A/N: Thank you so much for all the support and reviews. I appreciate it more than y'all know.

Special thank you to the amazing Mel Cee, she's my wonderful beta and friend. :) Fiddling was had, any mistakes are my own.

Song suggestion: It's Not Over by Daughtry

Please let me know your thoughts and have faith in the hea:)

I don't own Twilight or any songs I suggest, just my plot.


Bella exited the double doors leading to the alleyway of the establishment. She gasped, clutching her stomach as she doubled over, trying to catch her breath and ward off a panic attack.

The door creaked open behind her, and she was met with the one person who both stole her breath and gave her the air she needed. She exhaled in what felt like the first time in five years.

"Edward."

Bella slowly moved her body so she was facing the man who had broken her heart into a million pieces five years prior. She was also looking at a jaded version of the little boy who she fell in love with nineteen years ago when she first laid eyes on him in Mrs. Newton's kitchen.

Edward was wide-eyed and joyful, whereas Bella was skeptical and hurt. He hesitantly moved closer to her very slowly, likely afraid to spook her and cause her to run off again. Running away had become her specialty.

"Bella," he said again, testing the way it felt against his tongue after so long of it being a forbidden word. To say her name after all this time—the feeling was indescribable.

"I can't—" Bella held up her hand, moving toward the double doors once more, deciding to go back into the restaurant. She didn't think Edward would follow her, but she needed a moment to regroup, and now he was standing in front of the doors that led to her freedom.

"Well, this has been quite the surprise. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got tables to get back to." If I still have a job, she added mentally. She tried moving around him, but he stood firm.

"Bella, please. It's been five years. I have so much I want to say," Edward pleaded, his eyebrows furrowing as they did when he was stressed.

Bella pursed her lips, tempted by the thought of hearing what he had to say. She wondered if he would say all the words she willed him to say that fateful night. If he still thought about her like she did him. If he still wanted her…

No! She forced those far-fetched thoughts out of her mind. Bella grew angry with herself as she realized how much power he still held over her. She really needed to get out of there.

"Get out of my way!" she demanded, moving to walk around him.

Edward outstretched his arm to grab her hand, not to necessarily stop her from leaving but just to get her to listen to him. To make sure she was real.

Bella swatted her hand away as though she had been burned. How dare he touch her!

Crack. Bella slapped Edward across the cheek. Her eyes widened so much that they looked like they belonged to a cartoon character.

Edward winced, and he stood there with his palm resting on his cheek, patiently waiting. For what, he had no idea.

Both were too stunned to speak.

Bella shuffled on her feet. Edward knew this was his chance to start a conversation before she ran again.

"Billy's dead," Edward blurted, cursing himself internally. His entire rehearsed apology went to shit when he saw her face.

Bella looked at his face for confirmation of the truth in his words, and when she saw how sullen and serious he was, she felt her eyes welling. Not here, her internal voice reminded her. You can break down later when you're alone.

She looked him straight in the eye. Fuck those green eyes. "Thank you for—telling me." She gulped, mustering up the courage to leave. "Please let me go."

The double meaning of the words was not lost on Edward. He couldn't move from in front of the doors though; he relished her presence and didn't know when, or if, she would allow him to be in the same atmosphere as her again.

"Bella, I'm so–"

"Don't! Don't you dare apologize!" Bella shouted, surprising herself at how assertive she sounded. She'd worked so hard these past five years, building herself up, after he helped tear her down. She couldn't allow him the opportunity to do it again. To give her hope only to rip the rug right out from under her feet. Bella had to get out of there. "I can't do this. You can't do this. It's not fair to either of us, but especially not to me."

"We need to talk eventually, don't you think?" Edward pleaded, reluctantly stepping out of her way.

She paused her walk to the doors, contemplating her next move. "Fuck you," she whispered harshly, having wanted to say those words to him for five years too long.

"Wait!"

Bella shook her head and proceeded to enter the restaurant. She had another monster to face. He'd have to just get used to disappointment. Lord knows she had.

Edward threw his head back in despair. In his fit of anger and frustration, he punched the brick wall, bruising his knuckles as a result. "Fuck!" he screamed to the empty alleyway.


"Isabella!" Rosalie motioned with two fingers for Bella to follow her as soon as she had made her way into the restaurant. She handed Bella a floral arrangement to carry and then strided off, causing Bella to have to hurry her footsteps.

They walked through the crowded tables toward the back of the restaurant. Nerves ran through Bella's veins from what just happened and what she anticipated was about to. Rosalie's office was right off the kitchen, so they were at a standstill, waiting until the servers collected their trays and allowed them to enter the door behind the countertops.

Bella knew by the set of Rose's shoulders and the stern look on her face that she was in for it. She'd be lucky if she made it out of here with a reference, let alone still being employed. Wordlessly, Rosalie pointed to the rolling cart and instructed her to set down the hydrangeas.

Rosalie's office was white and sterile. The glass desk was immaculate, not a stray piece of paper to be found. Rosalie was a perfectionist through and through.

"Take a seat," Rosalie ordered, gesturing to the two leather chairs in front of her desk. She spoke in an eerily calm tone that only served to cause Bella's worry to increase.

Rosalie took a deep breath, staring at Bella with a raised eyebrow. The groveling should have started already.

"Rosalie, I'm so sorry. It was–" Bella made a feeble attempt at an apology before Rosalie grew impatient, interrupting her.

"Enough!" Rosalie stuck her hand up in the air, making sure Bella knew to shut up and take her punishment in silence. "I asked one thing of you. One thing. That was to not fuck up."

"I'm so sorr–" Bella fidgeted in her seat, her eyes unable to meet Rosalie's disgusted glare.

Rosalie got up from her desk and walked around to sit on top of it in front of Bella.

"Save it! Did you forget that it was against my better judgment that I hired you? With zero fine dining experience and those shaky hands! Alice wouldn't shut up until I interviewed you, and I said to myself, fine, I'll give you a shot. It was a slow season, and you couldn't possibly fuck up that badly, right?" Rosalie shook her head at Bella, who was picking at her fingers. She didn't know what was making her more upset: Rosalie's disappointment, Billy's death, or Edward's reappearance. "Wrong! I was wrong to hire you. You're fired. Please go collect your things from your locker, and I'll send your final check home with Alice. Thank you for your services. Best of luck." She swatted her hand in Bella's direction, telling her she was done and should leave.

"Rosalie, please." Bella let a few tears fall before closing her eyes when she saw Rosalie was not going to back down. She stood and walked away, trying to maintain the little dignity she had left.

After collecting her stuff from the locker, Bella hurried out of her former workplace, successfully avoiding both Alice and Edward. She stepped onto the subway platform, and the tears started falling in earnest. She had no control over them anymore. Bella had held everything in for far too long. Five years too long.

Once aboard the train, she took a seat and sobbed uncontrollably. This couldn't be happening. Things had been so good. Bella finally had a life she was proud of; moreso, she was proud of herself. She had managed to move on, move forward. No longer held down by the burden of being unwanted, unloved. She liked who she was becoming, and now she felt like she was back to square one. The girl who had nothing and no one.

Bella entered the apartment and was greeted by meowing. With a 'fuck you' in Caius' direction, she dragged herself to her tiny bedroom. Climbing into bed, not even bothering to remove her shoes, she pulled the covers up to her chin and let herself go. She let the darkness take over, allowing it to consume her, pushing her down into despair. She had no idea what she was going to do.

What could have been minutes or hours later, Bella heard her bedroom door open. She didn't move; if someone wanted to kill, she'd let them.

The person climbed in and snuggled into bed with her, covering themselves with the blanket. Alice.

Bella inhaled the smell of Alice's perfume and felt a little more at ease. The tears still fell in sheets down her cheeks, but the floral scent reminded her that she wasn't alone. She sighed in relief; she was tired of feeling alone.

"I'm here," Alice whispered, not really knowing what had happened to cause Bella to be this upset. Alice rubbed Bella's back in circles. She knew Bella had secrets; hell, she had a shitload of her own, but she couldn't imagine what had happened at the restaurant to trigger this sort of reaction. "Rosalie's not worth it, Bella." She continued rubbing circles along Bella's back.

More time passed, and Alice waited for Bella to speak. There was nothing that Alice could say to make this better. Bella needed to let whatever this was out.

Bella sat up and gulped, trying to catch her breath. Alice handed her tissues, sitting up beside her. She looked at Bella with expressive eyes, willing her to talk.

"So the guy at the table…with Rosalie and her boyfriend…that was Edward." Bella whispered his name, but it still hurt all the same.

"Edward, the ex-boyfriend?" Alice pondered, running her fingers through the rat's nest that had become Bella's hair.

All Bella had told Alice about her past was that she grew up in foster care and had an ex-boyfriend named Edward. Vague didn't even begin to scratch the surface.

Her reaction made more sense now. Alice couldn't imagine she was this upset over losing the waitressing job.

Bella nodded, bracing herself for the conversation she would have to have next. She inhaled sharply. "Alice–"

Alice hopped out of bed, holding up her index finger. "Hold that thought, if we're going to do this, we're gonna need wine." She ran out of the room and returned with two opened bottles of wine, no glasses. In her other hand, Alice also held a chocolate bar which she handed to Bella. Passing Bella one of the bottles, she said, "Proceed."

Bella cracked a small smile at Alice's kookiness.

Bella poured her heart out to Alice in between telling her everything about foster care, starting from the abusive and neglectful families. To how Edward protected her, how their relationship progressed, how much she loved him, how much she thought he loved her, how she sabotaged herself from being adopted, how Edward was finally adopted, and ultimately, how she lost him. She spoke of how she'd run that night five years ago. How she never wanted to be a burden to anyone again. How she was finally feeling sure on her feet. And now how everything was blowing up in her face.

Alice wrapped Bella in a tight hug, the tears falling from both women's eyes. "You're going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

Bella sank her head; somehow she didn't believe Alice's statement to be true. Things were already a runaway train.


As the elevator climbed floor after floor, Edward sulked. He couldn't believe this was real life. He'd waited five years to see her. Bella. He dreamed of the moment they'd be back together. He went over, a million times, in his head all the things he'd say to her. Starting with saying he was sorry. That he loved her. That he missed her. That he needed her in his life.

This was not how he intended any chance of a reunion going. Sure, he knew he'd fucked up. Edward wasn't stupid; he had that piece of paper from Princeton to prove it. Throughout the years, he'd obsessed over hundreds of scenarios he could have handled differently. Hundreds of scenarios he was determined to do differently now that he had a way to reach Bella.

He had been so stunned to see her that all the practiced words had flown from his head. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but she was even more beautiful than the last time he'd laid eyes on her. Even in her rage, her beauty and selflessness was uncompared. Nobody in his world could hold a candle to her. He was determined to get it right the next time he saw her. He had to.

The elevator dinged when it reached his floor, and the doors opened to his penthouse.

He stepped into the living room, and on his couch, there sat Charlie, texting on the phone, eating what looked like a grilled cheese sandwich. "Hey, back so soon? Your honey not like the suit?" Charlie chuckled, her mouth full of food.

Edward took a deep breath and shook his head. He started pacing back and forth, running his fingers through his hair.

"What's wrong?" Charlie inquired. It was unlike Edward to look so frazzled. Seeing Edward out of control was a rare sight. He was always so buttoned-up, which Charlie loved to tease him about.

"I saw her. I can't believe it." Edward started to blather but stopped when the elevator doors opened with a ding.

Kebi didn't alert him that he had company.

Emmett walked out of the elevator, huffing and puffing. "What the hell was that about? I hope you're happy. Rosie's pissed, and that means she doesn't want me to spend the night. Do you know how hard it is for me not to have sex daily, man?"

"Ow." Edward slapped Emmett behind his head, pointing to Charlie.

"Oh, don't stop on my account. What the hell is going on?" Charlie demanded, turning off the flat screen television.

"Did you see her? She looks beautiful and happy. Well, she looked happy until she saw me. God, what the hell am I going to do?" Edward rambled, more to himself than his company.

"Who's beautiful? I really hope you aren't talking about my Rosie like this! When I told you to find an older woman, I didn't mean mine, jackass!" Emmett bellowed, getting riled up.

"Fight, fight, fight." Charlie chanted, throwing her head back in laughter. Emmett straightened his posture, reminding Edward of their size difference.

"Shut up!" Edward shouted, "Both of you. You're like two five-year-olds!"

Embry peeked his head up from the loveseat where he was trying to rest. He was bored with the commotion and put his head back down, letting the fools settle their disagreement themselves.

"You're such a fucking douche, Ed. Can't you just go fuck Tanya again?" Emmett whined. He seriously thought Edward wanted Rosalie.

Edward winced. He had done everything in his power to forget that momentary lapse in judgment. He didn't want to be reminded of a weak moment he had two years ago. It was a low blow for Emmett to mention it, especially in front of Charlie.


New York in the winter was a beautiful sight. Snow fell as New Year's crept on the clock. Soon it would be a new year, another year without her. Another year having nothing to come home to.

Edward sat at the bar, looking around at all the happy couples getting ready to kiss at midnight.

They all had no clue how Edward was feeling. He was still reeling all these years later.

"Is this seat taken?" a familiar voice called from behind him. He felt a hand rest on his back.

Edward looked over his shoulder and saw her, wearing a gold party dress. She was clearly dressed for the occasion. Maybe even a little underdressed, considering the bar they were in.

Tanya Denali.

The King Cole Bar was an upscale establishment, so Edward didn't expect to find much fun there. He also thought he'd be avoiding anyone he knew. Most of his colleagues much preferred the Champagne Bar at the Plaza.

Of all the days Tanya had to be here. Right here.

"No, all yours," Edward muttered, sipping his scotch. It was piss warm since he'd been nursing it for so long.

Truthfully, he hated scotch, but Ted forced Edward to pretend to enjoy it. Stating how it was an appropriate drink for their lifestyle. He much preferred a gritty bourbon rather than this scotch—neat, always neat.

Edward wasn't in the mood for small talk. He prayed Tanya didn't expect him to entertain her, seeing as how they already worked together and frequented the same social events.

"What has you spending New Year's all alone?" Tanya purred, trying to be seductive, but failing to anyone with half a brain.

"I'm a lone wolf as of late. Emmett is chasing a girl in Brooklyn. And my parents went on a cruise to the Bahamas; said they needed to escape the cold." Edward rolled his eyes. The cold was one of the few things that made him feel alive anymore.

"That's too bad. I'm solo as well," Tanya added, leaning forward so that her cleavage was on full display.

Edward hummed and went back sipping his drink. He played with the napkin on the wooden bar, trying to occupy himself.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!

Everyone around the pair embraced and exchanged kisses.

Edward kept his eyes downward on his drink.

Tanya put her hand on his thigh, causing him to look in her direction. She smoldered, pushing out her lips into what he was sure she thought to be a seductive pout. "Wanna get out of here and have our own fun?"


Edward shook his head, willing himself to forget that horrendous drunken, sorrow-filled event and the nudes that Tanya insisted on sending him on the regular afterward.

He couldn't even look in Charlie's direction, afraid of the judgment he was sure he'd see in her eyes at the mention of him being with someone else besides her.

"Asshole. I don't want your woman, and why would you even bring up that gold digger? No, I was talking about the waitress. The waitress at the restaurant was Bella. Remember Bella, my Bella?" Edward waited for the metaphorical elevator to reach the top floor.

Emmett's lips formed an "O," his face showing understanding as it all clicked together now. "That was Bella! I'm so sorry, man. It's just I've never felt this way about a chick before. I'm like a caveman with her."

"You saw Bella? OMG! Did you talk to her? Did she talk to you? Are you going to get back together?" Charlie was practically bouncing off the walls, jumping from her spot on the couch and starting to pace the foyer of the apartment.

"Yes, I saw her. If by talk, you mean me trying to talk to her and her slapping me, then also yes." Edward inhaled sharply, really wishing that Bella would hear him out. "And as for getting back together, I think we need to talk, and I need to apologize, before that is even a possibility."

Edward wasn't about to be unrealistic. Five years had passed. Time moved on. Bella could have moved on.

While he didn't see a wedding ring on her finger, it didn't mean she didn't have a boyfriend or significant other. Bella's whole life used to be Edward. Now her whole life was a mystery to him.

He didn't like it, but he couldn't pretend the past didn't happen.

Edward couldn't stand still. He folded a blanket that Charlie was still using. "Hey!"

"What time do you need to be back? I don't need anyone calling me and accusing me of kidnapping you."

Charlotte waved him off, grabbing the throw blanket from his hands.

"Fuck! If I knew that girl was Bella, I would have tried to talk Rosie out of firing her. Poor girl was sacked today after the spectacle you both caused." Emmett looked at Edward sympathetically. He knew how Edward pined over Bella. While Edward had the opportunity to bed half of New York, he chose to stay home with his dog.

"I need to fix this. Bella can't lose her job because of us. Because of me." Edward racked his brain for ways to fix yet another mess he'd made for Bella. "Can I have Rosalie's number?"

"If you're going to get me in the doghouse again, then no," Emmett resounded, not wanting another night of no sex.

Edward walked over to the kitchen, going to the wall phone. "Number, jackass!"

Charlie was munching on potato chips loudly, enjoying her dinner and a show. She couldn't wait to see how Edward tried to get himself out of this mess.