Story Title: The Best Friend Finally Gets The Girl

Summary: Edward leaves just like he does in New Moon. Bella is a shell of her old self. Only one person can make her feel love again.

Watching New Moon gave me this idea. And my then my muses wouldn't shut up about it. My Edward muse was especially chatty. That's never happened before. He is usually content to let

everyone else do the talking. Have you noticed that other than his survery Edward has not said one word in my stories? Anyway, let me know what you all think.

One more thing before you all start reading. I want to say thank you to Layla Loves Twilight for being my beta. You are amazing. You all should go read her stuff. Because it is AWESOME.

Especially You Are My Thunder. Thanks again.

Bella woke up hearing her dad outside her door. She couldn't shake the dream out of her head. She wasn't sure how much longer she would last as a human. She would just have to apply more pressure to Edward.

He had to see that she was better off as a vampire. And if he didn't, she would just ask Carlisle to do it.

"Happy birthday baby." Charlie said pushing the door open with one hand.

It was then that Bella noticed that he was balancing something on his right elbow. On top was a camera. Whatever was on the bottom was wrapped. He handed them to her and sat down on the bed.

"I thought we established that I didn't want presents this year."

"Well the one on top is from me. It's not wrapped, so it doesn't count as a present. The one on the bottom is from your mom. She coordinated with me."

Bella took the bow off the camera quickly turning it on and taking a picture of her dad. He gave her a dirty look before smiling.

"I doubt your mom wants a picture of me." He said with a laugh.

She carefully pulled the paper off of her mom's gift. Inisde was a photo album.

"She wants you to take pictures of your friends. Kind of like a senior year scrap book."

"That way I can show it to her when I see her again."

"That's the plan."

Bella nodded as her dad stood and started to walk out of the room. She raked a hand through her hair wishing that Edward were there. He had left to go hunting over a week ago, but he was supposed to be home

last night. It was the longest they had been apart since they started dating. He still wasn't allowed inside the house, but that hadn't stopped him from coming in through Bella's window every night. She missed him

more than she wanted to admit. She hadn't even talked to him since he had left. Maybe he would show up before she left for school.

"Bella?" Her dad called from downstairs.

"Yeah dad?"

"I'm leaving."

"Okay."

"Have a good day."

"You too." She said moving to the window.

She watched her dad leave holding her breath waiting to see if Edward would show up. After a minute she huffed before walking away from the window. She shook her head wishing that she didn't have a bad

feeling about today. It was just like any other day to her. She had never liked having people make a big deal about her birthday. And to her advantage, her birthday fell on the first day of school. So none of her

friends from school would know.

She got dressed quickly after realizing that she only had twenty minutes before she had to leave. Edward still hadn't showed up as she walked out the front door. It was just as well, she wouldn't have been able

to give him the attention he deserved while she got ready. She drove to school in silence but her thoughts were filled with Edward. She pulled up to the school looking for a parking spot, but also looking for his

car. He wasn't there yet. She pulled into a parking spot seeing Mike, Jessica, Angela, and Eric by Mike's truck.

She got out trying to act like this was a normal day. Jessica saw her first and called her over.

"So are you ready for the big day?"

"What?" Bella asked trying to keep her eyes from bulging out of her head. 'How could they know?' She thought to herself.

"The R&J essay is due today?" Jessica said remiminding her.

"Wherefore art thou Bella?" Mike said in a joking manner.

"Who gives us homework over the summer?" Angela asks shoving her hair out of her eyes.

"Mr. Sumpter." Mike and Eric said at the same time.

"I finished mine last week." Bella said nodding her head.

"Oh look, Cullen is here." Mike said rolling his eyes.

"Be nice." Jessica said swatting his shoulder as Bella turned around.

Sure enough Edward was getting out of his car and he was striding towards Bella. He didn't seem to notice that every girl within twenty feet of him was staring. Bella knew different, he was probably reading their

minds. Even though he claimed that he hadn't done that since they had started dating. He smiled once he was in a few yards of her. Angela, Eric, Jessica walked away while Jessica pulled Mike away by his shirt.

It was clear that Edward and Bella needed privacy.

"Happy-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Bella said warning him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I missed you." Edward said against her hair.

"I missed you too." She said leaning up to kiss him.

He pulled away after a few seconds. A look of agravation spread across his face.

"He has something for you." He said gesturing with his head over his shoulder.

Bella looked over Edward's shoulder seeing Jacob leaning against his dad's truck.

"Go. I'll wait for you at the stairs." Edward said before kissing her hair.

Bella walked over to Jake with a smile. He engulfed her in a hug before spinning her around. He sat her down so that she was in front of him and he was blocking Edward's view.

"Happy birthday Bella."

"How do you know? And why aren't you in school?"

"Your dad told my dad. My school doesn't start until nine. I have another hour."

"Just don't tell anyone else that it's my birthday. I don't want it being public knowledge."

"I can do that. I have something for you." He said with a smile.

He pulled a dream catcher out of his front pocket and held it up for her to see.

"I saw it the other day and thought of you. It catches bad dreams."

"My mom used to have one. It was twice this size though."

"The size doesn't matter. The guy in the store told me this one was just as good."

"Well, if the guy in the store says it's okay..." She said shrugging her shoulders with a smile.

Jake laughed before pulling her in for another hug. This time he turned around so that he was facing Edward. He glared at him before pulling away from Bella.

"Don't be a stranger. Okay?"

"Sorry for not coming to see you this summer. You must have been so bored." Bella said rolling her eyes.

"I don't know how I made it through." Jake said hanging his head in sorrow.

"I'll come see you this weekend. I promise."

"You should go. He looks like he's about to come over here. I'll see you this weekend."

Bella nodded watching him walk away. She turned and saw Edward looking at her hands. She quickly put the dream catcher in her bag as she walked up to him.

"How is it, that he can give you something? And yet, I cant?"

"Because I can't give you anything in return."

"Yet you can give him something?" Edward said stopping in his tracks.

"Yes, my friendship." Bella said looking up at him.

"It seems to me that he wants more than that."

"Well that's all he's going to get."

"Good answer Bella." Alice said jumping over the stair railing to stand in front of them.

She walked up to her carrying a large box.

"Happy birthday Bella."

"Shh! You weren't supposed to say anything." Bella said giving Edward a pleading look.

"She can see the future remember?"

"What did you see?"

"Your dad giving you your presents this morning."

"Great. Just don't tell anyone else."

"Fine. As long as you come to our house tonight."

"No party." Bella said shaking her head.

"But it's your-"

"Finish that sentance and I will disown you Alice Cullen." Bella said glaring at her.

Alice handed her the box with a smile.

"You will love it. And you will wear it tonight to our house."

"So I don't have a choice."

"Edward will talk you into it. I'll see you later." Alice said kissing her on the cheek.

Jasper turned the corner and Bella finally saw him.

"Jasper no fair! You controlled my mood."

"Happy, nevermind. You already know." He said with a smile.

XXXXX

Bella sat in Carlisle's office listneing to Edward tell her about the Volturi. She couldn't believe that something so horrible actually existed.

"You have nothing to worry about. The Volturi will never have a reason to come here. You are safe." Edward said wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Are you sure?"

"I myself have never even met them. I have only heard about them."

That eased Bella's mind. Now if only she weren't so worked up about the party. There were so many things that could go wrong. She could trip and fall on the stairs. She could choke on a piece of the birthday cake

she had seen when she had come in. She pushed the thoughts from her mind as Alice led her down the stairs. She pulled Edward behind her feeling him gently squeeze her hand in reassurance. She turned to

look at him giving him a grateful smile.

"Unless you want to trip and fall on the stairs you should turn around." He said with a smile.

"And here I thought you couldn't read my mind."

"You think the same thing everytime you walk down a flight of stairs. You're predictable." He said squeezing her hand a little harder.

They made it to the bottom of the stairs and Alice bombarded her. Rosalie handed her a gift mentioning that Alice had picked it out. At least she was honest. Alice handed her a empty box saying that it was from

Emmett next.

"It's already installed in your truck."

"Thank you Emmett." Bella said with a tight smile. Edward had had a hand in that gift.

Alice took a picture of them before Bella could say anything else. Esme handed her something and mentioned something about the need for her to get some sun. What was that supposed to mean? She tucked a

finger under the paper and pulled. She saw the blood before she felt the sting of her skin splitting open.

"Paper cut." She said wincing.

A drop of blood dropped to the floor and the next thing she knew she heard a low gutteral growl. Edward was shoving her out of the way before she could blink. Emmett and Alice were having trouble holding Jasper

back. Carlisle was in front of her inspecting her injuries. She had gone through the glass table that held her presents. Two of which had yet to be opened. Edward stood behind Carlisle looking at Bella over his

shoulder. Every one else filed out of the house after Jasper and Alice.

"Edward go and check on your brother. He probably feels awful and you're the only one that will be able to get through to him."

"Yes sir." Edward said just above a whisper.

He walked to the front door turning to steal one more look at Bella.

"I'll be fine. Go see Jasper."

Edward silently closed the door as Carlisle helped Bella up.

"Lets get you into the kitchen. There's better light there."

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it." He said patting her good arm.

He led her to the kitchen table before leaving the room again. He came back a few seconds later carrying his medicine bag.

"It's a good thing I keep one of these at home. I never had to use it before you." He said teasingly.

"Ha ha." She said rolling her eyes.

He was gentle as he picked the glass shards out of her arm. She had trouble watching him, but from the sound of the glass he was dropping into the bowl a few of the pieces were quite large. Her arm was starting

to go numb from the shot he had given her. Which was good, because she didn't want to feel the needle when he started to stitch her up.

"This doesn't look that bad. The cut isn't that deep now that I've got the glass out of it."

"How many stitches?"

"Three maybe four. You should be able to have them out next week."

"Is Jasper going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine. A little shameful, but that will eventually go away."

"I don't blame him."

"I know that. But he might not."

"If I could talk to him-"

"Some other time." Carlisle said running a hand through her hair.

"You make it sound like your leaving."

"We can't stay here forever. But I promise, you will be the first person to know when we decide to leave."

"I'll be going with you."

"That is undecided at the moment." He said concentrating on the stitches.

"Do you think that Edward would really leave me?"

"Not without being dragged." He said with a wink.

They were quiet for a few minutes while Carlisle finished. He cleaned up the mess then set a fire to everything in the bowl. He stood handing Bella her sweater.

"I'll go get Edward. He should drive you home."

"Okay." Bella said with a nod.

Edward stood at the bottom of the stairs as Bella made her way down. He took hold of her good arm and placed in the crook of his. She smiled up at him, but he wouldn't meet her gaze. That was strange. He didn't

say a single word the whole way home. Once they pulled up at her house Edward was out of the truck and opening her door before she could blink.

"That is never going to get old." She said with a smile as he helped her out.

"Glad to be of service."

"So the silent portion of the evening is over?" She said giving him a teasing smile.

"I'm sorry. I've got a lot on my mind."

"More like you can't stop listening in on your family. What are they saying?"

"It's not important." He said shaking his head.

"You know it's still my birthday." She said trying to keep his mind off of his family.

"I know."

"So I do want something from you."

"What is it?" He asked with a smile.

"Kiss me." She said wrapping her arms around his neck.

Their lips met in a bruising kiss. His hands fisted in her hair before crushing her to him. She gasped putting her hands in between them. He grabbed hold of her hands keeping her close. She pulled away giving him

a wide eyed shocked expression.

"You wanted a kiss." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"Yes I did. Will you stay for a while?"

"I'll meet you upstairs." He said with a nod.

Charlie opened the door for her as BIlly wheeled himself down the hall.

"Where's Jake?"

"Out with friends. I'm gonna take him home." Charlie froze when he saw the blood on her dress.

"I got a paper cut at the Cullens." She said holding up her finger.

"Okay."

"Bye Billy."

"Bye Bella. Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

Bella watched Charlie's cruiser pull out of the driveway and drive down the road grateful that Edward had parked up the street where Charlie wouldn't see him. She made her way up the stairs slowly taking in the fact

that she and Edward where the only two there. Which happened a lot seeing as he would come over as soon as Charlie left practically every day that summer. She opened the door to her room seeing Edward

stretched out across her bed.

"I'm going to go change. I'll be right back." She said grabbing pajamas from her dresser.

She took a little longer in the bathroom than she thought. She heard her dad coming up the stairs as she opened the bathroom door.

"I figured you'd be asleep already."

"I'm going to bed now." She said hugging him goodnight.

"Sleep good." He said kissing her forehead.

"You too."

She waited until he had gone into his room and shut the door before going back into her room. Edward was still where she had left him. She lay next to him wincing as her arm started to bother her. He grabbed hold

of her arm and the pain instantly went away.

"Carlisle says that a cold compress helps keep the pain at ease."

"He's right." She said meeting his eyes in the darkness.

He smiled as he started humming her song for her.

"You never gave me my present."

"Some other time." He said just above a whisper before going back to humming.

She started to protest as he put a finger to her lips. She decided to just let it go and got lost in the music. She fell asleep within seconds. Edward gently pulled himself from her. She didn't stir as he quietly got

off the bed and made his way to the window. He cast one last look at her before climbing out the window. He didn't want to think about what he would tell her when he saw her again. He would have to make it

convincing enough that she would never think of him again. It would hurt him more than it hurt her. But it was something he was going to have to force himself to do.