a/n: Told you I'd be back soon ;)

All The Lonely People

EPOV

Lying in my bed, I glanced at my alarm clock telling me it was seven thirty – in the evening.

I had finished work and when I got home all I could do was climb into bed. I hadn't changed. I hadn't eaten. I hadn't done anything. All I was waiting for was for Bella to call me. And she was surprisingly late at doing that.

Looking at the clock only one minute had passed and since I last looked. Turning my head to focus on the ceiling I felt frustrated at the fact that this was what I was living my life by right now; Bella calling me.

I knew it would change once she was back home. Though it frustrated the hell out of me realizing that my life had seemed to freeze up at her absence.

I didn't want to go back to my parents either in the fear of bumping into Rosalie so I had hid out here since Monday evening, avoiding all of there calls. I even avoided Alice knowing that she was being used as the messenger, even when in Seattle. She had a way of working me when she wanted and my family used her as their pawn when they couldn't get to me.

Looking at the clock, it pressed on a minute further from the last.

I was going to do crazy if I kept this up. I had to try and distract myself some how.

Picking up a book I opened it, intent on reading, before I gave up before even starting and throwing it off to the side of the bed knowing it was going to be fruitless.

There was buzz from my apartment door and I sat up in bed, startled. Had I locked the door?

I berated myself for leaving it unlocked. I knew I had. I always did.

I prayed that whoever had came round wasn't going to try the door but after a moment I heard it open and cursed myself for my stupidity.

Getting up, I knew I had to face whoever it was. Most likely it was my mum.

Opening my bedroom door I was stunned to see Bella stand before me.

What was she doing here?

No that I was complaining.

My mouth had dropped as my eyes landed on her and she laughed shyly as she shuffled on her feet.

"Wh..what are you doing here?" I asked amazed as I rushed to her, crashing into her lips in a searing kiss. Pulling back for air I continued. "You'll get into trouble." I told her off because there was no doubt she had left, escaping the centre.

"No I wont. My dad just dropped me off." She shrugged with a wide grin as she pulled away from me.

"But how? Why? Did Aro let you leave?" I asked totally confused. I didn't expect to see her out for about another week.

"Yeah..." Was all she gave as she took my hand and pulled me towards my bedroom.

Tugging me through the door she pushed me down onto the edge of the bed, sitting me down. Straddling my waist, she wrapped her arms around my neck and her smell instantly engulfed me. Strawberries. Her plump lips pushed forth, kissing me passionately and deeply. So deep she actually managed to take the wind from my lungs. Her tongue caressed the crevices of my mouth as her fingers raked my hair and all I could do was grip on to her hips, tight, refraining myself from having her like how I had though about every night this week.

I needed her.

God, I needed her. But I had to be patient. Things were going to be different this time around. Last time it had been all about good intentions, this time it would be about what she needed for her recovery.

Breaking away from her lips I looked into her eyes as I let myself roll her over onto her back so I could really see her and try to get some answers.

"How did you get home?" I asked still completely amazed that she was here and lying on my bed.

"Cruiser." She told me flatly. "Its a red neck having to ride in that thing." A smirk played on her lips at her words, answering my question, but with the wrong answer.

"I mean why did Aro let you home?" I was a little concerned about her sudden arrival here, I really didn't know what to do or say.

"He said I was doing better and he wants to see me twice a week. I get to come home because I need to put what I've been taught, into practice." Her lips pouted a little as she looked for another kiss so I obliged and gave her a brief peck on the lips before asking another question.

"So that's you? You're home? Is this your home?" I really wasn't expecting everything to go so fast or for Bella to suddenly appear on my front door step, but she would always be welcome here.

"I'm home. With Charlie." Her smile faded a little. "I need to do this and I need to do this right, so I'm going to live with him for a little while still." She seemed shy. "Is..is that okay? I mean you will wait?" She was nervous? I never expected her to be worried that we wouldn't last. It was the only thing I was sure of.

We were for forever.

"Of course, Love." I told her quickly as I let the back of my hand sweep across her cheek, trying to ease her nervousness. "It's your pace all the way. You just let me know when."

Her smile widened again and I was able to catch a brief glimpse of it before she pushed forward to kiss me once again.

The two of us quickly became entangled in one another but there was no pulling at clothes. We both were aware that things had to change and that even us becoming intimate had to change as well.

There was all the time in the world for that. What mattered was how she felt and that my kisses were enough to show my love to her.

Her hands ran through my hair and the temperature between us grew hotter. It was inevitable that something was going to happen if we didn't break loose at some point. We were only human after all.

Bella was the one to gently push me away and I couldn't help smile at her determination to do things so precise. She had spoke on the phone after Jane had left the centre and told me she just had to keep focusing. And she was doing it.

She had found her inner strength and part of me (the part that was in my pants) kinda loathed her for it.

But I would live.

"Have you eaten?" Her question was her way of gently changing our topic of conversation, or at least starting one and getting us out of our current clinch.

"I had lunch..." I shrugged with a smile. Reaching down to her neck I just had to tease her a little. "But I'm sure I could nibble on you..." I let my lips trail the collar of her neck and almost instantly I heard her whimper.

She took a deep breath below me and swiftly pushed me off to the side. "Another night, handsome."

I laughed lightly at her firm words and her stiff movements. It was clear as day that she was liking it, but we both knew the lines that were marked in the sand.

"Like I said, Love. It's your pace." I told her as I managed to pull myself up off of the mattress and sit along side her on the edge of the bed.

Sitting there, she glanced around the room as if she was looking for something. I couldn't think what, especially given the fact her eyes traced almost every surface.

"Lost something?" I asked carefully, spurring her thoughts out of her.

"No..." She replied back as she turned to face the head of the bed. "Thinking..." Her word trailed off into the air as I gave her a moment as she looked back up at me with soft eyes. "How did all of this come from all of that?" Her eyes fell as soon as her words were out and her cheeks blushed.

She was talking about our relationship. How did we end up together after how we had met and continued to keep meeting?

"I don't know...fate?" I shrugged feeling quite useless as what to say. "Alice kept on saying things about us, even before I saw you out in the bar in Port Angales. I didn't know what she was talking about. She was all riddles-"

Bella laughed before quipping "Sounds like Alice."

"Yes. And she was right. Like she so often is. I should get her to pick my damn lottery numbers."

"Do...do you have any regrets?" She was hesitant on her words "I mean, don't you think your life would be easier without me in it?"

Was she still having doubts? I felt a little crushed at that thought, to be honest.

"No. I love you." I told her strongly as I cupped her hands in mine. "The only thing I regret is my attitude towards you at the start. But I don't regret anything else. I know its not always easy, but is it ever? Everyone has shit to deal with Bella, I think nothing less of my relationship with you because of what you have been through. It only just shows me how much I could have missed. If you were gone too, then I'd be alone. No one else fits, Bella, no one."

Her eyes were glassy and I hated myself for upsetting her. "I tried – I'm trying so hard to help you through this because I'm selfish. I cant live in a world without you. I've kissed your lips, I've held you in my arms...I cant not have you. Why do you think I tried so hard to keep you alive? Why do you think I got to you when I always did? Why does Alice seem so right all the damn time..? Because she is right. Every confusing riddle and line that came out of her, it was all right, they all pointed me right at you. Fate...?"

I didn't know if it was fate or divine intervention or whatever it was, all I knew that I was meant to find her and for her to open my eyes.

I never realized the tunnel vision I had. My life before her, it was all safe cliques and passing unknown judgement on the others from stories I had heard or just their general appearance.

It was quite humiliating that lack of humanity I had actually possessed before coming across her. I'm a doctor. Its my job to be non judgemental.

I remembered that tiny framed body laying out on the tarmac and the need to get to know her with the look in her eyes alone. But my mind was changed just as quick as our collision had been when I had found out her name.

"Do you believe in that?" she asked me while looking a little stunned at my words.

"I think everybody has to have a little faith in something. How else would we keep going if we didn't have anything to believe in?" I asked rhetorically.

Her lips puckered as her eyes went off to the side as she thought. "Do you have faith in me? That I can get better?" Her tone was so soft so fragile.

It was the age old argument of our entirety. She just couldn't see what I thought of her. I wasn't going to tell her again this time though. She had to have faith in herself first for her to ever truly take on my words.

"I have faith in you, Bella. Just look at how far you've come."

She chewed on her bottom lip as she gave a meek nod in response.

The atmosphere had changed but it wasn't strained.

Bella pulled herself into my side and rested her head on my shoulder, no doubt trying to reel in my words.

We sat in silence for a short time and she only began to speak once again as I kissed her forehead.

"So are you hungry?" She asked me, her tone clearly lighter and her smile indicating she was moving on from our last conversation. "I don't know about you but I want a huge pizza with lots of peppers and peperoni. I think it's well earned after the day I've had." She told me flatly with the roll of her eyes.

"Your day? What happened?" I asked surprised. She seemed surprisingly strong. I wouldn't have expected her to have had a bad day.

She sighed, exasperated and shook her head as she stood. Tugging at my hand she attempted to pull me up off of the bed. "You call in the pizza and I'll tell you all about it."

Curling her up in to my side, she wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks. She had just finished telling me all about her walk in the city this morning and how she had ended up back at the centre, shocked.

It was great that she had tried so hard, to push herself on like she had, I just couldn't help feel heart broken for her though at how it had ended up.

"Well look at it this way," I told her. "least you tried and least you did get somewhere, even if you did end up back in a panic. Baby steps, Love, baby steps."

I felt her nod against my chest before she pulled away to look me in the eye. "You're right. I did go out there when I didn't want too. That's gotta count for something. Right?"

"Right." I confirmed quickly. "That counts for a whole lot. Not just that fear, but the fact that you have that determination to even go through with something that you were already apprehensive about."

She nodded mindlessly as her eyes floated out into the room, her mind thinking.

A knock at the door knocked her out of her dream state as she quickly jumped up from her space on the couch. "I'll get it." She quickly told me as she lifted money off of the coffee table and heading towards the front door to get our pizza we had ordered.

Making my way to the kitchen, I pulled out a couple of plates and glasses as I waited for Bella to Bring the food.

I heard silent squabbles coming from my front door and made my way, quickly, to check Bella was okay.

"Just get out, now." I heard Bella hiss.

By the time I had made it too the door I found Bella pushing at the arm of Rosalie, trying to get her to leave.

"What the hell are you doing here?" What they hell was Rosalie doing here? She had no need to be.

"I came to speak to you." She sighed as she tried to get past Bella.

I tugged Bella away from her knowing that she wouldn't purposely hurt Rosalie but that she may end up doing so, given her pregnancy.

"Bella." I whispered her name in an attempt to get her to ease off.

She did. Automatically. "I wouldn't hurt her. I was being careful." She told me with panic and guilt.

Rosalie squared her shoulders before letting out her quip to Bella. "Thank god, I thought you had the strength of a toddler the way you were pushing me."

"Rosalie, what do you want?" I asked pretty impatiently.

"I came to anthologize to you, Edward. And since Bella is here too, I can apologize to her as well."

"I don't want to hear it." Bella snapped at Rosalie.

"Well I don't give a shit. Okay, I know what I said was below the belt, but that was not my fault. You let people think those things about you. You let them think...think..."

"Think what, Rosalie?" Bella's tone was laced with venom as she spat out her name. "I let people think I was some slut...Well maybe I was. But what business is it of yours to come at me and tell me that."

"No. You are not some slut. You had a traumatic experience and that was how you handled it. You avoided it. Like I avoided mine for so long as well." she sighed and rubbed at her face before speaking again. "Can I come in?" She asked.

"No." The answer was automatic. It literally just came flying out of my mouth.

But at the same time Bella had said "Yes."

I looked down at her in shock. "You can have your say and I can have mine and then you can leave." Bella only proceeded to open the door further, allowing Rosalie to walk through and into the lounge.

I still couldn't take my eyes off of her. I was completely dumbfounded at the fact she was allowing this when moments ago she wanted her out.

"Don't look at me like that, Edward. You know I need to do this. Why not now?" Her voice was pretty sharp with me and I couldn't help feel that I had upset her but I think it was just more so that our evening had been pretty much ruined.

Walking through Rosalie sat on the edge of a chair waiting for us to join her.

We sat down on the couch and waited for her to begin. Rosalie was up first.

"Like I said, Bella, you avoided the situation with stupidity and I'm not giving you a free pass on that one. I never gave myself a free pass either because what we both had to do, was to open up and speak about it. Emmett knew when it happened, when I was...when I was raped. He was great. Amazing, actually. He was the one that kept me from slipping any further than I did, but I still did slip. I developed OCD and I know in comparison to you it may seem trivial, but it wasn't.

"The only time I went out was for college and to see family. And that was only because Emmett was there, behind me, pushing me, literally out the door. When we were alone I didn't let him touch me. Which may have seemed normal at the time, but after a year of never letting him near me, he was beginning to crack." I could see the tears well up in her eyes and her cheeks flush slightly. "I really don't want to say this in front of him," She jutted her head towards me. "but it wasn't about sex. I wouldn't let him near me. I didn't like him hugging me, I didn't like when he sat too close to me. It wasn't that I didn't trust him. I did. I loved him so much but I just felt so dirty and used and that he should be with someone clean. We had only ever been with one another and then this person comes in and...and contaminates me – and possibly Emmett if I allowed him near me."

She broke down in tears and before I knew what was happening, Bella was on her knees in front of Rosalie stroking them away with the pads of her thumbs.

"It's okay. You don't need to tell me any more." Bella's tone was caring and genuine.

I just hoped this wasn't an act put on by Rosalie.

Rosalie's hands trembled and as she tried to wipe at her face I could see the deviation in her eyes.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I always had Emmett and that lot are just so damn traditional and romantic and it made me feel like a fraud. Emmett never pushed for sex before it happened, he wanted to wait a while. We were young, horny and wild but he always told me it had to be perfect."

Bella briefly looked over her shoulder towards me. I was still rooted to the couch and I couldn't move but the understanding was there for all of us.

Rosalie eyes met Bella's once again. "I thought you were just some tramp that thought she had heart broken by some prick and was going through a rebellious stage. I never realized how truly devastated you were, how you still must feel. I thought you would break Edwards heart. You we're like some wild horse, brave in the stupidest of ways, and I was convinced it was Edward that was going to fall apart. I hadn't realized that you already had." Rosalie offered a small smile as she wiped at her cheeks once again.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry that I judged you, I'm sorry that I couldn't see past my own narrow mindedness and I'm sorry that I ever listened to a damn word that goes around town."

Bella gave a small nod accepting her apology. "I...I had so many things I wanted to say to you, Rosalie. Nasty, spiteful things. All because that's what you gave to me. I'm not lying. What you said to me was nasty and spiteful and it was the reason I tried to overdose again."

Rosalie's steady stream of tears once again picked up pace at Bella's words and she fought hard to keep them at bay.

"I'm so sorry. I just wanted you away from Edward. I never thought you would do that." her tone was rushed and panicked and the grasp for Bella's hand still showed she looked for forgiveness.

"I know. You didn't know who I was. No one did, really..." Bella shrugged and I could see her bottom lip pout slightly from the side of her face. "But I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me-"

Rosalie jumped in on her words. "I understand. Go for it. I deserve everything you throw at me."

"I don't want too, though. Both of us have had enough hurt already. Why be mean for the sake of it?" She asked with a shrug.

"Cos I deserve it?" Rosalie gave a shrug of her own.

"You were a bitch. No doubt about it but you said those things because of the stories I had managed to create about myself. And truthfully, if it were the other way around, I'd warn you off too. I know that you care about Emmett. I saw it all those times I was at Alice's house. I could see through the frosted glares that you gave to me, that for Emmett, you would do anything for.

"You've messed up and made some bad choices, but it doesn't mean that you don't deserve Emmett, just like I have messed up and made a fool of myself, it doesn't mean I'm not deserving of Edward. I love him and I do deserve him." She said without doubt or hesitation.

Finally she could see it.

She was saying it.

Eventually there was another knock at our door. The pizza we had ordered and forgot all about. They apologized for lateness as they had lost the order and gave it to us, free of charge.

"You know...I think free pizza tastes better." Bella mumbled away to her self more than me I think but it still made me laugh as I watched her chew on a piece and throw away her crust.

"How are you doing? Its been a hell of a long day for you." I asked a little concerned. She had handled Rosalie's visit surprisingly well. Even after she had left. Really though she hadn't spoke much about it since.

"Its been interesting...and eye opening." She sighed. "I feel sorry for her, really. I didn't want to ask what had happened to her, do you know?"

I nodded to her not really wanting to relay it all but I knew I had to tell her something. "Rosalie was walking home from my mum's one afternoon. It was summer and she told Emmett she wanted to walk. There never seemed to be any crime in Forks, especially something like that..." My words trailed off.

"It was some truck driver, passing through. He offered her a lift and of course she refused, but she was out in the middle of no where and he got out the truck and went after her. She was found later that night in the edge of the forest with a concision to the head." Bella gasped at my words and I panicked that I had said too much, so I stopped.

"What then?" She pushed for more.

I shook my head, refusing her.

She chewed down on her bottom lip and I could see her take it all in, once again. I hoped she was able to process it alright.

"Emmett..?" She pushed again.

I sighed at her stubbornness to understand Rosalie's pain while she should have been concentrating on her own. "He struggled with Rosalie's OCD. I saw him break down more than once, but he never let Rosalie see it. I think that was half the bother though. She was hurting, but so was he cos she wouldn't let him help her."

"I thought OCD meant you clean too much or things like that?" Bella looked up at me confused.

"Sometimes it that, but it comes out in other ways...like Jane, she pulled at her hair. Rosalie wouldn't leave the house or even let the only person she trusted to touch her. She wasn't kidding around, she froze up on the spot when he hugged her. But he never complained. Not once. Because he knew there was a day when they would get through it all. They started there relationship from scratch because he would have done anything to make her happy. The same as I would do for you..."

I would wait a year if that was what she wanted. I would wait for forever if I had too.

"She's right about one thing...your family is way too traditional and romantic." She teased softly.

Pulling her into my chest, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Trust me, I haven't always been so traditional or romantic...I suppose if their the one though..."

I pushed my words gently on to her once again to see some kind of reaction. I didn't want anything bad but I wanted her to see I was serious.

"I suppose..." Was all she gave back and I took it. I had already had her declared herself worthy of me to Rosalie, though truthfully, it was the other way around.

She was strong and smart and any time now she was going to discover there were other options. Better options.

She let out a yawn and I looked at my watch. It was a little before ten and I didn't want to have to separate myself from Bella ever again. But I knew I had too.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" I asked carefully so she knew I wasn't chasing her out the door.

"No." She told me flatly but the ring in her tone told me she needed too. "I just want to stay here forever." She said with great emphasise

"I want you to say here forever too, but you have your appointment in the afternoon and Aro is going to be so impressed when you tell him you were early to your own bed and after talking with Rosalie."

She smiled a little smugly "He will, wont he?" Her tone was so damn triumphant. "Its been a good day, despite this mornings disaster."

"Baby steps..." I reminded her in her ear.

"I know, I know." She pulled herself up form me and turned to look in my eyes. "I have to say though, it still feels like a giant one after tonight."

She let out a little laugh as she wriggled on to my lap and reached for my lips, kissing me.

She pulled back quickly and the smile was still huge on her face. "Are you happy?" I asked because it was clearly written all over her face.

"So happy." She reached for my lips once again but I pulled away from the imminent contact and pulled her back slightly.

She frowned at my actions. "You know what would make me happy?" I asked her.

She shook her head and gave a whispered no as her face fell, as if she was thinking that I was unhappy. I wasn't. But Bella could make my day that little better.

"Let me take you out tomorrow...As in our first proper date."

She let out a gasp of air that she had been holding and you could see relief pass through her at my simple request.

"Of course. I'd love too." She blushed.

a/n; Please leave a comment!

So if any of you have saw my tweets you would hear that I have a surprise!

I have the first two chapter of my next story being looked over right now by the lovely CousinCullen right now. I hope she likes what she sees.

Anyways...The title of my next story will be called "The Difference Between Us".

They will be posted on September 30th along with, not one, not two, but three out takes from HOTRS and BB – put me on Author alert please, so you will see these going up.

Also there will be another chapter of "The Saints Are Coming" at the same time. Thought there will be more of those before then, so don't worry.

And to top of that, the cherry on top will be "The Difference Between Us" Trailer going up onto youtube! This will all be on September the 30th.