Author's Note: Finally finished! :). WAHOO! And as always, I own nothing and make no profit from this flight of fancy. Though I do have a lot of fun!

Bella's P.O.V.

"Mmmmmm," I hummed almost completely content as Edward again trailed kisses down my throat and his hands pulled my hips flush with his.

"Edward," I gasped at the sensation, but couldn't contain the disgruntled growl that followed.

"Like that?" Edward whispered teasingly in my ear, misinterpreting my growl. His sensual fingers were expertly driving me toward a frenzy of passion once more. It was almost enough to help me ignore the other frenzy that was building, but not quite.

"No, ahh," I goaned as Edward teased a particularly sensitive spot.
"Edward, we have to stop."

"No we don't," he murmured impishly, running his fingers through my hair and kissing my earlobe. "We're married. We can do this for the rest of forever."

Internally I wished he were right—this love we shared, so perfect, so much pleasure, but my thirst was raging now.

"My throat, Edward. I'm thirsty."

Edward stilled, then pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"Of course," he said, dragging a finger gently down my throat. He leaned in and kissed me again, this time gentle and tender. "I'm sorry, love," he whispered. "I should have—

I placed a finger over his lips to stop his apology. "You didn't know. You're not a mind reader." I blurted

Edward gave me a pointed look that melted into amusment as I realized my gaffe.

I huffed and added, "At least not when it comes to my mind." I rolled to my side and sat up from the floor. A moment later, Edward was beside me.

"Oh no," I groaned as I looked around our cabin.

Our beautiful white canopy bed was collapsed on the floor with one of the elegant posters cracked and hanging by a splintered strip of varnished wood. Our linens were shredded and springs had been pulled from the bedding, sticking out like wild gray hairs. The dresser lay on its side with the bottom right drawer and leg crushed. It must have happened after we rolled off the bed, I thought looking at the strings of lingerie mixed with clothing that had tumbled from the half open drawers. I suppose if I searched my perfect memory, I could recall causing the cracks in the living room window, knocking over the sofa, and breaking the legs on our small bedside table as well.

"It can be replaced, Love," Edward said, hugging me from behind.

"I know, but it…. It didn't seem like so much damage at the time."

"Well, you were distracted," he teased, his hands massaging my hips.

"It's ours though, and it was so beautiful."

"We'll have others, love. We can even refurbish this one, but perhaps we should worry about you first."

I swallowed back venom without relief and crawled to the overturned dresser.

I slid open a drawer that had a small strip of denim showing only to have shorts and tank tops tumble out. I snickered in spite of myself. Or I did, until I got a closer look at the "shorts." My eyes widened as I held up a tiny pair of low rider shorts. I'd had underwear less revealing.

Mmm, nice," Edward commented, fingering the tiny bottoms in my hands.

"Seriously? Edward, These are microscopic." I turned to look in his eyes, they were dark and smoldering with lust.

"If it were up to me, you'd hunt naked."

I ducked away and grabbed a white lace trimmed tank to go with my shorts and took cover behind the couch.

"Shy, Bella?" Edward's teasing voice drifted from the other side of the room where I heard him rummaging through another off kilter drawer.

"Thirsty," I replied, peeking over the edge of the sofa once I'd thrown on the outfit. "And pretty sure I won't hunt, naked or otherwise, unless I get some distance from you." I sighed as Edward pulled the tan cargo shorts up to his waist and slid a grey t shirt over his chest.

I grinned as he turned his lustful gaze my way. In a flash he was by my side, a hand lowered to help me to my feet.

One would almost think you're a gentleman," I teased as I stood beside him.

"I used to be one," he said, twirling me around. "Till I met a certain temptress."

"So you blame me?" I asked, mock offence in my voice.

Edward leaned in to kiss me, hands sliding over my hips. I held up a finger in front of his lips.

"Hunt first, play later," I said, walking away from his embrace and to the door. I turned to see him chuckling and shaking his head.

"I'll be right behind you," Edward replied. "Go on ahead."

Edward's P.O.V.

I drank in the vision of my beautiful wife as she walked into the morning light. I doubted I would ever get enough of her. I walked over to the coffee table and pocketed the phone. I knew Bella had been determined to return home long enough to check on her father, but I hoped she could be persuaded a phone call would be enough this time. I had promised her father I'd try to keep her away as he adjusted to this new life, but I'd have been a liar if I said that was the primary reason I was going to encourage her to check on Charlie by phone.

I simply wasn't ready to share her yet.

Bella P.O. V.

I let the hot blood slide over my dry throat with a disgruntled sigh. Deer really was disgusting, but I wasn't going to be picky. I had a gorgeous husband I wanted to get back to so a search for carnivores was not going to happen today.

I could see him feeding just ahead of me. Good. Then his thrist wouldn't be in the way of our time together either. I smiled as I lifted myself out of my feeding crouch and wiped my wrist over my mouth. Several drops of deer blood managed to mar my white top. Drat! When was I ever going to get the hang of proper feeding?

My pristine husband looked back at me.

"Better, Love?" He asked as he sauntered toward me.

I nodded.

He pulled out the phone. "I know you wanted to visit Charlie, but perhaps a call would be okay for now."

I looked again at my stained top and the teeny shorts I was wearing. "I guess this time."

Edward sat down on a small rise and patted the spot beside him. I lowered myself gently and took the phone from his hand. I was pulling up the number when Edward began kissing my neck.

"Edward, stop. I can't talk to dad while you're doing that."

"Sure you can," He murmured as he pulled me to his side and continued his assault on my neck.

I thought about arguing with him but then he reached that special spot. "Hmm… maybe we'll call later," I sighed.

That was the moment the phone rang.

Edward's P.O.V.

I chuckled as I pulled back to look into Bella's face.

"Alice," we both predicted, then laughed.

Shaking her head, Bella answered the phone.

I contented myself with holding her close as she consulted out resident physic kill joy.

Bella's P.O.V.

"Hello, Alice," I said even as I leaned into Edward's embrace

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't have called, but it would have been another few weeks if I hadn't and I HAD to tell you!"

Had to tell me what, Alice!" I said. Then panic set it. "Dad! Is Charlie okay?"

"He's more than okay! He's fantastic!"

"What?" I began.

"He and Irina are mates! We weren't sure at first because newborns are so erratic and Irina wasn't allowing herself to believe it could happen after so long a time alone, but she took him out hunting and they ended up together. And I've had nothing but happily mated visions of them from as far away as five years in the future!"

"Really! Oh, Alice that's great! That's fantastic!"

"That also means your dad is going to be kinda distracted for a while. It might be a few months before you two contact each other. Maybe longer."

I was still so elated for my dad, I didn't care. "Alice, as long as I know he's happy."

"He's great. I try really hard NOT to see certain things, but when I do see him he's completely in love, and Bella?" She paused.

"Yes." I said, slapping Edward's hand away from where he was lowering the shoulder of my top.

"I've seen all of us together for a ball game—including Charlie and Irina—so when you get knapsack full of clothes lobbed at what's left of your cabin, don't ignore it."

"We won't," Edward said over my shoulder and took the phone from me. "Bye, Alice," and he hung up, tossing the phone to the ground beside him. Before I could react, he tackled me to the ground.

"I think," he murmured moving over the top of me, "it's time for a romp in the woods."

I was about to say something but my lips were suddenly otherwise occupied.

Edward's P.O.V.

I lay on my side staring at my love as she gently ran a brush through her silken hair. Her baseball uniform clung to her curves nicely, and I supposed this short break for a family ball game after so much glorious uninterrupted time loving my beautiful wife wasn't too great a sacrifice. It had been nearly a year—ah….A year of lovemaking day and night interrupted only by the occasional need to feed. What a year it had been!

"Getting dressed anytime soon, Edward?" Bella teased, her eyes trailing down my body.

"If I must," I said with a theatrical sigh.

"I'm sure my dad would appreciate it," she giggled.

I drew my jersey over my head and the reached for the jeans I'd saved from Alice only based on the promise that they'd ever be worn at games.

Bella gave me an approving nod and lifted herself up on her toes to place my cap on my head. "There," She said, "You're decent." She grabbed my hand and led me out the door that now was hanging loose on its hinges humming "Take Me out to the Ball Game."

Charlie's P.O.V.

"Stop pacing," I muttered to myself for what seemed like the hundredth time, but that did not keep me from making the same back and forth circuit in the grass.

I looked out over the field Alice had set up near the Cullen household. Irina was in a huddle with her sisters giggling. I grimaced. I didn't want to think about what those three were discussing. This was their first time together since Irena and I got together, so I could only imagine how embarrassing their conversation would be to me.

I found myself grinning in spite of these thoughts. If I had to take some embarrassment to have Irina, then I'd take it. She was worth it. Alice had assured me Bells was happy with Irina and me, still it was strange—the thought of introducing—no Bella knew and loved Irina already. I guess it seemed strange to consider talking with Bella about Irina and me when it seemed like more like a crazy but really good dream other than reality.

"Dad!" I turned before the thought had time to register and raced toward my girl. She jumped into my arms and I hugged her close.

"Missed you, Bells."

She leaned back to look up at me. "Missed you too." Then with a smirk she added. "So Irina?"

I reached back to rub the back of my neck. "Yeah."

Bella grinned. "I'm happy for you, dad. She's great."

I nodded. "So how's married life treating ya?" I asked, hoping to get the focus off me as quickly as possible.

Bella's smile lit up her face. "It's the best. So how well are you adjusting to the new you?"

"Crazy mood swings are mostly under control and I'm getting better at keeping down deer."

Bella pulled a face. "I hate deer too."

I laughed. "You used to be the salad and mushroom ravioli type. I'd think vegetarian vampire diet would come easily to you."

"Ha ha. You know there's no comparison."

"Nope. Not really"

"So you really gonna attempt baseball? Kinda dangerous for you isn't it?" I teased.

"I'm only a danger to your team's winning."

"That's cute. You think you can beat your old man."

"Wanna bet?" Bella goaded a wicked gleam in her eye.

"You're on," I said sticking out my hand.

We shook and I jerked my head toward the field.

"You go, dad. I'll be right behind you." Bella said.

Bella's P.O.V

I hung back under the cover of a tree as my father walked at a human pace to where the rest of my loved ones—my family both new and old—warmed up for our game and marveled at how my life had changed in a little over a year.

I had come to Forks determined to sacrifice my own happiness for my mom, Phil and dad. I was a loner with broken dreams from a broken home.

Now I was a loved member of a family and an extended family centuries strong. I could rest in the knowledge that my dad found love just as my mom had. I'd always have him now.

And Edward.

I had Edward. I found that person I loved above all others—that soul mate everyone dreams, writes and sings about. I shook my head thinking at the fractured path that led me here to this place of complete contentment. Funny how we never know in life what our actions may lead to and how what seems to be a disaster can become the stepping stone to something wonderful.

I know there would never pass another day that I would not count as the single most important moment of my life the afternoon in my house at Forks—the moment of Edward's mistake.