Fire and Ice

[Author's Note: This is a part of Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. I rewrote it how I think it should have gone – Bella and Edward are too forgiving of each other. They need to go through a good, healthy fight every once in a while. They're too nice to each other, and it sometimes bugs me. It's obnoxious how perfect Edward is. He needs to have his bad moments, just like anyone else. So that's what I wrote in here. Read, enjoy, and please, give me feedback!

I tried to keep calm. Bella's fine, I tried to tell myself. She's visiting Jacob – of course she's going to be a while. Another part of me was stronger. Go and get her! I shouted mentally at myself. She's been in there for hours!

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm down. There was no way I could get into La Push without them noticing me.

Stupid mongrels, I cursed silently. With their… communications… even if only one of them saw me, they'd all be on me in a minute.

So I was stuck out here, trying to keep cool, while heaven-knows-what could be happening to Bella.

I paced up and down the boundary line, too agitated to sit still. What was Bella thinking? Couldn't she see how dangerous those wolves were – especially with Jake being so young?

At long last, I heard something. Quil was close enough to hear, and he was thinking about Jacob – which was what had gotten my attention.

Finally! He gloated. Jake's done hanging with the leechlover, guys – he'll be with us soon!

I raced back to my silver Volvo, then followed the old, red truck that held the other half of my soul – Bella. After a few minutes, she pulled to the side of the road. We were still far enough from Forks that we probably wouldn't be found. For a moment, panic flared inside me. I was furious with her, and I hadn't eaten in weeks – I was in no condition to be with her right now! Taking two deep breaths to ensure I was in control, I stepped out of the car and waited for her to approach me.

Bella stopped a few feet from where I leaned against the car door with my arms folded. She looked anxious. As well you should! my mind agreed angrily.

"Hello," she said nervously. I glared at her. "Um, so, I'm still alive," she said, clearing her throat. Her voice was higher than usual. I fought against the part of me that wanted to explode.

"Do you have any idea what you just put me through?" I asked, barely containing my fury. She sighed and nodded, shamefaced. "Do you know how close I came to going in there after you?" I growled. "I was on the verge of running in and grabbing you –"

"No!" she interrupted, her voice shocked. She stared at me, blood rushing into her pale cheeks. "You can't do that! Someone would get hurt, and the war –"

"You think that matters more to me than your life?" I shouted, fists clenched. What a ridiculous idea. She was my oxygen. "Today was torture! I didn't know what was happening, and Alice couldn't see anything left in your future! Do you know what I went through today?" I was surprising both of us. I had never lost my temper with Bella before. A hard glint came into her eye.

"It can't be any worse than what I felt when you left me," she snapped, flipping her long hair over one shoulder and glaring at me. I flinched. I didn't like to be reminded of that. It had been an eternity of pain and torment for me – although it was only six months – and I didn't even want to know how badly I had hurt Bella.

"I did that for your own good," I retorted. "You know that – we've moved on. We're discussing you and La Push, not me." Bella folded her arms across her chest. "I can't have you running off again," I insisted, though I wasn't yelling anymore. "It's not safe."

"Yes, it is!" she said angrily.

"No!" I shouted. "Have you considered the fact that if you did happen to get hurt while you were around him, that I wouldn't know about it? Alice can't see you when you're around him. If you died while you were there, I wouldn't even know it, because she still wouldn't see anything!"

"I'm not going to die," Bella said coldly. "Stop exaggerating things." I ignored that.

"Alice will be keeping an eye on you," I said, not meeting her fierce gaze. "This won't happen again."

"And what is Jake supposed to do?" she shouted, her anger making her face flush. "He's hurting, bad, Edward, and it's my fault! Can you expect me to just ignore that?"

"Yes!"

"I won't do that to him! He's not dangerous!" She could really get up in my face when she wanted to. "Edward, he's my best friend! I can't let him hurt without trying to do something about it!"

"Fine!" I shouted. "If that's how you feel, I'll just step out again and leave you and your precious werewolf to a happily ever after together!" I spat the words into her face. The anger sagged out of her, and she gazed up at me with tear-filled eyes before taking a slow step back, then another, and then running to her truck and driving away.

The breath in my lungs whooshed out in one gust of air. Now that it was over, I felt bad. I really needed to learn to control my temper concerning Jacob Black. Pain twisted my stomach as I recalled Bella's anguished face as she blamed herself for Jacob's pain. If only she knew that she could never cause anyone pain. Climbing back in my car, I drove very slowly to my house and, avoiding everyone, began running to Bella's home.

Alice intercepted me halfway. "What did you do to her?" she demanded. "We were supposed to go shop together tonight, but no – I show up and all Charlie will say is that she's in her room bawling and doesn't want to see anyone." She frowned at me.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said distantly. "I'm going to Bella's. I'll be back soon." Alice huffed.

"Meaning you'll be back at three a.m., if you come back tonight at all," she muttered. "Bye, Edward."

Bella's window was open, inviting. I climbed the tree in front of her room and watched, guilt twisting my stomach. She was curled up on her bed, arms around her knees. Her shoulders shook softly, and I heard the soft sobs that came from her. Unable to stand it any more, I climbed into her bedroom.

"Bella?" I said quietly. She looked up at me, startled, and I had to restrain myself from taking a step back in horror. With her arms curled around her chest, her eyes blank, and tears streaking her face, this was the exact same memory of her that I had read in Jacob's mind. Self-hatred ripped through me as I realized that I had been the one to cause her this pain, both times.

I sat beside her on the bed and hesitantly put my arms around Bella's shoulders. She instantly relaxed in my embrace. Sometimes it bothered me that she was so willing to forgive me for everything I had done to her, but tonight I was glad.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry at you. I didn't mean any of it." She nodded. "Forgive me?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Always," my love whispered, turning her face upward to kiss me with her warm, soft lips.