This story will be dealing with grief, and mental as well as physical abuse, so if you are easily triggered and if this bothers you, please don't read this.

A Beta! A Beta! Thank you so much to my beta FERALNESS for helping me. It really does mean a lot to me.

Twilight, and Edward, Bella and everyone else in this story, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Marriage Or Something Like It

Chapter 1

I sat down on the sofa, and rubbed my feet. It was a long shift of working graveyard at some dead end place. It got me by though, so I wasn't going to complain. Yes Edward, worked, but lately all of his money was going on beer and gambling. Ever since his mom had passed, he had become a bit of a risk taker, and raging alcoholic. We didn't even get the chance to move out of Forks, which had me inwardly cheering. I detested the earlier idea of moving to Chicago, but didn't say anything because the idea of moving to his home town, made Edward very happy.

I went to the kitchen to grab myself a snack before heading to bed, when I heard Edward get up. I held my breath and hoped he was just getting up to use the bathroom. I didn't want to deal with him right now. It was five am, and I just wanted to go to sleep. I closed the fridge door as quietly as I could and tip toed into the living room. I hoped I had gone unnoticed.

"Bella?" Edward called from the top of the stairs. Darn it!

"Yes, Edward. I'm just having a snack. I'll be right up." I answered.

I heard foot falls on the steps, as he came stumbling down. Drinking again. Always drinking, always drunk I understood he was grieving the loss of his mother. And taking into consideration how close the two of them had been, I gave him some leeway, but it had been two years. Two whole years of him slipping away from me. Two years of us falling apart, and slowly losing everything we had.

We lived in mine and Charlies house. My dad moved in with Sue Clearwater, after he finally proposed to her, and had given Edward and me the house as a belated wedding gift.

"Bella, my love," he slurred. " I have missed you." His drooping eyes searched for mine as he staggered towards me. I tried not to look disappointed as I steered him toward the sofa.

"I missed you too, Edward." I answered simply, trying to avoid having him breathe on me.

He grabbed my wrists as he flopped on the sofa, pulling me with him. He started groping at my breasts and sloppily kissed and nibbled my neck. With his free hand, he reached under my shirt and tried to undo my bra. I shook my head.

"No, Edward. I'm tired and I just want to go to bed." I protested. My husband would hear nothing of it. His whole demeanor changed to one of dominance.

With one hand wrapped around both my wrist, and the other arm securing me to his body, he flipped us over so that I was pinned under him. I started to protest again, but was effectively silenced with a lip bruising kiss. One hand still had my wrists, while the other was free now to roam my body. I held back tears, but a small squeal of shock escaped me when Edward got a little too rough with his probing fingers.

All of a sudden my wrists were released and Edward was no longer on top of me. I looked to the end of the couch, where I saw my husband curled up in a ball. The look of dominance no longer present. His eyes were wide, as if he was in shock. I wasn't even sure if he was breathing. I didn't know if I should, or could, say anything. He had never been rough with me before, only passionate, and he had been about to force himself on me. To be completely honest, I was more than a little freaked out. I took a moment to breathe, and decided to say something.

"Edward?" I whispered, afraid to speak much louder

For what almost seemed like an eternity, we sat on the sofa. Neither of us moving or speaking. Finally, because I was getting stiff, I slowly moved so that I was sitting up, and eventually shuffled to the end of the couch. My eyes never left the spot where Edward was sitting. His head was turned, looking out the window and thankfully not at me.

"Edward?" I whispered again. This time he turned his head towards me, finally unfrozen. I was surprised to see tears running down his face.

"Baby, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me. I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself for nearly hurting you." He said as he crawled towards me.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to react. I just sat still as he wrapped his arms around me and brought me in for a hug. I was grateful he didn't try to kiss me, I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it right now. I flinched when he squeezed a little tighter, partly out of pain, partly out of fear. Edward started sobbing loudly, the smell of beer and sweat poured off of him, staining my blouse.

I was at a complete loss. Unsure of what to do, I locked my arms to my side and refused to look at him. My mind was fully alert, despite the exhaustion beginning to kick in. I felt weak and tired, but managed to keep my eyes open until I felt myself being laid on the bed.

When I finally woke up, there was a tray full of food and a glass of juice sitting on my side table. Rolling my eyes, I noticed a noted folded and placed on my alarm clock. I had no appetite to eat, but felt like I swallowed the Sahara Desert and downed the glass of juice.

Once I was showered and dressed, I took the time to read the note Edward had left. It was only slightly more than his typical apology letter, ending with the typical "Forever yours, Edward." I scoffed and threw the note in the trashcan.

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen before I noticed that Edward wasn't home. I wasn't quite sure of what to do with myself. I felt like I was a total disaster. My marriage, my life, was quickly spiraling out of control. Eventually it might become nothing, if I didn't do something. I thought for a minute or two before deciding to stage an intervention, and I knew exactly who to call.

I grabbed my cell phone and purse and headed into La Push, where I could use the privacy of my friend Jacobs house. I didn't want to get caught by Edward, and Jacob would help me if I needed him to. Well, Jacob and his pack of friends.

When I finally got through to Dr. Cullen, it was late in the afternoon and I decided to make my way home after the phone call.

As I walked through the back door of mine and Edwards house, I was grabbed and something was tied over my eyes.

Well...

Hope you enjoyed. Constructive criticism is always welcome.