Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Twilight belongs to the great Stephenie Meyer. I don't own Facebook either – I wish I did as I would be loaded.

Authors Note: A shorter chapter from me this time, as I think we need a little input from our girl Bella. The separation is hard for her too you know. Thanks to my reader and serial reviewer, ickaren who pointed (first! Loads of others of you did too!) out an error with the time differences in the previous chapter. I put that Washington was three hours AHEAD of Florida when it should be the other way around. My apologies. Seems my Twitter resources got a bit muddled. I'm from the UK and time differences confuzzle the hell out of me at the best of times.

Chapter 21

BPOV

Watching him walk out of the door and into the arms of his waiting ex girlfriend is the second hardest thing I have had to do. But he needs to be there for her. Edward has made it clear to me that he and Kate are still firm friends, and that they parted on good terms all those years ago. I know I have nothing to fear, as I trust Edward one hundred percent. It's still hard. His eyes look wet, as though he is fighting back the tears.

He is going to be thousands of miles across the country, with a three hour time difference. Okay, so that's not much. Florida is ahead of Washington, but it's going to be strange, him not being here with me.

His bed feels cool and large without him beside me. All I can do it wrap myself around his pillow, curl my body around it. It smells like him and I can relax a little.

I can't sleep at all so I take the time to clean up the watery mess we created in the bathroom. It's a pretty easy job and I'm surprised as the water is quickly soaked up in a few towels. That's a relief. Thank fuck for that. Imagine if Edward came home and noticed a rather large flood in the kitchen. He would probably ask me to move right out due to my lack of cleaning skills.

I hear from Edward after he has checked in for his flight. He sounds so exhausted. I hate the drive from Forks to Seattle. I have had to do it a couple of times when I pick Renee up for a visit during the summer. I would never dream of having to do it when I've not slept in almost twenty four hours. But Edward is like that. He's giving and caring.

I get another call when he has arrived in Florida after a five and a half hour flight. If he sounded tired before, he sounds exhausted now. I want him here so badly and hold him. It's safe to say that he has had even less sleep than I have, no thanks to a stuffy and cramped airplane.

After his 4:30am call I am able to relax a little, knowing that he is safely in his destination. I curl up with his pillow with my iPhone. I decide to send him a little text message to pass the time. I plan on sending him a few through out the day to let him know that he's not far from my thoughts.

Hey baby, thanks for the call, it was great to hear your voice. Missing you ~ B xx

I have an idea, something which I hope will make him smile, I run downstairs, carefully so that I don't end up falling flat on my face during the rush and grab my laptop out of my bag and head back up to bed once again. I log into Facebook and go to my account area. I think it's time to update my relationship status.

I click on relationship and change it from Single to In a relationship. A little box appears under the drop down and I can type a name. Edward appears in the list and I click him, and then press confirm. It updates me, and also lets me know that a message been sent to Edward, asking him to confirm also.

Hell, we've made it official; we might as well let Facebook shout it out to the world too.

I feel so much more relaxed so I close my eyes and clutch onto and inhale his pillow again and try and get a little sleep.

~ E & B ~ ~ E & B ~

I blink furiously, my eyes are still heavy with sleep. I reach across the bed. His side is cool. Oh yeah. He's gone. My body is still wrapped tightly around his pillow and I hug it to my chest and inhale it once again greedily. I reach over and pick up my phone. Nothing. No messages, no missed calls. Not even a Facebook notification. I take a peek over at the clock and its eleven fifteen here – meaning in Florida it's two fifteen in the afternoon. I guess there is an awful lot to arrange.

Whilst I contemplate calling him, I quickly tap him another quick text.

Just to let you know I'm thinking of you. I love you more than words can express. ~ B

It won't hurt to give him a call? He did say I can call at anytime… right?

My mind is battling with itself so much that it's giving me a headache. Anyways, if he is busy then I can just leave him a voicemail. I feel as though that gaping hole in my chest has returned. Just to hear his voice will calm me for a little while. I know that I am safe here in Edward's home. James doesn't know where I am, and according to Emmett, James is still locked up. Thanks to my father.

I press Edward's contact details and wait for it to ring. One, two, and on the third ring.

"Hellooo"

The voice is soft, alluring. Female.

"Uh… Hi, Is Edward around?"

"Oh, no sorry Hun, he and Kate are sleeping. It's been a long night. I would rather not disturb them." – The voice lowered to a whisper. "If you know what I mean."

I don't know what to say. My hand is shaking. Do I know what she means? Was he comforting her on the loss of her father and they fell asleep or are they asleep like Edward and I sleep after we've…

"Can I take a message?" the woman asks, breaking my train of thought. I can almost hear the smug smile in her tinkering little voice. "I don't know how long it will be before they finally unwrap themselves from one another… but let me tell you, I am so glad that he is back here with us."

I gasp a little. "Um.. no, no. No message. I'll call him later."

"Okay, Bel-la." Her voice chimes and she hangs up his phone. His phone. Why is some strange woman answering Edward's phone. Why is some strange woman telling me that he and Kate are together.

I can't control the tears that are plummeting down my cheeks. I can't breathe and I fall to my knees. My head feels dizzy and my fingers tingle. I try and catch my breath and pull at his pillow. Would he do this to me? Would Edward REALLY do this?

I can't. I just don't want to know. Once I have managed to regulate my breathing I sit up and get off the bed, pulling the sheets back and straightening them out. I grab my hoodie and quickly stuff my belongings into a holdall, which I'll need to return to Edward later.

I have to get out of here. I have to go. Now. I can't do this again.

The pain is too much. It is searing, and aching. I want to die. I know… I know that I should wait to hear from him, see what he had to say for himself. Edward promised me not hours ago that he would never hurt me. So this is what I don't understand. Why is this happening.

I want to leave the house. I want to get in my tuck and drive home and wrap myself up in my bed and never return. I feel fucking useless, pathetic and scared. Edward is everything to me. What if he and James are working together? Oh don't be so fucking ludicrous Swan. You KNOW that's as far from the truth as ANYTHING. You're nuts. Keep thinking like that and they will be locking you up with the crazies. I love him so much. I can't leave.

I leave my bag in the hallway and decide to go for a run.

~ E & B ~ ~ E & B ~

This is the longest day in history. The run helped me to concentrate, but now, as I sit here in front of Edward's large flat screen, watching the blue screen as I can't even get off my butt to reach the cable remote control. My eyes feel red and puffy, and I can't help but clutch at my chest. I feel naked, empty and venerable.

As it starts to darken outside I draw the curtains and stand up to make a pot of coffee. As I do, the phone begins to play Clair de Lune – Edwards personal ringtone. My hands shake and I reach for it, staring deeply as his name and photo flashes up on the large screen. Tears are steadily falling down my cheeks again as I will myself to press answer.

My voice is just a whisper as I hit answer and press my phone to my ear. "Hi."

He sounds relieved as he speaks back. His voice still as smooth and velvet, yet slightly tense. Still perfect however. "Hey baby, I'm sorry it's so late. My phone died." I tell her into the phone. "I had to go into the town and assist with the funeral arrangements."

I huff gently into the phone and tell him, trying not to sound too cold that I've tried calling him. "Some girl answered and told me that you and Kate were sleeping."

Silence at his end for a moment. I am biting down on my lip so hard that its going to draw blood. I will not cry. I will NOT let him hear me cry!

"What? I've not slept since I have been here, Bella! Who did you speak to?" – He sounds upset now and perhaps a little angry. There is also an element of shock in his voice. Not the denial you would expect when practically confronting your partner about something. Nope. Genuine shock.

I'm quiet for a moment, but I can suddenly remember the story that Edward told me, and the main reason as to why he and Kate ended their relationship. Tanya. Kate's sister. She had loved Edward too. Suddenly it's clear in my mind and I feel so stupid and guilty for even thinking that Edward would cheat on me.

"I'm assuming it was Tanya. I'm sorry. I didn't know what to think. Not what I expected to hear."

He sighs, again sounding relieved. "I swear beautiful, I have been out and alone all day. There is something you should know though. Kate thought that by me coming here, meant that I was coming home to her, for good. Again, something Tanya insinuated."

I have no words for that. Kate does want him back.

"I put her straight, I told her we are happy. I'm coming home to you tomorrow my beautiful girl. I am SO sorry I left you. It wasn't the right thing to do."

I still don't know what to say. Of course he set her straight. Of course he would never even touch her. He would do the right thing immediately without a single thought. The perfection that is Edward Cullen.

"Bella?" – Okay, he sounds worried now and it occurs to me that I've not said anything for a while.

"I'm here," I whisper, as the tears fall freely. "I'm just… don't worry. I just miss you that's all."

"I will be home as soon as I can. I have to clear things up here and I will be on the next available flight. I wanted to help my friends, but I should have thought more about you." His voice is so sincere. I want to take him in my arms and forget all of this.

I feel so selfish for thinking that he should come back. "Don't be silly, I told you to go Edward. I'm the one being silly, because I'm acting like a child."

He laughs gently at me and tells me that I'm not being a child. He also tells me that he misses me and that he will be home very soon. He tells me I sound like I need to sleep. It's the truth. I am exhausted.

We declare our love for each other and say goodnight. I wait for him to hang up and I lean back on the couch, a sense of relief flooding through me. It's okay, everything is going to be fine. Nothing happened and he is coming home to you.

I drag myself back to his bed, finally feeling as though I might sleep properly.

Happy.

I know that my dreams are going to be full of scrummy, Edwardy goodness tonight.

Okay, I know this chapter is a bit of a fail, and is short. But before we get onto the Tanya/Edward showdown, I wanted to show you what exactly was going on in Bella's little head. We all know that although she is growing so much and getting over things, she is still a little insecure. Don't hate her for it.