A/N: So, here is the second chapter of the day. I hope you enjoy it. Keep your hands inside the vehicle, check that seatbelt, and here we go.

Edward POV

Look at me, my depth perception must be off again Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did

It has not healed with time It just shot down my spine You look so beautiful tonight Reminds me how you laid us down And gently smiled before you destroyed my life-Rest in Pieces by Saliva

Something was off. Bella had never left school just because Alice pissed her off and there was something in her voice that worried me a little. I saw Emmett, who was clad in gym clothes, getting out of his jeep as I pulled into the driveway. Hey, you just get done at the gym?" I asked as we walked to the door together.

"You know, can't be too safe now."

Something was off in his tone, so it made me suspicious. "Um…okay. Everything alright?"

"Fine, dude." Emmett barely looked at me and went to his room.

Okay, something was up. Emmett was acting weird and my heart accelerated as I wondered what was going on. I went into the kitchen and set to work making Bella and I grilled turkey sandwiches and pasta salad with fresh tomatoes, spinach, and mozzarella. Once done I took two full plates upstairs where I knew Bella was sleeping. When I entered my room, I was freaked out when I saw Bella thrashing around on the bed muttering "No, leave me alone," and then she started screaming.

I put our plates on a table and rushed to her side. As I tried to shake her awake, she punched me in the face but I kept shaking her until she finally woke up. She started crying immediately and clung to me. I held her close to me, comforting her. I kept calm, even though I now KNEW there was something wrong. But I wouldn't push her, not yet.

She calmed down and I pulled away to look at her, continuing to stroke her hair. Bella refused to look at me. I sighed. "You hungry? I made some lunch." She smiled sadly and nodded. I got up and grabbed our plates. I handed her one and sat next to her while we ate in silence.

"This is really good," she said and I saw my chance to pounce.

"You've got to tell me what's going on, Bella. I know something is wrong."

She looked mad. Oops, guess I should have waited. "Something is always wrong, Edward. I have a crazy ex-boyfriend who is obsessed with making me pay for what he thinks I did to him."

That particular comment confused me. I didn't ever remember Riley threatening to make her pay for doing something to him. Bella looked at me like she shouldn't have said that. I was right; she was hiding something! "Out with it, love."

"Em told me not to tell you cause it'd stress you out, and I'm not ready to talk about it." She got up and started pacing.

I know it shouldn't have, but that made me really mad. I got up and put my hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing. "Are you serious? You're taking advice from Emmett, of all people, to lie to me and you're not going to tell me something obviously important?"

She threw her hands up in the hair and pointed at me. "See, this is why. You're already stressing and I haven't even told you anything."

"I'm stressed out cause you're lying to me! We agreed to be honest and communicate."

I saw her eyes soften and her shoulders slump a little. She looked me dead in the eyes. "I know that, but I can't tell you and then watch you torture yourself, Edward."

This was sounding worse the more we talked about it. I looked at her wearily, already tired of fighting. "Just tell me, Bells."

She sighed. The look in her eyes was haunting and heartbreaking. She sat me down on the bed and slumped next to me. Somehow, I knew what was coming. "I ran into Riley, like literally trucking right along and ran smack into him." I couldn't help it, I was pissed and she caught onto it.

"I swear to God, if you go all macho and threaten to kick his ass, I'm ending this conversation right now." I only nodded and controlled my expression. She continued.

"He said that he loved me and I never had. And that all I did was play with him and now he is returning the favor. He's delusional. He clearly thinks we are still together and you are taking me from him. I'm scared, Edward. He's completely lost it!"

I put my arm around her. "It's okay, love. We'll deal with it. It'll be fine."

She shook my arm off and got up; her expression was a little scary. "No! You don't get to do that. I can take it from Alice, but not from you."

"Take what?" I asked spreading my arms wide in question.

"Acting like I'm weak and need to be lied to. Like I'm fragile. In the last year and a half, I've dealt with more SHIT than most people do their entire life," she said pacing back and forth, but she seemed to be losing steam on her rant. Bella looked at me and her face crumpled. She started to sob and fell to the floor, holding her head. "God, I feel like I've finally gone crazy. I can't do this anymore."

I rushed over to her. "Don't ever say that." I gently grabbed her face to look at me. "I need you, Isabella Swan. You are one of the strongest people I know and I need your help to get through this. I don't know how to do this, how to fix this. I feel so helpless and it kills me I can't help you. I can't make Riley disappear and stop hurting you."

"You put too much on your shoulders, Edward. I understand you want to protect me, but you can't be everywhere all the time," she said touching my face too.

"But I can be where you are," I said before thinking.

She got an unhappy look on her face. "As much as I love you, I think being in each other's faces 24/7 would be anything but strengthening for our relationship."

"Bells, you and I both know this thing is going to escalate until something happens, and with your temper, I'm going to guess you'll be the first to retaliate." She looked down and I already knew she already had something thought up. "What'd you do, love?"

"Nothing," she said. "Yet."

I tried to be patient with her. "What do you plan on doing?"

When she spoke it was a whisper, but I still heard it. "Learn to fight."

"What?" I asked, jumping up.

She leaped to her feet too. "Don't overreact."

"Bella, that is highly dangerous. I doubt you'd overpower someone taller and stronger than you, but how are you even going to learn to fight?"

"Your brother." Again with the whispering.

"He'd kill you. Emmett is four times your size. He doesn't know restraint."

"Yes, he does. If that were true, Jazz would be pulp by now. Please, Edward. If nothing else, I just want to have peace of mind that if Riley tries anything, I can hold my own without a cavalcade of bodyguards following me around all the time," she said and I knew that I'd have to give in. Bella was stubborn and would dig in her heels if I even tried to say no. And I was not ready for that fight.

"I don't like it, love, but I'm not going to stop you. If it makes you feel safe then I am all for it." I smiled at her. She jumped up and attached herself to me. She hugged me and wrapped her legs around my waist. We both laughed as her enthusiasm knocked us back and we fell onto the bed. She landed on top of course, and gave me that mischievous look I loved, and then leaned in kissing me. I was about to put my hands in her hair when she pulled away and looked at me in panic. "You okay, love?"

"I-I'm sorry," she said, got up off the bed, and hauled ass to the bathroom. I was left on my bed feeling very confused.

Bella POV

I sat on the toilet in Edward's bathroom. I was freaking out. When I kissed Edward, all I could feel was how it felt when Riley kissed me, and it made my stomach turn. It shouldn't be thinking about Riley, this was Edward. I loved him and loathed Riley. Why did I feel something when Riley kissed me? This feeling was wrong. The only thing I could rationally think of was the whole bad boy, forceful thing that Riley had. How did I tell Edward to be rougher and more forceful with me sexually, that with him it was exciting, not scary? Wasn't that weird? That wasn't who Edward was. I mentally scolded myself for confusing Edward and leaving him with no explanation. I got up and took a deep breath. I went into the bedroom and Edward's back was to me. He was changing his shirt. I saw the muscles in his back move and ripple as he pulled the shirt on. I sighed. He turned around and caught me staring. He smirked and I smiled back at him. He walked over to me and put his hands on my hips, roughly pulling me against him. It kind of surprised me, and then what happened last night came back to me. It was already raw, rough, and incredibly hot.

"I hope last night didn't freak you out." He ran his hand lightly across my cheekbone.

"Actually, I really liked it." I blushed like a little girl.

"Really?" he asked surprised. He looked into my eyes. "I was worried it'd upset you."

I put my hands on his chest. "You're not him, Edward. I can make that distinction."

"I know, Bella, love. You're kind of unpredictable sometimes. I mean, I want to ask what happened just a few minutes ago, but I know you'll tell me nothing and tell me not to worry."

"I like you being rough and forceful. It turns me on and that kinda freaked me out because of what happened to me, but that's entirely my mental struggle. I realized it shouldn't because I trust you and you'd never hurt me on purpose or lose control. It's okay."

"The faith and trust you have in me is astounding." He put his hand on the side of my neck and the warmth from his hand was comforting.

"I have no reason to not trust you. What astounds me is you sticking around," I said and walked to his bed. He followed me and looked confused.

"Why?" He grabbed my hand.

I looked down. "Come on, Edward. I'm plain, and you're beautiful. I'm crazy and come with a whole truckload of baggage. My life is a mess and yours is perfect. Want me to keep going?" I finally looked up at him.

He held me close but still looked in my eyes. "You just don't see yourself clearly. You're more than ordinary. You are beautiful. You are not crazy, and sometimes it's fun to get messy and dirty." He gave me that crooked smile and kissed the tip on my nose. I smiled; it was so cute when he kissed my nose. I sighed and leaned into him. "What's wrong, love?"

"Still tired, my confrontation with Riley drained me."

"I'm sorry with the way I react sometimes when it comes to him, but it just makes me so mad that he won't leave you alone and won't listen to no."

"I'm glad you're protective. I just don't like the whole 'I'm going to kick his ass' macho thing. This isn't a game and we don't have time for that."

"I know and I will do my best to reel it in. Just be patient with me." I simply nodded. It was comfy leaning up against him and I was starting to doze when my phone started to ring. I tried to ignore it. "Bella, love, your phone is ringing."

"I know, shh. It'll stop."

He chuckled, quietly. "It might be important."

I sighed loudly and answered my phone with a pout. "S'up?"

"Bella?" It was from Alice. My eyes narrowed in anger.

"What do you want?"

"Don't be like that!"

"Like what?" I threw my hands up, completely exasperated by her. "You're supposed to be my best friend, Ali. Yet every time I turn around, you're saying, doing, or being something hurtful. You've changed and I don't much like the new you." I got up and started pacing again.

She burst into tears and I felt bad momentarily, but I was done blaming myself for other people hurting me. "I'm sorry, Bella. You know I get ahead of myself and don't think of what I'm saying. You're not the only one dealing with this."

"Yes, I am!" Now I was getting pissed. "He is coming after me, no one else. He's not calling you, following you, messing with you, so how on earth are you dealing with what I am?" I felt Edward's hand on my shoulder. He mouthed Calm, Bella. I just rolled my eyes.

"He texted me, Bella."

"What!"

"He sent me a text like an hour ago."

"What did it say?"

"We need to talk. I have a proposition you can't refuse. Call me. Then he gave me his number."

"It's a trick."

"How? It's just a call, Bella?"

"It's Riley, Alice! He'll tell you to meet him or something to discuss it further. He wants to make sure you're interested."

"I don't think so."

"You can call him if you want to, but do not go meet him anywhere."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I mean it."

"I accept your apology, Ali. Let me know what he says."

"I will. Love your guts."

I smiled. "Love your face." We hung up and I flung my phone on the bed.

"Riley contacted her?"

"He texted her asking that she call him. I don't know what he's playing at. Ali will never fall for it and go meet him. It makes me very curious. She's going to call me after she calls him." I hugged Edward, holding on tight and trying to absorb all the warmth and love I could from him.

"This does not seem promising." He kissed my hair.

I scoffed. "Does it ever?"

He nodded his head. "Touché." My phone started ringing again. It was from Alice, again. I picked it up and put her on speakerphone and Edward sat next to me.

"That was a bad idea. He even sounds crazy," she said before I even said hello. "He said all he wants is you and he will leave the rest of us alone. Otherwise, he will mow down whoever stands in his way to get to you. So, it would be in my best interest to let us know to back the fuck off. Then, he said I've been warned and hung up. His words exactly."

My body went numb and I had a little trouble staying in the here and now. I looked at Edward.

"So he just expects us to hand Bells over willingly?" Edward asked

"No, he expects us to stop standing in his way and protecting her. As if that would ever happen." Ali replied.

"Apparently he underestimates our love and how much a part of our family she is," Edward said.

"Okay! Stop talking about me like I'm not here. I understand what you are all saying, but you can't be considering all being in harm's way just to help me."

"As opposed to what? Stand by while he torments and tortures you." Alice said, becoming a little mad.

"Bella, love, don't even consider it," Edward said softly. I looked at him and saw the pain my thoughts were causing him. I stopped my retort before I could regret it.

"Well, I'll let you go, Bells. Talk to her Edward."

"Later, Ali." We both said and I hung up. Edward and I just looked at each other, both refusing to look away.

"I don't know what to do, Edward. I can't stop him and I can't predict what he's going to do. I will not let him hurt my friends. This is between him and me."

"Don't stress about it. We'll take it as it comes. Come here." I moved towards him and sat in his lap. He gathered me into a huge hug. We sat there for a bit until we heard Emmett clambering around downstairs.

"Yo, Eddie!" He yelled up at us. "You need to see this. Come here." We both looked at each other; we could hear the obvious panic in Em's voice. We both went downstairs and Em looked shocked and freaked out. "You need to go look at your car."

Edward and I walked outside. I saw what Em was talking about before we made it to the Volvo. The windshield was smashed in and the four tires were flat, probably slashed.

"Shit," I whispered. Edward punched the hood of the car and it was then that I saw there was something scratched into the hood. In huge words that filled the entire hood, it said: MINE That was when I collapsed and the blackness settled over me like a comfortable blanket.

A/N: So, that happened. They will talk about theories of how Riley found Edward's house next chapter, but I'm sure some of you can figure it out. Let me know what you think, and review. Thank you for reading and love you all!