Disclaimer: I do own a copy of Twilight; however, I don't own the actual rights to said book … :(
This chapter is decided to everyone who reads and reviews! Thanks so much for the many 'get well' comments! I'm feeling a LOT better; practically back to normal (If I ever was…) I'd also like to thank everyone that wished me good luck on my tests earlier this week! I think they both went well, and I am beyond relieved to have them over with! Anyway, just wanted to thank you all again, you are amazing! Hope you enjoy the chapter … and like the ending :-P
Chapter 20: Realization
BPOV
Just as I was about to open the doors back into Barnacles, a frantic Emily ran out of them, straight into me.
"Ohmygosh, Bella!" she said, tugging on my arm pushing me through the doors, "Thank god I found you, you need to come. Quick!"
I stared at her, confused, "Come where? Emily what is going on?"
"Edward and Danny, Bella." She said, her wide eyes staring at me in panic and began to run towards the back of the building.
I followed her quickly, and we quickly reached the back of the gaming room where Edward and Danny were rolling around on the ground, throwing punches at each other violently.
"You have to stop them, Bella," Emily said hopelessly, "I tried, we all tried, but nothing worked. Nick managed to pull Danny off Edward for a little bit, but then Danny got free and tackled Edward to the ground. I'm worried one of them is going to get seriously hurt."
I stood, immobilized, staring the two bruised and bleeding forms rolling around on the ground, not able to believe what was happening.
"I'm going to kill you, Edward," Danny said, getting him in a headlock.
Any normal time I would have thought he was just kidding, but the look in Danny's eyes then, showed no sign of sarcasm.
Edward knocked Danny off of him, and started to hit him again.
"BELLA!" Emily shouted again, breaking me out of my trance.
I started to shout at them, "Edward get off him, Danny let him go!"
They both ignored me and continued fighting. I bent down, getting down to their level, "Both of you stop! What is wrong with you guys? You're acting like hormonal thirteen year old boys!" I shouted, "For goodness sakes, just STOP!" I yelled loudly, and they both paused.
They stared at me in shock, almost as if they were first realizing that I was in fact, there.
"Bella-" Danny started.
"-Don't" I said, angry, "I don't even want to hear it. I do want to know something, though. What the hell were you two thinking? There are kids around here, families."
"He started it," Edward said.
"Oh, real mature Edward," I rolled my eyes.
"I did not," Danny said, getting angry again.
"Oh, really? Let's ask Bella, see what she has to say about it then. I'm sure we'll get a good answer from her," Edward said, smirking.
Without warning Danny leaped onto Edward again, punching him harder then before.
I panicked; Danny was going to hurt Edward, hurt him badly. Worse then he was already hurt if I didn't do something quickly.
"Danny," I said, breathing heavily, "What do you want?"
Danny paused at that, looking up from Edward, "What do I want?" he asked, confused.
"Yes," I said, looking towards ground, "What will it take for you to leave Edward alone? You two used to be such great friends, what happened?"
"I-" he paused, "Are you asking me what you could do to make me and Edward friends again?" he laughed, bitterly.
"Look, if this is about Tanya, I can promise you that nothing happened between Edward and her. I swear it," I said, trying to search Danny's eyes for some sort of understanding.
"It isn't just about that anymore," Danny said under his breath, and then a smile started forming on his bruised face, "I do know what you can do though, to make me leave Edward alone right now. To stop me from hurting precious Edward anymore." He said, sarcastically.
"Anything," I said, looking over at Edward's laying form, beaten and bruised. I could hear his panting and felt his eyes looking at me, concerned.
"Bella," he said, and winced, "Don't"
I looked at him, willing him to understand why I had to do this, and then looked back at Danny. "Name your price, but you have to promise, if I do whatever you ask, you won't ever touch Edward again. Ever." I repeated.
He nodded in agreement, "Okay, I promise," he said, "Can we go talk in private about the arrangements? I don't like having this audience."
I had gotten so caught up in Edward and Danny that I had forgotten the rest of our friends, standing there. I looked from face to face, the girls mostly showed horror, the guys concern and anger, and then I got to Emily's.
She looked at me like she was just seeing me for the first time, and kept looking between Edward and myself, and then sometimes looking at Danny, shaking her head mournfully. I raised an eyebrow to her, mentally asking her if I should go with Danny.
She just shrugged and eyed Edward again, worriedly.
"Fine, let's go." I said, standing up.
Edward grabbed my arm, "Bella, you don't have to go" he said, pleading with me to stay, "Please don't go."
"Edward, I have to." I said, "Don't you get that? I'm the reason that you two are fighting like this, and I am going to make it right."
I didn't give him a chance to respond; instead I gently took his hand off my arm and followed a limping Danny into a private room in the back.
"Get him to the hospital," I said to Emily before I walked into the room, "Please."
She nodded and wordlessly started to help Edward up as I closed the door.
I took a deep breath and turned around to face Danny, who was leaning against the wall. "So what is it that you want from me?" I asked.
"Do you have any idea how it feels to always be second, Bella?" he asked, ignoring my question.
I knew it was rhetorical, and that his rant was just starting so I didn't say anything.
"To never be quite good enough? Second in grades, second in sports, second in girls," he said, looking up at me. "Every time, being so close, close enough to taste it," he said, walking up to me, so close that I could feel his breath on my face. It smelled like beer. "Close enough to taste it," he repeated, running his finger down my face "and then to have it ripped away from you. Can you imagine how that feels?"
I remained silent, feeling scared now. What was I thinking coming in this room alone with him? When he was obviously so worked up; so dangerous.
"Danny," I began, trying to calm him.
"Don't you 'oh Danny me,'" he said, "I'm sick of it, Bella, sick of it. I'm sick of coming in second, I can't handle it anymore. First it was basketball, then Tanya, now you."
"I've never belonged to you, Danny." I said, "I was with Edward before I even saw you again."
"That's not the point!" he said, backing away from me and going to sit down on a chair. "Whatever I want, Edward takes, without even trying."
"You never answered my question," I said, trying to get back on topic so I could get out of this room, "What do you want?"
He looked up at me, his eyes burning, "I want you, Bella."
My eyes widened, "What?" I asked, incredulously.
"You heard me," he said, moving towards me again.
I started to back away and continued to until I hit the wall, "Isn't there something else? Anything?" I asked, eyeing the door. It was on the other side of the room, too far away.
"Am I that horrible that you don't even want to kiss me, Bella?" he asked, hurt, "I saw that look you gave me when you first came back, and I know you are attracted to me Bella. I've known it since we were little. What is one little kiss? Compared to saving your boyfriend," he said, spiting the word.
"I-" I started, looking for words, anything to say, "I… Danny, do you like Tanya?" I asked, coming up with a plan in my head.
He looked taken aback, "Of course," he said.
"Do you like her a lot? Maybe even love her?" I asked.
"What are you trying to get at Bella?" Danny asked.
"Would you do anything for her?" I asked.
"Probably, yes," he said, warily.
"Now imagine those feelings you have for Tanya amplified ten fold, can you imagine that?" I asked.
"Sure," Danny said.
"Those are the feelings I have for Edward, Danny," I said, "I would do anything for Edward, to ensure he is safe. I will kiss you, for him. I will be thinking of him the entire time though. I am only doing it for him." I repeated to out loud, "I may have found you attractive, that is true, but Edward has something that you don't have, Danny." I paused, "He is a good person, he has morals, and he certainly isn't bitter about things he can't control and I… I love him, Danny. So, go right ahead, kiss me, but as soon as the kiss is over, I am never speaking to you again."
I stopped speaking and held my chin high, waiting for Danny to make his move. Instead of moving forward like I expected him to, however; he started to cry. "I'm so sorry, Bella." He wept, "I'm so sorry."
I stood, awkwardly, next to him, listening to him cry and repeat that he was sorry for what seemed like hours until he finally stopped crying and looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes. "I don't know what came over me. I just snapped, I'm not that person Bella, you know that, I'm not that person." He repeated again, shaking his head.
I suddenly felt sorry for him, "I know, it's ok," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"I'm just sick of being second, Bella; you have no idea how frustrating it is. And then when you offered to do anything to make Edward safe, that just got me angrier. Why should he get someone who loves him so much they'd be willing to risk their own safety for him, when I can't even get the girl I like to notice me." He sighed, "I thought kissing you would solve both problems. I'd get back at Edward, and it'd get my mind off Tanya. I'm sorry for using you, Bella. Honestly sorry. You are quite beautiful though, I wasn't lying when I said you were" he said, smiling at me briefly.
"Um, thanks," I said awkwardly back. After all we had been through in the past hour; it seemed weird receiving such a nice compliment from him. "Look, Danny, what if I try talking to Tanya? You know, girl to girl?"
Danny looked at me hopefully, "You'd seriously do that? After all I've put you through? I'm surprised you don't think I'm a psycho. I'm surprised you ever want to talk to me again, let alone help me."
I smiled at him, "We all have our moments, I know you, and I know you are a good person Danny. Lay off the beer though," I added.
He looked at me, ashamed, "I won't touch it again," he promised.
"Good," I said, smiling, "Let's just forget this entire thing happened, ok?"
"Okay," he said.
"Now let's get you to the hospital," I said, walking towards the door with Danny following. He pulled out his keys and I shook my head, "I'll drive."
He handed me his keys, and we drove silently to the hospital.
I left Danny after he had been checked in and went to find Edward's room.
When I got to his room, I knocked on the door and opened it slightly.
"Bella," Edward said, sounding anxious, and worried, "Is that you?"
"Is it alright if I come in?" I asked.
"Of course," he said.
I walked into the small room and looked around it briefly. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't pleasant feeling either. The walls were off white, there was a small window in the corner along with a chair and an outdated TV was perched on a desk in front of the bed. "How are you feeling?" I asked, my eyes finally resting on him.
"Better now," he smiled, "Are you alright?"
I smiled back at him, and walked up to take hold of his hand that didn't have the IV in it, "I'm great." I said, sincerely.
"Danny?" Edward said one word that brought up so many questions, and answers.
"He is better now; I had to talk him down a little though. He apologized for everything he did, Edward. He seems genuinely sorry." I said, squeezing his hand.
"Of course he does," Edward said, bitterly.
"He snapped, Edward, he admitted that, I'll admit that too. But he is your friend, and you should give him a second chance. I am not going to stand to be the reason why a lifetime friendship was broken up."
Edward sighed, "I'll talk to him once I'm out of here, it shouldn't be too much longer I think."
"Good," I smiled down at him.
"Bella-" he began, but stopped.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Never mind," he said, shaking his head. "I'm just glad you are alright. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."
"I'm fine Edward, I promise you. I've never been better," I said truthfully, remembering something I had told Danny in all the ciaos. 'I love him,' I'd told Danny. I said it without thinking, but now, as I was looking down at Edward's face, I realized the truth behind that statement.
I love Edward Mason.
A/N: So a lot of important things happened this chapter, they were kind of hidden in there though. We find out a little more about Danny (he's not really evil!) we find out how much Bella really cares for Edward (she'd risk her own safety for his!) and of course … Bella's realization at the end (she loves him!) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was fun writing! In a kind of evil sense … I was stuck between whether to make Danny's character truly evil or just misunderstood and stressed, and decided on the second, hope you approve! :-D Please review!! Pretty please?!