Twilight is the property of Ms. Meyer!

Thank you to DANNOCH for being a fantastic beta and holding my hand through this story. And to my readers. You all officially rule.

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Chapter Fourteen

First

We pulled up to the house as the sun gave its final farewell to the day and set behind the horizon. Street lamps clicked on and illuminated our driveway as Charlie killed the engine on the cruiser.

Before I could delay, Charlie swung open his door and exited the car. My body tensed as I waited for an onslaught of screaming and shots fired upon Edward for following us back to the house. When no sound came except the footfalls of Charlie's boots, I realized that Edward must have already quit from view. He'd be close by, sure enough, to make sure Charlie and I could walk safely indoors.

My hand lingered on the door inside the car, trembling so much I could not grasp the handle. Quickly, I wrapped my arms around my waist, hugging myself. My eyes scanned the darkness outside for any movement. How did I get myself into such a mess? Jacob was injured, Laurent was on the loose, and Edward had kissed me no less than an hour ago. My lips still felt the ghost of his mouth.

"Bells?" Charlie called and I jumped in my seat.

I waved him on, wanting him in the house and out of sight from whatever crawl I was about to attempt to get myself indoors. He must have sensed my hesitation as he turned and trudged back to the car, opening the door for me and propping his elbows upon it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I answered automatically. Charlie returned a cynical look that meant he didn't believe that for one second.

Well, I thought, there's a murderous vampire out to turn me into his mate for all eternity; I created a war between the Cullens and Jacob's renegade pack of werewolves. Oh, and I can't walk.

"Fine," I relented, opting to go with the easiest of explanations. "I fell today. That's why my books were scattered at the school. I fell down after talking with Jessica, dropped them, and haven't really been able to move since." I rubbed my back for good measure.

"So that's what the whole cover-up was about with the doctor, huh? Thought you weren't walking right. Alright, come on old lady, give me your hands." He hoisted me up out of the car, then threw my arm around his shoulders and hobbled me into the house.

"What did you sprain or break or bruise this time?" He asked as we crossed the threshold of the living room.

"Um…I think it was more like a concussion that Dr. Cullen was afraid of."

Charlie jumped at this, halting mid-way between easing me onto the couch and pulling me back toward him.

"That's it! I'm taking you to the hospital right now. A concussion! Why didn't that screw-ball doctor tell me over the phone!"

"Dad! It's not a concussion; Dr. Cullen cleared me of that," I lied. Truthfully Carlisle had wanted to conduct more tests. "I'm just a little wobbly, that's all. He said I just need rest. Besides, I thought you liked Carlisle."

Charlie exhaled in relief and let me sink into the sofa cushions. He gave me a brief once over, decided I was telling the truth, and then plopped himself into the chair on the opposite side of the room.

"The doctor's a stand-up guy, sure. Do I think he gives his children whatever they ask for and more? Well…that's another story. He told me over the phone that the hospital offered him a raise, that's why they came back to Forks. Bullshit!" he cursed, then his eyes darted to mine apologetically. "I think he came back because that son of his asked him to."

"Is that so bad? That Edward wanted to come back?" I asked and kicked off Alice's silver slippers, tucking my feet into the cushion to warm them.

Charlie snorted.

"It is when it's my daughter he's harping on. I don't like the way he treated you and I especially don't like that he came back here to do it again. You've got to use your head. This guy is nothing but trouble."

My eyes felt heavy and tired. The muscles in my arms and legs whined for rest as I stretched them out and pulled a throw blanket on top of me. I wondered idly where Edward was now, possibly in my room or even in the hallway listening to this. I hoped he didn't mind that I didn't go upstairs to join him. I wanted to rest here with Charlie.

"Shhh, Dad," I yawned, "Let's fight tomorrow, okay?"

"Bells…" Charlie muttered, "I just want you to be safe."

I smiled lazily, feeling sleep steal over me.

"Then you and Edward are exactly the same," I breathed and closed my eyes.

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I awoke on the couch, barefooted and still dressed in my purple frock. At first, I assumed it was the middle of the night, gauging the lack of light streaming through the window. Then I heard the muted hiss of rain and realized that it was just another dreary Forks morning.

The chair Charlie had slept in was now vacant. He had left behind a blanket, thrown carelessly over the back of the chair, and his work shoes that were toppled over the other on the floor.

"DAD!"

I freed myself from my own blanket and sat up on the couch, looking around for signs of a struggle. Could Laurent have gotten to Charlie in the night?

"DAD!" I called again.

"I'm right here." He entered the living room looking serene as he carried a steaming mug in each hand. "Coffee?"

"Oh," I sighed, my heart returning to its normal pace, "I didn't see you and got scared." I lifted the mug to my lips and took a sip. Good coffee was the probably the only thing Charlie could make in the kitchen besides a mess.

"I know the feeling," he quipped.

I grimaced knowingly. My absence yesterday had definitely given him a scare. He had proven that with his beat down upon the Cullens' front door.

"I'm sorry about that, really. Time…got away from me."

"Look Bells, I know how much you like the Cullen family and…I can see why you'd want to hang around them all the time. They've got a nice house, you probably don't have to help cook and clean like you do around here, and they are a big, welcoming family. But," he paused, swallowing and softening his voice, "I want you to remember that you've got your own family here too. This family, you and me, needs to come first."

He looked at me with sincere eyes that pleaded with me to take his words to heart. I inched to the edge of the couch and rubbed the sleeve of his coffee arm, trying to pour as much love into that as I could.

"Ok," I said simply.

Charlie smiled at this, crookedly and gratefully. He reminded me a bit like Edward and I held back a laugh.

"Ok. Next up is this." He dug into his pant pocket with his free hand and pulled out a silver object. For a brief second I thought it was some shiny accessory Alice had slipped him to go with my outfit but then he held it up to me and it was undeniably a cell phone.

"For you," he said and handed it to me. "You will keep this on you at all times. Apparently this thing has a GPS system so that two paired phones can locate each other. So I got myself one too. Don't get upset, but given your history, a tracking device seems reasonable to me. You are to call me when you get home from school, if you go out, and when you get to where you are going. I'm speed dial number 2…I had the store clerk set it up."

"You're going to track me?" I asked, crinkling my nose, "That's a little weird."

"How about I promise not to activate the GPS unless you go missing again?" he offered.

I shrugged. "Less weird. Anything else? I'm punished, right?"

"Oh yes, you're punished. Grounded for the time being and no visitors. I called the school and told them you would be out for the remainder of the week. If Dr. Cullen says you need rest, than damnit you're going to lay here and rest. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

I toyed with my new cell in my hands. It was some fancy generation with a keyboard and camera and other possible attachments and features I'd never use.

"May I make a phone call?" I asked. "Is that allowed under the new regime?"

Charlie allowed himself a laugh.

"Am I being that harsh?"

I shook my head. Actually, Charlie's demands and doled punishments weren't nearly half of the horror I had been expecting. Perhaps because the night had given him time to sleep and cool off, or perhaps I feared the worst possible situations, given that my recent actions either led to war, death, or emotional homicide.

He put a hand to my hair and rustled it. "Just glad you're okay." Then he took his coffee and left me to my call.

"Dad?" I asked, stopping him in his tracks as he neared the hallway.

"Hmm?"

"If you're speed dial two, who's programmed as number one?"

He shrugged and turned from me. "Guess you'll have to call it to find out." His words trailed behind him as he walked from the room.

The phone flipped open and I stared at the keypad, homing in on the 1 key. The curiosity of who lay beyond that number nipped at my resolve. With a quick scan of the doorway to make sure Charlie was gone, I hit 1.

It dialed, and the number that popped up was one I recognized instantly. Of course I did, I had called that number a thousand times before. Panic struck me, and my first reaction was to close the phone and put a stop to the call mid-ring. Instead, my hand raised my new cell to my ear as I waited to hear Jacob's voice on the other end.

His house line rang unanswered seven times before I hung up. Jacob was either not home or unable to pick up the phone. I snapped the phone shut, still hearing that trilling ring. I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, nibbling on it. Jake, are you okay?

I'd have to wait for the answer on that one, I guessed. For now, I was confined to the walls of Charlie's house. News of Jacob's well-being and the war were out of reach, but there was other news to check in on. My fingers ghosted over the numbers for Edward's cell before I remembered that I didn't have to call to talk to him.

"Dad! I'm going upstairs to my room!" I called out, letting Charlie know I wasn't about to pull another disappearing act.

"Can you make it up there alone?" he called back from the kitchen.

That was a good question.

I stood up from the couch, holding my arms out to the side incase I teetered over and fell. My equilibrium seemed to be fine, so I slipped on my shoes and walked over to the stairs, sighing in relief when all I felt was sore muscles in my legs, probably from my failed swimming efforts.

"I'm good to go," I called to Charlie then climbed the stairs, my thighs and butt groaning, but otherwise feeling blissfully normal. Opening my bedroom door and feeling the chill of rainy March air hit my skin gave promise that Edward was indeed waiting for me. The window was open.

"Were you up here all night?" I asked, shutting the door behind me and finding Edward sitting on the foot of my bed.

He smoothed out the lines of his trousers and strained a smile. "I stayed in the hallway listening to Charlie snore."

I laughed uncomfortably. It was strange to have Edward in my room again. He seemed to sense it too. We were alone with the haunting memory of our kiss. This reunion felt vaguely familiar to the one we had two days ago. He had waited expectantly for me in my room, and there was strong tension in the air neither of us could deal with. Now, instead of bloodlust, it was the pressure to dissect the tangled emotions between us.

I hesitated at the door. Part of me wanted to run to him, fold myself into his arms and beckon that tingling sensation with a kiss. The other part remembered the meadow, and how I had lied to protect ourselves. If he believed I didn't love him, we could prevent further damage to our hearts. Besides, I had already gone six months pretending I didn't love Edward…how bad could it be to live this charade forever?

Looking at him now, it seemed impossible. Why did he have to be so perfect? So beautiful? Why did I have to feel that pull in my chest, leading me towards him?

I turned away from his gaze, averting my attention from dangerous questions to the state of my room. Mindless cleaning seemed the perfect distraction. Yet, instead of the disaster site I had left behind only twenty-four hours ago, I saw the spotless interior of my room.

"You," I gaped, turning and scanning my surroundings, "You cleaned my room?"

Edward nodded. "A feeble attempt to keep busy."

I walked to my desk. The same desk that I had carelessly covered with clothes and books was now pristine. My wayward novels sat neatly stacked beside my computer monitor, all pens placed in a washed mug and loose papers filed into a drawer.

"Um, thank you." I said, letting my hands glide over the wood. I turned back to him, and met his watchful gaze with a budding smile. It was absurd to envision Edward up here cleaning while Charlie and I spoke downstairs. The image was also a perfect distraction, it broke the tension in the air as Edward and I grinned at each other, each finding the humor in such an act.

I didn't have time to enjoy the moment, or even crack a joke. Edward's smile faded as he stood promptly and muttered, "Charlie is coming to your room with breakfast," before he disappeared in a blur of bronze hair. The door to my closet clicked shut just as my bedroom door opened and a breakfast tray preceded Charlie as he entered my room.

"I know I'm not the best cook, but I figured even I can't screw up cinnamon toast."

"Cinnamon toast?" I asked, allowing the laugh from before to finally ejaculate, "You made cinnamon toast? How is the house still standing?"

"Har, har, Bells. You would have heard the smoke alarm if I started a fire. Remember Gran used to make this for you when you were sick? Thought I'd whip up a batch."

He placed the tray on the now clear surface in front of me, presenting his meal with pride and motioning for me to sit down. I did, keeping an eye on the silent closet across the room. Charlie's tray incorporated a breakfast of cinnamon toast, which was pretty much buttered toast sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, a banana, a cup of orange juice and a glass of water. The sight of such a feast after an entire day without food awoke the slumbering hunger in my stomach. I grabbed the first slice of toast and inhaled it.

"Thanks, Dad," I mumbled through a mouth full of food, "This is pretty good." I washed it down with orange juice.

Charlie stepped idly around my room, surveying it with the same confused glare I had used only moments before. I watched him warily as he passed the closet door. Luckily, he turned his back to it so he could face me.

"When did you have time to clean your room?"

I blinked at him, grabbing the banana off my tray and began to peel it. I figured I'd play ignorant as long as I could.

"What do you mean?" I asked and took a large bite of banana.

"It was a mess in here yesterday! I came upstairs looking for you and almost tripped over all of the junk on the floor. And…" he continued, walking over to the window. My heart plummeted when he stopped in front of the hole in my wall the exact size and shape of Edward's fist. "How the heck did this happen?"

Figuring that my 'I fell down' excuses had reached their limit, I swallowed the fruit and tried to look as embarrassed as I could muster.

"Um, I punched it."

He looked amazed by this. "You did? Why?"

"Uh, well, remember my screaming fit the other night? It was more like a screaming and punching fit. Sorry, I didn't want to tell you I put a hole in the wall."

He bent over to have another look at the hole and I chanced a glance at my closet. All was still.

"Wow," he marveled, "Didn't know you had this kind of upper body strength, Bells. I'll have to take a trip to the hardware store for some Spackle."

"No!" I cried, almost choking on the next mouthful of banana. "Don't go out today!"

"Why not?" He turned back from the hole to face me.

"Just, um, stay here with me today, will you? Please? I want my dad around."

Where it's safe, I finished inwardly.

A strange expression flickered on Charlie's face. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it, opting to clear his throat instead. It took a moment for him to answer me, but when he did, it was with a smile. "Alright. I'll go call the precinct and tell them I'm taking leave today." He crossed the room and then stopped by my desk. "Eat up, hun."

The instant the door closed behind Charlie, Edward reclaimed his seat on my bed.

"He cares very much for you."

"I know," I answered without looking at Edward. My eyes were glued to the closed door. I recounted the Valentine carnations Charlie had bought for me, the calls he made for Angela and Mike to visit, the cinnamon toast….and how he had programmed himself into the number two slot in my phone. Not the first, but the second. He didn't believe that he came first in my life.

When I spoke, my voice caught. I drank a draft of water to get my words out.

"We have to figure out what we're going to do about Laurent," I said, swallowing hard. I could hear the sound of Charlie's footsteps downstairs as he paced on the phone with his job.

"I have already spoken with my family about this," Edward informed, "Alice and I will reenroll at the high school and will be with you at all times there. The rest of my family has agreed on guard rotations for this house as well as Charlie's precinct as long as necessary until Laurent strikes."

"That's not good enough. I'm not going to wait around for the rest of my life for Laurent to strike. Not when it puts Charlie in danger and strains on your family. We have to stop Laurent first."

Edward cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Stop him? What are you suggesting?"

I nibbled more on the toast, thinking. Planting my feet on the ground, I kicked off, sending the computer chair spiraling out from under the desk. I turned one complete rotation before slowing to a stop in front of Edward. He was watching me curiously but patiently, that one eyebrow still raised.

"We beat him to it," I said, "Lure him out of hiding. I could be the bait."

Edward flinched as if he had been struck. Instantly, his face darkened; fists clenching in and out of tight, white balls of marble.

"You will absolutely not be the bait."

"Edward, he is going to continue to feed and kill while he is here waiting for you to slip and leave me exposed. I'm not putting Charlie at risk or letting more innocent people die because I'm too much of a coward to take action in my own life."

Edward flung his arms out, snatching the rails of my computer chair, and yanked me toward him.

"You are not a coward," he commanded, gripping the rails of my chair so hard I heard one crack, "I am the one who always second guesses your choices. If there is a coward, it is me. You do not run from your fears, love, you charge them head on."

"So then why won't you trust me?" I blurted and before I could think I was adding: "You never listen to what I want. You just…act on your own irrationality. Look what that's done to us. If you had just trusted me, you never would have had to leave."

I bit my tongue, forcing myself to stop before I could blurt out more.

He looked down, breaking our eye contact. "You are right. I should have trusted you in the beginning. No matter how I try, danger still finds you. I left so that you could live normally…and you find comfort in Jacob Black. Another monster, putting you at risk every second he's near you. If you're destined to be in constant peril, I would at least want it to be with me."

It seemed this conversation would be inevitable. Jacob kept popping in and out of my life, even when I tried to put as much distance between us. Appearing in the meadow, his number on my cell phone. Always there. At some point, I was going to have to make a choice. No matter how deeply I felt for Edward, I didn't know if I could be with him. It seemed as though together, we loved too deeply, and apart, caused the other pain.

Edward's hands released their clutch on my chair. He sighed heavily and leaned away from me. "Well, Emmett will at least be pleased to hunt Laurent. I myself wouldn't mind the chance to tear that soulless fiend limb from limb. The thought of him trying to change you…how close he came..."

With that, I raised a hand to Edward's face, quieting him. My fingers tingled at the touch and I hurriedly pulled away.

"Edward," I whispered, "Will you promise me something?"

His eyes captured mine again. "Anything."

"If something goes wrong, if our plan fails, don't let me live like that kind of vampire. Laurent wants to turn me into some kind of protective mate for him. Promise that if I'm changed, you'll come and find me and take me back to live with your family."

He moved forward again, his breath now sweeping my skin.

"You will never become his mate. That demon will never lay a hand on you."

"Or Charlie," I added, "He comes first. Promise me."

Edward stared down at me, his amber eyes unblinking and brushed his hand against my cheek.

"Or Charlie. I swear."

He said it like a vow. Promising me the safety and assurance I needed for my family. I leaned closer, never breaking my eyes from him. His fingers rubbed the length of my cheek before tucking behind the nape of my neck.

The tingling had spread again, as I knew it would. We were like two magnets; placed together we only drew the other in. His scent hit me, sweet and intoxicating. And just like that I knew what I wanted. What I had to do.

"Edward," I exhaled. The quivering I felt now was not from the cold. It was the prickling electricity of Edward's touch. A shudder rolled down my spine.

"You're cold," he muttered, annoyed with himself for not foreseeing it. In one motion he pulled the blanket out from under him and draped it round my shoulders like a cape.

"No," I shook my head, "Not cold." My fingers moved to his lips. They were smooth as stone. I only had to ask. Surely, he would not deny me?

"Bella, you are covered in gooseflesh. Let me shut the window."

He moved to shut it but I caught him with trembling fingers, willing him to stay. I wanted more than ever to feel all of him. Not just to sate the tingling on my skin, but to know if this was right.

"Don't. Don't get up. If you do, I'm afraid I'll lose my nerve."

"Your nerve?"

I shivered, but instead of curling deeper into the blanket, I moved from it, letting it fall from my shoulders. "Yes. My nerve."

The blanket toppled to the floor, and I set my knees apart from his, wrapping them around his legs as I climbed onto his lap.

"Bella," he said urgently, his hands whisking to my hips to stop me. But they didn't. They lingered.

"Trust me," I said again. To whom I was speaking, I wasn't entirely sure. I had let the electric current take over. It was so easy to push away my fear of getting close to Edward. Too easy to believe this would bring me answers. Too easy to feel that vibration between my legs.

Edward's eyes were closed. Tightly shut as if he couldn't watch the events unfold. His hands gripped my waist as I lowered myself to his face and took his bottom lip in mine. My arms snaked around his neck and I let the weight of me bring us down onto the bed, our bodies flush against each other. Without the slightest hesitation, I opened my mouth to him and beckoned his tongue to mine. It darted between my lips and I captured it. It was sweet like his scent and I had missed it terribly for six months. I sighed, feeling the pounding of my heart on my ribs.

Then he pulled away.

His arms went to mine and pried me from him. "Bella, stop. You must be delirious. You need more rest. Lay down here beside me."

Delirious. Well, he was almost right.

"You kissed me yesterday because you wanted to know if it would feel the same," I explained, and took his hand and put it to my neck, letting his long fingers wind around it. "That's what I want. I want to know if it will be the same with you. Or if it will be right."

My lips kissed his palm. And he groaned, ripping his hand from me and pinching the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger.

"I don't understand what you mean. You're like a riddle."

"I'm trying to show you what I mean."

"Bella!" he said again, exasperated, "I can not do this with you. Not now. There is too much risk. Too much at stake. And…there is someone else to consider…"

"Don't say his name." I said sternly. "I don't want to think of him now."

Edward sat up, settling me on his lap with his arms around my waist. "Believe me, it is not that I wish to have this conversation, but I feel as though we must."

"Edward, please!" I cried. "I can't. I can't talk about it because I don't know what I want anymore! It's just…I have you here after so long and I'm feeling all of these…things. I gave up the one part of me that should have been shared with you. I want that now. Do this for me. Please."

His face turned from me. Amber eyes flickered down with cold refusal. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," I said stubbornly and threw myself from his lap. I marched up to my door and gripped the handle. "Not in that way. We hurt each other over and over in this awful cycle. It feels like it will never break."

I sighed heavily, angry and frustrated and embarrassed. "I'm taking a shower. When I come back, please don't be in my room."

In the hallway, I grabbed a towel from the linen closet and called down to Charlie that I'd be in the shower. He was watching the news on the TV. There were mumbled reports of bear sightings in the area. I ran to the bathroom and shut myself in, leaning against the closed door and feeling tears sting my eyes.

Don't cry, I demanded of myself. It's all a fucking mess but don't cry. I couldn't help it. The sob that escaped my lips was in mourning for the tightly wound ball of emotions I had stored away. I had told myself I wouldn't tell Edward how I felt because we only caused each other pain and I was right. I tried to get close to him and here I was again, mortified and sobbing.

Slowly, I stripped out of Alice's carefully selected clothes. They pooled on the tile floor and I turned the hot water on, letting the steam build in the room. It soothed my throat as I cried.

I let the water get as hot as I could stand it, and stepped in. For a while, I just let it beat down on me, not wanting to move on. If I could just stay in this stall for the rest of my life, I'd be satisfied.

There was a creak and a click from inside the room. The door had opened and shut. Then came the soft sound of fabric falling to the floor.

"Edward?" I asked, my eyes widening.

The shower curtain pulled to the side, steam rushed passed me to escape.

"I'm here," he said and stepped in to join me.

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A/N: Please leave reviews!