Author's Note: This story has been redone and is now so much better :) Enjoy the heartache!

Summary: Goodbyes are seldom pleasant, but watching your fiancee's heart break because she's bid farewell to another man is excruciating. What is running through Edward's mind the night after Bella said goodbye to Jacob?

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to not done baking, vjgm1 for the initial beta on this and Eowyn77 for keeping me in canon!

Goodbye Hurts by Heartbroken1

Chapter One - Irony

Carlisle and I rushed into the small house that the Black's called home. I desperately listened to the thoughts of those around us, trying to find out Jacob's status. He couldn't have permanent damage or Bella would never forgive herself, and watching her heartache would be more than I could bear.

"Thank you for coming," Billy told Carlisle, shaking his hand. "He's back here."

Jacob was cursing loudly as we entered his tiny room that was made to appear even smaller with the wall to wall people. I was relieved as the obscenities continued to flow in his thoughts -- especially since they weren't directed Iat/I me.

"Everybody out," Carlisle insisted.

One of Jacob's brothers let out a growl in protest.

Charlie looked at each of them curiously.

"You heard him," Sam told the pack. "He's going to need room to work." One by one, they left us.

I walked over, sitting next to Jacob on the bed. "We'll get you all fixed up," I assured him.

Another stream of profanities roared from his lips as Carlisle began his examination.

Charlie's eyes widened. I wonder if he uses that kind of language around my daughter, he thought.

I could speak with utmost confidence that he didn't just as I never would.

I wasn't the only one who had noticed Charlie's reaction to Jacob's new found vocabulary. "I think it'd be best if you leave too, Charlie," Billy suggested.

He nodded and his thoughts disappeared.

"I'm going to need to give him something for the pain," Carlisle whispered to Sam. "Is that okay with you?"

Sam stared at us dumbfounded. I don't know. Can I trust them?

His thoughts should have been insulting, but I understood completely. His mortal enemy was asking for permission to shoot heaven knows what into the veins of his friend -- his brother.

"Sam, we need to get going on this before the damage becomes permanent," I explained, holding up a bottle of morphine. "This is the only thing we'll give him and only as much as he needs."

Jacob let out another agonizing scream and cinched Sam's decision. "Fine, do whatever you have to. Just fix him."

Carlisle took Jacob's face between his hands. "When you come out of this, there is to be no phasing until I give you permission."

"Sure, sure," Jacob said aloud while his thoughts continued, I'll tell you whatever the hell you want to hear.

"He's serious, Jake," I warned.

Jacob shot a death glance in my direction while Carlisle looked at me curiously, but as his gaze returned to Jacob he saw what he'd missed before.

"I mean it, Jacob Black," he used his most professional doctor tone. "If you don't take it easy, you will do serious damage." He looked at Billy and Sam as he continued, "Jacob is not allowed to phase until I give him the okay."

They nodded in unison as Jacob swore under his breath.

"Very well." Carlisle attempted a smile. "Are you ready for this?"

Jacob let out a groan as he nodded.

"I'll be in the other room," Billy informed no one in particular. "You'll understand that I can't watch this."

"I'm not leaving," Sam assured him. "I'll make sure he's okay."

I shut out the thoughts of those around me and concentrated on the little glass bottle and the syringe in my hands.

"Edward?"

I stopped, looking into Jacob's sad eyes.

"Take care of her," he whispered. "Love her enough for both of us."

I ignored the glistening that was beginning to form in his eyes and simply agreed, "I will. I promise." I walked over, leaning across the bed to his good hand and shook it, "I wish you all the happiness in the world."

Just not with her, he thought.

"If that's what she wanted..." I let my sentence trail off, unable to deal with even the thought of her choosing a life with him. My throat started to close in what resembled emotion so I cleared it with a cough that was too loud for my comfort.

"Got that morphine?" Carlisle asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you measured it right, leech?" Jacob growled as a pathetic smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

I depressed the plunger, sending just a bit of liquid into the air. "Let's hope, pup."

Our exchange lightened the mood in the stuffy little room. Sam even cracked a smile.

I walked over to Jacob and sat down next to him on the bed. "We'll have you back on your feet soon." Thinking of Bella's feelings for him, I continued, "You rest now."

After a quick needle poke, he drifted into oblivion. With all his anger and fierce attitude gone, he looked so young. I had compassion for this boy who wanted everything I did.

His mind replayed through the happenings of the last few days with Bella -- most of which were excruciating for me to experience. I realized I wasn't alone in wondering where her head might be at this moment.

Carlisle's hands moved with precision over the broken bones and flesh of Jacob Black. Even in his heavily sedated state, he winced and groaned as my father poked and prodded, searching for further injury.

I watched in awe as Carlisle used his hands to treat the man who was once my enemy, setting bones and stitching the mangled skin back together.

It's a little unsettling how irony works. I thought about the many times in the past where I would have gladly ripped my competitor limb from limb, breaking every last bone in his body. Yet here he was, bruised and broken, and all I felt was a peculiar sense of brotherhood.

How could I fault Jacob for loving Bella as fiercely as I loved her myself? That would make me the worst kind of hypocrite.

I released my frustration in a sigh that was ignored by the others still within the confines of Jacob's room. This whole situation was hopeless. No matter how you sliced it, someone was going to get their heart broken. I just prayed that it wouldn't be me.

As thoughts and hushed voices began to come down the hall, I stiffened, feeling very protective of the incapacitated man laying in front of me. While he couldn't protect himself, I would protect him. I owed him at least that much.

I never would have expected that, Charlie's thoughts muttered before he shuffled back down the hall.

I'm sure seeing me with Jacob would come as a shock to anyone who had seen us nearly at each other's throats. This situation aside, we hated each other and when it was over, we would probably hate each other again.

Carlisle put the finishing touches on Jacob's leg and turned toward Sam. They nodded to each other and I stood.

It felt like I had been through an emotional overload and I needed to get out of this house -- now. "If you're done, I think we'd better get going," I encouraged Carlisle.

I walked out of the room, passing Charlie in the hall.

"Is he going to be okay?" I heard him ask as I walked through the living room and out into the yard. I waited there while Carlisle left the necessary instructions with Billy and Sam.

I leaned against a tree and waited, thinking. I knew Bella had a choice to make and felt pretty confident which way it was going to go. However, looking at the sadness in Black's eyes as he talked about her, I wondered how she would ever get through telling him goodbye.

"Ready?" Carlisle's words startled me, which didn't happen often given my gift.

"Yes, let's go."