A/N: Welcome back! It's a long one!
Do you mind me switching up the POVS? Just between Edward and Bella... Edward has his share to ya know!
So umm, yeah, this chapter starts with the 'tickle attack' in Edward's POV. I don't know why... Maybe you all just want to know what he was thinking at the time.
Epov, I get less writers block... Weird.
Disclaimer: I want to own them, but I don't. Characters that is.
(Edward POV)
I looked over at the alarm clock. Quarter after three...
In the morning.
Great.
I found that I tend to wake up halfway through the night for no reason. Perhaps it's because my dreams end or I just have my own personal alarm clock inside me that I can't turn off.
Either one of the two are reasonable reasons, right?
I looked over to my beautiful wife, sleeping soundlessly beside me. My left arm wrapped around her and her pressed against my shoulder, her left arm slinging gently across my stomach. With my free right hand I grabbed hold of that hand and twist her ring around her finger with my own fingers.
I wish my parents met her, especially my mother.
They would have loved her. I could just picture my mother bringing her in for a hug, tears of joy in her eyes. They would have gotten along wonderfully.
But unfortunately, they never will.
I sighed.
Why was I depressing myself when I should have been happy with the fact alone that I have Bella as my own? I don't know.
Strange how I came across her, or I should say how she came across me. In the middle of nowhere. I was so isolated; I was definitely taken aback when she came to my door, or should I say straight in my house?
I fought back a chuckle.
She was so brave, always.
She always will be.
Brave to walk into my house and take on me. Even with all my anger. Brave to run away, to chose what she wants for herself not what someone is forcing her to do. Brave to overcome all that she did.
I kissed the top of her head and sighed.
I kissed the top of her head again. I smirked when she stirred a bit, still sleeping though.
I slowly and carefully as not to wake her, let her go and rolled on top of her, pressing all of my weight on my right arm pressed firmly on the bed beside her. I breathed in her scent and felt her pressed against me.
Soft and warm.
Home.
I smiled and kissed her cheeks. Her lips are barely apart as she breathed slowly. Her eyelids fluttered shut and pressed softly against each other. I kissed her forehead.
I moved down to kiss her shoulder.
Then her collarbone.
Thank God for tank tops.
I kissed her neck.
I moved back to her collarbone when I heard her start to stir from her sleep.
Part of me doesn't want to wake her since she was sleeping so peacefully but then the other, selfish part of me wants her awake to hear to voice. I kissed her shoulder once against, letting my lips linger a fraction of a second longer than the kiss before.
A kiss to the neck. I loved kissing her neck. Actually, I just loved to kiss her in general.
Who would blame me?
I planted a kiss on her collarbone when I heard her sigh softly. I knew she was awake, not fully, but still. I moved my right hand to her left side so I could rest my weight on that arm since my left was falling asleep. I moved my left hand to rub her stomach.
She sighed again.
"Edward, it's three in the morning." She grumbled. Such a good estimate on the time since she didn't even look at the clock. I watched her head turn to the side and she looked at the clock.
It was almost three thirty.
I laughed and pressed my lips back against her collarbone. I couldn't choose a favourite place to kiss her. How was all over? Yeah, all over was my favourite place to kiss her.
"Aren't you..." She yawned. "Tired?"
I shook my head against her shoulder. I was a little tired, but certainly not enough to stop what I was doing.
I was being selfish.
Time to stop.
Not stopping kissing her! It was just time to stop being selfish.
I kissed her cheeks and then her temple. "No, but you are so go to bed." I kissed her hairline and the scent of strawberries assaulted my nostrils. I welcomed it as always.
"Kind of hard with you working your magic." She giggled and my fingers traced her ribs under her tank top causing her to giggle more. I loved the sound; I had no intention to stop... Yet. She giggled again but it seemed she was laughing at her herself instead for some reason.
"Just practicing my tricks." I winked but she didn't see. I kissed the base of her throat and let my lips linger a bit longer than usual.
Her voice was coming back, not so thick with sleep. "You don't need practice."
Yeah ever since she came into my life my ego has grown twice its size.
Blame Bella.
I tickled her sides again, feeling her squirm against me. I sighed at the contact.
"Don't tickle me hubs." She protested, begging.
Hubs, that nickname I got pretty much right after we kissed at the alter.
I liked it though.
Unique.
Very... Bella. Something she'd say.
Well she does say it, a lot, but it's something that makes sense.
Oh, did I stop tickling her? I tickled her again.
She opened her mouth to protest.
"I'll stop if..." I stopped thinking of a way to make me stop.
Did I want to stop? No.
Would I?
Perhaps.
"If?" She pushed which her impatience earned her another set of tickles. "Stop! What will make you stop?"
Then I got it.
"Say I'm the best, hottest husband in the world and that I can cook very, very, well." I murmured and kissed her cheek, still tickling her sides.
Why say that? I didn't know, it was three in the morning and my brain was cloudy all thoughts on my wife.
"Yeah right!" She laughed.
Did she really want me to continue to tickle her? Because that is what she was asking for! "Fine then, don't say it." And so I tickled her. It's what she got.
"Okay!" She gasped, giving up. "Okay! You're the best husband and you can kind of cook."
I'm the best husband.
I can kind of cook.
That doesn't do it.
"You forgot hottest." I rolled my eyes. "And I can cook very, very well." I stopped tickling her for a minute. "I will give you three seconds to say it."
She didn't reply.
This girl really wants to be tickled, eh?
"One..." I pushed. I was still going to give her a chance.
My fingers gripped her sides so she knew I wasn't joking. I would tickle her all night if that would be what it took.
"Okay stop! You're the hottest... best husband. You can cook very, very well. I am so lucky." She said. Hmm... She's so lucky. Adding extra is points. I kissed her cheek. I was the lucky one, couldn't she tell?
I mean... just one look at her.
She's perfect.
"Well... if you say so." I joked, pursing my lips. I slowly and reluctantly let her go.
"Get to bed hubs." Hubs, I still loved that. "I don't know where you get your energy."
Me neither. And we recently got done...
It was a good night.
She rolled onto her side and I moved to press myself up against her. I pulled her back against my chest and sighed, breathing in her scent.
I was still in a joking and playful mood.
"Why? Doesn't every husband wake their beautiful wives up at three in the morning for a tickle attack?" I asked feigning dumbness.
"You're the first I've heard of." She said and I accidentally let a yawn out.
"Oh, that's strange." I yawned again.
"You're strange." She countered.
I shook my head against her shoulder. "No, I'm the hottest, best husband in the world that is also a very, very good cook."
...
I awoke with my unclothed wife next to me.
Wife.
I'd never get used to hearing it.
It would never wear off.
Years and years will pass but every time I look at her, every time she says that she loves me, I'll always get that fuzzy feeling inside.
That I know.
Anyway, our tickle attacks always turn into more... If you catch my drift.
No matter how sleepy we get.
We have the next day to sleep in.
And the nighttime is when I come alive.
Kidding...
Kidding.
Really, I was kidding.
Kind of.
After minutes of watching her she woke.
She stretched her arms out before her before slowly opening her eyes.
I instantly smiled.
"Morning." I said in a breathy voice.
"Good," Another stretch. "Morning."
"What are we going to do today, love?" I asked her and rubbed her side. She was still really warm from sleep.
"Whatever you want." She replied with a sleep smile. I leaned forward and kissed the very tip of her nose. Her smile grew and mine did as well. "What day is it?"
"Thursday," I replied quickly. "November... umm... eighteenth?"
"Hmm... We got married exactly six months ago then." Bella smirked.
"Six months out of forever..." I smirked.
"You're cheesy in the mornings." She laughed sleepily. "What time is it? I feel like I haven't had enough sleep." Bella looked at me and held back a laugh. "But I think we both know why."
"I don't." I lied innocently. I slowly slowed rubbing her side until it rested on her hip.
"You don't?" She accused, over exaggerating a gasp.
"I have no idea what you are talking about..." I continued to lie. I moved my hands to tickle her sides. "Wait... I think I'm catching on. Did it have something to do with this?" I traced my fingertips over her ribs feather lightly. Her ribs and the bottoms of her feet were her most ticklish spots.
"No." She tried to lie but failed miserably. She squirmed. "Not again, Edward."
"Okay..." I reluctantly pulled back and looked over to the clock on our nightstand. "And it's shortly after seven. You can go back to sleep if you want."
"Are you getting up?" My wife asked me.
"I don't know." I sighed rolling onto my back and pulling her to my chest. "I am really comfy."
"We do have all day." I felt her place a warm kiss to my jaw. "You're really warm. And it's still dark outside..."
"Are you trying to convince me to stay in bed?" I asked her and tightened my arm around her waist.
"Only if it's working." I heard her murmur against my skin.
"Definitely."
...
"I love and hate that. More hate." Bella continued on. She looked through another rack of clothing.
Yeah we were in town shopping.
For stuff we'd need in the winter. Winter being right around the corner.
"One day you can be outside with a sweater and the next you need a coat! Who knows when it will snow?" She asked and continued to talk, of course I was all ears. She usually keeps to herself but on this particular day she was saying each and every thought. "All the leaves are off the trees. Well except pine trees..."
"Do you like this one?" She asked holding up a blue and white coat that went a little past her hips. I heard the word... Was it a pea coat?
Pea coat?
Sounds right. Strange, like all women accessories. Or fashion.
"Yeah, I like it." I said to her.
We weren't the only ones in the store either. There were quite a few people, many couples. I could see that I wasn't the only guy getting dragged out by their girl.
I pulled my cell phone out after I felt it vibrate.
One text from Jasper.
I opened it.
Know any good marriage counsellors?
I shook my head to myself and replied.
Yeah, there's this one named sit down and talk about it together. Really dude, why would you want to drag someone else into your personal business?
Plus, it wasn't necessarily legal, all the past events. Alice couldn't tell the damn therapist/counsellor half the things that were bugging her.
A moment later my phone went off again.
The wife won't take it seriously. We tried 2 talk it out but now we have more problems. I slept on the couch. :(
I looked up and noticed Bella wasn't anywhere to be seen. I instantly panicked. I looked around the store and with my quick check there was no Bella.
My heart clenched.
Why do I always seem to lose what I love?
An image of my mom passed through my wind and I gulped.
My fingers tightened into a fist and I tried to swallow again but my throat was dry.
"Edward? How about these jeans?" I heard the only voice that could calm me down. I turned completely around and saw her form appear from behind a rack of clothing.
I sighed and relaxed.
"You look good in everything." I said honestly. I took a step closer and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her lips softly, relieved.
I knew I was over protective, but that's who I would always be. I just couldn't lose her. I couldn't be apart from her. I just couldn't.
"Edward." She shook her head pulling back. She smiled softly. "You know we are in a store, right?"
"Yeah." I kissed her forehead. "I know."
My wife rolled her eyes and slung the jeans over her arm. "Alright, I get it. I'm done, lets just get out of here."
"No! I mean I'm not making you leave." I protested. "You can stay longer. I'm fine really."
"I'm good, I got all we needed and more." She sighed. "We only needed winter coats."
"You needed a new pair of jeans." I added. "A light pair. Your other light pair was washed too many times."
"You do pay attention." Bella beamed and I rolled my eyes.
"Sometimes." I joked.
"Now lets check out." She said and we walked to the check out. We were in Winners, pretty much the only store Bella likes to shop at because she doesn't like to shop. Except at Winners.
As Bella checked out our items I replied to Jasper's text.
Not fun.
Simple.
Sent.
Bella just pulled out her purse wallet when I got a reply.
I doubt you've even slept on the couch.
I smirked and quickly typed an answer.
Are you kidding? Bella and I have fallen asleep on the couch multiple times. ;)
Not long later I got another text.
Lucky bastard.
Time to be serious.
But really, you need to talk it out with Ally. You two are soul mates. You love her right?
Of course I do! I'd do anything for her.
Then fight for her.
"Where to next?" Bella asked, clinging to my arm as we walked out of the store. She held her purse and shopping bag in her other hand.
"Wherever you want to go, it's only one." I said looking at the clock on my cell phone.
"You really like that thing eh?" Bella asked.
"What my phone?" I questioned and she nodded. I shrugged. "It's alright. Jasper's texting me."
"Uh oh. Did Ally make it home safely?" She questioned me, tightening her grip on my arm.
"Yeah, they tried to talk apparently, but it just caused more problems." I sighed. "And it really sucks."
"They better stay together. They're meant to be." Bella said her voice lowering.
"Hey, I know that tone." I stopped mid step in the middle of the parking lot. I turned to face her. "Guilty?"
She refused to look at me, looking past me. I grabbed her chin gently. "Bella, sweetheart?"
"Well I had to bring Sarah into this!" She pouted.
"Bella, no. It's not your fault. Stop." I begged. "Sarah was always in town."
"Yeah but I brought her closer. To Ally and Jasper... To you..." She looked at the ground now, staring at her converse sneakers.
"How can you find it in you to be guilty? Ally lied, that's her fault, not yours. It was going to come and bite her in the ass eventually. You can't blame yourself." I told her honestly.
Bella sighed. "I just don't want them to split."
"They need to work it out themselves." I told her.
"What can I do? What can we do?" She asked helplessly.
"Hope. Pray." I sighed. "I know it's not that much, but it's the best we can do. Well, that, and go out for lunch and you get to pick the restaurant. Lets stop depressing ourselves."
"Okay." Bella agreed with a nod.
...
"I don't know if I've said this before, but I love you." I murmured against her lips in the middle of the Italian restaurant we were in. We always pull our chairs so they are beside each other. Sitting across the table from her is a little too far.
"I love you so much." She whispered against my lips.
It's crazy how someone could absolutely complete you.
"Wine at lunch time." My wife laughed and took a sip.
"Touché." I winked and took a drink of mine.
I sighed internally as I set the glass down.
"What is it?" Bella asked, sensing my instant mood change.
I pointed my chin forward. "That asshole."
"Who?" Bella looked over her shoulder. "Moustache man or the guy with the beard?"
"Neither, the one with blonde hair and I little bit of stubble." I said in a low tone. "Don't stare, dear. He's going to know we're talking about him."
"Okay, I see him." She nodded and turned back to me. "What about him? Why is he an asshole?"
I took another drink of my wine. Thankfully he didn't notice me. If he did, he would walk over and quite possible humiliate me or ruin my life. Possibly both. I was only exaggerating a tad bit too.
"Edward..." Bella pushed and scooted her chair closer. I looked down at our intertwined fingers on the table. "Edward." She nudged me. "He's staring at me."
I instantly looked up with a glare. Sure enough he was looking at my wife.
"Tell me who he is." Bella blushed when they made eye contact.
"We should go." I said looking down at the table. Hopefully he wouldn't notice me. Maybe he already did.
"I'm not asking again." Stubborn wife of mine pushed again.
"James." I squeezed my eyes shut. "James Victor."
"Okay... Doesn't ring a bell?" She replied and it sounded like a question.
"Roommate for a while... Drinking buddy for quite some time..." I shook my head at the stupid thoughts.
"Okay, so you're friends." Bella stated.
"Far from." I denied.
"I'm confused?" She admitted. "You were roommates..."
Yeah, she ignored the drinking buddy part.
"Well, I..." I stammered.
"We can leave." My wife said. "It might be best."
I looked at her then slowly at James, who sure enough was still staring. Clearly it made Bella uncomfortable.
"Alright." I stood up immediately, pulling her with me and wrapping my arm tightly around her shoulders. I tried to walk as fast as I could. I gave the waitress a few twenty-dollar bills and before I knew it I pushed the door open and ushered my wife outside.
James was already outside.
I groaned, aloud.
"Edward?" James asked, breathing out smoky air from his cigarette. He clearly just lit it, trying to make it as though he wasn't expecting me.
"Uh, yeah." I pulled at my hair with my free hand. "It's me."
James looked at Bella. "Who's this pretty lady? It's not Tanya."
I sucked in a breath and I felt Bella tense. "Yeah... She's my wife."
"Bella." She said introducing herself.
"James," He held out his hand and Bella quickly shook it. James threw the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it.
"Haven't heard from ya in awhile." James said looking at me.
"I know." I replied awkwardly.
"Last I heard you and Tanya were hitched." He laughed.
If I had a drink in my mouth, I would have spat it out.
"What? No!" I instantly yelled. "Why the hell would you think that?"
James held up his hands defensively. "Whoa whoa, I'm just saying last I heard you two were pretty serious."
"We weren't." I growled. "Ever."
"I can tell." James eyed Bella, quirking an eyebrow. "I can see why you dropped her."
I pulled Bella behind me a bit, clenching my teeth. I had nothing nice to say to him.
Clearly he treated women like they were objects...
Toys.
But I wouldn't let him do that to Bella.
James never changed from his old self. Only now, he looked in worse shape. His hair was slicked back with an overdose of gel and his fingers were a nasty colour from his smoking habit.
My teeth snapped together.
"Did you meet this one at the bar? Actually... I haven't seen you at the bar for a long time. What happened to ya bud? I miss that." James pouted jokingly quickly. He did a chuckle but it turned into a coughing fit.
I still was biting my tongue from completely lashing out on him.
Bella must have caught on. "Edward and I are actually really busy..." Bella apologized. "We must go, sorry."
She pushed me and I quickly walked to our car, holding the door open for Bella and closing it once she was inside.
"Ed, at least give me ya number?" He asked. "That or we need to go to the bar. Hey you know that Roxy's has some new waitresses, if you know what I mean..."
"I'm married." I turned.
"You're still Edward." James stated.
"I've changed." I sighed and stepped closer to James.
"You're no fun anymore?" He asked.
"No I am. I never was until recently actually. I'm me now." I told him.
He stepped closer. "What you don't drink anymore?"
I shook my head and James continued. "I bet ya that girl of yours knows nothing about your past."
"Enlighten me James. She knows all."
"Then why is she here?"
"Because she loves me." I lowered my voice. "Just stay away James. I'm not that guy."
"Doubt it." He smirked.
"I'm not." I insisted.
"We'll see." James turned and grabbed his cigarette pack out of the back pocket of his jeans.
I made my way to the car. When I get to the door I threw it open let out a heavy sigh and got in.
"Okay, so you aren't friends." Bella said and I closed the door.
"Now you're catching on." I sighed and shoved my key into the ignition. I twisted the key and the car purred, coming to life. "Do you want to go anywhere else?"
I looked at the digital clock in the dash. "It's not even two in the afternoon."
"Well is there anything you want to do?" She asked me and I shrugged pulling out of the restaurant parking lot. "We can go anywhere."
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
At the stop sign I stopped and pulled it out of my pocket, quickly opening the text.
Terrible time for the in laws to come down :(
I got confused and was going to reply but then I remembered I was at a stop sign so I just put the phone in the cup holder and drove off.
"So where am I driving to?" I asked her.
"I don't know." Bella replied. "Maybe just somewhere we can sit and talk?"
"We need to talk?" I questioned her hesitantly.
"Sure." She told me.
"Okay…"
…
"You're never to old to go on a swing set Edward." Bella jokingly scolded me. I chuckled and stopped pushing her on her swing and walked over to the swing next it. I sat down and looked at her.
"What?" She asked.
"What do we need to talk about?" I brought up the subject again.
"I don't know." She pumped her legs, swinging faster. "I just feel like you aren't telling me enough."
"Enough about what?" I questioned her.
"James Victor." My wife replied quickly and I watched her swing fall back again before she pumped her legs once more. "And Tanya."
I reached out and stopped her swing. She immediately put her feet on the ground and looked at me. I opened my mouth and closed again, I thought about something to say. "Why?"
"Because you're my husband." She said slowly. "And… I just want to know. You seemed mad at him, especially after he mentioned Tanya. We got out of there real fast. I thought we were having a good time."
"We were." I said, emphasizing the 'were'. "Until he showed it. It has nothing to do with us… I was enjoying myself."
"Okay, so tell me about James Victor." Bella pushed.
I looked at the ground. "We were roommates the little time I was in college… Or whatever. He's the one who gave me my first drink."
"Has he ever offered you a smoke?" Bella asked, interjecting.
"Well yeah… And I only accepted once… After I had a bit too much to drink." I sighed. I really didn't want her to know any of this. I didn't want her to know him. That's the old disgusting me, that's what I didn't want her to know.
The silence was a bit too much so I spoke up again. "He brought me to a lot of places."
"Places?" Bella asked me and I nodded. "Like what."
"Pubs, bars, clubs." I shrugged, still looking down. I couldn't look at her innocence.
All sorts of places.
"Hey Edward!" James hollered and waved his hand, beckoning me closer. I waved with my free hand while my other had a Coors in it. I walked out kind of slurry like, but when I got over and sat down next to him I just took another swig.
"What's up?" I asked.
He tipped his drink to mine and took a sip. "I bought you a lap dance. By the best in town too." He winked at me.
My eyes scanned the room. I didn't reply.
I felt a feeling of uneasy in the pit of my stomach as though I didn't belong at this place but with another drink of my Coors it went away. That's why I was here, for the drinks not for the girls. I didn't need to bring anyone into this… mess.
"Tanya Denali." James added. "She's a looker too, I saw her waltz by here earlier."
I didn't reply, once again feeling uneasy and James lightly punched my arm. "Come on. Grow some balls. She'll be here in a minute. How bad would I look if I told her to screw off? She's the best of the best, it would be so rude to reject her."
I was surprised he put out a full sentence without slurring.
"Alright." I gave in.
"Edward?" Bella asked me gently placing her hand on my arm.
The memory instantly went to the back of my head. I wished it would just go. I just wished it was never there.
I wished I only remembered Bella and I. That's all I ever wanted, that's all I ever want.
The rest can just go.
Why does it keep coming back?
"He introduced me to Tanya." I continued slowly.
"Edward if you really don't want to talk about it then just don't." She told me.
"It's fine. I won't keep things from you." I told her. "You might as well know."
Know how filthy I am.
Complete the opposite of what she thought of me.
"At a club." I went on. "She uh, worked there."
"Worked there as in…" Bella stopped mid sentence.
"Dancer, yeah…" It was getting awkward between us. Something I refused to let happen. "She just wouldn't leave me alone afterwards."
"She… convinced me to date her, and I took her out a few times. It just never felt right so I eventually broke up with her." I finished.
"How long were you two together?" Bella asked me carefully as though she picked each word with much thought.
"I don't know. No more than two months. After that she just went off to someone else. Now I hear she's got lots of kids, many with different dads, and she's just a damn mess. I only saw her what a year ago? When I picked you up after work at the diner…" I babbled. "She thought I was doing bad."
"Oh." My wife said. "Well was she a good dancer?"
Of course, of everything I say that's what she remembers. That is what bugs her.
"No… I don't know. I was pretty wasted." I admitted. Under my breath I mumbled. "Like always."
"Not anymore." She must have heard me. She still had her hand on my arm. I latched onto it and pulled me to my lap.
"Not ever again." I stressed. "Ever."
I didn't get into details. It was bad enough I let her know a bit.
I keep out all the nasty little things.
The things I've been through, the things I've seen.
She didn't need to know the bad. She was good, innocent, she didn't deserve such a monster.
I sighed pulling her closer. "I love you."
"I know." Bella whispered and kissed my cheek. "I love you."
I patted my pocket and reached for my cell phone remembering I hadn't replied to Jasper's text message yet. I used my left hand to hold Bella and my right to text back.
?
Bella kept kissing my face for I don't know how long but eventually my phone did vibrate again.
Didn't you know? That's why Ang and Ben aren't coming for another week.
Confused. I replied back.
What are you talking about?
"You're really tiny." I joked, looking at her small frame on my lap. "We both fit on the swing."
"I'm not tiny." She shook her head. I kissed the tip of her nose.
I looked at the time on my phone and saw that Jasper replied.
Edward and Elizabeth Masen are coming down this weekend.
A/N: Whew, Edward's mind is… easier to write! No really, I got this chapter done quicker and with way less writers' block. Thanks Mr. Cullen! \
Edward and Elizabeth Masen? :O Uh-oh…
Leave a review? I love feedback :)