*Disclaimer - Sadly, I own nothing of Twilight with the exception of merchandise, bought and paid for. I do, however, own my love for borrowing the characters and playing with them however I choose to. I thank Stephenie Meyer for creating the TwiWorld and for allowing us to have our fun with it. She owns Twilight, the insanity it created in my mind is my own.

sshg316 is my beta-reader, and she's simply wonderful. *squishes*

Whatever Works

Contract Fulfilled

What little sleep Edward and I got, occurred at the worst time – just before dawn. Waking in a panic, we took quick turns in the bathroom and rushed down the stairs to see Alice and Jasper off. The only thing worse than greeting a guy's family in the early morning wearing yesterday's clothes is greeting them wearing the guy's clothes from yesterday. I noticed my error the moment I saw Alice's chipper smile drop, staring at me.

"Very nice, Edward!" she hissed. Jasper leaned in to whisper to her, and she turned away from us. Edward placed his hand on the small of my back and urged me down the rest of the stairs towards them. Esme smiled at me sympathetically. I wanted to lie out on the marble floor and have her back up over me in her chair, drive forward, and then back up again for good measure.

Edward went to his little sister and scooped her up, playing around so she'd lose her foul mood. He was effective. Jasper came and embraced me, telling me how wonderful it was to get to know me and we'd see each other soon. I owned his ass at Boggle, and he wanted a rematch. Alice politely hugged me and thanked me for taking such good care of her mother. No mention of a future. Edward didn't notice because he was off to the side with Jasper. They were laughing together and it carried up into their eyes – their wounds were mending. I could see the closeness they'd once had in their easy exchanges now. It felt good to see them this way. The faces of the other two women with me told me they felt the same. This visit wasn't a total wreck – Edward and Jasper got each other back, Alice got her London house, and Esme got to see her children work through a lot of touchy subjects. Her children hugged fiercely one more time when Emmett came down to take them to the airport. Even with their disagreements, they loved each other, as always.

Esme was in a morose mood, understandably. She didn't know when she'd see her daughter again, and Edward left for the set soon after their departure. I resolved to spend as much time with her as possible, getting back to our early days together of puzzles and knitting and chats. This… thing… with Edward hadn't gotten completely out of control, and I needed to focus on my job… on Esme. She was more than a job; she was a friend with a warm, though broken heart.

Opting to skip our morning workout in the gym made her chirpier, and she was smiling when I emptied the pieces of a new puzzle Alice had left for her on the table. It was a New York skyline design – 10,000 pieces – should be good for the week. Emmett returned from the airport and joined us. His easy way of conversing and drawing out a laugh was so welcome. He even convinced Esme to have some pool therapy so we could have a quiet, relaxed evening once Edward got home.

He didn't get home – not in time to have an evening with us anyway. They were on the last days of the shoot and had several scenes to work on. He would be working 16-18 hour days until it was done. He did sneak into my room very late one night and stole a few kisses. He was very shy about it. And quiet. I missed talking to him. I missed his laugh. I missed his hands, and his lips, and the way they twitched when he was trying to supress an emotion. I missed his twinkling eyes when he was full of himself or feeling naughty. I missed his arm around me at night, and his scent that I was used to waking up with in the mornings. I missed him telling me I was pretty, because the only other time anyone had said that to me was Dad, after my graduation while he was still in the hospital.

Emmett didn't stay with him all day on set. He would come home and hang out with us. Esme went for a short nap one afternoon, so we gave our fingers a rest from the tiny puzzle pieces and kicked back for a chat instead.

"You've been around a lot this week," I commented. "Sick of Edward?"

"He's not nearly as much trouble as he used to be. It's just not fun anymore." Emmett smirked and rolled his eyes. "Seriously, I'm weaning. I'm gonna miss being with that dude all day, every day. And he's gotta learn how to wipe his own ass, y'know?"

I chuckled along with him over his remark, but I didn't get the weaning bit. "Are you leaving him?"

His face showed mixed emotions. "Not leaving so much as moving on? You know he's done working for a while right? After this, I mean. He's got a few things here and there, but nothing steady once he gets the last of Diamonds and Spades out of the way. And he's got Jake and Sam."

"My god, Emmett… he'll miss you! I'll miss you! Jake and Sam are great, but they're not… you!" I was completely taken aback. He was serious about leaving.

"Thanks, dollface." He wrapped me in his huge bear-like arms. "You know I'm crazy about you too, right? I'll come around when I'm nearby, don't worry."

"Where are you going?"

A broad grin emerged. "I'm gonna go on the road with Rosalie. See how that works out for us."

I squee-ed, much like Alice would, and pulled him into a hug. "In that case, I'm thrilled for you Emmett! Really… so happy! That's great. Um… he knows, right?"

Emmett gave a brisk nod. "Oh yeah. Definitely. We've already made some plans on where and when we'll hook up. He wants to catch some of Rosie's gigs too. You should come along!"

I smiled at his offer but didn't accept or refuse. That would be Edward's call. And what about Esme? Was he planning roadtrips for his free time to avoid her… or me?

~ 0 ~

Edward made it home earlier one evening; we were still in the pool working with Esme when he waved down from his balcony. Emmett coerced him into joining us. He refrained from his normal cannonball into the pool for his mother's sake. Instead he slipped in and swam up behind me, pinching my bum before he surfaced near Esme. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and teased her about her floatation belt. Then he spun her and winked at me as her legs instinctively kicked out with the movement.

"Wow! Big improvement since Bella's got you on this strict regimen, huh? Are you feeling stronger?"

She avoided all eye contact, with any of the three of us waiting for a reply. "It would be better if Alice were here, so I could keep an eye on her."

The two men exchanged a look. "Mum, I'm not talking about Alice. I'm talking about your legs. You're doing better, physically. I know you've been working really hard on it, and it shows." He stepped in front of her and took one of her hands in his, then placed the other on her back. "Let's practice our waltz, because any day now, you'll be ready. Promise me your first dance?"

One tear rolled down her cheek as she stared into her only son's eyes. "How did I get so lucky to have a boy like you?"

He snuffled, probably trying to not show how choked up he was. I was crying, and even Emmett wiped at an eye, pretending the setting sun was irritating him. "I think you've suffered more than enough for any lifetime. It's time for me to be the boy you've always deserved."

"You are, son. You're my everything. And you have been –"

Edward shook his head and chuckled, placing a finger on her lips. "Enough sappy shit. Dance, Mother. Dance, or I'll go in the house after asking Bella to torture you with ankle weights too."

I sat beside Emmett on the edge and watched them circle together in the centre of the pool. Edward was her everything – you could see the love for him shining in her eyes. There was deep remorse reflecting in Edward's eyes, but he was trying very hard to cheer her up.

Emily caught the end of their water dance and applauded with us. "Mom is waiting with a… tea." She looked across at me and smirked as she stopped herself from revealing Esme's love of brandy in the evening. "She told me to come bring you over – your clothes are already there." They left with a wave after Emmett helped Esme out of the water and removed her belt. Edward swam to the edge where I was sitting, and Emmett took a seat again after they left.

"Big night's tomorrow," Edward said to him, punching his knee. "Bella, can you do this in the morning instead? I need Emmett after hours."

I nodded. "Sure… or we can skip it altogether. She had an extra workout with you just now. That was great, by the way. That did more for her than an hour of intensive therapy."

He ran a wet hand down his face as it reddened. "Bella, I have to talk to you… I've wanted to all week but it's been crazy, and I didn't want to tell you over the phone –"

"That's my cue!" Emmett announced and pulled himself up making a hasty retreat across the patio. "See ya, kids. Have fun!"

Confused by Edward's comments and Emmett's dash, I looked at Edward to give me a cheeky grin and make me feel better. There was no grin. His face was stoic, staring at the rippling water around him. My heart raced faster with each second he didn't speak.

"We wrap tomorrow," he finally said in a quiet voice. "Party is afterwards. Please don't pay any attention to any gossip that ensues."

I hadn't the last time he asked, and I didn't intend to sit up watching for him on the late night entertainment news while he partied. If Esme chose to spend her life that way, it was her decision. I couldn't, and wouldn't, be doing that anymore.

"It's a private function. I really would have liked to ask you to come with me, but there will be paps outside… afterwards. There are already pictures of you with us that other night floating around. Two times with me would be the kiss of death for you. The blogs would have us married." His lip curled up in that way it does when he's faking cockiness. Or attempting cuteness. "I won't stay late, but I do have to make an appearance."

"And bring Bree home again?" I couldn't help it. A sudden spurt of jealousy dragged that night up in my memory. I had to find out if he'd been with her, even if she had slept in the other room upstairs.

His eyes flew to mine, and he scowled. "What?"

"Is that really why you don't want me there? She stayed over, that other night… after you were away filming together –"

"Bella! Fuck! Did you think I… that Bree and I… fuck, no! No, Bella…" His hands were on my knees, shaking along with them. He pulled me down into the water with him and held me close, rubbing my arms and back to stop me from shivering. "God, I'm an idiot. Bree is a friend… a kid! I told you that she stayed in the spare room – the room you used – but she was actually in there. All night. Alone. She just turned eighteen and was travelling without a chaperone for the first time. She was wary of Mike… I stuck by her so she'd feel more comfortable. I play her big brother in this movie. She's a method actress so… I'm her big brother. Nothing happened. I swear to you. I promise you, I've never been with Bree, and there is nothing between us outside of work."

He promised! My heart soared. The only serious promise he'd made me was to not make promises he couldn't keep. I hugged him back with relief.

"The only reason I don't want you there is the media, Bella. I swear to you. I will never let you be exposed to all of that shit. It's just a work thing. That's all."

"You've been working late all week," I commented. "Why did you need to talk to me about this in particular?"

"Well, that's just the start – there's something I have to do. I'll be gone for a little while. Not too long, I hope. That's what I wanted to tell you."

"Is Emmett going with you?" Was Emmett preparing me for this in his own way when he told me about weaning?

"He's flying with me, yeah. But then we're going separate ways."

Ouch. No Edward. No Emmett. In a rash attempt to not appear clingy and pathetic, I put on my brave girl face. "You'll be lonely."

Smiling down at me, he ran his hand over my hair. "I hope I won't be gone long enough to get too lonely. I'll try to call you."

Try to… not promise to… okay. Deal with it or get out, Bella. "Are you working?"

"No. Just some stuff I need to take care of back home."

"Esme doesn't want to go with you?" I knew I was grasping at straws but hey…

He huffed and lowered his head, speaking softly. "Not this time."

Deal, or get out! Wrapping my arms around his neck, I cocked an eyebrow at him. "We still have tonight?"

Edward's best playful grin was back as he lifted me back onto the side of the pool. "I don't have the contract in hand, but if you're in agreement, I'd like to fulfill it before I leave."

For the briefest moment, I thought he was letting me go. The farce of Esme's paralysis was almost over, and there was no reason to think I'd be needed much longer. Then he lifted my leg, stroking gently on his way down to my foot with a sexy grin and lust in his eyes. Oh! THAT contract! I giggled and nodded my agreement.

~ 0 ~

"You know, if the acting thing ever dries up for you, you can always fall back on that other talent you have." I teasingly wiggled my amply sucked, nibbled, and generally adored toes. We were up in his rooms, in dry clothing, and cuddling together while we shared a beer. Esme was staying over at Sue's, thanks to Edward's advance planning.

His breath tickled against my head when he chuckled. "You'd peddle me out for toe service? Really?"

"On second thought…no. I don't want your mouth on any other toes." I gripped his hands that were wrapped around my waist.

"That's good, because I don't want my mouth on other toes. Yours own me."

"I have exclusive mouth-to-toe rights?"

"Absolutely." He dipped his head and nibbled on my ear. "Do I get exclusive rights to this earlobe as well?"

"Mm-hmm," I hummed, leaning further into him. "The other one's yours too, if you want it."

"I want it all." His nibbling moved down my throat, sending tingles and sparks right through me, and his smooth golden voice lit a fire raging between my legs. That reminded me…

"Edward…"

"Hmm?" He didn't stop moving his mouth, but he was paying attention.

"The other day, when we were… like this… you made a comment about taking fabric from me, not my hymen… you don't…" I noticed his mouth stayed stationary, and I laughed. I had him in the hot spot this time. "Do you think I'm a virgin?"

He eased back, chuckling nervously and one hand left my waist to rake through his hair. Ha-ha! He did!

"You do know that I'm twenty-four…"

"Mm-hmm…"

"And I did have a boyfriend."

"Yeah. Um… I didn't want to assume…"

"Is that why you've been distant? Staying clear of the cherry pop?"

His jaw dropped, and his eyes went wide and wild. He stammered for a moment, trying to find the right response. When he finally gathered his wits and spoke, it was strong and clear. "Let's get one thing straight – the state of your cherry is not the reason why I haven't been myself. Though it did cross my mind that if you were a virgin, you wouldn't want to give it up to me, and I get that. My ego popped, even if your cherry didn't, but I understand. A girl should be romanced before the big event. Wined and dined and treated like a queen. It shouldn't be something that's done in a hideaway, a quick, let's do it while no one's looking thing. You said yourself this house is like a fancy hotel… well I've done it in fancy hotels. A lot. I've fucked around in five-stars and dive motels. Someone like you shouldn't give anything up to someone like me."

He paused briefly and placed his hands over his face, holding them there before drawing them down. He kept his eyes closed when he continued. "It was fun. That's all it was. I never thought I would meet someone who made me regret all that fun. You make me wish I had waited."

"You wish you were a virgin?" I couldn't help but tease him on that. It was so sweet.

"No. Just not… a whore," he chuckled. "There is actually only one that I wouldn't take back." He did clearly wipe at his eyes then, and I felt like a shit for making him cry. He was crying. And obviously embarrassed over it so I didn't fuss over him. God, did I want to.

"So, I've spent the past week nursing my ego and coming to the conclusion that everything is happening for a reason, and I have to move on it. If I ever want to be able to take the girl of my dreams out and treat her like my queen, and have her know that she's the most special –"

I couldn't let him go on. Even if I wasn't the girl of his dreams, he had made me feel like his queen a few times, and I had to let him know. Cupping his chin in my hands, I forced him to look at me. "You don't have to do all that to make the girl of your dreams feel special, Edward. Do you know what it felt like for me when I opened that silly toe contract of yours? You do things that are so special… so Edward. You won't have a problem. Trust me."

He smirked, twisting his head to kiss one of my palms. "Just nothing special enough to make you want another night with me?"

"What?" I dropped my hands from him. What the hell was he talking about? I'd been dying to spend the night with him!

"You said, 'one last night.'"

"Before Alice and Jasper left and I moved back –"

"– into your old room!" Edward slapped his forehead. "God. I'm an idiot."

"You thought I was telling you that was it?"

"You said you weren't having sex with me, and then the one last night thing… and you're… and I'm…"

"An idiot!" I laughed. "So what was this about? If you thought I was done with you, why did you ask Sue to have Esme stay over?"

"I'm persistent." He grinned, the impish little boy mixed with the God of Sex.

"And I'm not a virgin," I stated.

An eyebrow lifted. It made his smile turn more towards the Sex God thing.

"I've had sex. Three times."

A/N ~ Have I mentioned how much I adore all your feedback? I do. And I love how you're all so protective of my Bella. She's a little overwhelmed, to say the least, and she needs your support. Know who else is overwhelmed? Edward can put on a good act, but this is new to him as well. I do hope you'll stick around to see them through it all. Thanks for reading. XX ~ SR