Chapter 16

A whole two weeks had gone by and I was still walking on pins and needles. Edward has quit his job and instead helped his parents out running errands and such. Rose and Alice stayed home with me all the time since the boutique was being repaired. And Emmett and Jasper worked during the day and stayed home at night. True to his word, Edward had a state-of-the-art security system installed. It came complete with motion detection outside and inside with cameras all over the place. I know it was a little extreme but it made me feel a lot better.

As far as Edward and I were concern, I still didn't know what I saw him as… I loved him but was it coming from the right place? I just needed time and of course Edward was willing to wait. Anyway, as far as Jacob was concerned… Everyone still doesn't believe that I saw him, and now I'm starting to think that I am going crazy. Of course I didn't tell anyone that…

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"Bella Cullen… or how about Bella Swan-Cullen… Isabella Swan-Cullen…Maybe Isabella Cullen…" Alice was rattling off as she helped me with combing my hair after I got out of the shower.

"Here's the thing Alice, we aren't getting married. Secondly, I hate Isabella… and Thirdly, I haven't even said 'I love you' yet so added his name to mine is definitely out of the question."

"And here we go again!" Rose said walking into the bedroom and sitting down on the bed beside me.

"What, I am being realistic…" I defended myself.

"No, you're being a pessimist!" Alice said whacking me on the head with the comb.

"Yea Bella… We recognize that look you get in your eyes whenever Edward's around…" Rose commented.

"Ugh! Am I really that obvious?" I said dropping my head.

"Yes. And if that look doesn't say 'I love Edward' I don't know what does." Rosalie said teasing me.

"Well, I think it's time for me to get to bed…" I started.

"With Edward…" Alice reminded me.

"Yes Alice, with Edward… But get your mind out of the gutter. He insisted that he sleep on the floor on an inflatable mattress." I informed her.

"If you say so…" Rose said as she and Alice walked me down the hall and to Edward's room.

"Have fun Bella!" Rose whispered loudly, giving me a wink.

I rolled my eyes and opened the door. I stepped in then closed the door behind me. My breath caught in my chest as I saw Edward asleep on the bed in nothing but some pajama bottoms, leaving his chiseled chest in perfect view. I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks. I tried furiously to look away but I couldn't help myself. So I creeping onto the bed and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. He smiled in his sleep but didn't wake up. I gave him another kiss on his other cheek. His eyelids fluttered but that was all… he stayed asleep. I gave in and softly planted a kiss on his lips. Right away his arms reached around and held me in place.

"Ahh! Edward!" I screamed, playfully whacking his chest.

"I'm sorry!" He laughed. "You made it too easy love."

"Hmmm, I guess you're forgiven then. I didn't mean to wake you up though." I said quietly.

"It's no problem; I actually needed to wake up… I fell asleep studying for a test next week.

"Ooh, what's it on?"

"Actually, abnormal psychology…" he said slowly as if waiting for my reaction.

"Is that how you know I went into a psychological shock?" I asked accusingly.

"Well, yea… but honestly, it's not all crazy people stuff… it's actually helped me out, dealing with things in this house… I am trying to better know my enemy…" Edward said getting angry.

"As long as you aren't using reverse psychology on me… it's all good." I teased him.

"Not yet anyway!" He joked.

I wrapped my arms around him and pouted. "Stay here in the bed with me tonight? You're so warm…it's comforting…" I begged.

"I would love too but the temptation is too great Bella. I don't want my hand to accidently roam somewhere it shouldn't be while I'm sleeping and vice versa." He said stoking the side of my face.

"If you say so…" I said, clearly disappointed.

"How about this, I will stay in the bed with you till you fall asleep… is that ok?" he compromised.

"If that is the best I can get…" I said pretending to be annoyed and rolling my eyes.

"Okay, it's settled then. Let me just get a shirt," He started.

"No!" I shouted a little too enthusiastically. "It's just you're really warm and if you put on a shirt it will take the warmth away…" I said quickly.

Edward gave me his famous grin. "You know Bella, it's okay to admit that I look good, and you know that's the real reason you don't want me to get a shirt!" He laughed.

"Whatever! I wouldn't dare inflate your ego anymore than it already is." I stated as I tossed a pillow at his face.

He lay down beside me, wrapping his arms around me, completely surrounding me in his warmth and delicious scent. The funny thing is that the few moments that I'm not thinking about Jacob is when Edward has his arms wrapped around me.

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The next morning I woke up and slowly and went down stairs to make breakfast for everyone who were still asleep. I opened the refrigerator and there was a very soft knock on the window. I opened the blinds expecting to see a bird or some type of forest creature. When I open the blinds, Jacob stared back at me with a gun pointed at me. I screamed but he had already pulled the trigger…

"Bella! Bella! Can you hear me? Wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes…

"Where am I?" I asked.

"At home with me… where else would be?"Edward asked with a worried look on his face.

"I thought I was in a hospital…I guess I had a nightmare… Jacob shot me through the window in the kitchen…" I said quietly as if Jacob could somehow hear me.

Edward sat back and stared at me.

"Bella, please don't get offended when I say this, but I think we should look into getting you to see a psychologist."

"What!? How can I not be offended by that? You are inferring that I am crazy!" I started crying, I shouldn't have told him anything!

"No! Bella, I don't think you're crazy at all! I know that everything that has happened has affected you more than you think… and like anyone who goes through all you have, you need someone to help sort out all the fears, emotions, thoughts, and anxieties…That's all… I just want to help you." He said wiping my tears away with his thumb.

"Why can't I just talk to you? Why do I have to go talk to someone who is just going to put me on crazy pill?!" I argued.

"I want to help you as much as I can, but your mind is so precious Bella and honestly I don't know that much about getting people through such traumatizing events… I want you in the best hands possible. You can talk to me whenever you want, I will always be here to listen but me telling you that you will be okay and that I will protect you isn't going to heal the damaged that Jacob inflicted to you mind… just your heart." He pulled me into a tight embrace. "And another thing, psychologist can't and don't prescribe medicine… that's just psychiatrists… that's why I said I wanted you to see a psychologist…okay?"

"Do I really have a choice Edward?" I asked stubbornly.

"Of course you do, I would never force you to do something that you wouldn't want to do… but I think that you and I both know that this will be a good thing."

"Okay… I surrender…" I said, sarcastically waving a fake white flag.

Edward chuckled. "I will talk to Carlisle to see if he has any good recommendations." And with that he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom.

I sat on the bed and for a few minutes I really considered running away…