It had been not to long since Alice decided to call it a night to work on some designs in her office leaving Bella alone with her thoughts and a glass of merlot. The television was on but she wasn't really paying attention to the images on the screen or the low volume of background noise it provided.

After the initial shock about Edward's underhandedness was over, she found herself less angry and more resigned. She should have expected him to find a loophole…to not be satisfied with being cut out of her life completely for the amount of time she had asked for. Frankly, she had been surprised that he had given in so easily to start with.

Maybe she should just let it go, not bother to make a mention of it. To what purpose would it serve?

Maybe the extents to which he was willing to go should mean something more than words ever could even if he covertly disregarded her wishes.

Or maybe the wine was just making her malleable and more than a little wistful.

Getting up she wandered towards the window, sipping slowly from her goblet as she stared down at the street below. It was ten o'clock on a Monday night but the street was still filled with pedestrians and neighbors all probably enjoying the cool September evening. She was tempted to go outside as well, just sit on the steps as she had seen others do but she was still unfamiliar with the area.

One day, she thought to herself.

Her ringing cell phone broke her out of her morose reverie and she quickly ran to fish it from her bag before she missed the call.

Rosalie, the name on her touch screen read. So why did she feel the smallest bitter twinge of disappointment? Shaking it off, she answered.

"Hey, Rose."

"The kids are in bed, Emmett's shouting at some God-awful boxing match on TV and I'm bored."

Bella laughed at Rose's acerbic tone. It was good to hear her voice. It was a familiar balm and a grounding force for her tethered nerves.

"I'm touched you thought of me as relief for your ennui." She deadpanned in response.

"Seriously, I know it's only been a few days but I hope you have some juicy tales from the big city so I can live vicariously through you."

Bella rolled her eyed and took another sip…well, fortifying gulp of her wine. If she only knew. Then again, maybe she should tell Rose. Get her take on the situation. As it was she was floundering in indecision and Rose was always so pragmatic.

"Actually, there is something I need your sage advice on."

"Sage?" Rose chuckled. "You make me sound like I should be dressed like Stevie Nicks with a crystal ball." She giggled and cleared her throat. "Okay, I will attempt to give you my 'sage' advice."

"And you can't tell Emmett." Bella added. If he knew then he'd be on the next plane up just to plant a fist into Edward's very gorgeous face.

"Sounds ominous but my mouth is salivating with curiosity now. I promise I won't tell Emmett."

Bella briefly told her what happened with Edward from Saturday night on, even divulging some of the more intimate details she never told Alice. To her credit Rose remained quiet until she was finished and then she let out a long whistle.

"Wow. When I asked you for juicy tales, I never in a million years expected Eddie Mason to be in the starring role. You must be reeling right now. A fucking billionaire, huh? When I get off the phone with you, I am so Googling his ass."

"Reeling is an understatement." Bella replied drily. "I just feel so lost and confused right now."

"It's no wonder why. Jesus, Bella. I don't think I want to live vicariously through you anymore. Out of curiosity, I am sure you asked Alice's advice, what beads of wisdom did she have to impart?"

Bella sighed. "Alice is…biased. She only knows about our relationship from my perspective and I was very angry, bitter and heartbroken…not to mention drunk, when I first told her. But you, Rose...you were there. You saw it from the very beginning and the very end."

"I remember." She said softly. "From your very first day at school, it was like watching two magnetic forces collide and spontaneously combust."

Yeah, Bella thought, that's exactly how it was like. She remembered vividly.

Jacksonville FL 12 years ago

She took extra care in dressing that morning, knowing that even though it was a fairly large school, being the new girl in the middle of the school year, she was bound to be somewhat of a novelty for at least the first couple of days.

To save her from the embarrassment of being driven to school in Charlie's police cruiser, Rose had volunteered to take her to school since she didn't have a car yet and Rose had an early class over at the Community College not too far away.

"I'll wait here until you get inside." She said putting the car in neutral.

"You don't have to. I don't want you to be late for class."

"Oh, please Bella." She rolled her eyes and smiled. "The way I drive?"

"Thanks again Rose." She said as she gathered her things and jumped out of the car.

"Knock 'em dead, Bells." She shouted at her through the open window causing Bella to shake her head and grin.

There were a few double takes thrown her way as no one recognized her but she remained on course. At least until she felt the prickly sensation on the back of her neck like someone was watching her…intensely.

Craning her neck to scan the parking lot, she saw him. He was leaning against an old red Chevy, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, wearing dark sunglasses and an unbuttoned long sleeve black shirt over a white t-shirt. It was the messy shock of thick burnt copper colored hair and the straight edged jaw that brought her back to a bittersweet memory of a boy and a Fourth of July Picnic two years before.

It had been the first time, she had ever been kissed, the first time she ever felt the stirrings of womanhood and the first and only time she ever felt like she could fall in love.

Bella had wondered if she would see him again once she moved back but tried not to dwell on it for fear of disappointment. But here he was, looking at her like she was a ghost sent to haunt him. It was only then that she realized that he was not alone. A girl with long curly red hair was leaning into him very closely. She went to touch his cheek but he abruptly turned his head so she touched nothing but air.

Not wanting to examine why it was so painful to watch, Bella turned away and continued to walk at a quickened pace. Pounding footsteps echoed behind her and she felt a hand grasp her arm. She knew it was him just based on the currents running through her at his touch. Despite the humid heat, she shivered.

"Bella?" The way he said it was so hopeful, her heart nearly seized in her chest.

She turned around to face him. He had taken his sunglasses off and she was struck by the reverence in orbs of green that were thoroughly focused on her. They were the same green eyes that managed to weave their way into her dreams for the past two years. They perused up and down her body now and the scorching heat of his gaze made her burn.

"It is you." He grinned broadly changing his whole face to appear less harsh...more boyish.

"You remembered." Her heart soared and she couldn't help but smile widely back at him. Oh, he was so close, she could smell him; a heady combination of tobacco, soap and sweet, sweet sin. Two years ago the feelings he evoked in her confused her fourteen year old mind. Now, older and a bit more world-wise, she wasn't confused anymore.

"I never forgot." He said huskily cupping her cheek and caressing it with the calloused pad of his thumb and sliding his other hand loosely about her waist.

"I wasn't finished with you yet, Eddie." The red head sulked as she tried to pit herself in between them. "And who the hell are you?" She turned to her with hands on hips and full on just sucked on a lemon glower.

Bella tried to extricate herself from Edward's arm but he tightened his hold, refusing to let her go. Instead he turned to their intruder with a scowl, his jaw clenched.

"Sheath your claws, Vic." He hissed. "And get the hint. I'm not fucking interested in what you're offering."

"That's not what you said last month." She said with a leer before walking away, swaying her hips.

Edward closed his eyes tightly before opening them again, this time his gaze was wary.

"Girlfriend?" Bella questioned, nodding in "Vic's" direction, finally able to put a bit of distance between them. If he was already taken, she wasn't going to interfere. But damn it, she couldn't fight the surge of jealousy and loss as she waited for his answer.

"She wishes." He snorted. "Don't pay attention to anything that comes out of her poisonous mouth." Sighing, he reached for her to pull her closer and pressed his forehead to hers. "You don't know how happy I am to see you again." He spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Please tell me you're here to stay."

She swallowed past the constriction of emotion in her dry throat. Her breathing became shallow and breathy and her heart beat an erratic staccato in her chest.

"I'm here to stay."

Propelled back to the present by the sound of Rose's concerned voice calling her name through the receiver, she tried to clear the tickle in her throat that was usually precursor to her tears. Even now she felt the burn of them pricking at her eyelids.

"I'm here."

"Where did you go?"

"Sorry." Bella apologized. "Just taking a trip down memory lane."

"Yeah, so…" Rose started uncomfortably. "You wanted advice."

"Please."

Bella poured more wine in her glass and sat back down. She was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded.

"Well, first off, what does your brain tell you?"

"Oh, that's easy…" She chuckled drily. "Run…don't walk, to the nearest exit."

"Okay, now what does your heart say?"

She suddenly felt not so humorous anymore. "That's a bit...more...complicated."

"Not really…it's only complicated if that brain of yours won't allow you to admit it to yourself and out loud."

Bella clenched her eyes shut, the phone trembled in her hands. Why bother to deny it?

"God help me, Rose, I still love him." She burst out through a sob. "and it scares the shit out of me."

"Shh…shh, it's okay." She soothed. "One more question; what is your body telling you?"

"Let's just say it's rated NC17." She laughed as she swiped at her eyes.

"Bella, I think you already know your answer." Rose said seriously and sighed. "Honey, I can't tell you what to do but from the way you described this weekend, he loves you too and hiring a PI to find you and then flying over a thousand miles to show up at your door, well I don't know if that's devotion or desperation. I get that you're scared because of what happened in the past but there are no guarantees in any relationship. You have to ask yourself if your love is stronger than your fear."

"I've been asking myself that." She admitted. She just couldn't find an answer she could live with.

"That's good. And I am glad to hear that you asked him for some time to think but Bella, asking for time is different from completely cutting him off. How can you make this decision if you don't spend the time to get to know who he is now?"

Bella let out a groan of frustration and sunk her head into her hands. "Because every time I am near him…I'm consumed by him…all reason and logic go out the window."

"And that right there, Bella, is very telling indeed."

Edward's stony glare at the older blonde man sitting on the other side of his desk was met with equal measure. Steepling his hands under his chin, he contemplated what he was going to say now that Caius Volturi was in his office. Truthfully, he expected the man to show some emotion other than a mere open curiosity. It was unnerving and he didn't much care to feel unnerved.

After spending much of the night in turmoil over what to do about this potentially devastating bomb that had been dropped in his lap at the most inconvenient of times, sweating over the ramifications with Bella because of his own licentious behavior even if he had been single, his first action of the morning was to place a phone call asking Caius for a meeting.

This bastard, who figuratively held his life in his hands, didn't even have the decency to sound surprised.

"I suppose you're wondering why I asked to see you." Edward started, his voice deceptively calm hiding the raging emotions bubbling within him.

"Not at all." Caius casually crossed his legs and tilted his lips upward. "In fact, I expected to hear from you yesterday."

Edward cocked an eyebrow and slowly placed his hands flat on his desk, fighting the urge to fist them.

"Just what exactly are you playing at here? What is it you want from me for your silence?"

The youngest Volturi brother chuckled. "What makes you think, I want anything, Mr. Cullen? It was merely a test and I am glad to tell you that you passed it."

This time Edward couldn't contain his anger.

"You're playing a game with my life?" He shouted, springing half way off his seat before catching himself and sitting back down.

"It's no game, I assure you. I had to see for myself just how attached you were to that 'club' you attend and if you would come back and take me up on my offer to go. Well, the abhorrence on your face was quite apparent so…" he shrugged. "you passed my test."

"What are you talking about?" Edward roared, slamming his palm on his desk, feeling the sting reverberate all the way up his arm. "A test?" This man was fucking insane.

Caius didn't even flinch. "When Aro told me of the establishment you had taken him to, I thought nothing of it. I have tolerated his, shall we say, exotic tastes for many years. Nor do I let what a man does in his personal life become a factor in deciding whether or not I want to do business with him." He looked pointedly at Edward.

"However," he continued. "Isabella Swan is a very valued employee of Volturi Media. In the two years since I've known her, she has blossomed and flourished into a very talented and competent young ad executive. I do not doubt she will go far. It is that very reason why she was given the promotion she was and even though she agreed to the move with the vigorous enthusiasm I have come to expect from her, I cannot forget that we plucked her from her family and her friends only to deposit her in a strange and rather intimidating city. In short, I consider it my responsibility to look out for her and when I see someone such as yourself pay her such obvious attention even if you have a past together, it…concerns me. I take Isabella's welfare very seriously and by the way you look at her Mr. Cullen, I am happy to admit that it appears you do as well."

Edward couldn't help the unbelievable laughter that bubbled out of him. Either this guy was lying through his teeth or he didn't realize that absolute gall he had by trying to interfere in his employees' private lives. He remembered something Bella had said on Sunday about keeping her professional and private life separate when he had mentioned to her boss that they were high school lovers. Was this a behavioral pattern of Caius' that Bella was already aware of? Is that why she got so angry at him?

"And you just expect me to believe everything you just said?" Edward sneered. "That you are simply acting in the role of benevolent guardian or avuncular protector?"

The older man shrugged, folding his hands neatly into his lap. "It's of no consequence to me if you believe me or not."

"Will you tell her?" Edward hated the unsure and desperate way his voice sounded. One simple question left him feeling vulnerable and exposed; a feeling he had successfully masked for many years, until now.

"About your escapades into iniquity?" He shook his head. "No, but Aro and I are not the only ones that are aware." Caius stood up and straightened out his suit. "In a weaker….less…discreet moment that I am not proud of, I let it slip to Dimitri. While I can vouch for my silence, I cannot vouch for his and if I were you I would be concerned. I think you know why."

Edward tensed visibly at the very clear message.

"Tell me," Edward said just as Caius opened the door was about to let himself out. "Do you interfere in the private lives of all your employees or is Bella the exception?"

"I look out for the welfare of all my employees, Mr. Cullen." He said gravely, flicking an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve. "Especially those that show such great promise. Good day."