This is dedicated to the readers who made my heart soar with their reviews last chapter. One told me that she dreamed about my story another said she rereads it all the time. Someone told me that my story is a "drop everything and read fic." And Karina mentioned me in the same sentence as the amazing Gondolier. Thank you all. I'm sorry that I'm review reply fail. I'm writing every spare moment I have. I'm anxiously looking forward to the day we have reasonably-priced, bug-free voice recognition software!

Thank you for your patience. I know that this chapter is late.

As always, thank you to Kristi, Lisa, Melissa and Lisa #2 for their work on this story. An extra mwah to LJ for sending me RobPorn to better illustrate something I wrote. Completely took me off guard and I'm over-the-moon about it! The pic she sent me will be up on my blog tonight. LJ has been an amazing addition to Team THTF. Thanks, bb!

Chapter 38 – End of the Road

December 24

BPOV

Edward and I hadn't been to any public events since the Cullen Enterprises Christmas party on Saturday, but we spent a little time together every day, either on the phone or at his place. We didn't talk about what he had said that night, but it was assumed that we would give whatever it was growing between us a real shot when I was ready to live without the paycheck I was earning at CE.

That day inched a little bit closer when Angela brought home an envelope with my name on it this past on Monday.

"What this?"

"If I tell you it will ruin the surprise," she said with a mile-wide grin.

I shook my head, but opened the little window envelope that displayed my name so prominently. The contents left me speechless for a moment.

"Angela? What is this?" I gasped.

"Year-end bonuses!"

"Does everyone get this?"

"It's based on your pay," she explained. "I think it comes out to 12% of your annual salary."

I looked at the check. Even when I banked enough to cover my taxes on this windfall the amount would cover my rent for months!

First, though, I was going to buy Edward a really nice Christmas gift.

I had laughed when Alice called me on Sunday from her impromptu honeymoon in Paris but something she said then came in handy when it came time to shop.

"Alice, why are you calling me? Don't you have something better to do?"

"Yes, but we've been doing it every day since the wedding," she said offhandedly, "I have a few minutes to call you."

"Tell Jasper I'm flattered that he unchained you from the bed long enough to dial."

Much to my chagrin, she repeated my words to Jasper, who laughed at my quip.

"Alicccce…" I hissed at her in mortification.

Alice laughed before coming to the point of her call. "I need you to do something for me. Riley's Christmas present is ready, but I can't pick it up myself, obviously. Would you be able to get it for me?"

Of course I agreed, and we chatted a bit about Paris.

"I'd love to see Paris," I admitted.

"I'll tell Edward to bring you here."

"Alice," I said, in a warning tone.

"What? Listen, Jasper is practically Edward's brother, and that makes me practically Edward's sister, so I can say this now. I know it's 'just a job,' for you," I could hear her air quotes, and the lilt of her voice let me know she didn't believe it for a second, "But the way that man looks at you tells me he doesn't think of you as just an employee."

"You're right," I admitted, without thinking. My pronouncement stunned her into silence for all of three seconds. Then she squealed so loudly that I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Alice!" I shouted, trying to quiet her down.

"Tell me what you mean by that. Tell me exactly what you mean by that."

I briefly recounted what had happened with J.J. the night of the Christmas party, and what Edward and I talked about in my apartment afterwards, leaving out the details of our make out session on the couch.

She let out a squeaky little, "Oh!" before launching into a laundry list of every moment over the last nine weeks that she felt brought Edward and me to this point. Then, she asked me what I had bought to give him for Christmas.

"Well, even though I haven't had a chance to ride it yet, I know he love his Ducati. I found this coffee table book with lots of information and some great pictures. I think he'll like it."

Alice agreed. "He really does love that bike. Actually, you reminded me that he wants me to find him a good leather jacket for when he rides. I should write that down somewhere."

We continued making small talk until I heard Jasper's voice again, and I knew it was time to let her go. She'd be back on Christmas, and we would both be attending the New Year's celebration at the club.

The conversation with Alice came back to me as I stood staring at my check the next day. It didn't take me long to find a hot, black leather jacket appropriate for riding online. It was too close to Christmas to have it shipped, but the site had a store in the city that had the jackets in stock. I could still give him the book, but I thought he'd really appreciate the jacket.

It was a Cullen family tradition to spend time together on Christmas Eve to allow everyone the chance to spend time with their spouse's family on Christmas.

Esme cooked an amazing meal of ham with all the trimmings. I helped as much as I could, preparing and serving, and then sat back with the other ladies while the men made short work of the cleanup. I was bouncing EJ on my knee, enjoying the heat on my back from the huge fireplace across the room, when the men joined us in the living room before the massive Christmas tree. The guys brought eggnog. I thanked Edward when he handed me my drink as he sat down next to me. He tickled EJ's tummy causing him to giggle explosively, making everyone laugh.

Then it was present time. First and Elizabeth handed out small, flat matching boxes to everyone in the room—even me—and asked us to open them together. The room filled with the sound of rustling paper, and then small gasps of surprise, followed by a chorus of thank yous.

I stared down at the gift in my lap. It was a series of tickets for a first-class, round-trip flight to Seattle and a 9-day cruise to Alaska. I felt Edward's hand squeeze my shoulder, and realized that I was sitting still in surprise. I looked up at all the smiling faces in the room. Everyone had stood and was lined up to properly thank the family's patriarch and matriarch. Edward brought his lips close to my ear and spoke quietly to me.

"C'mon, let's thank them. We can talk about it later."

I plastered a grateful smile on my face and joined the line. When it was my turn, it was not hard to sound touched and grateful because I truly was, despite the guilt I felt over lying to these lovely people. The tickets had me a little worried about the logistics. A quick comparison confirmed that Edward and I were booked in the same suite on the ship. I channeled my inner Scarlet O'Hara, and decided that I'd worry about the details tomorrow.

Carlisle and Esme gave Emmett and Rosalie as well as Edward and me what they called a "night on the town." They made dinner reservations, bought play tickets for the four of us to spend an evening together, and promised to babysit for EJ so that we could properly enjoy the night with some dancing at Stroke of Midnight afterwards.

Emmett and Rosalie had purchased and framed gorgeous prints for everyone. The pieces were very different from one another, but all were beautiful. Mine was a print of one of the paintings that hung in Edward's reception area. I had complimented it at my interview. I was touched that Edward remembered and mentioned it to Emmett. It was obvious from everyone's delighted expressions that they were beyond thrilled with their gifts.

Finally, the six other people in the room turned to Edward with comically eager expressions on their faces, even First and Elizabeth. Edward looked a little embarrassed.

"C'mon, Edward, let's see what Alice got us!" Rosalie said in an excited voice. I turned to him with a questioning expression, but he just rolled his eyes as he handed out boxes of various shapes and sizes to everyone in the room.

As they started opening their gifts I realized what Rosalie was talking about. Each box contained clothing of some sort. There were shirts, blouses, ties, scarves, sweaters, pants, skirts and even socks. Each recipient gushed over their new wardrobe items. I looked at Edward and knew my amusement was plain on my face. He gave a little shrug.

"The clothes are all custom. My family swears that nothing feels better. Of course, Alice does it all, so the gift is hardly from me, but they like it."

And it was true. Once everyone had examined their own gifts they turned to each other and started complimenting those gifts as well. Of course, a thorough perusal took time, but there was no rush. Esme stood to get dessert and I followed her into the kitchen where I arranged dozens of Christmas cookies on a huge platter while she prepared a coffee service. We made our way back to the living room where Emmett practically dove for the cookies before being pulled back by Rose, who berated him for not letting his grandparents choose first.

Everyone, including me, laughed at his pouty expression. Carlisle left and returned with various liqueurs in case anyone wanted to add a shot to their coffee. We ate and watched as Rose "helped" EJ open his gifts and then laughed when he ignored the new toys, books and clothes to play with the wrappings.

All in all, it was a storybook evening that I was sorry to see end.

Edward and I talked about First and Elizabeth's gift while he drove me home. He started by pointing out that the trip wasn't until July. "So much can change before then, Bella," he shrugged, trailing off. "And, if nothing changes then we'll work it out. Suites on cruise ships have couches. I can sleep there."

Edward's veiled reference to a future where we were together further warmed me after the evening with his family. I went to bed, knowing that he'd be back to tomorrow to spend time with me, Angela and Ben.

Christmas Day, 2009

Angela and I were both running around with last minute preparations for the visit from the guys. Well, I was preparing, Angela was setting up mistletoe ambushes. She had sprigs of the stuff hanging from the most ridiculous spots. It was over the apartment door, and in the doors between every room, including the bathroom. She had a tuft of it taped over the television where she had set up some sort of Yule Log video that kept playing on repeat. She also had it hanging over the dining room table and tacked to the wall over her bed.

It was nuts.

"You're crazy," I told her. "Like some nutty old lady with mistletoe instead of cats."

She laughed and told me that she'd get back at me for that crack, but I just brushed her off. What could she do?

I was brushing the tenderloin we were serving with olive oil and sprinkling on fresh rosemary when I heard the doorbell ring. Angela shouted that it was Ben, and she would get it. I smiled at her enthusiasm. Flipping on the radio in the kitchen, I listened as my favorite ridiculous Christmas song played. I affected my best southern twang and sang along as Elmo and Patsy related the tale of Grandma's drunken stagger through the snow on that ill-fated Christmas Eve.

I added a little bob and weave and a hip shimmy when I got to the chorus. I was shaking my head, my hair flying, as I danced to the pantry and pulled out the potatoes and garlic. Suddenly, an amused voice said, "Bella?"

I gave a little scream and dropped the potatoes so I could clutch at my rapidly beating heart.

"Edward…!" Edward was leaning against the door frame, wearing an amused expression, holding two bottles of wine in one arm and a large present under the other. He laughed.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. I just walked in, and you were…" he made a little waving motion with the arm holding the bottle, "…singing and dancing."

"How long were you standing there?" I asked, completely mortified. My face heated with the intensity of my embarrassment.

A wicked smile came over his face and I could feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment. I groaned.

"That long?"

"It was all grandpa's fault, you know," Edward said seriously. "He should never have let her try to walk home after she drank all that eggnog."

I snorted at his nonsense, and my embarrassment faded away.

"Thanks for the wine," I said, taking the bottles from him. "You can put that under the tree," I told him, eyeing the wrapped package he held under his arm. Angela and I had bought a small tree the week before. It was just one step above a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, but it was cute. We had decorated it with some glass ornaments she had, a few strings of lights from the drug store down the street and ornaments I made out of salt dough and cookie cutters.

Edward returned to the kitchen and helped me out by washing the potatoes and opening the wine.

Ben showed up a little while later, and the four of us settled down in the living room with glasses of wine. It was weird at first as Angela attempted to avoid addressing her boss directly. Edward was a little dense and kept trying to engage her. I finally pulled him away by asking him to help me in the kitchen and pointed out the obvious. He realized the awkward position she was in, trying to entertain someone she wasn't allowed to call by his first name in her own home. We returned to the living room.

"Ms. Weber, it was very kind of you to open your home to me today. It would be rather rude if I continued to insist that you call me Mr. Cullen. Please, call me Edward, not just here, but in the office, too. If that's okay with you. You as well, Mr. Cheney."

Things were less strained after that. The four of us settled into a more normal conversation. Angela and Ben even got cozier on the couch once the formal feeling faded. Angela pulled out a box of holiday trivia cards and we took turns asking each other questions. It was fun. I got up at one point to use the bathroom. When I came back, I plopped down into a club chair. Edward used the bathroom after me and when he returned he settled down on the floor by my feet and rested his arm on my knee. It was very comfortable until Edward asked how come there was mistletoe in the bathroom.

I burst out laughing as Angela blushed a deep scarlet. Edward shook his head and decided he didn't want to know.

We shared a terrific dinner of tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, and glazed baby carrots while finishing off the second bottle of wine. Edward and I were both surprised to learn that Ben was a bit of a wine connoisseur. The men talked vintages, grapes, and shared their experiences touring wineries in Italy and California.

I had baked an apple pie for dessert, because I knew it was Edward's favorite. After everyone ate, we went back to the living room to open presents. Angela and Ben exchanged gifts on the couch, while Edward and I sat on the floor by the tree.

"Do you want to go first?" I asked him, holding up my packages. He grinned like a kid and nodded his head. I laughed. I handed him the book, which he opened quickly.

"Wow," he said, as he paged through the book, looking at all the classic bikes. "This is great, Bella. I think I'll keep it at the office for when I need a break. Whoa! Look at this one." He pointed at a silver bike. "I can't wait to take you for a ride this spring. Thank you." He leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the lips before turning his eyes back to the book.

The casual way he said it made a warm feeling bubble up inside me—like it was just a given that we'd be riding together this spring. The kiss didn't hurt.

I handed him the second box, and he frowned. "I only got you one gift."

"Don't worry about it. Just open it." He continued to frown as he slowly unwrapped the box. He pulled off the lid and froze.

"Edward, is it okay?" I asked after a moment of silence. "Alice said…" he cut me off by leaning forward and kissing me again, harder this time. He pulled away and my breath came out of me in a "whoosh."

"Bella, this is just…I don't know what to say. It's perfect."

I smiled. "Try it on."

He stood up and removed the jacket from the box carefully. He slid his arms into it and pulled up the zipper easily before crossing his arms in front of his chest to make sure it fit well.

"Perfect."

And it was perfect. The jacket gave him a whole different air—more "bad boy" than "corporate executive." I shook myself from my reverie. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it! Did Alice help you?"

"I picked it out myself. Alice just told me that you were interested in a jacket for the spring."

Edward sat back down without taking the jacket off, which made me feel ridiculously happy.

"This is for you," he said, sliding the box he had been carrying earlier to me.

"Clothes from Alice?" I asked him with an arch of my brow. He laughed.

"No, no clothes. Just open it."

I pulled off the ribbon and made short work of the paper. When I saw what was inside, I froze before glancing quickly up at Edward. He had a worried look on his face.

"Is this…?"

"Yeah, I bought it when I left you to get drinks that night. I hope…I know it made you cry, but you said that you liked it." He shrugged, sounding unsure.

I looked down at the impressionist painting of the Oregon rainforest that Sulpica had created that had affected me so deeply when I saw it at the gallery a few weeks ago. I could feel the tears gathering in my eyes, not because of the feelings the painting evoked, but because of Edward's thoughtfulness.

"Oh no," Edward muttered.

I shook my head and looked up at him quickly, a big smile on my face. "I love it. Thank you."

Edward offered me an uncertain smile in return.

"Really. I love it. It's one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received. I can't wait to see it hung."

"Are you sure?"

Instead of answering him, I leaned forward and kissed him as he had kissed me when he opened the jacket.

"I guess you're sure," he murmured when I pulled away. "Um, I brought the stuff to hang it. I thought you might want it in your room? We can hang the print from Rosalie and Emmett, too, if you'd like?"

I nodded and stood up as Edward went to the closet to get the stuff he brought to help me hang the pictures. I glanced over at Angela who was wrapped around Ben as the two of them looked at the new charm bracelet hanging off her wrist. Ben was explaining the significance of one of the charms to her. She looked up at me.

"We're going to do some banging in my room," I told her with a wink. She nodded, but Ben's eyes grew wide before he looked down and saw the picture propped up against my leg. He shook his head.

I led Edward into my bedroom, and we considered the walls looking for the best spot for the picture. I wanted to be able to see it when I was lying down. It took a little time, but we eventually found the perfect spot for both of my new art pieces.

I was admiring the painting when I heard Edward give an amused snort.

"What?"

"I let the mistletoe in the bathroom go, but this…?" He pointed to a sprig of the parasitic plant that was tacked over my bed.

"Angela!" I growled under my breath. I looked at Edward. He was looking at me with an amused expression on his face, patiently waiting my explanation.

"It was Angela. I was teasing her about her mistletoe fetish earlier today…I'm sure she thought this was funny."

"It is."

"Mortifying is more like it," I replied.

"Look at that blush," Edward commented, making me flush even harder. He approached me slowly. "My understanding," he said quietly, tucking my hair behind my ear, "is that blushing is a sign of guilt, not innocence. What are you thinking, Ms. Swan?"

The question seemed rhetorical as he lowered his face towards mine. He barely traced my jaw, from my chin to my ear, with his nose. The sensation caused goose bumps to break out across my neck, chest and arm. I held very still as the feelings he was evoking warred with my sense of right and wrong.

"It's Christmas. It would be a shame to waste that mistletoe." Edward's voice was a low purr I could feel in my chest. This was not the voice he used in casual conversation or around his family. It was seductive, almost dirty. I swallowed hard and turned my back to him. Bending over the bed, I reached out and tugged the mistletoe from the wall before straightening up and turning to face Edward once again.

His eyes captured mine and my mind went blank. "Are you trying to dazzle me?" I asked him.

One side of his mouth raised in a crooked smile. "Is it working?"

I shook my head back and forth slowly before confessing, "Yes."

Edward moved in and kissed me sweetly. He rested his hands on my waist as mine went around his neck. I used the fingers from the hand that was not holding the mistletoe to comb through the hair on the back of his head.

He slid his arms around me and hugged me tightly. I used the break to try to reign in my galloping heart.

"Merry Christmas, Bella."

"Merry Christmas." I pulled away from him to gaze at his handsome, smiling face. His smile grew broader. He kissed me on the forehead before dropping his arms and stepping back.

"I'm going to head home."

"Okay."

"Thank you again for the book and jacket. And for dinner. It was delicious."

"Thank you, for the painting. And for hanging the pictures. It makes the room more homey."

"Anytime. I'll see you next week?"

"Yeah, I'll be in the office one day to update our calendar. I'm going to stop by my office downstairs, too, to familiarize myself with the place."

"Lunch?"

"I'd like that. I'll call you when I'm sure which day works best."

"And Thursday… should I pick you up here? I thought we could have dinner first?"

"I'd like that. Have you talked to Jasper?"

"Not a word. Why, did you talk to Alice?"

"Yeah, last Sunday. She called."

"I'm surprised Jasper could bear to be parted from her long enough for her to dial the phone."

"I said the same thing." We both laughed.

I walked out of my room with Edward. The living room was empty. I assumed that Angela and Ben had gone to bed. Edward gathered up his gifts and put on his coat before kissing me goodbye and heading home.

New Year's Eve, 2009

Alice could tell something was wrong as she flitted around my bedroom, helping me get ready for our night out, while Jasper sat in my living room, having a drink and watching television.

"You are going to look so hot tonight, Bella." Alice tried to bring me out of my funk with a too bright smile. I smiled perfunctorily back at her.

"You do like the dress, don't you?"

"It's gorgeous," I assured her. "Perfect for a club on New Year's Eve." The strapless silk dress was covered in platinum sequins. It was daring with a sweetheart neckline and a short skirt that only came to my mid-thigh. The silver shoes Alice wanted me to wear had the highest heels I'd ever worn.

Honestly, I didn't care about the dress. All I cared about right now was the fact that Edward and I were fighting. I spent most of yesterday in the office. Things had been going well until I opened the invitation to the New Year dinner at the hospital.

"Edward, the invitation you told me to watch for is here. The New Year dinner at the hospital is on the 11th, it seems."

The hospital Edward's father worked for held a dinner early in the New Year to thank the previous year's donors. It was a good way to keep in touch with the people who made the donations and served as the first fund drive of the new year. Edward was invited as a representative of Cullen Enterprises as well as a thank you for his personal contributions.

"Great. RSVP for us, and let my mom know you got it when you're down there later."

"I will," I said absently, pulling up Edward's calendar. "Oh!"

"What?"

"I start school on the 11th. I have class that night." My mouth twisted in chagrin as I stared at the computer screen. Edward was quiet.

I looked over at him. "I'm sorry, Edward. I can't go. If it wasn't the first class I might be able to make some arrangement to have someone tape the lecture, but I can't miss the first class."

He was still silent. He was staring down at his desk, his expression unreadable. I felt a nervous flutter in my stomach.

"This is important. I'm not saying I don't want to go, I can't. You understand, don't you?" I realized I was babbling, trying to fill the silence.

"I understand that this is exactly what I worried would happen when you told me that some of your classes were in the evening," he finally said.

I was surprised and upset by Edward's lack of support.

"You don't take your commitment to me seriously, Bella."

"That's not true, and you know it." I said, incredulous.

"If this job was a regular nine to five position, you would not have signed up for classes that happened in the middle of the day. This was bound to happen at some point during the semester."

His callousness regarding my schooling, made me angry and my temper got the best of me. "You know what? People in a committed relationship, like we're pretending to be, aren't together 24/7. If you show up at one event and tell people that I couldn't get out of a class to attend they'll think we're normal."

Edward snorted. "Normal? I'm not normal, Bella. We're not normal. In the circles I…we travel in, you can have any job you wan, despite your education, or not work at all. It's who we are. I can put you in a corner office."

I was shocked. "Edward, that kind of thinking is beneath you. It's not how you were raised. Your parents and grandparents would be so disappointed to hear you speaking like this."

"Don't tell me what my family thinks. You don't know them better than I do."

I stood up and started gathering my things. I wasn't about to sit there and listen to him spout nonsense.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving. I want to get down to my office before everyone leaves for the day. I'll RSVP to the hospital fundraiser for you."

"So you'll go?"

"No, I won't go. Should I RSVP for two? Would you like to take someone else, Mr. Cullen?" I asked with as much venom as I could muster.

"No," he answered in an angry, sulky voice.

"Fine." I finished gathering my things and took a last look around the office to make sure I didn't forget anything. I didn't want to have to come back in here.

"Have a good evening," I said formally. He didn't answer at first, and I was about to roll my eyes at his childishness when he spoke.

"I'll pick you up at seven for dinner tomorrow."

I clenched my teeth, but didn't look back at him. I gave a curt nod and walked quickly out the door.

EPOV

I arrived at Bella's door promptly at seven. I hadn't spoken to her since she stormed out of my office yesterday.

It felt like everything was just spiraling out of control. While I wanted Bella to make a better life for herself, I believed that she was being short-sighted. While education was always good, she was chasing a degree she had no interest in simply as a safety net. It was a waste of her time and her limited resources. And, it made her less available for me.

I could admit to myself that feeling that way made me a jerk. I wasn't some 17-year old, insecure, high school student who needed his girlfriend around all the time to have confidence in the relationship.

Well, I wasn't 17 or in high school, anyway.

Insecure, party of one.

I knew exactly where Bella would be the night of the dinner. It wasn't like she was seeing someone else. I was secure enough to admit that, but I didn't like that she was not holding up her end of our contract.

Sure we spent more than 20 hours a week together now, but a good part of that was personal, not business.

Fine! I admit that my feelings were completely irrational, but that didn't change them. I wasn't in a good mood, and I didn't think that Bella would be either.

Happy New Year. Pfft.

Sighing deeply, I rang the bell and tried to plaster a pleasant look on my face. That look changed to a look of surprise when Jasper opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, nonplussed.

"Hello to you, too," he replied.

"Hi. Why are you here?"

"Alice and Bella are getting ready together." He shrugged.

Oh. Girls did that all the time, right? It had nothing to do with her not wanting to be alone with me, did it?

Insecure and paranoid, I was on a streak.

"Are you coming in?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah." I stepped into the tiny foyer before walking over to the couch.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Playing host, are you?" Now I was annoyed.

"What crawled up your ass and died? I just asked if you wanted a drink. Are you going to be PMSing all night?"

I scowled at him. "Just give me the drink."

Jasper walked into the kitchen shaking his head. I sat down on one of the club chairs and focused on the television, which had just counted down the New Year in London. I heard Bella's bedroom door open and turned.

Instead of Bella I was greeted with the sight of a half-naked Alice.

"Geez, Alice," I said, shielding my eyes and turning away from her, "go put your clothes on."

It was at this moment, of course, that Jasper returned with my drink.

"Oh, you're here!" Alice said to me.

"Yes, and you're not dressed. Please go put something on."

"I was just coming out to ask Jasper to tell me when you got here."

"He's here," Jasper said in a jovial tone.

"I'm here, now go back inside."

"Wait, I wanted to tell you something. Bella's upset about something. I'm trying to get her to tell me what's going on, but be extra nice to her, okay?"

"Alice…" I droned.

"Oh, come on, Edward, I'm covered. You'd see more of me if I were wearing a bikini."

"Jasper…" I implored him.

"Oh, fine," Alice huffed before Jasper could say anything, "I'm going, but remember what I said, be extra nice to Bella." I waited until I heard Bella's bedroom door close before lowering my hand and exhaling loudly.

Jasper and I sat in silence for a minute before he turned to me.

"Do you know what's going on with Bella?"

Sometimes I hated that intuitive, sensitive bastard.

I grimaced and nodded once. I could see Jasper shake his head in annoyance out of the corner of my eye.

"Care to share?"

"Not particularly."

Jasper stared at me but didn't badger me. "Just make sure it doesn't ruin our night."

I nodded once, but didn't make any promises.

It wasn't long before the girls came out of Bella's room. Alice made a beeline to Jasper's side, but Bella walked right through the room and disappeared into the dining room with barely a glance at me. Alice's eyes followed Bella out the door. As soon as Bella was out of sight she turned to me with narrowed eyes.

"You're the problem," she hissed. I scowled at her.

"Go fix this, Edward. Whatever you did, apologize."

"What makes you think I did anything? This isn't any of your business, Alice."

"It'll be my business if it ruins my night."

"Man, you two were made for each other," I muttered.

Instead of standing there with the two of them, I followed Bella through the dining room and into the kitchen. She was standing with her back to the doorway, drinking tap water from a glass.

"You look nice," I said, as an ice breaker. Nice was really an understatement, but I didn't think she'd be interested in a compliment from me.

"Thank you." Her voice was icy and she didn't even turn to look at me.

"Bella…let's not let our disagreement ruin Jasper and Alice's night."

"I have no intention of ruining their night."

"Well, Alice figured out that you are mad at me and wants me to 'fix' this. I'm not happy either, but I don't think we should talk about this tonight."

"No, we shouldn't." She turned to face me and I scowled. She looked incredibly hot tonight. Maybe it was a good thing we were fighting. I doubted I'd be able to keep my hands off her otherwise.

"You're wearing too much makeup," I told her. Usually her makeup was subdued, but tonight she barely looked herself. Her eyes were heavily lined giving them an exaggerated cat's eye shape. Her shadow was a glittery silver that matched her dress.

It was her turn to scowl. "Excuse me?"

I tried to back pedal. "I just mean that you're so beautiful, you don't need all that." I gestured vaguely in front of my face. I thought I saw her eyes soften for a moment before the hard glint returned.

"It's New Year's Eve," she said, as if that explained everything. She walked past me to return to the living room. I put my hand on the small of her back as she passed by only to feel her stiffen at my touch. I pulled my arm back. Jasper was helping Alice into her coat when we got back to the living room.

"Doesn't Bella look great, Edward?" she asked, hoping to gauge our level of hostility.

"Edward thinks I'm wearing too much makeup," she said before I could answer.

"Of course you are; so am I. It's New Year's Eve." Alice gave me a hard look, while Jasper rolled his eyes in exasperation

Bella shot me an "I-told-you-so" look before striding to the closet to get her coat. I had to take a few quick steps to reach her in time to help her with her jacket. We might not be too happy with one another right now, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to be a gentleman.

"Thank you," Bella said in a stilted voice.

"You're welcome," I answered her, formally.

Alice sighed deeply. Seems she was giving up on the idea of having a good time tonight. "Let's get this over with," she said in a discouraged voice. Bella stepped past me and linked her arm with Alice's and the two women walked out of the apartment. Jasper shot me a venomous look and followed. I grabbed Bella's keys and locked the door as I was leaving. This was going to be fun.

Monday, January 11

BPOV

It was late; I was tired, and upset…very upset. The last two weeks had been maddening, but today was the icing on the cake.

New Years Eve hadn't been a complete disaster despite the fact that Edward and I were barely speaking to one another. Alice and I spent most of the night together, dancing, drinking and having a great time at the club. Jasper joined us every now and then, and I left the dance floor a few times, so that the newlyweds could dance alone.

I even danced with Edward a few times to keep up appearances. I didn't want him to accuse me of further dereliction of duty.

Midnight wasn't all it might have been had we been in the same place we were on Christmas. While couples around us tried to set world records for disgusting PDAs, Edward just brushed his lips against mine. We stood close, with his head buried in my neck. From a certain angle it probably looked like we were in a passionate embrace. I could feel his lips moving, but whatever he was saying, was lost in the noise of the crowd and the deejay.

The following week was wonderful. I loved every minute of the time I spent working at the Literacy Project. The work was challenging, but fun. The people in the office, both paid staff and volunteers, were kind and enthusiastic. I spent hours online looking at the literature created by other nonprofits engaged in this type of work. I designed a brochure that I shyly presented to Esme. She was impressed and told me to go for it.

She also filled my calendar with luncheon dates where we'd dine with prospective donors. There were almost two a week and I seriously considered using some of my salary to join a gym to work off the calories I'd be consuming. I worked with another member of the staff to book a local author for a meet and greet. There was so much going on that I knew Esme must have been moving behind the scenes nonstop in the previous months.

"Yes, I've been reaching out to anyone and everyone," she admitted when I asked her about how we were able to hit the ground running like this. "But now that the staff is in place, I hope to be able to back off a bit. If things continue like this, it won't be long before everyone's hours will increase."

My communication with Edward was almost nonexistent. I stopped in the office on Tuesday, but he was in a meeting. Angela brought down my mail when we met for lunch on Wednesday. I scanned the invitations and compared them to my calendar. There were no conflicts. Well, except for the one existing between Edward and me.

I tried to generate some enthusiasm for my classes that were starting next week, but I was so enthralled by the work I was doing it was hard to focus on what I'd be doing there. It turns out my lack of interest was prophetic.

It had only taken about 20 minutes in class for me to realize that I hated it. The subject matter was uninteresting, and the professor was boring. However, from the rapt looks on the faces of my classmates, I could tell I was the only one who felt this way.

I tried hard to follow along. I paged through the book with the other students, but found nothing to hold my interest. My mind kept drifting back to conversations and ideas from work the previous week. The chatter at the end of the 90 minutes let me know that I was out of my element. These people were enamored of the idea of standing before a class one day and teaching. I loved the idea of helping people learn to read, but the business end of it was much more thrilling for me.

I loved literature and knew how reading could open doors, but teaching people to read was not going to engage me the way working behind the scenes at the Literacy Project did.

Edward was right.

I had panicked and made a lifelong decision based on a whim. I knew if I were to pursue this degree, and one day stand in front of a classroom, I would be the teacher students remembered as being impatient and distracted. I didn't have it in me to be mean or petty, but teaching would not light a fire in me the way my work at the Literacy Project did in just five days.

I had made a mistake and was going to be eating a large plate of crow tomorrow when I talked to Edward.

Unhappy, but resolved to apologize, I settled down on the couch and wondered if Edward was having a good time tonight. His brother wasn't going to the dinner, but his parents were there. Maybe he left early. I glanced at my phone and thought about calling him, but decided that wasn't the best idea since we were barely speaking to one another right now.

My phone vibrated with an incoming text message. Hope fluttered for a moment in my chest. Was it Edward? Was he trying to do the right thing and find out how my first class went? I grabbed the phone and hit the button to open the text without even checking to see if it was him.

It was him, if you looked at it in a certain light. Well, the picture was of him, anyway. I checked for the sender's name, but it came up "unknown." I studied the picture closely, trying to come up with a scenario that didn't show me what I was sure I was seeing. I felt a frown tug at the corner of my mouth as another vibration let me know I had another text coming in. And another. And another.

This changed things.

Tuesday, January 12

EPOV

I noticed that I forgot to charge my Blackberry as soon as I hit the elevator at the office. I had an extra charger in my desk, and would have to plug my phone in as soon as I got upstairs. I wondered how Bella's first night of class went yesterday while I watched the floor buttons light as the elevator rose. I'd have to give her a call. What time was her Tuesday class? Nine? I'd text her as soon as I was settled in and she could get back to me whenever she had free time.

I had been upset, angry even, when Bella refused to miss her class to attend the dinner with me last night. Thankfully, my concerns had been in vain. I managed to slip in without being photographed alone. I stayed close to my parents for part of the evening, but then ran into Kathleen. She was in the middle of a crisis so I spent some time with her.

The elevator stopped and I looked up as I stepped into my office. I frowned. Why was Angela already here? I looked quickly at my watch to confirm it was only 7:30.

Angela and Mrs. Cope were standing close to one another. It was obvious I had caught them in some sort of private conversation. I didn't think that the two of them were particularly close. They both looked at me, but neither said anything.

"Good morning, ladies." Angela pursed her lips as if she'd tasted something unpleasant, but she managed a curt nod. Strange. Mrs. Cope, on the other hand, looked at me with sad eyes and offered a subdued, "Good morning Mr. Cullen." I hesitated in front of them, but both women turned and walked to their desks on opposite sides of the room. I looked at Angela, who ignored me, before looking at Mrs. Cope. She was no more forthcoming. With a mental shrug I headed for my office.

"Mr. Cullen." Mrs. Cope's voice stopped me before I'd taken more than a few steps. "Ms. Swan is in your office waiting for you."

"Bella's here?" That was a pleasant surprise. Maybe she needed to get something done before school today. I tried to remember my schedule, wondering if maybe we'd have time for lunch this afternoon. "Thanks, Mrs. Cope." She just nodded before turning to a pile of papers on her desk.

Stranger still, no "You're welcome?" Mrs. Cope was a stickler for the niceties.

However, I entered my office with a smile on my face. Seeing Bella was always a good thing. I'd use this visit to apologize to her and we could move forward from here. I looked over at Bella's desk, but she wasn't there. I glanced around quickly, and was surprised to see her sitting in a chair in front of my desk. She hadn't taken her coat off and her laptop was in its case leaning against the chair she was sitting on.

"Hey, Bella," I greeted her cheerfully ready to bury the hatchet in regards to our disagreement over last night. She turned her head slowly to look at me. She looked miserable.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Did she have a problem in her class last night? I walked over to her swiftly and knelt down next to her, putting my arm around her back. Up close she looked even worse. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn't slept or had been crying.

"Bella, what...?" I looked her over while I spoke. She had an envelope clutched in her hand. I recognized that envelope. It was the same envelope she'd delivered her resignation letter in all those weeks ago.

I rose quickly to my feet, grabbing the envelope from her hands. "What's this?" I couldn't help the hurt in my voice. Bella took a shaky breath.

"Mis…" her voice cracked and she cleared her throat before continuing.

"Mister Cullen. I'm tendering my resignation effective immediately. I'm hoping that you are a man of your word and that you will choose not to pursue legal action against me for my decision."

I stalked around my desk and threw myself in my chair.

"Do you mind telling me what the fuck is going on?" Bella flinched when I swore, but I was too upset to care.

"My position at Cullen is no longer a good fit for me, sir." She stood and turned around, pulling her Blackberry from her pocket and depositing it on the chair. "I'm leaving my laptop and phone here. I'll get in touch with Alice, and she'll come collect any clothes I have that must be returned."

"Dammit Bella, no! Not again!"

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face me again and extended her hand over my desk to shake. Bewildered, I took it.

"Thank you for the opportunity you have given me. I will never forget the time we spent together." She shook my hand and tried to withdraw, but I held on tight.

"Bella, wait! Why are you bailing this time?" I wanted to be concerned and kind, but feelings of panic were starting to overwhelm me. I didn't know what to do with these feelings, so I resorted to my old standby: anger.

"You are always so quick to just give up on this." I waved my free hand around, "On us. Maybe your problems with employment in the past had nothing to do with being dealt a shitty hand, maybe you just don't have what it takes when the going gets tough. I can't believe you're going to quit over our argument. When the going gets tough, you bail. If that's the case, then you'll always be a low-level employee. I should warn my mother now."

Her mouth twisted as her eyes crinkled, and I knew she was just moments from crying. I tried to stand and walk around my desk, but I'd have to drop her hand to do that, and I was afraid if I let her go, she'd bolt.

She shook her head and wrenched her hand free from my grasp. I was about to rush her to keep her from leaving, but she only turned and picked up her phone. Flicking a few buttons she handed me the device. I looked at the screen, and my stomach dropped while my heart started pounding.

Bella had opened text messages that had pictures imbedded, pictures of me and Kathleen Snow from last night. Pictures that looked, for all the world, like I was on a date with her: Kathleen and me dancing while I had my arms around her waist; Kathleen and me standing together at the bar with her hand on my arm; and the two of us at a table. More damaging was the picture of me with my arm around her while she rested her head on my shoulder. My head was tilted down and I remember whispering something in her ear, but from the angle there was no way to prove I hadn't kissed her. Someone took it while I was comforting her when she realized that her ex, Sam, was also attending the dinner, with some little tart from his office. The pictures were innocent, but could be construed as something more by someone who wasn't there.

"Bella, who sent these to you? The pictures…they're not what it looks like." I scoffed. "There's nothing going on between me and Kathleen Snow."

"I believe you Edward," she sighed, "but it doesn't matter." I tried to interrupt, but she held up a hand to silence me and continued. "You've often said that you don't care what people think about you. It never bothered you if people thought you were dating the maid. But do you remember how angry you got when you saw that picture of Mike and me? You were worried that people would think you were a…what was the word you used? A cuckold?"

"I have no interest in playing the poor little girlfriend, hidden away somewhere while her big-shot boyfriend is out fooling around. That's even more humiliating than when the papers uncovered my previous employment. There is nothing happening between you and her right now, but it's obvious she wants you. And she really is perfect for you. She's rich and beautiful. She has a fantastic job. You could be proud of her."

Truthfully, I was proud of Bella, but it sounded stupid to say that after I just accused her of bailing when things got hard.

"This isn't the last event I won't be able to attend because of school. I can't expect you to stay home, and when you're out alone you're going to attract attention. That's why you hired me. While I didn't like what you said to me when we were arguing about this, you were right. I'm not fulfilling my duties. Please respect my decision."

"How will you survive? Can you pay the rent?" I mustered all the frost I could when I said it, hoping to shock her into really thinking about this decision. It was a low blow, but I'd do just about anything short of chaining her to her desk to get her to stay. I knew better than to make that mistake again.

"The end of year bonus I received will pay my rent for a few months. My reduced pay makes me eligible for financial assistance so I won't need to…quit school. And your mom has already hinted that my hours might be increasing sooner rather than later…"

I tried one more time.

"I thought we had an understanding."

"So did I," she said sadly. As soon as she said those words I knew this was over. There was nothing I could do or say that would fix this. "A clean break, Edward. I think that's what will be best." She continued speaking, "For so long, all I had was my dignity. Now I have more, but will not sacrifice my dignity just to hold onto it. This is the best decision…for both of us." Bella walked to the door of my office and opened it. "I think that you and Kathleen could be very happy together."

I stared at the door a few moments once it was closed. Indefinable emotions were churning inside me. My first inclination was to push them away, but I realized immediately that doing so would make this situation worse, not better. I opened myself to the feelings: frustration, pain, confusion, anger, desertion, fear, loneliness. Panic pushed at me, and suddenly, I recognized the feelings.

I'd been here before…with Jessica.

The end of this chapter takes place exactly three months after Edward met Bella in the shower. Remember that? Good times. ;) Many of you have been wondering how I can make it to the prologue from where the story was last chapter. Is it clearer now? Murkier? Anyway, I hope you'll stick with me to see how this all turns out. I understand, though, that you all signed on for a Bella and Edward fic and now the two of them aren't even PRETENDING to be together anymore. Please have faith.

There have been hundreds of reviews and PMs asking if this fic would have a "time jump" to get to the point of the prologue since the prologue happens a year after Edward and Bella start working together. I've always said there wouldn't be a time jump per se, but things would move faster for a few chapters. We've reached the "moving faster" stage. I'm not sure if you'll find that encouraging or deflating, but that's all I can tell you right now.

Thank you for your patience this summer. This update is late late late. I'm going to try to get back on track.

Please forgive me, but there's some housekeeping required:

-Yes, the dialog I was referring to at the end of the last chapter was the exchange between George Costanza and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. (Yes, I know that the character's name wasn't George Costanza in the movie!) Just about everyone figured that out.

-Pictures! I forgot to tell you that I posted pictures of Alice's wedding dress, hat and engagement ring on my blog. Pictures of Bella's Christmas party dress and necklace are also there. Ironictwistisntitironic(dot) blogspot(dot) com. Bella's New Year's Eve dress from this chapter is there also. Thanks, Kristi, for finding it!

-The Bargain was pulled from ffnet for a TOS violation. At this time it's homeless. I was going to put it on my blog, but very few people will see it there. I'm still working on where it will end up. This unexpected bump in the road has already seriously cut into its publishing schedule. I'll keep you updated on its eventual destination.

-Thanks to reader jowiiie, who left me my 4500th review.

-I got to meet the lovely and talented sleepyvalentina a few weeks ago. We toured the Philadelphia Museum of Art and spent hours in the café talking about our favorite fics. You should go read everything she's written.