Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
Edward~
I laid in bed. My arm tucked underneath my head unable to sleep. Everytime I closed my eyes I replayed the night over again in my mind. It had gone perfectly until I took Lilly back to Bella. She looked tired and sad. A total turn around from when I left her at her booth earlier in the evening. She barely spoke to me or Lilly. Lilly asked her what was wrong and she just said she was tired and ready for bed. I was worried and anxious. Some things never changed. Bella's eyes when she was sad was one of them. I threw the covers off myself and sat up. Slowly I walked to the window and looked around. So many nights I had thought about going to Bella's house and seeing if she still left her window unlocked. So many times when I was away in New York I had thought about the nights I spent in her bed. Nothing made me feel lonelier than sleeping without her and now to be right down the street from her and have us still be a world apart was something I couldn't take. I quickly got dressed in a fleece pull over and jeans. Quietly I made my way out of the house and down the sidewalk to Bella's yard.
Bella~
I took another deep breath of night air laying on my bed. Lilly talked non stop about Edward from the moment he left until her eyes closed. Jake's words haunted me. I felt foolish. I should of known it wasn't me he wanted. He only came around after he figured out Lilly was his. I was so stupid to believe he had loved me all these years.
"Idiot! Idiot!Idiot!" I cursed myself once again. I clicked on the baby monitor and went outside to sit on Lilly's swing set. Along time ago, before I got my heart broken I used to go to our meadow and lay in the grass to think but now it was to painful. I settled for my daughters swing set instead. I clipped the monitor to the waist of my jeans and sat down leaning my head against the plastic covered chain. I rocked back and fourth on my heels making the swing move a tiny bit. A million important things and a million tiny things clouded my mind but Jakes words were still there. I wasn't sure what upset me more, the fact that I had fallen for it or the fact that Jake pointed out what I refused to see. I wanted to be mad at him for bringing it up but in a way it was good to know what it looked like from the outside looking in. Lilly was crazy about Edward but that didn't mean he and I had to be anything other than what we were, Ex's that happened to share a child. My chest ached more than I was willing to admit at the thought of us not being together. It was a scenario I had envisioned a thousand times, it was always different but it ended the same. I closed my eyes and saw it once again. Edward walks up to me on the crowded street. He caress's my face and looks deep in my eyes. His green eyes are beautiful but with a sheen of emotion to them this time. He utters the words I've missed hearing for seven years,
"You're the one Bella, it's always been you. I love you. Please take me back." his words are barely a whisper as I rest my hands on his hips bringing him closer to me. He smiles when his lips brush mine. The world stops for a moment. My skin trembles. I tighten my grip on him and he kisses me deeply, passionately. A kiss of unspoken emotion. A kiss like Romeo would of given Juliet. Our kiss breaks and as tears run down my cheeks I whisper,
"I've felt so alone." he kisses my forehead, my eye lids, my cheeks and finally the tip of my nose, "You'll never be alone again. I'll write you a love story. Just say yes. All I need is yes." I nod happily and smiled wider than I have in years and out loud for everyone to hear I whisper
"Yes." I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. It was a fantasy and it would stay that way. Things like that didn't really happen to single mom's with coffee houses to run and a life to keep a float. I blew out a frustrated breath. I closed my eyes, picturing it again and cursing myself for being an idiot once again.
Edward~
Bella's gate was never locked. I grimaced slightly reminding myself this was Forks, not Manhattan. The crime rate here only went up when it was hunting season and the hunters weren't paying close enough attention. I closed the gate behind me and noticed a silhouetted figure on Lilly's swing set. Her head was laying on the chain back slumped down. She sighed largely and whispered "Yes." into the night. I wondered for a moment if she was asleep. Dreaming of something that once was or what she hoped for for the future. I hoped she was dreaming of me as selfish as that was. I cleared my throat, attempting not to startle her. She sat up and looked behind her. When she saw it was me she jumped up from the swing,
"What the hell are you doing in my yard? It's after midnight!" she demanded. I smiled,
"I was coming to see if your window is unlocked." I blushed from my hair line to my neck.
"It's not. Hasn't been for years. I can't believe you remember that." she said softly. She took her seat back on the swing. I walked over and took the swing next to her.
"how could I forget? I spent more time in your bed senior year then I did my own." I chuckled at the memory of falling off her trellis more times then not. For the first time since I had come home Bella and I were totally alone. No prying neighbors, no one peeping out there windows. It was just her and I in the moonlight.
"What were you doing when I walked up? You said Yes." I swung back and fourth gently, she did the same.
"It was nothing. So besides checking my window locks what brings you to my yard after midnight?" she asked me. I mulled it over for a moment, trying to pick just the right words.
"Lilly told me tonight my Dad gave her the bear she is always carrying around. Is that true?" I hedged, there was no easy way into this conversation.
"Yeah. He gave it to her for her last birthday. She takes it every where. Wont even let me wash the damn thing." I nodded,
"She said my Dad told her Pinkies heart is a key." Bella rolled her eyes,
"Yeah. I've heard that one. Lilly loves to make up little stories. I am sure it's nothing." I stopped swinging and stood up. I moved over and knelt in front of Bella. She looked down at me with wide sad eyes. "I don't think it's nothing. I have a lock box in the trunk of my car with no key. It was given to me and only me. Bella. I think the key to that box is in Lilly's bear. I hate to say it but I really need that key." Bella arched one eye brow,
"Your dad left the key to something inside my daughters toy?" she clearly thought I was making something out of nothing. I stood up and paced for a moment,
"I am so angry with him for doing it but yes, I think Lilly has the key. I need that key." even at this late hour I could feel time slipping by me. My mother would find someone to help her change his will If I didnt do something soon.
"And what exactly is in this box?" she wondered. She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips.
"I don't know. Could be nothing. Could be everything. My mother is working pretty hard to find a lawyer to help her defraud his will. Whatever is in that box is worth committing estate fraud over. If my mother is willing to commit a felony I need to get in that box." I ran a hand through my hair and waited for Bella to say something. She stood up and silently walked up to the house,
"You comin? Or am I performing surgery alone?" she called to me. I ran in two big strides up the deck to her door. Bella closed and locked the door behind us. I took a deep breath,
"Man your house smells the same. Like a fire place. That's amazing. Somethings really don't change." I whispered. She sadly replied, "A lot of things do change though. Stay here, ill be back in a second." she climbed the stairs quietly. I noticed pictures sitting on the mantle. I walked over and looked at each one. Lilly was a gorgeous baby with pale white skin and big green eyes. There were pictures of everyone holding her but none of her and Bella until later in her life. She looked to be about a year old in one picture. Bella was paper thin. Almost emaciated. Bella cleared her throat behind me. I turned and saw her holding the bear in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. She jerked her head towards the kitchen. I followed silently behind her. She laid the bear face down on the table and gently cut up the seam in it's back. For some reason it was almost painful to watch. When it done the bear laid back open in front of us.
"You gonna stick your hand in there or are you gonna be a girl about it?" she chided me. I shoved my hand inside the bear being careful as to not knock the stuffing out. My fingers moved around it's cotton insides until I felt it between my fingers. Hard metal. A key. I pulled it out and showed it to Bella. She took it from my hand and examined it under the moonlight,
"Doesn't look like much." she shrugged and handed it back to me. She was to beautiful standing there. It was dark, moonlight poured in every window. It bounced off her hair. It made her skin almost sparkle. Something inside me snapped and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to kiss her. I had to feel her mouth on mine. Everything else could wait. Kids and keys and unanswered questions would be there in the morning but this moment alone with Bella wouldn't be. My heart was pounding. I tightened my fingers around the key and caressed Bella's face with my free hand. Her lips parted. Her big brown eyes fluttered closed.
"Edward." she whispered like a prayer. I leaned down and gently brushed my lips over hers. She was hesitant for a moment until I leaned into her pressing her tail bone against the table. I brushed my lips over hers again, this time letting the tip of my tongue graze the seam of her perfect lips. She purred deep in her chest. I smiled wide and deepened the kiss. I dropped the key on the floor and wrapped both my arms around her. She scooted back on the table and spread her legs for me. I planted my hands on the table. Bella wrapped her legs around my waist tightly. I rubbed her sides bringing her closer to me. Her hands caressed my shoulders and down my chest. I broke the kiss gasping for air. Gently I rested my forehead against hers. She licked her lips and tried to speak between pants,
"Some things don't change. You are still the best kisser...." I blushed again. I ran my thumb across her cheek bone. "i know you aren't ready yet but I want us to be together." I whispered and kissed her forehead. Bella shook her head side to side,
"Edward, it's not me you want. You are just all caught up in being a father. I only look good to you because Lilly and I are a package deal in your mind." she said sadly and pulled away from me.
"That's not true at all. I wanted you from the moment I saw you in the coffee house. I never stopped wanting you. You are the only one I've ever wanted." I said sternly, careful not to yell. She stood up from the table and took a step back from me,
"If I am the only one you ever wanted then where were you for seven years? I can understand the first year and maybe the second but seven years? I am supposed to believe that for seven years you were in the biggest city in the untied states just pining away for the mousy girl back home? I was born at night not last night Edward. You've got your key now go home so I can forget this ever happened." she looked down at the floor as she spoke.
"I don't want to forget it. I want it to happen all the time. I want to be the man in your life and the man in Lilly's. You are all I've ever wanted." Bella opened the back door and looked up at me,
"goodnight Edward." I picked my key up off the floor and walked to her. Slowly I kissed her cheek before I left her. Knowing Bella didn't believe she was the love of my life made the box and the key feel very insignificant.
Saturday morning I yawned into my fist. It was to damn early to be up but Emmett wanted to get to work so I was sitting on the stone step to my newly bug bombed, vermin free and professionally cleaned house. Emmett's truck barreled into the drive way with a screech of it's breaks. I looked up in enough time to see a sleep deprived Emmett get out of his truck and grab a sledge hammer from the back.
"Uh good morning. Are we planning on breaking things today?" I asked cautiously. Emmett pushed past me and went into the house without a word. I jumped up and watched him lift the hammer high over his head then slam it down into a rotting stair step. I jumped back into the open door frame.
"Lost my job yesterday." he grunted and destroyed another step. My mouth gaped and my eyes bugged,
"You're kidding? Why?" I asked. He destroyed another rotting step,
"Wouldn't turn my back on you. It was a fucking.....shitty....no good bastard of a day. I am going to beat the hell out of your steps and then build new ones."
"Wouldn't turn your back on me? What do I have to do with anything?" Emmett picked up his hammer and went at another step with all his strength. The walls around us shook.
"Didn't want me to help you. Jake wants this to fail so you'll leave and he can have Bella back. I wouldn't play his game so he fired me. Rose lost the bar because she wouldn't talk me out of helping you and she wouldn't encourage Bella to get back with Jake." he took another whack at the stairs.
"Oh my god." I was stunned beyond words. I had cost Em his job and Rose her dream.
"Yeah like I said, it was a bad day." The ancient wood flew away from the force of his blows. I pulled my keys from my pocket. Emmett wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, "If you are going out take my truck and go by the hardware store. They have an order ready for me." he tossed me his keys and I walked out to his truck and climbed inside. As I drove down the street to the main part of town I started thinking I had to do something. I couldn't let Em and Rose suffer because of me.
I could see Rose sitting at the counter talking to Alice and Bella when I pulled Em's truck up to the curb. Rose was talking harshly and pointing her index finger into the counter. Bella was clearly angry on her behalf and was gesturing back to her. Reluctantly I climbed out of the truck and walked inside.
"Morning Ladies." I said softly. I could tell they were both angry and ready to take it out on someone. I didn't want it to be me.
"I guess you've heard by now." Rose said hatefully.
"I am so sorry." I said.
"That's the theme of the day." Rose sipped the coffee Bella poured for her.
"I'm going to go talk to Carlisle on Monday. I would really like it if you could come with me. Legally you have to have some rights even if it's just for back wages or something. He can't do this to you." I shoved my hands in my pockets and kept my eyes down. Being the only man in a room full of angry women was awkward to say the least.
"What about Emmett's job? Can Carlisle help with that?" Alice asked sweetly and rubbed Rose's back.
Rose laughed harshly, "No. Em's job is just screwed. They got him on a contract violation. There loss. He was the best they had." Alice laid her spiky hair on Rose's shoulder. I reached over timidly and rubbed Rose's shoulder. Bella returned to the counter. "If I could of just sucked it up until Billy signed over the bar...." Bella eyes never left the counter.
"Bella what they did is insane. You couldn't be with someone you didn't care about just to ensure Rose getting the bar." Alice chided.
"I refuse to let you blame yourself. I don't think he was ever going to sign it over to me. I think this was his way of getting a free bar tender."
"I wish you would of gotten something in writing." Bella said sadly.
"Me too but even if I had he probably would of found a loop hole. Ever since Harry Clearwater passed away they have all turned into a bunch of crooked bastards." Rose's eyes narrowed.
"Edward!" Lilly called happily. She ran in from Alice's store carrying the dirty pink bear with her. All the adults in the room cleaned up the tears and tired expressions. Hopefully to Lilly everything looked fine. I knelt down and opened my arms for her. She ran into them flinging the dirty bear against me. I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. It hadn't even been twelve hours since the football game but I missed her. There was still so much I didn't know. She leaned back and looked at me, "I wanted to call you but Mommy said no." she said brightly. All three womens attention was fixed on us. My every move was being watched.
"Really? Why is that?" I wondered. She smiled bigger,
"She said your busy. Are you to busy to see me?" she pouted, looking almost hurt. I wanted to make her smile again. her smile melted my heart and made me want to give her everything and more. I wanted to spoil her truly rotten. I nodded slowly and thought of the appropriate answer.
"I am never ever to busy for you." I tickled her making her break out into an hysterical fit of giggles. Alice sat up straighter on the stool and smiled wide,
"You know what we need?" "A stiff drink?" Rose grumbled. Alice laughed musically,
"No. girls night. We haven't had one in forever. Let's go out to dinner and a movie!" her eyes shone with excitement over her idea. Any moment she would start bouncing and clapping.
"I don't have anything to do tonight. This is going to be my first Saturday night off in god knows how long." Rose said. Bella stopped wiping down a table and sighed,
"I can't go. I don't have a baby sitter." As the words left Bella's lips a show of silent communication went on between Alice and Lilly. Alice nodded once and smiled. Lilly's smile widened. I knew what they were thinking,
"I'll watch her. I'd love to do it." Bella's eyes widened, "I couldn't impose on you like that. You're busy with your house and everything." Lilly squirmed from my arms and ran over to her mother. Alice walked over to my side.
"Oh Mommy! Please! I want to see Edward's house and I want to watch movies with him." Lilly whined. Bella's mouth opened to protest as Alice began to speak,
"Edward's a smart guy. He won't let her eat lead paint or anything. Besides it's only for a couple of hours. Dinner movie home. Piece of cake, right Edward?" Alice laid her elbow into my side prompting me to speak,
"Yes. Yes. Perfectly fine. I'll take her with me now if that will make things easier for you." I gave her a smile. She sighed again looking into our faces. "If that's what she wants. I guess that's fine." Bella's words made Lilly let out an excited squeal she must have picked up from Alice. No one squealed like that except Alice. Lilly ran to get her things. I was going to have my daughter for an entire day and I had no idea what do with her.
I glanced at Lilly from the corner of my eye. She watched the town passing by us as if she had never seen it before. What was I going to do with her for an entire day? Thankfully the night before she had done most of the talking but now she seemed content to just be quiet and watch her world pass by out the passenger window. I pulled up in front of the hardware store. Lilly clapped and undid her seat belt.
"You didn't say we were going to the hardware store! I love the hardware store!" she grabbed pinkie and got out before I could help her. It was then that something crossed my mind, this was the first time I would be seen in public with her. The football game was easy, we were surrounded by a crowd and easily masked but here in the busiest place in town on a Saturday there was no coverage. No where to hide. The town gossip mill would spin out of control while tongues wagged over the long lost Edward Masen taking Bella Swan's daughter to run errands with him. Assumptions would be made of course. The assumption being that Bella and I were back together. I wanted it to be true but only if she did too. I walked around the truck and grabbed Lilly's hand. She pulled me in the store with all her might.
"Lil, do you come to the hardware store often?" I asked while the door closed behind me.
"Hi Miss Lilly!" the cashier called. Lilly greeted her back poiletly with a wave. I smiled a bit.
"I come here with my Uncle Emmett all the time. He's the best at fixing houses. Everybody says so." she informed me.
"I am lucky to have him then, aren't I?" Lilly giggled pulling me over to the customer service desk. She put her arms up for me to lift her so she could see over the counter. I picked her up, she smiled wide "Order for McCarty please. The trucks out front." she informed the gray haired man at the counter. He laughed a moment and shook his head,
"Yes ma'am Miss Lilly. Someone will be right out. Will this be cash or charge?" he asked her. She mulled it over a moment as if she were seriously going to pay the bill,
"Put it on my tab." she said with a wave of her hand. I laughed, pulled out my wallet and handed the older man my black American express.
"I'd like to pay off whatever tab Emmett has and please put the number on file for any future orders he may have." the older man whistled, "Mighty generous of you. Suppose you've heard about his job." he shook his head and ran the card handing me a slip to sign when he was done. I sat Lilly on the counter and signed on the line.
"Yes. He's working on my house now but after that I'm not sure what he'll do." I said sadly. He handed me back the card and gave Lilly a sucker. She stuffed it in her pocket for later. "He's the best damn contractor in town. He was wasting his time working for those crooks anyways. You tell him if he needs work to let me know. There's a lot of people in this town needing home repairs but can't afford Blackwaters prices." I was confused. If they did bad business how did they stay afloat?
"Crooks?" I questioned. The old man nodded,
"Every last one of them except Emmett. He refused to use substandard building supplies. That's why he couldn't ever get ahead from what I hear. And I hear a lot." I for once was glad for small town gossip. "Well thank you for the information and i'll be sure to let Emmett know there's work to be had." a plan swirled in my brain. A way to help Emmett and Rose but also give Jake and his crew what they had coming. I couldn't wait to tell Em.
A/N- thanks for all the reviews and I am sorry this chapter is so incredibly late. Life's been crazy around here. We are opening the box next chapter!