I tried to quicken the pace of the story a bit without completely ruining it. I hope I got it right. The next update will be soon I promise and if you like it please do review. It helps me work faster.

Desiree

The chief editor was a very nice person; Mr. Madera was always very good to me. I don't think I ever asked him for any sort of favors, I was good at being independent. So when I walked into his office with Edwards manuscript in hand and asked him to read it he immediately said of course. Thinking back on it I'd like to think he was able to see how passionate I seemed about this story. I am positive my eagerness was quite evident.

What made this story so good? Besides being well written I was able to identify with so many of his characters. It didn't have a happy ending, but it was a very accurate portrayal of the cruelties of the world and it still managed to hold some hope for the reader. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that would find the same connection that I found with the book and it deserved to get out there.

Mr. Madera had agreed to pay special attention to it and just as expected he'd been hooked from the very beginning. Over the course of the week the manuscript was passed around many other editors and most of them had been astounded by its raw intensity. Approving it was a piece of cake. On Friday night I'd been called to tell Edward that it had been approved.

To say he was delighted was a deep understatement. He was beyond elated. The next weekend he had been quick to make negotiations to start the editing process as soon as possible. We spent various nights working over it. He would come to my house and do whatever work he had left while I edited and made suggestions on what could be replaced or changed. Over that same week I finally convinced myself I was doing one job too much. I stopped doing yoga and the art classes. But I had taken a liking to visiting Declan to help him with tattoo designs. All of this happened over the span of one seemingly short week.

Tonight was much the same, it was Friday night and Edward was on the phone speaking with his mother explaining he had a lot of work to do and he couldn't visit them tonight. As he hanged up the phone I swallowed the Chinese food in my mouth and spoke.

"This part doesn't sound right to me."

He turned his tired eyes to me and then leaned over to see the passage I had circled. I pushed the manuscript between the both of us as he read it.

"What exactly is unclear to you?"

"Well he's contradicting himself with what he stated before. Was this done on purpose or what?"

"Where does it contradict?"

"Right here." I began flipping back through the pages.

"Well that's the point of it all, can you see how much more complex it makes the characters?" he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and loosened his tie. "I want to make him seem more-"

"Realistic" I finished. "Okay I see it. Yeah it gives the character more complexity; everyone contradicts themselves."

"Exactly." I nodded and scribbled something on the page. As I felt his gaze on me I stopped and looked at him.

"What?"

"You really are looking at every single detail aren't you?"

I shrugged, "it's my job, and it's what I do."

"Do you put all this attention to all your projects?"

"I would like to think so. But then again I don't think anyone other one of my projects has been etched so deeply into my mind as yours."

He didn't respond, merely looked back at the paper work before him and wrote on it with a smile.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked.

"Uhm…come give you your piano lessons?"

"Want to come with Declan and me? The weather should be nice tomorrow; we were planning on going hiking. I don't know it seemed to me like it's something you would enjoy."

He let out a breath. "Haven't gone hiking in…years." I thought he would decline my offer. "I don't see why not. What time?"

"Well…were early risers Declan and I."

"I think I can take It." he smirked.

"Five thirty in the morning. Meet me here then we can go pick up Declan."

"I'll be here bright and early then."

And indeed he was. The next day at five sharp he was knocking on my door all dressed in sweats and a hoodie. It was odd, I saw him nearly every day and almost all the time he was in a suit, save for weekends. To see him so casual was eerie.

"Nice." I commented as I finished putting up my hair in a pony tail.

"Likewise." He walked in and handed me a cup of coffee. "Hope I got it right."

I took a sip of it and scrunched my face as I felt it burn my tongue. He laughed at my expression.

"Somehow I always manage to burn myself. But yeah it's perfect thank you."

"You're welcome. You should put on a sweater it's still cold outside."

"Yeah thanks I'll be right back. Could you be a dear and leave some food for tack? Please."

"Sure where is it?"

"Bottom cupboard next to the fridge."

"Hey Hun." I sang as Declan came to a stop in front of my car. He chewed his gum and stared through his sunglasses. "What's this?" He asked motioning to Edward. I glanced apologetically at Edward who didn't seem unfazed by Declans tone.

"Be nice and hop on to the back."

I could almost see the eye roll behind the ray bans but he got in anyways. "Declan this Edward the guy whose book I'm editing. Edward this is Declan my best friend."

"Nice to meet you." Edward called to him politely.

"Hmm" Declan grunted.

"I'm sorry," I explained, "like me he doesn't take to strangers well; unlike me he's a bit more hostile. He'll get over it."

"It's fine." He said and leaned his head back.

It took us about twenty minutes to reach the forest. The first five minutes it was quiet and while I was not unused to it, it was rather unnerving in the moment.

"Will somebody break this tension already?" I blurted as I made a right turn.

"You sent me to the back seat." Declan complained.

"Grow up Declan." I chuckled.

"Fine, pass me your coffee," I did as he asked.

"So that's the reason behind the grudge?"

"I overslept." He said and sat there sipping from the cup.

But again the conversation died. I sighed and simply pressed play on my iPod. I wasn't irritated. I knew it would be awkward; Declan and I were such introverts that connecting with others was difficult. It was safe to say that Declan had enough ugly encounters with humans to dislike them so much. Quite a fucked up pair we were.

The sun came up about twenty minutes into our hike. It was clear that Edward didn't hike as often as Declan and I did. The steep slopes seemed to be getting the best of him and I took compassion of that fact. Declan who could care less was well ahead of us.

He took notice of this and turned around, his voice laced with exasperation. I was glad Edward didn't seem offended by it.

"Are you guys coming or what?" I was by no means tired but I was taking it easy to stay with Edward.

"You go on ahead. I wanna rest." He shot me a knowing look but turned and continued walking. I walked a little ways of the trail and plopped myself on the ground. Edward followed as I removed my sunglasses. After a few moments of silence he seemed to have regained enough breath to speak.

"You didn't have to do that." he said. I smiled and pretended to swipe sweat off my forehead.

"Do what?" I asked squinting as the sunlight was hitting us directly.

"Stop to give me a break."

"What kind of a person invites another person to go on a hike and then leaves them? Tell me would you do that?"

He remained silent but there was a small smile on his face.

"I didn't think so." We both let out a small laugh. "I hope Declan isn't making you feel bad."

He closed his eyes and shook his copper mane. "I came here for you not him. Besides I've dealt with plenty of assholes in my life. No offense."

"None taken, I thought he was an asshole when I met him." I offered.

"How did you meet him?"

"It's a long, complicated and rather tragic story." Despite this I smiled as I remembered that day. I'd tried to attack him with a plastic knife after he had blown up my very last nerve.

"Well I'm surprised you managed to form such a relationship with someone like him."

"It was difficult at first…but he gets me, I get him. That makes up for everything else."

"I'm assuming not many people understand you."

"Well that makes me sound like some misunderstood teenager. More like he's the only one that puts up with my self deprecation. Plus he's the only one I truly trust with my secrets."

"Murders you've committed?" he teased. I smiled and bumped his shoulder with my own.

"A few." I joked, then said in a more serious tone, "thanks for coming. Despite the inconvenience, I'm glad you came."

"I'm glad I came. I missed doing this kind of thing. I used to come with my brothers but something about the married life keeps you from doing a lot of things."

"Yeah…I don't know marriage doesn't appeal to me."

"Why is that?"

"I think I would feel…trapped." More than I already do, "I don't know my reasoning is a bit odd."

"No I think I understand it. Still I can't say I agree with it."

"To each their own." I shrugged and he seemed to agree. "Shall we continue?" he didn't answer but simply got up and helped me to my feet. We kept at a slow pace making small conversation on meaningless things that simply helped us learn more about each other. When we reached the area where I had parked my car Declan was already leaning on the side of the car.

"Took you long enough." He said though he didn't turn his head or make any sign that he had seen us, it was impossible to tell where his eyes were through his ray bans.

"Stop whining" I chided him and he pressed his lips in a thin line. "You coming back home with me?" I asked him.

"Nah I got work. This guy made an appointment and I need to go open up the store today."

"Alright then. Maybe I'll swing by later today."

"Alright give me a call." we'd reached his apartment building and he was gathering his things to leave.

"Will do, and cheer up."

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered and walked off.

"Well he's charming." I laughed at Edwards comment.

"Definitely. You'd think that being a tattoo artist he would be covered in them."

"I was thinking of that." he admitted.

When we reached the house I pulled into the driveway next to his car. I turned off the engine and he turned his body to face me.

"So how about those classes after a healthy run?"

I glanced at my watch, "don't you want to go home and wash up?"

"Well I did bring extra clothes; if you don't mind lending me your bathroom."

"Alright then," I murmured as I undid my seatbelt and opened my car door. "It's a plan"

He followed after me as I led him to the front porch.

Edward's P.O.V

Once inside she led me to one of the rooms in the house.

"you can shower here," she said and stopped talking when she saw me looking around.

This kind of room was the kind I had only ever seen on TV or in pictures. It seemed like it was the master bedroom. The entire furniture was white; the bed frame was wood painted white with an intricate canopy shaped like branches. They had been wrapped with a web of artificial pearl white roses. And just at the center there was an overflowing blue veil made of something like gossamer. It fell gracefully over the bed and covered it. The mattress was covered with an elegant white bedspread and white pillows. But what really took my attention were the walls. They were painted a soft blue pastel color and decorating it were pearl white branches; from either side of the room the branches went in the same direction to meet at the center wall of the room tangling directly above the bed and just underneath them, neatly printed in writing that seemed to be created from the same branches there was a single sentence written in Latin.

sentimus experimurque nos aeternos

"Did you do this?" I said trying to decipher what the writing meant.

"For the most part; I helped a little with the bed, but only very little. Declan really has a hand for this kind of things. I painted the room though." She seemed to notice my gaze had fallen on the script. "We feel and now we are eternal."

I turned surprised at her proximity, "that's what it says"

"Why?"

"This is the master bedroom, when I moved in I didn't have the heart to take it for myself. It was my grandparent's bedroom. So I remodeled it for them. The only person that ever uses it is my mom on the rare occasion that she visits. She says it makes her feel like she's reached heaven. Look."

She walked over to the windows and closed the white satin curtains making the room as dark as possible. When she turned on the light the ends of the branches around the room lit up as well the poles of the canopy. On the roof, fairy lights were placed in such a manner that they resembled twinkling stars. I was awestruck by the beauty of it.

"I can certainly see why she would think this way. You ought to make a living out of this."

She threw a smile in my direction, and turned off the lights and pushed back the curtains again. "Thank you. I will admit I'm not humble when it comes to my work. I pride myself in it. It's one of the things I feel like I'm actually good at."

I was surprised at that. Desiree with a bad self esteem? It didn't fit. "What are you talking about? You paint, you make and play music, you write, you're active, I've tried you're food and you are an amazing cook. Save that I'm not good enough crap for someone who actually has no talent."

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I know I can make things. It's a skill I've perfected over years of empty time."

It struck me that the source of harmed self esteem came from loneliness.

"You say your mom rarely visits?"

"Like I said she and I have problems bonding with each other. Some sort of psychological trauma on both sides."

I wanted to ask more. I wanted to be able to give her some sort of word of comfort. I managed to gently tug her by my side and pull her into a tight embrace that made her stiffen and after a moment she hesitantly wrapped her arms around me.

"You're a good friend." I murmured into her ear.

And then in a small voice that made her sound like a vulnerable kid she said, "You're a good hugger."

We both trembled with quiet laughs and I pulled her back to gauge her expression. The light hit her face and her proximity allowed me closer inspection of the ornate spheres that were her eyes. Blue morphing into grey towards the outside, green and brown flecks scattered around the iris. I was entranced much like a snake was to the music of its master.

I remember that moment as if it had been yesterday. Of course back then out of ignorance I had not registered the foreign feeling that had centered around my chest and plunged into my stomach. Instead she pulled away and my subconscious pushed aside the feeling.

"I'll go get you a towel." She left quickly and I was left to go into the pristine white bathroom. Once I was showered I remembered I had forgotten my bag with my clothes inside the car. In the bedroom she had left a neatly folded towel on the bed and at the foot of the bed laid my bag.

As I dressed a sad wailing sound rang throughout the house. I followed the beautiful sound of the violin, a ladder was pulled down in the middle of the hallway and I quietly hoisted myself onto it and went up. This place was almost as spectacular as the other one mostly because of the windows. The amount of windows was amazing it was like there was almost no roof above us. The walls and parts of the roof were splattered with pain as well as the floor. And even the lounge that was situated underneath a window was spotted with paint in an almost painterly way that made me think it could have been done on purpose. To the other far side of the room there was a clean canvas and next to it a small desk cluttered with all sorts of paint, paintbrushes, rags and other art instruments. My attention was brought back to the exquisite cry of the violin. She stood in front of red paint spotted couch, her back turned to me and facing a window. The small violin pressed between her shoulder and her jaw. Her hair was still wet from her shower, she was dressed in a simple lose fitting gray sweater and jeans. She held her violin as though it were fragile. Her fingers gently curving over the strings shifting back and forth in slow movements to created the emotional notes. She held her bow as if it was light as a feather, gently balancing it across the chords.

I had not realized I'd been walking towards her. I stepped in front of her swaying body. Eyes were closed but she smiled in acknowledgement that I was here. When the music died down she opened her eyes. "I never did show you any of my pieces."

"You wrote that?" it was my turn to be stunned about her musical ability.

"Is it really that unbelievable?" she set her violin on the couch and took a seat next to it. I followed after her; the tune still rang throughout my head.

"It's beautiful; Though sad."

"The violin is a sad instrument." She pointed out, which I supposed was true, the cry of a violin tended to have a sad note to it. "But in its essence it is. I find I create the best work when I'm sad."

I looked around me and thought of her grandparent's room. "Sadness must be a constant emotion for you." There was no expression on her face. She merely accepted what I had pointed out.

"Happiness is more of a foreign feeling than sadness is."

I don't know when I had decided to gain her trust. Gaining her trust would mean she would explain to me her life. A life that I had to admit I was very curious about. I supposed I had also, unconsciously, resolved to bring that foreign feeling of happiness to her.

These decisions, as well, had never been fully registered by my mind. Because I seemed to have forgotten my place and boundaries as a married man, something I suppose I subconsciously pushed away in my mind in those times, until it could no longer be ignored.

The days passed, our job was finished in the editing stage. She had really worked tirelessly. But instead of our constant meeting coming to an end they became something daily. Just on the few occasions that I had to go visit my parents did I not go to her house. With each passing day she became just a bit more comfortable around me. Like telling me where the spare key was so I could let myself in, laughing more freely, not that carefully measured laugh that I hadn't realized was so carefully thought out until I heard her really laugh over a comment I had made. She had a rich and contagious laugh that made you want to laugh along with her even if the motive was not funny at all. She was more comfortable about physical contact. Constantly embracing me sometimes for no reason at all. When I brought up this she said:

"I'm naturally a physical person; my problem is with people I'm not very acquainted with. I mean with Declan I'm constantly in physical contact with him. I've known him for so long. Back home I was like that when I was younger. Really I've been so secluded since way before I came here that sometimes my old ways seem strange to me." she paused for a second deep in thought. "You remind me of who I used to be."

That was the first time I kissed her.