A/N: Thank you to StormDragonfly for her patience and input. Thanks also to everyone who have continued to follow the story, favorited, and left reviews. Any typos or grammatical errors in the chapter are solely mine.

No copyright infringement was intended.

Chapter 14

I was a wreck that Thursday morning. All the composure that I had forced myself to fake before I arrived at work went out the window. I spilled coffee a couple of times and set the oven timer incorrectly, causing the pecan tarts to burn to a crisp. I felt even worse when Ellen called me out for constantly yanking my phone out to check the time.

"Bella, if you look at that thing one more time, I swear I'll have to confiscate it!"

Startled, I looked up. I wouldn't blame her if she followed through on her threat, given how much my mobile distracted me on top of my general inattention all morning. To my relief, she was smiling. "I'm sorry, Ellen. I'm expecting a visitor after my shift."

"Is he cute?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," she grinned slyly. "Did you think I wouldn't notice the new hair?" My hand automatically flew to my hair. "Don't worry, honey, I think it suits you."

I never thought about Evan's possible reaction to my slightly changed appearance. When Alice asked me if she could experiment on my hairstyle the other day, it didn't occur to me what her motives behind it were. I groaned under my breath. I became one of those typical women who did the post-breakup makeover – except that mine was weeks delayed, not that Evan would know the difference. Thank goodness Alice didn't get her paws on my clothes because I would no doubt end up looking like a harlot in front of my ex.

"Um… it's not a big deal. My friend Alice just wanted to try something out." Who knew that a few inches off the length and a straightening treatment was going to be that noticeable? I didn't, but Carlisle certainly did. I remembered walking in the living room after Alice had done her work. Carlisle was engaged in conversation with Jasper. He stopped talking mid-sentence and gaped when he caught sight of me. I couldn't say exactly for how long, but he recovered quickly enough and continued his chat. However, throughout the evening, he stole a few surreptitious glances in my direction much to my secret pleasure.

Ellen gave me the "uh-huh, sure" look just as the little bell attached to the entrance jingled. "Is that him right there?" she whispered excitedly while she nudged me with her elbow. For a woman in her late forties, she was as giddy as a teenybopper who just saw her crush walk in the room.

Careful not to knock anything off the counter, I turned around and watched Evan take a seat at one of the tables. He gave me a shy wave, his lips curving upward just enough for his dimple to show. I felt my heart skip a beat at the sight of him. Even though it had been a while since I'd seen him, the effect his good looks had on me was still there. "Uh… yeah that's him."

"Well, what are you standing here for? Go join him!"

"Wait! I have another twenty minutes till my shift's done."

"Don't worry about it," Ellen said as she poured two cups of coffee and loaded a plate with beignets. "Here, take these with you… and take off that damned apron!"

I did what I was told and gave her an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Ellen. I'll make it up to you soon." She rolled her eyes and dismissed me with a wave.

When the goods were loaded on a tray, I slowly made my way toward Evan's table. He stood up and pulled a chair out for me after I set the tray down. For a while, it seemed like we weren't going to do anything else but stare at each other. Someone snickered close by, knocking both of us out of our stupor.

"Hi," Evan greeted bashfully.

"Hi."

"You changed your hair. It looks good on you."

I self-consciously tucked a lock behind my ear. "Thanks. You look good, too," I said, despite the fact that he was a little thinner and paler than the last time I saw him. Perhaps the extra workload was costing him his sleep, judging by the slight shadows under his eyes.

"So, you are, uh… doing okay here in Seattle? I was worried considering how abruptly things changed back in August."

"Yeah, I'm doing fairly well. I have a place to stay, got Gigi back, and I have a job," I said, gesturing around me. "Well… sort of," I added quietly so Ellen wouldn't hear.

"That sounds good," he said, visibly relaxing. "I'm surprised you didn't apply at the library. If I'm not mistaken, you'd rather scrape gum off the library shelves than wait tables," he snickered and I followed suit. He knew me so well.

"Actually I did apply for a couple of positions at the circulations department, but I didn't hear back from them," I said after we settled down and took sips of coffee.

"Didn't you say one of your professors knew someone in the public library board? Dr. Cole was it?"

"Oh, yeah! I completely forgot about him."

"He was really fond of you, Bella. I'm sure he could put in a good word."

"Maybe… I should send him an email sometime. Even if I don't end up asking for a reference, I'm still interested to know how he's doing," I said as I broke off a piece of beignet. "Thanks for reminding me."

"Anytime."

"So, how about you? How are you really doing?"

Evan took a swig from his cup before he answered. "I'm okay, I guess. Could be better though." He pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned forward on the table. "Listen, I didn't plan to get into this today, but I don't want to lie to you." He exhaled heavily. "Things haven't been the same since you left. I try to stay at the office much as possible just so I don't have to be at the apartment unless necessary."

"I'm really sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. It was my fault. I messed up."

"It shouldn't mean that you have to punish yourself by neglecting your health."

"I know… I look like shit," he scoffed.

"You don't look that bad…"

He laughed outright, surprising me. "You said earlier that I looked good. So, I've been downgraded to 'not that bad' now?"

"Well, if you keep spending all your time at the office, it could get much worse… like a nerd or a dork," I threatened playfully as I recalled how people in the computing industry detested being stereotyped as either unattractive or socially inept.

It was a relief that we dodged an uncomfortable turn in the conversation. It wasn't the appropriate place especially since the café was starting to fill up with the lunchtime crowd. Instead of enduring more of Ellen's curious stares, we decided to move our get-together a few blocks away to where a taco vendor had set up his truck. We spent lunch chatting about our mutual friends, including Mrs. Li and Elsie, and reminiscing on our UW days. We keep things light and easy, but soon our conversation slowed down and we both knew what was coming up next.

"I think I should head home," I said.

Evan's face fell, though he tried to hide it by looking away. "Right… but hey, I have your things in my car. I could drive over to where you parked and I'll move them into yours," he offered.

"Sure. I'm parked just around the corner of the café."

He jogged off toward his car while I walked the short distance to my Jeep. It didn't take him long to find me and transfer everything to my vehicle. There wasn't much that I had left behind in Vancouver – books, Angela's postcard, a few pictures in their frames, and clothes that were probably in the laundry the day I left.

"Thanks for bringing my stuff down, Ev. I really appreciate it."

"It's no big deal… I'm just glad that you agreed to see me." He was looking at the ground, refusing to meet my eyes.

Against my better judgment, I reached out and brushed my fingers along his cheek. It was the first time we touched in weeks. "Are you going to be okay?"

He nodded hesitantly at first, but then he looked up and finally met my gaze. His eyes were red, betraying the sadness that he had been able to keep at bay throughout the entire visit. "I can't lie to you, Bella… I wish this didn't have to end."

I would be seriously mistaken if I had thought that the look on his face the day I left him was the worst I ever saw on him. Last time, his torment was tinged with worry because I had spent the night somewhere else. That worry was now absent and in its place was the kind of pain that had taken root from weeks of emptiness and regret over a lost future. I knew that pain – I felt it too at first – but mine hadn't had the chance to go as deep as it did for him. While I had Angela, Charlie and Carlisle for support, he only had his work… at least as far as I knew. My heart ached for him nonetheless. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around him in sympathy.

"It's okay, Ev. We both have a lot of regrets, but we can't dwell on them forever… We have to move on."

"I'm truly sorry for what I did to us, Bella… I would do anything to earn your forgiveness."

I shook my head against his chest. "You don't have to do anything. You're already forgiven."

He pulled back a little bit, his face showing a glimmer of hope. "Do you think we could…?"

I released my hold on him and stepped back to put some distance between us. I hated what I had to do, but there wasn't much else I could say that would make it hurt any less. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"So, this is goodbye then," he said just above a whisper.

"As a couple, yes... but I hope one day we can be friends."

He gave a sharp nod and in a flash, he engulfed me in a desperately tight embrace. "I'd like that – one day – but right now I can't say how soon that will be," he said as he pressed his cheek against the top of my head. "Take care of yourself, Bella. I will never forget you."

As sudden as his arms had locked around me, he let go and climbed into his car. He drove off without looking back. Although it was a fairly warm afternoon, I started to shiver like it was the middle of winter. I was amazed that I had managed to stay calm and collected while Evan appeared to be on the verge of falling apart. But as I drove home, my emotional dam broke and hot tears spilled relentlessly down my cheeks. As soon as I reached home and shut the engine, I stormed through the front door.

"Carlisle!" I called out.

"He's not here," Edward answered from the living room. He approached me, his expression alarmed at the sight of my tear-stained face. "What's going on, Bella? What happened?"

I ignored him as I irrationally continued to search the house for the person whose comfort I wanted the most.

"Wait, wait, wait. Bella, tell me what happened," Edward pleaded as he took a firm hold of my shoulders to steady me. "Everyone's out for the afternoon. Please, tell me what made you so upset."

Instead of answering him, a fresh torrent of tears escaped me. Edward pulled me close and I sobbed against his stone-like chest. He let me cry on him for a long time until I was out of tears. He lifted me effortlessly into his arms and carried me up the stairs. After he laid me gently on my bed, he wrapped his arms around me in a consoling embrace.

"Shh… shh… It's going to be alright," he murmured against the top of my head as his hand rubbed up and down my arm. "Rest now, Bella."

His soothing voice was lulling me to sleep and I didn't bother putting up a fight to stay awake. I was exhausted after the day's emotional roller coaster. Just before sleep took over, I managed to whisper a "thank you" to Edward. I vaguely heard a soft sigh coming from him before everything faded to black.

I woke up enveloped in the scent of honey and lilac warmed by the sun. It was familiar and a tad too sweet for my liking. I cracked an eye open, noticing the dimness of the room. As I stretched my arms over my head, I realized that I was not alone on the bed.

"How was your sleep?"

"Edward!" I gasped, shooting up in a sitting position.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said as he too sat up, though more slowly than I did. "I hope you don't mind that I stayed here with you. You seemed so distraught and I didn't want to risk waking you."

"Oh," I said. "Thanks, I guess. Did I sleep for very long?"

"It's just about twilight, so a few hours."

That explained why it was dark and why I was hungry. "I should get up," I said and crawled out from under the blankets that I suspected Edward had tucked me into while I slept. "I'm just going to freshen up."

"Alright, I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes."

After I splashed some water on my face, I surveyed my appearance in the mirror. My eyes were a little on the puffy side from all the crying earlier and my clothes were a rumpled mess, so I quickly tied my hair into a tidy ponytail and changed into something more comfortable to wear. By the time I went in the kitchen, Edward was putting the finishing touches to a delicious-looking sandwich. He looked up and beckoned me to the table.

"I heard your stomach growling, so I fixed you a turkey sandwich," he said with a grin. "You want a glass of milk with that or soda?"

"Uh… soda. I need the sugar."

"Coming right up."

"Hey, Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Where did everyone go?"

"Alice wanted to retrieve some things from the house in Forks and both Jasper and Carlisle went with her. I suspect that they'll be back soon," he said while he emptied a can of soda into a glass.

"Oh, okay." Carlisle didn't mention anything about it to me earlier, so perhaps it was a last-minute decision while I was at work. Still… he could have sent a text message or left a voice message, I thought between bites.

Edward's voice pulled me out of my musings. "You're scowling," he said from across the table. "Either the sandwich isn't up to par or you're thinking really hard about something."

I swallowed my last bite hastily. "No, the sandwich is great."

"I'm glad to hear that. So, what's on your mind?"

"Um…" I hesitated. Did I really want to share what happened this afternoon with Edward? He had proven to be a good friend – both patient and supportive – even after we ended our romantic relationship long ago. When I came home almost hysterical, he comforted me, stayed with me, and never once pushed for any details.

"Evan came to visit me today," I said. The smile he had been sporting dissipated and concern heavily marked his features. "It's the first time we've seen each other since…"

"I'm aware of what he did in the summer." His voice was laced with disgust.

"We've been sort of in touch over the past week or so. He wanted to make sure that I was doing okay and asked if he could see me. We talked and everything was pleasant enough until it was time to part ways again. He apologized for what he did – for ruining our relationship – and he asked if there was a chance that we could be together again." I sighed shakily before continuing. "The way he looked when I said no… It was awful. He looked like I tore his heart out and ripped it to shreds."

"Do you regret saying no?"

"No," I replied quickly. "It was the right thing to do. We may have been happy for a time, but it's apparent to me now that our issues with communication would've only caused problems for us down the road. I mean, he could've told me that he wasn't satisfied or happy with what we had, but instead he turned to someone else. As for me, I should've insisted on talking about what we were going to do, but I was… afraid, for lack of a better word."

Edward raised a brow at me. "Afraid of what exactly?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure… disappointment, maybe? We never made the time to look beyond the summer months and the thought had occurred to me that perhaps we weren't as committed as I thought." I shook my head. "It doesn't matter now. It's all in the past."

Edward walked over to me and sat on the edge of the table. He took one of my hands in his and squeezed it affectionately. "It may be a while yet until the doubts and the hurt go away. But I want you to know that that I will be here for you, Bella."

"I know. Thanks," I said as I stood and gave him a chaste peck on the cheek. Before I knew it, his long arms wound their way around my waist and he held me to him until I heard the front door close. Before I could free myself from Edward, the voice I'd longed for since I got home reached my ears.

"I apologize," Carlisle said as Edward and I stood and released our hold on each other. "I didn't mean to barge in."

"It's okay. Edward and I were just talking," I said.

"How was the drive to Forks?" Edward asked.

"It was fine. We got what we came for," Carlisle replied, eyeing how closely Edward stood next to me. "Alice and Jasper will be along shortly."

I recognized that look. It was the same look he had when Edward held me by the waist the night they arrived. Was Carlisle actually jealous? My heart raced a little at the thought. What else could explain his barely concealed annoyance at his son's familiarity with me?

"Bella, are you feeling alright?" inquired Edward, as he placed a marble hand on my cheek. "You're feeling a little warm."

"Yes, I'm fine. I think all that talking made me tired."

"Do you want me to take you upstairs to bed?"

"No, I can manage on my own," I said, noting Carlisle's slight glower. I smiled to myself. "I think I've hogged enough of your time. You're probably longing for some freedom outdoors."

"It is not a problem at all, Bella. I'm happy to stay with you here," he protested.

"I know and I appreciate it but…" I scrambled for an excuse.

"I will be here if she needs anything," Carlisle spoke up. I thought I heard a hint of irritation, but I couldn't know for sure. "I might not be a practicing doctor at the moment, but she will be under the best of care should she feel unwell."

Edward considered it for a couple of minutes before he finally relented. "I suppose I could use the fresh air," he said hesitantly. "But we'll talk again later, okay?"

"Sure," I said.

He leaned into me and kissed my temple. After a curt nod to Carlisle, he exited through the front door, leaving me alone with my roommate for the first time in days. It hadn't really been that long, but it seemed like an eternity to me, especially since I wanted to talk with him – to be closer to him. Unfortunately, the presence of the others made it a little more difficult for Carlisle and I to interact as we usually did. Edward had been particularly attentive to me and Carlisle had been occupied by Alice and Jasper. So, with our guests' temporary absence, I found myself feeling a little nervous and giddy in Carlisle's presence, especially after I noticed the way he reacted to Edward's tendency to hover over me.

"So…" I said, trying to conceal my effort to calm myself. "It seems like forever since it was just the two of us."

"I agree."

"It's kind of nice having some of the family around, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, most definitely."

He didn't move from where he stood and after our rather lame exchange, the room was thick with silent discomfort. Before the chirping of crickets became audible even to my inferior human hearing, I decided to take another stab at a conversation.

"How was the house? Is everything looking well?" I asked while I moved my plate and glass to the sink.

"Aside from the towering weeds, everything looks as it should. Alice wanted to retrieve a few small items that she left behind years ago," he replied.

"I wish I could've come along to surprise Charlie with a short visit, but I had to work today." I shut off the faucet and began to dry the dishes, absently facing him in the process. "I was surprised to find Edward here when I got home. I, uh, kind of wished that you were here instead."

He raised his brows in mild surprise. "You did?"

"Yeah," I said quietly.

Carlisle regarded me for a few moments before he finally joined me by the kitchen counter. "It's probably none of my business, but did something happen while I was away?" he asked. "Your eyes… they look like they've seen their share of tears."

His observation didn't surprise me – nothing ever got past those sharp vampire eyes. Reflexively, I reached up to rub my eyes. "Yes, I suppose they're still a little bit puffy," I admitted before confessing why. "I saw Evan today."

He drew a breath in sharply, his forehead creasing with curiosity and concern. "Oh Bella, I hope everything went alright. I can imagine how difficult it must've been for you to see him again."

"Things were okay, at least until we had to say goodbye. He asked for another chance and I said no…. I hope one day he'll see that it was for the best."

By the end of my very brief recount of the afternoon, Carlisle was frowning and gently pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry that I was away when you needed a friend."

"It's okay, Carlisle. You're here now." Despite the somber topic, I couldn't deny myself the happiness I felt at being in his arms. It felt good to be close to him again. I was just short of nuzzling my face to his chest and I swore he did that thing where he inhaled deeply. It didn't last, however, because the next thing I knew, he patted my back reassuringly – like he would to a buddy – before stepping away.

"I assume that was what you and Edward were discussing earlier?"

I gave a simple nod in response, still a little put out by our hastily shortened moment. Then it struck me: he must have picked up Edward's scent on me. Edward had been lying next to me for hours, after all. I tugged the hem of my shirt down self-consciously while I thought of where Edward's scent could still be lingering even after I had changed my clothes.

My hair. Carlisle must've smelled Edward on my hair.

"Bella?"

My attention snapped back to Carlisle and caught sight of his puzzled expression. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. "Sorry, what did you just say?"

"Oh, I merely commented that you and Edward seem to be getting quite close."

"Um, I guess we are in a way…" I answered. "But more like the way we were before I left for college. You know… as friends."

He didn't seem convinced, but he raised a hand in a placating manner. "I didn't mean to insinuate –"

"No, it's fine –"

"—or pry…"

"You're not."

We stopped talking and exchanged embarrassed looks. I took the opportunity to turn away by putting the dishes I had dried earlier back in the kitchen cabinet.

"Edward still cares about you," Carlisle said in a low voice after a while.

He didn't need to elaborate. I knew full well what he meant, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. It would only complicate things and that was the last thing I wanted.

"I'm sure he does, just as I care for him and the rest of the family." I turned to meet his gaze, silently asking to drop the subject. The topic of Edward had already taken up enough of our time alone together.

He must've picked up on my unvoiced plea because instead of correcting me or pushing the issue, he casually pulled back his sleeve and checked the time on his watch. "The others should be here any time now. I'm surprised it had taken them this long. Perhaps they ran into Edward and joined him."

"Yeah maybe, but I should head upstairs anyway. I hope they won't mind, but I'm really talked out for the day. Some quiet time will do me good."

"I'll make sure that they give you some privacy."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," I said. As I headed for the stairs, something within compelled me to stop and turn back. "Carlisle?"

"Yes, Bella?"

I wanted to tell him then how much I missed having him to myself and how my feelings for him had grown in our time together. However, the sensible side of me knew it wasn't the right time to say those things yet. I had, after all, just officially ended things with Evan and there were Edward's feelings to consider too. Most of all, I still needed a little more reassurance that there was even a possibility for Carlisle and I to be like that. Sure, we may have had the odd close calls, but they were usually succeeded by coolness and distance. So, instead of following through on my impetuous decision to tell him how I feel, I merely said, "I'm glad we've had this time to talk."

A small, but genuine, smile formed on his lips. "Me, too," he said softly. "Sweet dreams, Bella."

I was dangerously close to melting at the sound of his voice, but thankfully I managed to drag myself up the stairs and into my room without incident.