Wow, you guys really love Cracker Barrel. I want a Cinnamon Broom damn it!

Location: Interstate 90, heading to Indiana

Prompt: Ballet Studio

At just after two in the afternoon, Edward and Bella found themselves on the road again. Bella had a map perched in her lap and was analyzing every square inch of road between Erie and Chicago. Though she knew Edward wanted to spend the night there, she couldn't help but think it would be after ten in the evening when they would arrive, thus eliminating any time he would get to spend with his friends.

"What do you think about stopping in South Bend?"

"Where?"

"It's like an hour or two east of Chicago," Bella explained simply as Edward kept his eyes on the road. "I just don't think we will get into Chicago at a decent enough hour for you to spend any quality with your friends." Bella didn't want to admit it, but she was also a bit tired and thought if they stayed outside of Chicago, they could avoid visiting friends completely.

"I guess you are right," Edward sighed as he realized that he wouldn't get to see Jasper tonight.

Of course, now that he was bringing Bella along for the ride, perhaps staying away from Jasper was for the best. Though they were great friends, Jasper had never met a girl he didn't want to sleep with and Edward didn't need the drama that might follow them if something was to happen. He made a mental note to call Jasper from whatever motel room they ended up at in South Bend to let him know he wouldn't be coming to visit after all.

Edward tried to keep his eyes on the wheel as Bella unbuckled herself and reached into the backseat, fiddling with her huge backpack. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Looking for my iPod."

"Why?" Edward questioned as he felt Bella's hip knock his arm and the car swerved slightly. When he looked to his right, all he could see was a sliver of skin between her jeans and her shirt. His eyes tried to focus back on the road, but then when he looked again, he couldn't help but glare at her ass. Fuck, it looked good in her tight jeans, Edward thought to himself as he tried to focus on the road just as Bella plopped herself unceremoniously back into the passenger seat.

"The radio stations out here suck. How can you have such a nice car, but no decent music?" Bella questioned as he watched her slide her headphones in and begin to fiddle with the music player. Edward didn't hesitate to pull the plug out of her left ear and grin at her.

"In the glove compartment there's an adapter to plug the iPod into the car. If you think this music is shit, why don't you teach me a thing or two?" Edward laughed as Bella quirked her eye brow at him and then quickly opened the glove box, eager for the challenge.

Edward didn't want to ruin Bella's buzz and tell her that he was about to be a music teacher because he was enjoying her enthusiasm, but he was surprised by the first song that began playing through the speakers of his car.

"Is this Stravinsky?" Edward questioned, a bit perplexed considering he was expecting to hear something more mainstream. Bella quickly turned it off and switched to some older Eagles song, which reminded her of her father. "You have the Rite of Spring on your iPod?"

"Yeah... how do you..."

"It's what I do, Bella. I just got my degree in music education and I am going to teach music to middle school kids a little bit west of Seattle," Edward admitted as Bella looked at him with unease. "I'm just surprised that you have it on your iPod."

"Oh well..." Bella paused for a moment, unsure of what to say to the intriguing man beside him. Should she be honest with him? She hardly knew him, but she felt like she could trust him somehow. "I used to dance... ballet, actually."

"Were you any good?"

"Good enough to be accepted to SAB when I was fourteen."

"And for us regular people... what is SAB?"

"The School of American Ballet. It's based out of New York City, but I didn't go so it's basically a moot point." Bella admitted reluctantly as Edward looked at her with a sweet smile on his face.

"Well, I'm sure it was their loss."

For the next few hours, Bella stared out the window of the car, watching the landscape go by as she remembered why she hadn't gone to New York like she always dreamed. Her mother had been her number one fan for the longest time, constantly encouraging her and pushing her harder with each and every class they attended or show they performed in. Unfortunately for Bella, the schedule and training turned out to be too much for her small body. Shortly after she received her acceptance letter, she tore a ligament in her knee and when Renee pushed her to resume dancing sooner than was recommended by her doctor, Bella caused irreparable damage. Though she was considered healthy, Bella wasn't able to dance any longer, and it continued to crush her.

The situation was made ten times worse when Renee left six months later, claiming she felt stifled by the small town they lived in and that she no longer loved Charlie. Bella blamed herself for months that her mother left because she could no longer dance, but Charlie reassured his daughter that her mother was simply selfish and it was for the best that she left them. Bella couldn't imagine her life without her father in it.

It was just after seven when Edward stopped for dinner just west of Toledo, Ohio. They picked up sandwiches at a local shop just off the highway and as soon as they were finished, Edward immediately got them back on the road.

Bella let the silence surround her as she wondered how her family was doing back in Forks, and if Charlie would be home when she called. She knew he was still putting in long hours at the station, in addition to helping her mother, but she worried that he wasn't taking proper care of himself. This was one of the major reasons Bella wanted to go home. It wasn't because she needed to see Renee and make amends with her, it was because her father wanted her there, and she couldn't deny him.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Edward announced as he rocked Bella's body slightly, trying to wake her from her dreams. She had been moaning incoherently and mumbling random words, so much so that Edward had gotten concerned about her and decided to stop as soon as he could find somewhere for them to stay. "Time to get up. I just booked us a room."

A Holiday Inn just off the highway was the best bet and he booked them a room with two double beds, thinking it wouldn't be too bad to stay with her for the night. After all, they would be confined to close quarters until they arrived in Seattle, plus it saved them money.

"We're sharing a room?" Bella squeaked as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Yeah, is that okay?"

"Sure thing," Bella replied as she hauled her tired body from the car and reached into the backseat to get her bag. She would have no problem staying in a room with Edward, or at least that was what Bella kept telling herself.