A/N- Sorry this took so long, me and this chapter have been fighting like dogs. This is the second version. My first had them talking in her room, but I decided that it didn't work. They needed to go some place that they didn't have history for either or them for this conversation. Also, Maunders took the time to Email me after her annoymous email, and I completely understand what she was saying now. ALthought I don't agree that my story is just like the rest, I see where she was coming from. So thank you for your constructive words. I will remember them. :)

I am nominated at the Indies along with 29879028709 other stories under the human catagory. It's an honor and all, but I want the damn trophy. ::wink:: Just kidding.

Also, I am going to take down Leave It In Montana, and rewrite it. It's poor quality and needs to be fixed. I have a beta now, and I am going to have her help. Hehehehe......

Thanks AnUnbrokenHorse for the help! You rock.

Cheaters Chapter 10

EPOV

We drove towards the apartment in silence. It had been five minutes since we left the bar, and she was already smiling bright. It must have been a relief for her to be out of there and headed back home to Rose and Alice.

My phone buzzed alerting me that I had a text message.

Got my bitch, bitch?-Rose

Yes, and she is glad to go home. –E

Good. We're going out for the night. You 2 need to talk. –Rose

Okay?-E

Don't worry Edward, she won't bite. But work your shit out.-Rose

Okay, you don't have to leave. I will take her to the pier to talk. Neutral territory. -Edward

"Umm…Bella?" I rubbed the back of my neck. I wondered how she was going to take this. Maybe she was really ready to see Rose. Maybe she didn't want to talk to me.

"What's up Edward?" She turned her thousand watt smile to me. It was gorgeous and I returned it.

"Rose just sent me a text message. She thinks that we need time to talk, so they are going out."

"Okay? That seems odd. Are you okay with that?" She asked.

"Sure. I mean we have things to talk about and all. Are you okay with it?" Please be okay with it.

"That's fine." She blushed slightly. "But let's get something to eat first. I didn't get dinner in between the library and the bar."

"How were you planning on lasting all night Bella?" I asked in a disapproving tone.

"They have snack foods at the bar. I was going to eat on my break, Dad." Her tone was sarcastic.

"Fine, fine, whatever you say. What would you like?" Now wasn't the time to pick a fight. She was a grown woman and if she felt that skipping dinner was fine, then I wasn't going to question her.

"Well, I don't want to go inside anywhere dressed like that." She waved her hand over her body and I couldn't help but look. Her shorts were short enough to show almost all of her long creamy white legs and the tank top definitely showed off her ample breasts.

"No, I guess not. How about if we get some take out, and then head to the pier to eat? It's so rare that it's so nice out this time at night. I have a hoodie in the back if that would make you feel better. "I reached behind my seat and pulled out the black hoodie I kept in my car. She took it and pulled it over her head. It was huge on her, but looked damn sexy. It looked damn sexy mainly because it was my clothes on her.

"This works. Let's get some Chinese food. I would kill for some General TSO Chicken." She licked her lips. I watched closely as she licked her upper lip hungrily.

"What the lady wants, the lady gets." I winked at her and she blushed again. I wondered how many times I could get her to do that in one night.

We drove to the local place that we both agreed had the best food in Seattle. After ordering, we stood to the side and waited for our order to be called out. I watched as the cashier eyed Bella up and down. He had a slight smile on his lips when she turned around to look at some pictures behind us. I took the moment to glare at him. I wanted him to know that Bella was not to be stared at like that; at least not by anyone but me.

Once our order was called, I put my hand around her waist, gathered our bag and walked out. I was pissed that even after I glared at the asshole, he continued to stare at her. But I guess since she was wearing next to nothing, it was hard not to stare.

Instead of getting in the car, we walked to the pier just down from the restaurant. After a few minutes we found a spot that was clean and well lit. We sat down, sorted out the food and ate quietly. She dug into her chicken quickly with a moan of satisfaction. It must have been much better than the snack food she was planning on eating for dinner, I smirked to myself.

"This is so good. No one makes it like they do," she used the chop sticks dig out another piece.

"I agree." I took a mouthful of noodles into my mouth. I had to talk to her, but I wasn't sure how to start this. Part of me wanted to yell and scream at her still, but part of me wanted to let it all go. I knew that if we didn't talk about what happened we would never have a chance of being more than just acquaintances.

"So tell me how you feel about everything Edward. I'm a big girl, give to me." She didn't look up, just continued to dig for chicken.

"I'm pissed with you Bella." I answered honestly. "And I am pissed with our friends who think that you do no wrong."

She didn't respond with words, instead she just nodded an understanding. She sighed and put her food down.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "You have every right to be pissed at me."

"I understand that, and I understand your reasons why you didn't tell me right away. I don't agree with them, but I understand why you felt that way. But 'sorry' really doesn't work for me right now." It was the first time that I really was one hundred percent honest about everything. Her being sorry wasn't enough for me.

"I was wrong Edward. I was wrong. I screwed up. I shouldn't have kept my mouth shut. But really how should I have told you? What would you have done in my situation? Would you have called Jake out immediately? Would you have just blurted it out?" Bella was getting frustrated. Her hands were waving in the air as she talked. Tears were pouring down her face, but I was sure that was more of frustration and anger rather than sadness.

"I don't know how I would have handled it Bella." I admitted. "You are right on that. I probably would have been just as scared to tell you. But we could play what 'ifs' all day. I don't know how I would have handled it, but I know that I don't like how you handled it." I tried to keep my voice leveled. I didn't want to yell at her, but I was angry.

Again she just nodded. She picked back up her food and started to eat again.

"I am mad the most because I lost trust in you Bella." I finally told her. I sighed and set my food down and signaled for her to do the same. She did, and then I took her hand.

"Bella, that Sunday we spent together, I felt a real connection with you. I wanted to get to know you. Then everything happened, and I didn't know what to think anymore. The night I told you to get out of my car, I was furious. I didn't want to yell at you, but I was getting to that point. I was pissed with you and Tanya. I didn't know what to do.

"Tanya came over the next day to talk it out, but instead I told her that I wanted nothing to do with her anymore. We both admitted that we didn't love each other and that was it."

"So what about the day I came over." She didn't make eye contact.

"I told you Bella, I was in need of some release, and that was the first that came to mind. I know I was thinking with my dick and not my brain, but that's how it was. I went to the apartment to see you, but when I did, I chickened out." I pinched the bridge of my nose. I didn't want to dig all this up again. "So I acted like a fourteen year old boy and called for some easy lay. I thought it could make me feel better. But instead when you showed up, I felt like I was slapped with reality across the face. Tanya was not going to make things better. Going through with what I had planned would have made things worse. I don't even know if I would have been able to go through with it to tell you the truth. Even before you knocked, I was starting to question my sanity."

"Why all the drama Edward? Why not just tell me all of this before? Why didn't you tell me that you were pissed? Wouldn't it have been easier to hash all this out than what has been going on for the past month and half?" They were all valid questions. If I had just talked to her, then none of this would have happened.

"Why didn't you talk to me? Why didn't you force me to talk to you?" I pressured her. "It's not like you were breaking my door down to talk either. Instead of letting me explain the Tanya thing, you ran off and moved out! How is that facing the situation?"

"Because I thought you needed time to cool off. I figured that once you were ready that you would talk to me, and after awhile I assumed that you didn't want to talk to me about it. I assumed that you didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore." She sighed. "Then the day you came over, I was so hopeful, but you left. I got pissed. I grabbed my keys and was determined to go to your house to let you know that you were an asshole. But then Tanya was there and I knew that I couldn't do it anymore. If you two were back together, I couldn't be around. I couldn't be around her anymore. Not only had she slept with Jake, but she cheated on you! I was furious. I decided that I just needed to move on from the whole situation, so moving out seemed like the first step."

"Ugh!" I growled. "I can't believe I let this get so out of hand. There is no reason for any of this to happen!"

"Edward, it's not just your fault…" She tried to sooth me. "I screwed up too. I should have been honest with you. I should have called Tanya out the moment I knew it was her. I shouldn't have been so damn selfish that Sunday. I should have just told you that day."

"I am glad that we had Sunday together Bella. I really enjoyed it." I released her hands. I went back to eating my noodles and thinking. She seemed to be doing the same.

"So where do we go from here Edward? Can we ever be friends again? Will you ever trust me again?" There was a bit of pleading in her voice. I was hurting, but so was she.

"I want to trust you again, Bella, I really do. I don't know how to, but I want to. We are just going to have to take it day by day." She nodded to agree.

"I hurt you Edward, I know that. But you hurt me too. You didn't give me a chance to talk about what happened. You didn't give me a chance to tell you anything. Then you treated me like a disease that had to be avoided. I am so tired of all of it. I just want everything back to normal at this point." Bella wasn't looking at me as she said this. She had her head turned. With the cracking of her voice, I assumed that it was because she was trying to hide the fact that she was crying.

"Please don't cry Bella. I know that this is all crap, but please don't cry." I hated when girls cried, it drove me nuts. The whole caveman gene came out and I wanted to make it all better.

"I'm sorry." She wiped her tears. "It's just been such a rough week. I am tired, relieved, overwhelmed and so much more."

"I think you are exhausted Bella." I pulled her close to me so she could rest her head on my shoulder. That seemed to cause the tears to flow even more.

"I am so -hiccup- sorry!" She cried. "I am such a –hiccup- horrible person. Hiccup. I don't blame you –hiccup- for hating me. I hate me." She turned her head into the crook of my neck and sobbed.

"I don't hate you Bella. I really don't. The truth is, I was mainly pissed about all of this because I was beginning to wonder if there could be more between us. Then I felt that you broke my trust, and I was sent into a tail spin." I admitted softly. She hiccupped a few more times and finally wiped her tears.

With her eyes still glassy from her tears she looked up at me.

"More?" Her voice was shaky. "You thought there could be more between us than just friends?"

"I know it was stupid. I mean I was just assuming…" she stopped my rant by putting her fingers to my lips.

"I felt the same way. I really haven't connected with anyone the way I connected with you."

I exhaled loudly. At least I wasn't the only one to feel the connection.

"Well, right now Bella, I have nothing to give. I am still trying to move on from this whole fucked up Tanya mess, and I don't know how to trust you." It hurt to admit it, but jumping into a relationship with her would be wrong right now. It wouldn't work.

"I understand. And frankly, I am still trying to find myself after the whole Jacob issue. I have never imagined a life that didn't include him and I don't know where to go from here. I see now that it was stupid for me to center my life on him, but I did, and now he is gone. I'm pretty well lost." She chewed on her lip as she admitted this.

"Well, I think that you should figure that out before you date anyone. It's not fair to the next guy if you aren't sure what is going on in your head."

We sat quietly for what seemed forever. She still had tears in her eyes, but she had calmed down. I would give anything to be able to read her thoughts right now.

"I think we should be friends right now Bella." I broke the silence.

"I agree. Friends now, and if anything grows from that we will talk about it then." She wiped the tears out of her eyes.

We cleaned up our mess and headed back to the car. She crawled in passenger seat and laid her head back. She was clearly exhausted and needed to sleep. Before I turned out of the parking lot, she was starting to doze off.

During the ride to her apartment, she snoozed peacefully next to me. It took everything in me not reach over and rub my thumb across her cheek. She sighed once or twice in her sleep, and it sounded like a relieved sigh.

As I pulled into a spot at the complex, I heard her whisper my name followed by a small sigh; I couldn't help but smile. I was determined to take this slow, but it was going to be hard with her. Every part of me wanted to claim her, but we both had too much baggage to work out. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long for us to do that, and we could be together. For the first time I could imagine a girl in a white dress coming to me down a long aisle. I could see children playing in the yard. But I wouldn't be able to do that if we didn't get things taken care of.

I carried Bella to her apartment, where everyone was sitting inside watching a movie. Alice quickly rushed to Bella's room and prepped the bed for her. I laid her down gently and kissed her forehead.

"Night Bella." I walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind me.

BPOV

I woke up the next morning confused and annoyed. I hated falling asleep in one place and waking in another. It was a huge pet peeve. I tried to remember the night before. Oh yeah, Edward. He came and got me from the bar. We talked and talked. He wants more from me than friendship, but he can't trust me. I want more from him, but I don't know if I am capable of moving on from Jacob at all. I am so screwed up.

I pulled myself from my bed and headed down the hall to the living room. Alice was already in the kitchen making omelets and Rose was reading the paper while drinking her coffee.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in." Alice cocked her eyebrow at me and giggled.

"Mmm…" I was trying to rub the sleep from my eyes. "I need coffee, strong and black."

Rose stood up and poured me a cup. Once she handed it to me I inhaled deeply. It smelled fantastic. Angie and Ben were great people, but they were Mormons so there was no coffee in their house. I thought I was going to lose my mind in the weeks that I was there. Nothing said home like the coffee here.

"So are you back for good, or do I have to chase you around Seattle again?" Rose asked with clear annoyance in her voice.

"I'm sorry I ran away Rose. It was stupid and childish. I shouldn't have." She rolled her eyes at me.

"Of course it was. Now that we have that out of the way, what should we do for the day?" She started to eat the omelet that Alice had put in front of her.

"I don't know. It's Saturday, so it's free for me." I shrugged. "Wait, I have an idea…"

They both looked expectantly at me. I had build courage before I could actually say the words.

"I need change. Lots and lots of change! Starting with my hair! I want to go to the spa, spend the day getting taken care of and get a haircut. Then I'd like to go shopping. I am tired of being the Bella that was with Jake. I want to try to find a new Bella."

Alice stood in front of me bouncing like she was going to explode. Rose just smiled and nodded.

Before I knew what was happening, Alice threw her arms around me and squealed.

"We are going to have so much fun! I can't wait! I will call the spa. I have friends there so getting in shouldn't be an issue!" She bounced down the hallway to her room, I assumed to make her calls.

"Alright Swan, the little one is gone, so spill about last night." Rose always knew when I was hiding things.

"Well, we talked." I took a sip of the coffee. As soon as set the cup down Rose snatched it. "ROOOOSSSEEE!" I whined. "Give it BACK!"

"Not until you talk Swan. You want coffee? Then talk! What happen with you and the other Cullen brother last night?" She held the coffee close enough so I could smell it, but just out of my reach.

"We talked. I apologized for not telling him. He apologized for not talking to me. He admitted that he felt more for me than friendship and that was the main reason he was pissed. He doesn't know how to trust me. So we are working on it."

"Wait, more than friends?" She slid the coffee back to me. I greedily took it and held it tightly.

"Yes. And I admitted I felt the same. But we both have a lot of things to work through before we can do anything about it. I was with Jake for so long, and then he did what he did, I don't know that I will be able to trust Edward because of that experience. He can't trust me because I hid the thing about Tanya. I have to find out who I am and he has to work his things out too. "I drank the coffee.

"So what are you going to do?"

"We are going to be friends. I am going to figure out what I want in life. Starting with today at the spa, and spending time with my friends. I am also thinking of seeking some therapy. I think that what you said about emotional abuse maybe correct. I won't blame all my esteem issues on Jake, but he didn't help me. I am going to do my thing, and Edward will do his. If we end up together at the end of the day then fine. If not, then that's how it works." Rose just stared at me with her mouth a gaped.

"You are so calm about this! I am so proud of you! I think that focusing on you is the best idea." Rose snagged me in a hug.

"Oh but you and I have to talk about something else. Although I love the fact that you will defend me to your death, I think that you gave him too hard of a time." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Just hear me out Rose. I screwed up. I should have told him. He didn't talk to me because he was hurting. He admits that it was stupid. But I need you to apologize for how you treated him."

"What? Hell no, I will not!" She yelled at me. "He deserved it!"

"No Rose he didn't. He lost a lot in this whole situation too, and he needed his friends. Because you guys were all rallying around me, he didn't get the support he should have. I think you all should apologize to him. He is your friend too."

"Ugh! I hate when you are right! I hate it!" She growled. "Fine I will talk to Emmett and Jasper. You are right; we did rally around you and not even let him talk it out. But I'm not pleading for forgiveness!"

I laughed loudly.

"I would never expect you to Rose!" I grabbed my best friend and hugged her tightly. "I love you!"

"I love you too, Swan. But you are a pain in the ass too much!" She winked to let me know she was playing. But she was right, lately I had been a huge pain in the ass, and I was determined to change that.

Alice came bouncing out of her room, with a huge smile on her face.

"Okay ladies, let's go! The spa is waiting for us!" She sang.

I took in the last of the coffee.

"Five minutes Alice." I ran to the bedroom to dress, then to brush my teeth and hair. I took off to living room where they were waiting. "Let's do this!"

Alrighty my pretties, let me know.