A/N: Hey there! *chipper me waves at you* thanks for stopping by! This is my very first attempt at writing a fanfic. As you may have already guessed: I'M A NERVOUS WRECK! It took me several times to write that sentence, my hands are shaking like leaves. Thank god you can't see me - how very embarrassing *facepalm*.
This is a rather old plot bunny of mine, the result of a sleepless night, filled with giggles and my darling celebcristien. I'm a shirker, which is why it took me this long to get it out - hey but better late than never, right?
Anyways, before I'm starting to ramble (which I already do), I want to thank my lovely sister, because that's what you are to me love, Noreia. If it weren't for you, I would have never had the balls to publish this on here. I also want to thank Lady M and Celebcristien... for always being there and letting me rant - which I do quite a lot.
My biggest thanks goes to my Beta-Reader Vicky one of the lovliest people I've ever had the fortune to meet. You rock my socks off on a daily basis and I dont know where I would be without you!
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight! (as if I'd need a reminder... my bank account says it all) I just own my fantasies, this story and a pair of Team Edward knickers - I bet Steph would love to have them :))) but I'm a greedy bitch!
Without further ado: Please read and review! Please be kind! *runs off hiding*
This is dedicated to my big sister, love you lots bb!
Monday. 6 Am.
As always, Edward was the first to be woken up by the sound of the alarm going off on his bedside table. He turned towards the annoying sound and switched it off quickly so as not to wake his wife lying next to him. She was still breathing evenly and unaware of the first few rays of daylight coming in through the blinds and marbelling her beautiful face.
Edward stretched and yawned, rubbing the residue of sleep out of his blazing green eyes, before running his long, well-manicured fingers through his untidy bronze locks. He blinked several times, getting used to the light that now filled the room. Once truly awake he started to think about the day that lay ahead of him, what he had to do, who he had to call. It only took him a couple of minutes to go from sound asleep to work mode.
He definitely could be called a morning person. He had never been one to sleep in – not even on a Sunday – and not getting a lot of sleep on a daily basis wasn't a problem for him at all. He always went to bed late, courtesy of having a demanding job and being an overachiever. He loved his job, mind you, so he never complained about the immense workload that kept him from getting as much sleep as people usually got and needed. He didn't need more than six hours sleep, tops, to be able to work and function properly.
The lovely brunette next to him was a totally different story. He and Bella had been married for four years and together for three before that. After so many years together you knew mostly everything there is about the other person and he had learned that she, in comparison to him, was NOT a morning person at all. He had to learn that the hard way, and he made sure not to forget it ever since.
Bella always needed a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Coffee came even before a proper 'Good morning'. It took one cup for her to be able to open both her beautiful hazel eyes at the same time and form a coherent sentence. It took a second cup before she would be able to walk without stumbling over everything in her way, or out of her way for that matter.
Her morning related clumsiness could, of course, be blamed on only one person. Edward. Because really, that carpet in the hallway had never been there in the first place, so he must have put it there intentionally to trip her up. Of course he did. The likelihood of those accusations being true was beyond Edward but he was used to it and went with them. Day in, day out. He was sure she knew that she was being a bit overdramatic, but it was all Bella.
The second cup served another purpose as well. Bella tended to swear like a trooper whilst she was still in her sleep induced stupor. Which would be a fucking understatement so to speak. So no, she definitely was no morning person, but we all have our little quirks, right?
Edward turned onto his side fully to watch Bella sleep.
This was his most favorite time of the day, not because she would for once be quiet, but because these shared moments were rare. She worked as a nurse at the same hospital his aunt worked at. Working double shifts and such did nothing to ensure a lot of alone time, and certainly no "staring at you while you sleep soundly" time.
Ever since he had started to work more hours, she had done the same, understandably though. If he could spend so much time at work, trying his very best to work his way up the ranks and be promoted to the position of Art Director before turning 30, which was just about half a year from now, so could she. Bella didn't like being alone at home when he was gone all day. It made her feel lonely; and loneliness was something Bella couldn't deal with very well.
Reaching forward he carefully tucked a strand of wayward hair out of her face, getting a better look at her pale features.
She certainly was beautiful, just like she had been all those years ago when they first met. Bella was only 18 back then, barely an adult. Her features had grown more mature, her haircut was more stylish, slightly shorter than it was 8 years ago, but it was still the same deep chestnut brown. Her eyebrows were shaped to perfection, a stark conrast to the bushy ones she had as a teen! Her slightly pink lips were perfectly kissable, and taking the small frown on her forehead into consideration she must be dreaming. Either that or she inwardly knew it was nearly time to wake up.
Edward smiled fondly, caressing her cheek softly, relishing in the last few minutes of utter, peaceful silence.
Here goes nothing, he thought to himself. Time to wake the lamb and be confronted with her usual lion demeanour in the early morning hours.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" he cooed at her softly, knowing full well how she reacted to harsher wakening techniques.
Bella grumbled something under her breath that suspiciously sounded like "Fuck off!", before turning her head away from him, ignoring the tender wake-up call.
Edward tried to stiffle his laughter as not to infuriate her impressive morning-persona any further.
He tried again, kissing the top of her head and calling her name. He had more success this time and was rewarded with her turning towards the offending noise and opening one eye, blinking at him. „Five more minutes." she pleaded with him already closing her eye again, fully asleep again in a matter of seconds. He smiled knowingly at her before setting the alarm once again, giving her ten more minutes of blissful unawareness, because he knew five would never suffice and he'd just have to wake her up all over again.
Edward placed the alarm on his bedside table again, so she'd have to get up to shut it off – he wasn't taking any chances – and kissed her once more before leaving the comfortable bed and heading into the kitchen.
Like every day he made a pot of coffee and went over to the cabinet where his cereals were in, taking out the box and preparing some for himself, pouring some milk atop them, before sitting down on the breakfast table, which just offered enough space for two people. He knowingly placed the pot of fleshly brewed coffee on the table as well.
The kitchen itself was painted in a pale yellow, giving the room a warm glow. Two windows gave it a lot of light and it was open and welcoming. The counters and furniture were plain white but with little knicknacks such as a flower vase on one windowsill, an ipod docking station on the other one. It looked well lived-in and comfortable. Bella had taken a liking to all things with dots and spots, which resulted in lots of spotty pottery with their purpose clearly written all over them. Most of their crockery was blue with white dots. If anyone would be able to find an addition for their kitchen with dots, it was sure to be Bella.
Aside from the L-shaped work surface, there was a small breakfast table in the kitchen, where Edward was currently sitting at. They rarely bothered to sit down at the table for six people, situated in their living room.
Bella made sure they had plants. Not many of them, but just a few in every room, except the bedroom and bathroom of course. She had tried explaining to Edward that flowers and greenery made a room more beautiful and were a necessity, but he just didn't see it.
Exactly ten minutes after he had left the bedroom, a not very lady-like "Fuck!" could be heard, coming - well guessed - from the room Bella still resided in.
Edward snickered to himself when a minute later a sleepy Bella made her entrance. Truth be told, Bella was quite a sight in the morning, hair all over the place, grumbling incoherent words and such.
Any person who wasn't accustomed to the said look would be shocked, at the very least. Running screaming for the hills was another possibility, not that he would ever tell her that of course. He was, thank the heavens, used to that sight and grinned at the vision of her stumbling form.
She made her way across the room to the chair across from him.
As predicted she hit her foot on the leg of the chair, cursing for all it was worth.
"Oh for fuck sake! Shit, that hurts!" she shouted plunging into the chair gracelessly. Without saying another word Edward got up and placed a huge mug filled with steaming hot liquid in front of her, before taking his seat once again. He took her injured foot into his hands and rubbed it soothingly.
Once the caffeine had kicked in, she looked up at him smiling faintly. "Thanks baby, you're too good to be true, what have I ever done to deserve you?" Edward leaned over the table and gave her a peck on the lips, stroking her hair tenderly.
"I love you, silly. It's as easy as that. Plus, lots of people would pay a pretty penny to see you in the morning." His mischievous laughter was answered by a very mature acting Bella, sticking her tongue out at him.
He mock glared at her, secretly finding her adorable, which of course she knew rather well. Having being married for a number of years and having been a couple even longer does that to you.
"When does your flight depart?" Bella asked, slowly sipping her second cup of coffee which she'd just poured herself.
"I have to get going in about 15 minutes, check in starts at 8:40 am. I'll be back on Friday in time for the dinner at your parents' house, I'll meet you there, okay?" Bella nodded in agreement.
"What's your working schedule like for the next couple of days?" Edward asked her, the usual question on a Monday morning.
With both of them being so very dedicated to their jobs and working a lot, it was necessary to have a head start and talk about their respective scedules. If they didn't do that, they might end up not seeing each other at all apart from the occasional 'Hi' or 'Bye' as one of them came home and the other one left for work.
"Well, I today I work a double shift, I'm off on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon, other than that work, work, work. The usual." Bella said.
"You wont have any time to miss me then, will you?" Edward mock pouted, pretending to be offended.
"Let's wait and see, you're not gone yet, and I'll be pretty busy with work, so..." Bella replied teasingly, enjoying their morning banter.
Edward shook his head, smiling at his wife's joke
."Well if that's the case I might just stay in Arizona a little longer and enjoy the sun."
"Don't you dare even think about doing that. Oh and by the way, please call me once you've checked into the hotel." she said.
Edward promised to do so before getting up and rinsing his bowl, because not everyone could live on coffee alone like his wife did, and putting it beside the sink to dry.
He went over to Bella, pulling her to stand and hugging her tightly. Departing got easier, well not easier but at least they got used to it, what with Edward having been on business related trips quite often in the last year.
He picked up his case and made his way out of the flat, followed by Bella's yells of 'Goodbye' and 'drive safely'.
He got into his BMW 320 and headed down the road. Oh how he loved his car, sleek black, shiny... some might even call it vintage seeing as how it was a 94' Coupé.
Turning up the radio slightly, he sang along with the song currently played, watching the traffic and silently congratulating himself on his perfect timing.
It was 7:15 and luckily for him, he didn't get caught up in rush hour traffic.
When his phone rang he chanced a quick look onto the screen only to see that it was Bella calling him. He pressed the answering button and greeted her.
"Miss me already?" He drawled.
"Yes baby, I do, in fact I miss you terribly even. Come home, there is a huge monster in the kitchen!"
"Bella, I hardly believe a tiny spider can be considered a monster. It's more afraid of you than you are of it." He chuckled at his wife's antics.
"Oh what do you know? You haven't even seen it. It's looking at me menacingly, I swear it wants to pounce on me with it's ugly legs... No just kidding. Edward I forgot to ask you something. Could you please pick out a wine for the dinner on Friday? Lord knows my choice of a dessert wine to go with the Filet Mignon didn't go down well last week."
That comment caused Edward to burst out into laughter. He still remembered Charlie's genuine but rather unsuccessful effort to mask the shock at his daughters poor knowledge when it came to wine.
They chatted some more whilst Edward drove into the underground parking lot of the Western Bellevue, effectively ending the call due to the bad reception.
He found his usual parking space, turned off the engine and got out of the car, hitting the lock button on his remote key while he walked towards the elevator leading to the ground floor, his small luggage in hand. He went past the front desk where the receptionist, a lovely blond woman in her mid 20's he guessed, smiled at him in recognition as he caught her eye.
Edward went straight over to the main elevator and got in, pressing the button for the 4th floor. In a matter of seconds he was on the designated floor and took the last few meters until he stood in front of the door to room 502.
Before lifting his had to knock on the dark hard wood door he gave himself a quck once over and took a deep breath. The door swung open within a heartbeat, revealing a tall man, one might have to take a closer look who was taller, him or Edward.
The man was leaning in the door frame casually, wearing low slung faded jeans, the lack of a shirt revealing a lean, muscular upper body.
His intense blue eyes sought out Edward's.
"You're late." was all he said before stepping forward - barefoot - getting a hold of Edward's tie and pulling him into the room roughly, kicking the door shut with a bang.
TBC