Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyers.
Chapter Six: New York, New York
Bella could hardly contain her excitement as they boarded the airplane that morning in Seattle for their flight to New York City. There had been a change of plans. A flight from Seattle to London would have been an overnight flight…they wouldn't have arrived until noon of the next day and Edward had decided he didn't want Bella exhausted from such a long flight so he had Alice schedule a three day lay-over in New York. He wanted to show Bella some of the city before they left for the remaining leg of their journey. He knew it was the right decision when he and Alice told Bella and saw her eyes light up with excitement as she explained it was another city she had always wanted to visit.
Bella wasn't the only one in the family eager for the opportunity to visit New York. Alice was excited by the shopping opportunities and had already warned Edward that they were going to be hitting some of the shops on Madison Avenue. Edward glanced at Jasper who just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. You know Alice, Edward. You and Bella might as well just sit back and enjoy the ride… Edward knew Jasper was right and raised his hands to Alice in surrender.
Rosalie was excited for the opportunity to take a vacation anywhere, while Carlisle and Esme were happy to have this chance to spend time with their children. Emmett could hardly contain his excitement at spending a few days in New York and while they were waiting in line to board the plane he called out to Bella.
"Bella, listen to me sing: Start spreading the news (da-da-da-da-dah) / I'm leaving today (da-da-da-da-dah) / I want to be a part of it (da-DAH) / New York, New York / Yeah, if I can make it there / I'm gonna make it anywhere / it's up to you, New York, NEW YORK!!!"
Emmett was doing his best imitation of one of the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, kicking his legs up in the air and causing Rosalie to roll her eyes while Bella giggled uncontrollably with Alice. Edward just shook his head, amused as always by his brother's antics.
Edward led Bella to the first class section and their row, gesturing with a flourish of his arm towards the the window seat. "After you, Miss Swan."
"Why, thank you, Mr. Cullen. What manners…" Bella batted her eyelids at Edward as she sat in the window seat. Edward chuckled as he sat in the seat next to hers, making sure her seatbelt was on before doing the same with his seatbelt for appearances sake, reminding Bella of the time she and Edward flew to Jacksonville and Edward's explanation of his contingency plan should the plane crash. After take-off they spent part of the flight identifying recognizable landmarks as they flew over the different states before Bella decided to take a nap, her head tucked into Edward's neck while he softly hummed her lullaby.
It had been an uneventful flight, except for a couple of incidents involving the Cullen women. As usual the Cullen men had attracted the attention of most of the women on the plane, especially three of the female flight attendants assigned to first class. These three women were particularly aggressive in their ploys to catch the attention of the Cullen men. Flight Attendant #1 repeatedly stopped by Emmett and Rosalie's aisle, rubbing her hand along Emmett's bicep and asking if there was anything she could do for him until Rosalie bluntly told her to not disturb them, which she emphasized with a low growl and a snap of her white teeth. Flight Attendant #1 jumped in surprise and sped off. She did not return to their section.
Jasper ignored the female flight attendants while Alice merely laid her head on Jasper's shoulder and stared at any who tried to capture his eye.
It was far worse for Carlisle and Edward. Flight Attendant #2 kept brushing up against Carlisle, but after the fourth time Esme had had enough. She let out a barely audible growl and put her arms around Carlisle, giving Flight Attendant #2 a slightly predatory smile and flash of her bright teeth. It was enough to convince the woman to keep her eyes and distance from Carlisle. Carlisle had a smug look on his face, enjoying Esme's possessiveness.
The worst was Flight Attendant #3, a particularly clueless female who very much reminded Edward of Jessica Stanley. She kept trying to catch Edward's eye while silly and delusional fantasies flashed through her shallow mind, causing Edward to tense and do his best to block out her thoughts. He refused to acknowledge her presence and wasn't in the mood to put up with it any longer. Just as he was about to take action, he felt Bella lift her head from his shoulder. He hadn't realized that she'd woken from her nap. She'd been staring at the flight attendant who suddenly realized she'd caught the attention of Edward's companion. The flight attendant smirked and gave Bella a dismissive expression that said, "So, what are you going to do about it?" Edward watched as Bella's eyes suddenly flashed with a feral intensity as she stared back at the flight attendant, her eyes boring into the flight attendant's eyes as she unconsciously flexed her hands around Edward's biceps. Edward was riveted by the scene playing out, watching as Bella staked her claim. Bella continued to lock stares with the flight attendant and without losing eye contact rose and sat in Edward's lap, pulling his head to hers and giving him a passionate kiss, all the while continuing to stare at the flight attendant. Bella finally released Edward's lips and continued staring back at the flight attendant, a challenge in her expression which said, "You had better leave while you can. THIS MAN IS MINE." The flight attendant finally snapped out of her daze and quickly scurried away.
Edward sat motionless in his seat, stunned, as Bella turned to him with a fierce look on her face. "I'm not going to apologize for claiming what's mine!"
Edward grabbed Bella and kissed her back furiously before reluctantly releasing her lips. "Oh, I wasn't going to ask for an apology. It's like I've told you before, I love it when my little lamb shows her teeth!" He drove home the comment by growling in her ear.
"Well, you'd better get used to it because I think I'm going to be using them more often in the future!" Bella said as she glared in the direction of Flight Attendant #3 who bumped into the snack cart in her haste to get away from Bella.
Just as Edward was going to pull her in for another kiss, cheers were heard coming their siblings.
Rosalie: "All right, Bella! I guess you've been taking notes, watching your big sister deal with those harpies out for my Emmett!"
Emmett: "Yeah, Bella! Way to send the tramp packing, little sis!"
Jasper: "Nice one, Bella! Who knew shy, quiet little Bella was so territorial! By the way, I need you to calm Edward down…on the Jasper Cullen "Lust-O-Meter" his reading is 99% out of 100%…"
Alice: "Oh, Bella! I saw that one happening, but it was even better watching it unfold live! Sorry I didn't give you advance warning!"
Carlisle and Esme were smiling at Bella and she started to blush as she realized the whole family had witnessed the scene, as well as her realization that the incident had been a turn-on for both her and Edward.
Edward couldn't help but think, This beautiful woman is a constant surprise to me. How did I get so lucky as to win her love?
Bella sat back in her window seat, but kept her grip on Edward's arm. Edward couldn't contain the feeling of euphoria that spread throughout his body as he recalled how she claimed him as hers for all to see. Bella leaned her head on his shoulder, her brown eyes now glowing softly at him. Edward's expression was tender as he put his head against hers and they both closed their eyes as if sleeping. He nuzzled her hair and she instinctively tightened her grip on his arm. Edward had a content smile on his face as he replayed the scene in his mind while Bella resumed her nap.
Carlisle and Esme watched the young couple from their row across from Edward and Bella. It was impossible for Esme to contain her happy thoughts; she loved watching Edward as he watched over Bella, happy he had finally found his mate. She and Carlisle were thankful for the beautiful young woman who had come into their lives and made their family complete.
The plane finally landed at JFK around 3:00 p.m., where a limousine was waiting to take them to The Four Seasons Hotel.
When the limo pulled up to the hotel the Cullens eagerly watched for Bella's reaction. They were not disappointed. Bella could only stare in awe. She had never seen anything as magnificent as the old hotel. Alice came to stand next to Bella and linked her arm with Bella's. More than anything she wanted this trip to be perfect for Bella and she hadn't looked ahead to see Bella's reaction upon their arrival in New York because she wanted to experience it first-hand. "So, Bella, what do you think?"
Bella turned to Alice, barely able to take her eyes from the hotel. "Alice. Wow. This is amazing. It's so beautiful…"
Alice gently squeezed Bella's arm. "I'm so glad you like it, Bella. The views from the rooms are amazing. Most of the major sights are within walking distance, as is the shopping!"
Bella smiled at Alice, for once not begrudging her excitement for shopping. "It's amazing. Thank you, Alice."
"Oh, I'm not the one you should be thanking. Jasper is the one who chose the hotel for our stay." Alice latched her other arm onto Jasper as he joined the two of them. He had an almost embarrassed look on his face.
"Jasper, it's perfect," Bella said with a smile on her face. "Thank you so much."
Edward had come up behind Bella and had his arm around her waist. "Jasper, it was the perfect choice."
Jasper looked sheepish, but pleased while Alice beamed at him proudly. "I just thought this hotel would be a place you would enjoy staying at, Bella. It's the tallest hotel at 52-stories with superb views of Central Park and the surrounding skyline. It's close to many of the major attractions and as Alice asked me to point out, after a long day of sightseeing you're going to appreciate the hotel's huge Florentine marble bathrooms with deep-soaking tubs!"
Everyone started laughing, including Bella and Edward. "Yes, Alice knows me well. This human will definitely appreciate it after a day of trying to keep up with the Cullens!"
Jasper had a little smirk on his face as he pointed in the direction of Emmett and Rosalie. "And there is one other feature that made it an easy choice. The rooms are said to be soundproof so none of us will be subjected to Emmett and Rosalie and whatever is going on in their room!"
For a moment Emmett and Rosalie looked shocked before Rosalie smugly remarked, "And your point is, Jasper?"
At that moment Emmett decided to continue his song. "I want to wake up in that city that doesn't sleep! And find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap!"
All of the Cullens, including Bella, started laughing again. Carlisle gestured towards the entrance. "Alright, Cullens, shall we?"
The family entered the hotel where Bella again could only stare in wonder at the beautiful lobby with its marble floors, soaring columns and backlit onyx ceiling. Edward smiled as he watched her reaction, whispering, "Only the best for you, love…" before taking her hand and leading her into the main lobby area.
Carlisle and Esme checked in and the family was escorted to the suites they had booked for the weekend. Edward led Bella into their room which had a view of Central Park and the skyline. Bella stepped out onto the terrace and took in the views as Edward tipped the valet. He came up behind her on the terrace, wrapping his arms around her and leaning down to kiss the side of her face.
"So, love, what do you really think? Not too overwhelming, is it?" Edward was genuinely curious, not wanting Bella to be uncomfortable with the elegance of their surroundings.
Bella sighed and turned in Edward's arms, resting her head on his chest. "It's wonderful, Edward. I love it."
Edward let out a sigh of relief. "Whew! That's a relief!"
Bella laughed. "Don't tell me you were worried about my reaction, Edward. I told you, I've turned over a new leaf and I'm going to start appreciating these things."
"I know, I was just checking," he teased. "Come on, I want you to enjoy a nice long soak in the tub while I order room service. Once you've had a bite to eat we're going out. Alice made reservations for all of us to see "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theatre tonight."
"Oh my god, Edward! I have always wanted to see that play!" Bella was practically jumping up and down in her excitement.
"I know, love, and that's why we're going to see it. I told you I was going to spoil you outrageously during this trip. This is all about you and how you fit in with the Cullens. We're going to spend the whole trip proving it to you."
Bella hugged Edward, sighing in contentment before pulling away to soak in the beautiful tub.
**********
The rest of the weekend was a whirlwind of activity for Bella. Alice had crammed in as many sights as she could fit in without exhausting Bella. The Cullens explored the city, spending Saturday morning walking through lower Manhattan, and that afternoon they took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where Carlisle showed Bella his name in one of the island's first shipping manifests. In the evening Edward took Bella for a romantic moonlit carriage ride through Central Park, before heading back to the Four Seasons and another relaxing soak in the tub for Bella.
Sunday flew by as they continued exploring the city, visiting various museums, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Plaza, Times Square and of course shopping on Madison Avenue. For Emmett, no trip to the city would be complete without a visit to Toys R Us Time Square, where the biggest of all kids could be a kid!
It was a fast paced weekend, but Bella enjoyed every minute of it. Edward made sure Bella got to sleep early Sunday evening, as they needed to get an early start to the airport for the flight to Heathrow. After her soak in the tub she snuggled up to Edward and quickly fell asleep as Edward spent the night holding her and watching her sleep, content to wait for her to wake. All in all it had been the perfect weekend and he was looking forward to three more perfect weeks with his Bella in London.
A/N: Next up, London! Are you enjoying the story so far? R/R, thanks!