Disclaimer: Not mine…just playing with SM's characters. The plot is all mine though so don't steal it! Stealing is bad.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading & reviewing! That was quite a last chapter, but one that I feel was necessary. I know not everyone agrees with what happened, but I am a big believer in forgiveness. I personally believe that forgiveness isn't just for the person who wronged you, but to help you. I know not everyone shares that same sentiment, and I respect those of you who expressed your disagreement with Edward forgiving Ed in polite and constructive reviews…but I CANNOT respect someone who flames and does so by reviewing and hiding as a "Guest". So cowardly…
To those of you who reviewed: So sorry for not replying like I usually do. There's a lot of stuff going on in my real life right now, but I thank you for your kind words, whether they were in support or disagreement. As long as you're kind and respectful, I can respect your thoughts and opinions. :-D
And thank you as always to my friend and beta eternally_addicted. She makes all of my nonsense make sense :-D
When the rain is pouring down
And my heart is hurting
You will always be around
This I know for certain
You and me together
Through the days and nights
I don't worry 'cause
Everything's going to be all right
People keep talking they can say what they like
But all I know is everything's going to be all right
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you
- Alicia Keys, "No One"
Chapter 25: No One
Age 25
"Do you mind if I join you for lunch?"
Bella looked up from her microwave pizza pocket to find Esme standing in back of the chair across from her.
"Of course not," Bella said, gesturing to the open chair. "I'd like the company."
Esme smiled and sat down, placing her container of chicken fried rice on the table. She grinned and rubbed her stomach.
"This baby is really craving chicken. When I was pregnant with Caroline, all I wanted to eat was Swiss cheese," Esme said with a laugh.
Bella simply smiled, not having a clue about what pregnancy cravings were like. She had talked to Eric last week though, and he said all Nessie seemed to want to eat was extremely rare and bloody steak. Bella almost gagged at the thought.
"So no crazy midnight snack runs for Carlisle then?" Bella asked, wondering if that myth was true or not.
"We'll see. It's a good thing Carlisle is a good cook too. This baby has been craving anything with chicken and poor Carlisle is running out of different ways to cook it."
"He cooked the fried rice?" Bella asked, a little shocked.
Esme chuckled. "If there's any tip I have for single gals about choosing a husband, it is to make sure he knows how to cook! And I mean, really cook! Not just grilling or using the microwave."
This was a tip that Renee had also given to Bella once upon a time as well. Unfortunately, Bella's father could barely microwave food. He nearly burned the house down when she was younger when he decided that it was perfectly okay to microwave a jar of spaghetti sauce with its metal lid still on. Bella laughed at the memory of her father and shook her head. Edward could at least cook breakfast.
"Well, if I left all the cooking up to Edward, we'd be eating nothing but pancakes, eggs, and breakfast meat all day and night," Bella said.
The air was filled with their mutual chuckles and soon the ladies both settled in to start eating their lunches. It hadn't been a particularly busy morning. Most of their clientele were student athletes from local high schools or the universities, and seeing as it was summer and sports weren't in session yet, there weren't very many clients coming in. Jasper was on vacation with Alice somewhere in the South Pacific, and Seth and Bree were both only working part time, enjoying their last summer before heading off to college in the fall. Eli and Emmett were both working with clients at the moment, but things were otherwise very mellow since the incident with Jacob Black. At first, Bella had been worried that the incident had been bad press for the office, but Esme and all of the others reassured her that summers were always slow. That particular bit of information made Bella (and Edward) feel a whole lot better.
"Speaking of Edward," Esme finally said, breaking the silence. "How has he been since the two of you got back from Washington?"
Bella sighed heavily. She had been going back and forth with herself every day ever since they had come back from Washington over a week ago.
"I'm…I'm not sure that I did the right thing, Esme," Bella finally said.
"What do you mean, dear?"
Esme's relaxed and motherly demeanor made Bella feel a whole lot calmer. She didn't know who to talk to about what she was feeling. As much as she loved her cousin, she wasn't sure that Emmett would understand where she was coming from, and Rosalie had a pretty heavy case load at work going on at the moment. The time difference made Bella not want to bother Angela, and Alice was on a vacation with Jasper. Bella rubbed her face and sighed again.
"I just…I don't know if I should have pushed Edward so hard to talk to his father. I don't know if I should've pushed him to forgive his father actually."
Esme was quiet for a few moments as she thought about what she wanted to say. Bella knew that this was a difficult topic for many people. Do you forgive the monster who caused you so much pain? How can you forgive someone you hate so much? Someone who ruined your life? Someone who scarred you mentally and physically?
"Let me ask you something, Bella. Were you able to forgive Edward's father for what he did?"
Bella swallowed heavily. "Yes."
"Why?"
Bella's eyes widened. No one had asked her why or how she was able to forgive Ed Masen for what he had done. Bella's brows furrowed as she thought about how to word her answer. She knew in her head and her heart why she had forgiven him, but she never explained it to anyone else. Would Esme understand what she meant?
"I…I did it for myself. I mean, he was dying, he died, and when I saw him, he…he looked so different."
The last time Bella had seen Ed Masen before that day in the Lodge had been at his trial. He still looked like a mess sitting there in his orange jumpsuit, but he was still tall and muscular. His skin wasn't as wrinkled or sallow as it looked when she saw him in Forks, and his hair still had some color to it. The man at the Lodge looked nothing like the Ed Masen she had known when she was sixteen years old.
"He just looked so weak and so frail…and the way he looked at Edward? Oh, Esme, there's no way it could've been an act! He looked so sad and apologetic! He looked like a man who was pretty much giving up on life, yet there he was begging for a chance to talk to his son! There was no way he was the same man he had been all those years ago."
Bella sighed heavily.
"I never told him myself, but I told Edward to tell him that I forgave him for what he had done. And I wanted Edward to forgive his father because…because that monster has had a hold on the both of us for far too long. There was so much pain and anger, and I felt like forgiving Ed helped me to let go of that pain and anger. When I saw him, I knew he was a changed man, and I saw that he had suffered and was suffering then too. I just…I just couldn't hold on to that anger and pain anymore. I didn't want Edward to hold on to that anymore either. Plus, I didn't want him to have any regrets after his father died. I didn't want him to wonder at all about any questions he might have had for his father. I wanted us both to be able to put this behind us and move on. Does that all make sense?"
Esme was quiet for a few minutes, seeming lost in thought as she looked toward the door of the lunchroom. Bella wasn't sure what Esme was thinking. Did she think Bella was a horrible person for making Edward talk to his father? Did she think it was wrong to forgive Ed Masen? When Esme finally spoke, Bella was not expecting what she heard.
"I was married once before I met Carlisle."
Bella started coughing violently, choking on some of the saliva in her mouth.
"What?" she croaked, reaching for her water bottle.
"I was married, once, a long time ago," Esme repeated. "I was young and naïve, but you know what they say about hindsight."
Bella nodded her head. She knew all too well given her own past.
"We were both eighteen, and he had enlisted in the army when we graduated from high school. I decided not to attend college because, like I said, I was young and naïve and I thought I was in love. He completed basic training and we got married since the benefits were really good. He got based at Schofield here on Oahu. At first, I didn't mind being an army wife, and I have nothing against any woman who is one. I have the upmost respect for military spouses and what they go through, especially in this day and age, Bella. They are brave and strong women, and the same can be said for any husbands out there whose wives are the ones enlisted."
Bella simply nodded along to show that she was following Esme's story.
"Anyway, I'm getting off track here. Eventually, I started going a little stir crazy. I didn't have a job, and my husband was at work all the time. He would come home, and that was when I noticed that the drinking was starting. The few times we would go out, he would get drunk all the time and insist on driving home. I was worried, but when I started to voice my concerns, that was when he started to get mean. I thank the lord he was never physically violent until the very night I left him, but sometimes the things he said to me and the names he had called me…they were awful and degrading and nothing worth repeating. The night that I finally made the decision to leave him, after months of verbal abuse, was the night that I first met Carlisle."
"But I thought—"
"Oh no, Bella. It was years before I started dating Carlisle. This was the very first time that I met Carlisle, and Paul for that matter. We had been out to dinner, my ex-husband insisting we go out, and of course, he got sloppily drunk. When I refused to get in the car when he insisted on driving home, he got angry, so very angry. He grabbed me by the neck he was pushing me towards the car, his fingers pressing down so hard I could hardly breathe. I managed some screams but it just made him push harder. It was the longest fifteen seconds of my life, Bella."
Esme looked away and Bella said nothing as she watched Esme swipe away a tear from her cheek.
"Carlisle and Paul had been eating at the same restaurant and were leaving at the same time when they saw what happened. Paul pulled him off of me and Carlisle caught me in his arms. I know Paul looks pretty mellow, but he knocked him out cold. I was completely distraught and felt like a fool. What was I supposed to do? My marriage was a failure, I was a fool…I didn't know what to do."
The hand that lay on top of Esme's small baby bump made small calming circles as she continued to speak.
"The police were called, and that night I realized that I needed to get a divorce. It wasn't a healthy marriage and I wasn't happy. He fought it of course, but with Carlisle and Paul's testimonies, as well as some neighbors, I easily found myself a divorcee before the age of twenty-two. I moved back in with my parents and tried to figure out what to do with my life. Physical therapy was something I completely stumbled upon by accident, but it was in a biology class in college a year later, that I met Carlisle again. We of course both remembered each other, and the rest they say, is history."
Bella felt a little stunned. She never would've thought Esme would have been through anything like that.
"I guess the point of all this here, Bella, is that I was angry at my ex-husband for a long time after our divorce. I blamed him for everything falling apart and for ruining my life and making it directionless. It wasn't until I met Carlisle again that I realized that if it weren't for my ex-husband, I probably wouldn't have met Carlisle. Realizing that bigger picture, and the happiness I could have with Carlisle, I was able to forgive my ex-husband and let go of all that anger and resentment I had towards him. Have you ever heard the quote from Alexander Pope, to err is human; to forgive, divine?"
Bella nodded. She had definitely heard that quote somewhere before…quite possibly in therapy, but she hoped that it had been from a movie or something.
"We are all human. We all fuck up. Alcohol and drug addictions are just way more fucked up than other things, but can you imagine what the world would be like, what we as people would be like, if we never forgave people for when they fuck up?"
All Bella could honestly focus on was the fact that her boss Esme Cullen had just used the word "fuck" three times, but she understood what Esme was trying to say.
"Forgiveness is what makes us better people. It's what makes us divine. We forgive so that we can move on, so that we can become better people and not hold on to all of the negative. Essentially, everything you told me about your reasons for wanting Edward to forgive his father."
"So you think I did the right thing then? And that Edward did the right thing?"
Esme smiled and reached across the table, covering Bella's hand with hers.
"I think that you both did what was right for the two of you to become…divine and begin on the path to becoming better people."
Bella closed her eyes and sighed heavily, feeling tears well up behind her lids.
"Thank you, Esme," Bella whispered.
"You're welcome, dear. Sometimes it takes some time for the uncertainty and murkiness to clear. You realize that forgiveness was the right thing, and soon Edward will too. Just give him some time, Bella."
Bella nodded in agreement. Edward just needed some time, but she couldn't help but wonder when the dam that was holding everything together would break.
Bella let out a loud huff and shook out her hair and arms. It might have been summer time, but it was still raining. The fact that it was still sort of sunny and raining at the same time blew Bella's mind. Instead of running into the house from the car, she ran to the back patio and sought shelter there. They kept towels in a cabinet out there for all the times Edward decided to run into the waves to surf or Bella decided to lie down in the yard and read in the sun. Patches was barking from inside and Bella could see her on her hind legs looking out the window at her.
"Edward?" Bella called. She got no response, but Patches barked instead. When Bella turned to look out at the ocean, she saw that Edward was a ways out, but was just sitting there in the water straddling his surfboard.
Bella sighed and grabbed a towel. While Edward had been distant since they had returned from Washington, they had still managed to get Bella moved in. She and Patches now happily shared the Hawaii Kai home with Edward, but they hadn't really gotten the chance to celebrate that fact.
After drying off a bit with her towel, Bella grabbed an umbrella and set off into the yard. Edward continued to just sit out there in the distance as the rain was getting stronger and more clouds were rolling in. Bella stood near the edge of the yard, the part before it dropped down to the sand of the beach, and cupped her hand around her mouth.
"Edward!" she called. Edward had been spending a lot of time out on the water since they had returned from Washington, and normally Bella didn't mind since he would catch waves quite often, but just sitting out there in a rainstorm was ridiculous. The last thing she wanted was for Edward to get sick.
She saw his head turn towards her, so she knew he must have heard her, and soon he was lying on his stomach and paddling back in to shore. With the clouds now covering the sun and the wind starting to pick up, Bella shivered under her umbrella. Edward was soon close enough to walk, and he stood up in the water and carried his board under his arm. He was shirtless and Bella knew he had to be cold as he stood in front of her in the wind, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. Edward placed his board so that it rested against one of the white chairs that sat at the edge of the yard, and he stood in front of Bella, not saying a word.
"Edward?" Bella whispered. He said nothing as he placed his hands on her hips and looked down at the sand beneath his feet. Bella couldn't cup his cheeks and hold the umbrella at the same time, so she dropped it, choosing to get soaking wet just like Edward. She cupped his cheeks gently but didn't pull his head up to look at her just yet.
"Edward? Baby, talk to me please."
Edward said nothing still and moved forward, leaning his forehead against Bella's shoulder. With her standing on the ledge of the yard and Edward down below on the sand, they were almost standing at the same height. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck as Edward wrapped his arms around Bella's back.
"He's gone, Bella," Edward whispered against her neck. "He's gone."
"He is," Bella responded quietly.
"I remember him. Being out in the ocean makes me feel closer to him…to the man he used to be," Edward was mumbling now. Bella felt shivers being to travel through his body and she knew that she had to get both of them inside the house.
"That's good, Edward. I want you to remember that man, but let's go inside? It's too cold out here."
Edward nodded silently and he let Bella lead him towards the house and wrap him up in a towel on the patio before the two headed inside and upstairs towards the bathroom. Patches seemed to understand that something was going on and she was nowhere near as excitable as she had been earlier. She whined a little when Bella stuck her in the downstairs bedroom. Patches would just have to fend for herself for a little while longer.
The funeral had been rough for Edward, and there had only been a small gathering of people. Edward and Elizabeth were joined by Bella, her parents, Ben, his parents, Angela, and her parents. Angela's father performed a small ceremony at First Beach, and Edward then paddled out with Ed's ashes, spreading them out amongst the waves. Ben had said he would paddle out with Edward, and even Bella said she would go too, but Edward said he needed to do it alone. They had all respected his wishes and let him say his own final goodbye to his father, but Edward hadn't been the same since.
Bella started up the shower, making the water as hot as she could stand it, before she turned and started to strip Edward out of his board shorts. Edward was still, complying and helping Bella when she asked, but he hadn't said anything since they were outside. His skin was frigid under her palm and he shivered when she touched him. There was nothing sexual about what was going on, and Bella quickly stripped out of her own wet clothes before she pulled Edward into the shower with her.
The first thing Bella did was pull Edward under the hot spray, letting the water rain down on both of them. Edward stood with his head hanging forward slightly and closed his eyes, letting out a muffled sigh from beneath the water. Bella's heart ached at the sight of Edward hurting and no doubt conflicted with his feelings and emotions. She worked around his tall frame, grabbing his body wash and starting to lather it up in her hands before starting at his shoulders and cleaning him off. His skin was slowly warming up under her touch, and Bella tried not to let the feel of Edward's strong muscles and smooth skin affect her. She also definitely kept her eyes averted from a certain area below his belly button.
Bella worked quietly and quickly as Edward just stood there. She wanted him to say what was going on in his head since she wasn't a mind reader, but she didn't want to push him. Bella felt like her pushing Edward was what got them into this situation in the first place. As Bella was soaping up Edward's back, she heard something that was completely unexpected and shocked her, making her mouth pop open in a silent gasp. Edward had let out a soft whimper before his right hand came up and quickly swiped away at the water that was trickling down his cheek. Bella covered her mouth with her hand, tears prickling in her own eyes; Edward was crying.
"Edward?" Bella whispered, slowly moving to stand in front of him. He was still standing with his head down and his eyes closed. Though the water from the shower was still falling on him, Bella could see that not all of the rivulets of water on his cheeks were from the shower. When Edward didn't answer, Bella raised her hands to his cheeks, swiping her thumbs over them gently.
"I don't know what I should feel," Edward finally said, barely louder than a whisper.
Bella closed her eyes, her own heart clenching in her chest at the sound of Edward's confused and broken voice.
"It's okay to be sad," Bella said softly. "It's okay to miss the man that you were talking about earlier."
"I hate who he was in Forks, that…that monster, but I…Bella, I…I can't hate the man that taught me how to surf and would take me to the beach every day. I…I can't hate him."
"And I don't want you to hate him, Edward. It'll take time, baby. You don't have to figure it all out yet. I'm here for you, Eric's here for you, Jasper, Ben, Alice…everyone. We're all here for you too, and we all care about you so much."
Bella leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her entire body against his.
"I just don't want to see you look so sad anymore, baby. Talk to us…talk to me. I'm here for you, Edward."
Edward's arms slowly wrapped around Bella's back and she felt him squeeze her softly.
"I love you so much, Bella," Edward whispered against her hair, leaning his head down against hers. "I love you so, so much."
They held each other for a few more minutes, letting the water wash away the past few minutes, and soon they stepped out into a steam filled and muggy feeling bathroom. Bella stuck her tongue out in playful disgust, feeling how heavy the air in the room felt from the steam and the already humid air from the July evening. However, things between she and Edward felt lighter and Edward no longer looked like there was a ten ton weight sitting on his shoulders.
Edward took a towel from Bella and dried himself off as she did the same. Bella's heart felt so much lighter now, seeing Edward looking a little more like himself again. She knew this one shower and talk wasn't going to fix everything magically and that Edward wasn't going to have everything figured out, but this was a start.
Since it was still warm out, Bella put on a simple navy blue cotton halter dress. It came with a built-in bra that Bella was thankful for. It was so humid and warm she didn't feel like putting on a bar. She could hear Edward pulling things out of the dresser and soon she turned to find him, with his naked body facing her, as he bent and pulled up a pair of basketball shorts. With no underwear. Bella closed her eyes and shook her head. It was like the man was trying to kill her with his sexiness sometimes. She sighed and headed for the bedroom door. Now was not the time to tackle him to the bed.
"How do sandwiches sound for dinner? We can just relax and watch a movie?" Bella called back as she walked out of the bedroom.
"Sounds good," was Edward's soft reply.
She knew he was still working through some things and Bella heard Edward turn the TV on in the living room before letting Patches out of the bedroom. Bella could hear him speaking to Patches softly, but couldn't make out the words, though he sounded more upbeat. Hopefully a nice relaxing night at home would prove to be beneficial. It was too hot for soup so Bella simply grabbed a bag of the delicious Maui onion potato chips that Edward had introduced her to, a plate with their sandwiches, and headed into the living room.
Edward had found a movie to watch, and together they ate, making quiet comments here and there, but not talking about anything too heavy. Patches was curled up contentedly at their feet and gnawing on a toy. They had been finished eating for a while, and a new movie had started when Edward started to get tired, yawning widely.
"What is it? Do you want to watch something else? Or are you sleepy?" Bella asked, reaching for the remote.
Edward chuckled softly. "I actually am a little…sleepy as you say."
"Okay, let me clean up and then—"
"Bella, nonsense! I'll clean up," Edward cut her off, standing up quickly.
"Baby," Bella tried to protest, but Edward simply waved her off.
"Let me do this one simple thing? You can head up and start getting ready for bed?"
Bella conceded and headed upstairs. A part of her couldn't help but worry about Edward, but she had to keep reminding herself that things weren't going to be fixed in one night. She could hear Edward downstairs as she went through her nightly routine and she smiled as she heard him murmuring to Patches as he took her outside to use the bathroom and then tucked her in for the night. Bella had changed into a simple cotton spaghetti strap nightgown since it was still pretty humid, even with the bedroom's balcony doors open. She had just finished brushing her hair when Edward came in and flopped face first down on their bed. Bella smiled as she watched him worm his way under the covers, which with the humid weather, were nothing but thin sheets. Edward seemed to have found the position he was going to sleep in and stopped moving. After making her way to turn off the lights, Bella stopped next to where Edward lay and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his head.
"Good night, baby," she whispered.
"Not…sleeping…" Edward mumbled back.
Bella chuckled and walked around to the empty side of the bed and crawled under the covers. Edward rolled onto his back and reached for Bella instantly. His eyes remained closed, but a small smile appeared on his lips when Bella snuggled into her place against his chest. Bella felt herself just about to nod off when Edward started to speak.
"My dad was the one who took me to my first professional surfing competition."
Bella's eyes popped open, but she remained silent, waiting to see if Edward would say more. She wasn't disappointed.
"I was six. That was the year he took me to a lot of places for the first time. Surfing competitions, Dodgers games, Disneyland…all the places little California boys dream of going to."
Even though his voice was becoming thick with sleep, Bella could also here the happiness there too.
"I had never seen so many surfers before, and each and every one of them was so good. My dad had just started teaching me how to surf a couple of months before, and man…I was so excited. The waves were huge and set after set just kept rolling in. We sat there all day watching. That was probably when I fell in love with surfing. I…I remember telling my dad that I wanted to be out there doing that when I grew up. I mean, when you're a little boy you say that about everything. Astronaut, race car driver, baseball player, policeman…but my dad…you know what he said to me, Bella?"
"What did he say, baby?" Bella whispered.
Edward yawned widely and smacked his lips a few times before he spoke again.
"He said that if that was what I really wanted, I'd be out there someday."
"What else do you remember?" Bella asked, wanting to continue this train of good memories of his father.
"One of our first Dodgers games, that same year, we were out in the bleacher seats, and my dad he…he almost fell over a row of seats trying to get a home run ball for me."
Bella smiled and she listened as Edward recounted the tale. This continued on for a few more stories, with Bella asking questions here and there, and Edward answering them with small smiles and quiet chuckles. Eventually, he drifted off, right in the middle of a story about one of their many surfing outings together. Bella sat up slightly so that she could look at Edward's face. It was the first time in weeks that he looked like he was at peace. There was even a small smile on his face. After smoothing away a few strands of hair from his forehead, Bella lay back down, her head resting on Edward's chest, and his arm automatically tightened around her. She slid her arm around his middle and squeezed him close.
"I love you, Edward Masen," she whispered. "You're the strongest man I know."
Bella moaned, both from pleasure and displeasure, her dream becoming more and more hazy. She gasped and her eyes shot open when she felt soft lips brushing against the top of her thigh. Her confused eyes caught the red glow from the clock on the bedside table and she saw that it was just after three in the morning. When Bella looked down, she found Edward grinning up at her. His hands slid up her legs and stopped at the top of her underwear. Somehow, he had also worked her nightgown up higher so that it was bunched up beneath her breasts. Bella was immediately aching and felt her body flush with desire. They hadn't had sex since they had been in Seattle before his father had passed.
"Edward?" Bella asked, trying to make sure that she wasn't in fact still dreaming.
Edward turned his head back down and pressed a kiss to her thigh as his fingers curled over the top of her underwear and began to tug them down.
"I've been so distant," Edward murmured against her skin. "And you've been so patient with me, love. I've missed you so much."
Bella reached down and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You had things you needed to figure out…but I've missed you too," she said honestly.
Edward groaned, his fingers tightening around her panties and tugging hard. Bella lifted her hips in response and Edward sat up, tugging Bella's panties down her legs and flinging them behind him. Bella let out a soft moan when she saw that Edward was already naked, his basketball shorts lying in a heap on the floor. Edward crawled back up Bella's body, slowing laying himself down on top of her as she widened her legs to make room for his body. She moaned and her head fell back when he deliberately pressed his hips against hers, thrusting up as he did.
"I need you, Bella. I need to feel you. Please…" Edward moaned softly against her ear.
"Yes…please, Edward…"
Edward didn't hesitate, though he moved slow as he lined them up, seemingly drawing out the tension. Bella whimpered and bucked her hips a little. Ever since she and Edward had first slept together, it was like they were insatiable and couldn't get enough of each other. These past few weeks with no sex had been torture for Bella's body, though her mind and heart would never let her complain about it. She moaned loudly when she felt him enter her, and Edward groaned against her neck, as he slowly sheathed himself inside of her body.
Their rhythm was slow and their skin was burning from each other's touch. Edward nudged the straps of Bella's nightgown down as he slowly ground his hips against hers, and soon he smothered her breasts with kisses, nipping and sucking at them. Bella felt frenzied despite the slower movements of their bodies. She felt like she was on fire and moaned and whimpered for Edward.
"Faster!" she cried. "Please, Edward! Faster!"
Edward pushed himself up on his hands looking down at her with a hunger in his eyes. He dipped down and caught her lips with his, catching her bottom lip between his teeth and biting down the same time as he thrust hard forward. He released her lip as Bella screamed out in approval.
"Is that what you want? Faster and harder?" Edward growled in her ear.
"I just…I need…" Bella panted, her mind so foggy with lust.
"Tell me," Edward demanded. "Now."
"I need more!" Bella cried, her fingers digging into Edward's back.
Their lips collided and they pressed against each other, harder and faster, like they couldn't get enough of each other. The bed creaked and groaned in time with Edward's powerful thrusts and the air was filled with Bella's cries of his name. The world outside didn't matter and there was nothing that mattered more in that moment than the two of them together.
Shared and panted breaths mixed with urgent kisses and cries of passion, and soon Bella couldn't take it anymore. With one last cry of Edward's name she fell apart beneath him, feeling barely conscious of the world around them. Edward wasn't finished though and he slowed down, leaning down to press soft kisses to Bella's lips and face.
"You didn't…" Bella trailed off, struggling to catch her breath.
Edward smirked and shook his head.
"I'm not done with you yet, woman, and we have a lot of time to make up for still."
Edward rolled them over and Bella squealed as she suddenly found herself sitting on top of Edward. He sat up and held her in his arms gently, one hand sweeping hair from her eyes and the other moving slowly up and down her back. Edward leaned forward and pressed his lips to Bella's softly.
"I love you so much, Bella…more than I could ever say," Edward murmured, his voice rough.
Bella buried her hands in the hair at the nape of his neck and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. Edward's hands glided down Bella's body and settled on her hips. She gasped when he pulled her against him before pushing away slowly. Sliding her hands forward, Bella's fingers traced Edward's sharp jaw and drew his lips to hers. She kissed him with every ounce of passion and love she felt for him. Bella understood perfectly when Edward said that he loved her more than he could ever say, because there weren't enough words in any language in the world for Bella to describe just how much she loved Edward and how much he meant to her. He was the other half of her heart, the other half of her soul, and the word "love" wasn't enough to describe that.
A loud gasp left Bella's lips as Edward hit that spot inside her that made her fall apart. She couldn't stop the soft whimpers that left her lips as Edward rolled his hips again and again, and he pulled her hips in time with his. Edward's heavy and rough pants breezed across the skin at Bella's shoulder and she could feel that familiar build up in her stomach again. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to lose that feeling, but not wanting it all to end without Edward either.
"Look at me, baby," Edward panted. "Look at me."
Bella peeled her eyes open with a moan, and she could barely hold on any longer. Her brown eyes met his deep green, so dark and filled with lust that they looked black. One of Edward's hands slid up and cupped the back of Bella's neck while the other held tightly to her hip.
"Come with me, Bella. Come now."
A loud cry burst from Bella's lips as she felt her body explode in pleasure. Her blood was rushing in her ears and her skin tingled as she heard Edward growl out a loud, "fuck", before he slumped against her. His arms still held her body tightly to him, and she could feel his hot breaths against the tops of her breasts. Bella slowly felt her senses coming back to her, and Edward placed a kiss on her chest before he lay back, taking Bella with him. Together they lay like that, with Bella sprawled out on Edward's chest, and Edward running his fingers through Bella's hair.
Eventually, the two moved, with Edward carrying Bella to the bathroom and the two of them taking a quick shower to rinse off. Despite the ocean air coming into their bedroom from the open balcony door, they had both worked up quite the sweat and were sticky and hot. While they mostly kept their hands to themselves, their shower together was longer than usual, and they only got out when the water went cold on them.
Even as they were drying off, Bella could feel how much Edward loved her in each of his touches and movements. She only hoped that he could feel the same when she helped him dry off. She had a feeling that he did. By the time they crawled back into bed, it was nearly five in the morning, and Bella could already see the pinks and peaches of the morning sky starting to break through the inky navy blue and purple of nighttime. They lay on their sides, not bothering to put on clothes or pull the covers up and over them. Edward pulled Bella closer, twining his legs with hers. Edward reached up and ran his fingers softly down Bella's cheek. She sighed happily in response.
"I love you. I'll never stop telling you or showing you just how much I do," Edward whispered, his eyes drifting closed.
"I know you do," Bella whispered back. "And I love you too, Edward Masen."
The two of them pulled each other closer, and Edward tucked Bella's head under his chin.
"I'd like to call you Bella Masen one day."
Bella smiled against the skin of his neck.
"I can't wait for that day."
Edward turned and pressed a kiss to the side of Bella's head. His arms were wrapped around her shoulders and back, and Bella's hand snaked hers around his torso and up his chest. They held each other tightly and drifted off to sleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and dreams of a wedding on the beach.
Age 70
"Gran? Are you okay?"
"What?" Bella said with a jump, leaving behind daydreams of her younger days.
"Are you okay?" Audrey asked, her brown eyes full of concern. "You were talking about Grandpa's father and how he, um, died and then you sort of drifted off."
"Yeah, then your cheeks got all flushed," Rachel chimed in, looking at her cousin Audrey for confirmation.
Bella's cheeks got even hotter knowing that her two grandchildren had just caught her daydreaming about her younger self and their grandfather. Her daughter-in-laws, Rebecca and Lauren looked at each other with knowing smiles on their faces, but said nothing. They had met Edward when he was in his fifties, but he was still an incredibly attractive older man, and it was obvious where their husbands got their good looks from. Not that Bella was a bag of bones on the side or anything. Even at the age of 70, Bella still had her beauty about her, and her looks were also evident in their children.
"Um, well…it is a little warm today. I think Gran could use a little bit of a break," Bella said with a nervous chuckle.
"Come on, Rachel, let's go get Gran a drink," Audrey said, pulling her younger cousin to her feet. The two disappeared towards the patio where there were coolers of drinks set up, giggling as they went. Rebecca and Lauren turned their knowing smirks on Bella.
"Mom, were you totally having a dirty daydream about Dad just now?" Lauren asked, a teasing tone to her voice.
Bella's cheeks were positively on fire now. Blushing cheeks were something that she had never outgrown.
"Ooh…she was having a dirty daydream about dad!" Rebecca squealed.
"NUH UH! I did NOT just hear you talking about my mom and dad and the words, 'dirty daydream'!"
Bella turned towards the doorway and a wide smile spread across her face.
"Finally! One of my children comes to say hello to me!" Bella cried, getting up to her feet.
Her youngest, Jared Masen, still had a frown and a look of disgust on his face.
"Is this what you guys talk about when none of us kids are around?" he asked as he leaned down to give Bella and hug and a kiss.
Bella smiled and smoothed some of Jared's wild hair away from his forehead.
"Ma…" Jared whined, standing back up straight so his hair was far out of his mother's reach.
"Jared Masen, you need a haircut," Bella said, placing her hands on her son's arms.
"I'm getting to it next week. After I come back from Tahiti."
Jared was the only one who got into professional surfing like his father, and like his father, he had made quite a name for himself. He was also the one who probably looked the most like his father, inheriting his bronze-ish colored and wild hair, and built almost exactly the same.
"You gonna stick around in here for a bit?" Bella asked, retaking her seat on the couch.
"Uh, no…not if you are talking about you and dad and your…sexy times or whatever," Jared replied, the look of disgust returning to his face.
Bella shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"I was just telling your nieces and sister-in-laws about how your father and I met."
"I'll pass then. I know this story pretty well. Plus, I want to catch some waves with Garrett, Ty, and Oliver before low tide rolls in."
Jared stripped off his shirt and tossed it on the back of the couch. He gave a wave and a crooked grin that was identical to his father's, before he slipped out the back door.
"Tell my other children I would like to see them sometime today!" Bella yelled after him.
She heard Jared yell a quick "hello" to Rachel and Audrey as he ran past, and the two young girls returned to the living room with a bottle of water for their grandmother. Bella took the bottle gratefully and took a long sip as her granddaughters took their seats again.
"So, Gran," Audrey asked after a few minutes. "What happened next?"
Bella smiled and she placed her bottle of water on the table.
"Well, my dear, I guess what happened next is what everyone calls, a happily ever after…but even happily ever afters have their bumps in the road."
Well? Yes? No? I think that wraps up the angst pretty much. And hey, you finally got to officially meet one of Bella and Edward's children. Not that you didn't know they already existed, but now you've officially met one. :-D
Thank you for being understanding about my updates taking so long. I'll do my best with the rest of the story. As Bella just said, the happily ever after is what comes next so…yeah. And I promise the bumps are minor. :-D
Let me know what you guys thought, good or bad, pretty please? I do look forward to what you all think. You can catch me on Twitter NoelleSeven and on Facebook Noelle Seven. Hope to have an update soon!