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"I want something sweet."

Edward raised an eyebrow and went back to reading.

"Edward."

He looked at me. I looked at him. He put his architectural magazine down.

"What do you want? Ice cream?"

"Candy."

"Lemon heads." He nodded and stood, grabbing his keys.

It was two in the morning. The truck rumbled through the quiet neighborhood streets; even Berkeley was silent at this hour. These were some of my favorite moments with him, when time was ours. Nothing to do, no one to see. Just being, alone and with each other.

Sometimes I wanted to hold his hand. But he wasn't always that type.

And that was okay.

We rode to the nearest CVS, which was open 24 hours.

Inside we roamed the aisles, making our way to the candy section. I loved stores in the middle of the night, the way the fluorescent lighting and soft elevator music made everything feel safe and cheery, how the emptiness created this illusion of intimacy, like we owned the place. It was open just for us.

Edward grabbed a bag of Lemon heads, then another. My mouth watered just looking at them. I surveyed the selection for minute, warming when Edward slipped his hand in to the back pocket of my jeans. Eventually I took a couple of candy bars and we went to the lone cashier, who checked us out with nary a glance.

Well, that wasn't true. She looked at Edward a few times but who wouldn't? Even in the most mundane of circumstances he was something to look at.

In the car we ate candy and messed with the radio. His wry smiles at my excitement over good eighties tunes, my inner giddiness when he sang quietly along to love songs.

"So you're leaving soon," he said.

We'd parked up near Grizzly Peak. The lights of the Bay twinkled quietly, orange stars in an urban universe.

"Yeah."

"You're glad to go," he stated, crunching a candy between his teeth.

"I have mixed feelings," I admitted, unwrapping my Snickers.

"Why?"

I glared at him in the dark. "I'm happy to go home, see my parents and all that. I love Christmas. But there are people here I'll miss."

"Like who?" he teased. I could see him smiling, looking straight ahead.

"Like Rose. And my sociology professor," I said, rolling my eyes.

He held out his hand for chocolate. "Rose is okay."

I nodded. "I love Rose."

"I didn't like her at first – "

"Few people do."

"–but I get her."

"She's sort of like you," I realized, giving him my candy bar. "No nonsense."

"Is that how I am?"

"Usually. When you're not teasing me into admitting I'm going to miss you when I'm gone."

His fingers were in my hair then, and he tugged me gently closer. I scooted across the seat and leaned against him, my heart expanding when I smelled his smell.

"You ever been skiing?" he asked, his breath warm and chocolate.

"I'm from the desert, Edward."

"Okay, okay, no need to be touchy."

"Oh, I can be touchy," I purred, extra seductive and extra silly as I snuggled even closer.

"Mhm. Anyway, Riley and I are thinking of going to Lake Tahoe in January. We're getting a group together. You should come."

"I'd like to."

"I can teach you to ski."

"You're good at it?"

"I'm good at everything," he joked, grabbing my hand because he knew I'd pinch him otherwise.

"A real crackerjack on the slopes," I simpered, earning a tickle.

"So we'll go. When do you get back?"

"The second."

"We'll leave the third."

He kissed the top of my head and I loved him.

My flight was December twenty third, at seven o'clock in the morning. This meant I had to be at the airport at the most ungodly of hours. Thanks, Mom.

As usual, Edward had to be up early that day anyway. I'd forced him to stay at my place for once. We were in bed; I was packed and dressed and ready. The cab had been called.

"I want you before I go," I said, sitting up.

His eyes fluttered, wanting to close and not have to open. "Mkay."

I unbuttoned his jeans and started yanking them down.

He lifted his hips, smiling sleepily.

"I want you on top."

He shook his head. "Nope. You're running the show."

I took my jeans and panties off and straddled him, lowering down so I could kiss him. His hands tangled in my hair, then slid down my back so he was cupping my behind. We kissed and kissed and when I felt him get hard I sat back, watching him closely as I put him inside.

I waited for him to stop me, to put something on, but he didn't. I was on the pill. We'd done the doctor thing, not together, but we'd done it. Still. I paused, giving him time to stop me. Our eyes met and he grabbed my waist, pulling me down so that we were together-together.

We loved slowly, lazily, until he sat up and turned us over so that he was over me. There was something extra sexy somehow about doing it half dressed, all sensations focused only on the places we were interlocked. Alice knocked on the door, saying the cab was there. Edward released into me with a quiet grunt, his rough fingers soft as he held my face, kissing me.

I called for Alice to stall the cab and I rushed to clean up, knowing we hadn't chosen the best time to go bare.

Outside, it was freezing. The girls kissed and hugged me at the door, Alice promising to call when she got in to Phoenix that night. Edward put my bags in the trunk and gave the driver money even though I had enough in my wallet.

"I'll miss you," I said. There was a lump in my throat. I wanted to hold it back until I was alone in the backseat, en route with headphones in my ears.

"I'll miss you too, Bella."

The drowsiness was gone from his face, his eyes were wide open and serious and so green. I remembered the first time I'd noticed their color, how almost-startling it had been.

He kissed me softly, running his tongue just barely against mine, something warm in the cold outside.

i'm just now starting to get the reviews you guys have written for the past few chapters. thank you so very much for sharing your thoughts. i love it all, whether you're being gushy or contrary. ;)

oh! gorgeous banner made my my banner ingenue famouslyso - http:/oi55(dot)tinypic(dot)com/2wheb6t(dot)jpg will post on my tumblr, too, just in case.