Not betad.

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Prompt: fidgety

I'm waiting for Edward to pick me up for the event at the hospital. Maeve is spending the night with Rose, who told me she and Emmett will be moving in together. I'm happy for her, and a little bit jealous. I want that ease Rose and Emmett seem to have, and the surety that the person I care about cares about me with no reservations, and will continue to love me and be faithful to me, no matter what.

I'm fidgety as I wait, anxious about how I look, if my dress is pretty enough… if I'm pretty enough. Edward's so handsome and I worry that I'll look plain next to him. I've bought a new dress and taken extra care with my hair and makeup, but I'm not sure it's enough. My sleep is still not regular and the dark circles under my eyes are still too pronounced for my taste, but there's only so much makeup can do.

Normally this wouldn't bother me, but this isn't just a dinner with a friend or even a normal night out. This is a public setting with Edward's business associates. I'll have to be charming and friendly and I've never been good at that, not even on my best day.

But he wants me there and I want to be with him. And I can do this.

It's something I should have and could have discussed with Angela, but I canceled this week's appointment. I had a headache that day and Maeve was tired, so I thought it was for the best.

But now I wonder if being able to talk about it would have cut down on the anxiety I'm feeling right now. It becomes a moot point when there's a soft knock on my door.

"You look beautiful," Edward says when I greet him at the door. He looks so handsome and happy that it's infectious. My anxiety eases and I take the hand he offers me as he walks me to the car.

The event seems to be in full swing when we arrive. There's a makeshift bar and servers walking around with trays of food, and there's soft jazz music being piped into the room. It's a lovely setting and I feel good standing there with Edward holding my hand.

The lobby of the new maternity wing at the hospital is stunning. It's a large rotunda with stately columns, and the color choices are warm and calming.

"Who's the interior decorator?" I ask. Not that I can afford to hire one, but maybe I can look them up on the Internet and fantasize about what I'd do if I could.

Edward grabs us two champagne flutes from a passing server and hands me one. He takes a sip of his and looks around and I wonder if he's heard my question.

"There's the designer now," he says, pointing his glass toward the other end of the room.

"Your mom?" I can't keep the surprise out of my voice.

"The very one," he says, taking my hand and leading me over to where his parents are standing. "We work together quite a bit."

I suddenly feel awful. I'd never considered Esme as a career woman, and hadn't even bothered to ask her what she did for a living. I really needed to put more effort into my friendships.

"Bella," Esme greets warmly when we reach her and Carlisle. "It's so good to see you."

"You too," I reply, really and truly meaning it. I feel lucky to know these people.

"You look lovely," Carlisle says, grasping my hand tightly. "I'm glad you could make it."

"So am I. The building is just… amazing. And Esme," I say, turning to her, "I had no idea you were a designer. It's just beautiful."

She thanks me and we chat for a few minutes about color and how it effects mood. I idly wonder if bronze and green are among the calming colors, especially when Edward absently places a gentle hand on my back while he's talking to Carlisle. It makes me feel so good and warm.

A few of Carlisle's colleagues make their way over to us and after I get over my initial anxiety, I'm able to engage in small talk and I even make a few people laugh. Having Edward next to me helps, and it feels good to be here with him. We play off of each other and I feel like we belong like this–as a unit that works together. I have no idea how we've reached this point so quickly.

Carlisle and Esme wander off to mingle and Edward and I are finally alone. Without thinking, I lean into him and he puts his arm around me.

"You all right?" he asks.

"I'm really good," I respond, looking up at him and smiling. "I'm having such a great time."

He looks back at me and smiles. "You sound surprised."

"I am, a little," I admit. "I've never been great in social situations. But it's so easy with you."

"You need to give yourself more credit," he asserts with a smile. "You're very charming."

I blush and look down. When I lift my head Edward's face is serious and his gaze travels to my lips. I think he wants to kiss me, and I want him to. He hasn't kissed me since the one and only time on his birthday. I know he doesn't want to pressure me but I haven't been able to get that kiss off my mind.

But the hair on the back of my neck suddenly stands up and I'm distracted from Edward's perfect lips.

I turn around and there she is. I don't know why I didn't anticipate this. I should have realized there would be a chance she would be here to burst my perfect bubble. That's what she did, after all.

She's not looking back at me but that doesn't matter. My past has come back to haunt me and I need to run. I can't breathe and my heart is pounding and I have a blinding pain behind my eyes. "Please get me out of here," I whisper, grabbing Edward's arm tightly.

In a split second his arm is around me and we're heading toward the exit, no questions asked.

I don't realize it's too late until we're in the parking lot. She's followed us and she calls my name.

"Bella?"

Edward doesn't slow but I feel him look down at me. I don't say anything and we're almost to the car.

"Bella!" she calls again. "Please, stop. Please."

That she's asking anything of me suddenly has me enraged. I turn around to face her and she stops in her tracks, a frightened look on her face. Edward places a hand on my shoulder and says my name softly, but there's only me and her right now.

"What do you want, Alice?" I ask. "You want to fuck this one too?"

I wasn't able to answer reviews for the last chapter, so let me address this here. I understand some of you are impatient with Bella and the slow burn of this story. I'm sorry if it frustrates anyone but it's the way I write, and is particularly right for this story. Rushing things wouldn't be true to the story.

Thanks for your lovely reviews and for all of your kind words about my difficulty with Irene. This community is awesome.

I should be back to a regular update schedule sooner rather than later.