Fanfiction Based On Characters From Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Series

Rated M for Mature Content

Dream A Little Dream

By the.littlest.ingenue

Summary: All Human. Lots of fluff: What if the man of your dreams wasn't

a dream at all? What if he was closer than you think? M for language and

implied stuff. No angst, I promise.

~*~

Chapter One

There is a day in January called St. Agnes Day.

In medieval folklore, it was believed that on this day, fair maidens were granted
visions of their future husbands.

We now know this to be an old wives' tale; a remembrance of a time when people
had an innocence that has been lost nowadays.

Things like that just didn't happen anymore.

Or did they?

~*~

Chapter Two

Bella Swan had gotten everything she thought she'd always wanted.

A scholarship to university: check.

A place in a prestigious English course: check.

Had sex with someone she thought was hot: check.

But she wasn't happy.

It wasn't any one thing that made her unhappy. Was unhappy even the right
word? It was an unsettling, hollow feeling that she constantly felt.

It wasn't that she felt like an outsider or that she was the victim of an unrequited
love.

She just knew there was something missing.

Another day, another lecture and her heart sat somewhere else, somewhere –

Well, that was the problem wasn't it?

She didn't know where it was or even if it was her heart that was missing.

…..

"Bella, guess what?"

Angela Weber was Bella's best friend, and had been since she had started at Forks
High School way back when. The minister's quiet daughter and the shy bookworm
– it was a friendship made of clichés and boring Saturday nights at home
watching TV.

"Uh, you're mad and I'm not."

"Bella, we're grownups now. We speak like grownups."

"Okay, sorry. I don't know Angela, what happened?"

"Have you ever heard of St. Agnes Eve?"

"The poem?"

"What?"

"The poem, The Eve of St. Agnes by John Keats?"

"No. What? No. I mean the St Agnes Eve ritual, where you get to see your future
husband. Jessica told me she did it and it totally worked."

"Jessica also said you couldn't get pregnant if the guy pulled out before he came."

"Bellaaa –"

"Angelaaa –"

"Look, Jessica said she did it and she saw this guy who was tall, dark and
handsome and Mike is totally pissed off now. But Jessica says she doesn't care
because he is only a placeholder anyway –"

"Ange, no offense intended, but what the fuck has this got to do with me?"

Angela smiled then and it chilled Bella to the core.

"Well, I think… we should do it."

"Are you on crack?"

"We're both single, we've got our whole lives ahead of us – what's to lose?"

Bella knew she wasn't going to do this. It would be a waste of time and she had
better things to do.

…..

No less than two weeks later, it came to pass that Bella Swan was sitting in her
backyard, looking up at the night sky and getting ready to chant to see her future
husband.

"This is even stupider than the time you made me wear those crotchless panties
on my date with Tyler."

"That was a great idea; easy access."

"Yeah, if he could've found the hole it would've been amazing."

Angela laughed loud and long.

"Ange, you're drunk."

"So are you, Bellsy. You never talk about sex unless you are."

"Bellsy? Jesus Ange, lay off the sauce. So, how do we do this?"

"Okay, so first we chant and then we eat an egg. After that we walk backwards into
our beds and voila!"

"You so owe me."

"Just wait, Bella Swan. When you see your future husband, you'll owe me. Are you
ready?"

"Yeah, I suppose, you know, considering this is just a pile of horse shit."

"Bella, gimme your hand, we'll do this together. On three. Okay, one, two, three."

Bella closed her eyes and chanted along with Angela:

Now good St. Agnes, play thy part,

And sent to me my own sweetheart,

And shew me such a happy bliss,

This night of him to have a kiss.

Her words were slurred and St. Agnes probably couldn't understand a word of
what she said.

It wouldn't matter, it was bullshit anyway.

…..

She was at a wedding, and she had no fucking idea who these people were.
Great, fucking Angela's crazy plan had ended up with her in some bizarro
universe attending the wedding of two strangers she couldn't give a fuck about.

Tomorrow, she would stop drinking.

She'd also stop talking to Angela.

As she watched the happy couple dancing, she felt a pair of arms wrap around
her waist and someone nuzzle into her neck.

"Do you regret that we didn't have that?"

Unconsciously, she placed her hand on top of his – not to remove his from where
it lay upon her stomach, but just to touch him. On his left hand he wore a simple
gold band, and so did she.

"Will ya look at that, we're the Bobbsey twins."

"Baby, I'm definitely not your brother, and if I am, that would make what we did
last night and three times this morning gross and wrong."

"And probably illegal."

She looked up at him and was momentarily breathless.

She didn't know this man, but she knew this man.

In every different life, in every different universe, her heart would remember
him.

"See something you like, baby?"

She did indeed. He was built like a basketball player, tall and lanky and just
right. His green eyes sat in a face made up of a chiseled jaw, a straight nose and
pouty lips.

His hair was the color of a dirty penny.

He was breathtaking and he was hers. She kissed him just because she could.

"Yeah, I think I do."

He kissed her temple and hugged her close.

"I should've waited and given you something like this. A wedding we could be
proud of. Instead, I dragged you off to Vegas a month after we met –"

Now she knew this was a dream; Bella would never be so impulsive. She didn't
have it in her.

"Bella, say something –"

"Huh?"

"You just zoned out."

"Oh. What's your name again?"

"Ha ha, Isabella, I thought you knew it well enough this morning when you
begged me not to stop."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really, if I remember you said E–"

"BELLA, BREAKFAST IS READY!"

She was honestly going to kill Angela.

…..

"Listen Ange, I'm guessing it was just a dream."

"No! It was your husband!"

"Angela."

"Isabella."

"I just don't believe it, someone that gorgeous and me? No way, no how."

"You never know, but the guy in my dream wasn't my type either. He was shorter
than me and sorta nerdy, but I don't know Bella, I'm not willing to discount it just
yet."

"A guy that hot doesn't exist, and even if he did, he'd never want little ol' Bella
Swan from West Bumfuck, Washington. Life isn't a fairytale; no matter how much
we wish it was, Ange."

~*~

Chapter Three

One Year Later

Bella Swan had gotten everything she thought she'd always wanted.

A job with a prestigious publishing house: check.

Her very own apartment: check.

A boyfriend: check.

But she wasn't happy.

She hated her job, she liked her boyfriend and she loved her apartment.

But she knew something was missing.

These days instead of feeling hollow, she just felt restless.

Another day, another dollar and her heart sat somewhere else, somewhere –

Well, that was the problem, wasn't it?

She didn't even know if her green-eyed God even existed.

…..

"Good morning, Kellynch Publishing. How can I help you?"

"Is that you, Isabella?"

"Why, Mr. Cullen, if I didn't know better I'd say you called just to talk to me."

Most days, Bella hated her job, but a phone call from her favorite lawyer made it
all okay. She had no idea what Edward Cullen looked like, but she knew that a
little harmless flirting with him made her day better.

"I must confess, I do call when I know you won't be at lunch."

"I'm flattered and just a tiny bit freaked out."

If he looked like he laughed, he would probably be the most beautiful man on the
planet.

"Have you left your boyfriend yet? We can't run away to the south of France if
you're still with him."

"I'm working on it. How's your fiancée?"

"Ah Miss Swan, you don't play fair. Leah's fine."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He laughed again and she felt warm to her toes.

"Did you want to speak to Mr. Volturi? I'll transfer you now."

"Okay, Isabella, I'll find a reason to call you tomorrow."

"You know, you are really creepy sometimes. Bye, Edward."

The minute she transferred the call, the despondent feeling was back.

…..

Jacob Black was a great guy.

He was funny and sweet. He was honest and kind and Bella felt safe in his arms.

She just couldn't love him.

Wait, no - that was a lie. She did love him, but not in the way he wanted her to. He
wanted forever and children and she wanted –

What did she want?

They started dating when she'd moved to New York. The pipes were so old in her
apartment building that the water was brown. The landlord had finally given in
and decided that he'd pay someone to fix it because he was sick of his tenants'
whining . Jacob was the plumber they'd hired to lay some new pipes – and when
he finally reached Bella's apartment – boy, did he ever.

She couldn't even say the reason she couldn't fully commit was that they didn't
have anything in common. They liked the same music and the same movies, they
had the same political leanings and they even did the crossword together on a
Sunday morning.

No, Jacob was everything she always knew she wanted in a man.

Except that he wasn't.

On paper he looked great – he owned his own business, he was handsome, Charlie
loved him and the sex was phenomenal.

But he was missing something.

Green eyes.

She wished she could love him like he deserved to be loved.

…..

"Good afternoon, Kellynch Publishing. How can I help you?"

"Come over here and tell me a story."

"There once was a man named Edward who severely ate into my work day."

"You love it."

"Maybe I do. But I'll never admit it."

"How are you, Bella?"

"I'm okay. I haven't spoken to you in a while. Your colleague Jasper is not as
creepy you are. I missed you."

"I took some time off. How have you been? I missed creeping on you, too."

"Same old, same old. Shouldn't complain, but I do."

"Still with Jake?"

"Yeah. Sometimes I wish I wasn't. Oh God, did I just say that? Fuck. Oh forget I
said that, too, please."

"Bella, there are worse things than being single."

"How would you know, Mr. Engaged to Be Married?"

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"It wasn't working out. I'm Mr. All Over Here By Myself now."

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not. You only live once and I wasn't ready to live a life discontented and you
shouldn't either."

…..

She applied for a job as an editor of a small newspaper.

It was based in Port Angeles.

She would be closer to home.

To Forks.

To Angela.

She didn't tell Jake until after she accepted the offer.

…..

"Hey sweetness (she hated that pet name), did you buy some more mayo?"

"Jake, I can't do this. I'm leaving."

She didn't mean to blurt it out like that.

She was going to ease into it.

Maybe pick a fight. Whatever worked best.

"What? I really don't need mayonnaise that much."

"No, I mean, us. I can't do us. I'm so sorry."

"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No Jake, you did everything right and I still couldn't love you."

She was such a bitch.

"Man. I thought we were going to get married. I even started looking at rings."

His voice broke at the end and he looked away.

"Are you seeing someone else?"

"I would never cheat on you. I just wasn't happy. I got a job – in Port Angeles.
Closer to home."

"When do you leave?"

"Four weeks."

"Wow. Just wow."

He kissed her forehead before he turned to leave.

She cried herself to sleep that night.

…..

"Kellynch Publishing. How can I help you?"

"Bella! Guess who is coming to town?"

"Edward, I won't be here."

"What! Why?"

"I'm moving home, I'm not happy here."

"Well, that sucks."

"That's what he said, too – wow."

"Who said wow?"

"Jake said wow."

"Oh. I take it he isn't going with you then?"

"No. I tried to make it up to him, to apologize, but he won't answer my calls."

She hated crying.

Especially at work.

Especially on the phone to someone she barely knew.

"Hey baby, don't cry. One day Jake will see you did what was best for the both of
you."

"Thanks, Edward."

"So when's your last day?"

"This Friday."

"I'll miss these inane phone conversations that make my day brighter."

"I'll miss you, too."

…..

Bella Swan packed up her belongings and placed them in the back of the U-Haul.

Everything, except the beautiful "goodbye and good luck" roses she found on her
desk yesterday. They were from Edward and would be riding upfront with her.

She said goodbye to her job.

She said goodbye to her apartment.

She wished Jake would answer his phone so she could say goodbye to him, too.

St. Agnes, way on high, smiled to herself. Seattle was only a few hours from Port
Angeles.

You see, Whitlock and Cullen, attorneys at law, were located right in the heart of
Seattle.

~*~

Chapter Four

Bella Swan didn't know what she wanted.

She had a job she loved, she got to see her dad and Angela and she got to drive her
truck around again.

But she knew something was missing.

She wasn't restless nowadays.

She was anxious.

A change was coming but she didn't know what.

…..

Angela Weber was getting married.

Bella knew she should be happier for her best friend, but she just couldn't help
being a little bit jealous.

As she read the invitation over one more time, she felt herself tear up.

If she had just sucked it up, she would've been married to Jake right now.

You know that wasn't what you wanted, fucktard.

Who says?

You said. That's why you left.

She was fighting with her subconscious. She needed to get out.

Seattle.

She was driving to Seattle.

…

"Hi, you've reached Angela Weber. I can't take your call right now but leave a
message with your name and number and I'll call you back as soon as I can."

"Oh hey, Ange, it's me. I just got the invite. It's so real now. I mean I knew it was

real, but I didn't realize it was real. Anyway, call me back. As your maid of honor I
want to gush about invites and shit. I love you. Bye."

…..

She was sitting on the couch, his head in her lap, as she ran her fingers through
his unruly mop of hair.

"Have you ever thought about cutting it?"

He looked offended.

"You said you liked my hair."

"I love your hair. I love you. I just wondered."

"Marry me."

"What?"

"Marry. Me. We'll fly to Vegas tomorrow, get married."

"You're insane."

"You're beautiful."

"Okay, but only if I can have the window seat."

She couldn't deny him anything. She would have to buy Angela her elephant to
say thank you for getting married; for throwing him in her path.

…..

Since she moved home she dreamed about him quite a bit.

Sometimes they were innocent glimpses into their life together.

Sometimes they were pornographic.

But each and every time, she woke up smiling.

She wished that he was real (she even used her birthday wish, and Angela's
birthday wish to wish it so).

Her perfect, green-eyed man, who looked at her with such devotion it took her
breath away.

Angela was convinced he was real. She swore on her father's bible (big talk for a
preacher's daughter) that Ben was the man she saw in her dream, and now here
they were getting married.

Bella knew better than to argue with Angela; so she just nodded and smiled.

"One day, Bella, you're going to meet him and you'll thank me. I want an
elephant."

"What?"

"When you're so grateful to me that you'll do anything, I want an elephant."

"Okay, crazy lady, an elephant you shall have."

"Brilliant. I'll call him Dumbo."

"There's something seriously wrong with you, Weber. I need new friends."

"You wouldn't know how to live without me."

"I hate it when you're right."

…..

Maybe it was divine intervention that led her to drive all the way to Seattle that
day.

She drove around for an hour looking for a parking space relatively close to
anywhere that sold coffee.

Imagine her surprise when one opened up, right near the offices of Whitlock and
Cullen.

Well I'll be damned.

Edward Cullen lived just two hours from her.

Making sure she looked okay and that the girls were up and out, she strolled

confidently through the door and looked around. The décor was modern and the
secretary was cute.

Where do I know her from?

"Hi, I was looking for Edward Cullen. Is he around?"

"My brother's not in the office right now, did you want to wait?"

"Um, your brother? Do I know your brother?"

"I'm Alice Cullen – Edward's sister."

His sister is cute, meaning the odds that Edward Cullen isn't fugly are greatly
improved.

I wonder if she has any photos of him on her desk.

Jesus, Bella. Now you're just being creepy.

"Oh hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I know your brother from a previous job. Just tell him
Bella stopped by to chat and uh, here's my card."

"Bella? From Kellynch Publishing, Bella?"

"Uh yeah."

"Oh my God, come here and give me a hug. What are you doing here?"

Okay, so he might not be ugly but there might be some history of mental illness
in his family.

"I live in Port Angeles now. I'm the editor of the paper there."

"Bella, it is so nice to meet you. I can't wait to see you again. I'll tell Edward you
stopped by."

She looks like she is going to cry. Jesus Christ, why did I leave my card?

"Okay. Nice to meet you, Alice. Um, bye."

In her haste to escape, she never noticed the man across the road utterly
captivated by the woman who had just left his office.

If only his meeting would've been finished earlier.

He watched her drive away in her rusty old truck, and hoped against hope that
he'd see the woman who'd haunted his dreams again.

….

"You know, the first time I met your sister, I thought she was insane."

"That's because she is insane."

"Can you not talk about one of my very best friends like that, please?"

He was removing his tie as she rubbed her tired, sore feet. Alice's wedding was
beautiful, but tiring. She wouldn't miss all the wedding talk either.

"I meant what I said tonight, I think we should get remarried. I want to give you
something like that."

"I don't need all of that. I only ever needed you."

~*~

Chapter Five

From: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com

To: Isabella Swan iswan(at)portangelespress(dot)com

Subject: Inane email

Status: Draft

Dear Bella,

Hi. It's Edward.

Why didn't you tell me you were beautiful?

If I knew how beautiful you were, I would've hunted you down myself. Did you
know I've been dreaming about you for years?

I'm so glad you got in contact and so sorry I missed you.

I heard about your mother. I'm so sorry. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Please contact me when you get back.

Thinking of you

Edward.

...

From: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com

To: Isabella Swan iswan(at)portangelespress(dot)com

Subject: Inane email

Status: Sent

Dear Bella,

Hi. It's Edward.

I'm so glad you got in contact and so sorry I missed you.

I heard about your mother. I'm so sorry. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Please contact me when you get back.

Hopefully, we will speak soon.

Edward.

~*~

Chapter Six

Bella Swan wanted to go home.

Sleeping in a single bed at age 24 was not in her life plan.

She knew it was selfish, as her mother lay unconscious with a machine breathing
for her, to dream of her green-eyed God, but she couldn't help it.

It was her brain's coping mechanism.

Some people drank, others smoked.

Bella Swan dreamed of the impossible.

…..

"Angie, I'm so sorry I have to send my measurements through email. I wish I was
there."

"I wish you were, too, but your mom needs you more than I need you."

"Yeah, but I need you."

"Oh Bells."

"I-I just. I just wanna come home, is that too much to ask?"

"Bella, please stop crying. Please. I just want to hug you and I can't and please,
please stop."

"I'll see you in two weeks. I love you."

"L-Love you too."

…..

"I used to dream of you. You never said anything, but you were always there.
Just smiling at me."

"I always knew you were a creep."

"A creep who loves ya, baby."

…..

She hated hospitals.

They were always cold, they always smelled of disinfectant and they always
reminded you of just how fragile human beings were.

Bella and Phil took it in turns to talk to Renée.

She told Renée about the weather, and how Charlie had tried to replace the
washers in the faucet, but how he ended up just putting a huge hole in the wall,
but none of it roused Renée from her slumber.

She asked her whether she'd seen Jimi Hendrix in the afterworld.

Most of the time, Bella begged her to come back.

Some days she yelled and demanded that Renée wake up this instant.

None of it worked.

Despite appearances to the contrary, Renée Dwyer was a great mother.

Sure, she could've probably done laundry more often, or cooked more than once a
month – but what she lacked in technical skill, she made up with love.

By the end of her third week in Florida, Bella cried for her mommy nearly every
day.

…..

The nursery was green.

She wanted yellow, he wanted blue.

They came to an agreement somewhere in the middle.

"Bella, my kid is not having these freaky cartoons on the wall."

"Are you serious right now? Nemo is not creepy."

"You know that clownfish are hermaphrodites? That Nemo's dad was probably
his mom and that Nemo himself was a mini-Frank-N-Furter?"

"You're sick."

"I'm not the one recreating the Rocky Horror Picture Show on my kid's wall.
Using artistic representations of clownfish, no less."

She turned and walked out of the room. Sobbing, she locked the door to the
master bedroom.

He followed her.

He always followed her.

"Baby, I'm so sorry."

"Can you just fuck off to your mom's for a while? Or I don't know, go play in
traffic?"

"Bella."

"Go. Away."

Two minutes later she heard the door slam as he left.

She collapsed on the bed, sobbing into her pillow.

She awoke two hours later with him spooning her, his hands lying upon her
pregnant stomach.

She knew she should've stuck a chair against the door. He jimmied locks too well.

She laughed as she noticed what was lying next to her.

There in her line of sight sat a stuffed Nemo, complete with skirt.

She picked up his right hand and kissed his palm as he snored softly behind her.

"Junior," she said to her rotund stomach, "your daddy is a fucking moron ."

…..

Six weeks and four days after Bella flew to Florida, Renée woke up.

It took another two days for her to have the strength to form sentences.

When she did, she shooed Bella from her sight and told her not to return until
after Angela's wedding and not before a well deserved holiday.

"When is it, Bells?"

"Angie's wedding? In two weeks. I have to go and do lame as fuck stuff."

"Isabella, you might be old enough to vote, but you'll never be old enough to swear
in front of your mother."

"Sorry, Ma. I won't do it again"

"Sure you will, but I'll love you anyway. Now scoot. Tell Angie I send my love."

That afternoon, Bella was on a flight back to Port Angeles.

Little did she know she was hurtling towards destiny at an alarming rate.

~*~

Chapter Seven

She swore she saw him in Seattle.

He was getting out of a silver Volvo, looking like he just rolled out of her porno
fantasies.

She blinked and he was gone.

She was sure she was hallucinating.

Angela's wedding was driving her crazy.

~*~

Chapter Eight

"Hi, you've reached Isabella Swan, news editor at the Peninsula Daily News. I'm
currently unavailable but leave a message and I will get back to you."

"Hey Bella, it's me - Edward. Edward Cullen. The lawyer. Why am I explaining
this? You know who I am. Wow, I am creepy, aren't I? Anyway, are you back yet? I
just wanted to say hi. I'm at [phone] if you want to call me back. I mean
you don't have to, but… I'm just going to hang up now. Bye."

…..

Three weeks later

"Whitlock and Cullen, Alice speaking."

"Hi, can I speak to Edward Cullen, please?"

"Whom may I ask is calling?"

"Bella."

"Oh! Ohhhhhhhh! I'm so excited you rang. Just give me a minute to transfer you.
Speak soon, okay?"

"Sure Alice. Bye."

"Edward Cullen."

"Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I got your number from a friend. I'm
being harassed."

"I'm sorry to hear that and I'm sure that we here at Whitlock and Cullen can help
you in pursuing any action you feel is necessary."

"Well, you see it started out innocent enough. He used to call my office and we'd
speak, but he progressively got creepier and creepier. It's even escalated to emails
now."

"That is completely unacceptable. You should be able to go to work and feel
comfortable. I need some more details. What is this guy's name?"

"Edward Cullen."

"Yes, that's me."

"That's his name. The guy who is harassing me. His name is Edward Cullen"

"Wait, who is this?"

"I'm offended that you're even asking. Are you creep cheating on me, Cullen?"

"Bella?"

"The one and only."

"You looked really pretty today when I watched you through your window."

"God, you freak me out."

"You've made my day, you know."

"Back at you."

…..

In her dreams, Edward had become her green-eyed God.

It was the best of both worlds.

…..

"I wrote you a song."

"What?"

He picked up his guitar and started strumming.

"It goes like this:

Bella

She's all I ever need

Bella

She's my heart cannot be freed"

"That was horrible. You can't sing. Your guitar is out of tune. You're worse than
Nickelback."

Silence.

"I was kidding."

More silence.

"Are you seriously butthurt right now?"

Silence again.

"Edward, are you going to talk to me?"

"Fucking Nickelback, Bella."

"You never made it as a wise man; you couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing."

"Bella –"

"Edward - this is how you remind me of what I really am."

"Bella, I'm going to spend the night at my mother's. I can't even look at you right
now."

"What? I was joking. I'm sorry. I love you. It was a great song. Really thought
provoking."

"It was shit, Bella. I was just joshin'."

Silence.

"You're so stupid."

"Stupid in love."

"That makes no sense."

"So's your face."

"Mature, Cullen."

"Takes one to know one, Swan."

"Can you shut up? I have better uses for your mouth."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why don't we get down to business?"

He patted the bed.

"Please step into my office."

…..

From: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com

To: Isabella Swan (at)portangelespress(dot)com

Subject: Today

I went to lunch with my brother Emmett.

I spoke about you.

He asked me, "Is she hot?"

I said, "Is she bella? Mos def!"

...

From: Isabella Swan (at)portangelespress(dot)com

To: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com

Subject: RE: Today

That was without a doubt the worst joke I've ever heard.

And you don't even know what I look like.

...

From: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com

To: Isabella Swan (at)portangelespress(dot)com

Subject: RE: RE: Today

I tell it better in person.

Have dinner with me tomorrow?

…..

"I'm beginning to think you're blowing me off, Swan."

"I've got this thing on next week and I am busy until it's done, but afterward, I'm
all yours."

She couldn't tell him about Angela's wedding.

He might want to be her date and she didn't need the pressure.

"You've got two weeks from today. I'm counting."

…..

Angela had become a bridezilla.

She'd broken up with Ben twice (once for ten minutes, the other time for two
days) and yelled at Bella about her 'shitty posture'.

Bella couldn't wait until this wedding was over.

She wanted to have her evenings free again.

She wanted to slouch in her seat.

She wanted to not want to set fire to her best friend's face anymore.

But most of all, she wanted to have dinner with Edward.

"Bella, how's your mom?"

"Oh she's okay, getting better. She's going home next week."

Angela handed a glass of red wine to Bella. It was slightly dry and a touch bitter;
Bella dug around the fridge until she found some lemonade. And cheese.

Mmm, cheese.

"Bella, are you listening to me?"

Here it comes.

"What?"

"Don't worry, no one listens to me anymore."

"Huh?"

Angela burst into tears.

"I'm so overwhelmed, Bella. I love Ben and I know I wanted to be with him, but
I'm so stressed out. I don't want the wrong color flowers, because then it would
look tacky and then I would look tacky –"

She took a breath.

"Ben's mom hates me. If I look the least bit ridiculous, she'll never let me live it
down. I love him so much, but she doesn't see it like that. I'm taking her son away
–"

Another breath.

"And the cost of the wedding. We could've put a down payment on a house. My
dress cost more than my car, Bella. What is wrong with me? We're not rich, why
did we do this?"

Bella walked over and put her head on Angela's shoulder.

"You did this because you wanted to show the world you loved him. It doesn't
matter if his mom doesn't like you, or your dress is expensive. You did this
because you wanted to. Don't stress, no mess. Let's drink some more!"

Two bottles of wine later (Bella drank hers with lemonade), Angela was dancing
by her badself in the lounge room and singing off key.

"Yes, I can see her." (Angela pointed at her eyes, and then at Bella.)

"Cos every girl in here wanna be herrrr. Oh she's a divaaa…" (She wiggled her hips
in what Bella assumed was supposed to be a sexy move.)

"I feel the same but I wanna meet her." (She flung her arms above her head as she
thrust her hips obscenely.)

"They say she's low down, but that's just a rumor, I don't believe 'emmm…" (She
slapped her booty. That would hurt in the morning.)

"They say she needs to slow down, the baddest thing around townnnnnnnnnnnn."
(Bella looked at her watch and prayed Ben would be home soon.)

"Damn you's a sexy bitch, a sexy bitch. Damn you's a sexy bitch. Damn Bellaaaaa."

Bella let out a sigh of relief when she heard Ben's key in the door.

Ben Cheney was a short, stocky guy. He wasn't a Brad Pitt (or green-eyed God),
but he was loyal and sweet and he loved Angela even more than Bella did. Angela
thought him the most handsome man in the world.

He came over and sat on the arm of the couch, watching the love of his life shake
and shimmy whatever it was her momma gave her. God knew it wasn't rhythm or
a great voice.

"Hey Bells, how's things?"

"I'm good, Ben. Your lady is drunk."

"I can see. I'm in for a fun night."

"Ew, I don't want to know."

He laughed and Bella knew what was coming.

"So Bells, has Angela told you about my best man?"

Angela and Ben had spent the better part of six months trying to set Bella up with
Ben's friend. She knew nothing about him except that he and Ben went through
school together and that he was "just Bella's type".

"Yes, and no, I'm not interested."

When she'd first heard about him, he was getting over a serious relationship and
wanted to be single for a while.

Then he was busy working.

Then she was busy working.

Now she had Edward. She wasn't interested.

"Don't discount him Bella, he has a big –"

"Ben!"

"I was going to say ego, and that you were going to bruise it. Jeez Bella, you're a
sick pervert."

"I'm seeing someone anyway."

Was she?

Wasn't she?

Oh my God, she'd just told people she was dating Edward.

What if it didn't work out?

They weren't even dating.

They were talking.

Talking about shit.

What had she done?

Angela stopped dancing and stood there gaping.

"What? When were you going to tell me? I THOUGHT WE WERE BEST
FRIENDS!"

"His name is Edward, he's a lawyer. From Seattle."

Shut up, Bella. Shut up.

The room went silent as Angela looked at Ben and then promptly burst out
laughing. After three minutes of Angela's hysterical giggles, Bella felt
uncomfortable.

"I'm just gonna go."

"Bella, you know, this Edward guy sounds great."

Ben looked like he was going to laugh as well. Fuck them both.

"I'm sure he's exactly what you need."

Angela laughed harder.

"Thanks, Ben. Ange – I say this with love, I hope you choke on your vomit."

"But Bella. Edward. Ben, Edward, hahahahahahahahaha."

After Bella left (giving Angela the finger on her way out), Angela was still
occasionally laughing as she sat on Ben's lap and played with the hair on the back
of his head.

"I can't believe it. She owes me an elephant."

"Edward is going to shit bricks."

"I can't wait. He is such a cocky bastard. This should be fun."

…..

"Why don't you have a Facebook?"

"Because, Bella, it's an invasion of privacy. Why? Were you stalking me?"

"Shut up."

"I'm flattered."

"I just wanted to know if you had two heads or some other deformity."

"My hair is red."

"What?"

Gross.

"Do you have something against redheads, Bella?"

Yes.

"No."

"We can't all have beautiful brown locks like you."

"How did you know my hair was brown?"

"Oh will ya look at that? I have to be in court. Speak later, baby."

…..

"I like the name Deuce."

"Bella, do you know what it means to take a deuce?"

"Uh, no."

"It means to take a shit. I'm not calling my kid shit. It's bad enough they have to
live with that scary cartoon business in their bedroom."

"Fine. Atticus?"

"Pass."

"But you're a lawyer."

"Am I missing something?"

"Atticus Finch Cullen."

"Fuck no."

"Dainis?"

"Nein. What about Edward?"

"What about a kid needs its own identity and not to be living in the shadow of
their dad?"

"Okay smarty, any other suggestions?"

"Charlie, after my dad."

"Charles Carlisle Cullen. I like it."

…..
"So, Bella."

"Yes, Edward."

"I have this dinner on tomorrow night, and I was wondering if you wanted to be
my date?"

"I have something I have to go to, otherwise I would have said yes. I really want to
say yes."

Stupid Angela.

Stupid Angela's stupid wedding rehearsal.

She hoped they all died.

~*~

Chapter Nine

Bella Swan was antsy.

She had sent Edward a text two hours earlier and she had gotten no response.

She should've known better than to get her hopes up, but she wasn't going to
mope.

Well, she couldn't mope.

Angela's rehearsal was tonight and as much as she wanted to mope, she knew it
wasn't going to be possible.

Not on Angela's watch.

…..

Bella Swan's blackberry inbox, the night before:

From: Edward

20:04

Am out with the guys, and all I can think is that I just want to be somewhere
with you.

From: Edward

22:56

I wish I was nibbles on you right now.

From: Edward:

22: 58

I am not drink. I know how to stop before it gets to omuch.

From: Edward

00:30

U see toyu and my offirecv nd I kenw wantes to be eihj youi.

From: Edward

00:32

Sdory for wakifn yout up.

From: Edward

02:32

So pretty.

…..

"Bells, do you want to meet me for lunch? Ben had his bachelor party last night
and the house smells like alcohol and men. Ben's out like a log in the bedroom and
Edee-Ben's friend is lying across my couch smelling like a brewery. I need to get
out."

"Yeah. Did you want to meet somewhere?"

"No, no I'll come around there. I want to make sure your hair looks pretty and
you've got your eyebrows done. Have you ever thought of doing something
different with your hair? Maybe have a bump at the top? Or I can straighten it for
you? Give me twenty minutes. Love ya."

"I love you, too."

You homicidal maniac.

…..

She wanted sushi.

Angela wanted tater tots.

They settled for McDonalds.

"Ange, I can't believe you're getting married tomorrow."

"I know. It's weird. Remember in senior year when I was sure I was going to marry
Mike?"

"Yeah. Gross."

"And you and Seth were going to live next door."

"Seth. I wonder what happened to him?"

"He lives in San Francisco now."

"Ahh. That would explain why he was more interested in my shoes than my
boobs."

"I never said he was gay, Bella. You're so narrow-minded."

"Oh shit. I'm sorry. What does he do now?"

"You mean apart from his boyfriend, Paul? I don't know."

Bella threw her burger wrapper at Angela's head.

"Promise me when you are Mrs. Cheney that this will never change."

"Okay, only if you promise me that when you're Mrs. Cullen you won't forget me."

"Never. Hey wait! I never told you Edward's surname."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"Okay, if you say so."

"Bella, would I lie to you?"

"Yes."

…..

From: Bella

09:45

How's your head, Lohan? I thought you knew when to stop.

I wish I didn't have to go to this thing tonight.

Did you want to meet me afterward?

…..

After Angela left (not before picking out Bella's outfit for the rehearsal dinner),
Bella was at a loss.

For some inexplicable reason, she had butterflies.

She was nervous.

She wanted to look pretty.

Maybe it was because she'd asked Edward out, but it was more than that.

A change was coming.

She could feel it.

…..

From: Angela

14:48

Rehearsal is off. Ben's mom can't make it.

Dinner is still on.

Wear the dress, it shows boobs.

From: Edward

15:57

Yes. I'll call you when I'm done with my thing.

What did I say? Did I embarrass myself?

From: Edward

15:59

What? That's not even in English.

…..

"You're so beautiful. I might have to poke that Mike guy's eyeballs out."

"He used to date Angela, you know, the bride."

"So? He looks at you like you're going home with him."

"Maybe I am."

"You're never going home with anyone else ever again."

"I never knew we were in 1945."

"Well, now you know. Go make my dinner."

…..

The restaurant was beautiful.

Angela had booked the banquet room at C'est Si Bon – Port Angeles's premiere

(meaning only) French restaurant.

She sat in one seat.

Then another.

And another one.

She didn't feel uneasy, but excited. She just couldn't sit still.

She walked around the room a few times and then decided to stand at the window.
She couldn't see anything, but it was better than being the Goldilocks of the party.

She felt Angela's presence behind her before she spoke.

"Hey Bella, you okay?"

"Yeah, I don't know. I feel a bit weird, you know?"

"Well, I'm getting married in the morning so, yeah, I know. What's so interesting
out that window?"

"I can't see anything."

"How existential of you. Oh look, Ben's here, with his boys."

"Angela, for the last time I'm not interested –"

She stopped speaking, mainly because she stopped breathing.

He was here.

Her green-eyed God was here, standing on the other side of the room from her.

Ben nudged him and pointed to where Bella stood, and for a second she saw the
shock on his face.

But then he smiled, and moved towards her.

She'd forgotten Angela was even there until she kissed her temple and whispered,
"Go get him, tiger".

And then he was standing in front of her.

"Breathe, Bella."

"Edward?"

"The one and only. Where you expecting someone else?"

"Yeah, someone better looking."

"It's because I have red hair, isn't it?"

He took her hand and she just knew.

She was home.

Bella Swan would wonder no more.

~*~

Chapter Ten

"You told me once you had red hair."

"I do."

"Okay. Whatever. Last night, at the rehearsal dinner – how did you know it was
me?"

"I saw you leave my office. I just never knew you knew Ben and Angela. If I had
known you were the girl they wanted to set me up with…"

He kissed her again.

He'd kissed her a lot in the past ten hours.

His lips were soft.

She would never kiss anyone else ever again.

…..

Five weeks later, Angela was so angry when she found out Bella had eloped while
she was on her honeymoon.

"I'm going to cut his balls off."

"I'm rather fond of my husband's balls, thank you. It's not his fault."

"Bella, I was going to be your maid of honor. We were going to get drunk and then
I was going to tell really embarrassing stories at the reception. Like how you lost
your virginity and how I caught you and Edward in the coat room at my wedding
reception."

"Thank fuck we eloped, then."

"He was the guy in your St. Agnes Eve vision, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was."

"Look at that smile on your face."

"I can't help it. He makes me happy."

"So when are you going to India?"

"What?"

"I want an Indian elephant. They're so much cuter."

"Angela, I'll buy you an elephant. I'll buy you seventy elephants. Edward is worth
it."

"He's worth seventy elephants?"

"He's worth everything."

~*~

Chapter Eleven

Bella Swan was everything I had ever wanted.

Funny: Check.

Smart: Check.

Honest: Check.

She was beautiful, too. But that's the thing; I would have loved her if she had two
heads or looked like Quasimodo.

I'm not going to pretend that I didn't hope she was hot. I'm only human; I'm
visually stimulated before I'm mentally stimulated. We all are. People can pretend
that they aren't but that's just bullshit.

My dad once said to me that you can't help who you love and that the heart wants
what the heart wants.

I thought he was talking out of his ass.

But then, I'd never come across anyone like Bella Swan before.

…..

"Dad, I'm sick of walking."

"LC, it's your mom's birthday. We have to find something nice."

"What about this?"

"As much as your mom loves you, buddy, I don't think she wants the new Wii
console for her birthday."

…..

I'd always been a perfectionist.

I'd graduated top of my class at Harvard.

I'd never really thought about what came after that. A job, a wife, some kids.

A perfect life.

I'll readily admit it, I lived a charmed life. There were my parents, my sister, my
brother and I. We were comfortable, we lived in a nice big house and each of us
had a car. My mother would bake cookies for us to eat after school as we did our
homework.

Yeah, I know, it makes me roll my eyes, too.

Everyone grows up as a victim of their circumstances.

Before you judge me, look at it this way. I never had to struggle – so where some
people learned the value of a dollar by working their way through college, or
others knew hard work to keep their grades up – I never had to do any of that.

Yeah, lucky me, right?

Wrong.

Naivety can have a detrimental effect, too, if you're not careful.

Life isn't wrapped up in a pretty bow –that's another thing my dad used to tell me
when I was growing up.

But here's what I know now.

Life is what you make it.

You can live life, or you can sit around and let life live you.

Me?

I let life grab me by the balls and drag me around until one day I decided I wasn't
going to be that guy anymore.

I was going to live.

…..

"So then I said, 'Whatever James, you eat boogers,' and he punched me so I
punched him back."

"LC, what have I told you about picking on your cousin?"

"He started it."

"We're here to look for your mom's gift, let's concentrate on that."

"Yeah, but Dad, we should buy the Wii."

"Because your cousin eats his own snot?"

"Why don't we get momma some 'goddamn peace and quiet'?"

"You know you aren't allowed to swear, Charles."

"Jesus tapdancing Christ."

"What did you just say?"

"Mom says that when she's annoyed."

"Your mom says a lot of things when she's annoyed that you shouldn't repeat."

…..

I met Leah at a legal society dinner.

She was so beautiful. Tall and curvy with long dark hair and dark eyes. We danced
to some retro bullshit the deejay was playing.

I think it was Kool and the Gang.

Actually, she danced and I just stood there and watched her.

At the time, I truly thought I was in love.

All encompassing, this-is-it love.

I'd never felt this way about anyone before. I'd had two girlfriends before, and I'd
had friends with benefits, but I'd never felt this.

We went out on a few dates, and she started calling me her boyfriend and I let her.

She left a toothbrush at my house one day; a month later she moved in and I let
her.

We hit our two year anniversary and she started dropping hints that she wanted to
get married. So what did I do?

I proposed.

I took her to a restaurant, got down on one knee and proposed in front of a bunch
of people who just assumed that they were witnessing the first day of Leah's and
my forever.

I jogged every morning and after I proposed to Leah, I jogged that little bit further
every day.

First it was an extra lap around the park.

By the time we had our engagement party, it was two laps around the park.

When she picked out the dress, I signed up for a local marathon.

I was starting to understand why Forrest Gump ran all that way without a
purpose.

He didn't want to go home to Jennay and ask himself why he wasn't truly happy.

…..

When I was sixteen, I dreamed of a beautiful woman with long, curly brown hair.

She was older than I was, about twenty-five.

In the first dream, she was laying on my bed, naked.

I put the sheets in the washing machine before my mom had the chance to wash
them.

As I aged, she remained young. One day I was dreaming and realized I was now
older than her.

Sometimes she was laying on the couch, laughing.

Sometimes she was making cookies with my mom.

But she was always smiling.

Always happy.

Always beautiful.

And never, ever, was she Leah.

…..

"What about a ring?"

"I wanna eat McDonalds, Dad."

"Let's just look here first. Do you think Mom would like this?"

"But I'm starving hungry. My belly monster is roaring."

…..

Leah and Bella.

Bella and Leah.

When I first started talking to Bella it was innocent.

She was witty and she flirted just as much as I did.

We weren't having a torrid phone affair or anything like that, we just talked.

About Jake.

About Leah.

About what sandwiches we liked for lunch.

It was stupid.

It was lighthearted.

It was inane.

It made my day.

I had a crush.

Here I was, thirty-four years old, about to marry my long term girlfriend and I had
a crush on some woman I'd never even met.

I would never have acted upon it, even if Bella lived next door, but I knew what
this meant.

If a girl all the way across the country, who I spoke to for five minutes on the
phone every couple of days, could capture my attention, then I shouldn't be

getting married.

It wasn't fair to me and it wasn't fair to Leah.

When I told her I needed time she cried and punched me in the jaw.

I felt like the world's biggest asshole.

I moved out of the place we shared and moved into my own place.

I got a haircut.

I grew a beard.

I bought a treadmill to use when the weather was shitty.

I'd made the right choice.

…..

"Come here and sit near me. I wanna take some photos."

"Daaaaa-adddd."

"Elllllllll-Ceeeeeeeee."

"Okay, sit on my lap. Say 'nuggets' on the count of three – one, two, three."

"Nuggetssssssss."

"Who loves ya, kid?"

"You do."

"And how much?"

"Imfimity."

"Infinity."

"Yeah, that!"

"And don't you forget it."

…..

I was going to New York to sign some paperwork for Aro Volturi.

If I was being honest I was going to sign paperwork and to meet Bella.

The more we spoke, the more I felt something.

I wondered if she was as beautiful as her laugh was.

She was still with Jake, but I just wanted to see her.

I wanted to really talk to her.

Get to know her.

I felt like I was seventeen again.

It crushed me when she told me she was moving home.

I don't even know where her home is. I really know nothing about her.

"So when's your last day?"

"This Friday."

"I'll miss these inane phone conversations that make my day brighter."

"I'll miss you, too."

I sent her flowers, roses.

Years later, I found she had kept one pressed in her journal, along with my note.

I'm pretty sure that was the night we conceived LC.

…

"LC, look here and smile."

Another photo.

"Now stick out your tongue."

"But Momma said if I stuck out my tongue again she was gonna cut it off."

"I'll tell her I made you do it."

Another photo.

"Okay last one, come up here and give your dad a kiss."

Last photo.

"Now, who wants ice cream?"

"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

…..

Ben and Angela had been riding my ass to meet Angela's friend.

It wasn't that I didn't want to meet her – it was just that I was still easing into
being single.

I went on a date with some chick named Kate that Emmett had set up.

She was sweet but there was no spark.

I wondered if I'd fucked up in leaving Leah. All because I had a crush on some
chick I didn't even know.

I was considering going back and begging Leah for her forgiveness.

But I knew that meant being miserable.

So I just continued on, alone.

Then it happened.

I saw her.

My dream girl.

And even better, she was coming out of my office.

I'd wished I'd been two minutes earlier.

I'd wished Alice had spent two minutes longer talking to her.

"Alice, who was that woman who just left the office?"

She gave me one of her looks. They irritated the shit out of me.

"That, my dear brother, was Isabella Swan. She said for you to call her."

Fuck me.

….

LC had fallen asleep on the way home from the mall.

The present was sorted and I just hoped she liked it.

As I carried my sleeping son into his room (still covered in cartoon fish), I
realized I really was the luckiest man in the world.

…..

Her mother had gotten into a car accident and was in a coma.

I wanted to curse the bad timing.

To think, Bella Swan was my dream girl.

And she lived here.

I couldn't wipe the ridiculous smile off of my face.

…..

She was sitting on the couch, her hair in a messy bun and a book in her hand.

She was beautiful.

In the ten years since we had actually physically met, our physical appearances
had changed. My hair had gone gray at the temples (I was a 'silver fox', or so she
told me) and she had never really lost all the baby weight she'd gained carrying

LC.

I wouldn't have had her any other way.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me all day, or are you going to make
out with me before our son wakes up and cockblocks us?"

I ran over and pounced on her and threw her book across the room.

She was warm and soft and smelled so good. I could spend an eternity pressed
against her like this.

"You owe me a new book, Cullen."

I blew a raspberry against her neck in reply.

She laughed hysterically.

…..

When she got back, we spoke every day.

Emails became phone calls.

Phone calls became text messages.

I kept asking her out but she was always busy.

I wondered if she was blowing me off.

I wished she was blowing something of mine, at any rate.

…..

The one thing that had changed in our relationship (apart from the fact that we
couldn't get it on anytime we wanted) was that we were no longer the most
important people in each other's lives.

I didn't mind and neither did she.

Charles Carlisle Cullen (dubbed Little Charlie - LC for short) was the all
encompassing light of his parents' lives.

I would never love any woman as much as I loved Bella Swan.

But I would never love anyone as much as I loved my son.

…..

We'd gotten married exactly one month after Angela and Ben's wedding rehearsal
dinner.

We flew to Vegas.

I wore a suit.

She wore a cream, lace dress and a flower in her hair.

She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

We were married by a guy dressed up as Bing Crosby.

We didn't have a wedding reception.

We ordered room service and had our first dance as husband and wife in the space
in front of the iPod dock.

"You know, Bing Crosby sang this song, too."

"I like this version."

"I used to dream of you. You never said anything, but you were always there. Just
smiling at me."

"I always knew you were a creep."

"A creep who loves ya, baby."

"I dreamed of you, too. You have no idea. I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too."

…..

On her birthday, she liked to be served breakfast in bed.

Before LC, I'd served her more than just food.

These days if it came down to sleeping in late or having early morning sex with
her husband – Bella chose to sleep.

Well, most of the time.

"I thought you were going to help me, little man?"

LC had snuggled his way into my side of the bed, his head lying beside his
mother's as they spoke in whispers.

"He was needed here with me. Momma was lonely, wasn't she?"

"Yeah Dad, and she wants me to eat her pancakes, too."

"Don't push your luck, buster."

"Scoot over so I can lie in bed, too."

As the three of us sat eating Bella's birthday breakfast, I remembered her
present.

"LC and I got you something, it isn't much, but it's the thought that counts,
right?"

Bella raised her eyebrows at me.

Every year we'd been married, she received gifts more extravagant than the
last.

She wouldn't have been surprised there if there was a diamond encrusted car out
the front with a bow on it.

Instead I handed her the gift that LC and I had worked on tirelessly over the past
two weeks.

It was a scrap book with LC's childish scribble on the front; it was just shapes
and gibberish.

"It says Happy Birthday Momma," he translated.

There, nestled in the pages of the album, were pictures of our life.

A picture of us with Angela and Ben.

The photo I'd taken of us on our first date (I had pretended I needed it for my
caller ID).

Our wedding.

LC's first ultrasound.

Her baby shower almost five years ago.

Angela, Ben, their daughter Shelly and us.

Shelly and LC dressed up as Batman and Batgirl.

The photos I took of LC in McDonalds three weeks ago.

"It's beautiful."

"No, you're beautiful."

"I love you, Edward. Every day of forever."

"I love you, too. What undies do you have on?"

~*~

- The End -

Dream a Little Dream Daddyward Outtake

Edward Cullen loved Bella Swan so much that sometimes he thought he would
burst. In the four years since they'd run off and eloped in Vegas, he hadn't
regretted a single day.

Maybe he regretted that time they fought about his possessive tendencies and he
had to sleep on the couch, but Mike shouldn't have touched her ass, and then he
wouldn't have had to punch him in the jaw.

They'd discussed having kids and it was always 'some day' and 'maybe when we're

ready'.

Emmett and Rosalie had two daughters and they sparked something in him that
wanted that. Judging by their behavior, Kayleigh and Payton were quite possibly
the promised brides of Satan, but that didn't stop Edward from being envious that
Emmett had two miniature Rosalies to kiss and cuddle and mould into citizens of
the world.

He wanted that.

He knew Bella did, too.

Bella wanted kids, in an abstract way. She wanted them like she wanted a Pulitzer
- some day.

Edward just had to convince her - that's all.

...

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"I read in the Times that having kids make you live ten years longer, at least."

"Hmmm."

"You'd look really cute with gray hair."

...

From: Isabella Swan iswan(at)portangelespress(dot)com
To: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com
Subject: RE: Adorable!

Edward, what is this?

I love you but I'm at a loss as to why you've sent me 25 pictures of you as a baby?

From: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com
To: Isabella Swan iswan(at)portangelespress(dot)com
Subject: RE: RE: Adorable

It's what the kids call a 'picspam'.

Jane the intern in our office makes them of that Jonas kid.

…..

From: Isabella Swan iswan(at)portangelespress(dot)com
To: Edward Cullen edwardc(at)whitlockcullen(dot)com
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Adorable!

The Jonas Brothers are old news Cullen.

You are becoming a fossil.

I should leave you for someone young and funky.

I'll see you at home.

...

Nothing worked.

Not the baby pictures.

Or the articles on the benefits of having children.

He regretted making her watch some Discovery channel show on births (he felt
bad that he even wanted her to go through that).

So he called in the big guns.

He phoned Angela Cheney.

...

Angela Cheney hadn't changed.

She still kept Bella on the phone until the break of dawn. (Edward had once hung
up on her to make sexytime with Bella, to his detriment.)

She still dropped around unannounced. (She had a spare key that she used often.)

She was still mad that they'd eloped and didn't have a big wedding. (Edward spent

the first six months of his marriage covering his jewels when she was around, just
in case of sneak attack.)

Edward knew she could help him with mission 'get Bella knocked up'.

"So let me get this right, you want a baby, and instead of just asking her, you've
dropped all these stupid, random hints?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Oh, Edward. Why don't you just ask her?"

"What would happen if Ben asked you if you wanted a baby?"

"I'd say, 'I don't think we're ready after this mortgage but we can sit down and
discuss it like adults'."

"What if this is a deal breaker? What if she doesn't want kids? I couldn't handle it
if she left me."

"For someone so smart, you really are a dumbass. She loves you more than
anything in this world, Edward. It isn't that Bella doesn't want children, it's just
that the actuality of having them isn't on her radar."

"I suppose."

"Look at it this way. If Bella said she didn't want kids, would you leave her?"

"No. I wouldn't be happy but we'd work through it."

"Exactly. Now go and have this conversation with your wife, you idiot."

...

Every day for a week, Edward tried to find the right words to tell her he wanted to
have a baby.

But he'd chicken out.

"Where do you see us in twenty years? Because I see us with some... nice
comfortable footwear."

"Bella have you ever thought about... eating pizza for breakfast?"

"I've always wanted a little girl who looked just like you... maybe I'll make one in
the Sims."

"Edward, what's going on with you? You're all out of sorts."

"What do you mean?"

"You keep saying and doing odd things. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I mean. Not really."

Her heart stuttered.

"What is it, Edward? Is there someone else?"

"What! No! I wanted to ask you if you'd want to have a baby with me, but I could
never find the right words."

She was silent for a minute and then she pinched his cheek really hard.

"Why didn't you just say that instead of talking in riddles?"

"Ow! I didn't know how to start."

"You idiot. Is that why you've been sending me baby pictures?"

"Yeah. I thought I could hint at it and you'd get the message. So what do you think
about us having a baby?"

"We've been together five years and I can't imagine anyone else I'd want to make a
baby with. Can you imagine a little boy with your hair?"

"Or a little girl with your eyes? A little bit of me, and a little bit of you. She'll be
perfect."

They started trying to conceive right there on the kitchen floor.

...

As the months crept on, and they couldn't conceive, Bella couldn't help but be
frustrated.

They had had tests – they were all in the clear.

Maybe it was stress?

She'd started going to yoga (Edward really liked that), and had cut down on this
caffeine.

Finally, after another month being met by disappointment, she decided to
de-clutter her life.

A clean up was just what she needed.

...

They were going through the untouched boxes from when she had first moved in
with him. The dust had managed to work its way into all spaces and crevices,
causing them both to sneeze as Edward rummaged through one of them.

"What's this?"

"That's my New Kids On The Block lunchbox. It has my love letters to Joey
McIntyre in it."

"If I ever see Joe McIntyre, I'm going to punch him in his stupid, cute face."

"He's gross now. They're all gross now. I only love you and Jake Gyllenhaal."

He muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'you'd only be his
beard'.

"Well, well, well. What is this?"

In his hands, Edward held aloft one of Bella's old journals.

"Let's turn to a page and read, shall we?"

"I loved talking to Edward today. He makes my days go by faster."

Panic flooded Bella she knew what he was going to find in there.

"Give it to me!"

"No!"

"Give it to me, Edward. OH MY GOD, GIVE IT TO ME. I HATE YOU!"

Too late, he turned to the page where she had pressed one of the roses he had
given her when she worked at Kellynch.

"Is this what I think it is?"

He was studying the rose as if it held the secret to a happy, healthy life.

"It's one of the roses you sent me when I left Kellynch. And your note."

"You kept them? Before you even knew me, you kept them?"

"Yeah. Don't make fun of me."

He didn't say a word; instead he kissed her as if his life depended on it.

"I love you. So much. And one day we're gonna make a baby – half me, and half
you. I love you, Bella." .

She couldn't respond coherently as he started simultaneously sucking on her neck
and unbuttoning her top.

Even if they never made a baby, they'd have a great time trying.

...

"Edward."

"Yeah?"

"This morning, I peed on a stick and it told me I was going to be a mommy."

"What? Are you serious?"

He came over to where she sat on the couch and touched her stomach reverently.

"Wow. I'm gonna be a dad."

"Yeah."

He quickly jumped off the couch and knelt in front of her as he pulled up her shirt.

He placed his lips on her still flat stomach as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Hello baby, I'm your daddy. I can't wait to meet you. Wait 'til you see your
momma. She's so beautiful. And she's smart and funny, too. We love you so much
already."

Edward Cullen was gonna be a daddy, and he couldn't be happier.

~*~