Here's chapter 2 to Misery :D FYI – 90's music (BBMak, Hanson, Spice Girls, etc) is VERY inspiring. Back Here by BBMak actually got me into gear with writing. I have an outlined planned out up until Chapter 7 so if I can keep writing, I should be able to update this story weekly UNLESS I don't get enough reviews. I want at least 5 per chapter.

Best friend, never gonna let you down
Best friend, always gonna be around
You know, whatever life puts you through
I'll be there for you
We all need a best friend, to understand
A best friend, to take your hand
You know, whatever life puts you through
I'll be there for you

~ Best Friend by S Club 7

Chapter Two

Friends

Chicago

BPOV

Being in the kitchen was where I belonged. Nicole and I met at my restaurant every night, either with Edward or with Riley. They had wanted me to let Nicole take charge this weekend but they knew how much I needed this. Rousseau was the biggest critic out there. Ever since I had opened my restaurant, I have waited for this moment and I wasn't going to fucking miss it. After this weekend, I would remain at Mason.

Planning for Rousseau appeared to be easy. The only thing that ended up being difficult was Edward. He seemed a bit distant and I couldn't read him. Ever since Alice had called late last night, he was just off and he refused to talk to me about it. How could I be in a relationship with someone who couldn't be honest with me? I loved Edward; there was no doubt about that but if he couldn't confide in me then we wouldn't work out. There was only one thing that needed to be done.

We had to talk.

EPOV

I did whatever I could to avoid Bella after last night's phone call. With the help of Riley and the Quileute boys, we moved Bella into Masen, taking turns to stay with her while we fetched her belongings from her hold apartment. Usually Riley ended up staying with her. We ended up agreeing that it was best since James knew him. They had been partners after all and James knew that Riley was Bella's one connection to Forks. He didn't know my face or anyone else's. Luckily for us, no one had followed us home. Besides, Masen had all these back roads leading to it. We never used the same one twice.

Bella glanced at me and I gave her a half-hearted smile. When she glared, I knew that she knew something was going on with me. But how could I tell her? How I could tell the woman I loved that her solid rock was losing the battle? It would break her heart. She would run back to Forks – most likely without me knowing – and then what? Everyone in Forks would be in serious danger. James had connections, serious connections, from what Riley had told me. It didn't matter if he was locked up in a federal prison or not. He would find a way to get to Bella.

Last night changed my view on things. Whether I liked it or not, Bella would end up running back to Forks when she found out. Thank God Alice had called me instead of Bella. I was more relieved that Bella didn't answer my phone like she used to do. When Alice said those words, my heart fell into my stomach.

"What, Alice?"

Alice sighed, followed by loud coughing and hiccuping. She had either been crying or she was drunk off her ass. Maybe even both.

"Al? Are you drunk?"

"Oh, Edward!" Shit. "We just got back from the hospital to see Jake." Alice was an emotional drunk. Instead of being more obnoxious than she already was, she would either be your best friend, telling you she loved you and shit, or she would be all over you, bawling her eyes out. It didn't matter if it was about our dog who had died fifteen years ago or about Friends being canceled. She would cry over everything. "It's not looking good."

"What's going on Alice?"

"The doctor's say he has a 50/50 chance these days."

"Fuck," I groaned, running a hand down my face. "What are they going to do?"

"Up his chemo. I guess this recent episode damaged his immune system somehow. You know I'm not a doctor." There was a pause and I silently begged my sister not to say what she was thinking. "Bella needs to come home, Edward." She sniffled. "Jake's asking for her. He can't understand why she won't answer her cell phone or her home phone."

"You didn't fucking tell him?"

"Of course we didn't tell him! He doesn't need to have a stroke too."

"Give me a few days okay?" More sniffling from Alice's end. Maybe she wasn't as drunk as I thought. "Let me figure out how to spring this on Bella. You know she'll want to come home."

"Maybe that's for the best."

Drunk or not, I knew that Alice meant well.

"Damn it!" I shouted in frustrated. A loud crash caused me to jump and turn around. Bella stood in the door way, a box labeled 'dishes' was on the floor. "Sorry." Bella nodded and picked up the box. She looked like she was about to walk away and for a minute, I thought I wouldn't have to explain myself.

God didn't like me very much today.

Bella set the box down on the nearby staircase before turning back around and facing me. Her eyes were narrowed slits. Fuck, she was pissed off. Pissed off Bella was always hot. It made for great makeup sex. I moved from foot to foot in an attempt to readjust myself. Come on, Edward. You aren't that eighteen year old boy anymore. Grow a pair. Oh I was growing all right. Fuck!

"You need to tell me what's going on, Edward," Bella spat. She bit her lip, a sign when she was nervous. "I know it's hypocritical of me to say this but if we're going to start something, we have to work on the trust that we had. The trust that I destroyed."

"Bella –"

"I'm sick of lying, Edward. I have been doing it for eight years! I'm still doing it."

There was no way that I could tell her. She would be angry with me for what I was about to do but how could I get her to let this drop? Right now wasn't the right time to tell her.

"I promise I'll tell you, alright?" She nodded. "But not right now. Give it a few days okay? Get used to Masen first and then we'll talk."

"How long do you plan on putting this off, Edward?"

"Two... maybe three days." The glaring returned. "I promise that it's more for your benefit then it is for mine. I love you, Bella. Things will work out. I'm not losing you again."

BPOV

Why were the Cullen men so fucking difficult?

All he had to do was come out and say what was on his mind. He wasn't taking my freedom away from me. The least he could do was tell me what bugged him. A buzz went off in my pocket, causing Edward jumped. Confused, I glanced at Edward. The look on his face caused me to allow my hair to shield me from his gaze. The last time he got that look was at our graduation party.

Shit.

His lust-filled gaze caused me to squirm, almost dropping my phone. I glanced down at my phone and squealed when I saw it was a call from Alice.

"Ali?"

"You busy?" her voice came from the other end. Arching my eyebrow, I looked back over at Edward. Thank God that look wasn't on his face anymore. I didn't know if I could control myself much longer.

"No. Why?"

"Go outside."

Click.

What. The. Fuck.

"Your sister is nuts," I said, throwing my phone onto the stairs. "She called me and told me to go outside. Seriously? What the fuck?" Edward pulled away the curtains and looked outside. I watched as a smile danced at those beautiful, pink lips. Oh how that mouth could do marvelous things.

Snap out of it, Bella!

I got Edward staring at me with a knowing grin. Blushing, I allowed my hair to fall around my face to block me from his view. He knew what he was doing. Fucking bastard.

"I think you should listen to Alice, Bella."

"Wha- what?"

"Just do it."

"Every single one of you Cullens are nuts." I threw open the door roughly, still looking at Edward. "You guys need to..." Still smiling, Edward turned my head to look out the door and I couldn't believe my fucking eyes.

Standing in the turn around drive way was my family. Renesmee ran at me and threw herself in my arms, after tripping on the top step that led to the door. I bent down and hugged the life out of that little girl. My baby was here, in my arms, and holy crow, she was so beautiful. I hadn't been gone long but a few days without my smiling Nessie was torture.

Her red curls had been tamed and was pulled back with beautiful hair combs. Her normally untidy clothes were actually clean. She wore a pretty blue dress with white tights and white peep toe shoes, with a slight heal.

What a little lady.

I beamed at her. "Who are you and what have you done with my Nessie?"

"Do you like it?" she asked. "Nana Esme - she told me to call her Nana – how cool is that?" I laughed at how enthusiastic she was. "Nana Esme and Aunt Alice took me shopping just so we could come see you. We're staying all weekend just to be at the restaurant on your big night, Mama!" I hugged Renesmee tightly to my chest and just inhaled her scent.

God how I missed her.

"Oh!" Nessie roughly pulled away from my chest and reached into a small purse that I hadn't realized she had been holding. What a little lady. "This is from Jacob and Angela. They wanted to be here but he's still in the hospital." I cast a look at Edward. He stood behind me, stiff as a statue. Something was definitely up. "Here." A long box had been shoved into my hands. Renesmee stood in front of me and she was still smiling. I noticed that she had lost her loose tooth and I made a note to talk to her about it later before turning my attention to the box in my hand.

My fingers ran over the black velvet. How could they have afforded this with all of those medical bills? With shaky fingers, I opened open the box and gasped at the beautiful bracelet inside. White gold with sapphires. A piece of paper slid out of the box as I fingered the bracelet.

Bella was written in Jacob's hand writing. Still trembling, I slowly unfolded the piece of paper with one hand.

Bella,

Good luck this weekend. Sorry we can't be there but remember that we love you.

Love

Jake, Angie and William

"I'm hungry!" Emmett shouted from deep within the large crowd. "You going to feed us or what?"

"Emmett," Rosalie hissed.

"Well I was told that if I came, I got free food. I'm cashing in!"

I laughed and stood, taking Nessie's hand in mine.

"Everyone, come on in," I ordered. "There's plenty of room."

As I watched everyone file into Masen one by one, offering greetings and hugging me, I suddenly didn't care how big of a cluster fuck my life was right now. Even if it was for the weekend, I was just glad to have my family here with me. Nessie went in with Charlie and I held Edward back.

"What?" A crooked grin spread across his face like a wild fire.

"Did you know about this?"

"Well..." he rocked back and forth on his feet. "Carlisle may have mentioned it before I flew out here but I'm pretty sure Alice planned the whole thing." We heard yelling from inside, causing us to laugh. Emmett was getting put in his place. "I think we better get back in there. No one promises Emmett free food without paying up."

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

I pressed my lips to his before hugging him. "I love you."

"I know."

Then he just walked inside, whistling a little tune. He didn't even bother returning those words, just fucking walked away and whistled.

What a asshole but God how I loved that man.

Stay tuned for next chapter...

I couldn't stand to look at him. This was supposed to be the best night of my life and he single handedly destroyed it.