A/N: The fluff tis coming guys! A bunch of it too. :D
I have three other chapters written and I'm excited about where the story is going.
Also, give the song, Hawaii by Meiko a listen, you won't regret it. I promise.
Chapter Song: Arms by Christina Perri
Alice was out the car before Bella could even shift it to park. Bella sat back and smiled, watching Alice fly up the stairs, obviously her buzz had worn off considerably.
She was about to get out when her phone started singing Let's Stay Together by Al Green. She smiled, knowing it was Edward without looking at her screen.
"Hi."
"Hey, baby. Where are you?"
"Rose and Emmett's new place."
"I'll be there in a couple of minutes."
"Okay. Love you."
"Love you too."
Bella whistled with a thumbs up when she walked through the door Emmett held open.
"Thanks," he said with a hug.
Rose gave Bella a hug before showing her around. They had a small, one-bedroom apartment their were splitting rent on that was surprising spacey. The decor was also modern but warm.
"It's beautiful," Bella told Rose as they walked back to the front. "Where's Alice and Jasper?"
"They went for a walk."
Bella nodded, hopeful for the two.
"What did you two do?" Rose asked. "She's pretty hammered."
Bella looked down, feeling guilty. "She was really upset, so I took her to the airport."
Rose cocked an eyebrow.
"I didn't know what they were fighting about," Bella explained defensively.
Rose smiled, rubbing Bella's shoulder. It was a simple gesture, but from Rose it was rare and rewarding. "Well, whatever you did, it worked like a charm."
Edward was refusing a Coors Light from Emmett for a Dr. Pepper instead when Bella and Rose walked into the kitchen.
Before she knew it, she was in his arms.
Placing the soda down, Edward pulled her closer. Both forgot where they were until Emmett cleared his throat.
"You act like you haven't seen each other in ages," Emmett joked, poking Edward in the rib.
Edward swatted his hand away with a frown. "Shut up." He looked back down at Bella. "It felt like a lifetime."
Rose rolled her eyes. "You can tell you and Alice are blood related. You're both so dramatic."
Edward's eyes grew confused. "What happened with Alice?"
Bella waited until they were all sitting in the living room to explain everything to him. He wasn't happy about the place she chose to take Alice, but Bella ignored his unpleased expression.
Edward made a hmph sound as he sipped from his can. "She knew that he was leaving after he graduated before they even started dated."
"Really?" Bella asked, finding this news shocking for some reason.
They all nodded.
"I think she was hoping he'd change his mind," Emmett commented as Rose nodded again.
"Yeah, I love her, but she can be ridiculously delusional sometimes," Rose added.
Bella couldn't help the frown that worked itself between her eyebrows. "Why do you say that?"
Edward rubbed her knee in the most persuading way. Asking her do what? She didn't know and didn't care. She was thrilled to do anything at that point. She was literally counting the days until his eighteenth birthday, which was at the stroke of midnight, Halloween night. Why they had to wait? Because they'd agreed it would be best. Well, actually, that was what Edward wanted, Bella just accepted begrudgingly. She didn't like that she felt like she was the one pressuring Edward. The only thing that kept her from feeling like a total scuzzball was the fact that Edward didn't seem to mind it, not even for a second.
"Because Jasper's been dreaming about going to Columbia since he first read a newspaper."
Bella nodded, feeling bad for both of them. Alice because she was such a dear friend, and Jasper since she didn't give him the benefit of the doubt. Mainly, though, because this was an immense struggle for their relationship, something Bella was recently privy to. But there was nothing more she could do, so she made herself worry less about it.
"Wanna go see a movie?" Edward asking her snapped her out of her inner thoughts.
She nodded eagerly.
He looked at Emmett and Rose. "You guys wanna come too?"
They both shook their heads as Rose answered, "Thanks, but we still have some unpacking to do."
"Do you need help?" Bella asked without a thought.
Rose smiled at her. "Thank but it's mostly little things, like Emmett's underwear." She waggled her eyebrows to go with the jest.
Bella scrunched up her nose at Rose's joke and they all laughed before Edward threw away his can and helped Bella up with a hand.
They waved goodbye and was almost out the door before she remembered something. "Oh, yeah! Here are Alice's keys." She tossed the handful of keys to Emmett who caught them easily.
They watched a comedy this time. Bella laughed so much, she cried.
They stayed in the car at Sonic afterwards this time because Edward wasn't comfortable sitting outside anymore. This made Bella upset, but she let it go because she knew he had a valid reason.
He and Charlie had bonded much more over protecting her. Charlie had given Edward full range to use his guns. Her as well, but Bella loathed using a gun. She hated the throwback and the noise. She'd use one if she had to and knew how to aim and shoot because Charlie insisted, but the fact that someone else was around who could use one made her feel better. She wasn't winning the feminist of the year award but she didn't care. It was just how she felt. If she could change it, she most assuredly would, but it was easier said than done. Why guns bothered her so much? She couldn't exactly say, they just did.
Mostly, she wasn't sure if anyone was truly after her. She hadn't had any feelings of someone following her or anything like that, but she could be wrong. Again, she didn't voice this to anyone because it would be pointless. She had to admit it did make her feel safe. Charlie wasn't even shy about telling her that he'd scheduled deputies to pass by the school when they started in two weeks.
Now they were back at Edward's house.
Alone.
"Where are you're parents?"
"Out with Charlotte and Peter."
Edward checked and double checked if all the doors and windows were locked before setting the alarm system that would alert the police immediately if something was amiss. He also made sure the pistol was loaded and tucked away in an easy access place. Bella watched him, looking slightly flustered and adorable. She felt bad that he had to go through so much trouble. Once she tired to tell him this and he'd cut her off instantly.
"Don't apologize for something you can't control," He'd said.
She'd nodded as she'd thought, I could've controlled it, by not involving you in my life at all. She knew that if she had said that to him it would've only upset him. Plus, it made her feel selfish, but she was glad he was involved in her life, as fucked up and dangerous as it might've been.
Now, they were by themselves, locked away in the stronghold formally known as the Cullen's home. Bella nearly laughed out loud at that thought, but held it back because she didn't want to explain herself to Edward. She should've been much more serious about the whole ordeal. She knew that, she really did. It was just that she needed moments of lightness to keep herself sane, which was becoming an uphill battle.
She waited on the first step as Edward was putting the pistol away.
When he turned, he froze. "What are you thinking?"
"How comfortable your bed is."
He swallowed convulsively as he said lowly, "Bella."
Her eyes fluttered at how sexy it was to hear him say her name like that. She smirked. "Yes?"
"Don't push it."
She frowned, annoyance taking over passion. "What? I'm just saying, I like to lay in it."
He groaned loudly, before marching to her and pulling her up to hold her in the bridal position and climbing the stairs.
She giggled against his neck, thrilled that she was getting her way.
Apparently, not all the way.
As close as Edward would get to removing a piece of her clothing, he'd stop himself at the last minute, nearly causing her head to pop off. And the minute her hand would get near his pants, he'd pull it back up with a minute shake of his head.
He allowed her to take his shirt off and she took full advantage.
His body was a miracle, such smooth, defined muscles that just begged to be touched and licked. When she tried the last, he almost jumped completely off the bed. He did pull away as he bent his whole body with his hand choking the covers, breathing laboriously. She felt slightly guilty that this was becoming more of a struggle for him, but excitement drowned it out.
He looked helplessly at her after a moment.
She moved closer very slowly, touching his hair when he didn't pull away. The fact that he was as new to this as she was made it that much better.
"I'll behave. I swear."
He let an unbelieving grunt out, but kissed her as he pulled her against his chest firmly. She wished her shirt was off too, but she knew it would be too much for him at the moment.
She was patient though. Very patient.
