AN: Sorry guys for taking a while to post again... still working out what's practical for a posting schedule. The good news is I think I've figured out after some trial and error that Wednesdays and Saturdays are my best days for posting. If I can post more often I will but at least it gives you some kind of schedule to go by.

Enough rambling... on with the story...

And I don't own Twilight but you will own my eternal gratitude if you review this chapter :)

Ch 11

EPOV

"Edward..."

No, don't wake me up. I'm having the most fantastic dream. Bella's arms are surrounding me, I'm in her bed and feeling happy and completely content. Only the harsh reality of day could ruin this moment.

"Edward... wake up!"

Whoever that is needs to stop. I'm enjoying my dream far too much to move. Maybe if I just roll over it will go away. Mmm... comfy pillows.

"Ooof! Edwaaaard... can't breathe!"

Wait a minute... why is my pillow talking? The better question is probably why my pillow is trying to roll me in the other direction. Okay now I'm kinda scared to open my eyes.

"MOTHERF..." that was my response to getting bit on the shoulder – hard. Now my pillow is biting me!

Okay... not a pillow.

"Bella!" I managed to gasp out in shock as I quickly scrambled off her and to the other side of the bed. Rrality and memories from last night starting flooding my mind. I'd just now been on top of her, crushing her poor delicate frame into the mattress. No wonder she bit me – I deserved worse. Oh shit – her ribs!

"Are you okay? Crap – I hurt you!" She never responds how I would expect. Instead of a teary eyed damsel in distress I was greeted to an outstandingly gorgeous, flush faced Bella who is currently laughing her ass off at me.

"I've heard of 'heavy sleepers' but that was ridiculous!" She thought it was hilarious that I'd injured her further? What is with this girl? But I have to admit that laugh is a beautiful sound.

"Well at least I don't go around biting people. What are you a vampire now?"

She suddenly turned serious and I was afraid maybe I'd upset her until she finally spoke.

"I vant to dreenk your blooood!" and with that she attacked me, jumping up arms raised above her head, fingers curled like talons. Finally she was straddling my waist and sucking hungrily at my neck. When she shifted her hips back to brush over my morning wood I couldn't help but let out an embarrassingly loud groan.

"Looks like someone's happy to see me." She smiled down at me and I couldn't help but be lost in her deep chocolate eyes. All it would take is a small motion to be inside her, but I don't want to rush this. I can't have her thinking I only want her for sex. Not to mention, her ribs are still on the mend and probably suffered a bit of a setback after me crushing her in our sleep.

I lifted her off me as gracefully as possible and set her back down on the bed. "I'm always happy to see you, love. We have to be careful though. I don't want you injured any further."

She pouted her pillowy soft bottom lip and batted her eyes, obviously hamming it up big time. I could never deny that sweet, if not overly exaggerated face so I smirked in return.

"That's not to say we can't do... anything." I'd been waiting to attack her mouth since I first awoke. Last night we'd barely kissed, in our animalistic passion it had been all but forgotten. I would not make that same mistake twice. As we kissed our hands wandered and groped, learning each other's favorite spots and just loving the exploration of our co-mingled bodies.

"Wake up Bell – HOLY CRAP!"

Our eyes shot to the now open doorway to find a stunned Emmett frozen in place with his jaw on the floor. If that wasn't bad enough, as we scrambled to pull the blanket up to cover our nakedness from his sight, in walked in little Sam and Embry.

"Daddy, you said a bad word. We're telling Mama!" Sam shouted as he barreled in along with his brother. Before they could take in the scene, Emmett seemed to snap back to life, hurriedly covering both sets of eyes. Then Emmett backed slowly away, leading his now hand-blindfolded kids along the way.

"Come on kids... Aunt Bella's... uh... busy right now. She's going to come downstairs in a minute along with her friend Edward and we're going to have a nice talk." He all but growled out the last words, sending me a death glare before slamming the door shut.

"I'm dead aren't I?" No way Emmett will let me live after walking on us like that. Hell if I walked in on Alice...ugh I can't even go there.

"Nah... he'll just knock you around a bit."

When my face paled in response she started laughing. "Oh you think that's funny do you?" Tickling her uninjured ribs and under her knee, I couldn't help but be distracted by her adorable laugh and the panting out of my name. Well I was distracted until I heard Emmett's booming voice from downstairs.

"Don't make me come back up there!" For some reason I felt like a school boy being scolded. I guess it's the "father" thing. They must get certified in lecture-giving while the mom's going through labor.

I gritted my teeth and refrained from any snarky come back. This man could do serious damage if if so wished. My saving grace right now might be the fact that his children are present and wouldn't want them returning home bathed in my blood.

"Come on loverboy, let's get this over with. All he'll do is give you the stink eye and the oh-so-famous 'you hurt her I hurt you' speech. I get to be teased mercilessly for eons... a far worse fate, let me tell ya." Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed where we hurriedly got dressed. I had to duck through the bathroom and into my room or else I'd be heading downstairs in last night's pj pants with a very obvious stain. No, somehow I think that would be a bad idea.

After a few minutes I returned and met Bella so we could walk down together in a united front. If anything I'm glad Emmett knows before he leaves for New York. He should know that I care very much for his sister, as much more than just a roommate, and that I would do anything for her. Of course I would have rather just told him, preferably in a large crowded place with lots of witnesses, but he managed to back out of the room instead of immediately going for my throat, so that must be a good sign.

"Hi Aunt Bella!" was shouted out in chorus from Sam and Embry, all bright and happily unaware of our nervous state.

"Hey kiddos, why don't you go play in the backyard for a few minutes, we'll be right out." Crap, there goes that line of defense. Bella what are you thinking? As if she could read my thoughts she smiled up at me and squeezed my hand. "Believe me, it's better if we just get this over with now."

Emmett took on a stern expression as soon as the kids closed the door behind them. Leaning back against the kitchen counter he began his interrogation. "So Bells, got something to tell me?"

I felt her hand squeeze mind as she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin to look her brother in the eyes. "Yes Em, it seems I'm in need of a lock on my door." Her grin was a mile wide. Gotta say, she's hot when she's snarky. "And I have a really nosy brother with bad timing."

"Har har." He didn't flinch at her retorts but turned his glare to me instead. Great.

"Edward, what are your intentions for my sister." Okay, standard big brother / father question. I can handle this.

"I … care for her very much and respect her completely. I plan on spending as much time as she'll allow me making her as happy as I possibly can." The room grew silent as I noticed both Emmett and Bella looking a bit stupefied. Bella's eyes were alight with joy and for just a moment I saw what appeared to be a look of pride cross Emmett's features, before he returned to his stern protective big brother look.

"Good answer. You should know Cullen, I may be leaving the state but I will be down here in a New York minute to rip you to shreds if you ever hurt her in any way. They'll be finding pieces for weeks." I just nodded in response. A bit of anger flared up thinking about James and wondering why Emmett hadn't extended the same threat to him. I let myself calm down though when I realized that until recently Emmett had no idea just how bad the James situation had been.

"And Bells, we'll have our birds and bees talk later." She just rolled her eyes. I know she'll be in a world of torture once I'm out of the room. I wonder if having Rosalie around might help reign in her slightly crude and imposing husband. On the same note, hopefully our farewell dinner tomorrow night will go smoothly. I'm honestly more afraid of the leggy blonde than of the tough would-be-wrestler standing in front of me. Somehow his dimpled smile and gentle ribbing of his sister seems less scary than the ice queen known as Rosalie.

–

We sat around the table having just finished our final meal with Emmett and company before they depart early the next morning. The bittersweet evening was lightened by Emmett's jovial mood, unfortunately his mirth was directed at Bella and my fledgling relationship. Rosalie kept up with her obligatory smacks to his head whenever his comments became too out of line, however I couldn't help but notice the mama bear glare she shot in my direction most of the evening. I have a feeling once the kids are out of the room I'll be getting an earful. I figured flattery might help assuage her ire if only a little.

"Thank you Rosalie. Dinner was delicious. I know I'll be missing your cooking while you're up north."

She took on an almost sinister smile to go along with her icy stare. This can't be good.

"Are you insinuating that Bella's abilities in the kitchen are in someway lacking or just that you yourself or incapable of providing her with a decent meal?"

Lovely woman, really. Fortunately growing up with Alice I'm not unaccustomed to biting commentary.

"Au contraire, I merely am acknowledging your particular culinary prowess. As Bella's been healing I've been taking over our household kitchen duties and I believe my abilities to be fair at least." Bella opened her mouth, probably to suggest that my cooking had merit but I didn't let her break in. This was between me and the ice queen. "And if Bella's cooking skills are on par with her intelligence, beauty and wit I'd imagine a meal she prepared would be beyond sublime.

"I would be remiss however if I did not mention that your friendly banter will also be missed at the dinner table," I continued. "Emmett is surely a lucky man." I ended with a warm smile because honestly, as protective mama bears go, Rosalie is a very caring and loving woman. If she didn't bust my balls for dating her sister-in-law I'd be worried. Hopefully in time we'll get along better but for now I'll take her icy glares with ease.

"Ain't that the truth!" Emmett glowed as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders, hopelessly unaware of the subtext of our conversation.

"Em honey, why don't you give the boys their bath and get them ready for bed. Bella, would you mind giving him some help? I'd like to chat with Edward for a minute." That comment didn't go unnoticed, as Emmett's eyes darted from mine to his wife's, taking on a worried look.

"Uh, sure sugar foot," now he's hamming up the southern accent. Not sure what that's all about. "Bells can you help out with the ch'r'n?"

Even Bella was giving Emmett an odd look at that point, nodding and following him up the stairs with the boys begrudgingly heading to their bath. "We'll all come back down when they're done so the boys can say goodnight," Emmett shouted down from the stairs, probably as a warning to his wife to keep the blood loss to a minimum.

Rosalie began clearing the table and I did what I could to assist. Once we started on dish washing with me in charge of loading the machine after her rinsing, she started with her own brand of interrogation.

"Edward, why did you move to the south?" Crap, that's not the question I was expecting.

"I needed a change from life in Chicago and then received the job offer a Bon Secours." I knew that didn't totally answer her question but I really didn't want to dwell on this topic. She obviously sensed this and pressed the issue.

"Yes, but why now? And why Virginia of all places. Surely you could've found work in New York or LA, some other major city."

"Part of the reason I left Chicago was to get away from a major metropolitan area. I grew up in the city and found it lacking in the kind of tranquility one might find in a smaller city. At the same time I didn't want to move to utter Bumfuck nowheresville either. I like the idea of having a happy medium."

"Surely Richmond wasn't top of your list. Was it perhaps a rush decision to move?"

I do not like where this is going. The sad truth is that a quick google search of my name would bring up my whole sordid departure from the city of my birth. She knows and she wants more information.

"I have my reasons but I assure you, but you should know that now I'm here and especially now that I've met Bella I'm not going anywhere." She nodded in response, understanding now that I'm done discussing my past.

"You love her, I have no doubt about that, Edward." My jaw dropped at that statement. "I know you think I'm against you but really I'm not. You both could be good for one another. Bella has a past that haunts her still. Perhaps you understand this better than most?"

I only nodded in response.

"So maybe now that she's opened up her past to you, it's time to take off the shrink hat and be human. She needs to know." This was not a suggestion, it was a demand. "And maybe she started off as a way to redeem yourself but I hope you see her for the beautiful woman she is and not as a patient or a damsel in distress. Maybe together you two can let go of your past and embrace the future."

Stunned speechless and utterly bewildered by this woman I just stood there with wide eyes. She knows everything but she's still giving her blessing.

"Oh and if you do ever feel like your 'running away from home phase' is over and you decide to run back to Chicago and leave a crushed Bella behind... I will crush you with my bare hands and let Emmett pulverize whatever is left."

I swallowed thickly as she smiled and left for the living room. Over her shoulder she called out one more thing. "I really hope you turn out to be the real deal, Edward, because if you are I'll be happy one day to call you brother."

–

After teary heartfelt goodbye hugs and warning glares we were in the car headed home. Bella was obviously sad that her brother was leaving but overall I think she was taking it pretty well. I'd like to think I had something to do with that, or at least I hope so. Meanwhile, I wasn't lying to Emmett. I have every intention of making Bella as happy as humanly possible.

"Once they get settled in we can head up to visit them one weekend, maybe I can even take a day or two off and we can make a long weekend trip. It's been years since I've been to New York and I imagine you'd be quite the tour guide."

Her lovely laugh rang out through the cab of her truck which I'd reluctantly let her drive. "Yeah, I can show you where all the best underground parties happen. Something your average tour guide would probably do."

Suddenly my lightened mood shifted as my phone began to ring for the third time that night. I know it's Alice and I've been avoiding her like the plague.

"Are you ever going to answer your phone or do you just carry it around for aesthetic purposes?"

"It's my sister. I'll call her back when we get to the house." Hoping to end it there, but Bella was persistent. What's with these persistent women tonight? We were pulling in to park in the driveway as she spoke.

"You don't fool me for one minute. I haven't seen you answer your phone once since I've known you and it rings constantly. When was the last time you actually talked to -?"

Before she could finish her sentence we were interrupted by a loud banging on the driver side window. I shifted forward and looked around Bella to see a very angry pixie shooting daggers at me through the glass. Bella looked at me with her brows furrowed and I answered her silent question with one word.

"Alice."

–

AN: I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to review this story so far! You are the wind beneath my wings (*tearful sob*) … no really, thanks :)

And to those who have added this story as a favorite or as a story alert – you rock too – and you'll rock even more once you click that blue "Review this Chapter" link below... c'mon – you know you wanna!

Everybody remember, I'm writing this as I go along so any plot suggestions will be taken under advisement. Part of what I love about fan fiction is the interactive nature of it. If you want to see James get his ass kicked or if you just want more lemons... let me know! I'll do my best to make it happen.