Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, that honor belongs to Stephanie Meyers. I do own a 2 guitars and 3 purple pens.

Thank you to everyone who reads this fic, I know I have several rough chapters and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking around. And to those who FAVORITE & no reviews....I still love you! LOL!

A huge thank you to my betas, Kelly and Wearingwords.

Sorry for the delay...I blame all the beer Kelly forced me to drink, Bobby Long, and way too may awesome fics out there!

Edward was really wordy so he continues on....

Enjoy!

Once I was sure Jasper and Alice were upstairs I handed the package Mike gave me to Bella. "Happy birthday."

Her eyes were bulging as her mouth dropped open in shock. "You knew it was my birthday?" she asked.

"Yes. Now open your gift." She looked at me warily before opening the box, clamping her hand over her mouth once she got past all the tissue paper. "Do you like it?" I asked anxiously.

"You remembered," she murmured. When she looked at me her eyes were filled with tears.

"I remember every conversation," I said.

She lifted the two layered Dodger tee shirt with white sleeves. Her name was stitched on back with the number 84, the year she was born. Her eyes were closed as she held the shirt to her chest.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. Thank you so much, Edward." She caressed my cheek as she placed a gentle kiss on my lips. "You constantly amaze me. I wish I could express how much I love you, because I really do."

"I love you too, Isabella."

I looked into her eyes, they were bright with unshed tears but I didn't see wariness or fear; as cheesy as it sounds, only love shined. I felt as if I was finally seeing her, she was no longer hiding behind the wall that she'd had in place since the day I'd met her. I was seeing the real Isabella Swan for the first time, and she was more intoxicating than I'd ever imagined. As if I was being called to her, I pressed my lips to hers. We'd shared kisses before, but this was electrifying. Without breaking contact, I led her to the couch and positioned her to straddle my lap. She was still holding the Dodger shirt, so I tossed it behind her, not caring where it landed.

I grabbed her hips, the need to have her close consumed me. Bella broke contact and started kissing my jaw as I took off her flannel top. She licked my earlobe and I nearly lost my shit, Bella was the only woman who knew my ear was my weak spot. I felt a shudder course through my body, my dick twitched and started coming to life. Fuck! With her hands in my hair she stilled, I knew she could feel my cock growing beneath her.

Instead of moving off my lap, she rocked against me. I wanted to still her movements, but I was completely enthralled. I hadn't dry humped since I'd been fifteen at Camp Kodiak with Lisa Copeland after the bonfire. I was losing control, but I refused to cum in my jeans. I placed another hard kiss on her lips and stopped her movements, causing her to growl against my mouth. I could literally hear my dick scream in frustration. Did I really agree to no sex until the divorce was final?

She grabbed my shirt by the collar. "Edward, please," she panted. Her hungry brown eyes met mine, I could feel her body shake with anticipation and I was starting to lose control.

"Fuck, Bella, not yet," I said against her mouth.

"You're really going to make me wait until fucking New Years? Or longer?" she demanded. Longer?

"What do you mean longer?"

"If James contests the divorce it can take longer than the original date Aro estimated."

Fucker still tried to control her and the situation. Prime reason why I want to wait: I didn't want him looming in the background, I selfishly wanted her to myself. I was trying to be patient, but knowing James could delay the divorce just because he wanted to hold onto Bella was driving me insane. It was the last string and he was holding on for dear life. But for what?

I sighed. "Hopefully Aro can make sure there are no delays."

"I hope so," she said quietly. "Why he would want to stay married is beyond me. It's not like he loves me."

"He wasn't in love with you?"

"Oh, god no. Love was never a part of our marriage," she said matter-of-factly. She never loved him and she'd stayed with him? "James knew I was still in love with you."

And he'd made sure she paid for that fact, instead of freeing her he'd put her in a choke hold. It was sad when you thought about the fact two people who honestly loved each other had allowed fear to tear them apart, and instead of finding a resolution to the problem, circumstance had kept them apart.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out," I murmured against her lips. "I love you."

"Love you too," she said shyly, I could see a blush rising.

"Look who's blushing now," I said as I rubbed her upper arms. That was when it dawned on me that Bella was wearing short sleeves, I could see her arms which still had a yellowish tinge to them. She usually wore long sleeves or added another shirt over the short sleeved item. Since she'd been out of the hospital she'd made sure she was always bundled up, thankfully summer time in Forks was always cool so it didn't seem odd when she didn't wear tank tops like Alice and Rose.

"They're almost completely gone," she said when she noticed I was gazing at her arms. "Maybe it's a good thing we're not...having sex. I don't want to scare you with all the bruises, they're kind of gross."

I frowned. "Bella, your bruises don't scare me."

"Are you sure? I'm going to have permanent scars,--" she was interrupted by Emmett's return into the living room.

"Seriously guys, if Rose and I can't fuck on the couch, neither can you," he said, handing us each a Bud Light and sitting on the love seat across from us. After catching Emmett with his ex-girlfriend LuLu having sex on several occasions, we'd set up ground rules since we all usually shared close quarters. Bella scooted off my lap and quickly retrieved her shirt to cover up. I was pissed because our conversation was interrupted and wanted to continue it in private, but it seemed Rose and Emmett were planning to irritate me instead.

"Now Emmett, you know they don't fuck," Rose said dryly. "I believe they call it making love."

"We're not having sex of any kind, so shut it," I retorted.

"Not for the lack of trying," Bella mumbled and grabbed her new Dodger shirt. "I'm going to go shower." I caught her hand, stopping her from leaving. She gave me a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes as she headed for the stairs.

"Bella, let me help you find an outfit," Rose called after her. "At least we can double team Alice if she tries to dress you like the resident Barbie doll."

"Thanks, I need all the help I can get."

Once the girls were gone we sat in silence for a moment, just drinking our beer which is rare for Emmett since he always felt the need to fill the silence.

"I like Bella," Emmett stated out of the blue.

I grinned. "Yeah, so do I."

"Have you two worked out your problems?"

"Kind of, basically I was a jackass and she was scared."

"Yeah, you can be a jackass," he agreed and raised his beer. "Well, here's to No Fear and you being less of a jackass, because let's face it, it's in your nature." I grinned and flipped him off.

We finished our beers and went upstairs to get ready for dinner. I took a long shower, unlike that morning I was finally starting to relax. The weight I'd felt earlier began to dissipate. Thankfully, Bella had loved her gift even if Jacob had warned me she might resist accepting a gift.

"Dude, don't do anything too extravagant," Jake warned.

"Well, damn, here I thought every girl wanted a shopping spree at Tiffany's," I said sarcastically.

"Take her to Tiffany's and she's liable to cut you. Seriously, it's about sentiment not a price tag."

I had been watching Sports Center with Emmett when I'd remembered Alyssa Milano designed women's wear for the L.A. Dodgers. The item I wanted was no longer in the Dodgers store, and it would have taken weeks to special order. Milano, as I like to call her, wasn't sure if she had any left in her studio, but said she would let me know if any were available. When I didn't hear from her, I'd figured I would have to come up with a new plan. Mike explained Milano's assistant dropped it off last night so it could be here in time for her birthday.

I could honestly see Bella had loved the shirt. I knew the trip to LA was making her think about her dad, but her smile when she'd opened the gift had wiped away some of the sadness from her eyes.

"Edward, hurry up!" Ace yelled outside my door. I looked at the clock on the wall and realized I had been in the shower almost an hour. Shit! I hurriedly grabbed a pair of my dark denim jeans, a black pinstripe snap front shirt and my favorite black boots. I hated breaking in new shoes and Alice had learned to never throw away shoes if I hadn't given the okay. I added a little Fakkai glossing cream to the hair and was ready to go.

I did a once over in the mirror before I left my room and walked into the hall the same time as Bella, and to say she looked smokin' hot was an understatement. Her hair was flowing curls down her back, thankfully Rose and Alice hadn't gone crazy with the make-up, but her lips looked even more suckable than usual.

The deconstructed jeans she wore were fitted and hugged her ass just right. I'm officially buying stock in Victoria Secret. The bra she was wearing made her cleavage look amazing with the dark grey tank top that left no chance of seeing her tummy. She'd added a cobalt blue sweater, I knew to cover her arms. I'd never seen her in heels, but tonight she was wearing black ankle boots. Something about the added height was doing something to my head.

"Hey, gorgeous," I murmured in her ear.

"Sorry, you have me confused with Rose, she's downstairs," she said with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

"No, I was talking about you." I could see the blush hit her cheeks and I couldn't resist placing a kiss on her neck. If we stayed up here, I was liable to pull her back into my room to get a firsthand look at her new bra. Emmett, as well as Jasper, did a double take when they saw Bella. I realized it wasn't just the outfit Bella was wearing, but her new found confidence that made her so attractive. I just hoped whatever gave her this edge stayed.

Bella and I rode in the truck with Emmett and Rosalie to Osteria Mozzo. The drive to the restaurant took almost an hour due to L.A. traffic, everyone in the car was getting antsy except Bella. She seemed to be taking in the city and looking around.

"What are you thinking?" I asked quietly.

"How anyone could live here with all this traffic," she said with a grin. But I could tell it wasn't just a joke, she was trying to envision herself in Los Angeles.

"It takes patience, something I'm seriously lacking at the moment."

"Why?"

"I'm not usually this jittery in traffic, but after being off the tour and not on a bus the last two months, I'm out of practice."

"Makes sense, I forget you basically live on a tour bus," she said with a frown.

"Yeah, I've been forgetting since we've been back in Forks. Hell, I don't even own property yet."

"I thought you had a place in New York?"

"No, I was just looking but never bought anything," I said. Before she had a chance to respond, Emmett pulled in front of the valet at the restaurant. Somehow, by using back street, Jasper was able to arrive before us even though we'd left at the same time. We were quickly seated, and our waitress Patricia came over immediately to introduce herself. Jasper, the wine connoisseur, ordered two bottles for the table.

"This is not a pizza place!" Bella hissed in my ear while I was reviewing the menu.

"They have a pizza place, but not at this location," I replied.

"Then why did you say it was a gourmet pizza place?"

"I was thinking of the other location," I admitted. "You don't like Italian?"

"I like Italian," she mumbled. I heard her sigh as she continued to read the menu. Her frown deepened as she tried to make up her mind.

"We could share something if you're unsure," I said. "They have meals for two."

"I've never had veal before," she whispered after she read what the meals for two consisted of.

"Well, first time for everything, right?"

"I hate your damn clichés," she grumbled. "Alright, order the veal."

"Clichés?" I asked with a grin and she rolled her eyes at me.

I wanted to lean over and give her a reassuring kiss, but since we were in public that was out of the question. Instead, I squeezed her hand under the tabled as the waitress returned to take our order. Our conversation flowed as usual, it still amazed me the way Bella eased into our tight knit group. Years ago I'd wondered how she would get along with everyone and I was happy my worries were unfounded.

After dinner Rose suggested going to El Carmen, a tequila bar nearby, and promised not to stay too long since we still had the interview in the morning. The drive took less than 10 minutes, but with it being L.A., parking was nonexistent so we dropped trucks off with another valet service.

The bar was crowded with mainly locals and a few wanna-be Hollywood types, but Rose managed to wedge her way to the front and the male bartender did a double take when he saw her leaning against the bar. His eyes never left her chest, I could hear Emmett growling behind me and had to hold him back. I don't know what Rose said to the bartender, but she managed to finagle two free rounds of Patron shots.

We clinked glasses and took our first shot, and even though Rose said a quick drink I had a feeling we were going to be there for a while. Emmett saw an open spot in the corner and we gathered in that area. I pulled Bella closer to me.

"Having fun?" I asked, she grinned and nodded.

"Happy birthday, Bella!" Alice and Rose yelled together. Bella eyes went wide and even in the darkened room I could see her cheeks flushed.

"Rose, you promised!" Bella exclaimed.

"Ace already knew, so it's not my fault."

"Bella, we're your friends and want you to have a good time. So, don't go Bitchella about your birthday. Now, take another shot," Alice said, taking another herself.

Jasper went to get another round because Emmett wasn't letting Rose anywhere near the bar. El Carmen was far from being a dance club, but Alice, Rose and Bella were dancing around when Usher's 'Yeah!' started to play. A few minutes later, Jasper returned with a waitress behind him with several rounds of shots as well as mixed drinks.

"What's this?" Emmett asked, indicating the drink the waitress had just handed to him.

"A Mexican Clit," Jasper said with a grin.

"Aww fuck ya!" Emmett roared.

The night progressed nicely; it was fun to watch Bella let her guard down and have a good time. I was nice and buzzed watching Bella and Jasper dancing around when I saw a flash of red and realized it was an actress I'd had a fling with a couple of years ago.

"Eddie!" she said as she threw herself into my arms and attacked my mouth. Two reasons why I only fucked her twice: one, she called me Eddie, never liked the name and two, she was a horrible kisser. If you can't kiss what's the point of trying?

"Nikki," I muttered as I wiped my mouth, hoping she didn't leave any lipstick.

"Want to come back to my place?" she purred in my ear.

"No, I think I've said it several times, we're not going down that path again."

"Eddie," she whined and locked her arms around my neck. "I've missed you."

"Fuck Nikki, I'm serious when I say I'm not interested." I hated the fact I had to be an asshole, but she seriously wasn't getting it. "I don't want to have to say it again."

"Fuck you!" she yelled.

"Is there a problem?" the security guard asked.

"No, she was just leaving," I said.

"You'll regret this!" she fumed and security escorted her out of the building. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to compose myself.

"You okay?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, she just drives me up the fucking wall. And I seriously think she bit my lip."

"Are you sure you only fucked her twice?" Emmett asked.

"I swear that woman is insane," I muttered.

"Well, you have bigger problems," Jasper said. "Bella disappeared when the red-headed octopus attacked you."

"Fuck!" I muttered. "Where did she go?"

"Toward the restrooms, I think Alice and Rose went after her," Emmett explained. I tried to make my way around the crowd toward the other side of the bar, when I saw Alice and Rose getting more drinks.

"Where's Bella?" I asked when I was close enough.

"Bathroom," Alice retorted.

"She's not mad?"

"About Nikki the skank? No, we explained she was clingy like that and it meant nothing to you," Rose explained.

"Thanks," I muttered. I continued to stand with them as they waited for more drinks, wondering when Bella was going to make her return. I contemplated whether or not I should stand outside the ladies' room when I heard, "CHUG IT! CHUG IT!" and turned to see Bella taking double shots with some tattooed guy. When he put his hands around her waist, drawing her closer to his side, I instantly saw red.

I stalked over to the table calling her name, "Bella, it's time to go." I was beyond pissed off, first Nikki and now this.

"Oh, now you want talk. Where's your girlfriend?" she practically yelled, fury radiated through her body.

"I'm staring right at her," I said. Bella opened her mouth to retort and quickly closed it. "You're my girl, please remember that." I went against my own PDA rule and placed a kiss against her lips before walking her back to where Jasper and Emmett were waiting on the other side of the bar. The tension between Bella and me was thick, she wouldn't meet my gaze and that irritated me to no end. I quickly downed the drink Alice handed me and chased it down with another Patron shot.

"Ok, kids, time to go, it's a school night," Emmett announced a few minutes later. I was leaning against the wall waiting for the valet to bring the trucks when someone asked to take a picture. I wanted to scream, 'no,' but she looked so nervous, I went along with it and smiled at the camera. After they left, I felt Bella wrap her arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry I overreacted," she mumbled into my chest. "Are you still angry at me?"

"I'm not mad at you, just pissed our night ended badly," I replied. I hooked one arm around her neck and hugged her to my side. It seemed to be a natural position for us, we just seemed to fit. When the truck arrived I got in the backseat with Bella, our fingers linked. I was greedy and needed to touch her, she leaned into my side and I kissed her temple as she kissed my chin. When our lips met it was as if nothing else mattered, I knew Emmett and Rose were in the truck with us, but all that mattered was getting closer to her. We made out like teenagers as we were driven back to the Hills.

"Okay kids, we're home!" Emmett yelled, interrupting our make out session. Rose opened my door and I slid out, feeling the last shot finally hitting me, but I was still steady on my feet and was able to help Bella out of the truck since she seemed unsteady on her feet.

"Remind me to never wear heels again," she fumed, trying to take off the boots before we walked into the house. After watching her fumble several times, I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. "Edward Anthony Cullen, you put me down this instant!" I felt her hands slap my ass which oddly turned me on. When I walked into her room I tossed her on the bed, she grabbed me and instead of fury, her eyes burned with desire.

Straddling her, my hands were infused in her hair as I attacked her mouth, our tongues dueling as she grabbed my ass, pulling me closer. We were both breathing heavily when she broke the kiss, unsnapped my shirt and tossed it behind me. I pulled her tank top along with the sweater over her head in one swoop, taking in the black lace bra she wore. In my daze she managed to flip me over and climb on top of me, unhooking her bra with ease and tossing it across the room.

If I'd thought her breast were great years before, it was safe to say they were spectacular now. Bella was no longer a girl, she was a full fledged woman; small hips, great breasts women in Beverly Hills were paying good money to have. Even with the fading bruises, she was gorgeous. My dream of her in the pink bikini didn't compare to reality.

"Bella, you're so fucking beautiful," I said.

I sat up, pulling her closer to me. Her hands were in my hair and I could feel her breasts pressed against my chest. She kissed me again as I cupped her soft breasts, and she moaned against my mouth. I gently rubbed my thumb against her hard nipples, giving her a gentle squeeze as I broke the kiss. Her chest was heaving when I took her right nipple in my mouth and gently sucked, she ground her hips against my groin. When I moved to the left she actually whimpered, I leaned up to kiss her again, cupping her tits and enjoying the weight in my hands. Bella suddenly broke the kiss and she looked at me with a frown.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm gonna be sick," she said. Her voice was slurred and I could see she was turning green. She scrambled off the bed and ran into the bathroom. I was right behind her, just in time to see her pay homage to the porcelain gods.

***

I was in the kitchen finishing up a phone call when I heard the shuffling behind me. I turned to see a very pale Bella taking a seat at the breakfast bar, her hair still wet from her shower. I poured a glass of orange juice and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"You're welcome," I whispered back. "Did you take the Advil I left by your bed?"

"Yes, thank you."

I gathered her in my arms, I knew a hangover was never fun, especially when you had to work the next day. I kissed her forehead gently.

"You'll be ok today?"

"Yeah, just want the headache to go away."

The toast I prepared finally popped up, but Bella declined, saying eating would aggravate her already upset stomach. Alice and Rose were struggling but doing better than Bella, I figured it was because she wasn't a seasoned drinker.

"Why aren't you green at the gills like me?" Bella asked, her voice huskier than usual.

"I honestly wasn't drunk last night, only buzzed."

"It's really not fair, you look like a shiny penny and I look like death," she mumbled.

"That's what happens when you have shot after shot."

"Urgh! Let's not talk about shots ever again."

"Mike and the girls are here. And he's brought Starbucks!" Alice announced loudly and Bella winced. Mike walked in the kitchen a moment later, followed by Dee, Stacey and Jax, and as promised they were carrying goodies from Starbucks.

"I hope we got the orders right," Jax said as she passed the drinks around.

"You did great, kid," Emmett said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"The camera guys are almost done setting up in the studio. Bella, we need to do your make up," Alice said in a rush. "Edward, is that what you're wearing?"

I looked down at my jeans, Harley Davidson grey tee shirt with a yellow and blue plaid shirt and black Vans. "Yes, and I'm not changing."

"The collar has a hole in it," Alice said through clenched teeth.

"Ace, deal with it," I said, eating Bella's untouched toast.

"You drive me nuts sometimes," she fumed and stomped off to torment Bella with her make-up.

"Love you too, Ace," I yelled to her retreating back. For some perverse reason I enjoyed tormenting my sister, but I really wanted to be comfortable and sitting in some overpriced shirt and jeans didn't bring me pleasure.

The technicians said we could hang out in the studio while they finalized the preparation. I decided to play the drums because I just needed to bang on something. I was sexually frustrated, but Bella getting sick last night was a sign I needed to continue to wait. When we returned last night I'd had no will power, I'd wanted her so badly and I would have continued if she hadn't gotten sick.

Seeing Nikki last night reminded me how easily I'd fucked women and then discarded them without batting an eye. When Bella and I had first gotten together, we'd done things in secret, we didn't date publicly-- but then again, we didn't even date. We hung out at First Beach with Jake on the Rez, or hiking with Sam and his friends. The few moments we'd had alone had been rare, but I'd known I was falling hard. When we'd finally had sex, I'd had to rein myself back, which had been a helping hand in destroying our relationship. This time, no one was getting in our way, no James or fake girlfriends. I was actually being mature and treating her like a lady. Fuck, I can't stop thinking about her tits!

"Dude, if you keep that up you're going to punch a hole in that snare and Rose will kick your ass," Jasper said. He was right. I got up from the set when Rose, Bella and Alice came into the studio. She looked a little better than when I'd seen her in the kitchen, but still very pale. She wore her usual red and grey checkered shirt with jeans similar to the pair she'd worn last night, which caused me to think about her ass. She winked when she made eye contact, all I could do was grin; I loved her flirty side.

We sat in a semi-circle with a camera on either side of Jax and Stacey, and one camera behind us to capture our interviewers' reactions. Mike said the interview shouldn't take very long, even though the set up seemed to take forever.

Jax asked the first question, "Edward, after the incident last month, how have you and Bella been doing?"

"Pretty good. I still have a few issues to deal with, but overall doing well," I said.

"Bella?" Jax asked, giving her an encouraging smile.

"Same, overall doing well but have way too many issues to deal with," Bella said quietly. I could tell she was uncomfortable, especially when she started jiggling her leg nervously. I placed my hand on her knee hoping to calm her, she instantly stopped and gave me a tight smile. Jax and Stacey continued on with the interview, asking non-invasive questions, which helped Bella relax.

"I know Emmett and Jasper have tattoos, but what about the rest of you?" Stacey asked. Rose and Alice answered that they had two each and were planning for another soon.

"None for me," I muttered, it was an easy lie I told often, but I resisted the urge to look at my bandaged finger. There was a moment of silence and I realized Bella was staring at her shoe. I gave her a small nudge. "What about you, Bella? Any tattoos?"

"Not yet, but I plan on it," Bella said quietly.

"Really? You want a tattoo?" Bella didn't seem like the type to get a tattoo. I would think she'd shy away from anything painful.

"Yes! I've wanted one forever and I already have a design in mind," she said, becoming more animated.

"Wow, learn something every day," I murmured.

"Why don't you have a tattoo?" she asked.

"I could never make up my mind on what I wanted."

"Then we could get one together!"

"We'll see."

"Stop being a party pooper," she said with a fake pout.

"I'm not, I'm being realistic. I know I won't be able to make up my mind and I refuse to go through that kind of pain for something I don't want later," I said. It took me a moment to realize Bella and I were not alone, sometimes we just started talking and the rest of the world disappeared. We grinned at each other and tried to refocus.

"Edward, have you spoken to the person who inspired 'Forget You'?" Jax asked, catching me off guard for some reason. It wasn't the first time I'd been asked that question, nor would it be the last.

"Yes, I've spoken to her, but we've never discussed the song," I admitted. And that was the truth, Bella and I had never discussed the song, we'd been trying to deal with all the other shit instead.

"Alice, you have such a beautiful voice, are you planning to sing lead at any point on the new cd? And if you could do a duet with anyone, who would it be?" Stacey asked.

"I'm not sure about singing lead," Alice said hesitantly. Ace was rarely embarrassed, but her cheeks were turning red.

"I agree, Alice has an amazing voice and hope she sings more in the future," I chimed in and everyone agreed with me.

"Guys, we'll see. As for duet it would have to be with Mary J. Blige, she's my idol," she said with a huge grin.

"Bella, do you have a Myspace or Facebook page where we can view more of your work?" Jax asked.

"Sorry, no Myspace or Facebook," she said, blushing.

"Sorry to interrupt, but a website for Bella's photography is in the works. Once we have more information we'll post it on the band's website," Mike informed everyone. Bella looked shocked by his words.

"Awesome! Will it include the photos from the Cloverfield Contest?" Jax inquired.

"What did you say?" Bella asked, her eyes wide.

"I, uh wanted to know if you're going to include the pictures from the contest you entered a couple of years ago."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was public knowledge that I'd entered that contest," Bella said, frowning.

"Well, since you were among the winners it was easy to find," Jax went on to explain.

"Winner of what?" Bella eyes bulged.

"You know, of the photo contest a couple years ago," Jax stammered. "You came in third place."

"Bella, what's wrong?" I whispered in her ear.

"Nothing, I just wasn't notified I placed, so it's just a shock to me," she said quietly, giving me a tight smile. Mike told Jax to continue but to start wrapping up the interview.

"This is a question for all of you, does it ever get to be too much with so many of you related or in a relationship?" Jax asked.

"I think working together helped Emmett and me. When he was with the NFL it seemed harder, so we ending up breaking up. But once we started touring we got to know each other again and became better friends. We only started dating again recently, so it's new. As for working with my brother....it's the best thing ever," Rose finished softly and as she shared a look with her twin brother, I could see the moisture gathering; I knew their parents separating them when they were kids still affected them.

"I agree with Rose," Jasper said. "I never thought we'd find a career where we could hang out all the time, so makes the job fun for me. And watching Alice work makes me want to work harder because she handles a lot of the behind the scene stuff that would stress me out. Plus, it's easier to talk about the stresses of the job when it comes up, but we get each other so it makes my job that much more enjoyable."

"How about when you're having an argument?" I asked.

"Just means we have to resolve it, not gloss over the problem. I'm forced to be honest, our biggest fight lasted maybe two days," Jasper replied.

"Babe, it was three, but you're right, we talked it out. A relationship like ours could either become super fragile or very strong and I'm proud to say we get stronger every day. Plus, since we're in the writing stage we spend our days apart, so we have a small break." Alice said. "I've always been close to my brothers, so working together is second nature. We still fight because we're siblings, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Yeah, someone has to look after you and Edward, so it might as well be me," Emmett chimed in.

"Says the man who constantly gives himself brain freeze when he has a Slurpee," I said.

"I gotta drink those things fast or they'll melt! But seriously....I didn't think we'd survive that first year, but once we found a rhythm it worked out great. And I got to know my Rosie all over so I'm a happy camper," Emmett finished and then all eyes were on me.

"I honestly don't think I would have been successful as a solo artist. I think working with Jazz, Rose and my brother and sister keeps me grounded and motivated. I can honestly say, especially in the last few weeks, they have my back. Yeah, we fight and argue, but overall we're family. One minute we could be arguing and the next minute we're laughing about something mundane, I think we're like that because that's how a family operates."

"Do you ever want time apart or is it easy to live and work together?" Stacey asked curiously.

"As easy as it is to work together, we need time apart," Rose with a chuckle. "Don't get me wrong, I love these people, but I need a nice three day weekend to myself." I was completely amazed how easily Rose was able to answer questions in this interview, usually she was the most reserved.

I chuckled. "Yes, Rose demanded one weekend a month for alone time. And I'm glad she did because our energy level improved."

"Bella, you're the newest member to Cullen, how has the experience been so far?"

"It's been great, a little overwhelming but I think that was to be expected," she said, grinning.

"We're not that bad!" Emmett exclaimed.

"No, you guys have been great. At first I was afraid of getting on your nerves, but you all proved to be very patient with me," Bella explained.

"I think that has a lot to do with you not driving us nuts. I will be the first to admit I didn't want a photographer to follow us around, and trust me we've tried with several people. But you're not in our face all day long and I think that helps us…ok, me relax," Rose said.

"It was very important to have someone who mixed well with us and never over stepped our personal space, and Bella seemed to know when to give us our space," Alice clarified.

"And you started after the Benefit?" Stacey asked.

"No, we brought Bella on board a few weeks before," I said.

"Why did you choose Safe Haven?"

Alice looked at Bella for a moment before answering. "I'm going to be very blunt. When Edward and I found out what was going on with Bella, we had to figure out a way to help and, short of kidnapping her, this was the only way we knew how to help."

"We--I needed to know a place like this was up and running in case she decided to move on while we were away. I went there with a personal agenda because when she was ready to go I needed to know this place was available for her but when I walked in the doors I got a reality check. Donations were down and they were going to close their doors, it's the only place in the area otherwise people would have to travel to Seattle. Overall, I had to help," I said.

I could see Bella's leg start to shake again and knew she was lost to her own thoughts. "Safe Haven was programmed in my phone, I packed my bags several times planning to take refuge there…but…shit…it's a place that needs to be around," she finished quietly.

"Thank you guys for having us here and for answering our questions, as silly as they were. I've been fortunate to meet many fans who have expressed your music has inspired them and I'm also one of those people, you inspire in many ways. Thank you," Jax said, wrapping up the interview.

Bella took out her camera and started snapping pictures for the website. We also posed for some pictures on their cameras and Emmett took a few self portraits which lead to everyone taking funny face pictures of themselves. I grabbed Bella and took several pictures of just the two of us. The first two Bella and I looked goofy as hell, but it was the third picture I wanted to keep. We looked like a real couple, similar to the picture Alice snapped of us sleeping. After speaking with Stacey I realized it was her camera and she promised she would email Mike a copy of the photos I wanted.

After we said our final goodbyes to the ladies and Mike, Bella and I went upstairs to my room. We kicked off our shoes and got into bed fully clothed. I gave her a peck on the forehead and promptly went to sleep.

***

Emmett's laughter followed by Alice's screeching woke me up. I tried to go back to sleep, but the noise outside my door wouldn't stop.

"Are they always this loud?" Bella mumbled into my shoulder.

"Sadly, yes. This is normal." I grabbed my phone to check the time and was disappointed to see we'd only been asleep for an hour. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Yes," she said, getting out of bed to put on her shoes. I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my wallet and phone.

"Emmett – keys," I said with my hands out. He threw them to me, I could see they were in the midst of a balloon fight and I didn't want to get caught in the cross fire. I grabbed Bella's hand and we made our escape.

As we drove off the property, I scanned the area to see if we were followed. When I didn't see any paparazzi trucks I relaxed and drove down the steep hill. I turned the radio to my favorite LA rock station, they were playing Muse's 'Starlight'. I grinned when I heard Bella singing, it reminded me of our drive out to Port Angeles a few years ago, when she had been singing another Muse song. I was happy to say her singing had actual improved since that time.

We didn't have a real destination, but when she said she'd never been to Venice Beach I knew I had to take her. It didn't take us very long to get there and I found a nearby parking lot, it was easier than trying to find street parking. I took off my long sleeved shirt, put on my baseball cap to cover my hair, not that I thought I'd be recognized, but I took precautions anyway. I realized I'd left my Ray Bans at home. Fuck! Great, now I was acting like Alice.

It didn't take us long to get to the board walk, Bella was taking in everything with a grin on her face. We both were not used to the sun and pounced on the first vendor selling sunglasses. We tried on several pairs, just having fun. I insisted Bella get the heart shaped white glasses.

"I look like an idiot," she exclaimed with a grin.

"You look adorable." We went on to pick out an additional four pairs. We went from vendor to vendor buying trinkets for friends back home and for ourselves. Bella finally admitted she was getting hot from the sun, we went to look at tee shirts, but she seemed apprehensive.

"What's wrong?"

"What if you can see my bruises?" she asked worriedly. I looked around for something that would cover her up yet keep her cool and found nothing. I had to think like Alice which wasn't fun, I sent her into the fitting room a 'Venice Beach' tee shirt in a large, when she came out it looked like she was drowning in it, so I twisted it into a knot around her hips. That way the bruises on her stomach didn't show and she was cooled off at the same time.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"You're a life saver. Thank you," she said, giving me a peck on the cheek.

As we walked along the boardwalk we took in the street performers, some good and some bad. I could see she was tugging at the shirt to make sure she was covered.

"Bella, the bruises on your arms are barely visible," I said so only she could hear.

"I know, but they make me feel ugly."

"What if I told you that I think you're beautiful? Would that make that feeling go away?"

"Only if you mean it," she said. "You don't have to say stuff like that to me, I know what I look like. I would never be like that woman from the bar last night."

I guided her to the area of Venice Beach which was also known as muscle beach. We watched the muscle bound men and some women workout like there was no tomorrow.

I frowned. "I need you to understand something….I don't see your bruises, I see only you. I think you're beautiful, I really wished you'd see yourself the way I do." She didn't respond, but when I saw her trying to wipe the tears away, I gathered her in my arms. "I could never date a woman with brown eyes because they reminded me of you, and if she had dark brown hair, I wouldn't give her the time of day. The woman I wanted then and now is you, everyone else fails in comparison."

"You mean that?"

"Yes, I really mean that," I said. I walked her over to the bleachers near the basketball courts, we found a quiet spot even though there was a very intense game being played not too far from us. "When I said I wanted us to be completely honest, I didn't realize how hard it would be to talk about the past."

"I knew it was going to be hard and I dread your reaction to certain subjects," she said softly.

"So do I, its why I never broached the subject of 'Forget You'," I said gauging her reaction. She was as still as a statue as she looked ahead, I scooted closer to her. "I was so angry at you, I wanted to hate you but I couldn't. We just finished our first big tour and you haunted me everywhere I went. One night I got completely shit faced, one of the roadies gave me some coke, and I had a bottle of tequila. In my drunken haze I wrote you a letter saying I wanted to forget you. And instead of sending you that letter, I created a song. And to celebrate I got drunk again, I complete blacked out that day but I woke up with a tattoo as a result."

"You don't have a tattoo," she said her voice husky as a result from crying.

"I lied. I've been lying about it for years," I said and took the bandage off my ring finger. I felt exposed because no one knew about it. I kept it bandaged, always saying the ring I wore irritated the finger. I placed my left hand in Bella's small hand, she took off her sunglasses to get a better look and gasped when she saw 'E+B'. "See, I never forgot you, nor did I ever stop loving you. Always remember that."

She didn't say anything as she cried, staring at my tattoo. After a few minutes of silence, she looked at me long and hard. "I love you."

"I love you too," I said, grinning. "Come on, let's get out of here." Gathering our purchases, I helped her up and I noticed her wince.

"Baby, are you ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, just sore from last night and crying," she said, rubbing her side.

"What do I have to do to make sure you rest?" I asked.

She sent me a wicked grin. "Handcuffs?"

I laughed, putting my arm around her neck, gathering her close and kissing her temple as we walked back to the truck. "You're a dirty girl, Miss Swan," I whispered in her ear.

"What can I say, I'm inspired."

A/N:

*Remember Edward is unaware his father saw the tattoo while he was in a coma.

Mexican Clit = ½ shot Tequila, ½ lemon juice

Osteria Mozza located in Melrose and El Carmen is a fun Tequila bar on 3rd Street, very tiny and always filled by 7 pm.

Okay...thoughts....concerns....did you like the mini lemons? did you hate them?....either way please leave a review.