AUTHOR'S NOTE As always, thanks for the reviews. This chapter sucks, and I seriously hate it, but I felt like I couldn't just jump into more Edward/Bella interaction without this chapter. I do promise that the next one will be better.

IMPORTANT I understand that no one likes to see a author practically beg for reviews. Yes, I am guilty of this, but no, I am not ashamed. I would NEVER stop posting if I didn't get the amount of reviews I desired. But reviews are not a numbers game for me like they are for some others on this site. After you type up your review, it says "Submit feedback/review." I ask for reviews because I VALUE my readers' opinion. And when I see the number of people who subscribe to alerts, I would genuinely like to hear from all of you, not so my numbers could go up, but so I could hear what all of you think, it doesn't matter to me if it is in the form of a review, a PM, or an email. Once again, I will NEVER stop posting as long as I know that there is still one person who is reading. But, looking at it from an author's POV, the reviews are very nice.

DISCLAIMER The Twilight characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. And anything else you may recognize... well, I don't own those either. Although, I do own Echo and I had to give her a cameo. :)

CHAPTER SIX

April 2016- Bella

Jake didn't stay with me that night. When the movie had ended, he braved another attempt at the zipper of my dress, whispering he didn't care about my female problems. I scoffed and slid away from him. He had pouted, his bottom lip sticking out, and thrown his arms up in distress.

"What is your problem, Bella? I thought you wanted this."

"I do," I had defended, but quickly shook my head. "I mean, I did, Jake, I really thought I did."

"God, Bella," he muttered, running his hands through his hair. He sighed loudly and stood, making a move towards the door.

"Jacob," I whispered, and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do this right now."

I could see the hurt in his eyes, and I had wanted more than anything to bite my tongue and throw my arms around him. I hadn't been able to explain where my sudden revelations were coming from, but I knew I couldn't keep up my façade. Things between the two of us had finally come to an end. For good.

"I guess I understand," he replied after a moment. His voice was sad, tears in his dark eyes. He had given me a tight hug and then left my apartment. I hadn't seen nor spoken to him since our "break up." And, ironically, I found myself suddenly happy. Genuinely happy; happier than I had been in months, even with the reappearance of Edward.

S & C Architecture broke ground on the Hale Fashions building the first week of April. The morning had started out bleak, the weatherman promising afternoon showers. But, as the day progressed, the sun came out, and the rain stayed away. Alice spent the day bouncing around the lot, talking to the various people who were on the project. Angela and I were stationed in the construction trailer, paying close attention to the happenings of the construction. Today was the most important out of the ninety devoted to the building, as the entire project lay in the hands of the foundation. If one thing went wrong with the foundation, the entire account would be jeopardized.

Luckily, Edward had other obligations to attend to and wasn't there for the day. Angela had been successful in fulfilling her promise—whenever Edward came around the office, she came forward, ensuring I could remain in the background and completely out of sight. I still had not come to terms with the kiss, and I was not sure if I could ever be around him again. Things were just too weird between us now, if that was even possible.

Avoiding Edward did not mean that I had to avoid Alice. During the last three weeks, Alice and I were forming our friendship again. It was becoming easier to pick up right where we left off and we didn't fall into awkward silences anymore. She was also hitting it off with Angela, the two of them becoming fast friends, acting as if they had known each other forever. We had spent several hours after our meetings gossiping and laughing, having a good time. I couldn't deny it—it was great having my friend back in my life, even if it didn't last past construction.

At five o'clock, Alice entered the trailer, hair all array, cheeks red from the evening wind, but a large smile on her face nonetheless. Obviously, she was pleased with how production was going. The workers followed in shortly after, ready to clock out for the evening. Alice shook each of their hands, thanking them all personally for a job well done. I knew exactly how she was feeling; I had felt the same way the day Angela and I opened the doors of S & C.

When it was only the three of us left in the trailer, Alice turned to Angela and me. "Well, ladies, I think now is a good time for us to celebrate with a few drinks!"

"I don't know, Alice," I said. "We still have a big day ahead of us tomorrow too."

"Come on, Bella. Don't be such a spoilsport."

"Yeah," Angela added. "We've been working nonstop for two months now. We deserve a little fun. Just us girls."

"That's the spirit," Alice chirped, latching onto our arms and steering us to the door.

We arrived at a local bar thirty minutes later. We found a table in the corner and Alice order us a round of margaritas. We fell into a conversation revolving around the project, until Alice asked Angela about Ben. Naturally, Angela's eyes instantly lit up as she began to talk about her husband. Alice listened intently; any and all love stories fascinated Alice and she loved to hear all about how a couple fell in love.

"What about you, Bella? Anyone special?" she inquired when Angela finished.

I shook my head.

"What about Jacob?" Angela asked, bringing her glass to her lips. I kicked her from under the table. "Ow."

"Who's Jacob?" Alice asked, faking a swoon. Angela giggled.

"No one," I grumbled, shooting Angela a look.

"He isn't no one," Alice said. "He has to be someone."

"Don't let her fool you," Angela said. "He is her boyfriend."

"He was my boyfriend," I corrected. "I ended it three weeks ago."

"What!" they both exclaimed.

"It just wasn't working out," I answered, shrugging. "Angela, you cannot honestly tell me you thought Jake and I would make it."

"Well, no," she admitted.

"Then why didn't you break up with him a lot sooner?" Alice questioned.

"I don't know. Sex was good," I said smiling. The girls laughed.

"Are you sure that's it?" Alice said when the laughter died down.

"What are you implying?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Oh, nothing," she said, her expression even. "But, it does seem odd."

"What does?"

"Well, from the way Angela responded to your news, you and this Jake guy have been together a while. And then, suddenly, for no apparent reason, you end it."

"Your point?" I looked at Angela, my eyes begging for help, but she shrugged, not quite sure what side she should be on.

"Bella," Alice whispered, leaning closer to me. "Are you sure you aren't still in love with my brother?" Against my brain's protest, I felt my cheeks reddened and my lips part.

"I'm not sure," I heard myself saying. I wasn't sure, and the possibility of loving Edward scared me shitless.

March 2016- Edward

"Tanya broke up with me," I said, opening the jar of peanut butter and spreading a thin layer onto the pieces of bread in front of me. I was at Emmett and Rosalie's house, helping him babysit while Rosalie and my mother were at her doctor's appointment. Emmett didn't exactly need help watching his own children, but I knew he was under extra stress as Rosalie's due date drew closer.

"Hm," Emmett mumbled, reaching into the refrigerator for the strawberry jelly. "What she do that for? I thought things were going great."

"They were," I answered, taking the jar from him. "Until I fucked it up."

"How'd you manage that?"

"Don't laugh," I warned. Emmett waved me off, indicating he wouldn't. "I told her I loved her."

"Yeah, so? Girls eat that stuff up."

"I called her Bella."

"Ouch." He grimaced, assembling the three sandwiches together. "Not good."

"No, it wasn't. I hadn't even realized I had done it."

And I hadn't. I barely even remembered that night, bits and pieces really; Jasper dropping me off, stumbling into the elevator, knocking on Tanya's door. That was the last thing that was clear in my mind. The next morning, however, when I rolled over and tried to pull her closer to me, she wasn't in the bed. That struck me as odd, considering Tanya was a firm believer in morning sex. Figuring she was in the bathroom, I waited a couple of minutes, but when she didn't return, I went looking for her. She had been sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in her hands. "Who's Bella?" she had asked, her eyes narrowed. I didn't lie to her. After the words "she's my ex-wife" left my mouth, she told me to leave and not come back.

"Well, that's too bad. Tanya was quite the looker."

"Yeah," I muttered, placing each of the sandwiches onto a plate and taking them into my hands, Emmett pouring three cups of milk next to me. We made our way into the playroom, where my nieces were sitting in a circle, playing with their cat. My oldest niece, Spencer, was eight years old and the leader of the group. Her two younger sisters, Nicole, who was five, and Leigh, who was three, followed Spencer around all the time, copying her every move. Currently, they each had a cat toy held in their tiny hands, trying to get the cat's attention. The cat was at a loss, going back and forth between the girls, trying to decide who had the best toy. Finally, Leigh threw the mouse in her hand and the cat took off, picked up the toy with her mouth, and brought it back to Leigh who threw it again.

The girls giggled and I turned to Emmett. "They taught it to fetch?" I asked in disbelief. Emmett laughed as he placed the milk on a nearby table. His laughter caught the girls' attention and they all jumped up, running to me.

"Uncle Edward!" they exclaimed, latching onto my legs.

"How are my favorite girls today?"

"Great!" Nicole shouted. "Do you want to play with Echo, Uncle Edward?"

"After lunch," I said, indicating the sandwiches. She clapped her hands together and climbed into one of the plastic chairs. Her sisters followed suit and the three of them began to eat their food as Emmett began picking up the various Barbie dolls and books that were scattered on the floor. It had always amazed me, how my big, burly brother had turned into such a family man. I knew that Emmett had his fingers crossed for a boy, but I also knew he wouldn't trade his daughters for anything in the world.

An hour later, the five of us were on the couch, a Disney movie dancing across the T.V. screen. The girls had fallen asleep, but neither Emmett nor I wanted to move and disturb their dreams. I found myself immersed in the love story that was taking place, my mind wandering to Bella. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I had to convince her that I still loved her.

"Hello?" My thoughts were interrupted by Rosalie's arrival. Her and my mother made their way into the playroom, a couple of shopping bags in each of their hands.

"Rose," Emmett said, concern in his voice. "You're not supposed to be shopping."

"Oh, hush," my mother said. "We asked Doctor Michelson and he said it would be fine for the day."

My mother took the bags from Rosalie's hands and helped her into the rocking chair. I lifted Leigh off my leg and stood to hug my mother. "Hello, sweetheart."

"Hey, mom. How have you been?"

"Good," she said. "More importantly, how have you been? Your sister told me that Bella is the president of the firm she went with."

"Co-president."

"Whatever," Rosalie muttered from her chair. "But, even more importantly, Esme and I ran into Tanya at the mall this afternoon." I paled. "She, in a not so subtle way, that you were a complete scumbag for 'fucking me while he is in love with her'." Emmett laughed and Spencer stirred slightly. For a moment, a look of horror flashed across Rosalie's face at the prospect of her children hearing what she said. But Spencer's eyes never opened.

"Well," I said angrily, "we weren't in a serious relationship anyway."

"It doesn't matter," Rosalie replied. "What your mother and I want to know is—who are you in love with?"

"No one," I muttered, avoiding my mother's eyes. I didn't have to look at her to know she already knew.

"Oh, it isn't no one," Rosalie said sweetly. "Tanya told us who the her is."

"It's okay, Edward," my mother said. "We always knew that Bella was your one true love."

END AUTHOR'S NOTE I told you it sucked. Sorry. But since I was able to post early than previously thought, I may be able to post Chapter 7 before Thursday as well. AND—there will be an Edward/Bella lemon in it. Scout's honor. Please review. I appreciate them all!