A/N: Better get this out of the way now. If any of y'all are gonna be at Comic Con, I don't have tickets, but I'll be around. Tweet me! Say hi!

Bella yawned sleepily, rubbing her eyes and looking forward to returning to her comfortable bed and her husband who was most definitely a snuggler.

A whimper caught her attention as she stepped back in the room. She froze.

Edward looked... distressed. His features were pinched, his head thrashing, and his voice whining in the back of his throat. Bella shot over to the bed as quickly as she was able, sitting down, trying to figure out what was wrong.

He was dreaming, she realized.

Well, that was a switch.

Carefully, Bella reached out, smoothing his hair back and shushing him comfortingly. Was she supposed to wake him up?

He'd always shaken her awake. How often had he watched her thrash like this?

Her hand on his shoulder, Bella jostled him, calling his name.

It took a heartbreaking minute - she hated seeing him so obviously distraught - but finally, Edward came awake with a gasp. He sat up straight in bed, his eyes frenzied, his hands held outward for something. His eyes were frantic until he found her.

"Bella?" he rasped, his hands going to her face. He looked her over frantically. "Bella?" He gathered her into his arms.

"Just a dream," she murmured comfortingly, running her fingers through his hair.

"I thought you were gone. You disappeared." His breathing was getting slower but only just. His breath was hot against her ear.

"I'm right here," she assured.

He scooted back, laying down again and taking her with him. He curled himself around her, the movement distinctly protective. He breathed deep, running his fingers over her hair, her face, down her sides to her belly. He pressed the bump and calmed down further.

"We're okay," Bella said softly.

"I love you," he said, his lips against her cheek.

"I love you, too."

They fell asleep again tangled together.

~0~

"You look lovely."

Bella looked up, eyeing her husband in the mirror as she frowned at her reflection. "You're required to say that."

He chuckled and pushed up off the bed. Still brushing out her hair, she watched him, biting her bottom lip because he looked so damn good in a tuxedo, it was sinful.

She was sure she looked like a blimp.

Edward wrapped his arms around her, bringing her back to rest against his chest as he met her gaze in the mirror. He wound a finger through one of the gentle curls that flowed around her face. "You have no idea how breathtaking you are," he murmured, kissing the side of her head.

She scoffed but smiled, noticing the way her cheeks tinged a pleased pink. "Don't overdo it. Just because it's required by law, doesn't mean you have to be an overachiever."

He snorted. "I signed no such contract. It may have been one of my vows, but I don't remember."

"Don't start," she warned. "We've been over this. It's too soon to renew our vows, first of all, and secondly, I'm not going to step on Emmett and Rosalie's toes."

Edward held his hands up in a peacemaking gesture. "I said nothing except my wife is beautiful. That's the simple truth."

"You're hopeless." Bella turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smirked, tilting his head down to kiss her. As his lips worked with hers, he let his hands drift down, resting on either side of her belly.

"This is so sexy." His voice was gravelly, making her heart pound as he stroked his fingers against her side. His touch was slow, his eyes holding hers. "You look amazing. You may give Rosalie a run for her money."

"Ha," she laughed breathlessly. "You better let me finish getting ready. If we're late, Rosalie will kill me and your mother will kill you."

Dipping his head, he nipped at her neck, making her gasp. "Later, Mrs. Cullen."

Blushing, Bella turned back to the mirror.

~0~

The service was beautiful, and the atmosphere light. Edward kept his arm around her the whole time, occasionally resting his head against hers. As Emmett and Rosalie took their vows, he squeezed her hand. He didn't need to say the words for her to hear them.

At the reception, as Emmett and Rosalie finished their first dance, Edward stood, holding his hand out to Bella.

"What?" She asked warily, looking up at him. They'd already had this discussion. She couldn't dance.

"They say that everyone must have a dance with Mrs. Cullen today," he explained, his smile teasing and gentle.

"Well, there are a lot of Mrs. Cullens around."

With a chuckle, Edward took her hand, supporting her arm as he helped her to her feet. "Dance with me, Bella."

She sighed, letting him pull her forward. "You wanted to dance the first time too."

"Did I? "

She remembered the way he'd pulled her against his body, his movements clumsy but tender. It had been just as they'd entered his room, when Bella was getting nervous about what her kind hearted, stranger husband might expect from her.

Her heart sped, being so close to him, but he'd only swayed them gently, humming 'Cheek to Cheek'.

"Oh my," Edward looked bashful as they danced now, shaking his head.

"No. It was sweet. You were so unbearably sweet."

"Well, little by little I'm getting all my wedding moments." He smirked. "As far as I'm concerned, this is my first dance with my wife."

"All you're missing now is the ceremony, right?"

He pursed his lips.

"Maybe in the next couple years," she allowed grudgingly.

Edward looked amused. "You're just saying that, knowing Jasper and Alice will probably be next, and we won't be able to step on their toes."

Bella only smiled sweetly.

Dipping his head, Edward nuzzled his nose against her ear. "I hate to tell you, sweetheart, Alice is a huge fan of double weddings."

Bella groaned as they swayed gently.

"Don't worry about me, Bella. Just don't be surprised if I shove a piece of cake in your face later."

"Deal," She agreed, kissing the underside of his chin to seal the promise.

She laid her head on his shoulder, looking at the couples around them. The bride and groom may as well have been alone, the way they were looking in each other's eyes. Around them, their family danced in an unconscious circle. Esme and Carlisle, both looking so happy and proud, Jasper and Alice, smiling because they knew they were next, and completing the circle, Edward and Bella.

It was nice, being part of this chain, part of this family.

That sentiment was echoed a little later when it was time for toasts.

Rosalie surprised everyone by standing after Jasper, Emmett's best man, and Vera, Rosalie's maid of honor, had their say.

"I know it's not customary for the bride to speak at these things, but hey, it's my wedding. Deal with it."

The guests chuckled, and Rosalie grinned.

"So, my first family didn't work out so well." She pressed her lips together a moment, a hard, dark look coming over her face. "A lot of my life didn't work out so well at first." His face fierce for a moment, Emmett reached up, drawing the back of his knuckles along her side. Rosalie brightened, smiling down at him and wrapping her fingers around his. "Then I met this man.

"Honey, what you've given me is so much more than true love, though that would have been enough for anyone. I got involved with you, and before I even realized what was happening, I had a family again.

"There was this mom and dad who were always asking questions." She smirked. "At first, I thought it was annoying. It took me a long while to realize that they were asking questions because they really cared. This is what a real mother and father look like."

Esme was definitely crying, but her grin was so wide.

"In my first family," Rosalie continued, "I was alone. But when Emmett brought me home, suddenly I had two brothers. There was the pain in neck younger brother poking into our business constantly."

Jasper raised his glass, winking at her.

"And the know-it-all older brother you just want to punch sometimes. But you know has his heart in the right place."

Bella squeezed Edward's hand as he rolled his eyes, looking patiently amused.

"And then, they gave me two sisters."

Bella's head snapped up, having not expected that recognition at all. Beside her, Edward raised their joined hands to brush his lips against her knuckles.

"Families aren't always easy, I've come to find out. Sometimes you want to kill each other. Sometimes you regret that you gave these people the power to hurt you. But really, that's the way love is, isn't it? It's the good with the bad, the low times and the highs."

She raised her glass. "So I'd like to make a toast. To my wonderful husband. Thank you for making me part of this family. I promise to love them as well as you love me."

"I'll toast to that," Bella murmured privately to Edward.

He smiled back, clinking his glass against hers before he leaned down to kiss her softly.

~0~

"Well, there hasn't been any activity that I can track."

Edward nodded, listening intently to Eleazar's latest report.

"I've seen no sign of activity around the house. No one's pulled your phone records or credit card activity."

"And Vegas? What are your thoughts?"

Eleazar rubbed the back of his head. "The security in the Vegas casinos is fairly legendary. He'd have to be crazy to consider trying to pull her out of there. There are so many cameras. It'd take a lot of planning - some Ocean's 11 bullshit.

"My professional opinion? Be as unpredictable as possible - that's always key. Try not to plan too much in advance. Have you told the mother-in-law where you're staying yet?"

"Not yet."

Eleazar nodded. "Stall telling her. But really, that's all just precaution. I think you should be fine."

Edward bounced his leg up and down nervously. "Okay then," he said slowly, his throat tight with worry he tried to set aside. "Enjoy your week off."

~0~

"Are you comfortable?"

Bella looked up at Edward as he sat beside her, wrapping the large blanket he'd brought around both their shoulders. She snuggled closer to him, cuddling against the December chill. "I'm fine." She rested her head against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "This is beautiful, Edward."

He turned his head, kissing the side of her hair.

This was one of the perfect moments in life, he recognized. It had been a good few days. He'd worked while his family had a good time, and he'd spent the evenings experiencing all that Vegas had to offer. The conference had been over for a couple of days and, as Emmett put it, they'd 'done Vegas good and proper'.

But as happy as he was spending time surrounded by the people who loved him most, Edward had insisted they all take the evening off. The family had been amenable. Apparently he wasn't the only one eager to spend some alone time with his wife.

They'd stayed all of the morning and part of the afternoon in their suite living off room service and the taste of each others skin. Only emerging in the late in the afternoon. They indulged in the cheesy romantic Vegas moments: a late lunch at the top of the Eiffel Tower, a gondola ride at the Venetian.

Edward had done his research. He'd found a spot in the Red Rock Canyon that was easy to get to, even in Bella's condition.

Now they were watching the sun set over the desert with the Las Vegas strip as a backdrop.

"It's breathtaking," he agreed, not looking at the setting sun but down at her.

Warmth nipped at her cheeks, and Bella smiled. "This has been a really good day, Edward. A really good few days actually."

Her features tightened.

"Are you worrying about your mother again?" Renee was scheduled to come in the following evening.

Bella grimaced. "Well, I am now."

"It's going to be fine, Bella. They'll understand." He paused. "So if not that, what were you worrying about?"

"I wasn't worrying. I was thinking about the first time." She turned her face against his chest, breathing him in. "Thank you for doing this, for re-writing all my bad memories."

"Honey, I'm just here on an extended business trip with my wife." He kissed her forehead. "And Vegas is perfect, isn't it? We've walked the streets of Paris today, Venice..."

Bella smiled. "It's a world-tour belated honeymoon."

She gasped a little as the sun dipped and the lights of Vegas began to turn on. The strip looked beautiful from a distance.

"I'm going to take you to all those real places, you know," he promised. "New York is the easiest. Paris, of course. And Rome." He pressed soft, sweet kisses along her jaw line. "You, me, and Riley."

Smiling, Bella entwined their fingers together. It was a beautiful picture of a beautiful life.

~0~

"Edward," Alice hissed, waving at him from across the way.

They were wandering the Forum Shops - the three of them - while the rest of the family tried their hand at gambling. Bella smiled at Alice's impatient expression. "You may as well go see what she wants. She'll only drag you if you don't."

Edward rolled his eyes. "You're okay here?"

Bella held up the book she'd been studying. "You found one of my weaknesses."

"Well, I'll store that away for later," he said with a wink. He took a step away from her before trepidation made him pause. "You're sure you're okay here?"

"I'm fine." She raised an eyebrow. "Really, Edward. I'm not going to take off without you. You know how much I love shopping," she said sarcastically. "I'm sure you'll be just across the way."

He kissed her cheek as Alice called his name again, this time adding a little stomp. Shaking his head, Edward made his way over to his would-be sister-in-law.

"Look! I was thinking..." she trailed off, peering over at Bella. Sure enough, she was still very involved in the book she'd been staring at for the last ten minutes. Grabbing his hand, Alice drew Edward into one of the other shops. "I was thinking this would look great on Bella," she said excitedly, showing him to a display case.

There was a breathtaking necklace on display there - sapphire. Edward couldn't help but picture what it would look like at her neck.

His smile, as he looked askance at Alice, was rueful. "As much as I'd love to dote on Bella, you'd be surprised how infrequently that goes my way."

"Well, I thought of that. But this isn't so bad. It's not nearly as flashy as other things. Rather delicate, don't you think?" She sighed, staring in at the case. "And that color looks just beautiful on her skin."

"It does. But I've only just convinced her to let me replace our wedding bands. I don't want to push it."

Alice's eyes lit up. "Oh! Oh, good. I couldn't figure out a tactful way to bring it up. Those bands look like you got them at a drive-thru wedding place or something."

Edward winced. It wasn't very far from the truth.

The conversation quickly devolved into a discussion about cuts and brands, Alice offering to help and Edward doing his best to decline.

A little exasperated, Edward looked up, wanting to catch Bella's eye so she might come and back him up. He frowned when he couldn't see her.

His heart faltered in its steady beat, his stomach giving a little twist.

But surely it was fine. There was a large statue between them - a replica of the real thing back in Rome. A few quick strides and he would be in full view of the shop again. He stepped fast away from the store, his eyes on the other side of the mall.

She wasn't there.

Edward whipped his head around, his eyes scanning the shop fronts. He picked up the pace, going into the little shop where she'd been reading.

She wasn't there.

Backing out, he looked around, calling her name.

"Edward?" Alice said, coming up beside him.

"Bella's gone," he muttered, his voice raw with the beginning pinpricks of panic.

"She must have just gone to another store. Here." She took out her phone, beginning to dial, only to hold it away from her ear a moment later, staring at it with furrowed eyebrows. "Oh. Her phone must be off."

Edward's stomach twisted sickeningly.

He ran. He looked in every shop in the area, calling her name.

She wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere.

She'd disappeared.

A/N: I'm sure she just popped around the corner. Lots of nice shops in that Forum. *nod*

Ahem.

Thanks to Barburella and jfka06. My docs are very... colorful.

Thanks to GinnyW for beta work.

And thanks to you for still sticking around for my little tale.