The Edward she used to talk to before the wedding day was back. "Edward.. " she softly spoke, "Whoever you are today, I like it that way. Please don't stop talking to me."Edward heard her. He felt better too.. but he still had a lot of questions.. "I'll try if you try as well.""I will."oxoxoxo BPOV oxoxoxo

When Edward and I entered the kitchen, I offered to go wash the hot chocolate mugs and tiffin. "No. No. We leave no trace." Edward said very seriously. He picked up the sack and the dirty utensils and hid them in the drawer under the sink.

"I'll talk to Shelly later. She'll cover for us, now come... We can't wait." Bella was amused at Edward's attempt to keep his picnic plan a secret, and I wanted the same too. We scurried up to the room, Edward entered, searched for something in his cupboard and ran out again.

In the meanwhile, I had freshened up, brushed and changed into my nightdress. I pushed one of the suitcases in the small space between the cupboard and the wall, I would not be needing it here. The other, more important suitcase of clothes, I dragged to the cupboard Edward had given me and started to unpack when Edward peeped in.. "Hey, can you help me?"

"Sure, what do you..." Edward had dragged something bulky made of black plastic up to the door and needed help to twist and pull it inside.. "What's that?" I asked as I pulled it through the door and Edward pushed it towards the far end of the room, "Inflatable bed." He said casually.

I could feel my face fell, I hadn't thought about the sleeping arrangement but this felt... like I was being discarded..

"Hey, I see you are unpacking, need help for anything?" Edward stood looking over my shoulder as I started putting things in the cupboard. Edward stood very close behind me and I could feel his warmth. I stood pretending to sort through the contents of a small pouch as I gathered the courage to ask him, "Edward.. may I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Where did you sleep last few days?"

I saw the tips of his ears turn red but he kept a straight face, "Um.. we.. um.. shared the bed." He looked away quite embarrassed as he ran a hand through his hair.. "I had to keep you warm.. and uh.. you slept better that way..." Edward took a step back and just stood fidgetting.

I knew it!! Edward was always in the room, even when I woke up in the middle of the night, he was next to me.. so then I really wasn't dreaming!! I felt a warmth course through me to know that he really did hang around even when I was at my worst..

But now an inflatable bed? I couldn't help stop the frown as I looked back at Edward. He was watching me with a pained expression, "Bella, I assure you, I had no foul intentions towards you. I just needed to get you better."

He thought I was offended that he was in bed with me!".. and I did not take advantage or touch you in any way that may..."

"Edward! Stop!" I had to clarify this mix up and Edward watched me cautiously.

"I knew you and I shared the bed." I spoke softly as Edward's expression changed. I wrung my fingers together anxiously as I started to explain, "I .. um.. think I slept better as well.. and um ... I don't have a problem if you want to still share the bed.. unless you don't want to.. I can understand... But I am just letting you know that I am ok..."

"So no inflatable bed then?? You're sure??" Edward looked relieved and amused as well..

"No.. if you are ok that is.." I couldn't look into his eyes as he was staring right into me and I fidgeted around..

"Ok Bella. I'd like that too." And then he smirked, "of course, if you snore, I will push you off the bed.."

"I do NOT Snore!!!", the air changed instantaneously as Edward cracked a smile and I too felt light and happy again, "Yes you do! You snore worse than Emmett"

"I just had a cold and I was sick. I don't snore." I dared him to push it as I pointed a finger at him. The bag unpacking was forgotten as Edward sat cross legged on the bed to grin at me..

"Ok fine, but you do speak in your sleep." Edward grinned hard and wagged his eyebrows. "No I dont." My voice had lost its edge and I hoped I had not blurted out something silly..

"Yes you do. And I find it very interesting." Edward egged on. I just turned back pretending to unpack my bag and avoided facing him. "No I don't."

"If you say so", Edward was still teasing but he let me be as he walked to his cupboard for clothes and went to take a bath.

Halfway through clearing the bag, I felt bored and tired and closed the bag and pushed it out of the way. I crawled in the bed and pulled the duvet on waiting for Edward to switch off the lights. I felt my eyes get drowsier by the minute but couldn't not sleep. I just closed them and let myself relax.

I blinked as Edward walked out of the washroom, flung the towel in the laundry basket, switch off all lights except a soft night light and climbed in bed and pulled the duvet over. He kept a distance between us as he laid down. After a moment of silence, Edward turned to look at me and our eyes met, "Not sleepy?"

I just frowned. "I am tired, but not sleepy yet."

"Hmm. Me too." Edward then turned on his side to sleep facing me and smirked, "Do you always wear that when you sleep?"

"What?" I said clutching my shirt "it's soft and comfortable.."

"I meant your hair, Bella, tied like that. Doesn't it get uncomfortable?" Edward looked at the long plaid of hair as it fell over my shoulder.

"It's better than them open, you know. They get in the way."

Edward sighed, "hmm ok."

Silence fell and I blinked a few times and yawned, "Good night Bella, sleep well!

oxoxo

I tossed and turned again... the Christmas lights were on and the jingles were being sung but I did not feel happy.. Something was not right... Something was missing..

Rose was vomitting again.. She was sore and crying and vomitting again.. I had to help her but I didn't know how.. I struggled to get her to a doctor but she didn't move..

Please .. let's go.. please Rose.. you have to.. and then there was blood.. she vomitted blood and passed out... No!! Rose!! I screamed, 'Jake, I need you, Jake!!!! Help me .. oh dear oh dear..'

"Bella? Bella??"

Something pulled me away from her.. Jake where are you?? Help..

"Bella, wake up!! Bella.."

I clutched his shirt and asked him.. Jake why didn't you come... Where were you??

"Bella.. Bella wake up!!!" He lightly shook me as I opened my eyes, "Ed..Edward? help me!"

"Yes Bella. It's ok. You are ok." He said. He held me close and rubbed my back and kept repeating 'it's ok'..

I closed my eyes as I cuddled into Edward's chest and held him close as a dreamless sleep took over..

oxoxoxo EPOV oxoxoxo

Edward lay awake as Bella slept peacefully in his arms. He felt torn everytime she came close to him. He liked her a lot but she had never reciprocated his feelings. Not willingly atleast..

He thought of how he had come very close to kissing her a few days back. He had leaned in all the way and waited for her to make a move.. he saw her getting turned on and as he came closer, her blush ran over her skin. The blush was beautiful and it turned him on. He was hard, aching and desperate to touch her as well. He heard her moan as his arm brushed hers and she shivered as her eyes glazed over.. He was sure she wanted him to kiss her.. but she didn't close the gap. She held herself away and guarded herself.. Edward did not feel like he had been given consent, and so he backed off. He did not want to push himself on her if she was not willing.

And now, she even cried out for Jake in her dreams. She obviously needed him, not Edward.. there was something more to that relationship than she confessed. Was he really was the third wheel here.. a temporary replacement..??

Edward closed his eyes as his thoughts drifted to the calls and meeting with Bella's grandfather and the warnings he gave.

A few days after Carlisle had asked Charlie about the match, Bella's grandfather had called him. He spoke to Edward asking for secrecy of their discussions and told him to reconsider as he did not know Bella at all. An arranged wedding with a girl like Bella would be a disaster for him. Edward heard him out but did not act on it. The wedding topic ended for him after that call but Carlisle and Esme both egged him on to atleast talk to Bella.

When he finally complied and called Bella, he liked her. They then started speaking everyday over calls and chat. She seemed interested in him. She was nice, not like any girl he knew or dated..he couldn't find her on any social networking site and decided he needed to see her personally.

Under the pretext of a business meeting, Edward went to America. He however, never went to New York as Esme thought. He flew to Seattle where he was told that Bella was staying with a tall blonde girl named Rose. He saw her every morning at the local diner with Rose and her friend Jake. The three were very close. Edward used to stay away and observe from afar.

Bella dressed in simple clothes everyday.. nothing fancy, simple jeans and a shirt, no make up and always a bright smile on her face. He then started doubting what her grandfather had said and decided to meet her and get acquainted. By this time, they had been calling and chatting for a long time and Edward was very positive about the match.

Charlie had already conveyed her acceptance and so did Carlisle. That very evening when he called her, he planned to ask her to meet at the diner for breakfast the next day. He expected her to be happy but she seemed distraught and did not speak much. Later that evening, he went to the local diner to end the day with a quick dinner, when he saw Bella with Jake, crying in his arms as he comforted her. Rose was not around. Bella and Jake were in some grave discussion as if her marriage news was a big tragedy for them.

The next morning, Edward went back to London. He intended to talk to Carlisle to try and change his mind about the arrangement. Before he could speak, Carlisle and Esme excitedly told Edward that they were leaving for Washington to meet her family the very next day. It was then that Edward decided to give Bella a way out if she wished to. She didn't opt out.

When they spoke later, she even said that she was happy about the arranged marriage and wanted to go ahead. Edward, too, wanted the same and thought he had misread the diner meeting with Jake. The wedding progressed as planned and things fell in place as they should have.

A few days before the Cullen family flew to Washington for the wedding Bella's grandfather called Edward. He had flown to London for a day just to meet in person. Edward had invited him home but he insisted on meeting in a neutral location away from family. The old man wore a tattered coat and looked tired. He sat across the table cradling a coffee as he explained to Edward how Charlie was forcing Bella into this marriage. He told Edward that Bella could not say no as Charlie, being a cop, had threatened to harm René if she declined. This made no sense to Edward. He then told Edward that Bella was in a relationship with Jake, one which Charlie did not approve of due to his financial instability. Edward had heard the old man out being a gentleman that he was, but he did not trust him one bit...

However, whatever he had told, had affected him. All the doubts that he had were coming true. He was scared of another experience like Tanya and tried hard to not feel betrayed till he knew the truth from Bella.

He continued talking to Bella and planned to ask her the truth when they met face to face. When they reached forks, her house was already full of guests and she was never allowed alone time with him.

The very first day, Bella introduced Jake. She introduced him as her best friend and nothing more. She was different around him. Very comfortable, very lively and much to Edward's annoyance, they were very touchy-feely around each other. Jake looked at Bella with affection and so did she. They used to speak softly around each other and it was very obvious that they were a lot closer than he thought they were.

Edward had also observed how René and Charlie looked at each other during the wedding. There were only stolen glances, mixed with fear, as if they were hiding from someone. They barely openly spoke to each other but she kept stealing glances at him, as if to check if Charlie approved of everything. It was obvious that René needed Charlie's approval on even small things.

And everytime Bella and Jake were near or Charlie and René looked at each other, Bella's grandfather stared at Edward, as if to say 'I told you so'.

Edward was very sure that if they were in love, Jake would break the wedding, if not before, then atleast at the altar. But Jake seemed happy for her and so did Bella. And so when things ran smoothly, Edward finally felt like he had Bella as his wife, for real.

After the wedding, however, before the Cullen family was to leave for Seattle, Edward waited for Bella as she met all of her family, one by one and said her goodbyes.

Edward waited and smiled as he finally felt happy. All her family members shook his hands and bid him a good journey and he spoke to everyone, one by one. His joy lasted till the last person who met him spoke. Her grandfather smiled maliciously, "You went through with it and I congratulate you for your stupidity." he spat, "Finally Bella will have enough money after she leaves you for Jake." Grandfather still held on to Edward's hand as he turned and looked at Bella. She was hugging Jake as he kissed her cheek lovingly. He held her like a lover with his arms behind her back and her body pressed close to his. Then he whispered something in her ear as she blushed and both of them turned to look at me and he laughed.

"Have a good life Edward. Goodbye." Grandfather shook his hand with a finality and walked away.

Edward got into the car as he thought over these words. He never once thought that Bella could be playing him for his money! If Bella left him now, she would get half of his wealth.

His gut instinct said Bella was in the marriage for him.. and his brain said that he was being played brutally. And so he decided to let her leave. He decided to not fall for her.. to not touch her.. to not conssumate the marriage.. to not make her any more important than a temporary resident in his house. He even changed his room and moved into the storage room in the house. But when she signed the document revoking all claim for money, Edward was confused once again. He did not know what she wanted from him so his anger melted away and curiosity increased.

And yet, she cried for Jake in her dreams. But when she crawled in his arms like she did right now, when she moaned and brushed her lips on his neck, when her soft hands ran across his chest as she snuggled in, his heart broke a little bit more.

He wanted her. He wanted her to like him... To be more than just an acquaintance or a friend. He wanted her to look at him like she looked at Jake. He wanted her to scream his name when she dreamt and moan his name when she was awake..

He had to win her. He had to push Jake out. He had to try.

Especially now that he had nothing to lose!!

And especially now... when he felt he had everything to lose..

oxoxoxoxo

Finally you know why Edward was being weird. It's tough when you are such a gentleman..

Write to me please!! Your reviews keep me coming back from the perils of real life...

Love

Jupi.