After configuring the best route and the fifty-ish hours it would take to drive home, they realized they would need more than one night's stay unless one drove the car while the other slept. That would be hard on them and the rental car, something Bella didn't want to risk.

When it got dark, Leah pointed out the first motel sign they crossed, and Bella carefully changed lanes as she headed for the exit. The motel was a one-story L-shaped log cabin-style building with a red metal roof surrounded by forest on three sides. It shared a parking lot with a small garage and gas station that had seen better days - decades ago, probably long before the entire building warranted the need for a powerwasher and something much stranger than Ajax. The dim overhead lights above the gas pumps blinked ominously across the lot, and the eerie feeling it provided made Jacob's lean-to 'Taj' seem like heaven.

"Hells, Bells, What House Of Wax Wrong Turn did we drive into?" Leah cracked open her tinted window to get a better look.

Bella snorted. "It looks a little odd, doesn't it?"

"I'm not so sure about this place," Leah said. "This looks like the set to a horror movie. And it smells… weird."

Bella laughed. The lot in front of the motel was surprisingly full despite the eeriness of the location. Bella pulled into one of the few open spaces and put the vehicle into Park as she sighed. "Hopefully they'll accept my card here."

Rolling her window back up, Leah asked, "You said your Dad put pepper spray in here, right?"

"Are you…" Bella turned to Leah and reached for her hand. "Are you, like, actually scared to be here?"

"I don't know." Leah shrugged and looked out across the lot. "Something feels… off. I'm sure it's nothing. Seriously, though, something reeks by the gas station. I'm wondering if they're cooking drugs in there. It's kind of like … sugary bleach and cat piss. Maybe there's a shitty pool around here or something." Her laugh sounded forced and her nose scrunched like she was trying to avoid the smell.

Nothing smelled off to Bella, but Leah wasn't usually one to complain. Despite stating it was nothing, the trembling in her hand clutching Bella's said otherwise. Bella released her hand and started the car.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. If you don't feel right here, I trust that." Bella backed out of the parking space and headed toward the road.

It was a few minutes, one fully opened window, and plenty of deep breaths before Leah stopped trembling and said, "Thanks, Bella. I'm sorry for that."

Again, Bella reached for Leah's hand, threading their fingers together. "Don't be. If I'd listened to my intuition instead of my head, it would have saved me from a lot of awful shit. I trust you more than anyone, and if you had a bad feeling, it was best that we left. You don't frighten easily, sweetie. I would never ignore that."

Leah's small, apologetic yet grateful smile didn't reach her sad eyes as she squeezed Bella's hand. "I appreciate you trust and believe me about things. Only my dad ever seemed to do that the way you do. Just… blindly, without exception, and you always have my back. You don't know what that means to me."

Bella kept her eyes on the road, drawing all her courage as she contemplated toeing the line of their friendship, something she'd tried so hard to avoid. "I'd do just about anything for you. You…" Bella scoffed under her breath. "You don't know what you mean to me, Leah."

Leah stared at Bella in silence for what felt like miles, filling Bella's chest with anxious little butterflies that slowly turned to dread as she waited for a response that never came.

It was another twenty minutes before they crossed a sign for a hotel chain, and again Bella carefully changed lanes toward the exit.

The two-story hotel loomed over the lot with pale yellow stone siding that stood out from the interstate, even in the dark. Large, evenly-spaced sliding windows covered the entire left side of the building. The parking lot was lit with several street lights, adding to the light shining through the massive domed window above the main doors leading into the hotel lobby. The manicured landscaping and lack of an ominous vibe permeating the entire property made Bella significantly more comfortable.

Leah smiled as they parked the car, much more at ease. In less than fifteen minutes they were in a 'fancy' outdated but immaculate room, placing their bags on the mauve carpet near the bed.

"I haven't seen this color scheme since I was a kid." Leah giggled. She ran her hand over a mauve, antique white, country blue, and hunter green floral overstuffed chair. "God, this is so mid-90s! I swear, we had a hand-me-down couch in this pattern."

Bella nodded, grateful the awkward silence seemed to have passed. "I'm pretty sure Renee did too, at some point. It was around the whole, 'Americana' trend where everyone had metal stars everywhere. And ducks."

"Well, this room only has one duck." Leah smirked over Bella's rueful glare as she pointed to the small desk in the corner where a porcelain duck-shaped paperweight sat beside a hideous gold lamp with an emerald green lampshade.

"Hilarious." Bella huffed, but couldn't help but laugh.

Leah giggled. "You looked just like your mom when you did that."

"Hey! I did just potentially save your life from that American Horror Story setup back there," Bella teased. "Rude!"

Leah cackled as Bella squatted to dig through her bag for something to sleep in, then went to investigate the bathroom. A happy squeal poured through the open doorway. Sticking her head around the doorframe, she said, "Bitch, this bathtub is one of those square jacuzzi tubs that take up half the fucking room and can fit like four people. What did they do? Give us the old honeymoon suite?"

"I doubt anyone has honeymooned here in a good decade," Bella snorted before winking at Leah. "Well, what are you waiting for? Don't miss your chance again. Get in there ."

She laughed as Leah turned on her heel and darted away. A second later, she heard the water turn on. Bella stood and began undressing, preparing to change for bed. She was about to remove her bra as Leah said, "Oh good. Get in here, Swan."

Bella turned toward her curiously as Leah pulled her shirt over her head, then tossed it to the bed.

"Come share this giant fucking tub with me." Leah darted back into the bathroom before Bella could react, oblivious to the instant reddening of her skin or the catch in her breath as her heart began pounding.

Bella heard Leah stepping into the tub and the squeak of porcelain as she lowered herself into the water. A moment later, the jets turned on and Leah moaned. Bella took a deep breath to steady herself, unsure what to expect as she walked into the bathroom. She tried not to react to Leah's naked form under the rolling water as Leah relaxed against the side of the tub with her head tilted back and eyes closed.

Leah peeked one eye open at Bella, caught her heated stare, and laughed. "Don't look so embarrassed, Bells. It's not like you haven't seen everything I've got already."

Bella was unsure how she could simultaneously feel aroused and wish the floor would open and swallow her whole, but there she was.

Two days ago, she would have climbed in that tub with Leah without a second thought and laughed about it. Now, after a failed attempt to acknowledge how she felt about Leah and the resulting silence, her insecurities ached to rear their ugly heads.

Still… it was Leah. And Bella could be brave too. Sometimes.

She lowered her gaze to the floor as she approached the tub, silently reaching behind her to remove her bra. It landed on the floor near Leah's with her panties following. Leah chuckled as she watched her remove her socks last. Bella tried to keep her eyes on Leah's legs alone as she climbed over them into the tub. Choosing to sit opposite Leah, she carefully slid into the hot water and stretched her legs. The heat immediately soothed her physical tension, lulling her into a relaxed state as she closed her eyes, leaned back, and hoped to quiet her mind.

She kept her eyes closed as she both heard and felt Leah changing position in the tub, soon pressing her shoulder into Bella's. She slowly opened her eyes to meet Leah's stare and smiled before noticing the sadness behind her eyes. All nervousness and uncertainty were waysided as the desire to comfort Leah immediately took precedence. She brushed a short, wet strand of hair from Leah's brow.

"What's wrong?"

Leah turned and pressed her cheek to the tub ledge as she shook her head, keeping her eyes trained on Bella's face. "I don't know."

Bella narrowed her eyes suspiciously, wondering if it was because of her thinly veiled confession. Had she fucked everything up, exactly as she feared she would? Her heart returned to pounding, with fear this time.

Leah sighed. "I don't know, but I do know. I just don't know how to say it."

Suspecting Leah was trying to find a gentle way to address their relationship, Bella looked away, fixing her stare on the wall. She braced herself for the impending heartache, wishing Leah would stop staring at her as tears welled in her eyes. Blinking them back rapidly, she took a calming breath, silently wishing she could rewind to an hour earlier and keep her mouth shut.

"There's no one like you, Bella. I don't let people get this close, so what you and I have…" She growled in aggravation. "I feel like nothing I say will come out right. I'm kinda

Bella scoffed. Regret and self-loathing tasted bitter on her tongue as she muttered, "Pretty sure you're talking to the queen of fucked-up. You're not the one that somehow ruins everything they touch or clings to people you love so tight they practically run away screaming."

Leah flinched, blinking in surprise as she leaned away. "Is that what you think you do?"

"I know it is. It's what I did to Edward. He tried to leave me months before he did and I begged him not to both fucking times. I know I did it to Jake because I was constantly up his ass… Even when he cut me off, when Sam and Billy told me to stay away, I couldn't. I needed to hold onto my friendship with Embry so badly it made Sam get the wrong fucking idea, which just made Jake hate me even more somehow. And maybe I develop unhealthy fucking attachments to people, but it's hard not to when they keep abandoning you."

Glancing toward Leah, Bella sighed. "And then you… I needled you to get you to come on this trip with me because I didn't want to be without you for so long."

Leah chuckled. "You didn't needle me into coming. You offered, and I decided to because I wanted to. I needed the distance from everything at home and didn't want to go without you for two weeks either."

"But…" Bella said, sensing it coming.

"But…" Leah sighed. "Intimacy scares the bejeezus out of me."

Bella finally turned to look at her. "Huh?"

Since when? The woman was an open book, fearless and unapologetic in almost every circumstance.

" Romantic intimacy," Leah clarified, smiling though it didn't reach her eyes. ' Trusting someone with my heart,' and all that bullshit. Sam fucking devastated me when he left me for Emily. We'd loved each other since we were kids. He was supposed to be my fairytale ending, you know?"

Bella did know. She understood precisely. Edward might not have been her childhood love, but he had promised her forever, allowing her to dream and hope before crushing both, and her heart in one blow.

Leah said, "I know he's a bastard now, but Sam was kind and sweet back then Bells. Suddenly, he disappeared, returned an entirely different person, then asked me to marry him and cheated on me with Emily the same fucking day. I don't want to go through anything like that again. And after all the shit you've dealt with, I know you understand what it's like to hurt that much."

"I do." Bella nodded. That's why she'd tried to keep her feelings for Leah in check. While she rarely thought of Edward anymore, what Jacob did was still fresh. She'd allowed herself to hope for more and 'things changed' for the second time. That was the last thing she wanted to happen with Leah.

But, now that she'd opened this can of worms, the rest needed to come out. Like the night they'd spent with Paul, Bella felt she was on a speeding track, about to make a giant leap. It made her nauseous.

Tentatively, she said, "You've helped me heal a lot, you know? And I appreciate your friendship, Leah. I truly do… More than I can put into words."

Mimicking Bella's earlier tone, Leah asked, "But?"

"But there's more to it than that," Bella nearly whispered.

She sat up in the tub and pulled her knees to her chest as she again tried to muster all of her courage to continue. Might as well say it all if f Leah was planning to friend-zone her - and she highly suspected that's where the conversation was heading.

God, imagine being Mike Newton, doing this to himself all the fucking time. She shuddered.

"I feel a hell of a lot more for you than friendship, Leah. If that's not okay, then… I'll deal with it. It won't be the first time." Trying to lighten the mood, Bella teased, "Won't even be the first time I'd be firmly placed into the, 'just friends but we can make out' zone."

Leah's hand suddenly slid across Bella's under the water, threading their fingers together as she chuckled. "I, uh, had a little talk with Phil while you were outside with Renee."

The unexpected turn in conversation was frustrating. Changing the subject has to be a bad sign. Right? Bella squeezed her hand back, trying to breathe through the impending sadness threatening to crush her. "Oh?"

"He said he's never seen you as happy as he had that day, and he was fairly sure it was because of me. Phil loves you to death. I don't think you realize how much."

Surprised, Bella scoffed. "I know he does. He was happier to see me than expected, but Phil's always been good to me."

"He asked me not to break your heart, Bells."

Bella's head whipped toward Leah as she blushed. "W-what?" She sighed dramatically as she realized Renee and Phil must have talked about them privately (likely while Renee waited for the girls on the porch) to reach the same conclusion. Bella knew her mother was nosy and tended to meddle, but Phil?

Leah chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I told him he had the wrong idea about us, but he just gave me a look like I was a complete idiot. And I guess I am, in hindsight. I've been so busy trying to be what I thought you needed from me I didn't realize you wanted more…"

Bella's breath hitched again as she tried to understand. What Leah said could be taken several ways, and Bella was suddenly afraid to say the wrong thing.

Before she could respond, Leah continued, "I want you to be happy, Bella."

Bella stared into the water, grateful to move the conversation along. Bella knew Leah wanted her to be happy. Leah may not be particularly sentimental, but her actions spoke volumes. Leah's happiness was equally important to Bella, too. Didn't she know that?

Bella said, "That's all I want for you, too. Your happiness is important to me. Now… Do I want happiness for myself? Of course. I'm clearly clueless at how to obtain that for myself, but the thing is… Leah, I'm happy when you are. I'm happier when you're around. You make me a better person. A stronger person. I'm scared to death to lose you, Leah. I'm terrified of crossing some line that somehow pushes you away. You're too important."

Leah sat up and let go of Bella's hand to cup her face as Bella hesitated to meet her gaze. When she finally did, the sheer affection she found there made her tear up again as she released a shuddering breath.

"You make me better, too," Leah whispered and slowly leaned to press her lips to Bella's.

Bella froze beneath the kiss. Heat filled her limbs as her heart pounded in her chest. Her emotions rolled like the water, leaving her dizzy, and light-headed as Leah's lips gently melded with hers. All Bella could do was silently beg the universe to let this be something good for a change. She finally responded, kissing Leah back, savoring the sweet taste of her mouth for one long, breathless moment.

Leah pressed her forehead to Bella's, closed her eyes, and sighed. "I don't know why your being fuck buddies with Paul doesn't bother me much. I guess because I was part of some of that, but you never intentionally excluded me. You've always been open about how you feel about Paul. But the Kai and Declan thing was… difficult. I think I was testing myself."

"W-what do you mean?" Bella stammered. Leah had seemed so at ease with Kai and Declan that if she'd struggled with the situation, Bella never noticed. "Testing yourself?" She did not anticipate what Leah would say next.

"I was trying to see if I could handle watching you all over someone besides Paul…" Taking a deep breath as a slight blush filled her cheeks, she added, "Someone that's not me ."

"Oh…" Bella couldn't withhold the nervous smile that instinctively traversed her face. "And how did that turn out?"

"Not great," Leah admitted, laughing at herself as she looked away. "I won't lie, I was pretty into Declan too, but you seemed really fascinated with Kai and I just wanted you to be happy in the moment. I don't want you to think I'm a freak, but I enjoy watching you with others."

The lascivious grin she wore as she glanced at Bella's naked form and back made Bella blush instantly. Leah laughed. "Being part of what's happening is kinda great. Being on the outside of it…? Not so much."

Bella shook her head in disbelief. Leah enjoyed watching her interact with others but wanted to be included. Are we truly having this conversation?

But, as she considered it, Bella realized she felt the same. She enjoyed watching Leah with Paul, but Bella had also been part of that. It was the thought of Leah and Paul excluding her somehow she hated.

"God, I'm such a hypocrite," she muttered, more to herself than Leah.

Leah pushed the hair out of Bella's face as she asked, "Why do you think that?"

Bella realized she'd subconsciously turned toward Leah, that their legs were now entwined. She took a calming breath, letting the feeling of their connecting flesh soothe her somewhat. "Because I realize how unfair it was to spend the night with Paul without you when the thought of you doing the same thing makes me jealous as all Hell." She chuckled, shaking her head, embarrassed. "I can't help it, Leah. The idea of you in a relationship with someone else bothers me. A lot. I'm not used to getting jealous, but with you, I feel it."

Leah tried not to laugh, but her eyes shone with amusement over the admission. "We're not a couple, Bells. It didn't bother me. I swear. But I don't want Paul." Lowering her voice, she admitted, "And, honestly, I didn't want to go any further with Declan without you. I didn't think you'd go for it, though… and I already told you why Kai wasn't my type."

Bella's eyes widened at the revelation, making Leah laugh as she again said, "Oh…"

They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in contemplation. Eventually, Bella asked, "So where does this leave us?"

"I don't know," Leah said, shrugging again. "I like what we have. I'm not sure I want it to change…"

Her wet hand slid over Bella's arm toward her neck, sending a shiver through Bella as she held her breath, waiting for Leah to go on.

"I kind of love you just the way things are."

Again, Bella was unsure how to answer, assessing Leah's words. 'I love you just the way things are.' Not, 'I love things the way they are.'

Leah began stroking Bella's jaw with her thumb as she stared at Bella's lips. The tip of her pink tongue wetted her own as she took a deep breath. Bella melted under her touch, leaning toward her, tentatively sliding one hand around Leah's waist as she blinked back tears. As long as this beautiful woman wanted her, Bella would gladly take whatever Leah wanted to give. She'd do anything, be anything Leah wanted at that moment.

Quietly, she said, "Things don't have to change. If the way things are makes you happy, I'm okay with that. I want to give you whatever you want, Lee." She squeezed her eyes shut, again bracing herself for Leah's reaction. "I just want to be with you… I can deal if you don't want to be a couple..."

Leah tugged Bella closer as she asked, "What makes you think that?"

"Well, if you don't want things to change…? Also, you said you planned to date again when we got home."

Leah laughed and Bella realized she was pouting, her bottom lip puckered out, her brow furrowed in frustration. As Bella tried to school her features, Leah shook her head.

"I meant it when I said that but mostly because I didn't know how to address… this ." Leah gestured between them. "I know there's more than just friendship between us, Bells. It just scares the hell out of me to put some label on it or risk losing you if shit doesn't work out."

Bella smiled, nodding. She understood all too well. "I know it's scary, but I still want to try. If you do, that is. We don't have to rush anything, Leah. I'm fucking terrified, too. I'd rather have your friendship than nothing, but I can't help how I feel about you."

"Me too," Leah said, pressing her forehead back to Bella's, then sighing.

Bella said, "You won't lose me, either way. As long as you want me around, I will be. If it doesn't work out… I'll still be your friend. I can't imagine not being your friend."

Leah's warm breath trailed over Bella's face and chest as Bella tightened her hold on her waist. She swallowed nervously before tilting her head and pressing their lips together. Leah's eyes fluttered shut as she wrapped her other arm around Bella's waist and leaned back, pulling Bella with her.

Bella's blood pounded in her ears, her heart racing as Leah parted her lips for her, welcoming her tongue between them. One hand slid down to knead her right ass cheek as Bella moaned into Leah's mouth, and Bella carefully lifted one leg to straddle her firm thighs. Leah's hold on the back of Bella's neck tightened as she closed the slight gap between their bare chests, pressing them together, saturating Bella in her warmth despite the rapidly cooling water.

It was an odd time to notice they'd forgotten to turn the heat on with the jets.

The wayward thought disappeared as Bella moved her hands to trace the underside of Leah's breasts and slid her thumbs over her pert nipples. Leah tried to arch into Bella's hands as she whimpered, tugging Bella's bottom lip between her teeth.

The next thing Bella knew, Leah reached out one hand to turn off the jets as she nuzzled Bella away. She guided Bella off her lap, sliding from beneath her as she stood. Leah stepped out of the tub in all of her unabashed naked glory, rivulets of water sliding down her tan skin to splash on the tile. Leah held her hand out to Bella, silently beckoning her.

Holding onto the side of the tub instead, Bella slowly rose on unsteady legs before taking Leah's hand and climbing out. She didn't expect it as Leah shook out a towel and gently wrapped it around her before grabbing one for herself. Each dried off slowly, unable to keep their eyes off the other. The air between them was thick with renewed tension, and Bella couldn't stop trembling as she tucked her towel around her body. Her mind and heart were overwhelmed.

Leah seemed entirely calm as she lay her towel down to sop the puddle from the floor and reached for Bella's hand again. She tugged Bella behind her, leading her from the bathroom to the bedroom, and released her beside the bed to turn out the light.

As Bella reached for her pajamas, Leah caught her wrist to stop her. "Those can wait…"

Bella looked up just in time to catch Leah's hungry expression before their mouths crashed together in a searing kiss. Bella's knees turned to jelly as her towel fluttered to the floor at her feet and her arms instinctively wrapped around Leah, pulling her closer. Leah guided her backward to the bed, and with a gentle shove, their lips parted with a loud smack as Bella fell back and bounced against the mattress, then giggled.

As she took a moment to appreciate Leah's flawless, naked figure, a rush of arousal left her blushing, her limbs tingling as need pooled low in her belly. Leah crawled over Bella, straddling her, and tenderly kissed Bella's throat. It was followed by a brief swipe of her tongue and another kiss. She repeated the pattern, working toward Bella's chest and every brief stamp of her lips fueled the flush of desire across Bella's skin.

Panting, Bella asked, "Would you believe me if I told you that something like this wasn't my intention when asking you to come along?"

Leah leaned back and grinned. "Would you believe me if I told you I hoped it might?"

Each chuckled before their lips melded back together. Limbs tangled as hands roamed and caressed, their movements languid and sensual as kisses deepened, lengthened, both losing all sense of time as they focused on each other. Eventually, Bella's hand slid between Leah's legs, searching for the slick, wet heat she knew she'd find there. She moaned as she broke free of Leah's mouth, gently pushed Leah to her back, and climbed to her knees. Bella lowered her mouth to capture Leah's left breast as Leah parted her legs, allowing Bella's hand to move lower. Bella stroked her clit a few times, slowly dragging her fingers across the sensitive nub. As Leah began to pant, Bella slid two fingers into her.

Leah tilted her head back, whimpering as Bella pumped her fingers into her, trailing open-mouthed kisses between her breasts and down her firm torso toward her sex. When Bella's mouth joined her hand between Leah's legs, Bella reveled in the mewling noise Leah made before increasing the pace of her fingers and tongue.

"Oh, fuck," Leah crooned as she arched into Bella's mouth and fingers, gliding her hands over her breasts, kneading them as she tried to keep her hips still. It wasn't long before a cross between a yell and groan escaped her as Leah's legs trembled and her inner walls clamped down on Bella's fingers, gushing liquid heat into her hand as she came.

Bella tried not to grin as she slowly trailed kisses back to Leah's chest. She carefully moved to her side, collapsing on the mattress beside her.

"Fuck, Swan." Still panting but grinning, Leah said, "Either Paul's an excellent teacher… or you're… lying about me… being the only chick you've done anything with… You're way too good at that already."

Bella snorted out a laugh as she wiped her hand against the now damp and soiled sheet while using the other to wipe her mouth and chin. "He must be an excellent teacher, then."

"God, don't tell him. It'll go straight to his head." Leah giggled. She turned her body toward Bella, her smile slowly fading. "That was amazing, though." Leah leaned to press her lips to the sweat-sheen-dampened flesh between Bella's breasts.

Bella sighed happily as she ran her fingers through Leah's short hair, still disbelieving the night had turned out as it had. This fresh territory was utterly terrifying and exhilarating all at once. And while the aching need between her legs throbbed impatiently, Bella was content to have brought Leah so much pleasure.

As if sensing her thoughts, Leah crawled over her and kissed down her lower abdomen, gliding her hands along Bella's inner thighs. "I want to taste you, too. I wanted to, that night with Paul, but I was nervous. I didn't know what to do or expect. I was kind of grateful he led the whole thing…"

Bella tugged at Leah's hair gently as Leah pressed a feather-light kiss on Bella's thigh. Leah glanced up through her thick lashes as Bella asked, "You know you don't have to, right?"

Leah chuckled, gently guiding Bella's legs further apart. Bella's breath quickened as she watched Leah kiss her inner thigh. "I want to. I just… don't know what the fuck I'm doing, so help me if you can."

Before Bella could respond, Leah swiped her tongue along Bella's slit, closed her eyes, and hummed. Liquid heat instantly pooled between Bella's thighs as she watched Leah gently run her thumbs along her folds before burying her face between them. Keeping her eyes trained on Bella's face, she licked Bella from core to clit, then flicked it. Between the sensation and visual, Bella nearly came on the spot.

Leah slowly, experimentally worked her with her mouth, bringing Bella to the edge more than once only to change patterns or position. She was careful with her hands, keeping her long, sharply manicured nails far from Bella's center, instead reaching to knead her thighs, ass, or breasts. Bella squirmed beneath her, leaning into each caress, craving the heat, the rush of sensation zinging across her skin. As Bella climbed toward release again, she babbled incoherently, begging Leah not to stop this time.

"So close. Leah, please…"

Leah clamped down on Bella's clit and moaned as she sucked hard, and Bella finally barrelled over the edge. She screamed with her release as she arched her back, digging her fingers into the sheets. Stars danced behind her eyelids as she tried to catch her breath, feeling Leah slink her body over hers to lie beside her.

Without warning, tears began as a sob ripped its way from Bella's chest, making her cough as it tore through her throat and escaped her mouth between panting gasps.

"Hey…" Leah wrapped her arms around Bella, curling her body snuggly against Bella's side. She faked a laugh and teased, "Was it that bad?"

Bella chuckled through her tears as she shook her head no. How do you tell someone that, despite wanting nothing major to change suddenly everything had? Even if tomorrow went exactly like today, it would still differ from yesterday or any day before because now declarations existed. Feelings acknowledged, examined honestly and fearfully, out loud. The line between love and friendship was obliterated now, whether or not Leah realized it. There would be no going back for Bella.

Regardless of circumstances, she was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her… even if it had taken a huge nudge from Renee to figure it out.

"Are you okay?"

Bella looked into Leah's worried eyes as she wiped her tears away and sniffled. "Yeah. I think so. All the emotional shit kinda came to a head."

Leah chuckled. "I get it."

Bella nodded, burying her face against Leah's chest as she hugged her tighter.

After a few minutes, they moved to cover themselves with the blanket and snuggled back together, entwining their legs as Leah lay her head on Bella's bare chest. Bella absently played with Leah's hair, savoring the moment as they drifted off to sleep.

Please Review. xo.