AN: Once again, much love to ShearEnvy for beta'ing my words and putting up with my neurosis (and my autocorrect). ILY. Thanks to everyone who reads. Your reviews make my day. I savor them like chocolate (*sigh* Toblerone)

I'm doing the Twilight 25, it's were you write 25 drabbles/oneshots in a 3 month period. I posted the first one.

Chapter 14: Fire

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." - Albert Schweitzer

"So you're a food critic?"

"Yeah."

"Does that mean you can, like, eat anything you want and stay skinny?"

I glanced in the rear view mirror at the young, blonde girl sitting in the back seat of my car, confused by her question. "Well, I'm not a magician. My metabolism is just like everyone else's. I just get to try a lot of different foods."

"What different foods?"

"Uh, all kinds."

"Even carbs?" She made a face. "Hello, love-handles."

Tanya laughed at her friend from her spot in the passenger seat. "I know, right? I even look at a plate of pasta and my ass blows up. Isabella is lucky to be able to keep such a decent figure." She paused, smiling. "Especially at her age."

Ouch.

I gritted my teeth, continuing to focus on the road. We'd been in the car for thirty minutes and there had been no less than a dozen underhanded comments exchanged between the two of us. Kate seemed oblivious to the underlying tension, though, and had spent the last half hour firing absurd questions at me.

"So, you try these different foods and what, give your opinion about it?"

"Yeah."

"You can even say when stuff is horrible?"

"Yeah."

"Wow," Kate said. "Interesting."

Tanya laughed. Again. It had to be the most annoying sound on the planet. "Isn't it fascinating, Kate? How many people can actually say they get paid to be such a bitch?"

I slammed my foot on the brakes as soon as she said it, my temper flaring, and two sets of panicked eyes focused directly on me as tires squealed. A car behind me hit their brakes also, laying on their horn as they nearly rammed right into my stopped vehicle in the middle of the road. I pressed the gas again before I caused an accident, groaning. "Thought I saw something in the road," I grumbled.

"It was probably a squirrel, wretched little creatures," Tanya said, looking away from me.

"So, basically, you're sort of like Cosmo, except instead of being for people who have sex, it's for people who eat...right?"

Dear God, what's wrong with this girl?

I spent the next few minutes entertaining more of her questions as I drove through Port Angeles, coming to a stop at the local bridal shop. It was the last place in the world I wanted to be, but I'd been woken up at the crack of dawn and given little choice.

We headed inside the store, the two of them practically bouncing with excitement while I slinked in, trying my best to disappear. I lingered in the back as they dove into the racks of dresses, chatting animatedly about this one and that one.

"So what do you think, Isabella?" Tanya called out after a few minutes.

I glared at her. What do I think? I think if you call me Isabella one more time, I'm gonna rip your arms off and beat you with them. "I don't know. I don't really like dresses."

"Oh, don't be silly. All girls like dresses," she said dismissively. "What colors do you like?"

I glanced around, pulling a tan colored dress from a rack. "This one's okay, I guess. I like simple and neutral colors, like browns."

"Browns?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I like green, too. Green is my favorite color."

"What shade of green?"

What shade of green? Green was fucking green. "Um, bright green, I guess."

"Like Emeralds?" Kate asked.

"Sort of."

"Like Edward's eyes."

I glanced at Tanya as she spoke, realizing that wasn't a question. That was a statement.

A correct one, at that. Another point for Tanya.

I wasn't sure at what point she'd caught onto me, if the fact that I'd cooked him dinner last night had done it, but it was clear she had it at least partially figured out. She'd been bragging about her and Edward's relationship all morning, all of the things they were going to do once they left Forks and went back to their lives. She even forced me to come to this place with them, despite the fact that she had all of my measurements and my presence wasn't necessary. I told her I'd go later in the week for a final fitting, but that hadn't been good enough for her. She insisted I was a part of the wedding, so I needed to be there when the dresses were picked. "Your opinion matters," she'd said, although I could tell she'd fought to keep a straight face while saying it.

Dress shopping. I'd rather be water-boarded, and I was pretty sure she knew that.

"So you like plain dresses in earthy colors?" she clarified.

"Yeah, that about sums it up."

"Nothing really fancy or girly? No lace or bows or flowers or pink."

I grimaced. "Definitely no pink."

An hour later, I stood in the cramped dressing room, horrified as I stared at my reflection. I was sure then, any ounce of doubt I'd had erased the moment I put on the dress...

Tanya Denali was the fucking devil in disguise.

Lucifer, herself, pounded on the dressing room door, practically shouting my name, but I ignored. She could go crawl back into the fiery pit of Hell she'd come out of. I wanted nothing to do with any of it.

"Oh, come on, come out!" she called, knocking some more. "I want to see it on you!"

"No way."

"Why not?"

"It's horrible."

"It can't be that bad."

"It is," I said. "I look like someone rolled me down Wal-Mart's craft aisle and then doused me in Pepto Bismol."

She laughed. "It's not even really pink. It's more of a rose color."

"Rose?" I asked with disbelief. Rose was a flower, not a fucking color. "It's hot pink!"

"Well, did you like the first dress better?"

Did I like the first one better? Judging from the fact that I refused to step out of the dressing room in it, as well, I'd say that was a no. "It was pink, too, Tanya."

"It was carnation."

Carnation? "I told you, I don't really do flowers - or pink. Or hell, dresses for that matter."

She sighed dramatically. "Either come out or I'm coming in. One way or another, I'm seeing it."

Annoyed, I flung the dressing room door open and stepped out onto the platform surrounded by mirrors. The moment I did, Tanya and Kate both squealed, clapping excitedly. "That's the one!" Kate exclaimed.

Tanya smiled. "Definitely."

"You've got to be kidding me," I grumbled, turning to look at my reflection again. The dress was horrid, and I looked like I'd just stepped out of an '80s prom. It was bright pink and poofy, some sort of glittery detailing to the bottom, accompanied by a belt around the waist that tied in the back.

And yes, there was a big bow. On my ass. An ass-bow. I wasn't amused.

If that wasn't bad enough, I spent the next hour standing there in the dress, a seamstress poking and prodding at me with needles to make it exactly my size, while having to watch Tanya try on at least a dozen different wedding dresses. Every time she burst out of the dressing room, squealing and jumping around, a small part deep down inside of me died a little more.

She was marrying my Edward. Barring a miracle I pulled out of my bow-covered ass within the next week, she was going to become Mrs. Edward Cullen. This woman, who had only known him three months, who didn't take any interest in the things he liked, who didn't even celebrate his birthday, was going to take him away from me.

Me, who had been there every step of the way, who knew him inside and out...

Who loved him.

Watching her try on dresses, I broke, the last little threads keeping me grounded in sanity snapping one by one. By the time we walked out the front door of that dress shop, I wasn't the same considerate, hopeful woman I had been walking in. I was jaded. I was angry. I was hurt. I was jealous. I was desperate...

I'd reached the end of my rope.

The house was empty when I finally made it back to Forks, and I dialed Jake's phone number on my cell phone as I stepped in the front door. It only rang once before he picked up, his friendly voice instantly starting to soothe my frazzled nerves.

"You will not believe what I was doing all morning," I said, dropping my purse on the floor before plopping down on the couch. My head was throbbing so hard it made my eyes pulsate, the drive back from Port Angeles infinitely tenser than the drive there. Kate kept firing questions at me at a rapid pace, every now and then being interrupted by a snide comment from Tanya. By the time we reached the "Welcome to Forks" sign, I wanted to pull the car over, open the door and shove both of those bitches out into the street.

"Edward?" he guessed. "If you've been doing Edward all morning, I'm gonna need details, honey. Graphic details."

I rolled my eyes. "I wish. I was doing something a lot less gratifying."

"Gratifying, huh?" I could hear the amusement in his voice. "So Edward is satisfying in the sack, then?"

"I'm not talking to you about that."

"Oh, come on," he said. "I know you said his balls were nice… how's the rest of the anatomy?"

I groaned. "It's nice, alright? He's got nothing to be ashamed of. But seriously, can we talk about something other than penis for a second?"

"Sure thing, Bella," he replied. "Why don't you tell me what you were doing all day?"

"I was dress shopping, Jake. Like, legit trying on bridesmaid dresses with Thing One and Thing Two."

He laughed. "No shit? I bet that was fun."

"Oh, it was a blast. Not sure what I enjoyed more — the frilly dresses she stuffed me in or the snide comments she made the whole time."

"I'm not surprised she's taking jabs at you. She's jealous."

"Jealous?" I asked incredulously. "What's she got to be jealous of? She's the one getting married."

"True, but she isn't married yet. She's not as idiotic as she comes off, Bella. She may be a bit flighty, but that woman is about as conniving as they come. The whole time we were on that dreadful camping trip, I could see it in her eyes. She knows one thing threatens to stand between her and her happily ever after - and that one thing is you."

"That makes no sense," I said. "Why would she insist on including me in this godforsaken wedding if she thought I was a threat?"

He sighed. "The same reason you tolerated her presence, Bella - you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Besides, she's trying to win points with Edward, and she knows shunning his best friend isn't the way to do it. She doesn't want him to think for even a second that he's making a mistake. She doesn't want to lose that nice cock."

And… back to the penis we go.

"I told you, I don't want to think about him and her… about them. That's worse than your stories about your dates."

He laughed. "Speaking of my dates, I've got one tonight."

"Vito Stella's again?"

"Heaven no, he's yesterday's news. You won't believe this, Jezebella. I went for a drink after I got home and my phone rang…"

He rattled on about some encounter he'd had while I pretended to listen, my head continued to throb fiercely. I climbed up off of the couch after a moment and strolled into the kitchen for a drink, grabbing a beer out of Charlie's fridge. I popped the top on it and leaned back against the counter, taking a sip as Jake continued to talk. The beer was bitter, the cheap stuff my father had drank every day since I was young. He'd stopped drinking as much after my mother left, likely because it had been her addiction to alcohol that destroyed our family.

Or so Charlie claimed, anyway. I couldn't recall a time when my mother didn't drink, so how could something ruin us that had always been there?

"Bella!"

Jake startled me and I jumped, so lost in thought I'd forgotten I was supposed to be listening to him. "Uh, yeah."

"Yeah what?"

"Yeah, whatever you just said," I replied. "Well, as long as it wasn't pervy."

He laughed. "What's got you so distracted? I'm babbling away and you aren't hearing a damn word I'm saying."

"Sorry, I'm just all over the place," I muttered. "I keeping thinking about my father and whatever the hell he's been doing, and then there's Edward and this whole disaster of a wedding. Sometimes I think I'm wasting my time, that if he wanted me, he wouldn't be engaged to that… that nitwit… but then I think about the times we've been alone, and I can still feel it between us. At first I thought I imagined it, but then yesterday when he kissed me, I…"

"Whoa, whoa, hold the fuck up, buttercup," he said. "He kissed you? Why haven't I heard about this?"

"Ugh, it wasn't that big of a deal…"

"If he kissed you, it is a big deal."

"But his lips barely touched mine," I explained. "I mean, honestly, we could hardly even call it a kiss."

"There's no such thing, Bella. That's like saying you hardly fucked. You can fuck hard, but you can't hardly fuck. A kiss is a kiss."

"Fine, whatever, he kissed me," I said, pushing away from the counter and strolling over to the table as I took another drink of the beer. "But then he went back home to his fiancée like it didn't even happen."

"Well, what did he say afterward?"

"Nothing. Tanya showed up, so neither of us had a chance to say anything."

"You haven't talked to him since?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

I sighed and sat down, having no answer for that. I shoved the morning newspaper to the side and set my beer down, picking up a manila envelope that was lying on the table. I hesitated, remembering how annoyed Charlie had gotten when he found out I'd looked through the stuff on his desk, but opened it after a moment as Jake started rambling again. There were a stack of papers inside and I pulled them out, scanning the top page.

I tensed when I saw 'Tanya A. Denali' written at the top, a string of addresses underneath it. Her date of birth was listed, as was her current phone number. I flipped the page quickly, realizing Charlie had done a background check on her, and saw the second paper was a nearly blank employment history. There was one place listed, a record of her being employed for nearly a year at a place called The Body Shop. I vaguely recalled seeing a store at the mall with that name and figured she probably worked in retail for a while like a lot of people did. The third page was equally as disappointing, a criminal record that consisted of only a minor traffic situation a few months back.

Flipping to the next page, I saw it was a photocopy of her birth certificate. I read the names on the paper, nothing about it seeming unusual. I flipped to the next page, annoyed that she was just as perfect on paper as in person, and my brow furrowed when I saw it was another criminal record. Laurent J. Denali was written on the top, a long string of arrests following - possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a felon, assault, DUI, public intoxication. He'd served time in prison and was on supervised probation from a recent drug arrest.

A chemist, my ass. The fucker probably brewed up methamphetamine. "Lying bitch."

"Excuse me?" Jake said.

I'd forgotten I was on the phone again. "Shit, sorry. I, uh… Jesus, I just found out Tanya's been lying about her parents. They're not off in Europe on some damn vacation. Her father's a criminal! He's on probation. That's why they aren't coming. The man probably can't leave the state!"

"Oh shit," Jake said. "She actually thought she'd get away with that?"

"Apparently," I said. "I need to go tell Edward."

"No, you don't," Jake said quickly. "Telling him won't do any good."

I shook my head, clutching the papers tightly. "He deserves to know."

"Yeah, he does, but if you think this is a deal breaker for them, honey, you're sorely mistaken."

"You're crazy," I said. "She's been lying to him!"

"She has, but tell me something," he replied. "If someone ran a background check on you, would you be squeaky clean? And besides, has Edward been completely honest with her? That little story you told me in your bedroom a few days ago… has he told her?"

"That's different."

"Oh, don't give me that shit, Bella. They're both keeping secrets. It's toxic, but you busting in and flailing like a wacko about a background check you did on the poor girl isn't the way to solve this. She'll just cry like the actress she is, and guess who's gonna be the bad guy? Yep, you got it, Jezebella. You."

I groaned. "So what, I'm supposed to just let it go? Let him marry her without knowing what kind of people they are?"

"Lord, no. I didn't say all that," he replied. "Gimme their names. I'll work something out."

I hesitated. "You're not going to do something crazy, right?"

"Me? Crazy?" He laughed. "Of course not."

I stepped out the back door of the house after hanging up with Jake, in need of some fresh air. My thoughts were all jumbled, the day turning out to be a mess from the moment I opened my eyes. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I could feel the urgency creeping in, that clock ticking away in the back of my mind and alerting me that time was nearly up.

Someone called my name after a moment and I glanced next door to find Esme sitting on her back porch in a lounge chair, peeling an orange. She waved me over and I strolled in her direction, plopping down in the chair beside her. She smiled warmly at me before turning back to the fruit, continuing to remove the rind. "How was your morning, dear?"

"Wonderful."

She looked back at me with surprise. "Really?"

"Yep. The only thing that could've made it better is having my fingernails pulled out with a pair of pliers. Pretty sure Tanya would rectify that for me, though, if I asked."

She sighed. "That bad?"

I shrugged. "Dress shopping just really isn't my thing, you know that."

"Is that the only thing that bothered you about it? Having to buy a dress to wear?" she asked. "Or is it more than that?"

I looked at her cautiously. "What else would it be?"

She shrugged. "Maybe the fact that it's a dress for my son's wedding?"

Yes. "Maybe."

Her face was overcome with that all too familiar knowing smile. "Does it bring back memories?"

I nearly scoffed but fought hard to retain my nonchalance. What did she think? Of course it fucking did. "Maybe a little."

She finished peeling her orange and split it in two, holding half out to me. I took it and thanked her quietly, remembering many afternoons Esme and I had sat on her back porch doing this same exact thing. It was the closest I ever got to having mother and daughter time as a teenager, something I always yearned for growing up.

"Do you remember the day your mother left, Bella?" she asked after a moment.

That time, I did scoff. "Of course I do."

"Do you remember what I said to you that night when you were crying?"

"Yes." It was something I'd never forget, the look of sympathy and love on Esme's face as she knelt down in front of me in my bedroom, trying to stop my tears. Charlie had broken the news that she'd left, but he wasn't very good at consoling me. He'd gone straight to Esme for help. "You told me that the people we're meant to have forever will always be there, no matter what. That we have to let people go sometimes, because it's what they need, but still trust that if it's meant to be, it'll be."

She nodded, looking slightly surprised. "You remember almost verbatim."

"That's because I've recited those words to myself so many times over the years that they're practically burned into my brain, Esme."

"Did you recite them then?" she asked quietly. "Back when you and Edward…"

She didn't finish her statement, but she didn't need to. "Yes."

"Don't forget those words now, sweetheart. They're still true."

I was pretty sure she was trying to make me feel better about the whole thing, but her words only made me feel worse. The idea of having to let Edward go, of letting the wedding happen, stung.

After a moment of silence from me, she climbed to her feet and stretched. "I need to get going. I have a cooking seminar in Port Angeles in about an hour. Edward, Emmett and Carlisle are at another tux fitting. Jasper flew in this afternoon and is meeting them there."

"And the girls?" I asked.

"They're in the house," she replied. "Tanya's attempting to cooking tonight, so she's getting a start on it now. I do so hope you plan to join us for dinner. It won't be the same without you, dear."

She patted me on the head, giving me one last smile before heading inside. I sat there for a moment, tearing off chunks of the orange and munching on it, before the door behind me opened again. I glanced back quickly, seeing Kate. She smiled. "I was coming to look for you. Tanya wants to know what you think she should cook tonight."

I shrugged. "I thought she said she was just going to make him his favorite food. Can't go wrong with that."

Kate continued to stand there, apparently expecting me to tell her what that was, but I stayed silent. She sighed after a moment and went back inside, leaving the sliding glass door open a few inches when she did. I continued to eat my orange, annoyed as their voices carried through the opening and out to me. So much for a moment of peace.

"I don't know what that is," Tanya said, and I could hear the aggravation in her tone. "How the hell am I supposed to know what he likes?"

"You're his fiancée, T," Kate said. "You're supposed to know these things."

"Well, I don't."

"What does he eat most often?" Kate asked. "If it's his favorite, he probably eats it a lot."

"I don't know," Tanya replied. "I don't pay attention to that shit."

"Do you know anything he likes?"

She groaned. "I know he likes fish."

"Well, there you go," Kate said. "Make some fish."

I stifled a laugh. Yes, please, cook fish. It's not his favorite, but your attempt would be hysterical.

"I am not making fish," Tanya spat. "It's disgusting."

"Come on, Tanya. Just cook it. You're this close to getting what you want. He's marrying you in a week. A week! Do you know how much I'd give to be in your shoes? I still have to dance to make ends meet, and you've found someone to take care of you."

"This is ridiculous," she replied. "I'd take dancing again over this domestic shit any day."

"You know dancing isn't an option for you now," Kate said. "Cooking fish, though, is. So suck it up."

"You suck it up," Tanya retorted, childish annoyance in her voice.

Kate laughed. "God, I would if I could. That man is yummy. Think he'd be interested in a three-some?"

"I wish he was interested in anything," Tanya said. "I can barely get him to kiss me, much less touch me. It's making this whole thing more difficult. Unless I dye my hair brown and call myself Bella, I doubt he'll give a shit about anything I do."

I sat stunned when she sneered my name, as the two of them headed to another part of the house, their voices fading. Their conversation continued to run through my mind, but I was having a hard time getting it to sink in. She danced?

A rustling noise caught my attention after a moment and I glanced to the side, my eyes widening in shock when I saw a little squirrel sitting about two feet away from me. It was staring at me, it's little beady eyes boring into me intently. I was confused until I remembered the orange in my hand and tore a tiny piece off, tossing it on the ground. Hesitantly, the squirrel approached and picked it up, starting to eat it. It was surreal, and I watched the creature curiously, partially afraid to move. Edward's constant babbling about squirrels had me paranoid, and I was afraid any sudden movement would send the little guy off.

That was the last thing I needed today… to be mauled by a damn squirrel.

It finished the small chunk of orange and stared at me again, this time much closer than before. I threw another piece to the ground and it ran right to it, giving me an evil yet brilliant idea. I didn't even really think about it, and there was absolutely no contemplation about potential consequences. Instead, I tore off another small piece of orange, tossing it in the open crack of the glass door, and the squirrel went right for it.

Once it was inside, I stood up and shut the door. "I'll show you a bitch," I muttered to myself, still irritated as I strolled back to Charlie's. It certainly wasn't the craziest thing I'd done… not by a mile.

I stared at the scrap of paper, reading the words scribbled in Edward's messy handwriting. I'd found it lying on the middle of my bed after taking a shower, the window in my room still suspiciously cracked open from where he'd obviously broken in. It was beginning to become a habit of his, especially since Charlie was still insisting Edward and I "cool down a bit", his anger over the club incident lingering.

Meet me at the library at 11, it said. No explanation, no further direction, just to meet him at the library. I glanced at the clock, seeing it was after ten already, before my eyes drifted to my desk. I walked over and picked up my keys, a little nervous when I noticed my work keys were gone. "Oh, Edward. What are you up to?"

I threw on a pair of pajamas and pulled my hair back in a ponytail before strolling downstairs. Charlie was in his recliner in the living room, half asleep as ESPN played on the television screen. He glanced up when he heard me coming and smiled. "Heading to bed, Bells?" he asked, surveying my outfit.

I nodded. There was no way Charlie would let me out of the house tonight without throwing a fit, since I'd missed curfew the night before by over thirty minutes. I'd had trouble getting the truck to start and he knew it, but it didn't excuse being late in his eyes. I understood he was just trying to hold on to me, considering I was all he had anymore, but I felt like I should have control over my life now. Charlie disagreed, though, and said I had to respect his rules as long as I lived under his roof.

It was a fight we'd had a few times, one I wasn't in the mood to have again.

"I have to work in the morning, so I'll be up early and make you breakfast," I told him.

"Great. Thanks, Bells," he mumbled. "Sleep well."

I headed back upstairs and quickly dressed, waiting until I heard Charlie come upstairs before quietly heading back down. I slipped out the back door and ducked between the houses, opting to walk the few blocks to the library rather than risk Charlie hearing the loud roar of my truck. It only took about fifteen minutes for me to get there, but I was running late.

Edward's car was nowhere to be seen and the library looked completely dark, but as I approached I noticed a flicker of light inside. Hesitantly, I walked over and tugged on the door, stunned when it opened right away.

I was oddly nervous, my palms sweaty and heart thumping wildly in my chest. This whole thing was already so out of character for Edward that I didn't know what to think or what to expect. He was always so predictable to me because I knew him so well, but I was at a complete loss as to what was happening.

"Edward?" I called, stepping inside.

"Back here," he hollered from somewhere deep within the library. I shut the door carefully behind me and started in the direction of his voice, walking slowly so as not to trip in the dark. I had the layout practically memorized, though, so it wasn't that hard of a task.

I strode through the stacks of books, toward the subtle glow I'd noticed earlier. I turned a corner as I neared it and froze right in my tracks, stunned when I spotted him. The sight nearly took my breath away and I clutched my chest, gasping.

On the floor, in the small lounge area between the fiction and non-fiction sections, was a blanket, beside it a little table with a tall lit candle and a small portable CD player. Edward stood in front of it, barely recognizable. He had on a pair of black pants and a white long sleeved shirt, buttoned all the way up and complete with a black tie. His hair was disheveled as usual, but I could tell he'd tried to fix it. His nervousness had taken over, though, his hands obviously finding their way into his hair as he waited. Anxiety shone from his eyes as we stared at each other in silence. I had no idea what to say. I was stunned.

He started toward me after a moment, pulling his hands from behind his back, and my eyes widened in shock when I saw he had a single red rose. He held it out to me and I took it, still staring at him.

"It's, uh…" he started, glancing around. "It's for you."

"Thank you," I managed to say, eyeing the rose in my hand. This was so not him... not us. "Did something happen?"

His brow furrowed. "No, why?"

"I was just wondering what the occasion was," I said, looking past him at the things he had set up.

"Oh, nothing really," he replied. "I just wanted to do something nice for you. I mean, your birthday's coming up…"

"Not for a month and a half," I said.

"Yeah, but I won't be here. You know, college and all."

My chest ached at the reminder. "I know."

"Besides, I owe you something nice. I sorta fucked it up last time."

Now I was confused. "What did you fuck up?"

"You know, Fourth of July," he said. I could sense the anxiety in his voice, so unlike the confident Edward Cullen I knew. "I shouldn't have done that there. We were outside, and it was so quick and just… sucked."

"Sucked? Are you saying I'm bad in bed?"

He rolled his eyes. "You know I'm not. I'm saying I sucked. I've been a shitty boyfriend, Swan. It was your first time. I should've made it special, and I guess I'm kind of hoping for a do-over."

I eyed him curiously. "A do-over? Does that mean you're expecting to get laid?"

"It's more like I'm hoping to get laid, Swan," he said, his cheeks growing pink from the admission. "You can't blame a guy for trying, right?"

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "That's sweet. This is sweet. But you know you didn't have to do all of this…"

"I know. I wanted to, though," he said. "And I know it's not perfect… I grabbed the blanket from the back of the car and I stole the candle from the living room of my house. But if you don't like it, I can…"

Smiling, I pulled away and glanced back at his set up, interrupting. "It's great, Edward. Why here, though?"

He sighed, wrapping his arms around me from behind. I leaned back into him, inhaling his rich cologne and savoring his warmth. "I figured what better place to love you, than somewhere I know you love. You told me you feel at home here, that you're happy and feel like you belong in the library. I want you to feel that way with me, too."

His voice was soft and I could feel the vulnerability in his words. It made goosebumps spring up on my skin, tingles running down my spine. "I do. I always have."

"Me, too," he whispered, leaning down to kiss my neck. "So let me show you."

"But what if we get caught?"

"We won't," he replied. "It's Forks, Swan. This place has no alarm and no security cameras. No one will come here until we're long gone. They'll never know we were here."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Let me make love to you, like you deserve to be made love to."

He need not say more, because I melted in his arms with those words. He led me to the blanket and turned on some music, a mixed CD of rock ballads. "You might want to move the candle, in case someone bumps the table," I suggested. "Don't want to knock it over."

He nodded. "Where should I…?"

"The bookshelf," I said, motioning to the one about six feet away. "We'll still be able to see."

He moved the candle before slowly and carefully stripping away my clothing. He'd remove a piece, his lips grazing across the skin underneath it as he explored my body with his tongue, leaving no part untouched. I lay back, completely naked and writhing, not an ounce of insecurity as he ravished me with his mouth. He finally reached the place that ached for him, and I gasped, gripping onto his hair as his tongue swirled around my most sensitive spot.

"Oh God, that feels so good," I said as I shivered. My words were like fuel to the fire already burning inside of him, his movements becoming firmer and more precise. It didn't take long until I was squirming, my breath coming out in gasps as he sucked and licked the tender flesh. Then he pushed one of his long fingers inside of me, and before long added another, pumping them in and out as he continued his assault on my clit.

I felt the pressure mounting inside of me and tensed, my body rigid and toes curled as it seemed to wash through my body like a stream. Warmth coated me from the inside and my breath hitched, my back arching as something inside of me seemed to let loose. It exploded, sparks dancing across my skin as my vision went hazy.

"Oh fuck!" I yelled, stunned as my muscles went taught, other parts of me convulsing. I snapped my legs closed almost upon instinct, clamping down on his head, and heard him lightly chuckle as he pried them back apart. He didn't stop his movements until I was whimpering, each flick of his tongue agonizing on my sensitive flesh.

He kissed up my stomach and to my neck, hovering over me as I lay there. I was seeing stars dance before my eyes, my body like jelly. He pulled back a bit and stared into my face, a crooked grin overcoming his lips. They glistened as he licked them, and a moan escaped my throat as I watched. I grabbed him, eagerly pulling him down for a kiss.

"God, I love you so much."

He seemed taken aback by my passionate declaration and pulled from my mouth to look in my eyes again. "Do you?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Or is it just the orgasm you love?"

"Both," I answered. "I do love you, but God… that was nice."

He grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Was it your first?"

I nodded.

"You've never, you know… touched yourself?"

I shook my head.

His brow furrowed. "Not even when thinking about me?"

I rolled my eyes, playfully pushing him as he laughed. "Well, I'm glad I could give you your first. It's the fireworks you should've seen on the Fourth of July."

Fireworks. The sex I always read about. The shit Harlequin was made of. I shivered thinking about it.

He leaned down and kissed along my collarbones. "Hopefully it's just the first of many, many more to come. Hundreds. Thousands."

"Tonight?" I asked.

"Jesus, are you trying to kill me? I meant in our lifetimes, Swan. I'm not that good."

I smiled. "You can't blame a girl for trying, right?"

He laughed. "Alright, smartass."

He kissed me again, his lips soft and gentle against mine. I could feel the passion radiating from him and reached up, fumbling with his tie. "This thing has to go," I mumbled against his mouth. "It's so not you."

He nodded, pushing my hands out of the way and quickly undoing it. He tossed it on the blanket beside us before unbuttoning his shirt, discarding it with the tie a moment later. I ran my hand down his chest, entranced by every curve and ripple, and came to rest on his belt buckle. He watched me carefully as I pushed him back so I could sit up, and he sat back his knees. I undid his belt buckle, my hand trembling from a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. As soon as I got his pants unfastened, he climbed to his feet, letting them drop to the floor. The rest of his clothes joined the others we'd discarded, and I gazed at his naked form. I hadn't gotten a good look last time, but in the glow of light I could see his prominent erection. It was thick and I stared, fascinated, as he took it in his hand and stroked it a few times. Something glistened on the tip of it, catching the light, and I reached out, running my pointer finger across it.

He closed his eyes, sighing as I put my hand on top of his, mirroring his movement. He pulled his hand out from under mine after a moment and I gripped it tightly, feeling it throb in my palm as I stroked it like he had. I had no idea what to do, locker room gossip about his ex-girlfriend Jessica being queen of oral sex making me nervous. After a minute he opened his eyes again and glanced down at me, curiosity in his eyes as he took in my expression.

"I don't know how to make you feel good," I whispered, biting my bottom lip.

He smiled softly and put his hand over the top of mine as he got back down on his knees, climbing over me. "You're doing just fine, baby," he said. "Don't be so worried. It's just me."

I relaxed back on the blanket and he pulled my hand off of him as he positioned himself between my legs. He pushed himself inside slowly and it was uncomfortable at first as he stretched me, but it was nothing like the pain from the first time. My body adapted quickly as he put some of his weight on me, kissing my neck as he began to slide in and out.

Before long we both got caught up in the moment, the slow and sensual evolving to hungry and needy. Hands roamed, caressing skin and tugging hair, noises emanating from both of us as we grew desperate to feel more. His thrusts grew harder, my cries growing louder. Both of our voices were hoarse, our bodies coated in sweat as we rolled around on the blanket. He pulled me on top of him at one point, his hands firmly on my hips as he guided me up and down. I watched him then, his face strained and eyes tightly shut, as he grunted every time he slid completely inside. It was stunning, the way his forehead creased and his lips parted. Noises I was causing, noises bursting from somewhere deep inside of him, originating from the sensations where the two of us were connected.

I felt the tension mounting again as I watched him, a second orgasm rolling through me quickly. I threw my head back, crying out as my movements became erratic. I lost my rhythm as I convulsed and Edward took control without hesitation, rolling us over again so he was on top. We slammed right into the table, the CD skipping from the force of the blow, but it barely registered with either of us. Edward pushed my knees up, opening me wider as he thrust into me with an intensity I hadn't expected. I cursed, instantly tingling all over as Edward whispered in my ear.

"Fuck, I'm so close."

His voice was gritty with need and I gripped him tightly, my hands exploring his back and running through his hair as he pumped into me, sweaty skin slapping together so hard it stung.

"Shit, I'm coming," he cried out after a moment, his voice strained. He grunted as he thrust a few more times before collapsing onto me, exhaling sharply. "Damn, that was good."

I was panting and exhausted, trying to catch my breath, but the weight of his body wasn't making it easy. Somehow we'd ended up on the bare carpet and I could feel my back burning from the friction, the blanket bunched up at our feet.

"That was…" I started, trying to find the right words.

"Fire."

That wasn't the word I was reaching for, but it would do. "Yeah, it was fire."

"No, Swan, fire!" he yelled, pulling out so quickly it startled me. He jumped to his feet and my heart started pounding frantically as I sat up, glancing around. My eyes fell upon the smoke and I gasped, getting to my feet. The bookshelf was on fire, the heat from the flickering flame of the candle having ignited the shelf above it.

"Oh my God!" I yelled, panicked. Naked, I darted through the library to the front desk, grabbing the fire extinguisher from the wall. I ran back, seeing Edward was trying to smother the flame with the blanket and started to yell at him to stop, but it was too late. He'd fanned the flames and it spread quickly, igniting the blanket. Edward yelled as he threw it, and I watched, horrified, as it landed against another bookcase.

"Get dressed," he barked, running right for me. I stood frozen in shock, and he grabbed my arm. "Jesus, Swan, we have to get out of here!"

I ran to my clothes, quickly starting to put them on. Edward dressed faster than I thought humanly possible, grabbing his CD player and taking my hand when the sirens in the building came to life, the fire alarm activating. It set the sprinklers off as lights flashed, drops of water raining down on us.

We ran out the front door and cut around to the back of the building to where Edward's car was parked. I was trembling, tears welling up in my eyes as I climbed in the passenger seat, and Edward got behind the wheel, the engine of his Camaro coming to life. He sped away and I glanced back at the building, seeing the fire still illuminating the library's windows.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, tears breaking through. "This is horrible!"

"I know, Swan. Fuck, I'm trying to think," he said, a hard edge to his voice.

"This is bad, really bad," I said. "We're going to be in so much trouble."

"I'm trying to fucking think," he barked at me, narrowing his eyes as he looked in my direction. "Just calm the hell down."

"I can't! We're burning down the library!"

As soon as I said it, I heard sirens in the distance. Edward pulled off of the road and I could see he was shaking, obviously as worked up about it as me, but he was fighting to stay in control. A firetruck came whizzing past after a second, heading in the direction of the library.

"It's all right," Edward said calmly. "It's going to be all right. There's no proof it was us. No one will know."

Even he knew better than to actually believe that.

From the sound of the shriek and the frantic pounding on the front door of Charlie's house, you'd think she was Neve Campbell and we were in Scream. I opened the door, raising my eyebrows as I looked at Kate. She was hysterical, flapping her hands like they were wings and the bitch was trying to fly.

Fly away, birdie, and take your little friend with you.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Oh God, help! There's something horrible in the house!"

Yeah, there is, and it goes by the name of Tanya.

She grabbed my arm and tried to drag me to the Cullen's, but I dug my heels in the ground, refusing to budge. "What is it?"

"It's a vermin! A chipmunk or something."

I shook my head. She couldn't identify a squirrel when she saw one? "What do you expect me to do about it?"

"I don't know… something!"

She tugged my arm again, and this time I didn't resist. Curiosity was getting the best of me. I wanted to see what it was doing.

The front door was wide open, and as I stepped in the house I noticed the windows were open, too. Kate refused to go inside, but Tanya was shouting in the kitchen so I moseyed in that direction, stopping in the doorway. It took everything in me not to burst into laughter as I took in the scene in front of me.

Tanya was on top of the counter in the kitchen, holding a cast iron skillet like a baseball bat. There was stuff everywhere, pots and pans and broken glasses on the floor that I suspected Tanya had thrown at the squirrel. The creature seemed oblivious to her panic as it sat in the middle of the floor, munching away on something it had obviously discovered in the house to eat.

She turned to me, frantic. "Do something!"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know! Kill it!"

"I'm not killing a squirrel, Tanya," I said. I didn't even like killing crickets and they were just bugs. Besides, it was my fault the little guy was there, anyway. There was no way I was hurting it.

"Then pick it up, throw it outside!"

"I'm not picking it up," I said. "It might bite me."

She groaned loudly. "Do something!"

Before I could respond, there was a commotion at the front door. I heard Edward before I saw him and sighed. "Tanya? Kate said there's a rat in the house."

He ran into the kitchen, colliding with me in his frenzy. He grabbed my hips tightly to keep me upright, startled, and I bit down on my lip to stifle the moan I nearly let out at the feel of his hands on me. His eyes met mine, curiosity and confusion in them, and as I stared back, I thought I might've even seen a spark of the same thing I felt.

Want.

"Get it!" Tanya screeched, tearing the two of us from our little moment. Edward let go of me quickly, turning to Tanya, and froze when he saw the creature sitting on the floor. It still hadn't moved, continuing to munch on whatever it was eating.

"A squirrel?" Edward asked with confusion. "How the hell did it get in the house?"

"Does it matter? Just get it out!" Tanya yelled.

There were more footsteps behind me and I moved to the side to get out of the way as Carlisle ran in. Behind him was someone vaguely familiar, and it struck me quickly that it was Edward's cousin, Jasper. I hadn't seen him in well over a decade and he'd grown a lot since then, less awkward and lanky than he used to be.

They both seemed taken aback by the squirrel as well and debated for a second as to what to do about it. Carlisle decided to sneak around to the back of the house to open the sliding glass door, and I stayed quiet, watching as they enacted their plan. The moment Carlisle reached the back and started opening it, however, the squirrel seemed to finally realize the predicament it was in. It spun in a circle, dropping it's food, before taking off through the house. All three guys ran after it, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on. I followed behind, too curious not to watch, and my composure slipped when I saw the three of them falling all over each other in the dining room, using brooms and mops like hockey sticks. The squirrel was under the table, expertly dodging them, and scampered out of the room as soon as it had an opening. The three ran after it and tears formed in my eyes as I laughed so hard I couldn't catch my breath.

They seemed to be doing circles, running from room to room, always a step behind the little creature. Jasper gave up after a moment and dropped his mop, stopping right in front of me. I was trying to get myself under control, but I couldn't seem to stifle my laugh.

"Bella," he said, nodding his head in greeting.

"Jasper," I said, wiping my watering eyes.

Edward and Carlisle came running through again, chasing the squirrel. I laughed once more and Jasper cut his eyes at me, snickering. "I see some things don't change. Get you and Edward together in the same vicinity and chaos erupts."

"It's not the same," I said, shaking my head. "We're not together together."

"No, but it's still there."

"What's still there?"

"That thing that makes the two of you you."

"You've been here, like, thirty seconds," I said. "You can't know that."

He shrugged. "It doesn't take long to sense it."

Tanya started shrieking from the kitchen again, a loud clattering coming from the room. Jasper and I immediately ran in that direction, and I shook my head when I saw Edward and Carlisle were trying to box the creature in. It looked terrified and my guilt flared up. Maybe this was a terrible idea, after all.

"You guys, you're scaring it," I said, opening the refrigerator and glancing around. I spotted a container of blueberries and grabbed a few, pushing past Edward and Carlisle. "Back up."

Hesitantly, they took a few steps back, and I tossed a blueberry near the squirrel. It picked it up after a second and I breathed a sigh of relief as it started eating it. I tossed another near the sliding glass door and a third one out on the back porch, and within a matter of moments the squirrel scampered back outside.

Carlisle walked over, shutting the door, as Edward helped Tanya down from the counter. I shook my head, and Jasper laughed from behind me, throwing his arm over my shoulder. "Two doctors in the house, and it takes a food expert to solve the crisis."

Tanya ran out of the room, calling for Kate, as Edward turned to me. "How did you know to do that?"

I shrugged. "Lucky guess?"

He stared at me intently, and I stared back, trying my best to keep a straight face. I failed, though, cracking after a moment and smiling. Edward shook his head and sighed, the tiniest hint of a smile tugging the corner of his lips. "Evil," he muttered to himself.

"Maybe they are evil," I said. "I mean, you did say squirrels were crazy and had a master plan."

Tanya yelled for Edward from the other side of the house and he started past me, pausing as his arm brushed against mine. "I wasn't talking about the squirrel, Swan," he said quietly. "I was talking about you."

AN: There wont be an update Friday. I have a crazy editing schedule for the next week and a half for my book that's going to take every free minute I have. But I promise it'll pick right back up the next week.