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This is unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine.

Word Prompt: Rescue

Saturday, 31 December

"Uncle Edward!" Emma and Suzie screamed when they saw me walk into the restaurant.

I squatted down and scooped them both into my arms, giving them a tight squeeze as I glanced up in greeting at Emmett and Rose. "How are my two favorite girls?" I asked after I'd released them.

"So good! We're gonna play games and climb in the tunnels," Emma said excitedly.

"Yeah and eat pizza and ice cream," Suzie added.

"Sounds perfect to me," I said.

I glanced at Bella who was standing a little behind me with a huge grin on her face. I turned back to the girls. "So, I brought a friend to play tonight, and I want you to meet her."

I stood up and extended my hand to Bella. "Suzie, Emma, this is my special friend, Bella. Bella, these are my best girls and goddaughters."

She squatted down and smiled. "Hi. Your Uncle Edward told me all about the tunnels, and I was wondering if I could play with you guys tonight."

Both of the girls looked at me then back at Bella and nodded hesitantly.

"Do you like balls?" Suzie asked.

I coughed and knew better than to look at Emmett. Bella ignored me, thankfully, and nodded her head. "I do. Are we going to play with some?"

Emma nodded, and one eyeroll from Rose completely set both Emmett and me off. We both burst out laughing and had to turn around in order to get ourselves under control.

"Try to teach your girls some manners, man," I whispered to Em.

He punched me in the shoulder. "You're sick."

"You know it was damn funny," I said as I turned back around. Both Bella and Rose were staring at us, eyes narrowed in disapproval before turning back to the girls, who, thank God, were oblivious to our thoughts.

"… pit full of balls you can jump in and throw and stuff. Do you want to play in them?"

"That sounds like fun to me," she said, then turned to Rose. "At least some balls are going to see some action."

I straightened up and immediately put my arms around her. "Hey, now," I said. "Don't be like that… I'll be good."

She patted my cheek. "Get your head out of the gutter, handsome. I'm going to play with the girls… and some balls."

The next minute I was staring at her back as the girls led her away. Rose followed after, leaving Emmett and me alone.

"She's something else," Emmett said after we'd each grabbed a beer and sat down at a booth in the corner to wait for the food.

"Bella?"

He nodded and took a long pull from his bottle.

"You can say that again," I said. "She is seriously… amazing. There's just no other way to put it."

Emmett put his bottle down and looked at me for a second before his eyes scanned the room and he laughed. "You've got it bad."

I snorted. "That's an understatement. It feels so crazy, but all I can think about it how lucky I am… and how hot and sexy and intelligent she is. I have no idea how I got so lucky."

"So, have you guys talked about long term stuff?" he asked. We rarely had serious conversations, so his intensity was a little surprising.

I took a swig and gave a noncommittal head shake, wobbling my head like one of those bobble head toys. "A little, I guess, but we have a lot to talk about. I know we're both committed to making it work, but as far as how we'll close the distance… no." I'd been thinking about that most of the afternoon. I wanted to bring it up, to discuss where her head was and what I was thinking, but I had no idea how to broach the subject.

My eyes landed on Bella, all the way across the room. Her face was tilted up, like she was looking for something, and the smile on her face radiated happiness. The bottom line: I would do pretty much anything to keep her smiling like that, to be with her, and I had options in terms of mobility. I knew that.

"I mean, she's got a pretty sweet deal at UW. I can't imagine she'd want to give that up and move here or anywhere else, for that matter," I added and took another drink.

"Um, you do know that Princeton is in our backyard, right?" he asked, pulling my attention away and back to him.

"Dude, I know that. But it's gotta be her choice."

Emmett shook his head. "Oh man. Look, let me just give you one piece of advice and then I'll shut the hell up. If you're going to make this thing work, you've got to compromise, which means you've got to talk. It's not just about her or you. It's about you both."

I was just about to respond, when Suzie came running over. "Daddy! Bella had to rescue Emma from the top of the tower!"

"What do you mean?" he asked, scooting to the end of the booth and standing up.

"Emma got scared," she said, like it was the most ridiculous thing ever. "And started crying. I tried to get her down but she wouldn't come."

Emmett grinned, and I couldn't help but laugh when Rose, carrying a sad-faced Emma, and Bella walked over to the booth.

"You okay, peanut?" Emmett asked, holding his arms out to her.

Emma's bottom lip quivered a bit and climbed into his lap, burying her head against his chest.

A few minutes later, the food arrived and everyone was as good as new. After dinner, a mean game or two of skee ball, and a round of hugs and well wishes later, Bella and I were back in the car.

I reached over and took her hand, bring it up to my lips. She looked at me and smiled, and I couldn't believe how normal it felt. There was nothing special about the moment. It was what I'd always imagined my life would be like at some point, and the simplicity of it floored me. I knew what I'd told Emmett earlier was the truth. I'd do pretty much anything to make it work. I was all in, and if I had any doubt at all – which I didn't – watching Bella with the girls and my friends the night before and again that evening only confirmed how amazing and special she really was. She just fit.

~*WS*~

"What can I get ya?" the bartender asked.

I looked at Bella, my hand pressed against the small of her back, and she quickly leaned forward and said, "I'll have the Amber Ale."

He looked at me. "Dortmunder."

The place was packed, and we watched him work quickly and efficiently behind the bar. In no time, we'd started a tab, gotten our drinks, and were scouring the room for a table. Bella spotted one on the far side of the room, and we sorted of wormed our way through the crowd – she led the way, gripping my hand tightly as she pulled me along.

A band had just gotten started when we settled in. Our stools were next to each other and situated in such a way I could easily scoot her – or me – closer. Ever since we'd left Emmett and Rose, it was like I couldn't get enough of her. Something had shifted between us. I had no idea what, but if her hand wasn't in mine, some other part of me – or her – was touching. The pull I always felt around her was in full force, the field tightening around us until it was just the two of us, completely lost in each other.

Everything was in focus. The way her lips wrapped around the tip of her beer bottle and then curled into a coy smile when she caught me staring. The gentle sway of her body as we moved to the rock and roll of the music. How her fingers felt when they wrapped around the back of my neck and her lips touched mine. The way her tongue tasted in my mouth or how soft her lips were against my jaw. On and on and on until the edges of the evening started blur and soften from the alcohol and her.

I pulled her back to my front and wrapped my arm around her waist just as the music began to fade. She'd long since lost the black sweater she'd been wearing, leaving her neck fully exposed in a flowy white top, and I'd been mesmerized by that space where her neck and shoulder met – the same one I'd kissed in Seattle, the one I'd almost ruined everything over.

But not again. Not that time. All the eagerness and want I'd felt coiled deep inside me, tightening its grip on me until all I could do was dip my head and run my nose just behind her ear and down her neck, pressing kisses along the way. Her fingers tightened on my forearms, and she sank back against me as I brushed my lips on that spot. It was soft and warm and smelled so good. A kiss. Two. Then three little baby ones, and I swear, she moaned. Or maybe I imagined it in the buzz of the crowd around us. I didn't care, because I knew what I wanted. Her. I wanted to be with her, to show her exactly how sexy and beautiful and amazing she was, how she was literally all I could and had been thinking about all night.

"You wanna get out of here?" I asked, my voice rough and low against her ear.

She turned her head just slightly, enough for me to see her dark eyes and the sassy smile I'd been lost in all night long spread. My lips found her, and there was no hesitation, no indecision, just me showing and telling her exactly what I was thinking.

I'll try to get another one in tomorrow. Thanks for all the love!