A/N: So no real important note here. Review and enjoy!

** I do not own the characters etc… all belong to SM. Thanks – The Management**

Edward POV

This was officially beyond bad. I had been standing outside of the door to the guest bedroom for over 20 minutes, unable to knock. I didn't even bother to try the handle; I knew full well Bella had locked it. I would have locked it if I was her. When Esme finally came upstairs to let me know that Carlisle and Peter, his coworker the psychiatrist, had arrived, I realized I had to bite the bullet. Esme opened a drawer in a small console table in the hallway, handed me a small key and just walked back down the stairs.

When I finally unlocked the door, she was sitting in the middle of the bed, sobbing quietly. Her knees were pulled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them and she was lightly rocking back and forth. She looked so fragile, but already broken.

"Bella," I whispered tentatively as I inched closer to her. "Will you talk to me?" She said nothing. "I'm sorry I carried you back here like some stupid possessive boyfriend. I just didn't want you to get sick or hurt. I love you."

"Then support me. Agree with me. There is nothing wrong," she said quietly as she stopped the rocking motion of her body.

"I do support you, but if there was nothing wrong, none of this would be happening." I hesitated before continuing what I needed to say. "There is someone here to help you," I said painfully, not wanting to admit to myself that she needed help.

"You are here to help me. That's all I need."

"No Bella, that is not all you need," said someone who I guessed was Peter, as he stood in the doorway watching us. I hadn't even heard him climb the stairs or walk near the room. "I'm Peter. I work with Carlisle down at the hospital." Bella nodded her head, clearly acknowledging him, but then she reached for my hand and wouldn't let go. "Would you mind if we talked?"

"Can Edward stay?" she said very quietly, her voice sounding sore and broken.

"Sure, if that is what you want," he replied genuinely as he grabbed a chair from the opposite side of the room and sat down in front of us. Bella adjusted herself on the bed and the moment I sat down beside her, she clung to me for dear life.

"Esme and Carlisle filled me in on the recent events of your life Bella. Did you want to discuss them with me?" asked Peter solemnly. I hoped like hell that he knew what he was doing. She shook her head. "Can Edward tell me about them?"

"He can tell you whatever he wants," she said angrily. Peter was trying to get her to talk and I assumed he figured that if I said something she didn't like, she would contradict me, thus answering his questions. I would play his games, if it meant she got better.

"When did you notice Bella was different?" asked Peter as he stared at Bella, noticing every single movement she made. I ran my hand down her back to reassure her of my love and started to answer his questions.

"I have been worried about her since the moment we went back to school after her father's funeral. We stopped spending time together for a bit, she would blow off plans with me for no apparent reason and when she did finally talk to me, I figured it was only because she was drunk. Sorry Bella," I said as I looked into her slightly shocked gaze. "I'm just being honest."

"How does that make you feel Bella?"

"Like shit," she replied bluntly, still not really wanting to get drawn into the conversation.

"When did the nightmares start?" he asked again, appearing like he was taking mental notes or something.

"I heard the first scream the night before we came here for Christmas break, so like a week ago. But according to her roommate Alice, they have been happening for a while longer. Apparently Bella didn't like me sleeping over because she didn't want me to know about the nightmares." I was being as completely forthright as possible. I wanted her back together again. I wanted us to make love every chance we got, and fall asleep in each other's arms and to not have to worry about being woken up to screams of terror. "Tell Peter when they started Bella," I implored as I stroked her hair gently.

"Fine. The nightmares started the night I found out Charlie died and the screams started the night I got back to Seattle. Happy now?" she asked as she glared at me.

"Yes, very," I replied in frustration.

"So I am guessing that the nightmares are the reason you aren't sleeping?" Bella nodded her head. "And the not sleeping is affecting your grades, and clearly your personal life." She nodded again. I was feeling very proud of her as she started to open up to Peter a bit more with every question he asked her. It was almost an hour later when she was finally answering his questions in full sentences, and not needing any additional encouragement from me. She even talked at length about Charlie and the effect his death had on her. She never discussed us though, but then again, Peter didn't bring it up. When Peter finally seemed finished with his questioning, he went downstairs to get Esme and Carlisle to join us.

"I'm very proud of you," I whispered as I kissed her on the forehead tenderly.

"Thanks," she croaked hoarsely, her throat clearly still sore from all the crying. Esme and Carlisle walked in a few moments later and Peter looked prepared to give us some sort of assessment about Bella. I was nervous, and she clung to me like a drowning person to a life raft.

"Well, you've obviously got some form of depression Bella," he said concisely. "You should definitely look into getting some additional assistance, perhaps visiting a psychiatrist back at school. I know UW has a great psychology center for their students, so I recommend you go to that as soon as possible when you get back into Seattle. I could give you a prescription for the sleeping issues, but it won't make the nightmares or anything go away. It's just a short term solution."

I looked down at Bella and she had started to cry again. Esme slowly wandered over and wrapped us both into a bear hug while Peter continued talking.

"You should be very glad that your friends and family care enough to have noticed the changes in you. Sometimes it takes years before the depression is diagnosed and more severe forms of therapy are required. If you make an appointment with a psychiatrist back at school and are diligent about it all, I think in the long run things will be fine."

"So I can be fixed?" she asked hopeful.

"You're not broken Bella, you're just sad. It's logical after the loss of technically both parents. You just need to learn to stand on your own two feet again and not be afraid." said Peter as he watched carefully for Bella's reaction.

"Can you hand me my cell phone Carlisle?" I asked, motioning behind him on the dresser.

"Who do you need to call?" inquired Esme curiously.

"UW. They're open today so I am calling to book an appointment with the psychiatrist." Said Bella confidently. If it wasn't for the tear stained cheeks, she might almost look like my Bella from last September.

Bella POV

So I'm sick, but it's treatable. So I'm sad, but I'm happy. I know what is wrong, but sometimes I still can't believe it. So much for the pillow I was going to embroider that said 'There is nothing wrong.' After Peter left, Alice and Jasper came up to talk quickly before they too had to leave for dinner with Jasper's parents.

"I'm not sorry," said Alice as she wandered into the room where Edward was still holding me. Of course, I was the one clinging to him as though my last breath depended on it. "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"You were just being a good friend Alice. I'm sorry it came to this," I said as I hung my head in shame. Edward reached his finger under my chin and pushed my head back up.

"Don't be ashamed. Five years from now this will be a distant memory and we will all be happy doing whatever the hell we will be doing," said Edward with a genuine tone to his voice. I believed him.

"I don't want to know you guys in five years. I'm gonna be a nude model in France somewhere," joked Jasper as Alice punched him lightly in the gut. I just laughed and tried not to think about Jasper naked.

"Dude, don't make us dry heave, it's been a while since we ate anything," growled Edward.

"Do you want me to have Esme bring you guys something to eat?" asked Alice as she turned to head to the door.

"No, I think 4 hours is more than enough time to be stuck in this room. It's kinda tainted to me now. We'll make it downstairs after I move all of my stuff into Edwards's room for the next few nights." I said bluntly. I was just going after what I wanted. It's not like his parents had no idea we were sleeping together.

"Okay, well we will see you guys on New Year's Eve right? At Rose's house?" said Jasper as he grabbed Alice's hand in his.

"Yeah, we'll be there." I said confidently, as Edward looked down at me and sighed. Perhaps he didn't want to go to the party, I thought to myself. Before Alice and Jasper left, they each gave me a big hug and promised to be there if I needed them. The moment I heard the front door close, I gently hopped off the bed and gathered all my stuff to move it into Edwards' bedroom.

"Why are you moving all your stuff all of a sudden?" he asked curiously as he sat on the bed watching me.

"You could help you know?" I joked lazily with him.

"Bella, you have two suitcases and some Christmas gifts, it's not important if they are in my room."

"It's important to me. We only have a few more days left of holidays, let's just enjoy them," I looked back at Edward, practically begging with my eyes, and he finally relented and helped me carry some stuff into his room. The rest of the night was very awkward. During dinner, Esme and Carlisle kept looking at me as though I might snap at any time, and Edward always kept me close, as though he was keeping an eye on me. It was getting weird.

The next few days were no better. I was never alone, unless I was in the bathroom, but even then Edward or Esme would knock on the door to check on me if they thought I was taking too long. I did a little sightseeing one day with Rose and Alice, but I just didn't feel into it at all. The fact that they always seemed to be whispering about something didn't help. Perhaps I was also becoming paranoid. If Edward wasn't with me, then it was Esme, Rose or Alice. Even Carlisle got in on the annoyance and offered to teach me how to play chess. I turned him down and went back to reading my book, but he still stayed within my line of vision, watching me.

By the time New Years Eve rolled around, I was starting to think they had me on some sort of suicide watch. It was almost 3 when Alice showed up at the house, insisting she had to help me get ready for Rosalie's party.

"Alice, I can pull up a zipper myself," I snarled at her when she bounded up into Edward's room and practically took over. I was a very unwilling participant in her game of 'make over Bella' but I also knew it didn't matter, she would do it anyways.

"Oh just relax Bella. I'm just gonna do your hair. You've been moping around here for days in a ponytail; the least I could do was help with your hair. Okay?" she said forcefully.

"Fine Alice, but if I look like a hooker when I am done, so help me god, I will strangle you," I said in frustration. I knew she wouldn't make me look like a hooker, but I didn't know what was in style these days; I just hoped it wasn't gigantic 80's hair and blue eye shadow.

It took almost two hours, a lot of pulling and primping and almost an entire bottle of some sort of product, but it actually looked decent, pretty even. Edward seemed impressed when he finally wandered into the room to get dressed.

"You look great Bella," he said happily. It was actually the happiest I had seen him in several days.

"Well, thank Alice, she's the miracle worker," I laughed effortlessly.

"Bella, your dress is lying in the guestroom. I'm gonna go downstairs and get my outfit to get changed. Jasper will be here any minute to drive us over to Rose's," said Alice as she shot Edward a quick glance, as though telling him to hurry up.

Edward stepped into his closet to pull out something to wear and I headed into the guest bedroom to slide on the red cocktail dress that Alice had laid out. We had picked it up while we were out sightseeing a few days earlier. Alice got the exact same dress in black and promised she wouldn't be wearing it tonight. That would be too much of a fashion faux pas for her. The dress was knee length, had a little ruffled edge at the bottom and along the small straps on the shoulders, I thought it was sexy, yet not slutty. Edward clearly agreed when he popped his head into the room and a huge smile crossed his face.

"Well, aren't I the luckiest guy tonight? You look sensational," he said as he kissed my neck gently.

"Keep this up Cullen and we'll never make it to Rosalie's party," I said as I grabbed his hair and tried to tug him from my skin gently.

"Who cares? Its people from high school I never cared for who are coming tonight. We could just stay here, or go get ourselves a nice big hotel room and really celebrate in style, all by ourselves," he whispered as he continued to suck gently on my neck.

"Edward, you are going to give me a damned hickey,' I said as I finally pushed him off of me. "We're gonna go. I owe it to Alice and Rose for being so supportive lately. Please?" I said sweetly, as he frowned slightly and then grabbed my hand to lead us out of the room and into the cold New Year's night.