A/N: I am absolutely overwhelmed at the response for this story so far! Thanks to everyone who's favourited, following, or left comments!

In the words of my friend Pablo, shit's gettin' real yo. I'll post some supplemental stuff on my blog at canadollfanfiction in the general region of blogspot in the next day or two.

***Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I'm just bumming a smoke.***


Waking up with a hangover is hell, but trying to drag yourself out of a wine coma is next to impossible. When my alarm went off I nearly threw my phone at the wall. Instead I turned it off, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

I was roused two hours later by Edward poking at my side with one hand and holding his head with the other.

"Bella, you need to get up. It's after nine," he said quietly though his voice sounded like Zeus bellowing down Mount Olympus.

I whined and rolled onto my back. "No it isn't. Turn off the light."

He chuckled and winced at the same time. "That's the sun. I can't turn it off until later tonight."

"Okay fine. But I'm pretty convinced you're the devil sent here to torture me," I almost growled. His responding laugh hurt both our heads.

"Tell you what. I'll run down and find a corner store for some aspirin while you shower. We'll go straight to your conference thingy and I'll just sleep in the car while you do what you need to do. Then we can kneel over the toilet side by side for the rest of the day."

I tried to smile but I'm sure it came out looking like a grimace. "Music to my ears. You really know how to show a girl a good time huh?"

He grin-grimaced. "Baby, you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

I couldn't tell you what I did at the conference that morning, except that I was late and refused to take off my sunglasses until the painkillers started to work. I was shuffled from room to room, barely paying any attention, as I prayed for time to go a little faster. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Unfortunately luck was not on my side and every time Victoria spoke just a little too loudly I had to fight the urge to slap her. I knew she was doing it on purpose but there was nothing I could do without causing a scene.

When lunch finally rolled around, I was starving. I practically ran for the buffet set up at one end of the main room and filled my plate beyond its maximum capacity. I grabbed the strongest black coffee they offered and made my way to my table. I ignored everyone around me, especially Victoria, and swallowed my food like I hadn't eaten in months. I'm sure if Alice were here she would have been laughing her ass off, but I really didn't care.

I sat through the keynote speaker dutifully and was surprisingly interested in their speech about the power of grassroots organizing before I decided I would skip the afternoon. I ran out to the car to find it completely empty. Worried, I pulled out my phone and texted Edward.

Where'd you go? –B

Walked around the campus a bit to clear my head. Back at the car in 5 min. –E

I was inwardly pleased to see Edward seemed to have recovered a bit as he approached the car.

"How was your morning, Miss Swan?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

I groaned. "Awful. Let's go back to Santa Monica before someone sees me leaving," I rushed as I got behind the wheel.

Forty five minutes and several rounds of cussing later, we finally emerged from the insane Los Angeles traffic and pulled into the hotel's parking garage.

"Do you mind if we keep things simple today?" I asked as I closed the car door.

He nodded. "I was going to suggest the same. What say you to room service and a movie night?"

I grinned at him. "Perfect. Your place or mine?"

He pretended to debate for a moment before saying, "I'm in 721. Is six o'clock okay?"

"I'll be there!"

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

What do you wear to visit a near stranger's hotel room for an evening sprawled out on their bed? I had no idea how to even begin answering that question, so I swallowed my pride and called Alice.

"Bella bean! How's sunny LA?" She squealed.

"It's great. Sunny and beautiful."

"Have you seen any celebrities?" She said excitedly.

I chuckled. "Not yet, but there's always tomorrow."

"Well keep your camera handy. You don't want to miss any opportunities," she warned playfully.

I could hear Jasper in the background say, "What opportunities?"

Alice's voice sounded far away as she replied, "Nothing, Jazz. And quit butchering that poor head of lettuce! I want to eat salad, not rabbit food!"

Jasper grumbled, "Salad IS rabbit food."

Alice became a little more muffled. "Jasper Allan Whitlock! Salad is a healthy meal full of vitamins and minerals!"

I decided it was time to intervene. "Alice! I'm still on the phone!"

Her voice grew louder as I presumed she put the receiver back to her ear. "Sorry, Bells. UGH men!"

I laughed for a moment before launching into the purpose for my call. "What should I wear for an evening of junk food and movies?"

"Bella! I told you to go out and have fun, not to sit around moping in front of the television. And if that's your plan, who cares what you wear?"

I cleared my throat. "Well, um, I sort of met someone…"

"OH MY GOD!" Alice screamed. I could hear Jasper in the background asking what was wrong.

"Ali, calm down. It's no big deal," I said before briefly explaining the situation in really vague terms.

"Al, what is it?" Jasper pushed.

"I'll tell you later," she said to him before returning to my predicament. "Okay, you'll want to look casual but not sloppy. And comfortable. AND have easy access in case things get heated…"

I cut her off. "It's not like that. I mean, I'm attracted to him sure, but I don't know if it's reciprocated. I'm going into this assuming we're new friends and nothing more."

"Okay, okay fine. My suggestion is to wear your hair loose, put on minimal make-up, and opt for simple tights with a tank top. Sexy but not over the top. And girl, you got the curves to make even that outfit look hot."

So that's exactly what I did after saying farewell to Alice and Jasper and hopping into the shower. Forty five minutes later I was knocking on Edward's door as the butterflies in my stomach were threatening to claw their way up and out my throat. When he opened the door, I sucked in a deep breath at seeing him in track pants and a form fitting t-shirt.

He smirked at my reaction and gestured for me to enter. I walked past him quickly and was taken away at the amount of food set out on the table in his suite.

"Edward! This is insane!" I exclaimed as I turned around to face him.

He shrugged. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a bit of everything." His eyes twinkled with mischief.

We turned on the TV and decided on our first movie – Snakes on a Plane, as a tribute to how we met – before digging in. There was fried chicken, sliders, macaroni salad, garlic bread, doughnuts, chocolate mousse, and of course popcorn. Edward had also selected a variety of sugary drinks and bags of candy. Clearly he was on a mission to make me fat.

We nibbled on the food throughout the movie, sitting at opposite ends of the couch, laughing hysterically at Samuel L. Jackson's crazy antics. I knew it was supposed to be an action film but it was so campy it was hilarious. Edward seemed to agree.

After that we decided we would each choose a movie. Edward went first, choosing Glengarry Glen Ross. I had never even heard of it before but it wasn't long before I was totally into it.

For my turn I chose The Notebook. Yeah I know it's cheesy, but it's always been one of my favourites. I ignored Edward's eye roll as he pressed the play button but noticed he seemed captivated by it. He even looked annoyed when I asked to pause the movie for a bathroom break, though I'm sure he would never admit it. When the end credits started, I had to reach for the remote to turn off the television as Edward showed no signs of movement.

"Edward? Are you okay?" I asked tentatively.

He nodded slightly. "Just made me think, that's all." His voice was thick with buried emotion.

"About what?"

He let out a long, slow breath. "Lots of different things. Love, family, destiny, death. I've always avoided this movie on principle but there's a great deal of philosophy behind it. I wasn't expecting that."

"How so?" I asked, completely intrigued.

He smiled sadly. "I was only with Kate for one year. We weren't even living together. We'd never talked about the future or our expectations but I always thought we had an understanding. Looking back I can't say I loved her, but I thought I did. We got along great and rarely argued. I always knew she'd make a great mom."

I scooted closer to Edward and placed one hand gently on his arm, ignoring that electric buzz under my fingertips. "You don't have to talk about this if you don't want," I offered. But truthfully I wanted to hear about Kate and hoped he wouldn't back off. My silent request was granted.

"I know. I want to," he whispered as he gave me a timid smile. I just nodded for him to continue. "Anyway, when I got the phone call she had died I was devastated. Girlfriend or not it's hard to lose someone close. I stared at my bedroom wall for two days before Tanya broke in and force fed me. I was nearly catatonic from what she says."

Who the hell is Tanya? I wondered. I made a mental note to ask about her later.

"And then at the funeral, which I nearly didn't attend, I found out was I wrong about my future with Kate. She'd been having an affair with someone from her office for over three months. That bastard had the nerve to show up at her funeral crying like a baby. Apparently she was planning to leave me for him and they were secretly engaged," Edward said as his fists balled with anger.

"Oh God, Edward I'm so sorry," I whispered.

He shook his head and closed his eyes. "That was a rough time, but I got over it. Or rather I got over her, more quickly than I probably should have. That's what made me realize what we'd had wasn't really love." Edward opened his eyes and looked at me. As his gaze settled on my face, I saw the tension melt away from him. "What Noah and Allie went through in The Notebook, that kind of passion, I've never felt. Were they destined to be together or was it random chance that they met? Can anyone have that or are some incapable? How do you know you're making the right choices in life?"

I shook my head sadly. "Those are some big questions. I think when you find the one, the love of your life, you just know it. Maybe you don't realize it right away but it's there. Noah and Allie were separated for a long time but neither of them lost their passion for the other. Were they meant to be together? I don't know that I believe in determinism. I think life is a series of choices we're constantly making and reaffirming every day as we try to find happiness. And I believe everyone is capable of being truly happy if they're willing to work for it."

He nodded as his eyes glazed over. "I like that answer."

"And Edward, just because Kate wasn't your lobster doesn't mean you'll never feel that way about someone. She was obviously undeserving and I'm sure there was a part of you that knew that, even if your conscious mind had no idea she was with someone else. I may not believe in determinism but I do believe in intuition and listening to that little voice inside your heart."

He looked at me and cocked one eyebrow. "Lobster?"

I chuckled. "It's from that episode of Friends, you know, when Phoebe says Ross is Rachel's lobster, because lobsters mate for life, and everyone looks at her funny? Kind of like you're doing to me right now," I mumbled as my face flushed with heat.

He burst out laughing. "Man, and I thought we were having a serious discussion here," he bellowed as he gripped his stomach through his laughing fit.

His amusement made me smile broadly. "Yup, leave it to me to ruin the moment."

Edward and I chatted for a few more minutes, most finalizing our plans for the following day, before I started yawning and called it a night.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

After a slow evening and plenty of sleep, I was delightfully hangover-free come Saturday morning. This was definitely a good thing since Edward and I had the whole day to spend together and our schedule was tightly packed.

We started out with the Hollywood Wax Museum, making sure we both got our pictures taken with the life size replica of Charlie Chaplin. We wandered the walk of fame, admiring all the names, and got a photo of us together with the big Hollywood sign in the background. I shivered with delight when Edward put his arm around my waist for the picture, which I'm sure made his grin even wider.

After that we hopped back into the car and headed for the world renowned sunset strip, wandering past famous bars and nightclubs owned by celebrities. We had an early lunch at a small café then walked back to the car.

We then drove through the downtown core, which was not at all interesting, and back to Beverly Hills, which I found fascinating. I knew Alice would never forgive me if I didn't have proof of going into at least one store on Rodeo Drive, so I had Edward pull the car to the curb as I hopped out to buy her a scarf.

We continued along to our next stop – the ACME gallery – which was not as thrilling as it sounded. By the time we were finished there, both of us were getting pretty tired.

"So it's 3:00 and we've been at it for six hours. I'm pooped," Edward said as he buckled his seat belt.

"I'm so glad you said that. I'm done being a tourist," I said with relief. "What should we do now?"

He had an answer ready for me. "Let's go to the beach!"

An hour later, our arms full of beach provisions, we made a temporary base of operations on Santa Monica beach right outside the hotel. We laid down some beach towels and in between them set up a portable iPod docking station next to a cold bag containing drinks and leftovers from our movie night, along with personal effects. I kicked off my sandals and pulled my shirt over my head, watching Edward's eyes bug out of his skull at the sight of my bikini top. I swear I saw him drool when I pulled down my shorts and cast them aside. I was grateful for having packed my royal blue bikini that doesn't cover a whole lot.

He caught me smiling smugly at him as he ogled my body, and his revenge was quick. Pulling his shirt over his head revealed the sexiest, most defined abs I'd ever seen in person. He placed his hands on my hips to allow me a moment to view the perfection of Edward Cullen's ripped torso, from the small patch of chest hair down to the vee lines on his hips. He looked better in swimming trunks than my imagination could ever have possibly guessed.

I felt my body growing warm – and not from the sun – so I tore my eyes away and sat down on my towel. I fished through my tote until I found my book of Emily Dickinson poetry. Edward's eyes were on me the whole time as he sat down on his own towel.

"I never took you for a classics sort of person," he said, nodding toward my book.

I shrugged. "I like a little bit of everything. I love escaping from modern life with words carefully chosen from another era. It's kind of like a time machine for me."

Edward laid back on the towel, resting his head on his arms. "Okay, inspire me."

I grinned at the challenge and shuffled through the worn pages to my favourite poem, reciting it clearly:

"Love—thou art high—

I cannot climb thee—

But, were it Two—

Who know but we—

Taking turns—at the Chimborazo—

Ducal—at last—stand up by thee—

"Love—thou are deep—

I cannot cross thee—

But, were there Two

Instead of One—

Rower, and Yacht—some sovereign Summer—

Who knows—but we'd reach the Sun?

"Love—thou are Veiled—

A few—behold thee—

Smile—and alter—and prattle—and die—

Bliss—were an Oddity—without thee—

Nicknamed by God—

Eternity—"

"Wow," was all Edward said as the final words rolled off my tongue.

"Yes, it's very powerful. Emily Dickinson wrote about a lot of different things, but her poems about raw human emotion are her better ones I think," I replied.

He nodded slightly. "I can't compare to that," he mumbled so low I barely heard him.

"What was that?" I asked.

He shook his head and said, "Nevermind." Edward jumped up to his feet and pointed toward a shop across the street. "I'll be right back."

I looked to where he pointed and saw the sign: Surfer Rental Shack.

I couldn't help but grin.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Watching Edward surf was completely mesmerizing. His muscles rippled in the late afternoon sunlight, water dripping down his firm body, and his hair was a disheveled mess of sexiness. Every time he reached up to comb his hair from his face I felt telltale heat flood between my legs. He was sex personified.

While watching him surf was one thing, trying to learn was an entirely different experience. Sure he was patient with my poor coordination and general inability to stay on the board – even while lying down on it – but I grew increasingly frustrated as time went on. I looked and felt like a chump. After I swallowed a mouthful of saltwater I decided I'd had enough.

"Edward, this is ridiculous. I'm obviously not cut out for surfing," I whined, "I'm going back to the beach towel with what little pride I've got left."

He gave me a cocky grin and a loud "Okay!" just before I turned and stomped back onto the beach. I flopped down quite unladylike on my towel and lay back, covering my face with my arms. A few minutes later I felt a shadow cover my face.

"Don't even think about it. I'm not going back out there," I warned without moving my arms. Boy was I surprised when a deep voice with no hint of accent responded.

"Well I'm glad that's decided. It didn't look like you were having much fun."

I moved my arms and shielded my eyes as I looked up at the figure standing beside me. He was tall and thin, very fit but not as much as Edward. He had knee-length yellow swim trunks that clashed badly with his bright orange hair and very pale skin. I wondered briefly if he could be whiter than me.

"Pardon?" I said, a little flustered.

"Sorry to startle you. My name's Jason," he said as he stuck out his hand toward me.

I reached out and grasped it awkwardly. "Bella."

He sat down in the sand next to me and gave my body a once over which made me very uncomfortable.

"Your boyfriend's not bad, but I'm definitely better," he said with a wink.

"He's not my boyfriend," I squeaked out before I could think. That's probably what he wanted me to say. The fact that he inched a bit closer to me was not beyond my notice.

"Is that so? You two looked pretty close."

I swallowed thickly and looked over to Edward, who was watching us closely. "He's just a friend. We're on vacation together."

Jason nodded. "I see. In that case, would you like to get some dinner tonight? I know a great little place over in Malibu that boils an amazing lobster," he said.

"Oh, um, no thanks. I'm headed back to Toronto tomorrow and I'm pretty tired," I lied.

Jason scooted closer and put one hand on my knee. "A Canadian girl huh? I hear those northern kisses are really something…" he said as he leaned closer.

I was fully prepared to sock him in the jaw when all of a sudden he was flung away from me by an enraged looking Edward.

"She said NO. Now scamper off!" Edward growled as Jason tripped over himself trying to get up. He held his hands out in surrender.

"Okay bro, calm down. We were just having a little chat," he said as he backed away slowly. Edward's face was beet red and he looked like he was about to explode.

"I said leave, now! While you still have your testicles intact!" If possible Jason paled even more before he turned around and started half jogging down the beach. Edward dropped to his knees beside me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm fine. That guy was creepy but he was going to learn not to mess with me," I boasted proudly even as my hands shook a little.

Edward quirked one eyebrow and smiled. "Good. Now let me go return that board and we can do whatever you like," he stated as he rose and walked to the shoreline where the surfboard had been abandoned.

When he returned, Edward asked, "Are you ready to leave? Or do you want to hang out here a bit longer?"

I checked the time on my phone before answering. "Let's head back. I want to shower and change before we go for dinner."

He reached out his hands to help me up. "Okay, but wear something nice. I got a place in mind."

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

A little while later, shortly before 8:00, I met Edward in the lobby of the hotel. He had offered to pick me up at my room but I insisted it wasn't necessary.

I was wearing my favourite blue cocktail dress that Alice had insisted I buy once upon a time. It was completely sleeveless and short, stopping at mid-thigh, with a small sweetheart neckline and a few random rhinestones splashed across the middle like a burst of stars. I wouldn't normally wear something so revealing but tonight was special – it was my last evening with Edward, possibly forever.

That thought made me sick to my stomach. Here was this wonderful, funny, kind, sensitive, caring, sexy man with a personality that complemented me in almost every way – and yet I couldn't have him. I'd realized for a while how alive I felt around him, like I'd woken up from a long coma with the rest of my life ahead of me. Yes, I had feelings for Edward Cullen, but I couldn't be certain he reciprocated. And it would it matter if he did, considering our living circumstances?

Maybe you have these feelings because you can't have him.

Sometimes I hated my inner monologue.

I battled with these thoughts and emotions during the elevator ride to the lobby as I tapped my silver heels impatiently.

When the doors opened and I finally got a look at Edward, I was absolutely spellbound. The man looked like sex in his swimming trunks, but in a grey wool suit he oozed manliness and charm. He flashed me that sexy crooked grin I'd come to adore and reached out as I approached him while eyeing my dress appreciatively.

"Wow, Bella! You look incredible," he gushed before giving me a light peck on the cheek. My skin tingled from the contact.

"Thanks," I replied timidly. "You look very debonair yourself."

His grin widened. "Yeah, I clean up nicely for a surfer dude. You ready?" He asked.

"Yup!" I replied enthusiastically. I noticed he didn't let go of my hand.

Edward led us outside the revolving doors of the hotel and waved over a taxi. He opened the door for me, helped me inside, then went around to the other passenger door.

"Valentino's please," he instructed the driver.

A few minutes later the cab pulled up in front of the restaurant. Edward paid the driver and helped me out of the cab as I tried to keep from flashing my panties to the whole world, a la Britney Spears. In this short dress it was exceedingly difficult. We walked into the restaurant and were seated by the hostess at a private booth.

"Wow, you sure know how to pick a restaurant," I admired.

Edward chuckled. "I'm a chef. I have some kind of food radar, or so my mother says."

"What does she do?" I asked when I realized Edward had told me very little about his family.

"She's an interior designer. Dad's a surgeon. They just moved to Montreal – it was their vow renewal I had to attend last week for their thirtieth wedding anniversary."

"Oh? Why did they move to Montreal?" I asked.

He picked up the menu and looked it over as he responded. "Dad was offered some fancy teaching position at McGill University Health Centre that he couldn't pass up. He'd been thinking about retiring from medicine anyway because of his arthritis. Not a good thing to have when you operate on people," he said before grinning at me.

I nodded. "So they're from Australia?"

He closed his menu and placed it on the edge of the table. "Actually I was born in Seattle. We moved down under when I was a baby so I don't remember it. Grew up in Brisbane. I did a business degree at Sunshine Coast University and kind stuck around there after I graduated and went to cooking school. I liked it better than Brissy."

"Brissy?" I asked.

He laughed. "Sorry, Brisbane. Australians use a lot of slang and sometimes forget that the rest of the world doesn't always get it."

Our waitress came and took our orders for dinner. Edward and I talked all through appetizers, entrees, and dessert, never missing a beat. It felt like we were old friends catching up after a long time apart, although the topics of conversation helped us get to know each other better. The more we talked and laughed, the more sick I felt about tomorrow's parting. I knew it was inevitable but I really didn't like it. I'd never felt this way around anyone else and, if I'm honest, I worried I never would again.

How this man, who I met three days ago, could captivate me so completely was a complete mystery. Each time he leaned over to wipe a piece of hair from my eyes, or poured me another glass of wine, or the way his green eyes twinkled as I spoke only made it worse. And when we finally left the restaurant holding hands I was certain my heart would fly out of my chest.

Of course I was a nervous wreck the entire cab ride back to the hotel, wondering if he would kiss me good night. It had certainly felt like a date. Could I be hoping too much?

I was disappointed when Edward gave me a quick hug that lingered just a bit too long before he turned and nearly bolted down the hallway to the elevator.

I fell asleep that night more confused that I wanted to admit.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

The next morning I was up early to shower and pack my things. My flight was scheduled to depart LAX at 12:30PM. I planned to be there at least two hours early which meant waking up at 8:00AM to make sure I was good to go.

I tried not to cry as I folded my clothes and shoved them into my suitcase along with the few souvenirs I'd picked up along the way. It felt like I was leaving something behind even though I triple checked the room just to be certain.

Edward's flight to Honolulu wouldn't depart until midnight so he had plenty of time to kick around. I hadn't expected him to have his bags packed and ready to go when I hauled my luggage down to the car.

"Leaving so soon?" I joked.

He nodded and half smiled. "Yeah, no point in hanging around here. I'll grab a room somewhere near the airport and watch telly until my flight."

Do his eyes look as sad as I feel?

After everything was packed away, I hopped into the driver's seat of my little rental car and drove us to the depot. We hauled our luggage out of the trunk and Edward waited patiently as I handed over the keys to the clerk behind the rental desk. When I returned to him, he was shuffling awkwardly between his feet.

"Shall we grab a coffee?" He asked timidly.

I gave him the biggest smile I could muster. "Sure, but there's no timmies here. We'll have to settle for Starbucks or worse," I replied.

We walked over to the nearest coffee place and got in line. Edward avoided my eyes whenever I glanced his way but watched me when he thought I didn't notice. After we received our drinks, we went to sit by my departure gate. Checking my phone I noticed it was nearly boarding time.

"So…" Edward started.

I looked at him. "So," I mimicked before taking a huge gulp of my iced latte.

Edward took a deep breath before continuing. "I just wanna thank you. I had a great time these past few days. Definitely made this trek across the world worth it." He gave me a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Even though it was in a big city?" I said, trying to throw some humour into this desolate situation.

He chuckled. "Yes, despite that. Next time we'll have to do something a bit more rustic."

I swear my heart stopped. "You want to see me again?"

His eyes snapped to mine and he ran his hand nervously through his hair. "This is so complicated," he mumbled.

I reached out and grabbed his free hand. "I know. Where do we go from here?"

He pulled his hand away and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he rested his forehead in his hands.

"We go to our separate homes in our respective countries. I'll go back to living a small town life and you'll keep on trying to change the world," he said sadly.

I reached out and touched his shoulder. "Edward, I…" I started before my voice caught in my throat. It was either start crying or stop talking. I opted for the latter.

He lifted his head up to look at me. "Bella, this is what has to happen. We barely know each other. I can't uproot myself for someone I just met, and I doubt you would do the same."

I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Where was he the last few days?

He got up from his chair and dropped to his knees in front of me, grabbing my mostly empty drink cup and tossing it aside. He held my hands and looked directly into my eyes.

"Before you go questioning yourself, YES I absolutely felt it ever since we bumped into each other in the bookstore. But we knew this was going to happen," he said before wiping a tear from my cheek. "Don't cry. We'll keep in touch. I'll download Skype and we can video chat all the time. You won't be able to get rid of me so easily. We're mates for life now," he said quietly with a tentative smile.

Of course that was the moment they announced my flight was boarding. I inwardly cursed their timing, my tear-streaked face, and the impossible situation in front of me. We sat still for a few moments, allowing most of the passengers to board before I stood up and grabbed my carry-on. Edward rose to his feet and shuffled nervously.

"So…" I started.

"So," he replied.

I leaned in and gave him a huge hug. He reciprocated, wrapping his arms around me and rocking back and forth a little before pulling away.

"You got everything?" he asked, motioning toward my bag.

"Yep. Have a safe trip home, and let me know when you get there so I know you survived," I said in my sternest tone.

He let out a nervous laugh. "Okay, MOM."

I gave him a smile before saying, "Good-bye Edward."

I hope to see you again. Sooner the better.

He nodded solemnly. "Good-bye for now, Bella Swan. Take care."

I forced myself to turn around and hand over my boarding pass to the flight attendant whose overly chipper voice made me cringe internally. Before walking through the door to the corridor that was connected to the plane, I looked back and found Edward staring at me. His face was contorted in a mask of sadness and regret. I had to quell the desperate urge to run back to him, instead forcing my legs to propel me forward. Every step I took from Edward was one step closer to having an anxiety attack.

As soon as I was in my seat I fished through my purse and pulled out my emergency bottle of Xanax. I downed two pills and let the tranquilizers lull me to sleep for the rest of the flight.