BPOV

Six years later

I shifted on the uncomfortable, plastic bench and craned my neck trying to get a better look. It was about to start and I wanted to make sure I saw him.

"There's still another fifteen minutes and you know they're going to do a bunch of boring speeches first. Don't worry. We won't miss anything from here. We've got pretty good seats," Emmett said in response to yet more of my excitedly anxious fidgeting. He couldn't fool me though. He was just as excited about this day as I was. He figuratively got a front row seat during most of the hard work, long nights, and occasional all knew how hard Edward had worked to get to this point.

Rosalie, his fiancee, snorted. "Well, we got here early enough. I don't understand how we're as far back as we are." Despite the snark in her tone, she had a genuine smile on her face. While her and I still weren't particularly close, she and Emmett had been together for almost five years and had been close before then. It was a good thing too since Emmett and Edward had grown to be really good, close friends over the years unlike Jasper who for whatever reason became distant throughout college and then had fallen out of touch after that. I wasn't entirely sure what had happened but it seemed like whatever closeness the guys had with Jasper their first two years of college just didn't stick. But sometimes that's how relationships in college are.

Personally, I didn't really see much of anyone I hung out with my freshman year. Occasionally Embry and I would catch up but other than that I hadn't talked to any of them in years. He didn't end up pursuing professional athletics and instead got a job in cyber security just outside of Seattle. He still wasn't fully out of the closet but he had been dating more and more as of late. Leah and I continued to be roommates but were never really friends per se. She finally calmed down with the guys and decided to focus on herself after that. It turned out she was actually pretty easy to live with when she wasn't constantly kicking me out of my room. She'd been in a couple of relationships but as far as I was aware she was single and kicking ass running her own business back in La Push.

I hadn't seen Jacob in years.

As bad as I had initially felt about pushing him away, I couldn't disrespect Edward like that. Our friendship had gone past the point of what was appropriate and there wasn't really another option. A few other things eased the ache from the loss of what I had thought had been a pretty good friendship. He'd started dating someone our first semester of sophomore year and according to the rest of that group, he apparently spent just about all his time with her. We still would see each other on occasion and we even got a weird sort of closure, though not in the way that I'd hoped.

It was late February and we literally ran into each other outside the library.

"Sorry about that," he said as he helped me right myself. "I see you're still as graceful as ever."

I blushed and then stammered out an apology as he attempted to assure me it was alright. We chatted back and forth for a bit and found ourselves falling into easy, light conversation.

"Hey, wanna grab a coffee and catch up? It's kind of freezing out here."

I nodded in agreement before giving it a second thought. Then the guilt creeped in and with it came the second thoughts. But it was just catching up over coffee. Besides, we both had significant others.

We sat at a table with our respective hot beverages and talked about how classes and other things were going.

"So how's Lizzie?" I asked about his girlfriend, although I wasn't one hundred percent certain of the name.

He shrugged. "We're not together anymore."

"Oh no. I'm sorry. What happened? Unless you don't want to talk about it. Sorry, you don't have to talk about it," I rambled as the information seeped in. An alarm was ringing in my head and the second thoughts and the guilt got heavier.

He shrugged in response, oblivious to my growing unease. "She was nice enough but she just wasn't it for me."

Oh no. That was not a good answer.

"Jake, you'll find her someday. You're an awesome guy," I said genuinely while hoping he would take what I was saying at face value. His eyes brightened as they met mine. Suddenly, I felt the need to explain. "I'm sorry I've been distant this year. It's not anything personal. Edward and I are putting in the effort to make things work and things between you and me…you're a great friend but I let things go too far and I'm sorry about that. It's not fair to either of you but it's probably best that we not be close."

He nodded in response with a friendly smile. "I'm glad things between you guys are going strong. You seem like you're doing a lot better than you were last year."

I smiled, somewhat relieved. He was still the same Jake I'd valued as a friend. Things could never be the way they were but it was nice to see that they wouldn't be bitter or awkward. "Edward was a big part of that. The distance is still hard but I feel like we're stronger than ever."

"Good. I'm glad. I'm happy for you guys."

With that, we finished up our drinks and parted ways. And things could have been good after that. Jacob wasn't a bad guy and was easy to talk to, easy to hang out with. I believed that we could maintain a casual acquaintanceship that was respectful to Edward, not hanging out regularly but able to be friendly on the occasional times we ran into each other. I said as much to Edward that night, trying to make it clear that I was keeping my distance but that I was glad that he was doing well and that I felt like there was closure now instead of just ghosting someone who'd been a really good friend when I'd needed one. Overall, I felt pretty good about where things stood and was just happy that, as awful as freshman year had been and with so much hurt that happened, at least there wasn't any lasting damage to a person I cared about even if a friendship couldn't happen. Until I hung out with Embry a few days later.

"I heard you and Jacob hung out."

"Yeah. We ran into each other and then caught up over coffee."

"I thought you should know," he started but stopped prematurely. His mouth was tight with anxiety and an uncomfortable expression washed over his face.

"What? What's up?"

"He framed it more like he got you to go out with him. Like he asked you out for coffee and you agreed. When Paul asked if he thought he had a chance with you, he said yeah."

"Oh. Thanks for letting me know," I could feel the flush wash over my face. "He really thinks he has a chance with me? But wait, I'm with Edward. I'm still with Edward. I love Edward. Jacob knows all that."

"Apparently not that well."

The same indignation that filled me when Embry was worried about me sleeping with Jacob filled me tenfold. How dare he! I'd been honest with him from the start. I could give him some credit that I was possibly sending mixed signals before but now there was not a chance. I said as much when I talked to Edward about it that night.

"So, I found something out from Embry today," I started once we got past the initial pleasantries of our conversation. Despite not thinking much of it at the time, it'd never occurred to hide mine and Jacob's catching up in the first place. Too much pain had happened due to lies by omission. After what Embry had revealed, it felt absolutely required to give this update as I suddenly saw it in a new light.

"Mhm?" he responded in what I could tell even over the phone was a forced attempt at nonchalance.

"Yeah. And I…I really need to apologize."

"Okay?" he asked in a tone that I could hear the tenseness of through the phone. I suddenly realized I'd begun my spiel with some very unneeded dramatics and suspense. I quickly continued on before he could get the wrong idea and things could get out of hand.

"You were right about Jacob. You were right about him and right to be so upset with my friendship with him and I'm sorry for not respecting that more. I told you how we literally ran into each other and I only agreed to coffee because it seemed harmless enough. Heck, I'd even thought he had a girlfriend. It was super casual and supposed to be a chance to clear the air and get a little closure but-"

"But what?" he barked out somewhat roughly. Shit, I really was doing a bad job at this.

"But while I was hanging out with Embry today, he mentioned that Jake saw it as potential for more. I just-I don't even understand where he'd get that idea from. We barely see each other anymore and the rare times we do it's only due to proximity. This is the first time we've spoken since…well, since last year, and yet it seems like he thinks there's a chance for something more. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have even agreed to go for something as simple as coffee on a cold day. I had hoped we could leave things off on a good note because I thought he was a good friend but clearly that can't happen because clearly he doesn't want to be my friend."

The line was silent long enough for me to feel like my heart had stopped beating. He finally put me out of my misery but started with a loud sigh.

"I-I guess it's okay. So, you guys still going to hang out? You're still friends?"

"No! Sorry, no. I meant what I said before, we don't hang out with each other intentionally. I barely even see him at all. The rare times we do see each other it's mostly just a matter of being in the same place at the same time. Even then I don't really interact with him. Today was a fluke and it really solidified that it should be a fluke. I wouldn't do that to you even if his intentions were only platonic. The fact that they aren't makes it a no brainer."

"I really appreciate that. I can admit that he acted as a much needed friend and I'm sorry that he had ulterior motives. But I can't say I'm not upset that he had ulterior motives in the first place. It would have been bad enough if you'd told me that he announced his engagement while you were at coffee. I don't like that I was right about this. Would you still hang out with him if Embry hadn't told you that he's kind of an asshole?"

"I wouldn't have. I wouldn't do that to you. I ghosted a person I thought was a friend and felt like crap about it so I wanted to fix that. I had no plans to hang out with him again. I was actively keeping my distance before because I wouldn't do that to you even if his intentions were purely platonic. The fact that they aren't…shit. I'm just sorry Edward. It makes everything I did even worse and making me realize exactly how much I disrespected you and disregarded your feelings. I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry it took the perfect 'I-told-you-so' moment on your part to really have that sink in." Edward accepted my answer and that was that. We'd learned the hard way that we needed to be better at opening up and talking to each other to make it work.

And so that was the end of my relationship with Jacob Black. While it was true that it was best to just not interact with him at all out of respect for Edward, I also had to cut him out for myself. It was clear that he didn't want to be my friend and while that hurt, it also opened my eyes and made me question everything. Whether he was interested in me for the sake of a relationship or just trying to get into my pants, I developed a much more jaded view on our friendship. Suddenly, I couldn't view any of his actions without seeing them through the lens of him trying to get something from me rather than out of kindness and friendship. It hurt and it sucked but it made my pledge to Edward all the more easy. I didn't talk to Jacob at all after that. It was awkward at first since I would still occasionally hang out with the guys but as time went on I made new friends, people I was still close with after graduation. Jacob went from a messy accident to a massive mistake with that one revelation giving me so much hindsight. It hurt and was embarrassing to think that all that time I'd just been naively thinking that I had a good friend when he was just certain that it was only a matter of time before he'd get into my pants. And so, I got closure, though not in a way I'd have preferred.

An elbow to my side snapped me back to the present. "I think it's about to get started," Charlie said from the other side of me. I sat up straighter and smiled, excited for the ceremony itself and ecstatic that my dad was there to see it. Just then, a man wearing a ridiculous robe stood up at the podium.

"Welcome families, friends, students, and faculty to this momentous day, the day these fine men and women graduate from the University of Washington School of Medicine." He continued on in a droning monotone that managed to do little to dampen my excitement or keep my attention.

After my disastrous freshman year, Edward and I talked. A lot. I'd told him everything that'd been going on in a mess of word vomit during my panicked apology in the meadow but we discussed things even more deeply than that. We talked about our personal insecurities and misconceptions. He told me about his disastrous spring break and I told him about mine. In general, we realized how much we sucked at communication now that it really mattered. I needed to open up more and be willing to lean on him more. He needed to speak up when things bothered him. In a way, we both needed to learn to trust the other person more while also working hard to deserve that couldn't be friendships that blurred lines or drunk girls acting too familiarly or an excessive amount of alcohol. Heck, that last one was probably for the best just from a health and safety standpoint. We could both have a good college experience while still remaining true to each other.I let go of one insecurity and agreed to let him pay for things more. I also stopped arguing against him buying airline tickets for himself or for me. We discussed an actual plan for how we would make things work and get to see each other. I also told him about Renee getting a divorce and Charlie's illness. While talking so openly had been good for the health of our relationship and for our own mental healths, it also did me a world of good from a practical standpoint.

Firstly, Edward pointed out that my financial aid paperwork was no longer remotely accurate. Between Renee and Phil's divorce and Charlie's illness, my financial need had gone up considerably on paper. He helped me navigate the paperwork and proper forms as well as contacting the proper people, and my latter three years of college suddenly became much more manageable to pay for. I was even able to limit myself to just the job at the library, no longer really needing the second job at the club.

He also helped monumentally with Charlie. He listened intently with furrowed brows as I described all the treatments and surgeries he'd gone through along with his initial and most recent diagnoses. This led to him talking to his dad who I convinced Charlie to talk to. Apparently, despite working at the hospital where Charlie had gotten most of his treatments, Carlisle knew nothing about what he was going through due to him mostly dealing with the emergency room and trauma cases. After that changed, Carlisle offered to find someone who could give a second opinion that led to a referral to a doctor who specialized in what Charlie had and a whole new course of treatments that were found to be more effective and less harsh. Carlisle also helped out with navigating insurance so that it didn't put Charlie completely under. Five years and eight months later, Charlie was seated on this uncomfortable plastic bench next to me, still cancer free.

My eyes began to water, both at the overwhelming culmination of gratitude I had over still having the two men I loved in my life but also in excited emotion as Samantha Caplan's name was called and I caught sight of Edward in his robe and ridiculous graduation hat standing to the side, ready to walk across the stage.

"Edward Cullen," the dean droned in what I assumed was meant to be a celebratory tone. It didn't matter though as our entire row stood up and cheered as loudly as we could. Considering we had Emmett, we were actually pretty loud. Somehow either Rose or the security team had managed to thwart his megaphone- and vuvuzela-related plans but his big, booming voice more than made up for it.

~GA~

We stumbled through the door of our apartment, technically sober but drunk on happiness and each other. Our arms were wrapped firmly around each other and his hand had a strong grip on my hip. We'd just gotten back from his celebratory dinner with everyone and now it was just us.

"Well, congratulations Doctor Cullen," I practically purred as I turned into him and reached to loosen his tie.

"Why thank you, Mrs. Cullen," he responded back as he captured my lips in a kiss. Two years we'd been married and it still thrilled us both when he called me that. This time was no different. My pulse raced as his eyes darkened. He backed me into the wall, attacking my mouth and pulling aimlessly at the dress I was wearing. I began to tug at the buttons on his shirt as I kissed him back with just as much fervor. We eventually made our way to our bed, for the second round at least. Once the excitement and exhilaration had worn off we were able to patiently take our time reveling in each other's bodies. This was a night of excitement and celebration. It was the culmination of so much hard work and sacrifice. And it was a chapter we'd worked through together. As the night waned, we laid in each other's arms skin to skin, happy and sated, whispering sweet nothings to each other.

"I'm so proud of you Edward," I whispered to him in the darkness as my eyelids grew heavy. He responded with a kiss to the top of my head. I could feel the smile on his lips. It was lazy and tired but no less genuine.

"Thank you Bella. For everything, for being there, for being here. I love you. So much."

"I love you too. Forever."

We faded like that in bliss that wasn't as ignorant or naive as it once was. We still had our ups and downs and things were still difficult. He'd joined me back up in Washington for medical school while I finished out undergrad and then got my Master's. I adapted through the stress of student teaching and then teaching full time in a school system that was underfunded and overcrowded while he went through all that came with medical school. Despite this milestone, the days of all-nighters and grueling hard work were not over yet, what with his first internship a short month and a half away. He would be off to Houston for his first rotation and we had no idea where he'd eventually end up. Having to separate again would be difficult, but I was confident we'd get through. We'd grown a lot since the easy days of high school. And even though we'd grown separately, we didn't grow apart.

A/N: That's it! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, or favorited this story. I love how into it everyone got. I've got a few new bunnies bouncing around in my head and I think I've finally worked out how I'm going to extend Unintended Consequences so keep an eye out for that.

I hope you guys like how this turned out. People aren't perfect but they try. I want to make it clear that I'm not condoning jealous, controlling behavior or saying that mixed gender friendships can't happen while you're in a relationship. If you're with someone who says that, it's a red flag. But, I do hate "nice guys" and think they get way too much sympathy in fiction.

Thanks again! Like I said, I've got at least one outtake that I wrote as a missing piece/alternate POV just to get the scene right so that'll definitely get posted at some point but this story is officially complete!