A/N ~ *peeks out* Am I forgiven for the cliffie? I've got news below, if you feel so inclined to read. :) I won't keep you now. We return to Bella's POV. Enjoy!

Rain On Me

Chapter 11

I had given up all hope of ever running into Edward Cullen again. Ever. And here he was, in front of me, at a work function. The bouts of anger, and any resentment I'd felt when he dropped off the face of the earth vanished when I looked into his eyes. He was still beautiful. I wanted to hug the life out of him. Jump for joy over the fact that he was alive and well! I wanted to brush that hair off his forehead…

I could do nothing but stand there, and gawk at him. He was with Heidi. The only guy to ever steal my heart, and manage to keep it captive for more than two years, was dating my co-worker. Perfect. Every time I'd see her, I'd only think of him from here out. When had he kissed her last? Did they make love before she came in to work? Did he have private jokes with her? Did she like the stupid Volvo? Wait… he didn't have it anymore. Dad had checked that out for me. None of it mattered, because he didn't want me.

I somehow managed to stay upright while we had our awkward moment. The minute they turned away, I had bolted for the door, unable to breathe.

And then he was there.

"Bella…"

I closed my eyes. I sensed him behind me, even before he whispered my name. If I turned, and looked at him, I'd either turn to stone or melt. I wasn't sure I could handle either. It started to rain. Of course it did! I didn't even have my appreciation for the shitty Washington weather anymore. Sun or rain, it didn't matter. I was alone every day. The cold drops on my bared skin did feel good though. It made me suck in deep breaths that were sorely needed. And if the rain could wash away the remnants of my tears, even better.

"Bella, step back. You'll get soaked." His hands gently pulled me back towards the side of the house. We were sheltered somewhat by the overhang of the roof. My skin tingled where he'd touched me, even after he'd removed his hands. "You're shivering."

Suddenly, I was wrapped in his suit jacket—enveloped in his scent. "You'll be cold now—"

"Don't worry. I came out to cool down. I couldn't breathe."

I smirked. Welcome to the club…

We stood staring at each other. I had to break the silence. It was tense. "Funny seeing you here," I quipped, rolling my eyes at my own corniness. "That was corny."

"I was actually thinking the same thing… the first part, in particular. How are you, Bella?"

How am I? "Um… can I get back to you on that? I'm not quite sure."

"I'm sorry. My being here is awkward for you. I can leave, if you'd prefer." He was frowning as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Your date would hate me for chasing you off." I wondered if I was the only one to chase him off twice. Or was it a habit of his? Sticky situation pops up, and Edward bolts.

"She's not my… okay, well she is my date for tonight. Heidi and I are friends. She drags me out for things like this. It's handy. I always have a suit that fits."

A small laugh escaped hearing our old joke. I couldn't believe he remembered. I couldn't believe he was able to joke so easily. Wasn't he as uncomfortable as I was? Maybe not. Maybe I had overblown the whole thing in my mind. Maybe it was just a summer job that he left and never looked back. I could play it cool, too. Maybe. "You would have a suit… You know, you're allowed to date."

"Uh-huh." He grinned shyly. "But we really are just friends. Did you… are you here with someone?"

"Ah! Yes. Yes, I am in fact." I peered through the large front window. "See the tall, gorgeous blonde over there? The one surrounded by all of my male co-workers?"

Edward chuckled as he peered in. "Rosalie."

"Emmett bailed on me at the last minute. He's got bronchitis. He sent Rose as his stand-in."

"Sweet of him. I hope he feels better soon."

"If he gets over it, I'm going to kill him anyway. Really doesn't matter." Damn, did I ever need my buddy Emmett here. Why did he have to get sick now?

"You look really great, Bella," Edward said quietly. I was still staring into the house.

"You too," I whispered, voice quivering. Damn. Not cool.

"Anyone can wear a properly fitted suit well. Are you happy?"

The second I looked at him to respond, my eyes filled with fresh tears. "In spurts." I looked away quickly. "Your friend appears to be looking for you. You'd better go inside. She'll be upset." I risked another look, wanting to remember exactly how his hair fell. The way his emerald tie made his gorgeous eyes stand out. How his pants fit him snugly, and made him look lean and well-toned. "Will she be upset if I keep you?"

He issued a noise—choking on a laugh.

"I mean… you know what I mean. That was… God, I am so awkward!" So not cool! How could he be so calm about this? It was a little infuriating.

"I'm sure she won't be asking me out for anything work related again, but honestly… I'm more concerned with upsetting you at the moment. This is uncomfortable for you." He didn't ask me—he stated it.

I nodded. "It doesn't help that you're… ugh! You're so calm about everything! I'm a babbling mess. I haven't managed a decent breath since I laid eyes on you. And you're perfectly collected."

"I'm anything but," he protested, loosening his tie. "I can't breathe either."

Knowing that he was feeling ill-at-ease as well relaxed me just a bit. "Good to know I'm not the lone boob on the porch."

He choked again, recovered, and rocked on his heels as he looked through the window and then back at me. "Would you be opposed to getting together in a different setting? We could talk."

"Can we bring dates?" I joked. Lamely.

"If you'd rather not—"

"When?"

His face lit up. "Whenever you'd like—"

"Are you in Forks until New Year's?"

He shook his head. "Just call. I'll meet you in Forks, or Seattle, or wherever you'd like."

"You'll answer?" Yeah, the sarcasm was intended, and warranted.

"I swear! Maybe I should get your number as well." His playful smirk was in use as we entered each other's contacts in our phones. I was melting.

The door swung open behind him, and his angry-but-trying-to-be-cordial date stepped out. "I thought maybe you'd actually left. Feeling better?" I didn't miss how her arms wrapped his waist from behind, or how her chin nestled in nicely between his shoulder and his jawline. She placed a light kiss on his cheek as he blushed. His eyes never left me.

"No!" My date joined us on the rainy porch. "No way! Ahhhhh!" Only Rosalie could manage to get Heidi off him. Not that Heidi had a choice in the matter—Rosalie was on him in a flash. "Oh my god! Edward! What are you doing here?"

"Christ. You know more people here than I do! You should have been doing the introductions all night." Okay, Heidi was showing her anger now. She was completely fed up. I couldn't blame her, but I knew of the Edward Effect long before she did. He was still a magnet.

"I'm here with…" Edward addressed Rose, loosening their hug to indicate his date. "Heidi. This is Rosalie. We used to work—"

"You worked together, too. Got it. Well, is there anyone else coming to this reunion?"

"Nope. Emmett's in bed, sick as a dog," Rosalie quipped, laying a big kiss on Edward's cheek. Her arm was slung over his shoulder like he was her property. I was loving it! "He's gonna flip when he finds out you were here, and he missed you! You have to give me your number! We'll get together. For sure this time! You never called him!"

"I know. Long story." His gaze drifted to me. "It's a long story. I'll explain. Promise."

Edward and Rosalie exchanged numbers as I shrugged his jacket off. I inhaled deeply before I passed it back to him. "Thanks for the loan. Always the gentleman," I said softly as he smiled. "Oh, looks like we have a full reunion in play. Hey, Bree!"

She squealed when she saw me with Rosalie, rushing over for a group hug. "Okay, Ten Fingers! Go! Best summer break place… Anaheim! Rosalie?"

"Fort Lauderdale! Bella?"

"Phoenix… What? No one else likes Phoenix?" I laughed when I was the only one to pull a finger down. "It's the only place I've really gone, okay? Edward?"

"Eclipse." He made a show of putting each finger on one hand down slowly, and then just fisted the other so they were both closed. "Best summer break ever."

"Awwww!"

Laughing just like I'd remembered him, and blushing so adorably, he gave Bree a fist bump, Rosalie a one-armed hug, and then started towards Heidi. He had to pass me first. Holding my breath, I waited to see what I'd get. His fingers dragged along mine, tugging lightly as he leaned down to speak to me. "Please call."

x – x – x

I had been tempted to call him so many times, beginning that same night. An hour after he left I wondered if he'd be home yet. Would he still be with Heidi? Were they really just friends? Friends who sometimes sleep with each other perhaps? Had I caused him grief because of my awkwardness? If I had, was I pleased about that? Yes, and no.

Why did he disappear that way, without a word? Part of me did want him to know what that was like… but ultimately, I hated the thought of him suffering in any way.

He called me the following night, putting me out of my misery with my routine of dialing six numbers only to abruptly hang up.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere this time."

I took his address, just in case.

"Big plans for Christmas?" he asked casually.

"Uh... Me, Dad, the Blacks, the Clearwaters... I think that's it."

"That's enough, huh? All the work won't be left to you, will it?"

"Nah. Sue and Leah will help. It's tradition. And Jake does whatever I tell him to. Where are you now?"

"Bella, I don't recall you being forgetful," he said, mocking me. "I just gave you my address. Do you want it again?"

Snickering, I stretched out on my bed. I was in love with the idea of hearing his voice and his musical laughter just before falling asleep. I also liked that it didn't feel as though years had passed since I'd heard it. "Okay then, when are you coming to Forks?"

He was silent for a moment. When he spoke, the humour was gone from his voice. "I won't be in Forks."

"What? Why aren't you coming home? Are you working?"

"I am, yeah..."

"Even on Christmas Day?"

"Yeah..."

"You're alone on Christmas?"

"No!" He laughed again. I sighed in relief. "I've got my roommate's cat!"

"Edward..."

He laughed again. "It's all right. Puss is good company."

"Your roommate named their cat 'Puss'?" I laughed. "For real?"

"He's actually called 'Pussy Puss-Puss'. I swear to God. Everyone says it's the only pussy Yorkie's getting near so..."

"Oh boy!" I had full-on giggles. As I laid there thinking how ridiculous it was for me to be reacting like a teenager on a call with her crush, it hit me that I hadn't stopped smiling since the phone rang. "I've missed you." I regretted that instantly. Too soon. Or too late?

"Me too," he replied softly. "It sounds like you'll have busy days ahead. I should let you get some sleep. Why don't you call after Christmas, and we can figure out a time to get together. Good?"

x – x – x

Edward had one day off work during the break. He suggested we meet in Port Angeles—a lunch date. I couldn't believe how nervous I was over meeting up with him again. I suppose the anxiety stemmed from the fact that I didn't know if I was looking for closure, or a new beginning. I issued warnings to myself the entire drive to not lose it if he didn't show up. Yeah, I still feared that he would disappear on me.

A smile erupted when I rounded the corner of our agreed meeting place, and saw he was already there. I saw him—tall, and lean, and gorgeous—leaning against a car as I drove past him to find a spot to park. As I eased into a spot down the block, he trotted up wearing a smile of his own.

"Thanks for coming," he said softly as he held my car door open. "It's really great to see you."

"How was your drive?" I asked, not wanting to blurt out another profession of longing for him.

"Long!" he chuckled. "There was an issue when the ferry docked. They wouldn't let us off right away, and I was panicking. I took the earlier one to make sure I was here on time, but still…" He stopped talking as he gazed at me. "You look great. Really, really great. I'm not used to seeing you without a ponytail and camp shirt!"

I tried to take all of him in without obviously staring. He was dressed all in black—a wool coat, and jeans. His cheeks were ruddy from the cold, wet air and I wondered how long he'd been waiting for me. Moisture had dampened his hair as well, and it laid flat in some spots, but stuck out wildly in others. He looked youthful, but mature and confident. I had a hard time wondering how I'd ever seen him as a 'boy'. Edward was all man.

He held my arm as we negotiated the slick sidewalk on the way to the restaurant. Inside, he took my coat before removing his own. He wore a black button-down shirt with a charcoal, fitted jacket; far cry from the camp uniform.

It was so easy being with Edward. The conversation flowed, the laughter was almost constant. It felt like we had always been friends, and never spent time apart. We didn't touch on the disappearance until after our meal was over. Even then, it was stumbled upon. I couldn't find a way to just come out as ask, 'where the hell were you?', as much as I wanted to.

"Was Christmas horrible for you? Not coming home at all?"

He offered a wry grin before turning his eyes downward. "Just another day, really. Bella, I haven't been back to Forks since two summers ago. It would have caused quite a stir for me to just show up again. I'm certain it would have ruined their Christmas."

I frowned. "Edward, you're their son—"

"Yes, well, we've put an end to that misfortune."

The news, and the way it was phrased startled me—and tugged at my heart. Reaching across the small table, I rested my hand on his fingers. His eyes went to our hands, and then to mine.

"It's not a bad thing," he said in a soft voice. "I can't say it's been easy, but it's my own life. I feel like I've accomplished something, you know? You find out a lot about yourself when there's no one to fall back on. It's good."

"What happened?" My question was presented gently, but it still probed into an area I wasn't sure if I was welcome in. It was strange that the Cullens had never mentioned it to my dad. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

His hand moved from under mine so that he could link fingers. "You're granting me the lunch I owe you. I think I owe an explanation even more."

Well...I wouldn't disagree... I smiled back at him, and he took that as my agreement.

"I just couldn't live under them that way anymore. Their demands grew to encompass areas they had no business in. I walked away with nothing. Well...my father drove me back to Seattle. He didn't make me walk," he smirked. "You saw that I ditched the stupid Volvo?"

I made sure I smiled, even though the tough part was coming. I didn't want to sound accusatory. "I would have come and got you...if you had answered my calls."

"You called?" His surprise seemed genuine.

"Several times. Did you lose phone privileges?" Jesus, I sounded like a bitch.

His smirk was accompanied with pink cheeks. "I told you that I left with nothing. The phone wasn't mine to take."

I wondered if my shock registered as much as his had. "You left right away? Edward, did what happened at camp cause trouble for you?" Just what I had been afraid would happen.

"Everything about that summer played a role, Bella. I guess I grew up. Don't blame yourself, if that's what you're doing."

How could I not? The image of the man sitting across from me faded, and my memory produced a slightly younger, more boyish impression of him. Clearing my thoughts, I looked again... I could now see that he was as he always had been. He was just Edward—a sweet, funny guy with some troubles that he hid really well.

"If you really want all the details, I'll tell you sometime. Not here. Let's just say, my father plays dirty."

Suddenly, the large check I'd received made sense. It wasn't a contribution to camp, but a pay-off. "Did he tell you to stay away from me?"

"He asked," Edward admitted. His eyes flickered away from mine. "Ultimately, it was my own doing. I'm sorry if I caused you to worry."

"So you were part of the pay-off? You know, it would have saved me a lot of worry if you'd just told me that. I'm not so fragile that I wouldn't understand that they wouldn't want us to be involved. I thought it was you who didn't want—"

"Bella, hold up…" He pulled his hand away, locking his own fingers together under his chin. "What pay-off are you referring to? Sorry, I don't know what you mean."

"The check that Eclipse received? The one meant to compensate me? I guess it was buying me out of your life, not just you out of my business."

His lips pursed, and he frowned heavily. "Bastard!" he hissed. "When was this?"

"I received it in the mail, the week after you left. He didn't tell you he was doing that?"

"Of course not! The whole purpose of me walking away was to keep him out of your life entirely. You have no idea how pissed off I am that he went ahead and involved you anyway! Did you reply? Has he been in contact with you since then?"

I shook my head. "I didn't even deposit the check right away. I… I was waiting to talk to you. When I didn't hear back from you, I just figured you wanted to forget all about… everything. I deposited it at the end of the season. It's still there. I can't seem to bring myself to use it." I felt like a heel. This was obviously news to him, and it was causing him distress. His face was buried in his hands. "Edward, I shouldn't have assumed you knew. I'm sorry for that—"

"Can we go?" he asked abruptly. "We're done here, right? I hate public scenes, and I'm really fucking angry right now."

I was out of my seat before he even finished speaking. "Let's go."

He threw down some cash on the table before grabbing his coat. Outside, he stormed away on his own, taking several angry paces ahead of me before stopping. He gripped the back of his neck, and spun around to return to me. It only took his long legs a few strides until he was in front of me.

"I want you to know one thing—I would never agree to have you removed from my life. I wouldn't have condoned my father sending you payment for anything, the least of which to keep you away from me. If you were owed money in any way from my actions, it would have been up to me to see to that! Use the money, Bella. If you think you're being a better person by not using it, you're wrong. You simply are a better person. The man has no morals! He thinks it worked! He used you as a learning tool for me in order to demonstrate how anyone can be bought. Well, let him think it worked. I don't fucking care at this point."

Before I could respond, Edward fumed away once more, repeating his last heated jaunt down the sidewalk and back.

"No. That's a lie. I do care about this particular fuckery. I care a lot." He took a few deep breaths, stuffing his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. "This is not how I wanted today to go. At all. Even years later his actions still have an effect, and I'd really thought that I'd moved past all of that. I'm sorry. For everything—"

"Edward, it was your father who did that. Not you."

"I'm just sorry you were involved in it at all. Seriously, use his money. And mostly, I'm sorry for reacting this way. I hope it didn't spoil our day."

"Our day?" I smiled brightly. "You want more than lunch?"

And just like that, his beautiful smile returned. "Yeah, more than lunch. Shall we go exploring? See if we can't find something to do for a few hours?"

A/N ~ Okay, I'm a horrible self-promoter, but I'm waving excitedly here. Someone nominated this story for the Avant Garde Summer Awards! *smooches* to the lovely reader who did that! So awesome! Days Like This was also nominated and I'm super thrilled to even be thought of. Please check out the contest at www(dot)avantgardeawards(dot)com and check out all the goodies! Some wonderfully under-reviewed fics there. Voting begins May 22. Thanks to all for reading. XX ~ SR