Hey guys! If you're reading the opening chapter of Two Beats, hopefully you enjoyed my beginning story, 'We Only Need Us'. Enjoy!

The soft light shimmered into the room and enveloped the bed and the couch, creating a waterfall effect of light. I opened my eyes, letting them flutter and adjust to the now bright honeymoon suite. I smiled, closing my eyes and stretching out, feeling with my free arm for my beloved. And he was there, lying just to the right, breathing softly. I tilted my head, eyes still closed, trying to sense him. I could, to. His aura shot out at me with such force that I had to breathe in deeply, to steady my now frenzied heart. Immediately, I felt two strong, cold arms wrap around me, humming just loud enough for it to be audible. I smiled, and finally opened my eyes. I blushed immediately, as his beautiful topaz eyes stared deeply into my brown ones.

"Hey," I said as I released my breath, breaking the peaceful silence. Edward was close to me, really close. His mouth just inches from mine as our smiles played around each other, teasing each other as they drifted closer and then darted back out.

"Hello," Edward responded, curling around me to embrace me. I looked at him, grazing his nose gently with my own, and letting myself erupt in an array of blushes. He smiled and captured my lips with his own, gently, tenderly.

We lay there, just basking in each others presence, letting the light warm our skin. I looked at my Edward, watching with bright eyes as his body began to shimmer in a magnificent sparkle that nothing could compare to. He watched as my eyes lit up and he smiled, pleased.

"Come," he said, "The day is getting away from us."

We had been on our honeymoon for a week, and we had one more to go; though we weren't sure if we would be able leave after that first magnificent, glorious week in paradise. I lazily let him pull me up and lead me to the small room in which our suitcases lay opened. He let go of my hand as he dug around in mine, pulling out a bikini with bottoms that looked like shorts—I wasn't comfortable wearing those skimpy string bikinis, though Edward had put up an argument to that. An argument that I actually won, and I had enjoyed rubbing his always-right face in it.

He threw my suit at me and instructed me to get dressed. I did, and when I turned around again Edward was already in his plaid blue swim trunks. He looked at my suit. It was black, and there was a white lily on the right side of the top piece. The bottoms were also black, and the lily was located on the opposite side along with a few green leaves that curled and played around the petals. Edward smiled approvingly. I just blushed some more.

Quickly, I went to the bathroom, where I brushed out my long, tangled hair and swept it up in a high bun, while still letting a few pieces hang over my face and down my back. I looked in the mirror, satisfied.

"Come on Isabella," Edward cooed, standing in the doorway and leaning against the doorframe, his topaz eyes sparkling with an inner light unlike his body, which was sparkling with the sun.

"Edward," I said in a sing-song voice, "Has anyone ever told you that patience is a virtue?" I turned around to face him, and he was chuckling.

"Yes," he said, a smirk on his beautiful lips, "I believe I have heard that somewhere before." I smiled and suddenly, he grew tired of waiting. He ran into the bathroom and scooped me into his arms, kissing me as he did so. He pulled back and on his face was that crooked smile that I loved. I laughed, and on the way out I snatched my skirt that had been conveniently thrown on the floor by the door in our hurry to—ahem—get back into the room last night. Edward paused as I leaned down to grab the thin, light blue skirt and then continued on his voyage out the door.

The Cullen's had somehow managed to rent out the whole side of the island for the two weeks, giving Edward and I room to move around freely without his getting discovered. Even the hotel was ours! The only staff in it was a very kind maid by the name of Rosa, who stayed out of our way most of the time. She was just there to make the bed, get us breakfast, and other things. We didn't bother her much, not wanting to get on her nerves. I still had no idea how it was possible to rent a part of an island, but Edward refused to even give me a hint.

Once we were outside and Edward was sparkling in all his glory, he placed me down in the white sand and we made out way to the crystal clear bluish-white water. I smiled as we went up to the surface, our fingers entwined with each other, and I let the waves lap at my toes. I squealed, seeing as it was cold. Edward laughed.

"Is Bella afraid of a little cold water?" He teased me, scooping me up and wading into the water up to his waist. I shivered just thinking about how cold it must be. He saw this emotion on my face and smiled, "Bella, I'm freezing one hundred percent of the time. A little cold water will do very little…" His eyes suddenly brightened in a way I didn't like, and I picked up too late on what he was going to do.

"Edward," I warned.

"Hmm?" he mumbled innocently.

"Don't even—" but I was too late. He immersed us in the water, and I screamed as the freezing cold washed over my body. He stayed under for a moment, letting the water soak into me. Surprisingly, once I was in, I felt better. The intense heat from the sun that had been beating against my back was lost in the sudden sanctuary of the cool waves. I realized I could breathe suddenly, and I opened my eyes, smiling.

"Do you remember?" I asked him. A puzzled look came into his eyes but then recognition. He nuzzled my collarbone with his nose, urging me on, "That night, in the ocean…" I whispered, closing my eyes and enjoying the soft touch of my love.

"Yes." He said bringing his bright, topaz orbs to meet my brown ones, "And as I recall, you became sick directly afterwards," I laughed and he did too, kissing me again. I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning back so that I was flat on my back, letting Edward and the waves carry me.

"I won't get sick," I mumbled, eyes still closed. We were quiet for a moment, before I had to bring it up. "Edward?" I asked uneasily.

"Yes love?" he answered. I opened my eyes and he was staring into them questioningly.

"When are you going to…to change me?" He was quiet for a moment, studying me.

"You know that answer," he said, relaxing and going back to his job of teasing my lips with his own, "When ever you are ready." I took comfort in hearing that answer again. To know that he was really going to change me when I was ready gave me such an indescribably relieving feeling, and I closed my eyes to let it immerse me. I had decided to wait until after our honeymoon, so that three days would not be taken up. A honeymoon is supposed to be alone time with a new spouse, being together with no pain or suffering. From what I'd heard, the process of becoming what Edward was was a very painful experience, and three days of that would cause us both grief. And so I waited, liking the fact that I could without worrying that he would change his mind.

"Thank you," I whispered. He stopped, his lips just over my heart, and I felt him smile against my skin, making me blush and my skin erupt in goose bumps. He chuckled.

"No, Bella. Thank you." And then his lips were on mine, fiercely kissing down with love and passion. I sat up and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him to myself and kissing him back.

Eventually, we got out of the water, and Edward carried me up the beach and back into the hotel. Once inside our room, we changed into regular clothes. I put on a spaghetti-strap blue tank top and a darker blue light blouse over it. I couldn't leave my back open, because of the scars I had acquired when Jacob had lost control. I left the front of the blouse opened, and was happy that it was short sleeved. I put on a tan pair of shorts and slipped my feet into sandals. I then went back into the bathroom and blow dried my hair, sweeping it back into a quick braid.

I left the bathroom and went into the bedroom, finding Edward already dressed in tan shorts also that reached to just below his knees. He had a white tank top on and a blue t-shirt over it that was left opened in the front. His sneakers were tan, and he had tied them with a black lace.

"Where to?" I asked him, coming up to him and kissing his nose gently.

"Well, I thought we'd go to the boardwalk tonight," he suggested, "We could window shop." The very word 'shop' still made me shiver in fear. A flashback of Alice dragging me into a store where they sold nothing but stilettos was enough to make me feel weak, and so I sat on the large bed. Edward sat beside me, "What?" he asked worried. I smiled and shook my head.

"Nothing. Just a not-so-happy flashback of a mall experience." I said, waving a hand. Edward's eyes flashed with understanding and that crooked smiled played on his lips. Suddenly, I had an urge to make those lips mine, and so I did. I captured them, my mouth holding them prisoner. It took Edward only a moment before he adjusted and kissed me back. Before we got too serious, though, he pulled back, panting. I pouted, and he laughed.

"Come," he said, getting up and taking my hand, "The sun is gone. We can go now." I kept my face in full pout mode as he dragged me out the door and towards direction of the boardwalk. Once we were outside, I let the pout drop and breathed in the muggy night air, looking up and letting the stars shine down on us.

I looked in front of me at Edward, still leading the way, then down at our hands that were linked together. I smiled. I looked up and saw Edward looking at me with a soft expression in his eyes and a smile on his face. I was caught. I smiled innocently and blushed. He shook his head and continued leading.

We reached the boardwalk about fifteen minutes after, walking up and down the wooden platform admiring the neon lights. A woman came up to us, and I noticed that Edward took a step forward, covering me slightly, protectively. I smiled, feeling safe.

"Hello," she said politely, "I couldn't help but notice what a cute and deserving couple you were."

"Deserving?" I asked, wrinkling my nose and squinting my eyes in confusion.

"Deserving of these," Quickly, she whipped out a small case that had fit inside her black bag. Upon opening it, she came out with two bracelets, matching, only one had a blue bead in the center and the other had a red. She looked up proudly to see what effect she had had on us, "They're called 'Cherish Bracelets'." She explained, smiling, "You give them to the one you love, and you stay together forever."

I looked up at Edward, who was smiling.

"I'm sorry," he said, "But we don't need bracelets to know we'll always be together." And with that, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, kissing my forehead. The woman seemed disappointed but did not argue. She simply nodded and walked past us, stopping and giving the same smile and amount of enthusiasm to the next couple she had chosen. I laughed and wrapped an arm around Edward's waist.

We stayed at the boardwalk a little while longer. I got a cotton candy and munched on it happily as we left and made out way back to our hotel.

"Are you happy, love?" Edward asked suddenly. I looked up at him and smiled.

"I've never been happier." I said. He looked at me.

"Never?" he asked, his mouth curving up into a smile.

"Never." I said, smiling myself. I stood up on my tip-toes and kissed him on the lips daintily. That's all it took. I laughed as he scooped me into his arms bridal style, making me drop the cotton candy that now lay in the dust, forgotten.

"Good." He said satisfied. He kissed me deeply, and he carried me through the hotel and into our suite, where he closed the door behind him with his foot since his arms were busy with me…

Tee hee. Sorry, but those were the first…words?...out of my mouth after I finished this first chapter. I hope you all liked it! Reviews please! Love all around!

Falling Rose Petals