Edward has been home from work barely fifteen minutes before there's a knock on his door. "Just a minute!" he calls out, and groans as he gets up from his spot on the couch. Shuffling tiredly to the front door, he releases the chain and flips over the deadbolt, swinging open the door.

"Yeah—Bella!" he exclaims in surprise.

Bella is standing on his stoop, a tight, unsure expression on her face, and wearing the same jacket she'd worn the first time Edward saw her.

Edward stares at her, eyes wide, mouth open.

Bella gives a little wave. "Hi."

Edward blinks. "H-hi. Uh, what are you doing here?" He looks past her and into the street, a little worried he's about to be arrested, that she's changed her mind.

"There's no police," Bella tells him. "I promise. I just came to talk."

"Oh. Well, come in, I guess." He opens the door wider, fidgeting nervously as she passes him.

There's an awkward moment while he closes the door and they make their way to the living room, standing five feet apart and looking at everything but each other. Bella still hasn't said why she's there to begin with.

"Um," Edward says, when he can't take the silence anymore. "It's good that you came by. I was going to send you something, but I had some trouble finding your address. Not that I'm stalking you or anything—that would be creepy, but I've been looking around the internet and the white pages for it. I guess you're unlisted because I haven't been able to find it and wow, that really does sound like stalking, actually, but I'm not, I promise. I just—" He stops abruptly, realizing he's babbling. "Just wanted to give you something," he finishes lamely.

"Something like this?" she asks—with what he swears is a small, amused smile. She pulls out an envelope he recognizes.

Edward stares at it in shock. "How did you get that?" He peers into the foyer and at the secretary, where he keeps his keys and mail. He could have sworn he put that envelope there yesterday. He has no idea how Bella could have gotten it.

"Jake brought it to me," Bella explains. "He showed up at the shelter yesterday."

"Oh," Edward replies, still feeling a little lost. Then his face falls. "So, you won't accept it? That's why you're here? To give it back?"

Bella doesn't answer, turning the envelope thoughtfully in her hands. "How did you manage to get so much money together in such a short time, anyway?" she asks instead, eyes fixed intently on him.

Edward shrugs uncomfortably. "Oh, you know. Got an advance on my paycheck; made some people who owed me pay me back finally; emptied out my savings account. It was difficult, but it's all there. This way, it's as if I paid for Jake's gambling addiction. Which really, wouldn't be the first time." He chuckles nervously.

Very carefully, Bella places the envelope down on the coffee table.

Edward's stomach drops, and he asks again, "So, you won't take it?"

"It's not that," she says. "That's just not what I want to talk about right now." Bella pauses, looking over the stack of pamphlets and enrollment papers he's left on the table. "Going back to school then, huh?" She picks up the shiny booklet for the university, idly flipping through it.

"Uh, yeah." Edward runs a hand nervously over the back of his neck. "I mean, I'm thinking about it. Shouldn't let all those credits go to waste, should I? I'm not completely sure, though, still thinking about it."

"You definitely should do it." She looks up from the book to meet his eyes.

"Really?" Edward asks, a grin slipping involuntarily to his face. "You think?"

She nods, dropping the pamphlet back on the table.

"Oh, well, thanks," he says uncertainly. Not wanting to let on just how much her opinion means to him. "What did you want to talk about then?"

"Us," Bella says simply, eyes studying him.

Edward sucks in a breath. "O-oh. There's..." He swallows. "There's an us?" There's that small smile on her face again, and he can't help the rush of hope that pours through him, that has been there, admittedly, since he opened the door and saw her on his steps.

"There could be," Bella replies seriously, taking a step toward Edward. "What do you say we start over, get a fresh start. One without all the fuck ups from last time." Another step.

He smiles widely as he lets out a relieved breath, dimples showing as he mirrors her, taking a step forward to meet her. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that sounds...that sounds great."

She nods, taking one more step so they are chest to chest. "Good."

Then his wrist is grabbed suddenly, cold metal slipping around it before he has the chance to react. He gapes down at the handcuffs that now chain him and Bella together. "Then it's my turn to kidnap you!" She smirks.

He throws back his head and laughs, grabbing her cuffed hand with his own and interlacing their fingers. "That's fine. Except there's one problem." He walks forward, pressing her up against the living room wall, leaning his head forward so they are barely an inch away.

"Yeah? And what's that?" she asks, breathless.

He brings their interlaced hands up between their chests, squeezing her hand. "I lost the key in Forks," he whispers. Then he leans the rest of the way down and kisses her hard.

She kisses back, gripping onto his shoulder with her free hand to pull him closer. She smiles at him when they pull apart. "We'll call a locksmith... tomorrow."

Well here we are... this 'one-shot' that I started writing for my amazing beta Midnight Cougar, that turned into a beast that could not be tamed. 50K words later and I hope you all fell in love with Edward and the Cullen's as much as I did. So glad we made it... and my dear MC I couldn't get through any of the writing I do without you. I appreciate all you do to help me out and I hope you enjoyed this! You are an amazing lady and I love you lots.

Thanks also to Ashley (Pandora's Box is Heavy) for your pre-reading, encouragement and comments.

I have a lot more stories to post... newly written as well as trying to re-post all the stories ff . net pulled down on me, so I hope you'll consider putting me on author alert.

I have also been asked to be the banner maker for the Midnight Delight New Years Eve Contest (the same gals who brought us the Naughty or Nice Contest last year)… so I hope all of you head over to the FB group for that and check out all the entries and banners. It will be running during the month of December.

I appreciate all the reviews, recs and everyone that stuck with me through years of trying to get through this!

Until next time!

Jess