STRUGGLES

Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them. She also makes the banners for each of my stories.

Charlie thanked him for all of his help and told him that he'd be glad to see him shortly. He believed that Carlisle would be better able to get more accurate information about Bella's condition while he would be able to focus on getting the necessary information from his friend on the SPD. All of that would be needed to decide the correct course of action that would need to be taken on his daughter's behalf.

Little did anyone realize that they were in the calm before the breaking of hell washing over them very, very shortly.

CHAPTER 4: THE FLIGHT TO WATERLOO

Edward decided to go ahead to get up and dressed so he could see about reviewing all that he would need to do to be ready to catch his flight out for Seattle. But, a small pain in the butt was forgotten by him until a jarring reminder sounded by the ringing of the phone a second time with Edward answering it to hear his sister's voice asking how soon did she need to be ready.

"Alice, what in the hell are you talking about?"

"Dad called for you to come home early, didn't he?"

"Yes, but, what has that got to do with you?"

"I need to be there to help you and give you support when you meet your waterloo."

"Little sister, once more what the hell are you talking about?"

"Edward, how many times do you have to experience how my gift works? I know things before others. How many times have I told you something that you doubted only to come back later and remark about me being right?"

"You, little sister, are a pain in the backside. It's business and has nothing to do with spending a relaxing time with the parents. So, this trip has nothing to do with you and you definitely don't need to leave early. I don't have time to wait for you to get you dozen or so baggage pieces together."

"Edward, I'm going to get serious here; you do need for me to go with you now because you are going to need me. Plus once you see what I mean you will need me and my support even more.

"Also, it's time for me to meet my best friend and my soul mate. And, I'm going to say that you are about to meet the one woman that is destined to be your one and only. There! I said it out in plain language. You are about to meet your soul mate, but, you are going to have a battle on your hands to get to where you both are meant to be."

"Is there any way I can talk you out of this nonsense?"

"Nope."

"Then why don't you handle getting us both ready to leave and arrange all of the transportation for the both of us while I deal with getting things in order at the office. We need to be there by this evening. Dad will be meeting us at the airport."

"Consider it done."

"Alice?" Edward asked, making his sister's name a question.

"Yes, Edward, your rogue days of being a ladies' man is about to end with this trip." Alice told him with a little lilting laugh sounding in her voice that was heard by her brother.

"How the hell did -" Edward started to ask only to be interrupted by an amused, "Duh." Coming from his sister.

"Edward, once more, when are you going to stop asking me questions like that and just start listening to what I tell you?"

"Sorry, Alice, you'd think I'd know better by now." Was all Edward said before turning the subject back to the upcoming trip and the necessary arrangements.

"Don't worry about anything. I'll have everything handled and ready before you're finished at your office."

"What about your business?"

"As I said, 'don't worry about anything,' I'll have everything ready. All you'll need to do is take a change of clothing to the office and meet me at the airport."

So with the reassurance from Alice, Edward did concentrate on what all needed to be handled at the office. What cases could be continued, what cases would need immediate attention and what cases could be passed over to one of his partners. Edward spent the early morning hours making his lists of things before getting dressed for the office.

Once there he stayed busy explaining to his partners about a family emergency that came up at home and he needed to leave earlier than originally scheduled. It was from that moment after everyone inquiring as to the health of his family that Edward was able to start delegating what work could be done by his paralegals to the cases that needed to be given over to his partners. Even, the cases that needed to have a continuous was taken care of.

It was as Edward was getting ready to change to the clothes he would be traveling in that trouble walked into the door. "Where are you going, love?" Was the question that came out of the mouth of the black haired beauty that has tried every way she could to get her claws into Edward.

"Amanda, where I'm going isn't any of your business. How did you know that I was going anywhere, by the way?"

"I was at Dad's office when you called to tell him that you would have to postpone the meeting you two had planned because you were going to be leaving earlier than had been planned."

"Shit!"

"Ah, love, don't be like that. If you'd just let yourself go, we could be so good together as a couple. With the different connections we each have that could be used to our benefit we would be able to demand or command, which ever word you choose, all that the world has to give."

"I don't want anything to do with you. You are nothing more than a bitch in heat and I won't sullen myself or allow you to contaminate my family, friends or business associates with your low life ideas or disease."

"You need to start being nicer to me or someday you might regret the way you treat me. I am going to be your wife one way or another. It would be a lot less unpleasant and wearing on us both if you would just give in.

"Remember this, Edward; my father is ill and won't live forever. When he is gone I will get everything he has and that means you will be representing me. Consider that while you're away. I do expect you to come back with a changed attitude that is more accepting of what our relationship WILL be." And with that Amanda turned to walk out the door only to leave a stunned Edward behind.

After a few more moments of his lingering in shocked silence Edward pulled himself back to what he had been doing before that bitch had walked in and finished changing his clothes.

Alice had called earlier to let him know what their flight arrangements were and by what time he needed to meet her at the airport. She assured him that she had both of them packed and all he had to do was show up as she was handling everything else once she arrived at the airport such as getting their tickets and checking their luggage. He was to meet her at the security gate and they would go through to catch the flight to Seattle and then home.

Not once, all day, did Edward take the time to consider anything that Alice had told him earlier that morning when she had called announcing that she would be going with him and stating the reasons why. He was aware that from time to time when Alice told him something it always, without fail, turned out to be correct right down to the tiniest bit of information she had supplied. However, to honestly believe what she said about both of them meeting the one meant in life for them was just plain weird to his way of thinking.

For the most part Edward enjoyed his life where he was free to be with which ever woman struck his fancy, but, there were other times that he felt lonely in spite of who he might be with. He would think about what his parents had and wish for the same sort of connection with one woman that would feel for him the same he would feel for her. They would be connected on every level that God and nature intended, but, then he would think of the rarity of such a happening and laugh at his fantasy. For in his mind that type of love such as his parents enjoyed was indeed a rarity. His sister believed that she would meet the man that was meant to be with her forever the same as she was always spouting to him that the same would happen to him in an instant.

What was really funny was that according to what she said this morning the two incidents concerning both him and herself were about to happen on this trip. Wait until he had the time during their flight where he informed dear Alice as to the reason for the trip; that might put her feet more firmly on the ground for now.

By the time Edward had reached this point in his thinking he was ready to leave for the airport and to meet up with Alice. He took a cab to the airport since he had left his car this morning at home. It would be safe at the high rise complex where he lived in one of the penthouse suites. Of course, it was a pain in the ass at times to take a cab as they always managed to make you feel like your life wasn't worth two cents as the cab driver managed to show you with his driving that your life was in danger. And most of the cab drivers were or appeared to be foreign with broken English. Edward did learn that most of that was as fake as their accents could be. Most of the cab drivers spoke excellent English when they wanted to.

It was during the cab ride to the airport that Edward allowed his mind to return to the conversation of the early morning with the call from his father asking for his help on behalf of a dear friend. Edward did try to remember Charlie Swan's daughter, but, the memory was hazy to the point of nonexistence. All he seemed to be able to recall was whispers of her which differed depending upon who you spoke to. The boys all thought she was beautiful while all the girls spoke of how plain and ordinary she was; how shabby she seemed to dress and had no interest in fashion whatsoever. But, the one thing they all agreed upon was that she was highly intelligent.

He did wonder about the circumstances that had gotten her into the predicament of which she found herself at the current time. Also, why did her father feel that the caliber of his services were needed? This seemed as if it was going to be a very interesting visit home and just a little legal work thrown into the mix. Edward had forgotten about Alice's warning of what he was about to encounter.

Once he arrived at the airport there wasn't any problem locating his sister and they passed through security in a breeze. Everything had been timed to where there wasn't any wait time before boarding the plane and take off.

After gaining altitude Edward remembered that he had forgotten to call his father to let him know when to meet them at the airport in Seattle. And as he was quietly cussing under his breath Alice told him, "Relax. I got a hold of Dad and told him of our arrival time. He'll be there. Now, why don't you tell me about this bit of legal stuff Dad asked you to do since that was what you intended to do once we were on our way."

Edward snapped his head around rather sharply to look at his sister and then just laughed. But, once he settled down he did tell her the little bit that he knew about the case and that it involved a bit of a domestic violence issue.

"Then we'll solve the problem together and with our future ones along with the parents enjoy our visit." She said a bit perky while smiling at her sibling.

A/N: It seems that Edward isn't really taking the situation seriously at the moment. Add to that the warning from Alice he isn't expecting much out of the ordinary. What's going to be his reaction when he finds out otherwise and sees Bella for the first time?

Thanks for reading the story and hope you will enjoy it. Your reviews, ideas and comments are always welcomed.