Random Rita ~ Friday Feature Fics!

♥

Evenin’ ladies!

Anybody else get a secret kick out of watchin’ burned out Bella implode after Edward leaves? *raises hand!*

And how do we feel about a candy sweet Bella with a soft center who melts for a shy, geeky {but gorgeous, of course} Edward? Yeah, I enjoy those…especially the ones with a Nightingale complex LOL!

At the same time, a gun totin’, take no shit Bella absolutely makes my day LMAO! *fist pump!*

So I have one of each for you today, startin’ with…

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6719390/1/What-if-I-Told-You

After nearly a year, Bella finally finds a number for the Cullens in Ithaca, New York. A last minute invitation to a reunion bash at Mike Newton’s, though, leaves Bella drunk, alone, and holding a cell phone. Will a stupid mistake bring them together?

Rated: Fiction M – English – Hurt/Comfort/Romance – Edward, Bella – Chapters: 14 – Words: 69,457 – Reviews: 1,120 – Favs: 1,129 – Follows: 1,015 – Updated: Dec 31, 2012 – Published: Feb 6, 2011 – Status: Complete – id: 6719390

Bella’s drunken conversation with Carlisle is hilarious!

“Cullen residence,” a melodic and comforting voice answered. He sounded just as she remembered.

“Hello, Cullen Residence,” the voice said again. Bella giggled more, realizing how formal he sounded. He probably had caller ID and knew it was her.

“Helloooo!” she answered, the sing-song sound of her own voice sending her into a fit of laughter.

“Bella, where are you? Are you alright?”

“I’m in Mike Newton’s pantry. Where are you?” Another fit of laughter overtook her.

Carlisle began to answer, but Bella stopped him mid-sentence. “I’m fiiiine, Carlisle, don’t you worry. Did you know that the Jolly Green Giant is almost naked? On a freakin can of vegetables!”

Carlisle couldn’t find any humor in Bella’s comment, not considering the state she was obviously in. To him, the most important thing was finding out if she was safe or not. “I wasn’t aware of that, Bella. Now, can you tell me what’s going on?”

“You know, you’re just hot! I’ve always thought…your hair is like, so perfect, and your body…you’re just so…so…hot!” She laughed and fanned herself. Her cheeks flushed and she thought about Edward, his hands, his lips and…she just told her his father… “Oh shit…I mean, shoot, I’m sorry, Edward…I mean, Carlisle. Shit!”

“Bella, you’re confused. This is all very normal. You must understand the changes alcohol produces in your body when…”

She hiccuped and then giggled. “You said boobie.”

“I said ‘body,’ Bella,” he clarified. The peanut gallery behind him was already having trouble reigning in their laughter.

Bella laughed louder. “No, you didn’t! You said boobie! Carlisle Cullen said boobie!”

He smiled, but sighed. “Bella, please.” He could hear laughter behind him, and fearing Bella might become emotional if she knew she was being broadcasted, he spoke softly and admonished his audience. They were begging him to put her on speakerphone, but he shook his head.

Until it’s not…

She laid the phone at her side as she clutched her knees close, holding in the pain that burned through her chest. They were calling her name. She could hear them, all of them, but she didn’t have the strength anymore. Why had she called?

Why had she ever thought this was a good idea?

Then something dawned on her. She picked up the phone slowly, praying she was wrong. “Is he there? Please, tell me he’s not.”

Silence followed. For minutes, no one spoke; Bella held her breath. There was shuffling and whispers, but then, just nothing. Without warning, a long broken sob pierced the silence.

“I’m here, Bella.”

And then her whole world broke apart.

Just so you know, Bella tears each and every Cullen a new one before the dust settles!

Oh, and this Charlie says fuck…a lot LMAO!

~oOo~

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11724402/1/After-Hours

A late, anxious patient. A compassionate nurse. What happens when comfort becomes something else?

Rated: Fiction M – English – Romance/Hurt/Comfort – Bella, Edward – Chapters: 4 – Words: 10,547 – Reviews: 851 – Favs: 823 – Follows: 1,263 – Updated:Jan 20 – Published: Jan 10 – id: 11724402

After Hours is the latest jewel in Edward’s Eternal’s crown of fabulous fics!

I glanced at my watch. He’d been in there for over thirty minutes. Usually, they were done in about twenty minutes or less.

What was taking so long?

I went down the hall, pausing outside the door. There were no noises coming from the room, the lights were on; no movie was playing. I knocked gently, waiting until I heard his quiet voice telling me to come in.

He was sitting on the edge of the table. He had changed into scrubs. His chest was bare, the light gleaming off his skin. A dusting of coppery-colored hair was scattered on his chest and arms; the color lighter than the bright bronzy-red on his head. A magazine was beside him, closed, his glasses sitting on the cover and his posture dejected. One hand was in his hair tugging away.

I shut the door and moved over to him. “Edward,” I began in a soft voice, pulling his hand from his poor hair. “Are you okay? Maybe you want to reschedule?”

His hand grasped mine like a lifeline. His eyes spoke volumes. Worry, sadness and pain-filled green met my gaze.

“Can I call someone for you?” I murmured, holding his hand tight.

He shook his head. “I have a lump,” he whispered, looking down at his crotch.

“They’re going to remove it, and there might be, um, side effects.” He drew in a deep breath and suddenly started speaking so fast I could barely keep up. “I want kids. I want a family. I want a wife and house and everything everyone else has. This might be my only chance if something happens, but I can’t seem to do it. Nothing is working!” By the end of his little diatribe, he was almost shouting. “I can never do anything right!”

“Hey.” I stepped forward, hating his distress. “It’ll be fine. You’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Reschedule and come back another time, before your operation. You can make the arrangements to do this is the privacy of your own home, as well.” I smiled encouragingly at him. “Lots of men do that. This isn’t the most, ah, stimulating environment.”

His eyes were wide and panicked. I wanted to stop the panic and make him feel better. I buried my hand into his hair, caressing the tortured strands gently. Closing his eyes, he leaned into my touch with a soft sigh, and my heart contracted at his sudden vulnerability. He seemed so…lost.

I shook my head. I was acting even more unprofessionally than before. I began to withdraw my hand and step back when his eyes flew open. “No! Please!”

Suddenly, I was enveloped in his arms. His embrace was firm, and he held me tight.

My arms wound around him, holding just as secure. Somehow, I sensed this was what he needed. For a minute, we were quiet as he stayed locked in my embrace, his head resting on my chest. I felt the dampness of tears against my skin and I drew back, lifting his head. His eyes stared at me, guileless and open.

“I’m scared, Bella,” he confessed. “I’m sorry to do this. But I’m scared.” He shuddered out a deep breath. “And I’m all alone.”

My hands tightened on his shoulders, his skin bare and tense under my fingers. Our eyes held as the air around us changed. The clinical room melted away and all that remained was him. Me. His warm skin and my suddenly fast heartbeat.

“Edward,” I breathed. “It will be okay. I promise.”

That “all alone” just killed me *whimper!* Bella, too, which brings her to his room after his operation!

He shifted with a sigh. I sat beside him, holding his hand while reaching up with my free one to run my fingers through his unruly hair. He closed his eyes, a long exhale of air escaping his mouth as he relaxed.

His breathing turned tranquil and even as he fell into sleep. His grip on my hand didn’t lessen, though. I lost track of time as I sat beside him, stroking his hair and finding a deep satisfaction in the knowledge I was somehow comforting him. At one point, I shifted a little to get more comfortable and his eyes flew open, panicked.

“Shh, Edward. I’m right here.”

He smiled and held my hand tighter, his eyes already closing again.

“Forever,” he mumbled.

Then he was asleep.

1…2…3…Awwwwwww!

~oOo~

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11665991/1/Antique-Love

Edward Cullen is a shy, antique store owner with a problem. Someone thinks he has something that doesn’t belong to him, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. With the help of Port Angeles detective, Bella Swan, can they solve the case and find love? Rated M for violence, language, and other stuff.

Rated: Fiction M – English – Drama/Romance – Chapters: 6 – Words: 22,351 – Reviews: 153 – Favs: 85 – Follows: 107 – Updated: Jan 19 – Published: Dec 13, 2015 – id: 11665991

Bella hasn’t had much luck with her partners but things were about to change, hopefully for the better!

“Swan! In my office now!” Captain Banner hollered, and I muttered a quiet oath under my breath as I shoved my chair away from the desk and slowly walked to the Captain’s office.

“Stay calm, Swan,” one of my co-workers advised, and I nodded my head before taking a deep breath. The last thing I wanted, or needed, was to get written up for insubordination and end up with a mark on my pristine record.

Pausing for a moment outside the door, I took another deep breath before knocking.

Banner’s deep voice told me to come in, so I opened the door and walked into his office and found a giant bear of a guy with dark hair, standing near the windows.

I knew, without a doubt, the guy was going to be my partner. I’d been through four of them in the eight months since I’d made detective. My last partner had moved to Florida to be with some girl he’d met on the Internet, two of them had refused to work with a female partner, and the other one had just been an asshole.

Banner motioned for me to take a seat, so I did, watching as the giant man turned around and flashed me a grin.

“Swan, this is Emmett McCarty. He’s your new partner. Try not to drive this one away,” Captain Banner said in a tired voice, and my fists clenched as I bit back the comments that wanted to leave my mouth.

“Yes, sir,” I replied in a curt tone as I made my way toward his office door. I just barely refrained from slamming it shut.

“Charming guy,” McCarty said dryly once the door was closed, and we walked toward the bullpen that housed all of our desks.

“Yeah, he’s a fucking peach,” I replied as I led McCarty over to our two desks that were in the corner. One was covered in post-it notes, packs of gum, random pieces of paper, and more pens than necessary while the other was clean and empty.

Pointing toward it, I told McCarty that was his desk as I took a seat back at my messy desk and began to sort through the files sitting on it.

“Thanks,” he said with a slight Southern accent, and I nodded my head.

Twenty minutes of silence went by before we got a call out to a robbery in progress. I grabbed my coat, my phone, and the car keys, barely making sure to see if McCarty was following me. I was used to being on my own and doing things my own way, so it was up to him to catch up with me.

I always hated the awkwardness that came with getting a new partner, and I really hated going into a potentially dangerous situation with someone I didn’t know. I’d have his back no matter what, and I could only hope he’d have mine if things went badly.

In the meantime, Edward is enjoyin’ his brand new antique store until…

A few hours after lunch, just as I was about to close the shop, the door chimed, and I saw a rather greasy looking man in a suit walk through the door. Something about the man put me on high alert, and I watched him like a hawk as he approached the counter and stared at the locked cases behind it that housed some expensive coins.

“I’m looking for some certain coins, well, really, just one specific coin. I was wondering, by chance, if you happened to have one or a lead on where I could find it,” he said with a smarmy smile, and a shiver ran up my spine.

“What are you looking for exactly?”

“A Flowing Hair dollar,” he said, and I just stared at him. The Flowing Hair dollar was the first dollar coin issued by the U.S. federal government, minted in 1794 and again in 1795. There were roughly one hundred and thirty of them still around, and the last I heard, one of them sold at auction for over ten million dollars. Why on earth this guy thought a small-time antique dealer like me would have one was beyond me.

“I certainly don’t have anything like that,” I told him. “The only places you’ll find that are either at a large auction house like Sotheby’s or by a private seller. Now, if you’re looking for something like two-cent pieces from the 19th century or an 1800 draped bust heraldic eagle half dime, then I can help you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, leaning in, and I caught a whiff of garlic and coffee on his breath. It was enough to make me almost gag.

“Believe me, I’d know if I had a Flowing Hair dollar lying around.”

The man stared at me, and I stared right back, completely unnerved but refusing to let it show.

“Well, if you find a lead on one, can you give me a call? I’m willing to pay dearly. The name’s Demitri Voltaire,” he said, taking a business card out of a gold case and setting it down on the counter.

“Sure, but the chances are pretty slim that I’ll hear anything,” I told him, taking the card. “You might have better luck at a larger store in some place like Seattle.”

The man thanked me and walked out of the door, and I felt a sense of relief as soon as he was gone. Something about that guy was off, and it creeped me out that he was in here looking for a coin that a small-time antiquities guy like me would never have, and if he had done any research on that coin, he would have known that.

Well, that doesn’t bode well for our Edward, does it?

Hope you enjoy this week’s selection!

Happy Friday, y’all!

Rita