Scar Tissue- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Taken for a Fool- The Strokes

"Okay, just press down hard on the pedal with your right foot, and you should feel the momentum before you press down again with your left," I said, holding the seat of the bike as I readied myself for Alice's first attempt at riding it.

"Don't let me fall!" she cried, moving the pedal.

"I won't," I promised, jogging behind her while keeping the bike steady as she stiffly rotated the pedals. "Don't look at your feet, it'll throw your balance off."

"But then I can't find the pedals," she complained, keeping her eyes trained at her feet rather than where she was going.

"Just l-listen to Bella!" Edward called from his seat on the grass. I turned to look at him over my shoulder, unable to keep my eyes from him very long. So gorgeous, I thought, enraptured with the way the wind twirled his long, silky hair.

"Pay attention!" Alice hissed through gritted teeth, "You can moon over my brother later!"

I laughed, maintaining my hold on the seat of the bike and propelling the frame forward while also keeping the steering straight so all Alice had to do was focus on pedaling, learning the most essential mechanics behind riding a bike.

Alice had insisted she wanted to learn how to ride a bike before she turned seventeen. "Sixteen is still young enough, but seventeen? I'm not going to basically be an adult and not know how to do one of the most signature childhood experiences."

Edward had less interest in learning how to ride a bike, but was thoroughly enjoying watching Alice, and had burst out laughing when Alice couldn't touch the ground with her feet once she perched on the bike seat. She had stretched her toes to a point and kicked her feet back and forth, and the display sent Edward into hysterics, clutching his sides and tears streaming down his face.

"Do you want to try turning?" I asked, easing up on my grip on the seat so Alice was essentially riding without my assistance. Alice just hummed in response, devoting more focus than I thought possible on a singular task. "Okay, just moving the steering bar a bit to the right and stop pedaling while you turn, just coast through, and when you straighten out you can pedal again."

I let the bike go so Alice could coast, looping around in a figure eight on the empty road near my house. I wanted to go to a parking lot, but Alice found the idea embarrassing and wanted a more private lesson.

"Are you sure you don't want to learn?" I asked Edward, turning away from a whooping Alice who was successfully riding a bike for the first time.

He shrugged. "Don't r-really s-see the point."

"It's an important human milestone," I said, sinking into the grass next to him to wrap my arms around his shoulders and nestle my face in the crook of his neck. I felt like I could never be close enough to him- I just wanted to crawl inside of him and warm myself with his heat until we melted together.

"It r-rains b-basically every d-day here. When am I g-going to go b-bike riding?"

"It's not raining now," I sighed, opening my mouth to lick at his skin. The taste there was delectable, so concentrated with the steady thread of his pulse protected by only delicate skin. He was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted, like honey and lilac, so sweet and mouthwatering. Not even the small taste of human blood I had consumed when I changed Rose could compare to lightly sucking on his skin. I wondered if the flavor would be more concentrated in other parts of his body, and with our newfound physical openness, I hoped the day I could explore would come soon.

I could both feel and hear the increase in his heart rate, and the subtle release of testosterone made his scent somehow heavier and more complex, and let me know that he was as thoroughly enjoying the machinations I was performing on his throat as I was.

He sighed shakily, his breath coming out in pants. I felt his hand on my neck and he tugged, the pressure telling me he was trying to move me. I moaned, pulling away sadly when all I wanted was to continue drinking him in, but I was quickly rewarded by Edward arching up to press his lips to mine.

I sank into him, putting one knee between his legs so I was straddling his thigh. As much as I wanted to caress every inch of his skin, I deliberately placed my hands on his shoulders and rested them heavily so he would feel the firmness of my touch. He opened his mouth to me, and the taste of him here was impossibly more profound. I moaned into him as his tongue came forward to meet my own, dancing together like we were created to do this.

"Ahh!" Alice screeched, forcing me apart from Edward. I disengaged and turned just quick enough to see her take a turn too sharp, her short legs not quite reaching the ground enough to break her fall. The smell of Alice's blood reached me also immediately, a sparkling flavor of citrus and jasmine wafting through the air. I jumped up and jogged over to her at a human pace, resisting the urge to dart over. As shrewd as Alice seemed, I had no plans on fully diverging the truth of my nature.

"I thought I was starting to get it!" she cried, sliding out from underneath the fallen bike, leaving behind a few drops of blood on the pavement. I pulled her up by her elbows and inspected her palms, which were littered in small scrapes that came from trying to break her fall.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think falling while learning to ride a bike is also a rite of passage," I murmured, holding her hands out and away from her body so she wouldn't be tempted to wipe them on her clothes. "Let's go inside and clean you up."

"You okay, Al?" Edward asked, standing but still in the grass where I had left him.

"She's fine," I answered for Alice, who was still sniffling indignantly but following me up the road to walk down our driveway. "Would you mind bringing the bike?"

"Sure, I g-got it."

"Do you feel alright? You didn't hit your head did you?" I asked Alice.

"No, just my hands and knees. Stupid bike is too tall."

"Oh, man! What happened!" Emmett was in the front yard walking to the garage, but turned on his heel to head towards us, noticing that I was supporting Alice as she limped and shuffled down the driveway.

I shook my head imperceptibly to humans, and pitched by voice low so Alice couldn't hear, "She's bleeding." It wasn't much blood, to be fair, but there were still tiny ruby droplets leaking from her knees, and it would be safest if the house was empty when we entered.

Emmett understood, and stopped in his tracks. "I'm gonna go set the first aid kit out," he said, turning again and jogging at a human pace up the front steps. We followed behind him just two minutes later, but a quick inhale told me that Emmett and Esme had left out the back, while Rose was still in one of the outer garages.

True to his word, Emmett had left one of many first aid kits in our home on the kitchen counter, and I quickly wiped Alice's cuts with disinfectant before applying an antibiotic cream and band aids.

"Can I go lay down?" Alice asked quietly, looking like she was going to cry again.

"Sure, my room is on the third floor, last room on the right. But Alice, this was nothing to feel bad about. If anything, it was my fault for not paying attention. If I had been, I could have caught you."

"It's okay. Like you said, everyone falls the first time. I'm just tired," she smiled weakly and left me in the kitchen, the signature poise in her shoulders deflated. I imagined she wasn't lying about being tired, though. Every night, her slumber was fitful and abound with nightmares, but she hadn't mentioned it to me, so I didn't know how to broach the subject with her.

"Where's Alice?" Edward asked, coming into the kitchen just as I set the alcohol wipes in a bowl to set aflame.

"She went to lay down. It seems riding a bike is exhausting."

"Woah," Edward voiced as I dropped a match in the dish and let the fire burn away every trace of blood, "What are y-you d-doing?"

"We're a bit sensitive to blood around here," I grinned, grabbing the bleach from under the sink to wipe down the counter. Edward watched as I worked, rinsing out the bowl and cleaning it with bleach and then soap. I inhaled deeply, scenting out the faint smell of a scant drop of blood in the grout of a tile at the entrance of the kitchen. I scrubbed it with bleach, letting the liquid soak in and destroy the allure of the blood so no one in my family would be at all uncomfortable.

"You c-can really smell th-that?"

"Our sense of smell is very acute," I confirmed.

Edward looked around the kitchen and frowned. "Did Esme l-leave?"

"Everyone did."

"B-Because of a f-few s-scrapes on Alice's knees?" He seemed incredulous, and I tilted my head and studied him.

"I told you, Carlisle and I are the only ones with a firm control over our thirst."

"I d-didn't realize that it w-was s-so extreme… That s-something s-so minor…"

"Well, yes. I mean, Rose is quiet in control. She's still out in her garage. And Emmett is more practiced than Esme, given the variability of attending high school and the papercuts and scrapes that come with a swarm of teenagers. Esme has less exposure to it, so she's less practiced."

"What d-do you d-do when you s-smell blood, then?"

"I don't do anything. It doesn't bother me. But for the others, at first whiff, they hold their breath and remove themselves from the situation."

"They h-hold their breath?" Again, with the incredulity.

"We don't have to breathe, it's mostly a habit. And cutting off the sense of smell is uncomfortable. But we don't need oxygen to survive."

I stored the bleach away as Edward watched me silently, leaning against the counter in a position that emphasized the definition of his biceps.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, stealing his line.

"I j-just…" he sighed, shaking his head before looking at me, "I d-didn't r-realize that it was d-difficult for everyone. I d-don't know what I thought, but I d-didn't r-realize it was s-so extreme."

"I'm not very representative of our kind," I admitted, "But in their defense, none of us are representative of the whole of our kind, and it takes an enormous amount of practice and control to reign in that baser nature."

"Why d-do it th-then?"

"What?" I asked in horror.

"D-Don't get me wrong, I'm g-glad you d-do. B-But if it's s-so unnatural…"

I placed my hand over Edward's, rubbing my thumb across the top of his soft skin in my need for physical connection with him. "We don't want to be monsters. For Carlisle, the value for human life came from his religious upbringing, but it originally manifested itself in an enormous amount of self-hate when he was first turned." Edward's brows raised at that confession, but I continued, "And for me, I was with my human family for decades after my change, and it was ingrained in me from the moment I opened my eyes that they were the center of my world.

"Esme is enormously compassionate and has an unparalleled capacity to love. Rosalie values humanity above all else, and Emmett values Rose above everything- though he also finds humans hilariously entertaining."

"What is it l-like then, t-to s-smell blood?"

I sighed, trying to find the words. "It's frenzied, and probably the only time we are completely single-minded and focused on only one thing. But I don't think I have an analogy that would accurately convey the pull to human blood."

"But you d-don't experience th-that?" He appeared to want further confirmation, and I smiled and turned to press myself into him. I bounced up to lean on the balls of my feet and pressed my lips to the hollow of his throat, always happy to take advantage of his need for reassurance.

"The pull? I feel it, but not for your blood…" I trailed off, opening my mouth on his skin to suckle on his exquisite flavor. Edward pulled in a shaky breath as I continued my machinations, trying my hardest to not suck it in enough to leave a lasting mark, but so consumed with his flavor that it was difficult to focus on much else but the throbbing beat of his heart and the venom pooling in my mouth as my desire flooded me. I moved my mouth up, standing a bit taller to reach, and trailed up his throat, stopping to lick the sharp curve of his jaw.

I peeked up at him to see his full lips parted as he panted, his smoldering green gaze meeting mine. I pressed the length of my body into his and my hands snaked around the clutch at the back of his neck so I could pull him down to meet me.

I could feel every inch of his body as his tongue slid over mine, slipping and massaging and retreating so he could suck on my bottom lip in the most sensual of dances, eliciting a moan from deep in my chest. Not even blood could compare to the taste of Edward, and I found myself swallowing back venom as my throat burned in a very different desire, spreading lower and lower.

I felt it in my chest, right where my dead heart would have been beating in tandem with Edward's pulse. But it was also blooming lower, an insistent and pulsating heat at the apex of my thighs as my desire grew, but I ignored it and dedicated myself to the moment, because Edward was my bliss. In response to my moan, Edward answered with little sounds made as our tongues slid against one another, a mix between a whimper and a groan.

I was so consumed in the moment that I barely noticed his push against me, since he was still moving his mouth against mine. But push he did, and I stepped back to let him move as I assumed he needed to. Instead, he put his hands on my hips and flipped us around so I was pressed against the counter and his body was molded to mine. I moved my lips down back to his throat as he panted, a heady scent of honey and flowers blanketing me and permeating my hair. I sucked his supple skin into my mouth, his fragrant blood protected only by his delicate skin, and listened for his gasping moan that indicated he was enjoying this as much as I was.

I let him pull away from me again because I knew he was just moving my lips from his neck to his mouth, recapturing me and trapping me in his fragile embrace, his arms resting on the counter on either side of me.

I could have stayed on the tips of my toes for eternity, but Edward moved his hands from the counter back to my hips and pressed his fingers into me, trying to move me up. I knew what he wanted again and, never disconnecting from him, I hopped up on the counter and opened my legs for Edward to stand between them.

I wanted to wrap myself around him, but I just let his warmth press into my thighs as I worked to memorize every striation of muscle on his tongue and every delicate curve of his full lips. He withdrew his tongue to again suck on my bottom lip, this time with his teeth added to softly brush against the inside of my lip. With the scraping pressure, I moaned into him and pressed my hands to his back as tightly as I possibly could without damaging his delicate skin.

It was then I felt it, a hardness against my inner thigh separated by only two layers of flimsy jeans- mine and Edward's. He was erect, and I felt the burn of venom in my eyes with unshed tears of joy. It was the most honest demonstration that Edward could possibly want me even a fraction as much as I wanted him. I moaned again, uncontrollable and loud into his mouth as I scooted forward on the counter to try to press him into the pounding at the apex of my thighs, trying to find some balm to the unfamiliar but wild desire.

I had lost myself in my passion and the taste of Edward so much that I hadn't realized that he was leaning back, pressing against my tight grip and away from me as his lips stopped moving against mine. I loosened my hold and he stumbled away, tripping backward and falling down to land on his back. I was so stunned by his sudden frantic withdrawal that I didn't even reach forward to stop his fall, and winced as he was barely able to brace his fall with his hands.

It was a complete one-eighty change. One moment, I was happily kissing Edward, his teeth pulling on my lip and his erection pressing into me, and in mere seconds we were here. Edward was huddled on the kitchen floor, his arms wrapped around his legs and his face pressed into his knees as he curled into a ball. I slid off the counter and crouched in front of him.

"Edward?" I said softly, reaching over to touch his knee, "I'm so sorry. I never should have let it get so far. I'm so incredibly sorry."

I could taste the salt of his tears before they even puddled in his eyes, and the tracks they left on his pinkened cheeks broke my dead heart. I recognized the panic for what it was, and rubbed my hand up and down his knee, and then gently patted his head in what I hoped was a reassuring manner.

I hated this, but I despised myself for being the cause of it. I let it run its course, his breathing quick and desperate as he hyperventilated into his knees. I whispered reassuring words, but it was several minutes until he evened out and came back to me, the panic residing and making way for an emotion I had become attuned to with my mate- shame.

"I'm s-s-sorry," he gasped, listing his head up to prop his chin on his knees but not meeting my gaze. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help but be enamored by the plumpness of his swollen lips.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said fiercely.

"I'm n-not n-normal," he said, dropped his knees to sit cross-legged in front of me, his elbows digging to his thighs as he rested his head in his hands. "You d-deserve s-s-so much more th-than me, s-so much more th-than I c-can give you. I mean, l-look at me. I'm b-b-broken. I'm b-broken, and dark, and c-corrupted and you're s-so good. You d-deserve s-someone who can g-give you everything you w-want. S-Someone who c-c-can… w-without fucking b-breaking d-down."

I let him rant, though I vehemently disagreed with everything he said, but it seemed like he needed to express himself, and I wanted to know exactly what needed to be corrected in his thoughts. In this, I could get a glimpse of the darkness he experienced and understand how he honestly felt about himself. I hoped he was more bare and honest in therapy, and that his therapist was also working to correct his self-hate.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed when he finished, unable to hold myself back from wrapping my arms around him. He was uncharacteristically stiff, keeping himself still as I pressed my cheek to his and tried to hold him to me. "I'm so sorry.

"I'm sorry that I pressured you. It was too much, too soon. You've made your boundaries very clear. You explicitly told me that you weren't ready for anything more, but I quite literally pressed you. This is entirely my fault, not yours." I reached forward to cradle his face in my hands, usurping his own hands to press my palms to the solid angles of his cheekbones. "I'm going to address your concerns one by one, and I need for you to listen and be open. When I'm done, then you can interrupt.

"No, you're not normal. You are exceptional. I have never met a more extraordinary person- you are absolutely singular. I've never met a human so at ease amongst vampires, so completely unphased by the supernatural. You are insanely well-read and well-versed in such a diverse array of topics- from Renaissance art to graffiti, from Spanish to piano.

"You're wrong when you say you don't deserve me. You deserve me, and so much more than I could ever give you. You deserve someone warm and alive, someone who can grow and change with you. Instead, you've fallen in love with me. I'm no longer alive, and I can never give you children, and I can never grow old and gray with you. We will never sit on rocking chairs on a porch and watch over our grandchildren, but still, this cold, dead heart is completely yours. There is nothing left in this world that I desire, because you have in turn given me your heart.

"You are not broken. You are not dark. You are not corrupted. I understand that this is frustrating, that you are angry with yourself. But you are so incredibly strong, and the fact that you are making an effort and are putting in the work in therapy should highlight the leaps and bounds of progress you have already made. I am unspeakably proud of you. But you are bright and beautiful and so painfully wonderful that it's impossible to put into words.

"You say that you are corrupted, and I'm good, but Edward… I know you've experienced unspeakable horrors, but so have I. Before I met Carlisle, I was so lost, so complacent, that I'm complicit in a great number of horrors committed by those I considered friends and comrades. You know my age, you know my past, and yet you still see me as this bright and untouched creature. Why, then, can you not understand that I feel the same for you?

"Importantly, though, I am a patient person. I have waited for you for five centuries. I will wait however long you need to pursue greater intimacy. And anything you need from me, I will give you. If it's time, or practice, or even if you need space, I will do that for you. From now until I cease to exist, you are the center of my universe. I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with you."

He cried softly, unable to respond to my soliloquy with anything more than gentle sobs and persistent tears. I frowned sadly, wishing that I could fix this for him, wishing that I could eliminate these triggers he held psychologically as I would be eliminating James and Victoria for creating them. One day, soon, I would find them somehow. As I held my mate gently in my arms, I even contemplated asking Demetri for help, if my own search turned fruitless. I would be in Volterra anyways, and Demetri and I had always been friendly. If, in some miracle, Aro and Caius decided to let me go, I could request help from the vampire who assisted me in learning my gift. They never had to know the reason behind wanting to torture and tear two humans to pieces. Perhaps they would even think I was becoming normal, or what they considered such.

"Bella?" Edward whispered, his breathing evening out slightly and allowing his voice to return. I pulled back, keeping my hands on his shoulders so he could feel my reassurance and presence, but I needed to look him in the eyes. The rings of red from a long cry only served to brighten the verdant color, the soft leaves of emerald in his irises sparkling with the sheen of tears on his lenses.

"Yes?"

"I… I w-was…" he swallowed thickly, but never broke eye contact as he finished, "raped."

My frown deepened, and my eyes burned intensely with venom I could never shed, no matter how desperate I was to do so. "I know. I'm sorry." I had nothing more to offer him than my words and reassuring touches. He just nodded and leaned back into me, head resting on my shoulder.

We stayed like this for quite some time, the only sounds around the whimpers of another nightmare as Alice napped, and the gentle tracking of tears as they descended down Edward's cheeks and were absorbed by the fabric of my shirt. I rubbed my hands up and down his back, holding him and letting him process through whatever memory he had been gripped in.

"I'm s-s-sorry," he laughed, wiping tears with the back of his hand as he pulled away from my embrace, "I f-feel l-like I'm always s-such a mess."

"No more than me," I confessed, bringing his hand to my hair to press the drying tears to my cheek. "I feel like I'm always waffling between emotional extremes. Sometimes I think I'm going insane, but our family has assured me that it's quite normal with our bond."

"It is?"

"Apparently, yes, though I can't recall Esme and Carlisle being quite so volatile. On the other hand, we seem tame in comparison with Emmett and Rosalie. I don't like to divulge too much about the details of others' lives and relationships, since our acute hearing provides so little privacy. But Rosalie not only ran away from Emmett more times than I can count, she also used to throw stuff at him. So thank you for not destroying furniture, too." I was teasing, and Edward smiled in response and moved his hand from my cheek to the back of my head to guide me to meet his lips.

The only thing that drew me away was the insistent rattle of the house telephone, which also seemed to rouse Alice. I pulled Edward up with me, off the cool tile of the kitchen floor, so he could fix himself lunch from the cold cuts in the refrigerator and various other ingredients. I enjoyed cooking for Edward, nourishing his body and providing him with something tangible, but I had learned that sandwiches were strictly his domain. He put bizarre toppings on them that I had never seen combined with lunch meat and bread, such as marshmallow fluff, or cornflakes.

"Cullen residence," I answered, picking up the slim black phone hanging in the kitchen.

"Bella, darling," a lilting voice purred from the receiver.

"Hello, Tanya. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she said dismissively, and I could almost see her wave her hand to brush me off. "I'm just calling to let you know that it seems we chased poor Jasper off. I'm afraid I may have been a tad assertive."

"Oh, that's too bad," I said honestly. I had been a bit preoccupied when I had met the dashing Southern soldier, but he seemed like he was genuinely in search of a less violent existence, and I had really been hoping he would stick it out in Alaska. It had only been two months, so I doubted he had built up the tolerance to maintain a vegetarian diet on his own.

"Yes, I'm sad, too. It was fun to have him play with our emotions with that gift of his, not to mention that he's very alluring," Tanya sighed, "But speaking of alluring, do I hear that lovely mate of yours by your side?"

"Indeed," I confirmed, unable to hold back my smile.

"Give him my love."

"I will. And how is your family?"

"Ah, Kate has a new boyfriend. He's transient, a logger just passing through, but he's quite large and she seems to be greatly enjoying him. I may have to partake when she discards him for the next flavor." I couldn't help but to giggle at a tale of their promiscuity, ever fascinated by their unique lifestyle.

"And Irina? And Eleazar and Carmen?" I was curious. We usually kept in contact with one another every few weeks, but I had been so wrapped up in my Edward bubble that I hadn't noticed the passage of time.

"Irina is down in Anchorage for the moment looking for a new lover, and with Jasper gone today, I'll likely join her. And Eleazar and Carmen are just fine. Carmen is dabbling in portraiture, and of course her favorite subject is Eleazar, so we have canvas after canvas of him in various outfits and poses. I'm sure there must be a few nudes around somewhere. If I come across one, I'll be sure to send it your way."

"Oh, I'm sure Esme would love that!" I exclaimed sarcastically, imagining the look on her face if she was the one to open the package that came in.

"Something tells me your dear adoptive mother is kinkier than we think."

"Tanya, please!" I laughed, massaging my temples with my free hand.

"And how is the rest of your family?"

Alice had danced downstairs and was seated next to Edward, sneaking potato chips off his plate, so I chose my words carefully, "All the same, here. Esme is immersing herself in interior design again. I think she may even go back to school for it soon. Carlisle enjoys his work, as always. And Emmett and Rose are looking into opening a body shop where Rose can work as a mechanic once they graduate high school, though Em may pursue a business degree to help them along."

"More school! I don't know how you all do it. I don't even find the younger boys very enticing- though yours is an exception," she added, and I could hear the suggestive grin in her voice. I rolled my eyes, knowing that as taken as she seemed with Edward for the few hours we spent in that clearing, it was entirely innocent.

"Education is important."

"So is pleasure."

"I assure you, we wont for nothing."

"Now of that, I'm sure. I thought you were broken for a while there."

"Mmmm," I hummed noncommittally, wanting to reserve this conversation for another day where I had more privacy, especially with two humans- one of whom I did not think knew of the supernatural- listening intently.

"Prying ears abound?" she asked, sensing my hesitancy,

"Indeed," I repeated.

"Well, I suppose I should be going if I want to meet Irina in Anchorage before the sun sets. Give everyone my love, and Edward especially."

"Of course. Tell everyone I say hello."

"Goodbye, Bella."

"Happy hunting, Tanya." I hung up the phone with the sound of her laugh still ringing from the receiver.

I walked to the center of the kitchen to join Edward and Alice at the small table we kept in there, mostly unused but for Edward snacking. "That was Tanya. She wanted me to tell you she says hello."

Edward's blush was a lovely pink spread across his neck, blooming up to lick across his arching cheekbones.

"Who's Tanya?" Alice asked, stifling a yawn as she combed her fingers through her dark and messy hair.

"My cousin from Alaska. She and her family were in town a few months ago, and Tanya and Edward really hit it off," I teased, enjoying the deepening of Edward's flush as he shifted uncomfortably and his full lips twitched with a hidden smile.

"I never get invited to anything," Alice complained grumpily, folding her arms across her chest.

"You just threw a party here two weeks ago!"

"Oh, that doesn't count," she sighed again, taking another chip from Edward and crunching thoughtfully before coughing on the crumbs.

"How are your knees?" I asked, getting up and pouring them both glasses of water.

"Fine," Alice coughed again, this time heavier and I could hear the thickness of phlegm deep in her throat.

"So what are our plans for the rest of the week?" I asked, reaching my hand over to still Edward's bouncing leg, since both of his hands were still occupied with his enormous second sandwich. I loved the feeling of his soft flesh, so radiating with warmth even through the denim of his jeans, and my hand molded to the shape so I could gently stroke my thumb along the outside of his leg.

"Port Angeles tomorrow and Thursday, but other than that… I know Charlie wants us to see if we can get a job next week, but only if we can find somewhere to work together because he doesn't want either of us walking around alone," Alice pursed her lips and traced her finger along the outside of her water glass, collecting condensation to swirl across the table in delicate, indecipherable patterns.

"And Sunday?" I pushed, looking at her from beneath my lashes. I felt Edward stiffen beside me, the muscle in his leg clenching tightly.

"What did you have in mind?" Alice asked, raising her delicate brows.

"I thought you would for sure want a party of some kind."

"I think Edward's had his fill of parties."

Edward made an objecting noise and quickly swallowed a large bite of his sandwich. "If you w-want a p-party, I don't m-mind!"

Alice rolled her eyes and stared at him, her eyes narrowing after a moment. Edward cocked his head to the side, then snorted. It was as if they were having a conversation with one another without words, and another minute passed in intense staring before Edward leaned back in his chair and threw his hands up, palms out and facing Alice. "Whatever y-you w-want."

Alice grinned triumphantly, one side of her mouth tilted just a fraction of an inch above the other in a moderately crooked smile she got from her brother. "Excellent. Then maybe just a quiet dinner at home with you and Charlie?" she turned to me questioningly, an unnecessary quest for confirmation because I would of course be there for their birthday.

"You don't even need to ask."

"Have you gotten us anything?" Her smile turned mischievous, and Edward groaned and shot her a glare, but again she rolled her eyes dismissively at her twin.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Alice groaned in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose in another habit she shared with Edward, as it was something they both did when they were focusing intensely on something.

"Can we just watch a movie or something?"

"You don't want to try to ride the bike again?"

"Maybe another day. I think the weather is supposed to be okay on Friday." At that, she got up and walked to the living room to deposit herself huffily on the couch. I looked after her. As usual, she confounded me, and I didn't understand her in the least.

"Is she okay?" I asked Edward, picking up his plate before he had the chance and cleaning it quickly so he had no time to object.

He shrugged. "Alice h-has h-her own r-reasoning for everything, b-but it usually makes s-s-sense in the end."

"And are you okay?" I wrapped myself around him, my hands on his back and our fronts pressed together so I could rest my chin on his chest and look up at him. His hands encircled my waist automatically, pulling me ever closer.

"I'm okay," he said, moving a hand from my hip to cup my cheek, the heat blooming from his touch as I absorbed his warmth. "I'm j-just… y-you know. I g-get th-these flashbacks and I f-feel l-like I'm th-there again."

"I'm sorry."

"It's n-not your f-fault."

"I love you," I offered, unable to give him anything more than my whole heart.

"As I love you."

He leaned down to kiss me, chaste and gently moving his soft lips against mine. The whole words felt inconsequential when I was in his arms, and I knew that I could do this for all eternity and be blissfully happy.

"Are we gonna watch a movie, or what?" Alice yelled from the living room, breaking up apart. Edward looked down at me and carefully twisted an errant curl behind my ear, his warm fingers brushing the curve of my cheek. "Hello!" she shouted again, more insistent, and Edward chuckled at her impatience, tugging me behind him to curl up on the couch and only partially pay attention to the drivel of a romantic comedy that Alice was engrossed in.

I hope it's okay. The next couple of chapters are still character development focused, and you'll see some progress. And maybe, don't hold me to it, but maybe even something lemony.