Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

A/N: I told you it'd be up today, and here it is! But it will be a few days before the next one is up so stay with me. Thanks so for the great reviews, you guys are the best! As always, let me know what you think of the latest. Enjoy…

-perfectshadeofdarkblue

Best Definition of Good Intentions

13 – Big Hearts Are For Breaking

Edward braked slightly at the end of the hidden driveway before deciding to turn right. He drove slowly at first, unsure of where he was heading. He rounded a bend, marveling at the green that surrounded him. Having spent his entire life in Chicago, he'd never been as immersed in nature as he was here. Unlike most city-dwellers, he actually enjoyed the natural environment. After awhile, all the buildings in the city tended to blend together, however, the trees here were so full of life and promise. He couldn't find anything mundane about them.

As his speed increased, his eyes returned to the road and he slowed down immediately.

There was Bella walking along the edge of the forest. Her hands were shoved into her pockets and her face was turned to the woods, taking in the surrounding beauty much like Edward had just been doing. Temporarily, he'd forgotten that she was out somewhere on the streets of Forks. He'd gotten so wrapped up in Alice and Esme's conversation that he had forgotten the reason for it. Bella's outburst flooded his mind as he pulled up along side her, rolling down the passenger's side window so he could talk to her. At first, she didn't notice the car.

"Bella!" He called to get her attention.

Her head snapped to the left and she examined the car. Confusion flashed across her features at the sight of the shiny, silver Volvo that she had never seen before.

"Bella," Edward said again, only able to see the bottom half of her face because of the trajectory.

She leaned down, putting her whole face in his view. Her eyes narrowed in recognition and Edward could see the echoes of pain after the confusion vanished. She raised an eyebrow, expectantly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, suddenly nervous of what to say. Conversation had come so easy to them before, but that had been under entirely different circumstances. He no longer thought her to be overdramatic. Now he understood that pain that was in her eyes. He wanted so badly to help rid her of that pain and she had him, but he was afraid to make a mistake.

"I'm fine," Bella's voice came hard and cold. She was still leaning down, but her eyes were now tracing the landscape on the far side of the car. She was avoiding the concerned stare his green eyes were offering. This morning she'd noticed that his eyes were shining unlike before. Risking a closer look, she'd stared until she realized what was different: the pain that had once reflected in every one of his features had vanished. They still held traces of sorrow, but it was only sadness; he was no longer angry.

She was jealous that he could move on and she couldn't. She so desperately wanted to. Here he was, sitting in the car, driving around town, no longer mourning the death of his parents. It was exactly what Bella wanted to be doing, but didn't think she'd ever be able to.

Edward was taken aback by her harsh tone. He didn't know how to respond.

"Was there something else you needed?" she asked, in the same voice.

"Uh…I guess not," he mumbled.

Bella nodded her head once before straightening her body and walking away. She continued in the same direction as before, not making it but three feet from the car before Edward called out again.

"Bella! Do you want to come with me?" He couldn't bear the thought of her walking away, especially when she'd been so cold to him now, so different from the other night. He didn't blame her for being so short with him; after all, he'd been the same way in the beginning. He was sure with time, she'd lighten up. But he wanted that process to occur as quickly as possible, and he wanted to help that progress.

"I'd rather be alone," Bella replied without turning to the car.

She immediately veered off her path along the side of the road, walking through the line of trees marking the edge of the forest. She walked only as far as she had to in order to ensure she couldn't be seen from the road before finding a tree stump and sitting down. She could barely make out the purr of the engine over the sounds of nature, but she could still tell the car was where she'd left it. She heard when Edward finally pulled away and, even then, she waited a few more minutes before returning to the road.

She didn't want to chance him seeing her in the rearview mirror and turning around. To be honest, she really would have preferred company at the present moment, but she didn't think she could handle his. She couldn't help but think of the loss he'd suffered, which in turn was reminiscent of her own loss – the exact thing she was trying to avoid. Bella wished she could will her problems away.

As the afternoon faded to early evening, Bella wandered Forks, carefully avoiding any road that would lead her to either the police station or her house. It wasn't hard to navigate the small town on foot, although she did become concerned with the weather after awhile.

Bella had become lost her thoughts to find that her feet had subconsciously brought her to the high school. Not knowing where else to go, she walked across the property toward the football field. She climbed the bleachers, settling herself on the top row, staring out across the entire campus and returning to her thoughts. Bella remembered her conversation with Alice from only earlier that day. She'd felt as though things were starting to return to normal. Granted, both had been ignoring the giant elephant in the room, but that's the way Bella preferred it. It was much easier when she was the only one thinking about the mess she was in; she didn't want it occupying everyone else's thoughts as well.

Life had been so simple barely a week ago. Back then Bella would spend time with her mother around the house and then go to La Push to spend time with Jacob, who made everything feel bright and cheery. Bella found herself craving his company now because he had the ability to make everything else disappear. She never had to fake happiness around him; he brought it out of her all on his own.

She didn't want to be having those thoughts. She didn't want to be craving Jacob's company. Shaking her head, she pulled herself out of her reverie. She'd felt as though time was passing slowly, but it was much too dark for her to have only been sitting for the short amount of time she'd thought. The sky was darkening quickly, but not only due to the approaching night. Black clouds were making their way over Forks, which was typical of not only this time of year, but all year.

Bella weaved through the campus and back to the main road, ready to start her journey back. She owed Alice and Esme an apology. She'd been completely out of line to yell earlier, and she hadn't meant to. The mention of her father had just caught her so off guard, it was an involuntary reaction.

While Bella had been contemplating her current situation at the high school, Edward had driven, mindlessly, around Forks. He spotted his new high school and the hospital, even picking Carlisle's black Mercedes out of the parking lot, without trouble. But the entire time he familiarized himself with his new home, his thoughts were centered on Bella. He knew it had only been a few days since catastrophe had struck, but he didn't like seeing the pain on her face, when it obviously did not belong there. After their initial conversation, he'd found himself immediately taken by her – by everything about her. Her way of understanding what he was thinking, when he didn't say a word, her way of saying just the right thing to help him understand, her way of masking her own sadness to help him with his. Just from one conversation, Edward felt ready to let another person in. Something he thought would never be possible again in the wake of his parents.

But she didn't want to be let in. In fact, it seemed as though she wanted to be shut out. And she wanted to shut him out. Edward racked his mind, trying to come up with a solution to his problem. He didn't have a single answer. He resolved to just play it by ear, but, by no means, did that mean he was taking it easy. He was going to try his hardest to help her; he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Edward had completely lost track of time and wasn't even paying attention to where he was driving anymore. As his gas light came on, he decided it was time to head home. Hopefully, Bella would be there and he'd get a chance to actually talk to her. After stopping by at the town's only gas station on the opposite side, he was on his way.

Almost immediately after pulling out onto the street, it started raining. And not just raining, but storming. Thunder echoed as lightning danced across the sky. Edward slowed, unable to see very far in front of him, even with the wipers on the highest setting.

A few minutes later, he saw Bella again walking on the side of the road. The hood of her sweatshirt was over her head, but the usual light gray was stained black from the water. She was huddled close to the trees, hoping to seek as much refuge as possible from the canopies they formed. Edward could only imagine how cold and wet she must be from the rain that had been steadily falling for almost ten minutes.

He pulled his car over the side of the road, planning to pull up beside her and give her a ride. His plan backfired as the right front tire hit a pothole filled with water. He jerked the wheel, hoping to correct his mistake, but there was nothing he could do. The wheel jumped out the hole and the car started to skid off the road. He managed to right the path but not before that wheel ran over a fallen tree branch. He heard the sound of tearing rubber over all the other noises.

He slowed to a stop and put his head down on the steering wheel, not knowing what to do next.

At the sound of the commotion, Bella turned around. She saw Edward's car fly out of the pothole and over the branch. She winced at the sound of the flattening tire. In a split second, she made the decision to help him. She jogged toward his car, sending water flying from each puddle she ran through.

When Edward saw her approaching, he slowly got out of the car. She was only ten feet away when he shut the car door and turned to face her, just in time to see her falter. As her pace slowed, Bella slipped on the slick street. Her foot flew out from underneath her as Edward lunged forward to catch her. His hands gripped her arms, but he wasn't fast enough and they both ended up falling to the road, sending a new wave of water flying over them.

Getting to his feet, Edward asked, "Are you okay?"

He held out his hand to help her up. Her hand was cold to the touch from all the rain. She winced, putting weight on her foot and falling into him. This time, he managed to keep his own balance.

"I think I twisted my ankle," Bella said, gently adding more and more weight to the foot in question. When it got to be too much she said with a grimace, "Oh yea, definitely twisted it."

"Here, here, sit down." Edward wrapped her arm over his shoulders as he carried the majority of her weight around to the opposite side of the car. Effortlessly, he opened the passenger door with his free hand and helped her slide inside. Then he made his way back around to his door and got in away from the rain.

Inside the car, the sound of the rain grew louder, echoing off the road and windshield. Edward turned the key in the ignition, flipping the heat on but keeping the wipers off since they weren't needed. With all the water pounding on the glass, it was impossible to see anything.

"I didn't get the chance to look at the tire, but I'd venture it's not drivable in these conditions." There was no way he'd risk further injury to his beloved car. He shrugged, "I guess we're going to be stuck here until the rain calms."

"And who knows how long that'll be. Great," Bella mumbled, rolling her eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Edward tried to start up a conversation. "So what were you doing today?"

"Just wandering," she answered, shortly.

"Where to?"

"Does it matter?" she said in a harsh tone – harsher than she'd ever used before.

"I'm just curious," he replied truthfully.

"Well, don't be." Bella glared at him, hoping he'd listen to the not-so-subtle hint.

Edward couldn't take the hostility anymore. "Did I do something to offend you?"

Bella now stared at him in disbelief, "Are you really asking that?"

He didn't know whether she was outraged at the questioned or his stupidity. He tried to explain, "Well, you just seem to be specifically in a worse mood around me. I just wanted to make sure I hadn't said or done anything that offended you when we talked the other night."

Bella could read the sincerity in his eyes, but she did not want to give in. Instead, she merely just turned to stare out the window, watching the rain fall.

Edward continued. "If I did, I'm very sorry. It was not my intention, whatsoever, and I hope that you can understand that."

She couldn't believe his nerve.

"Are you serious?" she asked, turning back around. "How can you expect to offer such a blanket apology when you have no idea what you did?!"

"In my opinion, I didn't do anything, but since it's clear you think otherwise, what other choice do I have? I did not purposefully offend you and I hope you can believe I'm telling the truth. If you'd like to explain what I did that was so horrible to cause you to treat me like this, I'd really appreciate it." Edward could feel his own temper start to rise.

Bella rolled her eyes in her only response.

"If you won't tell me, the only thing I can do is offer a blanket apology. Bella," he calmed down, breathing her name. "I'm sorry, for whatever I did. I truly did not want to upset you. Can you forgive me?"

She remained silent.

Suddenly, Edward remembered what was in the trunk of his car. He opened his door, immersing himself in the rain once again. He ran to the trunk, quickly pulling out a plastic bag, twisting it up to protect whatever was inside from the water. Bella watched all of this through the mirror, not wanting to give him the satisfaction that she was indeed curious.

He climbed back into the car, bringing with him a huge gust of wind. Without thinking, Bella's hand shot to the air conditioning controls to adjust the temperature. Before making contact with the plastic knob, her hand collided with Edward's. However, he was reaching for her hand, not the heat. Without letting go, he set the heat higher then cradled her hand in his.

"Bella," he started softly. "I don't know how else to tell you I'm sorry. And not just for upsetting you, but for everything you're going through. I understand how difficult it can be, I would like you to know that you can talk to me, if you so choose."

He was quiet for a moment while reading her expression.

"After talking to you the other night, I felt better than I had in the longest time. And I owe that to you. You were the one who brought me back. When I returned from Italy with the Cullen's, I was unsure of how to move on, unsure of how to function in a society that had wronged me. You helped me see how it was possible to come back from tragedy. Thank you, Bella. Thank you," he finished, hoping she would have something to say now.

Bella was at a loss for words. She couldn't even remember what she'd said to him the other night. She'd been too lost in her own grieving to grasp the concept of helping someone else, but apparently that's what he thought she was doing. All she could remember was how nice it had been to have a conversation that didn't focus solely on the hurting.

Edward saw the struggle behind Bella's eyes. Her gaze dropped to her legs as she tried to gather her thoughts. Edward released her hand and decided it was as good a time as any to give her the gift.

"Bella." Immediately, she raised her eyes to meet his. Once they'd established the contact, he continued, "While I was in Port Angeles earlier today, I got a gift for you. Just something to show my appreciation."

Bella's eyes grew wide in surprise as his hand emerged from the bag. He was holding a small book, but because of the large bow on the cover, Bella couldn't make out the title. He handed it to her and Bella removed the bow.

Without even reading the title, she said, "Edward, I can't take this."

"Why not?" He hadn't even thought about her refusing the gift. Why was she refusing the gift?

"Edward….the other night. I can't even remember what I said. At the risk of sounding selfish, anything I said, it wasn't meant for you. I was much too involved in my own thoughts to be offering any advice. I can't accept this," she said, hurriedly, hoping against all hope, he wouldn't hate her for the admission.

Edward let out a quiet laugh. "Oh, Bella. That doesn't matter. I don't care whether or not you were talking to me or the stars that night. It just doesn't change the effect your words had on me. Nothing can change that. Please."

Bella smiled despite herself, looking down at the book. In her hands, she held The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. At the sight of the children's tale, their previous conversation came flooding back. She remembered sharing their opinions of the stars and it was clear that Edward had paid attention. The French book, translated to English in her hands, offers profound and idealistic viewpoints of human nature and life. If Bella remembered correctly, there were several references to the stars and how different people interpret them.

She looked back up to Edward. "Thank you, Edward. I mean that, thank you."

Bella was overcome by his generosity. After that same conversation, she'd been so sure he was being selfish, rubbing in his good fortune over her bad one. In reality, he'd just finally come to terms to how he was seeing the stars. He'd made sense of the hope he was sought after. Bella sighed; she was still unable to make sense of her stars.

"I'm here for you, Bella. Really. I want to repay the kindness, intentional or not, that you showed me. If there is every anything that I can do, I hope you do no hesitate to ask."

He spoke with such candor that Bella couldn't help but believe the words that were leaving his mouth.

And there, in the injured car, amongst the pouring rain surrounded by the wet greenness, just a few miles from their temporary home, Bella decided to let Edward in.