Quiet Rage: You Can't Always Get What You Want

Edward's POV –

I descended the stairs all eyes on me. They all were trying to shield their thoughts from me but it was Alice's blaring 'I'm sorry' that I was unable to escape. I knew she was sorry but that didn't elevate how little that sorry actually helped at the moment. I averted my eyes from her not wanting my sister to feel any worse than I already knew she did.

It had been three days since Bella had been at school and I was literally climbing the walls. I was shocked that the bulk of my family hadn't taken to avoiding me – well all but Rosalie that is. She had basically been avoiding me since the family moved back to Forks in support of my decision to win Bella back. Rosalie made no bones about the fact that she despised Bella for no other reason than that Bella was human and she wasn't.

Out of all of us, Rosalie was the one that struggled the most that the life that she fully expected to live would never happen. She had Emmett and he loved her unconditionally even when the rest of us thought her irrational. I wouldn't ever get that; not without an action that went completely against my grain.

Jasper's hand on my shoulder pulled me back to the present. I was aware that he was trying his best to put off a calming aura and I was grateful for his efforts but unfortunately it wasn't working at all. "What can I do?"

"Nothing," I told him. Short of bringing Bella to school that day or better yet having her show up at our door, there wasn't much anyone of us could do. "Damn treaty," I hissed under my breath even though in a room full of vampires I might as well have screamed those words.

"Edward," Carlisle's tone had a vein of concern wrapped securely in authority. "I realize that you are worried about Bella…"

"Worried!?" I scoffed at such an insignificant term to describe the emotions coursing through me.

"But I am sure that there is a reasonable explanation for Bella's absence." Carlisle continued as if I hadn't interrupted him. "You know as well as I do she wouldn't want you putting yourself in danger."

Like I cared much about my own safety, I knew full well that a world without Bella was a world I wanted no part of. Too bad I realized that a little too late.

"Whatever you need," Jasper said to me. "Just name it."

All of the sudden I felt as though our roles were reversed and Jasper was able to read the thoughts running through my mind. It was like he knew I was seriously contemplating breaking the long standing treaty between our coven and the Quilutes.

"I can't ask you to do that." I replied answering my brother's unannounced remark. "This is my fight."

"None of this would be happening if it wasn't for me. I won't let you do this alone."

"Jasper?" Alice's expression told me that she understood exactly what Jasper and I were saying with our veiled discussion. I was sure that most of those in the room did if not by their own solemn faces but the thoughts that raced through all of their heads.

"Son," Carlisle pulled at my arm forcing me to face him. "You can't be thinking what you are thinking."

"What if I am?" I retorted.

"You don't know what you are saying. Do you understand what those actions would bring down on this family?" That was the first time in all the years since Carlisle had created me that I had heard anger in his velvet tone.

"What would make you think that he cares about us?" Rosalie's caustic voice shot from the foot of the stairs. "All that matters to Edward is his precious Bella. The rest of us be damned!"

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the creature that was once meant to be my mate, my own biting anger coming forth. "Nothing would make you happier Rosalie than for something to have happened to Bella. That way I could be as miserable as you are!"

"I'm not miserable, Edward. I'm realistic. Our kind and humans don't mix for a reason. Can't you see that by now? What else has to happen to this family for it to finally sink in? James wasn't enough for you now you want to bring the wrath of the werewolves down on us? Have you forgotten that Bella married him willingly? She said 'I do' to him, not YOU!"

"Rosalie, that's enough!" Carlisle put a stop to her incessant tirade.

"Not nearly!" she retorted never taking her liquid amber eyes off of me.

"Edward would never put us in danger!" Alice said coming to my defense.

"Yes he would and has. The minute he took leave of his senses and stopped that van from crushing her he's done nothing but continually put us in danger."

I stood there while Alice and Rosalie debated the facts of my life. How Alice saw them versus Rosalie's take on it all. It was a battle that neither was about to back down from until Jasper and Emmett stepped between their mates.

"Edward," Carlisle's voice forced me to tear my gaze from the pairs of lovers. "Please stop and think about what you are planning to do. As harsh as Rosalie's words were, she did speak the truth. Bella willingly married Jacob and stayed married to him even though you are here. I know you said you were willing to fight to win her back…"

"Bella loves Edward!" Alice said from across the room. "I don't care how cloudy being married to a werewolf makes my visions of her. I know that for certain. And if Edward wants to fight for her then I am behind whatever he deems necessary."

"You would be!" Rosalie just shook her head.

"Rosie." I turned and saw Emmett drape his arm over Rosalie's shoulder in a vain attempt at reining her in. "If it was you we were talking about -- I'd do whatever I had to to protect you."

"That's just it what does she need protection from? She's missed school for a few days that doesn't mean that suddenly the world came to an end. Oh yeah I forgot….it means Edward's has though." She scoffed at me.

"ENOUGH!" Esme's usually soft tone was suddenly a thundering shout. "This isn't helping anyone. We can't control who we fall in love with. Yes, Rosalie, vampires and humans aren't the normal pairing, but even you can see the joy that Bella's brought to Edward's life. Are you telling me you think he doesn't deserve the same happiness that you have found with Emmett, Alice with Jasper and I with Carlisle? Yes it's unconventional but that doesn't make it any less real."

I looked at for all intents and purposes the woman who was now like a mother to me and was stunned. I hadn't expected such an outburst from her. "I'm sorry," I said to her feeling as though I had somehow let her down.

"Don't be sorry for falling in love. But also don't let that love force you to do something you know has the potential for disaster." Esme leaned forward and kissed me softly on the cheek before leaving us – me really – with a great deal to think about.

"I'd like to speak with Edward alone," Carlisle announced. Slowly the room emptied leaving him and me alone in the center of it. "Son, I'm not trying to diminish your suspicions, fears even. I just want you to be smart about them. We haven't existed for all these years without thinking clearly and weighing all of our options. Storming LaPush isn't the smartest of those options."

I turned away from Carlisle unable to meet his knowing gaze. He was right and I knew it yet there I was again acting like an irrational human when in all honesty I had very little memory of ever being one. But when it came to Bella I always took leave of my senses. "I'm sorry," I finally answered. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"It's understandable. I have to ask you though, what's brought on his sudden urgency that Bella's in danger? Has Alice been able to see something she hasn't shared with the rest of the family?"

"No she hasn't and that's the problem. I can't shake this strange feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach. It's been there ever since the day Jacob and Charlie showed up at the hospital – well maybe even before then. Was I the only one that sensed how much Bella didn't want you to call her family?" I couldn't bring myself to allow the word husband to roll off my tongue.

"I did think it was odd." Carlisle agreed with me. "In all honesty, I actually thought perhaps she was just attempting to prolong the time she got to spend with you."

"I thought that too yet there's still something not right. I just can't put my finger on it and Bella's not been forth coming with anything either." I sighed exasperated. "No, I can't blame her," I said to my father's unanswered question. "Why should she trust me? It's not like I have given her much reason to."

"I'm sorry, son."

"Why should you be sorry? I made my own mistakes and it wasn't like you and the others didn't try to stop me." My shoulders slumped and suddenly I felt incredibly defeated.

"What can I do to help?"

"Nothing. "

"I could speak with Charlie," he suggested. "Edward, Bella's not been admitted to the hospital this time. That's a good sign."

"It is," I agreed. "but that still doesn't erase the ill at ease feeling that I can't shake."

"Would you like me to contact Charlie?"

I contemplated that thought for a minute. If it was me approaching Charlie I could only begin to imagine the response I would get. However if Carlisle was to speak to him I might end up getting the answers to my questions. "If Bella isn't in school today, yes I would like it very much if you were to talk to Charlie."

"Thank you for taking a step back and thinking rationally."

I nodded my head all the while not feeling all that rational – especially when it came to Bella.

Alice rested her hand on mine as I stared out the side window my eyes trained on the entrance to the school parking lot. "I see her!" Alice said excitedly rapping her fingers against my arm. Just then I saw Bella's old red Chevy lumber up the small grade and I was consumed with an unexplainable sense of relief.

Bella's POV –

Looking in the mirror, I was thankful that Jacob had kept his assault in places on my body easily hidden. If the bruises had been on my face or arms I wouldn't have been able to figure out a way to get myself back to school.

"I don't like this!" Jacob's harsh voice startled me. I hadn't realized that he had returned so quickly from the morning patrol. It seemed like the time he spent away from the house was getting shorter and shorter and it was literally driving me insane.

"We've been over this," I told him calmly. "How much longer do you think you I can stay holed up in this house before someone starts to wonder about me?" Or come looking for me I thought to myself. I could have handled my father coming to LaPush in search of me but it was Edward who I was really worried about. I didn't want to imagine that he would break the long standing treaty between his family and Jacob's ancestors yet there was a part of me that wasn't so sure.

I sucked in a labored breath when I pulled my sweatshirt over my head. I wasn't really sure how I was going to make it through an entire school day but it certainly would be easier than being constantly followed around by Jacob.

"I don't think you should be driving."

I felt an odd sensation of déjà vu at his words. "I'll be fine. I need to get back to school."

"Don't you mean get back to him?"

"No."

"Just don't forget what I said Bells. I won't be made a fool of twice!" he growled at me. "Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal." I confirmed. I knew what I had to do and no matter what how much it killed me I would make sure that Edward would never be in danger because of my poor choices.

"Just know that I can show up at anytime. Don't forget that!"

"How can I?" The minute the sarcastic tone left my tongue I regretted it.

Jacob yanked my hair. "I don't have to let you go anywhere!"

"I'm sorry," I squeaked.

"You better be."

"Hey Jake……" I was thankful to hear Quil's sweet voice coming from the living room. Yet I saw Jacob's eyes narrow infuriated that his once friend now subordinate dared to enter his house without permission. "We're going to be late. Enough with the love bird stuff the cars are piling up at the garage."

"I'll be right there," Jacob called through the door. "Remember what I said!"

"Jake, let's go!" Quil yelled again.

Once the door slammed I fell back against the wall tears falling from my eyes. The sobs that overtook me heaved my battered chest but I couldn't stop them I felt like I was coming unglued and knowing what I had to do when I reached school wasn't making it any easier.

I swallowed hard when a sharp pain ripped through my side as I turned the wheel of my old truck hard to navigate the tight bend into the school parking lot. All the regulars were there and instantly my eyes went to the spot in the lot where the Cullen cars were normally parked. Relief washed over me at the sight of Edward's silver Volvo. For a slit second I allowed myself the sheer joy of him being all right consume me. I would need that feeling for what I knew I had to do next. I had to break not just his heart but my own. I didn't have a choice. I absently wondered if this was how Edward felt on the day he told me he didn't want me anymore. It didn't matter though I had to do what I had to. I couldn't risk anything happening to Edward or anyone in his family – my almost family.

"Bella!" Edward's voice startled me. I looked up and there he was beautiful face nearly pressed against my driver's side window.

I sucked back the tears that instantaneously assaulted my eyes. 'you have to do this, you have to do this' I chanted to myself as I gingerly opened the door and removed my body from the front seat of my truck. Gritting my teeth I held back the moan on the tip of my tongue that slamming the door shut caused from within my body.

"You're all right!" Edward's granite arms encircled me tightly. For a moment I relished the feeling of having him close. No matter how much it hurt I breathed in deeply drinking in the scent that was uniquely Edward before I had to push him away forever.

"Of course I'm all right." I did the best I could to put a bite to my tone as I wiggled out of his firm hold again suppressing the moan that wanted escape. I needed him to believe every word that came out of my mouth.

"I was so worried. Where have you been?"

"With my husband, where else would I have been?" I nearly choked on the word husband and the anguished look in Edward's eyes ripped a two foot hole in my heart.

"Bella?"

Edward's tormented tone tugged at my heart strings. Today I was more than grateful that he wasn't able to read my mind. For once being odd came in handy. Still I averted my eyes from his intent stare knowing full well that my pained expression would give me away. I tried to think of the most biting words to use in pushing Edward away.

"Bella, look at me." Gently his icy fingers pulled at my chin. I clenched my jaw hoping that in that concentrated effort I could hold back my tears. "Love, what's going on?" His voice was velvety soft. Which made it all the more difficult to say what I needed to.

"Nothing," I shot back. "What's wrong with taking a little time away with my husband?" I again forced that word from my lips. "Because of you we never did get to have a real honeymoon." Edward dropped his hand from my face as though his skin had been seared by a red hot branding iron. "I guess I should be thanking you for leaving. It gave me the time I needed to realize you were right. I don't want to be a monster!"

The shock in Edward's topaz eyes at my remark was enough for me to know that I hit a nerve. Just like I knew I would. I was well aware of his loathing of himself for what he was no matter how well he had adjusted to the life that Carlisle had brought him into.

"Bella!" Alice's angry voice shocked me. I hadn't realized that she was now standing behind Edward and had been witness to our – well my conversation.

Thankfully the bell signaling the start of the school day sounded overhead. "I'm going to be late," I announced darting away from them as fast as my clumsy feet could carry me. In the safety of the girl's restroom I locked myself in a stall and bawled unable to erase the image of the sheer agony on Edward's face.

I took a deep breath trying to calm my sobs. Immediately I felt my ribs buckle under the pressure of that much needed breath. I bit my lower lip and with white knuckles held the metal door handle until the pain eased enough for me to move. Avoiding him and Alice wasn't going to be an easy task. I couldn't imagine that Edward would give up that easily so I needed to be prepared with more caustic remarks. I hated hurting him yet what other choice did I have? Maybe I could hurt him enough that he would leave again – for good and at least I could be relieved in knowing that Jacob wouldn't have a reason to hurt him.

My morning classes drug on as I did what I could to steer clear of the Cullen siblings. I made sure that I put myself in the middle of any and every group I could find so that neither Edward nor Alice could approach me. I am sure most of the people that I was suddenly talking to thought I was absolutely crazy but I didn't care.

I stood perched at the double doors leading to the cafeteria surveying the room hoping to find some place to camouflage myself. It was then that I saw Angela and Ben at the far corner of the room. I hurried across the tiled floor as quickly as my injured body would allow. "Hey this seat taken?" I asked them a little short of breath.

"Bella hey," Angela said almost surprised to see me. "How have you been? I was starting to think you bailed on me and the Econ project."

"I'm sorry," I began as I eased myself into the chair across from them. "I've been a little under the weather. I really should have called you."

"That's okay. So you feeling better?"

Inwardly I laughed. I was anything but better. "I'm on the mend." I told her just the same. "I have been doing a little research for our project though. Do you want to try to get together and compare notes?"

I tried not to look at the table where I knew Edward and Alice were seated yet I could feel their heavy stare on me. If I could just get through the rest of the day by keeping away from him rather than having to come up with more hurtful words it would be better for all concerned.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Angela's words forced me from my thoughts. "When did you have in mind? What's your work schedule like?"

"What about right after school?" I suggested. I wasn't looking forward to going home anytime soon. Jacob being tethered to me was the last thing I think my fragile psyche could handle.

"Sure. You want to just come over to my house then?"

"That'd be great."

Instantly relieved that I would get a little reprieve from being under a microscope, it was then though that I knew I needed to call Jacob and tell him what was going on. I wasn't sure if he would believe me or not but I couldn't take the chance that he'd take matters into his own hands when I didn't come home when he was expecting me.

"I should call Jacob and tell him he's on his own for dinner." I laughed even though there was nothing remotely funny about my life now.

I dialed his cell phone and it rang several times before clicking over to his voice mail. Inwardly I was thrilled that I didn't have to speak to him directly. It would make keeping up the façade that I was happily married much easier this way. "Hey Jake," I began. "I'm heading over to Angela's after school to finish up our Economics assignment. I shouldn't be too late. Maybe you could grab dinner with Sam and Emily. I love you." Just as those words left my lips my eyes locked with Edward's and all I wanted to do was cry.

Alice's POV –

My eyes darted between Bella and Edward trying my hardest to figure out what was going on between the two of them. The way I had heard her speaking to him this morning was so off for Bella that it had me suspicious. Yet when I tried to peer into her future all I saw was her thinking about her Economics project. If I hadn't known better I could have sworn Bella was purposely thinking of only that as a way to block me. Now even when I could see her future not clouded by her werewolf husband I still couldn't see a damn thing. I was beyond frustrated and let out a heavy sigh.

"What, what did you see?" Edward pressed me.

"Economics. More and more economics."

"What?"

"All Bella's concentrating on is her Econ project with Angela. What happened this morning between you two?" I asked him.

"It's pretty obvious she doesn't want to talk to me. She's managed to avoid me all morning and putting herself on the other side of the room now just confirms that don't you think?" Edward's tone was harsh but I didn't let that bother me.

"So what you are just going to give up? What happened to fighting for what you wanted? Isn't that why you decided to stay – to fight for Bella?"

"Yes," he whispered to me. "But that was before she finally came to her senses. She's finally done what I wanted her to do all along."

"What's that?" I questioned him.

"See me for the monster that I am."

My eyes widened unsure what to say next. I knew how much Edward thought of himself as a monster – a killer no matter how many years had passed since he had actually drunk from a human. "You don't believe that, do you?"

"How can't I? She told me in no uncertain terms that she's glad I left her. She's finally come to her senses and doesn't want to be a monster like me. I'm glad. She deserves better."

"And you think that's what she got by being with a werewolf? You can't be serious!" I was angry now.

"She made her choice."

"So suddenly you think that everything is fine? You don't think that anything is just a little off? What happened to that feeling you kept saying you couldn't shake?" I wasn't about to let him just walk away without the fight I knew he still had inside of him when it came to Bella.

"Alice," Edward's voice sounded like a strangled cry, "the only thing I have ever wanted for Bella was for her to be happy….."

"And seriously…you think she is happier with Jacob than she would be with you?" I cut him off.

"She must be."

"I'd take a better look brother." I pointed across the room to where Bella sat. It didn't take a genius to see the way their eyes locked that Bella was anything but happy.

Bella's POV –

The rest of the school day was spent with me evading Edward as much as I could. I was relieved when the final bell rang and I saw Angela waiting for me by my locker. "Hey," I said to her as I deposited most of my things in the skinny metal box. "You ready to bang out this project?"

"Yes. I'd like to get one more assignment off my plate and get on to the business of enjoying what's left of our senior year." I laughed along with Angela. I couldn't believe that in a few months I would be graduating. I caught sight of Edward lurking around the corner. I closed my eyes and pushed back all the thoughts of what could have been for us and concentrated on what was, not what I wanted.

"You sure you don't want to ride home with Ben? I can just meet you at your house." I offered.

"Nah, that's fine."

The ride from Forks High School to Angela's house was a quiet one. I wasn't sure what I should talk about and in all seriousness after the long school day it took all I had to just continue breathing as much pain as I was in. All I really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

"Go ahead up to my room. I'll grab a couple sodas and snacks."

"Okay."

Surveying Angela's room it was a typical teenager's room – a few pieces of clothes scattered around the room, a pile of books on the corner of the desk, posters adorning the walls Suddenly looking around had me longing for my room at Charlie's.

"Here we go," Angela came up behind me cradling a bowl of chips in the crook of her arm and a can of diet soda in each hand.

"Thanks," I told her as I took the can she offered me. My stomach rolled at the sight of the overflowing chip bowl. No matter how hungry I was the thought of putting anything into my stomach brought about a wave of nausea. I hadn't eaten much if anything in the last few days constantly being on edge made the idea of eating hardly appealing. "So what do you want to get started with?" I turned around and started pulling out the various materials I had amassed for our Econ project.

"That can wait. We haven't had much time to just hang out in awhile. So tell me everything – is married life what you thought it would be?"

Pausing for a moment, I tried to come up with a feasible answer to that question. I certainly hadn't thought married life would include threats, beatings and being scared to death for my life. "It's an adjustment," I finally said.

"That's it?" I saw the expression on Angela's face and I was pretty sure that's not at all what she was hoping to hear. "Come on there has to be something juicy to tell."

Well I could go for the shock factor I thought and tell Angela that I married a werewolf all the while really in love with a vampire. A slight smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. If a year and a half ago someone would have told me I would be living in the middle of a real life horror movie I would have laughed at them but that's exactly what I was doing.

"What!" Angela pressed the second she saw my half smile.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about something funny Jacob said this morning." It amazed me how good I was getting at lying to cover up the hell my life truly was. "Let's just say being married isn't exactly what I expected it to be." I did my best not to sound ominous.

"So things aren't strange with Edward being back?" I was stunned by her question and not at all sure how to answer it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. It's none of my business really."

"No it's okay. Yeah, it's a little odd having Edward back. But it is what it is. He made his choices and I made mine."

"What if he's changed his mind?" Angela pressed and for a moment I almost wondered if she knew something she couldn't.

"I doubt it," I lied again. "He made himself pretty clear when he left. He didn't want me anymore."

"I'm sorry," she told me softly. "I just thought that the two of you had something special."

"Don't be sorry. I'm with Jacob and that's the way it has to be. How are things with you and Ben?" I questioned her in an effort to avert the subject from my love life – if it could even be called that. "What are you guys planning for after graduation?"

For the next hour I sat listening to the tales of a typical high school romance. It was fun to get lost in Angela's account of the ups and downs of her relationship with Ben. It was easy to see how much she cared about him, loved him even. I envied her a little. She and Ben had what I wanted, something that even when Edward and I were together, we hadn't been able to achieve – an uncomplicated romance.

"Holy cow, it's 7:30 already," Angela said looking at the digital clock on the corner of her nightstand.

"And look how much we have gotten done," I laughed holding up the blanket notebook page that had been sitting in front of us for the better part of the night.

"Do you have leave or do you think we might try getting some of this project done?"

I wasn't in a hurry to get home. In fact I was thoroughly enjoying my girls' night not wanting it to end anytime soon. I knew I was prolonging the inevitable but what was a few more hours. "No, I'm good. Jacob should be having dinner with Sam and Emily."

"Speaking of dinner, you want me to order us a pizza?"

"I'm fine really, but if you want something for yourself that's cool."

"Okay, I'll be right back and then we can get to work."

Over the next three hours Angela and I banged out one really stellar Economics project but by the time we had it completed I was exhausted and in a great deal of pain. The long day of playing that all was right with the world had taken its toll on me. I was ready to drop.

"So what do you think? 'A' material or what?" Angela waved our finished product before my eyes.

"Most definitely! Man it's going on eleven o'clock." I didn't want to even imagine what Jacob could possibly be thinking.

"You could just spend the night here if you want. I know LaPush isn't that far but with how late it is and you still look a little under the weather. You sure you're feeling okay?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I should really just head home." The minute I stood up a searing pain ricocheted through my ribs taking my breath away. I wasn't sure that I would be able to drive the whole way home.

"Bella?" Angela's tone was full of concern. "Are you sure you okay? You're as white as a ghost."

"I'm just really tired. Maybe you're right about not driving all the way home."

"I'll grab you a pair of my pajamas." She offered me as she reached towards her dresser drawer.

"I don't want to impose. I can just stay at my dad's tonight. Thanks though. It's been a while since I had a sleep over."

Angela's POV –

I tried not to eavesdrop on Bella's call to Jacob but it was a tough thing not to do considering she was only standing right outside the door to my room. I couldn't make out exactly what she was saying but from the tone of her voice and the swiftness of her words I couldn't help but feel that he wasn't too keen on the idea of her staying at her dad's house that night.

I guess I could kind of get that. Ben and I weren't married and we didn't like being apart really so it made sense that Jacob would be missing Bella. However, the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach was making me think things weren't all they were cracked up to be.

Bella tried to down play the whole Edward showing up in Forks again but I had seen with my own eyes how connected they were…that was until today. It wasn't hard to see that both of them still had feelings for the other. In fact that was crystal clear from the time Edward walked into the church interrupting Bella's wedding to Jacob.

"Hey," the soft sounds of Bella's cries brought me out into the hallway. "You okay?"

Quickly she wiped away her tears when she saw me. "I'm fine. Jake's just upset. He doesn't like being away from me."

"You want to see if my dad can drive you home? I mean that is if you don't feel up to driving yourself?" I wanted to do what I could to help.

"Thanks, but really I'm just going to stay with my dad. It's too late to ask your dad to go out of his way. I'll see you at school tomorrow though. Thanks for the girl talk."

"You bet." I stood and watched my friend's retreating form and couldn't shake the ominous feeling that all wasn't what it seemed with Bella, Edward and Jacob.

Bella's POV –

The faint glow coming from the living room window told me that either Charlie was up watching the sports replay channel or he was asleep sprawled out on the sofa. Either way relief washed over me. I was pretty sure I was going to pay for this little excursion but right now I didn't care.

The thought of crawling into the bed in my old room and actually getting a full night's sleep without fear of what Jacob might be doing or thinking was all that really mattered.

I closed the door softly behind me hoping that the sound of the latch hitting the strike plate wouldn't startle my dad. Tiptoeing through the living room, I saw Charlie asleep on sofa just as I thought he might be. I let out a half sigh and pulled the blanket at his feet up over his sleeping form.

"Bells?" his voice sounded groggy and he ran his hand over his eyes trying to adjust them to the image before him.

"Go back to sleep dad," I said.

"Are you okay?" He was slowly gaining his faculties.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. "Just a late night of homework at Angela Webber's. I'm pretty beat so I thought I would just crash here tonight. That okay?"

"Sure, sure. The room's just how you left it."

"Thanks dad. See you in the morning."

Gingerly I climbed the stairs each step more painful than the last. Pushing open the door I was met with a sight that caused me to do a double take. "Edward!"