AN: Thanks to my pre-reader Bridgette (aka A Jasper For Me) and beta Jen (aka anonymouslysufferingfromOCD). Also, thanks to all the great writers that I WCed with this week.

*I don't own them.

On the Hunt

BPOV

Edward fulfilled his promise the next day, hiring a lawyer first thing in the morning. Marcus Volturi was apparently a highly acclaimed lawyer in Chicago, but I didn't really care so much as long as he got me out of testifying. I couldn't help but shudder just thinking about sitting in a courtroom, or anywhere else with James. I simply wanted that part of my life to be over and not have to think about him or Victoria. The only contact I had been asked to make with Mr. Volturi was a ten minute phone conversation when he called me on Thursday afternoon. All other information was given to him through Edward and Embry. He was calm, cool, and collected on the phone, assuring me that he would do everything he could to eliminate the need for my presence on the west coast.

With Tanya being gone and Victoria on the other side of the country, I enjoyed my newly obtained freedom on Friday by driving to the bookstore to peruse the current best sellers and then dropping by Alice's boutique. I hadn't seen her since Sunday and was a little nervous I wouldn't be able to hide the fact I knew about her miscarriage. It didn't matter to me she had miscarried and kept the information to herself; I could only imagine the pain she must have gone through. But, it did matter that she had obviously wanted the information to remain private and might not like I knew what had happened. I hoped her willingness to begin to enjoy her current pregnancy and believe the baby will develop normally would help her move past the tragedy.

I walked in, loving the smart display of her new designs. If there was anything you could say about Alice, it was that she was talented. I was admiring a spectacular gray sweater-dress when I heard her voice flowing from the back. I looked up to see her smiling and walking toward me. She engulfed me in a hug and I wondered again where someone as small as her got all her strength. Her glow from head to foot when she pulled back made me so happy.

"Bella, it's so good to see you. What are you doing here?" It's hard to get anything over on Alice, but she seemed genuinely surprised that I was there.

"I wanted to come by and see if I could steal you away for lunch. We need to start plotting and planning maternity clothes for the both of us. Besides, I haven't been able to drive myself around for awhile. It is nice to be out and about on my own again." I explained. She grinned and nodded.

"Sure, that sounds great. Let me go tell Liz that I will be gone for a couple hours." She started walking briskly toward the back, but I heard her voice carry over her shoulder. "By the way, that dress will look spectacular on you." I simply smiled and shook my head. If I knew anything about Alice I figured the dress would be delivered to my house sometime in the next few days.

Alice and I went to a café around the corner, deciding to stroll in the autumn weather rather than drive. After we made our lunch selections, I looked up to find her staring at me.

"Bella, I know that you know," she finally said. I wasn't going to deny it. I reached my hand across the table to hold hers. I simply nodded to her and she sighed before looking down at the table. "It's ok. Jasper told me that he said something to Edward and I know it is difficult to keep anything from your spouse."

"I'm sorry, Alice. I wish you hadn't gone through that." I knew I didn't have the right words of comfort, but I needed to say something. Her other hand came over to pat the top of mine. She looked up again and gave me a smile, genuine and a little sad.

"It was difficult and I can't say that I will ever completely get over it; but, Jasper and I have had a lot of time and we sought help to deal with it. I hope I can count on you not to tell my mother. It would just upset her and there really isn't a reason to do that." I nodded to her request.

"Of course, Alice. I won't say a word to anyone," I assured her. She smiled again.

"Alright, on to happier subjects. You and I are going to have to go clothes shopping soon." I laughed and we chatted on about how we get to go through pregnancy together.

"Have you gotten any of the books yet?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Yes, I keep Jasper up every night blathering about something new I read. He's become an expert at half-listening to me." I raised my eyebrow in question. "You know, listening just enough to catch the drift while his mind focuses on something else," she laughed. "I don't blame him. I talk enough for two people. I know how excited he is to be a father." I watched her eyes go dreamy.

Our lunches arrived and we chatted about our obstetricians, appointments, due dates, and baby names. Edward and I hadn't even started discussing names yet, but I had a few in mind. Before leaving, I remembered something I had wanted to ask Alice for awhile.

"Alice, remember when I first met your family and we dined at your parent's house? Were those drinks you made me non-alcoholic?" The sly smile on her face gave her away before she answered.

"Yes." I knew it! How in the world did she know these things? I wondered if I should ask her for stock market tips or lottery numbers.

"How did you know I was pregnant?" I asked. She just shrugged.

"I really can't tell you because I don't know. Sometimes, I just get feelings about things and I have learned over the years to trust them. Rarely do they lead me astray." I shook my head in disbelief. "Bella, if I am being honest. I had the feeling about your pregnancy from the time Edward arrived back from his trip to New York." I felt my eyes watering. I just knew I conceived our first night together.

"Thanks, Alice." She knew I was thanking her for a lot of things. I was happy to have her as a sister and a friend.

After lunch, we departed with promises of shopping trips and spending more lunches and dinners together. We were going to rely on each other for support through our pregnancies and the birth of our first children.

On Saturday, Edward and I began officially looking at houses that were not only close to his parents, but also close to the area where he wanted to open his new practice. We had picked about ten different properties that we wanted to visit that day, from the emailed selections fitting our preferences. Our realtor, Sherrie met us at the first property. Her enthusiastic wave as we pulled into the front was borderline obnoxious and I had a feeling she really wanted to close a deal today. The first house was underwhelming. Neither Edward nor I were extremely picky, but if we were going to buy a home then I at least wanted it to call to me in some way. It certainly fit our specifications, some of which were at least five bedrooms, spacious kitchen, and a large lot so that we were not on top of our neighbors, yet it didn't really stand out in any way. Edward and I both said "meh" and "next".

We pulled up in the driveway of the next location and I knew before we walked in that it definitely wasn't the right house. However, I politely got out of the car and followed the realtor, pretending to be interested. The emailed pictures really did not capture the actual gargoyles hanging off the castle-like exterior. As Edward and I walked around the foyer, I pulled his arm so he would lean down.

"I half expect to find coffins and dungeons and moats," I whispered in his ear. He burst out laughing and Sherrie turned back to us with a smile on her face.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked. Edward looked at her with a serious expression.

"Only if there is a moat around the back." She busily fingered through her papers, thinking Edward was serious. I rolled my eyes and stopped her.

"Sherrie, he was kidding. Actually, I don't think we are interested in this place. I don't want you to waste any time showing us the rest." She laughed off the joke she hadn't gotten before and led us back out to the car.

The fifth property we saw that day actually showed some promise. I really loved the downstairs, especially the kitchen. Edward pulled me up the stairs to look at the bedrooms. The master bedroom was not as large as I would have assumed by the size of the rest of the house. We figured out why when we noticed a separate room that could only be entered through the walk-in closet. I walked in, flipping on the light and wondered what it could have been. It was completely empty, featuring hardwood paneled floors and walls painted black. I looked questioningly at Edward.

"A secret office?" I guessed. He gave me a shrug and walked over, closely inspecting something on the wall. It looked like some sort of hook to clip a chain to. I watched him tap the hook with his finger and then look up at the ceiling and around the rest of the room. Then he started chuckling and he wagged his eyebrows at me.

"I bet this was some sort of playroom." I didn't understand why he would think that. I couldn't imagine sticking my kids in some hidden closet to play. Plus, why would it be decorated so grimly? I shook my head at him.

"Well, they should have been brought up on child abuse charges then. I would never stick my kids in a closet to play." His laughter boomed out and echoed in the enclosed space. He grabbed me up in a hug and swung me around.

"I love you, Bella," he said, while giving me small kisses as his laughter died down. I didn't know why he was laughing at me. "I meant an adult playroom." I finally got the hint from his gruff voice and lascivious expression.

"Oh! Okay, I get it." The light bulb finally went off, but then I felt nauseated when I realized we were standing in the middle of someone's used sex room. "Ewww, let's get out of here." Edward put me down, chuckling at my reaction and I pulled his hand to lead him back out into the normal world. I looked back and saw his smile. "Don't even get any ideas going through your pervy brain, Dr. Cullen. You aren't putting any whips and chains on this body."

He pulled me back to him, spinning us around and pressed me into the wall. I moaned when his lips met my neck and his hands kneaded my thighs.

"I would never want to put a whip or chain near your precious skin, my Bella," he whispered in my ear. I felt his hands run down my arms and grab my wrists. "But, maybe we could play a little with some Hermes scarves around these beautiful wrists." My breath caught in reaction to his whispered fantasy. I could do that. Inner bad girl already had the scarves picked out and was lying on the bed. His lips met mine in a searing kiss until we heard Sherrie's high-pitched voice out in the hallway. Edward groaned and then pulled away from me. I was in a lust-induced haze and barely heard Edward tell Sherrie that we weren't interested and we should move on to the next house.

My mind cleared enough by the time we reached the car again and I shook my head and shuddered slightly. I hoped we didn't run into anymore fetish rooms of the rich and famous that day.

EPOV

I went straight to Harry the morning after Embry laid all the information on us about James and Victoria. He told me to hire the best lawyer I could and he recommended Marcus Volturi. My first inquiry to Mr. Volturi's office was not successful as I was told he was not taking on any new clients. I had to pull out the big guns and went to my grandfather. When Anthony Masen calls, you definitely pay attention if you want to remain relevant in Chicago. I had an appointment with Marcus himself an hour later, who apologized profusely to me when I arrived for his scheduler not being more accommodating to me when I had initially called. I smirked internally, knowing he was only kissing my ass because of my family. But I didn't care why at that moment, I only cared that he was the best and he take care of the situation Bella and I had found ourselves in. I told him the entire story of what had happened to Bella and Emmett, along with everything occurring since. He seemed confident that he would be able to prevent any required appearance by Bella in a Washington state court. I felt much better when I left his office that day, shaking his hand as he promised to work with Embry and get the informational contacts with Bella and Emmett done over the phone that morning. I got back to the hospital, happy that I had only been gone for a little over an hour which hadn't disrupted my shift.

As I walked back on my floor, I took a second to take in the surroundings. I had begun serious research into opening my own practice and felt ready to make the move. My father had been made aware of my desire and actually surprised me when he told me that he was going to retire from his position as Chief of Staff soon. He was still planning to provide surgical consults occasionally, but wanted to stop the day-to-day managerial side of the job. He said he wanted to enjoy his sixties with my mother, travel, and have lots of time for golf and grandchildren. His declaration only strengthened my resolve to open my own practice, with no family ties holding me to the hospital. I informed him that as soon as Bella and I had closed on a new property for our home, I would likely take my leave soon after. As I observed the patients and flow of the pediatrics wing I had called home for the last few years, I made mental notes on how I would want my own practice to operate. There were plenty of details to think about other than location and structural design. I needed to determine how much staff I would hire and if I wanted to bring in a partner or just keep the practice solely under my name. I was sure that I wanted at least two full-time pediatricians on staff, so that I was not required to be there all the time. The possibilities and excitement of my new venture effectively kept my mind occupied and away from unsavory thoughts about James and Victoria.

Bella and I set out that weekend to start hunting for our new home. Our realtor was exuberant as she showed us the different locations available. Although nothing really sparked our interest that day, it had resulted in illustrating another example of Bella's naivety. I couldn't help but laugh remembering her shock and disbelief regarding the "playroom". It did, however, spark some sexual fantasies in my mind. I never had any interest in BDSM in the bedroom; I liked having control just as much as giving it, especially with Bella. But, the thought of introducing a little kink into our already fulfilling sex life made my cock twitch. I felt the excitement of Bella's body when I whispered about tying her up in scarves, making me wonder what some of her fantasies were. I decided to find out later that night.

After visiting all the homes on the agenda that day, I took Bella out for dinner to a quaint French bistro. The private corner table in the back provided the perfect setting to open the fantasy conversation with my gorgeous wife. My pants were already tight as I watched her nibble quiche Lorraine, licking her plump lips after each bite. I placed a hand on her knee under the table, lightly squeezing before rubbing up and down her thigh. She kept her eyes fixed on mine as my fingers trailed along her leg and I could see the desire burning there as the candlelight flickered. I leaned in close so I could talk softly in her ear.

"Bella, what were you thinking about when I said I wanted to tie you up in scarves?" I smiled when I heard the light moan escape her mouth. My hand continued its path along the inside of her thigh and I wished she had worn a skirt. "Did you like it?" I prompted.

"Yes," she said softly.

"You like it when I come home in my scrubs too, don't you?" She obviously had a little thing for some role play. I wondered what other characters would make her hot aside from a doctor.

"Mmmhmm," she moaned as she nodded her head. My hand continued stroking her leg, moving closer and closer to her core.

"Tell me what you like, baby girl. What do you want?" I hoped she would be uninhibited with me. I wanted to make her as aroused as she made me. I watched amorously as her cheeks reddened and she bit her lip. She moved her head to the side and my cock hardened further when her hot breath washed over my ear. I held my own breath in anticipation of her words. Would she tell me what she really desired?

"I like it when you take me hard," she whispered before pausing for a moment. "I love you gently making love to me, but it also feels good when you let go." I wanted to bend her over the table right then. My mouth returned to her ear, licking her lobe lightly.

"Do you want it rough, Bella?" My hand got trapped as she clenched her thighs together and moaned again. Fuck! That really did make her hot.

"Oh, yes." Her quiet affirmation had me harder than a rock. My eyes glanced around and I saw our server eyeing us from across the room. Our display was likely a little too scandalous, but I didn't really care.

"What else do you fantasize about, love?" I asked. I felt her lean into me even further this time. She was enjoying it.

"Doing it on the hood of your car, on your piano, in the park on the grass, even ah…" she hesitated a little, but went on, "at your parent's house." My little vixen wanted me everywhere. I couldn't help the grin on my face. The purchase of a home with privacy became even more imperative so we could enjoy some outdoor sex. But, I thought I could take care of a couple of those soon. My fingers started stroking her pussy and I waved for the check when I found her soaked through her pants.

"Any other fantasies you want to tell me before I take you home and fuck you senseless?" Her breath hitched from my words and I knew she was excited. I practically tossed a credit card at the server when he approached with the check. We were both panting with desire as she shook her head and bit her lip again. As soon as I signed the check, we bolted out the door to the car. I stopped her at the hood, grabbing her hips firmly and pressing her ass against the car. My mouth devoured hers as her hands slipped behind my neck, pulling me closer. I finally broke the kiss to gasp for a breath before sucking on her neck and grinding my cock into her.

"I swear if you were in a skirt, I would take you right here in public." Her answering moan proved that she would have let me. My cock was protesting the wait and I felt like I was going to burst if I didn't get her home soon. I eventually got us into the car and drove as fast as possible to the apartment. We both moved like lightning, unfastening our belts and sprinting to the elevator. She pulled me into another scorching kiss in the elevator while my hands slipped under her shirt. Our clothes started coming off in the hallway, and we barely made it inside the door before we were naked and intertwined.

The narrow entryway table served as a perfect perch when I grabbed her ass and placed her up on it. My fingers stroked her soaking pussy before I plunged two inside her, using my thumb to tease her clit. She cried out while riding against my hand. I wanted nothing more than to bury myself inside her, but I wanted her to come at least once before I did.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard in a minute, my Bella." I was breathing harshly against her neck, my cock begging to be inside her. "Do you want me to fuck you?"

"Yes. God, yes!" I felt her getting close before she fell apart. She trembled slightly as I held her against me, still stroking her lightly, using the tip of my cock instead of my fingers. I picked her up again and she threw her legs around me as I carried her into the living room. I set her down on her feet and turned her around, pushing her so she bent over the arm of the couch. She wanted to be fucked roughly, but I couldn't be too rough with her. I would never do anything that might harm her or our babies.

I admired her ass jutting out, just begging to be touched. I pressed myself against her, sliding my hard cock between her cheeks. One of my hands wound through her thick hair, taking hold of it, while my other guided my cock into her slick pussy.

"Fuck, yes." I moaned as I sank into her. So wet, so hot, so tight. I pressed down on her back while pulling her hair, arching her body while I started thrusting hard and fast. I moved my hand from her back, to grasp lightly around her throat as I leaned over her. I pulled her hair a little tighter until her ear was situated right next to my mouth. "Do you like being fucked?" I pounded into her even harder when she cried out yes. I groaned as I felt my balls slap against her clit each time I drove into her. The familiar tightening began, signaling my coming release; and I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensations as my thrusting continued. Bella's moans were echoing around the room and I pulled her to me tighter when I felt her clamping down around me. I thrusted a few more times after she came; burying myself as deep as I could before releasing. I loosened the grip on her hair, hugging her body to mine and kissing her neck before pulling out of her.

"Was that good, baby?" I asked her softly. She turned her head and I saw her smile.

"That was amazing." I did an internal fist-pump, enjoying her praise.

We eventually gathered our strewn clothes and made it to bed before starting round two.

The next day we were meeting at my parent's house to watch the Bears game. They were on the road in New Orleans and Rose had traveled down to Louisiana to see the game in person. As Bella and I were driving, we noticed a realtor sign near the driveway of a property close to my parent's house. I slowed the car down, admiring the landscaping and large expanse of land surrounding the immaculate-looking three story home. I looked over at Bella and she glanced back at me. I smiled when she nodded, both of us on the same wavelength. I turned into the driveway, slowing approaching the house and stopped in front.

"Do you want to go see if we can take a look?" I asked her. It wasn't the normal way to proceed in home searches, but maybe we would be lucky in finding something we liked on our own.

"Absolutely," she agreed. I held her hand as we walked toward the front door. She was pointing out how much she loved the look of the house and grounds. We rang the doorbell and the door opened, revealing a man not much older than me.

"Hello?" He answered in question.

"Hi. My wife and I just happened to be driving by on the way to my parent's place. Well, we noticed that you were selling your home. We are shopping around right now and liked the appearance from the outside. Is there any way we could take a look?" I asked sheepishly. They probably weren't expecting rogue home hunters on their doorstep on a Sunday. His expression changed to a welcoming smile.

"Sure." He laughed. "I didn't think you were solicitors, but you never can tell." He said with a wink. He held out his hand to me and I shook it. "My name is Chris Watkins. Come on in." Bella and I followed him inside and stood in the foyer as he called his wife. She appeared a second later and introduced herself.

"I'm Lucy. Sorry, we weren't expecting anybody today. It's kind of a mess. I apologize," she explained. I waved her off.

"No, we apologize. We do have a realtor and I know this isn't the proper protocol, so feel free to throw us out at anytime. We just happened to be driving by." I said. "I'm Edward Cullen and this is my wife, Bella."

Chris led us around the first floor, explaining that they had just put the house up for sale the day before. He had just gotten a job offer in Minneapolis that he couldn't refuse and they were moving in the next couple weeks. I kept glancing at Bella's face as we were escorted through the house. I loved the openness of the downstairs rooms and how each one flowed into the next. Bella adored the kitchen and discussed the cabinetry with Lucy. The couple had three children, but they happened to be staying with their grandparents that weekend. We fortunately got the opportunity to see how they had set up the kids' rooms, two on the second floor and one on the third. The master bedroom and bath were huge, even larger than my parents. Bella must have seen how much I loved the place because she grabbed my hand at one point to calm me down. She probably didn't want me to seem overeager or something and lose money. I wanted to tell her it didn't matter how much it was because I wanted it. But, I would at least wait until I could talk with her privately to determine her opinion.

We continued the tour and I was salivating over the four-car garage. Bella just shook her head at me. But, then she had stars in her eyes when she saw the backyard complete with an in-ground pool, spa, and a large surrounding area set up for outside dining. Chris showed us how he had installed an outdoor kitchen and I knew the grill would make my dad's eyes pop out from jealousy. I almost chuckled at the thought. He pointed out the property lines and emphasized the privacy from neighbors. As we moved back to the front of the house, I asked what the selling price was. The figure he gave seemed reasonable to me, although I wasn't as educated as I should be in real estate. He gave me his card and put the name of his realtor on the back before we said our thanks and goodbyes. As soon as we were in the car, Bella started gushing.

"Oh, Edward. I love it! It's perfect. What did you think?" I grinned over at her excited and flushed face. She was so gorgeous.

"I loved it, too. I wanted to make an offer right there, but perhaps we should talk to the realtor first?" I knew better than to rush into anything as big as this, but it felt right. Maybe this was just another push from fate, putting Bella and I at the right spot at the right time? Bella was silent for a minute, before turning to me again.

"I do think we should be sure. I mean we would have inspectors and appraisals and the works, but I don't want anyone to try and outbid us. They are moving so quickly so I am sure they would be eager to sell as fast as possible. Let's ask your family what they think. Maybe it wouldn't be crazy to call them back today or tomorrow with an offer?" I kissed her hand. She was as enthusiastic as I was. When we arrived at my parent's house a couple minutes later, we both grinned like fools as we walked hand in hand to the front door.

We immediately started discussing with everyone the home we found on the way. They all listened to the details and smiled at our excitement. My grandfathers said it couldn't hurt to make an offer; they might go ahead and accept it since they were moving so quickly. An offer wasn't permanent so we would be able to go through appraisals and inspections; making sure everything was to our liking before we officially bought it. Alice assured us that it was alright to go with our gut reactions and I didn't miss the wink she gave Bella. Mom was practically bouncing off the walls at the idea of us being so close. Just before the game started, I pulled Bella away from everyone with the excuse that I wanted to discuss the home privately for a minute. I did want to discuss the house, but I also wanted to fulfill another of Bella's fantasies. There was nothing wrong with killing two birds with one stone.

I pulled her upstairs and into a bathroom, kissing her fiercely as I closed and locked the door behind us. My hands made quick work of her jeans, tossing them and her underwear to the floor. I put her up on the counter and stood between her legs. She moaned in my mouth as I made sure she was ready for me. I released her lips as I unbuttoned my jeans and lowered them.

"No screaming now, my love." I said softly in her ear before chuckling. "We don't want to get caught by the parents." She giggled into my neck and stroked my hard length a few times with her soft hand.

"You are the one that can't stay quiet during sex, Edward." She whispered in my ear. That sounded almost like a dare and my competitive nature reared its head and wanted to make her scream then. She whimpered as I slid my cock along the outside of her folds.

"Mmm, baby. Now, I do want to make you scream." I plunged into her and she did well, stifling the moan she wanted to release. I grabbed her hips and held her still as I drove deeply over and over. Her hands went around my neck and her feet dug into my ass as she pressed herself to me. I muffled my own moan by sucking on her neck when she clenched her walls around me. The bathroom was filled with the quiet sounds of our panting, soft grunts, and slapping skin. I brought one hand up to anchor the back of her neck, while the other remained gripping her ass to keep her position stable on the edge of the counter. My tongue danced along the sweet skin along the slope of her neck.

"You feel so good, baby," I whispered. Our bodies were both covered in a sheen of sweat as we moved together toward our orgasms, while trying to maintain silence. The forbidden nature of making love with the family downstairs helped to bring us both to the edge quickly. I felt her coming and was surprised when her teeth came down and bit my shoulder. That brought my climax immediately and I buried my mouth on her neck, moaning into her skin. I kept rocking into her softly until my release was complete. I then kissed her until I couldn't breathe. I never knew sex could be as amazing as it was every time with Bella.

We took our time cleaning ourselves up and used the opportunity to talk about the house. Both Bella and I wanted to make an offer and I thought the sooner the better. We decided to call our realtor when we got downstairs. I told Sherrie that we had found a property we were very interested in and wanted to make an offer today. I gave her all the information and she said she would get back to us immediately. It wasn't even an hour later when she called back and told us her recommendation that we offer just slightly less than the asking price. She thought they would jump at the offer because of the market and the fact they had to move quickly. We gave her the green light to make the offer she had suggested and were told we would likely hear something back by the morning. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching football, eating dinner, and enjoying family.

We would find out the next day if we were one step closer to our new home.

AN2: Will their new lawyer take care of them? Did Bella and Edward find their dream home? Will Bella give Edward any more fantasies to fulfill?

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