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Chapter 19: A Rocky Start

Bella's POV

I stared at her door wondering what in the world could have happened in the short amount of time since she left the apartment. I turned to look at Alice who looked equally as pissed and frustrated as Rosalie had. She glared, huffed, and crossed her arms over her chest. I walked to Rosalie's room and knocked on the door.

"Go away," I heard her say. I turned the knob and discovering it unlocked, walked in. "You heard me. Get out."

"Why don't you want to go on this date?" I had learned that ignoring her icy façade would cause her to drop it or get so angry that the truth would come out during one of her tirades.

"I said go away. I don't want to talk."

"Do you not like Emmett?"

"Damn it, Bella." She stood up and walked to the door. "Leave." She held the door open.

"Is it too soon?"

"It's just me. I don't feel like it. Now go." Her voice was showing her annoyance and frustration.

"I'm sure he'll wait if you want time."

"You don't get it Bella. Now leave." She huffed when she saw Alice in the doorway.

"Are you afraid to get close? Are you afraid he'll get to know you?"

"He already knows my only secret. You brought up some bad memories today. I'm a rape survivor too. I had a moment of weakness and told him when he was trying to comfort..." She drew up short when she realized what she'd said.

"Are you scared it's going to make him look at you differently?" She sat down on the bed next to me, and Alice sat on her other side.

"He will. People always do." Alice placed an arm around her shoulders, and I placed a hand on her knee.

"When did he ask you to dinner?"

"Just before we came back into the living room."

"After you told him, right?" She nodded. I squeezed her knee. "There's your answer. He wants you, even with the knowledge he has about you."

"Plus, look at how his brother reacted to the news," Alice said. "It's got to run in the family." We all giggled.

"You're right," Rosalie finally sighed. "I'm overreacting. I just really like him. He's gorgeous, he's so much fun, and he really is smart, underneath all the joking and acting like a kid. And did you see his hands? I can only imagine what it's like to feel-"

"Rose!" I cut her off. Her crass side was a little too vivid sometimes.

"Oh Bella. One day you're going to finally have sex and it's going to be great. When that day comes you're gonna want to talk about it, and we'll be here to listen." My face was flushed a furious crimson.

"On that note, I'm going to get a drink while you two get back to beautifying the flower." Rosalie groaned.

"I was hoping you'd give up on that nickname." I laughed as I left her room to retrieve drinks.

Although she had a freak out moment, she was still a very confident and adjusted woman. I hoped that one day I could be as strong as her. She didn't let her past control her. She didn't have panic attacks, and she most definitely wasn't letting whoever that monster was rule her choices in life. She was what I pictured when I pictured my life after therapy. I had to laugh when Alice's yell for drinks echoed through the apartment. I got three waters and followed their voices to the bathroom where Alice was working on Rosalie's hair.

"Where is he taking you?" I asked as I handed her a bottle.

"I don't know," she answered. "He said to dress casual and expect to have a lot of fun. I don't really know what that means though. We're going to dinner. Where do you go to dinner to have fun? I've never done anything like that. Dinner was always a formal affair with my parents, and we go to spend time with each other. He made it sound like we'd be doing something."

"I have no idea, but I bet you'll have a blast."

"I better. I don't do second chances. He'll have to impress me quickly."

"Well, it sounds like it'll be an interesting date. What are you gonna wear?"

"I was thinking jeans, my red v-neck cashmere sweater, and my red Manolo Blahniks."

"I wouldn't have deemed that casual." Alice smirked while she continued to curl Rosalie's hair.

"Bella, you wear flannel pajamas and your idea of dressing up includes pants and flats. I love ya, honey, but your fashion sense needs some help."

"We live in Seattle. It gets cold. I'm just practical."

"Practically helpless," Rosalie muttered, but I chose to take the mature route and stuck out my tongue. They both laughed.

Alice finished working on Rosalie's hair. She pulled it into a high ponytail and cured it. It was a casual do with a bit of flair. I wouldn't have expected anything less from them. Rosalie went to get dressed while Alice picked a romantic comedy to watch and dished up two bowls of ice cream. She ran me to my room saying I had to put on comfy, "and I don't mean flannel," pajamas. When I returned to the living room, she had already changed.

At 7:53 the doorbell rang. I smiled at Alice. He was early. She ran to Rosalie's room causing me to giggle. I answered the door and pulled Emmett inside. He didn't look too bad. He was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans and a blue and white thin striped button up shirt. I had to admit, he did look very handsome.

"You look nice," I said. He grinned widely as he hugged me.

"You too," he smirked and tweaked my nose. I scrunched my face and scowled. I'm sure I looked like a seven-year-old. I was wearing the sky blue silk pajama pants with penguins in scarves on them and matching tank top Alice bought me when she went on a ski trip with Jasper.

"Shut it." He just laughed. He stopped abruptly, and I followed his gaze to see Rosalie and Alice were standing in the living room. They both looked a bit dazed. Emmett recovered first.

"You look beautiful." I watched in awe as her cheeks tinged a slight pink.

"Thank you," she finally replied. "You look nice yourself." Alice and I looked at each other with a knowing smile. "Are we gonna go?"

"Yep. As soon as you get yourself in gear." I giggled loving that Emmett was meeting her tit for tat. Rosalie rolled her eyes and walked to the door. Emmett held out his arm and she took it. Before she left she leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Doesn't he look delicious?" I covered my mouth to stifle the giggle bubbling up.

"I can't wait to hear all about it!" Alice exclaimed while jumping up and down once the door was closed. I walked back into the living room and pulled Alice to sit next to me.

"Let's watch the movie," I said. "It'll make the time pass faster." I was worried about what movie she had chosen, but was pleasantly surprised to see the opening credits of Sweet Home Alabama. It was my favorite movie, but Alice said I watched it too much.

We were almost halfway through the third movie when Rosalie strolled through the door. It was unmistakable what she had been up to. Her hair was mussed and lips swollen. Her lipstick was a bit smeared and a goofy grin was plastered on her face. Alice paused the movie, jumped up, and ran to Rosalie. She squealed the entire way before hugging her tightly. Alice pulled her to sit on the couch. We pulled our legs underneath us and waited for the details.

"So?" Alice asked exasperatedly. "Details, woman, we need details."

"God, it was great," she said with a sigh. "He was a perfect gentleman. He opened the door and pulled out my chair. We went to Dave and Busters, had burgers, fries, and beer. Then we played games the rest of the time. I never would have pictured myself liking a place like that, but it really was fun.

"He was perfect. He was nice but didn't take any of my shit. He bantered with me. People don't normally do that. He was never mean or rude though.

"He never let me win a game. I had to really work at it."

"That's great, Rose," I said quietly. "I knew you two were right for each other."

"Get to the good stuff," Alice said impatiently. "He kissed you, didn't he?" She nodded causing Alice to squeal. "And?"

"It was perfect. Not gently but no too rough. He wasn't sloppy. It was very commanding, but not in a harsh way. His hands. Oh God! His hands. They felt so good. When he wrapped those arms around me it felt so warm and safe, fully encompassing. I can only imagine what it would feel like to have those hands-"

"Rose!" I cut her off. I didn't want to hear that.

"What? I was going to say give me a massage. Hell, Bella. Get your mind out of the gutter." I would have believed her if it weren't for the smirk she was trying to suppress.

We listened intently as she described the date in detail. Seeing her happy about Emmett made me happy. She deserved someone like him. After Alice milked every detail she could she rushed Rosalie off to change into pajamas before continuing movie night. We fell asleep in the couch during the first movie.

I was awakened the next morning to the sound of my cell phone alarm going off. I forgot to turn it off the night before. I extricated myself from the tangle of limbs and went to my room. I stumbled into the shower, hoping the hot water would wake me. I took twenty minutes in the shower only feeling minutely guilty for using so much water. My phone started ringing, and I hurried to answer it.

"Hello?" I greeted breathlessly.

"Hey kiddo. Did I catch you at a bad time?" I smiled at his worry. It had been too long since I talked to him.

"Hey dad. I was just getting dressed. How are you?"

"I'm good. Sue and I just got back from a vacation. I head back to work this morning."

"Vacation? Dad, I don't ever remember you taking time off from work. What has gotten into you?" I could hear him shuffling and his voice sounded embarrassed.

"Well, Sue has always wanted to see Yellow Stone, so, I figured I'd take her."

"That's kind of romantic of you. I didn't know you had it in you." I had to smile. I really liked to see Charlie happy.

"Charlie. I'm headed back to the rez. I'll see you tonight when you get off," I heard Sue's voice.

"It's 6:00am. Did Sue stay the night, Charlie?" I couldn't pass up the chance to put him in an awkward situation.

"We got in late. I didn't want her to have to drive while she was tired."

"Oh, Charlie," I heard Sue say with a giggle. "She's a grown woman. You can tell her I stay over. You act like we're sixteen-years-old getting caught by our parents." I had to giggle along with her.

"Listen, Bells. I didn't call you to talk about Sue," he huffed.

"I'm sorry dad. What did you call for?"

"How have you been? Have you been seeing the doctor like Dr. Cullen asked you to?"

I immediately felt bad. I knew Charlie would be worried about me. I hadn't been up to par on my last visit landing myself in the hospital. Then later when I had fainted and got a nasty gash in my forehead, I hadn't called Charlie to let him know. Though he may not be an overly emotional man, I knew he cared for me immensely. He deserved to know what was going on in my life.

"Yeah. I went in everyday to get the dressings changed. I got sick a few weeks after that. I'm okay now, but I sort of fainted and hit my head when I fell. It's not the prettiest sight, but all the tests came back normal."

"Why didn't you call me? I could have come to make sure you were okay. How are you feeling now?"

"I'm sorry dad. I've just been so distracted." I wasn't going to tell him about working with Jasper. He, nor Renee, knew about Phil's teammates or Jacob. Charlie knew Jacob and I dated. He loved the idea. Since Billy, Jacob's dad, was his best friend, he thought it was a perfect match. Charlie stayed pretty distant from the relationship so he never realized what was going on. I couldn't tell him. If he found out, I wouldn't be surprised to see Jacob's picture on a missing person poster. "I'm okay now. I've been feeling a bit better. I don't feel sick all day anymore. It's just every couple of days."

"That's good to hear. Have the girls been looking out for you?"

"Of course. It's really rather annoying sometimes."

"What about Edward?" I paused, my mind going blank.

"How do you know about Edward?" I continued getting ready, which was hard to do while on the phone.

"I ran into Dr. Cullen in town. He mentioned that Edward was dating you."

"Oh. Yeah. Edward and I are dating. He's been taking care of me too. He was here when I fainted. He's a paramedic so he knew what to do."

"That's good to hear. Are you two serious?"

"Umm." This was odd. Charlie rarely took interest in my personal life. Maybe his relationship with Sue was really changing him. "We've only been seeing each other for about a month. What's with all the questions dad? You've never been too interested in my personal life."

"I'm your father, Bells. I just want to know what's going on in my daughter's life. Is that a crime?"

"No. I didn't mean it that way. It's just a little odd."

"Well, I was really calling to find out when I would get to see you again. It's been over a month. Sue and I were hoping you'd come up for a weekend soon."

"I don't know when I'll be able to. It'll probably be a few weeks. I've got a paper due soon and need to work on my thesis. I have a meeting with my advisor about it in a few weeks."

"Well, we'd like to see you. You can bring Edward. I'd like to meet him."

"Umm." I hadn't thought about introducing Edward to Charlie. I mean it would have to happen eventually, but it was strange none the less to hear Charlie requesting it. "I'll talk to him; see when he has a weekend off. He just traded a bunch of shifts so he could get next week off."

"What's next week?"

"Spring Break. There's a group of us going to Disney World."

"Do you have enough money? I can send you some." I pulled on shoes. "No. I got it covered, but thanks though."

"If you're sure. Talk with Edward then give me a call back."

"Okay. Bye, dad." I hung up and tossed my phone on the bed.

Charlie seemed to be so different. In a good way, and I was going to blame it on Sue. I knew after just those few hours with her that she was exactly what Charlie needed. She took care of him in a way I never could. If I was being honest with myself, it hurt a little. I had always been the one to take care of him. Maybe Jasper was right. Maybe I felt like I needed someone to take care of. I shook my head to clear the thoughts. I wasn't in the mood to think about heavy topics right now.

Edward had to work today so he would be up by now. I decided to call him. I needed to see if he would be interested in going with me to Forks, and if so, when he would be available. We also had to talk about getting the plane ticket fiasco, as I started calling it, arranged. I had to find something really cheap. Feeling restless, I decided to take a walk while we talked. I donned my coat and snuck out of the apartment so I wouldn't wake Alice and Rosalie.

Edward's POV

"Hello," I answered my phone figuring it would be mom. Only she would call this early on a weekend.

"Good morning," I heard her sing. I sighed and could hear the smile in my voice when I started to talk.

"Good morning beautiful. How was your night?"

"It was good. Alice and I watched movies until Rose came home and gave us a play by play of the date." She giggled at something, and the sound was gorgeous "Did you get to hear about it?"

"Yes. Emmett wouldn't stop talking about it or rather her. I think we accomplished our mission. Did Rose have as much fun as Emmett?" I walked around my room finishing dressing

"Maybe even more. She's smitten. Did you get anymore studying done?"

"A little. I wasn't in the mood to study when I got back so I watched a little news and went to bed. What are you doing up so early?"

"I forgot to turn my alarm off so it woke me early. I took a shower, talked to Charlie, and decided to go for a walk while we talk."

"How is your dad?"

"He's good; he just got back from a vacation with Sue." I heard her hesitate. "He asked about you."

"He did? I didn't know you had told him about me." She seemed a little shy when it came to our relationship.

"I hadn't. I haven't talked to him since the weekend of that accident. He ran into Dr. C in town, and your dad mentioned it."

"I'm sorry, baby."

"No." She rushed to stop me. "I'm not sorry. He actually wants to meet you."

"He does?" That was a shock. From what Bella had said, Charlie wasn't that involved in her personal life, but then again, this was his daughter, and I was only her second relationship. I could see why he would be…curious.

"Yes. He asked if we could come up soon. I told him I'd find out if you were interested and when you had a free weekend." I ran down to the car where Emmett was waiting. I unlocked it and we soon left for the station.

"Sure. I'm interested. My weekends don't look that great though for a few weeks since I had to trade shifts."

"I told him that." I rounded the block. "There's no rush. First, we need to figure out the plane ticket fiasco."

"We do." My voice became excited. "I can take care of it. That way all you have to worry about is packing."

"I don't really have cash. I can give you my card information for when you book. Just remember, I need a really cheap ticket."

"Baby, let me pay for the plane ticket." Emmett looked over at me curiously.

"No. I am not a charity case. I can pay my own way." Her voice was defensive.

"I don't see you as a charity case. I know you can pay your own way, but I want to do this. Please."

"No, and that's the end of the discussion."

"Okay. I'm going to be booking the flights on the computer at work so I don't really want your card information there. Can you just write me a check for the total?"

"I can do that." I could see Emmett's shoulders bouncing in silent laughter.

"Thank you. I'm about to pull into the station. I'll call your tomorrow with details. Is that okay?"

"Sure. Be safe, and tell Emmett I said hi and congratulations on a great date." I laughed.

"Will do. Bye." I hung up and pushed my phone into my pocket. Emmett couldn't contain his laughter. "What?"

"You already bought the plane ticket didn't you?"

"Why would you say that?" I parked the car, and we gathered our stuff to walk inside.

"I say that because I know you. You did something that's going to piss her off, didn't you?"

"I'm rather hopeful that she'll like it." He looked at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. "I booked them last night. They're first class tickets." He howled with laughter.

"Dude. I know you like to give gifts, but remember, our idea of expensive doesn't match up with everyone else's. First class is normal for us, but it's not necessarily normal for other people. She's going to be pissed when she finds out it's first class. She's trying to save money remember." I just nodded. "Not everyone has a trust fund. Most people don't have everything set up for them ready to go. Bellaboo probably doesn't know you're rich. She's going to see this as frivolous and unnecessary. Just be prepared for a fight."

"I won't ask her to pay for it all. I wouldn't ask her to pay for any of it if I could get away with it. I'll just figure out how much a coach ticket on the plane is, and tell her that price." He laughed again.

"You are so screwed, but good luck none the less." He patted my shoulder before disappearing inside. I followed him in hoping for the best kind of day, an uneventful one.

On Friday, I felt myself vibrating in anticipation. Emmett and I got off work at 8:00am. I took a short nap, woke at noon, ate lunch, and started studying. The apartment was quiet. Emmett had left two hours before to catch a plane with Ben, Angela, and Rosalie. My time was uninterrupted and peaceful, the best study environment. I was startled out of my studying when my phone rang. I answered with a smile when I saw Bella's name on the caller id.

"Hello beautiful."

"Hi handsome," she said back. "Are you ready for your test?"

"Sure." I looked over at the clock. 3:00pm. I needed to leave soon to get to the testing center by 3:30. I stood and started gathering my things. "I'm getting ready to leave now. Are you all packed?"

"Almost. I'm putting the last of my clothes in now. I should be done in about thirty minutes. I wanted to call and tell you good luck, and I'm so proud of you." Her voice was soft and tender. I wanted to pull her into a hug, feel her close to me.

"Thank you. I can't wait to see you. I will call when I get out of the test. It should be around eight. Then I'll come pick you up, and we'll head to the airport. Our flight is at ten."

"Don't rush. I want you to focus on the test. Do your best. There are other planes if need be." I loved how she was so supportive of me.

"I promise I'll take my time and do my best."

"Thank you." I grabbed the keys off the counter and headed to my Volvo, bags in tow.

"I'm going to let you go. My test starts at 4:00. Think happy thoughts for me."

"I will. Good luck. Bye."

"See you soon." I hung up the phone and focused on driving.

I hadn't told Bella about the tickets being first class yet. I wanted to surprise her. I planned to just walk her to her seat and hope for the best. She probably would be mad for a little while, but she'd get over it. Right?

I pulled into the testing center and went to check-in. I was one of about fifteen people taking the test. We were each seated at a computer terminal while a proctor began her speech. No cheating, no talking, no breaks; they were the usual testing rules. Soon enough we were set loose on the test. I took a deep breath before opening the first section.

The test was long and difficult, but what else would one expect? I did take my time and not rush. There was too much riding on the outcome of this exam to jeopardize it. I finally finished, reviewed what I had just written, and clicked 'submit.' There. Nothing else I can do now but wait. I was the fourth to last person left. I exited the room, stretched my stiff muscles, and finally got out to my car. I couldn't help smiling. I was going to pick up Bella, and we'd be off the Disney World. I couldn't wait for our first vacation together. I started the car and called her as I pulled out of the parking lot.

"How did it go?" Her excitement was evident in the lack of formal greeting. I laughed at her exuberance.

"It went okay. It was difficult, but that's what I expected. I feel comfortable with it."

"That's great. You're making good time too. It's only 7:00."

"I noticed. I'll be at your place in about twenty minutes."

"Okay. See you soon. Bye."

I was getting more excited as the minutes passed. I hadn't seen Bella since last Saturday when she had an 'episode' as she was calling it. Although we hadn't been together that long, the pull I felt towards her was strong. I found myself wanting to see her every day, even if it were only for a few minutes. I just really wanted to hug her, kiss her, and feel her close to me. I also wanted that touch to be a reassurance to her that I wasn't going to flake out on her.

I would never minimize the experiences she had. What she was put through was unforgivable. Those monsters should be punished. I hated thinking about it, but it wasn't something that was going to scare me off. I wanted Bella, all of her. I needed her to know I cared for her, even with all the facts. I had a hard time at first coping with what had happened. I called my parents, with Bella's permission, and told them about her past. We talked for hours. Well, I talked for hours trying to work through how I was supposed to handle this. She was hurt, yes, but it affected me too. At the end of the conversation, Esme had summed it up quite nicely in just a few words.

"Sweetheart, do you want to be with her?" Esme had asked.

"Yes," I answered immediately. "More than anything."

"Then be with her every step of the way. Cope together." Together. That was the answer. If I wanted to be with her, I couldn't do things on my own. Together would start this week. A whole week together. I honestly couldn't wait.

I turned into her apartment complex. She was waiting at the door, a smile on her face. She waved when I parked, and I waved back. I popped the trunk and jogged up to her apartment. I pulled her to me, planting my lips on hers. It had been too long since I kissed her. I didn't hesitate to open my mouth and tease her bottom lip with my tongue. She responded with equal want and desire. I wound my arms around her waist while hers snaked around my neck. I massaged her tongue with mine and picked her up off the ground. She moaned then chuckled. I could feel her smile. I placed her back on her feet after a moment and pulled away so we could breathe. I kissed her twice more, softly, before pulling back from her completely.

"Wow," she breathed. "Hello to you too." I just smiled.

"Hello." I leaned in and kissed her quickly again, not able to contain myself.

"That was one hell of a greeting. What did I do to deserve that?"

"You deserve that and so much more. I just missed you this week." She smiled tenderly.

"I missed you too." I clapped my hands and rubbed them together.

"Let's get your stuff loaded. I'm going to take you to dinner before we head to the airport."

She giggled and nodded. I followed her into the apartment. She had one bag and one carry on by the couch. She slung the carry on over her shoulder then picked up the bag. I gently pulled it out of her hand. She scowled at me so I scowled back. It made her laugh, and I knew all was forgiven. For now. She walked around the apartment checking to make sure all lights and electronics were off. We walked out of the apartment and she locked it behind her. I placed her bags in the trunk with mine before opening the door for her. She slid in with a 'thank you.'

"Is there some place you want to go?" I asked as I clicked my seatbelt into place and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Not particularly. Let's just make sure it's somewhere we can get in and out of fairly quickly. I don't want to miss our flight."

"It's 7:30. We need to be at the airport by 8:30. It'll have to be some place really quick."

"Oh! Can we go to Sonic? I've been craving a burger and tater tots from there."

"Sonic? Where's that?"

"It's just a few blocks from here."

"I've never eaten at one."

"Really?!" She looked at me shocked. "They're very popular in Phoenix, all of the south really. It's not gourmet food, but it's good. You'll like it. Don't worry."

I pulled into a stall at Sonic. It was like a modern 50s carhop. Bella gave me a rundown of the menu pointing out her favorites and things she suggested I avoid. I ordered her burger and tater tots, and for myself a chicken club toaster and French fries. Bella insisted I try one of their limeades so I ordered a cherry one while she ordered a cranberry one. I grabbed a hold of her hand while we waited and we talked about the upcoming trip. Bella had been researching the parks; she was most excited for Epcot. She wanted to try foods from each of the countries and go on the Spaceship Earth. Our food came quickly and we ate in the car.

"So?" Bella asked after I had taken a few bites of my sandwich. Her excitement over this place was too adorable.

"It's really good," I answered, and it was. It was obviously not the healthiest food, but it tasted good. She smiled at me happily and held out a tater tot for me to try. I leaned forward and took it from her. She waited patiently, if patiently meant slightly bouncing in her seat. I nodded my head to show I liked it.

"I told you. They have the best tater tots." I took a drink of my limeade and enjoyed it as well. I tried Bella's, but it was too tart for me. She shrugged. "More for me." I laughed at her. With the food eaten, we left for the airport.

Once I pulled onto the highway and was in steady traffic, I pulled her hand into mine and rested them on her leg. We reached the airport in no time. I parked the Volvo in long-term parking before grabbing both our bags and my carry on. Bella slung her carry-on around her shoulder and tried to take her bag from me, but I wouldn't let her. She huffed before finally giving in. I was surprised how quickly we checked in then went through security. I was expecting the Friday before Spring Break to cause the place to be busy. We sat in the terminal until the flight attendant working the gate called for first class passengers.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked as I stood and tugged for her to follow.

"I'm boarding the plane," I said as if the answer was obvious. "Let's go."

"They called for first class passengers. I didn't pay for a first class ticket."

"I know that. Come on. Just trust me." I tugged again, and she finally relented. We walked to the gate where I handed over the tickets. The flight attendant scanned them, returned them to me, and wished us a good flight. Bella looked at me curiously. I could only smile back. I walked into the plane and looked for our seats. Upon finding them, I loaded our carry-ons into the overhead compartment.

"Edward, what are you doing?"

"These are our seats." I motioned to the two large seats with a decorative pillow on each cushion. "Yours is the window seat."

"What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.

"Have a seat, please, and I'll explain." She slowly sat in the overstuffed chair and looked at me waiting for an answer. "I wanted to do this for you. You said you've never flown first class."

"Edward." She stopped and lowered her voice when people began walking by. "Edward, I told you I am not a charity case. I-"

"I know you're not a charity case. I'm not treating you like one. I'm treating you like my girlfriend. You deserve the best, and if I can, I'm going to give you the best. I like to give gifts so start getting used to it."

"I hate when people spend money on me, especially when it is unnecessary. I would have been fine in coach. Please don't waste your money."

"I'm not wasting money, not when-"

"This must have cost a small fortune."

"Bella," I waited until she was looking at me, "I'm not hurting for money." She looked at me a bit confused. "I'm not bragging. Just know that I'm not hurting for money. My parents, my biological parents, were very well off. Upon their death, it was all left to me. On top of that, Carlisle and Esme are wealthy as well. I'm set up. There's no need to worry." I cupped her cheek rubbing my thumb over it lightly. "I wanted to do this for you. I'd give you the world if I could. I know it's hard, but just accept this." I leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her lips. She sighed and gave me a small smile.

"Okay." I grinned widely. "But we're going to have a discussion on what is and isn't too much. You understand?" I nodded to show my willingness. She sighed again before leaning forward and kissing me lingering a few moments. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I helped her buckle the seatbelt before clipping my own.

"Hello," a flight attendant said as she bent down closer to me. "Welcome aboard, Mr. Cullen. My name is Sylvia. I'll be helping you during the flight today. If there's anything I can get you or do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. Would you like anything to drink while we're waiting to take off? Champagne? A mixed drink?" She was leaning a little too closely her breath fanning my neck. It was rather unnerving. I grabbed Bella's hand and turned to her.

"Is there anything you would like, baby?" She looked at me with a tight smile.

"Could I have water?" she asked quietly. I turned back to Sylvia.

"I would like a coffee, and my girlfriend would like water." I watched as Sylvia looked over at Bella before turning back to me and smiling brightly.

"Of course, sir. I'll be right back with your drinks." I turned when I heard Bella giggle.

"What?"

"You have no idea how you affect women do you?" I just looked at her strangely. What is she talking about? "I appreciate you staking your claim, but I can tell this is going to be a long flight."

"How come?"

"Edward. She's fawning all over you. Didn't you hear? She'll do anything for you."

"Bella that's absurd. She knows you're with me. She doesn't want me."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Cullen." I was going to say something, but the flight attendant returned with our drinks. She handed mine to me then leaned over to hand the water to Bella. When she pulled back she made sure to brush her hand across my chest. Oh! She leaned down closer to my ear again and spoke softly.

"Again if there's anything I could do for you, don't hesitate to ask. Have a good take off, Mr. Cullen." I heard it that time. I watched as she sauntered off towards the curtain shocked that she had so blatantly flirted knowing my girlfriend was sitting beside me. I looked back at Bella.

"See?" I nodded. "It's okay, Edward. She's a very beautiful woman."

"What? What are talking about? What's okay?"

"Looking. I know I'm not the most stunning to look at so-" I silenced her by placing a finger on her lips.

"I don't ever want to hear you say something like that again. I've told you before, you are beautiful beyond words. I mean that. I was looking because I was shocked. She knew you were my girlfriend and still said that. It's appalling really.

"And baby, she's got nothing on you. You're the only one I see, the only one I want to see." Her eyes were glistening. "Capice?" She nodded. I removed my finger and kissed her to reiterate my point. The plane began to make its crawl to the runway. Bella tried to hide a yawn. Take off was smooth and the captain announced we could undo our seatbelts. Bella stifled another yawn. "Why don't you lay back and sleep? We've got five hours before we reach Florida."

"I'm okay. I'll stay up with-" Her sentence was cut off by another yawn, "you." I chuckled at her.

"I was planning on going to sleep as well."

"Okay. Good." I pressed the button to call the flight attendant. Sylvia scurried out and was being overly forward. I pulled Bella into my side, my arm wrapped around her shoulders. "We would like a blanket and pillows. Thank you." I made sure not to say anything else and looked away from her. She brought out two blankets and two pillows. I took them with a curt thank you, never meeting her eyes.

I unfolded the blanket and laid it over Bella. She was already lightly dozing on my shoulder. I leaned her chair back gently and placed the pillow under her head then adjusted my own seat. I lay awake for about ten minutes, my mind trying to wind down. As I was drifting off, I felt Bella scoot closer and snuggle up to my side. I carefully extricated my arm and put it under her head. She scooted closer and sighed contentedly as she placed her head on my shoulder and an arm over my waist. I twisted my head slightly and placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Sleep well, my beautiful angel," I whispered just before slipping under.

AN: Yay Rose and Emmett! I've never been to Dave and Busters, but people tell me it's fun. After writing this chapter I really wanted tater tots from Sonic. haha So Edward bought her a first class ticket. Hope her reaction seemed believable. Next is the Disney World chapter. If there's something you want to see let me know. Tell me your favorite ride, and I'll include it. If you can guess my favorite ride, I'll write you into the chapter.

There were 14 reviews for last chapter. I was so excited to see them. I would love to get that many or more for this one. I can't wait to hear from you. I respond to all reviews and send a sneak peek of the next chapter.

Forewarning: I may be taking a week off from writing. I have a MAJOR project due next week and need to focus on that. I'm sorry.