Fanfiction based on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series

Rated M for Mature

For Sale by Owner

By Ninapolitan

~*~

~*~

Prologue

It was unseasonably cold for a late November Seattle night. The temperature plummeted into the
low thirties, bringing in snowy gales along with the frigid weather. That was the first indication
that he should have re-thought his decision to drive the three plus hours to see her. The holiday
shopping traffic nightmare between Port Angeles and the metropolis was another check in the
'stay home' column that he ignored. His mind was made up. Even if it was to stoke the fire of his
masochism. He needed to see her, to speak with her. To let her know how he felt.

Wisps of the blustery snow swirled around Edward's hood covered head, educing a trio of
shivers down his spine. The shadows cast from the streetlamp above acted as a camouflage for
his tall frame as he lurked on the nearly uninhabited street below. His holly green eyes fixated on
the second story brownstone window and the holiday scene that played out before him. Edward's
eyes began to water. A mix of the cold sting from the wind, but more from the vision of what his
life should have been.

Tightly wrapped in the deep red chenille blanket, sat Bella. Ironically, what Edward didn't
know, was that it was a gift from his sister on the couple's last Christmas together. Her petite
body was dwarfed by the high back, black leather arm chair. The crimson throw was tucked
neatly beneath her chin, shielding all but her face, her long chestnut hair and the two thin pale
fingers that twirled the tasseled edges. Even from his lesser vantage point, he knew there was a
fire crackling and sparking in the hearth behind her. The orangey red flames were responsible
for the golden glow highlighting the earthy tone of her hair.

A tuft of steam rose from beside her, a tell-tale sign of the Russian Caravan tea she always
loved. He envisioned the setup with perfect clarity. She called it her snow globe arrangement
and it was best suited for the Olympic winters. The chair was always positioned directly in front
of the window that afforded her with the best view of the powder covered landscape. The
wobbly, skinny antique wooden table resting on top of the old circular wool rug. Grandmother
Swan's demitasse cup with the chipped chintz gold lip and the gaudy pink roses filled with the
steaming golden liquid. A bizarre accompaniment for the expensive tea but the only one she
ever served it in. The furniture setting reminded him of the dollhouses that his sister Alice had
when they were children. No matter where Bella lived, those antique pieces were never arranged
differently.

"It's comforting." she had whispered softly to him when he questioned the strange placement. "I
can lose myself watching the snow."

Memories of their time together kept Edward warm with a false sense of heat, even as the
degrees dropped further. His feet were numb from being sedentary for nearly two hours in the
cold and he needed to move. Wrapping his hand around the lamppost for support, he took his
eyes off of the window for only a moment to roll his neck around to stretch, checking his coat for
the box that lay beneath.

Slowly opening his eyes, the flakes collected on his lashes before he lowered and fixed his gaze
back upon the window. She was still there, huddled toasty warm under the blanket, but a dark
shadow passed behind her, the fireplace giving the large shape a menacing quality. His fists
clenched beneath the thick downy gloves, pain resonating through his fingers from the cold and
the force of the motion.

The large shadowy mass moved towards Bella, causing Edward's breath to catch in panic. "No,"
he gasped, nervous pricks shooting through his body. Was she being attacked? Had someone
broken in as she sat catatonic and he lurked below? None of those scenarios were true, though
what he watched next made him wish someone had attacked him instead. As he stepped closer
to the window, and Bella, his features were revealed. A large hand pulled the blanket up to
cover her shoulder, resting his hand on top. Bending over slightly, he appeared to kiss the the
top of her head. Edward's heart crumbled as her hand dropped the frayed tassels and placed it on
top of his. Her eyes never met his, choosing to remain focused on the falling snow.

Edward took it as his cue to leave.

Chapter One

One-Eyed Jake's was the quintessential collegiate bar buried deep in the heart of Port Angeles.
Located strategically within walking distance of the campus, it was an rarity for it to be
seemingly empty on the weekends. The welcoming aspect of Jake's was the mixed clientele.
Co-eds, geeks, the sporting elite and even the alumni and professors would pop in and mingle.

The proprietors, Jake Black and his partner Leah, were graduates and legacies of Port Angeles
University and dabbled in the art of matchmaking. They were tragically unsuccessful in their
coupling ventures but their 0-152 record didn't deter them at all. So when PAU alum Emmett
Cullen and his family arrived for the semi-private party, Jake and Leah had a gut feeling that
they'd finally get their first win.

Everyone knew of the Cullen family, at least by name, stature and reputation. From the sleepy
town of Forks straight through the booming megalopolis of Seattle, it preceded them wherever
the children went. Not that they had anything to be ashamed of, no well kept skeletons in their
closets or seedy cover-ups of inappropriate behavior. Quite the opposite, actually. Their
illustrious family history was the proverbial golden ticket to the three Cullen children, yet they
were raised to not rely on the name alone and the benefits it brought but to build their own path
through life. And that they did.

The youngest of the Cullen progeny, Edward, had led the most charmed of lives. Blessed
childhood, musically inclined, excellent student with accolades a mile long. All his attributes
garnering him the ability to essentially go anywhere he wanted for his formal education and in
life. He chose instead to stay close to his family. Turning down full scholarships to Dartmouth,
Stanford and other Ivy Leagues, he enrolled at UDub, citing that to the Cullens, family was
everything.

He was at the bar to celebrate his older brother's impending nuptials. Emmett Cullen and Jake
had been stars of the PAU rugby team, fraternity brothers and friends during their college life.
Due to a move to Seattle, the elder Cullen hadn't lost touch with him, but visits to the bar had
become less frequent as they grew up. But, when searching for a proper venue to host his stag
and hag party, he and his bride-to-be Rose insisted they head to Jake's for a bit of a reunion.

Jake's wasn't closed to the general public that night but it was advertised that a private soiree was
being held and therefore much of the establishment would be filled with family members and old
friends. That didn't stop Bella Swan from showing up, though. Celebrating her birthday at
Jake's was something that Bella's friends had planned for months. Jake and Leah being the main
antagonists to get her there specifically on that night, knowing that if they played their cards
right, Bella and Edward would find each other, or get pushed together thanks to two budding
cupids.

Their meeting was, for all intents and purposes, a disaster of epic proportions.

Bella's mouth to brain filter was severely compromised thanks to too many shots of the Jose
Cuervo she was being served by the handsome bartender, Embry. His own aspirations to woo
the Swan girl were severely stifled thanks to her inability to handle liquor. Perched atop leather
stools near the end of the bar, Bella and her dear friend Jessica were enjoying their evening a bit
too much.

Likewise, Edward and his friends and family were at Jake's celebrating his brother's impending
nuptials. Emmett was finally getting married to his kindergarten sweetheart Rose. They met on
the playground when a bulky young Emmett kicked a soccer ball at Rose, hitting her square in
the head. The teaching staff rushed to the young, blonde, pig-tailed Hale girl, convinced they'd
find her in tears, or worse.

Imagine their surprise when the found her pounding her tiny fists into the arms of the eldest
Cullen, her eyelet dress covered in dirt. They each apologized to the other and were inseparable
since that day. Twenty-two years later and they were finally going to be married in a ceremony
that didn't take place next to the monkey-bars at the Forks Elementary school. Edward, his best
man, decided to respect his brother's wishes and forgo the antiquated right of passage of bachelor
parties. Instead of including strippers and the potential for diseases, they opted for hanging out
with their friends and getting sauced.

Women were off limits that night, at least that was the plan. Michael Newton, one of Edward's
college friends, had made the trip to him to attend the wedding as his plus one. Michael had
convinced Edward that bridesmaids were the only date they needed and insisted that he tag along
to help him with the daunting task of entertaining Rose's friends. What Mike didn't count on was
seeing Bella and Jessica when they first walked in and he had been working up the courage to
approach them.

Hours passed as laughter ensued and with the amount of drinks flowing, the call of nature was
quickly upon them. The gentlemen excused themselves as Emmett was trying to do a shot while
hanging upside down – it didn't work. Having their inhibitions greatly diminished thanks to the

heavy libations proved to be a lesson in strategic walking. The young men tried to look in
control, all while failing miserably as Mike tripped and bumped into the women he was
admiring.

"Oh, fuck, I mean fucking shit, no I meant just shit. No! I mean no shit. Ah, damn it, what the
hell," Michael cursed, his face as red as cinnamon schnapps. Mortification flowed through him
like the fiery shots they consumed. Edward just lowered and shook his head, too embarrassed
for his friend to look the women in the eye. The vomitous rambling knocked the unapologetic,
arrogant man down a few pegs when the women laughed riotously at his transgression.

Edward saved his friend by shooting a flirtatious smile and a wink at the object of Mike's
affections. In his haste, dragging him into the bathroom at the end of the bar, he missed seeing
the pretty face of the other brunette hiding behind a curtain of shiny hair.

"What the hell was that?" Edward laughed, slapping Mike on the back of the head, attempting to
snap his friend back into a semi-coherent state.

"Did you see her?" the drunk Newton warbled, swaying slightly from being smacked. Eyes
fixated in awe at the ceiling, the fluorescent lights above made the room spin and dance before
making him even dizzier "She's gorgeous...I think I'm in love," he cried happily, then proceeded
to throw up on the gray linoleum in the men's room, narrowly missing their shoes.

The ever loyal Edward wondered which of the beauties had caught Mike's eye. He hoped it was
the petite girl with the fruity looking concoction and not the one chatting with the bartender with
the great taste in beer. He managed to clean his friend and the floor up without incident. At least
it was mostly without error. When he tried to clean off Mike's face, he may have accidentally
clunked his head off of the edge of the sink. He was certain, in his epic levels of inebriation, that
his friend didn't feel it... much.

As they stumbled, relatively clean and impossibly more intoxicated, out of the bathroom, Edward
grabbed his wobbling friend in an attempt to keep himself vertical, but to the young ladies
watching them from the bar, their linked armed embrace seemed... intimate. Jessica thought they
looked like Banana Republic models, perfectly dressed from head to toe, too attractive for their
own good. She was crushed that they were gay.

"Bells, I think they're you know... together," Jessica whispered sadly, pointing to the handsome
duo as Mike fixed Edward's crooked fedora, squeezing his cheeks and wiggling his face in the
process. "Seriously, who under the age of sixty-five wears a fedora? Unless they're gay?"

Her cautiously optimistic friend disagreed. "I don't think they're together and guys who want to
emulate the Rat Pack wear fedoras" She smiled at the attractive man in the classic black hat
hoping for him to acknowledge her in return. Confirming her observation, Edward walked over
to them dragging a heavily pickled Mike along behind him.
"Act natural," Jess whispered as she quickly fluffed her hair, licked her lips and then adjusted her
chest to rest nearly beneath her chin. "I want the one on the right."

"My right or your right?" Bella asked, confused, facing the bar, keeping her back to the
gentlemen. The liquor swirling in her belly was clearly affecting her mind and sending all
rational thought out of the window. "I like the one on my right, no my left, no...shit. Pay
attention!" Bella turned to greet them after earning a resounding smack on the arm from Jessica
for not playing along.

"Can we buy you ladies a round of drinks?" the darker haired one that Bella had been admiring
asked hopefully, the brim of the black hat tipping over his eyes. With his long, slender index
finger, he pushed it up slowly, revealing a wide grin as he leaned towards them. Lifting her hand
gently from her lap, he kissed her soft hand, smiling as the scarlet from her sweater spread across
her cheeks.

"I'm Edward. And you are?"

Minutes passed, allowing Bella to study his features, memorizing the flurry of freckles across his
nose, the tiny silvery scar above his left eye and the shock of emotion swimming in his eyes. A
sharp kick to her shin along with a trio of snickers alerted Bella to her staggeringly poor
manners. "I've been drinking," she said, her lame apology making her cringe. "I mean, it's my
birthday and I've been drooling shots and drinking over you." The faux pas continuing to
tumble out, furthering her embarrassment.

"Well, it seems we have something in common," Edward mused, squeezing her hand in support.

"I've been drool drinking too." Bella laughed at his ability to put her at ease. The light-hearted
banter they shared quickly dissipated from the room as he slowly brushed his lips against her
hand, causing her to become very uncomfortable in the seat.

"Do you guys need some space?" Jessica giggled at the pair who had seemingly forgotten their
surrounding guests.

"More like a flat surface, high five!" Mike drunkenly snorted, holding his swaying hand in the air
for Jessica to slap. Rolling her eyes at him, her palm met his with a crack, but Mike wanted to
channel some of Edward's suave moves. He tried to be as debonair as his friend and kissed
Jess's hand affectionately, but instead left a sloppy snail like trail of spittle over her knuckles.

"Dude," Mike's friend chided and handed Jess a cocktail napkin.

"S-sorry," he lamely apologized to a smiling and obviously easily impressed Jessica.

"Nobody has ever done that for me before," she sighed, gripping the sides of his face and pulling
him into a scorching, and sloppy, kiss.

"Okay," Bella sang, watching her friend wrap her jean clad legs around the stumbling Mike. His
bearings returned quickly and with two large hands he righted himself as they continued to give
their friends a nearly pornographic show.

"Want to get out of here?" Bella asked, flushed from being at such a close proximity to the live
show next to them.

"God, yes," Edward groaned, equally exasperated.

With that, they linked hands and ran for the front door, waving to their confused friends and
family as they greeted the frosty air.

Chapter Two

The abysmal housing market in Washington had finally appeared to be making a comeback and
for as much as it pained him, Edward Cullen’s decision was set. The modest home they never
got to share would be put up for sale. The picket fence he never got to paint would remain
weathered and worn, a chore for the next couple to tackle. The tattered and warped shutters
would remain sullen gray and unhinged until a happy couple moved in.

"They'll probably be newlyweds," he huffed, unlocking the large oak door with the shiny silver
key, the brass hinges moaning in protest as the hardly used front entrance edged open. The bright
sunlight filtered in from behind him, illuminating the darkened house as he stepped inside.

Edward loved the old brick red house on first sight and was hopeful that Bella would as well.
Settled far enough back from the road, he envisioned their children playing in the front yard,
chasing the dog and playing with the hose while he cut the grass and she baked them cookies.
Antiquated and nostalgic images filtered through his mind. The Better Homes and Gardens
lifestyle was not something that Bella ever wanted.

Bella knew that her surroundings affected her moods, probably more so than others. She
explained to Edward early on in their relationship that it was her mother and her flighty
sensibilities that shaped her into the woman that he met. Every detail in her apartment was
nearly permanent in its arrangement; the colors, pictures and even the tiniest of details enhanced
her life.

Edward allowed himself to momentarily give into a memory of when they met. How she had
reacted to seeing her friends giving in to their mutual desire for the other. The invisible fist
tightened around Edward's heart as his mind drifted back to that night. The fogged up windows
in his car, her wispy panted breaths as she came.

It wasn't perfect, it wasn't romantic, but it was them.

Smiling sadly at the memory of their passionate night together, Edward wondered what
happened with Jake, Leah and their bar, having lost contact with him when Bella left. He knew
that he and Leah split and that he sold the bar, but anything after that was a mystery. It was the
nature of a breakup. Friends and family being forced to choose sides and only remaining close
with one of the pair.

As Edward crossed the threshold into the front room, his hand reached out into the stream of
light to his left. Pale fingers danced in the warmth, catching the dust particles that floated
aimlessly in the sunlight. A dark chuckle escaped him, sending the flecks scattering throughout
the air.

He laughed at the level of jealousy that flowed through him over the dust. Who was jealous of
dust? Edward was. Simply because it was free. Edward always felt like he was missing
something. Sure he had a happy life, a wonderful supportive family and a job he adored but there
was something amiss. That one piece to complete the whole. With Bella came a new light, he
felt full in a way that he never had before.

Though when she left she took that light with her, leaving him an empty shell. With the light
extinguished, it drained him of that optimism of being finally complete. Even returning to his
previous life, the three quarter full existence he had wasn't possible, the luster was gone. His
once content and happy life had become empty.

Each step into the house brought more memories, more heartache and more signals that he had
neglected what he bought for her. Faded and filthy, the large red bow mocked him as it sat next
to the door crumpled in a ball.

Their house.

Blankets of dust covered the woodwork, two years thick. His finger traced a wobbly line into
tufts of dirt that rested along the wood panels of the walls. It was the first sign of life that the
house had seen since he locked the door behind him the day she walked out of his life.

All the boxes he and his family brought over that day remained stacked, unmoved and nearly
forgotten. She left town with a lofty explanation and a brief apology, leaving behind everything
that they built in their years together. His parents and sister boxed it all away, protecting him
from the misery that would be inflicted upon him had he needed to do it himself.

Now, with the possible sale of the house, it would all need to be sorted, revisited and dealt with.
Once and for all. Their memories would be either discarded or sent to her, not that she’d want
them. Not that he even knew where she was. He tried to find her. His sister Alice tried as well,
but to no avail. Within hours, any trail of her vanished, all roads leading to dead ends. Edward

knew deep in the recesses of his heart that he’d never discard any of her belongings. He’d
continue to move the boxes with him wherever he went to remind himself that because he
couldn’t change, she left.

Edward harbored feelings for his lost love since the day she walked away from him, leaving him
downtrodden and broken. He should have known that it wouldn’t last, they were too different.
His focus was his family, friends and his life in Forks. She didn't have any family left, save for
Jake, and children weren't in her future path.

The writing career he built for himself was perfectly suited for the dreary, rain soaked Olympic
town. She, on the other hand, possessed sheer determination, motivation and passion in her
unfailing need to get the hell out of Dodge. The hustle and bustle of the city was what she
craved, while he craved only her.

Edward was content writing for the Port Angeles Ledger and doing the national pieces he sold to
magazines. Bella pushed him to submit his work to more periodicals, the major ones that would
bring him notoriety, but he didn't need that. Bella felt that she was too driven for Forks or Port
Angeles. After she and Jess graduated, her friend landed a high paying, ladder climbing job in
Seattle, where the energy poured down like the rain in the Olympic towns.

Coincidentally, Bella got the call from her friend to join her when she was with his sister, having
their annual day for Christmas shopping. During lunch, Alice recognized a serious overcast
looming over the table after her brother's love spoke with Jessica. What Alice didn't know was
how that bit of information would affect her brother's holiday.

The young Mr. Cullen couldn’t bear to spend another Christmas with the albatross of a house she
never saw. Even though she had no memories of the rooms, each one he managed to finish
reflected subtle nuances of her. From the deep russet colored dining room walls, the colors
pulled from the highlights in her hair, to the gold flecked sconces that adorned the walls,
mirroring the hues of her eyes. Each room, each piece of furniture, each painting, all of it he
bought, orchestrating it all just for her. He painstakingly painted and decorated the rooms for the
weeks leading up to that fateful Christmas. Now, darkened in their dusty state, it all just
remained as a painful reminder of the woman who walked away and how he wasn’t enough to
keep her.

Phoning the Forks Realtor was going to be a chore. A call that Edward didn’t necessarily want
to make, knowing that Heidi Dellacava and her insistent eternal optimism would be the realtor.
‘For Sale by Owner’ wasn't something he knew he could follow through with. Heidi was an old
friend, albeit a silver lining kind of girl. She was one of the few people, aside from his
immediate family, that recognized this Edward as a shell of who he once was. So he made the
call to the woman who sold him the house.

"Heidi, it's time," his cold, dead tone the typical intonation of his voice since she'd left.

Chapter Three

After nearly three years together, Bella thought she knew just about everything there was to
know about Edward Cullen. Her problem was not what she didn't know, but what she did, and
she hated herself every day because of it. Marriage, children, a home with a yard and growing
old together was what she saw in his eyes when they talked about their future. She knew that
level of happiness wasn't meant for a person like her. Just as her parents' marriage had become a
ticking time bomb filled with loathing and depression, any future she dared to hope for would
suffer the same fate.

Having that knowledge - that foresight that it would end in misery - didn't stop her from trying to
hold onto him, though. Selfish to the core, she loved him fiercely and passionately, hoping that
her mind and it's unyielding negativity would listen to her heart and it's unstoppable purity. It
seemed though that fate was consistently against them, at least it felt that way to her.

After two years of them dating, Edward wanted them to move in together, to his apartment. His
plea was that they were together all the time, he wanted them to have a merged space. She knew
he'd been thinking of it for

a while, she noted the subtle changes to his apartment every night

when she got there. He was making space for her as a permanent fixture in his life. The empty
spaces on the mantel for her pictures to be mixed in with his. Suddenly deciding that the guest
bedroom closet needed to house his out-of-season clothes seemed normal at the time.
Conveniently, it left half of the master bedroom's walk-in closet empty for her things.

Edward's apartment was the larger of the two, it was newer and with modern amenities. It also
happened to have a significantly shorter commute to the four-star restaurant that she managed.
As with everything in their relationship, Bella's heart jumped in with two feet, ready to take the
next step. Falling asleep wrapped together and waking up giving into the passionate dreams they
shared. Him being at home waiting for her with her tea when she got done with work, exhausted
and worn out from a hectic day. Something silly like their shoes lined up together in the closet
put a beaming smile on her face.

Until her toxic cynicism reared it's ugly head whenever she let herself be happy. Doubt
destroyed the idyllic image of them curled up in front of his fireplace. Even the rose colored
dream she had where she was holding their baby - something she was always adamantly opposed
to in fear of putting their child through a broken home. Replacing those happy thoughts with the
notion that he wanted to change her, by asking her to move into his apartment instead of vice
versa. It was the first step, her mind argued. Giving up her freedom would only be the start.

Would he expect her to come home from a restaurant and make dinner? What about the general
maintenance of the apartment? Caring and being responsible for only one person was daunting
enough on her, but to add another into the mix? A man who always had everything done for him
by an overprotective mother, no less, would be a nightmare. Memories of Renee forgetting to
pay their bills and Bella writing out checks at twelve years old filtered into her mind. Infidelity
by her father impressed upon her that happy endings were only found in the pages of fairy tales.

The painful reminders were at the forefront of her mind; that she too would just repeat the cycle
that started with her own parents.

When he finally presented her with the culmination and realization of her fears, her response
unknowingly set the course for the end of their relationship.

"What is this?" Bella asked, holding the velvet box wrapped in the red bow in her trembling
hands. Surprising her with his attempt at a home-cooked dinner, his mannerisms were tense at
best. Curt responses had her on edge, fearing the worst without having any solid reason to.

Edward smiled lovingly at her, putting her only slightly at ease. "Just open it."

Pushing off the lid, her eyes were on auto pilot, closed in fear. "It's not a ring, Bella," he
whispered sadly, his tone slicing yet another hole in her heart.

Tucked inside the box, settled on a pillow of white satin, sat a key. A simple, shiny, silver gift
from his heart that conveyed hope for a life together. Her fingers ghosted over the tiny present
as it quickly became covered in salty drops.

"I-I can't," she whimpered, afraid to see the hurt and sadness on his handsome face.

Blaming her non-existent old fashioned sensibilities, she thought saying that she wanted
marriage first would let him down easy. Explaining that they weren't ready for that step, he
agree - though heartbroken- that maybe she was right. A house and a wedding should be first
since he was always an all or nothing man.

What Bella didn't realize was that her love wasn't deterred, but instead inspired to give her just
that. The surprise, which in general she had always hated, would be the crack that finally
crumbled the foundation of their relationship.

After the rejected request to move in, the following months were very telling for Bella. Little by
little, shady behavior and inconsistencies started to seep into her life. As if to compound her
already prominent doubt over the possibility of their mutual happiness, she noticed subtle
changes in Edward. Secretive, odd, hushed phone calls would interrupt their dinner. There were
weekly hangups on the answering machine in his apartment. Glaring oddities weighed heavily on
her mind and she was convinced that something brutal to her heart was afoot.

"He's screwing around on you, open your eyes," Jessica warned over coffee one afternoon.
Never being one to enjoy the novelty of love, Jess went through men like water. After years of
using Mike with no hope of settling down, she finally broke up with him to focus on her career
and her restaurant.

"No, not Edward," Bella countered emphatically. "He'd never-," she paused, her lips trembling
at the possibility that he was. Taking a deep breath she continued, her heart winning this fight
with her unrelenting mind. "No, he loves me too much."

And that was the problem.

He loved her too much.

"If you say so. I still want you to come to Seattle, though. Leave this podunk town and spread
your wings." Jessica offered her friend the one thing she knew she'd never get in the small town
of Port Angeles.

An exciting future.

Chapter Four

In the end, no matter how hard she tried convincing herself that maybe she did deserve a man
like Edward Cullen, her brain finally won out. Bella took the job.

In Seattle.

Away from Edward.

Rationalizing her decision - finally convincing herself that he was better off without her - was the
only way she could go through with breaking both his heart and her own. Her heart argued that
with her gone, he would find a woman that would give him all the things he wanted in life. A
successful and loving marriage with a wife without issues. The big country style house with the
yard and the giant hairy beast of a dog he always dreamed of having for their kids to play with.
A woman to grow old with and die loving with all of his heart.

That was what her leaving would allow him.

Her mind, on the other hand, took the selfish route once again. Seattle was what was best for
Bella. All the years spent in college earning her undergrad and then her MBA would finally be
put to use. Running a successful business would keep her too busy to be hurt by a relationship.
She would be fine on her own, a solitary life for her would mean happiness for Edward.

That made her decision worth it.

It was all for him.

The timing was what was currently consuming her thoughts. There never seemed to be a good
time for the miserable conversation to take place. Negotiations with his new agent meant he
came home late many nights. Her busy schedule running between her current restaurant and
Jessica's in Seattle bogged down her weekends.

As Christmas approached so did her January start date and she had yet to find a suitable
townhouse to call home. Or more importantly, tell her boyfriend that she was leaving him.

Her old friend Jake had phoned her out of the blue, extending an offer to help her search for a
house. When questioning him as to how he knew of her impending move, she got an ear full.
Not only had Jess told him about the job offer she extended to Bella, but also how she was
leaving Edward behind. Having moved to Seattle himself a few years prior, he knew of up and
coming neighborhoods for her to check out. Bella learned that after a brief split with Leah and
selling the bar, Jake had become depressed. Leah, who had always been a bit of a handful, had
become excessively emotional and irritable and nothing he did helped.

One morning, he woke up to a note saying that she decided to move back to the reservation
where her family was. That while she loved him, it wasn't enough. Papers from an attorney
were there, signing over her part of the bar, but in the end, without her with him, he sold it.

"Twenty-nine days after I woke up alone, I saw her walking into the diner back in Forks," Jake
explained one night while they were house hunting. "She looked...different, sad and lonely - but
beautiful and glowing. I sat in my truck waiting for her to reappear and when she did Bella, I-,"
He stopped mid stride on the cold sidewalk to turn to an anxious Bella.

"She was pregnant," he smiled, bright and ecstatic. "With the bar and not being married she got
spooked at how I'd react. Bella, it killed me to think that she assumed the business meant more
to me than she was. That they wouldn't be more important." Jake finished and his story filled
her heart with a level of unending sadness that she found herself unable to breathe.

Seeing a bleak and gray tinged future of Edward settling for a life he didn't want, then resenting
her, sent a panicked sense of urgency through Bella. The sooner she ended it the sooner he'd be
able to move on.

Move on and find someone else.

Bella's small frame lurched away from Jake, just in time to stain the snow covered sidewalk
outside the townhouse she would soon rent.

"Are you sure this is what's best?" Jake asked her, leveled in grief that the relationship he and his
wife were sure would work out broke down before him.

"He deserves a better life-," she cried, slumping over again in heaves.

"I know what you're saying," he reasoned, but was met with cold, dead and determined eyes.

"It's done, I'm done. We're done." The mask and wall went up simultaneously, protecting her the
only way she knew how. "I am happy for you Jake and I can't wait to see Leah and your son."

During the long trip back to Port Angeles, Bella thought up scenarios that would best serve her
purpose. A flurry of inappropriate ideas paraded through her mind, none being suitable for
getting the job done.

Knowing Edward, he'd fight for her, see through her lies and the weak facade she would exhibit.
Breaking his heart on Christmas, his favorite time of year, was her decision. The heartless act
was necessary, at least in Bella's mind, for what she felt was best for him.

Two days before Christmas, Bella's nerves reached an all time high. Lying to Edward would
destroy the soul she convinced herself she didn't have but she knew what she had to do to allow
him to be happy. Worried about her, Edward suggested she take time off from work since the
'stress' she was under was making her sick. He had become so concerned for her that he
reconsidered his grand plans for the holiday, not wanting to add to the stress she was already
feeling. His parents were called as a precaution in case they decided to stay home instead of
making the trip to his family home in Forks.

"The holidays are about happiness Bella." He smiled, and hugged her, hoping to reassure her that
everything was okay. All he accomplished was to deepen the hurt and guilt that wracked her
body. "I hate seeing you so sad, is there anything I can do?"

"I've got to step out for a bit," she responded tersely, pushing him away and pulling on her coat.
"I forgot a last minute gift, I'll be back soon." The door to his apartment slammed shut before he
could stop her.

Her sudden departure worried Edward, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. He'd been doing
that with most of her odd behavior lately. Christmas at the restaurant always put Bella under
added pressure. He chocked it up to that.

They were in love with no sign of unhappiness, at least not to Edward. The clandestine work
surrounding his purchase of their house had Edward preoccupied. Once it was in the final
closing stages, Heidi had given him the key to begin work on it. The first room tackled was the
front room with the fireplace, knowing it would be her favorite. His plan for Christmas was the
proposal and then the presentation of their future together.

Both wrapped in matching big red bows.

Emmett helped him secure the giant velvet ribbon to the house just that morning. "Eddie, it
looks like crime scene tape, like CSI Santa Edition," his brother teased, fastening it to the brick
red outer wall with a large tack. His brother didn't realize at the time his innocent remark would
come true.

The holiday dinner at his parents’ house was a grand occasion and fitting for his romantic plans.
Edward had prepared his entire family for the big news and the impending celebration. He was
positive she'd say yes and that they'd be able to start their new life together in the home he
bought them. Alice suggested several exciting proposal ideas but none of them suited Edward.

Just like that night when they first met, he donned his silly black fedora and would kiss her hand
and ask for forever.

They arrived that ill fated night, snow covered and shivering. Bundles of beautifully wrapped
packages filled their arms, the one she found last minute at the antique store tucked securely in
her coat. As they traversed over the slick walkway leading up to the Cullen home, they enjoyed
the beautiful landscape around them. The surrounding woods were filled with evergreen tress
that were dusted in snow. Bella paused momentarily just to enjoy the wispy flakes of snow that
fell and she let out the last laugh she knew she'd share with Edward.

"What's so funny,?" Edward asked with a smile, setting down the gifts on a snow-free patch of
stone. Lifting her off the ground and into hug, he kissed each of her rosy cheeks before gently
placing her back down. He contemplated proposing then, but he promised his family they'd be a
part of it.

"It's like we're in a snowglobe Edward, I just... I wish we could stay frozen here," Bella admitted
sadly, knowing full well that their time was nearly up.

"We will freeze if we stay out here, come on I have a surprise for you." He took her hand and
scooped up the packages before ringing the doorbell.

The Cullens, in all their glory, stood tall and proud in the grand foyer of their home, the ornately
decorated tree providing the magical backdrop for his surprise and the worst possible sight for
Bella.

It couldn't wait.

The night would just drag out the hope for him and she couldn't bear to bring him any more pain
that what she would already be causing.

Kissing and hugging each member of the family, she took her time expressing to them how much
she honestly did love them.

"I just need a minute alone with Edward, if that's okay?" Bella said, squeezing his mother's hand
as they nodded and slowly walked away. Their worried expressions were seen loud and clear by
Bella and she would deserve every drop of hate they had for her.

Edward was oblivious to her plight. He was too focused on the snow crystals that were slowly
melting into her hair, their fading reflecting the lights from the tree beside her. He couldn't wait
any longer.

The family was still within earshot of the foyer and he knew they were waiting patiently for the
big question. Not waiting for her to turn around, he stripped off his coat and took position on
one knee, settling uncomfortably in the sloshy mess left from his boots. Nothing could dampen
his spirit though as he pulled the box from his pocket.

Waiting until she thought they were alone, Bella wiped the tears away with her glove covered
hands. Fighting to keep her voice even, she didn't turn to face him. She knew if she saw him that
she wouldn't be able to follow through with her plans. Focusing on the way her hands twisted
together, warming the velvet of the gloves, she channeled every awful memory she had of the
failed love in her life.

"I'm leaving," her voice broke just after the first two words, but it would take much more than
that to drive them apart. "I've taken another job and I'm leaving tonight. I-I know it's
unexpected but it's what I need to do for me."

Bella felt sick that he wasn't speaking. In fact, there weren't any noises coming from behind her
at all. His wordless state made it easier for her to continue unbidden. "I thought I could do this
but, but I can't. I've lost too much of myself and I need to find my way. I'm sorry." Finally
breaking down, she knew that it was time to leave. Jake had agreed to pick her up and she'd just
have to walk into town to meet him earlier than expected.

"This is for you," she sobbed, pulling his box and an envelope from her pocket and resting them
both on the floor with the rest of the gifts. "Take care of yourself, Edward." With that, she
moved around, keeping her back to him until she reached the door.

Never turning to see his hand extended with the sparkling diamond ring that was wrapped around
the key to their new house.

Closing the front door behind her, she could hear the family rushing to his side and she knew
he'd be okay and better off without her.

Chapter Five

Edward's mother Esme had thrown herself next to her son, enveloping his large body into her
arms. The ring stayed elevated, as he remained unmoving, in shock from the worst turn of
events he could have ever fathomed. There were no tears, save for the ones falling from the eyes
of his entire family as they stood speechless next to the tree.

"Did she say yes?" Edward asked, confused. Shaking his head, hoping to clear it, the only
women in his line of sight were his mother, sister and Rose. Bella wasn't there.

"Did she say yes!" He wailed, snapping the lid closed on the ring, afraid to see that the ring was
still tucked away inside.

"Sweetheart, we're so sor-."

"No!" Edward threw the ring box forcefully against the wall next, sending the diamond and key
flying out towards the presents. "I have to. It's okay. She's just. Merry Christmas."

He slipped from beneath his mother's arms despite her protest to hold on tighter. Carlisle, his
father, had to extricate his bawling wife from their son, her need to protect him strong even at his

age. Once she was cradled in the arms of his father, Edward stood up, straightened his gray
sweater and stormed out the front door sans any outerwear.

Rose and Emmett, in their urgency to determine what the hell had just happened, had managed to
reach Bella on her cell phone only to have her break down, leaving them unable to understand
her. Emmett and his very pregnant wife left through the back door to find her and bring her back
to the Cullen house so that everything could work out.

Alice stayed with Esme while Carlisle took off after their Edward. Alice plucked the ring from
the floor and nestled it back onto the white satin pillow inside the velvet box. Sliding down the
wall, finally taking rest on the floor, she spied the envelope labeled, "Cullen Family" in Bella's
hideous script. Deeming herself the only family member at the moment not destroyed, she
slipped her finger beneath the lip of the envelope, slicing her finger in the process.

The envelope now spotted with small red drops as she lifted the ivory paper and gasped at the
contents of the letter.

"She's not coming back," she told her mother who continued to cry, huddled in the corner next to
the tree. Alice scanned the letter quickly before reciting it to her mother. "There was a job offer
in Seattle and she took it. No contact is to be made by anyone, she wants him - us - to pretend
like she never existed. She said she was sorry she didn't end it sooner but she was selfish." Alice
stopped to reach out to her mother in support for them both. "He is to stay here until she can get
everything of hers out of his apartment and she'll be gone tomorrow for good."

As his sister finished, a semi-frozen Edward was pushed back through the front door by his
father. His large, lanky frame was shaking uncontrollably from the pain of his loss and the frigid
temperature outside. "Esme, he needs a shower and something warm to eat and drink," Carlisle
instructed as he moved his son's body towards the stairs.

Emmett and Rose stepped inside a few minutes later, his blue eyes glistening with tears while
she was seething with rage. "That bitch!" she spat, uncaring who heard her. "She wouldn't even
listen to us." Her tall figure wobbled from her swollen belly.

"Please, Rose. It's all in the letter," Rose mocked Bella's pleading whine before sitting down
next to her husband by the fire, her tired feet resting on his lap as he cried.

Alice handed her the note Bella left, before squeezing her brother's hand and handing him a few
tissues. The family could hear Carlisle shuffling his son around upstairs, navigating a broken
Edward to and from the shower stall.

"What are we going to do?" Rose asked, the question floating thickly unanswered in the air.

"We honor her wishes for the sake of our brother," Alice answered, sickened that she would
respect anything that Bella wanted.

Soft steps echoed through the silence as their father descended the stairs. "He's in his room," he

stated, broken and distressed. "I can't bear to see him like this Esme, I just can't."

Alice, ever determined, blew into the foyer, tossing gifts around until she found what she
purchased for Bella and the home and future she walked away from. "I'll be back," she snapped,
not bothering to close the door behind her.

She caught up to Bella at Edward's apartment, boxes already filling the quiet hallway.
Surprisingly, she looked like jagged shit, but Alice couldn't be bothered to care. Alice tossed the
gift onto the pile before giving Bella one last piece of your mind.

"I hope you're proud of yourself!" she yelled, not realizing that Bella had company helping her
with the move. "Killing him would have been more humane," she cried, finally giving into the
severity of what happened to her brother.

Bella never responded, instead choosing to curl up on the floor in front of his desk with her arms
over her head as she cried. Jake entered the living area coming from the bedroom carrying a box
of her clothes.

"We're almost done," he informed a very stunned Alice. Before she did anything that she would
regret - like double homicide - she wiped her eyes and walked away, hoping that she would
never see either of them again.

Christmas that year was obviously canceled. Carlisle and Esme stayed up with their daughter
stripping the house of anything that would remind their son of the holiday. He woke the next
morning puffy, pale and weak. Tears fell from his bloodshot eyes as the memories of the
previous night flooded back, sending him to his knees in the foyer. The only remaining signs of
Christmas were the presents tucked away in the corner, covered with a black chenille throw.

"You didn't have to get rid of the tree...." He grumbled, his voice gravely from crying and lack of
sleep.

"Son, I've made you some breakfast and fresh coffee," Esme offered, pulling him into a hug.

"Has she called?"

"No, sweetheart. Alice saw her-," Carlisle started, but was cut off when Emmett and Rosalie
waddled in.

"I saw her at your apartment last night," Alice continued for her father. "She moved everything
out and said she'd be gone to Seattle today. I went to her place this morning and it's cleaned out.
Nothing's left, Edward."

"Is my car still here?" He asked, looking down at his clothing. He winced at how awful he must
have appeared. "Are there clothes I can borrow? Dad?"

"Edward, she said-."

"I don't care what she said!" He shouted, slamming his hand down on the marble counter, blood
pooled into drops on his knuckles from the impact. Apologizing for his outburst, he paced the
slate floor in between the protective bodies of his family. Each of them hesitant to reach out to
him fearing he didn't want the comfort. "I need to go… to at least try."

Alice knew that he would go to Seattle, beg and plead for her to reconsider and end up only
embarrassing himself, especially if she had already moved on with Jake. Pushing the envelope
Bella left for the family across the table, he snatched up and tore the letter out to read.

"What is this shit? No contact? Forget she existed? What about the fucking house I bought for
her, or the ring, or our fucking life together? How does she recommend I forget about that?"

"Come on Edward, let's get you back to bed, son," Carlisle calmly interjected, hoping that he'd
consider resting without him needing to sedate him.

"I-I can't do this. How am I supposed to do this without her?"

Chapter Six

Sitting on the oak floor in the front room, Edward leaned against his palms, legs outstretched,
ankles crossed and just stared at the stack of boxes that were waiting to be sorted. His family
offered to help with the daunting task but he knew for closure, he needed to do this himself.

What they didn't know was that he wasn't just clearing out the boxes, but selling the house as
well. They assumed he'd someday want to move and live in the home he bought. Their hope
was that he'd find someone else, like she wanted, and have the wife, family and life that he
dreamed of.

That was never going to happen. He couldn't bear to even step foot in the house until he
absolutely had to. Even now, knowing that the end was on the horizon, he still felt like he was
dipped in cement and plummeting to the bottom of the Sound. Every ounce of him changed in
the time since she left him. The house was the last painful reminder that in two years he had
heard nothing from or about Bella.

It wasn't for lack of trying on his part.

He was stonewalled everywhere he went for information on her. Calling restaurants asking for
Bella Swan didn't help. He hadn't been aware that she went by Izzy Dwyer now, mainly to keep
him from finding her. His family insisted they hadn't seen nor heard from her since that awful
night, and he had no reason not to believe them. Finally, he gave up asking, knowing that they'd
tell him if they knew.

Which was why his sister was currently in a state of duress.

Alice had only recently discovered her whereabouts and warred with herself about coming
clean. He was just starting to heal – or so she thought - did she want to be the one responsible
for opening up those old wounds again?

Jasper, Alice's new fiancee, was the reason she even knew where Bella worked. Being a food
critic, he had dinner at Jess's restaurant and met them both that night. Having been so impressed
with the food, he suggested that the Cullen family take the trip to Seattle to dine at the newly
appointed four-star restaurant. His goal was for them to enjoy it so much that they'd do the
catering for the wedding.

Alice quickly put the kibosh to that.

Instead, she confided in her family, just two days ago, that she was at a loss for what to do with
this new found information. Edward's parents were as torn as their daughter was over the
dilemma, but it was Rose who chimed in with her differing opinion.

"Tell him where she is. If you don't, I will." She stated simply, no cursing, no fanfare. Just Rose
being honest, until her husband disagreed with her.

"Rose, what good will it do him to see her now?" Emmett asked, wondering and worrying what
this new development would do to his brother.

"It gives him the chance to show her that he's fine, that's what." Rose snapped, wishing that her
brother-in-law was, in fact, truly fine. Even after two years, he wasn't the same. He was still
lost, lonely and sad that he wasn't enough for her.

"But you know that's not true. Zombies have more life in them than he does." Jasper responded,
hoping that he didn't just offend his almost family. "I think he should know where she is, it gives
him options. If he wants to seek her out, he can. Or he can continue to live - or exist - or
whatever it is he's doing now."

"Jasper's right, I have to tell him." Alice spoke quickly, tossing her coat over her arm before
kissing each member of her family goodbye. "I'll do it after Thanksgiving, I don't want to sully
another holiday for him."

With the turkey holiday tomorrow, Edward knew he had to tread carefully on the memories.
Treating them like a hornets nest, he didn't want to dredge everything up and then be unable to
spend another festive occasion with his family in a coma-like state.

Rolling onto his knees, Edward crawled over to the pile, lifting the first dust covered box off,
setting it on the ground beside him. Alice, Esme and Rose had labeled the boxes for him after
she left. In only a week they managed to erase all traces of Bella from his life. Everything was
removed – from undeveloped rolls of film, a misplaced mitten found in the closet, straight
through to the whisk she bought from Pampered Chef. Nothing was left. They accomplished
everything she asked them too. In the process, the just hoped that it would help him.

It was what

she wanted for him.

To pretend like she never existed.

Inside the first box were CD's and movies that she had left at the apartment in her haste to get the
hell out of town. "How could she have left these?" Edward sighed, remembering how passionate
she was about her holiday music. Never understanding the appeal of the classics, he attempted to
listen to Sinatra and Martin, but chose to tease her unrelentingly about her old-fashioned tastes.

"I just don't get why you love these old tunes." He laughed, ejecting the CD.

"But the fedora?" She smiled, fondly remembering the hat from that first night. "It's a Rat Pack
staple."

"Baby... I just look good in the hat."

With a heavy heart Edward continued. Some boxes held her clothes, the scent smothered from
years of sitting in a box. A few contained more strange kitchen gadgets that she insisted he
needed at his apartment, too. He laughed briefly at the memory of her buying him an egg timer,
just days after he told her he was repulsed by any type of egg unless it was used to create
something else. She said it didn't matter, that every kitchen needed an egg timer.

Tossing it back into the box, covering it with her tortoise and the hare oven mitts, he moved on
to the next one. Unearthing memory after memory, he waited for the pain to seize up in his
chest, or to break down and cry, but the tears never came. Instead, he sat and fondly
remembered all the history they shared when they were happy.

Thinking about her smile when he made her the cheesecake recipe she found of her Grandmother
Swan's or how he had ordered that special stupid tea that she loved to just sit and sip. Each of
those acts he did out of pure and honest love. Nothing she had done to him would take away
how happy he knew they were.

The last box on the floor was oddly light in comparison to the others, and Edward assumed

it

was empty. Sorting the rest of the containers into Goodwill and storage piles, Edward broke
down all the cardboard, stacking it on the back porch to be recycled later. Picking up the last
one, something shifted inside, sending a quiet thud resonating off of the walls in the quiet room.

"Huh," he spoke to himself, opening the lid and peering inside.

Sitting in the center of the box lay a gift. Not just any gift, but a Christmas wrapped present. He
recognized the paper immediately, having been the one to purchase it for her gifts. That's the
memory that pricked at this heart, sending waves of sadness through him.

It was a small rectangular package, red holly berries splattered across paper and a bright green
satin bow perfectly tied around it.

Staring at it, he was afraid to touch it.

If the years had been so unkind to the house, how would the contents of the box have fared? His
fear was that it would disintegrate, taking whatever it held between it's wrapping with it. Edward
carefully set the cardboard box down before slowly removing the gift. Once it was resting in his
hands, he didn't know what to do with it.

Did he open it, simultaneously pulling his thumb from the dam? Or did he leave it untouched,
further cementing the stone around his heart.

He opened it.

Chapter Seven

Edward was expecting to find something cruel to solidify his theory that their last Christmas
together was a lesson in planned restraint. He often harbored those thoughts, that she in fact had
manipulated everything in order to humiliate him in front of his family.

Maybe she was just a bored woman who got off on emasculating potential fiancees for shits and
giggles. Edward wanted nothing more than for any situation to present Bella in a bad light, but
he knew in his heart it wouldn't happen.

He would always love her, of that he was positive.

Biting the proverbial bullet, Edward slowly unwrapped the gift, revealing a very old frame. It
was a beautiful piece of silver, swirled with tiny crystals embedded into the design. It was the
picture displayed inside he focused on through his tears. Another reminder that they were happy,
that she did love him.

The day was a Sunday and they had ventured back to Forks for a visit to his parents' house. His
SUV had unfortunately been gifted with a flat tire mid journey back to their house. After
partaking in the manly art of changing the tire, Edward found Bella in the passenger seat

flipping through his digital camera.

"Anything seedy on here, Mr. Cullen?" She laughed, tapping the camera. She knew full well
what photos the camera contained.

"Mmmm, yes, my dear. Very seedy." He answered, kissing her chastely as a tease.

"Oh, really? Care to scroll through them and give me a peek?" She leaned over further to

deepen the kiss.

"Bella, unless you'd like me to take you in the backseat of this car, you'd better stop," he warned
with a smile, already having unbuckled both their seat belts in preparation for their highway
tryst.

"Consider it an homage to our first date," she teased, unbuttoning his jeans, "Well, our first time,
at least." Her slender body slid over the console to lay across the backseat. A come hither finger
was all he needed to join her. They laughed when he clunked his head on the ceiling light but
the humor quickly subsided, giving way to their love instead.

Curled together, wrapped haphazardly in their clothes, they lay sated on the cold leather, not
caring about the weather. Or the off chance they'd get in trouble for their current position. With
her tucked into his side, her head resting on his bare chest, he scrolled through the pictures,
laughing at the memories.

"Take one now," she asked, kissing the chilly skin of his stomach.

"Not with you down near there I won't. With my luck, Grandpa Cullen would see the picture," he
laughed, leaning over to kiss her hair.

Pulling herself up, she rested her chin on his shoulder, burying her face into the crook, her lips
on his neck. He tightened the coat around them when she shivered. With his arm extended out
in front of them, he snapped the picture, unsure how it came out.

More tears fell as Edward ran his finger lightly over the photo. Their eyes were closed, her lips
fastened gently to the tender skin of his next, with his on her forehead. They just looked happy.

And in love.

Edward remembered how after that day his camera had gone missing for a few days, only to
come back empty of all pictures. He didn't know she ever had it developed, let alone kept it.
Wondering if she too had a copy, his fondness for the time was quickly replaced with hurt and
anger.

Why would that be her parting gift to him?

With two years of pent up rage, Edward gripped the frame with two shaking hands, desperate to
break it, but he couldn't. It wasn't a matter of lacking brute strength. His love for her wouldn't
allow him to demolish the one thing he had left.

Dropping the frame to the ground, he heard the splitting crack of the glass. Looking down, he
closed his eyes, shaking his head. All it took was for one jolt to shatter the glass. How ironic.

Flipping the frame over, he unfastened the back to slip out the picture. The glass would need to
be replaced before he'd allow the picture to remain featured inside, unprotected. Slipping the
velvet backing down the side channels of the frame, he was rewarded with Bella's handwriting
on the back of the picture. Too engrossed in her words, he didn't register the piece of paper that
fluttered to the ground beside him.

"As long as it beats, my heart will only be yours."

He choked, reading the words that she left. When had she written it? More than likely the day
they took the picture, when she did have love for him. Certainly not the day she split his heart in
two.

Enraged beyond belief, he tore the picture from the frame and tossed them into the abandoned
gift box. Edward stomped through the house and out the front door, bound and determined to
toss their happiness into the fire just as Bella had.

Years of him desperately trying to be the bigger person while putting himself back together
didn't do him any good. Deep and powerful hope that she'd come back was what kept him going
each day. Turning dates away from his well-meaning family, never wanting to besmirch the
memories what they had. It wouldn't be fair to another woman, he mused.

She'd never compare to what he wanted with Bella.

Logs in hand, he flew back into the house and over to the never used fireplace. Tossing the
timber inside, he searched the downstairs for anything to start the fire. Finally finding an old
book of matches in the kitchen, he grabbed the box with the frame and picture rattling around
inside, stepping on the letter that lay beside it. Bending over and grabbing that as well, he
stormed back towards the hearth.

Seven wasted matches and a slightly burned fingertip later, Edward finally got a fledgling fire
lit. Waiting for it to build within the chimney, he looked once more at the picture, then at the
words on the back. Reading it again, he felt sick that she threw everything away without a
word.

As the fire began to throw heat, he sank to his knees, taking the frame, the letter and the photo
from the box, readying himself to send them into the flames.

Her juvenile script peeked out from the letter, giving him reason to pause mid-toss. Setting
everything down but the letter, he opened it and was finally given an explanation.

Edward,

This is being written for purely cathartic reasons. My lame attempt at ridding myself of the
unending guilt I have for hurting you the way I'm about to. I hope that you know that I've always
loved you.

From day one at Jake's, I knew you were going to be in my life forever. How? I wasn't sure, but
I knew that no matter what, I would never forget you. Or how much I would always love you,
and only you.

My hope is that your family will have protected you from this. I pray that you never see this, but I
had to say it, even if it is just to me. Marriage to me was always an antiquated institution that
only ruined relationships, not made them stronger. Children, by default, were never in my future
either for the same reason. They never deserve to be brought into the world unless they were
loved unconditionally and were kept happy and safe. My parents and their failure was something
that I always knew I'd repeat. That's why you and I never made sense.

You were always so pro-family, positive about the future we'd have, the children, the life,
everything that I knew I'd ruin by staying with you. My leaving was to give you the opportunity
to have everything that you wanted. That life that you always knew you'd have.

To find someone that would give you everything freely and completely.

On the off chance that you have seen this, I hope it finds you well.

In love and a father, with that beautiful life that you deserve.

Tell her that you love her every day, that she is the best thing that has ever happened to you and
that nobody before her could ever compare.

It's what she deserves...

If you're reading this, know that though me leaving may have seemed easy, it was the hardest
thing I've ever done.

Leaving was my Christmas gift to you. Though you may not see it as that. It's the only way to
give you what you wanted.

A wonderful life.

Bella

Edward couldn't react. Reading it over multiple times didn't make it any clearer. He was lost in
her words, her apology and her ridiculous reason for leaving.

He was preoccupied so much; he didn't register the billows of smoke around him or the firemen
pulling him out the front door.

Chapter Eight

"Did you hear?" Jessica eagerly asked her friend, wondering if the news from their hometown
had made it back to Bella yet. Jess knew that she did, judging by the pained expression that
painted her face. Blotchy, tear stained skin and her puffy eyes and nose were tell tale signs that
someone told her.

"He wasn't hurt," she sniffed, pulling the blanket up to her chin and rolling over. Jake had been
home the weekend of the fire, and he had called Bella immediately to give accurate information
instead of leaving her to believe the salacious and hurtful gossip that was flying around Port
Angeles and Forks.

Edward had apparently been restoring a house on the outskirts of town and had lit a fire. Not
realizing the flue was blocked, the room filled with smoke, requiring the PAFD to be called by a
neighbor. Luckily, the firemen had pulled him out before he was too exposed to the smoke, but
that room had sustained a significant amount of damage.

The state of the fireplace, the room and the house were irrelevant to Bella. Edward being alive
and well was all that had mattered. She didn't dream that the first time she would hear about him
would be with the possibility that he had been hurt.

Everything, in that brief moment of uncertainty, shifted for Bella. The need to see him crippled
her with anxiety. She knew that it was risky, but also that it had to be done. Seeing that he was
in fact okay, was the only thing on her mind. She just didn't know how she would deal with
what she witnessed.

Jake and Leah had insisted on driving her back, knowing that their friend wouldn't be able to
make the return trip back once she saw him. Being within reach of him would stir up everything
that she fought so hard to cover up.

Bella Swan only existed in the world now, not having lived since Christmas Eve two years ago.
She worked twelve hours a day, six days a week at Jess's, helping her friend build not only one
successful restaurant but two, while using her time at home to work on a third.

Workaholic barely covered her insane schedule. Jess, Jake and Leah knew that the only way that
she managed to not break down was if she engrossed herself in work. Everything around her was
a reminder and no matter how hard she tried to forget, this time of year was the hardest.

Uncomfortably cramped, completely annoyed and stuck in a hospital bed, Edward phoned Heidi,
informing her of the latest development in his quest to get the house on the market. She had seen
the damage first hand and already found workers willing to get it done ASAP. With the
economy the way it was, they were enthusiastic about the job, not caring that it was nearing the
holiday season. The cost would be significant but Edward didn't care.

Alice picked him up from the Port Angeles Hospital after his overnight stay, picture, letter and
frame in hand. Edward didn't remember clutching them to his body as he was being pulled from
the house. Everything for the most part had been a blur, the one thing he was sure of though was
that there was no way he was going to live another day without telling Bella how he felt.

How he still felt.

"First order of business is finding out where she is in Seattle," he told his sister as they headed
back to his apartment, her nervous tapping on the steering wheel not deterring him from
continuing. "This is what matters now, not the bullshit and the lies. This."

Holding up the paper for Alice to see, he was careful in trying not to ruin it more than he already
had. Being covered in soot and errant tears didn't lessen the message of the letter. The words
and knowing that she still loved him was what he focused on.

"She works for Jessica. She opened a chain of high-end bistros called J's. Bella has an office at
the flagship restaurant downtown. She's always there and when she's not, she lives ten blocks
east in a red brick townhouse. I can't remember the number because Rose and I almost got
caught tailing her. We were going to tell you after Thanksgiving. I only just found out and you
better not be pissed at me because I'm your sister and I loved you first." Alice finished, breathing
erratically and feeling extremely light headed from the rapid fire answers.

"Pull over." He barked from the passenger seat.

"Edward no-."

She pleaded, but he shook his head and repeated it adding, "Now, Alice!"

Once the car rolled to a stop, Edward turned to his sister before she could apologize again.
Enveloping her in a much-too-firm hug, Edward coughed from the pressure in his chest but
continued to squeeze her in thanks.

"You've save me a lot of illegal internet stalking, Alice. I owe you."

Pushing her away, he laughed at her stunned and teary-eyed face. Happy for the first time in
ages, he felt light, unburdened and dare he say it...hopeful. "Come on, take me home."

Trepidation, fear, excitement, love, happiness and a plethora of other emotions consumed
Edward for the next week. Doctor's orders kept him from driving but he had plans to make to
keep him busy.

Thanksgiving came and went and for a change, he actually enjoyed the holiday. As Christmas
grew closer, his ideas of how to reach out to her grew more and more seasonal and symbolic.
Finally, he decided on the simplest way to prove to her that she was what he wanted.

They were what he needed.

The house was another story entirely. Emmett would pick him up from his apartment and drop
him off to oversee the work being done. The construction team was painstakingly thorough in
their remodeling of the damaged front room, and for as much as he wanted them to rush to be
finished, he knew this was extending his time with the house.

A few weeks before Christmas, Heidi stopped by to inspect how much more work needed to be
done. The crew they amassed had reached twenty workers, all thanking Edward for giving them
the work before the holidays. The unfinished rooms were being prepared, so that it was ready
for the Open House that Heidi had scheduled on the twenty-sixth of the month.

As they braved the cold outside, taking in the beauty of the house in the snow, Edward happily
gave Heidi a hug. The simple gesture a sign of thanks for everything she had helped him with.
Of course, the friendly hug was anything but innocent to the occupants of the car at the end of
the dirt road. The sight was exactly what Bella thought she wanted.

For him to move on.

What she didn't want was the feeling of being swallowed whole. Any semblance of hope she
had stored in her heart dissolved in the acid in her stomach. Jake and Leah shared a knowing
look from the front seat, acknowledging that she needed to leave and more importantly, that this
was quite possibly the second worst mistake of her life.

Reversing the car slowly, Bella refused to look away. Even after the quick embrace was over,
they continued to stare at the house, laughing and smiling.

Their house.

Silent tears fell, and while it pained her a thousand times worse than it had that first day.

She realized that this was what was best for him.

Chapter Nine

Seeing Jake and Bella in her house was the worst possible scenario for Edward. Walking away,
his stomach churned with nausea. Not because Jake was with her and that the likelihood was

that they were together. It was because after two years of waiting, hoping and deciding what he
would say to her if

he ever had the chance, he froze and walked away.

"As long as it beats, my heart will only be yours."

Holding onto her words, he knew that even if she was with Jake, she didn't love him with all her
heart like she loved Edward. The renewed sense of hope coursed through him, leading him to
jump off of the sidewalk and smack the stop sign with his gloved palm, the impact sending the
accumulated snow all over his head.

Shaking it off his body, he slipped on the black ice that covered the sidewalk, sending him onto
his rump. Aside from the double set of frozen cheeks he was now sporting, Edward felt great.

His family was waiting patiently for him to return from his trip to Seattle. Nervous and
concerned that the weather - and what he saw - would affect his ability to drive home, they
begged him to pull over and just stay in a hotel somewhere along the way back to Forks, but he
refused. He insisted that he was fine, his SUV was handling the weather well, and that he
needed to speak with all of them.

When Edward opened the door to his parents' house, he didn't expect them to literally be waiting
for him, but there they were - in a lineup along the wall of the foyer - hands wringing together in
worry.

Not wanting to prolong their panic, he gave them the Campbell's soup version of his trip. He
concentrated more on how he was going to win her back, only glossing over the other person he
saw at her house.

"You realize this is insanity, right?" Emmett argued, hoping to talk some sense into his brother.
"She might be with him now. Like in the Biblical sense. Why are you going to do this to
yourself."

It was a logical question. One to which Edward didn't have a logical answer other than.

"It's what you do when you're in love."

They followed Edward into his father's study on the second floor of the house, not wanting to
miss anything that he would reveal. While Esme thought her son's loyalty was noble and
romantic, she feared along with Alice and Rose that he was setting himself up for another tragic
encounter with her. "Sweetheart, are you sure?" Her eyes swimming with worry, she hugged
him while he sat at his father's mahogany desk scribbling what he needed on the Cullen
letterhead.

"I don't care for the word 'sure' mother," he laughed, folding up the paper and hugging her
fiercely. "Lets go with unwavering and confident certainty."

"What the hell is wrong with him, did he hit his head?" Rose asked the room, patting her newest
Christmas bump.

"Hell, hell, hell, hell!" Emmett laughed as his first son repeated his mother's indiscretion.

"Shhh, bad words are for adults, Peter. Don't say hell. Or shit. Or damn. Or anything you hear
coming from our room." Rose scolded, laughing throughout the entire speech.

"I hate that you're doing this for her," Alice chimed in sadly, being the loudest dissenting opinion
in the group. "I only want you to be happy...but she doesn't deserve you. Even if she thought it
was the right thing, she left with him. Emmett's right, what if they're together? You've spent two
years putting yourself back together–"

"That's just it, Alice. I need her to be put together. I'm like Humpty Dumpty," He smiled at his
family. "Except I'm leaner and far more attractive." His sarcasm and wit had been missed by the
family, especially his sister. She laughed at him in spite of her anger, but it would take her the
longest to accept her back into their lives.

If Bella came back, of course.

"I will never forgive her, you know. If she comes back here - to you - I won't ever be able to
forgive her, Edward. She does not deserve your forgiveness." Alice whispered honestly.

"If I can forgive her, Alice, you can too."

"Edward, it's just too... much?" Emmett questioned, unsure as to what his most poignant issues
were. "I think you should just think about it for a while before you do anything rash."

"How is that you guys don't see it? I've thought about it every hour of every day for two fucking
years," Edward shouted, but quickly slapped his hand over his mouth when Peter started to
giggle.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to his nephew's parents.

As Peter started chanting 'fuck', his grandmother scooted him out of the room for fear of him
gaining an even more colorful vocabulary.

"Even if she says no, I have to try. Even if it's just to say a final goodbye. I never got that, she
took that away from me and God damnit, Em, I want that!" He embraced his brother as he cried
the years of frustration and sadness pouring out of him.

Once he felt like he couldn’t cry anymore, Emmett released him from his grip and they each
wiped their tears. For good measure they shook hands and included the manly back fist-pat
awkward move to regain some testosterone.

He kissed the rest his family goodbye, ruffling Peter's mop of curly brown hair. Waving happily
behind him, he flew down the stairs two at a time, ready to put his plan in action. Starting in a
week, he was on a mission to win Bella back.

~*~

"You've got to snap out of it, Bella." Jess insisted, stoking the fire that burned in her friend’s
sitting room. After two years of never using a vacation or sick day, Bella cashed them all in after
seeing Edward. She wasn’t using the days to actually travel, but to lock herself away in her
house and mourn.

The once pristine townhouse was now resembling Gollum's hovel. Leah and Jess had tried to
stage an intervention in the days after her return from Port Angeles, but she threw them out,
stating that she was fine and him moving on was what she wanted.

When the cleaning company they hired knocked on the door a few days later, Bella had no
choice but to let them in. The neighbors were complaining about the incessant knocking and
doorbell ringing. Plus the piled of mail and refuse on her doorstep was hideous and unsightly.

Three hours later, the frumpy, antique staff of Denali Housekeeping left Bella's house with all
her laundry aired, and the house managing to get cleaned in the process.

It was imperative for Bella to take that time off from work. There was no way that she would be
able to concentrate enough to do her job properly and she wouldn't risk Jessica's business
because of it.

So, she turned into a carbon copy of those women in the movies that she couldn't stand. Ben and
Jerry's for all three meals, becoming an unshowered slovenly mess, ratty hair and sweatpants.

Finally, her friends stepped in, not taking no for an answer.

Since the Denali's scoured the apartment, Jess and Leah were left to clean Bella up. The sweats
and empty pints of ice cream were burned in effigy in her backyard. Dragged into the shower,
they literally pushed her into the stall with her clothes on and sprayed her with soap and the
water. By the end, the three were in tears, of both relief and sadness for their friend.

"You know regret is an awful emotion to try and live with, Bella," Leah explained, speaking
from experience. "Our split was only a few weeks and I felt like I was in quicksand, sinking
rapidly every day."

"What am I supposed to do?" Bella cried, wrapping her favorite blanket around her. Curling into
a ball on the rug in front of the fire, she couldn't help but wonder 'what if'?

The doorbell echoed through the quiet house, Bella uninterested in answering it. "They'll go
away, or just come in if it's Jake."

"What if it's Fabio and he's here to sweep you off your feet?" Jess asked, barely keeping a
straight face.

Bella couldn't contain the cacophony of guffaws and piggy snorts that erupted from her at the
mention of Fabio. The shirtless, hairless, beautifully coiffed man did nothing but disgust her. "I
don't trust hairless men, it's unnatural." She teased. Rolling herself over on the carpet, she got up
and stretched before walking over to sit in her chair by the window.

The sky was clear and light with the slight gray tint signaling snow was on the way, and fast.
Jake bounded up the stairs as Bella curled herself up into the wide seat of the leather chair.

"Bella honey, I'm going to make us some tea," Leah said, kissing her husband. "Do you want
some?"

"No tea. Coffee or hot chocolate. Never tea... not anymore," she added the end quietly.

Bella thought about going back and facing the happy couple head on. That wouldn't do anything
besides break his new girlfriend's nose for the holidays. Now, after she thought about it, it didn't
sound like a bad idea.

The snow started falling as Leah brought the mug of hot cocoa out to Bella, resting it on the table
beside her. "I'm going to go to see him," she announced. Her friends weren't positive if they
heard her correctly.

"After Christmas though, I won't ruin another holiday for him."

Jake crossed the room, both proud and terrified for his friend. "It's time, Bella." He smiled,
covering her back up with the blanket and kissing her head gently. Acknowledging that he was
right, she squeezed his hand in thanks but continued to watch the snow fall ignoring the
conversation happening behind her.

Working for a restaurant, even as a manager, meant that Bella found anything to do with food
loathsome. That included grocery shopping. The irritating and daunting task was something that
she had realized she needed to accomplish, and soon.

Barely consuming anything besides crackers and Ginger Ale (and ice cream) since seeing him,
she justified her empty cabinets for too long. She bundled herself up to shop and spend some
much needed time out of her house before her misery and regret consumed her. Trudging
through the snow, she pushed her little silver cart, filled with her green recycling bags through
the slush en route to the marketplace.

Two hours, a cart filled with relatively decent food and two soaked and frozen feet later, she
arrived home to find a small gift wrapped in silver paper. Long strips of red velvet formed a bow
tied to the top that swayed lightly in the chilly wind. Step by step she pulled the silver cart up to

the partially snow covered landing, standing it upright in the corner.

Bending down, she looked around for the responsible party that left the box but saw nobody
looking suspicious. Poking the package with her finger, she heard the tiny brass bells knotted
between the bow that jingled as the box shook.

Determining that nothing dastardly was afoot, she pulled one of the velvet tails, releasing the
bow. Bella - still harboring some trepidation - slipped her finger beneath the tape, unwrapping
the gift slowly.

A shiny silver chain sat coiled on top of the tissue paper. Pulling it out carefully, a mesh tea
infuser was at the end. A familiar smell wafted up from the box ignited her senses to what was
contained beneath the tea ball. Her favorite tea's fragrant aroma was unmistakeable to Bella.

She shifted the contents of the box around looking for a card, or a gift tag, anything to reveal
who it was from. She found not only a small ivory envelope, but also box of favorite black tea.
Dropping it back into the box, she tore into the envelope for answers.

A playing card sized picture of a partridge and a pear tree greeted her, leaving Bella utterly
confused.

Chapter Ten

"Don't worry Pete, I'll teach you the right words. Not the profanities your father sings," Jasper
teased, setting out all of Peter's 'Days of Christmas' flash cards along the floor of the study.

Picking up a card, he'd whisper the verse for the young child to sing. Edward paced anxiously
behind his soon to be brother-in-law and nephew, his arms crossed and his hair destroyed from
his nervous hands.

"Why the 'Twelve Days of Christmas'? Why not thirty-one so you get something every day of
the month?" Alice asked, dancing cheek-to-cheek with a swollen-ankled, nearly bursting Rosalie.
The newly found holiday CD of Bella's played in the background of Carlisle's study.

"It's that time of year, when the world falls in love..."

Alice warbled and massacred the much beloved holiday song. Rose accidentally on purpose
stomped on her tiny toes with her elephant sized foot, ceasing the caterwauling immediately.

"Ow!" Alice shouted, rubbing her foot and hopping up and down in pain. "Not funny, Goliath."

"What was that?" Edward asked his sister, while helping Rose lift her bloated feet to the leather
ottoman.

Sitting cross legged, she lifted her small foot, inspecting it dramatically for lasting damage. "I
said that it wasn't funny Goli-."

"No, not calling her that, what is that song?" In two strides, Edward had reached the stereo
system, examining the CD case.

"It's the 'Christmas Waltz'," Rose yawned. "It's why me and the Peanut here were waltzing."

"What are you thinking, bro?" Emmett asked, rubbing his wife's cankles.

"It's that time of year," Edward sang softly, scratching his chin while he thought about his
nephew's colorful picture cards. "Twelve days?"

Overlooking the cards at his feet, he examined them while Jasper and Peter moved to color the
underside of Grandpa Carlisle's desk with his crayons. "Twelve reminders of what we had?"
Leaning over the cards, he bent to grab one, flipping it between his fingers. "Too much? Not
enough?"

Rose and Alice sighed dramatically at his romantic idea, while Emmett and Jasper rolled their
eyes and groaned, knowing that anything they did from now on would have to be on a much
grander scale to compete with Edward's proposed gestures.

Alice, while agreeing it was sweet that her brother was channeling every Hallmark commercial
and Lifetime movie, was still skeptical. She feared that he was giving Bella an open invitation to
stomp all over his already bleeding heart.

When she and Rose were doing their pseudo-reconnaissance in Seattle, they witnessed a truly
faded Bella, but they weren't convinced that Edward was the missing spark.

Under the guise of a weekend shopping trip and armed with Jasper's information, they staked out
J's first. Through the front window of the bistro, they watched as a smiling, ebullient Bella
greeted some of the guests while stationed momentarily at the reservation podium.

Special customers, they mused, were graced with her sitting at their table while they dined. She
looked to be genuinely happy while she was working and interacting with the staff and guests.
But it was once she walked through the front door to return home that her deceptive appearance
was stripped away.

As her feet carried her over the threshold and onto the sidewalk, her posture crumbled. The hood
of her black wool coat was immediately pulled up to cover her long brown hair. Her shoulders
slumped in a protective stance and her eyes remained trained on the ground as she walked swiftly
towards her townhouse.

When she disappeared behind the large oak door, it would only take a few minutes for her to
make her way to the seat by the window where she would sit and just stare. The second and final
night of their stakeout, Jake followed her home, seemingly unbeknownst to Bella. As soon as

she was securely in her house, he'd ventured back to his own home just down the street.

Rose and Alice knew that it was risky for everyone to encourage Edward in his quest, but the
alternative wasn't much better. In just a few days, his entire disposition had done a one-eighty.
He wasn't the same Edward as he was pre-Bella, but it was a start.

Laughing came freely to him, instead of from obligation. Brotherly camaraderie had returned
and included Jasper as well. Their religious parents considered it a Christmas miracle that their
son began to appear more alive.

As Alice watched him bounce ideas and plans off their brother and Jasper, she came to the
realization that he needed this. Regardless of the outcome, he needed to tell her how he felt.

"We'll help," Alice offered, amused that her family was instantly slackjawed at her suggestion.
Shrugging off their shocked expressions, she clarified just exactly how much they'd help. "I told
you that Plumpy and I almost ended up in the pokey from our shoddy recon work," she laughed,
flipping a specific finger at her sister-in-law, "so you can't be the only one to do this or you'll get
pinched by her nosy neighbors before you even get to talk to her." If it were possible, her
family's chins fell even further to the hardwood floor.

"Hey, Columbo Jr.," Emmett snorted, earning a matching finger from his sister. "What are you
suggesting?"

"Just like he said, twelve days, twelve memories," Alice instructed, plucking the cards off of the
floor and flipping through them. "She was in love with you once and I'm pretty sure she still is.
She just needs a reminder, and maybe a slap in the face." Smiling, she picked up the first card
and handed it to her brother.

"Am I giving her a bird or pears?

Certainly not a tree, the woman could kill a fake ficus,"

Edward said, holding the partridge and pear tree card.

"Don't be so literal, dear brother. Send small gifts from the heart and include one of these," she
finished, holding up the cards again. Alice had given him a lot to think about, but he was more
than happy to do it. Thinking about their past with an open heart instead of a broken one was
something he finally felt ready to do.

It hadn't taken Edward long to decide on what to leave her in an expression of their memories.
Bits of their history that would be straight from his heart. Not wanting to make them too obvious
though, he made a list, and checked it twice.

Having his family agree to help made it that much easier. Well, all agreed save for Rose, who
didn't think she could make a fast getaway in her condition in the event she got caught. To feel
like she was an active participant, she volunteered to be in charge of gift wrap so that it was
done properly. Not in the Sunday comic section like her husband and Jasper had suggested.

Edward didn't want to rely on his family as much as he did but he was fearful that he'd

subconsciously sabotage everything just by being that close to her. Unaware if he would be
strong enough to stay away from her weighed heavily on his mind, and since his family had
insisted, the guilt over involving them has subsided.

Somewhat.

His father offered to be the first up, as he was heading to Seattle for a visit with some old
colleagues. Delivering the tea was easy

;

he popped in early in the afternoon, knowing most

people, Bella included, would be working. He hadn't counted on the elderly contingent

of

neighbors near her that were shifting their floral print curtains around while they spied on him.

When he reported back to his family that they may incur some questions from the busy-bodies in
the neighboring townhouses, Esme suggested that he dress in a mail carrier or delivery man
uniform to belie suspicion. This led their children to groan and gag, thanks to the accompanying
mental images of their uptight parents being... not-so-uptight.

The Cullen patriarch promised his wife that another time would be more suitable for that type
of… delivery. In this case, he was simply going to choose a different time to leave the second
package.

And that is exactly what he did. He lucked out the next day, as Bella was leaving when he parked
across the street from her townhouse. Sitting warm, comfortable and safe from prying eyes,
thanks to his Mercedes' tinted windows, he waited until she trekked down the snow covered
street. Once she was out of sight, he studied the neighboring windows for disturbances before
getting out of his car to quickly rest the odd shaped box against the door.

Except he didn't drive away like his family suggested. The previous day, his time was limited.
But with a free schedule, he couldn't resist watching the woman that broke his son's heart, and in
the process their entire family, open the gift.

As the time ticked by, he managed to take a nap, finish nine Sudoku puzzles and locate a decent
replica of USPS uniform via his iPhone. A quick text to his wife ensured Carlisle a very
fortuitous Christmas night.

Bella's petite body came into his sight, the streetlights keeping her visible as she swiftly walked
up the sidewalk towards her home. From the base of the steps, she looked up to see the box
resting against the door.

Turning quickly, she scanned both ends of the street as she walked up the steps backwards, her
eyes constantly searching for a sign. Once she was safely on the landing, Carlisle leaned against
the driver's side window with puffs of hot air fogging up the cold glass.

The box was quickly moved to lay flat on the cement porch, her small gloved hands flipping it
around in search of a clue. "Open it," Carlisle hedged from the confines of his car. It didn't stop
him from continuing his one-sided conversation to her.

"It's inside." Referring to the card his son put in the box as Rose was wrapping it.

Shredded strips of the shiny red paper went flying through the air as Bella tore into the box like a
rabid wolverine. Once the paper was gone, the lid was next, being tossed off to the side and
nearly falling down the stairs.

Ignoring it, she flipped open the white tissue paper and stared into the box. Scratching her head,
recognition dawned on her face as she pulled out the fireplace roasting forks.

Alice bought them for Edward's apartment last Christmas, not necessarily for use but for the
novelty and possibly for motivation. She, like the rest of the family, hoped he would move on,
find someone else to share romantic nights by the fire with. Knowing that she wouldn't live in a
home without a fireplace, he asked his sister for permission to re-gift.

Scooping up the box, the gift and the destroyed Christmas wrapping, Bella opened her door and
disappeared inside, giving Carlisle his cue to leave. He met his wife at their hotel and gave her
the necessary precautionary speech for her own clandestine mission to Bella's over the next two
days.

Esme fared far better than her husband had with the ancient and nosy neighbors. Taking the
opposite approach of her husband, Esme chose to blend into the surroundings and chat with the
locals. Nobody questioned her carrying the festively wrapped bottle of Jose Cuervo in her
hand.

Not that they knew what it was, dressed in it's crinkly gold bag with iridescent bow. The
sidewalks were filled with holiday shoppers carrying presents and hobnobbing with each other,
so she managed to blend right in.

Being a natural at undercover work, Esme arrived at Bella's early the next evening prepared to
woo the neighborhood even further. It had been difficult for Rosalie to giftwrap a six-pack of
beer but she managed to make it work.

Carrying a case of said beer, plus the gift for Bella, Esme took a much needed rest, conveniently,
just outside of her townhouse, complaining about the weight of the beer. Strategically, she
suggested to the few neighbors that were outside that they all enjoy one of the frosted beverages
while she took a break from her return trip to her car.

She toasted her new friends while nonchalantly leaving Bella's separately wrapped, favorite
libation on her stoop.

None of her neighbors were the wiser.

Alice, hearing of her mother's success as an expert in espionage, couldn't be outdone. Dressed
like midnight and painted in authentic camouflage makeup, she was ready for her mission.

Having researched the area using a map search, she printed and memorized her best escape
routes in case she got caught. Satellite images of the neighboring yards showed her trees and
bushes that could provide cover if she needed it. Emmett, unwillingly, went along with her as
the getaway driver she was convinced was necessary.

Bella's reaction to each of the gifts that Carlisle delivered was what they expected. They knew
she would be confused, and rightly so. Even if she'd gleaned any indication from the first two
gifts that Edward was involved, they doubted she would have believed it.

Going from zero contact in two years to suddenly being the recipient of vague gifts from your
past would seem too bizarre.

Especially to a seasoned cynic like Bella Swan.

The woman that Esme witnessed tearing into the third present definitely looked befuddled again
as she flipped the 'Three French Hens' card. But once she unwrapped the tequila, she sank down
slowly, sitting in the middle of the porch.

With her legs outstretched on the cold concrete, she unscrewed the cap and took a quick pull
from the bottle. Gift number four had resulted in a similar position on the townhouse landing,
with Bella chugging a beer.

While the first four gifts were received by a flummoxed Bella, she had always remained calm,
reserved and quiet. Even when she lined up the gift cards along her mantle piece for inspection.

But it was the gifts that Alice had delivered that brought out an angry, frustrated and broken
Bella.

Tears streaming in chilly paths down her flushed cheeks, her shrill voice shaking as she
screamed out into the night looking for answers. "Why are you doing this to me!" her sharp,
spastic voice echoing in the quiet.

In spite of the late hour, she continued, "I know you're watching! Is this what you wanted?" Her
cries earned a slew of angry retorts from the neighborhood.

Upon smashing the glass of the snowglobe against the cold concrete stairs, Bella broke down
even further. Immediately, she fell to her knees to salvage what her rage had destroyed. Lifting
the wooden base, the interior structure looked to still be intact, or at least from what they could
tell from their safe distance across the street. Alice's gifts were so poorly received they
considered canceling the whole thing.

"Edward, she didn't take the snowglobe well… at all," Alice explained, while Emmett drove
them to their hotel.

"What do you mean, 'not well'?"

"She screamed and broke down in tears... then smashed it."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

Telling Edward that it was having the opposite effect on her left him speechless. Instead of
uplifting her and having her reminisce fondly on their life together, it was breaking her down.
Edward had to agree and told his siblings to return home. He'd just have to think of something
else.

Rose decided that being enormously pregnant, and astoundingly hormonal, gave her the freedom
to be selfish as well. "Under no circumstances is this ending. I can not take Emoward again. I
love you, but I can't take anymore of that shit," she informed her brother-in-law while he was
helping her bathe Peter.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Edward's nephew sang from the tub, splashing his uncle while Rose shook
her head at her unfortunate choice of words. Knowing that another errant slip was likely, she
didn't reprimand Peter as he continued to chant his new favorite word.

"Yes, it sucks that she's hurting, but she needs to feel it. You need to know that she's still
capable of emotion otherwise you're doing all this for nothing. If the barbed wire is still
surrounding her heart, Edward, all of this will be for nothing."

Chapter Eleven

"So wait. You didn't give me the tea... or the forks?" Bella questioned Jess and Jake while she
paced throughout the kitchen of J's.

"Maybe they were dropped at the wrong house?" Jake chimed in, desperate to find any
explanation for the gifts. "You know, accidental coincidence and all that jazz."

"Yes! One of your neighbors is probably wondering where their Christmas gifts are." Her
friends' answers were temporarily pacifying her.

"Yeah, you know, that sounds about right. I'll have to pop around and ask who they belong to,"
Bella resigned sadly.

Until the next two gifts appeared.

Having not even entered the restaurant yet, the fourth day of Christmas brought a clearly
emotional Bella back to J's. The employees and their boss could see she'd been crying when she
arrived, spending time at the glass front door wondering whether or not to enter and explain the
latest developments.

Sitting down on the furthest bar stool from the front, she waited patiently for her friend to get a
few free minutes to listen. "It's not a coincidence...I'm being punished." Bella stated sadly, hands
trembling as she took the cup of coffee Jess brought for her.

"Punished? Sweetie, I think you need to get some sleep or meds... something." She argued,
adding a shot of amaretto to Bella's cup. Her friend smiled at the gesture but waved the cup
away.

"It's like it's being dangled in front of me-taunting me-telling me to..." she paused, trying to
describe her feelings as logically as possible.

"What is taunting you, Bella?" Jess whispered, taking her friends hands and squeezing them in
comfort.

"Our history," she cried, proceeding to explain the latest two gifts, but more importantly, why
they were significant to her.

Flying into the bistro two days and two new packages later, a harried Bella wasn't as enraged as
she appeared. More like seriously questioning the state of her mental faculties. Her snow
covered jeans were ripped and dirty as if she had fallen. Her disheveled hair was another
indication that she was clearly out of sorts. The staff didn't know how to react to this crazed side
of their manager they'd never seen before and chose to just let her pass undisturbed.

Jake and Leah were there for lunch with their children, the oldest laughing at Bella's frazzled
appearance. "Where's Jess?" she asked the family, unfazed that Paul was flinging ketchup
covered crinkle-cut french fries at her shirt.

"Bella, my goodness, where is your coat?" Leah asked her friend, ignoring her question entirely.
"It's twenty degrees. You'll catch your death."

"I-I must have f-forgotten to grab it," she stammered, realizing that yes, she had felt a bit cold.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked, standing up and blanketing her in his large wool coat. "No offense,
but you look like you've seen a ghost." He said tentatively, taking in the light violet rings under
her eyes.

Bella's face lit up in astonishment, "I'm Scrooge!"

"Nah, you give great Christmas presents, Bella," Jake said seriously.

"No, I am Scrooge, that's what all this is!" She exclaimed loudly, startling most of the lunch
crowd at J's. "All the gifts. It's the 'Ghost of Christmas Past' coming back to tell me to go to see
him!"

"What the h-e-double hockey sticks are you talking about?" Leah asked, covering her eldest son's

ears before continuing. "Have you lost your God damned mind, Bella?"

"All the gifts on my stoop," she said, pulling out the latest one from the waistband of her jeans.
"This!" She yelled, tossing the plastic case onto their table. The Rat Pack dressed in Santa hats
holding martini glasses stared up at them, with the holiday card stuck across the picture.

"I'm wasting time, maybe there is a new package today!" Bella took off with a shot from the
restaurant, slipping on some ice and landing ass over elbows in the snowbank out front.

Jake started after her but Bella jumped up, waved him off and continued down the street back
towards her townhouse. "I guess she's keeping my coat?"

It was nearly midnight before Emmett had the cajoles to take his turn with the present. His
nerves were high alert and Alice's warnings were rattling through his mind. "If you get caught,
take the pill."

"Is it cyanide?" He said seriously, afraid to leave their hotel. His normally strong voice shook
with worry, "I've got the kids, and my Rosie, I can't… die."

"No you ass, it's a breath-mint," his sister said, slapping him on the back of the head. "You can't
be interrogated by the popo smelling like the sauerkraut you had for lunch." Alice's attempt at
levity was lost on her nervous brother.

"I think I’m going to throw up. Why would you make a joke about getting caught?" He gripped
his hair while nervously pacing the hotel room.

"Do you have the book?" She asked, ignoring his sickly pallor and worry. "Jasper's bringing the
cheesecake tomorrow, so it'll be fresh." Tucking in his scarf, she put the black eye makeup under
his eyes, similar to a linebacker.

"Edward's made four already, having screwed them all up. Mom is helping him with the new
one."

"I'm scared, Al," Emmett whined, hugging his sister much too hard for her tiny frame.

"You'll be fine, just run up, drop it, run away." She said rolling her eyes at his dramatic antics.

Two hours later, the normally two minute drive from the hotel to her house took exceptionally
longer with Emmett's constant fits of panic.

At one point he actually pretended to faint, his large lumbering frame sprawled out on the hotel
floor waiting to be noticed. Alice simply stepped over him and snapped, "Just get out, it's

already midnight. She's probably asleep, Em."

"Fine, but if I get pinched, kiss the kids for me and don't let them forget me." Rolling her eyes
for the umpteenth time that evening, she opened the passenger door and pushed his hulking body
out into the snow.

"How long should I stay up waiting?" Bella asked her friend, rubbing her eyes and yawning into
the phone. Her perch at the window, while giving her a great view of the porch, was not very
comfortable.

"Sweetheart, it's two in the morning, maybe there aren't anymore?" Jess replied, annoyance
quickly replaced by her friend's need. "Go to sleep. You're worse than a child waiting for Santa."
Silent seconds stretched to minutes, then hours and without realizing it, both friends had fallen
asleep, only to wake up to two inevitably ridiculous wireless bills and two very stiff necks.

When Bella finally roused the following morning at the hideous hour of six, she barely wiped the
sleep from her eyes before she was tearing down the stairs to her porch. Whipping the door
open, she welcomed in a blustery cold wind and swirls of sparkling snow but she was solely
focused on the small rectangular box. Barefoot and barelegged, she tip toed onto the landing to
snatch the package before shiver-dancing back into her house.

Tossing it onto the cherry entry table, she waited. The motives behind the gifts weren't known to
her, but without a doubt she knew that all roads and explanations led to Edward; thinking,
wondering, formulating some sort of rationalization as to why all of this was happening.

As far as she knew, Edward had a new girlfriend. The stuffy yet gorgeous, business suit
wearing, evil wench, she witnessed with him at his house. Replaying their interaction, she
remembered the hug, no kiss. Their bodies close, but not too close. Without speaking to him,
none of it would make sense to her, and she could only hope that this–these gifts–were his way
of reaching out to her.

If they were from him at all.

That minute possibility weighed heavily on her mind. What if all of this really was some bizarre
coincidence like Jake said? Simple answers to her questions lay in wait inside the thin,
rectangular shaped box. She hesitated, somehow knowing that this gift could be a turning point
in this odd encounter.

Tentative fingers snapped the tape covering the shiny pointed corner, the fat and jolly Santa
losing his head in the unfortunate placement of the tape, leaving Bella to laugh maniacally at the
decapitated man.

"I guess this makes me naughty, huh, Santa?" She snorted, clearly delirious from lack of sleep.

To make her way back onto the 'nice list', she took the time to reattach his head.

Soldiering on, she pulled the box from the wrapping and flipped it over, closing her eyes in the
process. Slowly raising the lid, she recognized the classic white cover with wobbly black
lettering. "The Missing Piece," she whispered, reverently running her fingers over the shiny
script. To her disappointment, nothing was inscribed on the inner cover but as she jostled the
pages, she revealed a 'Seven Swans a Swimming' card marking a special page.

It was missing a piece.
And it was not happy.
So it set off in search

of its missing piece.

Adding the latest card to her mantle, she curled herself up on the chocolate brown leather love
seat. Without the fire roaring, she needed the warmth and familiarity of her red blanket while
she stared hopefully at the images before drifting off to sleep.

Jasper was loading his car with the pie, making sure that it was secure in the backseat. "Are you
sure we need to use Pete's car-seat? I mean, it's only a cake." He asked Edward, wrapping a
blanket around the box as extra padding.

"This is pie number six, I can't risk another mishap," Edward responded, filling the sides of the
box with ice packs.

"Wait. Number six? I thought Alice said Esme was taking over since you screwed up the first
four?" He asked, confused by Edward's inability to master simple math.

"Esme did make number five on the night that my dad came home," Edward shuddered,
explaining what package his father brought with him. He couldn't get out of the house fast
enough to return to the comfort and quiet of his own apartment.

Esme called him the next morning to apologize for the desecration of Grandma Swan's
cheesecake, and to assure him that she did in fact have just enough of the Frangelico left to make
a new untainted one to deliver.

"I so didn't need to hear that story, dude," Jasper blushed, shaking his head and closing the
backdoor of his truck. Walking around to the driver side, he gave Edward the latest snow report
with a sad expression. "It's supposed to really start coming down on Thursday. Are you sure
you're going to be able to make it to Seattle to bring the last two gifts?"

"I have to. It all comes down to the final one," Edward sighed, worried about the possibility of
not making it. Slapping his palm on the hood, he waved goodbye as his almost brother-in-law
pulled away with gift number eight.

"It's time!" Alice sang, jumping on Emmett's hotel bed, her husband sympathizing with the big
man.

"I can't," he pretend coughed, tucking himself further into the bed and covers. "I'm sick."

"Tough noogies, Em, you're going," she laughed, attempting to pull his half asleep body out of
the bed. Not being able to move him at all, she had a better idea. "Or you can stay here while I
thank my fiancee for driving all this way."

"Five minutes, little sis, and I'm out." Emmett jumped from the bed, covering his eyes as he
bumped into walls before making it to the bathroom.

"Works every time," Alice sang, kissing Jasper chastely. "Where's the cheesecake?"

"It's still safely stowed away in the backseat," he laughed, wondering how Em would fare getting
it out and into his car. "You know, it might be easier if he just takes my truck-,"

"Sure, Jas, if you don't mind," Emmett responded, walking from the bathroom in new black
military gear. "I"m ready for my super spy incognito makeup."

Once Emmett was satisfactorily covered in military grade makeup, he jogged through the
parking garage in search of Jasper's truck. Upon opening the door, the scent of Grandma Swan's
luscious nutty cheesecake wafted up to his nose.

The Pavlovian response worried the dessert loving eldest Cullen; his impure thoughts of the
creamy, delectable treat were wrong, he repeated to himself. Inhaling the cold, stale, non-dessert
smelling air, he controlled himself momentarily, taking a few much needed laps around the
truck.

Sliding into the driver's seat, his two large hands white knuckled the steering wheel as the scent
permeated the small cab of the truck. Before he could say Jenny Craig, Emmett leaned back and
flicked open the snowflake detailed cellophane wrapping, releasing another wave of the hazelnut
scent.

"Oh, I shouldn't have done that," he groaned, licking his lips. Quickly, Emmett lowered all the
windows, bringing in the chilly air to quell the power of the cheesecake.

Pulling out of the garage, he was no longer nervous about getting sent up the river to do a dime
for stalking. (Emmett had watched a classic black and white cop caper before bed, giving him a
bevy of new lingo to use regarding his mission.) His only concern was if there was a Cheesecake
Factory en route to Bella's so he could stop dreaming of the silken goodness that sang to him
from the back seat.

Her lights were off when he parked across the street. Putting the windows back up, he reveled in
the scent before losing his mind. He slid his large body between the seats and ended up next to
the thin, white bakery box.

"One piece won't hurt...right?" he reasoned, thinking Bella was a tiny girl and it would surely go
to waste.

Not wanting his mom's hard work to be squandered, he lifted the box from the seat, bringing it to
his nose for a whiff of the thick, heady scent. A slamming door behind him made Emmett whip
around to see Bella, bundled up, walking down the street. "Huh, where is she going?" he
wondered out loud.

Taking it as a sign that this particular cheesecake wouldn't be consumed by him today, he closed
the lid, haphazardly re-wrapped the cheerful translucent paper and tied a knot at the top instead
of a bow.

"That'll do." He smiled at the poorly rewrapped gift, proud of his work.

Looking for any signs of life and seeing none, he exited the car and tiptoed across the street to
Bella's house.

Because nothing says 'don't pay attention to me, like a two hundred and fifty pound behemoth
dressed in black with camo makeup on, that tiptoes in the dark and daintily carries a
cheesecake.'

Once he reached the curb, he attempted to jump the snowbank only to hit a patch of ice and fall
flat on his rear.

"I saved it!" he roared, thrilled that the eighth gift remained uninjured. He sat the cake next to
him while he rolled himself over to stand back up to complete the delivery. Hitting a different
spot of ice, his legs flew out from beneath him sending him crashing onto the sidewalk.

And onto the cheesecake

"Oh, shit," Emmett groaned, feeling the mushy, destroyed, still insanely fragrant cheesecake
under his butt. His hand moved to feel around for the remnants of the cake, hoping beyond hope
that at least something was salvageable.

Fearing the worst, he rolled over to examine the damage. Only half of the cheesecake had an
unfortunate Emmett shaped lower cheek imprint in it, with the other side mostly okay.

"To call, or not to call. That is the question," he mused, his horrific British accent helping him
laugh at the situation. Edward would be as crushed as the cake to find out that Emmett destroyed
gift number eight.

"Not to call," he answered, scooping up the salvaged half and shoving it unceremoniously back
into the bakery box. The snowflake cellophane was ruined beyond repair, so he improvised. He
plucked the ribbon from it, tying it to the box, trying to cover the dents and streaks of dirt and

snow.

Shuffles to his left sent a stream of panic through Emmett. Rationalizing that the cake was
mostly ruined, he tossed it up the seven stairs, and took off for Jasper's truck. A Seattle PD car
drove past, patrolling the area for any unsavory characters.

Emmett knew that he should have waited. But between the cop's proximity and it's crazy
spotlight that he swore was pointint at him, combined with the prospect of becoming extra
friendly with a convict named Bubba, he started the car and gunned the truck out of the spot,
sending a whoosh of dirty street snow over the sidewalk covering the remnants of the butt
squished cake.

~*~

"Who gives a half of a cheesecake?" Bella asked, after having phoned Leah for a chat about her
latest 'sort of' gift.

"Cheesecake is cheesecake, my friend. Never look a gift horse in the mouth," she answered, her
friend never one to mince words.

"I'm pretty sure it's Grandma Swan's," Bella whispered, fearing that saying the words out loud
would cause the dessert to disappear.

"What do you mean 'pretty sure'? You mean you haven't tried it yet? And you call yourself a
woman," her friend teased, remarking how it had been in her presence for twelve plus hours and
she still had yet to eat any. "You've looked at the book a hundred times, yet the delectable dessert
sits untouched? Oh, you disappoint me, Bella."

~*~

Jasper's approach to clandestine gift delivery was unlike the others. He chose a time when he
knew she was home to deliver the bizarre gift of the tire iron, which apparently was significant to
Edward and Bella. Jasper didn't pretend to understand why his friend chose the gifts, he just
knew like the rest of the family that he'd support him however he could.

Not one to beat around the proverbial bush, he confidently strolled up the sidewalk, then the
steps and rested the long, skinny wrapped iron against the door frame. He even rang her doorbell
to alert her to the newest gift.

Taking his time, he descended the stairs and walked casually across the street to his girlfriend's
car, hands tucked in his pants’ pockets and whistling. When Bella appeared on the porch looking

both dazed and confused by the forward gift giving man, she gave a tight smile and waved.
Jasper being a gentleman, returned both before pulling out of the spot.

"How strange," Bella wondered aloud, watching the little sports car careen down the street.
Walking into her living room, she unwrapped the latest reminder and set it under her tiny Charlie
Brown tree with the others. Plucking the card from the package, she lined it up on the mantle
with the others, smiling at the amount of thought that was being put into these gifts.

Jake, Leah and their children invited themselves over to Bella's for an early Christmas dinner.
Their plans included returning to Forks for the obligatory familial dinners, and they wanted to
see their friend for the holidays before they left. Worry was the prominent emotion that they
were feeling in regard to Bella at the less than conventional manner that she was having her past
regurgitated.

"Merry Christmas!" Bella yelled, whipping the door open and lunging at her friends. Enveloping
Leah and Jake in a joint hug, her friends were struck confused by Bella's daily fluctuation in her
emotion.

As the gifts continued to appear on her porch, they urged her to reach out to him, but she
refused. They continued to beg even if it was just to verify that it was in fact Edward that was
sending the gifts.

At

the arrival of the latest present, and subsequent confirmation that it wasn't Edward doing the

delivering, they became adamant that she contact him. Bella explained that she didn't recognize
the gentleman who sped away in the Porsche, but she didn't care. She insisted that regardless of
the methods used, the puppet master behind it all would reveal himself as Edward. Of that she
was certain.

Upon releasing her friends, she turned to their children, "I have presents for you guys!" She said
excitedly, leaving their parents with two mirroring shocked expressions.

"Bella, are you okay?" Leah asked, her hand covering her forehead in search of a fever. "And
what do you mean you have presents? Did you wrap money?" She laughed, referencing to
Bella's monetary gift to everyone for every occasion.

"No, I didn't wrap money," she snorted, rolling her eyes. Leah was left to wonder if her friend
was under the influence of liquor, hoping a Christmas cocktail could further explain her
behavior.

"But, you don't shop... and certainly not for children," Jake cut into the conversation, interjecting
the facts. They knew Bella didn't dislike children, but she didn't exactly like them either.
Furthermore, she'd never have voluntarily stepped foot into a toy store or kids clothing boutique.

"Come on," she waved, taking the lead and walking towards the dining room. "Dinner is ready."
She waved over towards the tree

.

"Then it's time for gifts!"

"Bella, you did all this?" Jake asked, staring at the over abundance of food spread out over the
holiday decorated table.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep, so I went sort of... overboard." Bella unknowingly rubbed her eyes,
drawing attention to how truly exhausted she looked. "Have a seat and I'll be right back," she
yawned, turning and stumbling into the direction of the kitchen.

Within a few minutes, the strong, pungent smell of coffee wafted into the dining area, leading
Jake and Leah to head into the kitchen. They found Bella leaning against the counter, her eyes
closed as the pot perked beside her. Their youngest child gurgled loudly, jolting Bella awake
only to spew a stream of apologies for her rudeness.

"So-sorry," she sputtered, shaking her head to free it of the sleepy film. "It's been an interesting
few days. Sleep has been... sparse."

Her friends looked to her concerned, each thinking of something, anything, to convince their
friend to just end this. To seek him out and be upfront about the past and her reasons for leaving
him. "I know what you're thinking and the answer is no." Bella wondered, albeit internally,
from the beginning how this would all play out.

What his intentions were in starting it and how it would all come to fruition in the end. While
she wanted nothing more than to hop in her car and speed to Port Angeles or to Forks, she
pushed those urges back to allow him to come to her in his own way. She just needed her friends
to understand that.

"Bella. We love you but this isn't healthy." Leah stepped forward, lightly touching the violet
coloring beneath her eyes. "Listen, why don't you go and sit by the fire for a bit. This will still
be warm and we'll eat in an hour or so."

"No, no, don't be silly," she yawned again, waving her off as she poured a cup of the steaming
coffee. "I'm fine, I just needed more of this," Bella explained, coveting the glass of liquid
caffeine with wide eyes and a sleepy smile.

"Come on, I insist," Jake said, plucking the cup from her hand and dumping it down the sink.
"I'm not that hungry yet anyway." His blatant lie causing his wife to snort in disbelief.

Bella knew that they wouldn't let up until she rested, so she conceded defeat, knowing that in the
end they were right. "I'll go and sit down, but you guys eat. I'm sure the little guys are hungry."

Trudging her sleepy form into the sitting room, she looked between her favorite chair by the
window and her sofa. Deciding on comfort as opposed to nostalgia, she pulled the velvety
crimson throw from the leather chair, wrapping it around herself. Curling up on the couch, she
faded off quickly. Her last vision of was of the cards he left for her, lined in a row along the
mantle.

An irritating ticking sound pulled Bella from her peaceful slumber. Opening one eye, she spied
the fire being stoked by Leah, their oldest son playing on the carpet near the tiny Christmas tree
she had picked up. Jake cradled the youngest, in the old wooden rocking chair in the corner,
both fast asleep.

Bella took in the sight of the family, a simple observer taking in everything that Edward always
wanted. The baby whimpered slightly, waking just enough to rouse Jake as well. "Shhh, buddy,
it's okay," he soothed his son, rocking the chair slowly, lulling him back to sleep.

Her chest tightened as she continued feigning sleep just to be able to enjoy the lives she envied.
In Bella's mind, the family Edward wanted was still out of reach, but for the first time she
actually considered the what if. Never one to put the cart before the horse, she knew they needed
to forgive each other before any future plans were even discussed.

It didn't keep her from wondering...

"I see your eyes open," Leah whispered, kneeling beside the couch holding a small box. The
irritating ticking was louder now that she moved closer, the sound emanating from the tiny
wrapped package. "This was on your porch," she smiled, thrusting it into her hands.

"Should I be nervous that it's ticking?" Bella replied lamely, poking the box, wondering what
exactly was inside.

"Don't worry," Leah huffed, popping the separated lid off, showing her it was safe. "I didn't dare
bring it into the house if it was something bad. I would have blown it up on the stoop first."

Bella laughed morbidly at the ridiculous thought of an exploding Leah all over her Christmas
wreath. "It's okay, I laughed too," she said knowingly. "You're not the only one sleep deprived.
Go on."

Her fingers shook as they lowered themselves into the darkness of the small gift box, nervously
poking the odd, hard, ticking oval. "What the hell?" She whispered, pulling out the plastic
ticking egg.

"Oh," Bella sighed, tears falling before the egg timer was fully out of the box. "He's still so
silly," she cried, dropping the timer and hugging Leah as she sobbed onto her shoulder.

Jake cuddled his sleeping son as he watched sadly as his wife comforted their friend in her time
of need. They knew that her walls were crumbling and that the need to see him was overtaking
everything else.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay Bells, you'll see," Leah said reassuringly, hoping that it would in fact
be okay.

"I'm leaving first thing Friday morning," she sniffed, pulling away and wiping the falling tears.
"I'm sorry," Bella apologized, pointing to the gift her nose left on Leah's shoulder.

"Sweetheart, I've got two babies and Jake, this is nothing." She laughed, glancing at the mess.

"Come on, let's get you ready to go home."

Chapter Twelve

"A fedora, Edward? Really?" his sister teased, shaking her head at his beaming smile. Flicking
the gray feather that protruded from the brim, she knew exactly why he was wearing the hideous
and antiquated piece of fashion nostalgia.

"What can I say?" he laughed, tipping the brim down over his eyes. "I'm a sentimental old fool."
He grabbed her around the waist, twirling her doll body around as she laughed. Alice more than
anyone was happy to see his vast improvements, but in the depths of her soul she prayed this
would work.

That she wouldn’t have to watch him die all over again.

With the eleventh day of Christmas finally upon them, it was Edward's turn to drive into Seattle
to play the romantic, albeit unconventional, Santa. His nerves were frayed to within an inch of
his sanity and yet, he couldn't wait. His family, of course, was concerned.

Not for his mental well-being, they knew that was long gone, but for the weather. Their worries
revolved around the storm that was threatening to tear through the Olympic Peninsula, covering
most of Washington in snow much as it had done for Thanksgiving.

"Son, I wish you would reconsider getting a hotel in Seattle instead of making the trip twice,"
Carlisle suggested, his wife nodding in agreement. "We can take care of whatever needs to be
done at the property to prepare for the Open House."

Edward contemplated the offer from his family, knowing the risk he was taking in traveling to
and from Seattle. The house needed very little work, just a few cosmetic touches to make it feel
lived in. Heidi insisted that showing an empty house wouldn't be beneficial, that the cold, empty
interior was off-putting and unsightly.

"Potential buyers like to see a house with charm and personality, Edward," she'd said the day he
made her aware of his impending trip. Edward only wanted the home gone, sold and forgotten so
that he could move on. So that they could move on.

What they needed was a fresh start. No reminders of the past, the mistakes, the pain they caused
each other thanks to unrealistic expectations and poor communication.

"Love isn't easy, nothing worth fighting for ever is."

Funny that Bella was the one to speak those words of wisdom to him, yet she was the one to
walk away. Edward wouldn't allow himself to venture down that dark path again. He needed to
focus on the future, their future.

"I appreciate the offer," he responded, turning towards his parents and buttoning up his wool
coat. "But I just...I have to be there to say goodbye to it." What Edward was really trying to
convey was that he needed to say goodbye to what the house represented. The hurt, the pain, the
what-could-have-been and unnecessary suffering that both parties inflicted on the other in doing
what they thought was right.

Ultimately, his need to finally put the past behind him was the deciding factor to continue with
his previous plans in Seattle. Edward knew that the final piece to the elaborate holiday puzzle
was something that only he could tend to. Delivering the newly engraved silver frame to her
house tonight required him to leave early enough to catch the ferry.

The manic schedule afforded him just enough time to pick it up from the specialty shop and get it
to her house before returning home to meet Heidi. His Realtor, never one for straying from her
normal schedule, only agreed to the late night appointment after Edward explained, in all his
heartfelt glory, the grand gesture he had orchestrated in an attempt to win Bella back.

Heidi was enthralled with Edward's tale and thought about it for days after hearing the news. In
being so swept up in his romantic sentiments, she missed connecting the dots that were there,
printed plainly in black and white. The Open House for Edward's property was arranged for the
twenty-sixth and Heidi only had one appointment scheduled.

The ferry ride gave Edward time to think. Possible scenarios swirled around in his mind as the
snow followed suit around his head. The frosty chill of the wind nipped at his ears, reminding
him of the menacing storm on its way. Sitting in contemplative silence, he fashioned answers to
unasked questions if she were to answer the door.

Would she be waiting for him? Would she sit silently in her chair, staring out the window and
allow him to follow through with his holiday mission? What if he was there? The possibilities
were endless and they allowed the time to pass quickly.

Edward followed the once-traveled path to her brownstone, clutching the seasonally wrapped
box for dear life. The pressure from his fingers gripped the box so firmly that he snapped the
holly branch that decorated the lid.

"Shit," he mumbled, piecing it back together the best he could using the green ribbon attached.

As he approached her home, the snowfall had shifted from a light dusting to a steady hammering
of white covering the ground. Tentative steps safely carried him along the sidewalk until he
stopped abruptly in front of her bottom stairs. As he appraised her home, the blinding daylight
was made all the brighter by the stark white snow falling around him. It was harder than he
imagined to simply walk the steps and rest the package on her doorstep. Trembling hands and
unsteady feet brought him slowly up the steps, one by one, until he stood stock still facing the

knotted oak door.

"As long as it beats..." he promised, eyes focused on the door. With words lost and unheard to
the whipping wind and snow, he sighed, wondering again if she were there. Edward's eyes fell on
the weathered brass of the doorknob, contemplating using it and ending his well thought out plan
early but he resisted. Instead resting his fingertips against the icy metal, willing it to open.

Edward knew his time was limited and his hesitation only served in making his nerves that much
more harried. Dropping to his knee, the memory of his would-be-engagement came flooding
back, nearly crippling him, but he pushed it aside. Focusing only on the gift in the box, the
meaning behind it and the woman that was hopefully behind the door watching his every move.

With no signs of life coming from inside her home, he gently swept a section of the concrete
with his gloved hand, sending the snow swirling into the air before he set the gift down. Sitting
it directly in front of the door, he wanted to make sure she wouldn't miss it. Remaining bent at
the waist, he brushed the collected snow from his pants, missing the woman watching him from
the window.

Turning on his heel, he felt relieved as he inhaled the brisk, chilly Seattle air. The snow tickled
his cheeks as he descended the stairs, as he laughed and whistled from his achievement as he
navigated the snow covered streets back to the ferry.

Bella watched as the man whose face never left her dreams appear within reach, looking nothing
like the man she left. Her heart lurched at the the sight of his hand resting upon the door.
Visually confirming what she prayed was true, Edward rested the small rectangular box on her
stoop before returning to stare at the door, lips moving but nothing loud enough for her.

Looking every bit like the man she loved, she couldn't help but spy some obvious differences.
The sadness etched in his features, knowing that she was the reason for the stress lines around his
almond shaped eyes and the slightly thinner frame he carried as opposed to two years ago,
pained her ten fold.

But while she was focused on the slightly ashen color of his face, underneath it all she still saw
him. His proximity affected her just as it had from the first moment she noticed him in Jake's
bar.

Her initial urge was to go to him. To whip the door open, sweeping him inside, covering every
inch of him in love, but she couldn't. These gifts of discovery were important to him, and to her.

Tomorrow would be the end of the presents and hopefully bring a message from him as well. For
as much as Bella enjoyed this jaunt in unconventional courting, the twelfth day-the final day-
couldn't come fast enough.

Answers were needed, reasons for this subterfuge would put an end to her speculation. In
opening the door to a reconnection, he was also unknowingly giving her the necessary boost to
apologize. Even having two years to formulate a suitable 'I'm sorry' hadn't been enough for

Bella. She was terrified that it wouldn't be enough, that her words of apology would fall short of
being what he deserved.

She waited until he was far enough away that she could slip an arm out the door and grab the
package. Frosty air flooded through the tiny open space, sending an icy breeze up her nightgown
as she squatted to retrieve the package.

A loud gasp rose above the wind, leading to a round of laughter at her unintentional flashing of
her bits to her elderly neighbor, Mr. James. His lascivious eyebrow waggling led her to collapse
on the floor in a fit of teary giggles, a silent thank you to Edward for making her laugh, even
under the circumstances.

All ten previously delivered gifts were torn open instantly, leaving paper cuts and blood on her
ivory carpet, but this one sat untouched. Bella remained on the cold tile of the entryway floor,
legs curled beneath her with nothing more to do than stare at the box. The beautifully wrapped
box that was from Edward.

She moved the box from the floor to her lap, where it remained untouched for another ten
minutes. Her steadfast resolve was wavering though, as her fingers picked at the tape along the
edge. All the gifts were from Edward, but this one. This one she saw in his hands, touching the
paper, possibly tying the silly bow on top.

With painfully slow maneuvers, she artfully unwrapped the box. Once it had been shed of the
paper, she carefully plucked the gift that sat nestled in tissue paper. In her hands sat an antique
silver frame, much like the one she left him.

"He found it," she whispered, reverently touching the empty glass, both wistful and wholly
confused by the gesture. Though the frame was similar, she knew it wasn't the one she left
behind that fateful day.

Regardless, the message was loud and clear - he did know about it and had seen it. After what
seemed like hours of contemplation, she shifted her focus on what gift number twelve would
bring.

Late the following morning, long after he intended to wake up, Edward was finally roused from
his slumber by the shrill and incessant ringing of his cell phone. Loud, cheery and unwelcome
Christmas music bounced off of the walls in his bedroom, stirring him from his Bella-centric
dreamland. With his copy of the photo sitting on his end table, he fumbled around, knocking his
glasses onto the floor before finding and flipping open the cell.

"Yes?" He groaned, rolling over searching around for his glasses.

"Merry Christmas, son," Carlisle greeted, sighing softly, realizing he'd disturbed his sleep.
"Have you looked outside yet?"

At the sound of his father's somber tone, Edward's stomach lurched, knowing what the ominous

inflection meant. Glancing at the time on the phone, he groaned that he slept through his alarm,
setting his plans for the day well behind schedule.

After tossing the covers aside, jumped from the bed and bolted for the window, pushing apart the
drapes with such force that he took the rod down. With his worst fear realized recognized, his
phone slipped from his hand, landing loudly on the floor. His father's muffled voice was barely
audible as Edward registered just how much snow had fallen during the night.

"Fuck," he whispered, resting his palm flat against the window. His forehead and newly formed
fist followed suit, thudding repeatedly into the hard window. "I should have just stayed," he
conceded softly. Everything was riding on this one last gift.

Carlisle's voice grew more and more agitated as he continued to be ignored by his son. With one
last worried shout by Carlisle into the phone, Edward picked it up and sank to the floor, cradling
his head in his hands, the phone resting on his shoulder.

"I should have listened," he admitted to his father. Tears wouldn't come, he was beyond those
now. Edward need to act - fight instead of just accepting the cards he was dealt.

The weather couldn’t be that bad, he grew up in the Peninsula, he'd be able to navigate his way
back to Seattle. Determined to not waste another day, he responded with his father's worst fear.

"I've got to go Dad."

"Edward, you can't," Carlisle insisted, his son could hear the faint sounds of the television in the
background.

"Dad, I've got to try... I can't just let her think I didn't - could you imagine what she'll think?"

"No Edward, I'm not saying that you shouldn't. I'm saying that you physically can't. The ferry
service has been canceled because of the weather. Edward, attempting to drive in this mess – it
would be suicide," Carlisle explained, praying he conveyed the severity of the storm to his son.

"Son, I know you need to see her-"

"I... have to go. There has to be a way to get there," he sighed, knowing there wasn't. Images of
her face flashed before his eyes. Seeing her opening the door in the hopes of the final gift only
to have it not there. Her crying at what it's absence meant to the entire sentiment. Cynical Bella
would assume the worst, think it was a game toying with her emotions. He couldn't let either
scenario happen.

"Call her, son. Explain to her you'll see her in person soon enough-it's not worth risking your life,
Edward."

"Dad, I'm sorry... I have to try." He apologized. Both for his curt response and ruining another
Christmas because of Bella.

Snapping the phone closed, he pulled himself up and tore through his bedroom looking for
clothes. Tossing on marginally clean jeans and a sweater, he managed to shove his feet in one
boot, while teetering precariously on the other.

Bing Crosby's melodic voice filled the air of his bedroom again as his cell began to sing.
Glancing at the screen, his parents' phone number appeared on the screen but Edward ignored it,
pushing silent to give him time to plan.

He was well aware that his Volvo probably wouldn't make it very far in the deep snow - certainly
not all the way to Seattle - but that fact wasn't enough to stop him from trying.

Edward packed a change of clothes into a bag as a just in case, and with the cards stacked against
him, he headed outside to shovel himself out of the holiday winter mess.

As he expected, the Volvo was buried underneath the heavy white powder, the amount taking
him over an hour to remove. With each passing minute, Edward contemplated calling Bella to
tell her that he wasn't going to make it, but as the time ticked away his mind made up reasons
why his heart shouldn't make the decisions. The emotional pull he felt towards her dictated what
he did

Four hours later, the car and drive finally cleared, it was mid afternoon and Edward was left
exhausted, frozen and severely behind schedule to have any hope of making it to Seattle and it
still be the twelfth day.

He retreated back into his loft to change quickly before heading out. Both his cell and his
answering machine were blinking red with unheard messages of worry and anger from his
family.

He was terrified that he was making a mistake, reciting his father’s advice that he should just call
her and explain that he couldn't make it was giving him pause. His family cited that his safety
was more important to both them and to Bella and that he was being irrational instead of logical.

Once again, he didn't listen.

Much to his dismay, Edward's car made it exactly one hundred and forty seven feet before it
gave up the good fight against the snow. Bundling himself up before exiting the car, he phoned
his family to tell them that he wasn't making it anywhere.

"I'm not very good company right now," he informed his parents, opening the car door he tossed
his bag over his shoulder and began trudging through the snow back towards his home.

"Tell everyone I said Merry Christmas."

By nightfall, Edward was downtrodden, starving and soaked to the bone. Upon reaching his
apartment, he stripped himself of the drenched material, the sopping clothes tossed carelessly in

a pile on navy tile floor of the bathroom. Climbing into the shower, he would allow himself a
few minutes to wallow in his failure.

Once the allotted time passed, Edward retired to his living room to call Bella and at least get the
awkward conversation out of the way before they met face to face. He managed to dial and hang
up a dozen times before deciding that he needed a full stomach before he spoke with her.

As Edward settled on his worn leather couch with a bowl of soup and his phone, he dialed and
ended the phone calls seven times before tossing it onto the coffee table to focus on his meal
first.

The phone lit up as it skittered across the weathered wood of the table signaling a text.

Even though it didn't work out, I still wish you a Merry Christmas.

~B

Epilogue

"Jess, can you... can you come over?" Bella whimpered shakily into the phone. Her attempt at
remaining composed faltered the second her best friend answered.

Groggy and confused, Jessica woke up from her nap half-hanging off her couch. Barely
coherent, she didn't know what time of day it was, having spent all hours of the night on the
phone with her friend.

After Edward delivered his frame, Bella's initial flurry of emotions were ecstatic, jubilant - even
hopeful at what was obviously him conveying his hope for a reunion.

"It means what I think it does, right?" Bella smiled briefly, hopeful that her friend would confirm
what she gleaned from the gifts.

As she stared fondly at the line up of memories around the fireplace hearth, she wondered what
the final gift would be. Since the very first sign from Edward, Bella knew what she wanted - no
needed - the final statement to be. She hoped it wasn't another reminder, but instead Edward
himself standing at the door. Anything short of his presence wouldn't fit the scope of his
romantic gesture.

After seeing him on Christmas Eve, it took hours for Bella to pull the smile from her face. She
resembled the Bella of old. Gleeful, semi-optimistic and even a bit obnoxious, according to her
cynical friend.

Prattling on endlessly to Jessica, she spoke of changing her life, engaging in everything that they
missed out on. It was when she mentioned their cookie cutter future that her friend decided to
bring a much needed reality check.

Jessica, in theory, was happy for Bella, but she also knew that her friend shouldn't just change
for Edward. They needed to be together - she recognized that - but at what expense?

Guilt over their separation - over how much she hurt him by leaving - couldn't dictate how much
of herself she was willing to change just for a reconciliation. Jess knew what Edward wanted.
Even what he was planning that night that Bella left him.

"Bella, I love you, but I have to be honest." Jessica knew this conversation was long overdue.

"If all this means what I think." She paused momentarily at the sound of her friend crying again.
"Bella, I just want you to have an open mind about his... expectations. "

"I... I don't understand what you mean. Expectations?"

"I'm saying that he might think that all this erases everything that happened. You left him for a
reason Bella - this doesn't change that! You just up and running to him–"

"Running to him?" Bella seethed, livid that her friend was trivializing the effort that Edward
made or her reaction to it.

"Two years Jessica. Two years I've dealt with my reasons for leaving him. Wondering why I did
it - if it was all worth it - and you know what? It fucking wasn't." Bella continued, effectively
cutting off her friend's attempts at interrupting. The empty frame that rested in her lap collected
the small salty pool of tears as they splashed across the glass.

"No. I don't know everything he's thinking, but I have to find out - I deserve it - he deserves to
know... why... God damn it. We have to at least talk - he deserves that much. We never had a
chance - I never gave him the chance to talk... Merry Christmas, Jess. I love you."

Bella spent the next few hours waiting for gift number twelve. Waiting for Edward. The time
was also spent dredging up her past - the decisions and choices - that lead them to where they
found themselves now.

As the night wore on, it became increasingly more obvious to Bella that there would be no gift.
Even more crushing was possessing the knowledge that Edward wouldn't... no, couldn't make it.

The storm was relentless and unwavering in it's efforts to bury Seattle beneath a blanket of
white. Sheer levels of exhaustion, compounded by worry, left Bella delirious and falling in and
out of sleep, only to jolt awake by imagined sounds. She dreamed that Edward arrived by
dogsled - that was her first indication that he was only a figment of her imagination.

By the time the moon was high and glowing, it's light seeping through the gauzy curtains of her
sitting room, Bella had given up any hope that he would make it. Though the optimism she held
for a Christmas reunion with Edward had dissipated, Bella wasn't losing sight of her goal.

Edward.

They would get their chance to talk. Of that she was certain. It wouldn't be as romantic as
Edward's masterful gesture, but she'd get her point across. Cell in hand, she sent off a message to
him.

Even though it didn't work out, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

~B

Bella agonized over the twelve words she sent to him. Too vague? Should she have added x's
and o's? Clutching the phone in her small hand, she fell into a fitful sleep – alone, dreaming once
again of Edward.

Snow plows lumbered down the street, freeing Edward fully from the confinement of his loft.
With the Open House scheduled for early afternoon, he would spend the morning calling Bella,
asking to meet, hoping they could meet half way after he saw his family.

Meet half way.

Edward laughed at the irony, replaying Alice's words of advice to him that morning.

"I don't want to see her hurt you again," his sister pleaded, knowing that he needed a voice of
reason - to be grounded in his hopes. "Her letter... Edward she had reasons for... you guys don't
share the same-"

"God, Alice, I know. We didn't talk - we never got the chance. That's all I'm asking for." He
paused, collecting his bearings before he continued.

"I... I could have bent a little had I known - moved - so many things we could have compromised,
or at least talked instead of just giving up... running. She is what was important Al... it's her that

I need."

That's all he hoped for at this point.

He prayed the gifts were enough to have her remember what they had. To give him a chance to
explain. Each of them needed to bend if they were to ever come together again.

The Cullen family opted to delay their Christmas dinner. For Edward's benefit they blamed the
weather for the change. Of course the decision came after Carlisle's call to his other children
stating their brother's state of mind over his failed attempt at delivering the twelfth gift.

With the whimsy romantic nature of the twelve intended gifts no longer fitting, last night had
given Edward perspective - time to reflect on how much of a mistake it ultimately was. The gifts
could very well have spooked her. Sent her further away from him instead of towards him.

Though his family had been supportive of his wishes - their priority was Edward and his well
being. Seeing him so disheartened without her in his life would be nothing compared to how he'd
react if Bella reacted badly.

"Did you talk to her yet?" Carlisle asked, smiling faintly at his son's somber expression.

"No, she's... she's not answering her phone," Edward sighed, hugging his father weakly, his
exhaustion apparent in the gesture. "I should have listened to you - to Alice - when you said -"

His sister had joined them in the foyer, saddened by his tone. "Edward, I know what I said but
you can't give -"

"I'm not giving up Alice. The only thing I can do is be hopeful... that's all," Edward's voice
broke as his sister enveloped him in a hug.

"Come on," Alice requested, taking his arm and leading him to the dining room for their early
supper.

As he sat quietly while the rest of the family finished their dinner, Edward's mind floated
between watching the children celebrate the holiday - to Bella - to his appointment that
afternoon.

With his mind adrift, unfocused and swirling with the possibilities of what the day would bring,
Edward left the table to attempt to phone Bella again. Sitting comfortably next to the elaborate
Christmas tree, he arranged the gifts - by color, then size, then recipient - giving himself time to
think of what to say.

Though initially saddened by the sound of her voice mail message again, Edward soldiered on,
leaving her his voice as invitation. The cold, unfeeling words expressed in a text would only
lead to misinterpretation.

"Bella. Uh... hi. I was hoping to talk about things... the gifts... w-what happened. Call me…
please... at this number. I uh... maybe we can meet. I hope... It's Edward by the way."

"Well. That went well," Emmett teased, rolling his eyes at how nervous his brother appeared.

"I haven't spoken to her in two years, Em," Edward groaned, rubbing his eyes with the heels of
his palms. His brother smiled and outstretched his hand, flicking it slightly when Edward didn't
take it to help himself up.

"Thanks," he said, brushing off his pants once he was upright. "I've got to get going. I'm
meeting Heidi and then hopefully..."

"I know bro." Emmett smiled at his brother's retreating figure.

Edward took his time driving on the snow covered roads, slowly navigating through the back
channels to get to the large red albatross that he would soon be rid of.

As he turned the Volvo onto the dirt driveway towards the home, he took in just how perfect the
setting was; the brick red paint on the house, vivid, rich and bright against the snowy white
backdrop of the woods.

Edward's soon-to-be-ex house was nestled in the center of the large acreage, the expanse of the
property surrounded in the dark brown corral fence, keeping in whatever wildlife decided to
roam the yard.

With the slow approach to the house, Edward took the time to call her for the eleventh time that
day. As the voice mail kicked on once again, he left her yet another message, hoping that she'd
call or at the very least next him back with some acknowledgment. The house came into his
sight, appearing just as it had since he last saw it – at least until he noticed the smoke rising
(properly) from the chimney.

"Ah, another one of Heidi's sale's techniques," Edward deduced. "A fire warming the house,
making it look loved... or whatever."

Parking in between Heidi's and an unknown vehicle, Edward tried to calm himself before exiting
his car. Once he felt as if his nerves were subsiding, he made his way up the snow covered steps
to the large front door. Just as his hand made contact with the cold metal of the knob, it opened
swiftly, revealing a very happy Heidi.

"You've made it." She smiled, an obnoxious number of shiny, white teeth on display. "I was
getting worried you'd be late." Heidi stepped over the threshold and hugged Edward briefly
before descending the stairs.

"Did you forget something?" He asked, confused as she settled herself into the driver's seat of
her high-end SUV.

"No, everything you need is inside," she said, closing the door, effectively ending his questions.

He turned on his heel and entered the home, looking in the entryway for clues to crack Heidi's
cryptic message but every room looked empty. Taking them two at a time, Edward flew up the
stairs to check the bedrooms and bathrooms first, but found them void of any possible home
buyers.

Peering out of the master suite's windows, he saw that the mystery car was still there, so
someone was obviously still in the home. Making the return trip back down the stairs, he took
his time wondering why the couple for the

appointment hadn't announced themselves when he

appeared at the door.

At the landing, he admired just how much work Heidi had put into the house for the showing.
The plastic protective covers had been removed from all the furniture she rented to fill the space.

A fire roared orange and red, casting shadows across the hardwood floor. But all of it was
inconsequential when a shimmer from a flame caught his eye as it bounced off of the silver
frame atop the mantel.

Slowly stepping towards it, the sounds of the groaning floorboards beneath his feet carried
through the otherwise quiet house. As Edward reached the edge of the hearth, his eyes focused
on the picture - not the frame - but the picture that was displayed inside.

Encased in the frame he brought to her as the eleventh gift sat their picture. Displayed just as he
intended to deliver it to her. "Well, I'll be damned," he smiled, picking the frame up to hold it
towards the light filtering in from the windows. With his body turned, the reflection in the
frame's glass caught him by surprise.

Sitting, facing the window, was Bella.

She smiled when he realized she was there, but made no move to turn to him. With her legs
tucked beneath her, Alice’s red blanket draped over them for warmth, she finally turned her head
towards him and smiled. Minutes passed in silence, both of them needing the time to
comprehend that the other was there - within reach - and willing to talk.

"I was worried you weren't going to show up," she said softly, gesturing to the seat across from
her.

Edward's legs were locked in place, while his mind going a mile a minute trying to find
something... anything, to say to her. All the words he had prepared fled his mind swiftly, leaving
him with his mouth agape and silent. It gave Edward time to process that she was really there.

She looked - for the most part - the same as she had last time he'd seen her. Bella's dark hair was
much shorter, barely grazing her shoulders, but the color hadn't changed. Her fingers were
twisted and writhing in her lap as he watched her. His intention wasn't to make her more
nervous. But in waiting for the words to come to him, he unknowingly gave her time to
hypothesize what he would say.

Bella was torn, she wanted to make the first move but she was just as frozen as Edward was,

both

fearful that all the romance surrounding the meet up would blow up in their faces. That

once they were together again - even just to talk - that the balloon surrounding them would burst,
deflating the reunion before it even began. Bella wanted to talk. She tried to form the words but
seeing him, finally in the flesh, was too much.

Edward clearing his throat came just in time. pulling Bella from her memories. Thankfully it
came just in time to stop her imagination from traveling down a dangerous path involving the
two of them horizontal on the rug in front of the fireplace. Smiling in acknowledgment for him to
continue, she pulled the blanket tighter around her legs waiting for him to start.

He shifted nervously before taking tentative steps towards the couch opposite Bella. Smiling
awkwardly at the silent conversation that crackled around them, he settled into the couch,
yearning to touch her. Even if it was to only hold her hand, just some simple contact to prove
she was real. As if reading his mind, she leaned forward, the edges of her fingers grazing his
knee.

Emboldened, she slid off of the chair, pulling the blanket with her as she positioned herself on
the floor in front of him. With her arms crossed, she rested them atop his knees, followed by her
cheek. She looked up at him, only to see him stunned silent again, just staring down at her
smiling.

With his feathery light touch, he traced the worry lines on her forehead until she relaxed fully
under his touch. Her eyes betrayed her, looking exhausted, as he pushed her hair behind her ear.
Edward searched her face - her eyes - her expression, instantly relieved that they were all
welcoming, supportive and most importantly... eager. Her effort to get there, to him, was a
gesture he wouldn't soon forget.

"I've been calling you...." he said, resting his hand on her cheek, reveling in the warmth that
pooled beneath his palm.

"I know," she yawned, quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment. She moved off his knees,
and began to retreat by sliding away back towards her chair. "I uh... wanted to surprise you and
with the snow - it took so long to get here." Bella's statement meant more than the few words
could convey.

As she began to back away from him, he took the opportunity to slip off the couch, not willing to
let her escape or retreat back within herself. Edward slipped his hand beneath the blanket and
onto her lap, in search of hers. Taking them, he silently pulled her towards him, her body resting
against his as they both leaned against the couch. The two sat cramped together, perfectly
happy at the tiny amount of space between the furniture.

"Tell me about the past two years…" he stated, gripping her tighter in his embrace.

And that's what they did.

For hours he sat, arms wrapped firmly around her, anchoring her body to his, while she replayed
everything that happened during their separation. They traded memories. She told him of her
career, her unwavering need to succeed and how it consumed her. How it was the only thing that
she had that kept her from dwelling on the past. But, she confessed that while she needed him in
her lif, that she had to keep sight of herself as well.

Taking turns

so when one would falter from their pain, the other would take over with something

happy from their past. She cried uncontrollably when he told her she walked out on his proposal,
that his family feared for his wellbeing while he mourned her leaving.

His heart raced when the gruesome topic of their romantic lives came up. He savored her words
when she admitted being unable to date anyone else without seeing his face. Similar experiences
from Edward were shared causing another breakdown from Bella.

All that time lost.

While they both knew it wouldn't be perfect, they did agree that concessions by each would need
to be made if they had any hope of a future. She’d take some time off from the restaurant, while
he agreed to look for something closer to Seattle.

The house – for the time being – wouldn’t be sold. Bella had secured her wishes with Heidi to
ensure that if their talk went well that Edward would remain the owner. If even after they
attempted reconciliation they failed again, she’d buy it. She couldn’t bear to have a stranger own
what he poured his heart into.

At least they were talking instead of just giving up. When they were finished - worn from the
day and exhausted from their confessions - he brought up the one thing they didn't touch upon.

"I wanted to talk to you about...the messages - the gifts - they were... I mean I hope they were..."

Bella turned to face him, her smile putting his heart and mind at ease. Antsy anticipation
bubbled up inside him as she leaned forward with a simple kiss. Memorizing the feel of having
her lips to his again, she managed to give him the hope they both needed.

“They gave us a new start..."

~*~

The End

~*~