A/N: So, this was originally written to be the ending of Ch. 12 after Jasper tells Bella that Kate's being released from prison. After I wrote it, I realized that it would be better to switch to BPOV at that point and so this was cut. But, it adds a lot to Edward's motives for sleeping with Bella and what was going on in his head, so I decided to keep it as an outtake. I hope this is enlightening for you all :)

Riding the Fence

Outtake of Ch. 13

EPOV

The evening has been fairly low key and relaxing, the four of us in easy conversation, well, with the obvious exception of Bella and Alice. But even they are being civil, which is an accomplishment. We are sitting in the living room, watching TV, when Jasper's phone rings. He glances down at it before excusing himself from the room.

Several minutes later, he returns, looking pale and shaken up. His eyes immediately seek out Bella, his face pained.

"J, what's going on?" she asks, obviously concerned.

"I'm...I'll tell you later, now isn't the time," he replies, glancing at me. His cryptic words are doing nothing to ease the apprehension that has settled in my stomach.

Bella laughs nervously. "Dude, you're kind of freaking me out, just spit it out."

He shakes his head, "B, I really don't think..." But Bella cuts him off, yelling in exasperation, "Just tell me already!"

Sighing in defeat, he says quietly, "Kate's being released from prison."

The room is absolutely still, no one speaks. Jasper and Alice are obviously waiting for Bella to say something, and I'm watching this all from the sidelines, confused and uneasy. I have no idea who Kate is; despite all the time I've spent with Bella, she has tacitly avoided any conversation about what happened. I've only been able to gather that Kate hurt all three of them through some betrayal, and I get the sense that, somehow, Bella was hurt most of all.

Without warning, Bella jumps from the floor and walks quickly to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. The sound reverberates through the still-silent living room for an inordinately long time as we all just stare after her. After a moment, Jasper sags to the couch, scrubbing his hands over his face. Alice moves to sit closer to him, pulling him into her arms, whispering comforting words to him.

It occurs to me I have no idea why Kate was in prison.

"Hey, um, Jasper? Is Kate, you know, dangerous or something?" I ask nervously.

He considers my question for a minute before answering. "Not in the way you're thinking. She's not violent."

I nod my head once, acknowledging his response, still completely clueless about what he meant, but at least not worried that we're going to end up living out the script of a bad action flick.

He begins to speak when we hear a loud crash of something shattering against the wall of Bella's room, followed by a guttural scream of raging anger. Jasper and I both jump to our feet, but I don't even give him time to argue.

"I've got it," I rush out.

He stands shocked for a moment, eyes hard and assessing. He must see that I'm not going to back down, he simply sits in concession. It sounds like he mutters, "Good luck," but I can't be sure because I'm already on my way down the hall.

I knock lightly on the door, apprehensive and unsure of what I'm going to find on the other side.

"Go the fuck away!" Bella screams.

Taking a deep breath, I open the door, shocked by the sight before me. A picture frame lays broken, glass shattered on the floor across the room. That would explain the crash. But it's Bella herself that truly leaves me at a loss for words.

She's sitting on the floor underneath the window, her knees pulled up to her chest, face streaked with tears, and her hair in wild disarray. I have never seen her fall apart. It's not something I ever want to see again. The broken girl on the floor is a stark contrast to the fiery, spirited woman who I've become accustomed to...who I'm falling for.

Her snarled words break me from my silent appraisal. "I said go away, Edward!" I freeze for just a second, trying to decide what to do. She chooses just that moment to look up at me, and my mind was made up. Despite the venom and warning in her tone, the pained look on her face is begging me to stay.

I approach her cautiously, unable to guess how she will react to my disregard for her words. She jumps to her feet, glaring at me; her entire body is radiating anger and challenge.

Placing my hand on her arm, I try to silently offer her comfort, wishing that she would just believe that I won't hurt her, that she can trust me. But she shakes my hand off her, refusing to allow me entrance into the fortress she keeps locked up tight around her. Despite the easy friendship we've cultivated over the past few months, I am fully aware that it is superficial on her part, she has given me nothing real and true, she has risked nothing of herself on me.

"Bella, I know..." I begin, but she cuts me off.

"You don't know shit, Edward! You have no goddamn clue, so don't even pretend to understand or sympathize!" Her finger is jabbing into my sternum, the discomfort grounding me and allowing me to stay level headed instead of sinking into my own anger and frustration.

"So tell me! Let me in, tell me what happened! I'm here, I want to help - stop pushing me away and hiding!"

She says nothing, moving across the room from me. Her entire body is on lock down, jaw clenching, arms tight against her sides, fists curling tightly, as if she's afraid that some part of her may betray her secrets without careful control. Except her eyes...her eyes are pleading. They are begging me, and I have no idea what it could possibly be that she's so desperate for me to do or say or be. And if I knew, I wouldn't hesitate to grant her request.

"Tell me about Kate. Please," I beg. I know, without a doubt, that Kate is the key to unlocking Bella. I'm just terrified of what I'm going to find behind the door, what kind of skeletons she has locked away so tightly.

She literally launches herself across the room towards me, I close my eyes, waiting for the weight I'm expecting to slam against my body. I am shocked as shit when instead I feel her lips against mine, angry and forceful. I hesitate for a moment, I truly do, trying to force down the shot of desire that sparks through me and remember that there are more important things than this intense fire between us. But all it takes is one thought of the broken girl I walked into, and my questions no longer matter. I will give her anything she wants, and if this is what she needs, then I am powerless to deny her. I can only feel grateful that she's allowing me to be there for her, even as a voice in the back of my head tells me that if there was ever a time to push her, this is it.

A/N: So, did that help clear anything up? Edward may not know exactly what happened to Bella, but he's not exactly clueless, either.

Thank you guys for reading, I would really love to know what you thought about the EPOV of this chapter!

As always, thanks to my beta Kas90, and my pre-readers, Sammielynnsmom and KrisScott.

I own nothing. I'll see you guys next week back on the regular story, review reply teases for this outtake will be from Ch. 14! ~Kimberly