Blurry Lines: Chapter Twelve

Edward

I followed her as she walked back to the lounge, my mind working in over time. This is like bittersweet, after all these years of wishing for her she's been right here. Not even two hours from Forks. I guess she couldn't completely let it go, me go.

We reached the lounge shortly after leaving the cafeteria, Anthony fast asleep. Bella went straight into the bathroom, turning the light on in there and propping the door open so the light shined into the lounge just right. She went about her business, picking up Anthony size clothing, and shoes. There were a few toys in the corner that she grabbed, stuffing everything into a black tote bag and swinging the bag across her back.

She moved over to Anthony; lifting the covers from his body and picking him up gently. He laid his head on her shoulder, his body secured in her arms. She held on to him tightly as she walked back to the bathroom and turned the lights out, finding the lounge door like a pro in the darkness. They seemed like they had everything down, like this was something that happened regularly. But then again she did mention he spent a lot of time here.

I gathered my things quickly and followed her as she took the short walk through the hospital to reach the slide doors. Staff members greeted her as she walked pass, a lot of them with the highest level of respect. That made me wonder what exactly Isabella Swan did throughout the eight years we were apart. One thing was obvious; she'd made a name for herself.

We walked out of the slide doors, Isabella heading through the parking lot, looking back to see if I were still there. I gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that I wasn't going anywhere. I followed her and followed her, and as we passed my car she stopped, looking at it then at me.

"Yours?" she asked nodding towards my Volvo.

"Yeah, I just got it." I stated proudly.

"You parked in my spot, next time I'll have it towed." I gasped, my mouth going slack.

"You would do that to me?" I asked in mock horror, my hand going to my heart dramatically.

"I worked hard for that spot." She shrugged. She turned and continued to walk, heading towards the nice looking six story building across the street.

Inside the building was an elevator that was out of order, so we had to climb four story's of stairs to get to her apartment on the fourth floor. I offered to hold Anthony, but Bella refused, saying she was more then capable. I nodded, but watched her carefully the entire time we walked up the stairs. She was known for her walking accidents.

Once we reached the fourth floor Bella lead me to apartment 26C, the door a dirty brown, the paint chipping. The building was nice from the outside, but the inside was a different story. It was old, torn, and not in the lease bit livable. But then she opened her apartment door and my entire demeanor changed. It was amazing. Not a piece of paint out of place. An amazing living room set and an area for Anthony to play. It was there home.

"Have a seat, I'm just going to lay him down for another hour and we can talk." She motioned me towards the light brown couch and I sat down; my frame relaxing into the cushion. "I still can't believe you're the new guy." She said as she walked back into the living room.

"I can't believe on some level you're my boss."

"Well you better start believing that buddy. I worked hard for my position. I never knew the medical world was so cut throat."

"Why?" I asked, not able to hold it in with polite chatter any longer.

"I needed you to keep your promise to her."

"Why? I wasn't lying to you in the meadow. I gave her up for you. I had my chance to follow her, but I came after you. I wanted you. I've always wanted you. You should have stayed and I could have told you all of that, instead you ran."

"I needed you to keep the promise you made Edward. I needed you to do that for yourself, for me. Do you have any regrets…marrying her, do you regret it?"

"Every day, every day I regret giving up looking for you and marrying her. Every day of my life Isabella, I regret being with her. The only thing I don't regret is her carrying my child. But when we lost him, I had nothing left. Because everything I ever wanted was with you. So tell me now and please come up with a better response then what you've been feeding me. Why did you leave?"

"I wanted to see if I could find a life outside of you. If I could fall in love with someone else. If it was so easy for you to move on like that than why not me? I spent my entire life loving you Edward, only to find out that you forgot about me, you'd moved on. I needed to see if I could do that too, if I could move on. I had to give myself a fair chance."

"And how did that go?"

"It didn't. Like you I have regrets."

"Are you done searching for that life?" I asked.

"I was done the moment I found out about Anthony."

"Then come home…with me. Make us a family and come home." I begged.

"Are we just supposed to pick up where we left off, Edward? I can't do that, not just to me, but Anthony. It can't be the same, things have to change."

"I'm all about change," I guaranteed her. "starting over fresh. I want you and Anthony to move into my house with me. I want to be a family with you and my son. I've always wanted you, please Isabella, let me have you."

She looked at my pleading face, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Okay," she said nodding. "when do we get to move in?"

"Really?" I asked, moving to kneel in front of her. "Please don't be playing with me Isabella."

"Edward it's always been you, since the moment you sat next to me in the piano room it's been you. So no, I'm not playing. If you want us to move in then we'll move in."

"Mom!" our son called out from his room. I reached over, wiping away her tears.

"Is it too soon to say I love you?"

"If you don't say it I know a great ER doctor that would love to have you as a patent." She smiled.

"I love you…so, so much Isabella and I promise you that that will never ever change. For as long as I live that will never change."

"I have two questions, and I need you to answer them honestly."

"Okay."

"First, how long have you been single, and lastly, are you sure you're ready for this?"

"For six years. After Tanya lost the baby we fell completely apart. We were going down hill before that, but once the baby was gone there was nothing there for me. The next year I found her in bed with our carpenter. I filed for a divorce the next day. And yes, I'm more than ready to have my family, to be a family with you."

"Anthony, I'm in here!" she yelled back to our son after awhile, her eyes still on me.

There was a silent moment before we heard foot steps on the linoleum; Anthony coming into view shortly after. "Ma?" he said, looking over at Bella. "Are you okay?" he glanced at me, his eyes going wide yet again when he saw that I was looking right back at him.

"I'm fine, come here bud, I want you to meet someone. Do you remember him from the pictures? His name is Edward" she asked as she picked him up and sat him on her lap.

He nodded his head, turning to face me. "I thought I was dreaming when I saw you." Anthony said speaking to me.

"No, I was there. So you're Anthony…my son? You look a lot like me, except for-"

"My hair," he finished. "I have my Grandpa Charlie's hair."

"Yeah, you do. So I asked your mom something and now I'm going to ask you, okay?" he nodded, looking at his mother, who smiled, then back to me.

"Okay,"

"Would you like to move into my house with me? You'd still have your own room, and your mom and I would be just up the hall. You'll have your own play room and a back yard to play in as well. Would you like that, Anthony?"

He bit his lip, looking once more at his mother then back to me. "Mom would be coming too? We wouldn't be leaving her, right?"

"Mom would be coming too." I assured him. "Are you in?"

"One more thing. Will you ever leave us again? I know ma said she's the one that left first, but will you ever leave us now?"

"I will never go anywhere without you and your mother again Anthony. You're my son and your mother is the love of my life, we're going to be a family now, forever."

"I'm in." he said without hesitation. "When do we get to go home?" he asked, looking at his mother.

"You heard our boy, when do we get to go home?" Bella asked looking at me.

"As soon as grandma Esme can fuse our things together and design Anthony's room. So the end of next week most likely, until then we could stay here. That's if you guys don't mind me imposing?"

"This is your home as long as we're here Edward."

"Yeah dad." I looked at Anthony, my eyes burning from unabashed tears. I smiled brightly at him, grabbing him unexpectantingly from his mothers lap and swinging him in the air. "Dad!" he yelled in excitement.

-~~'\\%/'~~-

The next few days went by like the second hand on a clock. It was so amazing and fulfilling that I never wanted it to end. I'd gone home after my shift was over the next night to get some clothes, Anthony went with me and when I say he loved the house, he loved the house. I showed him around, telling him where he would be sleeping, and where his mother and I would be sleeping. When I showed him the back yard he suggested we get a pool, and a dog. I was all for it.

We spent late nights and early mornings at the apartment as a family and evenings at the hospital, Anthony in daycare. I saw Jasper again, and Alice. They both welcomed me back, Alice a little hesitant. Bella assured me that she was just trying out her new mother instincts; but I didn't care, nothing could bring me down; not Alice, not the pit and certainly not the female population in this hospital.

"Dr. Cullen," an sickly familiar voice called. I knew instantly that it was nurse Stanley and I tried in vain to avoid her, because she just didn't take no for an answer.

"Yes nurse Stanley?" I asked, pretending to look at a chart to avoid her face.

"I was just wondering if you were busy tonight. And if not I was thinking we could grab a couple of drinks."

"Um tonight? I'm actually very busy tonight Nurse Stanley. If you'll excuse me I have patents to see." I ran away quickly, rounding the corner and running into my Bella.

"Edward," she said as she grabbed me, stopping herself from falling. "What's gotten into you?"

"Um…nothing," I said looking behind me, and around me. "I was just headed to do my rounds. What are you doing? Where is Anthony?"

"Edward, he's at school, remember? Susan will pick him up and drop him off here with her son Seth and they'll stay in daycare until my shift is over or until Susan gets off from work. She'll pick up Seth and then Anthony will usually roam the halls, against my wishes. Is that all, you seem kind of wired."

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I promise. How about after Seth leaves I pick him up? That way the teacher can go home early. Just tell her to leave him in reception and I'll pick him up from there. That way he doesn't have to roam and get in the way." I assured her, taking a deep breath and smiling at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure, I promise. I could take him out of this place, maybe go catch a movie if time permits. Then we'll meet you at home for dinner." I assured her.

"Okay, well I'm going to go check on my emergence room. And then I'm going to go check on Alice, and then I'm going to go run to the market and pick up a few things for dinner tonight. Because if I interpreted the schedule correctly and I think I did, we have the night off. So I'll see you and our little man later?"

"Of course you will. I love you." I murmured as I leaned in for a quick kiss.

"I love you too, Edward. I'm so happy you're back in my life, in our life." She whispered against my lips. "I'll see you later."

I watched her walk away, my eyes instantly going to her ass. She had a nice ass. When she was gone from sight I turned to see that no one had noticed our exchange. I was wondering if anyone knew that Bella and I were together besides Alice and Jasper. I mean the nurses still asked me out so I figured they didn't know, but does anyone ask my Bella out? Doctors, male nurses…The thought had my stomach turning.

"Doctor C." Douglas, one of the male nurses on my rotation called from the end of the hall I was standing on.

"Yeah?"

"There's someone here to see you. He's waiting for you at the front desk."

"Thanks Doug. Did he give a name?"

"No!" he shouted as he retreated.

I took my time making it into the reception area. My mind going through possible people that would come visit me during work; my dad, my mom… Bella was already here. Jasper, no, he was upstairs with Alice. Anthony is going to be in school for a while longer…Who would-

"Eddie!" I looked up to see a smiling Emmett and a very agitated Rosalie.

"Emmett, what are you doing here, man!" I exclaimed happily, giving him a half hug and a pat on the shoulders.

"We came to see how you were doing at work. Can you get a break; we want to take you out for a drink?"

"Um, yeah, just give me a second to finish up my charts and I'll be right with you guys. Hey Rose."

"Hello Edward." She greeted quietly.

It took a while, but Rosalie finally warmed up to me, slightly. She still gives me the cold shoulder every now and then, but I think we've grown to the stage of nickname.

I finished my charts in record time. I missed spending time with Emmett. I hadn't talked to him since he told me he knocked Rose up. This was perfect. A little time with an old friend, then I would be home in time for a few long hours with my girl. Could it get any better?

-~~'\\%/'~~-

The bar was pleasant. Emmett and I found ourselves doing a few shots, Rose opting to drink water and orange juice. I wish Isabella would have come with us. She would have enjoyed seeing our old classmates.

Driving home I found myself thinking about the next few years. I knew there was so much more to come for Isabella and I. Marriage, children, a future. And we would have it all. It had to be written in the stars somewhere that her and I belonged. I mean, who could have possibly thought us meeting again was chance? It had to have been fated. Is fate.

I walked into our apartment building, the silencing deafening. I quickly climbed the stairs, floor after floor. When I reached our stairway I walked through the exit door and headed for our apartment. Unlocking the door I instantly picked up the smell of cold sauce and forgotten cheese. Yum, food. I walked further into the apartment, placing my keys on the living room table. the loud clink made me jump, and Isabella sitting on the couch made me gasp.

Fuck, she looks pissed.

AN: Umm...It looks like Eddie's forgetting something...or someone. And Isabella Looks like she's ready to for reading. I hoped you guys liked it.