Disclaimer: Had I owned it, I woudln't have stood in line for the DVD.

I think this is a first: Bella/Edward split POV in this chapter! Sorry. This one's long, dragged out, blah, blah blah...and mostly editted...which is what took so long.

I'm sick, so I'm taking a day off, unfortunately, I have a lot to catch up on tomorrow...but Spring Break will be here in four days! YAY! Ha ha. Or not.

Anyhow, the song is 'Bang Bang' by Nancy Sinatra. Anyone who recognizes it has probably seen 'Kill Bill'!

I hope you enjoy this chapter somewhat.

Chapter Nineteen

One Week Later:

EPOV

"And you're positive that this is the right one?" I ask Alice once she decides she is speaking to me again. After she was forced to spend three days with a rather irate Bella, she decided that it was somehow my fault.

Alice sighs, exaggerated. "Yes, Edward. I promise you, that was the ring she was ogling over in Tiffany's. What a stroke of luck, too. They don't carry anything but diamonds!" She laughs. "Listen, can you give me some sort of warning before you do propose to her, though? I don't want to be out of the loop, ok?"

I have to smile. Alice being out of the loop is not even a possibility. "Of course, Alice. I will let you know…do you have any plans as to how I should propose to her?"

Alice pauses to consider this. "Are you asking for my serious opinion?"

"Yes, Alice," I almost laugh at this question. "I would expect nothing less from you, of all people…"

She jumps in before I can say anything else. "This is Bella. You could ask her when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and she'll say 'yes'."

I have to laugh. "Well, if the past two times are to be any indication, she did reject my proposal twice."

Alice seems amused as she says 'the first time you were drunk and the second time you didn't have a ring!" She pauses, as if she must consider something. "That and I wasn't there to do any extra coercing Bella into accepting…or thinking about it." There has to be a grin on Alice's pixie face. "After all, I am quite the matchmaker."

I shake my head. "Which is why you convinced Bella to hate me."

Alice sounds offended when she jumps in next. "I had a bad feeling. I don't know why, really, but…" Alice sighs. I hear a door open in the background. "So, anyways, Angela, that's the plan. The engagement party is going to be tentatively scheduled from seven to…well, really whenever in about a month. I would have it sooner, but I want Carlisle and Esme to be here and Esme said she's horribly behind with her restoration projects and Carlisle…well, the poor guy can't get a break!" Alice laughs. I make a mental note to call Carlisle and Esme and check in with them, feeling horribly guilty that I haven't spoken with them in months. "You know, if you were to get her present by then, she could wear it to the party. Mom and Dad would love to see it, I just know it!"

This is a less than subtle hint for me to propose to Bella in the next month or Alice will send out her connections with the New York City mob. "Ok, Alice. I will try to have all of your assignments done by the allotted time frame," I murmur. "Give my love to Bella."

"Do it yourself! And we're still on for tonight at the bar?"

I know Bella is listening, but I don't know if she can hear me. "Yes, Alice. Bella's birthday party is still going to be at the bar. We're only a week late in celebrating and she has voiced her opinions on parties very clearly. I just hope she actually attempts to show up."

Alice mutters into the phone. "Oh, she'll be there." I hear a 'crash' in the background. Alice gasps. "Your roses just met with a wall. Sorry! I got to go!"

The line clicks dead before I have time to respond. Bella wasn't in a good mood. Perhaps I should have called the entire party off. I had thought about it, rolled it over and over in my head. But, after sitting in my study for the past week, rolling the ring box in my hands, I knew what I wanted to do.

I knew what I had to do.

Perhaps Bella would respond more positively once she saw the ring.

I have to laugh at myself for thinking such a thing. Of course she wouldn't. This was Bella. She was completely grounded. It would not help my chances at all.

I go over the guest list in my head. I have an hour to get ready and I had, honestly, planned on wearing what I wore to work. I did not mind if I was the only person wearing a black button up shirt and jeans among the girl's sequined mini-dresses.

I was going to see my Bella; that was all that mattered.

I shove my cell phone in my pocket and walk up the stairs to my bedroom.

Soon, this would be not just my bedroom, but Bella's, too. This would be where I would hold her, where I would make love to her. This would be where I lived with my Bella.

If she chose never to go back to New York, she wouldn't have to. If she chose never to work again, she wouldn't have to. I would give Bella anything she asked of me.

I would give Bella things she did not ask of me.

I run my hands through my hair, trying to make myself look presentable. It still looks messy.

I hear the doorbell ring and I know I don't need to answer it as I hear Rosalie bellow, "Hurry up and get your ass down these stairs! You look perfectly fine!"

I roll my eyes and walk as slowly as possible to meet her.

Rosalie, predictably, is wearing her bright red mini-dress, nylon covering her tan legs show their seams going down the back. She sports stiletto ankle boots that I see no point in wearing as she is already almost as tall as I am. She does not look pleased to see me at the moment. "What took you so long? D'you take a nap?" She rolls her eyes. She stalks off toward the car and slides into the driver's seat of her red M3. "Will you be joining me?" She looks at me through slitted eyes. I make a mental note to talk to Emmett.

"Actually," I begin, choosing my words carefully, "I think I'll just take my car; it seems to be a tight fit as it is." I hope she believes this as her car only has 2 seats.

"Suit yourself," she mutters, eyes still slits as she guns the car. As she is the car expert in our family, I would assume that she knew what that did to her transmission. I climb in my car and begin to drive off in the direction Rosalie went.

I was driving to Bella and tonight, I would ask her marry me.

BPOV

I sit at the bar fuming. I don't down the whiskey shots they sit in front of me, granted. I'm extremely put off by the smell of the alcohol tonight.

I have not seen Edward yet.

Alice told me that I needed to look for him. He needed to talk to me about something, she said. He has to give me my present.

Rosalie comes to sit beside me, slamming down a golf beaded purse. "Two rounds of whiskey shot. Unless you have straight alcohol." She digs through her purse for some cash and gives it to the bar tender.

"Can I ask?" I watch as they set down her whiskey shots. "You can have my round if you'd like."

Rosalie throws back two shots and her chaser before she talks to me. "Life. That's what's wrong."

"Emmett?" I raise an eyebrow.

"No...maybe...I don't know!" She shook her head and threw back another shot. "I just...I feel like I am buried! We've got two and a half months left of filming. We're almost done, really, but I...I really don't know."

I reach out and take her hand. "It's ok. I understand."

Rosalie jerks her hand away. "Sorry...I can't look vulnerable in public."

I shrug. "Have you seen Edward?" I look around us. Everyone from the cast and crew are here for the free party.

Rose grunts. "Yeah. He's just walked in the door." She looks at her purse again. "Your present's in my bag...I'm just too lazy to get it out." She threw back a shot. "It's credit to the Dior boutique. I can't stand to see you in those clothes anymore."

I don't know how to feel about that. "Thanks...I think." I get up and gather my purse. "I think I'm going to go see Edward. I need to talk to him."

Rosalie shrugs, which is enough to tell me that she doesn't care. I decide to make my way toward Edward, who has just had his attention taken by Victoria. I roll my eyes and keep walking. I think about calling out to him, but I decide to surprise him.

"Good evening, Bella," I hear from next to me. I turn to see James.

"Hi," I say, fully intending to walk away from him. There was something about him that I didn't like.

I feel his fingers wrapped around my upper arm. "Now what kind of way is that to treat your birthday guests?"

I decide I might as well humor him. "Edward wanted to talk to me. I'm sorry. I'm just very anxious to know what he needs to tell me." I try to force away the feeling to anxiety that I feel. I turn toward Edward. He is looking in my direction. His eyes meet with mine. I don't care what Edward thinks. I brush James' hand off my arm. Edward continues to speak with Victoria.

I'm not sure what James has his sights on. I'm not sure what James really wants from me. "Ah. And you are eager for the inevitable, hmm?"

I roll my eyes. "What, exactly, is the inevitable?" I cross my arms, my purse dangling from my wrist. I glance back to Edward and Victoria. I muse over whether I should go and push her to the ground as she gets a little too close to Edward. I sigh. I trust Edward, though, and she's probably drunk.

I'm proud that I haven't had a single drink.

Why didn't I want alcohol?

James shakes his head. "Poor, innocent Bella. You don't even know the rules of this game, do you?" He reaches out for the piece of my hair that has fallen down to my shoulder. I jerk away. I curse Alice dressing me in this gold dress.

"What are you talking about?" I shake my head to throw the hair away from my shoulders.

James wraps his arm around my shoulder. I cringe, my face twisting into a disgusted expression. He turns me to look back at Edward and Victoria. "Watch, Bella. You see, you've been…taken for a ride, as they say." I raise an eyebrow. "Watch closely."

I do. I see nothing. "This is ridiculous," I mutter. I turn back to watch Victoria and Edward. It's like a cue, Victoria presses a kiss to Edward's lips. I shudder and I turn away. I don't cry. I don't want to. Victoria was drunk. Whatever happens next…that's not a concern of mine. Maybe he really is the playboy that I thought he was.

It doesn't matter to me.

HE is no concern of mine.

He means nothing.

As I walk away, I know I'm lying to myself. But that doesn't matter. I will keep lying to myself then. I'm very good at pretending, even if I am a bad liar.

I hear someone call my name, but I don't bother to turn back. I almost sprint outside.

EPOV

I see Bella running. I throw Victoria away from me and run after her. "Bella!" I call to her again and again. She keeps running.

Rosalie comes up to me. "Hey, hey, hey…what's going on?" Rosalie looks concerned.

"Victoria! That's what's going on!" Rosalie stops me.

"Don't blather. I don't know if I really want to hear it. Just tell me if Bella is going to quit on me tomorrow morning."

I groan with Rosalie's conceitedness. "I don't know, Rosalie! I need to find Bella! I have to explain!"

"Oh," Rosalie takes a sip of something in her hand that looks a little harder than she usually has. She forgoes the sip and takes a gulp. "Good then." She walks away. "I'll let Alice know where you're going," she calls as she struts off to Alice and Emmett.

I push people out of my way as I run outside.

I see Bella immediately. She's leaning against the wall of the bar, one leg folded so that her heel meets the wall. "Go away," she says, not even bother to look at me. I watch her take a deep breath, over and over. The rhythmic movement of her chest makes me want to pull her to me and hold her.

"Bella…"

"No," Bella says, "I don't even want to hear it."

"Bella, please, let me explain," I try to reason with her. This is the only way I know to make her try and see. I want to explain, I want to tell her what happened. I can't do that if Bella will not allow me to.

"I don't want to be a part of this anymore," Bella says. She looks composed, resigned, as if she has accepted her fate and she is willing to live with it as it comes. She turns toward me, a sad smile on her face. "I can't do this, Edward. I'm…I'm fine, really…I just want to be left alone…" Bella takes a deep breath.

I take a step toward her. "Bella, I really don't understand what you're saying!"

Bella shakes her head. "Neither did I…" She bites her lip. "I…I don't want to see you again…I'm fine with work. I won't quit; you can tell Rosalie that. Assure everyone you want of that," she pauses. "I don't want any part of this anymore." She turns toward the parking lot. "I'm…I feel much better now. I'll see you at work."

I watch her walk off. I can do nothing about it. I can't go toward her. I can't comfort her. I curse Victoria. I have half a mind to go back in the bar and hit her. If I weren't half the man I am, I might just do that.

No, I know who to blame. I turn back in the bar and go to seek out James. I find him standing with Victoria, his arm around her. I call out to him. As he turns, I hit him. Rosalie is up from the bar in an instant, even though she is more than a little tipsy.

"You planned this!" I yell at him.

"Harmless fun, Eddie. It's honestly not that…" I hit him again.

"Edward!" Rosalie yells at me.

I feel Emmett's arm locked around mine. Alice looks at me with her mouth hanging open. Jasper has her pushed out of the way like I might attack her. "Let me go, Emmett."

Emmett's voice is serious. "First of all, you owe all of us an explanation. Second of all, how do I know you won't just hit him again?"

"Trust me," I glare. "He deserves it."

Rosalie tries to smooth things over with the people around us. She takes Alice and Jasper and tells Emmett to drag me to a car. "We're going to back to his place…and he's going to be telling all of use exactly why he had a reason to cause this mess."

I had a reason. There was a woman who was at home, turning over in her mind that I was her enemy. There was a woman who I had been going to propose to, a woman I wanted to be my wife, who had been hurt because I hadn't pushed away Victoria in time.

I had to find a way to get my Bella back. I take the ring box from my pocket. This was Bella's ring and I would make sure that someday she wore this as my fiancée.

I had to find a way.

And now...what happens next? How will Edward and Bella get back together and why?

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