Disclaimer: We still do not own Twilight, but we do wish we had a couple of tickets for a plane ride to Australia. Rob showed up there tonight...with his guitar. UNF! Why's he gotta show up in that white t-shirt, carrying a guitar? Doesn't he know what that does to us? I digress. Let's get on with the story...here's the EPOV we promised you.

Chapter 37 -

(EPOV)

"How much longer?"

I hear the small, sad voice on the other end of the phone ask, and I want nothing more than to reach through and pull her to me. Hearing Bella cry is the worst sound in the world and I would do anything in my power to make the sadness in her voice go away right now. But I can't.

It pisses me off so bad that everything is so out of my control. I have no choice but to be honest with her, but the truth is going to hurt.

"It could be up to a month or more."

After all of the testimonies had been given earlier this week, the Judge decided on a verdict and the punishments to be given.

"Why that long," Bella asks, quietly, trying to not let me hear the break in her voice.

"My attorney said that I should be happy, because a few of the other guys were sentenced to 3-6 months in juvenile detention."

Bella gasps.

"Due to my cooperation and testimony, I've been given a lesser sentence of 200 hours of community service. The bad part is that it's almost Christmas and there will be several days where I won't be able to get in my hours, and I'm limited to 8 hours a day. So, doing the math, I know that I'll have to report in and complete 25 days."

I've already been gone from Chicago for almost 3 weeks, which seems like an eternity. Up to this point, I've remained hopeful that I'd be back in Chicago before Christmas and I've had an agenda. As much as I've missed Bella, I knew I needed to be here. I needed to testify and help make things right. But now that that's all over, all I can think about is getting home to Bella. I know this next month is going to be torture.

"I miss you so much," she whispers into the phone.

"I miss you, too, baby. More than you'll ever know," I tell her.

"What about school? I mean, won't this mess up graduation?"

"My parents talked to one of the counselors at Ridge High and they said that as long as I keep up my school work, I'll be able to finish out the school year when I get back and graduate with everyone else."

"How are you going to do that being all the way in Seattle?"

"My mom and dad hired a tutor. They tried to get me to agree to enroll here, but it just seemed too permanent, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm glad you didn't let them do that."

"I miss your face."

She giggles into the phone for the first time tonight.

"I miss that giggle, too."

The giggle turns into a sigh.

"Don't make sounds like that while we're on the phone," I tell her, adjusting my cock that's trying to break out of the zipper of my jeans.

"Like what," she asks, coyly.

"You know exactly what you do to me."

"I know what I'd like to do to you. I know what I plan to do to you the minute you get back to Chicago."

I groan and roll over on my bed, burying my face in my pillow. Then, I pull out Bella's t-shirt that I stole from her house the last night I was with her. Her scent has faded, but it's still there. I breathe deeply and let the smell of sweetness, like cotton candy, and goodness, with hints of floral wash over me.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"You will come back to Chicago, right?"

"Of course, you know I will. What makes you ask that?"

"It's just that it seems like the universe is against us or something. First, you were going to be gone a couple of weeks, and that turned into three," she pauses, "and now it's going to be another month, maybe. I don't know, it just feels like I'm never going to see you again and you're so far away. Sometimes it feels like you were just a dream, a figment of my overactive imagination...too good to be true. I didn't know that my heart could hurt this much. I've never felt anything like this before."

I roll back over and rub my chest on the left side, right over my heart. I know what she means. I feel it, too.

"Bella, I promised you that I would be back as soon as I could and I won't break that promise. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, more than anyone in the whole world."

"Ok, so no worrying about stuff like that, ok?"

"Ok."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

We lay there listening to each other breathe on the other end of the line. Neither of us wanting to say good night.

"Hey, Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay on the phone until I fall asleep like you did the other night?"

"Sure."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Beautiful. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams, Handsome."

I listen as Bella's breathing evens out. After a few minutes, I hear the cutest little snore I've ever heard in my entire life.

"Bella," I whisper into the phone.

When there is no response, I know that she is asleep. So, I turn my lamp off, hang the phone up and try to go to sleep, so I can see her in my dreams.

~~~~~~~~UP~~~~~~~~

~One Week Later~

"Edward, I really don't see the need in you returning to Chicago," my mother says, as she sips her coffee on the other side of the table. "The trial is over and I'm sure that no one thinks badly of you. Truthfully, no one hardly ever brings it up any more."

"And, if they did think badly of me, Mother? What then?"

"Well, dear, they don't, and that's the most important thing."

"No, Mother," I say, raising my voice a little, which gets a glare from my dad over the edge of his morning paper. Returning to as normal of a level as I can manage, I continue. "It's not the most important thing. I couldn't care less about what your friends at the Junior League have to say about me!"

"That is obvious from the hideous way you've been dressing since you've been home."

"See, that right there, that's why I'm not staying in Seattle. I don't care what people think about me or what I'm wearing! I've found real friends in Chicago; friends who genuinely care about me. Something I'm sure you will never know about," I say, as I get up from my chair and leave the kitchen. I know that was a cheap shot, but I'm just sick of all of this.

These are the types of conversations we have had almost everyday that I've been home. She tries to convince me that I need to lose the leather jacket and go back to school here in Seattle, and I tell her that I like my leather jacket and I'll be going back to Chicago as soon as I'm finished with my community service.

Cleaning up the streets of Seattle is not my ideal way to spend a day, but it sure beats the hell out of what Demetri and Riley are doing these days. I can't even begin to describe how good it feels to know that they got what was coming to them. They are two of the smuggest bastards I've ever known. Their parents buy their way in and out of anything and everything. They both were accepted to Ivy League schools, but they definitely did not have the grades for it. They've had their entire lives handed to them on a silver platter. It's actually sad to think how they've screwed shit up. I might feel bad for them, if this was their first offense, but it's not...it's just the first time they've ever been caught.

So, the fact that they're sitting in juvie right now is pretty sweet justice. Nothing their parents said or did was going to get them out of it.

The best part about all of it is that they have to also pay financial restitution to the school and to Sam's family. I think it's pretty ironic that they always try to use their money to get ahead and now they're forced to pay up and serve the time.

My attorney said that the judge gave me the mandatory sentence, which is why I only have community service. So, I try not to complain, because I know it could be so much worse. I can't imagine being in Juvenile Detention, completely cut-off from the world...from my Bella. The thought makes me clench my chest.

I lay back on my bed and take a few minutes to daydream about her. I picture her long brown hair and I rub my fingers together, remembering how soft it feels. I close my eyes and think about her chocolate eyes and the way she looks up through her long lashes. I think about the way her lips feel when they kiss mine. I reach up and touch my lips, trying to bring back the last time I kissed her standing on her front porch.

As I'm lost in my Bella induced haze, I hear someone knock on my door.

"Come in."

"This came for you in the mail this morning," my mom says, putting a small box down on the edge of my bed.

I have no idea what it could be. I never get mail.

Picking up the box, I immediately zone in on the return address: Swan, Chicago.

My fingers can't work fast enough. I fumble around with the box and finally get the tape ripped off. When I open it, there is an envelope with my name on the front and under that, a neatly folded t-shirt.

I quickly pull the t-shirt out of the box and hold it up to my nose. It's Bella. Her scent is so strong that it makes my heart pick up speed, and for the first time since I've been here, I feel like I might not be able to hold in my emotions. Just for the fact that she sent me something, something that smells like her. It's like a lifeline, something to hold onto until she's in my arms again.

I feel like such a fucking pussy, but I don't give a shit. This is the best thing anyone has ever sent me. As I pull the t-shirt away from my face, I feel something fall onto my bed.

Looking down, I see a tape. In Bella's handwriting, it says, "with all my love."

I quickly reach for the envelope and open up Bella's letter:

Dear Handsome,

First of all, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you.

Second, you have to listen to the mix tape once through before you look at the playlist that I've written on the back of this letter. I want the songs to be a surprise. Hopefully, they'll make you smile and maybe help you not forget about me.

Like I could ever forget about her. I don't finish reading the letter just yet, instead I pop the tape into my player. The first thing I hear come out of the speakers is Debussy and my chest aches for the brown-eyed beauty who has stolen my heart.

A/Ns:

Jiff: I used to make mix tapes all of the time!

Jenny Kate: Me, too! I also used to record the Top 40 every week! I've given a boyfriend or two a mix tape. Isn't it crazy that most of us don't even have anything to play a tape on/in anymore?!

Jiff: It's kind of sad. I loved listening to mix tapes more than 'regular' tapes. I think that is why I keep my iPod on shuffle all the time!

Jenny Kate: I was just getting ready to say that I think playlists are our modern day mix tapes. I only listen to playlists! I never listen to an entire album. My Old Skool Booty Music is my favorite one to listen to...and then probably my JK's Jams, that's where all of my Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z songs are.

Jiff: I, too, have a Booty Music playlist, as well, as an 80's Music one!

Jenny Kate: Yep, I've got an 80's playlist. I even have a Southern Comfort playlist, with all of our title songs from each chapter of SoCo! Let's face it, we're music junkies. I'm sure we're totally boring our readers.

Jiff: I'm sure we are, too. Hopefully, we won't bore them when we answer their questions on video THIS Friday night, though!

Jenny Kate: *fingers crossed* Hopefully, the alcohol will help. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to ask us a question, either on here or on Facebook! We're keeping track of all of them and looking forward to answering them!

Jiff: You still have time to ask us a question, if you haven't already. What do you all think about Edward's sentence? Was it fair or harsh? Do you think he can get all of his hours in a month?

Jenny Kate: Also, we took some creative liberty with the sentencing and trial. Surprisingly enough *wink* we've never been on trial for anything or in juvie. So, we're just making this stuff up as we go!

Jiff: Unfortunately, there will be people who are surprised to hear we've never served time. For some reason, when we talk about getting together or traveling together, we have friends offer to set aside bail money for us! What is that about? *polishes halo*

Jenny Kate: I KNOW! What the hell is that all about?! I think there is some ongoing fund to bail us out of jail WHEN we end up there...not IF, but WHEN. So, crazy. *digs in bag looking for halo* *I know it's in here somewhere*

Jiff: We better stop here before we start boring the readers again. Thank you all so much for being so awesome!