Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; I just get to take them to the New York World's Fair. While SM owns the Twi universe, the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

EPOV

She slipped out of my hotel room in the wee hours of the morning. I fell back into bed, her presence still noticeable by the sweet smell of her perfume that lingered in the room. While the clock informed me it was nearly four in the morning, I felt awake, my body still charged by her memorable caresses.

In hope of getting some shut-eye before the flight back home later today, I rolled to my side and grabbed the spare pillow, holding it close.

Bella.

I shut my eyes and decided to replay images and moments of my brief history with her. After all, that surely would be more rewarding than counting stupid sheep.

My thoughts drifted back to that first day when I noticed her at Worldport. It was the end of May, and I was checking in at the terminal gate. A hearty laugh took my attention away from the flight log. I looked up and noticed that the laugh was attached to a beautiful stewardess, chatting away with some colleagues at the next gate. While I couldn't hear the specifics of their conversation, she was obviously having great fun. I watched as she brought life to the otherwise mundane airport terminal; her body animated with playful expressions and her smile contagious to those around her. She instantly stood out amongst the sea of blue uniforms.

"Oh, Cullen, caught you stew cruising, huh?" a low voice asked behind me.

I cleared my throat, gathering my paperwork as I turned to discover it was Garrett speaking to me, a fellow pilot on my outbound flight.

"Judging from your determined gaze, I would guess that you were admiring the brunette?" he inquired.

"Perhaps," I replied with a sly smile. "Happen to know her story by any chance?"

"Let's see," he recollected. "Her name's Isabella, Isabella Swan. She was on some of my flights when she started as a stewardess a few months ago. Sweet girl, maybe a bit shy, but aren't they all at first? You know the drill though. In a few months, she'll be just like the others, a vixen on wheels...or shall I say wings?" He laughed, obviously amused with himself.

"Anything else?" I persisted, curious for more information.

"Not really. Well, wait...I know she's not a New Yorker." Garrett paused, a look of realization spread across his face. "Actually, she comes from Washington State like you, some not-so-well-known place...ummm, Knives? Spoons? Damn, I forg-"

"Forks?" I interjected.

"Yeah, that's it," he replied, nodding his head enthusiastically. "I knew it was named after some form of cutlery!"

I grumbled back my response, "Hadn't heard that one before, Garrett."

"Sure. Now back to your girl over there, she's still new enough. You know how it goes, Cullen. She's probably still in the stage where she's deciding if she'll give the cockpit crew all her services." Garrett sure had a talent for being blunt.

"That's nice, but-"

"Seriously, man. You want the skirt, you gotta go for her while she's still fresh and doesn't care that you aren't Captain Cullen." Garrett was never shy when it came to talking about his talent for stalking the new girls, fresh out of their schooling in Miami.

"Thanks, thanks for that," I responded, now eager to end the conversation. I pretended to make myself suddenly very interested in the contents of the flight log.

Garrett seemed to take the clue. "Well, good luck, pal. See you on-board in a bit." He patted my back and then headed off to the jetway tunnel.

As he walked away, I allowed myself one last look. Knowing that she was a hometown girl, from my hometown, made me even more curious about her. She was still gabbing with the other girls, when suddenly she turned towards me and her eyes met mine.

Even though she caught me staring, I took the chance and smiled at her. Surprisingly, she gave me one in return. However, a redhead in her group called for her attention and our moment came to an abrupt end. Taking that as my cue to leave, I turned to follow in Garrett's direction. I found myself shaking my head while walking away; an unfamiliar yearning started to surface.

Now there's a feeling I haven't felt in awhile, or rather, I haven't let myself feel in a while.

Over the next few weeks, I didn't see her at our terminal. My eyes scanned every girl wearing Pan Am wings, hoping she would turn up. I couldn't get her out of my head, and as time passed, it seemed less likely I'd get the chance to see her any time soon.

Then one day, while walking into the entrance of the operations office, I bumped into Alice, a sweet stewardess I had recently made acquaintances with on some previous flights.

"Oh, hello, Officer Cullen! Looks like we'll be on your flight to L.A.," she said cheerfully while walking past me. I held the door for her and the string of girls following from behind. I had to do a double take when I noticed one of the girls in the group was Isabella. Could she be on my flight too?

Sure enough, one quick look at the flight log, and I got the confirmation I needed. As I headed through the terminal, I was surprised to find myself getting nervous.

I waited for my crew-mates to board the flight first, allowing me the opportunity to hopefully have a few moments of alone time with Isabella. When I finally found her in the cabin, her sweet smile put me at ease. Using the small bit of information I had learned from Garrett, I set out to introduce myself to her. She seemed enthused about our Forks connection. While she spoke, I couldn't help but admire her unique beauty. I focused on her warm, brown eyes, her delicate nose, and the fullness of her lips. I was a good boy and kept my eyes focused from the neck up.

Our conversation grew more relaxed, but I nervously laughed when she told me her pop was the long-time Chief of Police back home. I knew I had heard the Swan name before. That fuzz had given me a fair share of tickets back in high school. I mentally reminded myself to not call him names anymore. After all, maybe I would meet the man one day under very different circumstances.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Cullen.

While I very much desired to continue our chat, I realized I needed to report to the flight deck. Before leaving, I expressed my pleasure in meeting her, and she assured me it was okay to address her as "Bella." I wished her a good flight, and while walking away, I found myself calling her "Forks Girl." As soon as it slipped through my lips, I wanted to hit myself. I'd only known the girl for all of ten minutes, and I was already giving her a nickname. Real smooth.

As the next few weeks went by, I was thrilled to see Bella assigned to more of my flights. Each trip offered me another opportunity to get to know her better, which only served to enhance my desire for her. Even though I was rusty in the flirtation department, as evidenced by my calling her "Forks Girl," I tried to drop some subtle hints of my interest in her.

The act of being subtle quickly disappeared when I witnessed that prick in first class treating her like a whore. I felt a protective rage surge from within that remained even after I instilled the fear of God in that man. It was evident that I could no longer hide my feelings for her.

When I found her alone in the cabin, I knew this could be my opportunity to show her how I felt. The emotional build up of the last few weeks finally culminated in that one impulsive moment. As I leaned over the seat to kiss her delicate lips, I could see the look of surprise cross her face. Yet, Bella seemingly matched my emotions, kiss after sweet kiss. As her tongue stroked mine, she set off a fire within me, that while temporarily subdued by the surprise visit of the mechanic, continued to rage over the last two nights.

Sex with Bella was raw, yet gentle. Emotional, but with humor. Most importantly, the feelings we shared were not solely exclusive to what happened in this hotel room.

As we walked along Grant Street yesterday, hand in hand, I felt a rush just being in her presence. I was ecstatic, I felt playful...I became alive. For a girl whom I first noticed due to her great laugh, it should have come as no shock that we could have so much fun together.

During lunch, I humorously watched as she tried to choreograph her chopsticks in hopes of eating her pan fried noodles. Each elusive strand seemed to slip from her grasp. I squinted, trying to hide back tears of laughter, which prompted her to glare at me with fierce determination. She took hold of the chopsticks and stabbed them into the steaming plate of noodles. I thought she might have success, but she flicked her sticks the wrong way and sent a noodle flying, causing it to attach itself to the decorative wall fan behind her. I couldn't hold it in anymore, and I chortled loudly. She lost it too, and our laughter filled the otherwise quiet restaurant. Finally, the kind waitress spared her further pain by presenting her with a fork.

I also thought that I was particularly clever when I handed Bella a Chinese finger trap toy at one of the cheap souvenir shops. She innocently placed her index fingers inside the bamboo cylinder and couldn't release herself. I used the time to place kisses all across her sweet, yet frustrated face. Her eyebrows furrowed when I told her I was not going to help her with the toy. It was a sight watching her chase me with bound fingers all around the store.

Rest assured, she did get me back. Bella had a grand old time asking people on passing trolley cars, "My poor friend here is trying to find the Rice-A-Roni factory. Can you help him out?" People gave me some sorry faces, probably thinking that I was the village idiot. After the third embarrassing time, I practically swept her in my arms and rushed us back to the hotel.

I had a different San Francisco treat in mind. After enjoying dinner in my room, we just might have woken the neighbors again...and again.

Finding myself smiling at the most recent recollection, I looked back at the clock. Half an hour had now passed. While the prospect of sleep might have evaded me, I actually felt rested.

You're back in the game, Cullen.

July 17, 1965

BPOV

For once, I woke up before the annoying ring of the alarm clock. With a goofy smile on my face and a spring in my step, I hopped out of bed and wrapped myself in a light robe.

Stepping out in the hallway, I peeked into Alice and Tanya's room, but found their sickeningly tidy room empty. They were the neat-freaks, constantly making Angela and I feel guilty for our pig sty.

I didn't bother to look in Rose's room as she was away visiting family upstate. She was the only person to have her own bedroom, but it was only fair. After all, her well-to-do parents helped us find a Super who would actually rent to a bunch of girls in our line of work. Supers were notoriously hesitant to rent to stews, fearing we would fly away leaving the rent unpaid or that we would stuff the joint with twenty girls to make ends meet. If it weren't for Rose, we would be crowded into an apartment area over on 65th just like many of our other work pals. Rose helped us avoid the "stew zoo" and have a more enjoyable experience while being based here in New York.

Moving past our hodgepodge living room with a nice museum collection of mismatched furniture, I found Alice and Tanya having breakfast in the kitchen.

"Welcome back, Tanya." I gave her a kiss on her cheek, happy to see that she had returned from her European stint.

"Thanks, sweetie. It's good to be back in Manhattan, not to mention my own bed."

"Because when you are here, you actually spend oh-so-much time in it?" I playfully teased. Tanya was how most people imagine a stewardess: gorgeous, flirty, and promiscuous. She sure did have her share of admirers. Sometimes, it was as if Alice had her own bedroom too.

"Can you fault a single girl for having some fun?" Tanya mumbled while crunching her Quisp.

"No, no, I cannot," I assured her. "Say, any more coffee in the pot?"

Tanya lifted the percolator, shaking it to check if there was anything left inside. "Sure, there should be at least another cup left in here." She kindly poured me a mug and handed it to me.

I took a long sip and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "So where did Pan Am have you this time?" I was already ripe with jealousy without even hearing her list of exotic places.

"I had flights out of Paris, Helsinki, and Rome," she responded with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm in her voice. Both Tanya and Angela had been with the carrier for a few years now, having also met while training in Miami. As they had traveled the globe, putting in many more air hours than the rest of us, it seemed to take more than a foreign destination to get them excited.

"I'm starting to wonder if they'll ever let me work non-domestic," I pouted. "At this point, the closest I might get to some of these countries is at the World's Fair today."

Alice shook her head at me. "As if you have any right to complain, Missy!"

Tanya chimed in. "No, she certainly does not!" Alice gave me a 'told ya so' kind of face.

Tanya continued, "So, before you came out of your room, Alice was filling me in on everything that I missed while I was away." Of course she did! "Officer Cullen, eh? I gotta say I'm impressed, Bella. He's such a looker and sweet as can be. And you know, I don't recall any girl who's been able to gain his interest."

"Oh, Bella gained his interest all right!" Alice beamed. I raised an eyebrow at her, starting to feel a little embarrassed.

"Take it from me, you never forget your first pilot romance. But be careful, they can be the 'love 'em and leave 'em' types too," she warned in a big sister kind of way. She admitted, "Then again, we stews can be like that too."

"Well, it's still all very new. But you probably already know the whole story, care of Alice." I jokingly swatted Alice on the leg as I sat down next to the girls at the dinette table. "Good thing I didn't share everything with you!" I said to Alice in a smug manner.

"Don't worry, Tanya. If she has more juicy stuff to dish, I'll get it out of her. You know me!" she said with confidence.

Pointing to Alice, Tanya advised me. "Be thankful for this one. She is way better at telling other people's tales of romance, and she spares you from having to be the storyteller."

"Such a compliment," Alice grinned. "Oh and Bella, I'll be sure to fill Angela in as well when she gets back from her flight later today. I got you taken care of, baby."

I sighed in acquiescence, assuring myself it wouldn't be too long before one of the other girls started a new romance and attention would shift off of me. I buttered some toast before excusing myself from the table. It was easy to lose track of time with these two, and I needed to prepare for Edward's arrival.

I had hoped the toast would calm my nerves, but the butterflies were having their fun fluttering away in there. It had been four long days since I last saw Edward. After spending time together in San Francisco, I found myself missing his company...his playful jokes...his kisses. However, coupled with the longing to be with him again came feelings of anxiety. I wondered if things would be the same today and had some fears we might have moved a little too fast.

Trying to swallow these uneasy thoughts, I flipped on the radio as music always seemed to soothe my nerves. I peeked out the window and was sad to find the sky overcast. The weather definitely did not match the summery lyrics being sung by The Beach Boys. It looked like this Gidget would have to bring her light coat, leaving me now to ponder what else I should wear today.

Opening the closet door, I fumbled for the light. In stark contrast to Angela's crammed portion of the closet, my meager collection of clothes was pretty easy to peruse. Having to spend much of my initial salary on my stewardess uniform, I didn't have a lot of money saved just yet to put towards my civilian time wardrobe. To the left of my closet rack, hung two new dresses, still with their Penney's tags attached. A couple of months back, the girls had put in a big group order from the catalog, and I decided a couple of new dresses wouldn't force me to live on the streets, or even worse, the "stew zoo."

The new dress I decided on was definitely current; a sleeveless minidress with a dropped waist and high collar. It had a black bodice with the skirt and collar in contrasting white. I decided to match it with white stockings.

While resting the dress across my bed, I heard a light tap at the door. Before I could even say "enter," Alice waltzed in and made herself comfortable on Angela's twin bed.

Her eyes immediately zoned in on my displayed outfit. "Is this what you're wearing? The Mary Quant dress?" she inquired. How in the heck does she know this stuff?

"Yes. Think it'll do?" I asked while digging for the tights in my dresser drawer.

She grabbed Angela's favorite teddy bear and spoke to it. "If that man doesn't find Bella to be cute AND sexy as a button in that outfit, then perhaps Edward is better suited for the priesthood than as a pilot!" I smiled back at her, and Alice made the stuffed animal nod his head in agreement with her. Placing the bear back down, she continued, "He'll be here soon. You must be over the moon right now!"

"I am, but am I allowed to admit that I'm a bit nervous too?" I responded, more as a statement than as a question.

"Why? Because he might try to get past third base with you? Oh wait, you already did that!" she mocked, but in a loving way that I knew was not intentionally mean.

I stuck my tongue out at her as I sat in my chair, starting to roll the tights up my legs. I tried to focus intently on the task at hand in hopes of keeping those conflicting emotions from creeping back to the surface. After a few moments of silence, I spoke again, "I guess I did go about things a bit backwards, didn't I?" If that inner voice that berated me in the hotel for not being a 'nice girl' had a face, it surely would be a smug bug right about now.

Alice stood up from the bed and faced me. "Are you honestly going to tell me you regret having...what did you call it? Oh, yes, and I quote, 'The greatest sex of my life'?" She did a little suggestive action with her hips before heading into my closet.

"Don't get me wrong. Yes, the sex was amazing, but I just hope it doesn't complicate things for us." I bit my bottom lip. "Things will still be copacetic, right?"

"Don't flip your wig over this," Alice called out from inside the closet. She returned with a pair of my black flats and placed them on the floor beside my feet. "Remember, it takes two to tango, honey. Plus you said he wanted something more, right?"

"I know, I know. And, yes, Edward did say that," I agreed. "I guess I will get a better sense of where the two of us stand soon."

"Lighten up, Bella. You didn't do anything wrong. You are a grown, modern woman with needs. Don't turn all nun-like on me!"

Suddenly her eyes grew wide with excitement. "Ooooh, raise the volume on the radio," she commanded. As I turned up the dial, a familiar guitar riff filled the room.

"Hey, at least this song isn't about your circumstance, unlike poor ol' me!" Alice started dancing around the room, singing with a pretend microphone in her hand. She belted out, "I can't get no satisfaction, I can't get no satisfaction...'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try. I can't get no, I can't get no..."

She grabbed my hands and lifted me out of the chair, encouraging me to dance with her. We swayed our hips to the beat, moving our hands up and down in a wild, yet synchronized manner.

"I tell you, Jasper will have some serious competition if I ever get to meet that Mick Jagger!" she exclaimed while doing a dramatic spin. "I want to run my fingers through that hair. Arrr!"

I giggled at seeing The Stones bring out my friend's naughty and lustful side.

Swapping the pretend microphone back and forth, we sang the rest of the song at the top of our lungs, reveling in a completely girlie moment. I loved Alice because she always knew what to do to get me back in a straight mood. Her glass was always half full and, quite frankly, I could stand to learn a thing or two from her.

Just as he promised over the phone last night, Edward rang the door buzzer at exactly half past ten. It was an early start time for a date, but there was a lot to see at the World's Fair and we wanted to make the most of it.

"I'll buzz him up," yelled Tanya from the kitchen. I glanced one final time in the mirror before stepping into the living room.

"Well, aren't you just hot to trot!" Alice teased as she rose from the couch to come closer for inspection. "But, let me fix this sad barrette in your hair. This just won't do!"

"Yes, Mrs. Cope," I teased. She finished fiddling with my hair just as Tanya opened the door for Edward.

Oh, Edward. The sight of him made me go a little weak at the knees.

He took a few steps into our apartment, and I noticed he was holding a pretty bouquet of yellow and white lilies in hand. "Good Morning, ladies," he said, happily nodding to all of us.

Like a glee club, my roommates chimed in unison, "Hi, Officer Cullen." It was obvious they were having some fun with him.

"No need to be so formal," he grinned, slightly embarrassed.

The man was divine, looking so sharp in a gray summer suit, crisp white shirt, and red tie that I could have just about melted into a puddle of goo. Yet, I found the strength to straighten up and step in front of the girls, closing the gap between Edward and I.

"Well, hello there," he said while taking my right hand to plant a soft kiss. Such a simple act, and he instantly had me back on cloud nine.

"Hi," I murmured back, enclosing my hand around his and not wanting to let go. Like our entwined hands, our eyes locked on each other as well.

"Oh, these are for you," he remembered, offering me the beautiful flowers.

I smiled wide as I accepted his kind gift, taking my time to enjoy their sweet fragrance. "Thanks, Edward, they're lovely." I tugged down on his hand, beckoning him to lean in towards me so I could have access to his cheek. He happily complied, and I relished in the opportunity to kiss his smooth face.

This display prompted a chorus of "ahhh's" behind me.

I was grateful that Edward took this as our cue to leave. "Well, I suppose we should head out. I have a cab downstairs waiting for us." He turned to smile and wave goodbye to the girls.

Alice handed me my coat and offered to arrange my flowers in a vase. Edward and I stepped out the door, eager to start our date.

"Hope you two have a gas!" Alice called out; Tanya nodding in agreement behind her. She promptly closed the door, finally leaving us in solitude.

I started to make my way downstairs, when Edward suddenly stopped me by tugging at my shoulder. His eyes briefly met mine before traversing down the full length of my body and back up again. "Stunning, as always," he murmured. "Tell me, Bella, just how am I supposed to enjoy all the sights and wonders of the Fair when all I want to do is get lost in you?"

His words made me blush. He stepped down to be level with me, his body coming closer and gently pressing me up against the wall of the stairwell.

"Ah, there it is. I missed those lit-up cheeks." He emphasized his words by wrapping his right arm around the curve of my back and using his other hand to brush my cheek with the backside of his fingers. Like slow motion, he crept closer, finally allowing his lips to meet mine. As they touched, I allowed myself to erupt with all the passion I had been holding in for the past few days. Our lips soon parted, permitting our tongues to slide together in feverish passion. Just as I heard a moan escape from my lips, he pulled away.

"C'mon, the cabbie is waiting," he whispered before planting one last kiss on my forehead. Edward stepped down, pulling me with him as we made our way onto the street.

Edward held the taxi door for me, and I slid into the back seat with him following suit. We held hands while making polite chit-chat with the taxi driver. All butterflies I had felt earlier had subsided, replaced now with excitement. I was finally going to the Fair, and Edward was my escort. Could a girl get any luckier? I think not.

As we made our way through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and zipped along the expressway, I could make out the three Jetsons-like observation towers in the distance, signaling we were finally approaching Flushing Meadows park. After navigating through some tricky traffic outside the fairgrounds, our cab driver dropped us off right at the main entrance.

Edward paid the five dollar fare, while I stepped out of the cab and into a sea of movement, color, and noise. I was in awe, lost in all the excitement and only became grounded again when Edward reached for my hand to guide us to the ticket booth.

With our tickets in hand, we made it past the entrance gate. Having never been to something so grand, I was mesmerized by the bustling crowds and uniquely shaped buildings stretching far as the eyes could see. "Edward, this is just out of sight!" I shrieked, doing a 360 degree turn to soak it all in.

"I know and to think I also get to spend the day with you," he beamed while handing me the Fair map. "You're in charge, Bella. It's all about you today, so you lead."

Following the direction of the crowd, we headed down a long and expansive walkway; flagpoles representing the nations of the world framed both sides. Edward pulled out a camera and asked a nice family to take our picture. He pulled me close, and I didn't need the stranger to ask me to say "cheese" as there was already a genuine smile on my face.

As Edward reclaimed the camera back from the kind man, I took a good look at the map and tried to identify our current location. It was no easy task being that the park was 646 acres, as touted in large letters across the guide. Having had a meager breakfast, I could feel a familiar pang in my stomach.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Edward.

"I'm a guy. You think I will ever turn down food?" He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, placing his head over my shoulder to look at the map.

"Well, I remember reading in the New York Times that there is a Belgian Village at the Fair." I paused, scanning the map intently. "Oh, here it is, Edward!" I pointed excitedly. "They have these special waffles...Belgian waffles... that are supposed to be all the rage. Can we try them?"

"Would I be one to waffle about waffles?" he laughed, giving me a little kiss on the curve of my neck. I shook my head, gathered his hand in mine, and navigated us through the fairgrounds.

We finally found ourselves in front of an adorable little mock-up of a Flemish village alive with gray stone buildings meant to look like homes and a Church. Cobblestone roads weaved through shops and restaurants. The town square held a beautiful carousel, filled with smiling children riding gorgeous wood-carved horses. We let our noses lead us straight to the little café where we could see the cooks behind the counter filling big waffle irons with batter. The sweet smell was intoxicating, and my stomach told me it was in complete agreement with my choice.

The waffles were expensive at a buck each, but looked worth every cent. We walked over to a park bench and admired our sinful treats. While similar to the standard waffle, they were much larger with deep pockets that held mountains of whipped cream and strawberries. Pushing the wax paper aside, Edward took a substantial bite of the waffle. He smiled enthusiastically and his eyes grew wide, showing me he found it to be delicious.

"Edward, do you want my strawberries? I'm not that fond of them." With a puzzled look, he nodded. As I went to pop one in his mouth, I noticed I had accidentally got whipped cream on his nose, causing me to chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?" he muttered while chewing on the strawberry.

I nudged closer to him on the bench. "I got some whipped cream on you, but I can take care of it." I first kissed him on the lips, trying to get some of the cream on my nose as well, before finally kissing it entirely clean.

"Looks like you now have the same dilemma," he teased, catching on to my silly game. He kissed me back in return, his kisses sweet from the taste of the Belgian waffle. After a few delicious kisses, we eventually turned our attention back to eating. Just for the record, those waffles were indeed heavenly.

Knowing that we couldn't see everything in just one day, we did our best to tour some of the major pavilions and gardens. Over the next few hours, we got to ride in a Ford Mustang, view La Pieta by Michelangelo, and I called Alice on a real touch tone telephone. The sun decided to finally come out, and Edward and I took a photograph locked in each other's arms in front of the amazing steel Unisphere . I was simply in awe of all these sights, never once forgetting that I had the most gorgeous guy holding my hand the entire way.

After all that walking, we were most thankful to rest our tired feet in an air conditioned theater while watching the short film, "From Here to There." Following the presentation, we stepped into the lobby of the United Airlines Transportation and Travel Pavilion. I excused myself to go to the ladies' room, leaving Edward alone to peruse the travel related exhibits. Upon exiting the lavatory, I did not rejoin Edward right away, for I found a neat display on the history of stewardesses.

I was admiring some of the early hostess uniforms, when suddenly I heard a low voice bellow, "Edward "Speedy" Cullen!" The voice came from a man in his mid 30's who appeared to work in the pavilion.

Edward turned towards him, a surprised smile flashing across his face.

"Well, I'd be a son of a gun if I didn't recognize you! How in the hell are you, Cullen?" The man walked past me and towards Edward.

"Good to see you, Brady. It's been too long." The men eagerly shook hands. "You working for United, I see?" Edward casually pointed to the man's name badge.

"Yes, after I left you guys behind in the Air Force, I joined them and have been flying their jetliners. I also get to represent United for a little bonus pay here at the pavilion during my spare time. How about you?"

"I have been with Pan American for about a year now." Edward continued to fill the man in on his career. I quietly walked up from behind to join him at his side, and he snaked his arm around my back to pull me closer.

"Oh, don't tell me..." Brady turned to look at me. With a sly smile, he continued, "You must be Victoria! Edward talked about you constantly, and you are even more beautiful than he promised."

A/N: Yes, I've ended this chapter with a little cliffie. I just broke my cliffie virginity, but I promise the date will continue. Rest assured, we are not done with the Fair. Similar to the last chapter, I have included some links to images on my profile page that served as inspiration when writing this chapter. I was not alive when the Fair happened in 1964-65, so it was a lot of fun trying to imagine how it would be to explore the fairgrounds. I recently flew out of LaGuardia, and I smiled looking at the decaying towers and still magnificent Unisphere, thinking about Pilotward and Stewbella touring around.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed my initial o/s, giving me the encouragement to continue with this story. Your kind words meant a lot! I also am indebted to my wonderful beta/sultana, siouxchef. Smooches for your friendship, your time, and your critical eye. My gratitude also extends to manyafandom, mskathy, hopeful wager, and Sue who runs the "So You Think You Can Write" blog. She interviewed me about my original o/s, so if you are curious why I picked this era and airline culture, go check it out. The link is in my profile page.

If you review this chapter, I will provide you with a little teaser for what is to come. I respond to all reviews and would love to hear from you. You might even get an extra packet of honey-roasted peanuts on your seat tray.

xoxo, FLC