Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Shadow

Standing in front of security, waiting to show my identification to the officer, I could feel tears prick my eyes. A look over my shoulder showed Charlie still standing there. When he saw I was looking he lifted his hand in a small wave before trying to surreptitiously wipe away a tear of his own.

"Your father loves you," Jasper whispered to me. "He really misses you when you're gone."

"I know, and I miss him," I said with a sigh. "I just hope he's still around when I get back. Did Carlisle have any luck in getting a full MRI scheduled?"

It was Alice that shook her head. "He won't be able to, either. The closest one is here in Seattle, and without a medical reason…" she trailed off with a shrug. "He'll be here next summer, Bella. I promise."

My mood suddenly lifted. "Really?"

She nodded. "It's quite clear. I'm glad you quit your job, though. You'll treasure the memories you built with him."

A month before school I decided that going to work really was silly. I didn't need the money, and Alice convinced me that I would regret not spending time with Charlie. The thing is, I think she actually enjoyed fishing with him where I found it barely tolerable. Still, there was no denying that he appreciated the effort, although he was bemused as to why none of the fish were biting on Alice's hook.

"We have company," Edward whispered in my ear, directing my gaze beyond my father. "I wonder if they had as much difficulty as we did."

I couldn't help but laugh. It was a rare sunny day in Seattle, and trying to arrange the vampires getting out of the car so that they remained in shadow had kept me in stitches. We ended up really frustrating my father by driving past the unloading zone to where incoming passengers were being picked up, forcing us to have to walk back the length of the airport. Thankfully Jacob was willing to park the cars. I watched him come and stand in line behind the two vampires and all three of them curl up their noses at the smell.

"How did they park?" I asked.

"Let's just say a towing company is going to find out they have a stolen car on their hands.

"Next," the officer called, reaching for my ID and ticket. After careful perusal he made a mark and called to the next in line.

"Edward…" Alice started, but he cut her off.

"On it. Bella, I need you to faint."

"What?"

"They're going to ask me to go through that new x-ray machine, and, well, we aren't permeable to x-rays so they'll only get an outline like I'm lined with lead," he explained hurriedly in my ear. "We need a distraction, do you mind if I make you faint?"

"How will you do that?" I asked and watched a gleam come into his eye.

Leaning forward he pulled me into his arms. I was aware of Alice's snicker but even it faded away as his hand trailed down my spine and his head lowered to mine. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" he asked, placing a light kiss on my forehead, cheeks, nose, before barely ghosting over my lips.

My hands gripped his arms as I gasped, breathing him in, relishing the scent. His lips trailed along my jaw to just below my ear, where he breathed my name. A line of fire traced back to my lips when he finally placed his lips firmly on mine. The hand at the bottom of my spine pushed in, pressing me against his body. The room began to spin, the feel of his lips and the smell of his breath making it impossible to think.

"Bella? Bella!" he cried as my entire body sagged. "Officer, help…"

"What's the problem" I heard a feminine voice ask.

"She seems to have fainted," Edward replied as he lifted me off the ground. "I'm terribly sorry to ask, but do you think I can carry her over to the seats over there? You can take a wand to us if you like. Here, Alice, Jasper, can you take our bags?"

"Excuse me folks, we need to get these people through," the woman said as I allowed my head to loll about on his shoulder.

"Don't act, Bella," Edward whispered to me. "You're not very good at it. I could kiss you again if you need." I opened one eye and glared at him, the room still spinning just beyond forcing me to close it again.

"Is she coming around?" the woman asked. "Is she diabetic?"

"She's not diabetic, but she also hasn't eaten in a while," Edward answered her.

"Bella?" Alice said beside me, "I have some juice."

I opened both eyes and noticed that things seemed to mostly be staying in place. The juice did sound really good. I was surprised to see my hand shaking as I reached for it, and allowed Alice to place the straw between my lips. It was ice cold, helping me to wake even further.

Taking the risk of looking around I could see one of the TSA agents, an older woman with a smiling face and gray hair. She must be the one that cleared the way for me. "Do you think you can stand, dear? I'm afraid I do have to wand you before I can let you into the terminals."

"Yes," I muttered, struggling weakly on Edward's lap to sit up. With a little help I was on my feet, blushing beet red at the spontaneous applause of the other passengers. The officer quickly ran the wand over me before repeating it on Edward.

"Do you need a cart to get to your gate?" she asked, concern lacing her voice. "Are you sure you're all right to fly?"

"I'm fine," I muttered, not missing the rolling of Edward's eyes. "No, really, I am. I just can't remember when I last ate."

"Yesterday breakfast," Jasper supplied, handing me a bag that smelled divine. Opening it up I saw a bagel sandwich with eggs and bacon. "Alice told you to eat this morning."

"I know," I said, remembering her giving me a pointed look when I said I was too nervous to eat.

"Well, you're all cleared to go," the officer said with a smile. "Oh, and young man?" she added, turning to Edward. "Next time you kiss her like that, be sure she's eaten recently."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered with a cheeky smile.

Happy Groundhog Day! Note: that's not Ground Hog Day. We're celebrating an animal seeing its shadow, not ground pork - Saw this on twitter today and laughed. I thought I'd share.