"So what did Charlie say to you the other day?"

"Hmm?"

"You know, at the hospital – after Carlisle and Emmett left."

"Oh. Um…nothing important, really."

"Good, then tell me."

"I don't remember. You know how my brain ceases functioning when I'm tired." His mouth stretched wide in a big yawn.

"I think you're losing your acting chops. That attempt at seeming forgetful was not at all convincing."

"Not even a little?"

"Nope."

"Damn."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Edward!" Her eyes gleamed dangerously in the light of dawn. "Tell me or else…"

"Or else what?"

"Exactly!" Bella slid her hands from where they were resting on Edward's stomach to both sides of his body. In one swift movement, she climbed on top of him while wiggling her fingers.

"Bella!" he screeched.

"Shhh!"

His hands grabbed her wrists and held them to his chest. "That's not fair," he complained in a low voice. "I think we should take tickling off the list of allowable coercion methods."

"You started it. I had to level the field – mutually assured destruction and all," she sniffed haughtily.

"Bella…" Edward stared up at her with a soft look on his face. "How am I supposed to resist when you're so damned cute?"

"You're not. Spill."

"Fine. But you'll have to move first. I can't concentrate with you in that position."

Giggling, Bella slipped off to the side and burrowed up against him. "You, Charlie. Conversation. Go."

"He promised violence should I ever tell anyone, so I hope you appreciate the risk I'm taking." He gave her a sidelong glare before returning his gaze to the ceiling. Bella merely rolled her eyes.

"It seems Charlie didn't realize who I was when he first saw me in the waiting room. Then he heard Carlisle give his last name as 'Cullen,' and it got him thinking. When he imagined me with short hair and a uniform, he realized I played 2LT Richard Pershing in Pershing Rifles. Apparently, Charlie loves that movie and has a special, um, affinity for the character I played.

"He said that while you hadn't mentioned me before, he could feel some sort of "vibe" between us – his word, not mine. He didn't want to know details unless we became, uh, serious, but he promised not to give me grief if I would agree to…um…"

"If you what?" Bella raised her hands up and mimed tickling him.

"No need to bring out the big guns, love!" he laughed. "I'm just trying to figure out how to phrase this delicately, for your father's sake. Anyway, he'll take it easy on me…if...I give him a signed movie poster and…a collectible action figure."

"What?" Bella cried, indignant. "My dad's pimping me out for an autograph and a Barbie doll?"

"It's a G.I. Joe action figure, not a Barbie doll!"

"Whatever, Edward. You know perfectly well that the sales of that toy were driven by tween girls and possibly middle-aged moms. So are you telling me you have a bunch of these 'action figures' hoarded away? How many did you buy, Mr. Egotistic?"

"None. Emmett, on the other hand…"

"Okaaay. I'm going to let that one go," she laughed. "I suppose I should just be grateful that Dad is keeping his nose out of my personal life. The kid's toy thing is a bit disturbing, though."

"I'll take whatever breaks I can get when it comes to being with you, Ms. Swan."

The pair lay quietly on the bed, their arms wrapped around each other, listening to early morning sounds and breathing in the purity of their contentment before having to face the unknowns of the day ahead.

"Thank you, Bella," Edward whispered, after a while.

She turned her head to his shoulder and spoke into his bare skin, her lips moving against him as she spoke.

"You're welcome, but for what?"

"For giving me so many chances – more than I deserve – and for not running away each time I reveal something terrible about myself. For being so strong, for having such a big heart, for…everything."

"Edward, you make it sound like I'm – I dunno – being heroic, or something. But I'm far from perfect, and you'll be disappointed in the future when you realize I'm just a regular, flawed person."

He propped up on an elbow and brushed his hand over her cheek. "Well, I happen to think you're pretty damned amazing, and I look forward to discovering these supposed flaws of yours - real or imagined."

Before Bella could protest further, he bent down and covered her mouth with his own. She smiled into his lips and then eagerly returned his affections.

As always, every touch, every kiss sparked desire and left her wanting more. Now aware of his reciprocal feelings, she released the fetters on her own emotions, allowing them free rein – and they consumed her. For all the enthusiasm and devotion her acting career inspired, that depth of feeling paled in comparison to the passion overwhelming her as she and Edward opened up to one another.

The cautious side of Bella knew it should question this sudden intensity. Had it only been three weeks ago that they angrily faced each other in his dressing room - when she was so angry that she demanded he stay away from her? Yet, even then, there had been an undercurrent of attraction between them and something more – a something that now set her blood afire in ways she never imagined possible. Bella doubted her ability to slow their momentum, regardless of what prudence might dictate.

It was this growing energy that now fueled her hunger. The sounds of heavy breathing and wet tongues tangling filled her ears, and she almost missed Edward's low, remorseful groan.

"We have to stop, Bella," he gasped when finally able to pull his lips away. "I need to leave before Charlie wakes up."

"Forget Charlie. I don't care what he thinks. I need you. Now." She tugged roughly at the back of his neck and brought him into another heated kiss.

"Mmm…Bella…god…I want…but…can't…now…" His muffled protests were swallowed by Bella's determined mouth.

Just when she thought the battle had been won, he broke their connection by rolling off her and onto his back. They both lay panting and frustrated as their lust-clouded minds slowly cleared.

"Damn you and your responsible self," Bella muttered.

"I know. Figures that part of me decides now is a good time to finally make a presence in my life."

His beautiful face arranged itself in such a pathetic, rueful pout that Bella couldn't help but chuckle at his adorableness. She heaved herself out of bed and pulled a shirt over her thin tank top.

"No, you're right," she conceded. "There's a lot to do today, and it's probably best to get an early start on it."

Angry disgust suddenly blackened Edward's features. He stood and grabbed his own shirt from where it hung over a chair.

"I have no idea how I'm going to be able to do this now," he seethed. "How can I be in the same room as her after she dragged you into this mess? When she was screwing with just me, it didn't matter, but now…I don't know if I can keep myself from going off on her."

Bella hobbled across the room and hugged him tightly. "Maybe when we all get together this morning, we can come up with another idea – have Emmett keep her busy or find some public event she can crash for a few hours. Or let her meet up with Rosalie for a chat! Hell, I wouldn't mind having my own 'discussion' with her in some private, soundproof room." Her voice became wistful at the thought.

Edward took a deep breath. "No. This isn't your battle to fight. At the very least, I can keep myself together for today. The longer she thinks she has the upper hand, the better our chances to catch her off-guard."

"Is there anything I can do? I hate this helpless feeling, and I've never been good at sitting around waiting." Wide brown eyes shamelessly implored.

"Bella…no…" Edward groaned as he tried to resist her feminine wiles.

Eyelashes fluttered and lower lip plumped out. "Please, Edward. I really want to help you."

-o-o-o-o- OSC –o-o-o-o-

Bella allowed herself a satisfied smile as she yanked open a heavy wooden drawer and snapped a photo of its contents. Then she began sorting through the folded clothes in search of anything incriminating.

Although Edward had hesitated, he wasn't able to think of a good reason why she couldn't assist Jasper in his hunt for the video or other evidence of Heidi's wrongdoing. In fact, she suspected Edward would rather her view the file over any other person. No one else voiced objections to her going as long as she carefully followed Jasper's directions, which included riding to the house in the back of his SUV with darkly-tinted windows.

The late morning conference had been a meeting of the minds. Edward's team – Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Jay (via videoconference) – took the lead while Esme and Kate chimed in as necessary. Most of the discussion centered on fleshing out the specifics of legal action against Heidi.

The major sticking point in pursuing charges of this nature was providing proof of blackmail. Even if the video could be found, Edward didn't want the nature of its subject to hit the media. Despite injunctions and gag orders, this sort of scandal usually found a way out to the public. And if Heidi decided to leak the actual video as revenge, all the legal paperwork in the world would not stop its spread. The damage would be done.

While Bella luckily hadn't dealt with negative press before, she knew how injurious and long-lasting it could be. Though Notting Hill was only a movie, a painful truth had been spoken when Julia Roberts' character, also a famous actress, rued the toxic effects of scandalous media. Reporters made it a habit to remind the public of their target's most infamous indignity every time they wrote a new article. The press had a long and unforgiving memory.

But Bella worried about more than the potential repercussions and their effects on Edward's career. Her highest concern remained his emotional state and progress toward healing. He had come so far in just a few days by sharing his story with a trusted few, but dealing with such a traumatic event on a worldwide public stage was a different matter entirely.

With a fresh burst of determination, Bella opened the next drawer and snapped a photo. She and Jasper figured they had a safe window of three hours to conduct their initial search. Edward was acting in the role of his life as he played the contrite blackmailed boyfriend. He had taken Heidi to a popular dinner theater and arranged for a meet and greet after the show.

Bella and Jasper pulled into the mansion's garage less than half an hour ago, after Edward relayed his arrival at the theater via text. Starting their hunt in the master bedroom where Heidi slept made obvious sense, and Bella currently tackled the dark cherry dressers while Jasper worked his way through the immense walk-in closet.

At first, she felt intimidated by the cavernous room with its ornate four-poster king bed, elegant chandelier, and large sitting room. Picturing Edward sleeping here automatically brought up mental images of him in bed with various women from the paparazzi photos. She groaned at the power of the press; even though she knew the stories weren't true, she couldn't stop them from coming to mind.

Bella forced herself to remember the genuine manner in which he declared his feelings for her and the boyish smile that warmed her heart whenever he laughed. That was the real Edward – her Edward – and all the lavish furnishings in the world wouldn't change that.

"How's it going, Jasper?" she called. He was so quiet that the eerie silence made her feel alone in the house.

"No luck yet, Ms. Bella," he replied in his smooth, confident manner. "I have to admit I'm shocked by Ms. Fischer's ability to shop expeditiously. From what Mr. Cullen implied, she didn't arrive with much. However, the massive collection here nearly rivals Al-...uh, that of other women I know."

"Hmm," Bella said, distractedly, as she moved on to yet another drawer full of clothes. This one contained several lingerie sets that made her see red. How dare that evil snake buy expensive silk nighties and lace underwear with Edward's money! Bella unfortunately wasn't supposed to leave any evidence behind of her snooping, or else she'd take them all outside and treat them to a wash in lighter fluid, followed by thorough drying courtesy of a lit match.

So enraged was Bella over her discovery that she missed the initial sound of voices coming from downstairs. However, it was impossible to ignore the echoing slam of the front door and Edward's raised baritone. Jasper appeared by her side in an instant, and they both leaned toward the open bedroom door.

"Heidi, I told you to wait in the car. I'll go up and get it for you."

Bella could hear the edge of tension in his tone.

"Nonsense, Eddie darling. You wouldn't know where to look. It will only take a minute, and then we can go back."

Jasper looked at Bella with a grim expression, the resignation in his crystal-blue eyes underscoring their hapless predicament. They couldn't exit the master bedroom without being seen from the stairs, so the only hope of remaining undiscovered was to hide and leave the rest to luck.

"You said you can't remember where you left it. There's no time for you to search the whole house; we'll miss the entire first act. Surely you can survive without your phone for a few hours."

"No, Edward, I cannot." Her voice took on a sharp, arrogant quality. "Besides, you weren't smart enough to charge your own phone before we left, and now it's dead. What if I need to make a call?"

A light footstep sounded on the stairs, quickly followed by several heavy ones.

"You're kidding, right? Use the theater's. Who do you intend to call, anyway?"

Bella knew Edward was stalling for them. Jasper shook his head in defeat and shrugged toward an open door at the back of the room. He swept her up in his arms and quietly tracked into the spacious master bath. She gave his shoulder a grateful squeeze. Even though the mobility in her left leg had improved vastly, she couldn't walk across the wooden floor without causing a noticeable amount of noise.

After gently setting her down, Jasper pulled at the door until it was almost closed. The small crack he left allowed them to hear more clearly. Besides, shutting it completely wouldn't make a bit of a difference in their inevitable discovery should Heidi decide to enter.

"Why are you being so difficult about this? What is your problem?" The older woman's breathy voice sounded much closer. She had reached the top of the stairs.

"Do you mean now, or in general?" Edward retorted.

"I thought you were in a hurry," she taunted. There was a pause. "What's going on with you, Edward? Have you forgotten our arrangement?"

"No, I have not. But I am tired of this game, and I'm beginning to think it's not worth it."

"Oh really? Your career, your reputation…that's not enough for you?"

Now the sound of their voices originated from inside the master bedroom.

"Not any more. I've discovered there are more important things in life, and one of them is not putting up with any more of your shit."

"How dare you!" Heidi snarled. "I don't want to hear you speak to me like that again. I can end you, Edward Cullen. Don't forget that."

Bella was kneeling on the bathroom tile, her head cocked toward the door. With the increasing hostility in both their voices, she began to worry the situation might spiral out of control. Jasper must have been thinking along those same lines. From his position standing above Bella, he shifted his weight forward as if to intervene. Bella, however, reached a hand up to his arm and shook her head. She believed that confronting Heidi was a vitally important step for Edward to take, and she wanted for him every chance to reclaim what had been stolen.

Jasper considered her silent request to wait and then gave a curt nod. As a compromise, he edged the door open a little wider and looked into the bedroom.

Copying his movement, Bella peeked through the crack. Heidi stood with her back to them, and Edward was angled toward her. His face was flushed, and he appeared to be fighting back a great rage.

He stepped closer to Heidi. "Tell me, then," he challenged, low and menacing. "Explain to me your clever plan, because if that video gets out, you'll be the one who's ruined. I'll have you in jail for what you did to me."

"How are you going to blame me? You think I'd be stupid enough to let anyone know about the parts with me in them?" she laughed.

Bella gritted her teeth. Not having seen the video, she didn't realize Heidi wasn't present throughout.

Edward, however, could think on his feet.

"Then I'll show the police my copy of the video," he bluffed smoothly. "Do you really want to spend years behind bars? There won't be fancy clothes, spas, and dinner parties in there. I'm giving you a chance to get out of this hole you're digging. Get out of my house, get out of my life. Now - before I change my mind."

Heidi's body stiffened for a moment, but then she took her own defiant step toward Edward. "Go right ahead and dig your own grave. Show the recording to every damn person on the planet. The only thing they'll see is a pathetic, horny boy who's being shown a good time. You can't prove otherwise, and I'm sure millions will agree with me as they stare at your eager dick disappearing over and over into another man's mouth. You always were a stupid, naive little pussy."

"BITCH!" Edward roared as he shoved her on the floor and wrapped his hands around her throat, his eyes blazing with hate. "I won't let you fuck me over again!" He crouched beside her and tightened his grip.

"Edward!"

"Mr. Cullen!"

Jasper and Bella yelled at the same time. Jasper burst through the bathroom door and yanked Edward off Heidi with a running tackle. Bella scrambled clumsily to her feet and flung herself into the room.

She gasped when she saw Edward struggling against Jasper to get at the object of his loathing, who had curled into a ball and was clutching at her reddened throat. Heidi coughed and gagged while tears streamed from her eyes.

Bella briefly wondered if she should be alarmed at her lack of sympathetic feelings toward the distressed woman. That thought was swept away by worry when Jasper finally managed to pin Edward on his stomach with arms twisted behind him. Bella hurried to his side as quickly as her handicap would allow.

"Edward, calm down. We're here now," she tried to soothe, her heart clenching from the need to help him.

Edward didn't seem to register her presence and continued to thrash about in an attempt to free himself from Jasper's hold. His murderous eyes were focused on Heidi.

"Edward, stop fighting against Jasper," she pleaded. "One of you might get hurt."

He glanced at her for a second, and Bella could read his hazy confusion. She stretched a tentative hand to his shoulder.

"Take a deep breath. Let us help you. Please, love," she tried once more.

Finally his flailing ceased. He stared at her with clouded green eyes as humanity seeped back into him.

Blowing out a huge breath, Bella leaned over to guide Edward into her arms when Jasper released him. In that moment, nothing else mattered to her except the solid feel of his body slumped around hers. She pressed feather-light kisses on every part of him she could reach.

Jasper, on the other hand, was all business. With a wary eye on Edward, he moved over to Heidi and assessed her condition. She nearly had regained a normal breathing pattern except for a slight wheeze.

"Get up, Ms. Fischer," Jasper ordered, coldly. "This is over."

He turned to Edward. "Mr. Cullen, I'll call the police and wait with her downstairs. I recorded everything, and-"

"No." Edward stood, shaking his head as he helped Bella to her feet. "I'm done with her. I don't care about retribution; I just want her gone."

"But-"

"No!" he yelled. "She's fucked with my life long enough. Buy her a ticket to wherever she wants and get her the hell out of my sight. That's not a suggestion, Mr. Whitlock."

"Yes, sir," Jasper answered reluctantly. He gave Heidi a small shove. "Let's go."

The tall brunette made a sudden leap forward and fell to her knees in front of Edward. "No, wait!" she cried.

Almost instantly, Edward grabbed Bella and thrust her behind him. His arms splayed out to the side as he drew himself up to full height.

Jasper quickly had Heidi back in his grasp, but she clawed at the ground and screamed. Her face was contorted in despair, her eyes frantic and desperate.

"Please, you don't understand! He'll kill me!"

"Get up and walk, or I'll carry you out," Jasper threatened.

Heidi paid him no heed. "If I fail, Jake will kill me!" she shrieked. "I'm so sorry about everything, but I didn't have a choice! Please, I don't want to die!"

Jasper growled in frustration and yanked Heidi to her feet. Heaving her over his shoulder, he started toward the bedroom door.

"Wait."

The word hung in the heavy air surrounding the four of them. Jasper froze in his tracks and all was silent except for the shrill keening of hysterical sobs. Bella creeped up beside Edward, whose jaw muscles twitched as his teeth gnashed together.

"Two minutes. You have two minutes to talk."

The decree spurred Jasper into action. He turned and unceremoniously dropped Heidi on the ground.

She crawled back onto her knees and lifted her red, watery eyes to Edward.

"It's Jake. Jacob Black, my ex-husband. He's the one behind everything." Her words tumbled over themselves as she tried to fit the whole of her story into the allotted timeframe.

"He's…he's the man in the video. He's the one who arranged it!"

Bella gasped, but Edward's face remained a blank stone mask.

"Jake was into drugs in college – mostly using, but also doing some dealing. I wanted to get away from it all, but he said he'd kill me if I ever left him. He tried to control my life. When he found out I took you to a club, he was furious and wanted to humiliate you.

"It was Jake who gave me drugs for your drink and set up the video. He planned everything. God, I'm so sorry – if I had known that would happen, I'd never have asked you out!"

"You have one minute."

"Wait, please!" she wailed. "Jake wanted us to get married after college, and then he started dealing full-time. He made money, but he blew through most of it. A year ago, he lost everything and started going into debt. Jake owed a lot of money and knew people would come after him.

"He came up with the plan for me to get money from you - I had no choice! I did what I had to do to survive! I'm sorry that you were his target, but I was afraid for my life. If you throw me out now, he'll kill me! I have to get enough money to pay off his debts…please don't do this! Please…I'm begging you…please, Edward…please…"

Her words dissolved into an incoherent jumble of forlorn cries and whimpers. Seemingly lost in thought, Edward stared down at the crumpled figure. Bella hardly breathed as she watched him consider the woman who, regardless of where the blame ultimately lay, had wronged him in so many ways.

For a long, tense minute, there was no movement except for the shudders that vibrated through Heidi's body. Then, without forewarning, Edward pivoted sharply and strode out of the room.

Bella and Jasper exchanged confused glances but said nothing. They could hear Edward walk down the hall and stop. A jangle of keys, a door opening, and a period of silence until the sound sequence repeated in reverse. He reentered the room with a bulky manila envelope and stopped in front of a waist-high dresser.

All three looked on as Edward pulled a bluish-gray piece of paper out the envelope and moved a pen rapidly across the surface. Once the paper was slipped back into the envelope, he returned to the group and handed the packet to Jasper.

"Get up," Edward commanded as he glared down at Heidi. Jasper held out a hand to aid her in standing on unsteady legs.

"Mr. Whitlock, you will escort her to the garage and drive her off the property in the Range Rover. Once outside the gate, give her this envelope. Ms. Fischer, inside you will find the title to the vehicle, signed over to you, and five thousand dollars. Do with them as you will, although if indeed you fear for your life, I would suggest finding a place of safety."

Bella hardly spared a glance to observe Heidi's reaction to such a generous and undeserved gift. Instead, her eyes roamed over the masculine planes and sharp angles of Edward's face. She had never witnessed this side of him off-set – so decisive, poised, and just utterly…in charge.

"But…but what about my things here? I won't have anything, I-"

"Forgive me for saying this, but it's not my concern." He frowned, then sighed. "Send me an address, and I will have them shipped to you."

"What am I supposed to do until then?" she cried. "How am I going to-"

"Jasper." Edward nodded toward the hall. His head jerked like the fall of a gavel.

The blond-haired chief of security grasped Heidi's upper arms and firmly guided her through the door.

"No! Please…you can't…" The volume of her words faded as Jasper took her down the stairs.

Silent and immobile, Bella waited for Edward to indicate the next action. An unfocused gaze suggested he was lost in thought, and she didn't want to disturb him.

The house door opened and closed, an engine started, and then the SUV could be seen outside the window as it exited the driveway. Bella let out a heavy sigh when the vehicle was no longer in sight.

"Damn," whispered Edward, breaking the stillness. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hands into fists.

Intuitively sensing his imminent breakdown, she knew it was time to go to him. Three short steps, and Bella pressed her body against Edward's back. Her arms curved around his sides and crossed in front of his stomach to hold him in a tight embrace.

"Let's go downstairs," she murmured into his shirt.

His long arm reached behind as he twisted around and pulled her alongside. Holding each other up, they walked slowly out of the bedroom.

Once in the great room on the first floor, Bella led Edward to a couch, where he sat hunched over with elbows on knees and head dropped into his hands. She lowered herself beside him and began rubbing large circles over his back.

"I'm not sure how I feel right now," he admitted in a low voice. "Nothing seems real, and I find it very confusing."

"I think that's okay," Bella responded gently. "There's no script or timeline that you have to follow. One step at a time." She laid her head against his shoulder. "I'll be there with you…if you want."

Edward sat up and took her hand, interlaced their fingers, and brought her wrist up to his mouth. Brushing a kiss across the skin there, he nodded as if in acceptance of her offer, but Bella noticed his glazed eyes stared at nothing and were devoid of emotion. She clutched a hand to her chest as the vice around her heart tightened even further.

-o-o-o-o- OSC –o-o-o-o-

Bella felt as if she were facing a firing squad. And she grudgingly had to admit that the firing squad was right.

"It just seems so unnecessary," she complained with only the slightest tinge of whine in her tone.

Charlie, Sara, Esme, and Angela all looked at her with varying degrees of sympathy. In Charlie's case, there was little to none. He stared down his nose at her and folded his arms.

"Bells, this is going to happen. You're in the center of their sights now, and those photographers can be ruthless. Unless you can promise me that you're never going to set foot outside the studio or Esme's house, we're getting a full-time security contract."

Sara tried a different tack.

"All we want is for you to be safe. It's not like there'll be a bodyguard stapled to you 24 hours a day. We'll hire a security service that will have someone available any time you need it. Just think of it as an upgraded plan to the retainer agreement we already have in place."

Angela hammered the final nail in the coffin. "You're working with Whitlock Security Group when you spend time with Edward, and you don't seem to have a problem with that."

"Not that you have to go with the company he uses," Charlie grumbled. "There are plenty of choices in this town."

"Oh stop," Esme chided. "Bella needs to be comfortable with whomever she chooses."

"Fine," Bella muttered in a manner very similar to her father's. "We'll set up an appointment with WSG and go from there. What's next?"

Angela glanced down at her list. "Ms. Brandon requested an update on your recovery. As a reminder, your follow-up CT scan is scheduled for Thursday morning."

Bella nodded as she absently flexed the joints of her left leg. Five days had passed since the accident, and her limp was barely noticeable now. She itched to get back in front of the camera and felt confident she was ready to go, but Charlie and Sara insisted she wait until after the scan interpretation.

"I'm going to the studio tomorrow to touch base, and if I get the green light on Thursday, I'll be available following my appointment…yes?"

Sara and Esme voiced their agreement, but Charlie only harrumphed.

"Okay, I'll let Alice know," Angela continued. "Esme, you've got a three o'clock call with Kate, and she wants to discuss the status of Izzy's, um, association with Edward."

Suppressing a sigh, Bella picked up her pen and began doodling on the notepad in front of her. She always had known any relationship of hers would be a discussion point at team meetings, but when the members of that team included her father, honorary mother, and another mother-like figure, supplying honest and detailed information of her love life was a downright uncomfortable task.

"Officially, nothing has changed since our 'crisis response' meeting with Edward's team. We're close friends, and that's all anyone needs to know for now." Bella's eyes stayed on her scribbles as she spoke.

Truthfully, she couldn't answer the question of their status. While she felt strongly for Edward and he professed the same, they had not had The Talk. In fact, they hadn't been in contact much since she left his house with Jasper after the Heidi incident two days ago. The sudden disappearance of his presence from her life was wreaking havoc on her emotions.

Edward had remained withdrawn when Jasper returned from escorting Heidi, who had calmed down and driven away without further commotion. Walking back to the main house, Jasper called to update Rosalie and Emmett, and they arrived shortly afterward. The three of them and Jay, via teleconference, discussed the confrontation and its implications, but Bella barely took in a word of the conversation. Her concerned eyes were trained on Edward, and he looked as if his mind was in a far different place and time.

He had taken only a few sips of the water she brought and refused her offer of food with a quiet "no, thank you." When Jasper prepared to leave for the day, she asked Edward if he wanted her to stay with him.

"I'll be fine" was all he said in reply.

Bella tried not to show how much his rejection stung her. She gave him a long hug and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. Then she made Emmett promise to stay the night and to call her for anything out of the ordinary. Rosalie pulled Bella aside just before they parted company, and the two women spoke briefly about convincing Edward to see a therapist – sooner rather than later.

It was so difficult for her to watch the house grow smaller in the rear window, but she wanted to respect Edward's space and privacy. Their relationship – however it was to be defined – was new, and she only had begun to uncover the real man behind the actor's façade. Her biggest fear was that Edward would retreat behind his familiar emotional walls and extinguish the spark of life that recently had been fighting to ignite within the oppressive darkness of his mind.

"...Bella needs to publically distance herself from him – and personally, of course."

Startled by the sound of her name, the young actress glanced around the table and realized a conversation was in full swing around her.

"What?"

Charlie's mouth formed a hard line under his mustache. "I didn't realize the boy was so…unscrupulous. He can't be trusted, Bells, and you need to stop seeing him outside of work."

"You barely know him." She tried to remain reasonable even though her anger was rising quickly.

"I've learned enough," Charlie retorted. "A person like that…he only wants one thing."

"Dad! How can you even say that? What happened? A few days ago, you two were fine."

"A few days ago, I hadn't known about all his, uh, female conquests. You're too good for a person like that."

"Rumors, lies, and your standard, everyday media bullshit! He's not like that, and I won't let you talk badly about him!"

Everyone in Esme's dining room gaped at Bella's tirade. She was more incensed than anyone ever had seen her.

"Bella, you're still so young, and we just want what's best for you," Sara tried.

"I know." Bella inhaled deeply and search for calm. "But trust me on this. Edward is nothing like how they make him seem. He's just…really…great." She bit her lip and concentrated on not blushing.

"I'm sure Bella will be careful and also pass along to Edward that he'll be ripped limb from limb if he hurts her." Esme smiled wickedly. "So, anything else on the agenda?"

Grunting in dissatisfaction, Charlie scowled but didn't say anything further.

Angela penned something on her paper. "Mom, I booked Thursday evening flights for you and Chief. With school move-in starting on the twenty-first, I'll be driving back to Forks as soon as Izzy is done filming, or by the fifteenth, at the latest. Izz, do you want me to look into a temp if you're not done by then?"

"Nah, I'll be fine."

"Okay, then. The final item I have is a reminder about dinner at Boa's Steakhouse. A car will be here at six."

"Tonight?" asked Bella, frowning.

"Is that not okay, dear?" Esme wondered. "I thought you might want to eat out for a change, and you know how much Charlie loves their steak."

"Oh, sure. It's fine. I'll be ready to go." She grimaced and rose from the table. "Meanwhile, I'm going to take a nap, if that's all for now."

Bella hurried up to her room and flopped on her bed. She wasn't very tired but wanted to have some time by herself – alone with her disappointingly silent phone.

Edward hadn't texted, emailed, or called yet today, and it was one in the afternoon. She scrolled through her message history and sighed again.

Sun, 9:38 p.m.

B: Just wanted to make sure you're okay and to say I'm thinking of you. I hope you get some rest. xoxo

Sun, 10:41 p.m.

E: Thank you.

Mon, 10:06 a.m.

B: I saw Peter's email about the schedule and noticed you're on set today. Do you want to get together afterwards? You could come here, or I could drive over…or whatever.

Mon, 8:10 p.m.

E: Long day, just wrapped and very tired. Maybe tomorrow if it's not too late.

Mon, 8:15 p.m.

B: Let me know when you're free. I really want to see you…

That last sentence was so understated it almost could be called a lie. Yesterday felt like one of the longest days of her life as she compulsively checked her phone for a reply to her morning text. She spent time performing her therapeutic exercises in the pool, helped Sara prepare lunch and dinner, watched a DVD with her family (and Ben), cleaned out her email inbox, practiced walking heel-to-toe for a half hour, and even looked through a few real estate listings Esme had given her.

None of it took her mind off the eager anticipation of Edward's answer. Although the tone of her message was hesitant, it never occurred to her that he wouldn't respond affirmatively – or at least with a suggestion for the next time she would see him. When her phone finally announced the text's arrival, the level of despondency and confusion that she experienced at his indifference surprised her.

Before her accident, before he declared to have such passion for her, she had come to expect his rapid and seemingly inexplicable mood swings. Yes, the inconstancy bothered her then, but that was also before she realized how deeply her feelings ran. Maybe it was too much to expect that Edward would reform his ways so quickly. Or might it not be possible for him to change at all?

Bella gritted her teeth and pulled up her contact list. She didn't want to have an important conversation over the phone, but her lower lip couldn't take much more abuse. She pressed 'Send' and waited.

Just as she suspected, his voice mail picked up.

"Edward, please give me a call as soon as you can. I'm worried, and I need to know how you're doing. I…I…miss you."

Shocked at the sudden wave of emotion that crashed over her, Bella ended the call and pressed her palms to her misty eyes.

"Dammit, Edward Cullen," she muttered. "What are you doing to me?"

-o-o-o-o- OSC –o-o-o-o-

The poor girl never saw it coming.

"I am so sorry! Let me help you with that."

Bella dropped to her knees and began picking up cables and other various pieces of electrical equipment that she couldn't name. Mouth ajar, the young woman, who had been the recipient of an accidental body check, accepted the items Bella hurriedly shoved into her arms and stared as the undeterred actress resumed her swift pace down the hall.

Normally, Bella would stay and chat for a minute, but she was single-minded in her determination to find Edward. Word on the set placed him in his dressing room, and she wasn't going to let him get away. Not after his pathetic text excuse for a reply to her voice mail.

She received it just before eleven last night, and it had read: I'm not feeling well. Will talk to you soon.

Bella was trying so hard to be patient and understanding, but irritation had set in. She began to wonder if Edward had some sort of issue with her, and if so, she deserved to be made aware of it. If something else was bothering him, the least he could do was give the courtesy of a straight answer. And if neither A nor B fit the bill, then he was being a jerk, and Bella would not suffer his foolishness gladly...or silently.

Outside Edward's dressing room, she tightened her ponytail, drew back her shoulders, and tapped on the wood frame. She sucked in a breath as her diatribe readied itself for launching, but when the door finally opened, her resolve deflated like a just-grounded parachute.

The cold fluorescent lighting did nothing to hide red-rimmed eyes and the black shadows on his haggard face. His shoulders drooped, and it looked as if an ambitious breeze could knock him over.

Bella forgot about her indignation and any possibility that he might not want to see her. Only one need drove her actions, and it was to wrap her arms around him as soon as she could manage.

Edward stiffened when she threw herself at his body, but the tension lasted only a moment. She squeezed him as hard as she could, and he seemed to melt around her. He laid his cheek on the top of her head and let out a prolonged, shuddering sigh.

After several blissful minutes of thinking nothing except how wonderful and right she felt to be with him again, Bella took a step back and pushed his door shut behind her. She lifted her nervous gaze to his face.

With a small, mournful smile, Edward led her to the couch and pulled her close into his side. The familiar scent signaled home to her, and she pressed her nose into his chest to breathe him in.

But before she could slip completely under his intoxicating spell, Bella forced herself to remember why she had come.

"You've been avoiding me. Why?" Her words were flat, defeated.

"Bella…I…you..."

She didn't have to see his expression to know he was struggling.

"Please just tell me this first: is it something I did?"

His chest heaved as he gasped. Gentle hands cupped her face and brought it level to his.

"No, Bella! God, no. I'm so sorry you thought that."

A scowl broke out over her features, and she pulled away from him. "Then what's going on? Why won't you talk to me? I can understand you might need some time alone to sort things out, but couldn't you just tell me that? I've been worrying so much." She wasn't sure if the prickling behind her eyes was due more to anger or hurt.

"Oh, Bella." Again he curled his fingers around either side of her jaw, but this time he held her still to convey his apology with the most soulful, tender kiss upon her lips. His mouth moved slowly against hers, and she could feel every beat of his remorseful heart in the pulsing warmth of his plea for forgiveness.

After a bittersweet eternity, he sat back and stared into the entreating pools of her eyes.

"I can't say how sorry I am that I made you feel that way. It's just…I'm so…" He dropped his chin to his chest and blew out a frustrated breath.

"It's okay," Bella murmured. "Just be honest. Please."

"I shouldn't have shut you out. I'm trying to do what's right, but it's hard to make sense of how I feel right now. I mean, I know I'm screwed up in the head and need help, but it's like I'm paralyzed from shock or...I don't know. And after Sunday, it's worse than it's ever been."

Bella chewed on the inside of her jaw to keep from saying anything. She realized how important it was for him to let everything out.

"God, this is so hard to admit, but it's eating me up inside, and I don't know what else to do." Edward stared at the ground with tortured eyes. "It's like something broke when she laughed at me - as if a dam burst and everything I'd been holding back all these years was finally free to come out. I felt like I had the chance to right a wrong...I was back in college, the day after, with her taunting me all over again. But this time, I was going to do things differently. This time, I wouldn't let her win."

"I wanted to kill her, Bella," he whispered. "I felt her life under my fingers, and I wanted to extract from it every second of doubt, self-loathing, vengefulness, and pain that I suffered since I met her. And what scares me the most is that, if someone else hadn't been there, I don't know if I would have stopped."

Now he angrily scrubbed a hand across his face. "What does that say about me as a person? What she - or Jacob or who-the-hell-ever – did to me is horrible, but am I worse? Thinking about the possibility, well, it makes me wonder if that potential has always been in me. Maybe I'm just...bad. Maybe I deserved what happened to me, and I never even knew it."

Bella sucked in a shocked breath. "Edward! No one deserves that. And you're not a bad person. I know that you're not."

"What about all the women I hurt? I was cruel and enjoyed humiliating them. What about my dad? Why would he treat me like that – his own son – if I hadn't done something wrong? And my mom…" He choked back a sob. "Why did she leave me? Why couldn't I stop her from going?"

Tears steaming down her face, Bella clutched at his shoulders and pulled him close against her. "That is not your fault. Your mom, your dad…you were just a child! There's nothing you could have done to cause what happened. It's not your fault."

"Then why, Bella?" he whispered, utterly lost. "Why?"

She could only shake her head and grip him more tightly. "I don't know. I wish I had answers for you. I can't tell you how much I wish I could help."

Her hand moved over his back and then slid upward. Lightly probing and kneading, her fingers massaged his scalp and neck as she tried to comfort him the best she could.

Calm gradually settled over them, and Bella knew she and Edward just survived an important test of their relationship. The stress and uncertainty of the past few days had been dissolved by the trust he showed by revealing his deepest fears to her.

Eyes closed, he lay within her embrace for countless shared heartbeats and seemed to draw strength from her presence. She could tell in the ways each breath was longer than the last and how the tension bled out of his muscles. These were the times she cherished most – when they simply held each other and just were. No words necessary to express themselves, no concern for the world outside that of their joined bodies, nothing else required for completeness.

At some point, light kisses dropped from her mouth into his hair. She hadn't made a conscious decision to do so. The act was a natural manifestation of the moment, just as was Edward's shift in position over her to align his lips and catch those affectionate kisses.

Bella sighed into his mouth and clenched her eyes at the sweetly painful emotion that was building so rapidly it threatened to burst from her. She never had experienced anything so intense, and it caused an undefined thought to flash through her mind. At present, only the smallest portion of her brain was capable of reason, and that part struggled to make itself heard among the bombardment of sensations now assaulting her.

She tried to grasp onto the intangible word that named those feelings, but when Edward opened his mouth to her, everything swept away except for the taste of his warm wetness. A quiet moan escaped her lips as his tongue dipped inside to lightly caress her own. Her breathing quickened as just the tip stroked softly, back and forth, up and down, teasing and cajoling her need. It was as if he held a pinpoint flame to her skin that created an exquisite burn everywhere it touched, and he moved it oh-so-slowly, drawing out her pleasure and stretching it taut.

Without warning, Edward plunged deep into her mouth as though he could not hold back any longer. The length of his tongue thrust roughly against hers, completely dominate and demanding. Bella cried out and swung her hips up in desperation as arousal pooled between her legs.

Edward met her halfway with a powerful drive of his own. When the hard bulge in his jeans rammed home at the apex of her thighs, he groaned loudly and hooked the back of her knee. Holding her steady in place, he pushed his clothed erection as near as the material would allow and ground against her center, his hips describing a slow, shallow oval.

Bella was nearly frantic with need. His deliberate pace made her hyperaware of every movement, and her whole body trembled as her orgasm began to gather underneath his strokes. She slid down onto the couch so that she rested flat and Edward could lay his whole body atop her. The improved angle increased the contact of their bodies, and Bella swiveled her sex counter to Edward's.

He sucked in a labored breath at her action and put his lips to her ear.

"Bella, you feel so good," he panted. "Can you tell how hard I am for you?"

She moaned and arced faster against him. "God, yes…I want you so badly." Her fingers clawed into his back as the ache between her legs begged for relief. She couldn't think and she couldn't wait and she was ready to do anything, if only she could be granted the release for which her body burned.

"Edward, I…oh god…I want…I want to feel you…inside me…"

"Ah, fuck!" Edward cried and began to thrust wildly, rubbing the length of his rock-hard erection over jeans that held soaked, throbbing folds. "I want that…so much. But not here. Not now."

Bella growled in frustration and latched onto the back of his clothes, pushing and pulling as she aided his movements in fulfilling her lust. Swollen pink lips sought out the line of his exposed neck - she sucked his skin inside her mouth and bit down.

"Fine, Edward," she snarled impatiently, surprising even herself with her rough tone. "Fuck me later. But right now...Make. Me. Come."

"Fuck, yes!" Edward swore, his eyes clamped shut as he grew even larger and harder within the strained confines of his pants. He redoubled his efforts under the force of Bella's demanding hands, and soon she was writhing violently beneath him.

"Bella, I can't…I'm gonna come…what do...you need?" His body shook with the effort of trying to stave off his release.

"I'm so close…just a little…more…"

"You feel so fucking good…I can't…Bella…AH…I'm coming…I'm coming so hard!"

The erratic spasms of his eruption were just what she needed.

"Yeah, that's it…that's…oh…oh…fuck, I'm coming, Edward!" Bella curled her pelvis upward as he gave one final thrust and set off her shattering orgasm.

This time she was ready for the long-lasting rushes of pleasure that ripped through her, and she savored each one with a throaty moan of satisfaction. When Edward finally collapsed on top of her, she wrapped her arms and legs around him like a hanging sloth – and to be honest, she very much felt like one at the moment.

"You know, love, it's very surprising – yet so amazingly sexy – when you curse and take charge like that," Edward laughed breathily.

"Really? Huh," Bella chuckled as she wiped a sheen of sweat from his brow. "I have no memory of anything I may or may not have said during the last several minutes."

"I'm that good? Nice."

"Oh, please. Don't flatter your-" Bella paused and reconsidered. "I take that back. You actually are that good."

Edward began laughing in earnest as he flipped their positions on the couch so that she was on top. He hugged her tightly and laved joyful kisses all over her face.

"Bella, you're the one who's 'that good' – and in every way. You make me so damned happy." He exhaled and shook his head in wonder. "You wish you could help me, but you already do…so very much. Everything is better with you, and I was a fool for not taking advantage of that during the last three days. Even worse, I closed myself off and hurt you. I can't say enough how sorry I am."

She tenderly brushed damp strands of hair off his forehead. "Apology accepted. I didn't want to push if you needed time or space, but if we can't communicate, I won't know how to be supportive."

"You're absolutely right, and I'll try my best not to let it happen again."

They exchanged a sweet, chaste kiss before Bella slid off Edward and got to her feet.

"It's a good thing I keep spare clothes at the studio," she commented wryly, glancing down at the damp spot on her jeans.

"You still have to do the walk of shame, though," he snorted in reply.

Bella's eyes narrowed at his unfortunately accurate observation. "Damn," she muttered, but then brightened again.

With an eyebrow raised, Edward watched as she grabbed his hands and pulled him to a sitting position. Then she lifted his arms above his head.

"Stay," she commanded. In a quick, fluid motion, she reached down and whipped his shirt off his body.

"Hey!" he cried, trying to snatch back the stolen article of clothing.

Bella danced out of his reach while sliding the large shirt over her head. "I'm just going to borrow this for a bit…or maybe longer, I haven't decided yet," she smirked mischievously.

"What if I chase after you? I'm pretty fast, you know."

"You're going to run shirtless down the hall? Brave. I hope you don't come across Lauren on the way."

"Not cool, love" he grimaced and shuddered. "Have the damned thing if you must. I suppose it's the least I could do considering I did contribute to your, uh, problem."

She giggled at his wink and took hold of the door handle. "And you should probably take care of your problem before you leave." Her eyes suddenly dropped to the floor as she cleared her throat. "Um, if you're busy or don't feel ready for company or anything…no big deal, but I'm not doing anything for the rest of the day, so…"

Edward walked over to Bella and tipped up her chin. "Come over as soon as you can. In fact, I'd love to cook dinner for you. Any preferences?"

Her heart fluttered at the open warmth in his clear green eyes. "No, but I can think of something I'd like for dessert."

"Is that so?" he whispered, leaning in close until his lips grazed hers. "I'll be happy to fulfill your every desire, Ms. Swan."

"Anything I want?" she murmured.

"Anything."


Sorry this update is later than usual...though it is nearly twice as long! I've always wondered whether readers prefer shorter chapters with more frequent updates or the opposite...

Also, thanks to all the well wishes for my RL issues. They made me feel a lot better!


I forgot to mention this in the last A/N, but Sarah Kane's Blasted is a very real play that is very...messed up. You can Wikipedia it for plot details.