This is super short and I apologize, but life is kicking my ass right now and I wanted to at least give you something of an update. I wanted this posted a few days ago, but as I didn't get to finish writing it until last night, here it is...late. Sorry for the delay. School is majorly kicking my ass right now, and RL is indescribable with the issues with my youngest son's health. With those going on, it will probably be 2 weeks before I post again, which was the original update schedule. I have been motivated lately with the weekly updates, but I can't promise them for the next 6 weeks until this class is over and things are hopefully diagnosed and treated or managed with my youngest.

Thanks, as always, go to preciousfairymom80, who I got to see Saturday night when we met to see Hunger Games, WHICH I LOVED! (Team Gale because the guy playing Peeta is just funny looking and WAY too short).

Not SM but I OWN this story!


Cougar Town Chapter 28

BPOV

Even with Edward standing in front of me, I saw the vehicle squeal to a stop right in the middle of the lane, the person behind the wheel glaring lethally.

I knew this was going to be bad, very bad, but I braced myself for the words about to be shouted.

"Edward Anthony Cullen! Get your ass in my car now!" Esme, Edward's mother, shouted as she got out of her car, the engine still running.

"I have my own car," Edward replied, a slight sneer to his tone.

"Don't you speak to me like that! Get in my car and get away from that…that…child molester!" Esme shrieked while pointing an accusing finger at me, and I felt my skin bristle under her words, but I knew something like them, if not worse, were coming when I saw her car.

"Don't speak to her like that, Mother!" Edward growled, if possible growing bigger in front of my eyes as he stood up to his mom.

"Edward, don't. Just…just go with her, please. Don't do this on my account," I whispered from behind him, but our close proximity made his mother's voice go up another octave.

"Get away from my baby boy! You should be ashamed of yourself! You're a mother! Edward, now!" Esme screamed from her spot on the other side of the vehicle. And I was glad that she had stayed there, because I was tensing for a fight, and it appeared that Esme was too the way she was clenching and unclenching her fists. That was the last thing any of us needed.

I pressed myself closer to his back so only he would hear me.

"Go with her, please, Edward. I love you and we'll figure this out, but for now, trust me and go. Just walk away from me," I whispered as quietly as I could and kissed his shoulder where his mother couldn't see.

Then I nudged him toward her car, and tried not to cry yet again. With everything going on, it seemed as if no one wanted us together. But I couldn't think of that, as I needed to think this through.

Edward shot me a worried glance over his shoulder and I nodded, so he reluctantly walked forward and slid into the passenger seat of his mother's vehicle. Then, and only then, did Esme walk around to car to face me.

"You keep your damn pedophile hands off of my son! And you will never speak to him again! Do you hear me?" Esme screamed at me, and I just stood there, silently taking it in, knowing when to keep my mouth shut.

When I didn't speak, she spun on her heels and stomped back to her door, slid in the car, and took off down the road. I heard my phone beep, signaling a text message. I checked and saw that it was from Edward.

:I'll text or call you later. We will work this out, I'll make them understand. I love you, Bella.

I replied quickly, telling him that I loved him too, and prayed that his mother wouldn't take his phone, but I knew that I probably would if I were in her shoes.

That was what made this so difficult, the fact that I knew what she must be thinking and how she was feeling. If the situation had been reversed with her and Emmett...well, Emmett had better taste than that, but still...I would do the same exact thing she was doing. Yes, he was with Rose, who was older, but she wasn't old enough to be his mother, and I think that was where the difference was.

I made sure Edward's car was secure before I got into mine and pulled off, heading for home, but calling Emmett on the way to fill him in.

When I finally got home, Emmett had been brought up to date and was on his way with Rose. I had told them to not worry about it, but something in my voice must have tipped Emmett off. And the way he and I were, it didn't matter if we were fighting, when one needed the other, they were there.

I had been home about twenty minutes when there was a knock at my front door, and I opened it to reveal a very tall, handsome, but older gentleman. He had striking good looks, blonde hair tinged with streaks of silver, electric blue eyes, and the only thing marring his looks was the grim expression he wore.

"May I help you?" I asked, trying to place where I might know him from.

"Ms. Swan?" the man spoke in a soothing voice.

"Yes, I'm Bella Swan," I replied, and the man seriously grimaced at me.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward's father," and that was when I knew that everything wouldn't be ok and that my world was truly crumbling.

Emmett found me curled up on the couch an hour later. He asked me what happened, because I apparently looked sick, so I told him all about Carlisle's visit and the threats he had made. I had been given twenty-four hours to decide how I was going to handle things, and he would be in contact for my answer. My choices were to leave Edward alone, never try to contact him, immediately resign my teaching position at Forks High School, and there was even the suggestion to move out of Forks, but I didn't think I could do that. But, if I complied with those stipulations then he wouldn't do the alternative.

The alternative consisted of reporting me for statutory rape to the police – meaning my father, smearing my name through the news, ensuring I never taught minors again, and guaranteeing me a lawsuit and the threat of jail time.

I couldn't go to jail, but I had to talk to Edward to explain all of this to him so they didn't make him believe that I had willingly walked away.

"Have you called him?" Emmett asked, and I shook my head.

Emmett pulled out his cell phone and dialed Edward's number, putting the call on speaker so we could all hear. But when the tones came through with the robotic voice stating that the number had been disconnected, my heart dropped.

"I'm going over there. They can't ban me from him, he's my best friend," Emmett stated as he started walking toward the door.

"Don't, Emmett. Don't make it worse," I pleaded with him, my voice broken under everything going on.

"It'll be fine, Mom. I'll be back soon. Rosie, can you stay here with her?" he asked and she nodded, slipping onto the couch beside me.

Emmett walked out the door and I called Alice, panic coursing through my veins at the two choices before me and the unknown of what was happening to Edward.

Alice and Jasper were shocked at what had happened and said that they were on the way over. I hung up and began pacing, watching the clock to gauge how long Emmett had been gone. Edward didn't live that far away, and when the thirty minute mark hit, I began to panic.

I wanted to call him but didn't want to mess anything up if he was talking to Mr. or Mrs. Cullen. Rose saw me checking my phone every thirty seconds and tried to reassure me.

"If he was with Edward and could call, you know he would to let you talk to him. Let's be optimistic, ok?"

I nodded and went back to pacing.

At the hour mark, Alice and Jasper arrived and tried to get me to relax, trying to talk to me about how the first option might be the best, seeing that Edward would be eighteen in six months and his parents couldn't do anything then.

I hadn't considered that option at all, and began to get hopeful, when Emmett finally returned.

His expression made the pit of dread currently residing in my stomach get even deeper.

"He's on lockdown. His dad wouldn't let me see him, and even slammed the door in my face once he realized who I was. So I tried to get Edward's attention through his window, but his mom came out threatening to call the cops if I didn't leave their property. I got back in my jeep and drove around the block, parking out of view, and then walked back, and tried again to get Edward's attention, but I heard yelling inside. I crouched under the front windows and heard it all. They're talking about sending him to boarding school and threatening to have you arrested if he doesn't agree to not see you anymore. I haven't ever heard him so broken," Emmett said, and I knew then what I had to do.

I excused myself from everyone gathered in my house and headed upstairs to write Edward a letter that I didn't want to write, but knew I had to. Then I got my car keys and headed over there, determined to see Edward one last time.


So, um, yeah... I'll, uh...I'll see you in a week or two (hopefully one but most likely two). Thanks for everyone who's reading and reviewing and pimping out Cougarella and Cubward. They really appreciate it and I am eternally grateful and forever in all of your debts for being with me each time I post. Ok, off to tend to a screaming 19 month old and start dinner. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you soon! Would love to hear your thoughts!