Chapter 2- Missing September 20.

A/N: KRM, the train line I mention in this chapter, is not completed yet. A girl can only dream.

Bella had driven up to Milwaukee to spend the day with Rosalie and the kids. Emmett had to work for the day and I was just putzing around the house after an earlier lesson. I had tried to drag out the student's lesson a little longer than possible; I knew his parents were scrimping to pay for my time as it was but they refused to let me take any less. Finally as our forty-five minute lesson moved past the hour mark, his mother repeatedly honked the horn until Seth ran down the stairs, a cd of his latest practice piece in hand.

I had finished wiping down the kitchen counters and was contemplating mopping the floors when my cellphone chimed. Flipping the phone open, my screen displayed a new message was waiting from Emmett. Last patient bailed, gonna get the girls and kids. Lunch at the Mills- 1ish? Emm

I looked at my watch and saw that I had a little over an hour to make a thirty minute drive. I sent back a message to Emmett that I'd meet them there and then asked if they wanted to come back here for dessert and a movie. My phone rang moments later.

"Dinner, dessert, and a movie? I think you might have missed us, Eddie."

It was difficult being in this limbo land between friends and more while living almost two hours apart. In the three months since we'd left PSG, we had emailed daily, called almost as much, plus the four of us, seven with their children, found time to spend together every other weekend.

Emmett and Rosalie had been high school sweethearts. Theirs was a love story of determination and hard work. During college, their campuses were an hour from each other. Rosalie had been sexually assaulted by another student. Emmett says that she still has to watch for triggers although she hasn't had a flashback with him in years. We had discussed how that could affect us in bed and Rosalie was more than willing to develop a series of safe words for all of us to use, sexually and just in the relationship in general, as a way of creating a time out. If we needed a breather, or just needed to step back and talk about what was going on, we had a way to go about it without causing hurt feelings.

Being around small children is normal for us, at work, but in our personal lives, it has been something of a hurdle. We love children, we would not be in our occupations if we did not, but Bella and I are not ready to give up our lifestyle yet for that level of responsibility.

"I miss all of you. I like spending time with you."

"Aww, Eddie, are you blushing?"

We chatted a bit about how our mornings had gone and then I heard the sound of tires on gravel. Rose and Emmett live outside of the city limits on a larger lot of land, probably around three quarters of an acre. The entire thing is fenced in so the kids can run. Cara and Kailey, aka the twins, are seven and identical. If it was not for the difference in hair cuts, I would have no clue who was who. Chase, their five year old little boy, was a pistol. He was into everything and if he could climb it, he was on top or over it.

"I'm home now. Wanna hear something fun?"

I heard his car door close and then the sound of his soles on pavement as he climbed the steps from the garage up to the side door. The jingling of keys reminded me of the time Rosalie and Emmett had gotten a babysitter one evening and the four of us went downtown for one of the poly outings. He had asked Bella to dance and tossed his keys to me for safe keeping. It had been one of the few times I had sat and just talked with Rose. I found out just how truly warm and amazing she is beyond the hard exterior.

"Daddy!" Chase's voice was a shriek through the headset Emmett wore, forcing me to hold the phone out from my ear.

"Hey, buddy! How does Rainforest Cafe sound?"

I couldn't help but smile as the "Momma, Bella, Daddy's takin' us to the mall,"came blasting through the phone.

The women said something which had the twins start moving.

"We'll see ya in a bit, Eddo." The call disconnected before I could say goodbye.

I showered and put on a nicer pair of jeans and a button down. Part of me felt silly for dressing up just to go up to the outlet mall. Another part of me was nervous about going on a "date" with Emm and Rose.

I put a little gel in my hair and then gave up taming it shortly after all the strands stuck out how they wanted. I was clean shaven, and with a little dab of amber oil on my wrists and neck, I was out the door.

Bella had taken the train up the newly completed KRM line. I dropped her off at the station here and she could ride the Metra to within a ten minute drive of Rose and Emmett's. It was great for the longer day visits like when we went up to the Milwaukee County Zoo with the five of them. Luckily, their main car could seat us all.

We had done a lot of group events with their family, and had two evenings where it was just the four of us. I try to get it, I really do, but I just do not understand why they cannot get a babysitter more often. The kids are old enough to understand.

Rosalie and I had a disagreement over it last week. I wanted to take her out to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's performance but she dragged her feet until it was too late for decent tickets. Rose had said it was not that simple, that she could not just expect Emmett to stay home with the kids so I could take her out to a concert; the same way if she wanted a night out with Bella, it was not fair for me to stay home.

It ended with her calling me a selfish bastard who needed to see beyond his own ego and realize that their children will always come first, their primary relationship second, work third, and anyone else fourth until something permanent is arranged. For the past four years, my focus has been entirely on Bella, nothing else matters to me but having Bella in my life. A certain friend, however, told me that was not healthy and helped me remove my head from my posterior.

I'd gone complaining to Jasper about the situation and he handed me a beer before making me go downstairs to his at home office. He took the beer from me when we went into the leather and wood varnish scented room, popped the caps off with a bottle opener, and handed it back to me when I sat.

"So, you are telling me that you and Bella have finally found a couple you click with, but you are jealous of their commitment to their kids? What happens when you and Bella decide the time is right to bring your own little emo bundle into the world? If you are with another couple, even casually, wouldn't you expect them to accept your responsibilities and dedication?"

"But, that is different!"

Jasper tipped the bottle and I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed. "How?"

"It just is. It is hard to talk with the kids around, let alone try and move things forward. I feel like there never is any grown-up time."

"Have you tried to talk to Emmett and Rosalie about your concerns?" I shook my head in response to Jasper's question. "That's your first step. Open communication, remember? Edward, I've known Emm and Rose for a few years. No, not like that; you can lose the kicked puppy dog face. They are amazing people, a great couple comprised of individuals who bring out the best in one another yet support each other through the harder times, and they're some of the best parents I've ever seen. In today's world, it's hard enough to have a successful marriage in a, quote, normal relationship, end quote. Toss in non-monogamy and kids, on top of non-standard religious beliefs, and you're easily working three times as hard to maintain a healthy relationship."

He nursed the bottle a bit and then pointed it toward me. "If you fuck up their marriage, I will kick your ass myself."

"Jasper, I, or rather we, would never do that. It is just so damn frustrating."

He nodded and came over to sit beside me on the loveseat.

"They never said the path to love is easy. But, I promise you, if you work at this, and learn to talk about what is bothering you before it builds up and turns into a fight, this has the ability to be a beautiful and long-lasting relationship. Bella is nuts about both of them and I know that they feel the same about you. We had dinner with them last week and they are smitten. Please, talk to them about what is worrying you. Honesty is the only policy."

I had left there and texted Rosalie, asking her to call me as I did not want to wake the girls. When she grudgingly called twenty minutes later, I apologized to her for being an ass. She conceded that they needed to be more understanding as well; they tend to forget what life was like before kids.

Our loft has two guest rooms so we changed around some of the furniture so that the kids could sleep in the room with a queen sized bed and futon, and Rose and Emmett could have the second guest room with the king sized water bed. It had been my bed; the heater helped with my poor circulation so I could stay warm.

I called Emmett back, hoping to catch him before they left.

"Hey, Emm, if you aren't on the road already, I was wondering if the five of you want to bring overnight bags."

"We just pulled out of the drive and yes, we have bags. Bella invited us but it means a lot that you called to offer as well. We'll see you soon. Drive safely."

"You too, Emmett. I'll meet you at the entrance to Circuit City."

~*~

At a quarter to eleven, the kids were tucked in and sound asleep. We had already cleaned up our mess from Thai takeout, dessert, and the kids' snack; dishes were in the dishwasher, leftovers were put away (mostly in Emmett's stomach,) and all garbage had been tossed. We were sitting on the floor on pillows; I am still not sure how we all ended down there.

"Happy three month anniversary, kind of." Rosalie smiled as she spoke and pulled Bella into a hug. "We met three months ago today. Who would have thought that workshop would end with us all sitting here?"

We looked at each other and promptly mumbled, "Alice," before we broke down in giggles. Our precognizant friend is often the butt of jokes, and she accepts it with a secret smile only I ever see.

Looking around the group comprised of my wife and the couple we were beginning to have true feelings for, I decided it was now or never. I had to show them that I was committed to where things were going.

"In light of reaching a milestone day, I was hoping we could broach the topic we have been dancing around." My hand gently rested upon Bella's thigh and then on Emmett's. Without a word, their movements mimicked mine and they each reached for Rosalie and me in turn.

"I, or rather we, since we have spoken about it, care about the two of you as much more than friends. After finally getting my head out of my ass, as Rosalie has repeatedly requested, I know that our situation is more difficult because of your children. But, we want you, all of you, to be more than just friends. We are willing to do what it takes to make this work. I want there to be an 'us,' if you'll have Bella and me."

Six arms went around me and I felt just as happy as the day Bella accepted my offer for a first date.