As always: Everything and anything related to the Twilight saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

Special thanks to cevuplay for beta'ing this chapter, since Kelly is swamped with school work. Good luck, Kelly. :)

"What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined... to strengthen each other... to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories."

~ George Eliot

Chapter Thirty-One: X is for the End

Edward staggered around his neighborhood for what seemed like an endless amount of time before he finally decided to trek back home. He found it ridiculous that he was nervous to go back, but after the fight with Bella, he was genuinely apprehensive about confronting her.

As he shuffled his feet down the streets of Seattle, he kept replaying the argument in his head. The scrapping sound his sneakers made against the pavement created a devastating soundtrack; he didn't even bother to pick up his feet, opting to just drag them across the moist pavement in the ultimate defeat.

The two of them had completely blown the entire situation out of proportion. He hadn't even been able to explain the whole arrangement, but to be honest, he hadn't wanted to in the first place. He knew that once Bella heard the clauses, she would tell him to go, and that was the last thing he wanted to hear, the absolute last.

It was wretched, he knew it, hell, he was sure that Bella would see it that way, as well. He knew he might later on regret the decision, but losing Bella just wasn't an option. Even the mere notion of losing her was terrifying.

It wasn't just the fear of losing Bella as his partner. It was the idea of losing her as a friend that scared him most. As odd as it sounded, even to him, her friendship meant the world to him. Yes, they were a couple, but underneath that title, they were still Edward and Bella, best friends of twenty plus years, and that was the part of their relationship that he was most scared to lose.

For Edward, Bella was the one person he could confide his deepest and darkest aspirations, secrets, and even desires. There was no one in the world that he trusted or confided in more than her.

It had always been that way, and that was how he intended it to stay.

He knew he shouldn't be worried, that Bella loved him just as much as he loved her, but to have heard Bella question everything that had brought them together had been such a blow to his spirit. He wanted to believe that what she had said has been all bravado and for his sake, but he couldn't escape that feeling of nothingness in his chest when she said that it had all been a mistake. It had felt like she personally pulled his heart right from his chest and he watched the entire time, mesmerized by the anger in her eyes as she stepped on it.

Never had he had such a strong attachment to anyone, but it really didn't surprise him; they were always close. She was there when he needed her and vice versa, but those words had cut him deeply.

Slowly, he made his way around the corner and back to the front door of his apartment complex. It had been almost two hours since he fled. The elevator ride up to his floor completely went unnoticed. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of his door with his keys in hand.

Edward stared at the brass apartment number that the florescent light in the hallway spotlighted. His key was in place, but he had yet to turn it, choosing to stare at the golden-esque number instead.

When he had found the condo shortly after graduation, he had immediately known that he was going to want to have a roommate; Bella had been his first and only choice. Though their parents were a lot more apprehensive about the living situation, they trusted them, never having really given them a reason to believe that their friendship was anything more than just that.

The original number nailed to the door had been made of steel and the black paint that coated it was chipping so that you could see the original silver base. It had been Bella's idea to change it to the gaudy gold one because it reminded her of something royal and their apartment was to be their castle. Edward had chuckled at the silliness of the whole thing, but had agreed to it nonetheless.

To be honest, if she had asked for the world, he would have found some way to give it to her.

He stared at the nailed number for what seemed like forever before he turned the key and opened the door.

It was silent when he stepped inside; it was slightly eerie just how bare the apartment felt without any semblance of noise. All he heard was the air and it was strange. Immediately, Edward felt that something was wrong. He felt like something was out of place.

It was when he walked toward his bedroom that he noticed it. From the corner of his eye, he caught the glow of the small bedside lamp in Bella's bedroom. As he walked toward it, he noticed Bella curled up on top of the bed. She was asleep and from where he stood, he could see one of Bella's hand wrapped tightly around the key hanging from her neck.

It was obvious that she had been crying; her cheeks were stained black from her makeup, and she hadn't even bother to change out of her work clothes.

Edward stepped out of his shoes as quietly as possible, tiptoed toward Bella's bed, and lay down beside her. He pulled her against his chest and tucked his knees behind hers until he was comfortable and they looked like two spoons nestled against each other.

The movement, however, had managed to jostle Bella awake.

"Edward?" she whispered.

"Yeah, it's me, Bells. What are you doing in here?"

"I didn't think that when you came back you'd want me in your room," she again kept her voice low.

"How could you think that, Bella? It's our room." He declared it firmly and slightly loosened his arms around Bella while she turned around to face him. She finagled her way around without leaving the comforting embrace. Edward wiped away the hardened tears at the corners of her eyes and even attempted to wipe away the dark streaks on her cheeks.

"I hope you know I didn't mean what I said," Bella mumbled. Her voice was hoarse from crying.

"So, why did you say it?" Edward sounded crushed and that was exactly how he felt.

"At that moment, it was the only way I figured that would get you to go. You have to take the job; there is no other answer than yes. Edward, this is your dream coming true. I don't want you to look back in twenty years and regret never going. I don't want you to blame me when you're telling your wife that your lives could have been completely different…better even," Bella explained and Edward smiled to himself.

"Well, in twenty some odd years, when we're watching our oldest kid graduate from high school, I'll make sure not to bring it up," he quipped and watched as Bella stared at him.

"Edward-" she began but Edward cut her off.

"I know what you're trying to do, but it's not gonna happen," he countered. "I love you, and in twenty years I hope to be nestled in my bed alongside my beautiful wife named Bella whose hair is graying and doesn't mind that I no longer look like the man she fell in love with."

"That's what you see happening?" she asked and Edward nodded.

"I do. Besides, I never got to tell you everything about the position in New York."

"Which would be?"

"It's only a temporary move, six to nine months, tops. They just want me as the principal as they set up their east coast office, after that, they want me back here in Seattle. It's just that I don't want to go," he explained and Bella shook her head.

"That's ridiculous, Edward. You need to go. This is everything you've worked for and all those hours you put in when you were an intern so you could make a good impression. Don't be stupid and throw it all away now."

"I know," Edward murmured, dropping his chin against his chest.

"I just hate the idea of being apart from you. It's ridiculous I know, but now that we're together, I have to leave you behind. For lack of eloquence, that royally sucks. I even told Meyers and Austen that. I told them I couldn't take the position because I couldn't stand to be away from you."

"You said that to them? Were you drunk at the time?" Bella asked with a hint of amusement. She sat up in the bed now and Edward mimicked the action.

"No. I just...I felt compelled to. I don't know, dammit."

"You actually confessed all of that to them? Your bosses?" Bella asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Yeah," Edward elongated the response, clearly showing his embarrassment. He shook his head and continued, "Looking at it now, I can't believe I did that."

"Where are your balls, Edward Cullen?"

"Probably around your neck on a pretty silver chain," he teased and Bella shook her head at him as she fingered the key that hung around it.

"I can't believe you would actually tell that to Mr. Meyers," she stated. "Mr. Austen, maybe, because you've always been really close to him, but Meyers? Not so much."

"I really don't know what came over me. At the time, I literally had to drag myself up to their offices when they paged Alice, and when I came down she had to console me."

"That's kind of pathetic, Edward," Bella teased and Edward scowled though it was nice to see Bella look happy, even if it was at his expense.

"You find it pathetic that I would rather stay in Seattle then to leave you behind?" he asked seriously and Bella just stared at him with a tight, shy smile on her face.

"No. I love the fact that you feel that way because I feel the same, but it sounds like you were practically begging them not to make you go. That, that's pretty pathetic," she argued and Edward chuckled and nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, that really is."

"I'm sure they'll forget all about it once you tell them that you're actually taking the position," Bella contended and Edward slowly nodded his head.

"Are you okay with me going?" he asked and Bella moved to sit right on her knees in front of Edward, who once again mimicked her actions.

"Edward," she began quietly, staring right into his eyes, and in the ultimate reversal of roles, she grabbed Edward's face between her hands and spoke.

"I'm not going to sit here and say that it won't hurt or that I won't be a sobbing mess when you leave, but it's only for what, six to nine months? That's …that's not so bad."

"Yeah, but I couldn't even handle three days and neither could you," Edward argued and Bella rubbed at the tension that formed in the middle of his brows.

"We'll have to learn to deal with it. You've always been there for me, Edward, and have always, always, pushed me to do what I wanted, now's my time to do the same for you. You. Have. To. Go. This could be the biggest opportunity in your entire career. Don't you understand that? The biggest."

"You sound like Meyers," Edward chuckled and Bella joined in for a brief second.

"We'll deal with it," she repeated and Edward nodded.

"You'll visit? Right? Or you could come with me and find a job out there? There's tons of publishing houses in New York. I'm sure any of them would scoop you up in a second."

"You know I can't leave. I'm all Charlie has," she stated and Edward shook his head.

"No, he has Sue, who I'm pretty sure is better company than you, at least when it comes to the chief's bedroom," he joked and Bella made a gagging sound.

"Never mention my dad, Sue, and a bed ever again, got it? And you know that that was not what I meant."

"Noted and yeah I know what you meant. That doesn't change the fact that I want you come," he pouted and Bella poked the center of his lips gently for him to stop it.

"I want to come, but I can't. We'll get through this. It's just a little speed bump," she comforted and Edward drew her toward him and hugged her.

"This is going to suck," he barely whispered and Bella nodded.

"We'll get through it," Bella stuttered and Edward could sense the tension in Bella's body as she fought off the tears.

The two remained quiet for a few moments, embraced in each other's arms until Bella pulled herself away.

"When do you have to leave?" she asked timidly.

"Six weeks."

"Well, we have six weeks until then. Let's make the best of the time we have until then."

"Absolutely," Edward whispered and brought Bella even closer to him, though that was almost impossible.

"Do you really want me to go?" he asked after a brief stint of silence.

"No…yes…I don't know," Bella stuttered. "I want you to go because this is everything you've worked for, and you deserve all this success."

"What else do you want?"

"Nothing. I have everything I could ever want, and on top of that, I have you. I don't need anything else."

"You know I'd give you the world, Bella Swan," he dotingly answered.

"I don't believe that's possible," she chuckled. Edward reveled in the way her body shook against his own laughing form.

"Well, I'd at least try," he countered.

"Now, that I believe."

=x=

Bella woke up as stiff as could be the next morning. When she attempted to move, she realized that she was in a vice grip thanks to Edward's arms. She tried to move away from him, but he pulled her tighter against his chest.

"Good morning," he greeted her and Bella chuckled.

"Morning," she groggily replied. "Could you let go a little? You're squeezing me and it hurts."

"Sorry, Bells," he apologized and let her go and watched as she stood up to stretch. He was mesmerized by the way her button down blouse stretched tautly against her stomach when she stretched her arms back.

"What?" she asked coyly when she noticed Edward staring.

"That shirt looks good on you."

"Thanks." She blushed and turned back around to unbutton her blouse. She rubbed at the indentations that buttons has left on her stomach and chest.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked as he sat up on her bed.

"The buttons were pressed against me all night, so now it itches," she groaned as she scratched. "Sleeping in my clothes was not the best thing."

Edward laughed as he watched Bella remove her bra and rub underneath her breasts, and again when she removed her slacks, she rubbed at the marks it left at her waist.

"I wish I would have known you were going to strip, I would've played some music," Edward joked and Bella gave him the finger.

"Very funny."

"I thought so," Edward chuckled.

"I'm going to shower," Bella announced and Edward smiled at Bella as he walked toward her. When she within in arms length, he pulled her close against him, reveling in the feel of her chest against him.

"Am I allowed to join?" he inquired, smirking and running his hand down the columns of her spine. She shook under him.

"Mhmm," Bella thought out loud. "I don't know."

Edward said nothing, but pouted childishly down at Bella. He was trying to make Bella forget about the conversation they had the night before. He wanted to see her smile, and to be frank, he didn't want to think about it either.

"Alright, but just a shower. No funny business."

"Today's Saturday, remember? Today is all about the 'funny business," Edward groaned while he rubbed himself against Bella.

"How does that have to do with the letter X?"

"Don't know, but I'm sure I could figure it out."

"What do you have planned for today?" Bella asked as they continued to just stand in her room.

"Honestly?" he replied and Bella nodded and moved away from Edward.

"When I chose X at the beginning of the game, I was going to use it as the last letter because I thought neither of us would be able to figure out anything to do with it."

"Wait, so you actually have no idea what to do with it?" Bella asked through as series of chuckles. Edward simply glared at her.

"There aren't exactly many words that start with the letter X, Bells, at least words with any significance to the specifications of the game. But I decided to be different and instead of choosing a word with the letter X, I chose to examine the letter instead," he explained and Bella just stared up at him confused.

"What I mean is, the letter X is two lines, interlocked. I'm using that as the basis for today."

"And that would be?" Bella goaded.

"You'll see. Now how about that shower?" he kept his voice low and waggled his eyebrows at her, and Bella simply scoffed and shook her head.

"Come on, playboy. Let's see if we can clean that dirty mind of yours."

"You can try," he replied as he followed her toward the bathroom, silently rejoicing the air of ease that surrounded them. There was no underlying tension from last night present, and he hoped to keep it that way until his departure to New York.

=x=

An hour later, Edward and Bella were dressed and eating breakfast at the café they frequented around the corner.

It was the first meal they ate when they moved in. It had been four in the afternoon, and after almost six hours of hauling things upstairs and unpacking, they walked around to find a place to eat, and stumbled on the café immediately. Ever since then, it had become a favorite spot of theirs.

"You're not going to tell me what you have planned are you?" Bella asked as she stole a piece of Edward's omelet.

"No, but I promise it's not all the grand. It's rather simple actually," he responded off-handily and Bella wondered what was wrong with him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Of course."

"You just seem kind of… off. Does this have to do with the move?" she persisted and Edward shook his head. He mentally scolded himself for making Bella think about the promotion again.

"No, just wondering if today will compare to last week. You pretty much blew everything we've done right out of the water. Excuse the pun."

"I'm sure whatever you have planned is amazing." She reached her hand out and rubbed his hand reassuringly. Edward smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her lightly before returning to his breakfast. He watched her cheeks flush a rosy pink and again had to smile; it was his absolute favorite shade of the color.

"You almost done?" he asked and Bella nodded as she finished the rest of her home fries.

"So, what is it that you have planned?"

"It's not all that spectacular, but come on," he grabbed her hand and helped her out of the booth. He placed more than enough money on the table and led them out. It was another typical gray Seattle day, but it wasn't raining and the lack of moisture in the air meant that rain was not likely either.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked and Edward smiled brightly at her as he started walking down the sidewalk. He turned back toward their apartment building, but continued walking as he followed the familiar path toward the playground.

"The park?" Bella asked skeptically as she eyed the empty jungle gym.

"Yeah, come on," he pulled her along until they reached the swings and Bella sat down in one and Edward sat down on the one right beside her.

"Why the park?"

"Well for starters, it's too early for the kids to be here, so it'll be empty for a while. Secondly and most importantly because this was the first place I told you 'I love you'," he answered.

"You know I thought I was hearing things that night. I thought about it for so long. I was so sure my mind was playing tricks on me," Bella told him as she relieved the moment he whispered 'I love you' against her neck.

Edward shook his head.

"You weren't. At that moment, everything just fell into place for me; it all clicked. I don't know how to explain it."

Bella got off her seat and crossed the short distance to Edward and straddled his lap on the swing, so that she was face-to-face with him. She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. Edward let go of the metal chains and his hands found purchase along her face.

"I love you so much," she breathed out as the kiss ended.

"I'm so madly in love with you, Bella.

"The other reason I brought you here," he said as slowly began to sway them on the swing, "is because this all began when we were kids."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked as she placed her hands over Edward's on the swing's chains.

"You and I have been best friends since we were kids. What better place to express that part of our relationship then a playground?"

"Is that what you mean by interlocked?"

Edward nodded. "Everything reminds me of a moment in our lives. The playground, the mall, eggs sunny side up," he began and Bella lightly punched his arm at the last one.

"I'm serious though, Bella. There's not one thing that doesn't remind me of you. Name it and I can say something that has happened that involved us," he challenged her and Bella smiled.

She looked around the playground and saw a battered book bag sitting on top of the overflowing garbage can.

"Okay, here's a tough one. 'Book bag'." She smiled smugly but faltered when Edward smiled back just as haughtily.

"Bella, that's not hard at all."

"How is that not hard? And I don't mean something as simple as we used to carry book bags to school," she retorted and Edward chuckled.

"I know, but whenever I see a book bag, I think of that navy blue Jansport with all the patches on that I would get you every Christmas. More importantly whenever I think of that book bag, I think about how you managed to stuff not only a pair of pajamas but a change of clothes into it the night we lost our virginity."

Bella gasped.

"You remember that?" Edward nodded.

"I also remember how devastated you were when the right strap broke and my mom couldn't fix it for you. She tried to sew it, patch it, and even tape, but nothing worked," he replied and Bella lightly kissed him.

"How do you remember all these things?"

"They're important."

"Okay, how about 'phone' then?"

"Easy," Edward chortled. "Do you remember the phone bills we had when we were away at college?"

"Oh my god. I thought my dad was going to kill me," Bella laughed.

Bella sat up on Edward's thighs straighter and got into the character of her father. "Bella, really how much is there to tell Edward every day? Honestly, three hundred dollars? Couldn't you just talk online like other people do?"

"Yeah, my parents reamed me pretty hard for that, too."

Bella began looking around the playground again. "Alright, how about 'table'?"

Edward chuckled quickly before clearing his throat. His voice took on a deep tone as he answered.

"Table," he groaned as he repeated the word. "Do you really need me to get into that explanation?"

Bella blushed and got off Edward and sat back down on the swing she had originally been sitting on.

"Come push me."

Edward stood up and began to pull her back as far as he could reach.

"Hold on so you don't fall," he chuckled before he let go.

"That happened once," Bella shouted as she pumped her legs. "And I was eight and it was your fault!"

The two laughed like schoolchildren and played around on the swings and then the jungle gym until the park became inundated by kids. It was around twelve when they left, and grabbed lunch at a small Italian restaurant.

After that, the two simply walked around Seattle, hands entwined, and just talked. Occasionally, the two would stop to look at shop windows, or Edward would stop Bella point to something that related to their twenty years of friendship.

"Where are we going now?" Bella asked as the sun was starting to set. Edward kept silent and led Bella back to their apartment.

"When we get upstairs Bella, I need you to go to your room, change into what I placed in your closet, and meet me on the roof in an hour. No sooner and no later," he told her as Edward led her into the apartment, but stepped away from the door.

"You're not coming in?"

"No, just follow the instructions on the paper I left on your bed."

"When did you find time to leave instructions on my bed?" she asked and Edward shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. You have one hour," he replied and leaned down to kiss her. "I'll see you in a few, beautiful."

Edward watched as Bella looked almost scared at she closed the front door. Once he heard her lock the door, he walked towards the stairs and climbed up to the roof. As soon as he reached the top, he unlocked the latch door and saw that everything was as he left it the other day.

There were lights hanging from the cable lines and Edward had set up a small iHome in the corner of the roof with his iPod set up.

Unfortunately, he didn't think everything out because he had to change into a tuxedo in the cramped hidden corner back downstairs. The last thing he wanted was for someone to decide to walk up there today and find him disrobing in the hallway. That was one explanation he was sure would be interesting.

Once he was done, he climbed back up the ladder. He had a bit of slip on the first step as his nerves started to kick in; he blamed it on the smooth sole of his wingtip shoes. He paced around the roof for a few minutes, wringing his hands together, and occasionally adjusting the bowtie he was sure was crooked, since he didn't have a mirror to check.

This whole thing wasn't very well planned, at least for his part of it, but he knew any minute Bella would be walking through the door and the last thing on his mind would be his crooked bowtie.

The radio was set up, and the remote to turn it on was in his pocket. He had lights hung along the cable lines and plugged into a small generator he had managed to get at the hardware store.

It wasn't planned all that thoroughly, but enough for the sole purpose.

Bella was allowing his dreams to come true by letting him going to New York. Tonight, he would make one of hers come true.

He wanted to give the faceless man in her dreams, a face.

His.

For another fifteen minutes, he walked around the roof, lost in his thoughts. He was dying to see Bella; he couldn't think of anything else. He hoped that climbing up the ladder wouldn't be too difficult in her shoes. He had been thinking about her possibly slipping and getting hurt when he heard his name being called.

"Edward?" Bella called out from the door and Edward turned around quicker than he thought possible.

Edward gasped as he looked at Bella. "You look radiant," he adoringly complimented her. His eyes took in every part of her, traveling up her body until green eyes connected with brown ones.

"Thank you," Bella whispered timidly as she looked down at the gorgeous royal blue gown she had found in the closet.

Her heart had been pounding uncontrollably as she waited for the hour to pass. When she found the dress in the closet, she had been on the verge of tears. Of course, Edward would remember something as small as a dream she hadn't mentioned in weeks. She pinned her hair back causally and threw on a bit of makeup before she made her way upstairs. She had faltered a bit on the ladder as he nerves played with her coordination more than usual.

"So beautiful," he whispered. Bella ducked her head down and blushed.

"Don't," he requested in a hushed whisper.

With that, Bella lifted her head to look at Edward and was blown away by the look of awe on his face. Bella took a moment to look at the tuxedo Edward was wearing and the lights that were hanging. The tux sat perfectly on his fit frame, the lapels of the jacket were perfectly pressed against his chest, and even the bow tie was as straight as could be.

"When did you do all of this?" She kept her voice low, too afraid to ruin the mystique and aura of the setting. The lights twinkled dimly against the darkening night sky, and the only sound besides them was the faint sounds of Seattle life happening all around them.

Edward remained silent, walked forward, and stopped just short of Bella.

"Isabella Swan," he began, stretching his hand out and bending slightly forward. "Love of my life. May I have this dance?"

Bella nodded and placed her hand in Edward's and let him lead her toward the center of the roof. She watched him slip his free hand into his pocket and suddenly the famous violin flourishes of "At Last" by Etta James poured from a radio in the corner.

Edward slipped the small remote back into his pocket and drew Bella close to him. As he rested one hand on her waist and the other raised her other arm, Bella felt that tug of déjà vu and confirmation.

She had been contemplating downstairs as to what the blue gown meant and what the words, "Tonight I give you the world," on the paper meant, and that was exactly what he was doing. Here on the roof, high above the residents of Seattle, it was just them, swaying and ignoring everything else around them.

For that night, no one else existed but Edward and Bella.

The two danced around slowly on the roof as Etta's voice resounded. Edward sang along with the words, quietly. He was off key but Bella didn't care as Edward looked down at her. He leaned down occasionally to kiss her, and each time Bella was swept up in the sensation of absolute perfection that she couldn't begin to explain, even if she tried.

The sky was completely dark twenty minutes later. The lights on the roof shone brightly on them and Bella never felt more in love than at that moment. She moved forward and placed her cheek against Edward's chest right above his heart, and let him sway them side to side, as the song kept playing on repeat.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward," she answered back and as the song came to another stop, Edward turned the radio off, but the two remained swaying in each other's arms until they could no longer stand.

=x=

Six weeks had passed faster than Bella had ever thought possible.

She replayed everything that had occurred in that time as she and Edward drove toward the airport.

It was a typical gray, drizzling Seattle day, but Bella wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It would have stung worse if the day had been bright with sunshine.

The night before had been spent making sure Edward had packed everything else that he hadn't already shipped off to the apartment the company had secured for him in New York. Bella snuck a few of his button downs into her dresser drawers so she could wear them when he was away.

They had agreed that Bella would visit him in two weeks and stay for a week, and then two weeks after that Edward would visit her. That was the schedule. Every two weeks one of them would fly out to see the other.

The drive to the airport in Bella's car was spent in relative silence. Bella took in every detail of Edward driving her car. She studied the way his hands gripped the steering wheel and the way his jaw tightened when someone tried to cut him off on the highway.

By the time, they reached the airport the rain was starting to get slightly worse, but Bella knew that even that wouldn't stop the airplane from taking off. There was no real danger in the thin drops that fell. If they had been thicker and if the wind had started to pick up, then she knew that there would be delays and she would have a few extra minutes, or even hours, with Edward.

She retrieved an umbrella from the trunk, and the two shared it as they walked through the parking complex. Edward pulled his two suitcases behind him, not caring if they got wet, as they walked from the parking lot over to the departures area.

Bella watched glumly as Edward checked in and retrieved his boarding pass. The entire time she felt like she was going to throw up. Her stomach felt like it was perched right at the bottom of her throat.

"I should probably go in now. The security line is pretty long," Edward quietly mentioned when he walked back toward Bella. She nodded sadly, as she took in the growing line. They had stayed home as long as possible before they made their way to the airport. Only now did they realize that that meant their goodbye would come so quickly.

"Yeah," was all she could muster out.

Edward stepped in front of Bella and hugged her tightly.

"Come with me," he whispered and Bella sniffled.

"You know I can't. We talked about this a hundred times already. My job and everyone I know is here."

"Everyone but me!" he argued, gripping the front of his shirt tightly over his heart.

"Edward-" she breathed.

"I know, Bella. I know," he mumbled as he held her again. "Fuck, I'm going to miss you; I already do."

"Me too," she whispered, her voice a mere warbled whisper. She was trying so hard not to cry.

"I'll see you in two weeks."

"Two weeks," she repeated as she felt the tightness in her throat getting worse.

"I love you," Edward said as he kissed her. The two of them poured themselves into the kiss before they pulled away from each other.

"Call me when you land."

"Of course," he declared as he stepped toward the security area.

"I love you," she shouted and Edward turned around and smiled that heartbreaking smile of his.

As Bella watched him walk through the security station, it felt like her heart was breaking, inch by agonizing inch. It almost felt like the fleshy muscle was being ripped apart deliberately so that she could feel every single fraction of it as it cracked. She watched Edward until he waved at her sadly from the small viewing area on the other side, and then watched as he walked further into the airport and away from her.

She watched until she could no longer see the unruly bronze hair, and after a few moments of just staring blankly at the spot where he had been, she turned around and headed toward the parking lot.

Her chest hurt, her throat was tight from holding back her tears, and her eyes stung. She could still feel Edward's arms around her from when he embraced her, and she wrapped her arms around herself. She could still feel him around her, and she held onto herself tighter, not wanting to lose that feeling.

As she stepped outside, she finally let the tears slip freely down her face, relieving the tension in her throat. She didn't bother opening the umbrella wrapped around her wrist. People stared as she walked by, and she figured that they were probably wondering why she wasn't using the umbrella.

Her feet dragged against the wet asphalt and the water soaked right through the canvas of Bella's sneakers, but she didn't care as she continued to sulk all the way to her car.

By the time she reached her car, she couldn't tell where the tears started and where the rain began. Slowly, she slipped into the car and turned it on. She turned the heat on just to warm the chill she was experiencing from the rain, though it was warm outside.

In the solitude of her car, Bella broke down and sobbed as she laid her head against the steering wheel. She watched as the tears rolled down the front of the interlocking rings of the Audi insignia and down to her thighs before she moved away.

She reached for her purse and pulled out a slip of paper she had place there the night before.

"1,209,600 seconds," she read and then continued. "20,160 minutes, 336 hours, 14 days."

"Two weeks," she chanted, "two weeks."