
"Yeah," Charlie nodded. "I wasn't born yesterday, but one of the last conversations I had with Renee was about you two. Y'know, I think you guys are unnaturally close, but she seemed to think that you were good for each other."
"And I appreciate the way you take care of her, Edward. I know that I won't be around forever," Charlie paused, clearing his throat.
Bella felt her chin quiver and blinked rapidly to force away her tears.
"And…well, if anything does happen to me, there is no one else I'd rather watch out for her," Charlie mumbled.
"Yes, sir," Edward said softly.
"Don't talk like that, Dad," Bella cut in, swallowing hard. "Come on, let's sit down and eat. Wash up first, okay?"
Much later that night, Edward kissed her neck and whispered that he needed to go hunt.
"Emmett has just arrived," he said, speaking softly because Charlie was asleep. "Would you feel safer if he came inside?"
"He's out there now?" Bella asked, sitting up in her bed.
Edward's hands moved to her shoulders and he gently pressed her back into her bed. "You need to sleep, Bella. I'll be back shortly, I promise. I don't plan to go very far."
"How far?" she asked, trying to keep the twinge of anxiety she felt out of her voice.
"Not even further than our meadow," he said soothingly. "I'll have Emmett come inside and sit at the window."
"Okay," Bella readily agreed.
Edward kissed her again and she reluctantly let go of his hand. He opened up the window and Emmett jumped in, landing soundlessly. Edward spoke quickly to him, but his voice was too low for Bella to hear.
"Sleep, Bella," Edward called quietly. He ducked under the window and disappeared from sight. The sky was inky black and clouds drifted over the moon, eliminating its glow.
"I'll be right here, Bella," Emmett whispered. He pushed the window all the way open and sat half in, half out, turning his back to Bella.
Bella crawled underneath her blankets and drew them up to her chin. She kept her eyes trained on Emmett's back. After a few moments, she heard him humming softly and she smiled; that must have been what Edward had discussed with Emmett before he left.
It was a good try, Bella thought, still smiling. And it gave her a warm fuzzy feeling that Edward knew her so well and Emmett was so willing to make her comfortable. She yawned, but was too restless to fall asleep.
She had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. She couldn't shake Charlie's speech from earlier; it kept replaying in her head. He spoke as if he knew something was going to happen to him. She was grateful for Emmett's presence for Charlie's sake - not hers.
The uneasy thoughts kept her awake until Edward return. True to his word, he was gone less than an hour. He entered the room as silently as he had left it, and murmured a few words to Emmett. Emmett glanced back at Bella and nodded, then leapt out of the window.
Edward walked over to her bed and shook his head. "You're supposed to be asleep."
Bella smiled. "I guess Emmett doesn't hum as well as you."
Edward smiled ruefully and laid down on top of the blankets, moving close to her side. Bella placed her hand on his chest and kissed his cool cheek. "You smell like outside," she whispered.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly, sitting up. Bella grabbed his arm and shook her head, pulling him back down.
"No, I mean you smell like the air. Cool. Like nighttime," she clarified. Edward relaxed at her side again. "And your clothes are cold."
She slipped her hand under his shirt, grazing it over his firm abdominal muscles. Bella heard his sharp intake of breath and glanced up at his face. It was too dark to really see his eyes, but his lips were parted and his chest rose and fell with his breaths. She flattened her palm on his stomach and felt the muscles bunch underneath her hand.
Bella pulled herself up so she was lying on her side. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her. She leaned forward to unbutton his shirt and expose his chest. She pushed it aside and kissed his cool skin.
"Bella," he exhaled.
She kissed up his chest to the base of his throat. Edward's hands went up to her waist and balanced her as she moved over to straddle him. His hands skimmed up and down her sides, underneath her top.
He waited until her mouth was teasing his jaw to guide her mouth to his, and then he devoured her. He tried to be gentle and go slow but Bella's lips were ruthless; she licked and sucked and bit if he took too long.
Edward opened his mouth and swallowed up Bella's moan. He felt her hot, wet tongue touch his and Bella's fingers pulled at his hair. His tightened his grip on her hips and slid her body back just a bit so her legs straddle his waist.
Bella immediately felt his huge erection. She planted her hands on the pillow on either side of Edward's hand and arched her back, grinding against him. Edward groaned and his hands reached under her shirt again, this time palming her breasts and tweaking her nipples.
She gasped and ground down on him harder. Bella stretched out on top of him, her hips still rolling as she teased them both, and gently nipped his earlobe. His breathing was choppy and his chest was heaving, so she did it again and then sucked it into her mouth.
"Bella!" Edward whispered breathlessly, rolling them both over so he was on top of her. Her arms encircled his neck and he crushed his mouth to hers, taking everything he could from her. His tongue swept inside of her mouth and tangled with hers.
He finally raised his head to give her a chance to breathe and took the opportunity to tug her shirt up. Bella arched her back as his mouth moved to her breasts. He kissed the smooth skin between her cleavage, and then nuzzled her nipples with his lips. When he finally opened his mouth, he sucked one of her nipples inside, flicking it with his tongue, Bella was writhing beneath him.
Edward yanked her shirt over her head. Bella hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her shorts, pushing them down while Edward fumbled with his zipper.
Edward cursed. His fingers felt thick and clumsy and his hands were shaking. He couldn't get his pants off fast enough. He needed to be inside of Bella. He needed to sink deep inside of her and have her mewling and moaning in his ear. He finally got the fly down and shoved his pants to his knees.
Bella grabbed his hips and pulled them forward, so his swollen dick rubbed against her stomach. He moved his hips slightly so that it was sandwiched between his stomach and Bella's. Edward buried his face in the crook of her neck and moaned, his hips beginning to pump involuntarily.
"Come on," Bella moaned. Edward's mouth covered hers again, trying to keep her quiet so Charlie didn't wake up.
Edward reached between them and grabbed his cock. He rubbed it over her slick opening and the warmth was overwhelming. His hips bucked violently and he pulled Bella down as he thrust upwards, and her body swallowed him up whole.
"God," he cried. The penetration was so deep and intense that he couldn't breathe. He was afraid he hurt Bella, but she was breathing just as hard as him and her greedy hands were on his ass, trying to make him begin moving.
"Bella," he groaned. "You're so…"
He withdrew and then thrust in again, just as deep, and Bella moaned. Edward reached up to hold onto her bed frame. He took a deep breath and pulled almost all the way out. Bella's fingers dug into his back and he plunged into her, this time faster and over and over and over.
Her breathing sped up with the speed of his hips and soon she was trying to meet his thrusts and bring him deeper. Edward released the headboard and grabbed her hips, tilting her pelvis up, pounding into her. Bella pressed her mouth against his shoulder, trying not to scream, because this new angle had him brushing against something wonderful and she couldn't hold on much longer.
Edward felt the beginnings of Bella's orgasm. She squirmed underneath, trying to get closer and he sped up, moving impossibly faster, until she finally cried out and arched against him, her mouth open in a silent scream.
Her slick, hot walls rippled around him and squeezed an orgasm from his body. Edward shuddered and groaned and erupted inside of her, moving until her last whimper had quieted.
She wrapped her arms around his neck again and kissed him just as thoroughly as before. Her chest rose and fell, just like his, and the skin of their lower stomachs stuck together with sweat. .
"You're amazing," Bella whispered, peppering kisses on his face. "I never knew anything could feel like this."
"Neither did I." Edward smiled, capturing his lips with hers.
She smiled too, and he could feel the relaxation in her body. He gently pulled out of her and Bella quickly rolled on her side to snuggle into him. Edward originally planned on getting dressed, but she fell asleep against him so quickly. He didn't have the heart to wake her up, so he suffered through the entire night as her smooth, warm thigh brushed his dick. He gladly endured the torture.
"What are you doing?" Emmett asked, frowning at Carlisle.
Rosalie rolled her eyes and moved over on the couch so Emmett could flop down besides her. Carlisle stood in front of the big mirror, trying on different pairs of glasses.
"You don't need glasses all of a sudden, right?" Emmett asked. He looked around with worry. "I mean, am I going to need glasses someday? I thought - "
"Your vision is fine," Jasper interjected.
Esme smiled at Carlisle and looked at Emmett. "Carlisle thinks he looks older with glasses on."
Emmett looked at Carlisle skeptically. Carlisle slipped on a third pair and his face lit up.
"Look!" he said excitedly, whirling around to show them. "Look, I look at least five years older! Don't I?"
"Totally, way older," Jasper snickered.
Carlisle snorted in disgust and looked to Esme. She stood up and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Oh, sweetie, you look just fine with or without the glasses," she cooed.
"But I want to look older," he said dejectedly.
"Yeah, any update on Black?" Emmett asked quickly, before the two lovebirds could progress any farther.
"Haven't picked up a trace of him," Alice said sadly, speaking for the first time. "I think we're going to have to talk to the wolves. Maybe see if there is a way we can track him. They might know something we don't."
Jasper put his arm around Alice and hugged her to his side. He kissed her head and murmured to her.
"It's not your fault, Alice," Rosalie said kindly. "The filthy mutts are defective. It has nothing to do with you or your visions."
"I know," Alice said in the same morose voice. "If I could just have a stupid vision… maybe then I could help Bella and Edward. I'm useless like this!"
"I'll call Sam in the morning," Carlisle decided. "That was a good idea, Alice. Maybe we'll figure something out. Sam doesn't want any more blood on his hands."
The group fell into silence, their minds running over different plans and schemes. Emmett leaned back into his seat and relaxed. He observed his family, all so serious and so committed to a successful resolution to this problem. His eyes rested on Carlisle.
"You know," Emmett said thoughtfully. They all looked up at him expectantly. Emmett focused on Carlisle. "The glasses really do make you look older."
yeah, yeah, another lemon :) figured i owed you guys.