Author Note: Thanks for the great response to this story! I want to remind everyone that this is creepy James, a college senior who has classes and other responsibilities. He is not a nomad vampire hunter with nothing better to do than follow Bella and/or Edward all over two counties in order to take more incriminating photos when he already has (or thinks he has) enough to get Edward in serious trouble.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Bob Seger went to: 2loveybunnies, That'sMzPeachesTYVM, dawnhybb, and GorGirl. Also, AbruptlyChagrined, TrulyOutrageous, and NickChick22 got the artist but not the song.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

Chapter 22 – Shakedown

After dinner, I make the short drive to the Missouri Botanical Garden for their annual Garden Glow with over one million lights.

"What happened to no Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving?" Edward teases me as he puts a beanie cap on his head.

"This isn't really Christmas; it's just holiday lights. Winter stuff," I shrug.

"Sure," he says, but he doesn't sound convinced.

As we walk through the gardens, there are several kiosks selling drinks — alcoholic or hot chocolate — snacks and desserts. We all passed on dessert at the restaurant so that we could sample the s'mores and other sweet goodies here. With the temperature in the upper 30s, it's not unbearably cold, but the flavored hot chocolate is much appreciated.

Edward and I walk along the pathway hand in hand. This whole place is amazing, and I'm so glad he was able to come with us. We're out in public, but it's dark, so we can feel relatively safe from any prying eyes that either live in the St. Louis area or haven't gone home during the break. And I imagine Edward's hat is intended to cover his hair.

Despite Alice and Jake being only a few feet in front of us, it feels so romantic to be here with my boyfriend among all of the lights.

"Just a few more weeks," he says quietly. He doesn't have to explain, as I know exactly what he means. We have just two more weeks of classes and one week of finals, and then he'll no longer be my professor. We'll no longer be breaking the school rules.

If only we can survive that long.

Two years ago when I spent Thanksgiving with Mom and her then-fiancé, Phil, our turkey dinner was like something out of a slapstick comedy — like Christmas Vacation without the vacation. She literally forgot to remove the turkey's internal organs before roasting it.

Since then, she's taken several cooking classes at a local grocery store, and she believes she's up for giving it another shot. I won't be a lot of help; I've helped Sue with side dishes and pies over the last few years, but she always has the turkey in the oven before my dad and I arrive at Harry's.

I invited Jake and his dad to join us, but it turns out that they spend the holiday with the Brandons every year — with their private chef doing the cooking. I'd turn me down, too.

To my surprise — and relief — the turkey turns out great this year, and the three of us have a really nice family celebration. I do feel a bit guilty for how little time we spend together, despite my living in the same city, but college is busier than I thought it would be. Especially with having a boyfriend.

The following day, Mom and I brave the closest mall for some Black Friday shopping before heading to Target in the Valley. There's a Walmart just down the road, but she'd never set foot in that. Somehow my mother has become a snob after marrying up in the world.

Jake's basketball game is Saturday afternoon. His dad is coming to watch him play, so Alice and I invite our parents as well. Afterward, the eight of us go out for dinner together at a trendy seafood restaurant in Clayton. I think Alice's well-connected parents knew someone to get us a table here on a Saturday night.

After dinner, Alice, Jake and I return to our apartment for our last three weeks of school. Edward and Jasper are returning to St. Louis tomorrow, though we give the excuse of needing to get started on schoolwork. I really didn't get much of an opportunity to work on my assignment for Edward's class over the break, so it's not a total lie.

Edward calls me from the road to let me know what time he'll be home on Sunday. He's up for getting together, and so am I. Though I do tease him a bit first by telling him I'll be busy with an assignment that a mean old professor gave us right before the break.

I slip into his Volvo around five, then lean in for a kiss. God, I missed his lips.

"How was Thanksgiving with your family?" I ask.

"It was good," he smiles. "I really don't see them enough. We actually went out to dinner for the holiday though. Neither one of them is into spending hours slaving over a meal."

"My mom cooked the turkey this year, and I was actually impressed," I laugh. "Those cooking classes she's been taking really made a difference. I only helped a little with the sides and the pumpkin pie."

"Did you spend Thanksgiving with her last year?"

"No, just Christmas," I reply. "I've always alternated those two holidays."

"So you'll want to go back to Chicago over Winter Break?"

I nod. "At least part of the time; not the whole four weeks. I want to be wherever you are."

Edward smiles. "Maybe I can arrange a trip back to Chicago to see how Tanya's doing and check out the house at the same time."

"She didn't spend Thanksgiving with you?" I'd assumed that she would, if only to keep up appearances.

"No," he shakes his head. "She's decided to go vegan, so she had a vegan Thanksgiving with some friends. I wish you could've spent the holiday with us; I'd like you to meet my parents at some point," he adds softly.

My head whips around to stare at him. "Do they know the truth about you and Tanya?"

"They do now," he confirms. "We didn't tell anyone when we first got married, but after we realized it wasn't going to work out, I did tell them the truth. Dad understood why I did it, of course, but he wasn't happy about the potential legal trouble I'd set myself up for."

"Have you told them about me?"

"I have," he smiles. "Not that you're my student, and not about knowing you in Chicago, but they know you're a student at UMSL."

"I told Mom and Phil pretty much the same about you — professor at UMSL — and also left out the part about being in your class. Unless I show them my final grades, I don't know how they'll ever find out; my schedule said Dr. Maltby was the instructor."

"Yeah," he agrees, "no one else in our lives should be able to figure out that you were ever in my class."

"Don't forget my dad," I remind him. "You've already met him at parent-teacher conferences. I don't know how we'll ever get around that — delay introducing you as long as possible and hope he forgets?"

Edward groans. "I guess if he remembers me… we'll have to admit that I was once your teacher."

"I told Mom and Phil I'd met you in the cafeteria at UMSL and didn't know you were a professor. Ugh…"

"I'm sorry," he frowns. "I know the lying can get a little… trying. And it's all more for my benefit than yours."

"Not completely," I argue. "When I first told Jake and Alice about you back in March, I didn't tell them that you were my teacher, just a random older man who turned out to be married. I-I was afraid they'd think badly about me for sleeping with my teacher. I mean, it doesn't exactly paint me in a good light. James called me a slut—"

"You are not a slut," he says angrily.

"You know that's what my classmates at Lincoln Park would've called me if they'd found out about us," I reply softly.

"That doesn't make it true! Tell me you don't believe that!"

I shrug. "There's some part of me that does look back at my behavior last year and cringe. You were right that I wanted the fantasy with you, but I also dreamt about a future with you. Like, maybe we'd both end up at U of I and you'd admit your attraction for me then. I was a silly little girl," I admit.

We arrive then at the tiny sandwich shop near Forest Park and head inside. There are only five tables in the entire place, with just one elderly couple enjoying their meals. After placing our orders, Edward takes my hand across the table.

"I never thought of you as a silly little girl," he says quietly. "You were drawn to me in the same way that I was drawn to you. It doesn't have to make sense."

"Still, I'm not proud of my behavior."

"Neither am I. What I did was so wrong, and so risky…" He trails, off shaking his head.

"But we ended up Ok."

"All's well that ends well?" he questions, raising an eyebrow.

"How very literary of you," I laugh.

After dinner, we drive to the St. Louis Zoo for the Wild Lights event. Yes, more Christmas lights! Apparently this one was ranked third best in the whole country last year. And it's quite a bit warmer than last Tuesday, which is a plus.

"You know, after tonight we probably can't go out anywhere at all," Edward says as we walk around the zoo. "James could go to the Dean as early as first thing tomorrow."

"I know," I sigh. "Do you really think he will if he figures out beforehand that the photos are missing from his phone? I mean, it's not like he has anything to gain exactly from getting us in trouble. Our relationship doesn't affect him in any way."

"Revenge, I suppose," he shrugs. "For the incident at the Student Center and for you turning him down. That's enough to drive some people."

"What a sad person he must be. I wonder how pissed he was — or will be — when he finds the photos missing. I'd give anything to be able to see his face," I grin. "Of course, what if he tries to get some kind of revenge on us for that? He may not be able to prove anything, or even trace it back to the party that night, but he'll know who was responsible."

"We'll weather this, Bella," he says, stopping in front of one of the displays. "Whatever gets thrown at us, we can handle it — together."

"Together," I agree, standing on my tiptoes so I can kiss him.

The Wild Lights event ends at 8:30, so it's still relatively early when we pull into my apartment complex.

"I wish I could invite you up," I pout, "but I imagine Alice and/or Jake is home. Did I tell you I came home to Jasper in a towel last weekend? Ugh!"

"No," Edward laughs.

"He doesn't look half as good as you," I grin.

Edward leans over, leaving several soft kisses on my lips. "I'll see you soon, Ok?"

I nod, smiling, when I really just want to say, "I love you."

No more than five minutes before the end of my Astronomy class on Thursday, there's a knock at the door. The professor moves to answer it, and after a whispered conversation, he nods and closes the door again.

After finishing the rest of the lecture, he dismisses class for the day, then calls, "Ms. Swan!"

"What can I do for you?" I ask as I button my coat.

"Ms. Salamon is waiting in the hallway. She would like to speak with you."

"Oh," I frown. "All right."

Stepping out of the room, I spot a dark-haired woman in a business suit. She looks to be no more than a few years older than me.

"Ms. Swan?" she questions, and I nod. "Dr. Thiel would like to speak with you. She's the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences," she adds. "I believe this is your last class of the day?"

"Um, yes," I reply, my heart beginning to pound.

"Could you follow me, please?"

"She wants to meet with me now?"

"Yes," the woman smiles. "It's just upstairs."

My head reeling, I follow her up the stairs to the floor with the staff offices. I know exactly what Dr. Thiel wants to talk with me about; James must have squealed. I wish I had the opportunity to warn Edward that hell is about to rain down on us, but there's no way I can send him a text message with this woman next to me.

Ms. Salamon seems very pleasant, but then I wonder if she has any idea why the Dean needs to speak to me. Probably not, if she's some sort of support staff. I have to admit that I'd expected an email with an appointment time, or maybe a phone call. I certainly didn't expect to be summoned and then walked up to the Dean's office.

"Please take a seat, and I'll let her know you're here," she says, pointing toward a hard plastic chair.

Giving her a strained smile, I take my seat, wondering if she's going to leave me alone long enough to pull out my phone. Alas, she remains in the doorway as I hear her announce, "Isabella Swan is here."

I can't hear the reply, but Ms. Salamon walks back over toward me. "She'll be ready for you in just a minute or two."

"All right," I nod with another smile. The woman takes a seat at a desk nearby and begins typing on her computer. I think about sneaking my phone out of my purse, but decide it's too risky.

After maybe two minutes, the office door opens. "Ms. Swan?" the middle-aged blonde woman asks.

I hurriedly stand up, walking toward her. "H-hello," I greet her, shaking her outstretched hand. Game on, Bella.

"Please come in," she directs. "You can hang your coat up on the hook on the back of the door."

Once I've set my bags on the floor and hung up my coat, I take a seat in the leather-backed chair in front of her desk, crossing my legs in what I hope is a nonchalant manner. I'm supposed to have no idea why I'm here, after all.

"I'm Dr. Thiel, the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences," she introduces herself.

"Pleased to meet you."

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're here," she says with a small smile.

"Yes," I chuckle.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that someone has come forth with a rather disturbing allegation against you." She pauses, looking me directly in the eye. I imagine she's looking for a response, but I have to play innocent.

"I… disturbing?" I question. "I've never cheated on a test in my life, Dr. Thiel." Which is the god's honest truth.

"Not… that kind of allegation," she explains. "Someone has reported to us that several weeks ago, you were observed locked in a passionate embrace with your Literature professor, Dr. Cullen."

A/N: So Thanksgiving break is over, and James has apparently squealed! Game on, Bella!

I literally sent moosals the UMSL administration org chart and said, "Which one do you think James would go to?" We settled on the Dean for the College of Arts & Sciences, who really is a female. James is a misogynist who assumed the Dean would be male in his earlier conversations with Bella.

Next update on Monday.

For a teaser: What is Bella planning to tell the Dean? A new wave song by a British group that was #1 on the US dance charts but only reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.