TEAM FOREVER

Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

My stories are being beta'd by dowlingnana and she is doing an awesome job. Thanks so much.

By the time they did get to the hotel it was nearly five in the morning. It didn't take long to get checked in, escorted to their room after fighting their way once again through the paparazzi that seemed to have followed them all the way from the airport. Hotel security had handled the situation and got them safely inside.

Once the door closed behind them both Edward and Bella were feeling the need for much needed rest. Both felt that it had been a good idea to take the rest they had in Paris before the showing there yesterday.

"Love, I don't know about you, but, I don't give a damn about getting anything unpacked. Don't even have the energy to change clothes. Just going to take off my shirt and pants and head for the bed."

"Go ahead, I'm right behind you and I'm not even going to ask you to sleep somewhere else at this moment. I'm too tired like you. Just get to one side of the bed because the other one is mine."

CHAPTER 16: GAINING GROUND WITHOUT TRYING

Edward just chuckled at her statement as he walked to the far side of the bed and began removing his clothing except for his boxer briefs. Reaching out for the covers he quickly jerked them downwards as he was getting underneath and then pulling them back up towards his chin. Glancing over he saw Bella following with the same actions. Once she settled he turned to face her and reached out to pull her closer at the same time. At least, he would be able to hold her close since he couldn't do anything else at the moment; that is if he had the desire, but, his body was too damn tired to even rise to the occasion no matter however much he might want it to do so.

Bella offered no objections as she was getting comfortable and beginning to drift off to sleep.

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Irina was getting annoyed about the fact that Jacob Black seemed to have tossed her to the side. He needed to be made to realize that he still needed her help so they each would be able to gain the goal they desired: him that brown haired mousey bitch and her the golden gateway in Hollywood. Neither of them could or would be able to do it alone or that would already have taken place.

He was totally pissed at the moment after reading the newspapers and magazines reporting the newlyweds taking a working honeymoon. Irina didn't understand why Edward was putting up with such shit. "A working honeymoon, indeed." She mouthed from time to time just as Jacob was doing, but, his mutters were of a more violent nature in his threats of what he would like to do to Edward and how he would like to teach that bitch about who was her better.

Irina enjoyed the fact that Jacob was a little kinky at times and border lined on the BDSM areas. Every so often he would put a toe across the line, but, that was it. She enjoyed the sexual flavor he brought to the bedroom in those areas; as she was often into kink herself. But, the things he was talking about doing to the bitch to bring her in line was total extreme BDSM; something that Irina wanted nothing of.

She didn't stop to think that by being associated with Jacob, that he had such a public standing, that he was considered to have a great deal of influence in many of the upper elite circles of society; never considering him as a marriage partner and someone that was capable of satisfying her appetite of life. All she wanted was the benefits that came from being the wife of Edward Masen, Hollywood's heartthrob, and a Cullen to which she would have access to unlimited money while many presently closed doors to her would be thrown open overnight. No one would dare to deny her anything and would treat her with the respect that she felt was her due.

Jacob had gotten himself into a bind by obligating himself to a lot of undesirable groups in his position as a D. C. activist for the Native American. The hole he dug was due to the large amounts of money that had been thrown his way to act on behalf of certain interest groups that were more against certain areas of the Native American profiting, or not depending on what they themselves could use to their advantage. Now, he was owned by them and some were demanding certain favors be returned or their money refunded. He didn't have the money as it was spent almost as fast as he had received it to keep up appearances in public and to help maintain his lifestyle in private.

Isabella Swan had the money, the looks and the steady flow of income to help get him out of his troubles and to open even more doors for him to further his career. She was his key to an unlimited array of choices for himself and he would keep her on a short leash with her mouth shut. No one would deny him anything.

The Swan family, although, financially secure, wasn't of the Cullen listing in the social registrar, but, Bella had achieved even more due to her genius and talent. There weren't any doors closed to her and she was well received in all areas and walks of life; many of those areas that remained closed to him on some levels due to his questionable past as a youth.

The habit of gambling that he had picked up as a kid was still with him and his losses were eating his ass up. People from every angle wanting their money or results for what they had paid out for, but he hadn't been able to bring about some of the results that would benefit those of that group. He had spoken to the right lobbyists and they in turn had spoken with the ones of influence to try to bring satisfaction to those that Jacob worked for and many of these were of the affluent class, not completely on the right side of the legal individuals.

Both Jacob and Irina were busy at times, together and individually, plotting on how to separate and gain their goals to obtain and hold on to their targets. But, so far, nothing seemed to be workable in Jacob's mind. It was too chancy to do what they had thought of so far.

And, Jacob was beginning to regret joining forces with Irina since she was always so demanding about everything; her sexual appetite was a bit extreme, in his opinion, at times, her demands of his time as an escort to different affairs and then he feels that she is dead weight when doing the show. But, at least, she does have her uses when he wants to avail himself of them and to be able to use her as an ally, annoying as she maybe, he was willing to overlook certain things to achieve his end goal.

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"We have been discussing what further actions we could ask you to do to continue the destructive tactics of the show and at this point feel that what you are doing can continue as it is. So far there have been little to no injuries, only a slowdown of time to get the project done and ready for on time showing. But, we do have plans that we will discuss for the actual showing of the finale."

"Thank you, ma'am." He said as he reached out to reach payment for the latest actions he had taken on his employers' behalf.

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"Okay, do we have the trap set to catch the person or persons that is doing the damage to the sets and challenges?" asked Harvey Morris, the director of Team Challenge of the one person he trusted more than any other, Joyce Martin, the one who comes up with the challenge ideas and coordinator for the equipment that is needed. She oversees the erection of each set along with the set designer, George Western.

"We are ready." She answers while looking at each person present; Masterson Production higher ups and the director. "Hopefully, this will put a stop to any destruction that might be planned for this challenge."

"I do want to make it very clear that we can't afford for anything to happen to our contestants. Each of these individuals is high profile and it would create really bad press and bring a lot of shit aimed at us in lawsuits by them or their families. Make sure that our guests are protected at all times." And with that said the meeting was adjourned.

Harvey, Joyce and George returned to the sound stage where the last challenge had been finished. They all wanted to go over the next challenge and make sure all aspects of it were handled and ready for assembling when time was ready.

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Eight hours later Bella begins to slowly awaken with a need to stretch what muscles have tightened up during her sleep due to a lack of use. And as she starts to roll over onto her back she encounters an immovable object. Reaching back with her hand under the covers she feels something soft, but, solid; that is when memory comes rushing back and she realizes that she is sharing a bed with Edward.

As she tries to move ever so slowly, but, gently out of his reach towards the end of the bed he reaches out to pull her back against him while retaining his hold. Once he has her close he bends his head down to begin nuzzling her ear and neck; never saying a word. His breathing is soft and regular while it whispers across her skin and all indications are that he is still sound asleep, although, he is very softly mumbling in his sleep.

But, having a great need to go to the bathroom, Bella again starts the procedure to extract herself from his hold and this time she is successful. While taking care of the necessary business she makes the decision to let Edward sleep while she gets ready and heads to the gallery to check things over and then return. That way they can have some quiet time together before having to catch their flight home.

Waking up snuggled next to Edward and the way he was reaching out to pull her back, as well as the few whisperings she had from him, was giving her food for thought; a lot of food for thought. She wasn't ready to fully admit it as yet, and not fully to herself, but, she was beginning to like being with Edward. His concern for her and her feelings, the fact that he seemed to be aware of her presence even when he didn't know she was in the same room or close by, along with the fact that his humor, caring kindness and gentleness towards his family, friends and her gave her a feeling of completeness that she had never experienced before or with anyone else. There wasn't any words she could think of that fully explained accurately her feelings that had quietly began to develop for Edward.

This marriage thing at the moment didn't seem to be as bad as she had imagined it would be, but, she still was going to be cautious while enjoying the benefits. And, there was one benefit that came with all marriages that she hadn't allowed herself to enjoy just yet, but, had made the decision that she was going to. That was when her thoughts turned to imagining what kind of lover Edward would be.

And, as her mind wandered in that direction a picture suddenly popped into her mind's eye of doing a painting of Edward, a collage, really, of him in different poses, doing different things, but, the center piece being of him unclothed and looking sexy, ready to make love to the object of his desire; her.

Oh, Bella was starting to want to explore more of this marriage business. It had surprised the hell out of her when he had proposed the idea to her as a means to dealing with the unwanted attentions of Jacob towards her and Irina toward him. It had great merit and was looking as if it would have even greater benefits. The whole thing was worth considering.

At that point she realized the taxi had stopped outside of the gallery. She requested that he return within an hour as she was paying the fare and then went inside to conduct her business as quickly as possible since she would like to return to the hotel before Edward woke up. Certain plans were starting to form in her mind of how to spend the time before they headed home tonight.

A/N: What ideas doing you think Bella is forming? She does seem to be considering the pros and cons of staying married. How will Edward react to her plans?

Your reviews are always welcomed and I will be updating this story every two to three weeks due to the number of open stories I have going at the present time.