I DREAM OF RAINBOWS

Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.

No one, but, Edward heard what she said, but, he also quietly responded by saying, "And, I know that you aren't as much of the prude as you would like others to think."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bella responded, still in a muffled voice.

CHAPTER 20: TOO MANY INTERRUPTIONS

"Before I tell you what I'm talking about, why don't you tell me what has your ass in a vice?" Edward utters through gritted teeth. He was still trying to maintain a smile on his face so the others didn't suspect that he and Bella were having a bit of a verbal battle.

Both combatants stare at each other for a moment or two before Bella glances over to see the quizzical looks she and this asshole standing next to her were drawing from her cousins and agent. It was then that she asked, "Did I hear something about bringing me some edible food or not?"

"Of course, you did, but, are you going to be all right? It appears that Mr. Cullen seems to be having a problem about something and is wanting to take it out on you." Alice said as she gave a very stern glance at Edward while she was speaking.

"Don't worry, Alice, Mr. Cullen is wanting to try to persuade me to make some changes that he's wanting to the contract concerning my book. Neither one of us are quite willing to budge at the moment."

After a few more glances coming from Alice, Rosalie and Mark with them switching from Bella to Edward and then back again, the three turn, leaving the two alone. Then once the door closes the man and woman openly begin their battle of words.

Finally, Edward stands up and walks to the end of Bella's bed, he draws in a breath, then looks up at her and asks, "Why don't you tell me what you meant with your statement?"

"It wasn't until I saw you walk in here, that a memory flashed into my mind. If you remember the hallway of the hotel, side tables are arranged all along the hallway with flower arrangements on each one, but, a mirror is centered over each of them.

"I was taking a step back from the door of Mark's room and backed into something that was also in motion. Our backs met, the force of that meeting was enough to pitch me forward into the wall where I hit my head. The force of my head meeting the wall was evidentially enough to knock me out.

"However, Mr. Cullen, while I was moving toward the wall I did happen to see your face reflected in the mirror that was hanging on the wall over one of those side tables.

"Next, I wake up in Mark's room with no memory of how I got there. In fact, the memory of you being there was buried until you walked into this room. But, Mr. Cullen, I do remember now, and I also remember the surprised look on your face just before my head struck the wall."

Edward was stunned into silence because he had thought that he had gotten away with no one knowing he had been involved in that incident. Hell, he had forgotten about the damned mirror that had been hanging on the wall next to where Bella's head had made contact.

Also, the fact that she had mentioned that the room she had been exiting had been her agent's didn't, in that moment, register with his brain. He still assumed that he had leverage to get her to do as he wanted. But, before he could speak the door opened and his whole family marched into the room.

As they all spilled in, not two minutes passed before Bella's cousins and her agent reentered as well. He never got the moment to state his side of the accident. It was hopeful that he would be able to talk with Ms. Swan again, without his family, to be able to get things taken care of from his point of view. But, it never happened, since Bella's nurse cleared out the room stating that visiting hours, for the afternoon, were over. He had to leave along with everyone else, including Bella's cousins and her agent.

XXXXXX

"Mark, any idea what all that tension between Bella and Mr. Cullen was about?"

"Sorry, not a clue. But, like you, I would definitely be interested to discover what the issue might have been. Cause I don't know about you, but, the excuse about it concerning the contract is a bunch of nonsense."

"I would agree with you about that." Rosalie said. "There was too much tension and unspoken sparks flying for it to be something as simple as a damn contract."

After that, the conversation between the three switched to other topics and they made their way to Mark's hotel. It was hoped that the manager might be able to give them some insight as to the possibility of being able to investigate how Bella's accident had happened. Also, who was the person that had deposited her into Mark's room? That was a person that did one of two things, he was either a good Samaritan or the person that caused the accident. Either way, he was due for a thank you or police action.

XXXXXXX

The moment Edward and his family exited the hospital, Esme was quick to let Edward know that he was to follow them home and that there was to be no excuse or argument that was going to be acceptable. And, considering the tone of voice that his mother was using, Edward knew not to argue or to try to skip the upcoming conversation his mother was about to force upon.

All the way to his parents' home Edward was trying to work out in his mind how he could come out of the pending interrogation that his mother was about to submit him to endure without revealing his involvement in Bella Swan's hospital trip. Of course, he could maintain that he didn't know anything other than what he had told them earlier, but, at the same time he was sure that Esme Cullen wasn't going to be satisfied with that little bit of information.

Everyone arrived at the same time and entered the house singly or by pairs with Esme leading the way to the kitchen and motioned for everyone to be seated. She moved over to put the kettle on to make tea and then started the coffee pot for those that might want that.

The others were busy talking about everything else under the sun, but, the topic that was of main concern. They all wanted to know the answers and Edward still wasn't sure what he was going to say or how far he was going to fully answer his mother's questions.

Edward didn't concern himself so much about his dad, Carlisle seemed to let his wife deal with the boys unless it was absolutely necessary for him to be involved. It had always been that way from the time the boys were born. However, through experience, Edward knew that his father wasn't the pushover that everyone might consider him to be. No, he definitely wasn't a pushover.

But, poor Edward might be feeling even less certain of himself if he knew what Alice, Rosalie and Mark were doing at that very moment.

XXXXXX

Mark walked into his hotel and went straight to the check in desk with Rosalie and Alice following along just a couple of steps behind him. The clerk looked up and asked how she could be of help to which Mark asked to have a few words with the manager. She asked if she could be of any assistance of which Mark politely told her no, that he and his companions needed to speak with the manager.

"Very well, Sir. Allow me a moment to locate him." She requested. Quickly picking up the house phone that was next to her, the clerk quickly, in hushed tones, told the person on the other end of the line why she was calling. After the call ended the clerk asked for Mark and the two women to follow her as she led them down a hallway to the manager's office.

Once everyone was admitted to the office and introductions had been made, the clerk excused herself and returned to her assigned station at the check in desk. After inviting Mark, Alice and Rosalie to take a seat, the manager, cleared his throat and asked how he could be of help. And it didn't take Mark long to tell the manager what he knew about Bella's accident and then asked if there was any way they might be able to find out what or who could have been responsible for what had happened to Bella.

"Mr. Strollman, there is a possibility that you might be able to see something on the cameras if your room is near the elevators. Or, you might see someone you know that might have seen something."

"You mean to say that you don't have cameras scattered along the hallways to cover who might be entering any of the rooms or suites?" Alice demanded to know.

"No, ma'am, we have cameras on each floor that covers the elevators and a certain area along each floor. The cameras are stationary, but, they do turn on their axis and they are timed to do a sweep of the areas they cover ever so many minutes. However, after a seventy-two-hour period the old data is recorded over. That is nothing unusual has been reported requiring us to save that section of the recording.

As the manager completed his explanation, he noticed the expression that had appeared on the face of each person facing him. It was a questioning kind of look. He felt bad for some reason, even though, he wasn't guilty of anything. "Mr. Strollman, if you can let me know the time period that you might require the information then I'll have our security team to take a look?"

Mark did give the necessary information after requesting to take a look at the film himself, but, the manager did refuse quoting that only his security team was cleared to view the coming and going of any of the hotel guests. Anything else would be a violation of guest privacy. So, since nothing else could be gained by trying to argue with the man, Mark did give him the information as much as he could pinpoint the timing.

"I'll get this information over to security immediately and then notify you if anything is found. My apologies that I can't do more than that." And, with that being said Mark, Rosalie and Alice all express their appreciation of the manager's efforts, shake his hand and leave feeling apprehensive, disappointed, but, hopeful, all at the same time.

XXXXXX

Bella was alone in her room and was deep in thought now that everyone had left, including the hospital staff, at least for the moment. It only took seeing Edward Cullen walking into her room to jog her memory about the night before and her head making contact with the wall. Even though everything had happened in fast motion, she did happen to catch a glimpse of Edward Cullen's shocked face in the mirror. It was after that vision that everything became black. But, it is true that she had no memory of how she had managed to get back into Mark's room. And, it's that thought that causes her to ask herself the question, 'could it have been Cullen that had somehow managed to know where to take her and followed through with action?'

Only he could answer that question. She wished that she and Cullen could have had a bit more alone time before everyone crowded back in and then the nurse ran them all off. She was quite sure that he was about to give his explanation concerning the whole matter and be more specific about what he was accusing her of doing. Whatever the hell that might have been.

Hopefully, he would return later, without the audience, and they then could get to hash out everything and each could have answers to their unspoken questions.

XXXXXX

Esme got everyone settled with drink and snacks, then she sat down herself. She had remained silent as she had bustled around her kitchen, listening to the buzz of her family discussing different topics. But, now that she was seated the conversation and the voices all began to slowly die down; waiting to see what was about to happen between parent and child.

Raising her eyes to look straight at Edward, Esme said, "Son, you and I had a discussion yesterday, then again this morning concerning how you were conducting company business with Ms. Swan." She paused long enough to take a sip of her tea before speaking again. "Now, I'm not going to repeat myself, nor, am I going to inquire as to why I wasn't told this morning about Ms. Swan being in the hospital.

"But, I am going to say this, and, Edward, make no mistake about this as your father and I have discussed it and we are in full agreement, either you get your act together. Be the businessman that we know you can be and start treating Ms. Swan the same as you would any other business prospect.

"And, Son, make no mistake, your dad and I will do what we must do otherwise if the matter isn't corrected immediately. Also, you had better start being more forthcoming with us in the future." Esme pauses as she looks at Edward, then glances around the room at each of her other two sons before stopping with Carlisle. Raising a brow in a gesture of questioning she waits to see if her husband has something to add.

"Edward, I think your mother has covered everything that needs to be said, but, I do want you to know that we both stand firm on what she has told you. No more nonsense!"

A/N: Bella revealed how she knew it was Edward that she had backed into, but, poor Edward didn't get to have his say. Too many people arrive at one time to stop any chance he might have had to explain was halted. Then the trip by Mark, Alice and Rosalie was a bit of a bust; it didn't go exactly as they might have wished. And, Esme lowered the boom on Edward. Question is will Bella give in to Edward if he gets a chance to explain? Will Edward change and give Bella her way without interfering any further?

Thanks for reading and looking forward to hearing from you.