So...here we meet Edward.
I REALLY hope you like him. Because I kinda adore him.

Once again big thanks to robssexhair for being awesome and helping me out.
If I could, I would make sure you were the one straddling Rob on a random LA balcony 33

A few more reviews this time around. THANK YOU!
Lots and lots of you favored/alerted the story too.
ILU!

Onto the good shit...

We can never go home
We no longer have one
I'll help you carry the load
I'll carry you in my arms
The kiss of the snow
The crescent (crashing) moon above us
Our blood is cold
And we're alone
But I'm alone with you

No Sound But The Wind: The Editors

Chapter Three: Edward

After nine long days of being a helpless hospital patient, I was finally allowed to go home. My name was cleared of murder by the prosecution; it was perfectly clear I used the acceptable amount of force required in order to save myself from Daniel's hands. It was ruled self-defence immediately. My injuries were obviously sustained by him and the only way to prevent my death was to cause his. I was lucky I had the gun, otherwise I would be worm's meat by now.

Thanks for the firearm, Charlie.

Thankfully, I didn't have to attend any legal meetings. I was visited daily by police officers, defence attorneys and once, a rather thorough specialist doctor who made me feel more uncomfortable than anyone. Were the ghastly hand prints that were etched into my skin not enough evidence?

I was on my way to Alice and Jasper's who had, very kindly, let me stay with them. I don't think I could face entering that house in Westchester ever again. I wanted to sell it and find a nice apartment close to Alice's place in the heart of the city. No more suburban lifestyle for me; I always wanted to be a Manhattan girl.

Everyone seemed to be finding it hard to understand that I was okay with what had happened. They treaded carefully around me, as if waiting for me to breakdown at any moment and cry for my dead husband. I had only cried once and that was the day I woke up. And that sure as hell wasn't about him. I worried myself sometimes; maybe I was a bit too happy with the way things had transpired. But then again, I was an unfulfilled woman who had suffered years of unhappiness and abuse at the hands of a husband I didn't love. Should I lay back and be sad that he didn't succeed in killing me?

I don't fucking think so.

"Bella are you really sure you're going to be okay?" Alice huffed, barging into the living room whilst applying her lip-gloss.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine Alice, I swear. For the last time, go enjoy yourselves."

She pouted briefly before being distracted by two sturdy arms sliding around her waist. All that man had to do was be near her and she calmed; a huge feat when it came to my highly-strung best friend. Jasper placed his chin on her shoulder and she smiled so serenely I was almost jealous.

"Come on baby, she'll be fine. Little ol' Bella can take care of herself, can't you sweetheart?" He drawled in that ridiculously suave Texan accent.

I nodded furiously. "Go! Have fun! Drink and be in love somewhere else. I will call you if I get lonely. I'm sure that won't be the case though; I have both Ben and Jerry to keep me company." I waved my carton of cookie dough in her direction.

Alice threw her hands up in defeat. "Ugh, fine! We'll be home before midnight though missy! Don't go getting into any trouble." She smiled; it didn't reach her eyes.

"Ally please… Don't do this to yourself. Come here."

Jasper released her and walked over to me to place a quick kiss on my forehead. "Bye kid, catch you later. I'll meet you in the cab, baby." He rubbed Alice's arm reassuringly and left us alone.

I pulled her down so she was sitting next to me, grabbing her hand roughly in mine. "Al, I will be fine. You should be able to have e a good time without worrying about me."

"I always worry about you though, Bella, you know that. I love you." She pulled me into a bone-crushing hug before promptly leaving the sofa and skipping out of the room with just one weary glance in my direction.

And then I was all alone. And fuck me if it didn't feel amazing.

Never before had I sat on a sofa with a tub of ice cream and a movie without any worries of him arriving home to tell me to "watch my weight" or, "turn that shit off, the games on."

So I settled my pyjama-clad ass down and started watching one of Jasper's war movies. I finished off the Ben and Jerry's at a rapid pace. A serious attack of brain freeze was not welcomed.

I woke up with a start when I heard keys twisting in the front door. I glanced over at the clock: ten-thirty. I had dozed off. Huh, they were home really early. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and picked up the discarded cookie dough carton and headed towards the kitchen to throw it in the trash.

I turned towards the footsteps that were entering the kitchen behind me. "Hey guys, why so ea—" I paused, confused. "Um... Who the fuck are you?" I asked the strange man that stood looking dazed in front of me.

Dazed and completely fucking perfect.

"I'm Edward. Who the fuck are you?" He smirked.

Uh-oh.

"I'm Bella. Uhh... So are you like, a creepy robber or something? Or do you have a set of keys for a less scary reason?" I cocked my eyebrow, gesturing towards the front door.

He plonked the overnight bag that was slung over his broad shoulders onto the linoleum, looking very rebel-without-a-cause in his leather jacket and ripped jeans.

"No, I'm not a 'creepy robber,'" He said, making air-quotes. "I'm actually a really good friend of Jasper's. He lets me stay here, uh... When I need to." He rustled his long fingers through his unruly bronze hair, looking nervous.

"Oh right, okay. Well I'm a friend of Alice's and I'm staying here right now because... Well that doesn't really matter so, ummm..." I was babbling. He had reduced me to a babbling mess with his glossy green eyes.

So I didn't continue to look like a complete idiot I quickly composed myself. "So that's a pretty big overnight bag. How long are you planning on staying, Edward?"

He tilted his head to one side, his eyes curious. "How long are you planning on staying? I hope you're not in my bed." He smirked again, pulling off his jacket to reveal a grey t-shirt. It fit him snugly, revealing how muscular his chest was.

Lord have mercy.

He walked over to the fridge, pulling out a beer. "Want one?" He asked.

"Uh sure, why not." I took the bottle out of his hand, our fingers brushed briefly.

"So Bella, are you going to stand in here all night or are you gonna come sit with me?" He questioned cockily, walking towards the living room.

I snapped out of my bemused state and waddled behind him. He sat in the armchair; I took my place opposite him on the sofa.

"What's your story then Bella?" He fiddled with the label on his beer bottle, not meeting my eyes.

"I think we're probably going to need a few more beers." I sighed.

He raised his eyes to mine, a huge, dazzling smile breaking out across his face. "Well I do have all night."

"So yeah, that's what happened. And before you say you're sorry or ask me if I'm okay the answers are, please don't be and I'm fine." I smiled, taking a swig of my fifth beer.

We were side by side on the sofa now, MTV was on quietly in the background and Edward was staring at me, his mouth forming a little 'o' shape. I wanted to lick it.

Focus Bella, you just told him you shot your evil husband because he was trying to kill you.

He raised his eyebrows, letting out a long 'pshhhh' sound before reaching over to the coffee table and cracking open his seventh beer. "Well Bella, I'm proud of you. That nasty prick had it coming by the sound of it." He shrugged.

I stared at him in awe. He was fine with it?

I shook off my amazement and got down to the question asking. I had answered all of his for the past hour; now it was my turn.

"Wow. Thanks? I think." I laughed nervously. "So now you, what's the story?"

He looked down, his eyes flickering up at me from under his lashes, the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face. "It all seems pretty trivial after hearing what happened to you."

"Oh come on Edward, don't be a pussy." I objected.

He let out a beautiful laugh, shaking his head at me. "Okay, basically, I live with my girlfriend, Katy. Who, by the way, I despise. We fight all the time," He looked at me wearily. "Not... Fight, fight. Like... Shouting uh—ah shit. Sorry."

I swallowed another mouthful of beer, shrugging it off and waving him to continue.

He let out a deep breath. "Yeah so, we fight and fight and hate each other and I always end up here. I stay for a few days, she'll call and I'll go back. It's a vicious circle of misery basically."

"Do you love her?"

He shook his head very certainly.

"So why don't you leave her?" I asked, unable to curb my curiosity. I realized I was leaning toward him.

His eyes locked with mine, "Because I'm afraid of being alone." His voice was almost a whisper.

I put my hand on his without thinking, he didn't startle at the contact.

"I'll be alone with you." I said softly.

"I'd like that." He smiled. I felt my cheeks flame.

His free hand lifted up and his soft fingertips lightly brushed over my bruised neck. The voice inside my head told me to cower away from his touch but my body was telling me it wanted more. Every nerve was alive, burning for this beautiful man. Yet I still flinched slightly, causing him to quickly pull his hand away, an apologetic look on his face. I wasn't used to being touched so gently by a man; it was wonderfully terrifying and comforting.

"I'm sorry I—I wasn't thinking Bella... I'm so sorry. Ugh, fucking idiot" He mumbled, cursing himself.

I grabbed his hand, pulling both of them into my lap and interlacing our fingers. It felt nice, safe.

"It's okay. It was just unexpected. I'm... I'm not used to being touched like that, that's all." I blushed again, glancing down at our intertwined hands. His thumb was tracing lazy circles on my palm.

"I've never felt this comfortable with anyone this instantly before." He said pointedly.

I nodded lightly. "I feel the same."

He smiled a sad smile, his thumb continuing to caress my hand. "I'm really glad."

We sat side-by-side in an undisturbed silence, our hands still locked, until Alice and Jasper returned home sometime around midnight. Edward dozed off at some point, his head lolling towards me in his sleeping state. Alice eyed us curiously as she stood in front of the sofa.

"Ah, so I see you've met Edward." She raised her eyebrows questioningly, pointing towards our hands.

I smiled at her, giggling as Edward let out a strange snort.

"Be careful with that one Bella, he's damaged goods." She whispered a sad look in her kind eyes.

"Strangely, I can't seem to care." I said, looking at the peaceful face of this beautiful, apparently damaged man.