Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Rated M for mature subject matter and language.

Chapter 13: Seting The Record Straight

EDWARD'S MANSION

Nine o'clock in the morning was way too early in the morning for a drink, but the picture in the morning papers left him no choice. He needed something to dull the pain when he opened the pages of the newspaper and saw Bella's face staring at him, more stunning than ever, a man at her side, and the caption inquiring if this were her new beau.

His coffee forgotten, he headed for his liquor cabinet and the stiffest drink he could find. He stared at the picture, enraptured by her beauty and disheartened by the fact that she was not alone. What are you doing, baby? Who is this guy?

When she had taken the stage at the awards ceremony, he had felt all eyes on him, knew that every camera in the building had its lens trained on him for his reaction. He had forced himself to keep his gaze neutral as his love, the most beautiful girl in the world, approached the microphone for her presentation. Her dress nearly took his breath away. She looked like a Greek Goddess standing up there, ethereal and luminescent under the spotlight. His eyes devoured her. He was not aware that she had brought a man with her to the event. The morning papers destroyed him.

He was on his second drink, the newspaper before him, when his intercom rang. "Edward, you have a visitor", his assistant announced.

"I'm not expecting anyone, get rid of them", he spoke quickly in reply into the intercom. He was in no mood to play host to anyone today, especially an unscheduled guest.

He looked at Bella's face in the photograph again. You haven't wasted any time jumping into the dating game have you, sweetheart?

"Edward, it's a lawyer. He says he's here to see you about Miss Swan".

Why would a lawyer be here to see me about Bella? His mind raced with the possibilities. He had a vested interest in her recording career, as he had helped to negotiate her record contract and retained producer's credit on her music. They lived in California, which was a community property state, and as such, she probably thought she was entitled to half of everything he owned. Great...she sent a lawyer here to let me know that she's planning to sue me for palimony or some crap like that.

God, what had happened to them? What had they become? He downed the remainder of his drink for courage and resigned himself to meeting with her lawyer. He pressed the button on the intercom and instructed his assistant to escort the attorney in.

He busied himself with tidying up the remains of his breakfast to attempt to regain his composure. His back was to the door and he was at his bar again when his assistant lightly knocked before entering. "Edward, this is Mr. Black. I'll leave you two alone". His assistant made a brief introduction and left the room.

Edward took a deep breath and turned to greet the attorney, stunned to see the face in the newspaper before him.

"Edward, I'm Jacob Black. Thanks again for agreeing to see me", Jake placed his hand towards Edward for a handshake.

Edward's eyes narrowed. He did not extend his hand. "You're the guy in the newspaper picture with Bella", he stated.

"That's right, she wondered if you had seen it", Jake said.

"What did you say your name was again?" Edward asked, detecting a strong Southern accent.

"Jacob Black", he replied. "I escorted Sissy to the awards show last night".

Edward experienced a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as realization and awareness dawned on him of just exactly who this Jacob Black fellow was. His eyes closed to almost slits and he spoke with venom in his voice. "Why are you here? Isn't it enough that you're fucking my girlfriend?"

Jake was across the room in two large paces and his right fist connected with Edward's face. Edward's head snapped back and he prepared for the next punch, which never came. Instead, Jake unleashed a verbal barrage, which shook Edward to the core. "Don't you ever talk about Sissy that way again or I'll whoop your sorry ass all the way back to Georgia, you hear me boy? I don't know what she sees in you, because when I look at you all I can see is a self-absorbed Hollywood asshole, but that girl cries herself to sleep over you every damned night", Jake ranted.

Edward looked at Jake through a puffy, swollen eye, one sure to be black and blue in the morning and decided to find out why he had come for a visit. "Why are you here?" he asked Jake again.

"You mind if I pour myself a drink?" Jake asked. "Not that I'm planning to stay or anything, but I could use something right now".

Edward nodded to the bar as if to say – Help yourself – and waited for Jake to continue.

Jake poured a double and slammed a good portion of it back before revealing the nature of his visit.

"Look, I'm here because I want to help, believe it or not. She's hurting and the one thing I can't handle seeing is Sissy in pain".

They sat on opposite twin leather chairs and Edward listened to the history of Sissy and Jake... He imagined her as a little girl, doing all the things Jake spoke of, the worm digging, the rock throwing, swimming in the river, church choir singing. She had talked about her life with just her mother, and then the days as a waitress in THE BAR after her father had ruined his music career, but this was the first time he had heard it from the perspective of another person who had witnessed her life from the beginning. Jake openly admitted to Edward about his adoration and his love for Sissy. He told Edward of his lifelong dream that Sissy would one day return his affections in a true romance way, and not the friendship way they had known their whole lives.

"When you and Sissy had your little problem awhile back, I'll tell you, I thought that was my chance. I planned on moving in for the kill. We had a fun, innocent time at THE BAR throwing some darts and drinking beer. I called her and left a message to tell her that I wanted to see her again. I never dreamed you were at the condo, and I sure never dreamed that I was causing problems for her", Jake explained. "She said you took that message the wrong way".

"Are you telling me that you and Bella aren't lovers?" Edward asked, hoping for confirmation of what he thought he just pieced together from Jake's story.

"We aren't lovers now, and we never have been. I've never even had a kiss from the girl I've loved my whole life. Well, kind of", he modified his explanation.

Edward's eyebrows rose in question.

"We were fourteen and decided to play spin the bottle. It was just me and her, so I figured I had a pretty good chance of getting a kiss", Jake remembered.

Edward smiled. "What happened?"

"I spun and spun that Godammed bottle and it kept landing to the right of her or to the left of her, but it would never land on her. She said no kisses till it landed on her. It never did. I was so disappointed that she took pity on me and kissed me on the cheek when she left to go home. It's the closest I've ever come to kissing Sissy".

Edward grinned inwardly at the thought of his pretty Bella, playing spin the bottle, refusing to give her kisses. She withheld her affections, even from someone as close to her as this guy had been, making sure that nobody took what was hers unless she wanted him or her to have it. She was still the same at twenty-six as she had been at fourteen. How had he been so stupid? Why had he ever doubted her faithfulness?

Jake interrupted Edward's thoughts. "Look, I came here for one reason. Sissy loves you. I wish it were me that she loves, but it's not. We talked, and I've accepted the fact that I'll always be just a friend to her. She hasn't gotten over you, buddy, she hasn't even tried. She was so worried about that damned picture in the paper and what you'd think. She doesn't know I'm here and she'd probably be madder than hell if she did. I just wanted to tell you that there has never been anything improper going on between Sissy and me. If you want your girl back, you should go get her".

He stood up to go. "I don't know if you're going to listen to my advice and try to see Sissy. I don't know if she'll take you back even if you do try to see her. Just remember this, though. Sissy and I go back twenty-five years. I will always be there for her if she needs me, and you're just going to have to find a way to deal with that, my friend".

Edward remembered his manners and walked Jake to the door. He put his hand out for a handshake, admitting to himself that he liked this man more than he cared to admit. It had taken courage to come here and talk to him. She was lucky to have Jake in her life, and he knew that he had no reason for jealousy after meeting him and recognizing his chivalrous behavior towards Bella. "Thank you for coming. Honestly, I appreciate it. You're a good friend and she's lucky to have you", Edward said.

Jake left, and Edward pondered how best to approach Bella. Should he just show up at the hotel? Should he send a bouquet of flowers? A phone call? This required that he put his thinking cap on. He needed to get his girl back and he needed something that would get her attention. What would get Bella's attention?

Authors notes: I don't know about you...but for that one chapter I was Team Jake. He totally put her before himself...her needs and her feelings...and that's what true love is all about. Next up: Edward's plan to get Sissy back.