A/N: Sorry for not updating as much this week - the general election in the UK was today and I've been campaigning my heart out non stop all week. This chapter may end up being a little shorter than usual, simply because I'm struggling to focus, but I didn't want to leave all of my lovely followers and reviewers without.

AaAaA

BPOV

"Do you really have to go, Bells?" Mike asks me as he sits on the desk in the office, stealing all of the small cool breeze the desk fan was providing me with.

"Yes, yes I do. I haven't had time off since we started this thing." I say with a sigh, giving him my best leave me alone look. A look he definitely understands, but always chooses to ignore anyway.

I look around my office feeling bored as Mike continues to fuss over the pen pot on my desk, for such a hard worker he's being a clinger today. Probably due to the fact I'm leaving in just two days. The modern design and view of the New York skyline just doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore, could it be that I actually miss the trees I see outside my window at home in Forks?

Plus when I'm there I can sit in pyjamas, or yoga pants, or absolutely nothing. Here I'm stuck in pencil skirts, stuffy blazers, and high heeled shoes that kill my feet.

"What if I want to go on holiday?" Mike asks me, now flicking elastic bands at the waste paper basket in the corner of the room.

I tilt my head and shrug my shoulders at the needy guy, "then you go. It would probably be a good thing for you and Jess to go away."

"But you're away so now I can't." He tells me with a slight pout. What is up with this guy?

"Mike, I'm going. If you can't wait until I'm back, I'm sure the building will still be standing when we both get back." Mike has slowly started to become more and more concerned about my departure as time has gone on. It'll be the first time he's done everything on his own since we started up. I know he can do it, he just doesn't know yet.

"Fine, fine. I'll be setting your office up as an office gym whilst you're gone though." He says with a smirk, his blue eyes lighten up immediately.

I can't help but laugh, "you do that. Now go, do some work!" I tell him as I slap his arm. He jumps down from my desk and saunters out of the office.

As soon as he leaves I attempt to get on with some work. It's mostly just signing on the dotted line, I don't have another meeting until later this afternoon.

Oh god it's dull.

This stuff used to excite me, I used to live for it, but now my mind is more focused towards a certain bus, a particular road trip, and a spectacularly unruly head of brownish hair…

I lean towards my desk fan to try and blow away that last thought from my mind.

No, Bella. Absolutely not.

You're not ready.

I begin to tap my fingers on the edge of my desk and remove my shoes to try and displace the dull ache forming in them from the stupid shoes.

I need sleep. I'm fucking exhausted.

Why the nightmares have come back with vengance I do not know, all I know is that they've gone from every few days to every single fucking night. At least in Forks I had Edward to help me, but here I spend my nights alone in the hotel room.

Well, I say I've spent my time in the hotel room, but in reality the majority of my time has been spent at the office and at the bar - I've even been beating Mike in in the mornings which is really saying something.

I pull my phone out and my finger hovers over Edward's name. He'll have finished work now, he'll just be prepping for the trip like the others.

I stand up and pad around the office, taking a moment to look at the skyline, so look at every single building, the taxis below, the water in the distance, the hundreds of thousands of people rushing around late for meetings or their train or their flight.

It's easy to become submerged in the NYC bubble. The draw of possibility, of a metropolitan lifestyle, of big city life. I would know, I've been in the bubble for years. Probably for many more years to come. But all just seems so… shallow to me now.

I pull my phone out again.

How how's the trip planning going?

I text Edward, finally giving in to my craving.

Not bad Bella, visiting Rosalie and Emmet and the kids before I go. Hows work?

The response is pretty much instant which I'm thankful for.

Work is fine, I've got Mike on my ass 24/7 but only two days to go

It feels weird having a pretty normal, lighthearted conversation, but it also feels right. As if the craziness of the world outside has suddenly stopped, and instead been replaced with just the two of us on some remote island together in the middle of the ocean.

You tell him where to go!

Edward tells me. I feel a smirk growing on my face as I respond to his messages.

Okay okay. I'll see you in a couple days

I put my phone back on my desk with a smile on my face. Somehow Edward always manages to make my day somewhat better.

But I cannot open myself up. Not again. It can't happen.

OoOoO

I feel my heart thump as the plane lands in Seattle. Just a car journey away and I'll be in Forks, tomorrow we'll be setting out on our trip.

Part of me wants to stay in the airport and take the first plane back to New York. But that can't happen. I have too much to accomplish, too many plans, too many friends.

Friends? I'm shocked.

It'll be worth it, Bella, it'll be worth it.

I just have to keep telling myself that.

ZzZzZ

A/N: Sorry for the very, VERY short chapter. The exit poll results have put out my writer's flame right now :(