A/N: Wow! I'm blown away by the response to the last chapter. I guess y'all really like that, huh? I told you your patience would pay off. You guys are great :)
Thanks to Beta Dinx, as always!
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognize. This story is rated M, and is not suitable for younger readers. Story contains some violence, character death, very foul language and may eventually contain sexual situations. Please do not read if any of these things offend you.
Chapter Thirty Five
Emmett returned the next morning from his jog and found Rose sitting in the kitchen, making out a grocery list.
"Bella's truck is at Edward's," he said right when she took a sip of coffee.
The liquid went spraying from her mouth and she gaped at him. "What?"
Emmett was laughing, and he picked up a dish towel, taking it to the table. "I was kidding, babe, but damn, that was fun."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "That was cruel, Emmett," she responded, yanking the towel out of his hand.
"Have you talked to her?" he asked.
"No. I haven't tried to call her this morning. Edward?"
"Nope," he answered, giving her a quick kiss before heading to the shower.
Rose threw the towel in the sink and went back to the table, where she dialed Bella's number.
"Hello?" Bella said, rolling over in bed. She glanced at the clock and groaned.
"Oh, you decided to answer this time," Rose said, smirking. "Late night?"
"What? No, I … Rose, it's seven a.m. on a Saturday. Why are you up so early?"
"Pulling a mid-shift today. Payback for not being on call for Thanksgiving. Anyway, what's new?"
"Not doing this right now, Rose. Can we talk later?"
Rose grinned. "Sure, Bella. Call me when you can."
"Uh huh, take care," Bella said through a yawn. She closed the phone and laid it on the nightstand.
What's new?
Bella buried her face in her pillow, a smile on her face. She always thought it was silly and cliché when a person said they could still feel a kiss on their lips, but she knew better now. She lightly brushed a finger on her lips, thinking back to the previous night.
"I'd like to take you out on a real date," he said as they stood at her truck. "I want to pick you up at your house, have the chief greet me at the door and threaten me with his menacing cop stare, then take you to dinner."
"That sounds lovely," she replied, smiling. "Except for the part where my dad threatens you."
"You know he will," he said, pushing her hair behind her shoulder. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
Bella chewed on the inside of her lip. She really wanted him to kiss her again, to prove that she wasn't in the middle of a dream.
"What?" he asked, giving her a crooked grin when he noticed her eyes on his mouth.
Her cheeks flamed, and she ducked her head. When she looked up, she decided to be bold and pushed herself up on her toes, giving him a chaste kiss. It would have to do for now, or so she thought. He laid his hands at her waist and dipped his head, capturing her mouth with his. This kiss was much more demanding than their first. She returned it with reckless abandon, throwing her arms around his neck. Their lips parted, and when their tongues met for the first time, Bella shuddered and Edward pulled her closer. He couldn't get enough of her.
Breathless, he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers. "I must be dreaming," he murmured.
"Hm, that makes two of us," she replied.
"Are you okay to drive back to Forks?" he asked, pulling back to look at her.
She nodded, and he reached behind her to open the door. Once she was in, he reached a hand up to her cheek, brushing it with his knuckles. "I really like you in red," he commented.
She gave him a lazy smile. "I'll remember that."
"So, tomorrow night? I'll be at your house at seven? That is, if you want."
"I do," she answered. "Seven it is."
"Okay. I'll see you then. Drive safely."
She smiled again and he closed the door, watching her until she turned a corner at the end of the block.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned. Everything about the evening had gone better than he expected, even though he really had no expectations. He just knew that he wanted to tell her how he felt, and let it go from there. Though, looking back, he hadn't planned on telling her quite so much. At least, not yet.
He certainly never thought it would end with her in his arms. She fit there perfectly, and if he could, he'd spend the rest of his life holding her there. He hoped she felt the same way. She seemed to still be a little closed off around him, but he would work on that.
When Bella got home a little before ten, she found Charlie sound asleep in his recliner.
"Dad," she said softly, giving him a shake.
"Huh?"
"Go to bed," she told him, flipping off the television.
He sat up and blinked to clear the haze from his eyes. "Have a nice evening with your friend?" he asked.
She smiled. "It was wonderful."
"Good, good." He yawned before getting to his feet. He planted a kiss atop her head before making his way upstairs.
Emmett decided to pay Edward a surprise visit around noon, picking up a pizza for lunch on his way.
He knocked raptly, then stepped inside as usual. "Edward?"
"Yeah," Edward replied loudly from the living room.
"Mom here?" Emmett asked as he walked into the room.
"Nope." Edward sat his laptop on the coffee table and looked at Emmett. "Pizza. A man after my own heart."
Emmett snorted and sat down next to him, flipping open the box. His eyes landed on the laptop screen, and his hand froze midway into the box. "New York?"
Edward pushed the laptop lid down before grabbing a slice of pizza.
"Edward-" Emmett started.
Edward cut him off. "It's just a thought, that's all."
"But you're thinking about it?"
Edward glanced at him as he chewed.
"Did you call her?"
"We met last night," Edward said.
"And?"
"Jesus Christ, you are a nosy motherfucker. We met for coffee, we talked, it was nice."
"Nice enough that you're doing job research in the city where she lives," Emmett commented. "Are you sure you want that?"
Edward sighed and dropped the remains of his pizza back in the box.
"I won't ask her to give up her life for me," Edward said. "She's happy there. I'll be happy wherever she is."
Emmett gawked at him, surprised by his admission. "That's... pretty damn heavy, bro."
"Well, do you have a better suggestion? I want to keep her in my life, and I think that she feels the same way, or is pretty close to it."
"Wait, exactly what happened last night?"
Edward sat back, his eyes on the muted television where Washington was presently getting beat by Oregon.
"You said you talked. I didn't realize it was some life-altering discussion, one that has you wanting to pack up and move across the country."
"Would you do it for Rose?" Edward asked, not looking at him.
"Of course, but that's different. I want to marry..." Emmett stopped talking when the realization hit him. "Edward, you guys haven't even been on a date yet!"
"Tonight," Edward said.
"Tonight," Emmett mumbled. "You and Bella have your first date?"
"We do." Edward took a sip of soda.
Emmett grinned. "Well, you're just moving right along, aren't you? Rose and me were going to fight to the death on who could get you guys together first, but it appears you don't need our help at all."
Edward snorted.
"Did you tell her you would move to New York?"
Edward shrugged. "I may have mentioned it."
"I think you should give her an option, man. Seriously."
"Of course I will," Edward said. "I can stay here, or I can go there. Or wherever. I'm not keen on doing a long-distance thing, but I will if she chooses that route."
When Emmett left an hour later, Edward resumed poking around online, checking out apartments and job listings. Nothing had caught his attention yet, but he wouldn't give up the search unless Bella told him it wasn't necessary.
And he hoped like hell that she didn't.
Rose was sitting in the Forks Diner waiting for Bella to show. When Bella finally breezed through the door, a smile on her face and a glow on her cheeks, Rose rolled her eyes.
"Oh brother," Rose said, rising. She hugged Bella before pulling back to eye her suspiciously.
"What?" Bella asked, a happy lilt in her voice.
"You know what," Rose answered, flagging their server down.
As Bella placed her order, Rose's phone beeped and she glanced at the text message from Emmett.
Operation Swan-Cullen is off. They don't need our help! Love you. -E
Rose snorted, shoving the phone back in her purse.
"So, you and Edward?" Rose asked, cutting straight to the chase.
"What about us?" Bella asked nonchalantly, scanning the menu.
"Don't play dumb, Swan. Spill it. I don't need every little detail, but-"
"We have a date tonight," Bella said with a shrug. "Last night, we met for coffee."
Astonished, Rose blinked rapidly a few times, then blew out a puff of air. "A date. You and Edward. Tonight."
Bella smiled. "I know. Crazy, isn't it?"
"To say the least."
"I'm just … I'm ready, Rose. Ya know? I feel like he deserves a chance, and I'm ready to give him one. We're establishing a friendship, so why can't we see where it goes? We aren't going to rush into anything."
"Good. That's good," Rose replied. "Not rushing, I mean. You deserve to be happy, Bella. Both of you do. And it's easy to see that you're good for him. Too bad it took this long for it to happen."
Bella wound her fingers together and placed them on the table. "I don't know if this falls under your 'every little detail' moratorium or not, but I let him kiss me last night."
Rose's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah?"
Bella's cheeks warmed as she thought about it. "I don't know why. I mean, I do, but … I just wanted to test things, ya know? To see if I could do it."
"Because of the whole Yorkie thing," Rose stated.
"Yeah." Bella nodded, picking up her mug of coffee. "I was petrified, really, but Edward was wonderful about it. I'm comfortable around him, and it just seemed right."
Rose smiled, reaching across the table to pat Bella's hand. "I'm happy for you, kid. Edward will do right by you, I know it. He's waited too long."
Bella looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"Er, nothing," Rose said, shrugging. "Just that your moving away may have been a blessing in disguise, that's all."
"He said he'll move to New York for me."
Rose sputtered on the water she was drinking. She coughed, patting her chest. "I'm sorry. He said that?"
Bella sighed. "I don't know if I want him to."
"Why not?"
"Rose, his life is here. How can he just up and leave it all behind?"
"You did," Rose pointed out.
"I had to. He doesn't. He's built a brand new life here. To just walk away from it? For me?"
"Hm. Isn't that his decision?" Rose asked, quirking a brow.
"I don't want him to resent me later because of it. If things don't work out, or he ends up hating it there. I want him to be happy."
"Did you tell him this?"
"Not in those words, no."
"First rule, kid, is that you have to be upfront and honest with him. Trust him to make the right decision."
Bella began tearing at a napkin. "It would be nice to have him close."
"Well, have you thought about moving back here?"
Bella shrugged. "It might have crossed my mind. Not to Forks, but the Port. I like it there. And the chatter seems to have died down enough that I wouldn't feel like I was being stared at." As she spoke, her eyes darted around the diner, and not one person was paying her any attention. The fact was comforting.
"It just took a little time. It usually does," Rose said. "But what would you do with yourself here? You said you love your job there, and let's face it, this isn't New York City."
Bella frowned. "I know."
"And as much as I would love it if you were here again, I'd rather you be happy. Hell, it isn't anything to jump on a plane now and then."
"Or maybe everyone could just move to New York and-"
Rose chuckled. "As appealing as it is to think about being a detective in New York City, I think I kind of like it here where the biggest case I work on is who stole fishing poles from Mr. Klein's storage shed."
Bella sighed. "I guess," she mumbled.
Rose studied her for a moment. "You gotta follow your heart, kid. I swear. That's my best advice."
Several minutes before seven that evening, Charlie did a double-take when Bella appeared in the living room wearing a short, red one-piece dress over black leggings. It had been awhile since he'd seen her dressed up, and his curiosity was piqued.
"You look nice," he said. "Meeting a friend?"
She nodded, glancing toward the window when she saw headlights. "I, um, have a date." She inwardly cringed, knowing what his next words were going to be.
"Oh." A pause. "A date. When you're going back to New York tomorrow. Who's the guy? Anyone I know?"
She heard Edward coming up the stairs and looked at Charlie. "Dad, be nice, okay?"
Charlie glanced toward the door when the bell rang. "Give me some warning, Bells. Who is it?"
"It's Edward."
Charlie was half out of his chair when Bella said his name. He froze briefly, then straightened. "Edward Cullen?"
"Dad, please?" Bella pleaded, moving toward the door.
"You have a date with Edward Cullen," Charlie said, his lips in a tight line. "Bells-"
Bella cut him off with a swipe across her neck before she opened the door. Edward smiled at her, his hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans.
"Hi," Bella said, returning his smile. She felt her cheeks warm. "Um, come in."
Edward stepped inside, his smile faltering when Charlie came into view. "Chief Swan," he said, holding out his hand. "How are you?"
Charlie begrudgingly shook the young man's hand, then looked at Bella as he answered. "I'm doing all right, considering. How have you been, Edward?"
"Good," Edward answered. "Things are good."
Charlie merely grunted in response. "Where are you two off to?"
Bella looked at Edward curiously. "I'm not sure. Edward?"
"I thought we might get dinner at The Lodge," Edward responded, hoping Charlie didn't misconstrue his words.
Charlie's eyes flitted to Bella, whose face had suddenly paled.
Shit! Edward thought. Wrong move. Dumbass...
"The Lodge," Charlie said. "They serve dinner?"
"Dad," Bella quickly chimed in, laughing a little. "Um, we should get going."
Edward helped her with her coat, and Charlie leaned against the door frame, his arms folded, watching them. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation, but he trusted Bella's judgment, so he decided to give Edward the benefit of the doubt, especially when he saw the smile on his daughter's face.
"You kids be careful," Charlie said as Edward held the door open for Bella.
Edward nodded. "I'll take good care of her, sir."
Bella's blush deepened further, and she gave her dad a menacing glare when he started to speak. "Bye, Dad."
"Don't stay out too late," Charlie muttered as he pushed the door closed.
When Bella was safely tucked into Edward's car, she buried her face in her hands.
"God, that was … I'm sorry," she told Edward after he settled in next to her.
"It wasn't that bad, Bella," Edward replied, chuckling. "I expected worse, to be honest."
"I kind of sprang it on him at the last minute," she commented. "I guess he handled it well."
One corner of Edward's mouth turned up. "So, is The Lodge okay? Our options are kind of limited in Forks, unless you want to hit a greasy spoon. Or Subway."
Bella laughed. "No, Subway is out of the question. I nearly lived on that stuff in college. The Lodge is fine. I've never been. Food's good?"
"I went after prom," Edward said, shrugging. "It was good."
Bella folded her hands in her lap. "I didn't go to prom."
He looked at her, surprise on his face. "You didn't? No one asked?"
She shrugged. "Mike Newton asked me one year, and I said no. The whole prom thing... That's not really me, ya know?"
"But it's prom," Edward said matter-of-factly.
"That's what my mom said. She tried and tried to get me to go, and so did Alice, but I think they just wanted to play dress-up."
Edward cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the road. "Come to think of it, you and dancing might have been lethal."
Bella nodded. "Not just for me, but for anyone around me. Geez, I was such a klutz. Yoga has really helped with that."
"You really like it, huh?"
"I do. It's gotten me through some rough times."
"Huh. I have to see a therapist for that," he joked.
She grinned. "I saw one in college. After Mom died, I mean. I was having these really bad nightmares, and..." Her voice trailed off, and Edward frowned.
"So, what time does your flight leave tomorrow?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.
"I have to be at SeaTac at ten," she replied.
Okay, not a good subject either, he thought with discomfort, grateful when he spotted the sign for The Lodge.
They were silent as they pulled into the parking lot. Edward offered Bella his arm as they walked to the entrance, and she smiled, not hesitating to take it.
"Reservation for Cullen," he told the hostess.
Bella glanced up at Edward as he took her coat, and when he met her eye, they shared a smile.
"Mr. Cullen, right this way," the hostess said, leading them to a table near the rear of the room.
Edward laid a protective hand on her back as they snaked through the dimly-lit dining room. He pulled out Bella's chair, then took a seat across from her.
Bella's stomach was fluttering madly at Edward's small gestures. She had been on dates before, but nothing compared to this. She certainly didn't remember her skin tingling like it had when he laid his hand on her back, or when he smiled at her.
"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked, amused by her faraway look.
"Oh, uh, nothing," she answered, laughing a little. "It's silly."
"Hm, doubt that, and even so, I'm game for silly," he said with a grin as their server appeared.
He ordered a bottle of red wine and returned his attention to her. "So?"
"How's Marcus?" she asked, steering the conversation away from her lack of dating history.
Edward's face lit up. "Marcus is good. I visit him once a week. I wish you were going to be around longer so you could meet him."
"Oh, well, maybe someday," she said. "I'm sure he's really happy that you're comfortable enough to return for a visit."
"It's not easy, but I try not to think about it too much. I don't want to forget it entirely, either," he said. "It happened, and it made me a better person."
Bella took a sip of wine, then folded her hands in her lap. "Where do you think you'd be right now if none of that had happened?" she asked, looking at him.
He tapped his fingers on the table, glancing around the room. "I don't know. I doubt I'd still be here. It's hard to say, ya know? All I can do is move ahead."
The server returned to take their order, and their conversation returned to lighter talk. Both still wondered in the back of their minds if the past would always be an elephant in the room, an unspoken truth between them.
"Let's take a walk," Edward said after he paid the bill.
Bella nodded, letting him guide her through the dining room. He again helped her with her coat, and soon they were taking a walking path alongside the lake, the moon's glow turning everything silver.
Bella shivered slightly, but not from the chill in the air. Edward noticed this and frowned.
"Shit, I'm sorry. Is it too cold for you? We can-"
Bella laughed a little, cutting him off. "No, Edward, it's fine. I'm okay."
His hand came down over hers gently. He was testing the waters, unsure of how far he could go with her. He didn't want to blow it before they'd even had a chance.
"Is this okay?" he asked.
She gave his hand a squeeze as affirmation, smiling up at him as his warmth flooded her senses.
"You don't have to ask," she replied softly. "It's nice."
"I've been looking online at jobs in New York," he said, his eyes fixed on the path. He felt Bella pause, and turned to face her. "Should I not … have done that?"
She stared at the zipper on his jacket before moving her eyes up to his. "You were serious," she stated, her brow creased with worry.
"I thought I made it pretty clear," he replied, confusion on his face.
"But, your family is here, and I..." She broke off her sentence and sighed. "Edward."
A chilled, black silence surrounded them. Edward refused to let go of her hand. He could feel her slipping away, and he wasn't going to let that happen.
"I'll do whatever you ask of me, Bella. Just … please don't ask me to give this up. I waited too long. For me to finally figure it out and then have to let it go; I can't do that."
Bella's breath left her in a rush, and she closed her eyes for a beat, sorting through her thoughts.
"I'll stay here, if you want. We can make it work somehow. If you ultimately decide that we're better off as friends-"
"Edward," Bella said quickly. "I don't know what we are. What are we? How can you just pack up and leave everything for me?"
"I want to know you, Bella," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want to spend time with you and take you out on dates, but I can't do that from three thousand miles away. I want to do things the right way."
"I don't know if you know this or not, but you already know me," she replied. "Even when I wasn't an afterthought to you, you knew me. My dad and Jake didn't even know my favorite flower, for cryin' out loud."
"I'm not talking about flowers, Bella. I'm talking about you. The woman you are. It's clear to me that you're the most special person I've ever known, but I want to keep discovering you."
Bella lifted a hand to his chest, and his breath stilted. She ran her finger along the zipper, more out of nervousness than anything else. She wasn't sure how to answer him, to say what she wanted without it coming out wrong.
"I don't want to lose you from my life, Bella," he continued. "No matter what happens, I'd like to keep your friendship, and if that's all I'm left with, I'm okay with that."
He gently lifted her chin, causing her eyes to meet his. "Just say it, Bella."
"I'm terrified," she admitted.
Uncertainty crept into his expression. "Not of me," he stated rather than asked.
She shook her head. "No, of course not. This is new to me, Edward." She took a step back, releasing his hand, and he hid his disappointment.
"It's new to me, too, but who isn't scared when things change?" he replied.
She hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions, before turning her back to him.
Edward felt a stab at his heart. "Bella..."
She sighed, folding her arms as she began. "Did you know when we were kids, I waited and waited for the real you to make his appearance? I knew that, deep down, you weren't a mean person. You played football in the backyard with your dad, and kissed your mom on the cheek when she gave you cookies after school. The girl in me, the one who used to concoct crazy scenes starring you, the nice side of you, remembers all of that."
"I thought we were past this," he replied, his jaw clenched.
"This has nothing to do with who you are now," she responded over her shoulder. "The guy I waited for has finally arrived, and I'm scared that I might be the one who isn't good enough."
Edward scoffed as she turned to face him.
"I don't want you to come to New York just for me, Edward. It has to be for you, first and foremost. Because you're doing really well here, and to just make a change like that? It terrifies me for you."
"I'm perfectly capable of making a sound decision," he said, stepping toward her. "I'll admit that it never crossed my mind, moving to New York, but I'm ready and willing to take the chance. And don't ever say you're not good enough, because you are. You're selfless, and loving, and kind, and whenever I'm around you, the peace I feel is overwhelming. I felt it the first time you visited me in prison. Even though you were behind glass, I felt it."
He regarded her cautiously, surprised to see her cheeks moistened with tears. "Bella, you asked me to kiss you last night. That couldn't have been for nothing."
She swallowed down the lump in her throat. "It wasn't," she replied, her words breaking. "If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that. I'm at a loss, Edward. So much has happened in the last year, and I never expected to be standing here with you. You'll have to forgive me if I come off a little dumbfounded, because that's what I am."
He lifted his hand to her face, thumbing away a tear. "I'm not about to dispute that." With his other hand, he cradled her face, and she unfolded her arms, placing her hands against his waist. "A chance, Bella. That's all I'm asking for. You deserve it, and so do I."
She chewed on the inside of her lip before raising her eyes to his. She knew he was right. She was all about chances and having faith. It was a shot she was willing to take for the both of them.
Follow your heart...
"I can talk to Jess. Maybe her dad can help you find a job. And I know there are apartments for rent in my building, if you want to..." Her words died on her lips when she noticed his widening smile. She returned it, and he pulled her against him, cradling her against his chest.
"There's so much we can do," she said, her words coming forth in a burst. "I can take you to Central Park. You'll love it. Oh, and we can get tickets to Letterman, if you want. Or-"
"Bella," Edward said, grinning. "We'll have plenty of time for that. But it makes me happy that you're thinking about it."
She smiled. "It would be kind of boring to try to date someone around here, you know? At least there's no shortage of stuff to do in New York."
"Hm," he murmured in agreement. "One can only take so much of the Itty Bitty Buzz."
Bella let him kiss her again, there in the moonlight, and this kiss held more promise than she could have hoped for. She was proud of herself for making the leap. The tattoo on her right shoulder was there for a reason.
They fit together, Edward and Bella. It was never more evident than when he walked her to her door, and tenderly kissed her goodnight, whispering promises of staying in touch until he could make the trip.
And when Bella walked into the house, a smile on her face and a rosy tint to her cheeks, Charlie merely rolled his eyes.
"Fantastic," he mumbled as she headed up the stairs.
Chapter End Notes: Next chapter, next weekend... and yes, it is winding down.
This week's rec: "In Your World" by solostintwilight. This one has Amishward. Yes, you read that right - AMISH. Before you say "no thanks," do yourself a favor and check it out. Trust me on this. I felt the same way at first, but now I'm foaming at the mouth waiting for the next update. This story OWNS me. Author's summary: Bella runs from her life in Forks. Away from her father, away from her possessive boyfriend Jacob Black. Fleeing across country she is stranded in a small town in Iowa, and seeks refuge in a community that is nothing like her world. Bella is taken in and learns how the Amish live. And love.
Have a good weekend :)