I don't own Twilight or its characters. Stephenie Meyer does.
Cheryl and Gabby, thank you for pre-reading, and April, thank you for editing. Any mistakes left are my own.
Ch. 24 EPOV
"Thank you for dinner, Mom." I placed my and Bella's dishes into the sink.
"You're quite welcome, dear." She smiled at me with a knowing look in her eyes.
"What?" I asked her.
"Nothing. Can't a mother enjoy seeing her son look happy. Especially after she hasn't seen him really smile in a long time?" She batted her eyes innocently.
"I guess," I said suspiciously.
"Bella had the same smile tonight." Her grin widened. "So I take it things are going well between you and her?"
"Mom," I sighed.
"Oh, throw an old woman a bone, will you?" she pleaded.
"I'd have to find one first," I joked.
She chuckled and shook her head. "You used to tell me everything."
"I don't know what to say. Things are better than what they were before. We're moving slow. She…" I hesitated. I wasn't sure I was ready to tell her how I might be leaving.
"She, what? I'm not a mind reader," she prompted.
I ran my hand through my hair nervously. "Bella asked me to go with her and to stop going on these trips with Dad and Uncle Peter." I lowered my voice since I hadn't said anything to my father yet.
"I like her more already. I'll help you pack," mom said.
"I told her I couldn't leave you. We may be doing the long-distance thing again," I explained.
Her eyes narrowed and she rolled her chair closer to me. She then reached out for my hand.
"Anthony…or should I say Edward. I know that is what everyone else calls you. I've said this repeatedly to your father, and now I will say this to you. Hopefully it'll get in one of your thick heads. I am your mother, and I should be taking care of you. You're not responsible for keeping me safe. In all the years your father and uncle have been doing this nothing has ever happened. I don't want you to stop living the life you want because of me. Go with Bella and be happy. Carlisle and Esme are here, and they will always stay with me. Although I really wish your father would stop himself. Go with her and be happy."
Days
"How are you not fat with the way your mother and aunt cook for you every night?" Bella asked, settling into her car seat then rubbing her stomach.
"I don't eat with them every night," I said.
Bella gave me a knowing look, calling me out for my lying.
"Some nights Rose or Emmett cooks. And I may have several restaurants on speed dial," I admitted.
Bella snorted. "So, I repeat, how are you not fat?" she teased.
"I may not be an All-State runner, but I exercise and keep in shape." I puffed out my chest.
She smirked at me and poked me in the stomach.
"Hey, I'm trying to drive. In case you haven't noticed, it's snowing," I complained.
"Sorry," she apologized. I didn't miss how she flexed her finger.
"See. It was firmer than you thought, wasn't it?" I glanced at her.
"I thought you needed to pay attention because it's snowing." She cleared her throat and focused outside the window. "It's really pretty."
I glanced at her, then took a left instead of keeping straight to go to the apartment. I wanted to surprise her with an idea that popped into my head. Mini-golf had been fun earlier. I think we were both able to forget about our troubles. Although our run in with Heidi was interesting to say the least.
Unfortunately, meeting with my father crashed us back into reality. Not surprisingly, he was on board with our idea of getting Renée out. I think he was more hoping to get Phil into an interrogation chair. The plan was going to be set in motion, starting with Uncle Carlisle calling her in the morning.
"Why are we here?" Bella asked as I found a parking spot.
"There's an ice-skating rink in the park," I told her.
"Ice skating," she repeated, looking skeptical.
"You don't like it? We could always take a walk instead." I glanced over at her.
"I've never been." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, there's a first time for everything." I got out of the car then went to her side.
I opened the door and she stepped out. "Are you sure this is enough of a disguise?" She had been self-conscious after Heidi recognized her by all things her nose.
I grabbed the scarf she was wearing around her neck and covered her nose and mouth. "There."
We walked through the park to the brightly lit rink. It wasn't too busy at this time of night. I rented two pairs of skates and then we sat on a bench so we could get them on our feet.
When Bella stood, she wobbled when she took her first few steps but was able to steady herself. Together we stepped out onto the ice. I glided easily away, then looked back to see Bella was no longer with me. She was holding on to the edge, inching along.
"Do you need help?" I asked.
"I'm good, I just need a moment to get my bearings," she said.
I watched as she took a deep breath and stepped away from the side. She glided forward and smiled for a moment before losing her balance. I reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from falling. Her scarf fell away from her mouth.
"So, there is actually something you're not good at," I teased.
"Ha ha, you're enjoying this, aren't you?" she muttered.
"Maybe a little, after years of windmill jokes." I laughed.
I spun so I was skating backward in front of her and held on to her hands. I helped support her around the rink. She got the hang of it about halfway around, so I switched to where I was skating beside her. After we made it around the rink a few times, she relaxed even more and was smiling.
"I talked to my mom tonight about the possibility of me leaving," I told her.
Bella glanced up at me. "Was she upset?"
"On the contrary, she asked if I needed help packing." I snickered.
"What are you telling me, Edward?" she asked cautiously.
I slowed to a stop and moved, turning to face her. "Well, I guess it means wherever you go, I go. If it's alright with you?"
"Of course, it's okay with me." She tried to reach up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek and started to fall.
In the process of trying to catch her, I lost my balance, and we both crashed down onto the ice. I took the brunt of the fall by pulling her so she landed on top of me. We both sat up laughing. I leaned in and kissed her, but before it could become more than anything but a peck, we were hollered at to get a room.
"Shall we?" I wiggled my eyebrows, and she nodded.
I turned up the heat when I noticed Bella shivering when we got into the car. After a few minutes of silence, she turned down the radio.
"So, do you know what you're going to do yet?" she asked.
"Do about what?" I was confused about what she was talking about.
"Well, are you going to stay with law? You didn't seem too thrilled about it the other day, or is there something else you are interested in?" she questioned.
"I haven't given it much thought. I already have three years into prelaw, it seems like a waste to start over." I shrugged.
"You're only twenty, you can change your mind. Why do something for the rest of your life if it doesn't interest you?" she questioned.
I thought about it for a moment, and I realized I had never given any thought about what I wanted to do. I had always followed my father's plans for me.
"Huh? I have no idea what I want to do. I never had a chance to think about it," I admitted.
"That's kind of sad." Bella frowned.
"Maybe music?" I pondered.
"Are you asking or telling?"
"I don't know…" I was at a loss to what to say.
Bella reached over and placed a hand on my knee. "You don't have to decide tonight."
I resisted the urge to let go of the wheel and hold her hand. The roads were slick, and I didn't want to get into an accident.
"I do know I don't want to say anything to my dad yet. At least not until after this mission," I told her.
She rubbed my leg, not realizing she was making me incredibly hard. "You're afraid he'll talk you out of it."
"No. I'm done. He'll be pissed though, and I don't want to go into this at odds," I explained.
She nodded. "That's reasonable."
We pulled into the garage and I parked in my spot. I hurried to open the door for her, and she was barely standing before I pulled her into a kiss. She fell back against the side of the car, pulling me with her.
A blaring of a car horn caused us to jump apart. I turned my head and glared at Emmett who pulled in beside us. He was snickering at us. I flipped him off, and he only laughed harder.
"I knew it wouldn't take you two long." He smirked, getting out of the car with a few shopping bags.
"Enough ice cream there?" I asked.
"God I hope so." He looked down at his purchases. "Rose changed her mind several times. I didn't think cravings were supposed to start until later. At least the book said so."
"I wouldn't mention that to Rose." Bella shook her head, smiling.
"Where were you an hour ago with your advice. It's going to be a long nine months," Emmett grumbled.
"Don't tell her that either." Bella giggled.
"Yeah, yeah." Emmett looked guilty.
"You did, didn't you?" I snorted.
"Shut up." Emmett pouted.
The ride up in the elevator was tortuous with my cousin with us. Bella was leaning into me, softly humming. The doors slid open after what seemed like was forever.
"Hey, Ed," Emmett called, holding open the door.
"What?" I was in a hurry to get into the apartment.
"I thought you'd need this." He held up a foil square.
"We're moving slow," I told him.
"Slow...fast...against a wall...cowboy style...you've been celibate for the last few years. You. Need. This." Emmett wiggled his eyebrows.
I was starting to get irritated. "Emmett—"
Bella reached past me and grabbed the condom from him. "Thank you and goodnight, Shrek."
She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me away. Emmett was laughing as the doors closed. She slipped it into my pocket and headed for the apartment.
"I thought you wanted slow?" I followed behind her.
"I had to shut him up somehow." She placed her hand on the picture. Alice had entered Bella's hand scan into the system earlier. She turned to me. "And maybe somewhere between slow and fast would be nice."
"I think it would be more than nice." I wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her to me.
Right before I could kiss her, I felt a sharp pain on my calf. I jumped, startled, and yelped in pain.
"What's wrong?" Bella looked alarmed.
"Someone doesn't like being ignored." I looked pointedly down at B.B.
"Awww, poor baby." Bella bent down and picked her up. She started to nuzzle the top of the cat's head.
"Hey. I'm the one who got clawed." I mock pouted.
Bella rolled her eyes and kissed my cheek. "Awww, poor Teddy. Better?"
"No." I huffed, making her laugh. "First I take the brunt of falling on the ice and now I get sliced and diced and you laugh," I complained lightheartedly.
"Want me to kiss your booboos?" She smirked.
"Yes. But let me feed her first or she'll keep bugging us. Shit." I started for the kitchen, then stopped short when I realized we forgot to do something.
"What now?" Bella asked.
"We never went food shopping." I sighed. "I guess I'll run out first thing in the morning."
"Come on. Feed this cutie and then I'll meet you in the tent to take care of your wounds." She placed B.B. down and walked past me down the hall.
By the time I fed B.B. and changed into a pair of shorts and T-shirt, Bella was already settled in the tent. She was stretched out in the tiny tank top and underwear like the other night. She raised herself up on her elbows to look at me, puffing out her tits in the process. My body instantly reacted to her.
There were so many erotic dreams starring Bella and us in this tent I had growing up. Hell, I still had them. None of which ever got a chance to explore since we were banned from the tent by thirteen.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
"That there's no way Emmett could call you Tommy anymore," I joked as I crawled the rest of the way until I was beside her. "And perhaps, how much trouble we would've gotten into if a ban on a tent was never placed."
She rolled on to her side, facing me. "I think we still got into plenty of trouble on the jet ski and boat. I'm going to miss the lake."
"You don't want to go back?" I was disappointed.
"You do? Two men were killed on the beach." She wrinkled her nose.
"I guess I didn't think of it that way. I was hoping there were plenty of better memories that would outweigh it. Maybe we can find a new lake. With a bigger jet ski. Mine was a little too small for some things." I reached over and brushed a kiss on her lips.
"I disagree. I think there was plenty of room. We just had to be creative." She leaned in for another kiss.
Her hand trailed down my side, then gently stroked my erection. I moaned and reached to return the favor by touching her breast. As my fingers touched her nipple, we were rudely interrupted.
"Edward?" Jasper yelled.
"Go the fuck away, Jasper!" I snapped.
"I can't, it's important. I need to talk to Bella too." He at least sounded apologetic.
Bella sighed and rolled away. She reached for a pair of shorts. I grew even more pissed off that he had entered my apartment without warning. The moment was officially ruined now.
I stuck my head out of the tent. "What is so important that it can't wait until the morning?"
"I'm sorry, but Garrett was trying to reach you. And when he couldn't reach you, he called me," Jasper explained.
I climbed out of the tent and Bella followed, now wearing a sweatshirt. The way Jasper glanced at her I had a bad feeling.
"My phone is in my room. What did he want?" I asked.
"Um. Maybe we should sit?" he suggested.
"Jasper, what's going on? Is my mom okay?" Bella asked nervously, sitting on my couch.
Jasper grimaced. "It seems like Afton got tired of waiting for Dwyer to pay him back and with you being gone. Tonight, on the way home from the club there was an accident and Phil's car caught on fire and blew up before he or you mom could escape."
Bella started to shake her head frantically. "No…no…no. It must be a lie or a ruse to get me to come back. Right?"
"I really wish I could say yes. Alice already checked into it before I came to tell you." Jasper gave her a sad look.
"Bella…" I reached for her, but she pulled back and stood.
"I need to be alone." She ran down the hall and slammed the door.
"Fuck," I mumbled.
"Give her time, that was a hard thing to process," Jasper advised.
"Ya' think? I've failed her. I promised we would save her mom. She's not going to forgive that," I scoffed.
"Yes, she will. She loves you and she's levelheaded enough to know it wasn't your fault. But, cuz, worry less about thinking you've failed her and be ready for when she wants a shoulder to cry on. I'm going to call my dad." Jasper patted my shoulder.
"Jazz, wait until the morning. You know they'll want an emergency meeting and I'm not leaving the apartment right now. Please, call Uncle Carlisle and tell him to forget about the plan?" I asked.
Jasper nodded. "Will do. I'll catch up with you tomorrow."
A/N: The chapter went on a downward sloop. Thoughts.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.