A/N:

Hi there!

Look it's finally a new chapter of Duet!

I'm sorry for the delay, I was working on a one-shot for the Fandom Against Juvenile Diabetes and it kinda took all my time. But nevermind, we've finally got chapter nine.

Special thanks to Dolly Reader for prereading and Kitty Vuitton for betaing.

Thanks to all who've put me on alert and favourited and also thanks to all who review.

Finally, I don't own Twilight or any of the songs that Bella (or Edward) sing.

Nat xx


~Edward~

Sometimes my brother was right, not always, but occasionally, and he was almost always the voice of reason.

Emmett had told me, rather than asked me, that we would be having dinner with our parents on Friday night. He was sick of Mom asking about me and I couldn't blame him for that, he'd taken the flack for a long time.

So as planned Emmett and I met our parents at a restaurant not far from Twilight Tavern.

When we got there they were already seated. My mother sitting demurely with her hands clasped on the table, speaking quietly with my Dad, who was looking all serious and doctor-y. In the time I had been overseas neither one of my parents had changed at all. My Dad still had his blond slicked back hair and serious blue eyes. And my mother looked as gentle and sweet as she always did.

Mom was the first to notice us walking up and gave a squeal of delight as she jumped up and ran around the table to greet us both. Emmett picked her up in his usual bear hug, her feet hanging off the ground, she laughed and scolded him to put her down, but she secretly loved when he did that. Then she turned to me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Edward, it's so good to see you." She pulled me to her and held on tight, my hands fluttering nervously around her back, unsure where to put them. Then she leaned back and held onto my upper arms and studied my face.

"You look good," she smiled widely. "Maybe a little too thin, but at least you appear to have been looking after yourself."

"Thanks Mom," I replied. "I missed you," I told her honestly. If it weren't for my apprehension about seeing my father, I'd have gone to see her the day I got in the country. Heck, I'd have probably stayed at their house if it weren't for that.

Emmett was shaking Dad's hand and making small talk when I finally turned from my mother and attempted to greet him.

"Dad," I really had no idea what to say. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Edward. It's been too long," he shook my hand all business-like and then we all sat down. So far so good. We'd made it through hello without him giving us a look or a lecture.

After some idle chit-chat we ordered some drinks and our food. It was awkward but not as horrible as I thought it would be. My mother was so excited to hear about everything I had been up to. I knew she had kept up with all my performances online; I think she was my biggest fan, but she still wanted to hear all about them. Dad was serious but surprisingly never once made a snide remark towards either Emmett or me. He joined in the conversation and seemed almost as interested in what I had to say as my mom.

By the time we had finished dinner, I felt good about seeing my parents, and maybe a little guilty for not seeing them sooner. I had missed them both while I was away. My mother was truly a caring and kind person; she had always looked after me and never judged me for any of my choices. My father and I did have some good times when I was growing up. He wasn't a bad father; he just had no idea how to deal with not being in control of our lives. I even thought that if he relaxed a little more there was hope that we could get along like we did when I was younger.

Emmett talked them into coming with us back to Twilight Tavern for a drink under the premise that he wanted to show them the work he'd been doing on the apartments upstairs. My father frowned but thankfully kept his mouth shut and Mom was excited to be spending time with us so she would have agreed to just about anything.

Emmett also wanted our parents to meet Rose and she had to work, so he thought this would be a good opportunity. And maybe it was a little bit of neutral territory too. If Dad was rude to Rose there would be other stuff to fill the silence. Although, he wasn't acting as I typically knew him to, so anything could have happened.

We met them out the front of Twilight and I held the door for Mom before walking in behind her. Friday nights were usually quite busy so it was loud, the music assaulting us as soon as we walked in. Bella and Rose were behind the bar serving, I gestured for my mom to head towards the bar to say hello.

As we neared the bar, I caught Bella's eye, her face lit up with a huge smile and I couldn't help but smile in return.

"Well hello there, I thought you were out to dinner with your parents tonight?"

I nodded, "I was. Am." I turned and gestured to my Mom, who was standing a little behind me, "This is my mother, Esme." She stepped forward, smiling and Bella held out her hand across the bar for her to shake.

"I'm Bella; it's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Cullen," she smiled brightly as they shook hands.

"Please call me Esme. And this is Edward and Emmett's father, Carlisle," she gestured to my father who had just walked up behind us with Emmett. He stepped forward and shook Bella's hand politely. He was smiling which was a good sign; I had no idea how he would act. Twilight was as far from his 'scene' as we could get.

He exchanged pleasantries with Bella but before anyone could say anything else, Emmett excitedly ushered them away to introduce them to Rose.

"So," Bella started as she poured a drink and placed it in front of me. "How did it go?"

I picked up the glass and tipped it at her in thanks. "Actually, it wasn't too bad," I contemplated, and then took a sip of the whiskey. "I'm glad I went."

Bella's smile was brilliant and for a moment she looked like she was going to say something else, but she was called away to serve someone further down the bar.

Lately our little group had been spending most Friday and Saturday nights together at Twilight, so although Alice and Jasper weren't working, they were sitting at the bar chatting with some of the regulars when I wandered down to sit with them.

Emmett took my parents on a tour of the renovations and my mother couldn't stop gushing about how much she liked what had been done.

"Can I get you another drink?" Rose asked and my mom heartily accepted.

"It's getting late, Esme," my dad looked at his watch. "Don't you think we should be getting home?"

"Oh, Carlisle. We haven't seen Edward in so long and I'm having a great time," she waved him off.

I knew what was coming soon and I was trying hard not to encourage it, I loved playing for my mom, don't get me wrong, but she would expect me to play some of her favorites, and that included singing. And for some reason, I was fucking terrified to sing in front of Bella.

Of course my eyes betrayed me and I glanced quickly over to the piano, the new lid shining in the dim lighting making it look like a crazy mess of mismatched wood; ranging from raw wood all the way up to the highly polished black of the new lid.

"Edward," my mother was way too observant. "Emmett tells me you spent a lot of time restoring that piano. Maybe you could play me something? It's been so long and I always love it when you play for me," she smiled widely.

I looked at Emmett who was grinning; he had always loved to spill the beans to Mom. I finished my drink and placed the empty glass on the bar on the way, Rose giving me a wink as I did, then wandered across the room.

I sat down on the bench at the piano that I was now so familiar with, I knew every little nuance it had. I played a couple of quick scales to warm up and then looked up. Everyone was already watching me. All the regular drinkers at Twilight were used to me playing; it was becoming a routine that when the background music stopped that I'd start playing. And my family was eagerly waiting to see what I would do.

Usually I'm not a self conscious person, especially when it came to performing, having played piano for huge audiences for the past few years, but in this case, I would be doing something I didn't normally do, and probably wasn't that good at either.

I cleared my throat and then paused, my hands hovering over the keys. My mom had pulled up a seat and was waiting with a huge smile on her face. Dad was standing behind her leaning his hands on the back of her chair, not looking bored but not exactly looking like he wanted to be there either. Emmett and Jasper were leaning on the end of the piano holding their drinks waiting.

~Bella~

I had just grabbed the basket and made my way out from behind the bar to bus some tables, when I heard it.

"I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it

"What the..." I spun around to face the piano.

"God only knows what I'd be without you"

I was used to hearing the piano playing in the background these days but had never heard the voice that was singing along with it.

"If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me"

I swear I didn't mean to drop the basket; thankfully I hadn't collected any glasses yet.

"God only knows what I'd be without you"

Edward's voice was deep and gritty but so beautiful. I couldn't help but approach, he had to know I'd be over there in a flash the second he opened his mouth.

"God only knows what I'd be without you"

It was as though Edward felt my presence when I walked up behind Jasper and peeked around him, his eyes flicked over to meet mine, holding me there. I could tell he was nervous, I'd spent a lot of time with him while he played and his posture was nowhere near as confident as it usually was.

"If you should ever leave me
Well life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me"

"God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you"

Before the last note was even played Esme was out of her chair and hugging Edward around the shoulders as he sat there. His eyes never left mine as she hugged him and a shy smile crept onto his face. I grinned in return, he had nothing to be worried about, he sounded amazing.

"Smalls!" Emmett boomed breaking my link with Edward. "You should sing something for my mom!"

I shook my head, "I'm sure your mom doesn't want to hear me, Em..." I sometimes felt like I monopolized the place with my singing. I started to walk back to my abandoned basket when Esme ran up to me and grabbed my hand

"Bella, please," she begged. "Just one song?"

I caught Edward's eye and raised my eyebrows in question, he'd be the one who had to accompany me, and he simply nodded in reply.

"Okay, Esme, you talked me into it. Do you like Carly Simon?" I had a feeling she would enjoy anything Edward played for her but wanted to do something more from her era.

"Oh I love her!" she gushed.

I walked over to Edward and we had a quick discussion about what song we'd play, thanking his ability to play pretty much anything.

Rose had stopped what she was doing and was leaning across the bar closest to the piano and Alice and the guys stood and waited for us to start. I think almost everyone in the bar was waiting for us to start.

"You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed
That they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and..."

I walked over to Jasper when I got to the chorus and he easily sang along with me. I grinned at how good we sounded together.

"You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?"

Alice was dancing in a circle and I went up and did a little jig with her.

"You had me several years ago
When I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave"

"But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams
They were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee and..."

This time everyone joined in when I got to the chorus, even Emmett with his too-loud voice.

"You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?"

Esme had pulled Carlisle into the space nest to the piano and they were happily dancing together. It was hard to reconcile this man with the one that Edward had described to me as he expertly spun his wife then pulled her back to him.

"Well I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun"

"Well, you're where you should be all of the time
And when you're not you're with
Some underworld spy
Or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and..."

Emmett had pulled Rose from behind the bar and they had joined Jasper and Alice, Esme and Carlisle and some of our regulars on the makeshift dance floor and they all were singing along while they danced.

"You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?"

Cheers and applause broke out and I clapped along. I loved when everyone joined in and had fun with something that I enjoyed so much. And it got Jasper singing which was always something I loved to hear.

"That was really great, thank you for doing that for my Mom," Edward said as he stood from the bench and stretched, raising his arms above his head, my eyes darting to the tiny bit of exposed skin of his stomach as his shirt rode up.

I swallowed a few times before answering, the saliva pooling in my mouth at the sight. "Anytime, Edward. You know I can never turn down an opportunity to sing," I smirked.

I forced my eyes back up to his.

"Oh and don't think I'm not gonna make you sing more now that I've heard you," I pointed at him. "You've been holding out on me with that voice of yours."

Edward looked embarrassed, his cheeks reddening just slightly.

"Okay Carlisle, let's go home. Just let me say goodbye," Esme said from behind me.

"It was lovely to meet you all," she said as she walked up to each of us and gave us a kiss on the cheek. When she got to me she grinned slyly but didn't say anything.

Carlisle followed Esme saying goodbye to us all individually. Then they grabbed their jackets and made their way to the door, Edward and Emmett following them out.

I went back to work, collecting glasses and talking to people who stopped me to say hi or chat about on the song we had done. There was a real buzz around the bar about the live music we were playing; they loved the intimate feel of it. I even had a few people ask me if we had planned on doing an open mic night, an idea which I was eager to pass onto Jasper.

It didn't take long for it to get really late, most of the regulars had gone home and everyone was pitching in so that close was quick and easy for Rose and me. I had already cleared the tables and loaded the glasses into the dishwasher.

As out last couple of patrons walked out the door, Emmett and Jasper started stacking chairs onto tables while Alice mopped the floor. Rose and I took the cash from the registers into the office and balanced them then locked it in the safe.

"Its okay, Rose, I think I've got it from here, why don't you and Emmett take off if you want?" I didn't have a lot left to do, and what I didn't get done could be done in the morning.

She didn't argue as she quickly pulled her jacket on.

"Thanks, Bella. I'll see you later," she gave me a quick one armed hug from behind and then rushed out the door.

"Later smalls!" I heard Emmett bellow in my direction.

"Get outta here so I can close up will ya," I yelled back with a laugh.

Jasper and Alice were both putting their jackets on when I walked back out from the office.

"You need a ride home, Bella?" Alice asked as they walked to the door.

I shook my head, "No thanks, I drove today." I followed them, knowing I'd have to lock up after they left.

"Okay, drive safe and I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah seeya, Bell," Jasper said. "Had a great time tonight," he smiled.

"Me too, I love singing with you Jazz, it's like old times." I gave them both a hug then they walked out the door and I locked it behind them.

I turned around and leaned on the door. Edward hadn't gone home yet, he was sitting at the piano tinkling quietly on the keys.

"So..." I said as I walked over to him and pulled myself to sit on the closed lid of the piano. He cringed as I skidded back and the studs on the back of my jeans squealed against the new paint of the lid.

Oops. "Sorry."

He shook his head in reply but didn't say anything.

He played quietly for a little while longer and I watched as he bobbed his head slightly to the beat. The muscles in his arms tensing as he played.

"I really liked your parents," I said quietly. "Your mom is really nice."

He looked up at me and smiled.

"And you, mister," I started again. "Are in trouble for hiding that voice from me," I grinned. "You realize you've opened up a whole bunch of new possibilities for songs for the wedding?"

His smile widened but he still didn't answer.

"Okaayyy," I felt like I was talking to myself. I kicked my legs as they hung down the side of the piano.

Edward stopped playing and suddenly stood up, the bench screeching on the floor behind him.

"My mother liked you. A lot," he said quietly as he stepped around the piano towards me. "And I'm sorry I never sang before, I just don't feel like it's something I'm good at." He smiled crookedly as he stopped right in front of me his thighs almost touching my knees.

Sitting on the piano brought me up high enough that I could almost look directly into his eyes, they were a bright green and close up I noticed the light freckles he had across his nose.

I opened my mouth to disagree with him, but before I could get anything out his lips were on mine and his hands were in my hair.

I gasped in shock, it took me a second to realize what was happening, his lips were soft and warm and as I moved mine against his he opened his mouth and ran his tongue along my bottom lip.

He leaned in closer bringing his body between my legs and gripped my hair a little harder, as he tilted his head to the side and pushed his tongue into my mouth. I may have moaned loudly as my tongue met his, I don't know. I do know that my whole body was tingling with electricity as he caressed my tongue repeatedly with his own.

My hands, which were pressed up against his chest, started their ascent up Edward's torso to his shoulders and then around his neck where I threaded my fingers into his hair and gave a light tug, causing him to groan in the back of his throat.

He slowed the kiss down and brought his hands around to cup my cheeks. I was breathing heavily when he pulled away, my eyes closed and my lips still pursed, as he leaned his forehead against mine.

When I opened my eyes I was met with Edward's, a wide smile appearing across his face.

"What were you saying?" I asked breathlessly.

"I've got no fucking idea," he answered in a rough voice.


Songs from this chapter:

God Only Knows - the Beach Boys (Imagine Edward singing it all sexy)
http:/www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=NDfH_J4MAUQ
Covered by Rivers Cuomo from Weezer (to get an idea of what it might sound like on the piano)
http:/www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=FcQZbErmfTU

You're So Vain - Carly Simon
http:/www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU&feature=related