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Rosalie's POV…

Eddie and I separated the second we both saw Nathanial standing there. He stood there a terror just waiting to jump upon the both of us. I had never seen him like that before. He stood with his face as red as a bottle of hot sauce with his hands in fists. For a moment, I was afraid he would hit Eddie, but he didn't he simple stood there angry as could be until suddenly he marched into the room. The door closed with a slam and staring at me I found myself for the first time scared of him.

"Rosalie, why are you here with Edward Nygma? I thought you went home…I want an explanation right now," snapped Nathanial his body shaking slightly. I could tell he was trying to remain calm, but it wasn't working. He was mad and though I didn't understand it exactly I didn't put much consideration into the matter then.

"Nothing…Eddie and I were just talking is all. I told you we're just friends," I whispered taking a step towards him to try to calm him more, but the second I tried he pulled away. It was obvious that he didn't believe me. That made me start to panic inside because what if he wouldn't believe me? What if he left me? It all ran through my mind even as I tried to appear calm when inside I was freaking out.

I was afraid. Though I might not have loved Nathanial the way I loved Eddie, I did love him in a way. He had been there when no one else was. He had protected me and despite it all I didn't want to lose him. He was my friend if he was nothing else. I couldn't lose him or I didn't know what would happen.

"Nathanial please, listen to me. I'm telling you the truth," I whispered moving to touch his cheek, but again he wouldn't let me. But as this was all happening it didn't leave my mind that Eddie was still there watching it all. Deep down I was afraid for him too. I didn't want to ruin his life or make him lose his job or have this be the reason we couldn't be friends. I didn't want Nathanial to try to hurt him, if he did I wouldn't let him. Eddie was my friend, but more important than that whether he knew it or not he was my love. I loved him and I would let no one hurt him. Even Nathanial.

With that in mind, I approached Nathanial once more.

"Baby," I breathed wanting to draw his eyes to me, but they had found Eddie now and didn't seem to want to leave. For a moment then I was sure I would have to make him look at me. He just stared at Eddie and I wasn't sure, but to me he had this murderous look in his eyes. But when he finally looked at me that look was still in his eyes. It scared me, made me wonder if maybe Nathanial was capable of hurting me when until now I never would have believed that.

"I want the truth, Rosalie, now," breathed Nathanial so that only I could hear him.

"I haven't lied to you. Nathanial, Eddie and I were just talking I swear to you that that is the truth," I whispered attempting to touch his face, but again he wouldn't let me.

I could see he didn't believe me. I knew that just by the emotions that I suddenly saw in his eyes. He never usually showed any, he was always so tightly wound before, but now his eyes were filled with everything he was feeling. There was anger, there was hurt and sadness, but most of all there was a lack of trust that cut me deep. He didn't trust me at all. That was clear now when I looked into his eyes seeing all those emotions. They showed that he didn't believe and that could only mean he didn't trust me either.

"I'll be in my office. When you're done here we can talk in private…please don't be long. And Nygma, you and I will be having a talk later…much later," snapped Nathanial simply turning away from me. He left the room without looking back at me and when he did it broke my heart. How could he not trust me after all our time together. That thought lingered on my mind even as I turned to look at Eddie again.

Eddie and I looked at each other neither of us knowing exactly what to say. I tried to give him a smile, but I barely managed it. How was I expected to smile when my life might be ending the second I walked out that door? But still laying a hand on his cheek I tried to reassure him.

"Everything will be alright, don't worry about it. I'll talk to him…I'll make him see reason. I…I meant what I said…I won't let him hurt you, Eddie," I whispered before Nathanial's voice reached me.

"Rosalie," called Nathanial the mere sound of it making me wince. My steps were fast then as I approached the door not sure what to expect when I spoke with Nathanial. The many scenarios went through my mind until suddenly a hand caught mine using it to turn me around. There first thing I found myself looking into were Eddie's brown eyes.

"Are you sure you should go? Rosie…if he tried to hurt you…if he hurts you…I wouldn't let it stand. I would never let anyone hurt you either…we protect each other after all," whispered Eddie making me smile my first genuine smile since this all began bringing a hand to touch his cheek.

"No…no Eddie…Nathanial would never hurt me…I'll be fine," I breathed giving his cheek a gentle pat before walking away. I didn't completely believe my words even as I spoke them. I didn't dwell on that though as I moved down the hall calming myself my thoughts moving rapidly. He didn't trust me, the more that went through my mind the more it bothered me. And the more it bothered me the faster I started to walk. I knew Nathanial would try to be stern, to cow me into saying I did something wrong as he always did, but this time I wasn't going to let him.

"I did nothing…we were just talking," I said to myself coming closer to his office my fear from before now fully formed into anger. I stomped up the steps leading to his office letting that anger fuel me. He was in the wrong this time and I would not let him sway me to believe otherwise. I would show him for the first time that I wasn't weak. That I was stronger than he thought, but even as I decided that I wondered where it was all coming from. I had always had this strength, I knew that, but I didn't understand why I was just now showing it to Nathanial. Where was this sudden courage coming from? I didn't know. Part of me thought maybe it was something I had gained again thanks to my reunion with Edward Nygma. I hadn't been able to use it, my strength, until now. Now that we had found each other again.

"We did nothing wrong," I breathed one last time as I found myself in front of Nathanial's office. Nathanial was standing there his arms crossed over his chest.

Suddenly seeing him like that I found myself filled with anger. We had been together for over two years, I had never given him a reason not to trust me, and now he catches me talking to Eddie so he immediately thinks the worst. After all this time, he still didn't trust me, just knowing that made me so mad at him. I made that quite clear with the glare I gave him as I passed into his office. Nathanial followed right behind me and I could see that he was still angry, but I was determined. He was not going to turn this around on me. I did nothing wrong and I was going to stand my ground. It wasn't until the door closed and the blinds were shut that I rounded on him.

"You didn't have to act like that back there. I told you the truth you should trust me enough, know me enough to know I'm not lying," I snapped crossing my arms over my chest this time. I stared at him thinking repeatedly that I was not going to back down. I saw he was surprised by my actions, but I didn't let myself care. I took pride in his surprise and just stood there waiting for his response. He had never seen this side of me before.

"Do I…I walked in on you and Nygma practically kissing. Maybe you weren't when I walked in, but if I hadn't what would have happened? If I had waited say ten minutes what would I have saw?" said Nathanial speaking to me as if he was interrogating me like one of the criminals he locked in his cells instead of the woman he loved. As he spoke, Nathanial came to stand in front of me his eyes boring into mine.

"You would have saw the same thing, Nathanial. I keep telling you that Eddie and I are just friends. He needed to talk to someone, so I was there to listen. If you trusted me you wouldn't be questioning that the way you are right now," I screamed right into his face really angry in that moment my hands clenching into tight white knuckled fists.

"I know what I saw, Rosalie," said Nathanial shaking his head in a way that made me want to slap him.

"I know what I saw in there. I saw the way you two were looking at each other," whispered Nathanial that hurt from before returning, but I barely saw it before he turned away from me. He slammed his hands down on his desk then making me stop mid step to approach him.

"Are you sleeping with Nygma?" whispered Nathanial the question alone making me move quickly to stand behind him. Gently I let my hands slide up to grip his shoulders as I leaned my head against his back. When I felt, him lean towards his desk away from me despite it all I was a little hurt.

"Of course not, I love you, Nathanial. We're just friends, very close friends. We do what friends do, we talk, and that is what you saw," I whispered hoping beyond hope that he would believe me despite the lie within the truth.

"Please believe me…trust me because I am telling the truth, I promise you that," I whispered burying my face in his back. My hands left his shoulders then coming to wrap around him. I was only partly surprised when he let me do this. He let me wrap my arms around him and then he grabbed my hands as I moved to place them over his heart. It was like he didn't trust me anywhere near it anymore.

"I want to believe you, Rosalie, but I can't. I know what I saw," whispered Nathanial holding my hands still as he turned finally looking down at me.

His answer broke my heart because it only confirmed what I already knew. It only confirmed that he didn't trust me; not the way I trusted him. The knowledge of that made an ache form in my chest, but it also stirred the anger in me that had until just began to ebb.

"Why can't you?" I breathed part of me wanting him to admit it, to say it out loud. He didn't trust me, but I knew he would never tell me that. Nathanial held everything inside himself. He always had and I knew he would do that now because he thought he was protecting himself. In the end, as I looked into his eyes I knew I would have to say it. To admit it when he would not.

"If you won't admit it, say it…I will. You don't trust me, Nathanial. I thought all this time you did, but now I see you never have," I exclaimed letting my tears, my pain flow freely down the length of my face this time not letting him touch me. As I took a step away from him I peered into his eyes and I saw how much he wanted to deny it. But he couldn't because to deny it would be a lie.

"Rosalie…please don't" whispered Nathanial moving to take my hands again when I wrenched them out of his, my steps fast as I backed away from him.

"You don't trust me. You don't trust me and I've never given you reason not to," I exclaimed my voice rising.

"Rosalie, listen that's not it. Let me explain," exclaimed Nathanial still reaching for me. Only then did I stop. I found myself staring him down in that moment and I silently dared him to continue. I wanted him to come up with some lie to tell me, but he just stood there in silence letting it grow. It was that silence that made my anger flare.

"What! What explanation…what lie do you have, Nathanial. I know…I know now that you don't trust me and it makes me so mad at you. I mean, we've been together so long. I trust you completely and to know you don't trust me truly hurts me," I cried wiping the tears even as they fell. He didn't dare come near me then though I could see in the way he held himself that he wanted to. But he knew he had crossed a line with me. He knew he had hurt me and I don't think he knew what to do.

"Sweetheart…I'm sorry…please let's talk about this," whispered Nathanial slowly taking small steps towards me. His steps didn't stop until he was in front of me and as much as he tried to get me to look at him I couldn't. I couldn't look at him because I knew it would only make me cry more then I already was. And then he touched my cheek in a final attempt to get my eyes to meet his.

I didn't want him touching me anymore. I knew that when he touched my cheek and my whole body flinched away from him our eyes finally meeting. Just like I thought more tears came as I backed up until my back hit his office door. And then we just stood there staring at each other.

"I thought you trusted me completely too. I don't know if I can be with someone who doesn't trust me…I need to think…I'm going to go home and think. I just…I thought we trusted each other, Nathanial," I cried not touching my tears, but this time just letting them fall.

"I was wrong," I whispered not giving him the chance to say anything in response before I was walking out the door. I ran out of there as fast as I could. I could hear him yelling after me, but I didn't look back. I couldn't because I just was so overwhelmed in that moment. Everything was falling apart.

Before I knew it, I was still crying from the safety of a cab and driving through the streets to our home I blinked. I found myself in front of our building and I couldn't help, but wonder if it was still our building; if it was still our home. I meant what I said, I didn't know if I could be with him if he didn't trust me, but that didn't dissolve the sure fact that I needed him. That was my thought as I entered our apartment.

"He can sleep on the couch tonight," I whispered laying a pillow and blanket there for him to find before locking myself in our bedroom determined not to come out. I didn't want to see him, not yet, I needed to figure out what I was doing. Was I leaving? Was I staying? The answer wouldn't come and I didn't know if I wanted it to or not. I needed Nathanial and despite this happening that didn't change. If I did leave him I didn't know what I would do. He owned everything, his name was on everything, and if I did leave I didn't know what to do. I didn't know where I would go. If I left my life would basically be down the drain, my bakery, my married, hell, if I got Eddie fired probably no Eddie either. And he was the only man I wanted; yet I couldn't have him. Eddie thought I just wanted to be friends, if I told him different now it would ruin everything that, and he liked Miss. Kringle now. He wouldn't take me back now. But that wasn't our major issue, Eddie and I, because as much as I loved him I couldn't trust him. I knew as he was now that he would never let anyone hurt me, but could he keep himself from hurting me? As much as I wanted to believe otherwise I didn't think he could.

Nathanial would never hurt me, I knew that, not while he was in his right mind, but Eddie I never could be sure. Eddie couldn't protect me, not in every way that I needed him to, and with that that memory flashed through my mind, but I wouldn't let it stay. I wasn't ready to face it, to remember it; to remember my Eddie that way.

"Eddie can't protect me from himself," I thought as I pushed that memory away. It had been so long ago, but as I thought of Eddie in that moment I could easily compare and contrast the two Eddie's living in him. I could easily picture that other Eddie I had met so many years ago and how in the end it had been the reason for our end. For the first time in my life that night I had been afraid of Eddie, but as the memory came to haunt me again I pushed it away. I didn't want to remember him that way or I might never go near him again. I couldn't remember that because that was not my Eddie, my Eddie would never hurt me. Thoughts of Eddie, my Eddie, lingered on my mind, but soon thoughts of Nathanial overcame them.

"What am I going to do?" I exclaimed letting my tears fall once more no matter what I did I was screwed. The time came for us to face each other sooner than I expected. After laying in our bed, I couldn't sleep all I found myself doing was staring at the ceiling lost to my own thoughts. But then a single growl from my stomach broke my concentration. I didn't really want to leave our room, but if I wanted to eat I knew I had no choice. So, with a creak I opened the door peeking out frowning when I didn't see him asleep on the couch. I had barely entered the kitchen when he appeared in the doorway. Nothing was said between us, he simply sat down dressed in only his boxers, and turning his head he simply watched me. I couldn't bring myself to look at him or even move. When he entered the room my hunger disappeared, but I still couldn't move. The silence was chilling and just as I was finally turning to run back to our room he finally broke it and when he did his voice was somehow different.

"Please don't run away from me, baby," whispered Nathanial the mere change in his voice making me stop. The silence returned then as I decided to hear him out or continue to run to my hiding place. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't even sure if I could look at him yet.

"Could we talk please?" whispered Nathanial this new tone of voice drawing me back making me finally look at him.

"I'm listening," I breathed letting him take my hands in his kissing them.

"I'm sorry…I was wrong. I should have been more openminded and listened to you. You were right when you said I don't trust you…I just…I don't know if I can trust anyone anymore, so many people have lied to me over the years, but I want to trust you. I love you and I am sorry," exclaimed Nathanial that soft side I had fallen in love with showing on his face. He was showing me a part of himself that I knew only I would ever see. It made me want to drop it all and just forgive him. But I couldn't because then it would just happen again.

"I can't just forgive you and have everything go back to normal, Nathanial. We need to talk about this," I whispered seeing immediately that he wanted it to be that easy even if it wasn't.

"Why did you freak out? There was no reason for it," I said letting him pull him close until I was sitting in his lap.

"I don't really know…I just…I saw red for no reason. I saw you and Nygma and I thought for a second about losing you and I lost it. I've never had to share you before…I don't want to," said Nathanial drawing circles in the skin of my arm. He looked at me then begging me to understand and while part of me didn't another part did not. Never in my life had I seen Nathanial act so childish; it was kind of cute. But I kept that to myself looking down at him with a frown.

"This was bound to happen, baby, I wasn't going to be friendless forever. I have a friend now and you're going to have to learn to share. But still know that no matter what I am yours; I love you," I whispered still not sure now I felt about how he was feeling, but I could see he didn't really understand his own feelings either.

He nodded in response his eyes finally meeting mine. I could tell he needed me to say something, but in that moment, I didn't know what to say.

"I do love you, Rosalie. I need you to know that," whispered Nathanial bringing my hands to his face making me smile as he did so.

"I do know that, baby. I love you too that's why I was so mad when I thought you didn't trust me. It broke my heart especially after spending two years of my life working to make you love and trust me," I exclaimed feeling as he pulled me closer in response.

"I need you to trust me and know that Edward Nygma is just my friend. He's been my friend a long time we just lost touch," I explained with a sigh before trying to continue.

"A long time ago he was my only friend and now except for you that's the way it is again," I whispered knowing it to be the truth. Nathanial made me look at him and this time he didn't look away. There was something said between us with just our eyes and I didn't need to say it. All was forgiven that was clear when we leaned close at the same time sharing a gently kiss.

"I'm sorry…I'll never doubt you again. If you say Nygma is just a friend I believe you. I love you," said Nathanial kissing me several more times. We drew away from each other after a moment and for the first time since this all had happened I gave him a real smile. It was a smile he covered with another kiss before wrapping his arms around me as I did the same. Everything seemed to be falling back into place.

"I promise never to doubt you like this ever again, baby. I love you so, so much. With all I am," whispered Nathanial stroking my cheek. He kissed me repeatedly. It all made me smile I loved when I got to see this side of him, but I couldn't completely give him yet.

"I know, I always have…I love you too," I breathed pulling him for a deeper kiss then we had shared until now letting it linger for a moment before drawing back to peer into his eyes. I could see a certain curiosity in his eyes then and staring down at him I waited. He wanted to ask me something and giving him a nod I gave him the go ahead.

"What were you and Nygma talking about anyway?" asked Nathanial.

"I was giving him advice…on love actually or dating I guess. He likes someone, but she doesn't like him. I told him to just show her what I see…a really smart, sweet guy who would do anything for her. I told him to show her what a great guy he really is because Eddie is. He is a really good person, but no one gives him a chance. He once said I'm the only one who ever did without him ever really having to try," I whispered letting him see how much I truly cared for Eddie. Whether I loved him or not that would always be true. He was the most wonderful person I had ever met.

Nathanial was silent for a long time as he just stared at me. For a moment, I thought maybe I had said too much, but then he kissed me again. It was a simple kiss and when he pulled away he gave me a smile. That smile was followed by a nod and looking down at him I couldn't help thinking how lucky I was. For Nathanial Barnes was a good man.

"He is a good guy…a little weird with the riddles sometimes, but I see what you see in him. For you, I'll try to give him a chance, and I'll even apologize for today," whispered Nathanial helping me stand his hand still in mine. We walked hand in hand to our room and just as we hit the doorway he stopped me pulling me into his arms. Gently he kissed me deepening it at his leisure. And then suddenly he swept me off my feet carrying me over the threshold.

"Baby," I gasped into the kiss. He used that one word to deepen the kiss and as we got closer and closer to the bed I felt a moment of hesitation. I knew nonetheless that it would be just like all the times before and I wasn't sure if after everything that just happened if I wanted that. When he laid me down across the bed I knew, I knew there was no stopping it.

"I love you, so much Sweetheart," whispered Nathanial kissing over the length of my neck as my own thoughts played in my head my eyes closing for I knew I would not be thinking of him as he made love to me. His hands may be the ones touching me, his lips might be the ones kissing me, but in my mind, I would replace them. Replace them with the same person I always had, my Eddie. Only when I thought of him instead could I bear to let another man touch me. In my mind, it would be my Eddie making love to me. Despite telling Nathanial I loved him I knew that was a lie or part of a lie. I didn't love him the way he wanted. I could only love Eddie that way. I may hold some kind of love for Nathanial Barnes in my heart, but deep down he didn't have my whole heart. My heart would only ever belong to one man. Edward Nygma. It may have been Nathanial's body doing to actions, but in my mind Eddie did it all. He kissed me, he thrust so deep inside of me, and marked me as his. He held me, he whispered how much he loved me, and as I clung to him I forgot Nathanial. I only wanted to think of Eddie in that moment.

It wasn't until it was over that Eddie faded and I found myself with Nathanial again. Putting on my best smile, I laid my head on his chest feeling his arms tight around me, and for that small moment all was quiet. Though I knew it wouldn't stay that way. With Nathanial, it never did.