Took a bit of a break from writing Armyward today to type this out, since he was being a bit obstinate and not talking to me. But I have also just finished an outtake for Late Night Encounters that will not be available on my profile until March 20th, to be included in the Author Compilation of over 200 authors now, for mskathy's fundraiser for Haiti. For more information on how to donate and receive a copy sent to you on January 25th. For more information, please visit http://mskathyff(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2010/01/haiti(dot)html. Big treat for a small donation :)

Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative

Rating/Warning(s): M

Notes:

Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Jealous

He knew in his heart that they hadn't been truly happy in a very long time. Ten years of marriage tends to wane affections, didn't it? Add to that his inability to give her the child she so desperately wanted, and it was a recipe for disaster.

However, nothing could have prepared him for the rage that tore through him at the simple sight of her smile tonight. Standing across on the opposite side of the room, at this pretentious dinner party filled with her colleagues, laughing and touching the arm of a tall young man he had never seen before.

He set his glass of scotch down on the table and, without a word to the other occupants of the table, stood to make his way across the room. Regardless of the state of their marriage, she was still his wife, and he was going to make sure this man knew it and that she remembered this fact as well.

"Honey, there you are," he said as he came up beside her, kissing her cheek chastely as his arm slid around her waist.

She glanced over at him quickly and resumed her smile, but this time, it was different. It was the forced mask of a smile reserved only for him lately. Though fortunately, being a lawyer for so many years, she was also a consummate actress.

"Darling," she greeted him in an overly sweet tone, motioning her hand toward the young man she'd been conversing with. "Have you met Mr. Hale? He's our new intern from Texas, just transferred here a few weeks ago."

"No I don't believe I recall you mentioning a new intern. Must have slipped your mind," he replied tersely.

She stiffened slightly in his hold and her jaw tensed minutely. "Jasper, this is my husband, Edward."

The man gave a friendly smile and offered his hand in greeting, which Edward politely shook. "So nice to finally make your acquaintance. Bella speaks of you all the time."

"Yes, I'm sure she does," Edward replied, releasing Jasper's hand and kissing Bella's hair lightly, pulling her closer to him. "Love, it's getting late and I have an early flight in the morning. We should probably be going."

"I'm not ready to leave yet. You go on ahead. I'm sure Mr. Hale wouldn't mind seeing me home," she replied, her gaze tensely locked with his.

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't," Edward said, attempting to keep his calm and squeezed her waist gently. "But I was hoping for some time with my wife before I left in the morning."

"I won't be too late, and I'll see you when I get home," she retorted, raising her lips to his cheek and kissing it gently before pulling away from him to resume her conversation with Jasper.

Edward stepped away from her and walking back to the table to drain the remainder of his scotch, grabbing his overcoat from the back of the chair. He had to get out of there before he caused a scene, making an even bigger fool of himself that she was already doing.

Upon returning home, he headed straight for his study, immediately pouring himself a drink to will away the thoughts of another man touching her, holding her, taking her; but it didn't help.

Despite everything that had been said and done- or not said or done- between them over the years, one thing had never changed. He still loved her with everything in him, and had loved her for as long as he could remember. And he always would, no matter what.

He was sitting in his armchair with his tie loosened and the first few buttons of his shirt undone when he heard the front door open and close. The sound of the car pulling out of the driveway and departing was closely followed by her appearance in his doorway, one hand on her hip while the other tossed aside her shoulder wrap.

"Why don't you just hump my leg or piss on me to mark your territory next time?" she growled angrily as she stalked through the room, her heels echoing against the hardwood floor, to pour herself a drink to calm her nerves.

"So did you enjoy your evening with Jasper?" he snarled into his glass, emptying the contents down his throat.

She spun to face him, her expression tight and angry. "Oh yes, Edward. We made mad passionate love right in the middle of the dance floor with everyone watching. It was thrilling," she snapped sarcastically, her eyes ablaze in fury. "It's nice to know that my husband thinks I'm a fucking whore."

"You seemed pretty fucking chummy with him," he replied, her words stinging despite the sarcasm.

"He's a colleague, he was just talking to me. You know, maybe you should try it sometime." Her eyes narrowed on him as he walked toward her to the mini bar and set his glass down on the surface.

"If you're so fucking miserable with me, why don't you just divorce me? Then you can have him and a dozen of his toe-headed offspring."

Bella smashed the glass on the floor as he began to walk away, her anger fueled even more. "If I wanted a divorce, I would have had it years ago. I'm a fucking divorce attorney for crying out loud, I could have our marriage dissolved before you could even blink, if that's what I wanted."

"Isn't it?!" Edward exclaimed, turning back to face her and waving his arms out. "Tell me you've never even thought about it, Bella. You've been different since the day we walked out of that damn doctor's office. You don't look at me the same way, or touch me the same. Hell, half the time, I can't be sure you even love me anymore."

Bella's eyes welled slightly, both in anger and in hurt at his words, walking up to him and bringing her hand sharply across his face. "Not even once has that thought crossed my mind, though right now, I am having a difficult time remembering why."

Edward's skin stung from where she'd slapped him and he leaned back against door frame as she passed by him toward the stairs. "Maybe it should. He could give you everything I can't, Bella."

"What is it going to take to get it through to you, Edward?" she yelled, turning around to face him at the foot of the stairs. "I want your children. And if I can't have them with you, then I don't want to have any at all. It's not me that's changed. It's you. For five years, I've been watching you blame and punish yourself for something that isn't even your fault. I can't even talk to you about it because you hole up in that fucking office all the time, if you're ever even home. But now you are transferring that guilt and blame onto me, and that's not fair, since I've never blamed you for anything."

Edward leaned his head back against the wood, driving his hand into his hair as she began ascending the stairs. She paused three stairs up and they both stood in silence for several minutes, before she finally spoke again.

"I still love you, Edward. You're the only man I ever have or ever will want to give myself to. You've been the only one for fifteen years. But I want some semblance of the man I married back."

"I'm still here, Bella," he replied, staring up at the ceiling aimlessly.

She turned her head to look at him and shook her head. "No. You're not. You're a shell of the man I married. The man I married wouldn't have sat across the room, away from me all night. Wouldn't have blatantly accused me of cheating on him. And would have at least asked me to dance."

Edward brought his gaze back down in time to see her reaching the top of the stairs and turning down the hall. At the sound of their bedroom door closing roughly, he sighed and walked into the study to clean up the shattered glass and spilled brandy on the floor.

"Mr. Edward?" He heard from the doorway and looked up to see their maid, Alice, in the doorway. "I can take care of this."

She gave him a small knowing smile and nodded toward the stairs. "Thank you, Alice."

Slowly he stood, making his way out of the room and upstairs, standing in the hall outside their bedroom. The faint sound of sniffling came from the other side, and he rested his forehead against the door, sighing heavily before turning the knob and opening it. Her eyes rose in the mirror in front of her, gazing at him for a moment with tears running down her cheeks. Then she brushed them away with her hands and averted her eyes, bringing her hands up to remove her earrings.

He walked over to their bed and sat down on the edge, holding his head in his hands with his elbows resting on his knees. "I'm sorry, Bella."

He spoke so softly, she could barely hear him, but his words rang loud. She set her earrings inside her jewelry box and let her eyes fall into her lap. "How could you think such a thing? Any of it. You've never hurt me as much as you have tonight, Edward. I honestly never thought you could."

"I don't know what I was thinking. I saw you talking to him, and smiling and laughing. I can't remember the last time I saw you that way," he replied sadly, still not meeting her eyes.

"When the place I live is more of a tomb than a home, it makes it difficult to find anything to smile or laugh about," she said pointedly, standing up and moving into her walk-in closet to change.

Standing from the bed, he walked in behind her just as she was pulling her nightgown over her head, her evening gown pooled at her feet. He leaned back against the wall, gazing at her as she lifted her hair out of the back of her nightgown. "You really still love me?"

She turned around to face him, a look of astonishment on her face. "You really doubt that?" she asked with a furrowed brow, watching as a pained expression fell over his face. Walking toward him, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, embracing him tightly. "I have loved you every single moment of every single day I've known you. You really think something like this is going to make me stop?"

His face buried in her neck and held her tightly around the waist, feeling her fingers run through his hair. "You wanted a baby so badly though. It's all you thought about for five years."

She pulled away and placed her hands on his jaw, running her thumbs over his cheeks. "I want you more. No amount of kids could make up for you not being there to share it with me. You are the only man I have ever wanted to father my children. So if that means we don't have them, then those are the cards we've been dealt. I'm not going to leave you over it."

Raising her lips to his, she kissed him gently, which he slowly began reciprocating and enjoying the feeling of it. It seemed like so long since they had even been this intimate and tender with each other, it was almost like their first kiss all over again. His left hand rose to take her right one, and he slowly began swaying with her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, looking up at him oddly.

"I believe I owe you a dance, Mrs. Cullen. Would you do me the honor?" he asked softly against her lips, brushing them gently.

She smiled up at him and nodded. "Absolutely."

Their kiss barely broke as, for the first time in almost five years since that awful day that changed everything for them; they truly began rediscovering each other. What it was they loved and cherished so much in the other, to see that nothing had diminished and they'd wasted a lot of precious time.

But not anymore.

P.S. For any of you who are still waiting on your Fandom Gives Back pieces, I AM in the process of working on each of them. Health issues and time constraints have not been my friends, nor has inspiration at times. But I am working toward getting those done asap. Thank you so much for your patience! ~Dawn