A/N: Alright guys, I'm saving the big note for the end.

Thanks to my beta ladies, prettyflour and ninmesarra- they make this better for you guys- trust me. Any mistakes that remain are no reflection of their complete awesome-ness, but rather my inability to leave well enough alone...

I don't own twilight or it's characters, nor do I make money from them. However, the plot of this is mine... I would never infringe on someone else's work... :)

Alice, Rose, and Angela rang the doorbell about two hours before the party was due to start. They each were loaded down with bags of clothes, makeup, and hair products.

"Good Lord. Are you guys moving in?" I couldn't hold in the laugh that escaped.

Quirking her brow in a confused expression, Alice quipped, "No, we couldn't decide what to dress you up in tonight, so we all brought stuff. We got here early enough for us all to get ready together and we wanted to help you, Bells."

"Um, guys, I'm not going to let you dress me up tonight. I'm picking my outfit and doing my own hair and face. 'Kay?"

Their baffled expressions made me chuckle, but seriously... I'd had enough playing dress-up. I wasn't eight anymore. I was a grown woman capable of making my own decisions.

I let them in and we trekked up the stairs to my bedroom where they began unloading jeans, skirts, dresses, shirts, and shoes. Sometimes I had to wonder if they remembered exactly who they were dealing with. I don't walk in four inch heels- I stumble. I don't wear skin-tight dresses and I don't do the whole neckline plunging to my belly button- that was all Rose.

What was wrong with my style?

I'd always prided myself on being unique and true to myself- at least over this last year of rediscovering myself I had. But they always wanted to change me. Needing answers, I finally just asked.

"Guys? What's wrong with my appearance?"

"You're beautiful, Bella. Why would you think there's something wrong with the way you look?" Alice asked.

"Um, Alice, I think that's her point. If we think she's beautiful, why are we always trying to change her. Right, Bella?" Rose, ever the insightful one, figured it out.

"Right. Eddie is fine with how I look and dress. In fact the last time you guys dressed me up... remember the biker-chic night? He said to tell you guys to back off. He preferred me and my style. Because that's who I am. I'm not skin-tight, daring necklines, barely covers my ass fashion. I'm chucks and boot cut with my tee that has a nerdy phrase or band on it. And if that's me, then why do you want me to change?" I plunged my hands into my hair, shoving strands back from my face. I didn't want to hurt their feelings, but I needed them to understand I need to be myself.

And if that meant wearing a Captain America tee, then why should they care?

Unplugging the curling iron, Angela set it to the side. "You're right, Bella. We shouldn't be trying to make you up into something you're not. Especially when you are beautiful- inside and out- without our help. In fact, I think I'd like to take a page out of your book." Turning to look at Alice, Angela continued. "Ali, I know you love shopping, but I need you to stop buying me clothes all the time. Not only because I can't afford to always pay you back, but because they aren't me. I'm a slacks and sweaters kind of girl. Jeans and tees are for cleaning, but I'm with Bella on the rest." Hands fluttering, she turned her eyes to Rosalie, "And Rose, I don't have the same... attributes that you have. So I can't get away with wearing... well... anything that you can." She laughingly finished.

"Oh hell, you guys think I like wearing this shit?" Rose pulled a black dress out of a bag. It was skimpy in an almost slutty way. "I only wear this crap because you guys tell me it looks good. I'm a grease monkey. Why would you think I'd want to wear this stuff? Personally, I like skinny jeans and tank tops or tunics. Oh, and jumpsuits." Throwing a wink over her shoulder, she peeled off the revealing bustier she'd put on before arriving and did something I never thought I'd ever see.

She raided my closet.

Poor Alice was beginning to look like a fish with the way her mouth was opening and closing. "B...b...but... I thought you guys l...liked the clothes I brought you."

"Oh Alice, it's not that we don't like them, sweetie, they just aren't our style. It's your style. And you look awesome in them. We just prefer to wear our own stuff."

Deflating like a balloon, Alice sat down on the floor. "I don't understand. You guys never acted like it was a problem before. If you would have said something... I just... I guess... I mean... I'm sorry. I just thought that, that you liked them." Tears flooded her eyes and she blinked furiously to keep them from spilling over.

Sighing, I sat beside her on the floor, "Ali, don't cry. We aren't mad at you. We just like what we like. And, that's a good thing. If we all liked the same style, how boring would we be?"

A small giggle slipped past her lips and she smiled. "You're right, Bella. But you guys should have told me. I feel kind of like a bitch now."

"Don't feel like that. We saw how happy it made you, so we went with it. But now, it's just not making us happy anymore. Let's save the Barbie dress-up projects for special occasions. Tonight is just a celebration with friends. I think we can be ourselves together don't you?" Rose said, sliding her long legs into a pair of my skinny jeans.

Clapping her hands, Alice declared, "We need to hurry, or we're going to be late! We can't keep the boys waiting too long, can we?"

"Well, we could, but I have a new husband that I plan on sexing up tonight..." Angela joked.

"Aww, sookie sookie now..." Rose sang, wiggling her eyebrows, making Angela blush fifty shades of red.

Once we were all dressed- in our own styles- we called the taxi service and headed for Eddie's bar, laughing and joking the whole way. It was one of the things I loved about my girls. We were able to get through things without a lot of carnage.

We truly were sisters.

The guys were already there and waiting at a corner table in the bar. The saluted us with their beers or glasses and drank them down.

"What can I get you ladies to drink tonight?" Garrett asked.

Everyone ordered their favorite drink, except Rose. She ordered water.

"What? Why are you drinking water, Rosalie?" Angela demanded.

Never one to pass up a good party, Rose could hold her liquor better than some guys.

"Yeah, Rose, why aren't you drinking a mai tai or a few shots of jack?" I asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything yet," she paused to give us all the evil-eye, "But, if you must know... I'm pregnant!" she squealed in excitement.

"Pregnant? Oh my God! That's so exciting!" Everyone was shouting and congratulating Rose and Emmett.

Emmett looked like he'd been struck dumb. The shock on his face had rendered him speechless. After Jasper slapped him on the back of the head, he shook it off, and stood up, pulling Rose to him. "Really, Rosie? A baby? We're gonna have a baby?"

"Yeah, big guy, we are. I'm pregnant," she said again with a smacking kiss to his cheek.

Emmett whooped loudly and spun her around. "I'm gonna be a daddy!" He shouted to no one in particular.

We all congratulated them again and I had to blink back tears. Rose had wanted this for so long. She was going to be a great mother, and I couldn't wait to meet her baby. The little one was sure to be a heartbreaker. Judging by the way Rose and Emmett were already talking to her belly, he or she would be so loved and spoiled. Of course, I planned on helping with that. After all, what else was an aunt for?

Garrett returned with our drinks and I slid onto Eddie's lap- we had a shortage of chairs at our table, and I really didn't want to get one from another table. Not when Eddie's lap was available.

He smiled and nuzzled his face into my neck. "I love you, Bella," he said into my ear.

"I love you, too." Turning my face to his, my lips met his in what was meant to be a chaste kiss, but his mouth opened beneath mine and I couldn't deny myself a taste of him. The catcalls from our friends soon broke us apart and my forehead rested on his.

Tilting his head, he whispered into my ear, "How long are we going to be staying? I think I'd like to do some more celebrating with just you..."

His words made my breath catch and I could feel my body heating. His emerald eyes darkened to an almost obsidian color. I could feel him hardening under me. I was ready to get lost then, but this was my party... I needed to stay.

Didn't I?

"We have to stay for a while... but oh the things I'm gonna do to you when we get there."

"Is that right? What's my sugar mama got in store?"

"If you only knew," I whispered.

"Hey! Break it up ya'll! This party is to celebrate Bella's amazin' writing. Right? Well, I don't know about everybody else, but I don't want to celebrate by watching ya'll make out," Jasper stated, his southern drawl growing with every drink he consumed.

"Jazzy, baby, maybe you should slow down on the beer. We have hours still to celebrate," Alice suggested, running her hands through his mop of curls.

"Sure, sugar, whatever you want."

Angela stood up and Garrett wrapped himself around her like a coat. It was hard to tell where they separated into two people. They just looked right- being together. It had a natural flow and feel and they'd only been married little more than a day. It was truly something to behold.

Clearing her throat, Angela called for everyone's attention, "We're here to celebrate Bella's new book deal! She's an amazing author, and her story is going to be a best seller! I just know it. And when she makes her big bucks, she's treating us all to a nice weekend getaway," raising her glass, she laughed while everyone lifted theirs and shouted, "here, here!"

I laughed loudly, because she had to be completely drunk. And she'd only had a couple of drinks. That money was going to the bank. It was lucky for her I knew she was only joking, not that I would really do anything, but still...

An hour later found us all on the dance floor swaying to the music. Wrapped in Eddie's arms, I felt safer than I ever had in my life. He was everything I'd ever dreamed of in a man and more. He had his issues, just like everyone else, but they were endearing. They showed that he was human, and not some stepford-husband type guy. My dream had always been to find a guy that was real. That breathed, loved, hurt, talked, and was just him.

And that's what I got with Eddie.

Real.

We danced to a few other songs and the feel of our bodies moving together in harmony made me crave him. I needed him all over me- under me, beside me, in me.

I just needed.

"Bella..."

The breathless whisper was almost missed, but the ruffle of my hair caused my eyes to lift, seeking his. What I saw there made me tremble. He was as ready as I was to get out of the bar and go home.

Angela and Garrett had left two songs before. Eddie had called in his substitute bartender, Dimitri, to give him and Garrett a night off to hang with the group together. Rose and Emmett looked like they were wearing the same clothes, they were so tightly squeezed together. Jasper was at the bar, cuddling Ali while he regaled Pete with stories of his tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. We could hear Pete exclaiming his disbelief over some of the tales.

I was ready to leave. I was ready for Eddie. "Yeah... let's get out of here."

We said our goodbyes and left. The taxi ride passed quickly, partially because we were entwined together like a pretzel. Hot kisses and hands trailing over sweaty bodies. We didn't care that we were in the back of a cab that smelled like gym socks and curry. We just touched and kissed.

The clearing of a throat and a voice thick with accent told us, "That will be ten seventy." Eddie passed some bills over the seat and pulled me from the car. His steps were quick and I felt like I was running to keep up with him. I handed over my keys and he fumbled with the lock, his lips still on mine while he tried to work the key. Finally the knob turned and we were inside, the door barely shut behind us before we were peeling away the layers of clothes separating flesh from flesh.

I needed to feel his skin. The rough calluses of his fingers needed to trace the planes of my body before dipping inside and... "Fuck, I need you Eddie. Now."

"Me... too..." he said between kisses. His hands quickly rid me of my bra while I dragged his pants down his legs. He returned the favor and pulled my panties off with my jeans. Feet kicked them away and then we were on the stairs. Stumbling up them halfway, I finally just laid down on them, not caring that the boards were digging into my back.

His hands trailed over my body, ghosting over ribs up to my breasts to ply my nipples between his thumb and fingers. His lips melded with mine before he placed wet, hot kisses down my jaw and neck, across my shoulder, and down my chest to draw a nipple into his mouth. The hand that had just been there skimmed down to rub over my thigh before delving in between my legs. The friction of his fingers rubbing and twirling had me writhing with a fierce need to explode. Crying out his name, I clenched around him when his fingers finally found their way inside.

Kissing his way back up to my lips, he gripped my ass in his hands and picked me up. Carrying my slack body up the last few stairs to the bedroom, Eddie placed me gently on the covers.

He leaned over me, but I pushed his shoulders over so that he was laying on his back. Straddling him, I captured his lips with mine before working my way down. His eyes grew darker with each kiss, until they resembled coal. Taking his length into my mouth, I sucked and licked, flicking my tongue over the tip with a twisting motion. His hands found their way into my hair and he pumped in and out, careful not to push in to far.

When he couldn't stand the pressure building inside anymore, he pulled me up and thrust up into me where I needed him most. His hips pushed in and out rhythmically, building up the intensity inside of me, until the white-hot coil shattered, flooding my body with ecstasy. With just another few pumps, he was screaming my name as he spilled himself inside me.

Collapsing on top of him, I relished the feeling of peace.

"You know what?" he asked.

"What, baby?" I asked, drearily.

"I don't think I've ever felt so at peace. So at home, as I do with you."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Raising my head, I laid my chin on folded hands across his chest and peered at him through strands of hair that covered my face.

Scooting off the top of him, I settled into the niche of his side- right where I belonged.

A/N: And now we've reached the almost-end. I'm working on an epilogue, now. And I'm taking requests for outtakes- I have few in mind, but I really want to know what you guys would like to see.

Thanks so much to everyone that has loved this story! You guys make it so much fun to write! Thank you for going on this journey with me... the next story that I have in mind isn't going to be as fun, but it's near and dear to my heart- I hope to see some of you frequent fliers there as well when it starts posting! :)