Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I only own this storyline and a portion of tea that keeps me going.

Editor: Project Team Beta: Melissa Tan and SecretlySeverus

And Then There Was You

One Shot

January 2011 – Present Day

The beer bottle was warm in my hand. I took a sip from it and grimaced as the lukewarm liquid entered my mouth and ran down my throat. Putting the bottle down on the ledge, I looked at the city before me.

It was late in the afternoon and the sun was starting to set, causing the buildings to cast shadows along the motorway. There had been an accident earlier on the road. A car had spun out of control and crashed into the metal railing along the motorway, killing the driver and three passengers instantly.

Life was like that here in the Big Apple. There were accidents, drug wars, gang battles; the lot to contend with.

I lifted the cigarette I had in my other hand to my mouth and inhaled its toxic balm. I didn't smoke often—only when I'd had a trying day. Rosalie Hale, my boss at the office, had been riding hard on my ass lately because I had turned her down at the office party last week. She had made it no secret in the past that she wanted me. With her sultry glances and pouting red lips, she was a siren of a woman used to getting her own way.

The office party was still fresh in my mind.

Rosalie had been drinking along with everyone else from work that night—with the exception of me. She came swaying up next to me at the bar where I'd been sipping a coke. She'd leaned in and grabbed my ass tightly, squeezing it, as she attempted to get me to leave the office party with her.

"Edward, I need you," she'd said.

While she'd thought her words, at the time, had had the desired effect on me, it couldn't have been further from the truth.

Don't get me wrong; Rosalie was a blonde bombshell of a woman. She had the looks, the brains and the body that any straight man with a dick would've wanted. She would've done it for me three years ago … before I met Bella.

I pulled the cigarette from my mouth and blew clouds of smoke out into the evening air.

Bella Swan, a woman like no other, had done a number on me.

Before I met her, I was like any other twenty-eight year old guy.

I worked hard, I partied hard and I fucked hard.

I was young, handsome and shallow.

I'd been a ruthless jackass all my life, walking along the yellow brick road as if I'd owned it. I cared for no one but myself.

It took a strange meeting in Central Park, a series of dates and one great mistake, for this slip of a woman to turn me inside out. Bella Swan with her deep, dark eyes, flowing mahogany hair, silky pale skin and compassionate heart, rendered me blind to everything but her. She changed me from fucker to thoroughly fucked fucker in a matter of months.

Taking another drag from my cigarette, I closed my eyes and blew out the smoke, remembering my rocky relationship with Bella Swan.

. x .

March 2008

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

I looked up from the newspaper I was reading to see a plain-Jane woman staring at me expectantly.

I shrugged. "Sure, baby. It's all yours. Knock yourself out."

Turning my attention back to the newspaper, I nearly missed the woman's smile as she took a seat next to me on the park bench. I felt her eyes boring into me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. When her stare didn't let up, I folded the newspaper in my lap and frowned.

"Is there a problem?" I asked warily.

Her eyes widened as she quickly shook her head. "No. There's no problem," she replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? Cos' you've been staring at me for the past five minutes."

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "S-Sorry," she apologized. "I hadn't realized. You … You just remind me of someone back home is all."

"Is that so?" I chuckled. "And who might that be?"

"My dad." She bit her lip at my shocked expression. "That is … I mean, you look like him when he's reading the newspaper—all serious like," she explained.

Sudden laughter erupted from my mouth. I was completely taken aback by this strange woman. While I'd thought she'd been ogling me, she was actually comparing me to her father! How bizarre.

I smiled at her crookedly and watched, fascinated, as a blush encompassed her cheeks. She surprised me once again. When was the last time I'd seen a woman blush? I racked my brain only to realize I'd never seen it happen before, and it delighted me.

This woman was different, a breath of fresh air. What else could she do to catch me off-guard? I wanted to find out.

I stood up from the bench with my newspaper tucked underneath my arm and offered her a hand. "Have dinner with me," I said.

Her eyes rounded as her blush darkened in color. She smiled at me shyly and placed her smaller hand in mine.

"Alright," she replied. "Lead the way."

. x .

October 2008

"Baby, come out, please?" I pleaded with her from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Fuck off, Edward!" Bella yelled. "I don't want to see you right now."

"Baby, you've got to listen to me," I said. "It's been over with Tanya for—"

"I don't want to hear about it, Edward! That bitch out there was all over you and you didn't even push her away! How the hell am I supposed to trust you? Maybe … we should break up and see other people."

My breathing stilled. I felt the impact of her words like a knife through the chest. She wanted to … break up, all because of Tanya? Anger surged through me like a tidal wave.

"Is that what you want, Bella?" I shouted. "Well, fine by me! Here's the words right back at you, baby. We're through. See you around." I stormed away from the toilets and headed for the exit. I bypassed Tanya on the way to the door and blindly grabbed hold of her hand.

She looked at me puzzled before I bent down and kissed her on the mouth.

"Come on," I said while pulling back and breaking the kiss. "We're leaving."

. x .

November 2008

I ran a hand through my already tousled hair, staring into the eyes that had haunted me for over a month.

The flowers I had given her today lay around us like the broken shambles of a dream—a dream I had destroyed through my own stupidity. Bella hadn't forgiven me for walking out with Tanya that night at the club.

And maybe she never would.

From the moment I'd left the club with my ex, I'd known I'd made a mistake. Since then, I had come by Bella's apartment every single day, begging her to take me back. I'd tried everything—short of begging on my knees—but to no avail.

Nothing changed Bella's mind about us, and in my heart, I secretly feared it never would.

. x .

May 2009

"Edward, it's Bella. I'm ringing to tell you not to come by my apartment anymore. The truth is, I've been seeing someone else for a while now and … I've decided to marry him. He says he loves me and … well … I just wanted you to know, I forgive you. Goodbye, Edward."

I took my finger off of the play button and staggered over to the sofa. I collapsed onto the cushions and closed my eyes. Crying was a weakness my old man had beaten into me, but it meant nothing now. His so-called 'lessons' were meaningless.

Bella had moved on and found someone else.

I felt asleep to the sound of my own sobbing.

. x .

January 2010

"Bella, don't marry him!" I begged her. "He doesn't love you like you deserve to be loved."

"What would you know about love, Edward?" she challenged. "All you know how to do is fuck women over. You've never loved anyone but yourself."

I strode over to her and grabbed her arms. "Damn it, Bella! That's not true and you know it!" I yelled. "I love you! What else can I do to convince you of that? I messed up with Tanya. I know, and I'm sorry. I'll be sorry for the rest of my life. I just—Oh, fuck it!" I hauled her against me and captured her mouth with mine, kissing her passionately.

The heat of her mouth was like a beckon to me. I was home. She was home to me.

A resounding slap echoed throughout the room. I staggered back, holding my stinging cheek.

Bella looked at me with something akin to hatred in her eyes. "How dare you," she hissed. "How dare you come here, the day before my wedding to Jacob, say you love me, and kiss me like that? Get out, Edward."

It was like being slapped all over again—only this time, it was worse. A lot worse.

Bella's words replayed in my head like a tape recorder, breaking my heart. She really didn't love me anymore.

The realization almost sent me crashing to my knees. Without casting another glance at her, I ran out of Bella's apartment, knowing I'd never be the same again.

. x .

February 2010

"Alright, I'm coming. Hold your horses for Christ's sake!" I tightened the knot of the towel around my waist and headed over to the front door.

The persistent knocking ceased as I unlocked the door and pulled it open.

My breathing stopped.

Bella. She was standing outside my apartment door, soaked to the bone from the rain.

I outstretched my hand and shakily touched her arm, not believing she was real.

"D-Damn you, Edward. D-Damn you to h-hell and b-back … for m-making me … b-break off the wedding b-because I … I l-love you," Bella said, her teeth chattering.

A dream, I thought. It had to be a dream. No way was Bella Swan really standing outside my apartment door. She was off on her honeymoon somewhere, but damn if I was going to let this dream pass me by.

Throwing caution to the wind, I pulled her against me and shut the door behind her. I kissed her hard on the mouth and backed her up against the wall by the door.

Bella moaned and tangled her fingers into my hair. "Oh, God, Edward … I love you!" she panted, sucking my lower lip into her mouth. She bit it and licked the sting away.

I pulled my head back and stared into her eyes with shock. Dreams didn't hurt. The Bella before me was real.

She was here with me.

She had chosen to be with me again.

I closed my eyes and buried my face into her neck, inhaling her sweet, strawberry scent.

"Edward?" she started. "What's—"

"Hush, baby. I just need … a moment," I replied hoarsely. Silent tears ran down my cheeks as I clutched her tighter to me, overwhelmed by my feelings for her.

Bella gently pulled my head back and saw that I was crying. Her eyes softened as she leaned forward and kissed every tear away.

. x .

January 2011 – Present Day

I threw the cigarette down and put it out with the toe of my shoe. The door to the rooftop opened, causing me to turn around. Bella stood in the doorway with a relieved look on her beautiful face. She closed the door behind her and made her way over to me.

I opened my arms and she plunked down onto my lap. The smell of her newly washed hair had me burying my face into her locks, inhaling the strawberry scent like a heroin addict, seeking my next kick.

She giggled and laid her head back on my shoulder. "I knew you'd be up here," she said. "You always come up here when something's bothering you. So, spill."

I kissed her forehead. "Are you sure you want to know, baby?" I asked. "You're not going to like it."

She glanced at me through narrowed eyes.

I sighed. "Rosalie has been making things difficult for me at work because I rejected her advances at the office party last week."

Bella stiffened before suddenly relaxing in my arms, much to my surprise.

"Uh … didn't you hear me, baby?" I questioned uncertainly. "I said—"

"Your boss made a pass at you again. I know. I heard you perfectly well the first time, love," Bella replied.

I drew her away from me and felt her forehead with the back of my hand.

"What are you doing, Edward?" She chuckled.

"Checking your temperature," I replied. "The Bella Swan I know doesn't like other women hitting on her man. She gets angry and jealous."

"Is that right? Well, luckily for you, Mr. Cullen, Bella Swan doesn't exist anymore. It's Mrs. Cullen now," Bella remarked cheekily, her eyes twinkling. She held up her left hand and wriggled her fingers, flashing her diamond wedding ring at me.

I blinked before I laughed and shook my head at her antics. Even after being married for nearly a year, Bella still caught me off-guard with her remarks.

"I guess this means you're not jealous. Pity." I twirled a lock of her hair around my finger.

Bella scowled at me playfully. "Don't be stupid. Of course I'm jealous, but what can I do? My husband's a hot piece of ass. Naturally, other women are going to hit on you. It's part of the deal. The difference is that I trust you not to return their advances."

Involuntarily, my mind flashed back to the incident with Tanya and my arms tightened reflexively around Bella. I dipped my head and pecked her mouth, trailing kisses over her face and down her neck.

"Whatever I did to deserve your forgiveness, I'll never know. I love you, Bella Cullen, and I always will." I returned to her mouth and kissed her sweetly. I watched through half-lidded eyes as the light from the setting sun danced across her face, making her skin shine.

The beer bottle on the ledge next to us was left forgotten, as we continued our kisses elsewhere inside our apartment, with no clothing on.

FIN