A/N: My usual apologies to you all! The good news is…. I'm done with the play I was working on… which will mean much more free time! And this was the first thing on my list…

So…as usual… don't own Twilight!

Just a reminder: This fic is now rated M! Both for sexual situations and controversial conversations. If that's not you're thing…. You might want to turn around now.

Chapter Twenty-Six

"W-What's going on?" Bella says, shivering against his chest.

"Nothing." Edward replies. "Just some unexpected visitors."

He rubs his free hand up and down her arms, and pushes his legs to complete the last few steps. He swings the door open so hard that the hinges groan and split from the wall. But they're inside now, and that's all that matters. He turns up the dial on the heater as far as it will go, then rushes into the bathroom.

"I'm fine." She shudders, "Put me down, Edward. I'm fine."

He ignores her, still holding her tightly in his arms, as he reaches down to turn on the faucet. He sets her gently on her feet, focusing for the first time on her pale arms and legs, and the smooth expanse of her stomach. Her simple white bra is soaked, sticking to her skin. Her nipples are pebbled from the cold, and he has to shake the lustful thoughts from his mind.

"Bath." He gasps. "Take off your clothes."

She blushes and laughs uneasily, "I thought we were taking things slowly." He would have laughed if she hadn't been shivering so violently.

He doesn't answer her, merely reaches around her to unclasp her bra, leaving it hanging loosely for her to remove herself. Next, he drops to his knees in front of her. He drags her underwear down her legs, careful to keep his eyes locked on the fabric the entire way down. They pool on the floor, and he curls his fingers around her knee to lift her leg up. He repeats the gesture with her other leg, until she's left completely bare before him.

Her legs are shaking, and he can feel her hands on his shoulders, her nails digging little crescent half-moons into his skin.

"Edward." She exhales.

He leans forward, and skims his lips against the skin of her left knee, and then places her leg back onto the floor. He lingers for a single moment, before standing, and lifting her like a child into his arms.

He is careful to keep his eyes averted, so all he sees is quick flashes of skin. He refuses to let himself take in her full beauty, not like this.

He checks the water with his bare foot, and it seems a moderate temperature to him.

"Check the water." He tells her, leaning down so she can dip her fingers into the water.

"Edward, really, I'm fine. You go relax. You're all keyed up. I'll take a quick bath, and then be out for bed."

But for some reason he can't let her out of his sight. The presence of the vampires unnerved him. There was something about the female's mind—a thirst for blood above and beyond the normal vampire's thirst. She was dangerous, more dangerous than he could even begin to comprehend.

"I'm staying." He says.

Bella's eyes widen, then she smiles.

"Well, if you're staying… you might as well join me." She dips her fingers in the water, and smiles, "Perfect."

"I would only make the water cold." He answers.

"So just sit with me."

He frowns, but accepts.

She wiggles out of his arms, and the slide of her warm skin against his own makes his eyes close in pleasure. When he opens them, she's smiling impishly at him, her hands folded over her bare chest, as she tiptoes into the water.

She sinks slowly into the tub, her wet hair clinging to the smooth skin of her soldiers, giving her the appearance of a mermaid. A water nymph sent to tempt him into oblivion.

"Are you going to explain what just happened?" She asks.

"Oh, that." He stutters, "I know it was rather forward, but I was worried. I nearly lost you like this once, I wasn't about to take that chance again."

She smiles and reaches her hand out to him, droplets of water glistening on her dainty fingers. He accepts it, his cold fingers easily enveloping hers.

"I meant back in the woods."

"Oh." He pulls his hand away, his anger suddenly too close to the surface.

He takes a deep breath, preparing for the explanation.

"I caught a scent… of other vampires. That's why I had you go under the water, to hide your scent as much as possible. They still noticed it, but they were on the run from something, and didn't stick around to investigate. We got lucky. There were two of them, I would have had difficulty fighting them both at once."

Bella pales and cries, "Fight them? You are absolutely not allowed to fight, ever!"

Edward smirks. "Is that so? Doling out orders are we?"

"Yes! I am!" She demands. "If you're ever in a situation like that again, you are to be a coward!"

"What?" He chuckles.

"I mean it. I want you to run. Don't stick around to fight and play the hero. Do you hear me?"

There's a softness in his eyes when he looks at her. "Yes ma'am." He humors her.

She huffs loudly. "Good."

She folds her arms over her chest, and the water sloshes around her. Her eyes are fixed on the surface of the water, but she begins to blush, and he wonders what she's thinking.

"As long as you're following orders…" She begins.

"Yes?"

She smiles innocently, "Get over here and kiss me."

He laughs, but obliges her all the same.

He leans down to place a tender kiss on her lips, but her hands wind in his hair, and pull his lips forcefully against her own.

Surprised, he has to place a hand in the tub to brace himself, but in doing so his forearm grazes the side of her breast, hidden beneath the water.

She breaks from the kiss and moans loudly at the sensation.

He's touched her there before, but there had been barriers—thin pieces of clothing, but barriers all the same. And now… this is different. This is electric, addicting.

It's gravity. He can't fight it… can't pull away.

Instead, he's drawn closer. Now it's not his forearm touching her, it's the palm of his hand. And it's not a graze; it's a smooth glide along her slick skin. Her eyes slide closed as his hand spreads across the mound of her breast. He cups it gently, feeling the weight of it in his hands, rolling the peak between his thumb and forefinger.

"More." She whispers.

She grips his shoulder with her hand and tugs him forward, trying to coerce him into the tub with her. The thought of his bare chest against hers gives him shivers, and he's nearly painfully hard now. He thanks whatever deity there is that he's at least still got his boxers on. That leaves him feeling at least some semblance of control.

"Bella, I can't… the water will become too cold."

"Then we'll get out of the water." She replies.

"No. You need the warmth."

"I feel plenty warm." She insists.

She gives another forceful tug, and he allows himself to be pulled slightly, his torso hovering over her.

Then he gets an idea. He removes his hand from the water, and she groans at the loss. But then he pulls himself up and over the edge of the tub, balancing with his feet and hands braced against the porcelain edges.

She smiles, impressed by his show of strength, but he quickly wipes the smile away with a kiss. They're as close as they can possibly be without him being in the water with her.

"Look how clever! I love you." She whispers against his lips.

He dips his tongue into her mouth, savoring her sweet taste.

"And I you."

He manages to balance himself just using his feet and one hand, leaving the other free to explore the smooth expanses of her bare skin. She uses her hand to guide him back to her breast, encouraging him to squeeze harder.

He groans low in the back of his throat, and is considering throwing away his control all together and moving them to the bed, or else joining her in the bath when a whispered question breaks his thoughts completely.

"Change me?"

His thoughts rage blindly for a moment, and he struggles to reel them back in.

"What?" He grits out.

"Change me. You want to know what you can get me for every Christmas, every birthday, every holiday combined? A gift that I will never complain or insist you take back? This is it. Make me like you. Give me forever with you. That's all I want. All I'll ever want."

"Bella, we can't. I can't."

But again, the image is there, the two of them like porcelain-skinned gods wrapped in a passionate embrace with no boundaries whatsoever.

"No, you mean you won't! I'm tired of giving you a choice. I'm done being understanding. If you won't change me by choice, I'll force you."

He looks at her in surprise. "You'll force me? There's absolutely nothing you could do…" His words are more sure than his heart feels. He's fairly certain that at this point, it wouldn't take much to convince him.

"I'll hurt myself."

"WHAT?"

"Bad enough that you'll have to change me to save me."

"That's absolutely ridiculous!" he growls.

"No, it's not. If it will keep you from feeling guilt over making the choice, I'll take your choice away."

"NO!" He roars

"Can't you see how much I want this? How much I need this? I spend every moment wondering how much time I have left with you… how long this frail body will hold out. And I hate it. I don't want to worry about when this is going to end! I want to know that I have forever with you, because nothing less would ever be enough for me. Don't you understand?"

"I do!" He grounds out. "I understand more than you possibly know because I want it just as much as you. And I'm trying, Bella. I'm so close to being at a point where I can consider it. But don't take away my choice, Bella. Please, I'm begging you. Don't do it this way. I promise you'll be like me someday. Is that enough? I promise that we'll be together forever… just don't make me do it today. Don't make me choose today."

She looks at him with wide eyes, her face slackened by surprise.

"Okay." She answers.

He pauses for a long moment, allowing his emotions to settle back into his chest. He realizes the gravity of what he's just promised, but is surprisingly feeling a great deal of relief.

"Okay." He whispers back.

He places a lingering kiss on the apple of her cheek, and is about to suggest that they retire for the evening.

But then he hears a loud growl, and the front door to the cottage banging open. He's overwhelmed suddenly by a myriad of voices that he should have noticed sooner had he not been so distracted.

He rips himself away from the tub, and slams the bathroom door closed moments before a great hulking weight crashes into it from the other side.

"Edward?" Bella calls curiously, opening her eyes, surprised at his sudden disappearance.

But then she sees him holding the door closed, the knob rattling furiously, fear written clearly across his face, and her voice breaks,

"E-Edward?"