Disclaimer: None of this mine, nor will it ever be. The characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and I just like to play with Edward and Bella.

Also, thank you so much for your support for my writing. It means to me more than words can say.

I'm unsure if you'd heard, but one of our beloved fandom family members passed away a couple of weekends ago. Dee Creston, lovingly known as FangirlinGrandmaDee, died peacefully and surrounded by family. This chapter is dedicated to one of the kindest, warmest and friendliest members of our TwiFamily. Her love of fic and her encouraging words will be missed, tremendously.

From me to you, Dee, {GIANT TUFANO HUGS AND SMOOCHES} … always and forever.

"Success is a sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
Robert Collier

Chapter Nine

"Mother fucker!" Bella yelled, falling down and catching herself on her hands. "Why can't I do this?"

Edward crouched down, helping her back up and carrying her back to her chair. "Bella, you're doing great."

"I'm not," she snarled. "I can't walk. Yes, I've taken steps. I can drag my feet with the help of the bars, but as soon as I pull my hands away, I fall. I'm clumsy and awkward. I hate this."

"Gravity is hindering your recuperation. You need to get your gait back," Edward said. "You need to remember how to move your legs."

"How can we do that?" Bella asked.

"The aquatic treadmill. You'll have the buoyancy and freedom to get your groove," Edward suggested. "I think for now we'll massage your back and work on your strengthening exercises. Tomorrow, we'll meet at the pool and do some exercises in there, followed by the treadmill."

"Okay," Bella sighed. She rolled herself to the rear of the center. When she arrived at the table, she locked her chair and stood up.

"You should be proud that you're able to stand so easily," Edward said, moving behind her as she shuffled to turn and slid onto the table. "You're improving."

"Just not quickly enough for my opinion," Bella muttered, pulling her leg up to take off her shoes and socks.

"Prior to your stroke, did you ever have a serious injury? You were an athlete, a runner," Edward asked.

"Nothing too serious. The most serious thing that happened to me was having a C-section for Seth because he was born breech," she shrugged.

"Breech?"

"Ass first. It's bad for the baby, running the risk of cutting off their oxygen supply, so they performed surgery to take him out," Bella answered, rolling over onto her stomach.

"And how long did it take before you felt better? After your C-section?" Edward questioned, lifting her shirt. Her began massaging her lower back, kneading the knots surrounding her spine.

"How long until I was 'healed?' Technically, I was all better after eight weeks. I didn't feel like myself until I … well, I never felt like myself since the C-section," Bella answered honestly.

Edward heard sadness in her response, but he wouldn't press her since they'd moved from the private room. They'd moved on Bella's suggestion. She said that if they were in that private room, she'd want to do naughty things to Edward. The horny male in Edward wanted to do those naughty things. The consummate professional, however, agreed with his girlfriend and they continued their physical therapy out in the open. "Bella, I know that you want to snap your fingers and everything will be perfect. You were confined to a wheelchair for over a year and a half. The connection from your spinal cord to your legs is frayed, but healing. What did your first doctor say?"

"That I'd never walk again," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"You're walking. You're standing. You're defying his expectations," Edward said. "It's not going to be smooth sailing. There will be setbacks, but you need to power through them and don't let those setbacks bring you down."

"With you as a cheerleader, it's hard not to," Bella smiled. "Thank you, Edward. You've been so much … more." She looked back at him, giving him a loving look.

"I want to kiss you so badly," he whispered, staring back at her.

"You can. Later. You're coming over for dinner, right?" Bella asked.

He nodded. "I'll be there by six."

After dinner, Edward and Bella were settled on the couch. Seth and Jake were in the basement, playing on their gaming system. Bella was leaning against Edward while he idly played with her hair as they watched television. They'd been a couple for over a month, dating and learning about each other.

Bella had learned that Edward was an only child of an older couple, Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle was a doctor, a general practitioner, and his wife was a retired interior designer, but dabbled when inspiration struck. They retired to Jacksonville, Florida, closer to Esme's sister, Elizabeth, who recently lost her husband, Edward's namesake. Edward said he knew he'd do something with medicine, but he knew that didn't want to be a doctor. He grew up in Chicago, but moved to Portland when he was in high school with his parents. He went to school, attending UDub, getting his degree in physical therapy, with a masters in kinesiology.

Bella told him about her teaching career and her decision to resign after her stroke, not feeling comfortable in a school setting in a wheelchair. She knew she could still teach, but her heart wasn't in it. She shared about her childhood in Forks, also attending UDub, but a couple of years after Edward. They probably crossed paths while on campus.

"I've been doing some writing," Bella said. She hadn't told anyone, not even her parents. "With my job as a copy editor, I kind of got inspired."

"Writing?" Edward asked, looking down at her.

Bella nodded, sitting up and turning to face him. "I've been keeping a diary about my recovery. When I sent back my latest books that I'd been assigned, I must have sent my boss my diary. Some of my earlier entries …"

"Let me guess … they want to publish you?" Edward smirked, brushing a few errant curls from her face. Bella blushed and nodded. "What you're going through, it's raw. It's real."

Bella looked at him, picking up his hand and idly playing with his fingers. "Would you read it?"

"Me?" Edward asked. "Don't you want your parents …"

"Edward, you've become very important to me. I value your opinion. You make me laugh. You've been a rock, supporting me with each step forward and encouraging me if I fall." Tears began to brim in her eyes. "I feel closer to you than I ever did to the man I was married to for fifteen years." She cupped his cheek. Clumsily, she moved so she was straddling his legs, sitting on his lap. "I feel like a woman with you. You look at me like I'm me and not some cripple in a chair."

"Hey," Edward said, wiping her tears away. "You're not a cripple. You are the most gorgeous woman I've ever met, with a warm heart, a beautiful smile and a sharp wit. The love you have for your sons is so blinding and they're so lucky to have you as their mom." He pulled her closer so she was inches away from him. "You are so important to me, too. I will always be by your side when you fall. You are my best friend and the woman who showed me how to use this." He took her hand and pressed it to his heart. "You're in here, Bella. You've burrowed your way into my heart, my soul, in a way that I never expected."

"I love you, Edward," Bella whispered.

He smiled, his own eyes starting to fill with tears. "I love you, too, Bella." She let out a tiny laugh before moving in to kiss him, caressing his lips with hers. She tangled her fingers into his hair and he held her tightly against his muscular body. He felt his own body react to feeling her warmth over him and he wanted nothing more than to carry her to her bedroom to show her how much he loved her.

"Mom?" Seth called.

"Shit," Bella squeaked. Edward moved her so she was off to the side, but still somewhat on his lap. "Yeah, bug?"

"Don't forget. I need that permission slip signed. It's on the table," he said, poking his head out from his room. "I'm going to bed. Jake is on the phone with his girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Jake yelled from the basement.

"She's not now," Edward snickered.

"He's texting her. Calling is so old school," Bella quipped. "Or InstaSnapChatGramming. I don't know. I barely use text and Facebook."

"Mom, the permission slip?" Seth asked.

"It'll be signed," Bella nodded. "Jake! Stop texting and go to bed!"

"Fine," Jake grumbled, galumphing back up the stairs. "I'll be late tomorrow. Basketball away game. Paul's giving me a ride home."

"Call me when you leave school," Bella said. "Or text me." Jake gave her a thumbs up and went to his room, closing the door with a dull thud. "Talk about a bucket of cold water."

"I felt like I was in high school, getting caught by my parents," Edward chuckled.

"I didn't want to stop," Bella sighed. She looked at him, a coy look in her eyes. "Stay? Please?"

"I need to leave early so I can go home and change for work," Edward answered, his hands moving up her legs. "But, I really don't want to go."

"I know that our relationship hasn't been very traditional. We haven't progressed further than kissing and heavy petting," she blushed. "I miss sex. There's no denying that."

"I'll wait for you, Miss Swan. Right now, it would be a challenge. I would get in my head, not wanting to hurt you and I want you to enjoy every moment," he purred, nuzzling her neck.

Bella's eyes rolled back while he kissed her neck. "I could …" she breathed, sliding her hand down his abs to his belt buckle. He stopped her hand, pulling it to his mouth and kissing her palm. "What?"

"As much as I'd want to feel your mouth on me, I'm a firm believer in equal opportunity. Bella, I want to make love to you. I want to taste every inch of your skin, but not until you're in a better place in your recovery. Until then, I can survive with a lot of lotion and plenty of cold showers. If you taste me, believe me when I say, I'll want to do the same," he said. "Which kind of brings me to something you brought up during our appointment … what did you mean when you never felt like yourself after your C-section?"

"I felt ugly," Bella answered. "I had this gnarly scar and Riley, he never really touched me after Seth's birth. We had the obligatory anniversary sex, but nothing beyond that. I felt undesirable, to be honest. My body had served its purpose of incubating two little humans and Riley was done with me. At least, sexually. I kind of gave up after that. I mean, I worked out and stuff, but I didn't put on makeup or get my hair cut. The weekend before you met me? My mom spoiled me with a day at the spa. Manicure, pedicure, facial, haircut, color and all new makeup. My mom had a belief that my appointment with Jasper and working at your rehab facility would be a changing point in my life."

"Your mom is wise beyond her years," Edward snickered, picking Bella up. Normally, she'd want to be placed in her chair, but having this perfect man take care of her didn't cause her anxiety, like usual. "It was a changing point."

"I agree. It brought me to you," she said, hugging his shoulders as he carried her to her bedroom.

"And now that I've got you … I'm not letting go, Bella," Edward whispered, kicking the door closed.

A/N: Sorry about the cockblock. Kids … you know? Besides, Bella is not in the right place in her recovery to really enjoy anything sexually.

Not very many pictures with this one, but the ones that are on my blog. You can access that by clicking on the link in my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.

Thank you for reading!