Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback with last chapter. From the sounds of the reviews, you all really enjoyed it…and that's awesome! I'm so glad you are all enjoying where this story is going. I had no idea when I started writing that I'd get 18 chapters in. But you all continue to amaze me each and every time I update…thank you so much. Enjoy…

perfectshadeofdarkblue

Best Definition of Good Intentions

18 – We'll Find a Way to Make it Right

The calm atmosphere inside the car helped to settle Bella as Edward confidently sped towards home with only one hand on the steering wheel. His other hand was wound tightly around Bella's. Feeling as though she might fall apart if his grip was loosened, Bella was holding on just as tightly. She loved the comfort his hand was offering, but was glad he never tried to shush her cries and soothe her into believing it would all be alright.

By the time the car was parked inside the massive garage, located adjacent to the Cullen's house, not a single cry was escaping Bella. Her eyes had long dried and she'd now resigned to stare straight ahead and will her world to right itself. She needed no help to make it inside although Edward continued to offer it.

Worried that Bella might tumble backwards down the stairs because of the lack of attention she was giving the task, coupled with her clumsy tendencies he'd just learned about, Edward guided her to the guest bedroom where she'd made her home the night before. Bella sat on the edge of the bed, staring straight ahead into the vacant air before her eyes. As Edward left the room without a word, Bella let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Thankful that Edward was giving her some space, Bella quickly changed into her pajamas and climbed into the bed, sitting up and leaning against the headboard with the blankets pulled tightly around her, keeping her together. She allowed her mind to clear and thought of nothing as she continued to stare.

Bella kept the thoughts at bay, afraid to give into them again and let them control her. She vowed it would be something she'd never do again. She felt as though she was stuck watching everything around her spin into utter chaos while she could do nothing about it. At the very least, she decided, she'd remain in control of her thoughts. She wouldn't allow herself to fall prey to the vultures that were relentlessly surprising her. She would never show them weakness; she'd keep control.

Through the quiet of the house Bella listened to the volume of Edward's footsteps increase as he climbed the stairs. She could hear him mumbling half of a conversation, but couldn't hear who he was talking to. Otherwise, the house was eerily quiet, something Bella wasn't used to. When the sounds of Edward's footsteps disappeared, Bella wondered where he went. He hadn't continued to the third floor, to his room and the only other rooms on this floor belonged to Alice and Emmett. She managed to place him at the end of the hallway when he spoke again. This time, without the interference of his footsteps, Bella could hear him clearly.

"I have no idea. She hasn't said a word to me." Bella strained her ears, listening for the response.

She heard none before he spoke again.

"I don't know, Alice." He sounded agitated as Bella rejoiced, knowing the identity of his partner. "Do honestly think she'd tell me?"

Realizing he was talking on his phone and she'd never hear the responses, Bella gave us, retreating back into her numb state.

Edward, however, was still forced to listen to the nonsense Alice was practically shouting at him.

"Yes, Edward, I do! I've seen the two of you becoming friends lately! Go talk to her! If you won't help her, at least keep her awake for me. I'll be home soon."

"I'm not going to keep her awake for the sake of it, Alice. She's exhausted. I can only imagine the day she's gone through. If you want to talk to her, then you can wake her up," Edward paced back and forth as he spoke, wishing to be through of the conversation.

"Edward –"

He cut her off before she could continue. "No, Alice. And there's no reason for you to come home early. Enjoy your time with Jasper since he's leaving. I just figured you'd want to know what's going on."

"Not that I don't trust that you can handle things, because I'm sure you can, but this is Bella we're talking about, Edward. She's my best friend; I need to make sure she's really okay. I feel like I've been an awful friend through all of this – I'm not letting you convince me to stay here when I should obviously be there."

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no reason for you to be here…so you can be miserable? Bella wouldn't want you here suffering, too, Alice," Edward tried hard to convince Alice, because he knew as soon as she returned home, she'd drive him crazy.

"And how would you know what Bella would want?" Alice shot back, knowing if she let him keep trying he'd eventually talk sense into her.

"I –Alice…put Jasper on the phone." Edward couldn't even begin to explain why or how he felt so strongly that Bella wouldn't want others suffering from her misery. And he certainly didn't want to have to tell Alice as much.

He could hear the phone pass hands before Jasper spoke into the intercom. "Is Bella alright, man?"

Edward was surprised to hear the concern from Jasper. Not that he'd expected Jasper to be indifferent about someone who was so close to his girlfriend, but he'd never realized how much this group of friends really considered themselves a family. He wasn't surprised to find out how much they all seemed to care about the distraught girl just down the hall from him, it was clear enough how much he'd grown to care about her in just a short time. He couldn't imagine the concern that would emanate from him in this situation if he'd known Bella as long as Jasper had.

However, he was surprised to realize that he considered himself to be a part of that family, aside from being an actual relative. And it wasn't just that he wanted to think so, but that he also felt that way in his interactions with the others; they felt the same way.

"I don't know, Jasper," Edward answered truthfully. "I'm guessing she'll come out alright. But right now, she's hurting."

"What do you want me to do?" Since meeting and becoming friends with Edward, Jasper had learned to trust his instincts. It was obvious that Edward was a take-charge, action kind of guy and Jasper felt confident that Edward could handle himself. Being truthful, Jasper felt as though the Cullen's treated him too much like an injured bird. Edward could take care of himself, and if he needed help, he knew where to find it. But, Jasper knew that was the Cullen's way – they would help you whether or not you wanted or needed it. And while some might consider that a bad thing, Jasper could never think that about the Cullen's.

"Just keep Alice occupied. I really am sorry to have interrupted your dinner. If I had really thought things through I would have realized this is how Alice would react."

"Don't worry about it, really," Jasper said with a laugh at Edward's generally happy voice coated with guilt. He winked at Alice across the table while saying, "I think I can manage to keep Alice occupied for awhile."

Edward couldn't make out the words of Alice's response in the background of the phone.

"We won't be too much longer, though. I can only keep her away from Bella now for so long. And I'd like to make sure she's still in one piece before I head out tomorrow and leave her well-being up to the two of you for a week."

After Edward ended the call and replaced the phone in his pocket, he knocked on Bella's door loud enough for her to hear if she was awake, but soft enough that it wouldn't wake her if she was already sleeping. He heard a muffled response through the wooden partition and let himself in.

He quickly took a seat beside her on the bed, leaning against the frame as she was. With the added weight, sinking the mattress towards Edward, Bella allowed the springs to move her body, her shoulder learning against Edward's. Hoping to add comfort, Edward reached his arm around Bella's shoulders and allowed her to lean against his body.

Nervous of saying the wrong thing to push Bella over the emotional edge again, Edward chose to remain silent. For several minutes the only sound in the room was their even breaths, in rhythm with each other. Bella, feeling more and more at ease after the tumultuous evening began to drift asleep. Next to her, Edward could feel the relaxation spread throughout her muscles and was careful not to jostle the bed.

Just as Bella's eyes fluttered shut for the first time, the thoughts she'd been succeeding at avoiding assaulted her mind. She drew a sharp breath and sat up straighter, moving away from Edward. He tightened his arm around her and tried to pull her back down, but she refused the contact and pulled away even further.

Edward could no afford the worry of saying the wrong thing, but still he chose his words carefully. Sticking to the easiest question while he folded his arms across his chest, he asked, "Are you all right?"

Bella merely shook her head, but gave no further comment.

"What happened?" Even though Edward had insisted to Alice that he was no going to invade Bella's privacy, he couldn't help himself for wanting to soothe her. While it wasn't the same kind, he knew the feeling of pain well and he didn't think anyone deserved to suffer through it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Bella's head twitch in another shake, but the movement had been so subtle he couldn't be sure. When he turned his head to look at Bella straight on, he was met a view of her profile. Her body was an image of his own, with her arms crossed against her chest and her face straight forward, focusing on what appeared to be the wall on the opposite side of the room. Her stare was cold and not an ounce of emotion showed on her face.

"Will you talk to me, Bella?"

Her only response was turning her head to look at Edward. He could see the effort she was putting into her icy demeanor but also noticed the heartbreak in her eyes.

"What happened, Bella?" He put his cool hands on her elbows, willing through the exchange of body heat for her to answer.

"I'm fine, Edward," she answered just as coolly as her expression would have suggested.

"Bella, really? That's…" he started.

"Really, Edward. I'm fine," the finality in her tone was evident without her turning away from Edward, now to face the window.

The sharp turn of her head swept her hair in front of Edward's face and he breathed in the scent of her. Slowly she turned back, but only to face the opposing wall again. Edward waited a few more minutes, giving her the chance to speak up if she wanted. Bella was refusing to look at him and he was beginning to feel as though his presence was a bother to her. Exactly the opposite of what he wanted. Resigning that she wasn't going to talk to him tonight, he surrendered and moved to get off the bed. Trying to regain his composure, he straightened his hunched shoulders before walking away.

"Wait, Edward," Bella called out. He was only a couple of steps away from the bed.

Hoping against all hope that he wasn't delusional, Edward turned back around slowly, pivoting on one foot. He made no move closer to the bed, willing himself to not show the emotion he was feeling, to show the desire he felt to return to Bella's side. He couldn't understand what had come over him, why he was so drawn to her side. But he couldn't fathom leaving her alone in this current state. He could only assume that she'd allow her icy exterior to cave once she was alone and that was not something he could bear just imagining. Edward felt certain that his presence alone was enough to ensure that Bella's tears wouldn't fall. But he didn't want her knowing any of this.

Instead of speaking, he raised his eyebrows in question at the same time he ran a frustrated hand through his already messy hair.

"Don't leave."

The flash of confusion across his face was quick, but Bella still caught it.

"Please," she pleaded. "Stay with me."

With a quick nod of her head, he returned to his place beside her, the indent and warmth from his body still evident in the fabric. As she leaned into him, he replaced his arms around her shoulders and soothed her by running his fingers along the bare skin of her arm. Once again, he could feel the wave of relaxation make its way through her muscles while she gave her tired self over to sleep. After only a few minutes Bella's breathing came in even breaths and he could measure them by the rising and falling of her chest.

Edward wasn't aware there were others in the house until he heard the voices. Cursing himself for falling prey to the tiredness and not hearing the opening and shutting of the front door, he quickly and gently removed his arm and got off the bed. He adjusted the sheets and pillows around Bella, praying she wouldn't wake from the movements.

Stepping out of the room and into the dimly lit hallway, he was met by Alice and Jasper who had just ascended the stairs. Alice stopped where she stood and gave Edward a look of impatience. She wanted to know full details of what was wrong with her best friend.

"She's sleeping now, Alice. She just fell asleep. She's fine, or at least she insists she is," Edward explained, trying to calm Alice before she committed to the irrational behavior he was sure she would.

The look she gave was quick and Jasper didn't see it, almost thinking Edward and Alice were communicating telepathically instead.

"I don't know, Alice," Edward answered her unasked question. He was reassuring her but he didn't know the details to do that properly. "She didn't tell me anything, but she didn't want me to leave either. We just sat there, not talking, until she finally fell asleep."

Alice shook her head and brushed by Edward on her way to Bella's room, mumbling the entire way, "How the two of them became such good friends is beyond me. Neither of them knows what to do half the time."

She knocked on the door softly as she pushed it open, calling Bella's name as she walked inside. In the hallway, Edward and Jasper could hear Bella's muted response.

Surprised she was awake, Edward motioned for Jasper, sensing it was going to be awhile before either girl came looking for them.

Alice took Edward's old seat next to Bella, not noticing the warmth he'd left there, which was the exact reason Bella had woken. She'd pretended she was asleep while Edward had readjusted the bed for his absence because she didn't want to appear desperate and incapable of being alone. She wanted to be in charge of herself and that meant she couldn't have weakness, so she was going to have to learn to be okay by herself. But she'd found it difficult to fall back asleep in the absence of Edward's body heat beside her. Hearing Alice's, knock on the door she was eager to have someone else keep her company, even though she made no plans of sharing the events of the evening.

As Edward and Jasper took seats on the couches in the living room below, Edward made a move to turn the television on. He was hoping something else could catch his interest to keep his mind away from the suffering girl who currently held his interest, but then he'd caught a glimpse of the distraught feelings that plagued Jasper's face.

"What's going on, man?" Edward asked, putting the remote down, thinking maybe Jasper's problems could occupy his time instead.

"Bella," Jasper responded blatantly as though this much was obvious. "This whole thing is just tearing me up inside."

Edward, again, was hit by amount that everyone here in Forks seemed to care for this girl. Aside from his actually family in Chicago and that included the Cullen's when they lived there, he'd never had such a community that he felt he belonged to. He'd always just seemed to exist more on his own, like a lost soul.

Sensing, Edward was waiting for further explanation, Jasper continued. "It's as much my fault as everyone else's. We all let Bella go on pretending nothing was wrong. In fact, we all helped her ignore it. At the smallest sign of trouble, we felt push it back, forcing her to focus on other things. But now, all the troubles are being rising to the surface…I can only imagine she feels like its coming from all sides."

"Jasper," Edward struggled to make sense of this. It was exactly what he'd have done, had he been in Forks at the time. What other option did they have? "What? You think you should have shoved it in her face?"

"No, of course not. It's just…I just wish this didn't have to happen to her."

Edward could feel the pain that Jasper was experiencing and it was oddly similar to the pain Bella was suffering upstairs. It was similar to the pain that he felt at Bella's situation. It was similar to the pain he felt when he learned of his parents' deaths. It was similar to the pain he felt knowing he'd never see his parents again.

"I know what you mean, man. She doesn't deserve this." He could only say the thing that was on his mind – the truth.

And no other truth was stronger to him than that. She didn't deserve to feel like this; she didn't deserve to be in the situation. In fact, no one did. But then how did it happen to people? Edward scoffed at the idea that karma could play such a role in life. Surely, there were things he could have done better but nothing that needed to be compensated for by the death of both of his parents. And he felt strongly that Bella had done nothing in her life to be sorry for. Then how did things like this happen to the wrong people? There must be people in the world that deserved this kind of pain more than others?

Edward was lost in his struggle to figure out a sense of order to the universe. Needing a distraction, for as much himself as his friend on the couch beside him, Jasper grabbed the remote and turned the television on, hoping to get lost in its mindlessness.

Trying to focus on the bright lights of the program playing, Edward couldn't escape his troubled thoughts. He shook his head, attempting to rid himself of the wanted worries. Would he ever feel comfortable thinking about his parents again? Would he ever be able to remove the reminders that were embedded in every aspect of his being? At the moment, he couldn't think of anything he wanted more.