Life Support

Bella, still naked, wrapped herself in a sheet and cuddled against my side.

I ran my hands through her hair as she rested her head on my chest. I wondered if she was bothered that I hadn't washed my hands and they had just been inside of her, but she didn't seem bothered, so who was I to care?

I smiled as I thought about the fact that I managed to get her off, and not just once, but twice. After the first time, I decided to try again; to see if it was a fluke that I succeeded the first time.

Watching her body shake and tense up before she relaxed, let me know I managed twice.

Her breathing was now relaxed and I wondered if she was asleep.

I loved that she was comfortable enough to sleep on me like this. Granted, I was just as comfortable with her.

I just wasn't sure if I was comfortable enough to tell her what I had been doing before she got here. I had spent the last two hours before she got to the hotel looking over all of the diagrams and information that Doctor Black had sent to me.

I knew I needed to be confident and capable.

I worried that if Bella had lost her case, she would need a pick me up, and if she won, she would want to celebrate. I was happy this was a celebrating time, instead of me trying to make her forget a loss.

Bella's hands pushed their way out from the cocoon that the sheet had made around her. She moved them until they were under the bottom of my shirt.

Her fingers brushed lightly over the skin of my lower abdomen.

"You are wonderful, Edward," she lightly whispered.

"I don't know about all of that."

"Well, I say you are and what I say goes. I'm so proud of you. I can't believe you were able to handle that."

I moved my arms, so she had to move to look at me. We were face to face; I needed to look at her. "I can do whatever I put my mind to. I think you were the one that told me that. I needed to do this for you. I needed to do this for us. You being in this one sided relationship isn't fair." I pulled her face to mine and placed my lips on hers. "I love you, Isabella Swan. You make me want to be like every other guy," I said once we broke our kiss.

"I don't want you like everyone else. I like you just as you are." Her lips met mine again as she climbed up onto my lap. The sheet slowly fell to her waist as our bodies molded together.

"I want you just as you are, forever," she moaned, as she pulled my shirt over my head.

She nipped at my lips as her hands trailed around my torso.

"I want you forever as well," I told her as we got into a rhythm of pleasing one another again.

Last night was by far the best night of my life. Bella and I spent the whole time in bed. We ordered in room service and spent hours completely exploring one another.

My clothes never completely came off and we never went further than we had previously. But still, it was nice to continue to move forward with Bella.

I now sat at the small table in our room, waiting for the driver to come pick us up.

I was a little nervous to leave. On the way here, I was completely sedated. I didn't remember the flight. I didn't remember being around all those people. This time, I would be hand in hand with Bella. If I freaked out, she would see it. If I collapsed or froze up, she would see it. I knew she had seen me like that before, but that was a while ago. Time had passed and I didn't know how she would handle it after all that we've shared.

The phone in the room rang and I was startled.

Bella answered and quickly disconnected the call.

"The driver is here. You ready?" she asked, as she quickly did one last run around the room to make sure she had everything.

"Y-yeah."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me from across the room. "You will be okay, Edward. I will hold your hand the whole time. If you need it, I still have those pills from Esme too."

I nodded my head. I knew she could make me numb if it got to be too much, but I didn't want to have to do that.

There was a knock at the door before the bellhop let himself in. He grabbed the bags that were lined up by the door and placed them on his rolling cart.

Bella grabbed her purse and my hand and we walked out of the room. She was talking casually with the bellhop. I was trying to zone out what was about to happen.

I kept my eyes on Bella and let her direct me to the elevator and then through the crowded lobby. She was amazing with her navigational skills and was able to keep me from coming into contact with anyone in the lobby.

The cool air hit my face as we walked out the entry of the hotel. There was a limo at the entrance; the driver stood outside holding the door open for us. Once Bella and I were both in the car, the driver helped the bellhop load the bags.

Bella's hand was still tightly wrapped around mine.

"You're doing amazing, baby."

"We haven't gone anywhere yet," I mumbled back to her.

"True. Well, if it gets to be too much, tell me."

"I will," I whispered back. I knew Bella wanted to keep my head level, but the more we talked about what was about to happen, the more I had to regulate myself from freaking out.

I kept my eyes on the floor of the car, right by Bella's foot.

The driver lowered the divider and let us know we would be leaving now.

Bella thanked him and he raised the glass, so we had privacy.

"Love you, Edward. I can't wait to get home. I've missed that place so bad."

"Love you. I can't wait either." My voice was flat. It wasn't that I didn't love her, or that I wasn't excited, I was simply scared shitless.

She wrapped her other hand around our hands. She laid her head on my shoulder and tried her best to comfort me, without making me look like a baby.

God, I loved this girl.

The drive to the airport went good. Bella stayed snuggled up close to me. She told me she was cold. I told her I was just as cold. We kept each other safe and warm.

Bella held me close to her as we walked into the airport. We were at LaGuardia and it was packed! Maybe a mid-afternoon Saturday flight wasn't the best of ideas.

I didn't let go of Bella except when we went through the metal detectors and that was not easy. I held on to her for dear life, holding up the line behind us. People were yelling and visibly annoyed. After a small talk between Bella and me, I finally decided to let her go. That was the most painful thing ever.

It may have only been a few moments, but it was enough to make me feel like I was dying inside.

Once we were though the security check points and waiting at the gate, Bella gave me a small pill. I knew what it was. It was going to make me numb. I knew why she was giving it to me. It wasn't for her sanity, it was for mine.

She knew that this was hard on me. I was hopeful that with her, I would be able to manage anything, even a crowded airport. I guess I was wrong.