I think I might have missed a reply here or there to reviews, I will go through them and check, if you are one of them, I truly do apologize, I think everyone knows I faithfully reply to all reviews.

I'm a bit bogged down with work, my CEO is leaving for New Zealand on Saturday and I have a mountain of things I need to do for him, so I'll let you get to it…

B POV

"You're drunk," I observe softly.

He laughs sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, how do you expect me to be after seeing you fuck him like you did?" he slurs angrily.

I gasp, taking another step back at his words. Oh God, no, he saw us. I want to cry with him, but my anger overrides it.

"You watched us?!" I shout at him. "You…you're…I don't know you anymore."

"You don't know me?" he asks, seeming flabbergasted at my statement. "I've been alone every single moment of every day since you left and you don't know me?"

I throw my hands up in the air.

"Why would you be alone, Edward?" Why would you care who I'm fucking?" I ask exasperated.

He gets in my face so fast I stumble back but he keeps me from falling once again.

"Because!" he shouts as his hands hold onto my arms too tightly.

"Because why, Edward!"

We're face to face, both of us breathless, both enraged.

He's so close, if I just lean a little closer his lips will be on mine. Even through my ire I can still appreciate the magnificent man that is Edward standing before me. And suddenly my breathlessness has nothing to do with exertion.

"Because I was your first Bella," he whispers now, his eyes seeking out mine and our gazes lock. "Because I'm the only one that knows where to touch you so you lose your breathe," he continues as his left hand comes up and caresses my cheek, his fingers brushing at that spot just below my ear and I close my eyes, my body in sensory overdrive.

"Because I'm the only one that knows your body so well we need no words to guide us."

His right hand lets go of my arm and wraps around my waist, pulling me closer.

"Because no one knows how to kiss you like me."

And then, before I can comprehend, he leans in and his lips meet mine.

No, this isn't right, I tell myself. What does he want from me? A fling before I leave again? One last roll in the hay? To finally break me beyond repair?

I try to push him away but his arms band around me, holding me to him. I've waited so long for this and now all I want is to get away from him.

The vodka on his breath makes me feel nauseous and as I'm struggling I start feeling faint, but just as the darkness appears around the edges of my reason I feel warm hands replacing the cold ones as I'm ripped from Edward's grip.

Jake is furious. I don't think I've ever seen him so furious and I try desperately to hold him back as he goes for Edward.

"You keep your hands to yourself, Cullen," he says menacingly, his warm body shaking uncontrollably under my touch. He's shirtless and his muscles are straining beneath his skin.

"Jealous, are we?" Edward smirks as he tries to stand up straight but fails miserably. He picks up the Vodka again, taking a huge gulp.

Jake huffs a laugh. "Jealous? Of what? Of the fact that I'm not falling over my own feet? Or jealous because I'm the one Bella's holding onto?"

"Fuck you!" Edward roars and comes at Jake but he's so drunk he never sees Jake's fist come up and plant one square on his jaw. I'm used to seeing Edward throw a punch, not receive one.

"Jake!" I shout, pulling him back again. "He's drunk, let's go home," I beg, needing to get Jake away before Edward says something stupid again. There'll be no holding him back then.

Jake's gaze softens as he looks down at me and he wraps his arms around my cold shoulder.

"I have some advice for you Edward. Getting piss drunk on the beach down the road from your ex's house is not a way to win her back. Try the truth; you'd be surprised how that works out sometimes."

I glance at Edward before Jake turns us around, my bleeding heart echoing the blood dripping from his split lip.

We take a few steps but Jake pulls me to a stop, turn on Edward again.

"One more thing. If you ever touch her like that against her will again, I will fucking kill you. If she wants you to touch her, she'll tell you. Until then, I repeat, keep your hands to your fucking self."

The venom in Jake's voice has me closing my eyes, his protectiveness wrapping around me like a shield and I latch onto it, finding solace in his love for me.

Back at home Jake is still beside himself with anger.

"Why, Bella?" he asks, his eyes telling me he's trying hard to understand. "Why would you go out there this time of night? Why did you stay when you saw how drunk he was?"

"I don't know," I answer, my voice hoarse and low.

"Oh well, thanks for that. That helps me understand your actions so much better," he answers dryly.

"I don't know Jake!" I raise my voice at him. "I saw him on his knees and I thought he was hurt."

He kneels before me, taking my shaking hands in his.

"Bella, I can't see you go down this road again. It's the same one you were walking when I found you. You love him, I get that, even after all he's done; you've never hid that from me. And as much as I hate to admit it, he loves you too."

My eyes widen in shock as I stare at Jake, my head shaking slowly in denial.

He sighs and takes a seat next to me.

"Bella, I'm a man just like him and I'm telling you, he still loves you. All his actions since we got here is that of a desperate, heartbroken man."

"No Jake. You're wrong. He's just being full of shit. Maybe he wants a goodbye fuck, who knows. But love…no way."

"Something isn't adding up. You know from my conversation with Emmett that there's something they're hiding from you. I don't know Edward and right now I could kill him, but, I get the feeling something happened that forced him to break up with you. I don't think he wanted to and I sure as hell don't think he's over you."

I suppress the part of me that tries to cling desperately to the hope that Jake's theory might be true. If I falsely allow myself to believe that Edward still loves me only to find out it's not true…I won't survive his rejection again.

"Jake, don't…"

"I'm just saying Bella. If you two still love each other, if the truth could set you free, wouldn't you want to find out?"

"But that's not the case Jake," I insist.

"Hypothetical then," he sighs in frustration. "Just answer me."

I stare at him for a long while before I answer the only truthful one I can find in my heart.

"Yes," I whisper. "Yes, I would."

"So then find out the truth, Bella," he urges. "Someone must be willing to talk. Rose…Alice, anyone. It's clear they all love you Bella. Someone will cave if you apply the right amount of pressure."

I grip his hand tightly, my white fingers intertwining with his russet ones.

"I'm scared Jake. I'm so fucking scared you're wrong about this. What then?"

"Then we move on Bella," he says simply. "Then we go back to university, to late night studying and drunken parties. We go back to working on getting you better because we both know, even though you will always love him, somehow, you will learn to live around the pain. We to back to being us, Bella."

Tears flow down my cheeks as he speaks and he lifts both hands, wiping the trails from my face before cupping it in his big hands.

"But Bella. I know you. I know you know there's something going on here. And if you don't try to find out, you'll always wonder. It's better to know the truth going forward than living a life always wondering what could have been."

"How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?" I smile at him. "Why can't I love you like I love him?"

He smiles back as he leans forward and gently kisses me.

"I don't have all the answers Bella," he whispers. "But you and I both believe in that once in a lifetime kind of love. It doesn't mean what you and I have is any less special. For you, it will always be Edward. And I have enough faith in love to know my other half will walk into my life some or other time."

"

"I'm terrified of that," I admit. "When you find her. I know I'll be so happy for you, but I'm so scared of losing you."

"Oh Bella, you know I'll always love you. And whoever she is will see what I see when I look at you and she'll love you too. You'll always be in my life."

I nod and kiss him again.

"Now, why don't you try and catch some sleep while I go fetch your ass of an ex and let him have the couch before he kills himself driving in the state he's in."

"You don't have to do that Jake," I say as he pulls me up and gives me a nudge towards the passage.

"Yes, I do. Not for him…for you. Because I know you won't be able to sleep not knowing if he's okay."

I nod, knowing what he's saying is true.

I get into bed thinking I'll wait for Jake to get back, but before I know it I drift into the land of dreams.

We're almost at the revelation of the big secret…just hang on a little longer.

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See you next week!