Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight.

Thanks to the awesome PTB betas Little Miss Mionie and Kisby Dog.

…

BELLA:

When I nervously return to work the next day, Edward generously insists on giving me a ride in. I'm glad for the company, and listen when he chats aimlessly about a new work project; but when we enter Forks I tune him out, searching the streets for any sign of Jacob. I'm not sure if I want to see him or not, but I feel an ache in my heart when I think of the way he used to touch me, and admit to myself that I painfully miss him.

"What time do you finish?" Edward asks, his hands gripping the steering wheel. He doesn't quite meet my gaze as I hover half in, half out of the Volvo.

"I finish at six," I reply, wondering why he's asking.

"Are you going home? I would like it if you would stay with me a while longer," he says.

I sigh with relief. I hadn't wanted to go back to an empty house tonight. "Thank you, Edward." I manage a half-smile.

He turns to me and smiles genuinely. I guess we're both lonely at the moment. I close the door and head to the shop.

As I greet Esme and unpack some new soap bars, I think about how confused I feel. If Edward had acted like this while we were together, things might have been very different. Truth is, I know I am in love with Jacob - as much as I have ever felt in love anyway -but he treated me as bad as Edward did. Edward and I had a fun day together yesterday, but I know that I don't feel anything for him anymore.

Work goes surprisingly smoothly. A couple of times Esme opens her mouth as if she's about to say something, but then she smiles and closes her mouth, as if she decides better of it. The shop is relatively quiet. I struggle to make small talk and keep to myself for most of the day. Edward turns up at five minutes to six and Esme lets me go.

I climb into the car and Edward reaches across towards me. I freeze, instantly blushing, thinking he's going to kiss me on the lips. Instead, he brushes my skin with his jaw, and plants chaste, dry lips on my cheek. He smiles at me. I'm so relieved to see a friendly face, and we spend the ride back to his house discussing and laughing at his new boss's obvious attempts to bed him. For a split second I wonder if he's trying to make me jealous as he describes Irina as quite pretty, with chin length silvery blonde hair and golden eyes, but shake the idea from my head telling myself off for being self-absorbed.

"She sounds just like your type, Edward," I say and hope he understands that I am encouraging him to date her.

"I prefer brunettes," he mutters, and I look down at my hands entwined together as they rest on my lap.

"Do you have plans tonight? You don't need to stay in and baby-sit me, y'know. If you want to go out with friends, or anyone, that's cool with me." I hope he goes out tonight and doesn't have plans to try to seduce me.

"No plans. I thought I'd cook us dinner at home," he enthuses as I try to stop my face from falling.

"Great, Edward, thanks." A small doubting voice tells me that maybe things are becoming a bit too cozy with us, and to keep my distance. The last thing I want is to find myself in a ménage a trois. I check my phone for the hundredth time today, scrolling down to Jacob's name. My finger hovers over the button to delete his number, but I can't bring myself to sever the last line of communication I have with him. I double, then triple check my message inbox to see if a message from Jacob has slipped in, in case I missed it. I haven't; it's empty.

...

Edward's cooking has definitely improved over the last few months. I note that he has thoughtfully made me a vegetarian version of his Chicken Vesuvio that he learned to make while he lived briefly in Chicago. He is a die-hard carnivore; he has even tried bear once in a casserole on a hunting trip and loved it. I shudder at the thought.

"Fancy a glass of pinot grigio?" he asks as I walk into the kitchen after a wonderful, hot cleansing shower.

"I'll get it," I tell him. I get the bottle of white out of the fridge and pour us a glass each. I watch him as he sets the table, squatting down to make sure the napkins, cutlery and placemats all align. I'm sure he suffers from a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, even if it just affects him a little bit. He plates up and indicates for me to sit down, and we eat.

"How have things been since the funeral?" I ask, guilty that he has been concerned greatly about me, but I haven't really considered that he is still grieving.

"Things have been getting better. I've been thinking a lot about my life, things I would like to change, things I still want to accomplish. I've just been given this promotion at work, and I want it to be the first step towards accomplishing a few goals."

"Such as?" I ask.

"I want to travel more, educate myself, try new things." He looks at me. "I guess I also want someone to share those things with. I want to eventually get married, have kids. I like the idea of being able to call someone 'my wife'."

"Wow, Edward. You sound so much calmer, more focused, than before when we..." I break off and my unfinished sentence hangs uncomfortably in the air.

"Cheesecake?" Edward asks, breaking the silence and pouring me a second glass of wine.

"Please. What flavor?" I ask.

"Original or caramel?" He chuckles, as he watches my eyes light up. "Or a slice of both?"

I sheepishly nod, as he brings out the Eli's cheesecakes over and we help ourselves.

"What a treat." I tuck heartily into the shortbread cookie crust, making silly yummy noises.

"I don't normally have dessert when I'm cooking just for myself. It's nice to have company," he says, a small blush forming on his cheeks.

"Me too. Do you miss Chicago?" I ask, as I try to stop myself from licking my bowl clean.

"Yeah, I might go back one day. There's a possibility of a transfer if I meet next month's budget, so I'm keeping it in mind," he replies.

I nod, and we continue chatting as he re-fills my glass. As it gets closer to midnight, I look at the empty bottles of wine on the kitchen table, the same place where we had not-so-gentle sex not so long ago.

"Wow, I think I've had a little bit too much drink. Bedtime for me. Where shall I sleep?" I ask, hoping he doesn't want us to share a bed.

"I'm fine with the couch, again." He smiles at me, and I smile back, the wine making me feel warm and happy.

"Thank you. I bet you'll be glad to be rid of me," I joke, as I help him clear the table, then get the couch ready with pillows and blankets for him.

"Bella, you know you're welcome to stay here as long as you want to." He lies down on the couch, and stretches.

"Thank you." I reply.

"Think I'll read for a bit." He picks up his current reading book from the floor and opens it.

"Good night, Edward." I lean down to him, and attempt to kiss him on the forehead, but he tilts his head up and my mouth lands on his. For a split moment, I push back into him and I feel him start to part his mouth. Crap! I immediately mumble goodnight and pull away from his lips, rubbing mine dry. I climb the stairs to bed and feel shaken, almost like I've just cheated on Jacob. How did my love life get so complicated?

…

JACOB:

Today is a new low.

I wake up and decide that I need to start sorting my life out. I pack the few basic essentials into my pannier bag and take one last look around my bedroom. I don't know when I will be coming back here again. I safely stow the wolf rattle away in my leather jacket and put my jacket on. I ride the short distance over to Emily's parents house. I need to know that Emily is finally over me and isn't going to turn psycho stalker ex on Bella. I've a funny feeling that when she knows Bella and I have broken up, she is going to chase after me. Or worse, blame Bella for my unhappiness and attack her.

Thankfully her parents are at work. I don't think I could stand an angry confrontation with them right now. They blame me entirely for Emily's accident, as well as for her cheating on me with Sam – which I find quite rich. They see Sam as a son and savior, and me as a bad influence. I think if they didn't respect Billy's position as tribal elder, things could have gotten quite nasty between us. I knock on the door; Emily leans out of her bedroom window and, upon seeing me, runs down the stairs to open the door. She is wearing one of my old t-shirts, an old favorite with the Quileute words Kwop Kilawtley on the front – it used to belong to my mom, and hasn't fit me since I was little. I didn't even know I had lost it. My blood runs cold as I realize she must have taken it from my room when she was visiting our house to see Leah.

"No school today?" I ask, through gritted teeth as she coquettishly tries to hide the t-shirt with her arms.

"I dropped out last week," she whispers, unable to look me in the eyes. "I haven't told anyone yet."

"Not even Sam?" I ask, shaking my head.

"No, he broke the engagement off," she says, but doesn't seem that upset. I look at her ring-less hand, and feel sorry for her. Admittedly , I'm a little bit more worried for me and Bella. "Oh, Jake!" She reaches out for me, and grabs my hand, holding it to her face. "How I've missed you, but you've come back for me!"

"No, Emily. When will you learn? Don't you even feel sorry about what you did?" I try not to let my anger boil over as I let her rub my hand over her face and neck. I'm scared that if I try to snatch it away I might use it and end up threatening her physically. After she has been pivotal in destroying my relationship with Bella, what I really want to do is crush her throat under my hand.

"I'm sorry that I upset you, Jake." She tries to pull my hand down to her breasts, and I pull it away, curling both my fists up and placing them into my pockets.

"I don't love you, Emily." I tell her as I take a step back. "Whatever I felt for you died when I walked in on you and Sam. It was over, and has been, for many years."

"No, Jake. I don't believe it. You love me." She covers her ears as if refusing to listen.

"No," I tell her firmly.

"It's that girl isn't it? She's stolen you from me. That witch, B-" She shakes in fury.

"Don't," I warn.

"Bella!" Emily spits the name out.

"Don't EVER say her name." I move her into the house, and grab her wrists, pushing her up against the wall.

"It's okay if you want to hurt me, Jake. I would understand." She closes her eyes, and feeling sickened, I let her go.

"Go back to Sam, Emily. Beg his forgiveness. He's your only chance of having something normal and pure. You destroyed any chance you had of happiness with me; don't make the same mistake twice."

I leave her, I get back on my bike, and head towards Forks to open the shop up. When I walk in Embry looks up, and there is panic in his eyes.

"Morning, Jake." He quickly hides whatever he was doing under the counter.

"Show me," I demand.

"Show you what?" His voice has little innocence in it.

"Embry, remember what happened last time you didn't come clean about something? Show me what you just put under the counter," I try to grab whatever it is from under the counter.

Embry laughs nervously and pulls out the newly restored wooden signboard for Esme's shop.

"Okay, okay. I was just putting the finishing touches to it. What do you think?" he asks.

I look at it and he has surpassed himself, improving an already high standard of work. "Good job, Embry. Will Bella be coming in to pick this up?" I ask casually.

"I guess so. I could always drop it off at the job if you'd prefer?" he replies.

"No, make sure she comes here to get it, and make sure I'm here. You owe me one, Embry," I tell him.

…

A couple of hours later I have just finished piercing someone's eyebrow when I venture out onto the shop floor to ask Embry if he wants a coffee. The phone rings it and Embry picks it up.

"Black Piercings and Tattoos, Embry speaking." I watch curiously as Embry's face turns pale, as he slowly nods. "Oh, no."

"Who is it?" I ask, but he holds a hand up to silence me.

"Thanks for letting me know. He's here - I'll tell him straightaway." He replies weakly, as he puts the phone back on the receiver. "That was Billy."

"What the fuck does he want?" I ask callously.

"Emily's been arrested again." Embry winces as he tells me.

"Already? I can't say I'm surprised," I tell him, but behind his eyes I know that there is something else. "Spit it out, Embry."

"She was arrested at Esme's shop." His face is scrunched up in fear.

Before Embry can say anything else, I grab my jacket and run out the door.

…

I promise this is still a BxJ story! Edward is being so nice to her, I hope he's not planning anything devious and is just being a good friend… And what has Emily done now? Let me know what you think! ;)