Thanks to lislar for beta stuff, to shoefreak37 for pre-reader stuff and for responding to my ridiculous, self-doubting text messages, and to cherieblossum for helping me with my midday freak-out.

Chapter 25: Firecracker

Bella sucked in a deep breath as she felt Edward's fingers move beneath her underwear, meeting warm, slick skin. Edward touched her softly, his digits teasing her overheated flesh. He began to press more firmly, his fingers finding her clit, rubbing with steady pressure. Edward continued to massage and press until Bella felt like she was on the edge of bursting, like a jack-in-the-box wound up too tight.

Just when she thought she could take no more, Edward's hand shifted, dipping one finger inside her, followed by a second. He moved in and out with long, fluid strokes and she felt her hips rising from the bed to meet him, seeking more friction, more pressure—just more. Edward continued to kiss her as his fingers moved inside, intensifying everything she was feeling.

Thoughts of James began to creep back into her mind, but she tried to push them away. She hadn't really allowed him to touch her like this, always shoving his hands away or simply enduring his lackluster attempts, finding no pleasure in his ministrations. He wasn't a concerned lover and never seemed to care whether she was getting any pleasure from their activities, only worrying about himself.

She'd never wanted that sort of relationship with James and Bella regretted that she'd allowed it to happen. Even if he had been more attentive, she doubted that she would found pleasure with him. There was just no spark there and his touch caused almost no reaction for her. She wished that she had waited for someone that made her want to touch and be touched—someone like Edward.

Bella mumbled out a string of incomprehensible words as her orgasm hit, clutching the sheets tightly in her fists. Edward's fingers kept their constant rhythm until the euphoria was over, leaving her feeling like her limbs were made of lead; she couldn't move if she had wanted to. She continued to gasp and pant, staring at the ceiling as she tried to calm her racing heart.

She turned onto her side and smiled, finding Edward lying on his back, just watching her. She put her hand on his cheek and urged him closer, their lips meeting in a slow, sweet kiss. His hands lingered on her bare stomach and then her back, lightly tracing patterns across the flushed and damp skin. Bella had thought she would need more time to recover, that her previous orgasm would leave her sated, but as he continued to kiss her, she felt the knot in her stomach began to tighten once more.

Edward's hand moved down to her thigh, gently coaxing her to hitch it over his hip. She pushed their bodies closer, until she could feel him hard against her. She froze momentarily, worried that that they were taking things too far, progressing into territory she wasn't ready for.

Bella had gotten so caught up in the way she was feeling, the way her body was responding to Edward's touch, that she hadn't really stopped to think about the ramifications of what they were doing. She knew she wasn't ready for sex. Bella had made the mistake of pushing herself into that sort of relationship once before and she wasn't going to do it again.

Edward felt her hesitation and pulled back, seeing the fear in her eyes. The skin across her chest was mottled and she was breathing heavily.

"I think we should stop," she whispered, her eyes staring blankly where her hands rested on his chest. "I'm not ready to…"

Her voice trailed off until it was barely audible, quivering with uncertainty. Edward kissed her softly on the lips and then the forehead, wrapping her up in his arms and turning so that her head rested on his heart. His reaction alleviated all her doubts, further proof that he was different. In the same situation, James would have begged and pleaded, making her feel guilty for not continuing what they had started.

Bella slid her arm across Edward's bare stomach, pulling him closer. She moved her leg between his, but as she did, she inadvertently rubbed against his still very prominent erection. She felt her face heat from embarrassment because she had accidentally touched him there. Bella thought about when Edward had touched her, about the orgasm she'd had. Biting her lip and drawing in a deep breath, she began to move her hand slowly lower, lingering momentarily along the waistband on his pajama bottoms, wondering what it would be like to touch him there on purpose, wondering if she could please him in the same way.

She rested her hand on his stomach, waiting for a reaction from Edward, but when he said nothing, Bella continued her descent. With the lightest touch, she ran her fingers along his erection as it strained beneath the worn fabric. Feeling emboldened, she pressed a little harder, delighting in the resulting groan from Edward. Hoping that she was doing something right, she moved her hand back towards his waistband, dipping her fingers underneath.

Before Bella could reach her intended destination, she felt Edward's fingers gently curl around her wrist, holding it in place.

"You don't have to do that."

Harnessing all the courage and strength she could, she turned her face to look him in the eyes. "I want to," she whispered, feeling the heated blush on her face darken, the sweat breaking out along her brow. Edward must have been convinced because his hand moved away from her wrist, sliding along her arm, and moving to cup her cheek as he kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with her own.

Sliding her hand into his pants, Bella found him ready, his cock hot and heavy in her hand. The space within his pants was limited, however, and she realized that she wanted to see as well as touch. Removing her hand, she began to tug on his pants, trying to urge them down past his hips. Edward lifted his lower half from the bed, helping her to tug his bottoms just low enough for his erection to be pulled free.

Nerves continued to assault Bella once again, but she reminded herself that this was Edward. He knew that she was inexperienced and would never push her or make her feel like anything less because of what she didn't know or hadn't experienced.

She moved her shaky fingers along his exposed length, tracing the exposed network of veins, paying close attention to the head. Edward's moans and groans seemed to increase as she did so. Bella moved her hand around him, sliding slowly from base to tip, back and forth. Her grip was loose and her movements were slow and measured. She'd never done this before and wasn't sure how tightly to hold him or how fast she should go.

"Show me?" she asked into the darkness, hoping that Edward would show her what he wanted, what he needed.

He moved his hand to wrap around hers, urging her to grip his erection tighter. And with their fingers twined together, they began to move, sweaty palms moving across slick, smooth skin. After a few strokes, Edward pulled his hand away, allowing Bella to continue on her own. She felt him twitch in her hand as he moaned loudly, exhaling her name in a breathy grunt.

"Faster," he panted and Bella quickened her pace. She felt his body stiffen for brief second before he found his release, coming in long, warm spurts across his stomach. He kissed her soundly before sitting up, gesturing to the mess he'd made before heading to the bathroom. Bella bit her lip and tried to stop the smile that was stretching across her face. There was something very satisfying about being able to elicit that reaction from Edward, even if she'd needed his help to guide her.

When he returned from the bathroom, he was wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. He slid into the bed beside Bella, pulling her so close that she was practically lying on top of him. His kiss was soft and sweet, and she drifted off to sleep in his arms, the smile still on her face.

~ O ~

The next day, Bella awoke to early morning sunshine streaming in through the window. Edward was lying next to her on his stomach, his arm draped across her torso. She kissed him on the cheek and then squirmed her way from beneath his iron grip. Walking over to the drapes, she pulled them tightly shut, wanting to allow Edward to sleep just a little later. Bella found the shirt she'd been wearing the night before tossed onto the floor. She picked it up and pulled it over her head and moved down the hallway towards the office.

Ben was already awake, happily chewing on his hands and feet. Bella turned off the baby monitor and pulled him from his bed, heading into the kitchen for his morning feeding. She mixed up his baby cereal and sat down at the table, taking her time feeding Ben his breakfast. When he was finished, she burped him and placed him in his walker, allowing him to watch her as she prepared breakfast for herself and Edward.

Bella had just poured the eggs into the pan to scramble when she heard Edward come stumbling into the kitchen. He was still wearing just his underwear and Bella took a moment to ogle him in the bright sunshine as he stood near her, rubbing his sleep-filled eyes. After a long yawn, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle, his lips beginning their assault on her neck. She giggled and tried to squirm away as his two days of scruff rubbed up against her tender skin.

After breakfast was eaten, Bella and Edward took turns in the shower, and then curled up on the couch with Ben. It wasn't long before Ben was falling over, ready for his nap. Bella put him back in bed, returning to find Edward stretched out lengthwise on the couch, a sleepy smile on his own face. Bella lay down beside him with every intention of napping, but it wasn't long before innocent kisses turned into something else.

~ O ~

Bella struggled to get inside the door around lunchtime, carrying Ben and all his things along with the presents Edward had gotten them both. Her hair was messy and tangled, falling from the twist she'd secured it in earlier that morning. She was wearing her jeans from the day before and one of Edward's t-shirts, the hem knotted at the side of her hip. Her face was flushed from the wind and cold air, her lips still swollen from the frenzied kisses she'd shared with Edward before heading home.

As she walked into the kitchen, she found Sue and Charlie both sitting at the table. Charlie was staring stoically at the newspaper in front of him, avoiding her gaze. It was obvious that he was annoyed from the rigid stiffness in his shoulders and the arts section he held in his hand; Charlie only read the sports page. Sue quickly brought her coffee cup to her lips, failing to hide her smirk.

Bella dragged everything into the living room and then removed Ben from his carrier, heading back into the kitchen. Sue quickly took him from her, pushing a plate towards Bella. There was an assortment of leftovers scattered about and Bella filled her plate, digging in and wondering if Charlie was ever going to talk to her.

After she finished eating, she rinsed her plate and put it in the dishwasher, having every intention of finally taking the nap she so desperately needed. She hoped that Sue would keep an eye on Ben for an hour or so to allow her to catch up on some sleep. But just as Bella was about to make her wishes known, Charlie let out a long and frustrated sigh, setting his newspaper down onto the table with a loud thump.

"Could you, uh, sit down here for a second, Bella?"

Her stomach rolled and she wondered if Charlie was really angry over her choice to spend the night at Edward's house. Though she knew she'd been irresponsible and made mistakes in the past, she was now fully prepared for the next steps that would occur in her relationship with Edward. Though she loved Ben wholeheartedly, she definitely wasn't ready for another child and had taken precautions to make sure there were no more accidents. And as much as Charlie still saw her as his little girl, she was a grown woman and she hoped that he would respect her decisions and trust her judgment.

"Look," Charlie said, rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort, "I know you're an adult and I can't exactly ground you or tell you where you can and can't spend the night." His mustache twitched as he reached for his cup of coffee, taking a long chug to steel himself for what he was about to say. "I know you've, uh, you know, before and Edward is older and is probably used to doing that sort of thing in an um…adult relationship…."

"Dad, really, you can stop. There's no need—"

"Just promise me you're being careful," he interrupted. "We all love Ben, but just, you know…"

"I promise," Bella muttered, her eyes nervously darting around the room, her face colored a hideous crimson. Charlie nodded his head at her before retreating. As soon as the front door slammed, Sue let out a loud guffaw.

"It's not funny, Sue!" Bella said, but she couldn't stop the small giggle that erupted from her chest.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry he made you so uncomfortable. I tried to tell him that he didn't need to do that, but he wouldn't listen. I even offered to talk to you myself, in private. He just really felt like it was his fatherly duty."

Bella sighed and shook her head, still embarrassed by the talk she'd just had with Charlie.

~ O ~

Two days later, while driving home from her shift at the diner, Bella drove by Alice's shop and was surprised to see that the neon sign in the window was glowing brightly. She'd tried calling Alice several times since Christmas and had sent a couple of e-mails, but she had heard nothing back. Bella quickly flipped on her signal and turned into the small parking lot in the front.

As she entered the store, she was assaulted by the smell of burning incense and some strange music playing lightly in the background. She wasn't sure what the song was supposed to be, but Bella was sure she heard chanting and drums.

"I'll be with you in just a minute," she heard Alice call from the back. While Bella waited, she looked through the items Alice had for sale, admiring the shiny stones of the jewelry and smelling the different oils and perfumes sitting in ornate glass bottles.

"Wow. You're really pink!"

Bella turned to see her small friend standing there with a smile on her face. She nearly gasped when she noticed Alice's hair. Her once long and flowing locks were gone, replaced with a short, choppy haircut that barely covered her ears.

"Do you hate it?" Alice asked, an apprehensive look on her face as she fingered the jagged pieces of hair near the back of her neck.

"No, Alice, I think it's very…you."

Alice smiled brightly. "Thanks. With everything going on, I just needed a bit of a change, a fresh start." She hesitated for a moment before stepping closer to Bella. "Would it be okay if I hugged you?"

Bella stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her tiny friend, happy to be given a chance to mend their friendship. Bella heard Alice sniffle and she could feel the tears falling onto her shoulder, soaking through the polyester fabric of her uniform.

"I'm so sorry," Alice said as she pulled away. "I've been all weepy and emotional lately. And I've missed you so much. The things I said to you were just terrible and I am very sorry. I'll understand if you can't forgive me, but I just wanted you to know that I love you and you've been one of the best friends I've ever had."

Bella reached out and grabbed Alice's hand, squeezing it tightly. "The things you said hurt me, Alice, but I'd like to move past them. I've really missed you, too. Now what's this about being pink?"

Alice laughed, a light and happy sound that made Bella smile. "Your aura is obnoxiously pink. Oh my gosh! I want to see Edward. I'll bet his is just as bad."

Bella felt her face flush, wondering if Alice was somehow aware of the night they had shared. "What does that mean, the pink aura?"

Alice rolled her eyes dramatically, as if she offended that Bella wasn't completely aware of all her crazy beliefs and ideas. "It means that you're in love, silly!"

Bella smiled and ducked her head, embarrassed that Alice had so easily picked up on what she had been feeling. She'd known for weeks that she was falling in love with Edward, but her feelings for him had solidified over the Christmas holiday. He was kind and caring towards not only her, but her son as well, treating Ben as his own, not some illegitimate baby with no father. Edward had easily welcomed them both into his life.

Though Bella knew it was probably much too early to voice her feelings to him, she felt the words lingering on the tip of her tongue whenever he was near. Those three little words filled her mind and she was almost afraid that she would let them slip at an inappropriate time, but most of all, she was afraid that the sentiment wouldn't be returned. She loved Edward with her whole heart, but did he feel the same way about her?

She wanted the words to be true when he said them to her, not just a reassurance to placate her. Bella had made the mistake of trying to make herself love James, to force feelings that were never there. With Edward, things were simple. Nothing felt forced or awkward when they were together—just natural and easy. She hoped things would remain that way when she finally mustered up the courage to tell him how she felt.

~ O ~

Edward dropped by later that night to see Bella once his shift at the clinic was over. He'd planned to take off the entire week between Christmas and New Year's, but because the clinic was the only medical care some residents of Forks had access to, he'd made the decision to work a couple of afternoons and one full day.

He was surprised to find Bella home alone with Ben, but she explained that Charlie and Sue had driven to Port Angeles for dinner and wouldn't likely be back until much later in the evening. Bella put on a movie and he joined her on the couch with Ben, snuggling the little guy in his lap. As the credits rolled to signal the end, Ben was asleep in Edward's lap and Bella was slumped over with her head on his shoulder, also sleeping.

Edward slid away from Bella, allowing her to lie down on the couch. He carried Ben into his room and placed him in his crib, turning on the baby monitor and kissing Ben on the cheeks. Edward moved back into the living room to deal with Bella, laughing quietly as he heard her snoring.

"Come on, baby. Let's get you to bed." He tugged and pulled until she stood, rubbing her eyes and mumbling under her breath. Her eyes were half-closed as she stumbled up the stairs to her room, Edward walking behind her to make sure she didn't fall. When she entered her room, Bella immediately began pulling off clothes, flinging her sweater onto the floor before she unsnapped her jeans and slid them down her legs. She fell onto the bed, on top of the blankets, in just her underwear.

Edward searched around in the piles of clothes on her dresser, finding a nightgown that looked suitable. He urged Bella to sit up as he slid it over her head and helped her place her arms in the short sleeves. He kissed her on the forehead and told her goodnight, but Bella had other plans. She slid her fingers through his belt loops and urged him closer. He gave her one quick kiss, hoping that would appease her.

"Stay with me," Bella said as she looked up at him with a sleepy smile. Though he liked the idea of sharing a bed with her again, he knew that her father's house was not the place to do so.

"I would, Bella, but Charlie—"

"Won't be home for hours," she said, cutting off his objection. "Just for a little while, until I fall asleep again."

Edward knew that he couldn't tell her no, so he toed off his shoes, and joined her in the tiny twin bed. He tried not to close his eyes, knowing that he needed to get out of there before Charlie returned. Edward felt Bella's hand undoing the top two buttons of his shirt, her lips against his neck, making a trail from his earlobe to his Adam's apple.

"Bella, we can't do this here. Charlie really would kill me," Edward said, turning in the bed to face her.

"I know. I just missed you."

"I missed you, too," he said, pulling her close and kissing her again, his hands moving down to squeeze her ass, pulling her close against him. They continued to kiss and touch for several minutes, but Edward soon realized he needed to leave before things escalated.

"I should go."

Bella kissed him one more time before sitting up and throwing back the blankets. She followed him quietly down the stairs, walking him to the door. Edward hugged her tightly when they reached the door, hoping she realized how much she meant to him. When he pulled away, he was shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did I do something?" Edward asked, panic already setting in.

"No, I just…" Her voice trailed off and she dropped her face, staring at his shoes. Edward moved his hand to cup her chin, pulling her face upwards until their eyes met.

"You know you can tell me anything."

"I know. I'm just scared."

Edward moved his hand from her chin to her cheek, his other hand resting on her hip. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, her eyelids, and the tip of her nose, hoping that his actions would reassure her; she had nothing to be scared of with him. Bella moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. He slid both arms around her waist and waited, hoping she would feel safe enough to share whatever was on her mind.

"I love you," he heard her whisper quietly into the fabric of his shirt. He squeezed her tighter and smiled. When he finally released her from his grasp, she looked up at him with uncertain eyes.

"I love you, too," he finally answered back, delighted to see the bright smile that broke out on her face.

A/N: With this chapter, I should be back on schedule for regular Wednesday updates from here on out. Thanks to everyone that reads and reviews. Teasers will be sent, as always.

The FGB auction for my outtake raised $160, which seems like a huge amount for me. A big thanks to Kalimando for organizing the team and to all the ladies that donated. I'm excited to see what they come up with!