DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Bella and Edward spend the afternoon in their new meadow.

Afternoon in the Meadow

"Come on, Edward!" I pleaded, tugging on his arm. I'd been trying to get him to go to the meadow with me for nearly fifteen minutes.

He just kept lying on the bed with his eyes closed, smirking at me. I'd called his new car a 'toy' earlier in the day and he was making me beg as my punishment.

I huffed, getting bored with his little game. "Don't make me go by myself," I warned him.

That made his eyes open and wiped that smirked off his face. I grinned at my victory. Edward narrowed his eyes. His hands shot out and grabbed me by the hips, lifting me up and onto his chest. I laughed as he locked his arms around me.

"You wouldn't really go without me, would you?" he asked, poking out his bottom lip.

"No. I wouldn't. So there's no need to pout," I chuckled. "Let's go."

"Why don't we just stay in?"

"No. Now, can we please get going before someone comes along to drag one of us off?"

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, pulling my hair away from my face. "You've never seemed so anxious to leave the house before."

"Nothing's wrong," I shrugged. "I just want some time alone with you. We've hardly had any in the last two months. I miss you."

He smiled and stroked my cheek. "I know exactly what you mean and I miss you, too."

"So we can go?"

"Yes, love."

I smiled happily as Edward lifted us off of the bed. He kissed my forehead and cradled me against his chest. And then he was running, occasionally looking down at me and smiling brightly. I smiled right back, feeling safe and happy in his arms.

He slowed down as we reached our meadow. I hugged him tightly before letting him put me down. Once he was comfortably stretched out on the ground, I laid next to him, resting my head on his stomach. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air.

We relaxed together, enjoying the silence that enveloped us. I smiled when his hand reached under my shirt and started rubbing circles against my stomach. We never seemed to be close enough if we weren't touching skin to skin. Vampire emotions were truly unfathomable. I was only beginning to understand why Edward had found it so hard to believe I loved him as much as he loved me.

I let my mind wander over inconsequential things, such as probable locations for my iPod. It had once again gone missing. My husband was not a suspect this time since I knew there was no country or '80's music on it. I had probably just left it in a pant's pocket…Or maybe in Alice's room.

I opened my eyes to watch the clouds float above us. I stared at them, finding recognizable shapes in the bulky white masses. There was a dog and a turtle. There were some wispy ones that looked liked the blur of a running vampire. I giggled to myself, wondering if any other vampires watched the clouds for shapes. I even saw one that looked just like one of Rose's high heeled shoes.

"This was a good idea, love," Edward whispered.

"Thank you, honey. I do have them sometimes." I moved so that I was lying against his side with my head on his shoulder. "I know you enjoy the quiet as much as I do."

"It is refreshing to have only my own thoughts rolling through my mind. We've been so busy lately that we haven't even been pretending to sleep."

"Why is that? Are we bad at managing our time?"

"No," he laughed. "It's because we live in a house with six people always wanting attention from one of us. The girls want to shop and gossip with you. Emmett and Jasper want me to hang out in the basement with them. Esme enjoys you helping with the landscaping project. Rose and I nearly have the new garage finished. Not to mention that we've been taking time to teach you about cars. That's a lot of projects, love. Then we have school, practicing with Carlisle, and your training."

"And as soon as the garage is done, you guys will start with the track and karts."

"We'll just start scheduling in alone time, too, then."

"With adulthood comes the end of spontaneity," I muttered.

Edward laughed, hugging me tightly. "I will never let that happen, love. I didn't mean we would literally schedule our time together. I just meant I will make an effort to find plenty of opportunities to whisk you away."

"Do you like the time period we're studying in music class?" I asked him.

"Changing direction?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "It's been forever since we just talked randomly. I always learn a lot about you when we cover a bunch of topics." I ran my fingers across his eyebrows. "And you know I'm utterly fascinated knowing you saw these historical periods with your own beautiful golden eyes."

"Alright, then. I have always felt that the 1950's was an exciting time for music. There was the strong jazz influence in many performers. There was also the introduction of many new singers and groups as the recording industry welcomed rock and roll. Chuck Berry, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Holly … The list is quite extensive."

"Would you say that you're a fan of early rock and roll?"

"Yes. Many of the songs are quite enjoyable."

"We should listen to more of that music. I like how it's peppy and gets your feet moving. Not to mention that it will totally freak Emmett out if you listen to something other than your 'angry' music, as he calls it."

"My music is not that angry," he scoffed.

"Emmett has no appreciation for the darker side of music."

"I wasn't aware that you had one," he said, rolling us so we were on our sides, facing each other.

"I've learned to like some of your CDs over the years. And Alice likes to find little known music on the internet for us to listen to during our girl time."

"Has she found anything good recently?"

"I kind of like this one song that she found, but I haven't made a final decision about it."

"Explain that," he laughed.

"Well, I don't want to give my allegiance to a song right away. I need to know if it has staying power."

"Staying power?"

"Yes. I want to be able to hear it more than once and still like it, without it becoming an annoying tune stuck in my head," I explained, playing with the collar of his shirt. "That's especially important now that I have such a great memory!"

"Have I told you lately how much I enjoy your different view of the world?"

"Nope. But I'm listening if you want to tell me now."

Edward pulled me closer, brushing his lips to mine for a brief moment. "I love that I am constantly surprised by the things you say and the way you view the world around us. You are constantly reminding me that I have not heard or seen all this world has to offer. And to make it all the more special, I have you with me to share the experiences."

The warmth of his words flowed through my heart and filled me with his love. I pressed my lips to his, hoping to give some of it back to him. He must have felt it because his lips turned up into a smile.

"Getting back to this song you are undecided about…"

"It's by a band called Tea Party and it's something you probably could have identified with before you changed me."

"Really? Well, I'm the curious one for a change. What's the name? How does it go?"

"The name is Luxuria."

"What an interesting name. Do you know the meaning?" he asked, as he moved my hair behind my ear.

I nodded my head. "Alice knew what it meant. She said it meant lust. The words reminded me of how I used to ask you to change me and how my blood affected you. It starts of with the man knowing what he wants, but feeling that it's wrong to want it. The girl talks to him, making what she wants very clear. And when he decides he can do what she's asking, he knows it will be okay because he loves her too much to ever hurt her."

"He has more confidence than I did," he remarked, shaking his head.

The movement caused the sun's rays to glint off of his messy, bronze hair. I reached up and ran my hand through it, surprised at the warmth that had collected in the soft strands. I dropped my eyes, locking onto his golden ones.

"That's not true. He just found his quicker."

"You always did believe in me more than I could," he mused.

"You were always proving it, even if you didn't want to see it."

"And the words, love?"

I smiled at him and took a deep breath. Then I started singing the words for him:

There's a secret I've learned

So many lives hold their lessons in turn

Just like a fire consumes what it burns

My desire for her is strong

She comes like a wave

When she dances beneath me she says

If I would only just taste her tonight

Then my fight with the night would be over

And the light seems to bend

When this darkness descends

On my soul

Is it strange I can see

Through the veil

When I loose all control

Show me

When this darkness descends

Please show me

When this darkness descends

Luxuria

Behind what she veils

Its just ten steps to her treasure and grail

I'm now convinced I can't fall and I can't fail

Because my love for her is strong.

I stopped singing and tried to hide behind my hair. I was still unsure about my singing voice. Edward swore it was angelic, but he tended to be biased where I was concerned. He reached out, moving my hair behind my ear.

"Yes, I suppose that is a fairly accurate description of how I felt," he said, softly. "A large part of me did want nothing more than to have you at my side for all eternity. In the beginning, I really was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop myself from draining you. But after our separation, your blood was never a concern for me again. I knew I would never harm you that way. My entire being shied away from any course that could inspire the pain of your loss. Once that was no longer an issue, it truly was just your soul that bothered me."

"And somehow, I managed to convince you that even if my soul was tarnished from the change, your love would redeem me and make it shine again. See! I can be eloquent too!"

"It looses some of the eloquence when you immediately make a joke afterwards," he chuckled. He shifted so that he was looking down at me. "But I get your point."

"And now, you know that we both have souls." I planted a little kiss on his nose.

Edward smiled before resting his face against the side of my neck. I wrapped my arms around his back, glad to have him all to myself.

"I've decided the teacher must have the same opinion as you regarding the country music genre. He didn't have any performers or songs listed on the class schedule."

"You can be so very random, Bella," he chuckled against my skin.

I playfully swatted his shoulder, making him chuckle again.

I looked up at the sky. "The sun is starting to set."

"Describe it to me."

"You've seen more sunsets than I have."

"Yes, but never through your eyes."

"Okay. Let me think about where to start."

I started rubbing his back with one hand, while massaging his scalp with the other. A few soft purrs escaped him, making me smile. His weight on me was soothing and comforting, and I would gladly spend hours and hours like this, never becoming bored.

"The sun is just starting to lower itself behind the tree tops. The orange and red leaves make it look like the sun and the trees are fighting to see which can burn hotter. The clouds that were white moments ago, have been dipped in pastel pinks and purples as the angle of the light changes.

"The ground is the first to seep into the darkness of twilight. The grass and flowers sway in the breeze, knowing that another cold night will soon be here. The daylight animals are scurrying home to avoid the nighttime predators. Those things that go bump in the night are slowly shaking off their sleep.

"The first stars that are visible are pale in comparison to the twinkling diamonds they will be when this world is blanketed by the night. A sliver of moon promises that it won't be pitch black tonight.

"The sun is even lower now, coloring the sky somewhere between a deep orange and a light red. The owls are lifting their heads and shaking out their feathers. More stars are fighting against the dying light to be seen. The darkness has begun to creep up the trees, plotting to turn their fiery brilliance into random blackness.

"Now, the sun is hidden and the sky is a special blue as every creature stops to marvel at the magnificence of twilight. The stars are dancing up above, but have yet to unleash their full light. That sliver of moon is higher in the sky, playing tag with the remaining clouds. Another day ends for another night to begin." I kissed his soft, bronze hair. "How was that?"

"Absolutely beautiful, my Bella," he whispered.

"I'm sure you could have done a better job."

"I highly doubt it. You are teaching me to see the world anew, but I still take many things for granted. While I have always enjoyed the coloring off the sky during sunset, I have never seen it as you do. I have never focused on what happens to everything around me as the sun bids the day adieu. Thank you for letting me see it as you do."

"You should know by now I would do anything for you."

"I do," he said, placing a gentle kiss against my neck. "And I'm thankful for it every single day."

"Edward."

"Yes, love?"

"I'm very happy."

I felt his lips curl up into a familiar smile. He absolutely loved for me to tell him that. It was one of the reasons I only said it when I truly meant it.

"Thank you, Bella."

"For what?"

"Everything. Loving me, being my wife, letting me know you are happy with me…with this life."

"Of course I'm happy with our life. We struggle sometimes, and we have to do things we don't really want to, but that's always a small price to pay for being with you every single day. I love you, Edward."

"I love you, Bella."

"Speaking of things we don't really want to do…we should head back and finish our homework. I've procrastinated long enough with my math assignment and I know you haven't gotten around to that project for business writing."

"I'm having difficulty with the assignment," he said, as he got up.

I held out my hands and he lifted me from the ground. "Really?" I asked, as I climbed onto his back.

"Yes. I've never taken this particular type of class before. I'm not sure how to do it and I don't want to just pull something from the internet, especially after Professor Benson's warning."

"You're well over a hundred years old and you have no idea how to write a resume?"

"Don't make fun," he said. His frown was evident in his voice.

"I'm not making fun. I'm just trying to understand."

"I've never had a job," he shrugged. "Therefore, I've never had a reason to write a resume."

"You've had lots of jobs that you can use."

"Name one."

"I'll name several. You can say you spent the summer as a helper at a construction site. You have experience in framing, hanging drywall, painting, stucco…the works! Or you can say you interned under Carlisle for a summer at the hospital and cite some of your medical knowledge. You did go to medical school twice, after all. And you always have the option of mechanic's assistant with all the things Rose and you do to the cars."

"Once again, I am amazed by how you view things," he laughed. "I never once thought of any of that. I was too busy fretting that I've never had a regular teenage job like you did."

"Trust me, Edward. That's one human experience you aren't missing out on!" I said, as I jumped from his back to the porch steps.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek. "Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Mrs. Cullen."

"The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Cullen," I giggled, as we entered the house.

"There you guys are!" Alice squealed from the sofa. "I was starting to wonder if you were coming back tonight."

"You didn't look?" I asked, trying not to appear as shocked as I felt.

"I got the feeling you two might have wanted some privacy," she said with a wink.

"Thanks, Alice. That was really sweet of you." I gave my sister a hug. "We're going to head up and finish our homework. We'll be back down in a few hours."

"Take your time," she giggled, with a wave of her hand. "You might find you have other matters to tend to besides homework."

I turned toward Edward. He just shrugged.

"Okay. Thanks again, Alice!" I said, as we headed toward our room. "Any ideas?"

"None. She was reciting the theme song from Happy Days in Japanese."

"Oh well. I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later."

It ended up being a lot sooner. We opened our bedroom door to find a soft glow coming from the bathroom. We walked in and discovered our sister had decorated the room in candles and filled our tub up with bubble bath.

"We really shouldn't let her hard work go to waste," Edward said with a playful grin.

"We would be really ungrateful siblings if we did," I agreed, kicking off my shoes.

I would certainly have to thank my lovely pixie sister later on. But for right now…I had a date…with my husband…in a steaming hot bubble bath. Lucky for us, it was a tub for two.

EBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEB

Special thanks to Velvet Blood Roses for Tea Party & Luxuria! You rock, Lady!!!