Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight. They are property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like to have a little fun with them.

Chapter 21 – Don't Shoot The Messenger.

By the time we'd reached home Edward seemed to have calmed down somewhat. He hadn't uttered another single word since leaving the Cullen's, but his grip on the door had relaxed and the constipated look on his face had mellowed slightly. Still sitting with his eyes closed his face was strained and his jaw tight.

"Edward we're home," I said softly as I pulled onto the driveway, noticing that Charlie's cruiser wasn't parked "Good, one less complication," I thought to myself, relieved that I wouldn't have to explain things to him, not just yet anyway.

"Good, I feel sick," Edward moaned, rolling out of the door and standing, leaning his hands on the car, his head dipped down looking at the floor.

"Through stupid drinking or stupid closing your eyes on the journey?" I laughed walking around the car and hugging him from behind. There were two reasons why Edward always insisted on driving, the first being he didn't trust my driving enough to arrive in one piece – although he always denied it, and secondly he got travel sick all too easily. When I saw him sitting with his eyes closed on the way home I knew exactly what we would be in for at the destination- a rather fragile and green Cullen.

"A bit of both I think," he chuckled, turning around and kissing me tenderly on the lips before tucking my head under his chin and resting his cheek on the top of my head.

"Come on, let's get in. We need to talk," I said taking his hand and leading him into the house. No complaint, in fact, no response at all. He simply just followed obediently. "You go upstairs and I'll grab some drinks for us," I said pointing to the stairs as I made my way into the kitchen, glad to have a minute to myself to collect my thoughts and think about what had happened less than an hour earlier.

What the hell had happened to Edward to make him attack his cousin like that? And why did he appear so crushed right now? We'd always been like that Emmett and I. The usual banter between us, granted it had taken a more sexual - some would say more embarrassing - turn lately, but surely that was only to be expected considering what had happened in the past week? We'd always had a competitive relationship, trying to beat each other in games and outdo each other in other ways. Perhaps it really had crossed the line now, involving other people including Carlisle and Esme who most certainly didn't deserve it.

I needed to know exactly what Emmett had said to cause such a reaction. I couldn't imagine him saying something so nasty and hurtful to intentionally cause Edward to nearly rip his throat out. Grabbing a large bottle of water and two bottles of orange juice, I made my way upstairs to confront Edward about the whole fiasco and I wasn't going to relent until he told me everything.

As I kicked the bedroom door open, Edward was lying on his back on my bed with his eyes covered by his forearm, causing his shirt to ride up and expose his stomach. "Dirty Bella! It's time to comfort, not molest." I scolded myself silently for the inappropriate thoughts that instantly invaded my brain. Hearing me enter the room, Edward opened his free arm across the bed as an invitation for me to join him without looking at me. I put the bottles down and crawled up onto the bed next to him and snuggled into his side, running my hand over his soft, warm abdomen.

"I'm sorry Bella," he mumbled through his forearm which was partially covering his mouth along with his eyes.

"Shush," I whispered removing his arm so I could look at his face. "Are you going to tell me what Emmett said?" I pressed. If he had said something nasty enough to cause Edward so much pain it would be me being held back from finishing the job properly.

"Bella, please it's nothing. I don't want to talk about it," he sighed, pulling me tighter to his body.

"Well I'm sorry Edward but this needs to be talked about," I stated leaning up on his chest and turning his face to look at me. "I am not going to just sit back and let you destroy your family like this for no God-damn reason."

"He shouldn't have said it…" he sighed, averting his eyes and looking towards the corner of the room.

"Well shouldn't I be the judge of that? It was obviously about me so I should be the one to decide if he took it too far and deserved a split lip," I said louder than necessary and extricating myself from his grip to sit up on the bed. "Now, you either tell me or I go back to yours and have it out with Emmett myself," I stated boldly, moving to get up off the bed only to be held back by Edward.

"Fine, after the whole videotape thing he said that you preferred giving 'live shows'," he sighed, scooting up the bed to lean on the headboard and closing his eyes.

"Is that it?" I exclaimed. "All this over a fucking stupid comment like that? You punched Emmett over that? It was a fucking joke and I've heard worse from him!" I shouted unable to contain my anger, getting off the bed and standing next to it. "Stupid fucking melodramatic Cullen…"

"You don't get it do you?" he growled. "You really don't see the way they all treat you? You're the butt of all the jokes and just sit there and take it."

"It's all just a joke, that's all. We're friends and you know Emmett and I have always had that sort of relationship, trying to outdo each other at everything," I reasoned to an angry looking Edward.

"That's just it though Bella," he sighed, moving to the edge of the bed. "It's not a joke. They take every opportunity to humiliate you and get away with it because you refuse to see it and just take it on the chin."

"Yeah stupid fucking Bella! Missing the point yet again." I cried; a combination of tears of anger over what had happened and the realisation of exactly how I'd been taken for a ride. "Ugh my head hurts…"

"Bella it's not that you missed the point. You always see the good in people and ignore that bad, even if it is slapping you in the face," he said softly, pulling me towards him and resting his head against my chest. "It's something I admire in you and just another thing I love about you. It's nearly killed me at times to sit back and watch you take everything they throw at you. And knowing that I'm part of the reason they have so much ammunition to throw at you tears me apart."

"Hey," I said tugging gently at his hair to tilt his face upwards "We were in that equally. Well apart from when you decided to molest me in the restaurant." I laughed thinking back to how ridiculous it was. "But I got something out of that also…"

"Ugh, I need to lie down," he groaned, lying back on the bed and pulling himself up towards the headboard. "I'm not drinking again…"

"Yeah, I said that last week remember and look at me today," I laughed, lying down next to him and resting my head on his chest to listen to his steady heartbeat which was beating in time to the drum in my own head.

"Well you're just a bad influence on me. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have drunk half as much last night," he laughed poking me in the ribs.

"Yeah, right," I scoffed sticking my tongue out at him.

"I've got another use for that tongue if you're stuck for ideas." He winked at me.

Shaking my head and trying to banish all thoughts of exactly what I wanted to do with my tongue, or even better what I wanted Edward to do with his tongue, I pushed myself up to lean on his chest. Giving him my best serious face, I frowned and looked into his eyes. "Edward I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, I am forever in your service, both emotionally and physic…" he began, before I stopped him mid-sentence by putting my finger on his lips.

"Please, be serious," I sighed. "Don't lose your family over all this shit that's going on."

"Bella, I'm sorry but I cannot take the way they treat you anymore. As long as I have you I don't need them," he said sadly looking up at the ceiling, a single tear escaping from his eye which I wiped away.

"Don't be so fucking pig-headed Edward Cullen," I scolded. "You and I both know how important family is and I will not stand idly by while you mope in your own pool of self pity and push away everyone you love."

"But I won't push you away," he replied, brushing my cheek with his thumb.

"Of course you will! How can you be so selfish? How about you think about others instead of yourself? Do you know what it's like to lose someone in your family?" I cried wiping away the tears I had tried to hold back and pounding my fist on his chest.

"Bella…" he stammered, shocked by my sudden outburst.

"I fucking well do. Esme is the closest thing I have to my own mother. Think about what you'd be taking away from me also if you continue down this path. I couldn't bear to lose anyone else dear to me." I cried harder as Edward pulled me down to him and hugged me tightly. My chest was heaving from the sobs. "You'll be taking away the people I love."

"Bella…please don't do this." Edward cried along with me, holding me impossibly tight to his body. "I can't stand seeing you like this."

"Well you know what you have to do," I mumbled into his tear-soaked shirt.

"I know," he sighed, kissing the top of my head and playing with my hair.

It could have hours or minutes that we lay on the bed. Listening to Edward humming my favourite lullaby and his heartbeat, all other sounds in the world were insignificant. This was where I wanted to be, forever. No complications. If being with Edward for eternity meant so much as giving up my own life I would gladly do it. Why couldn't vampires be real? We could be together forever in this unadulterated state of teenage love.

Edwards breathing changed and a contented sigh left his mouth as a low rumble could be heard in his chest. Watching him sleep could easily be one of my new hobbies. All the stress of the day seemed to leave his face. It was as if I could literally see it drain from him. Running my hand through his tousled bronze hair, I noticed the purple shadows under his eyes which I knew only appeared when he was exhausted or extremely stressed. Now it was my turn to feel the guilt. Why didn't I stand up to Emmett and the others? Perhaps if I had, then Edward wouldn't have carried the burden for both of us.

Lost in my own thoughts I was only vaguely aware of the knocking on my door.

"Bella?" Charlie's voiced could be heard from outside.

"Come in Dad," I shouted back leaning up slightly, instinctively checking our state of dress, causing Edward to stir.

"Sorry, kids. It's dinner time," he said poking his head through the door looking nervous as to what he might see.

"Oh sorry dad," I said, starting to untangle myself from Edward and sit up. "I'll make it now."

"Don't be silly Bells," he laughed, turning around and picking up something from the console table in the hallway. "I am capable of cooking something now and again. Well, when I say cooking…" he said bringing in a tray containing grilled cheese and coffee.

"Oh thanks Dad."

"Well I figured you'd need something to eat. Esme told me what happened last night and this morning," he sighed, shaking his head and putting the tray down on the end of the bed.

"Oh shit! What did she tell him? What exactly does Esme know anyway?" I panicked thinking of all the sordid details about my sex life that my father may now be privy to.

"Edward you're more than welcome to stay here as long as you like." He nodded to a sleepy Edward.

"Er thanks Charlie," Edward replied, sitting upright and scooting backwards; his eyes darting to my father's belt, obviously checking for his gun. "I'll just need a pillow and blanket. I'll sleep on the sofa."

"That won't be necessary Edward. You can stay up here with Bella," Charlie mumbled gruffly. No matter how 'ok' he might have been with Edward and I being together, he'd never fully accept the fact that we were together in every, well nearly every, sense of the word. "I may be from the Ark but I'm not stupid," he said giving us a knowing glance.

"Thanks Charlie, I really appreciate it," Edward said in a mild state of shock. Did my father really just give my boyfriend permission to sleep in the same bed as me for as long as he wanted?

"Anyway, I'm going to be away tonight and tomorrow. Harry and I are going fishing in Lakes District tomorrow so we'll be leaving soon to get a good start and staying at the lodge. Please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone and be careful when cooking. If there's any trouble the guys at the station know you're here alone so just phone them if you need anything."

"Yeah, thanks Dad." I smiled, climbing over Edward to get off the bed and kissing Charlie on the cheek. "We'll be fine. If you remember it wasn't me that burned the kitchen down trying to make fajitas…"

"That wasn't my fault, the stove malfunctioned. Anyway, eat something. I'm going to pack my gear and then we're off, oh, and this was on the floor by the front door," Charlie said throwing a white envelope with my name scrawled on it at me as he left the room, closing the door loudly behind him.

Recognising the handwriting, I had no intention of reading whatever was enclosed in the envelope. I simply tossed it on my bedside table and eyed up the food Charlie had brought us. Looking at the grilled cheese, my stomach growled and I was suddenly aware of just how hungry I was. Grabbing the tray (and nearly giving myself second degree burns with the coffee) I sat next to Edward, handing him his food as I greedily tucked in, only to burn my chin with the melted cheese. "Ow fuck, that's hot," I complained, wiping away the burning liquid.

"Well if it was cold it would just be a cheese sandwich," Edward laughed through a mouthful of food.

"No shit Sherlock," I scoffed, downing some orange juice from earlier. "Don't you know it's rude to talk with your mouth open?"

"Apparently not. And you missed a bit." He laughed licking the grease left on my chin.

"Ew, if I wanted something to lick my face I'd have bought a dog," I complained, wiping his spit from my face and pushing him away from me. "Fancy watching a DVD?" I asked getting off the bed and looking through my collection.

"Yeah sure, what you got?" Edward replied, finishing his own food and what was left on my plate.

"Hmm, 'Into The Wild'?" I mused looking over my shoulder towards Edward. "Maybe not, I forgot that made you cry last time…"

"I did not cry, something got in my eye," he huffed crossing his arms over his chest like a spoilt child.

"Yeah whatever. We'll pass on that one. I'd hate to upset a delicate flower such as yourself," I laughed picking out 'The Messengers', one of my favourite films even if it did make me pee myself a bit the first time I watched it. "How about a bit of horror? Or will that make you cry also?"

"Just put the damn film on Swan and we'll see who ends up crying," he ordered, pointing to my TV and hugging a spare pillow to his chest looking very uneasy.

I settled down next to him, pulling the pillow away from his chest and replacing it with my body and pressed play. As I'd already seen the movie I knew exactly when to look away, but Edward hadn't so it was all new to him. I made sure to look at him when the ghost crawled across the ceiling. I don't know why but that had always freaked me out. I think it was just the jerky movement and sound.

"That Jessica looks a bit like you," he whispered into my hair. "Your ass is just more robust than hers."

"Cheeky bastard. I look nothing like her. And my ass is not robust!" I chided, smacking him playfully on the stomach. As the film continued, I chuckled to myself every time I heard a gasp from Edward or felt his body tense up.

"Holy mother of fucking Christ!" He screeched pulling me tighter to him and hiding his face in my hair.

"My boyfriend is officially a pussy," I thought to myself at his reaction to a part that wasn't even particularly scary.

As the credits rolled following the predictable end with the 'happily ever after', I looked up to Edward who was even paler than usual and looked as though he was fighting back tears. "How's you?" I smirked, knowing full well that he had hated every second of the film. "No tears this time? Need a change of underwear?"

"Eh, it wasn't scary," he shrugged, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. "I was expecting more from the Pang brothers and Sam Raimi…"

"You are so full of shit! Any scarier and you would have had a coronary!" I laughed, rolling to face him and kissing him quickly on the lips only to feel his vice-like grip around my waist pulling me tighter to him as he deepened the kiss.

Straddling his waist I could feel his erection pressing against me through his jeans. "Edward I want to do it," I mumbled into his mouth, but he didn't hear me and moved onto my neck where he placed gentle kisses. "Edward, did you hear me?" I asked putting my finger under his chin to he would look me in the eye. "I said…" I trailed off, just looking down to his crotch and undoing his belt hoping that he would get my meaning. I didn't want to actually say it out loud.

"Are you sure?" he asked wide eyed. "What about Charlie?"

"He went out half way through the movie. He called up to us but you were too busy covering your ears and scrunching your eyes." I laughed thinking back to his appearance. He was every bit the small child hiding behind the sofa when The Daleks appeared in Dr Who.

"Are you sure you want to? I mean…" he stuttered as I pulled down the zipper on his jeans.

"Edward I've never been so sure about anything in my life." I smiled looking into his ocean deep green eyes. And I was sure this time. I really, honestly, truly didn't want for anything else right now. It was right, and this time there would be no interruptions.

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