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Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery: "Trespassing" by Adam Lambert

As the team captains and referee meet for the coin toss, I try in vain to remember the rules, as per Edward's (overly technical) and Emmett's (vague, half-assed) explanations. Then I decide I just don't care, because I'll drive myself nuts trying to keep it all straight.

Today's opposing team, the Portland Timbers, is a huge rival of the Sounders; even I know that. As a result, today's crowd is supposed to be record-breaking, and by the looks of it, it's true. The stadium is packed, making me even more glad we're down here. Still, the chants and cheers make it hard not to get sucked in...there's an energy running throughout this place that only vast crowds of people can generate.

At first, I can't see Edward. I didn't ask him what the number on his jersey was, and Emmett doesn't know, either. And it's all so fast paced; these guys run faster than I can concentrate.

One thing is certain, though: sitting in these seats is exhilarating. Even Makenna and Tia are screaming alongside, jumping around and pointing and taking so many pictures with their phones they'll probably run out of space on the damn things.

Conversely, Charlie's quieted down and is watching the field with fierce concentration, her deep, blue eyes the size of saucers.

In fact, she's the first one to spot Edward.

"Mom!" Erupting from her seat like a bottle rocket, she grabs my arm. "Edward! Edward!" She's actually calling him now.

"Shh," I laugh, pulling her on to my lap, trying to follow her pointer finger. Everybody looks the same...but then...I see the tattoos. And while he's not the only player with ink, he's the only one with arms like that.

My heart swells to ridiculous proportions.

He'd told me it was a good sign that they were having him play right away, that the hours he'd been putting in, as well as his reputation from before, had served him well. I think he's more worried about all that than he needs to be, but Edward is surprisingly modest.

Disappearing and reappearing from the cluster of players racing up and down the field, Edward looks like he's keeping up just fine.

The older couple sitting to our left, Eleazar and Carmen, self professed fútbol lovers from Spain, have been coaching us through the plays. I found them a little stuffy at first, but the more we talk with them I realize they're really just super classy. Regal. By halftime, which is only fifteen minutes long, I've figured out that Edward plays wing midfielder - thanks to Eleazar. He's impressed that we're dating, saying he remembers Edward from his European games.

It's hard not to wince when the players fall. I keep thinking about Edward's knee, and what it must have felt like in the moments surrounding his injury. He falls once, colliding with another player, and I swear my heart stops.

"Relax, Bella," Emmett says quietly, resting his arm on my shoulders. "He'll be okay."

"I know," I say, nodding.

Because he will be, no matter what happens out there today.

He's looked our way a couple times, but I can never tell if he sees us or not. I don't bother trying to get his attention. It's so crazy out there on that field, and the stadium so loud, that it would be futile.

At the end of the first half, the Sounders were down by one, but by the time the game finishes, they defeat the Timbers by two. The noise. Holy crap. Deafening roar is an understatement. It is so loud I can scarcely hear myself think. Even Charlie's standing on top of her chair, jumping and cheering, waving a blue and green banner she got from God knows where.

"We might want to wait a minute," Rose says, eyeing the slowly-emptying seats. "There are thousands upon thousands of people all leaving at the same time. Half of them are probably drunk."

"I'm fine with waiting," I say.

"I'm sure you are," she says, smirking. "Did you guys have a plan for afterwards? Do you...I don't know...go back to wherever they come out?"

"No. We didn't plan it out. I'll probably just talk to him at home." I do wish we'd planned something, though.

Emmett disappears for awhile, only to come back with Ben n' Jerry's for everyone - as if we hadn't just snacked for the past two hours. You will never, ever find me arguing with ice cream though. Especially not Ben n' Jerry's.

I'm nearly finished with it when I feel my purse vibrating. Pulling my phone out, I answer before even checking to see who it is, not wanting to miss the call.

"Hello?"

"Bella?"

"Hey!" I gasp. "How are - congratulations! That was amazing!"

He laughs a little. "So you guys made it, then?"

"Are you nuts? Of course! I told you we would..."

"And you're still here?"

"Yeah, just waiting for the crowd to clear a little bit so we're not stuck in traffic."

"Smart move - um, hold on." He says something to someone else, laughing and saying goodbye, and then returns to me. "Yeah. Anyway, I'd like to see you."

"Me too."

"Can you come around?"

"I don't know where to go."

"You're still hanging out pitch side?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Give the phone to Em for a second."

I stand nervously outside the door, hoping every time it opens it's him. A couple of other players come out first, eyeing us, and then Edward emerges. He looks tired but very, very happy.

So in his element. It's starling how much so.

Charlie runs over to him first, giving his legs a hug, but he bends and picks her up.

"You enjoy the game, Chuck?"

"I enjoyed it."

"Good." His eyes twinkle when they find me, and he leans over her to kiss me. "Glad you're here."

"Wouldn't miss it." I want to tell him this will be the first of many.

"My parents came today," Edward says, yawning.

"Really? Where were they sitting?"

"They like the regular seats, believe it or not. I've sprung for pitch side a couple of times, but..."

I clear his plate and carry it to the kitchen. "Did they ever come when you were playing in England?"

He follows me in, opening the dishwasher so that I can load it. "Sometimes. They usually made my most of my home games." He yawns again. "Well, home in the sense that it was where I was from, not where I lived at the time. Now it really is home again."

"Do I get to meet them soon?"

"Yes. They've been asking about you, actually."

"Really?" I tie my hair back into a ponytail. "That's cool."

"My mom especially. She's wanted me to...settle down...forever." His eyes flicker to me, and then away. It's a weighty topic, and while we've definitely alluded to it, "settling down" has a very final note to it. "You know how mothers are."

"Yes, I do." My own mother, Renee, lives in a different state but I still have to field rather intrusive questions about my love life on the regular.

I turn the dishwasher on and light off, leading Edward out of the kitchen. It isn't that late, but we're all exhausted - Charlie fell asleep on the way home and for once actually stayed that way.

"I'm going to take a shower," Edward says, catching my arm. "You should come."

I've been wondering when it was going to come to this. He's tired, but he's been extra flirty tonight, touching me and grabbing me like we're in horny teenagers.

Not that I'm at all complaining.

The second we shut the bathroom door he kisses me, pushing me up against the bathroom door, lifting my arms up so he can take my shirt off. I unbuckle his belt as he kisses my neck, trying to concentrate, but eventually I'm just too tired and anxious. I yank his pants about half way down and then deal with my own.

He turns the shower on, filling the bathroom with steam. We finished getting undressed and meet inside, sort of falling into each other with kisses and touches.

"Been thinking about this all day," he says, running those rough hands all over me.

Turning me to face the wall, he spreads my legs and reaches between, touching me until I'm desperate and reaching back for him and then he's inside. Wrapping his hands around my hips, he squeezes, holding me still as he rocks into me.

"Glad I found you," he whispers.

I almost don't hear him, but I do.

It makes me want to cry. "Me too."

sorry so late. super busy day, & then we got the prompt late in the day, and then…it was kind of a wonky prompt for me to work with. ah well.

much love.

xoxoxoxox