*Important!* So, I have decided to treat my one shot as a kind of prologue, and I am going to be posting the back story. I don't have a ton of time to write, so "chapters" will be short, and I will probably jump forward in time at certain parts, because I will not be writing a whole year worth of chapters. Also, I write for fun, and I will not be doing a ton of research to make everything in this story accurate. If that's upsetting to you, I recommend you not read this. My Edward is in the military, and I know almost nothing about how the actual military runs, so all of my "facts" are based on movies that I have watched or books I have read. With that said, enjoy!

New Years Day, 2011

"Bella…" he whispered in her ear, his voice husky, sending shivers down her spine. Her whole body tingled in anticipation as his hand began a slow path down her body. She turned her head slightly, nuzzling into his neck to inhale… coffee? Her eyelids fluttered as she heard her name again, this time from farther away and much louder.

"Hmmm?" she grumbled, stretching slightly when awareness returned and she realized she was in bed. It had been a dream. Except, the coffee scent was still very present, and that male voice had not been her imagination.

"Oh my God!" she shrieked, sitting straight up. Her eyes found him quickly were he stood next to the bed. His own eyes were wide with shock and worry and humor. Why was he in her bedroom? Wait, this wasn't her room! Her eyes darted back and forth as she took in the clean studio-style apartment, the futon with its rumpled blanket, and then again the stranger.

He was watching her carefully still, but his head was tilted to the side and his lips curved into a little grin.

"What am I doing here? Who are you? What happened last night?" she rattled off the questions without pausing to breathe, or for him to answer.

"You don't…remember?" he asked softly, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Not at the moment," she gritted out between clenched teeth. She could feel tears threatening as the scenarios running through her mind got worse and worse.

"We met, last night, at the bar?" he told her, hoping for some sign that the memories were coming back. "My name is Edward, and um, I brought you home with me."

Her eyebrows lifted at his sheepish look, and she almost grinned at how boyish it made his face, before the embarrassment and panic set back in.

"Did we, umm, do anything?" she asked cautiously, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

"You really don't remember?" he sighed when she shook her head no. "I was sitting next to you and your friend; I think her name was Jessica?" Bella nodded, letting him know she at least remembered her friend's name. "Some creepy guy brought you a drink, and it wasn't but a few minutes after you finished it that you started swaying in your seat. Your friend was talking to me and didn't notice at first. But when I told her I thought you had maybe had too much to drink, she insisted she wasn't ready to leave yet." Edward frowned in disapproval as he remembered how callous her friend had been. He wasn't dumb; he knew that Jessica had been able to tell that he had been much more interested in Bella than he had been in her. And he could understand female jealousy, but he had a suspicion that Bella had been drugged, and Jessica had been aware and not even cared. Of course, he didn't feel the need to upset Bella even more by telling her that.

"I was going to drive you home, but when I asked if you could tell me how to get to your house, you started singing the Sesame Street theme song," he continued, lips quirking when Bella's entire body flushed red. "So, I brought you here and prayed like hell that you don't have a giant brother, boyfriend, or father who will revel in kicking my ass once I do drive you home."

When he finally finished recounting their evening, Bella experienced a strange mix of relief and disappointment. She was glad he hadn't taken advantage of her in her vulnerable state, but she was sort of hoping he would indicate at least a slight interest in ravishing her. She'd had time to examine him as he spoke, and she definitely liked what she saw. Lean, but muscular, she judged him to be at least six feet tall, he had gorgeous green eyes, tousled auburn hair, and a jaw that would be right at home in her secret folder of Google images she collected of male celebrity jaw lines.

"So we didn't, um, do anything once we got here?" she asked him slowly, wanting to be 100% sure her virtue was intact.

"No," he grinned at her, "I usually prefer conscious women."

"Good, cause I've never done that," she blurted out in relief.

"Had a one night stand?" he asked.

"Yeah," she confirmed, glad that he had misunderstood her statement. She would just die if he…

"Oh, I thought you meant sex in general," he smirked, loving the way her blush returned in full force. He found her absolutely adorable.

"I, um, huh?" Bella stuttered out, feeling her face get hot and her ears burn.

"When I was tucking you in last night, you kept telling me you were a good girl, that you were saving yourself for marriage," he explained, taking pity on her.

"Oh lord," she sighed, covering her face with her hands. How was she supposed to look him in the eye now?

"Don't be embarrassed, I think that's really great," he spoke softly, gently grasping her wrists and pulling her hands away from her flushed face, "I wish I had waited, which I know isn't a popular opinion among most men, and if it makes you feel any better, I'm celibate now."

"Really?" she asked him, finally lifting her eyes to meet his. He was entranced, caught in the shimmering chocolate brown of her eyes. After a long pause, during which he scolded himself for wanting to lay her down on the bed and make out with her like a teenager, he nodded his head.

"Really," he confirmed. The stared at each other silently for what felt like hours, but couldn't have been more than a minute.

"Here, I, uh, brought you coffee, it's probably cold now," he mutter, gesturing to the mug sitting on his bedside stand. "I can get a new one," he started.

"No!" she practically shouted, "I mean, no thank you, Edward, I actually like my coffee lukewarm." Bella picked up the ceramic mug and sipped carefully. "Perfect," she told him, smiling softly at his pleased expression.

"I left you a washcloth and a new toothbrush in the bathroom," he told her, gesturing to a closed door across the room from the bed, "You can clean up a little and then I'll take you home." He started backing toward the door as she pulled back the covers and hopped off the bed.

"Thanks," she grinned, her eyes twinkling, "And Edward, I don't have a boyfriend, but my brother and my dad are both cops." His mouth dropped open and he paled, making his hair look redder against the white of his forehead. Bella giggled as she shut herself in bathroom, suddenly feeling much better about the strange situation she'd gotten into.