Okay, y'all really don't like Edward. He was desperate and yes, it was an ass move but just remember he could be so much worse, like ICUY Edward. He has learned his lesson...kinda. And he will be good...better...maybe...from now on. Now we have a while still to go so keep an open mind and enjoy.

Jasper was finishing up for the day. He had just checked on his last patient and was standing in front of the surgical board to see when Bella would get off.

"Dr. Whitlock."

"Dr. Brandon." He said cautiously.

"I have a patient I need you to monitor tonight. She is 32 weeks pregnant and was just admitted for premature contractions. I gave her the necessary medications but I need to make sure that her labor stops and I have plans tonight, so you are up."

"I am off in 15 minutes."

"Not anymore." She said.

"Get another doctor." He demanded.

"I don't have to, I have one. You. I am the boss. When you have a double doctorate like I do, then you will call the shots. Until then you are mine. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." He said, gritting his teeth.

"Great, glad we understand each other. Have a good night Dr. Whitlock." She said as she strode away towards the elevator. She hoped Edward appreciated this, because she had a feeling she just made one hell of an enemy.

***WAN***

"That was great work, Bella." Edward said as they scrubbed out.

"Thanks." She said softly. It felt so good to operate with him. He was like a god in surgery. Very precise, very sure, very focused. He was what she aspired to be. Most people, if they didn't know her, would think she wanted to be a surgeon like her mother was. Not so. Edward was everything a surgeon should be and more. He was the kind of surgeon everyone should look up to.

"A penny for your thoughts." He offered playfully.

"What? Oh, nothing. Just wondering if Jasper is waiting for me or if he went home already." She lied.

"Oh…yeah. You can go ahead and go. I will monitor the patient for a couple of hours. I don't want you to be late." He said, with great difficulty.

"Really?" She said skeptically.

"No. Not really." He grinned.

Bella burst out in a peal of laughter. Edward smiled, delightedly. That was his favorite sound in the world. She looked so young and carefree when she laughed, because when she laughed, she did it with her whole being.

"Well, at least you are being honest." She said.

"Not always. Not when it counts, obviously. I…I just want you to know that I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you; I just didn't want to lose you. I guess I thought if I didn't tell you I was leaving, if I didn't say the words, you were still mine. You meant so much to me, don't ever think you didn't. I guess in the end it didn't matter. I lost you anyway. And that is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. Well, I am going to go and leave you in peace. Go have fun with Jasper and I will see you tomorrow." He looked at her, then leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He stroked her face, smiled and then walked out of the door.

Bella just stood there with tears gathering in her eyes. This was the first time since she had seen him again, that her Edward had appeared. She felt the pain start spreading in her chest and she struggled to regulate her breathing. She wondered if she would ever get over him.

"Bella? You in here?"

Bella jumped and quickly swiped at her eyes. "Yeah, you ready?" She asked Jasper.

"Hell no…the She-Cullen has me here all night doing her stooge work. You okay tonight by yourself?"

"Um…yeah. I will be fine. I will just grab a bite from the deli and park my ass on the couch and watch a movie. I can survive without you, you know."

"I know…just don't forget to lock the door. This is New York, not Seattle."

"Okay, Dad, and I will be sure to go to bed early." She said sarcastically.

"You know, I would've swore that we left Hale at home. Yet here she is disguised as a smart-assed petite brunette."

"Shut up and go do your stooge work. I am going to go home and do nothing." She started to walk past him, heading to the locker room.

"Bitch." He said.

"Don't hate me because I am going home, hate me because you are not." She grinned.

Jasper looked both ways and then extended his middle finger up to her. She laughed and returned the gesture. He shook his head and then walked away smiling.

Bella lost her smile instantly as she let herself feel her despair again. She needed tequila and a lot of it, she decided. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was think.

***WAN***

Edward finished putting his jacket on and grabbed his briefcase. He was in a hurry to go nowhere. Nothing was waiting for him in his lonely penthouse apartment and he didn't really have any friends. He used to have James, but that was long gone along with his marriage. He sighed. He entered the elevator and stood in the back. He put his finger to his lips. They were still tingling from where they had touched Bella's soft skin. He had meant every word he said. Well, almost. He didn't intend to leave her alone. He couldn't.

"Well, I didn't sleep with him, but he is stuck here all night." Alice said, getting on the elevator with him, ignoring the looks the other passengers gave her at her outburst.

"What? She is alone tonight?" He asked, suddenly alert.

"Unless she is screwing someone else." Alice said.

"Not helping…I wonder which apartment she is in?" Edward wondered.

"You won't find her there." A voice came out of nowhere. Edward and Alice turned to the new person joining their conversation.

"Who are you?" Edward asked. The woman rolled her eyes.

"Kate Denali. I've been your scrub nurse for two years now…whatever. I assume you are talking about Dr. Swan? She asked us where the nearest decent bar was. So she is probably over at Grant's Pub."

Edward sighed in relief. Drunk Bella was always easier to deal with.

"Thank you Kate…really…I owe you big time." The elevator doors opened and Edward darted out leaving Kate and Alice in his wake.

"Must really suck, huh, Dr. Brandon? Him so obviously in love with someone else and not bothering to hide it. He is just flaunting it in front of your face." Kate said sweetly, her voice laced with venom. Nurse Kate was one of the many people Alice had let loose on today.

"Thank you Kate. Like I didn't feel like shit already."

"No problem…anytime. Really." Kate walked off and grinned as she left Alice behind just as Edward had. Maybe Alice wouldn't be so quick to yell at people anymore.

***WAN***

Bella slammed back another shot, her fourth. She looked around at her surroundings. It was an okay place. She recognized several people from the hospital. This must be their Joe's. She sighed and tried to determine how drunk she was. She didn't want to get to the point where she took a random boy home, but she did want to forget. There was really a very fine line between the two with her. It had been a long time since she had had a one night stand. It had been a long time since she had had sex…period. Thank god for her excellent vibrator, which she had left at home. Now why couldn't Ang have reminded her to pack that?

"Hey, is this seat taken?" A somewhat familiar voice said.

Oh. God. No.

"What do you want?" She asked, disdainfully.

"To get to know you better," came the smooth reply.

"Go Away. I already told you I am not interested in you. Or do you need a hearing aid?"

"Still feisty, I see." James Hunter grinned at Bella. "I still don't know your name."

"Do you normally get women's names before you try to bang them?"

"No…but I like you so I will make an exception. Come on…" He urged playfully.

"Bella Swan. Now leave me alone."

"Beautiful name. Like literally it means beautiful."

"Go choke on something." Bella demanded, rolling her eyes.

"Why don't you like me?"

"I don't know you. And I don't want to know you."

"Everyone wants to know me." He said seductively.

"Obviously, not everyone. Let me drink in peace. I don't want to sleep with you. I don't do that shit anymore, okay?"

James saw the pain in her eyes and decided to back off with the flirting.

"Okay. Would it be alright if I just sit here with you? No funny business. We can just talk. We could be friends." He stated proudly.

"Friends? Yeah, okay. Like that will happen."

"Yeah, friends. I don't really have any. The only friend I had, I betrayed so…" He trailed off and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Bella looked at him and recognized the look in his eyes.

"Fine, you can sit here, but if your hand so much as roams two inches in this direction, I will cut your dick off and hang it on the surgical board."

James winced and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Feisty and violent. Yeah, they would definitely have to stay just friends. This girl had a crazy streak. He would have to remember never to cross her.

An apology and a little light humor amongst all the feels.