TEAM FOREVER

Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

My stories are being beta'd by dowlingnana and she is doing an awesome job. Thanks so much.

Once she got there she had parked her rental car off to one side in the shadows and then used her key to enter the house. It didn't take long for her to realize how hungry she was and then the thought came that maybe Edward might be hungry as well. So, without hesitation she began getting a hardy meal put together for the both of them to share.

She was concentrating on getting everything ready and trying to keep it all warm until Edward came in. But, it was the indrawn breath that caught her attention and spinning around she saw Edward standing frozen in the doorway to the kitchen with an absolute look of puzzlement and astonishment all rolled into one stare on his face.

CHAPTER 31: EXPLANATION: TRUE OR FALSE?

"Bel-? Bella? Are you really here, or, am I having another delusional vision?" Edward questioned of the vision standing before him in the kitchen over by the counter across the room.

Bella smiled and took a hesitant step towards him before answering, "No, I'm real and thought I'd fix us something to eat. Just as I arrived to wait for you I realized that I was hungry and thought maybe you might be also once you did get here. So, I decided to fix something light for both of us." And with that she motioned towards the food that she had prepared which was toasted bread, hash browns and a Spanish omelet.

The smell of it all was making Edward's mouth water and brought the realization of the fact that he was actually hungry, but, he was also hungry for something more than food alone and he has been very much aware of that last part over the passing of time that Bella had been unreachable.

This time he had spent apart from her because of his mistake has brought home to him just how much and how deeply he did love her; how much she was established in his life and how essential she was to his happiness and wellbeing.

As all of this quickly ran through him mind Edward made a move towards Bella and told her, "I didn't expect you to be here, but, I'm glad you are. You have no idea how worried I've been, or, how much I've missed you, love."

Seeing his movement towards her, Bella held up her hand to stay him from coming any closer. "I needed time to think. Needed the time to try to work out what was fact and what was a lie. Unfortunately, time hasn't helped to solve that problem.

"All I know is that I've felt like I've been lied to and betrayed in the worst way possible.

"But, before we discuss any of this further why don't we sit down and eat. After that we can talk like two reasonable adults and see where we go from here?"

Edward didn't hesitate to accept her offer, even, though, he wanted to get everything settled now so he could move on to the makeup section. He had no doubts that once she heard the whole story everything would work out and they would definitely be enjoying each other in the making up department. In fact, he was so sure of these facts that he unconsciously had a spring in his step and a lightness of heart as he helped her set the food on the table in the breakfast nook.

Conversation was limited, but, lighthearted as they touched on subjects that had nothing to do with the problem at hand. The topics were such things as how the other galleries were doing, or, how well Edward's new project of being able to direct and act was moving forwards. Next, they discussed how the new gallery was coming together so smoothly in preparation for the grand opening in a couple of days. Never once did either of them stray to the forbidden subject that was uppermost in each of their minds during this quiet, relaxing time of being spent together for the first time since Bella's unexpected disappearance.

But, the meal and light conversation could only last so long before it was time to deal with the problem facing them and make the necessary decisions that would affect their future of being together or moving on separately.

"Bella,-" "Edward, -" Both began at the same time and stopped at the same time. But, after a short pause Edward spoke to tell her to begin with what she wanted to say first.

"What I want to say is this; you told me how much you cared for me and swore that I could trust you that you'd never betray that trust. In fact, you assured me of this several times on several different occasions when I told you how much I hated the idea of marriage to the point of fearing it because of the hurt and pain I had seen it caused first hand with my own parents and with friends. I even explained that it wasn't something I wanted for myself. However, you became extremely important to me and I felt comfortable pushing away my fears because of how my feelings towards you were developing and your reassurances. Well, from what I've seen on two separate occasions, you have betrayed my trust.

"The first time I thought, perhaps, I was seeing things incorrectly and overlooked it; never mentioning it because I felt that it wasn't worth the time. But, the moment I came home and saw you and Irina sharing our bed, OUR BED, Edward, that was the stab in the heart that I wasn't going to allow to continue to happen to me a second or third time. In fact, I was determined not to even dignify it with acknowledging what I had seen by a display of outrage to either of you. I didn't think that I needed to do so since you seemed to be an active participant of the situation. So, I left to allow you two to continue with your relationship uninterrupted by an unwanted wife and got a room to do some serious thinking and planning.

"No matter how I looked at the situation it always came back to the same thing running through my mind: the event that I saw in you hotel suite in New York and then this. And this was definitely not something that could be misinterpreted in any shape, form or fashion. It was what it was: you with Irina in the bed we shared, in the room we shared and in the house we called home. No, what I saw then was plain as day.

"That is until today. Today during the live performance of the program and Irina pulled her little stunt and how you responded to it brought me up short in what I believed was the truth. It has caught me off guard, led to some confusion which is surprising considering what I saw in the beginning, but, has also led me to the point that I feel the need to ask questions and to hope that I receive honest answers to those questions." She finished speaking on a quiet note, but, after having watched Edward during the whole time she had been speaking she now looked away and waited. She was tense which could be seen because of her rigid posture. But, Edward was able to tell that the wait to hear what he had to say was being met with fear of what might be forthcoming and he hoped an open mind to accept that he was telling when he explained things more fully than what had been done during the program.

"Isabella, I'm not sure of what more I can say that might reassure you that I do love you, to explain to you just how much it means to have you in my life, and to tell you that I didn't betray you or your trust in the manner that it appeared in what you saw.

"All I can do is to tell you all that occurred at that time that I remember and to tell you what Irina told me. Some of the things she said did bring back some memories, but, I do know for a fact that nothing other than sleep happened between her and me no matter how she tried to paint it otherwise.

"But, you mentioned an occurrence in New York and that I know never happened. She and I were never together privately at any time during that stop. And, I have no knowledge of you coming to New York. So, with that said would you might telling me what happened and why you seem to think that I might have betrayed you?"

Bella nodded and began telling him of how she had finished up things earlier than she thought would happen and decided to surprise him in New York. That upon her arrival at the hotel she had requested a room key from some very suspicious people, even with showing I.D. She requested that they not ring up the room to announce her as she was wanting to surprise him, then explained that the surprise was on her instead.

And it was as she paused at that point that Edward asked, "What surprise are you talking about?"

"I quietly let myself into your suite and noticed bodies lying around asleep and passed out from what looked to have been a hell of a party. It was at that moment that I saw Irina walk out of the master bedroom of the suite. She saw me, smiled and continued on into what I assumed was the small kitchen area while I turned and quietly left.

"To say that I was upset over what I had witnessed would be an understatement, but, after further thought I gave it the benefit of doubt because I didn't see anything that connected you with her during that time.

"So, I decided not to mention it and not to make a big deal out of it and let it go. But, what I saw with Irina in bed with you was a different matter altogether."

"Yeah, I remember the incident that you're talking about in New York, but, I wasn't anywhere near that room. Even though, I was dog tired everyone wanted to celebrate and decided that my suite would be the perfect place, so, I let them have it and asked Emmett if I could bunk in the extra room in his suite. He said yes and that is where I slept. What Irina and the others did wasn't something that I had any firsthand knowledge about.

"And, if it would make you feel more comfortable to accept my word about that I'll be more than happy to have you call Emmett and asked him right now, this minute. That way you would know that it wasn't set up before time."

Bella sat and looked at him, really looked long and hard at him; her eyes sweeping his face, looking him straight in the eyes to try to gauge the truth of what he had just told her. She saw nothing in his eyes, his face, his gestures or posture that would indicate that he had spoken nothing but the truth of the situation. He met her look straight on without flinching once.

Since neither one of them spoke a word, the silence started to grate a little on Edward's nerves, so, he began again. This time he told her everything that had happened the night that Irina ended up staying the night there and how she came to end up in bed with him. The whole time he was talking he looked Bella in the eyes and never wavered.

Bella realized that his story had stayed consistent with what he had said earlier in the live segment of the show. She looked at him as she rose and began to gather her things together in preparation of leaving. Edward jumped up and was in a nervous state of anxiety and worry about why she was getting ready to leave.

"Where are you going? I've told you the truth! Please, believe me, I wished it hadn't happened, but, it did. I never wanted to cause you any hurt or pain and I'm sorry that my actions, my lack of thought, did cause that for you. But, please, Isabella, don't throw away everything that we feel for one another and the good life we could have together both now and in the future for my carelessness. I beg you!"

Bella looked at him, but, all she did was smile and said before turning to walk out the door, "I need time." And with that she left.

A/N: Did Bella accept the fact that Edward had been completely honest with her in his explanation? What did she decide?

This is the last regular chapter for this story as it has come to a conclusion. Answers will be given in the epilogue.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support of my story and for taking the time to review.