A/N: Everything that looks or sounds twilight related is unfortunately not mine, it belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

This story will be done in both Edward and Bella's POV. This chapter is in Edwards pov. I hope I don't mess it up (too much) :)


Ed POV

Today was supposed to go down like any other day he experienced while he was visiting his parents. Do anything and everything he could to stay away from them. He had breakfast with Emmett and even sunk as low as to going shopping with Alice in Port Angeles, but now he was tired of them and ready for real adult conversation. So here he was sitting in the ugly green chairs outside his uncle's office at the hospital. Uncle Carlisle was usually free around lunch and he was hoping to spend some time with him if he did not have plans with aunt Esme.

Edward hated coming home. Once he graduated college and began his career he did everything he could to avoid home. It was not because he had a horrible childhood or his parents hated him. He was actually very blessed as a child. His parents were quite wealthy and they loved him, sometimes his mother loved him a little too much. He and his mother never saw eye to eye when it came to what was best for him. She did what she thought was best no matter if he agreed or not and no matter what the consequences. Anything he wanted to do or thought he might benefit from was considered a "bad move". But the one thing she tried to control that he adamantly refused was him being a doctor. All she ever wanted was him to go to medical school, but Edward loved music too much. All he wanted was to compose. Being a doctor just did not sit right with him. He had spent too much time in and out of hospitals with his father and uncle Carlisle as a child. He hated the cold quiet environment that seemed to facilitate every hospital. The smell of alcohol or latex would make him sick. He wanted music—loud, beautiful music.

When he and his mother went head to head about where he would be going to school at, his parents cut him off and quit paying for school. So, he went out and got a job doing whatever he could to pay for tuition and books. Once they realized he was not giving up on his dream, they caved and began paying for his schooling again. However, by then he was so used to being on his own and so proud that he had made it without their help that he saved the money they sent him to put toward his tuition. It still sat in his savings today. He figured he would spend it on something special for them on their 30th wedding anniversary.

The sudden vibration of his phone startled him out of his thoughts.

"Hello." He said as his heart beat began slowing down.

"Hey, baby." Tanya's sultry voice carried through the phone.

"Hey." He replied trying his best to mean it. He and Tanya had been together for about a year. They had met on a blind date set up by his mother of course. Never mind he did not want to date and had no desire to date. And if he did want to date, anyone he chose just wasn't good enough for him by her standards. Rich and beautiful was what his mother wanted and Tanya was both. Her parents owned a chain of five star hotels in Alaska and Washington. They were the Hiltons of the North West and were pretty much set for life. There children's children's, animals would be set for life.

"Do you miss me?" She asked. Edward could hear the pout in her voice.

"Yes." He replied, trying to sound genuine. He was trying to really love the girl, but he just could not bring himself to love anymore, to put his heart out there. She was a decent girl, a little spoiled and uppity for his taste but she was nice. He hoped that if he stayed with her long enough he would eventually love her. Not quite like he loved….

"I should be there Saturday." Tanya interrupted distracting him from the painful thought trying to come to mind. "Daddy only has one more fund raiser to do then he and mother are going to Hawaii and I'm coming to you."

"How are the fund raisers going?" Edward asked just for conversation. He didn't want to risk having anymore close calls with his painful memories.

"They are going well. We've raised a lot of money for the March of Dimes and the United Way."

"That's good." He ran his hands across his face then glanced at his watch. It was past noon and Uncle Carlisle was still no where to be found. The blank walls and ugly tiled floors were starting to get to him. He had to get up and move. "Um... Listen sweetheart, I am meeting Carlisle for lunch so can I call you later when we get done?"

"Oh, of course, honey. I love you."

"You too." He said before he slid his phone shut. Deciding he wasn't going to wait for Carlisle any longer he stood and stretched, then trudged toward the elevators. What else was there to do in this boring town? Going home did not sound appeasing right now.

"Maybe a ride in the country would be nice, a trip to the meadow." He thought. It had been awhile since he visited the meadow. But the meadow would definitely bring back bad memories of a time when he thought he was in love. When he thought he met the one. He gave his whole heart to her then she smashed it and ran leaving him to look like a fool. No the meadow was not a good idea right now.

Walking down the hallway he glanced up and caught sight of a familiar looking woman. He wasn't sure what it was but he felt like he knew the woman from somewhere. The way she stood, the way her hair was thrown into a bun on top of her head, but most of all the way she smelled. The floral scent was invading his senses and his brain worked overtime trying to remember. When he finally recognized the aroma he closed his eyes and shook his head. His mind must have been playing tricks on him since he had just been thinking of her. She left him a long time ago and he had not heard from her in eight years, there was no way she could be standing in front of him.

Ignoring his gut feeling Edward continued on to the elevator doors. Something made him stop though. Something begged him to look at the woman. Just to satisfy the itch he turned his gaze on her and froze when he saw the woman's profile. It was her. He would know that face anywhere. And her scent became stronger as he got closer.

"Bella?" He asked incredulously. Her shoulders stiffened.

"It can not be her", he argued with himself, but a small part of him was anxious to see. He wanted it to be her. He wanted to see her beautiful face once again. After so many years he needed to see her. Needed to see the flawless skin he remembered caressing, needed to see the stunning brown eyes he spent so many nights gazing into. He needed to know that the memories he had of the best years of his life were not something he dreamed up. He needed to be reminded that they were real. That he had experienced that. The only thing he had now was the pain that followed when he thought of her.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as she turned to look at him. His heart beat fiercely against his chest begging for a chance to burst out and see for itself if it was the woman that broke him so long ago.

"Hello, Edward." She replied sounding nonchalant, as if she were greeting someone on the street. A part of him felt crushed. How could she be so...casual? Swallowing his emotions he stuck his hand out to give her the same kind of greeting.

"Wow, it has been a long time." He said as they kept eye contact. He felt a bit of anger swirling around inside him.

"Eight years." She whispered. She snatched her hand away once she realized she was holding eye contact for too long.

"How have you been?" Edward asked trying to sound friendly when really he wanted to shout and yell and ask why she left him so hurt and alone and never called him again. Why did she ruin his life?

"I've been pretty good." she replied. He noticed her hands had a little perspiration and her chest rapidly rose and fell. Was she nervous?

"What brings you back to Forks?"

"Oh...um...Charlie had appendicitis and they had to take it out." She said folding her arms across her chest. She nervously glanced past him a few times, down the hall. Charlie must have really been in bad shape for her to come all the way back here. "We...I mean I came back to help him out. You know Charlie as soon as he gets home he'll put on his uniform and head to the office."

We? Was she married now? With that thought he glanced at her ring finger and noticed it was bare. Maybe she had a boyfriend. "Yes, Charlie will be one tough patient when you all get home."

"Oh, trust me I know."

Her posture was still stiff and her eyes kept roaming to the hall behind Edward. He wondered what she could be so nervous about. She may feel bad about what happened so long ago. He thought.

"Alice will be pleased to know…"

"No!" She snapped then blushed when she realized she yelled. She still blushed beautifully and so easily.

"I'm sorry," she amended, "I am just not ready for company right now. I just want to keep it quiet until I can get on my feet. Do you think you can keep this between us?"

He tried holding back his bark of laughter. How could you keep something a secret in Forks? As soon as Charlie went to work or as soon as one of the nurses saw her everyone would know she was back. And Edward was not sure how Alice would react to that anyway. Alice was almost as heart broken as he was when Bella left without saying goodbye. To this day they refrained from mentioning Bella or anything related to Bella when in each others company.

"Sure. My lips are sealed." He told her.

"Well, I have to get going." She said pointing to the elevator, "I need to get Charlie something to eat from the cafeteria. He said breakfast was kind of gross."

"Where is he? I would like to visit him." Edward asked ignoring the anxious feeling creeping up his body. He didn't want her to leave. They needed to talk, she needed to explain... He needed to explain. He wanted to try and fix whatever he had done.

"Oh, well he just fell asleep. That's why I left, just now, to get him something to eat. For later when he wakes up." She turned bright red then rubbed her face with frustration. Edward found himself a little amused. "I'll tell him you said hey when he wakes up. Is that alright?"

"Sure." he nodded. "I'll see him another time. Hopefully before he goes home."

"Okay. It was good seeing you Edward." She said sounding genuine for the first time. For a brief moment he saw the Bella he used to know. The girl full of love and compassion. The girl he would do anything for if she batted those big brown eyes just the right way. That little part of him that wanted her back, ached to reach out and touch her. It was physically draining trying to keep his hand from brushing away the small loose hairs around her neck.

"Tanya," the rational side of him whispered. How could he have forgotten about her in such a short amount of time?

"It was good seeing you too. You take care of Charlie and yourself okay." He said knowing he needed to get away.

"Okay." She said while she turned back toward the elevators. Instead of following her on he decided to take the stairs.

He did not realize his heart was racing until his feet tried to keep up with it by running down the stairs. He had to get outside; he had to get fresh air. This day went from bad to worse…or was it great? No, it was fine. He was fine. So what he saw Bella. They were done, he was over her, she was over him, and she would probably be leaving again once Charlie was well.

"Edward?" A familiar voice called as he rushed out the doors. He spun to see who it was and gave a big sigh of relief when he realized it was Carlisle. Just who he needed right now. Someone level headed that thought like an adult.

"Hey uncle Carlisle." Edward responded meeting his uncle halfway. They gave each other a quick handshake before Carlisle started with the questions.

"What has you all worked up?"

"I...um..." Edward stuttered, "I need to talk to you about something but you have to swear not to tell Alice anything."

"I can swear not to tell. But keeping it from Alice may be hard. I swear that girl can read minds."

"I know I know, but I just need you to try." Edward told him, "I just ran into Bella."

"Bella..." Carlisle waited for him to add the last name.

"Swan."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"She must be here for Charlie. We just took his appendix out about three or four days ago." He glanced at the hospital building as if expecting to see her through the windows. "Wow, Bella Swan is back in Forks."

"For now." Edward grumbled.

"Oh, I am sorry Edward, I was just surprised for a moment. What did she say? Did you talk long? Did she explain why she left?"

"Not much. Not long. And no explanation."

"Are you going to see her again?" Carlisle's eyes widened, "We can not keep this from Alice. If she finds out we knew before she knew and we did not tell her, there will be consequences."

"I know just blame me."

"Oh, trust me I will." Carlisle shook his head.

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Are you alright? Will you be seeing her again?"

"I think I am okay. And today was just coincidence." Edward sighed heavily, "I don't see her coming to find me. She seemed really nervous and ready to get away from me."

"Let's head back to my office." Carlisle ushered Edward forward and toward the door. "Now, do you want her to come find you?"

"I...I don't know." Edward told him, "A part of me wants to hate her and ignore her. But then another part of me wants to know what happened and what could happen..."

"What about Tanya?" Carlisle interrupted.

"I did it again." Edward groaned.

"What?"

"I forgot all about Tanya." How could Bella be in his life for five minutes and already have him flip flopped and messed up? He was stuttering and his mind was a mess.

"Maybe that is letting you know something."

"Mother would kill me if I broke it off with Tanya. She did not like Bella much either. The woman wants to see me married with children before she leaves this world."

"Edward you are a grown man. You can not let your mother dictate your life."

"You tell her that."

"You keep letting her control your life and she will." He thought for a moment, "What do you want."

"Right now?" Edward asked. Carlisle nodded, "I am not sure." They had made it into the hospital and up the stairs during the conversation and Edward groaned inwardly when he saw the bright ugly green chairs. He really hated hospitals.

"Well, just get some rest and let whatever happens, happen." Carlisle told him with a pat on the back.


I know it was short. And I hope I did not confuse too many people when I switched POV's.

Edward is a composer in this story. I did not go into detail much about it, but I will later.

Hated it? Loved it? Let me have it!