With my thanks to Savage7289, author of Hide & Drink, the Faithful Shipper Award winner for best AU story. She read THTF for the first time last week and rec'ed me on her twitter and blog. Thank you, bb!

There were a number of concerns about the ?POV from the last chapter. I recommend you skim over chapter 17, The Gala, if you are still confused. It will answer all your questions. And besides, that's the chapter with their first kiss. I still get all swoony when I think of it. *sigh*

Chapter 37 – Advent and Events

Wednesday, December 9

BPOV

As the days progressed, I noticed a definite downturn in the frenzied paparazzi behavior. I'm sure they had moved on to some other poor soul, but I was relieved to be able to go home. Of course, I couldn't even go to the market down the street from my new apartment without being trailed by at least one or two photographers, sometimes more. I never answered their queries and they weren't allowed to follow me onto private property, so I could at least shop in peace.

Angela was a real trouper. She was savvy enough to never speak to the press and sometimes would laugh about the situation, not in an annoying way, but in a way to keep me from succumbing to the despair that could result from this intrusion into my life. We grew closer fairly quickly.

Ben was a lifeline of sorts. Although he never spent the night, I could tell that he and Angela were progressing. He came over on Saturday and Sunday. He was always willing to run out and pick up a newspaper or take out. I felt bad that they couldn't go out together. One of the reasons Ben had so much freedom is that the photographers didn't realize he was coming to the building to see us. If he was seen publicly with Angela, he'd probably lose his freedom, too.

By Tuesday, I was able to hop onto a bus relatively unmolested and made my way to the Admissions Office at the University of Chicago. I picked up the information I needed about the teaching program I would be starting after the New Year. I was gratified that so many of my undergrad credits were going to be useful. I signed up to take the Middle School and High School English Praxis II tests and chose two courses that would be a good start. I visited the financial aid office even though I knew I didn't qualify. They gave me some information about loans, but I hoped that austere living and my steady paycheck…paychecks would keep me afloat. It looked like I only needed eight or nine classes. If I studied through the summer, I could be done in a year and a half.

I spent Wednesday in the office. Edward and I were attending a gallery opening, of all things, that evening. It was for an artist friend of Emmett's. Edward and I talked a bit about the classes I chose.

"The Tuesday/Thursday class is in the morning, so I can't work for your mom on those days, but the Monday/Wednesday class is at night."

Edward's eyebrows rose. "At night?"

"Yeah. From seven to eight-thirty."

"What about work?"

"Well, neither class will interfere with the agreement your mom and I have. I'll probably spend Friday mornings in the office since I have no classes that day and then I'll either do Monday or Wednesday, depending on what makes the most sense with my homework load and what's happening in the office. Your mom also mentioned a couple of possible lunches with donors. None of my classes will interfere with lunches, since the classes are early enough or late enough that there will be no overlap."

Edward stared at me while I babbled. I thought I saw a flicker or two of annoyance, but he didn't say anything to make me think he was upset, so I just brushed it off. I was actually pleased for the first time in a long time. Maybe it was the return to school…to something familiar? Perhaps it was that I was taking steps to being self-sufficient.

"I should call my mom."

"Your mom?" He sounded surprised. I'd spoken to her only once in the eight weeks or so that we'd been together. I had called to tell her what I could about my new job as Edward's assistant. She was happy for me. Then she babbled on a bit about Phil. I smiled as I remembered the conversation. I wondered what she thought about the gossip rags.

"Yeah, I haven't talked to her in awhile, and I think she'll be happy to know I'm returning to school."

I thought I caught another flicker of annoyance from Edward, but he was probably just caught up in something work related.

"I'm bothering you. I should let you get back to work."

"I am a little busy, and it's getting late. Why don't you get ready for the gallery? I'll get changed in a little while."

The gallery opening was lovely, and Edward seemed in better spirits as we walked among the paintings the artist was showing. I stopped in front of a small canvas. The picture was done in the impressionist style and hinted at clouds and rain and green growing things. It reminded me of Forks and for the first time in a long time I felt homesick.

Edward seemed to notice the shift in my mood.

"You don't like it?"

"I like it very much. It reminds me of home."

He looked puzzled. "What about it makes you think of your apartment?"

I gave him a sad smile. "Not my new home…where I lived before…with my dad. Washington is such a rainy state…lush..." I trailed off before shaking myself. "The picture brought back memories." I shrugged. I was aware that Edward was looking at me, but didn't turn to meet his gaze. I was afraid I'd start to cry if I saw the slightest bit of sympathy there.

Edward let go of the hand he'd been holding and slid his arm around my waist. He pulled me to him and hugged me…held me. We were turned so I could see the painting over his shoulder. He didn't let go of me until I was sure I had my composure and pushed against him to let him know I was okay.

"I'm sorry it made you sad," he said.

"Oh, it didn't make me sad, just a little homesick. I hated Forks when I was there, but it was home for two years. And my dad…well, I'm sorry for getting all sentimental."

"Don't apologize."

I smiled at him. "Thanks for understanding."

Edward took my hand, and we continued around the gallery. It was a large one, and we were there at least an hour before we finally ran into Emmett.

"Is Rose here?" I asked after we said hello.

"No, she's home with EJ. She said to say hi, though."

"Tell her I said hi, too. I had a really good time on Friday. Thanks again for inviting me."

"You're always welcome at our place."

"Would you two excuse me for a moment?" Edward asked.

"Get me a drink on your way back," Emmett told him.

Edward rolled his eyes and turned to me. "Can I bring you anything?"

"White wine would be nice."

Edward smiled and kissed me lightly before turning away and heading off.

"Would you like to meet the artist?" Emmett asked me. Before I answered, he put his arm around me and led me off.

Sulpicia was an interesting woman. She and I talked for at least fifteen minutes. Emmett had wandered off after introducing us, but I found conversation with the artist easy. I told her how much I had enjoyed the picture Edward and I were looking at earlier.

"I painted it after a visit to the Klamath-Siskiyou coastal forest in Oregon. Such a beautiful, untouched region of North America."

"I lived in Washington a few years. The picture reminded me of home."

Sulpicia smiled. "That's a compliment. Thank you."

Others were interested in speaking to her, so I said my goodbyes and went to find Edward. I found him fairly easily. He was leaning up against the bar talking to a tall, blonde woman I recognized, but had never met. I walked over to them.

"There you are…" I said, by way of an ice-breaker.

"Bella," Edward seemed startled. "I'm sorry, Bella, I came over to get your drink and ran into Kathleen. We were just talking. Kathleen, this is Bella."

"Pleasure to meet you, Bella," Kathleen extended her hand to me. Smiling, I shook her hand. She had a weak grip.

"Likewise," I told her.

"Edward was just telling me about the artist. Seems she's a friend of his brother's?"

"Yes, I just met her. A very interesting woman." I pointed to where the artist was chatting with a small group of admirers.

"Is Emmett here?" Kathleen asked, "I haven't seen him."

I knew what was happening here. This was exactly the kind of situation that Edward hired me to deal with. Kathleen may as well have hiked up her too-short skirt and started peeing on Edward's $900 Ferragamo's. She was trying to let me know that she was close to the family…that she knew Edward longer and more intimately than I did. Well, time to earn my paycheck.

"He's around," I said offhandedly. Turning away from her I gestured to the glass of wine Edward held in his hand. "Is that for me?"

"Hm, oh! Yes. Here." Edward held out the glass to me.

"Thank you, darling." Transferring the glass to my left hand, I melted against his arm, pressing my chest into him. He instinctively slid his arm out from between us and around my waist. I turned my body a bit more towards him, now pressing my breasts against his chest and angling my left shoulder just enough to present my back to Kathleen. I slid my right hand up Edward's arm and settled it on his shoulder. Tilting my head down, I looked up at Kathleen through my eyelashes.

"So," I asked, "you work with Edward's father?" The unsubtle dig at her age didn't go unnoticed. Her eyes narrowed infinitesimally.

"Yes, Carlisle is a mentor of sorts." Kathleen tossed her poker-straight, blonde hair.

"Mmmm…" I hummed, turning back to Edward and taking a drink from my glass. From the look on Edward's face I could tell that he was completely clueless as to what was happening. He met my eyes, and I gave him my best smoldering look. His head tried to turn his back towards Kathleen; I'm sure he didn't want to be rude, but I held his gaze. With the tiniest hint of a smile, I barely touched my top lip with my tongue, as if collecting a drop of wine. Edward's eyes dropped from my eyes to my mouth, and he stopped trying to turn away.

Assured that I had his complete attention, I turned back to Kathleen.

"It was lovely meeting you, Katherine…."

"Kathleen."

"I'm sorry," I said with an absolute lack of sincerity, "Kathleen. Ready, Edward?"

"Uh, yeah. It was nice seeing you again." This was directed towards Kathleen, but she could tell that his attention was elsewhere.

"Same here. I guess I'll see you at the New Year party in January?" She made one last effort to engage him.

"Uh, sure."

Disentangling myself from Edward, I slid my hand down his arm and tugged at his hand. He took a step after me.

I looked Kathleen full in the face. "Goodnight." She offered me a hostile smile. I turned my back on her, and led Edward away.

Friday, December 11

I stepped off the bus in front of City Hall completely bewildered. It was just after ten, and the foot traffic at the city hub was horrendous.

I was here because of a barely decipherable call I received from Alice at seven this morning. Basically, all I got from her was that she needed me to meet her at ten in the foyer of City Hall. I had no idea why.

I entered the building and was immediately accosted by Riley. He looked good in a pink shirt and tie over pressed black pants.

"There you are, beautiful!" he practically sang. "Here."

He thrust a heavy garment bag into my hands.

"Riley, what's going on? What is this?"

"C'mon beautiful, you can figure this out. Go! Change! We need to be in the courtroom by eleven."

He shoved me, none too gently, in the direction of the ladies room. I entered a stall and unzipped the bag. A tasteful pink suit with matching heels greeted me. My mind went reeling before I understood what was happening.

"What?" I shrieked.

"Calm down in there, beautiful." I could hear Riley's muffled voice coming through the door.

"Riley…she…what…they? They're getting married?"

I heard the door open as Riley entered the ladies room.

"Do you need help? I'm not sure what she's got you wearing."

"Riley what are they thinking?" I asked through the stall door. "They've only know each other a few weeks."

I heard Riley sigh. When he spoke again, it was in that voice I'd only heard him use once before when he was telling me about his place in Alice's world.

"Beautiful, Alice has been alone a long time," he started softly. "She's a strong woman, doesn't need a man for anything except pulling stuff off of high shelves. She owns her own business, she's smart, she gorgeous, talented and the list goes on. Men who are attracted to her are always eventually put off by her strength and self-sufficiency. Some of those men, Bella, they weren't good for her. They tried to hold her back or make her dependent on them. But Jasper isn't like those guys. He's so good for her. He's proud of her, he supports her. Honestly, I think he's in awe of her. On the other hand, he's so calm and easygoing. Alice can be a little intense sometimes, and Jasper can bring her back into the light. You only knew Alice a short time before she started seeing Jasper, I've known her forever. If he's not right for her, no one is.

"Don't ruin this for her, beautiful. Be supportive. Be there."

Silent tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to what Riley, her best friend in the world, had to say. I sniffled.

"None of that, or I won't be able to call you beautiful anymore. Come out of there."

I stepped out of the stall and met Riley's genuine gaze. He opened his arms and hugged me. The door to the ladies room crashed open, and Alice flew in, a mass of flowers in her hands.

"Why aren't you ready?"

"I'm sorry Alice, I just need a minute." I smiled what I knew to be a watery smile at her. She froze before her lip started trembling.

"Not you, too," Riley admonished with an exaggerated eye roll. "Jasper!" he called out.

"I'm not coming in there, Riley. You're on your own." Jasper's obvious distress broke through our spell, and Alice and I both started laughing.

With Riley and Alice's help, I was quickly dressed. Alice whipped a few pins and a hairbrush from her bag, and Riley pulled my hair up.

"Edward's going to be stunned when he sees you," Alice said.

"Edward's here?"

"Of course. Jasper couldn't get married without his best friend. He's outside. Pacing." I saw Riley's eyes narrow, and he cast a glance at the door. Woe betide Edward if he said anything negative to Jasper about this turn of events.

"Riley," I said, sifting through the flowers and handing him two boutonnieres. "I'm sure the guys could use your help with these." Getting closer I whispered to him, "Don't be too hard on Edward, he's just concerned about his friend."

"Hmph." Riley took the flowers and left the bathroom.

Taking a deep breath I turned to Alice. She met my eyes, and I could see fear there. She wasn't worried about her decision to marry Jasper, but that I wouldn't understand. Keeping Riley's words in mind I went to her.

"I'm so happy for you, Alice." I squeezed every ounce of sincerity into my voice that I could.

"Oh, thank you, Bella. I was so afraid you wouldn't approve."

I scoffed. "What's not to approve of. You both deserve the best, and that's what you're getting."

"Thank you," she squeaked.

"Now, let me look at you."

Alice grinned as she turned slowly for me. She was wearing a bright white suit with a wide portrait collar. Long sleeves were cuffed to her elbows and she had on short white gloves. The jacket tied at the waist and the pencil skirt ended at her knees. She wore heels that had to be at least five inches high and a pill box hat with a blusher veil.

"You're stunning. Did you design it?"

"I didn't have time, but I've always loved this designer."

"Ring?" I asked. I had seen the blinding sparkle earlier, but really wanted a good look. Alice held out her hand, and I gasped in shock.

"My God, Alice, that's gorgeous!" Alice's finger was adorned with a platinum band that had three sparkling square-cut diamonds on it. The center stone was larger than the two flanking it, but that didn't mean they were small. The band had fifteen channel set diamonds on either side of the center.

"Jasper picked it out. He knows me so well." She sighed before turning to the flowers. She handed me two nosegays. "Those are for you and Riley. Ready?"

"Ready."

The ceremony was short but very heartfelt. Riley stood as Alice's man-of-honor, and I stood to his left. Edward stood with Jasper. The judge thanked the happy couple for allowing him to officiate as most of his duties were less than pleasant. I listened as first Jasper and then Alice pledged their undying devotion to one another. My eyes drifted over to Edward, who was standing next to his best friend.

He was staring over at me. We hadn't had time to exchange pleasantries other than a quick hello. He seemed a little dazed, and I wondered if it was because of the unexpected wedding or because of something Riley had said. When he realized I was looking at him, he smiled softly, and I felt my heart clench. What was that all about?

I thought about my reaction and realized that the romantic atmosphere, Jasper and Alice's whirlwind courtship, and the excitement of the day had me all aflutter.

The five of us enjoyed a champagne lunch at an exclusive little place on the water. I guess the romantic atmosphere affected Edward, too. He was more attentive than usual. "You're beautiful," he whispered to me at one point.

"Alice picked out the dress," I explained.

"No, not the dress. You. You're beautiful." I felt my face heating at his words. He leaned close and caressed my lips with his own. He shook his head slowly, letting our lips brush together until he finally kissed me.

Edward picked up the tab as a gift to the couple, which made Alice all teary. I asked if they had any plans, and Jasper laughed.

"Boss, I'm taking the next two weeks off. We'll be home for Christmas." Edward laughed and agreed with good humor.

The next week was a whirlwind of parties celebrating the holidays. Edward and I were guests at two parties thrown by suppliers for their best customers. One was a boring, stoic affair where Edward and I were the youngest guests by at least fifteen years. It was hard to keep my eyes open. Thankfully, the evening ended early, and Edward promised me a night at the club as a thank you for putting up with the fogies. I hadn't complained, but accepted his offer anyway.

The other was a wild affair with loud music and a lot of inappropriate behavior. It started out fun, but Edward insisted that we leave when the guy next to me got so drunk he vomited. I didn't mind leaving, but was hungry since we didn't stay long enough to enjoy dinner. Edward took me to the diner near our office, and we enjoyed a huge breakfast. Edward ordered his eggs sunny side up! Our conversation was so easy that it wasn't until the waitress stopped by to tell us that her shift was ending that we realized we'd been there for almost four hours.

Saturday, December 19

The Cullen Enterprises Christmas party was a huge affair held at a nearby hotel. Angela was going, because she had coordinated the whole thing, and she was bringing Ben. But they'd be the only two lower level employees in attendance. The Board of Directors and higher-level executives and their wives, except for Jasper and Alice, were coming, as well as representatives of many of Cullen's clients.

Alice had picked out my dress for the event weeks earlier. I wore a red, strapless velvet gown with knee-length skirt that flared out when I moved. It was very festive. Edward helped complete the look with a ridiculously expensive diamond pendant shaped like a snowflake on a platinum chain.

We were among the first arrivals. The room was very merry. Red tablecloths covered the dozen or so tables for twelve. Each table had a centerpiece of white flowers and two candles in glass votive holders. The tables were set with white china. The walls were lined with mirrors and all the candles reflected back making the whole room sparkle.

A small band was playing a mixture of holiday favorites and variety of music appropriate for dancing. Angela met us as soon as we arrived.

"Hi Bella!" she gushed after greeting Edward more formally. "What do you think?"

"It's magical, Angela. You've done a great job. What are we eating tonight?"

"Salad, Filet mignon and lobster tail with winter squash and Bûche de Noël for dessert. Champagne will be served at the tables, though there is a full bar if you prefer something else. Oh! And there are Christmas crackers at each place setting. Most are just filled with trinkets, but one at each table has a gift card to a local day spa."

"Sounds wonderful."

"You've outdone yourself, Ms. Weber," Edward complimented her.

"Thank you."

Unfortunately, we couldn't sit with Angela and Ben because Edward was required to sit with the Board of Directors. Emmett and Rose were sitting with some important clients. Despite my best maneuvering, I ended up firmly ensconced between Edward and J.J., who was not attending with his wife. Edward pulled me away for a moment and tried to sit in my seat when we returned, in order to put a buffer between us, but another Board member required Edward's attention, and when he stood to talk to him, J.J. smoothly slid into his seat. It had been weeks since I'd seen him last, and I was hoping to extend the streak.

"Bella, my dear, lovely to see you again," J.J. said with an oily smile.

"J.J., Merry Christmas." I smiled weakly at him.

"Would you care to dance while Edward is otherwise engaged?"

I tried to decline, but J.J. was politely insistent, and I found myself on the dance floor with the man for a song before it was announced that dinner was served.

After our salads were presented, a server came around with wrapped bottles of champagne. J.J. complained loudly and demanded Scotch. The server helpfully pointed out the open bar, but J.J. insisted on having his drink served to him.

"J.J.," Edward said in a pleasant tone, "Tonight's meal is being served with champagne, but Scotch is available at the bar."

"What idiot did you put in charge of this fiasco, boy?" J.J. said in a loud voice. I saw Edward's jaw tighten at the "boy" moniker. I glanced over at Angela who was sitting at the next table. She was staring woodenly over at J.J., her face pale. Ben had leaned close and was whispering very fast in her ear.

"My assistant, Ms. Weber, put together this lovely evening, J.J."

"Weber? I thought Bella, here, was your assistant," he said belligerently, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing me hard a few times in a one-armed hug, while I sat stiffly.

Edward put down his fork and looked over at J.J. "What's going on, J.J.?" he asked in a calm voice. J.J. was fully aware that Edward had three assistants. No one who wasn't at our table would be aware of the altercation, except Angela, who had gotten up and left the room. Ben was still sitting, so I hoped she'd only gone to the ladies' room. I wanted to check, but J.J.'s arm was still around me.

Suddenly, he released me. I looked over at him quickly. A small, friendly smile had crept over his face.

"Going on? Nothing's going on, Edward. You know what? I'm going to head over to the bar and get myself a drink."

J.J. got up. I turned my attention back to my plate, but was very aware of Edward's posture and his obvious aggravation. Reaching under the table, I gently laid my hand on Edward's knee and patted him a few times. He jerked his leg from under my hand, and I withdrew it. I knew he was upset, but it bothered me that he wouldn't let me comfort him.

Conversation at our table was strained after this. I noticed that Angela didn't return to her table even though they were serving the main course. Ben had disappeared for a few minutes, but came back, alone. I caught his eye, and he motioned with his head towards the hallway where the bathrooms were located. I nodded at him, wiped my mouth and said, "Excuse me."

Edward stood with an apologetic smile when I left. I nodded to him once to let him know I wasn't mad. I made my way to the ladies' room where I found Angela standing at the sinks. She wasn't crying, but the look on her face let me know she had been.

"Ang?"

She met my eyes in the mirror and gave me a sad smile. I walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Don't let him bother you."

"I should have had full bar service at the tables. I was going for a certain feel, you know. I thought that serving champagne with the surf and turf would make the dinner a little classier, a little better than the other events these people have attended this month. I should have realized…."

"Don't be silly. It was a great idea. J.J. is the only one complaining, and I think that's what he does."

Angela nodded. I ran a paper towel in cold water, and helped her dab her face a bit. She fixed her makeup, and the two of us left the bathroom together. I was surprised to find J.J. in the hallway. He shot a look at Angela before nodding to me.

I was less surprised to find Edward entering the hallway just as the two of us were entering the room. "Ms. Weber," Edward greeted Angela, enthusiastically, "wonderful dinner. Thompson, from AllianceB, said it was the best event he's attended all year. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen." Edward smiled benignly at her.

"Bella," he said, turning to me, "I'll be right back." With that he followed J.J. down the hallway. I hadn't seen the men's room, but assumed it was past the ladies' room.

After dessert, most of the couples in the room had taken to the dance floor, and the band had picked up the pace with faster tunes. The female singer was particularly good, belting out an amazing version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." I danced with Emmett while Edward shared a dance with his sister-in-law. Ben and I danced when Angela had to take care of some confusion with the paperwork.

Eventually, I excused myself. I hadn't actually used the restroom when I went to collect Angela earlier. Edward went to get a drink and schmooze with some bigwigs who had gathered near the bar.

I reapplied my lip stick after finishing in the restroom. Opening the door, I stepped into the hallway, only to be confronted with J.J. again.

"Bella…" he said, blocking my path down the hall.

"J.J.," I replied shortly, his expression was calculating. He was making me nervous.

"So, it's been nice to see you again, my dear." He leaned towards me, and I shifted back.

"Thank you. It's been a few weeks."

"Yes, a few weeks. So, where has Edward been keeping you? I'm in his office from time to time and don't think we've run into one another since the dinner that night."

"Oh, uh, I'm there, I guess it's just been poor timing."

"Mmm, I had a thought," he said, stepping closer to me. I stepped back to maintain our distance. "Is it possible that most of the work you do for Edward is more domestic?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"I saw the articles about you. You worked for the company that cleans the building. Is that how you met? A little cliché, isn't it? Screwing the maid? But, whatever, it seems to have worked out in your favor, and the boy is hardly the first one to put his mistress on the payroll." J.J. reached out a hand and ran his finger down my arm. I flinched.

"Edward's not a boy, and it…it's not like that," I stuttered.

His voice dropped low, and I had to strain to hear him. "I'm sure you can attest to the fact that he's not a boy. But I think it is very much like that. These are tough times, and shelling out fifty grand a year for a fuckbuddy is something that's hard to overlook." J.J. stepped closer to me and I backed up again. I realized he had backed me all the way down the hall and I couldn't retreat any further.

"You must be a damn good cleaning woman." J.J. stepped close and leered into my face. I turned my head as the smell of Scotch poured over me. I wanted to scream, but the party was full of clients, people who were CE's lifeblood. I didn't want to cause a scene.

"Maybe…maybe if you clean for me I won't care so much about the fifty thousand dollars a year he pays for your 'assistance.' Because I have to be honest with you, Bella, right now…right now I really do care. And right now, I'm really pissed. So, maybe if I screw you," J.J.'s hand trailed along my side, stopping at my hip, "then I could be a happy guy, just like Edward."

I eased away from him, but though he was older, he was pretty agile. I wasn't really scared; I could scream, after all, but doubt began to worm its way into my mind. Is this what everyone thinks? That I'm some sort of hooker?

My heavy skirt was an effective deterrent, so he gave up and reached for my breasts instead. Again I dodged.

"No, stop…" I hissed. J.J. made a grunting sound and suddenly, he was pulled away from me. I looked up to see Emmett hustling J.J. down the hall, while Ben, Rose and Angela were pushing Edward back. As soon as J.J. was a safe distance away, Rose and Angela rushed towards me, leaving Ben to deal with Edward.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Both women made concerned sounds and worked at righting my dress. I brushed away their hands with a distracted nod. I just wanted Edward right now.

I approached him from behind since he had turned to watch Emmett haul J.J. into the men's room. I put my hand on his shoulder and felt the fight drain from him. He turned and threw his arms around me, crushing me in a tight embrace that was a relief after J.J.'s unwelcome advances.

"Bella, Bella," he whispered. "Are you alright. What happened? What did he do to you?"

I found myself in the strange position of having to assure Edward that everything was okay.

"I'm fine. He…I'm fine. What's Emmett doing?"

"Knowing my husband," Rose interjected, "he's doing everything he can to avoid beating the daylights out of that scumbag."

Angela had gone over to Ben. She caught my eye over Edward's shoulder, and indicated that they were going to return to the party. I just nodded, telling her with my eyes we'd talk later.

I was having trouble understanding Edward's reaction. He was practically melted on top of me. Suddenly, he stiffened. His next reaction, I understood. With a muffled curse he set me aside before slamming his fist into the wall.

"Oh my God, Edward! Stop! What are you doing?"

I stepped in front of him causing him to check his swing. Thankfully, the sheetrock had given way under his first strike. There was a hole in the wall, but he didn't seem to have hurt his hand. Thwarted in his attempt to wreak further destruction, he spun on his heel and headed towards the bathroom.

Rose chased him and grabbed his shoulder. "No, no, no, Edward. Let Emmett handle it. You're too angry."

As if in response to his words, Emmett stuck his head out of the bathroom.

"I think we need an ambulance."

Rose paled. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, Rosie, honest. I shoved him down on the couch; he sat there a minute but then keeled over. At first I thought he fainted, but he's still not responding."

The rest of the evening was a bit surreal. Hotel management was called, and an ambulance was sent. Once the EMTs were sure J.J.'s life wasn't in immediate danger, he was wheeled into the ambulance discreetly. Hardly anyone from the party even realized that there was an incident occurring. Edward called J.J.'s wife and arranged for her to be picked up and driven to the hospital, so she wouldn't drive while upset.

I spent time mingling among the guests, with Emmett and Rose. Emmett was a real master of misdirection, keeping the topic of conversation away from Edward and his absence from the party. Finally, Edward returned to the table as the party began to wind down. He spoke quietly in my ear.

"We need to talk."

The words caused a lump to form in my stomach. "Sure," I responded quietly.

"Tonight. Should we go to my place, or…?"

"Um, let me ask Angela."

Edward needn't have worried. Angela was all aglow and said she was spending the night at Ben's place. I congratulated my friend on her successes tonight, both professional and personal.

"Angela is staying with Ben tonight; we can go to my place."

Edward nodded curtly. I pasted a smile on my face for the tail end of the evening while mentally calculating if I could still live with Angela while only making $14,000 a year. I guessed that I'd qualify for financial aid if Edward fired me.

Edward drove me home and walked me up to my apartment. He wanted to call Mrs. Jenks to make sure she was safe at the hospital before we talked, so I went to get changed. I took off my dress and slipped into my pajamas before brushing out my hair and removing the beautiful snowflake necklace Edward had gotten for me to wear this evening. I put the necklace in its pretty blue box and walked back into the living room. Edward was still on the phone.

I walked into the kitchen and turned on the tea kettle. I was waiting for it to boil when Edward walked in quietly. He leaned against the sink.

"Would you like me to make you some coffee?"

"Tea is fine."

I nodded and took out another mug.

"What did Mrs. Jenks say?"

Edward sighed. "It's a little soon, but they think it might have been a stroke. She said he's not supposed to be drinking, and he doesn't always take his medication…. Anyway, he's stable now, but unresponsive." He sighed before continuing, "I'm sorry, Bella."

I turned to him.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know. I should have done something. Been there. I feel bad. Did he…are you okay?"

"Yeah, he didn't really do anything that hasn't happened to me at a frat party," I tried to make light of the assault, but Edward's jaw tensed.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't joke. He didn't do anything. He said a few things that weren't very nice."

"What? What did he say?"

"It doesn't matter, does it? It sounds like he's sick."

Edward walked over to me and spun me to face him. "Bella, it does matter. What did he say?"

The kettle started to whistle, and I moved to shut it off, but Edward held me firmly. "What. Did. He. Say?"

The kettle was getting insistent and the noise was driving the words from my head. Thankfully, Edward reached over and turned the knob.

"He called me your fuckbuddy," I whispered, without looking at him. "He called me a maid. He said that maybe if he screwed me, too, he wouldn't care that you put your mistress on the payroll for fifty grand a year."

He called me a whore, I didn't say.

Edward sucked in a breath through his teeth, the air making a hissing sound. He held me against him, and I became aware of the fact that tears were pouring down my face. I knew I wasn't a whore. I wasn't having sex with Edward, but J.J.'s actions drove home for me that since the gossip paper printed my story, that was the perception. People believed that Edward put his cleaning woman on the books for sex.

Somehow, we ended up in the dining room. I didn't remember walking the few steps it would have taken to get there. Suddenly, Edward was sitting down, and I was sitting in his lap, and he was holding me and rocking me, and I was crying a big wet spot into his fancy and probably expensive dress shirt.

I calmed down eventually. I couldn't stop the sniffling and knew I was a mess.

"I'm sorry," I managed to rasp out.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I ruined your shirt."

Edward chuckled, and I could feel him shake his head. "You ready for that tea?" he asked.

I nodded and stood up so he could go back into the kitchen. He returned with two steaming mugs. I followed him into the living room. We sat together on the couch, not too close, but not far away.

"Bella," he began, "I'm not sure what to say. I am sorry that J.J. made you feel like anything other than what you are, which is a strong, amazing woman." I started to interrupt.

"You don't have to defend him, Bella. You might be right; he might be sick. I called my dad after I got off the phone with J.J.'s wife, and he confirmed that sometimes strokes go undiagnosed, and can lead to personality changes. J.J. wasn't always like this. But there were hints of this behavior when we dined out together that one time. I should have paid more attention."

"You can't blame yourself, Edward."

"Sure I can. It's what I do. It makes me a good CEO. I don't pass the buck. Be that as it may, all I'm taking responsibility for here is not confronting him about his behavior the first time it happened."

"Bella, I wish I could say it will get better, but it might take some time. Can you stick it out? Can you deal with the innuendo and garbage they'll print until it all blows over?"

I bit my lip. Could I? I thought that I could, but tonight really had me shaken. I always thought of myself as a strong person, but could I keep this up, knowing what people thought of me?

"What about you?" I asked him before I got lost in thought. "You're the one they think is paying for sex."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Bella. This kind of stuff doesn't really affect a man's reputation. If I were married or had kids it would be different, but I'm single. Who I date, or sleep with is only of passing interest to the general public. Besides, anyone who has ever seen you wouldn't blame me one bit if I were sleeping with you." He said this last with a light tone. I know he was trying to be funny, but I was ambivalent. It was too soon for jokes. I attempted to smile, but it came out more as a grimace.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I just meant that you're beautiful. Of course, you'd have nothing to do with me, if you had a choice. I suck at relationships."

"I wouldn't say that."

He chuckled. "Thanks, but you know what I mean." I thought of the women I knew who had been with him: Tanya and Jessica. I also thought of the girls he tried to hook up with at the club on Halloween. Yeah, they were nameless and faceless to me, but his intentions were pretty clear. I even thought of the way he pulled me from the floor that night and attacked me in the back room.

"Yeah, I do." I smiled at him, and he laughed a genuine laugh.

"You said we needed to talk. Was there something else?"

Edward ran his hand through his perpetual bed head, a sure sign he was nervous. I waited while he got his thoughts in order.

"This job, with my mom…"

"I thought you were okay with my other job."

"I am. Kinda. Not really. Wait…just let me finish. This job with my mom, if it works out, if you get more hours, or start making more money, would you quit your job with Cullen?"

"I would never leave you in a bind, Edward."

He sighed and averted his eyes. "No, I mean, say it's six months from now, and your hours double, would you consider not renewing your contract with me?"

"You want me to quit?"

"No! I mean," Edward made a frustrated sound in his throat. "Why is this so hard?

"Just say what you mean, Edward, I won't be offended if it comes out wrong."

He sighed again. "Remember before we had dinner with my grandparents? When we were talking on the sidewalk?"

"Yeah, of course, you were trying to convince me that your parents and grandparents liked me."

"Do you remember what else I said?" he asked, sliding closer to me.

"You said, 'My parents like you, my grandparents like you' and…" I thought back and gasped. Edward gave me a shy smile and a small eye roll as the light bulb went off.

"Yeah, that," he said quietly. He'd leaned so close that I could feel his breath on my face when he spoke. "So, if things work out with your new job, do you think that maybe you'll quit?"

I was dazed. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? He wanted an honest relationship with me? Was he hoping that I'd be able to leave my job with him, so that we could have a real relationship? I was looking at the floor, and suddenly realized I was nodding.

Edward put a finger under my chin and lifted my head. Slowly, he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me. It started out simply, but became complicated quickly. I put my hands on his face and he wrapped his arms around me. He leaned back on the couch and pulled me with him. The angle was awkward, and I shifted before pulling my hands away from him, so I could brace myself. I put one hand on the back of the couch as the other slid down his chest and settled on his hip. He groaned and slid his hands down my back, pulling me closer, changing the angle and again making our position awkward. I compensated and suddenly found myself straddled across his lap.

My surprise at our position quickly melted away under the feel of his hands running up and down my back. I relaxed into him but started when I realized I could feel him, all of him, pressed against me. He moaned into my mouth while his hands grasped my hips and held me tight against him.

I broke away from his kiss and sucked in a hissing breath while my head dropped back. He took this opportunity to kiss the side of my neck. I heard high pitched keening and realized it was coming from me. He nibbled along the column of my throat and I couldn't stop the tiny, involuntary movements of my hips.

I ran my fingers through his hair and held his face to my neck. Every kiss, every nip, every suck sent a thrill a pleasure through my whole body. I slid my hands to his shoulders and started kneading the hard muscles there. Edward groaned again, and I whimpered in response.

In a flash I was flat on my back on the couch, Edward hovering over me. He nuzzled my neck and collarbone before following the V-neck of my pajamas lower. His nose ghosted over the inner swell of my breast, and I was suddenly very aware of where this was going.

I tried to get his attention by saying his name, but instead of coming out as a command, it sounded like a plea. I tried again.

"Edward…" He ignored me.

"Eh…Edwar…ooohhh…" He was good at this.

"I want you so much, Bella. God…"

Ah, what the hell. Wait. No...no! If we did this, if I did this, then I was exactly what J.J. accused me of being.

"Edward, wait, stop." The words came out breathy, but intelligible.

"I can't stop, Bella. You…you're just…I…"

I tried again, "Edward," I swallowed and felt his mouth, hot and wet, against my throat. "Ungh, Edward…" His hands were running up and down my sides. Each time his thumbs grazed my breasts they moved closer and closer to the tops of the swells. I realized I was clinging to him.

Mustering the last bit of my will I said, "Edward, no." And, as soon as I said the word, Edward stopped as I knew he would. His weight came upon me, and his head dropped to the side of mine. He made throaty sounds of frustration, but there was no anger in the tone.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I said, after a few moments when we both were panting, trying to calm down and catch our breaths. "I…I can't."

"If I do," I continued, "I'm no better than what J.J. and the papers say I am. I'm sorry."

Edward let out a sigh of resignation and frustration. I had to applaud his will. Our positions left no doubt that he wanted this. He didn't respond, but didn't press me either. I tried again.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I whispered.

"Give me a moment." I lay underneath him. His weight was not an unpleasant burden. Finally, he sighed and lifted himself off me. I slid up to a sitting position, so he could sit down, too. "I'm so very sorry." He hesitated. "Would you understand what I meant if I said I was only human?"

I nodded once.

"I think you should go to bed now, Bella. You had a trying day. I'm going to go. Lock up behind me." Edward stood swiftly and buttoned his shirt. Did I do that? Geez! He grabbed his suit jacked from the chair he had left it on and put it on before pulling his heavy coat on over it. He started for the door, but I had to ask.

"Do you mean it?" I saw him close his eyes before he nodded once. He strode to the door and was gone in a heartbeat. I followed his path and locked the door before turning to my bedroom. As I took a few small steps, I allowed what he'd said to me in front of his grandparents' house sink in.

"I don't know what else to say to convince you. My parents like you, my grandparents like you and I…I like you, Bella. I really like you. I don't know…if you didn't work for me, you'd be exactly the kind of girl I'd want to date."

A slow smile spread across my face. With a lighter heart, I went to my room and was quickly asleep.

Sorry that this chapter is late. In my defense, I did warn you it was possible. Vacation really set back my writing schedule. Please welcome lisamichelle17 to the THTF team. She'll be prereading when I manage to get a chapter done on time.

So, progress? Yes? They have an unspoken understanding, perhaps? Unspoken being the key word. Perhaps they should have hammered out some details, no?

So, did you recognize any of the dialog? Not the Twilight lines. Before that. Anyone?