The Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 21 - Patience

BPOV-

Early the next morning there was a knock on the cottage door. Renesmee wasn't up yet so I silently peaked out the window before opening the door. I wasn't ready to talk to Edward yet, but it was just Alice and Jasper. The door clicked softly as I turned the knob and let myself out.

"Bella we need to talk." She seemed antsy. Like she didn't want to be standing here with me.

"What is it Alice." My patience was failing me. Too much had happened in the past few days. She looked unsure of herself.

"We don't think Edward is himself." She gestured to Jasper to include him in her opinion.

"I already knew that Alice." I couldn't believe she was just noticing this. "He's changed, he doesn't love me anymore. I just have to get over it."

"NO Bella! I mean he really isn't himself. Someone is making him act different." Her words lit a spark of hope in my frozen heart. My Edward was still there somewhere.

"Haven't you noticed how quickly your moods change lately? That you feel so close to Ann and Silas so easily?" Jasper was leaning down to talk quietly.

"Yeah, I guess. But what does that have to do with Edward?" I wasn't following their line of questions.

"We think Edward is going through the same thing all of us are, just more intensely." Jasper's eyebrows were drawn close together in concern.

"Someone is making him act this way?" I asked. I couldn't understand why someone would want to do this to my family.

"We aren't exactly sure who or what is doing this. But we're working on it." Alice hugged me tightly. "Don't give up yet Bella."

I hugged her back, I wasn't sure the relationship between Edward and I would be able to go back to the way it used to be. But the only way to try was if Edward was himself. I could hear Nessie rustling around in bed.

"Just be patient Bella, I promise we can fix this." Jasper and Alice left just as quietly as they had come. For now all I could do is wait.

Nessie ate breakfast in our own home this morning, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see Edward just yet. My anger was still bubbling in the back of my throat, even if this wasn't his fault. I had so much to think about, my head was too full of information. When Nessie asked me if we could go play with Ann and Silas I could only sigh and nod.

I carried her quickly through the rain, not wanting her to get too wet. The air was so cold, it made me sure that there would be snow any minute. We shook the water off of ourselves as we came through the back door. The house was quiet, with only a few hushed voices here and there.

Renesmee ran to find Ann while I went to the living room to wait for her return. I didn't think it was possible to have headaches anymore, but I was sure one was starting. Esme came in carrying an umbrella.

"I'm going to go to the store for some more food, want to come?" She was enjoying having someone to take care of again. It made me smile, poor Esme. She wanted to be a mother so badly.

"That's alright, I should stay with Renesmee." She waved goodbye and I was alone again. Not for long though, Jacob came through the front door in a flurry of water and ice.

"Bells! What's up? Where's my little girl?" Sometimes Jacob's claim on Nessie seriously drove me nuts.

"Mmyyy little girl is waking up Ann." I told him sourly. I closed my eyes, trying to block everything out. I wished I could sleep again.

"Well Emily's niece is visiting. I was going to bring Renesmee to play. The snow should be starting soon!" I pushed the palms of my hands into my eyes.

"Jacob, we've talked about this before. It's not safe for her to be out where people can see her. You don't think people will start asking questions when her age triples in a year?" He looked down at his feet.

"Common Bells, everyone on the rez knows about her, and us." By us he meant himself and Nessie. I sighed.

"Fine Jacob, just don't keep her out all day." I wasn't in the mood to argue, this was usually Edwards fight anyway. I felt almost happy to let Jacob take Nessie when Edward was so against it. Then I quickly felt guilty, Renesmee was not a tool for me to fight with Edward. I almost told Jacob to forget it, but I had already said yes and he was telling Nessie that they were going to go play in the snow.

"We'll see you later tonight!" Jacob was helping Nessie into her thick snow jacket and was out the door in a flash.

Ann shuffled into the room, her hair still a little messy from sleep. She smiled weakly and plopped onto the chair beside the couch.

"Looks like you go up for nothing." I watched her closely, was it her? Was she doing these things to Edward?

"That's alright. Silas should be home soon anyway." I lifted an eyebrow, I hadn't realized he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Ann and I had become friends quite quickly, personal questions were no longer taboo between us.

"To the bank with Emmett and Rose, to set up a bank account!" She was pleased with their personal progress. Soon they could have a real life, not one that changed every few days.

"I guess I should go get dressed then." She drug her feet up the stairs reluctantly. I listened to her steps on the floor above me, but there was another set coming up behind her.

"Edward.." His named hissed in my mind. I waited a minute, trying to decide how to handle this. Alice told me to be patient and that answers were coming. But he was my husband. I wasn't going to sit back and let someone steal him from me anymore. I slipped up the stairs to find out what was going on.