A/N: Geez, you guys are so paranoid that I'm going to break Edward and Bella up. I wouldn't do that to you, now would I? Thanks for all of the reviews/adds!

Chapter 1: The Winter of Our Discontent

"Now is the winter of our discontent…" Billy Shakespeare used this line as his opener in Richard III to describe the passing of the unhappiness of a civil war.

But, at this moment in time, that is where Edward and I are--in the winter of our discontent. All of the unhappiness of high school has melted away to be replaced by a happiness that only independence can bring. Independence from parents, but also independence from each other.

Edward and I are still technically together, I suppose. We spend time together every night, but instead of making love or even talking, this time is spent silently working on class assignments. We knew that college was going to be difficult, of course, but we did not know it would put such a strain on our relationship. We were studying hard to pass all of our prerequisites in preparation for grad school. Edward wanted to study neurobiology and it's effects on behavior, and I wanted to study to go into criminal psychology. Two respectable professions, but two very time consuming ones as well.

So that's where we were tonight. Sitting in the school library across from one another. Exams weren't too far away and Edward was stressing, pulling at his hair as he read. I sighed and looked down at my book, only half focused on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Edward rubbed his eyes and slammed his book shut, startling me. He reached across the table and grabbed my hand, bringing it to his lips. "I'm exhausted. Let's get outta here."

Let me clarify. I am not unhappy about where we are in our lives right now. I have absolutely no intention of letting Edward go, of course. I love him as much now as I did that day in the grape vines two and a half years ago. I am satisfied that we've made it this far without falling apart completely. I knew that college was going to take my full effort, and even having Edward there, reading by my side, has kept me sane. His presence has that effect on me still, after all this time.

He grabbed my hand as he led me to his car, rubbing circles on my skin with his thumb. "We should go home for winter break, Bella," he said as he drove me toward my dorm.

"I agree," I replied.

He smiled. "We'll get to spend time together again, without the worries of school, even if only for a short while."

I grinned as well, placing my hand on his thigh. He groaned. "Bella, be good."

"I am," I sighed.

He looked at me as he parked. "I'm sorry I'm always so busy."

"It's not only you, Edward. I work just as much. I spend all of my time in class, studying, or at the bookstore."

He nodded. "We'll have to start making time for ourselves, then. Just an hour a night to be alone, without studying, where we can be like we used to."

We had discussed this many times before, but it still made no difference. We both knew that between school and our jobs, study time was our time together. I was going to have a bit of a lighter load next semester, but he would still be slaving away. He came around to open my door and help me out, and I could see how exhausted he was.

"Do you want to come up?" I asked, jabbing a thumb toward the building.

He looked as though he were contemplating it and then slowly shook his head. "Nah, Meredith is probably sleeping, which is what I should be doing. I've got work in the morning."

I pouted and he laughed. "Cheer up, love. My schedule's been changed. I work from six to two on Saturdays, so I'll be at your door at two oh five."

I smiled widely. "Yeah, you'd better be."

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. "I love you, Bella. As much as I did the first time I told you."

"I know, kid. I love you, too."

He patted my cheek and walked back to his car as I went up to my dorm. I got in and, sure enough, my roommate Meredith was asleep. I glanced at the alarm clock wearily. Well after midnight.

I slowly undressed and slipped on my night shorts in the dim glow from the alarm clock and slid into bed. I fell asleep quickly. That's what I was talking about when I said independence from one another. We no longer needed each other every night like we once did. I no longer needed him to comfort me and tell me everything was going to be all right. I had matured, but also, nothing eventful or pathetic has happened to me lately. The winter of our discontent.

The next day, Edward was not at my door at two oh five. More like eight oh five. He had long stem rose and when I opened the door to glare at him for being six hours late, he handed it to me. "I'm so sorry, love. Bill called in sick, so I had to stay for his shift as well."

He looked tired and worn, so I let him into my room. "Hey, Eddie," Meredith called over her shoulder from the desk.

"You know I hate when you call me that, Merry," he joked, ruffling her hair.

He walked to my bed and sat down on it's unmade surface. He smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come here you. I haven't seen you in 18 hours. Far too long for my taste."

I went and sat in his lap while he wrapped his arms around me. "How was work?" I asked him, tracing the dark shadows beneath his eyes with my fingertip.

"Abysmal. I thought the day would never end," he said, closing his eyes at my touch.

"You need to sleep, Edward," I said.

He shook his head. "No thanks. I want to spend some time with you, little lady."

He never got sick of joking my height, I swear. "Ugh, I hate those nicknames. I don't walk around calling you big guy, do I?"

He grinned. "You could, let everyone know the truth."

I patted his arm and laughed. "You wish, my dear. You wish."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten already?" he asked.

"Actually, yes. It's been a month."

He sighed. "I know, love. It's just work and--"

I put my finger on his lips. "Don't' apologize. I understand completely. You just wait until we go home. You are not leaving the bed, mister."

His eyes widened and a mischievous glint came to them. From the desk Merry cringed. "Ew. I'm still here you know."

I laughed. "Sorry, Mer."

"When are you two heading back to Forks, then?" she asked.

"The twenty third. That's the earliest I could escape Alastor's wrath," Edward said, referring to his boss at the restaurant.

"That's not very much time, then," she said.

"Well, at least we'll be there for Christmas and New Years," I said, putting my hand to Edward's neck.

He smiled. "Yeah. Mom's thrilled she'll get to see us. I mean, we've only been gone since August."

"You know how Esme gets. All teary eyed that we've grown up."

"Speaking of grown up, when does Charlie come home?" he asked.

"The thirteenth of January," I said proudly.

My father had been sober for two years now, but had only stopped trying to commit suicide and triumphed over his clinical depression two months ago. It was finally time to bring him home. Well, to a house he'll share with three of his sober friends from the rehab program. But still, a normal house.

Edward smiled. "Good. I'll get off work that weekend to come up with you."

I smiled at Edward. He was still the most thoughtful person I knew. While I may not need him as much as I once did, there were times, like my visits to Charlie in the asylum, when I needed him by my side, to feel his reassuring hand on the small of my back.

I felt the tension in his neck and sighed. "You work too hard," I said, kneading the spots with my fingers.

His eyes closed and he groaned. "Ugh…the guys are having a party."

I frowned and looked at the back of Meredith's head. "Do you mind if he stays here tonight?"

She turned around, her arms on the back of her chair. "I do if you guys are going to get naked."

I laughed. "That won't be happening. This boy needs to sleep."

Edward pouted and I giggled. "You could go back to your party house."

He shook his head and took off his shoes. "Nah," and he yawned.

I straightened the covers and then peeled off his jacket. "Now, bed," I pointed to the spot next to the wall.

He smiled. "I still love it when you're bossy. A real turn on, you know."

"Get to bed, Cullen."

He slid into the bed and I went after him. Meredith rolled her eyes. "You two had better not get caught, that's all I have to say."

"This bed is so small," he complained.

"My bed back home was a twin," I reminded him.

"Yes, but I think we grew. Well, I did. You're still as short as ever."

I rolled my eyes. He sighed sleepily. "Plus, whenever we 'slept' in your bed, we weren't side by side," he mentioned suggestively.

"Still haven't gone deaf yet," Meredith said while she turned back to her computer.

I playfully elbowed him and he smiled at some memory of us back home. He rolled onto his stomach like he always has, and shoved one arm under the pillow. He draped the other arm across my torso and kissed my shoulder. "Love you."

"Me too."

Finally, after a while his breathing grew heavy and I sighed happily, caressing the warm skin of the arm he had draped over me. It was nice to lay side by side like old times, without the weight of my family's problems on my shoulders. The only thing we had to worry about now was school. It was stressful, sure, but not nearly as stressful as it would be if I had to worry about my father drinking back home, or trying to kill himself, or as stressful as it would be if Edward was still deeply depressed by his grandparents death. No, we had left those worries back home and started over, in this, the winter of our discontent.

O.O.O.O

A very short chapter, I know. But it sets you up for how their lives are now.