Moonlight

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter Thirty-Nine-Girl Talk

As soon as they were alone, Emily immediately began to flit around the place, starting with the kitchen. Bella drifted after her, her annoyance quickly growing as she watched Sam's imprint grab a wet washcloth, and begin to rub at non-existent stains on the kitchen counters. As she did so she complained about the increase in the boys' appetites from all their extra running, she gave Bella a critical look as she said this, clearly implying she didn't think that Bella was up to the job of catering to the pack's gargantuan appetites.

"Food is their fuel." Emily paused as she scrubbed the already spotless kitchen table and glanced slyly over her shoulder at Bella again.

"I am aware." Bella responded tartly. "I made sure to send the boys off with full stomachs."

"Its not just about the amount of food they consume, Bella." Emily lectured. "The nutritional aspect is important, too."

Bella scowled, shooting Emily an annoyed glare. It had only been fifteen minutes and she was already fighting the urge to slap the other girl down. She had never come across another female as infuriating as this one-well, that was a lie, she could add Lauren to that list…and Jessica Stanley-she was beginning to wonder if it was something about her personality that provoked those other girls' jealousy. She couldn't imagine what it was about her that got under their skin so much. She wasn't accomplished in anything, she wasn't a beauty queen, or a brainiac. She was just ordinary-well, apart from the mingling with supernatural creatures on a daily basis element.

With the pressure of what had happened the previous night with Edward building up inside her, not like a tangled knot but like a ticking bomb, Bella knew she needed to let it explode somewhere safe. She needed to go somewhere it wouldn't cause lasting damage-and without Jacob around to vent to, her mind immediately strayed to Angela.

Her friendship with Angela was a rare thing. Bella hadn't had many close girl friends growing up. The peripatetic lifestyle she'd led with Renee meant there was little time to form lasting friendships. Angela had been one of the rare exceptions. Their friendship had been earned with steady steps that built trust. A good friend may not always be able to be there for you, nor save you from every storm, for there are times this universe sets solo challenges for us all, but they would be there if they could. And that's how Bella had come to regard Angela.

"I'm going out." Bella declared as she went to grab her coat.

Emily was in the process of sorting through the Black's laundry when Bella made her sudden announcement. Her eyes tightened slightly in anger. "Are you just going to abandon your chores? There's work to be done here. We were supposed to spend the day together getting them done."

Bella just about refrained from rolling her eyes. The whole damn place was tidy and completely spotless. Emily was just being bitchy and nit picking. "Unless you're intending to repaint the house, all the domestic work here is done. And you know it. You only came over here to try and lord it over me, Emily. And don't even try and deny it!" She warned.

Emily's lips drew into a thin line. She folded her arms across her chest defensively. "I am trying to be your friend and show you some guidance."

"Give me a break!" Bella flared. "You are trying to put me in my place and exert your authority over me. You've cooked up in your head that we're some kind of rivals. Well, we're not, Emily. I'm not going to spend my free time tiptoeing around your precious hurt feelings. Grow up and smell the coffee, girl. The only one hurting themselves here is you."

The hostility shining in Emily's eyes was proof enough for Bella that she'd hit the nail on the head. She wasn't going to feel guilty about calling the other girl out on her bullshit. Someone had to. Really it should have been Sam's job. He had to know about his imprint's simmering envy toward her. Well, it was said now, and there was no taking it back.

"Go home, Emily." Bella said as she pulled on her coat and reached for her Converse sneakers. When she was ready, she grabbed the keys to her truck and headed toward the front door. "Hopefully when we next see each other you'll be ready to apologise. For now, I'll just bid you goodbye." She called over her shoulder as she stepped outside.

Bella was soon cursing her reckless decision to leave the safety of the res. At first, she wasn't paying too much attention to the road that shimmered wetly in the sun. She was preoccupied thinking about her fight with Emily. Despite the overload, she felt lighter after calling out the other girl's spiteful behaviour. It didn't make things perfect, but at least now they understood each other. Emily knew now that Bella wasn't going to tolerate her crap anymore.

It came out of nowhere. One minute there was nothing but bright highway in her rear-view mirror. The next minute, the sun was glinting off a silver Volvo right on her tail.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." Bella cursed as she hit her steering wheel in frustration. "Stupid, stupid, Bella!"

She quickly increased her speed, glancing in the rear-view mirror often to check Edward's progress. The Volvo continued to follow inches behind her. Bella lamented the truck's slowness. He ended up following her all the way to the Weber's house. He didn't stop when she pulled to the curb, but Bella caught the dangerous expression on his face when he passed.

Bella didn't hesitate to as she ran up the short concrete walk to Angela's door as soon as he was out of sight. In her haste she ended up running smack bang into Ben, Angela's boyfriend, as he was coming out of the house.

"Hey, Bella." He greeted her in surprise.

"Hi, Ben. Is Angela here?" Bella asked breathlessly.

"Sure." Ben said cautiously. He eyed her pale complexion in concern as he stepped back inside the house and bellowed up the stairs. "Ange, Bella's here to see you!"

Angela appeared at the top of the stairs. "Hi, Bella." Her brown eyes looked confused behind her glasses. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this." Bella hated that she sounded almost pleading. Seeing Edward so soon had really shaken her up.

"Of course not." Angela quickly reassured her. "Come on up."

"Thanks."

"Are you okay, Bella?" Ben asked when she stepped around him. "You're shaking."

"Am I?" Bella hadn't even been aware of her trembling limbs.

"Has something happened?" Ben questioned. Angela was already making her way down the stairs.

Bella tried to rein in her apprehension. The last thing she wanted to do was arouse Ben's suspicions that something suspect was going on. Luckily, she was rescued from having to give an explanation by the sound of a car on the road-the engine stuttered to a stop, followed by the loud pop of a backfire. That alone proved it wasn't Edward's car.

"Austin's here." Ben said as Angela reached his side. "I should go…but if you needed me to stay?" He hedged, raising his eyebrows meaningfully at his girlfriend.

A horn honked on the street.

"I've got this. You go." Angela reassured him as she leaned in for a kiss.

"Okay." Ben still seemed reluctant to go. "I guess I'll see you later. Miss you already." He threw his arms around Angela's neck and held her close for a minute, until Austin honked again and he finally left.

Angela had two bright spots of pink coating her cheeks as she looked at Bella. "Sorry about that. Ben can get very enthusiastic when he says goodbye." She touched her swollen lips.

"Yeah, Jake can get like that, too." Bella enthused, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Just thinking about his passionate kisses was enough to chase away her former anxiety regarding Edward.

"Jake?" Angela's puzzled tone pulled Bella out of her pleasant memory.

"Oh, um…. Jake and I…we're kind of…together now." Bella admitted.

"Wow!" Angela's eyes went wide behind her glasses. "That's…. huge!"

"It is."

"Tell me everything." Angela linked arms with Bella and pulled her towards the stairs. "And leave nothing out."

Angela's parents had taken her twin brothers to a birthday party in Port Angeles, so they had the whole house to themselves. Bella curled up next to Angela on her bed, and began to confide in her about the changing nature of her relationship with Jacob. She had to leave out the supernatural stuff of course, but she found she enjoyed rhapsodising about him with her friend. Angela was such an easy person to be around, she didn't judge, just listened, only offering her opinion if asked.

"What do you think?" Bella asked after a while.

"I think he sounds wonderful." Angela enthused.

"He is." Bella agreed. "I'm lucky to have him."

"I love having Ben around, but I don't know what I'd do if he didn't have Austin for the guy stuff. Does Jacob have a lot of friends?"

"He does." Bella admitted as she thought about his brothers. Just thinking about the pack reminded her of the risks they were taking on her behalf, and about her own stupidity in leaving the safety of the res all because Emily had pissed her off.

There was never any pressure to fill a pause with meaningless chatter around Angela. Like Charlie, she was comfortable with silence. But, like Charlie, she could also be too observant sometimes.

"Is something wrong, Bella?" Angela asked in a low voice. "You seem kind of anxious."

Bella tried to smile but it faltered. "Is it that obvious?"

"Kind of." Angela put a reassuring hand over hers. "You don't have to talk about it unless you want to. I'll listen if you think it will help."

Bella was about to decline. After all she had too many secrets to keep. She really couldn't discuss her problems with someone human. That was against the rules. And yet, with a strange intensity, that's exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be able to confide in another female about how Edward had violated her. In an ideal world that should have been her mother, but the world she lived in was far from ideal. Renee wouldn't be able to provide the feminine comfort she needed. And that's what Bella craved right now.

"I'll mind my own business." Angela promised solicitously when Bella didn't immediately respond to her offer.

"No." Bella began hesitantly. "I want to talk. You're right. I am anxious. It's…. it's Edward."

"What's wrong? Have you heard from him?"

It was so easy to talk to Angela. When she asked a question like that, Bella could tell she was being utterly sincere. Angela cared that she was upset.

"Edward has been stalking me." Bella confessed. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest when she said the words aloud. "He came back last night. I've been staying on the res at Jake's house…. Edward broke in when Jake wasn't there and he…he…touched me against my will."

"Oh, Bella." Angela put her arms around Bella and hugged her close.

"He also followed me here." Bella felt her eyelashes moisten with tears.

"That's why you look so alarmed when you arrived?" Angela shook her head, her arms tightening around Bella. "Does Jacob know?"

"He knows what Edward did last night…but not about him following me here. He's been so supportive, and so protective. He'll go mad when he finds out that Edward also followed me here."

"And you're worried he might take justice into his own hands." Angela guessed.

"No…its not that. I was supposed to have stayed in La Push today. I was stupid to leave…. but I just needed…..."

"A female friend to talk to." Angela finished for her.

Bella blinked back her tears; her expression distraught. "Deep down I know it's not my fault what Edward did to me, but I can't help blaming myself. If I had done something differently…."

"Stop right there!" Angela stated forcefully. "The only one here to blame is Edward Cullen. He tried to take your power away. You need to get it back, Bella. And the only way to do that is to take control. I know you won't want your father involved in this…but you need to report Edward to the authorities. It will show him that you are not going to be messed with."

"If only it were that simple." Bella sighed heavily.

Angela pulled back and patted Bella's hand in sympathy. "Its your decision of course. But if you do decide to go down that route, you have my full support. You know I'll go with you."

And that's what made Angela such a great friend. She didn't bulldoze Bella into going along with her suggestion, she gave her space to think things through herself and offered her unconditional support whatever she decided. "Thank you, Angela."

"You're welcome." Angela gave her a half smile. "Just know that I'm always here for you."

A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.