***Reposted 12-16-14****

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

We walked into the bar, and I immediately regretted my decision to be out with him as I surveyed our surroundings.

The bar was dimly lit and played older pop music softly in the background as people milled around eyeing each other as if they were in a hotel bar looking for a hook-up. At first I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but as woman after woman passed me, I realized that something was off since each woman I had seen was roughly about the age of my mother.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I hissed to him as I turned toward James with a scowl, but he only answered with a grin.

"Ease the fuck up, E," he chuckled just as a woman stopped before us with a naughty grin and twinkle in her eyes that me nervous.

"James, there you are my sweet boy," she giggled in such a manner that made it clear she was too old to play innocent with us.

"Shelia," he purred to her as he took hold of the woman's hand only to bring it up to his lips for a soft kiss in the middle of her palm that made the woman sigh happily.

"And who is the pretty young man you brought with you tonight?" she asked as the woman looked at me with grin that made my skin crawl since I just fucking knew she was thinking about what I looked like naked.

"This is my friend Edward," James said with a smile for me as I glared at him just as I felt the woman touch my arm.

"His girlfriend just broke up him, so he's in need of some tender loving care," he laughed as I shook my head no at him just as I felt her hand grip my arm and began to pull me away with her.

"Well, you brought him to the right place," the older woman laughed in a teasing manner that made the knot in my stomach intensify as I felt myself being dragged away from James by a surprisingly strong Shelia.

"Really, Shelia, its ok," I sputtered as I was pulled towards the darkest corner of bar to where she had been sitting.

"I insist, Edward," she purred to me as I threw a look of hatred back at James, who trailed behind us. "Besides, the girls will love you," she cackled as she pulled me further into the depth of hell where she and her friends held court. "Ladies," Shelia announced loudly with laughter in her voice as she pushed me in front of a table full of older women who looked at me with ravenous eyes as if I was being presented as what was for dinner for these old cougars.

You remember James, right?" she asked as James slid into the red vinyl booth next to an older woman who tried to hide her age by dying her hair a toxic shade of blonde while allowing her ample tits to spill out of her dress on proud display.

"Well, Jamie brought a friend for us to play with tonight," Shelia purred seductively as she presented me like a fucking prize.

"Ooh, he's a sweet one for sure, Shelia," the oldest of the group cooed to me in a throaty smoker's voice before pulling the straw in her drink into her mouth in the most obscene manner that I had ever witnessed while I cringed in response.

"Sit down by me," one of the other women called, but I ignored her as I opted to glare at James, who was making eyes at red haired woman to his left.

"If you ladies would excuse us for a moment," I spat out through clenched teeth as I motioned for my so called friend to follow me. I watched as James reluctantly agreed to follow me back toward the safety of the front of the bar.

"What the fuck?" I hissed at him as soon as we were out of ear shot of those women.

"You wanted a night out remember?" James asked me in a high-pitched voice of irritation before turning to grin at another cougar who strolled by us with a smile that was pure invitation.

"You wanted to get over the troll?" he asked me as I rolled my eyes at him.

"You wanted to be back to normal. Well, fuck face, this is normal," James spat at me as he shoved me before turning back to grin at the women who were waiting on us to return to them.

"This is not normal," I hissed at him as another woman strolled by us with a leering smile that made my skin crawl.

"Fuck you, Edward," he growled in anger at me as I rolled my eyes at him.

"You bitched about having Alice and now you bitch because she's gone. Have you ever thought that maybe it was you who fucked up here and not her?" he asked me, putting a voice to the question that had kept me up late at night.

Had I fucked up? I wasn't sure. I didn't miss really miss her, yet the idea of her with another hurt. I couldn't explain it, and I did not want to. I just knew that I missed how things were when Alice and I were together; the predictability, the knowing what the weekend would bring, and the fights that would always be the end result of too much time together.

"I would give anything to have another chance with the girl who got away, and you know this," James growled as I stared at him in shock. This was the first time, completely sober, that he had ever made such a declaration about Emmet's sister.

"But you? You practically pushed your fucking girl to leave, so I don't want to hear it from you ever again." He finished with an unsteady breath before running a hand over his always perfect hair as he shook off the heavy that was our conversation.

"Go on home, Edward," James stated as he turned back toward the women whom were waiting on him to leave me alone once more.

I left the bar and the cougar fest that James had brought me to without a look back. I was left to roam the streets to find a cab, which was an easy find, but going home was not where I needed to be. I needed answers as to what to do, but unfortunately those answers would cost me my pride. I swallowed the bitterness in my mouth before telling the cabby the address and then sat back as I took the long ride into the burbs.

Emmett lived Carpentersville, same as Jasper and every other fucking fool who gave up his freedom for a permanent lay. They lived in the same neighborhood and spent their Friday nights at one of others houses since Rose and Angela had become close friends now that they had marriage and babies in common. It was a different life than mine, but they seemed happy somehow.

Sixty dollars and one awkward cab ride later, I was standing at Emmett's door. I knocked softly and then waited, praying like hell that it would be Angela who opened the door since the girl was too sweet to turn me away like Jasper's bitch would have.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" Angela asked with a surprised smile as she pulled open the door to greet me. Truly, out of all of us, Emmett was a lucky man. Angela was sweet and pretty. She was loyal friend and a fierce ally to have. She and I had always a good relationship unlike my nonexistent relationship with Rose.

"I don't know," I managed to sigh in frustration as she laughed at me before dragging me inside.

"Look who's here!" she yelled out over the sound of the TV, causing the three other people in the room to turn and look at me with surprise.

"You got a minute?" I asked Jasper and Emmett who were looking at me as if I was fucking crazy, and they were right. I had lost fucking mind over it all since I didn't know what to do for the first time ever.

Emmett stood up and motioned for us to follow him but not before apologizing to Ang who shooed us out to the kitchen with the promise that she and Rose would be fine.

We walked in silence out to Emmett's garage, which was our designated hang-out to avoid the women.

"What happened?" Jas asked as he opened the beat-to-shit fridge to pull out a bottle of beer for each of us.

"I'll tell you what happened," Emmett chimed in, cutting me off with a wicked grin as I waited for whatever fucking nonsense he had to say.

"He went out with James," he finished with a grin at Jasper before they both started laughing.

"What happened, E? Did some grandma offer to blow you?" Emmett cackled on as Jasper shook his head.

"Yeah, she did, and I gotta say it- your mom has a fantastic mouth," I responded with a smile as I watched Emmett's smile fade slowly.

"Spitters are quitters. You know what I mean?" I finished with a chuckle and wink before taking a gulp of beer just as Emmett roared to life with anger.

"Don't you ever talk about my mother!" he growled at me as he stepped closer as if he was about to beat my ass down, but Jasper stepped in to prevent the bloodshed.

"Jesus, calm the fuck down, man. He's just kidding," Jasper grunted as he shoved Emmett away from me while I laughed at his ridiculous response even though it had been a long standing joke between us all about doing his mom. Mrs. McCarty was fine, and he hated that we all thought that.

"You better hope to fuck that you are kidding," he growled at me as I sat down on the shitty lawn furniture that cluttered the space around us.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked with a sigh as he sat down while Emmett continued to give me the evil eye.

"Yeah, what's going on, and why are dressed like you came from a funeral?" Emmett asked me suspiciously as he sat down before me.

"Well, for starters, fuck you very much. I do not look like I came from a funeral," I groused as I pointed at Emmett who just gave me the finger in response.

"Alice. She dumped me for Alex Marcus," I stated calmly as they listened to my awkward statement with a serious look upon both of their faces. I knew this look would not last long, and they did not fail me.

Their laughter was loud and raucous. It filled the crowded garage and spilled over into the house, so much so that Ange opened the door to find out if everything was ok.

"Babe," Emmett gasped as he wiped at his tear filled eyes while I pushed him away from me.

"Alex Marcus," he gasped for air before losing it to laughter once more.

"The older guy in the office with the earring?" she asked him trying to make sense of her idiot husband's words.

"Alice," Emmett gasped while Jasper waved her on red faced from laughter.

"Alice left me for the dude with elephant balls. There. Are you fucking happy?" I yelled at Emmett who was struggling to breathe while Jasper was still doubled over, laughing at my misery.

"Oh, Edward," Ang stated with a sigh as if she wasn't surprised at all by hearing this fucked up tale. I waited for her to say something more, but instead, she closed the door, leaving me to the assholes that I had chosen as my best friends.

"You know what?" I yelled as I stood up, not able to endure their laughter for another moment.

"You two can go fuck yourself!" I yelled at them, but instead of the silence I wanted, it only added to their laughter followed by Jasper gasping out the word elephant balls. I turned and stormed back into the house to find Angela leaning on the counter with a coffee cup in hand as if she were waiting on me.

"You leaving?" she asked me with a sad smile that was almost worse than the assholes' laughter.

"Yeah."

"Edward, ignore them," she stated firmly as Rosalie walked in to join us with a scowl on her face. I looked at her and waited for her smart ass comment since I knew she always had one for me.

"What?" she demanded through gritted teeth.

"I'm waiting for your smart ass comment," I snapped at her and then braced myself for whatever cruel words she might say.

"I'm glad Alice is gone. She was cunt," Rosalie stated bluntly in a defiant tone with her chin raised up in challenge, but there was no fight in me. I was stunned but not angry.

"I don't know that she was a cunt, but she was very special," Angela soothed while Rose rolled her eyes in response, but that was just Ang's way. She was never one to come right out and say that she hated someone. She was too passive-aggressive to be that bold.

"Do you want her back?" Ang asked me, startling me with the question since the truth was I wasn't sure.

"I don't know," I mumbled as I looked away.

"I mean, she was ok with me, but…" I sputtered as I tried to put my feelings into words, but there was no way to describe the conflicting emotions I felt over the woman.

"If you want her back, give her what she wants," Rose grumbled as I shook my head no.

"I would, but I don't have the cash to take her out to fucking dinner, let alone to Europe."I laughed pathetically as Rose rolled her eyes at me once more.

"Just cash in that stupid bachelor fund you assholes created," she grumbled as I turned towards her in amazement.

"Holy fuck," I mumbled as a wave of relief washed over me.

"That's it!" I yelled excitedly before grabbing hold of the woman who had always been my enemy to scoop her up into an embrace that shocked the hell out of her.

"What the fuck, Edward?" Rose screamed in a scared voice as I swung her around happily while Angela laughed before telling us to tone it down since the babies were sleeping. That was fine since I was done. I had plans to make and schemes to hatch if I was going to get everything that I wanted.

AN:
Thanks for reading! Thanks to Tracy for all her kindness words and corrections. MWAHH…

Thanks to everyone who has embraced this fic as I attempt to do something a little different than what I'm used to. I hope you all don't mind.

Xoxo

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