Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its sequel New Moon; I just like playing god with the characters.

A/n: A little lemon in this chapter, hopefully it's still tasteful. There will be a strictly pr0n chapter most likely, but this isn't it.

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Graduation was finally upon them. How Bella had waited for this day. She had tried hard not to skip down the stairs this morning, fearing she would trip and break her neck right before all her dreams came true. But her grin simply wouldn't go away, and though Charlie misinterpreted it as being happy to be out of high school (which she was), she was more excited about what was coming after.

Edward arrived to pick her up in a pink button-up shirt (which she laughed at) and dark grey slacks, leaving his gown and the stupid hat in the car. Alice, who was in full graduation attire like her soon-to-be sister, waved from the driveway. They had decided to take the special events car since the forecast for later in the afternoon included spots of sunshine, but there was sufficient cloud cover at the moment to allow the two "younger" Cullens to participate in the ceremony. Bella gave Charlie a quick kiss on the cheek and skipped out of the house, rushing to the car and Alice's open arms.

"I missed you! This ogre's been keeping you all to himself lately!" Alice exclaimed happily, grinning at the pout on Edward's face.

He placed his hands on Bella's hips and pulled her back against him as Alice released her from a strong embrace, sticking his tongue out at his sister. "She's mine anyway."

Bella blushed and cleared her throat. "We'll be late for the… thing," she mumbled as she made her way to the passenger side door. Edward caught her before she got there and pulled her into a passionate kiss before helping her in. Alice chuckled musically as Edward moved around to the driver's seat and Bella covered her face to hide the blush.

"You know we can smell it anyway," Alice reminded her, patting her shoulder in mock sympathy.

"Oh cut it out, Alice, she's embarrassed enough already," Edward admonished, trying unsuccessfully to hide a self-satisfied smirk.

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They pulled up to the town's special events center just as a line was starting to form from students arriving at the same time. With such a small graduating class, they arrived only a half hour before the parents would be coming by to find a seat. The principal of Forks high gave them a speech about how they would be going into the world as adults, so they needed to act like adults– meaning no tricks, no nudity under the graduation gowns, and a simple walk to the center of the stage or else no diploma. Some students groaned and sighed at that, but Bella was busy thinking about what had happened the other night….

"Absolutely not!"

Bella sighed. This was the expected reaction, but she had hoped Charlie would take it a bit better and stay open-minded. Though she had not exactly been happy with the decision to be married so early, her mom had already seen how madly in love Edward was with her and held no grudges about their past as Charlie did. With a little charm from Edward, Renee had given in and blessed them both. Unfortunately Charlie was now up and pacing the living room, running his hands through his thinning hair, glaring at Edward who was standing just inside the doorway.

"Dad..," Bella started, regretting changing her condition last minute, when Edward said he wanted to ask for her hand properly.

"This is crazy! Have you even really thought about what it means to be married?"

"Of course I have. And even if I hadn't, mom told me at least 20 times already."

"You've spoken to Renee already?" Charlie asked, pausing in his pacing. "What did she say?"

"She said it was our choice. That we have our own lives to live." Though she didn't really know how loose the term "lives" could be applied. Charlie thought about that a moment and sighed, heavily conflicted.

"Chief Swan," Edward spoke up quietly, "I realize you and I have not had the best relationship, and I've made…" he glanced at Bella "grave mistakes. But I am not so foolish as to make them a second time. I'm completely serious about marrying your daughter, sir. I love her."

Charlie eyed them both skeptically. "Bella, I need to talk to him alone for a bit. I'm not going to be mean, I just need to have a man to man talk, okay?" he explained as she raised her eyebrow and began to protest. Bella glanced over at Edward, who nodded, and tromped out of the room. Well at least he seems to be warming up to the idea. I guess arguing won't make it any better, she thought as she sat at the kitchen table, far enough away that she couldn't overhear if they whispered, but close enough to eavesdrop if their voices carried.

Unfortunately, Edward seemed to have seen where she left to, because all she heard was quiet mumbling. After ten minutes that seemed like hours, her vampire lover appeared behind her, kissing her ear and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Can I give you a ring now?" he teased quietly, grinning as he tilted her face up to meet his.

"Isabella Swan!"

"Wha..? Oh, present."

Edward turned around in his seat, rows ahead of her as he sat at the head of the class, and gave her a questioning smile. She chose it ignore him and stared at the wall off to her left. Mike Newton, just a row ahead of her, was also quite aware of her and was looking forlornly at the white-gold band around her left ring ringer when he thought she wasn't looking. She glanced down at it, and took it off to see the engraved "I love you Bella" along the inside rim. Edward had wanted to get her a diamond, but Bella didn't need Alice's foresight to know he would go overboard, so she said she only wanted something simple, like the one she would be giving him, so they matched. He grumbled agreement after she refused to change her mind, and settled on the silver-look-alike material and the engraving. They practiced rising in unison and she slipped the ring back on her finger, prepared for an extremely boring ceremony.

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"….. I now pronounce you all… 'graduates'."

There was a roar of happy shouts as all 40 or so students, no longer high school seniors, threw their caps into the air as one. Bella didn't bother looking for hers as she waited for Edward, who was shaking hands and being congratulated for his speech as he made his way to the stairs and over to Bella as fast as he could manage. He scooped her up in a happy embrace and twirled her around before setting her back on her feet and kissing her forehead.

She stuck out her lip in a pout as he pulled away. "That's it?"

He smiled and leaned to whisper in her ear, "If I got started here, your father with the video recorder would have a show he probably doesn't want to see."

Blushing madly, she turned away to try to find the exit that led to the parking lot.

"Bells! Heading out before I get pictures of my lovely daughter?"

"Of course she's not!" Edward called back to Charlie, gently keeping Bella from running. "Oh, by the way… I've got a surprise for you. We'll be switching cars at the house, if you're willing to accept."

He gave her that beautiful crooked smile as she looked up at him in surprise and guided her over to her father.

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Leaving their graduation gowns in the jeep, Edward insisted on carrying her to the beautiful field where he first showed her his reaction to the sun and she saw Laurent again for the second time. There were such mixed feelings for her there that they almost overwhelmed the happiness she was feeling at being alone with him. He seemed to sense her inner turmoil and encircled her in his arms, kissing her neck lightly.

"I can't believe it's really over," she said quietly, staring out over the landscape of her memories.

"It's not," Edward whispered in her ear, "at the risk of sounding cheesy, this is just the beginning."

Bella giggled and turned to face him just as the sun appeared from behind the clouds and made his skin light up like diamonds. "Nice try, Casanova, but I meant high school. All school, for a while anyway. The… stuff with Jacob too… I thought maybe he would show up." Edward stroked her hair and pressed his lips to hers. "But I guess now we can move on, right?"

"It hurts you to know we'll be leaving," he said matter-of-factly.

"Did you lift that from my mind?" she joked half-heartedly.

"I can still only hear a few things," he admitted with a smile, "but I don't need my gift or Jasper's to know how you're feeling. It shows on your face."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm a regular open book, am I?"

He chuckled and kissed her again, stripping off the pink shirt he had been wearing. She laughed again at his choice in fashion, earning a grumpy "Shut it" as he walked off to lay down in the freshly bloomed flowers. Grinning evilly, she also took off her shirt and laid down next to him, snuggling up close to make sure he couldn't miss the touch of her skin on his. He half moved away in surprise at her assertiveness, her name softly escaping his lips as she closed the distance with a kiss. Edward lay back down on the ground after a moment's pause, gradually growing more confident that he could control his lust for her body and her blood. Bella nearly broke down his defenses though when she slid her hand down to unbutton his pants.

"Hey!"

Bella looked startled. "What's wrong?"

"I.. uh..!" He looked away, suddenly nervous. "You surprised me."

She sighed heavily. "Do you not want to?"

"Are you joking?"

"Then don't look like I'm raping you. It kind of puts a damper on the mood."

Edward laughed loudly, "You! Rape me? As if you could!"

Bella raised an eyebrow and unzipped his pants. "Careful, I may just try it," she threatened with a smile.

Edward rolled her onto her back with a movement faster than she could see and pinned her arms above her head with one hand, letting the other slowly slide her skirt up her leg. "Can't rape the willing, you know," he commented lightly, enjoying the sight of his presence intoxicating her. He brushed his lips against hers as he moved her skirt up higher and shifted his hand between her legs, feeling her grow wet through the fabric of her underwear. She moaned his name into his mouth as she leaned up to kiss him, pressing her body against him. He grumbled as he remembered she still had on the bra and quickly unhooked it, drawing it off over her head before she could protest. The hand that had pinned her arms glided under her back and held her bare chest up against his cold skin as they kissed, and Bella cried out in shock. He lowered her at once, forgetting for a moment that the extreme warmth to him that felt so good was due to his deathly chill. She smiled softly at his embarrassment and guided his hand gingerly to her chest, letting him know it had just been a surprise to her too.

Her breasts perked up under his hands and he found she kind of enjoyed the temperature difference when she was expecting it. He leaned down and feathered kisses over her body; her neck, the slopes of her breasts, pausing only a moment at the pink nipples before moving down to her belly. Bella pulled him back up to her lips and moved her hands down to the edge of his pants.

"May I?" she asked breathlessly, and with a soft, embarrassed smile he smiled and rested his head against her shoulder, shifting so she could maneuver the fabric down a bit. He gasped a little as her warm hand came in contact with his skin, her fingers trailing along his length as she freed it from the cottony bonds.

He was surprised to hear her giggle slightly and immediately put it away and sat up. "No! oh, Edward, I'm sorry I couldn't help it!! I've never… seen one. And it's so… you know?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. I can't hear what you're thinking and laughing at it does not help," he grumbled, hurt and embarrassed.

"I didn't mean anything bad. It's… bigger... than I expected."

"You realized you're implying you didn't expect much."

"I didn't know what to expect! Edward, I didn't mean for you to take it that way, really. I like it." She hugged him from behind, pressing her chest against his bare back. "Please don't be mad. I was just… nervous I guess."

"Why were you nervous?" he shot back, turning and trying not to glare.

"Because that's… going in me, right?" she said quietly, hiding her blush against his back. "And I was just thinking how, you know, in biology… well it's not the same. I hadn't expected it to be so big and just… erect –," she giggled again, "I mean…! I'm sorry! Really I am. I don't mean to laugh at it. Please don't be mad."

He covered his face with his hands and sighed. "You are so childish… but I guess it's better than you meaning to laugh…" he turned gingerly and saw her peeking out from behind his shoulder. "Ugh, I can't look at you. Now I'm starting to think it's funny."

Bella giggled again and let her hands move back down to the edge of his pants. "So… can I touch it?"

"It's gone down."

"What, really? Can I see then?"

"No! What is wrong with you?" he said, laughing. "If you laughed when it was… at its best, I'm not letting you see it when it's not."

"But I've gotten used to it now. I promise I won't laugh. Or think of that word anymore." Her mouth twitched as she tried not to smile.

"You're hopeless."

"Edward!!" She moved around in front of him and pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips. "You have to let me, or I'm not letting you up."

He looked off to the side and stared at the trees. "I can control myself."

She wiggled her hips as she shifted down to kiss his neck and trail her tongue along his collar. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, pushing her torso up off him. She sighed heavily and lay down on top of him anyway. "I'll torture you," she threatened, but got no response from Edward. She smiled as his body betrayed him with a slightly swelling further down and she decided to push him out of his little charade of indifference with a bite to his neck.

As soon as she released her bite, she found herself back on the ground, the vampire glaring black into her eyes as he hovered above her. "Don't. do. that." he said seriously. Bella was afraid she had gone too far when the tension abruptly broke as his erection bumped against her leg. He let his head fall to the ground beside hers as he mumbled "oh, god" into her shoulder. Bella clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"What timing," he chuckled, kissing her cheek. "You can laugh if you want."

She turned to look at him, smiling as she noted his eyes were a bit lighter. "Hey, since it's back up…" she trailed off and wrapping one arm around his shoulders, let her hand slip into his pocket.

"You can't look," he replied quickly.

"Okay," she said seductively, moving her hand to rub him through the slacks. "but you know, these nice pants are probably getting all dirty here in the meadow… you should probably take them off."

He grunted something unintelligible and let her kiss him as his pants slid down his legs. She squeezed his firm ass as she moved her hand back to the front of his underwear, getting a smile out of him. His tongue slipped gingerly into her mouth as her hand found the opening and he moaned as she again brought him out to the open and palmed him. He gently found her hand and showed her how to grip it before moving to her hips and snapping off her underwear.

"Hey..!" she tried to protest, but was cut off by his fingers parting her and slipping inside. She arched up off the ground and clenched her hands so that he had to pin them down against her stomach. "I'm aah!.. sorry, Edward."

"It's okay, I don't need it," he whispered into her ear as he gently prepared her. When he thought she was probably wet enough, he positioned himself at her entrance and let her calm down a bit.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Bella?" he asked quietly, brushing her hair back from her eyes. She nodded and pulled him close to her, pressing her eyes closed as he pressed into her. The pain was unlike anything she had expected, so much so that her eyes began to water.

"Bella, you have to relax or I can't get in," he whispered into her ear after a moment. "I can stop if it hurts too much."

She released the grip she had on his shoulders and gently moved her hands across his chest, trailing her fingertips across the sparkling flesh. "I'm fine," she said and smiled as he closed his eyes, waiting quietly for her body to relax around him. When he finally felt her muscles release some of their hold, he gently but quickly thrust inside her, trying to ignore the guilt at the pain he was causing her. She arched her back and cried out, digging her nails into the skin of his chest. Realizing that he broke completely through her barrier, he buried his face in her hair and neck, hoping that the scent of her blood could be held off until he pressed the rest of the way in and held his breath. She clutched at his shoulders and grimaced a bit as he fully penetrated her and then tried to relax when he stopped pushing and laid his body against hers, still supporting most of his weight off her. She wrapped her arms around him, and let her muscles go a bit at a time, till she could only feel a dull throbbing ache inside her.

"You can try and move a little now, if you like," she told him softly, aware he couldn't ask and wouldn't answer. He kissed her neck and tried a few gentle thrusts, moving slowly so he wouldn't hurt her again. The movement hurt anyway, but she endured in the hope it would get better. When it didn't, he completely removed himself and she slumped against the grass in exhaustion. He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, wiped himself and her thighs, then gently laid the cloth over her privates to be polite, even after how close they had just been. He closed her legs and moved her onto her side before lying next to her. He kissed her damp forehead and pushed her hair back from her face.

"Was that very difficult for you?" Bella asked after a while.

"There was no blood, my love," he whispered against her skin.

"None?" she asked, surprised. "But I thought…"

"So did I. But you didn't bleed. I know I broke through, but… I guess not all girls do." He paused and studied her face. "You're… okay with this?"

"With not bleeding? Yeah, it's great."

He rolled his eyes. "With not being a virgin anymore. We're… not…."

She saw his embarrassed face before he hid it in her hair and giggled. "I know. It's kind of a weird thought, isn't it? I'm sure especially for you, since it's been so long." She hugged him tight and felt him smile against her. "But I'm okay with it. More than okay, since it's you. You're the only man I will ever want. My first and my last."

"My first and my last," he whispered back to her, tilting her head up to meet his. But his lips froze against hers and he sat up before she even knew he had moved. "Victoria is downwind. We need to move now. She can smell you and is coming here. Quickly." He was properly dressed in another half-second and was helping Bella to her feet.

"Edward, I can't!" she exclaimed as her legs began to give out underneath her. He scooped her and her discarded clothing up in his arms and ran off as fast as he could towards the Jeep, his breathing hard having nothing to do with running as his eyes showed fear more intense than any time Bella could remember in the years she had known him.

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Yes yes, I know I took forever, but this chapter was so hard to write!! I was halfway done with it (this was 4 weeks ago, when I promised to have it done) and I just got so annoyed I scrapped all but the flashback. It was just so… gross. I couldn't figure out how to progress the story. So in true procrastinator fashion, I skipped it and moved ahead in time. XD

This was actually done a week ago, but… I uh… went on vacation. Sorry.

Anyway, I hope you like how it turned out. A bit of lemon, a bit of romance (finally) and danger to spice! Woohoo on to the next chapter. And the WEDDING! Btw thanks so much for your votes. It was exactly even for the two runner-ups and the final scenario chosen won by a single vote. Which happened to be mine. ;; So I hope you like how it works out

Expect maybe 3(?) or so more chapters. I don't plan on going past 10, but we'll see. Whatever it takes!

firedroplett