**Huge-ass author's note headed y'all's way, feel free to skip it & read after the chapter, but please do read**

To the two most important women in Eddie's life (apart from Bella), all my love and respect goes out to Vanessarae and Viola Cornuta who took a fuck-lot of time on every chapter and never put up with any of Eddie's guff (or mine). They didn't just help with grammar; they aided me in hammering out the plot, came up with tons of content notes and advice/additions, and generally held my hand while givin' me a smack to the back of the head. 3.

Some big lovin' to my BFF GeeKay! Honestly, without her daily Eddie ramblings this thing never would have seen the light of day . I can't tell you how many ridiculously loud (and usually inappropriate) conversations we've had about this dude and his antics, and she's constantly making me lmfao with lowcountry goodies to include in the story. *mwah*

Thanks to those wonderfully talented women who have blown the roof off the trailer with their artwork and videos! Not even kidding: there are close to 200 DC banners and 13 vids! That's insane! The links to the banner slideshow and the video channel are on my profile in addition to interviews with both me and Eddie, etc. So, giant kisses first to MsEm and Lindz (who did a lot of work for the blog art), to Amanda DcCullen, Bell Jacobsen, Kerry Delaney, DDG, Cracky, Indie, RMCC, Meg Uhbot, Krazichick, Bobby D., CullenGirl, Kimmi, Gasaway, TwifanUK, ROBZSINGER…and many more (I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone, you know I fuckin' love you!). Also, thanks to a very close friend who has helped me with my writing, my blogs, and simply been there to lend an ear or tell me dirty stuff to make me laugh, you know who you are.

Gotta say how much I respect and admire the writers who took on Rebelward Without a Cause outtakes: Vanessarae, RowanMoon, Frol223, Gasaway Alley, Viola Cornuta, Jaspersbrand, and winterstale. Amongst their stories, they gave incredible life to the other Dead Confederate characters and furthered the plot! And, they're totally awesome writers in their own right. Love you guys ;).

Mega loves to my original DW h00rs—most of these chicks have been with me since before DC's…that's almost three fucking years! Rowan, Gassy, Mer, Rosabella, Pixie, Viola, Viridis, winterstale, twiliteaddict, TwifanUK…feel like I'm forgetting someone…feel free to whip me ;). 'Course, cannot forget Eddie's FB ladies! What the fuck can I say about that? Y'all took the trailer park by friggin' storm and have made every day so funny, sexy, sassy, and entertainin' for both me and Eddie. 3 3 3. Same shit goes to all of you who have read, and the biggest love to y'all reviewers and bloggers and tweeters; it would be really sad to write something no one talked about…I've been extemremely lucky, thank you. And to Bella Flan and AngryBadgerGirl for listenin' to my mad rants at one time or another (also for prereading), and to my pervy partner in crime, QuantumFixxz!

Note re. the previous chapter: if you didn't get the Tamara/Marcus/Didyme references, you need to read the Iron Maiden outtake ;).

Disclaimer: Hmm, lemme see. I own "Eddie", Bubba, Jizz, Tinker Hell, Rebella, M'Esme, Paw, the zombies, Mama Brown (may she rest in peace), the loopy loup garu, Vigilante Rose. I also got me a double wide, The Bronco, the Sunday Best Truck, a broken iPod (or four), and a whole lotta love for my southern crew . Twilight? Eh, that ain't mine.

Finally (and I swear, I'll shut the fuck up now), I want to remind y'all of the timeline for Dead Confederates. It began in the March 2009 and ends in September of 2009. So all this shit that went down with Eddie and Bella and co. happened over one very intense spring and summer.

~~ Two years of my life y'all, and so much damn fun! Yeah, so pass me the damn Kleenex, because…this chapter is a little bit of everything DC's to me. Oh, and I could use a PBR too ;)~~

Long Live Rebelward!

Thanks to Mz for the song .

Song:

Barton Hollow, The Civil Wars

youtube . com/watch?v=ooTyuRd9zSg

The New South

I walked out of the double wide, almost lettin' the screen door slam, but then I remembered Bella splayed out on my bed, just a sheet coverin' her naked body, sleepin' soundly.

Well, she would be dead to the world after what we'd gotten up to.

Jizz had the scuffed heels of his mud-crusted cowboy boots propped on the porch railin'. I cuffed his Stetson off and jumped over his legs, landin' on the other side of Bubba.

"Watcha whittlin'?" I reached for a cold one, my own safely enclosed in the crotch of my jeans. For the time bein' anyway.

Bubba grinned wordlessly. Shee-it, knock a few teeth outta that mouth and he'd fit right in with the yokels. He was holdin' up his latest Kama Sutra specimen for my perusal. Kneelin' between his woman's thighs, the male had his hands cupped over her tits with his fingers pluckin' her nipples up hard and tight.

I took a swig, finishin' my beer in one long draw. "What's it called?"

Bubba turned the joined figures over in his hands, all proud of himself. "Victory."

"Feels good." I nodded.

"Y'already tried it?"

"What? No.… well probably, me and Bella been at it for days. But I meant Victory - winnin' and shit."

Junior decided to get jizzosophical. "The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards."

Bubba asked, "That that Shakespeare dude again?"

"Nah, from Bama's Crimson Tide, that is."

"Sounds 'bout right, crimson tide," I commented.

Bubba pulled out his keys to punch a hole in his beer can so's he could shotgun it. When he'd finished, he backhanded his mouth and mumbled solemnly, "Sure was a shame about Mama Brown. Don't know if Rose is gonna get over it. She's takin' it real bad."

"Least she'll be kept busy managin' the barbeque joint," Jizz said.

"Damn right," I added. "Mama did a good thing by her, and Caleb… leavin' them the place."

We had us a moment of silence for big ol' Mama.

Always the eavesdroppin' empath, Junior leaned around Bubba's hulking form. "What was she thinkin', that moment before she died? She was lookin' right at you."

Slumpin' against the back of the couch, I muttered, "She said we was gonna be just fine. She even gave that deep, lusty belly laugh of hers, you know?" I peered at Bubba and Jizz. "She weren't sad. She said her mama and her daddy was waitin' for her. And she prayed, 'Fagibe we fa de bad ting we da do. 'Cause we da fagibe dem people wa do bad ta we.'"

"And?" Jizz wrangled a toothpick from his back pocket.

I shook my head and shut my eyes. "She told me we need to be watchin' the black wolf and the nighttime woman."

Bubba spread his knees to reach under the couch and pull out a cardboard box filled with his tools. "Yeah, that Didyme bitch? What the fuck's her deal, anyways?"

Rubbin' my chest, I tried to ignore the gnawing feelin' there. "I 'spect we're gonna find out."

"I don't plan on thinkin' about that right now," Bubba spat out over the railin', effortlessly bulls-eyein' the tin can strung from one of the southern pines.

I fist bumped him. "Me neither. Had enough of that Volturi shit to last me all my lifetimes."

Tunin' in the black and white RCA, I skimmed through a variety of talk shows all revolvin' around the same theme with only the most minute differences: He's my daddy, He's my baby-daddy, I never knew my daddy, Here's how to get a sugar daddy in ten easy steps. All the same fuckin' vacant verbal upchuckin' in case we happened to think for one second and get a bad case of cerebral overload. Word was, even Oprah was throwin' in the towel. Not that I watched her self-help shit either, but man, the times they were a'changin'.

What I wouldn't give for a rip-roaring, Indian summer political scandal to heat up the airwaves. No one'd come close to trumpin' Big Dawg Clinton and Monica Screwinsky in years, and that was a cryin' shame. Guv'nor Sanford of our own fair South Cackalakee had tried his best, but even his fake hike up the Appalachians to land miraculously face first in the Amazonian rainforest-referrin' to his babe's bush, 'course-of some Buenos Ares adulteress paled in comparison to El Presidenté shootin' his six gun off with an intern in the Oval Orifice.

"Fuck, brother, that one should go down in the annals," Jizz pushed Bubba out of the way to give me a congratulatory skull-rub.

"What?"

"You just said all that shit out loud, braw," Bubba belched his sentence out in one long burp.

"Yeah, well, annals, anal-tomato, tomahto; just be keepin' all that crap away from me. I know your girl ain't got the proper equipment to hit all the right spots, but we might-could get Maw to order her a strap-on. Lawd knows M'Esme's a preferred shopper at Goodvibes." I covered my cock with my hands, because that tool was For Use by Bella Only.

Already the owner of cocksleeves and other cuntraptions, Bubba brought the topic back around to Bella. "Where's your woman at?"

"Snoozin'." I could say that now, instead of 'sleeping'. I'd set my Timex for two hours; damn straight I was gonna wake her up. I hadn't had near enough of her.

Although, she had a right to be tired. Savin' me had taken some out of her. Her heart is her weakness, her blood is your strength. Take her, Son. That's what Carl had said when Bella had stripped open her artery and poured her warm blood into my parched mouth. She had my venom in her, and I had her blood. We were each other's saviors, if'n I had to get all metaphysical about it.

Bubba'd probably lay it out like this—with a handy, whittled visual aid—Bella and me were Yin and Yang. Two parts of a whole capable of regeneratin' the other.

Yeah, makin' me right again had taken it out of her, and I'd been puttin' a lot back in. Often.

"Wore her out, huh?" As Bubba stretched his arms back, I smacked him in the gut for bein' impolite about Bella.

Truth was though, I didn't mind remembering.

Breakfast a few hours earlier had brought some goddamn glad tidings.

Bracing my palms against the table, I'd rocked my hips forward. "C'mon, darlin'. You know you like my Shaft's Spread."

Breakin' into that smile I'd missed, Bella had scooted forward, her warm breath susurrating against the soft placket of my jeans. "I asked for the Shedd's Spread, baby, for my-"

"Muffin. I know," I'd interrupted. My damn erection was about to erupt right in front of her face!

She'd arched her toes on the lino, balancing the chair onto its hind legs. "This another of your Country Cock moments?"

"All's I'm sayin' is, I got your breakfast of champions right here." I'd lewdly grabbed my crotch. Passing my fingers over her thighs, I'd parted the short skirt of her robe and-fuck me—she'd been all warm and nude underneath.

Smirkin' up at me, Bella had the frickin' audacity to say, "I'm just not sure it's gonna fill me up."

Smart woman, she'd quickly put the table between us.

My growl had been a low rumble, a challenge. "Oh, I'm pretty sure satisfaction's one hundred percent guaran-fuckin'-teed."

Then I'd pounced. She mighta been newborn fast, but I was a vampire with a mission: to get good and goddamn laid… she'd had no chance of outrunnin' me.

I'd skimmed around her ass and lifted her up high enough her boobs were full in my face, the robe's tie draping down my chest. Slippin' my tongue beneath the thin cotton, I'd circled one nipple. Hungry for more, I'd pushed her tits together and sucked at both of them. Bringin' her up higher, I stopped for an instant. My mouth at her wet, pretty slit, her hands tangled in my hair, her hips swirlin' in front of my face. "Damn, I'm starvin', Bella."

I dove in, driving tongue first with furious lust. Licking the outer frilled edges of her plump lips, curlin' into the wet, hot middle where her sex split, sliding up to the firm nub of her clit. I'd sucked that pearl in between my teeth until she'd screamed. Her warm cream was all over my face, and fuck yes, I lapped it all up.

The jam went flyin'.

Her knees were around my neck, then around my hips. Her heels shoved into my ass and propelled me forward. She'd scattered all the cereal boxes to the floor in a mess of fuckin' granola and Wheaties and other humanoid crap.

I'd sat. She'd followed.

She shed that cotton robe and put her heels to rest on the arms of the chair, on either side of me. Openin' herself to me. The tight shell of her pussy lifted every time I touched my cock down.

"You gonna fuck me now?" Her hips had twisted.

My cheeks had hollowed. My voice was gritty. "Yeah. Right now."

I rammed her until my balls slapped her ass and her neck rolled back with a throaty, "YES! Just like… that."

The pulsatin' waves of her orgasm threw her velvety cunt around me, holdin' me in a fuckin' wondrous vice.

"Fucking JESUS!" she'd shouted.

"Just," I'd eased out, sundered slowly back in, "Eddie, darlin'."

A heatwave hurtled up from my nuts and all through my cock. I mighta felt bad about blowin' my wad within five thrusts, but I'd be ready again in about ten minutes, so I didn't really give a fuck.

My stomach went tight and I… I… I grabbed Bella's shoulders, jerkin' inside of her, basting her with the cold froth of my cum until my seed and her river of release smathered down our thighs. I shunted forward one last time, a long groan rollin' like my hips into the womanly bowl of her body, "Goddamn, Bella."

"You blaspheming me now?"

"Hell, woman, I cain't even… what?" Shoot, I was done-for.

She'd laughed. Kissed my chest right where she resided inside of me.

"This kitchen…"

"I know, it's bitchin', right?" The fuckin' place was tore up.

"We gotta clean this mess," she'd yawned, "before M'Esme shows up."

"Leave it to me." I'd swatted her ass for an extra grope. "Go'on, git to bed."

Her fingers had skimmed down my arms, her lips slipped from the corner of my mouth to my throat, "You're such a good man, Eddie."

I'd dropped my head, "Only for you, Bella."

Our fingertips had held until the last moment.

I'd given her ten minutes to fall asleep, then I'd gone into my room. I'd kissed her sunfresh cheek, her orchard lips. I'd covered her up. Managed to prevent Bubba burstin' in to tell her about his latest romance novel finds. Lately he'd been all about the Mills and Boon. Mills and Poon, I liked to call it. Apparently so did a lot of other narrow-minded twats out there. Every day, Bubba was in a rare rantin' mood, emailin' my account with so-called pseudo-scientific research 'bout how women readin' cock-fiction was the latest cause of unplanned pregnancies, STDs and busted-up marriages.

What-the-fuck-ever.

Hell, if a man couldn't keep his woman happy—like I could, for fuckin' instance—he had a lot more to blame than some Fabio-faced romance novels.

"I bought Bella some of this here poo-pourri." Bubba disrupted my reverie, huntin' around his toolbox again.

"The fuck?" I asked. I was all dazed and happily confused. I knew I had a foolish grin on my mouth. But did I give a fuck?

Nah.

Bella was back with me.

Bubba produced the so-called poo-pourri; a fat brown-glass bottle of smelly potion that read 'Spritz the bowl before you go, and no one else will ever know!'

I glared at him. "The hell kinda welcome home present is that?"

He spritzed his poo-pourri in my face. "What? Shit's like a sunburnt dick. You can't beat it, dude."

Grabbin' the bottle, I squirted it at him before jumpin' off the porch and heaving it straight over the roof of the trailer. The fucker glinted in the sun, becomin' so tiny before it vanished from sight it was nothin' but a speck against the horizon. I called over to the peanut gallery, "I ain't discussin' Bella's business with y'all."

Jizz hooted, "Aw, ain't that cute. They're still in the honeymoon period."

"More like horneymoon, bro. We ain't tied the knot."

I checked my watch—thirty minutes until Bella Time—and shared a joint with Jizz. I did my best to ignore Bubba's bleating about the waste of a good air freshener.

When my cell bleeped with an incoming message, I flicked it open with one hand, squintin' at the screen through a thick haze hashish smoke.

U R A FUCKHEAD.

Bubba sat titterin' to himself while Jizz peered over my shoulder to read it.

I quickly tapped out a little warnin' to the true fuckhead of the crew, "U R DEAD MEAT."

Jizz chuckled, "Statin' the obvious there, ain'tcha?"

Hardly givin' Bubba a chance to check the message I sent, I pile-drived him down to the floor, slammin' his head through the planks so a rainshower of raspy splinters hailed around us.

After crushing his skull, I crushed his cell with a mere squeeze of my fist, then sent it with a mighty swing to go the way of his poofy-smellin' poo-pourri.

"That was harsh, braw," he whined.

I almost felt bad. Thinkin' it was the least I could do after destroying his phone, I bent over to give him a hand up… next thing I knew Bubba flung me over the porch railin' and into the dusty craters of our lawn. We were wrestling it out from one end of the yard to the other, Jizz refereeing from his seat on the porch, when an ear-splittin' whistle brought us up short.

"Fuck," I muttered.

"Maw," Bubba mumbled.

Before we could scramble to our feet, she was on top of us and dealin' out more auricular abuse, haulin' us up by our ears. "Boys. I'd have thought you'd gotten your fill of fightin'."

The Hamburglar grimaced by her side.

"But-"

"Don't wanna hear it, from either one of you." Her sayin' that about audiological abilities was kinda ironic or somethin', considering my ears were still ringing from her shrill whistle.

"Yes Ma'am," we said in unison.

"We got a party tonight, boys, and y'all will not be greetin' your guests like this." Her eyes raked disgustedly over our dirt-splattered, ripped clothes.

"No, Ma'am." I scratched my jaw, Bubba took off his cap and lowered his head.

"And you smell like a French whore, Bubba. I suggest you clean yourself up."

Having rode in on her own broom,Betty Black Arts frowned as she looked us over from top to toe, until she spied Jizz up on the porch. She broke out into a smile and a run, her hobo bag bulgin' with purloined party favors, her feet leavin' the earth as she spun up into his waiting arms.

Dutifully, me and Bubba followed Maw to the trailer, silently shovin' each other as hard as we could.

'Course, when she saw the state of the floor where Bubba had caved it in, Maw pitched a new fit, flingin' her genteel swear words left and right. "You little so-and-so's! You got some darned fixin' up to do on this porch, again." She continued grousing, "Anyone would think you boys were brought up in a barn…"

Right then my watch went off. I gave Maw a big hug and she looked at me suspiciously even though I could tell she was trying not to smile. I grinned at Junior and Bubba. "Yeah, you boys just straighten yourselves out." I even nodded solicitously at the Twat O' Nine Tales.

I made for the door and almost took it off its hinges.

Maw asked, "Where's the fire, Eddie?"

The Shifty Swami was tongue-locked with Jizzper, but she still managed to explain, "Bella Time."

I was already halfway down the hall when I hard Maw, "In that case, we better clear out. Give the lovebirds some privacy."

Lovebirds?

Hell, I was goddamn cock of the walk.

~~ll~~

Bella was just rolling onto her back when I got to the bedroom. Her smile was warm and lazy. "Mmmm, hey baby."

Closing the door, I leaned against it, just takin' in the sight of her in my bed. Tousled and sexy and motherfuckin' mine. "Hi darlin'."

Figuring that was enough of the pleasantries, I ambled over, slipped my hand up her ankle to her calf, and whipped the sheet right off her.

"Eddie! It's cold!"

I prowled up her body, lovin' the way she arched against me, all hot and soft and languid, her bare tits the best friggin' pillows ever invented. "Don't you worry 'bout that none. I'm gonna warm you right up."

Fingering through my hair, scratchin' her nails down my back, Bella kissed me teasingly. Soft and sweet one moment, deep and wet and dirty the next.

I leaned up to cup her tits, lookin' into her eyes while I lowered my mouth to one luscious, round hill. Circlin' her creamy flesh with my tongue, I sucked on the heavy underside of one orb then the other before making a slow trail up to a peaked nipple.

A husky moan curled out of her lips. Her eyes closed; all the better to feel me sucking, lickin', pinching.

Once I'd traveled to her other breast, leavin' a nice wet trail in her cleavage that I slipped my fingers down, I thought it might be a good time for a tit fuck.

Bella's hips were circling sensually against my cock. I reached between us to undo my fly for a little breathin' room. Her hands stopped mine. Draggin' my teeth along her bottom lip I asked, "What? You wanna do the honors?"

Her laugh was shaky, breathless. She drew both our hands up her body and away from my aching dick. "You ready for the Q & A session now?"

Tilting my head, I urgently pressed our lips together in a passionate collision of tongues. I mumbled, "Fuck yeah. Long as that stands for quim and ass."

She scrambled out from under me. "We should talk about what happened."

Fucking now? My cock was about the size of a baseball bat. Hell, I was surprised it hadn't just gone ahead and torn through my jeans already.

I smoothed my palms up the insides of her thighs, partin' her legs, gettin' ready to fill my face with her pussy. "Talkin's for people who got nothin' better to do." I dipped a finger from her belly button to her bright, engorged clit. "And we got somethin' way better to do."

Her hips rushed toward my dancin' fingertip, but her tone was defiant. "So, you don't want to know what happened in Italy? I know you been worryin' about Demetri."

Fucking Demetri. Bane of my existence. After Yogi-Alice, Caius, Marcus, Cacky, Dasher, et.-fuckin'-cetera. My head snapped up. "He fuckin' touch you? 'Cause I'll relieve him of his hands, if that's the case."

Rearrangin' the sheet over herself, Bella pulled me up to face her. "No, 'course not. You know I'd never let anyone else touch me, baby. Nothin' happened with Demetri… he was a perfect gentleman."

I sagged back onto the bed, hookin' my forearms over my face. "Gentleman, right."

"Gentleman with a general overuse of illicit drugs, then. But yeah. He took me to Volterra. He never laid a hand on me. He made sure no one else did either. D was-"

My voice came out sharp, "D?"

"Yeah, D. We just talked a lot." I could feel her movin' to kneel beside me, her hands caressin' up and down my arms, but I still kept my face blocked. "I was lonely without you, and he was the only friend I had."

"Y'all BFFs now? Braid his hair, too?" I sat up, but kept my eyes averted.

She was havin' none of it. She damn made me look at her, her hands on my face, her eyes earnest. "I missed you so much, Eddie. If I could have been with you, I-" Like wet diamonds, tears escaped her eyes. I brushed them away tenderly. Fuck, I hated when she cried. "Demetri wasn't a replacement for you. Don't you know it by now?" She gave a shake of her head. "There is no replacing you, Eddie."

I wanted to believe her, but man, sometimes I thought this was all too good to be true. Frustrated—not the least, sexually—irritated, I cursed, "Fuck. FUCK! It should've been me makin' sure you were all right, not frickin' Demetri."

"Eddie-"

"No, damn it! Why the hell did you leave me, Bella? You have any idea how fucked up I was?" I pushed myself to the edge of the mattress. "What the frig was so all-fire important you had to go to Volterra?"

"You were, you are, you thick man."

I blustered a bit.

"You ready to hear it all now?"

I shrugged.

"You wanna get more comfortable first?" She watched me warily, but with the slightest teasin' smile at the corner of her lips.

I grumpily replied, "No."

"Maybe lose the t-shirt? Unbutton your jeans? Usually that's the first thing you do when you see me." She flirted shamelessly until she got a rise outta me.

I looked over at her, my eyes dark. "I start undressin' now and I ain't stoppin' until I got you all laid out under me, writhing and moanin' and beggin' for my cock."

The intensity of my stare heated her face and the telltale sex flush rose up her chest. She whispered, "Yeah, you better keep your clothes on."

Givin' her a half smile, I went to stand beside the tiny window, waiting for what she had to say.

Pullin' her rich hair over her shoulders, Bella began. "Eleazar was sent by Caius to see if it was all true, to make sure you had fallen in love with a human woman named Bella Swan."

I couldn't help the way my hand lifted to my chest, to the heart she'd convinced me I had. Neither could I stop my disparagin' growl, "Fuckin' Skeezy. Hate that cunt."

"Chelsea had to… well, she was supposed to convince me that the only way to save y'all was to let you change me. According to the 'Swan-Cullen-Volturi' prophecy—that thing Alice kept talking about—the Volturi knew a woman who was only half a vampire would succeed the king. Only Chelsea didn't let me in on the fact that none of this was really decided. No one told me I was just a needle in a haystack and they were all waitin' to see if I would become the way I am now. Part human, part vampire." She nodded down at herself.

"Fuckin' unique, Bella, that's what you are," I reached over to glide a finger down her cheek.

"But that Whoreface Chelsea, she's another one I wouldn't mind messin' up," I spat, beginnin' to pace around the room.

Bella hugged her knees and watched me. "Demetri-"

I slammed the lid of the upright piano shut with a deafenin' boom. Bella sprung at me, held onto me, wrapped herself around me so I could feel her heart beatin' away against me. Fuck, she was strong. I closed my arms around her, liftin' her up my body until our hips were flush. Damn, I was gettin' turned on. For all of about three minutes my Pavlov had been under a restrainin' order, now it was all I could do to contain my lust to just be inside her… right… fucking… then.

Her voice was low and quiet and close to my ear, thrillin' me with each exhale even while her words made my jaw clench. "He gave me the drug to knock you out. He assured me you wouldn't be hurt, Eddie. That was," her face turned into my neck, and I knew the slickness of her tears on my skin again, "it was horrible. Seein' you unconscious, knowing I'd done that to you." She hiccupped a few times. Her hands twisted into my shirt. "Demetri escorted me to Italy. I went there for you… I'm sorry. It was the only choice."

I brought her legs up around my waist and sat down on the bed with her in my lap. "I really wish you hadn't had to do that. What the fuck? Am I some pathetic loser who needs protectin'?"

"No, 'course not, Eddie." She pushed my chin up and cocked her head to the side. "You're a fine, strong man with a gorgeous heart who takes care of his people no matter the cost. But that don't mean you can win a war on your own, and I'd have done anything to stack the odds in your favor."

She was so beautiful and fierce in that moment it fuckin' made me want her all the more.

I leaned in to kiss her, but only got her fingertips instead of her lips. "I'm not done, baby."

I tried not to grin at her forthrightness.

"Caius, with his hands in all the pies, got quite the feather in his cap when he presented me to Aro. And Aro was easy enough to fool, his own arrogance blinded him, and my mind thwarted him."

"Friggin' Queerus, more like his hands in all the boys' flies and a gross hard-on in his grosgrain jock. "

She smacked my shoulder, stiflin' a giggle. "Anyway, Aro figured if he had me, he could get you; I was the bait and trap. He thought you'd either agree willingly or he'd snag you through sheer force. Only problem was, he wanted to wait for you to come to Italy. And we couldn't have that; the coup could never go off there, not with all his acolytes."

I insulted, "Yeah, all them light-in-the-loafers acolytes, wouldn't want to pit me against his court of cocksuckers, would we?"

"It had to be here, baby. Get Aro away from his stronghold, defeat him, and then Caius could return triumphantly and set up his own shop…no one could dispute it! There'd be no revolt. Caius knew you'd have numbers—Eddie, I was never so happy to see two zombies in my life. JR/RJ? That was awesome! And Leah and the loup garou? Even better, because Caius had learned about them from Eleazar, but Aro didn't have a clue. Gettin' the vultures here, addin' Caius' crew to ours… we could win, baby."

I couldn't dispute the logistics, but that didn't mean I had to be happy about it.

"It was my job to convince him to bring the battle to you."

Oh, and I was even less happy about that. "Hope you didn't convince Aro the way you sway me. Believe me; I know just how persuasive you can be."

"Eddie, no! If you wanna know, I told him there was no freakin' way you'd leave South Carolina. Hard motherfucker, first and foremost. You wouldn't come for me, because I'd left you."

I got down on the floor beside her then, my hands encirclin' her waist and caressing up to her ribs, my thumbs brushin' lightly under the globes of her tits. I looked at her, my eyes true and turbulent. "You got one thing right there, Bella. But I would have gone for you."

"I know, baby." She bent down to coast her lips over my jaw. "I know."

"So what about this royalty shit?"

She snorted. "We both know I ain't cut out to be a queen."

We shared a laugh, each of us thinkin' of Caius, the royal rump ranger.

But I shook my head. "Beg to differ. Just fuckin' look at you. Gorgeous, strong, smart, fuckin' regal…" I kissed the sensitive skin down her arm to her wrist, raised my eyes to hers.

"Ahhh, who knows? That legend could just be a big load of bullshit anyways. But if I can help change the regime, guarantee safety for vampires and shapeshifters… Aro did some bad shit." She slipped down beside me, snugglin' into my arms. "He committed some atrocious acts, not the least to you."

"Yeah, he did. The motherfucker's dead now though, so..." I stood up and lifted her quickly, settlin' her in my arms.

Kickin' open the door, I carried her out the back and down a trail that was dusky in the faint sun glow filterin' through pines and palms and rustlin' brush.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and giggled, "Where you takin' me?"

"It's a surprise." I busied myself with hoppin' over the dense knuckles of roots, duckin' beneath limbs whose leaves were feathery soft slaps against our arms and faces.

The dapplin' light through the forest's canopy made her smilin' face so goddamn beautiful.

I bent low to kiss her slowly, just our lips, just a touch of our tongues turnin' together.

A good fifty yards into the woods, I set her down.

She turned around and backed into me, my arms loopin' around her waist, my chin on her shoulder. "What's this?" she asked, a little bit of wonder in her voice.

"Made a lake for ya."

She spluttered, "You just… decided to make a lake."

"Yeah, thought you'd like it."

Her fingertips to her mouth couldn't contain her laughs as she took in the clear pool of water in front of her. It was so still out here, the surface shimmered like a pane of glass, not a ripple of scorchin' wind touched the intimate glen I'd carved out.

I briefly touched her shoulders and the scintillatin' line of her back before tuggin' off my shirt. Walkin' in front of her, I toed off my boots and socks, peeled down my jeans and stood with my hands at my sides.

When she saw me, totally naked, completely hard and strainin' for her, her breath whooshed out with a sultry, "Jesus Christ, Eddie."

"Again, just Eddie." I winked at her.

She swayed to me, the sheet she still wore went out behind her like a bright white gown, her eyes the deepest brown, her lips parted and invitin'.

On her knees, she took me into her mouth. No warnin', no teasin', just the deep satin heat of her tongue and lips, the damp verge of her throat, and her moans, my groans. My head fell back and my hips dipped, my cock slid in and out as she tucked her tongue all along the length of me, then down to my balls.

"Oh fuck, Bella."

I wanted a blow job. I really fuckin' wanted a blow job. But I wanted to be inside of Bella more. In the water, all slippery and soft and warm and… inside her.

Groanin', I pulled out of her mouth until just a strand of cum and saliva attached us. I fuckin' groaned again when she used one finger to sweep up the wet thread and smear it all around my throbbing dick until it twitched like a wild beast in her hand.

Grabbin' her hands, I pulled her up. Into the water, the muddy-sandy bottom formed over our feet.

"I'm getting all wet!" Bella gasped.

"Gonna get a lot wetter."

Trapped in the sheet, she quickly became drenched. The cotton clung to every round curve and luscious line of her temptin' body. I cocked my head and watched the cool water lappin' up from her legs to her hips to her tits. Fuck, her nipples.

I pulled the sheet away, slowly unwrappin' her until it floated on the surface before sinkin' down in waves to settle on the bottom.

Wet, sinuous, strong and needing.

I had to be in her.

I had to be in Bella.

Her legs around my waist, her pussy right there, right on top of me. I took a deep breath but that didn't help me calm the fuck down. I used one hand to stroke her, open her. She gasped, fastenin' her legs tighter, and guided the swollen head of my cock into her.

She sighed and stopped. Her hot channel just graspin' my tip, sendin' shudders up and down my body. I lunged up with a shout, "Oh YEAH!" to her scream muffled against my shoulder, her tongue whipping out to trace the thick bands of muscle.

My forearms clenched, my hips thrust, my cock flew in and out of her.

She rocked back and her hair dangled in the water, her face a sexual picture of pleasure. Every time I entered her, her toes pressed into my ass, and she whimpered, "Ah-ah-ah!"

We were entirely wet, top to bottom, inside her and out. Slippery. Wicked. Wanton.

She was rollin' her hips so the pressure of my pelvis and my hair rubbed against her hot little clit. I angled closer and ground slowly over her until I could feel the fiery grip of her cunt pulsing and pushin' and kneadin' my cock.

Arms around my neck, hands grippin' my shoulders, legs slappin' against my thighs, mouth to my throat, my ears, my lips, Bella quivered, chanted, "Please, please, please more."

I was rougher then, because more and fucking more would never be enough with her.

Just a few more… oh fuck fuck FUCK! I held her on top of me, the water up to my hips. I pounded once more, bringin' her down on me hard, her fluttering grip swallowing the jets and jets and streams of cum that blew out of me and into her. Fucking into her.

And later, in my bed, we just watched each other. Then it was slow. Just, yeah, bein' together again. On my knees over her, touchin' each other everywhere. I pulled her up into my lap and made love to her until a fuckin' gorgeous sheen of sweet made her all glisteny and her breathy moans filled my head with the most goddamn delicate sex sounds.

Her arms around me, her tits against me, her hips rockin' with mine, the slide of her soft legs against the rasp of mine. And at the end, my hands on her bottom and our eyes sluggish with sensuality, we held on tight, cumming with the quietest groans and 'I love you so much.'

After layin' next to each other for awhile with our legs tangled and the beddin' in a shambles around us, Bella propped up on my chest with a sly smile. "I feel like gettin' some barbeque."

"Didn't you get enough of smellin' that shit at Mepkin Abbey?"

"That wasn't barbeque, that was vampire-on-a-spit. Besides, Big Daddy's is 'home of the best racks in town'."

I cupped her tits, "Don't think so, you got the best rack."

"Hooters?"

"All's they got is scrawny wings, and I repeat, your hooters are far superior."

"What about Bob's then? 'No one beats Bob's meat'."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What? It's the slogan for the restaurant!"

I lifted my other eyebrow, and my dick stood up straighter, too.

"Fine." She licked her lips and whispered breathily, "Can't beat Eddie's meat."

"Better. Yeah, I'm thinkin' that's an awesome name for an all-you-can-eat." I knocked her elbows out from under her so she sprawled on top of me, her tits tumblin' onto my chest.

Huffing her hair out of her eyes, she looked at me. "So long as I'm the only one to get a mouthful of you."

All relaxed, I folded my arms behind my head. "Like a little south in your mouth, do ya?"

Her eyes widened, "Why, Eddie. Did you just say little?" She wiggled against my growing boner.

"Maybe we could just hunt," I suggested. Because I was horny again, and that shit was hot.

"No chance."

"C'mon, you kill it, I'll cook it." I inveigled.

"Uh, I had your cupcakes, remember?"

I pulled her hand to my balls. "You sure did, and you weren't complanin' about them at the time… matter of fact, you couldn't get enough of 'em, I seem to-"

Squeezing up the length of my shaft, Bella effectively shut me up but for a moan, "Ah, fuck… I seem to recall."

~~ll~~

Well, I might go out and buy that reeking barbeque shit for her—she was my gal, you know?—didn't mean I had to stick around and watch her eat it.

I was squattin' down next to The Bronco, changin' out the tires that had gone bald what with all the drivin' I'd been doin' around EBF. Hot as sin outside, I'd left my t-shirt hangin' off the porch railing like a flag. I heard the crunch of her sandals on the gravel behind me. If I closed my eyes and concentrated, I could picture those heels perfectly… the gold ones with ribbons that wrapped around her ankles.

I didn't turn around, but I hummed low in my throat.

I felt her hand run down my back, sweepin' from one side to the other over the muscles bunching as I continued to work. Her fingertips snuck into my low waistband, gave a little yank. I wiped my sweatless brow with the back of my arm, my cock punching inside my jeans. A growl grumblin' from my chest.

"You say somethin', baby?" She asked. The swish of her skirt brushed down my back as she crouched behind me.

I shook my head.

Her hands skimmed over my shoulders all the way to my wrists that had stilled on the lugnuts, on account of my own nuts becoming heavy with the need to fuck. "You need a hand?"

Turning my head finally, I captured her lips, jerked her closer. "That a trick question?"

She shook her head.

"You talkin' about my truck or my cock?" I nipped on her neck until I reached the delicious hollow of her collar bone.

"Depends what you need a hand with," she sighed.

"Now that even a question at all, is it?"

I gave her a hand instead, helpin' her up. Leaning against the truck I took in her dress. Yes, fuck. The Yellow Dress. I flipped up her skirt and watched it glide back down over her thighs. "You know I like this thing." I'd had it dry cleaned for her when she was in Italy… fuckin' Clinton coulda learned a thing or two from me.

She twirled for me until I caught her around the waist and spun her into me. "I wore it for you."

I nodded, smilin'. I ran my fingers through her loose hair, watchin' the sun filter amidst the silky strands.

"I was thinkin', Eddie, bout a name for my taxidermy shop."

"Mmmm?"

"How about 'Skinnin' N Grinnin': Makin' memories last a lifetime'?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I like it. Just add 'Sinnin' to it, be perfect for you."

We were holding hands and talkin', stealing kisses and laughin' when Bella looked down the drive. "Party's starting."

All along the road and all the way down the drive, a calvalcade was comin'. Dust smoked like wildfires under the giant tires of pick-ups. Wolfmobiles I and II were playin' chicken, dangerously ramming into each other, makin' dents, and goddamn if those fool wolves weren't just hangin' on at the back of W-II, holdin' onto the chains and leashes and nothin' else.

The dusk's humid haze made everythin' and everyone some sort of mystical mirage that multiplied as the cars and trucks pulled up and parked. The crickets' annoying chatter was defeated by shouts and so many Hell-Yes rebel hollers.

Hell, even the neighbors showed; Miss Delia with her passel of kids, Penske-Texas—no longer the same ornery pissant since L'isiana moved out-and fuck if M'Esme hadn't invited the McClellanville Cousins!

Carl and Maw came with their car loaded down. Maw had platters of who-the-hell-knew-what, and the wolfpack descended upon her. Carl shouted, "Someone order blood?" before throwing a boat cooler packed full of sanguine goodness at Bubba, who caught it with no problem at all. Unfuckin'-fortunately, he was surrounded by a bunch of unsuspectin' humans which was a big ol' whoops. He shifted the cooler in his arms, pretending it was heavy, and explained, "Uh, just Bloody Mary's, y'all."

When I threw my hands up in exasperation, he hastily amended, "But it's real strong folks, y'all best stickin' to the hooch over thataway."

Jizz and Alice sauntered over from next door; she with her tattered parasol, him with his easygoin' smile and bowlegged gait. Her hand was tucked into his elbow as he squired her from one group to the next.

The El Camino turned down the lane. Bubba got to Rose just as she was backin' up beside his bright blue monster truck. Opening the door, he let her out. Theirs was a quiet greetin'. Bubba kissed her cheek and asked, "You doin' okay?"

Hillbilly Black headed over with loose-lipped Leah, and I knew I needed to skedaddle right outta there. Fuck, I was already afire over Bella and The Yellow Dress, I didn't need no one else rufflin' my feathers. "Gonna go put on a clean shirt, darlin'," I made my excuses to Bella.

I'd just changed and come out into the livin' room to find the Mustachio'd Mensch waitin' on me. Shoulda figured I hadn't seen the last of him, seein' as he was Bella's dad, but I hoped he didn't have plans to take any more pot shots at me this time.

"Aw shit," I cursed. "I mean, evenin', Sir." Sir Sheriff of the Shitbrown Eyes.

"Eddie, I'll let that one slide this time." Huh? Just who the hell could hear my thoughts round here. I was supposed to be the mindreader!

He held out his hand.

I gave it wide berth.

He didn't lower it.

I met his palm.

He gripped me real tight. I gripped harder, almost to the point of hearin' his bones pop, but still Poppa Po-Po Chief of the Podunk didn't give. His eyes were bulgin' though, and that made me happy.

Finally, I relented.

We both swiped our palms on our thighs.

We both stopped.

"So," I said. 'Cause that was a real icebreaker.

He cleared his throat. Cleared it again. Said some words that made it seem he was hockin' up a big loogie, "You done good, Son."

I almost reeled backwards, like that time Bella shot me. "Say again?"

He clapped me on the shoulder, and I could tell he wanted to try to hurt me, and that he also wanted to tell me somethin'. "You took care of my little girl."

His eyes shifted aside, but not before I saw the skein of wetness filling them. "Yup. Man of your word, Eddie."

"Uh, thanks Sheriff Swan." I decided to take off my baseball cap then, nervously running my fingers through my hair, tryin' to make myself seem acceptable to the father of the woman I loved.

He ducked his head and started to leave, but I stopped him. "While you're here, I got somethin' I wanted to ask you."

"Shoot."

I hoped he didn't mean that literally…

When we went back outside, the hootenanny was in full, furious swing. It was a damned revelry! Bottles were clankin' to shouts of, 'To Mama! To Mama!'

People were dancing. Fires were blazin', though not too close to the vampires. Spliffs were smokin', though not too near the 'adults', even though I saw M'Esme and Carl tiptoe off to the outbuildin' to bake one up, their heads bent together, their arms linked around each other.

And that looked like a good idea, gettin' off alone for a little while.

Weaving through the partiers, I found Bella talkin' with Jacob. I braided our fingers together and lead her away. "Sneak out back with me. Got somethin' to show you."

She placed her beer on a stump we passed along the way. "You already done showed me that five times today. You really did miss me, didn't ya?."

"You don't know the half of it," I replied, haulin' her as close to me as she could get.

"Oh, really? I think I know all of it. The long and thick beauty of it."

I laughed nervously, tempting her deeper into the woods. "Not talkin' about my cock, Bella."

Once I got her well away from the trailer, I felt even more anxious and fuck, even… bashful. I was glad I'd left my cap back in the double wide so I didn't have to take it off again…one less thing to worry about.

Damn. I met her eyes and pulled my hand from hers. This wasn't how I'd imagined my life. Not ever. Just that first friggin' fateful day I'd seen her waitressing at Mama Brown's… that's all it had taken.

As I got down on one knee, I folded my fingers on top of my bent thigh. I watched understanding dawn in the expression of her face as her lips tilted into the smile I loved, and the smallest tears rained like clear rivulets down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry, Bella."

She gulped and nodded and kept smilin' and kept cryin'.

The stars' light studded off her skin, making her glow.

This might not have been how I imagined my life, but I wouldn't have changed one damn thing about it.

"You know I love you."

She reached over, her fingers slight and shaky against my face. "I do."

I presented a ring to her. It was just a simple affair, one diamond, not too big. It sat in the palm of my hand, like my heart and my world and every fuckin' thing that was good in my life sat in the palm of her hand. My voice was low but she heard me clearly when I asked, "Bella Swan, will you marry me?"

She was laughing and crying and down in front of me, her thumb tracing my mouth, tracing my smile, "Yes, of course. Yes, Eddie Cullen, I'd love nothin' better. Yes!"

I barely had time to slip the ring onto her finger before she was in my arms. Our kiss was the same as ever—filled with desire and shockingly hot and sexy—and it was completely fuckin' new. Long and wonderful and intense and… lovin'…

Far away, we could still see the fog lights from the 4 x 4s turned on like makeshift party lanterns. We could hear the faint call of the hubbub, a keg cracked, a flock of laughter, a convergence of voices.

That was all background noise.

There was nothin' else.

Just me and Bella.

And these words:

"Always?"

"You best believe it."

Usually I sign off with 'Fin'. But this is Dead Confederates, ain't it? Eddie's got this one.

~The Fuckin' End~

~Review! If you've ever wanted to, or you're just tuning in because it's finally complete…now's the time. I'd love to hear what you thought of it all, especially that ending~

A pretty epic, poignant quote from my lovely friend and beta, Viola Cornuta (because I do believe she likes to make me cry):

Charles Dickens- 'It would concern the reader little, perhaps, to know how sorrowfully the pen is laid down at the close of a two-years' imaginative task; or how an Author feels as if he were dismissing some portion of himself into the shadowy world, when a crowd of the creatures of his brain are going from him for ever.'

Chapter Notes:

Mama Brown's Gullah Prayer:

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us

www . marysrosaries . com / collaboration/index . php?title=Gullah_Rosary_Prayers#Glory_Be_to_the_Father_.2F_Gloria_Patri

And yes, Eddie did ask Charlie for Bella's hand in marriage back there in the trailer ;).

Epilogues?

Um, I have in mind something, but it's not even really a chapter…it's just funny, at least to me and some others. So you can keep an eye out if you like. For a laugh .

My gameplan?

Many of you know I'm always writing my real stuff as well as fanfiction. I am this close to finishing a novel! I am that close to getting ready to go through and sort out the rough draft of another. I fully intend to use the rest of the summer to get my ass completely into the world of writing for profit ;). It's incredibly exciting and also goddamn nerve wracking to try to learn the ins and outs and yes and no of getting published, so I'll be concentrating on that for a bit.

Fanfic: I'm going to let the ideas brew. I gotta admit, if there's one story I will work really hard to continue it's DC's, okay? As you've read, the storyline for the sequel has already been introduced. Simply because life with no Eddie and the DW crew? Major nut-suckage for me, personally (not that I have nuts, but you know…). I have a few other o/s ideas—some are Game of Thrones related (OMG, those books! And…Khal Drogo, am I right? Holy FUCK ME!). I'm not making any promises, but I'm pretty sure the ff writing bug is gonna bite me again sooner rather than later…it's such a fantastic, instant release (that's what Eddie said ;)).

So, make sure to alert me.

Cheers so very much, I love you ladies!

xoxo,

Rie~