All things Twilight belong to the awesome Stephenie Meyer, some subtle plot points in the beginning were inspired by V.C. Andrews the song and lyrics belong to the respective band and their record label and the rest is from my strange mind. The blog is all up-to-date. I apologize for the delay! Happy Tuesday and for jaijaimays: Thunderstorms in Teacups ;)

One Eye Open

So ask your self before you get in,
I know the insurance won't cover this.
Are you the rabbit, or the headlight,
And is there room in your life
For one more breakdown?
Are You The Rabbit? by Marilyn Manson


I heard the footsteps padding into the room behind me, but my erratic breathing held me in place. Had I imagined the face in the window? Had I imagined the same creepy fingers of fear running down my spine? I wondered because even in the residual of the panic I felt nothing but the cool December air and the erratic beat of my heart.

"Bella? What are you doing up, baby?" Edward asked, his arms finally closing around my waist and making my body relax.

"I thought I heard something," I muttered, leaning my head back against his chest and absorbing his warmth.

"Maybe it was Santa."

I laughed, the last of the panic depleting from my body and dulling the rush of adrenaline. I felt safe in his arms; now he was here I was starting to believe that what I'd seen had been a figment of my imagination. Who would be stalking around these houses at this time of night? Everyone knew one another here, no one would walk around peering in windows.

"Come back to bed," Edward whispered in my ear, stepping backward and pulling me with him.

I nodded and let him guide me back to my bedroom; he pulled me onto the mattress that was still warm from his body heat, and we curled around one another. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Edward's breathing, letting him drag me into unconsciousness.

I was startled awake the next morning. Jarred from sleep long before I was ready.

"Edward, if you're naked, cover up. I'm coming in." Leah's voice was wide-awake and full of excitement. I groaned, feeling as though I hadn't slept at all. The heaviness of sleep seemed like a blanket I couldn't escape.

My eyes fluttered open to the dull gray morning light. It was early. Too early, and it was a typical Leah-Christmas schedule. She hated waiting to open presents and demanded everyone wake up and indulge in her need to unwrap. Knowing Sue, she'd made sure to involve my little house full in her plans. Which was exactly why Leah was giving us the early morning wake up call.

The door was flung open and Leah danced in with a wide smile. Edward's only reaction was to bury his head deeper into my neck.

"Cute, Edward, but there's no escape. I will be bouncing on the bed if you don't roll your asses out of bed. You have five minutes while I wake Rose and Emmett."

She disappeared from the room, and Edward's arms wrapped around me. "Please tell me it's just a cloudy day and not the crack of dawn."

"It's a cloudy day," I offered, my smile broad as I brushed his auburn hair from his eyes. "At dawn."

"Smart ass," he mumbled, pressing his lips against my neck and rolling toward me so his body half covered mine. "Will she really be back?"

"Oh yes." Leah never disappointed. If she wanted you awake she would harass you until you were standing in the shower and ready to start the day. She was relentless. "On the upside, we probably got an extra thirty minutes sleep. Jacob always fights."

"You know him well," Leah sang, dancing back in the room. "One day he'll realize I always win."

"I'm sure he's well aware of that, it's just more fun fighting," Emmett added, stopping in the doorway, his hand running through his disheveled curls. "Morning."

"Morning."

Edward just groaned. "What is this a Tupperware party?"

"Someone is grumpy in the mornings. Time for the bounce, me thinks."

"No," Edward pouted against the warm skin of my neck. "Early, need sleep."

"Leah, you better have brought some coffee with you," Rosalie called from the other bedroom. "I need caffeine."

"Pot's on up at mom's. You're gonna have to get your ass out of bed."

"You're useless."

"Yet you still love me, blondie."

"Yes, remind me why again?"

"Edward, you get a ten minute reprieve while I beat the crap out of Rose."

Leah darted from the room and Rosalie's giggle-filled screams filled the house, followed by loud, "Stop, stop."

I'd been on the receiving end of such treatment and I could do nothing but laugh at the attempt to get Leah to stop. I knew exactly what she was doing. Bouncing and kicking, her foot flat on the stomach while her abnormally long toes tickled you. The girl was a freak of nature. Poor Emmett's eyebrows were raised and his head shaking. From where he was standing he could see both of the rooms, and his eyes were most definitely on the two girls in the other room.

"Bel-la," Leah chortled from the next room. "Open your window and holler at Seth to bring coffee, he was on the porch. This hag won't get out of bed without it."

"Hey, why do I get hag?"

"Whore, slut and bitch are taken." I could almost see Leah shrugging in her usual matter-of-fact way.

I rolled to the window next to the bed and unlocked it, struggling to push it up with Edward still wrapped around me. As soon as it was dislodged and the cool winter air blew through the gap, Edward retreated under the covers completely, his lips grazing the small of my back where my shirt had risen up.

"Sethie? You out there?"

"No," he snorted in response.

"Could you do me a huge favor?"

"Depends what it is. You want me to strangle Leah for getting you up early? I can do that."

"I heard that, you little shit," Leah shouted from the other room, followed closely by her footsteps pounding through the house. I felt her weight hit the bed and she crawled up next to me, thankfully not on Edward. "You're going to pay for that, Seth. Unless you bring coffee for everyone."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Because you love us," I shouted.

Seth did end up bringing the coffee to us, and within thirty minutes, Leah had us all rallied and heading over to Sue's to open presents and help cook the Christmas dinner. Seth, Emmett and Edward were watching television while the rest of us were in the kitchen, laughing and helping cook the feast that Sue always put together for us.

I had so many gifts I think I had blushed through most of the morning and was glad to finally retreat to the kitchen to get away from the constant stain of my cheeks. This was the first time my two worlds had melded together in the opposite direction, I knew Leah and the rest of my family fit with my world in New Orleans, but this was the first time any of them had come here with me. It was overwhelming. It felt like a family, and I felt more relaxed than I had in weeks.

Sue and I talked about the visit from Renée while we did the dishes. Everyone else was preoccupied, playing Scrabble in the living room. She was disgusted by what was said to me. If anything, Sue was more eager than ever to have "that woman" out of my life forever.

We rejoined everyone in the living room, Rosalie and Leah were currently arguing over whether adding an S to Table was against the rules or not.

"Leah, you know the rules, kid," Sue laughed, taking the seat next to her. "You get your insatiable need to win from your father."

"Yes, and the rules clearly state . . ."

"That you can indeed play that, Rosalie. Take your points, bebé." Sue grinned. "There's nothing honorable about cheating to win, Leah."

"Fine."

I sat down on the arm of Seth's chair and gave Edward a smile. He was currently squashed between Emmett and Jacob on the couch, and as much as I wanted to simply fall into his lap I knew it would be rude in the middle of a game.

"Oh good, you can help me, Bella." Seth grinned, his yawn elongating the a. "My brain refuses to work."

"Why so tired, Sethie?" I asked, ruffling his hair and glancing at the letters he had.

"You didn't hear the Uley's dogs going crazy? They were so loud I didn't get to sleep until two. Then Leah bounds in at the ass crack of dawn."

"It's Christmas, so zip it, turd."

"Guys, is the name calling really necessary?"

"Yes." Four of us said in unison. It was everyone with a sibling. Leah and I grinned at one another and mouthed 'Slut' and 'Whore'.

We played four other games before we left Sue to go to bed and moved back to my house. We were leaving early to have our Christmas with Jasper and Alice so we said our goodbyes to Sue before we left. It was odd feeling like I was leaving home all over again. The past two days had been so amazing, there was nothing distracting us from our time together. All of us had just enjoyed the company and laughed more than we had in a long time. Even Emmett seemed more comfortable here.

We left early the next morning as planned. Leah had been our alarm clock and came prepared with coffee to get Rosalie out of bed. When we finally pulled away, everyone in the car was silent. It was thirty minutes before anyone said a word, then Emmett broke the lingering quiet.

"I can see why it's so hard for you to leave now."

"They're my family," I admitted, looking in my rear view mirror. "I've known them my whole life."

Edward picked up my hand and gave it a squeeze before pulling it to his lips so he could kiss my knuckles. His touch was the only thing that could have made me smile in that moment.

"Yeah, but I haven't and I was reluctant to get in the car too," Emmett sighed, his arm wrapping around Rosalie and pulling her into his side. "I've never had a Christmas like that."

"Not even before your mom and my dad got married?"

"Oh hell no," Emmett guffawed. "You think this is bad, you should have seen her second husband. He and Peter hated one another. I actually looked forward to going to my dad's, but when I got there he and his girlfriend were more often than not drunk or high off their asses and going at it like we weren't there. That or he was beating us for something. When he and mom were together that's all he ever did, beat us. The Christmases before this one weren't that bad but with everything going on this year it's been hard."

Did I cause this rift? Was I the weight that tipped the precariously balanced load? They may not have always been close but at least it wasn't like this, where they felt as though they had to escape. All I'd wanted to do was get to know my dad, and instead I was the reason my mother found them. I was the reason dad was drinking.

"Bella, don't think like that. I can see it in your eyes. Look we've been better than we have in a long time with you around. This shit with Renée was unfortunate, but if it wasn't that it would be something else. There would have been a huge fight and Carlisle would have picked up a drink regardless," Emmett stated, his hand appearing over my chair as he gripped my shoulder. "We're all better having you around, but they are who they are. Mom feeds from drama, Izzy is selfish and fucked up, Carlisle tries too hard but he breaks, and Peter," Emmett sighed, shaking his head. "He's been falling apart for years. So stop trying to blame yourself. You're not moving away."

"I just hate this."

"I've hated it for years," Emmett admitted, moving his hand to clap Edward on the shoulder. "Tell her, man."

"It's true," Edward sighed, his fingers tickling my wrist. "Emmett likes living with Carlisle, but he knows his mom and Carlisle don't belong together. They've always started the trouble. You leaving won't solve that, and if you think I will let you move two hours away from me, you're insane."

I laughed once and gave him a wink. I didn't think I could survive that far from him either. We chatted about anything other than family after that. Being in the car with our friends wasn't the time to discuss this with Emmett. I knew we had to do something, but what, I wasn't sure of. There was so much going on under that one roof, so many different problems rolled into one big one.

We didn't go back to our house when we got into New Orleans; we went straight to Jasper's to celebrate Christmas with him and Alice. It was nice to be together as a group. I missed my friendship with Jasper because I spent so much time with Edward. Not that I was complaining.

Jasper and Alice were finally comfortable showing their affection for one another around me. I wasn't sure if it's because I didn't stay away from Edward like I had expected myself to, or that they were comfortable enough in their own relationship to stop feeling self-conscious about it.

Even when we left the Whitlock's house, I only dropped Emmet and Rosalie off at the house. Edward's home was still empty and he'd ridden with me to my house. Thankfully, Mrs. Masen had put Ruby into a dog hotel because she knew Edward was spending Christmas with me. I was planning on staying with him, but that didn't last long at all.

I'd only just pulled up into his driveway when my phone rang. When I answered it, I got no standard greeting, the voice immediately picked up on the other end.

"You're home and you didn't even come in and say hi? If you had you'd know that I need you," Izzy sniffed down the phone. "I know it's you're vacation too and everything, but do you think you could hang out for a while? I need someone to talk to."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. It's been a nightmare since you left. Dad came out and was partially sober, but when he found out you were spending Christmas with Leah he locked himself back in his office. Then Jess and I got into this huge fight and . . ." her voice fell off into a strangled sob. "Please."

"Ok, Gimmie ten minutes."

Edward's eyebrows rose as his face fell with disappointment. On the short drive from my house to here, we'd worked one another up into a frenzy. I hated to let him down like that, but with everything going on at the house I at least wanted the peace between Izzy and me to continue, even if I didn't trust her.

"Hurry," she sniffed, and hung up the phone.

"I'm so sorry, Edward."

"No, I understand, I really do," he said, leaning over the console and pressing his lips to mine. I instantly regretted my decision but I couldn't call her back and cancel now. No matter how much I wanted to. "I will be here later though, and if you don't come over by ten, I'm coming to you."

I looked down at the clock and smiled. That gave me three hours. Plenty of time to do some damage control and head back here. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

"A promise," he muttered against my lips, his tongue sweeping the line between them and making me shiver.

"So I will see you at ten, regardless?"

"Yup."

"Good."

"It will be," he growled, nibbling at my lips before depriving me of his touch completely and sitting back. "Now get going so you can get back to me faster."

"Sir, yes sir."

He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine one last time before sliding out of the car and taking his backpack with him. We smiled at one another before I hesitantly threw my car in reverse and backed out of the drive.

I made it back to the house in record time, but immediately wished I hadn't. The door to the study was closed tightly, Tanya's car was gone and Emmett and Rosalie had been pulling out when I pulled in. Which meant I was alone in the house with Peter and Izzy who were currently exercising their lungs in fury at one another.

"Guys, will you please stop it?" I asked, reaching the second floor landing which seemed to be the staging area for any and all arguments.

"Bella." Izzy ran at me and threw her arms around my neck. "I'm so glad you're home."

I was taken aback by the action but gave her a light squeeze nonetheless. I didn't want her to think I was being cold when there was obviously something bothering her. I may not trust her but I didn't want to be another slash in the people who let Izzy down column.

"What's going on?" I asked. I could only see Peter so I kept my eyes on him.

"She broke up with Newton."

I squeezed her a little tighter so she'd know I sympathized. Mike Newton was a piece of shit, but it didn't mean I wanted her to hurt in any way because of it.

"I went to see Jess; her mom let me in and I walked in on them fucking," Izzy sniffed into my shoulder. "He didn't even care, it was only because Jessica told him to stop that he did. They're so disgusting. I hate them. I hate them."

"So why are you arguing with, Peter?"

"Thank you," Peter added, leaning against his door jam as his eyes drank in Izzy's and my embracing bodies.

"If he satisfied that little slut, this wouldn't be an issue."

"Where the fuck is the rationality in that?" Peter asked, a sarcastic laugh falling from his lips as he held up his hands in exasperation. "I'm sure she was fucking him long before she and I . . ."

"Shut the fuck up, Peter," Izzy growled. Her body pulled away from mine and she spun on her heel to face him. "I believe your girlfriend just cheated on you, just like my boyfriend cheated on me."

"Difference is, I couldn't give a fuck."

"Peter, you're not helping matters."

"Bella, I know you mean well, but this is between Izzy and me."

He gave me a nod and averted his eyes back to Izzy again. They narrowed at her, the anger seeping through the blue eyes he shared with his brother. Why the two of them blamed one another was beyond me. Neither one of them was at fault for what was going on between Jess and Mike, yet here they were, at the other's throat as though it would solve some great mystery.

"Izzy, why don't we go and talk about this?" I asked, hoping that at least she'd see the sense in walking away from the situation. She'd asked me to come home because she had needed me, I didn't want to stand around all night and watch her argue with our step brother over something he really had no power over.

"Kay."

I threw Peter an apologetic glance and pulled Izzy toward her room.

We talked for hours about the situation. Izzy had been genuinely upset. She speculated about how long this had been going on, but I kept my mouth shut—she didn't need to know I had seen them together over a month ago. I felt horrible about storing this information, but I didn't want her to think I had betrayed her by keeping quiet. At the time I knew she would have thought I was trying to cause problems for her; when things smoothed between us, I simply didn't want to hurt her like that, and now . . . Now I didn't want her to feel as though I had been hiding it from her. So I listened. It was all I had to offer her. She'd lost her best friend and boyfriend in one night.

At ten o'clock, my phone pinged with a message from Edward. He was in my room waiting for me. As promised.

That was the last night I spent at home for a while. Even after my talk with Izzy, she and Peter continued to scream at one another. They were both out for blood so I stayed away. Thankfully Izzy didn't notice at all, but neither did dad.

Emmett and I were the only ones who noticed, and neither of us were there. We called one another after we ventured home for clothes and warned each other of the situation there.

I stayed with Edward until after New Year's, when his parents finally came home. He told me I could still stay there, but our two weeks of freedom had left me with an insatiable hunger for him, one I knew I couldn't feed while his parents were there. Sleeping was all well and good, but there was that need for more every time our lips met.

Rather than going home I went to Angela's and Alice's houses. Alice spent a lot of time with Jasper so I spent the last of the holiday with Angela at her house. She and Ben were dating now, so when she saw him, I saw Edward and it all worked out. The last weekend had been the only time James had shown his face.

I'd just gone to get Angela and myself some snacks because we were watching movies; Alice and Rosalie had joined us for the last Friday night before we went back to school. She'd warned me he was home, but it was still a shock to see him.

"Bella."

"James." I shifted to the other side of the kitchen to where I knew the popcorn would be stored in the pantry. After the situation at the mall, I really didn't think it was a good idea to get any closer to him. He seemed to not catch a hint easily.

"How was your Christmas?"

"Good, and yours?" I asked, hoping the tone of complete disinterest came through loud and clear.

"Not bad. I went back to campus Christmas Eve. We did Christmas early because poor Victoria was on her own."

Victoria. That had to be good news. Was he dating her again?

I hoped he was.

"You two back together?"

"Kinda," he said, smirking. "So, about that day at the mall. I'm sorry it got out of hand. It seemed like Masen was staking a claim there."

I smiled at the mention of that day. I may have hauled ass away from that kiss, but it was the one thing that had brought us together. "He did."

"Does that mean . . .?"

"Yeah," I answered. "We're dating now."

"You know it's none of my business, but . . ."

"You're right, it's none of your business," I said defensively, cutting him off. I didn't need to hear his thoughts on the situation. I had made up my own mind. I didn't need someone I barely knew telling me what they thought. Especially when they had a history like Edward and James'. "I'm not trying to be rude, James, but I make my own decisions. I don't need you or anyone else telling me something I'm already well aware of."

"Fair enough."

I grabbed the popcorn from the pantry and threw it into the microwave, slapping the buttons on the front. I was so tired of the lies and rumors and the backstabbing going on. It seemed that no matter what happened, no matter who I chose to be friends with, there was always something to be said about it. The only person who hadn't tried to force-feed me his opinion was Emmett.

"I guess I'll catch you later then?" James asked from close behind me. I gripped the counter so tightly my knuckles went white. I was at my limit. For some reason he was ignoring the fact I wanted nothing to do with him. I was purposely being rude, I was snapping at him, and I was putting more distance than necessary between us, yet he still chose to step closer.

"Bye, James." I chose my words carefully because I meant what I was trying to say. I didn't want to be friends with him; I didn't want to act as though we had known each other for a lifetime. Yes, he'd helped me out once, but that didn't mean he had a say in my life, that didn't mean I wanted to see him every time I turned a corner.

"Bella?"

"What?"

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"Yeah? Well, you did," I sighed, removing the popcorn and grabbing a bowl from the cabinet. I emptied out the bag and refused to look at him again, even though I could feel his eyes on me.

"Bella, I . . ."

I took a deep breath, there was nothing more I could or would say that would make any difference so I walked away. I may not have been happy with everything that was going on at home, but I knew I couldn't stay there, not with James in the same house. I had to bite the bullet and go home for the weekend.

Rosalie and Alice came with me when I left. Edward and the others had been out doing whatever it was boys did together and we were meeting up with them before I took the plunge and went back to the war zone. I was hoping to rope Emmett into going with me.

I asked while we were at dinner. Edward had gone to play pool with Jasper, and Alice and Rosalie were at the jukebox trying to find something that wasn't country.

"Please?"

"No, it's gone from bad to worse. Peter is losing his goddamn mind and Izzy thinks it's a sport to wind him up. I don't want anything to do with that."

"I made things so much worse for you all," I admitted. I'd been thinking about it again, even with the constant reassurances in the past from dad and Emmett.

"Will you stop it? Bella, this is about as good as it gets around the house. Sure, your dad's drinking again, but he would be in his study regardless, or at work. We've been at our best since you arrived. I know you can't see that now, but this is just them reverting back into their old habits."

"It doesn't feel that way."

"I'm sure it doesn't to you, but this is the same shit, different day for me. Having you around is the only silver lining. Why are you going home anyway?"

"I thought I had nowhere else to go," I said, thinking about the excuse. "James is home so I couldn't stay at Angela's. Alice is with Jasper, Rose is with you and Edward . . ."

I trailed off and laughed at Emmett's expression. He didn't care that Edward and I were dating but it seemed like any reference beyond that was something he just didn't want to hear. I guess he was taking his brother role to the full extent.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, waving his hands in front of him. "I get that. I think your dad would shit bricks if he stayed at the house, and his parents have got all clingy since he was accepted into LSU."

"Yeah, that and since they found the . . ."

Emmett leaned across the table and clamped my lips together with his fingers. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" I asked around his fingers.

"Edward already told me what they found."

I snorted. I couldn't help it because of the way his fingers had my lips trapped together. I was no prude, but I didn't broadcast Edward's and my relationship either. I would never have followed through with the statement, but I also knew Emmett would never let me finish so I did it solely to wind him up.

"Emmett, would you mind letting my girl breathe?" Edward laughed, sliding into the booth beside me, his arm circling my waist.

Emmett released his grip on my lips and I had to rub them together to get the blood circulating again. Edward seemed to think I needed help and swooped in, pressing his lips against mine.

"I can taste your strawberry milkshake on your lips," he mumbled, pulling me closer.

"You guys are gross. It's official," Emmett sighed, his hands slapping against the table. "I am nauseated."

"Emmett," I teased. "Why are you such a prude when it comes to Edward and me?"

"I'm not a prude. You're my little sister, one that I was forced to learn held onto her virtue. So now it's very obvious my best friend stole it when you talk about it."

"I love you, Emmett."

"What's with the love fest?"

"I've never told you that before. I think of you as my brother; we may not be blood, but I could never have dreamed up a better sibling for myself."

"Well I love you back, but no more mushy bullshit."

"I promise."

"Good," he chuckled, rolling his eyes at me. He picked up a fry from his plate and threw it at me as if to reinforce the request.

"So, you sure you don't want to stay at my house tonight?" Edward asked, playing with the ends of my hair.

"Dude!"

"What?"

"I just asked you to not do that."

"Do what?"

"Talk about us, in a bed, in any context," I interjected.

"Oh right, that."

"Yes, that," Emmett added sarcastically.

~oOo~

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," I replied, pushing my lips against Edward's. We'd been sitting in the cushioned loungers in my backyard for an hour, huddled under a blanket I'd stolen from the pool house. I was on my side, half draped over his body so I could kiss him.

We had been debating whether I should stay here for the night or not. I loved his parents and they seemed to like me, but I was a little embarrassed by the incident I had used to offend Emmett. Edward and I had been asleep when his mom came in to remind him of something and she'd found a condom wrapper on the floor. I was mortified, especially when she'd confronted him about it—in front of me.

"I thought it was bad around here."

"It is, but I need to see dad, I need to try and do something. This is getting ridiculous."

"Well, just come over tomorrow morning."

"Aren't we persistent."

Edward chuckled, but his arms tightened around me, pulling me tighter against his body. I loved being this close to him. His smell was so familiar to me now, I couldn't help but let myself drown in it. Especially when I knew I wouldn't have it close to me overnight.

"Bella? What the hell are you doing out here at this time of the night. The neighbors will think . . . Oh, hello, Edward."

"Mrs. Cullen. How are you?"

Tanya flicked her hair and smiled at him. It made my skin crawl.

"Good. I didn't know you and Bella were . . . familiar."

"We're dating," Edward said easily, his hands rubbing down my back gently.

Tanya nodded once and walked toward the back door. I could see her head held high, as though she was trying to prove something, but what, was completely beyond me.

"Poor Emmett, I don't think I could deal with my mom being like that," he whispered once the door clicked closed behind her.

"It's funny what you get used to."

"This is the last time I'll ask, I promise. But are you sure you don't want to come home with me?"

I snuggled into his chest and giggled. I was seriously considering it, but even that was stolen from me the moment I heard Tanya's shrill voice scream at who I could only assume was my dad.

"You're a waste off space; you haven't been to work in weeks. You're pouting and for what?"

"I should go," I sighed, sitting up and running my hands through my hair in frustration. I couldn't even sit in the back yard with my boyfriend without being embarrassed.

"Your daughters won't even bring their friends inside because you're such a goddamn mess. I can't even let the girls come over to pick me up I'm so afraid they'll see you. The boys are out of the house most of the time, and Izzy is in her room doing god knows what. You're a failure as a husband, and a failure as a father."

Anger leaked slowly into my veins at her words. Dad hadn't raised his voice in response but she was still shouting shrilly. She was speaking for all of us when she had no right to do so. He wasn't a failure to me. Sure this drinking thing had to stop, but if she honestly thought talking to him like that helped anything, she was a bigger idiot than I'd imagined.

Edward pressed his lips to the back of my neck and helped me off the lounger, pulling me into his arms.

"Don't let her get under your skin and react. It's what she wants."

I knew he was right, Tanya was well aware that I could hear her and she was using it to her advantage. Whatever she was trying to do I had to ignore her. I would talk to dad about all of this, but for now I just needed to get her away from him and dad into a bed where he could sleep this off while I threw out the last of the alcohol in the house.

"Goodnight, babe."

"Night, Edward. Call me in the morning?"

"Of course."

He backed away from me and gave me a sympathetic smile before turning around and leaving. He knew me well enough to realize I wasn't going to change my mind after the little display of Tanya's.

With a deep breath, I moved toward the house and stepped inside. Tanya's harsh words seemed to hang in the air even though silence was the only thing filling the space. I'd hoped to wait to talk to my dad, but I knew I couldn't let her words speak for me.

The door to the study was open, and the slamming of the door upstairs made it obvious he was now alone. I walked quietly to the entrance of his study, unsure of what I would find on the other side of it. I hated that he was so unstable right now; this amazingly strong man that had accepted me so completely was now a mess, teetering precariously on the edge of alcoholism. I couldn't watch him self-destruct anymore.

"Dad?" I called, knocking on the doorframe and peeking inside. He was seated behind his desk with his head in his hands. His hair was disheveled and greasy and his clothes were wrinkled, the buttons on his shirt not matching the holes they were paired with.

He looked up the moment I stepped inside, and even in the dim light of the desk lamp, I could see how bloodshot his eyes were.

"Hey kiddo, everything okay?"

"No, not really," I admitted, taking a step deeper inside. "I'm worried about you."

I watched as his mouth floundered, trying to form words. It looked like he was running excuses and reassurances through his mind and wondering which would be best to use, but there was nothing that would ease my mind. Nothing but him at the kitchen table drinking and eating, sleeping regular hours and not being locked in this office with more alcohol than the bars on Bourbon Street.

I was surprised when he answered though. His answer more honest than I could have ever hoped for.

"So am I, Bella." His hands scrubbed his face before he offered me a weak smile.

"Why don't I help you upstairs then? You could sleep in the spare room, take a shower, I'll make you something to eat. Everyone has to start somewhere. If you need help we'll get you help."

"You're too good to me, and all I've done is fail you from the moment you arrived."

I stepped further into the room, the action sprung from determination and desperation as he reached for his highball glass of scotch.

"No, that's not true. You've been nothing but the father I've always wanted. Sure, things haven't been so great these last couple of weeks, but we can get past that, at least, we have to try."

"Bella . . ."

"You just have to stop this drinking."

"I'm an embarrassment."

"No you're not. Dad, please, I can't help you fix this unless you help yourself."

To my surprise, his hands pushed the glass away before his slender body rose from the chair it had occupied for too long now. He wavered on the spot, his hands gripping the edge of the desk to steady himself. This was progress at least.

I helped him up the stairs and made him something to eat while he took a shower. I couldn't let myself think this was miraculously all better because I wasn't that naive. No matter how much I wanted it to be the resolution, that he would finally see what he was doing to himself, I knew that he would have to fight this. It was only the beginning for him, but I was going to try and help him as much as I could.

I left him alone to eat the sandwich as he climbed into bed with the fresh smell of soap and shampoo lingering around him. I still wanted to talk to him more, but I hoped he would at least be sober for the conversation. The emotional weight of the situation weighted me down, but I still pushed myself forward, gathering every bottle of liquor I could find and hauling it out to the cans by the garage. By the time I made it to my room, I was exhausted.

I pulled off my sweater and jeans and climbed into bed in my underwear, too tired to make the trek across the room to get my pj's. Not that anyone would come looking for me anyway.

I could feel the heavy weight of sleep tugging at the corners of my mind, dragging me under into the black abyss that would give me reprieve from this, well at least for one night.

~oOo~

I woke up with a shuddering jolt, my room was still cloaked in darkness and I felt like I hadn't been asleep at all. My eyes scanned the darkness as my body pumped adrenaline through my veins. I was more awake than I thought possible.

My ragged breathing was the only thing I could hear as my heart hammered in my chest, I could feel each thud in my throat as the palpable fear kept me frozen in suspension. I couldn't see anything but I knew without a doubt there was someone in my room. They were close. Even the hairs on my arms were aware of it.

"Hello?"

"Hey," the voice responded.

My body relaxed a little at the familiarity of the sound, but my body was still rigid with fear and anxiety. Alarms were ringing in my head with alarming clarity, each one sounding out a single word. Wrong. Something was wrong. This was wrong. The voice sounded wrong. What was wrong?

Adrenaline pushed my body forward and I clicked on the light jumping at the proximity of his body to mine. The lazy smile accompanied by vacant eyes. His pupils were so small they were swallowed by the blue surrounding them.

Wrong.

His hand caught mine and his smile moved from lazy to calculating. My heart froze in my chest before hammering out a staccato beat. His vacant stare was locked on me even as his head moved from side to side.

"No lights."

"Are you . . . what's wrong?"

"Nothing." It was followed by a maniacal laugh as his weight shifted onto the bed.

I scrambled, my mind and body finally uniting to get me out of this situation. My hands and legs moved quickly as they tried to shift me back, but his cold hand locked around my ankle before I could get too far. He pulled me toward him in a burst of strength I wasn't prepared for.

He moved up my body, his hands like manacles on my wrists as his knees dug into my thighs locking me in place under him. This couldn't be happening, this shouldn't be happening. This was so wrong.

"Peter, don't do this. It's Bella, please don't do this," I sobbed, trying to fight my way from under his grasp. "Why are you doing this?"

"Mine," he growled, right before his lips smashed against mine. Desperate, I bit down on his lip. He didn't move much, but it was enough for me to let off a siren of a scream.

A/N: Uh Oh . . . Bella finds herself in quite the predicament. I know there's a lot of drama going on here and to be quite honest there may be more. Only 8 chapters left . . .

Thanks as always to my beta, Annabanana. She makes the words look pretty. It wasn't posted Beta'd but I will replace it as soon as it is. I forgot to send the chapter to her. Oops!

Miztrezboo, Bendingmirrors, Hev99 and Newmoonaholic. I love you guys and I'm so honored to call you friends. Thanks for all the hand holding and ass kicking when I'm a neurotic mess. You're all awesome!

Thank you to everyone who reviews. Your words and thoughts mean so much to me and I love hearing your thoughts on the situations, your patience with me is endless and I love each and everyone of you for it. Thank you for sticking around and being amazing! I love you guys!

Much love and huge hugs ~Weezy~