A/N- Did y'all miss me? It's only been two weeks! Not that bad right? Thank you katydid2363 for being the peanut butter to my jelly. Dinx, fngrcufs, and angstaddict09 for giving me pre-reading love.

This is not my favorite chapter. I'm just throwing that out there.

Stephanie Meyer owns, I don't.

Chapter 12

The morning mist arises
Through another crack in the glass
The lack of sleep has made me numb
But sometimes when she sleeps she'll turn
And she'll whisper his name
That cake must taste great but I'll pass
When you offer me some
-Take me Back to New Orleans, Cowboy Mouth

EPOV

I was able to gather a moment to myself before I walked into the club to face the wrath of Bella's friends. Believe me; I was nervous and scared as hell. I didn't know who would hit me first or who might hit the hardest. If I were a betting man, I would have put my money on Rosalie. She looked like she might pack a tight punch.

In general, after Jasper strode forward to attack and Rosalie had thrown beer in my face, the news about Bella and me seemed to have settled well with everyone, better than I had expected.

However, I was not able to take a moment to collect my thoughts when Bella asked if I wanted to meet the real singer in the family. She had to have meant only one person, her mother.

Bella shuffled out of my grasp and ran to her mother, arms wide open. The two women embraced in a long hug before kissing each other's cheeks. Bella whispered something into her mother's ear and her head turned toward me with a sly smile on her face.

A cold hand came down and clasped me on the back, hard. I turned my head to find Jasper smiling like the cat that had just eaten the canary. "Brah, if you thought we were going to give you hell, you ain't seen nothing yet. Momma Swan just walked in."

I looked at the others to see that Rosalie and Emmett both wore similar amused expressions. Without so much as a, you're on your own, or it's your death buddy- we were light on ya- they marched away behind the bar, snickering to one another. Pay back. This had to be pay back for what I had done. Well, if it was, I was going to take it. I deserved it. Hell, I deserved a lot worse.

Bella and her mother began walking toward me, their arms linked together, but before Bella could offer any kind of introductions, three more people emerged from the back. My gaze was diverted and I saw Charlie being followed closely by my mother and father. They were all three laughing but it immediately stopped as soon as they noticed I was still here, in New Orleans.

"Edward?" my mother tentatively asked. "Oh, Edward," she cried as she ran through the rows of tables, knocking a few chairs aside, to reach me.

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "Are you home? Like as in home for good?"

I nodded into her shoulder. "Yes, ma'am."

She pulled away, her smile radiant on her face and a trace of tears falling from her eyes. "Carlisle," she called, holding my hand and turning toward my father. "Did you hear that? Edward's home!"

Smiling, my father walked the distance to us and held out his hand. I released my mothers hand and took his in my own. "Welcome home, son."

"Bella, thank you," my mother said, wrapping her arm around my waist. "You've brought my baby home."

"Esme, I didn't," she stammered.

"You did," she firmly said. "I know without a doubt that it was you. You'll never know how grateful I am for that. My whole family is back together now and that's enough to make any mother beam."

"Speaking of," Bella's own mother began. "I think I'm one mother who needs to be informed on what in tarnation is going on. Esme, this isn't your Edward is it?"

"It is. Home because of your Bella."

"Well, I'll be."

Bella and I looked at one another confused at our mother's assessments. "Mom," Bella started leading her mother to me. "This is Edward. Edward, this is my mother, Renee."

"Mrs. Swan, it's nice to meet you."

She waved me off with her hand. "Please, Mrs. Swan was my pain in the ass mother-in-law. No offense Charlie!" she called back to her husband who shrugged. "Call me Renee."

"Mom, I was telling Edward here how you are the real singer in the family."

"Has she been feeding you those bullshit lines?" Renee asked looking from me to her daughter. "It's all lies. If I sounded half as good as Bella does I'd be headlining at Preservation Hall."

I heard Emmett make a guffawing sound and looked up. He must have been thinking what I was thinking. It was Jasper that spoke up for us, though.

"Oh, Renee, Preservation Hall? Tizzy here could work better than on Bourbon Street."

"Hey," my dad and Charlie both said at the same time pointing their finger at Jasper. "There's pride still on Bourbon Street."

I laughed. "Renee," I said redirecting my attention back to Bella and her mother. "I'd love to hear you sing. Are you going to take part in the benefit with us?"

"I might, but Edward," she said lowering her voice. "I don't show mine until I've seen yours."

I froze, unable to swallow down the lump that had formed in my throat.

"Mother!" Bella shouted and I had never been more happy to hear her sound put out. "Give him a minute to warm up. I've seen his skills first hand. I know how amazing he sounds," she added, dragging her mother away and giving me a wink.

Everyone erupted in laughter while I stood rooted to the ground. My dad damn near had to push me towards the stage. "Get used to it son," he said as we joined everyone for practice. "These aren't New York women."

"No shit," I murmured.

"Would you have it any other way?"

I smiled a true smile and looked over at my Bella. "Not on your life."

As I took the stage, my father stopped at the piano so I continued further down the line to my spot. I nearly tripped as Charlie discreetly threw his leg out to stop me. I looked up to see him looking at me with no emotion.

"We good kid?"

I nodded. "More than good."

"Keep it that way," he said as he curled his leg back to let me pass.

Subtle, I thought, but effective. Very, very effective.

Bella noticed our exchange and smiled weakly.

"You alright?"

"I'm great. Better than great. You?"

"Yeah, I'm great, too. I can't believe my mom is back," she said, pulling her clarinet out of its case.

"She staying or is she just home for the holiday's?"

"Not sure," she said with a shrug. "I'm guessing just for the holidays."

"That's nice, right? I mean, having her home and all."

"It is. Everything feels complete, ya know?"

I stepped closer to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Believe me; I know all too well what you mean."

Bella stepped on her tiptoes and kissed me lightly on the lips. "Thank you," she breathed against my lips.

"For what, 'Cher?"

"For everything. For not running for the hills when we got here. I know everyone was a little on the defensive and then, I mean, not a day after we…" she said motioning with her hands back and forth between us. "Make up or whatever, my mom drops in. I know it can be a lot to process."

"Bella, I don't want to be anywhere else, with anyone else."

"You two want to practice or you want us to leave y'all alone? I haven't seen your daddy in weeks and I'd like to get home myself," Renee said from the table she was sharing with my mother and sister.

"Good Lord, woman," Charlie said from his chair on the stage, "have some couth. These kids don't want to hear about our trysts."

"Why not?" Renee asked in what appeared to be genuine concern. "We might be able to pass along a few pointers."

"Oh, God. Kill me now," Bella said, burying her head in my chest. "Please?"

"If my parents start in with them I'll be asking you the same thing."

"Esme," my father called out.

"NO!" I shouted.

All eyes fell upon me at my outburst. "Edward, if you would have let me finish," my father continued while smirking at my panicked state. In no way shape or form did I want to hear about my parents and their bedroom behavior. I was pretty sure that Bella and I needed no advice of any kind. If the past twenty-four hours had proven anything, it was that she and I were more than compatible in that department.

"I was going to ask your mother what she wanted to hear," he explained.

"Oh," I said. "Well, in that case. How about something new? Something we haven't played yet?"

I looked over at Bella to make sure that this was okay. She smiled and nodded, like she could read my mind.

"Everyone knows, Cheek to Cheek, right?" As everyone nodded, I walked to the front of the stage and took Bella's hand in my own. Gazing into her eyes I said to our family and friends, "That's what we want to sing for y'all."

Bella smiled and kissed me tenderly on the lips as the music began to play. We fed off of one another through the music. When she gave I took. When I leaned into her to get closer, she mirrored my actions. Our bodies were touching the whole time and our eyes held each others firmly. I didn't realize that the song had ended because I was so mesmerized with the woman standing before me. A round of applause broke us both out of our intense moment.

Without acknowledging anyone, I wrapped one arm around Bella's waist and cupped her cheek with my free hand. We both smiled and pressed our lips softly to each others. It was sweet and pure. Nothing like those heated, passionate kisses we had shared at her apartment.

"That was amazing, Edward," Bella said as our lips pulled apart. I knew she meant more than just the song. She had felt the heat and intensity from that one small kiss, just like I had.

"You're amazing, 'Cher."

I heard gasping and looked out to the table where our mothers were sitting. Both of them had their hands covering their mouths, tears about to spill from their eyes. I realized that I had just called Bella the one thing that my father called my mother, the very thing that her father called her mother, right into the microphone for everyone to hear.

"Now, look what you've done," Bella teased. "Now they're going to start planning our wedding."

I knew it was too soon to talk about those kinds of things with Bella. If I thought it was too soon to tell her I loved her, which I realized I did, then I knew I couldn't tell her that I had every intention of making her my wife. We had time. We had all the time in the world and for once I wasn't going to rush anything. I wasn't going anywhere unless she asked me to.

So instead of telling her to let them plan, I simply smiled and kissed her forehead. I turned to Renee while I held Bella close to my side. "Now, you've seen mine. I want to see yours."

She stood from the table and walked over to the stage, gliding across the platform toward the microphone, a smile plastered on her face. "Bella," she said as she reached the two of us still in the same spot. "He's a keeper. If you don't keep him, I may trade your daddy in."

Charlie snorted. "I doubt that, 'Cher. You can't get rid of me. We're stuck like glue."

"Then play my song, baby. Let me show these kids how it's done."

"You heard the lady fella's. As Time Goes By on three," Charlie said, throwing a wink at his wife.

I had to admit, Renee was good. Damn good. Maybe I was partial but I thought Bella sounded better. Of course, I wanted to stay in good graces with Momma Swan so I kept my mouth shut.

We played everything we had previously practiced, throwing in a few new ones for Renee. It was a little after five when we wrapped up and my dad called everyone to his attention.

"With Thanksgiving this coming week, Esme and I would like to invite all of you to our house this year. We have even more this year to be thankful for and we want to celebrate it with our family and our closest friends."

Everyone agreed and the women began talking food. I stayed close to Bella, for some reason, unable to leave her side. I wanted to stay close to her always. Now that I had had her and knew what it was like to feel that distance, I never wanted it to happen again.

"Esme, what can I bring?" Renee asked my mother.

"How about we plan a trip to Baton Rouge to pick everything up tomorrow or Tuesday?" she asked. "It'll be fun, all of us girls can go."

"Bella?" Renee questioned her daughter. "Do you think you can pry yourself away from Edward long enough to go to Baton Rouge with us?"

"As long as no one insists on making oyster dressing, then yes, I think I can manage that."

"What do you have against oyster dressing?" I asked.

"What's not to have against it? It's foul and just down right disgusting. No offense Esme, but if you plan on having that on the menu then I'm going to have to bring cornbread dressing."

"And you call yourself a true New Orleanian," I teased. "It's the dressing of the south."

"It's the nastiest shit I've ever put in my mouth."

The ladies talked over plans for their shopping trip and after everything was settled, Bella and I left with my parents so that I could get my car and some clothes. I had no intention of staying at their house now that I was the proud owner of a key to Bella's apartment.

After grabbing a few things, we said our goodbyes and began to make our way to her place. She was quiet and it began to nag at me. I wanted to know what was going on inside that beautiful head of hers.

"'Cher, is everything okay? You seem like you're in your own little world."

"I'm fine, just thinking."

"About?"

"Everything. The city, the benefit, you and me."

I tensed and began to feel sick to my stomach. "What about you and me?"

"Oh, Edward, don't get your panties in a wad. It's not bad. I'm just thinking about how happy I am, how happy you make me."

"But," I said, drawing the word out.

"Well, I can't help but think this fairy tale you and I have created over the past day will come crumbling down on us." She turned in her seat to face me. Her expression was soft, yet it was bordering on sad. "You still have a life in New York. It's one thing to say you're giving it up completely, but can you honestly say that it's going to be that easy?"

We had come to a stop at a traffic light. I faced her, pulling her hands into my lap. "Cher, I can promise you that. I'm not going anywhere. Tyler is supposed to be making the necessary arrangements for me to leave the Met." I lightly touched her face, doing my best to erase the worries. "It's you and me, kid, if you'll have me."

She smiled and leaned over the console to capture my lips between hers. "You and me?" she asked. I nodded. "Then get me home, Edward. I want to show you how much I want you here."

~xxx~

"Edward!" I heard Bella call from the kitchen. "Can you come here please?"

It was Thanksgiving Day and I was afraid to go anywhere near the catastrophe that was Bella's kitchen. She had been up the better part of the night preparing different dishes to take to my parents. The last on her list was the rum cake. She was determined not to make it too early because it had something to do about the glaze. I wasn't sure. I just knew that unless I wanted to end up poked, prodded, or in the oven, I was staying far away from the kitchen.

I walked from the bedroom into the kitchen where Bella was standing on her tiptoes, rummaging through cabinets.

"Hey," I called out. She turned slightly in my direction and proceeded to climb on the counter. "What are you doing?" I asked, getting closer to help her in case she fell.

"I can't find the rum. Where is the rum, Edward?"

"I haven't seen it," I answered as she mumbled something about the rum always being gone. "Maybe Jasper had his hand in it."

"That sonofabitch! I'll kill him! He knows not to touch my rum."

"Bella, get down from the counter. Let me just run out and get some for you."

She crawled out of the cupboards and looked at me like I had lost my mind. "Go and get some? Really, Edward? It's Thanksgiving Day. Nothing is going to be open."

I was trying to figure out another way to help while Bella began searching through another cabinet. "Ah ha!" she shouted, extracting her body from the counter and standing before me with a smile and a bottle of Malibu Rum. "Found it."

She began mixing things on the stove and I watched as she moved around the kitchen with grace. She looked happy, in her element. She noticed me staring and smiled as she licked whatever she had mixed in the bowl off of her finger.

"You want some?" she asked innocently. I checked my watch to make sure that we had plenty of time for a little hanky panky.

I walked over to her, stalking her like she was my prey. She watched my every move until I had her pinned against the counter. She held up the finger that she had dipped into the pot to my lips. It smelled of coconut, butter, and brown sugar. With my eyes holding hers, I slowly bent my head to her finger and sucked the glaze off. To make sure I didn't leave any behind, I swirled my tongue around her finger. Her eyes floated into the back of her head and I smirked to myself.

I pushed myself closer to her body, further trapping her in my embrace. I pulled her finger out of my mouth and kissed her slightly parted lips. Bella grabbed my hips pulling me closer to her. I filled her mouth with my tongue as she opened hers wider. At the same time, I pressed my erection against her stomach.

"You taste good," she whispered. "I think if there wasn't any rum in that sauce I could still get drunk off of just you."

"Why don't we take this to the bedroom?" I asked, kissing the length of her neck.

"Edward," she moaned as I nibbled on her nipple through her shirt. "Fuck the bedroom. Take me right here."

Not needing any more encouragement, I began to unbutton her pants while she did the same to mine. Within seconds, we both had them wrapped around our ankles. Bella stepped out of hers as I guided her away from the hot stove. My hands traveled further south down her thighs, while she fisted my cock in her hands. She worked in slow strokes and teased me by grazing her center with its tip. Firmly, I grabbed the backs of her legs and hoisted her up. She wrapped them around my waist, keeping her hand wrapped around me.

I sat her on the edge of the counter and kissed her hard. With my dick still in her hands, she guided it to her entrance. I pulled our bodies together and in doing so she slid off of the counter and into my arms. Holding my shoulders tightly, I began to pound into her over and over again. What started off against the kitchen counter, moved to the wall, then against the refrigerator. As long as neither of our asses touched that stove, I didn't care where we ended up.

She came fiercely, calling out my name as I held her tightly. It wasn't long before my own release swept over my body. In the end, we both sat in each others arms, on the floor of her kitchen.

"That was…" she breathed heavily.

I kissed her softly and nodded. "I know." I took a deep breath and the smell of smoke assaulted my lungs. "Bella, what's that smell?"

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed, pulling herself away and running to the stove. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! The god damn glaze is burnt."

I laughed from my sitting position on the floor, too tired to move.

"You think this is funny? How am I supposed to explain no glaze on top of the rum cake?" she asked frustrated.

I shrugged and kept laughing. "How about, Edward fucked me senseless against every surface of my kitchen and I kind of forgot about the rum sauce."

She rolled her eyes and started what I assumed was another batch. I stood from the floor and walked over to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist, which was still naked, and rested my head on her shoulder. "It'll be fine, 'Cher."

"Fine? I doubt that. I barely have any rum now," she huffed out.

I kissed the inside of her neck all the way up to the shell of her ear. "Yeah, but was it worth it?" I asked, pressing my naked penis against her ass.

"It was worth it," she sighed and then took notice of what I was doing. "But for the love of God, Edward, we have to get dressed. I can't spend all day letting you fuck me on every surface in this apartment."

"Just not today though, right? I hope you plan on letting me do just that soon," I half teased.

She turned around and kissed me on the forehead. "Soon. You're not going anywhere, right?"

"No where," I added.

~xxx~

"Oh, Bella, this cake smells divine! I can't wait for desert now!" My mother squealed when Bella lifted the lid off of her cake. I had to stifle a laugh because only an hour or so before I did, in fact, have dessert. I had convinced Bella to let me shower with her, my excuse was that it would take less time. In reality, it took more time because we couldn't keep our mouths away from each other's bodies.

"Thanks, Esme." She shot me a pointed stare as she continued to speak to my mother. "I ran short on rum so it might not be that potent."

My mother ushered us into the formal living room where most of the guests were gathered. We stood around, chit chatting about the weather, the city, and of course football. It wasn't long before my mother alerted us all that dinner was ready.

My cell phone decided to ring at that moment causing every woman in the house to look at me like I had just announced that Mardi Gras was not rolling this year. I looked down at the screen and saw Tyler's number. I looked up at Bella apologetically. "I have to take this."

"You okay?" she asked. "You look like you've just seen a ghost. Wait, that's not Lauren, is it?"

"No, it's not Lauren. Go on ahead, I'll just be a minute."

"Okay," she nodded and kissed my lips gently. "Make it fast or I'll send both of our mothers in here to fetch you, and I can promise you, you don't want Renee Swan having to tell you to get off the phone so she can eat."

I chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Promise."

I was left alone in the room and answered the phone hoping that this was nothing more than a friendly call to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving.

"Tyler," I said a little too dryly.

"Ed, my man. How are things in the Big Easy?" he asked a little too chipper.

"Things are good. Tyler, my family is sitting down for dinner, do you mind cutting the shit and getting to the point of this phone call."

"Take it easy man. First off, Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving," I mumbled back into the receiver.

"Second off," he started and drew in what sounded like a deep breath. "The Met is unhappy with your resignation letter."

"What do you mean, they are unhappy with it? I'm leaving, quitting, I'm done. What don't they understand? And why are you waiting until now to tell me this? You've had all week to smooth this over with them!" I could feel the heat on my face burning my skin. I was angry. They had no right to pull this on me. Not now.

"Well, they understand you wanting to leave but they want to offer you an incentive to stay."

"It doesn't matter what they are offering me. I'm leaving. My life is in New Orleans now."

"Your life or some girl?" Tyler asked. I was shocked beyond hell that he had the nerve to ask me something like that.

"You listen to me, Tyler. You work for me. I tell you what to do with my career. Bella has everything and nothing to do with this. I want to be here because this is my city. I want to do everything I can to help turn it around and get her back on her feet. Bella is the only incentive I need to stay here and accomplish that. So I tell you what, Ty," I sneered, "you tell the assholes at the Met that I have all I need right here in the fish bowl known as New Orleans."

"Edward," Tyler said after a long pause. "You realize that you are committing suicide with your career right now, don't you?"

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Nothing that Tyler had just said was remotely funny, but at the same time, I found it so ironic that he mentioned that leaving the Met could ruin my career.

"Is that so? I'm sure you wouldn't be saying that if I told you that the Doctor was game for the album, would you? Tyler, I don't need New York to be a good musician. What I do need is the soul and sounds that speak to me. People that care and feel the same way I do. New York is not where it's at, my friend. I have all the inspiration I need right here."

"So are you telling me that your dad has agreed to the album, then?"

I huffed and paced the length of the room. "Is that all you're concerned about? The money? The fame?"

"So, that's a no, then. Listen, Edward, if you don't want to watch the career that you have built for yourself, the same career that I have helped build for you crumble, to the ground, then you need to get him on board with this."

"We'll be in touch, Tyler," I said, doing my best not to hang up on him.

"Oh yes, we will, because if you want to leave the Met you have to be here on Saturday morning to tell them in person."

"What?" I asked, stopping dead in my tracks.

"You heard me. They want to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Be here Saturday for brunch with the board and tell them why you are leaving. Did you honestly think just because you found what you thought you were looking for in New Orleans that you wouldn't have to come back at some point? You have a life here, Edward. You have an apartment. You were going to have to come back eventually."

He was right. I had, in fact, found what I was looking for here in New Orleans, even though at the time, I didn't know I was missing anything. I had to go back. I would have to pack my things and officially move my life. It was one thing to tell Bella and my parents that I was home for good, but it was something else entirely to actually do it.

"I'll see you Saturday, Tyler. I'm assuming you'll be there?"

He laughed into the phone. "Wouldn't miss this for the world."

With that, I hung up. I could hear my family and friends in the other room laughing and cutting up. I had to will myself in there to face the music. I had to tell my parents I had to go back. Most of all, I had to tell Bella that I was leaving.

It hurt me more than words could describe. I could imagine her face when I broke the news to her. I only had a day before I had to leave. I didn't want to do this, but I had to. If I was going to make this move permanent, I had to go and take care of things in New York.

I walked in the dining room where everyone was already gathered around the table. I took the seat next to Bella and reached for her hand as soon as I sat. I looked at her trying to tell her with my eyes that I was sorry. That I didn't want to break her heart, but I knew I was going to have to. She was going to hate me for this. I only hoped that she would see the bigger picture. I would be here with her for good. It would just be a few days apart. Then, we could embark on our lifetime together.

I knew I was possibly jumping the gun talking about a lifetime with her, but as I held her hand in mine I couldn't think of anyone else I ever wanted to sit next to at the dinner table. Surrounded by my family, by her family, I wanted this for the rest of my life.

"Who was that?" she asked leaning over to whisper in my ear.

"We'll talk later," I promised.

My dad stood at the head of the table, his wine glass in his hand. "I would like to thank all of you for joining us for Thanksgiving this year. It's a tradition in the Cullen household for each person to go around the table and say what they are thankful for. I personally think that this year, above all others, we have more to be thankful for. With that, I'll start." He took a deep breath and addressed the guests.

"I'm thankful to be from this great city and have so many great friends sharing bread at my table. In keeping this short," he said, staring at me, "I'm thankful that my son has finally embraced who he is and has returned home. I told you, Bella," he said, looking away from me to the beautiful woman at my side, "to keep the faith. I've never given up hope for you, Edward, and I'm so proud of you."

Bella squeezed my hand as my dad finished. Everyone went around the table giving thanks where it was due. My mother and sister were both thankful that we had emerged from the storm stronger than before. Alice, of course, had to throw in that she was thankful for Jasper and that she couldn't imagine a life without him now. It was one thing my sister and I agreed on. She couldn't be without Jasper just like I couldn't be without Bella.

Between Renee and Charlie, and Rosalie and Emmett, the two couples seemed to be thankful for similar things. A city thriving to come back alive, each other, and good family and friends. As the thanks descended down the line, it came to a halt at Bella. She looked over at me and smiled before speaking to our families.

"I'm thankful for a number of things. I'm thankful to be from this great city and to be surrounded by so many people that I love," she paused and I had to wonder if she had meant that in a more affectionate way toward me. My heart fluttered when she said the words aloud, it wasn't like she had just flat out told me and everyone else in the room that she loved me. Whether she had said it directly to me or not, I felt it.

"I'm thankful that we've all come out of this time victorious and that we're all putting our talents to use for something that is going to be so amazing." She took a deep breath before continuing on. She turned her body slightly and looked at me with the love that she had just spoken about. It was undeniable. She was in love with me and I did my best to project how much I loved her to, without saying the words out loud.

"I'm thankful for you, Edward. You've caused my life to become a whirlwind of emotions over the past several months, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

I leaned over and kissed her, aware that every eye in the room was on us. I didn't care. I loved her and she loved me. It was only a matter of time before we said those words to one another.

Pulling my lips from her slowly, I chuckled to myself and stood like my father had. I had more to say than what I was thankful for. I was about to make a decision that I hadn't consulted anyone on. One that I was sure would send Tyler in an uproar.

Clearing my throat I began, "I'm really thankful that none of you have tried to kill me, giving what I've done over the past weeks." I looked up and Jasper was eyeing me suspicously while Rosalie was turning her knife over in her hands. I concluded that just because I was thankful that they hadn't caused me bodily harm didn't mean that they still didn't consider it.

"I'm thankful to be apart of this amazing show that Bella has been working so hard on. I know I was a bit of a jackass in the beginning, but like my dad said, sometimes you just have to have faith, even if the person doesn't realize that they need people behind him." I turned my full attention to Bella and smiled at her, squeezing her hand in mine. "I'm so thankful that you came into my life. You were exactly what I needed to see everything I had been missing. You are the light to my dark, the rice to my gumbo, the rum to my coke." Bella laughed and wiped away a stray tear from her eye. "You've made me realize that life doesn't revolve around me. There are people out there that need our help and that need our music. You'll never know how much you mean to me."

I look a deep breath and looked at my father. He smiled and nodded his head like he was telling me that he was on board with what I had to say, before I even said it.

"Some of you don't realize this, but my initial reason for coming to the city was not to play for the benefit show. My manager had ulterior motives which included getting my father on board to play on an album with me." I took a moment to pause and gauge everyone's reactions. Just as I had suspected, the whole table wore expressions of anger, shock and disappointment.

"But," I said looking at each and everyone one of them, "as soon as I arrived down here, I knew that I had to do more. I may have been stubborn about it in the beginning, but once a certain beautiful brunette took me by the balls…" Charlie's arched eyebrow caught my attention. I started to back peddle quickly. "Not literally, just figuratively." Most of the table laughed which eased my discomfort a little. "Like I was saying, once Bella made me realize the important things, I knew that the album didn't matter, but the more I think about it, the more I think it does matter."

"Edward," Bella hissed. "What are you doing?"

"'Cher, just listen. I think that the album would be a great idea only, and I mean only, if all of you would be willing to participate on it with me."

"Are you asking us to lay down tracks with you on an album to be sold in stores?" Emmett asked. "Like, a band?" I nodded. "Fucking right!" he exclaimed. Both mothers looked at him and narrowed their eyes. Rosalie held up the butter knife she had been turning over in her hands and pointed it at Emmett.

"Sorry, babe, ladies. This is just really awesome."

"So, is that something that all of you would like to be apart of?"

Bella stood up from her chair and looked at me with an expression I couldn't decipher. "You're serious, Edward? This means that it just won't be you and the Doctor in the spot light."

"I know. I want to share it with all of you." She threw her arms around my neck. I buried my face in her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"What about your manager?" Jasper asked. "Won't he have a say in this?"

Bella and I separated and took our seats. "Tyler is all about the money. He won't go against me on this. I can promise you that."

"Well, Edward, I think that sounds like a fine idea," Charlie said from across the table. "I'm guessing that you'll have some sort of contract worked up for all of us?"

"Absolutely. That kind of brings me to the next thing I need to say." I ran my hand across the back of my neck then through my hair. I knew they all had to know that eventually I would have to leave. It was hard, none the less, to have to tell them, though.

"Um, I'm really sorry about this," I said, taking Bella's face in my hands.

"Edward, you're scaring me. What is it?"

"I have to go back to New York Saturday. The Met didn't accept my resignation letter. They want to meet with me in person. They want to try and cut me a deal. Obviously," I said, speaking to everyone in the room but only looking at Bella. "I'm not going to take it. My life is here now. You are here. I don't want any part of New York, but I have to go."

"Saturday," she said, so soft I barely heard her.

I pulled her face to mine and rested our foreheads together. "I'm so sorry, 'Cher. I don't want to leave, but I have to."

She nodded against my head but said nothing further.

"Edward, I'm guessing you'll be able to speak with Tyler about the negotiations of the album while you are there?" my father said after a few moments.

I pulled my face away from Bella's and nodded. "I want to take care of everything I need to so I don't have to go back."

"How long do you think it will take?" Emmett asked as everyone began to fill their plates with food.

"Hopefully not long. If I meet with them on Saturday, I can start packing my apartment up and then on Monday I can have Tyler start the ball rolling on the specifics for the album."

Bella hadn't spoken during the entire exchange. I watched from the corner of my eye as she pushed food around her plate. It was obvious that I had hurt her and it hurt me to watch her like this. I nudged her leg from under the table and she looked up at me with the saddest eyes I had ever seen. She gave me a half smile but redirected her attention to her plate.

"Do you think it's going to take longer than a week?" Jasper asked. "I mean, the benefit is a week from Saturday."

The only noise that was made after Jasper told us the one thing we had some how managed to forget, was the sharp sound of Bella's fork landing on her plate.

~xxx~

"Are you not going to speak to me?" I asked Bella after we left my parents late that evening. She had only been speaking to me when necessary since I made the revelation that I was retuning to New York.

"What's to say? You have to go back. We all knew this," she said with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Bella," I said, walking towards her and pulling her body flush against mine. She wouldn't look at me so I lifted her chin by my index finger, willing her to look at me. "I'm sorry. I knew I'd have to go back at some point. Go with me," I pleaded.

"Edward, I can't go. The benefit is in a week. I can't just leave when you don't even know how long you'll be gone." She exhaled loudly and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Listen, we have tonight and tomorrow night, let's just make the most of it, okay?"

"Okay," I said, defeated.

I made love to Bella that night knowing that I still had one more night to memorize everything about her. She spent most of the day on Friday shopping the Black Friday sales with our mothers, Alice and Rosalie. When she arrived back home that evening I had cooked dinner for us. I wanted this night to be something that she would think about while I was away. I wanted everything to be perfect.

While she had been gone, I booked my flight back to New York and spoke with Tyler about my return. I filled him in on the details of the album, and even though he was reluctant at first, he conceded once he realized I wasn't budging. Later in our phone conversation he admitted to me that he thought the sounds of all of us together might bring in more money than just my dad and me. With Tyler, it was always the money. Not happiness. Just money.

Bella and I ate dinner in relative silence but as soon as she set her plate down in the kitchen sink, I took her against the counter just like I had on Thanksgiving morning. When we had caught our breaths from that tryst, I took her again on her dining room table, then against her sliding glass doors that lead out to her balcony.

I was needy for her. I needed every surface in her house to be a reminder of me and that I was coming home to her. I was coming home for good.

When we had christened every surface in the kitchen and living room, we showered and I had her again, this time, my tongue lapping her juices up as she came fiercely in my mouth. She returned that favor by letting me spill all I had in her mouth and down her chest.

Just when I thought that neither of us could stomach another romp, we were a tangle of naked limbs and hot sweaty flesh in her bed. She wanted and needed this just as much as I did. I took my time with her, tracing the lines of her curves, tasting every inch of her skin until I knew that it was seared into my brain.

She fell asleep in my arms, her legs thrown over my body like she was trying to trap me from leaving. I didn't sleep a wink. Instead, I watched her body rise and fall with every breath she took. I kissed her head, her lips, and her shoulders, everywhere. I whispered things to her that I knew she wouldn't remember. I rolled over at some point and saw that it was four in the morning. My flight was leaving at six.

Without waking her, I slipped from the bed and threw on my clothes, never letting my eyes leave her sleeping form. I tiptoed down the hallway until I was in the kitchen where I found a note pad and a pen. I scribbled a note and walked back to the bedroom where she had not moved. I bent down, leaving the note on my pillow and against her skin I whispered, "I love you."

She might not have heard me, but I needed it to be said. I loved her, and after I returned home from New York, I would tell her while she was conscious.

A/N- **wipes tear** he's leaving but… he loves her! I can promise y'all that while in New York he won't run into Lauren, at least not in the sense that y'all are thinking. All is cool on the Edward/Bella front. Now, as for another certain person in this story, you'll just have to wait until next chapter to see that little nugget unfold.

mmm... I love rum cake. Just wanted to say that. Of course, made with Malibu, not that imitation crap.

I don't think I say it enough but I really appreciate all of you that read, review and rec this out. My heart goes pitter patter with all the kind words y'all leave.

Until next time…
Holly