A/N: This chapter is a bit of fluff and filler, but it also ties up some loose ends. Almost done, peeps.
Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) - Don McLean.

Chapter 48

Starry, Starry Night.

Bella's POV.

It's one thing to know your boyfriend is sexually frustrated, but quite another when his sister tells you. I mean, Alice didn't come right out and tell me I had to have sex with Edward, but when the words 'uptight' and 'edgy' get mentioned repeatedly, you kind of get the hint.

I don't know who was more uncomfortable, me or Alice, but what I did know was that I had to rectify it, and as soon as possible.

Edward appeared to be hanging by a thread lately; it worried the hell out of me. He was such an emotional creature that everything he felt seemed to rebound through me, and I just couldn't, ever again, watch him fall apart. It had shifted me in such a way, making a huge impact on me, and now I carried that distant panic with me everywhere I went, as if I was dealing with the possibility of losing Kel all over again. Only this time it wasn't Kel I feared losing.

I had this dreadful feeling that Australia had been too much for Edward to deal with, and it was guilt as much as fear for him that was ripping me apart. I know we both had demons we had to purge, but seeing Edward so vulnerable was just too much for me to bear, and more so because I felt like I was somewhat responsible for it. I couldn't let it happen, again—if I could help it. He had been a mountain of strength when I needed him, and he'd got me past Kel's death—just as he promised me he would. I had made him a promise as well, to take care of him.

And take care of him I would.

The only problem was that I kind of had to watch Jake and Ness Saturday night. Uncle Billy had put his trust in me to keep the two of them respectable when he was on night shift. I kept them out of Jake's room, but they usually went for a "drive" not long into the evenings, giving me some relief from the slopping and slurping I usually had to be privy to while they worked themselves up. And with things only lukewarm—at best—between Edward and Jake, I was not very optimistic that the night would be anything less than a fizzer. But it was either that or a double date with Alice and Jazz, and Edward was always so tense around the two of them that I knew it'd put him in a bad mood.

Bad moods and Edward seemed to go hand in hand lately, but I think that was directly related to the whole "uptight" business that Alice had insisted on relaying to me.

I had spent my last day with my father distracted and preoccupied on when and where Edward and I could have sex again. Which, combined with the anxiety I was feeling over him leaving, made for a disturbing combination.

I made him breakfast on his last morning, and as I sat down with him to eat, trying to fight off the memories of Edward and I on our last night in Australia—as well as the resulting blush—he turned to face me squarely.

"Don't make the same mistakes I did, Isabella," he spoke in a gruff tone, and seeming to dismiss it at that, he began cutting up his meal.

I was a mistake? Well of course I bloody was! Now, how am I going to get Edward alone with Ness and Jake going for it like rabbits for the half-time entertainment…?

"Of course I don't mean you were a mistake," Charlie begun with a clearing of his throat, just as my face erupted into flames.

Did I just say that out loud?

His expression piqued. "Are you ok, Bella?"

"I-I'm fine, Dad," I replied, sounding just as overwrought as I felt.

Though, since when did I call him Dad, but then since when did he call me Bella?

Taking a deep breath, I collected my scattered rationality, and kept my focus solely on my father. "I just wish … you didn't have to go so soon."

He nodded once, as if in understanding, before his expression darkened a little. "Just promise me you'll stay strong, and not let that boy control you."

Edward, control me? I almost wanted to laugh. He could barely control himself.

Oh god...

"He doesn't, but I promise," I answered, quietly, feeling my defence mechanism for all things Edward begin to stir.

"I actually expected you to be more assertive, now that you're away from your mother," he stated, continuing to gauge me closely.

He never minced his words, that's for sure, but assertive? Me? Did I even know the definition of the word? Only ... I felt more assertive, but maybe it wasn't coming across…

In reply to him, I only half shrugged, meekly; in keeping with his assertions about me, at least. I was still struggling to keep my mind centred on him and away from Edward.

He pulled in his chair roughly, creating a high pitched squeaking noise that made me jump. It was obvious I was disappointing him, so if it was assertive he wanted...

"What do you mean by assertive?" I asked him, raising my head and recalling the offense to his words that I had initially felt.

"You appear tractable, and you've been that way the entire time I've been here."

Tractable? What the hell did that even mean?

Seeming to read me, he elaborated, "Timid." He released his breath and went back to eating his eggs, while I suddenly felt two inches tall.

"I'm not timid!" I retorted, feeling my face deepen in response.

"I hope not, Isabella. You're my daughter, and someone who should be respected." He seemed spurred on by my reaction, only with a sinking feeling, I realised it was a veiled attack against Edward again.

And I didn't want Edward to keep me respectable—not in the sense that my father was suggesting anyway.

With sudden realisation, and a barely concealed sly smile, I decided to turn the tables on him. "Dad, are you trying to have a sex talk with me?"

His face suddenly turned beet red, making him look even more menacing, only I laughed. I couldn't help it. For the first time in my life The General seemed utterly speechless.

"It's fine, Dad," I reassured him.

He broke into a small wry smile and nodded to himself. "Is it? Do I have to be as worried about you, as his mother is about him?"

I felt my brow knot, suddenly plunged into insecurity again. "What did she…?" I was positive Esme cursed the heavens the day I walked into her son's life.

"What I mean is, am I going to be walking you down the aisle anytime soon?"

I almost choked to death on half chewed bacon. "What...?" I croaked out eventually.

"This is what his mother seems to think is in the near future, so you tell me, Isabella?" he asked simply, though his tone was beginning to restrict.

"Well, she's bloody well overreacting. Edward has been my boyfriend for a month! Everyone is acting crazy!" I blurted out, pissed off at this assumption that Edward and I were so juvenile and delusional.

Marry him? Bloody hell, all I wanted to do was have sex with him again!

I dropped my head to my hand, rubbing my brow aggressively as I attempted to let the irritation go. When I looked back up, my father was smiling at me. I only blinked back in response as he went back to eating, with the remnants of his smile not waning throughout breakfast.

I guess I had answered correctly.

. . .

The General left an hour later, taking me into a big bear hug, before planting a tight-lipped kiss on my cheek. "Take care of yourself, Isabella," he spoke in a fractured tone against my ear before he released me.

I only nodded, fighting off the burning lump that was forming in my throat.

He tipped my chin, an almost tender smile breaking across his eternally astringent face, and that was all it took before I completely fell apart before him.

As I buried my face in my hands, I felt him again take me against him, and wrap his arms tightly around me. "I'll be back for Christmas," he said gruffly, as my sobs continued.

I wanted to tell him not to go, and other childish declarations, but instead, I pulled myself together long enough to kiss his rough cheek, and watch him walk through the door; with that all too familiar void opening up in my heart.

Jacob was beside me, but it was only after I felt the weight of his arm slung over my shoulder that I became aware of him. "It'll be okay, Bells. You still have me—and Cullen."

I had a sudden sense of déjà vu. The tone he'd used when he mentioned Edward ... it reminded me of how my mother used to speak my name.

Feeling suddenly defeated, I released my breath, letting my shoulders sag. "Jake," I said with a sigh, not even managing enough energy to be irritated.

He squeezed me, almost to the point of forcing the air from my lungs. "I'm only kidding, cuz. Anyway, I wanna talk about something. You up for it?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to have a shower. Give me an hour," I mumbled before I headed towards the stairs, with all thoughts of sex with my boyfriend temporarily removed from my thoughts.

Not in the mood for Jake and his ever constant animosity for Edward, I locked myself in my room, catching up with Rach and Nummi on Facebook, before Edward called me in the early afternoon.

"Hey, baby cakes," he teased me in that all too sensual tone of his, only deepened with affection, "how you holding up?"

I chuckled softly. "You sap. I'm okay. How about you?"

"I'll live," he replied, sighing as he spoke.

"Poor baby."

"Do you still want to go out with Alice and Jazz tonight?" he asked me. He sounded less than enthusiastic, and didn't try and hide it.

I wasn't keen on the idea either—mostly because the sight of Alice and Jazz groping each other for the world to see was the ultimate mood killer. The only problem was, the sight of a clenched-jawed Edward really did ungodly things to me. I released my breath. "I'd rather stay in. Do you want to hang out here? Uncle Billy's on night shift, so we'll probably have to babysit Jake and Ness. Is that okay...?

I heard him exhale shortly into the receiver, picturing his smile on the other end of the phone. "That's fine, baby. I'll get the little rat to drop me off."

My starry, starry night reverie was quickly broken by my laughter. "You really shouldn't call your sister that, you know."

He laughed gently. His laugh...

Like a moron I laughed with him, before wishing him goodbye and hanging up the phone. Dropping back on my bed, I let myself get carried away by every clichéd emotion that I once swore would never sway me, only to be interrupted by a knock on my door.

A moment later, Jake poked his head inside my room. "Bells, you ... never came back downstairs."

I sat myself fully upright and crossed my legs. "What's up, Jake?"

He was blushing.

He sat himself on the edge of my bed, before clearing his throat. "Are you staying in tonight, Bells?"

"Yeah..."

He smiled, seeming happy by my answer, which only increased my confusion. "Is Cu—Edward coming over?"

"Yes," I echoed, as my brow piqued.

His grin only broadened. "Oh good—"

"Good?" I interjected sceptically. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my cousin?"

He broke into a half laugh, before shoving me playfully, and almost knocking me sideways off my bed. "Bells..."

"What's this about, Jake?" I asked, chuckling shortly through growing confusion.

"I figured we could go ... quid pro quo, ya know?"

"Huh?" I answered blankly.

"If you and Cull—Edward go somewhere for, say, a couple of hours, giving me and Ness some privacy, then we'll do the same thing for you two."

"Ohhh..." Recognition hit me, but good grief, was I really discussing my sex-life with Jake?

He broke into an almost suggestive grin. "You get me?"

"I get you," I replied, rubbing my forehead to disguise my rapidly reddening face.

"I mean, you guys won't be really comfortable with me and Ness in the same room, and vice versa."

"No..." I agreed. "Okay, but on one condition, Jake."

"Name it." His beaming smile was back to being his dominating expression.

I tried to force back the imminent groan by being in the presence of my horny cousin, but I failed miserably. Dropping my face to my palm, I massaged the cringes from my brow, groaning only half beneath my breath.

Jake only laughed. "Come on, Bells. We can be mature about this, huh?"

I raised my head, knowing my face was burning conspicuously. "Okay, well I have a list of groceries I have to get for your dad anyway."

"Okay. Maybe you and Edward can get some dinner or something too?" He raised his eyebrows, smiling at me with a lot more innocence than what he was suggesting.

"How long do you need—good grief, am I really having this conversation?" I groaned loudly this time.

He broke into good-natured laughter. "A couple of hours—tops, Bells, and what was that condition of yours?"

"Oh, yeah." I snapped my head up. "Okay, we'll do this, Jake, but you have to be civil to Edward. No Cullen, or princess business, okay?"

His grin only increased, before he half rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay..."

I was guessing he figured it was worth being nice to Edward if he was going to get lucky, but he also solved my dilemma of when and where I could ease Edward's tension.

Jake enabling Edward and I to have sex.

Oh, how far we've come...

. . .

Edward arrived just after six, looking somewhat dishevelled, with an almost frazzled expression on his face. He also looked tired.

"Hey," I said, softly, grabbing two fistfuls of his shirt and pulling him closer to me, just as he broke into a warm, askew smile.

I closed my eyes to kiss him, noticing his flicker past me over my shoulder as he notably tensed. No doubt aware of Jake's presence in the living room.

Sighing, I kissed him anyway, briefly on the lips, before grabbing his hand and pulling him inside.

His hand remained clasped in mine, while he shoved his other in the front pockets of his jeans. "Hey, Jake," he greeted him in a semi awkward way.

"Hey, Edward," was Jake's reply, with more courtesy in his tone than I had expected.

He must really want some, I thought to myself, internally shuddering.

"We'll be in my room, Jake," I said, tugging Edward behind me toward the stairs.

"Kay," was Jake's reply, failing to hide the hard edge from creeping into his expression as he glanced from me to Edward.

I threw him a quick scowl, with the warning behind it clear, and almost grinning to myself as his expression quickly smoothed out in panic.

I had no sooner closed my bedroom door behind the two of us, when Edward literally ambushed me. One minute I had his tall, lean body holding me up against the door, and the next I was flat on my back in the middle of my bed with Edward pressing heavily on top of me. It quite literally took my breath away, and I came close to losing myself in the moment of firm, hot lips and squeaky bed springs.

Squeaky bed springs... That was not going to work.

"Ed..." I began, but he was a master of distraction, erasing all thoughts from my mind, apart from the sensation of his hands as they glided up over my ribs, taking my shirt with them.

What had The General said about Edward controlling me...?

His locked muscles pressed further against me, while his large, unyielding hands navigated me as goose-bumps surfaced across my bare skin.

"Edward…." I breathed, not knowing whether it was a question or statement, and not caring, as Edward replied with a semi-mumbling groan; his voice rustic.

I was going under.

Starry, starry night ... paint your palette blue and grey, look out on a summer's day... What would Jake and Nessie say…?

This bed really was bloody squeaky.

"Edward!"

It took all my will power to pull away from him, and even more to push him off me, but I wasn't prepared for the complete look of hurt and rejection that encompassed his face. It reminded me so completely of the night at the Prom when he thought I didn't want to kiss him.

He removed his hands from beneath my shirt, pushing one of them against his forehead roughly. "Sorry, Bella…"

I pulled it gently away, forcing him to look at me. "Just be patient for a little while longer, okay? Jake and Ness are going to go out later on and give us some privacy..." I raised my brow in emphasis.

Recognition sparked immediately in his eyes only moments before they again darkened, and broken only by the grin growing across his face. "Okay, I'm sorry, baby," he replied with that lack of oxygen huskiness to his tone, before he dropped his face against my shoulder. His heated breath bathed the skin on my neck immediately in warmth, threatening to send me under again.

"Why are you apologising…?" I sighed, running my hand up over his back and into his hair.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, only to push his breath shortly through his nose in amusement, before I felt his lips press tenderly against my shoulder. "I've missed you…"

Starry starry night...

He was really threatening to bring me undone. I shoved him, knocking him backwards against my ridiculously bloody noisy bed. "Stop it!"

"What am I doing?" he asked, breaking out into soft laughter.

"You know exactly what you're doing," I said, my lips twitching into a wry smile, before I pushed myself off my screechy bed, extending my hand to him as I did. "Come on, I have to go to the shops and get some groceries for my uncle."

With his grin not waning, it skewed teasingly. "To the shops," he echoed me, doing a terrible rendition of my accent.

"Always mocking me," I said with a sigh, nudging him softly in the ribs with my elbow.

Chuckling, he grabbed me by my skirt, pulling me against his side, before he slung his arm over my shoulders.

As we stepped back into the hall he suddenly made this poorly concealed snorting sound. I glanced up at him, my brow quirked questioningly. He tilted his head closer to me. "What's with all the pictures of the blonde dude, babe?"

I broke into a small grin. "He's my secret night time lover. He watches me sleep."

His eyebrows rose dubiously. "You serious?"

Rolling my eyes, I nudged him again. "He's an obvious fetish of my cousin's. The room was filled with posters of him when I arrived." I felt my grin turn sly. "You're not jealous, are you?"

He snorted again. "You kidding me? He looks like that pissant, Newton."

My grin only grew broader in response; though, I said nothing.

When we walked downstairs we were immediately confronted by Jake and Nessie slopping heatedly over one another just inside the living room—obviously too absorbed with each other to have overheard Edward's remark against Nessie's brother.

"Edward and I are heading out for a bit ... Jake," I called out to him, not really confident he'd heard me.

He had, and mumbled a slurpy sounding response just as I reflexively recoiled.

Quickening my step, I pulled Edward after me and out the front door.

"Jesus, I'm suddenly full of sobriety," Edward said, only half joking.

Smirking to myself in agreement, I untangled myself from his arms to pull my car keys from my handbag. "Yep."

"And I thought Jazmina and the little rat were bad." He grinned to himself, climbing into the passenger seat.

I chuckled, pushing the key into the ignition. "You're terrible, Muriel."

"Who?"

. . .

"You know," Edward turned to me after I pulled to a stop in the parking lot out front of the local supermarket, "when you pull on your lip the way you do, it makes me fucking horny."

I turned to him, and he flashed me a fully brazen, cocky grin; reminding me of that pen-planting Edward I had first come to know.

Shaking my head lightly, and breaking into a slight grin, I scoffed the air through my nose cynically. "Yes, Edward Grey."

His eyebrows furrowed for the second time in five minutes. "Who?"

I chuckled this time. "Never mind."

We got out of the car.

"Do you think you could at least pretend to be even a little bit turned on when I try and charm you, baby cakes?" he said to me as he came around the back of the car and draped his arm over my shoulders.

Chuckling lightly, I leaned against him, before I looked up and fluttered my eye lashes teasingly. "Oh, Edward, you're such a spunk. Take me—take me now!"

Rolling his eyes, his grin pulled wryly. "Okay, okay… Forever owning my ass," he muttered.

I wrapped my arm around his back, grabbing a handful of his shirt in my fist. "Good grief, Edward, you charm the back teeth off me, but it doesn't mean I'm going to act like a brain-dead dag over it."

He made that breathy, snorting sound he always did when he was finding secret amusement in me. "Can you repeat what you just said?"

I huffed, releasing my arm from around him to fold both of them across my chest. "Shut up and go and get me a trolley."

There was a pause, and when I glanced back up at him he looked genuinely stumped. "I'm sorry?"

"Are you serious?" I reacted in a screechy voice—sounding oddly like my bed springs.

For one failed moment he attempted to fight off his blatant amusement, before he broke into a tender laugh. "Do you want me to get you a shopping cart, baby?"

He really did know how to charm me….

With a conceding smile, I nudged him teasingly. "Did you know all along?"

"That time? I was completely clueless," he admitted, before he bent down and pressed his lips to my ear. "And you really have to stop pushing your body against me the way you do. It's fucked up what it does to me."

Starry, starry night…

While Edward went to get a shopping cart, I attempted to pull myself together in aisle one of Forks Thriftway. Not very successfully.

Twenty-five minutes later we emerged, with Edward, forever chivalrous, carrying the bags for me.

"Bugger!" I suddenly exclaimed. "I forgot the milk. There's none, and Uncle Billy likes a coffee when he gets home."

"Okay, don't stress, babe. Do you want me to run in and get you some?" Edward asked.

I turned to him, pulling my car keys from my purse. "I'll get it. Can you put the groceries in the car for me?"

"Sure thing," he replied, taking my keys and flashing me that askew smile of his, while I turned to go back into the Thriftway, semi-starry.

I had just got through the checkout and was walking back through the entry doors, when an arm draped over me—an arm that I knew immediately didn't belong to Edward—before a sleazy voice spoke into my ear, making me instantly cringe. "So, Bells, I hear you and Cullen are over already. You ready to try out a real guy yet?"

Mike Newton!

Dropping the milk, I turned and shoved him. "Get your fucking hands off me!" I did the bed springs voice again, sounding exactly like my mother, as my face flamed hotly.

Mike only snorted arrogantly and opened his mouth to reply, when his eyes darted over my shoulder. An expression of alarm flickered across his face, and curious, I turned my head to see what had caught his attention.

Edward.

He was striding furiously towards us, and the expression on his face was nothing short of murderous.

Oh God…

I turned to face him, I heard my own voice speak his name, but he only moved me, pretty roughly, behind him. It was like trying to stop a freight train, and with a giant sense of déjà vu, and on impulse, I shut my eyes, just moments before that sickening, bone crunching sound assaulted my senses.

"Yeah, nice sucker-punch, Cullen!" I heard Mike holler accusingly.

When I opened my eyes, I was faced with Mike Newton lying flat on his back, his nose bleeding profusely, with Edward leaning threateningly over him. But of course, Edward being Edward, he dragged him to his feet, only to punch him in the face a second time.

And it hurt him—physically.

I was suddenly filled with anxiety. Even though Mike was spread-eagled on his back groaning, with his hands covering his face—not even remotely posing a threat to Edward—I still feared for him. I could see the pain in Edward's eyes that he was trying to supress, and if Newton caught on…

"Lay one fucking finger on her again, you little fucking weasel, and I'll fucking end you!"

Bloody hell. He really knew how to make that one word into an erotic art form, but his voice was thick and restricted. He was hurt!

My heart seized, and I lunged forward, grabbing him about the waist, pulling him backwards. "He isn't worth it, honey!" I pleaded with him, on the verge of tears.

He turned to face me, his expression smoothing out with tenderness and concern.

"Yeah—fuck you too, Cullen!" Mike spat from behind us.

Jesus, he really didn't know when to quit.

Edward's expression immediately hardened, and he made a move to turn back to him, but I grabbed his hand and forced him back.

"Edward … don't."

Releasing his breath and running an angry, rigid hand back through his hair, he relented, nodding, and allowed me to pull him away and back towards my car. With his arm wrapped around me, he walked stiffly—made more obvious by the tense, forced breaths he was pushing through his nose. His expression was dark, his jaw clenched, and as my heart hammered with each step we took, I wasn't entirely sure if it was in fear for him, or a sudden, all-encompassing desire.

He looked completely formidable when he was angry, but at the time, it just wasn't translating to me.

I nudged him, deliberately, pressing my body against him seductively, and over-emphasising it.

He glanced down at me, a small knowing grin breaking through his stony expression.

"Bruiser," I murmured.

He did that breathy, snorty exhaling thing again, a broad smile growing across his face; only this time it wasn't from amusement, but affection. Then, turning to face me, and extending both his arms, I suddenly found myself locked between him and the hood of my car.

"Did…" his grin peaked, "you just call me honey?"

"You're hearing things," I teased him in reply, feeling myself becoming embroiled in the heat emanating off him.

"Sap." His eyes deeply canvassed mine, while his voice was gravelly again. Was he out of breath?

Was I?

Good grief….

"Cheeseb—"

He bent down and pressed his lips firmly against mine, effectively cutting me off; only to open his mouth and take me deeper ... and deeper.

Starry, starry night ... flaming flowers that brightly blaze ... swirling clouds in violet haze ... Edward's in a horny daze...

In the twilight of summer, beneath an unfamiliar starry night, we stood leaning up against my car, in the Forks Thriftway parking lot, putting Nessie and Jake, and Alice and Jazz completely to shame.

In my subconscious mind, I felt the cool breeze sweep over my skin, and somewhere in the distance, I heard the blaring sound of car horns, but all I could properly register was Edward's hard, unyielding body against mine, while being completely enslaved by his hands, his mouth, his oh so hot, hot skin….

And my noisy bed springs were going to be a hindrance!

A/N: Am I evil? I have been umming and ahhing over another lemon. I might still do one, I dunno. Do you guys want another one?
Oh and all Aussies, and those who've seen Muriel's Wedding should get Bella's meaning, as well as anyone who's watched The Secretary ;)

I'm terrible, Muriel.

The next chapter will be completely NEW. Holy shit! Better get cracking.