Enough for Forever
A Fan fiction
By Holly Jane
Disclaimer: I'm going to state the painfully obvious. I do not own Twilight or the characters. Just the plot. '( So sad.
I had just gotten home from the Cullen's house after Edward dropped me off, and I fatefully fell and sprained my ankle, and now, I hobble up the steps in crutches. I sighed. I could feel Edward's eyes watching my every move, making sure I don't kill myself before I reach the front door.
I knocked breathlessly on the door as Edward sped away in his precious Volvo. I could tell that Edward had been extremely worried, and I tried to convince him that the trip was all my fault, but he blamed himself for not catching me. It bothers me entirely that Edward just can't seem to accept the fact he can't protect me from everything. And in this case, he just hadn't happened to realize that it was myself I needed the saving from. I felt pity for the poor guy.
Charlie yanked the front door open in a hurry. The look on his face went from shock, to disbelief, to suspicion. I wondered what he was suspicious of. But instead of asking, I smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Dad. Tripped and fell again." I muttered, hobbling past him.
"Bella…" he said carefully.
"Yes, Dad?" I said, crutching my way into the living room and taking a seat breathlessly. I set the crutches against the old couch and leaned back, gasping for air. It felt like I had been working out for hours instead of just hobbling my way up the steps and into the living room.
Charlie still hadn't said anything. I turned to look at his worried expression. I could feel my heart beat pick up as I read the look on his face. He was going to start a conversation that from the looks of it I wasn't going to enjoy.
"How exactly did this happen?" Charlie questioned suspiciously as he slowly sat himself down on the old recliner across the room from me. I gulped. Why was he acting like this?
"I just tripped and fell, Dad." I said, waving my hand in the air. "It was nothing."
He didn't look convinced. "If it was nothing you wouldn't be needing crutches."
I starred at him, puzzled. "What exactly do you mean, Dad? I just slipped and fell and twisted my ankle. You know, clumsy me." I said, biting the inside of my lip nervously. I shouldn't be nervous, I kept reminded myself. I was telling the truth. Why am I so nervous?
"Bella, I don't exactly know how to say this…" he said, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. He got up and wrapped his arms around his back, pacing the room in deep thought. I heard my breath catch when he stopped in the middle of the room and turned to look at me. "Bella, I want to ask you one thing, and I want you to be completely honest with me, you hear me?" he demanded.
I starred at him wide-eyed. I nodded my head hastily, feeling sweat dew on my forehead. Please don't let this be the sex talk. Please, please, please. That would be just way too weird, considering it would be coming from my Dad. Ugh. I shuddered.
"Bella." Charlie said nervously, though sternly. I'm guessing he was now Chief Swan instead of Dad because of the voice he was using. "Has this boy been hurting you?"
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. That was very unexpected. "NO!" I hollered. My answer echoed through the small room. "How could you even—I can't believe—ugh!" I screamed, throwing my hands up in exasperation. I would have made a dramatic exit but I was in no condition for that.
Charlie's face turned bright red as he sat down in his recliner. "That's all I wanted to know." He said, though the look on his face told me he believed otherwise.
"Dad! You do believe me, don't you?" I whispered, feeling the hurt and panic creep up my throat.
His face looked torn. "It seems every time you come home from somewhere you're hurt. Take Phoenix for example. How do I know that Edward didn't do that to you on purpose after trying to leave him—or the time you came home with a stitched up arm and then he just up and left!" he fumed. "What am I supposed to think, Bella?" he hollered at me, his face turning a subtle shade of red as he choked out the words.
Tears brimmed in my eyes. Is this what he thought all along? No. Edward would have noticed this. But then again, Edward was always so flawlessly sweet to me around Charlie. I always thought it was to prove that he'd never leave me again, to earn his trust back.
"How could you think those horrible things?" I whispered, the tears running freely down my face.
"Bella, please don't cry." Charlie tried to comfort me but I just stood up awkwardly and hobbled carefully out of the room. Charlie didn't bother to follow me as a few sobs broke from my chest and I inched my way up the steps, one by one, thump by thump, breath after breath.
I finally made it to my room and I slammed my door loudly, intentionally, so that Charlie would know not to bother me. I locked it, anyways. I turned around and was met by a loving pair of ice cold arms that encircled me and held me tightly. I buried my face in his chest and broke down in tears. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he murmured into my hair, rubbing my back gently.
"Edward. H-has he always thought those things?" my lips trembled in worry as I searched his eyes, watching his reaction to detect if he lied.
His face looked torn. "Not openly, no."
My jaw dropped. "W-what? What is that supposed to mean, Edward?!" I half-yelled, throwing my hands up and walking to my bed, plopping down on my bed and bringing my leg up, curling myself into a ball. I stroked my cast and averted my eyes from his gaze.
He sighed deeply. He walked to my bed carefully and sat down next to me, wrapping his arms around me and seating me on his lap. I hid my face in his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in his heavenly scent and letting it calm me.
His hands stroked my back gently as he explained. "Charlie is more…perceptive than I gave him credit for." He paused. "Like you." He took a deep breath and continued. "He thought of it as a possibility in the back of his mind but never really thought anything of it. Perhaps this was the breaking point for his suspicions?" he mused. "I'm not quite sure."
"How could we convince him otherwise?" I whispered into his collarbone.
"Charlie is very stubborn." He laughed, his frame vibrating beneath me. "Just like you." I laughed with him. "You and Charlie are quite alike," he mused. "So I'm not sure if we'd be able to convince him of anything else. Over time I suppose," he sighed. I sniffled. "I love you very much, Bella," he whispered. "If Charlie is smart, he will see that. He will understand."
"Charlie's suspicions are stupid. I love you so much Edward. How can he not see that?!"
"Bella, love." He lifted my chin to look into his eyes. "He knows very well that you love me. He's terrified that I will…" Edward seemed to be struggling for words now. "He's terrified of me hurting you." My gaze locked with his and I could see nothing but passion burning in them. They smoldered at me, dazzling me. "But, Bella," he said brokenly. "I could never hurt you. Not ever, ever again."
My eyes brimmed with tears and a sob escaped my chest at his expression. He looked so broken, so hurt. It caused me pain seeing him like that. "Edward, I love you. I love you so much. I know you could never hurt me. I trust you. I do."
He smiled gently, stroking my burning cheek with his frozen finger tips. "I love you, Bella." He said, pressing his lips to mine very delicately.
Our lips lingered on each others for a moment until Edward pulled back and my eyelids sagged. "Sleep, my Bella, love. Dream happy dreams," he picked me up slowly and pulled the covers of my bed back, tucking my sheets in around me. He laid under the sheets with me and that surprised me, he usually laid on top. He wrapped an icy arm around my waist and pulled me close. "Goodnight, love."
"Goodnight, Edward." I whispered.
I slowly fell asleep in Edward's arms, only to realize that Charlie's suspicions did not matter to me. All I cared was that I was safe, safe with Edward. Charlie could think what he wanted, but I could not be separated from the love of my life. We would find a way, and Charlie would see. He would understand. We love each other. That's all Edward and I need to for forever. Edward was enough for forever.