*** if you've read this chapter before, as of 1.18.2011, the beginning has been slightly altered. Nothing that will change your perspective of the story – there's no new information or anything like that, but I hate it when writers just copy paste from a previous chapter just for purposes of "flashing back", so I wanted to change it more so it read better. ***

This chapter begins with Bella reviewing her fight with Jacob, with a few more of her thoughts and viewpoints, so it will read slightly different than it did in Chapter 5.

I had a really hard time with this chapter, because all I want to do is write Bella and Jacob, but I knew I needed for Bella to explore and find some closure in her relationship with Edward. And I love the SM's version of Edward, so I can't write him as a bad guy.

You call me a stranger
You say I'm a danger
But all these thoughts are leaving you tonight
I'm broke and abandoned
You are an angel…

Stranger – Secondhand Serenade

Bella sat silently in the passenger seat of Edward's Volvo, watching him as he drove, going nowhere in particular.

She was surprised to not feel more grateful that he had agreed to come and get her, or pleased to be spending time with him. She just didn't feel… anything. She sighed, looking out the window, remembering the previous half hour.

"Are you going to tell me the real reason why Seth referred to himself, and the rest of you, as werewolves?" she demanded. She wanted to know the truth this time, but something in the pit of her stomach told her that he was only about to tell her another lie.

"It's nothing, Bells, I swear," Jacob said quickly. Her heart sunk deeper into her chest as the lies fell easily from his lips. "He was just being stupid."

The weight of the disappointment she felt towards him at that very moment almost broke her into a million pieces. "No, Jake," she shook her head adamantly. "No, he wasn't. I'm not blind, you know. You guys are crazy strong, you have all these muscles, you run around like you know where the ground is without even looking, so graceful and beautiful… and your body… is so… hot." His eyes widened, but she quickly added, "Not like that, perv," She didn't feel like even attempting to be nice anymore. She didn't have the patience or the desire – not when her entire life was spinning awkwardly on some foreign axis. "I meant your skin temperature. I touch you and you feel like you're on fire."

"It's just the way us Quileute's are," he said lightly, and she didn't believe a word of it.

She snorted in disgust. "Right." She stood up then, suddenly determined to get away from him and forget that tonight had even happened. She was supposed to be Edward's girlfriend, not Jacob's. The sooner she got that through her head, the easier it would be on everyone. "Forget it. I'm better off hanging out with Edward, then. If this is how it's going to be around here."

"What are you talking about, Bella?" he demanded, and she heard the pain in his voice. It made her wince, but she fought it back, determined to stand her ground. "I know how you feel about me! I can tell by the way you look at me, the way you touch me, the way your body reacts when I'm near. I'm not blind either – and I feel the same way!" He sighed, and she watched as he tugged on his hair desperately. "Please don't leave me, Bells. Please. I don't think I could bare it."

He was right, but she refused to admit it. "Why not," Bella sneered. "Can't stand a little competition?" She watched him stagger, as if she'd punched him, and she immediately felt horrid for throwing Edward in his face. She may have felt bitter and angry, but the last thing she should have been doing was making it worse for her friends than it already was.

She was about to apologize when she saw the anger fill his eyes. "Is that way you want it, then?" He spat out, his fingers curling in upon themselves, tightening until she saw his knuckles turn white. His sudden rage was almost frightening. "That…. That…. Ugh! I don't even know how to describe him!"

She felt her field of vision narrow and decided now was not the time to play nice. "At least he's not hiding something from me!"

Jacob choked out bitter laugh. "You have no idea what he's hiding from you, Bells," his eyes became dark slits, his body shivering with barely contained rage. "You. Have. No. Idea." He managed to say through his clenched teeth.

She didn't know what he meant by that, but at that moment, she didn't even care. She almost sickened by how pleased she was when she realized he was startled when she laughed at him. "Goodbye, Jacob." She jumped off the porch and quickly walked away. She considered looking back, to see if she'd made her point, but she knew that if she could see the pain in his eyes, knowing it was her fault that it was there, she would run back into his arms and forgive him.

But Bella didn't want to forgive him. She didn't know who she was around him, and maybe it would be easier this way.

Before she could stop herself, she found her fingers dialing Edward's number. "Bella," he breathed her name into the speaker, as if her phone call had been the answer to some long awaited prayer.

"Hey, Edward," she said uneasily. "I'm at La Push. Can you come and get me? I don't think… I don't think I want to be here anymore."

She heard his sharp intake of breath. "I'll kill him if he hurt you!"

"No, no, no," she shook her head, despite the fact that he couldn't see her face through the phone. "I'm just ready to leave is all, and I didn't want to interrupt everyone to ask for a ride home." She could see the tension that filled the air every time those two boys were in any close proximity with one another and she didn't want to start another fight. "Can you come get me?"

"Of course, love," he answered soothingly, and she could hear the revving of an engine in the background, and she knew he was already on his way….

Edward watched her as he drove, keeping his eyes on the road more that he wanted to, but figured if he didn't, that he might just scare her more. He had been more that pleased when she called him, although he had been beyond disappointed to hear that she had been on the reservation. Using his decades of self control, he'd managed to contain his anger at the wolf for upsetting Bella once again, but he had yet to ask her what had caused such a disagreement. He only wanted the best for her, and he knew the best thing right now was not to bombard her with ideas about vampires and werewolves. And as much as he wanted to spend the rest of his existence with her, he had almost hoped that the amnesia would put her plans on hold to become like him indefinitely, giving her the time she needed to change her mind. His thoughts of her were broken up when he realized she was talking to him.

"So Edward... why did you come and get me?" Bella asked.

He looked at her, a little confused. "Because you called me?"

Bella shook her head. "No, I mean, I know I called you, but you didn't have to come."

"Why wouldn't I come? You asked me to."

She sighed. "I shouldn't have done that."

Edward stopped her by placing his hand softly on her thigh. "Bella. It's ok. I promise. If I didn't want to come get you, I would have said no. And if I haven't convinced you already, you're the last person I would ever say no to. Now, come on. You're coming to my house. Esme and Alice having been going crazy wanting to see you."

Bella smiled, but she knew it didn't reach her eyes. Instead, she studied his hand on her leg and wondered why it didn't affect her like Jacob's touch did….

Bella laughed and shook the french fries out of her hair. "Emmett! Stop it!"

He grinned at her. "That's what you get for stealing my food."

She giggled and her hand snaked across the table again. He slapped her lightly and moved his plate further away from her. "You're not even eating them!" Bella protested innocently, her eyes widening as she struggled to look sincere.

Emmett threw his head back and laughed. Bella smiled back at him, and this time, she realized how real it felt. Why couldn't she feel that way about Edward?

"Now, Emmett," Esme chastised him softly. "You be nice to Bella. Let her eat first."

Bella took the opportunity to stick her tongue at him and then snatched the plate away from him. Emmett laughed and let her take it. He watched her as she chowed down on the pile of fries in front of her. "So, um, Bella," he said in his deep voice. "How's it going?"

She stopped eating and looked at him strangely. "Um, fine."

He nodded vigorously. "Good." He patted the table and stood up awkwardly. "I'm, uh, gonna go in the living room." He nodded, emphasizing his point, and then walked away.

Bella's eyes followed him as he walked away, and then turned to stare as Esme, a confused look on her face. Esme laughed. "Oh, don't worry about him. He's worried about saying the wrong thing to you, since the accident and all. No one wants to put any pressure on you."

Bella nodded and looked down at the fries on the plate, her appetite for them suddenly disappearing. The smell of them was abruptly nauseating. She tasted metal in her mouth and she realized she was biting her tongue. She quickly released it and her eyes watered.

Esme sighed as she leaned against the sink, and then stiffened. She gasped and turned quickly away from Bella, dropping her dish towel on the floor in the process. "Oh, dear, I think I left the iron on upstairs!" She walked quickly out of the room, refusing to meet Bella's shocked gaze.

Edward entered the kitchen almost as soon as Esme had exited. He found a spot next to her, placing one hand on her arm, the other finding her leg under the table. He looked concerned. "Are you ok?"

"Um, yeah…" Bella replied slowly. "What was wrong with Esme?"

Edward shook his head. "I'm not sure. She's been a little distracted lately. She walked by me mumbling something about forgetting to finish upstairs." He shrugged and looked away, hoping his answer would satisfy her.

He was pleased when she changed to subject. "So… I know Alice has told me before, but can you explain your family to me? There are so many people, and I feel like an idiot with so many questions," she asked shyly, fingering the remaining cold French fries on the plate in front of her.

"Of course, love," he said softly, running a cold finger up and down her arm. They both studied the goose bumps that appeared in his touch's wake, her eyes rising slowly to meet his. "Well, Carlisle and Esme adopted each of us when they discovered very early in their relationship that they were unable to have children. It may seem odd to some that they would take in older children, but Carlisle felt that each of us held a certain spot in their hearts that a young babe would not. I wish I had those answers to give you, but unfortunately I do not. Perhaps that is a conversation you may have with Carlisle later." She nodded, still watching the trail his finger was creating up and down her arm. When he felt she had no questions, he continued. "But what Carlisle and Esme did not expect, was that during their adoption journeys, that they would also be playing matchmakers. I joined their small family first, then Rosalie and Emmett. We were all very surprised at the instant connection between them, but being that we were already teenagers at the time, and have no real blood connection, Carlisle did not forbid their relationship. Rosalie insisted she had a brother, he was older, and she searched for many months before finding him, having been separated at a much younger age. When she found him, Jasper was more than willing to join our family. He brought with him Alice, who was also happy to join us…" his voice drifted off. "So that is the story of how we came to be together."

Bella was quiet for a moment, absorbing his story. She still had questions, but they were elusive, and she couldn't quite form them in her mind. "So how did Carlisle and Esme come to adopt you?" She finally said, frustrated because that had not been the question she wanted to ask.

Edward thought for a moment how much to tell her, but decided that a basic version of the truth might satisfy her curiosity without revealing too much of his family's dark history. "Well, my mother was a patient of Carlisle's, and he grew fond of her. On her death bed, she begged him to take care of me. When she passed, and no other family could be found, Carlisle decided I should be a part of the family."

"Can I ask…." Bella's voice trailed off, unsure of itself.

"You may ask any question you like, love," Edward replied soothingly, his fingers resuming their delicate journey up and down her arm.

"How did your mother die?" Bella blurted out, immediately feeling sorry she had asked. It was a stupid question and she worried that it had brought up painful memories.

But Edward's face did not register pain. Only his eyes flickered with a brief moment of sadness before it was gone, and his mouth opened to answer her question. "Influenza. Perhaps if she had received proper care in the early stages…." He let the implication lie, and watched as the assumption formed in Bella's eyes.

Their conversation ended as Esme re-entered the kitchen. "I'm so sorry, Bella," She apologized. "I was so excited to hear that you were coming over that I completely forgot about the work I was doing upstairs and I was worried I had left the iron on." She gently stroked Bella's hair, her eyes soft and full of love. "I do hope you'll forgive my rudeness."

"Oh, of course, Esme," Bella sputtered. "It's not, um, you know… don't worry about it."

Esme smiled. "Are you finished with your plate?" Bella nodded dumbly, not sure what to say next. "I believe that your curfew is soon, dear," Esme continued softly, turning to look at the clock. "Would you like me to call Charlie for you, let him know that you are here?"

Bella shook her head, standing and moving from the table. She was strangely relieved to be away from Edward, his cold touch sending shivers down her spine. How was anyone so cold? How had she spent these last months dating him?

Edward interrupted her train of thought. "I would be happy to take you home, Bella," he said smoothly. "We would not want Charlie or Renee to worry."

"No," Bella muttered, studying her shoelaces. "No, of course not."

He sighed, concerned by her reactions to him, and placed his hand gently in the small of her back to steer her towards the door. She flinched at his touch and his hand immediately dropped. She felt rather than saw his disappointment and quickly collected her purse, frustrated by the way the entire evening had gone. "Thanks Esme, for cooking."

Esme smiled. "Of course, Bella. Anytime."

Bella allowed Edward to lead her outside to his car. It was strange, his behavior. How he seemed determined to open every door for her, help her to sit, standing when she did…. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was just….

Strange.

The ride back to Charlie's was silent. She didn't know what to say to him anymore. She sighed, leaning her forehead against the cool car window. Everything made her feel uncomfortable. With Jacob, she felt heat, uncontrollable heat, and when he touched her, she felt like every inch of her body would burst into flame, taking her heart right along with it. It was such an intense feeling that she couldn't decide yet if it was a good one or a bad one. Jacob was fierce, passionate and his body was beyond amazing. She'd tried to ignore the feelings he caused inside her, but she didn't know how much longer that was going to work. And Edward… Edward's touch gave her the shivers, and goose bumps erupted across her skin whenever he was near. She felt his magnetism, the pull of his eyes when he watched her. There was a connection there, which she could not deny. But what that connection meant, she still wasn't sure.

Bella didn't realize they had reached her house until she felt the door she was leaning on open, almost causing her to fall out and into Edward's waiting arms. She stiffened against him, moving away to lean against the car. Her breath came in gasps, her skin tingling with his nearness. She licked her lips, completely confused by what she knew she was about to do.

Before she could stop herself, Bella leaned forward, determined to kiss him. He was, she rationalized, her boyfriend. She was more than surprised when he reached up his hands, placing them on her shoulders, stopping her from coming any closer.

"Bella," he breathed, shaking his head. "What are you doing?"

"Um, I thought it was obvious," she replied, confused. "I was going to kiss my boyfriend."

"Are you sure that's a wise choice right now?" He asked gently, reaching up to touch a loose strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes. "You must feel like you barely know me."

Bella felt like all the wind had been knocked out of her. He knew. Had she been that obvious? It made her heart ache, thinking about how much her behavior must have hurt him. "I'm sorry, Edward," She whispered, feeling the tears rise in her eyes. "I'm trying, I promise, I really am."

"Hush, my love," he said with a sigh, pulling her into his arms, his words almost getting lost as he mumbled into her hair. "Do not worry. I will not push you. I would just hope that you would want to kiss me because of your feelings for me, not because of your deep rooted sense of obligation. You do not need to kiss me because you feel it is necessary."

She sighed, almost wishing that he was not so perfect. Anyone else probably would have punched her for her insensitivity. "No, Edward," She insisted. "I need to do this…. Please?"

He almost groaned, overwhelmed by the idea that this human girl he loved so much could bring him to his knees. Pleading with him to kiss her. He sucked in a breath, determined to give her what she needed. He pulled back from her just enough to lower his face to hers.

He grazed her lips softly with his, gently at first, but his need to touch her quickly erased any thoughts he had about keeping the moment chaste. She was warm, and smelled incredible. He had missed her desperately, and kissing her was more than he thought he could bear.

Bella couldn't move, stunned by his icy lips. He gasped, moving against her with a new intensity and she forced herself to return his movements. His touch was light, gentle, and contained such a love that she was almost moved to tears by it's force. But she also was devastated by the realization that the love she felt was completely one-sided. His lips were nice, moving in ways that probably cause most women to swoon. But the only image that filled her head was that of a russet skinned, dark haired man, his chiseled features and prominent muscles causing more than naughty thoughts to dance through her head.

Noticing a change in her, Edward pulled away. He thought his icy heart would break as he watched her emotions flicker across her face. It was quite obvious to him that this kiss that she had begged for had brought her nothing but memories of someone else. He bit his lip and looked away. "I'm sure Charlie is waiting for you," he said abruptly, his voice rough.

Bella watched him for a moment, concerned that he had realized what his touch had caused her to think about. But when he turned to face her again, he was smiling. He kissed her forehead gently. "Good night, love," he said softly, his voice filled with an emotion that she didn't have a name for.

She watched him drive away, hugging her arms to her body. She blew out a breath, frustrated. If I thought I was confused before…

Bella was interrupted by the front door banging open, and she turned to see a frazzled Charlie appear on the porch. "Dad-" she began, hoping he wouldn't be mad that Edward had brought her home when she was supposed to be at the reservation with Jacob.

"It's Jacob, Bella," Charlie blurted out. "We have to go. Now."