.

Disclaimer:

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A knock on the glass had me and everyone else in the office, looking up from our conversations. My eyes widened and I shook my head furiously as everyone began whispering.

Edward grinned.

More whispering from behind me and I squeezed my eyes shut. I opened them, glaring daggers at Edward who never looked more amused in his life.

I sliced my finger across my neck, gesturing for him to cut it out. He mouthed at the window with a devilish smile, "can I come in?"

"Bella, who is that?" my mom's secretary, Bertha, asked. Everyone turned around so their backs weren't facing me anymore and I quickly stopped mouthing profanities at Edward.

"I have no idea," I said, trying to be nonchalant as I flipped through a magazine.

I was in Renee's office, waiting to visit her in the waiting room. I really should have come at a different time. I also really shouldn't have told Edward. He's been bugging me about meeting her. Jerk.

The rest of the people in the waiting room, including Renee's patients and staff, kept whispering as Edward grinned at me through the glass. They looked back from me to him.

"Um…do you want me to call the cops?" Bertha asked, giving Edward a wary look. I tried to keep the smile from coming onto my face. Yes! Call the cops! That'll teach him!

"Could you?" I asked, trying to look scared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward's face grow confused and suspicious. I bit my lip to keep from smiling.

Bertha picked up the phone and the door opened.

Damnit.

"Bella," Edward said, smirking at my angry face.

"Excuse me, sir," Bertha said as I almost broke into laughter, "Do you have an appointment?"

"No, I'm Bella's boyfriend."

Everyone looked at me. I blushed bright red.

"Bertha, I don't know what this man is talking about," I tried to explain even though my blush had already given me away.

"She didn't want me to come over because she doesn't want me to meet her mother yet," Edward explained, making me blush a deeper red.

"Oh Bella," Bertha sighed, laughing, "Renee's not going to scare the poor boy away!"

"Yes she will," I said through my teeth. The waiting room tittered, used to my antics by now. Edward chuckled and I shot him a dirty glare.

"Come on, sweetheart, I'll get your mother for you," Bertha said, picking up the phone. I opened my mouth but Edward was already over at my side, sitting next to me and placing an arm on my shoulder.

"Thank you," he said with a charming smile that had some female patients shifting in their seats. Bertha just laughed and nodded, seeing as she was already married and older than Renee.

"I'm going to hurt you," I muttered, glaring at him as he grinned still. Unfortunately for me, our faces were closer than I had expected and my thoughts went a bit blurry. Still. Gr. We've been together for a year and a half now and I'm still not over that fluttery, high-school-girl crush stuff.

"Please," he teased in a whisper as I blushed. He laughed.

"You must have met her before," I said.

"Yeah, but not as your boyfriend."

"She's going to eat you."

"Right," Edward said, rolling his eyes.

"Why do you want to meet her so badly?" I groaned.

"You've met my family!"

"Yeah, well, that's different."

"It's not. And it's only fair. Plus, I'm curious."

"Aren't you always?"

"Isn't that why you love me?"

"No."

"Oh right, you love me because I'm devastatingly beautiful."

I elbowed him and he laughed again.

"Bella," Bertha called, "Your mother will see you now."

I felt like a patient when she said that. A patient ready to go see Dr. Frankenstein. I wasn't going to get up, but Edward grabbed my hand and brought me to my feet. He thanked Bertha as we walked through the hall down to my mom's office.

The door was already open and Renee was already grinning and clasping her hands together.

"You two look so perfect together," she gushed. I turned beet red and almost turned around to walk back out, but Edward put a hand on my back and turned me forwards.

"A quick hello only," I ground out in a low voice to Edward who rolled his eyes at me.

"Hi mom," I said, smiling tightly at my mother. She rushed up and gave me a hug, kissing me on my forehead.

"Good to see you, baby," she said, patting my cheek lovingly. And then her attention, predictably, moved to the fine specimen of man next to me.

"And this must be Edward, right?" she said, grinning at him.

"Yes, I'm-" Edward began but Renee cut him off.

"Bella's told me so much about you! Gosh, she was right, you are handsome! Bella, your description didn't do this man justice!"

"Mom-" I cut in, embarrassed as Edward gave me a sly look.

"I can't believe Bella's never had us properly introduced!" she said to Edward. She patted Edward's cheek with her hand and she wonders why.

I met with Renee every few weeks or so just to catch up and chat. I really did love her. But sometimes she was too much. Like, for example, right now.

Edward was smiling, which was a good sign. I'd worry once he started wigging out and running from the room screaming.

"It's nice to meet you too, Dr. Swan," Edward said. Renee immediately scoffed.

"Renee, sweetie, call me Renee," she insisted.

"All right, mom, don't suffocate him," I said, grabbing his arm, "He just wanted to meet you quickly. He has to go. Right, Edward?"

I gave him a pleading look and he raised an eyebrow. He turned to Renee.

"Unfortunately, I do have to get going," he explained, "But I do hope we get to know each other more at some other time."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to lunch with Bella and me?" Renee asked.

"He's sure," I interrupted. Edward stifled a laugh and Renee smiled kindly.

"That's too bad," she said, "But it was a pleasure talking to you, Edward."

"You too, Renee."

My face was permanently died red. Like Michael Jackson. Except with red bleach instead of white.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Edward peppered my face with kisses as I sat with my arms crossed, stubbornly staring at the TV.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he whispered with a smile in his voice, clearly not that sorry, "I just wanted to meet her."

I was silent.

"You're not going to talk to me all night?"

Nope. Look how cold my shoulder is, Edward.

He chuckled, his breath floating across my skin as I fought back a shiver and a sigh. He peppered kisses down the side of my neck, slowing down once he got to my collarbone. He was trying to get a reaction out of me. I was trying to keep my shoulder icy.

He ran his fingers down the sides of my arms, kissing where my neck met my ear. He kissed under my jaw. I gripped the sheets and he noticed because I felt him smile into a kiss on my temple. He put his hands on either side of face, steadying me as he kissed the corner of my mouth.

"If I kiss you, you won't kiss me back?" he asked, amused. I didn't respond, pretending I didn't even notice him there.

His finger ran over my upper lip and I wanted to melt into his touch.

Icy, Bella. Think cold.

Edward's knuckles were cold as they brushed gently across my cheek…

Stop! Bella! Have some control!

Then his lips were on mine and my initial reaction was to grab his hair and kiss him back. My lips twitched to move closer to Edward when he pulled away, my lower lip trapped between his smooth lips.

"Hmm," Edward said, inspecting my face. His crooked smile was suddenly in focus and I quickly had to refocus to the people on screen. Fez is talking in that funny accent, Hyde's got his hands on his hips and-

Edward kissed slowly up my neck before taking my earlobe between his teeth. I gasped out of instinct and Edward's eyes looked up with his face buried in my neck, triumphant as his arms were wrapped around my waist. He began to grin and was going to say something, but I jumped on him, pinning him to the bed with my hands on his shoulders and my legs straddling him.

He looked surprised, but my need to kiss him was stronger than my need to care. I smothered his lips with mine, kissing him hungrily as he let out a small moan. He put his hands on my hips, steadying me as I kissed him. I pulled back and put my forehead on his. I glared at him as he laughed an out-of-breath laugh.

"You're cruel," I stated, wiggling my hips as punishment. His eyes went wide and he gripped my waist tighter to keep me from moving like that.

"Bella-" he began, his voice throaty.

"You know, I thought maybe you got over that whole embarrassing me thing, but I guess not," I said, wiggling again on the word 'not', "Now all the staff and Renee's patients think I'm crazy!"

I wiggled again and suddenly I was on my back, Edward above me with his hands on either side of my head. He shifted so not all of his weight was on me, but his expression was hungry. Oopsie…did I do that? I feigned innocence.

His lips were on mine and his hands knotted in my hair. It was my turn to let out a small moan. He pulled back too soon.

"I think you've been too worried about you somehow scaring me away in one way or another," he said, kissing my neck as I gripped his shoulders, "Like when you wouldn't let me read your diary."

"That's a diary!" I insisted breathily.

"From 9th grade."

I frowned.

"I was a weird 9th grader," I mumbled. Edward kissed me again, sweeter but with passion.

"I'm not going anywhere Bella," he said into my neck, "I'm taking you and all the luggage you come with."

I sighed and Edward looked at me with sincere eyes.

"The luggage has ugly pineapples on them," I muttered half-heartedly as Edward chuckled.

"I can handle it."

"There are a lot of skeletons inside…well, you've met most of them."

"Mmmhmm," Edward said kissing my jaw softly. I sighed.

"Are you sure you want to be seen with them? They're pretty strange."

"I think you know the answer to that. I've told you a million times."

"What?" I asked, confused.

He laughed, looking free-spirited and carefree.

"I go," he said clearly and with adoration, "Where you go. Forever. Got that, Ms. Bella Swan?"

"Because you love me?" I asked in a small voice, looking up at his beautiful, joyful face.

"Of course you silly, beautiful girl," Edward laughed, kissing my nose and eyelids. I grinned. I knew that. I've known that for a while.

But a few good kisses and a whole lot of blushing can be wonderful reminders.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Short and fluffy and weird.

That's the way I take my epilogues, how about you? It's probably a good transitional, sweet kind of bridge into the sequel, but who knows. Anything can happen.

Anyway, if you haven't already checked out my new story, please do so! It's called Youth, Caesar, and the Neverending Needles. It's a little different than Maria because Bella and Edward are still teens, but I think you might like it if you give it a shot!