*Edward is a trouble maker.*

It sucks when relations get ruined due to a third wheel which is often times never required. That's what happened with Mark and Patty. No one uttered a single word after Edward left and what could they be thinking after all.

That Edward and Bella's personal life problems are now lashing out onto the outer world...onto other people. And who pays the bill...Edward?

Bella?

Or the other people?

Patty did know that something was wrong between Edward and Bella but she didn't surmise the actual happening. Edward barging in like a vile cowboy torturing people and then running away without expressing even a fake apology. That's what's called being HORRIBLE, she thought.

Well, who can say to Bella that she should have been responsible because Edward was a free spirit infused with a little bit of monstrosity and she could never fathom that he had this much of bravado stuffed inside his beefy chest which showed off his strength but now, it was different. He was strangely dominating.

Bella didn't want to head back because she could already play it out in her head and it seemed pretty awful even when it wasn't materialised.

But what did she want to do or want to go to? She herself didn't know. Her legs moved lacking volition, towards home and she didn't stop them.

She knew he won't ever do anything atrocious to her and had never been abusive because he loved her. And she didn't want it to go south or things turning against her even in this aspect.

Mind is a labyrinth of countless wars being held within walls and right now hers were about Edward. What does he want from her, from this connection of theirs...?

They say the hardest battle is always between our mind's intelligence and our heart's deep grounded knowing. This time her heart felt deceiving to her own self because it was fixated upon him, somewhere deep down she had a picture of him which was starting to fizzle and dissolve somewhere in the corner of her mind. She did and had always been an optimist and in this situation, she wanted to be one. Edward was also the same. He fell for her the night they both met during a late after party on the 16th floor of an apartment in Seattle. He never saw her before, neither did she. And that night had numerous different people for them to get lost with but fate always comes in play and brings two people out of the crowd of even billions so what were a couple hundreds for fate to handle.

She still remembered how Edward looked that night where he stood wearing a leather jacket and polished shoes, giving off an affluent vibe. He smiled so broadly as if he didn't meet her but reconnected with her...just like with long lost buddies.

It was far back, ten years ago when it all began.

Now it was all changed. Edward had grown thicker on the outside and a bit more carefree in his nature. She couldn't even smile thinking back to those moments because all they bought back was misery and the broiling ache that any of it wouldn't...Bella couldn't go back to what it was...what it had been.

The sun was out, shining mercilessly on her and she dashed on the alleyway without jerking even a tad bit in her moments and reached home where she expected Edward to be waiting for her in the drawing room on the couch but he wasn't there. She took her handbag off from her shoulder and kept it on the kitchen counter and took off her shoes. The skirt was a little tighter on her waist which she started to unbuckle and kicked the door of the bedroom with her left leg and gasped all of a sudden as she saw Edward sleeping with his back facing the ceiling on the bed with shoes on.

She instantly went inside the restroom changing into a cozy blue green jumper with black PJ's. She Bella out twisting the door knob as soundlessly as she could still producing a faint clicking sound. Edward was still on the bed, the same posture and still, the shoes were on. Bella realized that he was snoring as well which she for no particular reason didn't notice before. She went towards Edward and took off his shoes keeping them on the carpeted floor and got under the sheets beside Edward facing her back towards him.

It was dusk and the sun was partly set giving off a burnt tangerine colour at the to the horizon. The room was dim and she was awake now, somehow, without an alarm or a phone call or anything.

She got up and instantly turned to her right where Edward was lying down and he was awake as well. For a moment, she caught her breath in her mouth when she noticed him gazing right at her.

She stood up moving towards the restroom to splash some water onto her face to look more fresh and awake.

"Hey" Edward said

She didn't turn to face him but stopped moving.

"I wanna talk." He added

So annoying, she thought.

She didn't feel like responding so she stayed silent.

"Bella?" He said again

"What?" She said in a tone which apparently didn't show any signs of affection.

"Please face me."

"What, Edward?" She turned around and found Edward sitting with one leg crossed and other hanging down the bed resting onto the beige carpeted floor.

"I am fine with you not indulging in my affairs but please come to Philadelphia. It's required...for your safety. I'll keep you safe, I swear to god." He stood up and took a couple of steps towards her dragging his feet as if injured.

"Thank you but I'd rather." She glanced at his walking manner for once and then looked away crossing her arms against her chest.

"Hey..." He went towards her quickly and caged her in against the wall between his arms encasing her in.

His eyes closed, hers open... staring at him. "I don't ...please...I can't lose you and I can't protect you from..." He added in a soft grumbling voice.

"So, don't go!" She shot back

He thumped his fist against the wall and opened his eyes which were bloodshot red as if he'd been weeping hard or probably that was because of the sleep.

"They are monsters, they will..."

"You are no less." Bella snapped at him

The wind entered through the window ruffling the curtains and bringing some of the light inside the room. Everything fell silent. Bella blinked quickly which she did only if she were afraid or about to lose control. Either of the two. Edward stared at her incessantly and she stared elsewhere but not at Edward.

Edward had always been lanky and like those nerdy spectacled kids who were so into studies when she met him but he still had a charismatic air of him. The way his black hair framed his forehead and the way he talked was so fearless even if he didn't appear that way from the outside. She had always imagined what he would become of a man.

Strong?

Lean?

Feeble looking...but gallant?

But whatever would it be...he had this light in him that was purely his. And now that he was strong and stood in front of her and was a full grown up man...she still liked that old Edward regardless of the deprecated strength he'd be possessing.

What has become of Edward...

It felt miserable that he had changed from within. Why was he doing stuff that was hurting him and her and was so detrimental to their emotional well being? It all started when he met this guy Sebastian in a club and then it all went downhill...

How she wished she could have stopped him that night from approaching Sebastian...

The drug overdose was sometimes so impactful that it encroached his mind fully until he was not Edward anymore and those nights, she'd been afraid of Edward just as a person is afraid of a robber in their house.

It was all different now... everything has changed, she thought.

She didn't even know anymore if he loved her or not and gazing into his eyes she saw only fear and misery. Fear of Sebastian and misery because of Sebastian.

Who was he?

He wasn't that anymore...the one she loved.

She felt cold around her feet and the hair on her skin stood up. Everything froze in the moment. She could feel everything around her but didn't matter for once. No breeze, no sun and the stars mattered. It was creepily silent and awkward which was awkward in itself that it felt even slightly awkward to her despite of them being family. She was a vampire that evening with everything heightened...emotions, palpitations and also numbness.

The cold wall against her back and hips and his scent around her. She blinked and her eyes were full of tears and probably redder than his. He could just stare.

Her nose itched and her face grew hotter and she could feel it get flushed all over. She tried to free herself from his cage by pushing his arm out of the way and away from the wall. He didn't budge.

"No..." He whispered and she could smell the mint in his breath.

He held her by the shoulders and enveloped her within his arms and they stood there for a while.

So close he was, but she felt so distant.

Everything was going to be worse than it was now but she didn't move or fidget or hug him back but just stood where he held her like a stuff toy.

And while being this close to him, she realised something...she can never really escape him he always finds a way out...ALWAYS.

Even if she refuses or she agrees the consequences were already made up in his mind which scared her. She had to comply. Nothing could stop him now. Not even himself. Because he wasn't himself anymore...he was someone else, something that isn't a part of him. Something that is vile and self destructive.

Wrapping her arms around him in the moment felt like betrayal to herself. It almost felt as if wrapping yourself around the one you love the most who flipped themselves in just a snap and turned into a whole stranger.

He was her world and she used to be hers but not anymore. It was falling no matter how hard he tried to hold it all together. It was breaking and shattering like the long lanky tower which had no other way to go but to collapse onto the ground.

Thoughts with resemblance to 'Did he realise any of it or not?' settled in her mind which just had to trespass because it didn't matter to her and even if it did...it still didn't matter to her that it did or did not. That's what numb was...her state.

"I am coming." She muttered

"Really?" He backed away instantly and faced her still grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Yes." She said at last and he hugged her even tighter.