A/N: You guys. I love you guys. Jsyk.

Bella paced, staring out the window for what had to be the hundredth time in the last hour.

In theory, she'd been all for the idea of a boy's night out. The brothers needed the chance to reconnect. There'd been the awkward apologetic phone calls on Sunday from both Jasper and Emmett, and Monday night, Edward had casually mentioned that they wanted to get together for dinner the following day.

Bella's first instinct, however, was a fierce protectiveness. It was almost alarming how positively feral the idea made her when Edward first broached the topic. Once, when travelling with her family in Yosemite National Park, she'd seen a mother bear with her cub out in the wild. Seeing people staring, the mother bear had hustled the cub up a tree and paced below it, her eye always on the growing crowd. Right then, Bella understood how the mother bear must have felt. There was the potential for threat, and she would keep Edward safe at any cost.

He'd been through enough.

But then, Bella knew she couldn't keep him up on a little branch, protected from the world. What a ridiculous idea it seemed - a little girl like her trying to keep the big, bad world from a grown man. And she knew how important, now more than ever, Edward's family was to him. For him, she wanted this lifelong rift to heal. That process had to start somewhere.

So, biting back her reservations, she'd championed the idea.

Edward was more worried about leaving her alone even for a small length of time. She reminded him she'd been alone the first couple of weeks she'd lived with him - before she found her job at Home Depot. He didn't look comfortable, but he'd eventually conceded the point that he did need some alone time with his brothers.

So on Tuesday, Alice had picked Bella up from work and taken her out to dinner. Alice rolled her eyes when she told the story from her point of view. Friday night, she hadn't known what was wrong. Jasper was worked up about something, but he wouldn't say what.

"He radiated guilt all damn weekend, and now I understand why," Alice said, shaking her head. "Men and their pride, right?"

That had been hours before, and Alice had long left. Edward still wasn't back. He'd texted, of course, telling her not to worry - asking if she was okay. To him, she insisted everything was fine.

Privately, Bella was a little freaked out being in the huge house all alone. It was an old house that made the usual range of old-house noises.

And as night fell, how could she help thinking about Edward's warning from some weeks previous?

What if Alec or James were lurking in the darkness, waiting for a moment when she was alone and vulnerable?

Edward wouldn't have left her alone in the house if he didn't believe it was safe. That fact was slightly more comforting in the daylight, though.

Eventually, Bella couldn't stand being in her room anymore. Though she felt ridiculous, she crept into his room instead, glad it wasn't Wednesday - when Leah changed the sheets - so the bed smelled like him instead of fresh linen. She felt a little better in his room, with all the lights on.

Somehow, she must have fallen asleep.

"Shhhh," someone hissed.

The sound made Bella's eyes snap open.

She couldn't make out what was being said, but there was definitely someone in the house. More than one person, actually.

Bella gripped the pillow her hand rested on, her other hand going to her belly, cupping her bump protectively as her heart sped to a gallop. A cold chill of fear went straight down her spine, and she wracked her brain, trying to remember if there was anything heavy she could grab to-

"Dude. Edward, look. She's just fine, ya spaz. And you're going to wake her up."

All her breath left her in a whoosh as she recognized Emmett's voice, and then Edward's. She sat up, watching as Emmett led Edward into the room. "You guys scared me to death!" she complained.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Edward said contritely, stumbling a few steps toward her.

He was slurring.

"Are you drunk?" Bella asked, a little incredulous.

"Ummmm," Edward thought out loud. In any other situation, his furrowed brow would be comical. Bella wasn't sure she was amused.

"It's our fault," Emmett said quickly, herding Edward closer to the bed. "Really. He kept saying no, but we convinced him." He gave her a sheepish smile. "We figured plying him with alcohol was going to be the only way we could get him to let off some steam about Grandpa Prickward."

Edward flopped on the bed rather ungracefully, looking up at Bella with large, almost childlike eyes. "My grandfather's a douche," he said forlornly.

Bella had to hide her smile at that. She tenderly pushed his hair back. "I know," she said softly.

"Do you work tomorrow?" Emmett asked.

Bella shook her head.

"Good. Then if you don't mind waiting, I'll come by after work to drive Edward to his car. Is that okay?"

"What about Edward's work?"

Emmett snickered. "Hey, bro?" he said, smacking Edward's foot to get his attention.

"Hmm?" Edward asked as if being drawn from his own little world.

"Do yourself a favor. Call in sick. If Gramps hasn't gotten Felix to fire you yet, it probably won't happen," Emmett said with a chuckle.

Edward crossed his arms over his chest, a scowl on his face. "I do good work for Felix," he grumbled.

Bella's heart twisted.

These last couple of days, Edward had been debating on whether or not he should look for another job. It wasn't as though he wasn't qualified to work anywhere else. His cousin was doing him no favor by keeping him employed; Edward worked hard and was good at what he did. But he actually liked working at the family's company. Even if he didn't like Felix as a person, he was a good boss.

It was a point of contention at the current moment, but Emmett couldn't have known that.

"I know you do good work," the larger man said with a laugh. "You can do good work tomorrow when you're not hung over."

"I'm not hung over."

"No. But you will be." Emmett shook his head and looked to Bella. "This guy cannot hold his liquor," he informed her.

"I'm aware," she said wryly. She spared a small smile for the other man. "Thanks for taking care of him."

"Yup. Anyway, I got his keys, so I'll let myself out. No worries."

Emmett left, closing the door to the bedroom behind him. Closing her eyes momentarily, Bella was suddenly glad of her irrational terror before. If Emmett had come in to find her in a different room, there would have been questions that she didn't want to answer.

"Edward," she said softly, stroking his cheek. "Come on. Get under the covers."

He opened his eyes, looking sleepy. "I'm too hot," he mumbled.

Bella snickered. "Well, yes. That's a problem. Did you get hit on a lot at the bar or wherever you were?"

He tilted his head, regarding her with as much seriousness as any drunk fool was capable of. "Doesn' matter," he muttered, reaching up to cup her cheek, his fingers clumsy as he caressed her. "They weren' you."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Bella beat back the urge to laugh at his little declaration. As much as it made her heart soar and speed, his killer lines were not so smooth when they were slurred.

Bella sat up on her knees, looking down at Edward who was looking a little forlorn after his announcement. She stroked his hair away from his forehead, clucking her tongue. "What am I going to do with you?"

All at once, his eyes flashed mischievously, and his hands rested at her waist. "I could think of a few things," he murmured, his voice low and teasing.

Bella sucked in a breath, her heart suddenly racing again. This time, she didn't feel like laughing.

But when Edward sat up, his eyes all but crossed and he lay back down again. "Oh my," he said softly, and Bella had to laugh.

"Come on. Take off your shoes. You'll feel better if you sleep it off."

Edward just shook his head. "I'm fine like this. Tired," he murmured, his eyes fluttering shut.

Shaking her head, Bella leaned down, beginning to untie his shoes. As she did, she felt his hand come to rest on her back, his palm making her feel red hot where he touched her, even through her night shirt. She tried to suppress the shiver of pleasure that went through her, concentrating on her task.

With his fingers stroking lightly, Bella may have taken longer than was absolutely necessary to get his shoes off.

When she was done, though, she turned back to him, taking both his hands and tugging him upright. She glanced at him furtively from under her eyelashes, feeling self conscious in an oddly exciting way. He was watching her, his eyes droopy but intent. His stare was blatant, without even a hint of shame.

There was something in his expression that made Bella's whole body aware – alert. How was she suddenly so desperate for his intimate touch?

Her mouth dry, Bella swallowed hard, raising trembling fingers to the button of his shirt. When he raised his hand to cup her cheek, Bella started slightly.

"I thought you wanted me to sleep it off," he rumbled, the sound low and gravelly.

Bella's stomach was a mess of fluttering butterflies. "I'm just trying to make you comfortable. You can't sleep in your shirt from work."

He continued to watch her as she made her way down his chest. Her eyes were frozen in his gaze. It was something of a miracle her fingers kept working because her thoughts were completely blank. There were no words in her head, just emotion.

She wanted to kiss him, but she was afraid of what it might mean in the climate around them.
She slid his shirt off his shoulders, skimming the outline of his muscles with the pads of her fingers. It was strange. She'd seen him shirtless many times, but with his undershirt on, he seemed more naked at that moment than he'd ever been.

Edward tilted his head, leaning down to capture her lips.

There was usually a sort of grace to their kisses. They moved in sync with each other, and Edward was always so tender with her. These kisses didn't lack for tenderness, but there was something off about them. They were a little too aggressive – only slightly – to let her enjoy the moment completely.

And she could taste the alcohol on his breath just as she had been able to the night they met.
It was an unwelcome reminder of their beginnings. Guilt washed over Bella, dampening the desire that had begun to take over her actions. She bowed her head, cutting off their kiss as she tried to think clearly.

With everything else going on, they hadn't talked about what their little kisses meant.
It was the most wonderful kind of confusing. It was a giddiness that she hadn't wanted to disrupt – exhilarating and terrifying all at once. She had no idea what she was doing here with him. She had no idea how to gauge if it was right or if it was several levels of fucked up. It felt right. Nothing had ever felt more right, but when she looked at things in black and white, things couldn't look more wrong.

He was lonely and she'd taken advantage of him in more ways than one.

As a direct result of her letting him get married in Vegas, she'd set off a chain reaction that had caused fights with his grandfather and his brothers.

"Bella?" he asked, trying to coax her to look at him.

"Let's get some sleep, okay?" she said gently without looking him in the eye.

She wasn't stupid. She knew he didn't blame her for the things that had happened after she came to live with him. She knew the fights with his brothers and his grandfather had been brewing for years if not decades, and their marriage was merely a catalyst. Most of all, she knew that when Edward kissed her, he did it for no other reason than he wanted to.
But with the tension that was crackling and spitting like a live fire between them, Bella understood that things could go further than a few simple kisses. As much as she wanted him, he was – again – drunk, and she wasn't about to take another choice away from him.

And besides that, she knew she had to be responsible. Her life wasn't her own anymore. She had her baby to think about. Nothing was as simple as what she wanted.

Standing, Bella took both Edward's hands, pulling him up with her. She turned the blankets of his bed down. She couldn't help her chuckle when she turned to find him staring at her with the most perplexed expression.

But Edward was obedient when he was drunk and sleepy. He climbed in bed but scooted all the way to the other side. Before she could back away, he'd wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "Come to bed," he murmured. "Let's sleep."

His smile, as he looked up at her, was so gentle, Bella couldn't help but smile back. "Sleep?" she asked, just checking.

He nodded, and Bella relented. Before she climbed in bed, she turned off the light. Instantly, Edward wrapped her in the protective circle of his arms. He sighed as if in contentment, kissing her forehead once before he slipped into a heavy sleep.

For a long while, Bella lay awake, running her fingers over the lines of his face and into his hair, just trying not to think how temporary this all could be.

~0~

Edward couldn't help the twinge of apprehension that twisted in his belly. It had been a long, very draining week.

He was wise enough to recognize some of his actions the previous week as rebellion. Finding a realtor and moving forward to put his mansion on sale was at least a logical step. Getting drunk with his brothers was not as wise. If nothing else, he could tell it bothered Bella more than she was willing to let him know.

Despite a hell of a headache and a little wariness on Bella's part, Wednesday had been a good day. As Emmett suggested, he'd called in sick to work and slept with Bella at his side until almost noon. She'd seemed a bit distant at first, and he felt bad when she admitted it was difficult for her, remembering how terrified she'd been the first night they spent together.

Her admission had a sobering effect, reminding him exactly how they'd come together.

They seemed to be entering an odd half life. What was making him nervous that day was the idea of having to play husband and wife in front of his business associates while they were only just beginning to look at each other with more than friendly intentions.

But his worries faded away, at least for that afternoon.

Felix had been right: the company picnic was a lot more enjoyable as a family man.

Jane, Felix's wife, was rude, but that was Jane. Everyone else seemed to accept Bella easily. Of course, as his cousin had pointed out, they were just co workers. There was no reason for them not to be friendly.

Edward watched intently as Bella tried to make her way to the restroom only to be stopped by several of his coworkers who were curious about the reclusive Edward Cullen's mystery wife.

"Married life suits you."

Edward glanced over at his cousin with a raised eyebrow, not arguing, but wondering what he meant.

Felix chuckled, gesturing with his chin to where Bella was talking with a couple - Demetri and his partner, Santiago. "It's written all over your face when you look at her." He waggled his eyebrows, his expression moving closer to a leer. "Although, who's to blame you. She's quite pretty."

Rolling his eyes – he'd actually been bizarrely insulted that Felix hadn't made a lecherous comment to that point – Edward smiled lopsidedly. "She's more than pretty."

"Of course. And she has that lovely glow about her, too." He clapped the younger man on the back. "I'm happy for you, Edward. Truly. There are merits to being alone, though you know well enough that it's not my preference." Felix looked thoughtful, his eyes straying to his own wife. "Sometimes I think a person may have much but without someone to share it with, it may as well be nothing."

Edward turned those words over and over in his head. His boss and cousin had a point. His wealth and success had never given Edward any sense of joy. It wasn't that he'd been miserable before Bella, but he certainly had never been this happy.

Finally disengaging herself from Demetri and Santiago, Bella returned to his side, a smile lighting her features when her eyes caught his. Edward extended his hand, taking hers as she sat beside him.

"Ah, Bella. It's good you're back. I was just telling your husband how nice it was to see him so relaxed. He stood, clapping Edward once on the shoulder. "Now see what you can do about correcting this problem of his."

"Edward has a problem?" Bella asked, sounding both concerned and amused.

"It seems that he's allergic to the camera. His office is devoid of pictures of his growing family." Felix chuckled and gestured toward the photo booth across the grass. "Here's an excellent opportunity."

In a playful mood, Edward stood, taking his cousin's suggestion and pulling Bella over to the booth.

"What?" he asked gently, amused by the sheepish look on her face.

"It's a little silly, isn't it? Playing dress up?" The light pink blush that tinged her cheeks was lovely, prompting him to brush his fingers lightly over the curve of her face.

"I think that's the point, Bella," he said quietly, picking a pretty shawl and wrapping it about her shoulders.

Their eyes lingered on each other, and Bella's self-conscious expression melted slightly. She reached over, grabbing a top hat and placing it carefully on his head. The smile tugging at the edges of her lips bloomed as she giggled.

It was such a wonderful sound, Edward couldn't help but lean forward, brushing the tip of her nose with his lips.

Pulling back, he plucked an old time hat – the kind with lace and feathers coming off the top of it – off the rack and placed it gingerly atop her head, fitting the combs so they wouldn't pull. She held out a smart looking jacket for him to slide into.

Glancing in the mirror, they both looked like mischievous children. Snickering, Edward grabbed a monocle and a string of grandmother-sized pearls before he took her hand, leading her into the photo booth.

Bella must have seen what he saw because she quickly stifled her laughter, squaring her shoulders as he helped her fasten the string of pearls around her neck. She pursed her lips to keep from laughing again when he put on the monocle, grinning at her briefly before he turned to the camera with a similarly serious expression.

They looked like the full color version of the black and white photos of the past, where everyone was posed with ramrod straight posture and dour expressions. They glanced at each other, tapering down grins to take the first set of photos.

He turned to her, letting the monocle drop and tipping the ridiculous hat off her head. Winding his hands in the end of her shawl, he pulled her closer. She looked so happy as she tilted her head up, expecting his kiss. He hardly heard the click, click, click of the camera as he first brushed her lips, then lingered with his mouth on hers, their kisses sweet and unhurried.

Some minutes later, Edward bit the inside of his cheek staring down at the resulting pictures.

The couple in the picture were very much in love. It was plain even in the glow on their skin and the way they looked at each other. The open adoration in their eyes was breathtaking, and their happiness with each other was a tangible thing.

When he felt her hand brush his, Edward wrapped his fingers around hers. He chanced a glance at her, finding she looked much like he felt: feverish and uncertain about what he was seeing, what the right thing to do was.

She came to him in trouble. Was it taking advantage of her, to want... more?

Tugging on her hand, Edward led her away from the photo booth. They were both quiet as they walked, clinging to each other. Something was changing between them; he could feel it where their hands were joined, a thrill that made his blood sing.

Or maybe it was her blood singing for him.

It was terrifying, but Edward wasn't about to run from it as long as she wasn't running from him.

"Bella?"

She looked over.

"Will you let me take you out?"

She blinked at him, looking bewildered. He almost took it back. "Like a date?"

"Yeah..."

She pressed her lips together, and Edward feared she was insulted until she burst out laughing.

"What? "

"I just don't know what's more messed up. Dating in my condition or dating the man I'm married to."

He brought her hands up to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "Well, the man you're married to doesn't mind dating someone in your condition."

Her smile was genuine and blinding. "In that case... Yes."

A/N: Thanks to Shug, jfka06, and barburella

Welp... that about does it for my cushion... EEEP.