Author's note: (!!PLEASE READ!!)

I have a lot of things I want to say to you all. This is gonna be a loooong note, so please bear with me!

Firstly, I would like to tell you that Runaway is coming to an end. A few more chapters, and we're done.

I thought about stretching it on a little further, but then I realized that there would be no point. The central characters in the story are Bella and Edward, and once they get together, what purpose does dragging it on and on serve?

For those of you who are screaming "What about Mike? Does Alice's family business survive? And what about Alice and Jasper?" , this brings me to my second piece of news. I am considering writing a sequel tp Runaway, focusing on Alice and Jasper! Those of you who want me to do this, please tell me.

Thirdly, I plan on finishing Runaway by the next month. The month after that, I'll edit the story one last time, correct any spelling/grammar bloopers and discrepancies. I'll probably add a bonus chapter or two in the middle of the story to up the drama quotient. A few people have told me that I desperately need more drama in my story.

Fourthly, would really, really need to apologize to you all. I have behaved rather unprofesionally with this story, what with my irregular updates and constant editing. Also I hardly reply to reviews, so I would like to thank all my reviewers now. THANK YOU so much!! I realized from the dwindiling hits and reviews that a lot of people must have got fed up with me and my erratic ways. I will take a one month break after I finish editing Runaway fully. If you are all still willing to bear with me, and want me to publish a sequel, I promise that the sequel will have weekly (or once in 10 days) updates, instead of irregular ones, and editing will be done only after the story's completed

All Drunk In Vegas readers, I will have a chapter up soon, but my focus will be on Runaway till it is completed. I hope you all understand.

Thnk you all, for reading this and supporting my crazy ventures! It means so much to me.

-

Now, onto the story!

The Plan

BPOV

"Your plan worked, Aunty Alice!"

"Shh!" Alice hissed, but it was of no avail. We had already heard Ethan.

"What plan?" Edward asked curiously.

Alice and Ethan simultaneously put on their sheepish puppy dog looks.

What was going on?

When either Ethan or Alice act innocent, and try to put on a cute expression, you know that something fishy is going on. But when they both do it together, you can only assume that it's something really extreme. Alice and Ethan working together always means big trouble.

"Ethan, Alice" I said warningly. "Would either of you care to explain what is going on?"

Ethan refused to even look at me. I guess he was scared that I'd be upset with him. Well, his fear was probably justified. From the looks of this, this conversation would probably end with me being very angry.

"Fine!" Alice sighed. "I'll tell you. You'll probably be mad with me, but whatever. At least hear me out before you begin yelling at me."

She knew me too well. I was quick to jump to conclusions, so I vowed to try and be patient and listen to what Alice had to say.

"This totally isn't my fault." Ethan was quick to insert, before Alice continued any further. She wrapped an arm around Ethan, as if to shield him from my impending fury.

"Ethan's right" agreed Alice. "None of this was his fault, so you can't punish him in any way. It was all my idea. But although I take blame for it, I also take credit for its success."

"What the hell are you rambling on about, Alice" I couldn't help edgily asking. Edward rubbed soothing circles onto the back of my palm to calm me down. I leant, almost unconsciously, into his body, welcoming his touch. The gesture was not missed by Alice.

"That is exactly what I am talking about" she said, pointing to the area where Edward's skin had made contact with mine. "You two utterly oblivious idiots. You would have never gotten back together if it hadn't been for my meddling."

What? How did Edward and I have anything to do with this? What had Alice done?

"And how exactly did you meddle?" I asked my voice dangerously even.

She looked like she was about to answer, but then her eyes met mine. She shuddered at the glare I was shooting in her general direction, and quick changed her strategy.

"Too hungry too talk" moaned Alice, clutching her stomach. "Let's continue this discussion later". Yeah right! The pixie would win the 'Most Talkative Person on the Planet Award' hands down. She was just buying time.

"Just tell us, Alice. We won't be mad with you" assured Edward softly. Speak for yourself mister! I will most certainly be mad, because by the look on Alice's face she's obviously done something drastic.

"Maybe I had Ethan pretend he was sick, and maybe I had something to do with Ethan's sudden demand for you two to kiss." she mumbled looking down at the floor. She was trying to act like she was sorry, but I could see that it was very hard for her not to burst out laughing. However, Ethan looked like he feared for his life. Good.

I turned to look at Edward's face. I wanted to see what his reaction would be. To my great astonishment he seemed more amused than anything. "How did you manage all that?" he asked chuckling. Great! Was I the only one mad here?

Ethan relaxed visibly, and Alice seemed to be relieved that at least one of us was finding this funny. She bent down, and whispered something in Ethan's ear. He ran off, and was back moments later clutching two hot water bags.

"Exhibit A" she announced proudly. I glared at her, but she stuck her tongue out at me. Now that Edward was on her side, she stopped pretending to be scared of me. Traitor!

"I knew dad was asking you to come to work, because I read your text message. I realized that today would be the perfect day to carry my plan out. I had woken Ethan up before going to work. He had sufficient time to put the hot water bags on his forehead, and take them off when he heard you coming. He hid the bags under his sheets, so his whole body generally felt hot and feverish. We knew that you would rush off to tell Edward, our resident doctor, that something was wrong. Ethan used this time to hide the hot water bags under his bed, so neither of you would notice when you checked him up for real."

She paused for breath before continuing. "He pretended to have the general symptoms of the flu so that he could stay home alone with Edward. I knew that Edward would be a lot easier for Ethan to bargain with than Bella, because he was eager to please Ethan and make a good impression on him. I called Edward up, and Ethan was told by me in advance to listen to Edward's part of the conversation. When the part cam where I goaded Edward into admitting he loved Bella, all Ethan had to do was challenge Edward's love. I left that part to Ethan's imagination, but I'm guessing he did a good job, because you to are certainly getting along fine."

She said the last part looking at me and Edward. She got the result she was hoping for when I blushed profusely.

The room was soundless for a minute. No one spoke; we were just letting what we had heard sink in fully. Everyone looked at me anxiously, waiting for my inevitable outburst. I finally broke the silence.

"I have just one thing to say to both of you."

Ethan and Alice waited for me to continue, preparing themselves for the yelling they were sure they'd receive. Instead I surprised them.

'Thank you. Thank you so much. It's probably because of your efforts that Edward and I are back together, and know of each other's feelings. Just one thing though. Don't ever sneak around behind our backs like that again."

"Hey! I'm an adult, here" said Alice. "I can sneak around if I want to."

Insert glare here.

"I mean," she quickly amended, "It was wrong of me to make Ethan lie, and I won't ever do it again."

Alice's phone started to vibrate. She read the message she had received, and started towards the door once again. "Go to go, Bella" she said, apologetically. 'I'm getting late for my date."

"I thought you said you wanted dinner" I asked.

"Not really, I was just buying time. I've to go now, or I'll be late. See you!" she said hurriedly, rushing through the door and slamming it behind her.

And then it was just the three of us. And for the first time, we truly had dinner like a family. For one, the father, mother and child were present. Also, there was no uncomfortable silence, or awkward moments; we were at complete ease with each other for the first time.

Cheerful banter filled the air, and we argued over the stupidest of things including whether Batman (picked by Edward) or Superman (picked by Ethan) would win in a fight. Whom did I pick? I was all in favor of Wonder woman kicking both their butts! It was as if we were making up all that we had missed out these past few years in one night.

However immature it might sound, I did hold Edward's hand under the table for the entire meal. I think under the present circumstances, it was justified that we behaved like love struck teenagers.

And like hormone driven, love struck teenagers we did behave later that night. Once we had packed Ethan of to bed, Edward wasted no time before kissing me again. We sat on the couch, furiously making out. Actually, Edward sat on the couch, and I sat on his lap. As Edward's tongue glided over my lip, I couldn't quite stop moaning softly.

For some reason, that caused Edward to stop kissing me. However, before I could protest I felt his lips brush my collarbone, and I moaned once more, louder this time. When this was followed by a flick of his tongue, I though I would die from the pleasure. I pulled Edward up, and our lips collided once more. My hands seem to work on their own accord, and swiftly unbuttoned Edward's shirt.

This caused Edward to freeze immediately. "Are you sure?" he breathed. "I don't want to rush things"

I stopped for a second to consider what he was saying. Perhaps he was right. Maybe we should take things slow. At least that was what the part of my brain which was still functioning told me, and mind you it was a very small part. The much larger part of my brain which seemed to have complete control over my body resumed kissing him.

I had been deprived of this for far too long. I was twenty three, and had had sex a grand total of three times. All more than five years ago. I deserved some fun too didn't I? I didn't care how flawed this logic was, all I knew was I desperately needed Edward.

As I slipped his shirt off, and let my hands roam over his glorious chest, he choked out, "Bedroom. Now!"

Needless to say our clothes were soon lying on the floor…

-

As I lay in Edward's arms later that night, after some fabulous sex, I realized that this is what I had needed all along. Someone to love me and care for me. And now that I had him, I was never going to let him go again.