Edward came back to Senator Volturi's offices after his short trip to meet with Senator Cullen's new staff. Sure, he had told Emmett to have Jane be on the lookout so they could hopefully get more of an insider scoop, but that didn't meant that he couldn't take the initiative to meet the staff himself. He hadn't even had to create a reason for his visit to Senator Cullen's offices. Aro was really interesting in finding a co-sponsor from the West coast for his bill and Edward was putting out feelers to different Senators including Cullen.

The fact was that he was glad he had met Cullen's new team. His initial guess that the group was mostly young, idealistic, and green had been right. Most of them, with the exception of Jasper, were new to the stage of national politics. From the information he had gathered, they had experience with local campaigns or no experience at all. He'd met the majority of Senator Cullen's top team, with the exception of Isabella M. Swan, his Director of Communications. He found it rather odd that he wouldn't know this woman if he ran into her on the streets. Usually the head of communications for any campaign or politician had a well-known face, but in this case no photograph was included with her bio. Then again, most of Senator Cullen's staff wasn't all that well known. He hadn't been able to associate half the names he'd seen in print with the people that he met today. It was hardly the type of team that one would expect a man looking to run for President to put together.

Right now he was vacillating between the idea that Senator Carlisle Cullen was either a genius or extremely stupid.

Unfortunately for Senator Volturi he didn't think it was the latter.

Seeing how much the young staff that worked for Senator Cullen seemed to enjoy what they do, how they seemed to want to do right by the American people, made him nostalgic for when he used to have the same type of enthusiasm. Now, working for Senator Volturi, well, it was just a job, but it was a job that he was damned good at.

He'd been born into the world of politics. He'd practically been breed for it. He knew the workings of Washington D.C. inside and out and when Senator Volturi had finally convinced him to come on board as his Chief of Staff, well, that had been a major coup. Everyone wondered how it had happened, but only Edward knew the truth: He'd done it to get people to stop asking him about his own political aspirations. He didn't want to be in the spotlight, though he knew that's where many people wanted him. Aro was a man that was more than happy to keep Edward behind the scenes, working for him.

It meant less competition.

It felt like he had only been back at his desk a few moments answering emails, phone calls, and talking to the various staffers that came into his office to ask questions when he heard a knock on his office door and looked up to find Emmett standing there, slipping on his coat.

"You've been at it all day, Chief. About time to call it quits I would say."

Edward blinked and looked at the clock on his desk before he ran his hands through his already messy hair and let his head fall back against his office chair. "Christ, where'd the day go?" he said with a sigh.

Emmett chuckled. "C'mon, Edward. Take the evening off. It's not like there's anything that can't wait and everyone knows how to get a hold of you if there's an emergency anyway. Let's go have a drink…or dinner. When's the last time you had a good meal anyway?"

Edward couldn't help but snicker. "Jesus, Emmett, what are you, my mother?"

Emmett shrugged. "Can't do your job if you aren't healthy."

Edward could only nod and sigh. He actually had just had a bag of chips from the vending machine for lunch and he was rather hungry. Shifting in his seat, he started to shut down his computer and put the files he needed in his briefcase.

"You aren't going to see Rosalie tonight?" Edward asked as he continued to get ready to leave for the day.

Emmett shook his head. "Nah, she's getting together with one of her old friends tonight. I'm hoping she'll be my date to that Kennedy Center thing we have this weekend though."

Edward frowned as he stood up, slipping on his suit jacket which had been hanging off the back of his office chair. "Is that this weekend?"

"What? Don't have a date? How shocking." Emmett teased.

Truth of the matter was that Edward didn't really date. Not that Emmett had seen anyway. Sure, he knew that Edward had female companionship now and again, but he never really invited any of his lady friends to any official functions. He told Emmett that he usually just had dinner with women he called "friends" who were too busy to commit to anything romantic themselves. They enjoyed each other's company and then would part ways. No strings. No entanglements. No mess. Emmett kinda felt bad for him. Sure, most men would say that was their dream, but Edward never let anyone close and that was no way to live.

Edward just shrugged at Emmett's comment and started to slip on his outerwear even as his mind wandered to thoughts of the girl from the previous evening. For a moment he wondered if there would be a way to find out who she was, to get her to actually go with him to this formal event. If she'd looked that lovely in her coat and outerwear he could only imagine how beautiful she would look in an evening gown.

These thoughts surprised him since he barely knew her, but they also surprised him because as a rule he never let any women accompany him to work functions. He figured if he ever did the women would think that they were headed towards a relationship and he definitely didn't want to grow attached.

Pushing these thoughts away he looked to Emmett. "Where did you want to eat?"

Emmett shrugged. "Figured that steakhouse that we went to last time would do. You need meat on your bones, man. You're practically wasting away!"

"You really do sound like a mother hen, Emmett," Edward snorted and slipped on his leather gloves before he reached for his briefcase.

"Chief, if I don't take care of you who will?" Emmett smiled. He was only half teasing. In addition to being Edward's Deputy Chief of Staff, he was best friends with the man and looked out for him. Emmett knew that it was Edward's doing that he was in the job he was in. In addition to owing him for that, he genuinely liked the guy. He was smart, funny, and though life had dealt him a shitty hand that had turned him into a bit of a hard ass that wouldn't trust the Pope unless he got to know the man personally, he was a good guy. Jaded and untrusting, but good. Emmett understood why he kept everyone at a distance and it had taken several years before Edward trusted him to the point that he did now.

It was Emmett that Edward talked to and trusted more than anyone, more so than the few cousins that he had left in terms of family. Emmett didn't take this fact lightly.

Edward chuckled. "Now, now, Emmett. How's Rosalie going to feel if you go into your marriage with baggage? She going to adopt me too?"

Emmett snickered. "I have a feeling my Rosie is a tough gal that could handle you…and I don't mean that sexually either."

Edward laughed and started to head out of the office with Emmett. "So I finally get to meet the infamous Rosalie this weekend. It's about time with how much you've been talking about her."

"Now who's the one that sounds like my momma?" Emmett snorted.

Edward just laughed in response.