Title: Protect My Heart

Author: Erik-in-CT

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer or Marvel Comics, and not myself.

Bella stood in the darkened bedroom of her apartment, looking about herself in an almost confused manner. It was the first place she'd ever lived by herself, and while she was used to quite a bit of freedom and independence when she lived with Charlie, this was different. This was her place, for the summer at least. And the excitement and unexpected drama of her first day of living in the city had thrown her somewhat. Deciding a hot shower and then bed were the best idea right now, she grabbed the backpack containing her bathroom items and her pajamas, and made her way to the bathing room.

The hot shower helped calm her a bit, it always did, and she stood afterwards looking at herself in the mirror as she towelled her hair dry. She found her thoughts drifting back to the evening she had spent with Mr. Stark...Tony. A tiny smile crept onto her lips as she thought of him, and it startled her for a moment to see it in her reflection. While it wasn't as immediate as her love of...of Edward, she forced the name in her thoughts, it felt like just as strong as an emotion. She caught her thoughts and berated herself. There was no way she could be falling in love with Tony Stark. It was just a schoolgirl crush, like a teeny bopper oogling over a rock star...or so she tried to tell herself. But she couldn't deny that after she had allowed herself to relax a little, she had really enjoyed the evening with him. Especially the part where she got the chance to look around his private workshop. And those armor suits...amazing. But what had happened to him tonight? He had brushed off his temporary disablity as nothing big, but it didn't seem that way to her. She had seen the slightly panicked look, and the worry behind it, in his eyes.

Sighing, she pulled on her pajamas, turned off the lights, and made her way towards the large bed that was the centerpiece of the bedroom. She set the alarm to wake her at a decent hour, she settled into the bed and stared up at the darkened ceiling above her head. So many thoughts were swirling through her head that she doubted sleep would come any time soon.

Edward followed the car that Bella had ridden in all the way back down into the city, and watched as it pulled into the secured complex that was the headquarters of Stark Industries. For the millionth time he wondered to himself what she was doing here. It was a small matter for him to climb over the wall surrounding the group of buildings, and make his way through the shadows to find where the car had taken her. It seemed to be a small apartment unit on the edge of the area that she had gone to, as that was where the car was pulling out of when he caught sight of it again. Slipping though the darkness, he approached the building and followed his senses to what was the corner unit of the grouping. There were no lights on, but he could hear the heartbeat and steady breathing that told him someone was within. And the scent was unmistakable.

For a few long minutes he fought with himself on whether or not he should approach her, or just watch from a distance and make sure she was safe. How would she react to his presence? Had the long months apart driven him from her heart as he kept telling himself was best? Would she be angry with him for reappearing so suddenly when she was obviously moving on, or would she welcome him back into her life and forgive him for the rash actions that caused him to leave her so suddenly and so hurtfully?

No, he would have to keep his resolve to not interfere with her life anymore, at least directly. But he would keep watch over her for now, while there was still a chance that she was in danger from Victoria. This threat had been put upon her because of him, and he would make sure she was kept safe no matter what. And so he settled into the shadows to watch over her.

Bella found herself in an unfamiliar room, the walls and furnishing all white and blending into each other, giving her no distinct evidence of where she was standing. "Hello?" She called out as she looked about, trying to find some sign as to where she was, or how she had gotten there. She felt more than heard a movement behind her, and she started to turn to try and discover who was there with her.

"Bella," Tony whispered hotly against her ear as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close against his body. She turned in his arms, his lips ghosting over her forehead and across her cheek before pressing softly against her own, drawing a quiet moan from her as she responded to his touch. It had been so long, and he was so warm and solid against her as she pressed herself up into his arms, her hands resting against his shoulders as her eyes fluttered closed. She felt his hands sliding down her back to grasp her waist, holding her close as he deepened the kiss, the soft touch of his tongue brushing across her lips before pressing deeper. Somewhere deep inside of her, Bella felt a heat begin to rise up and consume her like fire.

"Oh yes Tony," she breathed when his lips released hers, her head falling to rest against the side of his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of him, a sweet musky smell that left her feeling intoxicated. In that moment, she couldn't recall ever feeling this way before, and she didn't want to lose that feeling. And so she clung to him with all the strength she possessed, and thrilled to find that he was holding her just as tightly, his hands slipping beneath the thin cotton of her pajama top to brush lightly across her lower back and sides.

"So beautiful," he whispered against her ear once again, lips and tongue playing along the sensitive spot as she shivered at the attentions. "Open up to me Bella," he said, his fingers trailing along her sides and across her stomach. Her head began to spin as she felt herself falling, and she found herself laying upon silken white fabric with Tony beside her, his hands never losing contact with her heated skin. Finding the courage from somewhere within, Bella began to explore with her hands as well, brushing across his shoulders and down his arms, feeling the hard muscles underneath his skin. It felt so good to touch and be touched, and she wanted more of it, she hungered for it in a way she couldn't explain.

A soft gasp escaped her as she felt his hand move higher, his fingers brushing against her chest, and she found herself grasping his wrist and pressing his hand more firmly against her. "Please Tony," she breathed, turning her head up to search for his lips once more. A shift against her, and he caught her questing lips again, stealing her breath away in a passionate play of lips and tongue. She could feel the full, hard lean length of him against her, and she pressed her body against his, wanting to feel him completely.

His wandering hands skimmed along the waistband of her pajama bottoms, and she moaned a quiet encouragement to him, her heart pounding as she felt his fingers dip beneath the elastic band and tease the sensitive skin they found there. Her own fingers twisted into the soft fabric of his shirt as she poured her heart into the searing heat of his kiss. But even as she held onto him. she felt him slipping away from her, and she grasped desperately at anything she found under her hands, trying to draw him back to her.

Bella gasped as her eyes flew open to see a darkened room around her, her hands fisted in the blankets at her side. For a frightening moment she was so disoriented by her strange surroundings that she nearly flew into a panic, but then she slowly calmed down as she remembered the events of the day. The images in her dream still burned hotly in her mind, and she felt the ghost of a kiss that hadn't actually happened flutter across her lips. Just a dream, she told herself in the darkness. A dream that had felt so breathtakingly real. She knew she was lost.

Author's Note:

And we have a new pattern emerging. Short chapter updates on Tuesday nights, and longer chapters on Friday or Saturday. Does that work for everyone? Seems good to me.

Anyway...I had some...fun with this chapter. Almost had to bump the rating up a notch or two before I editted myself. *ahem*

Have I mentioned that all of you readers are simply fabulous! You've helped make this story what it is, and I'm so appreciative of all the feedback I've received. I never expected it to become as popular as it has. Y'all are the best!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, please read and review!

Tony: "WooHoo! Dream!Tony is awesome! Though I wouldn't mind getting some actual action...I'm starving over here!"

Erik: "Yeah yeah. You're so attention starved, I'm sure. The fangirls love you. More than Edward it seems."

Tony: "Duh. Who wouldn't?"