Sorry for the delay. I injured my arm and shoulders a couple of weeks ago. I hate shoveling snow! Thank you all for your reviews. I was definitely feeling the love. I hope you enjoy where this chapter takes us.

SM owns it all. I just play with it.

Out of the Shadows

Chapter 11: Anyone's Ghost

BPOV

As the doorbell was still vibrating, I walked out of my room. Charlie's chair scraped across the kitchen floor. I stood at the top of the stairs out of sight, but I could hear everything. The heavy foot falls moved towards the front door. The door hinges groaned for oil as Charlie opened the front door.

"Edward. What can I do for ya?" Charlie was using his best police chief voice.

"Uh, I wanted to talk to Bella." His voice was rough. I could hear his feet shuffling on the front step. Dad didn't say a word. I could just imagine the looks between them. Edward's wondering why he's being denied, and Dad's wondering why this arrogant little shit is on his doorstep.

"Can I speak with Bella please, sir?" Now I can hear the humility in his velvet voice. I stood there shivering in my towel from the cold and the sound of Edward's voice. I wasn't going to go down those stairs until I was damn well ready. Shower first, Edward second; I went into the bathroom and closed the door loud enough that Dad would know where I was.

The shower was a long one, and I was taking all the time I could to make sure that Edward was gone. Primping more than usual, I needed the ego boost right about now. Buffed, waxed, and with my hair blown out straight, I was feeling unbelievable. I didn't need him, but I wanted him to know what he was missing.

It was almost an hour later when I finally left my room, dressed and ready to go visit with Angela. My favorite jeans, a sapphire blue blouse, and some stellar brown boots was my outfit of choice today. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I was astonished to see Edward sitting there in the living room across from my dad, holding the most enormous bouquet of flowers. Edward stood as soon as I entered the room. Dad rose and faced me, blocking Edward's view of me.

"Since you're down now, I'm heading to the station. You good?" Dad's eyebrow rose as he waited for me to give him the okay to go.

"Sure, Dad. Will you be home for dinner?" I was doing my best to ignore the handsome creature over Charlie's shoulder, who was trying to catch my eye.

"Yeah, I should be." He turned to go to the front door, and I went right along with him. Standing there watching him get his coat and gun belt on, I felt ridiculous and childish ignoring Edward like I was, but I didn't want to have this conversation in front of Charlie.

"Well, I'll see you later. I'm going over to visit with Angela in a few minutes, but I've got my cell if you need anything."

"I've done fine for the last few years, honey. I'm sure I can handle a couple of hours. Can you handle the next few hours?" Charlie looked over my shoulder to where Edward was still rooted to the living room floor.

"Yeah. We'll talk later." I gave him a weak smile as he left the house. I spun so fast towards the living room that I caught Edward off guard. He was staring at his feet as the toe of his boot was kicking our coffee table.

"What can I help you with, Edward?" My voice was cold. He wasn't about to see my inner turmoil. My most professional mask was on, and I'd be damned if I was going to let it slip again.

"Bella, I uh, I came over to apologize." He stepped forward and thrust the flowers out to me.

"Thank your mother for the flowers." I said, as I walked towards the kitchen with the flowers. I found a vase big enough, filled it with water, and started to arrange the blooms. The sound of Edward's footsteps alerted me to the fact that he followed me.

"Why do you think my mom gave you the flowers?" The tone of his voice told me he was indignant.

"First of all, your mother is a goddess and would totally give me flowers. Secondly, I was with you when we bought them for their party, and thirdly, you're a selfish ass who would never think of giving someone, like me, flowers." The tension in my shoulders was probably visible to him. The waves of frustration with myself, for spending so much time bothered by his thoughts and actions, was palpable. I turned towards the front room again, with the vase in hand, and stalked past him.

"Bella, I know what I said last night was shitty. I was just so disturbed by your deception that I wasn't thinking straight." He stalked towards me.

"My deception? You make it sound like I was running from the law. I just told you a different name. A name, by the way, that I have been using professionally for 5 years. Whatever issues you have with trust are yours, not mine." I stood there with my hands on my hips, trying to control my breathing and emotions. He was going to see me cry again. I'd shed too many tears over Edward Cullen already in my lifetime.

"I just don't understand what game you're playing, Bella. If you think you were being so forthright, then why didn't you tell me you'd be visiting your father while in Forks?" He moved closer to me, filling the gap between our bodies. The heat coming off of him was tangible. One step closer and we'd be close enough to kiss.

"Edward, I'm not getting into this discussion, ever. I have somewhere to go right now." I walked towards the front door, open it, and waited for him to take the hint.

"We ended our 'relationship' last night. I will speak with Alice later about my resignation. Talk care, and good luck in the future." I stood there clutching the door handle like it was a life preserver. My whole body was shaking from the inside, trying desperately to get out.

"So that's it, Bella? Nothing more?" My silence was his answer. "Fine. I hope you're happy in your life." He left the house, stamping his feet like a petulant child. It was obvious that Edward Cullen always got what he wanted.

Closing the door after he left, I leaned up against it and waited to hear his car leave. As the tires crunched on the gravel, I slid to the floor to catch my breath and pull myself together. I couldn't believe that I had it in me to follow through with a decision. Edward Cullen was out of my life now. The feeling left me empty. I didn't know if I wanted him or just wanted revenge for the perceived slights against me.

I rose from the floor, pulling myself together, and got ready to go see Angela. I knew that I would break down there with my true friend's support.

EPOV

What the hell just happened? I slammed the Volvo into reverse and left the Swan house as fast as possible. I drove until I couldn't anymore. I was shaking so violently that I had to pull the car over to the side of the road. I sent Alice a quick email.

Bella has resigned. Do what you have to.

I sat there at the side of the road pondering my world and how Bella fit into it. Alice was right. I did have a thing for Bella when I was in high school, but I was too much of a conceited jerk to say or do anything. I wanted to be her friend but didn't want it as well. Bella made it so easy to just watch her. She never joined in; was on the sidelines and always at the look of a hurt puppy.

Well, she wasn't hurt anymore. She was strong, intelligent, caring, and the woman I always wanted to be with but was too much of an idiot to see past the packaging. Don't get me wrong; I wasn't some kind of stalker.

I think I was closer to Emilio Estevez in Breakfast Club. Always having to be the best and follow the crowd whether it was the right thing to do or not. Bella was like my Ally Sheedy, the girl who got ignored. The problem with this plot line is that I never got to spend a Saturday in detention with her. If only John Hughes was here to write out my perfect ending, and it all got wrapped up in 97 minutes.

Eventually I started the car and made my way back home. The idea of having to deal with Alice was something I wasn't looking forward to, but it had to be done. As I pulled into our driveway, I could see that Rose and Emmett's car was gone. That made two less set of eyes I would have to look at.

I parked Esme's Volvo in the garage and snuck back into the house. All was quiet. I made my way to the kitchen to get something to drink. I hadn't eaten breakfast, but there was no way my stomach was going to let me eat anything right now. As I rounded the corner to the kitchen, I saw my mom sitting at the island sipping some tea.

"Would you like some tea, son?" Her smile was small but reassuring. I could tell that she wanted us to talk.

"Sure, Mom. Do we have any green tea?" I started to rummage through the cupboards, and she put the kettle on. We worked in silence making the tea. It wasn't until we both sat down with our tea that the conversation start.

"Edward, I don't know what all is going on, but I do know that you are hurting. Alice filled me in on the whole Bella/Izzy thing, but it still doesn't make sense to me why she would hide her identity and why you didn't open your eyes wide enough to see the real person." She lowered her head and took a small sip of tea. She was waiting for me to open up. This wasn't going to be a lecture but a sensible discussion.

"Mom, I don't know what to tell you. The whole time we were together it felt familiar but new at the same time. I made the mistake of not seeing Izzy for who she truly was, but she lied to me, Mom. You know that's my number one rule, no lies." I ran my hands through my hair, grabbing it by the roots.

My frustration level was rising. I didn't know what to do next. This wasn't going to be an easy fight, and I still wasn't sure that I wanted to start.

"The feelings that I have for Bella are stronger than anything I've felt before, but she doesn't want me. When I saw her this morning, she made it quite clear that the relationship was purely professional and that is over now, too." I sipped my tea, my hands around the mug, while I waited for my mom's pearls of wisdom.

"Yeah, you fucked this one up good." She chuckled.

"Mom!" I raised my head so quick it hurt. "Language!"

"I don't think there is any other way to put it. If she means this much to you, then you need to fight, but I would give her some time and space first. It will give Bella a chance to see what she's missing." Her hand reached across the table and held mine gently. "Edward, if you want her, you must woo her."

"Woo her? I don't even know where to start with that." Wooing was a concept that I was unfamiliar with. But if my mom said to woo, then a wooing I will go.

"Go talk with your dad. He had to do a lot of wooing to get me. But it was definitely worth it." With that she stood up, took her cup, and left the kitchen.

I sat there staring into my tea, waiting for the answers. I knew that I was going to need help; unfortunately, I couldn't concentrate on the wooing until I'd finished this shoot. I had to get to the airport, back to Vancouver, and finish. I needed Alice's help and wasn't looking forward to that.

I finished my cup of tea and went to find Alice. I could hear her voice coming from the games room. She and Jasper were playing some pool.

"Hey." I walked over to the bar and grabbed a Coke.

"So everything did not go well, given the text that you sent me." She stopped playing and stood there leaning on her cue. "Did she even talk to you?"

"Yeah, briefly. After I sat there for an hour with the Chief, waiting for her to come down the stairs."

"Oh man, you do have it bad if you were willing to sit there and wait like a puppy dog." Jasper was chuckling as he took his shot.

"Edward," Alice said, as she came towards me. "You did the right thing. Waiting as long as you did just to apologize shows that you care. She'll come around, but it's going to take time. Bella's got a lot of hurt that goes back a long way. Don't you remember her mom walking out on them? That had to be tough on a little girl." Alice took the bar stool next to me and put her head on my shoulder. "If you really want her, then you have to be patient and show her that you are worth it."

I took a sip of my drink and just watched Jasper finish the balls on the table. "Alice, I need a drive to Port Angeles to catch my flight tonight."

"I've already looked after everything. Do you want me to come with you to finish out the shoot?"

"No, I'll be fine. I only have 2 weeks left, so it won't be bad. Can you let Bella know that she can hold onto the car for as long as she needs it?"

"Consider it done. You get through these two weeks, and then we'll start the woo."

"Again with the woo. Were you talking to Mom this morning?"

"Yeah, she told me about Dad wooing her, and I think that is just what you have to do with Bella. She has to feel like she's special, one of a kind." Alice gave me her 'everything is great' smile as she stood up and went to play pool with Jasper again.

I watched for a while then left to get packed to head to the airport. When I was ready to leave, Dad came to my room.

"Ready to go, son?" Carlisle picked up my bag and turned to the stairs.

"Yeah, Dad. Are you driving me?" I followed him down the stairs then towards the garage.

"I thought that you might want to talk on the drive. We didn't get much time to connect this visit." He loaded my bag into his car.

"That would be great." I sank into the passenger seat of his Audi. My mind was racing with ideas that I had for wooing Bella. I knew that the next two weeks would be the hardest just because she wouldn't be there with me. I could already feel the ache.

I've never felt this pull towards someone before. She was my sun. Oh how things could have been different if I hadn't been such an ass in high school.

Please let me know what you think. I will try my best to update before the New Year.

I wish you all a happy Christmas!