Here is the chapter that should have originally followed chapter 22 ten years ago.
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Fic recommendation: The Condemnation of Power by: Baisers Ardents
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Chapter 23
Alice:
Bella's POV
Everything settled after the engagement, Edward and I were not sure when to tell everyone about it. We were waiting for the right moment as we focused on school, our pre-practice hours, and watching Alice on Project Runway. Edward and I were interviewed for the show, as we were an integral part of Alice's background story. It was very weird seeing myself on television.
My pre-practice was going well, but I was having issues with the supervising professor appointed by the university. She and I were not connecting at a professional level. Thankfully I wasn't the only one having trouble with her, all of my classmates were, they were just being quiet about it. I was planning on going to the dean or our overall major leader Dr. Perez.
Edward and I were practicing at an amazing school. The director was so pleased with our work that she was considering hiring us after we graduated. That would only be possible if there were available positions, the principal said that sometimes teachers left at the end of the year. Edward and I were really hoping that we would get the jobs.
Week after week we watched Alice pass onto the next round on the show. Up to date she had only been nominated three times, but had been saved by the public. We would be on edge on elimination days. Even if she was eliminated, she couldn't come home until the show officially ended. We were happy that she was still a contestant, week after week we watched her grow and develop her talent for fashion.
Christmas time came again. It was rare because we didn't have Alice or Jasper with us, but Carlisle Jr. and Isaac made it worthwhile as it was the first Christmas they were going to be conscious about what was going on. Both babies were fascinated with the Christmas tree, decorations, and lights. Edward and I loved to babysit both boys when our parents needed a break or night out. We were told by the production of Project Runway that we were allowed to send Alice presents and record a special message for the holidays, so I gathered all the family and made the video. I asked if we could let her know that we were engaged. They gave us the green light with the announcement so Edward and I rehearsed what we were going to say.
We spent Christmas Eve together as a family at Edward's house, all of us cooked and baked the various dishes and desserts. Everyone gathered at the table, Carmen and Eleazar Edward's aunt and uncle with their girls came from Daytona to spend today and tomorrow with us too. Dad also came down with Sue as she'd never been out of Washington before. Carlisle carved the ham and started handing out slices, soon everyone had their plates full of ham and the side dishes of their choice. We spent dinner in amicable conversation, then it was time for dessert. We cleared the table of the food and replaced everything with the various pies we'd made. We accompanied the plethora of desserts with eggnog, apple cider, or hot chocolate. Edward and I were sitting on the couch drinking more hot chocolate, it was almost midnight so we started handing out the stockings for everyone. There were surprised shrieks and gasps as everyone emptied their stockings and saw what they had gotten.
About forty-five minutes later we decided to go to bed, dad and Sue went to their hotel. Mom, Phil, and Isaac went home, Edward wanted me to stay with him so I stayed. I helped Esme clean up the remnants of the night's activities while Carlisle put Jr. to bed. Carmen and Eleazar went to their designated bedrooms and so did the girls, it was a full house at the Masen-Cullen home.
I was supposed to stay in Alice's room, but I waited a few minutes and snuck into Edward's room. He was sitting on the bed waiting for me.
"Finally," he said, smiling wider.
I sat on the bed beside him and sighed, the day after tomorrow we would see the episode of project runway, which has the video telling Alice about the engagement.
"I'm nervous about the video," I admitted to Edward.
"You think mom will overreact?" He asked.
"Yes,"
"She hasn't given us any reason to doubt her change, Bella," He pointed out.
"I'm still scared regardless," I replied.
"I'm sure everything will be fine, Bella. We have been together for a while, it's expected, it's the next step. I want to tie myself to you, I want to be your husband," he told me.
"Remember what I told you when we almost separated, I'm on your side, and no one will make me stay away from you. Only you have that power, Bella," Edward said.
"I love you," he said, kissing me.
Edward's POV
It had been a while since Bella and I had done more than kissing, she was still weary of moving forward with our physical relationship as is what almost made us break up last year. But I wanted that experience with her again, mom is better now, she apologized and we moved on. I wanted to move forward with Bella in every aspect of our relationship.
I didn't waste any time, we sat in the middle of my bed, I grabbed her and kissed her. My hands ran up her sides and rested on her hips. Our kiss deepened as our tongues fought for dominance, Bella moaned as I released her lips and continued my path along her jaw, neck, and collarbone. It had been a while, but she tasted as good as I'd remember.
"Edward," she moaned.
"Bella, can I undress you?" I asked. She was silent again after my question, I was getting discouraged.
"Yes," she finally replied.
She took my hands and brought them behind her back, where I deftly unzipped her dress. I took it off her shoulders and it dropped to her waist, Bella moved away from me to take it off. I heard it fall to the floor, then Bella removed my shirt and pants. After I was just in my underwear, I grabbed her sides again and resumed our kissing.
I pressed her closer to me as I continued kissing from her neck to her chest, stopping just as I reached the top of her breasts. I pulled her towards me and she straddled me.
"Can I touch you?" I asked.
"Yes," she whispered.
My hands moved to her back, I grabbed every inch of skin I could as we kissed, I was stunned, I couldn't believe she was here in my arms and allowing me to show her some physical love again. We kissed and groped each other for what seemed like an eternity, time stops every time we are together. Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and began kissing my jaw and neck. Instinctively my hands rested on her hips, just before where her bottom began. She moaned and moved her hips, I moaned as she rubbed my member when she did that. I wanted her to do it again, so I ground my hips against her and she moaned again.
"We need to be a little quieter," I whispered.
"Okay," she replied breathlessly.
My thumb brushed against her breasts and she moaned into my mouth, then she moved her hips again. I spread my hands on her back and hugged her, she wrapped her legs tighter around me. We were so close to each other, Bella moaned and pressed her hips against mine.
I held Bella close to me while my lips roamed over the top of her breasts. I moaned as my thumbs brushed the underside of them. My hand moved to cup them, I then started slowly to grope her breasts with my hand feeling them again. Her chest heaved as I continued to touch her breasts, her nipples hardened at my touch.
"I love you," she murmured between kisses.
"I love you too," I responded panting.
"Edward," she moaned a few seconds later as we kissed deeply again.
I took that as my cue, moved my hips and started grinding against her, she reciprocated and we began kissing frantically trying to suppress our moans as our hips moved in unison. Bella buried her face in my neck, I kissed the curve of her neck and shoulder inhaling her sweet scent. She moaned in my ear, the sounds of her enticed me and made I moved my lower body faster.
I felt a squeeze in my stomach, Bella began to moan louder and move her hips faster, she clung to me with all her strength, I felt her legs tremble as they were flushed to mine. The coil in my stomach tightened until it broke and my legs trembled as I felt my orgasm cover my boxers.
After our breathing returned to normal, Bella went to have a quick shower and then put on one my t-shirt with a pair of boxers. I showered after her and put on some sleep pants and a tank top. Bella and I slid under the covers, she snuggled closer to me, after a few minutes I felt her breathing even out, she had fallen asleep. I followed her shortly after with a smug smile plastered on my face. I couldn't see, but I had made my girlfriend cum again and I was very proud of that.
~BSOL~
Bella's POV
The next evening, we gathered to watch the holiday Project Runway episode, and after the first challenge was over and the winners had been announced, it was time for Alice's video and presents. Alice was teary eyed as she watched the playback, as it neared the end I grabbed onto Edward's hand and squeezed it lightly making him aware of what was to come.
"One last thing before we go, we wanted to let you know…Let all of you know that we are engaged!" Alice's shriek of happiness could be heard in the room. After that they passed a clip of her at the confessional.
"I knew it, I knew it! Edward and Bella, I love you and I can't wait to win this thing to make your wedding attire!" She said clapping her hands with glee. After that clip the show went to commercial, the living room was silent for a few seconds.
"Congratulations, my darlings!" Mom came towards us, Edward and I stood to hug her.
That seemed to put everyone out of their initial shock and soon enough they were congratulating us. Esme was sitting on one of the side chairs rocking Junior, she had yet to say something.
"Mom?" Edward said.
She stood up and handed the baby to Carlisle, then walked the short distance towards us.
"Congratulations son, I'm happy for you," she said with a smile, Esme then hugged both of us too.
"I know I already apologized, but I'm truly sorry Edward, Bella for everything that happened between us. Bella, I wanted to thank you for not giving up on me and for standing your ground. You are an amazing woman, the right woman for him," she said, her eyes glassy with tears.
"Excuse me," she said leaving the room.
By then the show was back on and we continued watching Alice as she made her way through the second challenge and was one of the saved contestants that night.
Alice's POV
8 weeks later…
When this journey started twelve weeks ago I was so scared but excited at the same time. During this time, I've missed my family and Jasper but I knew they were supporting me behind the scenes. My college classmates had done fliers with my contestant number so that people would vote for me and had plastered them all over campus and the city.
At home many watch parties happened every night the show is on. I've been able to see Jasper and talk to my family a few times. Sometimes I've been able to do this by winning challenges. In some challenges I've won money, exposure, and various prizes that will be given to me at the end of the show whether I was the winner or not.
My popularity amongst the viewers and judges brought me some problems in the loft. Some of the other contestants didn't like me as much, but in the midst of everything I managed to make a new friend Bree Tanner, a fellow Floridian from Lakeland. Both of us have managed to make it to the final.
In the past few weeks I haven't been feeling well, the doctor has been called twice, thankfully it hasn't made it into the show as I didn't want to worry my family. For a moment I thought that I would have to leave the competition prematurely, but that wasn't the case.
I asked the producers that they let Carlisle know, I wanted him to be informed, and he said I should go to a doctor for further evaluation. The production arranged an appointment, and the doctor said that my headaches were caused because of the stress of the show. He prescribed some medication and told me to rest for a day. When I felt better using sunglasses (because lights bothered me) I finished my design and managed to pass to the next round.
The finale was finally here, I was so excited I had managed to finish the collection on time. It was inspired by my family, I styled the models to look like them. The star models of the collection were going to be styled like Edward and Bella. I was happy that my family was able to come, my immediate family had received tickets to come to the final. The rest were going to gather at a theater nearby to watch the finale along with the other friends and family of the rest of the contestants.
In the end only four of us were left out of the fourteen contestants that had started this journey.
"How are you feeling?" Heidi Klum asked me.
"I'm nervous, but glad that it is the final night. I'm dying to know who's going to conquer the runway," I smiled at the camera.
"You have come a long way Alice, what do you have to say to others that have the same dream as you." she said.
"To never give up, to strive for greatness because one day your dream, whichever it may be, will come true too," I replied.
"What are you excited about, apart from knowing who's going to win?" She inquired.
"Seeing my family and my boyfriend, I miss them terribly,"
"If you could vote for anyone tonight, who would you vote for?" She said smiling.
"Apart from myself? I would vote for Bree," I replied solemnly.
"Thank you, Alice," Heidi said.
After that she went her way to interview other contestants. I went to one of the mirrors to check my hair and make-up when all of the sudden I saw six familiar people looking back at me. I turned around and gasped surprised.
"EDWARD!" I yelled running towards my family, I nearly tackled my much taller brother with the force of my hug.
"Hi there," he said, smiling at me.
"Oh, I missed you so much!" I exclaimed, hugging Bella and everyone behind her.
"allish, allish" Junior called motioning for me to grab him. Mom handed him to me and my little brother snuggled in my chest. I started crying as he didn't want to let go, Jasper wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.
"I love you darling and I'm so proud of you," he said.
The reunion lasted about twenty minutes, after that we were all called into the runway room where the show was going to start. My family left to find their seats, so I went my way with the other finalists…
Everything was running smoothly, the only problem was my head, I had a massive headache. It was very bad, I could feel my temples pulsing but there was nothing I could do about it. The runway show of my collection just finished and they had paused for a commercial break. I barely had time to check my makeup and have some water. The competition was not over, we still needed to know who's going to win.
About two minutes later we were live again, Heidi and Tim called us to the end of the runway.
"The first person to be eliminated is… Amun Kebi. Thanks for your fantastic display of talent," Heidi said. Amun hugged everyone and stepped down from the runway.
"And now, the next contestant to go is…Riley Biers," Heidi said. Riley said goodbye to all of us and then she stepped off the runway just like Amun had done.
"And now, the moment that all of America has been waiting for, the 2013 project runway winner is MARY ALICE MASEN!" Heidi said as the roars of the crowds erupted all around me, I saw the smiling cheering faces of my family and Bree. I gave them a beaming smile, and that's all I remember because then something inside my head snapped, my body went stiff and I felt hot. My eyes closed and I felt myself falling as everything went black.
Any guesses of what's going on with Alice? Don't fret the next chapter is written so you only have to wait a week to find out.
How did you like the addition of the babies Carlisle Jr. and Isaac (Bella's brother) should Charlie have the opportunity to be a father again too?
A/N: The story is ending, we have less than 3 or 4 chapters left including the epilogue.
This notification thing sucks! I suggest you download the ffn app if you do not have it already. Let me know what you think about this chapter. See you next week!
