Chapter 4: Picnic
A/N: This is a story inspired by the many (wonderful) stories about Bella being torn between Edward and Jacob, as well as some others. Please remember that this is listed as humor/romance, and everything is meant in good fun!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created.
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As usual, I woke up Sunday morning in Edward's cold arms. Unusually, though, I wasn't awoken by his melodic voice, but rather by the warm tongue of a dog licking my cheek. I opened my eyes and sat up quickly, momentarily confused. "Hunh?"
Edward smiled at me indulgently. "Don't you remember, you have a dog now!" he laughed.
"Oh, yes, of course! My two new pets - the dog and the creature who eats blood. Yippee!" I laughed too.
Edward really did walk the dog around the house while I ate some breakfast. It really is handy sometimes to have a boyfriend who doesn't eat! I put up the dishes and packed a couple sandwiches and a Coke into a backpack. I added the extendable leash, fetching toys, and some dog treats, and was ready to go when Edward walked back in the house.
"What are you all packed up for?" he looked at my backpack oddly.
"I don't have anything to do today, I thought we could go to our meadow and have a picnic and play with Mystic!"
"You made a rhyme!" the crooked grin reappeared on his face.
"I do it all the time." I smirked back at him.
"No more, please! OK, we'll go. But no dog hair in my Volvo - we have to take your truck, I think." Edward looked down at the shedding machine, and over at the sofa, which already had dog hair on it.
"Charlie told me he was working today - I'll leave him a note." I grabbed a piece of paper and was writing a note to leave on the table when the phone rang. I picked it up, "Hello?"
"Hey Bella!" came Jacob's voice.
"Hi Jake!" I smiled. Edward frowned, but when I poked him, he tried to find a more neutral expression.
"You busy today?"
"Kinda. I was planning to go for a picnic with Edward and Mystic." I paused. "I shouldn't have to warn you to be polite, right?"
"Of course not! I just thought that Mystic might want to go for a run in the woods." He laughed, "Since that's not really something you do so much."
"Ha, ha, ha Jacob. You're so funny. Well, I'm going on my picnic. Call me on my cell and maybe we can meet up so you can go on that run."
"Sounds good. I've been reading up on how to feed Stripes. The ... uh ... Emmett chose well, I approve."
"Bye Jake." I put the phone down, and offered my arm to Edward. "Are we ready, fair prince?"
He bowed. "Yes, milady. Your carriage awaits."
With that we walked out to my truck, but I gave him the keys so I could keep a hand on Mystic. She liked him enough not to bark at him, but I figured it was better if I had a hold on her. She surprised me, though, by sitting on my lap so she could put her head on his thigh, clearly very comfortable touching both of us.
I smiled, "I feel like we're a family now! Look at our sweet baby!"
"She is sweet. I like cuddling with both of you, you keep me warm," he replied.
"Never thought I'd hear you say you liked a dog," I grinned, laughing.
"Well, at least it's not a chihuahua!" Edward's crooked smile warmed my heart.
When we got to the end of the road, we all bundled out of my truck. Edward held on to Mystic's leash while I grabbed the picnic backpack. "I think I should still carry you, Bella, because Mystic can run faster than you. I'll go slower than usual, so it will take a little while longer because we don't want to leave her behind."
"Sounds smart. I don't want to end up breaking my ankle tripping over a tree root! That would make walking the dog harder. I'd end up having to take care of Stripes instead." I shuddered.
"Wait, you don't like the bloodsucking pet?" He looked hurt.
"No, no, no - I like him just fine. I just don't want to feed him! I don't want to watch you feed either, but I still love you!" I was a little anxious - was he seriously hurt? I pulled on my backpack, and made sure my hair was pulled back before the run.
"I know, love, I know. I was just teasing." Edward smiled at me, then leaned down and kissed me. I pulled him close, enjoying his cold lips on mine and the feel of his silky bronze hair in my fingers. Too soon he pulled away, a look of regret on his face. "We should get going, Mystic is starting to look impatient!"
"OK" I replied, because he was right - Mystic was practically bouncing up and down. Edward pulled me up onto his back as if I were weightless, and then took hold of Mystic's leash.
I am sure I will never get used to the feeling of running with Edward - watching the trees speed past us and the feeling of the wind on my face. Even though we were moving slower than he usually did, it was still much faster than I could run. I had read that Australian Cattle Dogs are very sturdy, work-oriented dogs, and Mystic was proving that right, keeping stride with Edward as we ran the two miles to our meadow.
Edward put me down when we reached the edge of the meadow, and then he took my backpack to lay out a blanket. Mystic instantly went to lie down on it, and I joined her. Edward scootched in with us so I could use his arm as a firm pillow. It was lovely to just lie on the blanket quietly looking at the clouds, with one cool body and one warm body beside me. It felt so right to have both sensations. I snuggled closer to Edward, and he leaned down to kiss me. It was a gentle, loving kiss of contentment. I leaned back again, watching the clouds float above us.
We sat peacefully for a while until my stomach grumbled, which made me blush and Edward laugh. "Time to feed the human!" I joked.
Edward grabbed my backpack and laid out the picnic for me. I was leaning against him, with Mystic snuggled between us, and I started on a sandwich. I had only taken a couple bites when I saw a familiar russet wolf coming out of the forest and into the meadow. Mystic jumped up and ran over to Jacob-the-werewolf, but she sniffed him curiously - she knew his scent, but his shape was different.
"Hi .. Jacob" Edward said, in a tone of strained politeness.
Jacob's head nodded at us.
"Hey Jake. You here to take Mystic for a run?" I asked. He nodded again, and I unclipped Mystic's leash. Jake came over and "kissed" my cheek, then nudged Mystic to take her out into the forest.
I sat with Edward, talking, kissing, and enjoying the peace of the meadow. I kept teasing him about walking the dog, but he took it in stride. After about an hour, I stood up and stretched - my body was starting to ache after being in the same position for so long.
"Lets walk down to the creek! The sun has finally warmed up the day a bit - I want to splash my feet," I announced. I kicked off my shoes to feel the grass on my feet, then held out a hand to Edward, as if to help him up.
Edward grinned and jumped to his feet and took my hand, kissed it, and then started walking with me down to the creek. "We shall do whatever my lady wishes," he said with a bit of a smirk.
I sat down on one of the rocks on the edge of the creek and dangled my feet. Edward stood in the creek, his cold body unconcerned with the chilly spring water. "Splash fight! I'm going to get you!" I shouted, and kicked water at him.
"You didn't give me any warning! That's not fair!" Edward smiled his crooked grin at me, and splashed gently with his feet.
"C'mon vampire boy, don't you know how to splash fight?" I teased, kicking my feet harder in the chilly water.
"Hmmm... methinks you are winning - I'm looking soaked, and you only have a couple drips on you ... " Edward paused, and then splashed a big splash at me, soaking my white t-shirt.
I gasped from shock and cold. "Hey, talk about unfair!" I jumped off the rock onto the slippery, cold bed of the creek. I scooped water into my hands and splashed it all over his bronze hair, until it was dripping in his face.
We kept splashing each other, grinning, until we saw Jake and Mystic coming over. Mystic bounded into the creek and started splashing everyone. Jake loitered on the side of the creek until I splashed him. Then he joined in. It's possible that Jake and Edward were splashing each other more than they were splashing me, but it felt like we were all having fun.
You know the expression, "It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt"? That should have been my horoscope for that Sunday. I was reaching down to gather more water for splashing when I lost my footing. My feet had gotten cold and clumsier in the chilly creek, but since the boys were impervious to the cold and I was having fun, it wasn't something we were worried about.
I slipped, falling and hitting my head, legs, arms, and ribs against the hard, sharp rocks in the creek. I saw Edward's face and Jacob's face looking down at me, their mouths moving without sound, and then everything was dark.
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A/N: OK, so this part has a bit of suspense, not just humor/romance. There's more humor coming, I promise. I just have to get through the next bit. Please review! It makes me feel so happy. Then I know I'm not just writing for myself!