The Hell Storm

I was almost grateful my last class of the day was with Alice and not Edward so I could get some damn work done. I was about to spontaneously combust during English since Edward sat behind me and blew cool air onto my neck for the entire ninety minutes. It was a cruel method of torture, but I think I more than paid him back when class dismissed.

I grabbed his hand in a vice-like grip and dragged him toward the janitor's closet. He could have more than easily stopped me, but he followed without complaint as I pulled him inside and slammed him against the door. Maybe I'd feel bad if I didn't know he barely felt it. I kissed him forcefully, slipping my hands under his shirt to trace his sculpted chest. He groaned and was just as feverish against me, winding his hands in my hair and tugging gently.

I pulled back, panting shamelessly, and glared at him. "Are you trying to kill me?" He chuckled, gliding his nose along my jaw and inhaling.

"Just making up for lost time, love." His voice was breathy and uneven, making my knees weak.

"Well if you make up for it all today, I'm going to have a damn heart attack." My heart pounded loudly in my chest to affirm my point and he placed his palm over it, pressing down slightly.

"I'll ease up a little. I just wanted you to remember that I can make your heart race too." My mouth fell open at his words and his serious expression to match.

He planted a chaste kiss on my lips and opened the closet door. "Come on, love. We're about to be late."

He left no room for further discussion, dropping me off at Spanish and hurrying to his own class. I walked in and sat down next to Alice, still a little dazed. She beamed at me and patted down my hair gently.

"That was some little make-out session, huh?" Of course she saw. I forgot how pervasive my best friend's omniscience was. I stared at the vocabulary sheet, ignoring the fierce blush on my cheeks. She pulled my water bottle from my backpack and passed it to me.

"Drink, before you swoon and pass out." I rolled my eyes, but took it anyway and guzzled a large sip.

"I bet Jacob's never kissed you like that." I choked on the water and she cursed under her breath, patting my back awkwardly.

I glared at her through watering eyes and struggled to regain my composure. "Jacob's never kissed me period." She nodded thoughtfully and squeezed my knee in an appreciative gesture.

"I had to ask. It's frustrating not being able to see him." I tried to summon some sympathy for her blindness, but I couldn't. I was so disgustingly grateful she couldn't see my interactions with Jacob and that guilt festered in my stomach. It was similar to my relief that Edward couldn't read my thoughts. I wasn't hiding anything from them exactly, but my relationship with Jake was completely separate from the Cullens and until I figured out how to mesh them all, I didn't want anyone rummaging around in my head.

The teacher was playing a documentary about Spanish cuisine for the majority of class, so I could get away with whispering to Alice.

"Alice, Jacob is my best friend. I was really… messed up when you all left and I kind of shut down for awhile. He helped me function and eventually start to adjust. I am a pathetic shell of a person without your brother, but Jake made it easier and I needed him. I don't know how our bond factors into my life now that you're all back, but it doesn't just go away."

She nodded and squeezed my knee again. It was much harder for her to speak back without drawing attention, but she spoke directly into my ear as quietly as possible.

"Bella, I'm so sorry that I let him leave in the first place. I knew how devastating it would be for both of you but you know how stubborn he gets when he makes up his mind. I shouldn't have let him stay away for so long. I knew how it was killing him and he was adamant that I stop checking your future, so I didn't know how much you were struggling or I promise, I would have dragged him back by his hair." We both broke into a laugh, earning a glare from the teacher. Alice paused with a thoughtful expression for a moment.

"I can't ever make it up to you, but I can try by being open-minded about Jacob. He obviously cares about you, so we already have that in common and if something had happened to you while we were gone, Edward wouldn't have survived so I guess I owe him too."

The moisture in my eyes threatened to spill over, so I blinked rapidly until it dissipated. It felt so good to have her back and on my side. I squeezed her hand to express my thanks and she nodded in understanding. Then, a delicate grin graced her face as the intercom chimed.

"You have a doctor's appointment." She whispered to me in a rush.

"Bella Swan to the front office for dismissal." I almost rolled my eyes, but Alice squeezed my knee again.

"He misses you." This time, I did roll my eyes. I saw him forty minutes ago, but the flutter in my chest drew me out of my chair and down the hall. Ms. Cope looked up as I walked in and gave me a warm smile.

"Charlie called about your doctor's appointment saying you probably forgot. You're free to go, Bella." I hid my snort with an unconvincing coughing fit. The sun was just barely peeking through the trees when I exited the building and I realized it was the impetus for my jailbreak. He was sitting in his car with the windows rolled up and I could hear Claire de Lune playing softly as I got closer, climbing in the front passenger seat.

He grinned at me, making my heart stutter, and kissed me lightly. He went to pull away after a minute and I let out a noise of disapproval.

He chuckled against my cheek, "Do you want us to lose control of ourselves in a car? In the school parking lot no less?"

I didn't have a coherent response for at least a minute and I bit my tongue for a minute longer, because my first one was hell yes.

"Don't drive me crazy all day and I won't say yes." He gaped in surprise, covering it up quickly with a grin. Not quick enough.

He leaned back in and I thought for a second that he was taking me up on the offer, making my heart pound. He laughed and placed soft kisses all over my face. I just sighed and enjoyed the sensation.

"My Bella, I need to grovel a little longer before you give in. Don't you think?" No, I categorically did not think as he spoke the words at the skin beneath my ear.

I forced my voice to carry. "Only if this is groveling."

The back door swung open and Alice climbed in. "Don't defile her on school property, Edward."

He groaned and muttered something too low for me to hear. She laughed back, "I'd like to see you try."

I interjected as Edward's fists clenched. "How did you get out of class?"

"I'm in the bathroom."

"Won't they notice when you don't come back?"

"I got lost." I shrugged it off since neither of them seemed concerned. Then Alice straightened up and grabbed my shoulders.

"Alright Bella, what are you wearing tonight?" I groaned and they both grinned.

"I'll admit that today's ensemble is stellar, but I don't trust you picking out swimwear yet." I laughed and Edward let out a disgruntled noise.

"It's October!"

"And they're all like a thousand degrees, I'm sure someone will throw her in whether she's dressed for it or not." I nodded at Alice's assessment and then it was Edward groaning.

Alice gave me a wicked grin. "But Edward, then she will come home to you in a two-piece all wet." I was absolutely positive that I died from embarrassment. Surely, no human could survive all of their blood surging into their cheeks in two seconds flat. Edward took note of my burning state by just nodding with a small smile. I turned to Alice and tried to kill her with my eyes. She was glowing with amusement.

"I said I'd be open minded. I didn't say I'd be nice." She winked and ordered Edward to start the car since 'we had business to attend to'. Edward didn't hesitate and pulled from the parking lot onto the road, reaching his hand up to my face. He stroked his thumb across my still flaming cheekbone. His cool touch simmered the fire under my skin and I leaned my head back against the seat, shutting my eyes and just enjoying the sensation.

I didn't even notice that we parked in front of my house until Alice's car door opened and closed. His lips brushed against mine. I just sighed into him and it was much more gentle than the frenetic pace we had all day. This was just as potent and wonderful. I hadn't opened my eyes, but I was in no rush to stop. I would happily sit here in the dark with my one, overwhelming light.

He paused with his nose gliding along mine and whispered so low I wasn't sure he really said it. "My sweet Bella." He knew I did though when my heart stuttered and then picked up with a vengeance, making him laugh. I finally peeked at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, teasing the hair at the nape of his neck. He sucked in a breath.

"Alice is probably growing impatient." I mused quietly. He locked his hands on mine, keeping them in place around him.

"Let her." He said simply, reconnecting our lips. I wanted to pretend I had some willpower, but I immediately sunk into the kiss. He pulled back and growled under his breath.

"Charlie is four minutes away. Someone tipped him off that we were back. He went to the school to get you because he was scared I would surprise you. They were confused since he called twenty minutes ago to let you out. He's on his way to kill me."

"Shit," I breathed. It was stupid, but immediately tightened my hold on him, wanting to protect him. Charlie couldn't really kill him, but I knew the hell storm that was coming.

"You have to leave. I need to say some things to him and you can't hear them. They're not true." He stared back at me and nodded slowly. I watched the mask rise on his face and I ached inside. I knew in my heart he would probably be nearby, listening.

I took his face in my hands and pleaded. "Please, Edward. He's only going to be okay with this if I lie." He nodded again, numbly and I felt helpless. I crushed his mouth to mine and kissed him with everything in me. He kissed me back fiercely and muttered two minutes against my lips. I detached myself from him and turned to open the car door.

"Alice is staying in your bedroom. She'll hide if she needs to but I'm not leaving you alone." I nodded and slid out of the car. He roared away quickly and I stood, toeing the gravel on the driveway. Within another minute, Charlie's cruiser was ripping down the road and he pulled in beside me, jumping out with his gun in his hand.

"Where the hell is he, Bella?" I recoiled at his livid tone.

"He… he just left." Charlie was turning purple and I started to worry he would have a heart attack. "Dad, I need you to calm down. I'm not running off with him. I'm not falling apart."

He was panting furiously and stared at me, incredulous. "You're- you're okay?" His voice cracked and I felt tears welling up.

"Yeah, Dad. I promise." I knew he didn't entirely believe me, but I watched his frame relax and the gun in his hand stopped shaking so much.

"Why did he pull you out of school? Where was he taking you?" The shaking resumed a little.

I swallowed and prepared to start lying. "Alice pulled me out. He was there, but she just wanted to help me get ready for tonight. I'm going to Seth's party on the reservation." Mostly true.

"With Jacob." I added carefully, tasting bile.

He got a crazed look on his face and let out a harsh laugh. "And what exactly does Ed- he think of that?" It wasn't his hand shaking now, it was his whole body quivering with hate and my heart wrenched.

"It's not for him to think about. He doesn't get to just come back and call the shots." I felt disgusting and I prayed with every fiber of my being that Edward was long gone. Charlie just stared at my face, scanning it for any ounce of bullshit. I had never been good at lying, actually I was exceptionally bad at lying. But he needed my words to be true, so I hoped he would overlook the blatant deception.

"You didn't take him back?" He was testing me and I knew he was.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. "No, I don't know what I'm doing yet."

He nodded a little, but I could tell he didn't really believe me. Then, he turned a shade of green. "Does Jacob know?"

I winced. "Yes."

"He knew last night. That's why he left." Charlie wasn't asking anymore, so I just nodded.

He took a step toward me and gave me a hard look. "You broke last night. For the first time in two months, you broke because he left."

I started to feel indignant and tried to force it back down. He made it difficult. "You love him, Bella. I know you do. He makes you happy and he's normal for Christ's sake. He would never leave you, you know he wouldn't. Why isn't that good enough?"

I fumed at my father. "Maybe it is enough, but what the hell are you thinking?" He gawked at me, but I didn't stop. "I'm not just going to fall in Jake's arms to make you feel better or avoid Edward. Do you really want me to be just as dependent on him as I was with Edward? I can't be with him because I need him or because he won't leave. I have to love him."

He swallowed thickly. "Do you?"

I warred between putting him at ease and being honest. I came into the conversation with a plan, a rational goal. But my emotions were swelling and I couldn't suppress them. "Not like I love Edward. I can't." I whispered the words and watched his face contort.

A weird expression settled on his face. "Get out. Pack your stuff and go." I felt like my ears had cotton balls in them.

"W-what?" My tears spilt over and I struggled to comprehend him. This was not my father.

"You heard me. I won't be home until tonight. I want you gone. I won't watch you kill yourself for him." My stomach was writhing and I was pretty sure I was going to throw up. I stumbled toward him, not sure what I'd do when I reached him but he held up a hand. The one without the gun, but it was shaking much worse than in anger. He backed away with tears of his own and opened his car door.

"Dad," I called out. He didn't turn around and pulled away without a backward glance. When his cruiser turned the corner, I felt my knees give out and a sob burst from my lips. Edward materialized and caught me, cradling me to him and whispering words I couldn't hear. Alice was there too, pulling me upright and they both led me to the living room. Edward kissed my cheek and stepped out as Alice held me. She didn't say anything as I balled but she rocked us gently and it began to calm me.

"I love you so much, Bella. I'm so proud of you. I promise you this will all work out. He just needs time." I feebly tried to believe her, but I looked around my living room and felt my world slipping away. The pictures on the mantle above the fireplace where I dressed like a butterfly for Halloween and lost my first tooth. My chocolate milk stain on the sofa that Charlie hid with a pillow. His big blue chair that he would rock me in when I was baby until we both fell asleep.

I jumped up and ran to the bathroom, emptying my stomach. I sat there on the cold tiles and tried to breathe. How could he tell me to leave? The man who stood across from me out there was not my father. He was withdrawn and empty and I hated him for it, but I hated myself more for knowing I made him that way.

I stood on shaky knees and brushed my teeth twice, dabbing cool water on my face. Alice knocked and I told her I'd be out in a minute. I stared at myself in the mirror and saw the lifeless eyes reflected. I forced the sides of my mouth to tug upward to see what it would look like. The smile was dim at best and it was completely fake, but I kept it plastered on because I wouldn't shut down again. If Charlie wanted me to leave, I'd leave but I wouldn't let it break me. I spent enough time this year mourning a man and I wouldn't waste anymore.

I emerged and met the concerned faces of both Alice and Edward with my barely there smile. I turned to Alice and reached for her hand, which she eagerly gave.

"I have to pack up my clothes, but will you still help me choose an outfit for tonight?" She scrambled to mask her surprise, squeezing my hand and nodding her head profusely.

I glanced at Edward and he wore a tight smile too. "Alice, can I meet you up there in two minutes?" She flitted away immediately and I wound myself around him. He lifted me easily in his arms and brought us to the couch. I settled in his lap and just buried my face in his chest. It was easier to be vulnerable, staring at the underside of his jaw and not his compelling eyes.

"I know you heard most of what I said to Charlie and I'm not mad, because the discussion got away from me and it was much more honest than I intended." He kissed my forehead and let me continue.

"I know separating wasn't easy for you either, but I'm not a vampire. I'm human and I'm bound to you, in a really overwhelming, unhealthy way. I don't know how to exist without you and I don't know if I can change that. I really tried to learn how with Jake and maybe that was just me becoming reliant on him instead of you. I'm mad at Charlie, but I know he's just scared because he knows what will happen if you leave. It's not fair of me to trap you or manipulate you, so I'm giving you an out."

I swallowed my returning nausea. "If you stay, I'm going to start to trust you again and I'll be just as bound as before. I can already feel it. I can let myself if you're sure you won't leave. This isn't a question of you or Jacob. I'm not selfish enough to settle for him because you decide you don't want me. I just need you to decide that you don't want me now while I can still recover."

The only sound for a full minute was my nervous breath in and out. I didn't dare look at him and I tried not to regret just how honest I was being while he was silent. His first action was to run a hand through my hair, then carefully extract my face from his body. He held at arm's length and his eyes burned into mine. His intense look took my breath away and I resisted the urge to back away from its enormity.

"Thank you for telling me how you feel. I needed to organize my mind enough to form a response." I nodded in encouragement and he pecked my nose.

"Isabella Swan, I know you believe I have a soul. I was always adamant that I didn't and most likely I don't. I started to doubt that conviction when I met you and began to love you as much as I do. If I do have a soul, it is tethered to yours irrevocably and I will never deny that tie again in my existence. If I don't-" He cupped my face in his hands.

"If I don't, you are my soul, Bella. I am nothing without you. I will never shed the guilt of hurting you like I did, but I won't ever make you regret that bond again. I'm here for the rest of your life and you can lean on me and love me without fearing that I'll hurt you. Leaving you was the greatest mistake of my existence and I won't simply refrain from making another. I will spend the rest of our lives making it up to you. I won't let modesty distract from my unwavering intentions. I want to marry you, Bella. I want to meet your crazy mother and win over Charlie one day. I want to take you all over the world and build a life together. I want to give everything you want in life and then some, even though I know most of those things have no allure to you. You are my life and I hope you can begin to believe me."

I felt like I was treading water and I basically was as the tears poured down my face. I pressed my forehead against his and squeezed his shoulders tightly. "Okay," I breathed against his lips.

A/N: I hope you caught that Edward stepped out while Bella was crying with Alice. What do you think he did?