Hey!

Another chapter that I managed to whip up nice and fast for all my lovelies!

I know I shouldn't even be saying this and I'm not going to hold up stuff or anything but I just noticed this story isn't getting that much love...is everything ok? Are four books too much? Is the quality going down? Is it not interesting enough? Am I doing anything wrong?

If there is something wrong please tell me so I can work on it, not because I am a shallow vain person but because it will help me grow as a writer.

Thank you.

Reviewers:

Mira Black-Snape: Thanks so much!

M: Lol, it's ok, I know glitches. Here's a little mixed POV chapter. I totally agree with your answers. I hope you like this chapter.

GraceEllingson: Hi! I did a lot of Edward's POV this time because I feel like his side of the story should also get some limelight. Hope you like it. Next chapter highlights other POVs with Tulika's.

Kat Smith: I'm so sorry, there is a Jake POV in this but it's heavy on Edward's side. Jacob needs to start work on Sorenson before he gets to star some more. There will be his POVs more in further chapters though, don't worry. BTW, best of luck for a Labrador puppy. Poor Bullet, give him kisses from me.

The silver car jetted through the woodlands smoothly as Edward Cullen kept muttering to himself under his breath, too fast and too jumbled for any human to comprehend but they could catch the gist of it.

He was cursing…violently.

He wasn't really the swearing type, what with being born in a time when curses were best left for drastic times. Well, in his mind, this was a drastic time. It was 'sound the alarms, it's an emergency' sort of drastic time. He didn't know what Stephen was thinking, but then he was her friend. Some of her overtly ridiculous influence must have shifted on him.

Edward didn't know if he should blame the two of them or not.

For one, Stephen was her best friend. He knew that if it came down to it, he would pick her, fair and easy without looking anywhere else. Edward would do the same; which was why he couldn't understand why Stephen would willingly take Tulika into the reservation.

How difficult was it to comprehend that it was dangerous?

Tulika too, thinking that she was fooling him in any way when she wasn't.

He knew exactly who was on the other side of that phone line even before she'd taken the call. He could just tell. He had to give her, her privacy though. He knew it was wrong to somehow deprive her of that. Maybe, just maybe, he felt deep down she would see the sense in his words, see the sincerity behind his worries, the level of dread of getting her back hurt and the ever present concern that he might lose her again and this time he might not be around.

His fingered tightened around the steering wheel before he mentally coaxed himself to ease up before he broke off his wheel, he was sure Emmett and Jasper would not be happy about that.

So he stayed quiet and followed the small car Stephen was driving with a distance of a few miles, not wanting to get caught and also not wanting to encroach on the shifter territory.

Even before they crossed the lines, he stopped, watching as the car became smaller and smaller in his wider range of eyesight. He could still hear the three heartbeats, smell their scents, hear the run of the car but he didn't do anything about it, instead, choosing to put his head back and sigh in exhaustion.

Yes, he was exhausted.

Watching out for Tulika took up a lot of his energy, especially when her stubborn energy clashed against his again and again, both too obstinate to back down easily.

He could feel his tiredness seeping into his throat, the need to quench a burning thirst now unbearable and unavoidable…he sighed, loosening his shirt collar, it was going to be a long day.

Jacob Black was staring.

He knew he was staring and he knew maybe the others knew it too but he couldn't help it.

She was sitting right in front of him, vibrant, chuckling along with something Stephen said and he couldn't help but crack a smile at the small dimple in her right cheek, just above her lip.

He didn't know why he'd never noticed that before but then remembered he hadn't seen her smile as much before. The only smiles she had were gaunt, haunted by some past ghost he couldn't snap into two. Her smiles were always gauzed he realized, wrapped in something that had no business messing with the bright, all teeth showing laughter she was gushing out now.

He wondered what had changed.

Of course, in the back of the mind, he knew it had something to do with the vampire. He controlled her moods, or tried to control, for lack of a better word.

He didn't like her hanging out with him and she fought back, it was enough for him to cause her to guard up, which he hated.

Guarded Tulika was useless. She wouldn't laugh, wouldn't have fun, she preferred to watch and rot in gloom. What was that kind of festering when he was so much better at keeping her happy?

He jumped at the thought before looking away guiltily.

He had no business thinking this kind of thoughts anyway, not for his best friend, not for someone who had already been through enough and was going through more each day.

Stephen laughed when a sharp gasp escaped his girlfriend, making both him and Tulika turn to Bella. "Bells, what's wrong?" he asked concerned. Her wide eyes dropped down to her watch before lifting up again. "We were supposed to go to Angela's." she muttered and Stephen immediately groaned, knowing how tedious that work was going to be.

However, Bella and Tulika both stood up, looking guilty as Stephen and Jacob watched with crest fallen faces.

"You'll come visit again, won't you guys?" Jake muttered and Stephen grinned.

"You bet we are," he said, doing the manly shake as the girls hugged Billy and Jake and left with him.

He caught up with Tulika.

"So…?"

"I absolutely adore you right now." She threw his one of her brighter grins and he couldn't help but feel proud.

"I knew it, we do need his help."

Her face faltered before going pink.

Stephen laughed as he nudged her outraged self. "Calm down, I'm messing with you. You're so easy to rile up."

"No, I'm not!"

"You so are!"

"Knock it off; we have only about half an hour to get to hers." Bella yelled and Stephen and Tulika both threw one final shove at each other before piling up and driving off back towards the town.

Stephen allowed himself one final pat on the back at getting Tulika and Jacob to meet and finally make plans to get something done about Sorenson.

Now he could get a decent amount of sleep.

He could hear her, talking and laughing along with Bella as they finally came back home from helping Angela Weber.

Edward didn't know when his defeated mood had shifted but he knew it had shifted and it had shifted towards the one emotion he couldn't seem to contain anymore around her without imploding or exploding.

Right now, he was pretty sure he was on the verge of exploding.

He hadn't weighted his chances. He hadn't even thought about the consequences of showing up in her room and yelling at her for something she thought he didn't know about. He didn't stop to think what she would do if she found out he had tried to control her again.

It should've made him scared. She did scare him, of course she did. She held his heart in her small hands, for now they were tight around it, holding it carefully and treasuring it. It should've scared him out of his mind to think what would happen to his heart but at that particular moment he was too angry, too tired to think about anything…he just wanted to sleep…

…and then the door opened.

He stared at her as she pulled off her jacket and shoulder bag, tossing them blindly away, not even noticing his frozen solid form next to her window.

She let out a loud sigh, pulling up her windblown, messy hair before pulling out her phone and dialing someone, probably Jacob, he thought, bitterly.

Imagine his surprise when his own phone rang in his pocket.

Tulika jumped, whirling around as she nearly flew towards the door, her eyes wide and fixed on him.

He didn't flinch; he just stared, watching every move she made with hawk like precision.

"Edward, what the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, taking a step towards him.

He raised his eyebrows.

"Why, Tulika, I'm your boyfriend, can't I come see you?"

It was her time to raise her eyebrows at his tone.

"Of course you can, but you mostly knock…unless you're visiting at night."

His expression didn't change. "So, what did you do for your afternoon?" he asked, watching her face.

Her face jumped once to an image of Jacob on a long big bike before quickly shifting to an image of Angela's house.

She closed her eyes once and he was already opening his mouth to scoff at the lie she was obviously going to give him when her eyes opened again. "We went to Jake's for a while then went to Angela's."

His jaw loosened but he held on to his poker face. Why was she telling him the truth?

"Tulika,"

"You were listening in, I know you were. I expected you to. I knew you would."

"I only came to -,"

"Yell at me,"

He exhaled sharply. He knew she could read him like the back of her palm. There was no point in denying that he had been mad at her. Only this time, he was willing to think about the consequences. He already hated the distance between them.

He took a hesitant step towards her, watching her eyes flicker between the space between them then settle back to his own.

"I just wanted -,"

"Are you jealous?"

He froze again, eyeing her with befuddled puzzlement. Why would she even ask that question? Is that what she'd been thinking he had been doing?

"Is there a reason I should be?"

"No, Jacob is my best friend. My family," she said, her head shaking side to side and her eyes shining with sincerity. "Then I am not jealous, this was only ever about your safety. All I have ever wanted is for you to be safe and happy."

"Jacob makes me happy too."

He raised his eyes back up to me when she frowned.

"Edward, didn't you hunt?"

He quickly looked away, trying not to flinch at her calm tone.

"No, I was too worried to go hunt, I'll go tomorrow. Alice can take you to school."

"I can go with Stephen and Bella."

His jaw tightened again.

"Edward, I'm not going to bunk school to see Jacob. Don't you even trust me as much as that?"

"I trust you. It's him I don't trust."

"You should, he's kept me safe and protected almost as much as you have." She opened her mouth to say something before sighing, dragging a hand down her face. Her face was heavy now, a little ache growing in his chest at that, knowing he was causing it.

"Can't we find some middle ground here? I love you, I need you…but I love him too and I need him too, just like I need Stephen."

"Stephen is not going to burst out into fur and claws and put you in danger." He gritted out.

"Neither is Jacob," she whispered before moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his torso, immediately making him slump against her.

"Middle ground, Edward…please,"

All he could do in reply was wrap his own arms around her, cradling her against his chest.

He didn't want to. He did not even for a second think this was what it was going to come down to. He couldn't lose her and he couldn't keep her safe if she kept going back to that place.

He knew exactly what they were capable of.

He had seen Emily on Sam's arm more than once. If something like that ever happened to Tulika, he would kill himself and the person who was responsible.

He was not going to gamble with her well-being.

A/n: The cred. for inspirational ambience goes for Ambient Mixer! Guys, if you haven't checked out their site yet, you should. IT'S GREAT!

Time for Questions!

1) Who's your otp? By relationship, friendship, or just want to pair or just randomly ship? Just give me a list of your ships in this story!

2) Do you guys think Tulika is becoming a Mary Sue like Cannon!Bella? What is your opinion of her up til this point?

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Have fun! and Please Review!