Oh, Wow. I really did not mean for this to be so long coming, and I deeply apologise. I meant to write this in the middle of july, but to be honest I only finished writing it up on paper earlier this week, since I get loads of free time at work for writing. I'm really sorry, again, and I hope that there won't be as long of a wait next time.

I don't really have much to say except that Across the Ocean WON Most Original Plot at the Twilight Twins award, and was runner up for Best Edward and Bella at TCFanfic's Awards. Stuck! WON Best Short Fic at the TCFanfic award's too, so thank you guys so so so much!

This chapter I'm not a fan of, which is mostly a reason why it took so long. There are a couple of hidden inside jokes my friends and I have, one Family Guy reference, and a couple lines from Catface, if you are familiar with him at all.

The next chapter is what everyone's been waiting for, so until then, here's chapter ten!

I had just been having this most wonderful dream about mint chocolate bars and alien spaceships when I felt something wet on my back.

And cold. Very, very cold.

I jumped out of bed, crashing onto my floor and yelling out several expletives before throwing the ice cubes back at Alice’s laughing face.

“Alice, I swear to God, you must be a plague sent to this earth to destroy me!” I yelled, locking myself in my bathroom. She and Rose just kept laughing, asking me to please come out. I cleaned myself up and pulled on some clothes I found in the laundry basket that I was pretty sure weren’t dirty.

“Bella, I will make you some really nice tea for the road if you forgive me,” Alice said as soon as I was out of the door, giving me her best puppy eyes.

“Fine. But you better have everything packed, because we’re supposed to be leaving in half an hour.” Alice’s face paled and she ran out of my room. I vaguely heard the front door slam shut. Rose and I peeked out the window to see her running across the lawn.

Rosalie and I carried our bags over the lawn where Jasper and Emmett were loading luggage into Emmett’s jeep. I noticed that Edward’s trunk was open and filled with bags and bags of food, and there was a cooler and various water play things in his backseat.

“Where’s Edward?” I asked as Emmett hoisted my bag over his head.

“Upstairs looking for something, I dunno. Tell him we’re going to be late if he doesn’t hurry up, okay?” I nodded and padded into the house.

“Bella is that you?” Alice called when I passed her door. “Can you help me bring these downstairs?” she asked pathetically, pointing to two bags, bags which were not the ones I knew were already in the car.

“Alice do you really need all this?”

“Yes,” she answered. Deadly serious.

I pulled a bag over my shoulder and shut the door behind us, walking slowly compared to Alice who was probably already out of the door.

I heard a frustrated groan and peeked into Edward’s room. He was pulling all the sheets off his bed and shaking them out before throwing them back, kicking his dirty clothes all around the floor and pulling his shoes out of his closet. He looked genuinely angry.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly. He looked up, and for probably the first time since I’d known him his face didn’t resume that carefree, happy expression.

“I’m looking for my iPod’s transmitter,” he said shortly. “I had it in my hand earlier, and now it’s gone.” I looked at his dresser and saw a familiar black box. I picked it up.

“Is this it?” I asked him, holding it up. His expression softened marginally and he walked over to me, thanking me softly before pulling out his iPod and pushing the transmitter into the bottom. It seemed such a trivial thing for him to be upset about. His expression turned to look a bit guilty.

I put a hand on his arm and squeezed lightly. “Don’t worry about it so much, okay?” I said softly. Immediately his cute crooked grin lit up his face and he nodded, taking Alice’s bag from me and following me down the stairs. I smiled lightly to myself, knowing that I had the power to cheer him up.

When we walked out of the house there were cheers from our friends who were all hanging out the windows of Emmett’s jeep. Edward and I hopped into his car and were soon following behind the big red monstrosity.

Until we got on the highway. Then he gunned it and passed them as we waved and they beat their horn in dismay.

I told Edward which gas station he was supposed to stop at, and then we turned on the music and sat back, laughing and singing. When there was a lapse in music I took a moment to look him over. He was looking considerably more relaxed than he had been in his room.

“You seemed upset earlier,” I said, pulling my feet into my seat and turning to face him.

“I have a bad temper,” was his short reply, in his usual cheerful voice.

“I’ve never seen you get angry before,” I murmured. He took a look at me quickly and pressed his lips together in a bit of a frown.

“I don’t like to get mad often, because I feel that it is a great waste of my energy when I could be expending it in my attempts to woo you. However, when I get mad, I get really mad. And I tend to rethink things a lot, and when I think about them that anger comes back,” he explained. He gave a small shrug.

“What made you so upset?” I asked.

“I was still frustrated about what happened with Jessica. And then I got upset that you might still be upset about it, and then I got mad because I really didn’t want that to get in the way of this trip.”

“I’m okay,” I told him quietly, looking back out the front window. I’m okay, I’ve faced the fact that I can lose you to other girls, but I still really don’t want to.

He started singing along to the music, and the way he’d change his voices to try and match the artists made me smile. I let my seatbelt act as a cradle for my head as I drifted into sleep.

I dreamt something along the lines of the mattress cover on my bed popping off and my arms getting scratched up from the rough surface I was trying to sleep on. Then Rosalie and Emmett came into my room holding onto Edward, who was dressed up like one of those French mimes, screaming without sound, with his funny painted white face and little black tear drop eyes.

They all seemed to be talking, and yet I just lay there, uncomfortable in my bed and watched them, not able to hear them.

Emmett walked slowly over to me and brought his face very very closely to my head and smirked.

“BELLA.”

I screamed bloody murder and jumped so high I hit the roof of the car, my legs kicking out against the gear shift and my arms punching out in front of me.

One fist made contact.

“Ow!” Emmett yelled, just as loudly as he’d yelled in my ear, stumbling back from the car.

“Emmett what the hell is your problem!” I yelled, watching him clutch his nose in pain.

“Why’d you punch me!” he cried. I looked out the window and saw the other four doubled over in laughter.

“Don’t scare me!” I huffed, climbing out of the car and stomping into the gas station. I went to the bathroom, washed the sleepiness off my face and tied my rat’s nest (hair) into a lose ponytail.

I let out a loud sigh as I trudged through the store, grabbing a bad of candy, a big chocolate bar and two bottles of water.

The teenager at the counter kept shifting his weight from foot to foot while he winked at me with his mouth open. I openly glared at him, standing still as I waited for him to take my change.

“Did you get something?” Edward asked, walking up next to me with his usual big happy smile and bright eyes intact. I pushed the bottle of water at him and kissed his cheek.

“See you in the car,” I said lowly, winking at him before I walked away. I heard him breathe jaggedly through his nervous laughter before he sighed out a ‘wow.’ Glancing over my shoulder gave me a view of the kid glaring at him as he took his money for gas.

Emmett passed me on his way into the gas bar and glared, pointing a finger at me. I threw a piece of candy at him and his face lit up as he tried to catch it.

Alice, Rose and I chatted through the windows of the cars while Jasper studied a map with great interest.

“That was a mean thing you did to that kid,” Edward said with a grin as he sat down next to me. “He charged me for Emmett’s gas! This baby does not take the same amount of gas as Emmett’s, I can tell you that.” He looked thoroughly grumpy and rather than argue with him I popped a piece of chocolate in my mouth and held out the candy bag for him.

“Ooh, piece of candy,” he cooed and instantly the grumpiness was erased from his face.

“You guys drive ahead of us,” I told Emmett as he climbed into his car. “I’m not that confident in my ability to get us there, it’s Jasper’s cabin after all.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Emmett said, pulling on his seatbelt.

“I want to drive ahead of them,” Edward whined.

“Look at it this way,” I said in my negotiating voice. Which was an awful lot like my ‘let’s be rational about this voice and my ‘are you sure you want to do that?’ voice. “They are bigger than us. They will hit a deer before us, they will tip off the road before us, and they know how to get there better than us.” He pouted but relented, pulling out behind Emmett.

What started out as a very large gravel road soon changed into a narrow dirt road as we pulled off into the forest. There was just enough room for one car to fit through as we drove uphill, thick trees and bushes threatening to scratch the cars as they grew over the road.

When we mounted the hill I pointed out the pond to Edward, still far away though the dirt road had widened a bit.

“There used to be lots of cabins out here,” I said as we went along. “Jasper’s family is probably the only one that comes out here anymore.” We drove close to the pond and I found myself staring out over the water. “Almost all the bedrooms are upstairs, around some big room that is supposed to be a hallway. Downstairs is just one room with the kitchen and living room. They have a bathroom inside, but there’s an outhouse, too, and a generator is out back so that we can turn on some video games.”

Edward nodded and carefully followed Emmett through the trail. I told him some stories of coming out here with Jasper and his Mom, Emmett, Alice and Rosalie. I pointed out the floating wharf when it came into view, knowing that we were close.

“It’s just over this hill,” I said as we began a steep incline. The red shingles of the cabin peeked through all the green foliage and I smiled widely, bouncing in my seat as Edward laughed for me to calm down.

We pulled in next to the jeep on the hill of a driveway and I stumbled out of the car with a whoop, helping the girls drag our bags into the door that Jasper was quickly unlocking. In the kitchen Alice began unpacking the groceries while Rosalie and I pulled our suitcases upstairs, smirking at each other as we changed into bathing suits.

“Now what?” Alice asked when we joined the others, everything unpacked and in its right place. I was practically bouncing I was so giddy. Rosalie and I spared one look at each other, Emmett and Jasper before running out the door.

“Swimming!” the boys hollered and raced after us. Swimming in the ocean was one thing. Swimming at this lake was something else. It was big, but relatively shallow which made it nearly warm on a good day.

As we ran down the boardwalk Rosalie and I pulled the old t shirts off our tops, leaving them behind. I was in the lead and I grabbed onto the rope swing at the edge of the water, swinging out far before flying off in a cannonball.

Rosalie grabbed onto the swing right behind me while Emmett and Jasper jumped in after her, all of us laughing and splashing. I threw water at Rosalie as we tied our wet hair higher on our heads. Edward and Alice walked down to the lake slowly, he in his swimming shorts and she in her little black bikini.

“Ahh!” Rosalie yelped and I looked over just in time to catch Emmett grabbing her legs from under the water and lifting her high over his head before dumping her back in the lake. Of course, it was a matter of seconds before I was yelling myself from Jasper performing the same act. This was apparently all the incentive Alice and Edward needed to jump in.

When I surfaced Edward grinned at me and started swimming towards me. I laughed and started swimming to the floating wharf a little farther out.

I’d just pulled myself onto it when Edward’s hand grabbed my ankle.

I clutched onto the wharf until he let go and came up next to me.

“Hi,” he said, resting his head on his crossed arms.

“Hi,” I laughed.

The other caught up to us and Alice and Rosalie hopped up next to me.

“A race!” Emmett exclaimed. I watched as Edward’s eyes lit up and he lifted his head to look at the boys. “To land. Loser has to clean the dishes tonight.”

“What does the winner get?” Edward asked.

“A kiss!” Jasper wiggled his eyebrows at Alice while she giggled and turned pink.

“Winner doesn’t have to cook or do dishes. Everyone else can help cook, but the loser is the only one doing dishes,” I explained. Everyone agreed on that. We decided they’d swim to land and back, so none of us girls had to swim over to declare a winner.

“On your mark,” I yelled, standing behind the boys on the wharf.

“Get set!” Alice shouted when they’d all crouched.

Rosalie waited and waited before she finally laughed and yelled “Go!” The three of them jumped into the water and we started cheering and jumping, clapping our hands.

“Go Edward!” Alice yelled through her hands.

“Yeah, Jasper!” Rosalie shouted.

“Really?” I asked them in surprise.

“Edward’s been swimming as long as he’s played the piano. He’s a qualified lifeguard so I have no doubt in his speed or stamina,” Alice explained.

“Jasper’s that same. Emmett’s only got brute strength going for him, not speed or stamina. So, unless he’s going to knee them in the balls, he’s definitely going to lose.” Rosalie laughed.

“Huh. Two lifeguards against Emmett,” I mused. Since I felt bad I knew who I’d cheer for, so I began shouting Emmett’s name.

They reached the land and when they turned Jasper and Edward won a significant lead, though Edward was pulling ahead.

Despite my best efforts Emmett did end up last, while Edward remained victorious. He pulled himself onto the wharf and hauled up his dangerously low shorts, breathing heavily with a beautiful smile on his face.

“Where’s my kiss?” he asked, pursing his lips at me and making these dumb kissing noises.

“Sorry,” I grinned. “That was Jasper’s prize.” I laughed when Alice and Rose both grabbed Edward and kissed his cheeks before hopping back in the water with the losers.

He laughed and laid down on the wharf; his legs were in the water and one arm rested over his eyes.

“A valiant effort, Em,” I said, kissing his cheek.

“Thanks Bell, it’s nice to know someone believes in me,” he said through his gasps for air. “I guess we’re cleaning,” he directed to Jasper.

“No way man,” Jasper laughed. “You said loser, not losers. I am neutral territory.” Alice giggled and clung onto him. Emmett looked so heartbroken while the rest of us laughed.

I swam to shore with the others close behind. When I couldn’t pull myself out of the water and onto the wharf, Edward graciously helped by swimming under me and pushing on my butt, merely grinning when I shot him an angry look.

I picked up my t shirt and pulled it on, running away from Edward, and a wasp, who both chased me up the boardwalk to the cabin. I shut the door directly behind me to keep the wasp out, forgetting of course that it would trap Edward outside with it. I couldn’t help but laugh as he ran into it.

“Bella don’t leave me out here with this waspy type and its sting-y stinger,” he begged. I could hear him walking around, dodging it as best as he could.

“Bella, I’m allergic,” he yelled.

“You are not,” I yelled back, trying not to laugh at the sounds he was making by fighting it off

“Okay, you’re right, but I’m really scared.” I opened the door and he jumped inside, slamming the door shut behind him and holding his breath until he was sure it wasn’t in the cabin.

“You’re going to pay,” he growled and before I could run away he pounced at me- knocking me onto a daybed masquerading as a very comfy couch- and lay on top of me.

“Get off,” I groaned and he merely laughed. “I can’t breathe.”

“Apologise for leaving me with the stripy ball of anger.”

“I’m sorry, okay?” I huffed, still trying to push him off me.

“Good. Now, give me that kiss I won,” he said in a deeper voice, his face very close to mine and seeming darker in the shadow of his shoulders.

“No!” I pulled my knee up to my chest and kicked him off, sending him flying onto the floor. I couldn’t help but laugh as he covered his eyes and groaned in pain. I hopped off the daybed and ran up the stairs, ducking into the room I claimed and pulling on a pair of denim shorts with dry underpants. Edward was in the hallway, pulling a t shirt on over the top of his swimming shorts and pouting at me.

“Don’t be sad,” I told him. “I’ll make you some jell-o or something.” He followed me downstairs, tickling my sides. Out on the veranda Emmett was opening the barbeque and cleaning it up. There was a loud smack outside the front door and we heard Alice and Rosalie cheer.

“He killed a wasp!” Alice said, holding up my show with the bug in question flattened upon it.

“Why couldn’t you do that?” I asked as I brushed past Edward, smiling when his cheeks turned pink.

“You guys are lucky I lost,” Emmett bellowed as he walked inside and pulled on a t shirt and flip flops. “I am king of the barbeque.” I rolled my eyes and passed him the burgers and hot dogs before pulling out fixings for a salad. Alice started mixing up milkshakes while the rest of us busied ourselves in the kitchen.

“Can I help?” he asked, watching me stir up the jell-o I promised him.

“There’s nothing for you to do, just relax and enjoy your win.” He pouted, again, and went outside, lying down in the hammock.

Emmett grilled to perfection, as always, and we all sat outside to enjoy our meal. Edward reluctantly shared his spot in the hammock with me.

I looked around at my five friends, all laughing and telling stories as we ate. Edward’s heat next to me helped me relax and I smiled at him when I caught him staring at me.

Maybe at some point in the next three days when Edward and I are alone together I’ll stop worrying about the what-ifs, and I’ll stop ignoring his advances. He makes it so hard to tell if he’s joking or if he means it when he asks me out, but his kisses tell all.

Maybe I’ll finally admit to him that I am head over converse clad heels for him. Maybe I would tell him that there are times when I want to hold him to me and never ever let him go, because his laugh is the best sound I’ve ever heard and his smiled is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

After supper Emmett washed the dishes while everyone else went down for another swim. I was packing up the food and laughed every time he sighed in frustration. When the last dish was in the drying board he let out the water and grinned at me before heading down to the lake.

I pulled the duvet off my bed and brought it down with me to make the hammock more comfortable. I climbed in with a milkshake and my worn copy of Wuthering Heights.

I’d gone through several pages until I head the sliding door and footsteps. I peered over the top of the book and saw a very wet Edward walking towards me with a cute grin on his face.

“Why are you up here by yourself?” He asked as he plopped into the hammock next to me.

“I have a bit of a headache. Thinking too much.” About you.

“Alright, I hope you feel better. Did you want me to get you anything?”

“No, I’m fine Edward.”

“Okay then.” He sat up and moved closer to me. Immediately my heart quickened and I blushed, but said nothing when he leant down and kissed my forehead.

“Feel better. You’re my partner for whatever games we wind up playing tonight.” I smiled at him as he walked back inside, giving me one more smile over his shoulder as he left.

Yep. Definitely head over heels.