Title: Seven Minutes in Heaven
Author: Readingmama/Vampiremama
Beta: AcrossTheSkyInStars

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

Continuity: AH/AU
Rating: M

Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and lurking. I appreciate you all. Huge hugs to my beta Acrosstheskyinstars and to Chartwilightmom for prereading.

Chapter 8

Edward was ridiculously good looking. As if all the hottest celebrities had combined their genes to make a demi god. He was chiseled to perfection, a tight white t-shirt showing off his physique and a pair of jeans that showed off his excellent genes.

"So tell me about yourself. What have you been up to?" he asked. Bella thought he looked perfect in her apartment, sitting on her mismatched furniture and smiling at her, interested in her answer.

It had the potential to be the perfect evening, but then Bella opened her mouth to answer and instead of responding, she began accusing. "Why did you stop emailing?"

The words sat raw between them, and Edward looked down. There was an awkward pause followed by a quiet answer. "It hurt too much. They were becoming so infrequent and I worried that you'd become a stranger. I wanted to keep the part of you that I had. Never forget what we were like together. I didn't want that to fade."

Bella felt the sting of his admission, but she knew in her heart, she had stopped for the same reasons.

"You seem different now," Bella observed.

"Different how?"

"I don't know…more confident, for one. The lyrics of your songs, all those girls…" She trailed off.

Edward brushed his hand across his leg. "It's just a persona, Bella. I'm not an idiot, sex sells."

"So you never take those girls back to your trailer or motel or wherever you stay?" Although the question wasn't full of judgment, Bella wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer. She picked up her drink, hoping the glass would effectively hide the fear she was feeling about his answer.

"Just because I had all the answers in my youth, doesn't mean I didn't still make mistakes," he replied with a small chuckle. "I'm not going to say I never did, but I only did a couple of times before I realized how hollow it made me feel and I stopped. Does that change things for you?" He looked at her with sincerity, laying himself out for her with complete honesty.

"No," she replied, "not at all. You never judged me for the things I had done, I would be a hypocrite to judge you for what you have done." Bella set her glass down. "This was pretty heavy for a first date."

Edward smiled. "We never did anything the normal way, why start now?"

Bella decided not to think about the short amount of time Edward would be in town, or what they would do when he left. She made up her mind to enjoy the time she had with him and would deal with the rest later. After all, she had only had a short time with him before, and it was the best of her life, would she really turn it down because it was limited?

But hell, a week was really short.

~~7MiH~~

Bella's lips were chapped, her chin was rubbed raw, and she'd never been happier. Edward and his adult scruff had exfoliated what must have been years of skin off her face, and she couldn't go out without a heavy coat of makeup over it to hide the red. There were other places that had been rubbed raw on her as well, but mostly they had been taking it slow, while at the same time rushing to enjoy every minute.

They had gone out one night with Edward's band mates, and Bella had liked them but they only lasted about a half hour before they separated ways so the couple could go back to Edward's hotel and make out some more.

Bella couldn't believe how quickly they fell back into their easy company. Edward was exactly who she remembered, and yet different. Knowing something is one thing but experiencing it shapes a person, gives them character. And Edward's character was sexy as hell.

"Come with me, I want to show you something." Edward pulled open the dilapidated door. The alley he had led her down was not somewhere she would normally feel safe, but Edward always had a way of putting her at ease.

Still, she couldn't resist teasing him. "Is this the part where you tell me that we can never be apart and you chop me up to take with you in several small bags?"

"No," Edward replied, "decay doesn't hold the same allure it once did for me." He sighed dramatically. "Those were the days, though."

Bella giggled and slapped him as she followed him into the dark building. The area was large, it had obviously been a club at one time but it was run into the ground. There were a couple tables and a few chairs on the floor that looked like they would fall apart if you sneezed on them. The bar was covered in dust that looked caked on with grease, or perhaps the stickiness of too many spilled drinks that hadn't been cleaned up.

"I think you need to update your Google maps, Edward, this place isn't as happening as it once was."

"No, but it will be," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she turned around to view the whole room.

"The band and I bought this place. That's why we are here for the week. We were looking for real estate. We want to open a club."

The implications of what Edward was saying were many but Bella only heard one. "You're staying?"

Her face lit up and Edward immediately looked guilty. "Not yet. We have to finish our tour. We have commitments but while we are doing that, we are going to start on the renovations of this place."

"Will you be hiring someone to run it? You aren't giving up your music are you?" she inquired.

"No, the band will still be working and touring as much as we can. It's the only way to stay afloat in this business. But that will make this our home base. Where we come back to and where I spend my time off. I know it's a lot to ask and I can't really expect you to wait around for me. But when I come home, I'd like to come home to you."

Bella nodded. Her gut instinct was to just say yes, and had she been eighteen, it's just what she would have said. But at twenty five, while her biological clock wasn't quite ticking, she had the sense to know what she wanted for her future.

"I don't know, Edward. I like you, a lot. You are unlike anyone I've ever known but I don't know that I can commit myself to someone that just won't be here most of the time."

Edward's face fell but he nodded. "I understand."

"I'm not saying no. I just think we should take this one step at a time. Let's enjoy our week and we'll talk while you are on the road. As easy as it would be, I can't throw myself into this fully until we see if it will even work."

Edward looked confused but nodded again. He didn't really speak girl but she wasn't saying no, and that was enough for him for now. He stepped toward Bella and wrapped his arms around her.

"Dating me will never be like dating other guys. I love my music and that means I'll be on the road a lot," he replied apologetically.

"I wouldn't expect it to be. I just need to know if this kind of relationship will work for me before we make a large commitment. Hell, it might not work for you. I don't think either of us should have that pressure. I don't want this to turn into occasional emails that just stop again. Whether we function as a couple or not, I want you as my friend."

Edward smiled. "You grew up to be a very smart woman, Bella."

He leaned and kissed her, causing her toes to curl and her arms to hold on for dear life. Her mind may be sensible but her heart screamed to hold on and never let go.

~~7MiH~~

They made it through the rest of the week without sex. It had been close the last night but the decision had been made within their eyes and they waited. Bella felt torn as she watched Edward load his things up on the tour bus. She could see the excitement in his eyes for his music and being on the road, but she wished they had some more time together, another week to cement what they had before they tested it apart. She knew Edward wasn't the cheating kind, but she had been clear that they were just going to be casual. Let it build naturally, which sort of meant they weren't exclusive.

All of Edward's band mates gave her a hug before disappearing into the bus, leaving her alone with him. She gave him her best smile, it wasn't right to make him feel guilty for doing his job.

"I'll miss you," she whispered.

"I'll miss you too," he replied, hugging her tight to him.

They stood like that for a few minutes, their bodies curved to one another's, not saying a word. Bella felt relaxed in his arms and she let herself hope for a moment that she could do this. That the time together would be worth the time apart.

"Hey, man, we got to go," the blonde bass player, Jasper, called.

Bella could feel Edward's sigh and then he pulled back and smile at her. The kiss he gave her was soft and sweet, yet it made her body boil like he had undressed her and kissed every inch of her.

"I'll call you soon," his soft voice spoke.

"Okay," Bella answered back.

And then he was up on the bus and gone. She watched as it pulled away before she turned and got into her car to head back home. As soon as she turned on her car, her phone rang. She smiled and hit answer.

"Miss me already?"

"Actually, I have missed you. I meant to call earlier and ask how you were feeling."

"Sam." Shit. "Hi."

"Bella? Are you feeling okay? You sound weird," he said, his voice full of concern.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just driving." She revved her engine a little as she scrambled to think.

"Well I was wondering if you were wanting to go see the band at Mickey's tonight.

Bella had already planned on going with Kate and Garrett, she couldn't really blow him off, but it didn't feel right to keep seeing him, even if she and Edward weren't exclusive. Sam was a great guy and he didn't deserve to be strung along.

"Yeah, sure. Can we meet for coffee before?" Bella asked. "There's something I need to talk to you about first."

"Okay," Sam said, clearly pleased with the extra time together. "I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Alright, see you then," Bella replied and then hung up. She looked in her rear view mirror, still expecting to see Edward's tour bus, but it was long gone.

It was still early and already this was shaping up to be a shit-tastic day.

~~7MiH~~

Sam sat looking completely innocent and just as handsome as ever as Bella arrived at the coffee shop. While Bella knew she wasn't going to be breaking his heart — they really hadn't been together long enough for that — she knew he wasn't going to see this coming. After all, they had gotten along very well and the chemistry had been there.

He stood up when he saw her and Bella gave him a small smile as she pulled up a chair. He had her tea setting there already for her. It was one of the things she'd liked best about him when they'd first gotten together, he paid attention.

It was only after she looked back up at him did she realize that he probably meant to hug or kiss her hello, and she'd been so lost in her thought she'd turned the moment awkward.

"Have you had a good week?" Sam asked cautiously, the worry already showing in his eyes.

Bella felt weary all of a sudden. Her week had been fantastic, but it was over now and her future was uncertain. It would be another three months before she would see Edward again, and although they would talk, she knew it wouldn't be for long. She would be working in the days and he'd be playing or traveling in the nights. The weekends, during the days, would be the only time they might have a decent chunk of time to talk.

Of course none of these things she wanted to say to Sam.

"We need to talk." She flinched at the same time he did when the words came out.

"Uh oh." He attempted levity but it fell flat.

Bella's smile reassured no one. "I met someone. Well I was reacquainted with someone and I don't know where it's going, it's one of those things I have to see through."

Sam sighed a little and nodded. "It's okay. I get it. It's the guy from the band, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she admitted.

"I figured. Damned bad boys always win." Sam's attempt at humor made Bella smile.

"He's more like you than you know."

Sam looked reflective for a moment. "I like you, Bella. I hope we can still be friends. Still hang out at Mickey's sometimes."

"I'd like that." This time her smile was genuine.

Bella picked up her tea and they spent the next twenty minutes chatting. They avoided the topic of Edward and it became easy to fall into a friendship mode. By the time they parted ways, Bella felt much lighter. Still, it didn't stop her from calling Kate to keep her company that night. It had been an emotional day and she needed her friend.

Kate held her hand as Bella told her about her day.

"Well that really blows," she said when Bella finished. "Do you think you and Edward will be able to make it? That is a lot of time apart. And you just reconnected."

"I don't know. But when I'm with him, I just want to make it work so bad. I get that it's going to be hard, but I lose him if I don't try, so why not try?"

Kate smiled and poured them both another glass of wine. "So then tell me why you couldn't have kept Sam around, just until you knew for sure, I liked him," Kate whined playfully.

"He'll still be around, just as friends. It's not fair to him, and it just didn't feel like it used to now that Edward is back in the picture."

"I like Edward," Kate said finally after a long silence. "But I will chop off his balls if he screws around with you."

Bella smiled cheekily. "I thought you wanted me to be screwing around."

"Shut up, bag," Kate said with a laugh.

A few hours later when Garrett came to pick Kate up, both girls were a little tipsy but in good spirits. Kate had been there for Bella but not given her too high hopes. It was exactly how she needed to view what she was about to undertake. The relationship had to be real and not a fantasy, or it would never work.