A/N: Writing like a fiend lately has sure felt good, though I must admit, it's exhausting lol. But I'm feeling accomplished, and that is a promising aspect when it comes to productivity. :)

This is a continuation of my very first Witfit back in December for "Lucky Break", and still something that I wish to expand on in a full one-shot at some point. It came to mind today when I saw the prompt, so here we go…


Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative

Rating/Warning(s): M

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: Phrase Catch: Repeat the following phrase to yourself five times, open a blank document and begin: "In a pickle."

Setting the bottle of wine on the table, I sighed as I handed him the card I had signed in the driveway.

"I'm sorry, Edward. Something big happened at work today, and I completely forgot," I said mournfully as he pulled out the card, his eyes shooting back to mine as I voiced the words written inside. "I can't go."

"What do you mean, you can't go?" he replied in astonishment, and I felt my heart plummet into my stomach at the pained expression on his face. "We've been talking about going away again together for five years. Five years, I have been waiting for some uninterrupted time with my wife. I've barely even seen you at all for the past three weeks."

Tears prickled in my eyes as, for the first time in all these years, he raised his voice at me. "Because I've been working my ass off, trying to make something of myself. For us. Sacrifices are made in every profession, Edward."

"Is your marriage going to be one of them?" he snapped back at me, throwing the small towel in his hand onto the counter and walking past me. "Dinner's ready."

My arms tightened around my middle, jumping slightly as the front door slammed behind him as he left, and his car sped away moments later. It unnerved me. Edward was the most even tempered man I'd ever met outside of my father, and I'd never seen him even slightly irritated since that day at Killington.

And never at me.

Making my way across the kitchen, I blew out the candles on the table and began packing away dinner. I was no longer hungry and had no intention of eating my anniversary dinner without my husband.

What was supposed to be an important day for us had ended in disaster. I'd thought we had a very open relationship with each other, leaving no room for the deep seated resentment I heard in his voice tonight. He'd never spoken a single negative word against my job, and not he'd hinted that our marriage hung in the balance.

Setting the last of dinner in the refrigerator, I walked out into the hallway to grab my purse, quickly finding my phone and opening a blank text.

We need to talk. Please come home.

Five minutes passed.

Ten.

Thirty.

He never left for this long without calling me. Or texting. Or something.

It was actually scaring me to think of how angry he must be not to respond in any way. Was my job really worth sacrificing the best thing that ever happened to me? That made me happier than I'd ever been in my life? This new job could take me on location for weeks or even months at a time, and he'd already been waiting, as he said, for five years.

I couldn't lose him over a job.

I looked at my watch. Forty-five minutes. Tears were streaming down my face as I laid back on our bed, holding my phone up in front of my face.

Edward please come home.

"Yea?" a voice suddenly sounded in the doorway, and I looked up quickly and shot up off the bed to move toward him. His breath exited in a gush as I thrust my body at him, my arms gripping tightly around his shoulders. I felt his slowly wrap around my waist, his lips pressing against my shoulder. "I was driving, Bella."

"I'm sorry. Baby, I'm so sorry," I cried, my hand clinging to his hair and pulling him closer. "Tell me to quit and I'll do it tomorrow. Please just don't leave me."

He drew in a deep breath and raised his head from my shoulder. "I'm not going to leave you, Bella. And I'd never ask you to quit."

I pulled my face back to look up at him, his features drawn. "But…"

"I was angry," he said simply, shaking his head. "We've been waiting for this vacation for six months. Usually when vacations from work get approved, you can start making plans for it."

He sighed heavily and I brought my hand to his cheek, watching his eyes close as he leaned into it. His lips lightly brushed my wrist as my thumb brushed along his cheek.

"I just want some time with my wife. Even just one night that work doesn't come home, or the phone isn't…" he paused as the ringtone for my boss sounded behind us and his arms fell from my waist, waving out in frustration. "Ringing."

I grabbed his hand as he began to walk away, backing toward the bed with him and reaching down for my phone on the mattress. His hand tightened around mine as his jaw clenched, then his eyes quickly rose to mine when the phone silenced as I shut it down. "I need my job to live, but I don't need to live for my job. It can survive without me for one night. I'd much rather spend my anniversary with my husband."

Pulling him closer, I sealed my lips to his. He was the one thing I could not survive without.