***A/N***

Hi! Thanks for all the feedback on my story. I love everyone's theories!

S. Meyer owns all things Twilight

Chapter 32- Buttons

BPOV

After dinner, and more laughs than I can count, we sat around the table enjoying coffee and dessert. Esme switched to water but I didn't think she would make it much longer. I did not envy her tomorrow, and hoped it wouldn't be too rough. Been there, done that, that's for sure, and it's certainly no fun.

When we started bringing the dishes into the kitchen, Carlisle talked her into letting him take her upstairs to bed. She began to protest, wanting to clean up, but we convinced her we would take care of it. After the spectacular meal she prepared, it was the least we could do.

As we started to wrap up the food, Alice called out, "Alexa, play 'Ain't to Proud to Beg' by The Temptations." Edward looked at her in surprise, and then gave her a wistful smile. She smiled back, and I felt something unspoken pass between them.

I looked at them curiously and when Alice noticed, she said, "It's kind of a tradition."

Not wanting to pry, I didn't ask any questions, and waited to see if she would tell me more. Jasper came over and kissed her on the forehead. She leaned into him and said,

"When Edward and I were young, we always had Sunday dinners with our parents, and Esme and Carlisle. Sometimes at our house, sometimes at theirs. My mom's favorite movie was The Big Chill, and every time we would clean up after dinner, we would play this song, like they did in the movie. We'd dance and laugh, and it was just...it was..."

"It was the best." Edward finished for her quietly, as he smiled at his sister.

Alice nodded her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, as the familiar opening notes of the song began. "I know you wanna leave me! But I refuse- to let you go."

I remembered that movie. Angela's mom introduced us to it when we were in high school.

As we got to work, Emmett started to shake his hips and sing out loud as he washed some pots. I was humming softly under my breath and began putting food in containers. Rose swung around with a wooden spoon in her hand and started singing into it like a microphone. Alice did a little twirl while putting dishes in the dish washer, and Jasper came over and started doing the bump with her while he dried a pot. Pretty soon everyone was dancing around each other, reaching into cabinets, and putting away silverware. Edward was putting the leftovers I handed him into the fridge, and after closing the door, he turned quickly, and grabbed me around the waist. I laughed out loud as he picked me up and glided us around the kitchen like a pair of figure skaters.

We were both laughing, and out of breath, when he finally came to a stop, slowly lowering me so my feet touched the ground. He still had both hands around my waist, and I held onto his forearm with my good hand while I looked up at him. His face was flushed from the exertion, and he wore a broad smile as he gazed down at me.

He stared into my eyes and I felt my own face heat up. He finally let me go, and I turned around to busy myself with wiping down the counter.

Once we were finished cleaning up, we headed into the living room. Emmett threw a few more logs on the fire while Jasper poured the guys some kind of after dinner drink. I took a whiff and it smelled awful. I scrunched up my nose and shook my head when Jasper offered me a glass. Alice and Rose made a few more cocktails, but I passed on those as well, knowing a glass and a half of wine was my limit, especially when I considered what Esme had in store for herself tomorrow with the hangover.

Rose and Alice and I moved over to sit on the couch, and Alice filled me in on more of the wedding details. Her and Jasper were getting married here at the house in early May. I could just picture it, tents on the lawn, white tables and chairs spread out over the two flagstone patios, twinkling lights in the trees and floating overhead. It sounded just lovely. As I listened to her talk, I wondered where I would be in May. I knew I wouldn't be in Chicago. I would be back in Washington, with or without any answers about Charlie. I felt a small twinge in my chest when I thought about that. It hadn't been long, but I could feel myself growing attached to these people the more time I spent with them.

Emmett was laughing loudly at something Jasper said as they stood by the fireplace, and when I looked over, I saw Edward glancing in my direction. He had one of those looks on his face again. One that seemed a little intense, as if he were trying to read my mind. I gave him a small smile as I continued to listen to Alice tell me about her bridesmaids dresses. When she looked up and saw the direction of my gaze, she turned her attention to Edward.

"Edward, why don't you play something? You haven't played in so long. Please?"

Edward moved his eyes from me over to Alice, and shook his head. "Not tonight Alice."

Play something? What was she talking about?

Rose saw the confusion on my face and said, "Edward plays the piano." My eyebrows raised in surprise. "Quite beautifully, actually." She said.

I looked over at Edward, realizing there was so much I didn't know about him, and from watching him interact with his family tonight, I got the impression he hadn't been around much lately.

"Fine" Alice huffed. "Well then, I guess you all know what time it is?!" All the guys groaned.

"Oh my God Alice, can we please, not?" Edward almost whined.

I looked at them curiously, not understanding.

Rose leaned over, "Once Halloween is over, Alice likes to immediately start watching Christmas movies, and the first one is always, The Holiday."

"Oh, come on." Alice said, "It's not really even that much of a Christmas movie."

Rose snorted. "She just likes it because there's a character named Jasper in it."

Alice leaned around me on the couch, to look at Rose. "Oh, and you don't like to watch it just to drool over Jude Law?"

Rose looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, "Bella, come on, am I wrong though?"

I laughed out loud. "Rose, if you're wrong then I don't wanna know what's right." She high-fived me.

The truth was, there was a time I couldn't even watch that movie without spiraling. It was right after Keith dumped me. I would watch it with a pint of ice cream and a bottle of wine and bawl my eyes out when Kate Winslet gave her 'unrequited love' speech to Jack Black on Christmas Eve. Angela would always know it was a bad day when I told her I was watching The Holiday.

Emmett poured himself another glass of the foul liquid, "At least pick a true Christmas classic, shorty. You can't go wrong with Die Hard."

I wasn't going to say it out loud, but I kind of had to agree with Emmett.

Yippee-Ki-Yay Mother Fucker.

I suppressed a giggle, and looked up to see Edward watching me again, an amused smile on his face.

"Settle in everyone, we're watching it." Alice said with authority, as she picked up the remote and started flipping through apps to find the movie. She moved over to one of the large chairs and sat down. Jasper walked over and snuggled in with her. Rose had gone into the kitchen to heat up a few bowls of popcorn. She came in as the opening credits flashed on the screen, and her and Emmett cuddled up on the love seat diagonal from the couch.

I looked over to see Edward walking back from the kitchen carrying two bottled waters. He looked around at the couples on the chair and loveseat, and came over to the couch to sit next to me, offering me a bottle. "Thanks" I said, as I took it from his hand with a smile.

He was sitting rather close to me on the couch, and I could feel the memories from my dream starting to creep back in. I opened the bottle of water and took a long swig in an effort to cool myself down.

Edward was looking at me as I downed half the bottle and asked, "You ok? How are you feeling? Are you tired? "

I put the cap back on, and looked over at him with a smile. "No, I took a nap earlier in order to stay up past eight o'clock tonight."

He smiled back at me. "Ahhhh, good thinking. That way you can go crazy and stay up until nine." I gave him a side eye and said sarcastically, "Hey, don't put unrealistic expectations on me man,...maybe eight forty-five." He chuckled and sat back into the cushions. He pulled a blanket down from the back of the couch and offered part of it to me while draping the other half over his own legs. I took it from him and gathered it around me as I sat back in the cushions next to him.

The last thing I remember was watching Jude Law, a napkin over his face, pretending to smoke.

~!~

"Bella." Someone was whispering softly near my ear, and stroking my arm lightly. "Bella...Bella can you hear me?"

I felt my body jerk, as my eyes opened slightly, and I looked around. I was nestled into Edwards side, my head on his shoulder. The TV was dark and the fire had gone out. I looked around and realized Edward and I were the only ones in the room.

I looked up into his face, my eyes still not quite open. "Where is everyone?" My voice a little thick with sleep as I glanced around the room.

Edward continued to stroke my arm. I don't think he was even aware he was still doing it.

"They just left about fifteen minutes ago. I didn't want to disturb you, but I thought you would probably be more comfortable in your own bed."

I looked up into his eyes, noticing again just how green they really were. We stared at each other, caught up in a moment, neither one of us knowing what to say. He cleared his throat, and took his arm from around my shoulders. I raised my hands and ran them through my hair to untangle it, and said, "Um, yes, thank you. I'm sure my back wouldn't be too happy with me tomorrow if I slept on the couch."

Edward stood up, and I followed, pulling my sweater down from where it had ridden up slightly from being curled up next to him. I walked him to the closet, and watched as he pulled out his coat, and started to put it on. It was a beautiful grey coat, maybe cashmere. I wasn't sure. It definitely looked expensive.

He was looking down while he shrugged into it, his hands working the collar as he settled it over his frame, and the way his shoulders filled it out, did not go unnoticed by me.

He was still looking down, and talking offhandedly, about the hangover Esme was going to have tomorrow. I was watching how his fingers worked the buttons on the coat, admiring his large hands and their dexterity, when suddenly a memory crashed over me and I froze. My eyes grew wide and I stared at the buttons.

He must have noticed I hadn't said anything in awhile, because he stopped talking and looked up at me from under his lashes. "Bella, what's the matter?"

I kept staring at the buttons. They were the same buttons I told him I remembered when he questioned me in the hospital. Was Dolan wearing a coat like that? I quickly pushed the idea aside. Would Dolan really be robbing me for pocket change if he could afford a coat like that? Not likely.

"Bella? You're scaring me a little bit here. What's wrong?" He asked.

I looked up, and into his face, and said haltingly, "The...the buttons."

His brows came together in confusion as he glanced down at his coat, and then suddenly, his head whipped up in understanding.

"You recognize these buttons?" I nodded my head. "Yes, those are the buttons I remembered when I gave my statement."

He was staring at me intently as I tried to work it out in my mind.

"What do you remember?" he asked.

I frowned. "I'm not sure. I know those buttons, and I think I know that coat. Were you wearing it that night?"

His gaze was unflinching. "Yes, I wrapped you in it to keep you warm." I looked into his eyes, and was reminded once again, of everything he did for me that night. The more I tried to work it out in my head though, the more I knew the memory I had of the coat wasn't a night time memory.

I looked at him. " I don't think my memory of the coat was from that night. I'm seeing it in my mind, and it's daytime. I can see daylight coming through windows, like I'm in a building, but that doesn't make any sense." I looked up at him helplessly, frustrated with my brain all over again.

I couldn't make out the expression on his face. It almost seemed as if he were trying to work something out for himself as much as I was. He ran his hand through his hair a few times, looked off to the side, and then brought his gaze back to me. He gave me a hesitant look, and finally, he said, "Fuck it."

I looked at him in confusion.

"Bella, there's something I have to tell you. I didn't want to say anything before because I didn't want to influence you, and I really wanted your memory to come back on its own, but since you're remembering a little bit, I think I need to tell you."

I stared at him curiously, having no idea what he was talking about. He took my hand, looked into my eyes and said, "Bella, we've met before. We met before you were attacked."

***A/N***

I liked The Big Chill, although overall I thought it was a little depressing.

Let me know what you think!

See you soon!