Sorry for the late updates, as always. This semester's load is way more than I had anticipated, and since I just transferred schools I'm having to play catch-up as of late. This chapter kinda splits into both POVs at some point, so hopefully it will be clear. Sidenote, Jenna, I don't think of Edward's feelings towards Oswald as a roadblock at all actually. I think of Edward as very open minded and likely bi/demisexual because he cares for Kristen (in a way) and Bree, but I do think his feelings for Oswald are very real as well. I do intend to acknowledge that. As always, thank you for all the lovely reviews, and I hope you enjoy!

"U-ummm….a double-date?" Edward sputtered as his expression fell.

"Yeah—you know, never mind, it was completely a dumb idea—" Bree said quickly in dismissal, her cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment at the entire scenario unfolding. She stood before Kristen and Ed, clutching a pile of files to her chest as she avoided Edward's burning gaze. She attempted to plaster a smile on her face as she noticed Kristen's arm wrap around him.

"Nonsense, that sounds like a lot of fun!" Kristen said jovially, her auburn hair swinging in a carefully kept ponytail as she looked up at Edward with a wide grin. He glanced at her and offered a smile, but Bree couldn't help but notice the tightness at its edges. Kristen looked back to Bree.

"In fact, we went on quite a wonderful double date with Officer Gordon and Dr. Thompkins not long ago! Not to mention, you and Mr. Dent are quite the cute couple," Kristen chimed. Bree gave a small laugh as her gaze flickered back to Edward. His posture stiffened minutely, his lips pressing into a thin line, the edges twisting into a forced smile.

"Yes. Quite."

She caught the hardness in his tone, but quickly shook it off and smiled.

"You're too sweet. Well, can I count you two in for tomorrow night around seven?"

"Rodger dodger." Edward said with a half-salute.

"Of course!" Kristen added with another smile.

"Great!" Bree said, giving them both a quick nod before turning and walking away. She sighed.

That was going to be a long night.

-/

"You want to antagonize him. That's why you're doing this, isn't it?" Bree said with her back to Harvey as he zipped up the back of her dress.

"That is not true."

Bree glanced back over her shoulder and shot him a sharp look.

"—not entirely true…." He added with a chuckle, his hands resting on her shoulder as he gave her a quick peck on her cheek. She spun back around to face him and he put his hands in his pockets.

"So what if I do….just a little bit? Maybe I do want to take the time to show him what he missed out on….." Harvey offered with a wry smile. Bree shook her head, rolling her eyes as he paused his movements, giving her a light peck on the lips.

"I think you may just have a bit of a vengeful streak, Mr. Dent," she teased.

"Don't we all?"

She grew quiet for a moment.

"I suppose we'll find out."

/

"What's the matter, Eddie?"

A soft, familiar voice, broke Edward's reverie as he straightened his tie. He tried to mask the sour expression on his face as he smoothly lied.

"Oh….just wondering if I chose the right tie…." He offered with a half-chipper tone. Kristen smiled at him with light-berry tinted lips. (He should know, after all, after all those months of remembering exactly what she preferred.) His heart fluttered at the very notion that her smile was directed towards him…and yet…..and yet…nothing about the night felt right. The thought of Bree joining them with another man sent sharp pricks beneath his skin.

Even as he arrived on Dent's doorstep, hand grasping Kristen's tightly, he couldn't shake the tense feeling in his gut. As he reached and rang the buzzer he leaned down and gave Kristen a light peck on the cheek. Even as a light flush graced her cheeks, a small smile spreading across her lips, the voice in the back of his head remained.

"I wonder; do you think they took so long because Dent had her bent over the kitchen table? I wouldn't be surprised….that overrated boy scout can't keep his hands to himself I bet—"

"Just shut up."

He countered silently, his jaw clenching as he bit back the words. His hand tightened around Kristen's. He tried to focus on its warmth.

The door buzzed and Kristen pushed it open. Once they made their way up to the apartment and knocked, the door swung open, a smiling Harvey Dent motioning them inside.

"Kristen, Edward! I'm so glad you could join us!" he said jovially, motioning them inside.

Edward offered a tight smile, placing a hand on Kristen's shoulder as she shuffled inside in front of him.

"It smells great in here! Doesn't it Eddie?" Kristen chimed with a smile, peeling her coat off her shoulders. The scent of freshly cooked risotto drifted to his nostrils and he couldn't help but give an internal sigh of relief. If anything, perhaps the food would at least be good.

"Hey guys," Bree said, smiling as Kristen greeted her with a hug.

"You look lovely," Bree added towards Kristen before turning towards him.

"Edward," she said, hesitantly hugging him as well. He could see the internal struggle in her eyes as she half lifted her hand for a hand-shake and decided against it.

The very notion of her greeting him with a hand-shake seemed laughable after all they had been through.

"Well, I hope you two are hungry because there is plenty to go around."

The dinner began and they eased into a stream of mindless chatter and small talk. Edward smiled at the appropriate intervals and offered the occasional response, but overall felt far less chatty than his usual self. He noted the way Dent's arm draped across Bree's shoulders as he spoke. Ed met her eyes briefly, causing him to look away, perhaps a little too quickly. He twiddled his fork between his index finger and thumb, mindlessly pushing around the food on his plate.

"So, how did you two meet?" Kristen asked and Edward's head shot up, casting her a glace before looking to Harvey and Bree. They exchanged glances with soft smiles as Bree laughed softly. Ed felt a sharp tug in his stomach that caused a sour taste in his mouth.

"She should be looking at you like that. "

His other's voice rang out in his head. He silently draped his arm around Kristen and she shot him a beaming smile. His heart fluttered at the very glance, but he could still hear his other's mocking laugh in the back of his head.

"Well," Bree began, brushing a lock of blond hair behind her ear, "I spilt coffee on him and I'm pretty sure my first impression was burning his hand while awkwardly trying to clean up my mess," she said with a laugh, "So, I tried to buy him a replacement coffee for the one I spilt….."

"—but I thought she was cute, so I asked her on a coffee date instead," Harvey added with a charming, boyish grin, leaning forward and kissing her.

"Oh, that is so adorable," Kristen sighed with a small smile, her eyes flickering over Harvey.

Ed nearly rolled his eyes.

"Careful Eddie-boy. Smooth-talker over there may just steal your other girl too."

The hand resting in his lap clutched at his dress pants, slowly balling into a fist.

"And what about you two?" Harvey asked.

Edward looked up as he felt Bree's eyes boring into him.

"Oh, they had something of a whirlwind office romance., wouldn't you agree?" Bree said flatly, an empty note in her voice that he swore only he could catch as their eyes remained locked as she took a long sip of wine. His jaw clenched and he swallowed as he watched her throat bob.

Unaware, of their small interaction, Kristen smiled and chattered on.

"Oh, well, Eddie and I didn't always get along as well as we do now. It took me a while to figure out how great he was." She said, her arm looping around his as she leaned forward and nuzzled her nose against his. He smiled and returned the gesture, catching Bree shifting uncomfortably in her seat in the corner of his eye. His lip turned further upward into a smirk.

"Yes, I know," Bree said softly.

He couldn't stop the half-chuckle under his breath.

"Looks like she hasn't quite forgiven little Miss Kringle for what she put you through."

His other noted.

"Oh, yes, you two have been quite good friends for a while now, haven't you?" Kristen asked. Ed noted the way Harvey's hand tightened around Bree's shoulders as he caught his eye. There was something dark in Dent's gaze that set him on edge.

Bree nodded.

"Since my first day as an intern," she said with a half-smile. Edward nodded silently.

"Well, he's really lucky to have a friend like you, you know?" Kristen added.

Bree raised a brow and a light flush graced her cheeks as she smiled softly.

"Yes…..I'm quite lucky," Edward added, talking a long drink of his own wine.

Subtle tensions in the room began to slowly wear down as a third bottle of wine was uncorked. Laughter began to fall from his lips with more ease as the alcohol pleasantly buzzed in his system. Usually, he wasn't one for anything that would hinder this thinking, but this just so happened to be the sort of occasion that made him yearn for a stiffer drink.

Especially, when he noticed Bree suddenly stiffen. Her cheeks flushed red and she bit her lip, her eyes darting around the room, seemingly looking anywhere but him. She reached for her glass again and took a too-large sip. Ed glanced to Harvey, who had a carefully disinterested expression on his face as he chattered on. But Edward didn't miss the slight angle and the way Harvey's arm disappeared beneath the table and she shifted in her seat…..

Oh god, he's touching her.

His breath caught at the sudden realization and he muttered that he needed to run to the bathroom as he climbed to his feet and quickly fled the room.

The bathroom door could not close fast enough as he locked the door and bent over the sink. He slid his glasses off the bridge of his nose and ran his hands over his face.

Why did he ever think this might have been a good idea?

"Having fun watching our little Brianna get felt-up?"

Ed rubbed his temples hard.

"Go….away…" he whispered.

"Can you really blame him? I know you wanted to slid your hands up that skirt all night too."

His reflection chuckled, his dark eyes glinting mischievously as his tongue ran over his lips.

"Just stop. I'm with my girlfriend for god's sake."

"And getting jealous of Bree's boyfriend getting a little frisky with her in front of you…."

"Yes…" he said between gritted teeth.

"Cause, clearly, that's normal, genius."

His other-self walked around him in his mirrored reflection.

"Just let me take this body for a spin. Give me five minutes and I'll have her bent over and begging for us in no time…"

"That isn't what I want…."

"Are you sure about that? Aww is little miss ray of sunshine Kringle not making you as happy as you thought she would? Pity," his reflection crooned in a soft, mocking tone.

"Quiet. I love Miss Kringle."

"Oh, sure you do, Eddie-boy. Except for the part where you can't stop thinking about the girl who isn't yours on the date with little rosey cheeks over there."

"That's not true….."

"Yes, my mistake. Bree's ours. More so than Miss Kringle ever could be. You'll see that too very soon."

Edward picked up his glasses and slid them back onto his nose.

"Well, not today. I am going to go back out there and have great date with my girlfriend," he spat, glaring at the figure behind him in his reflection as he turned to unlock the door.

The mocking laugh in his head echoed as he left.

/-

Blood thumped heavily in Bree's head as she fought to keep her blush under control.

He saw.

She pushed Harvey's hand down from her upper thigh, beneath her skirt.

Edward saw.

She had already been silently fuming at Harvey's audacity, but didn't want to overreact enough to draw attention to it. But Edward and noticed and now it was too late.

"I'm going to run to the kitchen and check on dessert. Harvey, do you mind helping me?" Bree asked flatly, meeting his hesitant gaze. He knew he was in trouble.

Good.

He trailed behind her into the kitchen and the moment the door closed she let her careful guard drop.

"What the hell was that?" Bree spat, turning towards Harvey with her finger pointed into his chest. Harvey blinked, his mouth falling slightly agape as he stared at the finger digging into his chest.

"Look—I was just playing. It really isn't a big deal," Harvey said in his signature reassuring voice with a boyish smile, his hands up defensively. Bree rolled her eyes and she caught his jaw clench in annoyance.

"Well—it is to me. It's one thing to go and arrange a double date like this, but it's another thing altogether to literally feel me up in front of the guy you know I had feelings for."

"Had—you had feelings for. I thought you said you were over that…"

"I-I am….." she said, her voice faltering as her hand dropped to her side, balling into a fist. She ran her hand through her hair in exasperation.

"But please…don't put me in that position again.

He stared at her a moment, his brows furrowed as they stood in silence. He turned to leave, but stopped as he reached for the door handle and looked back at her.

"I'm sorry…."

Bree folded her arms across her chest and watched the door swing shut behind him. She let out a heavy sigh and turned towards the sink, leaning over it and raking her hands through her now-messy hair.

Fuck it.

She never was good at the super-tidy look. Unlike Kristen with her perfectly coiffed ponytails and sensible dresses. Even Bree's skirt fell unevenly lopsided on her hips as she had failed to fix it from before. The night, if anything, had only made her feel like more of a mess. She sighed into her hands and didn't bother moving as she heard the door swing open and shut again.

"Look, I really would just rather talk about this la—"

Bree cut herself off and she spun around and instead of Harvey she found herself face to face with Edward.

"Oh…..sorry, Ed. I'm just…..sorry, for what…..you know…" Bree stopped herself as all words seemed to have flown from her vocabulary. Her eyes drifted shut and she shook her head. She held herself back from saying anything that would make the situation worse by chewing at her bottom lip.

Suddenly, her eyes shot back open at a soft touch on her cheek. She furrowed her brow and met Edward's gaze sparkling with something of a mischievous glint. His lips curled upward into a smirk as his fingertips ghosted her cheek and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"That wasn't your fault….." he said, allowing his hand to drop to his side. She stared at him a moment. Something felt…off. She had felt it since the beginning of dinner. He was far too quiet.

"I'm glad you understand…." She turned to the sink and begin rinsing off a dinner plate.

"I always understand…." His voice resonated, she could feel the ghost of his body heat behind her. "But do you know what would make it better…..?"

His voice was suddenly by her ear and Bree nearly jumped as she spun around.

Bree blinked at him in confusion. He was officially acting odd—well, odder than usual. And he was moving closer. His head tilted so his lips grazed across her cheek. Her breath caught, hands grasping at the granite countertop,

"What are you doing….?" She asked softly.

"Make it up to me…."

"What?"
His long fingers cupped her cheek as he brought his face in front of hers.

"Kiss me. Kiss me, and I'll forget what happened in there…."

Her breath seemed frozen in her chest as she looked at him in disbelief.

"But, what about—hmmp"

His lips suddenly pressed against hers. She opened her mouth to protest when he delved the kiss deeper, his hand on her cheek moving to the back of her neck. His tongue flicked against hers and something in her switched as she began to move her lips against his. He emitted a low sound from the back of his throat and kissed her fervently, his teeth nipping at her lower lip. With that one movement, her hands were in his hair, his hands grasping at her hips.

What the hell am I doing?

She chastised herself in the back of her head. He pushed her back, the edge of the counter biting sharply into her lower back as his hips pressed against hers. The growing ridge of his erection pressed against her through his dress pants.

And just as quickly as it had begun, he broke away.

He quickly took several steps backwards, staring at her, mortified.

"Edward?" she asked quietly, not entirely sure what had just transpired. He swallowed hard.

"I-I'm sorry," he said quickly and before she could say another word he bolted out the kitchen door.

She stared at the door for a moment, gaping in silence.

"The hell was that...?" she muttered before swearing under her breath.

Sorry, if it's a bit short. I'm mostly just trying to break the writing dry spell. This is mostly set up for the really good stuff. ;)