Here's Chap. 12, hope you enjoy!
"Bella, Bella can you hear me? Bella, please, wake up, love." I heard his velvety voice through the darkness. Things were slowly coming back. He sounded so worried, I didn't want him to be upset anymore – I needed to make him feel alright. Slowly, I opened my eyes.
"Ahhh, Bella," Edward sighed, sounding relieved, but there was still pain in his voice. "How are you feeling, love?" he whispered, and I took in his beautiful face. His brows were furrowed, but he had a small smile on his lips. His eyes looked troubled.
I was on my back, something was underneath my head, propping it up, and Edward's hand was holding mine as his other hand stroked the side of my face. I started to sit up, but Edward held me down.
"Please, Bella, stay down. I'm not sure you're ready to sit up yet."
"Wh – what happened?" My voice cracked. Edward's hand felt good on the side of my face.
"You fainted, Bells, after Jacob left." Edward spat the name out and his face looked angry. The sound of his name sent a sharp pain through my body.
"Please, let's not talk about him," I moaned. I did not want to deal with that right now. I really just needed to calm down and process his even being here.
I had a feeling that Jacob was here visiting his uncle down at La Push. Charlie was friends with his uncle. He told me a little about the La Push reservation and some of his friends up there – I knew that Jacob's uncle was one of them, but I had no idea that Jacob would show his face up here. Whenever he talked about home to me, down in Phoenix, but he always spoke hatefully of it. That's why he came down to Phoenix, to get away from La Push. Why in the world he was back here, I have no clue – and part of me doesn't want to know, as long as I'm not involved.
"That's fine, Bella, you feeling better is more important to me," Edward murmured, stroking my hair.
"Can – can you just – take me home?" My voice was weak, and I felt like crying, but I wasn't going to –
"Of course, Bella. Here, I'm going to pick you up, is that okay?" His voice was soft and his eyes probed my, looking for my answer. I nodded, and with that, he scooped me up gently into his arms and started walking towards the office building. We had been outside, sitting on one of the benches. Edward had used his jacket as a pillow for me, so he was just in his short sleeve shirt. He must have been cold.
"Edward, don't you need your jacket?"
"I'm fine Bella. This'll just taka a second, then I'll drive you home."
"Where is everyone?" I asked him.
"I told them to go ahead and get to class. I could take care of you."
"Oh no!" I cried.
"What!? Bella, what!?" Edward yelled, jumping. "Did I hurt you?"
"Edward, why aren't you in class?!" Edward calmed down and gave me a crooked smile.
"Because, taking care of you is priority, besides," he waggled his eyebrows at me, "I couldn't let you just lay there and fend for yourself."
We were already at the office building and Edward was pushing his way through the door, being careful not to bump my head or feet on the doorjamb.
Once inside, Edward set me down in one of the chairs and approached the front desk. He spoke quietly with the woman there, occasionally she would glance at me, then he was heading back, picking me up again, which was good, because I missed being in his arms.
He took me to his car and set me in the passenger seat, shutting the door quietly and heading around the car and getting in. He took my hand as he drove. We were at my house in a matter of minutes. The perks of living in a small town.
"Here, I'll come around and get you," Edward told me as he parked in front of my house. He was at my side in a matter of moments.
He took me up in his arms again, I was making a mental note to ask him to hold me more often, and brought me up to the house.
"Here," I handed him my key and he took it, slipping it into the lock and letting us in. He handed it back to me and headed towards the couch in the living room.
As soon as he pulled me down, I pulled him down so he could sit next to me.
"I was going to ask you if you if you needed anything," he pouted. I smiled and pulled him closer to me.
"Yes, actually I do need something," and I kissed his pouty lips. When I pulled back, his eyes were closed and he was smiling. He sighed and opened his cool, green eyes to look at me.
"Well," he said, "just…let me know if you need any more of those and I will be happy to oblige." He flashed me a crooked grin, then, before I could prepare myself, he pulled me to him and kissed me again. His lips were so soft, I could kiss him forever. He pulled back to look at me.
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist. You can't be the only one to instigate trouble." I giggled.
"Seriously, though," he said, "Do you need anything? Anything at all? I'm here for your benefit, you know."
"Well, Edward," I replied teasingly, "What I need is for you to sit next to me and look pretty while I think about a few things, is that okay?"
"Yeah, sure, I think I can do that," Edward told me, smiling.
"Good," and then I took his hand, rubbing circles on the back of it while I thought.
So, Jacob was here. For what and for how long, I had no idea. It bothered me, not knowing what he was planning, I was partially afraid. I would, in truth, be very afraid if it weren't for Edward. Just having him near me, having him as my boyfriend, made me feel way better about things. But even with that, I was worried that Jacob might do something that would hurt my relationship with Edward – screw that I was flat out worried that Jacob would physically hurt Edward. I don't know what I'd do if Edward was hurt in any way – I'd feel completely responsible and I'd never forgive myself. Edward could probably beat Jacob in a fight, but if Jacob hurt a single hair on Edward's head –
Edward could see the worry that was showing in my face and he started stroking my hand with his fingers, then he shifted us so that I was sitting on his lap, my head on his chest and he was stroking my back.
With him soothing me, I decided that whatever happened, I needed to fill Edward in on everything so that if anything, anything, happened, Edward would be ready and know what to do. I pull out of his lap, leaving my feet strung across him, so I could face him.
"I'm ready to talk," I told him.
"Sure, take your time, Bells." He gave me a reassuring look.
"So," I started, then it all just came out, "Jacob Black was, well, I knew him from Phoenix. He was totally flat out lying when he said he was my girlfriend. He used to "see" my mom, ugh, and he's my age. Well, anyways, whenever he was over at my house…he always tried to come on to me. It was completely gross, and if he ever tried to do anything…well, let's just say I'd call him a few things an I kicked him where it hurt." Edward's face looked so angry, like he was in pain, even when I threw that last part in, he barely smiled. I took his face in my hands and stroked his features.
"Edward," I whispered.
"Bella –" his voice sounded strangled, "that creep – if he ever did anything to hurt you – if he ever shows his face again, I swear I will beat the crap out of him! I knew he was trouble but I had no idea –"
"Edward, it's okay, calm down" I soothed. "Trust me, it's not worth it, he's not worth it. Believe me, I hope he never shows his face again, I don't even know why he showed up at school. I'm just, I'm worried about you," I told him. Edward's face changed from anger to horror and shock.
"Bella Swan…you tell me all this stuff about how perverted that Jacob was to you and then you turn around and tell me you're worried about me!!" He was angry again.
"Edward, I – I just don't want you to get hurt. If Jacob ever hurt you, I don't think I could ever forgive myself!" Edward took my face in his hands, then.
"Isabella, please, it hurts me to see you so worried about me. Trust me, what you should be worried about is yourself. I promise, as long as Jacob is around here, I swear on everything that's sacred, I will not let him hurt you, and I don't care if I get hurt in the process. This is not about me and this is not your fault. What Jacob Black does is not your fault, at all. Please," and his voice dropped down to a whisper. "Please, just promise me that if I can't be around to protect you that you will stay with Emmett? Please, tell Emmett about all this, or I will, just…just so we can keep you safe?"
I thought he was being irrational, I thought he was overacting and that he should be more worried about himself, but the look in his eyes, those beautiful, green – it dazzled me and I couldn't say no.
"Of course, Edward, I'll tell Emmett. But…" and I blushed and looked down at my lap, "does this mean we get to spend more time together, then?" I looked up at him through my lashes. Edward's face, although before it had been worried and horror struck, began to smooth. The frown wasn't completely gone, but he caught on to my point.
"Oh, yes, Bella, I think we're going to be spending lots more time together – in fact – I promise I will not leave your side all day and until the evening when Charlie has to kick me out and I will come and pick you up for school from now on." His voice was playful.
"Edward," I laughed, "Emmett drives me to school, I'll be perfectly safe with him. Besides, you drive Alice to school. We'll meet up there." Edward pouted.
"Fine, Bella, if that's how you want it." He looked at me from beneath his lashes. He looked incredible.
"Come here," I requested, and pulled him into a kiss.
"Did I ever tell you how great it is having you as my girlfriend?" he told me. I smiled wryly.
"Not in those words, exactly, but feel free to tell me whenever you like. Oh, but did I ever tell you how amazing it is having you as my boyfriend?" He smiled that crooked smile.
I don't know how long we talked, but it felt like the most amazing thing in the world to have him here, next to me, as my boyfriend.
Edward Cullen is my boyfriend!!
Hope you liked it, sorry it didn't go very far, but I'll try to update soon. Review!
