Welcome to PAD's outdated wardrobe.

Stephenie Meyer owns the entire Twilight Closet.

I just want to borrow some of her hand-me-downs.

Conscious Cullen

As I'm laying here in bed surrounded by sweet girl smells, soft comforting hands, and a few well-placed bags of frozen vegetables (surprisingly we ran out of peas), I reflect on what I saw that landed me not only this massive headache but down on my back because I was caught off guard.

Bella was topless.

I was so spellbound by her rumpled aesthetics, i.e. her mussed-up make-out mane, feral blazing features and perked-up C-cup peaks that I could have been in the direct path of the running of the bulls and would not have even noticed my predicament.

I'm still trying to figure out whether I was stunned because she was half-naked, surprised by the choice of man she was with, or hurt that it wasn't me on the couch with her. Hell, maybe it was just the combination of all three that led to my confounded ass being laid out from the freight train force hitting it. I should be focusing on the here and now, but instead I'm replaying game footage in my head, which is going to get me nowhere except extremely aroused and in more pain. Pain. There isn't anything I could do with Bella tonight anyway.

I probably should have gone to the emergency room, but in my assumed, concussed state, I didn't appreciate the idea of being transported by ambulance. When I awoke to Bella's panic-stricken condition and smelled all kinds of alcohol emanating from her breath, I knew she'd still be too drunk to drive me to the hospital herself. The room was spinning, and my ears were ringing. Eventually, both gradually subsided. I'm actually surprised my dad didn't force the issue and order me to go and get checked out. I felt like I was in kindergarten again with all of the picture identifying he had me do. It was quite embarrassing. Speaking of things that would make one red, Bella was half-dressed in front of my dad, and I don't think she even realized it. I kept my mouth shut because:

1) I'm a horny nineteen-year-old heterosexual male.

2) It was certainly helping with my healing by speeding up my blood flow.

3) I think if I pointed it out to her, she would have just felt ashamed and gotten flustered.

My dad didn't seem to mind, and neither did Bella, so I remained quiet and enjoyed the scenery. Comfortable that I didn't appear in any grave danger, I guess my dad decided it would be okay for me to spend the night here, at the apartment, which surprised me because he has always been pretty adamant about my receiving treatment after sustaining injuries. But I'm not the doctor, at least not yet, anyway.

Maybe one of these days I'll figure out what I can tolerate doing, actually grow a set, and finally declare my major. Bella and my family have been overly supportive of my procrastination, but I'm going to be a sophomore in the fall and need to make a career decision. I guess I'm praying that a revelatory discovery presents itself or falls out of the sky and knocks a suggestion into me. After tonight's knocking, though, I should be careful about what I wish for.

Bella stirs my digressions with a slight snore, and I laugh to myself. She'd never let me accuse her of emitting such a vile noise—as she'd put it—regardless of my truthfulness in the matter. You'd think with how fierce she comes across that nothing would daunt her, but on the contrary, she's exceptionally self-conscious about things making her appear weak. Snoring runs a close second to her sleep talking, which is at the top of her list. I haven't heard her in a while, but she's said some unusually bizarre things, especially when she conks out on the couch in the middle of the day after watching television. One time while she was napping, I took an uncooked piece of spaghetti and proceeded to tickle under her nose with it. She started talking gibberish and snorted and laughed so hard, I thought she would pee in her pants. I had to stop because it was so funny, I nearly pissed in mine.

I pull back slightly and take a long look at her sleeping form. She's still wearing the strapless bra which not only bares her sexy shoulders but shelters her flawless boobs. I was only kidding her when I gave her my no-sleeping-with-her-unless-she-remained-in-her-br a-and-leather-mini-skirt ultimatum...maybe. The mini skirt is just staggering. Bella's magnificent ass looks like a ripening black plum. It's all taut in the right places and perfectly proportioned with the promise of something tart and juicy. Mmm. Ouch. Yep, the boy still isn't ready for any plays yet. At least the frozen corn I placed down there has helped to keep him appeased.

Needless to say, I was extremely happy that she obliged me, then bedded herself in the attire I requested.

I open my eyes. I must have dozed off. My head is still killing me. I reach for my water bottle and glance at the clock. It is 3:00 a.m. Bella must have turned the alarm off without fully waking me. I know that if she promised my dad she'd look after me, then she'd do—it regardless of her own condition. Come to think of it, I do remember dreaming about something shining in my eyes. She must have used the flashlight to check my pupils. I remember seeing it vertical on her nightstand, but it is now horizontal. It's been three hours since we first crawled into bed. Enough time has elapsed since my last dose, so I'm taking a few more Percocets.

After gulping down the pills with a few sips, I realize that a full moon is now illuminating our room. Our room—I grin at the idea of that. I know I'm getting ahead of myself with that whim, but there's something comfortably appealing about the thought.

Bella's just beautiful, both inside and out. There are no other words to embellish this moment, this girl. A heartburn pang twinges in the center of my chest as I think about what I would do if I lost her to another guy. No one else would be worthy. It's not that I'm this prize catch; she could do so much better, but I would undoubtedly do anything to make her happy. She deserves that. Sometimes I think I already do make her happy, but then I end up doing something stupid because I haven't thought things through well enough. Bella most likely got shit-faced tonight because of the hellish day I put her through. To top matters off, she knows I typically prowl around seeking other girls' affections and don't come home on Thursday nights. The tender moment we shared after I thanked her for helping me with my room should have been evidence enough that Bella has the same feelings for me as I have for her. I deserve all of the pain I'm feeling right now. I must be the smartest, dumb son of a bitch there is for never realizing what's been right in front of me all along.

I observe her face, hair, and skin which are now basking in a bluish haze from our own satellite's lunar light. I know that with her drinking tonight and all of the crap I put her through today, she's deep in sleep. It's why there's no hesitation regarding my next action.

I cradle the left side of her face with my right hand and stroke her pursed expression with my thumb to relax her bottom lip from her grinding teeth. She sighs. I smile and exhale.

I draw my mouth towards hers and place a soft but lasting kiss upon her bitten lip. I retreat to a safe distance and watch the moonlit dancing eye movements behind her drawn lids…she's dreaming. Captivated by the moment and the woman before me, I blurt the words that I feel compelled to say that she probably wouldn't want to hear. "I love you, Bella." Endorphins course through me, raising my hairs from their follicles. She doesn't stir, but she does smile. Now I'm the one who sighs. I gather, then pull her to me again and soothingly stroke my fingers over the back of her head. I nestle her scalp under my chin, nuzzle my nose into her crown, and plant one more kiss there. I take a deep breath, expel it slowly, and comprehend this resolution. Bella has indelibly left her mark on me, and there will never be another girl who makes me feel what I do for her. She is too damn special for me to let go of, and I'll do anything to make her mine, and hopefully, she'll make me hers.

As I drift off to sleep again, I let my hand drift off as well, and what do you know? It just happens to find a mini-skirted plum. I know things might be awkward for us tomorrow, but for now, I'm just going to be thankful for tonight.

A/N:

Sorry to those of you expecting citrus in this chapter.

Our boy still needs some recovery time.

Reviews are like ripening plums.

Send me some I can bite into.

Special thanks goes to Chayasara for her awesome beta skills and for not letting me get away with things. She's the Bella to my Edward.

Special thanks to Monica Solis, a.k.a. CaliGirlMon on FFN, for making my precious banner.

Mwah!

Thank you for reading.

If this gets pulled for some future reason, you can find it on Fictionpad along with my other stories.

PAD