AN: I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. Here is another chapter. I am not sure why but this was a really hard one to write. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 11

BELLA POV

I had excused myself to give Rose and Emmett a little alone time. I wasn't sure if Edward was planning on staying or not, but I didn't want to stay downstairs to find out. There were so many emotions running through my mind, I was having trouble processing them.

In the past the only thing that would help me get my thoughts in order was to study. I grabbed my trusty med book, and my favorite highlighter and began to read. I wasn't even through with the first page when there was a quiet knock at my door.

"Come in." I answered knowing it was only one of the three people I had left downstairs.

Edward walked into my room, and it was almost like old times.

"Bella, nice to see some things don't change." He said obviously thinking the same thing.

I knew we needed to talk, especially after what happened today. I guess this was as good as time as any to have this conversation. My highlighter fell from my mouth, and I used it to bookmark my page. I threw the book on the floor.

"Edward, you think you could stay for awhile? We need to talk about some things." I asked.

His smile faltered a little and he ran his hand through his bronze locks. Edward was never one for deep conversations, and I would almost bet that he regretted coming up those steps now.

He nodded his head reluctantly, and shut my bedroom door.

"I'm not getting out of this am I?" He asked.

I shook my head at him.

He slowly walked over to my bed, and sat down. I was unsure how this was going to go, but as soon as he grabbed my hand in a reassuring manner, it only helped me to begin.

"Edward, I woke up earlier today alone, and while I know you don't owe me anything. I almost had a nervous breakdown. I had no idea where you were or if you were coming back. The horrific scenario's that ran through my head knowing you weren't here were unbearable. Trust me I understand how upset you were."

He raised his eyebrows as soon as I said the word were, He was clearly still upset.

"Okay, sorry. How upset you are. I get it, but I would never be able to live with myself knowing you got hurt trying to defend me. Riley is dangerous Edward. He may have came to Forks for me, but I can promise you he is looking into your family, and he won't stop. He will look for any excuse to hurt you or your family, and I can't bear that burden. I won't. I have to do this on my own, and I need to it the right way. I will go back to the police station tomorrow morning, and speak with Jacob."

He released my hand as soon as his name fell out of my mouth.

"Black? Really Bella? What in the fuck is he going to do to protect you?" He was angry. "My family's protection is all you need!"

They don't call alcohol liquid courage for nothing, and I clearly still had some in my system.

I was a little peeved at his solution to fix my problem. "Your family? Have you lost you mind? Really? You want me to sit here and believe that your family will just continue to watch over me? Don't get me wrong I appreciate everyone being here tonight, but it was only days ago Emmett was threatening to kill me himself. Your mother hates me. I could just see her volunteering to baby-sit poor Bella. Esme is the last person I would call for help, no offense. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she called Riley to meet her here just to watch him pull the trigger." I yelled back at him while my eyes quickly filled with tears.

I was furious at him for even suggesting such a stupid solution. It was true that Esme had pretty much ran me out of town, but I also left because I wanted no part of the Cullen life. I know how much my safety means to him; I didn't want to be the one in the middle again. I didn't want Edward to be torn between his loyalty to me and the loyalty to his family. To much was at stake now.

I didn't agree with the way the Cullen's lived their life. They weren't evil. They just did things I didn't and couldn't understand, but I would never wish any harm to them, any one of them and that includes his bitch of a mother. I knew the hurt that would cause all of them if something happened to Esme or anyone in their family for that matter, and I needed Edward to understand that I was not going to let him or his family try to avenge or protect me. It could get one of them thrown in jail, or God forbid killed.

"I will go to the police station in the morning and speak to the Chief if that will make you fell better, but I will handle this myself." I said grabbing his hand again trying to get him to accept this.

"It's too late." He whispered.

What did he mean? Too late for what?

"What did you do?" I grabbed both of his arms now making him face me.

"You don't need to worry about Riley ever again Bella. I mean that. Nothing you can say or do will change the fact that from here on out, until he is taken care of you are under Cullen protection. You don't need to call the Chief because I am pretty sure my father called him as soon as I walked out of his office earlier."

Maybe I was a little more buzzed than I thought.

"What?" I asked again for clarification.

"You heard me." He said. "Carlisle probably called the chief as soon as I left his office. Riley is our problem to take care of now." He said while brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I was honestly shocked that Carlisle even agreed to help or even protect me, but I knew that he probably realized that whether they helped or not that Edward was going to do something, and it would be better with their help.

I was tired of arguing. I was tired of trying to sort out my feelings for Edward. I was just tired.

I sighed pulling my hair from its ponytail and threw myself back on my pillow.

"I'm tired." I admitted.

"I'll let you get some sleep." He said shifting to get up.

"Just tired of it all. I don't know what to do with this?" I said pointing to the both of us. He clearly caught on that I was talking about us now. The conversation of my safety and his was done for now at least.

He kicked off his shoes and moved to sit next to me. He sat with his back against my head board. He started running his fingers through my hair and scalp.

"You feel it don't you?" I asked him.

"Feel what?" He asked crossing his ankles.

"You know what." I said looking up at him.

"Yeah I feel it. It's still there, but I don't know what to do about it either. The only thing I am sure of, is that we're not Alice and Jasper. Jasper is a willing participant in this life. He accepted everything about us, and he carries no guilt. He is all in. Even if you would look past everything we do and we are, it's just too much right now. I am having a hard enough time as it is wrapping my head around what happened in the past. I haven't even let it soak in yet." He said while still running his fingers through my hair.

"I know. I don't know what to do either. It's like my head is telling me one thing. I can't be in your world. I don't think I could live with myself knowing the things you do on a daily basis. I would worry about you all the time, and I would never feel safe. My head understands all that, but my heart and body are having a hard time getting the message."

I sat up next to him with my back to the headboard, and he quickly moved to put his arm around me and I leaned my head on his chest.

"I don't know how to be without you, when you are so close." I admitted to him.

I looked up at him, and he leaned in and kissed me softly. He rubbed his hand on my face and then kissed my nose.

"We don't have to figure this out tonight, Bella." He said.

He moved us both down. He was laying on the pillow and I stayed laying against his chest.

I stayed there listening to his heart beat in his chest while thinking that we still hadn't defined what we were or weren't going to be, but in this moment it didn't matter because I felt more content than ever, and that was enough. For now.

EDWARD POV

I woke up feeling somewhat dazed. I was pressed up against something hard. It only took me a second to realize I had myself pressed up against bella, and it wasn't her that was hard, but me. I wasn't sure how we ended up like this, but somehow my shirt was off and my hand was on her bare hip. I could feel her thin panty strap, and it took everything I had not to put my hand under it.

I had to get out of this bed before anything else happened. If we were confused before, adding sex to the mix was only going to screw things up even more. I started to move my hand when I heard her.

"Edward, MMMM." She moaned my name.

Shit. I thought to myself. I wanted to laugh at the irony. Edward Cullen was actually leaving a half naked woman in bed moaning his name. I hoped someone was getting theirs in her dream because I obviously wasn't getting mine now, and some part of me was not happy about that. I rubbed myself trying to alleviate some of the pain I was feeling. It only increased clearly not happy with the substitute when there was clearly a more willing participate lying a few feet from me. I grabbed my shirt and shoes and quietly made my way downstairs.

I walked into the kitchen where Rosalie stood only wearing Emmett's button down shirt making coffee. I looked back at the sofa, but Emmett wasn't there.

Hmm. I shook my head. Now I was really pissed, I was the only motherfucker not getting any.

"I guess you lost your shirt last night too." Rosalie said gesturing at my shirt that I had yet to put on.

"It's too early" I replied.

"Nice tattoo." She said clearly talking about Bella's name on my chest.

"Nice hickey." I replied.

"What? Oh My God! Where?" She started panicking, and I busted out laughing just as Emmett walked in.

"There's my shirt." He said while walking behind Rosalie and kissing her neck.

"Dick." Rosalie said to me after realizing she didn't have a hickey after all.

Emmett looked confused.

"I told you it was too early in the morning." I shrugged my shoulders at her.

"Where's Bella?" Emmett asked me while I pulled my shirt back on.

"Sleeping." I answered.

"Late night?" He asked grinning.

My phone decided to ring at that moment. Emmett was damn lucky I had to take this call. I walked out of the kitchen and sat on the steps leading upstairs. The call was from my father. Carlisle had called a meeting for the board. We were scheduled to meet in two hours to go over the game plan. I hung up the phone just as Bella walked down.

She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Morning." she said still only wearing my baseball shirt. It hung mid thigh, and it looked completely sexy on her.

"Good morning." I said back after I eye fucked her.

Someone cleared their throat, and Bella looked away blushing.

Emmett decided to stroll into the living room carrying my cup of coffee.

Bella was turning a pretty shade of red when Emmett asked.

"Who was on the phone?" He asked looking Bella over.

"Dad." I answered.

"He's called a meeting of the board to meet in two hours." I said.

Bella looked at me and then at Emmett. She knew enough to know that my dad was calling in the big guns. The board consisted of several of our family. Family that was not only from here, but from across the state.

Rosalie decided to walk in that moment, and I couldn't help but notice the disapproving look Bella was giving Rosalie. They just stared at each other for a minute, glaring. I wasn't sure what Bella's problem was unless she was upset that Rosalie was wearing only Emmett's shirt, but that clearly shouldn't have mattered since she was only wearing my shirt as well. I never understood women.

Emmett broke the tension.

"Well okay, sweet lips your monkey man has got to run. I'll call you later. Keep the shirt." He said kissing Rose on the lips and making his way towards the door.

"Bye Bells." He called back.

Bella and Rosalie went back to glaring at each other, and it was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable.

I walked over to Bella and grabbed her hand. "Bella, I have to go. I will call you later. If anything happens or you need to call me. You can." I said leaning down to kiss her head.

"I will be fine, Edward. I have to go in today. I'll text you later." She said.

I nodded and walked out the door leaving Rosalie and Bella to clearly have some type of conversation. I was relieved that I wasn't on the receiving end of the glare Bella was throwing out, and knew that conversation was one I would be happy to miss.

I had quickly drove home, showered, and changed. Emmett picked me up and we were headed back to Fork's to attend the meeting. We had been only sitting in the car for three minutes when he started.

"So you going to tell me what happened last night?" He said never taking his eyes of the steering wheel.

"Nope. You going to tell me?: I asked.

"Fuck yeah. What you want to know?" He said with the biggest smile on his face.

Typical Emmett he was never one to stick with the "don't' kiss and tell" policy.

"I was kidding, although clearly Rosalie didn't make you sleep on the sofa." I said smiling.

I was happy for Emmett. He deserved it.

"Well if you must know she didn't really let me sleep at all." He winked at me.

"Sounds like you met your match." I replied.

"Maybe." He said seriously.

For Emmett those words meant a lot.

"So what do you think the plan is?" He asked me changing the subject.

"I'm not sure, but if Dad called the board; he clearly wants no mistakes and no traces." I said pulling out my phone and sending Bella a text.

Meet me tonight at Eclipse-E

We had just pulled up to my parents house when I got Bella's reply.

What time-B

I smiled and sent her a text letting her know I would text her later with the details.

I put my phone on silent and walked into my fathers office where the rest of the board sat. We were about to set a plan in motion and I for one could not wait until Riley Biers got what was coming to him.

I spent hours on this chapter. It was rough. I think I am so worried about getting to other parts, I am having a hard time writing the present of the story. I will try and get my mind in the game to get the next chapter out quicker. Anyway, please review. I have been getting so many hits, but only a few reviews. I would love to hear if you like the story, or want something to happen. Or have any thoughts at all. For those wondering, Charlie is not the chief of police in this story, and what happened to him will be explained later in the story. Please review and I will tell each and everyone of you what will happen in the next chapter! J I'm excited for that one. Thanks guys! J