Stephenie Meyer owns it all. I just like to play with it.

I can't even begin to thank all of you who've favourited Branded. It has been such a wonderful boost to the old self-esteem. I hope that the story has consistently made it worth being favourited.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now back to your regularly scheduled angst.


Sunday was spent dozing in the living room. Everyone was sprawled out, blankets and pillows strewn everywhere. Esme even allowed them to eat in there. They were all so exhausted that she didn't want to disturb them.

After supper, Bella and Edward moved up to his room. She needed him. Needed to feel him, needed to love him, needed to get him to take her mind off things. She felt bad that they would be fooling around while his parents were downstairs, but she didn't care that much.

She locked the door behind them and pushed him toward the bed. As she walked, she removed her shirt. His eyes grew huge, as did Adam. She could see him twitching to life. Edward's lips were begging to be attacked, so she obliged. After the first taste of him, she needed more, needed to feel closer to him.

Pressing herself up against him, she cupped Adam and the boys. Edward gasped. "Bella, uh, what are you doing?"

She rubbed him harder, as she begged for entry in his mouth. His reaction was slower than usual, but eventually he relented and opened up for her. Tongues fought for dominance, hands groped, stroked, removed clothing.

Edward came up for air and realized that they were now both totally naked. What had come over Bella? She was being aggressive. He normally relinquished control to her but this was different, she was being rough.

She was standing naked in front of him. This was the first time he had seen every beautiful inch of her. Scars be damned, she was beautiful. What she considered 'fat', he considered 'curvy in all the right places'. He wanted desperately to taste her, all of her.

No. He stopped himself. Something wasn't right. Bella wasn't being herself. "Love, what's going on?"

She grabbed the whiteboard. This not talking thing is so ruining the mood. I WANT you Edward. I NEED you.

"Not that I'm not thrilled, but why now? This is so not you."

Bella flopped on the bed. This was not going the way she had hoped. Should she come clean? No, she wanted to try to see if she could do it before James ruined her chance to totally give herself to Edward.

Trust me?

He sighed as he read those two words. "Okay, but you tell me if it gets to be too much."

Nerves be damned, she crawled further up the bed and patted the spot beside her. Edward joined her. He ran his hand down her stomach as he teased her hardening nipples with his mouth. Bella's breathing increased and she could feel that familiar heat and wetness building between her legs. Before she could chicken out, she took one of his hands in hers and guided him down gently to cup Pandora.

Edward's eyes popped open and he looked at her. Her eyes were closed; her mouth set in a slight frown.

"Bella. Bella. Look at me please. I can't do this if you're not one hundred percent okay with it."

Her eyes opened and tears spilled out.

"Love, you're not okay, are you?"

She moved his hand down further, guiding his fingers into her wet folds. When he tried to pull his hand away, she held it there firmly.

"Why are you doing this, Bella?" Edward asked, tears close to falling from his eyes. "Please, we can't do this. I can't do this to you. Please let go!" He pleaded with her. "Bella..."

Edward finally broke down and cried. He put his head on her bare chest and sobbed. She released his hand and curled away from him crying silently.

Not willing to let her go, he covered her with her favourite blanket and held her while they both wept. When she fell asleep, he got up and took a shower. He felt dirty. What had gotten into her? This was so unlike her. He spent most of the shower curled up on the floor crying.

When he returned to the bedroom, Bella was gone and there was a note for him.

Edward,

I am so sorry for what I did tonight. I had no right. I'm no better than James.

You deserve to know why I did it, why I forced you to touch me. I am so terrified that James is going to ruin me again that I really wanted, no, needed to try with you before he takes it away again. I've been working so hard to get past it and you've been so patient, I really wanted to give all of myself to you while I can.

I have been so focused on myself lately that I didn't once think of you, how this would impact you. I'll never forget the look of terror in your eyes when you touched me. I don't want you to ever be afraid. You don't need to feel dirty; it's not a fun feeling.

I'm going to sleep with Emmett in the guest room tonight. I don't deserve you, especially not after what I did.

I love you deeply and madly Edward Cullen. Hopefully you still love me. I would understand if you didn't.

Love, Bella

Edward's heart dropped. He flew out of his room and over to the guest room. He knocked and when there was no answer, he opened the door. Instantly he wished he hadn't. Emmett and Rosalie were...well, let's just say that Bella was not in there. He muttered apologies and walked downstairs.

Bella was silhouetted by an outside spotlight in the yard as she stood staring out one of the glass walls.

"Love?"

She tensed up. As he got closer, he could see her reflection in the glass. She was crying again.

Walking quietly and slowly toward her, he tried to come up with a plan. How to handle this? A light hand on her shoulder--that was a start. She lifted her own hand to cover his. He urged her to turn around. With some hesitation she complied and the second they locked eyes he knew they'd be okay. She held him tightly.

"I'll always love you, Bella, no matter what happens," he murmured to her quietly. "I won't let him break us."

They slid down the pane of glass and held each other on the floor. It was chilly, but Edward didn't want to let her go. They fell asleep, shivering, but tightly wound around each other.

Esme came down to get a drink and found them cold and sleeping. Maternal instincts in full gear, she gathered up all the blankets she could find and covered them up. She worried that something had happened, but then again, Esme was always worried about something.

"Hey, sleepyheads, get up!"

Edward stirred first. He was aching, his muscles cramped. Bella moved against him and yawned. He gave her a hug before he pulled the blankets from off their heads.

The family (including Jasper and Rosalie) were standing around them, laughing. Bella was confused. How had they ended up on the floor—in the kitchen—under a mountain of duvets? Oh yeah—last night. She shuddered.

"Still cold, love?" Edward asked as he kissed the top of her head.

She shook her head yes. She didn't want to breach the topic of the disastrous night they'd had.

"Do you two want breakfast? I take it none of you are heading to school today." Esme asked.

Emmett mumbled something about possibly going in the afternoon.

Bella sucked on a smoothie and wondered why Em was so grumpy, well, beyond the obvious reasons. Then she wondered if going to school today was such a good idea.

Her old phone went off and everybody froze. Bella reached for it but Edward stopped her. "May I?"

She nodded and he flipped it open. She watched his face as he checked the message. He growled and cocked his arm back as if to throw it before Carlisle stopped him.

"Edward, we need this phone. It's evidence. Give it to me son."

Reluctantly he passed it to his father. "Bastard!" Carlisle said before handing it to Emmett and flipping open his own phone. "ARBUCKLE! Get your ass to the Cullen residence NOW!" he yelled.

Bella was terrified. Carlisle rarely raised his voice.

Emmett was pacing back and forth looking at the phone. Bella gestured to see it. He stopped. "No, Belly, I don't..."

"Give me the phone." Bella's voice was barely audible but Em knew she meant business. He reluctantly passed it to her while Edward and Carlisle argued in the other room.

It was a photo message. It was a photo of Bella and Edward asleep on the floor. The message said: So easy. You're mine. He's dead.

Bella dropped the phone on the counter and ran to the patio doors. She ran across the deck, threw her head back and tried to scream. When nothing would come out she grabbed a plant pot and smashed it. Silent screams and smashing. She wanted to run and never stop. She wanted this to be over. Now he was threatening Edward? It wasn't fair. She was ruining this innocent family and it was all because of him.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and she froze.

"Bella, love, I'm sorry. It's just me. Calm down." She turned around and pushed him.

Anger was beginning to boil over; her rage was growing by the second. She punched Edward hard everywhere and he never once tried to defend himself. Her eyes had glazed over and Edward knew that she had no idea what she was doing. It was better that she beat on him than someone else.

Emmett came around the corner in time to see her wailing on Edward, who, although he could tell it was hurting, was taking it all in stride. "Belly, it's not Edward's fault. Stop hitting Eddie." He grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her away. She turned her blind rage onto him. Edward stepped forward but Emmett dismissed him and told him to call Victoria right away.

Bella punched and slapped her brother until she was spent. She fell to her knees and rested her head on the wood deck, her body twitching as she cried.

Esme came out and tried, to no avail, to get her to drink some water and soothe her.

Rosalie tried next. "Bella, it's Rose. I know what you're feeling and it's good to let that anger out. It's not so good to beat up the people you love, but it's good to get it out."

Bella had nothing to offer. No voice, no whiteboard, no energy, nothing.

Emmett came back out, picked her up, and carried her to the porch swing. "Belly, it'll be okay. Carlisle just called in some extra security. This property is so big it's hard for one guy to watch it. We'll all stay home from school today and stick together. Jasper and Rose's parents are coming over tonight and we're going to figure this out.

"I know you're mad, frustrated, and scared but it's no reason to hurt Edward like that. It's also no reason to smash Esme's flower pots. They're willing to let it go this time, however, next time, Esme may go Chuck Norris on your ass."

Bella giggled noiselessly.

"Victoria is coming over. She's going to try to help you get through the anger before you kill Edward. Will you meet with her? Please?"

Bella opened her mouth and pointed at her throat.

"We'll have the whiteboard there and hopefully a punching bag because I don't think Eddie's ribs can take much more."

What had she done to Edward? She stood up and walked slowly through the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. No Edward. She heard voices upstairs so she went to investigate. The door to Carlisle's office was ajar. Edward was sitting on the edge of the big desk while his father taped up his ribs.

"Ow, Dad, go easy."

"Sorry son, it needs to be tight."

"Shit, that..." he inhaled sharply. "Holy crap that hurts."

"Language Edward. I know it hurts, but hang in there. I'm almost done."

"I don't understand what happened," Edward said, his voice cracking.

"I think Bella's finally reached the anger stage."

"Why would she hit me? Does she hate me now?"

Carlisle palmed his son's face gently, his thumb wiped away a tear. "It wouldn't have mattered who was there when she snapped, son. She was probably experiencing a blind rage. She still loves you. Never doubt that."

Bella stepped into the room slowly. She didn't want to see what she'd done to Edward, but she needed him to understand that she was sorry and that she loved him very much. Carlisle excused himself when she reached them.

Heart aching, eyes watering, hands shaking, she raised her eyes up his body. His ribs were taped tightly, bruises were starting to form on his arms, and his lip was split. With a trembling hand, she reached to touch it. He didn't flinch. His confused and sad green eyes implored her for answers.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed. "I'm so sorry. I can't..."

"It's okay, love. I'll be fine. Just some bruised and cracked ribs."

She gestured at his lip and he laughed. "Oh, I did that to myself when Carlisle was taping me up."

"I'm a monster." She mouthed.

"No, you're just angry and scared. We don't have to talk about it until Victoria gets here. Just tell me you love me."

"I love you."

"Come here, please." He held his arms out for her. Afraid she might hurt him, she backed away.

"Please!"

She shook her head.

"Bella, you won't hurt me."

Again, she shook her head.

"Please, I need you, Bella." Edward looked so lost, so broken; it was hard to resist him. It was his tears that were her undoing. He stood up and winced before walking toward her. She stood very still as he gently wrapped his arms around her. She trembled.

"Are you scared of me Bella?"

Run, she wanted to scream. I'm going to get you killed. I'm tainted. Run!

But she couldn't. She couldn't say anything. She let him hold her and offered him nothing in return.