A/N - Edward got chatty again this week. He tried to skip this conversation and move to more pleasant things, but I made him focus and take one step at a time. Thanks to my pre-readers Mandy, Amber, and Jody. Kisses to Jo for being a super fast beta.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nada.

Chapter 21

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can

sing it back to you when you've forgotten the words."

Bella wakes after sleeping two more hours. She seems to be a little weak and slightly confused, but better. I help her sit up on the couch and give her the remote.

"Edward," she croaks, "I'm actually feeling a little hungry. Is there any of that broth left? I think I want some. Just a little bit though."

"Sure," I answer and rush to the kitchen to warm it up.

After Bella eats some broth and crackers, we settle on the couch for an afternoon of television. Ellen was first, followed by Oprah, which was a re-run with those kids from that vampire movie.

Bella giggles and points at the screen, "Alice says that she doesn't believe that those two are dating, but seriously… how can you see them together and not know? Look at how they even have the same mannerisms. The secret smiles they share? Yeah, they're fucking and have been for awhile."

After beating Bella and this week's champion at Jeopardy, I leave to grab some chicken noodle soup from the Chick-fil-A that recently opened about 3 blocks away from Bella's house. She hasn't been sick since this morning and is feeling a bit more adventurous.

Bella slurps and moans her way through the delicious soup and even steals a couple of my fries before her phone rings.

"Hello," Bella answers. "Oh hi, Garrett. Um… hold on." Bella stands up and says, "I'm just gonna take this to my room. I'll, uh, I'll be back in a minute."

No matter how much I strain, even with the TV on mute, I still can't overhear Bella's conversation with Douchett. I mean really, where was this guy? Bella has been sick for days. Why isn't he here taking care of her. Don't get me wrong, I really am glad he's not here, but he should be, right?

I clean up my trash and leftover dinner and I check to make sure that Bella has something in her kitchen that she can eat for breakfast. This phone call from Garrett is a glaring reminder that, as much as I want to be here by Bella's side, this is no longer my place and it's time I go home.

Bella enters the room and stops when she sees me standing near the door.

"Are you leaving?" she asks and buries her fingers in her hair.

"Um, yeah. You seem to be doing better and I think I need to let you get some rest. You'll call me if you need anything, right? ANY thing. Please."

"Yes, Edward. I'm sure I'll be fine, but if anything comes up… bad choice of words…if I need anything, I'll call."

I lean in and give her an awkward hug and head out of the door. My heart feels like it is being squeezed in one of those juicer machines. I don't really want to leave, but I know it's what is right. I mean, Garrett could be on his way over and I certainly don't want to be here when he shows up. It is this thought that gets me into my car and back to my house with great haste.

I enter the quiet house and sit on the sofa and just stare at the wall. The past 24 hours have been quite action packed, and I'm starting to come down from the rush of it all. I get up and walk to my room, deciding that I need a shower before I think of anything else.

I call Bella on my way to work Wednesday. I just have to make sure she is still doing okay. We chat briefly, but she has several days of make-up work she has to get started on.

"Thanks again, Edward," Bella says. "I really appreciate all that you did for me while I was sick. It was really very sweet of you."

I feel my ears warm up and turn red with embarrassment as I respond, "Well, ya know… anytime, Bella. Anytime."

I stay at the office late in order to make up some of the work that I missed yesterday. I keep thinking that I need to call Bella, but once again, I talk myself out of it. I really want to give her space. The last conversation that we had prior to her sickness did not end well. I think I just need to give her a few days. If I don't hear from her by Saturday, I will call her and beg her to forgive me.

Thursday I am awakened after a restless night by the shrill ring of my phone.

"Mmmello," I mumble into the receiver.

"Oh God, Edward," Bella rushes to apologize, "Did I wake you? I'm so sorry."

"S'okay," I say as parts of my body begin to awaken faster than others. "Whassup?"

"Oh, um, well… I was really wondering if you were busy tonight. We… we should talk. Can you come by? I'll make dinner."

Wow. Okay… "Sure, Bella. That sounds great. I'll be done with work around six. Is there anything I can bring? Wine? Beer? Anything?" I ask.

"Hmm…" Bella takes a moment to think. "I will text you and let you know."

"Okay. I'll see you tonight. Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward."

I'm not sure what to think about this phone call. I'm thrilled that she wants to talk. I'm even more excited that she wants me to have dinner at her house. Surely she wouldn't go through all of this trouble just to kick me out of her life, right?

I show up at Bella's door at six o'clock sharp holding one bottle of Rosette and a six pack of Heineken, just in case. I ring the doorbell and attempt to tame the flock of seagulls that just took flight in my stomach.

Bella opens the door and garlicky goodness assaults my nose.

"Lasagna?" I ask, my eyes briefly meeting hers.

"And Garlic Bread," she replies, "I know how much you love it."

Oh really…

We make small talk all through dinner. Bella has worked hard yesterday and today and has almost caught up on everything she missed while she was sick.

"…and then your mom showed me where she added some gorgeous French Doors in the master bedroom. It's amazing. I never would've thought of opening that room to the backyard, but now that I've seen it, I cannot imagine it any other way. Esme is such a talented woman."

"Yes, she is. She'd be delighted to hear you say that about her. She has always valued your opinion," I tell her and it's absolutely true. My family has always loved everything about Bella. It's too bad that I was too clueless to follow their example.

We clean up after dinner and we both move to sit on the couch.

"I have to start by saying 'I'm sorry'," Bella announces. "I was very wrong to storm away from you last week. No wait, Edward, let me finish."

I sit back on the couch and close my mouth again, waiting for her to say what she needs to say.

"You were being a good friend to me when I was being a fucking jackass. I can't believe you were so kind to me after the way I acted at the game. I was an idiot, Edward, and I just had to say 'Thanks' and 'I'm sorry'."

Hmmm… That still doesn't answer the question though. I sit up on the edge of the couch and rest my forearms on my knees. I'm still afraid to look Bell in the eyes when I ask, "I know I already asked this last week, but really, what was going on, Bella? You weren't acting anything like yourself. It really… well it pissed me off, to tell you the truth. And it worried me."

Bella tucks her feet up under her before beginning. "Let me see if I can explain this. When you left me 2 years ago I was left feeling like I wasn't good enough, like…"

"No, Bella, that's not..."

"Edward, please, just let me get this out, okay? I promise I'll let you talk when I'm done. Anyway, I was feeling like I wasn't good enough, like maybe if I was more sophisticated, more professional, more…something, then you wouldn't have left me. So…since then, I have made an effort to be these things. I dress up for work and… well… dates and shit. I try to be more professional in how I act. I told James that I like the opera and all of those fancy restaurants he liked to take me to. Honestly, I couldn't stand any of it. You were right about me acting like someone I'm not, but I really thought that was what I needed to do."

"Okay," I say, and take a moment to breathe and think. "Okay, so why don't you tell me about James and Garrett. Do you really like guys like that? Ones that will only like you if you dress in heels at a ballgame or ones that you have to lie to about your likes and dislikes? Sweetie, you are perfect just being you. If Garrett can't… no, this isn't about him. You should be free to be Bella. Any man should be honored to have you just the way you are."

Bella shifts on the couch and leans a little closer to me. She touches my shoulder lightly, causing my eyes to flick up and meet hers. "You're so fucking right, Edward. That's exactly what I told Garrett when he called while you were here the other day. I never really liked him, or James for that matter, but I just… well, they were successful and in advertising and I wanted to be the kind of girl that someone like that would be into. That YOU would be into. All this time, I thought I was getting over you, Edward, but I just kept trying to make myself into what I thought you would want. I ended up with people I didn't like and becoming some bitch that I couldn't fucking stand."

"Oh, baby," I say and reach out, pulling Bella closer to me. "I'm so fucking sorry that I made you feel that you weren't good enough. If the truth were told, you are WAY too fucking good for me. And you're definitely too good for James and Garrett. Please tell me you aren't seeing him anymore, by the way. I just don't know if I could keep myself from chewing his ass out for him leaving you on your own when you were sick."

Bella leans her cheek into my shoulder and mumbles, "No, I told him I don't want to see him anymore." She buries her face a little further into the curve of my neck and says, "I told him I got a better offer. Does that offer still stand, Edward?"

I sit stunned for a few minutes which causes Bella to pull away and sit up. She lowers her eyes and begins to scoot across the couch before I realize what she said and what she is thinking.

"Whoa, wait… Are you… wait, are you saying… You're going to give me another chance? You want to give us a chance?" I loosen my grip on her arm as I realize I must be holding hard enough to bruise her. I'm just too frightened that she is going to try to get away again. If she is serious about this, I may never let her go again. Physically or otherwise.

"Yes, Edward. I'm not ready for anything serious or heavy yet, but I am willing to give us a try."

Bella relaxes into the back of the couch as she tells me this. I draw my finger over the apple of her cheek and before I know it, I am tracing her entire face. Her beautiful, wonderful face. The face that has been haunting me for over 3 years. I tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear and it suddenly hits me what I must do.

"Listen, Bella, I know that the last few times that we've been together haven't been much fun. How about you let me remedy that? Let me plan something fun. Just for us. We can begin giving 'us' a chance, okay? How does that sound?" I'm so excited and my mind has already jumped into high gear.

"Edward," Bella says hesitantly, "now it's my turn to ask you a question. Why are you so obsessed with 'having fun'? I mean I like to have fun as much as the next person, but why are you worried that we didn't have fun the last couple of times I've seen you? I was puking my fucking stomach out the last time you were here. That's not gonna be fun no matter how you look at it."

It's my turn to look away. Only… looking away isn't enough, so I get up and begin pacing. "Well, I knew that I could make you have fun and make you smile. I didn't really know what James and Douche, I mean Garrett had going for them. I figured I could win. At least at this. It was a brilliant plan," I say sheepishly.

Bella stands up and glides across the carpet until she is standing right in front of me. She's so close that our knees are touching. "Oh Edward, you fucking dork. Don't you know that I don't hang out with you just because you know how to bring the fun? I like being with you because I like who I am when I'm with you. You help me be me. And I've discovered that I really like me."

I swallow roughly before answering, "I really like you, too."

A/N - Special thanks to Cullen Concession and 107yearoldvirgin for recc'ing Comfortable in their stories this week. Check out their stories:

http: / www . fanfiction . net / s/ 6963767 / 1 / My Soul To Save by Cullen Concession

http: / www . fanfiction . net / s / 7048458 / 1 / Don't You Forget About Me by 107yearoldvirgin

Also, my beta Jo wrote a story. It's a shorty but goody. She says she won't do another. Go read it and tell her why she should continue to write more.

http: / www . fanfiction . net / s / 6871311 / 1 / If I Could See You Again.