Disclaimer: owns them, I make them squabble.

Many thanks to PTB and my wonderful betas nijiska and robssweetangel. And to jmeyer. You are the best! I can't thank you enough for what you did for me and this chapter. And to Hannah81, for being the nicest and fastest validation ever.

Song for this chapter:

Someday - Nickelback

How the hell did we wind up like this
Why weren't we able
To see the signs that we missed
Try to turn the tables

I wished you'd unclench your fists, and unpack your suitcase
Lately there's been too much of this
But don't think it's too late

Chapter 2: Confrontation

Her cell phone buzzed.

I'm with my manager. I'll be home late. Don't wait up. Love you. E

She read the message, groaned and frustratedly tossed the device on the couch with a little more force than it could probably handle. He was coming home late again. He would probably return after midnight. And Bella? Bella would usually toss and turn, and a few minutes before he entered the apartment, she would flounder in a fitful slumber. This was how most of her nights had passed during the last month.

Of course he had to prepare for a series of concerts, but the clubbing and drinking with his manager and his manager's 'friends' had intensified to a level not quite necessary for the type of music he played. The decision to go touring for a series of fifteen concerts throughout the country was entirely his. This was not like him. He had always consulted her for the smallest of decisions. What was happening to them? She didn't dwell on it. Truthfully, she never did. She never gave too much thought to these little things. She always thought that as long as they loved each other, everything else would be okay. After eleven years she had come to truly believe that cheesy motto in most romantic movies; 'love conquers all'.

That night was the last straw. She had decided to confront him and find a solution tonight; if not, at least start talking again. They were so close to losing any kind of communication between them. She missed the long conversations they used to have, she missed the time they used to spend together. They had stopped doing all the things they used to, things that were an essential part of their relationship. And that frustrated her. She felt they were growing apart; she felt they were damaging their bond; she felt threatened by something she couldn't pinpoint; and she felt agonized; she felt he was slipping away from her; she felt she might lose him. And that panicked her.

Her panic slowly morphed to anger as she was thinking about his attitude, or better phrased his inconsideration of her, and it didn't take too much for the anger to transform into fury. And maybe those little things she chose to ignore did matter after all. It was a Friday night, she didn't have classes the following day and they hadn't gone out in a long time. He could have asked her to go with him. Edward and Laurent were going to go to a club, and even though it might have never been their type of entertainment, they had been to Nightclubs before. She knew her thoughts were irrational and exaggerated, but she still couldn't stop herself from feeling angry.

Fuming, she waited sitting on the couch with the lights off. Even reading Wuthering Heights was a chore. She knew every line by heart after so many years of reading it again and again, and still she could not get past one sentence. Resigned, she had opted for some music and no lights – maybe that would melt away some of her aggression.

The clinking of keys on the front door alerted her. She looked at the time on her cell phone. It was 1:37 a.m.

He came in very carefully so that he wouldn't wake her up. He was returning home late again and she would probably be sleeping restlessly, until he went and laid next to her, enveloping her in his arms to calm her for the rest of the night. One of these days, he thought to himself, I am going to strangle my manager. The man was setting up meetings, events and a whole bunch of shit for him to attend. Closing the door behind him, he flicked the lights on, only to be startled. A figure was sitting on the couch with a very irritated look on her face and it was all directed his way. He couldn't blame her. She had every right to be angry.

"Bella, love, what are you doing up at this time?" he asked as he walked toward her. Before he had the chance to sit, she stood and looked him straight in the eye. Oh god, I know that look, he thought.

"Hmm…" she crossed her arms over her chest "…waiting for my husband to return home, of course." Her sweet voice was laced with irritation, anger and irony. It brought a cold shiver through his body.

This was not going well. They were headed towards another fight and the last thing he wanted was to argue with Bella.

"Darling, you didn't have to do that. Did you not read the message I sent you?" he asked, as sweetly and honestly as he could to avoid fueling further the tension.

"Yes Edward, I read your message, but I thought I should wait up for you anyway and confirm that I'm not living alone in this house. I feel like I have forgotten what you actually look like. Thank god for those posters of you around the city, darling," she sneered the word.

Bella was obviously angry. Edward on the other hand, felt extremely guilty for having done exactly what she had just accused of him. He couldn't let things lead to a fight.

"I know, love..." she flinched at the endearment, which unnerved him, "…but there was a party I had to attend." He moved closer to her. "Anyway, after the concerts, things will go back to normal, I promise." He leaned in to kiss her. Bella turned her head and Edward's lips met her cheek. That was new. No matter how mad she might have been with him, she never, ever, avoided his kisses. Oh god, I have to fix this. I have to fix this now. He thought, panicked.

"Love, please…" he moved his head so that their eyes met. "Please, I know I've been neglecting you lately and I know that's hurting you, but I promise, after this tour is over, I will stop the concerts and maybe apply for a teaching position at UW, okay?" Edward gave her that crooked smile she adored so much and leaned closer to her to envelope her in his arms. She was still angry and did not unfold her arms from her chest, but the more he squeezed her the more he felt her nuzzle in the crook of his neck and taking in his scent. No matter what transpired between them, there was no doubt about the love they had for each other. It brought a smile to his face. Things were getting better.

Or maybe not, he thought as she pushed him away.

"What the hell, Edward?" she shrieked.

Alarmed, but utterly oblivious about what was going on, all he could do was ask, "What? What happened? Are you okay?" No matter how much they might fought, or how far apart they had grown during the last month, he would still be her most fierce protector. This instinct kicked in at her shriek, causing him to look around frantically for the threat.

Bella didn't acknowledge Edward's alarm. All she could think of was that awful smell coming from his skin. From his neck! It was not his clothes, or his hair, but his skin! It was the horrible scent of cheap, perfume.

"No, I'm not okay," Bella replied. Edward had a dumbfounded look on his face that made Bella roll her eyes. "Edward, you reek of cheap, trampy perfume."

He looked at her blazing eyes, his green pools still wide with surprise. "What? No I don't!" he replied appalled at her accusation.

"You do! And it's not on your clothes, but on your skin. On your freaking skin, Edward! Another woman touched your neck!" It was not a question, but not a statement either. She was giving him the chance to defend himself and prove that she had no reason to be jealous. She wanted him to be the one who was right, regardless of the facts. Even if it was a lie, she wanted to believe him.

"Bella…" he cupped her face with his large hands, willing her to look at him in the eye "…I could never do that to you, to us!" His words sounded sincere and she wanted so much to believe him. Bella wrapped her hands around his waist and crushed her face in his chest trying to hold back the tears in vain. He held her against him tightly placing soft kisses on her hair and whispered, "I love you so much. I would never do that, I could never do that." Edward's eyes filled with tears, realizing how much he had hurt the woman he loved, the person that meant more than anything to him in the world. Yet, he still made the wrong decisions.

Edward was rocking them back and forth in an attempt to comfort them both. As Bella inhaled again trying to take in his scent to calm her down, she was again struck by that horrendous, cheap, skanky smell. Suddenly, she remembered why she was angry with him, why she had waited up for him that night. She felt even angrier by his attempt to distract her. Oh, he knew exactly what to do to distract her. So she pushed him, but he wouldn't budge. She pushed harder, until he retracted.

"Darling, what is it?" Edward thought her anger had subsided. Everything could not be fixed so easily, he knew that. He knew there were issues between them that needed to be addressed. He knew that he was far from being the perfect husband and partner. He knew there was more to Bella's reaction this night, than jealousy or the feeling of neglect. But this was not the time to deal with all those problems. Bella thought differently, though. The look on her face was menacing, and so were the words that came.

"How dare you, Edward?" He was looking at her, startled. "How dare you play with my emotions like that? How dare you distract me like that?" The tone of her voice had risen significantly.

"What? I was not distracting you," Edward defended.

"Yeah right," she scoffed. "But you know you can't get out of this, not tonight. We're having this conversation even if it's the last thing we ever do."

The last thing we do? He thought. "What the hell?"

She ignored him and continued, "It's time we talked about the pink elephant in the room. We can't ignore it anymore."

Well, if she truly wanted to do this now, then he would go along and find out what it was exactly that she needed. He raised his eyebrow daring her to go on, and she did.

"You've been coming home after midnight almost every night for a month. I know you are a musician and that you have to promote your music, but Edward, you're not a rock star. You're a pianist, a composer!" Bella raised her hands in the air in frustration, her voice matching her emotion.

"Yes, Bella, and that is why I have to work twice as hard as rock stars when promoting my music. It's not the type that will be easily played on the radio."

Bella rolled her eyes. They both knew that his music was getting all kinds of airplay now. Edward had composed the score for the latest blockbuster movie 'Eclipse.' He also wrote nine of the songs on the soundtrack. It rocketed to the top of the charts as soon as it was released. The fact that Edward was a very handsome man also helped in the promotion. There were posters of him all around Seattle. As a matter of fact, those posters were all around the country. If Edward had been the right age, the production company might have proposed he take the lead role in the movie. Not that he would have ever accepted.

"Oh no, don't give me that look. You know 'Eclipse' was something out of the ordinary. Maybe that's behind all this. If it hadn't been for that, I'd be just another pianist and wouldn't have to go to all those parties and events and shit Laurent has been dragging me to."

They stared at each other for a moment until Edward broke the silence in a low voice, almost to himself, "I would have never accepted writing music for that movie if you hadn't insisted."

"What?" she yelled. "You're blaming this on me?"

"I'm not blaming you Bella; I'm just stating the facts." Edward's voice was cold and distant. He was getting angry as well, an instinctive reaction to Bella's hostility, but it was Bella that exploded.

"The facts? Alright then, let me state the facts for you." She rose her right hand counting. "It is a fact you have been practically a visitor in this house. It is a fact most nights you come home after midnight and I'm already sleeping. It is a fact you have been strolling around town with that idiot you have for a manager, Laurent, and all the skanks he can find who throw themselves at you, even though you are a married man. It is a fact you chose to perform in 15 concerts in the following two months. It is a fact you made that decision on your own. It is a fact we have not eaten one single meal together in 34 days. It is a fact we have not made love in 34 days. It is a fact I have been begging you to have a baby with me for the past year and you keep telling me that it's not yet the time. It is a fact I miss you like hell, even though we live under the same roof." She could no longer hold back the tears and they rolled freely down her cheeks. "And it is a fucking fact that your skin smells cheap, skanky perfume." Bella crossed her arms and with determination in her voice she added, "Those are the goddamn fact,Edward." It was impossible to hold back her tears no matter how hard she tried.

Silence. It was unbearable. She needed something, some sort of response. But he was just standing there looking down at his feet. Bella saw his body shake slightly and a tear glistened on his cheek until it fell on top of his shoe. She was angry at him, but now, looking at him, seeing how much she had hurt him with her words, she was starting to lose her resolve. I can't watch him hurt like that. To hell with this argument. She thought.

Edward cleared his throat and spoke in a low, pained voice. "I'm so sorry, Bella." His eyes were still cast down, like he was trying to find the answer in his shoes. "I didn't… I never thought…" he sighed. "I am so… very sorry," he repeated the words again choking his tears. It was his fault. He had brought on the demise of their marriage. He hated himself. He was a monster to have caused this heavenly creature so much pain. But he had to tell her, he had to explain before…

Squaring his shoulders, Edward drew a deep breath and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He looked at her, willing for her to look back at him, and she did, because she never could deny him anything.

"Bella, love, I had no idea how much pain I've caused you. I can't even find the words that will help me show you how sorry I am. I swear that I would take it all back if I could. Please don't think for one moment that I did all this in a whim. I had very good reason to accept the concerts. I'm only terribly sorry that I never took the time to tell you about it." Edward drew another breath to give him courage, and continued. "The concerts were organized by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Laurent had nothing to do with this. They contacted me directly and I accepted immediately. I… I had to."

She was flabbergasted. Edward's mother had died from leukemia when he was only six. Edward's father had adored Elizabeth. He was so heartbroken that a year later, Edward Sr. followed her. Edward had come back from his aunt Esme's house, where he spent most of the time with his cousins Emmett and Alice, to find his father sitting in the living room with the TV on and his eyes open. He had had a heart attack.

However, Edward had received a lot of love from his mother's sister Esme, and her husband Carlisle. They had adopted him and never treated him any different from their own children, Emmett and Alice. Yet, he still felt the pain of missing his parents; specially his mother, with whom he had a special bond. Even more though, he felt unworthy of being loved; his father died from heartbreak, rather than live for him. Now, Bella fully understood why he had to do it, why he had to do the concerts.

She hated herself for hurting him again. For making him confess it, despite the fact that it was wrong of him not to tell her. She did not deserve such a wonderful man.

"Please, Bella. I know I should have told you this a month ago, but…" The tears threatened to show up again and he bit his lip to stop them. He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts and continued in a low strained voice "I've hurt you so much and I had no idea…" he swallowed. "I'm sorry..." he blinked. "I love you…" His jaw tightened. "I don't deserve you…" His eyes dropped.

Edward took the one step that separated them and pressed his lips to her forehead, pouring in that kiss all his regret, his love and his pain, and whispered, "I am so sorry…"

Bella was frozen. She didn't know what to say. They had been hurting each other during the last month for no reason. It was stupid how little things had driven them apart just because they stopped talking, just because they got consumed in the every day life and took each other for granted. She wasn't going to do that anymore. She was going to fix this and make him fix it too. They were Edward and Bella, the perfect couple, the high school sweethearts. Since the first day they laid their eyes on each other in Biology class when they were only seventeen, they had never been apart. They had done everything together, supporting each other. Together they would fix their relationship and go back to the way they used to be. Love was never an issue in their case.

Not saying another word, Edward stepped back and looked at his love longingly. He had to do it. He had to let her be happy. He was not making her happy. He was hurting her. He would do anything, literally anything, to see her happy smile again. The smile that had faded a month ago was because of him.

A few moments later, he emerged from the bedroom holding a small, black duffle bag. Bella's eyes widened.

"What are you doing, Edward?"

He composed himself. It was so hard to hold back the tears. It was so hard to not fall apart and start wailing like a widow mourning for his spouse.

"I'm so very sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I will no longer hurt you."

He turned on his heels towards the door. "Edward…" Bella's voice was barely audible, "…Edward, please…" Please don't do this. I can't live without you, she thought.

He stopped, but didn't turn to look at her. He couldn't, it would break all his resolve and he would go back to hurting her and making her unhappy. That was worse than death.

"Bella… I can't do this to you anymore. I can't stand it. I'm supposed to make you happy, not miserable…"

"Edward… please… don't… don't do this…" the tears were rolling down her cheeks and her throat was closed.

With his back still turned to her he continued, "…I'm sorry, I have to. You'll be better off without me and maybe… maybe you'll be happy." In a very low voice only audible to himself he added, "I love you so much."

He was gone.