Hey all, this is my new story. It will be my first full story, so I hope you will stay with me for the ride ;)

Edward and Bella Cullen thought they would be together forever, but unfortunately things change. Now as they face a new chapter in their lives, what will the future hold for them?

AH/AU/somewhat OOC/canon pairings -- Rated M for language and because you never know when a lemon might surface ;)



Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Three years ago, King County Courthouse -- Seattle, Washington

*BPOV*

"…and so I declare that the marriage between Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan Cullen is dissolved," the judge's voice boomed through the court room, causing a chill to run down my spine. "Court is now at recess for one hour," the judge concluded with the crash of his gavel as everyone was dismissed from the court room.

It was all I could do to get out of that room and past Edward. I didn't even want to look him in the eyes… I tried to resist. Walking with my head down, I allowed my eyes to look up at him through my eye lashes. His eyes were looking at me too, but they quickly darted about the room to avoid my gaze. I returned my stare to the carpet as I watched its patterns pass by speedily below my feet.

I kept my composure as I was practically sprinting out of the court house, hurrying to my car. I got into the driver's seat and the flood of the emotion of the morning finally overtook me. Tears running down my face uncontrollably, I cried heavier than I had ever in my life.

In between my sobs, I found my voice. "So easy to end twelve years," I said to no one. I looked at the clock on the dashboard of my truck observing the time. Our hearing was at 11:50 am, and it now said 12:04 pm. "Twelve minutes to end twelve years." Wiping my eyes, I put the car in gear and sped off, happy to have made it out of the courthouse and away before Edward had. It was bad enough having to face him in the court room, but I was damned if I was going to let him see me cry over him again. I knew in my head that what we had done was the best thing for us, but that didn't make it any easier on my heart.

When I thought back to Forks High, when I first met Edward… oh, my heart ached for those times again! Things were so carefree and simple back then. We didn't have to worry about house payments, house repairs… not that we worried about those things, we both had great careers, Edward was a doctor and I was a graphic designer, but you know what I mean… and losing our innocence along the way. One too many arguments later, there we stood, in front of that judge.

The first thing we agreed upon in months… years, actually… was the day that Edward came home with the separation papers, 8 months ago today…

*********

"Bella," Edward said flatly approaching me where I was sitting at the dining room table. He carried himself stiffly across the room and sat down in the chair next to me.

"Edward," I replied just as coolly as I looked up to him sitting to my right. I watched as he nervously lifted his hands above the table top, to reveal an envelope he was holding onto. He placed it on the table and slid it so it was directly in front of me. My breath caught in my chest as I saw it, even though I didn't know what it was… maybe on some subconscious level, I knew, but I asked the question anyway. "What's this?"

Edward sighed as he watched my fingers pick up the envelope and begin to open it. "I tired of fighting with you, Bella," he stated quietly as I pulled the contents out and unfolded them. "We can't continue like this anymore, not when we can do something about it… something that SHOULD have been done a while ago," he added as he nervously shifted his body on his chair.

Unfolding the papers before me, I noticed that the header on the page indicated it was from a local law firm. Speechless, I glanced up at Edward momentarily as I looked back down to read further. "Divorce proceedings," I read, keeping my eyes on the papers before me.

"It's my fault, Bella… for letting it go this long," Edward continued, as I glanced over the rest of the papers before letting them fall from my fingers as the realization set in. "I didn't want to give up, but in turn it ended up hurting us more by prolonging the inevitable."

"Divorce." I repeated myself numbly as I felt panic set in. Of course I knew Edward was right, but that didn't make it any easier hearing my husband vocalize it. My parents were divorced, so I knew I never wanted to be a statistic, and Edward, knowing that, perhaps stayed to appease me, I didn't know. I just knew that even though we fought on a daily basis, I still never imagined my life away from Edward, and now he was forcing me to.

"The house is yours if you want it, or--"

"NO," I interrupted. "You keep the house. I don't think I could stay here, after…" my voice drifted off, and I felt the tears welling up, one escaping the corner of my eye and rolling down my cheek. Traitor! I thought at the renegade droplet. "Too many memories…"

*********

Too many memories, indeed…

Granted, the last few years weren't loaded with good memories, but there was a lot of good before that… a LOT… and just like that, it was over.

Close the book, shut the window, rip off the Band-Aid…

And that's exactly what I was going to do. I had already moved most of my things to my dad's place back in Forks. Luckily, Charlie knew pretty much what I was going through, having gone through it with Renee leaving him so many years ago, so he was pretty understanding. And he didn't push me to talk about it too much, which was fine with me.

So, turning on to the "on" ramp for the highway, I picked up speed and never looked back. I needed to create some new memories, and what better time to start than now?


OK, so I know it's kind of a dark start to the story but please stick with it, you are in for some great surprises, so add this to your story alerts. I hope to update at least once a week, if stupid old "real life" doesn't interrupt my schedule lol… ;)

And I love reviews SO much more than ripping off Band-Aids… :D