Disclaimer : SM owns Edward & Twilight, not me (sadly!)

11th September 2010.

Tanya strode towards the door. She opened it before turning back to me, "You'll be sorry Edward Cullen." She threw me her most hateful look then marched out of the door, slamming it shut. And just like that, she was gone, out of my life, for good.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the house was finally peaceful at the same time as making a mental note to change the locks. "You'll be sorry Edward Cullen." Her parting words ringed in my head. But I knew Tanya and she was all mouth and no action. What's the worst she could do? Go running to Daddy and make it awkward for me at work? Nah, screw that! If she did, I had Dad to back me up. I shook my head as it cleared of all thoughts of her and start living my life, with my Bee.

I arrived at the park thirty minutes before I had to. I needed to think. When I turned the corner, I could see our bench was already occupied by the most beautiful woman in the world. She was only wearing a blue tank top and jeans but she was the most alluring thing on the planet. Her head was turned away from me as she watched some kids in the sandbox making castles. Strong childhood memories of the past washed over me making me stop my path towards the bench. I stood there and for the first time in years, I actually smiled when thinking of being a kid, here at this park, in this sandbox because for once, I wasn't scared or negative about what myself and Bella shared. For once, I was happy at the time we spent together all those years ago and even though, fate had torn us apart, it also brought us back together. I continued my stroll in Bella's direction, my smile still in place. My whole body felt light and free for the first time in years instead of weighed down with sorrow or guilt. I was happy.

"Hey." I said softy when I reached my destination. Bella tore her eyes from the sandbox to look at me. Her mouth turned up in a smile but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Bee? What's a matter?" I reached to hold her hand as I sat close next to her. She sighed deeply before placing the side of her head on my shoulder, her glaze still towards the sandbox.

"Just thinking…" she trailed off.

"About?"

"About this place. How much I missed it when I was away..."

My arm snaked around her as I pulled her closer to my side. I leaned in to her ear, "I think the park missed you too. I know I did."

I could felt Bella smiling against my shoulder at my words before she moved to look directly at me.

"You okay Edward?"

"I'm more than okay." I mocked.

Bella smiled again and again the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Bee? Talk to me."

"I just didn't want you… I mean…" She sighed and looked back at the sandbox. "I just was worried that you would go home today and not come back ..."

I stared at her in disbelief with my mouth hung open. Did she not know have I felt about her? Haven't I told her?

"I know you've told me how you feel but that was when it was you and me in my apartment." She said as if she had read my thoughts. Her voice became very quiet as she turned to look at me again. "You haven't changed your mind since going back to reality have you about… well… us?" I heard the hesitation in her voice at the word 'us'. But there's nothing I wanted more and I needed to tell and show her how much I loved her.

I cupped her beautiful face within my hands as our eyes locked together. "Bee, you're everything to me. Everything. You always have been. Ever since we were kids together but I was too dumb to really realise and see what was right in front of my face… well, that's until you… you know..." I awkwardly nodded in the direction of her breasts. "Since you became the woman you are today. God! That day in Florida when you were lying on the beach in that pathetic attempt of a bikini..." I shook my head closing my eyes briefly thinking back to that guy chatting up my Bee. It pissed me off then and it still pisses me off.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Bella's hands covering my own on her cheeks. I opened my eyes to see Bella biting her lip and looking at me through her lashes. "Yeah I remember. Alice helped me pick out that bikini. She said it should help you start looking at me the way I wanted." Again I was stunned by her admission. She wanted me to look at her like… that?

Bella giggled; the sound pulled at my heart strings as I tried to yet again shake the improper memories of an almost sixteen year old Bella in that bikini.

"Wait… you said Shorty knew? That you liked me?" Our hands slipped away from her face and rested between us. They were talking about Bella's feeling towards me and trying to get me to look, really look at her the way I always had since we'd become teenagers but was too scared to do anything about it. My mind drifted back to that New Years Eve night when Alice told me it would all work out in the end. How does that woman do it?

I let out a large breath I didn't know I had been holding. "Well that makes sense now."

Bella looks confused which is a look I know well growing up with her and Alice. Girls and their secrets had always been a mystery to me. "What makes sense Edward?" Her brows dipped to form a cute crease between them. I smiled as I rubbed the tip of my finger over it to try and soften her expression.

"I was thinking of something Shorty said to me at our last New Year's Eve party together. The one when you attacked me in my room, remember?" I teased. Bella's cheeks instantly turned a pretty shade of pink. "I just helped you come to your senses, that's all."

I chuckled. "Yes… yes you did. But I'm completely off my original point..."

"Which was?" Bella arched her brow at me in question.

"Which was that… Bee, I have always cared for you as my best friend and that I have loved you from the first day when you were sat in that sandbox making castles and talking of becoming a ballerina when you grew up." I squeezed her hands in mine.

"What about your family? Will they be mad at me?"

"Mad? You're joking right? They'll be over the moon that I finally realised that the one I have always loved has come back to be with me." I murmured, lowering my nose to brush gently by hers. "Alice especially… and Mom. God, they'll be uncontrollable ..." I smiled as I thought of my big sister and Mom getting giddy that I finally saw the light.

"What about Tanya?" Her question caught me off guard.

"What about her?" My question sounded harder than I wanted it to.

"Well, don't you need to… I don't know… tell her... about... us?"

"Bee. There's no Tanya." I said firmly.

"But Edward..." I cut her short. "Bee, please. No more mentions of her." Our early conversation came bubbling to the surface again. You'll be sorry Edward Cullen. I needed to tell Bella about that conversation. I looked towards the sandbox to see a little boy playing with his bucket and spade.

"Plus she won't be back. Not after this morning."

I heard Bella gasp beside me as she started to pull her hands from mine. "No Bee. I didn't mean us, I meant..." I grasped her hands and I sighed. "When I returned home this morning, she was there… like nothing had happened." I chanced a sideways look at her to see her looking at her lap, chewing her lip. She was nervous.

"So I told her to get out of my house and never come back. She's out of my life Bee. Not that she was ever really in it."

Bella spoke softly. "You were engaged Edward. How can you say she wasn't in your life." Bella closed her eyes and shook her head. "You were going to marry her for god's sake." Bella's voice held a hint of exasperation.

I sighed as my hands found Bella's face again, gently cupping it. "Bee. The sad truth is that I stayed with Tanya when I knew deep down inside that I shouldn't have. I didn't love her and it was unfair of me to keep the relationship going. I knew I didn't love her because I've only ever fell in love once. With my childhood sweetheart." I smiled softly as Bella's eyes meet mine for the first time since I started to talk. "And when she left, she took my heart with her..."

A lone tear ran down her cheek as my thumb lightly brushed it away. I lowered my head so my forehead rested against hers, our eyes still locked. "But when she returned, she brought it back with her… even if it has taken me a few months to realise." I chuckled to myself.

"Bee. You are that girl. My lifelong love." I leaned in as my lips brushed her gently. "My everything." Our lips pressed together in a sweet loving kiss before I pulled back slightly to see Bella coyly smiling. "My everything." I repeated before my lips pressed against her with more force than before. Her mouth was hesitant at first with slight brushes before I heard a little moan from her. That little noise spurred me on to open my mouth and quietly sucked at her bottom lip. Her mouth immediately opened to me as the tip of her tongue ran over my top lip. I groaned. My left hand dragged to hold the back of her neck as my right made its way to her waist. We both twisted to get more comfortable on the bench, her hands flying into my hair when my teeth bit lightly into her lip.

"Urg! Look, they're kissing!"

Our make out session ceased when a little boy's words reached both our ears. We pulled away from each other, staring. Bella looked flushed, her pink cheeks almost glowing, her mouth slightly open as her breathing came in short spurts. I'm sure I looked similar.

"Miss Bella?"

We both turned to see a young boy around five years old staring at Bella. She quickly straightened herself, turning her body away from me and towards the boy.

"Hey Matthew. You enjoying your weekend?" She said politely like the kid hadn't just seen us shamelessly making out moments earlier. But this kid wasn't being distracted.

"Is that your boyfriend Miss Bella?"

"Umm…" Bella struggled with her words so I helped out.

"Yes I am Matthew." He gaze held mine for a few seconds before crossing back to Bella. His eyebrows pulled together as he processed my words. He looked gutted. I casually wrapped my arm over the back of the bench where Bella sat to stake my claim. "I'm Edward. Pleased to meet you Matthew."

"Hi Edward." Matthew was still staring at Bella who didn't seem to know what to say next.

"So do you know Miss Bella from school?"

He nodded enthusiastically with a now bright glint in his eyes. "Yeah. Miss Bella is my favourite teacher. She's lovely."

I laughed. "Yes." I watched as Bella turned to face me, her back to Matthew with a smile on her face. "She is lovely." Bella's cheeks turned pink once again at my words.

"Where's your mom Matthew?" Bella asked as she turned back to face him.

"Over there. Oh, I need to go. Bye Miss Bella and Mr Edward." He ran off toward the other side of the playground to who I assumed was his mom, waving as he ran.

"Cute kid." I offered.

"Yeah, he's one of the good ones."

"I think he's got a crush on you." Bella rolled her eyes at me and slapped my shoulder playfully with her hand.

"Stop it you."

I laughed as she continued to slap me which only made me laugh harder. My eyes were watering by the time I finished.

Bella was sat next to me with her hands crossed across her chest and pouting. She looked adorable. "No wonder he has a crush. You're adorable with that pout."

Bella groaned knowing I wouldn't drop the subject. I was having too much fun teasing her. She put her head in her hands and shook her head slightly from side to side.

"Silly Edward..." she muttered into her hands and I grinned so much at her words, I'm unsure of how my face didn't crack.

I placed my hand around her shoulder and tugged her back to me. She sighed and leaned into my side, my fingers squeezed her shoulder. "Sorry Bee. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Yes you did. You're a meanie!"

I tried and failed to conceal with fit of giggles, my whole body shaking from laughing so much. Bella joined me this time.

"His face was a picture when I said I was your boyfriend. He looked hurt." Bella giggles quieten down as a mixture of hope, worry and anxiety crossed her features.

"You're my boyfriend then?"

I leaned in to her and lowered my voice. "If you want me to be?"

Bella voice was just a whisper too. "Yes." Our smiles matched each other's and could have lit the whole city. I was ecstatic.

Once the sun started to set, I knew our day was coming to a close. I was working a twelve hour shift on Sunday so I knew I needed to get home and rest or I'd be no good to anyone. I walked Bella back to her apartment door.

"So."

"So."

"I'll see you soon?"

Bella nodded with a small smile on her face as she looked down at our shoes. I placed a finger underneath her chin and lifted her head so her eyes would meet mine.

"Can I have an actual day?"

"Well..." Bella's sentence was cut short with loud footsteps stomped up the apartment stairs to my left. My eyes reluctantly left Bella's to see who was making such a dramatic noise. Jake rounded the corner of Bella's apartment hallway looking completely pissed off as he came marching in our direction.

"Shit." Bella said under her breath.

"Bella. I asked for one thing last night. One thing! And did you do it? Did you fuck!" Jake almost growled at Bella. I didn't like that shit one bit. I angled my body to be between him and Bella.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that. You have no right to..."

This time it was my turn to be interrupted. "No right to! You have no fucking idea Cullen what rights I have or not."

I squared my shoulders. I knew Bella had told me that Jake wasn't her boyfriend and that they were just friends and that he would never hurt her but I just didn't trust him. He was really pissing me off now but before I could tell him to go fuck himself, Bella walked around me to stand between us. She initially faced me with her back to Jake.

"Edward. It's okay. You want to wait for me inside? I'll be two minutes..."

No fucking way was I leaving her with this dick head.

"I'm not leaving you alone… with him." I nodded my chin in Jake's general direction and Jake snorted.

"Why Cullen? You jealous?"

Bella's head whipped round to face him. "Jake. Stop this. Now." I've never heard Bella sound so pissed off and irritated. Her voice was deadly calm which was kind of scary coming from her.

"Aw Bella. I was just playing."

"Jake. Shut it." Bella turned back to me with a frown on her pretty face. "Edward. Please. Let me talk to him. Jake can be a dick but he's been my b… good friend for years now. Please. He won't hurt me..." Bella's head turned again before her next words, "Or try anything will you Jake?"

Jake was smiling widely now, all his pearly whites on display. "No promises."

Bella quickly smacked him on his shoulder with a loud slap sound. "You're not helping Jake!"

"Wasn't trying to help" he muttered with his smile still in place. I had to physically restrain my wrists to stay in place, my fists clenched in balls by my sides. I wanted to punch every one of his teeth out.

"Please Edward. Trust me." Bella pleaded with her eyes.

"I do trust you Bee. It's him I don't trust."

Bella's head dropped to look at her feet as she mumbled with a small smile on her beautiful face, "You will."

I snorted, took her nearest hand and squeezed it. "I trust you Bee. Don't be long though."

"'Kay." She looked up to me through her lashes and bit her lip. This time I had to physically restrain myself from throwing her over my shoulder and going all caveman on her. I gave Jake a last glare before retreating into Bella's apartment to wait for her.

Twenty minutes later, I was starting to worry. I was sat on Bella's couch thumbing through a book I found on one of her shelves and I could no longer hear the mumbling I had heard for the past fifteen minutes through Bella's closed front door.

I placed the book down on the floor and stood just as the door cracked open. The smile on my face soon faded as Jake stepped through the space.

"Where's Bee?" My voice held a hint of panic; I could hear it plain as day to my own ears.

"Chill Cullen. She's fine." He winked at me. That is fucking it! I've had enough of his fucking mind games!

I opened my mouth ready to tell him to stay the fuck away from us but Jake crossed the room to stand in front of me and piped up first with words that surprised the hell out of me. "I'm sorry man. Habit."

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, not quite knowing what I say next. My anger almost drained completely out of me as I gaped at him like he had grown another head. Huh?

Jake chuckled. "Edward, I'm not the bad guy you think you need to worry about. I'm just very protective of Bella. I've been the closest thing she's had to family for a while now. And before you ask, no, Bella and I have never..." He shuddered and shook his head. "She's like my baby sister." The disgust was clear on his face with no hint of a lie. "So when Bella doesn't call me to know she's safe when I asked her to, it… well it scared the shit out of me. She wasn't answering her cell. I panicked. I'm sorry I shown up shouting my ass off."

I was still in shock at Jake's confession. "I just got a couple of things you need to know before I let Bella back in here."

"O… kay."

"One, if you do anything and I mean anything to hurt her, I will not hesitant to kick the shit out of you… got it?" I nodded. "And two, it's Bella birthday on Monday as I'm sure you know. She has plans to hang out here with me 'cause she never really makes a fuss over her birthdays. If you were to show up here wanting to take her out and treat her good, I won't stand in your way." He winked again and I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips. Maybe I underestimated this kid.

"7pm good?"

"Perfect. She… likes you Cullen so I'm trying to do the same..." He frowned, "but remember my first point. If you hurt her..."

"Jake, I would never hurt her." I said in a firm tone back to him. He gave a tight nod before his signature smile was back in full force. He opened the door wide to reveal a pissed off looking Bella.

"If you quite finished ruining my weekend Jake?" Her arms were crossed over her chest as she gave Jake a huff.

"How have I ruined your weekend Bella? It's Saturday night."

"Yes and Edward's working all tomorrow dickhead." Woah, seeing Bella pissed off was hot!

"Oops… sorry man, I didn't know. Working on a Sunday, that's sucks."

"Just one of the joys of being a doctor."

Jake nodded thoughtfully. I glanced at Bella who had turned bright red. She was fuming.

"JAKE! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" She screamed. Jake laughed loudly before holding his hands out in a gesture of surrender. With one last firm look at me, he left.

Bella was shaking she was so mad. "Hey." I crossed the room to gently stroke my hands up and down the tops of her arms in a soothing motion. Her fists were balled up at her sides as she chewed on her bottom lip. I stepped around her so her back was facing my front as I continued my soothing. Her shoulders started to relax a little as I dipped my head to brush my lips against her exposed collarbone. The movement of my hands stopped in a light grip of her upper arms as I pulled her against me, my lips never disconnecting. Bella's neck leaned to the side to give me better access as I trailed small kisses up to her ear. "Bee, you're fucking hot when you're angry." I whispered in husky tones.

Bella's hands wandered from her side to dip her fingers in the waist band of my jeans. I groaned as I buried my head into the crook of her neck. Her fingers slid back and forth along my stomach making my dick take notice. We continued to be locked in this hold until Bella's fingers slid deeper in my pants, brushing the head of my dick. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as a growl erupted from my throat catching Bella off guard. Her fingers immediately stopped but she didn't remove them from their confines.

My next movements were so fast, I'm surprised myself. I turned Bella quickly before grabbing her waist and hoisting her over my shoulder as I started to march towards her bedroom. Bella squealed, "Put me down Edward!"

"Oh no no no. You can't just do that and not pay the consequences". I quickly opened the door, kicking it shut before letting go of a very squirming Bella. Her cheeks were flushed as she lay in the middle of her bed. She was breathing deeply, her eye lids heavy with lust. I launched myself at her, attacking her mouth with the passion and procession that I had bottled up all day. Clothes were quickly removed as we lay side by side on her bed, our lips and tongues battling for dominance. My hands framed her face as I kissed her deeply, not being able to get enough of the sweet taste of her.

My lips detached from her mouth as I trailed my tongue down to her ear. "Turn around Bee." I pulled back slightly to see her look confused by my request. My hand on her hip pushed a little so she lay on her back then pulled her back toward my chest. My erection dug into the small of her back as I moved slightly so she could feel the effect she had on me. "You feel that Bee? That's because of you baby." My hands gripped her hips as we both lay on our sides. Bella's head dropped to my shoulder together with a soft moan from her throat as I rotated my hips. I failed to suppress my own groan on hearing her. "I want to try something Bee. You trust me?" She nodded against my shoulder as I leaned over her to fumble in her bedside table drawer for a condom. Once in place, my hand slipped down her left thigh, around the back of her knee before coming to rest between her legs. Lifting her leg up and open, I curled my arm around it to secure her. In this position, she was open for me to move the tip of my dick to her entrance. Her breath hitched as I slipped into her warm, tight centre. I groaned again at the sensations coursing through me, the electricity between us was palpable. Bella moved both of her hands to circle my neck as she arched her back making me take her even more impossibly deeper. I moved slowly at first, savouring the feel of being inside her. My free arm had rested between the bed and her head and shoulders, my hand palming her breasts, teasing each of her nipples between my finger and thumb.

We were moving against one another, my strokes becoming harder and sharper from behind her. The only noise in the room was that of our mixed heavy breathing and slapping skin. One of Bella's hands moved from my neck and trailed between us, rubbing her clit in small circles and occasionally brushing her fingers to where we were joined. I was starting to feel light headed as the tightening in my groin started to unravel.

"Bella, baby... I'm so close."

"Oh Edward. Me… Oh God… oh oh oh .." Bella's voice turned into a scream of my name and this was enough to send me over the edge with her. I rode the rest of our orgasms out as I spilled into the condom, wishing we didn't need the damn thing. I knew Bella was on the pill but after Tanya, I wanted to get myself checked out. I wasn't going to hurt Bella in any way. My jerking stopped as I sagged heavily to the bed.

I realised I was still holding Bella's leg in a tight grip which I loosen immediately, rubbing the area. "Oh god Bella. Have I hurt you?"

"Well..." she rasped. "If that's what you call hurting…"

"I mean your leg?" I panicked.

She chuckled, turning her head as far as she could to look at me, "No silly Edward. I'm fine. Well, better than fine actually." She was grinning for ear to ear and it was infectious. I could stop the smile spreading across my face like wild fire. "I love you Bee." Bella kissed the tip of my nose, "And I love you Edward."

After a few minutes of cuddling, I quickly slipped out of her and ditched the condom before snuggling into her back again. She gripped her pillow to her head as my arms wound tightly around her waist. My fingers found hers beside the pillow and our fingers locked together as my cheek laid across her shoulder blades. I was so comfortable. I could have sworn we were made for each other, we fit perfectly together. Together. The word rang around my head as I smiled into her back. I was happy; truly happy.

Hope this chapter was worth the wait, apologies for being a few days late. I had a very long weekend, I'm still on my Take That high! LOL. So Edward's turning into a bit of a Swoonward eh? Who knew!

As always, a huge THANK YOU goes to my very best bb SweetLovinCullen for beta'ing and being an all round great person *8 days to go - SQUEEEEEE*

My next chapter will probably be posted in 3 - 4 weeks as I have sooo most RL stuff going off in the next few weeks. With J visiting, we're likely to be writing something together so L&L will be put on the back foot for a week or so.

So until next time ... *mwah*