The Face I Can't Forget
By RosaBella75 & TwiliteAddict
Disclaimer: We don't own much – but hopefully our hubbies don't let us down on Christmas and we'll own more! All characters owned by SM, story owned by CandraJade through her contribution to the Support Stacey Auction. Thank you also to Viola Cornuta, our fine beta bb!
TwiliteAddict: *sniffle* This is it! Our last regular chapter! Just in time to be presented as a holiday gift (well, late for Hanukkah and early for Kwanzaa – but timely for Christmas, Boxing Day, and Festivus!)
RosaBella75: *pats TA on the shoulder and grins* So true! All in all, it really has been a wonderful adventure. Part angsty-fairytale and part romantic comedy...and I hope readers have picked up on our little nods to canon. I know we cracked me up with the funny, how about you, TA?
TwiliteAddict: I'm just too choked up to continue...let's just do it...
Last Time:
"Alice," he managed to get out between wails. "I showed Edward that posting weeks ago. You mean to tell me that was his long lost high school sweetheart? I thought I saw something in his eyes! Oh, that tricky bastard. He finally got laid!"
"Ha, ha. Now, could you please contain yourself." I was starting to get frustrated - and Bella was going to kill me for spilling the embarrassing beans.
"Sure, sure. I'm sorry, Alice," he began catching his breath as he held his sides. "Really. This is just too weird. So let me get this straight, Edward bid on your roommate's virginity and won?"
"Yes. But he didn't say who he was until he saw her. To make a long story short, it sounded to her like he did it to protect her and to help her with school, which sounds like love to me. She thought they were going to finally be a couple, but then he left. She's a damn wreck because she loves him. Just by coincidence, he happens to be customer at my coffee shop, but I didn't know his name until he told me the whole ridiculous story how he left this girl because he didn't think she'd take the money for school if they were together. I put two and two together."
"Well, it sure sounds like Edward's fucked-up, convoluted thinking." He nodded then shrugged.
For a full minute, I watched him ponder the situation. Then with a shit-ass grin, he began rubbing his monstrous hands together enthusiastically, looked at me and with mischief in his voice, and said, "So how do you propose we get our star-crossed lovers back together?"
Chapter 11: Charge of the Cavalry
EmPOV
Alice began talking... and talking... she was gesticulating wildly, and I knew I had a shit-ass grin on my face. However, probably not for the reason she thought. I was actually picturing virginal Eddie getting laid. Well, not in full detail… that would just be weird. I was sure his tendency to over-think everything led him to scheme up some elaborate plan that was way too complicated to go smoothly. Alice was probably going to be proof of that fact. When was he ever gonna give up and just K.I.S.S - keep it simple, shithead?
"Well? Hello? Is the air too thin up there, Romeo?"
"What?" My eyes refocused on her diminutive face, her crystal blue eyes riveted on me.
She huffed, "What are your ideas for getting Bella and Edward together? Between his rampant martyrdom and her staunch denial, it should be quite a challenge to get them on the same page."
"Don't you have a plan?"
"No, I don't - why do you think I needed you?" She stated it as if it was a simple conclusion - the unspoken "duh!" might as well have been a neon sign blinking above her head.
"Well, all I know is we better act fast. Eddie has always been prone to moodiness, but he's been sinking pretty damn low in depression lately. So low in fact, he has some big tryout tonight, and I can't see how it could possibly go well... he hasn't been able to focus on anything lately.
"WHAT?"
My, but she was excitable!
"What?"
"The audition is tonight!" she shrieked.
"You know about that?"
"Some silicone-bimbo told me about it, and how important it was, but I didn't know it was tonight! Hold up! What the hell are you doing here and not there supporting him - what kind of roommate are you?"
"What color was the girl's hair?"
"Never mind the bitch! What excuse do you have for yourself?"
Yes, she was very excitable. And kind of feisty...
"Well?" She glared at me with her hands on her hips waiting for a reasonable excuse.
"I'm not his roommate, well, not just his roommate; Edward is my brother by adoption."
The withering look Alice gave me immediately let me know I had indeed just stepped in it - deep. Time for some serious shoe scraping…
"Hey, he told me not to go. He said he didn't want me to witness his major 'crash and burn'. I'm a guy - I respected that, okay!"
She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Wrong choice?" I asked.
"Yeah, wrong choice," she stated flatly.
"Well, what do you suggest, missy?"
"It's Alice. And I think it's obvious what we need to do - we've got to get Bella to that audition right now! Maybe…" She got sidetracked in thought without losing an iota of the frenetic energy surrounding her, "maybe if he sees her there, he will be able to concentrate and pull off his performance!" Her gaze cleared, "That's it! She will be his inspiration!"
"And then they'll live happily-ever-after? Seriously? That's your plan?"
"You got a better idea, Romeo?
"It's Emmett." Two can play that game...
"What time is his audition, Emmett?
I pulled out my phone and looked at the time. "In one hour."
In a speed that was almost inhuman, she was up out of her chair and racing to the door. Seriously, I blinked and almost missed it. Damn.
"Hey! Wait up!" I jumped up to take off after her only pausing to slug down the rest of my beer - and hers.
Dashing out the door, I searched up and down the street. Fortunately, her short legs couldn't get her too far ahead of me, and I quickly spotted her crossing in front of several honking cars. "Alice, wait up!" I ran to catch up to her.
"Get in," she ordered as the car ahead of us bleeped and the headlights flashed.
"In that?" She did not really think...?
Alice slid in and the car engine sprang to life. She lowered her window and widened her eyes at me as I stood in the street. "Well?"
This time I gave her the withering look. "Yeah, I don't do clown car. The tights say Romeo, not Bozo!"
Confusion crossed her face for a split second, and then she rolled her eyes. "It's a Ford Fiesta. It may be small, but it is no clown car! Now take off that goddamn frilly hat and squeeze your ass in here! We don't have time for this!"
Somehow I knew I would regret my actions, but tossed my hat in the back and folded myself in anyway. As soon as my door shut, she hit the gas. The car was so unresponsive I checked the rear-view mirror to see how big a trench we were digging behind us certain we were dragging the ass-end.
"Where are we going? I'm not exactly dressed for general public consumption." Internally I cursed my impulsive decision to dress-the-part tonight.
"We're going to get Bella at the library and then beat feet over to Raisbeck Hall."
She didn't take her eyes off the road as she wove her obnoxiously yellow, subcompact car in and out of traffic, apparently trying to set a new metro land speed record. The intense look of determination on her small face made me laugh. She punched me in the chest.
Damn, a woman who could drive and get physical all at once! I rubbed my chest and wondered if she was single…
Thankfully it was a short drive to Seattle University's main library, and Alice parked the "car" in a spot I believe was reserved for bicycles only. Again, she was out and on the move, clickety-clacking with surprising speed up the sidewalk to the entrance. I levered myself out with a groan and closed the distance between us.
Alice charged through the doors of the quiet library like a bloodhound on the trail of a hot scent – although, I couldn't help but note that physically, she more resembled a terrier… or one of those dogs that looked like they had their face smooshed by running into a wall…
I hung several steps back, leaving space between me and the crazed little person, but I quickly noticed I was drawing considerably more gawking stares than she was.
A passing library page froze in her tracks, her stack of books nearly sliding off her cart. "Nice tights, Hamlet."
"Huh?" Shit! I forgot all about the costume. "It's Romeo, thank you very much," I retorted, but turned red in the face none-the-less as I passed her. Catching up with Alice, I hissed in her ear, "Can't you hurry this up?"
She shushed me with a flick of her hand and marched on undeterred.
Another floor up and three wolf-whistles later, Alice gasped, "There she is!" and broke into a run. I lengthened my stride to keep up.
"Bella!" she called out.
A brown-haired, brown-eyed girl looked up from her sea of open books and notepads.
"Alice? What's wrong?" Her eyes widened in alarm.
Alice slid into the chair next to Bella and began frantically closing books and stacking Bella's belongings on the table. "We've got to go – quickly."
"Go? Go where?" Bella's voice had jumped several octaves. Then she leaned over to Alice's ear and whispered, "Does this have something to do with the large guy dressed like Macbeth?"
"Romeo! As in 'where the fuck art thou'!" I barked in frustration – maybe a bit too loudly as eyes again darted in my direction.
"That's Emmett," Alice replied off-handedly and resumed packing.
Bella grabbed Alice's hands tightly to still them – she obviously had experience with the dark-haired hurricane. "What is going on?" she asked punctuating each word.
"Edward needs you – now!"
Bella blanched and released Alice like she'd been slapped before snatching back her bag. Bella determinedly began unpacking it. "Edward got what he needed. He's moved on, and I need to do the same."
I looked to Alice for her retort. She was right; this wasn't going to be easy…
Unfortunately, Alice was glaring at me with wide eyes that screamed "Well? Do something!"
I stuttered, "Um, Bella, listen to Alice. She's right. Edward needs your help."
"And who are you?" she asked, clearly irritated with our cryptic antics.
"I'm Edward's brother and roommate."
Something flashed in her eyes, and her attitude changed abruptly. "Is he in danger?"
"No –"
"Yes!" Alice raised her voice over mine as she jumped to a stand.
A round of hostile "shhhhes" flooded the room and dispatched the fast moving "library police".
"Please!" the middle-aged woman with the shiny gold nametag spouted as she angrily approached our table. "You are causing a disturbance. I will have to ask you ladies to take your belongings and Porthos –"
"I am not a Musketeer for God's sake! I. Am. Romeo!"
Alice cracked a smile then stifled a laugh, while Bella looked completely horrified. But it worked; Bella was more than ready to leave. She shoved what Alice had not already packed into her bag and swiftly led the way to the stairwell.
Once outside, Bella spun on her heels to address us, none too kindly…
"Well, is Edward in danger or not?"
"Quite frankly, Bella, he's about to commit suicide."
"What!" Bella and I shouted simultaneously, staring at Alice.
"Okay, sorry, a bit over the top. He's about to commit career suicide unless we get you to Raisbeck Hall! He's about to screw up a once in a lifetime audition – and you need to tell him how you feel about him before he does!"
Bella furrowed her brow. "So, telling him I think he's a bastard will actually help him?"
"Bella!" Alice shrieked.
Knowing Edward was hell to live with in his current love-sick-puppy condition, and foreseeing it only getting worse after the botched audition of a lifetime, thereby killing his career before it even got started, I spoke up, "He's been utterly miserable since he returned from your weekend together. He has lost interest in everything. I hardly even recognize him he's so morose. And he was a moody little shit to begin with! Believe me, I know he has a knack for screwing things up, but I can also tell you – he's in love with you. Big time."
Bella's shoulders dropped, as did her defenses, and the tiny whirlwind took advantage of Bella's vulnerability…
"Bella, Edward is a customer at the coffee shop, only I didn't know he was Edward, I called him Maestro... anyway, he told me everything! He only left you because he was afraid if you two were romantically involved, you wouldn't have taken the money."
"Is that true?" I asked her, genuinely interested in her reply.
"Well, how balanced can a relationship be if one person holds all the power?" Bella reasoned.
Was I hearing her correctly? "Power? Is that how little you think of Edward that he would act like you owed him? Do you really think that's what he's interested in? I saw the spark in his eyes when he saw you on the computer screen - he only wanted to help you."
Bella swallowed hard and hung her head.
We stood in dramatic silence... breathlessly awaiting her response.
BPOV
It was difficult to think with the two of them staring at me, but the way I figured it, I only had two choices.
I could play it safe, hide behind my facade of indifference, and try to heal from heartbreak. In other words, continue to deny my longing for Edward's presence in my life... and my desire to be held close in his arms...
Or I could take another risk. Put my heart out there. Just fucking tell him how I felt, and let the chips fall where they may - at the very least, I would say it, admit it to him and myself - I loved him!
And, in all truth, I just couldn't be the cause of his all too real "career suicide".
Raising my head and gathering all the strength I possessed, I felt myself ask, "How fast can we get to Raisbeck?"
Alice jumped and squealed in elation while Emmett broke out in an adorable dimpled smile and nodded his approval. Blushing, I shook my head in disbelief - quite the team these two made!
Glancing at his phone, Emmett cringed. "We are going to have to carjack a Porsche if we have any chance in hell of making it on time!"
"Leave it to me!" Alice affirmed as she took off toward the parking lot.
Quickly shrugging off our shock, Emmett and I jogged along behind her. The further we went, the more I started to get nervous. "Do you think she'll really steal a car?" I inquired.
He began to laugh. "I've only just met her tonight, but I can already tell she is a firecracker full of surprises!"
To my relief, I saw she was headed for her car. Emmett groaned, "That car may be called a Fiesta, but riding in it is no party."
Arriving at the car, he bowed gallantly to me before stuffing himself in the backseat.
"Son-of-a-Bitch!" he grumbled.
"Emmett, I'm sorry, really," I began to apologize.
"I just crushed my friggin' hat!"
"Now, that is the best news I've heard tonight," Alice deadpanned.
I began to giggle, just a little.
It was a nice stress release before my brain once again assaulted me with images of what I was about to do.
"Alice, I don't know if I can do this," I backpedaled.
Emmett's large hand was suddenly squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Bella. I know he wants to hear what you have to say. In fact I'd say it's all but killing him not hearing from you this long."
His words bolstered my flagging confidence. I took a few deep breaths and focused on my determination to finally do the right thing even if it killed me...
That is if Alice's driving didn't do the job first.
"Holy shit, Alice! Slow down! You just ran a red light!"
"Listen, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few laws..." she retorted, eyes glued to the road.
I flashed a worried look at Emmett's hunched over form in the backseat.
"Just hang on," he replied with a smile in his voice.
We cut down several narrow alleys, which frankly, only a car this size could probably do, and skidded to a halt in the "no parking" zone in front of Raisbeck Hall.
"Get to the main auditorium! Go, Bella, go!"
I jettisoned myself from the car and ran full pelt up the stairs, bursting through the double glass front doors, grateful not to have tripped. I had no idea which direction I should turn, so I just kept moving.
Very quickly I noticed I was not dressed appropriately for the occasion. All around me, finely clad people gave me appalled looks as I jostled between them. I paid them no mind; I had to find Edward before it was too late.
I caught sight of signage on the walls indicating the direction I should take and lowered my head as I picked up speed. When I got to the end of the hallway, I was met with a closed door that bore a sign reading: "Backstage. Performers Only."
"Not today," I growled, throwing open the door. I barreled inside... and hit a wall... or at least I thought it was a wall.
"Are you performing tonight, miss?" A deeply accented voice questioned, his tone positively dripping with sarcasm.
I took a step back, and looked up. Then I took another step back. He was possibly the largest man I had ever seen.
"Um, I need to speak to one of the musicians. It's imperative I speak to him before his performance," I pleaded.
"No one is allowed behind stage unless they are performing. You will need to take your seat."
"No, please!" I began to beg as the giant folded his arms over his chiseled chest and cast a stern look down at me.
"She is my assistant. I will be performing tonight." A voice boomed authoritatively from behind - coming to my rescue.
"And who might you be?" Again, skepticism rained from the backstage guard's tone as he eyed the person behind me.
"Obviously, I'm the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I will be playing the flute tonight," he said, subtly nudging me with his elbow.
Yes! Interference…
In the moment of confusion, I ducked past the giant blocking me from getting to Edward, and broke into a run. I had to give Emmett credit, he was a fast mover and an even faster thinker... though I couldn't say much in favor of his taste in wardrobe.
"Edward? Edward?" I called out as I rapid passed several rooms down the dark hall backstage.
Panic rose in my voice each time I called for him. Was I already too late? Would he blame me for what happened on stage? Damn my pig-headed pride!
I could hear voices mumbling in my wake. Performers were coming out of the rooms wondering aloud at my spectacle of insanity.
Ahead of me, at the end of the hall, behind a door marked "stage," I suddenly heard the dreaded words being projected over a loud speaker, "Performing the challenging eighth Sonata by Prokofiev, Mr. Edward Cullen."
No!
I slid to a halt as my mind wailed, whipping my head back and forth. Behind me, a crowd of unknown faces stared at my back and ahead of me lay the final two rooms before I would reach the stark terminus of the stage door. Where was he?
As if in slow motion, one of the doors slid open, and all the air in my lungs was suddenly sucked out in a rush.
Edward stepped into the hall.
His eyes were downcast, and I only caught a brief unreadable glimpse of his face. He moved gracefully toward the stage door. In his long black tails, he looked so handsome and sophisticated. So perfect.
The sight of him looking so far out of my league made me pause to question my impending actions. He was destined for different world than I. A place of wealth and refinement. In my worn-out skinny jeans, Sketchers, and oversized flannel, I couldn't have been more his opposite.
Time ticked in my head, and I waited for someone to appear to make the choice for me. I couldn't afford to choose wrong!
However, I didn't hear the sound of Alice's heels clicking double time down the hallway or Emmett's booming voice calling for Edward to stop. It was as clear as could be: It was up to me this time to make things right.
"Edward?"
His name came out as a question, and my voice cracked with the strain of my uncertainty.
He stopped dead. Just froze in mid stride.
The stage door burst open. "Mr. Cullen… Mr. Cullen… You're ON!" barked an anxious-looking stage manager urgently gesturing toward the stage while clutching his headset to his ear. When Edward completely ignored him, he hissed, "There is a whole auditorium of people waiting for you!"
Suddenly the last few weeks of silence between us meant nothing. Edward's last words before our parting meant nothing. It didn't matter if he didn't want me. I couldn't let him go like this. I just had to take the chance and speak up...
Edward resumed striding toward the stage door.
Maybe he didn't hear me. So this time I pushed the words out louder and braver. "No! Edward, wait. Look at me. Please! I'm here. I needed to… I... I wanted to wish you good luck tonight."
I bit my lip – that wasn't what I was hoping to say, exactly.
He spun around in my direction, but his expression was so closed I couldn't read the look on his face. My stomach dropped sickeningly into my shabby shoes as time stopped. We stood just a few feet apart, staring at each other.
"Edward, I'm sorry," I croaked out, wanting to say the words I came across two campuses and broke untold traffic laws to say, but my throat began to constrict and tears filled my eyes. I felt I would crumble to the floor in an utterly embarrassing puddle of complete weakness and self-serving fear.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" He began moving tentatively toward me.
"For not telling you how I felt that day I read your letter. And all the days after that when I let my cowardice kept me from asking if you were the 'E' in the letter – as I had hoped."
The walls of the hallway were closing in on me, and I struggled to breathe. I tried to find focus in Edward's intense green eyes.
"Hello!" interrupted the agitated voice of the stage manager, "It's now or never! The judges are waiting! Think of what is at stake here!"
"I know what is at stake. Now I see what really matters," Edward replied.
His words gave me the encouragement I needed. I was so close... just say it, Bella! "And then at the hotel... when you rescued me and... changed me."
"My Bella..." he whispered, halting his movement in my direction.
"Edward... I love you. I always have even when it was from afar!" I began to shake and my knees felt like they were made of Jell-O.
Just as the walls felt like they had completely closed in on me, and everything began fading to black… he was there. Edward had closed the space between us and caught me in his firm, warm embrace, which I willingly melted into.
"Bella," he spoke expressively into my hair, "I love you, too. I love you."
From behind us, the hallway burst into boisterous cheers and applause as our curious on-lookers were swept up in our not-so-personal moment of honesty and joy.
"Way to go, you two!" Emmett's heart-felt congratulatory words filled my ears.
I felt Edward chuckle, and pulled away from his chest to look at my best friends.
"Awww. It's such a happy ending!" Alice squeaked as she wiped her eyes on the bountiful fabric making up the puffy sleeves of Emmett's shirt.
"Pixie Stick? What are you doing here? Did you have something to do with this?"
"That's Alice," I beamed, "my priceless roommate!"
"And take a look at her partner in crime! Awesome Romeo costume, Emmett." Edward nodded his approval. "Did you score a Juliet?" He grinned knowingly.
"Maybe, just maybe." Emmett glanced down at the emotional Alice, slinging an oversized arm around her petite shoulders.
"Oh, goodie! All is well in lover-land!" the stage manager sneered. "NOW are you ready to grace us with your performance, Mr. Cullen?" The man was obviously not the sensitive type.
Edward looked at me as if waiting for my permission.
With a smile I couldn't hold back, I told him, "Knock 'em dead, Maestro!"
Determination filled his clear, bright eyes as he placed his hands on my cheeks, planting the most heated kiss on my lips. Heavenly!
He turned and marched confidently out onto the stage.
The manager abruptly closed the door on my still grinning face. But I lingered there. Along with Alice, Emmett, and our new found well-wishers.
We all listened together.
And Edward played flawlessly...
TwiliteAddict: *throws soggy tissue in the trash and raises hands victoriously* Yes! They did it! Three cheers for communication! I just love a happy ending! And what do you readers think of the dynamic Alice/Emmett combo? We hope you are satisfied... but you know RB, our readers have been so wonderful and patient, maybe we can give them one more gift – 'tis the season...
RosaBella75: *snickers* Like maybe some more lemony goodness – or badness - depending on how you look at it.
TwiliteAddict: Oh, goodie! So, we are promising an epilogue (eventually) since many of you have expressed a desire to know what eventually happens to these two. And graciously RB has promised to cook up some lemon meringue pie to sweeten it up (we can't let you go without a delicious lemony fix!). Maybe some B&E hot sweaty sex in the orchestra pit?
RosaBella75: Or better...
TwiliteAddict: Mmm, mmm – can't wait! Until then, let us know what you thought about the ending – or the middle or beginning if you haven't already! Also, check out our profile pages for pics of Alice's YELLOW Ford Fiesta that Emmett just loved so much and a link to the giggleworthy "Christmas Crackers" anonymous entries at the GiggleSnort Files website (where RB is a staff member!) if you're looking for some more funnies to warm the cockles of your heart this season.
RosaBella75: Happy Holidays and many blessings in the New Year! See you later and remember, yes, it is still your friend...