As always: Everything and anything related to the Twilight saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Special thanks and much adoration to my beta Kelly.

Chapter Fifteen: Breaking Rules, Nineteen to Go

From the corner of his eye, Edward could just make out the tiny slivers of dull light streaming in through the slits of his window blinds. It was morning, but he had no idea what time it was, nor did he care to turn over to check.

He laid still watching Bella sleep, staring intently at the small purplish bruise that was starting to darken on her lower back. Every time she would breathe in, her back would tighten and the mark would lighten in color, and as she exhaled, the mark would return to its original, grisly color.

He frowned as he watched, imagining how it would feel for Bella when she finally woke up. He felt terrible about it; it had been his fault. He had pushed her, practically shoved her against the bookshelves. He had known that it hurt her, he saw it in her eyes; it was the reason why he had moved them over to the wall. However, that didn't prove to be any better, because even in the dim light of his bedroom, he could make out the scratched up, red skin on her shoulders, caused by the friction of being shoved up and down the wall.

He was angry with himself for causing her pain. It seemed to be a common occurrence in their relationship. For some unbeknownst reason, he couldn't figure out why that was, and moreover he couldn't figure out why Bella never made him apologize, though he always did. She never made him beg for her forgiveness, like she had others.

When they were fourteen, Emmett had thought it would be funny to throw Bella into the deep end of their swimming pool. Emmett waited until Edward had left the backyard. He would've never done it if Edward had been there. After pushing Bella in, Emmett ran around the pool laughing and cheering in victory, not noticing that Bella was struggling in the water. If it had not been for Edward's father walking out to check on them, who knows what could've happened. After that day, Carlisle had Chief Swan send Bella off for swimming lessons, and Emmett was grounded for the entire summer and forced to assist his mother at work. In the meantime, for three weeks after the incident, Bella made Emmett's life a living hell; of course, Edward assisted in the torment until Emmett broke down and begged, on his knees, for her forgiveness.

But not once, had she ever made him do something remotely relative to that, and to be honest, Edward felt that she should.

He sighed as his hand sought Bella out and began to softly rub her shoulder. He slithered closer, so he could use both hands to rub at the taut, raw skin. He pressed his fingertips lightly in the red skin, moving his other hand down to the bruise on her lower back. The moment his fingertips pressed into the bruise, Bella stirred, emitting a wounded sound.

"Edward?" she called out, groggily, leaning her shoulder into the movements of Edward's hand

"Morning Bella," he whispered, not wanting to startle her by speaking too loudly.

"What are you doing?" she groaned as she asked, taking a deep breath after. Almost immediately, she hissed in pain.

"I'm trying to give you a massage. I feel really bad about shoving you against the bookshelves last night. Your back looks terrible. There's a large gash on your lower back and your shoulders are all scratched up."

"Edward! You don't have to do that," she protested, shoving his prying hands away. "I didn't stop you last night, did I? I wanted it to be as 'rough and raw' as possible. Isn't that what I wrote down on the index card? You did exactly what I asked. I should actually be thanking you," she chuckled.

"You're welcome, I guess," Edward joined in on Bella's amusement until she attempted to turn around to face him. She groaned and cried out as she completely about-faced on the bed. She was greeted with Edward's pained expression.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to brush a stray piece of hair away from her face.

"Sort of," she answered through clenched teeth. "Is it really that bad?"

Edward nodded, his lips pressed tightly shut.

"I'm afraid to get up."

Edward immediately grimaced dropping his head forward.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he apologized, as sincerely as possible.

"Edward, enough already. You didn't do anything wrong," Bella argued, nonchalantly brushing aside his apology.

Edward smiled, tightly, as she smiled back. He wanted to tell her to make him beg, make him work for her forgiveness, but he knew it wouldn't work. She would always forgive, hell, she didn't even think of it as an offense.

He opened his mouth to tell her just that, but he quickly shut it and lay frozen as he watched Bella struggle to sit up. He wanted to help her, but he knew that was the last thing she wanted, so he watched as her face contorted, as she grimaced and bit her lip to stop a yelp from being let out. When she was fully up, she surprised him by standing up completely and walking over to the mirror by Edward's closet.

"You see not so…HOLY SHIT! That is a nasty looking bruise," she remarked, looking over her shoulder at the dark purple mark. She pivoted a bit more so she could reach her hand to the bruise. She flinched when her fingertips grazed the marked skin.

Edward leapt off the bed to stand in front of her. From where he stood, he could see the bruise reflected back at him.

"I am so sorry," he apologized again. Bella merely shook her head and rolled her.

"What did I tell you about that?"

"No, Bella, let me apologize. Please!"

"Okay, you're forgiven!" she accepted, still shaking her head. "You know…if you want to make it up to me, you can help me to the shower."

"Of course," he agreed, nodding his head fervently.

Bella made to move toward the door, but Edward quickly swept her off her feet, picking her up, avoiding holding her by her back and shoulders.

"Put me down, right now, Edward!" she yelled, smacking his shoulder, but Edward simply laughed and walked out of his bedroom and toward the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom, he kept holding her, as he headed toward the shower and turned the knobs.

"Good?" he asked, as he extended her hand out under the running shower head.

"Yeah, feels perfect."

He nodded and gently placed her, feet first, into the bathtub and under the warm water. He started to walk away when she cried out.

"Are you okay?" he asked exasperatedly as he hauled tail back into the bathroom.

"Yeah, sorry to worry you. The water just burns the cuts on my shoulders," she shrugged her shoulders as she answered. "No big deal."

Edward sucked his teeth as he held back the urge to shake her and tell her that it is a big deal. He opted to join her in the shower, instead.

"Pass me the shampoo."

"Is this going to be a daily occurrence now?" Bella asked, passing a bottle of shampoo over to him.

"Yep! I'm just doing my part to save the Earth, Bella. I have to help save the rainforest and the whales. Hell, while I am it, let's save the spiders! People are always stepping on them," he answered, chuckling lightly as he looked at Bella's dubious glare.

"You're so full of it!" she groaned as she turned around to grab the soap.

"I'm saving water here. By showering together, we use up less," he argued, seriously.

"Yeah, okay. I believe you, Edward. I'm sure that's the only reason," Bella teased.

"Well…" he stretched out the word. "There is always the possibility that I make get a little entertainment in the process."

"Not gonna happen!" Bella shot him down, turning her back to him as she started to lather some soap in her hands.

"No?" Edward inquired. He was positive that though her back was to him, she could hear the pout in his voice.

"No!" she called over her shoulder.

Edward huffed and stepped closer to Bella, enveloping her in his arms, his hands firmly placed at her hips. He began to nuzzle his nose along the nape of her neck dropping the shampoo bottle onto the bathtub floor.

"Are you sure about that?" he whispered, taking a long, languid lick of her neck, collecting the water there.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Edward?" she moaned, as his lips sucked along her neck and his hands started to caress the sides of her breasts.

"Perhaps. Is it working?"

"Perhaps," she replied, leaning her head against his chest, as his hands began to knead her breasts. She was starting to breathe heavier, almost panting as his right hand started to move down her stomach as his left continued to play with one of her nipples.

"I think it's working," he teased. "What do you say?" he asked, two of his fingers slipping pass the lips of her sex, feeling just how wet she was, how excited she was.

She moaned as his fingers found her clit. He pinched the bundle of nerves between his thumb and index finger. She trembled against him.

"Edward," she called out as he started to rub her clit, faster.

"Yes, Bella?" he whispered, sucking her earlobe into his mouth, nibbling on his favorite spot.

"Don't stop!"

He chuckled. "Wasn't planning on it, love."

She started to thrust her hips against his hand as he sped up his motions. He slipped two fingers inside her, using his thumb to rub her clit. Edward couldn't get over how unbelievably warm and slick she felt, even in all the pain she was from last night, she was still enjoying this, and he was too.

He began to push his erection against her, avoiding the bruise as best he could, as she thrust against his hand.

"Edward!" she cried out again, her moans becoming desperate whimpers as his fingers curled inside her and his thumb massaged the bundle of nerves expertly. She was about to reach her peak; he could feel it. She was starting to tighten around his fingers, her hips were moving frantically, and her hand had found purchase on his hip, gripping the muscle there firmly.

She yelled out his name as she came, clenching tight around Edward's fingers as he continued to curl his fingers in and rub as he help her ride out her orgasm.

"Oh god," she breathed out as she tried to steady her breathing and her heart. He could feel it pounding in her back.

He held her against him as she came down from the high, her breathing still ragged.

"Jesus, Edward. I swear your fingers are magical." He chuckled as he grabbed the shampoo bottle off the bathtub floor and uncapped, but Bella pulled it away from him.

"That can wait," she said as turned around. She eyed him seductively, smirking in a fashion and caliber of one of his, before wrapping her small hand around his erection.

"Bella," he gasped, as her hand gripped firmly around the base of his dick. Edward could feel himself pulsing in the palm of her soft hand. She looked at him the entire time as she brought her hand up, twisting it as she went before reaching the head and dragging her thumbnail slowly down the slit, and then moving the pad of her thumb across it. She slid her hand back down and dragged back up, increasing how tight her grip was with every down stroke.

Edward groaned with each upstroke, not bothering to control how loud he was moaning, as the water pelted his back. As he neared his climax, he laid his head against the wall, breathing deeply through his nose and clenching his mouth shut, so he didn't end up saying something embarrassing.

With a few more strokes, Edward was coming into Bella's hand, his hand tightly gripping the cold water knob, as her name fell from his lips.

"Fuck, Bells," he gasped as he watched his come spiral down the drain. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a hand job, especially one as good as the one he had just received.

"I can't even remember the last time I got a hand job, probably sometime in high school in the back of Emmett's jeep," he recounted and Bella just laughed.

"Grab the shampoo, will ya? I can't bend down."

Edward bent down to grab the bottle and again uncapped it and let some of the strawberry concoction to fall into his hand. He rubbed his hands to together and began to rub it into Bella's hair. She moaned as his fingers massaged her scalp. He helped direct her under the shower and rinsed the shampoo out.

"Hey, Bella?"

"Yes?" she grabbed the conditioner, a small smile on her face which made Edward smile. He was the reason for the wistful smile on her face, and he loved that.

"Seven down, nineteen to go."

"What?" she asked, confounded by his response.

"I already picked out my letter," he explained and lied. He hadn't chosen his letter yet, but she didn't have to know that.

"And you had the audacity to call me a traitor when I did it?" she frowned, placing her hands on her hips. It was supposed to be intimidating, Edward was sure of that, but he couldn't help but be amused by the mini-tantrum.

"Hey, you get what you give!" he reasoned, rinsing the shampoo out of his hair as Bella stepped out of the tub.

"Yeah, well Brutus, get this," she said as she flushed the toilet and Edward yelped as the water suddenly became very cold.

"You'll pay for that," he threatened half-assed, a smile as wide as possible on his face.

"I'm sure I will, but I can handle anything you throw at me," she countered, confidently.

"Oh really? Is that a challenge?" he raised an eyebrow.

"No, it's just a factual statement."

"We'll see, but let me tell you something, I never lose. I mean, look at today, I won again!"

Bella growled and walked out of the bathroom, Edward laughing as the water became warm once more.