So, I have another massive chapter here for you. I apologize for any typos. I have literally been up all night writing for you guys. I have to go to work in four minutes, soooo, here you go! R&R!

Disclaimer: SM owns everything

Chapter 10: The Right Thing to Do

EPOV

I arrived back at my apartment at around seven pm. I knew she would be gone by then.

I could tell she was developing feelings for me. I couldn't allow that. This arrangement could only work if it remained honorable. I couldn't be the one manipulating her. She was young, naïve, and the problem was, I was realizing, I had feelings for her too. I couldn't stay around her. It was wrong,

I would still do my best to make sure she was safe, but I would have to do it from a distance. Luckily Alice agreed to help me. I didn't want to be another bad guy taking advantage of her. I wasn't going to be another Charlie.

I sat down on the couch, sighing, a headache pounding in the back of my skull.

"Edward, you better have a good explanation for this." I heard, as Alice walked back into my apartment.

"Not right now, Alice, please." I said, hearing the defeat in my own voice.

"Edward, I don't have a problem helping this girl out, but why are you suddenly avoiding her? You are the one who put yourself into her life, why are you pulling out?"

"It's complicated Alice, please leave it alone."

"I don't get it. You have talked about nothing but her for weeks, and now, you are walking away? That's not like you."

"I said to drop it!" I yelled.

"No! She isn't stupid Edward. I saw the look on her face when I told her I would be giving her rides, and letting her stay at my house. She looked like someone had told her that someone precious had died."

I grimaced, and sighed. "Alice, that is exactly why. I am her teacher, and she is developing feelings for me. This can't work if it isn't on the up and up. I can't be another person manipulating her!"

"Who said you were manipulating her? Or is that you have feelings for her too, and you are afraid?"

"So what if I do?! That is even more reason to stay away! I am far too old for her, I am her teacher! I won't take advantage of her!"

"God Edward, you are only like six years older than her. Don't play the high and mighty card. I am sure she is perfectly capable of falling for someone without them manipulating her. "

"Alice, just drop it."

"Fine. But I think you are making the wrong decision." She says as she walks out.

I sigh, closing my eyes. I turn on the TV just for something to distract me, and watch until around ten, then I wait for the text telling me she is okay. I sigh in relief when it comes at eleven, but don't send anything back. I need to make it as clean of a separation as possible.

When the next day comes, I arrive at school, and fifteen minutes later, I get a text from Alice.

"She wouldn't go with me. She went to school. Told you it was the wrong choice."

I swear quietly, and sigh, running my hands through my hair before I go to my first class

BPOV

I walk into school slowly, holding my arms around myself. Everyone seems so close as I make my way to my first class. I sit down slowly, catching my breath again. I had to come to school, even though I felt worse than Monday when I first came back. I had to talk to Edward, and prove that I was just being insecure. Something had just come up, that was all.

When lunch time came, I made my way to his class room slowly. When I got there, it was empty, so I just sat down at a chair, and curled up, resting my head on my knees. I waited the whole period for him to come, but he didn't until right before class started, when all the other students were here. The whole class, he never once glanced at me.

When the class ended, I got up earlier than usual to try and catch him, but before I could even make it to the front of the classroom, he had bolted. I stood there, feeling a lump forming in my throat. Instead of going to my last class, I went out to the parking lot, and sat down on the ground next to his car. I knew it was stalker like, and I knew I was being stupid, but I had to know what was going on.

When he came out, and saw me there, he had a look like a deer caught in the headlights. He sighed slowly, and walked over. "Do you need a ride home, Bella?" there was something oddly stiff about his voice, but I nodded anyway. I got into his car. I was shivering from the rain again, so he put on the heater, but made no further attempt to talk.

"Edward, did I do something wrong..?" I asked timidly between chattering teeth.

"It's Mr. Cullen. And no, you didn't. I just cant spend time with you anymore. It is very inappropriate. You were right in the beginning. I will still be here if you need help, but Alice is more than willing to—"

"I do need you, I need your help" I said in a panicked whisper. It felt like weight was crushing down on me. " I don't understand, everything was fine, and you said you wouldn't leave." I could feel the betraying tears run down my cheeks.

"Ms. Swan, That is exactly why I have to separate myself from you. As your teacher, I care about your welfare, but that is all I will ever be to you, your teacher. I cannot be what you want. I will not manipulate you into liking me like that."

"Manipulating? Spare me the bullshit. You didn't manipulate me." I force out. "Please, don't do this.." I beg.

"Ms. Swan, it is already done. I am afraid, once I drop you off, it will have to be goodbye. For safety reasons, I still would like you to text me every night so I know you are safe. If you don't, I will send help."

"Stop the car." I said quietly.

"What?" he asked, keeping his mask of indifference on.

"Stop the car." I repeat, with more desperation. When he does, I get out of the car as fast as I can, throw up the bile in my stomach. He gets out of the car. I saw something flicker across his face until indifference masks it.

"Are you alright Ms. Swan?" he asks.

"Don't call me that. Just leave. Goodbye, Adios." I rasp.

He sighs. "I will have Alice bring you home the rest of the way, she should be here soon.." he gets in the car.

"Don't bother. If you want the separation, then keep your family away from me too." I spit out. He looks a little hurt as he shakes his head.

"Don't be foolish. Just let her give you a ride."

"You don't get to make decisions on my behalf. Just leave!" I yell at him, feeling the tears pouring over. He nods, and closes the door to his car, driving off. The moment he is out of sight, I curl up in a ball, and start crying so hard I think that I will never stop.

I get a text message a few minutes later. A small flicker of hope forms as I see its from Edward, but when I open it, I just feel more crushed. "Don't do anything stupid. I won't be able to be there to pick up the pieces this time."

At that I turn off the phone. I wished I could just chuck it across the street. I wanted to. But I couldn't bear to at the same time. It was my last reminder of the hope I had, before like everything else good in my life, it was ripped away.

A little while later, Alice's Yellow Porsche pulls up beside me. She sighs, and gets out. She doesn't say anything as she helps me into her car, and gives me a ride home.

When I get home, I just go up to my room, and curl up in the corner. I don't even notice when Charlie get's home, until he comes up to my room furious because he doesn't have any dinner. I don't fight back, or say a word when he has his session with me tonight. He doesn't hurt my ribs, because he doesn't want to "Kill the product" as he said. Later that night, James, and the guy from the night before, Laurent, come over, and have their way with me. They leave a little before eleven, and I send my text to him, just hoping beyond hope he will respond back, anything to keep me from falling apart.

I wait, almost all night staring at the phone for a text that never comes.

Alice arrives in the morning after Charlie leaves for work. She lets herself in, and starts talking a mile a minute. I am fairly sure I don't catch a word of it. I am not even trying.

"Bella, are you coming? It's time for school?" she said, her voice laced with sudden concern. I didn't even notice she was leaving. I stand up, and follow her out silently.

EPOV

Ten minutes before first period is to begin, I feel someone grab me, and pull me into my classroom. I see that its Alice, and I sigh in frustration. "What Alice?"

"You have to take it back! You destroyed her! You didn't see her this morning, or yesterday when I went to pick up the fucking pieces, Edward! You think you're doing the right thing, but you're not! I couldn't even get her to eat anything this morning, it was like talking to a fucking corpse. She has some serious shit going on, whatever it is, and you just made it worse. "

"She will get over it with time. She's young." I say, trying to convince myself as well.

"Yeah, maybe, if she survives long enough. Looks like she got knocked around pretty good again last night too." She mutters.

"Is she okay?" I ask, concerned.

"Physically? I don't know. Otherwise, no, that's what I am trying to tell you! She's not there!"

"What do you want me to do about it, Alice?! What's done is done. And it was the right thing to do!"

"How are you so sure? Because I think you are dead wrong." She says before she storms off. Minutes later the classroom fills with students.

Lunch time, I check my classroom before going in, making sure she isn't there before I go in. I sigh in both relief, and slight worry when I see she isn't. I immediately leave again to go to the cafeteria, to check to see that she Is at least eating something, since Alice said she didn't before. When I get there, I search around for her, and see her in her old table alone, with her hood drawn. I can't see her face, but I see she isn't eating again. I sigh in frustration before going back to my class. I would have to have Alice talk to her, or bring her to dad.

When Lunch ends, she walks in with her head down, and goes to her seat. Some girls throw things at her, but she doesn't respond. "Mallory, Stanley, you both have detention. No throwing things at students." I say, my voice taking on a dangerous tone.

Throughout class, Bella doesn't respond to anything, not even other students directly talking to her. When the class ends, I call her up to the desk, though it takes several times to get her attention. When she meets me up there, she looks at anything but me. But that's not what worries me the most. She is pale as hell, and her lips chapped, like she hadn't even been drinking water. Her eyes were completely dead, worse than the time I found her out back crying.

"Is there something you wanted, Mr. Cullen?" She says quietly, her voice hoarse and emotionless.

"You're taking care of yourself right? Eating, drinking?" I ask in a concerned tone.

"That's none of your business." She says as she slowly starts making her way out of the classroom.

"Bella, if you don't you will die, you remember what Carlisle said!" I plead with her.

"I really don't care." Then she mutters under her breath "It can't be any worse than life." I could tell from her tone she meant it. She wasn't just saying it to get a rise. I was torn, I couldn't just take it all back, but she needed someone, Alice was right, she was falling.

I called Alice right before she was to pick up Bella, and begged her to make sure she ate or drank something. Alice seemed aggravated, but said she would try.

I went home, and immediately called Carlisle. "Dad, Do you think you could see Bella again, if I have Alice bring her?"

"Why would Alice be bringing her?" he questioned.

"Long story. But do you think you could? I Don't think she is eating, or even drinking anything, she looked horrible."

"On purpose? What happened?"

"I don't know, maybe it's on purpose. She was developing unhealthy feelings towards me, and I didn't want to take advantage of her. So for her sake, I had to walk away. I am still making sure she is safe, and Alice is giving her rides and such."

"Edward, so you mean to tell me, you put yourself into her life, get her to trust you, and then abandon her? Don't you think there could have been a better solution?"

"I've been hearing it from Alice. I stand by my decision. I am her teacher, it is unhealthy for her—"

"Edward, do you have any idea what that can do to someone with as damaged of a psyche as hers? Yes, please have Alice bring her in tomorrow. I would have thought you would have shown better judgement, Edward."

"Not you too, dad. I did it for her sake."

"Maybe you should have talked to her about it before you started making decisions on her behalf." He said before he hung up. I could tell Carlisle was uncharacteristically mad.

I called Alice next, sure Bella would be home by now. "Hey alice, were you able to get her to eat? Or even drink anything?"

"No, she was completely unresponsive. When I handed her food, she looked like she was going to get sick just at the thought of eating it."

"Can you bring her to dad tomorrow?"

"Yeah, although, I think you should. I am not going to be able to fix this. She freaked out when I even touched her early, like hysterics freaked out. It seems like she's just getting worse by the day. Please, reconsider?" I heard her beg.

"I don't know Alice, I will think about it."

"Good, at least think about it." She says in relief.

"I didn't say yes. I need to make sure that I am not doing the wrong thing."

"You already did, I am hoping you come to realize that." She said before she hung up also.

BPOV

When I got home, I made Charlie's food mechanically, then waited for him as always. I took it when he hit me for not seasoning the food right or whatever. I didn't care anymore. I meant what I said earlier. If this was all life had to offer, then I didn't care. I said I wouldn't do anything stupid, but it didn't mean it had to prolong it, or fight it.

I also came to realize that I was a new source of profit for Charlie. Today, there were three people, James, Laurent, and some guy named phil. They took turns until almost eleven, when they went home. I didn't even cry this time, not until after they left. Then I fell apart all over again. I texted Edward at eleven, I told him I was alive. When he didn't respond, I started texting him again, I just needed something some support, or else I knew I couldn't face another day like this.

"Please, just text me back, anything, please, I am sorry I snapped at you today. I promise I will leave you alone tomorrow if you just give me something to hang onto for tonight."

I waited for another hour, and when nothing came, something in me snapped. I snuck out of my house, and ran towards the center of town. The first snow of the season had fallen tonight, and my bare feet ached within a couple minutes. I was only wearing a tank top and pajama pants that I already had on. I made it to the building that Edward lived in, struggling to breathe. I felt like I was going to pass out right there, coughing hard and shivering, but I ran up the stairs to his apartment, and banged on the door as hard as I could, which with my waning strength wasn't loud at all.

As I heard the footsteps on the other side, I suddenly realized what I was doing, and backed away, horrified with myself. The door opened, and there Edward was, looking shocked. "Ms. Swan, what are you doing here?"

"L-Leaving, I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry…" I rasped out in between sobs. I held myself tightly to try and keep myself together.

"Let me give you a ride home." He said, his voice laced with concern.

"I shouldn't have come. I won't waste your t-time."

"You're right, you shouldn't have come like this, but I can't make you walk back home dressed like that, you don't even have shoes on, you will catch pneumonia. "

"Sure, because then, I would die, woo.. big deal.." I said in near hysterics, starting to pace back and forth. I was shaking so hard I could hardly keep my balance. "Because, this, life and all, fucking rocks, right? I mean—" I took a gulp of air, no longer in control of what I was saying. I wanted to make myself leave, but some survival instinct in me was trying to get help. "I get beat every day by my dad, starved, and when I do have food, I am too disgusted with myself to be able to stomach it, since I am dads new source of fucking profit! " I felt a hysteric laugh creep up through a sob. "emphasis on the 'fucking'" I kept pacing, though I Felt myself getting more light headed as I went on. "And when I really need someone, anyone, just so I don't, you know lose it, like I am pretty sure I am doing right now, I get unceremoniously dumped on their sister 'for my own good'. Because you totally know what's for my own good. I offered you the out, and you didn't take it, before I could completely trust you." I saw the look of shock on his face, and disgust, and I stopped talking, realizing what I had done. I had told him the information that would have him repulsed by me, like he was now.

"I—I have t-to go… I—" More tears dripped down my face as I ran from his apartment, I ran down the stairs, almost falling down them, but somehow miraculously making it outside.

EPOV

I stood there a moment in shock, trying to process everything she just told me. I didn't know about the other things. I hoped she didn't mean what I thought she meant when she told me about her being her dad's profit. However, I knew it was wishful thinking, It was exactly what I thought, he was selling her out for sex. It explained a lot recently.

Before I could fully wrap my mind around everything, I heard her whisper that she had to go. I looked up to see her horrified face, and watched her run. I quickly put on my sneakers, and followed her out. When I got outside, I couldn't find her anywhere.

"Fuck, had to put on the goddamned fucking shoes Cullen." I pulled out my phone, and called everyone, Emmett, Alice, Carlisle, Jasper, Rose, and Esme to help me look for her. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that we had to find her now, or it would be too late. Alice was right, I had destroyed her. The situation was worse than I thought.

Alice and Jasper were the first to arrive. Alice ran over to me, with Jasper walking right behind her. Alice punched me in the arm. "I fucking told you! And you wouldn't believe me!" I winced a little.

"Yeah, I know." I said grimly.

"I'm worried, What if she—" Alice said, and Jasper puts his arm around her, before fixing me with a cold stare.

"I don't know the details of the situation, but if you make Alice cry, I will kick you're ass, Cullen." He said, his messy honey blonde hair already covered with snow. It was starting to snow heavily.

Next Rose and Emmett arrived. Emmett was my brother, and Rose was his wife. Emmett was a large bear like man with the face and heart of a teddybear, where ass Rose was a blonde bombshell ice queen. However, if you earned her respect, she became fiercely protective of you for life. When Esme, my mother arrived with Carlisle, I filled them all in on the situation without giving away too much information. Esme looked concerned, her caramel hair wet with snow, and her green eyes sad.

"If anyone finds her, please, call me.

Everyone set out looking for her, calling her name. I ran faster than I think I ever had run before. For over an hour I searched. I was about to give up, and check in with everyone else, when I saw something that made my heart stop. The bridge a little ways up had a silhouette of a petite person standing on the railing. I swallowed the lump, and ran there as fast as possible. When I got there, I froze when I saw it was Bella. She was soaked from snow, and was almost blue with cold, shaking violently as she stood on the railing, holding onto to one of the posts for balance.

"Bella, please, come back down. Please." I begged softly.

She glanced back at me, and the look on her face completely crushed me with its weight. Unfathomable pain and hopelessness. "Why?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"Please, Bella, It will get better, please don't do this." I move a little closer to her.

"I can't handle it all anymore. Why should I? there's no point. At least, for the first time, I get to decide how I live—How I die. I'm not strong enough, I can't hold this weight, it's crushing me." She whispers, her voice cracking in pain.

"Then let me help you hold it, please Bella."

"For how long Edward, or rather, Mr. Cullen? How long? If you take some of the weight, then by the time you leave me alone again, I won't be strong enough to even try to hold it. I can't handle it again."

"I won't leave again, I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"You probably were, but you said that last time. I can't rely on words spoken by guilt."

I stepped forward when I saw her almost collapse. She was losing what little strength she had left. If she didn't jump, it wouldn't be long before she fell. "Please Bella, come down. I'm sending you that text, I'm offering something to hold onto."

She wavers a moment, she stares at me for a moment, before she starts coughing again, one arm wrapping around her ribs. I watch in slow motion as she loses her balance, and falls backwards. "Bella!" I yell, before jumping in after her. I hear footsteps, and people calling my name as I dive in after her.

I hit the water, like millions of ice daggers ripping into my flesh, but I swim, trying to find her, fighting the current. After several agonizing minutes, I see her, and swim to her as fast as I can. I pull her onto my back, and start swimming to the bank. When I get us there, she starts coughing again, coughing up the water. Relief that she didn't drown fills me. I pull her into my arms, and hold her. She is ice cold, but barely even shivering anymore, like her body doesn't have the energy to keep it up anymore.

Minutes later, Carlisle and Esme reach us. Carlisle pulls a blanket out, and wraps it around us. "Come on son, we need to get you both inside, or you'll get hypothermia."

"I think she's already there." I say quietly, not letting go of her, holding her in my arms, trying to keep her warm, but she's having trouble keeping her eyes open."

"Everything will be okay, we just need to get you both somewhere warm. Lets go back to your place, since its closer. The car is right up the hill. We saw you jump in after her."

"Alright." I nod slowly, and we make our way up the slope to the car. I get in the back seat, holding Bella close. She seems to be warming up a little as they crank the heat. I was horrified by how close she was to killing herself, and it would have been largely my fault. She didn't deserve any of the cards she was dealt.

When we got back to the apartment, Esme and Carlisle changed Bella into some warm clothes of mine, while I changed myself. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose all went home so as not to crowd her.

When Carlisle walks out of the guest room, I walk over to him, shivering pretty hard myself. "How is she?"

"It's hard to say. She had such poor health to begin with. I think she will be okay for now, but her health has diminished significantly since the last time I saw her. She's dehydrated, and severely malnourished. Her electrolytes are all low. At the rate she was going, she wouldn't have lasted the week. She can't be left alone to say the least, and sending her home—"

"Is not an option. I know the risks Carlisle, but you don't know what I found out today. She is staying here. I will get Jasper to help me out. She is age of consent, that should hold some weight. "

"You know that if he presses charges—"

"I don't care. You don't know what he's been doing to her. I will not send her back. I am pursuing the case tomorrow. And as I am persecutor, not her, they will have to take me seriously. I have plenty of evidence."

"Okay, then I will back you up." Carlisle says.

"Thanks. I will probably need it."

R&R! YAY, Edward pulled his head out of his ass! And Bella is finally safe for now!