Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The original plot and storyline of Never Enough, however, belong to me. Please be nice and don't copy or translate without permission. Thank you. Disclaimer #2: While I may work in the legal field, I am a writer, not an attorney, and I have applied a certain amount of creative license with the court proceedings in this chapter. Please don't message me and tell me I got it all wrong – I'm well aware of that :)

So Iadorepugs and Cullen_Crazy01 have gone well beyond the call of duty with this one. I could bore you the details, but I won't. All you need to know is that they are amazing, and I can't even put words to how lucky I am to have them in my life.

So, read on, and meet me at the bottom!

Chapter 27

It was just a few weeks later that a rather impulsive decision on my part led me to be sitting outside a courtroom in Portland, nervously tapping my toes as I waited for Edward to appear. After being told repeatedly by the police and the prosecuting attorney that Felix was going to waive his preliminary examination, Edward had received a frantic phone call on Monday, telling him he needed to be in court to testify late Tuesday afternoon. Rather that waive the hearing, Felix was insisting on a full exam, which unfortunately required Edward's presence and testimony.

I knew exactly how much Edward was dreading testifying. I had spoken with him this morning, and hearing the weariness in his voice as he said how much he missed me, I decided within minutes of hanging up that I wanted to be with him for support. I called Angela to make sure the bookstore was covered, and Jacob to take the kids after school. Once that was all arranged, I started out for Portland, checking the clock and praying I didn't hit construction or weather that would cause me to be late. About halfway into my trip, I called Rosalie to let her know my plan.

"Does Edward know that you're going to be there?" Rosalie asked warily.

"No, I decided to drive down this morning when he sounded so miserable on the phone. I tried to call him back, but he's meeting with the prosecutor and can't be reached."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Bella," Rosalie said. "I'm sure Edward will be thrilled to see you, but I can't help but think this is a really bad idea. I suppose there's no talking you out of it?"

"Why would it be a bad idea? I just want to support him," I protested, easing my foot off the gas and doubting my decision for the first time.

Rosalie sighed heavily. "I'm sure it will be fine, Bella. Just remember that Edward loves you, and anything he's said or done was to protect you."

"What do you mean protect me?" I asked.

"I can't say anything more – and I mean that I literally cannot, as I am bound by attorney-client privilege. Just call me and let me know how it goes, okay?"

After Rosalie's cryptic statement, I pressed my foot to the accelerator harder, even more determined to be there. She made it sound as if Edward was the one in trouble, not Felix. I had to know what was going on, even as I worried about what exactly I would be walking into. I didn't try calling Edward again, afraid he would echo Rosalie's sentiments.

"Bella! What are you doing here?" Edward's voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up to see him crossing the wide corridor. He was dressed in a conservative charcoal suit and matching tie, although his hair was as wild as always. I could see the marks from where he must have been running his fingers through his hair as he had prepared with the prosecutor.

"I came to support you, of course," I told him, rising from the chair and standing on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek. "You look very handsome," I told him, tugging on his tie and trying to elicit a smile from him.

"I wish I would have known you would be here," he said, his expression a little uneasy.

"I tried, but your phone was off, and I needed to start driving if I was going to make it on time. I can leave if you'd prefer…" I said, my voice trailing off uncertainly as Rosalie's words about this being a bad idea came back to me.

"Of course I love having you here. Seeing you sitting here gave me my first genuine smile of the day," Edward said, lifting his hand and stroking my cheek with his fingertips. "But Bella, there are some things I might have to say today that we haven't had a chance to discuss."

I heard the feminine sound of someone clearing their throat coming from behind Edward, and I knew instantly who it was when he tensed at the sound. "I'm sorry," he mouthed to me, before putting his arm around me and turning us around. "Good afternoon, Heidi."

Heidi was exactly what I had expected. She was gorgeous and statuesque with long, lustrous mahogany hair. Her amazing legs were showcased by a suit that probably cost more than most of my wardrobe and heels that definitely did. What struck me most about her appearance was not her beauty, but the profound sadness in her eyes. Her gaze was filled with abject apology as she looked at Edward. "Hello, Edward," she said softly, her voice low and husky.

Heidi's eyes moved to me, and I felt the urge to hunch my shoulders and hide. Edward squeezed my waist, and I looked up to find him smiling down at me, his green eyes warm. "Bella Black, please meet Heidi Meyer. Heidi, this is my Bella." The way he said 'my Bella' made my heart beat just a little quicker.

"Edward's Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you," Heidi said, holding out a perfectly manicured hand for me to shake. I hesitated for only a moment, and then placed my hand in her cool fingers.

The doors to the courtroom opened, and a young woman in a chic pantsuit and heels looked out into the corridor. "Edward, there you are. We're about ready to begin." She glared unabashedly at Heidi, who blushed and hurried through the courtroom doors. "Is this who I think it is?" the woman asked, stepping forward with a smile and an outstretched hand.

"Bella, this is Carmen Denali, the prosecutor handling the preliminary hearing," Edward said as I shook her hand.

"Is she coming in to listen to your testimony?" Carmen asked, raising an eyebrow at Edward. Her guarded look gave me another wave of uncertainty about my decision to be here.

Edward nodded. "She wanted to be here for me. Can I sit with her until it's time for me to testify?"

"Of course. We should get inside though. The judge will be taking the bench at any moment.

As we stepped into the courtroom, I saw Heidi on the right hand side, sitting directly behind the defense table, where the man I assumed was Felix sat with his attorney. Felix was huge and muscular like Emmett, only without the friendliness and humor that made Emmett so approachable. Felix was the kind of man that I would have avoided if I had met him in a social situation. When he turned to speak to his attorney I could see he appeared suave and physically attractive, but there was just something…cold about him. As I moved toward the seating with Edward, Felix looked back, his dark eyes raking over my body from head to toe and back again. When our eyes met, he sent a blatantly sexual grin my way. Edward's arm tightened around my shoulders and he immediately stepped between us so that I could no longer see Felix. Even though I knew I was perfectly safe in the courtroom with the bailiffs present, I still felt comforted at Edward's protective gesture.

Edward and I sat behind and several rows back from the prosecutor's table, out of the line of sight of Heidi, Felix and his attorney. The Judge called the court to order and the clerk read the charges into the record. Then the Judge called upon Carmen to begin her case. "The People call Edward Cullen," she announced with a glance in our direction.

Edward squeezed my hand. "I love you," he whispered in my ear before he got up and walked toward the front of the courtroom. He stood beside the witness stand, and I remembered how nerve-wracking that had been for my divorce proceedings.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do."

"Please be seated."

Edward looked calm and professional, studiously ignoring Felix and Heidi, instead watching Carmen as she shuffled her notes on the podium. His eyes skipped to me for a moment, and he gave me a reassuring smile.

Carmen turned to Edward and began her questioning. "Please state your full name for the record."

"Edward Anthony Cullen."

"Mr. Cullen, where do you reside?"

"Port Angeles, Washington." His voice was even. That was fine—I had enough butterflies for the both of us.

Carmen explained to Edward the purpose of the preliminary hearing, to determine if there was enough evidence to bring Felix to trial on the charges that had been brought against him. She instructed Edward to wait until she was done asking her questions before he answered, and to let her know if he had any questions. I watched Edward square his shoulders, and took a deep breath myself as the questioning began.

"Mr. Cullen, do you know the Defendant, Felix Meyer?"

"Yes, I do."

"And how do you know the Defendant?"

"Mr. Meyer is married to my ex-wife."

"How would you characterize your relationship with Mr. Meyer?"

"To the extent that we have a relationship, I would say it is adversarial. I do my best to avoid contact with Mr. Meyer, to be honest," Edward answered.

"Mr. Cullen, did you have occasion to go to the Meyer home on February 8th of this year?"

"Yes, I did."

"And why did you go to the Meyer home on February 8th?"

"To attend a birthday party being thrown for my step-daughter Chelsea."

"Objection, your Honor! Mr. Cullen no longer has any relation to Mr. Meyer's daughter, step or otherwise," Felix's attorney was on his feet, and I saw a vindictive smile cross Felix's face. I saw Edward's jaw tense for a moment. I was proud that he kept his calm as we waited for the Judge. I knew I already wanted Felix's blood, and we were only just beginning.

"The child in question, she was your step-daughter while you were married to Mrs. Meyer?" the Judge asked Edward.

"Yes," Edward answered.

The Judge turned towards the defense table and leveled his gaze at Felix's attorney. "Your objection is irrelevant, Counselor, and I will warn you now against wasting this Court's time. You've been in my courtroom enough times, Mr. Bewley, to know how these examinations work. The Prosecutor has to prove there's a reason to bring your client to trial, so there's a lot of leeway in witness testimony. I won't react favorably to any grandstanding." The Judge turned back to Carmen. "You may proceed, Counselor."

"Thank you, your Honor." Carmen looked back to her notes. "Were you invited to the party, Mr. Cullen?"

"By Mrs. Meyer, yes." I couldn't help but send a little glare at the back of Heidi's head. If not for her selfish machinations, none of us would be here today.

"At what time did you arrive?"

"Approximately eleven o'clock in the morning, but I'm not sure of the exact time."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. Now, using your own words, could you please describe for me what happened when you arrived at the Meyer home on February 8th?"

"Certainly," Edward said, his eyes seeking mine for just a moment. I smiled at him in reassurance and mouthed 'I love you.' His hint of a smile in response warmed my heart.

Edward took a deep breath and began his story. "I rang the doorbell, and Mrs. Meyer answered the door and invited me into the house. As I entered the foyer, I handed her a wrapped gift and asked her where my step…. where Chelsea was. Before Mrs. Meyer could answer my question, Mr. Meyer entered the room and started screaming at me."

"Do you know why Mr. Meyer was yelling at you?"

"Objection, calls for speculation!" Felix's attorney shouted.

"Overruled. Mr. Cullen, please answer the question."

"Mr. Meyer screamed 'Why the fuck are you here?'," Edward answered. He turned to the Judge. "Sorry for the language, your Honor."

The Judge waved it off. "The Court has heard worse. Proceed, Mr. Cullen."

"I told Mr. Meyer that I was there to see Chelsea, and that Heidi, that is Mrs. Meyer, had invited me. Mr. Meyer then turned to Mrs. Meyer, who was standing just behind me, and started yelling at her and calling her names."

"What kind of names?" the Prosecutor asked.

The tips of Edward's ears turned red. "He used very derogatory terms. Whore, slut, cunt."

"In what context was he calling her these names?"

"He called her a manipulative whore for inviting me to the party without telling him. He said she was a slut for wanting me around. And he said she was a stupid cunt if she thought she was going to make him jealous with me." I found it interesting that Felix's attorney had objected to Edward referring to Chelsea as his step-daughter, but did nothing to try to defend Felix's harsh words about his wife.

"Were the three of your alone in the foyer?"

"Three of Mr. Meyer's friends entered the room when he started yelling."

"Did Mr. Meyer hit you then?"

Edward shook his head. "No, he did not."

"How did the physical altercation begin?"

Edward shifted in his chair. "I attempted to explain to him that I only wanted to see Chelsea, and he said over his dead body would I see his daughter, and that she wasn't there at the time anyway. Then Mr. Meyer started making derogatory remarks about my…a friend of mine. I got angry, and I told him to shut up."

"Mr. Cullen, could you be more specific about the derogatory comments made by Mr. Meyer about your friend?"

Edward suddenly looked very uncomfortable, his eyes focused on the wooden railing in front of him. "I'd really rather not."

The Judge looked over at him. "Mr. Cullen, you need to answer the Prosecutor's questions."

"Edward, we talked about this," Carmen said, her voice sympathetic, and Edward shot me a look that I couldn't interpret. When she spoke next, Carmen's voice was all business. "Mr. Cullen, you said that Mr. Meyer made derogatory comments regarding a friend of yours. Who is this friend?"

Edward sighed and lifted his hand to run his fingers through his hair. "Isabella Black." I was startled by the sound of my name, especially since Edward had never called me Isabella before. I realized that Edward was not actually calling my name, but instead answering the question. Felix had been making comments to Edward about… me? What the hell…?

"And who exactly is Isabella Black, Mr. Cullen?"

"A close friend of mine," Edward said, his voice low.

"Close in a romantic way?" Carmen asked.

"Yes," Edward responded.

"Could you please tell the Court what Mr. Meyer said to you about Ms. Black?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb, a sure sign that he was upset. I was stunned. He hadn't mentioned this part of the altercation to me before. I remembered our conversation about 'long story medium' versus 'full disclosure'. It was apparently time for the unabridged version.

"Mr. Meyer asked why I was at his house and not at home with…my friend… Ms. Black."

"Are those the words Mr. Meyer used?" The prosecutor's tone showed she knew exactly what Edward was holding back.

"Not exactly."

"Mr. Cullen, I need you to describe for the court, to the best of your recollection, exactly what Mr. Meyer said about Ms. Black."

"Objection, your Honor. I fail to see why this is relevant," Felix's attorney called out, looking suddenly nervous.

"Overruled – I'll allow this line of questioning for the time being, provided there is a point, Ms. Denali. Please answer the question, Mr. Cullen."

Edward looked at me, his eyes sad and worried, and I realized why Rosalie said this was a bad idea—I felt horrible about being here and making this so much more difficult on him. I rose from my seat to give him the privacy he obviously needed to finish with his testimony. Edward shook his head and mouthed 'stay'.

I felt a blush color my cheeks when all eyes in the courtroom turned to me, including the malevolent glare of Felix. I straightened my shoulders and sat back down on the bench, crossing my arms over my chest and pointedly looking away from the defense table and directly at Edward.

Edward sighed in what sounded like relief, his eyes crinkling up at the corners as if he was giving me a private smile. He turned back to Carmen with determination. "Could you repeat your question please, Ms. Denali?"

"Certainly. Please tell the court what Mr. Meyer said about Isabella Black."

"Mr. Meyer asked why I was at his house, rather than at my own where I could be…fucking Isabella Black." Edward's voice was gruff with anger, the color on his cheeks high. I managed to contain my surprise and dismay, but just barely.

"And how did you respond to Mr. Meyer's question?"

"I told him to mind his own business," Edward answered. "And Mr. Meyer told me that he was planning on making Ms. Black his business and finding out if she was…if she was…as hot a piece of ass as I seemed to think she was. I told him to shut the hell up about Be…Ms. Black."

"You said to the Court that you stepped forward at some point after further provocation from the Defendant. Could you describe what statement it was that spurred your action?"

"Objection, relevance!" cried Felix's attorney, his voice alarmed.

"Overruled. Mr. Cullen, answer the question."

"Mr. Meyer commented further about Ms. Black's appearance, age, marital status and finally her children. When Mr. Meyer made a crude sexual reference about Ms. Black's teenage daughter, I decided I had heard enough. I called Mr. Meyer a fucking pedophile, and I stepped forward. I was getting ready to turn around and leave when Mr. Meyer attacked me."

I heard a loud gasping sound and realized that it had come from me. No wonder Edward had never told me what had happened during his altercation with Felix. He must have known I would have taken the next plane, train or automobile to Portland to shoot Felix myself.

"Was it merely a reference or a threat to this young woman?" the Judge asked, glowering down at the case file.

"Your Honor, we don't even have any corroborating testimony! For all we know, Mr. Cullen may very well be making up these allegations in order to paint my client in a bad light," Felix's attorney cried in outrage.

"Sit down, Mr. Bewley. Mr. Cullen, what exactly did Mr. Meyer say about Ms. Black's daughter?"

Edward looked over at me, his expression upset. "He said to me that if it was him, he'd be banging the fuck-hot daughter instead of the mom, but that he was going to enjoy doing both of them in the future."

"Son of a bitch!" I swore, getting to my feet. All eyes in the courtroom were suddenly back on me and I realized what I had just done.

The judge banged his gavel. "Order! Ma'am, I cannot have you disrupting these court proceedings. Perhaps you should wait in the hallway until we are finished."

"Your Honor, this is Isabella Black, the woman about whom the witness is testifying. I'm sure that she is upset about Mr. Cullen's testimony; however, I believe she will keep her calm if you allow her to stay," Carmen argued on my behalf to the Judge.

The Judge's expression softened the slightest bit, and he paused before responding. "As long as it's clear you must remain silent Ms. Black."

"Thank you, your Honor," I said, taking my seat on the bench once again.

Carmen turned back to the witness stand. "All right, Mr. Cullen. Back to the altercation. After Mr. Meyer made the comment about Ms. Black and her daughter, you stepped forward to leave. Then when happened?"

"When I stepped forward, Mr. Meyer rushed me and punched me in the face, breaking my nose. I raised my arms and one of his friends lunged forward and grabbed me."

"Did you raise your arms to hit Mr. Meyer?" Carmen asked.

Edward shrugged. "Probably. I was angry." The Judge raised his eyebrows and seemed surprised that Edward would admit his intentions.

"Did you hit Mr. Meyer?"

"No, I did not. One of his friends restrained me by pinning my arms behind my back, and then Mr. Meyer punched me in the side, breaking one of my ribs."

Oh God, listening to him describe the fight, and the complete unfairness of it all, made tears well in my eyes. I remembered in vivid detail how he had looked when he returned to me, and I glared venomously at the back of Heidi's head.

As if she could feel my vitriol, Heidi turned and our eyes met. I was surprised to see tears in hers as well, and it made me angry beyond belief that she thought she had any right to cry over Edward's injuries. I deliberately turned away and returned to watching Edward on the stand.

"How did the fight break up?" the prosecutor asked.

"One of Mr. Meyer's other friends pulled Felix off of me and restrained him. The third friend opened the door, and the friend that was restraining me pushed me out the door."

"Once you were outside, what did you do?"

"I got back into my car and drove myself to the hospital. They treated my injuries there, and I spoke with the police officers regarding the assault."

"Aside from a broken nose and broken rib, did you suffer any other injuries?"

"Yes I did. I required three stitches – two above my left eyebrow and one on the bridge of my nose. My lip was lacerated but did not require stitches, and I had bruises and abrasions on my cheek, jaw, and my ribs."

"If it pleases the Court, I would like to admit Mr. Cullen's medical records from the date in question as People's Exhibit 1," the prosecutor said, handing one packet to the bailiff and one to Felix's attorney.

"Thank you," the Judge said, accepting the envelope and glancing at the photographs. "Do you have any more questions for Mr. Cullen?" the Judge asked Carmen.

"No, your Honor."

"All right. Mr. Bewley, your witness."

Felix's attorney stood up. He was shorter, somewhat effeminate, and glided across the floor to the lectern, legal pad in hand. "Mr. Cullen, my name is Demetri Bewley, and I have just a couple of questions for you. Is it true that Mr. Meyer asked you to leave his residence and you refused to do so?"

"He told me to 'get the fuck out' once he was done hitting me," Edward answered coolly. I didn't know how he could be so calm, but I was glad one of us could. I was still shaking inside from all I had just heard.

"He didn't ask you to leave before that?"

"No. He asked me why I was there, but he didn't ask me to leave."

"And it didn't occur to you to leave when you found out that Mr. Meyer's daughter, who you claim was the reason you were visiting, was not even at the home?" The smarmy tone Felix's attorney was using made me want to hit him upside the head with his own legal pad.

"Mr. Meyer only informed me that Chelsea wasn't there just before he hit me."

"You say that you 'took a step' toward Mr. Meyer. Was that for the purpose of striking him?"

"No."

"Then why did you take a step towards him?"

"Because I didn't like what he was saying, and I had asked him to stop speaking that way. Then I finally realized I just needed to leave before things got out of hand."

"Is it true that you hate my client and would do or say anything in order to make his life more difficult?"

"While it is true that I do not like Mr. Meyer, I love his daughter Chelsea very much and I would never do anything that would intentionally hurt her. I have only told the police officers and the Court about this incident in the hopes that Mr. Meyer can get some help and manage his anger more effectively both for Chelsea's sake and his own."

Felix's attorney scowled. "Nothing further, your Honor."

"You are excused, Mr. Cullen. Thank you for your testimony today," the Judge said. Edward left the witness stand and ignored Felix's steely glare. He walked to where I sat and reached his hand out to me. I slipped my hand in his and stood, and the two of us quietly left the courtroom.

Edward led me a short distance away from the courtroom and then pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. "Bella," he breathed, burying his nose in my hair.

I clung to him, sliding my arms beneath his suit jacket to press my palms against his back. While part of me could understand his protective urge, I was upset that he chose to keep this information from me – especially because it had to do with my daughter. But right now, I really just needed to hold Edward before I started yelling at him.

I heard the door to the courtroom open again, and I looked up automatically, dismayed to see Heidi slipping into the hallway. Her eyes searched the corridor, and then she started walking toward us. Edward kept his arm around me protectively as he turned to glower at Heidi.

I was surprised when she addressed me. "Bella, may I talk to you alone for a few moments?"

"I have nothing to say to you," I said bluntly, restraining myself from adding bitch to the end of my answer.

"I understand, really I do," Heidi said, "If I were in your position, I wouldn't want to talk to me either. Can I just ask you to listen, though? I need to say a couple of things, and you can choose to believe me or not."

I looked at Edward, who was studying Heidi with disapproval. He looked down at me, his gaze instantly softening. "It's up to you, love," he said.

I didn't want to—I mean I really didn't want to, but I was morbidly curious to hear that Heidi could possibly have to say to me. "All right, Heidi, five minutes," I agreed. Edward kissed my cheek and I watched him walk down the corridor, well within earshot should I need anything but not close enough to overhear.

Heidi watched him walk away as well and then turned to give me a small, sad smile. "I will regret, for the rest of my life, the way that I have treated Edward. During our marriage, since the divorce, and most certainly when I asked him to come to Portland last month. Edward doesn't know yet, but Chelsea has gone to live with my sister Gianna and her husband. She couldn't handle the fighting, and shouldn't have to. Edward was the only stable person in her life, and I fucked that up for her as well," Heidi said bitterly. "I will be filing for divorce later today, after I testify to put my husband in jail for assaulting Edward."

I could hear that she was sincere, but I didn't understand her motivation. "Why are you telling me this, Heidi? Is this my fair warning that you're going to do everything in your power to get Edward back?"

"No, Edward deserves so much better than me, and he's found that with you. He looks at you in a way that I envy. The way he talks about you, I doubt there's ever been a woman more loved than you. You can give him everything he's ever wanted, everything he deserves. A stable, happy life, a family, a baby of his own. All things I was too selfish to do for him." Tears fell from Heidi's deep blue eyes, and felt an unwelcome surge of sympathy for her. "Just love him, Bella," she choked out.

"I do," I said in a whisper.

I was startled by the sound of a commotion coming from the courtroom. A man was swearing loudly, the words he used making me cringe and leaving little doubt as to who it was yelling. A quick glance at the stricken look on Heidi's face confirmed that it was indeed Felix shouting. Edward immediately returned and slipped his arm back around my waist.

"I'd better go find out what happened. I am so very sorry Edward," Heidi said uncertainly.

Edward gave her a hard, disbelieving smile, and Heidi sighed in defeat. "Be good to one another," she said softly, and then returned to the courtroom.

The moment the door closed behind Heidi, Edward turned to me. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Don't we need to stay for the Judge's decision?"

"No, Carmen said I was free to go once I finished testifying. Coffee?" Edward asked me.

I nodded vigorously, wanting to be away from here just as badly. "Where?" I asked.

"Dunno. It's Portland. There's always a coffee place somewhere nearby," he said, grabbing my hand and almost dragging me from the courthouse. We walked for about half a block before spotting a coffee shop, and quickly ducked inside.

Once we were settled in a quiet corner with our drinks, Edward took a deep breath. "So... now you know the whole story."

"Not quite. How in God's name did Felix know about me, that we were dating, and about my kids?" I asked, shuddering when I remembered what Edward had related from the stand. The idea of Felix anywhere around my daughter...I had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm myself.

"He was and is completely paranoid about me trying to 'steal away' Heidi and Chelsea from him. He was having me followed," Edward confessed, running his fingers through his hair. "Apparently he even had his PI take some pictures, which is how he knew what you look like, and what Sarah looks like. When he said that to me...I lost it. I honestly don't know what I would have done if he hadn't thrown the first punch," Edward said with gritted teeth.

I felt my flesh crawl that someone had been observing us and taking pictures without my knowledge. "Why didn't you tell me, Edward?" I asked him.

"Fear, plain and simple." Edward admitted after a moment's pause..

"Fear of what? What could you possibly be scared of?" I asked, confused. To me, Edward was invincible…or at least mostly invincible as I looked at fading scars on his face.

"My biggest fear Bella is losing you. I was afraid that if you found out what Felix had said, what he had done, you would decide you and the kids were better off without me."

"You're not going to lose me Edward." Edward shook his head and refused to meet my eyes again. I reached over and poked him in the chest firmly. "Look at me." He looked up and our eyes locked. "You are not going to lose me. Am I upset that you hid this from me? Absolutely! Am I disappointed that I had to find out this way, rather than you telling me? Damn straight." I couldn't stand the agony his eyes any longer, and I felt my anger slowly ebb in response. "But I love you, Edward Cullen, and there's nothing you can do about it."

The sadness in Edward's eyes was replaced with relief. "That's all I need to hear," he said, leaning over the table and capturing my face in his hands and pressing a long, lingering kiss to my lips. We were both breathing hard by the time he pulled away.

"You're stuck with me, buster, whether you want me or not," I teased, and was rewarded with my favorite crooked smile.

"Oh Bella, I want, I most definitely want," Edward said, his eyes glowing with love and desire. "And you know what I really want? I want to get away with you and the kids for a while. When is spring break?"

"First week of April, but the kids are going to Florida to see my mom and her husband," I told him.

Edward raised an eyebrow at me. "You're not going?"

I shook my head. "No. When Renee bought the tickets she asked me to come down too, but I figured I'd be too busy with the bookstore."

"Too busy to take a few days off?" Edward asked, a little glint in his eye

"I can talk to Angela and Holly, arrange something. What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I want to take you someplace special, Bella."

So now we have full disclosure. Your thoughts on what Edward was keeping from Bella? What about Heidi, and Bella's conversation with her? And who wants Edward to take them 'someplace special'? ;)

As always, if there was anything that made you laugh, smile, sigh, or even growl in frustration, please let me know. And you know if I hear from you, you will hear from me!

Thanks so much for reading!