A/N:

What's up beautiful peeps?

You're probably wondering why I'm posting this so very early on the Monday. Well, you see, I'm working the nightshift today, and I won't be home until 11 pm at the earliest, and I know that by then I will be dead on my feet and won't have the energy to power up my computer to give this chapter to you.

However, because I'm such a nice person, I'm giving it to you earlier instead of later ;-)

Title: The Perfect Partner Program

Author: MarieCarro

Beta: EdwardsFirstKiss

Pre-reader: brwneyedgrl01

Genre: Angst/Hurt&Comfort/Romance

Rating: NC-17

Summary: The summer of 2005 was the summer that changed Bella Swan's life forever. Sent to Ohio by her mother to attend a school for debutante girls not quite up to par, she meets Edward Masen, an apprentice. But is that really all he is? AH

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Word Count: 2, 506

CHAPTER 30 THE FINAL STRETCH

"I have to pick up Alec from Lilly's. He hasn't spent the night away from home yet," I said and disentangled myself quite reluctantly from Edward's arms. I sat up and when the cover fell away to expose my breasts, I realized I wasn't at all shy over my nudity around him anymore.

Edward propped himself up on his elbow, and I noticed the small smile that played around the edges of his mouth as he watched me get dressed.

Everything was so different from the previous times we'd had sex. For one, we had cuddled afterward, and the act in itself hadn't felt the same either. It had been more meaningful in some way, and I was positive it had to do with neither of us denying our feelings anymore.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked, and I knew he only meant for the moment.

"Where are you staying?"

He nodded. "I have a room at a motel not far from here for a week. I didn't want to assume you would just want to let me into your home when I seemingly appeared out of the blue."

I walked back to the bed and knelt on it next to him. He was still naked and under the covers and didn't seem to be in a hurry to get his clothes back on. "I want you to make a fully thought-through decision about this," I said and gestured between us. "Not just a spur-of-the-moment one based on what you're feeling right now."

"Of course," he agreed.

"And for that to happen, I think it would be best if you go back to your motel. You know, sleep on it. I know it's not an easy decision."

He frowned and reached out to cup my cheek. "I already kn—"

"No, don't do that," I interrupted him and gently removed his hand, although I held on to it and traced his palm with my thumb. "I don't want to know what your decision is right now. Think about it first, and in two days, I will ask my parents to take Alec for the day, and I will be home alone." I looked up into his eyes. "If I hear a knock on my door and you're standing outside, I will know your decision, and if I don't, I will also know your decision."

With a sigh, he nodded and agreed with my conditions before he threw off the cover and got out of bed, as comfortable with his nudity as I had been, and the sight of him made my insides clench.

For the first time, I admitted to myself that I really hoped he would choose me and Alec because I wanted him badly, and knew I had wanted him, on some level, ever since I had been sixteen. It didn't matter that I continued to tell myself that if he walked away now, and I never saw him again, I would be fine and life would move on when the truth was that it would hurt. It would hurt a lot.

Suddenly, the thought that this was perhaps the last time I'd see him if he decided he couldn't give up his job, overwhelmed me, and I rose from the bed to stride up to him when he'd only gotten his pants back on. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, which he gladly reciprocated.

When we pulled apart, he looked at me questioningly.

"In case this is the last time," I explained, and while his eyes darkened with sadness, he also nodded understandingly.

At the door, when all there was left was to say goodbye, he stroked my cheek tenderly. Neither of us said anything because whether this was truly a 'goodbye' or a 'see you later' wasn't yet determined. We both knew this, and that was why we stayed silent.

With one last deep breath, Edward left, and I kept my eyes on the taillights of his rental car until it wasn't visible anymore before I went back inside to get my jacket and shoes on so that I could pick up my son.

While there wasn't a moment when I didn't have anything to do as those two days passed, I couldn't help but to always feel just a little anxious. Edward was never far from my mind, and no matter what I did to distract myself, he stayed there.

The day after I had given Edward my ultimatum, I'd called for a family meeting and also invited Becca and Solomon over to tell them what was going on. My family was such an important part of my life, and I wanted them to know everything.

Dad was the one who appeared the most worried. "Are you sure this guy has earned your trust, Doll?"

"Not completely," I told him honestly. "But how will he ever earn it if I don't give him a chance?"

He rubbed his neck in discomfort. "I don't know," he said quietly. "He instilled major insecurities in you, and I haven't gotten the chance to even speak to him yet."

"Because when it comes down to it, it's my decision."

"I know that," he said, not disagreeing with me. "But I still want to look out for my little girl. I don't ever want to see you hurt like that again."

I moved over to sit next to him so that I could put my arms around his neck. I knew he just wanted to protect me, and I loved him even more for it. "I know you just want what's best for me, Dad, I really do, and I don't want to hurt any more than you want to see it. However, I can't just let this slip away, either."

He tightened our hug for a moment and then pulled away. His eyes shifted over to the playpen where Alec was quietly staring at the different items hanging from the mobile over him. "And you're saying this guy is ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a baby that is not his?"

I also looked over at Alec. "He said he was."

Dad sighed. "Well, I have to trust your judgment on this, but I really hope he is worth the risk, Doll."

I nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"So let's say he knocks on your door tomorrow," Becca said. "What then? Is he supposed to move to Seattle? Get a new job here? What's the plan?"

A humorless chuckle escaped me. "The plan isn't laid out yet. I feel there's no reason to start planning for anything unless it's actually going to happen."

She gestured with her hand as if what I said wasn't important. "No, I get that, but you know, hypothetically."

"Hypothetically?" I asked. "It would be ideal if he moved here. That's what I want, anyway. It would make a relationship easier and Alec would get time to get used to him."

"And there's not a chance you'd move to … wherever he's living?" she asked cautiously, and I finally understood what she was worried about.

I smiled at her. "No. My life is here, and he doesn't seem to be tied down to one place like I am. No matter what, I'm staying in Seattle, sis."

A relieved exhale left her. "Thank god. It was bad enough when you were in the army, but I always knew you'd come back, eventually. Having you move would be the end of everything."

I walked over to her and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "I could never leave you behind, sis. It would be like tearing off my arm. Painful as hell and very inconvenient."

She wound her arms around my waist and pulled me down until I was practically lying on her lap, which caused everyone in the room to laugh. "You're damn right it would be painful," she mumbled and tightened her hold on me.

Once the talking was done, we decided to eat dinner together at my house. We were rarely able to get everyone together, but when we did it always became an evening filled with laughter.

Little Bella, who was about to turn twelve, had the greatest time entertaining her two-year-old sister, Juliette, and Alec. She hadn't yet reached the age where she would rebel against playing with the smaller children, but Lilly was waiting for it to happen soon.

As we grownups sat and drank coffee afterward, Becca cleared her throat and glanced at Solomon with an excited smile.

"We have something we want to tell you all?"

The second those words left her mouth, I just knew what news she wanted to share, and I gasped. "Really?" I asked before she'd said anything.

She met my eyes and nodded.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed and flew out of my chair to hug her. "That's so wonderful! I am so happy for you, sis!"

Solomon chuckled next to his wife, and I immediately turned around to hug him as well. The rest of my family, though, appeared confused.

"Can someone explain to those of us who don't read minds what's going on?" Dad asked with a frown, and Becca laughed.

"I'm pregnant, Charlie!"

It took a few seconds, but then a plethora of 'congratulations' rained over her and Solomon.

"I guess it was about time, huh?" Lilly teased. Pretty much everyone in my family had a great relationship with Becca, and she was often seen as an extended member. "I mean, I already have two, and Dan and I have even been talking about a third, and Bella's got one, so you have some catching up to do."

"I don't have any yet," Sam reminded her.

"No, but you're a big baby yourself, so Ann already has her hands full," Lilly retorted, and we all laughed at Sam's sulking expression.

The day that was going to reveal what my life would look like going forward had arrived, and I handed Alec over to Dad.

He whimpered as he left my arms, but Dad expertly got him to calm down again.

"We're only a call away, Doll," he reminded me. "Even if the day doesn't turn out the way you want or hope, remember that you always have us."

I smiled appreciatively at him. "I could never forget," I said and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Dad." I also placed a kiss on Alec's head before waving them off.

It was still early when I was left alone and as I walked into the kitchen to take care of the morning's dishes I wondered what I was going to do with my day. I had almost forgotten what it was like before Alec; what I had done with all the hours of the day before he was born. Usually, I'd be at work at this time, but since I didn't even have that now, I tried to come up with things I'd been meaning to do when I had the time.

I had barely started to load the dishwasher when there was a knock at the front door, and my heart skipped a beat. For some reason, I couldn't allow myself to believe that it was him because it was so early. I wouldn't have expected him until after lunch at least, and so when I approached the door, I did so skeptically.

However, I had no choice but to believe it when the door was out of the way and my brown eyes locked with his green.

He swallowed nervously and licked his lips which drew my attention to them. "I had to wait for your Dad to leave with Alec," he said. "I hope that's not breaking your rules."

"I—" I started but had a hard time getting the words out, so I cleared my throat. "I didn't think you'd be here so early."

The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile. "I wasn't interested in wasting another day to think about something I didn't need to think about," he explained, and my heart swelled with both nerves and warmth.

"You're saying—?"

One step forward and he had his arms around me. "There was never a decision for me to make. While I enjoyed my job, it was my way of making sure I didn't stay in one place long enough to ruin any more lives than I already had." He reverently cupped my face. "I used to think I didn't want to settle down in one place. I wanted to see the world and the wonders it had to offer, but not one of those wonders came close to making me feel the way I do when I am around you."

I placed my hands on his chest. "So this is what you want? You want to be with Alec and me?"

He leaned forward until our foreheads touched, and then he breathed out the words that sealed everything. "If you'll have me, I'm yours."

No more encouragement was needed for me, and I tilted my head back to attach my mouth to his. He backed me inside until we could close the door, and then he pushed me up against it before devouring every inch of skin he could reach without taking my clothes off.

Every part of me was pressed tightly against his, and the overwhelming feeling that told me I never wanted him to let me go brought me to tears. My heart had been closed off for anyone who wasn't family for so long, and as the walls around it tumbled down, I barely knew what to do with myself.

Somehow, Edward understood this, and as my tears wet his hands on my cheeks, he kissed them away before pulling me even tighter against his chest. His heart was thundering at the same pace as mine was.

Neither of us tried to move away from the hall, and we remained in our embrace for a small eternity. Occasionally, he placed a kiss on top of my head, but mostly I just listened to him take deep breaths through his nose, as if he wanted to imprint the smells around him in his memory.

I felt both relieved and happy beyond what I thought was possible. I was aware this didn't mean we would start living a fairytale and our days together would become a happily ever after. We still had a lot to work on, but that was also the beauty of a relationship because we would work on it together.

There was a certainty in me that said I would eventually trust Edward completely, but being distrustful was so deeply rooted in me that I knew it would take time. Time was exactly what we had now, though, and if I allowed myself to dream and hope, he and I would never run out of it.

A/N:

Do you guys know that there's only the epilogue left of this story? Can you believe it's already almost over?

I'll save my sappy AN for you until then, and you'll get the Epilogue on Wednesday which perfectly coincides with, can you believe it, Edward Cullen's 117th (human) birthday xD It's his 100th year as a vampire this year, so it's fitting to end this story on that date, don't you think?

Until then,

Stay Awesome!