Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own Dodge and Burn.
Much love and thanks to Editor Azucena , Pre-readers BtwntheStacks and Lemonmartinis and Beta-MsKathy
Thanks so much to JaimeArkin for reccing Dodge & Burn on the Lemonade Stand, you guys for voting it as one of the fics of the week, and Lost Intimidation for writing such a beautiful review. It meant so much to me.
Dodge and Burn / Chapter Seven / Castles and Other Galaxies
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"Hey, what're you doing?" Edward asks.
"I'm preparing to go see the stars. I want to soar into the galaxies," Bella replies.
"What?"
He's kind of missed crazy Isabella, but it appears she's back with a vengeance.
"I'm feeling a need to expand deeper into the universe."
"Have you been drinking? It's only four o'clock."
She laughs. "No, I'm going up to the Griffith Park Planetarium. I just finished printing and it's a glorious afternoon. So I'm going to pack myself a picnic dinner and head up there, then see the show. It always inspires me."
"What show?"
She gasps. "You mean to tell me you haven't seen seen Centered in the Universe? How long did you say you've lived in Los Angeles?"
"Too long," Edward says with a sigh.
"But it sounds like you haven't really fully lived here."
"Hey, that's not fair…just because I don't do touristy stuff like sticking my feet in the footprints at Grauman's doesn't mean I haven't lived."
"Are you kidding? I love touristy stuff. As a matter of fact, a couple months ago I rode that double-decker bus tour through Hollywood. I met the most charming couple from Ireland that day. They ended up coming to my house for dinner and I did a short session in the studio with them."
"You brought home complete strangers you met on a tour bus?"
"Oh, yes! We had the most fun. I can't remember when I've laughed that much. Hey that reminds me, I need to make proofs of that film and send them some prints."
"Can we get back to our original topic?"
"The stage is yours, Mr. C."
"Are you going alone to expand into the universe?"
"Yes, I usually go alone. I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with myself."
"I'm sure you do, you're endlessly entertaining. Can I crash the party and come with you? Of course, only if you're in the mood for company."
"Company…not so much. But I'm always in the mood for you."
She blushes as soon as she says it, realizing it sounds too forward, but she can't see the way he's grinning into the phone.
"Great. When shall I pick you up?" he asks.
"How about in an hour? I'm just making sandwiches, is that okay?"
"Sure. Can I bring some wine?"
"Yes, that'd be lovely. And bring a jacket, too."
"See you soon."
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Bella looks around briefly and then motions for Edward to follow her as she slips behind the low wall that runs along the edges of the planetarium. He smiles widely watching this daring woman. She descends a mild slope about twenty feet until she steps onto a small, level plateau that is hidden from above. She methodically pulls one of the portable chairs off her shoulder and pulls it apart until it looks like something you can actually sit on.
Meanwhile, Edward sets down the cooler and gets to work opening the bottle of wine. When they finally sit down and face the view, his eyes widen with surprise.
"Wow. Unbelievable." He's forgotten that the planetarium is on a hilltop just above Hollywood, and the views are incredible.
She waves her arms dramatically in a sweeping motion. "The world at our feet."
"Literally," he agrees, as he hands her a plastic goblet of wine. "Cheers."
She lifts her drink to him before taking a sip and then looking out in the distance. "I wish I were a bird so I could fly over this great kingdom. Can you imagine how glorious that would be?"
Edward nods and turns to study her. She's lit up with the golden cast of the late afternoon sun as it sinks low in the sky.
"I remember when I was a little girl I made up my mind that I would figure out how to fly. I made several elaborate life-size pairs of wings. I even recall my mom helping me, which looking back now is a bit strange. I mean, she knew I'd never be able to actually fly."
Edward wonders what Isabella's mother was like. She must've been something special to raise such a child.
She has a faraway look in her eyes. "Maybe she just thought it was important for me to believe that I could fly, even though I never would."
"I don't know about that. If there is anyone who I would bet on flying, it would be you."
She leans over and rests her hand on his forearm. "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."
"Now I'm sweet?" He laughs. "That's not very manly of me. I better work on that."
She shakes her head, laughing. "You're plenty manly, don't you worry about that."
.
They enjoy their picnic dinner as the sun falls. When the hills are cast in purple shadows and the quiet of night begins to drift in, they pack up and take their gear to the car so they can go see the show.
In the theater, he finds himself leaning closer to her like a magnet. She settles back in her reclining seat and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. It looks like she's meditating or something.
"What are you doing?" he asks.
"Getting ready," she answers, still not opening her eyes. "I like to be calm, with my mind open, when I see this."
"Is this one of those films you should see stoned?"
"No, but that's a good idea. We can do that next time."
He scoffs loudly. "You're trying to ruin me, Isabella, leading me down your dark paths."
"Quit talking, you!" she warns, reaching over and pushing him back into his seat. "Here, close your eyes and take a really deep breath."
He tries, but then starts coughing, the residual of the pneumonia creeping back up on him.
She gently pats his chest. "Oh, I'm sorry—I wasn't thinking," she says as he struggles to stop coughing. He finally settles back down.
When she goes to remove her hand, he catches it and pushes it back on his chest. "Keep patting. I like that little rubbing part, too. That feels good." He smiles as she continues, then silently curses the lights that begin to dim, signaling the start of the presentation. Her magic hand pulls away as she turns her attention to the glowing curved ceiling and away from where he wants it to be.
He looks up towards the ceiling as well as the orchestral music starts up and the presenter steps forward. Her rich voice makes the words come alive.
"We are drawn into the Earth's own shadow as it lets the stars take over the sky."
The ceiling is now covered with shimmering stars. Edward relaxes into his seat.
"Nothing can stop the cycle of time and change. Energy always flows from where it is more concentrated to where there is less."
Edward looks over at Isabella, his favorite source of energy. Her face is lit in starlight and her eyes bright as she listens intently to every word the narrator speaks.
Asteroids soar across the ceiling, planets come into view and leave again. He feels like he is in a trance as he listens intently.
"Time is a one way arrow to the future. Time is a gift, an opportunity. We can't fight the arrow of time."
Something in that thought disturbs Edward, but he can't figure out why. He ponders it, but moments later he's distracted by sounds separate from the performance. He turns around in his seat and realizes that the young couple behind them are making out. He smiles and settles back to watch the show, but during the sequence where the night sky begins to slowly rotate, they get especially moany and Bella turns around to see what all the fuss is about. When she turns back her eyes are wide. She presses her lips to his ear.
"Oh my, they're really going at it. For some reason this has always been a popular make-out spot."
He glances back. "The film must inspire them," he whispers playfully. "Is that why you brought me here?"
She rolls her eyes and turns back to the show. For the rest of the presentation, Edward imagines what it would be like if he and Isabella were like that young couple. He could slowly slide his hand under her skirt, gently stroking the soft skin of her inner thighs as his hand moved higher and higher. Would her legs spread open, until they were pressed against the sides of the seat as her head fell back? He fantasizes she'd push her hand over his fly, letting out a low moan when she confirmed that he was completely aroused for her. They would move skin-on-skin in the dark, the narrator talking about the mysteries of outer space while he uncovered the mysteries of Isabella.
How can he focus on black holes and meteors when this otherworldly force next to him is pulling him into her orbit?
..~*~..
She can tell the whole way back to the car that he's distracted. It's as if she can feel his intense gaze on her, but she can't tell what he's thinking. He couldn't have meant the crack about her bringing him there to seduce him when he's the one that invited himself along.
They're halfway back to her place when he suddenly turns toward her. "Hey, would you like to meet my cousin, Jasper, and his wife, Alice? They have a bar and small club on Fairfax near Sixth. It's usually pretty quiet on Tuesday nights."
He sounds so happy that she wouldn't think of turning him down. Besides, she's intrigued at the idea of meeting someone from his family. Lauren's the only one she's heard any details about. "Okay, sure," she replies, smiling.
The club is casual and comfortable with lots of wood and dark red walls. Bella feels relaxed as soon as she steps inside. Edward puts his hand at the small of her back and leads her to the bar. The bartender is busy working the other side, but when he turns toward them to get their order his face lights up as he spots Edward and then notices Bella.
"Edward!" he says, grinning as he looks over at Bella. "Is this…"
"Yeah, this is my friend Isabella. Isabella, this is Jasper."
Jasper shakes her hand kindly. "I've heard a lot about you, Isabella. It's great to meet you."
Bella warms right up to Jasper and they start to discuss the club and how he and Alice manage it. A moment later, Alice comes in from the back and her face lights up when he sees them.
"This is Isabella isn't it?" She steps over and gives Bella a hug.
"Well, most people call me Bella, except for this guy." Bella playfully pushes Edward on the shoulder.
"Because I'm special," he teases.
"Well then, Bella it is," Alice confirms, looking over at Edward. "Have you guys eaten yet?"
"We did. Isabella packed a picnic and we had an evening at the Griffith Park Observatory."
Alice raises her eyebrows and Edward can imagine what she's thinking.
"That sounds like so much fun!" she says. She turns to Jasper. "Hey, baby, let's go do that soon. I haven't been up there in forever."
"Sounds good to me," He replies smiling.
"You'll have to show them our special spot for dining," Edward says to Bella.
"Why don't we all go together," Bella says. "You pick a day that works for you with your hours and we'll do it."
"I like her," Alice says to Edward. "I think I'll keep her." She turns toward her husband.
"Hey, Jazz, why don't you get Edward to help you figure out that microphone? I left it on the desk. Bella and I can sit out here and keep an eye out while getting to know each other better."
"Good idea, babe," he agrees.
Jasper pulls Edward into the back and after offering Bella a drink, Alice leads her to a booth and they slide inside. They smile politely at each other and then Alice leans in like she has a secret she finally gets to tell.
"Hey, I want to thank you for standing by Edward, Bella. I know what a good friend you've been to him and how you took care of him while he was sick. We always call and check in on him when we don't see him for a few days, but he never bothers to return the messages so we didn't think anything of it. I still can't believe he didn't call us for help. "
"I know; he's kind of stubborn, isn't he? I had to battle with him to be allowed to help him."
"Yet, somehow you got through that brick wall. So to say I'm impressed is an understatement."
"I'm rather tenacious." Bella laughs. "Did he tell you how pushy I was to get him to come play for me when I first hired him?"
"He did. And if you don't mind me being really forward…"
"I don't mind," replies Bella.
Alice looks up down at the table but then back up at Bella. "Edward also told me that you know the truth about Lauren leaving him now…and you're still friends."
"Well, I was disappointed he hadn't told me early on, but we've worked through it. He's been a good friend to me, too."
Bella looks over, noticing that the boys have returned to the bar. Edward looks a little nervous like he imagines Alice is interrogating her, but he finally smiles and waves to her and she waves back. When she looks back at Alice she sees her brush a tear off her cheek.
"Is everything all right?" Bella asks, concerned.
"Yes, yes," Alice says, nodding. "We've just been so concerned about him and he seems so hopeful now."
Bella worries that she's being given too much credit, but she smiles and squeezes Alice's hand. "I'm so glad. You know he's helped me, too. It's meant so much to have him play music for me. He's so talented." Bella looks in the distance toward the small stage. "Do you think he could ever play here, in your club again…like a special night?"
"We'd love to do that. I can't tell you how many times we've pushed him, but he always refuses. It's too bad because he used to have quite a following around here."
"Well if it's all right with you I'm going to work on that. He's too wonderful not to share his music with others."
"Sounds good to me. You figure it out and we're in."
Bella looks over and Edward nods for them to come back to the bar.
"Shall we join them?"
"By all means, let's."
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As Edward walks Bella to her house, he shakes his head and chuckles. "I knew it," he says.
"Knew what?"
"You totally charmed them. They adore you already."
"Really?" She looks more pleased than surprised. "Well, I think they're pretty wonderful too."
At the door, he pulls her into his arms for a lingering hug.
"Thank you." He lets out a deep sigh.
She knows he's thanking her for so much more than dinner and a show.
"You liked traveling with me through the galaxy tonight?"
"I did…and dinner on top of the world. Did you mind that I came? You'd intended to go alone."
She turns toward him and pretends to fuss, straightening his collar and then pulling his leather jacket closed. Finally she looks up at him and smiles. "How could I mind, when it's you?"
He's overcome with the desire to kiss her and it rocks him, but his memory of their last kiss and resulting separation stops him cold. He takes a step back and pushes his fingers through his hair nervously until she turns toward her door and unlocks it.
Once she's safely inside, he slowly walks back to his car. Who would have thought that this modern day Suzy Sunshine with the swirly skirts and wild ideas would begin to capture not just so many of his thoughts, but a part of his heart as well.
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..~*~..
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A couple of days later, when he approaches her front door it's wide open so he sticks his head inside.
"Isabella?"
Nothing. No response.
"Isabella, where are you?" he calls out louder.
The silence is unnerving as he walks through the house towards the kitchen. Her purse is wide open on the desk, but there's no sign of her.
"Isabella!" His voice is more panicked now. He rushes to the family room where just outside the French doors, he's presented with the most curious sight.
Occupying a large part of her lawn is one of those inflated bouncy structures that he's seen set up for little kids birthday parties. His eyes quickly scan the backyard but he sees neither children, nor any sign of a party. A moment later his eyes flicker back to the inflated castle when he sees a head pop up in the mesh covered window in the upper part of the structure.
And there it is again, hair flying and a big grin…it's Isabella. With the next jump, she flails her arms around her head as she jumps higher.
He takes a moment to gather himself before opening up the door and stepping outside.
"Isabella!" he yells again, hoping she'll hear him this time.
She looks over at him and grins as she keeps jumping.
"Hi, Mr. C! Come inside and jump with me!"
"Woman! Your front door was wide open!"
She jumps especially high and kicks her leg up.
"Do you like my moves?" she calls out to him.
"Isabella! Your front door!" He waves his arm toward the front of the house dramatically.
"What?" she asks as she jumps one last time and then lands on her butt to stop her momentum.
"I keep trying to tell you that your front door was wide open."
"Oh, dear. I must have forgotten to close it after I grocery shopped this morning."
He shakes his head. This woman is going to make me crazy with worry.
"Someone may have been in the house-your purse was wide open, too."
"Oh, that's always wide open…there's so many little things to take in and out. I doubt anyone came in and went through my purse."
"Don't you want to check?" he asks.
"No. I want to jump. Besides, if they took anything they probably need it more than I do so I'm not going to worry about it. Come on, you want to jump?"
"No." He shakes his head firmly.
"Awww, please?" She reaches her hands out toward him. "Do it for me."
He shakes his head, laughing. "I don't think so."
"Ahh, come on!"
"How old are you anyway?"
"One hundred and seven, or forty-three, or six…what difference does it make?"
He shakes his head. "Was one of those correct?"
"Maybe," she teases. She flops down flat on the pillowy plastic surface.
"Okay, I'm coming in," he warns her. He crawls in and then settles on his stomach, lying next to her.
"So what's this about?"
"It's my momma's birthday. I do this for her birthday every year in her memory."
"How long has she been gone?"
"She died three years ago after a long illness."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"Me too. I loved her so much. This is her home, actually. She helped me raise Jacob here. She was always there for me. For us."
"So why the bounce thing?"
"When Jacob was four she helped me throw a birthday party for him and we invited the kids from the preschool. She went all out, got the bounce house, hired a guy that brought unusual animals in for the kids to see and touch."
"Unusual animals?"
"Stuff like weird-colored big lizards and hairy, huge spiders. The whole thing freaked me out, but Jacob loved it. She knew what he loved and that he was really into animals."
"Sounds like she was a wonderful grandmother."
"She was, always taking him to the zoo and the library to get animal books. For years I thought he was going to be a vet, but then after what my mom went through he changed to wanting to do medical research."
"That's impressive."
"Yes, Mom always inspired him in big ways…even when she didn't realize she had."
"So how does the bounce house fit into all of that?"
"Well, the party was a lot of work for us, but Jacob had the best time. After everyone left he crashed so I put him down for a nap and then poured glasses of wine for Mom and I to finally sit down and relax. And when I went to find her guess where she was?"
He laughs. "In the bouncy house?"
"Yes, sir. And she was laughing so hard as she jumped that I got to laughing and it was just one of those moments, you know? That moment encapsulated what I loved most about my mom."
"Sounds like she was full of life, just like you."
Bella smiles softly at him. "She was. I miss her."
Edward rolls over on his back and they lie there silently for a moment looking up at the bright blue ceiling. He can hear her breaths, heavy in her sorrow. He slowly reaches over and takes her hand in his.
"I know. I understand."
"All those years she made me believe in myself. Here I was a young girl with a baby, and the father not in the picture. She made me believe I could do anything, and that Jacob was so lucky to have a great mom like me. She never made us feel like we were less…never."
"I wish I could have met her. She sounds wonderful."
Never letting go of his hand, Bella rolls to her side to face him. "Tell me about your dad, Edward. What was he like?"
"He was this amazing old-fashioned, up-standing guy. He believed in family and honor, loyalty and respect. And God, he loved my mom. She was the sun and the moon for him."
"I admire him already," she says softly.
"He would have loved you," he says, squeezing her hand.
He's surprised how comfortable he feels here with her, holding her hand like it's something they do every day.
"I'm not too 'out there' for him?"
"Well maybe a bit." He grins. "I don't think he'd care for that wild colored skirt you wear. But he would admire how caring you are. He'd also be impressed that you have your own thriving business and that you've raised a son who's now going to help people with the work he's learning in college."
Bella takes her free hand and presses it over her heart.
"That's so lovely."
"It's true."
"What type of work did your dad do?"
"He taught economics at USC. We found out later that he also did a lot of investing."
"Smart man. And your mom?"
"She taught school, mainly music. When I was in high school, she developed a program bringing music education to kids from some of the low-income schools in a nearby area."
"They sound too good to be true."
"Pretty much. I mean they weren't perfect. She didn't handle her illness well. She was the worst patient ever and my dad just sunk into depression over it. I guess we all did. I know that's why his Parkinson's got so much worse."
"What did she have?"
"Melanoma. It was on the back of her scalp hidden in her hair and it wasn't caught in time. They had been so focused on his Parkinson's treatment that I don't think she was as aware of her body as she normally would've been. Once the cancer was in her blood stream it was just a matter of time."
"Oh, damn."
"I know. She was gone within a year. It just about killed him."
"As much as you loved your parents, you've really been through hell in the journey of losing them."
He nods. "You know things had been golden for so long that I took it all for granted. I was doing really well with the music…I was turning down jobs. Lauren seemed happy; she was successful, too. She'd just gotten promoted at her agency before Mom got sick. Even Dad's diagnosis a few years before that hadn't floored us because he was getting state of the art treatment at USC Medical and managing his symptoms."
"You couldn't have known what was coming. It probably was good that you didn't know."
He nods. "I suppose. We were oblivious…traveling, living the high life. Yes, we were stressed out and complained about work, but looking back we had it so easy. We had the world by the tail."
"And then…"
"It all started to fall apart, piece by piece. It was like a slow disintegration of my life and I didn't know how to handle it. I took over managing my dad's care and it was so hard because he had essentially given up. I was often overwhelmed and drained. Lauren couldn't handle my moods and got really frustrated when my jobs started to go away and she had to carry more of the financial load for our life. She became very angry and bitter, like I was a disappointment. And I was so worn down worrying about Dad and trying to manage his care that I couldn't focus on what was happening with her."
Bella starts to say something, but she stops herself. She looks frustrated hearing about Lauren.
"I was stupid. I'd get home late from his place and she wouldn't be home. She'd supposedly be 'out with the girls.' Then one night she just didn't come home at all."
Bella gasps. "Oh, no. How awful."
Edward looks up toward the ceiling as he continues. "We had 'the talk' the following night. She was in love with her client, a commercial director. She needed some time to figure things out. Maybe she needed me to fight for her, but I was so stunned and Dad was in his final stages…I moved to the loft to give her space. Maybe she thinks I just gave up. I got the divorce papers five months later."
Bella gets quiet as she thinks. She finally speaks up. "If you still believe in Lauren and your marriage, it's not too late to fight for her."
"I don't know. I just told Emmett that I'm finally ready to face the divorce."
"Emmett?"
"He's my brother-in-law, and my lawyer. He and my sister Rose live in Manhattan Beach with their three kids. Both them and Japer and Alice have been waiting for me to move on. I don't think they're big fans of Lauren."
Bella moves her thumb softly back and forth over his knuckles as she watches him. She realizes that he hasn't worn his wedding band since he was sick.
He turns back and looks at her when she starts to respond.
"It doesn't matter what they think. What matters is what's in your heart. Maybe you'd needed to get your strength back to give your best fight for your wife. Maybe you're ready now to not just fight, but to win."
"Was I holding on to the idea of Lauren, or just the idea that marriage is a commitment you don't walk away from? I don't know," he admits again, quietly.
She doesn't know if he means that he doesn't know if he can win her back, or if he no longer knows what he wants.
"If you were my man, I'd sure want you to fight for me."
"Would you now?" he asks, grinning.
"Hell yes," she responds, smiling, her eyes dancing with mirth. "I'd want you to cross a roaring river on foot, slay the fiercest dragon, and spear the savage man who had captured me right through his heart."
He laughs and pulls her over close to him until she is tucked under his arm, her head resting on his chest. "And what would I do with you, Maiden Isabella, once I had you?"
"You know, the usual stuff. You'd claim me as yours again and carry me off on your horse, back to your castle."
"Is it a bigger castle than this one?" he jokes, waving his free arm towards the entrance of the bouncy castle.
He feels her nod against his shoulder. "Much bigger, much grander. It's built of fine stone, not just air."
"And once we were there, in our castle?"
"Well, I'd leave the next part up to you. You'd claimed me after all. I'm sure you would have ideas."
"Perhaps some bodice ripping." He laughs. "Isn't that what usually happens in those historical romance stories?"
"Yeah, lots of claiming, bodice ripping, and other stuff." She huffs. "That would be good."
"Really good," he agrees, taking a deep breath.
She wiggles. "I may have to start jumping again soon, this is getting me all worked up."
He pulls her tighter into him. "No. No more jumping. I'll be quiet now, I promise."
For the next while they lie silently arm in arm, cushioned in the plastic womb of their castle. As they let their past stories and unspoken desires settle over them, they each wonder about endings and beginnings.
He holds her and tries to understand how she she's worked such magic. She's tenderly peeling him open so that all the shadows in his heart are exposed to the light.
.
.
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It's been a rough week, so it's lovely to remember how it feels to fall in love. Hugs to all of you.
Thanks for reading
xoxo
abbie