A/N: "Where have I been?" You ask. "Catching up on Twilight. I had to read every book, and see every movie prior to the release of Breaking Dawn." I'm sorry that left you guys in the cold but it had to be done. Oh and work, that D**n thing takes up nine hours of my day. But I'm back, recharged and ready to write like my life depended on it. I have amazing things planned for Edward and Bella. I really hope you like this chapter although I'm sure many of you might think it's' a filler. Believe me when I say it's not. It's only building the tension for what I have planned. Enjoy!

Ps: Here's a little reminder of what happened in the last chapter since its been so long.

"So I'm really excited about tonight," Kate said taking a sip of her water. Oh right, tonight was Alice's party. Only Alice could pull this off and I had to admit I was excited about it as well. She wouldn't let us help her, stating that she wanted it to be a surprise, which only made us even more eager.

"Me too." Angie announced just as the waiter came to our table. I focused on the menu for the first time since I sat down.

In the middle of Kate telling us about this guy at that comes every Morning to her job my phone buzzed in my purse.

"Did you invite him out tonight," Angela asked as I fumbled in my purse for my phone.

I glanced at it and saw who it was. We'd been talking more and more recently that it wasn't strange anymore seeing his name pop up on my screen. But it still made my heart beat a little faster.

"Hello," I answered.

"Afternoon Bella,"

"Hey Edward," I smiled unconsciously. I just could control myself when I heard his voice.

"Edward," I saw Kate mutter to Angela then glance back at me suspiciously. I rolled my eyes at them and got up from the table.

He must have heard them. "I'm sorry, are you in the middle of something?"

"Not really, just having lunch with some friends." I walked towards the bathroom. The place was packed so I wanted to go somewhere a little quieter.

"I'm really sorry to bother you but I have a huge favor to ask of you. Normally I wouldn't even think to bother you with this but I just can't do this myself. Can you help me?"

"Sure," I voiced quite happy that I could be of use to him for a change.

"What do you need?"

Chapter Twenty-Three

BPOV

Leaving the office I headed home in midday traffic. I was calm as I emptied my email one by one on my phone even though the time to start getting ready was fast approaching. I knew I had nothing to worry about; positive Alice had it all under control. I couldn't even remember all the times I'd been on the verge of a panic attack with every upcoming event since I'd known the girl however she'd already had my night planned for me, most recently the Charity ball. I smiled to myself.

Right now I was sure that Alice already had my outfit picked out, something amazing maybe from her new line and was possibly already waiting on me. It took an hour to get home, just pasting four when I opened the door to my apartment ready to be bombarded by a tiny pixie. When nothing happened I was genuinely surprised.

In fact there was no sign that Alice had been here or anyone when I stepped into my bedroom. The bed was still unmade and the clothes I'd worn to sleep were where I'd left them on the floor.

I shrugged dropping my things on the edge of my messy bed and went the rest room. I started washing my face because Alice liked for me a blank canvas when she showed up. Suddenly I felt dirty all over so I opted to just take a quick shower. A quick shower turned into a long shower after I shaved. I took extra time to make everything perfect. I'd see Edward tonight and I wanted a slightly different reaction this time around. Not that I thought he'd ever comment on how sexy I was, or was trying to be. However the thought of meeting him tonight sent chills up my spine and it made me a little queasy so I tried to stay calm and not think about him at all.

Wrapped in a towel, wet hair clinging to me I exited the bathroom to find nothing had changed.

"Huh?" I sound to myself rather confused now. I took my phone from my bag and dialed Alice's number. She should have been here by now. It was past six and frankly I was starting to get a little nervous, even more so when my call went straight to voicemail. I was leaving her a message to call me back when my cell vibrated in my hand. It was Alice. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alice," I answered.

"Hey Bells, I'm little busy right now. What's up?" I could hear voices and what sounded like construction going on in the background.

"Sure, I was just wondering when you were coming over." I asked shifting the phone to my shoulder so that I could finish drying off.

"Listen Bella, I'm not going to be able to help you tonight. No…no that goes over there. Sorry about that?" she added and my heart dropped to the ground. I'd been counting on Alice working her magic on me tonight that I hadn't even thought of the fact that she may be too busy to do anything. My heart began to speed up and I felt my chest tightened.

"Besides I thought that you hated it when I baby dolled you," She was referring to the fact that she liked to dress me, treating me as if I was her own personal Barbie doll.

Yet she was right, or at least she had been. I had hated it, yes until I realized how much I actually needed her.

"Bella, Bella are you there?" I heard her ask but I was going over the scenario in my head. The scenario of how I apologized to her if I happened to miss her event. The one event she thought was bigger than the opening of 'Alice in Wonderland', something that I had actually missed. She'd forgiven me for that but I wasn't sure if this would go over with her so well.

"Are you sure? Maybe I could stop by your place bef-"I pleaded.

"I'm sorry Bella I think you're on your own. Don't worry; I'm sure you'll be fine. I got to go, see you later. Please don't drop th-"And the call ended just like that.

'Own my own', she said. 'Be fine?' Didn't she understand the weight of those statements? This was the one night that I was truly wishing for her help and suddenly my fairy godmother was out of commission.

I realized then, as the phone slipped from my hand that I would have to do this on my own. For once.

I'd have to revert back to the Bella that had put herself through her last year of college, the Bella that had move herself across the country, the Bella that was awkward and clumsy until there was something that needed to be done. The new me would have to wait or maybe, just maybe I could combine the clumsy wallflower with the strong, somewhat confident, secretary to the world's most beautiful man, the women I had become.

I dropped the towel, water still dripping down my back and threw on a pair of jeans and shirt. I had to stop myself and put on a bra before I left the apartment. 'On my own', I repeated mentally.

'I'll show you what I, Isabe- I mean Bella Swan can do on my own.'

APOV

Tonight would be epic. Tonight would be romantic. Tonight would be a night to remember. And tonight my brother and best friend were finally getting together. Even if I had to handcuff them to each other because I for one could not, no would not take their flirting eyes and obtuse conversation any longer.

I recognized that I had started it but I had never imagined that it would take them this long to finish it. Most people, normal people could figure out they liked each other in weeks, maybe a couple of months but my thick-headed sibling and best friend, soon to be sister-in-law were not normal. They had to go through the stages that most people skipped; Denial, acceptance, doubt, more denial and finally action.

Tonight thankfully was all about action because I knew that they had finally been pushed into a corner, stretched like a tense rubber band ready to snap back, right into each other.

The venue for tonight was prefect. From the moment I'd spotted the abandoned building I knew that it would be the prefect place to welcome in the New Year. The river was viewable from the roof, prefect for the midnight firework show I had planned.

Opening the roof of a building in the middle of winter sounded crazy to everyone but not to me. Nothing was unachievable when I set my mind to it. It was a large open space with room for two bars and nice size dance floor. I had three larger heaters placed on the roof to keep everyone warm and even I wasn't sure that was going to work until we turned them on. They would run all night and keep it at nice even temperature through out the night. Best thing was that they were almost silent so they would not over power the bass of the music.

Inside was decked out like a regular night club, high ceilings draped with silk curtains, and fog blowers, not to mention the strobe lights. No club was complete without a few strobe lights. My color scheme was purple, green and gold. There was a modern V.I.P section on the second level overlooking the large light up dance floor. I spared no expensive renovating the building, even changing the layout slightly to fit the image in my head.

Sometimes it was hard to think that even I could out do myself. I smiled, standing in the middle of the dance floor as the crew I'd hired to make this all happen moved around placing all the finishing touch's on everything. It looked amazing, better than I had pictured it in my head. Purple and neon green lights were the main source of light on the roof beside the moon floating in clear skies and seating framed two corners of the roof.

I would have a little over two hundred people here and hopefully a very successful night. I wasn't too worry about that though. My main focus was to make the environment perfect for two of my favorite people.

"Miss Cullen," I heard and turned to one of the men. He towered over me but seemed slightly intimated by my presence.

"Everything seems to be done." I glanced around just to get a quick look and nodded.

"Alright, turn on the lights," He nodded to another guy who ducked inside the entrance to the roof and within a minute the light switched on.

A large grin formed on my face.

Tonight would be epic. Tonight would be romantic. Tonight would be a night to remember.

EPOV

The man that looked back at me was handsome and confident. He had an excited look in his cool green eyes and his heart was pounding in his chest. The man's hair was unkempt yet prefect and he wore a black pressed shirt with a dark jacket over it and black jeans. In one word, sexy. It was what he was going for, what he was trying to accomplish. I watched as the sides of his mouth pulled up to reveal white straight teeth.

Tonight there was something that he had to do. They're someone that he needed to see. He had already wasted enough time waiting on her but now he was taking things into his own hands regardless if she was ready for him or not. She would have to be because he had never felt like this before. Sleep had become minimally to him in the last few weeks mainly because he'd spent countless hours listening to her voice and still he couldn't get enough. Determination slipped behind the man's features in the mirror.

If nothing happened tonight at least Bella would both know how he felt about her.

It was a little past eleven when I stepped out of the cab in front of the crowded building. Alice had out done herself again I thought staring up at the building buzzing with excitement. The building that Alice had originally rented for her project appeared nothing like the photo she'd sent me. I was even more surprised when she'd bought the building and planned to turn it into a regular night club. Alice had never been much of a business owner but I had no trouble thinking that this venture was going to be a success since she was already running a very successful store and clothing company. However this type of business had been rather different than she had expected and that's where I came in.

By the look of it, I had done the right thing in investing with her. I would have anyways but it was nice to know that she would succeed.

The man at the door must have recognized me because he stepped aside without a word and let me pass. I could hear the loud music bumping in the dark, black light lit hall before I turned a corner that led to balcony overlooking the dance floor. I stared down at the sea of people beneath me. She was here. I didn't even bother to search the crowd; I knew where she would be.

On either side of the crescent balcony were a set of stairs, one that led down to the main level and the other that led up to the V.I.P quarters that was roped off and blocked my another bouncer. I flashed the bright green wrist band Alice had left for me and waited as he pulled back the barrier before I climbed the carpeted stairs.

At the top of the stairs I glanced out over the balcony again before I turned away. Had I a fear of heights that sight might have made me dizzy but I wasn't thankfully and I had more important things to worry about than if I had a fear of heights. For instance what I would say to my assistant when I saw her.

"Edward," I heard and turned to where a voice had cut through the throbbing bass of the music. It quite was dark up here, more intimate, the main lighting came from a small group of glowing cubes on each table, some pink and others neon green and also the glowing bar that was on the far end of the room.

I spotted my brother, his fiancé and Jasper seated in one of the semi-circle booths separated by a large purple or gold curtain that flowed from the high ceiling.

"There he is," Emmett grinned, a drink in his hand, and his other arm lying casually behind Rosalie. I greeted everyone appropriately before I sighed down next to Jasper.

"For a moment there we didn't think you were going to make it." Rosalie spoke with a smile. Nothing seemed to make Rosalie happy except Emmett but she actually looked pleased to be here however that was probably due to the empty glass in front of her.

I smiled and motioned for one of the girls walking around with a large bottle of liquor wearing only a rose colored corset and black shorts to come over. "For a moment, neither did I."

I laughed by words were true. The mess with Cullen Corps. counterparts in Europe had almost cost us a major deal that had been months in the making. Luckily I was able to take care of what I needed too before I raced back to the city.

The girl approached with a smile. She was quite cute I had to admit, and had my head not been filled with a certain women for the past several months I might have returned her flirty gaze. But instead I simply smiled up at her and ordered four shots of whatever she was serving.

"Naw, I'm good," Emmett stated holding up his half empty glass, or perhaps it was still half filled.

"Who said that this was for you?" I smirked putting the first glass to my lips and throwing it to back of throat. It burned momentarily but turned out to be quite good. I paid the girl and turned back to my company.

"You're seriously going to try to get drunk. Here?"

I nodded.

"Isn't that going to take all night," Jasper stated.

I shrugged. "Maybe?" They both knew how high my tolerance was. I tossed the second shot back.

"Damn that's good," I stated. Sweet but good. I glanced up then and caught Rose's gaze.

"You want one?" I pushed one towards her. I had never known Rosalie to pass up a good drink, and never a good shot.

But she just shook her head and smiled, more to herself before she glanced over at my brother, who I realized was also grinning from ear to ear.

Something was up but I just couldn't place my finger on it. They were different somehow, they both seem to have a glow, if I dared call it that, and I wondered if it had anything do with their wedding that was less than a few months away.

I shook it out of my head as I lifted my third shot just as I heard my name by a very familiar voice before I felt someone rush me from behind.

"Edward, you're here!" The shot was all over my hand but I never put it down.

"Alice." I laughed. Everyone thought that Alice was a light weight but I had never been totally convinced. I believed that her tolerance was as high as mine, but to her it was more fun to pretend she could get drunk when it was damn well impossible. That way she never missed anything.

She stepped past me and dropped into the seat between Jasper and I.

"So glad you could finally make it." She frowned. I laughed to myself. This is where she planned for me to beg for forgiveness. I would oblige just like everyone did because she had us all warped around her twisted little finger however just as I opened my mouth her eyes darted to the small glass in my hand.

"Is that for me?" Again before I could answer she took my drink, hand and all and downed the vodka like it was water.

"Ahh," she sighed with a smile when she was done. Then virtually instantaneously she seemed rather confused. Jasper touched her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"I feel like I'm forgetting something,"

"Like what?" Emmett chimed in.

Alice shrugged. "I'm not sure,"

"There you are," I heard from a voice above me. "Did you forget about me? I've been looking everywhere for you,"

I glanced up and didn't recognize the girl that stood over me. Her hands were perched up on her hips and her wavy hair slung over one shoulder. Alice turned to girl and her face lit up.

"Bella, there you are!"

I hope you liked. Please read and review. Also forgive me for the long delay. The next will not take so long, promise!