A/N: And it's official. We are past the one shot entirely. We are both excited and nervous for this chapter. You will begin to see more history and new conflicts arise. All with just enough romance to keep you buying those strawberry pop tarts.

Chapter 6: What Happens Now

Continuation? - E

The teenager theme continued as we made out on the couch all afternoon. It was a perfect combination of naughty and nice. Completely exhilarating. Acknowledging it would be too soon to make love took the pressure off. Our kissing became playful. We laughed a lot.

At one point, Bella hit a sensitive spot on my side. I flinched and let out a little yelp.

"Ticklish? Did I find your weakness Cullen?"

"Don't even think about it," I warned.

"You should know better than to throw the gauntlet with me. I am the fearless one, remember?"

And for the next half hour, it was an all out tickle war. We tried to sneak up on each other with in the typical locations: underarms, behind the knee, the sensitive site right on my waist. I pulled out the big guns and pinned her to the couch again, testing her willpower, and I hit those spots over and over.

"Uncle!" she gasped. I let up slowly, not exactly trusting that she wouldn't attack when my defenses were down. We were quietly studying each other's next moves, when my stomach growled loudly.

"Damn, we need to feed you, but that would require leaving the couch," Bella lamented.

"It's inevitable, isn't it?"

"Pizza would delay the inevitable." She had moved in close, and started rustling her fingers through my hair. "Can you reach my phone on the table next to you? I've got a place programmed."

A half an hour later, the inevitable came. I got up to answer the door when the pizza was delivered.

I carried it toward her kitchen table.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? I didn't want to leave this couch today," she protested.

So, she sat cross legged on the couch, facing me, while I leaned over the small coffee table, trying not to make a mess of myself.

As the day grew long, reality began to sink in. There was a world outside of this room. As cramped as her apartment was, I never wanted to leave. We were safe; we were happy; we were us. After the pizza, we lay back on the couch, facing each other. Starting at the top of her head, my index finger made its way around her face, down her neck, her shoulder, and her arm. I followed the same trail over and over, until she fell asleep. I listened to her breathe.

I'd had a much different plan for the day. It would have culminated in being wined and dined. There would have been no cab rides, no pop tarts, no couches, and no pizza. It would have been Hollywood's version of a romance. But this was better. We were at the point where I'd been stuck in my own plans. When would our date end? I considered the possibility that it didn't have to. We could order everything in, never leaving. It would be the perfect day over and over again.

Of course, that wasn't realistic. And what good was contemplating forever in this tiny room if I didn't even know if I should leave for the night?

Bella didn't nap long, but it was enough for a miniscule drop of drool to form at the side of her mouth. She woke with a start seemingly for no reason. She was embarrassed as she wiped her mouth.

"Oh my god, I fell asleep? I'm so sorry!"

"I must be boring you." I winked. "Should I have tried for third base?"

"No," she answered quickly, but then she re-thought. "I mean, you're not boring me. And as for third base, well um, is the game over yet?"

"I don't know, Bella. It is getting late, and I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"You couldn't," she said as she leaned in for a kiss. She meant it to be chaste, but I opened my mouth to deepen it, and she pulled back.

"Ewww I must have dragon breath," she declared as she covered her mouth.

"I don't imagine I'm a walking breath mint myself."

She still stood up and moved toward the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?'

"Actually, water would be great," I responded, and I looked at her pictures again. They were all candids, no posing. People just living. .

She pulled two glasses out of a cabinet and a pitcher from the refrigerator. When she'd poured the water, I went to the kitchen where she handed me a glass. I drank half of it on the first gulp.

"Bella, I think I should go." She had a slight pout, so I reached out to her waist and pulled her close. "I don't really want to. I've seriously considered staying here forever, but I think we've both tested our willpower enough for today. This has been the best day I can remember, and I don't want us to regret anything that might happen if I stayed…"

She sighed. "I know. Still can't help thinking it would be nice to wake up with you."

"Soon. I promise." And we kissed. It was long and slow and neither of us mentioned pizza breath at all.

I knew we were both avoiding reality while she walked me to the door, but she brought it up first. "So, what comes next Edward? A matching necklace so we can still see each other every day?" And she winked at me.

"Oh please, secret messages in the window at Tiffany's are yesterday's news." I flipped my hand up snobbishly, and she smiled. "Seriously, I do have plans tomorrow with my family, and something tells me you might not be ready to join me in that, so I probably won't see you until Monday morning. I'll call you tomorrow though if you like."

"Yes, it is proper to call a girl after you feel her up."

"Is that in Emily Post?"

"Mmm hmm, and I'm sure you have impeccable manners."

"Manners have nothing to do with why I'll call tomorrow. " I held her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at me then.

"Thank you . . . for everything, Edward. I feel like I'm doing that a lot lately." She looked back down. "I hope I didn't steal your thunder or ruin any plans."

"Today was perfect. You're perfect." I insisted. I pulled her chin up so her eyes were on me again. "I love you."

She kissed me again, and before she closed the door, I remembered to add, "Oh and Bella? Happy Valentine's Day."

Throw Pillow - B

After Edward left, I was at a loss for what to do. It was late, and I should have been tired.

I looked around my apartment. It had always been my refuge, the one place where I could be myself, escape the world and find some peace. My own personal little haven. Now every where I looked, I saw him.

Standing in the hallway smiling at my silly wellies. Looking up at the photos on my wall. Leaning against the counter in my kitchen with a serious case of make out hair. Hovering over me on the couch.

I was shaken by the evolution of the past two weeks. I entered February resigned to the fact that Mr. Wonderful didn't exist, and it was time to settle for Mr. Okay. And then that fateful day in the coffee shop, I met Edward Cullen, and everything in my world changed.

Was it possible to fall in love with someone in less than two weeks? How could it have only been two weeks? It felt like we had known each other for ages.

At first blush, it would be easy to chalk Edward's declaration of love up to something purely physical. Most people would. Yes, the physical attraction was always there between us, a constant temptation.

But it ran deeper, more spiritual than that. Something that pulled me to him. Fate, kismet, who knows? One simple action, one small change in my daily routine had re-routed our entire lives. I might not be able to fully identify what it was that I felt for Edward at that precise moment, but I did know that going forward, I couldn't fathom what my life would be like without him in it

I focused on straightening up my apartment. I took the pizza box down the hallway to the trash chute.

It reminded me of how he had twirled the cheese around his finger as he talked.

I washed our glasses and put them away.

It reminded me of what it felt like to kiss Edward.

I picked up the throw pillows that had been knocked off the couch during our tickle war.

It reminded me of what it felt like being pinned underneath him on the couch.

With such a small space, picking up doesn't fill much time. Within fifteen minutes, I was back at odds with what to do. I dropped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. 200 channels, there had to be something to watch.

I leaned into the arm of the couch, and wrapped my arms around one of the throw pillows in an attempt to fill some of the void that Edward left. The pillow smelled like him, and I pulled it up to my face, taking long, slow breaths. The scent of his cologne and shampoo on the pillow was enough to bring the longing, the want, and all the emotion back full force.

Could I have fallen in love with him in eight days?

Abandoning the hope of television as a distraction, I turned it off and lay in the dark, my face buried in the pillow as I recalled the events of the day. The look on Edward's face when he gave me my bracelet or opening the package of pop tarts. How it felt to kiss him, to have his hands roam over my body. Him staring in my eyes and telling me that he loved me.

It was mental masturbation at its best.

I sat up, and grabbed my laptop from where it was propped against the couch. I brought it out of hibernation and pulled up my email.

Edward –

You've only been gone for a little while, but it feels like forever. I've actually spent the last hour lying here in the dark hugging a pillow because it smells like you.

The last eight days have been amazing. There are so many feelings that I am sorting through, physical, intellectual, emotional, that it's almost overwhelming at times. At a base level, I know that I want to spend every minute of every day with you. It scares me, it thrills me, and it takes my breath away. Thank you for that.

Love you

B

I closed my laptop, and returned it to its resting spot by the couch. Then I went to bed. I would have Edward with me, even if it was only the smell of him on a throw pillow, and the knowledge that today, for the first time since I met him, his eyes had sparkled, and not once looked sad.

Wayward Son - E

I left her apartment feeling fantastic. I forgot to ask Bella the best place to find a cab, so I wandered for a while. It was Saturday and Valentine's Day, and it seemed my options were slim.

I gave up and opted for the Subway instead. I considered calling for a driver, but after spending the day in Bella's apartment, it was too big a contrast, somehow. Too unnecessary. Riding the subway wasn't entirely new. Emmett and I used to ride for entertainment; we observed the people whose lives were so different from ours. For them, the subway was a mode of transportation. For us, it was something to do on a Saturday afternoon. The first time, it was a crazy adventure. I think I was like 12, and Emmett dared me. Of course, my mom went into shock when she found out, and as usual, I was the one blamed. My dad argued that just because Emmett dared me, I should have had more common sense.

Tonight, the subway was filled with a typical menagerie. A few people gave me sideways glances—no idea whether they recognized me or wanted to rob me.

The thing about my kind of fame is that most people just think they've seen you somewhere before. They wonder if they've met you at a party or seen you in a movie. Once in a while, they stop and ask you why they know you. As a teenager, it happened a few times, and even in college. I was such an arrogant little shit. I remember responding with things like "You should know me because my family is richer than God and we could own you 100 times over." My dad still sees me like that—I may never grow up in his eyes.

When I was younger, I didn't really show up on anyone's radar. My name and pictures were pretty much only displayed in the high society pages. It would be a blip or a blurb. I was always able to blend in fairly well. So, thankfully, the approaches of strangers were few and far between.

Then everything changed. It's clichéd to say it, but it all happened almost overnight.

Just out of college, I was young, cocky, and working at CI. Emmett and I were two single guys enjoying life, with the means to do it well. My dad was annoyed with it, but not to the extent that he raised much stink other than constantly trying to set me up. Not always directly. Often, it was "a friend" who found someone for me.

That was how I met Rosalie. And the reason I had dated Tanya.

I felt a little like a cheater thinking about Tanya when I just had the best day of my life with Bella.

So I stopped thinking about the reason I moved to LA and reflected on my stupidity there. Two Christmases ago when I was home, my dad had said, "You are not Paris Hilton, and while they may be happy to have their name turned into an embarrassment, we are not they. Please stop acting like a fame whore, Edward. It's not becoming."

He was right to an extent. It wasn't becoming. I didn't really crave the fame so much, but I was on a power trip. After everything that went down to make me leave New York, I needed to control something. I felt large and in charge out there in the club scene.

My dad's words always hit me harder than anyone else's. I hadn't intended to be a disappointment to him. Quite the opposite. I grew up wanting nothing more than to please him. I worshipped him and the water he walked on. By the time I was ten, it became clear that satisfying him would not be an easy task, something only attained by complete submission to his designs. For the most part, I went along with his long term plan to have Emmett and me by his side in the family business, with Emmett, the eldest, eventually taking over. Maybe I displayed weakness or doubt, but attention shifted exclusively to Emmett by my late teens. He was in college; and dad went up to Cambridge frequently. They started getting together for weekly tennis matches and frequent lunches when Emmett graduated and started work at CI.

It all made me bitter, so I rebelled. Went to Dartmouth. Claimed it had a better business school, which US News and World Report backed me up.

My mom gasped when I told her. "Generations of Cullen's have gone to Harvard, dear." I just nodded at her.

I only need two fingers to count how many times my dad came to Hanover. And we sure as hell never played any tennis.

Ultimately, it was that Christmas conversation though that led to me change my lifestyle cold turkey. No more clubs—pretty much no women. I wasn't parading them anyway. I went to the events that were necessary for work, and I typically had an escort. No more big smiles for the paparazzi or public make out sessions with super models. None of that was me anyway, but it was the way fame and power worked. You had to give them something to get in return.

When I reached my building, I was going to breeze right up.

"Good evening, Mr. Cullen," the night doorman said. "You're home early on Valentine's Day. No plans?"

I laughed. "Hardly, my date started this morning, so it's actually late."

I realized I didn't even know his name, so we chatted for a while. I probably should be more careful about what I say given my history, but you didn't get to be a New York doorman if you couldn't keep your mouth shut, so I didn't worry too much.

When I got up to my apartment, I debated calling Bella. I kept picking up my phone and putting it back down. I couldn't believe how much I missed her already. My own apartment, probably 5 times the size of hers, felt enormous, but not in a good way. There was too much dead space; it wasn't cozy and safe. It felt cold and empty. It wasn't really. At least it had never felt this way before. It was decorated to the nines, so maybe it wasn't the furniture or décor; maybe it had nothing to do with the space or what furniture was here and everything to do with who wasn't.

One of the times I picked up my phone, I checked my messages. I had an email from her. I sat up straight to really focus on it.

"Love you." It hadn't escaped my attention that she hadn't said the magic words yet, but it had only been 8 days for her. I had fallen so hard, but I'd been aware of her for much longer. I didn't expect that she would be at that point yet. This was a good sign though. Maybe it would come.

Bella

I always used to order cinnamon lattes, but now I can't go a day without a mocha because they remind me of you.

I miss you.

E.

Reflecting on her message, I spent a split second considering inviting her to my parents' house tomorrow. Like she said, I wanted to be with her every minute. If we weren't going to stay in her apartment 24/7 that was going to mean that we'd have to meet the people in each others' worlds.

I hit send before adding the invitation. I had some progress to make with them myself first.

Not Strong Enough. - B

I slept horribly. I tossed and turned. I couldn't get comfortable.

When I did sleep, it was shallow enough that I recalled every flicker of every dream. I'd start awake, not wanting the dream to be over, frustrated at how my body and mind betrayed me.

I looked at the clock. 5 am. Too early to get up, too late to take anything. I lay in bed on my back, studying the shadows that played across the ceiling. As I shifted, I felt Edward's bracelet slide a bit on my arm. I reached over to turn on the table side lamp and studied the charms. I probably shouldn't wear it to sleep, but I couldn't bear taking it off. It's not the type of jewelry designed for everyday wear. It wasn't strong enough to take that.

At that moment, I felt the same way. I wasn't ready for the everyday wear yet, the gaps in time where the real world set in. I needed to see Edward. I felt absolutely and utterly bereft at the thought of another 24 hours without him.

I got up and went into the living room to grab my laptop. Five in the morning and I was checking my email in an attempt to calm myself down, to get one more fix. He had replied back. It was short, it was sweet. It was so him.

God I missed him.

It was too early to call. I didn't know where he lived, or I would show up in a few hours with bagels and mochas before he left to see his family.

I couldn't take it anymore. I gave in. I pulled up my browser. My fingers hesitated over the keys for a moment, before I typed in 'Edward Cullen' and clicked go.

I went immediately to the image tab. The first photo was the one Alice had sent me of him and Emmett. Their coloring was night and day, but you could tell they were brothers.

There were photos of him at different events. In a tux, in a suit, my personal favorite was the one of him in a navy blazer, crisp white polo shirt and faded jeans. In almost all of the pictures, his hand was in his hair, pushing it away from his face. I had come to know him well enough to know it was a nervous habit.

Then came the photos of him with other women. I knew they would be out there, but it would be a lie if I didn't admit the hurt. Yes, they predated me, but to know that he had kissed someone else, had made love to someone else, was like a knife through my heart.

I returned to the search results page. I was about to close the tab when a name caught my eye. I clicked on the link to display a webpage from The New York Times. A short snippet accompanied a photo of Edward with a striking couple. The title of the photo was 'So much for the spare to the heir.' It was a short blurb about Edward accepting a position with a venture capital firm in Los Angeles after a falling out with his father, Carlisle. The photo had been taken of Edward and his parents prior to the decision, an indication of better time.

I thought back to Edward's comment about his regret over letting things deteriorate with his father. He was going to see his family today, yet he had been cryptic about whom. Was it everyone, or simply his mother, his brother? And then I thought of his comment about my attitude towards Renee, how it would have been natural to have been angry at her for abandoning me.

Maybe he wasn't really talking about my relationship with my mother. Maybe he was talking about his with his dad.

I jumped up off the couch and ran into the kitchen where I had plugged my cell phone in to charge. I brought it back to the couch, and pulled back up email to find Edward's mobile number. As much as I wanted to see him, he might actually need me more.

What time do you have to head out this am? Can I bring you a mocha and moral support before you go?

E/N: First off, this week there is an auction to support a Twilight Mom who was diagnosed with a malignant and inoperable brain tumor this past fall. You can read about her and learn about the auction at www (dot) teamshari (dot) org (slash) twilight

Now, we need to know what you think of the new stuff. What's going to happen with Edward and his family? And what happened with Tanya? Reviews mean more romance folks!

Come play on the thread at twilighted (dot) net. Teasers and pop tarts galore!