A/N:

This chapter is unbeta'd, hope I caught all the grammar/spelling – please forgive if I missed any.

I do not own. I just borrow.

=o= Chapter 3 =o=

Thursday, June 30th 2005 - EPOV

"I can't believe her!" Jake's loud angry voice echoed throughout the loft. Alice sighed, her tiny frame was slumped forward in resignation. I had never seen she or Jake so upset but in the past few weeks it had become more and more of the norm.

"I mean jesus! She's been gone for nine months already and she hasn't been back here once. Not once! We barely hear from her and when we do she hardly has anything to say. Everything is James James James" his voice turned into a whiny and mocking tone "I'm sorry Jake I can't that weekend James has a work thing, I've gotta go I need to make James' dinner, or my personal favorite James is out with his friends tonight so I have time to talk. So what, the only time you have for us is when that jackhole isn't around? Did you know she pays more in rent now than she did here with us? James owns his stupid condo and he has her paying him rent! And get this, she does his fucking laundry too, cleans the house, makes all their meals. She's like a god damn stepford wife!"

Jake was fuming, his breathing ragged as he paced back and forth before flopping down on the sofa beside Alice, throwing arm arm over his eyes. This time, when he spoke his voice was small, sad and boyish, the anger all but gone. "I just want my Bells back Ali... I miss my best friend. We never fight... not for real... not like this."

Jasper and I looked at one another awkwardly, we had no fucking clue what to do in this situation. I mean, I'd never even met this Bella chick. I sure heard about her enough to feel like I kinda knew her but everything seemed so contradictory. The stories Alice and Jacob told about the three of them growing up together and then moving to Seattle made her sound like a really wonderful girl, someone I'd probably have enjoyed being friends with too. But the "Post-Vancouver" stories as Jasper dubbed them, were completely different.

I wanted to be impartial, realistically it was hard to imagine that someday she wouldn't be back in their lives again and fences would be mended. But damn, I'd be pissed too if I was in their shoes. What if Jasper had just up and bailed on our friendship like that when he left Chicago? He could have too, he'd had an actual excuse to just fade away after his Mom got sick, but he didn't. Even when things were really bad, J always made time to be my friend. What was Bella's excuse? The rational part of me knew that it had a lot to do with this James guy. Alice and Jacob really really didn't like him, even Jasper wasn't a fan and he got along with almost anyone. For some reason, Bella was stuck on him and she'd given up on some really great people to keep him in her life.

In the months since I had arrived in Seattle I had grown closer to Alice than I had ever imagined. She was more like a sister than a friend at this point. Even more surprising to me was that it had little to do with her relationship to Jasper. Alice was just good people and she had an uncanny ability to bring sunshine into a room, just by walking in. It was heartbreaking to see the light dim in Alice's eyes when Post-Vancouver Bella came up in conversation, it was almost like she hadn't moved away but she'd died or something. Jacob's reaction was similar but there was an increasing amount of anger present too. Tonight sounded like he'd reached his breaking point.

We were just two days away from a trip out to San Juan Island in northern Washington. I guess the gang heads out there every year for the 4th of July to celebrate Independence Day, and since Jacob met Sam, Sam's birthday. This was my first time joining in the fun and Bella was supposed to come along as well, James had been invited too but he said he couldn't take the time off work. From what I gathered from Jacob's heated call with Bella, she too was now bailing out. Something about money and a company picnic.

I couldn't take the silent tension in the room anymore, so I jumped to my feet startling Jasper, Alice and Jacob.

"Okay troops! Sad time is over, it's not gonna fix any of this crap anyway. I'm heading down to Finleys for a beer or ten and some pool. You can come along and be merry or you can stay here and mope. The choice is yours my friends."

Jasper gave me a nod and stood up, pulling Alice up along with him.

"C'mon darlin', Bells will come around and E's right. Having a pity party about it isn't going to magically drag her butt up here anytime soon. So lets go and enjoy what we've got in front of us huh?"

Alice took a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding.

"You're right Jazz." She turned and patted her small hand against Jacob's cheek. "Lets go Jakey... call up Sam, I'll go see if Ben and Ange are home and want to come along. Some hard liquor and bad kareoke are in order."

And with that we all made our way out of the loft and down the street to try and salvage the evening.

Two days later we were up at the butt crack of dawn and I was slowly finding some level of consciousness after my 2nd cup of coffee. Alice was marching around directing her "troops" as our group slowly packed up our bags and gear into Sam's massive 1988 Chevy Suburban. It was going to be a good 4 or 5 hour trip with stops and the ferry to make it up to the island and we wanted to get there early so we could make the most of our week-long vacation.

Monday, July 4th 2005 – BPOV

The park was swarming with people, all local BDG employees and their families. I was sitting under a large willow tree off to the side of all the action, trying to enjoy a moment of quiet. James had been running me ragged since we got here almost two hours ago. Dragging me from one cluster of people to another. Every time it was the same pattern, shaking hands, introductions, meaningless small talk, brief nice-to-meet-you's and goodbyes. Then off to the next group. After the dinner party a few months back James had ended up closing his deal and landing a major win for the company. Since then he'd been putting in more and more hours at the office and was pretty confident he was about to get a promotion. Aaron was supposedly being shipped to Europe or Asia to run the sales territories there and James was in line to take over the Pacific Northwest.

It was a huge opportunity for him and being here today, making his presence known was a good way for him to better establish himself as a leader. It was all a bunch of bullshit posturing and politics to me but I knew it was important to him so I kept that particular opinion to myself. I pulled my phone out of my clutch and logged into Facebook. The images I saw splashed across my timeline brough the bitter sting of tears to my eyes, just like they did every time I saw the new additions. More new memories and adventures I could only experience from afar.

The gang was up on the island celebrating the 4th and Sam's birthday. Image after image of familiar smiling faces along with one newer face filled the screen. They all looked so happy... I had told Jake they wouldn't miss me and I was right, he just wouldn't listen at the time. Our stupid fight had been for nothing.

"Bella! Two days til island time! I can't wait to see you! What time do you get in on Friday babycakes?" I swear I could feel Jake's excited energy vibrating through my phone. It was always like that, Jacob Black was bigger than life in the flesh and in personality.

"Ummm, well that's what I was calling about Jakey..." How was I going to do this? How could I tell them I wasn't coming after all. We'd been planning the trip for months and truthfully, I was really looking forward ot a week away on the beach with my friends. I missed them so much, life in Vancouver was good but there was always something missing.

"Bells...? You're not calling to flake again are you?" He paused as reality set in. "OH HELL NO BELLA! That's fucking bullshit. You're really flaking out on us aren't you?" He screamed into the phone.

I was in shock, Jacob had never spoken to me like that before, never in the 22 years I'd been alive had he yelled like this. Tears flooded my eyes, I didn't want bail on the trip. But the cost was already a stretch for me, I really couldn't afford it and then James had started begging me to stay and go to his stupid company picnic. I finally just gave in and said I'd cancel, picked up my phone and called Jake right away. I was immediately regretting my decisions.

"Well FUCK YOU too B!"

"Jake stop! Listen to me..."

"No. No fucking way B, I don't wanna hear your excuses anymore. I'm done, you hear me? DONE!"

"Jake, I can't..." I was sobbing now, trying desperately to explain as my oldest and closest friend basically told me our friendship was over. "I can't afford it Jake... and James has his company picnic, and he is so close to getting this promotion... you guys won't even miss me anyway, it'll be fine... and I just..."

"You just what Bells? You just can't manage to scrape together a couple hundred bucks in the 6 months we've been planning this trip? You just can't spend 6 measly days away from that prick you call a boyfriend?"

"He's not a prick Jake!"

"Whatever Bells... defend him, stay with him, put up with his misogynistic crap. It's your life, what does the opinion of your best friend since forever matter right?"

"You know that's not how it is Jake. Stop putting words in my mouth. I don't guilt trip you about Sam."

"Don't you bring Sam in to this. Sam didn't drag me away to another city and keep me from ever seeing my friends and family. He didn't beg me to move in with him, charge me ridiculous rent and expect me to play Holly Homemaker. What is wrong with you? Don't you see?"

I couldn't understand why Jake was being so cruel. James wasn't forcing me into anything, I was just pulling my own weight. Sure the rent was higher than I was used to but his condo was far more expensive than the dinky apartment I'd shared with Jake and Alice. My rent was barely a dent in the mortgage payment. I worked so hard all the time, just trying to keep up and when I really just needed a break I couldn't get one. I couldn't win. If I went on the trip I'd be even more in debt and James would be dissappointed. If I didn't go on the trip I'd still be in debt but I wouldn't be drowning but my very best friend would likely never speak to me again.

I must have waited too long to answer, my head was spinning and I couldn't find the words to make him hear what I was saying. Jacob's tone turned from angry to icy cold.

"Guess I have my answer. Goodbye Bella, Happy 4th of fuckin' July, enjoy your picnic." And with those final words the line went dead.

I slumped down to the floor and cried softly. Everything was such a mess and I didn't know how I could fix it. I scrubbed my hands roughly over my face before climbing to my feet. Completely drained I wandered into the kitchen and filled a glass with ice and water before heading to the bedroom. I pulled a bottle of Tylenol PM from the medicine cabinet in the en suite, shook out 3 pills and drank them down before crawling into bed and willing myself into a dreamless to sleep. I didn't want to think any more tonight.

I was brought back to the present by a soft kiss to my temple.

"Hey babe, where'd you go? You were a million miles away." James chuckled as my eyes blinked furiously, the haze of my memories fading away.

"No-Nowhere. Just spacing out and enjoying the breeze."

"I brought you some food, very fancy and gourmet. Hot dog with ketchup and mustard, garnished with a side of potato salad and for desert, drumroll please..." he started tapping away on his thighs which made me crack a smile "Ambrosia!"

"A man after my own heart" I teased and he leaned forward to plant a sloppy kiss on my lips with a laugh.

"You know it hotstuff."

As I looked up into his smiling face I suddenly had an idea... I didn't always have to sit on the sidelines. I could make some photo memories of my own, something they could experience from afar for once. Maybe it would help them see things from my perspective. I slid my iPhone unlocked and turned the camera on James and myself.

"Say cheese baby!" I put on my biggest, brightest smile, pulled my face in close with James, snapped the picture and uploaded it.

Caption: BxJ in Vancouver - Happy 4th of July!

Monday, July 4th 2005 – EPOV

Life was good. The warm summer sun was out in full force today and we were all happy to take advantage of it. Sam, Jacob, Alice and Jasper were out swimming in the bay while I relaxed in a weathered adriondak chair on the deck with cold beer. It was great to get away with my friends but a little time on my own instead of playing the 5th wheel was a welcome change. We had only been on San Juan Island for a few days, but this was the first full day of sun we'd been able to enjoy.

We had rented a small cottage right on the water. I had trouble calling it a "cottage" as it was really a pretty decent sized house, but since it was technically the guest quarters to a much larger house higher on the hillside I let it go. The exterior of the cottage was surrounded by fir trees and other well groomed landscaping. The building itself was two-stories tall, built into the side of a tall sloping hillside, it had weathered blue wood siding and a newer looking unpainted wrap-around balcony. There were 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on the main floor and another bedroom and bath downstairs. The open floor plan kitchen, dining, and living area had wide open views of the water and out back was a large two-level deck, the lower level housing a hot tub. We had access to a small private beach, it was rocky and only about 30x30 feet in total size, but it was more than enough for our small group.

Our first two nights here had been slightly stormy, inside and outside of the cottage. Alice and Jacob were a rollercoaster of emotions after the Bella incident. Jasper, Sam and Myself did our best to distract them and keep the focus on our trip and the upcoming holiday. We spent a good chunk of time playing card and board games, amending the rules to include the taking of shots at every possible opportunity. Apparently, I'm much better at Uno when tequila is involved. Who knew?

It wasn't until I got a call from my sister Lizzie demanding to know why I was playing Monopoly with a pink bra on my head that I realized Alice had been taking photo's all night and uploading them to Facebook.

Thanks Alice.

Explaining the bra/hat meant explaining the bet I had lost to Jasper. Sneaky bastard that he was bet me that I couldn't beat Alice at 'Fluffy Bunny'. Drunk dumbass that I was, I took the bet. I was so sure I could beat her, I was 3 times her size. No way someone so small could stuff more marshmallows in their face than I could. No. Freaking. Way. Alice beat me handily, Jasper forgot to mention she was the 'Fluffy Bunny' champ 4 years straight at summer camp. Like I said, sneaky bastard. I was now the proud owner of a bra/hat to be worn during any and all board games for the remainder of the trip.

I was not the only target of Alice's paparazzi impersonation. Sam and Jake had passed out on the sofa, mouths hanging wide open, hands barely holding their half-empty beers, legs tangled up and hanging off to the side. Jasper and I jumped in the frame with cheesy grins and thumbs up signs as Alice snapped the picture. Jasper was caught mid-fall while streaking across the balcony in only a pair of socks, thankfully that particular image only captured him from behind. Revenge on Alice was made complete when Jacob snuck up behind her on the deck the next morning and tossed her into the bay fully clothed. We got several action shots and some classic soaking-wet-angry-Alice-attacking-Jake shots out of that stunt. For the remainder of the trip it would be an ongoing game between the 5 of us to get candid pictures, the more shocking the better.

"Ohhhh Edwaaaaaaard!"

I heard Alice calling me from down on the beach so I lifted my head to peer over the edge of the deck. Jasper, Jake and Sam had already started making their way back up to the house. Alice was headed my way, hands behind her back with a face the picture of innocence. She was definitely up to no good.

"Ohhhhh Aliiiiiice!" I called back to her.

"Eddie Poo, aren't you lonesome up here all by yourself?"

"I was actually quite enjoying the solitude. There's only so much of you I can handle in any 24 hour period." I teased with a wink, she just rolled her eyes and climbed up the remaining stairs and onto the deck.

"Well, just in case, I brought you a preeeeeseent!" a long string of giggles escaped her and I scrambled to my feet, backing away from the tiny approaching menace.

"I-I really don't need any presents, but thanks for thinking of me Ali. You're too kind but I'm sure Jazz or one of the boys would like a gift far more than I would." I was running out of a room to run and needed to make a decision soon. Stand my ground a see what Alice was about to spring on me, or make a run for it up to the house... I could admit, running from Alice seemed like a pretty pansey move but it was very tempting. Alice was tiny but scary.

"Are you suuuuuure?" she stopped moving towards me but her innocent smile went crooked into a sly grin as she pulled whatever it was from behind her back.

"POW! POW! POW!" she shouted and she pulled a small bright orange squirt gun out and shot me with cold water right... on my crotch.

"Eddie! I thought you were house broken, tsk tsk tsk!" Jasper taunted from behind me. I hadn't heard the others come back down from the house, wearing fresh t-shirts over their board shorts, carrying a couple coolers and bags of charcoal for the grill. I flipped him the bird and pulled Alice into a noogie.

"You're gonna pay for that! Squirting my junk with cold water is one thing, but don't fucking call me Eddie!" I stole the gun from her easily, gaving both her and Jasper each a couple squirts of payback before Alice scampered back up to the house to change.

"So, what do we have here gentleman?" I asked, peeking over Jake's shoulder as he started pulling out the food for dinner.

"Burgers, Chicken breast and some stuffed peppers for the grill. Sam and Jasper grabbed some beer and other shit from the house." he paused and turned to Sam "Hey babe, did you grab any mixers?"

Sam looked up from the grill where he was lighting the coals "Yup, Sweet-n-Sour mix, Coke and Sprite to go with the Captain, Jose and Absolute. Sound good?" I nodded and went around to the second cooler to grab a fresh beer before falling back into my chair.

We spent the rest of the late afternoon and evening out on the deck, grilling up dinner, eating and drinking. Eventually the sun had fully set and the fireworks began to start from a number of different boats out on the bay. As I sat back and watched the show with my friends I realized that it was the longest time away from my piano and music in general that I could ever remember taking. We had all been so caught up in Alice and Jacob's issues with Bella as well as the activities of the trip that I hadn't really thought about playing, the thought made my whole being ache to create. I rolled my head over towards Jasper and nodded to catch his attention.

"Hey... Jazz... you bring your guitar?"

"Hell yeah I brought my guitar. I thought you'd never ask. After we clean-up here we'll play yeah?"

"Yeah man, for sure." Just then Alice jumped up from her spot sitting sideways across Jasper's lap, cell phone in her hands.

"Picture time! C'mon guys, get together we need a final group shot"

We all got to our feet and huddled close together, Alice set-up her phone on the railing with a delay to capture us all together. The flash went off just as she got in place and she quickly skipped back to review the shot.

"Perfect! Just like tonight..." she and Jacob shared a brief sad smile, before Ali turned to Sam and jumped on his back planting a sloppy wet kiss to his cheek. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMY!"

We all raised our drinks in a toast to Sam, finishing them off and beginning to clean-up the deck.