Sorry this has been so long. I have been waiting to be inspired and didn't expect it to come from a Britney song of all places haha!

So on with the story…

The weeks passed, Bella becoming more and more annoyed with the man with bronze hair, who kept forgetting his daughter at her lessons. It had quickly gotten to the point where Elizabeth was starting to stay in the studio and dance, while she waited for her father. Today was no different either...

Bella was in the office at the south end of the studio, in charge of marketing. She was putting the finishing touches on the flyer that was to be circling, advertising their bi-yearly recital. She was just closing up her computer and shutting her laptop when she heard shouting coming from the studio down the hall, the very studio she had left Elizabeth in at the end of class.

Bella quickly grabbed her cell phone, with Emmett's number on speed dial. Grabbing the office keys she shut it behind her, and ran to the studio, to see a scene typical of a father daughter fight. Elizabeth was standing with her back to the mirror, her deep brown hair shinning in the afternoon sun from the window. Her hands were on her short clad hips, and her stance was an angry one. She faced a man, whom if Bella had noticed was extremely handsome. His bronze hair and green eyes as fierce as his daughter's, were somehow glowing in the afternoon sun. His arms were crossed in front of his deep green button down shirt, a black tie hanging loosely around his neck. Black slacks and a belt on his bottom half. Bella failed to notice as she arrived in front of Elizabeth, standing between the father and daughter, new found rage in her eyes.

"Elizabeth, leave the studio please," Bella asked of the girl behind her, daring the man in front to her to speak a word to her.

"Elizabeth, you will do no such…" Edward growled at his daughter, but was silenced as Elizabeth answered.

"Yes, Madame Bella." Elizabeth spoke, grabbing her things and leaving the studio, completely ignoring her father.

Edward glared at the shorter woman in front of him, his emerald eyes on fire.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Edward began yelling at the ballet instructor, but again was silenced.

"Mr. Cullen, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but from what I can tell you are the biggest asshole I have ever met. I am not a babysitter, and the fact that you leave your daughter here for three to four hours after her lesson is over, and have done so for the past three months is starting to piss me off. You better start acting more like a father or I will report you to the proper authorities. Elizabeth is a wonderful child, but if you cannot take care of her, please find someone who has the time that can. From what I can see, you are nothing more than a worthless, good for nothing, asshole, and Elizabeth deserves much better than that." Bella was not by nature a violent person, but has never wanted to hit anyone more than she wanted to hit the man in front of her.

Edward glared at the woman in front of him. Her short stature and lean body was not something to be afraid of. Her deep chocolate eyes were filled with anger, and her lips pursed with words that were more inappropriate than the ones she had already spoken.

"How I take care of my daughter is my own business Madame Bella, and if you value your job in any way, shape, or form, I suggest you remember that." Edward threatened.

"Or what, Mr. Cullen," Bella questioned him, raising her eye brows and crossed her arms in front of herself.

He whispered the words so slowly they sent chills down her spine. "You will never dance in this city again."

"I will go the rest of my life without dancing, before I ever let you treat that beautiful little girl, how you have been treating her," Bella threatened, "please leave."

Edward glared at the woman in front of him, their eyes meeting, an instant connection happening, a deep hatred and promise of more sparring to come. He left, collecting his daughter on the way out, wanting to retort, but too angry to form any words that would be coherent.

Bella heard the door to the studio slam harshly, shaking the mirrors in the studio. She had never wanted to hurt someone as bad as the man who just left with her favorite student. So tempted to slap him, she kept adjusting her arms, crossing and uncrossing them in front of her, her nails digging deeply into her forearm. Shaking her head, she screamed loudly, then walked back to her office, collecting her things and leaving the studio. She walked to her building and went up the stairs, surprised to see Elizabeth at her door, sitting outside her apartment.

"Elizabeth what are you doing here?" Bella asked, kneeling by the 13 year old.

"I didn't want to go home with him. My aunt is on the way to come to get me. I came here because I didn't want to go back into the studio." Elizabeth spoke, her eyes averting apologetically to the floor.

"Its' fine," Bella spoke, her demeanor instantly softened, as she opened the door and let the small girl in.

Elizabeth took in the large apartment, though fully furnished, she was surprised to see it void of anything personal. Paintings hung on the wall, but there were no pictures to speak of anywhere.

"Where is your father?" Bella questioned.

"Probably at home, fucking some slut he met in one of the clubs he goes to." Elizabeth spoke nonchalantly, setting herself down on the couch in the living room.

"Elizabeth…" Bella growled, "Watch your language."

"Sorry Madame Bella," Elizabeth apologized, "I told him I wanted to spend the night at my aunt's so I called her from the car, told her where I was, and my father dropped me off. I just wanted out of the car."

Bella nodded and questioned, "How did you know where I lived?"

"One of the nights when my father had just picked me up I saw you walking home, I knew which building it was, I just had to ask about the room. The door man thought I was in trouble, so he told me he normally doesn't do this but he told me what room and floor. I came up here after walking about a block back. I told my aunt the right address through a text message. She is on her way now to get me."

Bella nodded and noticed the time on the wall, it was well after five, and she was hungry, but not wanting to make a full dinner she asked Elizabeth if she wanted a snack. Elizabeth nodded and Bella got up, making a tray of cheese, fruit, and crackers. They shared the snack and made small talk until the buzzer for Bella's floor went off. The doorman told her it was the young girl's aunt and Bella buzzed the unknown woman up.

Not more than ten minutes and a joke or two later, the door bell went off, and Bella arose to answer it, surprised at who resided behind the door.

Meanwhile…

Edward was driving at a speed much too fast to be considered safe. The odometer read well over one hundred as he sped down the open highway. He knew the curves and twists of this road better than he should. He adjusted the gears one more time, reaching speeds now well over two hundred, his Aston Martin taking the speed with ease.

He had driven home and down into the parking garage after dropping his daughter off at a store on the corner. She had already called her aunt, and was screaming at him at the top of her lungs, demanding to be let out of the car. He stopped where he knew she would be safe to wait, a family friend owning the designer store where he dropped her off, not more than three blocks from the school. She shoved her way out and grabbed her cell phone, dance bag, and purse, slamming the door her final words to him being that she hated him, and would never forgive him for as long as she lived.

He quickly called his bank, putting well over five hundred dollars into his daughters account, ensuring no matter where in the city she was, she could always get a cab ride home. He then called her aunt, his sister, to make sure she was on her way. He hung up on her just as she started to yell at him. Arriving into his car garage he parked next to his Aston Martin, getting out he started the other car and making sure there was enough gas, he pulled out of the parking spot and made his way as quickly as he could, out of the city.

The highway leading to his favorite spot to relax, his Blue tooth was off his head and sitting somewhere in the back of the car, his cell phone forgotten with it. The hard top of the car was down, and the wind was blowing his hair back, sunglasses on his face blocking the late afternoon sun. The road was opened, a forgotten part of the city, somewhere no one ever went to anymore. Up kept only occasionally, he pulled into a hidden alcove by a large lake, and stepped out of the car.

He changed in the open. Stripping down to his black boxers, and changed into the white t-shirt he wore under his green button up, and a pair of old khaki's. A large sweater was over his t-shirt, he walked in the sand till his feet almost met the water. He grabbed the rock nearest him and threw it into the water. This started a sort of frenzy, as he kept grabbing rocks, throwing them one after another into the water. This kept up until unable to do so anymore, he collapsed onto the sand, his head in his hands, as he began to cry. A long mournful cry left his lips as he pulled at his hair.

He continued like this until the sun was just above the water, when he sat up. His eyes were red and tear-stained, his hands full of sand. He shook his head once more, going numb and stood up. He walked back to his car, and started it, closing the top and grabbed his cell phone from the back of the car. Seeing his daughter had not called him, he shoved it back there once more, and started the long drive back home, tears once again in his eyes.

Perhaps Edward is not as heartless as he leads me to believe. Damn him for tricking me. Who was at the door, and why is Edward too so harsh? Review, the faster you do the faster I am to update…

Thanks,

Ballerina