A/N: Ok guys! Here is my new story co-authored with my Beta Fate Lowe. I will be writing in Bella's POV, while she will be writing in Edward's POV. I hope you guys like this story as much as we do!

Disclaimer: We own nothing but the plot and our SuperPets: Spike and Congo!


BPOV

Why is it, that every morning when I wake up I think that something miraculous is going to happen to me, only to be let down at the end of the day? Call it optimistic cynicism. Call it delightfully delusional. Call it whatever the fuck you want, but that's how I live my life.

Well fuck that!

Not today!

Today I am going to wash my hands of the delusional life that I have been living. Today I am going to march up to my dickhead of a boss -- who will never give me the raise or the promotion that I have been asking for the past three goddamn years -- and tell him that I quit. Then I am going to pull the fire alarm in the building as I am walking out and stand on the sidewalk across the street and watch with a huge smile on my face as people come flying out the front doors soaking wet. I'm going to stand there and laugh as Jessica and Lauren run out screaming bloody murder that their Prada bags were ruined from the water. Then I will walk off down the street with a slight bounce in my step as I leave a crowd of drowned people in my wake.

Yeah, that sounds like a great idea, let me get right on that. I threw back my comforter and swung my legs over the ledge of my bed. I looked over at my alarm clock, noting that it was about to go off any second and moved to turn it off. Stretching my arms over my head and yawning, I flopped back down onto my back.

Oh who am I kidding?

Exactly who are you kidding?

Great now I am having a mental war with myself? I rubbed the heel of my hands into my eyes to clear out the sleep that was threatening to take them over again and sat up. With a loud huff of annoyance I stood up and made my way to my bathroom that was conveniently attached to my bedroom. Flicking on the light switch and gazing at my reflection, I ran my fingers through my hair and decided to finally take Alice up on her offer to take me to get my hair cut.

Yeah, should have down that about three months ago dip-shit!

I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and went to town on my pearly whites. While I was scrubbing the fur that had grown on my teeth overnight, I opened my shower door and turned it on, waiting for the hot water to kick in. After rinsing and spitting, I quickly disrobed and hopped in the nearly scalding water.

Ah, much better!

The hot water woke me up and relaxed me at the same time. I was dreading the morning that I was about to face. Not that I entirely minded doing what I did for a living, but the fact that I was only an assistant to a lab technician was just.....was just....well....well just horseshit! I didn't spend four years in college getting my BA in forensics to end up as an assistant to a lab technician. I was better than that. I was supposed to be higher than a lab tech; I was supposed to be the one to give orders to a lab tech to synthesize a piece of evidence, not carry them out. I was supposed to be at the scene of a crime collecting evidence to solve the said crime that lay at my feet. Instead I stood in the shadows writing down the findings of analyzing said piece of evidence.

Sounds like bullshit to me!

You got that right!

Soaping up and rinsing, I reached for my shampoo and quickly washed my hair. The hot water was beginning to run out, thus ending my shower. Turning off the water and stepping out of the shower stall, I grabbed a towel and quickly dried off, before dropping the towel in the laundry basket and making my way to my closet. Though, the one good thing about being an assistant, I really didn't have to dress up that much for work. I pulled out a simple pair of black slacks and a black blouse and got dressed. Black hides blood better. I learned that quickly in my last year of college where I was interning for a mortician. I had forgotten to put on my smock and as I as begin the Y-incision, I missed the rather large mass that was protruding just below the collarbone and blood burst out of it like poking a hole in a water balloon. Needless to say, I was thankful that I was wearing black that day, or else I would have looked like I had just murdered someone as the blood sprayed all over the front of my shirt. The mortician just laughed at me and told me it was a good thing I was wearing black. I couldn't agree more. So, from that day forward, I always wore black to work. Always. And I always remembered to put on my smock before doing anything that including cutting open a corpse. I just also happen to look like I was going to a funeral, but hey when you work with the dead, it does seem morbidly appropriate, dontcha think?

Yeah, cause everyday when you go to work, you wish you were dead!

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I finished getting dressed before pulling my hair back in a tight bun. Can't let my hair get in my way at the job; I wouldn't want the lab techs accidentally mixing my hair with that of a potential suspect. That wouldn't be good. Not at all.

After slipping on my shoes, swiping my glasses off my dresser and putting them on, I made my way to the kitchen to grab a bagel before I collected my purse and keys and headed out to face yet another depressing day at the lab. I really was trying to remain hopeful that today could be a turning point for my career like I did everyday, but it was hard when I had done this for the past three years with no good end result in sight. Ever.

Climbing into my car and starting it, I waited for the engine to heat up before pulling out of my driveway and heading into work. I had a rather huge case to help out with today. A double homicide, both victims female, both bodies were found at a playground where a six year old boy found them and ran back to his mommy asking why there was two naked girls lying under the monkey bars sleeping. Both victims had been raped and beaten from I was told, but that there was no real evidence as to why they were at the playground. I had heard from CSI Whitlock that he thought both girls were dumped there, not murdered there, but that they couldn't find that crucial piece of evidence that stated otherwise. That's why I had to come in early this morning, to help out the lab in trying to find that clue that could lead us to the actual murder sight. Not that I would actually be handling any evidence, oh no, not me. I wasn't nearly quailified to do that, as though I got my BA out of a fucking Cracker-Jack box. Horseshit, I know! But still, I sucked it up, everyday, in hopes that I could one day be the one to crack a case.

As if that would ever happen.

I arrived at the lab just a little after four in the morning and immediately went into the lounge to grab a cup of coffee to go with my bagel. Upon entering I saw that the coffee was still brewing and thanked Ali-Baba that it was fresh. I walked to the counter and set down my bagel before going over to my assigned locker and placing my purse and keys in, while grabbing out my lab coat and beeper. I was just buttoning the last button when the lounge door opened and someone walked in.

"Oooooh, a bagel," a familiar voice said. I knew that voice anywhere. I heard it in my dreams everynight. That voice could make any girl's panties drop, including yourstruly. That voice belonged to Edward "the voice that drips sex" Cullen.

Not likely Swan. That's why you only hear it in your dreams.

I was still hidden behind my locker door, but I could see him out of the corner of my eye, as he walked over to counter where my breakfast was laying. His bronze hair was in complete disarray as usual, more so this morning probably from the pressure of this case. Everyone wanted this case to be solved, yet it seemed like no one knew where to start. Funny, a building full of forensic scientists and not one of them seemed to be able to crack this case. So sad.

"And there's fresh coffee? I've died and gone to heaven!" he said.

'Me too,' I thought as I watched him pour himself a cup of coffee before picking up my bagel.

"Eh," I squeaked as he slowly took a bite of my breakfast, his jaw working slowly as he chewed the bagel before it stopped at hearing my vocal protest to him eating my breakfast.

So much for eating this morning.

I closed my locker door and clipped my beeper to my hip, then stood there silently as he resumed his chewing before swallowing. He cleared his throat and looked at me with both eyebrows raised. He must have saw that my eyes were trained on the bagel that he was holding inhis right hand and looked down at it before he looked back up at me.

"Was this yours?" he asked in a smooth voice holding up the bagel.

All I could dowas nod slowly as my cheeks burned in embarrassment from being caught watching him eat my food parcel. I made my way over to the counter and grabbed my mug from beside the coffee pot. We all had our own mugs and they were labeled with clever nicknames that Alice had painted on them. Mine was labeled 'Klutz'. Bitch. She knew how embarrassing it was for me to be clumsy, but still, she always mocked me at any chance she had. I still loved her though. Edward's was labeled 'Ace'. The reason for that nickname was not lost on anyone.

"It's ok. I'll just grab something from the vending machine. It's no big deal," I said softly pouring coffee into my mug. I refused to make eye contact with the beautiful man beside me. He was just casually leaning his left hip against the counter and I watched him out of my periphery as he sat down his coffee mug on the counter.

"Nonsense Bella. I thought Alice brought it in for me. She told me earlier on the phone that she was bringing in bagels this morning," he said.

I internally shuddered as he said my name. We had worked together for the better part of two years, but not once had he ever said my name. For a while I didn't think he knew it, but that just goes to show you how much I know. Of course he would know my name, I'm best friends with his sister for fuck sake's and have been for over seven years. It wasn't until recently I realized that I had a crush on him. Alice knew of course, but never said anything directly to me or him for that matter. Thank merciful jebus for small miracles. He-he, I said small miracles...Alice is small.....yeah, I didn't think it was that funny either.

"No really, it's ok. I guess I can just wait until she comes in to get another one," I said as I stirred in a small amount of sugar into my black coffee. I didn't want to ask him to move so I could grab the creamer out of the frig. That was just asking for a disaster. I had learned to drink my coffee black when he happened to be in this room.

"That won't be for another three hours."

I just shrugged my shoulders and took a sip of my coffee.

Mmmmm...coffee.

"Here," he said as he set down the creamer in front of the coffee pot. I hadn't even seen him move, much less heard him opening and closing the frig door. I flinched and blinked at the creamer as it sat there, taunting me with its creamy goodness. I just stared at the cardboard container in front of me, looking as if it appeared out of thin air.

"Bella?"

I jumped at his voice and was lucky I didn't spill my hot coffee all over myself.

"Huh?" I asked quietly as I blinked up at him.

"I know you take cream in your coffee," he said smiling. I swear I felt my panties slipping over my hips slightly at seeing him smile at me.

"How did you..." I trailed off as I sat down my mug and reached for the creamer.

"You know, for someone who is educationally trained to be overly observant, your skills seem to lacking all of the sudden," he said smoothly with a cocky grin.

He's mocking you!

I don't care!

Yes, you do.

Do not! He's teasing, just like everyone else does.

I seriously needed to shut my brain off sometimes, like now! I finished stirring in the creamer and took a sip, smiling as the liquid slid down my throat.

"See, much better," he said as he replaced the cap on the creamer and put it back in the frig.

We stood there for several minutes, both of us silently drinking our coffee, neither one of us saying anything. I was actually too scared to start up a conversation with him. This was probably the most we had said to each other over the course of us working together. True we had known each other for years, but that didn't mean we actually spoke to one another. Alice, Edward and I had all gone to high school together -- he was a year ahead of Alice and I -- but whereas Alice and I both attended and graduated from the same college, Edward had gone to a different one. He had moved here two years ago from Boston and had quickly snagged the role of Lead CSI after finding a vital piece of evidence that solved a two year old serial killer case. The lab dept threw him a party. I was invited; I didn't stay long though. Just long enough to say congrats, before I spilled my beer all over him from tripping over air and abruptly leaving before I could embarrass myself further.

"Bella, you wanna split the bagel?" he asked reaching for a knife and cutting it in half, keeping the already bitten side for himself of course.

"Umm..." I stammered.

I saw the other half of the bagel waved from side to side under my nose. "You know you want it," he taunted.

'That's not the only thing you have that I want,' I thought as I tentatively grabbed the the bagel from his fingers and took a small bite.

We both finished our coffee and half a bagel in silence. As I rinsed out my coffee mug I asked, "How did you know I took cream in my coffee?"

He sat his empty mug on the counter. "Bella, we've known each other for how long?" he asked.

"Seven years," I mumbled as I dried my mug and reached over, grabbing his mug and rinsing it.

"Exactly. You tend to know certain things about someone after knowing them for so long," he laughed.

"I guess so," I replied, setting our mugs back beside the coffee machine.

"Well, I need to go solve this case," he said clapping his hands together and rubbing them against one another quickly.

"Don't let me stop you, Ace," I said sourly, nearly spitting out his nickname.

"Oh don't be like that Bella. I know you hate working in the lab as an assistant, but hey, we've all had jobs we hate at some point," he said placing a hand on my shoulder.

'Yeah? How would youknow?' I thought as I tried in vain to repress a shudder from feeling his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Go to it," I said shrugging his hand off. My will-power was not strong enough to contain the shudder much longer.

I turned and watched as he made his way to the door. He paused as he opened it, looking back at me as I leaned my back against the counter. "See you around," he said smiling before he walked out. I waited for the door to click closed before I let out a sigh and closed me eyes.

"Yeah, only in my dreams."


A/N: So what do you guys think?