A/N: Thank you for all of your kind reviews, follows, favorites, and effort and time to read this.

Chapter 10

Edward was almost gasping with un-needed breath with his rage and frustration. Rosalie was not amused.

"Of course you'd swear like that, bring the gods and souls and everything."

He just ignored her and turned to Carlisle. "What's the problem, Carlisle? Is something effecting you all?"

"Just lower your voice, Edward," Carlisle tried to calm him down, "you're nearly shouting and that's not necessary."

The mind reader just ignored him. He ignored others if their opinions were different than his, and he always complained that nobody shared his opinion with him.

Now he's ranting about his great ability of mind reading and how it would endanger all his family because his ability kept them safe and how much he cared for all of them to be on the harm's line.

But Bella tuned him out. It was always same old thing and she had other things to think about. Like, how her family had fantasying-blocked her before she'd decided to do something sinful. But she would've done very sexy, tasty sinful things. But that's not the point. Quinn didn't know about her thought and feelings and watching-while-she-sleep and all. Ugh.

Suddenly, she felt stress and fatigue gathering around her forehead. It's not that she had a trouble with gays or being a gay; it's just there were lots of things going on, all at once and all she wanted to do was sat down calmly on her chair by her large bookcase and think about Quinn and her feelings towards the blonde. But the situation didn't allow her to do that. Bella knew it's only the matter of time before Edward marching towards her room or demanding her presence where he was.

Now Carlisle was explaining about new guest and Bella knew she was out of time. She stole a quick glance to the sleeping blonde. The blonde was sleeping on her right side and her both hands were placed in front of her face and her lips were slightly parted, like a baby.

Bella contemplated her option. She didn't want to bring Quinn straight towards the raging storm; but she also didn't have a heart to take any chance of Quinn waking up alone. And Quinn would prefer to be woken up; not being un-included.

The brunette sighed. Her feelings and thoughts were all jumbled and mingled and messed up together and she just couldn't figure out what she was feeling right now so she decided to push them to the side until the Edward mess was somehow solved.

Bella brushed the strands of hairs fallen on Quinn's forehead. It's so soft: her hair, skin, breathing, and all. She's like a stuffed doll; but much warmer and just more perfect. Bella couldn't hold back a sudden urge to, strong need to hold the blonde tight in her arms. So she did. She slowly climbed on the bed and lay next to Quinn, careful not to wake the blonde.

As soon as Bella's skin touched the blonde's, Quinn snuggled up to the vampire. Bella chucked, contented, and pulled the blonde closer to her body and hummed against the human's ear.

"Quinn, hon, it's time to wake up."

The blonde frowned but didn't show the sign of waking up. Bella was now officially amused. She kissed the wrinkles on Quinn's forehead. "Come on, I promise you can come straight back to bed once we sort out Edward. So, please wake up? I need you."

That made the blonde stirred and opened her eyes. They were almost ember under the soft glow of night lamp. Bella was captured by the intenseness and fierce beauty in them.

"You need me?" the blonde husked and it made something in the vampire woke up and stirring like crazy. Bella just bit down her lower lip and croaked, "yeah."

Quinn blinked. She heard all of Bella's words. She'd said after the talk(of argument) with Edward she could go back to sleep and the brunette called her hon. Quinn, Hon, it somehow rimes and she liked the soft sound of endearment and warm feelings it gave her. She didn't point out that of fear of Bella get flustered and didn't call her hon anymore.

And Bella needed her. Strong, beautiful, almost perfect vampire needed her. She felt needed, wanted and worth. And she was engulfed with sudden rush of fondness towards Bella. The brunette admitted that she needed her. She had opened up to Quinn and showed her weakness like it's not a big deal but Quinn knew better. Showing weakness meant it could be used against you. And the fact that Bella decided to do that to Quinn, she felt trusted. Bella trusted her that Quinn wouldn't turn her back to her and help her.

Quinn couldn't help but hug her. She's not used to showing affections physically, but right now, Bella was an exception.

"Thank you," the blonde whispered against the vampire's neck. The soft breeze of her breathing tickled and puzzled the brunette. "For what?" she asked.

"For…" the blonde searched for words for a second, "waking me up, and trusting me."

Bella was still puzzled. She did trust the blonde but what gave the blonde? She didn't say she trust her or anything. But Bella didn't question. Because if Quinn somehow knew she trusted her, that's a good thing.

Quinn was now sitting up. "Just give me a second. I'll wash my face and freshen up a little before going downstairs. Will you wait for me or…?"

"Of course I'll wait for you," she almost didn't let the blonde finish the sentence and held her hand and squeezed it. "Take your time. He can wait."

"Okay," the blonde said softly, then stood up and stretching her arms as she headed to the bathroom.

Bella closed her eyes when she heard the water running. She knew her family was holding Edward to give her and Quinn some time. She was thankful, of course, but the dread of meeting soon to be ex husband was too overwhelming. Bella gained wonderful balance as she'd became a vampire and she no longer tripped on her own foot; but that didn't mean her anxiety habits died. She could still bite down her own lips and bounced up and down her leg and pacing around the room ungracefully and she was doing all of that right now.

These habits, the fact that she was still awkward and clumsy as ever, made her self-conscious and because of that she bit down her own lips and it became an awful cycle she could not break.

But right now was not the time to dwell on this. All the feelings and doubts, about herself and for Quinn, should be put aside for now and she would deal the nastiest matter which was waiting just around the corner. She would tell him to back off and leaver her and Quinn and rest of the family alone. He wanted to be left alone and lick his own wounds when the rest of the family had reached out to help him. He lost his right to command what's wrong and right for the family when he had ignored them bared his teeth to them.

And she would protect Quinn.

It's very strange, the feeling of someone relying on her. The responsibility. She had always been the one who everybody had to take care of but now, she had someone to take care of. It scared her, really, because it's the first time she had a person on her responsibility and she didn't know how to do that. She's just not used to it and wary of that. But she knew she should do it. Bella knew she would protect and look after Quinn. Because the blonde believed in her, trusted her with her safety. Quinn gave her the strength and confident to do so.

When Quinn emerged from the bathroom, looking fresh and awake like she's been up for the whole time and didn't dozed off at all, they made the descent to the downstairs hand in hand. The warmth and coolness calmed the each of them down.

The scene unfolding in the living room wasn't unexpected by Bella but it upset her none the less. Quinn hadn't expecting anything so she wasn't surprised or whatever. She's just very nervous and a bit scared by the fact she didn't know what may come; but she didn't show it. She's Quinn Fabray and sun will be rise from the west and shine at night if she showed her weakness or true feeling to anyone.

It's Alice who noticed them first. She may not be able to See them, but she's very keen and sharp about details around her on the contrary to the popular belief.

She was standing behind Edward with Jasper on her side, ready to jump on whenever the situation got ugly. The rest of the Cullen's barred Edward were in front of him. It looked like Carlisle had been talking but now everybody was silent. It seemed like all of the vampires were holding the un-needed breathes. They heard the footsteps coming down and now they were here.

It's the first time Quinn saw him, Bella's husband, the mind reader, and the brooder, Edward. He had indeed the gorgeous figure. His cheeks high and the wild bronze hair and all that. But it didn't make her gasp with surprise by his beauty or captivated her or anything. Her sharp hazel eyes were already found the flaws in him. The demanding eyebrows, stubborn chin and frown on the both corners of his mouth. He was gorgeous yet very ugly. His mind was in the ugly face so it showed on outside.

If that frowns and rages were sweet and caring, he would look like Adonis. So maybe Bella had been fooled when that vampire looked all sweet and mysterious, thought Quinn. But not anymore.

As she fixed her fiery gaze on him, Edward met her eye and snarled.

"Who are you?" he almost shouted. Quinn didn't even blink.

"It's only polite to introduce yourself first then to ask another person," she said, matter-of-factly.

Emmett snickered but Rosalie didn't smack his head this time. She was barely holding her smirk, too.

Edward only narrowed his eyes on her. Like he's trying to read what's on her mind. Maybe that guess was true, because the mind reader looked like he's collided with brick wall.

"What are you, you freak?" he didn't hide his anger at all now. "Why can't I read you?"

"Maybe it's because I'm not a book," the human rolled her eyes. "What you can do or cannot do was your problem and yours to figure out; not me."

Bella tightened her grip on Quinn's hand as Edward was about to jump on her and grab her neck and Jasper and Emmett held him tight immediately. She's amused and awed by the human's sass and bravery, but she didn't want her to risk her safety. As if she understood what the brunette meant by the gesture, the blonde's sarcastic expression softened as she looked to her side to met Bella's worried chestnuts. Hazels shining gently and firmly like they were saying, "don't worry," and Bella relaxed a little at that. It's unlikely to Quinn had any advantage in this situation but Bella somehow trusted her unsaid words.

Quinn's face was now stoic and cold. Bella never saw that looked on the blonde's face but Quinn held it so naturally like it's her own second form. Bella guessed it was Quinn's mask she wore every time she had went down the hallways of McKinley High. She looked untouchable.

Unlike Quinn, Edward was an angry mess. His face would be so red with his temper if he could but everybody in the room could see his eyes darkened.

Esme gently scolded his son. "Edward, it's not a polite way to greet your guest. She's Quinn Fabray and a friend of Bella."

"I've never seen her before. She's not from Forks. How can she be a friend of Bella? I know all about Bella and that girl's not a friend," he fumed.

Bella snapped. "How can you know? You're never around."

"I know because I'm your husband and your mate," he growled.

"You're no longer my husband when we, you and I decided to break the marriage, I already signed my divorce paper and you should do the same so the process can be finished. And you're never my mate."

"I withdraw my agreement to break the marriage. And your blood sang to me!"

"Maybe it's because you're very thirsty at that time and you lacked the control! And how can the blood-singing proves that I'm your mate? Every vampire thinks my blood is delicious but not a single one of them is my mate."

"It just is! I'm still your husband and your mate and you're mine. That's it and that's what meant to be. You're mine forever and not everyone else's!"

"No!" Quinn interrupted him with furious shout.

"Not a single woman, no, a single person, is a possession of men or another people. They're theirs only and Bella is hers. Not yours, or mine, or everyone else's. You can't control her, or you can't know every single thing of her, that's the fact, and it's natural because you're not the same person! Bella's Bella, you're you, she has her own life as you do and it's her life to live. You can only be grateful if she decided to allow you to be included in her life; not you can demand and command her to spend her life with you! You're a selfish, self-centered, possessive asshole!"

"You, you're a feminist bitch!" he stuttered, clearly lost his words. He was so not used to the people standing up to him or talking back. This human girl was not obedient. He didn't like it. A girl was supposed to submit to a man. But he couldn't find the words quickly to argue back so he stuttered. He would continue with much more complete sentences but the blonde's snort stopped him.

"Is that supposed to be an insult? Yes! I'm a feminist and proud. But what are you? What are you beside the fact that you're the idiotic man who lost his wife and now possibly his family because you can't see anything beside yourself? You never let Bella live her life, you always have to control her like she's an object. But guess what? She's alive and she has her own mind! But you didn't notice that she got tired of you. You didn't notice the fact that your family missed you, their Eddie boy. Only your feelings were important and you didn't notice you were hurting them by hurt your wife, their sister and daughter and the best friend. You think you have them under your control but the truth is, you were losing them without your notice because you were too busy worrying about not controlling them."

Quinn was now panting heavily and nose to nose with Edward. She met his fury filled eyes and whispered her words knowing he could still hear her.

"And you know what? Now that I know what you are and all alone, I pity you."

The mind reader was too furious to move, or so he thought. The truth was that he was so shocked and the blonde's words stabbed his core of doubts in the deep down of his mind. Maybe that girl was right. He did push his family away but it's not the first time and every time he had done it before, they always accepted that and nothing changed. He believed this time was no different. And it's not a big deal to put their own feelings first than the others. It's only natural. He's not ashamed. He didn't do anything wrong.

He glanced around. He couldn't read their thoughts and it's so confusing and it must due to with that human girl. But he could still read their faces and they're cold, disappointed. Nobody made a move to stand up for him or kick out that blonde bitch. He couldn't believe this. They're his family. His. Not hers. It must be that bitch, planted the bad seeds of doubt in his family's minds. He would save them from that girl, and then his Bella would be back to his arm, back to the naïve, submissive girl he loved so much.

To do that, he would play his cards very carefully.

Edward slumped on Jasper and Emmett's hold like all the energy inside of him was drained out. Quinn wasn't expecting that move so she took a step back to observe.

The bronze hair vampire cast his eyes side away and down. And then he looked up to Bella under his long eye lashes.

"Do you pity me too, Bella? Am I that worthless of your love? Have you ever loved me?"

The said vampire looked uncomfortable. Why the sudden change of mood and all the questions throwing at her? She didn't like the attentions and heavy questions. But everybody was waiting for her to answer so she did.

"I did love you, but not anymore. That's why we're getting divorced. And I…"

"I know, Bella, I know. I'm so sorry for all the things I've done to you. Now I know what I shouldn't do and I'll try to fix it. So please come back to me and be together. I cannot live without you, Bella. You're everything to me and whether I'm your mate or not, you're still mine."

"Edward, I…" Bella fidgeted and didn't meet anyone's eyes. Again, Edward interrupted.

"Oh Bella, my love. I'm dying without you beside me. That's why I cut the time away short, to come home and find you. And to get you back. I can't hunt to drink without seeing your face, follow me around, calling me to come back. So I came home, but when I reached near, I can't hear everyone's thoughts like always so I got worried very much. I know I react badly but I was just very worried and didn't think rational. I'm sorry about that. But that girl attacked me and now my whole family's siding by her, I don't know what to do. I feel betrayed and… I don't know. I don't want my family, my loved ones in harm's way and that girl is unknown threat. I was just trying to protect you all from her but seeing that nobody understand me or want me here, and don't make that girl leave, I should go." He hung his head, defeated. But when he held his up again, his voice was a little bit firmer and desperate.

"But do I really have to leave? Do I have to leave my family? Do you guys all choose that stranger against me? She's the stranger and you guys and I know each other for hundreds of years. Are you really not choosing me? Don't you love me at all?"

The heavy and tense silence fell upon them. No one uttered a word. They hadn't heard Edward said his sorry and his wrong and please in this serious tone ever. The Cullen's had do love him, they still did, and they did known him hundreds of years. They shared so many memories and incidents together. He's used to be a caring boy, just a little bit too protective and old-fashioned, but that had been one of his charms. And now suddenly, there was that boy again in front of them and they're all confused.

Quinn knew she couldn't beat the bonds built for hundreds of years. The Cullen's looked convinced by his words and acts. She knew he was acting, manipulating them, because she had been the queen of manipulation. They would listen to him and kicked her out. She would do that too if she were in their shoes. It was better safe than sorry and she always made the people around her miserable so maybe this was better.

And Bella, Quinn tired to figure out the look on beautiful brunette's face. Bella came so close to her heart in a very short amount of time. Bella's opinions became matter to her. And now, the brunette looked uncertain. She glanced quick to Edward once in a while but never met Quinn's eyes. They no longer held hands at some point of time. When did she let go of my hand? And when did I let hers slip out of mine and didn't even notice?

Look at me, Bella, Quinn begged in her mind. Please, look at me. If Bella met her eyes, she could saw how desperate and helpless and heartbroken Quinn was. The words she said to Edward weren't just about him. Quinn wasn't that different from him. She had been hurting people around her like him. She pitied herself. She's pathetic. But at least she knew that she was, and tried to be better person, not like Edward.

Edward was still the same. Although he said sorry, he hadn't said what he was sorry for. He didn't promise them anything specific. He just played his words well. Just too well.

And now, she was the bitch who had verbally attacked the boy who'd tried to protect his family albeit how wrong his method had been.

If nobody, not even Bella who she thought they were close, could recognize her effort to be the better person, she couldn't summon the will to keep going forward, the strength and hope to keep trying. It was just like Rachel had chose Finn over her. Her father chose his appearance and religion over her. Her mother chose alcohol over her. She couldn't take it anymore. This silence, the wait and the anticipation to be kicked out was killing her. Though the house was so big like a football ground, she felt like the walls were closing down on her. She felt trapped in her own ribcage.

"I… I should go."

With those words so softly uttered behind, Quinn turned around, and walked away.

They all watched her without moving — just walked straight to the door, opened it, stepped out, then closed it without sound — like they were in trance.

I haven't plan to end this chapter like this but the story just took its own turn, I guess:P

Hope you enjoy this. Have a nice day/night.:)