As promised, the next chapter. Again, Theotherbella is rockstar hero! Again, the hubs made me an incredible banner its posted on my profile.

So, we ready for the fated meeting?

I don't own, I just play.

Chapter 6, Beauty Meets the Beast

BPOV

I woke up to light streaming through the window. I slept like the dead and was feeling refreshed, but achy and very hungry. I sat up, took a sip of water and put down the glass on my black side table with the glass lamp. Wait, I don't have a black side table with a glass lamp. I took a look around: large windows that led to an even larger balcony; light gray walls, a huge TV hanging on the wall, a suede chaise lounge with a side table, a white lambs-wool rug… it wasn't my apartment.

Before the panic set in though, everything from the previous night came flooding back. The tattoo, the walk to the subway, the tree, sage green eyes... I gasped loudly then felt someone shift next to me. Holy shit, I was in some stranger's apartment, in their bed.

I turned my head slowly, terrified as to who I would find. It was... Alice?

"Alice?"

"Hmmm..." she mumbled.

"ALICE!" I yelled

"What?" She screamed, then shot up and looked around frantically. "Who died?"

"No, Alice, no one but… what the hell am I doing here? Where am I?"

"Morning, Bella. Take a deep breath, I'll explain everything," she said through a yawn.

When she was finished, I was conflicted. I didn't know what to think. I suppose relief was the first thing I felt, followed by confusion, then doubt. Alice had explained that her cousin, Edward, had an appointment with Garrett right after mine. It was lucky that he arrived early because he saw me leave the parlour, then faint. He brought me to his place, since I still had a New Mexico license. Right... lucky. Something wasn't right. Something was way, way off, I just didn't know what.

First thing I wanted to do was thank Edward for finding me and taking me someplace safe. The second thing I wanted to do was take a shower. Alice told me to hold tight while she went to see if Edward was even home. Apparently he worked like a maniac and left early most days. While she went looking for her cousin, I went to the bathroom. Without exaggeration, his bathroom was larger than my entire apartment. The bathtub alone was as large as my bathroom, and his shower could hold three or four people.

I grimaced at how awful I looked. I was pasty white, I had deep, dark, circles under my eyes, my hair looked like a rat's nest, and I was too afraid to check my breath. I did what I could. I splashed some freezing cold water on my face, ran wet hands through my hair, and even snuck in a mouthful of Edward's mouthwash. When I walked back into the bedroom, Alice had just shut the door.

"I'm afraid he's already left. But his car is downstairs and ready to take you home anytime you want."

"What time is it?"

"It's only 7:30."

"This is going to sound kinda weird. Think I could use your cousin's shower and steal a shirt? I feel awful asking, but I won't make it to work on time if I have to go back to Brooklyn, shower, change, then come back into the city."

"Don't even worry about. Take your shower, I'll find you something to wear."

I hugged and thanked her then went to the bathroom. After I pulled the gauze off my back, I took another look at my new tattoo, it was still red and puffy, but then again, I had slept on my back without knowing it. I needed a nice lukewarm shower. After some major fiddling with all the knobs and buttons, I finally got the water going and had, hands down, the best shower of my life. There were water jets coming at me from every direction, something soft and classical was playing through the built in speakers, it was heaven.

When I got out, there was a fluffy white towel, a hair brush, and navy blue t-shirt that had "Boston Yacht Club: Marblehead, MA" on the back, and "Edward" on the front, right over the left breast. I couldn't complain seeing as how my shirt was dingy and gross, so I slipped it on. The shirt fit just fine and even though I had a dude's name on my tit, it wasn't a tragedy. I put myself together and walked out of the bathroom, hair still a bit damp. Alice was waiting for me in the bedroom. She took my hand and dragged me through one incredible room after another until we reached a kitchen that actually made me want to cry. I loved to cook, but ever since I moved to New York, I didn't have the space or compulsion to make much more than spaghetti and soup.

"You like?" she asked.

"Oh hell, Alice, the things I could make in here..." I sighed.

There was already toast and coffee made and Jasper was at the stove, two pans and two omelets cooking away - I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I can't cook much," he said, "but I can make an omelet."

"Hey, that's more than I can make," quipped Alice.

We sat at the small glass table in the corner of the massive kitchen and ate. The omelet was good. But then again, I was so hungry anything would have tasted amazing. I had brought up the fact that I need to thank Edward, but I was having one hell of a time convincing Alice of the fact.

"Alice, I have to do something for the guy. I mean I could have been robbed or hurt, or worse if he hadn't seen me."

"Really, Bella, that you're OK is enough. Trust me, he's a really private guy – he'd just be uncomfortable if you gave him something."

"A card at least?"

She rolled her eyes at me, "Fine, a card. But that's it!"

I finished breakfast. I was not satisfied with the idea of sending Edward a measly card. He was my hero whether he wanted to accept it or not, and I needed to thank him properly, in person. Of course, I couldn't let Alice know that. Busy or not, I knew where he lived, and although he would be getting his thank you card, he would be getting it in person.

When we were done with breakfast, I was ushered through the apartment by the pair of them. Not that they offered, but I couldn't look around Edward's stellar apartment anyway, or I'd be late for work. However, by the way they were urging me through the halls, I didn't think they would have let me anyway. Something was definitely going on. Between the weird reaction to my offer of thanks, to the way they made sure I only saw hallways and the kitchen, I was beginning to think they were hiding something.

Alice and Jasper left with me, down the elevator, out the front door, and sure enough the car was waiting for us. We all piled in. I was dropped off at work, then Alice and Jasper made their way back downtown. I didn't have time to think about my sadness over the past days, instead my head was filled with questions.

Was Edward being at the right place at the right time really just luck?

Did he really leave early for work or was he avoiding me?

What didn't Alice and Jasper want me to see in the apartment?

I was lost in my own little bubble when the smell of something familiar snapped me out of it.

"Noodles for the lady," said Jacob from behind me, lowering a familiar red bag in front of me.

"You're a god, you know that?"

"Yes." He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "How's Ms. Thirty doing this morning," he said before lowering himself into the chair next to mine.

"I have so much to tell you!"

"I'm all ears, but first, I want to see the art."

"Right! Of course. It's still a little swollen and red though."

"Fine, fine, just show me!"

I got up, turned around, lifted the shirt as best I could and let him look.

"Bella, it's amazing, even now. I can only imagine what it'll look like when it's healed."

"Me too."

"Hey, why are you wearing a dude's shirt? OH. MY. GOD! You got some last night! You little tramp!"

I laughed a sardonic little laugh. "Not even close. Get comfortable, it's a long story."

He was none-too-thrilled to hear that I had fainted alone. He chastised me for not letting him come along. He was right. I probably should have gone with someone. But how was I to know that I would react like that? Twenty minutes later, I was finished.

"A card? A stinking card?

"I know; I feel the same way."

"The man deserves more than Hallmark, Bells. Plus, what if he's gorgeous, what if he's like your dream man? What if you two take one look at each other and don't leave the bedroom for three days straight except for food and water?"

"Dramatic much? Jeez. He definitely deserves more than a card though."

"He deserves…"

"Cupcakes!"

"I was thinking more along the line of champagne or lingerie," he winked, "but I guess cupcakes will do."

"So, what's the plan?"

"If I get you a delivery in Chelsea, think you could get me half a dozen from Cupcake Café?"

"Yes, but only because you're coming over this weekend and making me and Antonio dinner."

"Antonio? And who is Antonio?"

"He's just the stunning Italian model I'm dating."

"You snake! Why didn't you tell me you were dating someone?"

"It just wasn't a solid thing until last night."

"Details, please."

He told me the whole story. They had seen each other at the gym a few times. They went on a few casual dates, then the previous night things took a turn toward the serious. I assumed that meant they actually talked, because Jake was something of a man-whore. By the end of the story, I agreed to be at his by five on Saturday to make him and his boyfriend dinner.

I sent Jake on a pick up on 23rd and Fifth Avenue, gave him money for the cupcakes and planned my move. I figured since I had been in the building before, they wouldn't give me too much grief about showing up. Plus, Alice had mentioned that Edward told the super I was family. Of course, I wasn't looking my most spectacular, but he had seen me passed out just the night before, I figured being awake was an improvement enough.

Jake showed up with the cupcakes just before I was ready to leave. I did what I could with my hair, which was twist it up with a pencil, slapped on some lip gloss, and made my way to the Upper West Side and Edward's penthouse over-looking Central Park.

I was feeling good about my plan. I had my thank you card, my thank you cupcakes, and I was ready to meet Edward. Of course there was a possibility that he might not be there. Alice said he worked like a maniac. At least I knew where the kitchen was. I could drop off the card and cupcakes there. I was sure that since Alice and I were friends, I would be running into Edward eventually.

When I got closer to his building though, I got nervous. The building was intimidating and the small army of doormen was intimidating, too. Hell, even Edward's apartment was intimidating when I thought about it. I suddenly felt out of place and way out of my league. All I could do was remind myself that it was the right thing to – even if it was a mild form of breaking and entering.

I put my shoulders back, pushed out the tits, and raised my head high. I walked right into the lobby and said I was there to see Edward in the Penthouse (I realized I didn't know his last name). The doorman looked at me, then my shirt, and said "Glad to see you're feeling better this morning."

"Better?"

"I was here last night when Edward arrived with you. You were out like a light."

"Oh…OH! Right, yes. A little too much booze last night I'm afraid," I answered as breezily as I knew how.

"Well, Mr. Masen is upstairs, as always." Masen. Edward Masen. The name sounded oddly familiar.

I nodded my thanks and made my way to the elevator wondering what the hell he meant. Alice made it seem as if he was always away and never home.

"What floor, miss?"

"Oh, Penthouse please," I told the elevator operator.

Suddenly my questions from earlier in the day came back to me. What the hell was going on? Was he always busy or not? What was everyone hiding from me? Why did I suddenly feel like my plan was a really big mistake?

I stepped out of the elevator and into the small entryway to Edward's apartment. I rang the bell. No answer. I rang again, no answer. I was about to try the knob when I hear a man's voice say:

"Alice, forget your keys again? Never mind it's open…"

I stepped inside and closed the door. I walked into the foyer and tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. I was about to open my mouth to announce that it was in fact Bella, not Alice, when I heard heavy footsteps. I froze. My fear was irrational, kind of. I mean, he did save me and all, but he wasn't expecting me either. The footsteps got louder still; I could hear he was just around the corner. Suddenly, my plan seemed silly and childish… cupcakes? Really? What was I, ten?

I turned around to run out the door when the footsteps stopped mere feet away from me. It was too late. I had to face the music. I plastered a smile on my face and slowly turned around. What I saw before me made my jaw drop and my feet plant where they were. I couldn't move a muscle. Before me was a man. Or at least, he used to be.

He was almost completely exposed to me, he was wearing a pair of gym shorts and that was it. He had the thick, muscular body of a boxer. He was tall, over six foot. His hair was buzzed short. I could tell I had interrupted his work-out, I could see his chest heaving and sweat dripping off every part of him. He had a massive tattoo on his left arm that I couldn't make out, there was the making of another massive tattoo on his left rib cage, and oh yes, the entire right half of his body was one massive burn scar.

His right ear, if you could still call it that, was mangled and twisted. His right cheek bone straight down to his jaw line, down the right side of his neck was shockingly scarred. Almost his entire right arm was marked by some horrible burn. His right ribcage, down the right side of his waist to his hips were messed up as well. The right half of his right leg was chaos, all the way down to the arch of his foot. I wish I could say it didn't bother me, but he was a shocking, appalling sight.

He stood there just as frozen as I was. We were deer in headlights, paralyzed by a blinding light. Finally, after many minutes of just staring at him, I looked at his face, really looked at his face. Sage green eyes were looking back at me. I gasped before all the air rushed out my lungs. I dropped the box of cupcakes on the marble floor.

EPOV

And she was there in my foyer. When I saw a head of shocking red, orange, and copper hair and a killer curvy frame wearing my old Yacht Club shirt, I knew who it was immediately. I knew my name was going to be resting directly over her left breast and I loved the thought. So did my body. I couldn't fit in the shirt anymore, I was way bigger than I was as a college brat, but it fit Bella almost perfectly.

She was holding a pastry box in a bag in her hand. I didn't know what was in it, but there was nothing I wanted to do more than feed it to her, lick the remaining sweetness off her lips. I thought of twenty ways I wanted to touch her. Things I wanted to whisper. I'd finally find out why she was so sad and hold her until she couldn't cry anymore.

Then she started to turn around and reality came crashing back. She was about to see me, the real me. When she did, there would be no kisses, no caresses. There would be shock, there would disgust, and since God had a horrible fucking sense of humor, she would probably even feel pity for me.

When she finally turned around it was better and worse than I could have imagined. At first she was frozen. She took in every inch of me. She took her time, looking at my scarred face, neck, arm, ribs cage, and leg. It was excruciating. As much as I wanted her eyes on me, that wasn't what I was hoping for.

When she was finished with my body though, she looked right into my eyes. Suddenly there was some kind of recognition there. She gasped, she dropped her package, and her hands went immediately to her mouth. She began shaking her head no, no, no. I didn't know what the hell was going on, but suddenly I was worried.

When Bella dropped her hands and started slowly walking toward me, I was afraid that if I made a move, I would scare her even more than I already had, so I remained still. She stopped an arm's length away from me. She lifted her hand toward me slowly, and hesitated as if I were made of glass and would break if touched. But touch me she did.

I could feel her fingertips ghost along my right jaw line. When she realized I wouldn't run or crumble, she dragged her fingers down my neck more firmly. I closed my eyes in pure ecstasy. I hadn't felt a women's touch against my skin in almost ten years and I thought I would collapse from the sensation. When her fingers stopped over my right pec, and she pressed her hand into my chest, I raised my hand and placed it over hers, keeping her there.

I finally looked down into her deep brown eyes. I saw confusion, a little fear, and maybe even my arch enemy, pity.

"It was you."

"I don't understand."

"Sage green. It was you that night at the tattoo parlour. You followed me… you… you…"

She didn't finish her sentence though. Instead, started breathing heavier and heavier, and faster and faster, I got worried. I thought she might hyperventilate.

"LYDIA!" I yelled as loud as I could.

Only seconds later, I could hear her running toward us.

"Mr. Edward, everything…" She stopped, no doubt taking in the scene before her.

"Lydia, take Bella to the living room. Please take care of her."

As much as it pained me to do, I removed my hand from hers. Lydia carefully took Bella's hand and gently led her away. I knew Lydia would have a cold vodka and maybe even a valium in her by the time I got dressed. I made my way to the bedroom, took the quickest shower I could, put on a pair of jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt.

Ten minutes later I walked into the living room to see Bella standing by the window, looking out at the city in front of her. Sure enough, there was a small glass of vodka in her hand. I wasn't sure what to do. I stood there staring at her staring out the window. We stayed like that for a good minute before the silence was broken.

"You owe me an explanation."

The beast inside was not amused by her demand.

"I don't owe you anything," I seethed through my teeth.

She spun around, furious. Her eyes were wide, her nostrils were flared, her chest was heaving.

"The hell you don't. Now I want fucking answers and I want them now!"

I wanted to yell back. I wanted to throw something, smash my fists into the wall. But I didn't. She was flushed with anger and the color in her cheeks made her seem more alive and full of life than I had ever seen her. I was in awe and rendered speechless by the beauty in my living room. So instead of shouting, instead of unleashing the monster inside of me, I simply dropped my head and nodded in defeat.

"Alice, either on purpose or by accident, I can't figure that out yet, scheduled our sessions with Garrett to overlap. I walked into the place and saw you there. I was mesmerized by you. You were so beautiful sitting there. You were in your own world and all I could do was stare at your skin, your waist, your hips, even your lips. Then when the door closed, you looked right at me. I ran. It's what I do. I've had to hide myself for almost ten years since my accident. I assume you understand why. I was furious with Alice too. I called her and said some awful things to her."

"Why?"

"Because I can't have you and I wanted you more than anything. I'm not proud of it, but I went back to the storefront and watched you. You couldn't see me in the dark, but I watched you. When you left alone, I was… concerned. I needed to make sure you were OK I couldn't stand the idea of something happening to you."

"I knew you were there."

"Ya, I made sure you couldn't see me though. What would you have done if you saw something like me on a dark street, huh? Hell, you almost lost it when you saw me in broad daylight."

"That's not fair and you know it!"

"Bullshit."

She dropped it. She knew I was right, then said: "Keep going."

"I made sure you got to the station OK. It took everything I had not to follow you. After I groveled, Alice started speaking to me again. I told her to find out when you would be there next."

"You stalked me."

"I…yes. Yes, I stalked you. You need to know something, Bella. I don't leave this tower. It's difficult for me out there. I just… shit. I just needed to see you again. You gave me something to look forward to and I haven't had that pleasure in a long time."

"If you're fucking with me right now…" She began to threaten.

"I can't quite explain it. All I can tell you is that I can't stop thinking about your face, your body, or even your pain. See, pain is something I understand really fucking well. When I saw you crying, all I wanted to do was make it go away."

Finally, Bella's face softened.

"Please fast forward to last night."

"Garrett was already working on you when I got there. I knew something was wrong, well, more wrong than usual. You were so tired looking. I was worried you were going to keel over at any minute. When you left, I followed you as usual. When I saw you start to sway, I ran and caught you before you fell. I looked through your bag for an address, but you have a New Mexico license. I took you home."

"Then you called Alice."

"Then I called Alice."

She turned away from me and looked out the window. We stood in silence for longer than felt comfortable before she started talking again.

"Where were you when I woke up?"

"I locked myself in the office."

"You were here the entire time and you wouldn't let me thank you?"

"Bella…"

"What? I get it, OK? I get that you're… different."

"Different. You're being really fucking nice. I'm a monster, Bella."

She turned and looked at me – and I could see it. I could see the fucking pity as clear as day.

"Don't you dare fucking pity me, Bella!"

She looked at me for a beat before saying, "I'm sorry."

She apologized. Shit. She apologized.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?"

"I had no right to yell at you. I had no right to come into your home unannounced and demand explanations from you. I'll admit that the stalking was creepy. And I'm not at all pleased that you and Alice were keeping tabs on me. But you were there when I needed someone. You… kind of saved me, Edward. Thank you."

What could I say? "You're welcome."

"I need to know something now, and I want the truth."

"Ya?"

"Did you pay Garrett for me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Deep breathes, Edward.

"Once the tattoo was finished, I knew I'd never see you again. That killed me. It hurt to think that I wouldn't see you anymore. Even in pain, even crying, you were beautiful – you were my guilty pleasure and you were untouchable. It was the only thing I could think of that could link me to you in some way. I needed that connection."

"So it could have been anyone, is what you're saying."

"Fuck!"

"What! God, sorry, I'll go."

She started walking away from me and I couldn't take it. I ran to stop her and block her path with my body.

"Please don't go."

"I need to understand, Edward."

"Despite what you might think, I've been with women over the years. They come and go and none of them have the hold on me that you do. None of them made me want more as much as you do. I understand you, Bella."

"You don't know me; you don't know a thing about me!"

"You're beautiful, but I don't think you know that. You're lonely. Something eats away at you; something festers under the surface and makes you cry. It makes you incredibly sad. You got that tattoo to calm that pain, to find some peace. But it hasn't worked, has it? You put on a brave face but you're scared. You just want one person who gets it and you want to go to sleep at night content and not anguished."

"How?"

"How do I know that? It's easy, Bella: your pain is my pain."

"You know nothing about my pain," she said, getting worked up again.

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't," she whispered. A tear slid down her cheek. I reached out to her and tentatively wiped it away. She repeated herself, "No, you don't." She started crying in earnest. Tears came as they had all those nights before, but I could do something about them now. As if it were completely natural to me, I pulled her to my chest, wrapped my arms around her, and let her cry.

A/N

Cat's out of the bag now. I need to know, very badly, did you know? Did you expect? Did you like? Did you hate? Still have questions?

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