Chapter 6 - she be but little

A/N: Anything Twilight related belongs to SM. Thanks for the follows and faves. Thanks for the reviews I read each one.

The characters and I had a bit of a disagreement while I was writing this chapter but we've made up, so here's the next installment of Busy Bee and her Mister Fancy Pants. Enjoy.

Emmett slapped his brother's back: "Brother you are off the charts smart when it comes to the world of academia but you are absolutely clueless when it comes to the opposite sex."

They walked down the hallway with Rosalie, Alice and Jasper following behind them.

"I just don't get what I said that was so wrong?" Edward said, confused.

Emmett burst out laughing: "It doesn't matter what you did, you idiot. Don't waste time trying to work it out. Just say you're sorry."

Edward stopped in his tracks: "That doesn't make any sense Em. I mean maybe I didn't do anything wrong in the first place and she's just being prissy. Did you think of that?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes at Edward and walked away with Alice as they went to their lockers. Jasper joined Emmett to school Edward in the ways of not being right.

Jasper leaned in to Edward: "Being right doesn't get you laid my friend."

Emmett nodded thinking that Jasper was a lot smarter than he looked. "He's right my brother. Being right does NOT get you laid."

Edward pinched his nose: "You two are neanderthals. How can you possibly treat women this way? I mean if I am wrong I need to know what I've done so that I don't do it again. And surely if she is wrong she needs to know that too."

"Oh Ed, my dear brother. You have so much to learn. We're just trying to save you pain, bro'."

Emmett was genuinely excited to see his brother interested in anyone and wanted to make sure he didn't blow it before he even got started. But despite his enthusiasm Emmett was astute enough to know that Edward might just have to find his own way, especially given the enigma that is Bee.

Edward was confused: "And anyway, Em, who says I want to sleep with Isa... with Bee... or anyone else for that matter."

Emmett laughed again, this time he leaned in close to Edward: "Oh you want her, that much I do know. Even if you aren't ready to admit it to yourself."

He walked away from Edward with Jasper in tow to rejoin their girls before heading to class.

Edward stood frozen to the spot trying to make sense of the morning's activities until the principal, Mr Gray came along behind him: "No time for daydreaming, Mr Cullen. On to class."

Edward rushed to his locker, collected the books he needed for his first few classes and rushed to AP English. He was a little shocked by Emmett's words, denying their validity in his mind but one thing he did take on board, he needed to apologise to Bee. Not because he wanted to get laid. No. Just because it was the right thing to do.

Bee had made an effort this morning to rescue his reputation in front of the jocks who had witnessed her mock-dumping him the day before. And he had to admit, if only to himself, that he did enjoy holding her hand as they walked into school together, so why the hell had he said what he did? Yes, an apology was in order, in fact now he owed her two apologies. He needed to make this good.

As he walked into AP English the substitute teacher had just stood to begin the class, so he grabbed the only remaining seat which was nowhere near Bee making it impossible for him to quietly talk with her and apologise.

"Class, as I have you for one more day I thought you could split into pairs and work through the questions at the end of Chapter Six."

Edward sighed as he realised this substitute teacher was yet again ill prepared to teach this class and it would be another wasted lesson. However, he noticed his classmates were all taking the opportunity to sit with their friends or partners. Angela who had been seated next to Bee had gone to sit with her boyfriend Ben, so Edward took the opportunity to sit with Bee.

He strode across the room and sat in the now vacated chair next to her.

Bee looked at him quizzically: "Edward? Why did you move? You don't need any help answering these questions."

He shrugged before turning his attention to the task set. Bee followed suit and they sat in comfortable silence working side by side. With the task done Edward put his pencil down and sighed while watching Bee work. He was fascinated to see that she had such messy handwriting, perfect for a future doctor he thought. When she was done she put her pen down and noticed that Edward was staring at her. She raised a brow in question or possibly challenge to him, he wasn't sure which.

Edward took a deep breath, reached out and took her small hand in his as he turned to look in her eyes: "You must bear with me; Pray you now, forget and forgive."

Bee stared at him for a moment trying to work out why Edward was quoting Shakespeare at her.

When she thought about it she realised he was trying to say sorry and she smiled to herself thinking that only Edward would think that a quote from King Lear was a good way to open an apology.

But she decided it might be fun to play him at his own game: "Lord, What fools these mortals be."

Edward chuckled: "Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit."

Bee laughed thinking that Edward would have trouble sticking to just five minutes of foolishness a day, and then the perfect reply occurred to her: "I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed!"

Edward mocked being wounded: "Though she be but little, she is fierce!"

She leaned in and spoke gently: "Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find."

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it," he whispered as he marvelled internally at what a lovely girl Bee really was. She was beautiful, bright, a little too thin but miraculously, she was forgiving him, again.

He pushed that frequently loose curl of her hair behind her ear.

Looking at each other warmly they realised at the same time that they had become the focus of the whole class who were watching and listening to their back and forth banter and almost intimate encounter. Unfortunately, it also attracted the attention of the substitute teacher who was walking down the aisle towards them.

Edward leaned down to Bee's ear: "By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes."

Bee giggled and Edward was proud that he was able to amuse her.

The teacher with hands on her hips stood before them tapping her feet: "So I take it you two have completed the task?"

In silent unison and with matching grins on their faces, Bee and Edward held up their notebooks with the task completed in full.

The teacher grunted, turned away and headed back to the front of the class.

Edward turned to Bee and whispered: "All quotes aside, Bee. I am sorry. For yesterday ... and for today. I guess I'm not really used to talking with girls and apparently I am not very good at it."

Bee smirked: "I understand how that feels, Edward. I mean I am not used to talking to anyone really except children... Anyway." She held her hand out to him: "Truce?"

He was curious about her reference to children but decided now was not the time, so he took her hand: "Truce."

When they were leaving their last class before lunch Emmett joined them in the hall: "Hello lovebirds, I heard you two had a nerd duel in English!"

Edward punched his brother's arm and Bee giggled.

Emmett took Bee gently by the arm and guided her towards the cafeteria: "Come on Miss Bee, you're joining us for lunch today. No more hiding out in the library."

Bee wanted to protest and tried to pull away but then Edward joined Emmett: "It's okay, we all sit together, you'll be fine. Come on, we won't bite."

The cafeteria was a vibrant, noisy place and Bee found it a little daunting. She had no idea what to do or where to go as she'd never gone in there before, so she followed behind Emmett and Edward as they walked towards the servery. Edward grabbed them each a tray. She leaned over to Edward: "I can't... I don't have any money, please Edward, it is so embarrassing."

He gave her a small smile: "I've got you covered Bee. Come on, what do you feel like? Fancy a burger? Or are you one of those fake salad girls who pretend they don't eat anything and then pig out on chocolate when they think no one is looking?"

She laughed: "Definitely not a fake salad girl." She looked in the hotbox and up at Edward and shrugged. She had no idea what to order so he decided to order for her: "Two cheeseburgers and one large salad." He shot a wink at Bee.

"Go grab us a drink while I wait for the burgers," he motioned to the drink fridge. She stood in front of it looking at all the different varieties of drinks. Emmett saw her frustration and came over to her, Edward's a pussy so he likes juice. I like coke. What do you like Bee?

"Emmett, exactly what about Edward wanting juice makes him a pussy?"

Edward joined in: "Thank you! There is nothing wrong with wanting juice instead of caffeine fuelled sugar in a can, brother."

They paid for their food and guided Bee towards their usual table. The other students watched their every movement, fascinated by the new addition to the Cullen's' table and Edward's new apparent relationship with Bee.

With all eyes on them Bee, Emmett and Edward joined Rosalie. Rose tipped her chin to Bee, which she could only assume was a welcoming greeting so she mimicked it in return. Jasper and Alice joined them looking flushed and a little dishevelled. Bee wondered where they'd been and what they'd been doing, the others of course knew exactly where the two horny teenagers had been.

Alice stretched her hand out to Bee: "Hello, I'm Alice."

Bee slowly stretched her hand to shake Alice's: "We've actually been in the same classes for a while. I'm Bee."

"This sweet honey is Jasper," Alice reached her arm around Jasper's shoulders. "He's my non-boyfriend."

"Oh-kay... hey Jasper," Bee gave Jasper the same chin tipping gesture she'd copied from Rose. This seemed to be an acceptable greeting as Jasper returned with a chin tip of his own.

Bee was curious about what Alice meant by non-boyfriend but was unsure if it was a 'cool kids' term she was clearly not cool enough to understand so she kept quiet.

Edward threw his arm around Bee's shoulders: "I suppose Bee is my non-girlfriend, given that most of the school think we're shacked up together."

Bee choked on the sip of juice she'd just taken. She blushed bright red but laughed a little at the absurdity of their situation.

"So are the rumours true? Are you living with Edward?" Alice asked.

Before Bee or Edward could answer Alice continued: "I wish my parents would let me live with my non-boyfriend." She looked lustfully at Jasper. He responded by kissing her passionately in a very boyfriend kind of kiss as far as Bee was concerned.

"Gross, stop tonguing by brother at the lunch table, I am trying to eat!" Rose threw lettuce at Jasper and Alice.

They broke apart and Jasper threw the lettuce back at her: "What are you talking about Rose? You know you're not going to eat half of that food... you might get fat!"

"Don't go there Jazz, or she'll stop eating again," Emmett said sternly. He leaned over to Rosalie and spoke tenderly: "You are beautiful baby, ignore them and enjoy your salad, please?"

Emmett glared at Jasper who had the decency to look sheepish.

Bee looked to Edward for answers, but he just rolled his eyes and mouthed 'later' to her. She nodded and proceeded to neatly, methodically, and completely finish the food on her tray. She made a sort of little humming sound as she ate her cheeseburger, which made Emmett and Edward smile. Obviously she was enjoying her food.

Bee watched with fascination the interaction in the lunchroom of all the different groups. It was like a science experiment where you observed the behaviours of the test subjects, she wished she could take notes.

After lunch she and Edward went to their lockers together before heading off to class. They had AP Biology together but then Bee had gym while Edward had Spanish. Edward walked her to the girls dressing room: "I'll see you in the library after school, okay?"

"Okay. I really wish I didn't have to go to gym. I really hate it," she moaned.

"We all have to do it, you'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say. I am a complete klutz... as you Mister Fancy Pants should be well aware," she laughed.

Coffee spilling aside Edward had never really noticed that Bee was especially clumsy. He wasn't sure why he did it but he reached out and stroked her cheek giving her a supportive smile: "I'll see you in the library, I'm sure you'll survive."

"But will the other students," she mumbled as she walked into the dressing room.

After Spanish Edward was sitting in the library waiting for Bee to join him and was about to go look for her when she finally arrived, taking the seat next to him quietly. Her hair was out and covering her face.

"I was about to give up on you. We still have work to do on our project, y'know."

She grunted, reaching down into her backpack for her books.

"Fine, don't talk to me. Let's do our homework and then we'll get on to our project, okay?"

"Whatever," Bee snarled without looking at him.

Edward sighed; he couldn't help feel disappointed that they were back to this distant hostility.

They sat in silence, side by side, busy working their way through the huge volume of work they'd been set. For almost all their subjects Bee and Edward were doing course work for advanced students which was imported from College and University programs. Until very recently, as in the past few days, they did most of this work just as they were then, side by side but independent of each other, the silence between them swollen with animosity.

Edward hadn't realised until this tense silence returned how much he was enjoying its absence. He actually enjoyed Bee's company, her quick wit and the way she challenged him and totally called him on his shit. He missed her.

Another hour passed before Edward spoke again: "Can we review our joint project now please Bee?"

She sighed and then turned in his direction but her hair was over most of her face and she kept her eyes turned down. He reached out to try and push her hair off her face: "What's going on Bee?"

She pulled away from him: "It's nothing, leave it alone, please?" She turned to open her laptop and started punching on the keys: "I'll just write up the notes from yesterday."

"Isabella?" He closed her laptop lid gently and turned her towards him: "Look at me, please?"

She released another deep sigh and looked at him. He gasped. "Fucking hell, Bee. What happened?"

She had angry bruising along her jaw, with what looked like a thumb print under left eye. A tear rolled down her cheek, she really didn't want to tell him what had happened but she knew he wouldn't let it go and she had no idea how to hide it from Esme. She wasn't used to anyone caring enough to notice.

He took her face gently: "Please Isabella. Tell me what happened, love." Edward was furious, confused and concerned all at once. What the hell had happened to her? Clearly someone had hurt her, the finger marks were large and clear. Why wasn't she with the school nurse?

Another tear rolled down her cheek, and she whispered: "Jacob."

"Are you fucking kidding me? He did this to you?" Edward reached for Bee and pulled her gently to sit on his lap, she winced as he wrapped his arms around her. She was stiff in his arms at first but then her posture softened and she rested her head on Edward's chest. He reached for his phone and sent a text to Emmett. Bee let a sob escape her as Edward stroked her hair gently and placed a small soft kiss on her temple.

She had been alone in the gym equipment room since Coach Clapp had punished her for not participating fully in class, by forcing her to put all the equipment away by herself. Clapp couldn't seem to comprehend that she was doing her best but that basically she was shit at sport.

Coach Clapp headed back to his office while Bee was left to pack away all the volleyball equipment.

That's when Jacob cornered her, furious that she'd decked him in front of his friends when he'd kissed her the week before and that he'd been suspended. According to him she was pathetic and not worthy of a guy like him anyway. She was a joke. Cullen would fuck her then drop her and when he did she'd be lucky if anyone would want his sloppy seconds. She'd be sorry she'd rejected him then.

He held her face so hard and shoved her against the wall. He banged her head repeatedly against the equipment locker.

He kissed her and forced his tongue in her mouth.

Bee had known anger from a man like this before, she'd seen it many times in her life. She'd watched her mother enough to know that resistance just antagonised men when they were in this state. She knew to just go limp and hope he didn't go too far.

This made Jacob grow even more angry and he shoved her to the ground.

He shouted at her that she was a no one - trash under his shoe. With that he kicked her in the ribs, spat on her and walked off.

She laid there frightened to move until finally she pulled herself up. She knew this dance, she knew it too well. There was no point in tears, there was no one to hear and no one to care. She wiped her tears, straightened her clothing and finished packing the gear. Her head hurt like hell and she was pissed off. She hated bullies like Jacob, she hated that he was stronger than her and she could do little to fight him off.

She'd made her way to the library and lost herself in her studies, it was her happy place but her head continued to throb. She hadn't factored in that Edward would notice her behaviour and she certainly hadn't considered that he would care.

As he held her in his arms, Edward surreptitiously checked her over for any further damage. He was shocked to see not only the bruising on her face, but patch of blood on the back of her head, as well as bruises appearing on her upper arms in the shape of a large hand.

He wanted to kill Jacob Black.

He shot off a text to his parents that Bee had been hurt and that he would bring her to Carlisle as soon as Emmett arrived.

Emmett rushed to the library immediately when his brother had texted him. He knew it was something serious, Edward never called for his help. He left his workout training session, grabbed his bag and ran to the library. He was greeted with the sight of little Busy Bee curled up in his brother's lap, she was bruised and if he wasn't mistaken she was bleeding too.

"What the fuck is going on Edward?" he demanded.

"Jacob," was all Edward replied.

"I'm going to kill him."

Bee sobbed lightly: "Please Emmett leave it. Can we just go home? I'm really tired."

"Leave it? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Bee looked to Edward: ""Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them more."

He shook his head: "Oh no love, words aren't going to win this battle, we're not going to forgive that bastard we're going to eviscerate him."

He turned to his brother: "Em, we need to take Bee to Dad."

Emmett looked at his brother and saw blood on Edward's shirt where Bee had been resting her head. He nodded and pulled out his phone, he turned away to call his Dad.

When they arrived at the hospital Esme was waiting with Carlisle.

She rushed forward: "What happened? Isabella sweetheart are you all right?"

"I'll be fine Esme. I just have a terrible headache and I'm really tired."

Carlisle took her arm gently: "Come along Isabella, I think I better take a good look at you. Edward and Emmett you stay here and tell your mother what happened." He walked into the hospital with his other arm around Isabella's shoulders.

Esme turned to her boys, she folded her arms: "Okay boys, can someone please explain to me why Isabella has come home from school looking like she's been at the wrong end of a bar brawl."

A/N: So, Jacob... what a piece of work; big tough guy picking on little Bee when she was all alone. I think Emmett and Edward may have someone to say to him but I think he should be very scared of Esme who I suspect is about to go momma bear and Jacob is about to find himself on the wrong side of the law!

Did you like the nerd duel? Do you think Edward knows he's called Bee 'love'?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Hope you are all well. See you soon.

Quote references:

"Pray you now forget and forgive,"

- William Shakespeare, King Lear,

"What fools these mortals be"

- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

"Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit."

- Elbert Hubbard, The Roycroft Dictionary Concocted by Ali Baba and the Bunch on Rainy Days

"I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed!"

- often attributed to William Shakespeare but probably isn't

"Though she be but little, she is fierce!"

- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

"Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find."

- William Shakespeare, The Passionate Pilgrim

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."

- Mark Twain

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes."

- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them more,"

- Oscar Wilde