CHAPTER SIX:

Bella's POV:

Once the world stopped spinning, I blinked, once, twice, taking in my surroundings. I was on a beach, with silvery white sand glowing pale in the light of the moon, and tall, waving palm fronds. Over to my left was a short dock, constructed of wooden planks, bleached into whiteness by the moon. I could hear the lapping of waves against the shore, and the rustling of the palms in the breeze. The air was warm, moist and fragrant- like the steam left behind after a hot shower.

"Where are we?" I breathed, in amazement, turning around slowly, and kicking off the awful stilettos Alice had forced me into, which her sinking into the sand.

"This is Isle Esme," Edward said, his smile radiant as he looked down at me. I blinked.

"Isle Esme?"

"A gift from Carlisle- Esme offered to let us borrow it." Edward explained.

"A gift? Who gives an island as a gift?" I just about squeak. Edward laughs, lightly. I look around, a slight frown on my face. "Um, do we have clothes?"

"Hermione brought everything here yesterday," he assures me, before pulling me up into his arms. I laugh.

"Aren't you supposed to wait for the threshold?"
"I'm nothing if not thorough." He says, with mock-solemnity. Cradling me in his arms, he carried me

along a pale sand pathway, through the dark vegetation. For a short while it was pitch black in the jungle-like growth, and then I could see a warm light ahead. It was about at the point when I realized the light was a house- the two bright, perfect squares were wide windows framing a front door.

A sudden stage fright struck me, and my heart thudded audibly against my ribs, and my breath got stuck in my throat. I felt Edward's eyes on my face, but I refused to meet his gaze, staring straight ahead, but seeing nothing.

He didn't ask what I was thinking, which was out of character for him. I guessed that meant he was as nervous as I suddenly was.

I found myself wishing that I'd asked Hermione more questions, about what to expect, about what would happen.

As he stood up onto the porch, Edward looked down at me again, waiting until I met his gaze, before he stepped through the threshold. He carried me through the house, both of us very quiet, flipping on lights as he went. My vague impression of the house was that it was quite large for a tiny island, and oddly familiar. I'd gotten used to the pale-on-pale color scheme preferred by the Cullens; this felt like home.

I couldn't focus on any specifics, though, not with the violent pulse beating behind my ears making everything a little blurry. And then Edward stopped and turned on the last light.

The room was big and white and the far wall was mostly glass- standard décor for my vampires. Outside, the moon was bright on the white sand and, just a few yards away from the house, glistening waves. But I barely noticed that part. I was more focused on the absolutely huge white bed in the center of the room, hung with billowy clouds of mosquito netting.

Edward set me on my feet, and I continued staring. A bead of sweat dewed up on the nape of my neck, and I found myself walking forwards to reach out and touch the foamy netting, needing to make sure everything was real.

Edward's wintery fingers caressed the back of my neck, wiping away the drop of perspiration. "It's a little hot here," he said, apologetically, "I thought... that would be best."

"Thorough." I murmured, under my breath, and he chuckled. It was a nervous sound, rare for Edward.

"I tried to think of everything that would make this... easier." He admitted. I swallowed loudly, still facing away from him. How in god's name had Hermione done this? I wondered, desperately. How did any bride do this? "I was wondering," Edward said slowly, "if... first... maybe you'd like to take a midnight swim with me?" He took a deep breath, and his voice was more at ease when he spoke again. "The water will be very warm. This is the kind of beach you approve of."

"Sounds nice." My voice broke.

"I'm sure you'd like a human minute or two... it's been a very long day." I nodded woodenly, and his lips brushed against my throat, just below my ear. He chuckled once, and his cool breath tickled my overheated skin. "Don't take too long, Mrs. Cullen."

I jumped a little at the sound of my new name, and his lips brushed down my neck to the tip of my shoulder. "I'll wait for you in the water." He walked past me to the French door that opened right onto the beach sand. On the way, he shrugged out of his shirt, dropping it on the floor, and then slipped through the door into the moonlit night.

I had to remind myself to breathe, and I stumbled towards the closest suitcase, this one sitting on top of a low, white dresser. I hoped it was mine, and when I opened it I was relieved to see it was, easily recognizing the familiar bag of toiletries- though that was all I recognized. I hadn't seen a single one of these articles of clothing before in my life.

Alice, I sighed, internally.

As I pawed through the neatly folded piles, it came to my attention there was an awful lot of sheer lace and skimpy satin in my hands. Lingerie. Very lingerie-ish lingerie, with French tags.

I didn't know how or when, but someday Alice was going to pay for this, I vowed.

Giving up on the suitcase, I grabbed my toiletries and went into the bathroom. Opening the bag, I was slightly surprised to see a piece of parchment, neatly folded over. I pulled it out with trembling fingers, and smoothed it out.

Bella, my sister's neat script read, stop freaking out. Everything's going to be fine. Relax and enjoy yourself. If you need it, there's a Calming Draught in here.

Love Hermione.

P.S. don't forget to shave

I repress the urge to moan, and instantly start sifting through the toiletries until I locate my razor. I took the time to carefully shave my legs, brush my teeth, and comb my hair, still wavy from the braids. I splashed cold water on my face and the back of my neck, which was feeling feverish. That felt so good that I washed my arms as well, and finally decided to just give up and take a shower. I knew it was ridiculous to shower before swimming, but goddamn I needed to calm down, and a nice shower was one reliable way to do that.

When I was done, I grabbed a huge white towel off the counter and wrapped it under my arms. Then I was faced with a dilemma I hadn't considered. What was I supposed to put on? Not a swimsuit, obviously. But it seemed silly to put my clothes back on, too. Plus I didn't even want to think about the things Alice had packed for me.

My breathing started to accelerate again, and my hands trembled- so much for the calming effects of the shower. I started to feel a little dizzy, apparently a full-scale panic attack on the way, and ended up drinking the Calming Draught Hermione packed.

The minute I drank it, a sense of ease washed over me, my panic melting away. It was Edward out there. The man I loved unconditionally, irrevocably, and to be honest a touch irrationally. There was no reason to be nervous.

I almost felt like I was gliding as I walked out of the bathroom, past the suitcase full of lace, and the big bed. Out the open glass door onto the powder fine sand. Everything was black-and-white, leached colorless by the moon. I walked slowly across the warm powder, searching the darkness for the man I loved.

He wasn't hard to find. He stood, his back to me, waist deep in the midnight water, staring up at the oval moon. The pallid light turned his skin a perfect white, like the sand, like the moon itself, and made his wet hair as black as the ocean.

I took a deep, steadying breath, and let the towel fall, walking out into the white light that made me look as pale as he did. I couldn't hear the sound of my footsteps as I walked to the water's edge, but I guessed that he could, though he did not turn.

He didn't turn until I stepped in, the water warm as a bath, and walked over to him, placing my hand lightly over his cool hand, lying on the water. "Beautiful," I whispered, looking up at the moon.

"It's all right," he answered, unimpressed, turning to face me. He lifted his hand to cradle my face,

and smiled down crookedly at me. "But I wouldn't use the word beautiful- not with you standing here in comparison." I half smiled, and raised my free hand, placing it over his heart. He shuddered the tiniest bit at the warm touch. "I promised we would try," he whispered, suddenly tense. "If... if I do something wrong, if I hurt you, you must tell me at once."

I nodded solemnly, keeping my eyes on his. I took another step through the waves and leaned my head against his chest. "Don't be afraid," I murmured, "we belong together."

I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him, summer and winter. It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire.

"Forever," he agreed, and then pulled us gently into deeper water. -

I was still damp from the ocean as he laid me down on the bed, when he mapped my body with his lips, his tongue. The sum of small acts began to unite us, building; I'd never felt more loved, more beautiful, then I did right now, under his touch, in his arms. He moved his mouth back to mine and we kissed again and I kissed him back with more fervor than I had before. We were kissing and kissing, my hands running slowly up into his bronze hair and down over his shoulders and along his strong arms and around to his back, holding his gorgeous body against my own.

The pain as he entered me was sharp, and it made me cry out, but it didn't last for long, and then we were moving together, fitting perfectly. It was messy, and the noises I was making were almost embarrassing, but I was so far past being able to feel that sort of emotion at that point- everything, all of it, was absolutely perfect. I wrapped myself around him as he made love to me, allowing myself to be carried.

We fit together perfectly, like corresponding pieces, made to match up. The flush of my skin, against the coolness of his; fire and ice, somehow existing together without destroying each other.

In the blissful aftermath, I felt like my body had been reduced to jelly, my limbs weak and floppy. I didn't try to think, to speak, just let him hold me, drifting off into a sound sleep.

-

The sun, hot on the bare skin of my back, woke me in the morning. Well, late morning, maybe afternoon, I wasn't sure. Everything besides the time was clear, though; I knew exactly where I was- the bright room with the big white bed, brilliant sunlight streaming through the open doors, the clouds of netting softening the shine.

I didn't open my eyes. I was too happy to change anything, no matter how small. The only sounds were the waves outside, our breathing, my heartbeat...

I was comfortable, even with the baking sun. His cool skin was the perfect antidote to the heat. Lying across his wintry chest, his arms wound around me, felt very easy and natural. I wondered idly what I'd been so panicky about last night. My fears all seemed silly now.

His fingers softly trailed down the contours of my spine, and I knew that he knew I was awake. I kept my eyes shut though, and tightened my arms around his neck, holding myself closer to him. He didn't speak; his fingers moved up and down my back, barely touching it as he lightly traced patterns on my skin.

I would have been happy to lie here forever, to never disturb this moment, but my body had other ideas. I laughed at my impatient stomach. It seemed sort of prosaic to be hungry after all that had passed last night. Like being brought back down to earth from some great height.

"What's funny?" he murmured, still stroking my back. The sound of his voice, serious and husky, brought with it a deluge of memories from the night, and I felt a blush color my face and neck. To answer his question, my stomach growled. I laughed again.

"You just can't escape being human for very long." I waited, but he did not laugh with me. Slowly, sinking through the many layers of bliss that clouded my head, came the realization of a different atmosphere outside my own glowing sphere of happiness.

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was his tense jaw, and I propped myself up on my elbow so I could see his face. He was staring at the frothy canopy above us, and he didn't look at me as I studied his grave features. His expression was a shock- it sent a physical jolt through my body. "Edward," I said, a strange little catch in my throat, "what is it? What's wrong?"

"You have to ask?" his voice was hard, cynical. My first instinct, the product of a lifetime of insecurities, was to wonder what I had done wrong. I thought through everything that had happened, but I couldn't find any sour note in the memory. I couldn't think of any part that would make him look like this- so severe and cold.

What had I missed?
His finger smoothed the worried lines on my forehead. "What are you thinking? He whispered.

"You're upset. I don't understand. I thought you, you know..." my voice trailed off and I blushed, unable to finish the sentence out loud. His eyes tightened.

"How badly are you hurt, Bella? The truth- don't try to downplay it."

"Hurt?" I asked, surprised. He raised one eyebrow, his lips a tight line. I made a quick assessment, stretching my body automatically, tensing and flexing my muscles. There was stiffness, and a lot of soreness, too, it was true, but that was to be expected, and the most prominent sensation was the odd one that my bones and become unhinged at the joints, and I had changed half-way into the consistency of a jellyfish. It was not an unpleasant feeling.

And then I was a little angry, because he was darkening this most perfect of all mornings with his pessimistic assumptions. "Why would you jump to that conclusion?" I demanded, "I've never felt better than I am now."

"Really?" he asked, his voice hard, "look at yourself, Bella. Then tell me I'm not a monster." Wounded, shocked, I followed his instructions unthinkingly, then gasped. What had happened to me? I couldn't make sense of the fluffy white snow that clung to my skin, and I shook my head, causing a cascade of white to drift from my hair. I pinched one soft white bit between my fingers. It was a piece of down.

"Why am I covered in feathers?" I asked, confused. He exhaled impatiently. "I bit a pillow. Or two. That's not what I'm talking about."
"You... bit a pillow? Why?" I asked.

"Look Bella!" he almost growled. He took my hand- very gingerly- and stretched my arm out. "Look at that!" This time I saw what he meant. Underneath the dusting of feathers, large, purplish bruises were beginning to blossom across the pale skin of my arm, trailing up my shoulders, down my ribs. So lightly that he was barely touching me, Edward placed his hand against the bruises on my arm, one at a time, matching his long fingers to the patterns.

"Oh," I said. I tried to remember this- to remember pain- but I couldn't. I couldn't recall a moment when his hold had been too tight, his hands too hard against me. I only remembered wanting him to hold me tighter, and being pleased when he did...

"I'm... so sorry, Bella," he whispered, while I stared at the bruises. "I knew better than this. I should not have-" he made a low, revolted sound in the back of his throat.

"I am more sorry than I can tell you."

"Well I'm not sorry!" I burst out, indignantly. "I'm... god, I can't even tell you! I'm so happy! And that doesn't even begin to cover it. Don't be angry. Don't. I'm really f-"

"Do not say the word fine." His voice was ice-cold. "If you value my sanity, do not say that you are fine."

"Well screw your sanity then!" I exclaimed, "Because I am! I am fine!" "Bella," he almost moaned, "don't."

"No. You don't, Edward!" I snapped. His gold eyes watched me warily, as I glared down at him. "Don't ruin this," I told him, "I. Am. Happy."

"I've already ruined this," he whispered.

"Cut it out!" I snapped. I heard his teeth grind together. "Ugh!" I groaned, "why can't you just read my mind, already? It's so bloody inconvenient to be a mental mute!" His eyes widened a little bit, distracted in spite of himself.

"That's a new one. You love that I can't read your mind."

"Well not today," I snapped, "because all this anger would be completely unnecessary if you could see how I feel right now! Or five minutes ago, anyway. I was perfectly happy. Totally and

completely blissed out. Now- well, I'm sort of pissed, actually." "You should be angry at me."
"Well I am. Does that make you feel better?" He sighed.
"No. I don't think anything could make me feel better now."

"That!" I snapped, "that right there is why I'm angry. You are killing my buzz, Edward!" He rolled his eyes and shook his head. I flopped back on the bed and groaned. "We knew this was going to be tricky. I thought that was assumed. And then- well, it was a lot easier then I thought it would be. And this really is nothing," I brushed my fingers along my arm. "I think for a first time, not knowing what to expect, we did amazing! With a little practice-" His expression was suddenly so livid that I broke off mid-sentence.

"Assumed? Did you expectthis, Bella? Were you anticipating that I would hurt you? Were you thinking it would be worse? Do you consider the experiment a success because you can walk away from it? No broken bones- that equals a victory?"

I waited, letting him get it all out. Then I waited some more, while his breathing went back to normal. When his eyes were calm, I answered, speaking with slow precision. "I didn't know what to expect- but I definitely did not expect how... how... just wonderful and perfect it was." My voice dropped to a whisper, my eyes slipped from his face down to my hands. "I mean, I don't know how it was for you, but it was like that for me."

A cool finger pulled my chin back up. "Is that what you're worried about?" he said, through gritted teeth. "That I didn't enjoy myself?" My eyes stayed down.

"I know it's not the same. You're not human. I was just trying to explain that, well, for a human, it doesn't get much better then that." He was quiet for so long that, finally, I had to look up. His face was softer now, thoughtful.

"It seems that I have more to apologize for. I didn't dream that you would construe the way I feel about what I did to you to mean that last night wasn't... well, the best night of my existence. But I don't want to think of it that way, not when you were-"

"Really?" I interrupted him, my lips now curved into a smile. "The best night of your existence?"

"It was more. It was everything. That doesn't change the fact that it was wrong. Even if it were possible that you really do feel that way." He said, softly.

"What does that mean?" I ask, indignantly, "do you think I'm making this up? Why?"

"To ease my guilt. I can't ignore the evidence, Bella. Or your history of trying to let me off the hook when I make mistakes." I grabbed his chin and leaned forward so that our faces were inches apart.

"You listen to me, Edward Cullen. I am not pretending anything for your sake, okay? I didn't even know there was a reason to make you feel better until you started being all miserable. I've never been so happy in all my life- I wasn't this happy when you decided that you love me more than you wanted to kill me, or the first morning I woke up and you were there waiting for me... Not even when I heard your voice in the ballet studio"- he flinched at the memory, but I didn't pause -"or when you said 'I do' and I realized that, somehow, I get to keep you forever. Those are some of the happiest memories I have, and this is better than any of it. So just deal with it."

With that, I slid off the bed, standing up, and putting my hands on my hips, scowling down at him. "Now I'm going to have a shower and I expect you to join me. At least to get all these bloody feathers out of my hair." I announced, before spinning on my heel and storming to the bathroom.

Bloody vampires.