Help, I'm still at the restaurant

Still sitting in the corner I haunt

Cross-legged in the dim light

They say, "What a sad sight."

~ Taylor Swift, right where you left me

EDWARD - AGE 30

No weaknesses. That was what my father had always told me. My father, who had let his own weaknesses build up and fester until our–my–family was on the brink of destruction. It was the first of many lessons I learned from the man, but it was the one that had stuck with me in nearly every aspect of my life.

From the moment I started training with Carlisle when I was twelve, I lived a very structured life. I went to school and got nearly perfect grades. I was his shadow for years, following him to meetings of every variety. I was thirteen when I first had to ask my mother to wash the blood splatter off of my favorite pair of shoes.

Still, at the center of everything he taught me, he underscored the need for no weaknesses. Physical weaknesses made you a target and got you killed. Emotional weaknesses made you lose respect. That was how our world worked and it was best that I cut that part of myself off entirely.

Then I sat down next to a pretty little brunette. She was fucking gorgeous and smart and covered in tattoos to cover up the fact that she wore her heart on her sleeve. She became my one and only weakness. And now she was gone.

My life before her was laid out in front of me. The women that never stayed the night and the solitude of the penthouse. Within twenty minutes I could have a crate of the finest powder to grace the city at my disposal. I never realized how fucking lonely I had been, not until I had everything I never knew I wanted. Then had it all snatched away from me.

She was everywhere. We rarely stayed at the penthouse before the attack but she was still all over it. Every blanket draped over the couch was because of her. She had trinkets everywhere, photos and memorabilia and random shit I hadn't noticed days ago. It all shouted at me now. Reminded me that she was gone and I was all alone again.

"I'm scared one day you're not going to come home."

She whispered the words to me late at night, the evening Carlisle bailed and I became the head of the family. And I promised her I would. But I never thought to have her make the same one.

She was always supposed to be here. Safe and happy and mine. Always.

It had only been three nights. Three nights that I had to sit in this goddamn penthouse with the knowledge that my wife was in a jail cell and I could already feel myself losing it. That small shred of humanity that Bella had given me back was already slipping away.

Before her I didn't care. About the women or drugs or the countless people whose deaths I was responsible for. I still didn't care about most of that shit. But I cared about her. She was the one good thing I had ever done. The one good thing I had in my life. And she was gone.

Ignoring the time flashing on every clock I passed, I grabbed my keys and took the elevator down to the garage. The dashboard flashed the ungodly late–or early–time at me the entire drive, but I didn't care. I parked three blocks away from the station before pulling out my phone to send Clearwater a message.

I need to see her.

He was a smart man. Knew better than to question me. Back door - twenty minutes.

I was right there exactly twenty minutes later, ignoring the disgruntled frown Clearwater gave me as I brushed past him. Every cell I passed was empty, save for the last one. Where my wife sat, back against the stone wall and elbows rested against her knees. Her eyes met mine and froze.

I didn't have a lot of time, I knew Clearwater's pull only lasted so long. But the sight of her in that tiny cell, in the blue scrubs, awake in the middle of the night had me frozen.

Bella broke the silence first, her voice quiet but gruff. "What are you doing here?"

"I need you to promise," I said quickly.

"Promise what?"

"To come home to me."

I couldn't do it. Losing her…it wasn't an option. It wasn't within either of our control, but I needed the words. Needed something to hold on to, to keep me from losing the tiny seed of good that she had brought to me.

It was written in her eyes, the understanding. Because our positions had been reversed weeks ago. And if there was one person in the world who understood me, it was her.

Bella nodded, the dim light catching the tears coating her lashes. "I promise."

I let out the breath that had been caught in my lungs from the moment I dropped her off in this fucking place.

The back door I came in through squeaked open. "Time's up, Cullen."

Bella didn't ask me how I got in or who had helped me or what I was doing. Instead, she gave me another small nod. "I promise."

A/N: This EPOV flashback wasn't part of the original plan, and even after writing it I hesitated to post it. Because part of me thought it was slightly OOC. But, this man has absolutely one weakness and I thought we should see it a little more. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this one. Next chapter will be up tomorrow!