A/N Mac beta'd this because she's awesome. Outtake news at the end note.
Facebook status: I laid my heavy head on earth's shoulder and said, "Let me hold on to you, man. Just until the spinning stops."
In a fugue state, I staggered away from the door as it slammed shut, and the world tilted on its axis, turning too fast. Gravity failed me; I spun on my heels, driven by a mysterious centrifugal force. I felt like I'd been high on my own body chemistry, but as the adrenaline drained from my body, I came down too quickly, crashing into Edward's waiting arms.
"You did well, pretty girl. So good . . . I'm so proud of you . . ."
He whispered sweet-sounding words into my ear, but I had no fucking clue what he said as he cradled me. And I clung to him - my rock. My beautiful, sex-crazed rock.
I cried loudly for ten minutes solid, turning his cotton shirt into a snot rag. When I stopped hiccuping, he led me away from the house, and we walked aimlessly around my old neighbourhood, me stumbling along like a drunk monkey attached to his arm.
The streets were paved with ghosts, my memories now coloured with a different perspective. Even the fire hydrants looked devious, red and steaming in the heat.
"Well," Edward said after enough time had passed, and his Irish skin began to turn crimson under the harsh, desert sun, "you certainly gave your mother a lot to think about."
Did I? See, I didn't think so. Renee probably felt like the victim in our little travesty of a Greek tragedy more than ever.
"Nah. I'm sure she's come up with an explanation by now about how I know what Phil's dick looks like."
He cringed, squeezing my arm a little too hard.
"Are you tired?" he asked, his jaw tense.
"Fucking exhausted." I wanted to collapse in a heap on the sidewalk but thought better of it.
"Want to spend the night . . . get a motel or something?" He placed his hand on my cheek, and I cuddled against him, wrapping my tired arms around his body as if I could draw strength from the connection.
And fuck me, I really did want to spend another night with him. I wanted his tongue in my mouth, his cock buried deep inside of me. No part of me left untouched or unloved by his diligent hands.
"Oh . . . I do." Standing on my toes, I pressed an open mouthed kiss on his lips and just melted for a while, losing myself in his taste, his tongue, the soft little grumbles of pleasure we both made whenever we touched.
Edward pulled something out of his pants which, to my dismay, wasn't his dick.
"Directory assistance," he said huskily into his cell, still kissing me between words.
Except I totally couldn't spend another night away. Charlie needed me. I didn't trust him to be alone with his anger for any length of time without me.
"Wait." I held his chin, pulling away from his mouth so I could speak. "I can't... I mean, I really want to, but Charlie . . ."
"It's fine, Bella." His words belied the disappointment that momentarily clouded his eyes. He pocketed his iPhone and smiled.
"Really?"
"Sure. We'll fly standby - try to get out tonight."
"Oh my god, can I just tell you how awesome you are?" I gushed tiredly. "This day should be hell on earth, but you keep me from completely losing my shit." I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms and legs around his sex-god body.
He smiled against the crook of my neck, planting tiny kisses that tickled the skin there.
"Dude," I gasped between giggles. "I love you so fucking much."
"I love you so fucking much, too . . . dude."
-({})-
The flight home was almost pleasant, largely due to the fact I took enough tranquilizers to incapacitate an elephant, but also because of Edward. He tried to keep the mood light, laughing at me when I inevitably set off the metal detector at security. He tweeted me while we waited for our plane to arrive at the gate. He bought me an overpriced coffee at Starbucks and kissed the foam off my nose.
"What did I do to deserve you?" I asked softly as the plane began its descent. We disappeared in the dense clouds, the mist billowing around the window like smoke.
"I'm not used to that question being used positively." He chuckled. "The last time I heard it, a girl was throwing a shoe at me."
"Do women often throw shoes at you?" Was it a trend or something?
"Is that a rhetorical question, or are you looking for a number?"
"Answer the question." I pouted, biting my lower lip in what I hoped was a sexy, non-spastic manner.
"No, women don't often throw shoes at me," he said solemnly. "Sometimes they throw panties."
"Oh my god! Why are you such a slut?" I punched his arm a little harder than playfully.
"Uhhh, do you want me to answer that?"
I didn't. "I hate rhetorical questions. Why are there rhetorical questions?"
"Um... is that rhetorical?"
"Did Lauren throw her shoes at you or just her cunt?" My voice darkened.
"Stop it. Let's not talk about that stuff right now."
"But you never want to talk about you. It's always an inconvenient time because I'm having a random breakdown or Charlie's going all Chuck Norris and shit."
"Fine," he sighed heavily. "What do you want to know?"
"Why am I not the only girl who turned violent on you? What did you do to piss off the other shoe-throwers?"
"Mostly just fucked and ducked." He smiled tightly, averting his eyes.
"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" I turned towards him and wrapped my hands around his neck.
"I'm not proud of it."
"How many girls at Forks?"
"Two," he said quickly.
"Bullshit!" I sneezed the word and rubbed my fist into his scalp. Shit, I could noogie him for days, and his hair still looked perfect.
"Stop!" He laughed, ducking away from me. I undid my seatbelt - even though the illuminated sign over our seats clearly indicated I wasn't supposed to - and hopped into his lap.
"How many?" I pressed.
"Only two in Forks, Scouts honour." He made a V with his fingers.
"Uh, I don't think you were ever a Scout."
He cocked his brow. "Oh, yeah? What makes you so certain?"
"Well, for one thing, you don't know anything about the outdoors . . . and also? You just made the Vulcan symbol for live long and prosper."
"Caught me." He brought his mouth about an inch away from mine and teased me, licking his lower lip. "But for real, Bella, only two in Forks. I was, er, more prolific when Alice and I were away at boarding school in Seattle."
"Really?" I shoved at his head, doing my damnedest to gain access to his mouth, which he kept just out of reach. "How many?"
He shrugged. "No idea." He kissed the corner of my lips and whipped his head away quickly when I tried to jam my tongue down his throat. "I didn't give a shit about any of them."
"So, if you got so much tail in Seattle, why did you come back to stupid Forks?"
"Uh, I was sorta kicked out for consorting with the headmaster's daughter."
Of course, I snickered at the word headmaster. I opened my mouth to ask if the title had any bearing on her skill when Edward crushed his mouth against mine, groaning as I slid my tongue past his lips. He licked it and cupped the back of my head in a way that made me feel precious and desired. His mouth, all soft and sweet, moved with my own, tender and gentle.
I couldn't get enough.
I whined softly with want, deepening the kiss until we were both panting and clawing at each other.
"Ahem," a flight attendant said, glaring at us as we broke apart. "Please put your seatbelt back on in preparation for landing."
"Shit, sorry," I muttered, my face flushing hotly.
She nodded and moved down the aisle.
"Bella," Edward said softly as I secured my seatbelt, bringing my chair back to its upright position.
"Yeah."
"I love you, baby. I don't know how much of a consolation that is considering what you're going through, but I want you to know . . ." He paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I'm pretty sure you're it for me."
Warmth flooded my chest as he gazed at me with half-lidded eyes.
"Like . . . really?" I asked ineloquently.
"Really."
"Oh my god, you're such an asshole." My eyes filled with tears before I could stop myself.
"What? Why?"
"I fucking hate crying in public. Gah, I'm such a girl right now." I cupped his junk over his jeans. "You're so getting a blowjob by the way," I added casually.
-({})-
The house was dark when I arrived home. Edward insisted on waiting until I locked the door behind me before he pulled out of the driveway, his headlights briefly illuminating the foyer before he disappeared.
God, I felt alone now. I'd become so accustomed to having him by my side over the last two days.
I dropped my purse in the front hall closet and turned on the light.
"Bella?" Charlie said hoarsely.
"Shit!" I jumped about a foot in the air. "Sorry, Dad. I wasn't expecting you to be . . . uh, sitting in the dark."
"I fell asleep on the couch waiting for you." He almost sounded apologetic as he sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Did Edward find the chainsaw all right?"
"No, Dad. I don't think Phil was home."
"We need to talk-" he practically growled, his voice positively apoplectic and his face twisting into an ugly expression.
"I know."
"I've already pulled some strings with the DA and the Phoenix PD are on standby, but I need you to press charges since you're an adult-"
"Dad, stop!"
"I also contacted a lawyer. A good one-"
"Stop!" I yelled. "Just stop it!"
Charlie barely spoke this much at one time. He probably didn't appreciate being interrupted, but I was unapologetic.
His dark eyes flashed angrily. "He's gonna pay, Bells."
"I know," I said softly, exhausted. "I know he will, but right now, more than anything, you know what I need? Not a fucking vigilante. I need a parent." I burst into tears, my lungs drawing in painful, shallow breaths.
"Aw, Bells. C'mere." He opened his arms, looking uncomfortable - probably because the last time he hugged me I kicked him in the groin.
"No."
"Yes," he insisted, slowly standing up. "I'm your father, and I love you, baby. No matter what."
"Daddy," I whispered like a child.
He held me, and we cried together.
"This shouldn't have happened to you," he sobbed into my shoulder. "I . . . I just don't understand how I could have let this happen to my baby girl."
"It's not your fault." I tried to soothe him but I wasn't equipped with the right words to silence either of our tears.
I didn't realize it at the time, but my father was in mourning for my lost childhood.
Not me, though. I only mourned my mother. I mourned her not just because she disowned me, but because I knew I'd never forgive her for it.
Author's Note: I'm only a few chapters away from the end! So I'll be writing an Edward POV that will include when Bella first kisses him in Kindergarten. Donate to FSAA for a compilation of unpublished outtakes by some awesome writers.
I'm also writing a very strange Tomato outtake in conjunction with Meranaamjoker's awesome Paul/Bella fic Miror Quaenam Sis Tam Bella. It will make very little sense but that's never been a problem for me!
Reviews make my phone and I really happy!
