Title: Bell-bottoms & Blueberry Wine

Summary: So many young lives were forever changed in August 1969 at a little-known music festival called Woodstock. It would become an integral part of history and link new friends together through their shared passion for peace, love, and music.

E&B Rated M

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

— August 14, 1969 —

"If you leave, boy, don't come back. You're throwing your life away, and for what? For some bullshit?"

Edward Masen looked from the front door of the large white house where he had grown up to the man standing behind him, his anger and hatred for his son as evident as it had been since the day he was born. Nothing he did was good enough for his father; not graduating top of his class or letting his hair grow out so it hung just past his shoulders. He refused to shave, wore bell-bottom jeans, and tie-dyed T-shirts, and believed in peace, love, and the power of rock and roll.

"You call it bullshit. I call it freedom, Dad."

"I'm serious, Edward. If you leave, don't ever come back."

He swallowed against the lump in his throat as his attention shifted to his mother, as she held a glass of wine against her chest; her brilliant green eyes were filled with tears. Of course, she wouldn't defend him, not against her husband. She never had, and he knew, based on the bruising around her left eye, she never would. His father had spent the last twenty-two years beating her into submission, and as much as he hated it, she couldn't be saved.

Edward, however, refused to stay in that house, trapped in the life his father demanded of him. "I'm okay with that."

Turning back to the door, he yanked it open and hurried down to the beat-up 1959 beige Studebaker sitting in the driveway. Edward had saved for almost a year to buy her, much to his father's chagrin. It wasn't a respectable car, his father had said. Certainly not the type a man of his station in life should be driving. Bagging groceries, mowing yards, and being an all-around handyman to whoever needed work done had given Edward enough money to buy it a week ago, just in time for the biggest adventure of his life.

He opened the driver's door and looked back at the house, finding his mother watching him from the front window. She brought her hand up, placing it on the glass just moments before she turned and let the curtains close. Somehow, Edward knew this would be the last time he ever saw her again. And while his heart broke, he climbed into the car and left his life in Chicago for Bethel, New York.

Edward wasn't naïve. He had just graduated high school a couple of months beforehand and had been expected to attend Harvard University, just like his father had, and study medicine, just like his father. But Edward didn't want to go to Harvard, and he certainly didn't want to become a doctor. No, Edward Masen wanted to be a rock star, or a race car driver, or a stuntman. He wanted a life full of adventure, and he would find it one way or another.

—B&BW—

Edward was driving down Interstate 80 just outside of Elmore, Ohio, when smoke started pouring from under the hood of his Studebaker. Cursing under his breath, he managed to get his car on the shoulder before he climbed out, smoke filling the air as he propped the hood open. Edward wasn't an expert when it came to cars, but he knew smoke usually equaled bad news.

He had just slammed the hood when a Volkswagen Transporter T1 pulled around his car, stopping just a few yards in front of him. The driver's door opened, and a tall, thin blond kid with hair longer than his (which his father told him made him look like a hooligan) climbed out and placed his hands on his hips. He had a pair of round black sunglasses propped on the tip of his nose and a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Don't look like you're having a good day, friend," he said with a deep Southern accent. "Don't know nothing about cars, but we can give you a lift to the next town. Can't stay too long, though. We're on a mission sent from God."

"I'd appreciate the lift; I'll figure out my next step from there."

"Right on, right on, right on," he said, throwing his hand out toward Edward. "Names Jasper — Jasper Whitlock. My people call me Whit, though; you look like my kind of people."

Edward shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Whit. Name's Edward Masen."

"Well, Edward Masen, what do you say we get the hell out of here?"

Agreeing, Edward grabbed his bag from the trunk of his car and quickly tossed it into the back of Jasper's sage green van. It had a cream-colored top, and when Edward pulled open the side door, he found himself locking eyes with the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had big, rich brown eyes that bore into his soul and long brown hair pulled out of her face by two small braids that met in the back. Her skin was the color of ivory, and her lips were plump, red, and entirely kissable. But it was the way a dimple sunk into her cheek when she smiled that drew him in the most. She was a goddess, and he found himself fighting the urge to pull her into his arms and taste her lips against his, confident they'd taste like cherry lip-gloss.

"In or out, man, we ain't got all day," cackled a female voice from the front seat.

Edward shifted his eyes to where a small, pixie-like girl sat. She had dark blue eyes and long black hair and was leaning around her seat with a smirk on her lips.

"Sorry," Edward murmured, climbing into the seat next to his goddess while closing the door.

"No harm, no foul," she cackled, holding her hand out to him. She had a dozen beaded bracelets dangling around her wrists. "I'm Alice Brandon. That's Bella Swan. Where are you headed, stranger?"

"Oh, um, there's this music festival in upstate New York that's supposed to be three days of peace, love, and rock and roll. Not that I'll get there now that my car is busted."

"Hell, friend, why didn't you say so?" Jasper asked, tilting his head to the side as he shifted and looked back at him. "We're headed that way, too. You can ride with us if you want."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, man. I mean, as long as Alice and Bella are okay with it. What do you say, Swan? You up for picking up a stray?"

Edward looked over at Bella, finding her biting her bottom lip between her teeth before she smiled and nodded. "I say hell yeah!"

Her voice was even sweeter sounding than he'd imagined it could have been. When she spoke, his stomach flipped upside down, his toes tingled, and his dick hardened as he wondered what it would be like to feel her cherry-red lips wrapped around him.

"That's my girl!" Jasper cackled before he turned and started the van, which shook slightly as he shifted and eased back onto the highway. Alice turned back around and placed her bare feet on the dashboard.

"I'm not his girl," Bella said, leaning toward him. "I mean, Whit and I aren't. . . I mean, we kissed once when we were twelve, but it was like kissing my brother." She made a gagging face. "Almost threw up in my mouth."

"I did throw up in my mouth," Jasper snickered from his seat, looking back at them with a smirk. "' Course it might have been my daddy's moonshine that we drank first."

"Eww, thanks for those memories, dickhead," Bella quipped, sticking her tongue out as she shuddered. She looked at Edward, who couldn't seem to tear his eyes off her. She was beautiful and carefree. "You got a name, or should I just make one up?"

"What would you call me if you made one up?"

She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth again as she brought her finger up to her lips. "I think you're a Simon."

"Simon? No, I don't think I'm a Simon."

"You didn't ask me what I thought you were named, but what I would name you, and I thought you were a Simon."

"That's fair." He held his hand out to her. "I'm Edward Masen."

She smiled as she looked down at his hand, and then, as she wrapped her fingers around his, he felt the urge to pull her onto his lap and feel her body pressed against his.

"Edward Masen."

The way she said his name sent chills down his spine, and he found himself wanting to hear her say it again and again. Especially while she was under him, on top of him, curled up in his arms. The girl was sex and love and everything he'd imagined a woman could be.

"Can I call you Eddie?"

He raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "No. They call the man I used to call my father Eddie, and I hate that son-of-a-bitch."

"Edward, it is, then." Bella leaned toward him. "It's really nice to meet you, Edward Masen."

"You too, Bella Swan."

—August 15, 1969—

Just after five in the afternoon, Edward drove the van down a long, narrow dirt road leading to Max Yasgur's farm. He was easily able to find a parking space in the back of the field among a thousand or more other cars, vans, and trucks. He looked over at Bella, who was now sitting in the front since he and Jasper had taken turns driving. Her bare feet were propped up on the edge of the seat, her arms wrapped around them. She smiled his favorite smile, pure and utter innocence mixed with a wickedness that had him shivering and wanting more of her, needing more of her.

"Whit, Alice, wake up! We're here!" Bella called out and turned backward in the seat, so she was facing them as she slapped Alice's thigh first, and then Jasper's. "Wake up, losers!"

"The hell, Swan," Jasper groaned and sat up, stretching before he brushed his long, shaggy blond hair off of his face and looked around. "Right on, man, we're here!"

"So wake up already!" Bella snickered before looking back at Edward and beckoning him with her index finger. "Aren't you coming?"

"Hell yeah, I am!" he crowed, throwing open the driver's door and slamming it shut before hurrying around and pulling her into his arms.

Bella placed her hands on his chest, her smile growing as her fingers trailed along the bare skin under his shirt. Her lips pressed together in a little pout, and once again, he fought against the urge to kiss her.

"Hey."

She grinned. "Hey."

"Oy, lovebirds, let's get a campsite before they're all taken," Jasper snickered, and when they turned toward him and Alice, Edward saw her in the same position as them, only they were smirking. "The party is gonna rock, man."

"Yeah, yeah, Whit, calm down, man." Bella pulled herself out of Edward's arms and hurried to the back of the van, grabbing her bag first before picking up one she presumed was his. "Did you pack a tent?"

"Nope," Edward replied, shaking his head. "Figured I'd sleep in my car, but seeing as it's back in Ohio, guess I'm screwed."

Bella nodded. "Or, you can stay with me."

"With you?" he asked, and again, she grinned as she nodded.

"Unless you'd prefer to share a tent with those two. But they'll fuck all night long, and they won't care that you're right there."

"No, we won't," Alice added with a smirk.

"Yeah, I'll stay with you, Bella. Not sure I'm ready to see them going at it."

"Trust me, you're not," Bella snickered, handing him her bag before she grabbed one of the tents. "Here, you can carry this."

"Sure, sure."

By the time they reached the campgrounds, people were emerging from their tents, getting ready for the festival to open. Edward could see the stage and it filled him with an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time: excitement.

"This seems as good as we're going to get," Jasper said, gesturing toward a small clearing between two sets of tents. "Let's hurry. The first act is supposed to be on stage soon, and I don't want to miss him. Richie Havens is legendary, man."

It didn't take them too long to get their tents up, and they had just stowed their bags inside when the people on the left of them emerged. The first was a tall, thin man with long, blond hair that reached the middle of his back. He wasn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of jeans that hung loosely on his hips. He turned his blue eyes toward the four of them, his lips curling into a smile.

"Babe, we got us some new neighbors."

The flap of their tent opened, and a beautiful woman with long caramel-colored hair emerged. She wore a long, flowing skirt with flowers and a pink halter top that did little to contain her breasts.

"Hell yeah," she cooed as she hurried over, throwing her arms around Bella, whose eyes widened as she returned the hug. "Name is Esme. That's Carlisle. We're from Georgia but got out as soon as we could, you know?"

Esme stepped backward and looked from Bella to Edward and back. "Is he yours? Because, damn girl, you're lucky."

"I know," Bella replied, snaking her arm through Edward's. "I'm Bella, and this is Edward."

"Edward?" Esme asked, shaking her head. "You don't look like an Edward."

"That's what I said!" Bella exclaimed, laughing. "That's Jasper and Alice. The three of us are from Texas, and Edward's from . . ." She paused and looked up at him. "Where are you from?"

"Chicago."

"Ugh, no wonder you left," Carlisle said, wrapping his arm around Esme and pulling her back against him. He pressed his body against hers; his fingers toying along the edge of her breast while his other hand clutched her hip. "Welcome to Woodstock. Gonna be a hell of a party."

"No shit."

At the sound of a deep, manly voice, they turned toward their right, where they watched a big, burly man surfaced from the tent next to Jasper and Alice's. Like Carlisle, he wasn't wearing a shirt; his brown hair wasn't nearly as long, or maybe it would have been if it wasn't curly. He was broad in the shoulders and muscular. He held his hand out to the person inside and helped a beautiful blond girl with bright blue eyes emerge. She looked from him to those around her, a bit of disdain filling her eyes, but when she smiled, it faded.

"Y'all are my kind of people," she cooed, swaying her hips as she walked over so she stood between Alice and Bella. "Yeah, yeah, you're definitely my people for sure. I can tell. Name is Rosalie, but don't call me that. Only my daddy calls me Rosalie, and usually followed by, 'You're an ungrateful, ugly little bitch.' Call me Rose."

"I'm Alice. This is Jasper, Bella, and Edward."

"Edward? You don't seem like an Edward." But before he could reply, she stretched her hand behind her for the brawny man, who grabbed it and pulled her back against him. "This is Emmett. Ain't he cute?"

"The cutest," Alice gushed. "Looks like we're going to be living together for the next three days."

"Here for peace, love, and rock and roll, baby," Emmett guffawed before leaning down and kissing the side of Rose's neck.

Bella bit her lip as she looked up at Edward, who wanted nothing more than to suck her lip from between her teeth with his lips, but before he could, Jasper was yelling, "Edward, Swan, move your asses! We want to get a good spot for the show!"

Bella slipped her hand into Edward's as she stepped toward everyone else, smiling, the dimple sinking into her cheek. Edward was now even more smitten with the dark-haired girl holding his hand.

—B&BW—

By the time they made it back to their tents, Edward was on a rock and roll high. As Jasper had said, Richie Havens opened the day, playing almost a dozen songs that spoke directly to his soul. Sweetwater played next; their song Crystal Spider was his favorite, and he found himself lost in the music when he felt Bella's hands resting on his hips. He looked down, bringing his hand up to the side of her face, smiling when she leaned into his touch.

Their attention was pulled to the stage once Sweetwater had wrapped up their set, and Sri Swami Satchidananda emerged. He was an Indian yoga guru with a long, bushy gray beard and long, black hair. He wore a pink tunic and matching pants as he held his hand up, silencing the half a million people waiting to receive his blessing.

When he was finished, he took another look around the massive crowd before leaving, as Bert Sommer, a Folk artist, came on stage and played ten songs. After him, Ravi Shankar. As he started his first song, it began raining. Edward wrapped his arms around Bella, pulling her body firmly against his, causing her to tilt her head backward and look up at him, her smile growing.

Tim Hardin, Melanie Safka, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez wrapped up the evening, and by the time they made it back to their tents, they were exhausted. Edward crawled in behind Bella, who sat on the far side with her knee pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her hair was wet from the rain, but she'd never looked more beautiful than she had at that moment.

"How old are you, Edward?" she asked.

"Eighteen. You?"

"Eighteen."

"You're from Texas?"

Her eyes darkened as she nodded. "I was, but now, apparently, I live in Bethel, New York."

"Same." And when she raised an eyebrow, he added, "My father made it very clear that I wasn't welcome back home if I wasted my time coming here."

"Do you think it's a waste of time?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"No."

"Me either." Bella bit her lip before saying, "My stepfather probably doesn't even know I left."

"He doesn't?"

She shook her head. "I hope not, at least."

Edward frowned.

"Oh, don't do that. Don't be sad for me. If you knew him, or Momma for that matter, you'd know how lucky I was to escape."

"I understand. But what happens when Woodstock is over?"

Bella grinned. "I don't know."

Edward laughed. "Me either."

Bella shifted to lie on top of her sleeping bag, scooting backward and patting the bag next to her. "Come here."

Edward moved over to lay in front of her, tucking one arm under his head while his other hand wrapped around her slender waist. "Wherever you go, Bella is home for me."

"You're home for me, too, lover."

Bella leaned toward him, nestling herself in his embrace. And in that moment, he knew she owned him in every way: body, heart, and soul.

—August 16, 1969—

Edward was startled awake the following day when Bella began thrashing beside him. He groaned as he sat up to look at her. Where she usually kept a sweet, gorgeous, sensual smile on her lips, her face was hard, cold, and sad. As he reached out, she bolted upwards, slapping her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

"Hey, beautiful, you're okay."

Bella closed her eyes before she threw her head in his direction. Though she smiled, her eyes were still filled with darkness — a shadow that scared him. It was the same look his mother had after she and his father fought. Or rather, when he beat her into submission. The same look she had when she pleaded with him to break free. His mother hadn't wanted him to leave, but she didn't want him to stay trapped, either.

"Hey," Edward whispered, bringing his hand to her face and brushing his fingers along her cheek. She turned and kissed his palm, and he felt a tear drip onto his finger. "Hey, beautiful, why are you crying?"

She shook her head but turned so she was looking at him. Her soulful brown eyes glistened with unfallen tears, and her lips trembled as she whispered, "Tell me why you came here. Why'd you want to be here of all places, Edward? Why was this festival so important that you left home?"

"Why?" Edward shook his head, unsure he could properly articulate his reasoning into words that made sense. He didn't even understand, not really, but he found himself trying to. "Have you ever felt like you were meant for something more? Something bigger than everything around you?"

"Yeah," she murmured, nodding before biting her bottom lip again.

"I've felt like that my entire life, Bella. I'm supposed to go to college and become a doctor. Make money and live in the suburbs in a white house with the perfect wife, two kids, and maybe a dog. A miserably boring, mundane life." He snorted and shook his head. "I felt like I was suffocating like the whole Goddamn world was closing in around me, and I . . . I had to break free. And then I heard about Woodstock, and I knew this was where I was supposed to come. Like, deep in my gut, I knew this was where my life would really begin. I want adventure, Bella. I want to travel and experience the world as a man free of . . . of expectation." He laughed softly. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"No, you are," she was quick to assure him. "I felt like that, too. I . . . I couldn't stay in Texas, where I'm constantly reminded that I'm nothing more than a burden."

"Your stepdad?"

She nodded, shifting so her knees were pulled to her chest. "My daddy died in Vietnam. He was brave and strong and . . . Well, Momma didn't much like being alone, so she married her boss down at the bank. A real tool named Phil. He's mean when he's not drunk, and when he is drunk, he's . . . well, handsy, I guess you could say."

"He touches you?"

"He tries. Most of the time, I can stop him."

"Only most of the time?"

"Sometimes I can't." Bella shrugged her shoulders. "When Whit and Alice told me about the festival, about how they were bailing town and hitting the road," she laughed, though it was forced. "Well, it didn't take much for me to agree to be the third wheel."

"Did you ever tell anyone what he does to you?"

She shook her head. "Nobody would believe that such a prominent member of society sneaks into my bedroom at night and touches me. Hell, Momma's caught him coming out of my room and just pretended she didn't. She doesn't look me in the eye anymore, though."

"I'm sorry. That . . . that really sucks."

"It is what it is, love," she whimpered, using her shoulder to blot away her tears. "I don't want to talk about them anymore."

"Okay."

"Who is your favorite band?"

"Um, that's hard to answer," he said. "Probably The Byrds, but then again, maybe The Rolling Stones. I mean, their new album, Let It Bleed, is epic."

Bella laughed. "I would not have taken you for a Stones' fan."

"Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. You just seem kind of square, I guess."

"Oh."

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She brought her hand up to the side of his face this time. "I like squares, if it helps."

He shrugged. "It's fine. I just . . . This is why I had to leave. I don't want to be just another faceless person in the crowd. I want . . . Man, I want to be on that stage. I want . . . I want something more than my boring life."

"Then go get it."

"I'm trying, trust me," he assured her. "What about you? Who is your favorite band?"

"Besides the Stones?" she laughed, and it sounded normal, honest, and pure again.

"Yeah."

"I'm kind of obsessed with The Velvet Underground, and The Doors are pretty righteous."

"I'm down with The Doors."

"Do you believe in fate, Edward?"

"I didn't," he confessed.

"But you do now?" she asked.

Edward nodded.

"Why now?"

"Because if I hadn't bought a piece of crap car from a less than reputable source, I wouldn't have left Chicago and ended up on the side of the road in Ohio. And if I hadn't ended up on the side of that road, beautiful, I wouldn't have met you. And somehow, in some way, I feel like you and I were destined to meet."

"Like soul mates?"

"Yeah, like soul mates, sweetheart."

Bella pushed herself up, so she was kneeling in front of him. Her hands cupped his face before sliding around and tangling in his hair. "Aren't you gonna kiss me?"

Edward didn't respond with words. No, he placed his hands on her hips, sliding them around to her back as he pressed their bodies against one another. And as she gasped, her lips parted just slightly, and he closed the gap between them as his lips met hers in a fiery kiss. He took advantage of the moment, darting his tongue into her mouth just enough to tease her. Bella's fingers tightened in his hair, almost to the point of being painful, yet not tight enough. His arms wound against her, pulling her firmer against his body, the need to touch her overwhelming. Just as he started to slip his hand down her back to the top of her bell-bottom jeans, they heard, "Swan, Masen, get your asses out here!"

Bella laughed as she reluctantly tore her lips away from his and rolled her eyes. She grinned and yelled, "Keep your panties on, Whit, we're coming." And then she dropped her hands to the front of Edward's shirt, fisting each side between her fingers. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you. That was the best kiss I've ever had."

She tilted her head back and laughed. "That's good to know, but that's not why I'm thanking you."

"Then why are you?"

"Because you make me feel safe, Edward. I've never told anyone about Phil. Not even Whit or Alice, and they've been my best friends since we were five."

"I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me. I won't let him touch you ever again, beautiful."

She smiled. "My knight in shining armor. Or tie-dye and bell-bottoms might be more accurate."

This time, Edward laughed. "Tie-dye and bell-bottoms work. Easier to take off," he added with a wink.

"Guess we'll find out."

But as she reached for the first button on his shirt, Jasper ripped open the front of their tent, his eyes flickering from her to him and back, his lips curving into a smirk. "Am I interrupting?"

"Yes," they replied together, but Bella released the front of Edward's shirt and scrambled to the opening of the tent, pushing Jasper out of the way. Edward followed, placing his hands on her hips as she shouldered up to Jasper. He would have been worried about the man if she wasn't so cute when she was trying to be tough.

"Now, what was so important, dickhead?"

Jasper shrugged and gestured to where Alice, Emmett, Rose, Carlisle, and Esme were standing, not one of them trying to hide their amusement of the situation unfolding in front of them. "We're hungry, and the first act is set to come on at noon, and I want to be close to the stage, Swan, so move that ass of yours, and let's get moving."

Bella laughed and looked over her shoulder at Edward. "We'd better get the man some food. He's cranky when he's hungry."

"All right, beautiful." Edward leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, causing her to moan.

When everyone else started making their way through the crowd toward the line of food trucks and concession stands, Edward and Bella followed. He kept his arm around her, both to make sure they didn't get separated and also because he needed to feel her in his arms. She'd rocked his world, had him spiraling to feel her touch, feel her against him once more. She'd looked into his soul and understood who he was and what he wanted. He'd waited his entire life to find someone to connect with on such an emotional level. And while it was new, overwhelming, and scary, he knew he would never be able to spend even a day away from her.

She was the other half of his heart and soul.

—B&BW—

They managed to get food and find a spot just fifty yards to the left of the stage. The energy was electric, and Edward had never felt more alive. Of course, that probably had more to do with the way Bella kept her body wrapped around his, touching him in the most intimate ways without being inappropriate. She lit a fire inside him, a desire he had never felt before. He'd been attracted to girls, of course. He'd even gotten to third base with a couple of them, but none made him feel the way she did, and the twinkle in her eyes told him she felt the same connection.

At approximately fifteen minutes after noon, Quill took the stage and started the festival's second day. They only played four songs, and though Edward hadn't been aware of them before, he dug their sound and looked forward to seeing where their career would take them.

Country Joe McDonald came on stage next. He was a member of the band The Fish, and as far as Edward knew, this was his first solo performance. While his music was softer and simpler, the nine songs he played were amazing. Santana brought Latin Rock, which wasn't something Edward had been exposed to in the small suburb in which he was raised. His father hadn't made his racism a secret and wouldn't tolerate that 'trash' in his house. Edward had learned a long time ago that the garbage his father spat was just that, garbage. Still, he hadn't experienced Latin Rock and found himself touched by the music. Santana's Soul Sacrifice was a new favorite song of his.

John B. Sebastian, Keef Hartley Band, The Incredible String Band, Canned Heat, and Mountain entertained them that afternoon and throughout the evening, making way for The Grateful Dead to appear at half past ten. As each new band took the stage, the crowd grew, and Bella pressed herself more and more against him. It was intoxicating and power-driven.

Of course, that might have more to do with the LSD being passed around. When someone offered them some, both Edward and Bella declined. So did the others in their small group. They were high on rock and roll and didn't need psychedelic drugs to enhance the experience.

They were there for the music.

The Grateful Dead spent almost an hour and a half on stage, having taken long breaks between each song. The last band was Credence Clearwater Revival, who Edward had been most excited to see in person. They were the perfect mix of R&B, Folk, and Country-Rock. Edward was already a fan of theirs and knew the words to most of their songs. Thankfully, the crowd had started to thin out during The Grateful Dead's performance, so they were able to move around and dance more freely.

The second day of Woodstock had been even more amazing than the first, and by the time they arrived back at their campsite, they were drunk on the music. Too wired to head into their tents, they found themselves gathering in the middle. Bella sat in Edward's lap, her arms wrapped around him, peppering his neck and face with kisses.

Jasper and Alice, Emmett and Rose, Carlisle and Esme were all seated similarly, though he couldn't focus on them, focus on the way they talked about their lives outside of Woodstock. They were sipping Dixie Cups of blueberry wine Carlisle had stolen from his family's wine cellar. He vaguely heard Carlisle and Esme talking about their lives in Georgia, their families, and the expectations they'd left behind. Like him, Carlisle came from a prominent family and was expected to be someone important, a politician of the highest order. He certainly wasn't supposed to have fallen in love with the daughter of the town's garbage collector. But he had, and they refused to give in to social norms, so they ran away, leaving their families behind.

Emmett and Rosalie were from Tennessee. Their families, unlike most of theirs, supported their journey. They had fallen in love in high school and planned to start Colombia University in the fall. They had spent their summer traveling the country, and Edward envied their freedom and their supportive families. What would it have felt like to have parents who only cared if you were happy?

"So, where are you heading after tomorrow?" Carlisle asked, his eyes flickering between Jasper and Alice and over to Edward and Bella. "I mean, what's the next adventure?"

"Hell if we know, man," Jasper laughed. "Wherever the wind takes us, as long as it ain't Texas."

"No shit," Bella whispered, just loud enough for Edward to hear, as she pressed her lips against the side of his throat. "I'm never going back."

"No, you won't, beautiful." Edward brought his hand up to the side of her face, tilting her head back before pressing his lips against hers. "He'll never touch you again. You have my word."

She smiled and brought her hand up and covered his. "I trust you, love, with everything I have. I'll trust you."

"Bella, I . . ."

Edward closed the distance between them, his lips brushing against hers once, twice, and then a third time before their lips parted, and they gave into their desires.

"Oy, nymphs," Emmett bellowed, pulling their attention away from each other. "Get some sleep. Next band is up in a few hours, and you ain't gonna want to miss it."

Bella and Edward laughed before they scrambled to their feet, bid everyone goodnight, or more actually, happy napping, and crawled back inside their tent. They laid on her sleeping bag, but Edward was too wired to sleep. He could feel the rhythm of each song in his veins — hear the music inside his head, but moreover, he could feel the desire and need for the woman lying next to him.

Edward looked in her direction, finding her watching him with her beautiful, soulful brown eyes. "Hey."

She grinned. "Hey."

"Can't sleep?"

She shook her head. "I feel too wired."

"Me too." Edward rolled onto his side, tucking his arm under his head before he slid his other hand across her stomach, curling his fingers around her hip. "Tell me I can keep you."

"You can keep me," she whispered, rolling toward him and placing her hand in the middle of his chest. "As long as I get to keep you, too, of course. I'm selfish like that."

Edward laughed softly. "Seems fair."

"Have you ever made love with anyone?"

Edward shook his head. "You?"

"No. That was the one thing he never took from me."

"That's good."

She smiled, rising to push him onto his back. She straddled him, his hands automatically moving to her hips as she leaned down and kissed him, slowly and softly at first, but then harder, needier. She was grinding herself against him, and he could feel his body reacting.

"Bella," he groaned, sitting up with her torso against his. "I've fallen in love with you. I need you to know that I am in love with you before we take this any further."

Her responding grin was all the answer he needed, but when she said, "I love you, too, silly, now stop being so noble, and take my clothes off already."

Edward laughed and slipped his hands down to the hem of her thin, royal blue tank top. He dipped his hands beneath the fabric and slowly pushed it upward as Bella raised her arms, leaving her topless.

He looked down at her perky, perfect, naked breasts and leaned closer, wrapping his lips around one of her nipples. She tangled her fingers in his hair while grinding herself against him.

"Oh, my God, love," she groaned, almost pushing her nipple further into his mouth. "I need more. I need so much more."

In a frenzy, he leaned back and ripped the front of his shirt open, sending buttons onto the floor of their tent. Bella laughed and shoved it down his shoulders, their bare chests pressing together. Her fingers tangled in his hair again before she pulled him down onto his back and stood up. She reached for the front of her jeans and popped the button while slowly . . . so painfully slow, lowered the zipper. She kept her eyes on his as she pushed them over her hips, down her long, slender legs, before stepping to his left and removing them entirely.

"Your turn."

Edward stood, his eyes never leaving hers as he followed her example and removed his pants, leaving the two in just their underwear. At that moment, he was glad he had stopped wearing the white briefs his mother had always bought him and started wearing boxer shorts.

"Together, okay?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she placed her fingers inside her white cotton panties that would be forever ingrained in his memories.

"Together," he agreed. "On three."

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

They counted at the same time, and slowly started removing the last bit of fabric they were wearing. Edward inhaled a sharp breath as he kicked his aside and let his eyes drift down her body to her pussy. She was even more beautiful naked than she had been clothed, and if he had it his way, he would never let her put clothes on again.

"We could create a nudist colony," she snickered, and he realized he'd spoken out loud.

"Be fun, though, right?" he asked, reaching out and placing his hands on her hips, tugging her body back against his. His cock was rock hard and pressed between them, which she didn't seem to mind. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we have the rest of our lives, don't we?"

She smiled. "We do, but I want to start the rest of our lives right now."

Edward leaned in and kissed her again before sweeping her into his arms and laying her back on the sleeping bag. He lay next to her, their bodies facing each other as their hands rested on the other's hips. His lips met hers again, slowly, before becoming more intense, needier, and filled with a desire to become one.

He rolled her onto her back and moved to hover over her. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he reached into his bag and pulled out the one and only condom he had. One of the guys he had gone to high school with had given it to him the night of their high school graduation, telling him he needed to 'get some pussy, sooner rather than later.' He then went on to give him a list of girls who were known to put out. Edward hadn't wanted to sleep with just any girl. He wanted the right girl.

And he'd found her. He had finally found her when he climbed into the back of that Volkswagen van.

"Well, well, well, aren't you prepared," she cooed, taking it from him and using her teeth to tear open the package.

"I'd like to tell you that it was intentional, but it wasn't. I'm just glad I never tossed it. If my father had found it, he would have been furious and would have taken his anger out on my mother."

"I'm sorry."

Edward shook his head, not wanting to ruin the moment by thinking of either of them. "Don't be. All that matters is being here with you."

She smiled and placed her hand on his chest, slowly sliding down his abdomen until her fingers were wrapped around his shaft. "All that matters to me, love, is being here with you, too. I've waited my whole life for you."

"I love you," he whispered, holding himself over her as he brought a hand to the side of her face. "I love you so much."

Her responding smile took his breath away, and a moment later, he felt her rolling the latex down his shaft.

"Show me. Show me how much you love me."

He lowered himself between her legs, feeling her hands coming to rest on his hips. She hooked her legs around his, pulling him down so the full weight of his body was resting on hers. He could feel the tip of his cock pressing against her slick opening, nudging just outside, almost begging to be fully sheathed inside her warm pussy. He wanted that. He wanted it more than he had ever wanted anything. He wanted to be inside her.

"Are you ready?"

"I am."

Edward slowly began to push into her, feeling her tense around him. He knew enough about the female body to know the first time was painful, but the way she tightened her leg told him she didn't want him to stop, so he didn't until he felt himself push through her barrier and fill her completely.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Just . . . just, you know, move slowly."

"Okay."

Just as she had asked, he gently pulled back before slowly entering her again. She winced but didn't stop him, so he kept going. After a few more tender thrusts, she began moving her hips with his, meeting his thrust with her own. Their bodies moved perfectly with each other's, confirming they were true soul mates, lovers for the rest of their lives. He would never get tired of how she felt, the sounds she made. Moans and whimpers and groans for more, begging him to move faster, harder, and deeper. It was taking all of Edward's control not to give in and let his orgasm overtake him, but he needed to make sure she found herself falling over the edge before he gave in to the relief he was desperate to achieve.

"So close, love. So close," she whined, her hands moving from his hips and up to his shoulder, sliding around and holding him against her. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling his head back enough for their mouths to find each other's again.

Edward began pushing harder and faster; the image of her writhing under him, needing him, had him flying to the edge of his release. And just when he felt himself falling, his climax filling the latex, her walls clenched around him. Their bodies were covered in sweat as he rolled off her, laying on the sleeping bag with his knees bent in front of him. She turned onto her side, nestling herself against him.

"Where have you been all my life, Edward Masen?"

"Looking for you, Bella Swan. Always looking for you."

—August 17, 1969—

Edward and Bella didn't sleep at all that night. Instead, they stayed wrapped in each other's arms until they heard the others start moving around them. They dressed in clean clothes and climbed out into the fresh morning air.

It was just after four a.m. The temperature was cool, so Bella grabbed a blanket as they joined the others. Emmett and Rose were on one side, while Jasper and Alice were on the other, with Carlisle and Esme to their right. The eight of them made the short walk to the stadium, finding the perfect stop just in front of the stage. Bella and Alice were giggling and talking with Rose and Esme when Edward felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. When he looked back, Jasper tilted his head for him to follow, which he did.

They didn't go far, still in view of their women, but when Jasper stopped and looked at him, he saw the concern in his eyes. Jasper smiled, the corner of his lip twisting upward as he looked from Edward over to Bella.

"She almost bailed on the trip, you know? We'd been saving and planning for months, and then last week, she said she couldn't come, said she didn't have the money anymore. I didn't ask, but I knew she'd given it to her mom, who gave it to that asshole to drink away. Alice and I told her we didn't care; we wanted her to come with us anyway, but she kept saying no."

"What changed her mind?"

"I didn't ask. We knew we were leaving in the middle of the night. Our folks didn't know anything about our plans, if you catch my drift. Alice and I were loading the van when I heard her bedroom window open. She tossed her bag first before climbing out and shimming down the lattice against the house. I was sure she would fall and break her neck, but she didn't. She grabbed her bag and gave the house one last look before she hurried over and put her bag into the back of the van. I asked her if she was sure because we weren't coming back — Edward, we are never going back. She just nodded and said she wouldn't miss a damn thing about that house."

Edward nodded, knowing exactly why she was eager to leave. He had snuck into her bedroom again and had put his hands inside her panties. She'd fought back — she stopped him. And when he stumbled out of her bedroom, she locked the door, packed her bag, and realized what she had to do. She left to save her innocence, to protect herself from getting trapped in a life of hell.

"Look, I'm only telling you because I see the way she looks at you. Swan's been my best friend since I was old enough to know what a friend was, and I don't want to see her get hurt."

"I'm in love with her." The words left his lips with ease. "My life is tied with hers now. I can't . . . No, can't is not the right word. I choose not to live without her another second, another day, Whit. She is my future, my destiny, and I won't ever let her go."

Jasper grinned and held his hand out to him. "Good, because I'd hate to have to kick your ass for hurting her, Masen. You seem like a righteous dude."

Edward laughed and shook his hand. "You seem all right, too, Whit."

The two walked back over and joined the rest of their friends, and Edward wrapped his arms around Bella, tucking her against him as she turned and faced him. She wrapped her dad's Army green blanket around both of them, and when Alice called out, "Look this way," she glanced over her shoulder, smiling as Alice snapped a picture of them. It started drizzling, and when Bella looked up at him, he brought his hand to her face before he leaned down and kissed her.

Their attention, however, was pulled to the stage as the first band of the day hurried out. The Who started their set, causing Edward's heart to race as Heaven and Hell poured from the speakers. It was from their Tommy album, a Rock Opera dealing with the struggle of a deaf, dumb, and blind boy who later finds a cure and gains stardom. It was his favorite of all their albums, the most powerful in his opinion. As they played their last song, Naked Eye, the sun had just started to rise, and Bella looked back at him with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

The rest of the day was filled with the most incredible music he had ever heard. Everyone from Jefferson Airplane to Joe Crocker to the Fish, Janis Joplin, Ten Years After, The Band, and Sly & The Family Stone. It was the most inspirational day they had had, and all Edward could think about was how perfectly Bella fit in his arms.

By the time Jimi Hendrix wrapped up Woodstock, with what Edward would call the performance to remember, it was almost nine a.m. on Monday. They hadn't slept in almost two days, yet he didn't feel exhausted. He felt energized and ready to take over the world.

Most people had already packed up camp and left well before Jimi Hendrix, and as the eight of them headed back to their campsite to do the same, he found himself wondering if they would ever see their new friends again.

"So, where you are heading now?" Rose was the one to ask. They had just taken their tents down and were standing around. They were some of the last to linger, not ready to move on, yet knowing they couldn't stay.

"Um, we hadn't really talked about it," Jasper replied, sliding his arm around Alice. "Gonna head west and see where we land. Heard good things about Washington State. Maybe Seattle or someplace like that." He paused and looked down at Alice. "Stopping in Vegas first, though. Let her make an honest man out of me."

"About time, too," Alice giggled, her eyes shifting to Bella and Edward before looking at Emmett, Rose, Carlisle, and Esme. "You're welcome to come with us."

"Yeah?" Esme asked, her eyes widening.

"Of course," Alice laughed and raised her hand to her chest. "Feels right that we should travel together. For a while at least."

"I'm in," Carlisle said, nodding as he looked from them down to Esme. "You in, babe?"

"I'm in," Esme giggled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm so in."

"Em, Rose, you coming?"

Emmett and Rosalie shared a look before they smiled and said, "Hell yeah!"

Once everything was loaded into the back of the Volkswagen, Carlisle, and Esme packed their '62 blue and white Shelby Cobra. Emmett and Rose were driving with them, choosing to abandon the Oldsmobile Starfire, which looked like it wouldn't have made it another mile down the road anyway.

Edward climbed into the backseat of Whit's van with Bella nestled against him, his arm around her shoulder. She tilted her head back, and he leaned down and kissed her.

At that moment, they knew they would spend the rest of their lives together, seeking whatever adventures came their way.

A/N: Sri Swami Satchidananda blessed those attending Woodstock by saying:

"My Beloved Brothers and Sisters: I am overwhelmed with joy to see the entire youth of America gathered here in the name of the fine art of music. In fact, through the music, we can work wonders. Music is a celestial sound and it is the sound that controls the whole universe, not atomic vibrations. Sound energy, sound power, is much, much greater than any other power in this world. And, one thing I would very much wish you all to remember is that with sound, we can make — and at the same time, break. Even in the war-field, to make the tender heart an animal, sound is used. Without that war band, that terrific sound, man will not become animal to kill his own brethren. So, that proves that you can break with sound, and if we care, we can make also."