Thanks for the reviews. I wish a few more people would read this cause the reviews make my day! I hope all of you who did read it, enjoy it and review it, like this chapter. It's kind of long, I know…but I hope it's worth reading.

Part 2

The Creek

As Bella slept, Edward thought about what had almost happened between the. He had always kept his emotions and urges under control He hated to boast, but in that area, he knew no one who was his equal, perhaps Carlisle. Yet the mere thought of Bella in his arms let loose a torrent of passion unequaled by anything he had ever experienced.

Edward had lived inside his 17-year-old body for over 90 years. He knew that there were some physical reactions this body had that he did not control. But never had he felt the overwhelming need to be so close to another.

It was one thing to intellectualize his undying love for Bella, but another thing altogether to figure out this physical passion. He never truly understood what other men went through to control their desires, but now he did. And he was determined to keep himself under control.

Bella stirred in his arms. This was the time of night she usually dreamed, and Edward was sure he would not survive it if she called his name in her sleep, or worse yet, if she pressed her body to his in a sexual way. He gently extricated himself from her and went to sit in her old rocker.

What was usually his favorite part of the night-when he could see inside Bella's head-had become torture. Oh, how he loved her and wished he could make her every one of her dreams come true. Soon. Just a few weeks and they would be married. He still worried about breaking her, but he tried to have hope that he could make love to his wife and keep her safe and unharmed.

Bella twisted in her sleep, her heartbeat flying. The covers of the bed slowly fell away and exposed her naked torso. Edward had forgotten she was still half dressed when she had fallen asleep.

In one quick movement Edward located her sleep shirt and began to gently dress her. He tried this best not to wake her, handling her like a fragile porcelain doll. She was his porcelain doll; priceless and delicate; fragile and beautiful. Bella muttered some incoherent words and turned in her bed as Edward pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. He wished again that he were able to gain the peace that came with sleep. Just to lie with his precious Bella, asleep in her arms.

The trust it took to sleep in another's presence, that intimacy was more than he deserved. She had trusted him from the start, even before he trusted himself with her. And he would never betray that trust, never fail her again.

He slipped under the blanket with Bella, again. He didn't want any space between them. He was overwhelmed with love for this delicate human girl and would not waste another moment of holding her in his arms. Bella settled into her usual spot on his chest, and Edward gingerly stroked her hair.

The hours flew by and it was nearly dawn; usually the time he would leave her as he could change his clothes and return with his car to pick her up for their day's activities. Even though Alice was planning the entire wedding, she managed to keep Bella and Edward busy with chores for the big day.

But today he would find the time to be alone with Bella, maybe take her to their meadow. He kissed the top of her head.

Bella woke just enough to mumble "Love you."

"You are my only love." Edward responded before he leapt through her window and sprinted toward the forest.

Bella woke up about an hour later to the sound of Charlie puttering around the bathroom. Since graduation she had been making a point of getting up with Charlie and making him breakfast. She pulled a sweatshirt over her PJ/s and headed down to the kitchen to start the coffee.

She enjoyed taking care of Charlie. She was going to miss him desperately after she was married, and a much more permanent separation loomed in the near future. Bella could feel tears well up in her eyes while thinking of the pain she was going to put Charlie through. Whether they told him she was gone or just away at school, Charlie would still be in this kitchen every morning fending for himself, alone.

Charlie entered the kitchen just as the whole wheat toast popped up from the toaster. Bella placed it on a plate and handed it to her father.

"Good morning, Dad."

"Morning Bella. You don't have to do all this. I know you didn't sleep well last night."

Bella smiled remembering not sleeping last night. It had been heaven. But it was hardly the right place and time to revel in those memories.

"I'm fine, Dad; sit. There's coffee and butter and jam for your toast. Eggs are almost ready."

She went back to the omelet filled with cheese and spinach, and flipped it onto a plate. She brought it to Charlie and went back to crack an egg for her own omelet.

"Bells, you are too good to me. What will I do without you?" He mused.

Charlie couldn't know how those words tugged at her heart. Bella tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. "I know you can make eggs, Dad."

They spent the rest of breakfast nearly silent. After Charlie left for work, Bella washed the dishes. She had taken to making some of Charlie's favorite meals each morning and freezing them for when she was gone. She couldn't feed him forever, but there were enough lasagnas, stuffed peppers, tuna casseroles, containers of tomato sauce, chilly, and homemade soups to get him well into the Christmas season.

Today she was making beef stroganoff, hoping it would freeze well. It was now past eight and Edward had yet to call. With that thought, the phone rang.

"Hey, my beautiful girl, how are you this morning?"

Bella's face broke into a wide smile. "I'm fine, and you?"

Edward could tell she was remembering the night before. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say about that, so he decided to put it off until later. "So what time shall I pick you up? Alice wants to discuss the seating arrangements today, and she says it would be a nice touch if the place cards were written personally by the bride and groom."

Bella didn't mind helping with the arrangements. She was just glad Alice was in charge, but her handwriting…it would ruin the whole wedding. "Edward, my writing…it's like chicken scratch."

"It's okay love, I will have them written in the time it takes you to take the top off the pen."

Bella smiled again. "Thank you. Um…I will need a couple more hours. I am making stroganoff for the freezer, so how about 10:30"?

Borrowing some of Juliet's words to Romeo, Edward replied, "Tis 20 year 'til then."

Of course, Bella knew the lines by heart, and smiled. "Oh, you'll make it through, Juliet. I'm sure of it."

Edward chuckled. "I'll see you later, love."

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I adore you, my Bella."

After fulfilling their duties as assigned by Alice, Edward and Bella had the rest of the rare sunny day to themselves. "Let's do something we haven't done in a long time, something from my time." Edward suggested.

Bella smirked wondering what he could be talking about. "OK."

Alice skipped down the stirs carrying a backpack. "You're going to need this."

Edward looked at her questioningly, but then read the vision of Bella and himself splashing in the fast running current of the creek near their meadow. "I've seen it." Alice defended.

Edward gave her an exasperated look, but was happy that her vision appeared to be so perfect. "I shudder to think of what you've seen."

Alice poked her tongue out. "You don't want to know."

Bella blushed and hid her face against Edward's shoulder. "Alice, you're killing me."

"No, no, nothing like that. Don't be embarrassed Bella. I packed swimsuits and towels. You're going to be in the water.

Bella smiled, relieved that Alice hadn't seen anything private or at least that she had the discretion not to tell them.

Edward took the backpack and then Bella by the hand. "Thanks Alice, see you later."

The meadow was stunning in it's greenness and life. Bella reluctantly climbed off Edward's back. She had come to enjoy their runs. It was kind of like an amusement park ride, only it felt so much safer, knowing Edward would never let anything harm her. And the feel of wrapping all of herself around him, tightly, was overwhelming and one of the few times he allowed it.

"So we're going swimming? Where?"

"Well, what Alice saw was more like walking and splashing around."

"Oh, in the creek? That sounds like fun. She paused while removing the back pack from her back. "Wait, what about you said? Is this something you would have done in 1918?"

Edward laughed. "Well actually, yes, but it was not part of my original plan." Bella removed a book of Shakespeare's sonnets from the back pack. "I was thinking we would lie on a blanket in the sun and read poetry to each other."

Bella wrapped her arms around him. "Ah…you are so romantic! This is why I love you; there is no one like you. The perfect man. I'm so lucky!"

Edward rolled his eyes. "You are over stating my attributes again. I am far from perfect."

"Bella spread a blanket on to the grass, and went looking in the pack again. "Ooh, apples, yum!"

She sat on the blanket, biting into a nice crisp apple. "It's good, want some?"

"You are ludicrous." Edward teased as he settled in next to her, eventually laying his head in her lap.

"It doesn't seem fair that I am snacking, and you can't have anything. Shall I catch you a squirrel?"

"Bella." Edward deadpanned, but he could not be cross with her jokes, just the act of lying on her lap was so comforting, so blissful, he never wanted to move again. Bella stroked his hair and Edward lay motionless enjoying the sun on his skin, and the feel of Bella's hand in his hair.

"I can just imagine how many hearts you have broken. I can see you walking around in your turn of the century town, leaving devastated women in your wake."

"Bella, don't be silly. I've never looked at any woman like that, not until you."

"You may not have been looking at them, but believe me, they were definitely looking at you. Let's see…flapper girls and suffragettes, teetotalers and soup kitchen workers, war widows, bobbysoxers and beatniks, hippies and disco queens, punks and Madonna wannabes, grunge girls and Goth girls, especially Goth girls; all paralyzed in awe by your abundant charms!

Edward chuckled. "I'm not sure I even met any of people you describe, but I am sure no hearts were broken. You were the first and only girl who I wanted to be with."

"Do you think that's just because you can't hear my thoughts?"

Edward was shocked. Never before had she suggested this. Had she been thinking it all along?

"Bella! You have to know that is not true."

"I know; I just wondered if…"

Edward sat up and took her into his arms. "After all this time, you know I love you, all of you. Not just your complicated mind. I admit, it was the fact that your mind was closed to me that kept me from killing you. I wanted so badly to put that puzzle together that I was able to control the monster in me. But later, it was your very essence that kept me coming back over and over when I knew it was wrong. It was your soul that I fell in love with. Your beauty inside and out made you irresistible to me."

"I think I knew that, it's just nice to hear. You know, Edward, that I am lost without you."

"As I am without you."

"Sometimes I feel guilty because I've read self -help books and they all say that a woman should not be dependent on a man. That I should be complete in myself. But, I feel that I am a complete person, only you have my heart."

"Bella, I will not pretend to know what is best for other people, but for us, this is right. We are not like anyone else. We belong together and I don't believe you are dependent on me. You are far more independent, and oh, so stubborn, than any woman…no person, I have ever known. I love and need everything that you are."

"Oh, Edward." Bella hugged him as tightly as she could. "So what are we doing, then, reading?"

"Well, I thought you would enjoy the sun while I read poetry to you."

Bella smiled, "I love this side of you."

Edward lay his head on her lap once again, and for the next hour read sonnets to her. Some he knew so well he merely recited the words. Some they would stop and discuss. Edward was further impressed by Bella's insight and intelligence. It would be such a waste for her to forego college. She had so much to offer, it felt selfish to keep her all to himself.

"Won't you please consider Dartmouth? You would do so well in college."

"Edward, we've been over this. College can wait. I want to be like you. And you know I can't be around all those people when I am first changed. And I don't want to be an old hag while you are so young and beautiful.

Edward laughed. "You won't be an old hag at 22, Bella. You will be amazed at how little your looks will change."

"Edward, it's decided. Now let's go swimming."

Edward knew it was fruitless to argue with her about this subject. He followed her to the creek carrying the back pack. Digging around, he found his swim suit. It looked exactly like any shorts you would see on a man his age, well a teenager, anyway.

It was harder to locate Bella's suit. It was so small, but he could smell the rubbery scent of lycra spandex, and quickly located the tiny bottoms. He held them out to Bella. They were a deep blue with gold rings holding the back to the front. This would barely cover a few inches of her skin. He gulped as his throat constricted. This may not have been a great plan. He located the top, a bandeau of the same color with a matching gold ring between the breasts.

Bella stared at it, thinking it was far too small for her to even think about wearing, but then again, showing some skin was a sure way to get some amorous attention from Edward. She took the suit and headed toward a group of bushes to change behind.

Edward laughed. "You're not going to change in front of me? You know I've seen most of you already?"

"That was different."

Edward found her modesty endearing and sweet. She wasn't always such a modern independent woman after all. He found the contradiction amusing. He was changed into his shorts in seconds.

Even though Bella tried to sneak a peek, it was all a blur. "No fair," she thought while pulling on her bikini bottoms. She had another thought. If she was trying to peek at Edward, he might be trying to sneak a peek at her. She looked around, but didn't see him.

"You're not looking at me are you?"

Just as she hooked the back of her top, Edward landed at her side. "No, I'm not watching."

Bella jumped. "You scared me!"

"Finally!" Edward laughed. "I was just scoping out the creek to find the deepness and check for hazards."

"You are such an adult, Edward."

"What? I'm just concerned for your safety."

"I know, I know." She leaned up on her tip toes and gave him a peck.

Edward wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted he so she could reach his lips more easily. Bella threaded her fingers through his hair, holding his face to her own. She snaked her tongue out, hoping Edward would kiss her the way he had the night before. He did.

They kissed passionately until Bella was breathless. Edward lowered her until her feet touched the ground. Now he finally got a long look at her in the deep blue bikini. Her porcelain skin glowed against the small craps of fabric. She was so beautiful. He had never seen this much of her before, and if his heart could beat it would be thundering in his chest. As it was, other parts of him were taking notice.

Bella blushed pink. "You're staring at me."

"You're exquisite." Edward whispered.

Before he lost control of himself again, he lifter her onto his back and waked them farther down the creek. It got deeper and deeper and the current ran faster. Soon the water was above Edward's waist. Bella slipped down his back, and eased into the cool water.

"Ooh…it's cold!"

"You'll get used to it. The water always seems cold when you first get in."

"Even for you?"

"No, not for me, but I remember how it was for humans."

"Did you swim when you were human?" Bella asked as she splashed around in the water.

"Sure, all the time. There was a swimming hole not far from our house."

Bella giggled. "A swimming hole?" What's that?"

"Well I guess that depends on who you ask. For us it was a pond about a quarter of a mile from my childhood home."

"And you went swimming there, with your little friends?"

Edward smiled. " did have a little friend. Her name was Tressa."

"A girl? Your best friend was a girl? I thought you said you never had a girl friend before me."

"Bella, it wasn't like that. Children were not like they are today. We had responsibilities. Play time was pretty scarce. Anyway, after our chores, Tressa and I would meet at the pond and swing on the rope swing, and splash around a bit."

"It sounds like fun…but sad too."

"It was fun, but Tressa always had to get home early to help with dinner."

"So what ever happened to her? Do you know?"

"She married not long before I took ill. It was a beautiful wedding for the time. Her husband was wealthy."

"Sol did she know you…um…died?"

"I suppose. So many people were lost. It was hardly big news. And I was not exactly in any shape to hang around and find out what she knew or how she faired in the epidemic. Carlisle got me out of town as soon as possible."

"Yeah, I guess I understand." Bella responded once again thinking about how much her life would change once she was a vampire.

"I looked her up on the internet about 10 years ago. She had 5 children, and she passed away in 1989."

"Were you said when you found out?"

"Bella, I've seen nearly everyone I've ever known die. It doesn't really affect me. I expect it. It's part of being what I am. You will see." Edward regretted saying that before it even left his mouth. "I mean, I don't want you to have to go through all that I have been through. You see how it's changed me, not just physically."

Bella was thoughtful for a long moment. "I know it is going to be hard, Edward, but I will learn to live with it. The alternative is losing you, and I can't live with that."

Edward held her tightly to him. She had one more question. "So did you ever see anyone you knew in your human life, again?"

"No ,not that I know of. As I said, we moved on right after I was changed. Carlisle thought it was best, and he was right. He found Esme shortly after that."

"Edward, I could listen to you talk about your life for hours and hours. Tell me more."

"Bella…most of the memories are cloudy."

"You're just so fascinating, really. I mean it. I will never get enough of you." Bella hugged him around his waist. "I love you so much."

"I love you." Edward slipped below the water with her and took her into his arms.

He continued to drag them through the quick currents until water was rushing past them creating white peaks over the rocks lining the creek bed. Bella held tightly to him knowing if she let go, she would get swept up in the current.

"Where are we going?"

"Just a little spot I found."

"If you let go of me, I am flying back down creek at like 50 miles an hour!"

"Are you worried, Bella? I thought you were fearless." Edward teased.

"Edward!"

"You know I would never let anything harm you." And as Edward finished his sentence, the creek opened up to a wide expanse of calm waters. Current still flowed past them, but much gentler. The space was like something out of a photography book.

Huge boulders lined the creek, and weeping willow limbs hung over the water. The sun shown through and warmed the rocks dry in some parts. Edward led them to one such rock and leaned against it as he pulled Bella against him.

"It's so beautiful here." Bella whispered. "But not as beautiful as you."

Edward chuckled. "You are forever making me out to be something I'm not. I'm a predator, Bella. Like the most beautiful colorful spiders are the most attractive and most poisonous to their enemies. They draw the enemy in, and then attack."

"But I'm not your enemy, am I?"

"No, but you're my prey."

Bella teased him boldly. "Then why don't you attack me?" .

Edward smirked and lifted her so that her legs straddled his waist. Then he took her mouth in a steamy kiss, probing her mouth with his tongue, continuing the passionate embrace until Bella had to break from his lips for air. But he would not give her reprieve as he moved his lips down to her throat, and over her collarbone, and back up to her ear. Her scent was intoxicating, and Edward was lost in her.

His hands took on a life of their own as they explored the curve of her bottom, her hip , and her side. Finally he cupped her breast in his hand. He massaged and squeezed a little, listening to the soft mewls of pleasure emanating from Bella.

"Edward…so good." Bella breathed as her arms locked behind his neck, holding herself in place.

Reaching behind her with one hand, Edward unclasped the bikini top, and slowly removed it. He threw it onto the rock behind his head. Bella pulled his head to her breast, waiting for his cool tongue, knowing the feeling would be incredible, almost more than she could bear.

"You're so beautiful, your skin…so soft and warm…hot…sweet." Edward mumbled against her chest as he moved from one breast to the other.

Bella could hear her own breathing, but she didn't care. All she wanted was more. She began to squirm in Edward's arms, pressing her center against his hard body. It was instinct. She needed to feel him there, between her legs. Edward lowered her just a couple of inches and she felt just what this encounter was doing to him. He was rock hard. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Edward felt like he was floating…like his brain was leaving his head. He had never been so caught up in a moment, in his entire existence. Making up for the lack of thought and reason in his mind, were the physical sensations of Bella's legs wrapped around him, her hot center radiating heat onto his most sensitive part. The feel of her warm supple breasts against his mouth and lips was overwhelming. He felt no desire to hurt her, no desire for her blood. Yet he wanted to consume her, make her his in a physical way.

Bella began to move against him, pulling herself up and down his length. Her moans were music to his ears. Just her sounds would have made this the most erotic moment of his life, but the feel of her body was pure pleasure.

"Ah…ah" Bella moaned. "Edward…I…I"

"Yes, Bella…don't stop." Edward placed his hands beneath her firm bottom and moved her up and down against his erection. He needed relief, and he knew she did too.

Edward buried his face against her neck and into her hair thinking how good she smelled when she was wet. But the desire for her blood did not come, only the desire to break through the exquisite tension in his groin. He was panting nearly as much as Bella though he had no need for the air. Feeling her heat against him almost made him feel warm. Her heart was pounding so hard, he could feel it against his own chest. He felt more alive than he had ever felt.

Bella could feel that she was close to climax, and hoped that Edward was too. She was so afraid he would stop them. She was desperate for release, and then it came, washing over her in wave after wave of unbearable bliss, wafting from her core throughout her entire body. She had never felt anything so overwhelmingly perfect!

"Edward!" She moaned, as her most sensitive spot pulsed and the muscles of her vagina contracted around Edward's length.

He could feel her climax against him and along with the extreme pleasure he was feeling, there was also a sense of pride that he could make her feel like that. He never knew it would be like this. Just seconds later his release came hard and fast, and he groaned Bella's name against her neck, pulling her body tightly against his.

They stayed locked together like that for a long moment, regaining their breathing, and coming down from their unbelievable high.

Edward finally spoke first, with a slight chuckle in his voice. "You are the most alluring, sexual, dangerous creature I have ever known."

"Is that a bad thing or a good thing?" Bella teased, but still wanting to know the answer

Edward smiled. "Good. Very, very good."

TBC