Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, although I'd love to!

Author's Note: I'm not sure why I struggled so much with this chapter. I guess because this is pretty much a transitional chapter and I always struggle more with those. During my writer's block I had an idea for another totally different story, an AU focused on Jasper called Faded Memories. Check it out if you get the time. I'd like to hear your opinions. It worked too…writing it seems to have primed my mental juices and then this chapter came right together afterward.

21. Transition, Progression and Conversation

Waking up every morning in my fiancé Seth's arms has always been a pleasure. Waking up in my husband Seth's arms was pure and unadulterated heaven. My whole world was brighter and everything smelled and felt better. It was now sometime in the late morning and was the second or maybe third time I had woken up since falling asleep in his arms after we made our eternal vows to one another on the balcony last night. We sort of found it hard to keep our hands to ourselves after so very long of having to keep ourselves in check.

I think we would both have happily stayed in that bed all day long, but our rumbling stomachs had other ideas. I rolled to look over at my insanely handsome husband who was still sound asleep despite the loud grumble emanating from his stomach to which mine seemed to answer back just as loudly. I giggled and decided that instead of waking him up I would surprise him with a little thank you for all of the sweet and wonderful work he had put into my birthday the day before.

I rolled to my other side attempting to get out of bed without waking him but found myself being pulled back by warm strong arms into Seth's warm and oh so incredibly sculpted chest. I giggled and rolled over to lay my head on his chest and drape my arm across his torso as I gently ran my hand back and forth across his tan rippled muscles. I couldn't help the devilish smile that filled my face as I thought possessively… MINE! All Mine! Totally and completely MINE!

"Okay, where do you think you're going…and why are you smiling so wickedly right now?"

I giggled again placing a few strategically placed butterfly kisses on the beautiful abs I now claim in the name of Angelina Cullen…soon to be legally Clearwater. Too bad I couldn't put a flag there or something as proof. Well, actually I guess the ring on his finger is all the flag I'll ever need.

"Hello? Earth to Lina," he said with an amused look in his eyes as the swiped his hand in front of my face a few times. I looked up at him through my eyelashes with my chin propped on my hand that lay flat across his newly claimed abs.

"I was going to go bring you lunch in bed since our stomachs seem to be rebelling against the lack of food. They've been gurgling back and forth like they are strategizing for a revolt." I answered with a giggle and he laughed too placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Okay, that explains where you were going, but that smile was far too devious to be about gurgling tummies." Oh this man knew me way too well.

I blushed and buried my head in his chest too embarrassed to admit what I had really been thinking. He chuckled and wiggled his finger under my chin lifting it to look at him. "You know you can tell me anything Angel."

"It's too embarrassing," I moaned pushing my head back down. He leaned up and grabbed my shoulders pulling me from his chest to look at him with a wide smile on his face.

"Please tell me Angel. You've got me wondering what in the world after the things we shared last night and this morning could be so embarrassing that you don't feel you can share it with me now."

My face was ten shades of red and I clenched my eyes shut. I took a deep breath before rambling out almost too quickly for him to catch, "IWasThinkingAboutHowYourSexyAbsAreMineNow."

He laughed as I peeked through one squinted eye to see the desire that sparked in his eyes as he grabbed me and flipped me so I was lying underneath him on the bed. His dark eyes smoldered down at me. "That's nothing to be embarrassed about because I was thinking the same thing about every," he leaned down to kiss my collarbone, "… single piece," he shifted to kiss my right bicep, "…of your beautiful," his kisses trailed from my bicep down my arm before jumping from my wrist to my stomach, "…body this morning when you woke me up the first time," I moaned a little as he kissed my stomach a few more times before moving back up to kiss my lips, "…and the second," leaning back again he smiled deviously down at me, "and most definitely the third."

I pushed my hand against his chest looking him in the eye with my crooked smile plastered to my face. "Excuse me? I happen to remember that it was YOU that woke ME up the second time and the third."

He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'm glad you feel that way because I am yours, in every possible way."

I smiled up at the beautiful man that just told me he was mine, really and truly mine, and I was his. I nibbled on my lower lip and the smoldering embers in his eyes raged into a bright flame of desire as he leaned down and kissed me passionately. Our kisses were getting intense enough that I was pretty sure we wouldn't be getting lunch anytime soon until my stomach groaned and gurgled loudly causing my stomach muscles to literally vibrate against his chest. He pulled back and looked up at me in amusement for a second before his stomach groaned with matching vehemence and he laughed and tossed his head back.

"They really do sound like they're planning a mutiny don't they?"

I nodded and he smiled leaning down for another short sweet kiss before getting up and offering me his hand. I took it and he helped me off the bed leading me to the huge walk in closet that I hadn't actually seen yet, holding out my red silky robe that he had given me for Christmas for me to slide into. I turned my back to him sliding my arms in as he slipped it over my shoulder and kissed my neck pulling the sides across my body and tying the belt around my waist. I shivered and then turned to watch him shrug into his blue terry cloth bathrobe before reaching out for my hand and leading me down to the kitchen.

We worked together to make spaghetti in the kitchen and cleaned up the mess left behind from supper the night before in the gazebo before taking our lunch out to eat in the nice breeze. It was a beautiful day with bright sunshine and the relaxing sound of the surf. We sat as close as possible without my actually sitting on Seth's lap as we ate, never able to completely keep our hands off one another. One of us always had a hand on the other's arm, leg, shoulder, neck, waist, or chest. It was almost like we couldn't bear to be separated by even the slightest distance.

After we finished eating we cleaned up our mess and decided to get dressed and take a stroll up the beach. The water in late April was far too cold this far north, so we didn't even bother with swimsuits and instead dressed in jeans, tee shirts, and sneakers before making our way back down to the deck. We stepped through the gazebo and out into the sunlight of the large deck that led to the long steep staircase that descended down the side of a small cliff to the sandy beach below. The waves beat relentlessly against the shore as we walked with our arms draped tightly around one another.

We ran and played our way down the shoreline for more than an hour before Seth suggested we make our way back to the house. He turned and offered me a piggyback ride, which I gratefully accepted as I ran forward and jumped up on his back wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck burying my nose into the sweet smelling juncture where his neck and shoulder joined. It felt like a day out of a fairy tale, and it was the happiest fairytale I had ever heard.

After we returned from our beach trek we spent a little time returning the furniture and things that Seth had moved out of the gazebo for my birthday night back where it belonged. Of course he tried to convince me to let him do it by himself, which I refused to allow. Then we moved into the large living area with the massive white marble fireplace and Seth started a fire while I played around with the massive stereo on the far wall. I plugged my iPod into it to listen to some familiar music while we relaxed. While scrolling through my playlists, I happened to think of something we could do together that would be both romantic and productive. Alice had assembled a list of songs that would be good to use in the ceremony, so we sat and listened while we snuggled on the couch in front of the fire.

After we listened to a few of the songs on the list that we really didn't care for so much, Seth tipped my face up to look at him. "Actually Angel, I have a song that I'd really like to use for our first dance, but I'd really like for it to be a surprise. Would that be okay?"

I smiled and I felt my heart melt into goo, I loved when he wanted to do sweet romantic things like that for me and I could think of no better day than our wedding day. "I think that would be wonderful!"

He smiled and then looked down with a bit of apprehension in his voice, "You don't totally hate country do you? I mean, I love the song and what it says is perfect, but it's country so if you hate country then it might ruin it for you."

I shrugged, "There's some I like and some I don't. I guess it totally depends on the song, but if you're so sure it's perfect then I'm sure I'll be fine with it."

He smiled down at me and kissed my nose, "I am so in love with you. I am so glad you're going to be my wife."

I flashed the wedding band still on my left ring finger in his face while pointing at it with my right index finger with my cocky crooked smile on my lips, "Correction…I already am your wife…we're just waiting two months for the paperwork to go through."

He smiled a wide mischievous smile as he chuckled lightly pulling me up to lie on top of him face to face. "Yes! Yes you are," he whispered in my ear before kissing my earlobe. We didn't hear the music any more after that; we were in our own little world as we claimed one another as our own once more in front of the warm crackling fire.

The rest of our weekend continued like this. In the basic tradition of my birthdays, my family arranged for me to have a three-day weekend allowing us to stay at the beach house until Monday afternoon. It made me sad to be leaving our honeymoon retreat, the place where we made our vows to one another on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and gave ourselves to one another completely. We both stood staring at the house with Seth's arms wrapped around my chest from behind and his chin resting on my shoulder. He turned and placed a sweet kiss on my cheek.

"It's really not about the place we made our promises, but more of what it is that we promised my Angel. We'll always carry those promises with us everywhere we go."

I turned to look at him and our lips met for one last kiss before the four-hour road trip home. We finally pulled away from our kiss and Seth took my hand leading me to the passenger side of the car and opening the door for me. I kissed his cheek before sliding into the seat and reaching over to plug my iPod into the stereo for the ride home.

As we drove along the winding road that ghosted back and forth along the coast I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes soaking up the last of the bright warm sun. I felt Seth reach over and take my hand and I turned to look at him with a smile. I may have been leaving the warmth of the giant orb in the skies above, but for the rest of my days I would have my own personal sun by my side. I pulled away from the window to rest my head on his wide warm shoulder and sighed as I curled both of my arms around his bicep and closed my eyes. When I opened them again I was shocked to find that we were pulling up the long driveway to our house. Our trip was officially over and I couldn't help but feel sad that our weekend of unrestrained affection was over because now we would have to be considerate of those around us…or did we?

We hadn't even made it all the way into the house when my family members materialized from the forest path and gathered around us with wide smiles and hugs. The second Alice saw the wedding band on my finger she screamed yanking my hand up with such ferocity that I feared for my bones for an instant.

"Please tell me that we still get to have the wedding! We put too much into it to cancel now!"

We laughed, "Alice, calm down," Seth assured her taking my hand gently from her grasp and kissing my ring gently. "We didn't do anything official, it was sort of a private declaration situation like I explained to you, and I just decided that I wanted her to get the ring when I did it."

Her tiny frame visibly relaxed as she realized her precious wedding plans hadn't been negated. Edward and Jasper grabbed our bags for us, as we all made our way into the living room and my mother and sisters asked me about the house and the dinner and what was said, all the while being careful to avoid any details that they didn't want to hear about to my relief…until Emmett decided to join the conversation at least.

He walked over and put his arm around Seth's shoulders. Seth visibly tensed at the close contact knowing the question that was coming and fearing Emmett's reaction toward the actual answer.

"So does this mean you guys FINALLY did the deed?"

I rolled my eyes at Emmett, "Em, do you really want to know the answer to that question?"

He looked back and forth between Seth and me a few times before a big mischievous smile crossed his face as he squeezed Seth's shoulders affectionately using the other hand to ruffle his hair, "About time dog! I was beginning to think you guys lacked the chemistry or something."

I smiled at Seth and mumbled, "Trust me, chemistry was never our problem," with a smirk. Seth and I locked eyes and his fear melted away completely as he returned my expression. Everyone else laughed except for Edward and Jasper who unfortunately had to endure the thoughts and emotions that we couldn't help but be experiencing in that moment.

We all sat and talked for about an hour before they noticed I was tired and offered to leave us so I could get a good night sleep for school the next morning. As they were leaving, I asked Edward, Bella, Jasper, and Alice to stay behind.

"So we're not invited?" Emmett pouted from the doorway as Rosalie was pulling him outside.

"Oh Em, if you seriously want to discuss how we will be handling the sex life of Seth and I, then please do stay."

He looked a bit sick and I saw a slight shiver flutter though his limbs. I guess teasing about the situation and actually dealing with the reality of it were two entirely different things for Emmett. He then graciously left to give us some privacy. My siblings all sat watching me intently looking extremely uncomfortable. I was surprised by the fact that I actually wasn't. Determination was my predominant emotion in that moment instead.

"Okay guys, here's the deal. Up to this point we've been sort of bending over backwards trying to keep our promise to each other and to keep everyone else from feeling uncomfortable, but now that we're essentially married and no longer holding back in the physical sense, I think it's going to be more difficult for us to do that." They all nodded as Edward grimaced obviously getting visions of things he didn't want to see.

"Bella, could you shield us please?" She nodded and after a few seconds, the grimace eventually disappeared.

"The thing is…I've lived in this family a long time and I have heard each and every couple in this family together from time to time. This being so, I assume that you guys should probably understand why we can't guarantee that we can be quite as considerate as we have been in the past." They all grimaced a bit at the news that I had heard their escapades in the past and then nodded in agreement that they did understand why it would be difficult for us from here on out.

"So basically Bella, I'm counting on you. The only way we will all survive living this close is if you can shield us from Edward again when he needs you to. I know it gets taxing on you after a while but I also know that it was the only way that he survived Jake and Nessie's honeymoon stage, and he's going to need you again." She nodded.

"Jasper, we're going to do our best to keep our emotions under control unless we are here, but there are no guarantees as you have seen in the past. Just please understand that it will take us a while before we get used to the new state of things." I looked over at Seth who was smiling widely at me, obviously pleased at the things I was saying and taking the initiative to bring up the topic with my siblings.

"Alice, I'm pretty sure it's not too big of a deal for you since Seth is involved, but I also know from some of the things you provided for me to wear on this trip that things dealing with him are beginning to get clearer for you the longer he lives with all of us. Just please try not to peek." She nodded cheerfully from her spot next to Jasper as she continued to stroke his arm comfortingly.

"This shouldn't be an issue as far as the rest of the family goes as long as they don't venture too close to the house. I would say that perhaps you guys should mention a good rule of thumb would be to text or call us before coming over to make sure to coast is clear or else we won't be responsible for any emotional trauma from whatever they might end up hearing.

They all agreed and left and as soon as the door was closed Seth crossed the room to grab me around the waist and kiss me. "Now that's my authoritative little wifey telling the vamps how things are to be done!" I laughed and tipped up onto my toes to meet his lips with my own before he swept me up to carry me to our bedroom in order to christen our bed.

I debated all evening and morning before going back to school if I should take off the wedding band portion of my ring in order to stave off the Spanish Inquisition from my friends at school Tuesday morning, but in the end I couldn't bear to take it off, even for a few short hours. So when I walked into school and after putting my things away joined my friends in the commons, the commotion that met me wasn't exactly a surprise.

"What the heck is that?" Leighton asked pointing at my ring as though it were some toxic waste.

"Um…A ring," I answered sarcastically.

"Well we know that, but why is it sitting so nicely on your engagement ring like oh I don't know a wedding ring?"

"Seth and I went away for my birthday and we had a little talk and he gave it to me."

"Aren't you supposed to save the wedding ring for the day you actually get married?"

I shrugged with a slight nod as her eyes enlarged to the size of saucers. "You got hitched?!" She screeched loud enough to turn heads on the far side of the cavernous room.

"No, not exactly. I mean there was no minister, no license, no witness, just him, me, a beach, and some promises."

"Ah, I get it an emotional wedding so you could do it without feeling all guilty. Nice! He's a smooth one!"

I couldn't help but feel anger rise up in me and it definitely came out in the words I spat back. "It was not like that at all. It was very special for the both of us and for you to say things like that makes it sound cheap and pathetic when actually it was amazing and far more wonderful than spouting a bunch of tired vows in front of a group of people. Now if you'll excuse me." I stood up and walked out of the room biting the inside of my cheek as my face flushed a deep red.

I didn't make it far before Connor caught up to me followed closely by Leighton and Malia. Connor put his arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple rubbing my bicep comfortingly just before Leighton and Malia caught up to us.

"I'm sorry Lina. I really am. I didn't mean it."

"But you did Leighton. I don't expect you to understand, but ugh…why do you have to ruin things like this for me? Friends are supposed to support each other not put each other down."

"I know Lina, I'm sorry. Truth of the matter is I'm kind of jealous of what you and Seth have. Lucas and I have been together nearly two years longer than you two and our relationship is nowhere near as sweet as yours. I guess a part of me wishes that Lucas would want to marry me now too…not that I'm ready. Anyway Lina, I'm sorry."

She stepped forward and pulled me from Connor's half hug to wrap her arms around my neck. After a few seconds she stepped back and I smiled and looked over to see Malia smiling widely too. Malia never made negative comments about my relationship with Seth, but that's because she really did understand. She and Riley were very much like Seth and me, except Riley was only eighteen and wasn't ready for marriage yet while Seth was in reality much older and very ready for the lifetime commitment.

We only had about five minutes before the warning bell would ring, but Leighton, Malia, and Connor all pulled me into an empty classroom and made me share all of the details of my birthday with my family and with Seth and they all cooed at the sweetness of what Seth had done for me. They all hugged me again as the warning bell rang and we all went our separate ways for class.

During lunch that day there were two major topics of conversation going on. One was the prom which I wasn't too terribly excited about other than the opportunity to spend the evening wrapped in Seth's arms again, but I get to do that all night every night and if I were at home we could do other things that we can't do with an audience. Yeah, crossing that last barrier really sent my mind spiraling into the gutter, not that I really minded. The other discussion revolved around graduation.

Leighton turned to Malia and me pulling us closer to speak in hushed tones so nobody else would hear. "Okay girls, we need to have a girl's night out…just the three of us and no boys. We need to celebrate graduation our way. What do you guys say? Are you in?"

I exchanged wary looks with Malia. We both knew this could go one of two ways, we could have a lot of fun or we could end up getting into a lot of trouble. After a second of silent exchanges we shrugged and smiled as we nodded. "We're in!"

"Okay, the night before graduation we'll all meet at Lina's house and then we'll go out from there. I'll make sure we have everything we need…sound good?"

We both nodded and smiled before scooting back and returning to the conversations going on at the table. I was actually pretty excited for a girl's night out. We always did things with the boys and never really got any girl only bonding time and this would most likely be our last big hurrah. After graduation the girls were both headed to NYU (New York University) and I was going to be getting married and staying behind, so this seemed like a great opportunity to say goodbye to my two best non-mythical friends.

I returned home that afternoon to a very impatient Seth. As soon as I closed the front door he had me pinned against it kissing me with a great deal of stored up passion.

"Geez, this day seemed to last forever! I missed you so much Angel," Seth practically growled into my ear. I giggled and trailed my fingers through his hair.

"I missed you too sweetheart."

He kissed me a bit longer before finally pulling back and taking my backpack from my arm leading me to the couch. He asked how my day was and listened patiently. He was more than a little annoyed with the start of my day, but was pleased when I told him about the impending plans for the girl's night out.

"I think it's a great idea for you to go out just the girls that night. You need more normal teenage things like that and after all it's your high school graduation. It's almost your right to get into some mischief." He had a big wide grin that reached all the way up to his eyes. I could tell he got a kick out of the idea of me breaking some rules for a change.

"I'm not so sure about that. You don't know Leighton like I do. I'm a bit fearful as to what exactly she's going to come up with. I really don't want to get arrested or anything…and we're eighteen now so it would totally go on our permanent record!"

He laughed openly at me now, "Please, like you would actually go through with anything that bad! You're too straight edge for that baby."

"Yeah, well, sometimes guilt by association is enough to get you busted. Hopefully she won't be that stupid, but it is Leighton and when she starts pushing the limits she tends to get a little carried away."

He smiled and put an arm around my shoulder. "I'm sure it will all be fine, and besides, if anybody knows how to work around the system, it would be your family."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I reached up and kissed his jaw line. He moaned a little in response and kissed a couple times more before letting out a defeated sigh.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started that. I have a lot of homework for tonight since I have to make up for yesterday too. I better get started."

He smiled down at me and kissed my temple. "Okay, you go get started at the table and I'll make us some supper, how does that sound?"

"Mmmm…that sounds like an excellent idea. I'm starving!"

He made supper and we ate together, after which Seth brought his laptop down from the office and worked at my side as I trudged through two days worth of assignments from all of my classes. By the time I was done, it was nearly midnight and I was completely exhausted. I finished the last paragraph in my history text and closed it with a loud slam letting my head fall heavily to land with a small bounce on the hard cover.

"Oowiee," I moaned. I heard Seth let out a light chuckle from across the table and then the next thing I knew I was being lifted from my seat and carried up the stairs. I was too tired to protest so I silently leaned my head against Seth's neck and wrapped my arms across his shoulders. He didn't turn on the light when we got up to the bedroom, carrying me over to the bed in the dark and helping me shed my jeans and shirt leaving me to sleep in my underwear and tucking me under the blankets before placing a sweet kiss on my forehead and disappearing back into the hall closing the door behind him as my eyes fluttered shut again and didn't open until my alarm clock began to sound early the next morning.

Author's Note: Well there it is…not my most favorite chapter ever, but for a transition chapter I felt like it turned out fairly well. Thanks to my beta Mel for her help and suggestions! Thanks for reading and please remember to review....oh and if you haven't read it yet, please take a moment to read Fading Memories and give me your opinion. :D

Featured Author: SupernaturalKnight88: SK88 has two stories one is a King Arthur story and the other is for Harry Potter. Changing Fates: Four girls were brought back to King Arthur's time, but soon they discover each of them were brought back for a reason. Because of You: Hermione and Ron share their first big fight as, a married couple. Making Hermione think back to when she was a child. ONE SHOT! If you get some time, go check them out!