Edward

Bella. Her name was Bella. And he couldn't stop thinking about her.

The limo drove them to Rosalie's condo, outside Los Angeles. She had insisted they live in her 3 bedroom home - that it was perfectly safe, well attended, and there wasn't even anything he had to do with regards to yard work or maintenance. From what he gathered, this place by the look of it was purchased by her father, and while she agreed to live under his rules, then this was a not only suitable but comfortable place for her.

Edward tried to tell her that his own 3 bedroom home was comfortable and secure, but she wouldn't hear of it. The end result was they give it a chance here or he appeal it with the assistance of Dr. Saltz and the producer in an interview. Did he really want that? No. He didn't feel they needed any additional conflict in their relationship.

Since his house was only a half hour away, he still felt close enough, and if he was being fair, he could at least try and see if he liked it…give it a chance.

The first thing he noticed were the large windows in the entryway of her condo. Rose bushes bordered the sidewalk leading up to a small courtyard and around the front patio stretching along the side yard. The street area didn't allow for many vehicles and he imagined the rules here were very strict. Personally, Edward preferred where he lived - an older home that didn't have pages and pages of CC&R's, and a person was free to have a little originality with their tastes. This cookie cutter environment felt a little stiff to him, and as he walked in and found the furniture and decorations tasteful, it had all the warmth of an icebox. He did find picture frames scattered along a long table against a wall and many more on the walls - some of her family but mostly of herself. Glossies of her in different roles, and stills from the shows she'd been on. As though she had printed pictures off of Imdb.

Rosalie smiled widely at him. "Do you love it? Isn't it gorgeous?"

It had some girly touches he could live without, like the fuzzy pink blanket draped over a chaise lounge in her room. And her bathroom, unlike the rest of the house, was pink, with a large vanity built in with the theater lighting all around. Dozens of makeup and accessories peppered the counter there, but in an organized sort of mess. Did she really need all this stuff?

"It's nice," Edward said, wondering where he fit in in this scenario. The bed was king size and a large case sat at the footboard, but he didn't quite know where to put his bag. "Won't I be sleeping in the guest room?"

They hadn't paused at the two other rooms on the way to her bedroom, and now he wondered why she was showing it to him.

"No, unless that's what you want." He wasn't sure that was what he wanted.

He stood at the entryway, not sure how to proceed but she peeled the strap off his shoulder and set it on the bed, then took his hand and led him to a walk-in closet the size of his office at home. The walls were crowded with her clothes and gowns, with built in drawers, and cubbies stocked with heels, boots, and shoes in every style and color. She had left a small section empty, presumably for his things to hang and then led him to 2 drawers she pulled out from the right side of the white dresser. 2 drawers.

"I hope you feel at home here, Edward."

Somehow, there didn't seem like a big chance of that. "Piano? Maybe a keyboard?"

Her face froze. Like he was asking her to bring a rhinoceros…or the head of a rhinoceros into her little abode. "There's one in the community center for anyone to use…" She saw his face and then headed over to the room one door down that was already fully furnished with a queen-sized bed, armoire, a long cherry dresser and a chaise lounge. "Or…ummm maybe we could…um…take out some of the furniture in here…"

He knew she was reaching, trying to make it work, but the pained look on her face told him she didn't really want any major changes taking place in this home.

"We don't have to decide now, do we?"

She blew out a breath. "No. We'll figure it out." She looked back behind him at the camera man, but corrected herself, as an acknowledgement, he thought. She was still on camera and she would behave. "We're married now. And marriage is all about compromise."

"What about the other bedroom?" he asked.

"The office? I figured you'll need your own desk in there to do your work."

Right. Edward had an office of his own at home, and it was necessary to have his own work space.

They were silent as he unpacked his things into the designated drawers and he hung his pants and shirts. The camera was set up now in her bedroom, which he assumed was the producer's idea, setting them up also in the kitchen and the living area.

"Why, Rosalie? Why do you have me here in this room now?"

"Is this making you uncomfortable?"

"I'm just surprised." He thought if he was ever to move into her bedroom it would have been a mutual progression of their relationship.

"Maybe it's necessary to take the next step."

The next step?

"Look, they're kind of saying that the thing that was going on with Emmett and me, which was nothing, by the way, that we needed to get away from that - to give our own relationships a chance. And that's what I'm doing."

"Oh, I see." This obviously wasn't her own idea. Emmett - the catalyst. He was unknowingly forcing them to be closer. Then that led him to the very unpleasant thought of Emmett having to be forced closer to Bella.

She pointed to him. "You're overthinking this. Look, Edward. Anybody can tell we aren't in "that" place right now. And that's okay. But for now, it's not going to hurt anything to share a bed. We just want to let things take their natural course. Wait and see what happens."

The doorbell rang, stealing their attention. "I wonder who that is," she said, heading down the hallway. Edward's eyes wandered his new surroundings, still not sure of these circumstances that landed him here in Rosalie's room. He heard voices out from the living room and when he peeked out, Rosalie gestured him over to her.

"Uh…really?" she said.

Her chest was rising and falling, and she looked like about to have a panic attack. Then when his gaze met the person at the door, he realized exactly why.

They had company.

Rosalie

Were they frick'n kidding?

Dr. Frick'n Muncher was here. The sexologist! Rosalie's palms began to sweat and her cheeks felt warm, and she hoped that with her arrival and feeling the camera on her that she wasn't as flushed as she imagined. Rosalie thought inviting Edward to share her bed was enough! But no, the producer called in the freaking sexologist! The consolation was that Edward seemed as horrified as she did as Dr. Muncher took a seat on the living room couch. Rosalie tried to collect herself so she could put two words together. Oh, God, please help me through this, she thought.

She shook her hand, and the warm smile on the doctor's face showed she meant no harm. She was a little woman in her mid-fifties, and the big brown leather zippered handbag she set down on the coffee table was packed full. What the hell did she have in there anyway? Rosalie moved her thoughts away from whips and handcuffs. No, she wasn't about to initiate anything kinky and not anything they were uncomfortable with. Was she?

"Ah," she said, after shaking Rosalie's hand and looking from her to Edward. "You two are a lovely couple."

Trying to move her gaze away from the bag of doom, Rosalie forced a smile to her lips as she stood before Dr. Muncher.

"Don't worry, Rosalie. Nothing in here is going to bite," she said. "Now, if you please, will you sit?"

The sexologist meant it as a joke, and Rosalie gave her a little laugh as she sat on the chair behind her.

"No, dear. Sit with your husband." She gestured for Rosalie to take a seat beside Edward on the loveseat, who wore a more unnerved expression than she had.

Rosalie popped back up, muttering, "Husband. Right." She sat beside him but not too close. She allowed him to have that first cushion on the seat and took the middle one. These things couldn't be forced, right?

"So, congratulations to you both. You have made a huge commitment to each other, and given the nature of the show, it's not uncommon at all to lack a connection. That's why I'm here." She smiled.

Edward cleared his throat. "What did you have in mind?" His gaze fell to the bag.

She took the bag and set it on the floor by her legs. "Okay first of all, let's move this because I can feel the tension here, and we don't need this to add any stress to the situation. Let's start with our commonalities. Edward? What do you and Rosalie have in common?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Similar background, I guess. Upper class upbringing. We're educated…"

"What do you like to do?"

Rosalie was at a loss. But, he perked right up. "Piano," he said. "We can both play."

"Right," Rosalie said, bumping him on the elbow. Although, they played for different reasons. She didn't enjoy it the way he did.

"Okay, yes, I remember that - the footage of the two of you at the bar lounge, playing Chopsticks. I think I fell in love with the two of you as a couple when I saw that."

"Really?" Rosalie said and peeked at Edward, who was now looking down at his hands in his lap, seeming a little uncomfortable about her observation. He and she both. But then she changed her expression. They were husband and wife, they took the vows, went on the honeymoon, now why was it so difficult to see them as a couple? Oh that's right, because they didn't seem to feel anything for each other.

"It was absolutely charming," she continued. "And Edward, with the way you were so caring about wanting her to find herself. Not a lot of men out there like that, Rosalie."

That had never sunk in. Edward had always cared. He could've let her leave that first night. But he fought for them, fought for her. Never pressed her to do anything she didn't want. Very likely he wouldn't start now. "Edward is special."

"There you go," she said.

Edward spoke up, "The piano is something I am passionate about but Rosalie…not so much."

"That's true. I don't even own a keyboard. It was more of an obligation as a child, and I do it for auditions but not really for anything fun."

"Okay, I see. Well…then maybe the idea is introducing more of your career selves. Like taking each other to work. Let each other see what you do."

The look on their faces matched, as Rosalie couldn't imagine dragging Edward with her on an audition.

"That is…for you, Edward, I understand the constraints of working in a hospital setting, but maybe she can just observe you in the waiting room as you speak to your patients or their family from a distance. And for you, Rosalie, maybe Edward can run lines with you or something similar."

"Ohhh," they both said in unison, nodding in consideration, though Rosalie doubted that hospitals allowed guests to sit as observers. However, running lines with him would be easy enough, if she had an audition. The other consideration was that neither of them were required to be back at work just yet.

"Alright, well maybe there are movies or shows you two like. Or a hobby. Or exercise, sports of some kind."

"I run every morning," Edward said.

"Oh, me too," Rosalie replied, and the doctor's face lit up. The truth was that jogging really was a solitary activity. So, there went that. She didn't really enjoy sports, and she wasn't sure whether he did. She'd never cared to ask.

Once more, they were at a loss.

"There's always touch," Dr. Muncher offered.

Rosalie's brows rose, and Edward looked at the sexologist as though she had an extra eye on her face.

Rosalie cleared her throat. "Touch?"

"Yes. Non-sexual touch."

Rosalie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Like hugs, or hand-holding, or massage, even something as simple as just setting your hand on his arm. And words- like, for example, Edward, tell me one thing you like or admire about Rosalie."

"She can fix a car."

Rosalie chuckled. He could have picked any number of things that she was used to being complimented for - her eyes, body, the way she looked. Instead, he chose a gift she hadn't been willing to acknowledge publicly.

"Right! Very unique and admirable. Now, Rosalie, please tell me one thing about Edward you like or admire."

"Oh yeah, Edward…is… a doctor, and I'm sure a damn good one!"

By the looks on their faces it didn't seem like Rosalie had tried hard enough. She was going to have to dig deeper. "His kindness. And his acceptance of me, even when I was kind of a bitch to him."

Dr. Muncher smiled. "That was two things."

Edward's eyes met Rosalie's just then and she noticed the warmth there. Words. She had meant them.

"Now, the two of you, please I would like for you to work on the touch but also just being cognizant of what you say to one another. I don't expect to force something that's not there, but these things tend to light a spark. That's it. That's your homework."

Touch and words. That didn't seem too bad.

"Does that mean you'll be back?"

"I'll be watching."

They said goodbye to the sexologist, and Rosalie saw the relief on Edward's face as she left as it mirrored her own.

For a long, awkward moment it was very quiet and he spoke first, "You hungry? Maybe we can go get some dinner, or we can cook…"

"Before that, Edward, I just wanted to say I meant what I said before. You are the first person who has really accepted me for me. I appreciate it."

He smiled then and he bumped her shoulder, which counted in her book. "I'm so glad. And I'm happy to be the one to be responsible for that smile on your face."

Edward was the first one to actually not compliment her on her appearance. It was truly like he was seeing her. And for the first time she could actually be herself. Were they having a moment? They stood across from each other, and she bumped him back with her shoulder. "You're pretty talented and smart."

"Stop it," he said, "now you're embarrassing me."

"No, I mean it."

"Are you saying that maybe the experts knew what they were doing?"

She thought about that for a moment, and she guessed that since she didn't answer right away that maybe she had her doubts, which she still did. Still, she couldn't forget that Edward, her husband, was a more than decent, honorable human being. That was what she'd wanted, wasn't it? Though, there had been no connection, like with Emmett at her birthday party. Good Lord, what that man could bring out in her just with his eyes. That man that was Bella's husband. She knew nothing else about him other than that he was a firefighter and he knew about her work and admired it. She recalled the heat coming off them - that if neither were attached then what came next would not have been appropriate for a television audience. But, she couldn't dwell on that. Not when she had something real in front of her. A commitment she'd made to Edward and to an audience she would not see.

He held his palm out to her, and she considered what that meant. Instead of placing her hand in his, she lifted it to give him five, but he caught her hand in his, leading it into a subtle handshake.

"Maybe it's worth giving a chance."

He released her hand, and there were about 3 weeks left. She was committed to him, to the show, her decision, and now with the advice of Dr. Muncher, she needed to at least do that.

A/N: Oh…stay with me! And many thanks to those who read, follow, and review! (esp. to those who are frustrated and still read!) I appreciate you all. As I've mentioned, this story is a slow burn, and everything will happen in its time…until then, I hope you will hang in there.