Even though I still don't own any of this, please review.

Chapter 3

EPOV

We all walked out into the parking lot once we were dismissed from school. Rosalie and Jasper walked over to their red BMW convertible whilst I, along with Emmet and Alice, walked Bella to her truck. She was still holding her wrist awkwardly from her previous fall and I couldn't help but worry about her. Bella was vulnerable, just like my mother, and I had always from an early age looked after my mother as though I was the parent. Bella was vulnerable like her and I wanted to protect her as best as I can just as I would for my mother.

Bella stopped at her truck and turned to bid us all goodbye, she saw my anxious glance at her wrist and smiled reassuringly but I didn't trust that smile. She was known for attempting to lie and hide things from people despite being a dreadful liar. I tried to smile back as I fought the urge to insist on taking her to the hospital but she shook her head obstinately at me knowing what I was thinking, she knew me so well. I sighed in defeat as I leaned in to hug her gently so as not to jostle her wrist.

"Take care of yourself; I don't want you falling down for the rest of the day, okay?" I whispered into her ear.

She pulled back out of my hug to smile at me.

"You worry way too much, Edward, I've fallen down loads of time and I always survive, I could probably break a world record for the amount of falls I've had" Bella joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere as always.

"It's a miracle that you haven't already" I sighed.

"Okay, love birds, stop flirting and let's go" Emmet boomed.

I glared at Emmet as Bella blushed, no doubt he was trying to get me back for laughing at him about the wasp incident but two could play at that game.

I glared at him for a couple more moments as he grinned triumphantly at me and Bella, who was still blushing furiously.

I let him grin stupidly before yelling in a terrified voice: "Look out, Em, there's a giant wasp coming right behind you!"

"What? Where?" Emmet yelped as he swivelled around and tried to run at the same time causing him to stumble.

I laughed as Emmet fell to the ground, landing on his ass, I heard Alice's tinkling laugh join in as Bella's quiet giggle also chimed in.

"You're going to pay for that one, Eddiekins" Emmet vowed as he stood up.

"Whatever, Emmet, there's no way you'll match what Edward did to you, now let's go!" Alice interjected.

I nodded and smiled at Bella who smiled shyly back before she climbed into her truck as I followed Emmet and Alice to their car.

Emmet was driving today and he got us to his house within ten minutes. I always told them to drop me off at their house so that I could just walk it from there. I didn't want to risk them finding out about my father's violent ways. I walked brusquely towards my house, hoping that my father would already be out at a nightclub, a pub, or gambling or whatever corrupt and disgusting activity he enjoyed engaging himself in.

I opened the door slowly and discreetly and when I could hear only silence, I walked in to see mom reading in the living room.

"I made lunch for you and your father, I'm sure John must be very hungry" mom beamed at me.

Oh god, mom was having one of those days. She thought that she was still stuck in the early, happy days of her marriage, where my father was still decent enough to not hurt her, when I was a young toddler. Mom was in one of those moods where she believed that she was still living those days. A passionate hatred for my git of a father overwhelmed me as I saw what he had reduced my mother to.

"I don't think… dad will be coming home early tonight" I told mom, adding in my head that he would be most likely be drinking in a pub whilst using the word dad for her sake, whilst mentally gagging on the word as I spoke to her. I couldn't even see that monster of a husband of hers as a human being; he was a savage animal as far as I was concerned.

"Oh, so he will be working tonight" mom commented, looking crestfallen.

That was it, that deflated expression was what just caused me to lose my temper.

"Why do you even care? It's not as though that moron even cares for you" the outburst just erupted from me before I could even gain control over myself and stop those words from escaping.

I froze and stared at mom, hoping with all my heart that I hadn't hurt her feelings, however, I was surprised to find that she was staring at me with a furious and fierce expression on her face.

"He does love me" she growled.

I was taken aback but I said nothing, I had no wish to antagonise her. But I couldn't help mutter to myself:

"He has a funny way of showing it".

I hadn't realised that I had muttered that out loud but I did when mom argued:

"Edward, you have never been in love, so you don't realize that sometimes even when you can't understand the actions of that person and you want to hate them, you just can't, you have to go on loving them, not for yourself, but for their sake, so that they'll know that you'll love them no matter what and that they'll change because of your love, that they'll change for you" mom told me passionately, a fiery fervour stirring in her eyes which were green like mine.

I said nothing in response, feeling ashamed of my outburst. I loved my mom and I never wanted to hurt her or make her angry. Ever since I was a little kid, I've always had to look after her; I've always had to be the responsible one of the family, what with my father being a good-for-nothing git and my mom being mentally ill because of his barbaric treatment towards her. But, just for once, I wanted someone to look after me, instead of me always having to be the responsible protector.

"Sorry, mom" I whispered.

Mom blinked but then a happy smile spread across her face, the sort of smile a little girl would get upon realizing the prospect of a dozen presents for their birthday.

"It's our wedding anniversary tomorrow, you watch, he'll surprise me with flowers and take me out to a romantic dinner" mom gushed, that happy smile still on her face.

I felt bile rise up my throat upon this revelation and I felt something plummet downwards in my stomach as I looked at my mom's happy face as she contemplated the delusion that my father would take her out to dinner tomorrow. I felt sick as I realized with all too much clarity that my father would only want to use her as punch bag if he's not too busy gambling away money he doesn't have.

"Sure mom" I appeased, swallowing as an ancient ache constricted my heart painfully.

Mom smiled dreamily before she skipped up the stairs to her room like a happy child. She was probably going to go spend hours choosing an outfit for her romantic dinner that she would never get to go on. I could bear it no longer; I grabbed my jacket and ran out the front door, just needing to get away from the house before I broke down.

I ran away from the house, not caring where I went, I just needed to find somewhere private where I could let myself wallow in grief for my mother. I wish she would see my father for the monster he was and let us leave him but I knew that was never going to happen. I found myself in a park, sitting on a swing with my feet firmly fixed to the ground, which I know totally undermined the purpose of the swing but I just sat on the swing, with my head in my hands as I let my mind wander freely to fantasies of what my life could have been if it weren't for my father.

"Edward?" I heard a voice say above me. I lifted my head to see Bella standing in front of me with a concerned expression on her face.

I suppose I probably did look quite broken, sitting down on a swing with my head in my hands, but that's exactly what I was: broken.

"Bella, what are you doing out here?" I asked my voice hoarse.

"I was just going for a walk when I saw you here, is everything alright, Edward?" Bella said, peering at me anxiously.

I should lie, but everyone in Forks knew that my mother was ill, they just didn't know how much and why. I decided that I could tell Bella the truth, or part of it, at least. I needed her support at this moment.

"My mom's not getting any better, worse by the looks of it" I whispered.

I heard Bella sigh sympathetically and she wrapped an arm around my shoulders comfortingly. This made me feel somewhat better or maybe I was just enjoying her company.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Edward, but I wouldn't feel too badly, she'll manage somehow" Bella told me reassuringly, however, her words meant nothing to me as I had lost hope of this, years ago.

"What makes you say that?" I questioned.

"She will manage because she has got the most caring, thoughtful son to look after her and I know that you would never let her come to any harm, Edward, you love her too much" Bella stated.

I could hear the confidence and affection in her voice and this made me feel better, Bella always knew the right things to say. Her arm rubbed soothing circles into my back.

"Has it ever occurred to you, Bella, that you might have too much faith in me?" I asked doubtfully.

"No, Edward, I know you and if you don't have enough faith to believe this of yourself. Then try having faith in me, you know full well how bad I am at lying" Bella told me confidently.

I smiled, I did have lots of faith in Bella and she was right, it was always so obvious when she was lying. I found myself taking assurance in her words, if it were anyone else, I would still be feeling very broken and torn but as it was kind, caring, thoughtful Bella, I found that I was feeling a lot more elated than before.

"Thanks, Bella, you really are one amazing person" I replied fervently.

Bella smiled as she said empathetically "It sucks having to be the parent, doesn't it?"

"I suppose you would have some idea" I smiled back at her, remembering her stories about her mother, Rene, who lived in Jacksonville.

"I am probably the only person who can understand how hard that is" Bella smiled happily at me, although I had no idea what she seemed happy about, I felt myself smiling too, something about her smile made me want to smile too.

Although, Bella probably would never be able to empathise with half of my problems, I had to admit, she could most definitely understand the responsibility that being the parent entails.

"At least you're lucky that Charlie is fairly independent" I told her.

"Yeah, that's true, aside from his cooking" Bella grinned at me.

I sighed at how lucky she was that she was at least released from this responsibility.

"It's hard being the responsible one, I know Edward, especially when you only take up the responsibility in the first place for their sake" Bella added understandingly, her arm still around my shoulders in a consoling gesture.

For their sake. It was true, everything I endured; I endured only for my mother's sake. Thanks to Bella, I really did feel better, more strong and in control of myself. I pulled Bella in for a warm hug that I hoped showed my gratitude.

"Thanks so much, Bella, you have no idea what a great help you've been. You truly are an amazing person" I murmured to Bella.

Bella said nothing as she hugged me fondly back. She pulled away, the familiar red colour on her cheeks; I smiled as I thought of how much she blushed. I smiled warmly at her as I got up off the swing and walked back towards my home.

BPOV

I watched Edward walk away, thrilled that he and I had such an intimate conversation. My arm was still tingling from where it had been around Edward's broad, masculine shoulders. I smiled stupidly to myself as I realized that he and I both had in common the fact that we had both had to mature faster than most people in order to look after our moms. When I had learned that we had that in common, happiness had consumed me upon the thought that I could actually talk to Edward! Of all the wonderful people, I could talk to him about something so personal and that he actually felt comfortable confiding in me. However, I was saddened to hear that his mom's condition was deteriorating.

My mind drifted back to when I had found him sitting here, alone with his head in his hands, he had looked so broken and sad, that I felt my heart throb, I had to come here and see if he was fine, I was thrilled to know that Edward actually was feeling better thanks to me. I sat there for a couple more moments before I finally got up and headed towards home.