Right vs Good Chapter 17: A Helluva Hickey, a twilight fanfic

Yay! My son learned the phrase "apple juice"! I'm so proud! Anyway, thank you for the reviews. God, I love the reviews.

Warning for this chapter: Lemony goodness ahead. It's my first full-fledged smut chapter, so please take it easy on me. *cowers in a corner*

Also, please read the bottom for something very special!

As always, Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all that goes with it. I own a new Batman wallet. Happy!

Enjoy! XOXO-Ka

Right Vs. Good

by: JudeOrion

Chapter 15: A Helluva Hickey

"Nicky, if you play that skit one more time…" My threat was empty. He was watching a Sesame Street DVD Mike bought for him after the accident. Yes, hearing the "Peanut Butter Song" for the three hundred millionth time was annoying, but after the scare last weekend I was willing to spoil him. He was laying on the couch with his right leg up on a pillow, left foot on the floor; one hand holding the DVD player remote, the other in a bowl of popcorn resting on his tummy.

Except for the broken leg, I envied him. Wish I could relax and stare vapidly at the TV. At the moment I was chopping vegetables for dinner, still thinking about Saturday. It scared me to think how close I could have been to losing my other baby...

I won't cry. I won't break down until I know what is going on. Holding in the tears is the most difficult thing I think I could ever do.

"Seat belt," is all Edward says to me when we get into the car. As he drives he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket. "Carlisle. You need to get out of the hospital…Because Mike is coming there with Nicky and no doubt he will recognize you…I don't know, fake sick or something, but do it quick, the ambulance will be there any minute." With that, Edward snaps his phone shut and keeps driving. "I can't come in there with you."

"I know," I mutter. I don't care at this point whether he comes in or not, I just want to get to my son.

"I'll wait in the parking lot for when you need me, all right?"

"It's probably going to be a while."

"I know. I'll wait for you."

I look at him, tamping down the noise of fear trying to escape my throat.

Edward swings into the lot and finds a place close to the entrance. He takes my chin in his hand and makes me look at him.

"Whatever happens, I'm here for you. I'm not leaving you again."

I lean forward and peck him on the lips, then I fly out of the car. I beat the ambulance by ten minutes, since they live 45 minutes out into the boonies. I sit in the hard plastic seat, tapping my foot as I wait. The receptionist keep clearing her throat in irritation and it occurs to me to stop, but the thought is fleeting. Isn't it her job to be understanding? Later I'll realize I just felt like annoying her because it was a way to vent my anxiety.

Finally they bring Nicky in on a stretcher. Oh God, he has a brace around his neck, but at least he's conscious; his face is tear-stained but the remnants of a smile still linger around his mouth. He doesn't see me; I'm standing against the opposite wall to the door. Mike sees me as soon as he walks in, though. He recognizes that I am on the verge of a breakdown and comes up to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I turn into his embrace and let myself sob.

"Oh, God. What happened?"

"Shh…Bella, it's ok. He's going to be just fine. It's all my fault."

"What?" I lean back and look at him, confused.

Mike lets me go but keeps an arm around my shoulder as we follow the stretcher to a room. We stand outside the door while the ER staff starts checking Nicky over.

"There's this tree outside the house with a fort inside of it. I built it for him last year. I don't know how , but I didn't secure one of the floorboards right. It broke under him and he fell down. They say he should be fine, though. He landed on his back, and that's why he has a neck brace on. They're pretty sure he has a broken leg, but they think he's going to be ok. He was laughing in the ambulance, so that's good."

"How high was the treehouse?"

"Maybe ten, twelve feet off the ground."

"That's not too bad of a fall," I say, slightly relaxing. "How did he break his leg if he fell on his back?"

"There's a rock under the tree, his leg landed on that."

"Oh, jeez."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. It's all my fault."

"Why was he even outside if he has an ear infection?" That's why he couldn't come over this weekend. I hope Mike isn't starting to lie to me again.

"He was bugging me yesterday about playing in it but I didn't let him because he wasn't feeling better. This morning I said maybe and he got mad at me about it. I went upstairs to do something and next thing I know he's screaming bloody murder on the ground outside. I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault."

"I'm the one who built the treehouse."

"Please," I say with sarcasm. "I've seen your woodwork before. You're great at it, and you wouldn't have made that if you didn't know what you were doing. It was a mistake, that's all. You aren't to blame."

He just nods, unconvinced, and waits with me until we're beckoned into the room...

Nicky was fine: no back injuries except a little bruising, no concussion—we were lucky on that. The worst of it was a fracture in his right leg. He was out of school that Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday he was back with crutches. I was proud of Mike; he really stepped up to the plate. He took Nicky to school each day, got him settled in, and helped him to the car from class at three. He even tried to make Nicky lunch one day but couldn't put a meal together to save his life and just ended up giving Nicky money for lunch as usual.

Mike had a lot of work this weekend and had a lot of driving around he needed to do. Usually he would bring Nicky—Mike's clients loved him—but he worried about getting Nicky in and out of the car so many times, so I helped him struggle up the stairs and plopped him down on the sofa, remote controls within his reach and basically let him veg out. I gave him his food at the couch and let him sleep there. I know, I know. You're not really supposed to do that. But every time I looked at that leg in the cast I went into Pushover Mode.

However, thirteen times playing the same song on the DVD is where I draw the line.

Nicky let it go to the next part and I continued making dinner.

Nicky was tucked in bed and I had just slipped into my most comfortable pajamas when an urgent knock came at the door. Who would be calling at ten-thirty at night? That person wore a straw cowboy hat, dirty faded jeans, and a very pissed-off gleam in his eye.

"J-Josh. Uh…hi."

"Hey." His eyes were focused somewhere to the left of my head and his hands were in his pockets.

"Would you like to come in?"

He walked past me and into the hallway, where he just stood for a minute.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Why didn't you call me about Nicky?"

"W-What?"

"You didn't call to tell me that Nicky was in the hospital, Bella! Why the hell didn't you?"

"I didn't think about it…he's fine, he's not hurt real badly. He just broke his leg. I…didn't think you would want to come."

He beat his fists against his thighs to try to calm down. "Just because things…ended…which I also want to talk with you about…doesn't mean I don't care about you and Nicky anymore. Fuck, Bella, I love him. I liked knowing that I was going to be his step-dad. I still care about him; that hasn't changed since you threw the ring at me." Josh's voice was on the rise and he was quickly becoming angry. Not that I could blame him.

"Who told you in the first place?"

"Edward called me."

I was shocked. Edward didn't tell me that. Oh he was in for a world of hurt; he could have at least warned me!

"I'm sorry, Josh. I am. I…I didn't think you would want to hear from me."

"I still love him like my own kid. No matter how hurt I am I want to know if he's in the hospital or something."

I nodded. "I'm sorry. But he really is fine. He just fractured his leg."

"That's good." We stood awkwardly in the short hallway.

"Um…would you like something to drink?"

"I'm fine."

I got myself a can of soda from the fridge and came back into the living room, where Josh had seated himself on the couch. It was too intimate to even consider sitting next to him so I leaned against the computer desk.

"Spit it out," I said after a too-long silence.

"I'd like to work out what happened." I sighed and looked down, my feet quickly becoming fascinating. Josh's whole demeanor had changed by then. He looked slightly defeated. He had relaxed and started breathing better. He got up from the couch and stepped up to me and lifted my chin with his fingers.

"Is there any way we can work this out?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so, Josh."

"Why not?"

A traitor tear slipped down my cheek. "I can't tell you." He swiped his thumb across my skin to catch the tear.

"You can tell me anything, Bella. I don't care what it is."

I shook my head. More tears fell.

"Please? Look…I'm not accusing you of anything, ok? But if you did something wrong, I need you to tell me. I can't keep wondering like this. I haven't slept all week. Don't you think I at least deserve that, Bella?"

His eyes. Oh, God, they hurt me just to look in them. I took a deep breath and pulled Josh's hand off my face. I stepped away from him and paced the living room. Where should I start?

"Ok. Um…I love you, Josh. I do. And I haven't been with anyone since you proposed to me. I promise."

"Does that mean you were with someone while we were dating?" His voice was dangerously calm.

"Yes," I sighed. "Yes. We never had sex. But there was kissing. And a couple of nights he slept over. And I was—am—in love with him. I told him it was over after you proposed, and he's still been trying to get me to change my mind, but I knew I could never hurt you like that so I pushed him away every time, I swear. Physically, I've been faithful to you. But I never should have accepted your ring when I was still in love with someone else. I'm so sorry, Josh. I—sorry isn't enough, I know. I hate myself for hurting you." I stood still finally and looked at the man who, a week ago, had been my fiancé. He looked like he had aged just with the past minute.

Josh took a deep breath. He looked straight into my eyes. "Who did you love more? Me or him?"

I wished I could lie, but it was one I knew I couldn't' get away with. Sure, it would spare his feelings now. But he would find the truth, eventually, when I chose Edward over him. I knew it would always be Edward, no matter who else I loved. "Him," I whispered.

A nod from Josh. A harsh sigh. A long, long pause. "Who is it?"

"I can't tell you that, Josh."

"I'm not going to rat you out or judge you or incriminate you. I just need to know if it's someone I've been wrongfully putting my trust in."

I knew he knew who it was. It didn't matter, though. He needed to hear it. "Edward."

He nodded again. "I thought so."

"I never meant to hurt you."

"I know."

"I just…"

"I know, Bella. I know. Can I ask you one thing, though?"

"What?"

"Why am I not enough? What does some damn High School kid have that I don't have? Is it the youth? The—the—forbiddeness? I hate to even think it about you, but is it the money? I can't understand why." His eyes were starting to water. I wanted nothing more than to comfort him, take it all back, tell him I would be with him if it would make it all better.

But I couldn't.

He would never trust me again.

It wouldn't be fair to him.

I would betray Edward far worse.

I would betray myself far worse.

"I can't explain it, Josh. I just…can't be without him. I tried and it hurt like a part of me had died. I couldn't help it."

He strode up to me and pressed his forehead against mine, his hands cupping my neck.

"Why can't you feel that way for me?"

Even though I knew it was a rhetorical question, I answered, "Because I'm not meant for you. God made me from someone else. There's someone else out there for you, too."

"I don't think so." He kissed my lips gently and pulled back. He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head; when he opened his eyes back up there a was a mask over them. I knew we were done with the subject and it was time for him to leave. At the door, he turned around and looked toward Nicky's bedroom. "Can I still see him? He's the closest thing to a son I have and I love him."

"Definitely. I'll have him call you tomorrow, all right?"

"Ok. And tell Edward if he ever hurts you I'm still here, ready to beat him up."

I chuckled. "I will."

After he was gone I went to the patio and snuck a cigarette and thought. I hadn't expected Josh to be so civil about everything. I hadn't even expected him to turn up at my door. Oh yeah, that reminded me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Edward's number.

"Hello," he said in his velvet voice.

"I will punch you, I swear."

"What did I do?"

"Don't you try any of that fake innocence on me, Cullen." I took a drag and blew it out noisily. "I know you called Josh."

"Why is that wrong? I only wanted him to know about Nicky. He feels like a dad to him, and it was his right to know, I felt. Why, what happened? And are you smoking?"

"Yes, I am. Deal with it. Josh came here, angry because I didn't tell him about Nicky, and he asked if there was any chance we could fix things and I told him everything."

"Everything? Even—"

"I'm not an idiot, Edward! I didn't tell him about your family, jeez. But I told him about the instances between you and me when he and I were together and that sort of thing."

"How did he take it?"

"Fairly well, I was surprised. He didn't understand but he wasn't angry…at least he didn't show it."

"I'm happy you got the chance to get everything off your chest."

"Me too."

We were silent for a moment, each of us lost in thought. I came back inside and laid down in my bed, snuggled under the mounds of quilts. I knew I would start sweating soon so I tugged my shirt off and shoved the pants somewhere down in the nether regions of the blankets.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too, Edward. Where are you?"

"At home, sitting at my piano."

"Play me something?" I yawned. I looked at the clock; it was well past midnight.

"Over the phone?" His voice was slightly incredulous. Snob.

"Yes, over the phone." I heard the thunk of him laying his cell on the piano, the shift when he turned it to speaker. He played my lullaby for me and I fell asleep easily, peaceful for the first time in a long time.

I awoke to a silky coldness trailing up and down my spine. I lifted my head from the pillow, confused. Edward lay next to me, running his fingers over my skin. It made my flesh tingle and goosebumps skittered across my body. He smiled at me.

"I love when it does that," he whispered, his eyes raking over me. Then I remembered I was pretty much naked.

And so was he.

"Edward, where are your clothes?"

"On the floor."

"Why?"

"I figured it was only fair. You have on nothing but your panties…" he tapped his fingers along the bottom of my panties, near the thigh. "…so I figured I should have on nothing but my shorts."

My heart sputtered. He smiled a cocky smirk.

Stupid damn vampire.

Two could play at this.

I turned from my belly onto my back and awkwardly tugged my panties down and they were lost, wadded with the pj bottoms.

The smirk was replaced with an animalistic look I'd never seen on him before. It thrilled me a bit, but it was exciting not fearful. Edward took his hand and caressed from my knee up to my hip. I squirmed under his touch. He made the circuit a few times and then switched to the other leg, not touching me where I needed him to but coming too close each time.

"Edward…"

This predatory smile swept over his face and a hot surge of need pitted itself in my stomach. Edward inhaled deeply and it was like something in him just snapped. He grabbed my hips with both hands and crushed his lips to mine, shoving his tongue in.

"You smell so good."

What happened next is hard to explain. I'm not a pushover—except to my kids—but I knew when it came to Edward I was more passive than to anyone else, I bent easily to what he wanted. But when he was lying on top of me, gripping me so hard that it stung wonderfully, his tongue invading my mouth, I wasn't submissive anymore. I gripped his shoulders as hard as I could and matched his tongue movements with my own. He groaned and pushed my hips down onto the bed harder.

I wasn't having it. I bit his tongue, and I knew it wouldn't hurt but the moment of shock gave me a split second advantage that I used to flip Edward onto his back. The look of surprise changed to pleasure as I ground into him. His eyes closed and he moaned as I did. I leant forward and licked from his collar bone up his neck and sucked on his earlobe. When I blew cool air on the wet trail I left along his throat he lost it and rolled me back over, where he leant against me, his shorts suddenly gone. My heart spiked again as I felt him against my entrance.

"You all right?" he muttered.

I nodded.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Please."

A wicked smile danced across his lips, all concern gone. He rubbed himself against me and my back arched of its own volition. He flicked his tongue against my nipple. I cried out and grabbed his hair with my hands; he reached up and took both of my wrists in his hand and held them there above my head. I knew it was useless but I tried to wriggle free anyway.

"Don't try it, Bella."

And he pushed into me.

And it was only then, of course, being me, that I realized just how big he was.

And it hurt.

"Fuck," I squealed.

"I'm sorry. Are you all right?" He started to pull out but I stopped him with a look.

"I'll be all right. Just give me a minute." Once I felt more accustomed to his size I nodded and he pulled back, then pushed into me. It was cold and hot at the same time and he reached farther into me than I ever thought anyone could go. He did it again and I moaned because he was going so painfully slow.

"Faster," I begged.

He obliged and my hips rose to meet his thrusts. His mouth captured my own again and the movements his tongue was making matched the thrusts that assailed me. He took the hand that wasn't holding my wrists hostage and ran his thumb across my right nipple.

"Oh, God."

He started thrusting faster and harder, and I was panting and there was this fire building in my stomach despite the coldness. Edward pressed his thumb into my other nipple and twisted his finger lightly so that I felt a slight twinge. My gasp was muffled when he nipped at my lip. That was all it took. I came on the spot, crying into his mouth.

His thrusting came more frantically and wildly and I knew he was close. He lowered his mouth to the joint in my neck and shoulder and sucked the skin there.

Hard. I mean, really hard. It hurt but it felt so deliciously good that it made me come again, and as I spasmed around him, he came into me, sucking harder, groaning, jerking against me.

He let my neck go and rolled onto his back, taking me with me. I rested my chin on my hands, folded on his chest, and smiled at him.

"Well that was overdue," he said.

I laughed. "No shit."

He smiled and looked at my neck. His hand rose and he brushed it against the tender skin and came away red.

"Did you bite me?" I asked in shock. Shouldn't I be in pain now? It took less time when I was in that ballet studio for me to be in agony.

"No, no." He shot me a cocky smile and stuck his fingers into his mouth. His eyes darkened with a touch of red.

"But I gave you one hell of a hickey."

Hey everyone! Hope y'all are enjoying the last bit of Right Vs. Good.

Ok, I always loved it when an author would have an interview of the characters. So my very good friend did one up for me! Thank you so much PJ, for doing this for me. You rock!

Enjoy, everyone! I tried to write these as objectively as possible :P

XOXO

Kimber: What do you think of Bella treating you like another daughter?

I love it. I finally have a mom I can count on. Just anyone I can count on is amazing.

Mike: What the hell were you thinking when you spewed those vicious lies about Bella being an unfit mother?

*Looks to the floor in shame* Well, I guess…I wasn't thinking. Things with me and Bella hadn't been good for a few years. I was angry. I lashed out at her, since she was the easiest target. I know now that I had no right to take it out on her. I'm very sorry I did.

Edward: What made you think that you even stood a chance at regaining Bella's affections?

I didn't. *Chuckles nervously* But if you had found the love of your life, if you had a second chance to win her heart, wouldn't you try, no matter how bleak the chances?

Josh: What made you think that Edward was the one whom Bella was talking about when she said that she loved another?

I saw the way they looked at each other. All the time. It was clear she felt something toward him, even if she didn't admit it. She tried to deny it, but…I knew it was him.

Nicky: What was it about the Cullens that made you feel secure enough to connect with them?

*Mumbles*

What was that, sweetie?

I don't know. They play with me an' stuff. Rose plays with me. An' Emmett makes me laugh.

Esme: What do you think of Nicky?

Oh, he's so sweet. And intelligent! Very shy, yes, but he reminds me of the children I used to teach when I was human. He's so…happy, despite the things he's seen. I love him dearly.

Rose: Does Bella having a child change your outlook towards her?

No. Any woman can have a child. The fact that she's such a good mother makes me…think differently of her. I guess I respect her more. I think she's an idiot for willing to be with Edward again. But that's for a different reason. *Shrugs* She's a good mom. I'm proud of her for that.

Jasper: What does Nicky feel around Edward?

He feels friendship, mostly. Happiness. Trust. He feels very at ease with Edward, more so than ever with Josh.

Alice: Can you see what Nicky's future holds?

*Smiles coyly* Well that would give away the ending, wouldn't it?

Carlisle: Has there been a discernable difference in Edward after this last chapter?

*Smiles contentedly* It's like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. He is easier to get to laugh, to lighten up. Why? What happened?

Emmett: How the hell did you do it? I mean how did you know what to do to bring Nicky out of his shell?

*Winks* Kids are easy, man. You just laugh with 'em. Make sure they're comfortable above everything else. And make 'em feel safe. I've always made people feel safe anyway. Plus Nicky's a good kid. He's easy to get along with.

Bella: What do you want from Edward & the Cullens now?

*Looks to her lap and speaks softly* I just don't want them to leave again. I'm so happy now that everyone is back in my life. I'm terrified they're going to disappear in the middle of the night.