Chapter 4

Up until 2010 you could still get a helicopter tour of Machu Picchu, which included landing and touring the ruins on foot. Since then, they have outlawed all air tours because conservation is worried that the force generated by a copter's blades could damage the ruins. Remember this story takes place in the summer of 2006, just like it would have in the books.

Alice had apparently had some grand idea about renting a car and driving to Cusco the next night. It was a distance of only about seven hundred miles, which at Cullen speed could easily be done in a night. However, when it came to it, Edward thought flying might be a better plan. Bella, who still wasn't used to the Cullen speed test, readily agreed. It was only an hour flight and that sounded much better than a night spent in a car speeding through the mountains at twice the legal limit. So they hopped a small airplane promptly the next morning and were up in the mountains with plenty of time to explore before lunch.

It was very civilized, Bella thought. At least for the human. The next time they visited South America, she promised Alice they'd drive. Or run.

Cusco was a stunning city. For Bella, the combination of architecture, mountain backdrops and row upon row of streets nestled against the same mountains was simply beautiful.

'I like it here,' she told Edward as soon as they landed.

'I thought you might. You might like it less, though, once you spend a day being dragged up the hilly streets by Alice.'

He had a point. A very good point, actually. By dinner time Bella's legs were screaming in protest and Edward was promising a massage before bed. It wasn't a bad trade off all told, but Bella would have preferred the massage without having to worry about the shin pain first.

'More hills tomorrow?' Bella asked at dinner, grateful to be sitting down on the patio of a restaurant overlooking the Plaza de Armas.

'Only if you want to,' Alice explained, busy making a go of perusing the wine list. 'Jasper and I are leaving you.'

'Oh, right. Well, I guess it'll be just us two,' she said to Edward. 'So no more hills?'

He regarded her for a moment. 'Do you have an aversion to helicopters?'

Bella shook her head. 'I've never been in one. It would be neat to go. Can we fly up to the mountains?'

He grinned. 'That is the general idea. How does a helicopter tour of Machu Picchu sound?'

'Fantastic!' Bella exclaimed, so loudly the neighbouring diners turned to them with annoyed looks. She looked apologetically around her. 'Sorry,' she said. 'But I thought Alice said it would be sunny?'

'Yes, I did. Too sunny for hiking at least, or to take the train, but you can get a helicopter ride out around the site for just a few hours and, coincidentally, it's going to be cloudy all tomorrow morning. I already booked the trip for you.'

'Thank you Alice!' Bella said, being sure to keep her voice slightly quieter this time. 'That's really great.'

'So, you don't mind that it cost a lot?'

'Since I get to see Machu Picchu without having to hike all day? No, I don't mind. Or rather, I do, but I'm trying not to think about it.'

Alice nodded sagely. 'Yes, good attitude. Just…remember that next time too, okay?'

Her brown eyes narrowed. 'Next time…?' Bella intoned.

'Well, bus travel here isn't much fun, so I figured you and Edward could fly to La Paz. I booked a private plane so you'll be able to fly lower over the mountains and have a great view.'

'How far is it from here to La Paz?' Bella asked, trying to sound innocent.

'About the same distance from here to Lima. It would be a very long day on the bus.'

'I want to do it,' Bella decided. 'And I'm not just saying that because I don't want you spending money on a private jet. I just…all the experiences, right?' She turned to Edward. 'It's only a day. I can manage a day on a bus. As long as the weather won't be a problem?' This she directed at Alice.

The pixie shrugged. 'It'll be even cloudier further east. I guess if you want to go, that's okay. You will get a better view of the scenery that way.'

'What do you think Jasper?' Bella asked him, since he had been his usual quiet self for most of the day.

Jasper gave her a small smile. 'I think this is your trip, Bella. If you'd like to go by bus, then you should go by bus. As long as Alice doesn't see a problem.'

His wife's eyes seemed to glaze over slightly as she looked forward. 'No, I don't think so. I certainly don't see weather problems or the bus breaking down, and that's what matters!' Her smile was infectious as she all but bounced in her seat, seeming quite happy with the sudden change in plans.

'Then we go by bus?' Bella turned to Edward.

'Love, we will do whatever you would like to do. This is your trip. We can stay here a few days and enjoy the old city and then head further east.'

'Sounds wonderful,' she agreed.

xxx

They rose early the next morning in order to be at the heli-pad by nine. Alice had promised cloud until nearly one o'clock, and after that only patchy sun. Still, it would be safer to be back in the hotel by then.

Their pilot was already waiting for them, sitting in his seat and running through a pre-flight check when one of the airport staff lead them out to the waiting helicopter. He gave them a brief nod over the sound of the blades starting up.

Edward exchanged a quick word with their guide in Spanish, who nodded to them both before retreating back across the tarmac to the administration building.

'Ready?' Edward asked, near shouting now over the sound of the noise above.

'Yes!' Bella said, having no need to shout back for him to hear.

He helped her up in the back of the helicopter and strapped her in, almost like he'd done this before. 'You've been up in a helicopter?' she asked as soon as he moved on to his own straps.

He nodded to her in confirmation before handing her a headset, making sure it was settled over her ears firmly. Once he had his own on, he motioned to the pilot that they were ready.

'Right. Off we go then,' the guy said, in a perfect Australian accent. That surprised Bella enough that she laughed.

Despite being in the midst of take-off, he turned around and grinned at her with a wink. The chopper rose steadily and then they were up in the air, heading away from Cusco into the higher mountains. It was stunningly beautiful in every direction.

'So this was a good idea?' Edward asked from his seat a foot to her right.

Bella couldn't stop looking, trying to see everything at once in every direction. 'Yes!' she cried, not caring that it sent a burst of feedback through the com system because of the volume level.

She didn't notice Edward watching her, in that way he always did when she slept. Full of love, but also surprise each and every time. He could watch her every day of forever and never get bored.

The mountains rose ever higher as they climbed into them, skirting through a valley over pristine forest and spires of rock. Bella wasn't sure she wanted it to end, despite what lay before them. She was hardly aware of the time before suddenly their pilot was motioning off to their right. 'Over there!' he called back.

Bella tore her gaze away from the mountain to her left to gaze where he pointed just as the helicopter veered in the same direction, pulling a clear view of the mountain city into her view through the door on Edward's side.

'It's huge!' was the first thing out of her mouth.

Edward snickered. 'Well, you're not wrong.'

They flew two full circles before moving lower, coming in to land at the helipad just below the city walls. Everywhere she looked Bella could see tourists scrambling amongst the ruins, dots of colour moving here and there.

They landed with only a slight jolt and then the insane noise of the motor was dying as the pilot shut the helicopter down. He pulled off his headset.

'You've got a full hour here. Sorry it's not more, but we've only got one helipad amongst three companies doing tours. This is our slot for the morning.'

'Understood,' Edward told him, as he helped Bella out of the seat onto the paved ground. 'We'll be back on time.'

'Then enjoy it mate!' The guy nodded. He threw Bella another wink.

'Shall we?' Edward turned to ask her. He offered her his hand.

Smiling, Bella slipped her warm hand into his cold one, feeling the rock hard grip. 'Lead on.' She motioned with her other hand.

Edward had never actually been to Machu Picchu, but he seemed to know the way anyways. He never once let go of her hand, keeping a tight grip as Bella stumbled across cracked stones and tumbling walls, his eyes firmly on her and not the ruins. Bella's eyes, however, were fixed on the wonder about her.

Finally, Edward tugged her back outside the city walls. 'Hour's almost up I'm afraid.'

'No, no that's okay. I mean, I could stay here all day, but that's not fair to other people. Do you think we can fly around the site again once we take off?'

'I'll ask Mark,' Edward said.

Their pilot readily agreed. 'I'll give you guys another good go around. The next helicopter is about ten minutes out still,' he explained, busy flipping switches. The drone of the rotors started up again as Bella and Edward slipped their headsets on.

He flew lower this time, keeping a good few hundred feet from the actual ruins, while still affording them an amazing view. 'It's incredible,' Bella shouted over the coms.

'Yeah it is,' Mark agreed. 'Been doing this seven years and it still amazes me every time I fly up here.'

They were silent once more on the way back, since Bella was still trying to see everything she'd missed on the way up. She curled into Edward's side, as much as the seatbelts would allow. 'Thank you,' was all she said, just before they touched down back at the airfield.

Instead of answering, he pulled her headset off, careful of tangling it in her hair and then kissed her.

'I'll take that as 'you're welcome?',' Bella asked.

'Very,' he replied. Once again he helped her down as the whirl of the blades above them slowed. 'Thank you very much Mark,' he told their pilot. The two men shook hands.

'Enjoy the rest of your time in Peru,' the Aussie told them.

Bella gave him a last wave as Edward led her towards the admin building. 'That is going to be the highlight of this trip.'

'You think so?' Edward asked her.

'Yes. Wait, you don't? What are you planning?'

He managed to look innocent. 'I'm unlikely to tell you, seeing as it's a surprise.'

Bella stopped walking abruptly. 'I don't like surprises.'

He tugged her arm gently and led her into the building before replying. 'But you will like this one. Alice promises. You only need to wait until we're in Bolivia. The surprise is before we leave for Brazil.'

'I suppose that's okay. I mean, if Alice knows I'm going to like it, I can't really say differently can I?'

His eyebrows drew together thoughtfully. 'I suppose if you chose to not like it that would change things. But since Alice knows you will, why would you choose not to?'

'To teach you I don't like surprises?' Bella wondered. 'No, no, I promise to like it. There, see? All decided. Liking is guaranteed now.'

He smiled back at her, quickly signed off on the last of the paperwork from the tour and then led her out to a waiting car. 'How about lunch? Alice and Jasper are leaving in about an hour, but they'd like to hear all about our morning first.'

'Because Alice doesn't already know.'

'She still likes to hear,' he explained.

'Lunch sounds good,' Bella agreed, climbing into the back of the taxi with him. It sped off towards the city centre at nearly Cullen speed.