AN: This is part 1 of the epilogue to both A Little Piece of My Heart and the companion piece from Edward's POV: The Missing Piece
Part 2 will post tomorrow
My everlasting thanks go to MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, annaharding and Midnight Cougar because without them, I think I'd still be struggling to make sense of my own writing. Each one gives me insight, correct grammar and punctuation and fill in plot holes which I would other wise miss
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Disclaimer: Without Stephenie Meyer where would we all be. I don't own anything!
A Little Piece of My Heart Epilogue Part 1
Summary
After moving to San Francisco for her dream job, Bella lives her life to the fullest, even though a little piece of her heart is missing. It's small enough to be missed but large enough to know something is missing.
A story of not knowing what you have until it's almost too late.
Epilogue Part 1
Edward and I had always been the best of friends, even when his actions almost five years ago had pushed us apart. I'd finally had to admit to myself I loved him when I saw him at his wedding to Kate, and we might never get our chance.
We'd both been at Eclipse at the same time—me, to celebrate Jess's engagement to Mike, and Edward attempting to pick up his life after he and Kate split up and she filed for divorce.
I was so relieved when he admitted he and Kate were not together anymore, but felt for him when he confessed he felt like a failure. They'd only been married a few months when he'd seen through her. His confession he should never have married her wasn't easy for me to hear, but his admission he'd been weak and stupid and just gone along with whatever she said told me he'd beaten himself up over it enough. It wasn't necessary for me to do the same. When he told me how she'd screamed at him, insulting me, it became apparent she'd been jealous of me since he'd offered me a room in the apartment.
It was also my turn to confess he wasn't the only one who'd been stupid. I should have been honest with myself from the start. How was he to know how I felt if I didn't know, either? I hated to think I'd almost missed out on what we had now because I was too afraid to admit we could be more. I could only thank the heavens he'd eventually been brave enough to confess everything, both to Kate and then to me.
Blurting out I loved him during our after-sex discussion wasn't the way I'd ever thought I'd tell him something so important, but then again, I'd also been resigned to the fact we might have missed our chance.
Finding out he loved me too was a revelation, something I never expected. Then when we'd headed back to the apartment, all the memories of us sharing it and of Kate unnerved me. I couldn't understand why she'd changed so much. Thankfully, Edward had understood immediately that sleeping in the bed he and Kate had shared wasn't something I was comfortable with. Instead, we'd spent the night on the sofa, talking, making love, and dozing until the morning sun lit the room.
Now my mind was on a journey to the past, the memories of the events that brought us to the same place at the same time swirling inside my head.
~ oOo ~
Phoenix was hot, dusty, and dry, but I loved it. Mom and I had moved around a fair amount since she'd left my dad, taking me with her. As I grew older, I could see she was so much happier where the sun shone every day than in Forks, where the cloud cover and the rain were consistent, dragging down her mood further with each day.
Then, one day, she met Phil Dwyer, a minor league baseball player. He'd injured his knee, but never gave up hope that one day he would return to playing. To hear Mom talk about him, which she did frequently, he was the next best thing since Babe Ruth. Truthfully, he was nowhere near as good, even in his dreams, but she loved him so much I couldn't burst her bubble.
When I broached the subject of moving to Forks to live with my dad not long after they were married, she was adamant it wasn't necessary. After sharing their space far more intimately than I ever wanted, I made my decision. Moving to Forks the summer before my final year was a good move. They got the time to be together without restraint, and I got a chance to know my dad, Charlie.
Starting a new school at almost eighteen, when I was a year older than those in the classes for the year, was not easy. I was so glad to find another girl, Jessica Stanley, was in the same position, and we bonded over how much older and more mature we were than our younger classmates. If it hadn't been for Jess, I would have flunked out of school when Mom died of breast cancer the following spring.
Her diagnosis came only three months before she died, and I was furious she hadn't told me at the very start. To be fair, she hadn't known it would spread so fast, and I was always grateful to Phil, who could see much clearer than she could. He called Dad and arranged for me to fly down to visit in Jacksonville, where Mom and Phil moved when he accepted a job offer as a school coach. None of us had any idea it would be only ten days before she died. To say we were devastated would be a total understatement and, initially, I refused to return to Forks.
Mom had written me a letter to tell me I shouldn't give up on my future plans, but I was as stubborn as she was and refused to leave. After missing the first few weeks of the spring semester, Jess and my dad flew down to convince me to come home.
"Your mom told you not to give up, Bella, and by missing your last semester before graduation, that's exactly what you're doing." Jess and I were sitting out on the terrace beside the pool.
"I'm not giving up, Jess," I protested. "I plan on getting my GED, and I'll go to a local college." I paused, staring into the hazy distance. "I want to be close to her and, besides, Phil needs me."
"Yes, that's probably true, but he's a grown man and is perfectly able to look after himself. If you talked to him, he would tell you the same; you know he would. It's the reason you avoid him."
I couldn't deny the truth of that. Dad had been spending time with Phil while I wallowed, as Mom had told me I was definitely not to do. Eventually, he cornered me after breakfast one day when Jess and Dad had disappeared.
"Bella." I was about to step outside onto the terrace when Phil called me back. Reluctantly, I followed him into the kitchen, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. "I know you feel close to your mom here, but"—he hesitated—"she wouldn't have wanted this for you."
"No, it's fine, Phil. It's what I want—no, need—right now. I need to be close to where she is now."
"She isn't here, Bella," he said gently. "She'll be wherever you are."
My tears were always close to the surface, and I blinked them back before they could fall.
"There's a part of me that, logically, knows that's true, but I miss her so much. She wasn't supposed to go so soon. She was supposed to be here to see me finish school, graduate from college, see me fall in love and marry. To meet her grandchildren. I don't know how to leave."
The tears finally broke through. Jess and my dad appeared, and I was pulled into a hug by all three. That was a bit of a turning point and, albeit a little reluctantly, I flew back to Washington with Phil's blessing.
~ oOo ~
Jess was truly the best friend a girl could ever have. She cajoled, she bullied, and many times, she dragged me out of my bed, making sure I went to school and ate something at lunch. When I started to feel like I could cope, she pushed me into attending the graduation party. I could honestly say that without Jess, I wouldn't have made it to college at all.
I was disappointed when I discovered Jess had already planned to attend UCLA with Lauren, and while I could have transferred, I needed to stay close to my dad. He was almost as grief-stricken as I was after my mom's death, even though they'd been divorced for over ten years. It was time I struck out on my own.
Dad drove me to U-Dub at the beginning of freshman week, helping me move into the dorm. I was paired with Kate Denali during orientation. I'd already met her in passing while moving my things into our assigned room. Later, I had the good luck to be seated alongside her and Edward Cullen, and the three of us hit it off right away. Kate was a very pretty girl, even if she was a little vain, so when she and Edward hooked up, I wasn't surprised.
Edward was gorgeous and way out of my league, but he was also a nice person, and our relationship developed into one of deep friendship. When Charlie was shot in the line of duty, Edward proved what a good friend he was. Kate and I had moved out of the dorms, and Edward and I were sharing an apartment. I was inconsolable, and he stayed home every night making sure I showered, ate, and studied. Kate was sympathetic to begin with but became increasingly annoyed when Edward spent more time with me than her. At the time, I didn't realize how jealous she was.
Carlisle and Esme, Edward's parents, practically adopted me. Over the summer, I spent more time there than at the apartment, which, looking back, must have pleased Kate to no end. Working part-time for Victoria Christensen, the owner of a gallery I'd long admired, really helped me and gave me the time to come to terms with the fact I was now an orphan; though, Carlisle and Esme never failed to make me welcome.
Esme and Carlisle had always been there for me, never taking sides. When I returned for Kate and Edward's wedding, Esme knew I was in love with Edward almost before I did. She never said anything, never verbally took sides, but I knew she was my person.
In was inevitable Edward and I would meet again once I moved back to Seattle. No one had told me he and Kate had separated, and there were a couple of heart-stopping moments there until I finally understood it was our chance.
After declarations of love on both sides, I decided we'd wasted enough time, and I moved back into the apartment. But, there were moments when I felt uncomfortable. Edward was so much more tuned to how I felt and, after a few months, we decided it was time for us to move on, because although it held many happy memories, it was also the place that carried the memory of my worst night.
There was never any question we would be purchasing a new bed before I'd even contemplated sleeping in his room. We did spend a few nights on the sofa, recapturing our initial feelings from that night, but also making new memories. A "do-over" was how Edward put it, and although I'd said it wasn't necessary, it was also welcome.
Through the grapevine, we heard Kate was getting married only six months after their divorce was final. Strangely enough, it was Garrett, a friend of Mike's, she ensnared, but by all accounts, he was a real sweetheart. I guessed he probably allowed her to rule everything, and she'd get what she'd wanted from Edward—a baby.
Needless to say, neither Edward nor I were invited to the wedding. We did see each other at intervals, but we never recovered the friendship that had once existed between the three of us. It made me wonder how deep our friendship had ever been since she gave it up so easily.
And in a roundabout way, all that happened between us made us stronger and led me to the here and now.
~ oOo ~
The front door of our new house slammed shut, shaking me out of the memories. "Hi, honey, I'm home." Edward's voice rang out through the hallway and into the kitchen where I was drinking a glass of non-alcoholic wine—not that he was aware of the fact. He breezed into the room, all tousled bronze hair and sparkling green eyes.
Sweeping me up in his arms, he kissed me hard. "Hi, sweetheart. I really missed you today."
I laughed and linked my arms around his neck. "We've spent every day and night together for the last three weeks and we've been apart"—I checked the wall clock behind him—"all of seven hours. You couldn't have missed me more than I missed you."
"I can't help if I want to spend every minute with my beautiful wife." Instead of putting me down, he carried me upstairs. "It isn't fair the gallery is closed for refurbishment and you get an extra two weeks off because the contractors haven't finished their job."
"Well, it's hardly my fault, is it?" I whispered in his ear.
Feeling his shiver, I licked the shell of his ear and planted a few wet kisses down his neck, pulling a deep groan from his throat.
"You, Mrs. Cullen, are playing a very dangerous game."
"Who said anything about games, Edward? I thought you wanted to practice."
Walking into the bedroom, he dropped me on the bed. I shrieked with surprise and pushed backward as he crawled onto the end of the bed and toward me. I licked my lips, watching as his eyes dilated and darkened with lust.
Fully clothed, he hovered above me, only our lips touching, taking my top lip, then my bottom. He kept the kisses maddeningly light and soon had me reaching for him to bring him closer. Relentless, Edward refused to budge or allow me to take this to the next level.
"Don't tease, Edward. It's not nice." I couldn't keep the breathless tone out of my voice. "Please," I begged, though I wasn't sure if it was for more or less kissing. I hooked my feet around his calves, trying to pull him down onto my body.
"Patience, wife. I'll take care of you, always." His voice was low and husky, telling me he wasn't as unaffected as he made himself out to be.
He sat back on his heels and slid his hands along the outside of my thighs before hooking his fingers in the waistband of my leggings, peeling them down to my ankles, then off, along with my underwear. His fingers brushed against every inch of my skin on the way down, raising goosebumps as he hooked them under my knees.
I shivered under his hot gaze, my clit throbbing and my inner muscles clenching. I wanted him to touch me, and my hips lifted involuntarily in invitation. He gave me a crooked smile and smirked, knowing how wet I already was for him. His hands reversed direction, thumbs kneading the inside of my thighs and brushing perilously close to where I wanted his touch.
He, however, had other ideas and leaned forward, still kneeling between my legs, sliding each button of my blouse undone. Separating the two halves, he avoided touching my breasts and instead planted wet kisses and licks along my collarbones and down the middle of my chest until he reached my belly button. He was close to where I wanted his lips to be, but when I bucked up toward him, he blew a raspberry, following up with his tongue.
"Edward," I whined. "Touch me, please."
"I am touching you, Bella." His murmur vibrated against my skin, leaving a tingle in its wake. He was a master at the tease, so instead of fighting, I relaxed and closed my eyes.
His hands smoothed over the skin on my belly and up over my rib cage before sliding around me to flick my bra catch undone. I opened one eye. "You're way too good at that, you know." His only answer was another smirk, and I allowed my eyes to drift shut again.
I sighed as his lips returned to my belly, and his knees pushed mine farther apart. Taking my hands, he placed them on the struts of the wrought iron headboard. "Don't move them," he ordered. Without opening my eyes, I nodded. His hands returned to my belly, sliding from my ribs to underneath my arms, taking my blouse and bra with them until my clothes caged my hands above my head.
His lips hit the sensitive spot behind my ear, and I shivered again, goosebumps breaking out over my skin in anticipation. Each touch of hand or lip ignited a flame inside me only he could put out. I slanted my head to encourage him as he sucked my skin into his mouth, although he was careful not to leave a hickey. I knew he liked seeing his marks on me, but since I was having lunch with Esme tomorrow, he was considerate enough not to leave any evidence of what we'd been up to. However, Esme and Carlisle were as likely to do exactly the same and were proud of it.
He continued his way down my body, stopping at my nipples and sucking each one into his mouth before reaching the place I wanted him. His tongue worked its magic, sending me into a spiraling orgasm within minutes.
It felt all kinds of naughty for me to be stretched out under him, fully naked, while he was still dressed in his suit, but I lifted my legs and gripped him around the waist. "You have too many clothes on, Mr. Cullen."
Out came the smirk again, and he climbed over my leg, standing beside the bed and stripping off his clothes. He slung his suit jacket over the chair and followed it with his tie while toeing off his shoes and pulling his socks from his feet. I loved to see him undress almost as much as dress, and I bit my lip, eye-fucking him from his toes to the messy hair on his head.
He unbuckled his belt, and I heard the rasp of the leather over the waistband of his pants as he slowly slid it through the loops. The quiet thunk and jingle of it hitting the floor echoed in the mostly silent room, accompanied only by the sound of my breath. He flicked open the button on his pants and slid down the zipper, leaving them balanced on his hips. One tug and they'd slide to the floor, and I would be one step closer to his cock.
Cuffs and shirt buttons were next. He teased, turning his back to me and allowing the shirt to slide off his shoulders to the floor. The muscles of his back were strong and smooth with a few freckles along his shoulders from the time spent in the sun on our honeymoon.
"Edward," I whispered. "Stop teasing; I want you right now."
Unable to stay still any longer, I let go of the headboard and disentangled myself from my cloth imprisonment. I rose to my knees and moved toward the edge of the bed, stretching my hand out to touch, only for him to turn around, smirking and staying out of my reach. His hand smoothed across his abs, taunting me, his fingers sliding along the edge of his boxer briefs before pushing both them and his pants to the floor, leaving him naked.
His cock jutted out from his body, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. A mirror image of each other, our hands dipped lower until he was stroking his cock, twisting his hand when he reached the head, spreading the precum already glistening at the tip. My fingers slid over my clit and dipped inside me to collect lubrication before swirling around my clit for the second time.
I beckoned with my other hand. "Come here, Edward," I demanded.
This time, he stepped toward me, his eyes dark with lust as he watched my fingers dip and swirl. I leaned in, pushing his hand away from his cock.
"Let me."
My hand, now wet from my juices, gripped him tightly. Up and around the head and back down again. I repeated the action, his hips already straining into my hand. I glanced up at him, watching as he threw back his head and moaned softly.
"Fuck, that feels so good, Bella."
Instead of following the same action after my next upstroke, I swallowed his cock until he hit the back of my throat. I loved how unhinged he became every time I took him in so deeply, so I took advantage. I knew he wouldn't be able to watch me for more than a few seconds; he claimed the sight made him come too quickly. Hollowing out my cheeks, I sucked hard and swirled my tongue around the tip of his cock, dipping my tongue in his slit, tasting the precum tang.
Edward let out the sound I loved, a deep, guttural grunt, as I took him to the back of my throat again. I smoothed my hands over the skin of his strong muscular thighs, pulling him toward me. I loved seeing him come undone whenever I allowed him free reign to fuck my mouth and encouraged his movements, knowing he would stop me soon.
I knew him well, and after letting his restraint go for a minute or two, he gasped and took a small step back, freeing his cock from my mouth.
"Shit, you're good at that," he said breathlessly. "I really do hate to stop you, but I want to fuck you with my fingers and lick you until you come, and then I'm going to fuck you hard with my cock. How do you like the sound of that, hmm?"
I shivered at his dirty words and goosebumps flashed over my skin in anticipation. My clit throbbed, every muscle inside me clenching. He knew what those sort of declarations did to me, and they never failed to turn me on.
Wantonly, I turned and crawled on my hands and knees across the bed, swaying my hips. God, I loved teasing him! A sharp slap to my ass only served to ramp up my desire. The heat from his skin washed over me as he crawled up behind me. Without warning, he plunged his cock inside me, burying himself deeply. I was already close to my orgasm and the sudden intrusion tipped me over the edge. I clenched hard around him and pushed back against him.
"Fuck, Bella! Already?" He sounded both out of breath and pleased with himself.
Edward's breath washed over my lower back. His forehead touched my skin as he stilled, and he planted his hands on either side of my body. My muscles clenched involuntarily around him again. It wouldn't take a whole lot for me to come again. My voice came out in a breathless whine as he withdrew, leaving me empty for a second.
He delivered another sharp slap to my ass. "Turn over, Bella. It's my turn to suck your clit into my mouth. I want to make you come."
I collapsed onto my stomach and rolled over to see him smiling at me. Already, I knew my hair would look like a rat's nest and my skin would be flushed from my cheeks to my chest. He grinned as he pulled me down flat and shoved his shoulders between my legs. His mouth descended on me, sucking my clit into his mouth, swirling his tongue around and over the swollen nub. I felt his fingers searching inside me for the spot that would have me seeing stars.
The sensations he was dragging from my body were almost too much, making my thigh muscles quiver. My fingers gripped his hair hard, the telltale signs of an orgasm already swirling through my veins. In minutes, I was grinding against his face as the heat of my third orgasm rushed over my skin.
My hands flew from his hair to mine, and for a few seconds, I couldn't breathe with the intensity. Eventually, I was able to take a breath, and opened my eyes to find him kneeling between my legs with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Jeez, Edward. Way to give me a heart attack." My heart was pounding in my chest. I laughed breathlessly and flopped back against the pillow, my arms and legs like wet noodles.
Leaning over me, his lips descended on mine. Littering my mouth with light kisses, he moved onto my neck and collarbones, sucking my skin into his mouth before engulfing my nipple in the heat of his mouth. Drawing the flesh into his mouth, he sucked hard, pulling a gasp from me. Gripping it lightly between his teeth, his tongue flicked across the tip, and I felt the sharp stab of desire down to my toes.
Transferring his attention to my other nipple, he allowed his body to settle against mine, generating a flash of heat wherever he touched me. His hips shifted, his cock gliding through my arousal and rubbing against my clit. My hands, as usual, found their way into his hair as I pulled his head closer to my chest. He sucked harder, pulling a cry from my mouth.
When he pulled away, a muttered moan of "no," fell from my mouth, and I yanked at his hair, demanding he return to my lips. When he did, I shoved my tongue into his mouth. Finally, his body settled back onto mine, his cock seeking its home inside me. He slid into me easily, a deep groan echoing from his chest to mine, his body now flush with mine.
"Fuck!" His muttered oath and exhale reverberated against my skin. "I love your pussy after you've come. So wet and welcoming."
He flexed his hips, pulling out a little before thrusting hard. My breath hitched, so he did it again, coaxing more gasps and moans from my lips. He lifted his body away from mine, even though I tried to hold him down with my legs.
"Do you want me to fuck you hard now?" His green eyes bored into mine, demanding a verbal answer.
"Yes, yes! Please." I knew I was begging, but it was exactly what I wanted from him.
"Hold on tight then, sweetheart."
He pushed himself back onto his heels, dragging my body farther down the bed. Hooking my knees over his arms, he watched as his cock sank into me and withdrew, glistening with our combined arousal.
He glanced up at me. "We look good together, don't we? Watch, Bella. Watch me fuck you. Keep your eyes open."
His gaze didn't waver from mine as he plunged into me over and over. Unintelligible sounds dropped from my mouth that could have been "more" or "harder." Only his harsh admonishment made me keep my eyes open.
"That's it, my Bella. I can feel you're close. I want you to come."
Each word was punctuated with another deep thrust. The coil in my belly grew, tightening further, my breath coming in pants, increasing the tingle in my fingers and toes.
"Please," I groaned. I hadn't a clue what I was asking for, but my body wasn't waiting. I pulled his mouth down to mine, thrusting my tongue into his mouth.
Edward let out a string of "fucks" as I felt his cock pulse and grow inside me. He dragged me with him as shards of pure pleasure rolled through me, pulsing through every vein, every muscle, and over every inch of my skin.
Embedded deep inside me, he let go, his mouth hanging open, drawing air deep into his lungs until he stilled. I felt his body twitch as his muscles tightened. Slowly, he lowered his heated, sweat-covered body until he covered me. His breath stuttered in my ear, and I could feel his heart pounding over mine as they slowed and harmonized.
I had no idea how much time passed before he raised his head and kissed me.
"Fuck! It gets better every time." He grinned at me. "I have no idea how I managed to last that long; it's so much more intense without condoms."
I laughed at his glee, forcing him to slip out of me, along with a rush of fluid.
"Ugh, sex without condoms is certainly messier." I slid to the edge of the bed to head for the bathroom to clean up and brush my teeth.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to stand on your head or something to encourage my little swimmers to find their way to your eggs?"
I smirked as I took care of cleaning up. "We've only been trying for a few weeks. I don't think we need to go to those lengths yet."
I heard Edward laugh from the bedroom before he appeared in the mirror standing behind me. His arms encircled me and he leaned down to kiss my neck. My eyes met his in the reflection, and I could see the love in his gaze.
"I love you," I said softly.
"I love you, too, Bella." His arms tightened around me for a second. I turned in his arms and our lips met tenderly. "I'm going to clean up, okay?"
I nodded and left him to it, finding one of his t-shirts in the drawer and a clean pair of underwear before climbing into bed. I was drifting off to sleep when I felt the bed dip behind me. Edward's body, cool to the touch, slid under the covers. We fit together as if we'd always been together, his knees behind mine and every part of us touching from our feet to our shoulders.
"You know," he said conversationally, "we never did get to eat dinner, and I'm starving."
The moment he mentioned it, my stomach growled. "But I'm too comfortable to cook anything. You could make some sandwiches," I said without opening my eyes.
He was quiet until he spoke; jolting me from the half-sleep I'd fallen into.
"I'm going to order take-out. Do you want something? Chinese?" The thought of Chinese made my stomach growl and my mouth water. "I'll take that as a yes." He laughed.
"Wake me up when it gets here."
The comforter lifted, letting cool air in where he'd lain. I drifted off again until the bedroom door opened, bringing with it the smell of Chinese food. I pulled myself up into a sitting position, yawning, as he placed a tray across my lap. Edward slid off his jeans and climbed back in beside me, and both of us dug into the delicious food.
~ oOo ~