A/N - Happy December, and Happy Hanukkah to those that celebrate!

Chapter Fourteen: Up

"Edward," I repeated stupidly, wishing that Esme would stop smirking at me already and pinch me so I could either wake up, or stop acting like such a nitwit in front of my kids.

"Bella," his lovely green eyes lit up in surprise; he hadn't been expecting to see me either. Alright, I felt better.

Esme coughed delicately. "You can pick the kids up at three."

"Right," I nodded, still staring at Edward. We weren't required to stay with the campers during classes, only after hours. Oh. "Right," I said again, with increased comprehension. God, the effect this man had on my brain cells...

He quirked his eyebrow at me and followed me to the door. My ailing brain cells suffered further implosion when he offered a quick and crooked grin.

We shut the door quietly, and stood in the same hallway where we'd stood all those years ago.

"It's wonderful to see you," he said quietly. "I...still can't believe it's you."

My brain sent no signals to my mouth to reply. My brain was on autopilot. Apparently, Alice was my autopilot, because I found myself taking two steps toward him before flinging my arms around his neck.

"Hello to you, too," he said with amusement, hugging me back.

I breathed in his scent, his delicious, wonderful, sexy man smell - spicy and woodsy and fresh. Mmmmm...

"Do you want to take a walk?" he suggested, dropping his arms. I removed mine reluctantly and nodded. "I know a great little place where we can catch up," he continued.

I followed him out of the building in silence, each of us wary of disrupting the quiet of the academic halls. We walked along the beautiful buildings we had loved, the quads we had run and played on. I wondered if hid memories were as strong, as beloved as mine. Though I had originally been ambivalent about finding him here, I couldn't deny the degree of happiness it brought me. For all our letters, I had always felt that he was someone I would never have the chance to see again, though I had wished otherwise. Eventually the letters would diminish, and they had. I hadn't received anything from him in months. Remembering this set me on edge. I was overjoyed to see him...but how did he feel about seeing me?

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed that we'd arrived at a fountain. The fountain.

Edward sat on the edge and patted the space beside him.

"It's wonderful to see you," he said again, sincerely. I couldn't help glowing a little at that. I couldn't help feeling a little doubtful, too.

"You stopped writing," I pointed out, hating my tendency toward word vomit. Did I sound as hurt as I felt?

"Yeah," he looked sheepish "sorry about that - Emmett and Jasper kidnapped me after graduation, and we spent two months backpacking across Europe - they don't really sell postcards in the forest."

"Oh," I laughed, pleased by his explanation, and hoping I hadn't sounded clingy. "And how was the wilderness?" I teased. "Did you find your inner beast?"

"I did, actually," he joked back. "Emmett more so than any of us, though - I swear, he tried to fight a grizzly bear."

"He would," I muttered. He pratically was a grizzly bear - of the cuddly toy variety. "And you? No grizzlies for you?" I nudged his shoulder playfully, surprised at how comfortable I was with him, more easygoing than I would have been five years ago.

"Nah," he flexed his biceps playfully, but I was impressed nonetheless. As attracted as I had been to boy Edward, all my brain could compute about Edward the man was: Me Likey. "Only mountain lion is good enough for me." He grinned, triggering my easy laughter. "And you?" he said, echoing me. "What have you been up to these past few months?"

"Well, after graduation, Alice, Rose and I went to New York City for a week, which was fun, except for when Alice insisted that we do the rowboats in Central Park, and we almost capsized and knocked into all of these other people." I shook my head at the memory. "If you ever want to test a relationship, rent a rowboat."

Edward laughed, and we swapped stories about our friends from our respective trips until Jake walked over.

"Hey, Bella!" He smiled at me, and nodded at Edward.

"Hey, Jake - this is Edward, Edward, this is Jake," I introduced them.

"Hey man," Edward said, the epitome of chill as he leaned against the fountain, his fingers splayed against the limestone rim.

"Hey," Jake said, his eyes catching that our hands were inches apart.

I blushed, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it by moving my hand. It was nothing.

"So, a bunch of us were going to head into town, if you wanted to come," Jake offered. I got the distinct impression that his invitation didn't really include Edward, but I looked to him anyway for his opinion. I mean, seriously - who would leave six feet of unadulterated hotness to go check out a town?

"Sounds good - if you're up for it, Bella," Edward said, his green eyes focused on me. I felt even warmer, and it wasn't the effects of the hot summer sun.

"Let's go!" I squeaked. That's right - awkward old Bella is still in here.

In silence, we walked the ten yards to the tree where the other RAs were clustered. I was happy to see Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper assembled, along with two guys and two girls I didn't recognize.

"Bella, this is Ben, Tyler, Carmen, and Jane," Jacob told me. "Everyone, this is Bella. Oh, and Edward," he added.

I walked next to Edward, and I had to kick gravel at the backs of Rose and Alice's legs when their pointed looks at the two of us became too obvious. I felt like Jake was shooting us furtive looks, too, but his attention was quickly secured by Carmen, one of the older RAs with long, dark mahogany hair. The short RA named Jane did more than look; she dropped back in the group until she was at Edward's side.

"So, Edward, where are you from?" she asked with a smile, sizing me up when Edward wasn't looking.

"Chicago. And Bella here is originally from Arizona, but she grew up in Forks, Washington," he said politely.

I beamed. Most people knew I was from Washington, but the fact that he remembered my little town AND the fact that I'd lived in Arizona for most of my life? He shot way up in my estimation. Not that there was much farther for him to go.

Jane looked disgruntled by his lack of interest. I couldn't help smiling at her as Edward pointed out our favorite gelato place, and we waxed rhapsodic about our shared memories.

Things were looking up.