Disclaimer: I do not own.

Author's Note: I'm guessing this will be the last update for about a week. My inspiration spurt is winding down and I'm going to have a busy week ahead of me. Thanks to my beta AgoodWITCH who is down with her own maladies, but still managed to get this back quickly. By the way, she said she cried at the end, so be prepared for the possibility of more tears.

Thanks so much for your comments and thought about Baby Cullen Wannabe. She's still pretty uncomfortable with a really runny nose and is quick to get upset, but at least she's playing again and isn't totally miserable. With any luck we'll all be back to one hundred percent soon!

I'm going to have a short section at the end with answers to some common questions amongst reviewers, so check them out when you're done.


6. Secretive Provisions

Warm arms wrapped tightly around me…the smell of HIS cologne mixed with his natural scent…HIS lips caressing my temple, kissing my jaw line…HIS voice whispering sweet nothings and oaths of eternal devotion in my ear.

The harsh bell tone of the phone ringing for the fourth time since the sun came up interrupted my dream again. I rolled over, tucking my head under my pillow and wishing myself back into my dream. I dare not open my eyes because then he really will be gone. I can't bear that reality just yet. I'd much rather hide in my dreams. The harsh ring stops and I sigh, my mind drifting back to my happy place.

My face resting against his smooth, strong chest, my head rising and falling with his steady breaths, the comforting sound of his heart beating steadily in my ear…a deep breath, savoring the way my insides go warm and gooey at the comfort his scent alone provides. He leans into my ear, his velvet smooth voice drifts into my consciousness.

"You promised to take care of my heart for me. Why haven't you fed it yet? You can't break your promise to me, Bella. You promised to take care of yourself while I'm gone."

I moaned, tears tickling my cheeks. "If I get up, I lose you all over again. I can't bear it. Can't I stay here with you?"

His warm soft lips brush mine so softly I can't even feel it. "No, love. I need you to be strong and take care of you since I'm not there to do it. Bella, you have to get up."

I opened my eyes under the pillow as the sound of loud pounding on the door pulled me awake again. The smell, the warmth, the feel of him all around me is gone and I feel my tears wetting the sheet under my head.

"Bella, Alice, Rosalie…I KNOW you girls are in there. You open this door right this second!" An authoritative feminine voice demanded from the hallway.

"If you don't open this door right this second, I'm going down to your superintendent's office and making him do it for me. You know I'll do it, Bella."

I sighed, tossing the blankets off of my body before shuffling to the door. I opened the two chains and three deadbolts before turning the knob to allow Esme into the apartment. Her eyes grew even sadder when she saw that I'm still wearing what I had on at the harbor.

She stepped toward me, enveloping me in her arms as she stroked my hair lovingly. "Oh sweetheart, I know this is difficult, but Edward would be so upset if he saw you like this. I know it hurts. I sent my only son off yesterday the same time you sent your husband. It is difficult, but we must carry on and take care of ourselves like he wants."

I sighed, nodding my head in agreement. My dream Edward had just gotten through telling me as much just before the pounding on the door began.

"Are the other girls in the same state as you?"

I shrugged, not trusting my voice between the sobbing and otherwise lack of use since the afternoon before.

She led me to the kitchen, opening the icebox to pull out the strawberry jam Rosalie's mom had sent us a few weeks before. Then she opened the breadbox, pulling out the loaf beginning to stale from the week of neglect. She turned to me with a smile. "Do you have any peanut butter?"

I smiled slightly, nodding toward the cabinet where we stored our non perishables. She tugged it open, snatching it out before cutting some slices from the loaf and creating three perfectly assembled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She sat one plate in front of me, pointing with an authoritative edge that ordered me to eat without saying a word.

I picked up the sandwich and took a bite, not even tasting the food in my mouth, but chewing and swallowing obediently anyway. She watched me swallow my first bite, nodding in satisfaction before disappearing into the larger of our two bedrooms that Rose and Alice shared. I took another bite as I listened to Esme order the girls out of bed, feeding them the same incentive lines that she did me. Soon Rose and Alice shuffled out of the room, their clothes from the day before still on like me, with their hair falling haphazardly from their bobby pins.

Half an hour, two sandwiches each, and a glass of milk later, Esme shoved us each into the bathroom to get cleaned up, insisting we go with her to see the fabulous apartments she found for us at a real steal. We followed her in a dazed state as she led us from our building to hail a cab.

I was not even coherent enough to realize what address Esme gave until we pulled up to the most famous building currently on Park Avenue.

"Esme, John Rockefeller Jr. lives in the building. There is no way I'm letting you guys buy an apartment here for us. This is way more than we need."

Esme waved her hand dismissively before putting her hand at the base of my back and directing me toward the door. The lady giving us the tour led us from room to room of the amazing apartment full of light and fancy woods all over the floors and walls with fancy titles like wainscoting and crown molding being tossed at us as though I had any clue what that was. I grew up in a three room shack of a house in Kansas. We didn't even have wallpaper or paint on the interior walls.

Esme asked the lady to give us some privacy as we all toed the floor awkwardly behind her. She walked up to us with a huge smile spreading her arms wide to showcase the large windows that showed an amazing view of the city skyline.

"Isn't this just amazing, ladies? Couldn't you imagine how wonderful it would be to live here?"

She looked back at us with a confused look, cocking her head to the side like a puppy dog. "Girls? Don't you agree?"

I glanced at Alice and Rose who were just as out of it as I was, but I could tell that they were thinking the same thing I was. We didn't have anything to go in a place like this. We would not fit in with the upper crust society people that would live here. This would never truly feel like a home to us.

I cleared my throat, trying it out before I began to speak. "Esme, I don't want to let you down, but honestly, this is way too much. I don't think I would ever feel comfortable here and our things would look so out of place here. I'm sorry."

A slow grin spread across her face as she chuckled. We all looked up at her a bit confused. "Of course it's too much, but I just thought while we were looking, we might as well get a peek at one of the most famous apartment buildings in the city. Besides, I hoped that by showing you something like this first, you might be more open to some of the other places I found for us to see."

I shook my head as a smirk crossed my face. My mother-in-law was a real piece of work, that was for sure. We spent the rest of the day touring far less opulent and yet still far too expensive apartments available on the upper east and west sides. The whole time all I could really think besides how much I wished Edward were with me, was how much further we would all be from work and how horrible the commute was going to be. We would go from what was in some cases, some of the northernmost neighborhoods of Manhattan, all the way to the financial district toward the very end of what was considered downtown. At least in our current place, our commute was next to nothing. Chinatown practically bordered the financial district, and even though we were a little more toward the north end, right at the border where Little Italy and Chinatown seemed to converge, it was still far closer than anything we had looked at.

It was cramped and sometimes a bit loud and there were times where the men wandering the streets late at night made us a little nervous, but it was New York City after all. Unless you were filthy rich, you just had to deal. Of course, according to my husband, I guess I was amongst the former group now, but to me it certainly didn't feel that way.

The very last place she took us was a brownstone on the Upper West side. It was within walking distance of Central Park on a pretty street lined with trees and rows of perfectly maintained brownish red houses. We walked up the sculpted porch to the front door where a lady greeted us excitedly, leading us through the house. In actuality, it was two separate two bedroom apartments on the upper floors with a three bedroom apartment taking up the ground floor and a portion of the second floor.

As we walked through, I felt my body relaxing, realizing that this place actually did feel like a home, but once again it was way too much. Esme brushed off my comment again, whispering that the price was a steal and once the economy picked back up after the war, we would eventually be able to get back the money we bought it for plus some because realty is almost always a good investment.

I looked around the main floor apartment again with a sigh. It was so homey with wood floors and a brick fireplace along one wall. The place was really so much more like a home than any we had seen and the best part would be that we would all have our own space, but would still be right there together as roommates. Our utilities and commute costs would go up a great deal, but since we were no longer out the exorbitant rent, we would probably be able to make it all balance out in the end.

I nibbled my lip as I stood in front of the building. In so many ways, it would be ideal. If the boys ended up coming home early, then each couple would have their own place, but I just couldn't get past the price tag. Esme continued to assure me that it was a good deal and that sometime way down the road, they would be able to sell it and possibly even make a profit. Aside from that, if Cullen Steel was going to have a New York office, it was a fiscally smart to have some sort of residence that guests could be put up in during their stay. Despite the great distance between the office and the residence, it would still be ideal for housing executives in town for a week or two.

It took a lot of convincing, but eventually Esme talked me into the idea. The girls were all for the new arrangement, needing no convincing whatsoever. With the shake of her hand, and the signing of a few documents, Esme had officially begun the process of procuring our new home for the foreseeable future.

Esme furrowed her brow as she escorted us home. "I am so glad that you girls will be away from here soon. This area doesn't look too terrible, but I just have these uneasy feelings when I'm here. Please be careful girls, and stay safe. Bella, I will meet you at this address Monday during your lunch break. We will be signing the paperwork and handing over the payment to purchase the house. With any luck, we will have you moved in within a week or so."

I sighed deeply, wishing I could be as happy about the coming changes as I probably should be, but I was having a hard time seeing past my pain of missing Edward. The apartment hunt had been a fairly adequate distraction for the majority of the day, only allowing me to miss him once every five minutes or so, but now I was going to have the next day and a half to mope before I had another distraction to keep me sane.

"Thank you, Esme. I really appreciate all of the work you put into this." I hugged her gently before looking back toward the apartment with a sigh. I was just about to open the door when she stopped me with a hand.

"Just one moment, sweetheart. I have a delivery for you. I was hoping we would find something today since he made me promise not to give it to you until after you had agreed on a new place and the agreement was made. After seeing the state you were in when I got here this morning, it would have been torturous to have to keep this from you."

She handed me a thick white envelope, my name written in an elegant script that made my heart ache as the air escaped my chest in a loud huff. "He said to tell you that this was the first of many. Go settle in and read it and I will give you a call tomorrow."

I looked up at her through teary eyes as I ran my fingers over my name repeatedly. "Do you know what it says?"

She smiled. "No, dear. He locked himself in your bedroom the day we got back from our errands and didn't come out for nearly an hour. When he did, he handed me this envelope with strict instructions as to when to deliver it. Now stop talking to me and go read it for yourself!" She chuckled before pushing me toward the door.

I opened it, smiling at her with a wave as I slammed it closed before running as quickly as I could up the five flights of stairs to our apartment. I opened the door and told the girls I'd be out later before running to my room to hide away with Edward's words.

I carefully opened the sealed envelope, pulling out the small stack of papers written in his perfect penmanship. I wiped at my tears as I began to read.

March 25, 1943

My dearest Bella,

This is my first of what will be many letters to you. Even though my hand itches to tell you every single thought in my brain, desperate to help you see how much you mean to me. I still find it hard to believe that it was only two and a half weeks ago that I walked into that USO dance, completely ignorant to the fact that I was about to meet the woman of my dreams. I thank God every night before I fall asleep with you in my arms that we both made the decision to go there that night.

I honestly do not think you understand how much you have improved upon my life. I didn't even realize I was missing out until I saw you from across the room and felt the inexplicable urge to introduce myself and spend the rest of the night at your side. I certainly never expected the brown eyed angel that was the most beautiful individual I had ever seen to have a most amazingly kind heart and keen intelligence to make what was already an amazing package completely perfect. I started to fall in love with you before we even shared our first dance, Bella, and I never looked back.

The thought of leaving you at all makes my heart ache and twist beyond belief, but to have to do so when I've only just found you makes it that much harder. I would give everything I own if I could stay with you, but alas, that just is not possible. If I could stay by your side, I would spend each and every day doing anything I could to make you smile and feel safe and loved.

Unfortunately, our life has not given us such a perfect beginning to our marriage. This separation is going to be incredibly painful for the both of us. It absolutely kills me to have to leave you behind, but I absolutely refuse to do so without knowing you are safe and taken care of for the rest of your days. That is why, at my father's suggestion no less, Mom, Dad, and I made a trip to your employer's office as clients.

As of today, Mrs. Cullen, you are my sole heir. In the event that I don't make it home, (which I have already promised you will not happen because I just have to come home), you will receive the entirety of my trust fund, along with all of my stocks and holdings within Cullen Steel. In addition, all properties previously owned by me, or purchased after our marriage, will become your sole property to do with as you feel is needed. In the event that we someday have children, a percentage of the inheritance will go into their name in a trust to be released to them upon turning 25, and a portion of the stocks in Cullen Steel will pass to them at that time as well.

In addition, an account has been set up for you separate from the money set aside to acquire a new home for you and your 'sisters' expressly for your use. I'm not kidding myself, I know you won't use it, but I hope that if you find yourself in a situation where you need the money that you will use it to meet those needs. It is YOUR money, and even though I know you will ignore my pleas, I beg you to use it to provide for yourself when I am away and unable to do so personally.

I sincerely hope you are not angry with me for taking these steps, but as my wife, I know you will do what is best in any situation that arises. You, my beautiful Bella Cullen, my amazingly wonderful wife, are a good and virtuous woman. I am so proud to call you my wife.

I love to say those words together…Bella…Cullen…wife. They are too perfect and absolutely meant to be. Bella Cullen, my beautiful wife…I just can't say it or write it enough. Beautiful Bella Cullen, I love you so very much and I count the hours until I am with you again. I am not sure how long it will take for mail to reach you once I have shipped out, but just know that I will write you every single day.

I hate to end this, but I know I must since you will be returning to my arms at any moment. Before I end this, I have to say that I am so grateful for you and have cherished every single moment we have had together since the night we met, to the hours we will share between this point and when I leave. Thank you for giving me your heart, your love, your chastity, and your faith. I cherish every single one with all that I am.

Until I see you again and hold you in my arms, I send you never ending kisses from my soul to yours.

With all of my heart,

Lt. Edward Anthony Cullen

I read his words over and over as the tears trailed down my face and I had every single syllable memorized. Each and every thought he shared was now permanently etched on my heart. I reached my hand under my bed, tugging out the small box of stationary I had been saving for a special occasion. I read his letter once more before beginning my first to him.

I poured my heart and soul out to him on the next ten pages as I told him about how much my love for him outreached anything I had ever imagined. My love for him would never fade, crack, or die. For as long as I lived, Edward Cullen would have my heart.

Author's Note: Hope you guys liked it.

Okay…now for the Q and A

Doesn't Carlisle have the ability to step in and take care of this? Is he not part of Cullen Steel?

When Carlisle chose to go into medicine, Grandpa Cullen wasn't happy and changed things so he didn't inherit the shares he was supposed to inherit when he turned 25. They later reconciled, but Carlisle never went into the business. They continued to visit during summers. Those shares that should have been Carlisle's later went to Edward, then later he inherited Grandpa's shares as well. Edward should have given voting proxy to Marcus or Carlisle I his absence, but he didn't…thus leading to the next question and the resulting problem,

Are the Volturi's Partners in the company? To they have an equal share of the company?

When the company started, Grandpa C brought in investors with promises of some say in the way the company was run. Grandpa Volturi was his second highest contributor after himself, thus when he died, his shares were split between his two sons, with a few going to his own grandson protoge, Marcus.

How is the voting shares split in the company?

When Grandpa C retired, he gave Edward the voting power for the shares he would inherit upon his death. He died just a year before the war started, giving Edward full ownership of the majority of the shares in the company (59%). So while Edward is away, the Volturi's have controlling interest in the company. Since Edward didn't leave a voting proxy, the mice are taking full advantage of the cat being away.

Please don't write some messed up love triangle thing like in Pearl Harbor…

Take a breath. Edward will not be returning to find out Bella thought he was dead and moved on only to get impregnated by Marcus and then have Marcus die and Bella and Edward raise the baby together. It just isn't going to happen. Absolutely not. I don't want to give away any of the plot, so I don't want to say any more…but just…No to that one.

Most of the other questions would totally spoil the whole story for you, so I will make you wait to see when it comes to those. Again, this will probably be the last post for a week or so, I'm thinking. Hope you guys enjoyed it.

Thanks for all the awesome comments and reviews!!! Keep 'em coming! They make me really happy! I've been amazed so far that this story is averaging around the same number of reviews per chapter as FDKK did, minus the major pivotal chapters at least. I wasn't sure if I'd ever have another story do as well as it did, just because the concept was so original. It pleases me that even if it's totally different this story appears to be having a good draw anyway!