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.

From there Alice sat back down and asked several questions as to what Bella had in mind and made notes as the ideas were revealed. After about another hour Edward took charge and told his sister to leave as both he and Bella still had to have time to get over jetlag.

Laughingly she replied, "Yeah, okay, I can take a hint, brother dearest."

XXXXXXX

"You got the email about the shooting schedule?" Irina asked Jacob.

"Got it and trying to make plans for interfering with the schedule a bit more. Any suggestions?"

"Oh, I do have a few."

CHAPTER 22: HAPPINESS ISN'T JUST A WORD

Edward was anxious about how to handle things once Alice did finally leave; she was taking her own sweet time about getting out, and as much as he loved his sister, he wished she would get the hell gone. His nerves were stretched tight enough to snap if any more pressure was added. The greatest concern he had was should he pick up where he and Bella had left off when Alice interrupted, or, should he try talking to her to find out about her decisions of the night before and just of couple hours earlier? This had to be one of those times where you don't make any snap decisions as the unforeseen could be made of things that got you deeper in trouble than leading to blissful resolutions.

But, he received a surprise the moment Alice was out the door and they were sure she was really leaving; Bella swung around very quickly, not realizing how close Edward was standing, to almost bump into him in a way that would have toppled both of them. She began laughing and it didn't take long for Edward to join in. Getting up first and then helping Bella up off of the floor, he apologized for Alice's sudden appearance and then for being too close which contributed to them both landing on the floor.

"No need to apologize since it wasn't anyone's fault as it just happened." Bella reassured him as she was moving back towards the kitchen, stopped to look back at him over her shoulder and then continued on her path to her destination. But, once she was at the doorway she paused, looked up at Edward once more as if to make sure he would follow and uttered, "Edward, we need to talk." Saying nothing else she moved on into the kitchen and began making a fresh pot of coffee while waiting to see what Edward was going to do. To see if he would join her in the kitchen for the discussion she indicated that she wanted to have, or, if he chose not to participate in having anything else to do with it.

"Okay, love, what is it you want to discuss, or, talk about?" Was his simple indicator that he was interested in what she might have to say.

"I want to try and explain my actions of just a few hours ago and to lay out in front of you why I'm making certain decisions in regards to myself and our relationship. In other words, I want to come to an agreement with you concerning our marriage and where we're going to take it with all of the in-between covered as well." After saying that she was quiet for a brief moment as her nerves were screaming at her which was a testament as to how scared she was about Edward's reaction to what she was about to tell him.

However, looking over at Edward she saw nothing, but, quiet patience and caring tenderness being reflected in his face and eyes; he was allowing her to move forwards at her pace and to take the lead at this point. So, with a big indrawn breath she continued, "I've been considering this marriage of ours from several different angles and have come to some decisions that I am hoping you might be in agreement; at least, your actions seem to suggest to me that you might be."

Pausing again for a heartbeat or two and seeming to hesitate before saying anything else, Edward asked, "What decisions did you reach? The main one I hope is to continue our marriage in the manner that we have participated in the last couple of days." He told her with a gentle smile of encouragement and a waggled of his eyebrows.

Bella chuckled softly as she watched him and felt a deep pull towards him as she as felt since meeting him; a pull that tells her she has found home and that he is the one person that can give her all that she has missed emotionally. The one person that was meant to be her other half; the problem is that Bella isn't totally comfortable with the emotional side of her feelings towards Edward, but, recognizes the logic of what her brain is telling her in regards their marriage arrangements continuing.

"Edward, I do want our current arrangement to continue, but, I don't completely understand why. I do understand all of the advantages as my mental state lists; you know such things as finding an honest relationship with someone because of our financial status, someone that can be comfortable with the work involved with our chosen careers like the hours involved, the travel necessary and the circumstances, at times, with the times that we have to spend with others that could cause the sense of threat to the relationship. We match in those areas and are able to accept those circumstances from each other.

"But, though, I do feel something emotional for you, it isn't something that I'm comfortable discussing at this point until I have developed a better understand of what I'm feeling and why I'm feeling it. I need time to become comfortable with that area of our arrangement.

"However, we are friends and that seems to have developed into a comfortably accepted state that could be termed 'friends with benefits'. We are attracted to one another in that area and I do find completeness with coupling with you that I've never found with anyone else." With all of that stated, Bella looked away from Edward, too afraid to see how he would react to what she had just revealed. As she had been speaking she had watched him for any reaction, but, saw none reflected except that he was sitting and quietly listening to what she had to say without interruption; however, now she couldn't look as she wasn't sure what she could handle if he had a look of disgust upon his face or reflecting in his eyes. She was a bit worried that he wouldn't be too accepting of her reasoning of why she wished to continue with their marriage. Maybe he had a different agenda and just wanted their marriage to continue for a certain period of time. Only Edward would be able to tell her what he wanted or needed.

Edward sat quietly still after Bella had finished speaking not quite sure how to process that entire she had told him as to why she wanted to continue their marriage. True he wanted it to continue and had been racking his brain to try and find the right words that would convince her to do so, but, he wasn't prepared for her honest confession; she admitted to feeling an emotional drawn towards him, and that was good, then admitted a more sterile reason for continuing with the marriage. Oh, hell, I'll take whatever I can get for now and it gives me a direction to begin working to change things to where she'll feel love and commitment to the same depth and strength that I do.

After all of those thoughts ran through his mind he rose, paused a second and then walked around to reach a hand down towards Bella. She looked at his hand, then up at his face to try and read what his mindset might be, but, the actor was firmly in place that she wasn't able to read more than that he was waiting for her to take his hand and rise. Finally, accepting his hand, she rose to stand in front of him while still waiting for him to say something; anything would be welcomed at the moment to relieve the slow mounting tension she was starting to feel throughout her whole body as the silence stretches to nearly beyond a breaking point.

With Bella standing directly in front of him and looking up at him with nothing showing on her face, no concerns, worries or any other emotion, but, looking into her eyes Edward was able to see all that her face was trying to hide. He smiles while pulling her in close and whispers quietly, gently with a great deal of tenderness, "At this point, I'll take what I can get and we'll work together to achieve the rest." Then he leans down to place a small kiss upon the lips that have a slight tremble, but, once his lips reaches hers the feelings inside explode and he suddenly deepens the kiss while bending to pick her up with one arm behind her back and the other wrapped around her knees while moving to sit back down in the chair he had vacated earlier with her resting in his lap. Neither breaks the kiss, but, can't seem to get enough or close enough to each other. That tells Edward more than Bella realizes that she hasn't realized how deeply her feelings for him has gone, but, he knows how to work with such material and will be patient for her to come to the full knowledge of what her emotions are trying to tell her.

As hands, more than thoughts, began moving towards other areas Edward broke off the kiss; bending his head forward he rested his forehead against hers while each of them were trying to get control of themselves and their breathing. Edward knew that it didn't take much to get his emotions and other parts of his body aroused enough to rise to the occasion when he was with Bella, but, he was quickly learning that the same seemed to hold true with Bella where he was concerned and this brought him great happiness. It gave him realization that their marriage would come to mean as much to her as it did to him.

Finally, things more under control Edward pulled back away from Bella while still holding her on his lap with an arm around her waist to help keep her stable, he began expressing his opinion of all she had told him. "I understand your reasoning to continue our marriage and to explore the physical side of things between us, but, I want something from you. I'm not going to object on bit your grounds to continue this marriage, but, I do want you to be totally open to allowing our feelings to develop more deeply for each other.

"Bella, I don't want a shallow marriage that is just a convenience for both of us; I want a true marriage with everything that comes with that package. I want the happiness of the give and take, the anger that will arise as we will disagree that will lead to the coming together again as we compromise and the children that will arrive that will reflect the deep abiding affection, love, we hold for one another.

"It is what I want you to promise me that you won't try to prevent yourself for developing these feelings and emotions as we do continue our marriage."

Not another sound was heard in the room except for the quiet breathing of the couple sitting in there. Edward watched Bella closely as she thought about and weighed all that he had said. The silence between them stretched to such a nerve racking tension that Edward was about ready to start pulling on his hair and with the strength that was building due to his nervousness he would likely be pulling clumps of his locks out without realizing that he was doing it.

When he was at a point that he couldn't take any more and was opening his mouth to speak Bella looked him straight in the eyes and uttered the words "I accept your conditions" that stopped his breath altogether due to the shock. Once his stunned state began to allow his brain to process her words a huge, sunshine blinding smile lit up his eyes as it appeared on his face. He gave a shout for joy, grabbed her securely as he jumped up from his chair to begin spinning her around without thought as he was so overcome with happiness that he had the chance he wanted to have her securely in his life forever and a day.

A/N: Well, Edward and Bella were able to have a meeting of the minds as to their wants and desires for the future. How well will others take such news? What is Jacob and Irina up to that will cause more problems for the show?

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.