You people rock. Seriously. And sorry I haven't been updating every day like I used to…I just don't have time this week. But I'll try and get chaps up as quickly as possible!

Don't own.

Ch. 13: Play the Game

Monday came, and Edward was late coming into work. It was unusual, but nobody really thought anything of it, since he'd been absent the past few days.

I was that same happy that morning as I had been the whole weekend, and Robb stopped me on my way into my office.

"Bella Swan, WHAT is that smile I see?" he grinned. "You had a date, didn't you? Who was it? Is he cute? What's his name?"

"It's nothing." I tried to play it off coolly, but couldn't stop my grin.

"Nothing, my ass. Who was it?"

"Nobody." I said, opening the door to my office.

"I'll find out, Bella!" he called after me. "Don't think I won't."

I chuckled a little, shaking my head at him. Robb was the biggest gossip queen I knew. Edward and I couldn't act differently in the office, and certainly couldn't tell anyone about it.

I sat down at my desk, going through today's schedule, and trying to think of a story to write.

Since I didn't really have anything to do, and since Edward wasn't here yet to give me a million things to do, I ended up daydreaming.

Well, not really daydreaming, but thinking.

Reflecting, that's the word. Reflecting.

I was in a relationship with my boss. It was mutual, it wasn't like he was skeevy and trying to feel me up all the time, but the situation was…interesting.

I was debt-free, in the course of one week. Edward, my boss and boyfriend, had taken care of that.

That bothered me. I felt somehow…lesser. Or rather, weak. Like I wasn't strong enough to take care of my problems myself, and he had to help me.

I didn't like that at all.

But it was a lot of debt, and he had good reason to do it…

I thought about what my mother said ot me this morning, as I ate breakfast and voiced this to her.

"Marry him and then it doesn't matter. Your money becomes his, and his becomes yours."

"But…you said just the other day that I shouldn't be doing this, that I shouldn't be making any life-changing decisions…" I'd told her, genuinely flabbergasted.

That, and I wasn't ready for marriage. Hell, no.

I was just starting to get used to the idea of a relationship…

"I didn't say it had to be now. Just don't worry about it. If he's willing to do this for you, then sit back and enjoy it."

I didn't like what she'd said, at all. I wasn't the kind of person who just accepted random tokens of kindness, especially if they were in the form of several hundred thousand dollars.

Obviously I appreciated what Edward had done, but I wished he didn't feel like he had to.

He was still pitying me, I felt. Even after this weekend, he was still pitying me…

I shook my head, banishing these thoughts.

Good God, Bella, get a grip! He did it because he cared about you, cared for your wellbeing!

I sighed, tapping my fingers on the desk. I couldn't sit here doing nothing anymore. I only had one article to go over, it was nine o'clock on a Monday morning…

I had to get out.

I got my coat and scrounged in my purse for some change…I hadn't cashed my check yet…and decided to go for coffee.

Coffee. That wonderful addiction.

I'd been getting less caffeine, now, from my super-duper-ultra-caffeinated-espresso-thing that I used to drink, which was slightly healthier.

I'd been getting sleep, now, which was a lot healthier.

Things were really starting to fall into place, all because of the Cullen family.

I should get them a fruit basket, or something. They were marvelous.

I got my fix, then sat in the little café, to drink it.

I really didn't feel like going back to the office right now. It was a Monday. Mondays sucked.

I'd brought the article I was revising—Clemons' article—and was minding my own business when someone sat down across from me at my table.

I looked up, and scowled.

"What do you want, Jacob?"

"To apologize for the other night." He said, sounding sincere. But I'd learned not to believe a word he said. Filthy liar…

"Apology not accepted." I said coldly, turning back to my work.

"You should stay away from Edward Cullen." He said darkly, causing me to look up again. "He's bad news."

"And what makes you think you can tell me what to do?" I said, keeping my voice even. This was my favorite coffee shop, I didn't want to be kicked out…

"I'm trying to give you advice. Get out now." His voice had an edge to it, and he clenched his fist, as it sat on the table next to his own coffee.

"Give me one good reason why I should, and I won't get a restraining order against you." I snapped. "You're just jealous, jealous that I chose him over you."

"Did you, now? Does he sleep with all of his employees, or just the easy ones."

Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me? he did NOT just go there…

"You ASSHOLE!" I erupted, punching him in the face. The whole coffeeshop went quiet, and I gathered my things quickly.

"You bitch! I think you broke my nose!" he roared, as it gushed blood.

"If you so much as come near me one more time, I'm calling the cops!" I snarled, as I left, quickly so the blood didn't bother me. I hated blood.

Asshole.

Damn, my hand hurt.

A lot.

I felt tears stinging my eyes as I kept it in a fist, unable to move it otherwise.

Goddamn. I think I just broke my hand.

And I hope I broke his nose.

Holy shit, it hurt a lot. I continued walking, trying to keep a straight face as I felt blood trickle down my fingers and onto the sidewalk.

I started getting dizzy, feeling the blood, smelling it.

Oh no. No nono, no Bella, don't faint here. Wait until you get to your office…not here on the sidewalk…

It was all I could do to stagger into my office and collapse into my chair.

I couldn't breathe. My vision was blurring as the air was coming too fast.

"Bella? Bella!" I heard a voice say, shaking me as I was hunched over onto my desk, my bad hand in my sleeve and still dripping. "Robb! Call my father, I'm taking her to the hospital!"

"I'm fine." I mumbled, blinking, trying to regain my vision, at least. My ears were ringing. "My hand…blood."

"Stay with me, Bella. Stay awake." His voice said, and I felt two warm hands alight on both my cheeks.

I knew he was right there in my face, but I couldn't see him. My eyes were open, but all I saw was black. You know, when you're dehydrated and you stand up too fast? It was like that.

Then it hit me that he said something about a hospital.

My vision was blurring, not black now, and I sort of willed myself to get a grip.

I would NOT go to the hospital, and give myself an unnecessary bill to pay.

My ears were still ringing as I tried to focus on Edward's face.

"I'm not going to a stinking hospital." I said with as much ferocity as I could muster, which wasn't a lot.

"Just to the emergency room, to get that hand checked out." His voice said, coaxingly.

"No!" I exclaimed, standing quickly, only to be pushed rather forcefully back down into the chair.

"Yes!"

"I hate you." I glared, and would have crossed my arms over my chest indignantly if I could move my hand. It was throbbing, and I knew I'd broken something. That, and it was bleeding all over the place, from splitting my knuckles.

Was I still crying? I think I was.

I felt a tear drip off of my chin.

Yep. I was still crying, blubbering like a baby. It was just a few broken bones…

"C'mon." His voice was soft, as he took a tissue and wiped my tears. I felt like a child, crying over a scraped knee. Except this was a broken hand.

The bottom line, I don't like people fussing over me. And I don't like to cry. And I don't like to admit to people that I'm crying, even if it's clear that I am.

But Goddamn it hurt really bad! What was Jacob's face made of, bricks?

I let him take me in a cab to the hospital, and hated how we sat in the emergency room, waiting, as I dictated to him my health insurance information and all that paperwork mumbo jumbo.

I now had a pack of ice on my closed fist—I still hadn't moved it—and had a cloth covering my knuckles as they slowly stopped bleeding.

"Cause of injury?" he asked, though I knew that wasn't on the sheet. Was it? I didn't think so. I think he just wanted to know what happened.

I sighed, and waited a moment, looking into his still worried green eyes.

"Impact with Jacob Black's face?" I said sheepishly, and saw a grin spread on his face, though saw anger in his eyes.

He was torn, and I knew it. I could just tell. He wanted to laugh, but he also wanted to punch Jacob, himself.

"What happened?" He asked, taking my injured hand and placing a feather-light kiss on my knuckles.

"He made inappropriate comments and assumptions." My voice was flat, and I was fairly certain he saw my anger.

"About?"

"You, me…" I mumbled, not wanting to repeat the words. "I think I broke his nose?"

He smiled, holding my good hand in his.

"I'm rather enjoying picturing you slugging him. I can just see it." He was still smiling, as the nurse called us in.

"Okay, we have to stretch out your hand, Bella." Carlisle said, as I hadn't moved it from its fist. "We need to get x-rays."

I nodded, grateful that Edward held my other hand as Carlisle gently tried to unclench my fist with as little pain as possible.

The ice pack was off of it, as was the cloth, and I forced myself to stare away from it, as it was still bleeding a little and had dried and caked blood all over my hand and fingers.

"You're lucky you didn't break your wrist, too." Carlisle said, after painstakingly holding my hand flat. "Here, one of the bones is almost through the skin…"

"Don't tell me!" I exclaimed, feeling lightheaded. That was disgusting! "I don't want to know! Just fix it!"

He let out a light chuckle, and asked the nurse attending to prep the x-ray machine.

Edward and the nurse helped me out of my jacket, as I still hadn't taken it off, and I had to for the x-ray.

"You definitely need that new coat now." Edward said quietly to me, seeing my sleeve caked with blood, saturated.

I glared at him, and he smiled, merely kissing my forehead.

"It should be in next week."

We got back to the office around four, having waited in the ER for a few hours, and saw many people had gone home already, assuming we'd be gone the rest of the day.

I sighed, knowing they'd get an earful the next morning…maybe I could talk to Edward, and ask him to be nice.

I'd probably end up yelling at him.

"You're not going to like this, Bells." Robb said, as we entered. "I got a phone call while you were out, and Jacob Black is suing you for assault."

"WHAT!" both Edward and I shouted, in unison.

"That's what he said. Or it may have been his father, but he's suing you."

"Oh, what the hell." I moaned, sitting in the chair next to Robb's desk.

"Don't worry, we'll get him back with harassment." Edward said, taking his phone out to no doubt call his lawyer.

"No, we won't." I said stiffly, standing quickly and shutting his phone. "I don't want a lawsuit. I don't want any legal problems, I don't want to stoop to their level."

"They're suing you, Bella! As if you didn't have enough money problems before, now you're going to have a lawsuit! They'll take away everything."

"Then it's good that I don't have anything, isn't it?" I said, agitated.

"You don't, but your mother does. They play dirty, believe me. They'll take the flower shop, or the house, or whatever they can get their grimy hands on." He said, and I knew it was true.

Crap.

How was I going to get out of this?

"Robb, give me Jacob's number." I sighed, pulling out my phone.

"What are you doing?" Edward said accusingly, as I dialed.

"Fixing this the human way." I told him, putting the phone to my ear. I walked into my office for privacy, and shut the door.

God. What a mess.

"Hello?" a grumpy voice answered. Yep. That was Jacob, all right.

"Hi, Jacob? It's Bella." I said, keeping my voice civil. "You're suing me? What the hell, Jake."

"You broke my nose."

"You broke my hand!" I countered. "Kinda pathetic, that you can't even fight your own battle, and have to get daddy's lawfirm to do it."

"We'll only take the paper."

"I don't own the paper anymore, numbnuts, Edward Cullen does."

God, he was an idiot. I wanted to punch him in the face, again.

"Right, right. Well we're still suing you."

"You're such a dick, you know that?" I snapped. "If you sue me for assault, I'm suing you for harassment."

"Go right ahead." His voice was relaxed, and I could tell he was probably smirking.

Damn. I'd hoped he would back down.

"How about this." He said, as I leaned against my desk, defeated.

"I'm listening."

"Date me, and I drop charges."

"Fuck no."

"Then tell your mother to say goodbye to her little shop."

"You can't do that, it doesn't belong to me."

"Yes it does. Or have you forgotten? You agreed to take her husband's half when he split."

Shit.

He was right. We'd made the business transaction, and I owned half of the shop. I'd forgotten, because she'd taken care of all the business while I was in the midst of my own business troubles.

I couldn't lose my mother's flower shop over something so stupid.

"How many dates are we talking about?" I said through gritted teeth.

"How'd it go?" Robb asked as I left my office, livid.

"He's not suing me anymore." I said coldly.

"What happened." Edward demanded, knowing something had to be up. I glanced at Robb, who no doubt was seeing through all of this.

I think Edward forgot we were in the office, because he put his hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye.

Yep. Robb wasn't stupid, he'd figure it out.

"Nothing you have to worry about." I said with a fake smile.

Why was I lying? Why was I trying to keep it from him? If I had to go on dates with another man, he should know…

But I didn't want to see him angry. I didn't want him to explode, and I knew it was a bad situation that he wouldn't want to be a part of.

Why was I so insecure?

"No, what happened." Edward said sternly, as I broke our staring contest.

"Threedatesaweekforthreeweeks." I mumbled, hoping he couldn't hear me.

"WHAT!" Edward exclaimed, and I winced. "No. No way in hell."

"I had to! I technically own half of the flower shop! I wasn't going to let him take it, it's my mother's!"

"We could have settled this legally, like I wanted to! He's been harassing you, and now he's blackmailing you. Both are illegal. And you're just going to let him do it—"

"It's not like I want to date that asshole! I don't have a choice!"

"You always have a choice, Bella. It just seems like you always pick the wrong one." He said coldly, then walked away from me to go prep the printer for tomorrow's edition, leaving me standing there, shocked.

What the hell was that?

"Bella?" Robb's voice said quietly, snapping me out of my blank stare. "Are you alright?"

"No." I murmured, sighing. "No, I'm not. He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you." Robb said, standing to give me a hug. I let him hug me, unable to think of what to do about this.

Well, Edward wouldn't get jealous of Robb at least. Robb was gay.

"You know now, don't you?" I whispered, and felt a reassuring kiss on the top of my head.

The worst part about gay guys being gay, was that they made terrific boyfriends to their girl friends. It was a shame that they had other tendencies, most of the time.

"It didn't take very long to figure out." He said with a smile. "But I won't tell anyone."

"Well now I'm not sure there's anything to tell." I sighed, pulling apart from him. "World's shortest relationship, lasts two days."

"He just doesn't want you to get hurt." Robb said, guiding me to sitting and handing me the lukewarm cup of tea he'd been drinking.

"I know." I said quietly, taking a sip then just staring at the murky liquid. "But he doesn't need to worry. If he tries anything, I'll just punch him in the face again."

"Kicking him in the balls wouldn't hurt your hand again. I suggest doing that, first." Robb smiled, then stood with his coat. "It's about time for me to go. Justin's treating me to Broadway tonight."

"Bye." I said, sitting in the chair still, as he left. I wanted to go find Edward, I wanted to try and calm him.

I felt awful, even though it wasn't my fault. Well it was, but it wasn't under my control.

God, I hated Jacob Black!

Oh, drama! C'mon guys, you knew something like this had to happen. At least she broke his nose? Review, my lovelies!