No copyright infringement is intended. All copyrights belonging to Stephenie Meyer are hers, and the remaining original ideas/content are mine. Thank you.


Edward had made every last arrangement and covered each detail. They weren't going away for a weekend, though – they were going away for two weeks. Bella had no clue, of course, because where would be the fun in that?

Afraid his extended trip plans would upset her, he consulted his mother.

"Honey, stop worrying," she advised. "Save that energy for other things." Patting his hand, she wandered away, giggling.

It was the perfect answer.

"I don't understand why I have to pack for a week if we're going for a weekend," Bella protested.

"Bella, you never know when you need a different outfit. Now, go get that lingerie we bought," implored her new friend Alice. They'd met at a department store when Alice had been so bold as to steer Bella away from a particular hat she'd been looking at, declaring it a "fashion don't".

Alice, having known of Edward's plan to take Bella away for much longer, snuck several more appropriate pieces of clothing into Bella's suitcase. And a few inappropriate (in all the right ways) pieces.

Having a friend she'd made post-cancer was a relief for Bella. Alice knew nothing of Bella before, and that was somehow reassuring to Bella. In preparation for her trip, the women had spent an entire day at a nearby spa, taking Esme with them for some much-needed girl time and stress relief.

Bella actually felt giddy and deliciously naughty when she had to pay for a wax. Opting for more than just her bikini area, since it was an extended vacation to a warm, tropical place, requiring lots of skimpy clothes, she smiled to herself.

Well, and she was planning to spend a lot of time naked, if she was being honest with herself.

"I can't believe you get to go away with that hunky husband of yours," Alice teased.

"I know." Bella blushed as she spoke. "I'm very … eager."

The women laughed, but it was Esme that said the most wise thing to Bella.

"You're still that girl with a skinned knee he fell in love with, Bella. You just have some cosmetic differences. You love him the same, and he loves you the same, too. Maybe a little more," she amended.

Remembering their childhood made Bella smile, and her heart beat faster at the thought of being alone with him. It was scary and exciting, it had been so long since they'd been together. She felt like a virgin again, in some ways.

A beautiful black Lincoln Town Car arrived to take them to the airport, and Bella hugged Alice, Esme, and then finally, her daughter.

"Be good for Grammie, okay baby?"

Renesmee was just a few months shy of her second birthday, and she loved her grandma dearly. Nodding at her mom, she waved from Esme's hip, the waves turning into blown kisses.

Edward held the car door for Bella, and once they were both buckled in, the driver took them the short distance to the airport. His excitement radiated from him, and Bella was nervous because of it. She couldn't quite read his emotions, and feared he was regretful of his decision to spend the time away with her.

Their flight was borderline boring, an unfamiliar experience for them over the last few years. It was a welcome change. When Edward checked in at the rental car booth, he asked Bella to stand by their luggage so that she wouldn't hear how long they'd have it for. He knew he couldn't avoid telling her about their altered plans forever, he was just waiting for the right moment.

The right moment almost never exists, though, and when he was checking in at the hotel, she refused to leave his side. Edward decided that was just fine with him, also sick of being deprived of his wife, his mate, his partner, for so long. Bella's arm was wrapped around his, and she enjoyed the strength she still felt there. Resisting the urge to kiss him at every moment, she tried to stay present and alert, instead of drifting into her dirty thoughts.

When she heard the dates of their stay confirmed out loud, she simply thought the clerk had made a mistake. Edward nodded, however, and then accepted the room keys. Bella was elated. His apprehension immediately made sense; it had never been about not wanting her.

Suddenly, they couldn't get to their room fast enough.

This is where I debated: should I end the story here, or should I add in a sweet and tasteful lemon for their send-off? I'd love your thoughts.