I don't own Twilight.

You all know Adele is my Bella, right? Well, thanks to a very good friend, I was able to hear her new CD about a month before it came out. The first time I heard it, I was literally thinking oh my gosh! This is a Groupie soundtrack! So ever since that night I heard it, I have been planning this chapter. Adele, is my Bella personified. Her looks, her voice… pretty much everything but the fact that Bella isn't British. So here you go, a chapter based off Adele's album 21.

EPOV:

"Bella left this for you." Turning to look at Jasper, I saw him taking a plain CD case away from Tripp's drooling mouth. The baby was settled against his father's chest, held there by some baby backpack looking thing. He immediately started whining when the case was taken away from him. Jasper wiped the slobber off on his jeans, sat the case on Bella's desk, and then gave his son a set of plastic car keys as a way to pacify him. "Sorry, he's teething."

I laughed before looking back at the computer. "What did she leave?"

"Something she recorded this morning, I think."

Bella and Jasper had spent the last six months working on several new songs, all of which were being written for some up and coming artist. Bella was being a perfectionist because each and every song was one she'd written by herself. Jasper had helped compose some of the music and the two of them had spent the last two days recording a demo of the songs to send to the artist, hoping she'd want at least half of them on her next album. They'd been holed into the studio attached to our office, making each and every aspect of their songs as perfect as they could be. Hell, Bella would probably still be in there if it wasn't for the fact that Rosalie had threatened actual violence if she didn't help her get everything ready for Emmett's birthday party.

"I still wish I could have talked her into recording it herself."

I turned back around at Jasper's comment. Before continuing, he tapped his fingers against the plastic casing that covered the CD.

"This is probably the best thing she's ever written and… the fact that it's her singing…" He sighed and then looked at me. "These songs won't be near as good with someone else's voice singing her words."

I hadn't heard, or read, any of the lyrics Bella had written because she'd been keeping all of this very close to the vest. Now, with what Jasper was telling me, I was even more curious about what was on that CD.

He gave me another smile before pushing the CD case further back on the desk. "Doesn't matter though, right? We both know there is no chance of getting her to do an album."

I nodded, sadly. "She won't do it."

No matter what any of us told her, Bella was not interested in becoming anything but the songwriter that she was. Now that she'd found out that we were going to have a baby… it wasn't ever going to happen. Bella was happy with the decisions she'd made, and even if I knew that she could have an outstanding career as a musician, I whole heartedly supported her decision.

"Well," Jasper gently mussed the top of Tripp's head. "We've got to get going. I promised Alice I would get him down for a nap and I'm already an hour off schedule."

They left and I immediately went to get the CD Bella had left for me. There were two cases sitting on top of a folder, I took the one closest to the edge, and carefully slid it into the player. As the music started playing, I sank down onto the leather couch and listened as Bella's voice sang through the speakers.

xXxXxXx

"I heard his voice today; I didn't know a single word he said. Not one resemblance to the man I met, just a vague and broken boy instead, But I won't go. I can't do it on my own. If this ain't love, then what is? I'm willing to take the risk,"- He Won't Go

Hearing her voice, singing about that night, I could close my eyes and remember it like it had happened yesterday. I couldn't recall what had happened, leading up to Jane leaving, but I just remembered how devastating it was to realize that past two years had meant nothing to her. But more than that, I was completely disgusted with the fact that I'd wasted… so much. I'd abandoned my family, my friends, my life…

When Bella had opened that door, I remembered looking up and seeing how absolutely beautiful she was. Despite the fear that made her eyes wide and scared, she looked… perfect. She'd leaned down in front of me, taking the damn gun that I'd thought might be able to fix everything, and carrying it into the bathroom. Then she joined me on the floor and sat in silence until I was ready to tell her what had happened.

It was humiliating, telling her everything that had happened, everything I'd done, but at the same time it was a huge relief to look at her and know that she didn't hate me because of it. The compassion and worry that settled into the deep wrinkle between her eyebrows never left. Bella, who I had pretty much turned my back on, ignored, and been horridly rude to, sat in that shitty ass motel and reassured me that everything would be okay, that I would be okay. The funny thing was that a small part of me believed her.

When I'd fallen asleep at her apartment, holding on to her hand, I had thought that hardest part was over. I never expected her to call Jasper, who in turn told Alice. Alice called my parents, they called Emmett, and when I woke up later that afternoon, all of them were sitting in Bella's living room. Waiting.

It hurt to see how much I had hurt each and every one of them. My father, who had always supported me in every aspect of my life, bought me my first guitar and given me my first lesson, told me how hard it was to see me on such a self-destructive path. He'd wanted so much for me, for my life. He knew that I had the potential to achieve everything I'd ever dreamed of and I'd nearly wasted all of it on what? Nights of drug induced haze? A relationship that turned me into an absolute monster? But those were my questions, not his. All that my father said was that he loved me, he wanted me to be okay. He wanted me to be happy again.

And then there was my mother, who sat between my brother and dad, crying. She didn't say anything but the tears that slid down her face said everything she couldn't. Her eyes bore into mine, silently asking me how I could do this to myself. How could I make the same mistakes? Follow the same path? How could I not learn from what she'd told me? But behind those questions, I also saw her undying and unconditional love. She understood. She knew. No one else in the room knew how easy it was to get lost, to stay lost. Just like no one else knew how hard it was to admit that it was time to change. To admit that you had a problem. An addiction.

Emmett, my big brother, begged me to change. Alice told me I couldn't leave her. Jasper promised to help in whatever way he could. All of their love, their support, slowly put my broken soul back together. But it was the person sitting by herself and not saying anything that made me realize I didn't have a choice. I had to change. Not just for me, and not for my family, but for her.

When everyone else had stopped talking, Bella looked up and me and in a hoarse whisper said the one thing that I needed to hear.

"I believe in you Edward, and I know that you deserve better than this."

xXxXxXx

"I wish I could lie down beside you when the day is done and wake up to your face against the morning sun. But like everything I've ever known you'll disappear one day. So I'll spend my whole life hiding my heart away."- Hiding My Heart Away

I should have known from the look on Bella's face that something had changed. She had changed. Sitting on that crappy lawn chair by the motel pool, staring at me, she'd fallen in love. She'd looked past the mistakes, past the regrets, and had handed over her heart.

Obviously, it is easy to look back and see that she'd gone from loving me as a friend to being in love with me. That night, after our talk beside the swimming pool and after everyone else had gone to bed, I'd watched as Bella tossed and turned on the only bed that she'd shared with Alice. From my spot on the floor I couldn't see her face but the sighs that broke through the sound of the air conditioner had told me that she was frustrated.

I'd been on the verge of asking what was wrong but then Bella had flipped over onto her side, facing me, and our eyes had met. Even in the dark, it had been easy to see the blush that covered her cheeks. I smiled, hoping that it would help, but it didn't. Bella had just looked at me for another second and then turned over onto her other side, leaving her back facing me.

I remember it had bugged me all night. I didn't understand why she'd just turned away without even returning my smile and it had annoyed me to the point that I didn't sleep, at all. The next morning I had gently grabbed Bella's arm while everyone else was heading across the street to eat breakfast. She'd stopped and then taken a deep breath before looking back at me.

I'd asked her if she was all right and after a second of hesitation she'd nodded her head.

"You're sure?" I had asked again, hoping that she was telling me the truth.

Bella had given me a reassuring smile and then another nod before saying, "It's nothing you need to worry about. I'll be fine."

At the time, I had no idea that her comment had meant anything more than the simple fact that she was fine. Looking back, I knew that she'd meant so much more. She'd been telling me that while her heart was in love me; her brain wouldn't let her be okay with it. And on that day Bella had made the decision to put her heart's needs to the side and focus on being the friend that I'd needed. I was too blind and oblivious to realize that what I'd really needed, wanted, was her.

xXxXxXx

"I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before. Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all. You'll never know if you never try to forgive your past and simply be mine. I dare you to let me be your one and only. I promise I'm worth it, to hold in your arms, so come on and give me a chance to prove I am the one who can walk that mile until the end starts." – One and Only

Wilmington Beach, North Carolina. That's where I was the first time I ever thought about kissing Bella. We'd been sitting on a lonely stretch of beach, watching the boats on the water in front of us, and the way their lights flickered across the dark water. It was one of the few nights that Bella and I had actually been alone during that summer we'd toured around the country in my mom's suburban. Normally Jasper, Alice and my brother had surrounded us. But for whatever reason, the two of us had wandered off on our own that night.

It was while we were sitting there that Bella broached the topic of me dating someone, eventually. I'd laughed, knowing damn well that I was nowhere near ready for that, but Bella had just given me a quick glance before continuing on.

"You don't think you'll miss it?" She'd asked me. When I asked her what she meant, Bella had continued. "Miss… everything. The small things, like holding hands and calling each other at night to find out how your day was."

I remembered thinking that sounded a lot like our friendship, but then she went on.

"And even the big things like first dates and falling asleep together." Bella had then turned and looked at me. "First kisses… first… everything."

It was then, in that exact moment, that I remembered wondering what her lips would feel like against mine. I wondered what Bella would do if I held the side of her face while kissing her. But then she had looked back at the water in front of us and shook her head.

"I freaking hate her. You know that, don't you?" She'd asked me. I didn't answer, didn't have to. Bella just continued as if I had. "She's… It's like she tried to ruin you for anyone else and you're just…letting her win!" Bella had taken the rock she'd playing with and chunked it out into the water. "You think that because of what happened, because of what you did, that you're not good enough for anyone. That you'll never be good enough… and it is completely… infuriating!"

I'd watched as she pushed herself off of the sand and started marching back towards the hotel. As quickly as I could, I'd grabbed our shoes and gone after her. Once I'd closed the space between us, I said the only thing that I could.

"You're right, okay?" When Bella stopped and turned around to face me, I tried to explain. "I want to be happy again. I want to make someone else happy. But I can't, not yet."

"Why?" She asked me. "Why can't you?"

Not really knowing what to say, I'd shrugged my shoulders. "I just can't let go."

"Of her?"

I'd shaken my head at Bella's question. "Of my past."

I wished that there was a better way for me to help her see what I'd meant, but at the time I didn't really understand it myself. But, Bella always knew. She always understood.

So she'd stood there and watched as I tried to tell her, to make her see what I was trying to say, and then she covered my mouth with her hand and told me to stop talking. I did. I wasn't ready to give an explanation and Bella wasn't ready to hear one. So we both had agreed to let it go.

On our way back to the hotel, I'd stopped at one of the claw machines on the boardwalk and tried to win a rabbit's foot keychain. Instead, I ended up with a green plastic egg. When I cracked it open and saw the ring inside, I immediately gave it to Bella. She'd taken it and slid it on her finger, smiling like I had just given her one of the greatest gifts known to mankind.

"Someday I'll replace it with a real one," I'd dropped another quarter in the slot and aimed for the key chain again. "You know, when I'm all famous and shit."

I'd kept good on my promise, hadn't I? Here we were, all these years later, and even if Bella still had the plastic ring from that night, she also had one a little more meaningful. It sparkled and shined and looked absolutely perfect sitting on her left hand ring finger. It told the world that she was mine and reminded me that Bella had been right. My past meant nothing compared to the prospect of what our future together held.

xXxXxXx

"I set fire to the rain, watched it pour as I touch your face. Well, it burned while I cried'cause I heard it screaming out your name. I set fire to the rainand I threw us into the flames. When we fell, something died
'cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time" – Set Fire to the Rain

Never, in my entire life, had words hurt as much as they did while listening to Bella sing about that night. Our first time, which was not at all something I was proud of, was… so complicated. Sure. Bella had made the first move by kissing me, but I had been the one to suggest being friends with benefits.

I could have tried to blame my stupidity on the alcohol that had severely damaged our inhibitions, but in all honesty, it wasn't that. It was like the second that Bella had leaned across the bed and her lips touched mine… something changed. We changed. The dynamics of our friendship were forever altered and it scared the shit out of me. But at the point in time I had no idea how to deal with any of it, other than throwing myself head first into the only thing that felt… right. Bella felt right. It felt right to kiss her, to hold her, and for so long nothing had felt that way.

After Jane, I'd never let myself feel anything for anyone. I'd had random one night stands, had tried dating a couple of times, but for the most part… I just couldn't do it. Not only had I been completely busy with my music, but I just couldn't do it. I didn't want a relationship and I thought I didn't need one. It wasn't until Bella kissed me that I realized I did. I wanted all of it, just without the chance of getting hurt again. So I'd made a complete ass of myself and treated our first time like it was just another night with just another girl. But Bella wasn't ever just another girl and as much as I'd tried to ignore the feelings that had started flickering in back of my mind, I couldn't. And that was not something I knew how to deal with or that I wanted to deal with. Ignoring my feelings, ignoring my mind telling me that I shouldn't, couldn't, treat Bella like that, I'd turned into the selfish asshole I was and took advantage of one of the most important people in my life.

I'd focused on what physically felt good and tuned out the emotional complications because I could since it was Bella. And I shouldn't have because… it was Bella. But I knew that she wouldn't ever hurt me like Jane had. She wouldn't let me lose myself, wouldn't let me throw my life away. And that feeling of security made it all too easy to ignore the warnings and get lost in the euphoric feelings that being with her provided.

Hearing her words, her voice, telling that story today, made it all so real again. We'd moved past what had happened, at least I thought we had, until I listened to the song she'd written about it. But the lyrics that she had written didn't paint a picture of love and understanding. It told a story of emotional bankruptcy and hurt. It made regret flood my body. But if anyone knew the importance of having a creative outlet for pent up emotions, it was me. So I couldn't judge her for writing a song about how stupid we were. I couldn't ask her to not sell the rights to it.

So I settled into the couch, closing my eyes as the song came to a quiet finish, loving and hating the fact that my wife had been able to create something like this. She had a real talent, and like Jasper had said, anyone else singing her lyrics wouldn't ever do the song justice. But hearing her sing about so much hurt threw everything into focus and brought it all back to life.

xXxXxXx

"Don't underestimate the things that I will do. There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out of the dark. The scars of your love remind me of us. They keep me thinking that we almost had it all. The scars of your love, they leave me breathless. I can't help feeling we could have had it all."- Rolling in the Deep

I'd never know Bella to be vindictive, ever. But I had literally broken her heart, and that was more than enough to explain how she'd behaved in New York. But, that didn't mean I'd had to like it. Or accept it. In fact, even now, all these years later, it absolutely infuriated me.

The fact that Bella had even stayed in New York should have been a huge warning. Her coping mechanism had always been to run, which is what I'd expected her to do. But when she'd stayed, even gotten a room at the same hotel, I knew that she was purposefully making my life a living hell. And she'd had every right to.

It had killed me to sit at the same table, surrounded by our friends, and watch as she'd thrown herself over any one that paid her the least bit of attention. Of course James hadn't helped by filling my mind with venomous lies, none of which had turned out to be true. How fucking stupid I'd been, believing that Bella had ever felt anything for Embry. Deep down I'd known she loved me, I'd known that she wouldn't have been sharing my bed while having an interest in someone else. But his lies made the fact that I'd have to hurt her even easier.

"You know she'll never leave you, Edward."-"She's just pitty fucking you."-"Look at how she looks at him, Edward."-"Let her go, man. Just let her go."-"You don't need her."- "She'd be better off with someone else, someone that could take care of her."

All of his fucking lies had corrupted my senses. Of course James had wanted me away from Bella. She'd seen right thru him and known that he was only using me. So he'd taken advantage of the fact that I'd told him how I felt about her, expressed my concerns about the fact that she was my best friend, and he'd been all too eager to plant the seeds of doubt so deep into my mind that I couldn't tell what was right or wrong. Not until it was too late.

James had told me that Embry had feelings for Bella, real feelings. He'd told me that if it weren't for the fact that Bella knew I would spiral out of control again, she'd have accepted Embry's feelings. James made me believe that Bella was only with me to protect me, to save me. And I knew that I couldn't let her do that. What did I have to offer her? I couldn't take care of myself, let alone anyone else. So after walking around New York City all night, I'd gone back upstairs to the room I'd been sharing with Bella, and broken her heart because that was the only way that I knew how to save her.

After, I'd thought I'd done the right thing. But seeing Bella pinned up against the wall at that party, basically being molested by some drunken asshole, had gotten my blood boiling. It was seeing Embry however, the man who Bella had supposedly reciprocated Bella's romantic feelings, enjoying the company of another woman that had made me realize how wrong I'd been. James had been wrong. Bella wasn't staying with me only to keep me from getting lost again. She might have had feelings for Embry but he certainly didn't share them. And all I'd known was that I couldn't let her make the mistake of letting someone she didn't even know take advantage of her.

She'd fought every step of the way, pushing and pulling away from me, and I'd been willing to take all of it. But when she'd accused me of using again it had been the one thing that made me walk away. I'd stood there, staring at the woman I'd thought was my best friend, and known that there was never going to be a way for us to fix what had broken between the two of us.

I'd told Bella to leave, and she had. When I'd heard the door shut behind her, I closed my eyes and fallen onto the floor in a crumpled mess. James, as always, was right there to pick me up afterwards. He'd provided the drugs and they made me forget everything.

xXxXxXx

"Maybe you got too used to having me around. Still, how can you walk away from all my tears? It's gonna be an empty road without me right here. But go on and take it, take it all with you. Don't look back at this crumbling fool. Just take it all with my love."- Take it All

At Emmett and Rosalie's Christmas party, I'd once again been left a broken and empty mess. Only that time, I'd had no one to blame but myself. I'd thought I'd pushed Bella to the point that there never would have been a chance at us returning to anything… not even acquaintances. I'd said the five words that will forever be one of the biggest mistakes of my life: I don't need you anymore. And all of it had been a lie.

The truth was that I did. I always had. Bella was the only thing that my life tolerable and I'd let her walk away without knowing the truth. I'd driven her to the point that she had no other way of dealing with what happened but to run as far away as she possibly could.

As the song kept playing, I leaned forward. Resting my elbows on my knees, I buried my hands in my hair and wished that I could go back and change how absolutely horrible I'd been. Not just to Bella, but to everyone. Taking this trip down memory lane had left me wondering why any of them, my parents, Jasper and Alice, Rosalie and Emmett and especially Bella had even stayed. Why did they keep giving me second and third chances? I didn't ever deserve them and certainly never had any right to ask for them.

In the middle of all my questioning, the CD had finished playing and there was nothing but silence that greeted Bella when she walked into the studio and found me. I wearily looked up and shook my head when she asked me what was wrong.

"Liar."

She came to stand in front of me and I gently kissed the small bump that was starting to show underneath her shirt. Bella's hands ran through the top of my hair and I couldn't help but lean into her touch.

"Tell me what's wrong."

Swallowing back the regret that was stuck in my throat, I handed her the empty CD case. When she just gave me a curious head shake, I explained. "Jasper told me you wanted to listen to it."

"I don't understand why you're upset. I thought you would like it."

"I did." I sat back but left my hands on her hips. "What you wrote was… beautiful. It was perfect and I know that whoever buys those songs will never do them justice."

"Wait," Bella carefully pulled away from me. With a hand resting on her lower belly, she walked over to her desk and picked up the other plastic case. "What did you listen to?"

I went to the CD player and pulled out the disc that held all of the songs that they'd recorded. When I handed it to her, Bella just shook her head and gave me a small laugh. "This isn't what I wanted you to listen to. Jasper must have gotten the cases mixed up."

"What?"

Bella handed me the other CD case that had been sitting on her desk. On the front of the disk she'd drawn a small heart. "I recorded this one for you. The other one that Jasper and I worked on… I didn't want you to listen to it without me. I wanted…" She sighed and leaned back against the desk. "I knew you would get upset."

"I'm not upset." We both knew it was a lie the second the words left my mouth and I smiled at Bella's exasperated eye roll. "Okay, I just… it isn't easy remembering how much I hurt you. I know that we say we've moved past it but… Bella you obviously still have thoughts about our past. I know that-"

"Okay stop," Bella interrupted me. "I wrote the majority of those songs when I was still in Austin. Before, way before, you and I were really even talking again."

"Wait, what?"

She handed me leather bound journal from her desk and smiled, but it didn't make sense. I'd read every single one of the notebooks she'd given me and I definitely would have remembered reading those words. "But I read-"

"You haven't read everything, Edward." Bella flipped the notebook to a certain page and then smiled. "I wrote this one… after my birthday. After the concert I didn't go to."

I frowned and looked at the words, the song that was written about our first time together.

"After you sent me that text message, telling me that you hoped that I would eventually really forgive you… It hurt me to know that I'd hurt you that bad by not showing up. And… even if we both made mistakes, I'm the one that kissed you first. I'm the one that threw us headfirst into-"

I silenced her by holding onto the sides of her face and pressing my lips against hers. Bella swayed for a second before holding onto my forearms and smiling.

"It doesn't matter," I whispered against her mouth.

She nodded before pulling my hands away from her face and settling them on her stomach. "You're right. It doesn't matter anymore."

It was stupid of me to get so emotional. Her songs had made me remember feelings from years before but isn't that what music is supposed to do? To take you back to a certain time? A certain feeling? Bella had hit the nail on the head, and I knew that whoever ended up with these songs, they were guaranteed to win some major awards. Instead of selfishly wallowing in my regret, I should have focused on the pride I had for my wife being able to create these songs.

"The songs are perfect, Bella. Really."

She gave me another kiss before leaning back against her desk. "Thank you."

She handed me the case that I was originally supposed to listen to and I asked, "So, if I listened to the wrong CD then what's on this one?"

"You'll just have to find out." Bella slipped out of my arms and smiled while walking back towards the door. "And after you do… come find me."

Giving me a smile that was entirely too sneaky, she laughed and then shut the studio door behind her. I went to the CD player, slipped in the correct disk, and then the slow sound of a guitar being strummed filled the room. When Bella's voice started singing, I didn't even wait until the chorus before I smiled and ran out of the studio to find where she'd run off too. When I saw a trail of her clothes leading me, I pulled my shirt over my head and made my way up the stairs and into our bedroom. The CD playing in the studio was on repeat all night, providing the most beautiful soundtrack for one of the best nights I'd ever had.

"Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am young again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am fun again. However far away, I will always love you. However long I stay, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you."- Love Song