Chapter 12: A Seat at the Table – Part I

Bella didn't hesitate, ordering a glass of white wine. He settled for water. He was on the clock, after all. Once the waitress walked away, Bella leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on the table. Her light brown eyes, warm but curious, locked onto him.

Bella arched a brow. "You're always around, but I feel like I barely know you."

"That's probably for the best," he said lightly.

Bella tilted her head, "Do you always deflect questions?"

Edward smirked, he leaned back slightly, "Depends on who's asking." He loved their little back and forth if he could call it that. She was a curious one.

"Well, I'm asking." Her voice was playful, but her gaze was intent. "Tell me something about you. Who's the guy that's always by your side?"

Edward hesitated, considering his answer. "My brother. Will."

Bella's lips quirked. "Will?"

"Yes, he is one of those people that is larger than life. Always cracking jokes, always making people laugh. He has this way of finding the good in everything, even when things are... complicated." That was the truth.

Bella's expression softened. "He sounds like someone fun to be around."

Edward smirked, shaking his head. "He'd love to hear you say that." That was the truth.

"I'm serious," Bella said, her tone sincere. "People like that are rare."

Bella glanced around the restaurant, the candlelight flickering against the delicate curve of her jaw. "This is some cozy place." she mused, slipping into her seat fully.

Edward nodded, lowering himself into the chair opposite her. "I always pass in front; it looks interesting and I thought you would like it."

Bella studied him, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "You like quiet places?"

"Most of the time." He picked up the menu, but he wasn't really reading it. At this moment, he felt off-balance, too aware of her, and he wasn't used to that. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed how at ease she looked, as she scanned the menu. Her freckles were more noticeable under this light.

"You look like you're thinking way too hard," Bella said suddenly, her lips curving into a playful smile.

Edward blinked, forcing himself to meet her gaze. "Just... not used to this."

Bella tilted her head. "Not used to what? Dinner?"

"Something like that." His voice was quieter than he intended.

Bella laughed softly, leaning forward just enough to close the space he'd unconsciously tried to create. "You're an enigma, you know that? All quiet and serious, all the time. Like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders." If only she knew.

Edward shrugged, lips twitching slightly. "Maybe I just like to listen."

"Or maybe you just don't like to talk."

Edward chuckled despite himself. "You might be onto something."

The waitress arrived with a steaming plate of bruschetta. Bella thanked her warmly, and Edward found himself distracted, not just by her voice, but by the way she made people feel seen. It was unpracticed.

She propped her elbow on the table again, chin in hand. "You're not what I expected, you know."

Edward raised an eyebrow, fingers tightening slightly around the menu. "How so?"

Bella hesitated, her smile softening. "You're different than the others. Calmer. It's refreshing."

Edward shrugged, brushing off the compliment. "Just doing my job."

She hummed, unconvinced, her gaze flickering over him as if peeling back layers. Then, with a knowing smile, she picked up a piece of bruschetta.

Edward's thoughts briefly flickered to Marcus, the only Swan brother who never raised his voice and never missed a single goddamn detail. He remembered a moment from a warehouse debrief when one of the crew had lied, a small, stupid lie about a missing crate. Caius would've snapped. Charlie would've threatened. But Marcus? Marcus just looked at the guy. Didn't say a word. Didn't even blink. And within thirty-six hours, that guy had vanished.

That was the thing about Marcus. He didn't explode. He waited. He watched. And when he moved, it was always with surgical precision. You can observe a lot when you are quiet.

"I think I'm starting to figure you out a little bit, you give me the vibe that like quiet places because they're predictable."

Edward hesitated, the observation striking a little too close. "Maybe." That was the truth. His FBI colleagues used to make fun of him.

She studied him for a beat, then offered a small nod, as if she understood something he wasn't saying. "I get it. My sister used to say I'm the same; I am always finding places that feel like a little bubble away from the rest of the world." That was the first time she was talking about her sister. Anabella Swan. At least with him. He wanted to learn more. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The noise of the restaurant faded into the background.

Then Bella, ever effortless, took another bite of bruschetta and grinned. "So, are you actually going to eat, or just analyze the menu like it's a classified document because you should order something."

Edward exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. She was impossible. But he didn't mind. The conversation had settled into a quiet lull, the only sounds between them the soft clink of silverware and the occasional murmur of the restaurant around them. Edward wasn't one for filling silences, and, to his surprise, Bella didn't seem to mind them either.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he spoke.

"You mentioned your sister."His voice was even, careful. "What was she like?"

Bella's fingers stilled against the glass. Shit!

She inhaled sharply. He caught the way her posture shifted ever so slightly, the way her expression flickered like a shadow passing through candlelight.

"You don't have to answer me," he said quietly, already regretting asking. Why did he think she would share something like that with him out of everyone?

Bella let out a slow exhale, then met his gaze."No... it's okay."

She sat back, her shoulders relaxing by just a fraction. When she spoke again, her voice was softer.

"Ana was... completely different from me, but also exactly the same. If that makes sense."A small, wistful smile tugged at her lips."I don't know if you know, but we were identical twins, but our personalities? Total opposites."

Edward said nothing, just let her speak.

"She was the cautious one. Always thinking ahead, always reminding me to be careful. Which, of course, meant I had to be the reckless one. Just to balance things out."Bella huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head."But we were still us, you know? We did all the kids' shit, got into all the same kinds of trouble. She just... thought things through first. I never did."

She paused, turning her wine glass slowly between her fingers.

"When… she and my mom died, it changed everything. My world shifted."Her voice didn't waver, but there was weight behind it."Especially my dad. He lost his wife. I lost my mom, and I lost my person. For years, it felt like I couldn't breathe."

This was an interesting period for the Bureau; the man hours and power that this resulted. From the history of all crime organizations, women were off-limit, especially mothers and daughters of the family. I guess the Russians did not abide by that rule; they tried to muscle in on Swan territory, and bombed a Swan-owned nightclub, killing Renee, Charlie Swan's wife, and Anabella, Bella's twin sister.

They underestimated the ruthlessness of the three brothers. The Swans responded with unprecedented brutality. Over the next six months, the city saw a wave of assassinations. Russian associates were found executed; their bodies were dumped in public as a message. The FBI knew the Swans were behind it, but no one dared testify. Witnesses disappeared, evidence was buried, and soon, the Russian syndicate collapsed.

Edward felt something pull in his chest, but he didn't speak. Didn't rush her. He could not even picture not having his brother and his mom by his side.

Bella exhaled again; this time softer. Lighter."But the past two years... I don't know. I feel like I can finally …breathe again."

Edward's gaze flickered downward, noticing the way Bella's fingers toyed with the edge of her napkin, twisting, untwisting, smoothing it out, only to repeat the movement again. A tightened his grip around his water glass, resisting the urge to reach across the table.

She lifted her gaze to his, and for once, there was no teasing in her eyes. Just quiet honesty."It took me a long time to get here. I started painting again. He never says it, of course," Bella added, her voice soft. "but my dad was so relieved when I picked up that brush." She laughed like an inside joke.

"But I think… after we lost them, I became his reason for holding it together. Some days it feels like he's trying to keep me safe by keeping the world out. Even more than he was before with all of us." She continued,

Edward nodded, the moment lingered between them, not uncomfortable, just... there.

Then Bella, ever herself, broke the silence with something unexpected.

"If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?"

Edward blinked, thrown off."What?"

"You heard me," she said, a small smile playing on her lips."Anywhere. No rules, no responsibilities. Just… where would you go?"

Edward let out a breath, shaking his head slightly."That's a dangerous question."

"Why?"

"Because I don't think about things like that."

This was true, in his "real life", he was not one to think much about stuff like that. His life was all about spending time with his family and work. He was one of the best and he found pride in making people feel safer. He could picture his mom right now giving him the speech that he needed to live life and not be consumed by work.

Bella tilted her head, studying him."Never?"

Edward hesitated. He could lie, say he didn't care, give her some half-assed answer. But instead, he leaned back slightly, considering it.

"Maybe a cabin somewhere."He shrugged."Quiet. Peaceful and beautiful scenery."

Bella grinned."That tracks what I know of you so far."

Edward smirked, amused despite himself."Oh yeah? And where would you be?"

"Italy."Bella didn't hesitate."I'd live in a tiny apartment above an art studio and eat pasta every day, help a bunch of nonnas cook, and paint beautiful sunsets."

Edward arched an eyebrow."You say that like you've thought about it before."

"Of course I have."Bella's eyes lit up slightly, a warmth in them that made Edward's chest tighten."I mean, what's the point of all this if you don't have something to look forward to?"

Edward's smirk faded just slightly."And what if you don't get there?"

Bella's lips parted slightly like she wasn't expecting that question. But then she exhaled, resting her chin in her palm.

"Then I make the most of where I am."

Edward's fingers curled around his water glass, his jaw tight.

She said it so easily. Like she hadn't spent years in the aftermath of grief. Like she hadn't been raised by one of the most feared men in the country. Like she hadn't been forced to adapt to a world she never asked for.

She was a dreamer. A creative soul. And he loved it.

Bella must have noticed the shift in his expression because she leaned forward slightly, her voice softer.

"What about you?"

Edward blinked, shaking his head slightly."What about me?"

"What do you look forward to?"

His chest tightened. He could have answered a thousand ways. Could have lied, giving her some smooth, meaningless answer. But he didn't.

Instead, he leaned back, his voice quieter than before.

"I don't." That was the truth.

If you asked him 1-2 years ago, he would say to end this case, now, he does not know. Now, he was looking forward to seeing her.

Bella's smile faltered just slightly, but she didn't look away.

Edward forced a smirk."Told you. Dangerous question."

Bella studied him, her light brown eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then she gave him a small smile, reaching for another piece of bruschetta.

"I don't believe that, "she said simply.

Edward exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

This woman was … perfect.

And that was the problem.

Oh ... it is not done, there is a part 2 of their dinner ! :)