Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.


June 17, 2013: Forks, Washington

Bella's POV

"Today's the day." I heard Edward murmur.

I was sprawled across Edward's bed, my nose buried in a book while he was on the couch, supposedly listening to whatever changes needed to be done on the soundtrack.

But really, our minds were on Esme.

They had put her in a coma, trying to give her a chance to heal of all her injuries. The doctor was worried that she'd have certain brain issues like memory or nerve function, but I felt pretty good about today. We had seen her the second day we were here and she looked so...weak and fragile. I was afraid to even breath near her. But as the days went by, she seemed to get stronger, better. Now, she looks almost healthy, with a few cuts and bruises. Better than what I first saw.

But today, they are finally going to take her out of the coma, and see what needs to be done. My hope is that she'll be fine, but then again, realistically and because I had once been where she's at, I knew the road to recovery is a long one.

Today is also the day that Tanya fly's in. That I'm not the least bit excited about. Edward and her hadn't talked the first few days, but then it finally clicked that maybe she should care a little bit about her boyfriends mother, and she called him up. Edward had kept it light, giving her vague details, but it wasn't until 2 days ago that she found out Rose, Jasper and I were here. That was enough to buy the next ticket out of LA to Washington.

I wasn't fooled, and it looked like Edward wasn't either.

We seemed to be spending a lot of time together. Actually getting along, even teasing each other a bit. After that one night, when we slept together, the morning after we seemed to gravitate towards each other and we ended up tangled around each other, our hands clasped together. It was a bit weird in the beginning, but I guess we just both decided to see it for what it was. A good friend comforting another good friend who needed it.

And just so happened to be the ex that I was still very much in love with.

Right.

Anyway, it hadn't happened again. We slept in the same room, but he slept on the couch and I slept on the bed.

Tonight though, I was heading to my house, for the first time in almost 9 years.

So today was the day.

"Do you think she'll be...different?" Edward wondered aloud.

I hesitated, not sure which was the correct way to answer that. "If she is, then we'll handle it." I say.

"But do you think she'll be okay?" He pressed.

I sigh and turn my head to look at him. He's already looking at me.

"Edward, I'm sure she'll be fine. Maybe a little disoriented at first but overall, fine." I tell him.

This seems to placate him and he turns his attention to the music sheet once more.

But now, I want to talk. The book wasn't that interesting anyway.

"Do you think Tanya will be mad that you're spending time with me?" I ask him.

He peeks at me through the corner of his eye. "Don't worry about Tanya." He tells me.

I sigh and turn so that I'm lying on my stomach, propping my elbow up so that my head is resting on my hand.

"How can I not worry about Tanya? Last time you spent a bunch of time with her you bailed on me." I tell him.

He sighs and puts the music sheet down, turning his body so that it was facing me.

"I know. And I'm sorry about that. It's just that Tanya was always insecure about you." I snort. Of course she is, the only reason you got with her is because I left you.

He gives me the stink eye and I roll my eyes. "Listen, she's...in my life. But now you are too. And she's just going to have to deal with that."

I thought about that for a moment, thinking it over. Is this Edward going to last? Or is he just going to be a jerk the minute she lands?

Edward, sensing my doubts, sighs.

"Look, I know. Trust me Bella, the way I've behaved so far leaves you no reason to trust me and my emotions. But, even though I fully stand with what I said about not being able to be friends with someone who thinks I'm capable of cheating, I don't fully believe that you believe that. For whatever reason, you're keeping the truth from me, and I'll wait for you to tell me. I owe you at least that much." He says.

I shake my head. "You don't owe me anything."

"Yes, I do." He says adamantly. "Bella you came when I needed someone to lean on. You were mad at me, you still are mad at me, and yet here you are, hanging out in my old room with me all because you know I need you here."

I don't know what to say to that so I choose to say nothing.

"We're friends now. Whether I'd like to admit it, you snuck your way in again. You are my friend, and Tanya will just have to deal with that." he says.

I can't help the smile that spreads through my face, and in that moment, I'm ready to tell him everything. I'm ready to tell him the truth.

I can taste the words in my mouth.

Maybe today's the day for the truth too.

But before I can say anything, there's a knock on the door, which is a jar open and in walks Jasper, coming to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching over to ruffle my hair a bit.

"Morning guys." He says.

I sit up and sit next to him. "Morning." Edward and I say at the same time.

"Are we leaving now?" I ask Jasper.

Jasper had been spending a lot of time with Alice, much like I had been with Edward. Although, I got the feeling that he and Alice seemed to be spending it with a lot more romantic things then Edward and I ever even considered. I probably wouldn't know what was going on until we had to head back tomorrow, but I guess I could wait.

The same goes for Rose and Emmett though. That surprised me most of all. They were actually joined to the hip lately, giving each other goo-goo eyes. I couldn't wait to tell Esme. She would definitely take the credit for all of them getting together. I could practically hear her now, saying how her accident brought us all together.

"No, I actually came to talk to you about that. Edward, when's Tanya getting here?" Jasper asks, resting an arm around my shoulder.

Edward eyed it for a moment before turning back to Jasper. "She's going straight to the hospital. Her plane gets in at around 3." he says.

"Okay, well it's 10 now, and they said they'd be waking Esme up at around 10:30 so why don't we all head to the diner and get something to eat, then head to the hospital?" Jasper suggested.

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea? Last time we went there we were practically mobbed." I say.

The press had received word that we were both here and swarmed the place.

Jasper nodded. "I called Sue, the owner, and she said she'd be willing to close the place down for us."

I shrug my shoulders. Okay then.

"Okay, Carlisle, talk doctor to me." I say, walking into Esme's room.

Edward, who was following close behind me, chuckled. "Like you'd be able to understand if he did."

I elbowed him slightly in the stomach and he grabbed at it, laughing slightly.

Carlisle smiled at us, his eyes more alive than ever. "She should be waking up anytime now. The doctors said she's breathing on her own now, so any minute now, she'll open her eyes and give you all a good lashing."

"It's Edward's fault I'm so busy now, Daddy." Alice whined.

"No, no. Take it up with your mother." Carlisle said, holding his hands up.

I giggled, though I knew I was in for some lashing too. Hopefully. I'll take lashing over her being lifeless any day.

We all sat around, talking and keeping an eye on Esme in case there was any indication that she was awake. And, finally, 20 minutes later, she finally opened her eyes. Carlisle pushed us all out of the room a second before, claiming he wanted to tell her what was going on first. I got it. It can be a bit disorienting waking up and finding a bunch of people around your bed. Jasper, Rose and I thought it best if Edward, Emmett and Alice go in first, then when they were ready, we would go.

Thank god for Carlisle and his doctor perks.

When Edward poked his head out and motioned for us to come forward, we all the sudden got nervous. I hadn't seen Esme in about 3 years, and Jasper and Rose even longer than that.

Would she be angry?

Of course.

Taking deep breaths, I took the first step, my siblings right behind me.

Once in the room, everyone quieted. I saw Esme, and I saw as she looked us over, her face calculating.

"Who are they?" Esme said in a detached voice.

I felt all the color on my face drain.

She doesn't remember us?

"Mom," Edward groans.

Esme's face slowly splits into a smile. "I haven't seen these three in years, you can't blame me for wondering."

"Oh Esme," Rose exhales in relief.

"Well, come here." She motioned, "Haven't seen you in about 8 years, the least you could do is give me a hug."

We all smiled and walked toward her Jasper first, Rose second, and when it was my turn, she grabbed my hand.

"Now I distinctly remember you promising to stay in touch." She said, giving me a stern look.

I looked at the floor, guilty.

"I emailed." I defended poorly.

She tugged me down and wrapped her hands around me. "Oh Bella. You've grown." She lightly said.

I felt tears start to cloud my eyes and said "You scared me."

She chuckled and patted my back.

When she let me go, she said "Doesn't feel good, does it?"

I laugh softly. "Always trying to teach me a lesson, huh?"

She smiles then turns to us all eyeing us standing so close to her kids. She turns to Carlisle and says "Fate's a funny thing isn't it?"

Edward's POV

"So I couldn't help but notice someone missing." My mom says, trying to act nonchalant.

Everyone had left, my dad to go take a much needed shower, Jasper and Alice to go get food because the food here tasted like ass, Emmett and Rose to go get better cloths for my mom, and Bella to her old house getting everything ready for tonight.

I didn't want her to leave. Now I know how bad that sounds with my girlfriend flying in, but Bella had always been the one to calm me. The one who I felt like I could break down with and she'd still be there to tell me to get a grip. She didn't let me slip too far.

"Tanya's coming in today. She should be here soon." I tell her.

"Hmm...for the first time?"

I sigh. "She was a bit busy." I say lightly.

I really had no excuse for Tanya. And no energy for fighting for her either.

"Edward, you know how I feel about her. So I'm not going to say anything else on that matter." She said, patting my hand when I let out a breath of relief. "What I am going to say something about is Bella."

"Mom," I groaned.

"Edward I have not heard a peep from you about of the things going on in your life as of 5 months ago. Whenever you called, if you called, you would avoid all questions about your work." She sassed.

"I figured Alice would keep you updated." I defended myself weakly.

My mother snorted. "Oh believe me, she did. With what was going on with her and Jasper."

"I'm sorry mom, it's just that…" I paused, thinking about exactly how I was going to phrase this.

I hadn't talked to anyone about Bella. Nobody, because I knew they would take it the wrong way. But this was my mother. My mom, who would tell it to me straight. My mom, who could see right through me. And I just needed to talk about.

"I don't even know what's going on right now." I admit.

My mom smiles softly and pats the bed, asking me to get closer.

I do, dragging the chair close to her bed, and she tells me, "Why don't you talk about it?"

I sigh, and run my fingers through my hair in frustration. Where to begin?

"She's just...there. I can't even say I...I hate her anymore, mom." I say, leaning on my knees.

"Oh Edward, what happened between you two? You never told me, and I never asked. Hell, even Renee didn't ask, in fear of what we'd hear." My mom asked.

This was a question I feared for so many years and then, when so many years passed, I figured she had heard and never asked. Or maybe Emmett or Alice told her. I never knew she and Bella's mom were still in the dark.

"She thinks I cheated on her." I whisper.

My mom is quiet for a moment, her face a blank mask of no emotion. "Did you?" She asked, her voice monotone.

"Mom!" I hissed. "You know I would never have done that!"

She arched her eyebrow. "Honey, I know you have morals. But you forget I'm not blind and I saw how you two changed after that accident. And the fact that you seemed to get with Tanya so quickly didn't exactly help your case either."

I looked down. "I know. I know it looks bad, but I never cheated on her. Never." I tell her, with nothing but the truth in my words.

She looked at me for another moment, then finally seemed to let it go.

"Then she knows that." She finally tells me.

"What?" I ask, confused.

My mom rolls her eyes. "You knew Bella better than anyone. But I knew her enough. And if you say you didn't cheat, and if you know that's true, then she knows."

"Then why would she come claiming that she does?" I ask.

Mom sighs and leans her head back in the bed. If anyone was a Bella expert, it was my mom. But that was before. I didn't know know. "Bella's...complicated. I don't know her reasons for claiming that, but I do know there is one. We both know that she wouldn't have come ten feet near you if she would have thought it was true."

I snorted. "She wouldn't have just left if she thought I had cheated. She would have kicked my and Tanya's ass." I say.

My mom doesn't look so sure though. "Edward, what do you know about what happened to Bella after she left?" She asked.

I knew what she was talking about and that immediately made me tense up. Not something I want to revisit. "Enough."

She nodded, her face serious.

"Then you know about her…"

"Her almost attempt of suicide? Yes, I know. She told me." I say softly.

"Edward, I see her now, and I know she is a strong women, a confident woman, who has grown and become a very successful person, even if she isn't entirely happy. But I saw her then too. I saw her when she was at her lowest, and I also saw her when she was getting help. It wasn't pretty. So back then, when she left everything behind, I have a feeling that whatever happened between you two gave her the out she needed. And believe me when I say this. She needed it." My mom said, her eyes with pure intensity.

"So you're saying that...what?" I asked, unsure what she meant.

"I'm saying that you two needed that break. Now, it's time for the truth and for you two to either work it out, or finally move on."

"Mom, I'm with Tanya now." I say, shaking my head at any thoughts about Bella and I.

Mom snorted. "Oh please Edward. It's a drag to even say you love the girl. And that's because you don't mean it. When you were with Bella you wouldn't shut up about it."

"You don't know what Tanya means to me. She helped me get over her. She helped me...become me again mom." I try and defend her.

She just doesn't get it. Tanya saved me. She did.

Mom gave me a look of incredulous. "This is you? Really? The son who I haven't seen since January? The son who hasn't called me since March?" Her voice broke, with anger and sadness mixed together.

"Edward if this is you, then you're right. You and Bella will never fix things. Because she would never tolerate you splitting from your family."

I stayed quiet, simply because I didn't know what else to say. I was ashamed. I had pushed my family away. My mother and father haven't actually talked to me in months. And why? Just because my girlfriend didn't like them? I didn't like her father, and yet I still tolerated a monthly dinner with him.

"Mom, I-"

"I don't want apologies Edward. I want changes. And it doesn't escape my notice that changes begin when Bella comes. Fix things with her, and fix things with us. That's all I can say Edward."

I nod. "I am fixing things with Bella. We're...friends now." I say.

Mom laughs. "You two were never just friends. I don't think you could ever be just friends."

"Mom." I warn.

She holds her hands up. "Whatever you say Edward."

I wasn't just going to break up with Tanya because I got along with Bella. I owed her more than that. I care about her more than that. Though right now, we're not in the best moods.

But I wouldn't ignore my family anymore. I wouldn't give them the cold shoulder. And Tanya would just have to deal with that.

Bella's POV

Esme was better. So much better. In fact she was going home tomorrow. Which meant Rose was arranging our flight home tomorrow too.

I wasn't so happy about that. I was afraid of leaving, afraid that whatever progress, which was a lot, with Edward would disappear. But Alice assured me. She said Edward seemed to be more and more annoyed with Tanya, and even snapped at her when she said something mean about me. So that did leave me a bit more confident this time.

And being here, joking around with everyone reminiscing, watching Edward keep putting space between himself and Tanya, things were looking good.

"Oh my god remember when Bella and Edward walked in on you and Carlisle, Esme?" Rose squealed.

Carlisle at least had the decency to blush, while Esme just laughed. "Oh gosh, of course I remember! Edward's face when that happened!" She giggled.

I laughed, and turned to Edward, his face scrunched up in disgust. "Is there a reason why you had to bring that up?" He groaned at Rose.

"To see that face." She grinned evilly.

Edward turned to me. "Bella help me out here," He begged.

I laughed happily, watching how Tanya glared at me, going to grab his hand and he shoots her a look.

"Rose, if I remember correctly, you and Emmett had a run in with them too." I say, throwing Edward a bone.

"You know, they seem to catch you guys a lot, Esme and Carlisle." Jasper mused.

Esme laughed loudly. "With this hunk of a man, of course we do."

"Couldn't agree more." Rose and I said at the same time, setting of another round of laughs.

"Oh god, I have to go to the bathroom. You guys are going to make me piss my pants." I say, getting up and heading to the hallway.

"Bella, you could just use the one in here." Esme says.

"But that's your bathroom. Plus, isn't it against the rules?" I ask.

"You have the Chief of the hospital on my side. I don't think you have to worry about it." Alice said.

I shake my head. "Nope, I'm a rule follower." I say leaving the room and entering the restroom down the hall.

I did my business and was in the process of drying my hands when the bathroom door opened, entering a blond angry bitch.

"I know what you're doing, and I want you to stop." She growled.

I took my time, drying my hands before turning around and crossing my arms around my chest, staring at her blankly.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." She hissed. "Stay away from him. I won, you lost. Deal with it."

I'm not surprised by this. In fact, I was kind of waiting for her to do this for a while. What I am surprised by was that she was finally admitting it.

"You're threatened by me." I muse.

You should be.

She scoffs. "Please. He left you for me. He hates you. Why would I be threatened by you?"

I laugh slightly. Surprised that she was still holding on to that lie. I wonder if she had told herself it so many times that she actually started to believe it.

Time for a newsflash.

"You and I both know that's not the truth. I saw Tanya. I saw everything." I told her, my voice cold.

"I saw how you threw yourself at him like a desperate slut and I also saw how he rejected you."

A flash of fear crossed her face.

"He doesn't hate me Tanya. And you know that. You see that."

Her fists clenched tightly.

"You messed up by not showing up the moment you found out Esme was in an accident. You underestimated me, thinking I wouldn't be here. Your mistake is what brought us closer."

I say, walking up to her so that our faces are a breath away.

"You haven't won, Tanya. As long as I'm here, you'll never win." I told her firmly.

"Bitch." She spat.

I smiled. "I'm a bitch that wins."


A/N: I know, I know. Not the show down that we wanted. But it's coming! I promise! Who just loves Esme? I know I do!

Alrighty well, see you guys soon!

Please review!

-KatherineHale