"Flying High with Silver Wings" by FloridaChickie

Originally written for the Age of Edward contest, but now the story continues!

Disclaimer: SM owns the Twilight gang, but I get the privilege of throwing them in a time machine. Sadly, no one owns Pan Am anymore. While SM owns the Twi universe, the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

July 11, 1965

New York City

He tipped his hat at me, flashing that dreamy smile that could easily outshine any movie star on the cover of Esquire magazine. I felt completely lost in his engaging stare, unaware of anything surrounding us. He gathered a loose strand of my hair and placed it casually behind my ear, letting his fingers linger at my neck. I watched as his smile transformed into a devilish smirk, and before I knew it, my body was being pushed by his into the food cart. I could feel the full extent of his excitement pressing against me. "Looks like your tray is in the upright position, Sir," I found myself boldly saying to him. He laughed, probably surprised by my saucy outburst, but then quickly leaned in to...

"Ohhhh Bella, wake up sunshine!" a high pitched voice trilled from behind the bedroom door.

"Okay...thanks Alice," I grumbled back. I sat up in the bed, trying to convince myself that what I perceived to be reality was sadly only a dream.

I glanced at the clock, ten minutes away from its ringing time of 6 a.m. I rubbed my eyes and scratched my scalp, or at least what I could reach of it in between all the curlers. As I grieved the loss of those extra ten minutes and what it could have added to my dream, I dragged myself into the bathroom. Embarking on my typical work day routine, I jumped in the shower, allowing the hot water to slowly wake me up.

After wrapping myself in a towel, I began the daily task of releasing each curler. Staring in the fogged up mirror, I started reminiscing about my once long hair. My now chin length hair was no match to the flowing, shoulder length brown locks I had prior to having to cut it for my job. In the past, when in a particularly shy mood, my hair became a shield to hide myself from others. Having to chop it short was yet another visual reminder of my recent personal transformation. Plus, it's not like I could hide in my current job; it was all about being seen.

Thoroughly clean, shaved, powered, and perfumed, I stepped back into the bedroom to don the multiple layers of clothing that made up our uniform. I pulled my undergarments from the dresser and placed them on top of the bed. First, I strapped into the white brassiere, adjusting my breasts so they were centered in the funny cone shapes. Using the bed for full body support, I shimmied myself into a much despised girdle. Even with my small frame, it was still a chore to get on. I rolled the nude colored stockings up my legs and attached them to the girdle straps. With my body parts sufficiently squished into place, I pulled a full length slip over my head and slipped each arm through, tugging it down so it covered the top of my stockings. In the closet, I removed my freshly pressed uniform off its hanger, inspecting the blue, straight skirt and white, button down blouse. After putting them on, I adjusted the shirt so it lay flat across my waist. I couldn't risk the chance of baring my midriff, as that would be career suicide. I pulled my arms through the sleeves of the blue jacket and fastened the six buttons in place. Finally, I positioned the matching pillbox hat on my head and secured it with pins. The white gloves would go on later, so I tucked them into my travel bag.

Sliding my feet into some black heels, I stepped back, my gaze falling on my reflection in the full length mirror. While there was a time I would have never imagined myself in such a uniform, I could admit that I did look sharp, and moreover, I liked what it represented. I was a single woman making it in a man's world, and so far, I was doing just fine.

As I straightened the silver wings on my lapel, I could almost see a look of pride beaming back at me in my reflection. Right there, with that very thought, I was fulfilling a statement I heard only a short time ago, "You wear your blue and gold Pan Am stewardess wings with pride."

It had been nearly seven months since I boarded my first flight in uniform, and three months prior to that when I chose to steer my life in a new direction. I had recently finished my Associate degree in creative writing at a nearby community college, not far from the sleepy town in Washington where I had lived since high school with my father. I had been working at a book store in town, and even during my off hours, I never strayed too far from there. I would sit on the floor in the travel section looking at pictures of exotic places I could only imagine getting to both see and maybe even write about one day.

Perhaps I was a bit scared or unsure of myself. Perhaps I was just waiting for a sign to tell me it was time to pursue my dreams. Oddly enough, the sign came in the form of my boyfriend, who got on bended knee with a shiny ring in hand on my 21st birthday. Judging by the feeling in the pit of my stomach, I knew marriage with him was not meant to be. While I liked him, I did not love him, and poor Mike deserved better. Had I said "yes," I was sure to remain in this small town, as one day Mike would take over his parent's sporting goods store. While some may think I was stupid for walking away from him and a guaranteed stable life, I knew I had to be true to myself.

With this new sense of self awareness, I visited the job recruitment office at my old community college. The kind lady at the front desk sat me down and brought me a binder containing job opportunities for women. Perusing through ads recruiting for teachers, housekeepers, secretaries and such, a brightly colored brochure sporting the words "Win your wings as a Pan Am Stewardess" caught my eye. The proud woman on the cover seemed to speak to me. She was promising me a glamorous life; a chance to realize my dreams. I devoured the information on the brochure and grew more and more excited. Heck, I thought, if I had already uprooted my life once before, to leave my eccentric mother in Phoenix to move in with my father, I could certainly do it again.

Within a few weeks, I submitted my application to the employment office in San Francisco. I was promptly invited for an interview, and did the fifteen hour round-trip drive to San Fran in my old '53 Chevy, praying the whole time it would hold up long enough to get me home. Even though I was nervous, I must have made a good impression, for within a couple of weeks I received notification of my acceptance for employment. With the blessing of my father, I flew out to attend Pan Am's Stewardess Training School in Miami.

While in the six week training, in addition to learning safety procedures and how to serve as good hostesses, we learned about grooming, improving our figure, hair setting patterns, make-up application, and complexion care. As someone who never gave all that much thought to fashion and appearances, I sure had a lot to learn. However, through self determination and perhaps a stroke of luck, I somehow graduated and earned my silver wings.

I stepped away from the mirror and entered the kitchen to find Alice and Rose, two of my four roommates, chatting about the day ahead. We looked like the Andrews Sisters as we were nearly identical in our blue Pam Am uniforms. All we needed was a song and dance routine. Angela and Tanya, our other roommates and fellow stews, were currently working flights overseas. Yes, we were five girls living in a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, but that was the only way most of us could afford to live in the city. Fortunately, having alternating schedules with the other girls made our tight living arrangement possible without us killing one another.

I was the closest with Alice and Rose, having met them while in Miami. We hit it off right from the start and were all excited about being stationed together in New York City. In fact, we got along so well that we started putting in for the same flights on our monthly bid sheets so we could work together. We were happy that Pan American had the three of us doing cross country flights together for the past two months.

Alice was like the sister I never had. During our off time, we enjoyed heading down to the Village to listen to folk artists. She liked to constantly keep busy. It helped her not sit idle with thoughts of missing her boyfriend, who was currently abroad in the army. Alice's mom was once a stewardess for Pan Am on the old clipper airships. Having grown up hearing exciting stories of faraway places, Alice's dream was to follow in her mother's footsteps. She was a natural at being a stewardess, serving the passengers with such style and grace that she made the job look too easy. Back in Miami, she was the model student, especially when it came to the lessons on appearance. Perhaps Pan Am would have graduated Alice early if not for her pixie hairstyle she was made to grow out before she got her wings.

Regarding Rose, she was a real spitfire with a helluva hard shell exterior. Yet once she let you break through that shell, you knew you had a friend for life. Unlike the rest of us girls, she came from a very wealthy and well known family in Rochester. The Masen family owned several Cadillac dealerships around town. Rose could have afforded to live in the city by herself, but I think she enjoyed the family-like atmosphere we created in our apartment. She was one of those bomb shell blondes, or as the guys would say, a classy chassis. I sensed that men were intimidated by her stunning looks and probably just assumed some guy had already given his pin to her to wear. She said her parents were disappointed with her living 'modern' with us girls as opposed to living back at home, but if I had learned anything about Rose, she was a free spirit. While she could have embraced the easy life, she had the courage to break out and achieve a name for herself on her own. Rose's desire for independence is where the two of us found our common connection.

Currently, Alice was rattling off about our scheduled flight to San Francisco as she served us a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Even though I enjoyed cooking, it was nice to share the duties with the other girls in the house. Rose and I were still sleepy-eyed and found ourselves lost in the hypnotic motions of the top of the coffee percolator.

Alice caught my attention when she changed the topic. "Hey, do you suppose that dreamboat of yours will be on today's flight, Bella?"

I could feel the blush enveloping my cheeks. "First of all, he isn't mine, so don't start using possessives!" Though I darn well wish he was. "But, as far as the flight, I guess it's possible. He sure has been on our flights frequently as of late."

The dreamboat she was referring to was Officer Cullen, the star of my dreams last night. Sadly, that's probably where he would remain. Sure we had a cordial working relationship, but that was about all. I thought by now he would have maybe asked me out, but so far a date request had failed to materialize.

"Do you think that Cart Tart Jessica is going to be nice and wait for you to make your move?" Rose asked, and she had a point.

Jessica, another stew, was notorious over at JFK. There were numerous stories of all the crew mates she bedded. The girl sure had been around the block. I feared it was only a matter of time before she would work her charms on Officer Cullen, and rumor had it, she already had her eyes on him.

I could tell Alice kicked Rose under the dinette set because Rose shot her back a retaliatory look.

Rose quickly added, "But in your favor, Bella, I haven't seen him have the googly eyes for her like he appears to have for you." My heart skipped a few beats. If other people seemed to notice, perhaps I was not making it up in my mind?

"And Jessica doesn't nearly have the smarts and know-how of our girl over here. Plus, I don't think he has a special nickname for her, and if he did, it may not be all that polite," Alice smiled with enthusiasm as she poured us all some coffee.

"She's right, Forks Girl," teased Rose, as she toasted me with her coffee cup.

Oh yes. 'Forks Girl.' That nickname was born out of our first meeting on a flight about a month ago...

"Miss Swan, is it?" he inquired. "I'm Edward, Edward Cullen, and a little birdie told me that you and I share something in common." He extended his hand towards me.

I had noticed him before at the airport, but he was never on my flights. I was surprised that not only was he speaking to me, but it also appeared he had been seeking out information about me from others.

I shook his hand, enjoying his warm grip. "How do you do? It's a pleasure to meet you, Officer Cullen. So tell me, what is it that we share in common?" I tried to speak in the calmest of voices, even though my heart was doing cartwheels inside.

"I hear that you come from the same one-horse town in Washington that I do. You are from Forks, right?"

As he spoke, I found myself getting lost in his emerald green eyes. Those eyes were even further highlighted by the stark contrast of his white pilot's uniform. His face was shaved and smooth, his lips full, and that smile was enough to render a girl useless. Although his pilot hat was hiding most of his hair, I could tell it was a shade of coppery brown. His body, casually leaning over a row of seats in the cabin, looked made for that uniform. The man was just about perfect.

"Miss Swan, am I right about Forks?"

I nodded quickly, embarrassed how long I might have been ogling him. He smiled back and continued to chat with me more about our old home town. It turned out he was familiar with my father, the Chief of Police, in Forks. He relayed some funny stories of racing through the curvy roads in town and how my father gave him several speeding tickets. As he was about five years older than me, we had but a few acquaintances in common. However, it was still nice to meet someone who could relate to the same local spots and lingo. Our conversation was easy, and he was comforting to be around.

"Well, Miss Swan, it is a pleasure to meet you. It sure is nice to have met someone who reminds me of home."

"You may call me Bella, and the feeling is mutual." And then some.

He smiled warmly and turned towards the cockpit. Before escaping behind the cockpit door, he added, "Have a nice flight, Forks Girl."

That is how I became known as 'Forks Girl.' Throughout the past month, I had the pleasure of seeing him during many of our cross country flights. While I could have been imagining it, he always seemed to brighten up when he caught sight of me. From that day forward, I was always referred to as 'Forks Girl' and while the nickname was completely ridiculous, I had to admit it was a bit endearing.

"Earth to Bella! Time to report to work." Rose nudged me, reminding me it was time to face the day ahead.

I loved when my roommates and I shared flights together. Besides getting to spend extra time with my friends, it also meant we could ride together to Kennedy International. We hailed a cab, which was very easy to do when in our uniforms, and were soon on our way to the airport.

While in the cab, and much to the driver's delight, the girls were busy singing along with "I Can't Help Myself" on the radio. I stared out the window, a little lost in my thoughts. From the Grand Central Parkway, we passed through the eccentric pavilion buildings of the World's Fair. On my right, I could see the large General Motors Futurama Pavilion. Throngs of people were already in line, wrapped all around the outside of the vast building. I was jealous of the people getting to enjoy the exhibits on this gorgeous summer day. While a popular family destination, the Fair was also a hip spot for dates. Perhaps I would be so lucky to have a date there before it closed for good in October?

I must have sighed loudly because Alice took my hand and gave me a light squeeze. Alice knew my silly desire about having a date at the Fair. She leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Maybe Forks Girl will soon get her wish."

With Pan American's Worldport terminal in view, we started to gather our belongings. The cabbie stopped at the curb. Alice gave Rose and I the once over as we stepped out onto the sidewalk; a routine which was pretty normal for us now. She always checked us out before we received the official inspection from Mrs. Cope.

Did I say inspection? Perhaps I meant humiliation. She was one tough cookie; nothing was glossed over by that woman. Imagine a drill sergeant, but instead change him into a sixty-something, plump, obviously dyed, red-head. As the Grooming Supervisor, she was in charge of ensuring we met all grooming and appearance requirements as mandated by Pan Am. Boy did she do it with an iron fist! One by one, we had to stand in front of her as she circled around to inspect us from head to toe. Shoes shined? Check. Stockings fresh and in place? Check. Uniforms clean and wrinkle free? Check. Hair coiffed and not an inch too long? Nails trimmed and polished red? Check and check. Periodically, she had us step on a scale to ensure we were not over the weight requirement.

As if not embarrassing enough, Mrs. Cope would often do a girdle check. We would either have to discreetly lift our skirts or she would do a quick pat on our hips. I know the poor lady was just doing her job. While Pan Am expected us to be cheerful and perhaps a little flirtatious with our male clientele, they also did not want us to look like tramps. The airline told us the girdles made our derrieres fit better in our pencil skirts, but we knew it was also their form of a chastity belt.

After asking me to lift my skirt, she made a few marks on her clipboard. "You're fine dear, but a dash of more lipstick and a smile on that face would do wonders," Mrs. Cope commented as she moved aside to give me clearance to report to work.

Rose was instructed to clear a layer or two of make-up off her face, while Alice, as always, was given the stamp of approval. Oh, Alice, always the poster child for the airline!

We collected our bags and made tracks to join the masses in the giant airport terminal. Since it was summer, Worldport was busier than usual. Lines to the ticket counters weaved in and out with families in addition to our usual clientele of businessmen. It was at these times that I was always reminded how starkly different we were from the masses. Admiring eyes were glued on us as we walked further into the terminal. As one who did not necessarily crave attention, I tried to hide in the middle of my more extroverted sidekicks. I think Rose and Alice had every man picking their tongues up off the floor as they sashayed their sultry curves, loving every ounce of attention they garnered.

At the flight operations office, we met up with Bree, the other stew on today's flight. I was so thankful to see Bree, and not Jessica. Claire, the Purser, has us sign in and showed us the flight information log. While I knew our destination, I was also curious to see who would be manning this flight. My eyes skimmed down the log:

Pan Am Clipper Flight #232 * Boeing 707

Flight Crew:

Captain Jason Jenks

First Officer: Mr. Garrett Coventry

Second Officer: Mr. Edward Cullen

Flight Engineer: Mr. Harry Clearwater

Stewardesses: Miss Alice Brandon & Miss Isabella Swan (First Class)

Miss Rosalie Masen & Miss Bree Anderson (Economy)

I had to re-read just to make sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. Officer Cullen, yep, written there clear as day.

"Bella, you coming honey?" Alice's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up to see Alice and Rose ahead of me starting to walk down the ramp in the enclosed jetway tunnel. I sprinted to catch up with them, noticing excitement brewing inside me as we approached the entrance of the plane.

"Looks like your are in luck today, my dear." Alice said between giggles. Luck would be nice, but before fretting over Officer Cullen, there was work to be done.

We started in with our pre-flight responsibilities in anticipation of the passengers boarding the aircraft. In the privacy of the front galley, I was prepping a tray of drinks for our first class passengers when the flight crew walked by to proceed to the flight deck.

"Hi, doll." Captain Jenks greeted me, as he along with his First Officer and Engineer tipped their hats while passing by. I politely greeted the men and resumed pouring an additional glass of champagne.

"Forks Girl!" an excited voice shouted, startling me and causing me to drop an empty champagne flute on the floor.

"Oh, Miss Swan! I'm so sorry." Edward quickly knelt to the floor to aid in picking up the broken pieces of glass. "I didn't think I had that kind of affect on you," he added.

I paused, not quite sure of what he was implying. He stayed there, with some broken pieces of glass in his hand, looking straight into my eyes. The moment seemed to go on forever, and I felt heat radiate throughout my entire body.

He stood up to place the broken glass in the trash can. Pointing to the overhead compartment, he teased, "Am I going to have to pull an oxygen mask out for you?"

I turned ten shades of red. "Umm, no Officer Cullen, I think I will be okay," I stammered.

"Oh, Bella, how many times am I going to have to tell you that you can just call me Edward?"

He helped me to my feet, and I remained in a slight daze. Laughing a bit, he winked at me, leaving me flustered as he joined the other men in the flight deck. It was as if he was gone in a flash.

Nice work, Bella. Real smooth. My heart was racing a mile a minute. I wanted to lock myself in the bathroom and reflect on all the things that might or might not have just happened, but the throngs of passengers awaiting to board kept my mind in the present.

Instead, I took a deep breath and finished pouring the drinks. I put on my white gloves and joined Alice in preparation of the passengers' arrival.

Alice and I showed the guests to their seats and helped them store their bags in the overhead racks. We were working first class this morning, while Rose and Bree were assigned to economy, or the "cattle car" as we fondly called it. Alice always volunteered to do the p.a. announcement, her sweet voice calming the passengers who would rather hear her talk them through an air disaster as opposed to reading the 'just in case' brochure planted in their seat pockets. I busied myself by assisting the passengers with their seat belts.

Before we knew it, we were on our way, and Captain Jenks was informing the passengers that we would be cruising to San Francisco at 34,000 feet and landing in just over five hours.

Our flight to San Francisco was going fairly smoothly. We served drinks and pushed roast beef down the aisle on a linen-covered cart. As I chatted with honeymooners, cradled babies, and fetched for pillows and blankets, I continuously found myself thinking about the man behind that cockpit door.

Sometime later, a lone businessman sitting in 2B pressed the call button for assistance. I saw him pulling a cigarette out of his pack of Lucky Strikes, and I was already a step ahead of him with a match in my hand. I bent down to light his cigarette.

As he took his first drag, 2B looked at me and said, "Honey, would I be right in assuming your main job requirement is to keep us all very happy during the flight?"

I nodded, a little nervous where he was taking this conversation. He reached into his coat pocket and placed a crisp $20 bill on his seat tray. "This bonus can be yours if you kindly escort me privately into the bathroom." Before I could even react, 2B took his right hand and firmly placed it at the back of my knee moving it ever so surely up my leg. I froze in fear, but jumped when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Excuse me, Sir, but last time I checked that is not any way to treat a lady!" Edward snarled at the man. He guided me to the side and yanked 2B by the shirt, pulling him into the front buffet area. He promptly snapped the drape closed behind him. The whole scene was so quick that only a couple of the guests had noticed the commotion.

I busied myself by pretending I was organizing luggage in the nearby overhead rack, all along trying to overhear Edward on the other side of the curtain. He sure was giving that awful man an earful.

"You are to show our stewardesses respect! They are not here for your disgusting innuendos or to be treated like common street trash!" He continued with a stern warning, "If I see or hear that you have crossed this woman again in any manner, I will have no problem throwing you in the hold of this aircraft for the remainder of the flight!" Their conversation, if you could even call it that, was coming to an end, so I quickly scurried over to join Alice.

"Oh, Bella, are you okay?" she whispered. "It all happened so fast. Officer Cullen had stepped out to use the restroom, and he saw what that low life was doing to you. Trust me, if he hadn't come by to save the day, I would have been right there for you."

"I'm fine, really, just slightly embarrassed that's all," I responded back.

While men had made suggestive comments before, it never had gone as far as it did today. At Stewardess Training School, our instructors were upfront that we would sometimes have to deal with men being forward, but those advances were usually of the verbal nature, not physical. I think that for some men being away from home, and more importantly their wives, made them feel like they could act like wolves.

Alice gently patted my back and offered to take over the front section of first class. When 2B came back to his seat, he grabbed a copy of the New York Times and made a point to hide his face. He obeyed Edward's commands, not daring to even look at Alice and I for the remainder of the flight.

Fortunately, the rest of our journey went without further incidents. As we had some down time before our descent into San Francisco, Alice and I sat in our designated jump seats. She busied herself with her copy of Look magazine, while I sat alone with my thoughts.

Not surprisingly, my thoughts drifted to Edward. He was only 10 feet away from me behind the door in the flight deck. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering like mad. Like a typical girl, I replayed the champagne flute scene in my head multiple times. Was I silly to be having feelings for him? Was there something more to us than our home town connection?

So far, our conversations had been friendly and easy going. I thought about some of the things he had revealed about himself in the past month. Aside from once living in Forks, I learned that Edward had been motivated to join the Air Force because his father had been a Medical Officer during the War. Having served his country, Edward decided to resume civilian life by relocating to New York and joining Pan Am just over a year ago. He joked that as a kid, he always had a thing for cars and trains, but planes allowed him to go the fastest. We shared a common interest in wanting to see the world and often spoke about his experiences outside the United States both in the military and with the airline.

In terms of uprooting my life, I had seemingly taken the bull by the horns, so I felt pretty foolish about being shy in attempting to progress things with Edward. Truthfully, I would probably blow my cool if Jessica were to meddle between us. I guess that alone was proof that I was already in deep with this guy.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't ya?" Alice mumbled while flipping a page of her magazine. She didn't even have to look at me to get her answer. "You know, I can't blame you, honey. I see the way he looks at you. It's the same way Jasper looks at me."

"You miss him, don't you?" I asked. She rarely talked about Jasper, and I saw this as my moment to check in.

"Terribly, Bella. But when you find the one, you know it's worth waiting for. In a couple of years, when Jasper's out of the army, we are going to get married. Of course, that means I won't be able to have this job any longer, but I will be so much more of a traveled person when that time comes." Alice paused, a tone of seriousness enveloping her voice, "Bella, just promise me that you won't let this one go. I sense something really special about you two."

"Really? To be honest, I'm unsure if this is anything beyond a friendship though I sure wish it was more." I looked at Alice, eager for her response.

"You'll see. Let's just say I have a good hunch about dear ol' Officer Cullen and his Forks Girl."

"Time will tell," I grinned, "but let's not count our chickens before they're hatched."

"Fair enough, Bella." Alice looked at her watch. "Well, no time like the present, Missy. Go fetch the boys some coffee," she instructed while pointing to the coffee pot in the galley. I rolled my eyes at her, gathering what she meant, and headed over to prepare a tray for the flight crew.

I opened the door of the cockpit half way. "Gentlemen, can I interest any of you in some coffee before we land?" The men all nodded their heads enthusiastically, and I heard a round of "Thanks, doll" from nearly all, except from Edward.

"Thanks, Miss Swan." His fingers brushed mine as I passed him a cup of coffee, creating a noticeable spark between us. I didn't need the help of Max Factor to add an extra layer of blush to my cheeks.

"You, okay?" he asked, concern displayed in his voice.

"Yes, thanks, Officer Cullen." I smiled back as I excused myself from the cockpit.

Within minutes, the plane began its descent. The time flew while we ensured everyone was buckled in for the landing and said goodbye to the passengers as they scurried out into the terminal. It was humorous watching 2B rush out of the plane as if his life depended on it.

As we were performing our post-flight duties, the men began to leave the cockpit. I peeked in and noticed Edward was still writing in his flight log.

"Everything go well up here?" Rose asked, with Bree in tow, as she came to join Alice and I in first class.

Alice began filling the girls in on the 2B incident. Rose smiled as I could hear Alice mentioning, "Officer Cullen's great rescue." I placed a finger in front of my lips, urging the girls to keep their voices down as Edward was still nearby.

"Wow, Bella, to think I only got called a 'Flying Waitress' by some jealous broad who thought I was eyeing her scrawny old man," she chuckled. "As if we haven't heard that one before! But honestly, if I had seen that slime ball cop a feel on you, I would have dealt his face a real doozie!"

"Well, I could have taken care of myself you know, I was just in shock." While eventually, I would have said or done something to 2B, Edward resolved the issue before it got to that.

"Oh, I know, Bella. I just would have had fun giving Mr. Pathetic the scare of his life," Rose reassured.

The girls whispered a bit more with each other as I moved to wipe down the galley.

"We need to handle some paperwork over in the office so we are going to head out, Bella. Will you be all right by yourself?" Alice practically shouted, accentuating her reasoning for doing so by pointing towards the cockpit.

I knew what they were up to and just shook my head in mocking defeat. "Yes, I will stay back to finish your work! Go on ahead now."

As the girls slipped off the aircraft, I tidied up the galley. I walked down the entire length of the plane to perform a final aisle check before leaving it in the hands of the cleaning crew. When turning around to head back, I noticed Edward standing at the front of economy. I stopped right in my tracks.

"You sure everything is okay, Bella? I've been concerned ever since that useless excuse of a man made a pass at you." He slowly started to walk towards me.

"Yes, Officer Cullen. Thank you for addressing the situation so as to not cause a scene in front of the other passengers."

"You think I responded as a matter of attending to Pan Am's guest relations?" he said with a slight tone of irritation in his voice.

I bit my lip, unsure if I had just offended him. "No, Offic-, I mean, Edward."

"Bella, I did what I did to protect you. Fact is, no one does that to my Forks Girl." With those last words, his eyes softened.

Did I just hear him say "my" Forks Girl?

"Thank you," I tried to reassure him. "I guess I just have never had someone look out for me in that way. You're very kind." I moved in between some seats to pick up a stray newspaper that had been left on the floor. As I got up, I noticed Edward had moved to the seat in front of me, kneeling on it so he was facing me.

"Bella, while I would have certainly intervened if that happened to any of my colleagues, there's just something about you that I can't explain." Edward reached out to touch my right hand that was holding the newspaper. His other hand wrapped around my left elbow, pulling me closer to him, his eyes suddenly heavy with intent.

His warm lips met mine, soft and with a hint of the coffee he had enjoyed earlier. Parting my lips gently, he let his bottom lip graze my top lip. I responded by taking his top lip in mine. I felt dizzy as it dawned on me that I was finally kissing Edward and not just in my dreams.

He suddenly stopped without moving away, resting his forehead on mine, his green eyes fixed on me. My breathing increased in pace, and it felt like this moment could either end now or continue on. Every inch of me desired for the taste of his lips again.

The dam broke and his lips came crashing back onto mine, becoming more and more confident with each pass. His sweet lips traveled across my flushed face and down to the curve of my neck. When he ran his fingers through my hair, my body felt like it had caught on fire. I let the newspaper fall onto the floor.

As we wrapped our arms tightly around one another, I let my hands explore his sculpted back. They moved up to his neck, his firm kisses inciting me to dig my nails into him in a possessive manner. He reacted to my assertiveness with a lustful groan and took it a step further.

Edward's tongue teased my outer lips as if to ask me to further part mine. When our hungry tongues met, it sent shivers throughout me. His face tilted as he pushed himself in deeper, our tongues circling each other with increased urgency. Edward tugged on my jacket, practically lifting me over the seat that was between us. I could swear I heard him mouthing my name against me.

"Umm, excuse me," a voice interrupted, "I thought I was boarding an aircraft, not entering a room at the local Travelodge."

We quickly detached from one another and noticed a mechanic had boarded the plane via the rear entrance. Out of fear, I dropped down to the ground, suddenly in desperate need to find that pesky newspaper.

I glanced up at Edward, noting that his hat was off kilter and his face was covered with lip stick imprints, betraying our momentary passion. He winked down at me, saying, "Excuse me, I will be right back." Turning again to the mechanic, Edward asked, "Sir, can you please walk with me?"

Edward escorted the man outside the back of the plane while I rose from hiding, cursing at myself the whole time.

What had I done? If the mechanic turned out to be a fink, he could ruin my career. How was my dad, Charlie, going to react if I got sent home by Pan Am, not even making it as stewardess for a whole year?

I stepped into a bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My lips looked swollen, my hair unkempt. My hands were shaking as I tidied my hair and re-secured the hat. Even my silver wings were slightly askew.

Although I certainly did not regret kissing Edward, I was scared that this could be my last time on board a clipper jet in uniform. While having relations with other crew members was not expressly forbidden by the airline, doing so while on the clock was a big no-no.

I stepped outside the bathroom and prepared to take my walk of shame off the jet.

"Bella, please wait," Edward urged, startling me with his reappearance. I searched his eyes, which were calm, no sense of worry displayed across his beautiful face.

"What am I going to do, Edward? They could fire me for what that man saw!"

"Oh, him? You have nothing to worry about there," he replied, a smile growing on his face. "We talked outside, and he ended up giving me the ol' pat on the back."

A sense of relief instantly washed over me, as I started to grasp that we had dodged a bullet.

"Well, I best head out to join the other girls inside the terminal." I felt a little awkward just standing there and was unsure how or if I should address our moment of ardor in aisle 27.

Edward hesitated and looked as though he wanted to say something, but then nodded in acquiescence. I went to locate my travel bag and then quickly walked off the plane.

Moving further into the terminal, I found the girls chatting with some fellow stews.

Once Alice caught sight of me, I could see her beaming. "So, what happened?" Alice inquired, alive with curiosity. Rose quickly joined us to get the scoop.

"You want the good or the bad first?" I uttered, still in shock of what transpired just minutes ago. I could see the confused looks on my dear friends' faces.

"Oh, just spit it out, Bella," Rose urged, always the one to not beat around the bush.

"Gee, um, well...we kind of kissed and then-"

"Don't tell me you were doing some hanky panky on the plane, you naughty thing, you!" Alice shrieked as she clapped her hands in excitement.

"Well, it didn't go that far! But something did happen." I found myself covering my face in slight embarrassment. "Let's just say there's a mechanic here at SFO that probably has a fun little story for the others guys on his shift."

"Is that what you are worried about, Bella? C'mon, that guy is not going to get you in trouble. If that were the case, you think Jessica would still be wearing her wings?" Rose smiled, reassuring me that things would be fine.

"More importantly, you and Officer Cullen k-i-s-s-e-d! Oh, swoon, Bella!" Alice threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Okay girls, we have to get to our hotel. We can and will talk more about this later!" Rose insisted as she pulled us towards the airport exit.

We hugged Bree goodbye since she was leaving to spend the layover with her friend, and met up with our driver who was transporting us to our hotel.

While we worked hard during our flights, the airline rewarded us well in turn. My monthly paycheck of $346 was fair, but on top of that we had perks that truly made our jobs glamorous and fun. Often, we had layovers that were long enough that we actually had time to get acquainted with cities. Pan Am put us up in swanky hotels, and we could dine on what we wanted and just had to sign for it. Fortunately, such was the case with our layover in San Francisco as we did not have to fly back till two days later.

But to be truthful, while I enjoyed spending time in this city, I was even more excited about the prospect of being in the same hotel as Edward.

After winding up and down the hills of San Fran, our driver pulled up to the front door of the Chancellor hotel. We had enjoyed the luxury of staying here before and did not mind that the three of us girls had to share a room.

Upon entering our room, we promptly undressed to change into 'civilian' clothes. It felt so good to be liberated from that darn girdle. Since we were dining out tonight, I slipped into a sleeveless, high collared cocktail dress. As I adjusted the matching belt, sitting snug at my waist, I was pleased to see that the dress' deep red hue accentuated my brown eyes. My curls had relaxed into soft waves, so I placed a headband in my hair.

The girls and I headed down to Fisherman's Wharf to dine at Castagnola's. As we enjoyed the sourdough bread and steamy clam chowder, they grilled me for details about the smooch session in aisle 27.

"Look at you just blushing away, Bella," Alice beamed. "You are positively smitten, aren't you?"

Oh, Alice, always the cheerleader for anything having to do with romance.

I nodded back. "Yeah, I guess I really am."

"Well, listen, the night is young, so let's finish up this meal and see if your stud-boy is indulging in libations back at the hotel bar," Rose suggested.

Sure enough, the girls and I saw some of our colleagues at the bar in the lobby. Edward appeared engrossed in a conversation with Officer Coventry, but snapped his head in my direction as we entered the lounge. We walked up to the bar, and without much surprise, Alice and Rose promptly deserted me.

"Well, look who's here!" Edward said with surprise. He gave me the friendly version of the 'Mrs. Cope inspection,' eyeing me up and down. "You look beautiful in that dress." He looked dreamy himself, wearing black slacks and a dark sport coat.

"Why thank you, Officer Cullen." I smiled and greeted Officer Coventry as well, feeling the need to maintain an air of formality due to his presence.

The bartender made his way towards Edward, asking, "Would you like another old fashioned, Sir?"

"Yes, please, and for the lady?" Edward inquired, turning in my direction.

"Tom Collins, thank you." While I wasn't much of a drinker, I thought an alcoholic beverage could certainly help in the nerves department.

Alice and Rose wandered over to gab with Edward. We all made polite conversation about the flight, and Rose praised Edward for putting 2B in his place.

Edward and I continued to chat, and after some time, I didn't even notice that the girls had moved on to visit with others in the lounge. We relocated to a small table to continue our conversation, never once talking about what happened between us on the plane. It remained the elephant in the room. Even still, our conversation grew more relaxed, and there were times we simply got lost in each other's eyes. It was hard to deny the magnetism between us.

I felt his hand meet mine under the table during our next quiet moment, his index finger making small circles on the top of my hand. As his confidence grew, he enclosed my hand in his and intensified his grip.

The flirtation continued, and we did not see that the lounge had emptied out. Even my friends had somehow managed to slip out from under the radar.

Looking up at a clock over the bar, I noticed the late hour. "I better turn in, Edward. The girls are going to start to worry about me," I said as I rose from the table.

He sighed and held my hand as we made our way over to the elevator. As I pressed the call button, Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind and placed a warm kiss on my neck. I just about went weak at the knees.

He whispered in my ear, "I don't want the night to end."

I looked at him with a sly smile, grabbing his hands to escort him into the open elevator. As the doors closed, he encircled me again and resumed kissing my neck. He nibbled on my ear lobe, causing me to nearly collapse on him.

Using what little strength I had, I pushed myself away to face him. "You are going to be the death of me," I lectured, waving my finger in a 'tisk-tisk' manner.

"And that would be bad, why?" Edward replied.

I couldn't give him a reason because in all honesty, I wanted him to be the death of me.

"So tell me, Forks Girl, what is the zip code for our old home town?" Edward asked while reaching into the pocket of his pants.

"98331," I quickly replied. "Wait, why are you asking me about that right now?"

"983...983," he repeated as he took his hotel key out of his pocket, dangling it in a not so subtle fashion. It was then I saw that the oval shaped key chain was engraved with the numbers '983.' Boy, was he clever.

"I imagine that might make it easier for you to remember, I mean say if you wanted to-"

It was right there that I saw him blush. The poor man was just about as red as the lipstick I had slapped all over his face on the plane. I crept closer to him, the elevator stopping on my floor. "If I wanted to what, Edward?"

He held the elevator door open as I stepped out and turned back to face him. "Come visit me later?" he finished, ending the last word in an inquisitive tone.

While, inside, I squealed like I had when seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, a new sultry Bella responded back. "Perhaps you will see me, perhaps you will not. For now though, I will bid you good night." Blowing him a kiss, I turned around and headed down the hallway. I knew he was still holding the elevator door while watching me, and because of that, I may have let my hips sway just a little bit more than necessary.

Whatever confidence I exuded in the hallway quickly vanished as I reached my room. I was fiddling with the key to the door, when it quickly opened in front of me. I was greeted by my two pals who had their hair in curlers and faces covered in cold cream. They grabbed me and practically threw me on the bed.

"What happened, Bella? We left you down there a good hour ago!" Rose interrogated.

Smiling wide, Alice said, "Someone looks like she is just sitting on cloud nine!"

Kicking my feet on the bed in excitement, I filled them in on the details of our conversation in the bar ending with his proposition in the elevator.

"So, what do I do?" My heart, as well as my hormones, were telling me to race right up to his room. Whereas, a small voice inside was nagging me, 'That's not what nice girls do.'

As if on cue, Rose just put it out there. "You know if you go see him, it probably means you are going to give him some nooky."

"Rosalie Lillian Masen, of course I know what it implies. That's why I'm freaking out over here! You already know I have gone all the way with Mike before. Not to say it isn't a huge deal, but I am a big girl, Rose."

She looked a little taken aback by my outburst, instantly making me feel two inches tall.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm just feeling a tad bit emotional here. I know you are only looking out for me." I reached out to pat her on the leg.

"It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew of his intentions," she replied, grabbing my hand and giving it a slight squeeze. "It kind of sounds like you already know your answer."

"So are you going to go visit him, Bella?" Alice chimed in.

I found myself quickly nodding back. Sorry, I said to that small voice inside, keep your opinions to yourself.

"Okay," Alice responded, her lips turning into a coy smile. "I have a plan."

Alice and Rose led me into the bathroom to freshen me up. Alice brushed my hair and reapplied my make-up.

"I'm adding a dash of darker shadow to your lids. I want to give you some seductive bedroom eyes," she teased. In the meantime, Rose rattled off some flirting tips she had read in a fashion magazine.

The girls tightened the robes around their waists and escorted me out the door. We scurried up the stairs to the ninth floor, where they practically pushed me out into the hallway while remaining by the stairwell door.

I quietly tiptoed towards his room. "983...983...," I muttered, substituting the words in my mind that were saying 'You can do this...you can do this.'

When I reached his door, I looked back at Alice and Rose who were giving me the thumbs up and encouraging me to knock. Rose whispered back, "Go get that jet jockey," and then they slipped out of view back down the stairs.

I nervously knocked on his hotel room door. Within seconds, I was greeted by the most delicious hunk of a man. He looked just fab, his sport coat now removed, revealing a light blue, button down shirt with a slim tie laying loose around his neck.

"I wasn't sure if you would come," he smiled and gently took my hands to welcome me inside. He closed the door behind him, and I walked towards the center of the room. He flipped off the color TV, turning around to look at me. It was then that the nerves kicked in.

What was I thinking coming to a man's room that for all intents and purposes I really did not know that well? Yet, I had to remind myself, he wasn't just any man, he was Edward. The feelings I had for him had already long surpassed what I had ever felt for Mike. I also had had a taste of him in the plane and on the elevator, and the woman inside me was wanting way more. Nice girls be damned.

He slowly walked over to me, cupping my warm cheeks with his strong hands as he planted the mostly delightful kiss on my pursed lips. While it was late and I should have been tired with the three hour time difference, I was keenly aware that every part of me was very much awake, not to mention, on fire.

Our kisses grew from polite to frantic, my hands diving into his soft, bronzed hair. I raked his scalp with my nails, enjoying Edward's moans of contentment.

He moved his hand to the back of my head, copying me by running his long fingers through my hair. My heart pounded in my chest as I gave into the the sensation of those amazing fingers. His other hand cautiously moved south, placing it on my derriere to pull me closer. I could feel the full length of his body against me, and I grew acutely aware of the growing need between my legs. Edward tugged at my hair with more intent, creating fireworks deep within. My increasing groans informed him I desired more...now.

I pushed myself away from him. He stared at me with some surprise, probably assuming I was calling it quits for the night. Rather, I collected his hands and led him to the edge of the bed, prompting him to sit facing me. I knew once I took the next step, there was no going back.

Taking a couple steps back, I reached behind me to unzip my dress. I unbuckled the belt at my waist and gathered the hem of the dress with my fingers, lifting it completely off my body. Dropping it beside me on the floor, I kicked off each shoe, one by one. I don't think I could have ever imagined Edward's eyes being bigger and more intense than they were now.

Suddenly, I felt vulnerable as I stood in front of him in just my brassiere, panties, and garter belt. In contrast to the cool room, I could feel a flush of heat pulsing throughout me; the anticipation of what was to come nearly bringing me to my breaking point.

"Come closer," he gestured. I followed his request, my legs meeting him at his knees. "You are beautiful, Bella, just absolutely breathtaking," he said softly with what appeared to be adoration in his eyes.

Using the backsides of his fingers, he lightly stroked the sides of my waist. I removed his tie and worked on the buttons of his shirt. He aided in its removal, depositing his clothes with the growing pile on the floor.

My hands reached out to caress his smooth and well defined chest, playing with the hint of body hair trailing down his torso. He pulled me closer and planted one hot, ticklish kiss over my navel, causing me to giggle from his touch. Soon, I felt gravity shift as he pulled me to rest on top of him and slid us closer to the top of the bed.

I was keenly aware that my entire body was resting atop his, especially since his manhood was nudging at my thighs. Our arms became entangled again, our tongues moving heavy and slow in a deep embrace. He tasted like the muddled orange and cherry in his old fashioned, sweet with a dash of citrus. I inhaled his cologne, subtle with just a hint of cloves.

Edward's hands became more urgent on my body, and he let them wander back down again to my bottom. I moaned loudly as both of his hands slipped under my panties and cupped my cheeks, pressing me onto his firm member. At this point, my panties were completely drenched.

"Do you want to go further, Bella?" he panted as he pushed a loose curl behind my ear. "I don't want you to think I am taking advantage of you." His voice was low; lusty yet respectful.

"I have never wanted anything more, Edward. I want you," I practically begged as I sat up on top of him.

"I feel the same way, but I also want more than just this." He brushed his fingertips across my cheeks.

"As do I, trust me. But can we save the talk for after?" I pouted back.

"After what, pray tell?" Edward emitted a devilish laugh as he tapped me slightly on the nose.

In a silent response, I moved my hips, pushing myself further into his lap.

"Fine," he mockingly submitted. "As you wish then!"

Giving him a playful smirk, I bent down to take his left nipple into my mouth, licking in a circular motion and ending with a slight nibble. It excited me to feel him squirm underneath my lap, his moans increasing in pitch. Reveling in his reaction, I paid equal attention to his other nipple and then worked my lips down his firm chest towards his belt buckle. I looked at him for permission, which he gave easily, and released the buckle and top button of his pants. As my hand pulled down the zipper, I could feel how hard he was underneath the cotton fabric.

Before I could go any further, he gracefully lifted me up and laid me on my back. Edward knelt beside me and wiggled out of his pants and shorts. Seeing him completely naked was a feast for my eyes. While Edward looked sharp in his pilot's uniform, seeing his chiseled features on prime display made me yearn for him even more.

He turned his attention back to me, undressing me with deliberate slowness and savoring the task. He started with my bra, gently pulling the straps down and unclasping it in the back. I watched as he skimmed the curves of my breasts before cradling them completely in his hands. Beginning with my bare shoulder, he placed soft kisses all the way to my newly exposed skin. Edward visited both nipples, sucking and flicking them with his tongue making each peak rise to attention. As he sucked me further into his mouth, my hips bucked into him, craving to feel the friction of his gorged member against me again.

"Patience, Bella," Edward taunted. He continued by unfastening my garter clips. He rested my foot on his shoulder as he carefully rolled the stockings off my leg. While he did the same with my other leg, I admired his talent at the art of seduction. With both legs now liberated, he massaged them, bringing me to such a state of relaxation that I was barely aware of him removing my garter and panties.

"Stay right where you are, beautiful," he said as he pulled himself off the bed and went searching through his travel bag. He kept his focus on me during our brief separation, the reverence in his eyes making me feel like a sculpture on display.

He resumed lying next to me on the bed, resting his palm over my heat, while he used his fingers to gently open my folds. I rocked into his fingers, as his thumb fondled my clitoris, causing my hands to make a death grip on the pillow below my head. I could feel myself growing slicker by the minute. While still teasing me with his thumb, he circled my entrance with his middle finger. I willed him to continue with pleading eyes, and when he pushed his finger inside me, an electric shock shot through my body. As my moaning grew, he responded by adding more fingers, increasing his movements in an almost fierce, animal-like fashion. I could feel myself tightening around him.

"Oh no, not yet, Forks Girl," he teased, slowing his pace.

Even in the heat of the moment, this inane nickname made me giggle.

"Oh, you find that funny, eh?" Edward playfully kissed down my stomach, lightly tapping my knees as a signal for me to part my legs more. Wrapping his arm around my hips, he dipped below, making a few quick licks across my folds. His touch caused me to squirm as I had never had a man's lips caress my sex before. Sensing my slight unease, he planted his warm lips over me. Slowly, he introduced his tongue, and calmed my shaking legs by holding them with his firm hands. As I became more familiar with the sensation of his touch, I relaxed further into the bed, arching my back in submission to the masterful work of his tongue.

I soon found myself grinding onto his face, feeling the increased pressure of his tongue on the very source of my arousal. My pilot took me down the runaway, and before I knew it, I was soaring in the air. I screamed out his name as my orgasm overtook me.

"Oh my god, Edward," I trembled, wrapping my legs tightly across his back. I felt like I was discovering the mystery of my body for the first time.

As my eyes regained focus, I gestured for Edward to come back up and join me. Placing one final kiss on my sex, he crawled back to my side, desire written all over his face.

I needed him to know I was ready. "I think this pilot is cleared for landing," I assured him, knowing full well I was dishing out a silly euphemism.

He chuckled while reaching for the rubber.

As he opened the little square package, I took this as my chance to explore his intimidatingly large manhood. I wrapped my entire hand around his thick length, stroking it slowly as I could feel his erection pulse under my grip. I groaned knowing he would soon be deep inside me.

"If you keep doing that, Bella, your pilot might just overshoot the runway." He gently took my hand away. Planting a soft kiss on it, he placed it back at my side and rolled the rubber onto his shaft.

Propping himself up with his arms, he moved his legs between mine. I could feel his tip flirting with my entrance. At this point, I was so ravenously hungry for him that my body ached.

Looking intently at me, he finally pushed himself all the way in. I was lost in another world, mumbling incoherently and savoring the feeling of being filled by Edward. Practically giving me no chance to get used to him inside, he nearly pulled himself all the way out. Before I could complain, he dipped back inside me, moving up and down. Each thrust was deeper than the next, and I made sure he did not leave me again by wrapping my legs tightly around him. I relished feeling his weight over me, further enhancing the feeling of being connected.

We kissed feverishly, the strokes of his tongue matching the movement of his manhood inside. I could feel my muscles clenching him, and I was starting to reach my peak again. He was pushing deeper at a maddening pace, sweat beading on his brow.

"Bella..." Edward's hips bucked wildly, and he let out a deep groan, clutching my shoulders tightly while in the throes of his release. A second later, I felt my second orgasm break through me, tearing a loud cry from my chest. I wouldn't be surprised if the people in rooms 982 and 984 got an earful.

Edward pulled himself out of me and disposed of the rubber, while I took deep breaths to bring myself back to earth. Returning to the bed and resting on his side, he scooped me into his strong arms. We snuggled for awhile as he brushed the hair away from my face. We smiled at each other, looking like two dopey teenagers sharing a shake at the soda counter.

Some time passed, and reluctantly, I glanced over to the clock on the bed stand. Sure enough, it was quite late, and I wanted to spare the humility of walking through the hotel hallway in the morning hours when I was more likely to be seen by others.

"I better get back to my room, Edward," I sighed, not wanting to leave the comfort of his embrace.

He held me tighter. "I hate that you have to go, but I understand."

Kissing him quickly on the lips, I released myself from his grip, and started sorting though the pile of clothes on the floor.

"Before you go, can we have that chat you stopped me from having just a little while ago?" he asked while running his fingers through his disheveled hair.

I nodded as I finished putting on my underwear and then scooted back to join him in bed.

"I just need you to know, Bella, that tonight is not something I normally do."

"Nor do I," I asserted.

He smiled, as he continued, "I want to say that I foresee a future with us and can only hope you do as well. Please, Bella, let me do this right."

My poor heart, which had only had a short break after our recent activities, began thumping hard again. "Well, what are you proposing?" I asked.

Edward nuzzled closer. "How about we go on a good ol' fashioned date?"

"Yes, I would very much like that," I happily responded back.

"Great! How about this coming weekend, you and I head to the World's Fair?"

I laughed. "Tell me, did someone whose name starts with A and rhymes with 'malice' put you up to this?"

"Possibly," he teased. "But honestly, I have not yet been and think it would be fun for us."

"Ugh."

"What, Bella?" Edward pulled away, staring at me with concern in his eyes.

"It's going to be a long flight home," I pouted.

Edward laughed at my frustration. "Silly girl, last I checked, Pan Am gave us a nice layover here. I didn't say the World's Fair would be our first date, did I?"

"No, I suppose you did not." I grinned at the thought of having more of Edward to myself.

He reached over to his bed stand, grabbing his pilot hat and placing it securely on my head. "Ah, that's cute! So tell me, Captain, what do you think about having lunch in Chinatown?"

"That would be great, Officer Cullen," I teased in a husky, male voice. As we laughed, I felt the warm, fuzzy feeling one gets when in a budding relationship. I imagined the amazing dates Edward and I would have across the globe.

"Alright, Forks Girl, go get some sleep, and I will see you in a few hours."

I shook my head. "Before I go, let's talk about that nickname..."

A/N:

This story was originally written for the 'Age of Edward' contest. It now continues, so read on to hear about their big date at the World's Fair. On my profile page, you will find a link to a little slide show of some of the images that inspired this story. I have always had a fascination with this time period in aviation, especially the "stew" culture. I thank the organizers of the 'Age of Edward' contest for inspiring me to finally write about two things I very much enjoy.

Super thanks to my most wonderful beta, siouxchef, who as my own personal Mrs. Cope helped clean up my writing and "proceeded" to keep me in line like a nun with a ruler. Without the firm use of siouxchef's red pen, I don't think I would have made my goal of finally completing and posting a story! Be sure to check out her fascinating tale of Jasper's life pre-Alice, Restoration. Sloppy kisses go to CullenCoven and the rest of the original Blue Banana Gang for you spawned my love for all things Twi. I send a special shout out to the Dis-knee fanfic girlies as well (even though our thread got killed).

Lastly, on bended knee, I beg for your reviews! This is my first story, and it would mean a lot to hear from *you*. I respond to all reviews and provide teasers to upcoming chapters. ~Thanks~

xoxo, FLC