Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

The bar was crowded with the after work crowd from Cullen Consultants. It was suits as far as the eye could see intermingled with girls who laughed too loud and flashed too much boob in hopes of landing from middle management knight in shining armor to save them from the hum drums of smaller town life. I watched the crowd and wondered of this was how Edward saw me. Did he see me as some girl seeking out her fortune by pinning her future on someone else? Just the thought of it made me sick since I never wanted to be that girl to him.

Slowly, I nursed my vodka and cranberry juice, letting the bitterness linger on my tongue while savoring the burn that the vodka provided. It was my favorite drink and had been ever since the night Rosalie gave a cup of it as a form of liquid courage to deal with her brother's lack of interest in me. While I missed out on Edward, I did gain a favorite drink to add to my awkward memories of a boy that was always just out of my grasp.

I discreetly adjusted my dress in effort to cover my thighs or the edge of my breasts that were display even though it was pointless. The dress was too short and showed too much, but I could not think of any other way to sweeten the deal for him since what I planned on asking was going to be a lot. What I wasn't sure of was if he would say yes. Edward Cullen wasn't the same boy that I had loved years ago. Long gone was the awkward boy who lingered in the shadows, hiding behind glasses as if they could shield his intelligence or looks. That boy had long disappeared, being replaced with an over confident man who knew it all. It was annoying as hell and so was he.

I felt him before he ever appeared at my side. It was always the same rush when it came to Edward. It was like an electric zing across my skin that reminded me of when I longed to be something to him beyond his girlfriday. I hated it. I loved it. I missed it since no one else ever caused such a reaction within me.

I remained looking forward, refusing to look at the man at my side, instead opting to stare at the bottles of liquor that lined the lighted shelves of the bar in front of me while blocking the mirror that they rested against.

He leaned over slowly, pressing closer until his lips were right next to ear. It was torturous and in a way, but that was Edward. He was always loved to tease.

"The red bird flies at dawn," he whispered his non sense against my ear, not bothering to hide the laughter in his tone before righting himself to flag the bartender down.

"I'll take a black and blue," he stated to man, directing him toward the Guinness and Blue Moon beer mix that he ordered with a nod before motioning towards my drink as he instructed the man to bring me another.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded from him as I finally turned to face him. His once out of control brown hair was smoothed down with the help of product that made me look polished in a way that left me uncomfortable.

"What? I ordered a drink and thought you might like another. I mean, the way I remember it you were always more agreeable after two drinks," he teased as I rolled my eyes at him. He was right of course. I had always laughed louder and agreed to more outrageous things after a second drink.

"Not that," I grumbled as he grinned at me

"The whole the red bird flies at dawn bullshit," I groused, mocking his low whisper even though mine did hold the same depth as what his did. I looked at him, watching him grin at my teasing, hoping that my words would at least dim the smart ass grin that was a permanent fixture on his face, only to discover that it hadn't.

"You're the one who setup this meeting like a sad version of Spy Versus Spy, I was just playing along," he explained as he held up his hands in mock defeat while mentioning an old show that we had watched together years ago. It was true. I had asked him to meet me in the bar, insisting that a public setting would be good, yet I didn't want others to notice us. It was ridiculous and like always, Edward was not above calling me out over it.

"I told you I would meet you anywhere, anytime, so this weird set up was not necessary. I mean, we could have met over dinner or at my place and that would have been fine," he commented as he looked around at the bar full of people as if he was bored already.

"I'm sorry that I am not the master of… of…of...whatever the hell this is we are doing here, Edward," I stuttered in anger as I watched the bemused grin fall from his face for a moment as he watched me spiral into rage.

"What are we doing here, Bella?" he asked me with a curious look while silencing me by going straight to the point.

"I have been asking to see you for who knows how long and now, out of the blue, you just call me and want to meet. I'll admit I was happy to hear from you since I really thought that maybe, just maybe you had come to your senses, but this? Meeting like this? It makes no sense."

"I had a favor…Wait!" I screeched to a halt as his words sunk in.

"Come to my senses?" I practically screamed at him before he hushed me with a low shhhh as he looked around us to see who had noticed our exchange, but I didn't care.

"You might have an army of people ready to kiss your ass and agree with whatever bullshit you might spew to them, but I've never been one to take direction from you-" I began pausing only to take a breath as I struggled to defend myself from his cocky attitude mixed with ugly half truths.

"I know you haven't and that's why you are where you are," he teased with an easy smile that made my palm burn with the need to smack that smug grin off his face.

"You know what?" I asked him as I struggled to stand up to get away from him, but failed as I tripped over the chair. I came within seconds of falling before being saved by his firm grasp on my arm, pulling me upright while saving me from myself once more. It was a sad reminder of all the different times he had been there to save me as well as all the other times he had failed.

"Would you just hold up," he pleaded with me as he held me there, pinning me between him and the stool had tripped over. His touch was firm, yet not so tight that I could not have broken from his grasp, yet I didn't. I was frozen in place, tied to this man who held me there more with the pleading in his tone than the hold he had caught me in.

"You are always so mad," he whispered as if he was talking more to himself than to me. I made my heart ache since I knew once more he was right. Rage was the dark poison that raced through my veins, tainting everything touched.

"I…" I began, but once more he silenced me by meeting my gaze. I had forgotten how blue his eyes could be when he was hurt or mad. They were the color of a perfect summer sky and were just as beautifully bright. They had always mesmerized me and this time pinned against a boy that I didn't really know any more was no different.

I could feel his deep intake of air, pushing him closer to me as we stood there in a clumsy embrace. He tried to place a proper amount of space between us, but no amount of space erased the fact that he was holding me close, even though it was clear he didn't want to by the his stiff movements against me.

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Bella. I want to hear why you called me. I want to know why now and don't bother lying to me since no matter how much you have changed, you still are a horrible liar," he stated in a soft, yet lethal tone that sent a chill down my spine while my causing my heart to sputter within my chest.

AN:

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Xoxo

Mamasutra