A/N: Shorty chapter, but I think you'll enjoy it.

Bella knew they needed to talk. Her brain and body were in protest mode. Her body was still all sorts of turned on and indignant. What was so great about talking? He wanted her. She wanted him. It was an equation as old as the world, and really, why not?

Her brain was no help in the matter. Her most coherent thought at the moment was along the lines of, "Wubba dub, uh, huh?"

"What are we talking about?"

Beside her, Edward laughed. He brushed the pad of his finger over the tip of her nose, his expression so adoring, she was disarmed. "Honey, you're the one who said we needed to stop. You tell me."

At his smile, her heart fluttered, a different kind of warmth spreading throughout her body than covered her overheated skin. But then her heart panged, and she remembered this was Edward Cullen. This man had always had a power over her she didn't understand and could never control.

They were too volatile together not to need to be careful. She'd shattered his heart and her own once before. He'd wounded her to the core. The waters needed to be clear before they let this ship sail or they would sink.

"Right," she said, mostly to her heart. It was begging her to be careful.

She'd been rehearsing this speech all day, and he'd interrupted her with his kisses."I want..." She took his hands. "Everything between us is very confusing. I know what I feel for you, and I know what I want. I wish..." She trailed off, watching as his fingers moved along hers, squeezing, massaging. She sighed. "I used to dream about us getting back together."

"Did you?"

She nodded without looking up at him. She couldn't just yet. "I imagined we would run into each other. Maybe I would go to New York - I always wanted to visit - or you would come back, and we would run into each other." Her lips turned up with the memories of her daydreams, but then she frowned. "Of course, dreams are easier. You were never angry. Sometimes you were happy with someone else, but you were never angry."

"I'm not angry anymore." His tone was fervent, begging her to believe.

Bella looked up. "I know that." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to be honest. Honesty was imperative if they were going to do this. "I believe you, but I still feel like you're going to snap at me."

Edward hung his head, looking down at her hands. "It's understandable. I snapped at you constantly for months; I can't expect you to just take my word for it. Time, I suppose, will convince you."

"I like the idea of time."

He looked up, finding her eyes, and he smiled.

"This marriage is built on ugliness, Edward. You hated me."

"I never hated you."

Bella twisted her engagement ring around her finger. "You flung this at me. Remember? This marriage is lies and deceit and all our anger. It's... tainted with that. With all that and with the weight of knowing it was tied to the timeline of your mother's illness."

He opened his mouth, but she hurried on. "I know. I'm ready to put that behind us. I am. And I love you. I don't want to walk away." She shook her head, holding his gaze. "But I'm not ready to be married to you. We aren't there yet."

"I know." His voice sounded tight. He tugged her hand. "Will you come here?" He offered her a small smile. "I promise I'll be good."

Bella let him pull her onto his lap. He looked on her with a sort of reverence, tracing the lines of her face first with his eyes and then with his thumb. He kissed her once - a chaste kiss, cradling her face in his hands. "I don't want to divorce you." His tone was quiet but strong. "Not you. I..." He huffed. "I won't say I made a mistake marrying you, because I don't feel that. My mother was happy that day even if we weren't, and I won't regret any decision that brought you back to me, however messy it's been.

"I already hate that the day that should have been the happiest day of our lives was... well, what it was." He smoothed her hair back. "Divorce is an ugly word. I don't want to add any more ugliness to us."

"It's just a word," she said softly.

"When I thought about marrying you, I never thought I'd be divorcing you."

"No one gets married thinking about divorcing. That's the point." She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her fingers up under his chin. "Vows aren't magical. They don't keep people together. And being divorced doesn't mean we have to separate."

"If divorce is just a word then so is marriage. We don't have to act married. Stay in a different room." He pursed his lips. "Or do what you have to do. I'm not going to stop you. Whatever you need. Why not let us stay married on paper as long as we're not breaking up?"

"Try to think of this logically. Marriage is just a piece of paper, but that paper is a contract with the government. It would affect everything for me. I couldn't get financial aid at school because they'll think I'm stinking rich like you."

Edward made a face. "Then let me pay. Let me help you go back to school. You've put it off long enough."

Bella sighed. "I need to be able to stand on my own."

"You would be standing on your own. What's the difference, Bella? Is it different than getting a scholarship? You get financial aid, you'll have to pay it back. You won't have to pay me back."

"And if we don't work out?" She stroked the back of his neck when she asked, but he still winced.

"Then it would be a consolation prize." He sighed when she gave him a dirty look. "If... If we don't work out, at least you wouldn't have wasted your time. You'll be in school, well on your way toward the life you want. Or, hell, Bella. If it really makes you feel better, can't you consider it a loan? Zero interest. Pay me back at your own rate, and I'll never mark you delinquent."

He readjusted her on his lap so she was tight against him. "Bella, I know we're not there yet. I know. But... If you do love me-"

"It's not about love. You realize that, right?" She kissed him, a butterfly kiss. "I am in love with you. I can't help it. I never could. But that doesn't mean our lives are compatible anymore. They might not be."

"But they could be. I mean, tell me if I'm wrong. Tell me where we clash. You're free, and you know what you want. There's no reason being with me has to stop you. And me..." He tilted his head to touch hers. "God, Bella, the only thing I do know for sure is that I want you. Everything else in my life is one giant question mark."

Bella's eyes fluttered closed as she brushed her nose against his. "It can't be like that. You can't build your life around me again. It's too much pressure."

"I know that." He nipped at her lips. "I never make the same mistake twice. One and one is two, and we'll be stronger for it." He kissed her, a lingering kiss. "I don't want to divorce you." His voice vibrated against her lips. "Please just think about it. I'll give you anything you want, any amount of space. This is the only thing I'll ask of you." Again, his kiss lingered, his tongue languid against hers. "Compromise," he said seconds or minutes later. "It's part of a healthy relationship."

Bella sighed. "You don't fight fair, Cullen."

He pulled back and wrapped his arm around her, fitting his hand to her cheek. "I fight hard when I have something worthwhile to fight for." He kissed her sweetly. "Or someone."

The hesitation in Bella's heart was only a whisper by then. It quieted still more at the reverence of his kisses. Her mouth moved with his in perfect synchronicity.

He shifted with her still wrapped in his arms, and laid her back on the bed. He leaned over her, his hand ghosting down her side.

When his hand grazed her breast, she whimpered.

Edward released her lips, propping himself up on his arm. "Slow. I know." He stroked her cheeks and nose with the tip of a finger, the look in his eyes tender. "Will you let me touch you?"

Breathless, she nodded. His hand went to the front of her shirt, and he unbuttoned it deftly as he kissed her. He pulled her up, helping her out of her shirt and bra. Propped up on one elbow, his eyes drank her in. Bella felt her cheeks flush at the lust in his gaze.

"You are so gorgeous." He cupped her breast, brushing a thumb over her nipple. He kissed her lips, her chin. He nudged her with his nose, and she tilted her head back so he could kiss her neck.

Her breath stuttered as his finger traced the circle of her areola, and he dragged his teeth along her collarbone. He kissed the top of each of her breasts, and her hand rested on the back of his head.

"Is this okay?" he asked, pressing a moist kiss to her skin just above her nipple.

"Mmhmm."

His mouth closed around her, the tip of his tongue titillating her flesh. She gasped.

As he rained kisses and licks to her nipples and around her breasts, his fingers drifted downward. She drew in a sharp breath, feeling her gooseflesh rise along her stomach as his hand paused, fingers brushing just above the hem of her jeans.

"Is this okay?" he asked again.

"Yes. Edward." The words were hardly more than a breath, a sigh that slipped over her lips.

He undid the button of her jeans and slipped his hand into her panties. His fingers found what they were looking for readily.

"Oh." Her hips bucked up to meet his hand, the movement rippling out so her chest heaved under his mouth.

"You like this?" The way his voice rumbled against her skin made her nipples only harder, and Bella groaned.

"Yes."

"You're so wet." He slipped two fingers inside her, his thumb pressing down on her clit. He kissed his way back up her body, tugging on her earlobe with his teeth. "I want to taste you."

Bella's whole body coiled tighter at his words, her walls clenching around his fingers. "Can I taste you?"

Her head was spinning in the most pleasant way. "Yes." The word was a plea.

Edward wasted no time. He sat up, his smile bright as he pulled her pants and panties down. He settled quickly between her spread legs, skimming his nose along the coarse hairs between her thighs. His fingers still worked her until his kisses found her clit.

He'd been good at this in high school.

Time had only made him better.

"Oh Christ. Oh, sweet fuck." Her fingers tangled in his hair, and her body writhed. He licked and sucked and had his hands all over her until her body thrashed. She screamed his name when she came and whispered it as she caught her breath.

She tugged on his ear, and he followed her silent direction, pressing a kiss to her belly and the valley between her breasts. She drew trembling fingers along his neck before she brought his head down to hers. Her kiss was slow, her tongue lapping her own taste from his mouth.

When Bella started to snake her hands between his legs, Edward caught her by the wrist.

"Sleep with me," he asked, kissing the spot between her lips and her nose. "Just sleep."

She twisted her fingers so she could hold his hand. "Okay."

His grin spread slow across his face."Yeah? I would sleep on the floor, you know, if you wanted."

"No. Sleep with me."

He gave her one more soft kiss. "Okay."

~0~

It was a few days later, a few wonderful days with kissing and touching, when Bella finally told Edward what she'd decided.

"I won't divorce you, and if we make it to the beginning of the spring semester, I'll let you help me with school."

Edward blinked at her in shock. He'd been mentally preparing for her to insist they divorce. It was rational, he knew, but he still didn't want to do it. He was a romantic at heart, and he wanted very much to believe in a happily ever after with the woman who would always be the love of his life.

"Really?" He stepped over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to his side.

She melted against him. "I have conditions."

"Anything."

"I don't want to live in the new house. I do think we need our space."

Disappointment made a thick knot in Edward's throat, but he nodded. "That makes sense."

"If we do that, I want to tell our parents the truth. My friends too because I don't want to give up my old life. I love them too." She watched him, her eyes somewhat wary as she waited for his answer.

Again, his throat felt right and his mouth dry. He swallowed hard and took her hand, raising it to his lips. "Okay."

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"Yes."

She grinned, pushing up on her tiptoes to kiss him. When she giggled into his mouth, he laughed too, letting elation well in him.

When they pulled apart, he tapped her smiling lips with his finger. "My girlfriend is my wife," he mused.

She pulled off her engagement ring and the wedding band, putting both in the palm of his hand and closing his fingers around them. "Give these back to me one day."

It struck him as so uniquely them. For any other couple, her giving him back his rings would signify an end. While it was a bittersweet moment, Edward found himself filled with nothing but hope. He took off his ring and offered it to her. "I will."

A/N: Soooo there.

Thanks so much to barburella and songster.

How are we feeling, my girls?