~ XVI ~

A week. A whole week. Seven days and I still haven't talked to Bella. I wanted to, god knows how much, it just seemed as though whenever I tried or even thought of talking to her she would turn around and run off. It was slowly killing me. Even being in the same room as her, she would never look me in the eye, I knew she could feel my stare on her. Did she not know how much she was killing me? I never knew I could experience pain such as this, the woman I was in love with refused to even acknowledge me. I missed her. I missed holding her at night in her bed, protecting her from those horrific nightmares. Every night when I heard her scream out I would run through our conjoining bathroom only to find she had locked her door, same with the one on the landing, she had locked me out. After the third night of trying to break the doors down I would find myself on the floor of our bathroom, my back against her door, my heart breaking as I listened to her screams and uncontrollable sobbing. If only she would let me back in.

Plans for Emmett and Rosalie's wedding were wrapping up as the date moved closer and closer. I don't know how the wedding is going to go with me being Emmett's best man and Bella being Rose's main bridesmaid, I wonder if Bella even realised that. Rose had come into my room two days ago informing me on the plans for the night before the wedding. Neither of them wanted a last night as being single so we were going to a sing bar Emmett knew of instead. I was tempted to ask how Bella was and I think she could tell cause she simply gave my shoulder a squeeze and a sympathetic smile as she got up to leave but not before telling me "You'll know soon enough Edward. Just don't run away when you find out." I had no idea what she meant by that but I guess I was about to find out.

Bella had asked for all of us to sit down so she could talk after dinner. I was sitting on the chair by myself across from Bella, she looked so tired and worn out. I wanted to comfort her but didn't see as it was my place anymore. I noticed how she looked to both Carlisle and Rosalie who gave her sympathetic smiles. What was that about? Did they know something? I didn't get time to think more on the matter however as Bella started talking.

"You all know that James had abused me when I was together with him." She started off, I already didn't like the sound of this conversation and when she said his name I couldn't help but stiffen and yet I was curious as to what she would say. "Well there was more." What else could he have done to her! I felt my anger rise up again and had to push it back down to stay calm enough to hear what she had to say. I looked straight at her waiting for her to continue, not letting her see the emotions underneath the mask I had on.

"Well I had put up with James hitting and beating me for over a year and a half. I always pushed it aside and tried to hide it." Did she honestly just say OVER a year and a half? She just pushed it aside? What... "That obviously didn't work as Alice started to notice my bruises." I snapped my head towards my sister. She knew? My anger was getting harder to control by the second. "That night that I moved in here; I hadn't run away just because of James abusing me." Bella choked on a sob before taking a deep breath to calm herself enough to continue. My mind was running through what she could have gone through. God please no...

Rosalie moved from her spot next to Emmett to sit next to Bella, soothing her. "Tell them Bella. It'll be ok." Rose said as she tucked a strand of Bella's hair out of her face.

I almost couldn't hear what Bella said next, her voice barely a whisper, but what I heard made me want to kill that bastard. "James.. He.. He raped me."

The others gasped obviously not thinking it had gotten that far. I was seeing red though. How.. How could someone do that to her? And why didn't she tell me? I saw Emmett take Rose's place next to her. He looked as though he would be crying, my older brother who never cries was almost in tears. I could see now how close Bella was to him as a little sister and it was breaking my heart all over again seeing how close they were while she wouldn't even look at me anymore. "Bells. Why didn't you tell me? Tell us?" He asked her.

It was my father who answered though and again I was angry that someone knew and didn't tell me or at least hint to me. "She wasn't ready." Carlisle said. "She had been traumatised; did you honestly expect her to say it out straight away?"

"You knew?" I fumed.

"Yes, I knew. She came to me in confidence so of course I wasn't going to disrespect her wishes." My father said looking me dead in the eye, telling me to calm down.

I couldn't calm down though, turning towards Rosalie who I had helped when she went through this I snapped. "And I'm guessing by how close you are to her now Rose that you knew too?"

"Edward you know of my past. I already knew what had happened to Bella the first night she came here. I remembered. So don't you dare be mad that I found out before you, she didn't tell me until I confronted her that night that you and Emmett were fighting over her." Rose snapped back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.." Bella started to say.

"Bella don't you dare say sorry." Alice cried, who had tears falling down her face. "I can't believe he did that to you. To someone so good and pure. And then that night at the club, I'm surprised at how far you've come after having that happen to you." She sobbed while Bella stood up and walked over to her giving her a hug.

"Alice please don't cry. I'm ok, I'm getting there. I'm healing." Bella told her but she locked eyes with me when she said that. What was I supposed to think by that?

"I know. I just hate that you had to go through that." Alice sobbed again.

I was lost in my own thoughts, disgusted over what that monster had done to my Bella, but no she wasn't my Bella, not anymore. That thought made me even angrier. The bastard was right. She wasn't mine. He had taken her from me. Ever since that night at the club... Oh god the club. He was going to hurt her again. He was going to rape her again. My anger couldn't be held back at myself anymore for putting her in that much danger. He could have...

"Edward." Rosalie said my name grabbing hold of my shoulders, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Edward breathe, she's alright, she's here. Don't do anything rash." I turned my head towards my soon to be sister in law. How did she know what I was thinking of doing? "You can see it all over your face Edward. You need to calm down. She needs you. Remember what I said. Don't run away." And with that she got up and walked back to where the rest of my family was sitting with Bella, saying how sorry they were and talking her through it. I couldn't bare to listen as she told us what he did to her and yet I stayed in my spot on the chair as I listened to what that monster did to her. It was disgusting, how she told us he restrained her with cable leads to the back of his truck. The images that were in my head wouldn't leave. I knew she had to do this though. It was her healing. She would get through this. I just didn't think I could. She would be able to start her new life now, only I don't think I could be in it. I could never put her in that sort of danger. I would never forgive myself for that night at the club after what she had been through. I thought knowing the truth would help me help her. But all it did was cause heartache as I turned my back on my family and my love, silently walking to my room without any of them realising I had left.

Now you know Edwards side with more detail. The reason why Bella's POV was less detail was because when you are telling people something like that, you don't feel anything or remember much, it's cloudy and quick. The details come from the person you are telling and that is where you see the reactions.