IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:

A lot of people seem to have forgotten the fact that Charlie's dead. So I'll refresh you guys on Bella's past. Her dad, Charlie, died when she was still very very young. As a result, Bella's mother went into a deep depression and attempted suicide numerous times. Now Renee lives with an at home nurse that stays with her 24/7.

I HOPE everyone read that. So you see, it's impossible for Charlie to be the cop that stops B and E.

BPOV

I was blushing so darkly that I would put a fire truck to shame. The cop stared through the window at him, his hard critical eyes moving over my disheveled state. He knew. Oh God, he knew what we had done. It was so obvious, how could he not know?

Edward cleared his throat and quickly zipped up his pants now that the cop had pointed out that his fly was unzipped. I sat quietly in the seat and began to wring my hands, trying to go crazy. We were going to get a ticket. And we would have to go to court and explain everything. How I had given Edward a blowjob while he drove and then we got caught and I had his semen all over my face and hair. Shit, we were in such deep trouble.

"Officer," Edward said reasonably, putting his hands lightly on the steering wheel. "You see, my girlfriend and I were just anxious to get home after a long day at work. We're both tired."

I thought I saw the officer's lips twitch in what was the beginning of a smile. "It doesn't seem to me that either of you were in anyway sleepy," he said, his voice tolerant.

My heart was pounding in my chest and I tried to keep my breathing shallow and untroubled. Edward, however, was as smooth as always. "We're terribly sorry, officer."

The cop leaned through the window towards me. "Bella?" His eyes widened slightly an confusion swarmed over me.

How did he know who I was?

"Bella? I don't suppose you remember me, you were just a girl when we met," he continued. "Me and your dad worked together a lot of the time when he was in LA."

Suddenly I remembered and my face got darker. "Hey, Mr. Ames," I muttered. Oh God, how could I let this happen? My father's best friend had just found Edward and me in a very compromising position. Aw, shit, I wanted the truck to swallow me whole – anything would be better than this humiliation.

"It's good to see you, Bella," Ames said, moving his eyes to Edward. "Just not in these exact circumstances. You better be damn glad it was me that pulled you over, son, and not one of the other boys on patrol tonight. You'd have more than just a ticket."

"Yes, sir, thank you," Edward replied, nodding.

I couldn't see how he could keep his composure at a time like this. I was dying of mortification.

Ames straightened up, the stern look replacing his earlier amusement. "What's your name, son?"

"Edward Cullen, sir."

The cop stared hard at Edward for a moment, as if he was taking a minute to assess his character. Finally, he spoke. "You be careful with Charlie's little girl from now on, you hear?" Ames leaned in to look at me. "And I better not see anything like this again or I won't hesitate to write you two a fat ticket. This time I'll let you two off with a warning, but not again, understand?"

I nodded vigorously, simply thankful that we weren't going to jail.

Then a grin broke over Ames' face and he leaned on his hands on the car door. "Believe me, I know what it's like to be young and in love, but just remember to abide by state laws. Just because you turned twenty not two weeks ago, doesn't mean you can endanger others on the road."

I glanced down at my lap in embarrassment, flushing. Then I realized he had said Edward and I were in love. I didn't know if I should correct him or explain our situation, but Edward said nothing so I stayed silent.

"Thank you," Edward replied politely.

"Just drive carefully from now on and keep your pants zipped up."

I blushed badly.

Edward, however, grinned conspiratorially and nodded. "Only in the car."

Then Ames walked back to his police cruiser, shaking his head with a slight smile on his lips, and drove off.

"Oh God, I want to die," I groaned, leaning forward to press my forehead hard against the dashboard. "Kill me now."

Edward chuckled and started the car. "Well tonight was certainly interesting. Although, I have to admit that I'm a little surprised he let us off with only a warning." I felt his hand, warm on my back, running soothingly up and down. "It's over now, Bella."

I groaned and sat back, my back hitting the seat. "No, it's not. Oh my God, that was the most embarrassing, mortifying, humiliating moment of my life."

He chuckled darkly. Opening my eyes, I saw that we were on the road again. By the time we were back at my apartment building, my blush was gone and I could remember the last ten minutes without an emotional rollercoaster.

I don't know how I managed to sleep with all the thoughts running through my mind, but I think that having Edward's arms around me helped.

xXx

It was the next morning that I learned of my mother's fourth suicide attempt.

I had insisted on making breakfast and was trying to work out Edward's reaction to my speech last night. I wanted so badly to know what had ran through his mind when I bared my soul but I couldn't bring myself to ask. So I continued to fry the eggs.

Then the phone rang.

"Could you get that?" I said absently, moving to pop the bread into the toaster.

Edward got up from his seat on the countertop beside me, watching me, and went to the phone. "Hello?" I noticed that his voice was gravelly from disuse. We had both been quiet this morning.

He turned to me. "It's for you. Someone by the name of Mrs. Danvers."

I froze, my hand gripping the spatula tightly. My heart rate began to rise in my chest. Mom's nurse never called me unless it was bad, unless mom had tried to kill herself again.

When my eyes lifted to the green ones that haunted my sleep, I saw concern and confusion in their depths. Quickly, I took the phone in my unsteady hands. "Hello?" I said. "Hello, Mrs. Danvers?"

"Bella!" the familiar voice began. "I'm so sorry for bothering you but it's rather urgent."

"What happened?"

"Renee attempted to crawl out the window of the 34th floor of our hotel room after we went to an art showing yesterday. I caught her of course before she succeeded, but now she demands to see you. She won't eat or take her medication."

The room began to tilt at an odd angle. How strange, I thought deliriously. Suddenly there were two steady hands on my waist, holding me securely. I looked up into emerald eyes and a reassuring smile.

"What can I do?" I asked into the phone.

"Would you mind making a quick visit to Phoenix? You mother is practically going on a hunger strike until she sees you. She hasn't eaten in over a day. If she keeps it up she'll have to be hospitalized."

"Of course. I'll be there today."

I hung up without a second thought and ran to the bedroom, my vision blurring for some reason. Then I felt the wetness on my cheeks and I knew I was crying.

"Bella," came Edward's soft yet authoritative voice. "What's wrong? Please tell me what has happened."

EPOV

She pauses in her frantic searching dresser drawer and I see tears splash onto the wood.

And I feel utterly at a loss for both words and actions.

I don't know if she wants me to hold her or if she simply wants to be frustrated for a moment as she tosses a suitcase onto the unmade bed. And I don't know what to say, except to ask her what's happened.

"My mother has attempted suicide…again." Her voice cracked on the last word. I silently crossed the room, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her to me.

I have never been able to endure a woman's tears, but this was different. Now, I wanted to extinguish her cause for weeping; I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and hold her to me and be able to truthfully tell her there was nothing to cry about because I had fixed it. Her every tear was like a needle to my heart; I felt the pain acutely.

She clutched my shirt in her fists and buried her face in my chest. I stroked the silk of her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

"I don't know why I'm crying," she muttered into my shirt, laughing mirthlessly. "She's done it before. It's just…sometimes I wonder if she thinks about how it affects me at all, if she even stops to wonder what will happen to me if she does succeed." She stopped suddenly and I knew she was fighting her tears ruthlessly.

I held her tighter, hating her tears. Bella deserved so much, infinite happiness. My heart was in nothing short of agony whilst she wept.

"Mom wants to see me," Bella began, looking up at me with watery eyes that broke my heart. "She won't eat until she sees me and I need to get there soon." Bella paused as I touched her cheek with my fingertips, trying to tell her that I would do anything in my power to help her.

"Then we will leave today," I said simply.

The ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. "You really want to go with me?"

The surprise in her voice wounded me and I brought my face closer to her.

"Why would I ever want to be anywhere else than where you are?" My voice was soft. The depth of my feelings for Bella stunned me. I had never felt any emotion as strong as this. Not lust, not greed, not hunger or pain. It was almost as terrifying how much I loved her, how much I cared for her. In that moment, I realized that I would give everything for her happiness, even if it meant forsaking my own. "How long do we expect to be there?" I asked.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I didn't think to ask."

I began to fill my own bag that I had brought with me nearly two weeks ago. "There might be plane tickets still available online; if not then we'll have to drive to phoenix."

"Edward?" she asked quietly, almost as if she were afraid of her words.

I turned to her to find her looking at me with such hope blazing in her eyes that it nearly took my breath away. I tried to think of what could have changed her mood so swiftly. I wondered if it was because of what I had said. Silently chastising myself, I realized that my guard was slipping dangerously. I could no longer remember why exactly I had pushed her away so often, why I had told myself that we would never work.

Unfortunately, my mind reminded me.

It was always concern for Bella's well being that I knew we couldn't be together. Recently, I had accidently let my feelings show. I had just a monumental slip just now but there was nothing I could do to remedy it. And yet, I found I as glad that she had heard me.

For the first time since I knew I loved Bella, I wondered if it would really be so bad to quit escorting and stay with the captivating woman sitting on that bed, to hold her and talk to her, and make love to her for the rest of our lives.

"Thank you," she finally said.

I knew it would take me an eternity to unravel the emotion behind those two simple words.

xXx

Yes, there were plane tickets available – through some miracle – and no, it didn't take long for us to arrive in Phoenix, Arizona.

During the flight, Bella told me haltingly of her mother, how she never talked and only communicated through pen and paper when absolutely necessary. Bella's father's death had completely destroyed Renee and Bella'd had to take care of herself from a young age.

"How long does it take to get to your home from the airport?" I asked as we went through the airport doors into the Arizona sunshine.

I heard her breathe in quickly – surprised. "I don't remember, but Mrs. Danvers has come to pick us up." She pointed to a large tannish minivan with a middle-aged woman behind the wheel. The woman pulled up in front of us and smiled warmly.

"Bella, hurry," Mrs. Danvers said when the window was down. "I don't like leaving your mother alone for any amount of time. Oh hello," she said, noticing me.

After short introductions, Bella and I climbed into the minivan. I was surprised that Bella opted to sit in the back with me. Unable to let there be anything parting us, I pulled her into my lap.

As Bella talked with Mrs. Danvers, I touched her throat, her arms, her beautiful hands. I wanted to imprint her beauty and character into my mind.

An internal battle waged within me. I remembered Bella's speech to me last night at the swing. We both were soaked, drenched in love. Remembering the raw truth of her words softened my soul. I wanted to be with her, I wanted to be more than just her "toy".

And, damn it, if I didn't long for my fantasy to become reality, for me to grow old with my angel, my Bella.

I loved her.

And I had no idea what to do about it.

Let me apologize for this chapter. Although it's a huge one (for content, not length), it could have been executed better. 3 chapters tops until the HUGE moment (I'll let you guys decide what that is ;) And I swear there is lemons coming……because I can't live without them. lol

PLEASE please review. It would really mean a lot to me, thank you.

Love you guys! :D

-Ori