These Days

An AH AU one shot featuring Edward with bits of Bella and Alice.

Inspired by the song from Rascal Flatts

No copyright infringement is intended. All recognizable characters and situations are the property of their owners, not me.

Edward

I was just getting home from my vacation. Once again I had traveled to Alaska for a week during my summer break. The plane had landed in Seattle and I walked off the plane and started heading toward baggage pickup. I was walking along, my mind a thousand miles away when I heard someone yelling my name.

"Edward"... "Edward Cullen" the slightly familiar voice yelled at me. I looked around for the unidentified person wondering who it could be. No one was supposed to be meeting me here. My car was even in the parking deck.

"Edward!" I heard once again. I turned to my left toward the direction the voice seemed to be coming from. I froze in place. There, walking toward me was a petite brunette. One that even though I hadn't seen her in several years was instantly familiar to me. I felt the smile spread across my face as I dropped my carry-on and started rushing toward her. Her chocolate brown doe eyes sparkled with happiness as I watched her smile spread across her face.

"Bella!" I exclaimed, picking her up in a tight hug and swinging her around. "Oh my gosh, it is you! Let me look at you." I held her at arms length and took in the changes. She still looked the same to me. Maybe a little curvier than she used to be. A little fuller around the hips and breast. My eyes widened when I noticed the rounding of her stomach. "Wow!" The exclamation slipped out before I could stop myself. "Bella, Is that a baby bump?" I looked up at her, a huge smile across my face. She was turning the typical red she normally did when she was embarrassed. "No, don't blush, you look really good. What are you doing here?" I seemed to have no control as the words rushed out.

"I just stopped over on my way home from Montreal. I came by to visit Charlie. I'm on my way to Phoenix now," she explained. "It's really good to see you Edward, how have you been?"

"I'm doing good Bella," I replied, hoping she wouldn't see the lie. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee with me?"

"Sure," she replied, glancing at her watch. "I have about an hour before my plane will load. I can't think of any way I would rather spend it than catching up with you. We just need to make mine a decaf." she explained, grinning.

I grabbed both our carry-on bags and headed over to a coffee stand. I ordered for both of us, her coffee preference as familiar to me as my own, the only difference is the decaf she asked for. I took our drinks over to the table she had picked out. "So, tell me, how's life been treating you? It seems like I heard you got married? Maybe in Vegas?" I asked.

"It's been really good Edward. I got married several years ago to a really great guy. Jacob is... promise you want laugh?" she asked, narrowing her eyes just a little.

"Why would I laugh?" I asked puzzled.

"Well, you see, Jacob is a Native American, who is also something of a cowboy." she explained, grinning.

I smiled and replied, "Well yes, that is something you don't see every day."

"What can I say? Jacob loves what he does and he's really good at it. He was on the professional rodeo circuit for several years and actually won two world championships in bull riding. We used his earnings to purchase our ranch. It's about a hundred miles south east of Phoenix. We raise our own cows and horses and Jacob sometimes works with up and coming bull riders. He teaches them the secrets of the trade."

"That just doesn't seem like you Bella. Are you happy?" I asked.

"I am enormously happy Edward. I love my life. I have a great husband. Jacob is my sun, the air I breathe. I am hopelessly in love with him and he absolutely adores me. We have a two year old son named Charles William. He has his daddy's smile and my eyes. He is the sweetest, most good natured baby, and absolutely into everything. No matter who you are you can't help but love him. This is number two. Also supposed to be a boy. I guess we will know for sure in about another three and a half months. Oh, and I also have my dream job."

"What do you do Bella?" I asked. "I mean aside from raising your son and being worshiped by your husband." I teased.

"I am a freelance journalist for several different magazines. I get to stay at home and write. I work from there in my free time."

"Would I have read anything you've written?" I asked curious.

"Well that depends, I write under the byline of Isabella Black. Black is my married name. Usually my articles show up in Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living and Southwest Travel and Life. Although, I have done an article or two for Working Moms and believe it or not, Sports Illustrated."

"Sports Illustrated?" I questioned.

"Well yeah, I do some articles for S.I. on the Pro Rodeo circuit. We still keep up with things and Jacob is still somewhat of a celebrity in that area. They usually hire me to cover the world championship events every year." she explained. "Really it's an easy assignment. I mean its somewhere I am already going to be and I get Jacob's perspective on what all is going on."

"Wow Bella, it sounds like you have really done well for yourself." I said.

"I have been very fortunate Edward. My life has worked out better than I ever thought it might. Now enough about me, what about you? Wife? Kids? Job?" she asked.

"No wife, no kids, I have had a few relationships here and there but nothing that I wanted to make permanent. I've been a few places, traveled around some. Tried to "find myself." Eventually I ended up back here. I took a job teaching high school science in Forks and then realized that I had finally found my calling."

"So you like teaching? I never would have guessed that you would enjoy putting up with smart mouthed teenagers," she said, laughing.

"Well, yeah, at the moment I do. Mostly I'm still sorting out life, but hey, don't worry about me, I'm doing alright." I told her with a cocky smirk.

We sat for a few minutes in awkward silence until I noticed the music playing overhead. "Hey, isn't that..."

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed at the same time. "I haven't heard that song in years."

I chuckled, "Remember that summer before our senior year? We rode around with top down, singing that song at the top of our lungs."

She laughed, "I remember. We were so in love back then. Isn't it funny the way life works out? If you had asked me then I never would have guessed I would be where I am now."

"Yeah, life throws some curves all right." I said. "It's great to see you Bella. I think about you sometimes and I miss my friend."

"I know Edward, I miss you too sometimes," she replied. "Oh my, I've got to get going. My plane is going to be boarding in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah," I said, "those planes won't wait." I looked into her eyes as I held her hands, "Listen, Bella, promise me that the next time you're back around this area you'll look me up. Come by and see your old friend. I'd really like to see you again, maybe even meet the family." I told her. I pulled her into my arms for a hug and said, "God it's good to see you Bella." For one moment, one single instant, I stood there holding her in my arms. I breathed in the unique scent that was Bella and I allowed myself the luxury of the dream. Then I dropped my arms and returned my attention back to what she was saying, unwilling to miss a single word that left her lips.

"Yeah Edward, it's been good seeing you too. I'll drop by or call the next time I come around." We hugged once more and I watched as she walked away. She turned around at the gate to wave one last time before disappearing out of my life.

I finally made my way to baggage pick up, my suitcase still turning around on the conveyor belt. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the airport and got in my car. I sat there for a moment thinking back on the encounter with my former girlfriend. I shook my head and cranked my car, pulling out of the parking space, my mind still deep in thought. I was taking a trip down memory lane. Bella and I had dated all throughout high school. At the time we were sure we were it for each other. There were a lot of experiences we shared. I was thinking back on our junior prom when my cell rang. The ring tone telling me immediately that it was my sister...

"Hey Alice," I answered.

"Edward, what's up? What happened? Why did I suddenly have the feeling that we needed to talk?"

"I saw her Alice, at the airport. I sat and talked to Bella. She was right there in front of me."

"Oh Edward, are you alright?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, maybe." I replied. "I was just getting home, fixing to pick up my bags and there she was. She had come to see Charlie and was headed back to Phoenix."

"How is she Edward?" Alice asked.

"She's great Alice. Pregnant with her second child. She positively glows. She is so happy with her life that contentment just radiates from her. You know, sitting there talking to her, I just couldn't help but wish that it were me making her glow like that."

"Edward, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" Alice asked.

"No," I told her. "She's happy, that's all I can ask for. She doesn't even know how in love with her I still am. Besides, it's my own fault. I never should have left her like that. I told her to move on and she did. I'll just have to get by." I paused, gathering my thoughts, before continuing, "I'll get through this Alice. Then come tomorrow it will be the same as before. I will take each day one at a time. I'll wake up and think of her. I'll listen to that oldies station that brings back so many memories while I shower and get ready for work. Then I'll teach some kids and grade some papers. Eventually I will head back home and check the answering machine, just in case she's called and left a message. Then, I'll head off to bed and dream about Bella again. That's my life, sad, but true. That's what I'm doing these days Alice."

"Did you tell her how you looked for her that summer after you graduated college?" she asked.

"You mean the summer before she got married? No, I didn't see a reason to bring it up. She has a life now Alice. A good life and a family. She's happy and she doesn't need my interference. I left her. I shattered her heart and left her broken and damaged. It took her months to recover from what I did to her. I couldn't bother her with my regret. No matter how much I love her and how sorry I am for what I did, I could never make it up to her. She shouldn't have to listen to my what ifs and could have beens. Trying to get back together with her then, after she had finally started being happy and living her life wouldn't have been fair to her." I paused, wanting nothing more than to be alone with my dreams of what my life should have been like. "It's starting to rain now Alice, so I'm going to go. I'll call you and let you know I got home, alright?"

"OK Edward, I love you brother," she answered.

"I love you too, Pixie," I said, calling her by her old familiar nickname. I hung up the phone and smiled, bittersweet memories playing across my mind like the old songs from the radio.