*Disclaimer - Sadly, I own nothing of Twilight with the exception of merchandise, bought and paid for. I do, however, own my love for borrowing the characters and playing with them however I choose to. I thank Stephenie Meyer for creating the TwiWorld and for allowing us to have our fun with it. She owns Twilight, the insanity it created in my mind is my own.

A/N ~ As always, thanks to Shug for fixing my messes and msj2779 for calming my nerves. I also want to thank everyone who went easy on me after the last chapter. LOL Sorry, sorry, sorry... but it was necessary for the story. Thanks for having faith. XX ~ SR

Whatever Works

Still Learning

Doing my job was easy, despite Esme's foul mood. She was more than in a snit that Edward had gone back to England. She didn't offer any explanation as to why it bothered her so much, and I didn't ask. It wasn't my place.

Forgetting how it felt to be Edward's queen for that one night wasn't so simple. I carried his love note from that morning like a talisman, but it didn't bring me what I wanted nor ward off the pain of losing him. Van still held the song queued for play on my iPod, but I couldn't listen to him. And Edward didn't call. If Esme had spoken to him, it was late at night and she didn't say. She also didn't let on that she knew about me and Edward, or that Maggie had been here, and for that, I was grateful. Slowly, a bit each day, she and I grew tired of moping and got down to business.

"Esme, I'm so proud of the progress you've made these past couple of weeks. You're moving! I think we're ready to get some braces on and work with small steps."

She pursed her lips and picked at a fluff on her lap blanket. "I know I haven't fooled you one bit," she replied quietly.

I grinned at the sweet woman. Finally! "And I know that you must have one hell of a reason for keeping your ass in that chair."

She nodded with a cheeky grin that turned into a frown. "My son will not agree. Can this be left between us girls?"

Smiling warmly, I bent over her and embraced her reassuringly. "Of course it can. It's our secret, Esme. My lips are sealed." I refrained from telling more secrets – such as the fact that her son knew just as well as I did that she was feigning immobility. I wasn't about to tell his secrets; with or without a contract, it wasn't something I would do.

More than a week passed without word from Edward. Esme worked her butt off for me when we exercised alone. In anyone else's presence, she had "dead legs," but she kept mum on the subject of the purpose for her deceit.

"Ladies!" Mike called out, striding through the garden to meet up with us once he spotted us. He bent and kissed Esme's cheek as all the boys did when they greeted her. "Heard from Edward?"

"No." She lifted her chin stiffly and stared up at him with certain directness. "I have not."

"Bella?" He turned to me with the same unasked question. I shook my head. "Well, what can I say? If you hear from him, either of you, will you please tell him to get his ass home? We still have work to do, and I don't know how much longer I can keep saving his sorry ass."

Esme tsk-ed as Mike made his exit.

"Will he be in trouble for not being here? Is he supposed to be working?"

Esme shrugged. "I think it's PR events he's avoiding. The actual work, he always shows up for. He's leaving the show, did he tell you?"

I nodded. "He mentioned it, yeah. Maybe it will be better for him." I didn't have to fake concern for him – I did think it was like a poison to him, and he needed to be rid of it. "I just don't know if that will give him any more peace, to be honest. If he didn't want to have his name and face everywhere, he shouldn't have taken on so many roles." I knew instantly that I'd touched on something by the look on Esme's face.

"I hope he forgives me for it," she whispered and guided her wheelchair back to the house.

~ 0 ~

Neither of us mentioned him again for days. At this point, it just made us both sullen. Instead, we did our Esme/Bella thing and got into a new, progressive groove. And then the bastard called. I walked in at the tail end of his call to Esme – she had him on speaker.

"…I'll be home. I've left a message for Mike, but if he comes by, you can let him know I'll be there bright and early Monday morning."

"I will, dear." Esme smiled and waved me in when I froze in the doorway. "Bella's just come in, say hello!"

After a brief silence, his smooth voice said my name.

"Do you want to tell her the news or shall I?" she asked him.

"Um… whatever you think is best, Mum. If you want to, go ahead. If not, I'll have a talk with her when I get back."

"I am standing right here," I spoke for the first time.

"Right… well…"

"Edward's done something rash. He's bought another house, and we're moving." Esme clearly had spent too much time with me. She had taken up my blurting habit.

"Oh." I sat on the edge of the couch and wondered what that meant for me.

"It's not rash, Mother…" he protested and sighed after she huffed. "It's the right thing to do, Mum. You'll see."

"You didn't do anything else not rash, did you? And by that I mean – did you do something stupid, Edward?"

He laughed. It was very soft and didn't linger, but he still laughed and it sounded like a long lost favorite tune. "You didn't raise me to be stupid my entire life, Mum. I've got it under control."

"Does Alice know you're there? She hasn't said a word."

Another laugh. My heart did double-time. "Alice knows all," he sang out. "Hasn't she ever told you that? But seriously, no – not that I'm aware of. I'm sure you would have heard the screeching."

"Your sister doesn't screech. She loves."

"She micro-manages," he mumbled, and I couldn't help but snicker. "But this one's all mine to deal with so…"

"Things are… good?"

"Mmm, yeah. I'll tell you all about it when I get in. Don't wait up if I'm delayed. We'll have a long talk and maybe knock back a bottle or two. Emmett sends his love. See you soon."

"Edward…? You do know how proud of you I am, don't you?"

An energy-filled silence filled the room. I could imagine his face and see the adoration in it. "I do, yes. Love you."

Esme smiled when the line disconnected. "My baby's coming home! Tonight!"

I felt ill. I'd been grateful for the distance to give me time to recover gracefully, but I'd missed him terribly even if I didn't want to admit it. Knowing I would see him again within a day thrilled and terrified me. I had no idea how I'd react to him. Having him anywhere near my proximity had always sent my pulse racing and, usually, acting stupid. I had a feeling that wouldn't change, but would he be uncomfortable with me? Would he be cold towards me again? I didn't know if I could handle that, but I didn't think him acting as though nothing was wrong at all would sit well with me either.

A headache hit after dinner, and I went to bed early.

~ 0 ~

The sound of large feet rushing up behind me in the kitchen prepared me for the thick arms wrapping my waist and lifting me in a bear hug. I grinned from ear to ear and giggled. "Emmett! Put me down! I want to see your smiling face!" Spinning around to face him once back on the ground, I smiled up at him, ready to tease. "You've gotten paler just being in England for two weeks."

"You should see the lily-assed boy," he smirked and then tipped his head to one side. "Have you? Seen him, I mean."

I bit my bottom lip and shook my head.

He caught on that it wasn't something I wanted to discuss and poured us both coffees. "So, if there's something you need out of storage, just let me know. I don't know if you're planning to bring everything or just essentials and store the rest here… whatever you need help with, I'm your guy."

You are, my lovable Emmett Bear! "We're moving soon then?"

His eyes widened, and I got that he didn't know I wasn't fully briefed on this yet. "Uh… I'm not the one who should be giving the details…"

"Oh come on!" I groaned. "Don't tell me I'm going to be blindfolded and driven to a secret hideout – of which I'll never know the true location in case I tweet it around the world. Just tell me this… are we going to the Bat Cave? Or someplace far more underground and mysterious?"

"Nowhere that's as toxic as the Bat Cave." Edward's voice startled me and wiped the smirk off my face. "Good morning, Bella. How's my mother?"

"Fine," I replied stiffly. "You saw her last night."

He hummed as he poured his own coffee. "I was referring to her progress in therapy over the last couple of weeks. Has there been any?"

"Still working on her," I replied with a polite, professional grin. I wasn't about to run to him with the news that Esme had taken steps in front of me – that was our secret. "I should have her on her feet within a month. After that, she can manage without me if she keeps her promise to exercise on her own."

"A month?" Edward's eyebrow shot up, and he leaned on the breakfast bar across from me. "You're only planning to stay on for a month?"

"You'd be wasting your money any longer than that," I quipped before I could stop myself.

His goddamned sexy crooked grin appeared, and I actually had to grip the marble edge to stop my head from spinning. "Mum says I'm throwing money around left, right, and center these days anyway. I was hoping to convince you to stay awhile longer. I'll be working on and off for the next six or seven weeks. I'd feel better if you were with her while I'm not."

I nodded lightly. "Of course. Whatever works for you."

Emmett's leg was jumping like he was pounding on a bass drum peddle. It was driving me nuts. He was messing around on his phone, trying to act like he wasn't in the room with the two of us and the huge elephant. I gripped his thigh to stop it.

"Jake is going to come and help Mum with the packing. The new place is furnished, so you'll only need to bring your personal effects. We'll arrange to have what can't fit in a suitcase shipped. Of course, you can leave whatever you want here, as well, and just pick up what you need when you get there. You'll have much more independence – you can come and go as you please there, unlike this place." He had avoided my eyes all but that moment when I had mentioned the time frame. They were still darting all over the place until he turned them on me to mock me. "See? No mysterious hideaway. No cave of any sort. Just freedom. I hope you'll like it and decide to stay awhile."

"Where is this free place located?"

"West London," Edward replied.

Emmett grimaced as my fingernails dug into his leg, and I gasped. "London… England? You want me to move to England?" England? Another continent? The one with the red-haired porcelain-skinned girl who stomped on my dreams? Like fuck! "You expect me to just throw away my life and move to another continent, just like that?"

His face turned to stone. "It is your job. And you did agree to it when you signed the contract. All your paperwork to work abroad had been processed. It was always part of it – check your paperwork. In the end, does it matter where you do your job? Mike will give you the flight details. Emmett can go and help get you settled, if you'd like. If you have an issue with the job or our contract, you can contact Mr Varner. Please get yourself sorted. We only have a few days." Coffee spilled over the rim of his cup as he slammed it down and strode out, storming up the stairs towards his precious privacy.

"Argh!" I pounded my fists on the marble. Emmett sighed with relief when his leg was no longer being tortured but held my wrists to prevent me damaging my hands – or the marble. "He's going to be an ass now, right?"

"He's not doing this to be an ass, Bella," my friend replied softly. "You trust me, right? Bella, I've never lied to you… believe me when I say he's doing the right thing. He's been working on this for the past year, and he had planned to finish up all his obligations here before taking this step, but there's been a hitch in his plans." Emmett smirked and then winked at me. "It'll be good – just give it a chance."

"It's not the best start though, is it? To me it feels like he's shipping Esme off. She's making so much progress even though he's been driving her mental with these disappearances. I can't help but think he's just reversing his game plan – send her to England now while he stays here. Either way, she misses her kid. Even though he's an asshole and she deserves better."

Emmett simply grinned.

"I take that as an official 'no comment?'"

"You're learning. Still a ways to go though, kid. Don't give up on him."

~ 0 ~

Esme was very calm and collected through our next days. It allowed me to cool off and consider the fact that perhaps Edward knew his mother best and this was what she really wanted. Emmett was very patient and accommodating while I went through my boxes in storage. I wanted to bring a few things of Dad's along with me, and I needed to get some of my warmer clothes. Esme advised that layers would work best, as I might feel the chill of dampness when the season began to change.

Emily was glued to my side, despite all of her warnings that had gone in one ear and out the other. She knew I'd disregarded her advice and had gotten my heart stomped on by choice. Still, she didn't gloat or even utter an "I told you so" once. If nothing else, I felt like I had gained a lifelong friendship out of this mess I'd gotten myself into. For that, I was grateful.

Edward was in and out, doing odd things for several different projects. He looked different every time I saw him, and no less beautiful in any version. At home, he was either locked away on his own or with Esme. There was none of the easy banter between us, and he had two looks he wore whenever I was present – an icy stare or a distant look of anguish, as if his dog had been run over. I frequently wondered if he regretted anything between us – hurting me, or getting involved with me at all in the first place. And I wondered if he'd ever forgive me for looking up his life on public forums. He was a closed book to me, either way. I would never know more of Edward Cullen than I already knew, and maybe, just maybe, that was better for me.

The beautiful bastard didn't stick around for our departure. It was a relief, really, not to have a glare to remember him by. I still carried his note with me at all times – a better memory to bring along. He didn't even say goodbye. Asshole.

He did give us Emmett, and for that, I forgave him being an asshole – at least for our journey. Emmett took care of everything. He was an expert traveller and made the flight amusing and comfortable, and he knew exactly where to go when he led us to our new home, pointing out the things we'd need to familiarize ourselves with – shops, and banks, and restaurants. He paid the cab driver and removed all of our luggage. He then lifted Esme into her chair, scolding me for attempting to haul too much to the front door myself.

"Can you open the door then? I'll get Esme inside while you grab all six suitcases at once. Knock yourself out."

He flashed a smile at my insolence and tipped his head, motioning me to look behind. The door was open, and the beautiful asshole himself leaned on the doorframe with a cheeky grin and amusement flashing in his eyes. I almost collapsed on the walkway.

"Let me take that for you," he said quietly, slipping the bag I'd strapped across myself over my head. "Come in. We'll take care of the rest." I watched him and his friend chatting and laughing as they hauled bags from the curb to the door. He looked more at ease than usual, but he did look around outside frequently.

Esme had no issues entering the house with the ramp that had been added to accommodate her wheelchair. "You won't need that at all soon," I whispered to her with a grin before the guys joined us.

"So! You're here!" Edward mused, beaming with delight. "Sorry for the separate flights, but you wouldn't have had any peace travelling with me. Tour? Or would you rather have a rest first?"

I was dying to have a look. From the outside, it looked nothing like the sprawling mansion in LA. It was more of an upper-middle class family home – an end unit with a small ravine and park along side. Not what I'd expect him to buy.

Esme reached out and swatted at her son. "There's a lifetime to rest. I want to see what you've got here!"

He took us to the right in the hallway first, past a flight of stairs, and played real estate agent as he displayed his home to us. "On the right, we've got the cloak room, toilet…" Doors opened, and we peeked in. "Then the larder – or pantry, whatever you prefer to call it. Utility room – laundry, boiler, all that. There's a second entrance here, which you may prefer to use more often. Smooth pathway rather than the cobblestone like the other." He let us take a look out into the side yard before continuing with the tour.

"On this side, we've got a large eat-in kitchen and a sun room – or rain room as the case may be – and if you follow through here…" he said as he swung open a glass door. "Living room." It resembled the décor of his own living room more than Esme's, but she was thrilled to see a piano in the corner. "I'm sure you'll make the room much more liveable and pleasing to the eye," he commented, smiling down at her.

Back where we started, he took us in the other direction. "This is the room I told you about," he addressed Esme. "We'll set up your exercise equipment in here – should be room enough. And another small room here that I figure will be good for storage. And here's your bedroom." He led us into a lovely, spacious room with its own bathroom and a beautiful view of the garden out back.

"So that's the ground floor. Sorry, I couldn't get a lift installed for the stairs yet, Mum. We'll carry you up to see it for now, all right?"

Emmett carried her as easily as he'd pick up a child, and Edward raced ahead to fold out a smaller push-chair that he had on the upper level for her use whenever needed. His rooms were directly to the right of the stairs in this house. A large bedroom with its own bath and a smaller room off of it that he said would be a recording studio in future – maybe.

"I didn't really do much with these rooms, because I was pressed for time and I don't want to force my taste on the occupants. Bella, there are three other rooms for you to choose from. They all have an ensuite, shower only. Of course you're welcome to use the bathtub in my room any time you'd like."

I felt my cheeks flush as I recalled our shower together the night we'd made love. When I glanced at him, his eyes flicked away quickly. He showed me each one, all very similar and sparsely furnished. I selected the one farthest away from his with a quiet and polite, "thank you" when he brought my bags up for me.

"I have some other things in my room for you as well. I didn't want to get anything set up until you actually got here and decided if you were staying."

"Are you staying?" I countered, totally sounding like a brat, and I knew it.

His mouth did that twitchy thing. "I have some work to finish up with."

I nodded tersely. "This will work then. I don't need anything else, but you did mention equipment for Esme's exercise room?"

"It's being delivered tomorrow." He turned and strode off to his bedroom, returning with a few electronics boxes. "Emmett can set these up – he's better with that. I didn't know if you'd want a TV. You can pick one and have it delivered, if so. Otherwise, there's the one in the living room and one in my room as well."

Twice he had referred me to his own bedroom. Did he really think I would wander around his bedroom, taking baths and watching TV? I already wondered how many women had been in there. Just Maggie, the red-head? Or were there others right under her nose? She obviously didn't mind that he was a beautiful but unfaithful asshole. Maybe he made her feel like his queen too, and so whatever time she had with him was enough. Van crooned from my own memories as I stared out the window.

"Bella?" Edward's voice was right behind me, soft and concerned. "Homesick already?"

I shook my head. "I have no real home. That's why I applied for this job in the first place, remember?"

"You might be happy here," he said quietly.

His eyes held me captive, and I had to look away just so I could breathe. I glanced at the boxes. A stereo system and a laptop. A fucking laptop? Seriously? "A laptop? Are you fucking serious?"

He looked at me with indifference. "I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter. You can look anywhere and find any number of negatives to back suspicions when you doubt something to begin with. I don't blame you. I failed in that I made you doubt me in the first place." Hands in his pockets, he casually turned and walked back to his own room.

I felt the failure was mine – I had failed to remain professional. I had failed by falling for a beautiful asshole who gave me every reason not to trust him from day one. And I was failing miserably at not caring that I would never again feel as special as he'd made me feel.

It didn't escape my notice that none of the rooms in his new house had locks on the doors, and I was hyper aware of the fact that I now shared the upstairs with him. And he was just down the hall from me. Was he sleeping? He looked adorable in his sleep – young and peaceful. Maybe he was passed out, bare-assed to the moon again. I wondered if he was thinking of me, just down the hall. It was only through sheer exhaustion that I managed to sleep at all.

When I stepped out into the hall in the morning, another gift awaited me. A guitar. And a note.

Bella,
For your continued learning – if you get bored.
Yours, Edward

A/N ~ Happy Canada Day! Everyone can be honourary Canucks today. :D RP is here. Yanno ya'll want to be too!

Another update will come for Independence Day. Thanks for reading! ~ SR