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not beta'd

storyline - Laugh

prompt - jammies

I rested my hand on his hip the same way he'd rested his on mine.

Bare skin.

"No jammies?" I whispered.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"No pink boxers?" I said, pressing up against him. He was so warm.

He tugged on my t-shirt until I sat up and let him take it off. "I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too."

"No… I mean, I've missed you. Even when I was here still… I missed you."

I swallowed, my throat tightening. I knew what he meant, even though once I hadn't.

"I wish you'd told me then," I said, touching my hand to his chest. "I just… I didn't know. Not till you were gone."

He pulled me back down so we were lying side by side. I loved him so much it hurt a little, especially knowing I'd had this and lost it and maybe now could have it again. It was precious to me; he was precious to me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. I had to whisper: if I used my voice I'd surely cry and I didn't want that.

I just wanted to be with Edward.

"Shh." He pulled me closer, and then rolled on top of me. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not like that," I said. My eyes had adjusted to the dark and I could see him now. I ran my fingers across his face, watching his eyes flutter when I got too close to them. "I want you to tell me. Anything. I want us to be that way again, honest and communicative and just… together."

He nodded, lowering down to kiss me.

"I want to marry you," I said, wrapping my legs around him. "I don't want to wait. We've spent enough time together and enough time apart. I know what I want."

"I know what I want, too."

"Will we get married?"

He stared down at me. "Yes."

And then I was so full I could hardly stand it. I reached down between us and put him inside, moving around until I'd adjusted to him. He exhaled quickly, like he was surprised.

"I'll always love you," I said, and this time I did cry.

But not because I was upset.

Afterwards, when we were finally falling asleep, he touched my hand.

"I'll always love you, too, Bella."

The house Edward had found was nice, but somehow it wasn't right.

It was okay, but now we were getting married.

Married.

I didn't know why this was so crazy intense; we'd been together probably more years than we'd been apart, in a way.

But it was.

And suddenly the home that would have worked as a temporary dwelling for a couple was nowhere near what we needed as a starter home for marriage.

It would probably take more time to find that, and right now there were so many other things vying for my attention.

Telling my parents. Telling my friends.

Edward.

Edward.

Edward.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, tapping his fingers across my knuckles.

I blinked, coming back to the moment. To him, the computer screen, the houses.

"I'm here," I said.

And I was.